Archive Footage

UNRINGED MALE RETURNS

The male (as yet unnamed) who occupied the nest in 2024, returns to Gilestone Farm at 08:02 on 14th April.

Just under an hour later, he returns with soft material and sets to work refurbishing the nest in readiness for the season ahead.

UNRINGED FEMALE RETURNS

The unringed (as yet unnamed) female from 2024 returns safely from migration.

She then comes and goes 3 times in fairly quick succession but none of these visits coincide with

her mate. She is then not seen again on the nest till the following day, even though the male comes and goes frequently

THE RESIDENT PAIR are seen together on the nest for the first time this year and the first fish is brought by the male but he withholds it initially.

They will both visit the nest frequently during the day and there will be several mating attempts.

Eventually the female does get her fish.

BLUE 2E9 INTRUDES at the nest. 2E9 is a 2 year old female from Tweed Valley, prospecting and exploring inquisitively, as 2-year- olds do on their first return from migration. Syfaddan (our male) has been incubating when he spots the intruder and he calls out in alarm. With eggs on the nest there is always a chance of damage occurring so it is important that intruders are sent away quickly.

Clogwyn returns on hearing the commotion and resumes incubation shortly afterwards.

THE FIRST EGG is laid unusually early, on the 24th April, just 7 days after the female arrived.

It will be the first of 3 eggs laid. It is not known which in the laying sequence was the egg which eventually hatched.