EIGHT Osprey chicks have taken their first flights over Poole Harbour, as part of an ongoing project to restore the protected birds' former breeding grounds.

The fish eating birds of prey, have been raised and released at a confidential location within the area, after being relocated from Scotland.

They've been held in large holding pens overlooking the harbour, cared for by a team of dedicated volunteers for the past three weeks.

The fully grown chicks will spend up to six weeks in Poole Harbour, familiarising and imprinting themselves on the local area, before migrating to West Africa.

Run by local charity Birds of Poole Harbour, alongside Scottish charity, The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, the five-year project was launched to encourage the birds to adopt the harbour as their new home, thus re-colonising the south coast.

Birds of Poole Harbour's Paul Morton said: "To see our first eight Osprey chicks now flying free is just incredible.

"We began working on the application for this project almost two years ago now, and it seemed like a lifetime away before we got to this stage.

"We hope this will engage and encourage people to get out and enjoy watching these incredible birds of prey before they head of south for the winter."

The team received offers of support from Poole-based fish suppliers, Sea Fresh, and Poole restaurant Storm, which supplied fish to feed the chicks and storage and prepping facilities.

Ospreys were once widespread across western Europe, but became extinct in the UK by the mid-1800s, mainly as a result of human interference.

The five-year project will involve chicks being brought down to Poole Harbour each year until 2021.

It is hoped this year's birds, which are being monitored around the harbour using radio tracking devices, will return for the first time in 2019. Experts also say they should soon start getting more adventurous, starting to explore the harbour m ore fully throughout August

Mr Morton said: "The offers of help and fresh fish from Storm and Sea Fresh have been vitally important to the project and will help to ensure that the young Ospreys are in the best possible condition when they depart on migration."