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LOCH ARKAIG - THE WOODLAND TRUST - February 2024 - May 2024

Geemeff
12/02/2024 14:26

Welcome to Loch Arkaig Ospreys season 8

Will Louis and Dorcha return to Nest 2? White check mark

Will someone take up residence in Nest 1? Question

Will any of Louis' chicks with Aila and Dorcha be sighted? Question

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:

2016 Woodland Trust acquire the Loch Arkaig ancient Caledonian rainforest remnant and manage it in partnership with Arkaig Community Forest. An Osprey pair is seen.
2017 A nest cam is installed on a refurbished ancient Osprey nest. The old pair don't return but a young male Louis and a young female Aila take up residence and raise one male chick to fledging: Lachlan JH4.
2018 Louis & Aila return but a Pine Marten steals all their eggs.
2019 Louis & Aila return and raise two female chicks to fledging: Mallie JJ0 and Rannoch JJ2.
2020 Louis & Aila return and raise two male and one female chicks to fledging: Doddie JJ6; Vera JJ8 and Captain JJ7.
2021 Louis returns but sadly Aila doesn't. Louis takes up residence on a new nest with a new mate Dorcha and they raise two male chicks to fledging: Aspen LW3 and Alder LW4. This is designated Nest 2, no one takes up residence on Nest 1.
2022 Woodland Trust install a nest cam on Nest 2. Louis & Dorcha return and raise two female chicks to fledging: Willow LW5 and Sarafina LW6. Still no residents on Nest 1.
2023 Louis & Dorcha return, and raise one male chicks to fledging: Ludo LY7. No residents on Nest 1 but male Garry LV0 spent a lot of time flirting with Affric 152 despite her mate Prince still being around.
.
Louis is a father of eleven, six with Aila (2017-2020), and five with Dorcha (2021-)
.
In hatch order 2017 - 2023:
2017 Lachlan (JH4)
2019 Mallie (JJ0), Rannoch (JJ2)
2020 Doddie (JJ6), Vera (JJ8), Captain (JJ7)
2021 Aspen (LW3), Alder (LW4)
2022 Willow (LW5), Sarafina (LW6)
2023 Ludo (LY7)
--------------------
Highlights:
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2023 Nest Two highlights https://youtu.be/frFhrnS7Vvo
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2023 Nest One highlights https://youtu.be/qpxRv2OIsFQ
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All captures in whatever format are copyright Woodland Trust - with many thanks for allowing captures from their nest cam livestreams.
Osprey cams funded by People's Postcode Lottery
  • 14/04/2024 11:17
    Nest Two 11.09.54 Dorcha has started chirping - the egg is on the way!
    11.06.35 Dorcha makes another effort, non productive this time, settles into the nest cup, looks uncomfortable
    11.05.20 A little bird visits and very quickly leaves
    11.03.12 Dorcha just attempted a squirt over the side, it didn't get that far.

    Is she getting ready to lay?

    Another effort at a squirt, non productive this time, settles into the nest cup, looks uncomfortable..
  • 14/04/2024 11:24

    11.13.47 EGG!! Just a glimpse as she shakes her tail feathers and stands up

    11.13.55 First good look

  • 14/04/2024 11:27 in reply to Geemeff

    Fantastic! Thanks Geemeff!!

  • 14/04/2024 12:56

    In this video - I zoomed in after the first glimpse, for verification of the time

    11.13.19 Dorcha chirps - the egg is on the way

    11.13.47 Dorcha raises her tail feathers and that is the actual time of laying, there's a quick glimpse

    11.13.55 First good sight of the egg!!! 

  • 14/04/2024 12:58 in reply to Geemeff

    Great news, lovely footage, thanks Geemeff EggBlush

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • 14/04/2024 18:19

    11.24.40 Louis brings a stick and gets the first look at their egg.

    Louis arrives with a stick and puts it on Dorcha! She shrugs it off, it gets moved, and after a few moments Louis realises something is up and peers over enquiringly.

    Dorcha moves, and he gets his first look at their egg.gets the first look at their egg.

    .

  • 14/04/2024 18:43

    Louis is known for being very enthusiastic about egg-sitting, he usually has to be prised off the eggs, with various ingenious methods being used, from beating with sticks to standing on his tail feathers.

    12.59.43 Louis arrives with a small stick, puts it down, and practically barges Dorcha off the egg so he can take over.

    She does allow him to, but keeps a very close watch on him as he settles down to his first incubation session.


  • 14/04/2024 20:07 in reply to Geemeff

    Wel done on the 1st egg. I loved the way Louis suddenly noticed the egg and cocked his head to the side and moved in for a closer look, so cute. Then had to squeeze Dorcha off, so he could get a shot to sit!

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • 14/04/2024 22:58

    15.31.12 Fish number one, headless BT.

    Louis arrives with fish number one, a headless Brown Trout.

    Dorcha seizes it immediately, and flies off to eat it away from the nest, leaving Louis to egg-sitting duties. he is happy to oblige.

    She must be hungry after her labours resulting in the arrival of the first egg.

  • 14/04/2024 23:16

    19.15.57 Louis arrives with fish number two, a headless BT.

    Dorcha stays on the nest to eat while Louis settles down on the egg.

    Male Ospreys have brood patches which allows skin to egg contact for incubation by both the male and female - not all bird species have this facility.