Ospreys were reintroduced to Rutland Water in 1996, and can be spotted nesting on raised platforms around the reserve. Sightings from public paths require binoculars, but visitors can get a closer look on an osprey cruise around the reservoir.
These trips provide close-up angles of ospreys gleaning trout from the surface of the water, that would otherwise be difficult to spot at a distance. Join one of the boat trips at sunrise to snap incredible wildlife photographs in the 'golden hour'.
The best seasons to see ospreys at Rutland are spring and summer, before they migrate to West Africa in the autumn. The reservoir is also home to a large variety of wading birds and is a well-known wetland site with over 25,000 wildfowl.