Osprey found in fishing net is on the mend

The Scottish SPCA was alerted after the bird was discovered at a fish farm in Selkirk on  1 November.

The osprey is now recovering at the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Clackmannanshire. Normally ospreys would have migrated by now for the winter.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said yesterday: “The osprey got caught in the net while trying to catch fish.

“His wing is not broken but is very swollen. He is being kept in one of our aviaries and being assist-fed at the moment.

“This is only the third osprey we have rescued this year and it’s rare for us to have one in our care.

“Normally ospreys have left the UK by now and will be heading for Africa, where they will spend the winter.

“This bird hatched very late and may have to remain here until winter is over, depending on how quickly he recovers.”

Ospreys were extinct in the British Isles between 1916 and 1954, but it is estimated there are currently between 250 and 300 nesting pairs in the UK.