This is the time of year when we anticipate the return of our ospreys. Over the winter, there has been lots going on behind the scenes preparing for the arrival of our breeding pair. We’re now counting down the days for their return.

The longer days bring the first signs of spring – frogspawn glistening, daffodils bursting out, birds singing, warmth in the sun and, for us osprey watchers, the anticipation of the return of our breeding pair at Foulshaw Moss nature reserve: White YW and Blue 35.

We normally expect the #FoulshawOspreys to arrive towards the end of March or the beginning of April so we anticipate they will be on their way now from their wintering grounds much further south.

We don’t know where our ospreys spend the winter but it could be somewhere on the west coast of Africa or perhaps close to the Mediterranean on the Iberian Peninsula. We do know, though, that it will be a long journey – maybe up to 4,000 miles (6,400 km).

Last year the male, White YW, arrived on the 24 March and his mate, Blue 35, came a few days later on 28 March. Then in April they laid three eggs, each a couple of days apart. Unfortunately, one egg failed to hatch but they successfully raised two healthy chicks, OC5 and OC6, both males.

Our pair has been breeding at Foulshaw Moss since 2014 and we are looking forward to another successful season this year. No doubt there will be excitement and anxious moments along the way. Not least because we may have a new pair of ospreys nesting at Foulshaw Moss.

Last year we were thrilled to see activity on the reserve from a number of ospreys showing interest in pairing and possibly nesting. They made early attempts to build a nest on a tree towards the north of the Moss and we are hoping that a pair will return this year to develop it further.

Ospreys choose to nest in trees that are isolated so that they have good views of any intruders or predators. There will often be a perch nearby in another tree that they can use when eating their catch of fish or when the nest gets too crowded later in the season.

The new nest site is about a mile away from the established nest. I imagine it must be far enough away for White YW and Blue 35 not to feel threatened by the new birds, otherwise they would probably have chased them off site last year.

So we anticipate exciting times ahead this season. Our high resolution camera provides dynamic, live action of the established nest and, we hope, the developing family.

There is information about White YW and Blue 35 as well as ospreys in general on our FAQ page.

Look out for this month’s Cumbria Wildlife Trust podcast featuring Foulshaw Moss ospreys.

I would also recommend a visit to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve: there will be plenty to see this year and helpful volunteers to tell you more about the ospreys and other wildlife on the reserve.