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:
15.42.54 Dorcha has her head down snoozing when Louis arrives quietly with fish number three.
It's a whole trout, looked blue-ish like a mackerel on arrival, but definitely a trout, it's got orange flesh. Dorcha grabs it, everyone pays attention and queues up
15.47.20 Louis departs. The crops on the chicks are so big and round, if they were red they’d look like male Frigate Birds in breeding season!
Daily summary Friday 7th June 2024
Another day with no action on Nest One but plenty on Nest Two, all of it normal for this time of the season. Louis brought three fish, taking his tally to one hundred and seventy one, the chicks ate a lot, did a little dominance-displaying and slept as best they could in the damp weather as they no longer fit comfortably under mum, while Dorcha brought two sticks, creating havoc each time. Who knows what her tally is, but she certainly wins the prize for bringing the most awkwardly shaped ones then crashing and bashing around the nest trying to place them in a suitable position - preferably not on top of the chicks! There were one or two minor alarms, but the day was spent mainly enduring the weather as it was a dreich day and more of the same expected tonight and for the next few days.
Night cam switches over (day cam): Nest One 23.48.04 (02.42.37); Nest Two 23.07.34 (04.01.14)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/YWtfmTew8tc Fish number one arrives on a soggy day 07.18.28
https://youtu.be/gnf980A9NfU Dorcha causes havoc with a stick 09.13.15 (quick-time)
https://youtu.be/GZcRTnIdwUA Dorcha causes havoc with a stick Round Two! 10.11.00
https://youtu.be/4EGzztBWZWI Fish number two, Louis drops and goes in 46 seconds 11.10.49
https://youtu.be/Y82K17Z2JkQ Fish number three, snoozing Dorcha is surprised 15.42.54
Bonus video - BBC Springwatch 2024 episode 8 with Osprey hero Roy Dennis:
https://youtu.be/ILLmt5olhHs ©BBC
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/BXrNCnCudWk N1 Louis imprisons his chicks while he eats his fish 2019
https://youtu.be/xQIO6hSViF4 N1 Battling Bobs fight it out 2020
https://youtu.be/tXWzwrFL_Lw N1 Aila returns with a large log and lays it on the bobs 2020
https://youtu.be/omvqc0IOxrE N2 Another dawn fish, another back flip from wobbly bob3 2022
https://youtu.be/6E5_ZD5gY1s N2 Mum watches as the bobs battle to establish the pecking order 2022
https://youtu.be/XuB21e3Flak N2 Louis looks silly flying off with a fish stuck to his beak 2022
https://youtu.be/wm8O9fdCWr8 N2 Bob home alone during Dorcha's comfort break 2023
https://youtu.be/9aXdRWiSkOw N1 Elevenses: Prince gives Affric a fish 2023
https://youtu.be/ooaGPm9JfJs N1 LV0's turn to visit the nest - no sign of the others 2023
https://youtu.be/CrPrSiNziog N1 Prince brings fish, won't give it to Affric, takes it away 2023
https://youtu.be/2Gzy2d9N1nA N1 Prince turns up to an empty nest with a late evening fish 2023
N2 Louis brings breakfast and stays to do some housework 04.10.05
N2 Louis brings a stick and crashes and bashes the chicks 07.47.50
N2 While mum's away, the chicks play - but not necessarily nicely! 15.05.44
N2 Louis does a 17 second drop and go with fish number three 17.16.47
N2 Louis delivers fish four to Dorcha and flies off to deal with Hoodies 20.18.01 (zoomed)
Daily summary Saturday 8th June 2024
Rain and wind, chick squabbles, stick bashing, Hoodie chasing and fish deliveries - that was how today went. No action on Nest One. Despite the poor weather, Louis brought four fish to the nest, taking his tally to one hundred and seventy five. Chick3 tried a little nibble at a fish although Dorcha did her usual good job of dishing out fairly evenly, and the chick is getting very strategic in keeping the bigger two occupied by starting a fight, ducking down, and letting the other two fight it out. Louis did some housework then undid his good work by bringing a stick and crashing around with it, even standing on the chicks, but later redeemed himself by seeing off some Hoodies who landed in the Scots Pine nearby while Dorcha was sharing out the fourth fish. More rain and wind is forecast for tonight but there's hope of a little break in the weather tomorrow.
Night cam switches over (day cam): Nest One 23.24.02 (03.06.20); Nest Two 22.54.39 (03.57.50)
https://youtu.be/KDZOGFrZpQ0 N2 Louis brings breakfast and stays to do some housework 04.10.05
https://youtu.be/WqbbBEotuK8 N2 Louis brings a stick and crashes and bashes the chicks 07.47.50
https://youtu.be/FQUZMRyMN4w N2 Windy weather doesn't stop Louis - fish number two arrives 10.20.02
https://youtu.be/uWMiCw0JZ3Y N2 While mum's away, the chicks play 15.05.44
https://youtu.be/bbufxoTvo7s N2 Louis does a 17 second drop and go with fish number three 17.16.47
https://youtu.be/Kj1PUHgYKoQ N2 Louis delivers fish four to Dorcha and flies off to deal with Hoodies 20.18.01 (zoom)
Bonus video - the question was asked, somewhat mischievously, are you Team Aila or Team Dorcha? Tribute to the Golden Goddess 2017-2020:
https://youtu.be/_23wRVnATc4
https://youtu.be/yZE9EAQksGk N1 Aila brings a big stick and nearly swipes her chicks 2019
https://youtu.be/qqqMygFh4Zc N1 Size matters: the obvious difference between the chicks 2019
https://youtu.be/pF2LiSTuhzE N1 A faceful of feathers 2020
https://youtu.be/-yjULpafPVw N1 Battling bobs behave when Aila returns with a stick 2020
https://youtu.be/ftsxwIcou9c N1 Big Bob goes walkabout 2020
https://youtu.be/DHriG93OSoo N1 Baby bob3 jumps the queue and gets a good feed 2020
https://youtu.be/c1kAM-bvMLQ N2 Louis divebombs crows near the nest 2022
https://youtu.be/x0Dg6_0iHWA N1 A pair of Crossbills visit 2022
https://youtu.be/oPYwqS_b3xo N2 A slice of normal life for the five family members 2022
https://youtu.be/uwYfJ2epH3E N1 Louis defends his old nest against LV0 2023
https://youtu.be/axna3nCdGf0 N2 Temper tantrum - mum quashes by squashing 2023
https://youtu.be/YUolx0HhZaE N1 LV0 brings Affric a fish 2023
https://youtu.be/RLZeS1vsRSE N1 LV0 attempts mating, Affric refuses 2023
https://youtu.be/rehTQilaRaU N2 Louis checks on his family in a howling gale 2023
175 fish so far - what a phenomenal effort from Louis!