The 100th chick of a program to reintroduce endangered ospreys in a remote part of England has been released.
Fourlaws, a chick named Fourlaws, flew over Kielder Forest in Northumberland to achieve this milestone.
Fourlaws flew first on Wednesday morning while being watched by her timid sister. She returned 35 minutes later.
She had been beating her wings for days and leaping in the air for days, which indicated that she was preparing for her first venture out of the nest.
She is the 100th Kielder-osprey chicken to fly since 2009. The birds of prey have been introduced in 2009 and were the first time they had been born in Northumberland in over 200 years.
Ospreys were once seen all over the UK. However, they were soon persecuted and became extinct as a breeding bird in England and Scotland in 1847.
Conservationists are delighted by their recent success. Kielder has been a key location in nature recovery and acts as a bridgehead to allow ospreys continue recolonising England.
Tom Dearnley, an ecologist at Forestry England, stated: “To have 100 chicks successfully fledge in just 13 years and by a bird that had been absent for so long is amazing.
“This is the restoration of a population, a reservoir of animals which can spread outwards creating a huge boost to biodiversity.
Forestry Commission ecologist Tom Dearnley holding one of pair of osprey chicks (PA)PA Archive/PA Images – Hugh Macknight
“It’s full repayment for the effort invested in building nesting platforms in the years before their arrival and the work of the whole team involved in ospreys at Kielder.
He added: “The significance of this size of population is that locally born birds are now being seen at other locations across the UK, as well as returning to Northumberland to raise their own families. It just shows what can be done with well-managed habitats, foresight and collaborative working.”
Next, you will learn to hunt on your own.
As they are about to embark on a dangerous 5,000-mile journey, the young ospreys will need to build up their body fat.
In two years’ time, the youngsters should make their first return trip to the UK.