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
.
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:
What a shame that we can't tell he from she but definitely not a loving couple!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
16.03.24
17.35 Thanks for that Geemeff. One week to go then! That’s great, I started following WTS on Twitter when they first appeared.
Nest One 15th March.
Anyone care to hazard a guess what the Buzzard brought to the nest for a quick snack? I thought maybe a mouse, but the tail looks wrong. Zoomed in.
This is an excerpt from the video clip of yesterday's multiple visits to the nest. When the Buzzard lands on the nest at 16.29, it brings a clump of vegetation, then proceeds to start pulling at it, and it's seen that a small prey item is hidden in the clump. Even zoomed in and slowed down a little, it's difficult to see. Could be a mouse, but the tail looks wrong, not thin enough. Maybe a baby squirrel? Perhaps that’s why it was so agitated, if it was protecting its prey.
https://youtu.be/qLoeVvcWses Long video
Could it have been a frog?
Arkaig Community Forest in the news:
https://www.westcoasttoday.co.uk/news/lochaber-tree-nursery-to-be-solar-powered
You're right, definitely rivals. If we don't have permanent residents on Nest One, these birds will make interesting viewing.
Certainly will, never seen a Buzzard nesting!
That's a good possibility - definitely not bird, and the tail's wrong for a rodent, I think.
17th March 00.54 Nest One:
Another visitor, this time it's a Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Gorgeous! Thanks Geemeff