Continued from May 2024
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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 Blogs and Updates (Published dates)
20.6.24: LotL Fb >>> Update re NC0, DI and two female nest intruders
NC0 flew off at 8:06
BFN
©SWT/LotL
NC0 on nest at 09:52
Afternoon Julie and All,
NC0 has been on and off the nest a couple of times. Her latest arrival was at 13:43
NC0 began to fish call at 13:46. The male appeared with a stick (first time I've seen him today)
She approached him and checked his talons to see if there was a fish
She called for fish
It was very windy
He flew off at 13:48
At 13:51, NC0 was on alert
She lay down and chipped
The male came back
Both were in defensive mode
She chipped and alarm called
He checked the sky
NC0 watched too
More chipping from NC0
Distant chipping calls heard
Both became calm
He flew off at 13:53
The male returned with a long stick at 13:22
The end of which landed on back
NC0 was still calling for fish when he flew off, just over a minute later
At present, 15:05, she is still calling for a fish. The male has not returned
NC0 left the nest at 15:42 after silently looking in this direction
16:24 NC0 to the nest
The male joined her, landing initially on her back - he hopped off as NC0 vocalised
She fish called and he left the nest
He returned at 16:28, once again landing on her back
He jumped off
NC0 continued to call
He lifted off and hovered above her
He came back down
And landed on her back. NC0 was not best pleased and let him know!
He flew off at 16:30
He returned with a small stick just over a minute later
They both eyed the sky
NC0 reminded him that she wanted a fish
Off he went again at 16:30
NC0 remained on the nest until 17:15 - she was continuing to call for fish
17:32 it's remained ENS
NC0 to the nest at 18:15 looking rather wet
She preened
She began to call for fish
Then preened some more
The male arrived very soon after with what appeared to be nesting material in his right talons
It was a brief touchdown and away visit 18:16
He was back a couple of minutes later with a stick
NC0 fish called
At 18:20, the male attempted to land on her again. He hovered above her
Again, she didn't want him to
He did not land and made an immediate exit
Just under 2 minutes later, he was back with a small twiggy stick
A thick stick was next
Then a thin twig
Te male's 'stick-fest' ended at 18:32
NC0 remained on the nest (spent mostly preening) until flying off to the birch at 18:45
NC0 back to the nest at 19:27 - the wind brought her in to land sideways on
She looked skyward
Moved forward and fish called
The male arrived with a headless fish (incoming, top left) shortly afterwards
She went straight to his talons to pick it up in her beak
NC0 began to take a couple of bites straight away
She turned, with her small meal in her left talons
She altered her position again and began to eat
The male remained on the nest while she was eating and flew off at 19:32
NC0 had finished her meal and was cleaning her beak at 19:36 - that didn't take her long!
She called for more
20:07 NC0 has stayed on the nest. Dozing in the evening sun at present with occasional fish calls
At 20:20, NC0 moved from her position at the back of the nest to break off some bits from a left edge, thin stick
She also moved the thick stick the male brought in earlier
After doing a bit more nestorising, she flew off at 20:28 - she was quiet
She then returned at 20:31 with grass in her left talons. NC0 made a contact call on landing
She placed a thin stick from the centre of the nest
She turned
And stood in this position, quietly looking around
She remained there until flying off to the birch at 20:34
NC0 remained on there until 21:27 when she made her way back to the nest
She began to fish call rather loudly on her approach...the male was incoming with a fish!
It was a whole, small one
NC0 went to retrieve it
But it had escaped the males grip. She headed to the fish to get hold of it
With it safe and secure under in her left talons, she took it off the nest
NC0 took it behind the birch
The male left almost immediately after she went out of view
He flew over the Loch towards the birch and then turned left, behind it
NC0 returned, having eaten her supper, at 21:45
She called for another fish
She walked onto a right edge stick and called some more
NC0 flew off to the birch at 21:48
At 22:07, she returned - still fish calling
NC0 remained on the nest and, still calling for fish, flew off at 22:39. A beaver could be seen swimming towards the inlet
22:48 At present, it is quiet and has remained ENS
Edit: The beaver swam out of the inlet just after the pic above
23:58 There were no more visits to the nest