Author Archives: maryannsteggles

4 July 2025

Hello Everyone,

First up. Calico has a question for you (answer at the bottom, don’t peek!)

What is this Blue Jay doing on our feeding table, and why is it doing this? If you are wondering about the weather, it is 31 degrees C, and this bird is in the direct line of the hot sun.

Just an update to start: FOBBV lost its bid to stop the fireworks in Big Bear Valley. I cannot imagine a more frivolous way to burn money and to harm wildlife and domestic pets. It is outrageous. And if anyone thinks Jackie and Shadow do not react, well, there is a video showing Jackie being frightened off the nest during fireworks at New Year’s (2025). The notes under the video read “Jackie and Shadow, two of the most famous bald eagles in the world, have returned to their nest in San Bernardino National Forest after a fireworks scare. The elegant eagles were startled during New Year’s celebrations. Jackie returned to the nest first, carrying a stick with her, calling out loudly to her mate to let him know where she was. “Even though eagles see very well in the day, they do not see well at night, so it can be dangerous for them to be flying around at night, especially in the panic of a crisis moment,” wrote the Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam. “It’s great to have them back and know they are safe after they flew off their roost tree in the middle of New Year’s eve night.” Jackie and Shadow have become internet celebrities thanks to their ongoing love story and their fierce dedication to their eggs, especially through extreme weather, including intense snowstorms. 2022 was the parents’ most recent success story, with “Spirit” successfully leaving the nest in May of that year.”https://youtu.be/3cibe6R5IUA?

Loch Arkaig: Name the two male chicks. Go to the Woodland Trust Scotland FB page and put in your two selections. Be sure to give a reason for you choice!

Ventana Wildlife: Their film Condor Canyon is available for $20 US. Free shipping in the US. Visit the Ventana Wildlife Society website for more information.

Washington not on camera nest monitored by ‘PS’. Sadly, the third chick has not survived and passed sometime during the evening of 2 July and was removed from the nest by Mum. Two healthy chicks survive.

We will begin with Heidi’s Osprey notes. One of the nests will be a repeat- it is just too sad not to mention twice.

Dewey Beach:  6/26 was the last good day for this family with one surviving osplet.  After that, Dad was not seen again for a few days, and we did not know if he was injured, or worse.  Mom had already been fishing for several days to supplement Dad’s deliveries, but suddenly she was having difficulty catching fish.  Mom was only able to bring in 1 fish on 6/27, 2 fish on 6/28 and 6/29.  Mom arrived late on 6/30 with a fish, and she fed her baby.  None of those fish had been very big, and since Mom was feeding the youngster, Mom ate some too. Then Mom stopped coming to the nest.  Dad brought in 1 small fish on 7/1.  The 48-day-old chick had very little self-feeding experience, and did not have any experience self-feeding from a whole fish, but by golly he got it done.  He unzipped and ate that whole fish.  Viewers had tears of joy.  On 7/2 the chick was alone the entire day…neither parent came to the nest.  On the morning of 7/3, the osplet died of starvation, at just under 50 days of age.  That beautiful chick’s Dad and Mom had been having a hard time finding fish, even though the nest is situated between the ocean and a large bay.  (note: Mom is okay, she has since been seen at the nest)

Cape Henlopen:  Miles and Hennie have two chicks, that are 21 days old on 7/4.  This nest has seen a few lean days recently.  Hennie had been fishing and bringing in some fish.  Miles was  seen dealing with intruders at times so he had also been protecting the nest.  The weather was generally very good.  But, it did seem as though Miles and Hennie were having difficulty finding fish.  There simply wasn’t enough fish to satisfy the oldest chick, so s/he became aggressive and made it very difficult for the youngest osplet  to eat for a few days.  On 7/3, Miles and Hennie brought 7 fish to the nest, and two of Miles’ fish were quite large.  By the time the third fish arrived, Chick1 had already been stuffed, and didn’t even mind if Chick2 ate.  Little2 had a full crop most of the day.  Tears of Joy!  There will be good days and bad days, for sure… but, we hope the good days far outweigh the bad ones.  

Thank you, Heidi. It has been more than a rough year for the nests you are monitoring.

A sadness that is hard to bear will be here, and then we will proceed to the good news. I continue to call for everyone to tell anyone who will listen and can broadcast what is happening in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey to their osplets. Parents abandoning eggs, or in this instance, abandoning a fully feathered, almost ready-to-fledge osplet on the nest to starve. It is not their fault. Sadly, they should have been forewarned and not even bothered to lay eggs or abandon their eggs like the ospreys on St George’s Island. This is a true tragedy, worse than what was seen in the era of DDT. Please take a moment to consider what that means. All species in the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding areas are dying and could become extinct in this region.

Of course, Heidi will also cover this tragedy. This chick, near to fledge, needs to be the poster boy of the tragedy that is taking over all the osprey nests. I cannot tell you that you need your voice heard. Don’t just sit there and say it’s so sad and turn off the camera – get mad. Do something. Find a politician who might listen, or even a radio host, a newspaper that has the backbone to cover this killing off of the fish hawk.

We have had a busy week, but we managed to get some fun in the midst of a massive declutter! The weather was very hot, reaching to 30 C, and there were many walks with Toby in the cool of the morning and evening. In the late afternoon we found shade and worked in the garden while Toby sniffed about trying to find hidden treasures in the soil. There was Baby Hope’s birthday party on Tuesday – she turned two and I still get weepy whenever I think of Calico being dumped, living outside in the winter, and then having only one of her kittens survive. Thankfully they are both safe inside now.

You will not see Baby Hope anywhere. She came to the table, noticed Anne was there and took off. She will not come out if anyone else is in the house. Oh, maybe one day.

There were walks in the English Gardens to see the beautiful flowers and Toby had his first doggie ice cream complete with bone on Wednesday!

Oh, the shade was so refreshing in the 30 C+ heat. This is what you get if you are a puppy! Toby said it was delicious.

Inside his pram, a wee bit of a mess but he licked it all clean.

Our garden is thriving. It’s hot and humid, and I could be fooled into thinking I was in the Southeastern US. My Latvian Dry Soup Peas have blossoms – pink with the most gorgeous burgundy centre. Whenever I see them growing so well, I think of Sassa Bird, a friend from Latvia, who used to post on FB. She sent me their traditional/national recipe for a dish using these dried peas.

The Snow Peas have white blossoms and the tomatoes and peppers are thriving.

Of course, I have excellent help with watering, thanks to Toby. Toby loves water, and his big floppy ears should not get wet. The other day, he ran right into the shower with me before I could get the door closed. Found a child’s swimming cap today for him. He can come in the shower anytime he likes now!

Confirmation has come from all the observers in the Big Bear Valley that Sunny and Gizmo have now left their parents’ territory. I am glad they do not have to endure the fireworks.

“Big Bear Lake Bald Eagles  · Following

Soodsptern0 tt:c6m0348845Mysa955t3Y1401t25r0afePa23 ad3ea 1h  · 

Today we are reaching the conclusion that most likely Sunny and Gizmo have left the Big Bear area of this mountain. We could be wrong, yet our history of sighting eagles in Big Bear indicates to us that they are no longer in this area. With the amount of solid hours we’ve dedicated daily to areas around the entire lake and to the areas we were observing Sunny and Gizmo in, there have been no solid confirmations using our photos (which we enlarged) or our binoculars since 6/27. The history of when Jackie and Shadow’s only other fledglings left the area also coincides with the timing of what we believe is the departure of Sunny and Gizmo from Big Bear. From our observations – Simba the eaglet from 2019 and Spirit the eaglet from 2022 each took 26 days to leave the area after fledging. On 6/27/25 it would be 25 days since Sunny fledged and 20 days since Gizmo fledged. When Owen had asked me before the two fledged how long I thought they would stick around Big Bear after fledging, I responded that I thought they may leave a bit sooner as they may depart together and they have each other so I didn’t think they would stay longer than a solo fledgling. That might be what has happened and if the two have left we should be glad that they had the solid foundation Jackie and Shadow gave them. There are many locations not that far from Big Bear that have lakes where plenty of food can be found. There have been at least four visiting younger eagles in the area this past month. It’s possible that Sunny and Gizmo followed one or more out of the area or they may have just left on their own. On 6/27 we observed the pair in flight going up quite high, most likely an altitude of 9,000 feet or more. They did come back down yet I said to Owen that I thought they were reaching a point that they may leave soon. We got our last photos of them right after we saw them doing higher altitude flight. We will still be doing eagle observations as usual and will definitely report any sightings we may have of Sunny or Gizmo. We’re at great peace knowing we witnessed them doing so very well on their own with flight, landings, take offs and having some stretches of time alone. Jackie and Shadow seem to also be indicating by our recent observations that the kids have gone on their longer distance journeys. We believe Sunny and Gizmo will revisit Big Bear yet it will be hard to know if it’s them once they have molted. Remember that young eagles are nomadic and they like to roam and travel in their first four to five years of life. Tourists are already arriving and we’re looking forward to a wonderful 4th of July holiday week here in the eagles neighborhood by Big Bear Lake. – Trish

P.S. More observations of a visiting eagle as well as more observations of Shadow and Jackie coming soon!”

Dunorvin Ranch had another rescue on Tuesday. Chicks 1 and 2 went off the edge and got stuck in the sticks. Out came the cherry picker and two great individuals who placed some wire garden fencing and worked on the twigs so that, hopefully, the osplets will now stay put! The osplets were continually misted. Two frozen fish were left. Swoop came and took one and returned it, headless. Winnie stepped up and ate and fed the chicks. Now, I want you to remember this. Ospreys will eat frozen fish. It is not required that the fish provided be fresh!!!!!!!! Myth busted right before our eyes.

Frau Rauer Osprey Platform in Norway: Mum and the two chicks excited about the arrival of Herr Rauer and a fish dinner

Contented chicks with their juvenile feathers being civil during the meal. So well behaved.

Plenty of fish for Mum to have a nice before bed dinner, too.

News from ‘PS’ on the Washington nest (no camera):. 

“Thank you for the notes below – great to know about dads feeding the young! Perhaps Harry here just didn’t feel like it on that particular day…and also, makes sense that as the young grow mom may fish more just given the caloric need.

An update for July 1 – some worrisome and perhaps unfortunate news today (will try to confirm tomorrow). When I arrived there was a feeding just getting started, with mom clutching a pretty nice sized Starry Flounder. The two largest osplets were arranged around her being fed but I noticed that #3 was in the foreground of the nest (relative to me) in the usual submissive pose I’ve seen it get bullied into before. However…it didn’t budge from this pose/position during my entire visit, and I never saw it move. I was there ~45 minutes or so. Osplets 1 and 2 had plenty of food from that flounder but I worry that #3 might no longer be with us. I wish I could have stayed longer – perhaps it moved once the feeding was over…I will try to visit again tomorrow to get a better idea of things. At any rate, 2 osplets still seem to be doing relatively well – sunny, warm, and not too windy weather due over the next week so fishing should be good. Few new pics up on Flickr.”

I love the nests in the UK and Europe and today, Dunrovin made gold by rescuing the oldest osplet of Winnie and Swoop who backed up and got caught in the twings of the crib rails (well, not much there). The quick rescue, a fix of the rails, and some fish saved the day. But, the US osprey population is in trouble and particularly those nests impacted by the commercial overfishing of Menhaden.

Latest post from Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ:

There are individuals angry at Ben Wurst for not supplying fish to a nest where the third hatch died. This is the issue – there is no food. He said he could supply fish every day, but he would have to, because there would be no food for them if they fledged. Adults are dying. I continue to mention that they laid eggs and abandoned them. I wish that had happened at these other nests. Is it better to die at a young age than a fledgling?

Rutland Water Manton Bay: The first hatch of Maya and Blue 33, 3R5, fledges on 2 July! https://youtu.be/kII5xhl2Gwc?

Three of Maya and Blue 33’s chicks have now fledged as of 3 July 3:14 CDT. They are 3R5, 3R6, and 3R7.

Mixed news coming in from Kielder Forest:

Alyth SS: The three osplets were ringed and the nest cleaned on the 2nd of July. Two females and a male. My nickel is on Oakley being the male. I’ll be sure to follow the details and let you know.

Birds of Poole Harbour (if you missed it): Chicks were ringed on the 29th.

5R3 – 1.75kg – female

5R4 – 1.44kg – male

5R5 – 1.45kg – male

5R6 – 1.35kg – male

Foulshaw Moss/Cumbria Wildlife Trust: The osplets of White YW and Blue 35 have been ringed. They are believed to be a female, the first hatch, 7K1. Two males, 7K2 and 7K0.

LS Finnish Nest: Three gorgeous osplets. Video captured by Mie shows Dad bringing in a huge stick. https://youtu.be/2V-5l0Yh8I4?s

Taipalsaaren sääkset: Two of the three eggs hatched. The osplets are approximately three and a half weeks old.

#1 Saaksilvie: A miserable wet day at the nest! Eura delivered a headless fish at 22:24:35.

#4 Saaksilvie, Satakunnan: It is a wet day for the three osplets. Nupu is trying to keep their little heads dry. It was nice earlier. Nemo brought a whole fish at 23:16:38. The camera was off, and a huge fish was delivered. N1 threw up at the last delivery but had a large crop from the previous meal. Hoping nothing is wrong with the eldest chick at this nest.

Paltamont Osprey Platform, Finnish Osprey Foundation: Two gorgeous chicks.

Juurusvesi Osprey Platform, Finland:  Fish deliveries at this nest were: 05:18, 11:49, 13:15, 16:26, 19:11, and 23:07. That is a nice delivery pattern for these three osplets. Note that the two older have their juvenile feathers while the last hatch still has its wide white stripe along its back and thermal down. All seem to be doing well.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 3rd July 2025
The day started with a celestial visitor which made its presence sufficiently felt that Dorcha noticed it from her high perch. A bright fireball made by a meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere caused the night sky to light up with bright flashes which the chicks slept through but the nest cams recorded. As did many people throughout Scotland, and the BBC featured the meteor on tonight’s Reporting Scotland and included clips of the event caught on the Osprey cam. Today we also received the information that both chicks have been assessed as male: chick1 Blue 7P0 weighed 1320g and chick2 Blue 7P7 weighed 1270g. Now the fun begins as George WTS has opened the naming contest, full details in the bonus section. Enter as many suggestions as you wish but get them in by noon on Sunday 6th. In other news, no intruders were seen today, and both males brought fish to their respective nests. Louis brought four fish for Dorcha taking his tally to two hundred and fifty seven, and Garry LV0 brought one fish for Aurora 536 taking his tally to one hundred and eleven. T

he weather was wet and windy but did perk up with some sunny intervals, however there aren’t any sunny spells forecast for tomorrow, just heavy rain and a moderate breeze with a high of 16°C following tonight’s heavy rain and a gentle breeze with a low of 12°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.42.30 (02.30.21); Nest Two 23.34.25 (03.16.01)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/xN9zuuErLrs N2 Dorcha reacts to the meteor 00.50.15

https://youtu.be/U4LdDGVnkNg N2 Louis lands with fish one in a drift of discarded baby feathers 04.17.41

https://youtu.be/hTLzv3MnhXg N2 Louis waits patiently for someone to take fish two from him 05.09.39

https://youtu.be/WFB1RRgH2gw N1 Aurora arrives ahead of Garry with the first fish 10.14.06

https://youtu.be/8Coyp_RLkE8 N2 Dorcha descends from her perch to meet Louis with fish three 13.19.30

https://youtu.be/4XKzlgeaCjg N2 Tiddler little fish four disappears quickly, Dorcha calls for more 16.57.14

https://youtu.be/K8JIciavjGg N2 Loch Arkaig Osprey family star on BBC Reporting Scotland 7pm news

https://youtu.be/GoGJEamzmMw N2 Name those chicks! Contest now open, closes noon Sunday 6th Bonus opportunity – naming contest for the chicks now open, full details:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=26302594

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/Ez7olfMrWrI  N1 Vicious attack on Aila by the older chick 2019 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/oxqjbIS503w  N1 Aila brings a stick and stands on the chicks 2020

https://youtu.be/6Z0gTYpMdQo  N1 The chicks play pick up sticks 2020

https://youtu.be/_HPoEFUBjq8  N2 Chicks have a go at self-feeding 2022

https://youtu.be/Mcwe1E2Oa4I  N2 Louis delivers a fish straight onto a chick’s back! 2022

https://youtu.be/6Ap9Tva5Qg0 N1 Garry attempts mating, it appears to be tolerated 2023

https://youtu.be/aCMsNj40CRk N2 Fish number two, dumbrella dad attempts to shelter the chick 2023

https://youtu.be/Qy3R8Fld46U  N2 Despite wind and rain, Louis brings a third fish 2023

https://youtu.be/vpUK8HVFXCo N1 Garry LV0 chatters away to himself during an early visit 2024

https://youtu.be/LLCSoyakFkU N2 Dyson and Henry Hoodie visit the empty nest 2024

https://youtu.be/nkSCLuDYS2A  N2 Louis brings a fish for Dorcha then does housework 2024

https://youtu.be/8SVETWUeZOQ Sky TV interview with WTS Jill Donnachie about the translocation 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Today was a significant one for the chicks – they were visited by the licensed raptor expert and ringed -their Darvic rings are Blue 7P0 and Blue 7P7, and in due course we’ll be given the rest of the information obtained today, including sex, weight, and measurements. Once that’s been received, George WTS will open the naming contest so if you’ve started thinking of names, please wait to post them until George gives the word. Unusually the chicks were removed from the nest and ringed on the ground as a safety measure due to the wind, then returned to the nest where they were seen pancaked when the nest cam was switched back on. Dorcha was perched nearby during the ringing process, Louis stayed away then turned up with a fish at 21.45 which the chicks were soon tucking into. Louis brought three fish to the nest, taking his tally to two hundred and fifty three, and the nest cam was zoomed out ready for watching the chicks swoop about once they’ve fledged, which could happen in as little as ten days time. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 worked together to see off an intruder Osprey, after which he brought her three fish, and his tally now stands at one hundred and ten. The weather was settled today, and will continue overnight with light clouds, light winds and a low of 9°C, but changing tomorrow to light rain showers, with gentle breezes and a high of 15 °C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 00.39.16 (03.02.08); Nest Two 00.36.39 (04.05.36)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/REZhgRkSfXI N2 Fish number one, whole trout, still twitching 04.38.19https://youtu.be/lMDRnL3mKTM N1 Garry delivers a mid morning fish for Aurora 10.46.26https://youtu.be/UYMSGpVUQhY N2 One chick feeds the other prefers to preen when the second fish arrives 12.16.37 https://youtu.be/NASlzrW9tKc N1Garry stays and feaks his beak after Aurora leaves with the second fish 13.55.35https://youtu.be/vHsHP9HmhrI N1 Garry brings a fish, leaves and returns when Aurora’s there 16.39.29

https://youtu.be/gyZNAG8kjew N2 Meet 7P0 and 7P7 – the chicks have been ringed! 19.31.10 (zoom)https://youtu.be/TKGg7C2awVI N2 Dorcha looks a little wary, and keeps looking round while dishing up fish three 21.44.35   https://youtu.be/UTNch0cOXAk N2 The cam changes to the expanded view, ready to enjoy seeing the chicks flying about  22.32.29
Bonus info – interested in becoming a ringer? British Trust for Ornithology give the facts:

https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/bird-ringing-scheme/taking-part/learn-ring

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/QnUp0ySNSEc  N1 Ouch! chick plucks out one of Aila’s feathers 2019 (slo-mo) 

https://youtu.be/_CNzBPg2JAQ  N1 Folk arriving at the nest – it’s the ringers! 2020

https://youtu.be/ncw7cbwZo3c N1 The chicks show dad their new jewellery 2020

https://youtu.be/OksogGU5rUc N1 Unringed female Osprey visits Nest One! 2022

https://youtu.be/nmsla8-RSfQ  N1 Affric’s not happy as Garry arrives with a stick not fish 2023

https://youtu.be/aqSLp22W8Xo N2 The chick gets up close and very personal 2023

https://youtu.be/8tXeUJS5kWw  N2 Louis tries to get a fish tail but Dorcha grabs it off him 2023

https://youtu.be/VadFOWNYgfM  N2 Yet more food! Fish number five arrives 2023

https://youtu.be/xLYMFTjW5IQ  N1 Incy Wincy spider’s midnight visit 2024 (quicktime)

https://youtu.be/PcbM4KE7w-I  N2 Hooded Crow intrudes on Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/W32p5HJcb5A  N2 Garry LV0 intrudes in a rapid flyby 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/Q9R-mWtaQiw  N2 Action involving Dorcha, Louis & Garry LV0 2024

https://youtu.be/lgNojG-NglE  N1 & N2 Garry LV0 brings a stick to N2 then takes it to N1 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 1st July 2025
Darkness falls to end a dramatic day, but different in fundamental ways from the very dramatic events which took place on this day last year when the chicks were removed from the nest to join the translocation programme, an event so unusual it made the STV evening news (see blast from the past section). Today’s dramas involved Osprey intrusions on both nests. On Nest One, Aurora 536 had three separate events first with an unringed male attempting to land, then an unexpected visit from Affric 152 who did manage to land but only for a few seconds before a furious Aurora got rid of her, and finally a third intruder who couldn’t be seen properly by the nest cam watchers although clearly Aurora thought they’d come too close for her liking. On Nest Two, Dorcha had several flybys by an unidentified intruder Osprey, which prompted chick1 to join her in defending the nest – instead of staying pancaked like chick2, chick1 actually stood up and alarm-called! The ringers are probably coming tomorrow due to the poor weather forecast for the end of the week, and chick1 seems to be demonstrating how grown up and ready for the next stage s/he is. Aurora received no fish on the nest today so Garry’s tally remains at one hundred and seven, but Louis delivered five fish, and that fifth fish is his two hundred and fiftieth for the season to date – well done Louis! Tonight’s forecast is misty and light winds with a low of 8

°C, changing to sunny intervals tomorrow morning then light rain showers and a gentle breeze in the afternoon and a high of 17°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 00.21.55 (02.36.10); Nest Two 23.31.54 (03.40.36)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Geboq3VRHHY N2 Early breakfast for the family, headless trout 03.45.59https://youtu.be/iP6PslO8bAA N2 second breakfast arrives about an hour after the first 04.51.00https://youtu.be/43FNAc0gycA N2 Louis’ been busy – a third fish arrives 10.34.30https://youtu.be/F5Ly29yKjxg N1 Aurora sees off an unringed intruder Osprey 13.07.05 (zoom)https://youtu.be/BWhcY08Ga7c N2 Dorcha gets fish four all to herself 15.53.53 https://youtu.be/ePsjwVzjmQU N1 Affric 152 pays an unexpected visit to Aurora 16.43.21https://youtu.be/px38MILZa9o N2 Chick1 joins Dorcha in defending against an intruder 20.14.24 

https://youtu.be/_dISmHuGfXc N1 Aurora defends against intruders for the third time today 20.29.28

https://youtu.be/7fAZDt8DN2I N2 Dorcha returns in time to get fish number five from Louis: fish number 250 for the season! 21.47.03 
Bonus action – Woodland Trust urges anyone with a garden to put out a bucket of muddy water:

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/2075815/garden-put-out-bucket-of-muddy-water-july-august

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/ZRHifLlSzEI  N1 Avian hokey cokey 2019

https://youtu.be/Q2qqawpS5k8  N1 Little squirt! Osplet has good aim 2019

https://youtu.be/eRcI7aFhrQY  N1 Morning exercises by the three chicks 2020

https://youtu.be/NUUtpW6MwyM  N1 Dinner for dinos 2020

https://youtu.be/nnRoyL3yNCI  N1 Aila nearly gets nipped by restless wriggling Osplets 2020

https://youtu.be/5YqSPtDGXpU N2 Dances with branches 2022

https://youtu.be/8vsoUCLzfsA N2 Dad brings breakfast and mum and chick tuck in 2023

https://youtu.be/KpFFq5mAXZE N1 Skydancing heard before Garry arrives with a twig 2023

https://youtu.be/5XbTSiCgThM  N1 Affric holds on as a storm passes over Nest One 2023

https://youtu.be/hLJofyZpBWo N2 Dreich, drookit, and blowing a hoolie – the storm hits Nest Two 2023

https://youtu.be/Q_HakxODigs N2 Final family gathering for the 2024 Arkaig Ospreys 2024 (freezeframe)

https://youtu.be/OX4_U4q4U4U N2 Dorcha returns to the nest after the chicks have been taken away 2024

https://youtu.be/7EOiOedhNo0 N2 The chicks star on STV news 2024

https://youtu.be/12Pe__3E3eo N1 Garry LV0 arrives bringing moss 2024

https://youtu.be/y2RIy-5tqEQ  N2 Louis brings a fish but only Dorcha is there 2024

https://youtu.be/0v65YxWPJvw N2 Two Hoodies appear and steal fish from the empty nest 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 30th June 2025 
On this day last year, the family were spending their final night together, although they didn’t know it – the following day the two chicks would be removed and placed on a translocation programme under the auspices of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Fundación Migres in Spain. Woodland Trust Scotland’s statement on the translocation in the bonus section. Despite today’s wet weather, conditions are nothing like last year’s  – Louis is healthy and providing plenty of fish, the chicks are developing on schedule, and all being well with both the weather and the ringers’ nest schedule, the chicks could be ringed on Friday 4th July. Despite the rain and the odd intruder alarm, Louis delivered four fish to Dorcha, taking his tally to two hundred and forty five, while over on Nest One Garry LV0 brought two fish for Aurora 536, smaller than she would have liked, and his tally now stands at one hundred and seven. Despite the overnight forecast stating partly cloudy and light winds with a low of 10°C, it is raining as I file this report (shortly after midnight) and Dorcha and the chicks are a huddle of damp plumage. Tomorrow’s forecast is for sunny intervals and light winds with a high of 19°C, fingers crossed it actually turns out that way.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.31.31 (03.16.30); Nest Two 23.02.15 (03.45.04)

Today’s videos: https://youtu.be/xnr-173Cos4  N2 Louis delivers breakfast and stays to feak his beak 08.46.45  https://youtu.be/MfaPg5DiFIk N1 Aurora gets a lunchtime snack size fish 13.42.39  https://youtu.be/3LLOq9ep3V0 N2 Chick1 downs the tail of the second fish like an old pro 15.29.13  https://youtu.be/bAadWUaPkMY N1 Garry’s second tiddler fish is polished off in under 5 minutes 17.11.45https://youtu.be/14h93EygN08 N2 Louis brings a nice big fish supper 19.21.22https://youtu.be/oE-zFlh-CpI N2 Dorcha gets a late night trout snack 21.06.07

Bonus read – Woodland Trust Scotland’s 2024 statement in full on the translocation programme:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=15225467

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/YqWAn-A_hak  N1 Louis accidentally bashes his Osplets with a big stick! 2019 (slo-mo) 

https://youtu.be/Qa3rDc1yAMA N1 Synchronised squeaking as the family tuck into breakfast 2020 

https://youtu.be/ti4s_8NESx0  N1 Chick on chick aggression 2020

https://youtu.be/mhJADT2jbOY N2 A sticky situation! 2022

https://youtu.be/m5UUDLgZKww N2 Another intrusion by an unringed stranger 2022

https://youtu.be/vWMeMD2ouYk N1 Garry arrives with a headless trout, Affric grabs and goes 2023 

https://youtu.be/VqeiBS8t1kw N2 Fish number two,the chick eats the eyeballs 2023

https://youtu.be/xFT1WiVjWTA N1 Affric wants more fish, Garry has other ideas 2023

https://youtu.be/JmXsSd1g_o0  N2 Find the gap! 2023

https://youtu.be/vD6PgwUW6c0 N2 Dominant chick attacks submissive one despite all the fish available 2024

https://youtu.be/DOl24pZXxzo N2 Louis arrives with his first delivery of the day, headless big trout 2024

https://youtu.be/ShR7Kb12D_c N2 Submissive chick gets a calm exclusive feed 2024

https://youtu.be/W7mIANPajv4 N2 The last supper – chicks enjoy a final dinner with Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/6Q7UEkwIG5M N2 Chicks spend a calm final evening together with mum 2024

James Nesta’s post on All Eagles about the Tempeauleau Bald Eagle Nest, WI: My goodness. This will put a smile on your face.

Smile. We need a laugh. Now, in Winnipeg, we think of pigeons as ‘falcon food’. Interesting. Thank you SK Hideaways! https://youtu.be/0rh7orHI1J0?

Please, please do not use fireworks for celebrations.

Yeah for those inquisitive vets that save animals! This was one lucky Bald Eagle.

US vet uses cod skin to save bald eagle in time for Fourth of Julyhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/02/cod-skin-bald-eagle-fourth-of-july?CMP=share_btn_url

And to Dr Tess, who spent a wonderful year at Wildlife Haven in Manitoba, a fond goodbye. You experimented with various apparatus to save the animals under your care. We wish you well in your new position in Florida.

Golden Eagle, Latvia: Spilve and Grislis have been taking turns providing prey for Meldrs.

Did you miss the June edition of the Ventana Wildlife Condor chat? Here it is: https://youtu.be/fVvRAg1VfIs?

Answer to Calico’s Mystery Question:

Blue Jays flatten down, or “flop,” on the ground as a form of sunbathing, also known as “anting” or “sunning”. This behaviour helps them maintain their feather health and remove parasites. They might also open their beaks to pant, which allows them regulate their body temperature in the heat. 

Here’s a more detailed explanation:

• Sunbathing/Sunning:Birds, including Blue Jays, spread their wings and body on the ground to expose their feathers and skin to the sun. 
• Anting:This is a specific type of sunbathing where birds use ants to help clean their feathers.They might lie on the ground where ants are present or even pick up ants and rub them on their feathers. 
• Feather Maintenance:The sun’s heat helps to remove parasites and spread preening oils throughout the feathers, promoting overall feather health. 
• Temperature Regulation:In hot weather, Blue Jays might pant with their beaks open to help cool down. 
• Other Possible Reasons:While sunbathing and anting are the most common reasons, some research suggests it might also be related to other behaviors, such as a bird feeling dizzy from flying or potentially even self-stimulation. 

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We will see you again on Monday! For those celebrating the 4th, have a lovely, safe, happy day.

Thank you, as always, to those darling individuals who consistently send me great news items: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PB, PS’. I am grateful, as it is so difficult to keep up with all the news! To those individuals who posted news on FB or websites and whose names are highlighted in bold, thank you so much. To the streaming cams highlighted, we are all grateful that you allow us the privilege of watching the lives of these amazing birds as they raise their families in the most difficult of times. Thank you to all, as my post would be nothing without you.