Hugh’s News – 16 July 2026

An update on the Llyn Brenig ospreys that we saw on our coach trip last month. The 2 chicks are doing well and have now been ringed. The first to hatch was a male named “9L1”, and weighed 1485g with a wing length of 337mm. The second youngster was a female “9L2”, and despite being smaller with a 282mm wing length, she was considerably heavier at 1690g! She will eventually grow bigger than her male sibling, a typical trait in most raptor species. 

Below are a few more photos from Llyn Brenig, thanks to Ellie, Bill, Colin, Carolyn and Hugh.  

I noticed several Swallows lining up on telegraph wires at Thornton Hough last week, a mix of adults and juveniles. They often seem to congregate like this, chattering away, as a prelude to their long and arduous migration south to Sub-Saharan Africa for the winter. I like to think they might be discussing the route they’ll take, and what stop-overs to use for stocking up on food fuel!  

This very hot, dry spell of weather may be tough for some birds as well as us, but it seems to be great for butterflies and dragonflies, damselflies. There have been many reports of good numbers, in stark contrast to the generally low counts last summer.  

For anyone not aware already, the annual Exhibition of Wildlife Art is on at Gordales on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th July from 9.30am – 6pm; and on Sunday 26th from 10.30am – 5pm. Free entry.

You could drop in after the Field Meeting at Burton on the Saturday!

Hugh