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
Just before LM6 came to the nest, she had been on the preening perch.
One of the juveniles was already there when LM6 landed at 12.09
The juvenile watched as LM6 left at 12.10
She then vocalised, watching LM6 on the nest.
15.03 Both chicks have since been on the nest asking for fish
and have been heard in the background.
16.35 Currently, the nest is empty.
The juveniles have been on and off the nest, fish calling when they were there.
16.44 Mari on the nest. Dilys is on the perch.
16.48:Hello Mari!
17.14
18.20
19.1219.41
They had to wait a little longer until 20.23 when LJ2 came in with a fish.
Both juveniles were very hungry and went for the fish together with Mari winning it.
20.24 Mari mantled over the fish to block Dilys from taking it.20.44 Mari tucking in20.53 LM6 dropped by with a stick for the nest. What a beautiful sky tonight as a backdrop to these beautiful birds.
21.15 Mari continued eating. Dilys has given up and left the nest. 21.23 As darkness fell, Mari stopped eating.
21.34 She flew off the nest, taking the fish with her.
21.25 Dilys landed on the nest but there was no fish for her tonight.
She lay down on the nest, booking her place for first fish tomorrow!
22.40 She looks settled.
Monday 7 August
Good morning Dilys flew to the perch just after midnight.
In the morning Dilys was on and off the nest fish calling and at 07.27 she was rewarded by LM6 with a nice large fish.
07.28
07.29
08.05
Dilys ate well then stopped eating at 08.18. She stood looking around. Mari saw this as her opportunity to take the fish.
Mari took the fish to the other side of the nest to eat. Just over an hour later, at 09.29, LM6 arrived with another fish.Dilys quickly followed her onto the nest, calling all of the time.
Dilys didn’t go to collect the fish though.
09.31 LM6 took it to the edge of the nest and left it. Who should arrive with some sticks but LJ2. He was delighted to see the unattended fish and scooped it up.
He quickly flew off with it, leaving the other 3 on the nest.
09.35 LM6 then left, Mari continued eating and Dilys continued calling. Dilys then left, Mari ate a little more then stopped. She secured her grip then took the fish off the nest. 09.44
Mari landed on the tree ahead.
The nest was quiet until 12.03 and juvenile calls could be heard as LJ2 arrived with a headless fish. Was this the same one he took earlier? Lots more calling was heard then Dilys landed beside her dad.
Dilys quickly took the fish.
Dilys ate until 13.32 when Mari popped by with her fish.Mari left again with her fish. Dilys ate until 13.38
13.39 She left the small piece of fish on the nest and flew off.
She joined someone on the tree. Mari didn’t go directly there when she left the nest but perhaps that’s her there now.
The piece of fish lies where marked.
Dilys came back later to tackle the small leftover.
15.36 It was a bit dried up by now.
I don’t think she managed it all and she started shifting sticks. 15.41
Dilys left for a few minutes then returned. She moved sticks again. 15.58
Ah, she was making her bed a bit more comfy!! 16.16
She rested there until 16.56 when she left the nest again.
18.01 Dilys came back a couple of times to tackle the left over fish. On the second occasion, she flew down with LM6.
LM6 showed her how it was done. 17.41
Dilys insisted on being fed. 17.58
LM6 finished the last piece, cleaned her beak and left the nest at 18.06.
Dilys stayed for another 5 minutes18.11 She flew to a nearby tree next to the water.
19.20 Dilys was back on the nest when LJ2 arrived with a new fish.
She quickly took it.
Mari arrived
Dilys told her “It’s my fish!”