11-05-2025
Rutland Water's first osprey chick of 2025 hatches
The first osprey chick of the year to hatch at Rutland Water Nature Reserve this year has been spotted on a egg - one of four laid by a bird called Maya in a nest at Manton Bay - hatched at about 20:55 BST on has nested at the site since 2015 with a male osprey, with the pair raising 20 chicks and Rutland Wildlife Trust are said to be "very excited" by the new arrival.
Elizabeth Hare, information assistant, said: "The first few days will be really important when the chick is getting a good feed and starting to grow."
Ms Hare added Maya has had clutches of four eggs in previous years, but three-egg clutches are more often spend the winter in West African countries such as Senegal and The Gambia before returning to the UK in usually takes between 35 and 42 days between an egg being laid and it chick hatched 37 days after Maya laid her first egg. Maya's breeding partner will stay with the pair during the fledging process and has been seen bringing fish back to the nest for Maya and their offspring. The wildlife trust has a webcam aimed at the nest which is providing a live feed of footage to its YouTube channel.
