LOCH OF THE LOWES - JULY 2022

Link to June 2022

Webcam page with links to LotL Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve FB, Twitter and Blogs >>>

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/

The Osprey Protection Programme at Loch of the Lowes is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

All captures and videos ©Scottish Wildlife Trust/Loch of the Lowes

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Things continued to go well at the beginning of June and on the 4th, we celebrated a record nine fish delivery day from Laddie. During the following week, the number of fish brought to the nest took a sudden decline and with this, we witnessed chick #3 befalling to sibling aggression - first from chick #1 and then chick #2. Very sadly, this then led to the dear Osplet being blocked from getting close to NC0 for feeding. Devastatingly, after a very early fish delivery on the morning of the 15th June, the middle chick subjected the youngest to a severe attack from which, in its weakened state, it could not get up from. The little one passed away on the nest a few hours later at the age of 23 days old.

  Purple heartSoar high and free, brave #3 - you will always be remembered...Purple heart

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Subsequent to the passing of the youngest chick, fish deliveries from Laddie began to increase with him even outdoing his previous record by bringing an amazing ten to the nest on a single day. NC0 made her first dive from the split birch (since the chicks had hatched) on the 24th June and brought her catch back to the nest, much to the surprise of the chicks!
The youngsters have continued to grow at an amazing rate and, on the evening of the 27th June - at the ages of 39 and 37 days old respectively - they were ringed. Their genders could not be determined.
A milestone for the chicks was observed on the evening of the 29th June when both self-fed and the following day, LR0 showed its strength of character to successfully claim two fish!
Hopefully, LP8 and LR0 will continue to do well and that we will witness their successful fledges this month.

Nest Updates

Arrival dates:  Laddie - 13.3.22 (c12:00)   NC0 - 23.3.22 (18:14)

Three eggs laid:  Egg #1 - 12.4.22 (18:34)   Egg #2 - 15.4.22 (16:05)  Egg #3 - 18.4.22 (12:14)

Hatch dates:  Chick #1 - 19.5.22 (10:26) - 37 days   Chick #2 - 21.5.22 (03:24) - 36 days   Chick #3 - 23.5.22 (19:46) - 35 days

15.6.22:  At 23 days old, chick #3 passed away Broken heart

27.6.22:  Our osprey chicks have been ringed! (Genders not able to be positively determined, ? both males)

Chick #1: LP8 (39 days old) - wing measurement = 360mm, weight = 1.5kg

Chick #2: LR0 (37 days old) - wing measurement = 315mm, weight = 1.44kg

Fledge dates: LP8 - 13.7.22 (10:06) 55 days old   LR0 - 15.7.22 (13:55) 55 days old

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July Blogs and Updates:

Links to blogs and updates during March/AprilMay, and June

2.7.22:  Female Osprey NC0 brings a Monster Pike to the Nest

3.7.22:  Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 13 (inclusive of ringing data)

8.7.22:  Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 14

12:7.22:  Osprey Chick LP8 Close To Fledging (SWT YT video)

13.7.22:  Eldest Osprey Chick LP8 Fledges!

29.7.22:  Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 17

  • From scroll back. There have been 4 small fish deliveries from Laddie this afternoon so far that I can find. (All are -ish timings!)

    14:00 Laddie with the first. NC0 came to the nest to take it from him

    LP8 came to the nest to take it from her

    14:07 Fish #2. LP8 was still eating/guarding the previous fish

    There was a bit of a melee between LP8 and Laddie but the youngster did manage to take it

    LR0 landed on the nest

    LR0 had to wait a while before getting a bite to eat

    16:04 Fish #3. NC0 claimed this one

    LR0 came to take it from her

    16:50 Fish #4. LP8 had been preening on the perch.

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 17:39 Laddie to the nest with another small fish

    NC0 flew from the birch to claim it

    Once taken, LR0 landed on the nest

    And had already taken it from her just before LP8 landed on the nest

    LR0 ate the whole fish. 

    18:07 LP8 alone on the nest fish shouting

    ©SWT/LotL

  • I've had a quick scroll thru the past couple of days to see if there were any "big bold" video alerts - am quite relieved to see none, and happy to see the family doing well according to your comprehensive and informative reports, SANDRA!

    Packing up time again, the laptops deserve a break from the heat as much as I do Smile

  • A pleasure, Scylla!
    Yes, I can understand about having a break from the heat - my laptop as well! lol
    Two further fish from Laddie (18:20ish and 18:55ish) 

    18:20ish What a palaver this was for LP8!  Scylla, you may want to do a vid for this particular delivery - I haven't shown all of the action! Wink

    Laddie's talons were grabbed, the fish flapped

    Fish taken out from between the small sticks and grass

    LP8 had to contain it again

    LP8 was flapping and jumping with it while the wind was quite gusty

    And headed up into the air

    Back down to the nest with more wing flapping

    Finally, LP8 managed to tuck in

    18:55ish LP8 was still eating when Laddie delivered this one. NC0 claimed it

    LR0 to the nest. NC0 fed him as well as herself

    Edit: There was an additional delivery in between those two at 18:40ish. LP8 claimed that one too! (I wondered why LP8 was taking so long to eat the tiny, flapping fish from 18:20! lol)

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 20:49 Laddie with a very tiny fish! LR0 on the nest with NC0 when it was delivered

    Laddie left it on the nest

    NC0 picked it up in her beak

    LR0 snatched it from her

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 21:10 NC0 had arrived on the nest just beforehand to receive Laddie's next fish offering

    ©SWT/LotL

  • And another at 21:20. I'm not sure if Laddie took it off the nest again as LR0 couldn't get past NC0 to claim it Edit: Yes, he did

    Laddie could see LR0's predicament so 'leap-frogged' over NC0. Fish in his right talons

    NC0 offered some of her fish to LR0

    Laddie left the nest with his fish

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Laddie back with a fish at 21:38. This one was a small live one so doubtful that it was the 21:20 fish being re-delivered

    The fish flapped as Laddie released his grip

    LR0 tried to take it

    NC0 managed to do so

    NC0 feeding LR0

    21:51 LR0 had walked away from the feed; NC0 continued to eat for herself

    21:54 LR0 had left the nest leaving NC0 to eat in peace

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 23:35 NC0 sleeping alone tonight

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Morning all,

    7:45 NC0 waiting for the first fish delivery. Both LR0 and LP8 have been on the nest this morning

    ©SWT/LotL