.
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
May 20, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 5:46:25 (KL5)
Mating: 4:26 S, 18:08 S. All with KL5.
The (S)uccess or (F)ailure indication is purely my untrained observation.
2 S, 0 F
Canuck said:Scylla, can you please check your photo of Asha's left eye? I think it may be KL5's.
Thank you very much, CANUCK Corrected.
I'll post it here, too, in case Cirrus has saved it and needs alerting.
Also, thanks for the fishing/weather info.
I'm on my way back into my shell, with my ultra-soft tissues ;-p
Not an exciting day. I didn't see Asha with a fish, nor reference to it, but Klive did have one, and failed to deliver it.
Monday 20 May 2024
04:05 Andy Simkins Klive and Asha land on the nest simultaneously - female immediately starts food soliciting
04:28 Andy Simkins Attempted mating (u). Klive flies from nest.
04:40 Chat Aviemore Ospreys updated that KL5 was fishing
05:46 Chat KL5 flies to the branch behind the pylon ...with a fish !!!
06:56 Chat KL5 to the nest no fish , Asha comes in and says where is it then !!!
06:57 Chat KL5 away
07:09 Chat and Asha away, maybe to get her own fish !!!!
09.09 to 12.22 Klive remains on the dead tree by the PTZ tower
09:19 Chat stunning close ups of KL5 on zoom cam
12:23 Chat KL5 mantling & alarming ..
12:26 KL5 leaves
17.12 Asha arrives mantling, looking above and calling. Intruder out of sight
17.14 Intruder is still around. Asha makes the odd call.
17.17 Asha is still wary, but not calling. She keeps looking above the nest, but she is quiet
18.07 Asha starts fish soliciting.
18.08 Klive arrives, fishless, lands on Asha's back and has a successful mate.
18.09 Asha continues calling, telling him to go fishing. Klive relaxes
18.10 Klive flies off. Asha continues calling.
19.37 Having been quiet since Klive departed, Asha starts to call again. Klive is in the area.
20.36 Klive flew to the nest perch, annoying Asha even more. He arrived fishless, but she fish solicits, loudly.
20.39 Klive flew off, to the left. Asha continued calling.
21.01 Asha continues to call
21.54 Asha is still calling. There is a red sunset.
22.25 Asha finally stopped ca.ling, and flew, presumably to her overnight roost.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Oh I did save it. Thanks Canuck and Scylla
To me it’s a tad worrying that Klive is failing to deliver fish to the female. In 2003 from memory Henry eventually gained dominance over other competing males but it was too late in the season for breeding with the female EJ who had taken up residence. However, we were pleased to see Henry regularly feeding the female over the summer until she began an early migration. Henry that year not only proved he was an aggressive nest defender but also that he could be relied upon to feed the female even though there was no chance of eggs that year. After a year of failure it is not uncommon for ospreys, especially females, to seek a‘divorce’ and the following year look for a new site and partner. If Klive continues this behaviour this year it would not surprise me if this is the last year we will see the regular female at this nest.
Just this moment male on nest having sex with female, could this be the start of something good. Now she's screeching for fish, I guess.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Sadly Lynette, I think it has a long way to go. Brodie, the male Klive kicked out was good at providing fish, which is something Klive hasn't learned. He was brutal last year, and he has been brutal in evicting Brodie, just as his and Asha's relationship was developing so well. Today he has given a part fish to Asha. I hope he keeps it up.
I agree with EJFan above. Unless Klive brings in a fish every day or two for Asha, and not for himself I can't see it bodes well for chicks next year. However, Tiger commented in Chat y'day that he thought all will be well next year. I wish I had his faith!
Lovely to see you again, Lynette.
It was 08.32 when Klive brought in the headless fish. Again he didn't let it go. Asha managed to tug it from him, but he tried to retain it by biting it and holding on. Asha finally got it, and tried to peck him aggressively, twice, before flying to a bare topped tree top left in the PTZ. 08.55 she returned to an empty nest. She must have been hungry and gulped it down. I don't think she dropped it.
What will happen now? Asha has been on the nest, and started calling. PTZ found Klive on top of a short dead tree at 14.12. He flew, and landed on Odin's perch with an ENORMOUS WHOLE BROWN TROUT . How much will he eat before taking it to Asha?. Will he give it to Asha, or eat it all himself?
May 21, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 6:43:52 (KL5), 14:13:48 (KL5)
Mating: 4:31 S, 13:02 S, 13:04 S, 16:42 F, 16:49 F. All with KL5.
3 S, 2 F