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
New YT URL from 22:36
Scene from the start of the new streaming. NC0 had not remained on the perch
23:16
©SWT/LotL
Can't believe we are once again approaching the end of the season. Hope with all my heart they have fair winds and safe journeys,
Morning Julie and All,
Yes, I wonder when NC0 (and the male) will decide to head South? Last season, she wasn't seen again on cam from the evening of the 15th July
A brief synopsis from events at the nest so far...
The male made an appearance at 5:50 - he came down from the cam post. NC0 hadn't been on the nest
He flew off after a couple of minutes
It remained ENS until 7:56 when the male brought a short stick
Contact calls on landing
He stayed for just over a minute
NC0's first appearance was at 8:15. She had a much lengthier stay at the nest - 1 hour and 15 minutes - of which she spent a lot of the time preening (just some examples shown)
Preening her wing
Under her tail
9:30 She looked in the direction of the birch
Then this way
Before leaving
11:54 It has remained ENS since then
Well, apart from a crow pottering about on the nest at 13:00...
...I haven't seen any other activity and it has remained ENS
22:20
Edit: 23:09
11th July
Morning All
NC0 was sitting on this part of the birch at 8:13 before coming to the nest
She was quiet. Her crop didn't appear to be empty
At 8:30, the male arrived - he'd flown from behind the birch
She coy mantled briefly when he landed
He cleaned his beak
He did some nest tidying. She was quietly calling
He flew off at 8:35
NC0 remained on the nest until 8:43
She returned with a thin twig a few minutes later
NC0 has popped on and off the nest a couple of times since then but she is there at present, 11:05
BBL
A dark, unringed female intruder landed on the nest this afternoon
NC0 was silently mantling and flapping her wings from 12:12ish
12:14 The intruder landed
12:22 NC0 had made no attempt to move her on
12:24
12:28 Just prior to NC0 leaving the nest. Both had been silent throughout
The female intruder left on her own accord moments later
14:53 NC0 has brought a whopper of a fish to the nest. She was being followed by a crow - both were vocal
As she landed, she grunted her displeasure when it come onto the perch
It edged closer
It then flew, had a brief landing on the front right of the nest - she flapped it away flew
She gave her feathers a good shake
With the crow still loitering near to the nest, NC0 only began eating at 15:02
Her meal was disturbed several times by a crow pestering her and, at 16:11 took her fish off the nest - she was vocalising
A crow jumped onto the nest and found some fish innards
The male then appeared from the side - perhaps NC0 had been warning him off from her fish? The crow departed as he made his approach
He pottered around on the nest until leaving at 16:22
A couple of crows were looking for scraps at 16:43
Neither NC0 or the male have been back. At present, 17:45
22:15 NC0 nor the male have been back to the nest since my last report (a crow has pottered about and moved some of the sticks though)
12th July
The male arrived on the nest at 4:53 for a very brief visit
He quietly looked around
Moved a stick
More looking around
Then flew off around a minute later
At 7:23, a crow pottered around on the nest
Just as I was adding the pics, NC0 landed on the perch with a stick, 11:01 - she was vocalising on her approach. Could these three geese flying over the inlet have been the reason she called?
Her right talons got a little caught up in her stick as she came onto the nest
She quietly looked round
Then fiddled with her stick
She quietly looked around again
Then did a little bit of nest tidying
She stood at the back of the nest for a few minutes just generally watching the area
The flew off to the left at 11:13
At 11:34, the male arrived with a headless fish in his left talons
He looked around
The left with his fish
He flew over the Loch and, when at the birch area, he went behind it
11:56 It has remained ENS
BFN
21:00 It has remained ENS since this morning
13th July
Afternoon All
The male arrived on the nest at 8:00
Attempted to move a thick stick that was resting on NC0's 'log'
He spent the rest of his visit preening and looking around
He flew off at 8:03
A young wood pigeon landed on the perch at 8:52. It had a very long rest on there
It left at 9:30