OSPREY chicks from the only breeding pair of ospreys in the south of England have now all left their nest after the last chick took flight Monday afternoon (July 22).

The ospreys were reintroduced to Poole Harbour in 2017 with the aim to restore a breeding population of the birds of prey to the south coast.

The eldest chick (5R0) took off last July 14 at 9:08am followed by 5R2 a couple of hours later, 5R1 on July 18  and finally 5H6 on July 22 at 15:28.

Conservation charity Birds of Poole Harbour say it has been an amazing success, with all chicks looking in great condition and now learning to explore the skies.

A spokesperson said: “They’re still coming back to the nest for fish from the parents and will continue to do so for the next few weeks before starting to think about making their migration in August/September.”

The birds will soon start to explore the wider area within the harbour.

Watch the moment the last chick took flight here:

If you haven’t been able to see the Ospreys at their nest site your final opportunity this season will be on July 24 and August 1 when Birds of Poole Harbour will be running free Osprey pop-up watches at Careys Secret Garden between 11am-3pm, with tours starting on the hour, every hour.

It is hoped that people will be able to see the chicks coming back to the nest to be fed by their parents and taking their first few flights.

According to the Woodland Trust, osprey numbers have dwindled over the years with persecution from gamekeepers and egg collectors pushing them to extinction in the early 1900s.

A combination of legal protection, natural recolonisation, reintroduction projects and the banning of organochlorine pesticides have allowed ospreys to make a comeback.

Birds of Poole Harbour are partnered with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation to deliver the Poole Harbour Osprey Translocation Project, aiming to restore a breeding population of these charismatic birds of prey to the South Coast.

The project, which started in 2017, involves the translocation of 60 juvenile ospreys from Scottish nests into the Poole Harbour area.

This process aims to create a bond between the young ospreys and their new local area, before they leave on their first treacherous migration, usually to West Africa.

This bond draws the ospreys back to Poole Harbour on their return to the UK, after at least two years maturing in their wintering grounds, when they will identifying suitable nesting sites.

You can keep an eye on the nest by watching the live feed at https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/osprey/osprey-webcams/