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What wonderful news on this lovely sunny Sunday morning in Aberdeen.  So glad all going to plan so far.  

great news. now a bit more anxious wait for the 3rd!!!!!

Have just seen it.......welcome to 'Ospreyland' second egg. Thanks again Claire.

Sixy, Wee Jeannie ,Quietwoman and Anny and anyone else.....FINALLY got onto Facebook with slightly changed e-mail address. Don't recognise any of you by your REAL names, can you make yourself known to me?

Congratulations to EJ and Odin and all the team at LG. I have just logged on and read the good news. They seem a perfect couple with Odin doing his share of the incubation.

Congratulations!!!:)

Fantastic news!!! I wonder how amny there will be, with all the mating and plenty of food...think we could be in for a good season. Thanks for letting us know Claire.

REPLY - The average clutch size for osprey is three eggs.  Claire

that is great news. No on to number three??

Well done EJ and Odin great news Claire!

I was watching at 7am and thought EJ was laying the second egg....... but because of the light being in just the wrong place ,couldn't be sure.

Some of the people on the Loch Garten Bloggers on Facebook ,managed to get captures of the two eggs ,so we were able to see them just after EJ showed them for the first time.

As I missed the first egg, it was amazing to be watching at just the right time today:-))

Fish just been delivered 12.30. EJ flown off to eat and Odin sat on the eggs.

It is 12:30 and Odin has just brought in a fish. EJ took the fish and flew off with it. In the meantime I saw the 2 eggs for the first time. Odin then settled down on the eggs. It is an absolute privilege to watch this live. I am sure I speak for all the bloggers when I say thanks to everyone at LG.

12.30pm. Odin just arrived to let EJ  have a little fly about. He is very gentle when getting ready to incubate.

well done you two!  Thank you Claire for updates.

Fantastic, good for EJ.  At least this year so far, Odin is providing well for his new family.

I don't remember OVS incubating the eggs at all last year.

So now we await egg number 3..........

Great news, so pleased, now for another one!

Good luck from us and the Glaslyn Ospreys!!

Lin and Reg

How wonderful!  This is so addictive and I can't get anything done!x

Thanks Claire. Wonderful news. Let's hope that this unusual, summery weather continues to be kind to the 'family'.

Absolutely great news EJ has found herself a really good partner this year.  So good to hear Odin takes his turn at incubating and also bringing in plenty to eat for her.  A bit of a difference to OVS last year.  She must reel very spoilt.

Great News!! Thank you ! I think I saw her lay the egg at 5:45 UK Time.   At about 5:30 she  got  up and stood  with her back toward  the  edge of the nest . Odin came  and they mated.  After that she appeared to lay the second egg. She rocked  them around, but didn't stand up   so I didn't actually see the egg. I am thrilled Odin is  being such a good partner.

Fanscinating stuff, breathing a huge sigh of relief after Odin's misadventure last evening. I wonder if this is his first time as a dad ??

Great news of the second egg and even better to hear that Odin is doing a great job. Thank you Loch Garten team for keeping us all up to date.

Thanks Claire!  Great news - one to go! That should be Tuesday, shouldn't it?

Laineyc - I only remember OVS incubating when he brought a fish in for EJ and she went off to eat it. I don't think he took turns with her just  because he wanted to! What a great partner Odin is- hope he turns out to be just as good as Henry was. I'm told he even helped out feeding the chicks fish!

It's lookin good. Here's to the third.

Weather here a balmy 17c wind variable 1 to 3 mph.

Much like Loch Garten.

Thanks for the update Claire - Fingers crossed for the next egg :-)

Another egg, cool. Just returned from weekend 'up the road'. How lucky were we with the weather. Called in at Osprey Centre at 10.05am Saturday  to see Odin sit on camera tree eating head of Rainbow Trout and then take remainder of fish over to EJ not so patiently waiting.  She flew off giving us really good views of her.  Great to see the two of them. Spent a few hours through the forest before returning to centre to see them before leaving.  At 6.50pm we were sitting at the river behind the station at Aviemore and an Osprey flew over, we thought maybe Odin popping to the fish farm. Does the time coincide with a fish being brought to the nest in the evening??  Anyway had an excellent weekend, called in at Lowes on way home today and saw both of them also.  

