LOCH GARTEN - JULY 2023

I start this thread with a heavy heart, as Brodie hasn't been seen at all on Friday 30th June. The last fish delivered to the nest was at 21.11 on 28 June, over 48 hours ago. Brodie was last sighted at 09.10 hours on 29 June, over 36 hours ago.

Chick 1 hatched 'early morning' on the 4 June and chick 2 overnight on 6 June. One egg didn't hatch (maybe number 1?). There were lots of intruders during the month of June, including KL5, and last year's male Axel on the weekend of 17/18th.  Brodie has disappeared before for a couple of days, and no fish were delivered over the first weekend after hatching on 10/11th June so maybe we should keep the faith and cross all eyes, toes and fingers that Brodie will come good, recover from whatever keeps him away from his nest and chicks, and deliver a stonking fish first thing on 1 July.

Link to June 2023 thread

  • Wed 5 July 2023

    05.48     Trevor  #1 fish

    12.18      Asha flies hurriedly to the nest in expectation. Watching eagerly she fish solicits, loudly. 

    12.19.       The chicks join in

    12.20.06    #2 fish  Brodie landed with a huge fish.  A whole one, and very dark.  Brodie was in no hurry to leave, but he did at nearly 12.21 Asha began feeding the chicks, with #2 taking its usual submitting posture on the rim on the nest.  Despite this .#1 got up pushed with his chest and grabbed #2 on the neck/head taking some feathers in the process.  Such a bully, or perhaps, survivor.  But I can't love it when it is so unnecessary!

    12.54.12    #1 has decided it was replete and wobbled to the near rim.  Asha ate herself, as #2 was still submitting on the far side below the perch.

    13.00    At last #2 feels its safe to move towards Asha, and now gets its fill, with no hassle from #1.

    13.25   #2 has sufficient for now, and moves away.  Something high in the sky catches its eye, but not Asha's who is tucking into the fish.

    13.29    Asha has been food soliciting while she eats.   A check on the PTZ shows Brodie quietly preening, with his back to the nest.  He is on the dead tree beyond and below the nest.

    13.44    Asha and the chicks spot something flying over the nest, eyes skyward.

                 She doesn't call initially, but gives a brief call.  Perhaps it was Brodie.  She solicits.

    13.47   Brodie flies off – Asha watches and then calls.

    14.56   All is quiet.  Asha stands on the rim keeping a keen eye around her.  Chicks are snoozing.

    15.02  Asha gave a short food solicit call.  Is Brodie back?

    15.13  Asha has been calling.  PTZ has drawn out, but Brodie isn't in the frame.

    15.14  Headless #3 fish from Brodie.  A good size

    I thought I'd snipped more than this, but they must be lost in the filing system!

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • 15.14 another fabulous fish

    (c) RSPB Loch Garten

  • And so eagerly awaited too, Korky!

    I've just snipped the delivery, but I see you've done one already.  Thank you

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • Latest blog from RSPB Loch Garten

    They say Asha caught a salmon on Monday at 09.42. They confirm flounder come up the river in the summer and that's perhaps where Brodie caught the Monday one or went further north into estuaries.

  • Unknown said:
    They say Asha caught a salmon

    I said to RICHARD that the pink was a red herring but he hasn't heard me, yet.  Maybe he's as bad at msgs as I am?  Not possible!  Anyway, TREVOR had already given his expert opinion.

    Dear TREVOR, thanks so much for the fish and other reports!

    Thanks to SHEILA and KORKY for contributions - here's mine (all from nestcam except the end), which has had to be re-thunk due to too many so-called highlights included - but it's been a pretty good day so far.  I didn't include any chick-feeding because it takes me too long filtering out salient bits, so thanks especially, TREVOR, for the info re #2.

    Here she is now:

    EDIT

    I'm off to the kitchen for a while.

  • Unknown said:
    Latest blog from RSPB Loch Garten

    Scuse me, KORKY, but I'm spitting tin-tacks because a blog should be on here and any vids on YouTube - I find Facebook a very unfriendly place to read/watch.  So it looks as tho they've ditched us entirely, maybe punishment for the Mistle uproar, there's been no Osprey Diary entry for 4 months.

    I note they're aiming at Americans too, they've become a Nature Center.

    I'll probably have to delete this embarrassing outburst - trying to do anything on Facebook puts me in such a foul mood, it all went tuts-ip, for me, with the redesign a year or so ago Tired face

  • I got your message Scylla.
    I started reading it, got about half way through the first line and clicked on the text to read the rest of it.. The whole massage just disappeared, so it looks as though I am as bad at the messages as you are, if not worse.

    Richard B

  • I have every sympathy, Scylla. I agree they have 'abandoned' us. They rely on Chat, and to a limited extent, FB. The chat on 'Chat' seems to cover an awful lot of LotL too. Dare I say it we are superfluous in this modern day and age!! This used to be the main point of info, but that's not so now. We aren't able to cover 24/7 as we used to in days or yore!

    'Nature Center', what?! Actually, I can't find that foreign spelling at all, so I'm not sure where it's being used. The Nature Centre is a small part of the Abernethy National Nature Reserve, Forest Lodge, and a small part of that are the Ospreys. Sadly the demise of EJ and Odin has also seen the demise of the LG Osprey Centre.

    Asha has been standing of the right side of the nest since finishing the 15.13 fish.
    18.50 there might be an intruder around. She's calling and mantling, but I have to go, sorry

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • A whopper at 19.35

    (c) RSPB Loch Garten