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The Mull sea eagle 'Class of '08' chicks are now beginning to seriously explore their parent's territory, which is how it should be. As we've seen with Mara doing short 'Day Returns' to the nearby coast, day by day, week by week, they are getting bolder and more confident - sometimes a little too confident.

After a long search I had located the single chick from Territory 1 way up a remote glen rarely visited by anyone. He looked good and strong as he sat on the flood plain alongside the fast flowing river. He was basically minding his own business when a gang of 17 ravens decided to descend. This may have been several family groups all joined together into one seriously menacing mob. They all landed scattergun around the young eagle, flicking their wings in agitation and generally strutting their stuff in circles all around him. I could hear their deep 'cronking' calls, their almost musical contact calls and could see that the young eagle was getting more and more uneasy. A few of the boldest ravens even crept up behind him and repeatedly tugged at his tail, causing him to leap a few feet in the air which in turn caused the startled flock of corvids to do the same. All very amusing to watch but the mood suddenly turned. Out of the blue came one of the parent sea eagles - the female. She had been watching carefully from a nearby ridge and decided enough was enough. Just the distant sight of the adult eagle appearing in flight was enough to scare the ravens off and they all took flight and raced away across the glen. But all this excitement seemed to spook the young eagle which also took off from the ground and battled hard on young wings to stay aloft. What a huge effort it seemed to take. I could see it aiming at a distant farm ruin, the crumbling gable ends still standing tall with a rowan tree growing out of one end. He tried to land on the apex but misjudged his landing completely and tumbled, in a flurry of wings and feet, head first deep down into the ruin and out of sight. In the seconds that followed, I had visions of a ruin stuffed full of old barbed wire fence material, planks of wood from the collapsed roof and sharp, rusty nails. He seemed to be gone for ages. As I considered my prospects of surviving a wade across the flooding river to find him, I saw him leap out of the front door as if out of a catapult. He landed, his feathers severely ruffled and looked around him urgently, clearly hoping no one had witnessed this embarrassing event - especially not the ravens. After a few moments of gathering his composure, he flapped off again and sat on an old stone dyke where he sat and preened in the late afternoon sun. I imagined the adult female perched up on the ridge watching all this and shaking her head in disbelief. Her chick had learned one valuable lesson of survival but there would be many more adventures in the months ahead.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Saturday 30/08/08 2136

Just a brief update tonight...Chris reports both chicks visible earlier today back in their familiar old haunts on the south side of the loch. Frisa & Skye nearby. So all is well. But a surprise visitor to interest all you Loch Garten fans out there - and very late for this part of the world: an osprey! We do get occasional birds in spring and summer but they're usually long gone by now. I wonder where it's from and why it's so late in leaving considering how far the Garten chicks have already travelled? It would be nice to think it might be Logie (see the Highland Foundation for Wildlife web site) as she has so far vanished from the radar having started her migration south. It's such a perilous time for all young birds - and even some adults. For now Frisa and Skye can bask in the satisfaction of having reared two healthy young chicks who luckily don't have to face the dangers of migration. But soon they will wander further afield and the threats here at home can be very bit as dangerous - as recently experienced by one of this year's chicks from another nest which found itself in very unfamiliar surroundings . More of that saga tomorrow.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

ps. for those who followed the rescue of Bonnie in an earlier post "It's a dog's life" will be pleased to know she's recovered well, hasn't stopped eating and is now much cleaner...until the next time.

The 'phone rang at lunchtime. It was Linda. She'd just seen a juvenile sea eagle fly low over her house on the NE coast of Mull near Ardnacross. It was so close she could see "some kind of aerial" on it. But her description initially suggested it was one of the east coast releases with a radio pack rather than one of our Mull twins. Surely it was too soon for one of the Fife birds to have drifted this far west? But a call to Claire Smith tracking her birds in Perthshire confirmed one bird was unaccounted for...

A quick scramble to the landrover and on the road north towards Tobermory. The mist came and went; it drizzled, then the sun shone. A complete mix including a magical rainbow arching high over the Sound of Mull almost from the island to the Morvern mainland. I looked hard at the end of the rainbow hoping my pot of gold - a chick - might be sitting there. But no sign of anything. Well, ok, a heron. An eagle could have been miles away by now. As I was leaving, my eye glimpsed an odd shaped rock by the shore. It was an adult sea eagle. The 'scope zoomed in to show it had a BTO ring on its left leg. Skye has his ring on his left leg. What was he doing here? Moments later he took off and flew SW straight back in the direction of Loch Frisa. I was sure it was him. Had he followed one of his chicks over here to keep watch, a protective parental eye? Still, there was no sign of a chick as I left.

