TWO ospreys have returned to Bassenthwaite this year, delighting locals and sparking hopes for another successful year for the Lake District Osprey Project (LDOP).

KL, a ringed female osprey, returned to the nest on April 7 – exactly a year to the day when she arrived last year.

Later that same day KL, who has spent the winter months in Senegal, was joined by an un-ringed male osprey presenting a large fish.

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After looking at the male’s markings and his behaviour, LDOP members believe it is the same male as the last two years, which has delighted the team as ospreys are not always guaranteed to return to the same nest sites.

Nathan Fox, of the LDOP, said: “We are delighted that the ospreys have returned home safely following their long migration from Africa.

“It continues to amaze us how these birds, who spend the winter apart, make a 3,000 mile migration, and arrive on the same day, and we look forward to another successful season.”

Since the ospreys arrived, they have been displaying, mating and bringing materials into the nest, providing plenty of opportunities for people to watch these incredible birds in action.

A team of staff and volunteers can be found at the viewpoint at Dodd Wood, near Keswick, and at the Whinlatter Visitor Centre every day, where visitors can also watch live nest cam images on flat screen televisions.

Since the LDOP began in 2001, the ospreys have nested successfully at Bassenthwaite every year, raising more than 20 chicks, while more than one million people have visited the project.

Osprey fans can keep an eye on the action from the nest by following the webcam on www.ospreywatch.co.uk.