Moment Kielder's 100th osprey chick takes to the skies captured on video

A programme to encourage endangered birds of prey to breed in Northumberland after almost two centuries away has seen its 100th chick take to the air.

The Kielder Osprey Project saw the first birds return to nest in Kielder Forest in 2009 when a single nest produced three chicks and since then they have come back to nest every year. And now a huge milestone has been reached, with the 100th chick taking to the air.

On Wednesday morning, a chick named Fourlaws was captured on camera taking her first flight before returning 35 minutes later, watched by her sister. Experts had been anticipating reaching the historic fledging century mark for weeks after seeing Fourlaws beating her wings and leaping into the air, indicating that she was preparing for her first foray away from the nest.

Read more: Osprey eggs laid at Kielder for thirteenth consecutive year

Since Fourlaws' flight on Wednesday, four more ,chicks have fledged as of 4pm on Friday afternoon, leaving just two left who are yet to take their first flight.

Once seen throughout the UK, ospreys were heavily persecuted by Victorian skin and egg collectors and died out in England in 1847 and Scotland in 1916. Their re-introduction and recent success has delighted conservationists as Kielder has become a key location for nature recovery, acting as a bridgehead for ospreys to continue re-colonising England.

Tom Dearnley, ecologist with Forestry England, said: "To have 100 chicks successfully fledge in just 13 years and by a bird that had been absent for so long is amazing. This is the restoration of a population, a reservoir of animals which can spread outwards creating a huge boost to biodiversity.

Fourlaws the osprey chick taking her first flight, which was followed by a successful landing 35 minutes later. Fourlaws is the 100th osprey chick to successfully take to the air in Kielder Water and Forest Park since they were returned to the park in 2009. (Forestry England/PA Wire)

"It's full repayment for the effort invested in building nesting platforms in the years before their arrival and the work of the whole team involved in ospreys at Kielder.

He added: "The significance of this size of population is that locally born birds are now being seen at other locations across the UK, as well as returning to Northumberland to raise their own families. It just shows what can be done with well-managed habitats, foresight and collaborative working."

The Kielder Osprey Project is a partnership between Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, Forestry England, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumbrian Water and Calvert Trust Kielder. The partners are considering erecting more platforms over the winter which could be used by the birds on their return next year.

Katy Barke, West Northumberland Manager with Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: "It's fantastic to see osprey numbers soaring. We now have a strong and sustainable population."

Graham Perry, Director of Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust added: "With so many ospreys on the wing now this is the best time to spot them above Kielder Water. We are so proud of what’s been achieved in Kielder and the fact that we’ve been to share this wonderful story with the public in a truly sustainable way."

The next stage for the ospreys is learning to hunt for themselves. Young ospreys must build up body fat as they will embark on a 5,000-mile migration as far as sub-Saharan Africa within weeks and are expected to make their first return trip to the UK in two years' time.

Fourlaws the osprey chick landing after taking her first flight. Fourlaws is the 100th osprey chick to successfully take to the air in Kielder Water and Forest Park since they were returned to the park in 2009. (Forestry England/PA Wire)

For those who want to get a closer look at the fish-eating eagles, each weekend, and every Wednesday until Saturday August 14, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and a team of volunteers are running Osprey Watch from the Tower Knowe cabin at Kielder Water and Forest Park. Following a two year break due to the pandemic, visitors are being offered views of the activity on the nest via telescopes, and a close up of nest 7 via the nest cam on screens in the cabin.

Have you seen the ospreys at Kielder? Let us know!

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