An adventurous osprey chick has become the first of two hatched this summer at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve to take flight.
The young bird, called PT5, took to the air at 6.44pm on Saturday.
He spent around two hours exploring the reserve before returning to the nest.
The second chick PT4 is expected to follow his sibling by fledging within the next few days.
Both chicks will spend the rest of the summer learning to fish and roost, before heading south on their maiden migration.
Sara Rasmussen, Perthshire Ranger, Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “We’ve been watching the chicks frantically flapping their wings over the last couple of weeks as their wings develop.
“It’s great to see PT5 finally get the confidence to take off and leave the nest.
“His sibling won’t be far behind.
“This is a fantastic time to visit the reserve.
“Visitors can hope to see some great displays of flying as the young birds learn the skills they’ll need to survive on their own.
“The young birds can often be seen learning to fish on the loch, initially for young pike – and it can take more than a few crash landings before they get it right.”
Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre is open daily from 10:30am – 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 today around 250 pairs breed in the UK each summer.
This recovery is thanks to the efforts of conservation charities including the Scottish Wildlife Trust, whose Osprey Protection Programme is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
