LOCH GARTEN JUNE 2023

scylla said:

My prowess also doesn't extend to cover when they have a red cap or not

All juveniles all have a red cap. And these seem to morph quite quickly into black feathers - the heads of some of the youngsters in my garden are changing already

Thank you very much, KORKY, I shan't forget - and have edited my post to guide Cannuck here :)))

12.48 (I think) #2 fish brought in by Brodie, with the usual moaning from Asha. It's a substantial one. She was deliberately backing into Brodie, 'encouraging' him to leave.
12.50 Brodie left
13.00 Asha stopped feeding as she watched the sky. Brodie flew in to defend from an unseen intruder over the nest. Standing next to Asha he chipped and screamed.
13.06 Asha deemed it safe and she started to eat the fish and moan once more at Brodie. The chicks began to take an interest in the fish
13.07 Brodie flew off
13.33 Asha stopped feeding the chicks and called, then was quiet as she cowered and mantled low in the nest. but didn't call.
13.37 I could hear Brodie intruder calling, away from the nest.
Ash remained observant, but continued eating the fish.
13.41 Asha went low in the nest, mantling again, once more not calling. Brodie could be heard again, and
13.42 Asha called, as Brodie landed. Both went into intruder mode.
13.45 Brodie chips and Asha calls (not sure what for, as it sounds more food soliciting)
13.46 Brodie continues to chip, watching around. PTZ had been close up on the nest, so there is no clue who or what is upsetting them both.
13.49 It's been quiet, but Asha starts complaining again, as they brace themselves against the wind.
13.51 Brodie lifts off, Asha stops being noisy and eats the fish.
14.00 One of the chicks struggles up and is tempted by more fish. I think it's #2 chick with the wide pale stripe down its back.
14.48 Asha is still eating the fish, and giving the chicks some occasionally, but clearly they are satisfied.
15.07 #2 chick is lining up for some more fish, but that beakful was sufficient. What a huge crop it has!!
15.08 she spreads her wings and lifts off in the wind - I love that!!
15.09 and back again, calling to anyone who will listen as she tucks into the fish again and feeds #1.
15.22 Asha is struggling to get something down. Probably a fin.
15.24 She is calling again. She wants another fish I think! Flossing her beak in between calling, and moving the furniture. - large sticks and twigs. That was short-lived.
15.54 She watches something further afield, in the sky
16.27 She's been quiet, the chicks have been preening and watching the world outside the nest.
16.29 she shot off the nest as the wind caught beneath her wings. A comfort break. 16.31 and back again with another awkward stick which she placed on the right of the nest, and this prompts more stick moving.
A lot of preening, and a spot of shut eye followed.
17.10 She starts to call, looking skyward. Is it Brodie or an intruder?

Apparently the VC have heard some information about KL4, but are waiting to hear more from the ringer. "Loch Garten have now heard news of Blue KL4 who intruded 21st , waiting back to hear details from the ringer"

Canuck said:

​5:17:36 intruder. asha flaps him off. it's KL5. can read band on the ptz cam.

Grateful for your heads-up, Canuck!

Very nice breakfish per Brodie (a distant view but the best):

You can see she's been flustered

To be continued, I'm off for a meal break...

OFF TOPIC - I sent Great Tit fledging vid via FB msg because I couldn't find a thread to add it to on their page, there's no mention of the nestbox - this is RSPB LG Abernethy Facebook's auto-acknowledgement to msgs - meaninglessness that Rishi Sunak can only dream of  

We try to respond to this inbox as quickly as we can.

Canuck said:

5:17:36 intruder. asha flaps him off. it's KL5. can read band on the ptz cam.

Blue KL5(20)m intruded three times last year, if my records are correct.

17 June   Blue KL5(20)m  hatched at the north end Loch Ness

20 August  nestorised

22 August  landed on the nest, pottered, flew off three minutes later

                    

Fish at 19.48

(c) RSPB Loch Garten

Thanks for the video scylla that captured both the intruder and the red-capped juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker.

And thanks to everyone who helped to ID the GSW, and to you scylla for your link to another video on it (and dad) in another post. What a pretty crown!

scylla said:

To be continued

Brodie flew in -vs- unseen intruder:

FISH !!! !!! !!!

Brodie was cleaning himself on a branch when he suddenly had to fly back to the nest to defend:

He flew off again after 7 minutes - I can't swear that no intruder crept into view but I didn't see anyone:

Per SHEILA 13.33 Asha stopped feeding the chicks and called, then was quiet as she cowered and mantled low in the nest. but didn't call. 13.37 I could hear Brodie intruder calling, away from the nest. Ash remained observant, but continued eating the fish. 13.41 Asha went low in the nest, mantling again, once more not calling. Brodie could be heard again, and 13.42 Asha called, as Brodie landed. Both went into intruder mode. 13.45 Brodie chips and Asha calls (not sure what for, as it sounds more food soliciting) 13.46 Brodie continues to chip, watching around. PTZ had been close up on the nest, so there is no clue who or what is upsetting them both. 13.49 It's been quiet, but Asha starts complaining again, as they brace themselves against the wind. 13.51 Brodie lifts off, Asha stops being noisy and eats the fish.

Sketchy coverage of the above - I tried to do the sound but it wasn't 100% successful because it's very hard to isolate the dang wind:

Asha and the chicks, nothing much going on but at least we can see them

Unknown said:

Fish at 19.48

See KORKY's snap, there's no better view, even going thru both cams one frame at a time!

I'm hoping to find another fish before Brodie's bedtime...

Failed, so here he was leaving:

We had a very strange little critter on the nest for a while:

All superlative, Scylla. Love 'him' and 'her' at  10.37 . Thank you