The resident ospreys at an Aberdeenshire fishery have successfully fledged four healthy chicks.
The now fully-grown chicks are the first that have been seen at the Lochter Fishery and Activity Centre in many years.
Previous attempts to rear chicks on the site, near Oldmeldrum, have been mixed due to the local buzzard population stealing and eating chicks from the next before they can fledge.
This was even caught on camera when it occurred back in 2012.
Luckily, this year the two ospreys have been able to successfully hatch, feed and fledge their four healthy chicks.
Euan Webster, owner of Lochter Fishery and Activity Centre, said: “After several difficult breeding years, we are thrilled to see our resident osprey birds successfully rear four beautiful chicks which have now fully fledged.
“We always look out for their arrival around early April. We have had ospreys at our site during the summer months for more than a decade, with the unrivalled supply of trout at our fishery clearly a star attraction for birds that are perfectly adapted to hunting fish.
“The food they can obtain on site makes Lochter an ideal location to raise chicks but with nature as it is, there have sadly been many unsuccessful attempts over recent years, not helped by predation from local buzzard populations.”
‘A haven for birds and other wildlife’
“The ospreys have always been so popular with our visitors, helped in part by the camera feed we’ve been able to broadcast in our restaurant until Storm Arwen intervened.
“With the help of Les and Wendy, this year we’ve got some wonderful images to share of the birds before they eventually make their way back to northwest Africa as winter approaches.
“We hope ospreys will return to us next summer and that they’ll be able to repeat the breeding success we’ve all enjoyed witnessing this year.”
At the end of the month, the birds will begin their journey to north-west Africa for the winter.
Ross Ewing, director of Moorland at Scottish Lands and Estates, added: “Lochter is a haven for birds and other wildlife, due in no small part to the excellent way that Euan and his team look after their land.
“It is wonderful to see these four osprey chicks fledge after many years of difficulty for the birds. We hope they now have a safe journey south for winter.”
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