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:
13.35 Dorcha's on the nest but seem agitated and is watching something carefully, looking around constantly.
At 13:35:55 an intruder osprey is seen flying towards the WT logo and then over the nest, and again at 13:36:12.
Dorcha pancakes and stays put but keeps a close watch from the nest.
Daily summary Monday 8th April 2024A much more settled day weather-wise, but plenty of upset for Louis and Dorcha with two separate Osprey intrusions on Nest Two. Louis chased off the first and the second was carefully watched by Dorcha, but neither time did the intruder come close enough to ascertain if it was one Osprey intruding twice, or two separate birds. Louis did some acrobatics with a very long stick, and brought two fish to the nest, taking the tally to twenty five. No activity on Nest One. Tonight's forecast is light rain and light winds.Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 21.11.19 ( 05.40.05 ); Nest Two 21.01.36 (05.47.03)Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/Z9Or98nZIl0 Fish number one, half BT, Dorcha's not interested 06.05.30https://youtu.be/rWdpjJV1mFg Louis chases an intruder 08.37 (zoom)https://youtu.be/cU7dI1sudXs Louis pole vaults onto the nest 10.38.39https://youtu.be/in2K_CSR5Mg Intruder Osprey overflies Dorcha on the nest 13.35.55https://youtu.be/3ISz1qkJE20 Fish number two, headless BT, Dorcha grabs it instantly 19.12.42Bonus guides - George's guide to fish ID, hyvor hints & tips, and Statto Steve's fishy stats:https://www.wesendit.com/dl/dUaKIIx4MRxdLIC8WBlast from the past, this day in previous years:https://youtu.be/YADMDipmet0 Aila gets the brush-off 2020https://youtu.be/9DmoNXRo4u4 Louis nearly pulls Aila off the nest 2020https://youtu.be/MOwOw_Okoq4 Magic rainbow diamonds 2022https://youtu.be/uBJT3Gullpc Louis' one and only visit - Dorcha's not home yet 05.34.08
Nest One 09.35.01 LV0 is back!Flies in from the right, lands, then hops up onto the centre perchWelcome home Garry! (zoomed clip)
Fantastic news, Geemeff! He looks in fab condition!
Nest Two 09.16.53 Intruder Osprey does a flypast watched by Louis and Dorcha - Louis takes off after it. It's a rapid flypast so I did a slo-mo with zoom of the actual flypast.
Wondered if it's LV0 on his way to Nest One (landed 09.35) but even in slo-mo I can't see if it has a blue ring
Fish number one, headless BT - Dorcha ignores it, then when she does make a move, Louis leaves with it 07.20.53
Garry LV0 stays for over an hour on Nest One before departing 10.46.56 (zoom)
10.16 & 14.13 Loch Arkaig Ospreys: a sticky situation in quick time (Classic Ospreys: Saint-Saëns)
10:16:44 Another large branch is brought in by Louis - comedy ensues, with both of them trying to wrangle it into place.14.13.13 onwards - Dorcha brings half a tree and attempts to position it - then Louis tries to help. But, as anticipated by the nest cam watchers, it eventually goes overboard at 14.28I combined the two incidents and set it to Swift Animals from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns
Fish number two, headless BT 13:16:45 - Dorcha takes it and goes
Fish number three, big headless brown trout 17.57.44