(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
April 16, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 16:52:55
Mating: 5:07 S, 6:12 F, 6:35 S, 7:25 F, 7:52 F, 10:49 F, 12:13 S, 13:12 F, 13:47 S, 14:33:01 F, 14:33:33 F
The (S)uccess or (F)ailure indication is purely my untrained observation.
4 S, 7 F
.
Out there together:
She's had her hair streaked:
Out there together again:
On guard together:
Brodie brought a bunch of stuff with a stick dangling:
Quite a lot of togetherness but most matings that I noticed seemed to fail.
16:18:02 Asha practicing her yoga moves!!
Different angles of Brodie (no spots) and Asha (spots) underwing..
18:45 on the ptz cam. Quite the stretch from Asha!
18:33 Asha leaves part of the 16:52 fish in the nest.
Thank you for all the stats 'n snaps, CANUCK
Canuck said:Asha leaves part of the 16:52 fish in the nest.
Good to see that the late offering was plenty for her.
Asha was on 'n off the nest until finally leaving at 23:13:
17 April
Back she flew at 02:17
She stayed, on perch, nest and in the nestcup, till Brodie arrived at 05:17, right on night-day changeover, for a successful mating:
Soon after he flew, she flew. she was then followed in for a failed mating attempt - she tipped him off:
Asha left Brodie on the nest and the last I saw he was tending the nestcup.
Very pleased to report a visit to 2 confidential nest sites in Strathspey yesterday evening. Both had pairs and obvious both females on eggs. Lucky to witness a fish delivery at first nest.
LG visit scheduled for Friday. More to follow.
7:22 Brodie in with a BIG stick worthy of Asha. But lands it over her head!