Spring awakening: wildlife webcams spotlight osprey comeback and puffin joy

The Wildlife Trusts offer an unrivalled glimpse into Britain’s remarkable wildlife

From puffins tending to their burrows on coastal cliffs to majestic ospreys returning from their winter migration and badgers emerging from their setts, more than 25 webcams across the UK are switching on this spring to capture wild moments rarely seen firsthand.

Peak viewing season is now underway, with a focus on Norfolk’s first osprey webcam, installed after a pair successfully bred in the region for the first time last year – the first known osprey breeding in Norfolk for centuries. Now returned from Africa, they are back on their nest and preparing to breed again offering a real-time view of this remarkable recovery in action. Meanwhile, at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust’s osprey webcam continues to capture gripping live drama, with its star pair — breeding together since 2015 — now incubating a clutch of newly laid eggs.

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Wildlife webcams - clips (https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/hfP3eb5wQ0c?si=2UzGHju3oCbjSEMo)

At a time when many people are seeking calm amid busy lives and relentless bad news, The Wildlife Trusts’ wildlife cameras not only provide a virtual window into some of the most intimate and dramatic moments in the natural world but also serve as a timely reminder of the importance of protecting these species and their habitats.

Stan Smith, head of nature and species recovery at The Wildlife Trusts says:
“Spring is one of the most dynamic and important times of year for wildlife, and our webcams give people a front-row seat. These cameras show the UK’s wildlife in all its richness, allowing people who are unable to see these sights firsthand to experience nature as it happens — from the return of migratory birds to the first days of new life across our coastlines, countryside and cities.

“While the world can sometimes feel overwhelming, watching a bird on a nest or a badger foraging at dusk is simple, slow and joyful. It’s a daily reminder of the wonders of nature, even if you're stuck at your desk. But these moments are also fragile, underlining just how important it is to protect the habitats that make them possible – now more than ever.”

From craggy coasts to city centres and inland wetlands, favourite webcams include:

A still from a webcam of two ospreys perched on a nest up high, overlooking a valley

Norfolk’s first osprey camera

This osprey pair successfully fledged two chicks at Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Ranworth Broad and Marshes nature reserve in 2025, making it the first known site in the region to host breeding ospreys in hundreds of years. The installation of the new camera also comes as Norfolk Wildlife Trust – the UK’s oldest Wildlife Trust – marks its 100^th anniversary this spring, adding to celebrations across the county.

Watch the Ranworth osprey webcam

A close up of a female osprey called Maya, say in a nest. She is looking off to the side, her feathers are ruffled

Rutland Water's osprey webcam

More dramatic osprey action can be found via Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust’s webcam at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, with this year marking 30 years since the osprey’s reintroduction began here in 1996.

While some 300 ospreys have now been recorded and ringed in the county, Rutland Water remains a popular hotspot for seeing the birds, with thousands of visitors flocking to the reserve each year and tuning into the webcam to see their dramatic challenges for territory and nests up close.

Watch the Rutland osprey webcam

Front row seats at Skomer Island's puffin colony

Located around a mile off the Pembrokeshire coast, the remote island of Skomer celebrated a record 43,626 puffins last year following The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales’ annual puffin count. Now, after severe winter storms, puffins face a challenging season as they return to shore to breed. The puffin colony cam offers a chance to spot puffins and their young – pufflings – on the cliff tops along with a range of other seabirds and even the occasional seal.

Watch the Skomer Island webcam

A close up shot of a peregrine falcon flying past groteques at St Albans Cathedral

St Albans Cathedral’s peregrine falcon nest webcam

This popular webcam, run in partnership with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, drew more than half a million views last year alone. Despite the birds’ first clutch of eggs being destroyed in 2025, the pair of peregrine falcons are now breeding high up on the cathedral roof for a fifth successive year. Defying the odds, the pair have made a remarkable comeback, and all eyes are on them again this year, with hopes for more chicks this spring.

Watch the St Albans Cathedral webcam

A peregrine falcon with prey, sat in front of four large fluffy white peregrine falcon chicks

Any day now for Leamington Spa's peregrines

The historic Town Hall in Leamington Spa is also home to a camera set up by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, following the lives of a pair of peregrine falcons on their nest. The female laid her fourth egg at the end of March, and viewers are now eagerly waiting for the chicks to hatch.

Watch the Leamington Spa peregrines

A row of kittiwakes and their chicks nesting on a narrow ledge on a building

Urban kittiwakes delight

The Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside is home to the furthest inland breeding colony of kittiwakes in the world. These amazing seabirds spend autumn and winter at sea and return to nest in late February through to August. Enjoy a close-up view as they reunite with their partner, build nests, lay eggs and rear their chicks via Durham Wildlife Trust’s camera attached to the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.

Watch the kittiwake webcam

Elusive badgers spotted on camera

Tune in at dusk to Essex Wildlife Trust’s webcam from Fingringhoe Wick nature reserve for the best chance to spot one of Britain’s most elusive mammals – the badger. Overlooking an active sett, the camera reveals these highly sociable animals as they emerge to feed, offering a rare glimpse into their hidden world.

Watch the badger webcam

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Notes to editors

The St Albans Cathedral peregrine nest was shockingly destroyed during an incident captured on camera in April last year. Three eggs were lost as a result, and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and the local police responded here: Peregrine Falcons' Eggs at St Albans Cathedral Destroyed | Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust
A record-breaking number of puffins were recorded on Skomer Island in 2025 as part of annual monitoring of the bird. This success is despite numbers declining globally. See here for more details: Seabird Success: Record Breaking Puffin Numbers on Skomer Island | The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

Watch the webcams here:

Norfolk’s first osprey camera: Ranworth camera | Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Rutland Water’s osprey webcam: LRWT - Manton Bay Ospreys Live Webcam (Close-up)
Skomer Island's puffin colony: The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales - YouTube
St Alban’s Cathedral’s peregrine falcon nest webcam: Peregrine Live Cam
Leamington Spa's peregrines: Peregrine Watch and Webcams | Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
Urban kittiwakes: Kittiwake webcam | Durham Wildlife Trust
Elusive badgers: Badger webcam | Essex Wildlife Trust

Find these webcams and many more at: Webcams | The Wildlife Trusts

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