Recap:-
LJ2 returned 31 March 2023
LM6 returned 4 April 2023
Egg No. 1 laid 20 April
Egg No. 2 laid 23 April
Egg No. 3 laid 26 April
First hatch date due around 27 May
Link to March/April 2023
13.24 LM6 calls as LJ2 flies in.
He has nothing for her though.
LM6 quickly leaves and LJ2 takes over incubation.
LJ2 is on the nest until LM6 returns at 14.39 bearing a gift of a clump of earthy grass.
LM6 making soft contact calls. LJ2 gets up and flies off. LM6 takes over again.
The birds swap over again at 15.02. LM6 is asking for fish before she goes.
15.23 LJ2 starts looking upwards
LJ2 starts intruder chipping and sounds of sky dancing are heard.The skydancing stops. LJ2 chips some more than stops. He decides to stand up and chip.
He settles back on the eggs. 15.28 LM6 arrives and LJ2 chips again.
A shadow of a bird moves over the nest from left to right.
All is silent again. LJ2 waits for a minute or so then flies off.
LM6 is settled on the eggs and at around 15.44, LJ2 flies over the trees from the right and out to the water to the left.
LJ2 must have flown out over the water to fish as at 17.38 he returned to the nest with a nice sized headless meal for LM6.
He landed on the far side of the nest then flew over to the near side to allow LM6 to retrieve the fish.
And away she goes. LJ2 ducked as she flew over his head, then he walked to the nest cup to resume incubation.
LM6 returned at 18.20. She didn’t bring any leftover fish so I hope she managed to eat it all.
20.00 LJ2 returned to the nest. LM6 was calling.
He left after a couple of minutes but returned at 21.15. This time he took over incubation.
It was just for 15 minutes though. 21.30 LM6 flew onto the perch, LJ2 was fiddling about with the annoying piece of bark at the nest cup.
After a quick preen, LM6 joins LJ2 on the nest. They swap over and LM6 settles down for the night. LJ2 flies off. Night cam comes on at 21.45
Sunday 14th May 2023
Good morning I don’t think I saw LM6 take a comfort break last night but she did have 2 visitors.
01.37, a tawny owl flew onto the perch. LM6 had only tucked in to sleep 10 minutes before.
The owl stayed for 4 minutes, watching LM6 and looking around the area.
When the low left, the perch made a noise as it flew off. LM6 heard it and lifted her head but the owl was gone.
Later at 03.17, LJ2 arrived to the perch. The earliest I’ve seen him do that. Had he seen the owl at some point? LM6 was anlready awake and looked over to see LJ2.LJ2 stayed there for the rest of the night.
Day cam came on at 04.45
LM6 soon started making contact calls. LJ2 had a wee head scratch
Then a wing flap and a stretch
He then flew off, last LM6 as she was calling, but came around the other side and onto the nest. They swapped over at 04.50.
LM6 arrives at the preening perch
The sun comes up over the nest, a couple of wee ducks swim by.
The sun breaks through behind the perch, the ducks swim past here too.
After her preening is finished, LM6 arrives back at the nest at 06.48, announcing her return.
LJ2 takes off and LM6 settles on the eggs.
08.00 LM6 gets up and attends to an itchy bit on her leg.
She has a wing stretch and flap, makes some contact calls
LJ2 flies from one of the trees in front of the nest.
And let’s LM6 have another wee break.
Off she goes
Straight round in a loop to chase a Corvid.