Rest, Refresh, Refuel & Rebuild
Home again
Clogwyn has now been back in the valley for the best part of a week following the long journey north from her chosen wintering place. Quite where that was we cannot know. Clogwyn is not fitted with a tracker and the absence of leg rings means that even if she were spotted on her travels, she could not be identified. Whilst a small percentage of UK ospreys winter in Southern Europe, the majority make for West Africa and we can be quite sure that Clogwyn enjoyed warmer weather, wherever she was.
Arriving at the nest on Sunday looking well and, judging by the fish blood on her feathers, recently fed, Clogwyn was later observed shaking water off her feathers, indicating that she had had a bath. Returning to the nest, she inspected it and fiddled briefly with a stick. For a time, Clogwyn went and perched in the ivy tree before making her last visit to the nest in late morning. Then she rose and flew a circular flight up towards the Allt and was lost from view.
On Monday, Clogwyn made a single brief visit to the nest in the early morning. She was spotted again in the ivy tree a little later, before heading off to hunt. At 10:20 she was seen in the air carrying a fish, which she eventually took to the National Grid perch where she sat with it for three and a half hours!
Clogwyn surveys her territory from the cup cam
Tuesday morning, and Clogwyn made her usual early morning visit to the nest, perching on the cup camera to survey her territory. Eleven minutes later she was off again. But by mid morning it was as though a behavioural switch had been clicked. By now she was fully rested and well fed after her long migration, so with no male having arrived in advance, Clogwyn took it upon herself to make a start restoring the nest. Back and forth she went and several times attempted to rearrange the base sticks, not understanding that the reason why they just wouldn’t budge was because they were wired into place. Eventually there was nothing for it but to start bringing in new sticks and within the hour that followed, she brought in and arranged eight. Clogwyn paused only for moments as an inquisitive Red Kite, visible on both cameras, circled the nest and then seemingly lost interest and drifted away.
Clogwyn decides that more sticks are needed
Clogwyn was not in evidence on Wednesday morning but by late afternoon she was back and hard at work again. She continued to bring in nest materials and arrange them right up until 18:40, then minutes later was observed flying up river and out of sight, presumably in search of a well earned supper.
Thursday morning saw a good two hour nest building shift completed before heading up river again. Clogwyn was visible at several perching places in the valley throughout most of the day, returning to the immediate nest area at just after 15:00, carrying what looked to the watchers like a brown trout. She immediately made for the National Grid Perch.
Friday was another active day with many visits to the nest and a good number of sticks engineered into place. In between, there was an engagement with first one and then two red kites, though quite why was unclear. But Watchers on the towpath had views of spectacular aerobatics from all three birds. By 14:37 Clogwyn had downed sticks for the day and was later seen on the National Grid perch, but this time minus a fish.
Clogwyn has been doing a grand job. Hopefully the coming stormy weather won’t set her back!
Should we be worried about Syfaddan? Absolutely not! He still has plenty of time to beat last years arrival date of 14th April.
If you would like to watch the Usk Valley Ospreys, either in the flesh or on camera, go to the “View The Birds” page of this website for all the information you need.
Once you’ve done that, perhaps take a scroll down the Home page and click the link in “Also New In 2026” and take a look at the lovely new UVO merchandise. Then you’ll be able to say “Been there, seen it, got the T-shirt!”