Wednesday in Bird World

31 July 2024

Good Morning,

Tomorrow is the first of August! The summer is absolutely flying by. Today’s report from my end – not those great folks that send me news on specific nests they are monitoring – is a bit brief. I spent a lovely afternoon in the park yesterday despite the 31 C heat. There was a lovely breeze and it was simply wonderful to hear the sounds of children’s voices splashing in a pool. A grandfather and his two grandchildren asked to share my picnic table. The children were so cute. One asked if I would like one of their ‘Bear Paws’ – a soft chocolate cookie. Yummy.

The correct cable arrived and now we can have some images of the garden friends from the better camera.

Is this just the most gorgeous Crow? I am finally beginning to be able to tell the new babies – not baby size – by their shape and personalities.

Its sibling was down on the top of the Weeping Caragana.

One of the siblings is very ‘tall and thin’ compared to the others.

They seem to have very different personalities, too. Gosh, they are wonderful. As are the Blue Jays!

There are six baby Blue Jays. Three were on the big tray feeder.

One wasn’t sure it would like beets and rice as much as the Crows!

The other two were on the deck amidst the seeds and sparrows.

There are hundreds of lively sparrows everywhere.

The squirrels habe been busy both Dyson kits and the Reds.

‘J’ wrote to ask me if the Tortilla Bird counts for happy moments. Yes, every bird counts! Every one of them. Put them on your happiness list. They don’t need to be on streaming cams.

Yesterday, a question from another reader : “So where is the food? Why aren’t the parents delivering food like we have seen on other nests? I wish that the there was a forum that would discuss this.” should have appeared at the top of CG’s report on Blue at HWF-BBCentral as a lead into their story. It remains unclear to me how this worked its way into that report! ‘CG’ certainly knows there is a forum. Apologies all around for any confusion or angst.

Here is CG’s report for Blue for 30 July (Thanks, CG):

Blue started the day by being a wet bird.  Rain had been forecast for today.

She started out by working on some old food and came back to it about 4 hours later.  She spent her day doing eaglet things like wingercising a number of times, stretching, preening, standing around, and poking around.

Blue looking pretty sleek here.  It was around 1200 hours and she was surveying the scene and preening on and off.

Looks like getting some height here with her wingercising.

Food delivery by parent around 1630 hours.  Blue, by the way, is good at mantling.  

Half an hour later, another food delivery.  One of the larger deliveries.  She left only a small piece. 

At about 2000 hours, she was lying on the nest.  I left her looking out over the countryside at 2117 hours.

Weather forecast for Delta for the rest of the week.  I have come to appreciate cams that show the weather in a corner.

Geemeff brings us some really good news from Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust (Thanks, Geemeff):

Daily summary Tuesday 30th July 2024

The highlight of today was the welcome return of Louis, last seen on the 25th. He spent over two hours on Nest Two, perching on Dorcha’s perch then flying down to do some nest cupping, before departing. Nest Two had another visitor – Affric 152 made a surprise visit, just a brief touchdown really before flying off again. No sign of Dorcha, last seen on the 27th, or Garry LV0, last seen yesterday. No visitors to Nest One although a Wood Pigeon did a fast flypast caught on nest cam. Itziar Colodro from Fundación Migres gave us an update on 1JW and safety measures in the translocation area, see bonus section. The weather was settled, tonight’s forecast is a pleasant partly cloudy with a gentle breeze and a low of 9°c, and tomorrow promises to be dry and sunny with a high of 19°c.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.54.55 (04.12.32); Nest Two 22.52.04 (04.27.02)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/04rKdVyEFzc  N1 Which grey bird does a fast flypast? 07.40.03 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

https://youtu.be/CzIH1toDNCU  N2 Affric pays a quick visit 10.56.22 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

https://youtu.be/PWlcQcKRdf8 N2 Louis arrives! Great to see him after a few days absence 11.06.50

https://youtu.be/QprHdPaZKDw N2 Louis returns for a second, much longer visit 11.31.18 (zoom)

Bonus info on safety measures for Ospreys in the Spanish translocation area, and update on 1JW (thanks Itzy):

Update on 1JW:

