In this opening thread for Loch Garten for 2024, we remember Trevor, who sadly passed away on 20 February. Trevor was a great contributor and friend on the community forum, and especially on the Loch Garten thread and was the last person to comment on this thread to the end of February 2024.
community.rspb.org.uk/.../1452441
In 2023, resident female Asha returned on 4th April and was courted by various males, latterly ‘Unringed Male’, with no sign early on of Axel (AX6 - 2016) her partner in 2022. She became the proud parent of 3 eggs (laid on 25 and 28 April and 1 May), of dubious fatherhood, but probably URM (unringed male) – later named Brodie - who had a lot of trouble fending off intruders, which made him a bit flaky in the fish catching and delivery department early on. The main intruder was KL5.
Chick 1 hatched 'early morning' on the 4 June and chick 2 overnight on 6 June. One egg didn't hatch (maybe number 1). KL5 continued to intrude, as did Axel. Brodie disappeared on a few occasions for a couple of days (no fish were delivered over the first weekend after hatching) but he got into his stride on 1 July, delivering fish to the nest every day bar 1 thereafter, with a record count of 7 on the 21st July. Asha also fished and delivered a salmon on the 3rd July. Ringing day was 12th July - 2 boys - 2C5 (oldest) became Sid (Vicious) and 2C4 (youngest) became Harry (Nilsson). 2C5 fledged on 1 August and 2C4 on 2 August.
Asha was last seen on 8 August. Thereafter, the nest became a tough watch on occasion, as KL5 started intruding again big-style, attacking the juveniles. 2C4 was last seen on 11 August, and 2C5 on the 12th. Brodie was last seen on 24 August, but was around less than KL5 who was seen nestorising on occasion and who is possibly shaping up to be the main man for 2024? Time will tell…..
A lovely scylla-snap of Asha and Brodie from 2023 to help us instantly recognise them when they return
So envious LG is your nearest nest! Keep looking out the window and keep up posted on the skies!
Hi EJ fan, when I say nearest, it is 3 hours away. There are a few other Scottish nests, as I am at the top of Scotland, in Caithness and can only go south, LG is the first one near me, all the others are100s of miles away. When I joined EJ and Odin were the resident pair, not long before I was hooked. I have been to LG twice (a weeks holiday in the area and visited the centre a few times) and saw her, so exciting. It took a long while after dear EJ and Odin were no longer with us, for me to accept seeing new birds on the nest but we have to move on and now I await our pair to arrive back, who will he be this year?
Welcome by the way EJfan, nice to have you with us. My picture is dear EJ fishing.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Thank you for the heads-up, BILLY
Siskins !!!
IMAGICAT
Such welcome news and a lovely pic Scylla, many thanks
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
I think it might be best to add feeder snaps/vids into the already running Anything Goes + Feeders thread.
you can watch ospreys at the mound and a couple at dornoch and skibo
Likely a very good idea, saves cluttering up this thread, needed for Ospreys ... hurry up with those cams?
Thanks, I have heard of nests and of sightings near, although never seen any. I do actually go to view a nest in a secret location (obviously at a distance). What I actually meant was, the nearest centre, to be able to view closely on the large binoculars.
Cam is up
Brilliant news, many thanks Billy