News has come in that Akecheta could be injured after defending the territory. ‘SP’ writes “Akecheta has been injured defending the nest from a rather aggressive intruder. He is resting on the ground below the top of one of the tors. Hopefully he’ll rest up and be OK tomorrow. I don’t have time to make a video, but here are a few photos. Hoping it’s not as bad as it looks. The intruder also has injuries.”
I have tears pouring down my neck. Let us hope that Akecheta recovers. Send every good energy to him!
Intruder next to Thunder on Tor, Akecheta below.
The cold temperatures of winter have blown through the Canadian prairies with a vengeance! Sunday morning brought bright blue skies, piercing sun and -27 C. The young man who shovels for us braved the freezing temperatures to come and shovel the snow that arrived on Friday with that Alberta Clipper. He is reliable and wonderful! It is one job we have gladly given up this season.
The bushes are quiet. Where do the birds go when it is this cold? Will they come for food? I am always astonished at how those little feet manage to survive this wretched cold.
Some of you are having difficulties seeing some of the images. One individual using an iPad in Germany discovered that it was the browser they were using. When they changed, all was well. I do not know the details. Please let me know if you are having difficulties and what browser you are using and what you are using to read the blog (tablet, phone, laptop, etc) and I will check with WordPress. Blogs from previous years could be missing images, videos, and documents. Because of the limitations on storage, even at the Business rate for WP, some have been removed and entire years removed.
‘SP’ sent me some images of Connick in his new home at the Smithsonian. We can look forward to him living a long and healthy life. I do hope some of you will visit him in DC and send photos in to share. I wish that Connie and Clive knew he was living a good life!
That little one at NE Florida is working away. Gabby stood up around 1326 and we got a look at its beak moving the shell! It feels like a miracle is happening and wow, what a great day to have one!
726 people are watching and waiting with Beau and Gabby.
Beau is anxiously awaiting the hatch of his first chick while keeping the nest secure and safe.
Beau gets a peek as he gives Gabby a much needed break.
Beau is listening. He knows ‘something’ is happening.
They had best rest. That little one will be hatched today and hopefully as strong as R7, head up high, neck straight, wanting food!
That is a short posting for tonight. I wanted you to know that the eaglet is making good progress getting out of that shell. Send both families your best, best wishes.
Thank you for being with us. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to ‘SP’ for her notes to me, the IWS/Explore.org and the NEFL-AEF for their streaming cams.
Well, I am exciting and that is why this blog is going out now. Will see you again either late Sunday or early Monday.
The AEF has gotten a good look at the eggs and there is a confirmed pip for Beau and Gabby. Send them the best wishes that you can -. It would be so wonderful for our beautiful Gabrielle to be a mother again. And then, Beau, needs to fill that nest with prey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These three Bald Eagle nests are doing very well. We must always count the blessings before us not the ones we wish to happen.
Full crops all around at Captiva!
R7 and R8 are both being fed well by Rose and Ron at the WRDC nest. No need to worry about the little one. Lots and lots of meals and a nest full of food. Wee babes getting 11-12 tiny meals per day -. They are fine.
Varied prey at SW Florida. Looks like a large bird – Raven? Crow? not certain identity arrives for the Saturday afternoon meal for the Es.
No eggs at Redding yet.
Eagles working on their nest on the grounds of Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas. Burrrrrrr. It is cold.
Chandler and Hope are at their nest at Port Tobacco.
This is the history of egg laying at Port Tobacco for our couple. We might expect eggs in a fortnight.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care! See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, H’, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, WRDC, Farmer Derek, FORE, FOBBV, IWS/Explore.org, Eagle Country, The Guardian
The GHO was at the nest on 1/17 at 0304. This time F1 flew off the nest to avoid a strike, and the owl followed her. The GHO later spent some time on the perch. F1 is okay, and has returned. Thanks, Heidi.
We are expecting a blizzard tomorrow, with winds predicted to reach 90-100 kph in some areas. Following the blizzard, a Polar Vortex will bring frigid temperatures, making the end of the week and part of the weekend look gloomy. Fortunately, we are cozy in our warm house with plenty of food. The girls have nothing to worry about. Even if the heating were to stop working, we always have the wood stove, which makes the house feel even nicer than the furnace! Our main concern is for the animals outside.
