LOCH OF THE LOWES - June 2024 to end of season

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.

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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   Broken heart

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

Last seen dates:  NC0(16) - 13.8.24  Dark Intruder - TBC

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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

17.8.24: LotL Fb .>>> Migrations?

17.8.24: SWT YouTube >>> Last Osprey Sightings of the Summer?

20.8.24: LotL Blog >>> Osprey LM12 died of natural causes

23.8.24: LotL Fb >>> Dark Intruder still at Lowes

  • NC0 remained on the nest and at 17:22 she began to flap her wings and chip

    The male arrived with a thin stick...

    ...which dragged across her back as he was landing (no harm done)

    He became alert too

    She chipped and alarm called

    She was silent for a few seconds then began to vocalise again

    Then silent again

    Both relaxed shortly after

    He flew off at 17:25

    NC0 stayed on the nest and, at 17:43, she went on defence again, chipping

    She was calm after almost a couple of minutes - no threat seen or heard

    She turned and headed to the back of the nest

    18:34 NC0 has remained there and is preening at present (with occasional fish calls). No other 'threats' have occurred.

    The male has not been back to the nest

    Edit: She flew off, calling, as I was posting (18:36)

    ©SWT/LotL

  • NC0 came back to the nest at 19:16, she had been sitting on the birch - she called as she left)

    The male was flying out of the inlet as she made her approach

    He flew behind the trees

    Could see his wing here and he possibly landed. His wings were flapping

    She fish called

    NC0 remained on the nest, calling, until heading back to the birch at 19:52. I'm unsure if the male was still in the tree

    Loudly fish calling, she left the birch and made her way back to the nest at 19:55

    She was still fish calling at 20:13 and she flew off a minute or so later (the streaming 'jumped' 1 minute so I was unable to capture her flight away)

    NC0 did not land on the birch

    At 21:02 NC0 could be heard calling (very loudly) on the cam post. Movements suggested there was a flight away from there. Within moments, she could be seen flying from right to left over the Loch

    NC0 landed on the birch

    She left there at 21:48 - still fish calling

    She flew behind the trees and landed on the right side of the nest - her calls on the approach were echoing all around!

    Continuing to fish call at present, 22:06

    BBL

    ©SWT/LotL

  • NC0 was still in the same position fish calling at 22:54.The male had not been to the nest

    She flapped onto the perch..

    Preened her undercarriage and her leg...

    Scratched under her 'chin'...

    Did NINE crop drops in quick succession...

    Fish called again...

    Then flew off at 22:55

    NC0 was not roosting on the birch just before night cam coming on at 23:21. It was very quiet on the reserve

    She's not at the nest tonight

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 13th June

    Morning All

    NC0 arrived on the nest at 3:45

    She fish called

    She remained in this position during her visit

    4:14 Preening

    Without a sound, she then turned and flew off

    She landed on the birch

    NC0 came back to the nest from the birch at 4:31 - no calling

    She silently looked around

    And left the nest at 4:36

    She headed back to the birch

    NC0 flew off from there at 5:17 and made her way to the cam post

    No calling from her at all

    It remained ENS until 7:37

    She fish called

    The male arrived with a small fish

    She remained on the nest to eat

    NC0 quiet at present, 8:05. The male has not returned

    BFN

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Afternoon,

    A brief catch up:

    I was going to add some pics of mainly non-events: NC0 did some mantling and was on defence at 8:41 - no threat seen or heard - and the male and NC0 have brought nesting material to the nest too.

    More important to report was that an unringed female intruder was on the nest with NC0 at 13:51 as well as the male bringing in a fish after that

    At 13:49, the male arrived with a fish

    He wasn't there long at all before flying off with it

    13:51 He landed with the fish again, chipping heard. NC0 landed

    The intruder had a good look around

    NC0 moved to the left side when the intruder moved to the right

    The intruder then moved to the back

    NC0 attempted to flap it off when it came to the front

    She tried again when it moved to the back right

    It came back to the front

    This time NC0's launch and flapping worked...

    But not for long! It turned to land on the perch

    NC0 turned and launched herself at it at 13:58

    They both flew off

    NC0 gave chase

    NC0 continued to fly off to the left

    As soon as NC0 had disappeared from cam view, the intruder's wing came into view

    It flew high over the Loch

    It turned

    And zoomed over the nest and away

    ©SWT/LotL

  • as well as the male bringing in a fish after that

    At 14:04, the male returned with the fish

    No sooner had he landed, NC0 arrived

    Both were on alert and watchful for around 1 minute

    NC0 then glanced over to the male

    She turned, realising he had a fish in his talons and headed to wards him - fish calling

    She went to his talons to retrieve it

    The male had eaten some of the fish while the 'melee' withe the intruder was going on, it was certainly much bigger when he originally brought it to the nest than what she had in her beak!

    He cleaned his beak

    NC0 turned round and went to the back of the nest - still on alert

    He readjusted some sticks

    NC0 finally began to eat

    She altered her position to carry on with her meal

    I noticed that NC0 had some 'wayward' feathers as the male flew off at 14:09

    She continued to eat

    NC0- remained on the nest until flying off at 14:25 - she had been quiet

    She headed off to the left after this pic

    ©SWT/LotL

  • OMG - quite dramatic - thank you  - my heart was in my mouth as I scrolled through! She is an icon of courage.

  • NC0 was on the cam post fish calling at 15:06 and flapped down to the nest

    She headed to the back of the nest and continued to fish call

    I assume it was the male on the birch at 15:28 - she was still calling

    She flew off and continued left until out of cam view

    She returned with a stick very shortly after 

    More fish calling

    It was only a short visit and she flew away at 15:31

    She headed left again

    17:08 It had remained ENS

    ©SWT/LotL

  • OMG - quite dramatic - thank you  - my heart was in my mouth as I scrolled through! She is an icon of courage.

    Hello Julie,

    NC0 was amazing and quite patient in the circumstances! The female intruder was on the nest for 7 minutes or so, I've only shown a brief synopsis of the occurrence.

  • NC0 was back on the nest at 17:09 - she was screaming for fish!

    Her feathers were wet and it appeared that she'd had a bath

    She gave her feathers a shake

    And vigorously flapped her wings

    She continued to fish call

    NC0 preened at the back of the nest

    And held her wings out to dry

    More calling

    Another shake of her feather

    She called, looking towards the cam post

    Still calling, she headed up there at 17:12

    Her fish calls could still be heard

    She must have left at some point afterwards as at present, 18:44, it is quiet and it has remained ENS 

    BFN

    ©SWT/LotL