MAJESTIC BIRDS ARE FLYING HIGH ONCE AGAIN AFTER BEING HUNTED TO EXTINCTION

THEY'VE given their name to one of Wales' most successful rugby clubs but do we actually know what lies behind the name osprey?

- SHAURYA SHAURYA

It’s a tale of persecution and one of Wales’ most majestic birds being hunted to near extinction.

The ospreys are a bird of prey, who primarily live off hunting fish from nearby water bodies - a fact which experts say also played a part in their near extinction.

By the 19th century, these rare birds were considered extinct as breeding birds in England and Wales. Their numbers dwindled so drastically, there were just two breeding pairs left in the country in 1967. Now, this number stands at 300 pairs across Britain.

Just in Wales alone, the number of breeding pairs of ospreys has grown from just two in 2004 to 14 territorial pairs as of now.

The first pairs were a combination of natural colonisers from Scotland and birds linked to the Rutland Water reintroduction project.

The Dyfi Osprey Project based at Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve, near Machynlleth in Powys, opened in 2009 as Wales' second osprey project but it took some time for the birds to start breeding in the area.

Dulcie Faulkner, people engagement officer at Dyfi Wildlife Centre said: “So we had spotted ospreys in the Dyfi estuary for some time, and the Wildlife Trust decided to put up a nest platform in the hope that it might encourage ospreys to breed there.

“It took a few years, but it was 2011 when we finally had a male and female osprey ready to bring the next generation.”

She added: “We've had osprey breeding here since 2011. Every year since then, we just have the one pair of ospreys.

“They currently have two very recently hatched chicks and one egg that is going to hatch any day now. So it’s all very exciting. We have a diligent team of staff and volunteers.”

The third egg has since hatched and the nesting ospreys - Idris and Telyn - are taking care of their chicks.

While the introduction of the birds to the estuary was a momentous moment, the project had to do a lot of work to get to where they are today.