Clogwyn

Clogwyn Monday, 1st September

This has been a challenging week for osprey watching. The nest cameras are only revealing brief snapshots and then only periodically, but the trained Watchers at the viewpoint have done their utmost to fill in as many gaps in the osprey story as they possibly can.  

Clogwyn Tuesday, 2nd September

On the morning of Wednesday 3rd September, Clogwyn was seen by a Watcher at the viewpoint flying from the nest to the oak copse. Her visit to the nest had coincided with a period of video buffering, during which nothing could be seen on the nest camera at all. Yet she had undoubtedly been there! 

At 13:38 she was back on the nest, but this time the camera was working and she was food soliciting loudly. On/off views of her continued showing that she was still there at 14:21 but, by the next view at 14:25, the nest was empty once more.

Clogwyn food soliciting Wednesday, 3rd September

At 16:44 Clogwyn was spotted on the National Grid Perch with a fish, but was not eating. She was monitored there from the viewpoint right up until 19:22, when she finally decided to eat her fish.

On Thursday, there were no images of her at all, at any point, on either of the nest cameras. This does not mean that she didn’t visit, just that if she did, it wasn't filmed. But there were around 6 hours worth of observations from the viewpoint, during which time Clogwyn was recorded on 6 occasions at two locations. On one of those occasions she was perched in a tree along with 9K5.

It’s always a tricky thing to determine whether or not an osprey has left on migration. At this time of the season they spend very little time on the nest and the behavioural patterns seen earlier on are no more. If we are to be completely accurate, we must record these events as “last seen” rather than migrated. Because a bird could still be in the area but out of sight. Alternatively, it could go off for a day or two and come back and so we must always wait and watch as best we can to see if it reappears.

The last camera image of Clogwyn for 2025 on Wednesday, 3rd September

Whether Clogwyn ever came back to the nest again we will never know.  She was last seen there on camera, allowing a close up and undisputed view, on 3rd September at 14:21. But she was also subsequently seen at distance by UVO trained Watchers, who by now have got to know her very well, during Thursday 4th September.

Clogwyn has now spent two seasons at Gilestone Farm and successfully raised her first chick. UVO wish her a safe journey south and look forward to her returning in 2026. 

The last family photo - Syfaddan brings fish for Clogwyn (left) and 9K5  Tuesday, 2nd September

Both Syfaddan and 9K5 have been seen today (time of writing - Sunday 7th September.)