LOCH OF THE LOWES - MAY 2023

Continued from March/April 2023

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/

For the latest 'live' YouTube link, visit >>> SWT YT Channel

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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NC0 surprised us all when she arrived back at Lowes first, with Laddie making his initial landing exactly 6 hours later. She laid her three beautiful eggs after almost near-perfect, precise intervals of 72 hours between each one. Both Laddie and NC0 have regularly exchanged incubation duties and have been very attentive to protect their eggs, and nest, from multiple intrusions during April. The hatching window will open around the 10th May, all being well.

  Nest Updates

Arrival dates: NC0 - 17.3.23 (07:43)  Laddie - 17.3.23 (13:43)

Eggs laid: Egg #1 - 4.4.23 (09:32)  Egg #2 - 7.4.23 (09:39)  Egg #3 - 10.4.23 (09:10)

Hatch dates: Chick #1 - 13.5.23 (11:59 fully out of shell 12:11)  Chick #2 - 16.5.23 (04:19)  *Egg #1 - DNH*

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Link to blogs and updates during March/April

May Blogs and Updates (published dates)

6.5.23 LotL blog >>> Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 7

8.5.23 SWT video >>> Time for a Wing Stretch and Pre-Hatching Egg Close Up

11.5.23 LotL blog >>> Who’s Been On My Nest? A Closer Look at the Threats and Intrusions Faced by a Pair of Breeding Ospreys

12.5.23 SWT video >>> Osprey Chick Communicates with the Outside World

13.5.23 LotL blog >>>Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 8

13.5.23 SWT video >>> First Osprey Chick of the Season Hatches

14.5.23 LotL blog >>> Concern over male osprey, LM12

15.5.23 SWT video >>> Fish Supper and First Feed for Osprey Chick

16.5.23 LotL blog >>> An update from the osprey nest

17.5.23 SWT video >>> Second osprey chick hatching 16 May 23

20.5.23 LotL blog >>> Osprey Diary at the Loch of the Lowes – Week 9

27.5.23 LotL blog >>> Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 10

  • The cam zoomed in on NC0 at 15:45, 8 minutes before Laddie's arrival as posted at the end of the previous page. She had been scanning the sky before the cam panned in

    Cam zoomed in further. She has a couple of small dots in her iris

    Preening

    Scanning the sky

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Edited in: NC0 returned for a brief spell at 16:12 - she'd had a bath. The cam zoomed in

    Both she and Laddie looked ahead

    Gave herself a good shake before heading off

    16:59 Laddie chipping while incubating

    He kept staring in this direction

    Chipping

    He stood up and made alarm calls, flapping his wings

    Stood looking for a short while before settling back down on the eggs

    More chipping

    NC0 arrived at 16:58

    She did some preening...

    Some fish calling...

    More preening as Laddie rose from the eggs

    Laddie flew off

    He headed high out of cam view

    NC0 settled to incubate

    17:36 NC0 currently

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 19:47 NC0 fish calling, loudly!

    ©SWT/LotL

  • A small tail end of fish from Laddie at 20:13. He had flown from that hidden low birch area, a regular occurrence just recently

    NC0 flew off with it in her beak

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 20:32 Dear Laddie...

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 20:40 NC0 left the birch (she had been heard fish calling just beforehand) and flew low behind the nest

    And back to land on the nest

    She moved a piece of bark and placed it alongside Laddie which, in turn, made him rise from the eggs

    He flew off

    He veered directly to the left and out of cam view

    NC0 had two attempts to get settled on the eggs. First, she had to get up to move that piece of bark back close to its original position

    She tried again, but then had to remove a small pine cone that was in the nest cup

    Finally comfy!

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 21:45 NC0 was already dozing just before night cam - she must have tired herself out with all the calling that she's done today! 

    23:38 Sleep well, NC0

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Morning All,

    NC0 returned from a comfort break at 4:37

    Laddie landed just as she was about to settle on the eggs

    He made his way round to the left side of the nest

    NC0 was fish calling

    He moved his position but inadvertently stood on NC0's head in doing so (or was it a ploy to get her up from the eggs?)

    NC0 rolled the eggs

    Laddie flew off at 4:41 just as NC0 shimmied down to resume her incubation

    9:05 Laddie hasn't been back to the nest so, hopefully, he's on a fishing trip. NC0 is quiet and keeping her eggs warm and dry

    ©SWT/LotL

  • NC0 took a quick comfort break at 11:17  She yawned before rising from the eggs

    Flapped the rain from her wings before leaving

    Cam zoomed in

    NC0 returned

    Cam panned out after she had settled on the eggs

    11:43 NC0 currently. She's quiet

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 13:36 NC0 begins to call - Laddie around?

    A flight from the left side towards the right and out of view

    13:47 NC0 went quiet for a few minutes after that but has now started to call again

    ©SWT/LotL