The holly and the ivy

It used to be Blondie's wood. Regular readers of this blog may recall an earlier posting titled 'The blonde bombshell'. You can read it again in the archive blog section for September. It's the place where it all began for Scottish sea eagles. The place where the first wild bred chick began his life. At this time of year with the leaves all long since blown into the deep waters of the loch, the wood seems a stark and lifeless place. Centuries of wild Hebridean storms have taken their toll on the once proud oak trees. If they are not on their sides or wrenched from their spreading roots they've certainly had their best years. Few young seedlings are making it through. The sheep and deer enjoy those shoots the best of all and who can blame them, especially in mid winter? By the time they come to start sprouting leaves in April they have been nibbled to the edge of life. And yet we seem to have been forecasting the demise of Blondie's wood for a long time now but each spring it does burst back into life. For a few weeks as the fresh green leaves appear it embodies the very essence of new life, of new hope. Before long the canopy is alive with singing wood and willow warblers, redstarts and tree pipits. But before we get too carried away let's return to today...late December...a very different scene.

From across the loch, the only greenery in view is a scattering of holly trees. Their red berries have all been gobbled up by hungry fieldfares and redwings as they passed through this glen a month or more ago. But the shiny, spiky holly leaves - a sign of life amidst all the winter browns and greys - help me to pinpoint the eagle's nest from last year. From my watch point it looks untouched and I doubt they'll be back there again next year. The other feature of this veteran oak is the tangle of ivy which grows up the entire trunk and only ending where it begins to engulf the eyrie. I've noticed other 'eagle trees' have also had ivy growing up them. I've no idea why or if it even figures in the choice of tree for eagles to build in but there seems to be something about it which attracts them. The pair of white-tailed sea eagles which now occupy this home range are of unkown origin. When Blondie disappeared in 2000, she was replaced the next year by an untagged and unringed female. In 2003 when Blondie's mate also vanished just as his new female's eggs had hatched, we knew there was little chance of the chicks surviving. By the following year she too had repaired with an untagged and unringed adult. So we now have an entirely new pair of birds occupying this historic territory. They have been successful in most years since, usually fledging one chick and usually from a nest in an oak tree with ivy creeping up the bark. They obviously like it. Today there was no sign of them both but I could just make out some fleks of down on the branches of their main roost tree - another ivy clad oak - so I know they're not far away. Perhaps they were up river with the band of immatures which frequent this area. The local farmer had seen six there on the river bank recently, probably feeding on a carcase in the burn or some fish remains. I'll need to go and check that area in the next few days to see who is there. Maybe there'll be some wing-tagged youngsters who I can identify. It might be a good trip and a bracing walk for Christmas day - if I can persuade the family to venture out after lunch!

I see we're the 'Top Story' on the RSPB's Home Page over the festive period! I'll be keeping you all up to date on island life and days with the eagles for the next couple of weeks. This time of year can be very busy for the big birds and we often get a good clue about where they might nest so there's no let up in the quest for locating the likely sites for 2009. We have news of probably Mara or Breagha up on the Isle of Rum with other data now updated on the map showing Breagha on Morvern. I'll be following that up. So lots going on and I hope you'll keep checking in. Thank you to everyone who has read and been part of the Mull sea eagle blog so far this year. If you've just joined in, do say hello in the comments section. It is always good to hear from you. Thank you also to all the Mull Eagle Watch volunteers, partner organisations, locals and visitors who all do so much to support the eagles and to the farmers and land managers who help us so much throughout the year. We couldn't do it without you all. Wherever you're reading this, I wish you a peaceful and happy Christmas. Why not stay tuned for all the latest news?

The holly and the ivy, When they are both full grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, The holly bears the crown 

Oh, the rising of the sun, And the running of the deer, The swaying of the mighty oaks, Eagles soaring far and near...

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer