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Burley Estate, near Oakham, revealed as key location in osprey recovery programme




A secret location which has been instrumental in the recovery of ospreys has been revealed nearly a quarter of a century after the first nest was built.

Known as ‘Site B’, the location was chosen as part of an ambitious reintroduction project to restore the bird to central England after an absence of more than 150 years.

Since 2001, the nest – built at Burley Estate, near Oakham – has continued to be used by returning ospreys, which have fledged 50 chicks.

A secret location which has been instrumental in the recovery of ospreys has been revealed
A secret location which has been instrumental in the recovery of ospreys has been revealed

In addition, a second pair of ospreys has raised another brood of chicks after first arriving at the site in 2018.

Now nature lovers will have a chance to see the site up close through exclusive tours by Wild Rutland.

“The site at Burley has been such an important part of the osprey translocation project,” said Hugh Vere Nicoll, CEO of Wild Rutland.

Burley Estate was chosen as part of an ambitious reintroduction project to restore the bird to central England
Burley Estate was chosen as part of an ambitious reintroduction project to restore the bird to central England

“It’s incredibly exciting to be able to finally reveal ‘Site B’, where visitors will be able to see the nest and its inhabitants for the first time.

The reintroduction of ospreys was spearheaded by Tim Appleton, former head of Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Tim Mackrill, a local ornithologist, and Roy Dennis, a leading species expert.

Roy has been instrumental in the success of the expanding osprey population in Scotland.

He first met Tim in 1995, and the following year, the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, in partnership with Anglian Water, launched the ambitious reintroduction project.

Between 1996 and 2001, 64 young ospreys were collected under licence in Scotland by Roy and then released on the nature reserve at Rutland Water.

It was hoped this will encourage the birds to return in future years to breed – with the first ospreys returning in 1999.

Then in 2001, an osprey successful bred on the estate now known as ‘Site B’.

Since then, a total, 80 young ospreys have fledged from the nest, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the overall total for the region, with 278 fledged chicks recorded across the local area.

“A significant number of ospreys have fledged from those nests which has increased the population across Britain,” said Tim.

“Burley Estate has never got the credit for all it has done to protect them and we should celebrate the contribution it has made.

Wild Rutland would be set over 1,000 acres
Wild Rutland would be set over 1,000 acres

“The osprey public events this summer will allow a carefully restricted viewing point for the main nest, which was the first in Central England for 150 years.

“I hope this will inspire new generations of conservationists, as I was inspired three decades earlier.”

Tim Appleton is now supporting Wild Rutland as it prepares to submit plans to open a nature and conservation project in the county, aiming to continue the work which began there decades earlier.

The proposals include guided nature safaris, foraging walks and dawn chorus experiences, all set within a 1,000-acre site between Oakham bypass and Burley Wood.



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