The Lake District's osprey chicks have been given a clean bill of health.

A spokesman for the Lake District Osprey Project said a check had shown that the three young birds were in excellent condition.

The chicks, which are thought to be two males and one female, were checked at the weekend and ringed by highly trained, licensed, experts.

Nathan Fox, of the Lake District Osprey Project, said: "It is always one of the highlights of the season when we give the chicks their health check.

"As ospreys are now expanding in England, it is even more important to ring them in order to find out more about their migration routes, wintering grounds and breeding locations."

The female bird was fitted with a blue ring on her right leg, numbered U7, while the males were fitted with blue U6 and U8 rings, also on their right legs.

Their left legs were fitted with British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) rings.

After the health check, the chicks were immediately returned to their nest.

Mr Fox said: "All the procedures were carried out under rigorous government licence, by experts who have undergone years of training.

"It’s important to remember the disturbance of ospreys on the nest is an offence, and anyone responsible for disturbing the birds may be liable for prosecution, so the best and only places to see the ospreys are the viewpoints at Dodd Wood or Whinlatter Visitor Centre."

Two viewpoints are manned by volunteers at Dodd Wood daily from 10am to 5pm until the end of August.

The birds can also be viewed via webcam at Whinlatter Visitor Centre during the same times.

This is the 17th year of successful breeding for ospreys at Bassenthwaite.

More than 30 chicks have been raised there since the project began.

It is also the fifth year of raising chicks for ringed female KL. She is believed to have had the same partner in each of those years.

Osprey fans around the world can keep an eye on the action from the nest at ospreywatch.co.uk

The Lake District Osprey Project is a partnership between the Forestry Commission, the RSPB and the Lake District National Park Authority.

To donated to the project visit justgiving.com/lakesospreys