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LOCH OF THE LOWES - May 2024

Sandra
01/05/2024 00:15

Continued from April 2024

Webcam page with links to LotL Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve FB, Twitter, Blogs, SWT News Feed and to Donate >>>

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/

For the current 'LIVE' YouTube link, visit >>> https://www.youtube.com/@ScottishWildlifeTrustvideos/streams or >>> Embedded YT link

The Osprey Protection Programme at Loch of the Lowes is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, with funds awarded by Postcode Planet Trust

All captures and videos ©Scottish Wildlife Trust/Loch of the Lowes

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Three beautiful eggs were laid from mid-April, with the final one arriving almost 10 hours later than NC0’s usual 72 hour 'cycle'.

Both Laddie and NC0 have had to defend the nest from many 'passing through' intruders. Could Laddie’s defence of the reserve be the reason why there has been no sighting of him on the webcam since early lunchtime on the 28th? There were a few occasions where there was a high likelihood that he may have been in NC0’s sight since then though, her loud fish calls alerted us to that probable fact.

With NC0’s last meal being delivered on the 27th, we can only hope that Laddie arrives home not only fit and well, but also with a well-deserved fish for such an amazing female Osprey – her endeavours to keep the eggs protected, warm and dry during his absence, have been truly remarkable!

As I write, it has been just over 60 hours without Laddie at the nest and we now wait, in anticipation, for a positive start to this new month...

*UPDATED 4.5.23: Heartbroken to report, that there was very sadly no positive news forthcoming regarding our dear Laddie...

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Nest Updates

Arrival dates:  NC0(16) - 8.3.24 (17:52)  Laddie (LM12) - 27.3.24 (16:38)  RIP Laddie (LM12) - remains found 3.5.24  Broken heart

Eggs laid:  Egg #1 - 17.4.24 (10:48)  Egg #2 - 20.4.24 (10:53)  Egg #3 - 23.4.24 (20:47)   

*Two eggs were destroyed on 7.5.24; the third one on 8.5.24, by an unringed, Pale Male Osprey. All were deemed unviable due to being chilled and left for long periods without incubation 

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Links to blogs and updates during March,  April

May Blogs and Updates (published dates)

2.5.24: LotL Facebook >>> Situation with regards to Laddie's absence

3.5.24: LotL Facebook >>> Update from the nest

3.5.24: LotL Blog (updated at 9pm on 4.5.24) >>> Loch of the Lowes osprey nest update

4.5.24: LotL Facebook >>> It is with a very heavy heart...

7.5.24: SWT/LotL News >>> Osprey LM12 found dead

7.5.24: LotL Blog >>> The start of a new osprey era at Lowes?

10.5.24: LotL Blog >>> Intruding Ospreys Make a Move

13.5.24: LotL Facebook >>> A lot has been happening...

15.5.24: STV News Report - North East and Tayside >>> Police say no criminality after death of YouTube star osprey 'Laddie'  *Nothing 'official' from SWT/Lowes

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  • 03/05/2024 08:13

    7:48 Noise of two geese made NC0 stand up - one flew over the nest, the other flew over the Loch

    Osprey onto the birch, 7:52ish. Could it be the same one as earlier? NC0 called for fish

    Still there now, 8:12. NC0 calling occasionally

    I have to go now. BFN

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 03/05/2024 10:37 in reply to Sandra

    10.35 Osprey flew over nest and landed in dead tree. NCO calling

  • 03/05/2024 10:45 in reply to Sandra

    Morning Sandra and All

    Thank you for the early updates so far and let's hope for a positive less confusing day today as yesterday was so difficult to piece together! Well done Sandra for making some sense of it all!

    Just wondering has Laddie been away this long before? .... Seem to remember he has!

  • 03/05/2024 11:17 in reply to Sandra
    Sandra said:
    From what I can see, I don't think anything else had occurred up until my time of posting (though can't be 100% sure)

    I didn't find anything, Sandra - here's a short vid of the early intrusion, focused on the birch mostly for NC0's voice reaction:

    IMAGICAT

  • 03/05/2024 11:27 in reply to scylla

    Someone has put on FB that Laddie is back however this has not been verified so I'll only believe it when LOL confirm it

  • 03/05/2024 11:55 in reply to billy

    .

    billy said:

    Someone has put on FB that Laddie is back however this has not been verified so I'll only believe it when LOL confirm it

    I can't see itt on the official SWT page - can you remember where, BILLY? Blush

    I'm looking for any evidence on the stream but am not as good at finding micro-events as wot Sandra is!

