Chicks Galore at Aberfoyle!



New arrivals in the Aberfoyle osprey nest



Three osprey chicks have made an appearance live on camera and are already growing up fast. The first chick hatched on Thursday 30 May, bang on the 38 day incubation period. The second chick eventually hatched four days later on Sunday 2 June, quickly followed by the third chick on Tuesday 4 June.

The chicks are being cared for by their parents, Katrine and Drunkie. The female osprey Katrine is nine years old, whilst the age of her mate Drunkie is unknown. Both birds have been named after local lochs where ospreys are regularly spotted fishing.

Last year this adult pair successfully raised two out of three chicks, so this should mean another good year for the ospreys. Now that the chicks have hatched it’s time to bring in the fish to feed their hungry youngsters! 

The male is living up to his reputation of being excellent at fishing, having recently brought in a huge rainbow trout for the female and chicks to feast on. This year we’re monitoring the types of fish being brought to the nest. To date the majority of the fish has been rainbow trout, followed by perch.



Our peregrine chicks



A peregrine falcon family is also being watched with our cameras. Three chubby peregrine chicks are being fed several times and they’re putting on weight fast. In about 2 weeks time these chicks will fledge.

We’re getting daily reports from the public of hunting ospreys and peregrines. With hungry mouths to feed, this is your best chance to see these magnificent birds of prey. There’s such an abundance of wildlife within a few minutes walk of the David Marshall Lodge – an assortment of warblers have returned, and close to the Wildlife Hide there are red squirrels, bank voles and a variety of woodland birds.

DML gears up for Wild about the Forest Week

David Marshall Lodge hosts a fantastic week of events and activities starting this Saturday to celebrate Scottish Biodiversity Week.

The week long showcase entitled Wild about the Forest Week will see Forestry Commission Scotland and partners present an action packed array of activities and events to highlight the wild goings on in Queen Elizabeth Forest Park.

As well as week long activities including "Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels", the "Children's Discovery Trail" and displays from Great Trossachs Forest and other local conservation projects within David Marshall Lodge, each day will have a themed event taking place in the forest park.

Monday sees a Trossachs Water Vole Minibus tour giving visitors and insight into the reintroduction of these bank dwelling creatures into the forest park. This is followed on Tuesday by "The Great Trossachs Forest Project" where visitors will be given the opportunity to find out more about this groundbreaking project.

The week continues with "Guide in the Hide" wildlife activities on Wednesday and Friday, followed by "The Great Trossachs Minibus Tour" on Saturday, where visitors will experience stories past, present and future about the woods around Loch Katrine.

This varied programme of events will give visitors with an interest in nature, wildlife, woodlands and the environment a chance to see evidence of the fantastic biodiversity work being undertaken in Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and the surrounding area.

For more information, visit the event listing on the FC Scotland facebook page.