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
Unknown said:What a lovely sweet video. Vera looks huge next to Doddie at the start of the video. Thank you Geemeff
My pleasure, it was a sweet moment but also a little odd!
This day last year was the final sighting of Aila for the 2019 nest season, she brought a fish at 10.08 yesterday, haven't seen her since. WT chat from George Anderson suggests migration might be delayed until these storms pass, apparently they can detect storms a long time before they happen, which makes sense if your life depends on fair flying weather.
Here are this morning's three fish, now back to the cricket. I've got my laptop nearby and if the shouting ramps up, I'll check to see what's happening!
Fish number three, headless flatfish 09.56.10
Fish number two, headless brown trout 05.58.48
Fish number one, headless brown trout 05.23.05
Fish number four, flatfish 11.20.10 But butterfingers Vera appears to drop it as she flies off the nest! A bit like the cricket - England have dropped the same batsman TWICE!
14.25, JJ7 & JJ8 are on the nest when Aila delivers a fish. JJ7 gets the fish. Ian
Aila's "dots" marking
JJ7 mantling over the fish
(c) THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY
Thinkthere was an intruder as I looked in some minutes ago judging by behaviour but just as I was going to take some captures my phone rang
Think that must be some old fish It looks pretty dry and stiff
C WT Loch Arkaig
14.30, Louis delivers a fish, JJ7 takes that one as well. I wouldn't say JJ8 made any real attempt at getting either fish. Ian
Louis with no markings between leg and wing.
JJ7 with two fish
Fish for one
(c) WT Loch Arkaig
17.11, all three chicks are on the nest as Louis delivers a fish. JJ8 takes it. Ian