8 February 2024
Good Morning,
Don’t look at Hugo Yugo’s eyes. They need to be wiped. You must focus on poor Calico’s eyes. Wonder what she is thinking? She was having such a leisurely nap when, you know who decided they wanted on top of the smallest cat tree with her.
Hugo Yugo is so proud of herself. Gracious.
Missey and Hope pulled off the table cloth and each of them took turns flipping it about the conservatory. Missey is as wooly as ever.
Once Hope noticed that Hugo Yugo was not around, she settled in nicely at the top of the large cat tree and enjoyed a very blissful time.
I came home from several appointments to find the streets blocked off and the tree-cutting equipment and men working diligently. The 1902 trees are diseased, but they are also the homes of the squirrels and the woodpeckers who like dead trees. They are also where Mr Crow and his extended family build their nests. I am grateful that no trees were cut down during the nesting season, but I am slightly distraught at how many need to be cut down, and I am wondering where the garden animals will find shelter and nesting places now. We wait to see.
The girls and I are starting a new book. Will keep you posted — and, yes, they still love their story time. It adds to the rhythm of our day. Like the book we are going to read, the birds saved someone’s life – well, these girls and the garden animals certainly top up the quality of my life. I am very thankful for them.
There are a lot of people where I live that envy all that snow in Big Bear. Everyone wants to go skiing and we are having rain! (It is supposed to get colder – I am hoping!). We are 19 days away from pip watch.
Jackie broke the record for incubation. 62 straight hours until she was relieved by Shadow.
This is just too cute not to post. What are all the adjectives we could use? Adorable? Expressive? Not to mention a great attention to detail. That is an amazing sculpture of Jackie and Shadow!
Jackie and Shadow have the most extensive Bald Eagle streaming cams fan base. Let us all hope that three weeks from now, we will be shouting so loud that if there were people on the moon, they could hear us. I have a tiny bottle of champagne waiting.
Shadow delivered prey. I understand it is still on the nest. He takes over incubation and Jackie enjoys her break. The forecast is for bad weather to return again on Thursday. They can’t get a break!
The Duck that almost didn’t make it for dinner at Eagle Country.
https://www.facebook.com/eaglecountryofficial/videos/25084720337779863
Swampy and Meadow both had a good fish feast on Wednesday. Relief.
Meadow finally gets some nice big bites – after Swampy.
There are fish absolutely everywhere and other remnants of prey at the Eagle Country nest. Surely no one could go hungry here! Meadow has been getting good feedings all day Wednesday.
Little Meadow gets some bites.
No egg at Moorings Park. Gosh, Sally and Harry have fooled everyone!
At Port Lincoln, Gil found some fish on the nest and had a wee bit of a snack before the day began in South Australia.
Checking in at Superbeaks. We are less than two weeks away from the pip watch for the second clutch. In fact, it is only 10 days for the first egg today! Fingers crossed for these two eagles dedicated to raising a family again this year!
There is something to be said about being an only eaglet. R6 (and E23) are robust!
Finally a look at the only surviving eaglet at JB Sands Wetlands in Texas.
Cal and Lusa are so big and their plumage has changed completely into that of a juvenile compared to the little one above at JB Sands.
The cam operator at SW Florida got up close and personal with E23’s feather development. Not long until E23 looks exactly like Cal and Lusa!
It is chilly at the Port Tobacco Eagle nest. Both eagles, Hope and Chan, have been on the nest working on Wednesday regardless – In fact, we must remember that eagles actually prefer cooler weather as opposed to hotter.
It was a beautiful day at Dulles-Greenway but no egg yet.
I sure wish I knew what the distance was from the nest to the water that is flooding around Redding. It looks like it continues to rise significantly.
‘J’ sends us one of Mike Dakar’s images of one of the Centreport Eagles sliding on the ice on Long Island.
Latest post on SE31 from Judy Harrington:
The first Osprey egg has been laid at the Venice Golf and Country Club. Yes!
Oh, I was right. Bonnie was laying her first egg of the GHO season on the nest on Farmer Derek’s land. Congratulations Bonnie and Clyde!
Goodness. That TF Royal Cam Chick is growing like a bad weed on those squid shakes.
Jean-marie Dupart is the energy behind the Osprey counts in Senegal. The fundraising for the binoculars was for his assistants. Read what he does in a day when he is counting. It makes me tired. Thank you for all the hard work, Jean-marie and team!
These beautiful birds in West Africa will begin thinking about migrating back to their spring and summer breeding grounds in the UK and Europe. It is a hazardous journey. Many do not make it. We need to appreciate what they endure. It will help us to celebrate the triumph of their return to the nests.
How do they make it over the open seas?
A beautiful story about Oriental Greenfinches from BirdLife International written by HIH Princess Takamado.
‘H’ and I will be adding Osprey nests, eggs, and hatches to our 2024 International Osprey Data Project. I am currently looking for specific information on when the eggs at Pelican Bay were laid and when they hatched. If you happen to know, please send me a comment or a note in an e-mail: maryannsteggles@icloud.com Last year we monitored 344 eggs. The goal was to establish survival rates and causes of death. I specifically look for siblicide, but last year, weather/starvation and predation were the main causes of death after eggs not hatching. We appreciate information on any nests that are followed and, in particular, those in Europe. Thank you for any information at any time!
Thank you for being with me today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us again soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, pictures, screen captures, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J’, FOBBV, Cali Condor, Chelsea Sheehan, Eagle Country, Moorings Park, PLO, Superbeaks, WRDC, JB Sands Wetlands, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Dulles-Greenway, FORE, Mike Dakar, Judy Harrington, Diana Lambertson, Androcat, Sharon Dunne, Jean-marie Dupart, Osprey Tales, Avian Report, BirdLife International, and The Royal Society.
Thank you Mary Ann for these updates
And photos on the kittens and the birds.
Some good reads too!
Those little ones that have already hatched are really growing up and good luck to Jackie and Shadow with their eggs too! And all the others as well who are incubating and building their nests. Congratulations on the ospreys first egg at the Venice Golf and Club nest🎉
Have a good Thursday and see you soon on here !
Linda
So sorry for being so late to respond. Thank you for all your comments. There are now two eggs at Venice! I know they can easily raise three chicks there but the camera is not always so good. Fingers crossed for them this year!