Osprey Recovery and Bird Ringing Experience

This spring we are hosting an exciting new event to highlight the Poole Harbour Osprey Reintroduction and the new Careys Secret Garden Bird Ringing Station. For this event we will meet in the secluded secret garden to start with a bird ringing demo. We'll hopefully catch and see in the hand some of our local and migratory birds, while interpreting how we ring birds and the importance of this data collection. Last Autumn over 10,000 birds were safely trapped and ringed here, providing crucial data on the health and migratory routes of some of our most iconic birds. You'll then have a behind-the-scenes tour of parts of the Carey Estate which are normally no access to learn about the site of the Poole Harbour Osprey Reintroduction Project where the chicks were brought down from Scotland, placed in pens on the floodplain to be fed and cared for, before leaving on migration to one day return back to Poole Harbour, thinking it was now their home.

Finally we'll have the opportunity to head up to the Carey Osprey Viewing platform to see the first established Osprey Nest on the south coast of England for 180 years. Hopefully we'll see our Osprey pair CJ7 and 022, returning again for a 5th successive year. The viewing platform is situated 350m away from the nest to allow safe-viewing of the Ospreys without disturbance, when the birds have just returned from West Africa, as well as any shenanigans with intruding Ospreys. We have plenty of binoculars and telescopes on hand to borrow if you haven't got your own. You'll also have access to the stunning walled garden at Careys Secret Garden and its facilities for the duration of the day (from 10am-4pm).

These events are run in partnership with Careys Secret Garden, hosted at their secluded site near Wareham, offering a unique experience of bird ringing, reintroductions and Ospreys.

Please make sure to book in advance as there are only 14 tickets available per session and there is no alternative access onsite for viewing the nest. Please help us protect the birds by not turning up to Careys Secret Garden without booking, and not straying away from the permitted areas to try and view the Ospreys. The nest site is incredibly sensitive and Ospreys are a Schedule 1 species which means they are protected by law. We therefore ask that you are mindful not to disturb the birds and avoid attempting to get closer to the nest as this will risk the success of this very important nesting pair. We’re privileged to be able to now share this space with these birds, and ensuring their safety is our top priority.

Key Information:

• Please be aware that the tour involves a 2km round walk on uneven ground with a moderate incline, so we advise wearing sturdy shoes.
• Directions to Careys Secret Garden are included on your ticket. Please note that you are not required to print your ticket as we will use a digital guestlist for checking you in.
• Please aim to arrive at the meeting point in the walled garden 10 minutes before your tour to ensure a prompt start. You will be greeted by a member of the BoPH team shortly before your session is due to begin.
• We recommend wearing wellies or sturdy boots for this event as parts of the site can be muddy.
• There are toilet facilities and a small vegetarian cafe (the Secret Salt Pig!) onsite.
• We are currently working to improve disabled access for our events, but due to the incline and ground condition unfortunately the route to the Osprey platform is not suitable for wheelchair access. Careys Secret Garden also offer wheelchair accessible garden visits, which can be booked through their website. 
• Children aged under 5 years old can attend free of charge, but please let us know in advance of booking if you have any under 5s in your party (via bookings@birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk or on 01202 641003), so that we can ensure there is enough space available and chat through the set-up with you.