The RSPB Glaslyn Osprey Project is located at at Pont Croesor near Porthmadog in Gwynedd, north-west Wales within the Snowdonia National Park.
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Since their disappearance in 1916 from Great Britain, the first pair of Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) breeding in Wales were found in 2004 near Porthmadog.[1]
In 2004, due to bad weather and rot in the upper branches of the tree, the nest collapsed. Before the next season in 2005, a platform was constructed with help from local school children. In 2005 the Osprey pair returned, took up residence on the specially made platform, and raised the first known welsh brood. The nest is being monitored via nestcam online here. [2]
The pair have returned every year and by season 6 in 2009 had raised a total of 12 osprey fledglings since their known arrival in 2004.
The RSPB Date with Nature site at Pont Croesor aims to introduce people to the wildlife in the area, inform the public on conservation projects done by the RSPB and ensures 24 hour protection of the eggs in the nest.[3]
The three fledglings of 2009 were named Glaslyn, Glesni and Glaslyn by children from the local Ysgol Rhosgadfan School.
Thanks to a ringing scheme of the chicks the progress of these birds has been recorded. A chick ringed in 2006 was discovered in Scotland in 2009 and had raised its own family.
In 2010 the Pont Croesor railway station of the Welsh Highland Railway was built near the site.