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Thank you Claire it's good of you to take time and keep us informed as to Flight Arrivals and Departures ..... lets hope BT can wave a magic wand

CliveT

Thanks Claire. I'm guessing that despite that initial flicker of life (& excitement on our part) that the webcam problem is still ongoing. Maybe you didn't give the BT man enough cake? Ah well, never mind. It was nice to see the still images but now that's gone belly up too. Well I'm assuming that as it can't possibly be Mallachie and Garten playing musical statues for this length of time! Well certainly not with one with wings outstretched. They're amazing birds but.........! I'm glad it appeared to be a clearer day for you at LG. Lovely and sunny here on the East Coast. - Paula

for those interested, there's a nice little article on the history of Loch Garten in the ltest (aug-oct 2009) issue of The RSPB 'Birds' Magazine. 2 scans.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1470/lg1.jpg

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/161/lg2.jpg

- is that Richard Thaxton in the photo at the bottom of page 44 - in the centre with the woolly hat and beard?

Am I missing something somwhere along the line?  I keep reading comments from various members of our blogging Sisterhood/Brotherhood about the fact that at least the stills camera is now working.  I keep looking at it but it is still showing me a picture Dated/Timed 1658 on 13 July?  Is it actually working and I am the one with a problem?

OH yes. Thank you SO very much for that Claire. I saw some of the wing flapping in bursts as I kept refreshing the still picture this pm before I went to work, but I note the time on the camera now is something past five at real time 21.12. Dear dear Mallachie and Garten I realised how much I had missed them when I caught a few glimses. And I thought Rothes visited the nest but maybe it was EJ. I did see EJ at some point before I thought I saw Rothes. Many thanks for thinking of us all, Claire.

Thanks for the  update!! I'll bet  it was  thrilling to  have Rothes fly past!! As i see it  the situation is not that Mallachie and Garten are behind schedule in taking their maiden flights , Rothes was ahead of  schedule. She was always a loner and  may have just wanted to be on her own so she did what it took to accomplish that.  

Thanks for the update Claire, the still camera seemed to show an empty nest but they must have been deep in it so couldn't see them properly.  At present, because we can't get LG online, I am looking at the webcam at Pete's Pond, Botswana. Quite quiet at present but there must be some wildlife out there.

ayjay, you're not the only one - try refreshing the stills camera page. It was working for most of the day but has frozen at 6pm tonight but someone said that it shuts down at that time. Try tomorrow and if it is still stuck on the 13th try clearing your cookies, history etc and see if that works. I posted images I copied from the still camera into my facebook album  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1209&id=100000042616597&l=f300847217 if you want to have a look at the girls. Todays ones are from page 2 - Paula

AYJAY: Are you looking at a bookmarked site (one you've saved) of the LG still camera? If so, it'll show the old photo -you have to hit refresh. I accused our local bus company of not updating their schedule the other week and found I'd clicked on a page I'd bookmarked some months back (felt a real twit!). JILLIAN: Born in Watford; came to SoCal in 1963. Sentimentally attached to UK (webcame, TV shows, etc.). Haven't looked for any US osprey cams; we have hawks visiting our garden now and then in search of fat mourning doves. One perched right on the back wall the other week; prior to that, another (or the same one) came right down into the garden and sat on a rock. Last summer, I was sitting in the back room and her a loud thwump on the window. Got up in time to see a hawk swoop down and pick up a stunned dove. Oh dear. When they're around, all the other birds get disappear. We also have Acorn woodpeckers that are very noisy and pushy that come to the feeder in gangs of up to four and chase everyone else away. Also a solo scrub jay with the same charming obnoxious characteristics!!

Richard - I read with interest your comments on the sizes of the male/female osprey's and it reminded me a little on the influence of in-breeding on size...Race horses are typically bred to the male line ie., One champion stallion covers leterally hundreds of mares...Also Racing pigeons have been for many years in-bred to both the male and female line...The results of breeding to the male line (very close ie., father to daughter and grandfather to daughter are quite common) tend to throw up very large males and smaller and smaller females...Obviously by careful selection this can be avoided....my real question is though how do Ospreys' manage not to "in-breed" assuming the same parents and off-spring come back to the same locality each year - how does nature ensure there is no close mating...

Alan Bell 20/07/2009  

Just after midnight UK time. At LOTL, empty nest. At Botswana, something noisy splashing and gurgling near the mic, but nothing on camera.

While we're all sitting about, here's a highly dependable site: I'ts the live webcam at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. http://www.nps.gov/PWR/customcf/apps/stream/stream.htm?parkcode=yell

The geyser goes off approx every 90 minutes. You can tell when it's about to go by the crowds that start hanging out on the benches around the site or you can visit the old not-live webcam (it updates every 12 seconds) that gives an approximate time for the next eruption, give or take 10 minutes (something they apparently can't do on the live cam). The old webcam is at http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/oldfaithfulcam.htm. FYI, Yellowstone is on Mountain Time, seven hours behind you guys at this point....

Can we start a fund to buy new camera equipment for next year's events, perhaps a lightning proof box, damp proof box and a group of eggheads for technicians?  I must be getting withdrawal symptoms I guess, well here from our hot hot weather on Van Isle I sign in daily in hopes that we will see those young ladies on their maiden flight.  Thank you Richard and Claire you do keep the updates rolling and I much appreciate all the information and the effort that you and the others put in to get the webcams up and running.

