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Second sea eagle chick has hatched at Strathspey nest


By Tom Ramage

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The first chick is about to be fed on Monday afternoon – while the second is hatching right there, alongside it.
The first chick is about to be fed on Monday afternoon – while the second is hatching right there, alongside it.

“We’re still in the early stages but everything is looking positive.”

That was the message to the Strathy as a second new white-tailed sea eagle arrived in the world at RSPB Scotland’s Abernethy nature reserve.

A reserve spokeswoman said: “The first chick seems to be doing well and is being fed directly by the parents.

“The biggest update is that the second chick hatched on Tuesday morning and seems to be doing fine as well.”

Visitors to the reserve on Friday evening had enjoyed the first ever live footage of a wild white-tailed eagle hatching in the UK.

The eaglets are the offspring of Shona and Finn, a pair who are nesting at an undisclosed location in the strath to protect the birds’ privacy.

Since eggs were first seen in the nest on Thursday, March 3, both parents have shared incubating duties, including protecting them from snow and recent storms. The first egg hatched at 7.43pm on Friday.

The birds’ activities are being beamed live to the Loch Garten Nature Centre near Boat of Garten via a camera which has been hidden in a stick three metres from the nest to avoid disturbing the birds.

It is the first time such a method has been used in the UK after successful trials in Latvia and Estonia.

Fergus Cumberland, visitor experience manager for RSPB Scotland, has said: “The response to the eagles from the public has been one of excitement and anticipation.

"The true character and personalities of these birds are on full display for the public to experience and it is a wonder to watch it all unfold."

Also known as sea eagles, white-tailed eagles are the UK’s largest bird of prey with a wingspan of 2.5 metres.

They were driven to extinction in Scotland in 1918 before birds from Scandinavia were re-introduced to the Isle of Rum in 1975.

Subsequent re-introductions in other parts of the country, as well as the birds’ natural dispersal means there are now populations spread as far as Fife, Orkney and the northwest Highlands.

The newly hatched chicks are a descendant of these re-introduced birds.

Their father, Finn, is the great-grandson of the well-known Skye and Frisa pair of Mull Eagle Watch and BBC Springwatch fame.

Skye is the oldest known white-tailed eagle at 28 years old and Frisa was the daughter of Blondie, the first eagle to successfully raise a chick in 1985 after the re-introduction.

After hatching, white-tailed eagle chicks generally remain in the nest being fed by their parents for approximately 12 weeks.

Even upon fledging, they remain close to the nest and dependent on their parents throughout the autumn before seeking their own territory.

To avoid disturbance of the birds, the exact location of the nest is not being disclosed to the public.

Visitors to RSPB Scotland’s Loch Garten Nature Centre can view the live feed daily throughout the spring and summer.

Highlights and updates will be provided on the RSPB Loch Garten Twitter and Facebook pages.

The camera and live feed have been installed by Wildlife Windows and funded by the European Regional Development Fund through NatureScot.


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