Of course we'll never know exactly when Frisa met Skye. We do know that Frisa was seen on the Isle of Skye during her immature years and it's tempting to guess that they paired up there and he followed her home to Mull. Of course, he will have done his own fair share of wandering the hills and glens of the west coast of Scotland at that time and he may have encountered her here. Whatever, whenever, wherever - they were firmly established as an item by 1997. Sea eagles are much more sociable birds than golden eagles and young birds often come together in winter roosts - a kind of sea eagle youth club. Maybe that's where they hooked up?
Skye, we now know, fledged from the island of that name in 1994. He's never had any wing tags but is ringed on his left leg. When Frisa and Skye first got together in the winter of 1996/97, he was still a youngster at only 3 years old. In March of 1997, they were seen spending alot of time in each other's company and the result of that was seen at the end of March when Frisa began to incubate their first clutch of eggs. By May they were seen feeding their first chick - quite an achievement for a 3 year old male! But sadly it was not to last and by the end of June, they had lost that youngster. It could have been inexperience or all manner of other reasons but a year later they had learned from their mistakes and successfully raised their first chick. This chick was wing tagged 'Green X' and is today raising her own chicks - Frisa and Skye's grand-chicks!
Despite some setbacks over the years, Skye has been a faithful and devoted mate to Frisa, despite being two years younger than her. During the winter months when they go through their courtship, I see them sitting so close to each other that they're actually touching. They still preen each other briefly on occasions or grab a piece of down attached to the other's plumage and they still throw their heads back and call loudly to each other when one lands close by, the calls echoing round the hills. On occasion they have their disputes and sit in different trees but more often than not they can be found sitting so close together that you wonder how they would cope without each other. I hope that day doesn't come for a long time yet.
Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Margobird