Great news folks: our female osprey laid her second egg of the 2012 season this evening around 5.35pm, and we saw it clearly at 5.40- another lovely reddish brown speckled egg. Amazingly this is her 63^rd egg in her lifetime- and she certainly looked like a pro laying it- the usual huffing and puffing for a half hour or so beforehand, and then a final shudder. After the false alarm she gave us last week though, we didn’t dare believe it until she stood up ( so obligingly ) and showed us both eggs tucked under together- a sight to cheer us all.

I seem to have a knack for being here for all the big events so far this season unusually- I was on duty when the female arrived, I was here all night when the phantom egg was laid desperately trying to catch a glimpse, I was here on Saturday night when the first egg was laid and am on duty tonight too- unusually good luck, or just a sign that I never go home!?

I am just part of our wonderful Osprey nest protection team of staff and volunteers who are now watching the nest and birds 24hrs a day, 7 days a week here at Loch of the Lowes.

The purpose of this watch is twofold: Firstly it is designed to protect the birds from disturbance and human egg thieves by having keen eyed watchers in the hides day and night observing the nest environment and spotting potential problems before they become a threat to our birds. Secondly, the team collects detailed behavioural observations so we can add to our research and scientific knowledge of ospreys. The nest protection team are not stationed at the camera controls ( unlike the daytime staff)  so won’t always be able to zoom in for you webcam viewers immediately, but rest assured this doesn’t mean we aren’t watching- in fact we are often so absorbed in watching the real thing it can be easy to forget the cameras initially, as you juggle the binoculars, osprey record diary and jump up and down with joy!

Two osprey eggs- who could ask for more!