At this time of year our main topic of discussion is Ospreys, with special attention to arguably the most well known Osprey in the UK, affectionately known to her followers as ”Lady” or ”Lady of the Loch”. She returned at 6:45am on 31st March 2014, amazingly this will be her 24th consecutive year nesting at Loch Of The Lowes, near Dunkeld, Scotland, Lady has established herself as the oldest known Osprey currently breeding in the UK.
http://ladyoftheloch.co.uk/
What a Lady she indeed is. In her 24th breeding season, only seconds after she arrived home from an exhausting migration, fending off a rival as if it was nothing. If you ask me she deserves to be called not just the Lady, but the Iron Lady of the Lochs.We are delighted that our beloved veteran female osprey know by many as “Lady” has arrived home to her nest. She breezed in at 6.49am and sat confidently on her usual nest, before realising that her partner and his rival female were on flat top tree. She then took off and proceeded to dive bomb them both and see the rival female off in no uncertain terms!
Since then the male has been dancing ( courtship flight) for her and they have mated many times – though he has as yet to bring her a fish!
http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org. ... 1st-march/
24th breeding season means she is at least 27 years old, an exceptional age for a wild osprey. To be honest I feared we would never see her again after she flew off her nest last year to migrate to Africa for the winter, as I have feared every year the last couple of years, and every time she just keeps beating the odds. May she raise another healthy clutch this year too. Fingers crossed.