4:32 p.m. in California. 00:42 in UK.
Hi folks. I missed all the excitement on the nest yesterday, But Robert, a Loch Garten Facebook regular, posted two videos on YouTube. Here's his summation of the events and the links to the videos - amazing if you didn't get to see the action:FROM ROBERT: 17:05 - a rogue female osprey flew around whilst Garten was feeding. The intruder alighted on the webcam tree and stayed for a good while watching, and waiting whilst Garten mantled and cried a call of distress. The female on the webcam tree just sat and sat, occasionally preening, but mainly watching. Close up of the intruder revealed little. 17:43 - after constant 'observation' of Garten by the rogue female, she swooped from the camera onto the nest! Garten defends admirably!18:35 - rogue female is back! After a battle royal on the nest, with Garten defending admirably, she flies off with the fish... pursued by the rogue!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a8_3hqFG_c - amalgamation of all the above.20:14 - fish arrives (by EJ?), and what looks like a juvenile pounces on it and flies off with it? A third osprey arrives and pecks at EJ's talons. The worry for me is, I couldn't see an aerial on any of the ospreys...? So, was it Garten who landed first and took the fish away? If it WAS, then who is the third osprey? If it WASN'T Garten on the nest, then who was it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhI0HqVOtUs
THANKS ROBERT!! Garten put up a valiant fight! This experience will server her well when she is on her own. She is a fighter!! I didn't see the one where EJ's fish was stolen. I think the rogue female took the fish. It was experienced enough to back up when EJ was flying in . It must have been in a tree nearby to see her coming. Furthermore, our chicks don't grab a fish and fly away with it. EJ was flapping her wings furiously as the fish was taken from her. I think the second Osprey to land was Garten. It looked like a piece of the fish was caught in EJ's talon and Garten grabbed it. EJ didn't seem upset about the remaining bird on the nest . After the fish was taken she looked startled and then mantled and looked skyward. What a drama!!
I just watched your video again and the bird who landed first and took the fish from EJ has a lot of white on it's head. Our only chick with a lot of white on her head is Mallachie and she has a aerial.
Formerly known as Barbara Jean
Thanks from me to Robert. I have said my lot on the other blog and on FB but what a girl garten is and agree with you Barbara, that will be a valuable lesson.
5 a.m. UK. Garten solo on nest, but joined shortly by Mallachie, who took a little flight then came back. Oh. What's Garten up to? Looks like she's having a tantrum, stamping her feet! Are they having an argument? "Now see here, M, if that intruder comes back today, you'd just better stick around and help out!" Oh yeah?" says M. "And who's gonna make me!" (Shouldn't be putting words in an osprey's mouth!). Anyway, maybe Garten didn't like M's attitude, 'coz she just flew away.
Garten didn't get much to eat yesterday so she may be a little testy. Right now just Mallachie on the nest
5:25. Mallachie has been solo on the nest for a while, with intermittent flights about the neighborhood.
Hey Barbara Jean! How's things in America's Dairyland?
5:40 in UK. And M returns! And here comes Garten again. The dynamic duo! Looks very breezy at LG today!. Oh come on M - she's off again. Can't sit still that one.
5:45 in UK Hmm. Garten has just been joined by Mallachie and Rothes. And here's Odin (or is it EJ?) with a HUGE fish. And whoever brought it takes off immediately (after managing to detach him/her self from the fish, which the girls have jumped on). Garten is hanging onto the fish for dear life and not giving anyone else a look-see. Maybe that tussle with the intruder yesterday has boosted her self confidence (even more!)
Looks like Rothes is trying to figure out how to sneak a taste, but isn't doing anything about it. Mallachie feigns disinterest - poops over the side of the nest, which is pretty risky in this wind! And Garten continues to eat.....
6:20 in UK. Mallachie, tired of playing second fiddle (Rothe's got tired of waiting to eat and flew away a few minutes ago), just snuck up on Garten and nabbed one end of the fish. Much flapping and pulling but M has managed to wrestle some fish away from Garten and is now stuffing herself. Garten is hopping around with the fish in her talon, determined THAT's not going to happen again. Both chicks are eating.