There was the flapping of tiny wings at the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve after the centre’s new female osprey, Lassie, laid her first egg yesterday morning live on webcam.
Scottish Wildlife Trust ranger Charlotte Fleming had been waiting anxiously for the pair Lassie and Laddie to produce. And she responded: “We’re delighted that she has laid her first egg. With any luck, numbers two and three won’t be far behind.”
“There were changes in her behaviour including high-pitched calling and constant fidgeting that made us sure she was about to lay.”
Ospreys typically lay between two and three eggs in a season. Lassie hatched three chicks last year, with the same mate Laddie, returning recently to Loch of the Lowes where they were reunited.
Eggs-ellent Lassie guards her first egg
The reserve’s webcam, which is partially funded by Peoples Postcode Lotteries, allowed Ms Fleming and twitchers worldwide to watch the action unfold live overnight.
She said: “At 12.25am, she moved to the centre of the nest, seemingly unable to settle. This rather sudden change had us all glued to the camera.
“What followed next was classic egg-laying behaviour. Her tail lifted repeatedly and she stood up to reveal a beautiful egg.
“The male visited several times today. Initially, he seemed more interested in an old fish tail than the egg, but once he had finished his breakfast, he returned to the nest, inspected the new egg and then settled to incubate, giving Lassie a well-earned rest.”
Cracking off the laying season
The pair are the only mating Ospreys currently at Loch of the Lowes, where another female raptor, Lady had previously been a regular – and fecund – visitor.
The latter has not returned to the reserve since 2014, but laid a record-breaking 71 eggs and fledged 50 chicks in her lifetime.
Scottish Wildlife Trust spokesman, Rory Syme, has ruled out the possibility that she could make a reappearance.
He said: “Unfortunately no. The suspicion is she will never come back, it has been two years now and sadly we have to think the worst.”
You can watch Lassie live on
scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes