Lockdown Louis returns to Loch Arkaig

Louis the osprey delighted his online fans on Sunday by making an early appearance on camera.

 

Woodland Trust Scotland has been operating a live nest camera following Louis’ family life at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in Lochaber since 2017, with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

 

The osprey touched down at 12.26pm on Sunday, well ahead of his past schedule. For the last two years he has arrived back from migration on April 11, with April 4 his earliest appearance until now.

 

Fans are now crossing their fingers for the safe return of Louis’ mate Dorcha.

 

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

 

One viewer commented last week: “In the first lockdown, living on my own, I thankfully stumbled across this site.

 

“The stunning views made me realise the world had not shrunk to the size of my study and the comments section made me remember there was a good society out there, full of decent people. I genuinely found it therapeutic during those difficult times for us all.

 

“Now times are better I am, and will remain, a devoted osprey watcher. Let's hope for a good year for all the ospreys and all of us.”

 

The Loch Arkaig livestreams can be viewed at a dedicated page on the Woodland Trust website. Loch Arkaig Osprey Cam: Live Webcam - Woodland Trust.

 

 

Woodland Trust Scotland and Arkaig Community Forest bought the woodland site in 2016 from Forest Enterprise Scotland under the National Forest Land Scheme. Their aim is to restore native woodland habitats; re-connect local people with the management and stewardship of the site and use the woods to underpin sustainable rural development in the nearby communities of Achnacarry, Bunarkaig and Clunes.

 

Huge amounts of non-native timber is being removed from the forest to let the native pines, including Louis’ nesting tree, repopulate the site with their offspring.

 

Photograph: Louis moments after his arrival. NO_F14_LouisTheOsprey