Project to reintroduce ospreys hits 300 milestone

Osprey 7R4 was ringed last month and has since left the nest at Rutland Water

A wildlife trust has celebrated a major milestone in a project to reintroduce ospreys to Rutland Water.

A total of 300 ospreys have now been ringed and flown the nest under the Rutland Osprey Project, with 31 ringed this year alone, making 2025 the most successful year since the project launched in 1996.

The initiative was designed to create a self-sustaining breeding population of ospreys at Rutland Water, with chicks from nests in Scotland moved to the area and released, Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust said.

The trust added osprey 7R4 was the 300th osprey to be ringed and leave the nest.

The trust said at about six weeks old, the birds were ringed, which enabled identifying, tracking and monitoring of individuals over their lifetime.

According to the trust, ospreys nest and breed in the UK from March until September, and breeding pairs often return to the same location each year.

In 2001, the first osprey in England for about 150 years was born at Rutland Water and 300 birds have fledged the site in total, the trust said.

Joe Davis, head of reserve management at the trust, said: "Ospreys are a hugely important bird species for us.

"Not only are they enjoyed by millions of people, but they have shown us that with proactive conservation work, we can bring back species from the brink of extinction.

"Everyone involved in their conservation can be extremely proud of this milestone and what we have achieved for this beautiful and enigmatic species."