NEARLY a dozen osprey chicks have fledged in Poole as part of an ongoing project to re-establish a breeding population of the birds on the south coast.

Eleven chicks were brought down to the area from Scotland in July and, three weeks later, are now flying free.

The Birds of Poole Harbour charity has been raising the young birds of prey as part of its ongoing osprey translocation project.

It is in partnership with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Wimborne-based business Wildlife Windows for the initiative, now in its third year.

As reported in June, the first male osprey returned to Poole Harbour since the birds were raised and released in 2017.

Birds of Poole Harbour co-founder Paul Morton said it had been a “long and dedicated process” raising the 11 recent chicks.

“After three long weeks and a lot of fish prepping, we’re thrilled to announce that all eleven fledged successfully and have been happily settling in to their new surroundings with lots of active flying, calling, playing and generally getting up to mischief.

“The hard work is by no means over as it’s now our role to keep a track of these birds as they begin to build in confidence and eventually begin to explore the wider harbour in a few weeks time.

“It’s possible that when they begin venturing towards the harbour, they may settle on some of the harbour nest platforms such as Middlebere, so please be on the look out for ring numbers 015 – 025, blue ring on right leg.”

Osprey are a large, fish-eating bird of prey that were once widespread across the whole of Western Europe.

However, populations were persecuted to extinction through the 18th and 19th century and they never recovered in England.