LOCH GARTEN JUNE 2023

12.35 Asha has a fly-about. Brodie returns, goes to step into the cup but falters. He looks around, looks at the cup. Help! What do I do now? He steps very gingerly towards the cup, and falters again. He looks around, as if seeking reassurance.
12.37 Asha came to his rescue, with lot of gentle contact calls. Brodie stepped back as Asha goes towards the chicks I CAN SEE THE BOBBLE HEAD, yay! Bobbling.
Asha was feeding herself, Brodie was trying to see what was going on and stepped on a loose stick which was in danger of swiveling down to the cup. He has blocked the view even more!!
12.40 Brodie flew off
I think the 'swiveled' stick is now between the chick and Asha. Asha continues to feed herself.
She then steps over the stick and tries to feed the chick - it's all a bit of a mix and muddle really. So many criss crossed sticks in the way.
12.42.11 Brodie returns to defend the nest, calling and flapping. Chipping and mantling, while Asha mantled.
12.43.15 Brodie took flight after the out of sight intruder.
Asha, with one foot on the wayward stick that Brodie knocked, kept a very wary eye above her.
12.45 she broods/incubates, but still watches about her.
She didn't really settle properly.
13.20.51 Brodie returned and Asha started calling. 'Go get fresh fish'!
13.24 Asha recovered the original fish, which somehow had moved to the left side of the cup. She had the same dilemma as earlier, trying to feed the chick but too far away.
13.28. by now Brodie and has flown, and Asha is still feeding the chick although I think it is a bit hit and miss. The bobbling head really is bobbling making it difficult to connect.
14.39 Brodie returned, fishless, but as there is still some on the nest it's not a problem.
14.40.30 Brodie flies off
15.19 Asha is up again
15.22 After feeding herself again she turns to the chick and again it's a bit random as to whether the chick got any fish. Given she is used to eating a whole fish herself, and the chick is only a few hours old, I think all is well!
15.32 Asha settles once more.

I'm off for now.

YES WE HAVE A BOBBLEHEAD. Been out all day,only catching up now. I thought last night she was fiddly and fidgeting. I am so pleased and excited that we have our first chick. Oh to see it properly!! I hope Brodie steps up with his fishing now, we need plenty for mamma and baby. I wonder when then the next one will hatch? Off for a look to see if I can see anything.

Brilliant to hear we have a chick and Yes, I so hope Brodie’s instincts will kick in and he brings in more fish

Asha fish calling.. she got up saw movement from the chick .. wonder if Brodie is around with a fish

22.17. Just tuned in to fish and chups. Old fish, and still just one chick I think being fed by Asha

Lynn L said:

Been out all day,only catching up now.

I hope you saw that your observation didn't go unappreciated, CATLADY, by others as well as me on page4

I'm still on lunchtime with one eye on the live PTZ cam and therefore a face due to no fish since the morning ???

Dearest Scylla, I did indeed read through today's posts and I FORGOT to like yours with my quote. Will you please forgive me. ️
I do hope that Brodie steps us his fishing trips, much need now, for both.

Lynn L said:

I did indeed read through today's posts and I FORGOT to like yours with my quote. Will you please forgive me

Nowadays "Likes" are mostly merely acknowledgements, so I did go back to check that one because if it hadn't been for your obs I wouldn't have known - I can't listen/hear in catchups unless something obviously demands it.  So it's not a question of "Why didn't Catlady like my post?", but it was a couple of pages back so I checked: "I do hope Catlady realises how valued her observation was"

Asha's lunchtime stickwork and examples of Brodie being disrupted by intruders

A sighting of #1 begging after Asha calls 'n calls for fish:

Asha's evening comfort break - such lovely sunglow on the PTZ snippet but no fish:

It's getting light on the PTZ and I've been just drifting for hours!

Morning all. Well, will we have a 2nd hatch today. I am working MTW this week instead of my usual WTF. I'm going to help at our local Caithness music festival later on in the week, so having a quick look in before I leave for work. I really hope that the boy gets fishing and when I look in after dinner there will be good news, fish and maybe another bobblehead. Okay, I must go now. Happy watching all.

A good sized fish from Brodie at 05.07 and lots of feedings since but no 2nd chick yet I reckon

(c) RSPB Loch Garten