Osprey chick rescued at Rutland Water

The chick became trapped in the twigs on the outskirts of the nest

Female bird May and the chick trapped in twigs on the outskirts of the nest
Author: Victoria HornagoldPublished 16th May 2024
Last updated 16th May 2024

An Osprey chick has been rescued at Rutland Water, after becoming trapped in the twigs on the outskirts of the nest.

Male bird, referred to as 33, bought a large fish to the nest, but it was not fully dead and started flipping.

It hit the chick, which then became trapped in the outer twigs of the nest.

Staff say they watched for twenty minutes before deciding to intervene.

Specialists then went out on a boat to the Manton Bay nest, carefully moving the chick back to the centre of the nest.

Staff say it happened with as little interference as possible.

The Rutland Osprey Project is run by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust at Rutland Water.

It has been running since 1996, aimed at re-introducing the bird population across the UK.

Osprey chicks were moved from nests in Scotland and released at Rutland Water, which is now being largely celebrated as a huge success.

All the Ospreys are referred to by their ring number, which the Trust says it to avoid anthropomorphism, but an exception has been made for the breeding female at the Manton Bay nest, Maya.

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