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:
08.10.05 Dorcha goes flyabout, bobs home alone.
Osprey still perched on Scots Pine - is that Louis? Yes, must be Louis on the Scots Pine as she’s not bothered.
He’s there to watch over the chicks while she’s gone.
08.12.01 Dorcha returns, checks over the chicks - all present and correct
01.45 Bob1 goes walkabout!
"01:45:00-01:52:00 Bob1 is out again! This time s/he begins with head stretched out and yelling, then leaves Dorcha completely, heading toward the camera and the cot rails. Dorcha is watching Bob1 closely, as the 6-day-old turns and begins a walkabout of the nest.
At some point, enough is enough and the bob heads back to Dorcha and dives back under the duvet." Beverley, WT forum
Dorcha had been watching closely, and as soon as bob1 turned back, she gathered up the wayward chick.
Geemeff said:01.45 Bob1 goes walkabout!
I think both Dorcha and Louis will have to keep a close eye on that little one, it appears so 'forward' for its age!
Geemeff said:Louis is pretty amazing - all nests should have a dad like him, don't you think, Sandra? Mr Reliable!
Oh goodness, yes indeed - wouldn't that be something!
I agree Sandra, it’s so early for the bob to be doing walkabouts! Dorcha was very unsettled as she watched the little one go exploring.
Glider said:I agree Sandra, it’s so early for the bob to be doing walkabouts! Dorcha was very unsettled as she watched the little one go exploring.
I agree with you and Sandra - I'm guessing possibly female, as it's so precocious. Only a day or so old, and it was having a definite nibble at a fish, now at six days old, wanting to go off exploring. That one needs watching!
Sticky situation!
09.33.52 Dorcha arrives with a stick, the bobs were looking for food
09.35.06 Another stick arrives, with Louis on the end of it. Still no fish for the hopeful chicks.
Both adults move around, trying to arrange the sticks which are awkwardly shaped, getting in the way of the chicks who're watching them open-beaked hoping for fish.
Both adults fly off, leaving the chicks on their own, staring after them.
12.02.03 Fish number two!
Louis delivers a whopper trout, whole, which is immediately seized by Dorcha who's being watched intently by the three little feeding machines AKA the bobs
12.02.41 Louis departs
This is why it’s called the pecking order... Bob1 has a serious go at bob3, and bob2 joins in (zoomed)
15.54.31 Dorcha departs, and immediately Bob1 starts attacking the other two, mainly going for bob3, who quickly submits and keeps low down and still.
Bob1 then has a go at bob2, who in turn has a go at bob3. Bob2 is really quite vicious. Poor little bob3 then gets attacked again by bob1.
15.55.50 Dorcha returns and sits on the chicks but Bob1 doesn't give up and is still squealing and pecking from underneath Dorcha.
17.17.17 Louis arrives with an almost intact flatfish, the second of the season and the third fish today.
Dorcha takes it and the bobs sit up. She partially obscures them but bobs 1 & 2 are definitely being fed.