The Scottish Wildlife Trust is delighted to announce the return of the resident female osprey at Loch of the Lowes, near Dunkeld.

The female osprey, known affectionately by many as ‘Lady’, estimated to be in her late 20s, has been returning to the reserve for the past 24 years and could be the oldest breeding osprey in the UK.

She returned at 6.49 am this morning (Monday 31 March), and was confirmed as the famous female using close-up images of her plumage and eye markings.

The male breeding osprey returned on Friday 21 March and they have already begun their courtship, with attention now turning to whether the pair will produce any chicks this season.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Perthshire Ranger, Emma Rawling, said: “Everyone at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre is thrilled that our resident osprey has returned.

“She is a very old bird and for her to undertake another successful migration is testament to just how special she is. However, it does demonstrate the conservation success story of the species as a whole.

“To think that ospreys were extinct just over a century ago really brings home how accomplished the concerted effort of conservation has been in that time.

“The questions now are whether she will breed, if any eggs will hatch and whether any chicks fledge.

“People should tune-in to the Ospreycam and read the blog in order to keep up-to-date with all the news here at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre.”

Click here to view the Ospreycam