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:
Oh I do hope so Geemeff. Am I right in thinking Prince was formerly known as The Handsome Stranger?
Yes, Prince was called The Stranger, when he first turned up in 2021, arriving on the nest before Louis. He was also called the Young Pretender, YP, as in taking Louis' throne. When Louis did arrive, he booted him out, then of course moved to N2 with Dorcha when Aila failed to return. Blue 152, now named Affric, then turned up on N1 and she and the Stranger flirted there before disappearing. Then a pair were seen at BunArkaig, and the male was called Prince, referencing Bonnie Prince Charlie who's said to have hidden gold in the area, and that was the name that stuck once it was realised it was the same male bird.
Thank you Geemeff, beautifully explained. I’d forgotten that he was called the Young Pretender as well. So many names for one bird! Prince is a good name though.
I'm glad that one name was eventually settled on, it was getting confusing. Prince suits him.
Nest One
13.16.49 Two Ravens seen flying in the distance
13.17.10 Raven land briefly, flies off, returns - 2 Ravens chasing something.
13.17.57 FOUR Ravens - three on the left of the nest=, and the fourth flies over from right to left. I zoomed in on this bit, four birds are clearly seen at the same time.
13.18.54 two back, one lands, quick stop and flies off again, disappearing to the right with another just visible.
Catching up on today's three fish on Nest Two, Ive been a bit distracted by events on Nest One. (And eating left-over Easter chocolate )
07.16.14 Fish number one, headless BT. Louis does his demented penguin impression as he coy-mantles over it.
Dorcha does eventually take it away from him and flies off. leaving him to do some nest prep.
11.30.19 Fish number two, headless BT - what are they watching? Dorcha is made to wait again, they're both sky-scanning something unseen by the nest cam.
16.53.27 Fish number three, headless BT. Again, they're watching something unseen by the nest cam.