Osprey chicks hatch at RSPB’s Campfield Marsh for first time

Maclauchlan said: “We were on tenterhooks after the eggs were laid and throughout the incubation period until they hatched.

“There was a huge collective sigh of relief when they did.”

The species were persecuted to extinction as a breeding bird in the early 20th Century but returned to Scotland in the 1950s and have now recolonised other parts of the UK.

“Osprey parents are surprisingly tender despite their large size and sharp talons,” Maclauchlan said.

“They can also offer good comedic value with nest tidying exploits and antics.

“Ospreys are frequently site- and partner-faithful, so we’re hoping to see more of them and their offspring in the future.”

The eggs were laid between 30 April and 6 May and, once the chicks hatched in June, a local primary school helped name them Ash, Bowness Bobbi and Beau.

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