2 September 2022
Friday is going to be a much nicer day in terms of weather. It has been sweltering on the Canadian prairies. The high will be 21 and not 32! It is hard to imagine it being 32 degrees at the beginning of September in Winnipeg. The sun is bright and the sky is blue without a cloud in sight. It will be a good day to go to the nature centre for that long walk and to see how those little ducklings have grown this week. The egrets were still in Winnipeg last night. They attracted a few of us to gasp at their beauty as they flew into their roosting tree at sunset.
No matter what is happening today in your life, take the time to marvel at the work of the wildlife rehabbers who are giving our darling raptors a second chance to live out their lives soaring in the skies. Smile. Victor is flying!!!!!!!!!!!!
Making News:
The Ojai Raptor Centre has done an amazing job getting Victor to flying in the large aviary from the patient that arrived with severe zinc toxicity. They posted a Victor of our dear Victor flying so well. So thankful for Dr Sharpe and everyone who gave Victor his second chance! What a wonderful sight to see ——-Victor flying and not having to do physio being supported by a human lifting a towel. Tears.
Whenever you think about intervention and someone says ‘nature will take care of it’ ——think of our dear Victor and tell them about him. Maybe you can gently change their mind. Or you could tell them about Little Bit ND17 – or both!!!!!!
You might remember that one of the two eaglets on the US Steel Bald eagle nest fludged and, in the process, tore many of its feathers. It was taken into care. Here is the most recent news on this lucky eaglet who is getting its second chance!
Rosie’s broken feather on the right.
The new feathers being inserted. They will fall out when Rosie has her first moult. Oh, what a very lucky eaglet! Just like Victor and Little Bit.
Migration counts at Hawk Mountain:
https://www.hawkmountain.org/conservation-science/hawk-count
As hurricane season is with us, researchers are looking at how our warming earth and hurricanes are impacting our feathered friends.
If you are living where Baltimore Orioles will or are passing through, heading to their winter homes, remember to put out the oranges and the jelly (they love other flavours than grape, too) for them to help build their energy.
The RSPB gives us all some ideas about how we can better ‘green’ our lives.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/community-and-advice/green-living/
I was extremely interested in their article on how to create a garden that is beneficial for wildlife. It is always good to look for new and better ways to take care of those garden friends that come to us for food, shade, and shelter.
Nest News:
Who could have predicted that the Hellgate Canyon nest would have a visit from both dear Iris and Louis on Thursday? What a pleasure it is to see her. Like so many of you, I have growled at Louis but, in the end, Iris seems much happier when he is about so…I am going to stop moaning when I see Louis. I wonder if this is the pair together, Iris saying goodbye to all of us until next spring?
Beautiful Iris. If this is the last time we see you this year, travel safe, always have a full crop, enjoy your winter but return in the spring. You give us hope and inspiration.
And she is off, the oldest osprey in the world living in the wild.
Feeding time for the Sea Eagles. Notice how much progress they are making in terms of plumage but also, in standing.
There was another prey delivery at 1200 and SE30 did some impressive mantling on its arrival.
Xavier brought Diamond a nicely dressed pigeon for breakfast. She was thrilled and Dad got to spend some time incubating those three eggs in the scrape at Orange.
At the 367 Collins Street scrape in Melbourne, the little Dad loves taking care of the eggies just as much as Xavier does. Here is an early morning hand over.
The Collins Street Mum just found ‘us’!
Mum and Dad have such a good routine at the Port Lincoln Osprey barge. Mum knows that Dad is coming with a partial fish for her. She would have seen him eating his portion on the ropes before arriving at the nest and transferring the rest of the fish to her. Typically, the males eat the heads of the fish. Then Dad gets a chance to incubate the eggs, too. Great system. Gives Mum a nice quiet time to have her lunch. It sure won’t be quiet in a couple of weeks!!!!!!
Dad brings in some more decorations for the nest later.
The check on Karl II and his family as they migrate shows us that Karl II is following his normal flight path. Everyone hopes that he will be changing his trajectory as this normal path will have him flying directly into Kherson an area that is quite unsafe. Looduskalender posted the different colours for his flight this year and Karl II’s last two years.
Karl flew fast and quick to get into Belarus. Let us all hope that the winds carry him to his favourite tree -safely and quickly- in the very centre of Africa.
