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
07.13 LM6 returns to the nest
Followed by LJ2, they initially are mantling
but soon settle down. LM6 does a bit of tidying.
She’s hungry and asks LJ2 for fish. Off he goes. LM6 keeps calling.
And he returns at 09.01 with a headless fish (as reported this morning by AG)
Happy days!
So, through scrollback, I’ve not seen the unringed female again since she left this morning. I really wish her well. She’s going to be a great partner for someone (with ear defenders!!)
LJ2 and LM6 have been on and off the nest, bringing nesting materials, cup scraping, mating and spending time together bonding, surveying their territory. (As Janni reported earlier)
LM6 did return the tail end of the fish LJ2 caught early this morning, about 10.23. He happily took it.
As the day went on, LM6 started fish calling again.
Finally at 19.09, she got her reward.
It’s been a good day for these two,
Congrats and thanks fo JANNI for the original spot! And special thanks to GLIDER, who's a special person after my own heart, spending most of the day on minutiae that won't mean a hill o' beans in the great scheme of things
I mean that in the nicest possible way - my heart swelled as I scrolled thru all your work {{{Glider}}} ♥
IMAGICAT
Glider said: I get it!!!
This is as far as I've got - the first link-up this morning and it looks like the URF to me - but I think you diagnosed a BTO ring ???
.
Thing is, Ospreys often have "dirty" ankles which give the impression of having rings on them - impossible for us "researchers" on, but not exclusively on, nightcam.
Now I have to eat before conking out, and there's Aran, especially, to check on...
Around 23:00 there was an unsuccessful mating attempt:
scylla said:
https://youtu.be/nHr8AY4q2Vo
Thanks Scylla. On the morning of LM6’s return, LJ2 did mate with the unringed female on the nest at 06.11.. When I was trying to work out who was who, I did see a BTO ring but finally concluded that it was LJ2’s and the other Osprey was the unringed female. This happened before LM6 arrived at 06.50.
I don’t know much about what’s happened today. On scrollback, the 2 resident ospreys have been on the nest together and singly as well. The weather has been rainy, windy and miserable all day. Big blobs of raindrops obscured good vision of the nest. There have been several unsuccessful attempts at mating but LM6 isn’t lifting her tail. I haven’t heard her fish call except once off nest. I haven’t seen a fish brought to the nest either.Of course, I may have missed this as sometimes it was hard to make out the ospreys at all on the nest! I’m pretty sure it’s LM6 though, I’ve seen the BT0 ring and am beginning to recognise her head pattern.
Early morning meeting on the nest
One of the unsuccessful mating attempts, LJ2 sat still on LM6’s back for about 15 seconds then flew off.
At 17.00 I heard skydancing whilst LM6 was on the nest.
Skydancing stopped and LM6 started chipping then she assumed mantling position and chipping more
She then flew upwards and another Osprey appeared
LM6 returned to the nest mantling and the other Osprey landed on the clipped tree.
LM6 waited a few seconds then gave chase.
The two birds flew over the water to the left of the nest.
Around 17.27, LM6 returned to the nest.
LM6 was hungry for fish after all of this, she started calling and around 17.50 her calls were answered.
She quickly took the sizeable fish and flew up and to the left behind the nest to eat.