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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

  • I've been up for at least 3 hours, beavering away getting absolutely nowhere due to... allowing myself to be digressed by so many things!

    A couple of minutes ago I noticed my Lowes screen go into black "An error occurred" etc, so checked the live stream on here and it was fine - but what a sweet scene it was with the sound on - NC0 standing and her 2 juvies lying down chattering 19-to-the-dozen - I will do a little clip of that later, if I've got enough of it.

    As for yesterday's bolded fish shenanigans - hopefully later too.

  • Sandra P said:
    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! 
    Sandra P said:
    Edit: There was an additional delivery in between those two at 18:40ish. LP8 claimed that one too!

    Just as well you added the edit - cos I missed it too, had to go back and find it and add it in after I'd finshed the whole thing - I thought!

    scylla said:
    A couple of minutes ago I noticed my Lowes screen go into black "An error occurred" etc, so checked the live stream on here and it was fine - but what a sweet scene it was with the sound on - NC0 standing and her 2 juvies lying down chattering

     There was a very long buffer before the black screen, and the juvies were behaving much the same before and after, with some changes interspersed that I have not stopped to investigate!

    I just thought this was sweet (and I couldn't see if NC0 did manage to cast her pellet in the end):

  • Super vids, Scylla - you are a star of the highest order! Kissing heart

    A summary of today's fish deliveries that I can find so far (-ish timings!):

    • 10:50 Laddie >>> LP8
    • 10:58 Laddie >>> LR0
    • 13:00 Laddie >>> NC0, both LR0 and LP8 were fed
    • 14:20 Laddie >>> NC0, LP8 fed
    • 15:21 Laddie >>> NC0 but stolen by LP8
    • 15:32 Laddie >>> NC0, LR0 fed. This feed was stopped part way through after LR0 then NC0 gave HUMAN INTRUDER calls. The youngster flew from the nest quickly followed by NC0 who took the part-eaten fish with her (15:35). LP8 remained on the nest with its fish. Both returned at 15:40, LR0 then stole the fish from NC0

    • 16:39 Laddie >>> NC0, no juveniles were around. After waiting for a few minutes, she took it off the nest

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Sandra P said:
    15:32 Laddie >>> NC0, LR0 fed. This feed was stopped part way through after LR0 then NC0 gave HUMAN INTRUDER calls. The youngster flew from the nest quickly followed by NC0 who took the part-eaten fish with her (15:35). LP8 remained on the nest with its fish.

    I wish I'd seen this before I (coincidentally, having noticed the unjust juvie aggression) did the video and wasted so many minutes trying to figure out which juvie was which Frowning2

    But at least I recognised "human intruder" behaviour.  I didn't wait for their return, it's just tooo hot, I'm actually suffrin' worse than yesterday!

    While typing this post there's been chipping going on, I think.

  • scylla said:

    Sandra P said:
    15:32 Laddie >>> NC0, LR0 fed. This feed was stopped part way through after LR0 then NC0 gave HUMAN INTRUDER calls. The youngster flew from the nest quickly followed by NC0 who took the part-eaten fish with her (15:35). LP8 remained on the nest with its fish.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Thank you, Scylla, I didn't realise that it was LP8 who started the calling before LR0 and NC0!

    Re aggression, LP8 had a little peck at NC0 with this next delivery too!

    A headless fish at 17:41. LP8, who had been sitting on the perch, was the only one around to claim it. Wondering if this was the earlier fish that NC0 had taken off with her

    17:52 LR0 waiting its turn while LP8 continues to eat

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 18:56 Laddie was waiting on an empty nest with a fish. NC0 flew in, very vocal, to claim it.

    It wasn't long before LP8 arrived, NC0 flapped/vocalised on its approach as if to warn it off and, after a short tussle, the youngster managed to take the fish

    ©SWT/LotL

  • I'd like to have done a vid of juvie dancing with fish found buried in the nest and flying off with it - but no energy, here's a trick photo instead - it's just the one bird:

    .

    FISH !!! !!! !!!

  • Wow! A great 'trick' capture, Scylla!

    Yep, here's Laddie's next delivery at 19:04 as you stated. A beautiful hover over the nest before landing!

    LP8 and NC0 tucking in to their respective fish

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 19:16 NC0 was feeding LR0 who had come to the nest

    When NC0's fish had been eaten, LR0 made its way over to LP8 and managed to snatch the small piece remaining (19:24ish)

    ©SWT/LotL

  • The next fish came at 20:24ish. Both LP8 and NC0 were at the nest fish shouting. It took an age before a still very vocal NC0 realised there was a fish in Laddie's talons 

    LP8 and NC0 shouting for fish, Laddie waiting for the fish to be taken.

    LP8 approached NC0 to be fed

    LR0 came down from the cam post

    LR0 joined in with the feed

    ©SWT/LotL