Five osprey chicks have been tagged at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in Cumbria, delighting birdwatchers and setting a new record for the site. The chicks were given leg rings and tags after hatching at the reserve, where Cumbria Wildlife Trust said the total was higher than any previous season.
Why were there more chicks this year?
The charity said the increase was down to a new breeding pair joining the longstanding pair known as Blue 35 and White TW last year. Cumbria Wildlife Trust reserve officer Paul Waterhouse said the new pair, Blue 717 and her mate Blue 476, had only fledged one chick last year, which was normal among less-experienced ospreys.
"It's wonderful to see this pair return, and with three healthy chicks this year," he said.
"And we're so pleased that our long-standing pair, Blue 35 and White YW, are still breeding successfully."
He added that the trust estimated the long-standing pair to be about 18 years old, with life expectancy for the birds being about 25 years.
"Every year they breed feels like a real bonus now," Waterhouse said.
What is the reserve’s previous record?
Cumbria Wildlife Trust said the area's previous record was three chicks in a season. The latest total of five chicks therefore marks a new high for Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve.
Blue 35 and White YW first came to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in 2013 after it was transformed by a large-scale habitat restoration programme, the charity said.
Is the new nest vulnerable?
The charity warned the second nest, established last year, was "quite close to the boardwalk and is vulnerable to disturbance". It is asking visitors to be mindful of the nest and to use the nearby hide "responsibly".
The birds are ringed and tagged so conservationists can track their movements and understand their life history. They are expected to leave the South Lakeland nature reserve in September and migrate to the Iberian Peninsula or West Africa.
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