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Did I see Jane.  Oh Welcome back so much.  XXXX

QUARRYHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL  ALL GET GOLD STARS.  WHAT A BRILLIANT BUNCH YOU ARE.  AND MAYBE SOME GREAT ARTISTS AMONG YOU TOO.  VERY WELL DONE. WE ARE ALL PROUD OF YOU.  

jane hope you're here to stay it's not the same without all your reports and songs etc..  you brighten it up even when you're feeling down.  

Assuming Odin has called again as EJ and one chick eating. Does this mean the other are stuffed again. Does anyone know the fish count so far today.

REPLY - Odin just delivered that fish at 14.25.  It is the third fish of the day.  Claire.

Bravo to Mrs Mckintosh and all the pupils in Primary 4/5 class!  What a wonderful gift for the ospreys.  I hope you all had fun creating the paintings too!  

Congratulations to Mrs McKintosh and children at Quarryhill Primary School for raising such a grand sum of money. Your paintings had to be worth buying to achieve so much.

Karen I have decided that chick 3 has such big feet, she has to eat so much for the rest of her body to catch up. Has C2 had any food today?

WELL DONE, TO ALL THE GIRLS AND BOYS OF QUARRYHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL,

What a wonderful thing to do:)

I watch the ospreys from here in the USA and get so much enjoyment out of them as well (quick question for the class-I live in Connecticut, USA, what is the time difference between where I live and where you are ??? LOL)

Keep up the GREAT work:)

Gary

(To LG team-me computer is playing up so if you get this 3 times please delete the duplications! Thanks)

3:30 p.m. UK TIME AND A HUGE HALLO TO QUARRYHILL KIDDIES! WHAT A BRILLIANT BUNCH. CONGRATS FROM SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (where it's 7:30 a.m.)!

And goodmorning to bloggers everywhere. You know, this having to go out during the day is a royal pain in the bottom. But I'll be home this evening!  Re retirement: You know what they say about the task expanding to fill the alloted (time; well, retirement proves that even when there's NO task, it expands to fill the time (if you get my drift).

DAY 32 in the Big Osprey Nest. 3:30 p.m. Some of the Nestmates are sunbathing in the Garden. EJ is trying to provide some shade. Odin is doing the food shopping task. If he succeeds the nestmates will receive 5 fish per day. If he fails only one. Which nestmate will fledge first. YOU DECIDE!!!

Ive sent my first ever blog (now I know what to do) at 8.30 and 9.30 last night which didnt come up on the screen so I spent ages typing at around 2.30 today, please Richard can you tell me if it got there or what am I doing wrong Jillian ina hot sunny Bournemouth. Trying this one before tyoing a proper one as getting annoyed with the computer now.

REPLY:  Jillian, can't find any previous posted comments from you, yet this one clearly go through.  Just keep trying.   -  Richard

Yes, it’s still Eldest cramming it down with Rocky getting a ‘a very good look in’. And the middle chick is ALWAYS interested, he’s just intimidated. The comments today tell me Middle chick hasn’t eaten today; that just breaks my heart. And he didn’t get any of this fish either. So, please, whenever, you can, would someone just note that Middle chick (Viggo as I call him) got fed. And that’s me out again. Sorry.

REPLY: Janeallport, I was in the Centre much of yesterday afternoon and I witnessed all three chicks get stuffed to the gunwales with fish to the point where they were backing away and losing interest.  The years do tend to merge into one another for me, but I'm honestly feeling that I don't think I've ever seen quite such a well fed brood of three.

If you dip in and out Jane, as you're doing, then yes you'll see chicks miss-out on food from time to time, either because the fish wasn't sufficient to go around, or because they are already stuffed.  Yesterday whilst I was there, yes I saw 1 and 2 tuck in big-time and 3 got nowt, but then when 1 & 2 were replete, 3 moved in and was fed to the point of refusing to take anymore, or when the next fish arrived 3 got a good meal.  Please don't fret.  They are all doing very well.  -  Richard

Re P4/5 at Quarryhill : I'm a member of the Aberdeenshire Environmental Forum. Last year we gave out "Green Butterfly" awards to various community groups, including several schools in the 'Shire (as distinct from the City !). I came away utterly inspired ... if you can tap the energy, entheusiasm and imagination of kids in the 8-14 age range, you can move mountains !

