Welcome to Loch Arkaig Ospreys season 8
Will Louis and Dorcha return to Nest 2?
Will someone take up residence in Nest 1?
Will any of Louis' chicks with Aila and Dorcha be sighted?
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:
Daily summary Monday 5th August 2024
Just a raft of Mistle Thrushes and a Woodpecker on Nest One today - no Ospreys, no other action on either nest, just plenty of rain. Filling in the gap a little, LizB posted more footage of the Bunarkaig nest showing Affric and her chick, links in the bonus section. The wet weather continues tonight and tomorrow, with the possibility of thundery showers in the late afternoon.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.35.04 (04.41.35); Nest Two 22.46.59 (04.49.03)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/2VFRd-lLvn4 N1 Many Mistle Thrushes and a Woodpecker visit 13.12.59
Bonus videos - Another couple of bits of video footage from Bunarkaig (thanks LizB):
https://youtu.be/KZnXzJYpR6Q The chick having a flap and a hop about on the nest with mum Affric
https://youtu.be/aFurmuMNz5E The chick taking flight
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/Y4P7kNDbjS0 N1 Mellow Mallie? She must be full! 2019
https://youtu.be/2Tm8xHeqwEg N1 Poorly Vera leans on mum 2020
https://youtu.be/XpTHhw67fDA N1 Excuse me, I was here first! 2020
https://youtu.be/zrpbA9SiNBU N1 That's mine, back off brother! 2020
https://youtu.be/6t8IstQ6j1U N2 Willow flies with fish for the first time 2022
https://youtu.be/WYzkmFjTktE N2 Super dad Louis brings his 400th fish! 2022
https://youtu.be/gdh9GG9QGFw N2 Cheeky Hoodie pecks Sarafina’s tail feathers! 2022
https://youtu.be/7bq9lFuGIlY N2 Dorcha chases an intruder Osprey 2022
https://youtu.be/6pbn5waW4HA N2 Owl calls near the nest late in the season 2022
https://youtu.be/rx0O7q4rjw8 N1 Garry returns but still no fish for impatient Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/e_qaOUkpVxs N2 Ludo stops fish calling as a parent chases an intruder in the distance 2023
https://youtu.be/Re3a2G1Ulrk N2 Louis alarm calls after bringing Ludo a whole mackerel 2023
https://youtu.be/excr0B6L3-o N2 Mother and child reunion: Dorcha feeds Ludo 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/bA-k7Ncmyqc N2 Ludo flies away mid-call swooping about as the sun sets 2023 (zoom)
Nest One:
05.15.16 An Osprey appears from the right and lands on the centre perch - Affric 152.
She stays on the perch for a while, then drops down to the nest.
05.18.19 A second Osprey arrives - Garry LV0.
He mantles, moves to the left perch, back into the centre and does a bit of nest tidying.
05.27.01 Affric suddenly departs in a hurry flying towards the gap between the knolls, Garry also leaves flying to the right pursued by a third bird - Prince maybe?
Too distant even for zoom.
05.52.29 Garry LV0 lands with a stick but doesn't stay long
05.52.39 Departs and flies towards the solar panels, disappearing out of sight to the left.
No Ospreys but various other birds seen on, over, or near Nest One:
08.33.40 three birds seen in the distance on the left 08.34.29 A distant bird flies from the left, lands in Pole Tree
08.35.11 A grey & white bird (Wood Pigeon) flies from the left, turns, flies directly over the nest
08.36.36 A white bird flies rapidly across cam view from right to left
08.36.39 A little bird (CoalTit) flies in from the right, lands on the edge of the nest
Daily summary Tuesday 6th August 2024
No activity at all on Nest Two, today's action all came from Nest One, where Affric 152 turned up at dawn quickly followed by Garry LV0. However the pair fled the nest when a third Osprey appeared in the distance - Affric's mate Prince, perhaps. Garry returned a little later with a stick but didn't stay long. A few hours later birds were seen in the distance on nest cam and a Wood Pigeon overflew the nest. It rained pretty much throughout the day, and more rain forecast for tonight and tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.23.05 (04.07.43); Nest Two 22.22.22 (04.27.15)
https://youtu.be/jMtQ4kDsEIE N1 Garry LV0 follows Affric 152 before a third Osprey makes them flee 05.15.16
https://youtu.be/bzEL4MZcwk0 N1 Garry LV0 returns with a stick 05.52.29
https://youtu.be/FzFbWLsw1xI N1 Various little birds on, over or near the nest 08.33.40
https://youtu.be/quq4dMy7OzY N1 Butter fingers! Mallie drops her fish 2019
