Continued from March/April 2024
LINK to Opening Page with background and history of this nest and relevant links
This season so far
31 March Blue LJ2 returns
1 April Blue 372 briefly visits, 6 April Blue 372 returns and stays
Sadly, Blue LM6 has not returned
Eggs laid
#1 April 23 - 17.40, #2 April 26 - 19.28, #3 April 29 - 15.46
All captures and videos ©️NWWT, Welsh Water, Brenig Osprey Project
April saw Blue LJ2 (18) pair with a new female, Blue 372 (21), with his first mate, Blue LM6 (18) sadly not returning this year. They raised 2 chicks in 2022 and 2023 and had formed a good partnership.
As a 3 year old, this is Blue 372’s first year of breeding. She was translocated to Poole Harbour in 2021 from a Scottish nest. She returned in 2023 and teamed up with Blue 416. They actually intruded at Llyn Brenig then and found themselves a nest elsewhere on private land in Wales. However, this year, Blue 372 chose the Llyn Brenig nest and LJ2 as her mate. Blue 416 did intrude here and try to take Blue 372 back. She stuck to her choice though and Blue LJ2 courted her and they became a couple. A lot of new experiences for Blue 372 this year but she is handling everything well and still doing her own thing ie catching fish if need be!
May 5
Good morning. 372 had a quick comfort break at 03.14 and nest duties were taken over by LJ2 at 04.54.
He had to wait over 3 minutes for 372 to stand up after he arrived. His wee head was then straight in towards the eggs!
04.56 372 flew to the tower perch for some preening. It’s a beautiful, calm morning.
05.12 LJ2 on the nest.
05.55 changeover to 372
06.00 She didn’t get long as LJ2 was back with a mini haystack 5 minutes later.
372 flew off
07.16 Just over an hour later, 372 returned.
08.01 372 looks relaxed, she has been nodding on and off. It’s very quiet.
08.42 She gets up to roll the eggs
08.43 and changes position when sitting back down.
09.06 Such a tranquil setting today.
©️NWWT, WW, BOP
LJ2 has been away for a longer period. I wonder if he’s fishing?
09.31 372 organising the soft furnishings.
09.45 She rolls her eggs again.
10.13 Nope, I was wrong - LJ2 arrives and all he’s carrying is bark n stuff!
10.14 I think egg #1 is at the front, #2 to the right next to LJ2’s talon and #3 left.
11.00 LJ2 feeling the heat of the morning sun.
11.33 Changeover to 372
13.08 372 starts fish calling
13.31 LJ2 arrives empty taloned.
He goes to the eggs as 372 flies off.
14.10 372 takes over incubation again.
16.18 372 is fish calling loudly with LJ2 incoming over the water.
and he’s carrying a fish
16.19 372 collects the fish
and flies off with it to the post marked.
A wee video on Brenig FB showing LJ2 with a failed fishing attempt earlier today.
Link to video https://www.facebook.com/brenigospreyproject/
12.25 I scrolled back to the moment it happened. 372 had a bird’s eye view.
17.12 LJ2 was quickly up off the eggs when he saw 372 returning.
However, her talons were empty and LJ2 flew straight down to the post area to see if there was a leftover fish.
17.13 372 did a spot of stick rearranging
then shuffled in over the eggs.
372 was up rolling her eggs a couple of times.
18.30 She saw LJ2 nearby and called for him. He arrived at the nest
and took over incubation.
20.02 LJ2 under the setting sun.
20.03 372 arrived
20.38 372 sitting under a glorious sky at the end of the day.
.
Glider said:A wee video on Brenig FB showing LJ2 with a failed fishing attempt earlier today.
Our own little clip, just a quickie:
IMAGICAT
Aw thanks Scylla, that’s very good of you.
LJ2 didn’t come to do a late night incubation like last night so 372’s still here.
21.44 Another egg roll
22.25 and a few soft bedding adjustments
22.26 She’s settled down again.
May 6
Good morning. LJ2 chose to sleep on the tower perch last night. He was there before 10pm.
372 was quite restless on the nest, taking a couple of minute long comfort beaks at 23.22 and 03.05.
23.22
LJ2 watched over the nest as she left both times.
03.05
04.40 As the daylight filled the screen, LJ2 revealed he had been holding onto last night’s fish remains.
He left the tower perch at 04.41 and didn’t return to the nest to relieve 372 until 05.59, around an hour later than usual.
There was no fish left for 372.
05.21 A beautiful image from the tower perch in between birds sitting on it.
06.12 372 on the tower perch. She has a good head scratch before beginning a lengthy preening session.
06.20
07.09 Another head scratch before she leaves.
07.26 372 arrives at the nest with a clump of earth and resumes incubation.
08.43 LJ2 returns to take over incubation.
09.17 and 372 flies back, again with a clump of nesting materials.
10.35 372 is currently resting on the nest.