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

Welcome to Loch Arkaig Ospreys season 8

Will Louis and Dorcha return to Nest 2?  White check mark

Will someone take up residence in Nest 1? X

Will any of Louis' chicks with Aila and Dorcha be sighted? X

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:

2016 Woodland Trust acquire the Loch Arkaig ancient Caledonian rainforest remnant and manage it in partnership with Arkaig Community Forest. An Osprey pair is seen.
2017 A nest cam is installed on a refurbished ancient Osprey nest. The old pair don't return but a young male Louis and a young female Aila take up residence and raise one male chick to fledging: Lachlan JH4.
2018 Louis & Aila return but a Pine Marten steals all their eggs.
2019 Louis & Aila return and raise two female chicks to fledging: Mallie JJ0 and Rannoch JJ2.
2020 Louis & Aila return and raise two male and one female chicks to fledging: Doddie JJ6; Vera JJ8 and Captain JJ7.
2021 Louis returns but sadly Aila doesn't. Louis takes up residence on a new nest with a new mate Dorcha and they raise two male chicks to fledging: Aspen LW3 & Alder LW4. This is designated Nest 2, no one takes up residence on Nest1.
2022 Woodland Trust install a nest cam on Nest 2. Louis & Dorcha return and raise two female chicks to fledging: Willow LW5 and Sarafina LW6. Still no residents on Nest 1.
2023 Louis & Dorcha return, and raise one male chicks to fledging: Ludo LY7. No residents on Nest 1 but male Garry LV0 spent a lot of time flirting with Affric 152 despite her mate Prince still being around.
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Louis is a father of thirteen, six with Aila (2017-2020), and seven with Dorcha (2021-)
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In hatch order 2017 - 2023:
2017 Lachlan (JH4)
2019 Mallie (JJ0), Rannoch (JJ2)
2020 Doddie (JJ6), Vera (JJ8), Captain (JJ7)
2021 Aspen (LW3), Alder (LW4)
2022 Willow (LW5), Sarafina (LW6)
2023 Ludo (LY7)
2024 males 1JR, 1JW (Spain)
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Highlights:
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2023 Nest Two highlights 
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2023 Nest One highlights 
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All captures in whatever format are copyright Woodland Trust - with many thanks for allowing captures from their nest cam livestreams.
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Osprey cams funded by People's Postcode Lottery
  • Nest One - Affric 152 gets a teeny tiny fish from Garry LV0

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    16.36.28 Affric 152 returns to the nest, fish calling

    16.37.09 Garry LV0 arrives with a tiddler - Affric grabs it immediately

    16.37.30 Affric flies off with it 16.40.00 Affric returns having eaten the fish and calls for more

    17.27.51 Garry leaves suddenly, in his hurry he disturbs a stick and almost takes it with him. Affric remains.

    17.48.39 Affric leaves, heading east and disappearing out of sight near the logo.

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  • Daily summary Thursday 15th August 2024

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    Plenty of action today as Affric 152 and Garry LV0 flew on and off Nest One over a period of several hours, ignoring a quick flypast by the RAF. She spent a lot of time fish-calling and was eventually rewarded with a fish - but it was a teeny tiny little tiddler which she demolished in about three minutes. She called for more, but Garry didn't oblige. The weather wasn't very obliging either, wet and windy most of the day, and same again expected tonight and tomorrow.

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    Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.02.27 (05.12.15); Nest Two 21.52.38 (05.17.08)

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    Today’s videos:

    https://youtu.be/pL-09gIw4A8 N1 Garry LV0 brings moss, tidies, and has a preen 12.08.32 

    https://youtu.be/sAin2I829BE N1 Garry LV0 returns with a stick 13.05.22

    https://youtu.be/1mt2ZZZhteM N1 Affric 152 arrives followed shortly after by Garry LV0 14.55.05

    https://youtu.be/U9CxLSmhoTM N1 Noisy RAF flypast doesn't faze Affric & Garry 15.30.39

    https://youtu.be/-c3lZKY7Blc  N1 Garry brings Affric a teeny tiny fish  16.36.28 

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    Bonus action - last chance to nominate Woodland Trust for a £5k grant, closes midnight tomorrow:

    https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=15743696

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    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

    https://youtu.be/2EqB8ZLlLNQ  N1 Get a grip, Mallie! (2019)

    https://youtu.be/q4v0VblhLDE  N1 Confirmed: final sighting of Doddie on the nest (2020)