Vermiculture, eco-gardens (selling the produce to the school canteen !), a video on global warming ... a tribute, as a blogger said, to both the youth and their mentors. Long may it continue.

Well done, again, to P4/5 at Quarryhill, keep it up.

Two days Ive been sending blogs for the very first time ever in my life as just learnt to do it and nothing comes up so am saving my long blog until I see Ive finally made contact with the Loch Garten team. Shouting at the screen at the bully at the moment to come and sit on the naughty step. Jillian in hot sunny Bournemouth.

Congratulations from America to all the students at  Quarryhill Primary School on your great fundraiser for  Loch Garten!! Your are now famous  with  people from all over the world who  are  on this site. :) I wish we could have seen  your art work.

It must be pretty warm up here as this only the second time Simon has been working in his office(he works from home in what the youngest describes as his cupboard)without his socks on.Knotted hanky next.Maybe too much information

Jane- Viggo does get fed.  Sometimes hes bossy for a few days, then No 1 is bossy  and No 3 hasn't ben bossy for a while.  I look at the blogs sometimes and if there is chat about bullying I don't watch but I can't not 'cos these birds are magnificent and these three will survive.  Look at the flippin' size of them.  And EJ knows whats going on.  If you watch she knows the one that hasn 't been fed and she sidles over and cunningly slips him food.  It's funny and endearing at the same time.  Jane watch the sparrows in the garden, they're always naughty and fighting.  Just the same but on a larger scale. Dinna go.  We need you!!!  xxx

Thank you so much for the reply to my question Claire,, I hope both EJ and Odin stay together for many more years to come,, just look at the chicks they have produced,, lots more of those please,,,

WELL DONE Quarryhill School,, what a wonderful thing you have all done for the conservation of the beautiful Ospreys,, you should feel as proud as punch,, everyone,, I'm sure you all had a lot of fun making your artwork,, congratulations one and all,,,

Chrissy

XXXXXXX

The kids and Mrs McKintosh should be proud of themselves, what a great thing to do!!You've all earned your summer holidays....enjoy!

Come on Richard did you have a 'full crop'????  WE NEED TO KNOW.

REPLY:  Ok, ok, ok, yes I was choked and a bit dewy.  Very touching.  -  Richard

Oh what a really lovely surprise to come and sneak in at the blog to see the new posting...socan I add my comment and say Well done Quarryhill Primary School..!! What a fabulous event you did and as others have said your art must have been very good for that amount of money to have been raised.

Nice to see that Jane dipped in for a while there too...listen to Uncle Richard Jane, the chicks are doing brilliantly...Why not come up and see them for yourself, you would have a big welcome from all at LG !!! and it would put your heart at ease..

Anyway the first day of packing went well, I think.!! Still seems to be a lot to do for tomorrow ! and it was so hot, I can't tell you how many cups of tea and cold drinks I made...BUT they want the computer first thing in the morning Boo Hooooo...so I can watch a bit tonight and that's it....

I am determined to try to pop in and see you all at LG before we leave the Highlands...I did choose a silly time to move !!!

Talk again from France, no doubt I will have to sign on again with a new name...

WendyB, that may be too much information about Simon. I have a mental image of him working away like a "mad scientist" with steam rising form him as he toils and a knotted hanky is not part of the image!! I hope he is hard at work on lots of interesting things.....

Jillian, so glad to see your posts are getting through now:) Don't think it is just you, I think most of us have sent posts that don't make it through for whatever reason.

Richard, thank you for your explanation to Jane about how well fed the chicks are. I was starting to fret a bit about C2 as he hasn't had much today but as you say, you need to average it all out. They certainly all look wonderful:)

17:27 Odin delivers another fish.  Obviously chick #2 is now very hungry therefore angry.  Subsequently #2 puts #3 in its place determined this time to get food and does. Chick #2 eating along side #1.  So all is well - all chicks have had food today.  

