Some of the rarest birds of prey in England are expected to return to Northumberland in the coming days, with wildlife lovers encouraged to keep their eyes on the skies above Kielder Forest.
Ospreys have been soaring over Northumberland since they first returned and recolonised England's largest forest in 2009. In that time, several chicks have hatched with all ringed chicks in 2022 named using the initial F.
Last year, two of the ringed birds were seen on migration in the UK with one spending several weeks in Devon honing her fishing skills, while a third bird was seen on a river in Barcelona. One bird, dubbed Yellow 37, is the longest standing breeder in Kielder Forest whose first chicks were born in 2011.
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One of the oldest breeding males in the UK, he will turn 18 years old this summer and birdwatchers will be hoping to catch a glimpse of him. On the ground, Northumberland Wildlife Trust will be running Osprey Watch from the cabin at Tower Knowe on Kielder Water for the 15th year running on Satrudays, Sundays and Wednesdays.
Katy Barke, nature recovery manager at Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: "This time of year is always one of anticipation and excitement as spring progresses and species return to the UK from all over the world. The osprey must rank as one of the most spectacular migrant birds and we are very fortunate to host so many pairs at Kielder Water & Forest Park, which we love to show to visitors.
"Although the birds will be returning to their nests in the forest, they can also be seen over the whole county as individuals fly further north to Scotland. Keep your eyes peeled and you might just be lucky enough to see them! Keep an eye on the Kielder Ospreys blog and we’d love to hear from you if you spot any!"
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. Osprey Watch will take place every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday from April 8 to August 13 between 11am - 4.30pm, with visitors offered views of the nest via scopes and a close up on nest 7 via a camera in the cabin.
There will also be screens in Kielder Castle by April 3 showing activity on Nests 1A and Nest 6. To find out more, visit www.visitkielder.com.
Have you seen ospreys in the North East? Let us know!
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