For this year’s opener, I’m starting with AG’s recent comments (end of August 2023-February 2024) which give an insight to what’s been going on at Llyn Brenig.
12/02/2024
“There are some posts on the Brenig Osprey Project Facebook page with camera trap images and videos of voles, foxes and a family of otters. There is also an appeal for additional viewing equipment. The osprey watchpoint has a new verandah which will be a better base for scopes.There is a volunteer recruitment event at Llyn Brenig on 25 February if anyone in the region wants to join the merry band.All details at www.facebook.com/brenigospreyproject”
01/03/2024
“Just a little more info on preparations at Llyn Brenig. The nest is on a pole in the water just into the reservoir from a peninsula, which was tree covered, As explained in the conservation plan plan prepared by Tim Mackrill, the trees have been felled over the last 2 years (they were mature and ready for use as timber). The brash from the felling has been gathered up and used to create a barrier across the peninsula in line with the hide which is there. Some tree stumps were left near the nest last year after the first stage of felling were used by the ospreys as perches for eating, and are still there. Last year the hide could not be used in moderate or high winds due to the risk of trees falling on it; that is no longer a concern. If you scroll up to Glider's post on 31 August above you can see the trees which have now been felled, and the hide in the middle of the line of trees.
Both cameras are still streaming - there is snow on the hills around the reservoir this morning.”
Background to the nest:-
Again, many thanks to AG who wrote this preface to the Llyn Brenig thread for us below. (I’ve just edited extra information)
Llyn Brenig is a reservoir on the border between Denbighshire and County Conwy in North Wales. It is managed by Welsh Water; the osprey project is a partnership between them and North Wales Wildlife Trust.
One pair of ospreys (Blue HR7 (M) 2014 Lake Menteith, Scotland and Blue 24 (F) 2010 nr Rutland) raised a single chick here each year from 2018-2020, Z9 (F) Luned, KA5 (M) Roli and KC5 (F) respectively. Sadly, KC5 died after fledging, colliding with a wind turbine.
Neither of this breeding pair returned in 2021, when the nest was taken over by 2 Scottish birds, LJ2 (male) and LM6 (female), both 2018 chicks. The nest was vandalised the night after LM6 had laid her first egg; while the two could not continue to breed they did stay close to the site until normal migration time.
A new nest was erected in 2022 with additional security and a streaming camera in place. A new hide was also built.
LJ2 and LM6 returned in 2022 and successfully fledged 2 chicks, X6 Olwen (F) and KA9 Gelert (M)
LM6 lost her blue darvic ring on the nest. It was later recovered by Welsh Water and kept for display.2023 saw LJ2 and LM6 return to breed and successfully raise 2 female chicks 7B5 (Dilys) and 7B6 (Mari)
RETURN DATES
2022 - LJ2 April 6th - LM6 April 10th
2023 - LJ2 March 31st - LM6 April 4th
2024 - LJ2 March 31st (07.02hrs) LM6 sadly hasn’t yet returned. Blue 372 (translocation Poole Harbour 2021) visited April 1st then stayed April 6th
Eggs laid 2024
#1 23 April - 17.40, #2 26 April - 19.28, #3 29 April - 15.46
Links to
August 2023 to February 2024
North Wales Wildlife Trust Page https://www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/days-out/ospreys-llyn-brenig
Welsh Water Page https://llynbrenig.com/llyn-brenig-osprey/
Osprey Project Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/brenigospreyproject
Friends of Llyn Brenig Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/FriendsofLlynBrenigBlue24
Llyn Brenig YouTube Channel for Live Stream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOGHtmoEY7w
Llyn Brenig PTZ camera for off nest live stream PTZ live stream
All captures and videos ©️ NWWT, Welsh Water, Brenig Osprey Project
LM6 (left) and LJ2 April 2023
Afternoon fish delivery.
13.17 LJ2 arrives on the nest with a headless fish. 372 flies off the tree branch and out over the water to come to the nest.
However, LJ2 doesn’t release the fish and flies off with it again.
13.19 372 is calling for it
13.19 and the fish makes it’s way back to the nest.
372 is able to take it this time.
13.20 She flies off over the water and back into the feeding area. She uses a different post today.
©️NWWT, WW, BOP
14.10
372 flew from the area she had been eating, landing on the nest.
14.45 LJ2 lands on the tower perch with a headless fish.
14.46 Is it leftovers from 372 or another half eaten fish?15.02 He leaves the tower perch
372 has been visible both on the nest and tower perch.
15.13 a sudden gust on wind nearly flipped her but she saved herself with her wings.
15.3916.31 17.32
18.13 372 lands and chips a couple of times. It didn’t come to anything.
19.00 372 is calling for fish
19.02 LJ2 flies in with a half eaten piece
372 quickly takes it
and flies off to eat. I couldn’t get a good image with the smudgy lens.
Good news from Brenig FB - Roli KA5 (19) was spotted intruding yesterday at Glaslyn.
©️BGGW
He’s looking great. I really hope he finds a mate and a nest this year.
19.37 372 returned to the nest after eating
19.38 LJ2 flew in and landed on her back to mate.
19.40 372 left the nest to go to the tower perch. She wiped her beak.
20.20 she spent a lot of her time looking in this direction
and stayed for over 40 minutes. She then flew to the nest.
20.23 372 made a couple of contact chips as she landed.
20.45 She waited on the nest until after darkness fell then flew off in the direction over the nest perch.
20.46 A minute later, LJ2 landed
20.47 He then flew onto the nest perch.
.
Thank you for all your updates here, GLIDER - I'm hoping that this will be a repeat of Glaslyn 2023, where the resident female sadly failed to return but the season turned out to be very successful - here's to an egg very soon
IMAGICAT
Thanks Scylla, you’re very welcome. Yes, I agree. For as much as I wanted LM6 to return, it’s been very fortunate that 372 turned up so early giving LJ2 a good chance of another successful breeding season. They have bonded very well and we should see an egg soon.
19 April
Good morning. Both birds slept overnight on the nest perch.
05.32 LJ2 flew up to the nest, followed a few seconds later by 372 and they mated.
They both visited the tower perch individually for a 15min + spell of preening.
05.38 372 first
06.05 She left and LJ2 arrived a minute or two later.
You can certainly see which direction the wind is blowing. Such a contrast to the beautiful bright, still morning of yesterday.
They have both been back to the nest a few times, had a couple of mating attempts, one of which was successful.
06.46
08.42 372 has been having a bit of shut eye on the nest. The rain has arrived along with the wind now.
Well it looks like LJ2 is determined to have eggs soon as there has been a lot of mating today. I counted 8 attempts, excluding the early morning ones, 6 of which looked successful. Other than that, there was an unseen intruder around. I’m not sure if the intruder first appeared at this time. 14.40 372 flew onto the tower perch at speed and slightly overshot her landing. She looked to the skyThen mostly looked straight ahead.
14.43 Something caught her eye
and she departed immediately.
17.05 More than 2 hours later, 372 flew to the nest rim. She was mantling and flapping straight away.
17.07 LJ2 joined her, gave a chip, looked around and left under a minute later.
17.10 LJ2 returned, he chipped some more
An intruder was above
17.11 LJ2 took off leaving 372 on the nest. 17.18 Things quietened down and soon 372 was nestorising.
17.50 LJ2 returned to mate
17.50 372 stayed on the nest. She started rearranging bits n pieces.
18.43 LJ2 flew in carrying a thin stick.
372 told him she would like a fish.
18.45 He decided on something else.
LJ2 left and 372 stayed on the nest.
18.55 She then visited the tower perch
and back to the nest again. 19.33 It looked like LJ2 flew past. 372 was calling
19.38 She flew back to the tower perchShe started calling continually and louder (I switched to the nest cam to listen!)
19.55
19.58
An Osprey flew past19.59
372 immediately took off after it
and chased it over the water.
20.00 372 returned to the tower perch and did some preening.
20.17 372 returned to the nest.
She started calling again.
She flew to the nest edge, calling
then left with a gentle swoop downwards, still calling. 20.19 LJ2 landed on the nest and did some tidying, staying until 20.21.20.45 372 arrived on the nest, quickly followed by LJ2 for mating then he was off.
372 stayed for another 3 minutes then left as well.