I’ve always wondered what happened to them. Those historic young brothers Itchy and Scratchy, the sea eagle twins from Springwatch Series 1, Programme 1, May 2005. The five week old siblings captured our hearts when they were beamed into the living rooms of an unsuspecting British nation as this new TV wildlife phenomenon burst onto our screens that late spring evening.
As the countdown to the live OB from Mull got ever closer, our pulses quickened. Jenny in the Gallery Truck calmly stated “coming to Mull in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6…”. Simon got himself comfortable on the damp tree stump:“…4, 3, 2, 1…and cue Simon…”
Itchy & Scratchy by Iain Erskine
As I looked anxiously at the monitor, there was the glorious adult female Frisa feeding those two mischievous chicks. She’d flown in right on time and was poised mid-feed as if she knew what to do on live telly. What a pro. Itchy still had some down on his head; Scratchy had lost most of his. Apart from that slight difference they looked well matched and of equal size. Their future looked bright.
Itchy as a chick by Iain Erskine
As the director cut to Camera 2 there was the noble Skye, Frisa’s loyal mate, preening in the early evening sun. It couldn’t have gone better. The first live link to Mull and the eagle’s nest was a ratings hit. Over the following week, there was much more to come; viewers saw the chicks grow larger even in that short time but we were always left wondering…what happened next?
Both Itchy and Scratchy fledged successfully in late July. They loitered around Forestry Commission Scotland’s Loch Frisa estate through the late summer and early autumn. Scratchy was first to disperse and Itchy soon followed. I last saw him in October 2005 perched atop a mighty conifer as I dashed for the ferry early one Saturday morning. He was looking out across the Sound of Mull and to the vast wild country beyond. He’d been safe on Mull but what awaited him as he wandered far and wide through the hills and glens of mainland Scotland?
Sea eagles can still have a hard time in parts of Scotland, just as they did in the late 19th and early 20th Century just prior to their extinction as a native British breeding bird. They were shot, poisoned and persecuted until only a few survived. Then the egg collectors and taxidermists finished the last ones off. A very sorry track record in Scottish history. We’d like to think things have changed now, for the better. They have in many ways: sea eagles are back after 40 years and three phases of reintroduction attempts on the west and east coasts. They’ll soon be at 100 pairs. It sounds a lot but it’s not. They and other birds of prey remain vulnerable to many of the same antiquated, out-lawed methods of persecution that wiped them out in 1918. A modern, forward-looking Scotland needs to address this stubborn stain on its character. The eyes of the world are watching.
Luckily for sea eagles (and Itchy in particular) they also have many friends. Some landowners, farmers, ‘keepers and local communities actually have no issue (and many quite like) having this long lost native birds back in their midst. Despite the headlines, most work quietly and under the radar to ensure they thrive and we should all be grateful for that. The conservation NGOs and Government agencies like SNH and FCS all embrace the return of the sea eagle and take their responsibilities seriously by protecting the sea eagles which nest on their land, often having to adjust forest plans to accommodate them.
Scratchy was last seen in 2008. A farmer’s dog in the Highlands near Spean Bridge was appearing at the back door with fish bones. The farmer followed the dog one day to the secret cache of fishy delights by the river bank and their above him was Scratchy in a tree eating a salmon. He had done well to survive that long and there’s every chance he’s still out there today. I like to think he is. Maybe we’ll find him one day.
Their amazing parents Skye and Frisa are 20 and 22 years old respectively and this year are feeding the next generation of Scottish sea eagles. We ringed her the other day and she was feisty and strong. The hands of our ringer Justin have the scars to prove it! It’s always a good day when I see Skye and Frisa, perfectly at home, back where they belong. And I’m always reminded of Frisa’s mum, Blondie, who raised that first chick of the reintroduction project, here on Mull, way back in 1985. What a superb pedigree they all have from the Matriach herself…gone but not forgotten.
And so to Itchy – well I’m delighted, relieved, over-joyed and proud to say he is alive and well, now aged nine and paired up with a family of his own. As was seen in the Springwatch film with Iolo Williams and our Mission Impossible to a ‘secret location, somewhere on the wild west coast’.
Itchy's Daughter by Iolo Williams
Again, we’re indebted to the landowner and his farming and stalking staff who keep an eye on his well being. He has chosen well. A perfect nest site, abundant prey and a good mate. He should have many more productive years ahead of him. Maybe we’ll come back to see him on the 20th anniversary of Springwatch ?
Itchy as an adult by Catherine Fotheringham:RSPB
As we left him to his wild domain, he was soaring way out to sea. His white tail gleaming against the blue Hebridean waters. All the Springwatch crew wished him well. He was probably still watching us go. The eagle with the sunlit eye.
Mull Eagle Watch is a partnership between Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Mull & Iona Community Trust, RSPB and Police Scotland. VisitScotland assist the project and the local community and volunteers help protect the eagles. Itchy and Scratchy were named by pupils from Dervaig Primary School in 2005. Nowat High School and beyond, some students still ask after Itchy and Scratchy…
Dave Sexton
Picture credits - Iain Erskine, Catherine Fotheringham & Iolo Williams
