AX6 Axel and his lovely unringed partner Mistle are bonding well, and Mistle has been threatening to lay an egg - we await developments.
It seems that Mistle has been on the perch & nest all night:
IMAGICAT
Some people think Ospreys are a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.
I am quite happy to be christened the 'David Hockney of LG' now.
Thank you CRinger. And thanks for the so interesting historical info!
It's been quite quiet today, and until the fish delivery there has been no sign of Axel. There has even been a break in the clouds to expose blue sky.
06.09
06.51.12 Mistle had a fly-about. ENS. It was probably she we could see above thee skyline.
06.51.50 Someone (Mistle) flew up and landed on the dead spikey tree to the right of the camtower.
06.52 She flew o And returned to the nest with a sticky stick, which she dropped and moved to the cup and incubated. Even if Axel isn't bringing in copious fish, she is looking very bonny, and certainly not starving!
She moved a stick from the front rim, almost obscuring our view.
P
08.14 Some blue sky as she snoozes
07.15 Mistle tucked her head under her feathers/wing and snoozed.
For the next few minutes she tucked her head in, lifted it out and looked around, tucked it in again.
08.14 Blue sky!
09.49 After a calm morning the wind gets up.
11.42 A one wing, one legged stretch. A double wing flap, and she takes off.
1.43 She flies off and
11.44 Returns with a chirrup and another stick . She walks thru the eggs to place it on our side of the nest, changes her mind and places it on the left rim. Back to the eggs and tries to settle, but she had moved a stick behind her which kept getting caught up as she tried to settle. She picked it up and lay it on the left side of the nest, not the rim. All this has dislodged the stick which was lying at an angle near the stake.
11.46 Settled at last.
12.04 Mistle looks around, and suddenly starts calling. Fish call! It has started to rain.
12.05. Mistle gets up and backs away from the cup.
12.05.45 #1 FISH. Brown trout? Quick exchange, and Mistle flies. Axel incubates
12.21 The clouds begin to drop and the wind gets up again.
Hardly a couple of minutes pass and Axel is calling for the fish!! Mistle replies! It was a reasonable sized fish, but I think Axel might have to go fishing again if he wants a fish.
12.38 Mistle is still replying to his calls. Such an unusual pair!
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
SheilaFE said:
Ok. I hide back under my shell and relinquish the title of the 'David Hockney of LG' after seeing the above capture. Sheesh! Such a lot left to learn.
LOL CRinger. We all have to start somewhere, and I have been relatively slowly thru the vid to catch some 'pretty' scenes as well as action. One tip which might help is to click on the settings on the vid. Playback speed - reduce that to 0.25. That's what I use to try to get a specific point like the fish or its size which is often gone in a blink in normal speed.
12.42 Mistle is back fishless, and there is a loud exchange between them. I wonder whether she has been for a dip in the Loch, her petticoat looks a bit bedraggled. She moves sticks and calls. Axel is quiet, and stays put.
2.45.15 Mistle flies off12.46 Mistle returns with a clump of lichen, and moves a stick which is lying across the rim – which moves others. She continues to move sticks and dried grass. Axel stays put while she calls.12.48 He finally gets up and immediately flies off. Mistle incubates.
12.54 All is peaceful once more
I'm going to attack some ironing. BBL
Edit 13.31 It's raining.
I'm going to attack some ironing.
I missed the post by some ironing. I will find it and join you with my vitriol. How dare he / she!
Thank you all !!! !!! !!!
Here was a stick from Mistle - we're just not seeing the smooth chunky sticks that EJ and Odin used to find...
Mind you, I do remember BlueXD trying to snap one like this into shape: