(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
Yay!! It was only at 12.59 that she looked as though she was going to lay the third egg. She stood up, astride the eggs, and was fidgeting. 13.00 poss contractions, as she shuffled on her feet, swaying from left to right legs, and her feathers were puffed up, with wings slightly open.
13.02 Another contraction, 13.05 tail up and she got up revealing the third egg! Brilliant. I snipped a pic, but Canuck has beaten me to it, so I won't duplicate.
The screen seemed slightly blurred to me - but I've been told I have a cataract, but not yet worthy of medical care!
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
13:26:04 fish. A flounder. Asha takes it and flies off. Brodie sees his triplets for the first time. A bit hesitant but settles in for incubating.
It was quite a tussle for Asha to get the fish! A flounder!!! That is surely a first at LG. Views, anyone?
Asha is on the tree beyond the nest. She is certainly tucking into her fish.
13:42:13 Another clear view of the 3 eggs. This time under Brodie.
I do remember that there were a couple of flounders last year. I remember people commenting that Brodie would have flown to the coast to get them. He also brought in a salmon, although there was great debate about that one.
scylla Can you please use your handy-dandy all-powerful zoon tech to get close up photos of the eggs? Thank you.
Wonderful news about third egg
April 27, at 10:29 intruder tries to land on the nest. Asha flaps it off.
Later at 11:17 Blue 047 is spotted on top of the old nest poles.
April 27, from Keko on chat:
"There was an intruder earlier at 07:08:08 - 07:08:34... Asha was on the dead tree, Brodie on the nest.. he alarmed and flapped. It circled and flew away... too far to see any rings or anything"
You can see it flying off on the upper left corner of the photo. Just to the right of the tower.