Anna has died…Tuesday in Bird World

2 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone!

Before I move on, I am saddened to start with news that no one wanted to hear. Anna has died. She had to be euthanised.

Certainly not the news I wanted to lead with. My condolences to everyone at the Kisatchie National Forest – they have lost both clutches for this season at E1 and E3 and to Alex and Louis. I still recall watching Anna the first year she was a mother. This is terrible and it looks like it could be HPAI.

Gosh. 2024. Here we are. It was a gorgeous day for a walk at the nature centre (unseasonably warm with little snow) and a lovely day for a family meal to ring in 2024.

Thank you for all the notes. I am so glad that you enjoyed a walk down memory lane looking at the highlights – the wondrous and the sad – of 2023 in Bird World. It is so easy to forget – and there were so many that did not make the list but that offered tearful moments of joy with chicks fledging. Every osprey that survived in 2023 was a blessing. Every eagle that survived, every stork, falcon, hawk…each of them deserves a loud cheer. It is a remarkable feat. Decreasing habitat and prey, weather, toxins, all of those things including just humans being around with their guns and fireworks causes stress and death to our feathered friends. Let’s try to do better this year.

I needed a walk in the fresh air. It is wonderful to have friends and family over – nothing can replace those moments. It is also a lot of work! Having everything ready just getting a breather was so energising. I hope that you can get outside in the next few days. The Guardian featured an article on 100 tiny ways that you can transform your life. #13 was : “13. Walking outdoors every day. I find it hugely beneficial for my mental and physical health, which has had a domino effect on my whole life. It means that – pardon the pun – I start every day on the right foot. Dr Alex George, mental health ambassador and TV and podcast presenter.”

This is a traditional sod house built on the prairies. The Canadian Encyclopaedia gives us this background: ”Sod houses, or “soddies,” were a common style of dwelling built in the Prairies during the second half of the 19th century. Soddies were small structures cheaply built out of blocks of sod and rudimentary house fittings. Sod refers to grass and the soil beneath it that is held together by the grass’s roots. Although the term “sod house” is primarily associated with Canadian and American structures built during westward expansion, the structures found their architectural roots in Indigenous and Norse practices. Sod houses have come to symbolise the hardship of homestead life, despite shacks and log cabins being the primary form of housing.”

This sod house is at Ft Whyte Alive.

The walls are thick and offered good insulation during the long cold prairie winters.

Our meal featured black-eyed peas which are always eaten for luck – something started by my father’s family eons ago. Ah, the rest was Caribbean because I miss my son terribly and Baby Hugo and I danced to Bob Marley. LOL. That was something to see!

It is clearly evident ‘why’ females are not spayed after November 1 in Winnipeg. Baby Hope is still growing back her fur – on her tummy and her two front paws! I had no idea it took so long. Thank goodness she is inside nice and warm. It is not unusual to find Hope and Calico sleeping together on my pillow. They are precious.

Baby Hugo still loves her kitten milk more than anything. Baby Hugo has volunteered to visit some of the granddaughter’s clients (often homeless, addicts or former addicts, or those just moving into their own space) who love animals but who cannot have pets (either because of their housing or the heavy financial burden pets bring). We will start in the spring. Looking forward to sharing her so that others can feel the love.

Well, E23 has won the hearts of everyone that sees that little fuzz ball with its spikey down feathers on top of its head! Wow. We will all take a breath and move on…one healthy bright eaglet is good. So happy for M15 and F23. May their lives together be long and productive.

The first feedings.

M15 is really enjoying being a dad. He is at the nest with F23 much of the time ensuring that she is alright and so is E23. He will protect and teach as well as provide.

It turned out to be a good thing (maybe?). We worried about Anna’s health and when she was attacked by the intruder she was grounded and taken into care by Cody and Steve who went out in the dark of New Year’s Eve to find her. HeidiMc captured the attack.

Then HeidiMc got the rescue.

Beautiful Gabby.

At Port Lincoln, Mum brought in 3 fish on the 1st and Dad brought in 2. So far on the 2nd, Dad brought in a small fish at 0811. Gil got it.

Two beautiful fledglings.

This is Dad and Giliath on the old barge.

Dad had fantastic fishing yesterday. Please read the observation board. I had been worried about Brad. No need to – he is aggressive and makes certain he gets the fish and eats it all! 

Happy New Year Jackie and Shadow.

C10 and C11 are turning grey – getting their thermal down.

Ospreys at Achieva. 4-5 weeks away from eggs?

The news is very short today and late. I am sad to report that the individual who started me on my research on avian behaviour died. Her name was Laura Culley. I shall miss her forever. She was also one of the first moderators on the chat during the season at Cornell when Big Red had her chicks. She was inspirational and patient and she also was a copy editor at the University of Oklahoma -. Thank you Suzanne Arnold Horning for the banner for her today.

Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me write this brief entry today: ’A’, KNF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, HeidiMc NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, and Achieva Credit Union, Suzanne Arnold Horning, and Sybil Latham.