Harbour ospreys hatch fourth chick of the year

The only pair of breeding ospreys in southern England have hatched their fourth and final chick of 2025.

The ospreys, female CJ7 and male 022, laid a clutch of four eggs in their nest near Poole Harbour in Dorset for the second year in a row in April.

The chick emerged from its egg in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with the previous three having hatched last week.

Birds of Poole Harbour, a charity leading the area's osprey breeding project, said: "It is exciting news, the fourth and final Osprey chick has hatched on the Carey nest."

The charity added: "It's fantastic to see the whole family doing well, and CJ7 and 022 carefully distributing the fish to ensure every chick is well-fed."

Ospreys typically lay three eggs, so the charity has previously said it would be "unprecedented" if all four hatch for the second year in a row.

A webcam set up by the charity, monitors the nest in a walled garden near Wareham.

Ahead of settling down again together the pair of ospreys were embroiled in a love triangle when another female also arrived at the nest.

The unwelcome visitor, who normally calls Rutland home in the spring and summer months, left after a few days.

The birds, part of a reintroduction scheme, became the first nesting pair on the south coast in 180 years in 2022 and are protected under UK law.

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