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In this week of a new change at Number 10 it is appropriate to look at Harold Wilson who once famously said "A week is a long time in politics" ....It seems a lot longer at the Loch Garten Osprey Centre.

The six days between the first chick hatching and the last egg failing to hatch seemed to take a lot longer than that. The first egg hatched at 4.55am on Thursday 14th June, it looked strong and healthy, unfortunately by Friday afternoon this chick was dead. Initially we reported that the death was due to Henry standing on the chick, it transpires that the chick was already dead when the accident occured. Our gloom was lifted at 10.30pm on Saturday 16th when the second chick appeared....this one looked stronger than the first, the same fate befell this chick too, by 9.10pm on Sunday 17th it was also dead. All our hopes were then pinned on the final egg but on Wednesday 20th June at 5.30pm our hopes were dashed when the third egg failed to hatch.

Since that day the nest has been fairly quiet; the birds have been around the area, Henry bringing in the odd fish for EJ and once last week actually seeing off an intruder, but apart from that, as already stated, nothing much has happened.

This has been a remarkable season so far and as you well know anything can happen with this pair of birds. We will be updating the blog once a week from here on in.  But rest assured, if anything significant happens in the meantime we will let you know.  WATCH THIS SPACE!

If you want to specifically help the Loch Garten Osprey Team 2007, you might consider supporting the RSPB. You can do this online via the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/join, if you add the code PR08, your membership will be credited to the Loch Garten team.

Today at 17.30 our female osprey EJ returtned to the nest and started to peck at the last remaining egg - it appears that there was a hole in the shell. Initially we thought she was trying to encourage the chick to emerge, however, it only took a few seconds to realise that there was no movement at all in the egg and we then realised that the chick was dead in the shell. 

We will be updating the blog later in the week when we have had time to reflect on the past few days.

If you want to specifically help the Loch Garten Osprey Team 2007, you might consider supporting the RSPB. You can do this online via the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/join, if you add the code PR08, your membership will be credited to the Loch Garten team.

Once again tragedy has struck the nest here at Loch Garten. Despite EJ feeding the chick and keeping it warm beneath her it has now died. Words cannot describe how we are feeling here this morning. As I write the tears are hard to suppress.

Thank you for your words of support regards the fate of the first chick. As you can imagine this is a difficult time for staff and we would be grateful if you could bear with us in between diary updates. We are working long hours engaging with the public whilst at the same time coping with this ourselves. We are in unchartered territory here but are doing our best to research just why this chick has perished and we will therefore update you as soon as we know ourselves.

EJ and Henry are both still incubating the third egg.

At 10.30pm last night our hardy volunteers reported that EJ was restless, shuffling in the nest cup and repeatedly looking down towards her belly. Was she feeling the second egg in this miraculous clutch about to hatch beneath her? Quarter of an hour later she stood up to reveal a newly hatched chick. Late night phone calls resulted in joyous elation and the question as to whether our hearts could take any more emotion!

At 6.30am this morning Henry arrived back onto the nest with a Trout which EJ promptly tore into small pieces for the chick's first feed. Fingers crossed for the next few days!

If you want to specifically help the Loch Garten Osprey Team 2007, you might consider supporting the RSPB. You can do this online via the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/join, if you add the code PR08, your membership will be credited to the Loch Garten team.

I don't think there is a delicate way of telling the news that our first born chick of this year has unfortunately died. The tragic accident happened early this morning when Henry arrived back at the nest from an attempted fishing trip, the result of which ended in him entangled in fishing line. As Henry desperately tried to free himself from the line he stood on the chick and we believe that this was the incident which caused the fatality. Fortunately, Henry did manage to free himself and did bring in a fish later in the day, so he is still able to support EJ and the other two potential chicks.

It is sad to lose a chick and people were literally crying in the centre, however, we must try and keep a positive outlook - we still have two eggs and two potential chicks; these accidents are rare and should the other two eggs hatch there is no reason why we wont get two fledglings in 7 or 8 weeks time. If you had offered 2 fledglings this season on 10th May  we would have taken it.

These past few days have been an emotional rollercoaster for all involved at the Osprey Centre, and I'm sure the same can be said for our avid readers. Thank you for your support and kind words.... they do mean a lot to us.

If you want to specifically help the Loch Garten Osprey Team 2007, you might consider supporting the RSPB. You can do this online via the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/join, if you add the code PR08, your membership will be credited to the Loch Garten team.