A deer came to the garden last night to eat. It was a young buck. The image is grainy – from the front video camera cropped extensively. He is familiar as he came up the back lane and knew precisely which house to go to – we now leave the gate open for them.
Just put a big smile on my face. They have quite the buffet tonight if they come in the wee hours. There is supposed to be a big winter storm coming our way. Not sure if that will keep them home or not.
The Girls and everyone are fine. Thank you for always asking.
Calico
Missey
Baby Hope- she has the most amazing eyes.
Dyson was in the garden today and she was working hard to get some peanuts. Isn’t she amazing? For a squirrel she is ‘very’ elderly. She is adored and appears to be in good physical shape. She has plenty of food at her disposal.
I want so much for these to have at least one eaglet.
Good night Gabby and Beau.
Connie and Clive want you to help name their babies! Check out Thursday’s blog for the details on submissions.
Some chatters are concerned that R8 is not getting enough fish compared to R7 at the WRDC nest of Ron and Rita. There was some rough and tumble bits on Thursday.
Good gracious. The Es changed overnight it seems! They are big kids. Look at the feathers coming on those wings and they still have their baby down mohawk haircuts.
Geemeff has sent us some good rewilding news. I welcome any good news as we wait to see if either of the eggs at NEFlorida are viable and well, we just breathe as the GHO attacks continue at Pine Island on the osprey nest. I will be blunt. We have ween GHO attacks at osprey nests for decades. The ending is never good. Think Lake Murray. I want to prepare you for what could be a tragic ending if those eggs hatch – not to be negative, but, rather, realistic.
Gary is back with one of his great videos about Liberty and Guardian at the Redding nest. Liberty is 26 years old. I believe Chase and Cholyn are also 26. https://youtu.be/NdZVKWgaw70? Images from this informative video include the starter nest and the nest as it is today after Liberty and Guardian have been working for one month. Egg watch begins 6 February (earliest on record for this couple).
There is a fish on that Redding nest. Fish gifts for eggs?
Gracie and George are amongst other Bald Eagle couples incubating eggs and hoping for healthy chicks and plenty of prey to feed them. https://youtu.be/ZdRR1CStx2k?
Smile. It is Harry and Sally. The camera is now working fine.
The weather has shifted some and we are hearing that the firefighters are getting some breaks in California. There is much discussion over the fate of wildlife.
Here is the full article and another to help you understand how catastrophic this is to wildlife including our precious birds. It is the toxins that accumulate in the food chain that make the Bald Eagles at risk.
The frustration over the factory fishing of Menhaden to the point of extinction and the death of osprey chicks in 2024 and – well, it will happen again in 2025 due to lack of food – is felt by many. Please read and write to the individual mentioned in the posting if you are concerned over the health of the Bay and the future of osprey around the Chesapeake.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, J, Heidi’, SK Hideaways, NEFL-AEF, WRDC, Window to Wildlife, Sandy Williams, Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle Cam, scotsman.com, Gary’s Eagle Videos, FORE, Hilton Head Land Trust, Deb Stecyk, Moorings Park Osprey Cam, The Guardian, Sunnie Day and the SCCF, SCCF, Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal and Thomas Lilly, redding.com, Animal Lovers
The Girls are the sunshine that brightens my day, that makes my heart beat a little faster, their presence helps me get through the day.
I was extremely happy to see that Persephone Books (Bath, UK) included mention of Raising Hare. Despite the fact that the focus was not on a bird, it was for me as well the most inspiring book – and the most well written and readable – of 2024.
You can change the subject and have Dani Connor Wild care for three Swedish red squirrel babies or someone else nurture little songbirds. The story is about caring and how nature gives it back to us triple-fold if we open our hearts.
Monday was day 36. Gabby’s gestation period ranges from 36.5-38 days with Samson. We are all very anxious.
Is there a tiny pip?
Still waiting very anxiously at NE Florida.
One of my oldest and closest friends lives in New Zealand. I was told that Christchurch is culling 1000 Canada Geese. It is a nice name for killing them. How angry am I? And now Geemeff sends me this:
“Fined $6,000 NZ (£2,700 GBP) ($3,350 USD) for destroying an entire colony of supposedly protected birds. He repeatedly drove a digger through the colony, killing chicks, destroying eggs and nests leading to the adults abandoning the area. No custodial sentence, and only a derisory fine. Come on New Zealand, you can do better than that – otherwise your so-called species protection is worth nothing.
Boy, do I agree with that sentiment BUT we must all get better. I don’t want my heart to break as Claudio, my partner on the International Data Osprey Project, recently told me was going to happen. More birds, more wildlife are going to die. It is getting hotter, water, food, land – it is all diminishing.
They are the cutest little eaglets. Clive and Connie, you make gorgeous babies.
What a darling.
Full crops at SW Florida, too!
E24 has walked across the nest. What a milestone!
Oh, but we cannot forget what is happening at the WRDC nest…welcome you two cutie pies. https://youtu.be/H8yEaO_lhe4?
At Port Lincoln, Mum has consistently stepped up to feed her kids this year. Yesterday, she brought two fish to the nest, one for Wilko and one for Kasse.
Both had some fish! Yeah.
There is live streaming for Golden Eagles in Japan and the birds are coming to a snowy nest.
Jackie and Shadow have been adding soft materials for the egg cup in their nest. Can we send so much positive energy to this amazing couple in the hope that they have an eaglet to raise this year? https://youtu.be/dBqYv6Or7m4?
If there is anything I have learned from the raptors, it is that they ‘just get on with it.’ Adversity does not hold them up. Right now, it is easy to despair and feel huge eco-anxiety while we watch California burn. It leaves us feeling helpless. I like the spirit in this next article and I hope that it speaks to some of you. We do just need to get out there and do something! Who knows what might happen.
Calico’s Tip for the Day: Join with Language Nerds and their poster and learn a new vocabulary this week related to birds. How many did you already know?
A reminder:
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J’, Persephone Books, NEFL-AEF, Birdguides.com, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, The Guardian, Heidi Mc, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Eagle Cam, SK Hideaway, OpenVerse, Bird Kingdom, Language of Birds, Earthables
It was warm enough on the Canadian Prairies for me not to complain. The wildlife continue to come to the feeders – deer, rabbits, Crows, and all. It brings me much joy.
That first hatch for Ron and Rose is a cracker jack. I sure hope it is a male and the second hatch is – well, it would be perfect if it were another male. Precocious. Cute little button. By the time you read this in the morning, R8 will be out of that shell. Look at the progress at 1530. Wing out and mostly there.
Welcome R8.
They are now bobbleheads trying to get those eyes focused and get some fish. R8 looks like it is going to be a fine sibling.
SK Hideaways knows how much I adore Thunder and Akecheta. For a couple of years we wondered whether Thunder had picked a dud in that young male eagle. Now we know she knew better than us! He really is quite amazing. https://youtu.be/_q9mivhzDIw?
OK. It’s Monday and I am expecting to see some action at NE Florida!
F23 is leaving the kids alone more and more. They are way too big to fit under her to brood, but I hope with the GHO present she hangs around at night.
Check out that nest that Liberty and Guardian put together! Incredible team work when their nest tree finally collapsed.
Gosh. I wish I could give the nest at Captiva to Jack in St Petersburg! Hey Window to Wildlife. Would you like to make a deal with Achieva Credit Union to run the camera and maybe help the ospreys out with that mess? Jack and his new female would appreciate it. And, I consulted with my partner in crime and we both looked at our files and we are more than convinced that this is Tumbles from the head patterns. Remember the only two plumage patterns that do not change from pre-fledge til the osprey dies is the head and the underwing.
Poor Jack brings in sticks and the wind takes them off. He is trying to make crib rails and then there are those holes to deal with. My heart breaks for this potential family. I hope for a miracle.
More information has come in on SE’s 33 injury that led to him being euthanised.
We all miss Abby. Blaze is getting used to Skye.
The number of deaths of wildlife in the Southern California fires will never be known. It is a tragedy. They have also lost huge areas of habitat. The challenges that our raptors face in the future, including these Bald Eagles just hatching, is extensive. “The national symbol of the United States is projected to have only 26 percent of its current summer range remaining by 2080, according to Audubon’s climate model. However, it could potentially recover 73 percent of summer range in new areas opened up by a shifting climate. Its success isn’t guaranteed in the new areas—the majestic raptor will still have to find suitable food and nesting habitat.”
Eagles are adapting by hanging around industrial farming. We saw this in Nova Scotia where there are thousands of eagles eating the dead chickens from the farms in the Annapolis Valley.
