Fiona Kennedy and Ruairidh McDonald celebrate the Day of the Osprey at House of Lords
Fiona Kennedy will today (Tuesday) celebrate the Day of the Osprey, at the prestigious River Room at The House of Lords. Fiona and outstanding new young talent, Ruairidh McDonald (aged 13), will perform a song inspired by the record-breaking osprey at the Loch of the Lowes, Perthshire, to a range of invited guests including Lords, MPs, members of the creative industry and media executives.
The song, Fly Lady, Fly, is a vibrant and upbeat mix of pure pop and tribal Celtic chants. Fiona was inspired to write the song after visiting the record breaking resident breeding osprey at the Loch of the Lowes in Dunkeld, Perthshire and hearing about its incredible journey every year. The osprey, known affectionately by many as ‘Lady’, is believed at the age of 27, to be the oldest breeding osprey in the UK and every winter makes the 3,000 mile migration to West Africa and back.
Fiona said: “I think it’s brilliant that this great old bird ‘Lady’ has defied all the odds and is still going strong. It’s an amazing story – she returned at the end of March and found a new toy boy called Laddie and is still producing chicks! We want to celebrate this and all ospreys, as well as our great natural landscape which is vital for their wellbeing. It’s also important to salute all the volunteers who help to provide the safe habitat for so many birds and animals.”
Ruairidh McDonald, added: “I’m so excited to be celebrating The Day of the Osprey with Fiona and performing Fly Lady, Fly at The House of Lords. I love the song and I’ve been to visit Lady and her chick near Dunkeld and I’m hooked on their webcam. These birds are incredible, flying 3000 miles all the way to West Africa Africa and 3000 miles back. It’s brilliant and it’s great to sing a song about this real live bird.”
Representatives from the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust were also in attendance at the House of Lords to help celebrate the Day of the Osprey.
Simon Milne MBE, Chief Executive for Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “SWT is delighted the Scottish Ospreys and their amazing story are being celebrated in this way. They deserve it. Not only can everyone enjoy the music of Fiona and Ruairidh but also contribute to the vital work of the Scottish Wildlife Trust as it strives to protect Scotland’s wildlife and wild areas for current and future generations.”
Tim Mackrill, from the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust said, “We’re thrilled to be involved in the day and are very grateful to Fiona for supporting the Rutland Osprey Project. Our work at Rutland Water has shown how the amazing migratory journeys of the Ospreys link people and countries all over the world. The Osprey’s story is truly inspiring and one that has been brought to life by Fiona and Ruairidh.”
