Events from the nest: 

The resident male osprey has been bringing a large number of sticks to the nest this morning, continuing the nest building and maintenance that will go on for the entire breeding season.  The male has also made two fish deliveries today.  He brought a huge fish to the nest at 12.00 and then delivered a headless fish at 13.20.  On both occasions the female flew off with the fish and 7Y took over incubation duties while she was away.  

A question received via ospreys@swt.org.uk asked how many nesting pairs of ospreys there are in Scotland.  It is estimated that there are currently over 200 breeding pairs of ospreys in the UK, most of which are found in Scotland.  Ospreys were considered extinct in the UK from 1916, the victims of hunting and Victorian egg collectors.  In 1953 a pair of migrating ospreys on their way to Scandinavia decided to nest in Scotland and in 1969 a breeding pair established here at Loch of the Lowes.  The continuing recovery of UK Ospreys is a wonderful conservation success story, but these beautiful birds are still at risk from egg thieves and 24-hour egg watches are carried out at the more well known breeding sites to protect nests. 

Other wildlife at loch of the Lowes: 

On the loch today we have seen great crested grebes, mute swans, 2 Canada geese (who were chased off by 7Y at one point today), 8 adult mallards and 9 Mallard ducklings.   A kestrel was also seen on the reserve and the sound of a cuckoo has been heard often around the loch.  

At the feeders today we have been visited by 2 great spotted woodpeckers, a robin, 3 blue tits, 2 coal tits, 4 great tits, an abundance of chaffinches, some green finches, a siskin and a yellow hammer.  A red squirrel was also a visitor today, spending a considerable amount of time almost fully inside a peanut feeder only showing us his beautiful bushy tail.      

Lindsay

SITA Species Protection Officer