There was only one way we would ever know for sure. Today, Roy Dennis from the Highland Foundation for Wildlife who helped us fit the tags, forwarded the latest satellite data and there was the proof! It wasn't an east coaster. It was our adventurous Mara on his first big (-ish) flight away from Loch Frisa and indeed his father had followed him to ensure all was well. Fantastic news! The satellite tags were working properly, they'd already proved something we'd never have known for sure and best of all, he has found his way home again. Today, they were all back together at Loch Frisa. One big adventure was enough for now. Where will Mara go next and when will his big sister follow him?

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Just a quick update tonight. It's been a long day. Unfortunately no sign of the chicks this afternoon/evening from the Loch Frisa side. It may be they are just lying low or have found something to eat out of sight. Skye came into roost this evening and I could see Frisa on her usual mound so I'm sure all is probably well. The weather hasn't been great and visibility poor so sadly today they were just beyond our reach. The cloud really did then descend and it was time to retreat. Talking of clouds descending, there was a major shock from another sea eagle nest here which just goes to show how close to the edge these birds are all the time - quite literally in this case - and why we worry so much about them. I'll report in full tomorrow. For now though it's time for me to go to roost.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Despite the dreich weather, the guys at the hide today caught occasional but definite glimpses of Mara & Breagha flapping soggily along the south shore of the loch. In the brief respite between deluges, they even managed to have a bit of a game and chase each other. A tiny kestrel too gave chase at one point. Not sure what it thought it was going to achieve against their might but it seemed determined to have a go. Being mobbed by anything and everything is an occupational hazard if you're a sea eagle so they'd better get used to it. For now they just take it, but as they get more agile, the kestrels, hooded crows, ravens, buzzards and everything else had better watch out. A quick flip over by the eagle and they'll wish they hadn't flown so close. So all well with our chicks tonight even though it's still drizzling out there. It's going to be a long wet night for them again.

I wonder if Bonnie enjoyed her first night of luxury for a week? I'll check on her recovery tomorrow.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

First off, for those worried about the chicks, I have positive news...I think. I hope. People at the hide reported late today that they think they had seen the chicks up and flying along the south side of the loch. At least one adult was also in the area. I'm sure they're right. The sat tag signals are just too weak at the moment as the poor weather and thick cloud has obscured the tiny sat tag's solar panel and the batteries are too low - so no signal. I was up there late afternoon and despite constant searching and scanning, I could not find them anywhere. But let's hope the earlier sightings were accurate and all is well. The weather has calmed down, the winds have dropped and it's a beautiful Mull evening with a sunset over Salen bay as I write.

Whilst searching in one remote part of the area at a favourite sea eagle roost area, I heard a strange noise. Then silence. A few minutes later there it was again. I strained my ears to hear where it was coming from. Maybe it was just the trees creaking in the wind. Silence again. Then, just as I was recording a piece to camera for Autumnwatch on the whereabouts of the eagle chicks, I heard it again. I waited, heard it again and moved closer. Closer still. I was now standing above this strange, desperate whimpering cry. I peered down into the jungle of massive felled tree trunks, branches and brambles and there were the sad eyes and very muddy nose of a strange animal, trapped, squeezed into a rocky crevice. It whined again. It was a dog! As we discovered each other, the whining went into overdrive and so did my pulse. I tried to calm it and think fast as to whose dog it was and how to rescue it. I knew the farm a few miles away had Jack Russells; a quick call to them confirmed that their precious Bonnie had been missing since last Tuesday - a week ago! They had been searching for her ever since, on foot, on horse back and by car. I could not lift the vast tree trunks and rocks myself and they rushed to the scene. With crow bar and frantic digging, we finally brought Bonnie to the surface. She was blackened with mud, soaking wet from the torrential rain and very thin - she'd clearly never caught the rabbit she'd entered this deadly maze for. As her owners held her tight and she quivered uncontrollably with delight at being back with her family, we all shed a tear or two and reflected on the chances of me stopping at that particular spot in this huge area and pausing long enough to search for the eagles and to hear her weak cries. She was a very long way from anywhere. Just a few more days alone in the cold and wet and with no food and it might have been a very different ending. So, thank you fate; and thank you eaglets. I might be able to find lost dogs. Now I've just got to get better at finding lost eaglets. Maybe tomorrow.

