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

Geemeff
12/02/2024 14:26

Welcome to Loch Arkaig Ospreys season 8

Will Louis and Dorcha return to Nest 2? White check mark

Will someone take up residence in Nest 1? Question

Will any of Louis' chicks with Aila and Dorcha be sighted? Question

2024 season:

Louis arrived on Thursday 28th March at 15.18.38

Dorcha arrived on Saturday 30th March at 14.21.27

They reunited on Saturday 30th March at 16.13.37

First egg laid on Sunday 14th March at 11.13.48  Congratulations!!

Second egg laid on Wednesday 17th March at 05.55.52

Dorcha is injured in an eagle attack on Friday 19th April at 11.08

Third egg laid on Saturday 20th April at 02.26.08 

.

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

Link to 2023 thread: 

https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/f/loch-garten-ospreys/282446/loch-arkaig---the-woodland-trust---march-2023-to-february-2024

Brief history of the nests:

2016 Woodland Trust acquire the Loch Arkaig ancient Caledonian rainforest remnant and manage it in partnership with Arkaig Community Forest. An Osprey pair is seen.
2017 A nest cam is installed on a refurbished ancient Osprey nest. The old pair don't return but 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.
2023 Louis & Dorcha return, and raise one male chicks to fledging: Ludo LY7. No residents on Nest 1 but male Garry LV0 spent a lot of time flirting with Affric 152 despite her mate Prince still being around.
.
Louis is a father of eleven, six with Aila (2017-2020), and five with Dorcha (2021-)
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In hatch order 2017 - 2023:
2017 Lachlan (JH4)
2019 Mallie (JJ0), Rannoch (JJ2)
2020 Doddie (JJ6), Vera (JJ8), Captain (JJ7)
2021 Aspen (LW3), Alder (LW4)
2022 Willow (LW5), Sarafina (LW6)
2023 Ludo (LY7)
--------------------
Highlights:
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2023 Nest Two highlights https://youtu.be/frFhrnS7Vvo
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2023 Nest One highlights https://youtu.be/qpxRv2OIsFQ
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All captures in whatever format are copyright Woodland Trust - with many thanks for allowing captures from their nest cam livestreams.
Osprey cams funded by People's Postcode Lottery
  • 29/04/2024 20:19 in reply to ailie

    Yes! She's been back, flew in right after he brought this moss

    11.55.59 Garry LV0 flies in with a big clump of moss. He arranges it in place and does a bit of fiddling with the furnishings, making a good home for the unringed female, Ms No-ring, or Garry's Girlfriend Ms GG? Working title - let's see if she sticks around!

    12.00.11 He departs, flying back off towards the loch 

  • 29/04/2024 20:35

    Nest One 12.00.55 Garry's girlfriend Ms GG returns followed by Garry LV0.

    12.01.05 He flies in and attempts to land on her back, she flaps her wings and shrugs him off but quite gently, so not an outright rejection.

    He flies up, lands on her back attempting to mate but doesn't succeed.

    12.01.12 He flies off to the right, circles in front of the nest, and out of sight to the left. 

  • 29/04/2024 20:37

    17.05.57 Louis arrives with fish number two for Dorcha, a whole trout.

    It's wet on the nest as it's been raining all afternoon - she gets up quickly, takes it from him, and departs with it.

    He settles down covering the eggs, keeping them dry and warm. (I zoomed as they're just such gorgeous birds..)

  • 29/04/2024 21:40

    20.19.48 Louis arrives with a chirp, lands on the perch, clutching half a trout

    20.20.40 He jumps down onto the nest 20.22.59 Dorcha stands up and half-heartedly moves towards the fish

    20.23.15 As she doesn’t show much interest, Louis departs with his fish 

  • 29/04/2024 22:40

    Daily summary Monday 29th April 2024

    .

