Have you seen a nesting osprey across the N-east?

Members of the public across Aberdeenshire have been urged to report nesting ospreys that they spot.

RSPB Scotland are appealing for people to contact them if they notice a nest because they can difficult to find. Ospreys first bred in Aberdeenshire in the early 1990s and numbers of nesting pairs were on the up right until 2011, but in recent years the numbers have gone down.

Only 15 of the known nesting sites in the North-east are being used this year, compared to 23 in 2011.

RSPB Scotland Conservation Manager, Ian Francis said: “We are sure there are nests that we don’t know about, but we are starting to worry that the population might be beginning to decline after decades of steady increase. Although ospreys are one of Scotland’s largest and most characteristic breeding birds, they can be very secretive. We are urging people to get in touch to tell us about where they have seen ospreys, particularly if they think they have spotted a nest.”

Ospreys can nest in trees or woodland, often far from rivers and lochs. If you see one email esro@rspb.org.uk or call 01224 624824.

http://www.inverurieherald.co.uk/news/local-headlines/have-you-seen-a-nesting-osprey-across-the-n-east-1-3431917