Author Archives: maryannsteggles

14 October 2026

Hello Everyone,

Oh, did the weather change! It was 24 C and sunny at the weekend and on Monday, we had rain and 5 C. It felt like snow could come. Toby and I were so bundled up for our walks. I really am dreading winter coming.

Toby and I have been cleaning up. One of my IKEA bookcases decided it didn’t like books, so we filled it with baskets and one enormous pinecone. Hopefully it will not fall apart! Seriously, it feels like everything happens at once.

I gave in and ordered a new apartment-sized rust-coloured sofa with commercial-grade velvet fabric because of all the animals. want this room to be our comfy all-winter refuge. You can see that Toby has decided that the swivel chair is his! But the minute the new sofa had a similar coloured blanket covering the seating area, he decided the sofa was his and HY could have the chair. Too funny. This is the end of the refresh to the house, save for the continuing decluttering, sorting of books for book sales, and mending! I have an entire drawer full of dog toys that are ‘in the hospital’ awaiting sutures.

It is unclear to me what is happening with Donald at the hospital. He is very ‘stiff’ when they try to get him up, but Ann and I are trying to determine whether it is because he’s been left in bed too long. Is it from 2:45 in the afternoon to the next morning? I need elves! Many of us cannot go in the evening, but I will find a way. It is hard to see someone you love so dearly suffer, especially when they went into the hospital fully mobile and are now an invalid. He knows it, and you can feel, despite all that Ann and I try to do, the grey, heavy fog of depression descending on him. Unfortunately, with his current condition, could I care for him at home even with help? There are many unknowns. I’m taking a deep breath and two days off in a row to try to recoup my sanity. I cannot emphasise it enough – if you know someone who you suspect has dementia or Alzheimer’s (and believe me, they are very different animals, so to speak), please get a diagnosis. Make sure that all of their files – electronic and paper – have that diagnosis clearly at the top. Scream it from the rooftops. Do not be ashamed. That is so important. Knowing what they have and how to help and what medications might trigger a spiral downwards are essential. So many people continue to feel ashamed if their family member or partner (or best friend) is having memory issues. But don’t! Be discreet. Help them. Early diagnosis can give them a good life, as Donald had. But the first wrong injection can also take that away. They cannot advocate for themselves. Indeed, most people shrug off memory issues as ‘Senior Moments’ or ‘a Brain Freeze’. Maybe it is something else that requires medical attention.

The Bald Eagle cams for HDonTap will be coming online again very soon – if they are not already streaming. Check out Decorah.

The dead chick has been removed at 367 Collins Street and there were three great breakfast feedings. The surviving chicks are doing very well. Check it out on SK Hideaways video: https://youtu.be/l4XMiah3fjQ?

There are now two bobbleheads at Thistle Island in South Australia. Congratulations to all.

Holly Parsons has posted an update from Dr Cilla Kinross on the eggs of Gimbir and Diamond:

Hawk Mountain has its latest update. Just look at the totals! I am impressed with the numbers.

Gunshots startled Shadow!

We continue to wait for pip at Orange.

News about the cameras at the West End Channel Islands streaming cam:

More news about the eagle streaming cams elsewhere:

Will we be able to view M15 and his new female raise a family this year?

What can a feather from a bird tell us?

Country diary: The story of birds starts with their feathershttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/13/country-diary-the-story-of-birds-starts-with-their-feathers?CMP=share_btn_url

“Bird Feathers” by born1945 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Days of Dunrovin sends their latest newsletter:

Everyone is doing well in Australia:

Lady and her babies along with the entire family sleeping in the nest tree.

In Melbourne, the oldest is getting ready to stand upright and there are hints of pin feathers coming.

No Pips yet at Orange as I sign off. Have a great day or evening everyone. We will be back at the end of the week or on Saturday.

Thank you to absolutely everyone who posted videos, information and images on FB, to those who write the amazing newsletters, and, of course, the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch our favourite bird families. We are eternally grateful to each of you.

10 October 2026

Good Evening Everyone (or Good Morning depending on where you live),

It was 24 degrees C on the Canadian Prairies this afternoon. Quite unbelievable to see people in shorts and T-shirts doing yard work in the middle of October! But the weather is ‘dire’ in many places. While Winnipeggers are gloriously enjoying the heat, the drought, causing water levels in our northern region to drop dramatically, should be a concern. That water fuels the hydroelectric dams that provide our energy. In Melbourne, that same heat killed one of the little floods at 367 Collins Street.

Dr Victor Hurley made this statement: “”Well, it is quite sad to confirm what we all already know. One of the nestlings has died. Sorry, I have been in the field out of phone range all day to report sooner. From a brief review of the tapes it appears the nestlings spread out in all directions and this overwhelmed F24’s ability to keep on top of things. With one in the gutter (a new occurrence for this year) and one at the extreme end of the nest box, F24 suffered from the “Vegemite Syndrome”, which is just a matter of being spread too thin! From my experience, that far corner gets really hot with no air circulating and these nestlings are too young to efficiently moderate their own body temperatures. If this one did in fact die from heat stress it will be the first out of 78 since 1992 to succumb this way. It was a short life and it filled us all with joy whilst it was here. The adults now have three young to focus their attention on and I am confident they will have this in hand through to fledging. Remember everybody to be kind to each other and continue to marvel at this wonder of nature unfolding in high definition, live streaming before our very eyes.”

F23 continues to work hard to keep her three surviving eyases cool in the Melbourne heat – and herself! I wish this end of the ledge would be covered.

SK Hideaways did a really good video – . https://youtu.be/bLMyQZJEjEU?

Hurricane Isaias hit the Gulf Coast and headed inland, bringing heavy wind and rain, including to the area of Beau and Gabby’s nest south of Jacksonville in Palm Court. Reports said flocks of birds were caught in the eye of the Hurricane.

All appears to be well at the nest this evening.

SW Florida appeared to be fine.

How do birds survive hurricanes?

AI Overview

Birds survive hurricanes through a combination of sensory early warning, behavioral shelter-seeking, and high population resilience.

Sensory Detection & Avoidance

• Barometric Pressure: Birds sense steep drops in barometric pressure, shifting winds, and infrasound, alerting them to an approaching storm hours or days in advance.
• Behavioral Shifts: Many migratory and land birds detect the low-pressure system and wait out the weather, fly around the edges of the storm, or ride favorable winds away from the core.
• Riding the Eye: If caught mid-flight inside a tropical cyclone, some birds manage to stay within the relative calm of the storm’s eye until it reaches land or dissipates.

Hunkering Down & Cover

• Land Birds: Forest and songbirds seek shelter by hunkering down close to the ground, deep inside dense thickets, native evergreen brush, or cavities in large trees.
• Tidal Marshes: Marsh birds rely on dense marsh grasses to block high winds, though they remain vulnerable to rapid flooding from storm surges.

Post-Storm Threats & Population Resilience

• Post-Hurricane Scarcity: Direct mortality during a storm is often lower than the long-term impact. Stripped fruit, broken branches, and destroyed vegetation create food bottlenecks, forcing survivors to disperse or wander into new habitats.
• Ecological Resilience: Research published via ScienceDirect and the US Forest Service Research and Development shows that many coastal and forest bird populations possess strong short-term resilience, absorbing heavy seasonal mortality and bouncing back through local survival and regional immigration.

Some good articles – have a read and educate yourself. We often worry so much about our feathered friends when severe weather advisories are announced.

While this article focuses on Caribbean birds, it is an excellent read:

This is migration season. Cornell Bird Lab published an article on the impact of hurricanes on migrating birds:

Gimbir and Diamond continue to rotate incubation duties with Di commanding the majority of the time. We continue to wait for the first hatch at Orange, Australia.

Viewers were concerned about the lack of food at the Olympic Park WBSE nest in Sydney. SE37 had the small bird that came in but 38 had nothing. We get used to this as the chicks get older but it is never easy! I always worry on the weekends when there are so many people around the water where the eagles have to hunt – in Sydney, but also elsewhere. It can be highly problematic for the raptors. This makes me more grateful for many sites in the UK that prohibit human activity (or limit it) during breeding season from April to the end of September.

The cam operator gave us some great images of these magnificent eaglets with their stunning plumage.

In the UK, there are some very late migrating ospreys but they are having trouble getting the fish they need! What is stopping them?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/09/country-diary-a-passing-osprey-needs-to-eat-but-the-local-terns-wont-let-it?CMP=share_btn_url

I am glad to get letters from you that were in the path of the hurricane telling me that you are alright. It is always a worry!

Toby and I were at the hospital today. Don had just gotten up and was eating his breakfast at 10:30. They had saved it for him – so he had breakfast, ate the big salad that I brought, and then had his lunch! If you have loved ones in hospital, I really encourage you to take fresh fruit and salads. At least at the hospital Donald is at, they do not get those things. Bananas are easy to handle but today, Donald was not shaking so much and he held his own tea cup with even spilling a drop and ate his meal by himself. It was fantastic! After we spent time trying out some new clear Japanese crayons. Notice the Cavalier tea towel – we used it like a bib. There is a ‘Toby’ blanket waiting for him for tomorrow. It is amazing what you can get images printed on these days!!!!

Donald is fortunate. Ann and I are always bringing his National Geographics to him, creating situations where he needs to work on his eye-hand control or strengthen his arms and legs. There is someone every day. So many on the ward seem to have no one even come to visit nevermind provide any type of enrichment. So again, if you are looking for a way to enrich your life and that of others, think of volunteering – grab some crayons and colouring books, take people in wheelchairs outside for some fresh air, bring some music, get them singing – whatever you are good at. I promise you that you will make that person’s day so much better.

Thank you so much for being with us for this brief check in. Send good energy to the parents at 367 Collins Street – may there be lots of prey and shade for the wee ones. Take care everyone.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video on the events at 367 Collins Street, to those who posted information on FB including Dr Hurley, and to the authors of articles on raptors and hurricanes. We are always grateful to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to watch these incredible creatures – even when it is challenging for both them and us.

6 October 2026

Greetings Everyone,

It will be another 20°C day on the Canadian Prairies. Unbelievable. Toby and I have already had a couple of walks while the new furnace is being installed. They all wanted to help, especially Missey, so she is in one bedroom with HY while Calico and Hope hide. Thankfully, they won’t go near the installers or the basement door. Toby is curious, but prefers to be outside or in the conservatory, so he is waiting anxiously for them to finish up and leave.

I was very fortunate in that if the furnace was to break, it did it before the very cold periods of winter.

Sometimes the best news winds up in the Junk Mail Folder. So we will start with the good news coming out of Syracuse, New York:

I will happily remove Oren from the Memorial Wall!

Deb Steyck is reporting that both Bella and Scout have been doing nestorations on the NCTC nest. This is great news.

If you have never heard the morning duet of Lady and Dad at the WBSE nest in the Olympic Park Forest in Sydney, Australia, then you are missing one of nature’s beautiful moments. Check it out! But, when the little sea eaglets begin to join in, it is incredible. It looks like SE38 was the first to join the parents this year as Linda Gauvin reports in her FB post:

SK Hideaways has the duet and the chick joining in – listen. This is amazing. https://youtu.be/wC77KKiBo8M?

Beau and Gabby slept at the nest tree.

There are few new publications about ospreys so I am particularly excited about this volume.

At Orange, egg 1 is 31 days old. Pip watch is coming – and if I got you prematurely excited, apologies all around.

Oh, I am tired today! It seems that ‘just sitting and waiting’ induces that more than being up and active. Hopefully, the furnace lads will be finished shortly and Toby and I can head to the hospital. Don has had a good morning – except he had no PT yet. We remain hopeful that they will be diligent in their approach and are genuine in their desire to see him walk again.

We hope that you have a fantastic day. Please take care of yourself! We will see you soon.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for capturing that great duet, to everyone who posted information on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams – we are eternally grateful to you.

4 October 2026

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. It means the world to me. So many of you have so much experience – I certainly do not feel like I am on this journey alone.

This morning ‘PP’ wrote. I guess I had skipped something! My apologies. So, in a nutshell, this is what happened and is happening (or not) with Donald. I have to always start with Donald has Lewy Body Dementia. He was diagnosed four years ago, but the symptoms had been there for at least 18 months prior as I tried to navigate the medical system here to get a diagnosis. Lewy Body Dementia is very challenging. You might recall that Robin Williams committed suicide. They later discovered he had Lewy Body Dementia during the autopsy. What makes LBD different from the other forms of dementia is that there are not only hallucinations, but there can also be symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Donald had the hallucinations – that was what first alerted me to the fact that ‘something was wrong’. Thankfully, he did not have any symptoms of Parkinson’s. On the 26th of August, he went walking at the St Vital Duck Pond with Ann and then to the Dairy Queen (he loves ice cream). That evening, we walked Toby twice, bringing his total day count to approximately 4.3 km. He was happy, walking, getting up in the middle of the night to toilet and get a drink of water. In other words, he was active, walking, feeding himself, and going to the bathroom. He did not need assistance for anything save for the odd button on his shirt or his jeans.

On 27 August, Donald went to the Emergency Ward at one of our local hospitals with a UTI in an ambulance. You might recall that he had a similar issue at Christmas and was in the hospital for twelve days. They have yet to remove his prostate, and it takes forever to see a specialist; sometimes, it is not a surprise that eight months later he would have another infection that caused him to be anxious. I expected it and wished I had had a nurse come to the house to help, but alas, I didn’t have a letter from his GP, so I couldn’t hire someone. He was very confused when he left the house and was more confused by the lights and noise of the emergency ward. He was disoriented, and I am told he tried to get out of bed and fell, hitting his head, his left eye, his left upper arm and his ribs. I don’t know whether the Emergency staff reviewed his electronic medical file. If they had, they would have seen that he had LBD. So, through either oversight or negligence, they gave him an injection of Haldol to calm him down. It was the wrong drug. Haldol causes catastrophic events that change the lives of someone with LBD (and everyone who cares for them). Today, Donald can’t walk. He can feed himself if he is sitting up in a wheelchair, but not in his hospital bed. Even then, his food has to be cut into small bites and be finger food. He is frustrated because he has to wear diapers. Unlike Alzheimer’s, where memory is literally eaten away, memory is the last to go in LBD patients. His ‘body’ will go first. The Haldol caused him to have acute Parkinson’s tremors, where he shakes from his head to his toes (which are curled under) uncontrollably. Don had a Neuroleptic sensitivity to Haldol, and that is why it is prohibited from being given to patients with LBD.

Neuroleptic sensitivity to Haldol (haloperidol) is an extreme, heightened adverse reaction to antipsychotic medication that often causes severe muscle stiffness, rapid mental decline, and movement problems—frequently seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease or Lewy Body Dementia. 

What Happens During Sensitivity

• Severe Extrapyramidal Symptoms: Uncontrolled muscle spasms, tremors, rigidity, and a mask-like face occur at standard or even low doses.
• Cognitive Worsening: Rapid confusion, heavy sedation, unresponsiveness, or a sharp drop in mental sharpness.
• Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): A life-threatening emergency marked by very high fever, unstable blood pressure, heavy sweating, and severe muscle breakdown.

Why It Occurs

• Dopamine Blocking: Haldol strongly blocks dopamine receptors in the brain.
• Pre-existing Vulnerability: Patients with underlying brain degeneration (like Lewy Body Dementia) already lack normal dopamine and acetylcholine levels, causing their nervous systems to collapse when the remaining pathways are blocked. 

Management and Safety

• Contraindication: Typical antipsychotics like Haldol are generally unsafe and contraindicated for people with Parkinson’s disease or Lewy Body Dementia

I cannot change what happened to Donald. Who would have thought you could go into a hospital with an infection requiring antibiotics and become an invalid? Donald cannot change this anymore than he is responsible for having LBD in the first place. I could spend all my time being angry and fighting a medical malpractice suit only to be so mentally and physically exhausted that I am unable to think clearly – and that is what is needed as we chart a new course on our journey.

I have lots of tips to pass along, but the first one is this: If you suspect that your partner/husband or wife has some form of dementia or Alzheimer’s, you owe it to them to speak to their doctor. Don’t make it a big deal or turn it into a fight in front of them. Believe me, they do not recognise the symptoms! Don thought I really was a man driving our car!!!!!!! There are several reasons that an early diagnosis is preferable – there are treatments to slow the disease so that you have quality time. Secondly, you do not want your person to get a medication that is contraindicated for their diagnosis! I promise you, you do not. It is not being subversive to speak to their doctor; it is caring.

Donald has a little Cavalier stuffy, and he often strokes it like he does Toby. If you have a loved one in hospital, think of a stuffy. They are very much welcome.

Donald doesn’t want me fussing, and Toby and I are settling into a very new normal. Keep us in your thoughts – we will be fine. It is just a time of acute adjustment.

Toby had ‘his treatment’ (for fleas/ticks and then heartworm) yesterday and the day prior and had to wear his little overalls to keep the cats from licking his fur.

Now for something different – and believe me, the birds (along with Toby and The Girls) have a way of comforting us that no one can! SK Hideaways gives us fluffy eyases and as they say, ‘a romance in the making’.

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 27 September 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

F24 & M24 WELCOME CHICK #3! While Chick #1 Stays Ready to Eat ~ 2026 Oct 2

Then there were 3 tiny floofs. Food was delivered by the hunting machine, dad M24, within the hour. During this meal, chick 1 ate well, chick 2 napped, and chick 3 got his/her first whiff of food while taking in the big, wide world. When F24 ended the meal and flew off, chick 1 continued reaching for bites just in case.

Video: https://youtu.be/nD45L2iAOtc

CHICK #2 HATCHED ~ #3 ON THE WAY! 2026 Oct 2

F24 welcomed chick #2 to the nest! The pip in egg #3 is as big as #2’s was just a few hours ago. Shouldn’t be long now! M24 is going to have a nice surprise when he returns!

Video: https://youtu.be/M6lxQLnL60M

F24 Juggles Chick, Eggs & Food in Rain ~ Pip 2 Bigger ~ 2026 Oct 2

F24 managed continuous rain, a day-old chick, 3 unhatched eggs, and a full pantry. She managed it all like the pro she is. Keeping her offspring safe and warm, keeping food close at beak, and waiting till there was a break in the weather to feed her chick. 

Video: https://youtu.be/6DwrNxx7UXo

Chick #1 Meets Dad and Gets a Good First Meal ~ 2026 Oct 1

It was a big day for #1. Hatching and enjoying their first meal ever just hours apart. F24 gave M24 explicit instructions before departing and seeing he’s a pro dad, he aced the assignment (though he does seem to enjoy incubation more than the combo incubation/brooding task). F24 returned with the chick’s meal and the little one did very well before falling into the requisite food coma. 

Video: https://youtu.be/1jYdoRAokOI

PIP, HATCH HURRAY! 🥳 F24 & M24 WELCOME CHICK #1 ~ 2026 Oct 1

Chick #1 made quick work of zipping out of its shell, showing itself at 6:46:53 a.m. M24 offered to help out shortly after, but F24 declined. Congrats, F24 and M24! We should see at least #2 later today.

Video: https://youtu.be/mU4cnjeAd0c

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

After Minor Collision, Shadow & Kaydee Get Comfy Together in Nest ~ 2026 Oct 2

Shadow and Kaydee met on the Cactus Snag before dual flying to the nest tree. Their arrival was a little rough with Kaydee a bit too close, causing a minor collision. But all was well as they got to work shuffling a few sticks, sharing a couple of beakies, and then departing to the roost tree for the night. They sang a lovely chortle-snorkel lullaby as dusk became night.

Video: https://youtu.be/aK0UC65hD70

Shadow Keeps Visiting Bald Eagle from Disturbing Kaydee’s Breakfish ~ 2026 Sep 27

Shadow and Kaydee had their usual morning chortles, a quick nest visit, and survey of the habitat. Kaydee caught a whopper and brought it to Twin Pines to enjoy, but there was a visiting bald eagle who thought her fish looked quite tasty and tried to land on the tree. Shadow and Kaydee voiced their opposition immediately and the visitor flew off. Shadow then kept an eye on the area and Kaydee as she enjoyed her breakfish. She ate every single morsel.
Video: https://youtu.be/hbkKN7PNLh0

SW Florida’s streaming cams are now operating and M15 has a new female. Here is the camera link: https://www.youtube.com/live/BbDdI0MDMl8?

This might be why they are not on camera:

Mum normally returns to John Bunker Sands Eagle tower nest in September. Is this her in the rain last night?

I can hear eagles calling but I cannot see them Sunday afternoon at JBSW.

I haven’t seen Ron or Rose at Dade County today so far.

Gabby and Beau seem to be absent today, also.

What is the use of a scarecrow? Have a read!

Floating scarecrows: how Cornish fishers are stopping seabirds drowning in their netshttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/01/scarecrows-cornish-fishers-stop-seabirds-drowning-in-nets?CMP=share_btn_url

I don’t want to leave you without a smile on your face. Just look at Snow!

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care, everyone.

Thank you to SK Hideaways, as always, for their great videos!!!!!!!! To everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams. We are so thankful you let us watch these amazing creatures and to The Guardian, we are grateful for your wildlife news coverage.