11 October 2026
Greetings Everyone,
Wow. It was sunny and 24 C yesterday. People were out in shorts and T-shirts, working in their gardens, playing with their children at the park, or walking their pups. It was incredible for mid-October. Today, we woke up to 5 C, icy grey skies, a cool wind, and drizzle. Cold-to-the-bone weather. Toby and I bundled up and did our loop to the park, around the park, and home again. It was so nice to be out of the cold wind.
In the garden, the Crows and Blue Jays were the first to arrive for their morning peanuts and seed.
This is an ‘odd-looking’ image of Junior. He is flicking out the peanuts from the feeder that don’t meet his specifications! Amazing how many failed, but the squirrels picked up. The Jays and Crows weigh the peanuts and will only take the heavy ones (meaning good).
Now there are only two grey squirrels. I have, sadly, not seen Dyson since the middle of the summer, and I know that two of her kits were hit by cars on the street. Oh, it makes me so mad that people have to drive like they are in a Formula 1 race down a street where children play, and squirrels run across the road because the City cut down their trees. (They could have vaccinated the trees – after much consultation, I know my neighbours would have joined together to make certain the more than 100-year-old trees survived!). There are still two Red Squirrels. So the count is: 7 Blue Jays, 3 Crows, 2 Red and 2 Grey Squirrels, 1 raccoon, and several hundred songbirds. Not bad. I wonder when the deer will start visiting the feeders?
One of Dyson’s kits. Their mother was precious, and she was at least nine years old. That is ‘super elderly’ for a grey squirrel living in an urban environment. We adored her, and I miss her just like everyone on my street misses dear Brock.
Tomorrow is SK Hideaway’s birthday – give a big shout-out. I don’t often know birthdays, but besides tomorrow being their special day, it is also Thanksgiving in Canada – and I can tell you that I am more than grateful for their thoughtful videos and the list I receive to post for you.
SK Hideaways Videos Week of 4 October 2026
367 Collins Street Falcons ~ Melbourne, Australia ~ F24 & M24, eggs laid 23, 25, 28, 30 August
Courtesy Victorian Peregrine Project | Melbourne
South Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibsohQ14cY
North Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNKk0ivuWe4
Chicks Scatter in the Heat ~ Sadly One Sweet Chick Succumbs (2026 Oct 10)
The four chicks are 8, 7, and 5 days old today. Peregrine falcon chicks begin regulating their own temperature at 10 to 14 days, so even in today’s moderate temperature ~ around 20°C (66°F) in Melbourne ~ the little ones felt the heat. First one chick escaped to the gutter (a first at this age) and before long, the other 3 were scattered around the nest. A frantic F24 was racing to and fro in her attempt to shade all of them. Happily, the entire nest was in the building’s shade by just after 13:00, but tragically not before one of the little angels succumbed to the sun exposure. As we wish that little one peace, we embrace the three healthy chicks that remain. F24 and M24 are excellent parents, and I wish them continued success raising their offspring with the skill and proficiency we’ve seen from them in past years.
Video: https://youtu.be/bLMyQZJEjEU
CHICK RIDES MUM’S FOOT TO LEDGE ~ A 150-Second Adventure (2026 Oct 7)
When dad M24 brought the second pigeon in two hours time, mum F24 immediately took it to the pantry. But with four floofs under her, one got caught up in her foot and was inadvertently pulled out towards the ledge. The little one pined for its warm, cozy floof pile till mum returned and quickly pulled him/her back into the fold. She’s amazing.
Video: https://youtu.be/ae1Y7eVKCsE
Chick #4 Joins the Party! Congrats On a Full House, F24 & M24 (2026 Oct 5)
F24 and M24 have this breeding thing down to an art. Four successful hatches over 4 days. Looking forward to seeing the abundance of fabulous falcon fluff transform into beautiful juveniles over the nest 6 weeks or so.
Video: https://youtu.be/hov8CNFqyjU
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Shadow (12 years), Jackie (dec. 10 August 2026), KD-1 (Kaydee 4, years), Sandy, and Luna (last seen on camera 23 July 2023)
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
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’s Flirty Nesting Hour as Her Black Spots Get Smudgy (2026 Oct 9)
When Kaydee arrived at the nest this evening, she had zero interest in shuffling sticks or aerating mulch. That is until the moment she saw Shadow approaching. Then she became very animated and interested in sprucing up the nest. There was a fair amount of beaking and bumping before the flirt fest culminated in Kaydee giving Shadow’s tail a little nibble. Also interesting to watch Kaydee’s dark markings changing over time. Feeling very lucky to have a ringside seat to this fascinating story.
Video: https://youtu.be/75hb03ScWCE
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
Livestream and chat: https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html)
Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw4pdgy3-U0
Eaglets Join Lady & Dad’s Morning Duet ~ Perplexed by Piggyback Ride Finale (2026 Oct 6)
Lady and Dad perform a duet most mornings and occasionally later in the day as well. SE38 decided to sing along this morning with SE37 on harmony. The parents sometimes get a little frisky at the end of their duets, which left the eaglets wondering. A little later, cam ops gifted us with some lovely close-ups of the eaglets.
Video: https://youtu.be/wC77KKiBo8M
Two Harbors Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Cholyn & Chase (28 years old; mated pair for 23 years)
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI
Chillin’ with Cholyn ~ 28 Years Young & More Beautiful than Ever (2026 Oct 4)
A dazzling Two Harbors sunrise prefaces this stunning view of Cholyn taking in her habitat. She chortles at something that catches her eye, then departs to take care of eagle business. At day’s end, Cholyn and Chase serenade us as a glorious sunset ends their day. Breathtaking.
Video: https://youtu.be/Z1oKVXKMgJg
I know that there are Bald Eagle nests that get much attention, but surely at 28 years old, we should be paying more attention to Cholyn and Chase!!!!!
Will today be hatch day at Orange?
Lots of food coming to the ledge at 367 Collins Street! Send them your best wishes…they tried so hard and those poor babies scattered due to the heat.
A lot of people are wondering what will happen to the dead chick. There are two possible scenarios. A parent will remove it from the nest, or they will feed it to the siblings.
At the Olympic Park WBSE nest, Mum flew in with an eel and more prey later in the day. SE38 had first chance at the eel. Things are fine on the nest as the number of visitors to the area decreases as the weekend ends.
It looks like it will be an ‘Only’ osplet at Thistle Island in South Australia and that is fine – better one healthy chick than three hungry babies!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to have you with us again soon – which will probably be Tuesday as tomorrow is Thanksgiving and Toby and I will be spending it at the hospital.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great video playlist, to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams or those who take photos of our bird families; we are eternally grateful.
