5 September 2024
Hello Everyone,
It was a gorgeous day spent partly in the English Gardens at our Assiniboine Park. Three – yes, 3 – hummingbirds were seen. We felt like we had won gold medals at the Olympics! They were feeding in the white trumpet looking flowers (I have forgotten their name – sorry). I only had my iPhone and seriously they are in there, but you can’t see them.
The Black-eyed Susans were tremendous.
But the winner for the day was the Peacock Flower whose scent was simply stunning. It stopped me in my tracks!
I was sitting in the gardens when ‘J’s note came through that Gabby had arrived back safely at NE Florida. It simply brought tears to my eyes! Gosh she is beautiful! Eagle Goddess caught the arrival on video: https://youtu.be/snsaRCeKZAE?si=5_ti-SJw72R6XW4a
The tears poured more when I realised that Beau and Gabby were together on ‘their’ tree. Let us hope that this is their year to have a family.
When we got home the Bird Feeder with the camera had arrived. Do not let anyone tell you these are easy to install. This one is completely together now and sitting on the large table feeder. No one will go near it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Darn thing. The other issue is scanning the QR code for the app so that you can actually see these birds with the camera. Yes, I made sure the light was bright and that the camera was clean. Nothing. Nothing. Very annoying. I will try again in the morning!
Starting off with a note about the male at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. There was some confusion on my part about the band. Thank you ‘MP’ for reminding me of the information we received last year: “Vanessa Green told me the band was green over black with MS lettering and was banded in 2018 at the nest off of Grimm Road in Carver Park Reserve off of HWY 11 between Hwy 5 and Hwy 7. That makes the male on the Minnesota nest 6 years old not 22 years old. I thought I would correct it so you could retract your statement on 9/3/24 blog.
Although, there is a bird that was banded in 2002 with black over green and white lettering MS like I said this one was, it was banded at the nest off of Kings Point Road just north of HWY 7 and Carver Park Reserve in Hennepin County. How she knows this one is the green band vs the black I don’t know, unless she saw it with binoculars. She told me she was there when the bird was banded in 2018, and besides she said, she is the one to change the coloring in 2009 from black to green.”
Last year, in 2023, the male and female had already migrated by the time they were last seen at the nest. I have included them and the juvenile in the Memorial Wall listing because of the horrific storm and the juvenile seen with the Bald Eagle and not seen again. Should the male show up next year, I will remove him. Female is not banded and will have to rely on head and underwing marks to confirm in 2025.
Geemeff and the Daily Summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Wednesday 4th September 2024
While the Ospreys have gone and the local wildlife isn’t very visible either, the view from the nest cams is stunning and it’s worth popping in from time to time to have a look as the seasons change. The nests looked beautiful bathed in sporadic sunshine today, and more of the same is forecast for tomorrow. Drop in also to Woodland Trust’s campaigns page to see what they’re currently working on, and how you can help: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-trees-and-woods/campaign-with-us Costs nothing but a few seconds and a couple of mouse clicks, and makes a huge difference.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.12.13 (05.30.11); Nest Two 21.06.15 (05.38.41)
Today’s videos: none
Bonus action – join thousands of other people and let Woodland Trust know what’s happening to wildlife near you:https://naturescalendar.woodlandtrust.org.uk/add-a-record/
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
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/f9xGkReEs2o N1 Three fish one after another for Lachlan 2017 (thanks Scylla)
https://youtu.be/TjCNVR0D0dA N1 Rannoch gets a fresh flapping flounder 2019 (thanks Scylla)https://youtu.be/ghdrU4ka5_U N1 Good grief – more fish! Number five arrives 2020
https://youtu.be/K03sHXEtezg N2 Ouch! Louis gets his leg pulled 2022
https://youtu.be/XusFfpEKwHA N2 Sarafina leaves as the Hoodies move in 2022
https://youtu.be/3sGLsMZX-Yk N2 Fish number four causes a bit of a fankle 2022
https://youtu.be/tQhK-KB1690 N2 Little bird looks tiny on Dorcha’s perch 2023
Geemeff also sent us a good news story!
A good news story!
The Royal Cam chick is readying to take off from the headland at Taiaroa. They will be out on the water feeding for 5-6 years before they step on land again at which time they will be very wobbly. Wish this little one all the luck in the world! It will need it.
At Hellgate Canyon, Antali spent the night on the perch. Iris and Finnegan fed him nicely during the day. Sum-eh was last seen on the 30th. She has probably migrated or fishing for herself and not in view of the camera.
Antali has had several fish deliveries at the nest. Iris is still home and she arrived with a huge crop and a nice piece of fish for her second hatchling at 1214 on Wednesday.
‘PB” got this great screen capture of Iris’s crop and sent it in! So glad Iris and Finnegan are both eating well and fattening up after a busy year with Sum-eh and Antali.
More fish from Dad – a nice bedtime snack!
At Charlo, C16 is still getting fish deliveries from Charlie!
It looks like fish deliveries are being given off nest at Dunrovin. Junebug waited patiently and took off several times after mantling.
The juvenile was on the Cowlitz nest and was getting fish from dad! As ‘PB’ says, this little osplet fledgling is a miracle – it survived the eagle that took its two siblings.
Sadly, there are no surprises on these necroscopies. I wish more people had taken the time this year because there would have been a flood of osprey chicks that starved to death. Besides the heat, the reason is staring us in the face – the industrial fishing for Menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay and at its mouth (within 3 miles of the mouth) has to be stopped. This is outright decimation of a species just like DDT nearly wiped out all the ospreys. Please write your Senators and anyone else that will listen. Omega has to be stopped.
More sad news. Big Red and Arthur’s N1 died of West Nile Virus.
For everyone cheering that the male at 367 Collins Street was M22, the chap who saved the day that year, Victor Hurley has confirmed that it is, indeed, him! He survived. He has a new mate. Let’s hope they have great success. Here is some additional information from Hurley:
Dotty and Blue FKO are no longer at Tweed Valley. Daughter and Dad have started their migration.
All family members were reported seen at Llyn Brenig on Wednesday in Wales.
BirdGuides review of the week:
Hawk Mountain’s Migration News ending 4 September:
The Olympic Park Sea Eaglets are growing. They are standing and moving around. SE34 is still skiddish and is submissive during feedings. Thankfully, there is often enough for both!
Migration is ongoing where I live. Goose flight evenings have begun at the nature centres. People arrive before dusk and watch hundreds, if not thousands, land on the ponds. I will be heading up to Oak Hammock for their migration evening. The hummingbirds are passing through, and in Saskatchewan, the Sandhill Cranes are being seen moving south. Several flocks have been seen just north of where I live. I am hoping I will have some luck and catch these beautiful birds feeding on the newly combined fields, too. Will keep you posted.
Hummers are on the move as I noted earlier and you can track them if you like as they move through the US.
The first successful nesting of the Great Egret takes place in Scotland.
Why are people throwing baby Puffins off cliffs?
https://www.iflscience.com/why-are-people-in-iceland-throwing-baby-puffins-off-of-cliffs-75820
‘J’ sends us news from the Marathon FB of Ron’s Rita in permanent care at Marathon:
Thanks for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, charts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, J, MP, PB’, Eagle Goddess, NEFL-AEF, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, The Cool Down, Cornell Bird Lab, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Dunrovin Ranch, Pam Breci and Cowlitz PUD, Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal, Virginia Osprey Project, Suzanne Arnold Horning, Victor Hurley, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Llyn Brenig, BirdGuides, Hawk Mountain, Olympic Park Eagles, iflscience.com, Marathon Wild Bird Centre, and Hummingbird-News.
So glad that Gabby is back!!! Thank you for keeping us posted, Mary Ann!
You are always welcome. I was in tears and jumping up and down and now that necrotic taloned male is back. It upsets me. It could drive Gabby and Beau to another nesting site.
I am absolutely thrilled to hear that Gabby is home in the Hamlet, where Beau has been waiting for her. Perhaps this will be their year.
Of course I will continue to hope and pray that Angel is safe and that we will get to see her and dear Tom again.
Meanwhile, these final days before the albatross chicks fledge are very bittersweet. Their journey is so long and arduous and so very dangerous for them. All we can do is wish them godspeed, and hope we will be fortunate enough to see them again. (And of course campaign against long-line fishing vessels and the various other fishing techniques responsible for the carnage among albatrosses.)
At WBSE, SE34 does appear to be eating enough food, and quite often gets himself into position for a lengthy feeding once SE33 has had its fill. SE34 does remain extremely cautious and is easily intimidated by his older sibling but Lady seems to make the effort to ensure her youngest is fed and there is no real viciousness in SE33, who is definitely not a Zoe.
Iris is looking very well, and that crop brings such a smile to my face. (Finn’s crop was also impressive.) The thought of the family soaring as a group brought tears to my eyes. This has been the fairytale we always hoped would play out for our darling Iris, and even with Antali so grown up, the shot you included makes it obvious that Iris still wants to play mum. It has been an absolute joy to watch her devotion to mothering and the support she was finally given by a mate who deserved her. My favourite picture of the whole season would have to be Finnegan feeding Iris after she had had a second sleepless night supervising a hatch. No-one more deserves to be treated like a queen than our Iris. Come home safe, sweet Iris.
Me, too. Jumping for joy! So many have cried over Iris and Finnegan soaring with their babies. Can you imagine how jubilant Iris is to have children and a faithful mate? I cry daily – tears of joy but bittersweet because I wish Finnegan had come along when Stanley died.