Osprey couple return to their nest for a third year in a row
How did Aran and Elen meet?
Aran, the male osprey, has been a resident in the Glaslyn Valley for over 11 years. He was previously partnered with another female called Mrs G.She was one of the UK's most successful breeding female ospreys but is thought to have died in 2023.Specialists observing Aran via a webcam above the nest said he was really sad to not see his long-term partner return from migration. He was said to have spent many months alone on their nest, but he was then introduced to Elen, a new female. She took over as the dominant female in the area, and it wasn't long before Aran and Elen became parents. Three years later, they are still going strong and recently returned from migration separately, three weeks apart. However, it was a rocky reunion.
Elen arrived back at the nest first (in March), and Aran returned three weeks later to find another male osprey attempting to charm Elen in his absence. Aran then started bringing Elen lots of fish to eat in order to win back his companion and stake his claim on the nest. It worked, and Aran and Elen have been happily nesting ever since. Osprey numbers are on the rise after successful breeding programmes across the UK - mostly in Scotland. According to the Dyfi Osprey Project, there are thought to be around 300 pairs of ospreys in the UK.
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North Wales Live
24-07-2025
- North Wales Live
Gut-lurching moment huge rockface collapses near walkers at popular North Wales slate quarry
A student artist has described the gut-wrenching moment a huge quarry wall collapsed, sending tonnes of rock and slate thundering towards him. By chance Aran Jones, 21, caught the dramatic incident on camera at Dinorwig slate quarry, Gwynedd. He kept filming while others bolted from the area, belatedly joining them as a giant dust cloud billowed into the sky, clearly visible from the village of Llanberis below. 'If there hadn't been a large pit beneath the rockface, we could have been in trouble,' he said. Rockfalls are periodically reported at the quarry, once the world's second largest slate mine. But local people said the noise made by yesterday's incident (Wednesday, July 23) was the largest they'd heard in more than three decades. The collapse was a sobering reminder of the dangers of a site that's seen surging number of visitors in recent years. For some people, it also showed the bravery of quarry workers who reshaped a mountain above Llyn Peris often with the most rudimentary of tools. Aran, from Mynydd Llandegai near Bangor, visited the quarry during a trip back home from Cardiff, where he studies art while working as a pieman at Donald's Coffee and Pies. Having risen at 3am, he'd already climbed Crib Coch and Yr Wyddfa by the time he arrived at the quarry. 'I was by walking myself when when I heard what sounded like slates cracking and splitting,' he said. 'I'd been at the quarry a few days before and I'd heard the same sound then. 'I thought it might be the quarry's goats, standing on a ledge and dislodging slate. So I began filming, hoping to spot them." Join the North Wales Live Aran continued: 'All of sudden the rockface gave way. I thought I was far enough away, so I kept filming. But had it not been for the massive pit beneath, all that rubble and debris would have come rushing towards me. 'A couple were on the path behind me. When the rockface collapsed, they came running past me, trying to get to safety. That woke me up a bit to the danger, so I began running with them.' Mountain rescue teams have repeatedly warned of the risks of visiting Gwynedd's old slate quarries. Interest in them has risen following their designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site but often they remain just as hazardous as when they were being worked. In April, staff at the Dinorwig power station reported hearing spontaneous rockfalls in a part of the quarry that climbers call the Quarry Peppermint Tower Area. Thuds of rock landing, including a 'big boom', were also heard by climbers. Around the same time, a climber was seriously injured by falling rock dislodged by a colleague above him. He was rushed to Royal Stoke Hospital's major trauma centre after being recovered by Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) and an air ambulance. Llanberis MRT had previously warned visitors to exercise extreme caution at old slate quarries. It came amid rising concerns over the number of people straying from paths and taking risks in 'dangerous places'. At the time, the MRT said: 'No Instagram story is worth the level of risk that some people are unwittingly taking.' No one was hurt by yesterday's rockfall but photos and videos appear to show smaller rocks littering a nearby public path. To guard against such incidents, site owner First Hydro Company restricts public access to some quarry areas and closes off others completely. Urging everyone to stay safe, station manager John Armstrong said the large rockfalls 'demonstrates why we don't allow unauthorised access or exploration of the quarry'. Aran suggested anyone using the quarry keeps their wits about them. 'If you hear any creaking or cracking in the rocks, get away from the area as quickly as possible,' he said. 'The old quarrymen used to listen out for these warning sounds. 'If you sense something is about to happen, at places like Dinorwig there's a good chance it might.'
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Fan makes 'shocking' discovery on Lorde's new X-ray album cover: 'I hope she gets some more fibre'
Lorde stunned followers when she released an X-ray of a pelvis as the cover of her latest album - but one fan has now made a 'shocking' discovery on the image. A TikTok user who goes by Aran shared a video on Friday claiming to be a 'board certified radiologist' who found something disturbing in the X-ray. Aran says the image - which shows the inside of the singer's pelvis, inter-uterine device included - also contains a 'cloudiness' which indicates 'constipation'. 'Hi everyone, I'm a board certified radiologist and there is something that I've noticed on Lorde's Virgin album cover that no one else has,' Aran began. 'So this cloudiness here is actually from faeces.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'While it's perfectly normal to show up on a medical X-ray, we usually only see this level of cloudiness in patients who are very blocked up or have severe constipation. 'So, while it's not necessarily a medical emergency, I can only imagine how uncomfortable it feels. 'I wish Lorde an amazing album release day, but I really hope she gets some more fibre into her diet,' they finished. While it is unclear that Aran is actually a 'certified radiologist', they are not the only fan who has made the claim Lorde's X-ray shows faeces in the bowels. One user took to X to claim their friend, who is an alleged nurse, looked at the album cover and confirmed the 'white blob' in the image was 'poop'. 'She said those white splotches to the left her of tail bone was s***,' the fan wrote. They then shared a screenshot of a text message which read: 'That like white blob on the left that's poop.' It comes after the hitmaker, 28, sent fans into a frenzy with a surprise performance at Glastonbury on Friday, which saw her whip her top off in the sweltering heat. Thousands of fans flocked to the Woodsies stage after rumours of a set from the Royals hitmaker spread around Worthy Farm. Such was the excitement that bosses announced the stage had temporarily closed due to overcrowding shortly before her set began. The singer - who previously graced The Pyramid stage in 2022 - performed all of her biggest hits from Ribs to Green Light, as well as a rendition of her new album. The show came on the same day as she dropped supporters' jaws by unveiling the cover of her new vinyl - which featured a very racy photograph. The singer had already raised eyebrows with the project's main artwork, which features an X-ray of her pelvis. However, the vinyl for Virgin - Lorde's fourth studio album and first since 2021's Solar Power - is more explicit and featured what appears to be genitals in plastic pants. Taking to social media to express their shock, some fans worried about their family members potentially seeing the NSFW cover. They shared on X: 'So the new Lorde vinyl just got delivered. I was not prepared for the insert.' While it is unclear that Aran is actually a 'certified radiologist', he is not the only fan who has made the claim Lorde's X-ray shows faeces in the bowels Another said: 'Lorde really got her cat out like that on her vinyl huh?' One more wrote: 'My Lorde vinyl is getting delivered to my parent's house I'm scared [sic].' However, not everyone was so critical of the vinyl's artwork and others described it as 'beautiful' and far from being shocking. 'A lot of you are being very weird about the Lorde vinyl cover… who tf cares if her lordeussy was out. It's just a body,' someone wrote. Others said the reaction to the vinyl was so extreme they expected it to be a lot more explicit than it actually is. 'I really thought the Lorde vinyl insert would be a lot worse than people are saying it is, you guys are kinda dramatic,' one said. Lorde is one of the highest-selling New Zealand singers of all time. Her 2013 song Royals reached number one in America, eventually being certified 14 times platinum.
The Herald Scotland
31-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's best scenic walks with gorgeous bakeries at the end
Housed in a gorgeous, whitewashed building in the heart of Dunkeld, this bakery and patisserie is owned by Flora Shedden, who was the youngest-ever finalist on The Great British Bake Off when she took part in the TV contest back in 2015, then aged just 19. Flora Shedden on the Great British Bake Off (Image: PA) She opened Aran two years later. The menu includes sweet and savoury Danish pastries – from gooseberry, creme fraiche custard and shortbread to spinach, artichoke and radish topped with feta – as well as croissants, chocolate swirls and sausage rolls made from pork, sage and apple. The walk: There's some lovely routes around Dunkeld, including along the River Tay towards the majestic Birnam Oak and Beatrix Potter Garden. Another gem nearby is the spellbinding woodland setting of The Hermitage, home to a waterfall, folly and hermit's cave. The Fat Batard Bakery, Peebles Nope, that's not a typo. This memorably named shop has built a loyal legion of fans thanks to its award-winning bread and delectable array of baked goods. Sourdough takes centre stage here, utilised in everything from yummy loaves to brioche rolls, doughnuts, scones and brownies. The pastry selection is sublime, with a nigh-on-impossible-to-choose-from list of varieties – including butter, almond, chocolate, chilli & cheese – and not to forget the legendary 'cruffins', a delicious hybrid of croissant and muffin. The walk: For a history-themed amble, explore the paths and trails that link Neidpath Viaduct, Neidpath Tunnel and Neidpath Castle, along the banks of the River Tweed. Read more Narture Artisan Cafe, Ayr This cheery, brightly decorated eatery sells bread, pastries and cakes, made just around the corner at the Narture Sourdough Bakery. Not only is the food tasty, but the premise behind the social enterprise is rather brilliant too. The brainchild of artist father and daughter team Robert and Saskia Singer, Narture was founded during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, a project aimed at repurposing empty spaces for cultural and creative uses, as well as helping to boost the regeneration of Ayr town centre. The walk: It would be remiss to visit Ayr and not take in the golden, sandy beach, with its views of Ailsa Craig and Arran. Or stretch your legs on a section of the River Ayr Way, a 44-mile route which concludes at Ayr Harbour, having wound its way from Glenbuck Loch. Arisaig Bread Shed, Lochaber This rustic bakery is a balm for the soul. We're talking sourdough loaves, baguettes, plum frangipane tarts, apple and blackberry Danish pastries, chocolate and hazelnut whirls, croissants and pain aux raisins. Arisaig Bread Shed also hosts seasonal pizza nights on Saturdays, based out of its converted 1974 Citroen H van nicknamed 'Hector'. Tuck into wood-fired, Italian-style classics, such as margherita, piccante and primavera – or plump for the meaty feast of a 'Highland', which is topped with haggis, pork and venison salami, chicken and red onion. The walk: For glorious coastal views, picture-postcard beaches and magical wildlife-watching opportunities check out the magnificent Rhu peninsula. Havn, Bridge of Allan Inspired by the bakeries of Copenhagen and others in a similar vein around Europe, this petite spot packs in the joy snacks – quite literally – with perfect pastries and heavenly sourdough bread. Havn exudes a wholesome vibe, where stepping through the door is akin to being embraced in a warm hug. The selection changes regularly as the in-house team experiments with fresh ideas. Pop in to pick up a croissant – or three – and a takeaway coffee. The walk: The Darn Road links Bridge of Allan to Dunblane, stretching roughly 2.75 miles (4.25km), passing along the Allan Water. It follows an ancient trackway, believed to date from Roman times. It can be done as a circular, or one-way returning by train or bus. Susan Swarbrick is a columnist and freelance writer who loves history and the outdoors. Follow her on X @SusanSwarbrick and Bluesky @
