25 July 2022
Oh, good morning everyone! Still some fledging going on in the UK, osplets getting their ‘legs’ in the US, another video of Little Bit…it is starting off as a good week. Fingers and toes crossed.
At the Sea Eagles nest in the old Ironbark Tree, Lady seems to have gotten into a pattern of feeding SE 29 and 30 every hour. Lady’s job at this stage of the eaglet’s development is to brood and feed the chicks. Dad is in charge of hunting and guarding the nest. The chicks will grow quickly. When they are 3-4 weeks old, Lady will stop brooding them at night and sleep perched on the tree. Fledging takes place between 75-85 days, normally.
So,, we must enjoy every moment of these two little white snow balls. What can we expect in weeks 2 and 3? You will continue to notice how their beaks are growing longer. It is hard to imagine but they will start to crawl out of the nest cup during week 2. You will also notice they have started to squirt their ‘ps’ over the side of the nest. No potty training for these two – it is instinctual. By week 3 they will be double their size at hatch and they will become interested in things around them. They will be eating bigger flakes of fish and pieces of prey and, of course, they will have mastered getting those bites into their beak from Lady much better than in the early days.
It is the most beautiful golden morning in Finland at the Janakkalan Osprey nest. The two chicks are sound asleep.
It is an equally beautiful morning in Mlade Buky, The Czech Republic as the sun comes over the distant hills. You can see the four storklets on the natal nest in the foreground. Now look carefully at the top image. In the middle ground, there is the finished ‘home’ that Bukacek was building for him and Betty. The storklets can flap all they want — and they are beginning to work those wings. It would be a little crowded there with six on that nest!
Sorry. It is so dark there but look carefully and you will see the adults in their own private space!
All four storklets at the nest of Karl II and Kaia in the Karula National Forest in Estonia are doing splendid. Like the White Storks above, these four are starting to work their wings as well.
There were only 2 feedings for the storklets on 24 July. From the discussion forum, it appears that the fish baskets need filling or some other bird species is eating them. It also appears that there is not enough fish in the natural sources… let us all hope that the baskets are filled and Karl II and Kaia find all that food and eat themselves and feed their four very large storklets.
The three fledglings of Ivo and Iiris are doing well although some of their take offs and landings need a little adjustment. Ivo is delivering really nice size fish to the nest and each waits their turn for another delivery if they missed an earlier one. The nest is located in Southern Estonia near Tartumaa. Nearby is a fish farm as well as a river and some ponds. It would appear from the deliveries that there is plenty of fish for this family of 5.
Ivo has enjoyed the head of this fish. He has a very nice crop. Thanks, Dad.
Another video of the area of the Notre-Dame Eagles – and a most welcome one. It shows where they are and where you can ‘view’ them without doing harm. The individual filming will point the camera to the trees. Squint – look hard. There is at least one fledgling on a branch. They say it is ND17! I sure hope so. It was great to see the three yesterday for the simple reason that 17 is eating somewhere…and flying around watching and learning from the parents …or there would not have been three. So very grateful. Thank you!
Carol Mandis-Beatle posted some images of the three ND eaglets on FB. I hope she does not mind if I share one of them. They were so cute..and they grow so fast!
Speaking of ‘baby pictures’. How many of you remember J3? He falls right up there with L4 for me — cutie pies – Big Red and Arthur’s kids at Cornell. Gosh, I would love to know the dispersal area of their eyases and would especially like to know how they are. You get attached and poof – gone.
J2 and J3 (J1 will be killed flying into the glass at the Weil Building) were best mates. They soared in the sky protecting their sister J1 when she was bathing in a puddle. They also soared together until one morning…J3 got into a thermal, soared high and was gone- out of sight forever. Then J2.
The pressure on BC Hydro to do something to help the Bald Eagles continues – and I am so glad that it is not losing traction. Two articles – one in the Times Colonist and the other in the Vancouver Sun.
Malala has been coming and going from the nest. To check out her images please go to GROWLS FB page. You do not have to be a member of FB or their group to see the images.
‘H’ caught the trio at the Boathouse ‘Waddling’ this morning and made a YouTube clip. It is short and ever so cute…all are standing. Thank you ‘H’. That nest is getting rather small…
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxtoqfzEvKNx_o0JQzGRwo4EMvhHpGn5WQ
In Poole Harbour, there was a moment when the nest was empty. Both chicks of CJ7 and Blue 022 have fledged!!!!!!!! 5H2 fledged this morning. Celebration Time. Like all others, they will, of course, chase the parents back and forth for food for a bit building up their flying skills. Hopefully we will have a few more weeks with the family before CJ7 heads south for her winter break.
5H2 has returned to claim a fish on the nest. What a lovely sight she is. Always good to see them return the first few times! Congratulations to everyone at Poole Harbour.
Skipping way across the pond, the sun made the nest golden at Osoyoos this morning. The chicks were beautiful! Olsen brought in a small fish at 07:16, the first of the day unless I missed something quite a bit earlier.
Alden has found a new loafing spot. He may have to change often if those two fledglings – and Grinnell, Jr in particular – continue to find him. It seems that all the nooks and corners of the Campanile at Berkeley are being visited by Lindsay and Grinnell Jr looking for Mum or Dad or both! Not much peace and quiet…it is beautiful, isn’t it?
Can you spot Alden?
Thank you so much for joining me this morning. It is hazy here this morning The garden birds have been awake for ever so long. The Crows have been at the bird bath cawing their heads off for more peanuts. They was them…and leave the shells in the water for their human servants to clean up! It is so funny to watch. I will try and catch some images for you today. Take care everyone. I hope that your start to the week is a good one. Hoping that we get another update on Victor’s progress soon!!!!
Thank you to the following for their FB posts, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Cal Falcons, Osoyoos Ospreys, Poole Harbour Ospreys, GROWLS, Cornell Bird Lab RTH Cam, ND-LEEF, Eagle Club of Estonia and Looduskalender, Mlade Buky, Finnish Osprey Foundation, and Sydney Sea-eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park.
Good morning Mary Ann! Thanks for these updates. The story of Annie and Aden having to hide is so funny. Hope for a good report from Victor. Congratulations to all the chicks who are fledging everywhere. I pray the baskets are filled for the black stork family. 🙏 I also pray ND17 is getting food. ❤️🙏
Have a good Monday and hope to see you here again soon Mary Ann! Thank you!
Linda
You are so welcome, Linda. I often smile and wonder if Alden totally understood what he was getting himself into when he took Grinnell’s place…he seems to take it in good stride but Grinnell, Jr is something else. I bet you could hear him at Rosie and Richmond’s crane!