Victor is Rescued …and brief other news in Bird World

11 July 2022

Wow.

As we wait for Dr Sharpe to reach Santa Cruz and the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Mrs Cruz, I want to also celebrate the on-going success of the Black Stork rescue and adoption in Estonia. This is a video of Kaia finding the fish basket that Urmas left for her and Karl II to help with the food needed for four storklets when he placed Bonus on their nest. Bonus is one of two surviving storklets from Jan and Janika’s nest. The other storklet, Extra, is in the nest of Eedi who also has a fish basket.

It is thrilling to see this project working. With the rising temperatures, warming waters, fish dying, and streams drying up, we should begin to think of how we can provide fish for all the birds that require them to survive. This includes diverting water, raising and stocking streams, etc. I am certain you can think of many more ways but also big tanks – like those used to raise fish for people – could be provided for the birds. Yes, this is a big endeavour but, it is not too big that it cannot be funded with monies spent on human entertainment, like fireworks. One City. 19 million dollars. That buys lots of fish! Add up every city and town. (I will definitely not be invited to any Canada Day celebrations next year, for sure!)

We already know that the tanks for raising fish are enjoyed by the Ospreys because our fish hawks take the fish and make the fish farmers very angry! We also know approximately how many fish are needed by an Osprey family during breeding season. I believe this data would also be available for the rare Black Storks in Latvia and Estonia.

Intervention as a necessity at its best.

At 15:14 the first Welsh osplet of the 2022 breeding season fledged! It was 554 from the Llyn Clywedog nest of Dylan and Seren. Congratulations everyone.

Seren watches.

554 made a good controlled return. All is well. Congratulations everyone!

Mama Thunder got fed up with the intruder that has been harassing the kids and fighting with her and them. She gave that intruder the boot today!

Lillibet has come to keep Victor company while nearly 500 people wait and watch for the rescue team. Victor has been in the brush for 24 hours now – as Dr Sharpe makes his way by car and boat to save him. There seems to be a very special bond between this pair similar to that I saw in E17 and 18 at the Southwest Florida Eagle nest.

Everyone is urging Victor to hold only just a little longer.

Lillibet stayed with Victor until he left. Rescue time was 13:30:37. Dr Sharpe and his assistant wasted no time but they did show everyone that Victor was alive. He will now go to the Ojai Raptor Centre in Ojai, California. Thinking of donations – think about them as well.

Victor is protesting. That is good.

And he is off!

Wow. Terribly sad to see the two siblings separated but so happy that Victor was alive and protesting at the time of his rescue. Another great intervention, a very necessary one.

Thank you for all your good wishes for him today. This is wonderful. Dr Sharpe seemed to be very happy and relieved. Take care everyone. It has been such an intense day…I will see you tomorrow.

Thank you to Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies streaming cam at Fraser Point where I took my screen captures, to Lady Hawk for her video of Mama Thunder, CarnyXWild, and the Eagle Club of Estonia.