Murphy gets to be a Dad!, DH2 bursts out of the shell…Lotus and Mr President have 2 eaglets…Friday in Bird World

7 April 2023

There are good things happening all around us. The Robins are arriving in gardens around the world. Storks are settling into their nests in Europe. Most of the ospreys are in their nests in the UK. There is much to be thankful for and today, Murphy, the Bald Eagle incubating Rock Baby gets a foster eaglet. It is a win-win for both of them! Let us hope that they take to one another. This is both our giggle and our good news story for the day!

The ‘Make You Feel Good’ video is from Geemeff and wow. The Osprey nest collapses and it is quickly replaced!

https://whdh.com/news/team-makes-emergency-repairs-after-falmouth-osprey-nest-platform-falls-due-to-wind-rotted-boards

Peregrine Falcons are hatching in Japan and this is a reminder that we are now only four days from pip watch for Annie and Lou at Cal Falcons.

Jackie and Shadow continue to tease us and many of those chatters are hoping for Easter eggs in that nest up at Big Bear.

There was only one egg and USS6 hatched on the 5th of April at 23:38. The egg cup is so deep and Mum keeps aerating that nest but, there is a little cutie pie in there.

It is a little soggy at the Pittsburgh-Hayes nest but the two eaglets are doing just fine.

Rosa and Martin have the three sweetest little eaglets. Thank you for posting this comparison, Sassa Bird.

So much nesting material has been brought in. Martin must have found a buy one get two-free sale! ‘A’ has noted that there is some beaking that has happened at Dulles-Greenaway.

It is mid-afternoon on Thursday and the three eaglets at Dale Hollow need some food. They have picked off everything from that old catfish and racoon heads that they can. ‘A’ notes that both 17 and 18 have attached 19 and that the little one did get a tiny bit of food before bed Thursday. River is constantly aware of intruders at or near the nest and this is such a problem for her bringing food. Send every good wish you have to this nest.

Ospreys continue to arrive at Kielder Forest.

Everything is fine at the nest of Big Red and Arthur on the grounds of the Cornell Campus. Arthur is getting some good incubation time this year.

Nih Red’s cere is a lovely chrome yellow. Looks nice and healthy!

There are eyes on several osprey nests and one of those is that of Iris at hellcat Canyon in Missoula, Montana. April 7 is her favourite day to return from migration. Did she survive this year? We wait.

Those precious three eggs.

One of those great nests is Moorings Park Ospreys. Abby ad Victor are growing longer tail feathers! They are gorgeous.

Just look at that gorgeous peach in the plumage of Abby.

If you saw it, your eyes were not deceiving you. Yes, these are the three owlets from the Pritchett Property on M15 and the E’s nest! Gracie Shepherd got it on video.

Waiting for Iris.

Waiting to see about that pip at Decorah. Yes, we have a hatch. Welcome DH2.

Here is that hatch captured by Paul K – this is the most spectacular hatch that many have ever seen. DH2 literally bursts out of the shell, a strong and healthy eaglet. Fingers crossed.

DH2 is healthy and ready for prey!

There are two very feisty bobbleheads at Bald Canyon. Oh, goodness they are active!

At Jak and Audacity’s nests, it is unclear if that precious egg #7 is viable. Oh, how I wish they could get a foster eaglet like Murphy.

We are waiting for Dorcha to return to Loch Arkaig. Louis was early this year and he has been doing some restorations and did some sky dancing on his return to the nest. Come on, Dorcha. We don’t want Louis to be Lonesome Louis, again.

Geemeff provides us an explanation of sky dancing, “Soon after his arrival at the nest, the male starts sky-dancing over the nest. During this aerial display the male flies sharply up rapidly beating his wings and often carrying a fish or nesting material. At a height of several hundred feet the bird hovers with tail fanned and talons dangling. He then dives down to varying distances and quickly ascends to repeat the hover several times, often uttering a creee or cheeerk call. The sky-dance display is preformed frequently before the arrival of the female and continued less frequently after her arrival. The sky dance seems to have two functions, a territorial display and to advertise for a mate.” (New York Wild)

There are also second eggs for Maya at Rutland and Blue NC0 at LOTL. Something wonderful to celebrate. Thanks, Geemeff.

Geemeff sent a video of Maya popping her egg out! She notes that poor NC0 was grunting and it looks like Maya just sends the eggs out like they peas being shelled!

I love waterfowl and Coots are right up there. Every time I read about them I learn something new. Did you know?

Older chicks can swim faster to dinner, which is first come, first served. But parents mete out justice to the early arrivals. Mom takes a big chick by the head in her bill and shakes it around like a dog with a rope—an act called “tousling” that doesn’t quite communicate its vigor. Lyon calls it “spanking.” The chicks “scream blue murder,” but punishment is calibrated to deter without harming them, Lyon says. This way smaller chicks get to eat, and more chicks survive overall.

Bay Nature

Read the entire article here. You will learn something new, too!

On the Family Dramas (and Weird Feet) of the American Coot

The mystery is now solved. How many eaglets were Mr President and Lotus feeding? Well, it is now confirmed that the National Arboretum couple has two eaglets in their new nest. There are their little heads in the image below!

Bad weather hit Fort Myers late on Thursday and one of the Es, on the branch, is soaked.

M15 continues to deliver fish and teach the Es what they need for survival. SW Florida is doing very well. Harriet would be overwhelmed at the amazing job her mate has done to raise their last two eaglets.

Things continue to look bleak at Achieva. I saw only one small fish come in at Dale Hollow. We can only hope that there is a turn in all of this. I urge caution, especially if you are watching Achieva today.

Thank you so much for being with me today. We are now 3-4 days away from pip at Annie and Lou’s. That will be such a joyful moment. Take care. See you soon!

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Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, tweets, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Geemeff, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles 101, WHDH, Japan Peregrine Falcons, FOBBV, PIX Cams, Sassa Bird, Dulles-Greenaway, Kielder Ospreys, Cornell RTH, Moorings Park ospreys, Gracie Shepherd and SW Florida Eagles and D Pritchett, Montana Osprey Project and Cornell, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Paul K and Raptor Resource Project, IWS and Explore.org, Geemeff and Friends of Loch of Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Bay Nature, Friends of the National Arboretum, and SW Florida Eagle Cam.