Poole Harbour Ospreys return

The celebrated pair of south coast Ospreys are back at their Poole Harbour nest for another breeding season.

Last year, male '022' and female 'CJ7' became the first Ospreys to nest successfully on the south coast of England for 180 years, raising two chicks. This was the result of a reintroduction project started 2017 by the conservation charity Birds of Poole Harbour.

The pair appeared together for the first time this year on 26 March (Birds of Poole Harbour).

Returning Ospreys

This year, the male appeared on 25 March, the same date he returned in 2023, with CJ7 seen alongside her mate on the charity's nest webcam early the next morning.

Brittany Maxted, from Birds of Poole Harbour, said the birds' return was "both a joy and relief" after an "anxious waiting period".

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. The pair will be absolutely vital to the growth of our local population in the coming years, and thus the overall restoration of Osprey to its historical range here in southern England in the longer term."