We're delighted to join five other wildlife organisations taking part in World Osprey Week from 22 to 26 March, to celebrate the imminent return of ospreys to their UK nesting grounds.

Each weekday, from 22 to 26 March, we'll be sharing an osprey video and activity pack for primary schools and children (and anyone else who wants to take part!), as well as fun competitions. The aim is to get everyone, in particular children, excited about these amazing birds of prey and the epic migration journey they do every year between southern Europe, even West Africa, and the UK.

Danielle Chalmers, Osprey Education Project Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust  said: “We’re really excited to be offering children this great week of fun activities about ospreys. It’s a great way of getting ready for the return of Cumbria’s much-loved pair of breeding ospreys at Foulshaw Moss, hopefully at the end of this month!

“We’d planned to launch World Osprey Week in Cumbrian primary schools last spring, but like so many things, this was cancelled due to the pandemic. We’re delighted to be able to share these great online resources with schools this year. They include puzzles, mazes and fact files about ospreys – you’ll find out all about the ospreys’ amazing migration journeys (they can travel up to 5,000 miles!) – and much more."

Danielle explains how you can get involved: “Schools, groups and anyone else who is interested should email me to register and I will email you every day during World Osprey Week (22 to 26 March) with daily resources, a video and any competitions for the day. Don’t worry if your school isn’t taking part, individuals can also follow us online throughout the week, as we’ll post fun and educational content on our website and on our social media channels. Follow #WorldOspreyWeek on Twitter @cumbriawildlife, Facebook and Instagram @cumbriawildlifetrust.”

Do you want to be involved? Email daniellec@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk by 21 March to sign up and ensure you receive your videos and activities for World Osprey Week.  

World Osprey Week was started by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its osprey reintroduction project this year. The World Osprey Week partners are Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, Birds of Poole Harbour, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and Osprey Leadership Foundation. Cumbria Wildlife Trust are grateful to Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife trust and Birds of Poole Harbour for the use and development of the osprey education packs.

We expect the pair of breeding ospreys to return to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in late March or early April. Blue 35 (female) and White YW (male) started nesting at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in 2014. So far they have successfully raised 18 chicks - 8 male and 10 female. The Trust’s very popular osprey webcam will soon be going live and will bring you all the highlights of the osprey season, from the birds’ spring arrival, hopefully to the hatching of eggs and fledging of chicks in the summer. Watch the ospreys live on our webcam. 

To get you excited about the return of ospreys to Foulshaw Moss, we've just released a new osprey video. This film was made thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Emergency Fund.

Join in the Foulshaw Moss osprey conversation on social media using #FoulshawOspreys.