Scottish Wildlife Trust severs funding for Loch of the Lowes osprey book

Further criticism has been aimed at the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) after it ended its direct involvement with a fund-raising project.

Lady the osprey back on her nest at Loch of the Lowes on March 29.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 21.04.11
• Published online : 21.04.11 @ 07.00am

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• Could it be three times for Lady?
• Lay Lady lay — amazing osprey produces 59th egg
• Romance in the air for ospreys Lady and Laird at Loch of the Lowes

The charity has confirmed it is no longer in a position to be attached to a fan-made book paying tribute to Lady the osprey.

In-house printing has stopped and the bloggers who produced the publication will now be forced to make their own arrangements.

Many reacted with dismay when they learned the SWT would no longer print it and claimed they only found out “by chance” when a person visited the Loch of the Lowes reserve to inquire about it.

One blogger wrote, “I want to say ‘words fail me’ because, like everyone here, I fail to understand why SWT stopped any further production of it.

“Once again, one wonders what has gone on behind the scenes and I think there must be more to it than meets the eye.

“This isn’t just any other book — it is the expression of feelings so deeply felt by many dedicated osprey lovers, a treasury of poetry and prose and beautiful pictures for those of us very fortunate bloggers who did receive a copy, to visit and revisit, living once more that unique and dramatic season in the lives of our osprey family.”

Another added, “I am amazed as they were getting funds from the sale.”

The SWT helped make the book possible by stepping in to publish it last year, following an appeal for help in The Courier.

‘Financial risk’

A total of 150 copies were sold over three months and just under £2000 was raised, with around half the proceeds going to the wildlife charity.

However, due to the “financial risk” of being so closely linked to the book, titled The Lady of the Loch, the organisation has taken a step back from the project.

A spokesman said, “Under normal circumstances, many charities would have the same approach and wouldn’t get involved with something that means taking a financial risk and taking orders themselves.

“What’s going to happen now is that we are going to give the bloggers the contact details of the printers, who are based in Peterborough.

“That means they can liaise directly with them and the production of the book will be managed by the fund-raisers, which is an ideal way forward for everybody.”

The bloggers claim this change in direction could pose problems for their beloved book.

There are concerns they may have to pay up front for the publication, meaning they will have to secure both funding and orders before requesting a print run.

Hopes for second book

Susan McVey said she and fellow fund-raisers were anxious about dealing with the printers directly in case this altered any of the conditions.

“We will contact them and find out what they can offer us,” she said.

“My only concern is that, because we are not SWT, they may want money up front and a certain amount of orders, which obviously I would have to talk to them about.

“I have been told by SWT that it cost £6.50 per book, so I am hoping this would still be the case and the printers won’t put the price up, but I wont know until I speak to them.”

She added, “Obviously they have everything set in place and it would only be a case of running off more copies, so it is not as if they would have to start from scratch.

“I think it would maybe be a case of collecting the money in first and them putting in an order, unless they would be willing to wait for the money.

“However, I don’t know as I have never had to do this before, so it is all new me.”

Once they overcome their printing dilemma, the bloggers hope to create a second book and are making attempts to gain permission to use images of the record-breaking osprey.

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Could it be three times for Lady?

Could it be once, twice, three times for Lady as the incredible osprey continues to stun her faithful followers with her achievements?

Laird at Loch of the Lowes.

Despite her advancing years, staff at the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) reserve near Dunkeld believe this will increase the chances of seeing her 50th chick fledge this year.

However, fans will have to wait for up to 39 days to find out whether Lady is still fertile, and during that time a 24-hour watch will protect the nest, funded by SITA Tayside Biodiversity Fund and People’s Postcode Lottery.

In the event no chicks hatch, Lady and her mate Laird are still likely to remain in Perthshire, although they may migrate early.

While Lady will do the majority of incubation, Laird has already been roped into playing his part.

He has also been forced to safeguard their nest as other ospreys continue their bid to oust them.

On Saturday afternoon Laird gave chase to a strange bird, returning triumphant within five minutes having made it clear who was boss.

To watch the events as they unfold at Loch of the Lowes from a camera overlooking the nest, visit the SWT website.

There is also a discussion forum and blog at Wildlife Village.

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Lay Lady lay — amazing osprey produces 59th egg

The UK’s oldest breeding female osprey has amazed fans across the world by laying her 59th egg.

Lady with one of the eggs she hatched last season.

Lady — who at 26 has lived three times as long as the average osprey — arrived back from west Africa almost a week earlier than her mate, named Laird by staff at the reserve. The plucky old bird saw off rivals and potential suitors to ensure the pair’s love nest was ready for Laird’s return.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust confirmed that Lady was spotted hunched proudly over the egg at around 1.30pm on Wednesday and it is hoped it will hatch by the end of next month.

SWT’s Perthshire ranger Anna Cheshier said, “To see an egg on the nest again was simply remarkable, everyone was celebrating. Ospreys live an average of eight years and are estimated to produce 20 eggs during that time. Producing 59 eggs over 21 consecutive breeding years makes her an incredible specimen of the bird world.”

In fact, Lady has been heralded for saving the UK’s osprey population, Anna added. “Ospreys were nearly extinct in the UK in the early 21st century after facing persecution but, thanks to increased protection and Lady’s amazing efforts, we have seen a turnaround.

“The birds and eggs are still at risk from wildlife criminals and egg thieves but thanks to funding from SITA Tayside Biodiversity Fund and People’s Postcode Lottery, and help from volunteers, we will watch over these ospreys day and night and hope to see chicks hatch in around five weeks.

“If a chick successfully hatches from the egg this osprey will have produced 50 young — an incredible contribution to the recovering osprey population breeding in Scotland and the rest of the UK. Until the eggs hatch we will watch on as our female osprey incubates the eggs, while her mate occasionally takes a turn during daylight hours. He also has the role of catching fish to feed the pair.”

Wildlife enthusiasts across the globe have also been following the breeding season online thanks to a dedicated blog and nest cam which streams live from www.swt.org.uk. Fans have also set up their own blog at ladyoftheloch.co.uk

The Scottish Wildlife Trust has launched a special membership offer to celebrate the return of this incredible osprey. Every new supporter who signs up to become a member of the charity during this year’s osprey season will receive an exclusive photograph of Lady with their membership pack.

New members who sign up over the next week, between today and Wednesday, April 20, will also receive two free tickets allowing them and two guests to visit Loch of the Lowes for free until August 31.

The SWT will also be running a minibus between Dunkeld and the visitor centre on Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24, to cope with expected high visitor numbers over the Easter weekend. Visitors are advised that there are limited parking and toilet facilities at the visitor centre.

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The Lady returns: She’s raised 48 chicks and flown more than 120,000 miles. Britain’s oldest osprey has settled into her Highland roost for the 21st time

By Helen Armitage
Last updated at 10:00 PM on 15th April 2011

Her anxious followers surveyed the skies for weeks, wondering when she might arrive. That was if she turned up at all.

Then, one evening last month, they finally spotted her — a feathery flash of white and chocolate brown with a distinctive ‘Y’ of dark plumage on the top of her cream head.

Miraculous though it seemed, Lady was home again.

Tough old bird: Lady, Britain’s oldest breeding osprey, is back at her Highlands home for the 21st year

Every year for the past two decades, Britain’s oldest breeding osprey has migrated from her winter home in West Africa to the shores of the Loch of the Lowes in Perthshire — a 6,000-mile round-trip covering perilous stretches of ocean and desert.

Last spring, Lady laid eggs for a record-breaking 20th time. This brought the number of chicks she has raised to 48, delighting the local volunteers who watch over her at Lowes and the tens of thousands of fans worldwide who follow her on a webcam trained on the nest.

And, on Wednesday, staff at the Loch of Lowes wildlife reserve announced that Lady had laid yet another egg, making a total of 59. It is hoped the egg will successfully hatch in five weeks’ time.

When this glorious bird disappeared back to Africa at the end of last summer, many thought they would never see her again. At around 26 years old, her fertility was in doubt and Lady has lived three times longer than most ospreys.

But then this is one tough old bird.

No one knows exactly where or when Lady was born, but she was thought to be four or five when she was first seen at Lowes in the spring of 1991, drawn there by the presence of a lone male osprey.

Arrival: In 1991 Lady laid three eggs in a vast nest the size of a single bed, and perched 60ft high at the top of a Scots pine

He had laid claim to a man-made eyrie built by the Scottish Wildlife Trust as part of its campaign to increase the dwindling osprey population, which had been pushed to the brink of extinction in Britain.

At that time, Britain’s osprey population had grown to 70 breeding couples thanks to the introduction of laws that protected birds in the Fifties and the building of artificial nests.

Ospreys were hunted by egg collectors during the Victorian era and targeted because of a fashion for their silky feathers in ladies’ hats.

They were also shot by gamekeepers desperate to protect their fish from these efficient killers.

Soaring into the sky on high-arching wings, ospreys have extraordinarily sharp vision that enables them to pinpoint fish swimming more than 100ft below.

Whether trout, pike, carp, or some other unlucky prey, their victims barely register their shadow as these airborne assassins plunge into water at more than 40mph.

Their razor-sharp talons then snap shut with deadly accuracy and they emerge with their captives struggling beneath them, before tearing them apart with their beaks.

It was just such skills that Lady’s suitor sought to show off as he wooed her that first breeding season, performing the time-honoured mating display of the male osprey — a sequence of dramatic dives worthy of the Red Arrows, with a fish in his beak for added effect.

Lady must have decided he would be a good provider for her and her chicks, for they soon began mating.

That year, Lady laid three eggs in a vast nest. The size of a single bed, and perched 60ft high at the top of a Scots pine, the birds’ home enjoys panoramic views of the mountains, lochs and glens.

When Lady laid her eggs, volunteers from the Gordon Highlanders brought night-surveillance equipment to mount a round-the-clock vigil to protect the nest from thieves, who target the eggs in the hope of selling them to collectors for thousands of pounds.

Fight for home: Over the years Lady has had to fight off both female and make ospreys for control of her nest on returning from migration

Six weeks later, the chicks were born and Lady taught them survival skills such as playing dead if predators circled overhead and gorging themselves on the fish she caught.

At just 12 weeks old, and already fully feathered, each was ready to make its own arduous six-week journey from Scotland to Africa.

Ornithologists have discovered that these incredible birds seem to have an inbuilt GPS by which they navigate.

They use a combination of visual clues — they like to fly in clear weather — and a natural instinct that enables them to use the magnetic pull of the earth to work out their location. But it remains an astonishing feat.

In training: Lady has educated a younger osprey how to hunt for the family, hence the fish in its talons

As her fledglings departed that year, Lady and her mate also set off on their separate journeys south.

Ospreys are generally monogamous, with male and females staying together until death separates them. But that is not always the case — as Lady herself has proved over the years.

Osprey pairs spend their winters apart and have no way of telling whether their partners have survived the migration until they return to the same nest in Britain.

That’s what happened to Lady in 1996, when she was left to wait in vain for her faithful mate. For days she kept watch, like a sailor’s wife scanning an empty horizon, but as the breeding season drew on she succumbed to the courtship display of another male.

Nicknamed Eric by observers, he proved a dependable father to their offspring over the next 14 years, but their union was not without problems.

In 2007, Lady arrived back in Scotland later than usual and found that Eric had installed a new female in their nest.

Get stuck in: Lady feeds in her nest on the banks of the Loch of the Lowes, a lake in Perthshire

She kicked her rival out and resumed their partnership as if nothing had happened — in scenes witnessed by the cameras installed to monitor the nest.

Last year, Eric failed to return to Scotland and Lady was left to defend their nest against other ospreys in search of a ready-made home.

She was in fighting form, using her fierce talons to see off her younger rivals. But it proved to be her most testing season yet.

In Eric’s absence, Lady took in a much younger mate nicknamed Laird. His job was to catch fish for Lady as she sat on their nest, but he brought her only the smallest of specimens, eliciting squawks of displeasure from her.

Under her tutelage, this male novice eventually redeemed himself and provided plentiful supplies of fish when their chicks finally hatched.

But Lady soon had other problems. One Saturday in June, she appeared unable to stand or fold her wings, lying prostrate in the nest.

Domestic bliss: Lady and her partner at their nest

With no marks to suggest she had been injured, the most likely explanation seemed to be an age-related illness.

Ospreys are notoriously bad patients — the stress caused by human handling far outweighs any benefits.

Many viewers described being in tears as they witnessed her decline on the webcam — but they had underestimated Lady’s remarkable resilience. On the Monday evening, just as it seemed she had only hours to live, she suddenly rallied.

Bird-lovers watched as she stood on shaky legs, walked tentatively to the edge of the nest and finally flew down to the lake.

There, she took several long draughts of water before the cries of her chicks drew her back. Lady was on the road to recovery.

As she set off for Africa last August, it seemed she had fully recovered. And on her return last month, she appeared in remarkably good health for such an old-timer.

Following her mate Laird’s return, they mated happily and we can only hope Lady will survive this and more summers to come.

Thanks in part to this remarkable matriarch, the UK’s osprey population, once virtually eradicated, now stands at some 200 breeding couples.

When Lady finally goes to the great bird’s nest in the sky, she will be very much missed by those who have followed her story so closely, but her legacy will live on across the generations.

• Adapted from The Lady Of The Loch: The Incredible Story Of Britain’s Oldest Osprey by Helen Armitage, published by Constable at £7.99. © Helen Armitage 2011.  To order a copy (p&p free), call  0845 155 0720.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1377436/Britains-oldest-osprey-Lady-settled-Highland-roost-21st-time.html#ixzz1Jg20m4f5

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Romance in the air for ospreys Lady and Laird at Loch of the Lowes

After a forced separation of several months, Scotland’s most famous couple is again hitting the headlines after reconciling at the weekend.

Male osprey Laird at Loch of the Lowes.

Following an enthusiastic reunion, the pair have sparked hopes that more chicks could be produced at the Dunkeld nest this year.

Laird, who is officially known as ’7Y’ because of his leg ring, was first spotted in the Perthshire skies at around 7.50am on Sunday and, shortly afterwards, was accepted by Lady.

Anna Cheshier, ranger at the Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve, said, “Not long after the male osprey arrived on the nest, mating began and continued to take place for most of yesterday morning.

“We can confirm that this bird is our resident female’s mate from last year, thanks to a leg ring marked 7Y which sits around his ankle.

“Arriving five days later than our female, we are absolutely thrilled to see a mate on the nest.”

She added, “Last year, this bird’s behaviour indicated that he was a fairly new father, but he really proved himself last season, following his paternal instincts to fish and provide for his chicks, particularly when our resident female suffered a bout of illness.”

Despite his relative inexperience at raising a family, Laird melted hearts across the world when he stepped in for his mate as she struggled to recover from a mystery condition.

There were fears that the young ospreys would suffer as a result of Lady being unable to feed but, fortunately, the male took on the role of both parents and even tried to encourage the 26-year-old bird to eat.

Increased chance of chicks

While there is still uncertainty over the ageing osprey’s ability to breed, Anna said that Laird’s reappearance alone gave hope.

“His return and the pair’s subsequent mating early into the season certainly increases the chances of chicks on the nest at Loch of the Lowes again this year,” she added.

“As our female osprey is of an unusually advanced age, there are concerns over her fertility.”

She added, “Only time will tell if she will go on to lay eggs and produce chicks.

“If she does manage to do so, she will be adding to her already impressive record of laying 58 eggs and producing 48 chicks so far in her lifetime.”

All eyes will now be on the nest for the next few weeks as, if the mating has been a success, Lady is expected to lay between two and four eggs before the month is out, with the eggs hatching six weeks later.

Led by Anna, with help from SWT staff and volunteers at Loch of the Lowes, a 24-hour osprey protection watch will commence as soon as the first egg is laid thanks to SITA Tayside Biodiversity Fund and People’s Postcode Lottery to keep the bird safe from wildlife crime.

To watch or read the latest events on the nest, visit www.swt.org.uk, where there is live footage of the birds and a daily blo

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Lady the Osprey: There’s life in the old girl yet – a warm welcome to a regal eagle

 It wasn’t all defecting foreign ministers landing in Britain last week. Some incomers brought only hope and pleasure, like Lady, the 26-year-old osprey making her 21st consecutive return to breed in Scotland. Here, in an exclusive interview, she gives her reaction to arriving ‘home’. 

Sunday, 3 April 2011

Ah, summer in Scotland! The sunlit glens, the drip of fresh rain from the pines, the evening light over the water, and as much fish as you can catch. Whenever my friends ask: “Lady, where are you going for the Season?” I always reply: “Why, Scotland, of course. Wouldn’t be seen anywhere else.”

