Migration continues…Late Tuesday in Bird World

20 October 2026

Greetings Everyone,

It is an unbelievable 19 degrees C in Winnipeg! I joked with one of the nurses today at the hospital that we might never have winter. Geese eat beautiful green grass along the rivers that cross our City, and geese and gulls gather on the soccer fields and cricket pitches. It feels very late for them and, in the garden, the little Juncos dance around the deck in search of the tiny millet seeds. The bonus is getting to see these lovely creatures for longer — and I don’t have a heating bill yet.

Jean-Marie Dupart had a motorcycle accident and has recovered enough to check on the places where UK and European ospreys overwinter. This man will not be kept in bed recovering!!!!!! Here are his latest reports.

An osprey flying with a fish in its talons against a cloudy sky.
An osprey perched on a stick on a sandy beach, with the ocean and blurred background in the distance.

Tracking information reveals where some Polish ospreys stay for the winter:

Map showing the migration path of P. haliaetus (Fisher's Eagle) for autumn 2026, detailing distances and geographic locations across Europe and North Africa.
A post discussing the journey of a male fisherman bird, detailing its safe arrival at wintering grounds in the Gulf of Guinea after 43 days, covering 5700 km, including crossing the Sahara.

This is the latest migration count from Hawk Mountain in PA, USA. Clearly higher numbers thanks to those Broad-winged Hawks:

Table displaying bird species counts, including weekly total, season total, and 10-year average for each species.

The Raptor Resource Project (RRP) is keeping an eye on the streaming cams that they share with Explore.org:

Social media post from the Raptor Resource Project discussing recent eagle nesting activities in Decorah, Iowa, including stick deliveries and feeding.
Two adult bald eagles in their nest, surrounded by tree branches, with a scenic river and landscape in the background.

Remembrance posts are going up on the Orange, Australia Peregrine Falcons FB about the eggs not hatching this season. Check out what is happening. Everyone is contributing, it seems!

A peregrine falcon named Marri, recently hatched, is seen in a nest with eggs and a small chick, surrounded by pebbles in a nesting environment.

The season recap for the Carey Garden, Birds of Poole Harbour Ospreys CJ7 and Blue 022 is now on YouTube. You can access it here: https://youtu.be/XnhGUXc2c1M?

A bird's nest with several eggs, showing a bird's legs and feet with identification bands. Text overlay lists hatching dates for the eggs in May 2026.

The four fledged successfully for another great year for this incredible osprey couple.

At the WBSE nest in Olympic Park, Sydney, Australia, SE37 and 38 could fledge at any time. We wish them luck keeping the Currawongs at bay so Dad and Lady can feed them and they can learn to fly strong and care for themselves.

Two young birds sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by greenery.

The poor chicks in Melbourne are really struggling with the heat. SK Hideaways catches the first one racing down the gutter to get to the shade! https://youtu.be/Ye-lNAK02uc?

A close-up view of a concrete wall with visible seams and markings, featuring a ledge with debris and a bird sitting on it.

The current view of the north end with no chicks at the south – one has hopped up so you can’t see them.

Peregrine falcon perched on a ledge with two chicks on a high-rise building, showing a cityscape in the background.

Thank you so much for your e-mails. I really appreciate the kindness and support that you have shown to me. Tomorrow, at 1300, I will meet with Don’s medical team at the hospital to discuss next steps. Those who have gone through caring for someone with Lewy Body Dementia will recognise that it is not an easy task. You have the hallucinations of LBD plus the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s. The latter was triggered by an incorrect antipsychotic being given in the emergency room. His physical symptoms change; he will have a wonderfully alert day, and then he will be agitated, unable to sleep, and will be given a sedative. He cannot walk. This is, of course, not the individual who entered the hospital on 27 August, but our new reality.

Please take care of yourself and your loved ones. If anyone is showing signs of Alzheimer’s or Dementia, I implore you to get them professionally assessed. There are treatments to help mitigate the worst for them and for their caregivers. It is wrong to assume that someone who is forgetful has either of these diseases, but it would also be wrong not to have those symptoms checked.

I will be back with you at the end of the week. Keep your eyes on the WBSE – we could have a fledge or two before then!

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video, Hawk Mountain, UKOsprey Information, Jean-Marie Dupurt, and all those tracking the migrating ospreys. I am grateful to everyone creating year-end reports for the 2026 season and to those beginning to report and track the Bald Eagles. To the owners of the streaming cams, we are grateful to watch the victories and struggles of our bird families.

Published by maryannsteggles

I went to the UK as a Commonwealth Scholar in 1990 and received my PhD from the University of Leicester in 1993. After three decades of university teaching, I retired to devote my time to the study of raptor behaviour. I am particularly interested in Ospreys and am working on a long term project on third hatch survival and siblicide in these raptors. My blog is a result of a fascination with my local wildlife and the desire to encourage others to love and care for birds! I live on the Canadian Prairies and prior to the pandemic travelled a lot. I am questioning the use of aviation fuel at the moment as we all strive to help our planet. My early research was in politics and art including British public statues exported to Southeast Asia and Vietnam Resistors that contributed much to Canadian ceramics. Books and articles were published on those subjects over a period of 3 decades. Now I am working on books for children so they can learn about the challenges our raptors face.

2 Comments

  1. Linda says:
    11 thAmerica/Winnipeg-05:0031America/Winnipeg10bAmerica/WinnipegTue, 20 Oct 2026 19:29:27 -0500 2021 at 19:29

    Thank you Mary Ann for these updates. Pictures, links and info. Prayers for Mr Don. You take care Mary Ann and see you soon here!

    Good luck to the sea eaglets. ❤️❤️

    Hugs, Linda

    Reply
  2. Michael Sammut says:
    11 stAmerica/Winnipeg-05:0031America/Winnipeg10bAmerica/WinnipegWed, 21 Oct 2026 00:03:04 -0500 2021 at 00:03

    Very interesting information. Thanks for sharing Maryann.

    Reply

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