Category Archives: animal rights

Victor caught in fishing line…Tuesday in Bird World

28 March 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Spring ‘decided’ to turn a little nippy on Monday. The sky was blue and the House Finches returned to the feeders along with a few more Dark-eyed Juncos, Mr and Mrs Woodpecker, and an assortment of Chickadees and Sparrows. I hope to have decent images for you sometimes this week.

The kittens and I cannot take our eyes off the SW Florida nest. E22 is going to fly soon!!!!! Very soon. The other nests are doing fine. I am a little nervous about a couple with three osplets or eaglets where the size is vastly different from the first to the third, but we wait. So far, so good. Knock on wood, as they say! Or don’t worry about something until there is something to worry about! We wait to see if the single egg at the Redding California nest of Liberty and Guardian is viable. Otherwise, we can look for several more hatches along with Osprey arrivals and fledges in the coming days.

Will the spill in Poole Harbour harm all the wildlife?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/28/weve-seen-oiled-birds-fears-for-protected-wetlands-after-poole-harbour-spill?CMP=share_btn_link

A very good article about the restoration of the Peregrine Falcons on the University of California Campus at Berkeley. It is in the most recent Alumni news, The California Magazine.

https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/online/berkeleys-high-flying-falcons-rebounded-from-the-brink/

Big Red could have fooled us all today. She has spent a lot of time at the nest on the Cornell campus.

Is it just me, but does Big Red look ‘tired’ in her eyes this year? I hope this is just the camera angle.

Jackie has patiently sat on the branch letting Shadow have a fun day with his sticks on the nest. ‘B’ reports that the nest could be in for some more bad weather on Wednesday. Thanks for the head’s up, ‘B’.

They are three cute osplets. I so hope they all play nice at Achieva. Just look at the size difference.

Not ospreys but three little eaglets. Hoping for them, too! This is PA Country Farm and they have one more egg to possibly hatch.

At the beginning of February, when Harriet disappeared, no one imagined that M15 could raise the Es to fledge. It just seemed like such an insurmountable challenge but, we knew it had been done before. He rose to the occasion and here we are today preparing with him for the last two eaglets he will have with Harriet to fly and eventually make their way into the world. What an amazing journey it had been. Better than the afternoon soap operas my grandmother used to watch!

On Monday, M15 brought at least three prey items to the Es today. Everyone ate.

E22 is sure beautiful. Missy and Lewis think that our feisty Bitty is going to fledge first!

As dusk settled over the pastures, E22 was squeezing, flapping, and going from branch to branch. As many of you might be aware, fledging often occurs in the early morning or the hour before dusk. Missy and Lewis were watching the computer, and I could tell something was going to happen. We are so close to fledging at SW Florida.

M15 with his eagle eyes keeping an eye from above. As so many have said, Harriet would be so proud of how he has taken care of these last two eaglets of theirs.

Finally, asleep on the rim. Flying can wait til Tuesday.

Lady Hawk shows M15 delivering two fish, one each, in less than two minutes. Did we say incredible in describing our Dad at this nest?

Pittsburgh-Hays had their first hatch on the 26th and there is a pip in the second egg. Congratulations!

We watched as Audacity laid eight eggs hoping to have eaglets this year with her mate, Jak at Sauces Canyon in the Channel Islands. It looks like that egg continues to hold. Let us hope for a successful hatch.

If you like the sound of frogs, visit Jak and Audacity’s streaming cam at night. Audacity in her nest listening to the serenade and protecting her precious egg.

There is a pip at the Denton Homes Bald Eagle nest in Decorah, Iowa!

Smitty feeds his little eaglet for the first time at the NCTC nest! After no chicks last year – you may remember that Bella was attacked by an intruder and MIA for three weeks, it is fantastic to see these two be parenting a wee one again.

Then Bella and Smitty do a tandem feeding. They are so happy to have an eaglet to care for this year.

Isn’t this just the sweetest little eaglet? It looks like it is smiling. Congratulations Bella and Smitty!

The Live Owl Cam GHOs are really growing. Caught Owlvira bringing in some prey – a mouse? – for Tootsie, Pip, and Hoot tonight.

