Lady, believed to be one of the world's oldest wild ospreys, has laid three eggs in her nest in the Scottish Highlands

The veteran osprey that set a record by breeding for 21 successive years may soon reach another landmark: wildlife experts believe she could produce her 50th chick this month.

Staff at the Scottish Wildlife Trust revealed on Thursday that Lady, believed to be one of the world's oldest wild ospreys, has laid three eggs in her nest in a reserve in the Highlands after returning to her eyrie for a 21st breeding season.

Ospreys normally live for about eight years in the wild; Lady is 26 and has had 48 successful chicks. The trust announced she had laid one new egg in mid-April but kept news that her clutch had grown to three eggs under wraps.

They now hope thathopes at least two of those will hatch, giving Lady her 49th and 50th chicks.

They hope to see the first chick around 20 May and the second and third by 26 May. Events will be broadcast live on the trust's "webcam" trained on the nest.

Robert Potter, the trust's north-east reserve manager, said: "This is an average-sized clutch for an osprey, and the fact that she has managed to produce healthy-looking eggs at her age means we are very hopeful that she remains fertile.

"Our veteran female has been vigilant in her duties and her mate has been very good at bringing her fish to eat, as well as occasionally sharing the incubation duties to allow the female to stretch her wings.

"All the signs so far suggest that we are on track to see chicks on our nest again this year, and if at least two of the three eggs hatch we could see the 50th chick to be produced by this individual female bird."