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

Dorcha has been back on the nest since 08.37

She is constantly looking for Louis.

09.38

09.46 The chicks are asking for food. Dorcha gets up,

She shakes her tail

Scratches her leg

Sorts an annoying bit

09.47 And leaves the nest

The chicks calls ringing in her ears.

©️Woodland Trust

10.55 One chick starts calling

The other joins in

Dorcha arrives with a lichen covered stick

The chicks stand up

but there’s nothing for them.

11.16 Currently, Dorcha has been preening and the chicks vocalising.

©️Woodland Trust

It not looking good for the nest atm.

However plenty is happening behind the scenes.

Looking at fish on the nest today

Applying for a licence to remove the chicks, possibly sent to a relocation programme if possible

Plenty to keep up to date with

NEWS! WT will intervene!

George posted about an hour ago:

After taking advice we have decided to place some fish on the nest today if Louis or Dorcha do not bring anything in meantime. This could be within the next hour or two subject to legal clearance. The camera may be switched off for this to happen.

Given the weekend is approaching, a licence is also being sought to remove the chicks from the nest so we have that option over the weekend if we need it.

The advice we have received is that if Louis has not returned by the end of the weekend, then he likely will not be returning. That being the case it is unlikely Dorcha would be able to successfully raise the two chicks to the end of the season and migration. Even given her best efforts to protect them and fish, they would likely not make it.

Enquiries have revealed that among the options there is potential for the chicks to go into an existing translocation programme for the benefit of the species. We won’t commit to that until we are sure Louis and Dorcha don’t have a good chance of continuing undisturbed to raise their family.

The tricky thing is not intervening too soon when Louis might turn up at any moment, and not leaving it too late until the chicks won’t be in good enough condition to survive translocation.

The advice we have is that it is too soon to write Louis off yet, but if he continues to be absent until late into the weekend then we should look at removing the chicks then.

The licence to do that is being sought today, even if it is not needed in the end.

In order to increase the chance of a successful outcome for the chicks should they be removed in a few days time, they are going to be fed today to tide them over for now. They may also be fed tomorrow.

To provision the nest Lewis will climb the tree and leave fish.

You will appreciate we have a lot to sort out and I may not be able to answer the many questions I am sure you will have. So please bear with us.

This is absolutely the right thing to do, I’m so grateful to the Woodland Trust. 

13.14 Current scene on the nest, Dorcha is away again and the chicks are huddled in as best as they can in the wind and rain.

The livestream is currently down and the Osprey will be getting mackerel.

Lewis is hand-feeding the chicks right now.

Yes, mackerel!

Sad to read the happenings so far Geemeff, hoping & praying that no harm has come to Louis but glad to find out that the chicks &  Dorcha will be fed by the team ... many thanks to all who are providing updates!