Ospreys: Extra security at Llyn Brenig after nest destroyed

The nesting platform was found in the lake

It was a shocking wildlife crime when a platform holding an osprey nest was cut down, stopping the birds from breeding last year.

But now there is fresh hope as the ospreys have returned to Llyn Brenig in north Wales, and are incubating three eggs.

The nest and platform have been rebuilt and new security measures are in place.

Visitor attraction manager Nick Kite called it "a long hard road to get us back to where we are now".

When someone cut down the nest's pole with a chainsaw in April 2021, the nest with one egg in it could be seen on CCTV falling into the water below.

Mr Kite said it was "devastating" and "gut wrenching" to everybody involved in the Brenig Osprey Project, which borders Conwy and Denbighshire.

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But now there is some good news.

"They've come back and are doing really well and they came back right on cue…they are currently looking after three eggs and with a hatch date of around the end of May, start of June, for the first one.

"We have 24 hours surveillance both by automatic sentinels and we've also got a team of people that are watching it 24 hours a day.

'Every reason to be hopeful'

"We've got special forensic grease on everything to make sure we can track anyone.

"There's extra fencing in place and special covert measures we can't talk about."

He added that there was "every reason to be hopeful now".

The osprey breeding support project began in 2013 at Llyn Brenig

"This is looking like it going to be a good year for them and looking forward to the future with plenty of chicks," added Mr Kite.

North Wales Police which has been investigating the destruction of last year's nest said: "Following the illegal felling of the Osprey nest last year at Llyn Brenig Reservoir, an extensive investigation took place with numerous lines of enquiry. Unfortunately, no suspect was identified and the investigation has now concluded.

"Moving forward, North Wales Police have worked closely with partner agencies, namely The Wildlife Trust and the Brenig Osprey Project with a view to improve security at the location and raise awareness of the ospreys in an attempt to reduce any future risk.

"We are aware that there are some 50 plus additional volunteers at the Brenig Osprey Project and security measures have been greatly improved with new equipment such as thermal cameras.

'Protection and conservation'

"Additional fencing and CCTV has also been installed at the location.

"North Wales Police will continue to work with partners to assist in the protection and conservation of this rare species."

With things looking better for the Brenig ospreys there is hope that more pairs of ospreys will be seen breeding in Wales in the next few years.

It is believed that there are five or six official pairs breeding in Wales, although there could be others.

The ospreys were breeding last year but their chances of hatching an egg were scuppered by a vandal

Kelvin Jones, of the British Trust for Ornithology in Wales, said: "When you consider that 2004 was the first time that we definitely had had breeding pairs, one in Welshpool and one in the Porthmadog areas but today we've got a couple of pairs in the Glaslyn Valley, down on the Dyfi, Llyn Clywedog, Brenig.

"To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few other pairs snuck in some of our estuaries that people are keeping quiet about. They are very special.

"When you think of the female on the Glaslyn, if you look at her family tree now there are 50 chicks below it between her and her children and grandchildren.

"There's nothing to stop them colonising every estuary we've got. They really like fishing for mullet and other fish.

"Unless we have more incidents like we had at Brenig last year their future is looking very rosy. It's a wonderful bird."

A pair of birds had been nesting on the platform last spring