Appeal for Osprey Watchers 2025

We already have over 40 members interested in becoming ‘Osprey Watchers’ for 2025 – these include returning Watchers from 2024 and new Members wishing to enrol. The primary role of the Watchers is to provide citizen-science type data on aspects of osprey behaviour as the bird’s progress during what we hope will be a full and productive breeding season. Feedback from 2024 indicated that Watchers gain greater enjoyment and understanding of the birds by taking on that role rather than dipping into/out of live footage on a casual basis.

We appeal for more Watchers to register their interest in this volunteering role by enrolling as a member of Usk Valley Ospreys (direct recipients of this email will already be a member) and/or contact ‘info@uskvalleyospreys’ before 20th MARCH. Osprey Watchers will need to be registered members of UVO and commit to either booking one 2-hr nestcam slot per week for viewing at home or alternatively spend a similar time commitment observing the birds and engaging with the public from the canal towpath viewing position.

An important element of the Watcher role is to feed citizen-science type data into the UVO Observations Log which will only be available to trained and active Watchers. Attendance at a half-day training session in Talybont-on-Usk will be required where fuller details of the role will be given. The process is not expected to differ greatly from 2024 data gathering.

Further details will be provided to those who register as prospective watchers in due course.