LOCH GARTEN - August 2022 to end of season

Empty nest 16.54 someone calling in the distance. Glad the wee one is away, so harrowing to see, odd now the nest being empty. They both should be soaring high and enjoying life until it is time for them to leave. 1C2 will be and will be back soon to feed, as soon as food is on the go. Our gentle and lovely 1C1 will be soaring high in the heavens above, with our other beloved birds departed from this iconic nest.

Beautifully expressed Catlady.
I know osprey are generally solitary bird, living in loose colonies in West Africa, but I wonder if 1C2 is aware he is on his own now. We became used to seeing 1C1 on her own, but never 1C2. He is lying in the nest looking at the skies around him. I wonder what he can see. There is no sign of Asha or Axel on the far trees.

There was an INTRUDER that flew to the dead tree at 15,17.  

15.21 it flew to the nest and hovered low over it.  1C2 called loudly and mantled frantically.  The intruder flew quietly away.  If I had to hazard a guess I would say it was our friend KL5(20)m again more by his attitude than anything, but although I could see a ring, and it was low, it wasn't particularly clear when I magnified it.  Perhaps someone could do a better job?

SheilaFE said:

Perhaps someone could do a better job?

Sometimes can't, sometimes can

I expect KL5 was surprised by the unwelcoming conduct of a singleton on the nest!

Thank you so much Scylla!!  I thought it must be him.

17.57 #1 FISH from Axel

Glad to see a fish!

I've been trying to do a video for the 7th but ran out of steam.

(Talking of tenses, SHEILA, which you were y'day(?), I am the world's worst at mixing and not matching )

It's too hot for computers, time for a nap.

Can a share something with you.. as you are probably the only ones that really understand.. It might not be the right place for this... but then... I'm a newbie..

I've been watching these nest for a relative short period (compared to you lot), somewhere in the last week of June and this was actually the first nest that I started watching.. they were wee little ospreys then and I didn't participate in the discussions, just watching and enjoying..
Somehow I found the goshawks and I was addicted and started watching other nests.. first some ospreys, here and in finland and in the end also other birds (like the hobby falcons, and now the snow owls), sometimes looking at the seaeagle and the albatross down-under...

Most of them are just that... watching a nest and enjoying the view, but some nest are somehow more special than others, this nest, the ospreys, Una at saaksilive #4, the nest with tuisku at #3.. and you get involved somehow... the expectation for the first steps and wing flaps, to the first fledge (thank you again Scilla for correcting me.. "it's not fletch bart"), laughing out loud when something funny happens (like a had such a good laugh when in Finland dad speared his fish on a branch.. just outside the nest, or the camera being pooped just days after it was cleaned). The workshop workshop at the falconry I did this Sunday, holding these fearsome and gentle birds on my wrist, just inches from my face was incredible and showed me more of how impressive and beautiful these birds are.

Then this past week and a half..

It started (for me) in Finland with Jouko being attacked by her mother, who was hungry and frightened.. and then attacked Una his sister.. and they were so fragile looking, cowering before their mother, not being able yet to flee the nest. Then the Joy of Una fledging, followed by an attack by a goshawk, where Jouko fledged and probably was caught and left Una behing, alone, with both parents gone from the nest for a week (and still not back), Una having eaten only 1 fish on the nest for more than 7 days now, and me hoping to see signs of her being okay.. which she is I think.. but I was sad for a couple of days, with her crying on the nest for food, until she went silent and just sat there.. She seems okay now.. probably fed somewhere by her parents, or hunting for herself already...

Then what happened these past days with 1c1.. The feeling of helplessness and despair of seeing her suffering, not understanding what is happening, hoping it will be okay.. Uplifted by every flap she makes and down again when she drops her head: tired, frightened, hurt.. until yesterday..

I was in tears the whole day, and this morning (and now thinking about it and writing this).. I hurt, as if one of my own cats had died... and it's strange, as I have never held them, or even seen them in real life.. still they have become important to me. I feel emotionally connected on a level that I hadn't expected when I started this weeks ago...

And then there is you guys.. sharing a passion with me, it feels good to be here, during the ups.. and the downs... You. Are. Awesome!! (and a little crazy perhaps).

Here I am, already wondering how it will be like when they leave.. but also the joy I'll certainly feel when next year they come back again...

I am privileged and above all so happy to have found these beautiful and awesome beings.

A lovely post Bart. I've certainly had my ups and downs watching various webcams over the years. My whole day/weekend is ruined if something goes wrong. The worst was when Lady from Loch of the Lowes nearly died on the nest with 2 (3?) small chicks in 2010. I had visitors for the weekend and felt like sending them packing.....But Lady recovered. And so it's continued to be a complete roller coaster with all sorts of nests and issues - deaths, injuries, human interventions, or not.... etc etc. We're all a little crazy. But that's fine because we're crazy because we care about ospreys, bald eagles, goshawks, whatever. But what happens in nature isn't all rosy, and the number of times I've said 'that's it, I'm not watching any more'...but I carry on. And yes, the lovely community we have here is a big part of that. And the hard work of everyone behind the webcam images we get to see - the reserve staff, volunteers etc who dedicate so much time and effort. It's been a rough couple of days, and there'll be more, but we'll carry on watching......

Asha found an old bit of fish on the nest. Not sure how long it's been there but given the heat, there may be sore tummies tonight......