Ospreys return to Trossachs
OSPREYS RETURN TO TROSSACHS
A pair of Ospreys have returned to Queen Elizabeth Forest Park in the heart of Scotland's first National Park.
The pair were spotted today (Tuesday 6 April) by Forestry Commission Scotland rangers who are hopeful that the pair will begin nesting and raise chicks in front of CCTV cameras.
Later in May, viewing facilities at David Marshall Lodge, near Aberfoyle, will be opened so that the public can enjoy watching the birds on television. The Lodge has been named as one of the top six places to go in Scotland to watch wildlife as part of the Commission's Wild Woods campaign.
This year is also particularly important as many bird lovers are celebrating a number of events under the Ospreys' 50th banner because it is 50 years since Ospreys returned to breed in Scotland.
Stuart Chalmers of Forestry Commission Scotland said:
"We've been holding our breath for the last week or two in anticipation of the Ospreys coming back. We spotted the birds today and noticed that they were already starting to get broody so we are keeping our fingers crossed that the Ospreys lay eggs and we can see them raise a few chicks. Last year a pair of cheeky ravens tried to dismantle their nest as the Ospreys were building it - we hope that won't be repeated this year!
"Next month we will be inviting the public into David Marshall Lodge to watch the Ospreys and many different kinds of birds go about their daily lives. Remote CCTV cameras will beam live pictures back to the Lodge so that everyone can get a glimpse of wildlife in action."
Ospreys were wiped from the Scottish skies 88 years ago by relentless human persecution. The last nesting pair were recorded in 1916, but in 1954 ospreys came back. The Scottish population is now an impressive 160 breeding pairs.
There are several other viewing areas for people to see these spectacular fish eating birds of prey. They include the RSPB Loch Garten Osprey Centre near Aviemore, the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve near Dunkeld and another Forestry Commission Scotland site at the David Marshall Lodge visitor centre in the Trossachs.
Ospreys' 50th is a partnership project between the Forestry Commission Scotland, RSPB Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the Scottish Raptor Study Groups, Highland Foundation for Wildlife and the Tweed Valley Osprey Project.
