(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
Thank you very much 25mac for taking a screenshot of the Facebook message, so those of us who are not on Facebook can read messages from RSPB Loch Garten. I emailed Fergus last year & asked if he could put their Facebook messages on the diary as well. He did reply & say he would look into it but was not sure it was possible.
Anyway it’s great that our two Ospreys are safely back & we can look forward to a very successful season.
Thanks for all news, videos & daily summaries. You are all very much appreciated.
New fb post from LG just went on
.
09 April - another good day!
5:40 female to nest (via camera). 5:42 male overhead sky dancing
5:57 male to nest, female food soliciting.
EJFan said:5:40 female to nest (via camera). 5:42 male overhead sky dancing
I was there with you, EJFan, but couldn't enhance the skydancing successfully so I've been throwing my toys out of the pram repeatedly, over anything I can grump at, ever since. Our pair recovered from the possible intrusion at the end of the vid, and thereafter seemed to be very active on 'n off the nest - but I'm taking time out to chill and eat.
Hope to hear it live next week and will be sure to post any interesting developments not seen on can. Internet availability dependent!
April 10, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 12:45:23 (large headless trout)
Mating: 6:04, 6:28, 9:00, 9:09, 9:27, 10:19, 13:08 (ptz cam). All successful except that last one., which was on a tree while Asha was trying to finish off her fish!!
Thank you to EJFan and SheilaFE for correction and additional times.
Think the fish was 12:45 and was a rainbow trout = fish farm and not from the Spey
Thank you for the data Canuck. I look forward to hearing about your visit idc!! It should be interesting.
I've spent hours going thru the cam footage, and written down nearly three pages of detail, but I think it is far too much. But here goes anyway. I will add a few pics later.
It's just so nice to see them settled, matings, two fish, lots of sticks and nestorising, and looking companionable in each others company. Long may it last!
10 April 2024
05.57 Brodie joined Asha on the nest, with a slight mantle. Such progress compared with last season!
06.04 A successful mating and Brodie flew off
06.12 And returns. No agro at all. Brodie move away and had his back towards here, and once more slight mantle stance. All part of rebonding.
06.16 The both flew off. One landed on the totem pole, the other flew around and disappeared.
06.19 Brodie returned to the nest, Asha remained on the totem pole
06.21 Asha left the totem pole. Brodie looked anxiously until she returned a few minutes later.with a chirrup. He was faux mantling again while she pottered and moved twigs.
06.26 Asha starts food soliciting again, while Brodie now potters, trying to ignore her.
06.29 Brodie flew off.
06.44 An expectant Asha called, as Brodie came in, but instead of a fish it was a stick he brought.
06.46 Brodie leaves and returns, possibly with another stick, but he moves others while Asha continues to call.
06.49 Brodie away again, and returns with another thick stick
06.53 Off again! and back with a longer more awkward stick
He doesn't really find a home for it and three minutes later is off again.
06.58 Asha starts tidying up the nest, and Brodie returned with another stick stick which she starts nibbling. She continues to chatter to him.
07.00 Brodie leaves again and again Asha tries to tidy up after him, moving his latest sticks to the left side, from the right
07.02 Brodie returns with another stick for Asha to deal with!
07.02 Asha calls, and this time she leaves. He thinks about it and faux mantles as she returns with a sticky stick. Did something fly by. They both appeared to watch something, but Asha soon got back to the sticks.
07.08 Brodie is off again, Asha moves sticks.
07.09 Asha leaves, but is soon back, and gets on with the housework.
07.15 Brodie brings another stick. A large black bird flew over the back. They watched, but it wasn't of concern.
07.16 Brodie left again.
07.17 She returns with a characteristic chirrup. A large Y shaped stick covered in lichen. A lady on a mission now! Lots of stick are being moved now!
07.21 Off again, with two chirrups. Brodie is just standing at the back of the nest, on guard.
She returned with a smaller twiggy stick, and Brodie flew to Odin's perch.
07.23 Off she goes, flying to the right.
07.28/9 Back again. Thank goodness for her spotted petticoat. and Brodie lands on her, but she flaps him off. "I'm nest making, and I want a fish". Brodie flies away.
07.30 Back with another licheny stick. She fish solicits, half heartedly. "Come on mate, fish please"
07.31 And Brodie is off again, and returns with another stick. Gets more ear ache and leaves.
07.35 Back again with a stick. He looks intently in the distance, and flies off.
07.39 Back again, for a minute and off.
07.43 And back with another large awkward And off again! And back with astick, and more nagging from Asha
07.49 Back again! And off.
07.58 Asha has been silent, so perhaps Brodie has gone fishing.
07.59 Asha flew, and returned with a small stick, but moved some larger heavier ones around.
08.05 She flies and returns with a small clump of lichen, chirrups, moves more sticks..
08.16 She flies, and returns, building up the sides.
09.03 Asha starts calling again, and Brodie lands, with another stick.
09.00 An insect on the right side, briefly A successful mating.
09.05 He leaves.
09.04.05 We have a 'blob' top right on the screen. An flying insect of some description. not sure..
09.06 Brodie leaves. Asha is quiet. Insect lingers then moves to the middle of the screen with long legs or antennae making a triangle from the middle of the screen.
Brodie returns
09.09 Mating. Brodie flies.
09.11 Insect moves to bottom right, then disappears.The wind gets up, catching Asha.
09.12 Insect is on right side, Brodie returns with a thick licheny stick which he leaves on the front rim, and leaves, and returns with another stick
09.15 Asha leaves, Brodie remains.
09.21 Brodie leaves, ENS
09.25 Brodie lands with a stick. Asha follows him in. She watches as he moves a stick and checks his nether parts. Fish? No. Brodie leaves flies around and lands on her back to mate. Probably successful, her tail is up. 09.27 Brodie leaves.
09.49 Insect on top left. Asha flies. ENS
09.51 Asha returns with a talon full of twigs, or a twiggy stick. More arranging and re-arranging.
09.53 Asha leaves, and so has the insect – at least it isn't showing on the screen
09.55 Asha returns gracefully – I'm assuming she has a stick! More rearranging the furniture.
09.59 Asha leaves,
10.03 Asha returns, definitely with a stick, and a loose feather.
10.05 Asha nest cups. The feather must have come out and blown, but I didn't see when
10.13 Asha tries the cup for size, briefly.
10.16 Asha starts to call again. Brodie must be on his way. He arrives with a bundle of soft furnishings! Possibly dried grass or reeds. He then mantles on the edge, before setting to on the sticks. Asha wanders around him, calling. He lifts his wings, as she spread the bundle, and he flew off leaving her calling
10.19 He returned. Successful mating, and left
10.59 More nest cupping, and moving sticks.
11.00 Asha left, in a glitch. ENS
11.05 And back with a large awkward stick which she gives a home.
12.45 She starts to call, and Brodie landed with a very headless large brown trout. She grabbed it with her beak and flew off with it, rather than holding it in her talons. Brodie pottered, egg cupped, moves sticks, egg cupped
12.53 Brodie flew off and returned with a stick.
13.07 Brodie flew off.
13.49 Asha returned, with a chirrup, having finished her fish.
13.42 he insect appeared briefly bottom right.
13.53 The annoying insect is top left now Asha returned. Spots of rain have been falling.
14.03 Brodie landed beside her, spreading his wings as if in another faux mantle. Asha asked for more fish. Brodie relaxed and got up to the rim, facing the wind. Asha took off and Brodie followed her.
14.05 Asha returned and landed on the perch. Insect walked down the left side, and Ash dropped to the nest.
14.24 Asha flew
14.27 Asha returned. Attending to sticks. It's not quite windy enough for them to blow around at present.
15.30 Asha flew, and could be seen against the sky for a short while. Cam or nest is beginning to move a bit.
15.33 She returned, landing on the perch before dropping to the nest and immediately moving sticks, raising the height of the rim and clearing the cup.
16.50 She spent the previous hour and a bit tending the nest, then flew off again.
16.52 Returning with a chirrup and a stick. More rearranging. So far it looks more comfortable than last year's nest, but it could do with some more soft furnishings that Brodie has brought in over the past couple of days. I haven't noticed an bright red colours today.
16.54 And off again, and straight back with a chirrup and an stick!
16.58 Away again. and back with a real sticky stick. She breaks off some bits, pull as it catches on a heavier larger stick, but it looks alright draping over the top! 17.02 she leave it amd returns to other sticks. 17.05 she returns to the draping stick and drags it to the left back, biting off some sticky outy bits, and moves it to the right. can see that disappearing any time now as it balances precariously on the lower right. It is now clinging on for dear life, she looks at it but decides it will do
17.07 She flies off.
17.09 Back again with another licheny sticky stick. That looks useful if she can get is to stay put.
She is still standing on the nest.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/