First successful sea eagle breeding in Deeside for around 200 years

The new chicks have already been named Victoria and Albert.

A pair of sea eagles have bred successfully in Deeside for the first time in around 200 years.

The pair nested on the Mar Estate in the Cairngorm National Park and is one of five territorial pairs in the park of which three have fledged young.

The two new chicks have been named Victoria and Albert.

Picture: John Scholey

Sea eagles, also called white-tailed eagles have not bred in this area of the Cairngorms since the early 1800s, and became extinct in Scotland in 1918 only to be reintroduced in 1975.

Mark Nicolson, a proprietor of Mar Estate, said “We are delighted to have successful breeding of sea eagles on the estate.

“Sea eagles have been present for several years, mainly providing spectacular aerial battles with our long resident golden eagles.

“Our hopes that they might settle and breed have been realised.

“After some local input, we have named the young fledglings Victoria and Albert.”

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