Last chance to see Lake ospreys

The ospreys will head south at the end of August

A public viewpoint which has tracked the progress of the Lake District ospreys is closing as the birds prepare to head south for winter.

More than 80,000 people have visited Bassenthwaite since April to see the ospreys and their chick.

The female is already thought to have started the 3,000 mile to Africa.

Her mate and their chick will probably stay in the region until the end of the month, but the public viewpoint will close at the end of the Bank Holiday.

Long journey

Telescopes have been trained on the nest from the Dodd Wood Viewpoint, with pictures beamed from a 'spy on the nest' camera.

The pair of ospreys first nested at Bassenthwaite Lake in 2001 as the result of a natural recolonisation of England and they were the first recorded pair to breed in Lakeland for at least 150 years.

So far, they have successfully raised five chicks - one in 2001, two in 2002, one in 2003 and one this year.

Nathan Fox of the Lake District Osprey Project said: "This has been a fantastic year for the ospreys in the Lake District and we are thrilled that another chick has successfully flown from the Bassenthwaite nest.

"It will be sad when the ospreys leave the Lakes and head off on the long journey to Africa but all being well they will be back next spring."

It is hoped that the parent birds will return to Cumbria next year and that the chick may return in two to three years' time.