Thank you so much for being with me while I sit on pins and needles waiting to see if we are going to have any eaglets at NE Florida! Take care of yourself. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Heidi, J, MP, SS’, WRDC, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Androcat, Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, FORE, Window to Wildlife, Achieva Osprey Cam, Eagle Cam, Eagle Country, Bart M and the PLO, Audubon, Cornell Chronicle, Outside My Window, Port Lincoln Osprey, All About Birds, The Guardian
Morning Update: R8 still hatching at Dade. R7 is a day old. Thanks for the great capture Heidi!
We woke up to the softest white snow Saturday morning. It was -14 C, which is lovely—cool but not freezing. The sun was out, the sky was a pearl grey-white.
We had an ‘interesting’ drive through the park Saturday afternoon. We love seeing the deer, but today was anxiety-provoking. A man with a dog on lead was provoking the deer. We drove slowly, parked behind the incident and didn’t leave. I always wonder why humans feel that they can threaten or hurt wild animals.
The garden is honoured by the continuing presence of a rabbit, one of a long line of rabbits to visit us. The video camera at the front of the house also recorded three deer visits, none of them the buck with the single antler from the other evening. My heart burns a little warmer.
Closer to home The Girl’s got two new toys. A tunnel with a mesh where they can see their sibling and a tiny rocking dome with some wiggly toys. Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope checked it out.
It is day 34 for egg 1 at NE Florida. If we think of the ‘average’ hatch between 36-38.5 days, we have two to four days to go until this little one hatches. It is getting excited.
What I can tell you is that the eggs at NE Florida are getting rolled and Gabby is being extremely vigilant in her duties. No pip as of Saturday afternoon that I am aware.
Those eaglets of Ron and Rose are really strong! This one hatched at 1016 Saturday. There is a tiny bit of shell stuck to its wing. Oh, my. What a little sweetheart. OK. Maybe to us. I bet its sibling might think otherwise!!!!!
Heidi sends word that there is indeed a pip for R8. Wow. These two will hatch close together and from the looks of it, this is a good thing. R7 is a really strong eaglet. So happy. We need good DNA, great parenting, lots of prey, and blessings as Avian Flu roars its ugly head around the world for the winter (again).
Chase brought Cholyn a fish Saturday morning and got his foot caught on the nest. He managed OK! Thank goodness. Chase and Cholyn are one of the oldest bonded couples in the Bald Eagle community. https://youtu.be/6b4Nsskhzzk?
Here is a very thoughtful video on the illegal release of the lynx. What we need to understand about the illegal releases, why a balanced landscape is important, and the history of the animals that used to live in the area. Why did the lynx go extinct? https://youtu.be/teu8i5vlUWo?
Bird flu – HPAI and H5N1 – are spreading around the world during the winter. I worry for each of our families and, of course, all species. They have enough challenges already.
Calico’s Tip for the Day: Make Time for Story Time even if you are a teenager, an adult, or someone living alone (read to a friend). Reading to Calico with the soft sounds of the words got her to trust me and, as we now know, that trust grew into her joining us in our home. An article in The New York Times speaks to how reading aloud to someone can create intimacy. Calico adds that it is also ‘together time’ ‘analog time’ – and it can be very meaningful and supportive. Why not join us in story time? Make it a part of your life’s routine.
There are Beautiful Trumpeter Swans in Yellowstone. We have a pair that live in Manitoba—remember, we can be colder than Mars—at an Artesian spring north of our City.
Calico ordered three new books from me that she thinks might be good for our family story time. Here they are, and I will keep you posted once we have read them.
Polly Atkin loves owls. They are neighbours to the 17th century property she lives in at Grasmere in the Lake District. Her early observations led her to research the owls. Ms Atkin has a chronic illness and these owls are now her intimate friends and companions. Many of us can relate to these relationships.
This is another book about how a Robin became an intimate friend year after year. A description on the Internet lead me to believe that this book is one that we would enjoy.
A description in New River Books intrigued me. “Each month in The Blackbird’s Song, Miles Richardson delves into the science and mythology behind our relationship with nature, exploring everything from our kinship with plants to the way in which nature influences our moods. Along the way, he offers a range of activities to help us access the benefits of the natural world. Whether it be ‘joy-watching’ birds, rediscovering wonder, foraging for Christmas crafts or going on an urban safari, this book contains all the tools and inspiration you need to unlock the transformative power of nature and find real meaning in your life.”
