Tweed Valley Osprey Project
The Tweed Valley Osprey Project aims to protect nesting ospreys and encourage them to settle and breed in suitable locations in the area. By doing so, we hope to improve people’s knowledge, understanding and appreciation of these spectacular birds.
During the breading season you can get closer to these magnificent birds at the osprey watch centre. The breeding season is now over and the Ospreys have left the for their winter feeding grounds in southern Europe and Africa. You can follow the adventures of our Osprey families on the Tweed Valley Osprey Project Facebook Page, and find stories from previous years below.
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Facebook Page

The story so far...
Although ospreys first returned to Scotland to breed in 1954, it was over 40 years later that the first birds were seen summering in the Scottish Borders. Even then, it took a helping hand from Forestry Commission rangers, together with the local Police Wildlife Liaison Officer and the RSPB to encourage our first pair to settle and breed here.
In the late 1990s, a number of artificial nest platforms were erected in safe locations within the Tweed Valley Forest Park in the hope ospreys returning on migration would find the area an attractive place to breed. Osprey conservation has always been a secretive business, yet the Tweed Valley Osprey Project wanted to allow people to share in their success story without compromising the safety of the birds from egg collectors.
The solution was to place a camera at the nest and provide live footage of the birds as they raised their family. In partnership with Friends of Kailzie Wildlife, Forestry Commission Scotland developed the osprey watch centres at Kailzie and Glentress. Cameras were set up on an artificial nesting platform, and the first images of the nest were beamed back in April 2004. Forestry and Land Scotland is delighted to be able to continue this work.

Visit an osprey watch centre
During nesting season from May to September, you can see the birds on live camera feed at Glentress Wild Watch nature room, where our avid group of osprey volunteers are on hand to tell you all about the birds.
- Wild Watch Centre at Glentress, near Peebles
Watch our osprey webcam
Read the blog
Find the latest osprey action from the Tweed Valley on the Facebook page.
-
2022
- Osprey Update 29 September
- Glen heads south
- Tweed Valley Osprey Project - Update 8 September
- Heading south, mostly
- Osprey news from around the Tweed Valley
- Flying Further Afield
- Juvenile ospreys finally have names
- Ospreys and Nightjars
- Tweed Valley Osprey Project news update: 26 July
- Tagging the chicks
- Feeding time at the nest
- A fitting tribute to a famous osprey
- Three healthy chicks
- PW3 settling into fatherhood
- It's triplets!
- Nesting round-up
- Protective parents
- Incubation and egg minding
- The 2022 Tweed Valley osprey season begins!
-
2021
- Mixed migration news
- Megget's epic voyage
- Talla heads south!
- Quiet times at the nest
- Farewell to Mrs O
- Nest visitors
- Increasingly adventurous
- Talla fledges too
- The first fledglings
- More ringing news
- Ringing day
- Dad looks after the chicks
- Food and feathers
- Blue twine and red kites
- Sibling rivalry
- Two chicks hatch!
- Settling into a routine
- New male at TVOP main nest
- Welcome back to Tweed Valley Osprey Project
-
2020
-
2019
- Hope made it
- Hope flies high
- Tragedy for Luna
- Luna reaches the Big Smoke
- Migration starts
- Season finale!
- All about survival…
- We have lift off!
- Pre-flight checks…
- Seven weeks old
- Ringed and tagged
- Five weeks old
- A feast of pike
- Growing up so fast
- Party time
- Double celebration
- We've hatched!
- Any day now...
- The story of SS
- SS and Mrs O enjoy domestic bliss
- SS is 20, and we are celebrating!
- Time to incubate
- An Easter surprise…
- Mrs O and SS – feathering their nest…
- The 2019 osprey season begins - SS & Mrs O return
Get in touch
If you would like further information or are interested in becoming a volunteer at the osprey centres, then please get in touch.
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