One of my favourite Osprey nests in the UK is the Foulshaw Moss nest of White YW and Blue 35 in Cumbria. Today, White YW returned home after his winter migration. Just waiting for Mum. I will tell you more about this amazing nest in days to come.

Victor and Abby had another good day. Victor is so very clever. As ‘A’ has observed if Abby is giving him grief and keeping him from fish, then he gets under Sally’s bottom or under her wing and she feeds him. Sally loves to stuff these two full to the brim and then asks if they want more. If they say no, she feeds them more anyway! Too funny. What a glorious nest to watch.

Abby and Victor have huge crops. Sally is such a devoted mother.

Victor could hardly hold his crop up but Sally insisted that he have more fish…so he ate while on his belly. Too funny.

There is a problem with fishing line on the Moorings Park nest. ‘A’ writes, “It is 4.34am at The Moorings and it sounds as though it is raining heavily. We have a problem with one or both osplets caught up in nesting material for over four hours and unable to move about freely. In trying to free itself, Abby has got very close to the edge, which is concerning Sally greatly. I am not sure how Victor is going, as he has been making quite a bit of noise, chattering, but he too was entangled earlier. At least he is under mum, between her and Abby, so he is getting some shelter from the weather and is further from the edge. His right foot appears to be caught under nesting material and he is unable to get it out. Sally is trying to dig at the nesting material to loosen it perhaps and free Victor’s foot. I am unsure how this happened but it is not a good situation.”

The rain has stopped. Thankfully. The line has been seen at 1000 on the nest, but it may be off Victor’s leg. In situations like this (human-caused), wildlife rehabbers get permission and can remove the line from the nest. Victor and Abby are too small to worry about a forced fledge. — Let us hope that Sally takes care of it! I did notify Moorings and the local wildlife conservancy in case the line continues to be an issue.

Victor still had line pulling on him at 11:02.

I don’t know if Maya is still suspicious of Blue 33 and Blue 25. Both Maya and Blue 33 have been at the nest working on the egg bowl over Monday.

Michael St John just sent me a new article covering the exploits of Blue KW0. As I have mentioned earlier, Kirk, Tweed Valley 2022, fledgling Blue 707, might have been caught in the same winds and could also be out in the Caribbean. As I write this, I seek help from radar and meteorological specialists to try and establish the weather patterns that could have taken these UK birds to the Caribbean—more on that as information is discovered. I will put out a call for help with 707 that I hope everyone will send out to any and all in a few days. Who knows, we might get lucky and find this other osprey!

.https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-65089646

Colouring books are not just for children. This book arrived today in the post, and I wanted you to see it – especially since we will watch the White-bellied Sea Eagles in the Sydney Olympic Forest in a few months. The coloured images are superb and are the work of the famous Australian artist, Elizabeth Gould, whose work is being featured in a new book released in the fall.

In some places of the world – not on the Canadian Prairies – please remember – and thank you. Spread the world. Embrace dandelions!

One of the key individuals in the fight to protect wildlife and habitat in the UK is Chris Packham. I have written about the arson attack at his home. The threats to his life are growing simply because he calls out the gamekeepers and gun sports for their violence and illegal activities. What is happening now is frightening. How would we feel if we defended the right to life of foxes and came home fearing someone would be there to harm us?

Raptor Persecution UK covers the latest news.

Fieldsports Channel Ltd displays images of Chris Packham’s head on ‘trophy’ wall at national gun show

Thank you so much for being with me today. Coming up this week – a close look at Tweed Valley Osprey 707 Kirk and how he might have gotten blown off just like Blue KW0, Missey’s review of Waterbabies, and a surprise visit to a new site in my city. See you soon. Take care!

I want to thank the following for their notes, posts, announcements, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, Michael St John, The Guardian, The California Magazine, Cornell RTH, FOBBV, Achieva Credit Union, PA Farm Country, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Pix Cams, IWS and Explore.org, Paul Kolnik and Bald Eagles 101, Deb Stecyk and the NCTC, Live Cam Owl, Cumbria Wildlife, Moorings Park Ospreys, LRWT, BBC, Amazon, and Raptor Persecution UK.

Maya’s home! hatch at Achieva, Egg at Centreport …Sunday in Bird World

19 March 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

If you live in the United Kingdom, Happy Mother’s Day! And what a fantastic day it is with Maya landing on the nest. Blue 25 is there, and our guilty male, Blue 33, comes in with a fish! Thanks, Geemeff, for the head’s up!

Look at Blue 33’s eyes – like, oh gosh, what do I do now? Too funny. Go home, Blue 25. You just wanted free fish anyway!!!!!!! This is such a relief!

Oh, you can almost ‘smell’ spring on the Canadian Prairies. The snow is melting, and we have reached the balmy temperature of -5 C. Incredible. the Pileated Woodpecker has decided the garden is a good breakfast stop, and I must remember to fill up the suet logs for him. The Sparrows are singing and one Blue Jay has returned. Meanwhile, the Chickadees are busy in a tree in the front where I cannot see them. Are they making a nest?

Lewis has loved watching the squirrels and birds out the garden door! So happy he enjoys looking outside and not getting into mischief 24/7. He has only been inside the fridge twice now, and I have discovered that the loose tea packets sound like cat treats. I could not imagine what was making him so crazy. Of course, then he just had to have some treats. LOL. Thankfully he runs it all off during the day and night. Meanwhile, Missy lets Lewis get into trouble. She waits til the middle of the night for her turn when no one is looking!

After all the running around watching the birds and squirrels from room to room, Lewis is exhausted! Guess who takes up the entire big dog bed? and who has to sleep in the little basket?

The first hatch of the 2023 season for Jack and Diane at the Achieva Osprey Platform in St Petersburg, Florida came Saturday morning! 10:22:21 seems to be about the time. These are Tiny Tot Tumbles parents and there are two more eggs to hatch. Congratulations to everyone at Achieva.

Jack looks down at his new baby – proud dad.

M15 seemed to be entered into some speed fishing derby this morning. He brought four fish to the nest for the Es, nice size fish, from 0927-12:54. I stopped watching after that, knowing that the pair were good to go for another 48 hours if necessary! M15 didn’t stop with those four deliveries, he kept on going! Are you trying to impress the new lady, M15, like you have impressed us this year?

So many fish and birds were landing on the nest today that 22 was eating one and had a spare! And 21 was so full he didn’t want it. My last count of deliveries was six.

At 17:54, M15 came down from his branch and fed the eaglets the bird that he had brought. Talk about sweet.

Lady Hawk gives us some close ups of the female and in the background you can hear E22 squeeing very loudly – if he didn’t we would think something was wrong, right? Gosh, I am going to miss that sound!

M15 has already brought in food to the Es on Sunday morning as I prepare to publish this blog. Amazing Dad and Mum.

We all love Indigo. We also know that Diamond and Xavier do, too. Alas, they are trying hard to suggest to Indigo that he is now old enough to strike out and find his territory, and it isn’t their scrape box! Poor Indigo. Oh, this reminds me of life with Izzi!!!!

Cute little Xavier. He will let Diamond take care of Indigo!

If you have been watching the Moorings Park Osprey platform, the beaking is sometimes very difficult. Abby is quite the aggressive young lady when she wants to be, and she signals to Victor she is the boss. You need to watch the feedings because Victor is getting fed. That is what we want to see. Victor eating. And he is!

The key is for the one being beaked and being submissive to never look the dominant chick in the eye. It seems to set them off. The feedings below were at 11:26 and 14:21.

The dominant chick needs to be reassured that they will get food. The younger ones learn, if necessary, to give in to that and wait their turn. Abby now has a darker, blacker head.

Victor does not always get fed at every meal. The key is that he is eating and this phase should pass. There is plenty of food and both Harry and Sally are good parents. It is part of growing up on an osprey nest. At the 1654 feeding, Victor was in an awkward position. I presume he wanted to stay out of Abby’s way. He did get some fish.

That is Victor up at Sally’s beak. He is getting some bites of the fish before Abby attacks. She is being extremely aggressive despite there being enough fish for both. Let us hope that Abby goes into food coma and Victor gets some more.

Abby leaves the feed with a nice crop and Victor wants Sally to keep feeding. Where is the fish, Mum?

Victor is fish-calling. There is nothing left. What we need, is for Harry to fly to the nest with another great big fish for the last meal. Fill Abby up, and then Victor can have a good old feed. That is what he needs.

The one thing I like about eagles is that they leave prey on the nest for the Mum to feed the babies. Ospreys do not do that. They do not leave anything that will attract predators or insects. So Sally and the chicks are heavily reliant on Harry for prompt deliveries. Any break in the pattern will set the dominant chick off into survival mode where they worry that food is in short supply.

These images are from an earlier feed in the afternoon.

If you were watching the Moorings, Harry came in right on time with a nice chunk of fish. It was 19:12. Abby was still full and Victor was right up at the table! Victor is the one that is lighter and with the more copper head.

Victor is still getting fed at 1937 – so a 25-minute dinner. Note that Abby is in a food coma and does not care what is happening. This is how you keep a nest from falling into siblicide. Good management of deliveries when things get ticklish. Over the years, I have seen the female remove fish from the nest and return with it to feed the little one once the dominant pass out. (A good example was Blue35 at Foulshaw Moss in Cumbria 2 years ago).

Victor is still fed at 19:45. Abby is now at the table. No worries for our little one tonight. He just ate a huge amount of fish!!!!!!!!!!! Throughout, Victor continued to do crop drops to hold more food. Smart.

Even with Abby there, Victor has not backed down and continues to be fed. This is all good. It is 19:48. There is also a lot of fish left. Thanks, Harry!

R4 and R5 each had nice crops when I checked in on a late-feeding Saturday. Rose is getting there. Just have patience. There is plenty of food for these two, and she has Ron as a backup as she learns her new role.

Ron giving them an early morning feed.

Rose feeding in the afternoon.

Evening meal compliments of Dad, Ron. I did not see one of the eaglets eat. Full from an earlier meal? Issues? We would expect both to have their beaks up. It has been difficult to see how much prey the little ones get on the one camera as the adult’s back is to us, blocking the view.

Jackie and Shadow are still taunting us with the thoughts of a replacement clutch. Jackie was in the nest bowl yesterday and both were at Big Bear again today. We wait.

Jackie wasn’t the only one to check out the egg bowl. Shadow joined in the action, too. Now we need something to fill that ‘egg’ cup!

At the nest of Martin and Rosa at Dulles-Greenway, the third hatch was underway Saturday night as the sun was setting. Last year they raised a single super-eaglet. This year the pair are going to be triply busy!

Worried about the two eaglets at Duke Farms? Don’t. They are both doing fantastic.

Sometimes you get lucky, and today was one of those days. Tico and Pearl were up on their nest at Superbeaks, getting fed by Muhlady! They are doing precisely what eaglets are supposed to do. Remember this. When they fledge, they should return to the nest where the parents feed them while they, the eaglets, get their flying and hunting skills perfected. This can be a month or a little longer.

Connick is no longer ‘little Connick’. Clive and Connie continue to sit on the branches on the natal nest showing Connick where he will branch.

At the nest of Trey, KNF-E1, the GHO attacked all night! Poor little eaglet. Listen and watch how well Trey protects itself.

Oh, how I miss seeing the action at the nest of Thunder and Akecheta. What a blessing it is that they come to the old cliffs and nest so that we can see they are alright. Both eaglets were there on and off today, early morning and at dusk.

What an amazing eagle. I would love to see you with those little ones this year, Akecheta. You were incredible with the trio last year!

As we all know, it has been a turbulent season at the Centreport Bald Eagle nest on Long Island. Dad is no longer with us and there were a number of suitors vying for Mum and the nest. There was even a death spiral between two of then – D4 and D5. Neither died. The winner appears to be D3! Now, it looks like there is an egg.

Why is Mum not incubating the egg 24/7? It is called delayed incubation. This helps all eggs laid to hatch closer together and ultimately helps stop siblicide on nests!

A visitor was at the nest of Gabby and V3 in St Petersburg, Florida. An Osprey! According to Gracie Shepherd, this osprey is a regular visit to this nest. His name is Bogey, and he is waiting for his mate, Bacall. Someone liked the movies that named these two! Time 16:57.

Big Red and Arthur have been mating and continue to work on their nest on the Cornell Campus in Ithaca, New York. L4, the feisty little hatch from 2022, remains in or near the territory of her parents. They have tried to suggest she move but it looks like L4 is staying put.

