Loch Arkaig Ospreys season 7
Will Louis and Dorcha return to Nest 2?
Will someone take up residence in Nest 1?
Will any of Aila & Louis' chicks be seen (Doddie JJ6 is a good bet!)
Link to 2022 thread (season 6)
community.rspb.org.uk/.../1394415
2023 season highlights:
Louis returned on Sunday 2nd April at 12.26.54
Dorcha returned on Sunday 9th April 08.09.46
They reunited on Monday 10th April at 12.33.03
First egg laid Friday 21st April at 05.44.19
A Golden Eagle touched down on Saturday 22nd April at 11.50.56
Second egg laid Monday 24th April at 07.03.30
Third egg laid on Thursday 27th April at 07.35.39
Violent Owl strike sends an egg overboard 23rd May at 00.26.46
First chick hatches - and it's Egg3! 31st May at 13.08
Another Owl strike - Bob's unharmed. 6th June at 00.18.16
It's a boy! The chick is ringed LY7 on 9th July around 10am
Fledge! LY7 finds his wings and flies 19th July at 15.05.11
Hello Ludo! The voting results are in and LY7 is named Ludo! 19th July
Dorcha leaves on her travels - last seen on 17th August at 06.30.34
Louis was last seen on 24th August at 15.50.34
Ludo LY7 was last seen* on 25th August at 10.03.28 (*on the nest)
Ludo sighted in France 24th September! Still there 8th October
We wish all of them fair winds and fine fishing, and hope to see the adults safely back in 2024!
Brief history of the nests:
Link to Woodland Trust Osprey page: keeps coming up as blocked! Weird! copy and paste then join up:
https:// www woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/
community.rspb.org.uk/.../loch-arkaig---the-woodland-trust---march-2022-to-end-of-february-2023
Dorcha bringing her one and only fish on 18th August 2022 before departing and not being seen again
Louis incubating the eggs while Aila is seen flying with a fish in the misty distance on 9th May 2020.
All captures in whatever format are copyright Woodland Trust - with many thanks for allowing captures from their nest cam livestreams
Then a second fish turned up at 11.55.29 - but it came with an intruder alarm.
Fish & chirps…
Then an intruder Osprey showed up at 12.31.39! None other than Blue PU0, who visited once before, a couple of days ago on Sunday 14th.
Seems to fancy Dorcha, but she’s not interested, got rid of him with an effective wing-slap
And PU0 comes back a second time at 12.49.29, tries a stealth mating move but doesn’t come close, glances off Dorcha’s back. When she moves him on, he flies up to the high perch, just feather tips visible due to the new cam angle, and stays a moment before departing.
Almost forgot this sweet little singer on Nest One, this clip is from its first appearance, but it returned five times between 09.43 and 13.40. I have no idea, it's a Sparrow-type to me, but an opinion has been given of a female Lesser Redpoll.
Other opinions are welcome!
I’m getting better at speaking Osprey - I heard Dorcha telling someone off, and thought that sounded like her Crow-voice. Sure enough, a little later a post was made saying there was a crow. Once I looked on a proper screen not a phone, I can see it flying in the distance then cheekily passing right over the nest.
Dorcha uses her 'scare crow’ voice 16.44.35
A third fish was delivered at 17.49.57. Looked a bit old and stiff, but aren’t we all? Or maybe just me
That’s probably it for today, we’ll see.
18th May - another very interesting day - started with a little bird perching next to Dorcha, and then a late breakfast for Dorcha:
Little bird perches next to Dorcha 08.45.50
Fish number one 09.35.35
Then Louis landed on Nest One to see off a distant intruder, unfortunately the camera's glitching again so we didn't get a close-up, he was in full reaction mode.
12.25.11 Louis warns away a distant intruder on Nest One
A few hours later, an unringed female Osprey lands on Nest Two, and Dorcha sees her off. She's first seen flying in the distance at 16.05.10, then lands on the tree in line with the thin centre perch, stays a few moments then is seeing flying near the nest on the right, before returning and actually landing on the nest at 16.06.00.
Looks female despite long legs - has a deep necklace, distinguished with a big centre section and a V-outline.