First osprey of the season at Perthshire reserve

Image source, Scottish Wildlife Trust

Image caption, The chick emerged on Saturday evening

An Osprey chick has hatched at the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve, the first of the season.

Staff and volunteers at the Scottish Wildlife Trust site watched the young bird fully emerge from its egg at 19:20 on Saturday.

There are two other eggs in the nest near Dunkeld in Perthshire.

Sara Rasmussen, a ranger with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: "We're delighted to have our first chick of the season.

"Thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery we've been keeping an eye on the nest around the clock for several weeks to keep it safe from disturbance. Seeing the eggs begin to hatch is hugely rewarding for our team.

"The first few weeks of a chick's life are exciting to watch because they develop and grow so quickly. This fast development is vital to allow them to make a long journey south at the end of summer."

Image source, Scottish Wildlife Trust

Image caption, There are two other eggs in the nest