News

We are delighted to announce that a new osprey web camera is now live on the Isle of Bute, offering a unique opportunity to observe these remarkable birds in their natural environment.

This project, led by the Hawk and Owl Trust in partnership with the Isle of Bute Bird Group, provides a rare insight into one of Scotland’s most inspiring wildlife recovery stories, while ensuring the birds remain undisturbed.

The Isle of Bute holds a special place in Scotland’s osprey story. Since the island’s first breeding pair was recorded in 2010, ospreys have returned each year, successfully raising more than 20 chicks.

Bute is the only Scottish island known to host breeding ospreys, making this project significant for conservation, research and engagement.

Although two cameras were originally planned, stormy weather conditions in January and February meant that only one could be installed this year. Once the ospreys returned to the nest in March, work had to stop, as the species is legally protected from disturbance.

The Hawk and Owl Trust hopes to install a second camera in the autumn after the birds have migrated back to southern Europe and West Africa. This camera will be mounted on a mast, looking into the nest. 

Installing the camera is quite the undertaking! The mast weighs approximately 100kg and must be carefully positioned and raised to a height of around 15 metres. The system is powered entirely by solar energy, allowing it to operate sustainably in a remote location. It connects to the internet via the mobile phone data network.

This project was developed by the Isle of Bute Bird Group, in collaboration with the Hawk and Owl Trust and Katie Warden, Head of Rural Operations for Mount Stuart Trust and made possible through access to land by kind agreement with the farming tenant, William Robertson.

Watch the live stream here.

Find out more with the Bute Bird Group and the Hawk and Owl Trust. 

Photograph: Ospreys at the nest site May 2025 © Billy Shields, Bute Bird Group