A record 18 osprey chicks fledged in the Scottish borders in 2008

Young ospreys being tagged. Credit Forestry Commission.

October 2008. A record number of 18 osprey chicks have successfully been reared in the Scottish Borders this season, 11 more than in the previous year.

The 2008 osprey breeding season in the Borders drew to a close with the eight resident pairs raising the record brood of youngsters, all of which are now on their first journey south to Africa for the winter.

CCTV
Thousands of visitors have enjoyed watching some of the birds on CCTV cameras at viewing centres near Peebles run by Forestry Commission Scotland, Kailzie Gardens and RSPB Scotland.

Osprey Centre Officer, Emma Rawling, said: "We are so pleased that despite the wet summer we have the highest number of chicks ever born this year and this can only bode well for the species as a whole. Every year we rely enormously on the goodwill and support of the local community to make the breeding and viewing season a success. Not only do the birds directly benefit, we hope the many tourists coming to see these magnificent birds brings and added boost to the local economy in return."

Tweed Valley Osprey Project
It is fitting that the tenth year of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project should see such a success, since it has taken many years of hard work by the partnership organizations the Forestry Commission Scotland, RSPB Scotland and Kailzie Estate, to reach this milestone.

Dedicated work by ground staff and volunteers has not only provided the nesting sites and protected the birds, but brought views of their family lives to many thousands of visitors in the two public viewing centres at Glentress Forest and Kailzie Gardens.

The twin osprey watch centres at Glentress Forest and Kailzie Gardens will be open again from Easter 2009 for another bumper osprey year.