The storks are back in Germany. These storks are in Chemnitz-Wittgensdorf and have their nest on an old industrial factory’s chimney. The nest is approximately 28 m off the ground. Here is the link to their camera which is part of a research project with the Saxon State Foundation for Nature and the Environment (LANU Sachsen).

https://www.youtube.com/live/pgtil9B_7qw?feature=share

BirdLife International does not want us to give up. Their scientists want us to understand that there are conservation efforts that are being rewarded. The following articles remind us of this, “For example, in 2005, the Azores Bullfinch was Europe’s most threatened bird, with a population of just 40 pairs. SPEA (BirdLife in Portugal) helped to restore its native laurel forests, and it now numbers more than 1,000 individuals. On the other side of the globe, the Tahiti Monarch is recovering from just 19 birds through the hard work of SOP Manu (BirdLife in French Polynesia), who have managed to control not one, but nine invasive species.” We have to get out there and do what is necessary. What is good for our birds is also good for us! and our planet.

https://www.birdlife.org/projects/preventing-extinctions-bringing-the-worlds-most-threatened-birds-back-from-the-brink/

Migration is so dangerous. It is so hard to imagine the distance travelled in such a short time and the challenges that all the birds face. The other day the news carried a photograph of a kestrel that had flown from the southernmost part of Africa up to Northern Europe. Incredible. I am starting to use the other maps available to track the Black Storks of the Karula National Forest in Estonia as well as following the news on Looduskalender.

Still no news from Kaia or Bonus.

Remember to do what you can to protect their habitat, to save them from rodenticides, fly traps, song bird traps, shootings, monofilament line, lead ammunition and fishing gear, galvanised items, and the more than other 4o or more things that impede their lives.

We will be watching many places for a hatch, but Bella and Smitty at the NCTC nest – who have been fending off intruders – should have a pip on the 22nd of March. Getting ready for pip watch with Liberty and Guardian at Redding, too.

There continues to be no transmission from Zoe.

Thank you so much for being with me today and to those who wrote in hoping to help find out who banded Blue KW0. It is a considerable mystery with no records in Scotland, Canada or the US, but we hope to locate a bander in the Caribbean who did. Keep your fingers crossed. I will let you know if we are lucky! Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, announcements, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Geemeff, Geemeff and LRWT, Achieva Credit Union, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Moorings Park Ospreys, WRDC, FOBBV, Dulles-Greenway, Window to Wildlife, Tonya in NO, IWS and Explore.org, Lisa Schwartz and the Bald Eagles of Centreport, NY, NEFL-AEF, Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters, LANU Sachsen, BirdLife International, Looduskalender Forum, and FORE.

Annie lays 3rd egg, KNF-E3 has ‘branches’, Valentine hit by an owl…Thursday in Bird World

9 March 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day in the Canadian Prairies. The wind was brisk, but bundled up like one was heading to outer space, it is possible to walk through the woods and by the lake without getting too much wind burn. There were few birds and squirrels out, oddly. Perhaps it was all the schoolchildren. Four buses of laughing and sledging young ones. Brilliant. We must start getting them to love nature when they are little!

In the distance but almost in the centre of the middleground, you can see the Bald Eagle nest.

The trees that make up the forest are mostly Aspens and Birch.

The Chickadees were the only birds at the feeders with a single Red Squirrel hoping they would spill some seed!

The Bison were closer today.

Lots of owl action lately. Valentine got hit Tuesday night at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex and Andrai. As cute, fluffy, and ‘intelligent’ these ‘wise’ owls are, they are at the top of the Apex Predators, and they can do a lot of damage with their silent approach and razor-sharp talons.

Construction work near Central Park is causing some urban hawks to abandon their former nesting sites. Flaco, the escaped Eurasian Owl, has discovered that these building sites are good places to catch rats. Oh, Flaco, we sure hope that rat you ate had not consumed rodenticide! For the latest action, please go to Bruce Yolton’s urbanhawks.com

Most everyone was focused on the scrape of Annie and Lou on Wednesday. According to Cal Falcon’s chart, Annie was due to lay the egg around 1600, but by 1230, ‘H’ had sent me a note saying Annie looked like she was uncomfortable. She was! That third egg could be seen at 13:47:15. Most surprised was Lou, who is tiny and wondered what to do to get three under for incubation! Lou was adorable in his effort.

