Collins kids get out of the heat…Saturday in Bird World

17 October 2026

Hello Everyone,

You are so kind! I am so sorry I made many of you worry when I didn’t post my newsletter for a couple of days. I have actually been unwell. The damp cold that arrived impacted the arthritis in my left knee – that, coupled with a kidney infection, left me feeling not too energetic. I was so grateful that Don’s cousin stepped up to help with hospital visits and, of course, Ann. What would I do without her? Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in and by Monday I should be feeling good again.

The last time I checked we were waiting for pip at Orange. Will there be any little falcons for Gimbir and Diamond this year? I am beginning to wonder about that.

A nice article appeared on the chat and I will share it with you. It is about eggs not hatching and the reasons.

https://hawkandowltrust.org/initiatives/articles/why-peregrine-falcons-lay-eggs-and-why-one-sometimes-fails-to-hatch

The dates of the eggs – at this point, we are hoping that egg 3 is viable. Diamond has always had one of her three eggs hatch, but this could be the first year that this doesn’t happen.

Egg no. 3 was laid at 1251 on, 10th Sept. after a gap of 61.5 hours
Egg no. 2 was laid at 2324 h on 7th September (gap 64 hours)
Egg no. 1 was laid at 0725 h on 5th September.

The trio at 367 Collins Street are doing well, but they are struggling with the intense heat. Feedings and prey deliveries are good. The tiny one is very good at getting in front and jumping – even grabbing prey out of the female’s beak. What a strong character! Always a good sign for survival in that urban environment.

It is especially hot. You can see the female trying to cool the eyases. They are big enough to move into the shade as it spreads, thank goodness.

SK Hideaways caught the kids getting too hot and leaving the sunny spot for the shade! Smart kids. https://youtu.be/B44NDD_DWmY?

Many are keeping a close eye on M15 and his new mate. It appears that they will build their nest on a cell tower about a mile away from the old nest tree. Personally, the ‘eagles know best,’ and many old trees are succumbing to the winds and storms that hit that area of Florida. There are boots on the ground, and they will most certainly be posting pictures for all of us, for which we must be very grateful.

The camera is sometimes aimed at the cell tower.

The sea eaglets have their juvenile plumage, and it is only a matter of time before they fledge. It always makes me anxious, and many of you, as we hope they survive the onslaught of the Pied Currawong. Lady likes to feed her fledglings in the nest tree, so we can only hope for a good result this year.

In California, SK Hideaways keeps up with Chase and Cholyn. https://youtu.be/OY4qh5hiUVM?

Fish dinner at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau.

A little sparrow sits on the railing of Big Red and Arthur’s nest on the Cornell Campus.

On the Cornell Campus, Karel and Bogetta posted a video on YouTube of P1 hunting! For years, Big Red and Arthur’s fledglings dispersed in August, but P1 is still in the territory hunting and showing her good genetics. Take a look: https://youtu.be/w8RymHd0GqU?

We are a week away from the release date for the Condors at Big Sur! Here is the information:

From the DirectorOctober 15, 2026 Dear Mary, Nine Days Until the Doors OpenIn just 9 days – the release pen doors at the San Simeon Sanctuary will slide open at 10:00AM(PT) on Saturday, October 24. Our October Condor Chat & Release livestream starts at 9:00AM(PT). Join us on Zoom or on our YouTube channel. As a subscriber, you’ll get the Zoom link in your inbox Saturday morning, with nothing to sign up for.Five Rookies, Five PersonalitiesOur interns matched each name to a bird based on the personality they observed in the flight pen.Chert (1331): Named for a rock that is incredibly hard and fractures into sharp edges. He sets boundaries quickly and refuses to give up his spot at the top of the pecking order.Pumice (1332): Porous, lightweight, and a geological oddity, just like him. He takes a keen interest in the condors outside the pen and prefers to keep to himself.Obsidian (1333): A very friendly bird who knows how to stick up for herself when the time comes.Serpentine (1339): Streaked with unexpected colors, like her personality, which keeps revealing new layers.Marble (1345): Everyone’s favorite pen mate. He is never perched alone and is often found playing with another bird.The young condors arrived at San Simeon on September 2, traveling up to 976 miles from the Oregon Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, and The Peregrine Fund in Boise, Idaho. Our thanks to all three for raising these birds. They settled in quickly, and wild condor Thunderchief (758) dropped by for a visit soon after they arrived.Have you made your prediction yet? Which rookie will leave the pen first, and at what time? Or will they hold out on us? Vote in our release day survey before voting closes at 9:00AM (PT) on October 24 for a chance to win a condor swag package. We’ll announce the winner live.Get readyWatch the condors anytime on the San Simeon Condor Cam.Read each bird’s story on our Condor Bios page.Watch for your Zoom link Saturday morning, or tune in on YouTube, and see who takes the first step out.Make Your PredictionSee you Saturday, October 24!With gratitude, Kelly Sorenson Executive Director

‘J’ sends us a good news story from New Zealand:

Dunedin Wildlife Hospital

Against the odds – a tūī beats severe lead poisoning

When this female tūī arrived at Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, she was in serious trouble. She was profoundly weak, showing neurological signs and suffering repeated seizures.

For a while, she was touch and go. Our veterinary team managed to control the seizures and stabilise her, but blood testing revealed the likely cause: lead poisoning.

Her blood lead concentration was one of the highest we have encountered. At levels this high, the prognosis is guarded – particularly when neurological signs are already present, as damage to the nervous system may be permanent.

We started chelation therapy to help remove the lead from her body and hoped for the best.

And this sassy wee girl had other ideas.

Over approximately four weeks in hospital, she underwent three rounds of chelation treatment. Slowly but surely, her neurological signs resolved and her strength returned.

In fact, once she started feeling better, she made sure we knew about it! Our increasingly cheeky patient became an expert at slipping past the team when her enclosure was opened, leading to more than one unscheduled flight around the ward while we attempted to persuade her to return. Safe to say, the sass was well and truly back.

We were eventually able to confirm that her blood lead had come down to a safe level, and she has now been discharged from hospital and transferred to the aviaries at Dunedin Botanic Garden. There she’ll spend some time rebuilding her flight strength – although judging by her hospital escape attempts, she’s already made a pretty good start! – before her eventual release back into the wild.

An incredible outcome for a bird who was so critically ill on arrival.

But her story also highlights a largely unseen threat to our native wildlife.

Lead is a highly toxic heavy metal that can affect the brain and nervous system as well as multiple other organs. Many New Zealanders may be familiar with lead poisoning in kea, which can ingest lead from older building materials such as lead-headed roofing nails and flashing. Other potential sources in the environment include old lead-based paint and ammunition.

Tūī appear to be vulnerable too.

Lead poisoning in tūī was first identified as an issue in Wellington many years ago, with contaminated roof and gutter water investigated as a potential source of exposure. Rainwater running over older roofing materials can pick up lead contamination before collecting in gutters or other places where birds may drink.

You can read more about the Wellington findings here:

https://www.nzgeo.com/…/gutter-water-likely-giving-tui…

What can you do?

If you have an older home or building, be aware of potential sources of lead – particularly lead-headed roofing nails, lead flashing and old lead-based paint. Avoid providing wildlife with drinking water collected from potentially contaminated roofs or gutters, and consider replacing lead-containing materials when undertaking renovations.

This little tūī was one of the lucky ones. From seizures and a very guarded prognosis to cheekily flying laps of our hospital ward, she has made a remarkable recovery.

Liberty and Guardian have been visiting their nest in Redding.

The LA Times has posted another tribute to Jackie. https://youtu.be/4TBIvsde1pw?

Thank you so much for being with us today. I will be back at the beginning of the week, but for now, I am going to rest and get well. Donald remains in the hospital. The PT and OT have finished their assessment, and he will always need aids to walk, but it is not clear whether it is a walker or a wheelchair. Lewy Body Dementia is a horrid disease that causes so many complications that ‘normal’ people don’t have, making it hard to adapt to using these devices and going home. So, I wait. I am so fortunate to have a good support network.

Thank you to Karel and Bogette and to SK Hideaways for their videos, to all those who post information and images on FB, and to the Ventana Wildlife Society for caring so much for the California Condors. To the owners of the streaming cams where I took my screen captures, I am always grateful to you for allowing us into the lives of these beautiful creatures.