Delight as Llyn Brenig ospreys welcome two chicks

The birth of two osprey chicks at a North Wales beauty spot has been hailed as a “wildlife success story”. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Two adult ospreys, known as LJ2 (male) and LM6 (female), safely made the 3,700 mile journey back from their wintering grounds to Llyn Brenig on the border between Denbighshire and Conwy earlier this spring. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌The first egg was laid by LM6 on Thursday 20 April, followed by a second on 23 April and then a third at on 26 April. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The pair’s first chick hatched on Saturday (27 May), with the second following on Monday (29 May). The third is expected to arrive soon. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Osprey eggs are incubated for an average of 37 days and the chicks don’t all hatch at once. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Once the chicks have arrived, their parents are committed to providing food for their rapidly growing offspring. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The chicks will be almost adult-size by five weeks and ready to fly by seven to eight weeks. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It generally takes only twelve to fourteen weeks from when they hatch to when they are able to begin their migration. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Welsh Water’s visitor attraction manager at Llyn Brenig, Nick Kite, said: “‘Ospreys LM6 and LJ2 were first-time parents last year and did an excellent job of rearing their chicks. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Local primary school Ysgol Pant Pastynog produced a shortlist for the naming of the male and female (official designations KA9 and X6) with voters settling on Gelert and Olwen. We will be doing something similar this year.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Security at the nesting site at Llyn Brenig is increased during the osprey breeding season. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It follows an incident in April 2021 when the osprey nesting platform was chopped down with a chainsaw shortly after the female laid her first egg. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌​​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Extra fencing is now in place and other special covert measures are rolled out to protect them. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Members of the Brenig Osprey Project also undertake 24-hour surveillance both by automatic sentinels and online volunteers co-ordinated by North Wales Wildlife Trust. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The ospreys attract many visitors to the site each year. In addition to a look-out operated by North Wales Wildlife Trust on the western bank of the lake, a discrete viewing hide about 150 metres away from the nesting site offers visitors the opportunity to observe the birds close-up and take photographs. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Organised and attended by the Trust, the hide attracts many bird enthusiasts, nature-lovers and photographers throughout the summer. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

North Wales Wildlife Trust chief executive Frances Cattanach said: “We’d like to extend our thanks to the volunteer team. For the surveillance, it takes dedication and a sharp eye, particularly at night. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The expertise of our volunteers is also greatly appreciated by visitors to the osprey lookout and the hide. We would not be able to provide the level of support without them.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

You can follow the Brenig Osprey Project’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/brenigospreyproject and the live video feed from the nest at https://llynbrenig.com/llyn-brenig-osprey/. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​