Tag Archives: England

Dorcha waits for Louis while we seem to have a new ‘Queen’ at Glaslyn…Saturday in Bird World

11 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

Morning update:

There is news later about Aran. He does have a nest and he does have a female at that nest with him. Perhaps it is Elen? That would be wonderful. Or it could be the other female. We wait and wonder.

At the Glaslyn nest, Teifi is skydancing and courting Blue 432/Eschells.

An osprey sitting in a nest made of sticks, surrounded by greenery and water in the background.

Dorcha continues to wait for Louis at Loch Arkaig 2. It is extremely windy. Will Louis blow in?

A young osprey standing in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a scenic landscape of hills and a body of water in the background.

Jean-marie Dupart has reported the youngsters are still in Senegal but also some older birds that are either migrating late or not leaving their winter homes.

In Nova Scotia, Oscar continues to wait for Ethel at Russell Lake.

Again, thank you so much for your kind notes. I am feeling much better. Much better, indeed. It was 7 C on Friday, and I got to spend almost all of the day outside with Toby and Don. It was glorious. In the afternoon, Ann took Don to the zoo, where they watched polar bears rolling on their backs in the crisp air and bright sunshine.

Today is the 11th of April. It is the latest day that the male osprey, Louis, of Loch Arkaig, has returned from migration. I hope that by the end of the day he has returned. I have to admit that my stomach has been slipping down into my toes over the past week in fear that we will not see this amazing osprey ever again. For many of you, Louis was your favourite osprey on streaming cam during the pandemic. More than 400,000 watched him and his precious Aila raise their triplets – Vera, Doddie, and Little Captain.

Here is a video from that period: https://youtu.be/LhGCrj5O0xs?

The image shows the three chicks with Louis on the far right.

Four osprey chicks on a nest with a green hillside in the background.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 10th April 2026

Today ended with our key character not here – Louis has not yet returned. There is still time and fingers and talons are firmly crossed for his arrival soon. Dorcha spent the day on and off the nest, constantly looking around even when dealing with a troublesome branch she was unable to shift. Things on Nest One are looking much more positive, with Garry LV0 bringing two fish and huge clumps of moss and spending time nestorising when he wasn’t engaged with Aurora 536, who also looks really at home. They both worked together to see off a blue ringed intruder Osprey who flew right overhead but didn’t allow her ring to be read. As it’s on her left leg, she’s Scottish, and it wasn’t Affric 152, so we’ll have to wait and see if she returns to give us a better look before an ID can be made. Tomorrow’s forecast for Inver Mallie which covers the nest area is light rain and a moderate breeze, so nothing there to impede the progress of returning Ospreys. Weather link:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2646094 .

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/62WzHR0w6Qc N1 Ringed intruder follows Garry with his fish 10.48.53 (slo-mo zoom repeat)

https://youtu.be/mD0jZmNGwNs N2 Dorcha tries and fails to deal with a troublesome stick  12.20.41

https://youtu.be/N7vj8r9pWpY N1 Aurora flies off with the fish, Garry does housekeeping 16.10.50Bonus watch –  the importance of the UK’s temperate rainforests, like Loch Arkaig:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/habitats/temperate-rainforest/explore-britains-rainforests-film/
Blast from the past – this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/LbWEdz9F-qg N1 Aila & Louis share a love nest 2020
https://youtu.be/G-3kBllTF-8 N1 Louis’ enthusiastic fine-tuning 2020
https://youtu.be/0Qy8OO9mY30 N1 Tricky stick for the Stranger 2021
https://youtu.be/i71cxxtGq2w N1 No takers for the Stranger’s fish 2021
https://youtu.be/2I51i5kIVa0 N2  Together again: Louis & Dorcha are reunited 2023
https://youtu.be/LPHhs_3oFQU N1 Welcome home Affric 2024 (zoom)https://youtu.be/B0LdP-qTXW4 N2 The ringed intruder returns 2025

https://youtu.be/bstQ7gOgnqA N1 Affric and Garry have an encounter 2025

https://youtu.be/7IDTQEDXPtE N2 Louis has a little lie down 2025

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Ospreys continue to arrive in parts of the US.

Swoop has now arrived at the Dunrovin nest in Lola, Montana. He looks good! April 10 is the same day that Swoop returned to his nest in 2025.

It is unclear to me if Winnie has returned. A female touched down on the nest, but I have no confirmation that it was Winnie (please correct me!).

An osprey perched on a wooden beam, surrounded by green fields and trees in a rural landscape.

In Norway, Fru Rauer is in Germany while Herr Rauer is on their Norwegian nest with another male and a female plus a fish.

