Link to August 2022
With last year’s male LJ2 arriving on the 6th of April and partner LM6 the 10th of April, I thought I would start a thread now for the new season in case they return earlier after a successful breeding season last year. The nest and surrounding area has recently been prepared by Welsh Water for our pair’s arrival.
Background to the nest:-
Many thanks to AG who wrote this preface to the Llyn Brenig thread for us below. (I’ve just edited extra information)
Llyn Brenig is a reservoir on the border between Denbighshire and County Conwy in North Wales. It is managed by Welsh Water; the osprey project is a partnership between them and North Wales Wildlife Trust.
One pair of ospreys (Blue HR7 (M) 2014 Lake Menteith, Scotland and Blue 24 (F) 2010 nr Rutland) raised a single chick here each year from 2018-2020, Z9 (F) Luned, KA5 (M) Roli and KC5 (F) respectively. Sadly, KC5 died after fledging, colliding with a wind turbine.
Neither of this breeding pair returned in 2021, when the nest was taken over by 2 Scottish birds, LJ2 (male) and LM6 (female), both 2018 chicks. The nest was vandalised the night after LM6 had laid her first egg; while the two could not continue to breed they did stay close to the site until normal migration time.
A new nest was erected in 2022 with additional security and a streaming camera in place. A new hide was also built.
LJ2 and LM6 returned and successfully fledged 2 chicks, X6 Olwen (F) and KA9 Gelert (M)
LM6 lost her blue darvic ring on the nest. It was recently recovered by Welsh Water and kept for display in the exhibition later this year.
Links to
North Wales Wildlife Trust Page https://www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/days-out/ospreys-llyn-brenig
Welsh Water Page https://llynbrenig.com/llyn-brenig-osprey/
Osprey Project Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/brenigospreyproject
Friends of Llyn Brenig Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/FriendsofLlynBrenigBlue24
Llyn Brenig YouTube Channel for Live Stream https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8_OrcBilBcFmDQ
All captures and videos ©️ NWWT, Welsh Water, Brenig Osprey Project
A nice close up of LJ2
14.53 just chillin’
14.59 The female has started fish calling. EDIT - she started even earlier, around 14.36ish. Well she’s not wasting any time in getting to know LJ2 first!
On scroll back, around 14.50, the female squirted over LJ2’s back and tail feathers. ️
15.56 still calling! FISH FISH FISH!
16.33 LJ2 tries mating again. The female isn’t receptive. LJ2 leaves, flying out over the water.
Has he finally gone fishing?
16.40 Unringed female on the nest sees something coming towards her, she quickly flies upwards. (left) Who’s this coming in from the right? Sounded like their wings clipped.
EDIT: I’ve gone back over this in slow mo, I think it’s the unringed osprey’s own wing that is on the right clipping the camera. (I had it in my head that maybe LM6 had returned and was chasing her off!)
17.13 LJ2 has returned to the empty nest fishless!!
He does some scraping and tidying.
A clip from earlier today when LJ2 skydanced. Disappointing that this episode doesn't have the best pose of URF, never mind:
(One thing about "no timeline", GLIDER, is that I could have got a better pose from elsewhere and slotted it in, no-one would have known. That's one of my beefs.)
IMAGICAT
LJ2 sits at the edge for a preen, has a quick look around then flies off. Returning briefly for a quick nest tidy before leaving again at 17.40.