All quiet on the Osprey front. Mistle started gently food soliciting, then quiet, then stood up to reveal.........
,, what appeared to be a half eaten rainbow trout! No doubt Scylla will be able to get a much sharper image than me. All this happened about 5:45. It was as stiff as a board. When was that delivered?
Afrer faffing around getting images 1 of them has come back to the nest and is incubating - can't tell which.
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.
Family portrait
(c) RSPB Loch Garten
26 June
I didn't see any evidence of Mistle sleeping since we've been able to see anything overnight.
03:14:
04:16 Axel flew in, a little chat followed, with Mistle telling him to go fishing and off he went. Mistle had a short flyabout. I've remarked on here that the 2 chicks are darker than average - I know I "spoke" to a YouTuber about this when they were still very tiny but can't remember if we've noted it here.
An OTT view of Mistle under the sunrays that everyone except me loves
IMAGICAT
Just noticed that around the time of the above "Mistle under sunrays" snap there was another Osprey (probably) on the dead tree and Mistle chased it off:
Fish!
'm catching up slowly - after the second fish delivery that KORKY reported
08.35 Axel flew off
08.56 #1 chick has had enough, but #2 is still accepting offerings.
08.57 All stuffed, now Mistle has a proper feed
08.59 #2 finds spare room for some more, but doesn't bother getting up.
09.00 Mistle wanders, and picks up dropped pieces of fish
09.16 Mistle has the fish in her talons and is eating again. Chicks are asleep
09.26 Chicks are preening! The emerging feathers must be very itchy!
09.27 Axel returns. The chicks sit up expectantly.
Mistle 'chats' to Axel.
09.31 Mistle spots a dropped piece of fish, #1 chick stretches up and is fed. Another feed resumes. #2 chick isn't bothered just now
09.36 Axel flies off leaving the fish. The feed ends.
09.38 Mistle leaves for a flyabout
09.38 and returns within a minute.
09.44.25 Axel returns, retrieve the left over fish, and flies off with it. There is still a lot left.
09.45 Mistle returns, and looks for the fish!! She brought in a clump of dead matter.
09.51 Mistle leaves for a flyabout.
09.53.38 Mistle returns with another sticky stick. She throws one straight stick over the chicks which doesn't bother them. She retrieves it.
She broods, but fidgets.
10.23 Mistle takes flight, with a contact call.
10.24 She returns with a welcoming chirrup and moves sticks, before brooding.
10.41 A lot of strong gusts of winds, blowing Mistle's downwind wing from her side.
10.48 Axel returns with the tail end. Still a good portion is left
10.50.03 Axel flies off, and feed continues.
I will continue, here, later, unless others post before I get back.
But before then, I spotted a lovely shot of the chicks in the morning's rays when Mistle was off on a fly-about
Mistle was on a fly about and landed on the dead tree
Where's mum gone?
Edit: this brings us up to date 14.40
11.07 Mistle flosses on the large sticks at the front of the nest. #1 chick sits up with its large crop showing proudly. Mistle prowls to the back of the nest, picking up sticks and debris and putting them away from the cup.
11.08 She turns spots the tail end and feeds herself, occasionally offering the chicks some, but there are no takers.
12.21 Mistle stands and watches around her. The chicks are up on their elbows also checking the outside world
12.24.51 Mistle takes flight, the chicks are down.
12.25.28 Mistle returns
12.30 Mistle moves, and moves a large clump of dead grass. Is that the remains of the 'hedgehog' having had a hair cut, I wonder! On to the rim, back down from the rim, another position and still not happy. Finally sorted.
12.33 Mistle takes flight, flying behind the nest and circling to the left
12.36 She returned with a lichen covered stick. I was looking at Rutland and LA earlier. What comfy middles they have in their nests. Our pair could learn a thing or too
12.43 Mistle goes for another fly about
12.49 and returns.
13.14 The chicks appeared to be wrestling, when one was trying to get under Mum, and the other was in the way. I have to say I am beginning to have difficulty in identifying them when they are not side by side now!
13.16 The clump of dried material is moved again to the back of the nest, then back to the side, the original position. It's a struggle, up to the rim, them back down.
13.18 Mistle finds the tail end again, and it's not long before #1? Is lined up for, is it thirds or fourths.
13.24 Both lined up for the feed now.
13.45 Both chicks have turned away, and Mistle has her fill.
13.53 The rain is coming. The wind has got up. Mistle has stopped feeding
13.55 Mistle tries to shelter the chicks, or at least their heads and shoulders, and is bothered by the dried clump which is now under her beak.
14.06 It makes a good pillow
14.25 Axel lands to take the tail fin, but it's so small he starts to eat it on the nest, while Mistle calls, and the rain gets closer.
14.26 Mistle gets up, and says no you don't. She gets up and I thought he was going to grab it from him, but Axel lets it go. She grabs the fish, as he flies away. She feeds what little there is to the chicks. It was almost down to the tail fin.
Up to date no 14.47 it is still raining lightly, but the clouds are lifting
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
15.26 The fish tail has just gone down!
15.27 Mistle had a short comfort break and return.
I've probably said it before, and will probably do it again, but I find is astounding that the egg is still intact! Will it remain so until ringing. Will the team recover it for analysis, or just not bother.
Mistle is trying to cover the chicks again, and includes the egg!
My theory is she saw him, and he has now gone a fishin' !
He better had, as it look as though we are in for some stormy weather. The wind has dropped too