LOCH GARTEN June 2022

Salmon, when they return to Scotland weigh 4 - 8 kg. A male Osprey typically weighing 1.5 kg has no chance of catching one.

Late small fish @ 22:05. Good job Axel!

Back to early morning, Mistle's behaviour with fish - the kids get fed a few bites (they got more later):

She narrowly missed the chicks but was very sensible in the end:

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22:05 - small fish reported by CRINGER, difficult to snap but it won't go far:

15 July

Axel paid an early visit, stayed on the perch preening:

When Mistle went flyabout he took the opportunity to have a close look at his chicks:

He then proceeded to brood the chicks - twice!  When Mistle returned she happily(?) stood by for a while before he got up and flew - let's hope he's been inspired to fish!

I'm doing a video, don't hold her breath.

A feed at Loch Garten, and sadness at Loch of the Lowes

(c) RSPB Loch Garten

scylla said:

scylla said:

He then proceeded to brood the chicks

The whole episode was about 20 minutes altogether, with positional adjustments from time to time.

Interesting behaviour by a male. Perhaps he was thinking more along the lines of sitting on the 1 remaining egg rather than brooding? It will be very interesting to see if he does a repeat performance once (we hope) there are 3 youngsters and no eggs left to incubate!

I was wondering after the first one hatched whether it was in fact egg 2, as it was a couple of days after first due date, and the second hatch was egg 3.
We should know soon enough.

We'll know if a 3rd egg hatches. If it doesn't we won't know which it was since there was no chance to identify the eggs by splodology.

Some years back Rutland were saying confidently that the first 2 hatches were eggs 2 & 3 - and then egg 3 hatched! And at Dyfi in 2011 the first clutch hatched out of order with the distinctive egg 2 beating egg 1.

12.27 Incoming fine sized fish. Both being fed.