Jane, don't get distressed. No chick is in danger, they are all healthy and strong.  Food - it is now swings and rounabouts as you can see from my blog - VIGGO IS STANDING UP FOR HIMSELF AND HAS BEEN FED.    

Odin delivered a fish. Two chicks are  being fed. One  of them was firmly sent to the sidelines just as Odin was landing. I think #1  is one being fed, but I can't tell if the other one eating is #2 or #3 they both look alike. #2 didn't get any of the last fish.

Well done Quarryhill School! This is my first blog although I have been watching since last year. I love to read all the news as sometimes I miss happenings due to work commitments. This year seems to be gong much better than last year, long may it last!!  May I say, welcome back to Jane, I missed her blogs too!  So carry on Jane, it can only get better. Just wait till you start with Google Earth and the tracking! I used to think it was worse watching where they landed due to the weather and so on.

A big WHOOP for Quarryhill AND Mrs Mackintosh..A wonderful gesture indeed!! :)

Thanks Richard for your reassuring blog/reply. They are all looking terrific today, just catching up and it seems fish are coming in regularly.

Lovin' your work Alan Petrie - makes me lol :D

WELL DONE TO ALL PUPILS AND STAFF OF QUARRYHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL. sounds as though there are many budding volunteers and artists here. when i fisrt logged on about 40mins ago c1 was flexing her wings and for a brief moment i thought an intruding osprey was on the nest-when did she get sooooo big!!!!!

Thank you Karen for sorting me out! I can tell the youngest two apart, when they are together. That doesn't make sense does it? When I can see the side of their heads I should have said. But once one or both of them have their backs to me, I've no chance. How about LG put labels on them? That sounds a good idea to me!! :-))

Oh thank you so much Richard. I can't tell you how much your reply has comforted and encouraged me. Thank you so much also for not berating me. I'm going through a tough time currently and I do know intellectually that I'm over reacting but emotionally I am finding it so hard to see little middle chick (currently the under dog) soliciting food without effect. I was the same way when it was youngest. I will try to see things through more 'professional' eyes. Thank you again.

Well done Quarryhill Primary and to Mrs McKintosh for opening the minds of her little fledglings to the world of wildlife. Since these chicks have hatched I have felt like a new mum again - my worry this week is that the chicks will get so big and fall out of the nest. Someone please assure me that will not happen! Also, how are they going to be tagged??

Thank you so much Richard for letting me know that Ive finally got through and then my repeat message came up as well sorry. I will start agin now to say that this is the first time Ive ever blogged so I wanted to say a little about how I got hooked on birds even though I've always been interested in nature. In 2007during watching Springwatch I started watching Hannibal the barn owl and his siblings in the nest box at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall I was soon hooked and watched as he ate some of his siblings during the wet summer to survive, in August when he fledged he broke his leg and with the help from The barn owl trust in Devon recovered and found a mate for spring 2008. A few days before their eggs were to hatch mum abondened them. This is when through Springwatch 2008 I came across the Loch Garten website and became hooked on watching the ospreys and learning about them. I was devastated at the loss of Desher and still think about Nethy. Richard is there anyway that the tracking people are looking out in case a signal is received on the off chance? I have also follwed the Mull sea eagel chicks and find the owls and the ospreys the most interesting. I donated £30.00 a few days before hearing the good news that you have reached your target. I to think 1 and 3 are girls being confident and tidying up the nest and calling fopr food like mum. will stop now as enough for people to read, would love to hear how others got interested in the ospreys. Jillian in extreamly hot Bournemouth now.

REPLY:  Thank you Jillian for your donation.  We checked the data on Nethy for a wee while but it showed no movement, I'm afraid.  -  Richard

Well done kids wish we could have seen your paintings but they must have been very good to raise that amount of money, we will have to get one of you budding artists to paint a picture of an osprey to hang in the centre at Abernethy. Aren't kids brilliant well done to you all Keep up the good work.

