Link to first page opener - here
Link to July 2023 - here
Recap:-
LJ2 returned 31 March 2023
LM6 returned 4 April 2023
Egg No.1 laid 20 April - Hatched 27 May (37 days gestation)
Egg No. 2 laid 23 April - Hatched 29 May (36 days)
Egg No. 3 laid 26 April - Hatched 1 June (37 days) Sadly, passed away on 3rd June.
Chicks ringed 7 July
No. 1 - 7B5 42 days old (Female) 1755g
No. 2 - 7B6 40 days old (Female) 1730g
Chicks named 17 July after Brenig FB vote
7B5 - Dilys ( Meaning perfect, true, reliable)
7B6 - Mari (Meaning Star of the Sea) (Thank you Sandra for finding out the meanings of these beautiful Welsh names)
Chicks fledged 23 July
Mari first, (16.22) followed by big sister, Dilys 4 minutes later. (16.26) (55 and 57 days old respectively)
Today 1 August - Dilys is 66 days old and Mari is 64 days old.
It has been a wonderful month for this family. A plentiful supply of fish saw the chicks grow quickly into juvenile ospreys. As did the youngsters of last year, these two took turns to feed and with LM6 fishing as well now, they have often had a fish each at the same time. Mari, has turned out to be the faster developer of the two, practising fishing off various perches on 30 July (aged 63 days old) and on 31 July she started taking the fish off the nest to eat.
The next few weeks will see Dilys and Mari practise and hone their skills in preparation for becoming independent birds and tackling their long migration ahead of them.
Dilys and Mari at the beginning of the month
and now
LM6 and LJ2 getting some chill time together.
All captures and videos ©️ NWWT, Welsh Water, Brenig Osprey Project
20.55 Who should arrive next but LJ2, carrying a fish.
Dilys was happy to see him
LJ2 let go of the fish and Dilys picked it up.
20.56
21.19 Dilys stopped eating21.20 she walked away from the fish.and flew to the tree ahead.
I think it’s Dilys on the nest now, with someone on the perch.
Wednesday 2 August
Good morning After Dilys left the nest earlier, LM6 was the first to arrive to collect last night’s leftover piece of fish. 05.29
The juveniles together on the nest for a short time at 05.40.
05.55 LM6 returns with the piece of fish. The juveniles are heard chattering in the background.
05.56 After a short wait, one of the juveniles collects the fish.I can’t make out who it is. 06.48 I think it might be Mari
She leaves at 06.53. LM6 then arrives at 07.19 to finish the last piece off, the straggly skin that’s difficult to eat!
09.19 the PTZ camera moved from the woodland view that was on since yesterday to the preening perch to find LM6 snoozing.
12.01 LM6 brought some moss to the nest
She then did some nest tidying.
12.09 LJ2 then arrived with some moss - great minds think alike!
Fish calling could be heard from nearby. The parents watch as one of the juveniles flies pastMari then landed on the nest asking for fish.
14.04 Mari landed on the nest followed by Dilys. They started fish calling. Lunch was arriving.
14.04 LM6 brought in a live fish
14.05 Dilys took it
14.09 Mari tried to take the fish off Dilys.
They both pulled in different directionsDilys went off to the leftMari stayed on the nest with the fish behind her.
14.14 Mari flew off leaving the fish on the nest.
15.00 Mari returned to the nest
She collected the fish and started eating.
15.21 Dilys arrived and showed interest in the fish. Mari moved further down the nest.
15.39 Dilys waited15.52 Mari decided to take the fish off nest to eat.
16.44 Dilys left and returned to the nest, she found an old dried up piece of fish skin.
17.46 Eventually a proper meal arrived from LM6
Dilys took it straight away17.57 tucking in18.41 she stopped eatingOne drookit Osprey! 18.42 Dilys flew off leaving the fish behind and a piece of nesting fell from her talons. She landed on the tower.
18.44 Two minutes later, LJ2 arrived with a headless fish making soft contact calls.
18.44 He waited but there were no takers - although a juvenile could be heard.
18.45 He left again with the fish.