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
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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:
I hope there are reinforcements under this nest to withstand the weight of the chicks as they are turning positively rotund! Louis is just incredible ️
Sorry, I can’t help with the little brown bird ID either Geemeff. It’s not a linnet though as they have red on their chests.
The platform is reinforced, you can see the cable ties and edge of the platform. Correction, you could before the zoom-in.
That nest is going to be very crowded in a few week when the chicks turn into near-adult size birds.
Little bird - Linnet was offered on the WT forum, nothing else. LBJ it shall remain.
04.49.58 Fish number one, big lively trout
04:48:45 Hoodies are very nearby, calling loudly. Louis is seen circling in the distance
04.49.58 he lands on the nest with the first fish of the day, a big lively trout. He & Dorcha are still watchful, more concerned about the hoodies than the fish which is flapping away.
Finally, the harsh cawing begins to recede, and after a while for Louis & Dorcha relax.
04.53.50 Dorcha finally takes the trout from Louis.
02:52:52 Oops! Chick takes aim and gets mum!
It had to happen some time! Out from under Dorcha, a little bottom protrudes and gives a good squirt - Dorcha gets a bit of side-splash in the face and wipes her beak clean on the back of the offending chick.
09.40.30 Chicks are home alone - there's a flash of an Osprey in the top left of the screen
09.40.39 Dorcha lands with a thin twiggy stick - and proceeds to disturb the chicks who duck down out of her way
Geemeff said:Oops! Chick takes aim and gets mum!
Hahaha! So funny, Geemeff! I remember Ludo doing that to her last season!
I liked how she immediately wiped her beak on the offending chick’s back!
Fish number two, a whole trout which smacks a bob with its flapping tail
12.57.04 Louis arrives with fish number two. It's a whole trout, very fine looking with its golden colour and distinctive spot pattern, and very lively.
As Dorcha starts tearing into it, it flaps vigorously. The bobs line up and one gets smacked by a flapping tail.
Dorcha feeds the chicks from a fish remnant and bob3 gets most of it
17:50:15 Dorcha commences feeding the bobs with the tail of an earlier fish. Crops already look pretty full, especially bobs 1&2.
17:52 onwards - bob3 has a very good run of mouthfuls.
Daily summary Sunday 2nd June 2024
Dorcha's day started with a faceful of bob-squirt, which she took in her stride and wiped away the evidence on the offending chick's back. Louis took a bit of a break today after his fishing heroics yesterday, but still delivered two fish for the family, taking his tally to one hundred and fifty one.. The second one was a huge lively trout which gave one of the chicks a smack as it fought its fate to no avail, and made several good meal for the chicks, including Bob3 who got a substantial portion and is thriving like the older two. Hoodies were in evidence near Nest Two, both Dorcha and Louis took note of their presence although they weren't seen on nest cam. No action on Nest One but plenty of light - night cam didn't come on until after midnight this morning, followed less than three hours later by day cam switching back on, and it's still about three weeks til the summer Solstice. The forecasted rain and winds turned up, it's raining lightly as of 11pm, and more of the same is expected tonight, with a good chance of sunshine tomorrow.
Night cam switched over (day cam): Nest One 23.32.23 (02.40.02); Nest Two 22.52.43 (04.13.45)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/9INd6I4SZLc N2 Oops! Chick takes aim and mum gets a faceful! 02.52.52 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/8vX94QfjO4k N2 Fish number one, with added Hoodies 04.49.58
https://youtu.be/rG-wWAtX0xI N2 Snoozing chicks are disturbed when mum brings a stick 09.40.30
https://youtu.be/4CiWfx3_Sbg N2 Fish number two, a whole trout which smacks a bob with its flapping tail 12.57.04
https://youtu.be/iwC2CGcfctI N2 Dorcha feeds the chicks from a fish remnant and bob3 gets most of it 17.50.15
Bonus action - sign Woodland Trust's petition to get legal protection for our Living Legend ancient trees:
https://campaigns.woodlandtrust.org.uk/page/99702/petition/1
Bonus look - Pauline's lovely artwork celebrating Sarafina LW6 whose birthday it is today:
https://twitter.com/Pauline43911662/status/1568644260198780928
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/WwYnMdkhrWA N1 Early fish delivery at 03.56.10 sets all-time record 2020
https://youtu.be/uDkJVToWs60 N1 Aila falls asleep on a fish 2020
https://youtu.be/6kz3i68SYK0 N2 Platinum Jubilee bob! 2022
https://youtu.be/4-gGtYO8vks N2 Two little bobbleheads at 4 hours & 48 hours old 2022
https://youtu.be/tdmmRjrzT3E N2 Louis chases crows, Dorcha guards the bobs 2022
https://youtu.be/jD5Koc_EH-0 N2 Careful! Dorcha stands on a chick 2022
https://youtu.be/ft8oB3n8ehw N2 Dad watches mum feed both chicks 2022
https://youtu.be/TiGEUoAVeJE N1 Prince pays a solo visit 2023
https://youtu.be/wOr34Xkkyfo N2 Bob gets whacked and tumbles backwards 2023
https://youtu.be/TMey47zYQvM N2 Dorcha's midnight snack disturbs bob 2023