Continued from May 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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Since the 9th May, a dark, unringed male intruder (with a distinctive large pupil in his right eye and who the team at Lowes has estimated to be 2-3 years of age) has been a regular visitor to the nest. The Pale Male, who had ‘destroyed’ the three eggs on the 7th/8th May, has not been seen on camera again and it was mentioned that this new young male had chased him from the area.
He has delivered many small fish ‘gifts’ (three in one day on a couple of occasions) and a sizable larger one to NC0 - her calls expressed how grateful she was - but that did not stop her from catching her own huge meal on the 23rd May, to satisfy her appetite. His many mating attempts have so far been rejected by NC0 though this has not put him off from making continuous efforts. The Dark Intruder, as named by staff in the hides on the reserve, is showing great nest building skills - bringing in a multitude of various-sized sticks and soft nesting material.
Although the relationship is in its early stages, NC0 appears to have accepted him as a 'potential' future mate and they have been observed working as a team to defend the nest against seen, and unseen, intruders - all encouraging signs for the beginning of a possible new chapter here at Loch of the Lowes.
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
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
Links to blogs and updates during March, April, May
June to end of season Blogs and Updates (Published dates)
20.6.24: LotL Fb >>> Update re NC0, DI and two female nest intruders
Glider said:Good morning Sandra - haha, I’ve done that before too!
Morning Glider,
I knew I'd done one and kept refreshing the page to see if showed up! lol
NC0 returned to the nest at 11:48
It's been extremely windy this afternoon. Here she is at 12:55 (having remained on then nest) being buffeted in the wind
She flew off at 13:02
It stayed ENS until she came back at 15:21
She chipped a couple of times on landing - no threat was seen or heard
She is still there preening at present, 15:57. She's done a lot of this since returning
I've not seen the male
BFN
©SWT/LotL
19:15 The male was seen flying out from the inlet. NC0 was on the birch
He turned and made his way to the nest, NC0 left the birch
There appeared to be either a tiny fish or a small piece of one, in his right talons
She made her way over to him as he was nibbling at it
She bent down underneath him to take it
He cleaned his beak as NC0 began to tuck in
She turned after he flew off and continued to eat
She called for more after 5 minutes or so
At 20:26, NC0, who had been on the birch, came back to the nest
She was fish calling and prepared herself to receive a delivery
The male arrived with his fish gift
It was small but whole
She transferred it into her talons
He flew off
She looked around briefly
Then made three short calls before leaving with her supper at 20:17
Pre night cam at 23:05
Midnight
5th July
Afternoon All,
A couple of significant occurrences so far today. This was the first one
At 8:24, NC0 had not very long joined the male on the nest, she was calling for fish
He moved closer to her
He lifted off and hovered backwards
Then landed on her in an attempt to mate
NC0 warned him off
He landed back on the nest
He waited a short while...
Then tried again
Once again, NC0 gestured, 'No way!'
After standing on the nest looking around he flew off
The second significant occurrence - actually, a two in one!
From 11:39: NC0 went into defensive mode
Chipping heard
I don't know what type of bird this was that sped past
She chipped
A loud jet could be heard
The male then brought a headless fish
NC0 began to flap her wings, they both chipped
An unsighted intruder chipped too
Within moments of him leaving, an unringed male intruder landed briefly
He flew out of view after this (it was at 11:45)
After it had calmed down, NC0 looked around quietly before taking her fish off the nest at 11:47
NC0 was already back on the nest at 12:30, when the unringed male intruder returned again
He looked to his left, 'our' male was making his way towards the nest
The intruder flew off
'Our' male came back into view
He didn't land on the nest
Was NC0 watching an unseen chase?
12:33 A couple of minutes had passed when 'our' male came back to the nest for a very quick visit
Aww, it looked like he had a protective wing over NC0, he left it there for a moment or two
12:34 He took flight
Neither the male or the unringed male intruder have been back to the nest since then
NC0 remained on the nest until 13:57
She had a lovely overhead wing stretch. The streaming froze at this point so I couldn't capture her flight away
It's remained ENS since then. Most probably NC0 on the birch at present, 15:07
It was still ENS when the cam went offline at 17:27
17:47 No new YT URL as yet
New YT URL from 17:49
NC0 on the nest fish calling at present, 17:54
18:00 It's raining
The cam went offline after almost 2 hours of streaming. It was ENS at the time
New YT URL from 21:04
It was still ENS when the new stream started.
At 22:40, there was an unseen dive/splashdown. Within moments, a flight could be seen heading behind the area highlighted
The cam then went offline again at 22:42
New YT URL from 22:50
It remained ENS from the beginning
Pre night cam 23:05
At present, 23:10