I made my decision. If Mara had tolerated me arriving in the landrover, getting out, shutting the door and walking right beneath him and out into the field, maybe, just maybe, he'd put up with me doing it all in reverse. With minutes to spare before the crew arrived, I retraced my steps taking care not to look directly at Mara as if I'd never noticed him. I got to the landrover, started her up and drove up the track to meet the cars arriving. It worked! Mara stayed put. As quickly as they could, Gordon and the crew got cameras out, onto tripods and ready to roll - just as Mara decided he'd waited long enough for the show to start and took off, flying straight towards and over us. Gordon was thrilled to see the chicks he'd helped tag so close again but this time time flying like proper eagles. He could see it was all working as we'd hoped it would. But were the crew ready for this close fly-by? We'll all have to tune into Autumnwatch to find out. 

Later I found both chicks and Frisa sitting together on their favourite mound. It looked, from a distance, like a happy family unit. But, as I was about to witness, looks can be deceptive. I could see both chicks opening and closing their beaks, clearly still food begging from their long-suffering mother. Occasionally their incessant calls were carried on the wind in my direction. I could almost imagine how annoying that might become if you heard it from dawn to dusk.

Suddenly, without warning, Frisa lunged at one of the chicks. In the confusion, I couldn't be sure who it was but I suspected it was Breagha. I thought it would be a quick warning to her to give the calling a break. But it was more serious than that. Frisa pinned her to the ground. Talons were locked together. Breagha was on her back with the full might of Frisa bearing down on her. It's behaviour I've never seen before. These family units are usually so tolerant but something had snapped inside Frisa and enough was enough. It can only have lasted a few seconds but in that time I heard myself saying: 'Ok Frisa, she's got the message. That's all you have to do, Let her go!' I couldn't bear to think of what might happen next if she didn't let go.

All this time, Mara was sitting next to this startling clash of his mother and sister. He was still calling. Frisa must have realised that she'd done what she needed to do, released her grip and flew off a short way. Breagha was clearly stunned by this turn of events. Was this Frisa's way of telling her offspring that it was time they started fending more for themselves? Was this eagle-speak for 'stop going on at me all the time'? Whatever it was, something irreversible had happened. All of us, the eagles and me, were in a slight state of shock. I just hoped Breagha wasn't injured in this clash. Maybe it had looked worse from a distance than it actually was. But as Frisa flew off and out of sight, soon followed by Mara leaving Breagha behind in a hunched, dejected state, I began to wonder.

By this time it was late and dusk was falling. For one young eagle, today was a turning point. A very tough lesson had been learned. Nothing could ever be quite the same again.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

18 September 2145hrs

Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

  • Scary stuff - just glad that Frisa stopped before it was too late - maybe that's what they do to teach the youngesters the skills they need to survive ie they need to feed themselves and not rely on Mum and Dad (is there a lesson for our own children there - maybe a bit extreme - only joking before social services call round!) - I guess a consequence of tagging them is that you are seeing them a lot more (although I'm sure you still saw a lot of them before tagging) and perhaps seeing sides of their behaviour you wouldnt have seen otherwise. My eagle is now back on his perch as if he has never been away but the question is "where did he disappear to for such a long period?"
  • I do hope that you have seen Breagha today David and that she is okay , perhaps it was just a family tiff and they are all happy today , maybe it was that time of the month for a female eagle !!!!! a bit of PMT eh . Now we have to wait for Autumnwatch to see what happened to see if Mara was 'caught' on camera . Next story please .........

    Valerie

  • Another thought-provoking story!

    Barbara Anne - I agree wholeheartedly. I watch a lot of the "Street Wars" programmes on TV and I am appalled by the lack of respect shown to our police officers, from young and old alike. When I was young we wouldn't have dared give 'lip' to the 'bobby' on  his beat!   By the same token, I do think the authorities need to 'get tough' - maybe they could take a leaf out of Frisa's book??

  • Wow, that was some story. I do hope that Breagha had only her pride injured. !!! Nature is amazing when it comes to disciplining the kids. Lions that really cuff the cubs hard when they are being out of order, monkeys that spank their youngsters !! and now Frisa giving her young daughter a harsh lesson in enough is enough ! I watched Ann Widdecombs programme tonight on girl gangs...Frightening attitudes of young women who have obviously had no discipline in their lives so ( to my mind)have not learnt respect. When smacking was banned and kids learnt that they couldn't even be disciplined in school or by a policeman we created a society of out of control youngsters (some not all). I think we have to go back to nature and look to Frisa for an answer to these out of control young binge drinkers and those that carry knives. Breagha will now have massive respect for her mother, she will know and understand that eagle power is massive and not to be taken for granted, like love.... So in eagle society Breagha has just grown up. She now understands,in one fail swoop, that she is a threat to her mothers territory and must leave to make her own.... You go girl, you will be a fine Eagle, and wise like your mum...