Delight at osprey chick arrival

Staff have been delighted by the arrival of the chicks Enlarge Image

Staff at two osprey viewing centres in the Scottish Borders have been "thrilled" by the arrival of two chicks in one of the nests they monitor.

The first bird hatched in the Tweed Valley on Friday and was followed by a second on Saturday.

The new arrivals were monitored on CCTV at the centres in Glentress Forest and Kailzie Gardens near Peebles.

Osprey centre manager Diane Bennett said that both chicks appeared to be "strong and healthy".

The Tweed Valley project was set up as part of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the return of ospreys to breed in Scotland in 1954.

The CCTV camera footage so far has been really spectacular Diane Bennett Osprey centre manager

Ms Bennett said the latest arrivals were a further boost to the scheme.

"We are very thrilled to see the new chicks in the nest," she said.

"Both appear to be strong and healthy and the male adult osprey has been very busy bringing in a huge brown trout to start feeding up his new family.

"The CCTV camera footage so far has been really spectacular and the zoom facility is allowing us to get right into the thick of the action on the nest."