Livestream ospreys welcome first chick of the season

An osprey which became an online star during the first lockdown and his mate have welcomed their first chick of the season.

The chick hatched at Louis and Dorcha’s nest at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in the Highlands at 6:15am on Wednesday morning.

Male osprey, Louis, and female, Dorcha, arrived back at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in Lochaber on March 28 and March 30 respectively and the first egg of the season was laid on Sunday April 14.

It is hoped the remaining two eggs in the clutch will hatch by the weekend.

Louis returned to the nest earlier in the spring (Woodland Trust Scotland/PA)PA Media - Woodland Trust Scotland

Woodland Trust Scotland has been operating a live nest camera at the forest since 2017 and it became a hit during the first lockdown, clocking up 400,000 views worldwide in 2020 when Louis nested with a previous mate.

The trust has been operating the live nest camera with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Loch Arkaig’s nestcams are Britain’s wildest soap opera giving many thousands of fans a very intimate encounter with nature.

“It has been so lovely to share the adventures of our osprey father Louis through the years. We have followed him from awkward novice in 2017 through to poised parent now.

“He has seen 11 chicks through to migration and we hope this latest arrival will be number 12. Here is to another glorious osprey summer at Loch Arkaig.”

Louis and Dorcha have been together since 2021.

British Commandos and Allied Special Forces, including the Free French, trained at Loch Arkaig during the Second World War and it was also used as a location for a scene in the film Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows.

The forest is home to wild boar, sea eagles, golden eagles, ospreys, pine martens and deer among many other species and the area is the ancestral home of Clan Cameron.

Anyone wanting to view the livestream can do so at https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam