LOCH OF THE LOWES - April 2024

Continued from March 2024

Webcam page with links to LotL Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve FB, Twitter, SWT News Feed and to Donate >>>

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/

For the current 'LIVE' YouTube link, visit >>> https://www.youtube.com/@ScottishWildlifeTrustvideos/streams

The Osprey Protection Programme at Loch of the Lowes is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, with funds awarded by Postcode Planet Trust

All captures and videos ©Scottish Wildlife Trust/Loch of the Lowes

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It was a very welcomed surprise to see NC0 arrive back from her wintering grounds on the 8th March, her earliest return to date! NC0 kept herself occupied while alone - catching some impressive-sized fish to eat as well as preparing the nest in readiness for future eggs. To note, her severely split blue darvic ring (as seen last season) is missing and she now only wears a BTO ring on her right leg.

It was a nail-biting time for us waiting to see if dear Laddie would make an appearance too and, little did we know, that it would be a further 19 days before he made his ‘grand entrance’ on the 27th, being ‘escorted’ to the nest by a flock of very vocal gulls!

Having settled into their usual routines on the nest and around the reserve, we now look forward to watching this season’s events unfold.

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Nest Updates

Arrival dates:  NC0(16) - 8.3.24 (17:52)   Laddie (LM12) - 27.3.24 (16:38)

Eggs laid:  Egg #1 - 17.4.24 (10:48)   Egg #2 - 20.4.24 (10:53)   Egg #3 - 23.4.24 (20:47) 

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Link to blogs and updates during March

April Blogs and Updates (published dates)

17.4.24: SWT/LotL blog >>> First osprey egg of the season at Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve

17.4.24: SWT video >>> NC0 Laying First Egg of the Season

20.4.24: SWT/LotL blog >>> Second osprey egg of the season at Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve

20.4.24: SWT video >>> NC0 Lays Second Egg of the Season

24.4.24: SWT/LotL blog >>> Third osprey egg of the season at Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve

24.4.24: SWT video >>> Female Osprey NC0 Lays Third Egg of the Season

30.4.24: LotL Fb >>> Regarding Laddie's absence

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  • it's not even equal to your snaps, Sandra

    It took forever to capture the pics of the intruder on the slowest speed. As your vid in real time shows, it would have been impossible to screenshot in detail.

    Many thanks, Scylla Hugging 

  • 21:01 NC0 returned to the perch, with the remainder of the fish in her left talons

    21:07 Scene at present

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 21:09 NC0 flapped onto the nest

    Laddie got up from the eggs

    And, instead of attempting to take the fish from her...

    ...he flew off

    NC0 made her way to the nest cup

    Discarding the fish on the way

    Laddie landed on this branch of the birch

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Just prior to night cam at 21:30. Laddie has remained on the birch

    21:48 The tail of the fish can be seen behind NC0

    ©SWT/LotL

  • At 23:05, NC0 got up and picked up the fish

    She moved into the nest cup with it and transferred it into her left talons

    She turned around and discarded it here

    She settled back down to incubate

    23:22 NC0 sleeping. Perhaps she didn't want to have the fish as a pillow?!

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 25th April

    Morning All,

    NC0 with a healthy PS at 4:11. The fish was still in the same place she had left it

    5:03 First visit to the nest from Laddie

    He stood on the side of the nest, unaware that the remainder of the fish was underneath NC0's tail

    Laddie left at 5:05

    At 5:15, NC0 got up and picked up the fish. A clear view of the eggs - #3 top, #1 bottom left, #2 bottom right

    She tucked in for around 5 minutes

    When she'd had enough, she took the rest of it into the nest cup (in her right talons here)

    Back to incubating

    Laddie returned at 6:00

    Another short visit and left at 6:03

    6:08 NC0 up and went back to the fish. She flew off with it in her right talons

    She made a contact call on leaving

    He made a contact call on arriving

    NC0 came to the perch for a very brief visit at 6:23, no fish remained (cleaning her beak here)

    7:51 Laddie still on incubation duty at present

    ©SWT/LotL

  • NC0 to the perch at 7:55

    7:57 Laddie up from the eggs and left the nest. He made a few contact calls before flying off

    NC0 headed straight to the nest cup

    8:09 NC0 at present

    BFN

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Doh, missed the 3rd egg post, well done to NCO and Laddie.

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • Cam went offline at 14:24. Luckily, I had just finished scrolling through the footage up until that time

    10:48 Laddie to the nest

    He stayed with NC0 until she decided to take a break at 10:48

    He settled down to incubate

    11:16 NC0 returned

    They spent time keeping each other company until she decided to go for another break at 11:22

    11:29 NC0 returned with a piece of bark which she placed on the front edge of the nest

    Laddie flew off at 11:31

    NC0 had remained incubating and I didn't find that Laddie had returned to the nest. This was her at 14:13, just prior to the cam going down

    ©SWT/LotL