https://youtu.be/ajka-bL_n_0 N1 Size matters! Tiny song bird visits Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/oQYlVSvMSe4 N1 Aila brings a fish and stays for dinner 2020
https://youtu.be/FNRVFoNuZz0 N2 Crow steals a bit of Willow's breakfast 2022
https://youtu.be/kZ4clzNC3kU N2 Osprey flyover and a fish-stealing crow 2022 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/xcwsmz86WzE N1 Unringed visitor to Nest One 2022 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/hOGYbsvwPWs N2 Louis brings a flatfish, Willow gets it 2022
https://youtu.be/xAWm_H5HSqo N2 Good mum Dorcha allows Sarafina to have fish number five 2022
https://youtu.be/nSRB5bTgSv0 N2 Ludo is startled off the nest by Dorcha who then steals his fish 2023
https://youtu.be/D7mXIuEFLpg N1 Affric 152 waits in vain for fish 2023
https://youtu.be/do5LB22B_4c N1 Ironically Garry brings fish shortly after Affric leaves! 2023
https://youtu.be/YlWzoD5SCNg N2 Louis saves his fish from a marauding Hoodie 2023
https://youtu.be/Bzc7A866Xlw N2 Ludo LY7 gets some leftover fish from dad 2023
Daily summary Wednesday 7th August 2024
No action whatsoever today, not even a visit from a little bird. It's not yet the middle of August, but with night cam switching on ever closer to 10pm, and staying on until almost 5am, and no chicks flying around demanding fish from Louis, the season feels suspiciously like it's over for this year. Affric152 and Prince should still be around as they have a young fledgling to look after, and with luck we might even see their chick testing his wings on or near one of the cam nests. Garry LV0 was the last one to leave last year so perhaps he'll do that this year too but it does seem as if the star pair, Louis & Dorcha, have already headed south. With the weather being wet and windy today, and more of the same forecast for the next ten days, moving south seems the sensible thing to do.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.21.45 (04.41.53); Nest Two 22.14.31 (04.49.20)
Today’s videos: none - not even a visit from a little bird!
Bonus read - a free ebook by W. H. Majoros Season with the Osprey:
https://www.billmajoros.com/ASeasonWithTheOsprey.pdf
https://youtu.be/hQXYIA9xPrM N1 Aila brings a large flat fish 2020
https://youtu.be/OyMVk0LlCzE N1 Louis brings a fish and gets pecked by Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/_5B50icDzn0 N1 Doddie flies off with both fish leaving none for Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/bMn6zaT7MHs N1 Captain gets the fish, Vera loses out again 2020
https://youtu.be/b5WlBmzYbrw N1 Aila's still babying her grown-up offspring 2020
https://youtu.be/nIuBy5ocEko N1 Three little songbirds on unoccupied Nest One 2022
https://youtu.be/nVVUNWwdB-U N2 A clump of moss, a crow and Sarafina: mum steps in 2022
https://youtu.be/wiN0fI9KNiU N2 Hooded Crow attracted by fish does a flypast of the three females 2022
https://youtu.be/JJQmPvbzZ64 N1 Garry brings moss and a Jay visits 2023
https://youtu.be/SY2pbxLF5ko N2 Persistent Hoodie invades as soon as Ludo leaves 2023
https://youtu.be/4rHpMbzNnc0 N1 Affric & Garry spend time together but no fish 2023
https://youtu.be/E_31iJySQMM N2 Dorcha grabs the live flatfish as soon as Louis brings it 2023
Nest One Coal Tits and Robins on the nest in the absence of any Ospreys
07.29.42 A pair of Coal Tits appear in the branches bottom right, one moves onto the nest, flits around then flies off to the left
07.30.07 Second Coal Tit moves onto the nest
07.30.24 Disappears off the nest cam-side
07.34.19 The two Coal Tits return, flying onto the centre of the nest
07.34.44 Both fly off to the right
11.28.45 A Robin appears from the right, flies onto the nest, perches on the left
11.29.05 Flies off out of sight to the left
12.22.54 The Robin, or another one, flies onto the nest from the right
12.23.18 Flies off out of sight to the left
Well, I think we have seen the last of Louis and Dorcha this year - we wish them fair winds and plenty of fish until they return safely to Loch Arkaig next spring.
they survive and return next season with Louis restored to full health! Thanks for keeping us all updated Geemeff, a grand job!
Oh Wendy, I do hope so - migration is so perilous, and we're not sure how Louis is doing, if he's fully recovered. He was looking quite hollow-cropped on his last appearance.
Fingers firmly crossed!