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

Louis arrives and coy mantles but still no fish for Dorcha 

15:21:08 Dorcha lands, fish-calling

15:24:50 Louis arrives, Dorcha rushes over, Louis coy-mantles, Dorcha checks for fish but there still isn’t any, she's going to have to catch her own

15:30:33 Louis departs, Dorcha remains, not happy.

Daily summary Sunday 7th July 2024

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There was an intruder but no fish today - Louis teased Dorcha again by appearing several times without fish and staying nearby within sight so she kept calling to no avail. The nest was overflown by an intruder who returned and landed on the nest next to Louis and was seen to be a dark female with striking markings, possibly the same one who intruded in 2021, see bonus video. Dorcha arrived and chased her off, all the way past Nest One where Dorcha dropped in briefly for her first ever visit to that nest. Weather was settled today, tonight's forecast is partly cloudy and light winds, but rain is due again tomorrow.

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.51.05 (03.18.25); Nest Two 23.54.50 (03.27.43)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/FrXbbUeLP1k N2 Louis arrives without fish - Dorcha yells at him 13.01.45

https://youtu.be/2OI2t67rNhU N2 Intruder overflies Dorcha on the nest 13.35.35

https://youtu.be/rzFuxemIvPE N2 Unringed intruder female lands next to Louis 13.55.40

https://youtu.be/LwP5OtDRWKY N1 Dorcha's first ever visit to Nest One! 15.06.42

https://youtu.be/AX4rxHJaSWo N2 Louis arrives and coy mantles but no fish for Dorcha 15:21:08

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Bonus video - compare and contrast today's dark intruder with the very dark one seen once only on 27 May 2021:

https://youtu.be/qT3I0WiNGu8

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/PnD29o_Gy6M  N1 Loch Arkaig Ospreys star on BBC Breakfast (2020)

https://youtu.be/IzCrOhowMPE N1 Nick Knowles phones BBC Breakfast to propose names for the chicks (2020)

https://youtu.be/SAabS8BAMJ4  N1 Nip and tuck? (2020)

https://youtu.be/w1vMbxEaWcc N1 Mum, stop mossing about! (2020)

https://youtu.be/k1Rj3Y3o6z8  N2 Chicks have a go at self-feeding (2022)

https://youtu.be/-93H-XDsoi4  N2 Tail-end Charlies! (2022)

https://youtu.be/THNDRf1MRcU N1 Affric doesn't notice the visiting little birds 2023

https://youtu.be/exrw9n30uF4 N2 Finally! Louis brings the first fish 2023

https://youtu.be/PufGDxt0c00 N2 Fleeting visit by a little bird unnoticed by Dorcha & chick 2023 (slo-mo, zoom)

https://youtu.be/Jmxe-ERBW20  N2 The chick and the stick 2023 (speeded up x1.5)

Nest One

07.37.40 Sweet birdsong is heard then three little birds appear from lower right in the nest branches, and hop onto the nest for a few seconds before disappearing again

Coal Tits?

Intruder! Dorcha defends the nest while Louis does the aerial defending 

Intruder by the nest - WT forum poster Shelly describes the action:
11:13:39 - onwards Dorcha mantles and then pancakes on the nest, alarm-calling.
11:14:33 an intruder flies over the nest. Louis heard alarm chipping
11:14:44 - onwards it can be seen flying in the distance left to right, circling the area, with Louis heard but not seen
11:18:13 Dorcha leaves the nest to the right side.

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Still no fish from Louis: Dorcha gives up calling

13.46 Dorcha is on the nest fish-calling again. Louis must be nearby otherwise she wouldn't call but he's not responding.

The last fish brought to the nest was on 5th July at 13.20.39: https://youtu.be/rX4DKIlw6dM

13.49.28 Dorcha gives up and departs

Dorcha pays a sunset visit looking wet - been fishing? 

22.13.28 Dorcha lands on her perch. She looks very damp, must have been fishing, did she catch anything?

Allowing for wet feathers fluffed up, she does look slightly rounded, difficult to see. She preens herself thoroughly

22.17.09 Gives herself a good shake, keeps preening

22.33.06 Dorcha departs, flying off her perch, just feet showing as she flies over the nest and out of sight on the right

Dorcha unexpectedly returns after 11pm and she's fish calling

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23.08.36 Fish calls are heard nearby

23.08.43 Dorcha returns and lands on the nest, calling.

Louis must be perched nearby! I thought her visit half an hour ago was it for the night, but no.

She calls energetically a few times then quietens down

23.33.27 Dorcha departs - faint calls are heard after she leaves

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Daily summary Monday 8th July 2024

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Another day with no fish, and no sighting of Louis on the nest, although he was heard nearby, and seen occasionally by LizB. Dorcha spent a great deal of the day on the nest, fish-calling loudly and getting no response. An intruder was seen circling around in the foreground while Dorcha mantled and alarm-called on the nest - Louis was heard alarm-chipping but wasn't seen flying after the intruder. Something is still not right with him.  Dorcha paid a visit at sunset looking very damp as if she'd been fishing, but stayed on her perch and it was difficult to see if she'd been successful. She returned unexpectedly even later, and this time she was fish-calling but got no response and soon quietened down. She flew off after 11.30pm. No activity on Nest One other than a quick visit by some songbirds. Weather was mostly dry today with a few light rain showers, tonight's forecast is a clear sky and light winds, with light rain and a gentle breeze tomorrow day time changing to a weather warning for heavy rain in the evening.

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00.45 Neither cam has switched over yet. (day cam): Nest One (02.52.46); Nest Two (03.20.53)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/dabgX9wS5JE  N1 Three little birds singing sweetly 07.37.40

https://youtu.be/d_21ncEqyMU N2 Dorcha on the nest and Louis nearby deal with an intruder 11.13.20

https://youtu.be/FcIBmfScUJ8  N2 Still no fish from Louis: Dorcha gives up calling and departs 13.49.28

https://youtu.be/VfO3nAk5XNQ  N2 Dorcha pays a sunset visit looking wet - been fishing? 22.13.28 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/Z37mRFWwIW0 N2 Dorcha unexpectedly returns and she's fish calling 23.08.43

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/eQ-H9XnoL-k  N1 Who's that visiting the nest? It's the ringers! 2019

https://youtu.be/rY2duI6UrU4  N1 Magnificent super-fisherbird Louis brings two fish at once! 2019

https://youtu.be/dgMWXNUvbRw N1 Eine Kleine Munch Musik... 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Mozart)

https://youtu.be/gJ28U_EFMdg  N2 Branching out: the family wrestles with a tricky stick 2022

https://youtu.be/TFJCxF4Z6x8  N2 Chicks unsure about a flatfish 2022

https://youtu.be/aFnPGCWsutU  N2 The whole family watch Louis depart 2022

https://youtu.be/CASjS-XxceU  N2 Wingercising in slow motion 2023

https://youtu.be/_IFRrJVjosI  N1 Another fish for Affric after Garry's second delivery attempt 2023

https://youtu.be/FuyIgvRXi3w  N2 Hello LY7! Chick shows off his new Darvic ring 2023