White-tailed eagle chick fledges in Caithness for first time in a century
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A pair of white-tailed eagles have successfully bred in Caithness for the first time in 100 years.
The birds have set up home in a stand of Sitka spruce trees which were due to be felled by Forestry and Land Scotland.
Work at the site has now stopped amid hopes it could be the beginning of a resurgence for the raptors in the county.
The discovery was made during a "pre-harvesting biodiversity check" ahead of the felling of the stand within a windblown area of lodgepole pine.
The felling operation was part of peatland restoration work in the area.
FLS environment ranger Eilidh Thompson, who made the discovery, said: “It was a final check in an area of woodland where we’ve never had any previous record of eagles being sighted.
“An adult eagle began circling me overhead and calling continuously, which indicated that its nest was nearby and that my presence was unwelcome. I immediately left the area and watched the eagle’s activity from a safe distance to get an idea of the nest’s location.
“Once we’d confirmed it, colleagues across the environment, harvesting, peatland, planning and wildlife teams pulled together to completely adjust our work programmes to give the birds the space required to ensure their breeding success."
She said it was "awe-inspiring" and an "extraordinary and special experience" to encounter the birds in the wild, especially in a location where they have not been known for such a long time.
The pair have produced one chick that has successfully fledged and which has been ringed by Justin Grant, of Highland Raptor Study Group.
It is hoped that this might mark the beginning of an increase of the white-tailed eagles in the area.
Eilidh added: “The fact that we found the eagles quite close to some hen harriers that are breeding on one of our peatland restoration sites is testament to the value of the work we do to extend and enhance the habitat network and the benefits that this is bringing for biodiversity."
