The Sad and the Glad…Sunday in Bird World

20 September 2026

Good Morning Everyone,

My days are the type of routine that underline there is a change but that life goes on, just day by day, not knowing what will happen. Toby and I get up and feed the birds. By the time Toby and Hugo Yugo settle on the old sofa and the cat tree in the conservatory, the Blue Jays are flying in, little squirrels are running along the power lines to then jump into the lilacs and find nuts, while the songbirds begin landing on the leafless limbs of some of the trees. This is the scene we watch every morning while I sip my coffee.

It has always been this way, with the exception that Don was sitting at the table drinking his tea and trying to count the Blue Jays and squirrels or me. His seat is now empty, and I do not know if he will ever join us again.

It is difficult. But more about that another day.

This blog was meant to be about ‘good things’, but ospreys in South Australia are abandoning their eggs, as they have in the NE United States and Eastern Canada (NS, in particular). Today, Mum finally stopped incubating the eggs on the barge at Port Lincoln because of a lack of fish. We also saw the issues related to the lack of food at the Osprey Environmental Centre. This is, sadly, widespread. Fran Solly tells us that Ervie and Giliath are having to travel farther and farther to find fish.

We are witnessing what warming waters, droughts, and overfishing are doing to our feathered friends that depend on the fish. Red Algae blooms are in the area of Port Lincoln, causing havoc.

SK Hideaways Videos, Week of 13 September 2026

367 Collins Street Falcons ~ Melbourne ~ F24 & M24
Courtesy Victorian Peregrine Project
South Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibsohQ14cY
North Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNKk0ivuWe4

F24 & M24 Flawless Changeover ~ Bonus: M24’s Laps Round 367 ~ 2026 Sep 16

367 Collins St. Falcons ~ F24 (female) and M24 (male)

F24 and M24 have incubation changeovers down to an art. She is doing the bulk of the incubation and he is doing the bulk of the hunting. After a short incubation stint this morning, we saw M24 doing laps around the building, presumably hunting. Did someone say the fastest animal on earth? Whoosh!
Video: https://youtu.be/jwJhbaxKMa4
FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna

Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley | California

Nest Cam:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Wide View Cam (Cam 2):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4
Live Recap & Observations:  https://bit.ly/4wGjwVg

Shadow & Kaydee Greet the Dawn ~ 2026 Sep 19

A stunning sunrise and symphony of chortle-snortles began a lovely day for Shdow and Kaydee. We were lucky enough to watch it all unfold.

Video: https://youtu.be/TFzVMkpgE5M

Shadow & Kaydee’s Eventful Morning ~ Fish Sharing Not Happening ~ 2026 Sep 16
Shadow and Kaydee spent another night together on the roost tree ~ Kaydee cozying up a bit at dawn before departing. They went their own ways for a couple hours, then Shadow brought a fish to the nest with Kaydee in hot pursuit. She didn’t have a chance to try to share as Shadow made it crystal clear that this was *his* fish and *his* fish alone. Kaydee remained on the front perch till Shadow gulped down the fish tail. She then cautiously entered the nest, where she and Shadow spent a short time together. Kaydee nipped Shadow’s tail and there was some beaking, but Shadow seemed to want to be on his own today. He departed, while Kaydee remained on the nest for another two hours. Another day, another adventure. 
Video: https://youtu.be/bvJyHjfo0VA

KAYDEE’S FIRST STICK! She Showers Shadow in Beakies & Nibbles ~ 2026 Sep 12

Kaydee brought the first stick of the season to the nest. When Shadow arrived she seemed excited about her accomplishment and nibbled his beak, then his feathers, which he accepted. It was quite a change in dynamics from the previous day. 
Video: https://youtu.be/ZA4JA6tfchQ

 Sydney WB Sea Eagles ~ Australia ~ Lady, Dad, SE37 (hatched 13 August), and SE38 (hatched 14 August)Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park (https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html)
Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw4pdgy3-U0

Lady is Perfect Sun MUMBRELLA for SE37 & SE38 ~ 2026 Sep 14

 Lady deemed it necessary to shade her seaglets, spreading her gorgeous wings over them to do so. SE37 and SE38 were of two minds about it: while the shade was nice, it was pretty toasty under all those beautiful feathers. Also included is some close-up footage of SE38’s glorious crop.

Video: https://youtu.be/up0XxUSNUCQ

SE38’s Happy Eel Meal Deal ~ Leaves Wee One with HUGE Crop ~ 2026 Sep 12

When SE38 steps up for a good meal, there’s a collective cheer throughout the fan base. This was one of those days. Lady and Dad have brought a few eels to the nest, providing great nutrition for the seaglets. SE37 eats first, then SE38 sometimes, but not always, steps up to eat. This was one of those days in which SE38 ate very well. It was a joy to behold.
Video: https://youtu.be/qMUP6PbcjO

Updates from Window to Wildlife updates including Connie and Clive:

https://youtu.be/DjOMrgXe_Lk?si=TZo-CAmQyMMJ8U1a

And all the way from Berlin, our happy moment for today – a story about Black Robins. Thanks, ‘J’.

Thank you for being with us today. It appears that our dear Iris has now left the Hellgate Canyon are on her migration. This is one of the last, if not the last, image of her on the baseball lights. We will wait anxiously til April for her and Clarke to return.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos covering so many nests this week. Please check them out! And to everyone who posted on FB, to ‘J’ for the story of the Black Robin, and to Windows to Wildlife for their update – and all streaming cam owners – we thank you, too.

I am exhausted. Changes to the house continue in case Donald is ever able to come home. If not, they will be there for me or someone else. With the lack of ospreys in Australia, the news is very thin as we wait for hatch at Collins Street and Orange. Please continue to watch the WBSE – they are adorable and growing so fast. How will changes to the water impact these eagles who also depend on fish amongst other prey?