Our female osprey has been doing the vast majority of egg incubation today, in contrast to yesterday, and has been turning the eggs very regularly. Both birds have been doing some panting today in the warm spring weather- a perfectly normal way of dispersing heat for them. Otherwise its been a routine day- a welcome relief after the dramas on Tuesday.

 Elsewhere on the loch the first crop of Mallard ducklings have hatched- nine in all are being seen around the Visitors centre and feeding station, though the other female duck ( affectionately known as Mrs Mallard) is still sitting on her huge clutch of 13 eggs by the children’s hide window.

 

 

 We have had exciting news today about an intruder osprey who was spotted over this nest earlier this spring- it turns out it is an older bird  ‘White NP’ ( hatched 1997) from near Lairg in Sutherland ( far northern Scotland). This really brings home the idea discussed yesterday about breeding birds from other nests dropping in on route.