Grand old Lady back on her feet

Published on Wednesday 23 June 2010 19:49

THE UK's oldest breeding osprey has apparently recovered, after she seemed to be at death's door at the weekend.

The bird, known as Lady, spent days in her nest on the banks of Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld, Perthshire, apparently unable to fly.

However, yesterday wildlife experts watched in astonishment as she not only got to her feet but started feeding her two chicks again.

The 25-year-old – a seasonal migrant from West Africa – has far outlasted the average eight-year lifespan of an osprey and has reared more than 40 chicks.

Peter Ferns, the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Loch of the Lowes visitor centre manager, said: "While we still believe that the episode of ill-health we witnessed between Friday and Sunday is an ominous sign for the future survival of our Lady, we are cautiously optimistic she might manage to recover and hope she can now see out the breeding season with us.

"Her previous symptoms of ill-heath suggested she might be deteriorating naturally due to old-age; now we hope that it may have instead been an infection which she has managed to fight off."