Britain’s birds of prey are back from the brink of extinction – and live on webcam

A red kite photographed at a feeding station in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Photograph: Kirk Norbury/Alamy

I watch in delight as an osprey lands on a Scots pine, bringing a huge fish back to its hungry chicks. Moments later, I have close-up views of a red kite, its nest swaying to and fro in the breeze. Finally, I witness the first flight of a young peregrine – the fastest living creature on the planet.

I don’t need to travel to enjoy these unforgettable views of Britain’s birds of prey; I’m at home in Somerset, watching webcams. These livestreams – from Loch of the Lowes in Scotland, Sculthorpe in Norfolk and just down the road in Taunton – provide round-the-clock entertainment for their avid viewers, who can follow the progress of these nesting birds from the comfort of their living rooms.