Our annual pilgrimage down to Rutland Water to see this years ospreys. Blue sky and tropical heat might be excellent for the sun tan but the heat haze that built up late morning was on another scale. The chicks had been jumping and wing flapping for a few days and were due to fly from the nest any day so we timed our visit just right. A lovely day out, very tiring but worth it. Such fabulous birds and friendly, chatty volunteers in the hide. They told us that the usual 8 pairs had returned, this pair on Rutland and the rest on private land (but monitored). Every year this pair at Rutland had 2 chicks, over a ten year period thats 20 chicks. If the remaining 7 pairs also have 2 chicks per year, over 10 years thats a further 140 ospreys. Where do they all go to ? and if half make it and return why haven't these birds got to Lincolnshire ?