Dave Sexton  RSPCA, I mean RSPB Mull Officer

Sunday 24 August 1000-1300

The rain never let up and today there is no sign of any eagle at Loch Frisa. Even in this weather we can normally expect to find one of them on a favourite tree or crag. After the winds of Saturday night, we're always concerned, especially for the chicks who are less experienced than Frisa & Skye in finding safe roosts. A few years ago a stalking party found an injured golden eagle chick which had fledged recently but had been blown into a tree or rock and injured its wing. He was rescued and treated by the Wings over Mull Bird Hospital but sadly was too badly injured and will never able to fly again in the wild. Laggan, as he was named, has recovered well though and you can see him at the WoM Centre. It's memories of freak accidents like that which flash back at times like these. As tough as they may be at coping with bad weather, things can still go wrong. Maybe Monday will bring better news.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Saturday 23 August 1000-1300

Chris & Ross were on duty at the hide today. They report the whole eagle family together on the south side of Loch Frisa down by the shore. After the exertions of yesterday, they looked like they were all taking a break. It is the weekend after all. Unlike the buzzards and ravens who continue to be very active and give them a hard time whenever they get the chance. Today there was much mobbing and the eagles got little peace. As I write, the weather has taken a serious turn for the worse after days of sun and blue skies. The wind has picked up and now the rain is coming down hard. At times like this the eagles won't go far; they'll either stay where they are on a rocky knoll or come dusk, they'll probably retreat to the relative 'comfort' of the forest to sit it out. They do look sorry for themselves when they're all wet and bedraggled. But by dawn, after a quick shake, a preen and holding their wings open to dry in the sun like giant cormorants, they're ready to take to the skies again. Fingers (and talons) crossed that this storm has eased by the morning and that our eagles survive the night unscathed. Think of them sitting out there in the wind and rain as you snuggle down under your duvet.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Friday 22 August 1200 Noon

(Wasn't that an old ELO line?)

On arrival at the hide today, the assembled crowd were all gazing skywards. A quick scramble with bins and 'scope and there high up in the clouds above us were our two wonderful chicks, soaring together again. They were at the highest altitude we've recorded them since fledging a month ago. They looked like proper eagles! A few dives on each other showed that they're getting more expert at this flight thing by the day. The size difference today was very marked - we have got the sexing right! Mara was dwarfed by his big sis. They would drift apart, then drift back together again. What a view they must have had - south and west to Loch na Keal, Ben More and the Treshnish Isles, east to the mainland and north to Rum and Skye. I wonder if they could see other young eagles doing the same thing? But deep down, in amongst the pride we all feel at having helped (a bit) to get them this far, as they soared even higher, I felt a pang of sadness too. One day, in the not too distant future, one of them would go up this high and start to drift away - and the biggest journey of their lives would really begin.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Thursday 21 August 12 Noon

Finally, the sighting which has eluded me for far too long. Mara and Brèagha up together and flying strongly. Chasing each other, attempting to talon grapple and generally just doing what sea eagles do best. A wonderful sight to behold!

Frisa and Skye, as ever, watching their offspring carefully from afar. Perhaps as relieved as I am to see that the chicks have finally rediscovered their family ties and are spending quality time together, revelling in the warm sun and gentle uplifting breeze. Summer's here and the livin' is easy.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

The two Mull Eagle Watch sea eagle chicks at Loch Frisa this year have been named by children from the Salen Primary School Gaelic Unit. The male 'Mara' means 'sea' and the female 'Brèagha' means 'beauty' - very appropriate too.

Wednesday 20 August 1000

Today, I found one of the chicks back at the edge of the loch, still waddling about in the shallows. It didn't go far or do much but was clearly ok. Soon the mist descended, the heavens opened and everything vanished without trace. No sign of chick no.2. Hope it's ok.

Earlier we made a visit to the nest tree to see if there were any old prey remains still to be collected. A well-known supermarket carrier bag of goodies was collected - fulmar skull and feathers, gull remains, rabbit and hare and a few things yet to be ID'd by our forensic team. Not a vast haul but hey...every little helps.

Some big chunks of the nest have also now fallen out and lie scattered around the base of the tree. It all looked so empty and deserted. The forest was silent. What was once a hive of activity was collapsed, broken and decaying. But it has served its purpose well with two bouncing eaglets now joining the scottish sea eagle population. Where will life take them? For the first time, with the sat tags, we may begin to get some answers. And as I walked away from the fallen nest for the last time this year, one thought occurred to me. Where will Frisa and Skye start building their nest for next year? By October, they may have already decided...

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Tuesday 19 August 3pm

The family seem to have settled into a bit of a routine. Heading over towards Glen Aros in the mornings, picking over any unfortunate casualties from the night before and then just loafing about in the sun all day. Occasionally one of the adults heads off for something fresh but always seems to leave one adult on child-care duty.

