Happy hatchday at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest

The first osprey chick of the season hatched at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest shortly after 1pm on Wednesday May 31.

 

Woodland Trust Scotland has operated a livestreaming nest camera at the Lochaber site since 2017, with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, so eagle-eyed viewers would be able to catch the hatch themselves.

 

The happy hatching scenes came a week after viewers watched in horror as a tawny owl knocked an egg out of the nest.

 

George Anderson of Woodland Trust Scotland said: “Our new osprey chick does not know how lucky it is.

 

“Fingers crossed it will soon be joined by a sibling from the third egg which could hatch any time now.”

 

The Loch Arkaig livestreams can be viewed at a dedicated page on the Woodland Trust website.

 

In 2020 the camera became a huge lockdown hit and clocked up an audience of 400,000 worldwide as the livestream proved to be just the natural tonic people needed.

 

Once osprey nesting season is over this year Woodland Trust will be deploying a barge to ferry vehicles laden with non-native timber across the loch from the remotest part of the forest.

 

One of the most significant areas of remaining Caledonian pine forest, this is the largest ancient woodland restoration undertaken by the Woodland Trust on land directly under its care.

 

British Commandos and Allied Special Forces including the Free French trained at Loch Arkaig during the Second World War while the venue was also the location for a sequence in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

 

Harry, Hermione and Ron cling to a dragon as it flies above the forest before jumping off into the Loch below.

 

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