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

Nest Two

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10.38.11 Garry LV0 lands with moss followed by Affric 152! Alarm chipping

10.38.29 Both Affric and Garry leave flying off to the right as Dorcha appears

10.38.30 Dorcha lands and hops onto the side perch

10.39 onwards Dorcha is watching something overhead, presumably LV0 or Affric.

10.40.48 She alarm chips and continues to mantle

10.41.18 Alarm chips heard off cam. An Osprey flies round and hovers above Dorcha - it's Garry LV0 - see enlarged freezeframe at the end of the clip - and he circles round, alarm chipping.

11.34.00 Dorcha leaves

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Daily summary Friday 26th July 2024

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The Lochenders saga continued today with a game of musical nests - after an absence of two days, Dorcha turned up paying a visit to Nest One while Garry LV0 was there, and then Affric 152 and Garry LV0 visited Nest Two, flying off very quickly when Dorcha appeared. Where were Louis and Prince while this was going on? Was Prince back at Bunarkaig looking after his and Affric's chick? Was Louis having a leisurely fishing session? Is he still around? As usual, the only answer is 'wait and see'. RAF jets did a flypast but both nests were empty at the time. More good news from Spain with a tweeted photo of our chick 1JW out and about exploring the neighbourhood, and the message "We are told all the birds are continuing to feed well after taking to the skies for the first time yesterday." 1JW is certainly better off in sunny Spain - it rained throughout the day here, there's a chance of rain tonight and tomorrow with a high of only 17°C.

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.01.49 (04.04.45); Nest Two 22.58.14 (04.15.15)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/IQMVxtoxhek N1 Garry LV0 visits bringing moss 08.25.36

https://youtu.be/TkmVmX5YaVA  N1 Dorcha spends time with Garry LV0 already there 09.18.24

https://youtu.be/MRew3k_UKwA  N2 Dorcha isn't amused when Affric 152 & Garry LV0 invade her nest 10.38.11

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Bonus tweet - photo of Loch Arkaig Osprey chick 1JW in Spain exploring his new neighbourhood:

https://x.com/geemeff/status/1816971724186910778

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/GrVXgF0XtTI  N1 Captain nips Louis' leg 2020

https://youtu.be/LXVBy7anRo4 N1 Mum brings dinner: Aila delivers a whopper 2020

https://youtu.be/Lj4S0NPDbLM N1 Doddie and the flatfish 2020

https://youtu.be/p2y97A3kIv4  N1 Affric (Blue 152) calls for fish to no avail 2021

https://youtu.be/BBdVW_8z9rI N2 Meet Aspen (LW3) & Alder (LW4), Louis’ chicks with new mate Dorcha 2021 (thanks Lewis) 

https://youtu.be/7Yz_fuHpp8Q OMG! Tawny Owl pulls Willow off the nest! 2022 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/qYDQTkEH89o N2 Relief as Willow finally returns, is unhurt 2022

https://youtu.be/4plSH4d1ves  N1 &2 Flypast by USAF jets 2022

https://youtu.be/XP2ydlIOQkY  N1 Garry appears out of the mist bringing a big stick 2023

https://youtu.be/isjMxlmejNs  N1 One member of the threesome visits, no one else comes 2023

https://youtu.be/8-31dibUJCo  N2 Ludo flies with fish for the first time - accidentally! 2023

https://youtu.be/XROITiomjHE N2 Ludo achieves another milestone - flies with fish intentionally 2023

Nest Two

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07.34.53 A little wren appears from under the nest

07.36.09 The wren starts singing

08.09.53 A Tree Pipit arrives, followed by a second. Watch the tail bob.

08.15.40 - 081906 Three then four Tree Pipits arrive, they look like newly fledged youngsters exploring the world for the first time.

