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
Vera. Not eaten much (anything?) all day....
(c) WT Loch Arkaig
I saw on the cam that Vera had a fish earlier, and she was eating it at that time.
I've scrolled back and this is about 40 mins ago
© Scottish Wildlife Trust - Loch of the Lowes
As a follow on to Starlings post above, 05.14 JJ8 found a scrap of fish (WT chat says leftover from last night, presumably what Starling reported). JJ6 tries to take it from her but she doesn't let him. JJ6 persists and she just lets him take the fish. JJ8 flies off at 05.18. I am becoming more convinced she is eating off camera as she looks well considering that we have seen her eat very little in the past few days. JJ6 finsihed the fish scrap with JJ7 watching on. Ian
EDIT - to answer Korky's question. Apart from the fish Starling (& now Geemeff) have mentioned, she also took a fish from Louis at 07.25 on 5 August and left it lying at 07.54 (per my post at 07.48)
Morning! Vera got a good meal with the last fish of the day, number five, had it all to herself.
Ian:
14.36, JJ6 & JJ7 are on the nest as Louis delivers a fish. There is an almighty stramash (I'll use that word again for Geemeff's benefit, he/she can look it up ), it looks like JJ7 comes out on top. Ian
EDIT - 14.43, JJ8 comes to the nest, JJ7 makes her less than welcome by flapping at her.
Louis is in the middle of this somewhere.
JJ7 with the fish & JJ6 looking annoyed
A very good word, Ian, STRAMASH, and perfectly describes the chaos that ensued around fish number two! Captain won it, but sneaky Doddie did a three-pronged attack shortly afterwards - from the rear, the front and even from the air - well done Captain for seeing him off!
Definition of stramash. 1 chiefly Scotland : disturbance, racket., brawl. 2 chiefly Scotland : crash, smashup.
Here's the delivery, and the fight:
Fish number two, whole trout 14.36.12
That's mine, back off bro! Fish fight 15.21
Unknown said:Delighted to hear Vera has eaten, last night and this morning according to LA chat
She had a decent meal last night, and left a remnant behind on the nest. She reclaimed it this morning and was eating it happily when Doddie came and took it from her. But she did get a few mouthfuls before he turned up.
Geemeff said:
Korky said: Delighted to hear Vera has eaten, last night and this morning according to LA chat
For more detail see my post at 08.01. Ian
08.01 Ian said "I am becoming more convinced she is eating off camera as she looks well considering that we have seen her eat very little in the past few days."
That would be wonderful, I'm leaning towards that idea too There's no evidence of it of course, and if she were fishing for herself, she's be a fool to bring it anywhere near the nest as big bro would want it off her. But Aila did disappear with most of a fish and return without it seven minutes later a couple of days ago, then take a second big fish remnant just eight minutes after that. I wondered at the time if she'd taken it to one of the chicks but was told she'd probably eaten it herself. I remain sceptical. But some evidence would be handy!