I have received lovely updates from Itziar Colodro about our surviving chick 1JW. She works for the Fundación Migres but has a much earlier connection to Loch Arkaig – a chick from a nest on private land, ringed JH3 in 2017 and named Pean (‘cousin’ if you like to our first Arkaig chick from new pair Aila & Louis, ringed JH4 and named Lachlan), didn’t migrate very far and took up residence in her area in Spain. There were a lot of photographers in that area and he became quite famous until sadly he was electrocuted on a faulty power line in 2018. Itzy was instrumental in getting the utility companies to act to ensure the safety of the birds.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-46952452

After Itzy posted on Adam’s site Walking With Daddy / Osprey, I mentioned her work with the utility companies after the loss of JH3, and got this response:

Your words have really moved me🥹, because I have not forgotten JH3 either, that wonderful animal did not deserve that ending. Thanks to him, hundreds of electrical towers were corrected and are now safe for all birds of prey. In fact, we have built a nest for Ospreys since the entire power line was gone. Now it’s a very good and safe place for Ospreys.

Updating: 1JW is adapting great to the environment. It is an honor to be able to take care of him (and his brother 1JR). Loch Arkaig has meant a lot to me for many years you know. I hope I will soon visit that area, where I feel united with all my heart since many year ago. Thanks to you and your support and effort for the conservation of this wonderful species🦅🫂

https://walkingwithdaddy.com/osprey/?ht-comment-id=15511015  (click on ‘see parent comment’ and you can read the whole thread)

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

‘H’ brings us up to date on a few of the nests she is monitoring (Thanks, H):

7/31 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:  The camera view became partially obscured about two weeks ago from PS (forceful elimination) from the chicks, and our view has been almost totally obscured for the last week.  The camera is positioned low, and it has a history of being hit with PS.  Last year we got lucky, and Banff’s and JJ’s aim was off, and they couldn’t manage to hit the camera!  The chicks are 49, 47, and 45 days old.  Occasionally a chatter will remark that they think they see some wingers being performed, or we can listen for screaming and watch for moving shadows indicating that a fish may have arrived at the nest.  Prior to the camera becoming soiled, we knew that family life was going very well.  There were plenty of fish being brought to the nest, mainly from Harvie, but some from Louise as well.  There had not been a lot of sibling rivalry and aggression, and the chicks all looked very healthy.  A chatter that lives nearby has visited the nest a couple of times, and reports seeing the heads of two chicks each time she has visited.  Should we be worried that only two have been seen?  Or is it just the limited view when our BOG has been there?  The BOG spotter has not been able to get a good elevated view of the nest due to restricted areas nearby.  There have been reports that river and lake levels are low in Alberta, due to a significantly reduced snowpack last winter, and because of the heat and drought this summer.  Is it possible that Harvie and Louise have not been able to catch enough fish to support three growing chicks?  We simply do not know.  The chicks are approaching an age where they will be ready to fledge soon.  Pray for rain to help relieve the drought and clean the camera !!!

7/30 Captiva osprey nest:  Even though live streaming from the camera has ended for the season, the Mods and others continue to have viewing access.  Yesterday Ann P. reported seeing Jack at the nest.  He still has the ‘spike’ going through the skin of his left leg, but he is alive and looks well.  Jack was a phenomenal mate and dad this season.  We are thrilled to see him.  Photo courtesy Ann P.  NOTE – FOR SOME REASON THE IMAGE WILL NOT ‘STAY’ ON THIS PROGRAMME. IT KEEPS DISAPPEARING.

7/30  Patuxent River Park osprey nest:  Mom stopped at the nest for just a few seconds.  We had not seen her since 7/18, the day before the cam went down for 5 days. 

7/30 Osoyoos osprey nest:  We had a short viewing day, as the cam went offline at 1215.  Olsen brought the first fish at 0536, and he just so happened to drop it right at Middle’s feet.  Middle strongly mantled over his/her prize and probably could not believe his good fortune.  Big did not make a strong bid to take the fish from Middle.  Middle ate for 20 minutes before s/he relinquished the fish to Big.  Dad dropped off another fish at 0557.  Big abandoned the fish she was eating to join in on the feeding from Soo.  Both siblings were fed during that 10-minute meal, and then Big resumed eating her earlier fish. 

‘PB’ brings us up to date on what is going on at The Port of Ridgefield (Thanks, PB).

‘PB’ also caught two of the fledglings on the Steelscape nest that has been so harassed. Hoping to see the fledgling with the injuries.

‘PB’s other report is that the McEuen female was feeding her hick with a male at the nest. The male has been missing for over a month and during that time three of the four chicks died from starvation. Is this the mate of the female or another male? It is unclear.

Good news coming out of Steelscape.

I remain so excited for the two osplets growing up in Latvia. They are not quite ready to fledge, but the two osplets on the Latvian nest in the Kurzema Forest are doing splendidly. It is believed there are approximately 200 osprey couples breeding in the forests of this beautiful country.

Gorgeous fledgling at the Mlade Buky nest of Bety and Bukacek.

Snow Lane, Newfoundland. Hope and Beaumont. Incredible season with this family. I never thought it would happen – checking on Hope and finding her often feed her chicks. Amazing, in fact.

It is raining at Hellgate Canyon. Iris and her two osplets look beautiful even soaking wet. Iris and her family are not out of the woods from the heat. It is going to return but they have ‘made it’ through several weeks of scorching weather and a huge storm and they have survived. It is at the top of my happiness list for sure. The image below is, to me, simply a miracle. I never thought I would live to see Iris raise a family again. But it happened. Miracles do happen.

Finnegan is working hard for his family!

That is a gorgeous osplet at Charlo, too. What is their weather going to be like? Ah, the same as Iris! A bit cooler and then gradually getting hotter.

It has been raining on the only chick at Dunrovin Ranch, too.

At Collins Marsh in Wisconsin, there are three well-fed, healthy, fully feathered osplets wanting to fly and they are going to do it any day now!

Family portrait at Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum. That chick is like the ones at Collins Marsh – ready and wanting to fly.

A fledgling with a fish meal and a Hooded Crow hoping for some leftovers at the German nest, BUND Goitzsche-Wildnis.

Marder’s Osprey Platform on Long Island has a chick that wants to fledge, too. It likes to still be fed, too.

At Manton Bay, Blue 33 has been bringing fish to the nest and sometimes Maya is there or flies in to grab them. Sometimes the fledgling is there. Nice to know that all three are still in the area.

It was a sad year for the Loch of the Lowes nest in Scotland. To be sure, though, we were blessed and so was Blue NCO, that the eggs did not hatch before Laddlie LM12 was killed. She has been at the nest with the dark osprey male. We will have to wait and see what transpires next March – but it looks like Blue NCO has, for now, held on to her beautiful nest.

Waiting for fish at Llyn Brenig!

Idris has been working over time at the Dyfi Osprey Platform feeding his chicks. He brought four fish to the nest in less than an hour.

You might be used to the Bald Eagles cutting back on prey but the osprey parents will keep this food coming so that the chicks can bulk up for migration. They are not yet fishing. Indeed, many will only catch their first fish while they are travelling south to their winter grounds. The parents, mostly the male, will work hard to get them in top shape for this journey. Then the male will remain for a few days to get strong, too (sometimes not – they leave right about the time of the kids) while Mum left earlier.

Well, if this doesn’t make your heart race!!!!!!!! We should never count the ospreys ‘out’. We might not ‘see’ them but this doesn’t mean they have met their demise. This is a great story.

‘J’ sent me the following image of the Centreport Eagles. It comes from the Bald Eagles 101 FB page she notes (Thanks, J).

It looks like theya re trying to take every last fish that an osprey could eat in Chesapeake Bay. This makes me so angry. If you take Omega supplements, or eat farmed/battery chickens or farmed salmon – that is where these fish so vital to our ospreys – are going!

It is your last day to vote on the names for Iris and Finnegan’s kids. Go to the Montana Osprey Cams FB and click on the image. Please vote.

And ‘J’ sends us the latest update on NOX:

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

Thank you to the following for their observations, posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘CG, Geemeff, H, J, PB’, CG and HWF-BBCentral cam and Forum, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, H and Fortis Exshaw, Patuxent River Park, and Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Pam Breci and Port of Ridgefield, Steelscape, and McEuen Park, LDF, Mlade Buky Stork Cam, Newfoundland Power, Montana Osprey Project, Montana Osprey Cams, Charlo Montana, Dunrovin Ranch, Collins Marsh, MA-LN, Goitzsche-Wildnis, Marder’s, LRWTm The Scottish Wildlife Trust and LOTL, Llyn Brenig, Dyfi Osprey Project, Faye Hill, and J and Centrepoint Eagles,Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal, and The California Raptor Centre.