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Thanks for the description, although I followed the events closely today and really cheered for the successful operation, Dorka's face was fantastic as soon as she arrived at the nest and this video showed it perfectly. I ask God's blessing on these birds!

Thanks for the update This is so incredibly worrying I pray Louis comes back but as he is such a wonderful father his absence is very concerning So glad people are looking out for these wonderful birds

Louis was dedicated on feeding his family so strange he is missing. Attacked by an eagle or has this been someone who fishes in nearby Loch.?

thanks to WT for deciding on supplementary feeding BUT ooh oh, when Dorcha returned to find fresh fish, did she reduce that Louis delivered it? too too poignant

I feel she is looking around for Louis who she feels has brought the fish. Either that or perhaps she thinks the big bobs have been fishing

Thank you Geemeff for that update. I think that all of us needed to read that. I have been upset worrying for them all too. I adore Louis ❤. I’m praying that he’s ok and will be back providing for his family soon…🙏🏻 Heartfelt thanks to all of the team!

🙏🏻 for everything to work out for the best. Doing a 👍🏻 job all who’re involved ❤️

Thanks for the update prayers for safe return of Louis ❤

Thanks for Investigation. Dorcha and Louis also here in Germany osprey stars, and all talons cross for an good Coming-out. Dorcha without Louis, that feels strange. Hopeful greetings from Germany.

That's worrying let's pray Louis is safe and well and returns soon.

How long has Louis been missing

Wonderful to see the experts decided intervention was needed. The chicks looked very cold huddling together this morning. Thanks to the team for their hard work. 🤞for Louis's safe return.

Louis is my hero, i started follow him 3 years ago. He is so devoted to his family and magnificent. I really hope he will come back with a big fresh fish, as he used to do... but i feel something happened to him

Well done to the fish fairy! A wonderful moment.

15.25.02 With the licensed raptor experts having departed after their errand of mercy feeding the chicks in the inexplicable absence of Louis, Dorcha returns and spots the fish they left for her. She immediately starts tucking in and the chicks, with full crops from the whole mackerel they were each hand-fed, crowd around her. She gives them some of the fish but eats plenty herself. Where is Louis? Fingers crossed for his safe return. Woodland Trust said they sought expert advice and were granted permission by the government agency who handle these matters - NatureScot - to intervene. Full statement of Woodland Trust's reasons for intervention: After taking advice we have decided to place some fish on the nest today if Louis or Dorcha do not bring anything in meantime. This could be within the next hour or two subject to legal clearance. The camera may be switched off for this to happen. Given the weekend is approaching, a licence is also being sought to remove the chicks from the nest so we have that option over the weekend if we need it. The advice we have received is that if Louis has not returned by the end of the weekend, then he likely will not be returning. That being the case it is unlikely Dorcha would be able to successfully raise the two chicks to the end of the season and migration. Even given her best efforts to protect them and fish, they would likely not make it. Enquiries have revealed that among the options there is potential for the chicks to go into an existing translocation programme for the benefit of the species. We won’t commit to that until we are sure Louis and Dorcha don’t have a good chance of continuing undisturbed to raise their family. The tricky thing is not intervening too soon when Louis might turn up at any moment, and not leaving it too late until the chicks won’t be in good enough condition to survive translocation. The advice we have is that it is too soon to write Louis off yet, but if he continues to be absent until late into the weekend then we should look at removing the chicks then. The licence to do that is being sought today, even if it is not needed in the end. In order to increase the chance of a successful outcome for the chicks should they be removed in a few days time, they are going to be fed today to tide them over for now. They may also be fed tomorrow. To provision the nest Lewis will climb the tree and leave fish. You will appreciate we have a lot to sort out and I may not be able to answer the many questions I am sure you will have. So please bear with us.

Love the look Dorcha gave the fish!!

Genuinely sick with worry. C'mon Louis, please return 🙏🏻❤

Can you please pass on to the team and thank them for what they have done. It's a waiting game now 💔😢

Was that Father Christmas then?

