Update: Tears. Tears. And more tears. Gabby laid her first egg at 5:56 as called by the American Eagle Foundation. Thank you, Heidi!
There it is!
Welcome to the start of the week. Snow is gently falling in the garden. Once it gets deep enough to be beautiful, there will be some photos!
Waiting for Brock to come for his meal as the gentle flakes get deeper. Perhaps he will stay curled up in his home?? (I gauge the depth by the snow that falls on top of the little table). The forecast says that we will have snow until 0200. It is now 1620.
Do you happen to know what ‘anting’ is? I didn’t.
I wonder if the Crows visiting the garden ever do this?
At the Eagle Country nest of Blaze and Skye, a stunning sub-adult visited on Sunday. What a gorgeous eagle.
At the Port Lincoln Osprey Barge, Mum, Wilko, and Kasse are hungry and they are fish calling very loudly Monday morning!
Still waiting.
This was the final tally for Sunday. What in the world happens to Dad at this nest?
Wilko is going to really jump at this fish as he missed out on some meals on Sunday.
Dad came in with a very small fish and as predicted, Wilko who was very hungry, grabbed it. Please check the Port Lincoln Obs board for the rest of Monday’s activities.
Gabby is nothing short of gorgeous. Beau is in and out of the nest. No eggs yet at NE Florida.
Eagles are home at Decorah.
Someone is at the NCTC nest.
Jackie and Shadow were at the Big Bear nest on Sunday. Gosh they are looking good! I keep wondering if this could be their year again.
FOBBV have a new book on the history of the nest from 2015 to the present. They are still accepting holiday orders.
Liberty and Guardian have been working hard. They were at the nest in Redding, California on Sunday.
Fran Solly posted some information on the Gleesons nest that has Marie, a foster, there. Friends of Osprey Sth Australia have been busy putting on trackers this season. Thank you everyone!
They have also put up a platform at Sleaford and this couple seems to be considering a lease. That would be grand.
GHOs Bonnie and Clyde have been visiting their nest on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas after 1700. I hope to catch them today!
Has anyone seen Jack at the Achieva Credit Union nest recently?
Beautiful nest with a great camera at Captiva waiting for an Osprey family.
Calico is putting together her favourite bird books for the year. We hope to have her list finished and polished by next weekend! This girl should get some gold stars. She loves story time! We are working our way through several books at the moment.
With the great news about Gabby, I am once again posting early and I will see you on Tuesday morning unless we have another major event such as Kasse fledgling or more eagle eggs. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Heidi, J’, NE Florida Bald Eagle Cam and the AEF, Sandra Turner and National Geographic, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, NCTC, FOBBV, FORE, Fran Solly, Farmer Derek GHO Cam, Achieva Credit Union, Window to Wildlife
Our thoughts are with all the humans and non-humans living along the coast of California and Oregon where a 7.4 earthquake has hit. For my readers and their families, we are thinking of you and wish everyone to be safe.
In the movie, Seven Years in Tibet, there is a scene where they are building the movie theatre for the Dalai Lama. The Tibetans are anguished about the killing of the worms. The Dalai Lama suggests to Heinrich Harrer that he is very clever and he can find a way to construct the building without killing. He explained to the Austrian that all life is sacred and should be respected. I wish a wave would pass around the world where everyone would treat all living beings with great compassion.
It is +4 C in Winnipeg. The snow that fell is all melting. Any ice build up is also melted or melting. It is 1400 and we will have sunlight for another hour and a half. The birds are busy eating. What is worrying me for the last few days is that I have only seen one Blue Jay. Did one decide to migrate late? or did something happen? or are they just coming at different times and I think it is one but it is two? I would like to see them together.
The Girls are enjoying the warm sunshine today. Calico is on the table by my side. She loves being super warm and does not complain when I wrap her up in the duvet at night.
Some of you have asked about the fate of the Canada Goose. As I understand, all of the geese rescued from the wildlife centre are safe along with the one that we saved yesterday. They will spend their winter here in a warm environment with plenty of food and medical care if necessary.
We have cleared the way to set up the Reolink camera and found the perfect spot to install the solar panel. Then we both realised that the camera only operates at -10 C. While it is warm today, in a few days, the reading will have dropped substantially. We are going to set the camera up to see if it works and maybe keep it outside until the temperature dips to -27 C mid-week. It will be a way to test it and give us something to look forward to in the spring.
It seems that we are now in a snowfall warning for Sunday and could get up to 10-20 cm or 4-8 inches. That wasn’t on my phone! Will see if it happens. That camera might have to wait.
‘B’ sent me an article about the geneticists at Stanford solving the mystery of ‘orange’ cats. Of course, both of us wonder why Hugo Yugo is orange after reading it. I wrote my son to see if he could help us. Here is the article, any thoughts?
I wonder if Kasse is going to fledge. She really got some good lift after Wilko took his first flight. Heidi caught it in video and while most people were watching Wilko, it was Kasse that caught my attention.
Yesterday Dad brought in one fish and there were two supplementary fish. Today, Mum brought in a fish early, 0721. Wilko wanted it, but Mum prevailed. It was small and each got a meal. I hope Mum got some, too. Wilko got the tail!
This is what happened today. Mum, you are amazing! And so are you Fish Fairies.
The only surviving chick out of three at the Osprey House Environment Centre in Australia is Marina. She has caught her first fish! Marina fledged on the 29th of September.
There was another good mating at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest. Will this be the one that gives us that first egg? We wait. https://youtu.be/CedSKh1oIZA?
Xavier and Diamond have been in and out of the scrape. My heart breaks for them.
Is it possible to get a dedicated group of BOGs to be there when the chicks fledge so that they can check all the trees and know where the fledglings are if they are injured, help can come quickly.
An announcement from Window to Wildlife regarding the Captiva Osprey Cam:
Some cute little Eurasian Hobbys to keep you entranced – it part of a series from the 2024 nesting period. https://youtu.be/TLOLFuMo-40?
No eagles but a squirrel did visit the MN-DNR Bald Eagle nest on Saturday.
Harry and Harriet are building their nest and – wait – is that snow?! It is Michigan, it is winter! https://youtu.be/pYWYnmfyiWA?
Ferris Akel tours the area around Ithaca on Saturday. He did not find Big Red and Arthur, but there was an impressive number of waterfowl on Cayuga Lake.
Calico was watching Ferris.
Coots.
American Black Ducks and several species of swans.
I like checking in with Ferris who catches the changing seasons in the Ithaca and bird arrivals and departures. I also like to check in with Bruce Yolton who chases down raptors in New York City.
Yolton captured a gorgeous Great Horned Owl in the City a couple of days ago. The GHO was interested in the rodents below on a branch. Great little video! You can find his blog at urbanhawks.com https://youtu.be/ghU7O15gOBQ?
I love Puffins. Doesn’t everyone? Can we end them starving?
“BirdLife, the RSPB, 31 NGOs and the wind sector sent letters to the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans and asked him to be the champion for the ocean he promised to be. Can he turn the tide for starving Puffins?”
There are so many talented wildlife photographers who read my blog in the UK. Please send your photos to the RSPB – be part of their cover story!
Finally, the Grouse hunting estates in Scotland are under pressure to change their ways – and they don’t even recognise that they need to stop killing raptors illegally.
Every National Park – every area where there is a high concentration of wildlife – should be making it safer for them to cross the roads!
The Christmas Bird Counts are huge events internationally. Please check with your local birding associations and see how you can take part.
So far, it is quiet, which is a good thing in Bird World. Soon, we will have some eaglets in SW Florida, and by the end of the month, all of the eagle nests will have at least one egg (we hope). We look forward to Kasse fledging, which will happen anytime. She is ready. I was happy to see supplementary fish still being provided. Thank you, fish fairies. These fledglings use much energy and have yet to catch their food. In fact, Marina took over two months to catch her own fish after fledging at Osprey House Environmental Centre.
This afternoon Missey and Baby Hope posed for new photos.
Meanwhile, one of Dyson’s kits was outside enjoying peanuts. The three kits chased one another all over the garden. They were so happy to have a warm day and lots and lots of peanuts!
Their baskets for the winter solstice are being prepared. We have various types of prepared bird seed, hazelnuts, Butter Bark, suet balls, pieces of pear and apple to be prepared on the day. Looking for more ideas! It is our way of thanking them for being such a huge part of our lives!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘B, Heidi, J’, sfgate.com, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Heidi McGrue, Osprey House Environment Centre, American Eagle Nest Cam Highlights, SK Hideaways, BVS Girl, Tonya Irwin and Kisatachie National Forest Eagle Cam Fans FB, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Window to Wildlife, Marek Palicka, MN-DNR Eagle Cam, Wings of Whimsy, Ferris Akel Tours, Bruce Yolton, The Guardian, Birdlife International. RSPB England, Raptor Persecution UK, Parks Canada, Missey and Baby Hope
Oh, it is so nice to have you with us! I am going to post this on Friday evening instead of Saturday morning because of Wilko’s fledge. We will see you again on Sunday.
First up. Wilko fledges at 1325!!!!!!!!!!!!! 62 days old. Wilko returns safely to the nest. (This would have been the title but FB would have refused to post this blog on their site so sorry, Wilko!)
Will the fairies return now that one of the chicks has fledged? We wait to see. I hope they come in with a big fish meal as congratulations.
First up. Well, it was going to be first, but Wilko’s flight preempted Wisdom making the international news. This is grand. The world should be more interested in wildlife.
Oh, it was -4 C on Friday in Winnipeg. I couldn’t wait to get outside for a long walk at the nature centre. First thing, we found a Canada Goose. You might remember the other day there were five geese eating snow. They were taken to Wildlife Haven, our rescue centre. This one is heading there, too. It felt super to help this one. No one knew it was there as we were the only people on the trails, it seems. This seemed so odd as it was such a fantastic day, but we were glad to be there and to help.
This goose should not be here. It is the only one around. It is different in the spring. Some arrive early when there is still snow so they can get the best nesting spots. This one was destined to starve to death if not freeze. So why is it here? Is it injured? They will find out.
There were deer all over the forest. We tiptoed in our boots so as not to disturb them. I only had my phone and the photos are not great. The one on the right knew I was there. The Chickadees were singing while flitting about while the squirrels were trying their luck at getting peanuts out of the feeders.
It is 1636. The sky is a white-grey with a rose gold tinge. The outdoor lights are glowing bright, and I am waiting for Brock to arrive (he doesn’t). We have figured out what needs to be fixed with all the feral cat houses – only one opening. They feel trapped – so two openings! We will work on that tomorrow. It is still supposed to be warm. We will also start installing the Reolink camera.
Let’s start with the sad news in Bird World first. Cilla Kinross said that Yira is no longer with us. It had been over a week since she thought she had spotted her. I feel so badly for Xavier and Diamond, who work hard all season to raise healthy chicks to have one deformed and euthanised and the other killed.
I have long suspected Yira was not with us. She has been on the Memorial Wall for a couple of weeks now. We never saw the behaviour that Diamond and Xavier would have exerted if they were providing prey for a fledgling. So, soar high, little one. We hope that next season will turn out differently for these beloved parents.
The good news. Just the best. SE33’s release images. Soar high, live long, find a good mate, raise lots of babies, always have a full crop!
If you missed it, images of SE33 being ringed and getting ready to fly.
At the WRDC nest, Rose laid her second egg. Heidi wrote: “ Rose laid egg #2 12/6, at 18:08, approximately 75.5 hours after she laid egg #1. Rose had been a 4-day layer the past two seasons, and she has just become a 3-day layer.”
At Hilton Head, the Bald Eagles are bringing in the pine boughs readying for that first egg. I wonder if they told the GHOs? https://youtu.be/kobHTx-ALSU?
You might have heard about the earthquake that hit parts of northern California. The nest at Redding, home to Liberty and Guardian, felt the impact. They say the nest is fine. https://youtu.be/Oyocy3zNY8c?
Oh, goodness, the wait for eggs at the nest of Gabby and Beau is like taking fingernails to a chalkboard.
Another wait is fledge. Wilko really wants to fly. Kasse is trying her wings, too. It is quite breezy at Port Lincoln, but they aren’t quite ready yet. Soon, too soon, you two! Settle down and let us enjoy you for a long, long time.
Waiting for fish. Ospreys are always waiting for their fish dinner everywhere. Last night Dad brought in a late fish. I did not see what happened. This came in on chat from Gtr: “20;34 Dad w fish to nest, Kasse gets the fish, 20:35 & 20:37 Wilko tries to steal it but no luck, 20:44 Kasse eats the tail.” Wow. Isn’t that wonderful for Kasse?!
With no fish arriving by 1227, Mum takes off on a blustery Saturday in Port Lincoln to try and feed her family. (I wonder what she thinks about Dad these days.)
Iris and Finnegan’s Owl Pole is now officially replaced.
Thunder and Akecheta sleeping near their nest in the Channel Islands Friday evening.
Bad weather is hitting the UK. I am glad the ospreys are in their winter homes, but for the rest, stay safe everyone!
I wonder when the Governor of Virginia will understand that there will be no more Menhaden if Omega is allowed to strip the Bay of every last one. Does he think they fall from the sky into the water each spring?
If you happened to miss it, Nox died of a bacterial infection and pneumonia.
Saving the old and wise could help. Phoebe Watson says, “t’s not just humans who get wiser as they age – animals do too, according to a growing body of research. The bigmouth buffalo fish can reach 127 years old, the Greenland shark 392, and some sponges can live for 10,000 years or more. And age is not just a number: as animals get older they behave differently depending on their life experiences, gain richer knowledge of their environment, and often pass it on to younger members of their group, researchers say.
