LOCH GARTEN - May 2024

It's KLive with a Blue Trout.  He is unwilling to get go, so there is a tussle.  Well done, Asha.  She gets the fish, flaps and AK5 flies off, followed by Asha with the fish.  KLive returns and potters

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You posted after I'd refreshed, SHEILA.  Sorry about your tech probs, you know I empathise!

SheilaFE said:

I noticed when Brodie brought in the 07.35 fish, Asha took it away in her beak, like days of old!.  It was a sad sight as Brodie looked totally bewildered, but after picking up a few small twigs he settled to incubate.

This should be included in a video I've posted here, I'm too hungry to look for it now.

EDIT - Here's this morning's video with Brodie - https://youtu.be/I0cSaLhdBnk

And here's this lunchtime's horrid snap, which got BOPS'd, showing that Klive persists:

It's taken long enough to refresh this page, and get your lovely pic, so I won't attempt to post my snips!!  However.

15.49  KLive lands with a large blue trout.  There is a tussle over the fish.  He either can't or won't let go.  Asha finally gets it and flaps to take off and he flies when she flaps.  Both fly off.  Pick possibly later!

15.50  KLive returns and potters.

15.51  He spots an empty eggshell.  PIcks it up, and drops it.  Again, and moves towards the rim. More pecking at it.  Geese can be heards passing through, but out of sight.

15.52  More moving of twigs, randomly, going round in circules.  Nest cups.  Keeps looking at the egg shell.

15.53  Back to the left rim, turns an d picks up the egg shel dropping it on the right side.  It rolled down.  He picked it up and broke some more off.  He stood in the cup, and nest cupped.

15.56  Round and round he goes, picking up a pit here, and a piece there.  I'm dizzy just watching him!

15.57  A pause and he moves to the back right, away from the abandoned egg she

15.59  And back to the middle, round and round again.

16.10  KLive lifted off the nest

16.00  Pic possibly later!  PTZ found him hovering over Asha in the tree behind the nest, where she was eating the fish.  She wasn't happy.  He flew off.

I also got a lovely close-up of Asha earlier.  I'll try...

That took over four minutes to show on the post, so I won't bother with the others until the speed picks up.

16.53  PTZ  Asha suddenly started looking around, and cam reverted to the nest, so we don't know what bothered her.

16.54  KLive returned to the nest.  More pottering, and looking around – for Asha?

16.58  He flew off.b

17.31  KLive returned, accidentally kicking the shell..  It won't e long before it is part of the nest.  He pecks at it again, in passing and then nest cupped.

17.39   KLive flewoff over and to the left of the old nest.

Asha will be some time!  ENS

That download took over ten minutes and I'm still waiting, so it may not post, but it showed Asha and her huge fish two hours ago, ca 16.00.

She's still on her perch at 19:30 

Happy to see that Asha and Brodie are back after all the drama and heartache yesterday. That KL5  is so determined and so is Asha! Dear Brodie, when he was looking and picking and looking at the egg and then settled to brood, heartbreaking. So sad that this has happened here and also what is happening at LoTL. Nature indeed, but it is so cruel and is awful to us Ospreyholics.

Ceejay19 We can't see the perch now.  Zoom/PTZ moved just after 16.53.  She hasn't returned to the nest though, so I think you are probably correct, LOL.

18.57  KLive landed back on the nest.  He had a good shake and began preening. His undercarriage looked a bit ragged, so perhaps he'd had a bathe.

19.03 He flies off, dipping off to the left.

20.21 ENS

Update on FB from RSPB Loch Garten Abernethy, this morning

Follow up on our Osprey drama...

Yesterday saw Asha defending her nest left, right and centre whilst Brodie, her mate, was nowhere to be seen.

Unfortunately, events turned from bad to worse for our mated pair when KL5 seized control of the nest. His determined actions resulted in devastating losses: one egg pushed overboard, another broken, and a third's fate uncertain... but without Asha's warmth, survival is unlikely.

We know you want answers, and we’re here to give them to you...

Did Brodie return? Brodie returned to the nest briefly at 11:47am yesterday morning. Sadly, he was quickly chased off by KL5 and didn’t manage to regain dominance. He has been back on the nest this morning, bringing Asha a fish before being chased away by KL5 again.

Who is KL5? A known Osprey at Loch Garten, KL5 forced Brodie to defend their chicks last year. His late arrivals stir up trouble, aiming to supplant Brodie and claim both the nest and Asha.

Why, oh why? It’s tough to watch, but Ospreys are fiercely loyal to their nesting sites, and it seems KL5 couldn’t let this one go - driven by the natural instinct to ensure his genes prevail over Brodie’s.

What now for Asha? With KL5 in control, Asha's window for a successful breeding season hinges on accepting KL5’s advances and laying new eggs by June.

But...Brodie? There's a chance Asha and Brodie build a 'frustration nest' together elsewhere. A response sometimes seen when Osprey pairs are disturbed or fail to breed.

What’s next? Love him or hate him, KL5 is one to watch: he might keep the nest for himself and mate with Asha or another female. Or, Brodie could fight for the nest. This power struggle could dramatically affect next year's season and pairings.

It's really hard for all of us to witness the destruction of the eggs and over the last few seasons we've become attached too Asha & Brodie. But we're also in the privileged position of watching a once extinct bird of prey fight their own species. This is a testament to the recovery of the population and seeing these natural interactions is exactly what we're trying to restore.

We know it’s hard not to pick sides, but remember, this is nature taking its course: heart-breaking but fascinating.