 I’ve been doing it for 21 years now. Of course, it’s a bit of a haul from West Africa where I always winter – 3,000 miles to be exact, and, I can tell you, at my age I feel every wing beat.But once I see those White Cliffs of Dover my spirits lift, and in no time at all I’m skimming over my beloved Loch of the Lowes. I love Perthshire – it has so much more class than some places I could mention.But this is no rest cure. I’ve hardly arrived and enjoyed my first freshly caught trout than I’m down to work. There’s the nest to repair (no simple task – I swear some of those twigs have minds of their own); those little personal touches to add (I do so hate those new minimalist nests); and a suitable mate to find. People say they’re a bit thin on the ground up here in rural Scotland. But then I’m not looking on the ground, dearie. Up in the sky, that’s where you spot the incoming males. You might think that at my age I can’t afford to be too picky, but don’t you believe it. Experience counts for a lot, and the boys I know prefer someone who’s been around the loch a few times, if you know what I mean. I’m a much better bet than some of those young flighty pieces who are all flap and no brood.Of course, I’m something of a fixture round here in Perthshire these days, and I’ve seen some changes, I can tell you. The locals used to be a bit stand-offish, but now one’s quite the celebrity. Along they come in their cagoules and anoraks for a gawp, there’s a webcam trained on me round the clock (I do wish they wouldn’t broadcast one’s more private moments), and a sweet little thing called Helen Armitage has even written my biography. But I won’t do Twitter – you’ve got to draw the line somewhere. As I say to the children (raised 48 here, you know), they might take your eggs, but never let them take your dignity.I quite like the attention, but I do wish they wouldn’t harp on about one’s age so much. I know I’ve been coming here for, well, more years than you’ve got fingers and toes, but there’s no need for anno domini to feature quite so much in the coverage. I mean, last August when I set off back to Afrique, some of the headlines were, well, uncalled for. “Nature lovers wave sad farewell to ageing osprey” indeed! You expect better of the Press and Journal.Over the winter I thought: I’ll show them! So I did. Landed here last week. There’s life in the old girl yet, you see.

Lady was talking to David Randal.    The Independant on Sunday

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The Lady’s not for returning — odds are against osprey say bookies

Despite making an incredible recovery from a near-fatal illness and defying expectations by returning this year, bookies are failing to give Lady the osprey the same chances of survival.

Lady the osprey back on her nest at Loch of the Lowes on March 29.

Sadly, they believe fans will be left disappointed next year and have given her short odds of returning from migration again.

If the bookies are correct, the elderly bird is also unlikely to hatch any chicks, although there is a 2/1 chance she will have at least one.

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said, “Over the past 25 years Lady has virtually single-wingedly boosted the osprey population in Scotland, although this year may just prove to be one year too many for her.”

However, as the osprey has spent much of her life beating the odds, there is little chance that her dedicated supporters will be having a flutter, unless it’s to back Lady to return for a 22nd year.

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Lady in waiting: Loch of the Lowes osprey fights off competition

Scotland’s most famous Lady of the Loch has proved she is determined to stand by her man.

Lady the osprey back on her nest this week.

Wildlife fans across the world watched with bated breath as the 26-year-old bird returned to the Loch of the Lowes, near Dunkeld, and was then forced to defend it.

After being struck down with a mystery illness last year, experts had warned Lady might not survive the 3000-mile migratory trip back from west Africa.

Staff at the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) nature reserve reported that she was feeding well and looked “strong and confident” on Wednesday.

All eyes are now on the skies, hoping to spot Lady’s partner Laird swooping down to the nest.

SWT’s north-east reserve manager Robert Potter told The Courier, “We aren’t too worried yet as Lady tends to be the one that arrives back first — she’s a stickler for timekeeping.”

He added, “We were amazed at how she saw off the other birds — for her age she has a lot of fight left in her.”

Mr Potter continued, “At the moment it is clear that Lady is waiting for Laird, who we can identify because he has been ringed.

“However, as time goes on she may choose to accept another mate to ensure she is able to breed.

“We at SWT would like to see the couple reunite but it is also important that she is able to have chicks.”

The reserve expecting a record number of visitors this weekend.

The reserve webcam can be viewed at www.swt.org.uk

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March 30: Osprey blog hijacked by excruciating poetry

The poetic injustice of the Loch of the Lowes osprey blog kicks off today’s letters column which also delves into issues around the financial crisis and the upcoming elections.

Last year hundreds of people became hooked on this blog following Lady’s desperate fight for survival. The blog was then unfortunately hijacked by scores of people who appeared more interested in publishing poetry and commenting on various other frivolous topics than on the day-to-day happenings at Loch of the Lowes.

For those of us who were trying to follow Lady’s plight on the blog, these postings were a huge nuisance as it required spending time reading dozens of unrelated postings before being able to discover the latest information.

Criticism was not well received by these frivolous bloggers.

I believe that they did have a great interest in the ospreys but they seemed unaware that their lengthy contributions to the blog were clogging up the site and making it almost unreadable to others.

Each day would see at least one new poem about Lady followed by dozens of contributors starting their piece with, “Oh how I cried when I read that poem.” It was excruciating reading.

It became much more like a chatline than a blog.

William Robertson.
Greenford,
Middlesex.

SWT right to close bird blog

Sir — I agree with the comments by William Robertson, of Greenford. The Loch of the Lowes blog had become a sentimental embarrassment and SWT is to be praised for closing it down.

Those wishing to follow this remarkable nature story and the good work done by SWT could hardly follow the thread because of all the literary cater-wauling.

 Lady deserves literary tributes

Sir — I am one of those bloggers Mr Robertson (March 30) finds so irksome.

I have no idea of the length of his interest in our female osprey we all love and call Lady.

Personally mine is 20 years’ strong. We bloggers are are a committed and dedicated community,

A blog is a place for passing and receiving information but first and foremost, about our osprey family.

Bloggers get to know each other and have formed a wonderful community.

Yes, we composed poems. Members produced a book, photos, calendars, notelets, cards and Christmas cards and held sponsored events.

The money raised has gone towards the costs of ringing the fledglings and fitting them with transmitters.

Yes we fawn over our girl, she warrants it. She is a world record holder, the most rare and special female in the world right now — and she is ours.

Paying tribute to Lady is a joy and a pleasure for all who know her well.

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Spirits soar as Lady swoops into Loch of the Lowes reserve

A record-breaking osprey has been described as “incredible” by experts after defying expectations and returning to Perthshire for her 21st year.

Lady back on her nest on Tuesday.

Rab Potter and ranger Anna Cheshier keep an eye on Lady.

While fans watching via webcam were already certain they recognised her, it was officially confirmed that Scotland’s most famous osprey had come back home.

Wildlife experts positively identified Lady with a close-up image of the bird’s eye seen from the nest camera run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT).

SWT’s north-east reserve manager Robert Potter said, “As our resident female osprey is not ringed, the only way to positively identify her is to view a close-up image of her iris, which has distinctive markings.

“To get the close-up required we need the bird to sit on the nest for a reasonable length of time in daytime hours. At the first possible opportunity we used the camera to zoom in on the bird.

“To our delight and astonishment the close-up allowed us to confirm that this bird is in fact our resident female osprey, known by many as Lady.”

However, just hours after she settled into her nest, Lady was forced to defend her position overlooking the loch.

Two more ospreys have been spotted at the Dunkeld reserve and, while their identity remains unconfirmed, there are suggestions that at least one could be challenging the older bird.

Wildlife experts believe that they are either Lady’s usual mate and a new female interloper, or else a new pair attempting to oust the famous resident from her nest.

Mr Potter said the events added some “intrigue” to the unfolding drama.

“Seeing these additional two ospreys around the reserve is an unexpected but marvellous sign of the wildlife which is thriving here at Loch of the Lowes,” he added.

‘Love rival’

“One possibility is that one of these birds could be the male mate of our resident female from last year. In this case the other bird could be an interloping female or ‘love rival’ who will be trying to tempt the male away from our female and take ownership of the nest.

“Another possibility is that these two birds are already pair-bonded as a mating unit. In this case they could also be trying to take over the nest.”

Undeterred by her advancing years, Lady has been holding her ground against these young pretenders and is believed to have already seen them off, as the pair were seen flying down to the other side of the loch.

Lady is said to have “baffled” bird experts and enthusiasts across the world as the average lifespan of an osprey is eight years and Lady is now believed to be around 26.

A mystery illness also proved near fatal last year and, although she was able to leave Perthshire for Africa in August, few expected her to have the strength to return this year.

“This bird is an incredible specimen of nature,” Mr Potter added. “Last year we thought she would die on her nest but, at the 11th hour, she managed to regain her strength and today, despite the odds, is looking healthy after just completing a 3000-mile migration from West Africa.

“Having laid 58 eggs in its lifetime, with 48 chicks going on to hatch and successfully fledge the nest, this one individual has single-handedly made a significant contribution to boosting osprey numbers breeding in Scotland.”

Staff and volunteers at the Dunkeld reserve will now launch a 24-hour protection watch-funded by the SITA Tayside Biodiversity Fund and the People’s Postcode Lottery-to keep Lady safe from wildlife crime.

