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
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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:
WendyBartter said:Terrible wind, could scarcely believe my eyes, poor Dorcha & chicks
Terrible wind, could scarcely believe my eyes, poor Dorcha & chicks
It was ironic that the forecast specified 'light winds', Wendy!
Makes me wonder what they'd call strong winds - tornado, perhaps?
Anything stronger could have decimated the nest entirely ... gulp!!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
17.39.58 Fish number three, headless trout
17.40.29 Louis departs, 31 second handover
Both chicks have full crops but line up anyway, and are happy to share the fish as Dorcha dishes it out
Fish number four, tiddler snack
19.55.54 Fish number four, tiddler trout. Dorcha takes it, the chicks aren't interested
19.56.01 Louis departs
19.56.20 Louis returns with a clunk, as if he were up on the camera pole
19.57.23 Louis leaves again
19.59.18 Dorcha downs the tail
Dorcha uses her scare-crow voice
19.23.00 Dorcha keeps looking around, on alert
19:23:13 A Hooded Crow flies from left to right and perches on the Scots Pine Dorcha keeps watch and uses her special barking-tone crow-voice
19.23.43 The Hoodie leaves the Scots Pine and flies in the direction of the nest - Dorcha watches and uses her crow-voice again
19.24.00 Dorcha relaxes a little having seen off the Hoodie
Daily summary Friday 21st June 2024
Today started with atrocious weather not matching the overnight forecast. The 'light winds' ended up blowing poor Dorcha completely over, showing off her underfluffies and giving her a bit of bother righting herself again, while the 'light rain' soaked the chicks too big to fit completely underneath her now. But things looked up when Louis arrived with a tiny breakfast and proceeded to feed one chick while Dorcha fed the other from last night's remnant, giving a cosy scene of domestic harmony. After Louis had had a quick go at removing the remains of chick3, Dorcha succeeded, flying off with the sad bundle and disposing of it in the forest. Bye bye little bob3 - gone but not forgotten. Louis brought four fish to the nest, taking his tally to two hundred and thirty one. The Hooded Crows were interested in the nest but Dorcha scared them off with her special crow voice. No need to scare off the little Robin who visited Nest One today as there were no other vistors. Tonight's forecast is light rain and a gentle breeze - let's hope it turns out that way as the family could use an undisturbed night tonight with the prospect of disturbance by the Red Arrows doing a flypast tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.47.27 (03.12.07); Nest Two 23.10.54 (03.55.16)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/WERbYCv-hTw N2 A gust of wind blows Dorcha completely over 02.50.08
https://youtu.be/gXy_08Aum1E N2 Fish number one, trout tail-end 05.36.12
https://youtu.be/hHXYtXsSXnQ N2 Simultaneous feeding by both parents 05.44
https://youtu.be/oE5jRyFGIpg N1 A cheeky Robin visits 05.47.13 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/DDlOGyMil1A N2 Warning - graphic: Dorcha removes the dead body 08.50.30
https://youtu.be/DahvNKRdcZk N2 Fish number two, large live trout - C1 refuses to be prevented getting a share! 14.48.00
https://youtu.be/QLyDm0Wwygw N2 Fish number three, large headless trout, the chicks share happily 17.39.58
https://youtu.be/Gd2KYCoS5YY N2 Dorcha uses her crow-voice on a nearby Hoodie 19.23.00 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/cuMv-BAPvxQ N2 Fish number four, tiddler snack, Dorcha wolfs it in 4 minutes 19.55.54
Bonus action - if you're near London and fancy dressing as a tree, Woodland Trust wants you tomorrow:
https://x.com/geemeff/status/1804283965270012389
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/dMSX41ilEWY N1 Bob3 unwisely attacks Bob1 and is severely punished 2019 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/4NuK-piiMIQ N1 On edge: adventurous Osplet wanders a bit too close, mum takes charge 2020
https://youtu.be/8zTUfiR4Kg0 N1 Oh poo! Synchronised squirting 2020
https://youtu.be/ueug1mnixBE N1 Chicks fight, mum moves out of the way 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/jbHh2h0h4h0 N2 Louis drops the fish as he goes 2022
https://youtu.be/QGLfl9w6bug N2 Battling bobs have a bash 2022
https://youtu.be/TvuGHqiM79c N2 Dorcha throws a stick over the younger chick 2022
https://youtu.be/EtId8vXnQaA N2 Dad's been to Nestbase but mum's bemused 2022 (Artistic Ospreys)
https://youtu.be/f7khlqE0vDM N2 Stickgate! 2023
https://youtu.be/tJWT9yQlrKU N2 Mum squashes & bashes, chick gets cross 2023
https://youtu.be/mH07mCCV0xo N2 Mum and chick work together to tidy the nest 2023
https://youtu.be/29zjMxxlvjA N1 LV0 wants payment from Affric for the fish 2023
https://youtu.be/M-jHiFV3RYQ N2 Louis delivers a huge Silver Tourist 2023
04.19.55 Fish number one, headless trout
Dorcha's body blocks the feeding, both chicks were up to get food but can't see if both are eating
04.20.15 Louis departs, 20 second handover
06.47.28 Fish number two, small whole trout
06.47.46 Louis departs, 18 second handover
The chicks gather round but one chick is more interested in preening and wing-stretching than eating, although offered bites by Dorcha
06.53.30 Dorcha downs the tail
06.54.08 A little bird hops onto the left side of the nest, stays a few seconds. Think it's a Coal Tit
07.57.38 Garry LV0 visits, flying in from the right (east) and lands on the nest.
Stands quietly, doesn't do any nest prep
08.00.16 Departs flying towards the solar panels and out of sight to the left (west)
15.05 Not long now until we might see or hear the Red Arrows on nest cam - Loch Morar to Loch Lochy is nearest us
Depart Prestwick Airport – 2.55pm
North of Suachrie – 2.57pm
Balochroy – 3.03pm
Crachan – 3.12pm
South of Loch Morar – 3.17pm
Loch Lochy – 3.22pm
Kinch – 3.28pm
Forres – 3.32pm
Arrive at RAF Lossiemouth – 3.33pm
UPDATE - they went south of Loch Eil instead, so we didn't see or hear them on nest cam