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

  • Good to hear, Trevor.

    Nightie night, Scylla. Your lovely atmospheric vid of Asha in the early mist is confusing. Rain, and bah-ing sheep? Is the sound from Glaslyn?
    Chattering chicks, Asha on lookout on the rim. Blue sky and sunshine with high clouds bubbling up.

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  • Asha has spent a long time on the cam perch, away from the kids.

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  • 12.52 and I posted above she dropped to the nest perch

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  • Here's Trevor's 9.38 fish. I think there may have been more this morning as far as I can discern from chat

    (c) RSPB Loch Garten

  • Super fish at 13.09!

    (c) RSPB Loch Garten

  • 4 fish so far today: 09:38, 11:27, 12:06, 13:09

  • ​my unofficial tally for fish in july (including today) is an even 70 in total.
    3 of those were brought in by asha when brodie was missing.
    july 2 had no fish.
    july 21 had 7.
    most days had 3 or 4

    ​by comparison, brodie brought in 58 fish in june
  • Thank you for the fish reports, Korky and Trevor.  Edit:  thank you for your super fish data, Canuk.

    09.38 Trevor #1 fish  

    11.26 Chat #2 fish  I went back to check it out.  There was a fight for the fish.  The tide has turned.  Harry won!  Brodie flew away.

    Asha checked it and tried to retrieve it, but Harry tried to peck her, and mantled over it.  She had another go, but thought better of it.  

    Harry didn't really manage to make much headway with it, so when Sid had a go it was a smooth handover.  Sid has more luck and was soon taking large pieces from the fish.

    Harry claims the 11.26 fish

    11.35 Sid finds an opportunity to take the fish.  It was more that Harry gave up.

    Brodie was in the tree beyond the nest

    11.49 Sid made better inroads into the fish that Harry had

    12.00 Sid enjoys the fish, while Harry waits

    12.06 Chat #3 fish  arrived before Fish #2 had been devoured.  Asha went for it, but Harry went for her again.  

    12.08 was an intruder around?  Is that why Brodie flew off without letting the fish go?  Asha looked perplexed

    Asha gave an intruder call.  The chicks went down. 

    12.15  Harry went to fish #3, while Asha watched off nest.  I think Sid continued eating fish #2

    12.26 The nest tree. 

    And the sticky pine marten deterrent at the foot of the nest

    The barbed wire deterrent below the old nest

    12.53  LOL  Asha dropped down from the perch, and found a sizeable piece of fish.  She fed Harry! 

    12.57  Meanwhile, Sid found another piece of fish, a tail end!!  But he didn't eat much of it.  It was easier to join Harry and be fed by Mum.  So between them the chicks had feed quite well from the two earlier fish.

    13.09 Korky #4 fish

    Edit:  This was a much smoother delivery.  Asha got the fish, Sid seemed unsure whether it was friend or foe who was about to land, so Asha had not problems grabbing the fish.  Another brown trout

    The fish had gone by 13.25

    14.00 Intruder over the nest.  Asha calls and mantles.  Sid calls in indignation too!  Harry stays down low.

    14.23 Asha brings in one of her large awkward sticks

    As far as I can tell (there aren't enough hours in the day to watch all  the action again!) Asha didn't actually get any of #2 and #3 fish.  Although she may well have found half eaten fish at some point!  Is this the first time our chicks have tried to feed themselves - with varying success!

    I was typing this, but had a visitor, so have a lot more catching up to do!

    Edits:

    14.38 Asha found on the dead tree over near the old nest and PTZ

    14.41.47             Asha leaves the dead tree by the old nest/PTZ

    14.42                  She landed on the nest perch

    15.32                  Asha flies from the nest perch

    15.34                  Asha returns to the nest with a spindly stick

    16.15                  Asha starts calling 

    16.19     Chat      #5 fish  a nice big brown trout.  Asha is in control of it, and feeds herself and Sid/2C5.  Harry is lined up, but waiting his turn.

    16.29                   Harry sneaks in, and Sid picks up the droppings.

    16.31                   Sid leaves the line-up, after a poop he has a wander and lies down

    16.56                   Harry loses interest, and Asha feeds

    17.19                  The current scene

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  • Long skinny fish at 22.12. Brodie's had another great day!

    (c) RSPB Loch Garten

  • Thank you Korky. Six fish today, what a hero
    Given the love he gets from his family, I think he has done amazingly well!!

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