First osprey eggs of the season laid at Rutland Water

The first osprey egg of the season have been laid at Rutland Water.

Prolific breeder Maya, who has been coming to the reservoir since 2010, laid the egg on Saturday afternoon just before 2pm.

The birds are usually named by ring number, but the Leicestershire and Wildlife Trust say they made an exception for Maya at the Manton Bay nest.

Maya has been breeding with her partner, 33, since 2015.

The Trust described it as 'egg-citing news', caught on the webcam or 'nest cam' set up at the reservoir.

It's part of the breeding project at Rutland Water to re-integrated ospreys into England.

The birds used to be common amongst the UK, but habitat loss and persecution during the 18th and 19th century lead to their extinction in England in 1847.

A fragmented population remained in Scotland, with the last breeding recorded in 1916.

The project began at Rutland Water in 1996 when chicks were moved from nests in Scotland.

Now, over 200 young Ospreys having fledged from the reserve in Rutland, with the conservation hailed as a huge success.

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