An osprey who rose to fame during the first COVID lockdown has returned to his nest after fears he wouldn’t make it back this year following an illness.
Louis plummeting hunting performance last summer led to two of his chicks being rehomed from Scotland to Spain.
George Anderson, of Woodland Trust Scotland, told Sky News one of the birds failed to survive, but the other thrived and has since migrated to Africa.
Meanwhile, despite concerns over Louis’ illness, the much-loved raptor returned to Loch Arkaig Pine Forest for his ninth season on Wednesday evening.
His mate Dorcha landed early in the afternoon.
Mr Anderson said: “Louis was ill last year and likely not at full strength when it came to migration time, so we were a bit worried he might not make it back this time.
“It’s so cheering to see him again.”
A live nest camera has been in operation at the Lochaber forest since 2017, with support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Louis was the first osprey to touch down and has been the star of the show ever since.
In 2020, his family of chicks with previous mate Aila became a huge online hit during the COVID lockdown – clocking up 400,000 views worldwide.
Following a public ballot, the young birds were named Doddie, Vera and Captain in honour of the late Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir, Dame Vera Lynn and NHS fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore.
Aila failed to return from migration in 2021, but Louis set up home with new mate Dorcha.
The couple hatched three chicks last year, with the surviving two taken into the care of project partner the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation due to Louis’ unusually poor hunting performance.
The birds were then transported to Pego-Oliva Marsh Natural Park as part of efforts to restore ospreys to the Valencian region.
Mr Anderson told Sky News: “One of the birds translocated to Spain did not make it.
“It appeared to be doing really well but began having seizures and died of heart failure. Vets believe it had a congenital condition.”
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The other chick – known by his tag number 1JW – did “thrive and survive” and migrated to Africa in September.
Mr Anderson said: “There are no reports of it since then, but we wouldn’t expect there to be.
“In a couple of years, it will hopefully return to the Spanish marshes to breed. Having fledged there, it has that area imprinted as ‘home’, so we won’t see him again in Scotland.
“But we will be hearing from the Spanish team if he turns up there. Thanks to his ring number, we will also hear if he is spotted in Africa.”
The conservation charity’s default position is normally not to intervene in the ospreys’ lives and let nature take its course.
As such, Mr Anderson said it is “very unlikely” the trust will repeat any translocation this year.
He said: “Our default position is not to intervene. If one chick is failing, going in can put the healthy ones at greater risk so we tend to let nature take its course.
“The situation last year was exceptional because both chicks were going to die if left, and they were exactly the age the translocation team needed.”
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In the meantime, those keen to keep up-to-date with Louis and Dorcha’s adventures can tune in to the live camera.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “What a thrill to see Louis and Dorcha back at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest for season nine of this remarkable wild soap opera.
“We are delighted that support from our players has given many thousands of people far and wide this insight into wild forest life for so many years.
“Louis first turned up in 2017, and we have been able to follow his parenting adventures ever since.”
