M15 and F23 – their first egg together!…Saturday in Bird World

25 November 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

So it is Superbeaks, Captiva, KNF-E3, and SWFlorida. Now that M15 and F23 have their first egg it might be that there will be a flurry of egg laying. Let’s see!

It was one of those coolish days on the Canadian Prairies – I did not venture much beyond the feeders and doing some much needed clean up around the woodbox and deck. The usual suspects showed up at the feeders including Dyson who spent much time munching away at Black Oil Seed.

It was so good to see Dyson.

One of Dyson’s kits came to the table feeder earlier. So cute.

It is always nice to see Junior. He will probably stay for the entire winter.

The girls are doing fine. Hope has started eating. She was always ravenous so to see her not excited about food bothered me. That said, she had to be eating as I saw her at the litter box so, the assumption is she ate when I was not looking, probably when it was dark. Always wondered what living in a dark place might do to her and Calico…at any rate, she had some White Fish just like the osplets and some roast chicken and all is right with the world. Must admit I shed a couple of tears of joy.

Sleepy head Hope.

And, oh. Do I see the reason that Hope was not tearing up the food dish?

The girls have applied to adopt a little brother. He was the only boy in a litter of seven! He was fostered in a home with children, older cats, and a dog. Fingers crossed. He is a cutie, and there could be many applications for him! (It took a while for us to decide, as Greyish will be the 4th and last addition to the brood. There are so many kittens needing homes….). Will keep you posted!

Now for some nests…

Many are spending their Friday night staring at the female, F23, on the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest.

There it is! I was not going to make the mistake of announcing an egg without seeing it!

M15 sees the egg.

I don’t know about you, but I teared up. After losing Harriet and raising 21 and 22 from the time they were a month old alone – a single dad – it is glorious to see that M15 will get to be a dad again with a new mate. Bravo. F23 is one lucky lady.

Many of the tributes to Samson came in after I posted my Friday blog. He was an amazing eagle and it is nice to remember him, even a day late.

We do know that some eagles just leave the nest without explanation. I often think of Ma Berry. She flew away from the nest with Pa and was seen with her distinctive leg at a lake in Alabama. My old falconer friend tells me all the time that the raptors are much more intelligent and communicate in ways that are ‘higher’ than humans. She says we ‘lost that ability’ – like telepathy. Some believe that Samson is still alive. Some stay until their chicks are old enough to be cared for by a single parent before they fly away. Harriet would have stayed if she could but many understand she waited, knowing she was sick, and left when she knew M15 could keep those kids of theirs alive – and he did. We will never know but if Samson is out there, he had his reasons for leaving. Gabby is moving on with V3.

Eagles were at Decorah North.

After 3 days away, Jolene has returned to Boone at the Johnson City Bald Eagle Nest in Eastern Tennessee.

If only humans were more like the Ospreys. It is estimated that North Americans waste as much as 40% of their food. Shame on us!

Mum did not waste a single flake of fish off the bone of the Trevally. She was up this morning finding anything she could on that bone to feed the osplets.

Still waiting for a breakfast delivery…

Gosh, they are cute! They are getting sooooooo big!

The fish fairy arrives with another huge Trevalley and a Red Mullet. Mum decides to go for the Mullet first!

Mark the date. Looks like banding will be 8 December. Both chicks will get a tracker!

Several people have written to me wondering if the Fish Fairy providing fish would prompt Dad not to go out and bring in the fish for the family. From past seasons and the beginning of this season, I will continue to suggest that the osplets on this nest are alive because of the Fish Fairy. Dad had several seizures on camera. We do not know how many off. It is possible that he is not 100%. His fishing attempts have been well below the norm but I cannot possibly tell you for sure why that is the case.

I have seen no new images from the Sydney Sea Eagles of either juvenile.

Xavier and Diamond were in the scrape. Rain has begun in Orange. I dislike rain so much with the juveniles but, at least, Barru (and maybe Marri) have had a chance to strengthen their flying before the downpours. Hoping to hear something of the fledgling but could not find a word today. Perhaps you have seen something?

And then, one of the fledglings made it to the box!

Xavier was in the nest box calling to the juvenile and flew out after it almost made it in…education falcon style! Captured by Holly Parsons.

When will it stop? Seriously. Isn’t it time to stand up for wildlife and end the aristocratic and royal practice of the beaten grouse hunts? Then we might see an end to the Hen Harriers and Eagles disappearing.

South Africa wants to save its Penguins.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, video clips, screen captures, streaming cams, and articles that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H’, Nancy Babineau, Terri Bayles, NEFL-AEF, Carol Shores Rifkin, Raptor Resource Project, Sara A, PLO, HeidiMc, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Helen Matcham, Holly Parsons, Raptor Persecution UK, and Hakai Magazine.