Second pair of ospreys breeding in Wales

The breeding ospreys on their nest at Cord Dyfi. Credit Emyr Evans.

Dyfi Osprey Project - first ever egg laid
April 2011. Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust is pleased to announce the female Dyfi osprey laid her first ever egg on Easter Monday 25 April at 2.03pm. ‘Monty' the male osprey has gone two years without attracting a female in time to breed but this year he has been successful.

A pair of ospreys nested at Cors Dyfi in 2009, albeit unuccesfully. They are only the second known pair of ospreys in Wales. The male osprey returned in 2010, and although he courted several passing females, he was unable to secure a mate. More about Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve 

The Dyfi Osprey Project manager, Emyr Evans said: "This is a wondrous event for us, and for the ospreys. It was in 1604 that ospreys were last recorded breeding on the Dyfi and now we are witnessing history in the making. The osprey is Wales' rarest bird of prey and today we are delighted to be able to say that Wales has two breeding pairs, probably the first time this has happened in several centuries.

LADY OF THE LOCH  Lady, as she has become known, is a remarkable 25-year-old bird (Ospreys live on average just 8 years), that has raised 48 chicks so far, at Scottish Wildlife Trust's Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve. - This is her story. More details

Female osprey born at Rutland
"Monty returned from his African wintering grounds on 6 April and, three days later, attracted a female. This new osprey however had been ringed as a chick so we know exactly where she is from just by focusing the nest cameras on her ring and reading the numbers off it; it is a white ring with the digits 03. She was born at another Wildlife Trust nature reserve, Leicester and Rutland Wildlife Trust in 2008 and her father is a 1997 born bird who is still breeding at Rutland Water and has fathered 23 chicks - to date!"

Tim Mackrill, from Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, said: "The long-term aim of the Rutland Osprey Project is to restore this magnificent bird to the whole of the southern part of the UK and so we are thrilled that 03 is breeding at Cors Dyfi. It is a really significant milestone for ospreys in the UK and re-emphasises the very positive impact the Rutland project has had on the distribution of ospreys south of Scotland."

Emyr added: "I'm absolutely delighted about ospreys breeding on the Dyfi once again. We run our project as a community initiative and the look on the volunteers and visitors' faces when they witnessed our female laying her first ever egg was priceless - as somebody once said, some things money can't buy! I'm so pleased for local people and communities that have put so much into the Dyfi Osprey Project - this is the best Easter Egg we've ever had!"

The Dyfi Osprey Project is supported by Communities and Nature (CAN) which is a strategic project led and managed by Countryside Council for Wales and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government. The Dyfi Osprey Project is also funded by Heritage Lottery Fund. The Dyfi Osprey Project is open between 10am and 6pm until 1 September.

 Monty the male osprey - Photo by Emyr Evans