Notable Recent Sightings

05/03 Firecrest 1, Lake Vyrnwy
05/03 Short-eared Owl 1, Lake Vyrnwy
14/01 Pink-footed Goose 1, Dolydd Hafren
03/01 Waxwing 20, Meifod; also 5 Welshpool by canal on 01/01. Last: 6 Bwlch-y-Garreg 17/03
23/12 Waxwing Newtown College, first arrivals 04/12, 47 on 23/12, 67 on 01/01, 30 on 04/02
09/12 Cattle Egret 1 roosting with 8 Great Egrets and some Little Egrets, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
02/12 Waxwing 21 Guilsfield, 12 Montgomery, 1 Welshpool, and 1 on 01/12 Llanfyllin
16/11 Dotterel 3, just west of Dyfnant Forest on RSPB land
16/11 Great Grey Shrike 1, on edge of Dyfnant Forest on RSPB land, last reported 19/01
15/11 Waxwing 25 or 30, just west of Lake Vyrnwy along the Dinas Mawddwy road
08/11 Great Northern Diver A juvenile was found near Anchor, rescued and released
30/10 Black Redstart 1 in garden at Hendomen, near Montgomery
06/10 Hawfinch 5 in treetops at Powis Castle, by main car-park
04/10 Cattle Egret Dolydd Hafren, a flock of c.30
29/09 Red-flanked Bluetail Dyfnant Forest: a county first
23/09 Manx Shearwater 1st year bird grounded in Llanfyllin; released at coast
03/09 Cattle Egret 10 at Cors Dyfi, rising to 32 on 05/09
01/06 Turnstone 1 at Caersws with Little Ringed Plovers
03/05 Wood Sandpiper 1 at Dolydd Hafren
18/04 BLACK-WINGED KITE 1 video-ed at Glan Mule, near Kerry: a likely FIRST for UK
07/04 Black Redstart Female on Carno roof
07/04 Little Ringed Plover Llandinam Gravels
25/03 Osprey Female 5F 'Seren' arrived back at Llyn Clywedog
25/03 Pied Flycatcher An early migrant near Llanfechain
22/03 Hen Harrier Female in flight near Berriew
15/03 Sand Martin 5, Dolydd Hafren
15/03 Golden Plover c.50, Heldre Hill, Long Mountain, nr Welshpool
05/03 Whooper Swan 1, between Caerhowel (Montgomery) and The Gaer, with Mute Swans
05/03 Pink-footed Goose 1, Caersws, with Canada Goose flock
05/03 Jack Snipe 2, Caersws
05/03 Hawfinch 24, Powis Castle, feeding behind orchard
28/02 Pink-footed Goose c.25, flying north over Welshpool
26/02 Merlin 1 male, chasing Meadow Pipit, Long Mountain near Welshpool
26/02 Pintail 3, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, 1 since 14 Feb
14/02 Hawfinch 1, Powis Castle car-park, very vocal
23/01 Jack Snipe 1, Moel-y-Garth near Guilsfield
17/01 Brambling 80, in beeches at Pen-y-Waen near Cefn Coch with Chaffinches
07/01 Hawfinch 2, bathing in puddle, Cwm Lane, Castle Caereinion
   
See Sightings Archive for older records

Friday, May 13, 2011

Osprey disturbance

At 14.02 yesterday two adult males approached the osprey nest from the railway track, jumped over the fence and walked towards the osprey nest until they were almost underneath. There they stopped and started to photograph the area and the nest. They had ruck sacs and ordinance survey maps and the one with the black coat even waved at one of the nest cameras at 14.22 - all caught on various surveillance equipment including the video cameras and microphones. Both ospreys were off the nest and eggs from 14.02 until 14.35 - over half an hour. No eggs were taken by humans but all three could have been taken by a host of avian predators. It is now too late to re-lay and that would have been the end of the osprey season for the Dyfi birds and maybe for ever.

Both these individuals walked back towards Dyfi Junction along an active rail track where they were apprehended by Dyfed - Powys Police who were notified immediately as soon as we identified the disturbance. I hope you don't mind me posting this on here.. it is now a Police matter and I have blurred out the faces of these individuals.

I would like to pass on my immense thanks and gratitude to the MWT staff and volunteers at the Dyfi Osprey Project yesterday afternoon who acted promptly, professionally and to procedure. I would also like to thank Dyfed-Powys Police for their remarkable response time and effectiveness in dealing with this serious wildlife crime.

7 comments:

  1. Whats the matter with these people, I just hope that the police make a search of their homes etc.
    This afternoon I made a very pleasing discovery on visit to a local bird site, I was going to let others know about it on the blog, but not now!

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  2. Can't really say what I think on here - and certainly can't use the language I feel this merits

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  3. Quite a remarkable incident isn't it? The fact that they unlawfully trespassed on the railway line is bad enough and then waving at the CCTV camera (Iv'e seen the footage) what a 'plonker'! I spent last night watching over the female on the nest and she seemed unperturbed by the incident.
    Don't attempt to do this on my shift guys or you are likely to feel an old copper's boot up your backside!

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  4. I guess with the media coverage there was always a possibility this could happen and the staff at the project need a medal, I would not have been so calm and can only hope these people get what they deserve

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  5. One can only hope for the best. Surely just fools lured by the publicity? What a great job the volunteers are doing especially the night shift.

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  6. Hi this is Mel i am 9 years old and very passionate about wildlife.I'm furious that someone could do this and could knowingly disturb the osprey.The osprey is a magnificent bird and there are very few left,I can't wait for the eggs to hatch.Me mum and dad come to powys every year,We are good friends with gareth morgan the mid wales badger man and we are moving up so i would love to do volunteer work for the osprey.

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  7. Well Mel if you are that interested then get yourself down there and inspire some young people your age. School holidays approacheth!

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