2026 Carey Osprey Tours
Guided Osprey Tours in Dorset
We’re excited to announce the return of our Carey Osprey Tours for the fifth year, running in partnership with award-winning local charity Birds of Poole Harbour !
These tours offer the exclusive opportunity to watch the Poole Harbour Osprey pair at their nest site here at Careys Secret Garden. With egg-laying hopefully just around the corner, these tours should be running for the duration of the nesting season.
Birds of Poole Harbour will be releasing more dates each month until July, so please sign up to our newsletters to be the first to hear when they are announced!
Please note that these events require pre-booking and we ask that you do not turn up at Careys Secret Garden without booking in an aim to view the birds, to avoid risking any disturbance to the sensitive nest site. Access to the Osprey nest viewing platform is via the tour only and will not be available to standard booking garden visitors.
A unique wildlife experience in Dorset
Careys Secret Garden offers a truly unique wildlife experience in Dorset. This remarkable conservation story is supported through our partnership with Birds of Poole Harbour and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, organisations at the forefront of Osprey reintroduction and protection in the UK. As a protected species, Ospreys are carefully monitored through ongoing conservation efforts, including nest observation, habitat management and scientific tracking. By visiting Careys, guests are not only experiencing an extraordinary moment in British wildlife history, but also supporting a wider mission of biodiversity restoration, ecological education and long-term species recovery.
Watch the Osprey Nest Cameras
The nest cam at Careys is back! Click the button below to watch the Birds of Poole Harbour LIVE nest cameras.
People also ask
What to expect on an Osprey Tour?
Each tour meets in the garden on the small events lawn in front of the Reclaimed Barn - look out for the Birds of Poole Harbour flag. You are welcome to purchase refreshments from the coffee shop prior to your tour. Following a short introduction, your guide will take you up to the viewing platform to observe the Ospreys on their nest. There are scopes set up and binoculars to borrow but you're also welcome to bring your own equipment. Each tour is two hours. You are welcome to return to the gardens and explore after your tour finishes.
How do I book an Osprey Tour?
Please visit the Birds of Poole Harbour website to book your tickets for the Osprey Tours. You can use this link.
Where are the Ospreys at Careys Secret Garden?
The Osprey nest site is located high up in a tree on the Careys Estate, in a large field on our private land. The viewing platform is situated adjacent to our car park and access is by guided tours only, this is to protect the birds and ensure minimal disturbance.
When can you see Ospreys in Dorset?
As long as all is well with the migration of the birds each season, Ospreys can be seen in Dorset from Mid March to late August. Osprey Tours at Careys run from end of March to the end of July.
The Reintroduction
Since 2017, Birds of Poole Harbour and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation have been working hard to re-establish a South Coast breeding population of Osprey; a majestic bird that really captures people’s imagination. Since the story began, an ever-growing community of people from near and far have followed the project and offered their support, sharing our excitement through its twists and turns.
The Return
For many people this connection began in 2020 when Birds of Poole Harbour launched the live stream nest camera and CJ7 found her way into people’s hearts, providing a much-needed distraction for thousands of us during the early months of the pandemic. Our hopes grew the following year, with the return of our translocated male 022 and the strong pair bond we watched him form with CJ7.
And of course, 2022 delivered the outcome we had been waiting for, when the pair made history by raising two chicks and became the first breeding Ospreys in Southern England in nearly 200 years! Having both safely returned in the spring for the past few years now, we’re in the exciting position to be able to continue sharing this story with you, by hosting a series of guided viewing experiences at the site here at Careys where the pair have taken up residence.
Guided Osprey Tours
The viewing of the nest at Careys is very carefully managed by Birds of Poole Harbour to avoid any risk of disturbance, with only small groups permitted at any one time, so please make sure to book one of the tours in advance if you would like to visit and share this experience with us.
Osprey are a Schedule 1 species, meaning they have the highest level of protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. This means it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb the species near to, at, or on an active nest, providing a legal base for any disturbance issues the pair may face. Like last year, the nest will still be protected each day, with our dedicated team monitoring the nest and surrounding area, and additional protection provided by security units at key locations. We’re also working closely with the National Wildlife Crime Unit to ensure there is no disturbance or trespassing risks to this private site.