The arrival of our couple, virtually together, was first snapped @ 19:12
©SANDRA !!!
©RICHARD G B
©SHEENA
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Yikes !!! I thought I must have missed it but it's all there waiting for attention :)))
Thank you, everyone, for the super captures and info :)
I can't believe they arrived together - but they did! ;-D
Three matings altogether, only the first successful, IMHO. They were on the nest nearly 13 minutes, this is cut down to 5 but no significant activity missing - you know how they like to stand and (males) mantle and (females) look a bit nonplussed ;)
UNCUT VERSION:
The first was the best ;)
He sat here for ages after his second nestcupping:
.
IMAGICAT
Louis looking beautiful (I do hope it is Louis!!)
He flew off between the two hillocks in the background, and returned a couple of minutes later, when he stood in the cup and moved any twig within reach!
Then was on watch again
before flying at 09.59
© The Woodland Trust Loch Arkaig OP
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
patily said:ENS
Patily There are a lot of birch and larch which are of course deciduous. I imagine that as spring moves on, the leaves appear and the colours become more green it will be more like the views we are perhaps used to. Being that far north the seasons are slower to change too.
I was a bit alarmed by your comment Scylla. Has Aila not been seen for say 12 hours?
ENS since Louis flew off
Richard B
Unknown said:
MaryGK said: Need to see them both together to know who is who - out of practise with this pair, first time I have seen one of them live on the nest.
Mary, I think this pair's chest patterns are less well differentiated than other ospreys.
Korky I was doubting myself after I had posted it was Louis and edited my post :-) I always thought Louis wasn't the most handsomest of Ospreys, but he looked quite lovely this morning, so thought oh maybe its Aila. I wish it had been as it seems she hasn't been seen for some time now... and you know how we fret over them when we don't see them.
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023
Ian S said:
Mary at 06.51, that is Louis favourite perch tree you circled, so far this morning only Louis has been on the nest, still on it at the moment (07.51). WT did indeed issue a blog about the extra precautions taken to Marten proof the tree. Ian
PS - good morning all
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Thank You Ian, I thought it may have been his favourite tree, but couldn't remember for sure if it was that one or not, so good to have confirmation.
Liz Bracken, who volunteers for the Loch Arkaig project, and can see the nest thru a scope, said earlier
"Unfortunately I can't get a clear view of the nest area this morning as it's quite hazy and the sun is at the wrong angle!"
Apparently both Louis and Aila went after an intruder around 16.00hrs yesterday, 7 April. She added "I'm pretty sure it was the same intruder that was about earlier on. I don't think she's been back to the nest since? "
But reassuringly she added that "Louis was skydancing at dawn this morning - would he do that if she wasn't about?"
I have posted this with her permission.
15.44 Still no sign of either.
A y-shaped stick on the right of the nest is bouncing around now. I think that might fall off soon if no one appears to attend to it!
It seems to be in a slightly different position to earlier, presumably due to the wind
16.13 I wrote this a while ago, and forgot to post - the sun has moved around now and the wind has dropped, so the stick is hanging on LOL
I replayed that stick several times to make sure no-one was responsible for its movement, SHEILA ;)
This is the last I've seen of anyone on the nest - dear Louis flying off after his final nestorising session and a wait for Aila:
Still no sign of either, BUT Liz Bracken (with permission) reports
17.25 There's currently an osprey sitting in a tree near the nest. No idea who but here's hoping