I TOLD YOU….

Well, it took 48 hours from writing the blog expressing my concern about the non-arrival of the birds, but the ploy worked and Samson duly arrived this morning, in torrential rain and pursued by the local jackdaws. He was soaked, and I struggled to see him properly (see the picture below) but eventually he dried out sufficiently to make out the head feather pattern. His behaviour was certainly that of the laird returning to his castle, ignoring the jackdaws and sitting proudly and confidently on the nest perch.

His first gardening job was to tackle a self seeded rape plant which was several inches high on the nest and about to flower. Using his beak like a pair of secateurs, that was quickly snipped off and then he used the egg cupping technique of lying on his keel and scuffing with his feet to get rid of some of the other vegetation on the nest. Well, I think that’s what he was doing behind the big blob of rain on the camera lens. All I could see of that activity was an occasional wing, or a head with his chin on the ground, or a foot!

He flew off after being on the nest for about 90 minutes and didn’t return while I was there, so I imagine he’s gone fishing. He’ll have to find a loch because the river is almost bursting its banks, is fast flowing and very muddy, so he’ll have no luck there today.

Now, the question is, has JW6 been in the area, lurking like she did last year, but not on camera? I rather doubt it but the next few days will show us. Once he has recovered from his flight and has done more to the nest to make it presentable, Samson will be skydancing to attract a mate. If JW6 arrives, he will settle with her, but if she doesn’t, then hopefully another female will be attracted by him and come calling.