Wednesday 20 August 1000
Today, I found one of the chicks back at the edge of the loch, still waddling about in the shallows. It didn't go far or do much but was clearly ok. Soon the mist descended, the heavens opened and everything vanished without trace. No sign of chick no.2. Hope it's ok.
Earlier we made a visit to the nest tree to see if there were any old prey remains still to be collected. A well-known supermarket carrier bag of goodies was collected - fulmar skull and feathers, gull remains, rabbit and hare and a few things yet to be ID'd by our forensic team. Not a vast haul but hey...every little helps.
Some big chunks of the nest have also now fallen out and lie scattered around the base of the tree. It all looked so empty and deserted. The forest was silent. What was once a hive of activity was collapsed, broken and decaying. But it has served its purpose well with two bouncing eaglets now joining the scottish sea eagle population. Where will life take them? For the first time, with the sat tags, we may begin to get some answers. And as I walked away from the fallen nest for the last time this year, one thought occurred to me. Where will Frisa and Skye start building their nest for next year? By October, they may have already decided...
Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer
Thanks all.
In answer to helenB's comment, we are hoping Autumnwatch will feature this story in October. Gordon Buchanan was here to film the fitting of the sat tags and they left me with a camera to film a video diary of the chick's development and adventures. Stay tuned.