LOCH ARKAIG - THE WOODLAND TRUST - June 2024 - February 2025

Daily summary Thursday 4th July 2024

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Activity is winding down on the nests but Louis and Dorcha did pay several visits to Nest Two. No fish were delivered although Louis teased Dorcha by coy-mantling and making her think he had a fish. A pair of little birds visited, as did the Hoodies who were looking for scraps, and later Dorcha also pecked around and seemed to find a few bits to munch on. Garry LV0 was in evidence on Nest One, visiting twice, bringing nesting materials and doing a bit of housework. The weather continues to be wet, windy and cool, and tonight's forecast is heavy rain and a gentle breeze, and wet again tomorrow. How long will Louis and Dorcha stick around now the chicks have gone? For Garry too, still without a mate despite his best efforts, surely warmer climes will beckon early this year.

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.36.00 (03.28.12); Nest Two 23.21.16 (03.26.38)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/5PfRIpr1C1o N1 Garry LV0 does some nest work 09.34.30

https://youtu.be/Q78H5nhXHS0 N2 Dorcha fish calls from the high perch but no response 09.35.02

https://youtu.be/TZR8lcMqDZs N1 Garry LV0 returns with moss and does some housework 11.22.45

https://youtu.be/mUwYTyBdkxU N2 Louis arrives fishless and coy-mantles for Dorcha 12.07.40

https://youtu.be/pZKFTN-jueA N2 Louis pays a quick visit 13.17.50

https://youtu.be/rLoGqpsGXGQ N2 Dyson and Henry pay a visit 13.47.37

https://youtu.be/iIAxz-mHTgw N2 A pair of Crossbills visit 17.12.33

https://youtu.be/i69C0tAgKxI N2 Dorcha pays a late afternoon visit 17.14.32

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Blast from the past,this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/JUBUmLPe35I N1 At 03.04.04 Louis brings a record early fish 2020

https://youtu.be/esStICLLZcU  N1 Avian antics on the nest: nipping and tucking  2020

https://youtu.be/-Rs4bXxthc4  N1 Chick huddle prevents Aila getting to the fish  2020

https://youtu.be/d4ts6sBxnVw  N1 Aila causes chaos with a stick until a chick helps out 2020

https://youtu.be/ZrutG-grqZM  N1 Doddie nips Aila when she stands on him  2020

https://youtu.be/4moO8dO8Avc  N1 As the light fades Louis delivers fish number six 2020

https://youtu.be/lmejeER58ik N2 After a cold wet night an early breakfast arrives 2022

https://youtu.be/tWKLeEeKIMA N1 Garry LV0 arrives with a headless fish 2023

https://youtu.be/UGq6LQrd_Lk  N2 Dorcha reacts furiously to an intruder alert 2023

https://youtu.be/mc8TIefie18  N1 Affric turns up too late and misses out 2023

https://youtu.be/73KK4iKeVGQ N2 Very enthusiastic wingercising, mum gets smacked repeatedly 2023

Poor Louis- hormones out of whack - he tried to mount Dorcha. Got rejected of course 

08.00.12 Dorcha arrives calling, flies up onto the perch

08.01.18 Louis arrives - but doesn’t have any fish, and starts coy mantling

08.01.25 Dorcha comes down onto the nest fish-calling

08.03.33 Louis tries to mount her but she won’t let him

08.03.38 he flies off, she goes back onto the perch

09.00.00 Dorcha leaves

Nest One 09.15.32 Three little birds flit around investigating the nest - Coal Tits

09.16.18 the last of them departs

09.26.42 A different kind of little bird pops up on the right, hops around the nest, finds a little white feather. Juvenile Robin? Pipit?

09.27.56 It departs with its feather

09.36.18 Garry LV0 arrives with a clump of moss, and does a bit of nest work and a little nest-scraping, then goes to perch on the left perch

Two birds chase each other across the cam view in the distance (slo-mo zoom for this bit), I'm not sure Garry notices them

09.54.57 Garry departs 

Geemeff said:

09.26.42 A different kind of little bird pops up on the right, hops around the nest, finds a little white feather. Juvenile Robin? Pipit?

You’re very good with your coal tits now Geemeff! 

