Peris has taken to the skies for the first time

At 52.3 days old, just a few hours older than the average fledging time for Dyfi males, Peris - the middle chick but oldest male - took to the skies this morning.

In quite gusty conditions, Peris' inaugural flight lasted 46 seconds before he safely landed on the camera pole above the nest. A couple of hours later he was off again, but only to the birch perch for a few minutes before finally heading back to the nest.

We often see parents take to the skies when their offspring do for the first time - why is this?

Possibly just seeing another osprey in their airspace is enough to trigger a flight reaction? Who knows.

Average fledging age of all Dyfi chicks to date:

Peris has had a couple of small short-haul flights again this afternoon, nothing too taxing which is just as well, this wind is picking up. Will his big sister Berthyn go next, she is the oldest after all, or will Bobby Bach Hesgyn beat her to it?

Watch this (air)space...