All is good…Wednesday in Bird World

3 September 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you so very, very much for your best wishes and queries about Hope. I have waited until we were certain for fear of a relapse, but she is going to be fine. Hope healed herself. She couldn’t lick the wound, so she was forced to lick her paw and wipe the area. However, nature always surprises us, and thankfully, she has healed. It is hoped that she lives a long life with no other incidents; otherwise, the Gabapentin will be pulled out to get her to the vet.

Thank you also for your kindness. I did not mean to make everyone cry! Time does heal – but most of all, we learned that you cannot sit in the past, dig your head in the sand and ignore life. Many couples break up when a child dies. I am not sure why that is the case because we just bonded strongly. But my point was, of course, that you cannot take anything for granted – ever. So make the moments precious. Our raptors lead a complicated life, primarily due to human intervention. As the oceans warm, storms become stronger, development encroaches on their habitats, and we will lose more. So we much treasure them while they are with us, remember them when they are no longer here, and accept their replacements. Life goes on for them.

I am posting today because of what SK Hideaways sent me last evening to share with you:

As we struggle to heal our hearts, here are a few of my favorite videos featuring our darling Xavier and a little collage. So glad to have these to watch over and over again. Hope you enjoy.

Xavier enfluffeling compilation 💖 2022 Sep 24

Xavier enjoys several incubation periods with his eggs. The term “enfluffeling” was coined by scientists associated with the Cal Falcons in Berkeley and refers to the wiggling that falcons do to situate themselves on the eggs when incubating.

Dad Xavier tries to feed chicks; doesn’t go as expected! 2022 Oct 8

Xavier came to the nest with a morsel for the chicks… actually, it was not much more than a leg from leftover prey. He ended up feeding Diamond, who seemed to be in disbelief and who ended up taking the leftover for herself in the end.

Diamond & Xavier fall asleep while bonding 😴💞 2023 Aug 22

One of many times an early bonding session ended in a snooze-fest.

Full chicks humour Xavier by letting him feed them 💖 2023 Nov 9

Mari & Barru were full, but they ate for dear old dad anyway.

Xavier Persistently Nips Diamond’s Tail Feathers 😂Still No Egg Time🥚🥚🥚 2024 Oct 1

As hatch day drew near, Xavier was as keen as ever to incubate his and Diamond’s precious eggs. He exhibits his desire in some of the most endearing and amusing ways. This day, he nibbled Diamond’s tail feathers for quite some time to no avail.

Here’s the playlist of all my Diamond and Xavier videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmgVZAwJsRP3ALEycB85603cb-7LZcJH

I see there is an issue with one of the entries. Please check out the title on YouTube.

Since reporting on the Collins Street falcons, I have discovered that some people cannot access YouTube to watch the falcons. They now have three eggs, and there could be a fourth. Hard incubation will set in when that last egg has been laid. Only Mum knows! I will include the link to the streaming cam in my blog every time I publish, so readers have access. The owner of the video will not allow me to embed the YouTube station into my blog like some others. I sure hope these links work.

https://www.youtube.com/live/oibsohQ14cY?si=zw9_UEWMmRdcL66I

https://www.youtube.com/live/dNKk0ivuWe4?si=eGBWJ9vh9MooB-wr

We have talked a lot about Menhaden as it relates to the starvation of Ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay area due to the commercial overfishing and not enough limitations, such as a three mile protection. One of my osprey monitors that lives in the region sent me this last night. They don’t mind that I share – each of us needs to be careful so as to work with those that have similar goals. I remember when Richard Melker told me that in order to protect the raptors we have to sometimes work with hunters. That is when I began to embrace Ducks Unlimited. They are buying up wetlands to protect them for the water birds – can I really criticise the ducks taken for food? No because they are doing so much more in a world that seems bent on destroying habitat.

“Read this and thought about the menhaden. The rockfish need the menhaden fishery as badly as the osprey.

Yet, nowhere in the rockfish debate, raging since the 1980s,  is there a whisper about shoreline construction; air or water pollution; using waterways to transport our waste; planetary degradation. Surely no one is going to talk about trawlers and theft of the commons. Instead, the debate about the future of our planet, here in the Chesapeake, is diminished into the smattering remains of charter fishermen pitted against conservationists. The technique makes enemies of natural allies (divide and conquer) and moves attention away from the actual perpetrators. Fisherfolk and environmentalists steal the show every time from the suits. It’s how corporations win every time. “

Lots to think about. The waters are never transparent.

Not everyone is kind to raptors as this falcon from London learned when someone shot it in the leg!

Geemeff sends us her latest offering from Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 2nd September 2025

A Tawny Owl paid a pre-dawn visit to Nest One this morning, but we’re all still buzzing with the sighting of Breac in Spain a few days ago. Given that only fourteen of Louis’ chicks have fledged, the sighting of five of them away from the nest is quite amazing odds. Doddie JJ6 in 2020 and again in 2022, which was a bumper year as Rannoch JJ2 and Willow LW5 were also sighted, followed by Ludo LY7 in 2023 and now Breac 7P7 this year. Fingers crossed for more sightings! 
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.10.15 (05.46.12); Nest Two 21.08.24 (05.50.26)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/B6p615Uuw-8 N1 Tawny Owl pays a pre-dawn visit 05.30.38
Bonus action – there’s still time to vote for your favourite tree, v

oting is open until 23.59 on 19 September, winner announced 26 September:https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/tree-of-the-year/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/GVC8EAL8j1c N1 Rannoch and a live fish flap about together! 2019

https://youtu.be/oO5IX0QO1I0  N1 One hour, two fish: Rannoch is spoilt for choice 2019

https://youtu.be/4SZAfIakPdU  N1 Vera’s not there so Louis leaves with his fish 2020

https://youtu.be/qb4alRJPs0U N1 Vera gets a second delivery 2020

https://youtu.be/nWBx1R3qXN4  N1 Osperian Blues 2020 (Artistic Ospreys)

https://youtu.be/qE0a0RySokE   N2 A Mistle Thrush visits followed by Hoodies 2022

https://youtu.be/PQrbWsYCti8  N2 Deliveroo! Sarafina sings for her supper 2022

https://youtu.be/5nPIsSw9yfk  N1 A pair of Great Tits visit as the sun rises 2023

https://youtu.be/fBQ3mOSiwuk  N2 A tiny Tit visits the big and empty nest 2023

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Thanks so much for being with us today. Take care. I will be back on Friday.

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff and SK Hideaways’, the owners of the streaming cams listed, my osprey monitor in the Northeast US, and Raptor Persecution UK for its reporting.