First of all, major apologies for the delay. Debby and I are flat out at the moment with monitoring the eagle nests on Mull and trips are also running daily at the hide. There never seems to be a spare moment. I suppose too, if I'm honest, I've been putting off having to write this news. How can I put this? Things are not going according to plan for Frisa and Skye - or us.
Despite a good, normal incubation and all the right signs in the run up to the magical Day 38 and the hatch, something looks like it went wrong for Frisa and Skye very soon after. There was the expected fidgeting and restlessness; the looking into the nest cup and even on Sunday afternoon, signs of a likely attempted feed. Sunday night was horrible here with gales, sleet, snow, rain and very low temperatures. By Monday morning, despite an early hopeful sign, there have been no observed feeds since. We now strongly suspect the first tiny eaglet which would have been small enough to rest in the palm of your hand, succumbed to the rigours of the hatch and perhaps the wintry conditions. The hatch is probably the toughest test in the life of an eagle. It can take up to 48 hours for the eaglet to break free and in this case it may all have proved too much. That, for now, is the theory and the bad news. But there is good news too - or at least some more hopeful news.
Since Monday, Frisa and Skye have resumed incubating their second precious egg. It might not hatch for another day or so so we are still just about in the time frame for egg number two to hatch successfully. We can only watch, wait and pray that they succeed after all this effort. We will of course let you know the outcome, either way, but please bear with us. We're possibly more stressed and exhausted than Frisa and Skye are at the moment. For them, it's a loss they can't really comprehend and they still have work to do - an egg to try to hatch. Where there's life, there's hope.
Dave Sexton
RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
New to this site. Just read Jillians news on the osprey blog so do hope things progress well for their second egg and the chick is reared successfully.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Dave, Debby, I am so sad, I have tears in my eyes. After all the hard work and dedication of both the eagles and yourselves. Lets all hope and pray that No 2 will have a successful hatch and grow to become a fine healthy chick.
My thoughts are with you both.
Best Wishes
Carrie xx
Dave and Debby so sad to read the news. Upsetting for you and of course Frisa and Skye who are such good parents. Perhaps as you say the rigours of hatching and the extremely cold and wet weather were just too much for this little one. Fingers crossed so tightly now for the second egg and hopefully some better weatcher too. You are doing such a good there so my thoughts really are with you. xx
Margobird
Really sad to read , lets hope all goes well with the second egg and the weather will be kinder
Valerie
Oh how sad! I can only imagine how you both must feel and all the volunteers who do the Eagle Watch. Iknow how hard you all work. Hopefully the weather will be kind and egg 2 can hatch safely.
Thanks for sharing their on going story, even though bad news is hard to take
Best Wishes~Heather