Any day now, the famous Kielder ospreys are expected to return and people in the area are being urged to turn their eyes skyward to see if they can spot them.

Ospreys have been soaring the skies of Northumberland since they first returned and recolonized in 2009. With their fair share of births, deaths, reunions, pairings, hatchings and even the odd spot of philandering, they trounce the EastEnders and Emmerdale storylines hands-down.

In 2021, all the chicks were named using the initial E with one young osprey called Elsin, the first chick of a Kielder hatched osprey called Blue UV (born in 2014), spotted recently in Senegal, West Africa. The 2022 chicks will be named using the initial F.

One bird, dubbed Yellow 37, has inhabited Kielder′s Nest 2 site in past years and has historically been an early returner from wintering grounds, normally in West Africa. Keen watchers will be looking to see if he arrives first in the coming days.

With its feet firmly on the ground Northumberland Wildlife Trust, will be running the annual Osprey Watch, which is supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery, from a new cabin at Tower Knowe.

Each weekend, from Sunday 17April to Saturday 14August between 10.30am and 4:00pm visitors will be offered views of the activity on the nest via scopes, and a high quality close up on nest 7 via the nest cam in the cabin.

Osprey Watch is delivered almost entirely by volunteers and, as in previous years, the wildlife charity is issuing its rallying call for volunteers to help with the four-month project.

No previous experience is required as a training day will be held at Kielder Waterside on Thursday 7 April and new volunteers are always in the company of experienced volunteers. It’s a great way to meet new people and experience all the wonderful Kielder landscape has to offer.

To secure a place visit www.nwt.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer

The Kielder Osprey Project is a partnership between Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, Forestry England, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumbrian Water and Calvert Trust Kielder. The partners are working hard to ensure that the ospreys are here to stay by maintaining a high quality habitat in Kielder Water & Forest Park and safeguarding and monitoring the nest sites.

To find out more, visit www.visitkielder.com

To post osprey sightings go to the VisitKielder Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kielder or the VisitKielder twitter feed at www.twitter.com/visitkielder

Keep up to date with the ospreys at www.kielderospreys.wordpress.com