Record-breaking Osprey Lady lays her 65th egg

Scotland’s most famous osprey, known simply as Lady, has hit the record books again by laying her first egg of the season- and her 65th overall.

Lady had already laid 64 eggs, but today's brought cheers. Picture: Comp

Britain’s oldest breeding osprey, now thought to be 28 years old, returned to her nest at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes reserve, near Dunkeld, Perthshire, at the end of March. Since her arrival she has fought off a bid by a younger female to take over her nest before pairing up with her traditional mate.

And today, just before noon, twitchers got their first sight of old matriarch’s first egg of 2013 on live webcam footage covering the nesting site.

Cheered

Ranger Emma Rawling told wildlife watchers across the globe: “There’s an egg! Our wonderful female osprey has just laid an egg at Loch of the Lowes.

“We are delighted to say that we have our first egg of 2013 at Loch of the Lowes.”

She continued: “Despite very high winds and with an intruder osprey in the vicinity – our remarkable female osprey was seen to be lying low in the nest.

“As she was showing all signs of ‘egg laying’ behaviour – the first glimpse of the egg was cheered by staff and visitors alike as they gathered around the HD screen in the visitor centre to witness the special moment.”

Lady has already done more than any other bird to boost Scotland’s once fragile osprey population during her lifetime. Before today she had laid a remarkable total of 64 eggs - three times the number produced during an average osprey’s lifespan - and helped 49 chicks to fully fledge.