Osprey live webcam

[WeeBurd]

First egg at Loch Garton. Is the timing too tight for it to be Odin's? Maybe experts on here will know.

I suspect this one is Blue's, nightowl, I think the general consensus is 12 days to produce an egg, Odin only got back on the 1st. Might be lucky with any subsequent eggs though... :-)Just to add, on our travels today, we spotted a pair of ospreys roosting in neighbouring trees. To quote Wee-estBurdie: "Awesome!" :-D

[Moira]

is the web cam up and running if so whats the link

Here's the link Starfish. It comes with a warning though, be prepared to become addicted.... Enjoy.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guid...ethyvideo.aspx

Thanks for the updates WeeBurd, it is indeed amazing to see these birds in the flesh (or is that feathers...)

[starfish]

thanks moria

[nightowl]

Starfish, there are a few links to webcams in the thread above this. As the babies arrive, you will become hooked.

[nightowl]

And the first egg at LOTW tonight. Things seem to be moving on apace.

[nightowl]

Wow, such a lot has happened since I've been away. There are three healthy chicks at Loch Garton. The pictures seem a lot clearer from there, just now. One at Loch of the Lowes, with two more to hatch. The second one is now a wee bit late so there are doubts whether it will hatch at all. I'm glad for Lady, though, that at least she has one chick after the heartache last year. There are two wee wobblers at Manton Bay.
Good news about the Springwatch webcams being back on line. The picture quality is excellent as usual.
And a bit of sad news too with the suspected demise of both Tore and Bynack. I still don't know how I feel about the satellite tracking. I know the data must be invaluable to the experts but with just the ringing, there's always the chance that the chicks may turn up in the future. I suppose it's just a "head in the sand attitude" but I'd much rather believe they were still out there somewhere. It's sometimes a bit raw to realise how harsh nature can be.
Now I'm off to see what the peregrines are up to!!

[Margaret M.]

I read on Facebook that the baby osprey died. I'm sure glad I weaned myself from the camera I could not bear to watch the bullying/starvation again. Now if they would only stop tagging these lovely birds..too many tagged birds have disappeared for it to be a coincidence.

[Moira]

I've been dipping in and out but not following the Osprey nests so frequently this year.

I'm relying on you, nightowl and WeeBurd to report on the best and worst as it happens......

Changing plans mean that I'm not even convinced I'll be able to visit the Loch Garten site in person this year. Gutted!

[Margaret M.]

Changing plans mean that I'm not even convinced I'll be able to visit the Loch Garten site in person this year. Gutted!

I would like to visit -- hoping I may get a day when I'm over this year.

[nightowl]

I think this may be my last year of avid osprey watching and in future, like you Moira, will just dip in now and again.
The whole situation at Loch Garton has been sad and quite disappointing for me this year.For a start, the camera is so badly positioned. At the beginning the quality was so poor but even now that the picture quality has improved, much of the nest is out of view and at the moment obliterated by “scoot”. Maybe repositioning the camera to look down on the whole nest and out of the way of flying “poop” would improve matters greatly. It seems Loch Garton has been greatly let down by their computer providers, especially as this nest is deemed to have “showcase” status.
The bullying and subsequent death of the smallest chick is something I'll never come to terms with.
I always find it difficult to understand, in general, how wildlife experts and photographers can stand by and watch an animal suffer and die when much of the time they could be easily rescued and saved or humanely euthanised. What possible difference would it make to the whole scale of things if a baby elephant is saved from drowning or an antelope with massive injuries is euthanised humanely, or even if a baby osprey is taken from the nest and saved a short life of bullying and starvation. Intervention goes on all the time, ringing and tagging, for example, and even feeding one year when the male appeared injured and unable to bring food for the chicks. If there is then some genetic reason for the chick being abandoned and ill treated, then a quick painless death would surely be more acceptable.
I have tried to keep up with events on the Loch Garton blog and although on the whole,compared to the Org, the spelling and grammar is better , I found the pettiness and bickering there too much to bear, so have abandoned that too!! What a rant!
On the upside, the nest at Loch of the Lowes is a peaceful haven, with both parents dancing in attendance to a single, plump and huge chick. What a fantastic achievement for such a grand old lady. They must be so proud of her.
Having gotten all of that off my chest, I really hope all the remaining chicks do well, fledge successfully and make that epic journey to Africa and hopefully back in a few years time.

[Kevin Milkins]

I keep thinking about dipping my toe in the water again, but I also find nature close up a bit raw.

I do intend to go down to Loch Garton though and have a look at close hand.

[Moira]

I would like to visit -- hoping I may get a day when I'm over this year.

I hope you manage this Margaret M. You will thoroughly enjoy it, I guarantee. My time was limited, as always, so I was like a bairn in a sweetie shop, running around trying to take it all in.

I think this may be my last year of avid osprey watching and in future, like you Moira, will just dip in now and again.
The whole situation at Loch Garton has been sad and quite disappointing for me this year.For a start, the camera is so badly positioned. ........
<snip>
I really hope all the remaining chicks do well, fledge successfully and make that epic journey to Africa and hopefully back in a few years time.

I couldn't agree more, here's hoping......

I keep thinking about dipping my toe in the water again, but I also find nature close up a bit raw.

I do intend to go down to Loch Garton though and have a look at close hand.

Kevin, I think it may be pretty safe to log back in and watch the Loch Garten Live Webcam now.

I've not been viewing the live Webcam much this year but logged on yesterday to read the Blog written by the Wardens. ....."Thriving nest, 2 chicks doing well, despite poor weather and limited fishing opportunities........"

There was a third chick but apparently it was battered to death by its siblings. Selfishly, I'm glad I did not witness this. I rather think that Nightowl maybe followed the nest more closely than I did this year.

I do empathise with the Loch Garten staff even though I can't agree with all their decisions. I hope they just ring the chicks this year and not satellite tag them. Too many chicks with the Sat-Tags have crashed & disappeared.

[Moira]

The ringing and sat-tagging of both chicks has taken place. Ive not followed all the drama on the nest this year. By all accounts I'm glad. All best to the latest Loch Garten chicks when they fledge,,,,

[Doolally]

I was down at the centre this week. Great place and well worth a visit. The staff are really helpful too and will answer any questions you have.

Nature can be rough but survival of the fittest is the natural way.

The chicks should be trying out their wings any day now!

[nightowl]

I'm just back after a couple of weeks in Glasgow, where it rained every day, to find both girls, Cally and Alba, at Loch Garton have fledged successfully. At LOTL, the "blue boy" has been doing enormous leaps in the air so it appears that it won't be too long till he joins them in the air. Then it's off to Africa for a well earned break in the sun for them all. Unfortunately, it rained off and on all day today - St Swithin's Day - so the next forty days don't look too hopeful. If I were them, I'd take an early flight and leave this soggy part of the world ASAP. Good luck to them all.