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

  • Louis pays an early morning visit

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    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

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  • Heart always fills with joy to see those wings in flight. Thank you so much for all the wonderful videos  

  • Thanks Geemeff, I do hope the dark female and Garry get together too. Pray 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

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  • Daily summary Wednesday 10th July 2024

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    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.

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    Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.35.23 (03.49.41); Nest Two 23.39.33 (03.55.36)

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    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

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    Bonus watch - bird stopped play at Wimbledon:

    https://youtu.be/HPZk093RFL4

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    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

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    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

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