Fishing Ospreys can be seen all around Rutland Water and the surrounding area, however for guaranteed Ospreys visit us at the Lyndon Reserve, where 5R(04) and his mate have three growing chicks. You can get great views of the nest from Waderscrape and Shallow Water hides. Live images from the nest are also shown on a big screen in the Lyndon Centre. At the Lyndon Centre you can also watch live images from the Lagoon 4 nest at Egleton, where a lone male bird can sometimes be seen.

For more details of the Lyndon Reserve see below.

RUTLAND WATER NATURE RESERVE

Rutland Water is situated between Oakham and Stamford, easily accessible from the A1. For the best views of the Ospreys and to view pictures from the live Osprey camera and video footage of our other nest sites, visit the Lyndon Nature Reserve on the South Shore between Edith Weston and Manton.

For an interactive map of Rutland Water, showing visitor centres and the best osprey viewing sites please click here. The map opens in a new window.

THE LYNDON RESERVE

The Lyndon Visitor Centre is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In summer the Nature Reserve remains open until 8pm. You need a permit to go out onto the reserve. These cost £5.00 for adults, £3.75 for senior citizens, £2.50 for children under 16/student union card holders/disabled people and carers. Dogs on leads are welcome.

The Lyndon Visitor Centre The centre lies down a narrow track leading from the minor road between Manton and Edith Weston on the south shore of the reservoir - look for the large Osprey sign. The view from the Visitor Centre is spectacular. Orchids bloom right outside and Tree Sparrows frequent the feeder in front of the windows. The centre features our live Osprey camera as well as fantastic new displays looking at the relationship between weather and wildlife, with specific sections on weather, climate change and phenology. There is also lots of information on the Osprey project and the reserve in general and Osprey staff will be on hand to give you information about the Ospreys and to direct you down to Shallow Water hide.

Waderscrape and Shallow Water Hides

Waderscrape hide is a fifteen minute walk from the Lyndon Centre and has great views of the osprey nest. It also looks out over a small reedbed where a pair of breeding Water Rail will bring their chicks almost within touching distance of the hide. In addition, it has superb views of smaller reedbed birds such as Reed Buntings and Reed and Sedge Warblers. From March to September the hide is manned by our team of Osprey volunteers. They will make sure you get the best possible views of the Ospreys through our project telescopes, and will answer any questions you may have.

Shallow Water hide, a little further west, looks out across the shallowest part of Manton Bay to the Osprey nest. It is a twenty minute walk from the centre along the nature trail. In spring, Great Crested Grebes can be seen doing their elegant synchronised mating dance while Buzzard and Red Kite fly over the woods beyond the nest. Wildfowl swim in the bay in spring, and when the water levels fall in late summer, the area is taken over by wading birds feeding on the exposed mud. Both hides have full disabled access and a motorised buggy is available for hire.

The nature trail runs between the shore of the reservoir and the reserve's traditionally managed hay meadows. There are three other hides accessible from the nature trail giving views of the reservoir and the chance to see a range of other birds such as kingfisher, water rail and a wide variety of wildfowl and waders. The hay meadows are full of wild flowers and in the summer they are teeming with butterflies, damselflies and day-flying moths.

Whole site ©2010 Rutland Osprey Project
The project is a partnership between the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and Anglian Water, with additional funding support from the Peter De Haan Charitable Trust