The news from Loch Garton has been really sad over the past week. There have been many tragic happenings there over the years but this time it all seems so senseless. What difference to the whole scheme of things if the chicks and their mother had been fed until the wee ones were better able to be left alone and EJ could have taken over the fishing when she was stronger.

I know and understand all the arguments for not interfering with nature but "hello", they have interfered well in the past when it has suited them. The ringing I could understand, but the satellite tagging just seemed a huge disaster, costing thousands, and in the end what did it achieve. They knew from previous information where the birds flew to in Africa and how they spent their time there. All it did tell us was when and where the chicks died as they inevitably did.

With modern equipment at their disposal. A drone could have delivered fish to them all a couple of times a day. They would soon have become used to the buzzing for a couple of minutes, especially if fish suddenly appeared.
The stronger they became, the more able to deal with intruders they would also become. Then if the worst happened and the nest did indeed fail, at least some attempt to save them would have been made.