It's been a long seven-month wait, but that wait is just about coming to an end.

Every year we incrementally improve the cameras and nest audio. In 2022, however, we have a major upgrade.

Here are five things you need to know about the DOP 2022 nest cameras and Live Streaming:

1. Camera Upgrades and Live Streaming

Every year we incrementally improve the cameras and nest audio. In 2022, however, we have a major upgrade - see below.

Testing is almost complete... Live Streaming will begin on Monday, 21st March - the earliest we have ever gone live.

Live Chat will also be there as well as the extremely useful Observation Board for people to quickly catch up on recent events.

To make the Live Chat more secure and less prone to 'bots' in 2022, only subscribers (it's free) will be able to chat and only after having been subscribed for a full week.

If you're not subscribed - here is the link. You just press the red button.

2. New CAM 2

CAM 2 has been with us right from the start of our High Definition journey in 2012.

Positioned at nest level secured by a pendulum, we have always started the Live Streaming off with panoramic views from CAM 2. The original camera was put up during The Big Pull; it has served us well over the last decade and seen everybody from Monty, Scraggly, Nora, Glesni, Telyn and, of course Idris. Oh, and the other 100 ospreys or so we've seen passing through, not to mention all the chicks that fledged in those years.

This week we gracefully retired the legendary CAM 2 and replaced it with a top of the range 4K pan tilt zoom camera - with a windscreen wiper!

CAM 2 captures Nora in March 2012 having just returned to the Dyfi. She had to wait another 10 days from Monty to return!

3. New CAM 3

Positioned right in the middle, above the nest on the camera pole itself, we have this week replaced it with a brand new super-high resolution 4K PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom) camera. This means we can scan around the nest and Dyfi estuary with incredible resolution to bring you amazing, beautiful pictures.

This is the same model as CAM 2, so also has a windscreen wiper.

You didn't think we were kidding did you!

CAM 3 captures Glesni's first egg in 2014, almost devoid of pigmentation. The chick that hatched from this white egg we called Gwynant.

4. New Website

Over the winter we have been working on upgrading and improving our DOP website; it was starting to show its age.

The new website will feature more of the Dyfi Wildlife Centre including our Caffi Tŷ Maenan and other rooms and facilities. We hope to have the new website up and running by the time our ospreys return, so not long now.

When we go live, you don't need to do a thing. The url address will be exactly the same.

5. Another Camera View

We are currently upgrading our fibre broadband to faster speeds - this will allow us to stream a second camera later on in the season - especially useful when we have chicks moving around all over the place.

We will also show this camera in the 360 Observatory, so there will be two large TVs in there. You won't miss a thing.

As ever, many thanks to our volunteers and Network Rail who kindly gave up their time free of charge in order for us to make this big camera overhaul this year.

The new CAM2 (left) and CAM 3 (middle)

This week we removed the scaffolding (did some people on Facebook really think we were going to leave it up there?)

2022 Camera and Live Streaming Appeal

As you know, our cameras and Live Streaming is funded by our followers and supporters every year. We couldn't do this without you.

Could you help us raise £25,000 to pay for this year's cameras and LS please?

There are three main ways you can help:

1. Via JustGiving. They don't take a commission and you can use Gift Aid.

2. Via the PayPal Giving Fund. (Again, no commission and you can use Gift Aid once you've completed your donation).

3. By sending a cheque payable to ‘Dyfi Osprey Project’ to:

2022 Live Streaming Appeal
Dyfi Osprey Project
Cors Dyfi
Machynlleth
SY20 8SR

Thank you very much for your generosity. We are so excited about the 2022 season in our beautiful Dyfi Wildlife Centre - bet you are too. The new penny floor defies description - you just have to see it!

DOP and the Dyfi Wildlife Centre is open to the public, 10am - 5pm every day throughout the summer.