Osprey chicks tagged for tracking

Two of three osprey chicks at a nest site in the Highlands have been tagged so they can be tracked via satellite.

RSPB Scotland staff hope to monitor the young birds' migration to Africa later this year.

A female called EJ returned to Loch Garten near Aviemore to breed earlier this year - the 50th anniversary of osprey watching at the site.

Young she raised last year - nicknamed Nethy and Deshar - were tagged but died during migration.

Nethy was thought to have died earlier this year after migrating to Africa.

Her brother Deshar died last October after making a "navigational error" and missed landfall in the Azores.

Loch Garten Osprey Centre manager, Richard Thaxton, said: "Sad though this was, we learned something from this, that a lot of migrant ospreys and other birds, die in their first year.

"We all hope that this year's chicks - in our 50th anniversary year, will make it safely - and maybe even return to us one day."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
RSPB Scotland
Osprey Fact file
Loch Garten live video
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