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:
Great to see Dorcha reunited with Louis, Geemeff. Super news!
The best news, Sandra. It was such a lovely surprise to see her back so soon. No waiting and worrying this season!
At least, not about arrivals, anyway. No doubt there'll be plenty of concerns when the eggs and chicks arrive.
17.16.22 Fish number three, half a trout, arrives but again, as with the first fish, Louis won't give it to Dorcha and flies off with it. This time however, he returns and does give it to her.
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Nest One 17.49 Kronking is heard then two Ravens do a flyby and one lands on the nest, and again twice more shortly after.
An aerial battle can be seen in the distance, two Ravens swoop about chasing another bird.
At one stage it looks like there might be four birds involved, but even zooming in it's not clear, just goes fuzzy, so I left it untouched.
Either 2 and 2 shadows or 4! Slowing down that section may help?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Daily summary Sunday 31st March 2024:Today started off with a Tawny Owl visiting Nest One, staying for over half an hour while a male called in the distance. Ravens did a flyby of that nest and stopped to perch briefly, but the main action was over on Nest Two, where Louis and Dorcha are getting on with the business of nest prep and egg making. Louis brought three fish to the nest, taking the tally to five, although only two of those went to Dorcha, and she had to wait to be given her second one. The weather was settled, and so is our pair, season eight is off to a good start.Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 21.01.18 (05.51.28); Nest Two 21.17.17 (06.05.28).Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/piR2Y9VrbEU Tawny Owl pays a long visit 02.00.07 (zoom)https://youtu.be/Ho7G2glHjwA Fish number one, Louis keeps it 06.35.18https://youtu.be/ujpBEzlX8xo Big stick comes and goes 07.08https://youtu.be/1M_q7vylL3U Fish number two, half a trout 08.27.40https://youtu.be/3Da1daASQio Fish number three, half a trout 17.16.22https://youtu.be/6UHtfgM-UPY Ravens flyby then land on Nest One 17.49Bonus read: All about Loch Arkaig, and the Mile Dorcha that gave our Dorcha her name:https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/speanbridge/locharkaig/index.htmlBlast from the past, WT's official highlights of the seven previous seasons:2023 https://youtu.be/9uWupO0G9tY2022 https://youtu.be/FCzFusezbtM2021 https://youtu.be/01RR3gk-KAo2020 https://youtu.be/l30udB0KKcE2019 https://youtu.be/0581sPj0_RY2018 https://youtu.be/5-ihSqZbv_w2017 https://youtu.be/1q-YUOB5y4g
11.17 Osprey on Nest One, could be Prince
Departed 11.52
Chaddie recently reported an Osprey on the Bunarkaig nest, we think Prince and Affric Blue 152 were using that nest. So if it is Prince, he could be popping over to visit N1 like he did last year and previous years.
Now we need Garry Blue LV0 to turn up! He was sighted in Senegal at the beginning of March by Jean-marie Dupart.
WendyBartter said:Either 2 and 2 shadows or 4! Slowing down that section may help?
I tried slo-mo and zoom, but too distant to make out much more detail, just goes fuzzy and juddery.
Nest One 11.13 Prince! Male Osprey lands with a big branch - it's our on-again off-again male known as Prince, mate of Affric Blue 152.
They had been nesting at Bunarkaig, raised a chick there in 2022 - Fishy Blue LV2.
Chaddie reported an Osprey on the Bunarkaig nest, so if Prince, could be popping over to visit N1 like he did last year and previous years.
Zoomed clip of him - some discussion as to ID, but I'm pretty sure it's Prince.
Nest One 13.16.49 Two Ravens seen flying in the distance13.17.10 Raven land briefly, flies off, returns - 2 Ravens chasing something.13.17.57 FOUR Ravens on or very near the nest!13.18.54 two back, one lands, lightning stop and off again.
Nest One 13.46.33 Prince returns bringing a fresh fish, he departs at 13.50.20 with his untouched fish.
This is fantastic! Oh, please let Affric Blue 152 turn up as well and they choose to nest here!