First osprey chick in Scotland hatched in Tweed valley



Feeding chick proud dad looks

The Tweed Valley ospreys have hatched what is believed to be the first osprey chick in Scotland.
Signs that the new arrival was due became very clear as the adult birds were becoming very twitchy and restless. The new chick was spotted by volunteers today.

The first egg was laid around the 9th of April and a second one soon after. It is not clear if there are other eggs because the nest is piled so high with twigs and branches.

The osprey family can be viewed on high definition cameras at Forestry Commission Scotland’s Glentress Forest and at Kailzie Gardens, both close to Peebles.

Osprey Information Officer Diane Bennett said:

"This is great news for the Tweed Valley Osprey Project and for ospreys across Scotland.

The adults are old hands when it comes to rearing chicks…this will be their 9th brood to date.

The adult male will be busier than ever now with more mouths to feed. He has already been bringing fish back to the nest and sharing it with his mate who is turn will feed the new chick.

In a few days we will hopefully have more chicks in the nest to keep the proud parents busier than ever."

As part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project, the chick will be ringed so that its movements can be monitored over its lifetime.

Glentress Forest’s wildwatch room is situated within the new Peel visitor centre development and is part of the wider Tweed Valley Ospreys Project. The project is a partnership between Forestry Commission Scotland, Kailzie Gardens and RSPB Scotland.

The project not only offers close circuit TV footage of ospreys at Glentress Forest and Kailzie Gardens, but also of other birds too. For more information on the Tweed Valley Osprey Watch project log on to www.forestry.gov.uk/tweedvalleyospreys.