As eluded to in the previous posting, our chick was born early this morning. We actually have video footage of the chick partially popping out of the eggshell at 4.52; unfortunately, EJ decided to sit down on the remaining eggs (and subsequently the half emerged chick) and we didn't get to see the final moments of the chick emerging. The chick received its first meal at just after 8am, on the menu.....a nice brown trout. It was great to see EJ gently tear small pieces of fish flesh off for the chick, it (the chick) was having difficulty at first getting its coordination right, add that to the fact that it was just over 3 hours old and its neck muscles were not quite up to scratch thus making the initial feeding moments both comedic and concerning, nothing to worry about though, EJ being the bird that she is soon sorted the situation out and our chick fed for the first time. What a relief

Henry has been showing his worth today, he brought in at least 4 fish, one of which was a good 16" with its head taken off - there are no worries about his fishing ability. Fortunately, there have been no intruders on the nest today which is more than what can be said for the previous two days. On Wednesday an intruding bird actually landed on the nest whilst EJ and Henry were guarding the eggs - the intruder only stayed for a few seconds and then got the message to leave- this was an unrung bird.  The previous day we had several intrusion events, many of which were innocent birds simply flying too close to the nest; however, one incident left both staff and visitors with their hearts in their mouths.  Henry returned to the nest with a decent size fish, probably 14+ ", it was still alive. EJ took the fish immediately and flew to an adjacent tree, 30 seconds later the intruder started to buzz the nest - Henry was alarm calling as the intruding bird got closer and closer - EJ decided to land on the nest to add support and to be close to her eggs, unfortunately she still had a live fish in her talons and when she landed near the eggs the fish tail was flapping about just a few centimetres from the eggs - thankfully nothing untoward happened but for a few seconds the centre fell silent.  This intruder was eventually seen of by both Henry and EJ chasing after her.

It has been a long day at Loch Garten, the excitement of the chick has kept us all buzzing since the early hours, but as night falls it is time to get some sleep - We will let you know if and when chicks two and three emerge - until then................ sleep well, I know I will.

If you want to specifically help the Loch Garten Osprey Team 2007, you might consider supporting the RSPB. You can do this online via the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/join, if you add the code PR08, your membership will be credited to the Loch Garten team.

STOP PRESS.........

This morning at 04.55 the first chick was seen, this truly is a momentous event. The first feeding has taken place too so now we have a season. After all that has happened, after all the doubts we finally have a chick - fingers crossed for two further bundles of joy ijn the next few days.

We thought it best to let everyone know as soon as possible.

A further blog will be posted this evening when we will be able to give you the full story. Until then......rejoice.

Things were going well on the nest after EJ laid her seventh egg. Henry was bringing in a bountiful supply of fish, and going beyond the call of duty by incubating his three eggs between fishing trips. EJ was content, looking none the worse for laying over and above two clutches.

The proud osprey team were relaxed, maybe a little too relaxed last week, awaiting the appearance of the first hatchling. But it was neither the time nor the place to rest on our lorrels, oh no!

It was last Friday when all was quiet, EJ was sitting on the nest and Henry was far away hunting for those slippery fish. Suddenly, EJ started alarm calling and spreading her wings. She was looking up in the sky, straining her neck to get better views above. This was not just a passing buzzard, this was an intruding osprey! The osprey was a male, and a STRONG one by the looks of it. Henry was off fishing, and EJ was on her own...

There were a few tense moments as the unknown male hovered and swooped low over the nest, looking for a landing spot next to EJ. She was very agitated, mantling her wings in a defensive posture and frantically alarm calling. We were in trouble.

But out of nowhere, right on cue, Henry comes sweeping in to the rescue, clutching a fair sized fish with its head still attached, meaning he hadn't even stopped on the way back, coming in like a shot to defend his nest.

Now the intruding bird had not only one feisty bird to deal with, but two. It didn't seem to deter him though. He continued to swoop over the nest and threaten our pair. Henry forgot about his fish for the moment and went into battle mode, standing over EJ and alarm calling at the intruder.

But the male carried on circling above the nest and swooping down, at one stage he dropped a piece of nesting material onto the nest, trying to make a claim to it. He even managed to touch lightly on the edge of the nest for a few seconds before being forced off by Henry and EJ. This was not looking good. What was going to happen to the eggs? They could get crushed!

In 2004, an intruding female osprey fought for the nest over a period of eleven days. She was not successful, however the fights between her and EJ led to one of EJ's eggs being smashed. EJ managed to lay a replacement egg that year and raise three chicks seccussfully-a fantastic effort from EJ and Henry!

It would be almost impossible for EJ to lay any more eggs this year. It's very late in the season and she's already laid a monumental seven! It would be disastrous for these eggs to be smashed after the pair have been through such an historic season.

But despite the intruding male's attempts at winning over the nest, EJ and Henry bravely defended their territory and were soon left on their own in relative peace and quiet with no damage done to the eggs, phew!

But with only a week to go before the eggs are due to hatch, we can't get complacent. Each day can bring a new twist to this season's story. Keep watching the webcams and blog entries to see what happens next!

If you want to specifically help the Loch Garten Osprey Team 2007, you might consider supporting the RSPB. You can do this online via the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/join, if you add the code PR08, your membership will be credited to the Loch Garten team.