Our first osprey has fledged, 16.22 this afternoon. It's the oldest of the three that had the longest wing span (at ringing) and the middle in weight - 1390g. This bird is 49 days old and is very early making its maiden flight. The ring is YD and despite thinking that we had three females this year, most observers in recent days have sided with two females and YD being a male. Nobody will really know of course until YD comes back in a few years time hopefully to breed for him/her self.
The first flight came 105 years after the Wright brothers' maiden flight, climbed to a similar altitude of 10 feet and lasted three seconds longer that Orville's attempt (YD - 15 seconds)
It just goes to show that you cannot predict nature, not one member of staff, volunteers or visitors guessed it would be this early when our first chick took to the sky. If you live within travelling distance (whatever that means!) try and come down over the weekend - it could be you that sees one of the other chicks fledge next.
Here's that magical moment when YD took to the air for the first time
One down, two to go...