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Ospreys - Loch Of The Lowes, Scotland.
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A bit windy up there tonight !
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Sad, sad news - I feel gutted.
Update re situation at Loch of the Lowes ...
Following the desperately sad loss of LM12, it has been encouraging to observe NC0 spending more time off the nest caring for herself by bathing and heading off on several fishing trips. The eggs have not been viable for several days now, after an extended period of exposure at night in the rain. Given that NC0 would not have been able to incubate them to hatching and raise any chicks without her mate, this was to be expected.
Since Thursday afternoon there have been two male intruders paying her attention and although NC0 has tolerated them sitting on top of the camera or the perch, she has seen them off as soon as they try to land on the nest.
One male has been a very distinctive darker bird, with an unusual large pupil in his right eye. The other bird is much paler, with markings on the back of his head similar to NC0’s ‘rocket’ at a distance. One of his distinctive features is the pretty ‘guy-liner’ at the edges of his eyes.
With NC0 having left the area this afternoon presumably on a fishing trip, this paler male landed on the nest at 14:18 and spent the next 35 minutes trying to nest scrape and kick out the eggs. He finally succeeded in flicking one out of the nest cup onto the edge, kicked another one clean out of the nest, and crushed the remaining one under his foot.
Believe it or not this is a good outcome for NC0, as it should help her now move on from periodically trying to incubate the eggs, and make her more receptive to accepting this new male. Should she decide to pair up with this new male, it will not only make it easier for her to retain and defend her territory, but also allow plenty of time for the pair to develop a strong bond for next season. Of course, it would help things along if this new male were to start woo-ing her with some fish.
It's early days yet though, and with lots of young osprey due to return into the country any day now, there could be a lot more interest in the nest and in NC0. We will have to see how things unfold in the coming days.
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Thanks for the update, hazlinny.
I know the situation is a sad one for the female, but this resolves the future for her for now.
If she accepts another male now, would there be time to raise another brood this summer ?
Probably too early to think about that now ....first she has to find another bloke 🦅
We last wrote updating what had been happening on the nest on Tuesday evening, when the 'Pale Male' intruder came in and crushed one egg, flicked the other out of the nest and kicked the other onto the edge of the nest cup.
Later that evening NC0 returned to find her nest in disarray, rolled the remaining egg into the nest cup and attempted to incubate it for a short period, before leaving the nest for the night.
The 'Pale Male' returned early next morning (Wed 8th) and spent time rearranging the nest and bringing in sticks before finally crushing the final egg and flicking the remains clear out. Some time later he returned to defend the nest, loudly guard calling (chipping) and squealing at a sky dancing osprey (thought to be the 'Dark Intruder') overhead. He flew off the nest to give chase.
NC0 wasn't seen until later that evening when she returned to the nest, making a contact call on landing with an enormous fish. She then spent considerable time eating on the nest before flying with it out of sight, no doubt out of the eyes of hungry crows, one of which picked the nest clean later that evening.
Fast forward to today (Thursday 9th) and it was the turn of the 'Dark Intruder' (with the large right pupil) to spend time on the nest. We think at this point NC0 flew past round the Point with her fish, briefly pursued by the male, before he returned onto the nest again. It wasn't long before the 'Pale Male' put in an appearance and walloped the other osprey clean off the nest! The two were then seen chasing each other off reserve and as yet haven't been seen since.
Finally, at around 15:40 NC0 returned (without her huge fish) to her favoured 'Split Birch' perch, where she has been preening and digesting her large two-day meal .
Who knows what will happen in the next few days!?
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