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:
Dorcha has been back on the nest since 08.37
She is constantly looking for Louis.
09.38
09.46 The chicks are asking for food. Dorcha gets up,She shakes her tail
Scratches her leg
Sorts an annoying bit
09.47 And leaves the nest
The chicks calls ringing in her ears.
©️Woodland Trust
10.55 One chick starts calling
The other joins in
Dorcha arrives with a lichen covered stick
The chicks stand up
but there’s nothing for them.
11.16 Currently, Dorcha has been preening and the chicks vocalising.
It not looking good for the nest atm.
However plenty is happening behind the scenes.
Looking at fish on the nest today
Applying for a licence to remove the chicks, possibly sent to a relocation programme if possible
Plenty to keep up to date with
Richard B
NEWS! WT will intervene!
George posted about an hour ago:
After taking advice we have decided to place some fish on the nest today if Louis or Dorcha do not bring anything in meantime. This could be within the next hour or two subject to legal clearance. The camera may be switched off for this to happen.
Given the weekend is approaching, a licence is also being sought to remove the chicks from the nest so we have that option over the weekend if we need it.
The advice we have received is that if Louis has not returned by the end of the weekend, then he likely will not be returning. That being the case it is unlikely Dorcha would be able to successfully raise the two chicks to the end of the season and migration. Even given her best efforts to protect them and fish, they would likely not make it.
Enquiries have revealed that among the options there is potential for the chicks to go into an existing translocation programme for the benefit of the species. We won’t commit to that until we are sure Louis and Dorcha don’t have a good chance of continuing undisturbed to raise their family.
The tricky thing is not intervening too soon when Louis might turn up at any moment, and not leaving it too late until the chicks won’t be in good enough condition to survive translocation.
The advice we have is that it is too soon to write Louis off yet, but if he continues to be absent until late into the weekend then we should look at removing the chicks then.
The licence to do that is being sought today, even if it is not needed in the end.
In order to increase the chance of a successful outcome for the chicks should they be removed in a few days time, they are going to be fed today to tide them over for now. They may also be fed tomorrow.
To provision the nest Lewis will climb the tree and leave fish.
You will appreciate we have a lot to sort out and I may not be able to answer the many questions I am sure you will have. So please bear with us.
This is absolutely the right thing to do, I’m so grateful to the Woodland Trust.
13.14 Current scene on the nest, Dorcha is away again and the chicks are huddled in as best as they can in the wind and rain.
The livestream is currently down and the Osprey will be getting mackerel.
Lewis is hand-feeding the chicks right now.
Yes, mackerel!
Sad to read the happenings so far Geemeff, hoping & praying that no harm has come to Louis but glad to find out that the chicks & Dorcha will be fed by the team ... many thanks to all who are providing updates!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr