Loch of Lowes webcam/2013

[Donna]

Blue YZ has fledged- that is, she has  taken her maiden flight from the nest this morning.

She took off a few minutes ago (10:08), heading towards her mother who was sitting waiting on the ‘Boingy branch’ to the east of the nest. She flew strongly and confidently which is great. She is now sitting somewhere in the lochside trees, watched by her mother who is still on the same branch, looking unpreturbed.

Blue YZ should make it back to the nest safely within a few hours- unless she copies her brother Blue 44 last year!

More news as it happens.

Must be Lady watching her girl!

[Bobbie Ireland]

Yay for her!!!

 

[Kris G.]

 

[MAK]

 

[Donna]

Wildlife Diary Thurs 25th July
Posted on July 25, 2013 by rangeremma
Just short flights from the nest today by our osprey chick- she is really getting the hang of landing a bit better too!

Blue YZ is also making strides in her skills in dealing with food, even when it’s alive: the male arrived back at the nest this afternoon with a small pike, whilst the adult female was absent. The pike was flapping and writhing around the nest and our youngster was able to stand on it and subdue it before feeding itself- all skills she will soon need to be fully independent. If the adult female is around when a fish arrives, you will still see her ‘babying’ the chick though and feeding it small morsels- old habitats die hard.

 There has been a change in the birds around the loch recently as more and more birds begin to turn up having finished their breeding for the season. Families of ducks and geese with ‘teenage’ young in tow, and non breeding birds (those that have not been able to nest or lost young) are now starting to congregate in their ‘off season’ territories like Loch of the Lowes. We have seen more Tufted Duck on the loch and on Tuesday evening a Diver- unfortunately it was so far out we couldn’t tell if it was a Gret Northern or Red or Black-throated species. These wonderful birds breed on high mountain lochs in Scotland. Here is a picture of one seen in a previous year on the reserve.

[Donna]

There she is BLUE YZ

She looks great! I see the tranny!

The drive to the Loch of the Lowes reserve this morning felt like an opening scene from King Kong – mist swirled along the lanes & the cloud base engulfed the approach to the Loch! The warm sunshine soon cleared the view to the nest & what a day we have had since!

There have been three different intruding male ospreys, all extremely intent on taking a look at the osprey nest with one almost landing. Alarm calls have been frequent with the chick responding by lying very flat in the nest. Our female has stayed close to the nest all day & our male has positioned himself on his usual vantage points to keep an eye out for the cheeky intruders & protect the nest as required. There have been a number of spectacular aerial chases across the loch with our male only returning once the intruders have flown away. There was a fish brought to the nest by our male just before 6.00 this morning & an attempt at a fish in front of the hides just before 9.00.

Our female chick is continuing to make short flights around the loch & is improving her landing skills. Visitors were treated at one point to a sighting of 4 ospreys flying above the nest.

Other sightings around the loch have been a red throated diver, regular visits from fallow deer & 3 woodpeckers all together on the dead tree in front of the osprey nest.

[Bobbie Ireland]

Go, Little Girl!!! Yay!

[Kris G.]

Glad that she's doing so well!

[MAK]

 

[Wing Goose]

So happy to read about the Loch of Lowes family.
They seem to really be doing great !
           
                       Lola

[Kris G.]

Osprey Diary 7th August: Fond Farewell For Now
Posted on August 7, 2013 by rangeremma

Well, it looks like our beloved female osprey has left for the long journey southwards on her autumn migration. She has not been seen on the nest or around the loch since mid yesterday and we are now fairly certain she has left for the year. When the wind dropped and backed around to a north easterly yesterday afternoon, she will have sensed a tail wind suitable to aid her journey southwards.

It seems like only a couple of weeks ago we were welcoming her back in spring, with the whole breeding season ahead of her. She arrived in fine form back on March 30th, to a great welcome for her 23rd year at this nest.She then kept us all waiting an extra week or so for egg laying, then surprised us with a truly remarkable four eggs. She displayed her usual tender and expert parental care and has raised this years chick Blue YZ to fledging as a healthy and very confident young bird who we hope will have every advantage for the journey ahead.

So far in her breeding ‘career’ this remarkable bird has laid 66 eggs and raised 50 chicks to fledging at this nest. She has taught us all so much about osprey behaviour and has surprised us more than a few times, not least when she became so very ill in 2010 and managed to pull through when all the experts had told us to expect the worst.

At her advanced age ( her late 20′s) we are all aware that every year she makes the migration back to Perthshire successfully may be her last. She is already so far  past ‘normal’ life expectancy and there are so many hazards and so much luck involved in migration, we know the odds are now against her realistically .   So we all fervently hope but don’t dare count on her returning next year to set yet another record for UK ospreys.

We all wish her  and all the birds migrating from UK to southern wintering grounds luck, fair winds and safe journeys.

Ranger Emma

 

[Donna]

Love how she leaves and let's dad do the rest! Be well Fair Lady and SEE you next year!

[Bobbie Ireland]

Love how she leaves and let's dad do the rest! Be well Fair Lady and SEE you next year!

OH, yes!!! What a girl!!! Fare thee well, Lady!

[MAK]

Love how she leaves and let's dad do the rest! Be well Fair Lady and SEE you next year!

OH, yes!!! What a girl!!! Fare thee well, Lady!

The  Lady  is royalty as far as I'm concerned and I look forward to her return!  

[Kris G.]

Love how she leaves and let's dad do the rest! Be well Fair Lady and SEE you next year!

OH, yes!!! What a girl!!! Fare thee well, Lady!

The  Lady  is royalty as far as I'm concerned and I look forward to her return!