Bonus appears to be in Belarus near Makarychy in the Gomel Oblatst. He must be finding a good food source in the Pripyat River marshes.
Kaia’s tracker came on and showed she had traveled 28.8 km. She remains in Ukraine.*
Waba – no data since 30 August.
Thank you so much for joining me this morning. Wishing our Black Stork family from the Karula National Forest in Estonia safe, safe travels. It will be interesting to see what Karl II does as he approaches Ukraine. Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the following whose posts, videos, and streaming cams made up my news for the day: Ojai Raptor Centre, Hawk Mountain, Audubon, RSPB, Montana Ospreys, Tamarack Wildlife Centre, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Port Lincoln Ospreys, and Looduskalender.
- I have inadvertently been using the term ‘the Ukraine’. Having lived in the 2nd largest area of Ukrainians many decades prior to the country’s independence, it became a habit to say ‘the’. Now it is not appropriate. Ukraine is, of course, its own independent country. Apologies to anyone who might have been offended by my oversight.
Thanks so much Mary Ann for the wonderful updates. So happy to get to see Victor flying ! ❤️
So glad the tracker came in for the black
Storks! Good news on the falcons and little sea eaglets ❤️
I hope you get to see a lot of the ducks and birds and herons today Mary Ann
Take care and look forward to hearing from you again soon!
Linda
1st 2018 stories about ospreys. In the summer of 2018, I was looking at Beach Cams on HDonTap and came across an Osprey Cam that was one of the featured cams at the time. The cam was the Severna Park Osprey Cam and I watched for the rest of the season and has been my custom since to have an affinity for the second born (most likely Male Ospreys). After having watched all season, I find the end of the season to be the hardest to watch. The most heartbreaking part for me is when they wait and wait for Dad to bring a fish and he doesn’t come anymore. The Severna Park Male lasted the longest, and in the end, he squawked and waited for 12 hours at a time and for a little while Dad would bring the fish in at 6 or 7 at night. And then one day he didn’t come anymore.
2nd 2018 Osprey Story at Missoula Mt: I found Iris and Louis in the summer of 2018 as well. I watched the season and of course the only surviving osplet that year was L’el’e. On the morning of September 2, 2018 (4 years ago today) was the last sighting of L’el’e. She had been squawking for Louis in the morning and he was a little late that day. He finally came sometime after 11AM and she was never seen again on Cam. The Cam Op was looking for L’el’e and was scanning the river. At one point the Cam Op stopped to look at something floating in the river and then quickly moved on. When L’el’e never showed up at the nest for the fish Louis brought, I got to thinking that maybe L’el’e had tried to dive into the river like Louis (Louis would dive into the river from a very high perch) and drowned. The Cam Op only stopped for a brief look, and what it looked like was a white bag with a white drawstring floating down the river. Later I thought back and wondered if that was her underneath side (which is white) and her white talons. Anyway, I thought that was a possibility and I literally cried for two weeks. I never said anything at the time on Twitter because I wasn’t sure. No one else seemed to take notice of this. Dr Greene vaguely said something about sighting an Osprey further up the river that could have been her.
Sorry for rambling but I have never forgotten the date we last saw L’el’e.
September 2, 2018 (4 years today)
Dear Nancy, You are not the only person who remembers L’el’e well. I wonder how many remembered that today was the last sighting of her? I admit I had not and I will remind people tomorrow. The story of the Saverna Park cam sounds a bit strange…I am so used to the UK male ospreys that will stay well into September feeding chicks instead of themselves – or Aran feeding 3 chicks and Mrs G now (she can and does get her own, too) or Louis and Sarafina. ————- I wonder what you thought when you saw Louis and Iris standing proud on the nest? It has given me the most eerie feelings all day. Thanks so much for your rambling. It is obvious you love those ospreys and I love hearing your stories, Nancy.
Hi Mary Ann, Regarding the Osprey Dads staying until the chicks leave. I have not found that to be the case in the nests that I have watched.
Take Mare Island Osprey Cam as an example of watching to the end. The Dad did not show up at the nest for 3 or 4 days. The fledgling came back to the nest quite a few times and fish called. Then Dad came back for one day and brought a fish. He never came back again after that. After the Osplet stopped coming and begging, both Mom and Dad came back to the nest (or it could have been another couple). Maybe they’re just staying on the nest too long and Dad just says hey kids that’s it.
