We’ve  had some exciting ospreys intruding the Dyfi nest over the years, almost all young birds looking for prospective nests sites and mates.

But this afternoon we were treated to Osprey Royalty. White PE (2003) known as Morven.

Here’s a brief Biography:

·  Born: 8th July 2003, BTO ringed as a chick by Mick Canham at a nest on Forestry Commission land near Keith, Moray

·  Named and satellite tagged: 9th July 2008, when she was caught (by accident) after intruding at nest (B16) near Forres, Moray — Roy Dennis added her white colour ring PE and fitted a GPS satellite transmitter.

·  A serial intruder even then — she had already attempted to take over a neighbouring nest before Logie returned from Africa, before being caught at B16 

·  Migration route: After breeding she flew north each year to the Caithness trout lochs, then migrated south to winter on the Mauritanian coast, stopping off at the Villaviciosa estuary in northern Spain on the spring return journey.

·  Breeding success: Nested with four different mates across three different eyries — rearing chicks in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Unknown if she has bred after this.

·  In 2017 her satellite tag was removed by conservationists in Villaviciosa as it had failed and was becoming dangerous for her

·  Conservation contribution: Some of her chicks have been translocated to the Basque Country reintroduction project, and one chick in 2015 helped start the Swiss osprey project 

· In 2020 spotted on a trail camera on the Villaviciosa estuary. And again in 2024, 2025 and ​​4th April 2026, seen by Will Pedley in Cadiz.

·  Named after: The mountain Morven in Caithness, visible across the Moray Firth from Roy Dennis’ home — she was first observed near there after breeding

Morven in Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain on ​​4^th April 2026, photograph by Will Pedley

I’ve written before about 2026 being a late year, primarily due to unfavourable winds in North Africa and Europe – well, it seems Morven has also been delayed on her journey up to Scotland.

Morven will be 23 years old in a few weeks – and just to put that into perspective – when she was born the number of ospreys breeding in Wales was precisely.... zero.

I’ve let Tim Mackrill and Roy Dennis know – they are over the moon!

Welcome to Wales, Morven, and safe travels back to your homeland, Scotland.