For the next five months goshawks, buzzards and hobbies will star in a true-life family drama.

Visitors to the New Forest Reptile Centre will get a privileged peek into the lives of some of the New Forest’s most impressive birdlife, th-anks to high tech video technology.

“Raptorcam” technology to allow viewers to follow the lives of birds of prey in their nests as they breed, hatch eggs, feed chicks and teach their young how to fly.

The Date with Nature project is run by the RSPB, New Forest National Park Authority, Forestry Commission and Carnyx Wild.

Last year around 20,000 people visited the centre to watch the drama unfold, and online coverage also proved popular.

This year, visitors will be able to share the highs and lows of the breeding season with pairs of buzzards and goshawks until June, and then see footage of a hobby nest through the summer.

As well as being streamed online, the footage will also be on view daily between 10am and 4.30pm centre, where staff and volunteers will be on hand to explain more about the birds’ behaviour.

Cameras have already been positioned high up in the tree canopy ready to capture footage of the buzzards and goshawks as they guard their eggs, with the chicks likely to appear in May.

Michael Lake, project officer for the RSPB, said: “Every year we are able to show visitors the journey of the amazing birds of prey of the New Forest; from egg to first flight. This year we are feeling very fortunate to be able to show visitors a different bird from previous seasons and show them the family life of a buzzard. People are used to seeing these magnificent birds soaring high in our skies; but we will show their life from a whole new angle.’ It’s not only birds of prey which are being featured. Live footage from a ‘feeder cam’ will capture activity around bird feeders near the centre.

A camera has also been set up in a nest box intended for smaller woodland birds, and staff are eagerly waiting to see which species sets up home there.

In addition to a Date with Nature the reptilecentre is hosting Wild Wednesday events every week during the Easter school holidays, summer half-terms and summer holidays, with fun activities for the whole family.

Watch live footage of the birds in their nests online at newforestgateway.org or newforestnpa.gov.uk/datewith nature.