There is a lot of confusion at several nests.

TMZ has covered the plight of Jackie and Shadow!

https://www.tmz.com/2026/04/10/big-bear-bald-eagles-nest-threatened/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRGSuZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeuqsC_HZdfc09MJyZfjLdAFyEiqcwiywOh7lO5wNv5FQ_4JmxPr3vHeaSk9g_aem_5ML-d1-MQG3VPkRV8ud57w

I adore Aran and am heartbroken that he lost his Glaslyn nest last season due to a late return that he had shared with Mrs G and Elen. Elen has not been seen for a week. No one knows her status. Thankfully, individuals are keeping track of Aran as Teifi continues to reign over the Glaslyn nest.

A collage of four images showcasing an osprey perched on a wooden post and a branch, with a green background.

I love this screen capture and information by Jenny Powell. Iris can out-fish any of the local ‘Masters’ or male ospreys! She is really quite amazing – at least thirty years old.

A close-up of an osprey standing on a wooden post, showcasing its prominent features and feathers. The bird appears healthy and strong, with a piece of food visible at its feet.

European ospreys arriving.

Two ospreys in a nest, surrounded by sticks and branches, with a forested area in the background.

Seems to be very windy at all the nests in the UK. This is Telyn waiting for Idris and a fish at Dyfi where the camera has been on and off.

An osprey standing on a nest made of twigs and branches, with natural vegetation in the background.

Harry is doing a good job for Flora at SS Alyth.

An osprey flying above its nest while holding a fish, with another osprey sitting in the nest on a sunny day.

As reported earlier, all is well in the Usk Valley in Wales where both ospreys have returned.

https://www.uskvalleyospreys.org/news/reunited-and-re-bonding?fbclid=IwY2xjawRHOlxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe0HLjDn3XOL4yXcE_Lxf0oDkSIk1SsQPMaMibOf5b2zBwjFmJsGfRUuz1etE_aem_qOSW_SqZh3zAqU9-HdADEQ

Blue 022 doesn’t mind the strong winds when it comes to mating with CJ7 at Poole. Watching for eggs!

Two ospreys in their nest, with one standing over the other amidst branches and greenery.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Unless there is news about Louis, I will be taking a wee break for a few days. I really want to get ahead on the spring cleaning of the garden. It is going slowly this year – wish me luck!

Thank you so much to the individuals who created videos, to Geemeff for all the daily news from Loch Arkaig, and to those who have posted wonderful screen captures and information on FB. I am always grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to look into the lives of these bird families.

Looks like two eaglets so far for Jackie and Shadow

4 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

It is a windy, seemingly chilly day in the Big Bear Valley. The lake is a beautiful blue as Jackie and Shadow are in their nest waiting for the arrival of the second eaglet, who is working its way out of the shell. Shadow really wants a turn, but Jackie, being Jackie, has put her talons down firmly.

We are watching the action on the big screen.

Two bald eagles sitting in their nest on a tree branch, overlooking a scenic lake and forested landscape in the background.

I hope you are, too. Over 38,000 people are waiting for a glimpse of our Super Star’s little ones.

The link to their camera is here: https://www.youtube.com/live/B4-L2nfGcuE?

As for us, we had a good day. We took a break from checking on birds and hatches to take Toby to the park for a nice walk. Then to the pet store to pick up duck hearts and a good pair of scissors. I met a lovely woman there with a Cavalier. We exchanged notes on feeding strategies, each of us knowing that there are serious health concerns with this breed. So far, Toby is clear, and I know my breeder! That means a lot, but that still does not mean that he might not have heart or joint issues, so we are doing everything we can to help ensure that does not happen. The woman and I also agreed that, even though we would never pick another breed, they are too lovable and devoted. That is precisely what I need in my life right now as the husband I had for so long ebbs away.

I am delighted that Aran and Dorcha are home. I am waiting for Louis and for Blue 35 at Foulshaw Moss to return. Fingers crossed.

I also want to recommend a video by Robert Fuller if you are interested in Red Kites, and I hope you are. He erected a large tower to film them on his Yorkshire property. Here are some snaps off the telly:

A person wearing a beanie and gloves is inspecting a large nest in a tree, surrounded by branches and greenery.
Two eagles are standing near their nest, which contains a white chick and remnants of food.
A close-up of a bird of prey in flight, showcasing its wings and distinctive plumage, with a background of trees and a nest.

Here is the link to The Hidden Life of Red Kites: https://youtu.be/snwsIUqzxYM?

Send best wishes to Jackie and Shadow and to all those birds who are migrating to their breeding grounds now. They need it!

See you soon!