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)
It remained ENS until 20:37. NC0, calling, landed on the birch. What a rainy evening!
She was there for a matter of seconds before flying to the nest
She was quiet as she looked around and made her way over to the right side of the nest
NC0 began to fish call again as she turned around
Then quietened down again
Resting quietly at 21:03
She began to call at 21:07 and then left the nest
She landed on the birch
She left the birch as the male approached her there - he landed on her diving branch as she made her way back to the nest
She flew behind the trees to make her approach, her calls could be heard before and as she landed on the right side of the nest
She shook her head and flapped her wings in an effort to get rid of the rain from her feathers
The called some more
The male left the birch a few minutes later and headed down the inlet
He then came back into view, approaching the nest
He flew over her
NC0 continued to call for fish after that
She then flew off to the left at 22:25
NC0 could not be seen on the birch just before night cam came on at 22:50
23:24 She has not returned
©SWT/LotL
14th June
Morning All
NC0's first visit of the day was at 4:23
She gave her feathers a shake before looking around, calling for fish
She flapped onto the nest and, after calling some more, flew up to the cam post
She came own from there at 6:07
She flapped her wings...
And gave her feathers a shake
NC0 positioned herself on the right side of the nest and shouted for fish
Still there at present, 7:21
I have not seen the male
Edit: As I was posting, she headed back up to the cam post (7:22)
8:10 NC0 is still on the cam post, fish calling on occasion
BFN
The cam went offline this morning
New YT URL from 9:53
Not a lot has happened at the nest since the LS came back on - it was ENS at the start of it
NC0 landed on the nest at 10:57, she made a contact call on landing
She spent the majority of her time preening
At 11:14, she quietly looked in this direction
Then flew off
Heading left, out of cam view
She returned with a stick at 11:38
More contact calls made
She placed it on the left side of the nest
She quietly looked around an preened on this visit
She looked to the left at 11:54
Then flew off in that direction
NC0 came down from the cam post at 12:30
She made a few chipping calls on landing
She chipped again
She then became quiet and watchful on the back right edge
12:34 After looking to the right, she left the nest
15:00 There haven't been anymore visits to the nest since then (it's been raining for quite a while)
I haven't seen the male so far today while the cam has been streaming
At 15:47, NC0 came down from the cam post fish calling rather loudly
She vigorously flapped her wings as she as calling
Her feathers were wet from the rain
She quietly stared in this direction
They eyed the sky
NC0 was intently watching some thing here (her head moved from side to side)
The she flew off, past the right side of the cam - she had been on the nest for less than 2 minutes
Her wings could be heard flapping away from the nest (ie she did not land on the cam post)
At 16:01, she returned, loudly fish calling
She looked up towards the cam post
Within moments, the male flew down with a fish!
NC0 was quick to retrieve it
She flapped her wet wings
He cleaned his beak
She flapped her wings again
NC0 then let all around know that she had a fish
She moved her fish to the back edge
The male cleaned his beak again as NC0 still gave excited calls
She then flew off, the fish in her left talons
She headed directly left after this pic
Before e left at 16:04, the male stared at something of interest
Aha, that's who he must have spotted! A crow hopped onto the front edge and pottered around on the nest for a little while
17:45 As far as I can tell, it has remained ENS since then
18:16 NC0 had been on her branch of the birch. She began to fish call and and left there to make her way back to the nest
The male then came in to view, flying behind her
He had a small fish in his talons!
She went straight to his talons
And retrieved it
He flew off almost straight away and headed directly to the left
She flew off, the fish in her right talons, almost immediately after he had
I think she landed on the feeding post, just off to the left here
.
At 18:28, the male made the briefest of visits. He made contact calls just before and after he landed. His talons were empty
He looked silently to the left before making a contact call on his flight away
NC0 could be heard calling
He flew over the Loch. NC0 was dipping her talons
I lost sight of her flight away after this
She must have flown around the corner as she soon appeared flying from the birch area - fish calling
She landed back on the nest
NC0 called for fish here
And here
She nestorised
Then was soon looking around quietly
At 18:49, NC0 was shouting for fish - the male was on the birch
Off she went...
And landed on the birch
I can't find any more visits to the nest and at present, 21:46, NC0 (I assume) is alone on the birch - she is quiet
NC0 was quiet before leaving the birch at 22:49. There had been no more visits to the nest
She landed on the perch, making a few of contact calls as she did so
She turned and began to preen
She scratched the back of her head
More preening
NC0 was still preening at 23:07
Night cam switched on at 23:11
00:19 She has remained on the perch and is sleeping fully tucked in
15th June
NC0, fish calling, left the perch for the birch at 4:15
Around a minute later, the male arrived - no calling from NC0
He rearranged a stick
She then began to call and headed back to the nest
She was requesting a fish
He lifted off and made an attempt to mate - NC0 pecked him off
She made her way to the back of the nest, still calling
He then flew off
NC0 remained on the nest until 4:20 when she went back to the birch
At 4:55, an unringed female intruder landed!
NC0 left the birch...
She was out of cam view here
And landed on the nest
NC0 turned
The intruder moved to the left
She launched herself in a bid to move the intruder on
And flew away
That didn't work
She returned shortly after
Without making an attempt to oust the intruder, NC0 then flew off again,
She was then on her way back!
Divebomb!
The intruder then flew off on her own accord at 4:59. Looking carefully at the pics, she had a BTO ring on her right leg!