16 April 2023
Good Morning Everyone,
On Saturday, a grey day in Manitoba started drizzly and cold. The birds were at the garden feeders an hour early. It was pretty interesting. There were more Black-capped chickadees and woodpeckers today than in previous days. The conservatory has genuinely been a blessing. It is like sitting with them in the middle of the garden but separate, not bothering them. They seem unaware of my presence, looking out the windows, often with my camera. Thankfully, the sun is up, and it is a bright day in Manitoba this morning.
Missy has taken to enjoying looking out the window from inside a large ceramic platter that has become a new sleeping spot!
Lewis is such an ‘angel’ when he is sleeping.
Our continuing good news story comes from the World Bird Sanctuary. Murphy and his Eaglet are doing well. The folks at World Bird Sanctuary are working hard to get some images out. These are screen captures from a short FB video they posted. Things look good. Just look at Murphy, 31 years old, wanting to be a Dad, sitting by his eaglet. Does it get any better?
In the images below, Murphy is teaching the eaglet what to do.
Murphy and his eaglet made the news – well, they are making the news around the world. We are so in need of joyful happenings and this is certainly one of those.
Other happiness comes from the Achieva Osprey nest and San Jose City Hall. I received word from ‘H’ of the two big celebratory occasions. First up, there was fear for Middle Bob at Achieva. He has not eaten much for at least two days. On Saturday at 16:44, a big fish landed on the nest, and Middle Bob was fed for 25 minutes. Today, Middle managed to get to a place where he could get fed and be protected from the aggressive older sibling. It was a relief to all watching. It is one day at a time on this nest. It is an extremely difficult Osprey platform to watch – and it isn’t any easier this year than it was in 2021.
At Dale Hollow, DH18 stole the fish and had a good feed. Again, River is doing her best with all the intruders in dire circumstances. She has been feeding them every day. Perhaps not nearly as much as she would like or they need but, they are being fed. We have to remember that River also needs to eat. It is extremely difficult for single-parent raptor nests. We send her and DH17 and DH18 our most positive wishes.
Do you recall the year-old falcon, the San Jose City Hall male who tried to feed his first egg? Well, as of Saturday, he has four eggs that he will have to feed in a little over a month! They will need a full pantry!
‘H’ also sent me a link to a tribute to Connie-Clive-Connick. Nice one! Connick is healing. His blood is coagulating and CROW is attempting to find out what impacted his primaries.
Anna and Louis are taking very good care of Trey as her leg injury heals. Mum Raptors love to fill those babies up to the top of their crop to keep them on the nest. Trey, you need to rest your leg not be flying all over the tree!
In Latvia, Milda and Voldis now have two little White-tail eaglets. It is so hard to see them in that deep nest bowl.
Saturday is the day for Ferris Akel’s tour and there was plenty of waterfowl today including a Wilson’s Snipe. Oh, I love shore birds and am so looking forward to seeing some ‘live’ here in Manitoba this summer. I did not know that the female Wilson Snipe tends the eggs and nestlings. Once the chicks are ready to fledge, the adults split them up. The male takes the two oldest and the female takes the two youngest.” Separate training!
Ferris checked on one of the Bald Eagle nests and to everyone’s surprise there were eaglets – at least two – their heads poking above the rim. Adorable.
The highlight of the tour today was the Great Blue Heron Rookery at Montezuma.
Sunset at Montezuma.
Iris brought in a whopper to the owl pole and had a really good feed. Then she spent time sitting in her nest watching the activities in the parking lot. I have not noticed Louis being over yet and my friend, ‘T’ says he will wait until Star has eggs under her and she can’t check on him! Too funny. Ospreys have such interesting behaviours.
Iris is great at catching whoppers.
Just look at the size of that fish. She could easily take first prize in the local fishing contests.
There are now three eggs at the Patuxent River Park Osprey platform #1.
The Glaslyn Valley is waiting for a new Queen. It looks like Aran might have one!
The unringed female is a natural beauty. Those intense eyes remind me of Mrs G.
Aran preparing a fish for his beautiful female.
She is waiting in the nest when Aran brings it to the rim.
She accepts!
Good night, Aran. You might have a formidable new mate who will protect your chicks against anything!
