Waiting in the wings

I've seen that look before and it worries me. At Loch Frisa today as the hail, sleet and snow storms raced through, I found a stranger lurking in the woods. I've seen her before. She's doing the rounds. Last time I saw her at Loch na Keal eyeing up the territory there. Then she moved north and then back south to Loch Frisa. She was there a month ago but I didn't particularly think anything of it. But today she was back again. Watching, waiting, biding her time.

She is 'Red E'. Red wing tags - letter E. A female sea eagle from the Isle of Skye. She was hatched in 2005 - the same year as Frisa and Skye's famous Springwatch twins, Itchy and Scratchy. So she is now three and a half years old. Next April she will be four. She is getting restless. Maybe a little broody. As a sea eagle 'teenager', her hormones are running riot and she is beginning to be on the lookout for a territory and a mate. Her head and beak were pale, her body lighter brown than a just few months ago and her tail is almost white. That would all be good news - if she wasn't loitering with intent around Loch Frisa.

The last time I saw this happen was a few years ago at a site in central Mull. The pair that nested there had been together for five years. They were mature birds and had raised several chicks. Over the winter I'd started seeing a sub-adult female called 'Yellow blackspot'. She was hatched in 2000 from a site in Wester Ross. Sometimes she was hanging around on the skerries in Loch na Keal. At other times she was at the head of the loch in the heart of the territory. Several times I watched her seeing off other younger sea eagles. She looked like she was staking a claim - but as yet it wasn't hers. But that day was coming. 

One fine spring day in April saw her seize the moment. The resident pair had started incubation and all was well. Suddenly, Yellow blackspot appeared out of the sun and perched arrogantly in the tree next to the nest.

The incubating female went beserk. She called loudly to her mate who was quickly on the scene to support her. She got up off her eggs and gave chase, seeing off the intruder. The male joined in. All three birds disappeared in a frantic chase through the trees and hills. The female soon returned to carry on incubating but with no sign of the other two. Then Yellow blackspot turned up again and flew directly at the sitting female. They clashed and fought and again the resident female gave chase. With all this activity there was a real chance the eggs might break.

This time they were gone for a long time. It was the last time we ever saw the resident female. Next back at the nest was the male but he was clearly agitated. Something had changed forever in his world. He didn't incubate - maybe the eggs had been damaged? Despite his calls, his mate never returned - but guess who did? Yellow blackspot. The prize was hers.

All those months of waiting and plotting had finally paid off. They were cautious at first. They had occasional scuffles but slowly, day by day, he grew to accept her presence. With no sign of his mate, the outcome was inevitable. Yellowblack spot is now the resident female in this territory paired harmoniously with the original male and they've raised several chicks (including sadly, the ill-fated chick White G who was poisoned on a sporting estate in Angus this year).

But what of the original female? I don't believe an established female on a territory like this, already sitting on eggs, would give up her range without one hell of a fight and I fear that fight took place out of sight up a side glen and a fatal injury was sustained. Yellow blackspot was a young, fit bird and may just have had the edge. All we know is she returned and the original female didn't. It can be a harsh life in the world of the eagle. Survival of the fittest. No room for error.

And so when I saw Red E sitting calmly in the conifers at the north end of Loch Frisa, within sight of the nest sites of Frisa and Skye, I remembered that look from Yellow blackspot. Frisa and Skye were perched together on a hill on the opposite side of the glen and couldn't see her. If they had I'm sure she'd have been seen off. But I have a sneaking suspicion that one day soon she'd have been back. It won't be the last we see of Red E.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

Sat tag update: The latest data shows that the voltage on the batteries for both Mara and Breagha's satellite tags is too low for an accurate GPS fix. It needs a good spell of bright weather to charge them up.