The UK’s oldest breeding osprey has smashed her own records by laying her 69th egg.
Eagled-eyed staff at Loch of the Lowes watched as the elderly raptor, known affectionately as Lady, starting displaying typical laying behaviour at around 12.30am.
She left them waiting for almost 20 minutes before standing up and revealing the new arrival.
Ranger Emma Rawling said: “It’s just as well the birds have such a deep, snug cup in the centre of the nest as it was so windy last night the whole nest tree was rocking.
“Since it was laid, the egg has been carefully tended and both birds have taken a turn incubating.”
She revealed that the male, dubbed Laddie by fans, was so keen to carry out his fatherly duties that he pushed his mate off the egg.
“This is a fantastic sign that he is bonding with the egg and his instincts to provide and care for it are fully roused, which bodes well for the future,” Ms Rawling added.
“The staff and volunteers here are over the moon and we are so relieved that our beloved female is still breeding at her advanced age.”
The next few weeks will be tense at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Dunkeld reserve, as staff and volunteers wait to see if any more eggs arrive and if they are fertile.
On average, osprey incubation lasts between 37 and 39 days, so the earliest hatching would be on May 20.