Adult White tailed Sea Eagle  by kind permission of Sindri Skulason 


December 2010
It's been 25 years since Mull's first successfully fledged white-tailed eagle chick in 1985. Across the west coast, we've celebrated this anniversary with a record breeding season of 52 established pairs, 46 young fledged and some significant expansions in their west coast Hebridean range. Here on Mull, the 10 pairs of established adult sea eagles successfully fledged 10 young including one pair which bred for the first time. Two new chicks were fitted with SNH-funded satellite tags in the final year of a three year study into immature sea eagle dispersal. This year's chick were a male called Midge and a female called Shelly. 
You can follow their progress since they fledged in July at www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/mulleagles
The original two chicks Mara and Breagha from Loch Frisa in 2008 are still doing well but sadly all contact was`lost with the 2009 chicks Oran and Venus. They had been on the move and their satellite tags working well just prior to their disappearance. 
It's reported that there may be several new pairings underway in different parts of Mull and we might well expect there to be some additional nesting attempts in 2011. 
All sightings of sea eagles are still very welcome, especially of those with wing tags or radio/satellite tags. 
Please send any sightings to david.sexton@rspb.org.uk or 01680 300 387/07818 803 382. 
Both Irish and east coast released sea eagles have been known to occur on Mull this year so please report anything you see. Reports of adults anywhere on the Ross of Mull are of particular interest at this time. 
The Eagle Hide at Loch Frisa is open for trips all winter. A considerable amount from the 2010 Eagle Fund money has already been distributed to local groups and good causes. 
call Debby Thorne on 07920 817 362 to arrange a trip and help support this project and the island community. 

young Sea Eagle chick just fledged. by Sindri Skulason

              East coast birds release program:
note the tag style of these (and other) East coast young birds in another release program .
A white tag with a distinctive black bar above and below the letter or number
We would expect to find these birds over on the west at some time during this winter and any sightings (with tag details) would be greatly appreciated.
Good views of White tailed Sea Eagles can be had from many areas on the island, and a circular route from Salen to Loch na Keal round to Loch Scridain and through Glen More, back to Craignure will provide plenty of opportunities to see both Golden Eagles and White tailed Sea Eagles.  Scarisdale Rocks in Loch na Keal is another favorite place, these birds can sit around for hours on the rocks provided they are not disturbed.Scan any and all of the hills for Golden Eagles which can be seen in most areas.

Each year the young birds are tagged on the upper wing only, with a coloured  tag with a white or black letter. Different wing tags are also used on some other birds and these have a single colour with a white base plus a number.
It is more valuable information when reports include tag details.
 

2009 10th July one chick at Loch Frisa found dead at the bottom of the tree nest. It fledged too early at 10.5 weeks (usually 12 weeks) The other chick fledged successfully.
This years chicks from Loch Ba and Glen Selisdeir have been radio tagged

2008  The Lochdon/Grasspoint birds have failed this year. The birds were disturbed early on in their breeding 
             cycle and this might have something to do with the failiure as the adult birds were kept off the nest for a 
             period  of hours whilst the person disturbing them, (a visiting photographer) took photographs from 
             underneath the nest, of both the adult birds in the  air. 
            All very disappointing  for those who have spent time on eaglewatch this year, the birds have not been wing   tagged this year.

2007     8 chicks. tags white with black lettering  A. E. (G) L. M. P. two chicks have not been tagged
            two chicks were lost in April at Loch Frisa due to a tradgic freak accident when both chicks (only 
            days old) fell out of the nest which had slipped. 
           White G was found poisened in Angus in May 2008.

2006    10 chicks. tags yellow with black letters:   A, C, E, F, G, H, L, N, O, P,

2005    8 chicks. tags red with white letters:    I, 0, S, V,  X,  Z, 
            (2 birds were not tagged) 

2004     6 chicks. tags  bottle green with white letters: A, H, O, X, Y, Z.
             Green 0 found dead near the nest, August 2004, believed to be natural causes

2003     7 chicks fledged . Pink  with black letters:  H, O, V, X, Z.
             (2 birds were not tagged)

 2002     Blue,           2001     White/solid black triangle,  2000     Yellow,
 1999     Red,            1998     Green,      1997     Blue,       1996   Grey,
 1995     White,         1994    Yellow,      1993     Red         1992     Green,     1991   Blue,
 1990     White,         1989    Yellow.      1988     Orange.


This is the web site of Alan Spellman, 'Maridon' Lochdon, Isle of Mull. PA64  6AP