No doubt aided by the southerly winds last week, Idris arrived extremely early, on 21^st March.

That's the earliest we've ever seen an osprey on this nest in 17 years. The Live Streaming only went up six hours before, so he almost beat us!

In what seemed like an eternity - to some anyway - Telyn took her time and landed at 12:41 this afternoon, 27^th March.

Despite being six days later than Idris, Telyn still arrived earlier than her long-term average (29^th).

Here's Telyn coming back, listen out for Idris sky dancing in the background; he got very excited...

• 🦅 21st MARCH: IDRIS arrives home 18:44
• 🦅 27th MARCH: TELYN arrives home 12:41

So Idris wasted no time in reacquainting himself with his long-term partner. It's been over seven months since they last saw each other.

For new folks, we don't know where Idris and Telyn spend the winter. Probably west Africa (Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau region), but around 5% of UK ospreys winter in southern Europe these days - Portugal and Spain mostly.

Neither osprey has trackers, but Telyn does have a leg ring - Blue 3J. She's a 2013 bird from Rutland Water. She has never been sighted (to my knowledge) outside of the UK.

Idris' provenance is unknown.

We would eggspect the first egg to be laid on or around 8^th April. 

Telyn's body will take a good week or so to make that important 'decision' of whether to invest her breeding year again with Idris. Once she is happy that Idris is up to snuff, her endocrine (hormonal) system will allow Idris' gametes to fertilise her eggs. It then takes around three days to produce the egg.

With Telyn returning this week, she has returned for her 8th season, a record

Telyn and Idris (together) also break a record - the longest pair partnership on the nest, this being their 6^th year together. Previously the record was Monty and Glesni with five years together (2013 - 2017).

Croeso adra.