24 March 2025
Hello Everyone,
It is so nice to have you with us. We hope that your weekend is going to be lovely. Make time to get outside, even if it is raining. Take an umbrella, a plastic tray, anything and get out and smell it – for me. Oh, I so wish we would have some rain. It breaks my heart to see the geese that have arrived eating old dead grass and trying to find water. It was -11 this morning, and all the nice puddles were frozen. I did not have my camera, but there were about 100 Bald Eagles along the river today, also when I went for a short walk. There has been no change at the feeders. I saw one Dark-eyed Junco several weeks ago and now the regulars.
Taken by a member of the local group and posted on FB:
The Blue Jays are here. I believe Mum, who migrated, has now joined Junior (the Dad). So looking forward to the fledglings coming to the feeders. They have been flying in and out taking peanuts off the large table feeder whenever Dyson isn’t there sucking them up. Dyson is so smart. She always sits and eats and eats and eats. She doesn’t waste her time hiding nuts – she knows we always will put them out for her.
Both Little Reds were about. I caught one on the small feeder. The Blue Jays meanwhile decided to leave the squirrels alone and take peanuts off the deck.
You can see her tattoo. She is not supposed to be jumping and climbing. Well, Hugo Yugo would have to be put in a straight jacket for that to happen. She might have thought that onesie was one of those!!!!!!! It was finally found – . The tub is freestanding but is pushed up close to the wall. I saw a tiny piece of pink sticking out from the back of the plant pot when I watered and there it was. Hugo Yugo hid that thing so it would never be found. I don’t blame her, actually. Positively revolting – and as Geemeff says, ‘Pink is decidedly not Hugo Yugo’s colour!’
Hugo Yugo is also being rather cheeky. Here she goes after Calico as Baby Hope looks on. I have never had a ginger cat before – in my entire life…I wonder if they are all this interesting, bold, and playful?
The sidewalks and the trails were icy and it was a brisk -11 C. It was a good day to stay inside and be with the girls. They brought a lot of comfort as little Willow was passing.
SUNDAY MORNING QUICK UPDATES TO THE FOLLOWING:
DN17 has hatched at Decorah North!
Pip in ‘orange’ egg at Moorings Park progressing nicely.
I am concerned about Duke Farms. It has been raining all Saturday and the eaglets have not eaten since Friday. Neither has Mum. She found an old bone and pulled off some bites. Leaper ate and Jersey got a couple of bites after being bonked. Eaglets are wet and cold and hungry. Thankfully, they both ate off the very large fish delivered on Friday. No food yet on Sunday and Leaper is attacking Jersey. What has happened to Dad?
I want to note that the Mum at Duke Farms is super. There is concern that Frances on the Bluff City nest is a bit like Hope at the Snow Lane, Newfoundland Osprey platform. Again, I keep reminding myself – and perhaps you, twice, in this posting that some raptor parents are more dedicated than others. Sometimes circumstances cause terrible things to happen at a nest where there are engaged adults. Food shortages and weather can cause untoward events to happen. At other times, the parents can be neglectful. At other times, the parents can also be starving themselves. Raptors generally take care of their territory, then themselves, and then their chicks. Remember that – it might help when things get tough this year.
Let’s deal with the tragedy that took BC25 over the Rainbow Bridge Saturday morning first.
It was raining. The two fish dinners came too late for Baby Willow at Bluff City. He was barely moving at 1100 and passed shortly after. Frances has fed Oliver several times from the fish, but she also needs to eat. It is very troubling when they lose a chick. For us, it is difficult to watch, but imagine having two children and not having enough food for both and one dying in front of you. Feeling their pain might kick us into doing more to help them when we can.
Wings of Whimsy added this before Willow passed: “Today’s update: BC25 is still hanging on, but the morning opened with more of the same. Now, the poor thing is soaked & soggy, and basically just remains under BC24, burrowed into the bowl. A fish has been brought in, but it seems like that will make little difference as BC25 surely doesn’t have the strength to fight BC25 off of itself to even try to get to a bite. I’d like to say that maybe when BC24 is stuffed, BC25 will have a chance, but we surely saw yesterday that is not the case. I’ve never seen such a huge crop on an eaglet, but being full made no difference. I can’t believe the little one is still with us. How much amazing fight, will, and strength that shows!! On that alone, I cannot see this poor creature as weak. Disadvantaged in this scenario at this time? Absolutely! A “weak” eaglet who couldn’t stand a chance in the world? Absolutely not!”
A memorial tribute to BC25 from WingsofWhimsy. The eaglet was 15 days old this morning when it passed.
This is an interesting fundraiser if you are interested. It was quick and easy to order and they ship worldwide.
Richmond has been bringing fish presents for Rosie and the pair have been caught mating on camera. What a great couple these two are. Let us hope there are eggs soon!
Catching up on some news.
If you are not keeping track this is the eaglet hatching score board that ‘J’ has been keeping. Look at the nests with three eaglets that hatched beginning on the 19th of March: PA Country Farms, Kansas City Farmer Derek, and Cardinal Land Conservancy. More to come next week! [These are the recent hatches…we know West End has three eaglets, etc…]
There are three eaglets at PA Country Farm Bald Eagle nest as of Saturday the 23rd.
There are three at the nest of Ellie and Harvey on Farmer Derek’s land…the Kansas City Bald Eagle nest it is called.
There are three at Cardinal Land Conservancy but I haven’t been able to see all their heads at once!
