The Lake District Osprey Project is a partnership project between the Forestry Commission, Lake District National Park and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) with fantastic support from many volunteers.  The partnership aims to ensure the continued success of breeding ospreys at Bassenthwaite; to assist with natural colonisation elsewhere in the Lakes; and to provide visitors to the Lake District with the opportunity to see and find out more about ospreys. 

The return of ospreys to Bassenthwaite Lake is 2001 was the culmination of several years' hard work behind the scenes to encourage them to encourage them to breed.  As sightings of birds on migration increased in the late 90's, so did the thought that one-day these birds may once again breed.  It was with this aim in mind that the Lake District Osprey Project partners built a nest platform in Wythop Woods overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake.  

In 2001, all the hard work paid off and amid great excitement a pair of ospreys took to the platform and nested, successfully rearing one chick.  For the first time in over 150 years, and as a result of natural recolonisation, ospreys have been recorded nesting successfully in the Lake District!

The ospreys have returned every year since, swapping to a different nest site in Dodd Wood and have successfully raised at least one chick and often two chicks each year. 

As a charity and two publicly funded bodies, securing funds for elements of the project such as sattelite tags, nest maintenance, camera equipment and camera feeds - not to mention nuts for the Red Squirrels - is always a challenge.  Can you help us? so we can continue showing people these amazing birds, tracking their migration routes, learning more about them and continuing to be inspired by their tenacity and determination to survive. 

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