After weeks of planning, and worrying, we finally pulled it off. Over 100 volunteers and Network Rail staff pulled a heavy, 2½-tonne cable over half a mile across Cors Dyfi Reserve, under the railway track and onto the osprey nest site.

The weather could not have been better - a warm, sunny St. David's Day started with a 10-minute brief of the task ahead. By the time we started at 10.15am, we had almost double the amount of volunteers we had hoped for, including two mini-buses full of students from Aberystwyth University.

Twenty-four Aber Uni students got stuck in - right in the deep stuff. Well done guys.

By lunchtime, we had completed The Big Pull and Mair, Carol, Jayne and Caryl made 160 cups of tea and coffee for the workers as they crawled from the bog, slightly dirtier than when they went in.

We owe all 100 people a large bucket full of gratitude for their efforts, including Ian Smyth and all the Network Rail staff who helped coordinate the pull in a professional, efficient and safe manner.

The fibre-optic cable kindly donated to the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust by Network Rail

Over the weekend we have also erected a brand new camera pole to hold our new High Definition cameras. Scottish Power kindly donated and delivered a 14m telegraph pole so that we can build a fit-for-purpose T-perch for the ospreys and support the new cameras.

At 2mph, it took an age to get to the nest, but it got there

The new pole will replace the old rickety T-perch that has served Monty well over the last four years. This year he will have something a bit more substantial to show off to Nora.

The only way is up - Monty and Nora's new perch

Over the next two weeks we will place a T-perch on top of this pole at a 90° angle. The ospreys can perch on top and our cameras will be attached underneath. Our final bit to do this week was to remove the old perch and camera structures.

Volunteer Al Davies lowers the old T-perch and camera down for the last time, with the new pole on the left

March promises to be an exciting month. New cameras, microphones, live web-streaming and in a couple of weeks time, the ospreys themselves will be crossing the English Channel in earnest. 'Ospreytitis' has kicked in big time this week.

Here's a BBC news item featuring The Big Pull..

The Big Pull - A MASSIVE thanks to all the following:

Talyllyn Railway
Network Rail
Scottish Power
Morben Isaf Caravan Park
Aberystwyth University
CCW Solutions
Ceredigion CCTV

Dave Scotson from Tywyn
Sally Edwards from Machynlleth
Ian Smyth (Network Rail)
Alan Davies from Machynlleth
Darren T. Gumley (Network Rail)
S. Robinson (Network Rail)
Gwen Williams from Morfa Bychan
Ritchie Tassell from Taliesin
D. Raffan from Taliesin
Mair Hughes from Machynlleth
Alan Hughes from Machynlleth
John Kettle from Wem
Margery Kettle from Wem
Helen Stretch from Aberystwyth
Kevin Williams from Aberystwyth
Alwyn Evans from Rhostryfan
Sue Bosson from Penybontfaur
John Evans from Newtown
Edith Waterhouse from Clitheroe  
Kiaya Chivers from Newport
Graeme Lockwood from The Wirral
Tegan Fellows from Wolverhampton
Vanessa Parker from Birmingham
Jenny Barbour from Tewkesbury
Nicholas Humphries from Abergele
John P. Williams from Minffordd
Chris S. Townsend from Welshpool
Maggie Townsend from Welshpool
Anne Wren from Bwlchyffridd
Bob Sutton from Machynlleth
Maria Wagland from Tywyn
Steph Howarth from Knutsford
Alan Hughes from Machynlleth
Tim Edwards from Clatter
Steve Shipley from Aberangell
Brian Roddis from Birmingham
Amos Barrington (Network Rail)
Robert Weaver (Network Rail)
Rob Haworth from Tywyn
Ken Weston from Mallwyd
Sue Fowler from Borth
Chris Hurrell from Welshpool
Garry Jones from Eglwysfach
Colin Stockton from Eccleshall
Roger Boyle from Aberystwyth
Charlotte Wirje from Ankara, Turkey
David Bourne from Ludlow
Daniel Guy from Epping
Amber Taylor from Bromsgrove
John Taylor from Leominster
Alan Tadman from Derwenlas
Stephen Hughes from Newtown
Robert Tushingham from Hay-on-Wye
Sheila Kelly from Aberdyfi
Peggy Davin from Aberdovey
Peter Murdoch from Aberdyfi
Chris Foster from Machynlleth
Andrew Mathews from Gosport
Paul Peters from Clitheroe
Sophie Tinsley from London
Laura Wilson from Sheffield
Mike from Birmingham
Simon Pritchard from The Wirral
Natalie Crabb from Essex
Sophie Harrison from Birmingham
Alex Dodds from Market Rasen
Asia Roberts-Talland from Carmarthen
Hilary Reed from Llanbrynmair
Elaine Turnbull from Llanbrynmair
Alison Humphries from Abergele
D. Wilcocks from Aberystwyth University
Pippa Moore from Aberystwyth University
Gareth Lloyd from Machynlleth
K. Dudley from Llanbrynmair
Paul Bloxidge from Aberdyfi
Judy Bloxidge from Aberdyfi
Marion Law from Machynlleth
Gareth Evans from Ceinws
Stephen Young from Borth
Sue Southam from Welshpool
Wanda Holt from Welshpool
Brayton Holt from Welshpool
Arthur Bell from Welshpool
Andy Newham from Newtown
Jessica Richardson from Meifod
Lee Passam from Llanon
Hayden Close from Manchester
A. Thompson from Aberystwyth
Richard Thompson from Aberystwyth
Dan Roberson from Machynlleth
Chris Grey from Borth
Sue Newham from Newtown
Rob Newham from London
Elizabeth Richardson from Meifod
Ruth Roe from Machynlleth
Ian Munday from Llanbrynmair
T. R. Heard from Machynlleth
G. Howard from Machynlleth
K. Humphreys from Machynlleth
A. Heard (Network Rail)
John Williams from Machynlleth
Lynn Williams from Machynlleth
Caryl Moore from Llan Ffestiniog
Carol Swales from Furnace
Jayne Hollingsworth from Machynlleth
Dave Hollingsworth from Machynlleth
Tony Edwards from Wrexham
Barry Long from Carno