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:
Thank God. Loch Garten did the same when Odin got all tied up in fishing line and was awol for a few days. It's been a terrible year all round for Ospreys this year country wide. Thank you Staff and volunteers at Loch Arkaig, from the bottom of my heart , thank you
Well, miracles do happen.
Look who’s back!!! ️
08.26 And with a headless fish.
Louis, you are looking fantastic!One of the chicks takes the fish
Dorcha arrives
08.27 then Louis leaves.
©️WTS
I’m absolutely thrilled to bits. What an amazing turnaround.
️
I’m so happy for you especially Geemeff, I know the love you have for these ospreys and this special nest.
Louis looking fit healthy and well fed.
Richard B
Please forgive me but : : What an understatement ........ I'm fighting back tears
Such a relief. Well done WTS and Lewis for being so proactive at such a critical time It goes to show how the necessary paperwork can be sorted in such a relatively short space of time. Brilliant work all round.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
So pleased to see Louis back, looking good as well, where on earth has he been? More fish for the chicks as well, all back to normal.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Lovely Louis - it was just the best sight ever. I wrote last night that I hadn't given't up on him, but oh the relief to see him there, nicely rounded frontage and fish in talons - I have to say I was due for brunch with friends this morning so I took a bottle of bubbly along..
Miracles do happen - yesterday my little cat, missing since last Friday, came home. Ravenously hungry, thin, dirty and very talkative in between gulping down food and water, but uninjured and back home. And then Louis this morning.
Hallelujah!
How wonderful for you Geemeff, a double celebration!!If only Louis could tell us what happened to him! Was he ill, was he injured in some way, was he busy escorting a battalion of intruders away? We will never know, but can be so relieved he is back and that WTS was willing to do something, and quickly.
The not knowing has such an impact - if we knew, we could calculate the odds of it happening again. Was he scared away by the eagle Liz Bracken saw in the area? Did he have a tummy bug? Will he do it again? Etc, etc.
Relieved as I am, as we all are, I think that niggle won't go away until after several more fish deliveries. It's now five hours since he returned - expecting / hoping to see another fish soon.
Thankful, surprised and relieved that WTS sought permission for an intervention.
My little cat is still following me around everywhere, and in turn being followed by his identical twin, who spent last week moping and off his food, just staring at the bottom of the garden, waiting for his brother. They're easier to tell apart now as one is fatter than the other! But that will soon change.
Fabulous photos from Glider! Thank you!