Egg Timing

It has certainly been an eventful week for our osprey pair, with announcements aplenty. We hope the following regular weekly news roundup will provide context to the main reported events.

Saturday 18th April arrived with the camera Watchers operational again and the egg laying window wide open. It was to be all eyes on Clogwyn from here on in. She arrived at the nest at 05:28, followed thirty minutes later by a visit from Syfaddan. At 06:08, a lone Clogwyn indicated disturbance but sat fast on the nest, calling and wing flapping. An unidentified osprey that had been above her was eventually seen on the cup camera flying high and away towards the river. Clogwyn settled. The first fish was delivered at 08:49 and she took it away for 15 minutes, returning with leftovers for Syfaddan. The afternoon saw much nest building and arranging and two further fish breaks for Clogwyn. She was absent for an hour early evening before resuming concentrated nest cupping and arranging of materials. Females close to egg laying will most likely roost on or by the nest overnight and Clogwyn was now clearly of that mind. She began by perching up on the cup camera for an hour or so. Her dozing only interrupted by a visiting bat. Then she dropped down onto the nest where she stayed for the remainder of the, thankfully peaceful night.

The first night Clogwyn has roosted at the nest. Perhaps the bat is surprised to find her there!

Sunday was not to be a day of rest for Syfaddan. He spent much time fetching sticks and nest lining. The first fish, at 09:24 was taken away by Clogwyn. Late morning, Watchers on the towpath spotted a third osprey high up. Clogwyn stood mantling on the nest as the display calls of the intruder were picked up by the microphone. Syfaddan heard it too and, with fish in talons, flew to meet it. The interaction was brief. But here was a second two minute spell of osprey intrusion at 17:15, with Clogwyn once more vocally defending the nest alone. This time the intruder was engaged by a buzzard as it left the area. An afternoon fish delivery was not taken up by Clogwyn, even when Syfaddan returned and offered it again an hour or so later. She did, however, go off and feed very briefly early evening. At 20:26 Syfaddan brought more soft material and Clogwyn was forced to stand while he placed it. She seemed to want to nestle down again, but Syfaddan’s presence prevented her from doing so until he flew off at 20:30. Clogwyn began picking at and moving the nest lining then positioning herself. At 20:37 she sank low into the nest lining and spread her wings slightly. At 20:38 she grunted and her back hollowed slightly. She had laid the first egg. Clogwyn rose and moved around a little, rearranging the nesting and then the egg until 20:43 when she began to incubate it. Syfaddan returned to the nest briefly, but the light was already fading and Clogwyn stayed put. He would not see his egg until the morning.

Clogwyn lays her first egg of the year

As of Monday morning, although the long nighttime incubation periods would quite naturally fall to Clogwyn, Syfaddan commenced a period of reacclimatising to sitting on an egg in order to keep it safe and provide Clogwyn with breaks. In 2025 it took Syfaddan 5 full days to achieve the techniques required to accurately position himself and the egg and then sit. This year, although still somewhat unsure; at times merely standing guard over it, at others simply fidgeting with nesting material, he has shown much more eagerness generally. At 06:34 on Monday morning he tried to push Clogwyn off the egg so that he could see and incubate it briefly. There was clearly further interest, albeit intermittent and by 12:00 he was incubating the egg while Clogwyn sat on the nest perch.

Syfaddan incubates the first egg while Clogwyn takes a break on the nest perch

Tuesday morning came and Syfaddan was still not too confident. But come the afternoon, when Clogwyn took off with the headless fish he had brought, Syfaddan was left on duty for 54 minutes. He fidgeted for the first ten before settling down on the egg for the remainder of Clogwyn’s meal break. 

Wednesday would turn out to be an eventful day. There was an early morning swap over at 05:41 to relieve Clogwyn, and although she returned after just 6 minutes, the teamwork was showing. During the afternoon Syfaddan was seen several times chasing an intruder - or possibly more than one. They were deprived of permission to land or get too close and were therefore recorded as unidentified. On the last of these occasions, Syfaddan gave chase clutching a portion of fish, but his leg became entangled in baler twine masquerading as soft nesting material, which dragged him back and he flapped wildly as he dropped below the side of the nest and out of sight. It was a heart-stopping moment. But peace returned just a little while later and Syfaddan thankfully seemed none the worse for his brief entrapment. At 18:03, alone on the nest, Clogwyn laid her second egg of the year. The tiniest, briefest glimpse was seen when winding the footage back, but the on duty Camera Watcher, watching live, would have to wait until 18:40 for the first decent view of two osprey eggs nestled side by side.

Clogwyn stands to reveal the newly laid second egg

Thursday saw more confidence and quicker uptake of incubation duties by Syfaddan, as well as a much more settled day with no emergencies for him to deal with. Clogwyn continued to take good care of the eggs and partake of the fish that were brought in by her attentive mate.

On Friday morning there was an early bath for Clogwyn. Incubation duties were then alternated with Syfaddan sitting for short periods but late morning he incubated for 40 minutes straight. During the afternoon, he switched to bringing in nest materials while Clogwyn sat on the eggs, until he brought in a portion of fish for her to take away.

Clogwyn incubates as Syfaddan perches on the rim of the nest

The first egg of 2026 was laid 13 days after the pair were reunited at the nest and entirely within the expected timeframe.  In 2025 it was just 8 days between arrival and the laying of a (possibly hormonal) first egg.  Egg 2 of 2026 was laid 70 hrs after egg 1. If Clogwyn is to lay a 3rd egg, it would be due on the afternoon/evening of Saturday 25th April. 

Here’s hoping - keep watching!