LOCH ARKAIG - The Woodland Trust - April 2020

Last season Louis and Aila arrived on their nest almost at the same instant on the 4th of April.  Here's to a repeat, but a few days earlier to save our anxiety.

WEBCAM, compliments of the Woodland Trust and the People's Postcode Lottery.

  • 14.36, camera jumps from Aila on the nest fish calling to 14.39 Louis on the nest feaking. I think there must have been a fish delivery in between. When Aila comes back at 15.35 (with a clump of earth) her crop looks full. Mating at 15.36, Aila seemed reluctant but Louis was not to be denied. 15.40, Aila to the camera. 16.50, Louis brings in a large stick. They are both watching something with interest, Louis flies in the direction they were looking. Aila goes up to the camera at 17.01. One clump of moss (see Cathy's post) clinging on for dear life at the edge of the nest. Ian

  • Thursday 16 April. Aila arrives at 05.13 & is on the perch at 05.14. Louis arrives at 05.30 & tries an unsuccessful mating on the perch. Headless fish at 06.11 taken with no fuss by Aila. 07.28, Aila had been back on the nest for a while when Louis arrives with a small (& frankly old) looking bit of fish. They are both alert & Aila shows no interest in the fish so Louis eats it .Aila has a wee fly about & returns still with no interest in the fish so Louis polishes it off by about 07.46 after which he flies. Successful mating at 08.31. Louis brings in a nice clump of moss at 08.33. Ian

  • 08.37, a couple of deer run from about a 1 o'clock position left to right. Ian
  • Fnishing off last night - which I did too long ago to remember the mental commentary that went with the snaps :'(  Oh yes!  Aila was last away @ 19:45, no-one seen after that.

    Aila's tail betraying her presence on the campost - as IAN, I think, has remarked :)

    Well-fed Louis!  With Aila on the Robin's perch this time:

    This was Louis flying in with the (what I call) springy clump (some of which has since blown away, after hard work broke it up):

    This morning

    I could not find any sign of an intruder but Aila flew in definitely suspicious:

    I've had dropouts on some of the YouTube streams overnight/this morning, so have missing patches.

  • 10.09, they are both alert & shoot off the nest, but not calling. 10.27, Louis brings in a pole vault stick. 10.31, Aila to the camera. Ian
  • 11.09, mating on the camera. Ian
  • 11.53, they arrive on the nest together, Aila with a clump of moss. 12.11, successful mating. 12.13, Aila is on the camera. Ian

  • Some snips to Ian's commentary

    09.21  Louis moves the large stick further to the back of the nest

    He places it, then replaced it.  I'm not sure whether Aila's look is approval or disapproval

    09.49 Louis flies off

    And returns

    10.10 they both fly off - the lovely soft bedding

    10.18 Aila returns - what's he got now?

    Louis pole vaults back to the nest.  Aila ducks

    manoeuvring 

    They both flew off, 11.53 Aila brought in her own small token - the long thin stick on the left.  Louis followed her back

    They have been sitting/standing companionably on the nest since them

    I'm running behind on catch up... and just realised I had been watching the recording, not live, so missed the mating!  Thank you Ian...

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • 12.14 Aila has flown up to the campost

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/