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:
22.59.27 Louis swoops in with a surprise fifth fish, a headless trout.
Dorcha and chicks start feeding, and he stays on the nest
That's fish number 5 tonight, and fish number 180 since he and Dorcha reunited on 30th March.
Daily summary Sunday 9th June 2024
Louis surpassed himself, swooping in with a season's latest delivery at just before 11pm to take today's total to five fish, and his overall total to one hundred and eighty. The three chicks have enormous crops but still gathered round Dorcha to start their late night fish supper while Louis stayed on the nest. The light is lasting longer - night cam switched over on Nest One just after midnight, so we may see more late fish deliveries from Louis. Earlier the chicks did a bit of fighting, and Dorcha brought an enormous forked branch which put them firmly in their place - tucked down trying to avoid her! No action on Nest One, slightly more settled weather today, and tonight's forecast is partly cloudy with light winds.
Night cam switched on (day cam): Nest One 00.00.10 (02.48.28); Nest Two 23.14.36 (03.48.56)
Today’s videos, all Nest Two:
https://youtu.be/BYTAldNOvrg Fish number one, Louis drops and goes in 20 seconds 06.20.14
https://youtu.be/6qL9yfYmRPg Another dominance fight by the well-fed chicks 07.39.25
https://youtu.be/3IdA6aiW88o Fish number two, Louis stays while Dorcha dishes up 10.35.06
https://youtu.be/EY-egKrmNVk Dorcha warns the chicks before bringing a lethal forked branch 16:18:39
https://youtu.be/nJ_Wq576X_0 Fish number three, everyone's tucking in, no one notices Louis leaving 16.36.21
https://youtu.be/cAySc5Ogx4g Louis has had a good meal off fish four before delivering it 19.02.19
https://youtu.be/wMGAja63H48 Louis swoops in with a surprise fifth fish 22.59.27
Bonus info - Osplet growth in the early stages (thanks Liz):
https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/2018/06/osprey-update-feathers-and-fish/
https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/karis-mwt/feathers
https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/rapid-growth-phase-young-osprey-chicks
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/GLwHelt18hE N1 Aila attempts nest safety measures but gets it wrong! 2019 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/5ZnpH8gvuoY N1 Calm feeding time - both bobs get a good feed 2019
https://youtu.be/Psxp7AInx4I N1 Bob3 starts a fight with Bob2 - Aila lets them get on with it 2020
https://youtu.be/9aDob_TkQVA N1 Mum's away, the bobs play - sometimes, they even play nicely! 2020
https://youtu.be/kOYq4sMGA8Y N1 Mumbrella Aila shelters the bobs 2020
https://youtu.be/w894F3JbO_A N2 Louis chases an intruder near the nest 2022 (slo-mo, zoom)
https://youtu.be/0k5im9gn5QE N2 Dorcha and Louis have fun with sticks 2022
https://youtu.be/Ug0hRca1E_w N2 A tiddler turns up and is demolished quickly 2022
https://youtu.be/rvHSSrkjnEE N2 Waste not, want not: bob3’s eating well 2022
https://youtu.be/Kn2T-jGLiss N2 Bob throws a strop and Dorcha takes a timeout 2023 (quicktime)
https://youtu.be/8Zv8BdNxn3Y N1 Another rejected mating attempt between Affric and LV0 2023
https://youtu.be/r487oxiM8jM N1 Four Ospreys? LV0 and ? watched by Affric 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/Id5TRBuNKBQ N1 Touchdown, flypast, pursuit 2023 (slo-mo, zoom)
Nest One 04.31.35 A charm of Siskins (Spinus spinus) pay a very brief visit, one perches for a few seconds then they all disappear again.
Repeated in slo-mo, with zoom
Tempers fray as the Loch Arkaig Osprey family has to wait for the first fish to arrive
12.11.52 Dorcha departs, and Chick1 soon starts having a go at C2 while C3 keeps safely away and tucked down
12.13.20 Dorcha returns 12.13.42 Fish number one, finally! Louis brings a headless trout.
Dorcha seizes it and starts tearing into it right away, surrounded by eager chicks.
12.14.24 Louis departs
Temper temper! Littlest chick is attacked by bigger chick to prevent it being fed
12.14.53 This is new behaviour - not seen this happen at feeding time before. Big chick must think C3 is getting all the food and attacks it quite viciously to push it away from the feeding area.
As usual, the adult doesn’t respond - the chicks must sort out the pecking order themselves.
Can’t tell if the attacker is C1 or C2. I think it’s C2.
12.15.15 After a few moments big chick stops, realises its missing out, and returns to the feeding area. C3 keeps its head down.
12.17.52 C3 gets up and returns to the feeding area but carefully goes around and approaches cautiously from behind, moves in next to big chick, stands confidently and gets fed without being attacked again.
15.12.51 Fish number two arrives, it's a flatfish, third onethis year.
After the pushing and shoving and pecking with the last fish, everyone queues up nicely, no fighting.
16.32.07 Fish number three - it’s a whopper! Whole trout - however, one chick wants it all..
16.36.50 Dorcha flies off with the fish, chicks start fighting, look like C2 fighting C1
16.37.37 C1 found a piece of fish to eat, C2 is not happy!
16.38.59 Dorcha returns with the fish but despite getting fed, C2 keeps attacking C1, who submits
19.10.17 Fish number four, headless trout, and Dorcha grabs it as the chicks gather round
19.10.46 Louis departs - 29 second handover
21.44.11 Fish number five, whole trout. Everyone gathers round despite having very full crops, Dorcha starts dishing up
21.44.31 Louis departs