30 March 2025
Good Morning Everyone,
Thank you so much for being with us today. Our thoughts were with the people of Myanmar today as they dig their friends, family members, and even strangers out of the rubble of the 7.7 earthquake with their bare hands and any tools they can find. At last count more than 1600 people were declared dead. My son and I have friends there and in Bangkok – our condolences to all who lost a loved one.
If you are in the UK, Happy Mother’s Day! And to all our feathered friends there – to you as well!
Saturday was breezy and a bit chilly, but it turned out to be a day for restocking the cupboards. Before we left, Brock came to the garden door requesting another dish of roast chicken! He sure loves his roast chicken.
He is getting less frightened of me. I tap on the glass twice. That alerts Brock that I am coming outside with additional food for him. A year ago he would have run under the deck and waited for me to return to the house locking the door. Now he will sit about 30-45 cm away (12-15 inches) waiting. He suns himself on the rug and never rushes to leave. He is more comfortable. Brock has been coming to the garden since 2022 with Calico. His life is not easy but he is fed and now, thanks to a reminder by Geemeff, he is getting his de-worming treatment.
The Crows have been coming to the big table feeder for cat kibble. They are here every day. Soon I will need to make sure that there is ‘meat’ available for them as there will be babies to feed. [Taken through the conservatory window with the iPhone].
Just a warning. Today’s post will be shorter than normal. I had trouble with Meta (Facebook) and the posting of Saturday’s blog. I suggest that you subscribe so as not to miss any news. The blog is free and will always be free. I do not send any ads, and I will never ask for any subscription fees. You can cancel anytime. Usually, there is one post per day.
Geemeff sends us news:
Set backs and successes of raptor re-introduction in Northern Ireland:
How many dead Ospreys is OK?
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/western-mail/20250328/281968908489499
Geemeff also sends us the arrival dates for dear Louis at Loch Arkaig and comments on the current state of UK ospreys;
“Speaking of arrivals, Dylan is missing Seren, and Elen is missing Aran. And we’re missing Louis & Dorcha. They arrived last year on the 28th and 30th March respectively, but that was the first time in March. All previous years have been April arrivals. I wish they’d hurry up and arrive, Maya is looking very eggy, any day now she’ll produce the UK’s first egg and we don’t even have either bird back, or even Garry LV0.
Here’s Louis’ dates:
2017 10 April
2018 6 April
2019 4 April
2020 5 April
2021 11 April
2022 11 April
2023 2 April
2024 28 March”
We wait in anticipation.
Osprey News:
Russell Lake, Nova Scotia: Oscar returned Saturday morning. He has already been fishing and being watched closely by Don and Connie Dennis!
Baseball Park Ospreys, Missoula, Montana: Star, the mate of Louis, has arrived.
Steelscape, Washington: Both adults are back on the nest.
Seaside, Oregon: Bruce and Naha have both returned on the 24th and 26th.
Smallwood: The first egg was laid Sunday morning.
Cowlitz: Osprey was on the nest on Saturday.
Lake Murray: Lucy and Kenny. There were originally three eggs and now there are only two. ‘H’ adds: ” It was noticed 3/29 at 00.45 an egg looked like it had a big dent, and Lucy moved the egg with her beak.”
Western Maryland Shore for Old Town Home: Marilyn laid her first egg on Saturday.
Llyn Clywedog: Seren Blue 5F has joined Dylan at their nest in Wales. Welcome home lovely girl. Dylan did a sky dance on her arrival. Oh, this couple is wonderful.
Achieva: Jack has disappointed me in his fish deliveries for his new female mate. Diane, his former mate, had to supplement the fish for the chicks and well, the eggs haven’t even hatched. There is a lot of competition and no doubt Jack has problems with gulls, other ospreys, and eagles for whatever he catches.
Baseball Park, Missoula, Montana (yes, again): Louis has now arrived and so both Star and Louis are on the nest! Thanks, Dr Greene!
Boulder County Fairgrounds: Dad has been missing. Mum has a new mate, it appears, who has brought her a fish and then there is an intruder. Thank you Noland MacDonald!
Dyfi: The DOP says, “Dyfi Osprey Project
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Happy Mothers Day to Telyn today – and indeed all mothers.
Telyn will be 12-years old in a few weeks and has bred successfully at the Dyfi nest since 2018, raising 18 youngsters to migration age in that time.
That’s a 2.6 average offspring to migration age per year – twice the UK average.
Telyn is the daughter of Maya who is still breeding at Rutland Water and is cousins with Glesni and Blue 24.”
Bald Eagles:
FOBBV: Shots were heard and startled the family. https://youtu.be/GtNy3chinF0?
There were reports, perhaps over a week ago, of lights seen and shots heard by individuals watching the John Bunker Sands Wetlands Bald Eagle nest near Dallas. This is a very frightening thought.
Other Birds:
Despite a high number of deaths, there were still record numbers of Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska. Thanks, ‘PB’ for the article.
‘J’ sends me the post of our local wildlife rehabilitation centre, Wildlife Haven. (It is one of Calico’s favourites because of Dr Tess who is helping that turtle with its soft shell and her confidence in wildlife to adjust to their own physical challenges).
Thank you so much to all those that contributed to help my blog to be even better than it could be by my hand alone: ‘Geemeff, H, J, PB’, msn.com, pressreader.com, Connie Dennis and Ospreys of Nova Scotia FB, Montana Osprey Cams, Pam Breci and Steelscape Ospreys, Seaside Ospreys, Lake Murray Ospreys, The Smithsonian Magazine, FOBBV, Wildlife Haven, Nolan MacDonald and Boulder County Fairgrounds, Dyfi Osprey Project, Llyn Clywedog and CarnyXWild, Maryland Western Shore Old Town Home
After having watched Jack on the Achieva nest in Florida for straight two years, I can say Jack is more comfortable setting on eggs than going fishing. I’ve never seen osprey like Jack. He likes to fish once a day and share it with his mate over and over until it’s gone. If I didn’ know better, I’d say Jack is a trans bird or maybe even gay. But I do know better, so he isn’t. He’s doing the only thing he can under the circmstances. He loves his chicks. I hope this year the nest is safe and the chicks ,if any, fledge. Jack would love to be able to make that happen. Jack’s new love, L’il Dee, I call her, has become just as dedicated and serious.
You have said that right! I used to get so bloody mad at Jack when his osplets were hungry and then, thankfully, Diane would bring in her whopping cat fish and they would get fed. He does love the chicks and he loves his mate but he is either not a good fisher or the gulls and other raptors steal his catch.