Category Archives: American Eagle Foundation

Hatch at Port Lincoln…Tuesday in Bird World

17 October 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, we had a crisp fall day on the Canadian Prairies. Lots of migrant songbirds in the garden – every kind of Sparrow and – well, I won’t exaggerate – but between 50-65 Dark-eyed Juncos descended around 1700. It was quite unbelievable. Missey loved watching them out of the conservatory windows and the Blue Jays buzzed in and out getting Black Oil Seed.

Calico, Hope, and Missey are doing so well. Monday was the first time since Lewis got sick that Missey enjoyed herself – like the old days – in the conservatory. She was ‘talking’ to the birds landing in the vines and jumping around following them. There were dozens and dozens of Dark-eyed Juncos and hundreds of Sparrows keeping her entertained.

Then Missey got into one of the play tents. I wondered if Hope would find her and play with her tail like she does when Missey is sleeping on the wicker. They play and play – and eat! Hope is growing – she is now at least three times the size she was when she came into the house on 2 September. And she is adorable.

Hope decided that Mamma’s blanket was nice and soft.

Hope continues to do everything Mamma does. Oh, and Calico is putting on weight. She no longer looks like an old pack mule ready to die of starvation. No more sunken sides, and she is a heavy girl to lift. She is not letting Hope nurse anymore, which is helping her get her health back.

The ‘boyfriend’ comes twice a day to the feeding spot. Poor thing. The fur on his tail and back is finally growing in. He is fed well and under the deck is an insulated house for him with a heating pad for winter. Reminder to self to pull up that old carpet and get rid of it.

We all continue to miss Lewis. He was a big presence. ‘L’ asked about his tests, and I am sorry, I forgot. Poor darling Lewis had both HPI and feline leukaemia. He was a very sick boy with everything progressing at a rapid rate.

I want to start with some really good news, and that is the HPAI vaccine trials for the California Condors.

HPAI-Update-Positive-Vaccine-Trial-Results-for-CondorsDownload

All eyes are on Port Lincoln as I begin my blog. There will be a hatch I hope by the time this goes to press tomorrow morning (it is now 1800 in Winnipeg, Monday). — And, yes, believed to be the second egg at 20:39. Well done, little one!

These were the eggs at 0856 when Mum got up and left the nest.

Later…so frustrating. It looks like a crack going along a line but impossible to tell in the light.

Partner and Murram’s little osplet Blythe is really enjoying its fish. Turnby Island, South Australia. So far only one. How blessed this only chick might be!

More sightings of UK and European Ospreys in Senegal by Jean-marie Dupart. Gosh, you have to admire those older birds that have successfully flown back and forth many, many times. Fifteen years old. Fantastic.

Sassa Bird got some great screen captures of WBSE 31 and 32. They are nearly ready to fledge. Every day becomes more and more precious with them.

Lady feeding her babies…She knows that they are about ready to fledge.

I wonder if hopping from the nest to the branch counts as ‘branching’ when the meaning is to fly from the nest to the branch. But we will see.

SE 31 had certainly been enticing 32.

‘A’ wonders, “Those sea eaglets are exploring every branch of that nest tree. I am amazed that SE31 has not yet fledged. Perhaps she is waiting for her little brother. Both are sleeping standing up and tucked like their parents, sometimes on the branches of the nest tree but usually still in the nest. SE32 occasionally reverts to sleeping duckling style, and both were snuggled up together on the rails in duckling posture this afternoon. They really are good friends (except when food is delivered, and even then, it is temporary, and they are soon sharing whatever prey it is). I hope this helps them in the days to come. My heart is in my mouth as I wait for them to take the plunge. Will this year be the season they finally best those currawongs and crows?”

Karen Leng posted a great comparison between Xavier and Diamond’s chicks.

Lessons in plucking a European Starling. In 40-44 days, these two will observe and imprint many things to help them as adults before they fledge – which is a month away. Yes, get ready!

A nice article about the falcons at Orange.

Charles-Sturt-University-falcon-project-offers-global-audience-a-glimpse-into-peregrines-private-liDownload

Gabby is sleeping at the nest and V3 will be close by. He was at the nest most of the afternoon.

Fattening up, getting ready for the breeding season with a nice fleshy squirrel?

The winds blowing over Captiva do not bother Connie and Clive who continue to add to their new nest as of last season.

Someone was at the Dulles-Greenway Nest today and it was Dad, Martin, bringing in sticks and working on that new nest.

It was a beautiful day at Big Bear. Will Jackie and Shadow show up after 1800?

Want to find out more about what is happening on Marion Island and why having a mice-free island is essential to the albatross?

Mouse-Free-Marion-Project_Quarterly-Newsletter_Issue7_October-2023Download

A friend in PA posted this reminder. I have mentioned these spider webs every year. Please do not put them up – they act as netting to catch birds and insects and they die when they are caught. You might as well put out sticky traps for the birds – it is cruel. So please tell anyone you know, spread the word, take them down if they are up – be kind to our feathered friends and all others who could get tangled. Thank you.

Thank you for being with me today. Head over and check out the new hatch at PLO. If that is the second egg then maybe that third egg will hatch quickly! (or not). Could it be the year for a single chick at Port Lincoln? — And take care!

Thank you to the following for their notes, letters, posts, comments, images, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A’, Kelly Sorenson and Ventana Wildlife, PLO, Jean-marie Dupart, Sassa Bird, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Gracie Shepherd, Karen Leng, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, ABC News Central West, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, Dulles-Greenway, FOBBV, MFM, and Michelle Mihalah Lampley.

Saturday in Bird World

14 October 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you so much for your outpourings of love for Lewis and for sharing the stories of your beloved pets. It all meant so very much to me and was very comforting.

The house was so quiet without Lewis tearing around, jumping over all the furniture with one toy or another. Oh, that big, beautiful boy brought such love and laughter to our lives. He is really missed and I treasure every moment we had together from the time I first laid eyes on him when it was ‘love at first sight’.

Lewis’s short life teaches us to take full advantage of the present. There is absolutely nothing promised. Lewis went in for his annual jabs, and in less than a week, he had crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Treasure all those around you. Tell them how much you love them. Settle any conflicts. Make the most of every moment that you have. You never know if it is the last.

The girls have done better than I expected. Missey called for Lewis and searched for him, and then in the early evening hours of Friday, she began to play. She ran from one end of the house to the other, with Hope and then with Calico joining in sometimes. It was ‘music’ to my ears to hear them skidding and sliding with things falling or rattling.

Calico and Hope moved into the main part of the house, and Missey could then be back in her much-loved conservatory watching the birds and squirrels. Hope has had the biggest adjustment. Feeding stations have been moved, and her little world got much bigger. She is doing much better than I anticipated. Calico is no longer nursing Hope and Hope has figured out who brings the food!!!!!!!!

These photos are not so good. The light was bright and they were taken with the phone camera.

Calico loves her baby blankie.

Odd that. This showed up on FB as an ad for a tea towel.

Today is the fall migration count. Please go out and check your garden or your park. Participate. Help and be a community scientist. Go to Cornell’s bird.org/octoberbigday for information if you have not already take part in bird counts.

Despite Mirvac turning off the cameras at 367 Collins Street, F22 and M22 returned to their eggs and were incubating them at the time the switch was pulled. Our hearts go out to them. An injury changed their entire breeding season. Was it a good thing because of El Niño this year? Would those chicks have baked in the sun? We will never know.

SK Hideaways put their last day on view for us in a video. Let us all wish them a safe year until we see these two again and let us, at the same time, see if we can figure out a way to get a screen over that scrape box. If Dave Hancock can build eagle nests with sun shades in Canada surely that same empathy can apply to falcons in Melbourne!

The names of the two fast growing and ever so sweet chicks of Diamond and Xavier will be revealed on Sunday. They are growing so fast and there seems no discrepancy on who gets fed – both are pretty equal with the second hatch stretching to get that prey!

Xavier keeps the family well fed.

Xavier and the chicks.

The chicks are way too big to fit under Xavier — and Diamond now! They are both thriving!

It is late Thursday night but it is Friday in South Australia and everyone is waiting to see if there will be a pip in the first egg at Port Lincoln.

Don’t know about anyone else but at 1354 it sure looked like there was a pip in one of those eggs. It could have just been the light or the marks…but, gosh, we are close if it isn’t.

The Sea Eaglets have had a bit of a tug o war with a piece of prey.

It won’t be long til these two beauties fledge.

In the land of Bald Eagles, nestorations continue.

Gabby and V3 are testing out the nest and egg cup constantly.

Thunder was at the old East End nest.

Baiba caught Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear.

Lady Hawk gives us some gorgeous images of M15’s new mate F23. She is a fierce beauty. Look at those eyes! Formidable.

Some articles I have been reading -.

Merlins. The small falcons are thriving in Northumberland at a wind farm!

Merlin-thrives-at-Northumberland-wind-farm-BirdGuidesDownload

My son looks out his office window and sees the coral bleaching because of the hot sea in the Caribbean. What is happening in Florida? Don’t be fooled – this is happening in many, many other places not just Florida and the Caribbean.

Extreme-Heat-Is-Taking-a-Toll-in-This-Florida-Bay-Hakai-MagazineDownload

Coins with nature.

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For Karl II’s family, there is no new data from either Kaia or Karl II. I am trying not to be concerned telling myself that they could be in an area where there is no coverage.

Waba is in Israel.

Kalvi is in Bulgaria.

Migration continues to be on everyone’s mind and Mary Cheadle posted this talk by Tim Mackrill on FB and I know that there I much you know and much you can learn. Have a listen.

The-Migrations-of-Ospreys-into-Africa-ShareScreen-AfricaDownload

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. Please take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: The Radical Tea Towel Company, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Elain, PLO, Sea Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, IWS/Explore, Baiba, Lady Hawk BirdGuides, Hakai Magazine, The Guardian, Looduskalender Forum, Mary Cheadle and ShareScreen Africa.

Tuesday in Bird World

10 October 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Monday was such a gorgeous day. So many people were out at the park having a picnic. The sun was glorious, as was the blue sky. Canada Geese started flying onto the pond around 1530. Some had been eating on the cricket fields earlier. Several Mallards and some Wood Ducks were still in the park. It is to get cold tonight, down to 0 C. Will everyone leave soon?

A male wood duck in transition. He will not normally begin migration until he has all of his new feathers.

I went to the park to clear my head. Lewis, as you will know, has some health issues – specifically, his immune system appears to be attacking his gums, causing them to swell up with intense inflammation. He was given painkillers but, ironically, taking them coincided with his inability to keep food down. I stopped the painkillers on Monday around noon. Lewis ate mushy tinned food this evening, and so far, he has kept it down – and then he didn’t. He was ‘starving’ at midnight, and I gave him soft, mushy food with broth. He couldn’t keep it down.

But, for a few moments, he managed to be his silly self. I brought in the herb pots from the garden for fear that frost would get them tonight. Lewis immediately curled up with the chives after I watered them.

When he and Missey were little, they had this habit of wanting to lay on the wet soil of the plant pots. One of their little idiosyncrasies. I never knew what was so attractive, and now, look, he is so big he can’t wrap around the pot anymore!

Missey spent the day watching the Dark-eyed Juncos out of the window. They were all over the garden.

We wait to see about Lewis and to see if he is HPI positive or negative. I will also have an ultrasound done to make sure there is no blockage that is causing his regurgitation. Thank you for your continued good wishes for our darling boy.

I am attaching the latest news from Birdlife Malta. It will show you the challenges that people face trying to protect the raptors that migrate over that country.

BirdLife-Malta-October-2023-NewsletterDownload

I did not spend a lot of time checking on the nests. The Bald Eagles are coming and going to their nests in the United States preparing for the upcoming breeding season.

V3 was guarding the nest while Gabby was trying it out!

Clive and Connie were on the Captiva Bald Eagle Nest. Their 2022 chick, Connick, remains in the care of the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey at Maitland, Florida. He will be released as soon as all of his feathers are grown in. I will let you know as soon as Audubon has provided release details.

Beautiful night at Superbeaks. Pepe and Muhlady have been diligent in getting their nest ready.

In Australia, we now have only one Peregrine Falcon family: Diamond and Xavier on the streaming cam. The two chicks are doing fantastic. Both are well fed – and always are ready for more prey. Xavier has had time feeding them but they are too big for him to brood. They are even getting too big for Diamond!

The feeding after 1430. Adorable…just adorable.

‘A’ adds: “At Orange, Xavier is doing his usual sterling job of keeping the scrape well provided with food. Diamond is doing a much better job now that the little one can fight with his sibling on a relatively equal basis for the food. Oh, but that little one is demanding. It NEVER stops begging for food unless its beak is full. I’m not even convinced he doesn’t squeak in his sleep as he dreams of food! I adore this chick. (Yes, I know I adore all of them, but this one is SUCH a personality. Xavier and Diamond certainly do produce some feisty eyases, do they not? Here is a feeding from this morning (Tuesday 10 October): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLXfdZT5C64&list=TLPQMTAxMDIwMjOq7dYrqDV9Tw&index=4. See how well our little one is doing. And doesn’t Xavier look even more dashing and handsome than usual?”

Only a miracle could save an egg in Melbourne. F22 was on the eggs for a bit and was at the north end of the scrape. She looks ‘rugged and ragged’ according to ‘A’ – her feathers dishevelled. She also appears to have some pain but is looking a wee better.

The Sydney Sea Eagles will be branching soon. Branching is specifically flying from the nest to land on a branch. It is not walking up a branch. They are gorgeous eaglets. Lady and Dad have done a superb job. I hope – for once – that they get to train these two to hunt prey and help them with their flying! I know the odds are against this but – I would like to hope.

31 has been on that branch for some time.

We are awaiting the pip watch at Port Lincoln. Some think this will happen on the 12th so we are only a couple of days away. I want to see if this new Dad can pick up the pace with the fish and get at least 7 or 8 on that nest daily until those chicks are a month old. We might see another three fledge again like the year of Bazza, Falky, and Ervie. Wouldn’t that be something?

There are eggs at Turnby Island that will hatch in the next few days. Eggciting news for South Australia.

Lady Hawk has highlights for the Royal Cam family at Taiaroa Head. We will never forget you, beautiful Prince Manaaki. We wish you safe travels, prevailing winds and a tummy full of squid. And we wait for the day we will see you again. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwa0U4O0X8&list=TLPQMTAxMDIwMjOq7dYrqDV9Tw&index=3.

Another California Condor has fledged! The champagne bottles must be popping in Big Sur!

In the UK, the battle for licensing or revoking gaming licenses and the persecution of raptors continues.

Wild-Justice-please-blow-the-whistleDownload

It looks like the GHOs might want to claim that beautiful nest at Skidaway Island this year.

On the way to the park Monday afternoon, my mind was boggled at the sight of leaf blowers, lawnmowers, and bags and bags of leaves so everyone could have a pristine lawn. There needs to be a blitz in every community, in schools, in the local paper to get people to stop – stop with the toxins to make the lawn green, stop with cleaning up. It is the least we can do! It costs nothing to leave everything alone. Stop trying to be ‘House Beautiful’. Please spread the word and be an advocate for our birds.

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Keep your eyes on Port Lincoln! I can’t wait – it has been too many months since there were little osplets to watch.

Thank you so much for being with me today. My report is short – I am exhausted worrying about Lewis and hopeful that calm will settle over us shortly.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A’, Birdlife Malta, NEFL-AEFR, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagles, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Fran Solly, Lady Hawk, Ventana Wildlife Society, Wild Justice, Darlene Hawkins, and Healthy Yards.

Monday in Bird World

9 October 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

To those in Canada celebrating Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving to you! And to everyone else reading this, I am thankful to all of you – what a beautiful community of empathetic, intelligent, bird-loving people you are! I feel truly blessed to be in your company. Thank you for all your good wishes for today.

Sunday was coolish – an incredibly gorgeous fall day full of yellows, reds, and oranges. The nature centre was full of people enjoying the fall foliage and the Canada Geese that were landing on the lakes and fields. There were a few Mallards about and some House Sparrows and a feisty squirrel at one of the feeders.

All of the garden animals were out. A few Dark-eyed Juncos visit the deck. I did remember, after a comment from ‘J’ to get out there and carve that pumpkin up a bit to see if the squirrels would get interested. Will keep you posted. Mr Crow was on the hydro line and I wonder if he saw the pumpkin and thought it might be tasty.

Little Red has been digging around in the old planting boxes. I haven’t seen him going in and out of the wood box and this worried me a bit so it was great to see him today.

Remember the chubby little baby Blue Jay, just fledged, that slept with the two clay bird ornaments? Well, look now! Beautiful.

The ‘girls’ are doing well. I am sad to report that Lewis took a turn for the worse. He has been unable to keep any food down – and believe me, I have tried everything. Broth, Baby food, tinned food with broth, pulverised chicken. We wait and hope that this situation will change. It is hard to deal with any suffering.

Hope is growing fast and continues to want to play more than she wants to eat.

Calico and I have almost finished our WWII spy novel by Cara Black. Wonder what she will want to read next? I am imagining putting my comfy chair by the wood stove in the dead of winter with Calico on my lap reading away.

These cats have taught me so much about the need for a safe space that is ‘their own’ and how stabilising a routine is – even for cats!

Lewis always feels better after he throws up. Sleeping on one of his favourite chairs. Poor little guy. The Gaviscon bottle is being emptied as my stomach churns repeatedly for him.

Missey was caught in Lewis’s carrier. Oh, if something happens to dear Lewis, Missey will be lost. They have been glued at the hip since they were both adopted as rescues on 2 November 2022. This evening she has been very motherly – washing and washing Lewis – over and over – and comforting him.

It is all about Peregrine Falcons – we have had falcons on our minds since the news at Melbourne. The clutch at Melbourne is believed lost for this year. We hope the female will recover from any injuries she has sustained. Our new dad, M22 – remember he was not the father of the chicks last year but came in and helped like Xavier did with Diamond years ago, is refusing to give up on those eggs. He flew in and incubated them on Monday.

There was a video posted by the Bondi Vet, Chris, in Sydney, Australia. Do you know this character? A Peregrine Falcon couple at the Westfield Mall came into his care. Oh, this is good – ten minutes long. Enjoy.

Meanwhile, Diamond and Xavier and the two little ones – who will have names on the 15th of October – are doing fantastic. Gosh, golly, they are so cute. I fear those pink beaks and toes and that fluffy white are giving way, and little feathers are popping in underneath. The first hatch is visibly larger than the second now…a female? Probably.

So cute!

In this video by Elain, Xavier feeds the babies and Diamond, too! Very special moments of our incredible family.

‘A’ writes, “Dear little Xavier had a brief period brooding the chicks late this afternoon (about 15 or 20 minutes), during which he made valiant but futile efforts to cover the chicks by sitting up and leaning over them. He was obviously concerned about being unable to fit the egg underneath him too, and tried several times (eventually successfully) to cover it. So sweet but not a chance of brooding the two chicks. He really is tiny. Check him out when he delivers prey to Diamond. She is gigantic, especially with all her broody underfluffies, whereas Xavier is very sleek, which accentuates how much smaller he is.”

 

At The Campanile, Lou is sunbathing. Nice to see these two are safe and sound. I worry about them because of the poisoning of pigeons, too. Stay safe you two!

‘N’ sent me a note asking what books I recommend on Peregrine Falcons. Here is my list – not in order of preference.

Richard Sals and Steve Watson. Everything you ever wanted to know about falcons and more. A monumental book – great reference.

J. A. Baker. The Peregrine.

Christie Gove-Berg. (especially for children)

Madeline Dunphy. The Peregrine’s Journey. Similar to Belle’s Journey that documents the migration of an Osprey.

Alan Tennant. On the Wing.

There are, of course, many, many books that mention falcons.

On Sunday, Thunder and Akecheta sunned themselves at the West End Bald Eagle nest. What a gorgeous couple. Wonder if they might reconsider their nest location this year. Nudge, nudge.

Gracie Shepherd caught more of Thunder and Akecheta.

Everyone is hopeful that there will be a clutch of eggs in that nice soft nest Gabby and V3 are working on.

The adults are on the nest in Webster, Texas on Sunday.

Connie and Clive have been working on their nest at Captiva on Monday.

Gosh, 1800. Start checking on Jackie and Shadow. These two love to come to the nest in the early evening. They are certainly doing a close inspection!

In Central Park, Bruce Yolton gives us the latest on Flaco and his adventures living in the ‘wild’ of the Big Apple. (Lots of videos in the blog below)

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Monday was the first time I heard Pied Currawongs in the forest while watching the Sea Eaglets SE31 and 32. Someone will tell me that I am a bit daffy, but there doesn’t seem to be an over abundance of prey being delivered to the nest.

At Port Lincoln, Dad brought three fish to the nest on Sunday. Both are doing incubation duty. Egg 1 was laid on the 6th of September. Depending on how you count, that would be 24 days in September plus 10 in October, making that egg 34 days old. Hang on, we will be on pip watch shortly!

Checking on the progress of Karl II and his family from both BirdMap and Looduskalendar Forum. The Birdmap check on all of the storks – not just Karl II’s family – is from the 6th. Please note the concern for Karl II who has not sent data from the 30th of September.

Kaia is making good progress towards her winter home in Chad.

Kaia continues and she I snow in the Eastern Desert.

Kalvi is still in Bulgaria.

Turkey is where Waba is currently foraging.

The second Condor chick in 2023 has fledged! Fantastic.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care – and please continue to send your best warm wishes to all the nests and to our dear Lewis.

Thank you to the following for their notes, questions, articles, posts, videos, photos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, J, N’, Bondi Vet, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Holly Parsons, Elain, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore, Gracie Shepherd, Carol Shores Rifkin, Webster TX Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, FOBBV, Bruce Yolton, Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO, Looduskalendar Forum, and Ventana Wildlife Society.

The sad and the glad…Sunday in Bird World

8 October 2023

Hello Everyone,

Good Morning. Thank you so much for the continued outpouring for Lewis. It is so appreciated. He had a reasonable Saturday. The inflammation medication that helps with his pain also causes him to be ravenous. Sadly he just ate so quickly at breakfast that he lost his meal but, after a few hours, I warmed up some of that very condensed chicken broth form the chicken bones and mushed it up with tin food and he had a really good meal and kept it down. So happy! Of course, the girls all had their share of warm broth, too!!!!!!!!

It was chilly at 6 C on Saturday and damp with some drizzle. The three Amur Maples from our City’s tree-planting programme will be lovely! They are so healthy. Today is planting day.

So far, the squirrels have not touched the pumpkin. There were a few Dark-eyed Juncos on the deck today, and they inspected it. Too funny. Dyson was out with her gang, Little Red was around, and the Blue Jays – all four of them – made an appearance. There are still Wood Ducks at the park and I plan to go and see them tomorrow. Soon, they will leave. I think I will cut bigger holes in that pumpkin to help them get started.

We are going to start with some fantastic news coming in from Geemeff. LY7, Ludo, the 2023 fledgling from Loch Arkaig, has been photographed in France!!!!!!!! Oh, what wonderful news. As Geemeff points out, these are now the fledglings from Loch Arkaig – Louis’s kids (with Lila and Dorcha) – that have been spotted after leaving the nest: “Doddie JJ6 twice! Somerset (2020) and Shetland (2022), Willow LW5 (France 2022), Rannoch JJ2 (Senegal 2022), and now Ludo LY7 (France 2023). Jump up and down. Tear up. Great news. That feisty kid is doing great.

My Saturday newsletter alerted us to concerns at the Collins Street scrape in Melbourne. The news continues to be sad – sad that the four eggs that were laid might not hatch, but as I wrote to ‘H’ when she sent me the news – I am glad there were not four little fluff balls waiting on the ledge for food and Mum being injured or unable to care for them.

The four eggs have been left since 0559 except for two brief periods shown below in screen captures when the male returns to incubate three – one of the eggs is off to the side (or so it appears).

There were at least two times that the eggs were incubated for a short time.

This is the latest news coming from the FB Admin.

The Melbourne Falcons are the most popular in terms of streaming cam numbers of all the Falcon cams internationally. Everyone has a very heavy heart today. The male has been incubating on and off. From experience with eagles, the eggs can, in cool temperatures, be left for more than five hours and still hatch. Such was the case with Milda the White-tail Eagle. It would be desperately hard for the Dad to provide all the duties – incubation, territorial defence, food, and feeding and protecting the hatchlings. The chicks cannot regulate their temperature, and food is required. We have seen falcon males take on full-time duties, such as Newmann at Great Spirit Bluff, this season, but those eyases were much older (at fledge).

It now appears that the female might have returned to the ledge and is incubating the eggs. It is not 100% certain. We are going to have to wait and see how this plays out.

This is Dad M22 rolling the eggs with his talons. Little Dad – what a guy – working hard to try and keep things going while Mum is healing.

‘H’ gives a very detailed communique on the happenings at the nest over the past few days. This is followed by the latest dispatch from Victor Hurley.

“Melbourne / Collins Street Falcons, October 8 –   F22 returned to incubate the eggs during the overnight of 10/8.  At 0619 she flew out, and then from 0648 to 0702 she hung out at the north end of the ledge (the opposite end from the nest).  F22 has obvious injuries to her head with several patches of missing feathers, but there is no evidence of blood-stained trauma.  Her right eye does appear slightly puffy and she sometimes attempts to hold it closed.  Her disposition was a little ‘off’, and she seemed to be in a slight daze.  Dr. Victor Hurley has stated: ”I wouldn’t be surprised if her injuries included some concussion.”

The eggs were left unattended for over 4.5 hours.  Finally, at 1039 M22 landed at the south ledge and immediately began to incubate the eggs.  He only stayed for 38 minutes, however.  He later returned at 1212, and this time he stayed on the eggs until 1324.

At 1341 F22 landed on the north ledge.  She seemed a little more alert, and she was doing a bit of squawking and rapidly looking around.  She left at 1358, without going to the eggs at all.  At 1359 M22 landed and began to incubate three eggs.  The fourth egg had been inadvertently cast aside at his last departure, but he did not make an effort to gather it at this time.  There were a few times when M22 rose to roll the three eggs.  This time M22 did a long incubation stint of 4.5 hours, and at some point, he did gather the fourth egg to join the other three. Curiously, while M22 was incubating the eggs, F22 landed on the north ledge at 1430, and there was some light chatter between them.  She did not approach the nest, and she flew off after 11 minutes.  

At 1827 F22 returned to the north ledge, and that’s when M22 ended his incubation stint and flew off from the south end.  F22 departed the north ledge at 1942, and once again, she had avoided the south ledge and the nest.  F22 has not been at the nest with the eggs since 0616.  At 2009 F22 landed on the north ledge and went straight to the perch.  The time is now 2200 and F22 remains on the north perch.  The four eggs at the opposite end of the ledge are looking so very cold and lonely.  The current temperature in Melbourne is 9C/48F, and predicted to be 6C/43F overnight.

The eggs have been left unattended for extended periods over the past few days.  Has F22 come to believe that her eggs are not viable causing her to abandon them?  We won’t ever know what happened to our beloved female, F22, but we are very glad that she is alive, and we wish her continued healing.  We need to remind ourselves every single day just how challenging and difficult the lives of all of our feathered friends are.  We must not take a single moment with them for granted.”

  

This is the latest dispatch from Victor Hurley on the situation on the ledge. Thanks so much ‘H’ for keeping tabs on the correspondence coming out of Melbourne!

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Thankfully everything is absolutely perfect at the scrape of Diamond and Xavier at Orange.

The older chick is a little larger now (female probably) and she often gets the first of the food. ‘A’ notes a cute event yesterday, ” Xavier managed somehow to avoid Diamond’s watchful eye and sneak in to do a feeding today, which lasted for 13 minutes and included the younger chick in a big way (he was constantly checking to see if she was about to storm into the box, not at all happy with his ‘interference’). See from about 15:28 – after a bonding session with Diamond, Xavier returns to the box to brood the chicks but as he settles down, the chicks tell him they are hungry (especially the younger one), so Xavier retrieves some stashed prey from the front corner of the scrape and proceeds to feed the pair. His back is to the camera, obscuring the majority of the feeding, but based on what we can see (and hear), the younger chick is getting fed much more at this feeding than it normally does at a Diamond feeding. “

Dad taking one of his incubation times so Mum can have a break at Port Lincoln.

The observation board at Port Lincoln for the 7th of October.

Gorgeous Sea Eagles. Hoping that they’re going to get some more prey! Check out the interest in walking up the branch.

They are nothing short of gorgeous.

And now for some really good news! We can all use it after the worry for Melbourne and, of course, the shooting of the Condor in California recently.

A new ambassador Osprey.

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The two surviving ospreys at Osprey House in Australia are doing very well. Gosh, I wish they had a streaming cam to bridge the gap between the end of the season in the US and the hatch at Port Lincoln! Miss those little grey fuzzy balls of energy! Soon….soon. The beaking will begin.

There is good news coming out of the E-1 nest at the Kisatchie National Forest. Anna is on the nest! No question. It is her.

Everything appears to be alright at the NE Florida Bald Eagle Nest of Gabby and V3.

Gabby and V3 are quite loud…Gabby was biting V3’s bottom today! Affection Eagle Style.

What do you know about Bird Island? First, (don’t peek) do you know where Bird Island is located? Secondly, what are the major bird species that still populate Bird Island? And what are their challenges?

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The more educated we are about the challenges that all our birds face the better equipped we are to advocate for their protection!

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. Take care! See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, photographs, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ‘A, Geemeff, H’, The Woodland Trust, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Leigh Stillard, Victor Hurley, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, The Peregrine Fund, Key News, Osprey House Environmental Centre, Tonya Irwin and KNF E-1, NEFL-AEF, Lady Haw, Google Maps, British Antarctic Survey, and the Albatross Task Force.

The menace that is Malta, Collins Street female injured?…Saturday in Bird World

7 October 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

Thank you so much for your comments and letters. I appreciate hearing about your pets and your experiences with feline teeth – thank you for sharing and caring. I am pleased to report that the pain medication has helped Lewis, and he is eating well again. At this very moment, Lewis and Missey are glued to the living room window. A Hairy Woodpecker is going after one of the corner cedar shakes!

Hope and Calico are oblivious to everything going on with Lewis. They are just happy – loving watching the birds, playing and having stories. We are certainly going through novels!

It is interesting to watch Calico get settled for ‘a story’. She now expects this and curls up on my lap. The little one watches carefully from the edge of the chair as she is doing below. It is certainly one way to plough through books that have been sitting waiting to be read! It is wonderful.

Calico is putting on weight. Talk about a gentle soul. You can see that the dining room table in the conservatory is still their ‘safe dark’ spot…with its duvets piled on the floor for warmth and layers and layers to cover the top and the sides. It is getting cooler at night now that we are into October and the girls get the heat turned on once the sun goes down.

We punched the holes in a small pumpkin and filled them with peanut butter. It sits on the log Little Red uses to jump to the table feeder. Let’s see if this pumpkin treat works! Clearly will not win any awards for beauty but we will wait to see if it is something that the squirrels will enjoy.

In Canada, this is Thanksgiving weekend. The celebration is on Monday and coincides with what was traditionally the end of harvest and giving thanks for the land’s bounty. (Quite different than the American Thanksgiving).

I am so grateful to the garden animals that they will get special treats on Monday.

We are going to Australia right away. It is hot and the wind is really blowing. ‘A’ has already pointed out an interesting problem. M15’s mate at SW Florida has been named F23. We have F22, a falcon, at Collins Street. We are both hoping that there will not be another F23 this year anywhere or it will get confusing.

‘A’ has been watching the Sea Eagles and reports, “SE32 won the fish Dad brought in late this morning (6 October) at WBSE. He held onto it, mantled it, protected it from SE31 and self-fed most of it, before allowing SE31 to take the final piece. The head and tail had been removed from what was originally a medium-large fish, so with the fish unzipped, SE32 was able to get in some wonderful practice, and by the end, he was doing really well. He did get the majority of the fish, finishing with a very nice crop. He was obviously hungry, as he was simply fearless in claiming and hanging onto that food. At one point, there was some serious fighting over the fish (lunging with beaks was involved, along with much flapping), but SE32 fought his sister with great determination while hanging on tightly to his fish. He was NOT letting go. I was so proud of him. After watching that self-feeding, and the consequent boost to SE32’s confidence, I am way less concerned now than I was yesterday. Even though the food supply at this nest has not been as good as I would have liked over recent days, at least SE32 is not now missing out on his share of what there is. Both are doing a lot of wingercising and are looking strong and steady on their feet, with excellent balance. SE32 is doing more hopping than his sister, bounding across the nest like a small wallaby. 

There has been little or no sound or sign of crows or currawongs this season, though I don’t remember seeing them much or at all in previous seasons either until fledge day arrived. I remain hopeful that these two, with their strong relationship, will return to the nest after fledging, if only to be together. I do wish Dad and Lady would spend more time over the next week or two imprinting this nest in the eaglets’ minds as a smorgasbord of delicacies to which they will definitely return once they take the plunge. I think back to last year – in particular, the way SE29, after fledging, came back to sleep at the nest with SE30 each night and what may have happened had SE29 not gone into care the day before SE30 fledged. These two have a very similar relationship to the one between SE29 and SE30 last year, so there is a chance their bond will again help them survive after fledging this year.”

Please keep the female at Collins Street, F22 in your warm thoughts. ‘H’ just sent me the latest posting by Victor Hurley that explains why we have seen M22 incubating the eggs so much!

What a delight it is to watch Diamond and Xavier with the two eyases. The closeness in time of the hatch has made all the difference. These two are developing well – each getting their portion of food. You can see a slight difference in size but this is not hampering the second hatch at all. Xavier is working hard to get prey to the scrape and is doing a fantastic job despite some high winds that have been in the area. The temperature remains around 18-20 C.

Diamond got upset. A Currawong flew past the scrape!!!!!!!!!!! She is not going to let that bird get near her precious babies.

If you missed Dr Victor Hurley’s talk on Peregrine Falcons in Victoria Australia, here is that link.

Gabby and V3 continue to make restorations at The Hamlet. V3 has certainly won the heats and minds of everyone for his staunch protection of the territory around the nest. We are all hoping for little eaglets this year!

Anna’s injury is really improved. You might recall she even had problems landing. Well, that wasn’t the case on Friday when the landed on the nest with a nice fish and began chortling. How wonderful! Nice to see this improvement.

Osprey Season is over in North America, the UK, and Europe. Jeff Kear has posted a very informative article by the Scottish Wildlife Trust about their feathers that you might still find useful as we prepare for hatch at Port Lincoln.

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Please keep your positive thoughts going for the migrating ospreys. Things in West Africa are changing and the once pristine habitat is being altered – either by climate or by habitat loss due to human expansion.

This is tragic. As you will remember from yesterday’s blog, there are Ospreys who navigate a route from their spring/summer breeding area in the UK to the precise concrete pillar. Our dear Seren 5F is being impacted. So what happens to those birds when the water and fish dry up or are irreparably flooded?

Countries do listen especially if tourists decide not to travel. Let those that allow poaching – Malta and Cyprus – know how you feel by travelling elsewhere – to places that value nature and wildlife.

Malta has long been a place that is renowned for its illegal songbird poaching.

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The fact that Malta lies on the flyway that links Europe with Africa and the winter home of these migrating birds is particularly problematic.

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Owls. I have a love-hate relationship with them – and get bloody upset when they start knocking M15 off the perch or fly in and take our precious osprey babies. Did you know that there are 234 different species of owls living around the world, from the ice-cold Arctic to the tropics and the deserts? Their keen eyesight and hearing and specialist feathers help them hunt at night – they are the silent killers.

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Thank you so much for being with me today! We will be planting trees later today. It is Re-Leaf day and there are three Azur Maples arriving to add some more colour to the garden. Take care all. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, pictures, and streaming cams that helped me to write my newsletter this morning: ‘A, Geemeff, H’, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Liznm, Victor Hurley, NEFL-AEF, Tonya Irwin, Jeff Kear, The Scottish Wildlife Trust, Chris Wood, Geemeff, Conservation Science and Practice, Responsible Travel, Google Maps, Cambridge Core, and Cornell Bird Lab.

Friday in Bird World

6 October 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

Thank you so much for all your good wishes for Lewis. We are taking it all one day at a time. After many consultations with vets (5 this morning), Lewis is on anti-inflammatory pain relief and will be tested for feline FIV on Wednesday. This is a holiday weekend and this is the earliest booking we could get. All decisions will be made based on the results of that test. Feline FIV is like human AIDS. Many feral cats have FIV. Our Humane Society used to test for this at intake but the explosion of pets during Covid – and their subsequent dumping – meant they could not keep up and the lab cost of each test also soared. ‘Feline immunodeficiency virus, or cat FIV, is a retrovirus infection first discovered in cats in the U.S. The virus is often referred to as cat HIV or cat AIDS because it has a similar effect on felines. FIV-positive cats may have the virus in their system for years before showing signs of illness.’ One of the signs is the gums and teeth so we are waiting for testing with Lewis.

One reader’s grandmother advised her never to do anything but to wait…wait until you have all the answers. That is what I am doing. I have found all manner of mobile vet clinics that do specialised care. What a blessing as Lewis was simply overwhelmed with anxiety when he was at the clinic. He is such a sweet boy. To my knowledge, he is only a danger to Hope. Missey is FIV negative and has been vaccinated and so is Calico. Hope cannot have her vaccinations until she is spayed in three weeks. So they are separated and Calico remains separate, too. Lewis and Missey have always been together and she brings him a lot of comfort.

The vet advised that he only have soft food but, I decided, in the end, to put out his favourite hard food, some soft food from a tin, and a lovely bowl of roasted organic chicken for his supper. He ate a little from all the bowls. Poor fella. The girls had some as well. One day at a time. He also had some breakfast. Sadly there is no cure for this disease and sometimes you never see the cat’s activation of the disease til they are much older. Your warm wishes for him are much appreciated.

Lewis and Missey looking out the little window together this evening.

Lewis votes for ‘Wallander’ as one of the best TV shows on BritBox.

The winner of Australia’s Bird of the year for 2023 is –

Looking at the birds. Today brought a single story that just made me so joyful. Tearful.

There are many amazing Ospreys. This is about one amazing female Osprey. She flies more than 4500 km from her nest in Wales to Africa, landing on the same concrete post yearly. Those living in The Gambia wait to see her arrive. What a comfort to know that Llyn Clywedog’s Blue 5F Seren arrived at her winter home safely again this year. It does just bring tears to your eyes. Ten years. A decade.

Migration is the single most perilous event in the lives of the ospreys. Many never make it their first year to a winter abode where they will live, maturing for the next two years. This amazing female – the fantastic mate of Dylan – has been doing this repeatedly. What an amazing bird she is. Let us all hope that her winter home continues to exist amidst much habitat loss for the birds in the region. Send positive wishes that she avoids Avian Flu and returns in April to her nest to raise more amazing chicks. She lost one this year to the goshawk – taken while feeding them. Such a tragedy.

Here is an article form Natural Resources on Seren.

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Some information on Osprey migration to remind you of the reasons and perils these magnificent birds (and all other migrating birds) undertake.

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The migration map for all species for 5 October in North America.

Checking on the migration status of Karl II and his Black Stork family for 5 October.

Kaia is in Israel!

Last data from Karl II he was in Turkey.

Kalvi is in Bulgaria.

Little Waba is in Romania.

Bonus’s tracker quit transmitting some time ago. His status is unknown.

Please go and vote for names for the two falcons at Orange. This year the choice is from local mammals that live in the area.

Gabby and V3 are thinking about eggs. Moss came in to line the nest bowl today. Looking good in The Hamlet!

The Pritchetts have ended the wait and all the anxiety surround ‘a name’ for M15’s new female. Like him, she has a gender designation and the year she came to the nest. F23.

One of the pair flies away. You can see that in the images 2/3. Going to get more moss!

At Orange, ‘H’ caught Xavier delivering breakfast to his lovely family. These two chicks are doing so well. They are being fed equally, and there are no problems with their size, etc. It is wonderful to see!

At Port Lincoln, Dad has been delivering fish. Here is the daily observations from yesterday.

Imncubation continues at Collins Street.

The Sea Eagles are beautiful. They are growing up too fast, and we should be looking for branching shortly. Too soon they will fledge. Just look at those beauties.

The NZ DOC ranges had their best year ever. 33 chicks Royal Albatross chicks fledged off Taiaroa. Congratulations!

Here is the complete story:

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The heating planet and seas will have a direct impact on the ability of our beloved Royal Albatross (and all other sea birds and those that rely on fish from the sea, rivers, and lakes) to survive. What are some scientists saying?

‘As Carbon Brief has pointed out, it makes three main points. The first is that some important clean energy tech – solar energy, electric cars and battery production – is now being rolled out at a record pace, in line with what is needed to reach global net zero emissions by 2050. Under the IEA’s pathway to zero, solar and EVs could provide one-third of the global emissions cuts needed by 2030. This tells us that rapid change is possible. In the case of solar, it suggests that it can leapfrog fossil fuels as a primary energy source in the developing world, if influential countries tailor their support in that direction.’

This could be one of the solutions for our birds – solar power is growing in many industries, including fishing boats. Now, if we could get them to limit their catch, set their lines at night – or even have a 5-year moratorium on any fishing – might the seas recover?

Feeding cats is a problem and I must be much more diligent to ensure that my family of felines only eats sustainable products. I will keep you informed as I work my way through this process of Dolphin Friendly, no bycatch brands. If you have been studying this, please let me know what you have discovered!

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From ‘H’ this morning – a wonderful thought to share with all of you.

We know that leaving our gardens for the winter is the best thing we can do for the insects, the animals, and the birds. One of the elders in our province tells us, ‘We don’t cut into Mother Earth with metal blades; we cover her with a blanket and tuck her in for the long sleep.’ Wise words.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, photographs, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘B, H, K’, Birdlife Australia, Jane Dell and UK Osprey Info, Natural Resources Wales, Birdfact, RSPB, SAVE, Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, Sunnie Day, Looduskalender Forum, Donatella Preston, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, Heidi M, PLO, NZ DOC, The Guardian, Holly Parsons, and Sydney Sea Eagle Cam.

Thursday in Bird World

5 October 2023

Dear Readers, Good Morning!

I hope that this newsletter finds each of you well and happy.

Thank you so much for your continued kind wishes. Your warm thoughts and notes are always appreciated.

Wednesday. It had been on my calendar for several weeks. It was the day that the three older kittens had to go in for their shots, and Missey and Lewis had to have their annual check. My vet is very busy and I so hoped that my Covid test would show negative and the clinic would allow me to come with the babies. They did. It all worked but it turned out quite differently than I anticipated. I am hoping that soon things will become ‘calm’ – boring. Gosh, boring would be so nice.

Off we went – three cats – one huge hard carrier for Lewis and two soft-sided ones for Missey and Calico. They were all darlings, thankfully, on the way in and out of the car and to the clinic.

Lewis peeking out.

Calico is in there!

Missey’s eyes are always so expressive. She was allowed to wander freely around the examination room.

Calico passed her check-up with flying colours. She has healed nicely and is the proper weight with nothing untoward. The vet said she can continue to nurse Hope as long as she wants -it wouldn’t hurt either. Eventually, Calico will have enough and stop it all but it could be some time. I do not care as long as they are healthy. Missey was a tad ‘pleasantly plump’ – the problem associated with her still eating kitten hard food, which is being corrected. Nothing major. Missey’s teeth were sparkling white with good, strong gums. She had her shots and explored the room – a confident, dominant female cat. Quiet, confident, secure. Lewis, on the other hand, is insecure and quite frightened. As it turns out, he was so stressed that the vet did little with him besides checking his teeth and giving him his shots.

But Lewis had a serious problem, and I did not even notice. Lewis’s gums are swollen and red. Lewis, poor dear darling Lewis, needs all his teeth, but the canines, pulled. Cats are able, I was told, to live fine eating soft food.

Lewis was not tested for AIDS when he was adopted. The Humane Society used to test for the disease but stopped when the costs skyrocketed. So, we do not know if he has AIDS, which could cause his body to respond this way. If he has AIDS, is there any point in agreeing to have the surgery – which, according to the vet – is major? So, all of these things begin to twirl through your head. Is Lewis in pain? How long? Why didn’t I notice? But he is still eating. So, is this an issue of over-treating? or good sound vet advice? Too many things to think about. Tomorrow, I will walk in the park and sit with the ducks. Perhaps an answer will rise to the surface.

It took the wind out of me and so, this newsletter is shorter.

Geemeff sent me the most amazing article on Godwits, weather, and migration. We know about the extreme distances that Godwits fly to get to their winter homes but this is the tale of the return trip due to weather. Incredible story!

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All of the Royal Cam chicks have fledged at Taiaroa Head. We now wait to see which adults will return for the upcoming breeding season. I am particularly interested to see if there is any remote possibility that OGK might appear. He has not been seen since the 19th of May 2022.

The joy and love continue to radiate out of the scrape at Orange. Two beautiful eyases. Both are fed well, both are a good size to one another. It is all good.

‘A’ remarks, “Those eyases are just darling. When isn’t a scrape containing fluffy chicks the most wonderful thing? Those sweet little squeaks (before they become ear-splitting shrieks) are the cutest sound, and I love the noise they make when their squeak is suddenly cut off by a mouthful of meat). Not to mention mum’s adorable chups to get them to open their little beaks. So cute. One chup and the little mouths automatically spring open. Both the chicks appear to be healthy, strong and eating well. Today, they were fed seven times through the day, and Diamond appears to be feeding both of them at each feed. She is carefully making sure that each chick is getting fed and she is being very patient in doing so. This is helped by the lack of a significant size difference, although of course chick two is a little less stable than chick one in terms of knowing which direction is front. It can, however, hold its little head up very well and is pretty stable when it does so, meaning it is able to eat when it eventually works out how to face mum (which it usually does within a couple of minutes of the feeding beginning). Xavier is not getting nearly as much chick time as he would like (of course) though Diamond is very tolerant of him remaining on the ledge if he wants to, sometimes even when she is feeding the chicks. She is especially okay with him being there very early in the mornings, when he was coming for lengthy periods before the chicks came along (and he was there for a couple of hours before both hatches). This is new, as was Diamond actually allowing Xavier egg/chick time when chick two was only halfway out of its egg! Now that’s something I never thought I’d see. So these two lovebirds are very comfortable with each other now, in season seven or eight or whatever this is for them (Xavier arrived in 2016, I believe, but they weren’t his chicks that year, so although Xavier raised three chicks with Diamond in 2016, their first season breeding together would have been 2017).” 

Want to take part in the naming of the chicks? Holly Parsons tells us how.

There is a bit of excitement going on in Surrey at the Hancock Wildlife Foundation with the arrival of this Bald Eagle couple.

An owl attacked the juvenile at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest Wednesday night. Thankfully the fledgling returned to the nest seemingly unharmed. Time: 1957.

Gabby and V3 were at the nest on Wednesday. We are all hopeful.

This gave me a chuckle!

Everything is good at SW Florida with M15 and F23. Lots of bonding!

Contentment at Collins Street. It is supposed to be very hot for these falcons because it is an El Nino year. So thankful they have a reprieve for a few days and wish that a shade would be put in place above them.

El Nino is heating the oceans, too, and our seabirds might be seeing some change to their ability to find food. In the Caribbean where my son lives, outside his office, the coral is bleaching because the ocean is so hot. “The symbiotic algae inside the coral can not take hot water for a long time and die. The algae provide energy for the coral and without it they will die also.”

The Sea Eaglets continue to get more beautiful each day but as ‘A’ remarks there is some concern about the level of prey deliveries, “

I am far more concerned about the food situation at WBSE. There was one day this week when I saw no food brought to the nest at all. I may have missed something small, but certainly nothing large enough to feed them both. (It is possible for example that I missed a small fish that was immediately claimed and horked down by SE31, but I don’t think so – I certainly scanned through the footage incredibly carefully). So I am a little concerned. The parents don’t seem to be worried about it, sitting in the nest tree and not heading off to hunt for most of the day. At 07:46 this morning, they were mating on the branch behind the nest (within full view of the children, too!). So their minds are perhaps on other things. The wind this morning was extremely strong and worsened as the morning went on. Around 09:28, it was blowing a gale when Dad flew in, The kids were very hopeful, lining up at the table, but although it appeared Dad had been fishing, as he was shaking water from his feathers, he had no food in his talons. Lady flew in around 09:33 and took up a submissive position, though Dad decided not to mount her. This is bonding behaviour, I presume, though I’m wondering why it’s being considered necessary at this point of the season. Fishing would be more useful, though in that wind, it would definitely be difficult. The whole tree was tossing wildly today. Shortly before 09:58 both parents flew off, first one then, a moment later, the other. At 10:03:45 Dad flies in with a smallish whole fish. SE32 immediately claims and mantles the prey be can he keep it? SE32 is not good at unzipping a whole fish but he is trying. SE31 watches for a chance to steal the fish. SE32 is not giving her one. At 10:07, he still has the fish. Whether he is getting any bites off it is another question (and impossible to answer, as the eaglets have their backs to the camera and we cannot see much of what is happening, only who is in possession of the fish, currently still SE32). SE32 is doing a great job of mantling the fish and seems to be getting some bites from it, but about a minute later, SE31 succeeds in stealing the fish, and we can see that SE32 has got very little from it at all. He waits for a chance to steal the fish back but gets no chance until about 10:20, when he makes a frantic grab for the last piece, realising he is about to miss out altogether. SE31 responds to this by horking the remaining food down in one go. She has had a very nice breakfast. SE32 has eaten nothing. During the self-feeding by SE31, SE32 twice backed up for a PS, on one occasion trying three times, and I saw nothing come out on any of these tries. So it appears likely that food is being brought very irregularly to the nest and what food there is largely gets eaten by SE31, as SE32’s self-feeding skills simply aren’t good enough and he is not getting a chance to practise them much! When those large eels are brought in, as happened two days ago, I think, there is probably enough food to keep them going for that day and the next, and I think there had been a late afternoon eel the day before the (probably) food-free day, but perhaps Lady and Dad are encouraging these two to fledge. Surely not. Perhaps it’s just the bad weather the whole southeast of Australia has been having, with lots of rain and quite heavy winds at times too.”

The pair made another milestone on their way to fledging. They did sleep standing up just like Lady and Dad.

At the same time incubation continues at Port Lincoln with an average of two fish coming in per day for Mum.

Thank you for being with me this morning. Please send your good wishes to our dear Lewis today. Take care all.

Thank you to the following for their notes, photographs, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, C, Geemeff, H’, BBC Royal Albatross Centre, Charles Sturt University, Holly Parsons, Hancock Wildlife Foundation, MN Landscape Arboretum, NEFL-AEF, Carol S Rifkin, SW Florida Eagle Cam, lady hawk, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, and PLO.

Eagles at work…Ervie goes fishing…Wednesday in Bird World

4 October 2023

Good Morning to Everyone!

It rained off and on during Tuesday until later in the afternoon when the sky broke open, and a little blue appeared. It warmed up and became a nice day.

I had to get some fresh air. Having been inside the house or in the garden for more than ten days, I started getting a little housebound, frayed at my edges. So, off to the park for a walk around the pond. No one was around except some ducks and geese! It was lovely! No one to pass this wretched Covid to, but oh, how lovely to be with the birds for a few minutes. I am beginning to feel better, but this Covid is tricky. You get up and get around, and it comes back for you, so be careful and do not overdo it if you get the virus.

Fall is in full swing. Migration is more than halfway over. The Snow Geese have appeared in the South while the Canada Geese fly over them, heading to warmer climates. Various types of sparrows and wrens remain in the garden along with the regulars. It was so nice to be still able to see ducks, though. Gosh, I love ducks. There was not one with Angel Wing, and I did not see any with broken legs or wings today. That was joyful.

The water is pretty much clear with the aerators working full time.

A male Wood Duck in transition. Getting those feathers.

Two little female Wood Ducks paddling away. Lovely.

And isn’t this wonderful. Bazz Hockaday posted a video of Ervie fishing on the Friends of Sth Aus Osprey FB page. Here are a couple of screen grabs from that video of our dear Ervie.

The latest stats from Hawk Mountain in PA as to their migration count. Some, more than others, have made their way through. Will the huge osprey deaths in the NE have an impact on Osprey migration numbers?

The Woodland Trust published its season highlights – fantastic. Oh, that Tawny Owl!

Is there a problem with trees in Nebraska? Have a read.

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Xavier is the cutest! How fortunate are we to watch this family deal with their two new hatchlings? There is a rumour that the other egg might be hatching. If that is the case let there be Starlings – thousands of Starlings and parrots descending into the area for Xavier’s hunting!

Adorable.

Teamwork is happening at SW Florida! I love these videos because they are not from the streaming cam – you get to see more of what is going on as M15 and his new mate work to get their nest in order.

V3 was at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest but was there another male visitor on Tuesday?

Gabby was with V3 on Monday night and you can tell when she sees him that he is the one for this gal. Let’s go home – the rest of you!

Beautiful Day at Superbeaks!

Eagles at the Duke Farms nest early on Tuesday.

The male at Pittsburgh-Hayes has been missing since 7 September. It is not looking good.

Didn’t see anyone at the US Steel nest on Tuesday.

Waiting to see if Jackie and Shadow show up at Big Bear on Tuesday. Aren’t those diamonds pouring down on that nest just gorgeous?

And they did – after 1800 again!

Eagles arriving early morning at the Kistachie NKF E-1 nest.

The falcons in the CBD Melbourne are certainly enjoying the cooler weather this week. There is plenty of time to enjoy Xavier and Diamond’s chicks before these hatch!

So when will the chicks in Melbourne hatch? ‘H’ has been doing some sleuthing. She writes, “There is differing information among sources online, but the majority of sources state 33-35 days is typical for the first hatch…   Victor Hurley stated in one of his FFS from last season that the incubation period is approximately 32 days, and can be as long as 40 days. The four eggs at Collins Street this year were laid on:  9/3 (21:15), 9/6 (07:25), 9/8 16:44), 9/11 07:48).  So, 33 days from the date of the penultimate egg is 10/11.

If the 11th is correct then we are within a week of pip watch for Melbourne.

Family portrait at the Sydney Olympic Forest. I have tried not to get attached to these two but how can you not? They are wonderful and Lady and Dad are the best.

At Port Lincoln, Dad brought a whole fish and a partial one on Tuesday. As of Wednesday, the eggs are 28, 25, and 22 days old. Ways to go for hatch.

In New Zealand, the Kakapo are getting annual health checks and battery changeovers. It will not be long til the Kakapo Recovery begins its annual fundraiser. Want to adopt a Kakapo? Check out their FB page!

Cornell catches up with Christian Cooper in a Q & A.

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Work is being done to transform one of the Caribbean islands into a nature haven. How many times have I wished to live in a country that devoted its resources to wildlife and nature instead of factories and selling? Ever heard of Redonda?

Redonda-Tiny-Caribbean-islands-transformation-to-wildlife-haven-BBC-NewsDownload

In the UK, there is a delay in the decision to outlaw lead ammunition. Why oh why? We know the result of using lead in hunting and fishing – look at those beautiful raptors flooding the wildlife clinics this fall with toxic lead poisoning. Time to change!

Minister-confirms-further-delay-on-making-decision-whether-to-phase-out-use-of-toxic-lead-ammunitionDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all! See you soon.

Thank you to the following for the photographs, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: ‘Geemeff, H, SP’, Bazz Hockaday, Hawk Mountain, The Woodland Trust, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways, MLizPhotos, Wskrsnwings, NEFL-AEF, Superbeaks, Duke Farms, Pix Cams, FOBBV, KNF-E1, Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO, Living Bird Magazine, Raptor Persecution UK, and Kakapo Recovery.

Second hatch for Xavier and Diamond…Tuesday in Bird World

3 October 2023

Good Morning!

Thank you so much for your good wishes. The cats are very good healing therapy and I am getting there. Indeed, I thought Covid was over til last evening when the dizziness and nausea returned. Hopefully in the next couple of days.

We woke to lightning and heavy rain this morning. The conservatory was lit up like a Halloween pumpkin. It did not bother the kittens as much as it did me!

Missey and Lewis have been enjoying a ‘cat video’ with squirrels and birds!

Hope and Calico prefer watching the ‘real’ things when they are not napping!

Lewis has been having fun with some new little crochet toys full of catnip. He remains the sweetest thing except for Missey’s food or Calico!

There is a second hatch in progress at Orange as I am writing this! That first little one is sure strong. Remember: the chicks will not be able to ‘see’ clearly until about 5 days from hatch. Oh, if there are to be three let them all be strong and healthy with lots of prey this summer so Xavier doesn’t have to work so hard! Will it be a year for Cicadas? Does anyone remember Izzi and his ‘Cicada popsicles’?

Poor Xavier. He has come in with breakfast for Diamond and wee eyas one. Now he is wondering if he will have to sit on the ledge all day?? How is that second hatch progressing?

There it is and already the new hatch is being encouraged to take a bite of prey.

Diamond is tired. She has been going at this for 48 hours – rubbing the eggs around in the pebbles helping to get that shell off a little quicker, if possible, without hurting the little one. So happy these two are close in the time they hatched. Now, the big question is: will there be three?

There is much hope for these two hatches at orange. Both of the chicks are very, very strong this year – each reaching up and wanting food right away when offered. Isn’t it lovely? A remarks, “Oh my goodness! Number two isn’t even dry yet and it’s up and begging for food. And EATING several mouthfuls. It’s not even half an hour old. I’m so glad this one is a strong one. I like a strong younger chick. Now we hope the third egg remains as a pillow and football! Amazing. Such a strong chick.”

V3 has been at the nest tree in The Hamlet waiting for Gabby. Are those new battle wounds?

‘A’ remarks, “V3 spent a lot of the morning in the nest tree this morning. Later in the day, both V3 and Gabby spent the early evening doing nest work together. See from about 06:40pm onwards. According to our BOTG, they are perched and tucked together again tonight in the lumber yard. It is so good to see them working together on the nest. V3 is showing quite a few fresh wounds on his feet, so has obviously been defending Gabby and their territory whether or not he has been at the nest tree. Over the past two days, he has spent the majority of the time on or near the nest tree and has obviously decided the time has come to make a stand. It may be that he has been successful in persuading A2 and A3 to move along. We do hope so. These two need to get on with their season.” 

At the nest of M15, our fabulous dad and his new mate are getting on with things – restorations and bonding!

Lady Hawk catches the action between M15 and his new lady.

Shadow and Jackie were up at the crack of dawn working on their nest.

A new male has been coming around Bella at the NCTC nest. Smitty has been missing since the 21st of September.

Tonya Irvin has some concerns about Anna at the KNF-E1 nest.

WBSE 31 and 32 – oh, so adorable. Getting bigger and stronger by the day.

Looks like that promised rain in Melbourne is going to materialise and help keep our falcons a little cooler! Sure liking those temperatures for the coming week.

Liznm gives us a good look at one of those magnificent prey deliveries at Collins Street!

Mum is still waiting for Dad to bring in a fish for breakfast at Port Lincoln. I find this a bit discouraging – it is after 1000. Let’s hope the pace and quantity of the fish drastically improves once those eggs hatch.

This month’s Condor Chat from Ventana Wildlife Society.

Audubon has released its study of summer heat and shorebirds.

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Thank you so much for being with me today! Check out the two new hatches at Orange. If you are feeling ‘blue’, they will put a smile on your face.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, streaming cams, and articles that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ‘A’, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, FOBBV, Deb Steyck and the NCTC, Tonya Irvin and Raptors of the World, Sydney Sea Eagles, Lizmn and 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, PLO, Ventana Wildlife Society, and Audubon Florida.