First egg for Duke Farms, Ringo stops beaking, Royal cam chick hatches…life in Bird World for Saturday

21 January 2022

Good Morning to Everyone,

To all of our readers celebrating The New Year, The Year of the Water Rabbit or for those celebrating Tet, the Year of the Cat, in Vietnam, we wish you joy, good health, prosperity, and a long life. Have a wonderful holiday. I hope that you were able to spend it with your family, friends, or loved ones.

So what is entertaining the kittens! The Dove was as fascinated with them as they were with it. Tomorrow we are putting up a high table feeder for this Dove so that it might be able to eat without fear of the neighbourhood cats killing it! It spent part of the afternoon in the tree that you can see. That is a ‘female’ Maple. It has those helicopter seeds. I do wonder if the dove was able to eat some of those.

Making News:

Oh, my goodness, tears of joy. Redwood and Phoenix’s chick is now a fully grown juvenile and seen for the first time at Big Sur.

A little history for those that do not know the California Condor community. Prior to the Dolan Fire that began 18 August 2020 and destroyed much of Big Sur, the top male condor in the Big Sur Colony was Kingpin 167. Redwood Queen was known as ‘Slope Slug’. She spent all her time down the slope of the hill because the other condors harassed her so much. She was the one at the bottom of the hierarchy (just like all new ones are). THEN something magical happened. Kingpin 167 paired with Redwood Queen 190 and she instantly rose to the top of the ranks. Their most famous chick was Iniko 1031 who survived the Dolan fire as a nestling in a large Redwood Tree. Iniko was famous. Images of the young condor with the fire crackling around the tree went viral. Iniko survived the fire only to be injured when a male condor came into the nest. Redwood Queen arrived to save her chick. Iniko was injured when it was shoved out and down the nest. Iniko was taken to the Los Angeles Zoo for medical care and rehabilitation. Kingpin 167 is presumed not to have survived the fire and died. He has not been seen since. Redwood Queen pairs with 477 Phoenix, aptly named because he also survived a horrific wildlife, earlier. Their first egg laid in the old tree where Iniko hatched was not viable. The pair moved to a tree in Pinnacles National Park that Phoenix had shared with his former mate. There they raised 1174 in 2022. How lovely for both of them – both survivors of wildfires.

The VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY has all the information about all of their condors and their programme to protect and improve their lives on their website. Today, however, there are many celebrations because the chick of Redwood Queen and Phoenix has been seen at the feeding station at Big Sur. This is a place, high in the hills, where the VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY brings carcasses (without lead or any other toxins) for the Condors to feed on. We all know about the dominance issues with the little eaglets and ospreys, so you can well imagine what it is like in this pecking order!

In the UK, fury is growing over the most recent killing of raptors. Hopefully the voices of the people will become so loud that those politicians and police that are to protect the birds and obey the laws will change and do what is right.

I love Goshawks despite their raids on Osprey nests. Just like I love Red Kites – all raptors. Geemeff reposted this Tweet. It is so difficult to explain how people feel when day after day and week after week, the illegal killing of raptors in the UK continues in or on those estates where grouse are hunted and killed. The entire country should rise up against the privileged — and it is the privileged that own these estates and have hunting weekends on them. A small group that have loyal ties (both figuratively and literally) that allow this to keep happening.

I would also like to say the it takes skill to kill one goshawk but five??? So many of the bird community offering rewards to find the culprits which will be individuals associated with the hunting estates. Mark Avery says “Both RSPB and Wild Justice have each offered rewards of £5,000 for evidence leading to a conviction and Rare Bird Alert has started a crowdfunder to add to that sum. Let’s see the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the Game and Wildlife ConservationTrust do something similar if they are serious about rooting out wildlife crime, but it would take a lot more than that to persuade me that they are. By the way, I haven’t heard or seen any comment from the local MP –  a guy called Matt Hancock.” The collusion needs to be stopped…and people need to do the right thing.

