Ospreys breeding in Rutland

BREEDING AT RUTLAND WATER

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	Total
Site B	1	0	3	2	3	3	3	3	2	20
Other Nests			2				2	0	2	6
Chicks Fledged	1	0	5	2	3	3	5	3	4	26
Nest Sites	1	0	2	1	1	1	2	2	2

Ospreys first bred in Rutland in 2001 when one healthy chick was raised. The male bird, 03(97), had built a nest in the top of a dying oak tree, away from the reservoir on private land, known as Site B. The same male has returned and bred there every year, attracting three different females over nine years. Two chicks successfuly fledged from the nest in 2009.

In 2004 a second pair, 03(98) and 06(01) raised two chicks at a second site. Unusallly the female was only two years old, she had spent her first winter in Portugal rather than Africa and had returned to Rutland when only a year old. Unfortunately the female failed to return the next year. The male did not managed to attract another female and he too failed to return in 2005.

5N(04) at the 2007 Manton Bay nest

2007 saw the next major milestone of the Project when female 5N(04), a bird who had been born in Rutland at the Site B nest raised two chicks. This nest was also important as it was the first time ospreys had bred at a public site in Rutland. 08(97) and 5N(04) have continued to return although in 2008 the nest failed and no chicks were hatched. In 2009 the pair moved to a new, private site and have again raised two chicks.

For full details of all the breeding nests see the Yearly Nest Diaries below.

BREEDING AWAY FROM RUTLAND WATER

Some of the birds translocated to Rutland Water have returned to other areas and bred successfully. Female 01(99) bred at Piperdam near Dundee in 2003 and 2004 raising a total of 5 chicks.

The translocated male 07(97) bred in Wales in 2004 with a female from the Black Isle in Scotland at a site monitored by the Welsh Wildlife Trusts, raising the first osprey chicks to fledge from a nest in Wales. Unfortunately he did not return to breed the next year.

One of 07(97)'s chicks at the Welsh nest. Picture taken by Steve Phillips

Also in 2004, translocated male 11(98) built a nest at the RSPB site at Glaslyn in North Wales that year the nest collapsed and no chicks were raised, but 11(98) has returned to breed every year since and has raised 12 chicks.

More details of the Welsh breeding sites are in the 2004 Nest Diary below.

YEARLY NEST DIARIES

2001:

03(97) and unringed female- the first Osprey nest in central England.

2002:

03(97) and unringed female- A failed breeding attempt. The same pair but no young this year.

2003:

03(97) and 05(00)- A new female at the same nest. Female 05(00) takes over, very successfully.

03(98) and 06(01)- A second breeding nest produces two young.

2004:

03(97) and 05(00)- One nest again in Rutland.

07(97) and Scottish female, 11(98) and unringed female- Two ex-Rutland males breed in Wales.

2005:

03(97) and 05(00)- The same pair breed again in Rutland.

2006:

03(97) and 05(00)- Another three chicks for 03(97) and 05(00).

2007:

03(97) and 05(00)- The story at site B.

08(97) and 5N(04)- Successful breeding in Manton Bay

2008:

03(97) and 05(00)-Another successful year at Site B.

08(97) and 5N(04)- Return to Manton Bay, but fail to raise any chicks.

2009:

03(97) and unringed female- Two more chicks fledge at Site B

08(97) and 5N(04)- Two chicks at Site N