17 October 2024
Good Morning Everyone,
It started out really windy and then the rain came. Now there are big clouds and the sun is out, but the phone tells me that more rain is expected in 17 minutes. It rained so hard at Hall’s Harbour that the side of the hill turned into a waterfall and tore out the road, a huge shock to everyone who lives and works there. They are expecting 43 feet tides on Saturday, something that is unprecedented No one knows what to expect. Will there be floods? The Hunter’s Full Moon is today, October 17. Full moons impact the tides being higher.
The long unpainted board above the little tug to the left marks a 41 foot tide. The tide is set to be 39 feet tonight which is slightly above the dark water mark on the boards.
While this is fascinating to someone living on the Prairies, this is not a curiosity to those that live in the area who have faced the mudslides and rising water.
We are not staying at Hall’s Harbour. Decades ago, before the fancy new restaurant, it was a favourite haunt of ours.
Our little cottage is on an appropriately named little lane near Grand Pre!
There were four Bald Eagles hunting on the dykelands this morning along with Crows and Gulls. They sit so still, just like hawks waiting for the small mammals to surface from the big clumps of soil that have been recently plowed. No doubt those fields are full of tasty voles.
Merlin identifies this gull as an Iceland Gull, a sub-species, a non-breeding Thayer’s Gull.
Our ride to Hall’s Harbour revealed fields of pumpkins, small stands of delicious apples for sale, and gorgeous foliage.
They have been harvesting pumpkins and squash from these vast fields for weeks.
There are stands everywhere where the honour system is in place. Pick your produce and put your money in the tin! It is that simple.
‘PB’ alerted me to the cameras at Captiva – both osprey and eagle cams are up and running! Thank you.
Connie and Clive working on their nest.
Ranger Judy’s report for the Olympic Sea Eagles:
Trudi Kron caught Mum and Dad at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands eagle nest. https://youtu.be/8xL1AHVdd2Y?
Beau and Gabby have been working on their nest. Both were there on Wednesday. There is a fish dinner, too!
They slept on the same branch together!
Guardian, 11, and Liberty, 26, at Redding. https://youtu.be/xhZ0jG0qEqo?
The little cuties went to bed with a full tummy at the Port Lincoln osprey barge on Wednesday. This was a great feeding. Wilko and Kasse are doing so well.
‘A’ remarks: “Unfortunately, we saw some aggression from Wilco yesterday morning as it decided to enforce pecking order on the nest. Kasse was completely bewildered, not having encountered this until now, and didn’t really know how to handle it. At one stage, he literally headed for the hills, but Wilco grabbed him by the back and dragged him down again. Certainly, Kasse’s major response was confusion, and I don’t think it is going to result in its being intimidated. We will wait and see. When the fish delivery arrived a little later, the pair were exemplary in their table manners and all was well.
Both of yesterday’s fish were magpie perch – large, striped and very much alive in the first case at least. Flopping around and bonking the babies. It took some time to come under control but luckily the littles are not quite as fragile at this age. Even so, they were a little taken aback to be attacked by breakfast. (Another magpie perch was brought in at 07:55 this morning – 17 October.)”
Breakfast at 367 Collins Street! Everyone is always full. What a great family.
It is very foggy at Orange. Diamond, Yira and Garramma are waiting for Xavier to be able to catch breakfast prey.
The sea eaglets are learning how to defend themselves against the Currawong attacks on the nest! https://youtu.be/dDhYLRxO-5M?
Wingers and a duet, too. https://youtu.be/bneEk8fYRho?
H5N1 found in the UK. Our dear birds seem unable to escape this deadly disease.
Botulism kills nearly 100,000 birds in California. https://youtu.be/bneEk8fYRho?
Why are Honeyeaters singing a different tune? https://youtu.be/bneEk8fYRho?
Thank you for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, J, PB’, Window to Wildlife, Judy Harrington and Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Trudi Kron and JBS Sands Wetlands, NEFL-AEF, Gary’s Videos, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Raptor Persecution UK, SK Hideaways, The Guardian.
Thank you Mary Ann for Al the pictures and updates and inks.
The pumpkin s and apple stand are really amazing there. I love pumpkin too!
I hope the carrowong will leave the sea eaglets alone!🙏 the little falcons are so cute and hope all goes well for the little Port Lincoln chicks. 💕💕.
Have a good time and take care! Hope to see you here again soon!
Linda.
They really were incredible. I envied the people who lived close and could get that variety of fruit and vegetables at such reasonable prices!