An osprey that has brought life to Scotland’s most famous nest for the first time in four years has been named Asha.
RSPB Scotland asked bird-lovers to choose from a shortlist of five names for the new female that has taken over the nest at Loch Garten in Speyside.
The conservation charity decided to name the unringed raptor after it hatched two chicks last month at the site in the Abernethy National Nature Reserve.
Nearly 21,000 people took part, choosing Asha with 8,052 votes ahead of Ada, Dilead, Nala and Una.
The osprey’s name translates to “hope” in Sanskrit, and “life” in Swahili, which RSPB staff say are “two things that this female is bringing to Loch Garten”.
A new dynasty
The site had been vacant since 2018 after the previous female, named EJ, failed to return from her annual migration for the first time since 2003, leaving the nest unoccupied the following season for the first time in 60 years.
It is hoped that Asha and the resident male, named Axel after his AX6 leg ring, will now begin a new dynasty as pairs typically return to the same nest to breed.
Fergus Cumberland, visitor operations manager at the nature centre, said: “A huge number of people took part in our vote, and Asha came out on top with over 8,000 votes.
“The name Asha translates as ‘hope’ and ‘life’. We haven’t had an osprey there for four years and a name with such meaning and significance reflects how people feel about this bird.
“People follow these birds avidly and really care about them and connect with them. There was huge disappointment when our previous female, EJ, failed to return after 15 consecutive years.
We have an osprey chick!!! Hatched earl this morning! The first hatching for our new pair in our new nest, and we couldn't be more delighted! pic.twitter.com/1DFXKPM5vP
— RSPB Loch Garten (@RSPBLochGarten) June 11, 2022
“For the first time in four years, RSPB Loch Garten now has an active osprey nest again. We don’t know exactly how old Asha is, but we could be seeing her for the next 15 or even 20 years.
“She has hatched two chicks in this, her first successful season, and we are nearly at the point where we ring these birds and wait for them to fledge in the coming weeks.
“Hopefully this is the start of a new dynasty.”
Axel and Asha breeding for first time
Ospreys were made extinct in Scotland in the early 20th century. In 1954, two Scandinavian breeding birds came to Loch Garten and set up a nest in the forest by the freshwater loch.
In 1959 Loch Garten ospreys were the only ones breeding in the UK and, after they hatched three chicks, the RSPB opened up the nest to controlled public viewing to grow support for the fish-eating raptors.
Loch Garten later became renowned for its breeding population of ospreys, which lent Boat of Garten its nickname The Osprey Village.
Current male Axel was ringed at a nest site in Glen Affric as a chick in 2016 and was first spotted at Loch Garten a year ago. It is thought Asha was also first seen visiting the site last year. The pair are likely to be breeding for the first time.
A total of 20,970 people took part in the public vote, with 8,052 choosing the name Asha.
Una, a Gaelic name signifying truth and unity, was second most popular choice with 6,472 votes, ahead of Gaelic name Dileab, meaning “legacy”, which received 2,999 votes.
Conversation