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
  • Compare and contrast today's dark intruder with the very dark one seen once only on 27 May 2021 - is it the same female?
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  • Louis arrives and coy mantles but still no fish for Dorcha 

    15:21:08 Dorcha lands, fish-calling

    15:24:50 Louis arrives, Dorcha rushes over, Louis coy-mantles, Dorcha checks for fish but there still isn’t any, she's going to have to catch her own

    15:30:33 Louis departs, Dorcha remains, not happy.

  • Daily summary Sunday 7th July 2024

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    There was an intruder but no fish today - Louis teased Dorcha again by appearing several times without fish and staying nearby within sight so she kept calling to no avail. The nest was overflown by an intruder who returned and landed on the nest next to Louis and was seen to be a dark female with striking markings, possibly the same one who intruded in 2021, see bonus video. Dorcha arrived and chased her off, all the way past Nest One where Dorcha dropped in briefly for her first ever visit to that nest. Weather was settled today, tonight's forecast is partly cloudy and light winds, but rain is due again tomorrow.

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    Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.51.05 (03.18.25); Nest Two 23.54.50 (03.27.43)

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    Today’s videos:

    https://youtu.be/FrXbbUeLP1k N2 Louis arrives without fish - Dorcha yells at him 13.01.45

    https://youtu.be/2OI2t67rNhU N2 Intruder overflies Dorcha on the nest 13.35.35

    https://youtu.be/rzFuxemIvPE N2 Unringed intruder female lands next to Louis 13.55.40

    https://youtu.be/LwP5OtDRWKY N1 Dorcha's first ever visit to Nest One! 15.06.42

    https://youtu.be/AX4rxHJaSWo N2 Louis arrives and coy mantles but no fish for Dorcha 15:21:08

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    Bonus video - compare and contrast today's dark intruder with the very dark one seen once only on 27 May 2021:

    https://youtu.be/qT3I0WiNGu8

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    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

    https://youtu.be/PnD29o_Gy6M  N1 Loch Arkaig Ospreys star on BBC Breakfast (2020)

    https://youtu.be/IzCrOhowMPE N1 Nick Knowles phones BBC Breakfast to propose names for the chicks (2020)

    https://youtu.be/SAabS8BAMJ4  N1 Nip and tuck? (2020)

    https://youtu.be/w1vMbxEaWcc N1 Mum, stop mossing about! (2020)

    https://youtu.be/k1Rj3Y3o6z8  N2 Chicks have a go at self-feeding (2022)

    https://youtu.be/-93H-XDsoi4  N2 Tail-end Charlies! (2022)

    https://youtu.be/THNDRf1MRcU N1 Affric doesn't notice the visiting little birds 2023

    https://youtu.be/exrw9n30uF4 N2 Finally! Louis brings the first fish 2023

    https://youtu.be/PufGDxt0c00 N2 Fleeting visit by a little bird unnoticed by Dorcha & chick 2023 (slo-mo, zoom)

    https://youtu.be/Jmxe-ERBW20  N2 The chick and the stick 2023 (speeded up x1.5)

  • Nest One

    07.37.40 Sweet birdsong is heard then three little birds appear from lower right in the nest branches, and hop onto the nest for a few seconds before disappearing again

    Coal Tits?

  • Intruder! Dorcha defends the nest while Louis does the aerial defending 

    Intruder by the nest - WT forum poster Shelly describes the action:
    11:13:39 - onwards Dorcha mantles and then pancakes on the nest, alarm-calling.
    11:14:33 an intruder flies over the nest. Louis heard alarm chipping
    11:14:44 - onwards it can be seen flying in the distance left to right, circling the area, with Louis heard but not seen
    11:18:13 Dorcha leaves the nest to the right side.

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  • Still no fish from Louis: Dorcha gives up calling

    13.46 Dorcha is on the nest fish-calling again. Louis must be nearby otherwise she wouldn't call but he's not responding.

    The last fish brought to the nest was on 5th July at 13.20.39: https://youtu.be/rX4DKIlw6dM

    13.49.28 Dorcha gives up and departs

  • Dorcha pays a sunset visit looking wet - been fishing? 

