Osprey chicks make maiden flight

The ospreys have delighted visitors to the Lake District

Two of three newly-hatched osprey chicks at a Lake District nest site have successfully taken their first flights, experts have confirmed.

A male has nested at Bassenthwaite Lake since 2001, and paired up with the current female there two years ago.

The two eldest chicks, which are both females and were born in June, made their maiden flights on Monday.

Nesting ospreys are rare in the UK. Before 2001, there had been no ospreys in the Lakes in 150 years.

The birds of prey have become a star tourist attraction in Cumbria and so far this year around 50,000 people from around the world have visited the viewpoints run by The Lake District Osprey Project (LDOP).

'Unforgettable sight'

Spokesman Graeme Prest said: "We are delighted that the first two ospreys chicks have made their first flight.

"With impeccable timing, the ospreys took flight just as the summer holidays started, and to watch the osprey family flying over Bassenthwaite Lake will be an unforgettable sight for visitors to the Lakes."

Visitors can see the ospreys from public viewpoints at Dodd Wood near Keswick and at the Forestry Commission's Whinlatter Visitor Centre.

It is estimated that visitors heading to see the rare birds boost the local economy by up to £2m every year.

The LDOP is a partnership between The Forestry Commission, the RSPB and the Lake District National Park Authority.