When I was given the chance to become a volunteer information assistant on the Lake District Osprey Project in Dodd Wood, Bassenthwaite, I jurnped at it. I have long had an interest in bird watching and I like the outdoor life.
Ospreys had been extinct as a breeding species in England for 150 years but in the late 1990's migratory birds were spotted travelling through the Bassenthwaite valley en- route to Scotland. A partnership was set up between the Forestry Commission, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Lake District National Park Authority in order to work towards encouraging the birds to nest once again in England. With this in mind nest platforms were built in Wythop Woods and around the lake. In 2001 a pair settled on the nest in Wythop Woods and successfully reared one chick. The same pair returned from West Africa each year and from 2001 to 2006 reared seven chicks. In 2007 storms in Southern Spain hampered the migration and the female failed to return. However, the male managed to attract the attention of another female and they reared another three chicks.
The osprey is one of the world's most spectacular and popular raptors. A fish-eating bird of prey, it has a wingspan of up to 1.7m (5½ft ). Consequently it needs a very large nest and the platforms are the size of a double bed.
Dodd Wood is an open-air site, ten minutes uphill walk from the Dodd Wood car park. It is open all daylight hours and LDOP staff man it from 10.00am to 17.00pm every day between mid-April until August 31 st. Long range telescopes are trained on the nest for the use of visitors.
Both birds arrived back almost together (which is unusual) on 10th April, this year and we thought they had settled down for the summer. But on the 23rd April we had another surprise when the birds switched from the nest on the west side of Bassenthwaite Lake to the east side. This obviously caused problems as the cameras were set up above the old nest and this meant that no pictures could be relayed to Whinlatter Visitor Centre. It also created a problem in Dodd Wood as the nest was now behind us and we would have to wait for the birds to come to the lake in order to get a sighting of them.
A second open-air site was quickly set up a further half-mile in Dodd Wood and plans are in hand to position cameras above the new nest site as soon as practicable when live video footage can be relayed across .to Whinlatter Visitor Centre. The centre is also manned by LDOP volunteers who give visitors a commentary on the birds.
On Saturday, 12th April, the Osprey Bus came into service and will run each Saturday and Sunday until 20th. July, and then daily until 31st. August. An all-day Osprey Rider ticket costs £4 for an adult, £3 for a child and Senior Citizens can use their free bus pass.
I look forward each year to April and the return of these beautiful birds. Though it is an all-weather job, wet weather is more than made up for by the fact that I get to meet people from all over the world. Thousands of people have come to see the ospreys bringing millions of pounds into the Cumbrian economy. If you haven't been to see them yet do come, you will be made more than welcome, and if you are very lucky you may get to see an osprey fishing - a truly spectacular sight.
Useful web sites: www.ospreywatch.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria