A soaring success!

Six White-tailed Eagles have taken their first flight in Scottish skies, marking the end of a successful reintroduction programme. Over the past six years, 85 young birds have been released from a secret location in Fife in a bid to restore the species to its former range across eastern Scotland. Each bird has been fitted with radio and wing tags so that both project staff and members of the public can follow their future progress. The partnership, which consists of RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, with additional financial support from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Fife and Rural Tayside LEADER 2007–2013 Programme, now hope the birds will begin to breed on Scotland's east coast in the coming years.

Immature White-tailed Eagle taking its first flight as a wild bird (RSPB Scotland).

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson said, "We have been pleased to support this project over the last six years. The return of sea eagles to the skies of Scotland's east coast marks an important step in ensuring we now have a viable population of these magnificent birds. As well as fulfilling a role in our ecosystems, the birds are an important feature for our growing nature-based tourism industry."

As well as aiding the reintroduction of the UK's largest birds of prey, the project has also strengthened links between Scotland and Norway, where the sea eagle population is strong. Since 2007, project staff have worked closely with Norwegian colleagues visiting nesting sites and selecting suitable chicks to use for the East Scotland reintroduction.

Once a regular sight in Scotland's skies, the White-tailed Eagle was driven to extinction in the Victorian era. It only returned to the UK following a successful reintroduction on the Isle of Rum, in western Scotland, in 1975. Although the majority of the Scottish population remains on the west side of the country, the species is now regularly spotted in eastern and central Scotland too.

Immature White-tailed Eagle, Fife (RSPB Scotland).

Rhian Evans, RSPB Scotland East Scotland Sea Eagle Project Officer, said: "It's been an honour to care for this all-important final batch of young eagles. These amazing birds have captured the hearts of people across the country. We owe a great deal to the volunteers, farmers, landowners, partners and of course the general public for their support and enthusiasm in helping us reach this important stage of the reintroduction. Over the past six years we've had around 3000 reported sightings of birds involved in the project, including sightings from as far apart as Northumberland and Caithness. It's also pleasing to see that the east- and west-coast populations are mixing, which is a good sign for the future."

Ron Macdonald, Head of Policy and Advice at SNH, added: "Scotland is once again home to a healthy sea eagle population, with many breeding successfully in the west. This project in the east will help them to spread across much of their former range. It will also give more people the chance to see them and allow more communities to benefit from their status as a visitor attraction. This brings the reintroduction programme to a close and it's important to acknowledge the huge amount of work by all those involved, from volunteers to land managers, who along with RSPB and FCS have made this project work. Alv Ottar Folkstead and his fellow fieldworkers in Norway deserve particular recognition for their work in providing the chicks for Scotland."

Charlie Taylor, who heads up the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) team in the area where the eagles chicks acclimatised, said: "It's been great to be involved in this programme and to have helped ensure that these magnificent birds have had the best possible start in Scotland. We look forward to seeing them more frequently in the years to come."

Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: "HLF has been proud to help fund the return of this marvellous bird of prey to our skies so it can once again take its rightful place as part of our natural heritage. As part of the project, many hundreds of people have had the opportunity, through trails, events and CCTV, to learn more about the Sea Eagle and its role in Scotland's biodiversity. I hope it will inspire and empower them to safeguard its existence for future generations.