Latest update on Little Bit and other Bird World News

30 June 2022

This is the latest update regarding Little Bit 17 that has been posted by the staff of the Environmental Change Initiative. I know that everyone is very worried for 17s welfare – his story is an inspiration. I want to thank ‘B’ for copying this and sending it to me before I could even open my computer. From the wording it would appear that a wildlife rehabber has not examined Little Bit 17 but the park staff have called someone.

Update 6/30/22 AM: ND 17 was located this morning and appeared to be in good health when observed from a distance. According to the rehabbers we are in consultation with, the fact that the eaglet has been observed in new locations every day is a positive sign. The new location coincides with the same location that an adult eagle was witnessed flying from last evening at 19:02 on the wide angle cam. Its current location can be accessed by adult eagles for feeding. We will continue relaying updates to the INDR as well as local rehabbers and will take the steps that are deemed best for the eaglet’s welfare. We appreciate the posts regarding specific observations with timestamp. These observations have helped us assess the situation.

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Just a bit of a thought. Last evening I was thinking a lot about our Little Bit 17. He is so very resourceful digging around to find food in the nest and eating bits and bobs that others could not be bothered. I began to think about the two fallen fish – the one on the 27th the day Little Bit fell to the ground and the other yesterday. I want to believe – very hard – that Little Bit was able to get to those fallen fish and eat them. He is very capable of eating fish if he can get into an old raccoon pelt. Now whether or not this actually happened, is only my wish. There is no proof. But 17 is a fighter. I thought about the fish because it was at 15:45:12 on the 27th that Little Bit fell to the ground. He last ate on the 26th which was Sunday – that we are positive of. (I had originally thought it was a Saturday, apologies). There is no proof that the adults have fed him only conjecture based on a sighting of eagles flying from the area. Like all of you, I really hope that he is being cared for by the adults. If he remains grounded, I hope that help will be at hand quickly.

It is 11pm CDT Wednesday and I have just seen an update on the surviving chick that was knocked off the Pitkin nest. Here is the announcement:

I am very grateful that the wildlife rehabbers were immediately called and went directly to the nest. While we mourn the loss of the one chick, send positive wishes to the second for a recovery. They were such beautiful birds not that long from fledging.

When I was walking in our nature centre today I went down by the fishing boats to check on the goslings. I noticed a new receptacle for old fishing line. I wish every area where people fish had these – and that people cleaned up after themselves and used them.

It is the time of year in the northern most countries where it is 24 hour daylight. By 0700 in the morning it is very, very bright. I have not checked on one of the Finnish nests for some days now. Just look at those two lovely osplets of Nuppu’s at Saakset 4. You can see that the feathers are starting to come out of the shafts. These are sometimes called ‘blood feathers’. There is blood circulating in the shaft until the feather finishes growing. Oh, they are so beautiful.

Here is the link to this scenic Finnish nest:

All over Europe and the UK spring babies are being ringed. Today Urmas and a colleague climbed the nest of Karl II and Kaia in the Karula National Forest in Estonia to ring the 3 chicks. They came in the night when no feeding would be taking place. Once the ringing was completed, Urmas put new moss on the nest and a bucket of fishes and — a step sibling. A large storklet called Bonus.

The storklets can hear Urmas coming and they are alarming. See them making their wings go up and down. You can also see that these storklets also have the feathers coming out of the quill or shaft.

There is Urmas.

He places the chicks in a basket to weigh them.

This should be interesting. They are all beautiful storklets with their shiny black plumage showing through that soft white natal down.

Those who have watched the Port Lincoln Osprey nest know that Ervie broke off a talon on his right. He has been able to catch puffer fish and once I saw him with a larger normal fish of the area. It is believed that the lack of talon caused him to stay near the nest on the barge, his home.

I am posting this notice from SF Ospreys because Richmond has broken off a talon. It is a very good explanation to some things happening on the nest. Just the slightest nuance in fish deliveries can cause chicks to get aggressive on a range from mild that stops to full blown that results in a siblings death.

Mrs G and the three osplets watching Aran fly off to get a fish for the tea time meal.

Idris brought in another whopper for Telyn and the kids. Gosh that is a huge fish and he didn’t even take the head. Wow.

The chicks at the Loch of the Lowes are starting to really work their wings!

And a quick peak at the Osoyoos Osprey cam in British Columbia where Dad came in with a fish at 04:58. It appears that Big may be doing some intimidation with three.

Big is on the left and Little Bit is on the far right. Their camera is not good this morning. It is continually buffering. I will check in on them early evening.

There are three tiny osplets on the Fortis Alberta platform at Canmore, Alberta. The weather has improved there today.

The osplets at the nest of Dory and Skiff at the Boathouse on Hog Island are beginning to change plumage. The eldest is getting that oily black head of the Reptilian stage while Little Bob is still soft and light grey on the top of his head.

Beautiful morning at the Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest. The chicks are starting to understand some of the tricks to self-feeding. They sure are beautiful and healthy looking.

John Williams reports that they are hoping to ring the chicks of Dylan and Seren at Llyn Clywedog. It is a busy time and if they miss the envelope time for ringing they will abandon it as they do not want the chicks to bolt off the nest. They are 39 days old and ringing normally does not happen after day 43 for Western Ospreys.

From all the e-mail I have received, I know that there are literally hundreds worried sick for Little Bit. For many, Little Bit 17 became a beacon of hope for what can happen if you ‘never give up’. Little Bit reminds me of the struggles that WBSE 26 went through. I also know that if we could move a mountain we would have a rehabber on site immediately. While it is clear that a wildlife rehabber has not examined Little Bit in person, let us hope that he is doing as well as he can — and that a miracle will happen and he will not be grounded. Or if he continues to be grounded that he will be retrieved and taken into care. He cannot spend his life on the ground. One reader’s letter sees our care for the wildlife as a means of asking forgiveness for all the damage we have done to the entire eco-system. I tend to agree with ‘C’. We care for stray cats and dogs and we should extend that to a natural and immediate response to care for the wildlife whose lands we have taken and whose waters we have polluted. — The end of my rant. I really do hope that we get to a point where Little Bit 17 flies off the ground or he is retrieved. It is the waiting and the unknown of his condition that is causing such angst to all of us. Send positive wishes.

I am off to our wildlife centre for a special afternoon for donors and/or volunteers. I hope to have some images for you of our ambassadors this evening late.

Thank you for being the caring and kind people that you are. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: ND-LEEF, Pitkin County Open Spaces and trails, Saaksilvie 4, Audubon Explore, Fortis ExShaw, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, SF Bay ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife, and the Eagle Club of Estonia.