However, they are not the only ones mounting a vigil as members of Wildlife Village — a new blog set up to replace the one closed down by SWT — have also been keeping a keen eye on proceedings.

Member Deirdre wrote, “Just raised a glass to Lady while she enjoys her Dunkeld fish supper — the first of many!” and Martha from the USA echoed these sentiments, saying, “Here’s a raised glass of champagne from the North Americans! Good health and peace to everyone!”

After outliving two mates in her lifetime, it is now left for Lady to wait until her latest — known as Laird — also returns to Perthshire, which is expected to happen within the next few days. However, because of her advancing years, it is not known whether she is fertile enough to breed again.

“After mating we would usually expect a female to lay between two to four eggs in early April and six weeks later the eggs should hatch,” Mr Potter said.

“A lot is hanging on a successful breeding season this year. If we have osprey chicks and can raise enough money we hope to satellite tag the chicks to track them during their migration.

“This will allow us to collect valuable data such as key resting points and obstacles, which could help us take action to make osprey migrations safer for the birds.”

• To keep an eye on the latest progress being made by the Loch of the Lowes ospreys, the webcam can be viewed at www.swt.org.uk. To join the Wildlife Village blog go to www.ladyoftheloch.co.uk.

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UPDATE: It IS Lady! — Scottish Wildlife Trust confirms famous osprey has returned to Loch of the Lowes

Last night it was merely a UFO — that’s an unidentified flying osprey — but the bird seen hurtling through the skies has today been confirmed as the famous Lady of the Loch of the Lowes.

Lady the osprey and some of her chicks, captured on the Loch of the Lowes webcam last year.

A webcam screengrab an osprey — now identified as Lady — that arrived on Monday. The image was posted on Twitter by @colinmcg71.

However, problems with the loch visitors centre webcam meant the bird could not immediately be identified.

But, after an anxious overnight wait, the Scottish Wildlife Trust this morning confirmed that the osprey — thought to be oldest breeding female of its kind ever recorded in the UK — has returned for the 21st consecutive year.

Experts say they have been able to confirm the bird’s identity by studying a close-up image of the bird’s iris seen from the nest camera.

Lady’s return is said to have “baffled” bird experts and wildlife enthusiasts across the globe.

The trust’s north east reserve manager, Robert Potter, said, “As our resident female osprey is not ringed the only way to positively identify her is to view a close-up image of her iris, which has distinctive markings. To get the close-up image required, we need the bird to sit on the nest for a reasonable length of time in daylight hours.

“At the first possible opportunity, we used the camera to zoom in on the bird. To our delight and astonishment, the close-up allowed us to confirm that this bird is, in fact, our resident female osprey, known by many as ‘Lady’.

“This bird is an incredible specimen of nature. The average osprey lifespan is eight years, and this bird is now around 26. Last year, we thought this bird would die on her nest but, at the eleventh hour, it managed to regain its strength. Today, despite the odds, it looks healthy after just completing a 3000-mile migration from West Africa.

“Having laid 58 eggs in its lifetime, with 48 chicks going on to hatch and successfully fledge the nest, this one individual has single-handedly made a significant contribution to boosting osprey numbers breeding in Scotland.

“With the female now back on the nest, the next event to watch out for is the return of a male, which we expect to happen within the next week. The big question on everyone’s lips however is whether our old osprey will be fertile enough to breed again this year.”

Since the bird first touched down on Monday, staff and volunteers had been closely monitoring the webcam in a bid to find any marks that would have identified it as Scotland’s best known bird.

• It has emerged that bird watchers have today been treated to seeing not one, not two, but three ospreys. For news of a possible love rival to Lady, see Wednesday’s Courier

                               ********************************************************

Feathers flying over loss of Loch of the Lowes osprey blog

While the return of the famous Loch of the Lowes osprey is imminent, for many of her loyal supporters it has been tarnished by the shock closure of a popular blog.

Lady the osprey and some of her chicks, captured on the Loch of the Lowes webcam.

They are demanding answers from the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) after the charity shut down the commenting function used by hundreds of people every day.

As the world watches the webcam installed beside the nest, which has been home to Lady for more than 20 years, there is a cloud lying over this vibrant online community, with bloggers claiming the organisation has “completely washed their hands of them” because they are no longer able to enjoy regular contact with staff at the Dunkeld reserve.

Although the SWT has explained that it has limited resources and will use the time previously spent moderating carrying out other work, many members have been left furious at the decision.

Susan McVey contacted The Courier to express her disquiet at losing the blog.

“We are all so upset with SWT because they have taken absolutely everything away from us now,” she said. “It is all so strange and very upsetting for us all.

“They forget that they are biting the hand that feeds them and we on the blog had also helped them become known worldwide through word of mouth.”

Ms McVey also claimed there had been a jump in membership as a result of people coming across the blog and has accused the charity of “acting like a business.”

She continued, “There have been so many emails sent to them and they are practically all the same reply, so they have been well prepared for it.”

She added, “Lady is a world-wide famous osprey and they are shutting every one of us out.”

‘Locked out’

Although a new site has been set up, it only allows members to communicate with each other rather than have any specific questions answered in real time by a ranger at Loch of the Lowes.

One woman who has been following the story of Lady for around 20 years, despite living in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, has accused SWT of treating them with “absolute contempt and disregard.”

Chrissy Beahan has questioned why a member of staff cannot keep an eye on the official blog while they are observing the webcam.

“Webcams are as a rule watched and monitored by a member of staff, or a knowledgeable volunteer, in daylight hours as record are kept and logged as to all the happenings from the nest” she said.

“So — as I’ve said to SWT — why can’t that person be our point of contact and moderate the blog while he or she sits there watching.

“It wouldn’t cost a single penny and would be of benefit to both SWT and to us all at the same time.

“They have done that for years and now they change their policy, in effect locking us all out.”

However, a spokeswoman from SWT told The Courier that while this had been considered, along with a volunteer scheme, it decided it was not viable.

As a result, it took the “difficult” decision to disable the commenting facility.

‘Limited resources’

The spokeswoman said, “As a conservation charity with limited resources, it is important for us to ensure that we are making best use of these resources to achieve our charitable objective — to protect Scotland’s wildlife for the future.

“While communicating our work and engaging people with wildlife are important to meeting this objective, we must ensure that everything we do strikes a balance.

“The time spent moderating comments on the Loch of the Lowes blog, particularly during the osprey season, by wildlife rangers and visitor centre staff meant that time spent on other tasks important to conservation was at risk of being reduced, such as visitor centre maintenance, reserve management and our commitment to provide a dedicated watch over our osprey nest.

“Furthermore, we believe that comment moderation is an important part of running a blog and requires an extensive knowledge of the subject matter as well as a significant understanding of the organisation’s moderation policy.

“In the absence of having trained employees dedicated to providing this service, we decided that it was in the best interests of our charity to remove the commenting facility.

“The suggestion of running a volunteer moderation scheme has been considered — however, this too has management implications and is therefore something we cannot take forward at this time.”

She also expressed the gratitude of the SWT for the extensive fund-raising work by the bloggers, who have produced calendars, notelets, CDs and even a book in tribute to Scotland’s most famous osprey.

Meanwhile, the RSPB osprey centre at Loch Garten in the Highlands has officially kicked off the season with the return of its resident bird EJ for the ninth year running.

Identified by the letters on her leg ring, EJ will now spend the next few days recovering before the centre opens to the public on Friday.        

                                 ********************************************************

Perthshire twitchers holding vigil for Lady of the Lowes

Birdwatchers at a Perthshire wildlife reserve are mounting a vigil in the hope of spotting their most famous visitor.

Lady the osprey and some of her chicks, captured on the Loch of the Lowes webcam.

Although the bird, known as Lady, has yet to be sighted in Perthshire, staff from Loch of the Lowes are hopeful she may return any day now.

“This individual female bird is incredibly old and her return dates have varied in recent years,” said Robert Potter, the SWT’s north-east reserve manager.

“Last year, she arrived at the nesting site on March 23. In 2009, she arrived on March 20 and in 2008, she was with us on March 30. So, we remain hopeful that we could see her any day now.

“However, we must also prepare ourselves for the fact that she might not return. She is the oldest known breeding osprey in the UK, and last year we watched as she fought for survival while plagued with an illness that experts predicted she was unlikely to recover from.

“Amazingly, she did defy the odds and recover and she left to migrate to Africa in August, but since then her fate is unknown.”

Lady is estimated to be 24 or 25 years old, and has produced and successfully fledged 46 chicks.

• Enthusiasts can follow the SWT’s Loch of the Lowes blog and watch the wildlife cameras at www.swt.org.uk.

