LOCH GARTEN - August 2022 to end of season

July 2022 thread

Our Osprey family


"Axel", Blue AX6(16) male (yes he does have strong chest markings), a single chick (possibly from 3 eggs) hatched Glen Affric, near Beauly, seen Lossiemouth 2020, then at LG in 2021

"Asha"- Female - Unringed - partnered Axel in 2021.

Axel & Asha (as "Mistle") fled the nest May 2021 due to unknown intruders.

HATCH #1 - 11 June @ 05:30

HATCH #2 - 13 June @ 04:11 (first sighting)

AT RINGING - Quote RSPB Abernethy Facebook "The male BLUE 1C2 is thought to be the older one at 1.5kgs with the female BLUE 1C1 being the younger one at 1.5kgs."

RSPB Video Channel - Osprey, Goshawk, Barn Owls: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl8QdQ9ZaBT65tF1yOmbMBQ

All pictures & videos ©RSPB LochGarten & WildlifeWindows 

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  • 16.08 a call from an out of sight 1C2.

    16.36 1C2 returned to the nest, again heard before seen!  After announcing his arrival, he was quiet

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • Is it possible 1C2 was fed when he was away from the nest?  But would we have heard his squeals of delight from a remotes perch?  Photo taken recently and a couple of hours ago.  The larger one underneath is the recent one, and the top one was a couple of hours ago.  Or am I clutching at straws?

    He is currently lying on the nest, quietly.

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • Bart molenaar said:
    Hmm… good question really… nobody id’d it, it was more an assumption as 1c2 didn’t call out any warning cries… I might jump to conclusions here that are totally incorrect and it’s wishful thinking

    It's difficult not to succumb to wishful thinking in these circumstances - I saw someone on YT Chat say that he must have eaten because he crop-dropped - that ain't necessarily so, and it's spreading misinformation to newbies.

    I am guilty, I take it for granted that everyone here knows me and my tongue-in-cheek style, but I do try to warn Confused 

    scylla said:
    I'm in the midst of doing a video of 1C2's nest visits this morning but have been defeated

    Here's 1C2's start to the day - chewing sticks, crop-dropping even!

    SheilaFE said:
    Is it possible 1C2 was fed when he was away from the nest?

    I don't believe that Axel would be feeding 1C2 but not appearing at the nest, at least with an unsuitable stick! Stuck out tongue winking eye

    I honestly believe that Axel left on Monday, and am desperately anxious to be proved wrong.

    Will LG HQ put some fish on the nest during the night?

    EDIT

    Nothing from RSPB Video on YT Chat.

    Pinned post on Abernethy FB aays that the Centre is closed - it's been there since March Angry

  • Thanks for all reports while I was away. A bit worrying if both mum and dad have left. Can't recall if this has happened before anywhere? Or if solo dads feed off nest?
  • Let's face it, all we have is supposition and wishful thinking. Until we hear anything from LG we just don't know what's going on. He is far too young to set off on his first migration, and is he fit enough?

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • Don't know if I have missed it, but has there been any word from RSPB on the result of the autopsy on 1C1! Also at what age does a young Osprey start fishing for its own food?
  • Oh dear, I wonder what is going on, has mum and dad both left on their migration and left home on his own. This is not normal behaviour at all but they are newbies to this so maybe they have and think that is what they do? He does not look like a starved chick to me. I do hope that either mum is having a few days away and will return or dad is skiving off somewhere and will return. I feel so sorry for him, waiting now for two days to be fed. As Sheila says, we will have to wait and see and hopefully get some feed back from LG although it is worrying.

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • We've heard nothing about the autopsy.
    As a general rule, juvies don't begin fishing until they are under migration. I believe some have been seen having stopovers on reservoirs and the like where they learn and hone their fishing skills. They also stop in France, Portugal and Spain where some actually stop and down go down to west Africa.

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • Someone also asked if they would intervene, or let him die....

    RSPB Loch Garten, Abernethy

    We will let nature takes its course. If its instincts do allow it to seek food then we only be prolonging its life a little longer.

    I can only think it is down to his age.  After all, other sites (even LG itself) have provided fish in the past, but the chicks hadn't yet fledged.

    Also some interesting news of Axel, again on the FB thread - I read this post (it was on a closed site so I couldn't pass on details) and the fish he was catching were whoppers!

    .....there are photos of him (AX6) fishing at Rothiemurchus fishing ponds on the 6th-8th Aug, so we know he goes there.

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/