I always love to see Iris on the nest, and I do hope she returns next year. The odds that she comes back every year get worse every season. Everyone holds their breath waiting for her to return. As for Louis (to whom I affectionately refer to as “The two timing fink.”) well maybe it would have been better if he had let her go free. But on the other hand, she deserves to be in retirement.
I do love the Ospreys for some reason, and I named my Wifi after them. I didn’t even know what an Osprey was a few years ago. One day I saw my neighbor looking through his binoculars and I asked him what he was looking at. He told me he was looking at an osprey nest.
I feed birds and squirrels in my yard and about 3 years ago I saw a Hawk eyeing them in the tree above. I had never seen a hawk (or an Eagle) in my neighborhood before. I hear their baby squawking and see him flying around after fledge. I’m sure they’re killing the birds and squirrels. Sadly, I have not seen any Osprey fledgings since. Before the Hawk I would see them soaring high in the sky. I can’t get over to the nest it is on commercial property and there is a fence.
Sorry for rambling again. I don’t know what it is with me lately. I can talk up a storm sometimes as well. I tell everyone that I don’t get out much. My mother has dementia and I’m her caretaker (since 2007). She no longer talks and has not known who I am for many years. She hasn’t been able to walk for about 8 years after falling and breaking her hip. She has been the most pleasant person to care for. She will be 95 (her sister will 99 in Oct) in December (I’m a very young 59 and the youngest in the family 4B & 1G) and it has been a pleasure taking care of her and the end is probably not far off. The closer it gets to the end the more anxiety grows. Her soul is ready to soar one of these days and I will miss her dearly.
Nancy
No apologies for rambling, Nancy! Yes, the moments with Iris are precious. I had these strange feelings when I saw her and Louis together…I know she would want to see him before she left. Glad he obliged. — That is very interesting about the osprey nests you watch. I have only seen it happen once – the male leaving prior – and that was this year, him drive off the nest by another male. I think we are all looking forward to the little ones at Port Lincoln! ——- Your Mum is so very lucky to have you caring for her. Dementia is a horrible horrible disease. My husband’s mother had it and the caring for her and guilt when he couldn’t, killed the father. I am so glad your Mum is easy to care for. It makes all the difference and what a privilege it is to be able to do this for her. You will not regret it. I am glad you also have these wonderful bird families!
Hi Mary Ann, I didn’t see this last message from you. I checked my email and it had come in my email on Sept 2. Just goes to show how often I check my emails.
I just wanted to comment on the Dad birds leaving early. I think what I meant was they don’t always wait to the fledglings don’t come anymore to stop bringing fish. The fledglings hang around for a few days with Dad not coming anymore. That doesn’t mean Dad has migrated he just isn’t feeding them anymore.
I’m sorry to hear about your Mother In Laws dementia and her husband’s death from guilt. That is very sad for him to have felt that way in the end. The funny thing is I’ve had more conversations with strangers about dementia in the cat food isle at the grocery store. I always ask them what the person with dementia died of. I can’t remember any of their answers now, but it seemed various causes of death. My brothers and her sister think it would be better for Mom to die in her sleep. That’s not how I want it to happen. I want to be there when she passes.
I just heard a lot of bird noises out my window. There was a grey dove, a cardinal and a noisy Blue Jay eating the bird seed. I leave it on the ground for them and I get Squirrels, Bunnys, Chipmunks etc. Last year a Chicken came and a couple of years ago I had ducks. Funny story last week I moved my reclining chair which I hadn’t sat in for awhile and a bird flew out (sparrow) from behind it. I had opened my window a few days before to let a fly out and he must have flown in the window when I wasn’t looking. He must have been there for a few days. I glad my cat didn’t know.
Keep up the good work.
Nancy
I am delighted that you finally found the e-mail. My mother in law slowly drifted off with low blood pressure and well..my husband did not make it that morning to read to her like he always did. She had stopped eating the week prior. She was very peaceful and I wish this for all. — Gotcha about the males. As it happens that does happen when the fledglings have hung around but sometimes, as at Mispillion Harbour, they were fed away from the nest and no one could see. Lovely to hear from you! You take care of yourself – .