Scotland’s only golden eagle watch is proving a massive hit on North Uist.
Since RSPB arrangements were put in place three weeks ago to allow the public to view a golden eagle eyrie in the north-west of the island, more than 300 people, including 100 children, have turned up to view the progress of the chick in the nest.
RSPB telescopes are stationed in a disused small quarry, and trained on the eyrie on a hillside a mile away.
The parent eagles’ comings and goings from the nest are clearly visible, along with the activities of the downy white chick.
The chick is now six weeks old and was successfully ringed this week by RSPB staff.
Local RSPB officer Jamie Boyle said he was delighted at the success of the viewings.
He said: “It’s the one event here which really brings in locals, as well as visitors.
“It’s good for people to see that their natural heritage belongs to them, not just to experts.”
Alan Fawcett, 64, from Sheffield, has been watching the nest from his camper van since the chick hatched and will continue to watch it until it fledges in about eight weeks.
He said: “I’ve been coming to North Uist bird-watching for the past 12 years. It’s the satisfaction of seeing wildlife as it should be. Where I come from everything’s been persecuted.”
The eyrie is one of two in the area, used over the past 19 years by possibly the same pair of eagles.
Mr Boyle said DNA-testing from feathers had shown that the golden eagles in the Western Isles are different from those on the mainland.
He said: “It seems likely that golden eagles on the Uists were almost extinct 100 years ago, and that the nine breeding pairs we have here now are possibly all from one pair that managed to survive.”
Viewings are available on Thursday evenings, with a specially-extended session available on Thursday, from 2pm to 9pm.
Meanwhile, the staff at the RSPB reserve at Forsinard Flows in Sutherland are anxiously awaiting the arrival of five new hen harrier chicks.
CCTV was installed earlier this week so that visitors could watch the impending hatching, and for the next few weeks the chicks and their parents will be screened live in the centre.
The RSPB warden in charge of the visitor centre, Katy Malone, 32, of Forsinard said: “At the moment all we know is the female is sitting on five eggs, and they are due to hatch any day now. We are waiting expectantly to find how the story will unfold.
“Visitors coming in to the centre have been entranced by the images from the nest.
“The harrier cameras were first used on the reserve in 1997 but the ageing equipment was replaced last year.
“It’s exciting to have reliable images coming in again from such an iconic bird.”
The project was made possible thanks to funding from Scottish Natural Heritage, allowing the purchase of a radio link, new camera and large monitor screens.
They also renewed all the displays in the visitor centre.