Latest news with #TweedValleyOspreyProject
Edinburgh Reporter
08-06-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
All osprey chicks perish at Borders site
An osprey nest in the Tweed Valley that attracted UK-wide attention after one male and two female birds set up home together as a trio has ended in tragedy after all four of their chicks have died. The avian love triangle developed after a male known as Newboy mated with two females on the same nest. Rather than attempt to oust each other, the resident female known as Mrs O accepted the younger bird dubbed F2. They took turns incubating their four eggs while Newboy provided fish for the nest in behaviour never before captured on camera. All four chicks hatched successfully, but the saga took a twist as Newboy abandoned the nest, with the drama being live-streamed to the Glentress Visitor Centre near Peebles via a camera positioned over the nest. Although F2 brought a small number of fish back to the nest she was unable to prevent all four chicks from starving. Diane Bennett, project officer for the Tweed Valley Osprey Project, which monitors the raptors, said: 'It's so sad. There's been a lot of tears shed. 'When the first two chicks came along F2 brought a fish in and we hoped that she would step up as a provider in the absence of Newboy. 'But by the time the next two chicks hatched the first two were already starving. 'We watched in hope and we were delighted when F2 came back with one more fish but it just wasn't enough. 'The females are wired to stay and look after the young and I think it proved too difficult for them to go against that instinct and go and fish and all four chicks starved. 'When Mrs O stepped off she was clearly distressed and calling and F2 just looked bewildered.' Mrs O, the resident female for several years, returned to the nest on March 30 and welcomed the new male suitor after her previous partner FK0 failed to return from migration. Another mystery female, F2, later appeared and the male, who became known as Newboy, began mating with both. When Mrs O laid her first egg on April 18, it was thought she might settle with the male and chase the younger female away. But onlookers were stunned as the two females were 'surprisingly tolerant' of each other, laying four eggs between them and sharing incubation duties and fish delivered by Newboy. However, the male abandoned the nest amid fears he had been denied his share in parenting and been made 'redundant'. Under normal circumstances, this can prove fatal for chicks whose mother is then forced to abandon them to hunt. Hopes for their survival were raised as the two females appeared to adapt to the situation. F2 assumed the role of provider in Newboy's absence, but deliveries were insufficient. Bennett added: 'Everyone is so heartbroken that the female ospreys have not managed to make this situation work. 'It has been very upsetting and sad to watch this family drama turn to tragedy and it brings home just how vulnerable and fragile the whole breeding cycle can be for ospreys. 'For their very brief lives these chicks touched many hearts of people who dearly wanted them to survive. 'Nature is raw and can be seen as cruel at times but it is part of the natural cycle of life. 'We do not know if Mrs O and F2 will return and both claim the territory again next season. 'Hopefully, Mrs O will return and a new male will come that will provide for her, and F2 will move on to territory of her own.' Too late to breed again this year, it is thought both females will depart on migration early and return next spring. Male osprey bringing fish for two female birds and their offspring. Photo Saltire News and Sport Ltd Osprey in the nest in the Scottish Borders. PHOTO Saltire News and Sport Ltd Osprey in the nest in the Scottish Borders. PHOTO Saltire News and Sport Ltd Osprey in the nest in the Scottish Borders. PHOTO Saltire News and Sport Ltd Female osprey Mrs O moments after a third chick hatched PHOTO Saltire News and Sport Ltd Female osprey Mrs O moments after a third chick hatched PHOTO Saltire News and Sport Ltd Like this: Like Related
Daily Record
04-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Osprey chicks born from 'very rare' love triangle in Scots forest die after just three days
The ospreys' nest was being filmed on a live-stream camera which the public could watch. Four osprey chicks born as a result of a "very rare" love triangle between three adult birds have sadly died after their unusual situation failed to work out. The trio of adults - one male and two females - all shared a nest in the Tweed Valley, in the Scottish Borders. Their arrangement unfolded on a live-stream camera set up by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) as part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project. However just three days after the chicks had hatched, all four succumbed to starvation on Tuesday, June 3, after the adults struggled to share looking after them. A post on the project's Facebook page, which had provided regular updates from the nest, announced the sad news on Tuesday night. The male, known as Newboy, mated with both females, a form of polygamy known as polygyny, and they laid four eggs between them in April, which hatched on consecutive days in May. The live camera feed showed them initially getting along ahead of the eggs hatching, apart from occasional tension over fish deliveries. However, Newboy later abandoned the nest before the chicks arrived, leaving both females - one named Mrs O, the other F2 - taking it in turns to leave the nest for periods to source food and then swapping over sitting on the eggs. After they all hatched by Saturday, May 31, Mrs O and F2 were forced to adapt again to bring enough food to feed themselves and their young while nurturing them in the absence of Newboy. It was hoped the "intelligent and capable" birds would be able to manage, despite it going against their instincts to wait at the nest for a male to provide food. However, Mrs O quickly went into her instinctive role to nurture and protect her young by staying with them, leaving F2 to go against her natural instinct, and take on the role of hunter and provider usually taken on by a male. Sadly, she struggled to adapt, and barely brought any fish back to the nest. On one of the few occasions she did, it was all eaten by a ravenous Mrs O. On Tuesday morning, three of the chicks had died from starvation. When F2 finally brought another fish back to the nest at 5.30pm, the remaining one had also sadly passed away after begging to be fed. The post on Facebook from Tweed Valley Osprey Project added: "This has been very upsetting and sad to watch this family drama turn to tragedy and brings home just how vulnerable and fragile the whole breeding cycle can be for ospreys. "For their very brief lives they touched many hearts of people who dearly wanted them to survive. " Nature is raw and can be seen as cruel at times but it is part of the natural cycle of life. We hope that Mrs O can go and feed and get herself fully back into condition now that she is released from the bond to nurture her babies. "F2 will also need to do the same to a lesser extent. We do not know if they will return and both claim territory again next season. "Hopefully, Mrs O will return and a new male will come, that will provide for her and F2 will move on to territory of her own."