A gorgeous day here today, and tomorrow, Monday,19 degrees !!!

A bit of rain on Tuesday ( showers )then fine and sunny again on Wednesday.

So EJ has good weather...and good for visiting the centre to see for yourselves...

I am saying this because the Beeb always blocks Scotlands weather into a lump and it never seems to be relevant to The Strath here !!! So they might predict rain but it would be for Perth or Aberdeen !!!!

I am loving the care and attention that Odin is constantly showing and I love the way he incubates the eggs and seems reluctant to give them back to EJ after she has eaten....

He's a really lovely bird....

Great news about the second egg.  Have just come back after a busy day and hope to see the two eggs at some stage.  Well done, EJ, Odin and the LG team.

Odin just came and relieved EJ, he's so gentle and lovely...those two eggs are getting some very special treatment!

Just about five minutes ago Odin flew in with a clawful of red spaghnum.  EJ left immediately and Odin tossed some of the spaghnum about a bit and then settled on the eggs.  I have watched quite a lot this afternoon.  Heard a lot of noise of (presumably) birds in the background.  Tomorrow I'm back to work.  I'll be surrounded by computers but not much chance to look in. Retirement looks more and more attractive with each holiday.

After folling the web cam for the last year and enjoying it very much . I Decided to visit  loch garton while on holiday in grantown on spay. My family and Ienjoyed seeing EJ. on her nest. I Think the work you all do is brilliant. I look forward to many more years of following EJ. ,Odin and there young.

oh, cuckoo at New Forest, hope all the wee birds are sitting tight lol

Thanks for the update - great news

A funny story...As per my comments last week my youngest grandson has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the egg(s).

Now he knows there are eggs, I caught him using the mouse trying to coax EJ off the nest so he could see the egg for himself with the following comments "Grandad I have been tickling EJ for half an hour and she just won't budge ....!!"

Alan Bell 19/04/2009

Congratulations to the two birds and to all the staff at Loch Garten who do a wonderful job. Watching now for the third egg sometime on Tuesday perhaps.

Odin just flew in and moved right up to EJ like he was saying 'it's my turn', EJ flew away and Odin immediately sat on the eggs... brilliant and a privilege to be able to share these moments.

the way Odin likes to stay on the eggs maybe he's just a modern man. a house husband lol

Everyone seems to think Odin is doing a great job but he never seems to bring fish in when I watch (most of the time). This morning he brought in twigs (big deal !) and disturbed EJ so he could sit on the eggs and then 30 minutes later he wouldn't let her brood them despite her calls for fish. It's been two hours now and still no fish. Please will someone encourage me and tell me the last time EJ ate. Did EJ get a fish first thing this morning?  I didn't look in until about 8.15 am. Thanks.   Jane

In the interests of equality is there any chance the EJ will bring him a fish.

Clare/Richard, Can you answer my earlier question I posted but you didn't put up on screen re drinking...

EJ is panting a lot and I was wondering how and where she drinks ???

Thanks

REPLY: Ospreys will get much of their water requirments from raw wet fish.  Also when plunging into water to catch fish, they almost certainly inadvertently take in moisture too possibly.  Females though not fishing, will get some moisture too from rain (and snow, when it comes - and it will!) as they sit incubating and when they preen rain-soaked plumage, plus damp and dew on such mornings.

Apologies for not posting your question and an answer sooner, but can I just say to one and all, (I'm not getting at you BarbaraAnne), that although the live-streaming provides you, our "virtual audience" out there with the immediacy of events as they happen - please do not expect us to be able to write blogs, post questions and provide answers with the same degree of immediacy.  The osprey blog is hugely popular and important to you, and we know that, but servicing it, is a big add-on for staff here.  We will endeavour to keep on top of it, write blogs as often as we can, answer your questions as promptly as we can, but do please remember, that the Osprey Centre is open 7 days a week, the team are on their feet all day meeting & greeting & talking to visitors, answering questions, enthusing and inspiring visitors about ospreys, other birds and other wildlife, they have Centre cleaning and preparations to do, toilets to clean and all manner of admin tasks - servicing the blog amongst them.  So please be patient and understanding of this.  You're important to us and we want to keep you up to speed with events, but we have a lot of plates to keep spinning upon sticks and sometimes some wobble, sometimes some even fall.  Please bear with us.  many thanks.  -  Richard

apologies if you have already answered this but is there any way you can tell how old Odin may be ?

REPLY: Hi Heather.  With no leg rings we can't know. However judging by his competencies, it seems that he's not new to love, and has bred before I'd say.  He's proving to be an adept fisher, readily giving fish up to EJ, readily does his bit of incubation, has repelled intruder ospreys - all of which suggests that he's done all this before at least once maybe more.  -  Richard

The time is now 1422 and she has been off the eggs since 1410 - why is she not sitting on them.  

REPLY: It's a hot day here.  I wasn't there to witness this, but off eggs for 12 minutes on such a hot, calm, sunny day, is neither here nor there.  Don't worry. - Richard

EJ must have seen Odin with a fish and did some "serious yelling at him" to give it to her. He ate the head and then  brought it to the nest and she flew off to eat it. He  settled down on the eggs.  She quickly returned to the nest and  started food begging again!  Apparently it wasn't large enough and she  wanted another fish! She certainly makes  her  wishes  known.  They mated and  he flew off, hopefully to catch another fish for her !

Hello Clive T - know what you mean about the jets but the Goshawk in the New Forrest has a lot more aircraft to contend with ! Little patient soul.

Please will someone tell me if EJ gets another fish today (it's 4.30 pm ) as I have to go to work now and I'm really interested in how often she is fed. I saw Odin bring her two fish today . Will she get supper?   Thanks a lot to whoever can tell me .  Jane Allport

Thanks for your explanation about where Ospreys get their water from, Richard.  Much appreciated.  

I also appreciate all that you have to do up there.  It won't hurt us online viewers to wait awhile for information - we're just so enthusiastic - and grateful.

Thanks for answering my question Richard...I wasn't nagging..honest..

I just thought my question had got lost in all the excitement as I sent it in just before she layed her second egg. We appreciate every scrap of info you have the time to give us..Am also glad that the centre is really busy and you are making lots of money hopefully..

As to cleaning the Loos out, my heart goes out to you...That's the price of fame I guess !!!!!

I'd like to add my thanks for the reports and information we get from the team at LG.  We do seem to get rather demanding sometimes but I'm sure we realise, really, that life is busy at the Centre and we do want the ospreys and all the interested visitors to get the attention.  Bloggers answering each others questions is great as well  I got home from work today to find my husband very excited as he had a pair of bullfinches on his feeding station outside his study this morning.  They were feeding from the seed tray.  They are probably around just now because of the fruit trees - they are regarded as rather a pest by the local commercial fruit growers - but they are very beautiful up close.

Great news obout second egg,odin looks right at home when its his turn on the nest hope he is as good when the young ones hatch.Thanks to all at LG for all your hard work ,well must get back to nest watching!

I would like to thank the Abernethy team for a most warm welcome during the visit today. Clare thanks for answering all my questions. During the observation Odin came back with a fish for EJ swapped over nesting duties and EJ sat in the camera tree and ate her lunch. An intruder followed Odin in but both birds sat in the nest and called off the intruder.

After EJ returned to the nest - Odin mated then flew off.

All of this a majestic sight to see during the visit.

If you can get up to Loch Garten this season it is a very worth visit and like myself and my wife have a picnic at Loch Gartewn followed by a fish in Aviemore for supper.

See you in a few weeks time at the centre.

Hi Heather27, here is Richard's answer to my same question 9th. April:

"Hard to say how old Odin might be. At least 3-4, the age at first breeding, but judging by his competencies, I reckon he's done all this before and is not a first time breeder.  So 5-6 minimum I'd hazard to guess." - Richard.

Aren't EJ and Odin just gorgeous!!! I can hardly wait to see their 'babies'......computers will then be on 24/7 I'm sure.   Richard...like Sheila says, it will not hurt your 'virtual visitors'  to wait for an answer.....I know you understand our enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge!!!!!

Odin just brought another "large" fish for EJ. He is doing a great job fishing for her.

6.57pm.....Odin just delivered a HUGE fish for EJ. She couldn't resist a wee bite before flying off with it. Odin now incubating eggs..he is so gentle.

