EJ sitting on the nest at the Loch Garten reserve

The twists and turns in the feathered soap opera involving three adult birds of prey at Loch Garten in the Highlands has captivated the public and RSPB.

Osprey Henry arrived from wintering in West Africa to find his long-time mate EJ had laid eggs with rival male VS.

Henry kicked the eggs from the nest, before fathering a fresh clutch which EJ has been incubating.

The first of the three eggs hatched early on Thursday morning, with the other two chicks expected to hatch over the next few days.

'Wonderful story'

Loch Garten osprey centre manager, Richard Thaxton, told BBC Scotland's news website that all three chicks would have a good chance of surviving provided there was plenty of food available.

He added: "This is fantastic news. We're just delighted that it looks like being a happy end to the season, and that visitors will actually be able to see osprey chicks here at the centre.

"EJ laid four eggs near the end of April, but Henry, her regular mate, got rid of those when he arrived back from West Africa.

"Thankfully, Henry's really good at catching fish and both birds are in their prime, so she did re-lay in mid May.

"What's happened this year is really unusual, so we're privileged to have played host to such a wonderful story."