EXCITEMENT is building at Bassenthwaite with the Lake District Osprey Project (LDOP) confirming that three chicks have hatched at the nest site.

The osprey chicks, which hatched on May 18, 19 and 22, appear to be doing well.

Paul Brady, from the LDOP, said: "This is the fifth year that this particular pair of ospreys have successfully hatched chicks here at Bassenthwaite Lake.

"The female, known as ‘KL’ and her partner who is not ringed, are a successful pair and have captured the imaginations of the thousands of visitors who have come to see them over the last five years.

"I would encourage everyone, whether you are local or visiting the area, to come and see these magnificent birds this summer and get the latest updates on their fascinating story.”

A dedicated team of staff and volunteers can be found at the osprey viewpoint at Dodd Wood, near Keswick, which is open every day from 10am to 5 pm until the end of August.

At nearby Whinlatter Visitor Centre, visitors can also watch live nest cam images on flat screen televisions, between 10 am-5 pm.

Osprey fans around the world can keep an eye on the action from the nest by following the webcam on the LDOP homepage ospreywatch.co.uk and get the latest news at  facebook.com/ospreywatch, or by following on Twitter @lakelandosprey.

To help support the project, which has attracted more than 1.5 million visitors since it started, people can also donate at justgiving.com/lakesospreys

The Lake District Osprey Project is a partnership between The Forestry Commission, the RSPB and the Lake District National Park.