    A dreich day today but without drama. Louis brought three fish for Dorcha, taking the tally to sixty five, but she'd been fed so well she refused the third, and Louis took it away again. Events move on slowly at Nest One. Garry's girlfriend arrived early this morning and he brought her a fish, but his mating advances were rejected. However, she didn't show any aggression, it was quite a gentle rejection, and she spent a little time rearranging the nest furnishings, so all in her own good time, and Garry must continue to convince her he's the right mate. The forecast tonight is for light rain and a gentle breeze, which should keep the owls away for now. 

    .

    Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.04.26 (04.47.58); Nest Two 21.56.18 (04.48.48)

    .

    Today’s videos:

    https://youtu.be/FoF0b5rBZ4s  N2 Fish number one for Dorcha, large headless trout  06.56.41

    https://youtu.be/_ptnXEqz0JI  N1 Fish number one for Garry's Girlfriend (Ms GG? Gigi?), large headless trout  09.15.22

    https://youtu.be/gL18TiIx5s4 N1 Garry LV0 brings moss making a good home for his girlfriend 11.55.59 

    https://youtu.be/en2jZLwlbtg  N1 Garry LV0 tries and fails mating with his new girlfriend 12.00.55  

    https://youtu.be/NkWomwcHXhg N2 Louis arrives with fish number two, whole trout 17.05.57 (zoom)

    https://youtu.be/KgbhdQWyOZE N2 Fish number three, half a trout - Dorcha's not interested 20.19.48 

    .

    Bonus read - Woodland Trust news item on the need for deer management:

    https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/press-centre/2024/04/deer-in-scotland-a-way-forward/

    .

    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

    https://youtu.be/rxYqoHxXPMY  Louis coy-mantles for Aila 2017

    https://youtu.be/wO972vIFy8U  First mating for Louis & Aila 2017

    https://youtu.be/shhxI4hywlY  Tawny Owl attacks Aila 2020 (slo-mo)

    https://youtu.be/rYQg6ow0Krg  Aila helps Louis log on 2020

    https://youtu.be/TCoPSKsYP4w  Aila chases an intruder leaving the eggs unattended 2020

    https://youtu.be/j7pYssUjiSw  RAF Lossiemouth jets chase Russian invaders 2020 (slo-mo)*

    https://youtu.be/5zVFnXl94p8  Affric & Prince return to Nest One 2022

    https://youtu.be/h0lIyo4MYQw  The Art of Weave 2023 (Classic Ospreys Bach: quicktime)

    .

    *No Russians seen - RAF updated on the cause later

  • 30/04/2024 17:33

     Garry LV0 brings moss but no one's there 07.38.57

  • 30/04/2024 17:33

     Fish number one for Dorcha, headless trout 11.55.48

  • 30/04/2024 17:37
     13.15.53 She's back and she's got a name - meet Aida!
    Woodland Trust have named her Aida!
    They say:
    The custom that has evolved is that after new chicks are ringed we open for name suggestions and put a few of the best up for public vote.
    When a new adult arrives however - Woodland Trust staff choose a name.
    And we have now chosen one for the new arrival on Nest 1.
    It is a popular girl’s name in West Africa where most Scottish ospreys spend the winter.
    Its the name of an African princess in a well-known opera.
    One of its meanings is “returner” which is a nice fit for an osprey.
    It can also mean “reward” or “present”; or “she who is beautiful” Again - all very fitting for our new girl.
    And finally, this name is just one letter different from the name of Nest 1’s original Queen, so think of it as a tribute to her memory too.
    Ladies and gentleman, please welcome Garry’s new mate (we hope!)…. Aida!
    Correct pronunciation is - Aye-ee-dah, like the opera by Verdi
    Bonus 
  • 30/04/2024 18:03 in reply to Geemeff
    Geemeff said:
    It can also mean “reward” or “present”; or “she who is beautiful” Again - all very fitting for our new girl.
    And finally, this name is just one letter different from the name of Nest 1’s original Queen, so think of it as a tribute to her memory too.
    Ladies and gentleman, please welcome Garry’s new mate (we hope!)…. Aida

    Very fitting, Geemeff! Welcome Aida Hugging

  • 30/04/2024 20:48 in reply to Sandra

    Nice that she now has a name and a lovely one as well. Welcome Aida

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.