Monty and Hartley’s little cuties…Late Wednesday in Bird World

22 April 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

Happy Earth Day!

We had a splendid day in the country today, the warm sun on our faces with a beautiful, gentle breeze. Everyone was appreciating nature!

Toby was completely fascinated by the pig at the petting zoo at Pineridge.

Oh, what a beautiful evening we are having. There is a gentle, warm breeze flowing through the garden. Instead of being in the deep dark at 1630, we have a golden light from the setting sun. The fairy lights are just beginning to show and there are still squirrels and a few birds in the garden. The number of Starlings seems to have diminished significantly – something that needs to be noted in the garden journal.

Don went to the Zoo today with Ann (Tuesday). They walked for over 2.5 hours with a snack squeezed in. Don loves going to the little cafe next to the tundra area where the polar bears live. To their delight, all of the bears were active. One was sleeping by the cafe, another was swimming, and the others were in various areas of the large enclosure. With temperatures reaching 16 C, it is not a surprise that Don was very tired when they returned. I had woke with a head cold so Toby and I spent the day lounging in the garden after a short walk. We tried putting up the supports for the peony plants but, alas, the ground is still frozen! It was a lovely day to recover because we really hope to go to the country tomorrow to feed the chickadees before they disappear into the forest and then to Pineridge for burgers eaten on the picnic tables. This little ritual is another marker of the arrival of spring on the Canadian prairies.

For those following Charlo Montana, Lola has been spotted about two miles from the nest. She appears to be favouring the wing that was injured in the altercation with the owl. She appears to have lost her nest and mate, Charlie, to another female, but she is alive – and isn’t that all that matters?

Peanut was on the Winter Park nest, but I have not seen Brutus return despite being released under the nest. Connor has stated that Peanut is a female – she is huge compared to Brutus. This might well be the reason that she survived his attacks. Females can be determined, even second hatches.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, one of my favourite male ospreys, Aran, lost his nest at Glaslyn. Some wonderful locals are sharing news and images, and he has ‘hooked up’ with another female and has a new nest platform. I am very happy for him. He is a very good dad, although I was rather miffed with him when he was bonded with Mrs G while also keeping Blue 5F Seren on the side. Seren finally figured out what was going on and left the area – she is the mate to Dylan at Lyn Clywedog, and they have raised many to fledge, with a large number of those returning.

How cruel can people be? (If you are wondering, Powys is a county in Wales).

So far it looks like a good day on Wednesday at Achieva.

They ate well on Wednesday. ‘PB’ writes that Jill brought in a huge catfish around her usual time. How wonderful! I hope that this nest has had a great turn around.

Siblings eating side by side. Little with a huge crop. There is a sense of ‘food security’ now that Jack is back bringing several fish a day.

Geemeff is busy putting together her report for Loch Arkaig today. Here is yesterday’s offering:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 21st April 2026

Apart from some distant intruders, it was another reassuringly boring day where not much happened. There were mating encounters, nest scraping, and a few sticks, bits of bark and clumps of moss arriving and occasionally departing on both nests.  Two fish were delivered for Dorcha and one for Aurora 536, Nest One tally now stands at twenty two fish, and Nest Two catching up quickly at eleven. No eggs yet.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/E37u26fbzL0 N2 Louis hands over the fish then does nest prep 14.29.20https://youtu.be/S_MpJqktiiU N1 Flying fish arrives and departs several times 15.23.19https://youtu.be/JAdYmXPjQuw N2 Louis moves loose branches so Dorcha can leave with her fish 20.54.32

Bonus watch: Nest Two being built by intrepid licensed raptor experts Lewis Pate and Justin Grant (by climbing a 70ft tree!):https://youtu.be/xtwK6Yz1YNQ

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:https://youtu.be/DTX8U2NE7Cg  N1 That’s not a fish! Aila attacks Louis 2020
https://youtu.be/zHAY_VCv_qE  N1 RAF Typhoons disturb Aila 2020
https://youtu.be/iem0–gNv-M  N1 Louis sees off a determined Hoodie 2021
https://youtu.be/_aOu-EIRKIE  N2 First egg! Well done Dorcha! 2023
https://youtu.be/o0RwzsSpsvQ  N2 Louis gets his first go at incubating 2023
https://youtu.be/kpUzCIo4Wpc  N2 Hoodie disturbs Dorcha 2023https://youtu.be/S6oy9ymBRzM  N2 Gunshots at midnight startle Dorcha 2024
https://youtu.be/DJxMmArqkFI  N1 Garry LV0 brings fish 2024
https://youtu.be/JGy17RT7faA  N1 A dapper ‘Lord Hood’ arrives and poses for the camera 2024 (zoom)https://youtu.be/5BJ6Ow6l8f8 N2 Louis brings an early breakfast 2025

https://youtu.be/YzkWDfUjGHk N1 Luncheon fish for Blue 536 from Garry LV0 2025

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

Ah….Geemeff beat me…we got both days reports. How wonderful.

