Famous osprey Dorcha lays first egg of the season

An osprey who became famous during the 2020 lockdown has laid her first egg at a nature reserve.

Dorcha was reunited with mate Louis at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in Lochaber in the Highlands this month.

Louis touched down on their nest on April 2, with his return captured on a livestream camera, and Dorcha joined him soon afterwards.

Viewers of the livestream around the world watched as she laid her first egg on Friday at 5.45am.

Dorcha is expected to produce a second egg by Monday, with a third likely to come in the middle of next week.

Chicks are expected to emerge in the nest by the end of May.

Woodland Trust Scotland has been operating a live nest camera following the ospreys at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest since 2017, with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The livestream became a hit during the first Covid-19 lockdown, clocking up 400,000 views worldwide in 2020.

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “We are delighted that thanks to support from our players, viewers anywhere can share in the wonderful story of the osprey family at Loch Arkaig.

“We’re excited to see precious new life has arrived with an egg in the nest.”

The Loch Arkaig livestream can be viewed on the Woodland Trust website, at https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam.