Tuesday in Bird World

24 December 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

The best of the holidays to those in the Southern Hemisphere who are celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah today. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, it is Christmas Eve. Wishing you glorious memories.

There is lots of news today. As I write, a hatch in progress for Connie and Clive at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest on Santibel Island, Florida. No doubt, Connie will be feeding a wee baby Tuesday morning!

Clive already has fish at the ready. What a grand Dad he is.

There is a hatch for the Captiva couple! Clive is so excited. That nest is going to be full of fish! https://youtu.be/O10VymOl4Xk?

There is an egg at the Kistachie National Forest E3 nest. Congratulations. What a terrible year it was for both nests last year. Good wishes to all for successful hatches and fledges this year.

WingsofWhimsy published the following ‘Worries of a First Year Eagle Watcher’ and ‘J’ sent it to us. How appropriate as the eggs begin to hatch.

The two eaglets at Superbeaks are doing well. (I cannot show images and will only mention them briefly..more on that later).

Gabby has returned to incubating her eggs with Beau. We will probably never know what caused her to leave her incubation duties. Perhaps she was unwell. She tried to cast a pellet thirteen times in 18 minutes but still no success. Oh, please let her be alright.

SK Hideaways has it all on video. https://youtu.be/OqhMujLUFE0?

At SW Florida, Gracie Shepherd catches E24 getting to the rails! https://youtu.be/O10VymOl4Xk?

The Ventana Wildlife Society has given a glimpse of the life of a condor from hatch to fledge! A lovely video. https://youtu.be/d7emYoZ7Qtw?

The Port Lincoln Osprey fledglings are always the most gorgeous creatures.

Thank goodness for the fish fairy – and Mum and Dad came through, too.

The real event for the day is Wilko. He obviously watched Mum fishing from the barge and he dove 4 times for his own fish! My heart is beating faster. How splendid. Here they are on video: https://youtu.be/b0ptEZFmX7Q?

We had a lovely day on Monday. The landscape was covered with hoar frost. Hoar frost forms on branches, foliage, etc., when water vapour in the air touches its surface if that surface is below freezing. It looks like icy needles.

It was magical.

We walked and walked and fed the chickadees. There were hundreds of them. It was like a runway with one landing for food and then another. Enjoy!

Sad news from Birdlife International:

To balance the sad, we have good news coming from Nepal where they are working hard to avoid the extinction of some species.

This Himalayan valley is home to a thriving community and population of cranes. But actions close to home and around the world threaten the landscape. Luckily, our Partner in Bhutan is there to make a positive change.-https://www.birdlife.org/news/2024/11/22/a-himalayan-haven-for-the-black-necked-crane/

More good news after a close call!

A very lucky Australian Osprey chick called Marie had a narrow escape and a good outcome which included advice from Roy Dennis:

Search and rescue

Audubon Florida’s Naturalist Magazine is attached – happy to share with you!

As I end this short post today, I have learned of a bush fire very close to the Olympic Park Sea Eagle nest. Send your good wishes for Lady and Dad and all the animals and birds in the forest – even the darn Currawongs!

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J’, Window to Wildlife, WingsofWhimsy, NEFL-AEF, SK Hideaways, Heidi Mc, Gracie Shepherd, Ventana Wildlife Society, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Birdlife International, Australian Rural and Regional News, Audubon Florida