LOCH ARKAIG - The Woodland Trust - May 2020

Korky 30/04/2020 22:57

Louis arrived on the 5th April and Aila a day later. They were quickly into the old routine of making the nest cosy, stickifying, catching and eating fish, and mating of course. Three eggs were laid ON THE SAME DATES as last year - 23rd, 26th and 29th April. Last year's eggs hatched on 1 and 4 June, although egg 2 failed during hatching and was removed from the nest on 7 June. Let's hope for a healthy trio this year, although we don't want a repeat of snow on 13 May.

Ian S 31/05/2020 11:22

11.13, Aila gets up to drag the fish across the cup. The bob wisely ducks! Aila eats some and starts feeding. Unfortunately she is betwen the camera & chick. Ian
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Ian S 31/05/2020 12:00

11.59, Aila has been looking overhead and alarm calling. Louis lands with a stick and flies off upwards. One bird lands as another flies past. I think it is Louis on the nest but Aila flaps whoever it is off anyway. Ian

EDIT - it might not have been Louis that landed second time, when Aila flapped it off I thought I may have seen a trace of a BTO ring on the right leg, left leg not seen.

EDIT 2 - There was a blue ring on the left leg, see 11.59.29 as the bird was coming in to land.
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Korky 31/05/2020 12:31

Wash and brush up in anticipation of the new month and hatching of chicks 2 and 3

(c) WT Loch Arkaig
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Ian S 31/05/2020 12:33 in reply to Korky

Hopefully we will see chick two before this site grinds to a halt tomorrow. Ian
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Geemeff 31/05/2020 12:56

Slo-mo of the intruder:

Close up of the ring makes me think I can see a zero but too blurry to be sure.
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Ian S 31/05/2020 13:24

13.22, Louis arrives, makes straight for the fish lying on the nest and flies without even stopping to say hello! Ian
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Ian S 31/05/2020 15:30

15.26, Louis brings in a nice whole fish. Ian
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Ian S 31/05/2020 15:49

15.36 to 15.39, neither Louis nor I can see where Aila has hidden the uneaten fish. I strain my eyes while he paces around the nest. Eventually he finds it under her tail and flies off with it. I am sure he will bring some back. As a result of Aila's positioning, I don't know how much little bob got. Ian
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Ian S 31/05/2020 15:58

Ref the last fish, it was quick work by Louis as he had been on the nest at 15.21, so five minutes taken to get the fish. He had come in to watch over things as Aila had gone for a flyabout. Ian
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Korky 31/05/2020 16:20

A snap from around an hour ago

(c) WT Loch Arkaig
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