The Independent
23-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
‘Very rare' love triangle between osprey birds in Scotland caught on camera
This is the moment that a trio of osprey birds were caught nesting together in a love triangle. Footage captured by Forestry and Land Scotland shows the three birds - two female and one male - sharing a nest of four eggs at Glentress near Peebles in the Scottish Borders. Experts have said that the behaviour exhibited is 'very rare', with the two females even sharing incubation duties. 'The only tension witnessed so far has been on the arrival of a fish delivery from the male as the two females both make a grab it,', said Diane Bennett, a Tweed Valley osprey project co-ordinator. Observers have said the egg hatching will only add more intrigue into how the polygamous relationship functions.
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Record
'Very rare' osprey love triangle spotted in Scots valley on livestream camera
The trio of birds – one male and two female – are sharing a nest together in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. A 'very rare' love triangle involving three ospreys is being captured on a livestream camera for what is thought to be the first time. The trio of birds – one male and two female – are sharing a nest together in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. The male has mated with both females, a form of polygamy known as polygyny, and they have laid four eggs between them. They are said to be getting along with each other all right so far apart from tension over fish deliveries from the male which both females, one named Mrs O, want to grab. Viewers can watch the domestic saga playing out on a livestream camera set up by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) as part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project. Diane Bennett, Tweed Valley osprey project co-ordinator, said: 'So far things are looking good. The females seem amicable and tolerant with both having mated with the male bird and laying four eggs between them. 'The only tension witnessed so far has been on the arrival of a fish delivery from the male as the two females both make a grab it. 'Mrs O usually wins the fish and flies off to feed but has been seen to return with a portion remaining and letting the other female have it. 'This nest behaviour with all the birds in the same nest is very rare and as far as we know it is the first time this has ever been on a livestream camera with most other research involving such a set-up previously conducted though distant observation. 'Getting to watch this saga close up as the season unfolds is exciting both for the drama but also for the important research insights it will allow.' Mrs O has nested at the site before and has been joined by a new female and young male this year. FLS said the identity and background of the new arrivals is not clear. Although they both have British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) rings which provide information on survival and movements they do not have the coloured, alphanumeric Darvic rings that enable researchers to identify individual birds. While Mrs O is also only fitted with a BTO ring she can be identified from her head markings as she has been returning to the site for several years. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Three birds share a nest in osprey ‘love triangle'
A 'very rare' love triangle involving three ospreys is being captured on a livestream camera for what is thought to be the first time. The trio of birds – one male and two female – are sharing a nest together in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. The male has mated with both females, a form of polygamy known as polygyny, and they have laid four eggs between them. They are said to be getting along with each other all right so far apart from tension over fish deliveries from the male which both females, one named Mrs O, want to grab. Viewers can watch the domestic saga playing out on a livestream camera set up by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) as part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project. Diane Bennett, Tweed Valley osprey project co-ordinator, said: 'So far things are looking good. The females seem amicable and tolerant with both having mated with the male bird and laying four eggs between them. 'The only tension witnessed so far has been on the arrival of a fish delivery from the male as the two females both make a grab it. 'Mrs O usually wins the fish and flies off to feed but has been seen to return with a portion remaining and letting the other female have it. 'This nest behaviour with all the birds in the same nest is very rare and as far as we know it is the first time this has ever been on a livestream camera with most other research involving such a set-up previously conducted though distant observation. 'Getting to watch this saga close up as the season unfolds is exciting both for the drama but also for the important research insights it will allow.' Mrs O has nested at the site before and has been joined by a new female and young male this year. FLS said the identity and background of the new arrivals is not clear. Although they both have British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) rings which provide information on survival and movements they do not have the coloured, alphanumeric Darvic rings that enable researchers to identify individual birds. While Mrs O is also only fitted with a BTO ring she can be identified from her head markings as she has been returning to the site for several years. The eggs are expected to hatch in the coming weeks. The Tweed Valley Osprey Project was set up in 1998 to help to establish a breeding population of ospreys in the Scottish Borders. The livestream can be viewed at
