LITTER PICK CLOSE TO THE NEST

On Saturday 14th March, with an improvement in conditions and weather forecasts, a team of Litter Pickers scoured the flood-meadows and piles of flood debris over the fields upstream of the nest. Prior to the event checks were made to confirm no Osprey had returned to the area. Loose wire, string and electrical cord were especially sought out to avoid a repeat of a near-miss situation in 2025 when Clogwyn (the adult female) came close to being entangled on the nest. The risk is real as the male swoops down to gather piles of soft material, often flood debris, from the riverbanks to use as soft nest lining.

Twelve volunteers drawn from Usk Valley Ospreys Viewpoint Watchers team (9) and Talybont WI (3) spent two hours each collecting a bagful of litter. Most of the material were plastic bottles, tin cans and agricultural tubs with some string and loose wire also collected. The twelve bags were left by the roadside for collection by Powys County Council.

UVO are most grateful to those hard-working pickers, the Williams family of Lower Wenallt Farm, Talybont for access to their fields, and to Powys County Council for the loan of litter-grabbers, sack-hoops and hi-viz tabards, and to the collection of the filled waste sacks.