Richard loved your blog about dipping in and dipping out and lets face it that's what we all do. Unlike your set up 24/7 video footage we just look at snippets. And being the whimp I am I await Your or Claires or Davids up dates.Then we are all looking at reality.

WELL DONE, QUARRYHILL SCHOOL, BOTH CHILDREN & TEACHERS MUST HAVE PUT IN A LOT OF HARD WORK TO RAISE SO MUCH!  HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY WATCHING THE FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE CHICKS AND THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW THEIR EXCITING MIGRATION ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO AFRICA, WHEN THEY ARE BIGGER.  xxxxx

Hi JaneAllport, nice to hear from you again. How nice was that reassurance for you from Richard. Hope you continue to comment though and try and look in cos over the next few weeks there will lots of highs as well as the lows and much amusement too. Anyway alls well just now, take care

Quarryhill Primary 4/5 what a fantastic thing for you to do - well done all of you - you should be very proud of yourselves for looking after 'your' birds.  My son lives in Kingswells, Aberdeen and is going canooing on the loch near LG.  Last year at this time he did the same thing and found himself competing for water space with Ospreys - he is going to take a camera with him this time!  Only hope he doesn't fall in.

Gary arfter 8 years of living in the Highlands and Simon working for a company based in the New Forest(hooray for the internet) you have got in one not a pretty sight but what a wonderful way of life. Welcome Jilian as you can tell we are from down there youngest lives in Wool and on her way up her tomorrow. Watching scenery down south at present looking very partched very very green up here.  

For those out there who are now having trouble identifying who’s who, I have found the perfect solution!

No: 1 Has a mask just like Zorro, a few white bits and some brown mottled feathers.

No: 2 Has a mask just like Zorro, a few white bits and some brown mottled feathers.

No: 3 Has a mask just like Zorro, a few white bits and some brown mottled feathers.

EJ:  Has a mask just like Zorro, a few white bits and some brown mottled feathers.

Odin:  Has a mask just like Zorro, a few white bits and some brown mottled feathers.

Bottom line is, who care’s who’s who, and they are all doing marvellously which just has to be a good thing, we simply couldn't ask for anything more!

Simples! :-)

Dear Jane, You are such a sensitive soul.  You kept us all on our toes with the fish count etc., Please be fine.  It's awful to say but Mother Nature hopefully knows what she's doing.  I usually scream and press a button on the computer and speak to the cat!!!  I'm not a cat person and he knows this.  But what would be worse would be switching on again and you weren't there.  So stay and we'll have a group hug!!  xxx

JANE, I think Tish wants us to be script writers but nobody could afford us.....our words are always "priceless", or it could be asked  "what has this got to do with the price of FISH"? So they will just have to accept our FREE ISSUES, which I know they love Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!

All is calm in the Osprey house at the moment and all have been well fed.  "Speak to you later".

Time to say Nite Nite Amy, EJ, Odin and big chicks. x

Simon, I went to the vet yesterday to get the next lot of dementia tablets for..... no not me, my geriatric (16yrs old) poodle. What did I spy there but a creature with a mask- just like Zorro. Was it an osprey? No a polecat! and boy was he cute.

Wendymac, I've just seen chick 1, and I see what you mean! She really is so huge now! She was standing up and looking round, I looked from her to EJ and back, there isn't so much between them now. When you see them lying down, or eating, they don't seem to have grown so much. But then they stand up and show themselves off, and you can't believe it's the same chick.

Wendyb, it has started looking yellow here in the south and getting hotter by the day (I hate the hot weather, unlike most people).

In answer to someones question about Alans funny comments he was writing in the way the commentator on Big Brother speaks out each programme giving a summary of what the housemates are doing, it was excellent and made me laugh.

