Nestcam number two in place to keep up with wandering osprey
Nestcam season is in focus again at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest – with a second camera added this year to keep up with wandering osprey Louis.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, a nest camera has been running each summer since 2017, building up a substantial world viewership as fans followed the family life of ospreys Louis and Aila as they raised their six chicks.
The camera was a particular hit during 2020’s first pandemic lockdown, clocking up 400,000 viewers.
But in 2021, only Louis returned and he eventually followed a new female off to another nest in the forest. As a result, the camera nest lay empty for most of the summer.
George Anderson of Woodland Trust Scotland said: ‘Louis and his new mate raised two chicks so it was a successful year for the ospreys but a disappointing one for their internet fans.
‘We wanted to give ourselves the best odds of seeing a full summer of activity this year so we fitted a second camera to Louis’ new nest. It’s a few kilometres away from his original tree.
‘Depending on osprey activity, we may revert to follow just one of the nests as the season progresses but if we are lucky and both nests are occupied we will keep streaming from both.
‘Even one camera was a technical challenge at this forest. There is no visitor centre with wi-fi and electricity to plug into.
‘All the kit is powered by solar panels and a signal is beamed across the loch before it enters the Locheilnet system and out across the world.
‘We wouldn’t be able to make it all happen without Locheilnet. They are great to work with.’ The livestreams can be viewed at a dedicated page on the Woodland Trust website. Ospreys are expected to return in the first week of April.
Woodland Trust Scotland and Arkaig Community Forest bought the site in 2016 from Forest Enterprise Scotland under the National Forest Land Scheme.
Its aim is to restore native woodland habitats, re-connect 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.
Work began over the winter to remove 70,000 tonnes of non-native timber from the forest, freeing up the remaining ancient Caledonian pines to recolonise with their offspring.