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.
It is a gorgeous morning at Loch of the Lowes. Blue NCO arrived home yesterday to a nest she had shared with her late mate Laddie LM12. Last year she disappeared after two weeks and many feared the worst when she could not establish a mate and hang on to control of the nest. Only time will tell what will happen this year.
She is beautiful and seems in very good health. She landed a large fish – something she is known for – on the nest at dawn.
Geemeff has a video with her landing on the nest with that nice fish – cheeping. Oh, I hope she gets a good mate this year! https://youtu.be/9dx9wYteNxI?
The official word from the Scottish Wildlife Trust on Blue NCOs arrival yesterday:
There are now three little eaglets at the new Dale Hollow Bald Eagle nest in Tennessee.
I do not have and have not asked for permission to use photos of the nest but check it out. Lots of large fish on that nest Thursday morning.
We are in the egg laying zone at Big Red and Arthur’s RTH nest on the Cornell Campus in Ithaca, New York.
As the Kakapo struggle to recover, there are new hatches with some sad and sudden deaths o the 4 year olds hatched during the last breeding season. (They only breed every four years).
I asked about Jack and how well he might be taking care of Jill at the Achieva nest. ‘MP’ sent a photo of a delivery and news. “Here’s the picture of her with the first fish at 9:00 AM CT. The only other fish I saw today was a less than half a fish. He did take over incubation twice, and she was gone only once time enough to have hunted a fish and eaten it. “
That’s it for me today! It is pajama day – a day when I worked hard the day before to do nothing today but walk Toby! Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to ‘MP’ for the image of Jack and the news from Achieva, to Geemeff for the video of Blue NCO and her gigantic fish. To all those who post on FB or own streaming cams and share the lives of the birds with us, thank you. We at Bird World are grateful.
The first ‘star’ of the UK streaming cams (I am not counting Blue 25) to arrive home is Blue NC0 at Loch of the Lowes. She lost her partner, Laddie LM12, and lost her nest last year. Indeed, not a chick hatched; it was such a muddle at LOTL. Let’s hope Blue NC0 will have a mate and keep that nest!
We are in the midst of an unexpected blizzard, while thousands of miles to our southeast, it is green, and geese are enjoying the grass on a golf course. Thank you, ‘L’, for letting me share this lovely image of spring! We love our geese, but there is no place for them here, and yet, many arrived several weeks ago! The ponds have frozen, but there remains some open water in the two rivers that wind their way through our City. It is supposed to warm up beginning tomorrow, but I will believe it when I see it. We were not expecting this much snow today!
It doesn’t look like much, but the snow is blowing and accumulating so quickly! The lad who shovels or us thought snow was finished – he is going to get a real surprise! It is more than 30 cm deep on the walkway he cleared a few days ago, and is within 45 cm of covering the large bird table feeder. Unbelievable.
Toby loves it. He bounces through the snow if there is even a whiff of a ‘cat’ in the garden. My plan is to have a tall wooden fence built to match the one constructed a few years ago. I had not planned to put a fence on that part of the property, but the theft of dogs in our City has become quite troubling. Of course, ‘the cats’ – distinguished from ‘The Girls’ – come in from that back corner, so it is important to close it in. Toby loves his sisters, ‘The Girls’. He plays with them, but those that make their way into his outdoor territory will be ousted unless they are Brock (who now still spends 99% of his time at the neighbour down the street)!!!!!!!!!
I hope, after all these years, that each of you knows that I love all animals, but there is a special place in my heart for Big Red and Arthur, the late Annie at The Campanile, and ospreys. I have posted this song before, but I want you to get in the mood. Osprey season is starting in the UK – and has already begun in the US. Here are those wonderful school children with the Osprey Song (2011): https://youtu.be/KoOQK6ejuXY?
At the Lake Murray Osprey platform, Lucy has laid her second egg with a new mate. Please, please put up the owl defences for this family Lake Murray!
Company for Brutus. Storms are tearing down eagle and osprey nests around the US including an osprey nest that Penny Albright monitored near Sanibel that lost two chicks when the nest collapsed. These eaglets made it through…
Blue 25 has made another visit to Blue 33 and Maya’s nest at Manton Bay – Blue 33 normally arrives a few days prior to Maya, and Blue 25 enjoys his company! Geemeff caught her time on the nest: https://youtu.be/HU_XGU3NTro?
We have an osprey at the MNSA Osprey nest in Oceanside’s Jay Cool platform.
“WYL greets his chick upon returning to the nest in New Zealand. The adult male arrives from a foraging trip over the Pacific to feed his growing chick at the Plateau nest site. As the chick gets bigger, the parents will take longer foraging trips to collect enough food for both themselves and their chick.” (Cornell Bird Lab)
Peanut defended the Winter Park Florida nest against a RTH! Nestflix Memories (Gracie Shepherd) caught it on video: https://youtu.be/cQksMDubVEc?
Tonight, Wink is taking now chances. She is right in the nest with Peanut if that GHO returns – and, of course, it will – they never give up! Wink is an incredible mother – I am truly amazed and thankful for her diligence.
Gabby with her babies, Kai and Eve, at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest in Florida. Best keep a close eye on these two – they could fledge before you blink.
At the Johnson City nest of Boone and Jolene in Tennessee, snow arrived. Jolene kept those two babies warm and tried to feed them at the same time. Like Wink, she is an experiened and an exceptional Mum.
Huge crop on JBS 24. Mum and Dad are delivering food and leaving it for self-feeding on occasion.
Harry and Sally are up there in my list of osprey parents. Three babies, three little fat bottoms. Large fish coming in and Harry on guard as it appeared there could have been an intruder around today during a fish delivery. If you haven’t been watching Moorings Park, then check out this osprey family. It is a success story – and believe me when I tell you that there will be few such stories in the NE USA this season unless a miracle happens.
Rutlands Lagoon 4 nest is trying to keep the Egyptian Geese from laying eggs while everyone waits for the ospreys to arrive. This is a second nest with a camera amongst several nests at Rutland Water. AI says: “Based on 2025/2026 sightings, the Lagoon 4 nest at Rutland Water is often occupied by male 359 (a 2021 Rutland-born osprey) and female 3H9 (a 2023 Rutland-born osprey). They have been observed investigating the nest and strengthening bonds. Note: 359 and 3H9 are a distinct pair from the main Manton Bay pair, Maya and 33(11).”
I am getting impatient – and it is a tad early – for Maya and Blue 33 to arrive at Manton Bay.
At the Whitley Crane nest known as the Golden Gate Audubon Osprey nest, Richmond has worked and worked. There is a new female at the nest with him. I do not believe Rosie will make an appearance. Why do I say this? Well, when Aila did not return, Louis moved his nest to another location when he bonded with Dorcha. We often think animals and birds are not intelligent. If I have said it once, I will say it again million times, my teacher about raptor behaviour, the late Laura Culley, taught me that they are smarter and use higher levels of intelligence and communication that humans have lost.
I noticed in one of the chats – it was the Winter Park Florida chat – that someone noted that ‘animals have feelings’. Dr Mark Beckoff and Dr Jane Goodall taught us this. There are several good books out there. I urge you or anyone who is interested in the behaviour of non-humans to read any or all of the following.
Saddness at the Two Harbours as Chase & Cholyn lose their last egg. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/8vmMpnkNsh4?
Big Red and Arthur have snow on their nest at Cornell University.
Suzanne Arnold Horning caught Big Red relaxing on the lights!
Cameras are now live at the Poole Harbour nest of CJ7 and Blue 022.
We have an osprey at Threave. Is it Black 80?
At Achieva the third egg was laid on the 25th of January. Can someone who is watching this nest tell me if Jack is delivering enough fish to his mate? I did not see deliveries today, but I might have missed something.
In fact, start checking out all your favourite UK and European nests as the cameras are being turned on faster than I can keep a list.
The Pitkin County Osprey nest in Colorado is live.
I have such a soft spot for this White-tail eagle in Durbe County Latvia. Milda. Her current mate is Zorro. There was sorrow and now Zorro has proved to be a good mate and provider.
April 7. Hellgate Canyon. Iris’s favourite day to return to her nest in Missoula, Montana. Count the days – 20. Less than three weeks! The snow has melted.
There is evil in the world. I cannot imagine how anyone could harm an animal and yet, every day I find myself telling people not to give their kittens away to anyone. Russell Mason beat a Goshawk to death – how in the world can someone do this?
Large estates, with no eyes around in Scotland (and elsewhere), allow many horrific things to happen to our beautiful feathered friends. What can be done to stop this?
The Cornell Bird Lab gives us hope that people around the world are increasingly engaging with nature and birds. Yes, there are incredibly vicious people anywhere in the world that will harm birds and other animals, but there are more, I hope, that love and help them.
Thank you so much for being with me today and for your patience, as my posting is often irregular. I had hoped to keep to Fridays and Mondays til the UK osprey season began, but every day there is something new and exciting! I will continue to post at the oddest of times, sometimes two or three times a day as news comes in. As you can imagine, my life is anything but routine. We do have a schedule, but it all depends on my husband’s mood, which can vary. I am impatiently waiting for spring to arrive. What I miss most is reading. Yes, we have story time, but it isn’t the same as sitting quietly on a park bench with squirrels dashing around, the wind gently blowing, with a good book in my hand, reading in silence. So, no promises other than there will always be a Monday blog, often coming out late Sunday, until we have osprey chicks on the nests in the UK and Europe.
Thank you to everyone who created videos, wrote informative FB posts, to Raptor Persecution UK for keeping us informed, and to the Cornell Bird Lab for continuing to support education. I remain forever grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to venture into the challenging lives of our feathered friends. To all my readers who are now long-time friends, I appreciate your support. Your letters and comments mean the world to me.
After being so excited about the young couple at the West End, the ravens have taken the egg when it was left alone. This is youth. They will learn. Both of them possibly wondered what to do with that egg – intuition doesn’t always come easy.
On top of this, Chase and Cholyn’s egg at Two Harbours has been pierced and broken.
On top of all of this saddness in the Channel Islands, Audacity isn’t giving up and has laid another egg.
My goodness, Audacity must be worn out. It takes a lot out of an eagle to produce this many eggs.
I want to thank Penny Albright for keeping us informed about some incredible osprey nests while she has been on vacation. It has been a real treat to see these families through her eyes!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I am not hopeful for the West End, Two Harbours, or Sauces this year. I want to be wrong!
Take care. See you soon. Ospreys landing in the UK and flying home. Lots to become excited about soon.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Penny Albright and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives, good and bad, of our beloved raptors.
Just one of those quick postings. My inbox was filled with surprise, saddness, and shock when the very young female at the West End nest laid her very first egg on Sunday.
Everyone misses Thunder and Akecheta, whether it was at the old nest with Dr Sharpe rescuing eaglets or at the new one. I have not added them to the Memorial Wall and won’t because I believe they are out there somewhere. Akecheta was smart to just give up the territory, but we also lost Haku. Where is she? It is a challenging location with many intruders. Let’s wish this very young couple a long, happy, and successful breeding life.
White-Tail Eagle Milda laid her second egg on Sunday. Congratulations Milda and Zorro.
Rosie has not returned to Richmond as of today. His nest on the Whirley Crane would be an envy to any osprey! He has been working heard preparing for Rosie to return but she is very late and I am concerned.
My eyes are on Manton Bay and Loch of the Lowes today.
If you missed it, Quinn has fledged from the Captiva nest. So R9 and R10 along with E26 have taken to the skies.
The owl returned to the Winter Park nest, but Wink was sleeping by Peanut and raised up. As far as I am aware, nothing happened. Smart Mum. She knows about owls.
Thank you for being with us for this quick look at the egg laying in the Channell Islands West End nest. Take care. We will be back on Friday.
Thank you to SK Hideaways and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to check on our favourite bird families.
If you are worried about Brutus, the eldest eaglet from the Winter Park Bald Eagle nest in Florida, don’t. Brutus is in good hands with the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey! Our friend, Lisa, is part of that rehabilitation community and if Lisa has anything to do with Brutus – he will learn how to be an eaglet and get back into the wild. She is awsome.
I want to give a shout-out to the viewers who spotted the Owl knocking Brutus out of the nest, and to the quick reactions by Windows to Wildlife and the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey. Brutus was ‘lightly injured’. Updates promised, but Brutus will not be going back to the nest, as it could force Peanut to fledge way too early. Besides, Peanut deserves some time on that nest alone, building up their body and wings for flying. That nest isn’t as crowded anymore, but everyone is alright.
The real story right now is that the young couple that have taken to Thunder and Akecheta’s West End nest in the Channel Islands have their first egg. I almost dropped by drawers! I think she is a first time Mum. I hope they have a long and successful life without intruders – we need some peace at this nest.
Geemeff did her second video of the year, and it was the arrival of Blue 25 (10) at the Manton Bay nest. Oh, let’s hope Maya arrives before Blue 33 because Blue 25 always has her eyes set on Blue 33. If Maya were not to return, would Blue 33 accept Blue 25 as a mate? If he arrives, everything is up in the air right now! Perhaps literally. https://youtu.be/oLvBrnZaEzA?
Thank you so much for being with me. Oh, things are happening so quickly. Quinn fledged! Peanut is missing Brutus while Wink is keeping her youngest close at hand. Ospreys are flying over water and land to get home. I wonder who will arrive Monday.
Take care!
Thank you to Geemeff for their video, to Window to Wildlife for their quick response and caring, and to the owners of the streaming cams so that we can watch these amazing birds and their lives.
Update: Brutus of the Winter Park nest has been rescued. He was struck by an owl and went overboard. https://youtu.be/4rjjtFFYE48?
Peanut alone.
Spring isn’t here yet but we are looking for some warmer days come mid-week. It felt like -17 C but we bundled up and got Toby out. He doesn’t seem to mind!
This is another quick check-in. There is so much going on in Bird World now that it would take a full day just to list everything, so I encourage you to check those streaming cams! Ospreys are arriving in the US, and there are even eggs for some new arrivals, such as Wolf Bay. Forsythe. Colonial Beach. I wish I could dump a million fish into the Chesapeake Bay for them, or build an artificial lake just for ospreys! They are flying over Scotland – and any day those ‘stars’ of the streaming cams will be tweaking their nests.
Well, I call her the ‘troublemaker’. Blue 33 and Blue 25 sometimes get a little cosy if Maya is late arriving at the Rutland Manton Bay nest. Blue 25 (10) hatched in 2010. That is the information provided in the parentheses of UK ringed birds. Blue 33 (11) should not be far behind.
There is an excellent book on the history of Rutland and its ospreys.
AI Overview of Blue 25: “Osprey Blue 25 is a female osprey known for early, temporary visits to the Manton Bay nest at Rutland Water, notably arriving before resident female Maya in both 2023 and 2025. She is a long-time breeder, often pairing with male Blue 11, and has demonstrated competitive behavior, attempting to claim the prime Manton Bay nest early in the season. YouTube +1
Key Details of Blue 25 at Rutland:
Early 2025 Return: Blue 25 was the first osprey of the 2025 season to return to the Manton Bay nest, landing on March 13, 2025, before Maya.
Previous Intrusion: She had a similar “fling” with Maya’s mate, Blue 33, in 2023, visiting the nest before departing when Maya returned and reclaimed the site.
Breeding Partner: She typically nests with her long-time mate, Blue 11, elsewhere at Rutland. YouTube
Blue 25 is part of the extensive Rutland Osprey Project, which has successfully reintroduced ospreys to England since 1996.”
I am so excited. Heidi is monitoring the US nests this year – or a huge part of them – and I plan to focus on the ones in Colorado, the West Coast, Montana, and the UK and Europe. Let the fun begin!
SK Hideaways has sent their videos for the week. The West End nest is not settled yet. That is a tragedy. Akecheta and Thunder were not affected by any genetic or environmental factors and raised many eaglets. What I wouldn’t give to see them fly onto their old nest! I would also like to discover what happened to Phoenix, the fledgling from Mud Table nest on Santa Rosa Island that I named last year. If you hear anything, please let me know.
SK Hideaways Videos Week of 8 March 2026
Channel Island, California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Residents in flux
Audacity Laid Egg #2 of 2nd Clutch ~ It Broke Within an Hour (2026 Mar 13) Audacity went into labor for the fifth time this season with the first 4 eggs breaking. Egg #5 arrived quickly and rolled into the egg cup. Unfortunately, this one also broke. Video: https://youtu.be/9WKlCk3RSbQ
Audacity & Jak Horaltic Pose Contest ~ The Biggest & Longest Held Wins (2026 Mar 8) Audacity and Jak spent most of the afternoon on the night perch. Nearly an hour of that time was spent in a stunning dual horaltic pose. We made a little game of it, but the view was breathtaking. Video: https://youtu.be/lmUEQ7MNWr0 Two Harbors ~ Cholyn & Chase 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 One Egg Broke ~ Chase Moved it Aside Before Cholyn Returned (2026 Mar 11) One of Cholyn and Chase’s two eggs broke for an unknown reason. Chase was on egg duty when the breakage was discovered, so he gently delivered the news to Cholyn when she returned from her break. They will now both focus on hatching the one remaining precious egg and we will all send positive vibes their way. Video: https://youtu.be/A9CYwq-GQzM
Unnamed Female (F) & Lee awoke all flirty ~ Goo-goo eyes & beaky kisses (2026 Mar 12)The unnamed female and Lee spent the night on the historical night perch, though not quite on the same branch. When they woke, Lee took a chance and jumped up to the female, F’s, branch. It was a good bet, as they chortled in the dawn, and shared beaky kisses, and prolonged eye gazing. We don’t know what they’re doing off camera and they’re not spending a whole lot of time on nestorations, so I’m guessing that eggs are unlikely this season. I’d happily be wrong! Hoping they build on their relationship and stay here to raise a family next year. Video: https://youtu.be/zsk1TIkIBaU
Hartley Lays Egg #1 in Wee Hours ~ Monty Meets at Civilized Hour (2026 Mar 12) The 2026 nesting season began for Hartley and Monty at 3:52 a.m. as Hartley laid her first egg. Monty teased her with a food gift before paying a visit to their egg a few hours later. Wishing Hartley and Monty another successful season. Video: https://youtu.be/IjFb8_sj-lU
Ferris caught both Arthur and Big Red on the Cornell campus today along with so many amazing ducks and geese in the waters around Cornell University. It was nice to take a break today and check in on Ferris and the birds around Ithaca, New York.
Handsome Arthur.
Jeff Kear posted the information on the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn from last season:
The more I look at the dates the more excited I am getting but, will someone arrive at Loch of the Lowes soon? Blue NC0 used to come early! Is she still with us? Will she have a mate and retake her nest which she lost when LM12 passed?
Wishing you a marvellous day! Take care. We will be back soon. Lots to report.
Thank you to the creators of the videos I have included and especially SK Hideaways who does such an amazing job every week of keeping us in touch with so many nests. Much gratitude to those who post information on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to get so excited – and sad – and angry – at times over the lives of our favourite birds. Thank you Ferris Akel for your tour.
We hope you had a lovely week. It is still cold, with it feeling like -20 C this morning, even though it is actually -16. Toby didn’t want to go outside. The Girls are busy watching the starlings as they land and search for kibble (I haven’t been out yet to feed them). Brock was here in the middle of the night – that is when he comes, so I get to see him on camera! He has a route. He spends most of his time at Jane’s. Brock loves her soft chair and wet, warm food. Then he goes to a lady a block away (again caught on camera) and comes here when he is assured Toby is sleeping. I do miss him.
Dr Green and team are preparing for Iris’s arrival. The fence has been placed on the parking lot of the Rivberview Health Centre to block any intruders that might want to get to close to her abode.
Typical of Iris, she left the nest in a pretty good state. Oh, please, send out good energy for our Osprey Queen to return – the oldest known osprey in the world should be 30 this year. I also really want her young mate from last year to return, too. We were all saddened when Finnegan, who bred successful to raise two beautiful osplets in 2024, did not return last year as we anticipated he would.
At the Wolf Bay nest in Alabama, Bert and Josie have their second egg of the season. The time was approximtely 0631 today – gosh…I hope there aren’t any Crows around!
Indeed, a thief was caught by the new camera at the Rutland #4 nest. Geemeff caught it.https://youtu.be/BXD-4KKeH3A
At the Moorings Park nest, the osplets are changing. Their heads are getting that oily look (pinfeathers) of the reptilian phase that 1 and 2 are entering. It is a delightful nest! Well behaved, so far.
The fundraiser for the new batteries at Severna Park was a success, and the camera is now live-streaming. There is a number of sparrows taking advantage of the nest while the ospreys are still migrating. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/SHGPhGPtDWI?
Ospreys are arriving in the UK. Sightings were in Perth & Kinross this morning, heading north. One was sightee flying over Waterford in Ireland.
I am keeping an eye on Manton Bay. Blue 33 (11) is fifteen years old this year. Maya is older, thought to be nineteen this year.
Heidi is on the case of the Dewey Beach cam and its angle! If anyone can get them to fix this, it is her.
Brutus and Peanut are being shown where to branch as they continue to self-feed and flap those wings.
Eve and Kai will be thinking of fledging but not for a week…
The pine lining to Big Red’s nest bowl on the Cornell Campus has been added. This is not only pretty but it is also a well known remedy to keeping insects away from the hatchlings.
Only eaglet at Duke Farms is doing well.
Stella and Irvin have three eggs at the US Steel nest. Stella has had a sub-adult trying to bother her but she is pretty calm and didn’t react.
Only surviving eaglet JBS24 has grown into a beautiful, fully feathered, wanting to fly bird. JBS24 will be 79 days old on April 14, around the average time of flight at this nest. That would make it 21 eaglets fledged from here since 2012.
That is just a little catch-up. No doubt many things will happen at the nests today. Keep an eye! Take care of yourself. Enjoy your weekend. We will see you again on Monday (unless Iris or any of the UK ospreys land on their nests). Thank you so much for being with us today.
A few of the gang say ‘hi’.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to view the lives of these amazing birds!
It is ‘lazy’ Thursday, a day in pjs with only walks with Toby and nothing more – no house cleaning, no extensive baking or cooking, and very little time spent on a screen. It is -2 C, but it is windy, and it feels like -14 C. We are expecting snow in three hours! Yes, more snow. The Girls and Toby have quickly caught on to Thursdays.
Toby is not modest. He will sometimes turn on his back on walks when some of his favourite – and very trusted people – stop to chat.
Missey and Hugo Yugo are really beginning to hang out more and more together.
I want to share with you the best video that Heidi has created since I have known her. It is a montage of R9 and R10 with a focus on R10’s fledge. We get to see the brothers follow one another with their eyes, some rivalry, and some great flying. There is a dual feeding in there and some humour, but it is also a great historical document of the Dade County nest. https://youtu.be/jNsQaARNK-Q?
SK Hideaways captured Monty and Hartley’s first egg! This is really exciting, as you know, there is a diminishing population of falcons in parts of California due to HPAI. https://youtu.be/IjFb8_sj-lU?
My favourite White-tailed eagle, Milda, has laid her first egg in Latvia! I have followed Milda for years, and I miss her mate Ramis from eons ago. The link to Milda’s camera is here: https://www.youtube.com/live/3wSd4iXrCw0?
It is spring in Latvia. Our friend Sassa Bird sent me a short video of the birds and birdsong in their garden in Latvia yesterday. It gives me hope that spring is coming to us! And our friend AK in Japan sent me a gorgeous photo of the Japanese White-Eye and the first plum blossoms.
There is some sadness looming. At the Golden Gate Audubon nest of Richmond and Rosie, Rosie is very late in her arrival. I fear I will have to add Rosie to the Memorial Wall. There is another female osprey taking some interest in that beautiful nest that Richmond has prepared.
I think it is interesting that Richmond is back working on a nest at the Whirley Crane instead of the light pole.
There is also good news in so many places.
I am so proud of the effort to save Moon Camp. The fundraiser “Save Moon Camp” campaign has now raised over $1.1 million in just a few weeks. Managed by the Friends of Big Bear Valley, this initiative aims to raise $10 million by July 31, 2026, to purchase and permanently protect 63 acres of bald eagle habitat near Big Bear, California, from a proposed luxury development.
My inbox has been bursting since E26 fledged. It was a beautiful flight – perfect and several returns. Everyone said that F23 would be so proud of her beautiful eaglet. I totally agree. It really was a tearful moment. M15 will indeed take care of his juvenile very well and teach them everything they need to live in the real world – including, I hope, NOT flying to get roadkill.
The snowstorm is coming. It is about an hour away, and it is time for me to keep my promise to Toby for a walk. Take care, everyone – thank you, as always, for being with us today. A big thank you to Heidi and SK Hideaways for their great videos. To the owners of the streaming cams, thank you for allowing us into the lives of these amazing birds. Thank you, Sassa Bird, for your images, and thank you, AK, for allowing me to share your photos of the Japanese White Eye with everyone in Bird World.
