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lake-district-osprey
Bassenthwaite Lake
bird pictures
pictures of birds
bird identification
2007 was the sixth year that a pair of osprey have bred in the Lake District, laying three eggs.
In 2006 three chicks fledged. In 2003 one chick survived to fledge. Adults return from Africa in early April.
For example in 2002 the male arrived on the 3rd April with the female arriving on the 18th April, to utililise the same purpose
built nest platform as they had the year before. Ospreys had been seen in the Lake District for several years previous and the National Park Authority and Forestry Commission had joined forces
to build several such platforms in what turned out to be an successful attempt to get one such pair to breed.
The first egg was laid in early May and two chicks hatched between the 17th and 19th June, both of which fledged.
Ospreys pair for life.
Birdwatching Lake District.
Good views of the nest can be had from the viewpoint in Hood Wood off the A591, parking is
available in Mire House Tea Room Car Park. It is then a longish walk, up a gravely track to
the viewpoint where binoculars provide good views of the nest. You may be lucky and see the male osprey, resting on
his favourite perch on the lakeside between fishing trips for his fast growing offspring and their devoted mother,
or if you are even luckier actually see him bringing home a fish.
Within the Whinlatter Forest Visitors Centre, live pictures beamed back from cameras keeping constant watch on the nest are viewable on video screens and provide fascinating viewing for the up to 500 people a day visiting the Video Room. During our visit in late June 2002 the chicks could clearly be seen despite only being a few days old. Please do not go looking for the nest and leave the birds in peace. Both the Viewpoint and Visitors Centre are clearly signed and a few miles north from Keswick in the North Lakes.
Other locations in Britain where Ospreys have breed succesfully include Loch Garten in Osprey Scotland, Rutland Water in England and Glaslyn in Wales.
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