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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.
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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)
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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
  • 30/04/2024 21:01 in reply to Geemeff

    I love that name, Aida, for every reason you said Geemeff, but for me, especially as it’s so close to Aila and she bears a resemblance to Aila too. Heart Welcome to Loch Arkaig Aida, May you and Garry have many successful years together. Hugging️

  • 30/04/2024 22:34 in reply to Glider

    And with the voice she has, being named after an opera heroine is most appropriate!

    I also think she has a passing resemblance to dear departed Aila - she's also a 'clean face'

  • 01/05/2024 00:10

    13.23.08 Aida is on the nest, calling loudly for fish

    13.23.25 Garry arrives with a fish for her - she grabs it but stays on the nest to eat.

  • 01/05/2024 00:11

    14.23.05 Garry LV0 arrives

    14.24.14 Aida arrives, with a very full crop.

    Garry flies up and attempts mating several times, but no actual success although she seems willing.

  • 01/05/2024 00:13

    16.37.41 Dorcha is on the nest and starts sky-scanning, she's on high alert

    16.38.16 an intruder Osprey touches down on the nest - Dorcha gets rid of it pretty quickly.

    Repeated in slo-mo with a couple of stills for a better look at the intruder - could be female. But it's not Aida from Nest One

  • 01/05/2024 00:15

    18.54 Aida's on the nest screaming for fish - we're told Garry is eating nearby where she can see him so her cries get louder

    18.54.16 Garry arrives but - he's eaten it all! She tells him off loud and long

  • 01/05/2024 00:17

    Daily summary Tuesday 30th April 2024

    .

    A very interesting day - Garry's girlfriend not only returned but was given a name! Woodland Trust have named her Aida, for various good reasons including reflecting her migration to winter quarters in Africa, and as a nod to dear departed Aila. The names are only one letter apart but pronounced very differently - this one is Eye-ee-dah, whereas our First Female was Ay-lah. Garry brought her a fish and made several mating attempts, none successful although she seemed willing. However he may have blotted his copybook by munching an entire fish within sight of her, without sharing, to her evident and loudly voiced displeasure.It's all part of the getting to know each other process, so far she has been given four fish by him since they met up on 28th April. Over on Nest Two, Dorcha also only got one fish today, so Louis' tally rises to sixty six fish since he and Dorcha reunited on 28th March. However, she had to deal with an unringed intruder Osprey who touched down briefly, but she had no difficulty seeing the stranger off. After a soggy start, the weather improved and tonight's forecast is partly cloudy with light winds.

    .

    Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.12.19 (04.16.42); Nest Two 21.56.30 (04.45.29)  

    .

    Today’s videos:

    https://youtu.be/mf7wAAFfZrI Garry LV0 brings moss but no one's there 07.38.57

    https://youtu.be/IPmowh2l_QA Louis brings fish number one and only for Dorcha, headless trout 11.55.48

    https://youtu.be/Rwc5CsbBa3w  She's back and she's got a name - meet Aida! 13.15.53

    https://youtu.be/5wDe16_t_eE Aida gets a fish from her boyfriend Garry 13.23.25  

    https://youtu.be/3rZnQ5f8Qn4  Aida seems willing, Garry makes several attempts but no success yet 14.23.05

    https://youtu.be/k5rxoSg2D44 Intruder Osprey touches down next to Dorcha 16.38.16 (slo-mo repeat)

    https://youtu.be/RU2k7NeBRZ8 Aida screams for fish but Garry's eaten it all 18.54.16

    .

    Bonus action - stand up for trees while you shop, Woodland Trust’s spring catalogue now out:

    https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/spring-catalogue

    .

    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

    https://youtu.be/ZIC6oJaL_EM  Cheeky Hoodie annoys Louis 2017

    https://youtu.be/tg86hWM2aIA  Is it the Tawny Owl disturbing Aila? 2020

    https://youtu.be/PoQ1BlwQBTE  Little plucker! Aila's drastic action to make Louis move 2020

    https://youtu.be/dDUQS2FK7Yw  Shouldn't laugh but.. poor Dorcha! 2022

    https://youtu.be/zFR4J9qruNA  Little bird visits Nest One 2023

    https://youtu.be/PhoMl4grLhI  Louis removal aids! 2023

  • 01/05/2024 06:08

    Aida bathed in the early morning sun, looking very much at home perched waiting for her breakfast 

  • 01/05/2024 12:28

    05.05.50 Aida arrives

    05.06 onwards LV0 can be heard skydancing faintly in the distance

    05.15 Aida sitting quietly on the nest, with a colourful sunrise in the background

    05.59.12 Aida gives a few soft calls and moves up onto the centre perch

    06.42.46 Aida gives up waiting for Garry and departs

  • 01/05/2024 12:30

    Intruder flying nearby causes Dorcha & Louis to flee the nest (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

    07.35.04 An Osprey appears in the distance flying towards the nest.

    07.35.12 Louis & Dorcha both alarm call and make a quick exit. The intruder flies over to the right

    07.35.36 Louis flies right to left, lands on the Scots Pine. Dorcha circles overhead and returns to the nest, mantling.

    Alarm chips heard then Louis flies over from the Scots Pine and lands on the nest, chipping, they're both alert, and the intruder is seen again by the big logo.