Energy & Climate
1 August 2026
Main image: Adult Ospreys at Campfield Marsh. Photo credit Jeff Teasdale
Three osprey chicks hatched at RSPB Campfield Marsh in June, marking the first time ospreys have successfully bred on an RSPB nature reserve in England since the Victorian period.
The species was persecuted to extinction in the UK in the early 1900s, but is steadily increasing in numbers. The success indicates the vital role RSPB nature reserves play in supporting threatened bird populations by managing suitable habitat through conservation work to aid species recovery.
Ospreys are migratory birds of prey, spending winter in West Africa and returning to the UK from March to breed. They are significant in size, with a striking plumage of brown upperparts and white underparts and angled wings at the ‘wrist’.
As a fish-eating species, ospreys are typically seen over large bodies of water where they actively hunt for food.
Despite going extinct as a breeding species in the UK in the early 20th century, ospreys returned to Scotland in the 1950s and have continued to re-colonise across the UK, with an estimated 316 breeding pairs.
RSPB Campfield Marsh in Cumbria features an osprey platform, which can be viewed from the nearby hide, to attract these birds of prey to nest.
The three chicks hatched between 7 and 14 June and were fitted with leg rings in July. This will allow further sightings after the young birds have fledged to be recorded so their movements can be monitored.
The chicks are expected to fledge in August but will likely remain in the local area while they learn how to fish and fend for themselves. They will start making their way back to Africa from September onwards, and their migration will take approximately four to six weeks.
The adult birds are believed to be first-time parents, with the male (‘Blue 571’) ringed in Dumfries during 2021 and an un-ringed female of unknown age and origin. The birds paired up after arriving at RSPB Campfield Marsh in April before settling on the nesting platform.
The eggs were eventually laid between 30 April and 6 May, with a local primary school helping to name the three chicks once hatched (1W5 unknown sex was named Ash, 1W6, a female, was named Bowness Bobbi and the smallest of the three, a male 1W4, was named Beau).
The weight of an osprey chick is the deciding factor in determining whether they are a female or male bird.
‘We are incredibly excited to be the first RSPB reserve in England to host a pair of breeding ospreys. After last year’s shenanigans we had high hopes that one of the birds we’d seen hanging around last year would drop back in and pick up a mate. We were on tenterhooks after the eggs were laid and throughout the incubation period until they hatched. There was huge collective sigh of relief when they did.’
MHAIRI MACLAUCHLAN
Site manager, RSPB Campfield Marsh
The network of RSPB nature reserves across the UK plays a vital role in providing suitable habitat for many birds and other wildlife.
RSPB Campfield Marsh in Cumbria is located on the southern shores of the Solway Firth, one of the UK’s largest estuaries.
The wetland reserve is formed of a rich patchwork of habitats, including saltmarsh, peatbogs, farmland and wet grassland. Careful conservation efforts to create ditches, drains and high water levels support wintering waders and wildfowl, with the nesting platform specially designed and located for the benefit of osprey.
‘Osprey parents are surprisingly tender despite their large size and sharp talons. They can also offer good comedic value with nest tidying exploits and antics. Ospreys are frequently site and partner faithful, so we’re hoping to see more of them and their offspring in the future. It will be exciting to know when and where the chicks are next seen and find out where they choose to breed in a few years’ time.’
MHAIRI MACLAUCHLAN
Site manager, RSPB Campfield Marsh
While ospreys are still a rare bird in the UK, they can be found at sites across the UK. With their stronghold in Scotland, RSPB Loch of Kinnordy and RSPB Loch Lomond are some of the best places to see osprey.
With the successful breeding at RSPB Campfield Marsh, the reserve is encouraging visitors to plan a visit and enjoy these impressive birds of prey throughout August before they leave for migration.
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