10 May 2025
Hello Everyone,
It is World Migratory Bird Day today. So what is WMBD?
World Migratory Bird Day is a special day to celebrate these incredible birds and help protect them. This year, we’re focusing on making our cities, villages, towns, and communities, from rural to urban, more bird-friendly. In 2025, WMBD will raise awareness about migratory birds’ challenges due to human activities and expanding urban development. The campaign will advocate for strategic urban planning and conservation efforts that incorporate bird-friendly practices, making sure that our communities become havens for these remarkable travelers. The 2025 theme encourages action from all sectors, including national and local governments, businesses, community groups, and individuals worldwide.
What does “bird-friendly” mean?
“Bird-friendly” means making our environment safe and welcoming for birds. We can do this by planting native plants, providing clean water, and avoiding the use of harmful chemicals. By creating and protecting shared spaces, we can help birds on their long journeys and make our communities more beautiful and healthy.
What will you do to help migratory birds?
Good Morning. We hope that the start to your weekend has been a pleasant one! It was sunny on Saturday but there were cold gusts of wind that felt like they were strong enough to fly us to the Arctic. There are wildfires burning in Manitoba and we are on a fire ban. The two main ones were started by two men in their 40s. Tragic.
‘The Girls’ are no longer bothered a bit by Toby. They don’t even seem to notice him OR the fact that all of the toys they were tired of playing with are now in his toy basket.
Out for the count!
We had a lovely Friday. It was the first time that Karen came to help and it worked out brilliantly. Toby even got a ride to the park in his little push stroller! We visited the market and picked up a couple of hydrangeas and tomorrow we will get the rest of the plants purchased through a fundraiser for feral cats and kittens. It will be so nice to see some colour in the garden.
Dyson looks a little ‘plump’ and I wonder when we will have some new kits running around. The Crows are coming for their cheesy dogs again, the Starlings are still here along with the normal visitors including a very beautiful male Hairy Woodpecker. There is, however, sadly, a notable drop in the number of House Sparrows. I wonder what is happening? Is it the fact that our City continues to cut down trees that might have had nests? Shame on them.
The great news in Osprey World is that Blue 33 and Maya have their first hatch at Rutland Water!
Against the happiness at Rutland, there is sadness at Worcester Cathedral. I am so pleased that the chick has been removed to be tested.
Glaslyn: Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn has written a blog hoping to capture all the drama happening at the nest!
Manton Bay: First hatch of Blue 33 and Maya has eaten. Dad brought in a huge fish.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 9th May 2025
Today saw the welcome return of Aurora 536 spending time on Nest One after yesterday’s concerns of the pair moving to another nest. Of course, Garry LV0 and Aurora might still chose a different nest, however as Garry brought nesting materials as well as fish and Aurora spent a good deal of time either on Aila’s Perch behind the nest or on the nest itself and even did some very gentle nestorising, Nest One must surely be the front runner for this pair to take up residence. While it would be good to see more mating behaviour, Garry brought Aurora two fish today and didn’t tease her but allowed her to take them immediately, another encouraging sign of their increasing commitment to each other and Nest One. His tally rises to forty five, while over on Nest Two, Dorcha received two fish from Louis and his tally now stands at seventy seven. There were no alarms or disturbances today, allowing the Ospreys to enjoy the sunshine in peace, and this settled weather continues through tomorrow and all next week.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.53.10 (03.44.09); Nest Two 23.09.20 (04.15.58)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/3ersPiqRQ9I N2 A cuckoo calls as Louis brings breakfast 05.15.47
https://youtu.be/6CZxFB9RBNY N1 Garry brings nesting materials but Aurora’s not there 08.51.29
https://youtu.be/IwcXyyXhINY N1 Garry’s first fish arrives late in the day but he gives it to her immediately 16.15.29
https://youtu.be/zTDWaso8gyU N2 Dorcha has a quick nibble before leaving the eggs to Louis when he brings fish 16.43.10
https://youtu.be/5tHDrDx6lpw N1 Aurora leaves her perch to grab Garry’s second fish 19.11.58
Bonus read – with the two Arkaig males providing a steady supply of fish, this article has some interesting facts on how Ospreys fish: https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/facts-about-osprey-fishing
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/NqE_YC8NTWQ N1 Graceful Aila does a fishy flypast 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/AlayYBTfRbw N1 Louis leaves the eggs to chase an Intruder Osprey 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/gTF4db9pYiQ N1 Hurricane force gust nearly blows Aila off the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/Tt0NmWwPiAw N1 Male & female Siskin pay an early morning visit 2021 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/Z_f1lAL9g68 N2 Undignified upside down Dorcha 2022 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/Q4KTtgMN_mI N2 Ouch! Dorcha crashes into the nest 2023
https://youtu.be/fju0tKjGYbg N1 On again, off again male visitor LV0 visits 2023
https://youtu.be/261d7botW24 N1 Garry pays a 20-second flying visit 2024 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/SjXAu0qtxe4 N2 Fish number two does a fast flypast before landing 2024
Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam
Some more news items from Geemeff that might interest you!
Good news for the St Albans peregrines – I hope access has been severely restricted this time!
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Osprey v plastic falcon – who wins?
https://vp-mi.com/news/2025/may/07/rediscovering-home-magnificent-flyers
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Morons!
White Rock British Columbia Eagle Nest: The two eaglets have been given names: Miracle and Phe’nom (Phenomenal). Both eaglets were fed. They are ten days old today. The male, Scar, is not helping at all. Mum is doing it all!
Sydney Sea Eagles: Both Lady and Dad were at the nest on Friday.
Cornell Red-tail Hawks, Big Red and Arthur: Big Red removed O3 from the nest cup and put her deceased third baby at the side. https://youtu.be/p0L-EIu3JcM?
Hellgate Canyon: New Male brings Iris another fish! Looks like Iris is thinking this might be alright. https://youtu.be/7AnsSZB2Aj4?
San Jose City Hall: The Fab Four are doing positively fine.
Heidi’s Osprey Notes:
Thank you for being with us today. If you have a special ‘Mamma’ Bird you would like mentioned tomorrow, let me know! See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my short post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi’, Bird Friendly Day, Peregrine Falcons in Worcester, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Cornell Bird Lab, Montana Osprey Project, San Jose City Hall, Maryland Western Shore, Boathouse, LRWT
Love Naha at Seaside and Mum at Port Lincoln.
Thank you!