    https://youtu.be/JNjzfsGJMd0  N1 Stramash over the first fish (2020)

    https://youtu.be/Btn2GxS_waQ  N1 Fish delivery from Aila (2020)

    https://youtu.be/41z2mZ9rRNI  N2 Dorcha chases crows but they return to plague Willow (2022)

    https://youtu.be/N-Z7Z-WV_1U  N2 The Mystery Fish makes its appearance! (2022)

    https://youtu.be/GOsbIENNolA  N2 Spotted Flycatchers visit (2022)

    https://youtu.be/_KZr32ZVd74  N2 Dorcha's fish calls get no response 2023

    https://youtu.be/TorII7K__-g  N2 Spotted Flycatcher on Dorcha's perch 2023

    https://youtu.be/3ReQ1_Bhj0I N2 Ludo does a faceplant 2023

    https://youtu.be/mwUhXluhRss N2 Great Tit catches Ludo's attention 2023

    https://youtu.be/DOjTPRRcbj8 N2 Louis does a three-second fish handover to Ludo 2023

  • More photos and tweets from Fundación Migres and Woodland Trust Scotland, with an update on our Arkaig osprey chick 1JW and the other ten translocated Scottish Osprey chicks.

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    All are doing well, exploring Parque Natural de la Marjal de Pego-Oliva Spain.

    One of the photos is of 1JW but we don't know which one!

    All the birds look in magnificent condition, getting ready for the long hazardous migration journey.

    Or will some stick around in Spain or Portugal? With climate change warming things up, that's also a possibility.

    Photos courtesy of the Fundación Migres: https://www.fundacionmigres.org/en/

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    I cobbled this video together for those who don't get on with TwiX

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  • Nest One

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    10.51.20 Movement from between the knolls in the distance - someone's flying towards the nest

    10.51.25 Garry LV0 arrives with a clump of moss

    Does a quick bit of nest-cupping then hops up onto the left hand perch, starts preening

    11.01 Garry starts coy-mantling

    11.01.16 Affric 152 arrives and starts fish-calling. They spend two hours together

    13.19.47 Garry flies off.

    13.26.26 He arrives back with a stick

    13.34.15 Both suddenly look around and depart in a hurry

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  • Nest One

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    16.20.59 Garry LV0 arrives with a clump of moss. He pootles around the nest for a few moments then starts coy-mantling

    16.21.43 Affric 152 arrives. She checks him for fish but there isn't any, and she starts asking and keeps calling

    16.54.59 Garry leaves, flying directly out of sight to the left - westwards

    17.30 Affric is still sitting waiting and hoping he's going to return with fish but he doesn't

    17.33.38 Affric gives up and flies off also flying westwards

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  • Daily summary Friday 16th August 2024

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    Garry LV0 and Affric 152 spent hours on the nest again today. Although Affric gave Garry much vocal encouragement, he only brought moss to the nest, no fish. Fundación Migres provided more photos of the Scottish cohort including our chick 1JW, we're not sure which photo he's in but all the birds look in magnificent shape as they prepare for migration. Photos and tweets cobbled together into a video for those who don't get on with TwiX. Weather-wise it was wet and windy as forecast, and more of the same tonight but with a possibility of dry spells tomorrow.

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    Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One  21.56.53 (05.06.56); Nest Two 21.47.01 (05.13.30)

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    Today’s videos:

    https://youtu.be/RnY54XNtci8 Spain: more photos and tweets of 1JW and the other ten translocatees

    https://youtu.be/rQYUcsjAKB0 N1 Affric joins Garry but he brings sticks not fish 10.51.20

    https://youtu.be/lD-oLI2NjpA N1 Garry and Affric return later but there's still no fish 16.20.59

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    Bonus photo - our ringer Lewis Pate makes The Week In Wildlife (thanks Moira)

    https://bit.ly/WeekInWildlifeLewisringingaSeaEaglechick

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    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

    https://youtu.be/plpQ3BYG-Rc  N1 All grown up: Rannoch defends her fish 2019

    https://youtu.be/K4Kbj7NQ0q8  N1 Aila brings fish but looks like she needs it most 2020

    https://youtu.be/qcBatA6qgTY N1 Size matters! Split screen 2020

    https://youtu.be/hiFrQx0H8TQ  N1 Captain steals Vera's fish 2020

    https://youtu.be/jP-04_PQW_I  N2 Little bird does a flypast behind Sarafina, returns and perches 2022

    https://youtu.be/XaxM2NwNUCg N2 Dorcha stays on the nest until Sarafina gives her a nip! 2022

    https://youtu.be/5hvJRi33SFM N2 Sarafina practises flying with fish but isn’t quite there yet 2022

    https://youtu.be/F0ys6FiFeeM N2 Cleaning crew arrive too early 2022

    https://youtu.be/7XYT94gy-Ig  N2 Louis and Dorcha do a rapid fish handover 2023

    https://youtu.be/bLzUfkvwasE  N1 & N2 USAF flypast 2023 (zoom)

    https://youtu.be/rW3CJVJqZLU  N2 Ludo waits ready to grab the fish 2023

  • Nest One:

