LOCH GARTEN - July 2022

Asha's return - fishless!  Duckless, even!

Some snaps I picked up from 4 different happenings between 16.09 an 16.12

Firstly, this was too near the edge for my liking!

Next very odd movements of the head left to right, right to left, while looking outward and around the nest, what is that all about?

Then something must have been scuttling about the nest, ages spent looking down, even stepped backwards and kept looking

Finally who goes up there, something of interest?

©️ Loch Garten

Lots of happy squeals, wing flapping and jumping on the nest

Hi Catlady, thanks for your photos and observations from this afternoon. You queried the head bobbing from side to side. I’m no expert but I believed this was to help the ospreys judge distance of objects they’re looking at or do you think it was something different?

Yes, CATLADY, it's heart-in-mouth when they get too close to the edge - especially as this nest has such inadequate fencing provided by inexperienced parents.  I'm so tempted to send lots of advice to HQ about what to do about the nest and cam for next season, I'm sure they'd appreciate it... not  

Don't tell me off, please!  I was very restrained over the name selection process

Here was our juvies' evening - spent alone on the nest, with Asha (presumably) in the dead tree for a few hours but ultimately flying off to who-knows-where and not returning before dark.

It was nice to see some of 1C2's little leaps looking so floaty, I expect helicoptering very soon:

7 05 am nice size fish

Morning all

Morning Trevor,

It certainly was, headless too! Axel was seen to be fully cropped as he landed with it, to the cacophony of delighted calls from Asha and the chicks!

©Loch Garten/RSPB

29 July

Good morning everyone!

Asha finally turned up on the perch @ 05:10, having flown up from the back of the nest.

Not quite a near miss, but you can see how it was trying to turn towards the cam  

This didn't look like a product of Nature that 1C2 fished out of the nest:

trevor l said:

7 05 am nice size fish

Indeed!  I think this is the same frame as SANDRA's snap, just tinkered with - it was the best view we got:

My impression from the feed that followed was that 1C1 hangs back an awful lot, no wonder she's so much smaller and less active   I can't do a video today, there'd be too much editing to do and it wears me out.

However, the main feed lasted over 2 hours and 1C1 did get a good share eventually - just because the fish was so generous.

Up to 13:00

Unseen intruder:

1C2 doing a number on 1C1 - I can't wait for him to give her time & space on the nest but he's only doing what he should be doing for his own benefit