Great news from north Wales. The Glaslyn osprey pair has returned safe and well, looking fit, refreshed and ready to go after a nice long winter break in west Africa. This will be their fifth season raising a family at the Welsh nest site, so fingers crossed for another cracking few months.
The male's body clock is awesomely accurate. He was the first to show up, as always, arriving on the nest at 1pm on Wednesday 26 March - exactly the same day, and very nearly the same time, as he returned last year - we should set our watches by him!
He spent the first few hours pottering around, a typical unsupervised male with no watchful female to answer to. His pleasures involved exploring his old stomping ground, doing a spot of fishing and perching on a feeding tree to eat his first Glaslyn catch of the season. When he did settle in for a little nest-rest, we took the opportunity to focus the nest camera on his BTO leg ring and double check his identity. It proved without doubt that this is the regular male - stage one complete. Now we just had to settle back and wait for his missus to catch up.
We didn't have to wait long. At 7am the next morning we arrived at the site to see the pair of them sat chummily together in the nest. No doubt they had a lot to catch up on after a winter apart. As always with the female, it is impossible to say with 100% certainty that she is the same bird returning year after year. She has no ID rings on her legs that would confirm this. But, after many seasons of watching her on a daily basis, we are all pretty familiar with her markings and behaviour patterns. The dark, speckly chest feathers are particularly distinctive, plus she obviously knows the nest and the area very well, she is visibly comfortable in the surroundings.
True to form, the birds were mating almost straight away on Thursday morning, and have been ever since, despite the gusty winds and rain we had over the weekend - aah I expect they've missed this bleak Welsh weather! Both birds have been adding twigs and sticks to the nest to build it up ready for eggs and the male has been standing in the middle and scooping backwards with his talons to make a cup shape in the bottom of the nest that the eggs will sit in. This will protect them from the elements, making them more secure in there.
As for a laying date, 'Mystic egg' predicts that Monday 7 April could be the magic date. Keep checking the blog to find out. This year we are super-interactive too and are inviting you to share your comments and thoughts on the Glaslyn ospreys with us and other blog users. Happy writing!
awesome news, hope to visit down there sometime again this year but currently pre occupied in a move to scotland to keep watch on there ospreys for 4 months. so to anyone in scotland well in partic the pair at dunkeld see you soon, to those in glaslyn hope to see you all very soon, maybe catch you in beddgelert for a pint and an ice cream
It is fantastic that these truly wonder birds have again arrived back safe and well. Mind you they have chosen the most beautiful spot - exactly why we spend so much time in the area. We are looking forward to calling in over the weekend to watch the events and catch up. Wendy you do a fantastic job keeping us all informed and interested.
While the ospreys have been away for the winter, we have built a railway past their nest (at a safe range!). We know ospreys don't mind railways because the male has come fishing just outside the railway works in two of the previous seasons. He was so punctual that we could almost arrange the staff tea intervals to see him fishing.
Excellent news that the Ospreys have returned. Will be visiting in May once again, this will be the third time I have been to the Glaslyn project. It is a shame that I live so far away in South London, I would be there all the time if I lived in North Wales. The birds are truely awesome and beautiful. I am so happy that the pair have come back and hope that they manage rear young again.
Fantastic thanks for the constant updates. I popped down there on (i'm lucky to live close enough) Wed. for a quick look good to see them back .
If you want to hear what a Glaslyn Osprey sounds like click here http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/nature/pages/glaslyn_ospteys.shtml