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)
Chicks ringed 08/07/24 - (Second hatched) 8B8 (M) 1500g 265mm - (First hatched) 8B9 (F) 1620g 291mm
Chicks named 18/07/24 8B8 EMRYS - 8B9 BETHAN
Chicks fledged 28/07/24 (54 days old) - 27/07/24 (55days old)
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.
10 August
Good morning. The rain has returned so the images aren’t great.
The first visitor to the nest was one of the youngsters at 05.32.
They ignored the 2 fish lying there from last night.
05.51 LJ2 came and landed on the big whopper he caught last night. He waited a minute. The youngsters could be heard vocalising.05.52 LJ2 left with the fish.
Bethan arrived seconds later. (I’m purely going by her vocalisations as I can’t see who it is)
She stayed on the nest until a flock of geese could be heard approaching.
She then left at 05.59.
06.30 Bethan returned half an hour later.
06.32 This time she went for the fish remaining on the nest to have a feed.
She ate until 07.13 then left.
07.14 372 arrived.
She picked up the fish and brought it nearer to the centre of the nest.
07.15 She started eating it.
©️NWWT, WW, BOP
07.20 Emrys joined 372 a few minutes later.
He asked to be fed
07.22 372 fed Emrys a few pieces then LJ2 returned with his fish.
372 left but the fish wasn’t fully released from her talons and dropped at the outer edge of the nest as she flew off.
Emrys approached LJ2 for his fish.
07.23 Emrys now has the fish and begins eating.07.25 LJ2 tried to fix the stick Emrys had pulled upright yesterday but was unsuccessful.
He then left.
Emrys fed until 07.51 then flew off leaving the fish on the nest.
372 has spent a lot of time on the tower perch this morning.
She was here for a while earlier this morning then returned around an hour ago.
08.34
09.30 She is currently still here.
The nest has remained empty since Emrys left. Perhaps 372 is guarding the fish in case any crows come to steal them!
I’ve skipped over the rest of the morning as with the rain on the lens, it’s difficult to see what’s going on.
Bethan and 372 have been on and off the nest individually and together.
18.18 Here is Emrys and Bethan asking 372 for fish.
18.50 Bethan was looking very closely down into the water.
I think she might have dived off for a fish. It looked like a downward trajectory.
18.56 372 brings in a whole fish.
Bethan takes the fish to eat.
20.01 Emrys takes the fish when Bethan steps off it.
20.14 372 arrived with a headless fish. Emrys was still eating the previous fish.
20.16 372 offers fish to Bethan but he’s happy with the one he has.
20.25 372 eats some fish then leaves with the fish still on the nest.
20.34 LJ2 arrives with a stick and leaves with a fish!
20.35 Emrys eats a little more then leaves as well.
20.36 He lands on the tree.
21.02 Emrys visited the nest again for a short while.
21.04 He left to fly to the tree but settled on the lower branch.
He was still there just before night cam came on.
11 August.
Good afternoon. This morning Bethan flew up from the nest perch and landed on the nest.
05.31
05.33 Emrys is still on the lower branch of the tree.
05.47 She ate for a short while then took the fish away.
08.22 LJ2 was cup scraping
Bethan joined him. She picked up a dried up piece of fish skin.
08.26 She did her best to eat it.
08.29 The long piece of skin got swallowed and regurgitated a few times. She managed some and dropped what was left.
10.41 A crow came to visit later. First time I’ve seen one in a while. It had a good look around the nest, finding and eating scraps.
10.47
10.50 It stayed for nearly 10 minutes then an Osprey appeared and it flew off.
NWWT, WW, BOP
11.38 The crow had another visit.
13.39 It brought a friend a couple of hours later.
13.47 LJ2 brought a lovely mullet to 372.
13.48 Emrys arrived asking for fish.
13.49 but 372 flew to the tree with the fish.
13.56 Emrys flew to the tree to join 372.
14.00 The PTZ cam switched to the tree, Emrys was asking to be fed.
14.02 Emrys stayed beside 372
14.20 Emrys took the fish from 372
14.21 A crow flew up from below the tree, 372 lifted her wings to fly down to chase it.Another Osprey, presumably LJ2, flew in from the right to give chase as well.
14.30 Emrys still eating.
14.43 Bethan was on the nest watching Emrys.
14.47 The crows persisted harassing and Bethan shouted as cheerleader as the adult birds gave chase.
15.03 Bethan settled down and waited. Emrys is still on the tree eating the fish.
17.09 LJ2 brought a small very lively fish to Bethan.
17.10 Emrys left the tree.
17.24 Bethan ate some of the fish then took it away.
20.05 Another wee fish for Bethan from LJ2, a tiddler.20.06 It jumps about the nest
Bethan grabs it in her beak.
20.14 It doesn’t take long to eat, there goes the tail fin.
20.33 Bethan shouting for more fish.
20.38 She’s joined by Emrys (left)
21.00 Bethan still shouting.
21.40 Someone has come to sleep on the nest, I take it it’s Emrys.