DORSET’S only breeding pair of ospreys have seen a new generation take flight.
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 most recent fledgling, called 5RO, enjoyed its first flight yesterday morning (July 14) which the charity Birds of Poole Harbour described as heralding a “significant milestone in this year’s story.”
The parents of fledgling 5RO had previous success, having produced three eggs in 2022 – two of which subsequently hatched. Unfortunately, only one of the birds left on migration as the other was predated by a goshawk soon after fledging.
The newest arrivals hatched in May Picture: Birds of Poole Harbour
The charity says that the birds are building their courage up and that it expects them all to take flight this week.
Birds of Poole Harbour said: “This morning (July 14), our eldest osprey chick ‘5R0’ took flight for the first time.
“It had been building for a couple of days, but with no pre-warning, he just upped and left this morning, and flew to a nearby tree.
“Then, just over an hour later at 11.14am, sibling ‘5H2’ also took to the air, but only made it as far as the perch that is above the main camera.
“Within an hour, all four were back on the nest when a fish was delivered, but now that both have left the nest for a period of time, their courage and desire to spend time on the wing will grow each day, and we’ll start to see less and less of them on the nest.
“This coming week will probably see all four fledge, and the comings and goings to the nest will mainly be to sleep and to get fed.”
You can watch the milestone moment here:
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 watch the nest live on the Birds of Poole Harbour website.
We have watched the nest from the eggs hatching and are so grateful for the coverage . What shall we do when they have all flown?
P.S how does the ring numbering system work ?