It’s been a glorious week at Loch of the Lowes, with blue skies and sunshine dominating the weather, until some much needed rain fell from the skies on Sunday night and throughout Monday.

After a tricky period of fluctuating fish deliveries and lots of pressure on the nest, including a skydancing male osprey and 6 intruders in the sky on Monday 12th, it has been encouraging to see LM12 be more consistent in his hunting this week, averaging around 5 fish a day, with a record breaking 11 fish on Thursday 15th June.

Whilst 11 fish in one day is an unusually high catch, this fishy protein boost has done wonders for the rapidly growing chicks and kept them well hydrated during the very dry and hot weather. The fish came in a variety of sizes and species, including brown trout, perch and pike. LM12 delivered fish at;

• 4:29am
• 5:46am
• 11:52am
• 12:56am
• 1:51pm
• 3:44pm
• 4:32pm
• 4:57pm
• 6:49pm
• 7:50pm
• 10:57pm

I’m sure you’ll agree he earned resting his talons for a bit after that haul!

The youngest chick known as ‘Bob 2’ (on account of the distinctive ‘bobblehead’ of a newly hatched chick) has grown in confidence throughout the week, deploying its new feeding tactic to good effect.  As on all raptor nests, the most dominant chick gets fed first. Whilst this can be tough for us humans to watch, it is one of the ways osprey parents ensure the strongest chicks survive. Less dominant and smaller chicks need to wait until their siblings are full, and hope there is enough fish left for them.

‘Bob 2’ learnt quickly to curl up into a submissive ball and stay clear during the start of the feed. However, as it got hungrier it began to use some cunning tactics of its own, sidling up on the opposite side of NC0 to ensure it didn’t get attacked and could receive plenty of food!

When food is plentiful, feeding times are a much more relaxed affair and NC0 does a great job of stuffing the chicks full at every opportunity until their crops and bellies are popping!

Let’s face it, we have all looked like ‘Bob 2’ after an all you can eat buffet!

It’s a tough life being a young osprey chick, tasked with nothing but eating, preening, resting and sleeping. That said it takes a lot of energy to grow as quickly as osprey chicks do. Their high protein fish fueled diet enables them to grow to almost 70% of their full size within the first 4-5 weeks! Their strategy of eating as much as they can at every opportunity will ensure they have plenty fat reserves stored on their body for their first arduous migration in a few months time.

With the chicks growing fast and now just over 5 weeks old, the urge and instinct to fly is also increasing. Over the coming weeks the youngsters will test their rapidly developing wings and build up their flying muscles, by holding them into the wind and awkwardly flapping them. You can hear the squeaks of delight as ‘Bob 1’ experiences the uplift sensation from the steady breeze. All being well, it won’t be long before they are both flying and landing with the style and grace of their mother NC0 in another 2-3 weeks time.

Of course with all this rapid growth there is less room on the nest for NC0, who at night has taken to start roosting at the edge of the nest or on her favourite perch-branch overnight.

Not only has NC0 given up her ‘spot on the bed’, but come rain or shine she has diligently protected the young ospreys from the weather. Like a sundial the chicks move around the nest taking shade from the shadow cast by her ever watchful presence. The same can be said of the torrential (and much needed) rain of Sunday night and Monday. Although the chicks are getting pretty big now, NC0 did a great job of sheltering them from the worst of the downpour under her body and wings!

With the return (for now) of some greyer and windier conditions, LM12’s hunting prowess is once again being challenged. Fingers and talons crossed that he continues to deliver corkers like this brown trout to keep things content on the nest.

Make sure you stay tuned to the live webcam to follow the action and keep up to date with the daily lives of the ospreys by following us on Twitter or Facebook for regular updates.

‘Raz’ Rasmussen, Perthshire Ranger

The Trust’s Osprey Protection Programme at Loch of the Lowes is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.