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

What a fabulous video of beautiful Loch Arkaig. The beauty of the area, over seven months, touching three seasons in all its moods. Thank you Mary.

It's quiet, and moody today

Do you think they have heard the weather forecast for the next week and decided it was time to go!

© The Woodland Trust Loch Arkaig OP

A beautiful video Mary, thanks. It really shows the difference in the scenery over several months. The changes in the trees and foilage and the stunning colours. The music was very apt indeed, it sure is the "Sound of Silence" now, with no chicks shouting for their dinner!

A lovely write up from George also. The nest has obviously been of much interest not only to us who follow each year but to those who found a new interest during lock down, not forgetting the fame that our family had on the BBC news. The One Show and some newspapers.

Thanks to all who have contributed this year in any way.

Safe journey to the family as they enjoy a well earned rest, hopefully in a few years time we may see Vera, Tom, Doddie. Safe return to Aila and Louis.

MaryGK said:

 The view of the nest from the webcam is so beautiful, so I have done a short 4 minute video capturing the nest in all weather's and lovely lighting throughout the 2020 season

Mary, I used your atmospheric video for the bonus video in my nightly summary, which I think will be one of the last handful if not the last one of the season, so I'm going to copy and paste it separately here along with the final fishing report.

20.33.10 Night cam switches over on an Osprey-free day on Monday 7th September 2020. Doddie (JJ6) has left Somerset, and Vera (JJ8) has left Loch Arkaig, she was being urged to go and now we regret her absence while rejoicing in her achieving the next stage in her life. Louis was seen at a distance by Liz on whom we rely for these fantastic off-camera reports, but didn't come to the nest, and so although the livestream will stay on for a few more days, it's time to say goodbye. Interestingly, the nest is pretty consistent with same dates for reunion (6th April), egg-laying (23rd, 26th & 29th April) and final departure (6th September) this year as last year. Many complimentary things have been said by the lovely watcher community and the season summed up by George in his inimitable way, and we look forward to next March when the camera goes live and the rollercoaster ride begins again. The area weather doesn't really matter anymore except to Liz and the Ninja Squirrels, of course! And for the record, day cam was on for 14:15:15 hours.

https://youtu.be/_FLrEFyGezQ Another Passerine songbird on the nest 08.51

https://youtu.be/pC77_L9-vMY Three little songbirds visit 08.27

06.17.55 Day cam comes on, empty nest, eerily quiet.. No overnight activity, just wind and rain.

Final sightings:

https://youtu.be/hL6JazzmUEg Vera (JJ8) 06.40 6th September

youtu.be/I0aAo6YU6F8 Vera (long version) 06.19 - 06.40.19

https://youtu.be/7pj8uTDrCKc Louis 18.22 5th September

https://youtu.be/fK6OcJnAN_U Captain (JJ7) 09.51 23rd August

https://youtu.be/PL53jPyMZtI Aila 15.19 22nd August

https://youtu.be/q4v0VblhLDE Doddie (JJ6) 05.46 15th August

Bonus videos:

twitter.com/.../1302684760620359683 Underwater Osprey (thanks Andy)

https://youtu.be/TIZTRmU0V8s The nest through the seasons (thanks Mary)

Blast from the past:

https://youtu.be/lfhrCwUjWTM Nest stars on Channel 4 News 7th April

https://youtu.be/T8wmG4NbfIo Slo-mo bat visits 7th May

https://youtu.be/xQIO6hSViF4 Battling Bobs 7th June

https://youtu.be/VrHzXUuF5Nw Louis watches as Aila feeds the bobs 7th July

https://youtu.be/b5WlBmzYbrw Already flying but still babies 7th August

Here is the Fishing Report for Monday 7th September 2020

ZERO fish brought to the nest today.

This gives a running total of 579 fish (Aila 26) since Louis and Aila reunited on April 6th:

459 (A 9) Brown trout

64 (A 7) Flatfish

34 (A 10) Mackerel

11 Silver tourists

7 Arctic Charr

4 Pike

I think I will also say au revoir until next Spring and hopefully another wonderful Loch Arkaig season. Enjoy whatever camera(s) take your fancy over the winter. I have seen the Transylvanian bear camera which looks like it might be a reasonable watch, I will keep an eye on the NSW peregrine nest (currently sitting on three eggs) & maybe the odd barn owl or Latvian eagle nest.. Stay safe etc & see you in 2021. Ian

Thank You Geemeff re the video and also for all your input (which is a lot) to Louis, Aila and family.  

Let’s hope that next season is as successful as this one.  

Have a nice winter Ian. 

What a wonderful summary you have given us Geemeff, thank you so much.

Ospreys have had much wider coverage this year with the BBC seemingly to focus on webcams, which is good news.  How could anyone not fail to fall in love with these amazing characters.  They have been under my skin for thirteen years now when there were so few cams to follow.  Now we are blessed, so much so it is almost impossible to keep up.  But I love LA because I have seen it from the bonding stage, when Lonesome Louis was seeking a female.  Aila arrived.  Such a pretty osprey.  The steep learning curve, the maturity that has brought us to 2020.  This year has been amazing when everything went the way we hope an osprey nest would, all with a wonderful backdrop of blues, greens, heathers, greys, sun, rain, mist - did we have snow this year, I expect we did.

BBC Radio 5 had a brief item this morning, which can be heard from about 55 mins 24 sec.   It's about Doddie in Somerset.

Well, what can I say. A big thank you to everyone for the lovely summaries.
Now is the time to reminisce. We knew this day would come.
It has been a fantastic year for Louis & Aila, the nest,,and Woodland Trust during these very difficult times. Thanks for being there for us.
Louis has been a superb provider for his largest family, to date, what a guy!
I also recall, like you Sheila, the Lonesome Louise days, it was awful sad, watching him peering out over the glen, looking for the love of his life. She arrived, and Aila proved a very worthy partner, although, how Lachlan survived that year, at times, I don't know, but he did (and hopefully still .out there).
They are such characters, even the youngsters, they will go far, and hopefully return - it has been great seeing Dobbie is Somerset.
I'll have to wait now till Jan 1st, to put my calendar up, and look at those beautiful images, until March the???? and their return.
So Thanks again everyone - Keep safe, & Louis, Aila, Doddie,Vera & Captain, FLY SAFE.