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.
LJ2 was on the tower perch. He left at 13.12
and arrived at the nest to do some tidying.
16.25 The nest was empty until Bethan arrived calling for fish.
LJ2 landed with a headless fish.
Bethan took the fish quickly and mantled.
LJ2 left and landed on the tower perch.
16.26 Emrys arrived on the nest. I wondered where he was.
16.27 Emrys might have been making more noise than Bethan!
16.36 He waited for his chance to take the fish. Bethan had paused eating to look at something.
Emrys managed to pull the fish from Bethan’s talons.
16.38 Bethan cleans her beak as Emrys eats.
17.03 Bethan stayed on the nest then left suddenly making an alarm call.
Emrys looked up then behind
and he shot off with the fish.
An Osprey flew from the water side
past the nest to the right at speed.
©️NWWT, WW, BOP
17.07 Emergency over, Bethan was soon back on the nest.
17.17 She left and returned, she did some preening. It looks like Emrys is eating his fish on the tree.
19.04 Bethan was back again in full fish calling mode.
It was only Emrys who landed.
19.31 They both decided to stay there.
19.51 Lying together, both have been calling for fish.
Emrys leaves
20.00 then Bethan a few minutes later.
20.17 Bethan returned to the nest and waited.
20.19 She was right to do so as LJ2 soon arrived with a fish. A wee perch.
You can see Emrys flying in as Bethan takes the fish.
Emrys is too late as Bethan has a good grip of the fish now.
20.20 Bethan eats and Emrys waits.
20.40 Emrys shouts that he’d like some. He’s not had much today.
20.43 The fish isn’t big enough to share and Bethan has it all then leaves.
I thought I’d posted this last night but it seems I hadn’t!
20.52 Emrys rakes about the nest for scraps then rests.
21.06 It’s getting dark as he waits.
21.13 He leaves and flies over to the tree.No fish for him tonight.
21.22 Are we having a family meeting and someone never got the memo?!
15 August
Good morning. An adult visits the nest first this morning.
05.34
05.36 Both juvies appear.
06.09 They wait a while.
06.25 They leave for a few minutes then return.
06.33 372 arrives with a large fish. Bethan is up first.
Emrys misses out and asks mum for another.
06.35 Bethan tucking into the fish.
07.59 Emrys got a fish from 372 as well.
08.27 He’s enjoying that.
09.39 Bethan joins him.
09.45 Emrys leaves the fish on the nest as he departs.
09.46 Bethan takes the fish.
10.16 She flies off with it.
The nest has been pretty quiet for most of the day.
13.32 LJ2 brought a headless fish to the tower perch.
14.30 He stayed there for an hour.
He then left with the fish. I didn’t see any activity on the nest either side of his arrival and departure.
17.23 372 came for a while.
17.22 Both juvies on the nest
17.35 Bethan left Emrys calling for fish.
18.39 Bethan was back
19.11
19.22 Emrys again. They’re both hungry.
19.50 Both together shouting for fish. Emrys nearest the camera.
19.53 LJ2 flew in with a small whole fish.
The two dived in together to grab the fish.
And it was Emrys who emerged the victor.
20.00 Bethan fish calling as Emrys eats.
20.08 Emrys with the tail
All gone.
20.16 Emrys stayed and fish called for a few minutes before leaving.
20.28 Bethan remained on the nest calling to be fed.
20.29 She left
20.30 but was back just over a minute later.
20.33 She waited
21.07 then got up as darkness fell
21.08 then left the nest.and that was it for the night.
16 August
05.32 Good afternoon. Bethan was first on the nest this morning. “I’m here, where’s my breakfast?!”
05.46 Emrys came calling for breakfast too.
06.28 Waiting together.
08.32 Bethan
08.46 Emrys joined her. A fish was on its way.
08.48 372 flew in with a large trout
Bethan took the fish.
Emrys was very hungry, he didn’t have much yesterday. He snatched at the fish
and managed to take it away from Bethan.
08.49 Emrys mantling over the fish as Bethan watches.
08.50 Emrys starts eating.
09.27 Bethan watches.
09.58 Bethan still waiting for her opportunity to get some fish.
10.04 Alas, Emrys, who normally leaves the fish behind, chose to take it with him as he left.
10.07 Bethan settled down to wait on the next delivery.
11.29 She waited for about an hour and a half
11.30 Then got up excitedly
LJ2 arrived with a mullet.
Bethan took it straight away.
She mantled over the fish.
LJ2 looked up and started chipping.
11.31 LJ2 flew off leaving Bethan mantling.
11.32 Bethan waited for a minute then started eating.
11.42 She ate the head
11.45 then took the fish off nest to continue with her meal.
She landed on the tree. Good to see both youngsters fed.