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)
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
LM6 didn’t stay long on the nest with Mari and Mari continued eating. 20.44
21.15 She was still eating as darkness fell.
21.17. Mari stepped off the fish. Dilys was calling from nearby, Mari answering back.
Mari flew off at 21.18. I think that’s the fish marked on the nest.
She went round behind the camera side of the nest to land on the perch.
About 20 seconds later, Dilys flew on beside her.
Dilys’ wing sticking up.The two birds made contact calls and vocalised.
Brenig FB showing Dilys’ fishing attempt early this morning. I was hoping they’d show her dive from yesterday but this is even better with her diving into the other side of the water.
Dilys fishing
Thursday 17 August
Good morning Couldn’t see the remains of last night’s fish on the nest, perhaps taken by one of the adults late last night?
Mari got an early fish from LM6 at 07.04.
Will add more later.
Edit - other snaps
07.04 LM6 flew to the tall tree
07.07
07.10 Mari ate for a short time on the nest.
07.13 then flew off with her fish to eat elsewhere.
No one on the nest until 08.52 when Dilys lands followed by Mari and her fish.
Dilys approaches Mari and she gets warned off
08.54 Dilys calling
08.55 Mari leaves with her fish
but she doesn’t go anywhere. She is hovering above the nest with the fish bobbing down a couple of times.
Mari then lands again.
Dilys is vocalising
08.56 Mari leaves again
This time she flies to the perch.
08.57 Dilys watches her sister
Dilys had to wait almost 2 hours before she got a fish. She was on and off the nest during that period.
10.53 LM6 flew in with one she’d started herself.
10.53 Dilys shouting very loudly that she had a fish.
10.56 Dilys started eating
11.02 She transferred the small piece left to her talons.
Then flew off the nest.
13.40 Dilys was back at the nest first for the next fish just before LJ2 arrived.
She quickly took the fish
13.40 holding the fish in her beak
13.40 Mari arrives and Dilys raises her wings.
13.41 she then mantles over her fish
13.43 Mari leaves as Dilys watches.
13.45 Dilys didn’t attempt to eat the fish but opted to leave the nest with it.
16.35 Mari is calling off camera as LJ2 flies in with another small fish.
She flies in behind him.
Straight in to take the fish
16.43 She eats some of it on the nest
16.48
16.52 off she goes to finish her fish off.
17.47 Another fish! LM6 this time.
Dilys was in prime position to take the lively fish.
A bit more substantial this time17.48 LM6 leaves17.4817.52 She doesn’t seem in a hurry to eat it.17.5817.59 Dilys takes a nibble
18.17 Mari has a look into the water
18.19 Dilys flies off with her fish.
Mari stayed on the nest more or less for the next couple of hours or so.
18.44
18.57 LJ2 brought in a stick
19.09 then another
19.24 Mari shouted for fish again
19.59 but LJ2 was just catching sticks.
20.00
20.26 Mari was resting on the nest.
LM6 let out an alarm call and took off at speed.
Mari responded
Dilys on the nest perch also flew off. You can see her uplifted wing at the edge of the nest as Mari flies over towards the water.
20.29 Three minutes later and the two juvies are sitting together on the preening perch. (Dilys closest to camera) Mari is calling as Dilys watches something.
20.30
LM6 lands besides the girls.