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    12.12.38 Garry LV0 arrives, immediately followed by Affric 152, both fly in from the east

    12.17.58 Garry leaves the left-hand perch for a mating attempt, not successful, but she doesn't rebuff him, just gives a little wing-lift

    12.18.25 Alarm chipping - both look intently to the left and at the camera then Affric leaves in a hurry, quickly followed by Garry - both head eastwards flying up towards the logo.

    Affric swings round and flies westwards

    12.18.52 Affric lands on Stick Tree

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    (zoomed)

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  • Nest One

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    12.24.16 Garry LV0 returns with a huge clump of moss

    12.47.55 Affric leaves Stick Tree and returns to the nest, landing eleven seconds later - if you listen intently, you can hear her fish-calling

    13.11.56 Garry leaves

    13.12.47 Garry returns with a thin twiggy stick - Affric's fish calling

    14.07.18 Garry departs, not far as Affric keeps calling

    14.29.17 Garry returns - with moss! Affric isn't happy, calls ramp up, both move to their respective perches

    15.10.15 Garry leaves, doesn't return again today

    15.19.07 Affric departs for the day too

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    She's been on the nest 2.5 hours calling most of that time, but no fish. Garry is going to have to work harder to make her pair with him.

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  • Daily summary Saturday 17th August 2024
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    The promised dry spells did appear on and off today - a bit like Affric 152 and Garry LV0, who spent hours on the nest, coming and going at different times over a three hour period. Garry showed off his nest-building skills, bringing moss and sticks, but no fish, to Affric's displeasure. She rebuffed his advances and if he has any hope of getting her to abandon Prince and pair with him, he's going to have to do better. Fish is key! No activity of any sort on Nest Two, and rain forecast for tonight, tomorrow and the whole of next week.
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    Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.48.22 (05.05.22); Nest Two 21.39.17 (05.09.41)
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    Today’s videos:
    https://youtu.be/K86m0Q234Sc N1 Something scares Garry and Affric off the nest 12.12.38
    https://youtu.be/_qwTc6b2sdY N1 Affric wants to see Garry's fishing skills, not nest-building ones 12.24.16
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    Bonus video of beautiful Loch Arkaig scenery - Eas Chia-Aig waterfall near Spean Bridge:
    https://youtu.be/N7G3OfNTKGI
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    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
    https://youtu.be/u6uN8ZibHro  N1 Aila gives her fish to Lachlan (2017)
    https://youtu.be/-_FoOMH8mkc N1 Finally! Vociferous Vera gets a fish (2020)
    https://youtu.be/3_bmzl48f7I  N1 Go away, this is mine: Vera pushes Captain off the nest (2020)
    https://youtu.be/jlBKU00ODG8 N2 Sarafina crash lands and makes Willow depart (2022 slo-mo)
    https://youtu.be/lmkgO09bCrg N2 Willow's turn to crash land! (2022)
    https://youtu.be/x73ZF4gTIHo N2 Would-be thief Willow gets what for (2022)
    https://youtu.be/6Vlp-KsbJLo N2 Dorcha waits in vain for fish 2023
    https://youtu.be/RPwIVtERtIk N1 Little birds and a Tree Creeper visit 2023 (zoom)
    https://youtu.be/bVpNB4iHLPY N2 Handsome pair - father and son 2023 (zoom)
  • Nest One

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    13.11.38 Garry LV0 arrives with FISH! Trout? Hard to see, but definitely half-eaten. No, it's a flatfish

    Ironically, Affric doesn't put in an appearance

    13.12.24 He departs with his fish, flying westwards out of sight

    (zoomed)

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    Bunarkaig Update from Liz:

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    Second hand information, but apparently the male was fishing in the bay this morning for around an hour, making a few trips back to the nest with fish for the chick.

    Perhaps there was plenty for Affric too which might explain her lack of appearances at nest 1 today so far.

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