Osprey chicks hatch at Rutland Water

The nation’s first osprey chick of the year has hatched at Rutland Water in the East Midlands, the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust has announced.

Published: May 19, 2014 at 1:07 pm

The nation’s first osprey chick of the year has hatched at Rutland Water in the East Midlands, the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust has announced.

Although not yet visible to staff – the chick being to small to pop its head over the rim of the nest – a female osprey has been seen feeding the young bird.

This chick has been born at one of the several sites around the reservoir, although not the Manton Bay nest that features on the wildlife trust’s webcam.

That site was hit by sadness in late April as one male osprey kicked the eggs out of that nest as he, a stronger male, attempted to gazump the female’s previous mate.

The Rutland Water nesting site has been used for over a decade, since the birds were introduced to the area in 2001.

Since then, 65 chicks have hatched there and it is expected that this new arrival will be the first of many that the breeding pairs at the location will produce this year. Osprey eggs take usually take between 35 and 40 days to hatch.

Earlier this month one of the 2012 Manton Bay fledglings was spotted in Essex, returning to the country of his birth for the first time, as Ospreys do when they reach two years old.

Elsewhere, a new two storey, £1.4million osprey observatory has been opened at the Cors Dyfi nature reserve near Machynlleth in Powys.

It is hoped that the observatory will offer nature enthusiasts a perfect vantage point from which to watch the site’s breeding pair, Monty and Glesni, as they nurture their chicks this summer. Their eggs have not yet hatched, but are expected to do so in the next month.

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