I have also been following the Goshawks who sadly lost the third chick (only a few days old) over the edge of the nest during the very very windy fortnight. Last Saturday I visted the very snall reptile centre in the forest and saw a small hut where there were large screens of the Goshawks as they were learning to fly, unfortunatly we were unable to see them but they were withing 5 miles. I am still glad we went as we were able to see a model of one which was twice the size of what I imagined from looking at the webcams. One of the RSPB volunteers said wait until you see an ospert they are fantastic. I will be up in Loch Garten on 27th July, can't wait. Jillian

JaneallPort do please stay.  I know it is upsetting at times but Richard has said they are all doing well and much better fed chicks than last year's brood.  If there was anything wrong Richard would tell us as he had to when Deshar flew off in the wrong direction last year and went down in the sea.  I wept buckets about him and then Nethy disappeared although we are all hoping that her satellite tag has dropped off.  With all the food these 3 are getting they all stand a good chance of fledging.  

As Karen says there is nothing wrong with caring and it does get to all of us so you are not alone in feeling like you do about feeding times.  have gone a bit but I really hope you will stay and watch this wonderful story which is still unfolding.

Enjoying the the blogs more now as we are getting to agree on the fact it is all on track.Thank you to all at LG for your input and updates and that is what its all about ...listen to the team.  

just had an email SEMI confirming our next bird watching holiday,got to wait until after Birdfair for definite confirmation,  Excited now.   Anyone going to the Birfair this year?  

janeallport; It appears that I need to change my login name to knotted hanky, thanks to her indoors description of me.............................

Bottom line is, we are all surrounded by negatives, what we all need to do regardless of being here on the blogg or wherever, is focus on the positive, the negatives ain't going to go away, however, the positives will reign supreme!

Right now I'd stake my life on 3 fit, healthy and superfast chicks heading South in a few weeks time!

EJ & Odin Rules.......................OK?!

Worked late last night so only just catching up on the comments from the last 24 hours. Richard, thank you for telling us about the sad events of 1993, I realised what might have been the outcome for Odin but reading this has brought home how close a call he had. Looking at the nest now there are 3 sleepy chicks with EJ, vigilant as ever, no longer even attempting to cover them (though if it's as warm in LG as it is here in Somerset that's not surprising!). Here's hoping the good fortune that saw our hero free himself this year continues for them.

Wow!  Such a lot of posts since I logged off last night!  Firstly, Congratulations to Mrs Mackintosh and P4/5 at Quarryhill school!  That is a lot of money you have managed to raise!  What is even more wonderful is that you all care about your ospreys enough to be so willing to raise money to help protect them.

I'm sending this post from about the middle of New South Wales, Australia.  We are in the same time zone as Sydney, and here it's now about 7.40 am on Wednesday, 24 June.  Mrs Mackintosh might like to help you work out the time difference between here and Loch Garten.  (Your local time wil be shown at the top of this posting.)  You might also like to use Google to find out how far way from you Sydney, Australia is.

It's lovely to see all the chicks progressing so well.  I was watching last night (early this morning, your time) #1 chick excercising her wings.  She really is getting some strength in her muscles now!  Those wings were really beating the air, and she kept it up for quite a while, too.  What a surprise she wil get the first time they actually lift her off the nest!  ;-)

JennyW & Tiger: Interesting to see you're discussing Ollie. He meant much to me as I did a series of stints as a volunteer from the late 80s until the mid nineties. Ollie arrived in 1990 but was obviously a young inexperienced bird (no leg ring) and didn't provide enough food so the year was a failure. I remember him coming in with a fish on occasions but being unwilling to let go of it, and after a tug of war flying off with it again.

However in 1991 he returned and was simply amazing, lots of fish and even on occasions feeding the chicks himself. I remember he also spent quite a lot of time on the nest. All this stood him in good stead two years later when his mate disappeared after becoming entangled in fishing line (!) and he raised the chicks himself, although I seem to remember they were fairly well developed when she died, perhaps about the age of our current brood.

I was told after he finally returned no more that he'd successfully raised 23 chicks during his time at Loch Garten, most of them with Olive who joined him the year following the tragedy.