The problem is, we are killing off these older creatures. “Earth’s old animals are in decline,” researchers warned in a paper published in Science last month, which analysed more than 9,000 peer-reviewed papers. Few animals make it to old age, and the ones that do are vulnerable to being hunted or harvested by humans, because they are the biggest or have, for example, the largest antlers, horns or tusks.”
In Hawaii, they are working to reintroduce the Crow. “The Hawaiian crows, or alala, were last found on Hawaii’s Big Island, but they went extinct in the wild in 2002, officials with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said in a statement. The birds, described as intelligent and charismatic, are the last survivors of all the Hawaiian crow species. Habitat loss, predation and disease by introduced species are threats, among other factors.
“The translocation of alala to Maui is a monumental step forward in conserving the species and a testament to the importance of partnership in reversing biodiversity loss,” said Megan Owen, vice-president of conservation science at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.”
To our knowledge, at the time of writing, there are no new Bald Eagle eggs except for the second egg at WRDC. Incubation is going well at nests with eggs.
Calico wishes each of you the very best weekend. She has some exciting news coming in the new year!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take good care of yourself. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Heidi, SP’, The Guardian, Holly Parsons, Sea Eagle Cam, WRDC, Hilton Head Land Trust, EaGal Vicki, NEFL-AEF, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Montana Osprey Cams, IWS/Explore.org, Denton Homes, SK Hideaways, UK Osprey Information and Jeff Kear, Brian Collins and Menhaden- Little Fish, Big Deal, UC Berkeley News
First thing. There is an egg for Ron and Rose at the WRDC nest near Miami in Dade County. 14:34 according to Heidi on Tuesday. Congratulations! Everything looks alright with that egg.
In one day, we will celebrate the arrival of Hugo Yugo to our lives. We adopted her on the 5th of December believing that she was a male as we had been told (and requested). The vet would laughingly inform us that we had one of a handful of Ginger Girls. Her name became Hugo Yugo, and it took her nearly nine months to start growing. We would not have given her back for a New York minute.
Wrapped in her blanket, at 11 weeks old, she was all ears. And she was sick. Poor thing. Dr Green quickly put that to rights.
My pal and faithful osprey data collector, Heidi, is worried that I will compromise ‘The Girls’ by bringing Brock into the house. She knows that these four girls are ‘everything’ to me. Brock would need to be ‘caged’ (I have one), and he would need to go to the vet for testing before he could be cleared to come into the house. I do not believe this will ever happen. Brock is too ‘feral’. So, we provide him with high-quality food, water, and 2 warm and safe places to sleep that are dry if he should choose to use them. My Girls are the rocks in my life. They give me the same joy that walking in the forest does. I will do anything and everything to protect them just as if they were my human children.
Hugo Yugo is at the vet’s last year, the morning after we picked her up from her foster family. She was dreadfully ill.
It was terrible. We ached for this little one. A week later, she was still sick, but she was showing some signs of improvement. She loved cuddling in a pink baby blanket. I would wrap her tight like a tortilla and place her in the curve of my left arm to stay warm. That is where she still sleeps today, sans a blanket.
All well at the vet’s on the 18th! She is playing and the vet tells us she will survive.
By the 28th of December (23 days later), Hugo Yugo was ruling the cat tree. We never looked back. She continues to be the boss of the house. The respite worker commented today on how HY chased Calico back into the back corner of the conservatory from the living room. This little Ginger is fearless.
At the vet last week still getting into trouble. It is a small sink but Hugo Yugo did grow, finally.
Tuesday was Gifting Tuesday. This year was Calico’s turn the local charity that would get our funds and any other selections related to that institution. Last year, Missey had this privilege. Local wildlife rehab facilities, feral cat groups, nature centres, you name it, were there for the picking. The one that Calico put her paw on first was the choice. It was Wildlife Haven this year! Then, she had to select the ambassador to be adopted. She put her paw on the printout of Gus, the Turkey Vulture! There you go. Looks like a carrion eater is our adoptee this year! It is pretty fun. We had several others this year. Giving Tuesday is great if there is someone or some institution that will double the donations. It can have a huge impact.
Gabby and Beau spent almost all day at the nest on Tuesday. Thinking eggs? Oh, please!
She looks like she is thinking about it or geez, is this Beau? My old eyes are so bad.
‘J’ reports that an owl struck Gabby during the night but she is OK. Oh, these owls!
It is windy at Port Lincoln and the family is waiting for the first fish of the day.
Noon. No fish yet. Looks like a day when we will be wishing the fairy would appear.
Now that I have gotten it out of head that Kasse has the pink ring, here she is with her bright red ring doing some nice wingers.
Well, it is afternoon. Dad is in the man cave, and he appears to not be interested in fishing. Mum is off the nest. I wonder if she has gone to find fish for her and the two osplets.
Mum did bring in that fish. Then the fish fairy came with 6 fish and Dad rounded up the day with two after 4pm! What a day at Port Lincoln.
Royal Cam Dad RLK is home safely and ready to incubate his egg! Oh, isn’t it a relief when they return after foraging?
One of the eagles was seen on Tuesday.
Giliath!
Thunder and Akecheta spent the night at the West End nest and were there in the early morning.
Hey look who is at Fraser Point! Andor and Cruz.
I did not see anyone at the Two Harbours nest of Chase and Cholyn.
But wait a minute! Bailey the GHO is working on the nest after the Eagle leaves. This is not so good! https://youtu.be/sb71R6oInuQ?
In past instances, the GHOs have taken the nest from the eagles. Think Bonnie and Clyde at Farmer Derek’s. They are not cute and fluffy. GHOs are Apex Raptors, Predators of the highest level.
Bonnie and Clyde paid a visit to the Cardinal Land Conservancy nest on Tuesday.
Hawk Mountain migration update. There are some real concerning numbers there and there are some surprises. See if you can find the raptors that gained in numbers and then which one lost the most?
22 year old Red tail Hawk rescued!
‘J’ sends me a note that had me shaking my head: “I told you I had bought Geo Magazine from April 1978 because it had a long article in it about kakapo. It was a harsh read. Starts with quotes from people in the 1800s – I now know the best way to cook a kakapo, you never know when that might come in handy. When the author went over there were only 12 (!!!) kakapo left as far as anyone knew, and all of them were males. There were 24 humans watching and protecting them 24/7 and basically everyone was waiting for the species to die out. One, a 24 year old student fell down a cliff and died. But after the author came back home he got the call that 30 more kakapo had been found, so at least it ended with a positive note, everyone hoping that at least one of the 30 would be a female.”
Today, people are still working around the clock to care for these amazing birds. As of November 2024, there are 244 kākāpō alive. They are critically endangered. Fun Facts: The population has actually doubled since 2016. The programme to save the Kakapo was started by the New Zealand Government and the Maori tribe, Ngai Tahu. Conservation efforts include artificial insemination, supplementary feeding, and transmitters to help the staff locate the birds for their annual checks.
The visitor to the Achieva Credit Union osprey platform looks down and says, “What the heck is this mess?! And they want me to lay eggs, where?” Thanks, MP for the capture.
Tuesday is always a long day for me. Today was snow and really brisk winds. The roads were terrible. Calico has a project and I had to pick it up at our local photo store – which happened to be about 24 minutes across town on slick roads. I was not impressed with the way our winter is starting. Hopefully I didn’t miss too many events in Bird World!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, notes of concern, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Heidi, J, MP’, WRDC, Heidi McGrue, Hugo Yugo and the Anderson Animal Wellness Centre in Winnipeg, NEFL-AEF, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Sharon Dunne, Judy Harrington, IWS/Explore.org, Raptor Resource Project, NCTC, Deb Stecyk, Hilton Head Land Trust, Hawk Mountain, A Place Called Hope, Natural History Museum, Rita the Eagle, Achieva Credit Union
Well, goodness me. It is Wilko with the pink and green ring! I thought it was Kasse- thinking female here. Apologies. Kasse is red and white. So it was Wilko, not Kasse being bold as it normally was. Thanks, Heidi! I should also add that Heidi mentioned she did not get some posts since she usually catches the blog on FB. FB does not like my titles and I had PLO has a boy and a girl. FB removed that post. I am on Bluesky, too. They do not do that! Thank goodness.
Gosh, hasn’t the year flown by? It feels like yesterday we were watching M15 and F23 raise their first eaglet together, and now we are waiting for their two eggs to hatch in 2024. Time flies.
The garden animals enjoy a few treats as the days get shorter and colder. There are new nut cylinders with mealworms, and I have added some cat kibble to the Black Oil Seed supply. We are in the process of gathering up special nuts and seeds, along with some cubed pears and apples. We will be making the birds and squirrels a basket for the solstice. I suspect we will need two – one for the Crows and Jays and another for the squirrels and smaller songbirds. We want to capture some special moments with them on a Reolink Wildlife camera. The thing to remember is that I need to be IT savvy and I am not very so fingers and toes crossed. We will see if this is as easy to install and operate as they say the camera is! We can get colour images day and night without disturbing the animals and birds to show you. Of course, the feral cats will have treats, too. Today, they dental kibble and enjoyed it on top of their wet food and water. It is incredible how thirsty the feral cats can be – so please leave out water if you can. It is life-saving!
Mr Crow was pounding away on the suet today and ignoring the peanuts. The fat in the suet really helps the birds to stay warm on the cold days – and when it is sunny, the temperature is usually colder.
Brock has been around twice today and just left. It is 1536, and the sun is getting low on the horizon. It is -11. The temperature is warming, and we will have snow on Tuesday and Wednesday. I lucked into finding someone reliable who does a great job clearing our snow this year. I am so thankful.
I continue to be thankful for my beautiful life – for the joy these fantastic animals and birds bring to us, the cats, our friends and family, and you. We need a few material things, but we certainly need love and community and the hope that as we move forward, we can, in each of our ways, make a difference, whether it is that clean used towel to the rehabber, a bowl of water for a feral cat or the birds, or a donation. Together, we can move mountains.
Now let us get on to these birds and other news items that are happening.
Breaking News: YRK, the mate of the late OGK, has a new mate and a fertilized egg! Oh, my goodness. This is wonderful news.
‘MP’ has sent news that Jack was on the Achieva nest on Monday. He had been MIA for several days, and that caused considerable concern among viewers of the nest. Another osprey was there in the morning and is seen below. It wasn’t Jack or Diane. I had hoped that it was Tumbles all grown up, but the marking on her head was not the same as hers. This adult looked down at the mess on that nest – it was a mess!
Jackie and Shadow always amaze us with their hope. They never give up, and as Hob Osterlund points out, neither do these two female Laysan Albatross.
Oh, this is a huge milestone! Congratulations.
Smile. Black bears enjoying watermelon.
Wilko is 59 days old today, and Kasse is 56 days old. They are incredibly gorgeous osplets. I’m so glad that they are ringed and both have trackers.
Many of you have written to find out about the other fledglings at the PLO nest and especially Ervie. My goodness, Ervie must be one of the most beloved osprey fledglings ever. I have sent Bart a note to see if the tracking for Ervie, Bradley, and Giliath might be posted weekly. Bart is looking into it with no promises. Another firm handles the monitoring and PLO doesn’t have direct access. I have no doubt Bart will try as hard as he can. He knows how much we love those birds!
Oh, gosh, it is nearly 11 and no fish yet. After a lot of hovering, Wilko is getting peckish.
The fish fairy arrives to save the day!
Wilko did more hovering! Remember, Wilko is a male and would naturally fledge first.
It was a beautiful morning at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau. Waiting for that first egg – rather impatiently as I assume everyone is!
Hello Annie!
F23 calls as she sees M15 arriving with a nice fish for her! Best to turn the volume down. https://youtu.be/vUqFK4wehI8?
Fran Solly just posted a recap of Roy Dennis’s time in Port Lincoln. What a treat for everyone who was able to have dinner with this dedicated individual.
In Estonia, there was a juvenile White-tail eagle that came to visit the nest of Milda and Zorro in Durbe County. Gorgeous bird. https://youtu.be/gEv2-TERZ3c?
The Glen Turret Estate is giving up bean Grouse Shooting in favour of a dramatic ecological restoration of the land. This is part of this report:
“Regular blog readers will know that Strathbraan is dominated by a number of estates with driven grouse moors and the area has been identified in a Government-commissioned report as being a hotspot for raptor persecution. It’s also the area where NatureScot (formerly SNH) licensed a controversial raven cull in 2018 (see here) but then came under fire from its own scientific advisory committee who stated the scientific rigour of the licence was “completely inadequate“.
Glen Turret Estate has been at the centre of police investigations into alleged wildlife crime over a period of many years (no prosecutions or General Licence restrictions, natch) so the news that it is under new management and no longer operating as a driven grouse moor is very welcome indeed.
This should mean an end to the use of things like crow-cage traps, commonly deployed [legally!] on grouse moors in all seasons, where non-target species like this Long-eared owl can no longer be caught and held for over 24 hrs in appalling weather conditions (photo by RSPB).”
WIRES reports the miraculous save of a tiny Flying female pup (Australia). WIRES does some amazing things including providing vet care for sea eagles!
Did you know that Wood Ducks like acorns? Just look what happened at Port Louisa Wildlife Refuge in Wapello, Iowa. I wonder if some of those migrating Wood Ducks didn’t come from Manitoba.
Male (brighter with hood) and female (white teardrop behind eye) Wood Ducks at our local duck pond.
As climate change impacts the planet, there are opportunities for conservation and a cranberry farm in Massachusetts is being returned to the wetlands it once was with ducks! quacking wildly!
Calico’s Tip of the Day: For those celebrating Christmas and putting up a real tree, do want to keep it fresh? or do you want dry needles sticking in everyone’s socks? Well, follow these simple instructions to keep that tree fresh: Do not water your tree! First, bring the water to a boil. Then let it stand for 5 minutes, and fill the container for the trunk. This will stop the sap from getting hard and allow the water to go up the trunk. If you use cold water, it will clog the openings, and the tree will die quickly!
Smile! Baby Hope pretends she is Mamma Calico, stopping the invaders from pulling the duvet off!
‘J’ reports that the Loon Preservation Society reported no mortalities or rescues during November. That is fantastic.
Another possible sighting of Yira around the tower, but no positive confirmation as there are other birds in the area. Where is she being fed if this is her?
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘J, MP’, Sharon Dunne, Achieva Credit Union, Hob Osterlund, Kartong Bird Observatory, Bear with Us Center for Bears, Port Lincoln Osprey, NEFL-AEF, Cal Falcons, Androcat, SK Hideaways, Fran Solly, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, liznm, The Washington Post, Raptor Persecution UK, Port Louisa Wildlife Refuge, BBC
It has been snowing gently all day in Winnipeg. We did something entirely unusual: We went to a carolling event in the forest. It was a refreshing change for two people who cannot sing a note! As I write now, Brock is having his dinner. He comes between 1500 and 1600 on snowy days and probably cuddles up warm in his dark, dry space the rest of the time. I never see him wandering on the sidewalk. I wish he would take two steps, cross the threshold, and come inside with The Girls.
Winter is a time for slowing down, just like the animals. Tonight sipping spiced Christmas tea and eating shortbread is a wonderful treat. It is so bright outside with the lights reflecting off the new snow. It is gorgeous. I wish you could sit here with me. I am also watching for a rabbit. Last night one appeared under the bird feeders. It was digging around the snow searching for seed kicked out by the birds. Oh, what big smiles we had. Every year we have had at least one rabbit going back to 2014 when the first ‘Hedwig’ appeared in the garden. Hedwig was a White-tailed Rabbit whose nest was under our Peony plant. She came to the garden for three years. Others came after and one spring we saw several dozen rabbits during mating season. That was really something. They can jump so high!
We have the appropriate dress for walking in -40 C and will do. Our granddaughter went to the forest and fed the chickadees two days ago. She said there were so many, more than the last time she was at Bird’s Hill Park. I cannot wait to return; it would be nice if that happened today! It will depend if my donation bags are ready. This is the time of year when the less fortunate need coats, sweaters, scarves, toques, gloves, warm socks, and boots.
There has been little news in the world of birds, and I believe that’s a positive development. I won’t overwhelm you at the beginning of the week with countless stories about Bald Eagles rearranging sticks, as they are all preparing for the breeding season and the arrival of eggs. The real question is: who will be next? Hatch is not expected at SW Florida for M15 and F23 for a fortnight, then Superbeaks, and Captiva.
Cilla Kinross reports she is concerned about Yira since she has not been seen in a week. Sadly, she cannot be on campus until Thursday or Friday.
CK has posted this video of a bird, possibly Yira, flying by tower. Diamond and Xavier were accounted for so it wasn’t them. Could be wishful thinking. I would love to see Yira in the scrape – it is certainly long enough that she is able to fly this high – or the parents dropping food to her. https://youtu.be/dfuPoztS1Ww?
Sylvia has done a season recap of Diamond and Xavier’s 2024 season at Orange with Yira and Garramma. https://youtu.be/sVgiHH607Kc?
News from the Parramatta River with Judy Harrington:
Gabby had fish in the nest. Oh, I can’t wait for her and Beau to have eggs and please, Beau, do not bury any of them. Please. https://youtu.be/tbJserd7F7o?
Both eagles were at the nest on Sunday.
There is no question that Gabby is entirely smitten by Beau. She made her choice and let us hope these two are successful this year in raising at least one little eaglet to fledge. https://youtu.be/eB5uY9NiKJU?
Kids at Port Lincoln work their wings while waiting for fish to come to the nest.
Dad is over on the old barge and the fish fairy came. Kasse is self-feeding and all is good.
I want you to notice something. Who is standing up tall on Sunday morning staring down the fish fairy? It isn’t Wilko. It is Kasse! She is going to be one fierce mamma.
Putting that bling on Kasse just seemed to empower her! Lovin’ it.
This osprey nest looks dismal, forlorn, abandoned. How long has it been since Jack has been seen? Some are worried.
Gigi and the new male have been at the ND-LEEF nest despite the snow in South Bend, Indiana.
So thankful for Hob Osterlund who keeps us well informed about the Laysan Albatross colony on Kauai.
What are the current threats to these gentle seabirds?
Video in two parts on the efforts to save the Kakapo.
Holly Parsons posted a video with Wisdom and her new mate on the Midway Atoll. Their response to one another is heart-warming.
We might think that the stealing of bird’s eggs for collectors ended in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Well, we would be wrong. More and more people are been charged with the illegal collection and sale of eggs – including those of our beloved and endangered raptors.
The nature centre had its annual ‘big’ sale, and we hope to have enough goodies to create a few holiday baskets for the garden animals. And, if everything works as planned, we plan to show you their response in a video. Stay tuned.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘SP’, Cilla Kinross, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Sylvia, Judy Harrington, American Eagle Federation, NEFL-AEF, Yvonne M, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and PLO, Achieva Credit Union, ND-LEEF, Hob Osterlund, American Bird Conservancy, Cornell All About Birds, Kakapo Recovery, NZ-DOC, Holly Parsons and Friends of Midway Atoll, Raptor Persecution UK, Audubon, Judy Harrington
Thursday was cold, and the wind was blowing the snow around so that, at times, you could not see anything—a ‘whiteout.’ We have had a coyote in our neighborhood, along with the four deer I was trying to find. The news came early Thursday that the Department of Conservation had to shoot the coyote after it had chased the deer into heavy traffic, killed one, and partially eaten it. The coyote also nearly attacked a child when the child came near to where it was sleeping. No doubt, the poor creature was starving and may have been ill. We now have three deer. Several are providing them with supplementary food. Tomorrow, I plan to approach our market, which is well known for its fruit and vegetables, to see if they will donate the unsalable items that deer can eat. That would be wonderful.
We hope everyone who celebrated had a good day and that each of you found time, no matter where you are, to just sit and pause and think of all the little things for which we are grateful.
Bird World is bringing us good news.
There is not much more that can be said for that heading! Incredible. Wisdom – the oldest known wild bird in the world – has outlived numerous mates and is set to raise another Moli in 2025! Can you see me smiling? It seriously doesn’t get much better than this.
In addition to this great news about Wisdom and her egg, we also have images of SE33. What a beautiful sea eagle fledgling. Gorgeous. He is in good condition and will be trained to fly strong and hunt before being released. I really hope that they put a tracker on him.
Wisdom even tops the fact that Dr Green is coming in on a day when she would normally not be in the surgery to clean Hugo Yugo’s teeth and take out those incisors. January 6. The little sweetie will get some relief. She is still woozy from those vaccinations but eating well.
Before you read this short article on what migratory ducks eat on their journey, write down six things you think would be on that menu. See how well you did!
Someone I know well met a naturalist who knows nothing about ospreys and spreads disinformation in person and on line. Because this individual uses the title ‘naturalist’, people believe them. Several years ago, ‘SS’ and I caused a lot of grief at the Collins Marsh Osprey platform when the Only Bob, Malik, had a forced fledge. The caretaker at the time used the title ‘naturalist’ and they did not and would not respond to our alarm calls for help. Wildlife rehabilitation personnel who we contacted attempted to go to the property to search and help the osplet and were refused permission to enter the grounds. As a consequence, Malik died.
‘SS’ and I learned a lot from that event, especially that anyone can call themselves a naturalist, just like a person can get a truck and a hammer and say they are a contractor! No qualifications required. So when you see disinformation online or hear it, step up. Have a conversation. State the facts you know calmly, pointing out their errors. You can help someone learn every day. Also, do not let anyone undermine the value of streaming cams. Much of the new information on ospreys and other birds comes from the diligent observations of nests on streaming cams by citizen scientists.
Brian Collins is working hard to show that the osprey deaths in the Bay are directly linked to a lack of Menhaden. We wonder when the last one will be taken like the Cod in the area???
Kansas City Bald Eagles Ellie and Harvey are back for another fun packed year and are bonding at the nest! https://youtu.be/cuoqS2j4f-M?
M15 certainly picked a gorgeous mate who turned out to be an exceptional mother. F23 is even stunning when she takes a bath! https://youtu.be/AupKhKyckWs?
Half way to seeing those little eaglets!
Talk about stunners though, just look at Wilko and Kasse! They are two of the most beautiful osprey chicks I have ever seen. And this Mum is one of the most amazing. It is extremely rare for the females to leave the chicks to bring fish to the nest. That is the job of the males. It does happen later when the fledglings are bulking up for migration and – yes, it does happen at other times but this is rare. A good example is 2024 when CJ7 helped Blue 022 feed their four osplets ensuring they all survived.
Mum must be enjoying that light and being able to dive off the nest and get a fish!
Dad came in with a partial fish that was eaten quickly. Wilko has been working its wings and getting some air under them.
Some of us have been wondering about their brother Ervie. I posted a question about him on the FB page of Friends of Osprey South Australia. Will keep you posted!
Not a lot of activity was going on at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau on Thursday. Think they got invited for Thanksgiving dinner?
The fundraiser for Montana Osprey Project was, I hope, a huge success. The pens are beautiful! I don’t know if they have any left. They are refillable and well, who wouldn’t want a stick from the ‘miracle nest of 2024’.
The endangered Cockatoo in Australia is also very long lived. “Eight Carnaby’s cockatoos aged between 21 and 35 years have been recorded, according to research published in Pacific Conservation Biology. The oldest bird, at 35 years old, was first recorded as an egg in August 1986. The report co-author Peter Mawson, a researcher with Western Australia’s biodiversity department, said the male cockatoo “looked as healthy as the day he left the nest”, and was still breeding when last sighted in 2021.”
Many are vegetarians and my inbox was flooded with images of turkeys celebrating Thanksgiving by having their own feasts instead of being eaten.
Cal Falcons has a winter fundraiser that is underway in case you are interested.
Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘J’, Hob Osterlund, EagleCam, Ducks Unlimitied Canada, Brian Collins, whro, Androcat, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and PLO, Heidi McGrue, NEFL-AEF, Montana Osprey Project, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Cal Falcons
The two doe and fawns did not return to the park. City workers have been digging up the street for the past two days. That said, we believe that the four have safely found their way to the river and, we hope, are back in a larger park area away from traffic.
I could easily be fooled into thinking this is Calico. It is Baby Hope. Every day she looks more and more like her Mum. She will be 17 months old on 2 December.
She was looking out the window at the birds. There is an increasing number of European Starlings with two crows, two Blue Jays, five grey squirrels, two red squirrels, and about 100 sparrows. The winter weather and cold have made everyone hungry.
One of the most remarkable transformations within the house and among The Girls. Baby Hope has taken up with Missey. Hope rubs her head lovingly against Missey’s just like she used to do with Calico. It happened slowly, Calico distancing herself from her daughter. So, as you can imagine, I am delighted. Missey is the perfect Mum – she continues to care for Hugo Yugo and there is no reason to believe that she will not continue to bond with Hope.
The two Crows are now coming every day for peanuts. One is quite large and the other is the smaller from the summer. A bonded pair. The fledglings have not been seen since the end of the summer/beginning of the fall. After they finished the peanuts (shared with the others), they ate a nice big pizza!
It is wonderful to see them come to the garden every morning. It is not that long until spring! Yes, I keep telling myself that very thing as more snow falls.
There is little happening in Bird World. We are waiting for Wilko and Kasse to be ringed, and I would like to have a more positive sighting of Yira. There are many more Bald Eagle nests to lay eggs in the coming weeks.
Gabby and Beau continue to work on their nest. When will we have their first egg.
Cali Condor wonders if the sub-adult visiting Big Bear might be Spirit. How wonderful if it were! https://youtu.be/wehjVdpEF_Q?
At the Coobowie Osprey nest, Libby has fledged. This is the nest in South Australia that initially had four chicks. Libby is the oldest.
Mum, Wilko, and Kasse are waiting for their breakfast.
Yesterday, Kasse, Wilko, Mum and Dad had six supplementary fish.
Today it is so windy that neither Dad or Mum will surely be able to catch fish. Fish Fairy!!!!!!!!! We need you.
I really hope that Wilko doesn’t decide to stand up and start flapping his wings. He could wind up in Melbourne with these high gusts!
Incubation continues for M15 and F23.
We know that M15 is one of the most capable male Bald Eagles around. We watched him raise his two eaglets alone after Harriet disappeared. Now he would like a little more incubation time! https://youtu.be/D5tdZyavHcw?
The Hilton Head Land Trust caught a Bald Eagle on the nest that the GHOs hope will be theirs. https://youtu.be/DqylzZ66z98?
Calico’s Tip of the Day: Mark the date. December 3rd is Giving Tuesday. Many wildlife groups rely on donations and Giving Tuesday is often coupled with a doubling of your donation by other donors. If you can, could you help? With the cost of living escalating, so many cannot so every dollar helps. Small or large, no one cares. It all adds up!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘J’, NEFL-AEF, Cali Condor, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and PLO Obs Board, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Androcat, Hilton Head Land Trust, SK Hideaways, LDF, Hob Osterlund, Backyard Birds of North America, Gardenista, Eagle Country and nature chatter, Owl Cam
It snowed on and off all day. This morning there were five grey squirrels at the feeders – five in sight, altogether. Dyson, the three kits, and another one. Is it Dyson’s mate?
A cutie.
Then these four. Each appears to be healthy. They have their heavy winter coats and are so beautiful against the snow.
Starlings came. So did the Blue Jays, Crows, and Sparrows. Everyone was hungry. They are working away at the suet cylinder. Calico and I hope to get into the kitchen and make some suet cookies to hang throughout the lilacs. Where does the time go? How did I ever teach, assist in running a school of art, and take care of a home?
Oh, it is always so lovely to see them. However, Brock (aka The Boyfriend) did not come at his usual time. It worried me. Several hours later, Calico came in and kept patting me and meowing. Brock was here! Communication. Brock prefers wet food, but it freezes, and it is so hard to watch for him when we have busy days. This was amazing.
A shout out to ‘H’ and ‘J’ for some news you will all want to hear.
Sadly, I have added Bald Eagle Abby and mate of Blaze at Eagle Country to our Memorial Wall. She has been MIA long enough for Eagle Country to declare her deceased. A new female is now at the nest with Blaze.
This is the new female Skye.
Link to all of the Eagle Country cams – and they have a lot of them on this nest!
Mark your calendars. ‘H’ informs me: “Banding for Wilko and Kasse at PLO: Weather permitting, Saturday 11/30. Alternate dates 12/1 or 12/2.” It makes me sad. They will soon fledge after this and I find myself hoping that they are male so they hang around, but we need some females down there for Ervie!!!!!!! I sure hope Wilko doesn’t fledge or the ringing will be canceled.
SK Hideaways has posted a video showing what appears to be one of the adults in flight traning with another bird. Is this training with Yira? or is this Diamond and Xavier flying together? passing prey? I want to believe it is Yira.
Oh, it is a bright morning at Port Lincoln. We have lots of wingers going on! Everyone is anticipating the arrival of the morning fish.
The Fish Fairy arrived at mid-morning much to the delight of Mum, Wilko, and Kasse. Just look at all the nice fish! They were hungry. This is so good.
They will sure make quick work of those fish! Seven were delivered. Wilko was unafraid!
Dad came and took one of the fish for himself leaving Mum and the kids six. Wilko is trying to unzip one.
Look at the time. Almost all of the fish are gone.
Wind and rain came later to Port Lincoln.
‘A’ writes: “I see on the Port Lincoln chat that you have nominated Kasse as female and Wilko as male, and based on relative size and their behaviours, I absolutely agree with you. I initially thought they might both be male, because they got along so well, but at this stage, Kasse is absolutely huge, so large that she really must be a female. Wilko is a cute and brave little man. How much did he make you laugh today, standing up to defend the nest against the potentially dangerous Hat? And as for Kasse, she pancaked beautifully at the approach of the Fish Fairy’s vessel and stayed flat to the nest, her eyes wide in amazement as the Hat deposited a veritable fish-shop display window onto the nest right in front of her. In fact, she remained pancaked for about five minutes, until Mum literally landed on her head! I also admit to laughing uncontrollably at the sight of Kasse literally being stood on her head overbalancing while grabbing a bite just after 10:25. TOO funny. She did eventually manage to regain her footing but it took her quite a while.
These two are adorable. Kasse has absolutely no fear of her older sibling, and I do think their behaviour definitely supports your opinion. The older they have got, the more obvious those genders have been, with lots of small interactions suggesting that Wilko is indeed the older brother, with Kasse the younger sister. I always think that for stress-free viewing, this is by far the best option (apart from two males on the nest). If we are going to have a behaviourally dominant female on a nest, it is best that she be the youngest, as it gives her a bit of spunk to survive being bottom of the pecking order and means her older sibling is not too aggressive. That of course is what has happened here in my opinion. But they are both gorgeous, very healthy and have a magnificent mum. I could not agree more with your assessment of this osprey mum. She has been incredible this season, including taking over fishing duties whenever it has been necessary. Just a really special bird. “
Gabby and Beau are diligently working on their nest in NE Florida. They seem to do this early in the morning when it is cooler.
A gorgeous day at the Captiva Bald Eagle cam.
‘J’ copied Rita’s History Monday for us: “It’s time for Rita’s History Monday! Now that Rita’s offspring, #98, was off on her eagle adventure, attention once again focused on the fallen nest. Year after year it fell apart, and as Lloyd Brown of Wildlife Rescue and Ron Magill of Zoo Miami examined the condition of what little was left, they felt that it would be in the best interest of the eagles to install a more secure platform in a more stable spot in the tree. It is said that Bald Eagles mate for life, and they also have nest fidelity, so they return to the same nest tree each year. The remnants of the old nest were 95 feet high, up in a spindly part of a Casaurina (Australian) Pine. There was concern that if the eagles returned and tried to rebuild in that unstable spot, the nest would likely fail again. With approval from US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), they researched the best type of platform that could be used in that type of tree. So, in preparation for Season 2022, a new nest platform was installed! The platform is made of a 5 foot wide wooden papasan chair that was lined with plastic mesh to provide drainage and airflow. This type of nest has been successfully used for other Bald Eagle nest platforms. They carefully secured it in the tree and partially filled it with small sticks and pine needles to make it more inviting. We waited and hoped that the eagles would return. But, that’s not all folks! The community was also in for a great surprise! Stay tuned for more exciting news and thank you for liking and sharing the history of Rita.”
Xavier is arriving with cicadas. Does anyone remember Izzi eating all those cicadas like they were ice lollies? Oh, how I miss that lovely boy. https://youtu.be/ayiv0X4Z9Sg?
The Peregrines Zen and Zara – SK Hideways shows us their ‘need for speed when a Merlin is concerned! https://youtu.be/-wfh2voivv0?
The Girls and I have been reading books. We have a small stack to get through but we have finished reading Serviceberries. I will talk about that on Thanksgiving Day. The book that Calico really wants me to mention is certainly an exceptional book for young people, but Heidi is going to tell me it is equally terrific for adults, and she would be right. The book is An Anthology of Exquisite Birds by Ben Hoare. This weighty volume has been reviewed, and its gorgeous drawings have received critical acclaim. It is full of fun facts and information in a way that it is different from your normal field guide. It keeps you engaged. I wanted to know more about these exotic birds – well, at least exotic to me! One of my favourite illustrations was the Superb Fairywren.
There are 224 pages, including an entry on my beloved House Sparrows. They noted that thousands of years ago, ‘house sparrows lived only in Europe and Western Asia.’ (189). Today, they are located on every continent except Antarctica. Many loathe having them at their feeders along with European Starlings, and yet, for the decades that birds have been coming to the garden, I cannot honestly cite either one as bullies. Everyone seems to have a turn. One day, after observing the Starlings for several hours, they actually ‘lined up’ to get to the feeder, flying from the neighbour’s tall tree to those at the back of the garden. Then, a few would fly to Abigail’s tree, waiting their turn in line for the big tray feeder. It looked exceptionally well organized. For the life of me, I simply cannot abide by those that go to the end of the earth to find ways to stop these two species from getting seed at their feeders. If a human or non human is hungry, then why not feed it? Does it really matter what feather pattern the birds have? At some time in the future, perhaps sooner than they might realize, the sparrow’s song might be the only one in the garden. At the same time, their numbers are declining. Research indicates that sparrow numbers are declining worldwide. The North American Breeding Bird Survey estimates that the total numbers of sparrows declined by 80% between 1966 and 2019. In Europe, numbers are down by approximately 60%.
This is the list of birds included in this beautiful encyclopedia of sorts that also includes information on feathers, nests, beaks, etc.
I didn’t ask permission to post these page images, but I hope the publisher will realize that Calico’s Ten Golden Paw Award is, precisely, a golden recommendation! If you have someone struggling to find a birthday gift or a holiday present, this could solve your struggles. It is $21.40 US from the online retailers. It’s a perfect price point, too. It is an excellent book to hold and read. Good paper, gold tipped pages matching the amazing cover, below.
Be careful for the deer. The four deer were running around trying to find food this morning. We had a huge box of apples, carrots, cabbage, etc and could not find them despite the fact they had been near to our house 45 minutes prior. Tomorrow we will leave the food at the park. There were City workers doing something to the road next to where they stay so no one saw them there.
You can see the snow that fell on our garden by looking at the top of the table. The tracks belong to Brock who has chosen to come and go to a place where he feels safe. Oh, maybe one day he will trust us enough to just step inside. For now, we hope he is warm. It is -5 C and feels like -10.
Thank you for being with us today. Take care everyone. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, H, J’, Eagle Country, MN-DNR, SK Hideaways, Port Lincoln Ospreys, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, Rita the Eagle FB, Nesting Birdlife and More, SK Hideaways, An Anthology of Exquisite Birds by Ben Hoare, The Guardian, The Cornell Bird Lab, Ventana Wildlife Society, John Debacker, USFWS
Judy Harrington reports that WBSE 33 has been cleared by the vets and is fit and ready to go to a rehabilitation facility. There he will gain strength and more experience before release.
Isn’t this wonderful news!
And I want to thank our friend, ‘H’ in Florida for going to take a photo of the Achieva Osprey nest. She says, “I happened to be in the area last week but it was at night and somewhat well lit. The base of the nest sits on a solid wood utility pole that is fully upright and when standing below, it appears the base of the nest is level on the post. You can definitely see the holes in the base of the nest.” Thank you so very, very much. That clears up a lot of questions. Here are the images that ‘H’ took:
Sunday was another grey sky day with some blowing snow. As I write this, the weather app on my phone tells me it will be -9 C. When we go out, we need our warm boots, toques, mitts, and heavier coats. Outside, it felt colder than it was. Even the conservatory feels like it is -20 C, and it isn’t. It is now -5 C and for the first time I have closed the door. The girls are not happy. We will see what is wrong with the heating tomorrow. Maybe just the fact it was cloudy with no sun made it cooler. Just the thought of winter sends shivers down my back, literally.
Near the quarries, Magpies were swooping across the road and a Bald Eagle on top of a pole. More and more Bald Eagles are choosing to stay in Manitoba during the winter. These quarries are perfect places for them to hunt rabbits, squirrels, and voles.
One of the abandoned quarries where there are often waterfowl and deer. The Bald Eagle was very close to this site. I wonder when the water will freeze. This is a vast unused pit that is just full of various wildlife at different times of the year.
Nearer to home was something I didn’t want to see – a deer family at a small park one block square with lots of traffic roaring around on all sides. People walk their dogs (thankfully, they keep them on the lead), but will those dogs cause the deer to bolt? Someone has left pumpkin, and tomorrow, we will take apples and pears for them.
I posted it in our local community news. Most people are very caring. One lady lets them eat all the pumpkins in her garden. How kind. It warmed my heart to see who many who care for this deer family in one way or another.
The territory that the deer once inhabited has been disrupted and transformed into rapid transit routes with dedicated bus lanes and condominiums. It’s truly disheartening to think about how the deer will navigate across four lanes of heavily congested traffic to reach the larger park area if they decide to go there. They face the same challenges that other wildlife do in an urban setting that is nothing more than a building site – predators, cars, habitat loss, and food shortage. Again, thankfully people are providing what they can which included potato peels from one lady today!
Early fish have come to Wilko and Kasse. Mum was obviously very hungry as she held her fish back as Dad came in with a larger fish five minutes later.
This obs board has been updated and what is missing from the one that follows is the mention that Mum has brought in a fish and Kasse will be able to get some nice fish. Mum has really proven herself this year. Incredible. I keep saying that about her and I mean it. If we took away the fish fairies, the only thing that is keeping Wilko and Kasse alive is Mum and her fishing. Sorry Dad. I would scream at you, too.
It is after 1400 and still nothing save for the mornings offerings of fish at Port Lincoln.
The fishing got better at Port Lincoln as the day progressed. Kasse got to eat well at the end.
At NE Florida, Gabby and Beau continue to work on the nest in the early morning.
Incubation continues at SW Florida where M15 and F23 will welcome their eaglet/s earlier than Superbeaks and Captiva.
Thunder and Akecheta are busy working on their nest at the West End in the Channel Islands.
Gigi and the new male are also working on their nest, the ND-LEEF, in the cooler area of southern Indiana.
A stunning sub-adult is at the US Steel nest.
Bonnie and Clyde were at their nest working diligently.
No further news on WBSE33.
There has been no sighting of Yira. Holly Parsons posts the latest update from Cilla Kinross.
I am skeptical. I have said this many times. I want to see Yira fly past the nest box and grab prey from Xavier’s talons when he drops it. Yira should be begging loudly for prey from the parents. She should be perched on buildings so loud as to get the parent’s attention and anyone passing by. So why have we not heard or seen her? Please, do not get me wrong. I want her to be alive and well and getting prey, but this just doesn’t feel right. With no evidence, I do not know why one would assume that all is well. Or is it, ‘no news is good news?’
Sunnie Day reports that the osprey platform at the Venice Golf and Country Club is being replaced. Way to go
Thank you so much for being with us today. As you can see, I am feeling a little better. That allowed us to go for a nice outing today. Thank goodness. I am really, really dreading winter arriving this year. There I have said that twice. The snow doesn’t even look beautiful to me this year!
Take care all. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘H’, Ranger Judy Harrington, Port Lincoln Osprey, Bart M and PLO, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, IWS/Explore.org, SK Hideaways, ND-LEEF, Pix Cams, Cardinal Land Conservancy, Judy Harrington, Deb Stecyk. Sunnie Day,
