LLYN BRENIG - AUGUST 2023 to end of FEBRUARY 2024

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. Purple heart


 
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

  • 19.59 Dilys returned to the nest for a short while. She was calling as usual!


    20.05 Crows could be heard in the background and an Osprey flew from the tree. Dilys hurriedly left the nest.

    20.06 Ospreys and crows. There was lots of flying about. 

  • 21.16 Dilys and LM6 on the preening perch


    Dilys left and currently it’s just LM6 roosting there. 21.39

  • Friday 11 August

    Good morning Grinning Dilys was first on the nest today.  05.19 She left and returned and was never too far away.

    07.05 LJ2 arrived with a nice fish for breakfast. I don’t know if this was a fresh one or the one he took from the nest last night.


    07.05 Dilys was happy to take it regardless.


    07.06


    07.42 


    07.57 Mari could be heard in the background chittering away. Dilys stopped eating and looked up. A crow called, Dilys alarm called then another Osprey alarm called. Dilys grabbed her fish and flew off quickly out over the water.

    She was followed by another osprey

    07.57 Dilys flying back with her fish (magnified)

    There was some calling and flying around by various birds and crow chasing then Dilys returned to the nest with her fish at 08.34

    08.35 Mari immediately followed her on


    08.35 Mari was looking for something to eat

    08.37 Dilys has moved further away from Mari and had a couple of bites of fish


    08.38 Dilys then flew up, landed, flew off again, returned once more then left still holding her fish. 

  • 09.55 The nest is still empty. Here’s LJ2 on the preening perch.


  • 11.59 LJ2 lands on the nest. He starts looking upwards


    12.00 He leaves


    12.00 One of the youngsters immediately lands on the nest and starts calling and mantling 


    However it doesn’t come to anything and the juvenile soon stops and leaves a couple of minutes later.

    12.20 A few minutes after that, Dilys is on the nest when LM6 arrives with a fish.


    12.23


    12.25


    12.39



    12.50


    13.27 Dilys is still eating.

  • 13.57 Dilys took her fish off nest


    16.15 Mari made an appearance on the nest.


    16.18 She settled down. 

    16.43 Mari left shortly then soon came back and settled down again.

    16.58 She got company this time. First big sister.


    16.59 Then mum



    17.01 

  • 17.12 LM6 left


    17.30 Mari stayed lying down, Dilys stood beside her. What were they looking at? 


    17.32 Answer - LJ2 had caught a tiny fish


    Dilys went to collect it.


    17.34

    17.34 Dilys has discovered that she likes taking fish off the nest now and Mari has discovered that she likes lying down! Role reversal. 

    17.35 

  • 18.39 Mari lay for a while, she needed a leg and wing stretch.


    18.49 After more resting, Mari looked up then jumped up mantling and calling. Intruder?

    18.49 Her sister flew on to the nest to give support.


    It didn’t come to anything and Mari soon settled down again. 

  • 18.59 LM6 arrived with a live fish


    19.00 Mari got up quickly to take it. She was so keen that she grabbed LM6’s toe and pulled hard


    After 10 seconds, Mari let go

    She stared at LM6 as if to say “Where’s the fish?” Oblivious that it was lying on the nest.


    When Mari did notice the fish, she grabbed at it so quickly that the fish jumped and she missed it



    She made sure with her second attempt and her talon went down to hold the fish steady.


    19.00 Oh poor Mari. Seconds later, Dilys then stole the fish off her.


    19.03 Dilys starts eating the fish.


    19.08 Dilys still eating

  • 19.11 LJ2 to the rescue! A few minutes later he arrives with a whole fish for Mari.


    19.12


    19.13 Nobody will be going to sleep hungry tonight.