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:
22.45 Update - Dorcha is spending the night on the nest. Looks like we might have an egg by morning.
Is Bunarkaig nest what was Nest one, and is Prince who we originally nicknamed the young pretender? I've rather lost touch since LG became 'active' again. I've heard of 152 somewhere already this seaso, but can't remember where. I'm losing the plot, sorry. And what is C1?
Hi Sheila, no, the Bunarkaig nest is a different one, on private land, and it's where Affric 152 and Prince fledged Fishy LV7 in 2022.There is no nest cam. Their nest failed last year - maybe interloper Garry LV0 had something to do with that, who knows, speculation only. Prince, previously known as The Stranger, and also the Young Pretender (YP), referencing Bonnie Brince Charlie and the legend of the Jacobite gold hidden at Loch Arkaig, first appeared in 2021 and seemed interested in Nest One after Aila FTR and Louis moved to Nest Two. Affric 152 turned up, both were clearly inexperienced youngsters, but they perservered and ended up pairbonding, with a successful nest in 2022.
At least, we suspect it was them, all the indications point that way, but there's no nest cam, and as Chaddie says, the angle of the nest means legs can't be seen and consequently no confirmed ring sightings can be made. However, he's pretty convinced it is Prince, which means the blue-ringed female must be Affric.
C1 is how some people refer to Nest One, meaning Camera One. I prefer N1, as I use C1, C2 etc for newly hatched chicks.
My Nest One 2023 highlights video might help refresh your memory?
Daily summary Wednesday 10th April 2024An exciting day today - on the anniversary of Louis & Dorcha's reunion last year, things are very advanced on Nest Two this year. As at 23.30 tonight, Dorcha is on the nest, moving around looking uncomfortable, then hunkering down again. The wind is blowing and the rain is lashing down, so not an auspicious night for egg-laying, but there you are, nature will prevail regardless. The Inver Mallie forecast is more of the same for tonight - in Met Offce speak, that's heavy rain and a moderate breeze, but that moderate breeze certainly looks much stronger on the exposed nest. Louis brought two fish to the nest, taking the tally to thirty, Dorcha will need a good breakfast if she does produce an egg overnight. Over on Nest One, Affric Blue 152 made a welcome first appearance, however, an update this evening from Chaddie at Bunarkaig tells us that Prince is at that nest daily, and a blue-ringed female, probably Affric, has also been seen, so it looks likely they will continue using that nest. Which leaves Nest One free for Garry LV0 - he just needs to find his own female. Come back that one-ringed stranger, please! Good luck to Dorcha, we're all rooting for her, let's see what tomorrow brings.Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 21.09.07 (05.40.14); Nest Two 20.59.39 (05.45.58)Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/LPHhs_3oFQU Welcome home Affric 09.27.21 (zoom)https://youtu.be/TDenxxKhpYw Fish number one, headless BT 11.09.42https://youtu.be/l1HpuYtiBnE Fish number two, large headless BT 14.51.32Bonus read - supporting Woodland Trust:https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/give/gift-in-will/https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/join/https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/give/dedications/Blast from the past - this day in previous years:https://youtu.be/LbWEdz9F-qg Aila & Louis.. love nest 2020https://youtu.be/G-3kBllTF-8 Louis' enthusiastic fine-tuning 2020https://youtu.be/0Qy8OO9mY30 Tricky stick for the Stranger 2021https://youtu.be/i71cxxtGq2w No takers for the Stranger's fish 2021https://youtu.be/Z1AU-Q7nx9o Nest Two has three little visitors 2023https://youtu.be/2I51i5kIVa0 The reunion!!! 2023https://youtu.be/wiTfiXrSBeg Dorcha departs the nest 2023 (slo-mo zoom)https://youtu.be/7P43WG1d9oA Wasting no time.. 2023
08.30
Nest One no activity
Nest Two no egg, no fish, just plenty of EMN.
Louis departed at 07.43
Wind still gusting but no rain - improvement after last night’s foul wet weather
10.01.07 Fish number one headless BTDorcha is on the nest and starts calling when she sees Louis bringing a fish.He lands at 10.01.07 with fish number one, a headless Brown Trout.
13.48.04 Something flies left to right across the view - Dorcha takes note but doesn't otherwise react. Louis?13.48.50 Great Tit lands on the right hand branch below the nest, sees Dorcha, and flies to the centre of the nest for a few seconds. The size disparity is striking.13.49.12 Dorcha is looking the other way, but turns her head and sees the little bird, and it departs immediately.13.50.30 Louis arrives with a clump of grass and a feathery frond. They both stand looking at something in the distance, then get on with nest prep.
Daily summary Thursday 11th April 2024After spending the night on the nest in atrocious weather last night, Dorcha didn't produce an egg and appears to be staying off-nest tonight. An interesting situation. Louis brought one fish to the nest - several times! That fish went on and off with both of them until finally consumed. The tally now stands at thirty one. No activity on Nest One today. The forecast for Inver Mallie tonight is heavy rain and a gentle breeze - why would Ospreys choose to nest here? Quick answer: better fishing opportunities due to the long days here in their summer home, and shorter days plus the start of the rainy season in their winter home. Reposting an amusing cartoon of Louis & Dorcha in their winter home, drawn by PaulineC, link below, and we'll hope for deckchair weather soon here too, preferably before all the eggs are laid.Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 21.13.49 (05.32.45); Nest Two 21.05.18 (05.43.09)Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/-wtEUFelIj4 Fish number one and only, headless BT 10.01.07https://youtu.be/PCFbG-MfO84 Dorcha scares off a Great Tit 13.48.50https://youtu.be/Frl2xush4Vs Alien invasion of Nest Two! Or is it? 22.01.00Bonus look - PaulineC's cartoon, Louis & Dorcha chilling in their winter home:https://twitter.com/Pauline43911662/status/1646104844074119169
Nest One
08.12.08 Affric 152 lands
08.16 Hops up on the left hand perch
08.19 Jumps down again - the nest suddenly looks small with her in the middle of it
08.22 Skydancing can be heard. Affric looks up and starts fish calling.
08.26.28 Garry LV0 lands with a fish! She grabs it, he seems reluctant to give it to her but she seizes it, he departs immediately. Nice big trout. She stays on the nest, munching
08.27.40 Affric departs with her fish
Nest One drama with Louis and Garry
08.52.05 Garry LV0 lands, departs seconds later 08.52.10
08.52.13 Louis lands, departs 08.52.17, chased by Garry LV0 just coming into the frame
08.52.19 Garry LV0 lands again seconds after Louis departs, and chirps very possessively indeed. I do hope he will consider this his nest and keep returning until he finds a mate.
08.53.44 Garry LV0 departs