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:
It was a good one - she could hold her own at a football match!
Daily summary Wednesday 8th May 2024
Today we had the pleasure of seeing both Garry LV0 and Aida on Nest One - Garry's first visit was just a flyover, but he returned later and did some nest prep with enthusiasm. No fish were brought however, so his total remains at six, perhaps it's not necessary to keep tabs, but we haven't written off this pair making Nest One their home just yet. Louis brought two fish for Dorcha, taking his tally to eighty two. He shared egg sitting with Dorcha, for as long as she would allow, but on one occasion when he showed no sign of leaving, she made her feelings clear by headbutting him! He reacted by standing up and departing immediately. The weather was reasonably settled during the day, but as night cam switched over, rain is falling, and tonight's forecast is for heavy rain and a gentle breeze.
Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.19.16 (04.26.28); Nest Two 22.08.01 (04.30.51)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/WD9vJ3lVeMk N1 Garry LV0 & Aida pay a flying visit 08.49.02
https://youtu.be/rABlcTiL7uE N2 Fish number one, nearly-headless but still flapping trout (zoom)
https://youtu.be/z0pXaEeNJ90 N2 Fish number two, headless trout 16.51.02
https://youtu.be/vXtY4BrntTM N1 Garry LV0 wrestles with a huge clump of moss 17.27.10
https://youtu.be/ZrKyT_jo5DI N2 Dorcha headbutts Louis to get him off the eggs 18.04.22 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)
Bonus action - citizen science project, help Woodland Trust record ancient trees:
https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/hGuegL1duZM What scares Aila at midnight? 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/fv2-S7IAT7g Aila employs a tried and tested Louis-removal technique 2020
https://youtu.be/RydYvBR0m5I Aila invents a new Louis-removal technique 2020
https://youtu.be/Ys65Fgfu9sM Unusual visitor - a Twite (Linaria flavirostris) visits 2021
https://youtu.be/oMCTfmauWKA First Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022
https://youtu.be/meJb_ovW0V8 Second Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022
https://youtu.be/ea0yqDp1ups Third Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022
https://youtu.be/uecjKN_3VQI Late night fish supper arrives for Dorcha 2023
nest One
09.05.30 movement is seen in the branches on the left of the nest, then a little Coal Tit (Periparus ater) pops up, and flits around the edges of the nest for a few seconds.
09.05.55 it departs
Nest Two
08.40.26 Louis arrives with the first fish - number one is a whole small trout, another of those dark ones.
08.40.55 Dorcha seizes it, has a quick nibble, and departs with it
Nest One
11.08.55 An Osprey is seen flying in from left of centre - hello Garry LV0
11.08.58 Garry lands on the nest, looks around
11.09.18 departs - gone in twenty seconds! Flies off to the left and out of sight
15.41.17 Fish number two, headless trout
15.40 Dorcha is fish calling, and an Osprey is seen in the distance coming towards the nest but does a flash flypast on the right without stopping
15.41.17 Louis arrives with a large headless trout, which Dorcha seizes immediately
15.41.37 She departs with her fish, and Louis settles down on the eggs
Daily summary Thursday 9th May 2024
Another quiet day after a soggy night. A Coal Tit popped in to Nest One and stayed for longer than Garry LV0, who spent only twenty seconds. Some distant skydancing was heard, but there was no sign of Aida. Nest Two was also quiet, Louis gave one of his two fish the scenic tour before landing with it, and his tally now stands at eighty four. Dorcha didn't need to use any special measures to get him off the eggs, we are potentially less than two weeks away from the first hatch. Tonight's forecast is for a dry night with light cloud and light winds.
Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.30.34 (04.23.21); Nest Two 22.23.18 (04.30.47)
https://youtu.be/OKlC_tTbB5I N2 Fish number one, whole small trout 08.40.26
https://youtu.be/AR_wqL-Q6-o N1 A passing Passerine drops in for a few seconds 09.05.30 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/261d7botW24 N1 Garry pays a 20-second flying visit 11.08.58 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/SjXAu0qtxe4 N2 Fish number two does a fast flypast before landing 15.41.17
Bonus read - insect study shows the amazing biodiversity of the Arkaig Rainforest:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/press-centre/2023/08/loch-arkaig-invertebrate-survey/
https://youtu.be/NqE_YC8NTWQ N1 Graceful Aila does a fishy flypast 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/AlayYBTfRbw N1 Louis leaves the eggs to chase an Intruder Osprey 2020 (slo-mo) https://youtu.be/gTF4db9pYiQ N1 Hurricane force gust nearly blows Aila off the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/Tt0NmWwPiAw N1 Male & female Siskin pay an early morning visit 2021 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/Z_f1lAL9g68 N2 Undignified upside down Dorcha 2022 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/Q4KTtgMN_mI N2 Ouch! Dorcha crashes into the nest 2023
https://youtu.be/fju0tKjGYbg N1 On again, off again male visitor LV0 visits 2023
Wonderful 'blog' thanks Geemeff. You've worked hard on our behalf
Cirrus said:Wonderful 'blog' thanks Geemeff. You've worked hard on our behalf
Ditto that Cirrus
05.30.24 Fish number one, headless trout - earliest delivery of the season
05.30.24 Dorcha is calling, then Louis arrives with fish number one, a large headless trout. Dorcha seizes it and has a quick nibble
05.31.00 Dorcha departs with her fish as a cuckoo calls in the distance while Louis settles down on the eggs