Glaslyn osprey chick seen in Scotland

30/07/2008 09:28:32 July 2008. One of the osprey chicks from the nest in north Wales, hatched in 2006, has been sighted in Scotland. The juvenile male was identified by the black and white ring on his right leg showing the number 80.

The young bird was seen in 'The Ospreys are back in Galloway' project area, in which the RSPB is a partner. Keith Kirk, Dumfries and Galloway Council Ranger made the sighting of the bird around Loch Ken and managed to capture a photograph, which clearly shows the ID ring confirming its Welsh identity.

Emyr Evans, Osprey Project Officer for RSPB Cymru said: ‘This is fabulous news. The mortality rate for these birds in their first years is incredibly high, so to know that this Welsh osprey is healthy and back in the UK is extremely heart-warming news.'

Non breeding
The osprey has not been breeding this year, but has been seen collecting twigs and making trial nests, which is typical behaviour for a two-year old osprey.

Emyr continued: 'When starting a family, ospreys often return to the area that they were raised in, so we might have expected to see this youngster back in the Glaslyn rather than up in Scotland. However, at only two years old, he is still a little young to breed and may still return to Wales for nesting in years to come. Wherever he ends up, we are thrilled to see him doing so well!'

9 Welsh chicks since 2004
The Glaslyn osprey pair has now successfully raised nine chicks since first nesting in north Wales in 2004. The current family - two parent birds and three youngsters - can still be seen from the viewing point at Pont Croesor near Porthmadog.

They are the only known nesting pair of ospreys in Wales, and can be spotted through telescopes and binoculars at the viewing hide or via live nest-cam footage in the visitor centre.