For those of us worried that something might have happened to Richmond, the resident male Osprey mated with Rosie, at the Richmond Whirley Crane in SF Bay, Richmond is fine. There he is in the streaming cam below! Oh, wonderful. Rosie migrates and she normally returns to her Richmond right around Valentine’s Day. The couple raised Brooks and Molate in 2022. Sadly, we lost Molate when he died on the nest. As far as I know the precise cause of death is not known.

Kakapo Recovery have positions open. If you or anyone you know might qualify to work for them for the next year, please check this out. I wish I were younger! What a privilege to help this species thrive and grow in numbers.

A Check on the Nests:

So happy to announce that there was a peaceful feeding at the Webster TX Bald Eagle nest. Yes!!!!!!! No beaking at all. Thanks Paul White for letting us know. The pleasantness has continued all day. The real question is why did it start and excel to such viciousness…but, the great news is that it is over for a day, so let’s add another day, and another one and see two fledge. Yes.

There is only one day separating them in age. Ringo is the oldest – hatched on the 12th of January – so 9 days old today.  Ringo stopped beaking on his 8th day. Boots is the youngest and hatched on the 13th.  There is only a day’s difference.  8 days old.

I have been checking Duke Farms now and again but, not often. Thanks Paul for posting these images on Bald Eagles 101 for us. Congratulations to Duke Farms.

Beautiful Jackie first light. 20 January 2023.

This is a video to go with Shadow flying in and wanting a turn at incubation on the 15th. What a great guy. I love these two…they are so funny. Shadow with his big sticks and wanting time with the eggs. Precious.

Elain’s highlights from the 20th at the scrape of Diamond and Xavier. No worries. Indigo is there in full volume. Gosh, we will miss him when he leaves the territory!

All is well at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest.

CE9 and the parents really have this feeding thing down…the little one is going to get stronger and stronger. Isn’t this just such a relief? Just look at the fish on that side of the nest!!!!!! This baby should never be hungry.

Nice crop after the first feeding of the morning. Little one is stronger, is using its wing tips to balance – and is eating well. Bravo.

CE9 snatched that big piece of fish out of Connie’s beak before she could change her mind. Way to go CE9!!!!!!!!!!

Here comes another biggie!!!!!!!!! Never fear. CE9 is on top of this. He has figured it out. Mum gets a big bite, then wants to think about whether she should feed it or eat it. CE9 says ‘feed it!’ and he grabs. Gets it.

CE9 is getting fluffier and fluffier, too and you can see this cute little eaglet with its little tail. So thankful that all that fish juice did not cause any problem to its eyes.

Fish everywhere! This nest has really turned around. Thanks, Clive for all the fish and giving the little guy a boost the other evening. It sure helped.

Life is good at Superbeaks. Seriously. These eaglets are huge!!!!!!!! They will absolutely be the size of their parents in about 10 days. Like all other raptors, their wings will be longer than their parents to help them fly at the beginning. Think of a very large turkey!

Pearl.

Tico is panting to regulate his temperature in the hot Florida sun.

Working those wings.

The Royal cam chick has hatched. Congratulations to L and GLY and to all the NZ DOC rangers and everyone at Taiaroa Head.

I did not watch the KNF E3 nest today but, ‘A’ filled me in. Her description of what happened is detailed and wonderful and I want to share it with you (with her permission). This flowing record is a precise recount of how the dominant eaglet often gets fed and the others down the line might not. Were the parents preoccupied with something? We do not know. It is, however, a relief that E02 was full to the brim. A week ago I was giving Adrian the Mum of the Week award. Things change quickly and E01 did quite a bit of beaking and shaking – enough to give E02 pause to be cautious. Survival. Survival out of the eyes of both eaglets.

