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
  • 06.03.41 Dorcha arrives fish calling

    07.46.37 Dorcha flies up to her perch

    08.03.51 back down to the nest

    08.07.46 back up to perch

    08.41.13 back down

    08:47:27 Dorcha leaves and flies off to the left of the nest

  • 13.22.34 Dorcha returns, still fish calling

    14.00.00 Still on the nest, still calling

    15.48.15 Dorcha finally departs.

    No Louis 

  • 20:31.31. Dyson and Henry arrive on the nest looking for a free meal

    But they're out of luck as no fish have been delivered for more than 24 hours - and Dorcha left immediately with the last one, so one Hoodie departs quite quickly, the other waits a few seconds longer

    20.32.08 The second one departs

  • 22.14.25 Dorcha returns, lands on the high perch

    22.34.57 She departs in a big hurry, more like diving off the nest, but only to fly around and return immediately, calling as she lands

    23.06.48 Dorcha departs, probably for the night. No fish today! No Louis on camera

  • Daily summary Saturday 6th July 2024

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    Dorcha visited the nest several times today and spent long periods fish-calling, but to no avail. Louis didn't appear on nest cam although the off-nest reports from LizB showed he was in the area for long periods of time but chose not to respond to Dorcha. He has brought four fish to the nest for her since the chicks were removed on 1st July, perhaps he'll arrive on the nest with one tomorrow, or possibly give it to her on her favourite perch tree. No activity at Nest One today, no sign of Garry LV0 and the only other nest visitors were a pair of Hoodies pecking around Nest Two without finding any scraps. The weather was much more settled, none of the thunder showers materialised, and tonight's forecast is partly cloudy with light winds, and some sunshine with a few showers tomorrow. 

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    Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.39.42 (03.29.32); Nest Two 23.27.44 (03.33.56)

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    Today’s videos:

    https://youtu.be/3dWj2hvSzvE N2 Dorcha arrives early but no response 06.03.41

    https://youtu.be/jE9WeBXZE4g N2 Dorcha returns at midday but still no Louis 13.22.34

    https://youtu.be/fKAlAJUJQ0Y N2 Dyson & Henry arrive but there aren't any scraps for them 20.31.31

    https://youtu.be/yCVDmwY87Ic N2 Dorcha pays a late evening visit and calls to no avail 22.14.25

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    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

    https://youtu.be/7KRmCdBb43o  N1 Aila steals the tail from JJ0 2019

    https://youtu.be/IJbN78plGes  N1 Aila brings an awkward stick and departs leaving the chicks to deal with it 2020

    https://youtu.be/GPP6BnMS860 N1 Louis brings fish but everyone's full 2020

    https://youtu.be/DsSnlV5Rboo  N1 Tiny tiddler fish number seven arrives looking surprised 2020

    https://youtu.be/TN3x2Q7o6-0  N2 Louis is bemused Dorcha's not there to get the fish 2022

    https://youtu.be/2lrzmpxBxeY  N2 Deep breath moment as the chick wingercises in strong wind 2023

    https://youtu.be/GE92_8se1OU N1 Garry arrives for the usual morning housework stint 2023

    https://youtu.be/2hfH5BfMnXk N2 Little birds visit 2023 (slo-mo, zoom)

    https://youtu.be/wRArI63rNNo N2 Louis brings a big whole trout 2023

    https://youtu.be/vItPqUHe7oQ N1 Garry keeps trying his luck, more fish is needed.. 2023

    https://youtu.be/CNrwPRe0qX4 N2 This time Louis brings a live mackerel 2023

  • Nest One - 15.06.42 Who's that landing on the nest?

    It's Dorcha! Her first ever visit. It's definitely her - freezeframe at the end shows her landing on Nest One and then on Nest Two - the underwing spot pattern is a perfect match

    She chased the intruder off Nest Two and all the way over to Nest One.

  • Louis arrives without fish - Dorcha yells at him 

    13.01.45 Louis arrives but without fish again. Dorcha follows fish calling, he coy-mantles and she checks under his wing for fish

    Her calls ramp up when she realises there isn't any

    13.05.10 After flying onto the side perch Louis departs - maybe he feels like fishing now?!

    But Dorcha's still calling so he must be nearby, not gone fishing

  • Intruder overflies Dorcha on the nest 

    13.35.35 Dorcha's on the nest when an intruder approaches and overflies the nest.

    She mantles and calls and the intruder flies off

  • Unringed intruder female lands next to Louis 

    13.55.40 Louis lands followed by very dark female intruder - he mantles, intruder leaves

    13.56.10 intruder back, moves right behind him, leaves

    13.56.30 Dorcha arrives, Louis leaves 13.57.08 Dorcha leaves 13.57.37 Intruder flyover

    13.57.56 Dorcha returns 13:58:05 Intruder in background, flying left to right

    13:58:20 Passed low over nest threatening Dorcha.

    13:58:56 Intruder lands on the Scots Pine in front of the nest a little distance away, watched carefully by Dorcha