This reminds me slightly of the new book by Margaret Renkl which is the journal included in my listing of books from 2024.
Pets being rescued in southern California. Thinking about the wildlife…
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please check on all those eagle nests as the chicks have hatched at various dates and are at different developmental stages. At Superbeaks, Barron is eating and finding ways around Keke to get his food. At Captiva and SW Florida there is so much food there has not been an issue around the amount of prey one chick gets over the other. Behaviour can be observed and watching these eaglets is a good way to learn about how they change as they grow – wings, feet, plumage, bills, etc. The only osprey nests have fledglings. There is some interest in bonding and mating at some of the Florida osprey nests, but as far as I know there are no eggs yet. Take care of yourself. We will see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, questions, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, J, MP’, NEFL-AEF, WRDC, BVSgirl, FORE, Androcat, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Ferris Akel Tour, The New York Times, Raptor Persecution UK, Leave Curious, Channel 5 Belize, Yellowstone National Park, New River Books, Amazon, Chief Miller, International Bird Rescue, UKOsprey Information
Wow. -14 C on Wednesday in Winnipeg. What a great mid-week temperature. The bird feeders were busy! We see the Crows flying in the distance, and the Starlings made certain that the big table feeder had sufficient cat kibble by coming up to the garden door and pounding away at the feral cat dish. It sure got my attention!
It will warm up overnight to -3 C. Do you know what this means? Tomorrow will be a good day to go for a walk in the forest. We hope to capture some images of deer and Black-capped Chickadees for you.
There is a new wildlife camera in Arizona’s desert that you might be interested in watching. Here is the latest on that venture:
I caught some White-Crowned Sparrows getting a drink.
White-crowned Sparrows are located throughout North America at various times of the year. These 17 cm (7 inch)White-crowned Sparrows are found throughout North America at various times of the year. These birds are approximately 17 cm (7 inches) long. Adult White-crowned Sparrows have attractive black and white striped heads and an orange beak. Their necks and chests are a soft grey, while their wings display a mix of brown, grey, black, white, and rust. In contrast, younger birds are primarily grey and brown, featuring a pinkish-orange bill. They are characterized by their striking black eyes. White-crowned Sparrows visit our feeders during migration as they head north to breed in the Arctic. They typically nest in areas dense with bushes. The white-crowned sparrow is not currently considered to be in immediate danger. That said, there is some concern regarding the impact of climate change and habitat loss. High snow cover and low temperatures will impact their breeding areas, especially at the northern end of their range, the Arctic. Additionally, heat domes and/or increasing temperatures will impact the ability of young birds to survive.
There was a Northern Mockingbird. This feeder might be a great way to help you with your bird identification especially with those many species of Sparrow.
The Northern Mockingbird is a medium sized songbird that can be heard to sing up to 15 lines. Look at the bird on the edge of the water tank. Notice the dark eye-line with that soft, almost cashmere look to the grey breast. There are two white wing bars. They are 21-26 cm or 8-10 inches in length making them bigger than the White-Crowned Sparrow.
The Northern Mockingbird forages on lawns, fields, or other open ground, where it hops and runs along the ground after insects. They also can be seen eating various types of fruit.
Threats to Northern Mockingbirds include predation by raptors such as hawks and owls. Domestic cats and crows often prey on fledglings, while eggs and nestlings face dangers from cats, Blue Jays, crows, snakes, and squirrels. Additionally, their habitat is being destroyed while weather, including storms and heat, are having a strong impact on their survival. Human activities contribute to these challenges, including window collisions and the use of rodenticides. Some people also directly kill these birds because they feed on fruit from their trees.
They are rarely seen in southern Canada.
Jackie and Shadow played tug-o-war with a fish on the nest. Cute, so cute. You have to love and be inspired by these two. Nothing gets them down and out for long! https://youtu.be/AVMpPOYJgS8?
Another milestone at SW Florida. The Es are beginning to pick at prey and self-feed!
I don’t know about you, but I am getting ready to get my eyes glued to the NE Florida nest of Beau and Gabby. Pip watch begins on the 11th for both NE 30 and 31. That is SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!! There are no words for the excitement that each of us is experiencing. Will this be this couple’s year?
The number of viewers are growing in anticipation.
Fires are raging in various areas of the US. Our thoughts and best wishes go to all living things in or near those fires, many of them being whipped about by growing winds. These situations can be deadly. Please keep them in your thoughts.
Calico’s Tip of the Day: Don’t Waste your time cleaning up your yard and plants in the fall. Close your ears to the neighbours talk and just think about the birds and insects that you are helping.
Now is also a good time to clean your windows and start putting up those collision strips. If you use decals remember they must be 2 inches apart! And you have to put them on the outside of your window not on the inside. The most efficient and reasonably priced method are the window paint markers. Crayola makes them. Scribble away – on the outside after cleaning.
Dr Green is giving a lecture – on insects!
Her name, Skylar, means Little Warrior. Wild Heart Ranch Rehabilitation in Claremore, Oklahoma, has been working to open her locked talons. They gave it everything they can – and guess what? Their help is working! Look carefully at what they are doing to separate those talons.
They described what they did to help her: “We use moldable plastic beads to make our Birdenstock shoes and the Birkenhawk shoes. We trace a template of the birds opened foot, or as far as we can open it. The moldable plastic beads are placed in hot, hot water to soften. They are removed and the beads are pressed into the shape of the template and the thickness we want. Once the shoe is the way we want it, it’s run under cold water to harden it into an unbreakable and squish-proof piece of plastic. The shoe is then placed inside the opened foot and taped onto the hawk, owl, or eagles foot. Enough tape is placed on the foot so the bird can’t undo the tape and get the shoe out of their foot. If the bird needs progressive bigger shoes and the foot tendons stretch out, the bird may get 2 or 3 different sizes of shoes before their treatment is completed on their foot. We save all the shoes to reuse if needed. The eagle’s left foot shoe is a shoe we used on a red tailed hawk. Below is a video of a RTH wearing its Birkenhawk shoes. Enjoy the video! -Volunteer Janice”
Incubation continues at several nests including John Bunker Sands Wetlands near Dallas, Texas.
Thunder and Akecheta are working on their nest in the Channel Islands. They are hunkered down roosting in the strong winds Wednesday night.
Look who’s home at Sauces!
Mr and Mrs North are at home in Iowa.
Snow on the nest at Kansas City.
In the UK, the RSPB stops the sale of table feeders because of a deadly finch disease. ““As a precautionary measure, whilst we await the findings of the review, we have suspended all our bird tables and related products, table mix and table mix extra, window feeders and feeder guardians with trays, from sale. This is because there is evidence to suggest that some birds, particularly finches, can be more exposed to disease when fed on flat surfaces like these.”
If you have finches visiting your garden and you have a table feeder, please read the following article and consider removing your table feeder.
I do not have any finches, but I need to find out if there is any concern for the other species visiting my garden. I have tube feeders, cage feeders, and a small and medium size table feeder. I certainly don’t want to cause the death of any birds.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, J’, spo.com, SK Hideaways, NEFL-AEF, Carolina Birders, USFWS, Montana Osprey Cams, Wild Heart Ranch FB, JBS Wetlands, IWS/Explore.org, Raptor Resource Project, Farmer Derek, The Guardian
It’s the middle of the week. The temperatures are warming up a bit on the Canadian Prairie, and we hope to get outside for a short walk on Thursday before they start to drop again!
After the spotting of a deer in the garden last night, along with a rabbit arriving at 1337, I cannot stop myself from looking out the windows constantly in the hope that both will return. The Starlings, Sparrows, Red and Grey Squirrels, along with one Blue Jay were up early and at the feeders. Feral cat count: 3. Brock, Star, and a solid black one with frozen ears who comes by once in awhile.
Today’s news is going to be short. I was out most of the afternoon because it is the day that Ann is here with Don.
The biggest news in Bird World is that Beau brought Gabby a big fish and, in doing so, he got some incubation time! This gives me more confidence that he will deliver prey to Gabby and the eaglets once they hatch – and we are getting so close to that window.
The SW Florida Eaglets are itchy and seem to always have full crops. The baby down is limited to some dandelions scattered across their bodies and those mohawks. Their beaks are growing longer. The pin feathers have been coming in and, of course, there are those big clown feet!
The GHO hit M15 and knocked him off his perch Tuesday night. M15 recovered.
The nests stink. The kids stink. But, oh my goodness, C12 and C13 are the cutest little things. I have to admit that C13 has stolen my heart several times!
At Port Lincoln, Mum and Dad carried equal weight in delivering fish on Tuesday. Kasse takes nothing off Wilko and fights for that late fish!
Early morning Wednesday and three at the barge nest waiting for that early delivery.
The fish delivery for Wednesday at Port Lincoln – each got something!
World Bird Sanctuary gives us an overview of its work in 2024. Look at the number of patients – and they are not alone. Rehabilitation clinics around the world have been handling record numbers of patients.
Geemeff sends us news and links!
For any climate crisis deniers: Sahara desert flood – a dramatic meteorological anomaly.
Happened in August last year so might have benefitted any migrating birds.
And this from explore.org – a way to watch several live cams at once on their new multi-view:
My granddaughter escaped the cold weather of Winnipeg and is sunny Australia. She has sent me some images of Rainbow Lorikeets and some Galahs which I am sharing with you.
If you live in the UK, please have your say in eliminating lead ammunition for good! Please step up.
SPO reports that a sub-adult eagle visits the Berry College Bald Eagle nest. They are also reporting that there is no bonding/mating or laying of eggs by Missey Berry. SPO speculates that while Pa and Missey Berry have visited the nest occasionally, they assume they have another nest elsewhere.
Trudi Kron reports that Bella and Scout are hoping for a better 2025 than 2024:
Second egg arrives at Hilton Head.
It is 644,000 acres and it is the Florida Everglades. Here is the full Florida Audubon 2024 report on the State of the Everglades.
Baby Hope and Hugo Yugo have become very best friends.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care! See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their comments, notes, posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘My granddaughter, Geemeff, J’, SK Hideaways, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, The Real Saunders Photography, Vija, Window to Wildlife, Bart M and the PLO, Port Lincoln Ospreys, World Bird Sanctuary, Raptor Persecution UK, SPO, Berry College Eagle Cam, Trudi Kron and Bald Eagles 101, Audubon Florida, DTR, Explore.org
We hope that you are having a good start to the week.
It is a white-grey sky day in Winnipeg. I can see the little birds puffed up, trying to stay warm in the lilac bushes. What you can see in the winter is incredible, hidden by all the spring and summer foliage. All around the neighbourhood, squirrel dreys hang precariously. Bird nests are there that I didn’t know about. I see the hawk waiting at the corner, hoping for a quick lunch. Even with the cold there are so many wonderful things waiting to be discovered.
Something was terrific to be found in my garden at 2026. It was a young buck with only one antler. According to the home camera, the deer had been foraging around the bird feeders since 2056. This was unexpected despite the deer roaming the neighbourhood and especially at our park looking for food. So a load of potatoes and apples were left in case he or they return. We will get deer pellets tomorrow.
Calico had her annual check-up today. I was concerned about her weight as I joked the other day. She came in at 6.4 kg. It is right at the line or crossing it to be concerned about diabetes. Calico is beyond precious to me. I would never want to jeopardise her health, so she is now on Metabolic cat food – and so are all her sisters! If you have only one cat, it is easy to control what they eat. If you have four, it can prove challenging. So keep your fingers crossed for this special girl.
A couple of things off the top. Ranger Judy is not responsible for what happens to the Sea Eagles when they are picked up and taken into care. She is as devastated as are others who live in the area, like Cathy and Jen (and some I do not know), at the death of SE33. Yes, I wish I could have wiggled my nose to get Dr Tess down there to see if something else could be done. I am not a vet, and like everyone else outside that examining room, I don’t know anything about that injury. My wish would have been for Dr Tess to have had an opportunity to try and figure out if there was another possibility. She thinks out of the box, and in wildlife rehabilitation, that seems to be what is needed. Sadly, we will never know. Watching Lady and Dad work so hard to lose both of their eaglets is hard.
Donations. Thank you for all of your letters. I want to do a shout-out to the Ojai Raptor Centre that miraculously rid Victor of the zinc in his system – and, I forgot, and I am embarrassed about this – 19 was picked up when we feared he was dead near the nest in South Bend, Indiana and transported to the home of Humane Indiana where 19 was cared for and trained to be an eagle, returned and released near the nest. We all wept. —– There are so many other great centres. The ‘small and mighty’ Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey where Lisa Ferguson was the Volunteer of the Year. Today, she wrote to me to say that their 30-year-old ambassador, Bald Eagle Paige, took her last dance. Lisa says that Connick ‘was a character’. We hope he is happy at the Smithsonian. So look around you to the people who care and work hard for the birds when you decide to donate.
To answer a sack full of the same question: Did Beau bring prey to the nest? Yes, he brought some. Sometimes Gabby wasn’t there. That is, however, the big question. Will he bring prey to Gabby and the babies? Or will Gabby let Beau brood and she will do the hunting? We wait and we will have our answer shortly.
We wanted to let you know that we have received the Final Necropsy Report on our Redding eaglet “Luna”. We want to thank Krysta Rogers with the Wildlife Health Laboratory California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife for her hard work & thorough examination & extensive testing.
At this time, we are still reviewing the very detailed information presented in the entire Final Necropsy Report & we are consulting with our raptor rehab expert Marily Woodhouse on a few questions & clarifications on the findings. We also realize that some of the very graphic details of the report could be upsetting to many people who loved our Luna with all of their heart, so we want to be careful with how much of the Final Report we release publicly.
We would like to share this brief Summary that Krysta Rogers wrote so you will at least know what the findings revealed…
“Attached is the necropsy report for the eagle. Cause of death was likely related to the high temperatures in early June. There were no indications of infections or exposure to toxins, although testing was limited by the poor condition of the remains.”
Krysta also added this crucial information to the report:
“The unusually high temperatures in early to mid-June likely caused the eagle to leave its nest before it was physically ready. On June 11, when the eagle reportedly left the nest, the high temperature was 106°F. In early to mid-June 2024, there were two periods of consecutive days with temperatures above 100°F including June 5-7 when the maximum temperature ranged from 103°F to 106°F and June 10-12 when the maximum temperature ranged from 104°F to 106°F.
Additionally, the nighttime average low temperature for this week remained relatively high at 72°F. In early to mid-June 2023, the average high temperature was only 87°F during the day and 65°F at night, a temperature difference of 14 and 7 degrees, respectively.
Young birds in nests with little shade have few options to escape the heat and direct sunlight. During consecutive days of high heat, conditions in the nest may cause heat stress and the nestling may fall or jump from the nest when trying to escape the heat. The sibling of this eagle reportedly remained in the nest and died during this period of high heat. Heat stress may contribute to respiratory and/or cardiovascular strain, dehydration, and/or damage to the organs and gastrointestinal tract.”
Krysta Rogers
WILDLIFE HEALTH LABORATORY
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
As upsetting as this is to read, the information makes us feel even more relieved that our beloved Redding Eagles Liberty & Guardian accepted the Starter Nest we built for them & will now be nesting in a LIVE Tree with shade & a canopy to help protect all of their future eaglets. And, it was also a huge relief to learn there were no indications of infections like West Nile Virus or Avian Influenza present.
At least we finally have some closure on the 2023-2024 Nesting Season & now it is time for us to follow the lead of our beloved Redding Eagles as we begin the next chapter of this amazing journey together.
Here’s to New Beginnings!
Thank you to all of you for your never-ending patience & understanding. We appreciate all of you!
There is an exhibition in The Netherlands about birds. This is part of the text. If you are close, attend! “With a bird, showcases projects, objects, and investigations where artists explore our relationships with birds. These works delve into how we seek to understand, emulate, and connect with birds while examining how they transcend categories such as human and non-human, science and folklore, life and death, reality and dreams, and the realms of land, water, and sky. With a bird, supports resident city birds like sparrows, black crows, blackbirds, magpies, and tits with supplementary foods and invites humans to dream, imagine, speculate, observe, converse, listen, read, feed, reminisce, and reflect.”
Calico’s Tip for the Day: Work with all agencies including Wild Justice in the UK to ban lead in all its forms for ammunition! It will mean a huge life support to our raptors.
Image is from Wild Justice.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘B, Geemeff, J, S’, Great Lakes Bald Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, FORE, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Sylvia, FORE, Hob Osterlund, Moorings Park Ospreys, The Guardian, Rita the Bald Eagle, SEO Spain, Wild Justice
