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)
MIGRATIONS
8B8 Emrys - 03/09/24 (92days old) / 372 03/09/24 (3years old)
8B9 Bethan 06/09/24 (96 days old) / LJ2 last seen on the evening of 06/09/24 so probably left 07/09/24 (6 years 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.
10.02 372 took her fish to the tower perch.
She stayed there for a while, just standing.
10.38 LJ2 then joined her.
11.16 He spent his time preening then left.
11.17 Emrys landed next.
LJ2 followed him on.
He landed in the middle watched by Emrys.
LJ2 soon left and then Emrys as well.
11.38 Emrys returned.
He was curious about the cam lens.
He wondered if any part was edible!12.10 372 started eating the fish.
12.14 Bethan came to the nest shouting.372 responded and left the tower perch.
12.19 she brought her fish for Bethan.
12.20 Emrys decided to join them.
Just like old times, mum with a fish and 2 screaming youngsters in front of her!
372 decided to release the fish and step to the side. It was Bethan who then took the fish.
12.21 Bethan ate a little
12.31 then took the fish away with her.
©️NWWT, WW, BOP
12.20 372 had returned to the tower perch after leaving the fish on the nest. She wiped her beak straight away.
13.13 LJ2 joined her and cleaned his beak on landing as well.
They were on and off the perch but together again at 14.40
16.56 Bethan arrived at the nest.
16.57 She started preening.
17.31
17.48
17.50 LJ2 came with a fish shaped stick, Bethan was shouting for it. Emrys had joined her.
18.47 Bethan had left for a minute then stayed on the nest.
19.03 Emrys is back and they’re both waiting on the next fish.
19.49 Bethan was alone on the nest when a fish finally arrived courtesy on 372.
372 had started it off.
19.50 Emrys arrived, 372 left and Bethan started eating the fish.
20.24 Emrys stayed with Bethan
20.32
20.51
20.59 When Bethan finished it was pretty dark.
Emrys didn’t attempt to take the fish.
21.03 Bethan flew off.
Emrys lay down on his bed.
21.40 Still there. It’s pretty windy now.
27 August
Good morning. Today Bethan is 86 days old and Emrys 84 days.
05.30 372 overnighted on the tower perch, head down, clinging on in the fierce wind.
She left just after this so I couldn’t get a better image.
Emrys was awake on the nest but abruptly got up when his sister visited in the morning, flying up from the nest perch.
05.46
05.50 He was soon lying down again.
06.28 The pair have been away and back at the nest again. The cam lens is even cloudier today. Emrys had a squirt earlier on.
There have been spells of an empty nest with one or two individual visits.
09.44 Both juvies were there recently. Not the best weather for fishing, so blustery.
The 2 youngsters were on the nest when 372 arrived with a headless fish.
10.55 The screen is so greasy I can’t make much out.
10.56 The youngster who got the fish also got 372’s leg and pulled her back.
372 was freed after about 20 seconds.
11.08 Yay, I can see now, it was Bethan who got the fish.
11.52 Bethan ate on the nest. Emrys stayed close.
11.57 Bethan released the fish and stepped away from it.
11.58 She then flew off.
Emrys collected the fish
11.59
12.04 He decided to take it elsewhere.
15.21 Bethan was back on the nest waiting. LJ2 flew in with a headless fish.
13.22 She opted to take the fish away to eat elsewhere.
The tower perch and nest were pretty quiet in the afternoon.
15.44 LJ2 did some preening.
16.00 372 Some nest tidying.
18.34 Both youngsters came to wait on the nest.
19.28
19.55 Fish incoming!
It was 372 with a large one.
Bethan gets it again.
19.57
20.29 Emrys shouting for more fish.
20.49
20.50 Bethan moves away from the fish, Emrys is shouting for fish.
20.52 Emrys hasn’t noticed the fish lying on the nest edge. He’s still shouting for fish.
It’s easy for us to see with the night cam on but it must look the same colour as the nest in the dark.
20.53 Finally, Emrys cocks his head to the side. He sees it.
Bethan leaves
Emrys gets his supper.
21.33 Still eating
21.42 Looks like he’s stopped now. The fish is to his left.
21.44 Hunkered down in the rain. It’s been a very short summer.
.
Glider said:The screen is so greasy I can’t make much out
I have long been UH-MAZED at how well you do manage to make things out
IMAGICAT
28 August
Good morning. Haha, yes Scylla, I do it with difficulty!
Today Bethan is 87 days old and Emrys 85 days.
Looking back over the last couple of years, here are the ages of the juvies when the they left on migration.
2022
Gelert (KA9) - 85 days
Olwen (X6) - 90 days
2023
Mari (7B6) - 89 days
Dilys (7B5) - 95 days
Emrys left the nest just before 05.30. Bethan was first back on, shouting as usual!05.59
05.59 Bethan had spotted last night’s fish and was slowly making her way over but Emrys landed next to it.
Emrys picked up the fish
06.00 Emrys shouting now.
06.06 Emrys tucking in to the fish. Bethan waiting.
06.09 Bethan finds a scrap on the nest edge. She leaves soon after.
06.20 When Bethan returns, Emrys leaves with the fish in his talons.