The birds have become a major part of what Rutland stands for since the first chicks were brought down from Scotland more than 12 years ago and a big attraction for tourists and locals alike.

Whether its the flirtatious behaviour of the bird known as 08(97) - the number indicates the year the bird hatched - or the special moment when the chicks fly the nest, the osprey team are on hand to follow their every move and share the tales with visitors.

And their special osprey cruises aboard the Rutland Belle have proved to be one of the most popular ways to see the birds.

Project officer Tim Mackrill said: "In the past we have had really spectacular views of the birds catching fish next to the boat. Out of 35 cruises we have ospreys on 32 of them."

Information officer Paul Waterhouse added: "It's a fantastic site to see the ospreys catching fish. It's one of the best things you could see in nature."

I joined the first cruise of the season on Saturday and was lucky enough to get a fantastic view of one of the birds flying over the boat in the last few minutes of the trip.

The evening started with a fascinating talk at the birdwatching centre at Egleton about the history of ospreys, the Rutland project and the likelihood of seeing the birds later that day.

The crowd were kept hanging on Tim and Paul's every word as they joked about the birds' love lives and built up our confidence that if ever there was a good time to see the birds, a Saturday evening between 5 and 7pm would be it.

Armed with binoculars and a mind full of knowledge about the birds, we drove off to Whitwell Harbour to board the Rutland Belle for the hour and a half cruise.

The project officers barely put down their binoculars as they scanned the skyline to find a bird for us to watch. It wasn't long before they spotted an osprey and everyone got a quick glance before it flew off down the reservoir in search of food.

The time flew by as the boat trawled up and down Rutland Water following the birds with the visitors trying to keep track of them. But the birds obviously hadn't read the last page of the script because the one which flew over the boat in the last few minutes forgot to dive for a fish as the grand finale.

There are plenty ofchances for visitors to see the birds. For date sof forthcoming cruises and tickets costing £15 per person (£10 for under 16s) call the osprey team on (01572) 770651.

To find out more about the ospreys visit www.ospreys.org.uk