Harbour ospreys hatch fourth chick of the year

The fourth and final chick emerged from its egg in the early hours of Wednesday morning
- Published
The only pair of breeding ospreys in southern England have hatched their fourth and final chick of 2025.
The ospreys, female CJ7 and male 022, laid a clutch of four eggs in their nest near Poole Harbour in Dorset for the second year in a row in April.
The chick emerged from its egg in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with the previous three having hatched last week.
Birds of Poole Harbour, a charity leading the area's osprey breeding project, said: "It is exciting news, the fourth and final Osprey chick has hatched on the Carey nest."
The charity added: "It's fantastic to see the whole family doing well, and CJ7 and 022 carefully distributing the fish to ensure every chick is well-fed."
Ospreys typically lay three eggs, so the charity has previously said it would be "unprecedented" if all four hatch for the second year in a row.
A webcam set up by the charity, external, monitors the nest in a walled garden near Wareham.
Ahead of settling down again together the pair of ospreys were embroiled in a love triangle when another female also arrived at the nest.
The unwelcome visitor, who normally calls Rutland home in the spring and summer months, left after a few days.
The birds, part of a reintroduction scheme, became the first nesting pair on the south coast in 180 years in 2022 and are protected under UK law.
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