Oh my goodness Geemeff what a horrendous year for the Ospreys my heart is in Highlands hoping Louis turns up what awful weather I've never known it so bad in June/ July I fear for this nest 😢 sending love to all

Please update us on when their live cam will be back up thank you🙏🏼❤️ Praying for this Osprey family and for all involved in saving them thank you !*** I just checked again and it is back up!!***🙏🏼💕

As camera not operating has Louis still not returned or has another disaster struck the nest?

Been watching this with concern. Noticed Dorcha had to fish, then an eel! They had a horrible night last night, absolutely drenched, poor things.. I do hope Louis is ok!

Praying for this Osprey family 🙏🏼 anxiously waiting on news of Louis

COT RAILS, Louis! Oooh, posted before reading other comments about Louis not being seen for ages… hope he’s safe.

That's a hoolie. Hope Louis is safe and returns.

That gale is awful. Hope poor Louis isn't lying injured somewhere. His leg was damaged by the storms a little while ago, plus that eagle may still be about

Concern grows for Louis - where is he? Dorcha goes fishing to feed their chicks 15.14.44 Dorcha returns with fish number one, a whole eel. A first for Dorcha and the first eel for the nest. Louis hasn't been seen since late the previous evening and had only brought one fish to the nest and a partial one at that.

Oh no. Worried about Louis. And Dorcha, too. She needs help with these growing babies.

15.16.18 First one chick is knocked off its feet, then blown towards the edge of the nest where there's a gap in the cot rails, but manages to save itself with lots of wing action, and moves back towards the centre 15.16.23 then the second chick is blown over, and luckily blows up against Dorcha, whose body stops the chick being blown further. With Louis missing, not seen since last night either on nest cam or by the WT volunteer who lives nearby and watches the area through her scope, losing a chick - or both chicks - overboard would be utterly heartbreaking.

😢😢😢 hope Louis will come home soon 🙏🏻

It's a learning process, keep your beak pointed into the wind .lol

😮 I was watching when this happened. Could have been awful. Gale force winds weren't forecast. Dorcha leaving to catch that eel within an hour was impressive & concerning. ~ Louis come home.❤

Oh , that wind almost blows the chicks off the nest 😮

Dorcha is starting to look thin, poor Dear.❤ The weather folks didn't predict gale force winds.😮 Dorcha doing an amazing job protecting chicks & catching that eel within an hour. Concerned about Louis , pray he is ok 🙏🏻 I'm so worried about the chicks in this weather , they almost blew away. Thanks for update @Geemeff

🙏🏻 that he’s 👌🏻. Those chicks are so very important. We ❤️ Ospreys. 💨 ⛈️ here in Stevenston earlier on

That eel looks like hard work. Where's Louis then, taking some time off from Dad duties?

Gorgeous 🦅

The chicks are learning from her about nest building. This is her saying ' pay attention '

Looking back for Louis today, is this his only visit today? I hope he is ok. Dorcha left at 19.40 > 20.10 , thought maybe she had gone fishing. Probably looking for Louis.

Sorry not sorry, dear. A fella has to eat 😂😂

Muy bueno

❤❤❤❤😅😅😅

Classic indeed 😀

Oh that is hilarious @Geemeff! 🤣😂🤣 ...and so perfectly edited to perfect choice of music. Very clever and I have now saved the link. Very talented Seattle Youth Symphony.

Love how she glares at the camera at the end 😂

That is sooo funny

Dorcha is a great Mum. Been watching tonight incase Louis appears with another.

Impresionante

17.17.01 - 17.25.29 Dorcha decides to move sticks around, and the chicks have to get out of her way. Set to The Carnival of the Animals - Personages with long ears by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by the Seattle Youth Symphony and reproduced here with many thanks under creative commons copyright-free performances. Link to their performance here: musopen.org/music/1454-the-carnival-of-the-animals/#recordings. Part of my Classic Ospreys series