Snowdonia

At the Glaslyn Osprey Centre, where Leo will be helping out as a volunteer this summer, viewing area we could see the nest thru the scopes, and the CCTV showed that a bird was on its 3 eggs there, but we cldnt make it out directly. In the meadows, swallows, Mute and Bewick swans and Canada and Greylag geese. Greenfinch on the feeders.

Geraint, the RSPB warden told us that the male Osprey was originally from Loch Gsrten, resettled at Rutland Water before coming across here. 3 eggs, and reaching this weekend the vital 2 week stage when they become less attractive to evil egg collectors, as the embryo develops bones and therefore cant be blown. One of the options after this stage is apparently to pin-prick holes then leave in an ants nest who clear everything apart from the bones, which then rattle inside. He also said that evil collectors had taken 2 eggs in Scotland this year involving swinmming across the loch, replacing the eggs with painted chicken eggs, then swimming back across the loch with the eggs in their mouths to avoid breaking them. Shame they didnt drown.

A short stroll along the river into Beddgelert yielded a Whitethroat, Common Sandpipers, Goosander (pic) which did the slappy-feet running-on-water trick , Grey and Pied Wagtails, Dipper, TreeCreeper. First Cuckoo heard for many years. Blue and Great Tits, Crows and Buzzards. Blackbird and Chaffinch. Goldcrest, House Sparrow and Robin at our Cabins.

Whilst conquering Snowdon from Rhydd Dhu we picked up Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Dunnock and Wheatear.

At Portmeiron, ChiffChaff heard then lured with iChirp.

Kestrel, Long Tailed Tit, Red Kite, Magpie on the journey.