Rutland ospreys: Back from the verge of extinction

A groundbreaking project to reintroduce the majestic osprey to central England is toasting its success.

Established in the 1990s, the Rutland Water Osprey Project was the first of its kind in Europe and it is hoped the birds of prey will now colonise neighbouring counties.

This year's young fledglings will soon make their first long distance flight - migrating thousands of miles to the west coast of Africa.

Here, Tim Mackrill explains the work done at the reservoir and tells the extraordinary tale of how they tracked one Rutland bird to a remote mountain in the Sahara desert using GPS technology.

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Pictures of the ospreys and Rutland Water by John Wright, courtesy Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

GPS tracking maps courtesy Google Earth/Map Link/TeleAtlas.

Slideshow production Ben Truslove. Publication date 21 August 2013.

Related:

Rutland Ospreys

Rutland Water Nature Reserve

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