Beloved Ospreys Harry and Flora Return to Alyth Nesting Site for 12th Consecutive Year

Image: Resident ospreys Harry and Flora have returned to the Alyth nesting platform for a 12th consecutive year (pic from 2024).

SSEN Transmission is thrilled to welcome back two of its most distinguished seasonal residents, ospreys Harry and Flora, who have returned to their purpose-built nesting platform near the Alyth substation site for an impressive 12th consecutive year.

The return of this remarkable pair marks yet another chapter in their long-standing seasonal presence at the site, reinforcing the success of the nesting platform, which was specifically designed to provide a safe and stable nesting environment and ensures Harry and Flora continue to call this location home.

The platform was constructed as an alternative home for the ospreys after a 48-metre tall electricity transmission tower the pair had previously been nesting in was scheduled for maintenance. Ahead of the 2014 season, the platform was installed in anticipation of the pair’s return, and to the team’s delight the ospreys headed straight for it, taking up residence each year ever since.  

A live camera feed previously installed to monitor the ospreys at the nesting site is currently out of action due to technical issues, however engineers are working to fix the feed and have the camera back in operation in the coming months. An onsite ornithologist will monitor the progress of the birds while the camera is offline. 

Ospreys, known for their remarkable migratory journeys, travel thousands of miles from their wintering grounds to breed in Scotland during the spring and summer months. Harry and Flora’s return is not only a testament to their resilience but also highlights the importance of dedicated habitat preservation initiatives, such as the purpose-built nesting site at Alyth.

Image: Harry and Flora have raised 21 chicks from the purpose built nest in eleven years.

Ewan Jelly, Senior Consents and Environment Manager for SSEN Transmission, commented: "Harry and Flora’s continued presence at the Alyth substation nesting platform is a wonderful reminder of the importance of protecting Scotland’s native wildlife. Year after year, they bring a sense of excitement as they settle in and begin their breeding season, and we are committed to maintaining a safe environment for them to thrive.

“Our live-feed nest camera is currently experiencing technical issues and due to the location of the router – right beneath the nesting tower – we want to limit any disruption to the birds during this sensitive time when Flora may be laying or incubating eggs. We hope to have it back up and running in the coming months, so that we can follow Harry and Flora’s progress this season as before and hopefully welcome even more chicks to the nest this year.”

Since the nesting platform was installed ahead of the 2014 breeding season, the pair have successfully raised 21 osprey chicks to fledge the nest.  

SSEN Transmission remains dedicated to supporting biodiversity net gain across all of their sites, ensuring that protected species, like Harry and Flora, continue to flourish in their natural environment. This means leaving nature in an even better place than when they started, leaving a positive environmental legacy across all their sites. 

As part of the company’s plan to invest at least £22 billion in Scotland’s electricity transmission network between 2026 and 2031, SSEN Transmission is committing at least £100 million to nature restoration. This includes over 5,000 hectares of industry-leading land and marine initiatives, making them the largest single investor in nature restoration in Scotland. Beyond enabling net zero, this investment will support jobs, boost the economy, and enhance biodiversity, demonstrating that infrastructure development and nature restoration can go hand in hand. 

Learn more about SSEN Transmission’s nature restoration strategy here: https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/about-us/sustainability/sustainability-nature/