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*
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
SheilaFE said:
Yes, Sandra, you are quite right. He intruded on 25 May 2022.
I am over the moon he has been seen again. He hatched the same year as Rothes from LG. His tag stopped working in November 2014, but I don't know when it fell off. He was seen in Senegal by Chris Wood and Joanna Dailey (Kielder) in 2013 and 2014. In 2015 Chris and Val Gall made another attempt to find him in Senegal, looking in the regular places, but I think failed. It was known at the time he had settled in Perthshire, but had not established a nest or a female. He wasn't seen in the UK in 2016.
In December 2017 Chris and Joanna, returned to Rothie's known wintering site on the off-chance he might still be alive. They had two known guides with them Junkun Jadama (JJ) who works with Rutland in Gambia/Senegal, and Fansu Bojang whom Chris has known for years. They spotted him, with a broken aerial on his back pack. From the current photo, this has now fallen off.
Chris sponsored the tracking costs of Rothie.
I think the above is accurate, but do let me know if I've got anything wrong.
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Many thanks for all the info, Sheila, excellent!
A brief catch up...
NC0 arrived back at 8:08 - within a couple of minutes of her incubation duty beginning, there was a blue ringed intruder at the nest - was it Blue AE again? Distant alarm calling/chipping could be heard
It landed on NC0's back
It hovered
NC0 flapped her wings as it headed down to the nest
It flew off
Within seconds, Laddie arrived alarm calling/chipping
He stayed with NC0 until 8:43, when he left the nest (he was chipping beforehand)
Will check back a little later to see if there were any other occurrences. BFN
©SWT/LotL
A brief summary before moving on to a main event this afternoon!
Laddie was next at the nest at 11:20
Both looked skyward
Laddie chipped on occasion; NC0 fish called
NC0 left the nest at 11:32
Laddie began his incubation
Just before NC0 returned at 12:09, she could be heard fish calling; Laddie made soft contact calls in reply while rolling the eggs and settling back on them
It appeared he had a small piece of bark(?) in her left talons
NC0 continued to fish call
Laddie headed off
The main event...
NC0 was fish calling and scanning the sky at 13:30
Laddie to the nest with a super headless fish!
He landed on the nest perch with it
NC0 made her way over to him, shouting all the way!
She grabbed hold of the fish in her beak
And flapped onto the nest with it
She had a look around before flying off with her meal
Then there was the sound of a thud!
NC0 could be seen doing a u-turn behind the nest
She landed back at the nest without the fish in her talons! NC0 had dropped it hence the sound of the thud!
NC0 began to fish call again! Laddie cleaned his beak
NC0 settled on the eggs, continuing to call
Laddie flew off
Oh NC0, keep hold of your fish!!!
I can't find anything else significant to report on and I haven't seen Laddie back to the nest. NC0 has remained incubating, without a comfort break, so no zoom of the eggs
17:24 Here she is at present, sitting very quietly
Glider, I literally screamed when NC0 came back with empty talons!
21:15 A superb headless fish delivery from Laddie!
The bark was in the way of showing her transferring the fish into her talons
Off she went
I watched her, still with the fish in her talons, head towards, and then land on, the birch
Laddie couldn't get comfortable as he tried to settle
That's better!
At 21:18, NC0 left the branch of the birch and headed behind the area marked
Lovely Laddie continuing to incubate at 21:52
NC0 returned to the nest at 22:04, a minute or so after night cam came on. It appeared that she had something small gripped in her right talons
NC0 moved towards the nest cup as Laddie was rising from it
Laddie, after a good flap of his wings and a quick look around, headed off to the left over the Loch
I lost sight of him after this pic
A bird skimmed the water
NC0 settled to begin her nightly incubation
23:19 NC0 sleeping soundly with, hopefully, a full crop
Morning All
Laddie to the nest at 5:05
NC0 was calling
Cam zoomed in
Cam panned out again
6 or so minutes after his arrival, Laddie finally had the chance to incubate when NC0 headed off
Cam panned back out again. NC0 on the birch
NC0 made her way back to the nest at 6:43 (her reflection shown). Laddie was resting his eyes
He 'jumped' as she landed on the perch
NC0 onto the nest, she didn't make any calls
Laddie away
8:04 NC0 continuing to incubate
Edit: Laddie arrived 8:06 (no fish delivery). NC0, calling, left the nest
8:08
BFN