Perhaps I was slightly hasty in saying summer had finally arrived in Scotland last time I wrote. It looks like the sun didn't like the cool air and promptly tucked itself back into a cloud again.
But never mind, it means EJ has decided not to migrate yet, and is now able to spend some quality time with Henry, and my, what quality flying we have seen! EJ has been gaining the attentions of quite a few males recently. Perhaps they are single males still on the look out for that elusive impressionable female? Hoping to pair up in preparation for the following spring when they will meet up again. Or maybe they are simply on their way south for the winter, having bred, when all of a sudden they come across a Blue Peter style ready made nest, (here's one I made earlier) so they thought they'd test out their flying skills and see what the competition was like...any chance to make themselves look macho.
So we've been seeing quite a few displays over the past few days. Yesterday afternoon we had an unknown male swooping and diving, rising on the thermals and calling and then dropping again, making us gasp as he let gravity take control until the last minute when he pulled up just above the nest to show off his flying prowess. It was difficult to see how EJ could resist, even we were impressed! But Henry being Henry wasn't going to let that bird get the better of him, oh no! A few hours later and he put on an even better show, displaying to EJ for all he was worth, with a fish in his talons as well. Now that's what you call impressive. He's not going to give up his nest OR his female that easily.
Again today we saw a male displaying above the nest at about 5:30pm. EJ wasn't in sight, but Henry had delivered her a fish at about 2:15 and she seems to be ignoring all attempts to rouse her interests from other males and sticking with the man she's got.
I should probably explain the title...This afternoon I was sitting at the reception watching the red squirrels hanging upside-down munching away on their peanuts, (I wonder if squirrels ever get indigestion?), when all of a sudden the camera on the monitor screen starts spinning. 'Oooh', I thought, 'they must have seen something exciting up at the centre...' Two seconds later, and Henry's fine figure was taking up the whole screen, for all the world looking like a proud king posing for a painting, about to have his lady join him. He looked so regal, looking off into the far distance with his head held high. He was on the perfect perch to get a close view of him, and we were able to zoom in even more, bringing us eyeball to eyeball with Henry. A superb view! More of that please.
Well, that's it for now, bed time I think. I hope the weather improves for everyone, Autumn is coming round far too quickly for my liking! Perhaps we could re-open the Osprey Centre as the Squirrel Centre in the winter?? Then I wouldn't have to leave...
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.