Last Wednesday the 27th of August, our long time and very charismatic resident male, Xavier, disappeared without a trace. He had been partnered with Diamond since 2016 – and in fact arrived a few days after the loss of Bula when the eggs were just starting to hatch. Interestingly, he was the third suitor to arrive – a juvenile and a female having been rejected!
Despite long hours searching, we have not found him, so I am assuming that he has had an accident, perhaps while hunting and has died. Such a loss. He was an excellent father (and step-father in 2016), dancer and provider of prey. He never quite understood that Diamond didn’t really like starlings and would bring them to the box over and over again, sometimes in disguise, hoping she would accept them. And every year she had to teach him afresh that he had not just catch the prey, but hand it over to her as well. I suspect that is something all males struggle with.
Vale, Xavier, you and your quirky ways will be sorely missed
