The ospreys are preparing their nest for the season

The pair of ospreys set up home in Wythop Wood in 2001 and have returned each spring, bringing up five chicks.

A new male moved into the nest briefly last week while the female waited for her partner to return from Africa.

But the old pair have since been fishing and making up and are now getting the nest ready for egg laying.

The nest has been the focus of global attention, with pictures beamed from a camera overlooking it sent around the world over the internet.

Millions of people have followed the birds and visitors who travel to see the ospreys contribute around �2m to the Cumbrian economy each year.

Settling down

The new male bird was born in Scotland and in July 2001 he was in the Midlands as part of a project to translocate ospreys back to England.

At one stage last week, it appeared he had won the heart of the female with his fishing techniques.

But with the return of the original male, the new bird has not been seen and looks to have flown to try his luck elsewhere.

The old couple have re-built their relationship and are settling down to nesting. They have been catching fish, carrying out some spring-cleaning of the nest, bringing in fresh moss, and scraping out a hollow in the centre of the nest ready for egg-laying.