Nest bid to lure breeding ospreys

The wildlife trust hopes to attract some breeding ospreys

A wildlife group has built a 50ft tall bird's nest from sticks and wire in an attempt to attract a pair of breeding ospreys to mid Wales.

It has also daubed its creation with white paint imitating bird droppings, so the birds will think it is an established nesting site.

Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust (MWT) came up with the idea for its Morfa Dyfi nature reserve near Machynlleth.

Ospreys have been seen regularly in the area in recent years, said the trust.

It hopes the man-made nest will give breeding ospreys a head start.

Called a nesting platform, it has been placed among trees on the Morfa Dyfi reserve, which spans more than 40 acres.

It is built from sticks, held together with wire and attached to the end of a 50ft telegraph pole donated by energy company, Scottish Power.

Volunteers helped build the osprey nest

The wildlife trust explained why paint has been added.

Conservation officer Clive Faulkner said: "The paint is added to emulate bird droppings, and will encourage ospreys to think that the nest is an established site."

Tony Senior, the trust's reserves officer, said volunteers had helped build the nesting platform, and that ospreys liked that "lived-in" look when it came to nests.

Meanwhile, a herd of water buffalo at the neighbouring Cors Dyfi reserve has increased from three to 10.

The animals are helping to maintain the area by eating scrub, gorse, birch and willow - a diet native cows would refuse to eat.

Earlier this month, a pair of ospreys returned to breed in Gwynedd for the fifth year running, and laid three eggs.

The birds, which breed at the Aberglaslyn site near Porthmadog, are thought to be Wales' only nesting pair.