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

Is this a juvenile Tawny Owl calling near Nest Two?

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22.33.16 A sound is heard, continuous calling in a sort of squeaky tone. Sounds like a juvenile Tawny Owl.

I boosted the audio the better to hear the call, unfortunately that also raises the background hiss level.

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Have a listen to this for comparison:   https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/sightings/tawny-owl-juv-begging-call-lytchett-matravers

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Daily summary Thursday 18th July 2024

A dreich day with mist and rain, and heavy rain from around 11pm. Tonight's forecast is drizzle and light winds, but looking at the nests via night cam, it looks more like heavy rain and fog. Not a pleasant day, but although Louis and Dorcha only showed up once this morning, arriving around 08.55 with Louis departing at 09.03 and Dorcha departing at 09.36, there were plenty of little visitors to Nest One, and what sounds like a juvenile Tawny Owl calling near Nest Two around 10.30pm. Despite Dorcha's calls, Louis didn't bring a fish and made a half-hearted mating attempt before leaving. Neither adult returned to the nest today after that one visit. Over in Spain, we received more footage from the translocation programme of 1JR , formerly known as the submissive chick, looking strong and healthy and tucking in to a big piece of fish on his own with no one trying to intimidate him or take his fish away. It bodes well for his future success. 

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.30.05 (04.03.54); Nest Two 23.14.11 (04.08.55)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/qaojgIgK74A  WTScotsocial tweet and footage of 1JR tucking into his fish dinner in Spain

https://youtu.be/eUp1mUx7Wcw N1 A little bird hops up on the nest - juvenile Robin? 04.53.20

https://youtu.be/38ok-uZ5sHg N1 A Jay visits 05.15.24

https://youtu.be/wa59vTuwYJc N2 No fish, just a failed mating attempt 08.54.10

https://youtu.be/1FIRDaevMNU N1 Various little birds visit 10.43.32 - 10.53.50

https://youtu.be/pxWsh7-M96g N2 Is this a juvenile Tawny Owl calling nearby? 22.33.16

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/hVAZXaUtY_M  N1 Did Aila pop out for a quick pint? Looks tipsy on landing! 2019

https://youtu.be/25QSyNV93w8  N1 Sibling rivalry - Rannoch gets a beating 2019

https://youtu.be/D2ZRWZnCU-E  N1 Mallie flexes her wonderful wings 2019

https://youtu.be/fZq4NVQVZGk  N1 FLEDGE! Doddie finds his wings 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Chopin 2020)

https://youtu.be/LPCAyNxhmI0  N1 He's back! Doddie returns safely 2020

https://youtu.be/KwggKoU1DNM  N1 Up and away - Doddie's second flight 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/FXbWOQ9_eII  N1 Vera and Captain bow to Doddie 2020

https://youtu.be/jzeN92U37KU  N2 Dorcha makes off with fish number two, chicks not happy 2022

https://youtu.be/QLDYCp-9mQE  N2 Dorcha makes room for LW5 to wingercise 2022

https://youtu.be/frPHqkNtbbw  N2 Lots of happy squeaking when Louis arrives with fish 2022

https://youtu.be/gGXO_xyQDws N1&2 RAF do another flypast - three jets this time 2023

https://youtu.be/vxdVywfJT3U  N1 Garry finally brings a fish for Affric 2023

https://youtu.be/mmcV4tRItZk  N2 LY7 gets high! Proper helicopter! 2023

https://youtu.be/GXtkgsVugZ4  N2 Teetering on the edge - nearly a fludge?! 2023

 It could be Geemeff. The young begging call but I'm not  100% certain. It's very like , that's all I can say.. The weather looks dreadful in the video , doesn't it   !  Thank you for the video

Geemeff said:

Is this a juvenile Tawny Owl calling near Nest Two?

Yes, I think so Geemeff, it does sounds like the comparison audio you posted.

Thanks Glider, the calls continued long into the night, several hours. I wonder if one of the owlets was in trouble? Never heard one call for so long before.

Cirrus said:

 It could be Geemeff. The young begging call but I'm not  100% certain. It's very like , that's all I can say.. The weather looks dreadful in the video , doesn't it   !  Thank you for the video

I'm surprised owls would be out in that rain, I wonder if it was in trouble or if it was just a food call as maybe the adults couldn't catch anything due to the weather.

The chicks are so much better off in Spain! The weather has been simply horrendous, both chicks would have perished long ago, Cirrus. Some people are still debating but I am absolutely certain WTS made the right decision. It's wonderful seeing footage of them warm, dry and well-fed, and gone is submissive chick, in its place is a strong confident bird ready to fledge.

Nest One 

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03.59.18 Day cam has just recently come on revealing a ghostly scene as the nest is shrouded in mist.

The small spider, looking huge due to proximity to the camera, is busy moving around tending to its web adding to the eerie effect.

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A Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) visits Nest One

07.24.06 A Wood Pigeon arrives flying in from the right and lands on the centre perch

It stays for a few minutes looking around before flying off in the same direction it arrived from 

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No fish and a failed mating attempt

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13.23.38 Dorcha arrives, calling. She mantles defensively, occasionally looking skywards

13.24.23 Hops up onto her perch

13.32.13 Louis arrives - no fish but brings a twig. His crop is flat. He settles into the nest cup.

13.34.11 Dorcha jumps down to join him, landing on his wing! He coy mantles, she calls

13.54.59 Louis departs

14.05.15 Louis returns and lands on Dorcha for a mating attempt, then settles in the nest cup again.

14.12.32 Louis leaves 14.20.47 Dorcha leaves and heads towards the loch.

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Nest Two - Hooded Crows visit

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15.07.55 A Hoodie arrives, flying in from behind the nest on the left

15.08.03 A second Hoodie appears on the right from underneath the nest.

They potter around but there's been no fish on this nest for several days so no scraps to be had

15.27.37 One flies off

15.27.49 The second follows.

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