22 January 2026
Good Morning Everyone,
As predicted, we woke to -34 C Thursday morning. It was SO COLD that when Toby set his paw on the deck, he cried and ran into the house. The general rule is: if it is too cold for humans, it is too cold for pets to be outside. No walk with Ellen today – we will find something else to do inside to work those muscles! Maybe it is a good day to vacuum – Don pushes and Toby chases. Great for both.
Today is a very special day. For 21 years, my son has the first class he teaches at the SGU medical school say ‘Hello Mom’. It happens in a few minutes and always brings tears. It is difficult living so far away from your children. I am glad that Jaine and her family are close. For years, I travelled with my son (since he was 18 and our first trip to India) and later him, his wife, and Don. Unbelievable times in Asia – great memories.
Again, thank you so much for your kind wishes for Brock. He is much loved and has been coming regularly to the heated feeder. He has already arrived on Thursday morning. Brock has to have a warm place to hunker down, or he’ll freeze. Gosh, I am glad, but I wish I knew where it was!
Before we move on, let us consider some numbers. Fifty-one (51) days til the middle of March, when we should begin to look for Big Red and Arthur to think about eggs, UK Ospreys will be arriving, and if we add another fortnight to that, Iris might be back, but for sure, by 8 April – her day of choice. I miss the ospreys. The lack of chicks at Port Lincoln left a big hole.
Hard to believe but an osprey has already been spotted in Scotland this past week and a visiting falcon to the scrape at University of Montreal in the snow!
The Royal Cam chick has been returned to the nest and Dad is there to greet the little one. https://youtu.be/pPuUIdzt8ss?
Locally, Wildlife Haven has been busy. Lumi, the lynx, has been flown to Guelph, Ontario for an MRI. Lumi is improving and will return to the Assiniboine Park Zoo, a partner with Wildlife Haven, soon. There is also a new raptor ambassador.
| Introducing Our Newest Ambassador |
| We’re thrilled to introduce the newest member of the Wildlife Haven family—a young Swainson’s Hawk named Harriet. |
 Harriet arrived at Wildlife Haven as an orphaned nestling in August of 2025. She was very young, and it was unusual for a Swainson’s Hawk to be at this stage so late in the year, as she would normally need to prepare for fall migration.In addition to being orphaned, Harriet needed medical care for a serious eye injury; a retinal detachment. She responded wonderfully to treatment and thrived under the care of our hospital team. With the expertise of the Wildlife Haven hospital staff and Dr. Sherri, Harriet’s retinal detachment fully healed. Although her physical recovery was excellent, Harriet was too young to complete migration. Swainson’s Hawks must successfully complete their first migration to properly imprint, as this initial journey provides a foundational map for all future migrations. Without this experience, Harriet’s chances of survival in the wild would have been unlikely. After careful consideration, it was determined that she would be an excellent candidate for our ambassador team. In September, Harriet moved to our ambassador wing, where she started training and learning important skills, including stepping up onto the glove. She continues her training in preparation for active participation in our Education Program, where she will have the opportunity to visit schools, attend community events, and help inspire people of all ages to care about and protect wildlife. |
 Harriet when she arrived at Wildlife Haven in August.  Amy, our Education Program Manager, training Harriet to step up on the glove. |
| Ambassador animals play a vital role in conservation by connecting the public with nature and encouraging action to protect wild animals. Thanks to the incredible care Harriet has received, and the ongoing support of our community, she now has the chance to live a long, enriching, and meaningful life while educating Manitobans about wildlife. Welcome to the team, Harriet! |
Some good news is coming from the Winnipeg City Council. You might recall that there was a move to revoke the requirement for bird-friendly windows – well, that motion lost! Birds and wildlife lovers won against the bureaucracy. Remember. The movement to stop the City Councillors from changing this bylaw began with only a few people and grew and grew until the Council had to back down. Anything is possible when people join together for the greater good.
A great review of the 2025 osprey breeding season in Iowa! “Young osprey numbers hit a record high in Iowa, while peregrine falcons hold steady
https://www.iowapublicradio.org/environment/2026-01-19/ospreys-peregrine-falcons-birds-iowa-dnr-2025
According to new DNR reports, raptor surveyors and volunteers documented 58 osprey fledglings and 28 peregrine falcon fledglings in 2025. The positive numbers stem from years-long restoration efforts in Iowa.”
SK Hideaways caught the new couple mating for the first time in the West End nest area of the Channel Islands. https://youtu.be/Z1z28PuQFTs?
For the first time, Friends of Osprey South Australia have produced a very detailed report for the 2025 breeding season.
Heading to Poole Harbour? I sure hope I might make it and it is good to know what events are in store for the summer —- mine will be seeing CJ7 and/or Blue 022!
https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk
At Kisatchie E1, there are now two eaglets, E04 and E05.
There has been quite a bit of rivalry at the Winter Park Florida Bald Eagle nest amongst the chicks due to a lack of food.
Wow. Look at that NE Florida Bald Eagle cam! Can you find the eaglets?
Thank you so much for being with us today. We are going to try to stay warm. Please take care. We will see you again on Monday.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams for letting us keep an eye on our favourite raptor families. I am very grateful to the authors of the FB posts included above, who give us great information and images. Thank you to Fran Solly and the Friends of Osprey Sth Aus for undertaking that great 2025 survey!