    In the meantime, the geese honking overhead which SANDRA snapped:

    IMAGICAT

  • 03/05/2024 12:22 in reply to scylla

    It's on LOL facebook page posted about 1 hour ago but I think they've got it wrong. I wonder if they're getting mixed up with Brodie at LG

  • 03/05/2024 12:32 in reply to billy

    .

    It could well be, BILLY - anything's possible, given what we and they have been thru these past days !!!

    Here was a gull passing by, not attempting to intrude, and an unringed Osprey trying and failing:

    (Malwarebytes Browser Guard just blocked RSPB due to excessive notification requests, suspecting phishing - I'll post it in the Comm Upgrade thread.)

    EDIT

    And that made me fergit me snaps!

     

    IMAGICAT

  • 03/05/2024 13:10 in reply to scylla

    13:09  NCO flew off returning a minute or so later

  • 03/05/2024 13:12 in reply to Karen

    Update from LOL on FB

    An update from the osprey nest.
    It's been a rapidly developing situation here at Loch of the Lowes. Sadly, we still have had no sighting of our breeding male LM12. Without a delivery of fish for over 5 days, self preservation and hunger finally took over yesterday and after many shorter flights, NC0 finally left the nest to go and hunt for herself, leaving for an hour each time at 12:41 and 15:49.
    It's likely that had she caught a fish, NC0 would have came straight back to the nest to eat it in situ and keep the eggs safe. Although the eggs were uncovered for an hour on each occasion, the warm weather could mean that they are still viable.
    Later in the afternoon and evening we observed the first osprey intruding activity for many days with 3 birds in the air at one time. The situation was fast moving and complex, but having pieced it together it looks like there was a pair and one other individual at large. One of the intruding osprey attempted to land on the nest which NC0 did not tolerate, however she did permit it it to sit on the perch.
    This osprey was then chased off by a darker bird, one of which then returned to sit on top of the camera. Again NC0 tolerated this, and began to food solicit. Throughout this whole period there were lots of defensive 'chipping' calls coming from around the reserve. However, there was no sign of LM12, so we can only assume he was not in the mix and these were other birds prospecting the territory.
    After the bird on the camera flew off and the very dark intruding osprey with distinct markings (thought to be a male) sat for extended periods on the split birch tree throughout the evening. It attempted to land on the nest on several occasions, which NC0 flapped off. Despite this NC0 continued to food solicit to no avail.
    Fast forward to this morning and there was another attempt from the dark osprey to land on the nest. This bird was later observed fishing on the loch and caught a what looked to be a large perch, but failed to lift it. NC0 again was food soliciting throughout.
    Just to make things complicated a lighter male osprey has also been sitting on the split birch this morning, which we think is the same male that sat on the perch last night. Whilst its markings did make us take a second look due to their similarity to LM12, the behaviour was all wrong, with no calling from NC0, or attempt to come to the nest and relieve her. The bird also appeared to be a little heavier set than LM12. It later flew off after a period of brief sky dancing from another male. Having checked our photo records we think that both these birds could potentially be osprey we saw intruding at the nest last year, however both being unringed makes things a little tricky.
    At the time of writing NC0 has begun to take further extended flights again, first to wash her talons and then to look for fish in the neighbouring loch. At this stage we have to assume LM12 is unlikely to return and the priority is that she feeds herself, though no doubt intruding osprey vying for her territory will be making her even more reluctant to leave.
    Ideally, after feeding herself (and assuming LM12 doesn't return), we can only hope she will accept and pair with a strong, dominant male showing interest in the territory and begin to create a bond for next season. Unfortunately, any new male will not accept her eggs, as was sadly observed at Loch Garten yesterday. Of course it could be that she ousted completely and a new pair take over the site, but for now she is standing firm.
    We can only sit and wait to see what unfolds next.