The Ospreys are back !!

 ADP, I don't know if you follow the Loch Garten RSPB Facebook pages but here is there observations about yesterday's occurrences.

"RSPB Loch Garten, Abernethy
pSneotsrodt1t084ga14t46g342980136fa17a37ul4g3mhu53c18mc8m32a  · 
Follow up on our Osprey drama...
Yesterday saw Asha defending her nest left, right and centre whilst Brodie, her mate, was nowhere to be seen.
Unfortunately, events turned from bad to worse for our mated pair when KL5 seized control of the nest. His determined actions resulted in devastating losses: one egg pushed overboard, another broken, and a third's fate uncertain... but without Asha's warmth, survival is unlikely.
We know you want answers, and we’re here to give them to you...
 Did Brodie return? Brodie returned to the nest briefly at 11:47am yesterday morning. Sadly, he was quickly chased off by KL5 and didn’t manage to regain dominance. He has been back on the nest this morning, bringing Asha a fish before being chased away by KL5 again.
 Who is KL5? A known Osprey at Loch Garten, KL5 forced Brodie to defend their chicks last year. His late arrivals stir up trouble, aiming to supplant Brodie and claim both the nest and Asha.
 Why, oh why? It’s tough to watch, but Ospreys are fiercely loyal to their nesting sites, and it seems KL5 couldn’t let this one go - driven by the natural instinct to ensure his genes prevail over Brodie’s.
 What now for Asha? With KL5 in control, Asha's window for a successful breeding season hinges on accepting KL5’s advances and laying new eggs by June.
 But...Brodie? There's a chance Asha and Brodie build a 'frustration nest' together elsewhere. A response sometimes seen when Osprey pairs are disturbed or fail to breed.
 What’s next? Love him or hate him, KL5 is one to watch: he might keep the nest for himself and mate with Asha or another female. Or, Brodie could fight for the nest. This power struggle could dramatically affect next year's season and pairings.
It's really hard for all of us to witness the destruction of the eggs and over the last few seasons we've become attached too Asha & Brodie. But we're also in the privileged position of watching a once extinct bird of prey fight their own species. This is a testament to the recovery of the population and seeing these natural interactions is exactly what we're trying to restore.
We know it’s hard not to pick sides, but remember, this is nature taking its course: heart-breaking but fascinating. "

Nellie thank you for such an amazing update. Your update is brilliant and reads like a a gangster fued but as you say it is the way of the world of wildlife and sometimes difficult to watch. I have to say although being an ornathologist for many years( at least 80 as I am 83 ) I was not aware of quite how aggressive the Ospreys are, you certainly opened my eyes, vicious devils for sure. Nellie through your brilliant updates I will certainly follow the Ospreys more as I said before The Boat at loch Garten was our favourite viewing and Bunree site was our favourite site to travel from. Once again Nellie thank you.

Wherenext...... before the quarry was handed over to the Council it had a very good fish stock, Pike,Perch ,Dace,Chubb,Roach, Carp,ect, this was because HADAA had the use of the River Wye best Salmon beats to hold competitions with the understanding that the course fish caught would be removed in tanks/bins and Salmon,Trout also Grayling left. The course fish were then transferred to the quarry lakes/pools where they thrived and specimen Pike are now abundant. It is known as Bodenham Wildlife Park, Herefordshire, a now beautiful place with a fantastic array of seasonal birds and resident Otter families.

Thanks for the reply ADP. I'll make a note to pop in to the reserve next time we're in the area.

Thanks again, ADP. I just pinched the update from a post on the RSPB Community web site. Here is the link to the specific one for Loch Garten for May, and as you will see there are links to post about most of the other nests which have video cameras relaying the daily activities. 

https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/f/loch-garten-ospreys/287213/loch-garten---may-2024?pifragment-4292=1#pifragment-4292=1

More bad news! A dead Osprey has been found near Loch of the Lowes, and the police are appealing for any information. On the community posts they are saying that it would appear to be Laddie, the resident male who had been missing from his nest for 5 days now. There is also an article about it on STV, see below.

https://news.stv.tv/north/appeal-launched-after-remains-of-protected-osprey-species-discovered-in-perth-and-kinross

 Edit

The news  has recently been posted on the LotL's FB site too.

 Thank you Nellie, but what sad newsabout Laddie. Whatever it is that killed him I just hope it isn't that dreaded Bird flu.

They haven't yet said, but with the police involved it perhaps suggest full play.

More had news today as Maya, the resident female at the Rutland Manton Bay nest was seen removing one of her 3 eggs from the nest! No reason given so far but perhaps it has got stepped on and the shell broke. She has returned to the nest and is incubating the other two eggs, so hopefully she and her partner will raise 2 healthy chicks.

Fingers crossed, so strange birds at the top of the pecking order (no pun intended) are amongst the most fragile in breeding and conservation.

More news from Loch of the Lowes.

NC0 the resident female has been on and off the nest during the last few days however she left the nest at around 11:50 today and has not been back since. 

"At about 14.00, one of the many intruders who have been visiting the nest landed and started nest scraping purposefully. The young unringed male sets to with enthusiasm, and by the time he departed around 14.50, had turfed out two of the eggs and left the third off to the side. Now NC0 won't have to make any decisions about her three eggs following the shocking unexpected death of Laddie, she will be able to move on and perhaps take another mate this season. If she paired up quickly, there is an outside chance for a second clutch, but more realistically, the new pair would spend time bonding and start a family next year."