Our male white-tailed eagle chick from Mull this year, Oran, has made a dramatic flight south. He had seemed settled and has spent the last few weeks just across the water from here on Loch Sunart; then he came home for a while but has now headed down to the island of Jura. We are hearing more reports lately of young eagles on nearby Islay perhaps attracted by the thousands of wintering geese. Maybe this is where Oran is headed next. Our colleagues at Loch Gruinart reserve will be watching out for him and we'll see what the next set of data tells us. Meanwhile our female chick Venus has drifted over a mountain ridge or two and was last recorded at Loch Frisa, home to the Eagle Hide. If you're lucky and planning to visit us soon you may catch a glimpse of her. The Eagle Hide is still open and feel free to call 01680 812 556 to arrange a trip. We can be flexible with the days and times to suit you. Today both Frisa and Skye were on view. Again both perched in larches very close to the hide and were watching below into the burns for brown trout. They looked magnificent in the weak winter sunshine. I wonder where Heather has gone to now? Next time we'll give you an update on where last year's chicks from Loch Frisa are doing as they enter their second winter. Mara and Breagha have both been on the move lately...
Meanwhile, the long awaited feature on Blue Peter will be aired next week. The team tell us that it will be shown next Tuesday 24 November on BBC One at 4.35pm. If you haven't seen Blue Peter for a while, give yourself a treat, re-live your childhood, settle back with a cup of tea and enjoy. Better still tell any nieces, nephews or grandchildren to tune in. I will be wearing my Blue Peter badge wih pride.
Finally, Allan Mee who manages the white-tailed eagle reintroduction project for the Golden Eagle Trust in Ireland sent me a quote I'd like to share with you. It's from a book on the legends and stories by Native Americans. It was written by a wise man called Lame Deer of the Brule Sioux Nation. They knew how to live with eagles; they respected them. Perhaps some lessons to be learned? I'll leave that for you to decide. As Walter Cronkite used to say - 'that's the way it is.'
Until next time...
Dave Sexton RSPB Mull Officer
"So we are descended from the eagle. We are an eagle nation. That is good, something to be proud of, because the eagle is the wisest of birds. He is the Great Spirit's messenger; he is a great warrior. That is why we always wore the eagle plume and still wear it"
Nice to have news and update on what we call our Eagles(hope you don't mind me calling them that)we do tend to get quite involved with them.Lets hope we all do learn to live with Eagles,they certainly deserve more respect than they have been shown in the past and I do think you and the RSPB are slowly winning people over.Surely Mull and Sea Eagles on Mull and now also on Mainland having a big influence as when anyone sees them fairly close it must have a big effect on them which hopefully makes the public like these birds and over time will cut down the persecution of them.Must look out for Blue Peter program.
Thanks Dave for the update on the Chicks, nice to hear they are exploring further afield. Looking forward to seeing you all on Blue Peter on Tuesday!
If Oran gets a bit further south I'll be keeping a look out for him too!
Thanks Dave for the update very much appreciated. Very wise words indeed, why can't we all be at one with nature in general and especially these magnificent birds of prey.
Thanks so much as always Dave. Fascinating to see where Oran gets to. You guys do great work and I feel privileged to be able to see the results.
Unfortunately, being in the US, I can't get Blue Peter but I'm sure it will be great (get down, Shep!!)
I agree about the quote about Eagles:)
Thank you Dave - and for bringing the Highlands to us a lot further south
Thanks for the update Dave, lovely to hear what Oran is up to.
I already have Blue Peter set to record.
ooh I shall definitely watch Blue Peter - I'm confined to the house and only slowly mobile following major surgery, so there's a treat to look forward to for sure! (most daytime TV is brain-numbingly boring).
I recall seeing the Hopi indians perform an Eagle dance when I lived in the US as a youngster, and the costumes and imitation of the eagle's flight still stick in my memory. Thanks for the update Dave.
Gary, Blue Peter is available on BBC I-Player so you should be able to get to see it that way.
Hi Gary in the US
If you go to the BBC Blue Peter website, it will have a 'Watch Again' link to BBC iPlayer and you ought to be able to catch it there after the 24th for a few days at least. Hopefully it might enthuse a few more young viewers to get involved and protect our eagles - and they might badger their parents into making Mull a good place for an Easter or summer holiday! Thanks for reading. Dave
Brilliant! I haven't seen Blue Peter for some years, looking forward to it.
Oh how my feelings change in a day.
www.newsletter.co.uk/.../Rare-eagle-39shot-dead39-.5838888.jp
Neil NI - unfortunately there are always going to be those few idiots who think that having these amazing birds (I'm a fan of all raptors - not just the White Tailed), we had a famous young Golden called Alma poisoned here a few months ago.
BUT, I do believe that more and more people are appreciating these incredible animals and hope that these incidents will get fewer over the coming years.
BBC Sprinwatch is doing a piece on Goldens as part of their last programme this Autumn - tomorrow night.
Thanks Mike and Dave for the responses. I am disappointed to report that BBC iplayer doesn't work here in the US. For various reasons the BBC doesn't allow it to work over here. it is something I have come up against a few times.
I will try again but will look out for some "stills" on the BP website. Thanks again for the thoughts:)
Lets hope it has a great response and you get overwhelmed with visitors etc:) (just off to make something with some sticky back plastic...)
Oh Neil NI, Just read the attatchment , how sad and very sickening, I cannot believe this still goes on in this day and age, its outrageous. It is awful and i am lost for words, i hope these people are caught and inprisioned,
Thanks Dave for Blog, but this newsletter is too sad