Majestic Ospreys at Llyn Brenig

Did you know that Ospreys have made Llyn Brenig their home since 2018? They can be seen here in North Wales from April until August before they migrate back to Africa.

This spectacular fish-eating bird of prey is rare in the UK because of its historical decline and low breeding numbers. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water built the first nests around the lake in 2013 using wood recovered from the visitor centre when the café was redeveloped in the previous winter.

The hard work paid off on and, in 2018, the first successful breeding took place. A single chick named Luned triumphantly fledged, with another, Roli, doing the same in

2019. Sadly, in 2020, the sole chick to successfully leave the nest, Dwynwen, was killed after being struck by a wind turbine blade a few weeks later.

In 2021, the ospreys suffered perhaps the most famous wildlife crime incident to have taken place in North Wales for many years when, in April, their nesting site was callously felled by vandals with a chainsaw. (Although the adult birds remained in the area for the remainder of the summer, they didn’t breed.) Once they had left for the winter, a team from Openreach and GT Williams Engineering replaced the pole for free and, in early 2022, staff from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water winched a new nesting platform – funded by donations to North Wales Wildlife Trust in the aftermath of the disaster – into place. It was with huge relief that Brenig Osprey Project staff and volunteers subsequently witnessed the most successful breeding season to date, with three eggs hatching. Whilst one youngster died of natural causes, the other two, named Gelert and Olwen by local schoolchildren, successfully fledged. n

Want to see the ospreys with your own eyes?

Why not visit the osprey exhibition, lookout hub and viewing hide at Llyn Brenig for yourself!

The Llyn Brenig visitor centre is open all year round, including an osprey exhibition room featuring live footage from the nest. A short walk away, telescopes are available to use for free from the North Wales Wildlife Trust osprey lookout – or, for a really close-up experience, you can book a visit to the osprey hide, located only 140m from the nest.

As funeral directors in Llandudno, North Wales Chris Lord-Brown and Jonathen Harty have over fifty years of combined experience. Serving both local and neighbouring communities, their expertise and knowledge combined with their extensive contacts have led to numerous families entrusting them to arrange and conduct the funeral services of their loved ones.

Together they run Lord-Brown & Harty Ltd. This independent, privately owned and professionally qualified funeral directors and monumental masons is situated in the heart of Llandudno on the North Wales coast.

They are proud member of The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), undergo regular inspections of premises and paperwork to ensure compliance, and abide by the NAFD's Code of Practice.

CHRIS LORD-BROWN

B.Ed(Hons) DipFD chris@lbandh.co.uk

JONATHEN HARTY

B.Ed(Hons) DipHE FRAS jonathen@lbandh.co.uk www.lbandh.co.uk

12 Trinity Square, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 2RA