An evening at Llandegfedd watching a masterful fisher.

After seeing a few reports of an Osprey being sighted at Llandegfedd Reservoir in recent days I decided to spend and evening over there and try my luck.

On arrival at the North end fisherman car park I did the mandatory check that all birders do - had a look at the "Osprey" post. In the past all I have ever seen is a cormorant or sea gull. I have lost count of how many times I have peered through my lens longing to see something good on the post. 

This evening I was not disappointed . After decades of bird watching at the reservoir at long last, there was an Osprey perched on the post.

Osprey

I watched it from a respectful distance for a while and then tried to re-position for a better view.

The surrounding area is very waterlogged so by the time I had moved I noticed from the distance that it was now hovering in the air against the wind and flew off.

Osprey hovering in the wind

A few hours later it flew across the reservoir and I watched it spectacularly stoop from a great height and catch a huge fish. Even from a great distance the splash was big. It struggled to take off from the water with its prey but it managed it after a few attempts. The Osprey flew off out of sight with its catch.

Watching a master fisherman in action is something I will never forget. Amazing.

Osprey