There is no rewind on the Foulshaw Moss camera in Cumbria. Polly Turner caught Blue 35 laying the season’s first egg for her and White YW. I am incredibly fond of this female and how she was able to ‘trick’ her two much larger by a long shot osplets so that she could feed the tiny third, Blue 464 two years ago.
The first egg was laid at the Dahlgren Osprey Platform in Virginia on 11 April. Jack has been filing the nest with plastic objects, not toys, but, junk. There was concern for the egg. ‘H’ notes that it is now four days since the first egg and no second one. We wait.
‘H’ reports this morning that 4 days and 16 hours after the first egg, Harriet at Dahlgren laid her second egg.
M15 continues to be rather amazing, as are his two fledglings. The female intruder wanted a fish M had brought to 21 and 22. She landed in the nest, trying to take in. E21 flew in to help dad – he was fearless. Then 22 came in to assist. What a team they made. The female still made off with the fish, but seeing those three work together cooperatively was remarkable.
A must watch. M15 defends the nest from the female intruder! Fish goes over board.
It is just so much calmer within the scrape at Cal Falcons. Lou really wants to feed his trio.
More of Lou – and Annie – and the trio from SK Hideaways.
It seems that each of us has, at one time or another, yelled – loudly or silently – at the GHOs on the Pritchett property that continually hit and harassed M15 and the Es. At the same time, we look at Bonnie and Clyde’s two owlets and want to ‘cuddle’ with them. They really are quite adorable.
The three eaglets at Dulles-Greenway had big crops throughout the day. The plastic bags on the nest have multiplied. There are now two. Hopefully, the wind will blow them from the nest before any eaglet gets tangled. You might remember that nests have been cleaned when too much human debris could endanger the nestlings.
‘A’ notes that it was Rosa that brought in the squirrel that has been feeding the little ones. Martin arrived in the nest empty taloned yesterday to Rosa’s dismay. So far this nest has done well with the three. We do not need any intermittent lags in prey delivery right at this stage!
Wet little munchkins.
I have lost track of when the goslings are due to hatch in Decorah. Do you know? It will be grand to see them all take that leap of faith again this year.
Just down the road is the Decorah Hatchery nest with its cute little eaglet. It started raining late in the day and HM is keeping baby warm and dry.
Abby and Victor are 44 days old today. Stunning. Their juvenile plumage is nothing short of gorgeous.
A portion of England’s wetlands seek UNESCO heritage status. Wetlands. How often do you think about them? They are critical during migration, and they are essential for the ducks and waterfowl or the raptors that hunt them. We need more wetlands across the globe. Many regions are working to increase theirs. What is happening where you live?
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care everyone. Hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Australia Raptor Care and Conservation, World Bird Sanctuary, Achieva Credit Union, Heidi McGru and Achieva Ospreys with Jack and Diane, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, San Jose City Hall, Onabebe and Captiva Eagle Cam, Tonya Irwin and KNF Eagle Cam Fans, Looduskalender Forum and Latvian Fund for Nature, Ferris Akel, Montana Osprey Project, Ashley Wilson and Patuxent River Park Osprey Nest, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Polly Turner and Friends of Loch Arkaig Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, Sw Florida Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideways and Cal Falcons, Farmer Derek, Dulles Greenaway, Decorah Goose Cam, Moorings Park Ospreys, and The Guardian.
Thanks so much Mary Ann for the updates and photos and links this Sunday morning! The kittens are still so adorable with their watching the birds and sleeping in the bowls! I love seeing them. Thank you for sharing them. 💕💕
So glad all going well with Murphy and his new eaglet! It is so amazing to see!❤️❤️. The little one at Decorah is a cutie indeed! So hoping Trey will heal soon!
Glad to hear that Connick is improving ❤️🙏
Good to know the UK nests are doing well. Good luck to them all!
Prayers for Achieva and Dale Hollow to continue to do well and get enough food with less sibling rivalry. Abby and Victor are beautiful and their coloring is so unique! Praying for SE30 to do good in its area and the transmitter to give us updates. The ducks are beautiful and so are all the others. I like snipes. Especially the dancing ones! Love to watch them.
Thank you Mary Ann and have a good Sunday afternoon! See you soon here!
Linda
Oh, you are so very welcome. Today was a bonus for Achieva and Dale Hollow – five fish each. Yes, you read that right….fingers crossed. And thank you. I had a lovely day at Oak Hammock. You can read about it tomorrow!