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:
Daily summary Thursday 4th July 2024
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.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.36.00 (03.28.12); Nest Two 23.21.16 (03.26.38)
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
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
13.20.12 Dorcha arrives fish calling.
13.20.39 Louis arrives with a fish for her, a headless trout
13.20.45 She flies off with it straight away and then
13.21.14 Louis leaves too. Good to see he’d eaten a good portion of the fish before bringing it for his mate
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
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.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 00.06.53 (03.35.23); Nest Two 23.45.16 (03.43.32)
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
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!