9K5 WEEK 7

At 7 weeks old 9K5 has, quite possibly, just passed the final week as a nestling and now fledging is the next goal (osprey chicks usually fledge at between 49 - 59 days old.).   As you might expect, this has meant a lot of behavioural development over the past week.

A seemingly insignificant thing, but a massively important milestone for a young osprey, was achieved when 9K5 very gradually became able to stand and weight-bear on one leg for prolonged periods. It doesn’t sound like much does it? But when you consider that 9K5 will soon have to perch on a branch on one foot, whilst holding onto a slippery, flapping fish with the other, suddenly the benefits of practicing this now within the safety of the nest becomes obvious. 

9K5 stays on one leg for lengthy periods

On Tuesday we saw behavioural change when Syfaddan brought in a fish. 9K5 became extremely vocal, pounced on the fish as though starving and dragged it out of Syfaddan’s grip.

9K5 wrestles fish from Syfaddan

Then came the mantling. 9K5 hunched over the fish, cloaking it under half extended wings and began self feeding. Clogwyn then stepped forward to take the fish, perhaps to help with feeding, but 9K5 was having none of it and pecked her face, causing her to withdraw without argument and allowing 9K5 to devour it. This attitude around food is something we expect to see develop in young ospreys, and though it is perhaps a little more obvious where there are siblings and therefore greater competition for food, 9K5 as a single chick still exhibits the same behavioural trait.  

9K5 keeps the fish.  Syfaddan foreground and Clogwyn behind

The primary and secondary flight feathers have lengthened and the tail feathers too, allowing 9K5 to at last achieve actual lift whenever there is enough of a breeze. Getting from one side of the nest to the other now often involves outstretched wings. All the flapping exercise of the previous week have paid off and there is now the muscle strength to support the wings for longer periods. This has allowed 9K5 to practice take off and hovering by helicoptering up and down above the nest. Tuesday saw, for the very first time, 9K5 briefly disappear above the camera view entirely. This has since been achieved several times - always a heart stopping moment for those new to watching nest cameras, wondering if 9K5 will reappear or is this it?!

Helicoptering

It’s been another busy week for visiting ospreys in the valley and the trained watchers have recorded their presence, both on camera and from the view point, on five consecutive days. Most have either not appeared on screen, or been too far away to identify and only one intruder has landed on the nest. 

On Sunday at 14:07, with neither parent present, 9K5 lay flat, low and still in the nest as Blue 8B2 landed to take a look around. For some moments the two birds eyed each other but there was no animosity or vocalisation and after 55 seconds, 8B2 took off again.

Blue 8B2 and 9K5 on the nest 20 June 25

Reporting the first UK sighting of any individual osprey is a pleasure, but in the case of this young male it was very special indeed as there is a significant back story. He had hatched at Llyn Clywedog in 2023 to parents unringed Dylan and Blue 5F Seren, as one of two male chicks that were ringed 8B1 and 8B2.

8B1 and 8B2 on ringing day at Llyn Clywedog 24 June 23

The two brothers had thrived and had fledged a couple of days prior, when disaster struck. Both fledglings and their mother were preoccupied and feeding on the nest when they were very suddenly attacked by a goshawk. 8B1 was dragged off the nest, landing in brambles on the ground below. He did not survive this incident, which must have been traumatic for the other ospreys too. But 8B2 escaped and spent his remaining weeks at Clywedog as a lone fledgling before finally migrating. Earlier this year he was spotted at Santoña marshes in northern Spain on his way north again, during his first return journey to the UK. It is wonderful to know that he is alive and well, has arrived back in Wales and is now exploring and prospecting as two year old ospreys do. And so it was with great pleasure that we were able to report this sighting to NRW and the Clywedog Ospreys.