There could be an egg-citing Easter weekend in prospect if the two ospreys nesting at Bassenthwaite Lake are left alone by an intruding bird.
The pair of ospreys have been busy bringing nest material, large sticks and clumps of grass to their chosen platform in the valley, but it hasn’t all been plain sailing for them.
Lake District Osprey Project (LDOP) information officer Barbara Thomson said: “An intruder osprey attempted to land on the nest on Saturday, possibly hoping to drive the pair off or just being nosey! The residents objected very strongly and there was an exciting aerial battle. Happily, the intruder was chased off.”
The warm sunny weather has given the ospreys flying in from their winter migration spots in Africa thousands of miles away the boost they needed to make the last few hundred miles back to their breeding grounds.
Bassenthwaite osprey named No 14 was ‘pinged’ on the satellite tracker near Esthwaite Water in Cumbria at 1pm on Sunday (5th April) after starting his mammoth flight from the island of Bioko, off the west coast of Africa on St Patrick’s Day (17th March).
“A journey of 4000 miles in 20 days. It’s something we can marvel at but even after years of research we don’t really understand,” said Barbara.
The Bassenthwaite ospreys’ have formed their nest cup by moulding it lying on their stomachs and digging backwards with their feet – a bit like terriers.
LDOP project ranger Nathan Fox, who has been keeping an eye on the ospreys on their platform overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake during his daily exercise, said: “Although observations of the birds are limited it is obvious they are fit and healthy and doing all the things they should.
“Will there be an egg-shaped event by Easter? It is entirely possible, but we will have to wait and see,” he added.
Find out more about ‘Ospreys North and South’ by tuning into a BBC Radio Cumbria Special with Simon Yaxley at around 3pm on Easter Monday.
