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:
Wonderful 'blog' thanks Geemeff. You've worked hard on our behalf
Thanks Glider and Cirrus. My pleasure, it's hardly work. Now if you said obsession...!
Note from WTS George this morning:
It is possible that you may see or hear a helicopter on the livestreams today. Fencing materials are being flown in to remote parts of the site. The flight paths have been carefully plotted to avoid disturbing our ospreys and a golden eagle nest. We have people on site watching each nest for any signs of the birds reacting. We are expecting some military planes on exercises later too so a very busy day in the skies over Arkaig. The military fly the length of the loch from time to time. There is no need to be concerned about this. The ospreys would be more bothered about a buzzard.
16.43.48 Fish number two, a bit stiff looking but still edible headless trout
16.44.12 Dorcha flies off with it
Daily summary Friday 10th May 2024
Today was a really quiet day, even the helicopters carrying out carefully planned works didn't make their presence felt much, and an anticipated flypast by the RAF didn't materialise either. No activity at all on Nest One, not even any little birds, and apart from Dorcha hunkering down after seeing something she didn't like overhead, the most action on Nest Two was Louis delivering the two fish which took his tally to eighty six. Owls were heard last night - tonight's forecast is clear skies and a gentle breeze, so will we see any owls tonight? And will the Northern Lights be visible on nest cam tonight?
Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.51.23 (04.10.27); Nest Two 22.57.12 (04.25.09)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/Pe8lgQ2Pdbs N2 Fish number one, headless trout 05.30.24
https://youtu.be/9z6F5i0u_Bo N2 Fish number two, headless trout 16.43.48
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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/WRJVln57L5w N1 Cheeky Tawny Owl perches next to Aila 2019 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/1IEDIyo9rCQ N1 Louis adds to the chaos on a windy day 2020
https://youtu.be/zcl511TMr_0 N1 Louis resists Aila's blandishments 2020
https://youtu.be/e_xzfE0KTlk N1 Louis chases a pesky Hoodie 2020
https://youtu.be/iStLjLcvl2I N1 Eurasian Wren visits the nest 2021
https://youtu.be/VPfvH9XEqzU N2 Unringed female intruder steals Dorcha's fish 2022 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/AM_UsK1riDg N1 Juvenile Tawny Owl plays on Nest One 2023
https://youtu.be/0Mbyxj-Wr90 N1 A handsome Jay visits Nest One 2023
N1 Three little birds visit: 06.51.46
N1 A Jay visits 09.42.51
N2 Very late breakfast - fish number one 10.43.03
N2 Early supper for Dorcha - fish number two 18.01.31
Daily summary Saturday 11th May 2024
This is what I wrote last year: A day where not a lot happened - no visitors of any kind, no action on Nest One, and not much on Nest Two either. Today was similar - no action on Nest One bar a few small birds visiting, and not much action on Nest Two, just a distant alarm and two fish, the tally rises to eighty eight. Lack of drama is an excellent state of affairs as we head towards the first hatch - is it time to start guessing the date and time when the first little bobblehead makes its appearance? Weather forecast is for partly cloudy and light winds tonight.
Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.44.53 (03.54.10); Nest Two 23.02.31 (04.13.14)
https://youtu.be/AsTo8xL_qhY N1 Three little birds visit: 06.51.46
https://youtu.be/fwGRG7NNI4o N1 A Jay visits 09.42.51
https://youtu.be/_xdZMQaEYA4 N2 Very late breakfast - fish number one 10.43.03
https://youtu.be/G3ZJvs0ZJ-k N2 Early supper for Dorcha - fish number two 18.01.31
Bonus watch - With action winding down on Nest One, here's last season's highlights 2023:
https://youtu.be/qpxRv2OIsFQ
https://youtu.be/IhjvqpMq1S4 Intruder Osprey flies right over the nest 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/WW7IBGOOjLU Preparing the nest ready for the first hatch 2020
https://youtu.be/-v6-w-_3oDM Aila does a mid air transfer 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/BsF44kBqGG0 A close shave for Louis - Aila nearly takes his head off! 2020
https://youtu.be/wqUvCjMwwio Mumbrella: Aila protects her eggs during snow flurries 2020
https://youtu.be/yZkcVaa9o-A Affric (Blue 152) and The Stranger return to Nest One 2021
09.26.29 Louis delivers fish number one, a whole trout, still wriggling.
Dorcha takes it immediately and starts tearing at the head
09.27.07 Dorcha departs and Louis settles down to his favourite occupation