Moment fourth osprey egg laid at nature reserve

Watch the moment an osprey nesting at a nature reserve lays her fourth egg of the season.

Maya returned with her long-term mate - 33 - to the same nest at Manton Bay at Rutland Water on 24 March.

The first egg was laid on 5 April, the next two arriving every three days, and the fourth at 17:07 BST on Tuesday.

Tim Sexton, from the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, said: "It is great news and gives us more to look forward to over the coming weeks as we wait with anticipation for the first chick to hatch."

Maya has nested at the Manton Bay site since 2009, and with male osprey 33 for the past 11 years.

Sexton, senior species and recording officer at Rutland Water, said the pair had raised 30 chicks during that time.

He said the recent egg, which he believed to be the last of the clutch of this season, was similar in colour to the first and third.

However, Sexton said the second was "completely different" in colour.

"Typically the eggs are reddy-brown speckled coloured, but the second was pale blue," he said.

"We are not sure why that's the case, but we are looking into it."

The recording officer said the pair have been on incubation duties since the arrival of the first egg, adding the eggs should hatch in five weeks, with the first chick fledging in about seven weeks after.

The nature reserve has been home to the Rutland Osprey Project since 1996, which aims to create a self-sustaining breeding population.

In 2001, the first osprey was born in England after more than 150 years, with a total of 300 successfully fledged to date.

Sexton added that the trust has launched an appeal to raise £30,000 in celebration of the osprey project, with the funds going towards sustaining and expanding the project to neighbouring counties.

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