Ospreys 2020

[Margaid]

Wind direction has been against them but it's changing through today to a more favourable direction at the weekend. Fingers crossed!

 

[bigyetiman]

I see the ghastly 5F potential husband/nest snatcher showed up at Glaslyn this morning.
Snap of Telyn arriving yesterday evening

 

[Marigold]

That's the sort of stuff I like to read nowadays.

 

[bigyetiman]

Aran is home at Glaslyn, touch down 12.03, and I was watching the live stream at the time, welcome home boy 08 08 08

 

[Marigold]

Wow! Well done Aran! Thanks for sharing.

 

[rick]

I see the ghastly 5F potential husband/nest snatcher showed up at Glaslyn this morning.
Snap of Telyn arriving yesterday evening

Just my take on it...
Blue 5G is lovely! She just happens to be hanging around the stage door winking at Aran while Mrs G is in the limelight! I feel sorry for her because as long as Mrs G continues to be a giant among ospreys Aran will continue to flirt with her and then let her down. Having the other nest nearby doesn't help. Judging by the size of the fish Mrs G hauled back to the nest yesterday (it must have been close to her own weight! and then Aran turned up with a reasonable sized one and looked a bit like 'Oooh! OK! You've got lunch then?' ) 5G is in for another disappointing year.

 

[bigyetiman]

I think the main problem is the other nest that has been put up on private land right by Glaslyn which encouraged 5F to hang around and then the male Tegid last year.
But it is starting to get interesting as 5F took a wander to Llyn Clywedog early am and who should turn up fresh from sunny climes Tegid and presented her with a fish.
Quite what will happen if/when the resident pair Dylan and Delyth arrive is anyone's guess.
But it would be nice if at last she has found her soulmate

 

[rick]

Sorry 5F! That's great! I dont know - its like osprey teenagers have a problem getting on the housing ladder too! Does anyone know how many self built osprey nests there are out there BYM?

 

[Margaid]

Today Blue 5Fand Tegid (Z1, son of Monty and the late Glesni) were on the nest, then Dylan turned up. He isn't ringed but it's speculated he then stole 5 F's fish! That was around lunchtime I think. The last I saw was hat 5F was still on the nest. If Delyth, Dylan's mate turns up it could be quite problematical ...

 

[bigyetiman]

Case of "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war", it could get very interesting at Clywedog.
As to man made nests, the answer is quite a few, Rutland has about 6 I think, without any that are private land around them, 2 Glaslyn, Dyfi, Llyn Clywedog, Padarn, add on a couple that I know about in Lake District, pretty sure the 6 nests at Kielder, Caerlaverock, Leighton Moss, are man made, must be quite a few in Scotland and Borders area.
Another offspring of Mrs G arrived yesterday also, what good genes she is spreading amongst the Osprey community, some of the offspring are with Aran, some her 1st mate
Couldn't resist this super snap of Aran, no wonder the ladies fancy him

 

[Marigold]

That's a great picture. Thanks for that.

 

[Marigold]

This is sad. Would it have affected the ospreys so badly or are they all back by now?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/10/high-winds-kill-thousands-of-migrating-birds-in-disaster-over-greece

 

[bigyetiman]

In the main Ospreys cross the straits of Gibraltar and head straight up Spain and France. Lots of reports of birds heading up that way daily.
Lots of the known birds safely back, including two grand chicks of Mrs G and Aran making their first trip back and revisiting their natal nest in Kielder. Few gaps from sites that haven't been visited due to the lockdown. so birds could well be back.
Sad news re Swifts and Swallows especially Swifts that are declining rapidly due to lack of breeding places in houses.
We had a Ring Ouzel in the garden briefly this morning a nice male. The Peregrines are nesting on their favourite pylon just up the road

 

[bigyetiman]

Mrs G's 52 and 53rd egg of her lifetime. 1st one laid 14th April, 2nd yesterday evening.

 

[rick]

They are such incredible objects! Like polished stones!

 

[Marigold]

Considerable colour variation between the two eggs. It looks as if one is partly coloured red.

 

[bigyetiman]

I think it was just the light on the other pics both eggs are roughly the same colour. The 2nd egg probably looks much shinier as it had literally just been laid and was probably still wet.
Lovely clip on their Twitter page of Aran coming to look at the 2nd egg. You tell what he is thinking from his actions, proud, caring dad came to mind

 

[Margaid]

The second egg has a lot more red colouring - useful for telling them apart. A bit like my Welsummer's eggs, they never looked the same twice!

 

[bigyetiman]

Here is egg 54, laid 7.00pm yesterday.
She still has a way to go to equal Lady of the Lowes and her 71 eggs in 24 years, but if anyone can, Mrs G can

 

[Marigold]

Beautiful! When is the first one due to hatch?