                                    *****************************************************

Author inspired by Lady of the Loch’s incredible story

Lady, the famous Perthshire osprey, is to be the subject of another book.

Author inspired by Lady of the Loch’s incredible story
Lady, the famous Perthshire osprey, is to be the subject of another book.

Lady on the nest last year.

By Sandra Gray
Published in the Courier : 04.03.11
Published online : 06.03.11 @ 05.44pm

    As all eyes are on the nest at Loch of the Lowes in anticipation for the bird’s return, author Helen Armitage is preparing to release her book, titled Lady Of The Loch: The Incredible Story Of Britain’s Oldest Osprey.

Inspired by the global interest in the bird of prey — which inspired online fans of the osprey to release their own book — the writer travelled from London to the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) reserve near Dunkeld to research her story, arriving just a day before the bird of prey left the nest.

She said, “Lady is a magical and compelling bird and the journey she has been on seems to offer inspiration to people not only in Scotland, but all around the world.

“When I found out there were 55,000 people watching her dying in her nest in June last year, I realised people were interested and there was a story to tell.

“As a writer, I was very drawn to the life of Lady and to the return of the osprey as a breeding bird in Scotland in 1959. Hopefully Lady Of The Loch will draw attention to ospreys and make people more familiar with them.”

Lady and her family found fame when webcams were installed in her nest, allowing people to watch her antics on a daily basis. However, tragedy almost struck last year when she was hit by a mystery illness, from which it seemed she might not recover.

Incredibly, thanks to the help of her mate Laird who brought food to her, Lady struggled back from the brink and was able to set off for her wintering grounds in Africa.

Despite this astonishing turnaround, there are fears that she may not return this year due to her advancing years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el_6QGy4-RU&feature=player_embedded
Ms Armitage added, “I wouldn’t be so bold as to predict what will happen, but people who have worked with her for years and years at the SWT give a 40 to 50% chance of her returning. We’ll know quite quickly as ospreys are creatures of habit and, if she comes back, she’ll arrive when she always does, this month or early April.”

The new book can be ordered through the Scottish Wildlife Trust website, with profits going to the work at Loch of the Lowes. See blogs.swt.org.uk for more information.

Members of the SWT online blog have already enjoyed success with their publication, which features poems, photographs and stories all inspired by Lady.

               ********************************           

Autobiography of a Scottish osprey set be best seller

Given her age and her bout of ill health in June, when she stopped eating, no one can be certain that Lady will have the strength to make her perilous journey back to Scotland next spring. Her many well-wishers, Armitage among them, can only wait and hope.

“I wouldn’t be so bold as to predict what will happen, but people who have worked with her for years and years at the SWT give a 40 to 50 per cent chance of her returning next year,” the author said.

“We’ll know quite quickly as ospreys are creatures of habit, and if she comes back she’ll arrive when she always does in March or early April.”

Peter Ferns, the SWT’s visitor centre manager at Loch of the Lowes, said: “The drama witnessed live online in 2010 was particularly poignant as our female osprey showed worrying signs of ill health which experts predicted could be fatal.

“Thankfully our osprey made a remarkable recovery and left us in August to migrate back to West Africa. However, the outpouring of emotion which followed around the time of the bird’s illness to date proves that this one wild bird has captured the hearts and minds of a global audience.”

• Lady Of The Loch: The Incredible Story Of Britain’s Oldest Osprey, will be published by Constable & Robinson in March.
 

• Last Updated: 02 January 2011 12:21 AM
• Source: Scotland On Sunday
• Location: Scotland

              *********************************

Autobiography of a Scottish osprey set be best seller

Published Date: 02 January 2011

By Martyn McLaughlin

BOOKSHOP shelves are already groaning with life stories of the likes of Katie Price, Susan Boyle and even fictional Russian meerkat Alexandr Orlov.

But an eagerly awaited celebrity biography set to hit the high street soon is the dramatic tale of a 25-year-old Scottish osprey with a worldwide fan base.

Billed as “one of the great environmental success stories of our age”, Lady Of The Loch: The Incredible Story Of Britain’s Oldest Osprey is about the bird known simply as “Lady” and is expected to sell many thousands of copies around the world.

At an estimated age of 25, the osprey has found fame thanks to a webcam that allows an international audience tens of thousands strong to observe her in her annual breeding ground in Scotland.

When it seemed Lady would not recover from a mystery illness last summer, hundreds of messages and poems poured in from as far afield as Finland, Canada, and the US as onlookers took part in what they thought was a death-bed vigil.

But she staged a remarkable recovery and set off from her nest overlooking the Loch of the Lowes in Perthshire bound for her wintering grounds in Africa – a journey the rare raptor has been making every year since 1991. She has hatched and fledged no fewer than 46 chicks, feeding them fish from the nearby waters.

Author Helen Armitage said: “Lady is a magical and compelling bird. The journey she has been on seems to offer inspiration to people not only in Scotland but all around the world.”

Armitage, from London, drove north last year to the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) reserve near Dunkeld to research Lady’s story after learning of the osprey’s global fame.

“When I found out there were 55,000 people watching her dying in her nest in June, I realised people were interested and there was a story to tell,” she said.

“As a writer, I was very drawn to the life of Lady and to the return of the osprey as a breeding bird in Scotland in 1959.

“I drove up from London in August and the most amazing thing happened. She had been there since the end of March, and I thought she might be gone. But we got there on 4 August and we saw her on the nest, and she left on migration the day after. It was brilliant timing.”

For Armitage, the widespread interest in the bird is indicative of a growing interest in wildlife conservation and she hopes her book will strengthen that support for endangered species.

She said: “There’s been a real turnaround in how people approach wildlife over the past 50 years. We’re allowing the birds to thrive and not pointing a gun for them to drop out of the sky.

“Hopefully Lady Of The Loch will draw attention to ospreys and make people more familiar with them.”

The publication was welcomed by RSPB Scotland.

• Last Updated: 02 January 2011 12:21 AM
• Source: Scotland On Sunday
• Location: Scotland

 

                     **********************************

Lady’s book sees sales take off

The famous Loch of the Lowes osprey has become a publishing sensation, with a book dedicated to her making more than £1000 in just over a month.

Lady the osprey and some of her chicks.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 17.01.11
• Published online : 22.01.11 @ 11.42am

  The collection of poems, stories and photographs was created as a lasting tribute to the 25-year-old bird of prey following fears that she may not return for another season.

Staff at the Dunkeld visitor centre have said they are “overwhelmed” by the interest in the book, which has sold almost 100 copies since its release in December.

So far, £1299 has been made in sales, with profits going towards the reserve’s satellite tagging fund.

Titled The Lady Of The Loch, the book was the brainchild of Shirley Davis, a member of the group of online bloggers who have faithfully followed the adventures of ospreys Lady and Laird.

After an unsuccessful appeal for help in publishing the collection, the Loch of the Lowes team stepped in to ensure that the idea became a reality, as well as contributing their own diary entries.

Following a delay in delivery caused by the severe winter weather, Lady’s fans are now finally getting their hands on the book.

One of the fund-raisers and group members, Susan McVey, said she was “blown away” by the publication and described it as “fantastic.”

“We are all proud of Shirley and the way she has pulled it all together, giving us these amazing memories and keepsake all rolled into one book,” she told The Courier.

“The poems are just fantastic — some of them just reduce you to tears and have come right from the heart, while some are funny and witty but they are all very inspiring.

“The book covers such a rollercoaster of emotions for us all, which we can all relate to.”

Susan added that she and her fellow bloggers hope that the book will continue to sell and keep adding to the “amazing” amount of money already raised.

She continued, “I know that some of our bloggers have said they are going to order more for their families and friends, so that will add to sales.

“The book has also been sold to some of our ‘over the pond’ bloggers too, which is amazing to know that it has been sold abroad.

“It certainly is one of a kind, that’s for sure, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust has made a great job of printing it for us.

“Hopefully we will have more projects in the pipeline to raise funds for Loch of the Lowes for our magnificent birds,” she added.

           **********************************

Tribute to Loch of the Lowes osprey flies off the shelves

After months of planning and anticipation, the long-awaited tribute to Scotland’s most famous osprey has flown off the shelves before it has even reached them.

Lady the osprey and some of her chicks, captured on the Loch of the Lowes webcam.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 06.12.10
• Published online : 06.12.10 @ 12.51pm

 Orders for the book, created by bloggers and the Loch of the Lowes team, mean the initial run of 50 copies has sold out.

However, the harsh weather has delayed delivery of the publication to the Dunkeld visitor centre, meaning fans will not get their hands of the collection of poems, photos and stories dedicated to Lady for several days.

A further order is placed, so those disappointed this time will not miss out for long.

