Rare bird takes shelter after being hit by her own nest in raging Storm Floris

Last updated: 2025/08/05 at 4:27 PM

Hannah Phillips

3 Min Read

An osprey taking shelter after being hit by her own nest in raging Storm Floris. (Jam Press/RSPB Scotland Abernethy Reserve)

A rare bird had to take shelter after she was hit by her own nest in a raging storm.

The poor osprey was nearly knocked out of her tree when a sharp gust of wind caused several twigs to tumble from her carefully constructed home.

A video showed the bird perched on top of a pine tree, which was swaying in the wind.

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A powerful gust dislodged a part of her nest, which then hit her on the head.

Thankfully, she appeared to be uninjured, albeit a little ruffled.

The moment was captured at Loch Garten, Abernethy in the Cairngorms on Monday (4 Aug).

There were no chicks in the nest, as reported by What’s The Jam.

An RSPB spokesperson said: “When your own nest turns against you.

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(Jam Press/RSPB Scotland Abernethy Reserve)

“It’s been an incredibly windy day as Storm Floris swept across Scotland, and the ospreys, being the exposed nesters they are, have been taking the brunt of it.

“Probably unsurprisingly, after getting pelted by her own nest sticks, our female decided to take shelter and spent the afternoon tucked away in a more protected spot.

“Can’t say we blame her.”

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Locals were pleased the bird survived.

Colette Holloway said: “Awwwww bless her.

“Glad she is safe.”

Social media comment on the post of A rare osprey in Scotland had to take shelter after a gust of wind knocked part of her nest onto her head during Storm Floris. Thankfully, the bird was uninjured and found a safer spot. — Social media comment on the post. (Picture: Jam Press)

LA Mac added: “Awww glad she’s ok.”

And Lynne Hull said: “Oh my poor girl, glad she went somewhere safer.”

Loch Garten is a UK stronghold for ospreys.

The RSPB Loch Garten Ospreys team monitors the birds closely.

The osprey became extinct as a breeding bird in England in 1840.

It is generally considered that the species was absent from Scotland from 1916 to 1954, although there is some evidence that it continued to breed in Strathspey in the 1930s and 40s.

The British population has grown from two known breeding pairs in 1967 to 150 pairs in 2000, 250 pairs in 2018, and a most recent estimate as of 2023, nearly 300 pairs.

Storm Floris battered northern parts of Britain on Monday with 80mph winds.

Scotland bore the brunt, and some 43,500 homes were without power on Monday night.

Planes, trains and ferries were cancelled amid warnings of a threat to life.

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