LOCH GARTEN - April 2024

(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

  • Remember we don’t know how old she is. 4 eggs would be rare, but not unknown!

  • At one point there were two intruders and Brodie flying around.

    20:20 intruder tries to land.  No ring on leg.

    At 20:21:33 Blue 047  tries to land on the nest and Asha flaps it off.

    At 20:25:16 an intruder zooms by twice

    20:28 Brodie lands on the nest, gives one alarm call, and is flapped off by Asha. Go chase the intruder!

  • Canuck said:

    scylla   May I post this photo and your photo of the first egg on the "Loch Garten and Other Ospreys" Facebook site?  I would tag your name to it. Would be nice to have this recorded in both places.  No offense taken if you say no.

    I've said this before and I'll say it again - all pictures and videos from me are courtesy of the original "hosts" - eg RSPB, NRW/Carnyx, Scottish Wildlife Trust - and I have no claim to them, no matter the quantity of blood, sweat and tears involved in their reproduction by me!  It's very nice if ever one gets credited but it's not necessary Blush

    Thank you for asking, CANUCK x

    IMAGICAT

  • .

    EJFan said:

    Remember we don’t know how old she is. 4 eggs would be rare, but not unknown!

    I had not seen that 4 eggs had been queried for Asha - but rare tho they may be, we have 3J-Telyn (Dyfi) and CJ7 (Poole Harbour) with 4 each this season Astonished.

    EDIT !!!

    Apparently, Telyn's fourth egg was Emyr's idea of a joke - no wonder he and I don't see eye-to-eye Rage

    .

    27 April evening intrusions - Brodie's chasing but not always recognisable.  Maybe I shouldn't have alternated nest/PTZ, it's a bit of a drag.

    IMAGICAT

  • April 26, 2024 - Day complete

    Fish:  16:16:30

    Mating:  none

    The (S)uccess or (F)ailure indication is purely my untrained observation.  

  • April 27, 2024 - Day complete

    Fish:  13:26:04 (flounder)

    Mating:  none

    The (S)uccess or (F)ailure indication is purely my untrained observation. 

  • I think I was the first to raise the possibility of 4 eggs… I think that when this has happened previously the female is generally‘middle aged’ , arrives back from a relatively stress free migration, has a partner who provides her with plenty of fish and conserves her energy in the pre/laying period and first few days of incubation. If all these boxes are ticked then there is a chance of quads.

  • 7:41 intruder alert again! Female in nest alarm calling and mangling 

  • April 28 at 5:14.   Our girl covered in frost.   Such a beautiful backdrop.