Welsh osprey chicks to be satellite tracked

Monty, the male osprey at Cors Dyfi

Project Manager for the Dyfi Osprey Project, Emyr Evans said "In the last few years, satellite tracking technology has moved on apace - it's allowed researchers to follow migrating birds travelling vast distances over many years resulting in a much better understanding of their movements and ecology. The satellite trackers are so small these days that they only weigh a few grams, less than a small packet of crisps, and cause no harm to the osprey."

West Africa migration
Ospreys only eat fish and British birds migrate to West Africa for the winter ensuring an all year supply of food, avoiding frozen rivers and lakes here in the UK. Ospreys tend to spend the first two years of their lives in Africa and then return to breed when they are old enough. There are over 200 pairs of ospreys in Scotland but only a handful of nests in England and just two pairs in Wales.

35,000 visitors
Emyr went on to say: "An incredible 35,000 people have visited the Dyfi Osprey Project this year so far to see these amazing birds of prey, and now with satellite tracking technology we will be able to follow their flight paths southwards once they start their migration in September. The trackers send a signal, once every hour, telling us the ospreys' position down to just a few metres and their altitude; this will be an osprey's version of Air Traffic Control!"

"These will be the first Welsh ospreys to be satellite tracked and, of course, we're all hoping that these birds will return back to Wales in 2013 and 2014 to breed. It will be absolutely fascinating to follow them as they start their incredible 3,500 mile journey to Africa."

Donations needed
The Dyfi Osprey project is asking for donations to fund the satellite trackers - if you would like to donate please see the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust website or Facebook page.

The Dyfi Osprey Project is open between 10am and 6pm until Monday 12 September. It is based at Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust's Cors Dyfi nature reserve in Derwenlas just south of Machynlleth, SY20 8SR. Visitors can see live, high resolution nest camera footage at the visitor centre on large plasma screens and view the ospreys from a specially built tower-hide with telescopes and binoculars.

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 Government. The Dyfi Osprey Project is also funded by Heritage Lottery Fund. The osprey nest cameras are powered by Network Rail.