So why do we have to build a platform for an osprey? Why wouldn't an osprey find its way here on its own?

therein lies a story so we know that young ospreys and they live an incredible lifestyle so a young osprey fledges from a nest and just at this time of year we've got ospreys fledging around the country and in a few weeks time they begin that long arduous migration to West Africa the vast majority of ospreys from the UK go down to West Africa some stop in Spain and Portugal but most cross the Sahara They then stay in Africa for 18 months and they don't come back until they're two years old.

But when they do come back, they're not yet able to breed, but they're on a reconnaissance mission.

They're trying to find out where there are nesting ospreys.

Most male ospreys are sight faithful, so they tend to return to the area they fledged in.

But we know that there are some individuals who, for whatever reason, might be genetic, maybe some other cause, are what we call pioneering birds who will disperse much further.

And those individuals will typically, rather than build their own nest, they like to take over one that's already there.

And is it the same as storks? Is it that their first flight is where they get their bearings and where they heft to that?