LOCH ARKAIG - AUGUST 2020 TO MARCH 2021. Highlights are Mary GK's and Geemeff's wonderful videos of the 2020 season

Ian and Sheila - I stuck my neck out at 10.30, and said I thought she'd gone. She acted differently on the nest this morning, no raucous calling, and tucked into that two-day old manky flatfish with enthusiasm. And, Liz B reported sighting an Osprey on Aila's tree eating fish at 14.15 - couldn't ID it but said the stance was wrong for JJ8. If she were around, she would never have left Louis in peace. But...will feel more confident tomorrow.

I clipped the Sparrowhawk

Lets hope they all got away safely. Speedy journey to them all.

Given the weather that the Loch Arkaig nest is currently experiencing, I can only hope that JJ8, and even Louis were wise enough to be well on their way South for the coming 6 months or so.

Current weather ....could be termed, miserable and quite wet

 I think the Welsh word Hiraeth describes perfectly how I feel at the end of each season, and this one especially, it’s been a wonderful season for Loch Arkaig and long may that continue.

Thank you for the video MARY I already had my hablie out warching again your video at the beginning of the thread
It's just as well watching and following each season outweighs the sadness of their going
Ems first decribed the word hiraeth when dear Ceulan left.I think we all know that feeling
This has been such a successful nest this year so I hope Aila and Louis can repeat it next year.......and all the other breeding birds so that we don't get a repeat of 2020 when so many known birds did not return
Safe winter to everybody.....birds and people

Lovely video Mary. Ian

Lovely video Mary, thank you. Poignant music. It is indeed the sound of silence now, apart from the wind and rain.

Quote MaryGK:

I have done a short 4 minute video capturing the nest in all weather's and lovely lighting throughout the 2020 season, I hope you enjoy. Maybe get the hankies out!

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It's beautiful, MARY, thank you so much!

I will watch Mary's video in a moment.  I need to get the box of tissues first.  Loch Arkaig became the go-to nest when Loch Garten failed in 2017 and I have loved it since.  I have said many times before that to follow the bonding, to see the shock of the first egg and the total surprise of the first chick have found a spot in my heart.  The humour, the successes, the sadness of LA really make it special in those short four years.

George has posted on the WT Chat not long ago, and I think he sums it up beautifully.  Geemeff gets a special thank you, along with Liz and others who I don't think post here, but are clearly part of the team.  We can thank 'our' Mary for her wonderful videos and early morning reports and to everyone who regularly share their comments, pics and vids.

George Woodland Trust

55 minutes ago

It does look like our family has now departed south.

It has been an extraordinary year. I would like to thank all of you who contributed to making this community a little corner of positivity (mostly!) during these difficult times.

Thanks to all the posters who added value to the livestream by asking questions. You were never the only person interested in the answer. Thanks of course to those who gave answers too. Incredible amounts of knowledge and insight flew across these pages.

Liz B contributes such a huge amount to the success of this livestream. Her off-nest commentaries of the birds - especially after fledging - are just so invaluable. She also brings to the table wonderful knowledge of ospreys and of the Loch Arkaig area. She is the Legend over the Loch and we would be lost without her. Thankyou Liz, for the huge amount of time and knowledge you give us. It is really appreciated, both by all of us at Woodland Trust and by the audience here.

Thanks to all the fish counters, Gill, Steve, Geemeff, Jeff, Victoria, Lisa and especially to Svona who organised the count so efficiently. Svona remind us who was on the roster. I don't want to miss anyone out.

Thanks to Steve "Statto" Quinn for crunching all the numbers and opening up aspects of the nest I hadn't dreamt of when I casually wondered at the start of the season - how many fish does the nest consume? You have been brilliant Steve. Thankyou.

Thanks to our Woodland Trust camera volunteers who snipped away each days highlights for youtube.

"Unoffical" snipping and film editing really took off this year too, and this added another layer of content for us all to enjoy. So huge thanks in particular to Geemeff whose nightly updates were such a boon to the viewers who couldn't be with us all day. Terrific work! Thanks Geemeff.

A reminder that the camera runs thanks to support from players of People's Postcode Lottery. The idea and its execution are very much thanks to Jill Donnachie at Woodland Trust Scotland. Thanks to Jill and many other folks around Woodland Trust north and south of the border who attend to various aspects of the livestream and its support. I know many of you are going to give me credit but I am merely the point person for the Woodland Trust whose name you know.

We are greatly indebted to Lewis Pate who rings the birds and is our expert on all things bird of prey. And to Jason of Wildlife Windows who set up the kit. This has been an oustandingly trouble free year tech wise, and this is a challenging site to stream pictures from. On that note thanks also to the largely volunteer run Lochielnet who keep the district supplied with broadband and our camera in touch with the wider world. Very few interruptions this year. They make it look easy. It is not!

A reminder that we are here to raise awareness of the restoration work at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest. If you haven't yet, please do have a look through the link at the top of the page to see what we are up to. Donations via this page have run to over £40,000 - which is just terrific. Thanks to all of you who donated, and also to those who became members of Woodland Trust.

Thanks to the famous five: Louis, Alia, Doddie, Vera and Captain - who are entirely oblivious to the joy they have brought so many people this summer. There were almost 400,000 of you watching!

Thanks for spending your summer with us here on the livestream. We won't be shutting up shop right away so do stick around for a few more days if you wish.

Otherwise we will hopefully see you, and Louis, and Aila in Spring 2021 - to do it all over again!

Beannachd leat!

Beannachd leat means good luck in Scottish Gaelic