Link to March 2023
All pictures and videos ©Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife
"New season improvements get under way" per ©️BywydGwylltGlaslynWildlife
Aran and his new mate, Elen, both returned last season on 03 April. After a will-they/won't-they start, Elen laid her first egg on 24 April and the second 3 days later. Two male chicks, 0H1 and 0H2, fledged on 20 and 23 July and were last seen on 05 and 04 September, respectively.
Elen with her two boys, courtesy of Cirrus:
Elen was last seen on 24 August, Aran on 08 September.
A happy ending to a season that had started out so sadly.
May our 2024 season turn out so well.
IMAGICAT
.
10 April
Aran came in very early to the nest, checking something (after stumbling over that ridiculous stick that I never caught being brought in, it must have been in a file that I deleted under pressure, I could kick myself!)... then he had a sleep until Elen arrived, which perked him right up and they had a successful mating on the perch:
scylla said:You've got to watch the last minute or so, cos I've synced the sound to within a bat's heart-beat
You did that so well, Scylla - a beautiful female Tawny! I hope she doesn't bother Elen tonight!
Sandra said:a beautiful female Tawny!
I've never investigated male vs female Tawnies (oops, that's wrong - Proper Noun plural =Tawnys), I didn't know you could tell the difference except - I'da assumed - by size
Just one snap from the rainy day to show that Elen did get fed:
She survived the night, albeit getting very, very wet:
11 April
No preamble from Aran this morning! Two good matings on the perch:
Since then they've spent a lot of time on the nest together.
scylla said:I've never investigated male vs female Tawnies (oops, that's wrong - Proper Noun plural =Tawnys), I didn't know you could tell the difference except - I'da assumed - by size
Some info for you, Scylla
The famous 'twit twoo' sound isn't made by one bird – it's made by two. A male and a female, to be exact. The female tawny owl makes the sharp 'ke-wick' (twit) sound, while the male responds with a wavering 'hoo-hoo' (twoo). The male tawny owl uses his call to stake claim to his territory, while the female users hers as a contact call, dueting with the male or keeping in touch with her chicks.
(Woodland Trust.org.uk)
Sandra said:The female tawny owl makes the sharp 'ke-wick' (twit) sound, while the male responds with a wavering 'hoo-hoo' (twoo).
Thank you, Sandra. I should be used to that with Great Horned Owls, but rather more dramatic
Forgot all about it!
Mystery (to me) birdie. There was no cam zoom, Heather was distracted by a possible intruder or someone else who had to be tracked in the sky but I couldn't see:
Pont Croesor
Wet Elen waiting:
I was assuming the this was Aran deheading a fish, but what with the PC "waiter" and Elen waiting on the Glaslyn perch, and this view being so distant - it could have been thingummyjig - Aeron?
Blue Tits:
The there was a gap in my downloads, this must have been Elen with the fish:
Elen was steaming !!!
12 April
Tawny not seen. Elen gets some shut-eye but has a runny beak:
Not the clearest of pictures, but the 4 pictures of the unknown bird looks like a Wheatear
Richard B
I think Wheatear too!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
,
Thank you, RICHARD & WENDY, for the Wheatear ID -I'm sure you are right.
I haven't done any of the 12th's events, just had a whizz thru and saw that there may have been an intruder, if the cam searching the sky is anything to go by.
Elen spent the night on the perch disturbed only by wind and rain. 05:32, here's Aran for a successful mating:
Elen was on the perch all night. Aran was very slightly late this morning:
Disconnected clips show that it was a good day, apart from the weather!
Elen is still on the perch but not currently asleep. All looks peaceful.
14 April
After a peaceful (according to a quick scan) night, Aran came in for a perfect mating but then, out of the gloom, the Tawny attacked - it knocked Aran but it was Elen who immediately gave chase, soon returning with no harm done.
They weren't fazed: