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 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
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
13th June
Morning All
NC0 arrived on the nest at 3:45
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
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
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
Sandra said: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
OMG - quite dramatic - thank you Sandra - 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
Julie W said:OMG - quite dramatic - thank you Sandra - 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