One fledged. The other three wait their turn.
It’s happening near Wareham. In the heart of a 30-metre tree. This time last month those birds couldn’t even see clearly, now female 6T6 has launched herself into the air. She is the first of the brood to fly, leaving her perch at 16:00 BST on Tuesday.
It’s part of the reintroduction programme led by Birds of Poole Harbour, a project that finally feels real after years of trying. Pair CJ7 and 022 settled into their nest for the third year running back in April. They laid four eggs. All hatched. Conservationists actually climbed 100ft up the tree on 1 July just to ring and weigh them. Heavy lifting for small birds. They are presumed all female.
So what happens now that the first one has flown?
Paul Morton, who founded the charity, says it’s not really over. In fact, 6T6 will likely come back. Ospreys are sticky creatures when it comes to food. She’ll probably return three or four times a day for a whole month to grab free meals from her parents. Why risk hunting alone when the buffet is open?
But they won’t stay long. The real exodus begins between August and September. The juveniles will leave Dorset. They head south, all the way to West Africa. They’ll stay there for a few years to grow and mature before returning to breed here.
For now, 6T6 flies. The siblings watch. The tree is high and the wind is strong.
Conservation isn’t about saving them from everything; it’s giving them enough of a start that they can fly themselves.
The nest remains empty only in moments. Mostly, it is full of potential, waiting for the others to catch up. Or maybe not. Nature rarely keeps strict schedules.
