Two eggs have hatched to the oldest established breeding pair of ospreys at Kielder Forest in Northumberland.
Mr and Mrs 69 become the first birds to hatch an egg this year at the Northumberland breeding colony, with the hatchling spotted when Mrs 69 moved towards a fish by her side, rising as her mate arrived at the nest. A second egg has since hatched.
The couple have bred at Nest 4 since the platform went up in early 2016. He was born at a nest near Loch Lomond in Scotland in 2013, but as she is unringed, her origin is unknown. The have raised two chicks to fledging each year, apart from 2021 when they managed three and 2022 when only one survived. Before this breeding season, their tally stood at 14 chicks raised.
