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
13.49, JJ8 is joined on the nest by JJ7. Louis brings in a flat fish which JJ8 takes. Ian
(c) THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY
19.50 Vera makes sure she'll get a fish, should one arrive, by pushing Captain off the nest:
19.52 Evening colours on the nest with determinedly solo Vera
JJ8 Vera was on the nest @ 05.38 for a minute or so shouting for breakfast to no avail.
© THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023
07.34, JJ8 arrives just before Aila brings in a fish. JJ7 (I assume, I haven't seen the ring yet) arrives after Aila has left. Aila's crop looks nice and full. Ian
EDIT - it is JJ7 who arrived second.
Video of Aila's 07.34 Mackerel delivery
08.12, with the one fish we saw yesterday (assuming there were none after Geemeff's "21.15" post) JJ7 made a couple of half-hearted attempts to take the fish from JJ8. He has just tried with the current fish to take it from JJ8, again I would describe it as half-hearted. I don't know when we last saw JJ7 eat on the nest (sometime on 16th) but he looks very well. I wonder if he is being fed off camera, maybe as well as JJ6. Pure speculation on my part of course, I have the advantage that my speculation is unencumbered by any actual knowledge Ian
Ian I have just said the same thing on FOA that JJ7's crop was not empty so he must have been getting fed off the nest.
JJ8 left at 0832 - so almost an hour long fish for her
11.35, Louis arrives with a small fish. JJ7 follows in and takes the fish. Ian
EDIT - 11.47, the tail goes down, I said it was a small fish.