Ups and Downs of Nature

I think the last week has really demonstrated the power Mother Nature has over us.  For the last month and a half, the Eagle Watch team have been carefully keeping a beady eye over the nest of Skye and Frisa, alerted to any snap of a twig, hint of a motorised vehicle approaching, the whirr of a cyclist's wheel - all in an attempt to protect the nest from any disturbance either deliberate or otherwise.  They give up their free time, use their own vehicles, often travelling long distances, sit for hours in cold damp conditions - all for the same reason - that Skye and Frisa can safely hatch their eggs free from harm of man!  The one thing we cannot interfere with is the great Mother Nature.  Sadly she had other ideas.  The weather was awful to put it mildly - cold, hail stones, snow, gale force winds - you name it - the nest got if full blast.  How could a little chick survive that.  I keep wondering if there was anything I missed, anything I could have done differently but it all comes back to the same answer - you cant interfere with nature.  This year it just not meant to be.  There are another 9 pairs of white tailed eagles nesting on Mull - one of those, as expected, have not laid but fingers crossed we will have some good news on our other pairs.  Skye and Frisa - take this year off as parents - come back next year and try again - we will be waiting for you ready to watch over you again.

Mute Swan, Aros

There is a really flurry of activity at Loch Frisa - the sand martins are busy feeding as well as relining their burrows; a pair of pied and grey wagtails are busily building their nests at the back of the car park; our buzzard is sitting on two eggs at present  and we are lucky to have a camera on the nest with pictures beamed back to the hide; a couple of new visitors to the feeders - a lesser redpoll and a male reed bunting who is getting so fat will soon be unable to fly.

Lesser Redpoll, Loch Frisa