The Dyfi Osprey Project Story

In 2007 we erected an osprey platform on our Cors Dyfi reserve in response to an increasing number of osprey sightings each spring and autumn.

A lone male osprey occupied the nest for much of the summer. There were sightings of many other birds, but no breeding took place.

In 2009 there was only one occupied osprey nest in Wales. It was 30 miles north of the Dyfi in the Glaslyn Valley. On 22nd April 2009 the Dyfi Osprey Project opened its doors for the first time and Wales had its second osprey project.

The Dyfi Osprey Project started with two overarching objectives:

1. To support and conserve the osprey population in Wales. 
2. To deliver an osprey project with communities at its heart.

To do this we managed to 'borrow' £40,000 to start Dyfi Osprey Project (DOP). We built a small visitor centre (portacabin!) and placed two simple cameras on the nest.  To make this possible Network Rail helped us with supplying electricity to the nest to run them (which they still do today - thank you).

Although no breeding took place in 2009, we had our first chance to have a really good look at what was happening on the Dyfi nest and try and identify them as individuals - an extremely difficult task.

We had an un-ringed male who seemed to regard the platform nest we erected two years previously as his own. We named this bird 'Monty' after Montgomeryshire.

He was a little unusual looking. He was quite dark for a male, especially the chest  and underwing brown feathering, so much so, and without any behavioural cues to go from, we weren't quite sure to start with whether he was a male or not!

30,000 people visited us in 2009, a phenomenal amount; probably 10% of them saw an osprey! We had no website, no social media and no live streaming, but we had a platform to work on...

Monty returned in 2010 and so did we with some grant funding from Communities and Nature (ERDF) which would keep DOP going for three years. Janine and Alwyn returned as DOP People Engagement Officers and we finally had a pair of ospreys in 2010 - a pair of males!

Monty and another male, an unringed bird we named Scraggly, co-inhabited the nest quite peacefully with just rare scuffles over the odd flounder. They didn't breed, obviously, but Monty looked more in control of the nest in 2010 - maybe he was a young, inexperienced bird in 2008 and 2009? 

2011 was a very special year for the Dyfi Osprey Project. Monty's return was followed by the arrival of a young female Osprey from Rutland. White 03/08, or as she would soon become known - Nora, joined him on the Dyfi nest in early April.

The nest cameras allowed us to witness the arrival of the first Osprey eggs and chicks on the Dyfi for centuries. Monty and Nora successfully raise three chicks - Einion (Blue DH), Dulas (Blue 99) and Leri (Blue DJ).

All three chicks left the Dyfi with satellite trackers on their backs and provided a fascinating insight into the migrations of young ospreys.

Before the ospreys returned for the 2012 season we made some significant upgrades to our camera system. The installation of four High-Definition Axis cameras meant our osprey viewing would change forever. Cameras alone don't make a wildlife viewing system, Network Rail again came to our aid with fibre-optic cable to transmit the pictures and a team of 106 volunteers pulled that cable into position. Immense efforts for what would be an immense osprey season.

Both Monty and Nora (White 03/08) returned and again laid three eggs. However the weather in 2012 was not kind and just hours after the third chick hatched we were hit by one of the worst storms in living memory. Only one chick survived that storm - Ceulan (Blue 3C). Ceulan made his migration to Senegal but he sadly got caught up in fishing nets and died.

The start to the 2013 saw a procession of female ospreys visiting Monty and his nest. Nora (White 03/08) failed to return from her migration, after a number of long and often vicious sky battles a new female emerged as Monty's new mate. It was another Rutland bird, Blue 12/10 who was triumphant, we named her Glesni and in late April she and Monty produced a clutch of two eggs.

With a new microphone installed under the nest we could not only see the ospreys in High-Definition but also hear them. The two female chicks, Cerist (Blue 1R) and Clarach (Blue 2R) certainly gave us plenty to listen to over the season.

With the ospreys departed for another season our energies turned to the Dyfi 360 project and the final stages of the construction of the 360 Observatory.

Easter 2014 saw the opening of the new 360 Observatory, located just 195m from the Dyfi Osprey Project nest it would bring a whole new dimension to wildlife watching in Wales. Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund had enabled us to build this incredible building without heavy machinery in the middle of a peat bog.

Glesni's (Blue 12/10) year began with competition for Monty's attention, we watched as she battled another Rutland female, Blue 24/10 for days before regaining control of her nest. Blue 24 remained in the Dyfi area for the rest of the season causing frequent disturbances at the nest.

Despite the distractions Monty and Glesni again raised two chicks, Gwynant (Blue 3R) and Deri (Blue 5R).

For the first time in their time together, in 2015 Monty and Glesni (Blue 12/10) produced three eggs and raised three healthy chicks, Merin (Blue W1), Celyn (Blue W2) and Brenig (Blue W3). The season was not without its interruptions with Blue 24 spending much of the summer near to the Dyfi nest.

