Poole Harbour ospreys: Breeding pair return to nest site

The only breeding pair of ospreys on England's south coast have returned to their nesting site in Dorset.

Male Osprey 022 arrived in Poole Harbour on Monday exactly 365 days after arriving back last year, following his migration to west Africa.

Female CJ7 was subsequently seen on the nest webcam early on Tuesday.

The birds became the first nesting pair on the south coast of England in 180 years in 2022, after being introduced in 2017.

During 022's first day back he was spotted bringing in a fish and carrying sticks.

The reintroduction programme, led by conservation charity Birds of Poole Harbour, began in 2017 with the aim of establishing a breeding population.

Brittany Maxted, species recovery coordinator for the charity, said it was "both a joy and relief" to see them back after "what is always an anxious waiting period in the lead up to the Osprey season".

She added: "It is fantastic that they are now coming back as a breeding species on the south coast of England, thanks to the translocation project."

In 2022, the pair raised two chicks - becoming the first known ospreys to breed in southern England since 1847.

"This [founding pair]... will be absolutely vital to the growth of our local population in the coming years, and thus the overall restoration of the osprey to its historical range here in southern England in the longer term," Ms Maxted said.

She added ospreys were "amazing and enigmatic birds" that people "adore" and the excitement around the pair's return was "contagious".

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