Monday in Bird World

20 June 2022

It was hot but -not like yesterday- and the weather reports says it is currently raining – again – and will do so for a few hours! The heat and the rain have done amazing things in the garden including causing the tomato plants to grow so tall that they will not have to be transplanted into bigger pots with bamboo poles. They are the same ones that I always plant that have more or less just sat there for 4-5 years with about a dozen tomatoes on each. I understand not, more fully, why the gardeners and their crew are always busy and often use machetes to clean up the lawns and beds in the West Indies.

I was looking for information for another nest and I came across a 2020 Zoom conversation about the ND-LEEF Osprey nest – home to Little Bit 17 this year. Some of you might be interested in the discussion – the first sighting of the nest, the size, how many ospreys in the area, etc. Those stats would have changed over 2 years but they are interesting and helpful. The conversation starts at 26:28. There are some audio issues at the beginning.

The three osplets at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn will be ringed next week. The precise date will be announced one day prior. There is a guessing game going on as to the gender of the chicks on the Dyfi chat. Have a look, take a guess. It is all in good fun. The other day Idris brought in a Twaite Shad. The record catch of that particular species in Wales is 2 lb 2 oz. It is possible that Idris now holds the Welsh record! Hey – he’s fabulous – Daddy Longlegs. You gotta’ love him. Of course, he brought in another whopper not long ago.

BTW. Telyn is one of those Rutland gals that found a home in Wales. Manton Bay (Telyn’s Mum, Maya) has 3 girls this year we need some Welsh boys!!!!!!!! Although I think it is GGB on this nest. We will find out next week.

‘H’ introduced me to a new nest this morning by way of a question. I wonder how many are watching the Mispillion Harbor Osprey Cam at the DuPont Nature Centre? The nest is located on the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek on the west shore. There were four eggs. There are month old osplets on the nest currently- two of them. I cannot confirm what happened to the other two eggs.

‘H’ told me some wonderful stories about this nest – much appreciated! But the one about the piece of yellow material is just brilliant. Mum is apparently obsessed with it and it flew off one day and she went and retrieved it. She certainly isn’t using it to camouflage the chicks so why? Is it nice and soft and you don’t get poked with the sticks from the nest? It is quite a lovely colour and it is surprising how Ospreys get drawn to bright coloured items – Richmond -I think Rosie has broken him of bringing them to the nest and Jack – Harriet still contends with all those toys.

I did not know this nest before this morning. Never watched it. It is on the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek in Delaware – another nest in Delaware. The area is now protected so there is no development.

Dad brought in a whole fish this afternoon. Very nice. Most often the males will eat the heads. He must not be hungry.

Here is the link to their streaming cam.

Osprey Watch shows this population of Osprey nests in the area. Wow.

Laddie just brought in fish 7 to the Loch of the Lowes nest. He was unable to fish and not seen for 36 hours. It is assumed that he was busy getting rid of intruders other than an injury. There are definitely fish in the loch. Blue NC0 must be so full she will pop – I hope Laddie is eating those fish, too. Big and Middle must be too full to even move.

Dylan continues to bring in nice trout – his favourite I think – to the Llyn Clywedog nest. Those three Bobs are fantastic! Seren is quite happy with the deliveries, too.

There they are – 3 big girls with all their bling at the Manton Bay nest at Rutland of Blue 33 and Maya. All the chatter is their arrival in two years time looking for a mate and a nest in Wales. We will wait and see.

It is 16:58 at the Poole Harbour Osprey nest and Blue 022 has just brought in the 4th fish of the day to CJ7 and the kids.

I can see one nice chick’s head up there for the fish.

We have the names of Richmond and Rosie’s osplets. Here is the announcement from SF Ospreys today.

I continue to miss much that is happening at Llyn Brenig. Both of the chicks are still with us but this nest is plagued by intruders. It is unclear how much fish get delivered. The babes look good, though.

Poor Dorcha. It looks like her weather is the same as ours. She doesn’t always catch a break. Still, Louis is great to get the fish on the nest for all of them regardless.

Louis lands with another fish just as I took the screen capture above. Oh, how splendid. Full crops at bedtime.

I hope that Dorcha gets her own fish. That salmon looks good and she is one super mum. My goodness I have forgotten how many times she has been blown tail over head off that nest this season. She is fantastic. Kids are lucky to have her and Louis. Very lucky.

The Glaslyn nest is doing fine, too. Aran has brought in the tea time fish and you can hear the sheep bleating in the background. How idyllic. Mrs G and the kids seem happy.

Two little heads peeking up above that large nest bowl at Fortis Exshaw in Canmore, Alberta. After what happened at Patuxent, I am really starting to wonder if someone doesn’t need to check this nest after breeding season and secure that middle and fill it in. (It could be done now – the osplets will not jump out and it should be a quick temporary fill in).

Electra continues to visit the Cowlitz PUD nest in Washington State where the Bald Eagle took all three of her babies. Heart aches for her.

It looks like it is a beautiful Tuesday morning in the Sydney Olympic Forest. Lady is rolling the eggs and getting ready for the day. Still a few weeks to hatch. Dad has been busy bringing in fish, giving Lady a break and taking his turn incubating the two eggs.

I do not know how many of you saw this. Our dear Grinnell Jr spent the first night after fledging up in a tree. John Davis shot this footage and Cal Falcons posted it. He has since visited The Campanile and I am sure missing the sound of his ‘voice’.

The two worrying nests – Loch of the Lowes – and the ND-LEEF are fine today. Laddie has quite outdone himself and could have shared half that fish with Little Bit at ND-LEEF. 17 did a nice of the end of that fish this morning. I hope there is more later at the nest. Both ND15 and ND16 have branched. Ahote still seems to be the ‘star’ at getting prey at the West End. What a juvenile that third hatch has turned out to be. He is one to watch.

Thank you for joining me. I hope all of you are well. Stay safe. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Inside the Nest, Dyfi Osprey Project, Mispillion Osprey Harbour Cam, Osprey Watch, Friends of the Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, CarnyXWild, LRWT, Poole Harbour Ospreys, SF Bay Ospreys, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Postcode Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Fortix ExShaw, Cowlitz PUD, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, John Davis and the Cal Falcons.