Many will know that one of his chicks from his first successful year in 1991 is Eric, who's now in his 15th year as the Loch of the Lowes male. Eric at 18 is pretty old, but his mate is even older at 24 (18 years at LoL) and is said to be the oldest osprey in Scotland. Reports vary but she's raised over 40 chicks, well over 30 of them with Eric. Earlier this year this appeared on BBC Scotland: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7995593.stm.

To think that I watched Ollie feed Eric as a chick is very moving to me. I'd love to know how many of Ollie's descendants are breeding around Scotland. Perhaps somebody at Loch Garten has an idea?

Finally, Odin's doing a super job this year and is also a very endearing osprey so I hope he'll go on to become one of LG's legends. But I also hope that people realise what a privilege it is to be able to see one more year (perhaps the last) of a truly great osprey pairing at the Loch of the Lowes.

Well done kids from Quarryhill School from here on Vancouver Island, Canada, my what a great effort and it would have been really great to see some of those paintings that were auctioned off.  A very enterprising idea from your teacher and we could all learn by that.

Good to see the chicks looking so healthy, and yes please stay near the middle of the nest it isn't time for your first flying lesson quite yet!!!

As for pants, yes they say that here in Canada too and I always have to remember to switch to trousers when in the UK on my frequent visits, but then there is also garbage (rubbish) pavement (road) supper (tea)truck (lorry)... almost like a different language at times!!!!

Gary S. Thanks for clarifying the pants vs. trousers question; I'm sure Simon looks charming regardless. And thanks Simon, for your clarification re Who's Who among the chicks. I think I got it straight :-)

It's 4:19 UK time (8:19 p.m. California) and I'm a bit late logging on. No EJ right now; just three fat snoozy chicks. I shall sit here now for two hours and NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, then I'll go to bed and it will be all excitement again for you daytime bloggers with Odin flying in and out and blogs flying back and forth!

4.50 a.m. Nothing is still happening. Wait! The one with the mask just like Zorro, a few white bits and some brown mottled feathers has woken up and .... gone back to sleep. Still no EJ.

5:28 a.m. EJ shows up - and takes off again. Chicks are on their feet; stretch, flap and ....settle down again. Good grief. I don't know how I can keep with all this activity.

6:15. EJ back - and gone - and back again. Oddly enough, this is the first time I can hear the chicks - was beginning to think the equipment at LG was on the blink. Much screeching; must be getting hungry. Time for me to log off. Hope Odin shows up soon.

!

EJ was calling Odin in when the two  smaller chicks started to fight. Poor Odin followed his  "air traffic controller's signals " and landed in the middle of the fight!   Two very surprised chicks ! EJ lunged for the  fish; the  two rascals shook their ruffled feathers and  Odin couldn't get out of there  fast enough.

Aww Lamarck I am thrilled to read your post. It is always so good to hear anything about Ollie particularly someone who actually knew him. I do not suppose that you have any pictures?

The news that Eric (also known by many other names around the internet is thrilling. People will love to hear that.

Ollie may play a role in the present saga. It may have been Green 7B which evicted EJ from wedded bliss with OVS is 2003. Now Green 7B is a grandaughter of Ollie. EJ came to Loch Garten in 2003 and was taken in by Henry. Thus the great soap opera of the next five years began.

Like you I would love to know where Ollie's progeny are.

Ollie allegedly brought 14 fish to the nest one day in 1995. He also mated 49 times in a day a record he presumably holds with Olive. It was obviously not the same day :)

Well Odin certainly is becoming a legend too.

Lamarck you have made my day. How many more volenteers must be out there with stories to tell?

LAMARCK - thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed blog about Ollie and his offspring. Details like that really show just how much the osprey population in Scotland owes to what the RSPB ( and the birds, of course !) have done at LG. What an amazing bird Ollie was. When I saw him return to the nest so unexpectedly one August all those years ago I felt at the time I was privileged to be seeing something special. Now I know for sure. Thanks.

Oh RATS second breakfasts in at 10.18 and Rocky is up first. Odin sitting on the side lines (again – Fight, fight Viggo, that’s your temporary name )  And Eldest knows she’ll get a good helping anyway.

