Bird Kicks Rival's Eggs From Nest

[WhistlingJack]

Bird kicks rival's eggs from nest

An osprey has returned to a nesting site to find his long-time mate incubating the eggs of his arch-rival.

Staff at the Loch Garten Osprey Centre in the Highlands had hoped Henry would make his 3,000-mile migration from west Africa to Scotland more quickly.

But by the time he arrived his mate EJ had two eggs to another male called VS.

Henry kicked the eggs out of the nest and observers had hoped that he would believe two more that she laid were his - but he has now ejected them too.

VS has caused trouble at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve in previous seasons by attempting to mate with EJ before her usual mate arrives.

RSPB Scotland said trouble was brewing for this year's breeding season when EJ returned to the loch with VS.

Richard Thaxton, site manager, said ospreys had spent summers at the reserve since 1958.

He said: "EJ has a good breeding record, but VS is known to be something of a rogue having disrupted breeding at the Loch Garten nest site in recent years, two-timing EJ with a female of his own at a nest of his own elsewhere in Strathspey.

"Secretly, well not so secretly actually, we were hoping that Henry - EJ's regular mate - would return swiftly, drive VS from our nest and pair up with her himself.

"He is a much more reliable male osprey, a good provider of fish and something of a hero really."

Mr Thaxton said Henry would always be their male osprey-of-choice.

However, loyalties among staff wavered when VS showed signs of having given up on his old ways and stuck by EJ after she laid his eggs.

Twelve days later Henry arrived at the loch and, with VS nowhere in sight, alighted the nest beside EJ.

Mr Thaxton said: "A packed house at the osprey centre held their collective breath and watched in horror as our worse fears were realised.

"Henry, on seeing the two eggs in the nest-cup, deftly kicked one egg right out of the nest to smash below the nest and the other was kicked too - lodging precariously on the rim of the nest.

"All who witnessed this were completely stunned by what they saw and my new staff team are completed gutted by this."

Story from BBC NEWS:

Published: 2007/04/24 12:50:02 GMT

© BBC MMVII

 

[PinkTaffy]

Aww, that naughty bird, murdering his stepchildren! I wonder if they managed to keep the second egg from falling all the way. I hope they saved it, but I am guessing not?

I've quite often witnessed animals exhibiting (so-called) human-like behavior and emotions, most certainly including jealousy and spite. (For example: having lived with many cats throughout my life they definitely get jealous and vengeful!)

IMO animals are quite clever and have much more complex thoughts and feelings than many homo sapiens give them credit for.

 

[WhistlingJack]

They're all luvvy-duvvy again now...

Jealous osprey makes up with mate

An osprey which smashed rare eggs he believed were fathered by a rival is now helping to incubate a fresh clutch with his mate.

The bird, called Henry, horrified visitors at the Loch Garten Centre on Speyside when he deliberately destroyed four eggs last month.

The female, EJ, had mated with an older rogue male called VS rather than her usual partner.

It now appears that she and Henry have been fully reconciled.

Ospreys from West Africa have been coming to Loch Garten for 50 years.

This year, the saga of jealousy and violence began when EJ returned before Henry and mated with VS.

When Henry arrived he knew the eggs in the nest were not his and kicked them out. He did the same to the next clutch.

Staff at the RSPB hide had feared the pair would fail to breed this season.

However, two weeks on EJ has laid again. Henry is the father and he has been helping his mate incubate the eggs.

Story from BBC NEWS:

Published: 2007/05/11 22:59:33 GMT

© BBC MMVII

 

[WhistlingJack]

Staff Ecstatic as Chick Hatches

Staff ecstatic as chick hatches



The first of three eggs fathered by an osprey that destroyed a rival's clutch has hatched.

The twists and turns in the feathered soap opera involving three adult birds of prey at Loch Garten in the Highlands has captivated the public and RSPB.

Osprey Henry arrived from wintering in West Africa to find his long-time mate EJ had laid eggs with rival male VS.

Henry kicked the eggs from the nest, before fathering a fresh clutch which EJ has been incubating.

The first of the three eggs hatched early on Thursday morning, with the other two chicks expected to hatch over the next few days.

Loch Garten osprey centre manager, Richard Thaxton, told BBC Scotland's news website that all three chicks would have a good chance of surviving provided there was plenty of food available.

He added: "This is fantastic news. We're just delighted that it looks like being a happy end to the season, and that visitors will actually be able to see osprey chicks here at the centre.

"EJ laid four eggs near the end of April, but Henry, her regular mate, got rid of those when he arrived back from West Africa.

"Thankfully, Henry's really good at catching fish and both birds are in their prime, so she did re-lay in mid May.

"What's happened this year is really unusual, so we're privileged to have played host to such a wonderful story."

Osprey from West Africa have been flying to Loch Garten for 50 years.

Story from BBC NEWS:

Published: 2007/06/14 12:08:06 GMT

© BBC MMVII

 

[WhistlingJack]

Loch's Last Two Osprey Chicks Die

Loch's last two osprey chicks die

The two remaining chicks fathered by an osprey that kicked a rival's eggs from a nest have died.

Osprey Henry destroyed the clutch at Loch Garten, near Aviemore, after returning to find his long-time mate EJ had mated with another male, VS.

However, he went on to father a fresh three eggs with EJ.

The first chick hatched last week, but Henry accidentally killed it. Now the other two have died bringing an abrupt end to the reserve's breeding season.

RSPB Scotland, which runs the osprey centre, said visitors will still be able to see the adult birds at the nest site.

Story from BBC NEWS:

Published: 2007/06/21 13:03:19 GMT

© BBC MMVII