It looks like we've now lost Tore too.

We've been awaiting confirmation, but the latest data downloaded on Tuesday, reveals that Tore’s location has remained the same now for a spell, confirming our concerns that she is missing-in- action and sadly we must assume the worst. As with the other lost birds, it is of course just possible that the tag may have fallen off, but consulting with our techi-chaps at HQ, it does not look good to say the least.

The final location is on what appears to be a muddy bank by a river in Guinea-Bissau, NE of Bissora (a very small village).

Summer?

We are currently basking in the tropical heat up here at Loch Garten. Our thermometer tells us it’s 29 degrees in the shade right now! So I have retreated into the office to cool down (never thought I’d say that!) and to write my first blog.

We’ve had an excited couple of days up here. After keeping us guessing for 4 days EJ and Odin’s third and final chick hatched out at 6.59 last (Tuesday) night. All of us were sitting at the loch have a picnic and a wee celebration for EJ and for Gloria (more about that later) when we got an excited phone call from the volunteers on duty and managed to rush back down to the centre to see our last chick hatch into the world.

With three very hungry chicks to feed Odin’s been kept extremely busy bringing in fish whilst EJ periodically feeds them. It’s pretty hot out on the nest at the moment and we can see how EJ stands over the chicks to make sure they are in some shade.

We can’t ignore our other proud mum, Gloria the goldeneye, who successfully hatched a brood of ducklings on Monday. Counting her eggs proved pretty difficult as she kept them well covered with down, however it was almost impossible to get an accurate count of lots of jumping, fluffy bodies! It took Laura and myself a good 10 minutes and lots of debate to decide that we have 8 spotty ducklings who were about to launch themselves out their 12 foot high nest box and into the world. Once they were out it was a race down to the loch side to make sure all 8 plus mum got across the road safely and onto the loch. I’m happy to say that they were all seen swimming off across the loch.

As I might have already mentioned, it’s pretty hot up here at the moment! All of a sudden there are a lot of insects crawling and flying around – great news for hungry birds. We get some rare insects on the reserve here including large red damselflies which are now flying around our ponds. The weather has also brought about an increase in activity from swallows and martins (after all those insects) and today we were lucky to get excellent views of a cuckoo calling from out camera tree – really feels like summer has arrived!

I just thought you like to see these pictures, taken by our very own local Osprey Centre volunteer, Mike Hems.

Gloria, our box-nesting goldeneye duck, began hatching her clutch of eggs yesterday aftyernoon at 3pm. Eventually, they all hatched confirming her brood size as 8 wee ducklings. This is more than we thought. Given that she covers the eggs up with a duck-down duvet when she leaves the box, we didn't get the chance to count them.

The ducklings remained in the box overnight, in order to dry out & fluff-up, to rest and recover from the exertions of hatching and probably above all, to have time to summon up the courage to take their leap of faith into the unknown. They aren't to know if the box is 2ft above the ground or 32ft, in fact it is 12ft, and not above water.  Interestingly, before they left the box, Gloria was seen eating the egg shells and the egg shell membrane linings. A case of waste not-want not, recycling valuable calcium and other nutrients.

When it was time to go, Gloria perched on the box entrance hole checking that the coast is clear, looking and listening for any signs of danger. Once she was happy, she fluttered to the ground below and called to the ducklings. On command, they then hurled themselves from the box.  As balls of fluff, they weigh virtually nothing and simply floated to the ground, and probably bounced.

This happened at about 11.10am. Then at just after midday, Gloria with brood in tow, was seen down at the car park heading for Loch Garten. This prompted a mass exodus from the Osprey Centre as staff, volunteers and our visitors alike, all trooped down to the lochside to stop the traffic and witness Gloria lead them safely across the road and onto the water.  Ah, bless!  We wish them well. Job done Glor.

As I sauntered through the forest this evening, getting wonderfully lost, I was brought to my senses by a text message from Richard. It said Two chicks. Can u blog 2morrow morn please. (Yes, Richard has learned txt spk!) Well, I can’t wait ‘til tomorrow to tell you, so you don’t have to wait ‘til tomorrow to find out.

At around 7 O clock this evening, as the rain stopped and the sky cleared for the first time in a week, our second little hatchling of 2012 made that brave breakaway from its cosy cocoon into the fresh Abernethy night, under the doting gaze of both (or at least one of its biological) parents, and our dedicated volunteer Stuart. EJ has done a sterling job over the last few weeks, keeping the eggs and the first chick warm and dry. Odin is also upping his game by bringing in plenty of fish. I’m sure they will both continue to raise the chicks with such commitment, whatever the weather...

If you’re visiting the Scottish Birdfair tomorrow (www.scottishbirdfair.org.uk) please pop along and see Richard, Abby, and Caroline (last year’s long-forgotten Osprey Warden) who will be manning (and ladying) the RSPB stand. If you’re in Speyside, please pop along and see the rest of us and our new addition to the LG family. If you’re anywhere else, please enjoy watching our second stripy superstar on the internet.

So as the sun sets over the nest, EJ settles into a snooze, oblivious that thousands around the world are wishing her, and her chicks all the very best.

Finally, a heartfelt hello to John and Paul (but not George or Ringo), who both had to cut their volunteering stays short. Hope you’re both doing well, and that you’ll be back next year.

Despite all that the weather has thrown at her throughout incubation, EJ has remained dutifully steadfast and resolute these past 36 days to see the first of her eggs through to hatching.

Yes, since 9^th April when the first egg was laid, it seems like it has rained, rained and rained. Apart that is from the odd bouts of hail, sleet and snow!  Frankly, I think it is a miracle, that EJ has persevered against these odds. We see this sort of weather every year, but never to quite the extent as this season.

So rejoice!  We have an osprey chick. It was witnessed last night at c.11.30pm by the equally dutiful volunteers on the night shift, and I believe, seen by you our virtual audience out there in web-land at c. 2am when EJ stood up to reveal the wee one to the wider world for the first time.

The hatch of this egg is right on cue at 36 days, so surely must indeed be the first egg laid, the provenance of which, as you will recall, is uncertain owing to EJ’s dalliance with another male osprey before Odin arrived. But hey, he too has done his stints of incubation and early this morning, he looked for all the world to be the proud father. But will word get ‘round the osprey grapevine and see Blue XD do a victory fly-pass over the Loch Garten nest?

And what weather for the wee mite to be hatched into? So far, EJ has been reluctant to get off the chick, instead keeping it snug & warm beneath her. Even when Odin returned with a fish early this morning, during a spell of heavy rain, she preferred to sit tight and not take the fish and make that all important first-feed. At one point, briefly though, she did stand up and the chick was clearly seen, perkily wobbling about in the nest cup, so all seems well. Eventually though, that first-feed must happen and sooner rather than later. Here’s hoping that the forecast is wrong and the weather does indeed improve, for ospreys, all other wildlife, and us all.

We count ourselves very lucky to have got this far. Other osprey pairs aren’t fairing so well. Other birds too, many perhaps deferring settling to nest, hoping for better conditions, and just not getting them. Quite what the newly arrived migrants like redstarts, tree pipits and willow warblers are feeding on right now is anyone’s guess. There are certainly no insects at all, literally. I saw my first swift on Saturday, birds which feed on aerial plankton – when there is some!  These migrants must have used so much of their fat reserves making their journey here, only to find nothing to eat to replenish their stocks. And yet they sing, optimistically, desperate to find a mate and settle, yet all the while burning more vital calories. Bring on the sun & warmth.

We have had some interesting visitors on site this past week. Our thanks to those of you who too who have braved the elements and come to see us and the ospreys. It’s been cheering to meet you all. Other more unusual visitors to Loch Garten include a red kite, at 5pm on Monday.  The scavengers and pirates that kites are, it appeared to have followed Odin with a fish, back to the nest area, with a buzzard in attendance too – not bad eh? Three species of raptor at the same time!  The kite perched nearby for a while then launched an assault on incubating EJ. It dive-bombed the nest but EJ reared up causing the kite to swerve away at the last moment. Also on Monday, a pine marten put in an appearance at about 2am. It peered over the nest rim only to come face to face with EJ’s fiercest and most imperious glare, thought better of it, backed down and disappeared. What a girl she is, eh? All sorts of weather, an intruding kite, and a marten, yet she holds fast.

Meantime, playing second fiddle, Gloria, our box-nesting goldeneye, continues to sit tight in her down-filled nest box, which surely must be the warmest place in Scotland! In fact when Team LG feel the cold in the Centre, they switch to the goldeneye camera just to look at and by association, be vicariously warmed by the sight of Gloria and her duck down duvet. Her eggs should also hatch in the coming few days.

Caper-watch ends tomorrow, 18^th May. The activity is definitely on the wane now and has been for days. Not surprisingly, this morning, what with heavy rain, sleet and snow, it was a no-show from the capers.

Finally, also this week, I spoke to Brian Anderson aka Black Jaguar to personally thank him for his amazing achievement cycling from Garten to Rutland. I was away somewhere warm at the time, but Team LG kept me abreast by text of his success and, like EJ, the conditions he had to endure. To raise £2000 for Loch Garten is truly remarkable and very much appreciated. When Brian embarked on his venture, we could not know much money he might raise and putting the funds towards osprey tracking data download costs was suggested. However, this greater sum of money now gives us other options to explore also. For example I spoke with Brian about a replacement large flat-screen TV for the Osprey Centre – our current one is failing, plus with our Retail colleagues we will explore the possibility of some bespoke osprey merchandise to sell in the shop. Our sincere thanks all to those of you who chipped-in.

We’ll keep you posted on osprey progress over the weekend, with the second egg likely to hatch on late Friday/Saturday, the third maybe by Monday, hopefully, all being well.

Oh, and don't forget the Scottish Birdfair at Hopetoun House, Edinburgh, this weekend 19-20 May.