THE last of three osprey chicks has hatched at Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve in Perthshire.
The final eegg hatched at 7.46pm on Monday after a small hole was spotted in its marbled egg the previous evening.
After hatching, male osprey LM12 returned to its nest with a Perch fish to feed his newly hatched family.
Unfortunately LM12 has sustained an eye injury, which is believed to be minor, but will be monitored over the coming weeks.
Sara Rasmussen, Perthshire Ranger for the Scottish Wildlife Trust commented: “It’s fantastic that all of NC0’s eggs have hatched this season. Our team of staff and volunteers have worked around the clock to ensure the ospreys can breed successfully without being disturbed.
READ MORE: First osprey chick of season hatches at Loch of the Lowes
“It is immensely satisfying to know that the long days and nights protecting the nest have paid off, and ongoing monitoring will contribute to the next step in the chicks’ remarkable journey.
“We’ll continue to keep an eye on the young ospreys as they grow, and hopefully all three youngsters will successfully fledge and migrate south at the end of the summer.”
Ospreys have only started to recover in numbers since the 1960s, after they became extinct in Britain for much of the 20th century. According to the RSPB, the Osprey re-colonised in 1954 after Scandinavian birds migrated to the UK.
READ MORE: Scotland's only township to reopen to public next month
Now, around 300 Osprey pairs breed together every summer, consistently contributing to the growth in population.
The ever-growing numbers are also attributed to efforts made by conservation charities in Scotland, such as the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
The public can visit Loch Lowes seven days a week and can also view the osprey activity on the trust’s live webcam from anywhere in the world.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here