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

Daily summary Friday 19th July 2024

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The day started with a temperature inversion and a spider in the mist gave a ghostly feel to Nest One, which was visited a bit later by a Wood Pigeon. Louis and Dorcha spent time on Nest Two, she was fish-calling and he was coy-mantling, there were a couple of half-hearted mating attempts and a comedy moment when Dorcha landed on Louis' wing. After they departed, a pair of Hoodies checked out the nest but they were out of luck as there weren't any scraps to be had, it's been several days since Louis brought fish to the nest, the last time was on the 15th. The weather improved somewhat after the damp start but more rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow.

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.11.08 (03.33.21); Nest Two 22.57.26 (04.00.34)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/OD_RwDg4LUA N1 Spider adds to the eerie misty morning scene 03.59.18

https://youtu.be/6SBcqw1oX38 N1 A Wood Pigeon visits 07.24.06

https://youtu.be/wp5mZUIOlQU N2 No fish and a failed mating attempt 13.23.38

https://youtu.be/1GsH538qZJs N2 A pair of Hoodies check out the nest 15.07.55

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Bonus action - Woodland Trust guide to helping wildlife in summer:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2023/06/10-ways-to-help-wildlife-in-summer

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/BIHDRrpe6Qo N1 My turn daddy! Louis feeds Rannoch 2019

https://youtu.be/TwqqSshM42E N1 Doddie drops in to grab all the breakfast 2020

https://youtu.be/_rU3TwEXwa0 N1 Aila brings soft furnishings to decorate the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/-xNiwmN-xQI  N1 Doddie does an evening flypast of the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/EYDBamjYrf8  N1 Hey! who put that there? Prince makes an undignified departure 2021

https://youtu.be/304-lrclaZw  N1 Third visit by the new pair Blue 152 & Prince (YP) 2021

https://youtu.be/xW2CIMG3IDM  N2 Hooked on you - the chicks get hooked together! 2022

https://youtu.be/lmPZ_jmuEz0  N2 Dorcha reacts to an intruder Osprey seen on camera 2022

https://youtu.be/L1DG3H9gUUM N2 RAF flypast doesn't stop Louis (2022)

https://youtu.be/k_2pVwLNAZU  N2 Louis brings a fish and eats it himself 2023

https://youtu.be/0QoTqAI2VqE  N2 Hop and a skip but no jump - yet! 2023

https://youtu.be/Lq9DbF3I6J4  N2 Double helicopter! 2023

https://youtu.be/9SyP31iXLbc  N2  FLEDGE! Ludo's off into the world! 2023

https://youtu.be/xArpA43gG1Q N1 Affric 152 receives another fish from Garry 2023

Nest One

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05.42.57 A little bird appears on the nest, singing sweetly.

05.43.17 It disappears underneath the nest

08.15.27 It - or another just like it - reappears and flits around

08.15.53 It disappears underneath the nest again

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18.35.28 Garry LV0 flies in from the right, east, with a stick, does some nest work and spends a few minutes.

18.37.59 Garry departs, flying west and disappearing out of sight near the solar panels

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18.42.42 A little bird pops up on the nest from underneath

18.44.02 A second bird appears, also from underneath

18.44.34 Both birds disappear underneath the nest

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Daily summary Saturday 20th July 2024

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A very slow day indeed, with no sighting of either Louis or Dorcha -  the first time no Osprey was seen on Nest Two since Louis returned on 28th March. The weather was very wet today, and not very inviting, so have they left on migration, are they still around, will we see them tomorrow?  Nest One saw some activity today, with visits from little songbirds and a visit from Garry LV0 who arrived with a stick and proceeded to do some nest prep before flying off. Tonight's forecast is partly cloudy with light winds, but rain is forecast for the rest of the week.

