.
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
16:16:38 Asha on a tree in the distance (see ptz) with an eel. Confirmed by photo by visitor at the Visitor's Centre. The PTZ cam switches from Asha back to the nest at 17:06.
Last night's BBC Springwatch 2024 episode 8 showcased the wonderful work of Roy Dennis
It featured Loch Garten and Poole Harbour nests.
I recorded it for overseas viewers who can't access IPlayer
©BBC
Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this. I really wanted to see this but I can't get it in Canada.
Roy Dennis is amazing.
June 8 at 3:43 KL5 lands on the nest perch.
4:05 he hops down to the nest and then flies off a few seconds later.
June 8 at 4:52:58 KL5 lands with a fish on the old nest branch.
He flies off from there at 5:36 and lands on a tree behind the nest. Asha is chirping at him the whole time. She wants his fish! But no luck.
He flies off at 7:38 with the remains of his fish.
At 7:39 he lands on the nest and hands over the fish to Asha, who flies off with it.
7:52:40 an unringed O (looks like Brodie) lands on the nest and takes off at 7:52:50 as KL5 flies in at 7:52:53.
I wish the ugly bug/spider would take off!
8:09:09 the intruder (Brodie?) touches down on the nest (right side) while KL5 is there and then the intruder takes off. KL5 flies off at 8:10.
June 8, 2024 - Day complete
Fish: 4:52:58 (KL5 on ptz), 17:35:32 (KL5 on ptz)
Mating: 9:18 F, 12:45 S, 13:29 F. All with KL5.
The (S)uccess or (F)ailure indication is purely my untrained observation.
1 S, 2 F
17:35 KL5 flies to a tree in the far distance (upper left side of screen). He has a FISH. Asha is on the nest screeching at him.
Finally KL5 flies to the nest at 21:30:45 with the smallest bit of fish for Asha. He was eating the fish for 4 hours from 17:35 to 21:30 !!!!!
Asha lunges at the fish, grabs it and flies off to the top of the totem pole.
She is back on the nest at 21:45. The fish is all gone. She ate it in 15 min. She flies off at 21:50.