16 July 2023
Good Morning Everyone,
The weather was coolish on Saturday morning. I am sitting here with a heavy jumper on, deciding whether or not to go and find the wool socks. It would be a nice day if it were not for the ‘air quality advisories’. So we no longer have the heat but the smoke from the wildfires northwest of us. Not nice. So far, all of the animals have been to the garden today. I did not get a photo of Dyson, but that girl can suck in’ the peanuts. The Blue Jays decided it wasn’t safe to land to disturb her, so she sat in the middle of the feeder, eating a huge pile. She had to be hungry as she did not move to store any of the nuts. Then, while painting the front door, the Blue Jays decided to come and tell me all about Dyson eating the peanuts. It looks like the tray feeders may need to be really separated!
Dyson two days ago on the 13th of July. I am trying to figure out how old she is – she is not a youngster, for sure.
Oh, I finally caught her. Dyson on the 15th. Not a great image..she knew I was there.
I did not go out until the evening and oh, what a surprise there was in store. A week and a bit ago I saw hundreds of Canada Geese doing a ‘day care’. That day the little ones were on the grass and heading back down to the Red River. Today, they were in a ‘train’ – a Goose Day Care outing – to the pond! It was unbelievable. I had my long lens on and could not get a single view so here you go…what you are looking at are the older goslings getting their feathers. There is still baby down in places and the adult are in charge of this long line of youngsters.
‘A’ wonders if they fought – no they did not. All just kept following the lead adults!
They kept going. It was brilliant! The goslings are now so big that it is hard to tell them from the adults unless you look closely at their heads which still have some baby fuzz.
There were others about also. These five little tiny ones were separated from Mum and Dad. A gentle walk around got them back to the other side of the road where they should have been.
This remarkable time at the pond was marred by a small group of young people and a teenager who had some bread and were luring the goslings up on the bank and then kicking pebbles at them. I turned and spoke to them. Their parents did nothing…when I was across the pond, they started up their behaviour again. — We must educate the pre-schoolers on wildlife rights and how stressful their lives can be and their parents. This was completely unacceptable – it was ‘mean-spirited’. Perhaps, like the geese, ducks, and raptors, the children only copy the behaviour they see in the adults who are part of their lives. If so, what a sad world.
Now for some good news!
I mentioned this the other day. Everyone is still celebrating Nova Scotia Power’s rescue of the two osplets. Their parents built a nest on a power pole and then one day they brought in a stick that made the wrong connection causing the nest at Musquodoboit to catch on fire. The adults were frantic. The fire crew got there in time. The chicks were a little smokey but not injured. They were kept in rehab for a fortnight and then returned to a new nest on a new pole dedicated to them and their parents. The icing on the cake? the parents returned to care for their babies! Two weeks! Yes. Can you see my smile?
The nest is on fire.
Osplets in Rehab.
New nest.
New nest on a new pole close to the one on the power line but this one is safe! The parents return. Thanks CBC for the coverage!
Mini is still at home. The parents are still bring fish and Mini is getting much better at self-feeding as s/he grows and grows. Oh, I hope our little one is patient and enjoying life alone – or semi-alone.
Mini is really enjoying the fish that Dad brought.
Fire Island News has an article about the PSEG sponsored nests – at Patchogue (our little Mini) and Oyster Bay.
The heavy rains in parts of the UK on Saturday continued from Friday. Aran came in with fish for the two at Glaslyn – he is the king of fishing in the rain and appears to have broken some kind of record Sunday.
It was really blowing at Dyfi, the home of Idris and Telyn, on Saturday. That wind was a help to Cannon who fledged Sunday!
Those high winds and heavy rains were over in the Lake District impacting Foulshaw Moss.
Sunday morning and it is still wet in Alyth but let us hope that as the sun rises over the UK the Osprey nests will dry out.
Things are so much better in Poole Harbour Sunday morning. Blue 022 arrives with breakfast for CJ7 and the trio.
At Loch Arkaig, Only Bob is flapping those wings and looking around to see if Dorcha or Louis are bringing a breakfast fish.
Geemeff catches Louis bringing in a super fish for lunch at Loch Arkaig on Sunday.
Everyone is still home at Boulder County but for how long?
All is well at Collins Marsh.
Only Bob at Cowlitz PUD is self-feeding! If this osplet fledges, it will be the first time in many years this nest has had a fledge. All others died due to the heat domes and lack of food or predation by Bald Eagle. Keep your fingers crossed. Cowlitz PUD is counting on those wire grids protecting this family! If they do, let us put this design into use elsewhere. Lake Murray would be a good start!s
Lots of nice fish for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum chick on Saturday.
This post showed up regarding some of the nests around Minneapolis. Please read. I commented that we have a lovely situation at the Fortis Exshaw nest with a wonderful step-dad osprey!
I wonder how common it is for Osprey males to step up and help with the fishing when a male goes missing? are there so many looking for mates and nests? It is all very interesting.
Louise and her two beautiful surviving ‘well fed’ and cared for osplets – the last of the line for her and Jasper.
‘H’ reports on FortisExshaw: “What a splendid day they had! There were a total of 11 fish brought to the nest, including two by ‘Mr.O’. Fish were delivered by Louise at: 0548, 0638, 0735, 0757, 0903, 1423, 1807, 2050, 2117. Fish delivered by ‘Mr. O’: 0731 (but Louise was off nest, so he waited for 2 1/2 minutes then left with the fish), and 1244. ‘Mr. O’ also brought sticks to the nest three times. After his last stick delivery there was a brief period where Louise was helping ‘Mr. O’ move some sticks. You know you have really made it to the big time when you and your potential new mate have engaged in mutual nestorations. Nicely done, ‘Mr. O’!”
Audubon Boathouse: Skipper claimed his first fish! He took a couple of little nibbles, but then of course Mom, Dory, reclaimed the fish and fed her youngster. Skipper is 36 days old.
Barnegat Light: At 46 days old, Duke and Daisy’s youngster is doing great, S/he has been doing some impressive wingers. Check out ’09’s impressive wing span.
Kent Island: At 34 days of age, little ‘Junior’ has passed a couple of mini-milestones. He stood up, took a couple of tiny steps, and did a mini-winger. He also tried to move a stick. But, the stick he chose to move was too big . . and he just happened to be standing on the end of the stick, lol.
Forsythe: There were 3 fish delivered, two from Oscar, one from Opal. The high temperatures are predicted to be slightly lower this week, with heavy rains and storms in the forecast for Sunday. The 55 and 54 day old opletes are doing well.
Severna Park: Both of the fledglings continue to come to the nest to eat, and occasionally to simply hang out.
‘A’ has been observing Diamond and Xavier nothing that Diamond spent much time in the scrape with a sunken crop: “Her crop appears unusually sunken. She nearly always sports a huge crop, so I am most unused to seeing her like that. She arrived at the nest box at 17:24:45, e-chupping. For some reason, she appeared fascinated by the ceiling – or something above and spends some time gazing up. She waits. At 17:45:23 we hear an e-chup from outside the box and she answers immediately. She then moves into the centre of the box, e-chupping and obviously expecting a bonding visit. After a minute or so, it becomes obvious he is not coming, but she stands expectantly in the centre of the nest box for several minutes, occasionally letting out an e-chup. At 18:05:28, she suddenly looks up and to her right again. I am sure Xavier is up there somewhere. She bobs her head, looks around, prepares for departure, and flies out of the scrape at 18:05:40.”
Diamond will be glad of the scrape and the rest. She fought off an intruder earlier in the day.
In Dorset, the Hobby Falcons are serving up ‘bat breakfast’. Oh, goodness, those chicks are the cutest.
In California, Annie is enjoying her Saturday! Lovely to see you Annie and hear all that e-chupping.
Studies are beginning to reveal that human disturbance can cause nest failure.
I do not have a bird feeder with a camera but many of you have written to me to know if I did or if I know anything about them. I do not know anything about them but Wired – part of The New Yorks Times – has an article devoted to the three best in their opinion bird feeders with built in cameras in case you are interested.
Thank you so much for being with me today. it is a cool and damp morning again on the Canadian Prairies and it is time for me to fill the feeders! Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H’, CBC, PSEG, Fire Island News, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey News, Polly Turner and Friends of Loch Arkaig Ospreys, Alyth, Poole Hrbour Ospreys, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Boulder County Fair Grounds, Collins Marsh, Cowlitz PUD, MN Landscape Arboretum, Twin Cities metro Osprey Watch, Fortis Exshaw, Audubon Boathouse, Conserve Wildlife of NJ, Kent Island/Explore, Forstythe ospreys, Severna Park, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Dorset Hobby Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, BBC, and The New York Times Wired.
Good Sunday morning Mary Ann! Thanks for the updates , photos, and links and article! So good to see all of them doing so well and even in the stormy weather fish is still coming in! Great parents! Love the pics of little Dyson on the feeder! !
Love all the ducks and gosling pictures too! It would be fun to see all of them in person. Nature at its finest! Thanks so much for sharing all of them with us Mary Ann! Have a great and Blessed Sunday! See you here again soon!
Linda
Hi Linda…yes, here! Thank you as always. The geese and the garden animals are wonderful and they bring such joy and are such stress relievers!