.
Thread for April 2024
All pictures and videos ©️RSPBLochGarten&WildlifeWindows
Please read Korky's comprehensive March 2024 intro
Asha & Brodie
The partnership has matured this season, with Asha continuing her good female role (and she loves nest-building) and Brodie being more reliable, both fishing and incubating.
The pair have fought their way thru all kinds of nasty weather - snow, wind and rain - and intruders, including the dreaded KL5 Klive, have been a nuisance but not dangerous...
so far.
21 April @ 10:47
24 April @ 14:06
27 April @ 13:27
EDIT
********
Sadly, the month of May heralded irresistible aggression from BlueKL5 "Klive", who had ruined the end of last season for the 2 juvies.
Within the first 2 days Klive had driven Brodie from the area (tho Brodie did return a couple of times to dive-bomb Klive, to no effect) and destroyed the eggs. He commenced to woo Asha clumsily, selfishly and inappropriately, as can be seen from the following pages.
IMAGICAT
20.39 KLive tried to mate again, she pecked him off.
20.4he tried again, no go.
20.41 another attempt, failed
20,44 another attempt, she shrugged him off.
Her back must be sore.
He really hasn't taken the hint. No nookie, no mate. No mate no fish. No fish not enough food for chicks.
At least Brodie had proved his worth. KLive is testosterone with no consequences!
21.00 she is still fish soliciting.
Night all.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
08 May
Early morning:
Morning activities - Asha Brodie Klive
Thanks especially to SHEILA and CANUCK for reporting xx
21.09 another fai.ed mating attempt.
21.09 repeat above, and she pecks at him as he came down on her, then she shrugs him off.
21.10 she is still fish soliciting, and KLive departs
She became quiet. No fish from KLive.
21.30 Asha flew off.
Good night all. I'd be happy to see others reporting too. I can keep this up!
SheilaFE said: I can keep this up!
Do you mean "I can't keep this up"? I'd be very surprised if you could !!!
SheilaFE said:21.09 another fai.ed mating attempt. 21.09 repeat above, and she pecks at him as he came down on her, then she shrugs him off.
That wasn't the half - or the quarter or the tenth of it - altho I can't say how many times she shrugged him off. I thought I'd finished at 18:30, had to discomplete the video and spend another ? far too long finishing it off.
If anyone can count the late evening attempts, I'll be interested, maybe it seemed more to me than there really were because I'm so hot !!!
I just lost my post, trying to make space for snaps. The huge size they go in by default is... not helpful!
09 May
No videos this morning, the raw snaps must tell the story.
It's him!
Some glitches in the early-morning nestcam.
If he'd persisted here, he might have made it:
09:37 - It looked as tho she'd co-operate but she changed her mind and tipped him off:
Two more rejections 05:03 and 05:10.
He flew off and then she flew off 05:18, he was back 05:19, waited, flew off again.
05:37 Klive flew in from the totem, Asha joined him immediately as if she thought he had a fish! He thought it was an invitation and another failed mating occurred, and then another one within a few seconds. All the while Asha is indicating vocally that she'd quite like a fish!
He flew, she stayed, partially obliterated sporadically by spider-inspired sunrays:
05:55 she flew.
That was it-ish up to 06:50.
9:30 KL5 delivers partly eaten fish to nest. Grabbed by female who scoots KL5 off nest. 1 minute later female is on nest & 2 ospreys above her in flight. Female eventually leaves with fish
What a brilliant catch-up-Scylla. I admit I lost count of the failed mating attempts. He is certainly persistent, but I can't help but think of him as a naughty boy rather than a determined adult. In an idea world, without the need for aggression, I wish Brodie would return. I hope Asha doesn't submit. KLive isn't showing he will provide for a family.
08.55 KLive landed on the nest, with a decent sized fish. Asha followed him in to get the fish, and as she lunged for it KLive merely took off with the fish.
As EJFan has already reported, 09.30 KLive flew in with a decent sized fish, with Asha on his tail. She lunged for the fish, and he took off, with the fish!!! She just called.
09.30 KLive returned with the fish, and lets her take it this time. She pecks and flaps him off the nest. He returned and landed on her back, but was shrugged off. She calls and mantles.
09.31 Two osprey over the nest. One hovers and lowers, dangling legs, the other in the sky beyond.
The hovering osprey had a ring, but I couldn’t read it. The other stays in the air
An intruder chip off the nest. They both disappear. Asha remains mantling, quietly., looking around.
09.32.37 Asha flies with her fish.
09.51 KLive returns to the nest, and potters.
10.05 Asha returns, immediately checking KLive's talons for fish, and fish soliciting
Giving him a good o'l ear full.
10.25 KLive has earmuff on, ignoring her calls. He stands on the rim looking to the south, ignoring her.
10.26 It's windy again today, blue sky, fluffy clouds and sunshine. Asha lifted up and came down nearer Live still calling
10.27 Asha flew from the nest.
10.39 KLive flew.
They are both back on the nest, with Asha calling 10.50
Hi all. If ever you want to see the number of mating attempts and their timing during the day, find my summary post of them. I update it throughout the day. Here was yesterday's that I posted earlier in the thread. I try to post them in a timely manner but sometimes I am late.
May 8, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 7:27:47 (Asha)
Mating: 10:05, 18:10, 20:14, 20;15, 20:18, 20:29, 20:39, 20:40, 20:41, 20:44, 20:57:13, 20:57:54, 20:58, 21:06, 21:09:41, 21:09:48, 21:23, 21:26. All with KL5. All F.
The (S)uccess or (F)ailure indication is purely my untrained observation.
0 S, 18 F
May 9, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 8:55:18 (KL5)
Mating: 4:20, 4:36, 4:37:27, 4:37:35, 5:02, 5:10, 5:37, 5:38, 10:16, 10:45, 13:49, 14:10, 15:09, 16:34. All with KL5. All F except 15:09..
1 S, 13 F
With today's mating attempt at 15:09, KL5 has now hit 100 attempts since May 1. He's persistent! 5 have been successful.