Loch of the Lowes osprey Lassie lays third egg of year

WILDLIFE: First chick is expected to hatch in the second half of May

Osprey Lassie has now laid a full clutch of three eggs at a Perthshire wildlife reserve.

This marks the 12th egg laid by the bird at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve near Dunkeld since 2015.

The third egg arrived on Thursday around 9.30pm.

The first egg of 2018 was laid in the early hours of April 14, with the second coming earlier this week on Tuesday.

The average time from eggs being laid to hatching is 37 days.

Rachael Hunter, Perthshire ranger with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “We’re delighted that our female has laid three eggs for the fourth time. She’s been diligently sitting on the eggs except when she swaps incubation duty with her mate while feeding.

“There is a very small chance of a fourth egg but that would be really unusual.

“We’re now looking forward to May, when we’d expect to see the first chick hatch out in the second half of the month.”

She continued: “During the next few weeks it’s especially important to protect thse nest from human disturbance.

“We’ll be watching the nest around the clock to ensure the ospreys at Loch of the Lowes have the peace and quiet that they need.”

Loch of the Lowes visitor centre is open daily from 10am until 5pm, with 24-hour access to the reserve hides.

The trust’s live osprey webcam ensures people from around the world can follow events as they happen.

Ospreys were extinct in Britain for much of the 20th century.

They began to recover in the 1960s, and around 260 pairs now breed in the UK each summer.

There is a very small chance of a fourth egg but that would be really unusual. RACHAEL HUNTER WILDLIFE RANGER

Osprey Lassie has laid her third egg of the year at Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve.