Glaslyn gates have opened
The viewing site officially opened over the weekend and we have had some glorious weather to get things started. More than 1000 people have been to see the ospreys so far over the first three days. This year, we have some magnificent high-powered telescopes, giving a much clearer view of the nest and the birds.
In fact, our technology at the site has improved all round this year and we now have not one but three cameras watching the nest! The original camera remains on the nest tree, just above the nest giving us a view looking down on the birds. A second one is level with the nest and we are able to zoom in on the birds with this. The camera is in a protective dome to keep it safe from the weather (it can get pretty wild at times here in north Wales) and doesn't move or make a sound as we zoom, so the birds are totally unaware of it. A third camera is on a seperate tree around 40 metres away, giving us a wider view of the area. There are now two screens in the visitor centre and we can choose which of the three images to show, depending on what the birds are doing. It means we should have even better footage to show visitors this year and get all the nest-side action.
The birds have had an active couple of days and have been mating plenty. As well as all the visitors on the ground, they have had a few aerial guests to deal with. Love is certainly in the air, as a couple of peregrines were displaying and bonding together around the nest on Sunday afternoon. They didn't bother the ospreys at all, they were just wrapped up in their own courtship rituals, plus it made great viewing for us through the binoculars. This morning, just before 10am, a pair of herons went over the nest - they looked huge, even from all the way down here. The ospreys took this a little more seriously and both went up off the nest. After plenty of angry calling from both pairs the herons made off and have not been back. That's great teamwork from the ospreys!
More mating and plenty of fish-eating has followed this morning. It's a little cloudier today but still pleasant around the site and we are looking forward to welcoming lots more visitors over the Easter holidays.