Say hello to Aqua, Spray and Splash!

Olivia Graham (10) from Wooler was the winner of our first ever competition to name the osprey chicks and came up with Aqua, Spray and Splash.  

Olivia was inspired by internet video footage of the Kielder ospreys and opted for a watery theme for the fish hunting creatures. As a reward she was invited by the Kielder Partnership to accompany rangers on a mission to ring the young birds before they fledge later this month.

Elisabeth Rowark, director of the Kielder Partnership, said:

“The names fit perfectly and capture what these birds are all about. They are pioneers and only the second clutch of ospreys laid in the north east for many centuries. We are all incredibly excited about how well the ospreys have done since they came to Kielder Water & Forest Park.”

Scores of other children took part in the competition, coming up with names such as Thunder, Bolt and Lightning and even football inspired ones like Ozil, Kaka and Villa!

The chicks’ progress has been monitored on live CCTV coverage being beamed to Kielder Castle Visitor Centre from a nest camera. They have put on weight incredibly quickly thanks to the wonderful parenting skills of the parents, who had their first Kielder family last year on the same nest built high in a tree in the 62,000 hectare (155,000 acre) Northumbrian wilderness. Chicks have been fed with trout plucked from Northumbrian Water's Kielder reservoir by Dad.

Martin Davison, Forestry Commission ornithologist said: “Ringing the birds is vitally important. It has to be done at this stage because the chicks will soon fly from the nest. Rings carry vital information like where and when the birds were born.”

The ospreys were lowered from their nest by a tree climbing Forestry Commission ranger and were also weighed and had their wings measured. Despite their size the creatures are docile and took their first experience of life on the ground in their stride. Once back in the nest mum soon returned. The chicks are reported to be in excellent health.

Banner photographs above thanks to Forestry Commission and Owen Humphreys, Press Association.