In the afternoon, one of the chicks decided to take a paddle and waded about upto the top of its legs in the loch. Time and again it ducked its head under the water and had a bit of a splash about; this was maybe its first attempt at a bath. We've often seen Frisa and Skye bathing in the shallows. Then it would jump and pounce and grab a stone, 'kill' it and then jump on another one. Very amusing to watch and the nearest thing I've seen to sea eagle 'play'. Eventually, it got bored with that game and went back to perch on the fence post, drying its wings in the afternoon sun. I'm wondering if one chick is already more independent than the other. One always seems happy to feed itself and generally fend for itself while the other is still food begging and following the adults about. I'm just not sure who is who, as the size difference between the bigger female Breagha and her smaller brother Mara doesn't seem very pronounced at the moment. I hope we've got the sexing right... They also seem to spend less time together than previous twins of Frisa & Skye. Itchy & Scatchy in 2005, both males, were inseperable for months as were Haggis & Oatie in 2006 (also both males). Maybe brother and sister just don't get on so well? The day ended with Frisa & Skye perched together, preening in their favourite larches and enjoying the late afternoon sun. A perfect scene of parental contentment.

Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

Monday 18 August Loch Frisa 1000-1600

An astonishing 84 people attended the hide today during the 'drop-in' session from 10am to 1pm. Just about everyone saw Frisa perched and flying. But she seemed to keep disappearing back over the ridge and down into Glen Aros, frustratingly just out of sight. So after the session had finished, I drove round and sure enough there were Frisa and Mara feeding on a carcase not too far from the road. Breagha was a little way off perched on her own - hopefully already having had her fill. Skye was then seen back in his favourite larches near the hide. Mara was feeding himself well from the carcase and had about 30 ravens over for dinner too. Quite a feeding frenzy. Sometimes Frisa would move in for a feed but always gave way for Mara. Eventually he flew off and perched for a while before Frisa brought him a 'carry-out' and they both sat a few yards apart, Frisa preening and Mara feeding and making his incessant food begging call which is audible a long way off. We left them to it, happy in the knowledge that they were all well today.

 Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer

A quick stop at the hide, a scan and a listen... I could immediately hear a chick not too far away. There was Frisa perched in her favourite larches and the calls seemed to be coming from nearby.

I drove closer and stared hard into the dense conifers. Frisa ignored me as usual and continued preening only 75m or so away. Then, a movement in the branches and there was Mara, well hidden. His calls became more and more desperate and frequent as he tried to to make Frisa feel guilty and force her into going hunting for him. But she didn't need to. Why?

Suddenly Mara's calls reached the frantic stage and off he flew, strongly across the loch. I followed him through the lens of the BBC's 'Autumnwatch' camera and there he was now chasing Skye who had arrived on the scene with fresh prey. Next minute, there was Breagha also joining in the chase until Skye eventually felt he'd teased them enough and he landed, only to be piled into by both hungry offspring. I couldn't make out who it was who won the prize but I think it was Breagha. Skye then flew a short distance away to recover and watch the chicks feeding.

Soon after Frisa took off from next to me and flew fast towards them. She suddenly banked sharply and I realised she was attacking some ravens who were getting just a bit too close for comfort to her chicks and she was having none of it. Wonderful to see her being so protective and watching everything that was going on even from a mile or more away.

Both adults then drifted away towards Dervaig while the chicks spent the rest of the afternoon together entertaining themselves. Flying short distances, perching on fence posts (yes, eagles and not only buzzards do that sometimes), chasing each other, jumping on each other and invisible, pretend prey and generally just lazing about on a sunny August afternoon in the heather. Not a bad life.

Why not come and see them for yourselves? The hide is open Friday to Tuesday 10am-1pm. See our 'Aren't Birds Brilliant!' page for details.

After returning from holiday to Mull last night, I headed up to Loch Frisa this afternoon to try and see the chicks with my own eyes after too many weeks of hearing about them and reading about them on the Internet! From the hide I had a brief glimpse of one chick flying well but disappearing over the ridge into Glen Aros.

So I dashed round into the glen and waited and scanned. Finally there was one of them - Mara probably - feeding on a carcase, tugging away at something that was far from fresh and far from appetising but he seemed to be enjoying it.

Suddenly, in flew Breagha and displaced him from his late lunch. They both looked great. I could just make out the tiny sat tags through the telescope so I knew it was them. Breagha then flew back into the trees and out of sight. Half an hour later Skye flew in with new prey and both chicks again appeared hoping for something a little fresher.

At last, confirmation for me with my own eyes that both chicks were fine and behaving normally. What a relief!