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:
I love that name, Aida, for every reason you said Geemeff, but for me, especially as it’s so close to Aila and she bears a resemblance to Aila too. Welcome to Loch Arkaig Aida, May you and Garry have many successful years together. ️
And with the voice she has, being named after an opera heroine is most appropriate!
I also think she has a passing resemblance to dear departed Aila - she's also a 'clean face'
13.23.08 Aida is on the nest, calling loudly for fish
13.23.25 Garry arrives with a fish for her - she grabs it but stays on the nest to eat.
14.23.05 Garry LV0 arrives
14.24.14 Aida arrives, with a very full crop.
Garry flies up and attempts mating several times, but no actual success although she seems willing.
16.37.41 Dorcha is on the nest and starts sky-scanning, she's on high alert
16.38.16 an intruder Osprey touches down on the nest - Dorcha gets rid of it pretty quickly.
Repeated in slo-mo with a couple of stills for a better look at the intruder - could be female. But it's not Aida from Nest One
18.54 Aida's on the nest screaming for fish - we're told Garry is eating nearby where she can see him so her cries get louder
18.54.16 Garry arrives but - he's eaten it all! She tells him off loud and long
Daily summary Tuesday 30th April 2024
A very interesting day - Garry's girlfriend not only returned but was given a name! Woodland Trust have named her Aida, for various good reasons including reflecting her migration to winter quarters in Africa, and as a nod to dear departed Aila. The names are only one letter apart but pronounced very differently - this one is Eye-ee-dah, whereas our First Female was Ay-lah. Garry brought her a fish and made several mating attempts, none successful although she seemed willing. However he may have blotted his copybook by munching an entire fish within sight of her, without sharing, to her evident and loudly voiced displeasure.It's all part of the getting to know each other process, so far she has been given four fish by him since they met up on 28th April. Over on Nest Two, Dorcha also only got one fish today, so Louis' tally rises to sixty six fish since he and Dorcha reunited on 28th March. However, she had to deal with an unringed intruder Osprey who touched down briefly, but she had no difficulty seeing the stranger off. After a soggy start, the weather improved and tonight's forecast is partly cloudy with light winds.
Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.12.19 (04.16.42); Nest Two 21.56.30 (04.45.29)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/mf7wAAFfZrI Garry LV0 brings moss but no one's there 07.38.57
https://youtu.be/IPmowh2l_QA Louis brings fish number one and only for Dorcha, headless trout 11.55.48
https://youtu.be/Rwc5CsbBa3w She's back and she's got a name - meet Aida! 13.15.53
https://youtu.be/5wDe16_t_eE Aida gets a fish from her boyfriend Garry 13.23.25
https://youtu.be/3rZnQ5f8Qn4 Aida seems willing, Garry makes several attempts but no success yet 14.23.05
https://youtu.be/k5rxoSg2D44 Intruder Osprey touches down next to Dorcha 16.38.16 (slo-mo repeat)
https://youtu.be/RU2k7NeBRZ8 Aida screams for fish but Garry's eaten it all 18.54.16
Bonus action - stand up for trees while you shop, Woodland Trust’s spring catalogue now out:
https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/spring-catalogue
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/ZIC6oJaL_EM Cheeky Hoodie annoys Louis 2017
https://youtu.be/tg86hWM2aIA Is it the Tawny Owl disturbing Aila? 2020
https://youtu.be/PoQ1BlwQBTE Little plucker! Aila's drastic action to make Louis move 2020
https://youtu.be/dDUQS2FK7Yw Shouldn't laugh but.. poor Dorcha! 2022
https://youtu.be/zFR4J9qruNA Little bird visits Nest One 2023
https://youtu.be/PhoMl4grLhI Louis removal aids! 2023
Aida bathed in the early morning sun, looking very much at home perched waiting for her breakfast
05.05.50 Aida arrives
05.06 onwards LV0 can be heard skydancing faintly in the distance
05.15 Aida sitting quietly on the nest, with a colourful sunrise in the background
05.59.12 Aida gives a few soft calls and moves up onto the centre perch
06.42.46 Aida gives up waiting for Garry and departs
Intruder flying nearby causes Dorcha & Louis to flee the nest (slo-mo repeat with zoom)
07.35.04 An Osprey appears in the distance flying towards the nest.
07.35.12 Louis & Dorcha both alarm call and make a quick exit. The intruder flies over to the right
07.35.36 Louis flies right to left, lands on the Scots Pine. Dorcha circles overhead and returns to the nest, mantling.
Alarm chips heard then Louis flies over from the Scots Pine and lands on the nest, chipping, they're both alert, and the intruder is seen again by the big logo.