LOCH GARTEN - March 2024

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 4^th 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 21^st July. Asha also fished and delivered a salmon on the 3^rd 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 12^th. 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