Question for LG Team: is it too late to ring Odin? Would it cause too much stress for the 'family'? It would be good to keep an eye on him for next year.

REPLY: Yes, can't readily catch free-flying adults. The only ringing RSPB does at Loch Garten are the youngsters in the nest before they can fly.  -  Richard

We should think ourselves lucky just seeing the nest, the blogs and answers to our questions you take the time to accommodate is well beyond the call of duty.Thank you

I didn't know that Osperys were good at ventiloquism!!!!!   Lots of very very loud calling from ?EJ or ?Odin in the nest without moving their beak.lol.  We are also being entertained by ?Mr/Mrs Cuckoo again this evening. Seems to be a busy time tonight , I can hear lots of other birdsong as well.

Hi Sixy.. getting excited yet?

I think you do a fantastic job and we are all extremely grateful for the add on of the webcam and the blog etc that you give us in addition to the amazing work you already do on site.  Visiting LG is absolutely my annual highlight and if an affordable house nearby came up we'd be there like a shot, it's close enough to where we work to travel and we'd be living in our favourite place on earth.  Thank you again for the work you do and for the chance to keep in touch with it all when we're not able to be there.  There is the Loch Garten Bloggers facebook group also where lucky people who have more time than me seem to monitor the webcam! :D

REPLY: ed.friday, thanks for that.  Much appreciated, especially for your understanding that we can't always write blogs etc as promptly & frequently as we'd ideally like.  Cheers.  -  Richard

This is my daughters bedtime and instead of a story she is allowed to watch the Ospreys  for 15mins and she is fasinated. She just loves watching them and she has never sleep so well after watching them. Thanks from Amy to EJ,  Odin, the eggs and the staff. NiteNite zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

REPLY: Trevor, that's just such a wonderful comment.  Thanks.  -  Richard

EJ is restless tonight. Last night every time I checked on her she was soundly sleeping with her beak on her back.  Tonight she is moving a lot, pacing around the nest  and enlarging the  nest  cup. She acted this way  early Sunday morning before she laid the second egg. Maybe another egg tomorrow?? It was 3 days between egg #1 and #2 so I thought a third  egg (if  she lays one)  would be  laid on Wednesday morning. Hum-m

I would just like to add my belated message of ‘Well done EJ and Odin on the arrival of the second egg and to say once again a big thank you to all the staff and volunteers at LG for their dedicated work in protecting these birds and eggs 24 hours per day.  Without both yourselves and a little help from technology we would never have had the privilege to witness this amazing period in these beautiful birds lives.

As a lecturer at Elmwood College in Cupar, Fife,  I have also been privileged to be able to share my “arm” with a few birds of prey, namely a barn owl, eagle owl, cape-hooded vulture, buzzard and not least, a white-tailed sea eagle, during their visits to our conference room for classes.  They were all spectacular and though I do not envisage myself as a weakling, due to the size and weight of the sea eagle on my wrist, I was only able to hold her for just under 2 minutes (long enough to obtain a few brilliant photographs).

Once again thank you for all the hard work you do.  I am looking forward to visiting next month.  Am also more than happy to contribute to the tagging.

REPLY: Thanks for that Scoops.  We'll be getting back to you all about tagging this year, very soon.  -  Richard

Most bloggers seem to have more time than I do for writing comment but, as I have said many times before, I say again, thanks for all the work the LG team does to keep us 'in the picture'----literally! EJ looks so settled and content. It's a great comfort to us all, I'm sure, to hear her soft 'chuck, chucks' rather than that desperate oft repeated calling we heard last year. And Odin seems to respond very quickly, More power to his wings!

Jeanallport --  The fish Odin brought at 7 was "so huge" that I don't think her crop could have held  two more  bites  after that  meal . LOL --So, no she didn't eat again before  dark.

EJ looks as if she is lying in a bed of roses with all that pink moss. It seems that she has found true love at last!!      The 'babies' are going to have lovely and loving parents.

Thanks for your reply Richard......I thought it would be too stressful if not impossible. I shall look for any distinguishing marks on Odin for next year. Any thoughts on our donations?

