Welcome to Loch Arkaig Ospreys season 8
Will Louis and Dorcha return to Nest 2?
Will someone take up residence in Nest 1?
Will any of Louis' chicks with Aila and Dorcha be sighted?
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
Welcome little bob - first chick hatches! Wednesday 22nd May at 06.16.45
Welcome little bob - second chick hatches - it's twins! Wednesday 22nd May at 22.26.15
Welcome little bob - third chick hatches! Friday 24th at 16.36.10
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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:
16.30.39 Fish number two! Headless trout? Silver Tourist?
Little bob’s first feed! (zoomed)
16.30.39 When fish number two finally arrives, Louis hands it over to Dorcha who tears into it hungrily at first, then gently feeds the eager chick.
Little bob gets quite a few mouthfuls despite wobbling over a couple of times, and seems eager for more as dad settles gently down to brood bob and the two eggs.
Geemeff said:Little bob’s first feed! (zoomed)
Such a beautiful video, Geemeff
I'm certainly going to miss watching scenes like that at Lowes this season...
Sandra said:Geemeff said:Little bob’s first feed! (zoomed) Such a beautiful video, Geemeff I'm certainly going to miss watching scenes like that at Lowes this season...
Thank you, Sandra. I'm sad about the untimely loss of Laddie and the eggs, it's such a beautiful nest and he's been there since I started watching ospreys.
Good luck to NC0 and her new mate, these last couple of days Dark Male does look like he's up for the challenge.
Maybe LotL's loss will be Loch Arkaig's gain? I sometimes wonder why I'm bothering with this forum, seemingly all on my own. But then I remember that I think it important for Loch Arkaig to have a presence with the RSPB, and the comments from people like you keep me going.
Nest One 18.50.12 Garry LV0 arrives with moss
18.50.30 Second bird flies from between the knolls high up and over to the right of the nest
Zoomed in but can't see who that second one is
Garry continues to chip and mantle in between preening and just standing looking around
19.22.35 Garry departs, flying eastwards out of sight
OMG! Nest Two, chick two! At 22.25 it's very nearly out - come on little one!
Geemeff said:Maybe LotL's loss will be Loch Arkaig's gain? I sometimes wonder why I'm bothering with this forum, seemingly all on my own. But then I remember that I think it important for Loch Arkaig to have a presence with the RSPB, and the comments from people like you keep me going.
Your work is simply amazing on here and it is very much appreciated! Keep up with the fantastic vids, Geemeff!
Geemeff said:OMG! Nest Two, chick two! At 22.25 it's very nearly out - come on little one!
Astounding news!
It's a two-for-one - Louis and Dorcha have twins!
22.24.14 Dorcha is standing, and bob1 is seen moving around.
But then, a second egg starts moving and bob2 is very nearly out! Must have been breaking through while Dorcha was protecting them from the rain.
22.25.29 head is out
22.26.15 bob2 is completely out - welcome little one! So pleased to see you.
Daily summary Wednesday 22nd May 2024
What an eventful day! Following a second Tawny Owl strike around 01.45 this morning which didn't seem to harm Dorcha who took a hard hit but stayed put, there was great excitement when a pip was seen in an egg at around 03.30. But to even more excitement, bob was in a hurry and was hatched with a time of 06.16.48. This is a strong feisty bob with good lungs, and will benefit from two experienced parents and a superb fisher dad. There was time to check out Nest One where Garry LV0 turned up twice today, both times with moss, but no sign of Aida, although a second barely-seen Osprey followed Garry on his second visit, causing him to mantle defensively. Back over to Nest Two, where Louis brought two fish giving bob a first feed, and taking his tally to one hundred and eleven. Dorcha did a good job of keeping bob and the other two eggs dry when it rained, and that gave us a huge surprise - when she stood up at 22.24, it was seen that a second egg was cracked, and the chick was very nearly out! Two minutes later, at 22.26.15, bob2 emerged - Louis & Dorcha have twins! Now we'll have to deal with the delightful dilemma of how to tell them apart - as they've hatched so close together, they'll be much the same size. The forecast tonight is for heavy rain and a gentle breeze, but Dorcha will be 'mumbrella', and keep both bobs dry and warm tonight.
Night cam switches over (day cam): Nest One 22.54.34 (03.42.08); Nest Two 22.21.56 (04.19.57)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/jf6AZB6Lxs0 N2 Tawny owl attack 01.42.32 (super slo-mo repeat)
https://youtu.be/C5F0MHSzc_E N2 Pip definitely visible 04.15.45 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/4va9UYAyWPc N2 Fish number one - Louis sees bob emerging and does a double-take 05.22.31
https://youtu.be/uu4f98JfwPo N2 Welcome little bob! 06.16.48 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/mRexU5OIUcc N1 Garry LV0 brings moss and does some tidying 07.11.00 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/tdlrjsi_R1I N1 Little birds visit as Garry LV0 flies off Pole Tree 09.21.39 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/6Bp4Etl8g10 N2 Feisty new bob is going to be a handful 10.40 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/AFk3Pq25nRE N2 First feed for little bob when fish number two arrives 16.30.39 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/stUunLKncco N1 Garry returns with moss but is chipping at someone seen overhead 18.50.12 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/t-EvQcWtDRw N2 Surprise - it's twins! Welcome bob2! 22.26.15 (zoom)
Bonus guide to those tricky Silver Tourists (thanks Steve):
https://www.wildtrout.org/wttblog/sea-trout-smolt-migrations
https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/2018/12/turning-the-tide-for-scotlands-sea-trout/
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/Ffldb-ctL1c Delinquent dad Louis abandons the eggs 2019
https://youtu.be/dMml6mIwowU Aila's difficult landing in strong wind 2020 (real time)
https://youtu.be/ertdFMW_OII Aila's difficult landing in slo-mo 2020
https://youtu.be/TnpfZXF4rVM Enough to make you seasick! 2020
https://youtu.be/9qnRZKAIbAk Dorcha charges in to eject a cheeky corvid 2022
https://youtu.be/DTFbSMj_Rhs Is this Louis visiting Nest One? 2023
https://youtu.be/QiWNDj1RuAQ Carnival of the feathers 2023 (Classic Ospreys - Saint-Saëns)
That’s incredible Geemeff, what a lovely surprise. A two for one! Haha Congratulations Dorcha and Louis
Glider said:That’s incredible Geemeff, what a lovely surprise. A two for one! Haha Congratulations Dorcha and Louis
Does anyone know of same-day hatching on other nests? Would love to know!
Bob2 came out really quickly, must have been quietly pipping away while it was raining and Dorcha was keeping them well covered. Looking back, when she shifted at 21.30.34, you can see the crack and movement where bob2 tries to push out of the top of the shell.
What a wonderful surprise!