A PAIR of breeding ospreys has returned to a south Cumbria nature reserve prompting hopes that chicks will once again hatch there.

Blue 35 and her mate White YW returned to Foulshaw Moss, near Lindale, on Thursday and Friday last week.

It followed the news that the Lake District’s first osprey of the breeding season had touched down at a location in South Lakeland the previous Tuesday, four days earlier than in 2019.

Paul Waterhouse, reserves officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, which owns Foulshaw Moss, said: “We’re delighted to see Blue 35 and White YW back again.

“They’re an incredibly successful breeding pair, raising 16 chicks so far since 2014.

“Fingers crossed that this year, their seventh at Foulshaw Moss, will be equally productive.

“Following the courtship behaviour we’ve seen already since their return, we can look forward to seeing eggs in the nest in April.”

The public can also keep track of the fish-eating birds in real time thanks to a camera by their nest.

Mr Waterhouse said: “Our live webcam is a wonderful way to watch the ospreys’ progress from our own homes.

“You’ll be able to study their behaviour all through the breeding season.

“A highlight will be when we see how many eggs there are and start wondering when they’ll hatch.

“We encourage everyone to follow all these milestone moments with us on the webcam.

“This summer, more than ever, this is a great way for us all to keep connected to wildlife and see nature at very close quarters, even if we are confined indoors.”

He added regular blog posts related to ospreys would be put up on the Cumbria Wildlife Trust website to keep people “connected to this amazing wildlife spectacle over the coming months".

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reports that ospreys are an ‘amber list’ species due to “historical decline and low breeding numbers.”

Visit www.cumbriawild lifetrust.org.uk/wild life/cams/osprey-cam to view the ‘osprey cam’ at Foulshaw Moss.