THE "toyboy" mate of Europe's oldest breeding osprey has returned to the birds' lovenest - prompting a flurry of excitement among ornithologists that his famous partner may not be far away.

Lady the Osprey, Scotland's most famous fish-eating bird of prey, is due to return from Africa in the next few days for a landmark 25th year.

It is hoped she will again mate with "Laddie", her fourth male since she began breeding at the Loch of the Lowes nature reserve near Dunkeld, and fledge what will be her 51st chick.

Rangers at the reserve, run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said "Laddie" was seen in the area on Saturday and returned to the nest as dawn broke yesterday.

Ranger Charlotte Fleming said: "We are all waiting with bated breath now to see if Lady returns.

"Last year she was four days behind him, so there is plenty of time. If she does re-appear it'll be her 25th year, so it is very exciting times here.

"Time and again, despite the odds, she has surprised us, so we remain hopeful she will be back again."

Lady, thought to be 29, has laid 71 eggs over her last 24 seasons at the Loch of the Lowes.

Last year when showed up several days later than Laddie after her long migration from the ospreys' wintering ground in West Africa, south of the Sahara desert, Laddie had already begun mating with a new female.

Lady, described by experts as "an extremely hardy old bird", saw off the interloper and settled down again with Laddie. Sadly, none of her eggs hatched last year, prompting speculation that old age might be catching up on her.