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
.
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:
Spectacular sunset seen from Nest Two (time lapse)
21.30 to 22.30 speeded up to 2.3 minutes
Glorious sunset seen from Nest Two (full one-hour version)
21.30 to 22.30 unedited
Daily summary Monday 22nd July 2024
Today didn't have the excitement of five ospreys visiting various nests not necessarily their own, but did see Louis and Dorcha on Nest Two, although at different times, and Garry LV0 bringing a fish to Nest One. Alas for him there were no takers so he flew off with it to a nearby tree, to munch it on his own, spotted by LizB through her long-lens. The weather was reasonably settled, a spectacular sunset seen from nest cam two ended the day, and tonight's forecast is partly cloudy and light winds, with sunshine tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.20.44 (03.53.23); Nest Two 23.23.09 (03.57.04)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/bDbqDZ8sN64 N2 Dorcha spends some time on her nest, no sign of Louis 12.27.51
https://youtu.be/g0q-Tf1BJIc N2 Louis arrives with a stick and does some nest work 15.34.26
https://youtu.be/SgnwBnDdY-g N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish but no one's there 19.58.57
https://youtu.be/z52q-f7fFmg N2 Spectacular sunset 21.30 to 22.30 (2.3 mins time lapse)
https://youtu.be/O3qE7yHRm_M N2 Spectacular sunset 21.30 to 22.30 (one hour full version)
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/C9r2h07HYeM N1 Carnival of the Ospreys 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Saint-Saëns)
https://youtu.be/u-2jWDOe8dg N1 Vera is fascinated as Captain feathers his nest 2020
https://youtu.be/j6YDTQA5stk N1 Aila decides what's needed is another stick 2020
https://youtu.be/-AQUSjWRQYE N2 Aspen LW3 & Alder LW4 seen near the nest 2021 (thanks LizB)
https://youtu.be/B-JGsEAwA4I N2 Midnight callisthenics 2022
https://youtu.be/CoLyqB6O_iI N2 Nearly but not quite! LW5 prepares for lift-off 2022
https://youtu.be/h87JPZiw5no N2 Louis chases a Hoodie away, watched intently by the chicks 2022
https://youtu.be/4N64tTO4iJE N2 Ludo returns after his first night away 2023
https://youtu.be/nWjM3BF9wxw N1 & N2 Two beautiful pairs of Ospreys posing for the camera 2023
https://youtu.be/Rqz_dXEyC8w N2 Louis arrives to help Dorcha get rid of Hoodies 2023
https://youtu.be/pWGLtCZUEvU N2 Pesky Hooded Crows return to harass Dorcha 2023
https://youtu.be/NOUuCyUUt2M N1 Garry brings a second fish for Affric 2023
Some sad news from the Spanish relocation project, this has just been released
Richard B
Oh that’s awful news Richard, 1JR looked so good in the videos. I’m gutted, poor wee thing.
Absolutely devastating news
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
RIP little chick 1JR. There is some consolation knowing everything was done to help him make the most of his second chance. He had no chance on the nest.
But it was not to be.
I shall forever think of him happily munching fish, enjoying a leisurely meal completely undisturbed.
Fly high, little one.
Such sad news, especially as he seemed to be not so good when leaving LA and then coming on really well and almost ready to fledge. RIP wee one.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Nest One - who's that visiting?
09.42.30 A dark female lands - it's Dorcha!
09.42.40 She departs 09.43.36 Dorcha returns and stays for a few minutes, first looking around warily, listening to sky-dancing heard faintly nearby, then half-heartedly prodding a few sticks around.
Is that Garry LV0 sky-dancing, and is it for her or another female?
09.47.48 Dorcha departs, flying to the right - eastwards
Nest Two
11:16:01 Dorcha returns to her own nest and spends a few minutes.
She prods a few of the furnishings but not with any great enthusiasm
11:20:23 Dorcha departs, flying in a line towards the centre top of the screen, just left of the centre perch