AS THE dawn broke over Bassenthwaite Lake a young osprey spread its wings to its five-foot span and, for the first time, soared over the fells.

The bird, believed to be a female, is the fifth chick born to the first pair of ospreys to have bred in Lakeland for at least 150 years.

So far the Bassenthwaite birds have successfully raised four chicks one in 2001, two in 2002 and one last year - and their latest offspring was born at the beginning of June.

The rare creatures have also become the stars of a Big Brother-style "spy on the nest." The images have enthralled thousands of viewers at a public viewing site at Whinlatter Visitor Centre run by the Lake District Osprey Project and on the Internet.

But although telescopes in Dodds Wood have been trained on the nest for months, the young osprey confounded visitors and team members by taking its first flight at dawn when nobody was watching.

David Hirst, of the RSPB, said: " When we arrived at the nest in the morning the bird had gone so we were quite anxious as to where it had disappeared to. But then it was relocated up in a nearby tree."

The young bird then spent most of the day away from the nest and could only be enticed back by its parents with a juicy fish.

"Over the next few weeks the chick will spend more time out of the nest which will become a comfort zone for the bird to where it will return only when the adults bring it fish," Mr Hirst added.

Welcoming the news, Bill Kenmir, of the Lake District Osprey Project, said that people would still be able to catch the osprey action at the viewing points.

He said: "This is fantastic news and we are thrilled that another young bird has successfully flown from this special nest. This is another feather in the cap for the Lake District as these birds continue to attract local, national and international interest."