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For countless moviegoers, he is known as the frontman of the superhero e-book comedian The X-Men.
But when it comes to wildlife, Hollywood actor James McAvoy’s new television screen has managed to get birdwatchers in north Wales to have many cross-references.
The Bafta-winning Scottish star is the narrator of a new Channel Four series called The Bridge, which lately revolves around the Llyn Brenig Reservoir on the Denbighshire/Conwy border.
The five parties will see 12 contenders to build a 250m bridge in their waters in the hope of winning a cash prize of 100,000 euros.
However, locals accuse the production of scaring a pair of nesting ospreys and their chicks, an increasingly rare sight in Wales and by law, with the use of drones and flares.
Electric turbine banks were also seen nearby, while wooded spaces were cleared for the structure of log huts for program applicants, a task that looks similar to I’m A Celebrity.Array’s upcoming Abergele series. Get me out of here!
As a result, activists say that the ospreys, which had just returned after a 10-year absence and were not yet about to migrate, have not been seen near the nest for about a fortnight.
They added that the birds probably wouldn’t come back until next year, if they do.
Annie Maluver, a wildlife lover, said: “I am a volunteer wildlife observer and have spoken to wildlife that is accepted as true on the site and are very concerned.
“To think that these birds will not return next year is devastating. If they’ve been frightened, they won’t be able to repair the damage they’ve been done.
The North Wales Wildlife Trust issued a statement that it was aware of the disordity of filming.
One spokesman said: “We are aware of reports of filming activities in Llyn Brenig and the interruptions in the ospreys.”
“We are conducting urgent and independent investigations. We will consider our final findings as soon as we succeed in them.
“Be assured that we are pursuing this urgently.”
However, the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team said that “no criminal offences have been known; However, we will contact our spouse agencies and monitor it closely.”
A Channel Four spokeswoman added: “We can verify that we are filming a new series of logos in the region.
“We have worked hard with Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales to make production fully compliant with filming rules in this area with an emphasis on environmental impact.
“These come with express criteria to ensure that our presence does not disturb nesting birds, adding an exclusion zone around nests, noise and waste management.”