Scotland’s oldest osprey’s new breeding season

This is a video about ospreys in North America.

From Zoogle News:

Scotland’s oldest osprey returns for 20th breeding season

Birdwatchers in Scotland are celebrating the return of the UK’s oldest known breeding female osprey for a 20th consecutive year.

The bird, known as the “Grand Old Lady of the Loch,” was spotted Tuesday following its annual 3,000-mile migration from West Africa to the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve.

Experts estimate the bird is at least 25 years old. That means it has already lived the average lifespan of an osprey three times over.

“We are truly amazed at the tenacity and endurance of this particular female osprey,” said Emma Rawling, Perthshire ranger of the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

“Defying her age, she has made it back to us again, and from initial sightings she looks like she is in remarkably good condition. She is now waiting for her mate to arrive to begin her 20th breeding season. So far, this one bird has laid 55 eggs, 46 of which have hatched into chicks which have successfully left the nest. She is a hardy old bird, that’s for sure, and I can’t wait to watch her progress over the next few months.”

Ospreys were once a common sight in the UK but they had become almost extinct by the beginning of the 20th century because of persecution. There are now 200 breeding pairs of the birds in Scotland.

The breeding season will be monitored by SWT staff and nearly 70 volunteers to safeguard the ospreys and their eggs from threats including thieves and poachers who steal the eggs for private collections. Birdwatchers can also follow the breeding season via the SWT’s nestcam.

“Our high definition nest camera makes viewing the action a far more exciting and intimate experience,” said SWT Visitor Centre Manager Peter Ferns.

“You can see stunning views of the nest and close up pictures of the bird while enjoying the Centre’s beautiful surroundings or you can watch online from the comfort of your own home.”

See also here. And here.

Britain’s oldest breeding female osprey has produced her first egg of the season, wildlife experts confirmed yesterday: here.

Loch of the Lowes osprey ‘dying in her nest’: here.

A male osprey has flown 10,000 miles to come back to the woodland in Northumbria where he started a family: here.

A male osprey which last year fathered the first chicks to be born in Northumberland for more than 200 years has returned to the county: here.

April 2010. Arne RSPB reserve in Dorset is trying to attract ospreys to breed there by placing fake life-sized polystyrene ospreys in man -made osprey nests.

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