A Birds of Poole Harbour Osprey Cruise full of members of the public out on the water in Poole Harbour with an Osprey hovering in the sky in the foreground.
6/6 #BOUsci24 #SESH6
Here Ospreys (and White-tailed Eagles) have had huge socioeconomic impacts, bringing income to local businesses, becoming engrained in local culture and providing mental health benefits to those watching the live webcams. Credit: @alisoncopland.bsky.social
A photograph of four Osprey chicks in a nest, ranging from a few days to two weeks old, with both parents each feeding fish to two chicks whilst a third spare fish lies in the centre of the nest.
5/6 #BOUsci24 #SESH6
CJ7 eventually paired up with translocated male 022 and in 2022 they became the first breeding ospreys in Southern England since 1847. In just three years of breeding they have reared 9 chicks, demonstrating the high availability of food in the local landscape.
A photograph of two-year-old female Osprey CJ7 attempting to land on a wooden perch on a saltmarsh alongside several juvenile Ospreys a few days after their release in 2017.
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One crucial individual to the emerging population has been a female from Rutland Water called CJ7, who was attracted to settle in the area merely by the presence of released young, long before any potential adult mates were resident in the area. Credit: @winspit1881.bsky.social
A map of England and Wales showing the long-range dispersal of translocated and wild female Osprey from Poole Harbour to Wales and Rutland, short-range dispersal of males and immigration of two females from Rutland.
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Seven individuals (and one wild fledged young) have so far returned to the UK, demonstrating the expected pattern of emigration by females bolstering neighbouring populations, and strong philopatry amongst males building the emerging local population.
A group of young Opsreys (large brown and white birds of prey) feeding on provided trout on the mesh roofs of two sets of translocation release pens.
2/6 #BOUsci24 #SESH6
Translocations have been implemented in many places to speed up range recovery, including in Poole Harbour, UK between 2017-2021 when a total of 38 juveniles sourced from the healthy Scottish population were released by @harbourbirds.bsky.social & Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.
A map showing Europe with orange covering North-eastern regions and a few small areas elsewhere, indicating the much reduced range of Ospreys due to persecution.
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The Osprey suffered extensive historical declines throughout Western Europe due to human persecution, and has been slow to recolonise following greater protections due to high rates of natal philopatry and conspecific attraction.
