Chick out the new arrivals
Birds of prey have hatched chicks for the second year in a row at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.
The Osprey chicks hatched towards the end of May and the female was seen feeding them a few days later.
Staff at the park in Lochwinnoch got their first glimpse of the chicks through the telescope a few weeks later.
Last year the breeding pair successfully reared two chicks, a male and a female. This year, they’ve got three.
Hayley Douglas, a countryside ranger at the park in Lochwinnoch, said:“At approximately five-weeks-old the chicks looked fantastic and were the picture of health thanks to their parent’s hard work.
“They sat quietly as their measurements were taken and fitted with their BTO metal rings and colour rings which were supplied by David Jardine from Argyll Bird Club.
“This year we have two females and one male and their colour rings are blue with white writing KW7, KW8 and KW9.”
The Osprey chicks have been named Misty, Izzy and Otis and are now flying and will soon head off on their first migration to Africa.
Males often return to the same area in their second year so staff hope they’ll see Otis again.
Hayley added:“On a slightly more negative note it did look like we would have a second pair breeding this year but the birds appeared to be disturbed by over keen members of the public.
“We ask our visitors to remember that these and other species in the park are protected and to always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
“If the bird flies from the nest you are too close.”