Loch Garten Osprey
At Loch Garten the RSPB have set up a large hide to allow the public to see their ospreys. There was quite a story so they they were on national news this year.
4th April EJ lands on nest at 4.55p.m.
5th April Orange arrives. Henry has not yet returned so EJ pairs up with him.
18th April EJ lays first egg. (would have hatched 25th May)
21st April EJ lays second egg.
22nd April Henry is back. Oh no! He kicks the eggs out of the nest!
24th April EJ lays her third egg at 8.50 a.m. and a fourth at 10 a.m. Henry kicks them both out.
11th May EJ lays her fifth egg, the first in a very rare third clutch.
14th May EJ makes headlines with her sixth egg!
16th May Seventh egg laid making full clutch again!
14th June First egg hatches :))
15th June First chick dies.
16th June Second chick hatches.
17th June Second chick dies.
20th June Third chick dies in egg while trying to hatch.
25th June Henry attempts to mate with EJ
28th June Intruding osprey sits on camera not looking very happy. In nest EJ and Henry mantle their wings.
Eggs are not laid as soon as 2 days after mating so Henry knew the 3rd and 4th eggs were not his. Eggs are normally laid a few days apart. It is thought that the female aborted the 4th knowing it would be thrown out of the nest. The failure of the last three eggs is thought to be due to inferior quality of this unusual third clutch.