Related
Recommended
david sexton

It's been a tough weekend. We've had one scare after another. At Loch Frisa we've had marauding corvids - ravens and hooded crows - causing mayhem at Frisa and Skye's nest. Their alarm calls have had us all on the edge of the famous eagle bench. Then the local golden eagle decided to pay a visit and caused even more heart stopping moments. Both Frisa and Skye were off the nest leaving the eggs dangerously exposed to the elements and the marauding corvids which were still loitering with intent. Finally all invaders got the message and cleared Loch Frisa's international air space. Peace was restored and it should have been time to head home for a late dinner. Then the call came in from the Air Cadets dug into the hillside near another nest. Both adult sea eagles were reportedly up in the air so a mad dash to the south end of the island and a climb up the hill to confirm that actually all was well after all. The police call them FAGI's. False Alarm. Good Intent. The Cadets have done a great job for us this Easter weekend and will hopefully have passed another stage in their bids for the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards. Thanks to all involved and Strathclyde Police for their ongoing assistance.

The final bit of news tonight is that our female satellite tagged chick Breagha from Loch Frisa in 2008 has come home (again)! After a week or more exploring the Small Isles of Rum and Canna and then on to Skye, she headed back south via Morvern to central Mull. I'm relieved to have her back. It's a dangerous world out there and maybe she didn't go far but it was still a big step for her as she begins to explore the west coast. Welcome home Breagha. Happy Easter all. Now it's time for that dinner - what's left of it!

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

  • Hi David, sounds like you had a really busy weekend with the birds on Mull. I was up near Stirling at the weekend and seen Red Kites flying around, great looking birds, and got an extra treat as the hide was on a farm we got to see baby piglets which where only born hours earlier :0) Went to Blair Drummond Safari Park on monday and they have a bird of prey section and to my surprise they had a white tailed sea eagle on display. We went to the disply show but arrived as the sea eagle was finishing so didn't get to see it fly properly but did get up close as it was put back onto the stand. It looked to be a juvenile as it's tail was not totally white yet, and it's bill was still brown. What a stunning and beautiful bird to look at, it was huge, I don't think I realise how big it was until I seen it sitting there. I managed to get some close up photos although I wished at had been when it was in the wild. Not sure of the background as to why it has ended up there, maybe you would know the history? Keep up the good work and hope to visit soon.
  • Did Breagha wait for us to come home before she returned from her travels?? It's a good job mum and dad were there to give us our eagle fix on Sunday. We were driving to work this morning - back to reality and missing Mull when we spotted our local kestrel hovering by the side of the road - we're convinced she was just reminding us that home isn't so bad after all, and we need to keep working to fund our next trip to Mull.....

    Diane & Steven xx

  • Dave - I bet you're a nervous wreck by the time the breeding season is over! So pleased it all turned out ok- and better to have a few false alarms than for some incident to go un-noticed. Lovely that Breagha has come home, where you can keep your eye on her -hope she gets to say "hello" to her family! BarbaraAnne - I hate crows, too- since someone told me they peck the eyes out of new-born lambs! Den and Ann - yes, it's a pity more areas can't take a leaf out of Mull's book and love and protect birds of prey as they do.
  • Thanks Dave as always. Great to know everyone is on guard over the eggs. Loved the description of the sea cadets "dug in" :)

  • Blimey, it's all go, isn't it? Must be as much of a worry as having kids - perhaps more? Breagha is certainly spreading her wings and exploring, but it's good she's home now - for a while.

    Everybody rides on the karma train.