(I am starting a new thread for April because, for sad personal reasons, Korky cannot be with us until further notice so the March title cannot be edited.)
Please read Korky's comprehensive March 2024 intro.
Asha and Brodie
Last year they arrived on 04 and 14 April respectively.
The end of the 2023 season was marred by the aggressive intrusion of BlueKL5 "Klive" (thank you, Fergus). We have no idea if the 2 youngsters were fit to migrate.
We haven't heard anything from HQ but it appears that the cams are not quite ready, despite snaps being posted to Facebook 10 days ago together with a query about the lack of IR for the third year in a row - and the streaming is unsteady and unreliable. When LG issued a warning about a delay to the opening of the season, it seemed to refer only to the Visitor Centre.
The PTZ now
Quote RSPB YT Channel: When the Loch Garten Nature Centre opens on April 15th, this camera is controlled by the centre staff during work hours, so please be gracious if you find it staring at an empty tree! The birds react quicker than the staff are sometimes able.
IMAGICAT
13:23 intruder is about. Brodie lands on the nest and Asha flaps him off to go after the intruder. Brodie gives chase.
Intruder = unringed male
16:44 off nest again (female) alarm calling
Back @ 16:46
17.13 FISH. Asha took is away to Odin's perch, behind the old PTZ structure. Brodie incubated
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Flying fish:
17:12 B brings to nest and A leaves with it;
18:47 A brings back to nest;
19:00 B takes it from nest;
20:17 B brings it back to nest and A takes off with it.
20:40 A returns to nest. No fish. All gone
That thing had Air Miles.
April 23, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 17:12:41
Mating: 5:26 F, 7:50 S, 10:24 S
The (S)uccess or (F)ailure indication is purely my untrained observation.
2 S, 1 F
.
23 April 10:09 - the first intrusion episode
EJFan said:10:09 female leaves nest alarm calling
10:09 female leaves nest alarm calling
No more from me for yesterday apart from a couple of snaps from the video and a couple of Asha snaps.
Please let me know if anyone wants anything found - I shall be deleting yesterday's footage when I get the all-clear.
EDIT - Oops! I lied.
Mid-afternoon Raven chase:
24 April
Nighttime intrusion - unseen, and careful listening to dark nestcam detected no critter sound whatsoever. She was up and watchful for more than 10 minutes.
Brodie took over @ 05:06 - a minute later he got up and turned the egg, and proceeded to sit without interruption for nearly 20 minutes until Asha returned. Well done Brodie
Then he blotted his copybook by landing a nasty stick righ on Asha's head:
No fish yet, and still just the one egg IMHO.
09.33 Brodie (woops, I typed 'Odin'!!) returned to the nest. Asha was incubating. Throughout his visit he appeared agitated by an intruder, unseen. He occasionally chipped, or opened his wings and flapped. Asha looked around at one point, but in the main remained unconcerned.
09.43 Brodie flew to Odin's perch. Asha checked the egg, moved nesting material, paddled beneath her and finally settled at 09.47.
09.51 Brodie is still on Odin's perch. Asha is keeping an eye on the area around the nest, but it is quiet