A rare long stay for osprey at Weston Turvile reservoir

A juvenile osprey has set up home at the village’s reservoir because it is a fantastic place to catch fish.

Birders from around Bucks and surrounding counties have flocked to see the rare sight.

Ospreys have been sighted in the county, but the fact that this one has stayed for nearly two weeks is exciting for enthusiasts.

Photographer and twitcher Martin Ansley, who captured this stunning image of the fishing osprey, said: “ A juvenile osprey has been around the reservoir for over a week now being seen most days by birders.

“It is amazing to watch this bird fishing from the dive to the lift off from the water with fish if successful.”

The bird was first spotted by members of Bucks Bird Club, who documented the sighting on their website.

Ospreys were reintroduced into Scotland in the 1950s after previously being extinct.

At this time of year the birds traditionally migrate to sunnier climbs in Africa or the south of France, but the bird spotted in Weston Turvile has decided to stick around for the time being.

Migration begins after the birds have raised the chicks conceived during their March mating season.

John Gearing, chairman of the Bucks Bird Club, said: “In Bucks this is extremely rare so it is very exciting to see one.

“Ospreys are fish eaters so when they are migrating
they stop off to catch fish, there must be plenty of fish because the bird is still there now.

“It’s been there over ten days which is very unusual, I’m not sure how happy the anglers will be about it, but for birders it’s a wonderful sight.”

He added: “Lots of Bucks birders have been to see the osprey, and people from surrounding counties too.

“In the centre of England it is not common to see them and we probably only see one or two during migration season.

“They are not a rare bird though, in the USA you see them much more frequently, even nesting on telegraph poles.”

The stronghold for ospreys is still Scotland, but they have also been sighted settled in Wales and at Rutland Water in the midlands.

To find out more about the osprey sightings visit www.bucksbirdclub.co.uk