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White-tailed eagles thriving across South East

Sam Harrison
BBC News, South East
Adam Granger Two white-tailed eagles soar in the sky with their wings of brown and white feathers at full span.Adam Granger
As the largest bird of prey in the UK, white-tailed eagles can have wingspans as large as 2.5m (8.2ft)

White-tailed eagles have been mapped flying up to 100 miles (160km) a day over the South East.

Thirty-seven birds were released on the Isle of Wight in 2019 after being driven to extinction in the UK, and their daily explorations have taken them over Sussex and Kent, including the Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey.

The birds, which are the UK's largest bird of prey with a wing span of up to 2.5m (8.2ft), are being monitored by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.

Simon Ginnaw, lead nature guide at Elmley, said: "It's absolutely massive to have one on a reserve where I've been birding since I was small, it means a lot."

Elmley Nature Reserve A white-tailed eagle perches on a wooden log and looks to the left of the camera. It has brown and white feathers and a light yellow beak and talons.Elmley Nature Reserve
Eagle G603 has been especially active at Elmley Nature Reserve this year, with researchers tracking its journeys

Waterways and marshland have made Elmley a prime hunting ground, with the reserve saying seven different white-tailed eagles have visited over the last six years.

The latest, tagged as Eagle G603, has been especially active on the reserve this summer.

'I cried when I saw it'

Natasha Marks, a birdwatcher, described the moment the eagle landed just 5m (16.4ft) away from her.

"Not to be dramatic, but I did cry when I saw it," Ms Marks said.

"It takes your breath away."

Workers on the reserve said he dwarfed other birds of prey, such as red kites and marsh harriers.

"Having an apex predator like that here, it's an indicator of an underlying health in the wider eco system," Mr Ginnaw added.

Google/Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation A map of the southeast of England showcases the journeys of two white-tailed eagles. Eagle G603, marked in yellow, has flown across most of the home counties with a prominent presence in Kent. Eagle G542, marked in white, has spent time at Elmley and has flown across the English Channel to the northern coast of France, flying close to Boulogne-sur-Mer.Google/Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation
Eagle G603 journeys (tracked in yellow) have taken him across the Home Counties, with Eagle G542 (shown in white) spending time at Elmley and across the English Channel

Some eagles have even been tracked as far afield as Scandinavia, however, the birds always return, having established the South of England as their home.

Dr Tim Mackerill, from the Roy Dennis Foundation, has been tracking these types of journeys for years and says habitat preservation will be key in the future.

"Kent and Sussex have been really important for the birds since we started the project," he said.

"These young birds are finding that habitat which is a really positive sign for the future."

Adam Granger Two white-tailed eagles fly closely together in the sky with their brown and white wings spread wide.Adam Granger
Dr Mackerill says the white-tailed eagles prefer areas with fresh water or coastal sites, where they can catch fish

In 2023, chicks hatched in England for the first time in nearly 250 years at an undisclosed nest site in Sussex.

But many of the recent cohort will not be ready to rear chicks for a while longer, since that typically starts at five to six-years old.

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