As Merin, Celyn and Brenig began their migrations the staff team from DOP also departed, not for West Africa but to London to collect the National Lottery Award for the 360 Project. Fantastic recognition of the hard work that goes into running the project by all involved.

The addition of a 4K camera to the nest early in 2016 meant we were able to see even more detail of the lives of the Dyfi ospreys when Monty and Glesni (Blue 12/10) arrived within hours of each other in early April. The installation of a lift to the 360 Observatory also meant that more people than ever were able to enjoy the amazing views across to the nest.

Again Glesni laid three eggs, however only two hatched. Chicks Ceri (Blue Z0) and Tegid (Blue Z1) grew quickly and appeared to thrive. The season was boosted by the news in early May that Dyfi osprey Clarach (Blue 2R/13) had been sighted just North of the Dyfi at the Glaslyn Osprey Project. The first recorded return of a Dyfi bird ever!

This good news was followed by bad news. Shortly after fledging Ceri sustained an injury during a fall and later died. Tegid did survive to make his migration.

The first of April 2017 saw Monty and Glesni's (Blue 12/10) earliest arrival at the Dyfi nest yet. With both birds back early the breeding season was soon under way. Glesni laid three eggs which all hatched and together she and Monty raised three strong chicks. Aeron (Blue Z2), and his sisters Menai (Blue Z3) and Eitha (Blue Z4) all successfully migrated before the end of August. 

In contrast to recent years there was much less disturbance at the nest from other Ospreys, particularly from Blue 24. The key reason for this was that before the start of the season and under license the second nest platform near the Dyfi nest was removed and replaced at more suitable distance.  

There was more good news this year as we learned that Clarach (Blue 2R/13) had settled on a nest in Scotland and successful raised two chicks of her own, so the next generation of Dyfi descended ospreys begins. 

At the start of the 2018 season it became clear that Glesni (Blue 12/10) was not going to return. After a short period alone on the nest Monty was joined by yet another Rutland born female Blue 3J/13 who would become known as Telyn. Together Monty and Telyn laid three eggs and went on to raise three strong chicks, Alys (Blue KS4), Helyg (Blue KS5) and Dinas (Blue KS6). 

2018 saw the first Dyfi born ospreys return to Wales as adults. Both Gwynant (Blue 3R/14) and Tegid (Blue Z1/16) were sighted near the Glaslyn Osprey Nest a little north of the Dyfi. There were also reports of another Dyfi born bird on a nest - in Denmark! Merin (Blue W1/15) was photographed on a nest in Jutland. Clarach (Blue 2R/13) also returned her nest in Scotland. 

So, although sadly Glesni did not return her genes do continue with chicks from 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 surviving, thriving and looking to pass her genes on to the next generation. 

2019 saw Telyn (Blue 3J/13) arrived back at the nest a few days before Monty. They quickly re-established their pair bond and despite some un-seasonally strong spring storms laid three eggs. Their chicks Berthyn (Blue KA1), Peris (Blue KA2) and Hesgyn (Blue KA3) all thrived and migrated successfully at the end of August. 

In May Aeron (Blue Z2/17) surprised us all by landing on his natal nest. The first return of a Dyfi born chick to the Dyfi nest. He spent the rest of the season in Mid and North Wales. 

As the ospreys set off on their migration we closed the doors of the Dyfi Osprey Project porta-cabins for the last time. They are being replaced by the Dyfi Wildlife Centre, an energy efficient, sustainably built, fit-for-purpose centre that will take the project into the future. All change for 2020 and, after a tricky 2021 for all of us, first opening under restrictions. Now in 2022 we are fully open and welcoming visitors to the beautiful new Dyfi Wildlife Centre.

Come and see for yourselves!

2020 should have been the year we opened the doors of the brand new Dyfi Wildlife Centre, a purpose built, state-of-the-art, new home for the Dyfi Osprey Project but then the Covid-19 Pandemic happened. While we humans adjusted to lock-downs, social distancing and other huge changes it was all change for our ospreys too. 

Monty failed to return to the nest bringing to an end his domination on the Dyfi. Telyn (Blue 3J/13) did return but without Monty what would happen? We saw the arrival of a new unringed male, we called him Idris. Together Idris and Telyn laid three eggs, however, only two hatched. Their chicks Tywi (Blue KC7) and Teifi (Blue KC6) both migrated successfully. 

Even without Monty his genetic legacy lives on. This year we saw three of his male chicks return to their natal nest, they were Tegid (Blue Z1/16), Aeron (Blue Z2/17) and Dinas (Blue KS6/18). Dinas is the first of Telyn's chicks to return as an adult. 

Pandemic willing we hope to open the doors of the Dyfi Wildlife Centre in 2021.