The Rutland Water Ospreys

For many people, visiting the British Birdfair is synonymous with seeing Osprey but I wonder how many of those people know the full and fascinating story behind the Ospreys that now grace the skies of Rutland Water each summer.  The Rutland Water Ospreys tells this story wonderfully by using narrative from a wide variety of people involved in the project.

The stories as told by Tim Appleton, the man who first had the idea of bringing Osprey back to England as a breeding bird, by the dedicated scientists who became Osprey parents each spring for six successive years, and the volunteers that put in so much time and energy to ensure the safety of the breeding birds, are a truly inspirational read. They are the people who really know these birds.

The reader is introduced to the birds that have made the project such a success – birds like 03(97) who paired with an unringed female in 2001, becoming the first Ospreys to rear young in England for more than 150 years . This amazing bird has continued to breed on site every year since and has raised a total of 27 chicks with three different females, and female 5N(04), daughter of 03(97) and sister of 5R (04). She was the first wild-fledged female to return to Rutland in July 2006 – she has bred every summer since.

The whole story is brought to life with the photographs and beautiful artwork of John Wright, who has spent thousands of hours monitoring the Rutland Water Ospreys and knows them better than anyone else.

This is one of the best bird books I have read for a long time.

Book reviewed by Paul Stancliffe