Osprey pair reunited after 'nail-biting wait'
Cumbria Wildlife TrustA breeding pair of ospreys have returned to their nesting site at a nature reserve, with the female seeing off a younger interloper who had tried to make the spot her home.
Cumbria Wildlife Trust said the male bird returned to Foulshaw Moss, near Witherslack, on 28 March with no sign of his partner until earlier this week, leaving staff and nature lovers watching an online stream "on tenterhooks".
The male, known as White YW, and his partner, Blue 35, have nested at the wetland reserve since 2013 and bred every year since 2014.
Assistant reserves officer Keziah Taylor said it had been a "nail-biting time" as the wait went on to see whether the 18-year-olds would come back.
Ospreys can live to be about 25 years old, but each long migration - likely to sunnier climes in West Africa and back - is "treacherous", according to the trust.
The younger female, Blue 717, now appears to be settling at another of the area's nests, possibly with a five-year-old male called Blue 474.
'Massive relief'
"It's always a nail-biting time for us until they get here and we're obviously delighted that our long-standing breeding pair are once again reunited on the nest," Taylor added.
"There was a massive sense of relief when Blue 35 arrived. She was bedraggled with her feathers looking messy.
"We've also been intrigued to watch other younger ospreys on the second nest and look forward to seeing how this season will unfold."
The birds would again likely remain at the 900-acre (364-hectare) site until August or September with any eggs due in the next month or so, Taylor explained.
Live online feeds are available for both nests.
