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 May at 16.36.10
Sad death of little chick three Sunday 16th June at approx 19.02
Louis disappears, last seen Wednesday 26th June 11.22.56
Louis returns but is clearly not well Saturday 29th June 08.26.37
Decision made to place the two surviving chicks in a translocation programme Sunday 30th June
Licensed raptor team collects the chicks Monday 1st July 10.15
Chicks 1&2 arrive at Pego-Oliva marsh, Spain and ringed Yellow 1JW (C1) & 1JR (C2) Thursday 11th July
Sadly, 1JR (C2) started having seizures and succumbed to a heart condition Tuesday 23rd July
FLEDGE! The surviving chick 1JW (C1) found his wings and flew Thursday 25th July 3pm
Dorcha last seen on camera (Nest One) 11.19.43 Saturday 27th July
Louis last seen on camera (Nest Two) 13.31.18 Tuesday 30th July
1JW (C1) last seen at Pego-Oliva marsh (Spain) on Tuesday 10th September
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Link to February 2024 - May 2024 thread:
loch-arkaig---the-woodland-trust---february-2024---may-2024
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:
Glider said:175 fish so far - what a phenomenal effort from Louis!
175 fish so far - what a phenomenal effort from Louis!
Even when the weather's atrocious and the water's all roiled up, he still manages to catch fish - Dorcha's certainly got herself a good mate!
Geemeff said:N2 Louis does a 17 second drop and go with fish number three 17.16.47
Hi Geemeff,
While watching that vid from yesterday, I was wondering if the chicks' genders are #1 female and both #2 & #3 male - that'll be my prediction anyway!
Thanks for all your continued updates, so very much appreciated! And yes, Louis is fabulous!
Oh! I have C3 as female due to continually starting fights trying to assert dominance despite being the smallest! I make it C1 female, C2 male, C3 female. We shall see - I have a very good record in these matters. I'm usually wrong!
However is Lewis going to determine hatch order when he comes to ring them? I don't envy him, Sandra.
06.20.14 Fish number one, Louis drops and goes in 20 seconds, departing at 06.20.34
07.39.25 Another dominance fight by the well-fed chicks
07.39.25 Chick3 attacks Chick1 and quickly pays the price while Chick2 gets its head down and stays out of it. But it quickly blows over.
07.42.43 Dorcha departs for a quick flyabout, things stay mainly calm. These three well-fed chicks don't need to fight over food, it's purely a dominance issue.
07:43:30 More fighting! Chick3 starts it again, and again pays the price. Is Chick3 female? Wants to be dominant despite being the smallest.
Geemeff said:I have a very good record in these matters. I'm usually wrong!
Lol
Yes, good luck to Lewis, Geemeff!
10.35.06 Fish number two arrives, Louis stays while Dorcha dishes up
10.37.14 Louis departs - stayed for over two minutes this time
Look out - mum's got a weapon!
16:18:39 Just as Dorcha returns she gives an alarm call - “mind your heads” - and the instant reaction of the chicks is to pancake.
16.18.43 Dorcha lands with a huge forked branch, and just as well the chicks ducked, that thing is lethal. As she moves around trying to place it, one of the chicks gets its head stuck between two of the prongs, and another gets stood on.
She does eventually place it in a suitable place.
16.36.21 Fish number three is delivered, a whole trout. Dorcha and the chicks start tucking in immediately.
16.36.45 Louis departs - another drop and go, this one lasts 24 seconds.The family are too busy tucking in to notice when he leaves.
Geemeff said:16.18.43 Dorcha lands with a huge forked branch
It’s like a wooden antler! No wonder she had difficulty placing it!