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
.
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:
Middle of the night drama as Dorcha is blown over and the chicks get wet!
02.49 Despite a weather forecast of light rain and light winds, the weather is atrocious with pouring rain and very strong winds at the top of the nest tree
02.50.08 A gust of wind blows Dorcha completely over, it takes her a moment to right herself
Fish number one - sort of!
05.35.54 An Osprey is seen flying in the distance on the left
05.36.12 Louis arrives with what's left of fish number one, a tail-end of trout.
Dorcha is not impressed and doesn't move to take it so Louis has a nibble
Simultaneous feeding!
05.44.18 Louis feeds chick1 from fish number one while Dorcha feeds C2 from last night’s Fish4 tail-end
It would be a sweet scene if it weren't so soggy everything looks damp and uncomfortable, both chicks have wet feathers.
05.44.58 Dorcha departs leaving Louis in charge
05.46.52 Louis does a bit of beak feaking - cleaning his beak on a cot rail 05.47.00 the two chicks peck lightly at the remains of C3
05.47.32 Crow caws nearby 05.48.33 Dorcha is heard faintly in the distance. Louis remains on the nest
Warning - graphic video:
Geemeff said:19.52.16 Another little bird visits the nest, plays with a sprig of heather, then departs. Is it a Robin?
It looked like a robin to me too Geemeff.
Geemeff said:08.51.50 Bye bye little chick3 - she flies off with it
Aww, farewell little one, you tried so hard but circumstances were against you. You can fly high and free now.
Terrible wind, could scarcely believe my eyes, poor Dorcha & chicks
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Nest One 05.47 A Robin visits
05.47.13 A little Robin pops up underneath the nest on the left then flies around and hops up onto the nest by the centre perch. It flits around for a few moments
05.47.47 It disappears underneath the nest again
(zoomed)
14.48.00 Fish number two arrives - persistence pays off
14.48.00 Fish number two, large whole live trout
14.48.10 Louis departs - 10 second handover
14.48.16 Poor fish flaps feebly
14.50.25 Chick2 on the right of C1 decides C1 has had enough and pushes it out the way. C1 hunkers down for a moment then moves around - walking upright - and approaches Dorcha from behind, with C2 now on its left
14.54.30 C1 is getting fed again, standing next to C2
Glider said:Geemeff said:08.51.50 Bye bye little chick3 - she flies off with it Aww, farewell little one, you tried so hard but circumstances were against you. You can fly high and free now.
That combination of circumstances was just too much. It could have overcome two out of the three, perhaps, but cold & wet, stress from aggression and insufficient food was deadly.
I just wish its death could have been faster and easier. One small mercy is that it was left alone and not harried. RIP little bob3