Saturday in Bird World

26 October 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

I want to once again thank SK Hideaways for putting together the Memorial video of dear little Nox. So many have reached out to say how sad they are at his passing and how much they enjoyed it. Nox (Equinox) was a very special little guy. One of those amazing birds that come into our lives that will never be forgotten.

It was a nippy albeit beautiful fall day on the Canadian Prairies. The only leaves remaining on my property are on the small Cranberry bushes and the lilacs. Everything else is bare and brown, and the grey-brown dismal, taupey days of early winter are heading our way.

The park looks pretty desolate.

There have been only two Blue Jays lately, Junior and the Mrs. Only two Crows. The Starlings continue to dominate the numbers at the feeders. Around the City there are still Canadian geese feeding on the grass and ducks in the ponds and at the river. It is time again to go and check the numbers and see how many are flying in and out at night.

Mr Crow enjoying a peanut.

One good thing that did happen today was an apparently successful mating between Gabby and Beau. Last year he just didn’t know which end was which! https://youtu.be/bAIeeFqm72Q?

That mating was on the nest! And Gabby didn’t seem to nip or be off putting. All good signs.

The pair to continue to work on their nest bringing in sticks and moss. Fingers crossed for a successful year for these two – can I say ‘finally’.

F23 and M15 continue to work on their nest in SW Florida while guarding their territory. https://youtu.be/bs2Dq24r01M?s

At the Sydney Olympic Park, SE34 is still on the nest after having its elder sibling SE33 fledge yesterday. SE33 was located on a low bush near the nest after spotters heard Magpie calls. It is unclear if any food is going to SE33 or if he can get out of its location.

SE34 might fly at any moment.

A nice whole fish came to the Port Lincoln barge for Mum, Wilko and Kasse at 0711. Wilko seems to be behaving his/her self better.

And more for Kasse.

Mum had some fish, too. Yeah!

‘A’ is monitoring our little osplets: “Meanwhile, at Port Lincoln, Dad brought in a large whole fish at 07:09 this morning and both osplets ate well. Dad retrieved his leftover fish at 07:34 and ate hungrily but returned the tail end about ten minutes later, so the kids had a second breakfast at 07:44. I saw no bonking and little Kasse is an eager eater, definitely not intimidated by its sibling, which is good to see. 

These two are deep in their oily teenager phase but will soon emerge from it as those gorgeous shades of bronze appear on their heads and necks.  Meanwhile, those round tummies and fat little bottoms are testament to their good health and always make me smile. These two are just SO cute. I don’t think Kasse quite understands bonking – he looks confused more than scared. “

In Melbourne, the triplets are moving up and down the gutter and have no trouble getting back into the scrape box.

Dad brings prey to the kiddos in Melbourne! https://youtu.be/L4V9bEG3w0A?

The kids choose the cooler other scrape with the cover and F23 follows her intelligent children! https://youtu.be/6Umglw1ZJp4?

Breakfast was early at Orange.

Diamond brings in a Galah for the kids. https://youtu.be/fRDIoRcJYTE?

‘A’ remarks: “All is well at Orange, where a pile of fluff slumbers in the corner while Diamond watches from her favourite position perched on the ledge. Here is the summary of this morning’s activity:

26 Oct FEED 05.55.22 leftover; 06.49.53 scrap; PREY 06.06.08 X feeds; 07.39.04 X feeds/07.42.43 stashed on MW ; 07.57.36 feeds; 09.04.30 feed; WATCH 07.46.10 Yira selfie

At Collins Street, the chicks have taken advantage of their newly found mobility to immediately change scrapes. When I tuned in this morning, the scrape was EMPTY and of course for a moment, I panicked, before I realised where they had to be. Sure enough, on the north facing camera, we can see two chicks sleeping in the sheltered scrape, with a parent perched on the comfortable spot that was added to the front of the sheltering structure, so the parents can comfortably use the perch rather than getting stiff perching on the edge of a board. They used some sort of car-tyre rubber, I believe, to create that perch and it is obviously very comfortable for the adults, who can get up and out of the melee to a good supervision spot. Perfect. A great addition. 

So this makes us happy because the shelter at that end is SO much better, giving mum a break from her mumbrella duties and also improving the safety of the chicks themselves. You know how much I wanted the scrape at the south end of the ledge actually removed altogether, forcing them to use the northern end, but the chicks have done that of their own accord as soon as they were able. TOO funny. I wonder whether they will stay at the north end, return to the south end, or split themselves between the two scrapes. It could get very awkward for feedings and confuse the parents no end. 

Anyway, that’s the big news in Australia’s falcon world this morning. “

Clive’s Ride made more news stations. Clive is possibly the most positive story to come out of Hurricane Milton.

There’s an eagle at Decorah North in Iowa!

Gracie Shepherd caught Mr North and DNF having a bath today! https://youtu.be/B-vDfnf0NvY?

I missed her on cam but the chat says that Hope was doing some nestorations early Friday at Port Tobacco.

I did catch the two darlings of the Big Bear Valley, Jackie and Shadow, perched looking out over their territory.

‘J’ sent a link to a video showing Jeffrey the Pinecone on Jackie and Shadow’s nest is bigger than Fiona! https://youtu.be/Oqy1JFa4r4o?

Liberty and Guardian were home working on their nest in Redding, California.

Sadly, today I added Nox and the little fourth hatch at the Coobowie Osprey Platform in South Australia to the Memorial Page.

How do war zones – and as I write this tonight there are many of them – impact our raptors, their lives, and their migration?

I have been concerned about the Black Storks that have migrated through Ukraine. Now I try to keep an eye on Waba whose last transmission was on the 18th of October when he was in Israel. I hope to goodness he is now out of Israel and well into Africa.

Cal Falcons gives us a favourite Nox moment. https://youtu.be/uzDzj0htaXQ?

As we continue to monitor the issues surrounding Osprey’s deaths in the Chesapeake Bay, Geemeff sends us to reports on the impact of commercial fishing of Menhaden on osprey deaths. Thank you, Geemeff.

https://www.cbf.org/news-media/newsroom/2024/all/as-osprey-populations-struggle-manager-continue-deliberations-on-chesapeake-bay-menhaden.html

and from William & Mary University:

CCB’s latest osprey study continues decades of work on behalf of the species

Calico’s Tip for the Day could save your pet’s life: Do not use scented candles, air fresheners that plug in, or any time of air freshener spray. There are also essential oils that are extremely dangerous. You might be putting a few drops in water in one of the new plug in contemporary diffusers. Please check with your vet to find out which oils are safe! This is why.

‘The Girls’ wish you a fantastic day! And a lovely weekend. Remember to sit outside and listen for the birds! They sure would like to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

Thank you to the following for their posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, J”, Nest Flix Memories, NEFL-AEF, Androcat, SWFlorida Eagle Cam, Olympic Park Eagles, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Nesting Bird Life and More, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Falcon Cam Project, AccuWeather, Decorah North and Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, Gracie Shepherd, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, FOBBV, Nature Lover Bird Life Odyssey, FORE, Current Biology and British Trust for Ornithology, Cal Falcon Cam, cbf.org, William and Mary University.