Online group member Susan McVey said, “The book should have arrived at the centre last week, but unfortunately the weather is holding it up now.

“I think the vans are having problems getting to Lowes with the heavy snow just now. The visitor centre has been told that hopefully, weather permitting it should get there some time this week now.”

The Lady of the Loch will be available at the visitor centre for £12.99 and all proceeds go towards the satellite tracking fund.

Orders can also be made by sending a cheque or postal order made out to Scottish Wildlife Trust to Loch of the Lowes, Dunkeld, Perthshire, PH8 0HH, or by calling 01350 727337.

Postage costs £2.99 for UK orders and £5 for overseas.

           **********************************

Osprey bloggers enjoy Loch of the Lowes pilgrimage

A pilgrimage of sorts was made by a group of osprey bloggers to Loch of the Lowes, the home of Scotland’s most famous bird of prey.

Bloggers look on as Fiona Hutton and Peter Ferns display raffle prizes.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 18.11.10
• Published online : 18.11.10 @ 12.43pm

  Members of the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) online community gathered at the Dunkeld visitor centre, with many meeting in person for the first time.

Known as The Village, the group members have formed a bond with staff at the SWT after watching the trials and triumphs of Lady the osprey, and are showing support with fund-raising activities.

The meet-and-greet yesterday centred on a raffle, with a top prize of a framed print of Lady, as well as the unveiling of the proof copy of a new book paying tribute to the 25-year-old bird.

Visitor centre manager Peter Ferns said he was pleased by the turnout of bloggers, who travelled from across the UK.

“We’ve had quite a good turnout and these are just the people who can actually get here, as we have around 121 regular users who log on to leave a comment every day,” he said.

“It has taken on a life of its own now and it can be quite difficult to keep up with it.”

So far, the bloggers‘ efforts have raised around £1500 for the SWT’s plans to tag osprey chicks next year, which will cost £3300 per bird.

As well as holding the raffle, members of the group have created Lady-themed goodies, including a calendar, notelets, cards and even a CD.

Peter said a woman from the USA composed and recorded tunes while undergoing chemotherapy before sending them to the Perthshire reserve to be sold in the gift shop.

Visitor centre assistant Fiona Hutton added, “This has all been the idea of the bloggers, and they have done a brilliant job of raising money and doing their own thing.”

She said the book, The Lady of the Loch, will be on sale within the next two weeks.

        **********************************

Loch of the Lowes osprey ‘villagers’ to meet

Although the famous Loch of the Lowes osprey Lady has long since flown the nest, the group of bloggers who followed her every move continue to be inspired by her story.

Lady on the nest.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 15.11.10
• Published online : 15.11.10 @ 08.18am

  In a bid to help staff at the visitor centre, near Dunkeld, with the cost of tagging any future chicks, Susan McVey and her friends have worked together to hold a raffle.

It will give members of the online community, named The Village, the chance to meet for the first time.

One blogger will be travelling from Cheshire to hand over the star prize, which is a print of Lady in her nest, signed by photographer Garry Ridsdale.

She has been working hard to compile a book paying tribute to Lady and will join Susan at Loch of the Lowes on Wednesday.

Susan said, “Fiona at the centre is leaving at the end of the month, so we are having an early Christmas raffle, which is going to be available to all our bloggers, too.

“We decided to meet up at the Lowes as we didn’t want to miss an opportunity to meet Shirley and Jeanette and put a face to the name.

“Quite a lot of bloggers, once they heard that we were meeting, also decided to meet up with us on the day.”

Group members have also worked on their own projects to raise money.

This has included selling notelets, cards and calendars featuring images of Lady, who earlier this year came back from the brink of death.

So far, they have brought in around £1500, which will be donated to the centre to help meet their £39,000 target for satellite tagging.

“The response from the bloggers from all corners of the world who have purchased various items has been fantastic and they will soon be able to buy the book we have all been waiting on,” Susan added.

“The book is going to be a fantastic keepsake for us all and we are hoping to have a draft print by the end of the week.”

“We have really enjoyed making all of our individual projects to raise money for our favourite birds, Lady and Laird, and to get any chicks they have next season chipped and tagged so we can keep track of them on their amazing journeys.”

   **********************************

Youngsters’ calendar to help Loch of the Lowes osprey project

A group of Tayside youngsters has backed a project aimed at tracking the first migratory journey of future generations of ospreys chicks at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Reserve.

• By Mark Mackay
• Published in the Courier : 09.11.10
• Published online : 13.11.10 @ 04.46pm

  The Tayside Wildlife Group helps children aged five to 12 get outdoors and learn more about nature and hopes to raise money for the project by selling wildlife calendars featuring the children’s own photos.

The youngsters are based at Scone Palace, which covered the printing costs, and were inspired to get involved after visiting Loch of the Lowes to see the reserve’s resident female osprey, Lady.

During their visit, the group learned about the project from Peter Fearns, the Loch of the Lowes visitor centre manager.

It aims to raise enough money to attach satellite tags to future chicks to learn more about the annual 3000-mile migration they make to West Africa.

Mr Fearns said, “Thanks to our HD nest cam, (which can be viewed online at www.swt.org.uk during the breeding season) the popularity and interest in our breeding osprey has soared in recent years.

“By attaching lightweight satellite tags to future chicks, we hope to learn even more about these magnificent animals and follow their journey after they leave us in August.”

He added, “Aside from giving followers of our ospreys another way to enjoy watching their progress, there are good conservation reasons behind this project.

“As recently as 1916, ospreys were on the verge of extinction due to persecution from egg thieves and falconers.

“Now, with only around 200 pairs of breeding osprey in Scotland today, any information we can gather to help increase this population could greatly assist conservation efforts.”

Donna Mathieson, people and wildlife officer for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said, “It’s brilliant the kids are getting involved to help us fund-raise for such an exciting project and we hope many people support them by buying their home-made calendar.”

The Tayside Wildlife Group wildlife calendar is available to buy directly from the Loch of the Lowes and Montrose Basin Visitor Centres, as well as the Dundee High School Christmas Fair, which takes place on Saturday.

           **********************************

Book to tell Lady the osprey’s amazing story

The story of Scotland’s most famous osprey is set to be captured in a book created and compiled by her followers.

Peter Ferns and volunteer ranger Anna Cheshier monitoring live images from the nest.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 20.08.10
• Published online : 20.08.10 @ 11.23am

Last month, a group of bloggers who have spent several months watching Lady made an appeal through The Courier for help with their project and were disappointed when they received only one response.

However, things soon began to look up for them after Peter Ferns, manager of the Loch of the Lowes visitor centre near Dunkeld, got in touch.

Group member Susan McVey explained how he contacted a fellow blogger who has been responsible for compiling poetry and photographs for the book.

“As far as I know, Peter had spoken to Shirley, wanting to know what was going on with our plan,” she said. “He then spoke to her again recently, telling her that the Scottish Wildlife Trust was going to publish the book for us.

“This has just been fantastic news for us and is a huge weight off our shoulders.

“We were worrying about how we were going to cover the cost of publication but this has been such a big help and we are so grateful for it.”

Having spent the last few months following 25-year-old Lady and her family, including witnessing her miraculous recovery from a mystery illness, the bloggers were inspired to create a lasting reminder of the hardy bird.

Following fears that this may be the osprey‘s last year at Loch of the Lowes, their project has attracted massive interest, with webcam viewers from across the world submitting their artistic tributes to the osprey in the form of poems, photographs and drawings.

Susan hopes the book will be released by the end of next month and it has been given the working title of Lady Of The Loch.

The book will be sold at Loch of the Lowes and the money will be used to buy satellite equipment to help track the birds.

The bloggers also plan to start an appeal to buy a new infrared camera for the nest as the current equipment is becoming outdated.

Although Lady has now flown the nest for the winter, you can follow the latest on the Scottish Wildlife Trust‘s webcam and osprey blog.

         **********************************

Thousands watch Lady’s departure from Loch of the Lowes

More than 2000 wildlife enthusiasts from across the world watched online as Lady the osprey took to the skies for what is expected to be her last migratory flight.

Lady on the nest.

• By Kirsten Johnson
• Published in the Courier : 07.08.10
• Published online : 07.08.10 @ 12.20pm

  Staff at Loch of the Lowes nature reserve, near Dunkeld, had been concerned their most famous resident might not have the strength to make the 3000-mile trip.

The 25-year-old bird, though to be the oldest of her kind, fought back from the brink of death to protect her two chicks this summer.

She captured the hearts of many and staff at the reserve have been inundated with messages wishing her well.

Experts have now said there is a only a 50% chance she will return next year.

Visitor centre manager Peter Ferns said, “Watching our magnificent female osprey leave Loch of the Lowes was particularly moving this year as this could be the last time we ever see her.