    22.13.28 Dorcha lands on her perch. She looks very damp, must have been fishing, did she catch anything?

    Allowing for wet feathers fluffed up, she does look slightly rounded, difficult to see. She preens herself thoroughly

    22.17.09 Gives herself a good shake, keeps preening

    22.33.06 Dorcha departs, flying off her perch, just feet showing as she flies over the nest and out of sight on the right

  • Dorcha unexpectedly returns after 11pm and she's fish calling

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    23.08.36 Fish calls are heard nearby

    23.08.43 Dorcha returns and lands on the nest, calling.

    Louis must be perched nearby! I thought her visit half an hour ago was it for the night, but no.

    She calls energetically a few times then quietens down

    23.33.27 Dorcha departs - faint calls are heard after she leaves

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  • Daily summary Monday 8th July 2024

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    Another day with no fish, and no sighting of Louis on the nest, although he was heard nearby, and seen occasionally by LizB. Dorcha spent a great deal of the day on the nest, fish-calling loudly and getting no response. An intruder was seen circling around in the foreground while Dorcha mantled and alarm-called on the nest - Louis was heard alarm-chipping but wasn't seen flying after the intruder. Something is still not right with him.  Dorcha paid a visit at sunset looking very damp as if she'd been fishing, but stayed on her perch and it was difficult to see if she'd been successful. She returned unexpectedly even later, and this time she was fish-calling but got no response and soon quietened down. She flew off after 11.30pm. No activity on Nest One other than a quick visit by some songbirds. Weather was mostly dry today with a few light rain showers, tonight's forecast is a clear sky and light winds, with light rain and a gentle breeze tomorrow day time changing to a weather warning for heavy rain in the evening.

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    00.45 Neither cam has switched over yet. (day cam): Nest One (02.52.46); Nest Two (03.20.53)

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    Today’s videos:

    https://youtu.be/dabgX9wS5JE  N1 Three little birds singing sweetly 07.37.40

    https://youtu.be/d_21ncEqyMU N2 Dorcha on the nest and Louis nearby deal with an intruder 11.13.20

    https://youtu.be/FcIBmfScUJ8  N2 Still no fish from Louis: Dorcha gives up calling and departs 13.49.28

    https://youtu.be/VfO3nAk5XNQ  N2 Dorcha pays a sunset visit looking wet - been fishing? 22.13.28 (zoom)

    https://youtu.be/Z37mRFWwIW0 N2 Dorcha unexpectedly returns and she's fish calling 23.08.43

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    Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

    https://youtu.be/eQ-H9XnoL-k  N1 Who's that visiting the nest? It's the ringers! 2019

    https://youtu.be/rY2duI6UrU4  N1 Magnificent super-fisherbird Louis brings two fish at once! 2019

    https://youtu.be/dgMWXNUvbRw N1 Eine Kleine Munch Musik... 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Mozart)

    https://youtu.be/gJ28U_EFMdg  N2 Branching out: the family wrestles with a tricky stick 2022

    https://youtu.be/TFJCxF4Z6x8  N2 Chicks unsure about a flatfish 2022

    https://youtu.be/aFnPGCWsutU  N2 The whole family watch Louis depart 2022

    https://youtu.be/CASjS-XxceU  N2 Wingercising in slow motion 2023

    https://youtu.be/_IFRrJVjosI  N1 Another fish for Affric after Garry's second delivery attempt 2023

    https://youtu.be/FuyIgvRXi3w  N2 Hello LY7! Chick shows off his new Darvic ring 2023

  • Louis flies over Dorcha on Loch Arkaig Osprey Nest Two but lands on the Scots Pine instead (zoomed)

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    Dorcha arrived at the nest at 04.03.30 and sat there, silent, just surveying the landscape.

    In this clip:

    08.00 Dorcha starts fish-calling, so Louis must be in sight

    08.00.54 Louis flies overhead before landing in the Scots Pine in the foreground, Dorcha's not impressed and keeps calling

    08.21.56 Louis leaves the Scots Pine flying off to the left

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