LOCH OF THE LOWES - JUNE 2023

Continued from May 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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Two healthy chicks hatched successfully from eggs two and three. The first egg laid was non-viable and, hopefully, it will be able to be retrieved from the nest, at the time of ringing, as to ascertain the reason why. 

During the middle of May, Laddie sustained an injury to his flank and NC0 was without a meal for 87 hours due to him not being able to hunt. It was pure relief when he finally arrived with a fish, at a critical time too as the first chick had just hatched. Laddie excelled himself on the evening of the 25th, bringing in an absolute whopper of a fish which fed both chicks and adults multiple times throughout the evening, during the night and well into the next morning.

The end of the month saw some 'difficult' behaviour from #1 on its younger sibling, not only restricted to mealtimes either. With longer gaps, on occasion, between fish being brought to the nest by Laddie (probably due to his defence of the nest and area from intruders, of which there had been many last month), #2 has been the subject of dominance and aggression. We can only hope this begins to lessen in the coming days and weeks.

NC0 has been doing a sterling job with feeding both chicks ensuring, as much as possible, that the youngest receives its fair share as well. She has also shown great maturity when defending the chicks and nest from intruders too - she is definitely a force to be reckoned with!

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*

Ringed 22.6.23: Chick #1 - PF4(F) 1.85kg  Chick #2 - PF5(M) 1.2kg  *Egg #1 retrieved for analysis* 

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Link to blogs and updates during March/April,  May

June Blogs and Updates (published dates)

2.6.23 LotL blog >>> Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 11

9.6.23 LotL blog >>> Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 12

20.6.23 LotL blog >>> Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 13

24.6.23 LotL blog >>> Osprey Diary at Loch of the Lowes – Week 14 (The Ringing of the Chicks)

  • Unknown said:
    Side by side feeding at 1630, all looking good, just wet.

    Fabulous, thanks Richard! 

    Fish #4, a headless one, was delivered at 16:18ish (details of fish #3 at the end of the previous page)

    Cam zoomed in

    The fish was all gone, and NC0 was tidying up, at 16:33

    ©SWT/LotL

  • NCO flew in with stick about 1620, then Laddie arrived with fish.

    Richard B

  • Unknown said:
    NCO flew in with stick about 1620, then Laddie arrived with fish.

    A bit of a stick-gate too, wasn't it! lol

    PF5 got knocked as NC0 moved the stick

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 17:13

    NC0 gave a couple of alarm calls and flew from the nest

    NC0 did return but at 17:20, more alarm calls from her and she left again - PF4 and PF5 flattened

    Back with a stick at 17:22 - she inadvertently stood on PF4's head

    NC0 dragged the small stick over PF4's head too as she was placing it

    PF4 stood up at pecked her

    PF4 was not impressed

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 20:15 NC0 on the birch. PF5 stretched his left wing over PF4

    PF4 stretched her left wing over PF5 a minute later

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Fish #5 was delivered at 22:20ish - it was alive and a really good size 

    PF4 to NC0 first

    PF5 hung back for a little while before joining in with the feed

    PF5 with a solo feed at 22:40ish

    PF5 turned away at 22:50

    He had some more at 22:57 after NC0 had been eating for herself

    23:12

    NC0 still had the tail end of the fish at 23:35, PF4 was given some more

    NC0 swallowed the fish tail at 23:40ish

    00:18 Night, night

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Morning All,

    No fish as yet.

    NC0 brought a huge Y-shaped stick to the nest at 7:27

    It was on top of PF5 as she landed

    PF5 was knocked as NC0 attempted to drag the stick for placement

    And he was put off balance when she lifted it to the left edge of the nest

    No harm done

    7:54 Both chicks preening at present

    Edit: 8:14 Still awaiting breakfish. BFN

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Fish #1 at 10:27 - a good sized, live one

    PF5 on the left, waiting, NC0 feeding PF4

    PF5 moved away while PF4 was fed

    But he did eventually make his way around to NC0 to have a meal

    Attempting to self feed here while NC0 took a pause in proceedings

    Back to it

    Edit: There was a second fish in between that one and the next (report added further down the page)

    A headless fish from Laddie at 12:45

    Cam zoomed in

    PF5 with NC0

    Some fish still remaining at present, 13:13

    Edit: PF4 is currently being fed, 13:14

    BBL

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Cont'd from 13:14 

    Cam zoomed in further to show NC0's Darvic and BTO rings (and the fish of course!)

    ©SWT/LotL

  • I have omitted fish #2 (I missed the delivery when scrolling through at lunchtime)

    NC0 had just finished eating a long piece of skin from the first fish when Laddie brought this live one to the nest at 11:00

    ©SWT/LotL