“Her mystery illness in June, which left her unable to move or open her eyes for several days, had us all worried and expert ornithologists and veterinary specialists predicted the worst.”

He added, “This amazing creature has exhibited an unprecedented endurance over the 20 years she has been breeding at Loch of the Lowes — living over three times the average lifespan for an osprey and producing an astonishing 48 chicks.

“This alone is a significant contribution to repopulating the osprey species, which became extinct in Scotland in 1916.”

The Scottish Wildlife Trust osprey blog has had hundreds of comments, offering best wishes and farewells.

Tina from Cambridgeshire posted, “I just pray that Lady has a safe journey to her winter home.

“She is very much loved and will be sorely missed.”

Martha from the USA added, “Let Lady and her family be blessed with good fortune.”

Scottish Wildlife Trust?Perthshire ranger Emma Rawling said, “The support and interest we have received from wildlife enthusiasts around the world has been overwhelming and wonderful.

“Everyone from families in Finland to school children in Canada have been following the progress of our osprey family.”

She added, “It is encouraging to know that so many people care about Scotland’s wildlife.

           **********************************

Loch of the Lowes’ emotional farewell to Lady the osprey

Emotions ran high for staff and visitors at the Loch of the Lowes as Lady the osprey made what could be her final migratory flight.

Lady and some of her chicks, captured on the Loch of the Lowes webcam.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 06.08.10
• Published online : 06.08.10 @ 08.20am

 The most famous resident of the nature reserve, near Dunkeld, is thought to have set off on the long journey to Africa on Wednesday morning.

She has not been seen near the family nest since then, which has led to speculation that the 25-year-old bird has left for the winter.

Visitor centre worker Charlotte Beskeen said, “Lady left the reserve around about this time last year, so we think it is very possible that she has now gone.

“Usually we see her in the nest about two or three times a day because she was still part of the feeding process for the chicks.

“However, we haven’t seen her since Wednesday morning, which is the longest she’s been away.”

Lady, her mate Laird and their family of chicks have gathered a massive following, with well-wishers visiting in their droves — in person and online — after she was struck by a mystery illness.

After observing her unresponsive and listless appearance via webcam, experts at one point gave the frail bird just hours to live.

Lady’s recovery

However, days later she made an incredible recovery and spent the following weeks regaining her strength, thanks to the attentions of her mate.

Staff at the Loch of the Lowes kept a constant vigil to monitor Lady’s progress during this troubling time and kept fans updated online.

Despite this turnaround, there are still fears she may not return next year.

Miss Beskeen added, “We are expecting this to be her last migratory flight, although last year staff were predicting that she wouldn’t be back and she returned.

“There’s always a possibility that she could come back. We will have a long wait to find out though, as Lady doesn’t normally return to the nest until late March to mid-April.”

She added, “It will be quite sad if she doesn’t come back because she is obviously a big part of Loch of the Lowes and so many people have been following her story.”

While Lady’s whereabouts are a mystery, Laird still remains at the reserve and will spend the next three weeks ensuring the chicks are ready to face the world.

         **********************************

First flight for youngest osprey chick

A 24-year-old osprey which made a miraculous recovery from a recent illness has exceeded the expectations of experts by surviving this year’s breeding season to see her latest chicks successfully make their first flight from their Perthshire nest.

• Published in the Courier : 12.07.10
• Published online : 12.07.10 @ 09.35am

  Taking to the skies on Sunday at 9.09am, the most recent chick to fledge from the osprey nest at the Scottish Wildlife Trust‘s Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve is the 47th chick of the famed bird.

With ospreys living an average of eight years and producing 20 chicks during that time, experts are calling the Loch of the Lowes mum “a real record-breaker.”

During a bout of ill-health last month thousands of wildlife enthusiasts across the globe watched via webcam as the bird, known affectionately as the Lady of the Loch, became unable to open her eyes or stand over her chicks and stopped eating.

It was feared that she only had days to live and her death would threaten the survival of the chicks-but onlookers watched in disbelief as the hardy bird made an unexpected recovery.

Now experts are worried that the bird’s imminent migration to West Africa means this will be the last the UK sees of this now famous osprey.

Peter Ferns is Loch of the Lowes visitor centre manager and he said, “We are overjoyed that our female breeding osprey has once again been successful in producing and raising chicks which have fledged the nest.

“This is the 20th consecutive year we have watched over this bird at Loch of the Lowes and it’s certainly been one of the most dramatic. We watched with absolute delight as the eldest chick soared for the first time.

Emotional

“It was an emotional moment for all the staff and our dedicated bloggers who watch with us online at www.swt.org.uk.

“A few weeks ago we didn’t think we would see this day after the female became so ill.

“Since her remarkable recovery she has amazed us all again with her tenacity and dedication to her chicks.

“We hope the younger chick will follow its elder sibling’s lead and take to the skies in the next few days.”

The chicks will now spend the next few weeks building up their wing strength and practising their fishing and feeding skills before setting off on the 3000-mile migration to West Africa towards the end of August.

They will spend the first three to five years of their life there before becoming sexually mature and returning to the UK to breed.

The adult female is usually the first to leave the nest at the beginning of August, while the male stays on longer to continue to bring fish to the nest for the newly-fledged chicks.

Unsure

But this year staff of the Scottish Wildlife Trust are unsure about what will happen next.

The trust’s Perthshire ranger Emma Rawling said, “Given her recent illness, our female may be too weak to migrate and might therefore stay a few weeks later than usual, or possibly will not migrate at all.

“Our hope is that she is strong enough and will start her migration some time in August.

“We’ll be especially sad to see her go as the odds that she will return next spring are low, but we won’t be giving up on her.

“She has surprised us once and just might be capable of doing it again.”

The chicks’ first take-off and landing were caught live on the Loch of the Lowes visitor centre’s high definition cameras and witnessed by visitors on the large HD screen-as well as the thousands worldwide watching the live webcam.

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Osprey bloggers seek help with Lady tribute

A group of bloggers are hoping to pay tribute to Lady, the Loch of the Lowes osprey, by creating a book of poetry and photographs.

• By Sandra Gray
• Published in the Courier : 03.07.10
• Published online : 04.07.10 @ 04.32pm

  They have been spurred into action by Lady‘s recent miraculous recovery from a serious illness, which saw hundreds of well-wishers flock to the Perthshire nature reserve.

But with no publishing experience, the bird’s followers are seeking help.

Group member Susan McVey, from Paisley, said, “We are desperately trying to organise some type of book or brochure with pictures of our ospreys that we have taken, along with some lovely poems.

“We are especially keen to do this after we thought we were going to lose our female osprey…

“We have people from all over the world watching Lady, Laird and their two chicks on the live webcams, so we are trying to raise funds for the Loch of the Lowes to help them after all the hard work they do.

“We don’t know how we would go about publishing a book, so I am urging anyone who can help us at all to get in touch.”

The bloggers originally planned the book to raise funds for a satellite tracking project that would have seen the chicks being tagged to keep an eye on their progress as they grew up.

The high-tech tags cost £33,000 each and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which operates the Loch of the Lowes centre, hopes to raise at least £39,000 before beginning the process.

But, so as not to interfere with Lady’s ongoing recovery, staff have postponed it until next year.

However, the online followers of the osprey still hope to create their special publication, which has been inspired by the trials and triumphs of the unwitting webcam star.

“The staff at the centre give so much time to us and are quite happy to answer all our questions, so we would just like to do something for them,” said Susan.

“They are so dedicated to their job, and while the female osprey was ill they were up all night watching over her along with the rest of us via the webcam.

“We don’t know for sure that Lady will return next year because of her age, so we would like to create a lasting reminder of her.”

If published, the book would be sold at the Loch of the Lowes centre near Dunkeld, with all money going to the work carried out by the centre.

Anyone who is able to help Susan can contact her on 0141 884 3477 or 07708 122982.

To donate directly to the satellite tracking fund, go to www.swt.org.uk/donate and choose the osprey option from the drop-down list.

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Visitors flock to see recovering osprey Lady

Osprey watchers have been flocking to the Loch of the Lowes nature reserve near Dunkeld to see its “miracle bird” make a stunning recovery.

• By Mark Mackay
• Published in the Courier : 29.06.10
• Published online : 29.06.10 @ 08.10pm

Though it may take some time before Scotland’s most famous bird of prey is fighting fit, staff at the reserve are hopeful she will continue to improve.

Wildlife fanatics were dismayed when it looked like 25-year-old Lady would not survive being struck down by a mystery bug, which caused her to lose a startling amount of weight.

Little over a week later, however, she is regaining her strength as the world looks on, both in person or as one of the 100,000-plus who are following her progress via a webcam trained on her nest.

