Loch Fadd, Isle of Bute
I was beginning to think I would not make it back to Bute this year. Then the flow of life, as it sometimes does, brought opportunity when I least expected it, so I flowed with it and found myself at Loch Fadd once again looking for Osprey. At the time of writing I believe Bute now has 3 nesting pairs which is a heart warming nature success story. Having been brought up since school age about the rarity of this bird in Scotland it has always had that certain mystique. So much so, that even seeing them nesting on the top of lampposts in Florida, right next to the freeway, in November last year, has done nothing to soften my perspective.
Of course they don’t just turn up when you arrive. There is some waiting involved. Well, it’s not really ‘waiting’ is it? Waiting is a mindset that implies you want something in the future, that you are not happy with the present and it’s challenging not to be present at Loch Fadd on a beautiful May morning. There is so much going on!
The resident swans have signets at the moment, so they are naturally more territorial than normal. This can be an issue when you are an eider duck, that strays into swan territorial waters. I watched with great amusement, as the poor eiders were harrassed from one part of the loch to another. Then for the whole drama to repeat itself again and again until eventually they disappeared off into the reeds and peace descended once more..
Watching swans harassing ducks is entertaining, as is watching these huge birds taking off and landing. They slap the surface of the water with those big, flat, webbed feet, enormous wings pummelling the air to lift them skyward. I call it the swan ‘slap and flap’.
Then ever so gracefully they glide over the water, those big feet extended, now transformed into very effective water skis, wings held wide acting as air brakes, they ski across the surface before dropping into the water with a very loud and ‘unswanlike’ splash..
With so much to keep me interested I almost missed the arrival of the Osprey, then I spotted a familiar shape heading down the loch. From a distance, Osprey in flight can look very gull-like, with their long wings that appear kinked at the joint. A quick look through the camera confirmed it was not another gull!
I am not familiar with the various pairs that nest here, but I did notice that this one appeared to have not been tagged, possibly one of the newer residents. It headed behind me to Kirk Dam and I followed, hoping I would get a clear image of it diving for a fish. There were many intervals of hovering and each time I excitedly anticipated a dive towards the water. Alas not today.
I was content just to watch, but sorry that it hadn’t been successful, its a big loch and I’m sure it found dinner at another spot. So I said goodbye to Loch Fadd for now, feeling grateful for the time spent being witness to nature and all its never ending drama and beauty.
Now...lets go and find some otters….