To mark the 30th anniversary of the project, the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust aims to raise £30,000 to develop osprey colonies further afield.
“It will help spread the ospreys away from Rutland, but into neighbouring counties, such as Leicestershire – into the Soar Valley.
“It will also help to monitor the ospreys, providing [web] cameras for years to come, so that people can continue enjoying them,” Sexton said.
Ospreys have occupied 11 nests at Rutland Water so far this year and it is estimated the nature reserve could cope with another 14 active nests.
“All sorts of records are being broken,” said volunteer Davies.
“Where will it go? Well, we know where it’s going. The ospreys are spreading.
“They’re in other counties now in England and breeding successfully, thanks to those early days of translocating the birds from Scotland at six weeks old and bringing them up here.”
