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:
Louis pays an early morning visit
05.50.00 Skydancing is heard nearby
05.53.46 Louis arrives from behind the nest on the left, stands quietly looking around, feathers ruffling in the breeze.
06.06.46 Louis gives his wings a good shake. His crop is empty but skydancing suggests good health
06.42.24 he departs, flying to the right
Heart always fills with joy to see those wings in flight. Thank you so much for all the wonderful videos Geemeff
Thanks Geemeff, I do hope the dark female and Garry get together too. That’s a long time between visits to this area from her - 3 years, so she’s at least 5 years old. They both need a mate so it’s a perfect fit!
Again, amazing sky video from you, the sunset looked like the sky was on fire at one point, such strong colours.
Thank you!
A banditry of Coal Tits investigate Nest One - isn't that a great collective noun for them? I just learnt that today
15.33.30 Little birds flitting around, no sign of any big birds
20.24.00 The bandits are back - three Coal Tits flitting around
Daily summary Wednesday 10th July 2024
Today was quite a contrast to yesterday with all its action going between the two nests. Instead we had Louis making just the one early appearance on Nest Two, and no sighting of Dorcha, Garry LV0, Affric or the dark female, just a banditry of Coal Tits making a couple of brief visits to Nest One. We did however get the news that our two chicks travelled safely over to Spain today, precious cargo entrusted to Heathrow Animal Control and then on to their new home. It's very reassuring to hear that in just nine days, they've gained half their body weight again, going from 1.1kg on the 1st to 1.5 kg today, 10th. We wish them good luck and look forward to hearing more news in due course. Weather was reasonably settled, and the forecast is a dry night tonight with light cloud and light winds, and more of the same tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.35.23 (03.49.41); Nest Two 23.39.33 (03.55.36)
Today's videos plus a late one from last night:
https://youtu.be/SRSKU62lfrE N2 Colourful sunset seen from Nest Two last night 22.00 (time lapse)
https://youtu.be/HOdzu0e6hQc N2 Skydancing is heard nearby then Louis lands on the nest 05.50.00
https://youtu.be/X7KHs2yg6EI N1 A banditry of Coal Tits flitting around, no sign of any big birds 15.33.30
Bonus watch - bird stopped play at Wimbledon:
https://youtu.be/HPZk093RFL4
Bonus read - a good summation of the soap opera that is the Ospreys of Loch Arkaig:
https://12ft.io/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13612473/hapless-husband-nest-Scottish-osprey-soap-opera-Louis-dorcha-chicks-bird-camera.html
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/_iu1YJVku2o N1 Get a grip! Aila falls off her perch 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/VMZvWZBGfmk N1 Louis is mobbed when he brings a fish 2020
https://youtu.be/9klb1W99PXE N1 Little nippers! Poor Aila! 2020
https://youtu.be/5bDQeEybGZc N2 Record smallest fish? minnow-sized trout arrives 2022
https://youtu.be/nnD0tCN49Bo N2 Chick2 suddenly lunges at Dorcha 2022
https://youtu.be/VXrDZxGxdZ0 N2 Louis does the housework while the family dine 2022
https://youtu.be/whUichthUIA N2 Early morning workout for LY7 2023
https://youtu.be/jcZQEBw36sc N1 No fish for Affric but Garry tries his luck anyway 2023
https://youtu.be/enEZd33NpbI N2 LY7 getting ready for take-off 2023
https://youtu.be/gEpkiY05LRE N1 A whole flock of little visitors 2023
https://youtu.be/8K5xHkUZWuo N2 Chick's not too grown up to want mum's protection 2023
WTS Update - Thursday 9am
Two Arkaig osprey chicks were flown to Spain yesterday as part of a translocation organised by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.
They were on board a flight which departed London Heathrow on Wednesday morning.
They arrived at Madrid airport in the afternoon, were fed on arrival and reached their final destination in Valencia in the evening.
The two males weighed 1.1kg each when handed over to the translocation team last Monday. They have been eating well since and are now both about 1.5kg.
They have been given Spanish rings which are yellow in colour. The dominant bird is 1JW. The submissive one is 1JR.
This news release outlines what led to the decision to remove the chicks from the nest.
We will bring you more news on them when we get it.
Thank you so much for the update, Geemeff!
09.56.50 Dorcha arrives calling
11.07.52 Louis arrives, no fish just coy mantling, Dorcha keeps checking and shouting for fish
11.11.19 Intruder above - Louis pancakes and even Dorcha stops shouting for a moment!
11.20.16 both still on high alert on the nest 11.22.14 Louis departs - Dorcha is hoping to fish but he flies around and must have settled somewhere - not fishing by the sounds Dorcha’s making!
11.44.02 Dorcha leaves, flying lochwards