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
So sorry to hear your sad news Dave and Debby and poor Skye and Frisa. Hopefully the weather will improve and the second chick will stand a better chance. Fingers crossed xx I know that you will do everything in your power to make sure they are safe and well!!
Dave, Debby - I think that I know how you're feeling - and working in bad weather conditions takes it toll too - as much as we try to help, we have to accept that we are really only observers and so, that is nature. There is certainly hope with this second egg, and let us pray that the conditions are kind for such a well loved pair. So who is the well loved pair, Skye and Frisa or Dave and Debby? Just hope that things get better for both pairs.
PS Please don't think that you have to apologise to any of us - 'just get here when you can'.
It must be such a hard thing for you and all the Eagle Watch team to have to sit and see things like this happen. Here's hoping the second egg hatches safely.
Everybody rides on the karma train.
Dave, Debby and all concerned. I am so sorry to read the news about the first eaglet. What a terrible thing to happen to such devoted parents:((. You put so much effort into looking after them.
Everything crossed for the second egg.
So sorry for all concerned but heres hoping for egg 2