Osprey Chicks Go Live in the Borders - latest 'Making Tracks'-funded project

10 June 2003

Another project funded by the 'Making Tracks' project has just been launched. Visitors to the Tweed Valley Forest Park in the Scottish Borders are now able to watch newly hatched Osprey chicks thanks to an automatic camera close to the eyrie.

Live pictures of the ospreys are currently being beamed live to Kailzie Gardens and Glentress Forest, just outside Peebles.

The new viewing centres are part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project which aims to educate the public about the birds of prey and act as a boost for drawing in tourists.

Opening one of the new centres at Kailzie, Captain David Younger, Lord-Lieutenant of Tweeddale said: "I'm delighted to open this superb new osprey viewing centre at Kailzie Gardens. The whole project is a fine example of how partnerships can reap huge rewards. In this case the public are being given a rare chance to see Ospreys in the wild, whilst also putting the Borders at the forefront of eco tourism. There's no doubt that both viewing centres at Kailzie and Glentress will attract many visitors eager to witness one of our most important wildlife treasures."

Forestry Commission Scotland ranger, Sarah Oakley, added: "We need to ensure the public learns about these amazing birds of prey so that everyone understands their value and helps us to protect them. Through the viewing centres at Glentress and Kailzie Gardens we can give everyone a fascinating insight into how these magnificent birds bring up their young. Not only are we providing an important wildlife watching facility but we are also helping boost the Tweed Valley Forest Park as a great tourist destination."

Last year, rangers from Forestry Commission Scotland worked with the RSPB and the Police to build a special platform for the Ospreys in an old Scots Pine tree. The artificial home successfully attracted Ospreys and three eggs were hatched and the fledglings eventually left the eyrie after being ringed.

Rangers hoped the birds would be attracted back this year and luckily the birds returned to the same man made nest.

The Osprey is an "Amber List" species of high conservation concern, protected throughout Europe, but is at risk when it migrates to West Africa for the winter. They were a common sight over lochs and around the coast but disappeared from Scottish skies nearly 100 years ago. Shooting, habitat destruction and the Victorians' obsession with collecting specimens and eggs caused the decline and eventual demise of the Osprey in Britain.

The birds mate for life and nests are often used in successive years. Ospreys have been known to nest on pylons, radio masts and even cranes. There are currently two pairs breeding in the Tweed Valley area.

The Osprey viewing facilities are based in Kailzie Gardens, 2 miles south east of Peebles on the B7062 and in Glentress Forest, on the A72 one mile east of Peebles.

Live viewing can be seen from 10am to 5pm every day of the week. There is no charge for viewing but visitors are encouraged to put a donation into the golden nest box which will go to help further conservation work for the birds.

The Tweed Valley Osprey Project is a partnership between Forestry Commission Scotland and Kailzie Gardens and is supported by Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB Scotland, Lothian and Borders Police, Scottish Borders Tourist Board, Tweed Forum and 'Making Tracks' which is funded by VisitScotland & EC's Leader+ Programme for the Scottish Borders.

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