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.05.33 (04.14.02); Nest Two 23.24.21 (04.24.56)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Vkh1bYP9V_U  N1 Sweet little singer visits 05.42.57

https://youtu.be/U2bBn4PpMoM  N1 Garry LV0 brings a stick and does nest prep 18.35.28

https://youtu.be/jN1-tY56wnA  N1 A pair of little birds pay an early evening visit 18.42.42

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/bzD0ewEZPy0  N1 FLEDGE!! Mallie takes her first flight! 2019

https://youtu.be/nyUAdw2pU64  N1 I'm home mum! Mallie lands gracefully after her maiden flight 2019

https://youtu.be/NZL4TzrXZJ4  N1 A different perspective: the family in split-screen, 2020 (thanks LizB)

https://youtu.be/Dn8RbvlOV_s   N1 Vera lands on Captain 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/S9BxyRx0wUA  N2 Night moves: LW5 prepares for liftoff 2022

https://youtu.be/EcWKtfYf9OU  N2 Have fish will travel: Fish number two arrives, departs and returns 2022

https://youtu.be/Mz4fJSZ_LUQ   N2 Dorcha and LW6 fight over a fish 2022

https://youtu.be/T8wtZ_Zrq_E  N2 Ludo's first flight today, second flight 2023

https://youtu.be/kYV3QZ-BIa8  N2 Ludo's eventful third flight - gets divebombed and crash lands  2023

https://youtu.be/ZtKWJC9nqiU  N1 Affric eventually gets a fish from Garry  2023

https://youtu.be/VmlZ8LP5KjU  N2 Ludo makes a perfect landing this time  2023

https://youtu.be/HQpwZ0KNtUU  N2 Ludo gets tired of waiting and self-feeds  2023

https://youtu.be/n5V3RcoCZJI  N1 Garry arrives with a third fish for Affric  2023

https://youtu.be/yx5Yoxe0feY  N2 Not tonight! Dorcha's not accepting of Louis' attentions  2023 (zoom)

Geemeff said:

18.42.42 A little bird pops up on the nest from underneath

18.44.02 A second bird appears, also from underneath

I’d say the first looks like a juvenile robin and the second a wren Geemeff.

Thank you, Glider, I've amended the description. I think this odd couple may be nesting underneath the nest, there's plenty of room for several little birds to tuck themselves away.

Sunday 21st

Wow! Unpicking this morning's action

Dorcha and Louis on Nest Two

Garry on Nest One

Dorcha departs and turns up on Nest One with Garry

The really dark female with the striking markings (RDF) turns up on Nest Two with Louis!

10.48.58 An Osprey is seen in the distance flying towards the nest

10.49.05 Dorcha arrives, fish-calling

10.49.15 Louis arrives, no fish. He coy mantles over on the left edge while she chirrups at him and the wind blows in loud gusts

10.52.16 Louis moves into the nest cup, Dorcha carries on telling him fish is required

10.55.42 Louis attempts mating but it’s much too windy and he can’t get his balance and slides down

10.58.54 Louis departs, flying left and immediately out of cam view but not out of Dorcha’s sight - she keeps calling

11.04.24 Dorcha departs, flying lochwards through the rain which has started falling heavily

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Who's on the wrong nest? 

Dorcha should be on Nest Two, and Affric should be on the Bunarkaig nest!

11.27.59 An Osprey flies towards the nest, in the distance another Osprey flies right to left across the screen

11.28.01 Garry LV0 lands coy mantling. Alarm chipping heard off camera.

11.28.50 An Osprey approaches in the distance from under the logo

11.28.55. The Osprey lands - it's Dorcha! Alarm chips still be heard close by - a third Osprey is around

11.28.58 Dorcha leaves in a hurry, flying to the right

11.29.00 An Osprey wing appears on the left close to the camera - it’s Affric 152

11.29.02 Affric arrives, Garry flies upwards as she lands

11.29.07 Garry lands again - alarm chipping heard but not clear where it’s coming from.

11.29.10 An Osprey approaches from top left, right of the solar panels, flying towards the nest

11.29.20 The Osprey flies over the nest, doesn’t land (not clear on zoom who it is)

11.31.14 Affric flies onto the front perch. Garry continues coy mantling

11.33.20 Garry moves to the nest cup, Affric jumps down to join him

11.36.26 Affric jumps onto a branch on the right of the nest just out of sight

11.37.16 Affric leaves the right hand branch and flies onto the front perch

11.38.25 Affric appears to spot something and flies off in a hurry

11.39.48 a bird flies in from the right below the nest, Garry mantles

11.42.20 Garry leaves flying west towards the solar panels and out of sight

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