August is the month when we've seen the Loch Arkaig ospreys depart on their journey south. We've enjoyed watching them this year - the wonderful parenting skills of Aila and Louis, and the antics of their 3 chicks, Captain, Vera and Doddie.
Mary GK did an absolutely wonderful video summarising the 2020 season. Thank you so much Mary! And here is Geemeff's great compilation, thank you!
2020 last dates:
Doddie JJ6 was last seen at the nest on Saturday 15th August 2020
Aila was last seen on Saturday 22nd August 2020
Captain JJ7 was last seen on Sunday 23rd August 2020
Vera JJ8 was last seen on Saturday 5 September.
An unidentified osprey was seen off camera on Sunday 6 September eating a fish. This could well have been Louis, having arrived and found no Vera around to feed.
Doddie JJ6 was videod and photographed fishing for over a fortnight at Avalon Marshes in Somerset
Link to July 2020 thread
Link to Youtube channel
Link to Woodland Trust Loch Arkaig page/webcam feed
13.17, Aila swallows the flat fish tail. 13.20, JJ7 arrives, 13.21, Aila leaves. 13.22, JJ7 has a look at JJ6's fish but JJ6 gives a little warning that it is not on offer. Ian
13.43, JJ6 leaves the fish tail (actually a bit more than just the tail), he flies off to the right ejecting a huge squirt as he goes. JJ7 gives up on the tail (I think) and departs at 13.58. JJ7 comes back and is perching on a stick just under Robin's (& Aila's) nest side perch. Ian.
14.28, JJ7 jumps from the nest side perch (see previous post) as Louis delivers a headless fish. JJ6 (I think as he landed on the front perch) arrives after Louis leaves. JJ7 has the fish. Ian
(c) THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY
There's a lot of concern about JJ8 being unwell and not eating.
I'll admit she doesn't look a happy girl, but her crop is pretty full, so she isn't starving.
© The Woodland trust
Richard B
JJ7 has a fish while JJ6 looks on longingly. No sign of sis
EDIT JJ6 now eating a scrag end, as my old mother would say
(c) WT Loch Arkaig
Ian S said:I saw the speculation on WT chat that JJ8 was injured in her scuffle with JJ6 yesterday morning over the 10.11 fish (as reported on this thread). I don't subscribe to that view because a) it wasn't a major scuffle, JJ6 made no real contact with JJ8 & b) it was JJ8 who had a firm grip of JJ6's head feathers. Ian
I'm with you, Ian, I think she's had plenty to eat and is just head down due to the cold and wet. I learned two new words today which suit the nest in this weather, you probably already knew them:
Plowetery - Messy, dirty wet and showery.
Oorlich - Damp, chilly and utterly unpleasant.
15.47, Aila comes to the nest as she also did at 14.57 (a nice transposition of the figures!). Ian