Female osprey NC0 laid her first egg of the season at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve at 10:48 this morning.

The mottled egg, which is around the size of a duck’s egg, appeared after a 6-minute labour during a lull in the strong winds that the ospreys have had to endure in recent days.

Female ospreys typically lay between two and three eggs in a season, so further eggs are expected in the coming days. NC0 will stay on the nest to incubate her eggs for around 5-6 weeks before they hatch.

The Trust’s Perthshire Ranger, Sara Rasmussen, said: “We are delighted that NC0 has laid her first egg of the season despite the strong winds that have been battering the nest of late.

“This is a crucial point in the season when an osprey pair must work as a team. If the eggs are left uncovered they can cool quickly, reducing the chances of successful hatching. Fortunately, we’ve seen this pair successful raise seven chicks together in the last four years so they have already demonstrated that they can do that.”

During the incubation period, a female osprey will incubate the eggs for around 80% of the time, with the male taking over for brief periods while the female feeds on the fish that he brings to the nest.

The Trust’s Osprey Protection Programme at Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre & Wildlife Reserve is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre is currently open seven days a week from 10:30am to 5pm. The Trust’s live osprey webcam ensures people from around the world can follow events as they happen.