Alex brought a new breakfast fish in to the KNF3 nest at about 06:48. Mum flew up to a perch branch and left things to dad, who looked a little confused. The eaglets were ready for breakfast! At 06:51:20 mum flies off. Dad is still unsure, and eventually he flies up to a perch branch, then away. The chicks are surprised and disappointed and go back to sleep. Mum reappears at 07:03:51 and starts feeding 01, who is first to the table. Little 02 waits a few  moments for 01 to have some food, then edges up to mum’s beak but at 07:12 it still has not had a mouthful. 01 considers turning away from the table, full already, but sees 02 getting close so considers changing its mind and going back for more fish. In the end, it decides not to bother, Finally, at 07:12:38, 02 reaches the beak but by now, Andria is eating her own breakfast. The little one waits patiently, while 01 waddles away and collapses in the middle of the nest, in a food coma.  The little one moves even closer to mum, reminding her that it still has had no breakfast. At 07:13:18 it gets its first (and only) mouthful. It tries to nibble at the fish. Mum flies off at 07:14:14, having fed 02 a single mouthful of breakfast and nothing more!! The little one continues to attempt to self-feed. The headless, largely uneaten fish is a much easier proposition for 02 than yesterday’s ancient coot, and it is getting some bites from the fish but soon gives up. The pair settle in for a snuggle. 

When mum returns at 07:28:04 she is empty-taloned. She does not attempt to feed the chicks, instead aerating the nest, moving some sticks around, and then brooding the eaglets! She flies off the nest at 07:37:36, having still not fed 02 more than one mouthful of breakfast. There is a hardly touched, decent-sized fish sitting on the nest. Just before 08:08 a parent (Alex?) arrives, surveys the scene, and aerates the nest. He goes to the fish and little 02, having just had a reasonable PS, rushes up to his beak to be fed, as 01 watches but doesn’t get up. Finally, 02 is getting some breakfast. But not much, as Alex feeds it only a mouthful, at m two,08:09:56. before flying off at 08:09:56. Little 02 resumes nibbling at the fish (try the headless end, sweetie, not the tail) but eventually gives up. Dad returns a few minutes later with a stick, which he positions carefully. He then flies off again, without feeding either eaglet. By now, 02 is getting really hungry. It falls asleep in a cuddle puddle with 01. 

Dad is back with another stick at 08:32. As he moves around the nest to place his stick, dad is followed by 02, who is desperately hoping for food. But dad flies off the nest at 08:40:15. Mum is back at 08:53:42 but sits on the nest for a full 20 minutes. It is after 09:13 before she finally moves to the fish. Little 02 is up to the beak in a flash and finally gets some bites of fish. It is soon joined by 01, who takes over front position. Little 02 remains patient and finally gets fed breakfast. Afterwards, both eaglets have massive crops. 

‘A’, 20 January 2023

There were many other feedings during the day. Both eaglets ate well and there is no cause for alarm.

11:00:53

12:22:20. E02 getting fed. E01 in food comma from the earlier feeding at 11:00.

4:56:44. E02 eating again.

By 15:10, E01 is up at the table getting the bites. Good thing little one was up there first!

Zoe is quite the character. She is 126 days old today. And yesterday, Dad brought her 2 fish. She had to wait on Saturday until 15:23:40 for a fish delivery and oh, wow. She was so excited to see that fish coming in. What is interesting is that Zoe had been away from the nest for approximately an hour. She flew in to the nest, did the toe dance, and the fish arrived. What I am suggesting is she was where the parents were fishing and saw them heading to the barge with the fish OR was somewhere near enough to see them flying in with her dinner.

If you are wondering when Zoe might leave the nest, Calypso the 2019 female fledgling left on 9 February; Solly left the nest area for good on 2 February. Zoe has some time yet before parents begin to think about eviction. Of course, Ervie was there a way longer!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gabby and her ‘man’.

E22’s eye is fine. Is there a pip at Berry College – will find out in the morning! So much going on but, for right now, it is all good.

Thank you so very much for joining me today. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, their posts, their announcements, videos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures for my blog: Ventana Wildlife Society, Raptor Persecution UK, Geemeff, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, Kakapo Recovery, Webster Texas Eagle Cam Watchers, Paul Kolnik Bald Eagles 101 and Duke Farms, FOBBV, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, Sharon Dunne and the Royal Cam Albatross Group NZ and the NZ DOC, KNF-E3, Port Lincoln Ospreys and NEFL-AEF.

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