At last Frisa and Skye have been revealing a few secrets of their hidden world of courtship. At first light last week I discovered them cosied up on an old favourite nest. If this is their choice, there is much to be done to this trusty old eyrie to get it ready in time but they seemed to have a distinct lack of urgency about them. Or at least Skye did.
While Frisa was busy rearranging sticks, Skye was perched to one side of the nest happily preening and looking for all the world like he didn't really give a damn. As the sun moved out from behind the trees and illuminated them both in the spotlight, flecks of white down drifted away from him and got stuck on adjoining branches. He stretched out a leg and scratched his head. Then a wing stretch, first one and then the other. Then a long beak-gaping 'yawn'.
All this time Frisa was doing the house-keeping: moving one stick from the left side of the nest to the right and then back again. Pulling up a tuft of dead grass from within the nest and dumping it on the side. And a few minutes later, hauling it back into the nest again. She looked at Skye now sunning himself with half out-stretched wings, 'copping a few prime-time rays'. She called out, loud and long, which made him jump to attention. With that he stepped back onto the nest rim and started calling back. I knew what was going to happen next and sure enough he jumped on to her back and with their calls echoing through the forest, he proceeded to do what comes naturally at this time of year.
When the commotion calmed down, Skye went back to his perch and resumed his preening activities while Frisa once again went back to sorting out the nest. Eventually she gave up on waiting for any help and flew off into the trees returning a few minutes later with a long stick which she struggled to land. She is a very determined bird and finally made it back onto the nest and started yet more rearranging of the furniture. Skye never did take the hint. She called again a few minutes later and he clearly thought that maybe his luck was in for a second time that morning.
Just at that moment Ken Bruce on Radio Two played the Rose Royce 1979 classic 'Is it love you're after?' and the lyrics seemed to sum things up rather well. Frisa gave Skye a final withering look and flew off and away over the trees. Skye, paused for a moment, looked a little crest-fallen and then followed her flight path away over the ridge. A few minutes later they reappeared at a great height , soaring ever higher into the wide blue yonder. Their white tails glinting in the sun and their calls descending from the heavens. It sounded like Skye was getting an ear bashing. I wonder if he'll ever get the message?
Those eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that the satellite data for our 2009 female chick Venus hasn't changed since 21 January. That was the last date we received any information from her and it's fair to say we have all been very concerned for her welfare. There are a number of possible explanations for this ranging from something horrible having happened to her to a serious malfunction of the satellite tag which has occasionally happened in the past on other projects.
As you can imagine, we have been carrying out various detailed investigations into this worrying turn of events and although we can't yet be 100% certain, the evidence thus far seems to be pointing more towards a problem with the tag than an accident for Venus. We continue to carefully probe every possible cause and will keep you posted as best we can in the circumstances. Obviously any sightings of a young sea eagle with a satellite tag and aerial on are very welcome and I'd encourage you to let us know if you happen to see one. We can then work out if it's any other bird from the data sets and eliminate them from our enquiries. It might just be Venus continuing to explore far and wide so please keep everything crossed for her.
Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer
Valc - if you check the Satelite tracking you can see the rough route Oran took to and from Northern Ireland. He was in North County Antrim possibly entering and leaving near the well known land marks of Torr Head and Fair Head. Sea Eagles from Ireland and Scotland are regular visitors to most counties of Northern Ireland but the only time I have known a Sea Eagle in County Down was at Clea Lakes a couple of years ago if you know where that is. If you check the satelite tracking at www.goldeneagle.ie you will see that a Sea Eagle has been living in County Antrim from soon after its release in County Kerry last year and there are others not far away and passing through.
Hi Dave think its more a good time than love,think the only word is WOW.
Thank you Dave. I do hope Venus will be OK. Wonderful that Spring is almost here. The birds are very active here in Northern Ireland at the moment. I understand a Sea Eagle from Mull was over NI recently. I wonder where! I live in Bangor on the County Down coast.
Now we have Venus to worry about as well as Mallachie the osprey, there are certainly ups and downs once you get obsessed with watching/tracking birds.
Fantastic blog as usual Dave. I laughed as well as was sad. Interesting to hear that Frisa was doing all the work, sounds familiar. Is the nest they are working on at the moment in the same area as the Hide or if they settle on it would it have to be moved?
Spring is starting for the birds, pereguins have arrived back at the clock tower at our old V11th form collage for the second year and Mrs barn owl has been mating and can now be watched in the nest through the barn owl trust, exciting. Now waiting for the ospreys to start their migration in the next few weeks hoping EJ will arrive back at Loch Garten.
JILLIAN
Dave - how lovely to hear about Skye and Frisa's antics, and for you, as ever, to time the report so cleverly - thank you.
Sincerely hope that news comes in soon of a Venus sighting - I know that you won't keep us in suspense on that one.