Finally, one evening this week, I had the briefest glimpse of one of our precious sea eagle chicks. A weak, wobbly white wee head appeared for a second or two as Frisa looked down proudly at her new offspring. I could only see one. We hope there may be two. Frisa tenderly fed tiny morsels of food, pausing occasionally to gaze around and to look to the far horizon for any sign of Skye approaching with new prey for the family. For a few days this week the weather has been fine but today the heavens opened and it's been dreich and chilly all day. Precarious times for tiny down covered chicks still small enough to sit in the palm of your hand. Day by day they will get stronger. We watch closely and will them to keep going.
This weekend we invite anyone involved in providing for visitors to Mull & Iona and further afield to come and see us at the hide. We will be there to welcome you from 1200 noon to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday. There will even be some light refreshments to tempt you if Frisa and Skye and chick(s) are not enough!
Meanwhile Mara and Breagha are well and on Mull as the map opposite shows. They are not far from the scene of a major incident involving two of our breeding female sea eagles recently which I will tell you all about next time. We don't want Mara or Breagha getting mixed up in anything like that. It was terrifying. More soon...
Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Fingers crossed we have a second chick in the next day or so. Hope the weather improves and the chick is kept warm by mum and dad. I've got a horrible feeling that we are going to be given bad news about the breeding female sea eagles.
I was reading through some of the old blogs and it mentions Itchy & Scatchy from 2005, both males (I did see there story on the BBC which they featured on) and Haggis & Oatie from 2006 (also both males), has there been any recorded sightings of them and are they of breeding age now and started there own little families?
Reply: Yes Itchy & Scratchy have both been seen many times since 2005 and would now be 4 years old and classed as 'sub-adults'. They may even be paired up somewhere with females. We hope so. Scratchy was last seen over the winter at Loch Awe. Itchy not been positively ID'd for about a year. Haggis and Oatie also seen since 2006. Haggis went to Lewis and back. Oatie has been seen on Mull several times. Dave
Hi Dave, thanks for the update - fingernails have been chewed waiting for the update, and will be chewed more waiting for the next update abot the 'terrifying' incident!! Hope the weather looks after you all at the weekend and you have a great time - I'm sure S & F will oblige with at least a fly-past!!
Diane & Steven xx