A male osprey, and the mate of the oldest known breeding female osprey in the UK, has returned to the nest site at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve in Perthshire sparking hopes that more chicks could be produced this year.

After being spotted by in the Perthshire skies at 7.50 am yesterday (Sunday 3 April), Scottish Wildlife Trust staff observed the male approach the nest to be accepted by the resident female, a bird now thought to be 26-years-old – three times the average osprey lifespan.

Anna Cheshier, the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Perthshire Ranger, said: “Not long after the male osprey arrived on the nest, mating began and continued to take place for most of yesterday morning. We can confirm that this bird is our resident female’s mate from last year thanks to a green leg ring marked ‘7Y’ which sits around his ankle.

“Arriving five days later than our female, we are absolutely thrilled to see a mate on the nest. Last year, this bird’s behaviour indicated that he was a fairly new father but he really proved himself last season, following his paternal instincts to fish and provide for his chicks, particularly when our resident female suffered a bout of illness.

“His return and the pair’s subsequent mating early into the season certainly increases the chances of chicks on the nest at Loch of the Lowes again this year. As our female osprey is of an unusually advanced age, there are concerns over her fertility. Only time will tell if she will go on to lay eggs and produce chicks. If she does manage to do so, she will be adding to her already impressive record of laying 58 eggs and producing 48 chicks so far in her lifetime.

“After mating, we would usually expect a female to lay between two to four eggs in early April, and six weeks later the eggs should hatch.”

Led by Anna with help from Scottish Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers at Loch of the Lowes, a 24-hour osprey protection watch will commence as soon as the first egg is laid thanks to SITA Tayside Biodiversity Fund and People’s Postcode Lottery to keep the bird safe from wildlife crime.

To celebrate the return of the famous osprey at Loch of the Lowes, the Scottish Wildlife Trust is running a special deal offering new members an exclusive print of the female osprey, taken by a professional photographer. You can become a member of the charity by visiting www.swt.org.uk.

The charity is also raising money to satellite tag and track the next two osprey chicks produced at Loch of the Lowes. You can also donate to the osprey tagging project from www.swt.org.uk, where you can also follow the Loch of the Lowes blog or watch live HD footage from the nest.

Later this week, ‘Lady of the Loch’, a paperback biography written by Helen Armitage as a dramatic portrayal of the spirit of a bird that has found a place in the hearts of many, will go on sale.

Once a common sight in Britain, the osprey was all but extinct by 1916 due to persecution. Conservation efforts continue to re-establish the species as part of Scotland’s rich wildlife. Today, around 200 pairs of osprey now breed in Scotland during summer months.

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IMAGE CAPTION

Male osprey in flight over the nest, Loch of the Lowes 2010 (c) Neil MacDonald

For more information, to arrange interviews or image requests, please contact:

Nicola McGovern, Scottish Wildlife Trust PR and Communications Manager

0131 312 4742

nmcgovern@swt.org.uk

Notes to Editors

1. Still images and high definition footage of the osprey are available. Please contact Scottish WildlifeTrust with requests.

2. For more information on the osprey tagging at Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve visit http://www.swt.org.uk/wildlife/osprey-tracking/.

3. Scottish Wildlife Trust is the largest voluntary body working for all the wildlife of Scotland, representing more than 33,000 members who care for wildlife and the environment. Scottish Wildlife Trust seeks to raise public awareness of threatened habitats and species and manages over 120 reserves Scotland-wide.

4. The Scottish Wildlife Trust receives financial assistance and support from a range of organisations, funders and individuals including Scottish Natural Heritage and People’s Postcode Lottery.

5. Special thanks go to SITA Tayside Biodiversity Fund for their continuing support for our work in protecting the ospreys