LOCH ARKAIG - THE WOODLAND TRUST - February 2024 - February 2025

10.57.57 Fish arrives for Dorcha, first fish today, a big headless trout. She takes it and goes, leaving Louis to egg-sit 

The plot thickens! It's all getting really confusing!

After the earlier attack on Affric at Nest One, seemingly by her mate, Prince, here she is back again, and fish calling.

Skydancing is faintly heard, then Garry LV0 swoops in with a nice big trout at 16.56.58. She seizes it and departs while he stays and does nest work. 

Not in this clip, he kept hopping on and off and bringing back vast quantities of nesting materials.

So are they an item? Still thinking about it? Is Prince aware but not ready to give up, hence the attack? 

The only thing certain is that we nest cam watchers will not miss any of the action while we try to puzzle it all out.

If only the one ring female would come back! 

Well Glider - if that was Prince attacking Affric, then maybe she will leave him for LV0. Let's face it, they would make a good pair and they both have Darvics so easy for us.

He's from Loch Garry in 2020 and she's from Glen Affric in 2018, so a good pairing.

14.37.27 Louis delivers fish number two, but Dorcha lets Louis take it away and she settles back down to incubating again 

(I've been neglecting Nest Two, this happened earlier than the fish on Nest One)

Edited clip giving a flavour of Garry & Affric's afternoon on Nest One today:

17.47.43 Garry LV0 flies in, arrives on the nest, does some nest prep, perches
17.51.43 Affric 152 arrives clutching the fish she got from him earlier at 16.56.58 (https://youtu.be/zrElVMqpJlU), Garry mantles on his perch
17.53.47 Garry flies over to Affric and mounts for a mating attempt but she raises her wing and throws him off
17.46.47 He flies up and tries again but she nips him with her beak, he returns the favour, she nips him again, raises her wing, and throws him off
17.57.48 Affric flies up to the centre perch clutching her fish while Garry is mantling on the left hand perch, she proceeds to tuck in to her fish
18.00.26 Affric jumps down onto the nest, ignoring Garry who's still mantling. He hasn't achieved successful mating. Yet!

Daily summary Thursday 18th April 2024

An interesting, intriguing, and at times infuriatingly complex series of events unfolded on Nest One today. In a nutshell - Affric 152 was attacked very aggressively by an unringed stranger who may or may not be Prince, Garry LV0 brought many nest materials, did a lot of nest prep, was harassed by Hoodies for his first fish, gave up his second fish to Affric, and attempted to mate with her. However, Affric rejected his many attempts, even going so far as to nip him, but did relent a little although none of his attempts were successful. It was much more routine on Nest Two - many incubation changes and two fish deliveries, taking the tally to forty three. Tonight’s forecast is for more light rain and light winds. 

Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 21.31.02 (05.25.54); Nest Two 21.23.27 (05.30.58)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/dU43UqtK7tI N1: cheeky Hoodies want Garry's fish 08.18.01

https://youtu.be/kRPBQfqCCs0 Affric 152 is attacked by a strange Osprey 10.03.01 (slo-mo repeat plus stills)

 https://youtu.be/TtmtrXLz_Ac Fish number one, big headless trout 10.57.57 

https://youtu.be/zrElVMqpJlU  N1: Fish for Affric from Garry LV0, big headless trout 16.56.58

https://youtu.be/GXbgsaLiMvw Fish number two, but Dorcha lets Louis take it away again 14.37.27

https://youtu.be/esrwp4Lbzvk Edited clip of Affric & Garry on Nest One 17.47.43 - 18.00.26

Bonus action - Urge candidates in England’s 2024 local & mayoral elections to recognise the value of trees and woods where you live:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-trees-and-woods/campaign-with-us/local-elections/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/WF3FAQOLy8s Female stranger visits lonely Louis 2021 (real time)

https://youtu.be/WF3FAQOLy8s Female stranger visits lonely Louis 2021 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/ijqYocF2QoE Louis does a flypast with fish 2022 (zoomed)

https://youtu.be/kPl5V1ZiLUQ Coal Tit sings merrily on and off the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/ikX-jxrt_kw Louis subdues a stubborn stick 2023

https://youtu.be/QOxlUE3bGts Louis delivers supper at sunset 2023

Drama involving Dorcha - she has blood on her leg and side. Did it come from this distantly seen fracas with the eagle? No blood seen immediately after she returned, but quite a bit of blood seen a little later. Is the injury higher up and the blood took time to travel down her plumage? 

Elaine noticed something at 11.08 - I've done a video, using her timings. First the whole thing in real-time, then the actual encounter in slo-mo and zoomed in. Best I could do, I couldn't zoom in any tighter without losing resolution.

Well spotted Elaine! Take a bow..

Reposting Elaine's comment:

Scrolling back, I see some brief but exciting action in the distance.
11:07:36 onwards raven calls heard, getting closer. Osprey alarm calls off camera.
11:08:01 Raven appears below logo, flying right to left, followed by another.
11:08:05 Large raptor ?golden eagle emerges from somewhere below centre perch, rising
11:08:06 Osprey enters top of frame , left of centre
11:08:07 Large raptor and osprey converge, raptor rolling on to its back, legs in the air, flipping over and flying on as if nothing has happened. Cannot say if contact between them.
11:08:08 osprey flies to top of frame, dropping small object, and disappears above "Arkaig"
At least I think that's what I saw! Would be interested to know what others think. The large raptor looked larger than an osprey, mainly dark with white patches on wings and tail.

Oh goodness, Geemeff, I do hope Dorcha is ok...