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
Congratulations on a marvellous fledge for Ludo (fab name!)! It was amazing how confident he was for his first flight!
Many thanks for all of your updates, Geemeff!
My pleasure, Sandra - what an exciting day - found his wings and gained a name! Ludo was my choice from the shortlist so I'm delighted. Combo of Louis and Dorcha, and easy to say.
I was watching live - got up early expecting him to fledge today as I thought it would be early morning, but kept my eye on my laptop while watching the cricket, and saw the magic moment as it happened. Ludo just did that endearing little squawk - I'm going I'm going! - and launched himself off smoothly. Then circled back around and overflew the nest causing Dorcha to fly off, before doing another circuit and making a pretty decent landing. Hasn't flown again since, I'm looking forward to seeing his next flight.
Nest One Affric receives a second fish from Garry 18.07
19.21.21 Louis delivers a fourth fish a medium whole trout. Ludo waits a while then tucks into fish number four, as Dorcha doesn't leave her perch.
Daily summary Wednesday 19th July 2023 A momentous day, where LY7 both fledged and was named. After a couple of high helicopters earlier, LY7 just stepped forward with a little squawk and launched himself off smoothly, doing a circuit which included overflying the nest, before making a creditable landing. His maiden flight only lasted 54 seconds but what a milestone for the confident chick! After the excitement - which may have caused WT's website to go offline briefly - died down, the voting results were announced, and our chick is now known as Ludo. More than 2500 votes were cast, but Ludo was the winner with Darach a close second. In other news, Affric received two fish from Garry on Nest One, and Louis delivered four fish to Nest Two, taking the tally to 281. There were a few alarms causing Dorcha to flee the nest and the RAF sent a jet through the area for the third day in a row, none of which appeared to trouble Ludo.
Geemeff said:Combo of Louis and Dorcha
Heehee, I assumed he was named after Ludovic Kennedy - for a reason unknown to me.
Anyway, it's a lovely name
IMAGICAT
Geemeff said: Combo of Louis and Dorcha
Ludovic Kennedy was mentioned, after Ludo had been proposed. The original poster gave the combo meaning as the reason for their suggestion. I like Ludo, I voted for that although I'd also have been happy if Darach got in. Not so thrilled with the others. But in any event, the birds don't care!
Dorcha starts feeding Ludo and herself off the remains of last night's fish 4.
Louis arrives with the first fish today and disturbs a juvenile Jay who'd just arrived on the left.
Fish number one, headless Brown Trout 05.36.43
08.06.04 Ludo's second flight - takes off and helpfully does a circuit in the cam view. Returns looking like he might land on the high perch but changes his mind and comes in to the nest centre.
Dorcha's up on the cam post.
OH NO! Ludo crashlands! Second flight today, third since fledging:
08.48.44 Ludo takes his second flight of the day, third overall since fledging yesterday
08.51.48 Dorcha leaves the camera perch with a clatter, couple of alarm calls
08:52 06 Dorcha's seen divebombing Ludo - she must think he's an intruder, isn't used to seeing him fly yet (she's done this before!)
08.52.54 Dorcha returns, lands on the high perch
08.53.25 Ludo returns, tries to land and hits the nest edge, falls through the branches on the left, was he unsettled by the divebombing? Dorcha observes as he goes down
09.23.02 Ludo gives a few chirps from underneath the nest
09.23.33 Some more rustles and wing flaps from underneath, Dorcha startles
09.23.36 Ludo appears in front of the nest and flies to the left chirping as he goes, does a couple of flypasts of the nest
09.24.27 Ludo lands, not the most graceful but a safe landing this time
I slowed it down and zoomed in on the crashlanding. Ludo's not hurt.