Male love bird arrives at famous Boat of Garten nest
The resident male osprey has now arrived at the Loch Garten nest - and seen off a love rival - giving hopes that there will be more chicks fledged again this summer.
EJ, the regular female osprey at the reserve by Boat of Garten is back for her tenth consecutive season.
She was joined at the nest later last week by a new male known as Blue XD, on account of his blue leg ring.
There was no sig of Odin, EJ’s regular partner of the past three seasons.
RSPB Scotland site manager at Loch Garten Richard Thaxton picks up the story so far.
He said: "Though a new male for us here at Loch Garten, Blue is a veteran osprey who usually nests elsewhere in Strathspey, and has done for many years.
"So, when he fetched up with us we wondered why wasn’t he back at his own nest?
"A quick check revealed that his nest had collapsed over the winter and though he had begun to build a new nest in a nearby tree, the sticks had all fallen through the tree to the ground.
"With his own regular female not there yet either, Blue has clearly been out on the ran-dan and found our lonesome EJ at the Loch Garten nest".
He continued: "In Odin’s absence, EJ seemed content to embark on a new relationship and Blue soon got his talons under the table, so to speak.
"He courted her by bringing nesting material, the occasional fish and by mating with her many times and it was looking like this was going to be the osprey pairing at Loch Garten this year.
"Then on Sunday (April 1), the first day the Loch Garten Osprey Centre opened to visitors for this season, Odin arrived.
"Only moments before, EJ had been at the nest with Blue in attendance, but on hearing another male displaying high above the nest, perhaps recognising it as Odin’s display call, it was as if she feared that she’d been caught-out, playing away, in flagrante, and she turned on the hapless Blue, striking him viciously.
"This was Odin’s cue to plummet to the nest, send Blue packing and reclaim EJ and the Garten eyrie for himself.
"An aerial dog-fight battle ensued with both males chasing each other and we’ve not seen Blue since and EJ and Odin appear to be back together as the Garten pair for their fourth season together."
Mr Thaxton added: "Once it was discovered that Blue’s nest had collapsed, a solid basic platform of stick was built on Saturday in the hope that if Odin did return and oust him, that he would go back to his own nest and await his own female.
"And lo, we were just in time. Hopefully that’s where he now is and awaiting his own regular female osprey.
"Meantime Odin and EJ continue to refurbish the nest, mate and all being well, we are hopeful that eggs will be laid in about 10 to 12 days time."
The Osprey Centre is now open daily from 10am to 6pm or the birds’ fortunes at the nest can be followed on the live-streamed webcam and on the osprey blog: http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochgarten/abernethyvideo.aspx.
