26 March 2022
The sun is bright, and the temperature is only -2 C, but a 22 kph wind makes it chilly! I have not seen them, but others have witnessed 45 Bald Eagles and 1 Golden Eagle arriving from their winter migration. First American Robin seen, also. Amazing. Last year many of the eagles who make their nests on the ground and the ducks’ and geese’ nests were ruined by overland flooding. Hoping that does not happen this year!
For me, the delight of the day came when about half a dozen Dark-eyed Juncos landed in the lilac bushes at about 1630! They’re back. Mr and Mrs Downy had just departed when they arrived. Do you know what this means? A trip to the bird food store for millet tomorrow.
‘H’ reports that it was quite the day at the WRDC nest. There was a feast with Rose bringing in 2 fish and Ron delivering 7 fish and a duck. Goodness. There was even one feeding. Needless to say neither chick was hungry! Incredible.
Gosh, that fish on the Moorings Park Osprey Platform has been there a long time. Sally started feeding Abby and Victor and Abby took great exception to Victor wanting food. Not that behaviour is any surprise. Poor little Victor. He did wait it out and watched and got over and Mum Sally fed him until he had a nice crop. There is still fish left.
Little Victor finally getting some fish.
Around 1640 Sally ‘decided’ to feed Abby and Victor before they got ravenous. Great idea. They both ate little civilised cherubs. Each got fed a nice meal.
There was even fish left for Sally.
Victor had a nice crop as the sun was setting over the nest. Harry was not around much today. Chasing off intruders? Sally caught one fish herself. Saw it from the nest and went and got it. Don’t think she cared much for that other fish that Harry brought in. Perhaps it was too bony.
Sally and the osplets sound asleep…Victor tucked in under Mum.
There is fish hiding all over the Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest. The triplets are doing just fine. Martin and Rosa seem to managing them well.
This is the listing of the UK Ospreys that have returned. Thanks, Mary Cheadle!
Seren Blue 5F is an amazing fisher. Here she is with a huge trout – too large to finish in one meal. She will have the rest for breakfast.
There is still some rumbling on FB about Gabby ‘being missing since Wednesday’. Gabby has returned from her spa days. The AEF has confirmed this with the following post on the 25th of March.
Here are some images:
Meanwhile Jackie and Shadow keep us guessing at Big Bear.
They certainly have been bringing in more railing!
Our big girl Jackie on the left and Shadow on the right. A great image to see the difference in scale between male and female Bald Eagles.
Shadow provided Jackie with several fish on the nest Saturday. The perfect gentleman…oh, Shadow, you really do want those eggs!
‘A’ sent news that all three GH owlets at the Corona California nest have now branched.
Bonnie and Clyde’s owlets on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas are enjoying some sun and from being out from under Mum!
E21 is 79 days old today. The average age of fledge at South West Florida is 83 days. Oh, what a bittersweet moment this is all going to be.
Sometimes you can only see a few talons!
They track Dad when he is incoming with prey and get themselves in that nest!
On Saturday, M15 brought in no less than five fish for the Es.
M15 and the kids did defy the odds…fledge watch! We should all be jumping up and down with joy but, the moments are so bittersweet. What an amazing season and what a pleasure to watch M15 rise to every occasion. We do not know what his fate will be after the Es leave the area. Will M15 get a mate and keep the nest? Will he leave on his own for a more quiet life elsewhere after Harriet? We wait.
The miracle at the SW Florida nest this year has made the Naples news.
Mum and Dad eating on the nest at Duke Farms along with the two eaglets. These two are so easy to watch!
Three eggs laid on February 20, 23, and 26 at Denton Homes. We will be on pip watch next week.
There is a possible pip at the NCTC nest of Bella and Smitty Saturday night.
There is a pip at Pittsburgh-Hayes, which was confirmed at 16:44 on Saturday. Hatch is now in progress. Oh, the wind is really blowing and it feels cold just watching Mum trying to get some sleep, hunkered down.
Did we not think everyone would have a hatch at the same time. Oh, goodness.
At the Webster, Texas Bald Eagle nest near Houston, Ringo has branched!
Beautiful Mama Goose and her two eggs at the Decorah Goose Cam in Iowa. The second laid on Saturday the 25th at 1000.
Eggs covered with nesting material and down while Mum has a break.
If you are into wading birds, do you know about the Alligator and Spoonbill Swamp Cam in St Augustine, Florida?
https://www.youtube.com/live/M4P_GzA6H80?feature=share
Ferris Akel had the most extraordinary images of the Sandhill Crane migration. These images were taken in Nebraska. Ferris said the tour was 1000% worth it! Even getting up at 0400 for the fly off.
Ferris Akel is a gem. He has a streaming tour of the Ithaca area every Saturday. You can see it later archived on YT. He also shares so much and taking us with him on this amazing tour was very special.
There are upwards of 400,000 Sandhill Cranes in this area migrating right now. They expect 600-650,000 at peak migration, according to Ferris.
This is a gathering place. They will gather around marshes often surrounded by prairie forest feeding and then flying off at dawn. Every crane set off at the same time to continue its travels north.
Those Sandhill Cranes will be flying into Southern Manitoba any day now!
Ferris has this fantastic spectacle – with the sound of the cranes – now on YT. Thank you, Ferris Akel!
This is why we need everyone to stop using lead in hunting and fishing equipment (and military).
Conservation without Borders are heading back to West Africa to see if they can find Tweed Valley Osprey Glen whose tracker says he is still in Morocco. I hope he is there for their arrival and not on his way back to the UK. Go Sasha Dench and Crew!
Meanwhile, we are going to band together and try to locate Glen’s brother, Kirk 707 beginning this week!
Good Morning, gorgeous. Big Red and Arthur have sure been trying out that egg cup. All eyes are on the 20 year old Red tail Hawk, the Queen of the Cornell Campus.
On the Canadian Prairies, people are just getting ready for gardening season. With the high cost of food, many are converting lawns into gardens or, if they have a small space, container gardens. This article in The Guardian challenges us to reconsider our garden because it should be a vital place for wildlife. Have a read, get some ideas! Send me some pictures if you join in. I would love to see what you are doing to help everything from a small insect, songbirds, beavers, deer, and waterfowl!
Missy is going to help us review a new book for next week. It is Water Babies. The Hidden Lives of Baby Wetland Birds by William Burt. Oh, just in time for the new season!
She has already started evaluating the images!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. Remember to get outside and take in some fresh air, even if it is on your balcony or front step! See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, streaming cams and videos that helped make up my blog today: ‘H’, ‘A’, Moorings Park Ospreys, Dulles-Greenway, Mary Cheadle, Carnyx Wild, AEF, NEFL-AEF, FOBBV, Baiba and FOBBV, Corona Owl Cam, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Duke Farms, Denton Homes, Deb Stecyk and the NCTC Eagle Cam, Pix Cams, Paul White and Webster Texas Eagles, Decorah Goose Cam, Alligator and Spoonbill Swamp Cam, Ferris Akel Live Tour, Terry Carman Bald Eagle Live Nests and Cams, Conservation without Borders, Cornell RTH, and The Guardian.
