The Poole Harbour Osprey Translocation Project aims to restore a breeding population of the charismatic bird of prey to the South Coast, led by Birds of Poole Harbour, the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Wildlife Windows. Ospreys were present throughout the UK over 200 years ago, until they were driven to local extinction through persecution and egg collecting. Fortunately, they naturally recolonised Scotland in the mid-1900s, but help has been needed to bring them back to England and Wales. Following the success of a reintroduction project in Rutland in 1996, which has since led to the colonisation of Wales, the Ospreys are having a helping hand in spreading their population once again through this reintroduction project in Poole Harbour.

We are now in the fourth year of the 5-year project, which started in 2017. During this time, we have permission to collect up to 60 chicks from Scottish nests, provided by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation. The chicks are then raised and released near Poole Harbour, and will leave for wintering migration within 3 months. They typically winter in West Africa and will return to the UK in a few years time, once they are mature and ready to breed themselves. We are hopeful that in the next few years we will have the first breeding pair of Ospreys in nearly two centuries, and we want to be able to reach and engage with as many people as possible about this exciting achievement. We have been able to buy and install a livestream nest camera thanks to your support, which can be found here: https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/osprey/osprey-webcams/