Continued from June 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
Hatched
June 2 - 00.52, June 4 - 09.48? It is not known for certain which eggs these are. My thoughts are these are eggs 2 and 3 and egg number 1 did not hatch. (Left unattended on a frosty night)
However, the consensus among the volunteers is that it is eggs 1 & 2 which have hatched. Llyn Benig is around 1000 feet above sea level so the ambient temperature is around 2 degrees Celsius lower than at sea level which might account for longer hatching times. It has certainly been a cold hatching period. (AG)
All captures and videos ©️NWWT, Welsh Water, Brenig Osprey Project
RESUMÉ for JUNE 2024
This has been a month of fast change. Two chicks were born at the beginning of the month. On chick 1’s day of hatching, someone was flying a drone in the area and it spooked 372. She alarm called and quickly left the nest with the little chick being thrown to the nest edge as she left. Somehow that wee one had the instinct and strength to move back to the nest cup and safety again. 372 has proven to be a great first time mother. She has gently fed the chicks, given them warmth and shelter and LJ2 has provided well with a variety of daily fish. There have been the usual intruders which has distracted LJ2 at times from bringing in fish but he would always bring some later on. The chicks are now 4 weeks old and developing very well. There is a hierarchy between the chicks with #1 being dominant over #2, mostly at feeding times. #2 knows to allow #1 to feed first then it’ll get its turn. Gelert KA9(22) son of LJ2 and LM6, was photographed at Dyfi 3 weeks after his visit here on 25 May.
The weather dried up as the morning went on but the rain splodges are still on the lens restricting viewing.
08.10 A larger fish was brought by LJ2 this time, trout by the look of it.
08.14 Both chicks and 372 fed off it.
08.24
08.30 372 had paused for a bit and LJ2 arrived. One of the chicks started fish calling again and so 372 resumed feeding.
08.45 It was very start and stop with something catching 372’s attention. She spent quite a few minutes quietly watching.
08.46
08.48
08.49 Eating again
09.02 Watching
09.07 She left for a break.
LJ2 had been watching too….. the fish on the nest and quickly came to retrieve it,
09.08 Looks like about half of it left
©️NWWT, WW, BOP
09.58 LJ2 returned with the end of the fish and gave a wee feed to the chicks.
10.00
10.02
10.05
10.07 372 left. Both chicks could be seen and they’d retired from the feed.
10.08 LJ2 carried on eating as 372 returned.
10.11 LJ2 decided to finish the fish off elsewhere.
Nope, change of mind! He returned 2 minutes later and finished it off on the nest at 10.34.
A quiet day since.
11.01 Some family preening
11.45 An explosion of feathers
11.58 Peek a boo!
13.07 The egg looks so small in between the chicks. The colour looks more brown than the deep burgundy it was. It’s amazing to think that less than 5 weeks ago these 2 beauties could fit inside of one.
We had an intruder on the nest early afternoon.
13.51 LJ2 landed beside 372, they both looked upwards.
13.52 then started flapping and some chipping was heard, I think it was 372.
13.53 A bird flew in from the left. It looks like it has a darvic blue band on its right leg.
Hopefully Brenig will confirm.
It briefly touched down
but 372 raised her wings and flapped it off with LJ2 leaving at the same time.
372 remained vigilant
13.57 She did some preening
14.09 some nestorising
14.14 more preening then a comfort break.
16.10 LJ2 brought in another whole fish.
16.11 372 took it and started feeding the chicks straight away.
I should say chick as it was the one nearest the camera who was fed first, #1 I think.
16.22 There doesn’t seem to be so much difference between the two chicks now and #1’s aggression has calmed down. A piece for mum
16.26 then #2 starts to get some fish
16.33
16.42 Back to #1
16.45 #1 got the tail fin and made light work of it!
The whole fish gone in 35 minutes.
I’ve not seen LJ2 since the last fish.
17.14 372 has continued with her housework.
17.49 She’s done some fish calling
21.04 A beautiful sky tonight
21.58 Current scene.The wind is getting up, 372 has her chicks well tucked in with all the extra bedding she’s provided.
22.51 LJ2 dropped by but didn’t have any supper with him.
23.43 All cuddled in for the night.
4 July
05.13 Good morning. LJ2 arrives with an early morning fish but it’s really small.
05.14 372 takes it
#1 chick does a big stretch before coming for a feed.
05.17 #2 chick stays lying down.
05.21 #2 lifts its head up to see if it can join the feed
05.21 but #1 is still eating and stands tall to warn #2 off. Just as I was saying yesterday, I felt the aggression had stopped!However, there wasn’t a late fish last night so the chicks are hungry this morning.
05.24 #1 has turned from the feed so ## comes over
but there’s none left. The fish is gone.
#2 looks at 372 as she calls for more fish.
06.27 LJ2 arrived with another small offering.
372 collects the fish
I think both chicks may have presented themselves for a feed
06.32 It appears like both have been getting some fish
06.35 a tiny piece for 372, then another and the fish is finished.
She picks up a couple of scraps.
And calls for more fish.
06.43 Waiting and watching.
06.56 LJ2 is incoming but it’s just soft nesting he’s carrying this time.
07.16 Time for some preening
07.41 All lying down
09.08 Current scene, 372 having a wee bit of shut eye. BFN