Milda, the White-tailed Eagle of the Durbe County nest in Latvia, has laid her first egg of the season with new mate.
Port Tobacco has its hatch. The dead chick was removed after this image (thank you to the adults). PT9 is a cutie.
Hope and Chandler are so happy to have this feisty little one that has survived after they lost an egg and the second eaglet. Both are trying to feed it.
Sally and Harry have the cutest osplet. I can’t stop going to check on how it is doing. Harry is a wonderful provider and Sally keeps feeding this little one lots of tiny meals to keep it going. Will either of the other two eggs hatch? We wait.
Abby and Blaze did a wonderful job – feeding and caring for Swampy and Meadow. Just look at them!
NestFlix Memories caught E23 having its first bath in the pond at the SW Florida Eagle nest. S/he was having great fun with a pinecone, too. So joyful for M15 and F23 for their new young family – and their successful nest this tragic year.
This is Bonnie and Clyde’s fourth year of raising owlets on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas. The names of the two this year are Annie and Wyatt. — It seems like only yesterday that this pair ousted the young Bald Eagles from their nest and raised Tiger and Lily. Does time pass like this for you? It was like yesterday.
We are waiting for Angel and Tom to have their first egg in their nest in Tennessee.
Monty and Hartley have their first egg of the season at San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon scrape.
Hartley was surprised in the early afternoon when an adult falcon with jesses. (Note the horizontal breast bands rather than the vertical of the first-year birds). A jess is a thin strip of leather that falconers use to tether their birds. This one landed right in the scrape with Hartley!
There is a pip at Berry College. This image comes Saturday late afternoon. Good progress. Fingers crossed as this is their second clutch.
Audrey has returned home on Saturday to the Chesapeake Conservancy nest! ‘H’ called it and it was later confirmed. Now for Tom to arrive.
There is an osprey at the Crooked Lake, Iowa nest. They caught a beautiful bass – would be the envy of all.
Bradley continues to bring his fish to the barge to eat while Giliath is seen fishing with Ervie.
Big Red and Arthur are contending with the snow storm that has hit Ithaca, New York Saturday morning.
Speaking of snow and weather, ‘B’ sent me an extremely interesting article where there are some quotes from Dr Sharpe. He comments on two things that I have not seen brought up (scientifically) regarding Jackie and Shadow’s inability to hatch eggs. I have always considered the DDT used in the area as being paramount, but there are two other factors that Sharpe brings up: the weather and the altitude regarding oxygen for the chicks. Please read. Everything that we learn goes in our ‘tool kit’ so that we can better understand the events and the behaviour of the raptors.
Those two factors were mentioned five days ago by Sandy Speer, also.
https://www.popsci.com/environment/bald-eagle-eggs-wont-hatch
Another scientific article if you are interested:
Hempleman SC, Adamson TP, Bebout DE. Oxygen and avian eggshell formation at high altitude. Respir Physiol. 1993 Apr;92(1):1-12. doi: 10.1016/0034-5687(93)90115-q. PMID: 8511402.
Parents still go to check the Achieva Nest. I guess the big question is this – did the eggs fall and break, or did some critter help them along? We will never know, but that nest needs much work before the next osprey season. Hopefully, St Petersburg Audubon Society and interested local members will get permission to rectify several issues. They could get a CrowdFunder, but they need permission from the landowners.
The third hatch at Venice Golf and Country Club is sooooooo tiny. Reminds me of Blue 464 at Foulshaw Moss that actually grew to become the dominant bird on that nest thanks to the ingenuity of his Mum. Let’s see how this little one does!
The Thunder Babies are doing exceptionally well – all three of them. Thunder and Akecheta have this under control! Just like they always have. Great parents. Lots of prey items and a female who puts a stop to bonking and a dad that steps in and feeds the little one when needed to get them strong enough to compete with the older siblings.
Blue NCO continues to be harassed and is still waiting for Laddie. In 2023, they both arrived on the same day, the 17th of March. Laddie’s latest arrival date has been 29 March. So, there is still some hope for LM12. Blue NCO was also very early this year – she departed early for her migration in 2023. Let us hope all is well OR that if LM12 does not return, a nice young man who is a great fisher will arrive. He will get a good mate and a perfect nest!
The Black Storks are beginning to arrive in Northern Europe. Florentino and the female from the Lodzi nest in Poland were both present on the 23rd of March.
Bird Flu is not just killed our feathered friends.
A reminder. Please also snip all those small square bread bag tags in half, anything that could fit over a small beak or neck needs to be cut. Oh, the damage that we do!
Thank you to ‘AE, Geemeff, H, J, MP’ for their notes and to the following for their videos, posts, articles, screen captures, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: PRhymz Rhymz, Decorah North Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Duke Farms, Bluff City-ETSU, Wings of Whimsy, SF Bay Ospreys ‘J’, PA Country Farm, Kansas City Eagle Nest, Cardinal Land Conservancy, LDF, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Moorings Park, Eagle Country, NestFlix Memories, Farmer Derek, Window to Wildlife, San Jose City Hall, SK Hideaways, Berry College Eagles, Chesapeake Bay Conservancy/Explore.org, Timothy Dygert Live Stream, PLO, Cornell RTH Cam, Yahoo News, FOBBV, Achieva Credit Union, VGCCO, IWS/Explore.org, The Scottish Wildlife Trust (LOTL), Bociany Czarne Online, SF Gate, and Sue Pycraft.
