Staff at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s (SWT) Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve near Dunkeld are proud to announce that the 49th chick hatched by the current female successfully took to the skies on its maiden flight at 7.55 pm on Sunday (12 July 2009). It spent around 10 minutes soaring over the loch before finally coming to rest in the tallest pine tree across from the hides. It remained off the nest until – nearly nine hours later – at 4:47 am the following morning, it returned and landed gracefully like a pro.
Claire Troup, SWT’s Perthshire Ranger, said “We are thrilled that the chick has finally fledged. It spent the whole day on Sunday sitting on the edge of the nest flapping its wings trying to build up the courage to jump off the 60 foot high nest and take to the skies.”
The chick, whose gender is yet unknown, hatched on Friday 15 May – one of three eggs laid by what is believed to be Scotland’s oldest breeding female. All three eggs hatched but unfortunately only two survived, due to a lack of food being brought into the nest as a result of a prolonged period of bad weather.
The first take off and landing were caught live on the high definition cameras installed last season thanks to funding from long-time supporter Chevron Upstream Europe and broadcast live to a global audience on www.swt.org.uk
Claire Troup continued “We will all be sitting on the edge of our seats in anticipation for when our younger osprey chick also takes its first tentative flight and to see if it can land as gracefully as its bigger sibling.”
Fiona Hutton, SWT’s Visitor Centre Assistant, said “Considering our resident female is thought to be over 20 years of age, she has accomplished a lot throughout her breeding life. She has managed to hatch 49 of her 55 eggs, of which 47 have fledged and migrated to start a life on their own and will hopefully be just as successful as their parents.”
The chicks will stay close to the parents until the end of August when they will leave for the west coast of Africa and stay there for between three and five years until they reache sexual maturity.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Press photographers are welcome at the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve but are requested to telephone 01350 727337 before arriving.
2. A still photograph is available – please call SWT Head Office 0131 312 4744 / 4742 or email aalabaster@swt.org.uk
3. Claire Troup, Perthshire Reserves Ranger and Fiona Hutton, Visitor Centre Assistant at Loch of the Lowes are available for comment on 01350 727337.
4. For more information on Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve visit SWT’s homepage www.swt.org.uk
5. SWT would like to thank Chevron for supporting the installation of new high definition cameras at Loch of the Lowes.
6. SWT is the largest voluntary body working for all the wildlife of Scotland, representing more than 33,000 members who care for wildlife and the environment. SWT seeks to raise public awareness of threatened habitats and species and manages over 120 reserves Scotland-wide.
7. SWT receives financial assistance and support from Scottish Natural Heritage.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve
Tel: 01350 727337