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LOCH ARKAIG - THE WOODLAND TRUST - March 2023 to February 2024

Geemeff
01/03/2023 20:23

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:

2016 Woodland Trust acquire the Loch Arkaig ancient rainforest remnant and manage it in partnership with Arkaig Community Forest.
2017 A nest cam is installed on a refurbished Osprey nest. A young male Louis and a young female Aila take up residence and raise one male chick to fledging: Lachlan JH4.
2018 Louis & Aila return but a Pine Marten steals all their eggs.
2019 Louis & Aila return and raise two female chicks to fledging: Mallie JJ0 and Rannoch JJ2.
2020 Louis & Aila return and raise two male and one female chicks to fledging: Doddie JJ6; Vera JJ8 and Captain JJ7.
2021 Louis returns but sadly Aila doesn't. Louis takes up residence on a new nest with a new mate Dorcha and they raise two male chicks to fledging: Aspen LW3 and Alder LW4. This is designated Nest 2, no one takes up residence on Nest 1.
2022 Woodland Trust install a nest cam on Nest 2. Louis & Dorcha return and raise two female chicks to fledging: Willow LW5 and Sarafina LW6. Still no residents on Nest 1.
2022 season: Louis and Dorcha returned to Nest Two on 12th April, laid three eggs 24 and 27th April and 1st May.
The first chick hatched on 31st May, the second on Jubilee Day 2nd June and the third on 5th June but sadly passed away on 12th June.
The other two progressed rapidly and were ringed LW5 (eldest ) and LW6 (younger) on 12th July, and both gender assessed as female.
Willow (LW5) fledged 25th July and Sarafina (LW6) 31st July.
Last seen on the nest: Dorcha 18th August, Willow 28th August, Louis 8th September and Sarafina 9th September.

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

  • 19/06/2023 10:54

    Sunday 18th June 18.00 Dorcha goes for a flyabout, leaving the chick home alone  - fills in the time doing a bit of tidying up.

  • 19/06/2023 10:59

    Sunday 18th June Nest One 18.49

    LV0 brings some moss but accidentally takes it away caught in his talons when he leaves.

    He really seems invested in this nest, and is persisting with Affric although his behaviour is sometimes puzzling, as when he brought a whole fish but wouldn't let her have it, went off, ate a bit and only then brought it back for her.

  • 19/06/2023 11:02

    Sunday 18th June 19.29  Comical moment when the chick tries a hop but faceplants instead! (zoomed)

  • 19/06/2023 11:05

    Daily summary Sunday 18th June 2023

    Three years ago the Legend of Louis of the Nine Fish* was born. Well, he did have three chicks plus Aila to feed, whereas this year he only has one chick plus Dorcha, so three fish deliveries today is a reasonable number, and takes the tally to 180 brought to the nest since 2nd April. Things were quiet on the nest today, the chick did a bit of tidying up and tried a bit of wingercising but did a faceplant instead. Nest One only had the ringed pair LV0 and Affric 152 visit today, no sign of Affric's 'proper' mate, Prince. She shrugged off LV0's attempts at mounting, but they are looking very cosy together. All events caught on Osprey Cam funded by the lovely folk at People's Postcode Lottery, livestreaming 24/7 off wifi from local provider Locheilnet - a triumph of technology.

    *Legendary Louis and the ninth fish 2020:

    Many years from now, as the wind howls down the Glen, and the rain lashes the loch, young osplets will courie doon beneath their mother, and cheep softly to her as they fight off sleep: "Tell us again. Tell us about Legendary Louis and the Day of the Nine Fish!"

  • 19/06/2023 17:57

    Monday 19th June

    Yesterday we had Legendary Louis. Three years ago today another legend was born - our very own Mountain Queen.

    Aila had a brain fade, and occasioned this video. The chicks were aghast - one makes its feelings conspicuously known at the very end..

  • 19/06/2023 18:11

    Very dreich night, high winds, no change this morning.

    06.44.24 Fish number one - Louis arrives with a nice fat whole trout

  • 19/06/2023 18:17

    07.02 Once Dorcha and the chick have breakfasted, Louis departs with the rest of the fish

  • 19/06/2023 19:17

    12.05 Dorcha departs, Louis arrives and finds the chick home-alone. Louis settles down to protect the chick from the weather but doesn't do a great job!

    Dorcha arrives, he leaves, she takes over.

  • 19/06/2023 19:20

    Nest One 12.12 Affric arrives first, swiftly followed by LV0 with a fresh half-trout. She seizes it and departs in a hurry

      

  • 19/06/2023 19:22

    14.12.20 Louis is visible flying right to left across the screen before landing with the fish at 14.12.34 next to where Dorcha is sitting protecting the chick from the rain. Dorcha has a nibble but doesn't want to get up and uncover the chick, and after a quick nibble at it himself, Louis takes the fish away.