Mmm, Rocky got her beak pushed out and biggish fight between Eldest and Viggo – missed most of it ‘cos I was typing but the ‘food received’ noise sounds like Eldest. And it’s most unlikely little chap Viggo could usurp the first hatched, she’s so big now.

Just want to echo all the other bloggers and say a BIG,BIG thank you to all 4/5  Quarryhill you are just fantastic !!!!. Also many thanks to Lamarck for the interesting history of the LOTL osprays. Wonder if they will make it back in 2010.

I have never heard of Birdfair and dont know where it is held. Any info would be greatfully recieved.

Oh dear oh dear. Somebody say something encouraging here. Viggo got nothing at either breakfast. Odin, I'm giving you a verbal warning: bigger fish please.#

REPLY: Chill Jane please.  They are all doing fine. - Richard

#2 chick has sat facing the outside again for the second time this morning.

It automatically goes to the edge of the nest and sits with his head down silently.

Amazingly it went for the other two just as the previous fish was nearly finished......it will have to learn to go in and challange a little earlier, otherwise he is left with the scraps.

It looks another lovely day in Loch Garten......just hope the sun comes out here in Inverness.

Oh my – a very upset EJ. Very persistent intruder at 11.00. For a glorious nano second I thought it might be Odin with another fish. Chicks joined in  with the clamour.

EJ seeing off an intruder with two of the chicks helping her!!!! They didn't get up, just vocalising...copying her!!! Don't they look magnificent?

11:29 and the arrival of Odin is anticipated by much calling and excitement from his family. Odin duly arrives amid the chaos and seamlessly passes the fish to EJ. Odin does not hang around (off to watch the tennis I expect). Was there not a tennis player called Something Fish or was that the weatherman. Anyway The chicks are being fed and all is well.

Now, where's Jane? Is that chick 2 bossing the others about and eating? I don't know if it's my eyes, the heat, or the sun on the chicks that's making it difficult to see which it is. It looks to have more white above the 'headband'. I keep thinking they look like they're ready to appear at Wimbledon to play when I see the Zorro mask! I am desperately hoping it is no 2 anyway. I've been out this morning, so only just logged on, off now to catch up on this blog!

Well this is the first morning I have not been able to tell 2 and 3 apart??  Is this the correct delivery times. 7.10. 10.20 and 11 30??  ish!!

thanks for the comments about Ollie, Lamarck. I wasn't watching at that time but he sounds an incredible bird

Thank you also for bringing into perspective what a great pairing there is at the Loch of the Lowes. I am enjoying watching them as well (in fact, as I type this, Marge (as I call her) is calling her little socks off!!). You have brought home to me the historic nature of this pairing and I suddenly realised how lucky I am to see it this year:)

Well done Quarryhill School.  Fantastic sum to be raised and it is great to see young children getting involved and following the Ospreys.  Lamarck - great blog- just think how many miles Eric and his mate must have clocked up coming back and forth to Scotland.  I'm sure someone who is far better at maths than me could come up with a truly astonishing estimate.

What a fascinating blog and link! Thank you Lamarck. It would not be surprising if Odin [The Magnificent] hails from the Loch of the Lowes family.

I learn something new every day courtesy of bloggers, Richard, Claire et al.

Had to go out this morning but have just logged in to see EJ feeding one of the chicks.  Maybe the other 2 have been fed already because they are not interested and i have to say look well stuffed.  Not sure how many fish have been delivered does anyone know please.

REPLY - Odin has delivered four fish so far this morning.  Claire.

13.38PM Are they playing hide and seek? They have nearly disappeared!!

REPLY - Don't worry Dorothy, I think they are all trying to enjoy some of the shade offered by the post which holds the nestcam/webcam, so they are not in your vision at the moment.  Claire

I'm really enjoying watching the webcams this year, I wish I had found them earlier.

I was lucky enough to visit both Loch Garten & Loch of the Lowes, probably about 8 -10 years ago so the ospreys that I was watching were probably Eric & his Missis.