LOCH ARKAIG - The Woodland Trust - JULY 2020

I'm starting this thread in case it's not possible for MARY to do it due to the first-of-the-month freeze-up.

Aila, Louis and their 3 chicks are flourishing, with Louis proving a great provider to the biggest family he's had so far.

I might add some snaps 'n things if I last a bit longer, but let's get the thread on the road first ;)

  • patily

    20 Jul 2020 5:53 AM

    Vera currenty has the fish but not sure if she's had it all the time

    Morning! Doddie took the fish from Louis and had it for a long time before Vera got it. Doddie had been off on flyabout until ten minutes before Louis arrived with it, wonder if he saw him eating nearby and came home for breakfast?

  • Ian S said:

    Morning, the fish Patily refers to was delivered at 05.55. I will be offline this morning until early afternoon. Ian

    Enjoy your day Ian.. hoping for an exciting finish to the cricket, I'll have the nest on chromecast on my big tv and the cricket on the other channel, I'll be listening on TMS on the radio until something exciting happens then I'll switch over, luckily the Sky coverage is a minute behind TMS. Hope Vera fledges tomorrow, too much excitement for one day!

  • 08.44, fish. Only two chicks and Aila waiting for it. Aila takes it. Ian

    EDIT - JJ6 couldn't have been far away, he does a flypast before landing within a minute or so. None of the chicks are initially interested in the fish, Aila turning her head to the side offering food but no takers at the moment.

    (c) THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY

  • Chowing down on a very fresh looking fish

    (c) WT Loch Arkaig

  • 13.06, fish. JJ8 took it and once she had left it lying on the nest JJ6 took over.. Once he was also full, Aila moved in and fed JJ7. Aila also seemed to eat a bit as well. JJ6 flew off at 14.03. Ian

    (c) THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY

  • JJ6 taking off at 14.03 per my previous post. Ian

    (c) THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY

  • Fish number four, whole trout 19.57.17 Captain gets it for a nano second before Doddie barges in and takes it. Aila screams for more as Louis departs, and Vera positions herself next to Doddie and attempts the odd sneaky bite (and an exciting finish to the cricket: England won, the series is level).

  • Vera lands on Captain's head 16.40

  • Post from WT George 10pm today, with fabulous long-lens videos of the birds perching on and off the nest from Liz B:

    Woodland Trust volunteer Liz B watches the nest through a telescope from the other side of the loch.

    She shared these clips which show the arrangement of trees behind the camera where the birds often sit.

    Louis and Doddie are sitting in a dead tree behind the camera. This is a tree that Aila often perches in keeping an eye on the nest. It is also where Louis often sits between fishing trips. When Aila fish calls at Louis he is often sitting in this tree and she yells at him until he goes off fishing.