The oldest known breeding osprey in the UK has laid her 62nd egg at a Perthshire nature reserve a remarkable feat which has left staff feeling ”over the moon”.
Rangers at the Scottish Wildlife Trust centre at Loch of the Lowes, near Dunkeld, confirmed the announcement that Lady laid her egg at around 7.15pm on Saturday.
Lady the osprey has been returning to the reserve for an amazing 22 years and is believed to be aged around 27.
The news was greeted with delight by staff at the centre and birdwatchers around the globe, especially after a ”phantom” egg was thought to have been laid last week.
However, this time Lady laid an egg, which was first seen by centre staff at 8.04pm on Saturday when she stood up from her nest.
Jonathan Pinnick (27), assistant manager at the Loch of the Lowes visitor centre, told The Courier that all the staff there were ”absolutely delighted” after seeing the egg.
”It’s wonderful news,” he said. ”Her behaviour started to change around 7pm on Saturday following the same progress we thought we saw on Wednesday night.
”At around 7.15pm her breathing intensified and the egg appears to have been laid at this time. We were all very excited but waited for confirmation this time. It took until around 8.04pm until she stood so we could see the egg.
”When we had the phantom egg it was a bit unnerving we weren’t quite sure what went on. But thankfully she has now laid this egg and we should expect another one on either Monday night or possibly Tuesday, with a third to follow shortly after.
”This is Lady’s 62nd egg in 22 years of coming to the Loch of the Lowes. There are usually two to three eggs laid, so if they fledge she will have fledged 48 chicks, which is a remarkable achievement.”
Jonathan confirmed that staff will be giving Lady’s nest around-the-clock protection.
This will include looking at the ”nest cam” monitor and around the reserve, looking for anything suspicious that may interfere with the birds’ breeding season.
Lady has amazed bird experts and enthusiasts by returning to Loch of the Lowes for the 22nd year in a row. She was recognised instantly at the end of March when she returned due to her plumage and ”lightning bolt” mark on her eye.
She has mated with a younger osprey on this occasion after arriving at the Perthshire site from her annual 3,000-mile migration from west Africa.
Her regular partner, known as Green 7, has not been seen at the Loch of the Lowes this year.