Birds of Radnorshire: The Osprey
This week in our new "Birds of Radnorshire" series, we celebrate the Osprey, a magnificent bird of prey whose return to Wales signals the health of our ecosystems and the work of conservationists across the country. The sight of these majestic birds nesting and fishing on the Wye, Edw, and Ithon rivers is an indicator of a healthy and balanced environment in the uplands of Radnorshire near the sources of our fabulous rivers and tributaries.
Photo credit to Wye Explorer (great site, check it out!) looking up the Wye towards Carneddau, with Aberedw Hill the centre and Aberedw where the Edw joins the Wye. Osprey have been spotted on this stretch of the Wye this year and further north on the Ithon.
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Ospreys are known for their incredible migratory journeys. Some individuals log more than 160,000 miles during their 15-to-20-year lifetimes. Scientists track these migrations by fitting lightweight satellite transmitters to the birds, which pinpoint their locations to within a few hundred yards. These transmitters last 2-3 years, providing valuable insights into the Ospreys' long-distance movements. In 2008, one Osprey flew 2,700 miles in just 13 days, from Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts to French Guiana in South America.
Visitors to Radnorshire should keep their eyes peeled for these remarkable birds. Spotting an Osprey making a kill is a thrilling experience. Fish make up the bulk of their diet, and a hunting Osprey can often be seen flying over water at a considerable height, alternating between flapping and gliding. When the bird spots a large fish near the surface, it pauses mid-flight, sometimes hovering briefly before diving with incredible speed. The Osprey enters the water feet-first, creating a large splash and sometimes fully submerging for a moment or two. If the hunt is successful, the Osprey surfaces, shaking off the water from its plumage, and flies back to its nest with a fish, such as a trout, clutched in its talons.
The Osprey's nest is a large structure made of sticks, used season after season. The eggs are white with blotches of chocolate or reddish-brown, and the hen primarily incubates them. It can take eight or nine weeks before the young are ready to fly. In flight, the Osprey's wings are sharply angled at the wrist joint, giving it a distinctive appearance. The bird’s ability to glide effortlessly, while maintaining such powerful hunting skills, makes it one of nature’s most captivating creatures.
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We'd love to hear about your wildlife spots this year at Fforest Fields. It's a great idea to download Merlin the bird identifier app (FREE), we will create a way to share what you hear and see very soon on our website.