Lady has produced an amazing 48 chicks in her 20 years at the reserve during her long life, playing a huge part in the recovery of Scotland’s osprey population.

And although she still appears thin, reserve staff believe she is returning to her old self and could yet be strong enough to make her annual migration at the end of the summer.

After a slight reduction in visitor numbers when the illness was announced — some twitchers were too distressed by the thought of seeing Lady decline — her recovery has brought them to the reserve in their hundreds.

Perthshire ranger Emma Rawling believes wildlife fans should take the chance now to see one of the country’s most famous feathered residents.

“We are encouraging people to come and see her now as this may yet be her last year,” she said.

Watch video of Fish Delivery-Chick takes fish 28th June 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cYLF754eKw&feature=player_embedded

“She is doing brilliantly and there is no sign of a relapse but she’s also not completely back to normal and it will take a lot longer for her to regain the weight than it took for her to lose it.

“Crunch time will be August when she is due for her migration.

“We will have to wait and see whether she has recovered enough and is strong enough for this.”

More than 100,000 people have been viewing Lady’s progress on the reserve’s webcam, while around 700 to 1000 people have been posting messages on its blog site each day.

A new Facebook page has also been launched, due to popular demand, to complement the blog.

Meanwhile, Lady’s chicks are progressing well and Emma expects to see them make their first attempts at flight very soon.

“Our chicks are now just over five weeks old, and as many of you have observed, starting to look like proper wee ospreys, not babies any more.

“This week we should also see the chicks starting to stretch their wings more and begin the process of developing their flight muscles by flapping,” she said.

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Osprey’s comeback amazes web audience

Experts have been watching in amazement as Scotland’s most famous bird of prey continued to make what has been billed as the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

• Published in the Courier : 24.06.10
• Published online : 24.06.10 @ 08.58am

There was devastation among twitchers as it seemed certain inspirational 25-year-old Lady would not survive a mystery bug that struck her down at the weekend.

However, the 100,000-plus enthusiasts watching a webcam trained on her nest at Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld are continuing to witness incredible signs of recovery.

Lady has produced an amazing 48 chicks in her 20 years at the reserve, playing a huge part in the recovery of Scotland’s osprey population.

Staff at Loch of the Lowes kept vigil as her ageing body struggled to cope with infection.

Reserve manager Peter Ferns admitted they had been fearing the worst prior to Lady’s remarkable recovery.

As he reflected on an emotional few days, he said staff were now “more hopeful than ever.”

“It was great to come in this morning to be greeted with the sight of our Lady feeding the chicks,” Peter said.

“She is getting stronger and stronger all the time and we are more hopeful than we have been for her survival.”

Nevertheless, Lady’s well-wishers from every corner of the globe are being warned that the famous old bird is not necessarily out of woods.

“I would like to stress that whatever happened to her at the weekend could have long-term effects,” he said.

“I have spoken to our vet and to other people who have been dealing with ospreys for many more years than I and they all say the same — they have never seen an osprey like this.

“Let’s enjoy what each day brings because I am sure this won’t be the last drama this season.

“We still have a few more weeks to go before our chicks fledge,” Peter added.

“That drama in itself is amazing to watch.”

Follow Lady’s incredible story on the Scottish Wildlife Trust‘s webcam and osprey blog.

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Lady the osprey shows ‘fighting spirit’

Scotland’s most famous bird of prey has come back from the brink of death in a bid protect her two young chicks.

Lady tending her chicks on the nest on Tuesday.

• By Kirsten Johnson
• Published in the Courier : 23.06.10
• Published online : 23.06.10 @ 10.46am

Around 100,000 wildlife lovers across the globe watched with bated breath over the weekend as Lady the osprey lay motionless in her nest at Loch of the Lowes Nature Reserve, near Dunkeld.

Experts feared she might not make it when she continually refused the food brought back by her mate.

But the plucky 25-year-old, who has played a huge part in the recovery of Scotland‘s osprey population, has rallied her strength.

She amazed thousands of webcam viewers late on Monday night by taking flight to drink a few sips from the water below — something rarely seen in the UK — before tucking into some freshly caught trout.

Her ageing body remains thin and her eyes sunken but she continues to eat and communicate with her offspring.

Staff at Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre have been keeping a constant vigil to monitor Lady’s progress and are updating a blog for her many fans.

Manager Peter Ferns said he had been “utterly astonished” when the veteran sea hawk spread her wings for the first time in nearly a week but warned she is not yet “out of the woods.”

“What a difference a day makes, I am overjoyed,” he said on Tuesday night. “On Monday morning I really though she only had a few hours left, but she has made a miraculous recovery.

“When I saw her fly off the edge of the nest I was beyond words and was worried she might not get back up but she did…and then she started eating.

“I’ve been working here for more than 17 years and I have never seen anything like this.

“I remember seeing Lady stoically sitting on her eggs in sub-seven temperatures, covered in snow, a few years ago and thought she was amazing. She is a real fighter.

“I think instinct has kicked in — despite her old age she wants to keep her babies safe.”

Watch the video  I’m watching you,  22nd June 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri-6f8sh1nI&feature=player_embedded

Peter thanked Lady’s supporters from across the world for their “unwavering” support.

Since Saturday more than 100,000 people have logged in to the Scottish Wildlife Trust‘s Osprey Watch website — five times more than usual.

Some contributors to the blog have even suggested that Lady’s life should be made into a film.

Jane Macpherson from Novia Scotia, Canada, posted, “How amazing nature is and the willpower to survive. I’ve always believed these birds were magnificent but not to this extent…it is unbelievable and just blows me away.”

Annette from South California posted, “It’s just past 5am here in California and I was tossing and turning, unable to get back to sleep, so what else was there to do but check on our world famous osprey?”

Peter continued, “Lady is our main attraction so we knew her decline would be publicised, but we never dreamed the response would be so huge.

“The webcam went down at one point due to the amount of online traffic.”

You can follow the ospreys’ progress on the webcam and osprey blog.

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Hopes start to rise for Loch of Lowes osprey Lady

With supporters around the world watching her every move, Loch of the Lowes osprey Lady is back flying and feeding — but still looking a bit fragile.

Mr Ferns and volunteer ranger Anna Cheshier viewing live images from the nest.

• By Eric Nicolson and Kirsten Johnson
• Published in the Courier : 22.06.10
• Published online : 22.06.10 @ 08.34am

 ”She flew off from the nest and took a couple of drinks of water from the loch and then flew back to the nest,” said visitor centre manager Peter Ferns.

Concerned visitors at the centre on Monday.

“It’s quite a strange thing that’s happening. It took her some time and she seemed a bit disorientated, as if things were not computing properly.

“Later the male then left a pike for the chicks, which she showed no interest in.”

Mr Ferns described what followed as the “most amazing thing” — when mother and one of her chicks communicated with each other as the youngster was eating.

At around 9pm on Monday veteran Lady looked perkier and was seen on the nest feeding beside the two chicks as the male bird returned.

And in a blog update later in the evening Peter reported, “

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Osprey returns to nesting place Page last updated at 15:07 GMT, Monday, 23 March 2009

The osprey has laid more than 50 eggs at Loch of the Lowes   A female osprey which has been nesting at the Loch of the Lowes reserve in Perthshire for almost 20 years has delighted staff by returning. The bird arrived at about 1805 GMT on Friday and was spotted on the webcam which is focused on the site. The osprey has been visiting the Loch of the Lowes since 1991 and since then has laid more than 50 eggs. Staff at the site hope her partner will arrive soon to mate and she will produce even more chicks. ‘Aging bird’ Claire Troup, a Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) ranger, said: “We were a bit unsure of whether she would actually return this year, we were hoping she would return but she is getting on a bit. “We’re hoping the male will be arriving soon, last time he was only a day behind and then a couple of years before he was about a week behind. “So hopefully he’ll be arriving soon and then the male will be flying across her, doing his mating display and then he should be breeding with the female and then hopefully we’ll have some eggs.” After mating, the team expect the female to lay between two to four eggs in early April, and then six weeks later they should hatch. Ms Troup added: “To date, she has laid 52 eggs and 44 of those have successfully hatched, but sadly she is an aging bird and her fertility could be dwindling. This makes it another exciting breeding season.” Peter Ferns, SWT visitor centre manager, added: “Once on the brink of extinction, today 200 pairs of osprey now breed in Scotland during the summer months. “Every year, for the last 40 years, we do everything we can at Loch of the Lowes to ensure that our osprey’s breeding season is successful. “This includes manning a 24 hour osprey watch to protect our birds from thieves who steal unhatched eggs for private collections.”                                     **********************************************************************************