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
07.58 However, Dilys soon flew back to the nest.
08.02 She was soon calling for fish.Dilys flew over to the other side of the nest.
then left at 08.04
11.11 The nest was empty until Mari arrived calling loudly.
11.39 She left and returned a few times.
13.23
14.03
14.20 Mari’s persistence was rewarded with a headless fish from LJ2
Mari quickly took the fish
Three seconds later, LM6 arrived with a headless fish too.
There was no sign of Dilys
14.22 LM6 waited and looked around
14.24 then she flew off, leaving the fish on the nest.
14.25 Mari took a few bites of fish
14.26 Then Mari flew off with her fish.
16.08 The fish lay on the nest until the crows arrived. It was their lucky day! They quickly started eating the fish.
LM6 came flying in to chase the crows off
16.09 The crows dispersed but quickly returned
16.09 LM6 swooped down from side to side.
The crows were always very fast in moving away but reappearing too
LM6 worked tirelessly, she was vastly outnumbered
16.10
16.11 This time one of the crows picked the fish up in its beak and took it off the nest.
18.12 LJ2 flew in to do some nest tidying.
18.13 Those pesky crows make such a mess!
18.16 Looking good LJ2!
18.45 And look who’s back - hello Dilys!
She sounds hungry calling loudly for fish.
19.43 Dilys is still calling
19.46 Mari joins her sister.
What a beautiful evening after a wet start to the day.
It looked lovely on the preening perch earlier tonight too, so calm.
19.21 LM6 and Mari with the straggly piece of her fish.
19.44 Mari finishing her fish off
She’s struggling to grasp the skin with her talons, switching from right to left
but it drops, like her tail end yesterday and probably a lot of other days as well! She looks down as it lands in the water.
20.19 Dilys was never far from the nest calling for fish.
20.46
20.49
20.53
20.56 As darkness falls Dilys makes her way to the nest perch. Hopefully she’ll get an early morning fish.
21.05 Mari is roosting alone on the preening perch tonight.
21.34 The infra red is on early tonight.
Dilys arrived early to the nest and got a half eaten fish from LJ2. Looked a bit stiff so probably caught last night.
05.44
05.45 Day cam came on
05.50 Mari (right) arrived just in front of LJ2 with his delivery
LJ2 flew to the tree top
05.50 The fish was lying on the nest. Both juvies had had a look at it
05.54 But made no attempt to pick it up?
05.57 Finally Dilys turned around and looked at the fish again
She went to retrieve it
05.59 She waited another couple of minutes before starting to eat.
06.31
06.33 Dilys flew off with the fish and a clump of nesting material
Dilys was back at the nest at 07.56
She hung around then left, Mari came to the nest fish calling then Dilys returned at 10.08
Just in time for LM6 bringing a fish at 10.09
Dilys (right) was in a good position to take the fish. Mari tried to pull it but Dilys had a better grip.
Dilys mantled as Mari watched
10.10
10.11 The juveniles were still.
10.14 Was there something above?
10.18 Dilys flew off with the fish leaving Mari on the nest.
Not much Osprey action on the nest throughout the day. Just a couple of visits from the neighbours.
11.18
16.14 One of the crows was even digging into the bottom of the nest!