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:
16.58 Louis brings a second fish...
then takes it away!
You can probably hear Dorcha's reaction from wherever you are...
16.58.40 Louis arrives with a fish, a headless trout - Dorcha arrives six seconds later at 16.58.46
He’s coy-mantling over his fish, she’s fish calling
17.03.46 Louis leaves with his fish! Dorcha remains on the nest, shouting
Second time Lucky!
18.16.47 Louis returns with the fish remnant - Dorcha grabs it immediately and mantles over it, shouting
18.19.05 Dorcha flies off with the fish, Louis remains
21.41.48 Dorcha returns 21.41.53 Louis arrives with a stick - Dorcha checks for fish and keeps shouting
21.47.12 Louis departs 21.48.58 Dorcha coughs up a pellet? Does a crop drop? Then leaves
21.50.11 Louis arrives with another stick, does some nest tidying and scraping.
22.00.06 Louis leaves (empty nest for the night)
Daily summary Monday 15th July 2024
Today brought more news of the chicks - some footage of them preening, looking healthy and nicely rounded, and some tweets and facebook posts with photos and more details of the translocation programme. No action on Nest One but a little flurry on Nest Two, with Louis bringing two fish today. He gave the first one quite readily to Dorcha, but teased her by mantling over the second one and flying away with it. He did return with it later on and let her take it, and both adults ended the day with full crops. Weather was settled, tonight's forecast is misty with light winds, and the prospect of sunshine, well, sunny intervals, and a gentle breeze tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.46.29 (03.24.36); Nest Two 00.01.35 (03.36.46)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/5Y9kwM70tXI N2 Two fish in two days! Louis brings an early breakfast 04.51.00
https://youtu.be/qJEOIijj5Hc Valencia: the chicks are preening, plus tweets & FB posts 13-15th July
https://youtu.be/2pzx2f_0dm4 N2 Fish number two arrives but Louis won't give it to Dorcha 16.58.40
https://youtu.be/h9oCsNTe8zE N2 Louis returns and this time gives Dorcha the fish 18.16.47
https://youtu.be/rlP1X8w_HrI N2 Dorcha's not happy when Louis brings sticks not fish 21.41.48
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/Y6uqbk9cB5I N1 Aila sees off an Intruder Osprey landing on the nest 2019
https://youtu.be/d1TPzhnNURo N1 Aila lands on a chick and gets nipped 2020
https://youtu.be/iFO12gpfwOs N1 Daylight sonata: Doddie in slow motion 2020 (Classic Ospreys - Beethoven)
https://youtu.be/jPheIkBBpXA N1 The others watch while Doddie does his exercises 2020
https://youtu.be/2qGCifFHKS0 N1 Vera dances, Doddie joins in, Captain just watches 2020
https://youtu.be/mrJnoZhCweM N2 Little and large: a Wren visits 2022 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/xQ7D_XkNTRY N2 Several little birds visit - the chicks are bemused 2022
https://youtu.be/9sIzFlMDITo N2 Lovely wingercising by both chicks 2022
https://youtu.be/FfxiO3U1nu4 N2 Ready - aim - sorry mum.. 2023 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/bWUMcE-EQIo N2 Coal Tit visits unnoticed while LY7 wingercises 2023
https://youtu.be/LXNdASNtViU N1 Affric departs Nest One after no response to her calls 2023
https://youtu.be/AM_F3zl7x9I N2 LY7 wingercises facing the nest cam (slo-mo repeat)
https://youtu.be/rmFJdA2wDCc N1 Juvenile Buzzard (Buteo buteo) visits 2023 (zoom)
Comedy moment!
13.02 Louis and Dorcha are on the nest, she's calling for fish
13.03.11 Louis attempts mounting Dorcha but the breeze takes him away.
13.05.07 Dorcha flies off too - still fish calling. Thought she might go fishing but she flew towards the green tree belt and turned left.
Nest One visitor - ID needed
11.34.21 A little visitor arrives and perches on the centre perch.
Is it a Song Thrush or a Mistle Thrush?
11.38.08 The Thrush departs
Amazing! How does Louis manage to fly with a 10 foot pole?
18.35.27 Louis arrives with the longest branch, it's huge and covered in lichen
He settles it into place and does some nest cupping
18.43.23 Louis departs
Daily summary Tuesday 16th July 2024
A slow day today, no fish arrived on the nest but Louis did bring a very impressive ten foot pole, and spent some time positioning it on the nest and doing some nest-scraping. Despite Dorcha calling loud and long for fish, he decided to attempt mounting her but a wayward breeze put paid to that by blowing him away. LizB says: The mating attempts, along with coy mantling, skydancing, nest scraping and bringing in nesting materials are all normal bonding behaviours to reinforce their bond after what they see as a nest failure following the loss of their chicks. No Ospreys visited Nest One, just a Thrush visited and perched for a few moments. The light rain and light winds of tonight's forecast were already in evidence when night cam switched over much earlier than usual, and thundery showers are expected tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.24.45 (03.27.14); Nest Two 23.10.47 (03.40.54)
https://youtu.be/b9ycwbSrAqQ A Thrush visits and perches for a while 11.34.21 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/bcctn-mHR5s Comedy moment: the wind blows Louis away during a mating attempt 13.03.11
https://youtu.be/tmvFGPHenBo How does Louis manage to fly with a 10 foot pole? 18.35.27
Bonus read - Scottish Ospreys translocated in 2023 to the place in Spain where our chicks are now:
https://euroweeklynews.com/2023/07/15/twelve-scottish-osprey-chicks-arrive-in-pego
https://youtu.be/4Ab9eT-jFjE N1 Louis finally turns up with fish, gets mobbed by hangry chicks 2020
https://youtu.be/dED37P7d8HQ N1 Synchronised stretching 2020
https://youtu.be/VOjowNQ9fqE N2 Stretching & squirting: what the chicks get up to home alone at night 2022
https://youtu.be/DYkAhGqU5BA N2 Dorcha departs alarm calling - is that an injury? 2022
https://youtu.be/3BVXtY_Bzx0 N2 Louis flies with fish 2022 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/BF_0tp4x8j8 N2 Hi def version of Dorcha's injury 2022 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/5H4fM6LXpKo N2 Upstart Crow 2022
https://youtu.be/h817CRnJtF0 N2 That's no way to treat your mum! 2022
https://youtu.be/CSswPOm8JvE N2 LY7 nibbles the rotten egg 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/yn79acfwWD0 N2 The infertile egg is finally crushed by LY7! 2023
https://youtu.be/8SQiPHQE5tw N1 Affric and Garry check out an intruder threat 2023
https://youtu.be/_if7GDxQWnA N1 Garry brings moss and does some nest cupping 2023
Geemeff said:Bonus read - Scottish Ospreys translocated in 2023 to the place in Spain where our chicks are now: https://euroweeklynews.com/2023/07/15/twelve-scottish-osprey-chicks-arrive-in-pego
Very interesting to be able to follow progress of the relocated youngsters, thanks Geemeff!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
07.47.28 An Osprey lands on the Scots Pine
07.47.43 Louis lands on the nest
07.47.50 Osprey leaves the Scots Pine
07.47.56 It’s Dorcha who lands on the nest
She fish-calls constantly, Louis coy-mantles and moves around the nest
08.01.47 Louis departs, Dorcha remains, gives a couple of calls initially then stands quietly
09.02.50 Dorcha departs