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Nest One

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10.09.53 Garry LV0 arrives with a stick and does a bit of nest tidying, but keeps looking up

10.11.23 Someone unseen is alarm-chipping off cam

10.13.14 Garry leaves, flying to the right and out of sight

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Nest One

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10.42.47 Garry LV0 arrives

10.44.15 Garry flies off as an Osprey approaches

10.44.19 Dorcha lands followed by Garry. A third Osprey is heard alarm chipping

10.44.54 Both suddenly fly off as another Osprey flies over, brief flash of a blue ring, is it Affric 152?

Dorcha flies left and circles round while Garry flies to the right

10.45.12 Dorcha lands in Stick Tree

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Nest One

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11:19:25 Dorcha leaves Stick Tree and flies back to the nest (zoomed)

11.19.38 Dorcha lands and makes a very brief touchdown on the nest, alarm-chips a couple of times

11.19.43 Dorcha flies off again, flies to the right and out of sight

Nest One

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15.59.11 Garry LV0 returns for a very brief visit, he’s watching something above the nest

15.59.21 Garry departs just ten seconds later, flying to the right

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Daily summary Saturday 27th July 2024

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All the action took place on Nest One today, apart from a sweetly singing Wren and some juvenile Tree Pipits exploring Nest Two. Garry LV0 paid three visits, the first time bringing a stick and doing a bit of nest work, the second time Dorcha arrived soon after he did and then both took off in a hurry when a third Osprey, possibly Affric 152, flew overhead with a brief flash of blue Darvic ring. A little later Dorcha returned for a very brief visit, and Garry returned mid afternoon for his third visit which lasted all of ten seconds. No sign of Louis today. LizB provided another update on the Bunarkaig nest, link in the bonus section, the chick was on the nest so either hasn't fledged yet or had returned for food. The weather was a little unsettled, and at one time it was raining on Nest Two but not on Nest One, showing the difference made by the few kilometres separating the two nests. Tonight's forecast is light clouds and light winds, with the prospect of a dry sunny day tomorrow.

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Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.20.14 (03.33.35); Nest Two 23.23.32 (04.01.46)

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Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/5cs0x94tC-A N2 A sweet little singer and a variety of little birds visit 07.34.53

https://youtu.be/OuuyJzYB3ZM N1 Garry LV0 brings a stick and does some nest prep 10.09.53

https://youtu.be/K3oYtZEf5MA N1 Dorcha visits Garry LV0 but another Osprey makes them flee 10.42.47

https://youtu.be/6FoEZpmrZks  N1 Dorcha pays another visit 11.19.25 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/iXEdt1LR4_s N1 Garry LV0 returns for a very brief visit 15.59.11

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Bonus update on the Bunarkaig nest (thanks LizB):

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=15491480

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Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/_Z48xWVluSw  N1 Oi mum! Careful with that! 2019

https://youtu.be/1Y9dGaIFCAc N1 FLEDGE! Rannoch finds her wings 2019

https://youtu.be/TPzBKE5vAEU N1 Aila & Louis steal a moment alone together 2020

https://youtu.be/aBuSSB6OHM0 N1 Louis and the lively fish - everyone wants it 2020

https://youtu.be/dmO1Gqac36Q  N1 Affric nips Prince as he tries to steal her fish 2021

https://youtu.be/TbSOZNCrLNE  N2 Dorcha gets nipped when she tries to steal Willow's fish 2022

https://youtu.be/PlVdlOWq8DE  N2 Dorcha gives Sarafina a bit of stick and gets a nip 2022

https://youtu.be/3-PXNmOwWMk N2 Ludo arrives squeaking, lands on the high perch 2023

https://youtu.be/MbYW39m11JA N1 A flock of little visitors - Mistle Thrushes? 2023

https://youtu.be/NE8wpBW9wf8 N2 Louis gives a fish to Dorcha and does a bit of nest cupping 2023

https://youtu.be/z1_voshU-z8  N2 Flight of the Bumbling Hoodies (Classic Ospreys Rimsky-Korsakov) 2023 (quicktime) https://youtu.be/HxQNOrkv2u8 N1 Garry brings moss and takes it away again 2023

https://youtu.be/J0o52mX6AAQ N2 Dorcha is intruded upon first by Ospreys then by Hoodies 2023 (zoom)

Nest One

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05.42.30 Sky-dancing is heard

05.43.20 Affric 152 lands on the nest, turning her head constantly watching the sky

05.45.24 Garry LVO arrives with a fish which Affric grabs immediately, starts to eat while he coy-mantles.

05.46.09 Affric leaves with her breakfast - taking it back to her own nest for her chick?

05.47.25 Garry does a little nest work before departing

Cropped screenshots of the fish added at the end for ID purposes - pike?

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Nest One

.Garry's fish delivered at 05.45.24 has been identified as a perch. This is a first for the area and also a bit of a cause for concern as this species shouldn't be in this area.

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WTS George says: