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