I’m not sure about the little brown bird. It does look like a juvenile robin but why would it be collecting nesting material?  

It’s good to see Louis still providing Dorcha with fish and making sure he’s eaten as well.

20.24.30 A lone Hooded Crow flew onto the nest, landing at the side of Dorcha's perch. It moved in and out of sight and spent time preening

20.40.17 The Hoodie departs

Daily summary Friday 5th July 2024

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Louis and Dorcha are still around, and reaffirming their bond - he coy-mantled and attempted mating, she rejected his advances, and later he brought her a fish. At the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, their chicks are settling in and WTS Jill gives us this update: RDWF reported yesterday that both birds are feeding well and seem to be settled in the lovely dry aviary. But it's still too early to say they are out of the woods entirely. The final vet screening will happen early next week, we’ll get more concrete news after that.  Nest One had a visit from Garry LV0 bringing moss and doing a bit of housekeeping, several songbirds also visited and a Hoodie preened on Dorcha's perch for a while. The weather was reasonably settled after a wet night but more rain is forecast for tonight, with thundery showers tomorrow. The chicks are missed but the consensus on the forum is that in the circumstances, they're better off in the translocation programme.

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 00.06.53 (03.35.23); Nest Two 23.45.16 (03.43.32)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/zakv38LnsXI N2 Dorcha's not impressed: no fish and Louis tries mating 08.00.12

https://youtu.be/EamXrQ5Z1TY N1 Four little birds flit around investigating the nest 09.15.32

https://youtu.be/KM9WDj8AjRk N1 Does Garry notice the two birds chasing each other? 09.36.18

https://youtu.be/rX4DKIlw6dM N2 Louis brings a lunchtime fish for Dorcha 13.20.39

https://youtu.be/kzKHN0llDEE N2 A solo Hoodie flies onto the side of Dorcha's perch and preens 20.24.30

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/KmKrmLCYAdk  N1 The chicks Bring Jollity doing flight prep quick time 2020 (Classic Ospreys - Holst) 

https://youtu.be/2eRo86pV2Yg  N1 Newsome Twosome return to Nest One 2021

https://youtu.be/bP4bq94pHFE  N1 The Stranger Prince brings fish to Affric Blue152 2021

https://youtu.be/43ZWmA7jew4  N2 Fish number two arrives, departs, returns in under a minute! 2022

https://youtu.be/z2qG8vOwPeA  N2 RAF Hercules flypast caught on nest cam 2022 (slo-mo, zoom)

https://youtu.be/k8RWeFXwVIQ  N2 Chick 2 pecks Dorcha after a stick incident 2022

https://youtu.be/Jg57oGwiiBA  N2 Not a magpie, but what bird? 2022 (slo-mo zoom)

https://youtu.be/eZp5DKTAV5E N1 Garry brings furnishings and rearranges his nest 2023

https://youtu.be/Jt1e_FAyuxA  N2 Chick has a really good go at self feeding 2023

https://youtu.be/IT-cvTyR6YU  N1 Magical double rainbow with sparkles 2023

Glider said:

Geemeff said:

09.26.42 A different kind of little bird pops up on the right, hops around the nest, finds a little white feather. Juvenile Robin? Pipit?

You’re very good with your coal tits now Geemeff! 

I’m not sure about the little brown bird. It does look like a juvenile robin but why would it be collecting nesting material?  

It’s good to see Louis still providing Dorcha with fish and making sure he’s eaten as well.

Oh dear, Glider - I must confess, I was given the Coal Tit info, I still can't tell the difference between them..

The Robin was suggested as well as Meadow or Rock Pipit. I'v also just received an offer of a Thrush. Frankly, I have no idea and wlil wait for some sort of consensus.

Did you take a look at the distant chasing birds in Garry's video - any ideas?

I've had female Bullfinches and Wheatears suggested.

Haha Geemeff, I was fooled, thought you had the coal tits and great tits (with the thick black line down their chests) sorted.   I only know garden birds so not familiar with pipits. Didn’t look like a thrush. 

The chasing birds, I couldn’t make out at all. Only saw a white back with black rump and paler wings! In fact, I’d have been like Garry and not noticed them at all if you had pointed them out!