Events from the nest:

Our resident male 7Y has been keeping up his good work providing fish for the female while she is incubating the eggs.   Yesterday evening he delivered a headless pike to the nest at 20.32, his second pike of the day.  Today he has delivered two fish to the nest.  The first was at 10.32 this morning and at 13.30 today, visitors in our hide had a spectacular view of 7Y catching a fish right in front of them!  The rest of the day has passed away quietly on the nest with incubation still in full swing. 

A question we received via ospreys@swt.org.uk asked us where the male osprey spends the night.  Female ospreys sit throughout the night on the nest when incubating and the male will be roosting nearby.  Our resident male spends his nights roosting in several different trees near to the nest where he has a good vantage point.       

Other Wildlife at Loch of the Lowes:

We were fortunate this afternoon to get a good view of the eggs in one of our blue tit nest boxes.  There are now approximately 12 eggs in the nest and we are hopeful of seeing some chicks being fed by their parents in the coming weeks. 

On the loch today we have seen a pair of great crested grebes, some mute swans, some Canada geese and many mallards, including some very charming yellow and brown ducklings.  Two oyster catchers were also spotted flying over the loch and the sound of a cuckoo could be heard. 

At the feeders today we have been visited by 2 bank voles and 2 red squirrels.  One of the red squirrels was particularly fond of the peanut feeder climbing completely inside the box so only its tail was visible.  Visitors of the feathered variety have included: a dunnock, a robin, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, 2 starlings, several chaffinches, 3 green finches, a siskin and a yellow hammer. 

Lindsay

SITA Species Protection Officer