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 22nd April 2026

Another mainly uneventful day, just the odd distant interaction getting rid of a few bothersome corvids but not so many fish – Garry LV0 and Louis each delivered one fish, however, Louis’ was tiny, and Garry’s ultimately got lost! Aurora had difficulty grasping the big fish and flew off without it, circled back but Garry had picked it up again and started to fly off with it but dropped it as he left! He flew backwards and forwards looking for it but some forest floor dweller is going to luck out with a nice free meal. Garry’s total now stands at 23 while Louis’ moves up to ten, twelve total for the nest including Dorcha’s two deliveries. Just before midnight, Dorcha returned to the nest and is still perched there as this report is filed at half past midnight.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/ZvVDSATGOmg N2 Finally! A fish for Dorcha but it’s tiny 14.19.09

https://youtu.be/zugSnnD-a5I N1 Comedy of errors ans Garry LV0 brings and loses a fish 16.06.11

Bonus retail therapy – buy a jigsaw of artist Lee Scammacca’s beautiful painting of Louis & Dorcha:

https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/woodland-trust-loch-arkaig-osprey-jigsaw

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/uPIkehlZIXw  N1 Aila gives chase 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/-YjzEre5Ex8  N2 Midnight owl strike 2022 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/olQdCvN9Vj4  N2 Another owl strike an hour after the first 2022 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/odF55TOSvUY N2 Louis chases an intruder osprey off the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/iOH80Okm7ZY N2 Yet another intruder Osprey on the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/uOeWEzk6yos  N2 Cheeky Hoodie intrudes on Louis 2023

https://youtu.be/iVpqJIxEVCE N2 Golden Eagle scares Louis and touches down on Nest Two 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/nQJirIJiue4 N1 Garry stops coy-mantling, unsuccessfully attempts mating with Affric 2024

https://youtu.be/bVMPL7NSoN4  N1 Ill-tempered mating encounter between Affric & Prince 2024 

https://youtu.be/dXwt2HSZ1fk  N2 A fish supper arrives during a colourful sunset 2024

https://youtu.be/F-c8ExCby2Y N2 Egg number three! Congratulations Dorcha! 2025

https://youtu.be/zG281Jn64sg N2 Louis gets a good look and takes over egg duty 2025

https://youtu.be/ikIcnpBI7Kg N2 Intruder Osprey buzzes Dorcha 2025

https://youtu.be/2uVh32TZTaE N1 Blue 536 grabs the fish and leaves Garry LV0 to tidy up 2025

The two surviving ospreys at Moorings Park are looking good to me.

We have a second egg at Usk Valley today in Wales.

News from Glaslyn: “Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife – Glaslyn Ospreys.

rpsnodSeto95h0lf9aacc7cc5877g0hthahaa6l6131lmt0hc9l5t5c62h49 ·

Er na allen ni weld y wyau’n glir yn nyth Cyfeillion y Gweilch Pont Croesor, o’i hymddygiad roedden ni’n eitha’ siŵr fod Glas 014 wedi dodwy ei hail wy am 14:40 pnawn ddoe.

Yn y cyfamser, ar nyth Glaslyn, mi ddodwyodd Elen ei hail wy am 19:24 neithiwr.

Disgwyliem i’r ddwy iâr ddodwy eu trydydd wy ar ddydd Gwener, ond pwy fydd y cyntaf i ddodwy?

************

Although we were unable to get a clear view of the eggs in the Friends of the Ospreys Pont Croesor nest to confirm, from her behaviour we are pretty certain that Blue 014 laid her second egg at 14:40 yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile at the Glaslyn nest Elen laid her second egg at 19:24 yesterday evening.

We expect to see both females laying their third eggs on Friday, but who will be the first to lay?”

What a beautiful sight – the quadruplets of Monty and Hartley having a meal.

I am afraid that is it for me today. It was beautiful and warm and I am super tired but smiling. Take care all. Thursday is pajama day here – I will be back with you on Friday then.

Thank you to Geemeff for their great reporting, to ‘PB’ for keeping me informed on all things Achieva, to everyone who posted information on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to look into the world of our favourite bird families. Thank you also to Raptor Persecution UK for their great investigative reporting. Check them out. I only cover a part of the stories.