REPLY: Maureen, we will be getting back to you all very soon (within the next two weeks) with ideas about what you can do to help.  Many thanks.  -  Richard

Odin has just brought in another fish - at 15.48. Seems like he cant wait to take over the parenting duties.  Yet how gentle he treads round the eggs. This is nature at its best.

EJ calls for a fish at 3.39 according to my computer and Odin arrives with a big fish at 3.48 . Great chap !   Jane

I hope someone will make a note of the next fish 'cos it will probably be EJ's supper.   Jane

Phew that was a tense moment - Odin seemed to get annoyed about some bird overhead - I could see the shadows of flapping wings. The eggs (Oh dear, panic cause I could only see one egg on the webcam) were uncovered for about 7 mins. It looks sunny there though so perhaps a little while doesnt matter that much. Anyway, normality has resumed - phew. Can see both eggs again too.

REPLY: Yes a short time like that is of no real consequence, on such a mild, warm sunny afternoon, and I guess they must innately know how long they can leave them unattended for and will always get back to the nest as quickly as possible.  I too was watching the screen here in the office and it looked like an intruding osprey over the nest then who was swiftly chased off.  -  Richard

Odin came flying in after EJ was frightened off by the intruder. He  rearranged the branches that was disturbed  when EJ was  frightened and settled down on the eggs.  rosie- both eggs are there. One was  under some moss that Odin removed.

The intruder came back again so close that I could see the  wings. First EJ mantled over the eggs and  sent out  an  fierce alarm call. Then she started flapping her  wings at it.  This  time I am sure it was EJ who was threatened.  Apparently Odin came to the  rescue and chased  it away. EJ is calm now. They are certainly having a busy  day defending the nest. !  I doubt EJ will get another meal today  because Odin may not  feel it is safe  to leave the  nest area to get a fish for her.

Oh, I'm glad to get all the info also as I came back home and booted up to see Odin on the eggs but then he went and no sign of EJ. Didn't see the intruder but so glad Odin saw him off. And as we all know now, all is well, if still very windy. I hope EJ gets supper. Thanks to you all who wrote about what happened. Jane

Just in from work, got up to date with todas events, sounds like harmony was upset for a few minutes  all seems very tranquil now. A male osprey ringed in 2004 (EW) has returned to Wigtown this year. Good news.

Fantastic news for Galloway Ospreys – “AW”, a male 2004 chick has returned to Dumfries and Galloway.   “AW” appeared on the Caerlaverock Osprey Project CCTV camera with his un-ringed mate.  This could be the first year that there is more than one successful nest in Dumfries and Galloway.  Let’s hope so.  

Odin just brought EJ a  large fish!! He is a prince

Nice Fish Super for EJ .. Odin just brought in a lovely sized trout at 18:40  so that's EJ for the night good on ya Odin !

Hi janeallport.....Large fish just delivered (6.40pm).  I'm sure EJ was saying thank you  to him with her wee 'chirrups'. Maybe Odin will bring another fish before  bedtime.        Aren't they both fabulous.

Is there another egg?    At 6:30 when I first looked I thought I saw another egg but can't be sure with the sunlight.  I think I saw 3 eggs again at 8:10 when EJ got up.  With the sunlight I may be mistaken as it may be a bit of moss.  I'm jumpring up and down here not knowing - can anyone confirm?  

10.35, Odin has taken over for a bit, didn't see a fish but that could be my eyes.  I love hearing their wings as they come in and take off.

Hello Year 5 in Gamesley..

A big welcome from all us bloggers.

I hope you are enjoying the live video pictures from Loch Garten. I am sure that both Richard and Clare will be answering all your questions about the birds much more fluently than any of us but if you read the earlier diaries and blogs a lot of your questions will be answered..

Following the lives of EJ and Odin and the chicks that will be born live on screen is a really wonderful way to learn about these magnificent birds. You will see all the dramas unfold over the summer especially when the chicks begin to grow and start to learn how to fly..

It's very exciting..

Welcome to Year 5 Gamesley Primary School. The eggs will each take 35/37 days to hatch which means the first one layed will be a few days older than the last. Last year the third chick died because it was the youngest and as fish was in very short supply there wasn't enough to feed them all. The older chicks are also the stronger ones and are able to take the food first. It is very sad when this happens but nature has a way of ensuring that only the strongest survive. We all shed many tears last year.