The drive to the Loch of the Lowes reserve this morning felt like an opening scene from King Kong – mist swirled along the lanes & the cloud base engulfed the approach to the Loch! The warm sunshine soon cleared the view to the nest & what a day we have had since!

There have been three different intruding male ospreys, all extremely intent on taking a look at the osprey nest with one almost landing. Alarm calls have been frequent with the chick responding by lying very flat in the nest. Our female has stayed close to the nest all day & our male has positioned himself on his usual vantage points to keep an eye out for the cheeky intruders & protect the nest as required. There have been a number of spectacular aerial chases across the loch with our male only returning once the intruders have flown away. There was a fish brought to the nest by our male just before 6.00 this morning & an attempt at a fish in front of the hides just before 9.00.

Our female chick is continuing to make short flights around the loch & is improving her landing skills. Visitors were treated at one point to a sighting of 4 ospreys flying above the nest.

Other sightings around the loch have been a red throated diver, regular visits from fallow deer & 3 woodpeckers all together on the dead tree in front of the osprey nest.

Val