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 arrive in Spain and are ringed Yellow 1JR & 1JW Thursday 11th July
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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 Friday 19th July 2024
The day started with a temperature inversion and a spider in the mist gave a ghostly feel to Nest One, which was visited a bit later by a Wood Pigeon. Louis and Dorcha spent time on Nest Two, she was fish-calling and he was coy-mantling, there were a couple of half-hearted mating attempts and a comedy moment when Dorcha landed on Louis' wing. After they departed, a pair of Hoodies checked out the nest but they were out of luck as there weren't any scraps to be had, it's been several days since Louis brought fish to the nest, the last time was on the 15th. The weather improved somewhat after the damp start but more rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.11.08 (03.33.21); Nest Two 22.57.26 (04.00.34)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/OD_RwDg4LUA N1 Spider adds to the eerie misty morning scene 03.59.18
https://youtu.be/6SBcqw1oX38 N1 A Wood Pigeon visits 07.24.06
https://youtu.be/wp5mZUIOlQU N2 No fish and a failed mating attempt 13.23.38
https://youtu.be/1GsH538qZJs N2 A pair of Hoodies check out the nest 15.07.55
Bonus action - Woodland Trust guide to helping wildlife in summer:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2023/06/10-ways-to-help-wildlife-in-summer
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/BIHDRrpe6Qo N1 My turn daddy! Louis feeds Rannoch 2019
https://youtu.be/TwqqSshM42E N1 Doddie drops in to grab all the breakfast 2020
https://youtu.be/_rU3TwEXwa0 N1 Aila brings soft furnishings to decorate the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/-xNiwmN-xQI N1 Doddie does an evening flypast of the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/EYDBamjYrf8 N1 Hey! who put that there? Prince makes an undignified departure 2021
https://youtu.be/304-lrclaZw N1 Third visit by the new pair Blue 152 & Prince (YP) 2021
https://youtu.be/xW2CIMG3IDM N2 Hooked on you - the chicks get hooked together! 2022
https://youtu.be/lmPZ_jmuEz0 N2 Dorcha reacts to an intruder Osprey seen on camera 2022
https://youtu.be/L1DG3H9gUUM N2 RAF flypast doesn't stop Louis (2022)
https://youtu.be/k_2pVwLNAZU N2 Louis brings a fish and eats it himself 2023
https://youtu.be/0QoTqAI2VqE N2 Hop and a skip but no jump - yet! 2023
https://youtu.be/Lq9DbF3I6J4 N2 Double helicopter! 2023
https://youtu.be/9SyP31iXLbc N2 FLEDGE! Ludo's off into the world! 2023
https://youtu.be/xArpA43gG1Q N1 Affric 152 receives another fish from Garry 2023