Montrose welcomes more than 55,000 geese as ‘Scotland’s biggest nature spectacle’ returns

by Craig Smith

October 7 2019, 2.36pm

More than 55,000 pink-footed geese have descended on an Angus reserve as part of “Scotland’s biggest nature spectacle”.

Droves of the birds have taken up their winter residences at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Montrose Basin Wildlife Reserve.

They have flown about 750 miles (1,200km) from their summer breeding grounds in Greenland and Iceland.

The latest count revealed there are now at least 55,326 of the birds – up by more than 5,000 since September – with numbers still increasing.

Anna Cowie, the Trust’s Montrose Basin ranger, said: “Montrose Basin Wildlife Reserve is an internationally-important habitat for pink-footed geese.

“These birds are one of the heralds of autumn, and we’ve been pleased to see so many people flocking to the basin at dawn and dusk to take in the spectacle.

“This has been a very unusual season with birds arriving from Iceland much earlier than in recent years. It’s impossible to say when numbers will peak.”

The “pinkfeet” are thought to have arrived in numbers earlier this year due to snow in Iceland pushing them south quicker than usual.

The best time to see and hear large numbers is at dawn and dusk.

During the day, most of the geese head out to find food.

Read on

Trust asks public to guess Osprey arrival time to win a VIP experience

The Scottish Wildlife Trust has issued an invitation to guess when the famous female Osprey, known affectionately by many as ‘Lady’, will arrive back in Perthshire for a record-breaking 25th year.

The bird has returned to the Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve, near Dunkeld to breed every year since 1991.

In that time she has laid 71 eggs and fledged 50 chicks, which possibly makes her Europe’s oldest and most prolific breeding Osprey.

As anticipation builds, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has launched a competition supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery to guess when ‘Lady’ might arrive.

The winner of the competition will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime, VIP Osprey Experience at Loch of the Lowes plus an osprey adoption pack.

Continued ...

Extraordinary 'Lady' osprey lays 2 more eggs, 65th and 66th of her lifetime

Lady lays yet more eggs 

April 2013. The record breaking osprey, known as ‘Lady', at the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve in Perthshire has laid two more eggs, the 65th and 66th of her lifetime.

The osprey, affectionately known by many as ‘Lady', has been returning to Loch of the Lowes, near Dunkeld in Perthshire, for an incredible 23 years. The female osprey and her mate are now incubating the eggs, which will take five to six weeks. Last year, one of three eggs hatched and the chick was satellite tagged by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. 

The whole laying process was seen live on the nest camera, which is available to view online. 

Scottish Wildlife Trust Perthshire Ranger Emma Rawling said: "The first egg was laid on 18 April amid very high winds and with an intruder osprey in the vicinity. The second arrived just after 1 am on 21 April but it wasn't until first light we got a good view of it as she rolled it delicately with her beak in the nest. 

Third egg possible?

"We are over the moon as this effectively doubles our chances of having chicks hatch this year at this famous nest. We are also hoping our bird might equal her historic average of three eggs, as she is stilling mating with the male. If this happens, the last egg would be laid sometime over the next day or two. Our 24 hour nest protection now becomes even more important. We will be monitoring the nest for as long as the ospreys are here and we hope we'll see the eggs hatch in a few weeks' time. 

"We're still learning so much about osprey behaviour. Having the camera in the nest and so many enthusiastic visitors and viewers around Loch of the Lowes at the moment makes this time of year incredibly exciting." 

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/osprey-lady-eggs.html