This year we welcome an international team of Species Protection Officers (SPOs) to the Loch of the Lowes Reserve. The SPO team will be working with over sixty volunteers to watch over our breeding ospreys NC0 and LM12, who are now incubating their three speckled eggs. You may see one of them keeping a look out from the corner of the hides if you stop by for a visit.

Ciara Duggan

Ciara is from Ireland and recently finished a Master’s in Biodiversity, Evolution, and Conservation at UCL. She has worked hands-on with animals, from buzzards to seals, in wildlife rehabilitation centres and has experience surveying marine mammals. She is particularly interested in wild animal health and behaviour and hopes to work on conservation translocations in the future. Ciara enjoys gaining an insight into the day in the life of an osprey couple, from “camouflaging” themselves with straw on the nest to bickering over fish. She has recently taken up wildlife photography and is excited to capture all her wildlife encounters on the reserve.

Alexandra Jackson

Alexandra is a 4th-year student studying Conservation Biology, Management and Ecology at the University of Stirling. Whilst simultaneously finishing her degree she is loving Osprey Watch, and especially enjoys observing the personalities of LM12 and NC0. Last summer, Alexandra volunteered at the RSPB Loch Leven nature reserve and fell in love with wetland conservation. She specialises in peatland conservation and is very excited about the prospect of the ‘quaking bog’ at Loch of the Lowes (despite not being permitted to venture onto it).

India Thomas

India recently graduated from the University of Exeter where she studied Marine Biology. She is enthusiastic about wildlife conservation and is excited to be a part of the protection work being done for the Lowes’ ospreys. She also enjoys long walks, watching nature documentaries and snorkelling. She loves being able to watch the sunrise on the loch and listen to the dawn chorus.

Anna Welch

Anna is originally from New Zealand where she worked for the Department of Conservation in Arthur’s Pass National Park. Since moving to the UK, she has volunteered with various environmental organisations before arriving at the Loch of the Lowes where she hopes to gain valuable experience in animal monitoring and data collection. Her particular interests are animal migration and ecological relationships. She has a degree in English from the University of Otago and enjoys putting those skills to work in science communication. Outside of work she is a keen cycle tourer and hiker who loves getting out and exploring the Scottish hills at every available opportunity.

Sara ‘Raz’ Rasmussen

Leading the team is Perthshire Ranger Raz, working to coordinate Osprey Watch, and the many staff and volunteers that make our round the clock surveillance possible and ensure a disturbance free season for our ospreys.