3:30 UK time. At LOTL, not an osprey in site. Re the Botswana cam, found the following on Wikipedia: "During the daytime, various animals, including elephants, warthogs, baboons, crocodiles, birds and monkeys can be seen in and around the pond. At night, the pond is sometimes visited by various big cats, canines, hyenas, a variety of smaller carnivores, rodents and aardvarks."

3:38 At LOTL Can hear insistent calling from one of our birds; seems to be getting closer..... but nothing showing up. FYI, Botswana watchers in the UK stand the best chance of seeing wildlife at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. UK time, according to the following site: http://www.wildlife-pictures-online.com/mashatu-wildcam.html (Sorry to be off topic so much lately, but when LG is up and running, hope to be glued to that!!

5:17 UK time. At LOTL, sunshine, empty nest, but someone is close by and calling very loudly and - one noisy chick has just arrived at the nest. Are we going to see a repeat of the previous two mornings when chick(s) come and go but no breakfast is delivered (at least while I'm logged on)?

5:36 UK. Two noisy birds at nest; didn't see the second arrival. My goodness, what a racket - will someone please drop off some fish! Uh oh, one's got tired of hanging out again - and now the other one has left too. Sorry folks, but I'm going to sign off and assume these two will get fed in due course. Thinking good thoughts for the LG cam!

It doesn't look like the stills camera is working to me either - though I think there have been intermittent glimpses. Wondering if BT on the case up there or not??? Or do we need to go and picket their office until they sort it?:-)))

prawnslippers, thanks for the articles. A fantastic photo of the osprey! No, Richard is pictured here on the right http://www.rspb.org.uk/blogs/images/lochgarten/ospreystagged.jpg

- Paula

Has Malachie fledged (about 9.45)?  There were two birds on the nest about 20 mins ago and now I can only see one.  From this perspective though, I can't see inside the nest, or which bird's which, so am only guessing.

REPLY - Mallachie is still currently on the nest.  Claire.

It looks as if there is just one osprey on the nest now, and one on the post beside the nest! Has Mallachie taken off on her maiden flight? We await confirmation!!! Certainly looks like a beautiful day at LG so perfect for beginners to take to the air. Better make the most of it as the forecast for later today doesn't look good! Hope the team are managing to sustain themselves with cake/biscuits etc - sorry I haven't made it back to LG with my foodie contribution yet - hopefully next week! Meantime, thanks for keeping us up to date with all the action - or should that be "inaction"?!!

REPLY - It was Rothes on the post on the nest, she was calling to Mallachie and Garten who are both still on the nest.  Claire.

What a difference 2 minutes can make LoL. Looks like Rothes and Mallachie took off on a scouting mission leaving Garten at home with mum.

REPLY - It was Rothes and EJ that took off, Mallachie and Garten are still on the nest.  Claire.

Thanks or updates and keeping us informed about the 2 girls.  It seems like a long time since we have seen them live.  So hoping the live feed will be fixed in time for Mallachie and Garten fledging.  Have they found out what the problem is yet Richard or Claire, Perhaps when you have time you could let us all know.  Glad to read there has been a fish this morning and quite a big one at that.  Odin must be tryhing to match EJ in fish sizes.  Keeping fingers crossed anyway for live stream coming back.

10.10 Golly, is that lump in the nest Garten or has she gone!!!!!

REPLY - Mallachie and Garten are still on the nest as I type.  Mallachie has just been enjoying a fish that Odin delivered at 10.00.  Claire.

PATRICIAT,AYJAY and QUIETWOMAN.....my still camera is working OK now but don't ask me how...I never refreshed (don't know how to). I think Mallachie is flying??? :o( and Gorten still on nest but picture very dark.  As for the videocam...I am going about singing "when you wish upon a star......."

Claire, and all of you, we know you are doing your best and must be really frustrated by the problem - I know how I felt when I installed Internet Explorer 8 and lost the video.  We really do appreciate your efforts.

pmc.  Thanks a bunch, I now have it again.  Just goes to prove one is never too old to learn.  Like your pictures.

Annette in SoCal.  Can you just move over a wee bit please, make room for another twit to join you.

I like the new views we are getting now, get a better idea of the lay out of the place and just what the nest looks like.  It's a long time since I visited there, back in the early 80s, when my wife and I spent an afternoon there studying the Ospreys so that we would be able to recognise one if we were ever lucky enough to see one elsewhere, There wasn't all that much chance of that happening then.

Judging by all the reports and comments on here the place has changed a bit more than just a little since those days.  I'll make myself a promise, I will rpt will get up there next year to see for myself.

Keep the comments coming Ladies and Gents, it all makes fascinating and enjoyable reading and it's good to know that the interest in these (our) birds is not just local but international.

Having been an RSPB member for thirtyish years I have long known how hard working and dedicated their staff are but my impression of the LG people is that they are continuously above and beyond the call of duty.  Long may you prosper

Claire thank you very much for taking the time to answer all our questions. We are all very frustrated about the camera and we do appreciate that you are all doing your best to fix the problem for us.  Thank you!!!

Thanks Claire, for clearing up the Mallachie first flight. It was all getting a bit confusing. RSPB IT team, we're all rooting for you! Like the rest of you at LG, we know you'll do your best. Thanks, janeallport, had some success but have to keep 'refreshing' to get up to date picture.