The reveal.

Annie was quick to get up for a break and give Lou a chance to see the three eggs.

Cal Falcons posted a video of the third egg being laid.

Peregrine Falcons are arriving at their scrapes all around the world. In Montreal, Eve and Miro, are thinking about spring on their scrape on the 23rd floor of one of the buildings of the University of Montreal. That scrape faces the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery. A great place for hunting.

Shadow visited the nest near Big Bear Lake he shares with Jackie at 10:23 on Wednesday, the 8th.

Shadow spent more than two hours at the nest just looking out to the beyond.

Now we wait to see if the couple will have a replacement clutch or they will come back in the fall and begin working on nesting for 2024.

Little osplets do not like to wait to be fed! When this happens they will often start cavorting and this usually ends up in some beaking. “Feed us!” Thank goodness Sally arrives. Poor Harry needs some instructions in feeding and a little more confidence.

Harry loves being on the nest with Sally and the kids. They are doing great. Beautiful Thursday morning in Naples, Florida.

These two at Moorings Park eat very well. Harry is an excellent provider. That there is a stocked freshwater pond also helps! No problems, even though they might like you to think there are! Harry is always good with fish deliveries and is trying to do a little feeding. Sally will let him do more when they are older.

E22 might want some of the fish at the Moorings. Today there was one delivery to the nest and it seems 21 got the most of it.

22 loves being on the rails, but 21 almost pushed him off accidentally on Tuesday. Thankfully 22 was alert!

As the sun set, the intruder female settled alongside M15 on the branch. Has this female fought with R23-3 and driven her from the territory? R23-3 has not been seen since Sunday and Marti Lord reports three new females hanging around.

M15 ate well! Look at his nice crop.

The female.

Marti Lord shares some incredible images of the new female with us.

M15 is a good catch. We all want him to find – or have her find him – a strong, fierce, protective, funny, ‘kissable’ mate like Harriet was for eight years. Isn’t it amazing how protective we have become of this amazing Dad?

The two eaglets at Duke Farm are doing fine. There has been some concern about beaking, but this is an experienced nest with lots of food. Enjoy!

Rosie has delivered the first stick of the 2023 season to the Whirley Crane. Poor thing. They must rebuild that nest again this year! I always think of Richmond and Rosie and then recall those lovely platforms all fixed with twigs and railings, waiting for some of the Welsh Ospreys. Still, R & R surprise me with what they can whip up in a short time.

Congratulations to Valentine who has flown to a branch and to Nugget who is up on a branch, also! Nugget is 70 days old today! Well done, you two.

At 0648 both eaglets were on the nest looking for leftover prey.

Alex and Andria are preparing for their eaglets to fledge. In Ithaca, New York, Arthur and Big Red are preparing the nest for their first eggs, which could arrive within a few days. The earliest Big Red has laid an egg was the 13th of March.

Arthur was in and out, and Big Red flew to the nest for a private inspection!

For something a little different. A Great Egret bathing…

Happy Hatch Day to two little Kakapo!

Oh, those gorgeous White-bellied sea eagles. As humans take over more of their territory, where do they go to make their nests? To the tall telecom towers in Malaysia! The telecom companies have been working with Birdlife International in Malaysia to find a solution for wildlife and communications companies. This should interest everyone as storks, eagles, and ospreys also use towers in other countries.

https://www.birdlife.org/news/2023/03/09/king-of-towers/

Quite honestly, I do not know what is wrong with humans. There is not a morning that I do not read about a raptor being poisoned in the UK or a Bald Eagle being shot in the US. The fines in the US are high, so impose them – $100,000 – and the individual gets a criminal record. So why are people still killing the raptors? Respect for all living beings must be instilled in children the minute they are born, and as adults, we must be role models so they can see how this plays out in real life – respect, compassion, and empathy.

Bald eagle found shot in Enumclaw

Last, a shout out to ‘B’. I had listed and discussed the Channel Islands nests and some changes there. At the time I did not know what had happened to FP. Thanks ‘B’ for updating me.

Andor and Cruz have established a new nest area. Dr Sharpe might be able to get a camera there for 2024. So, the best thing to do this year is to check the website for the Institute for Wildlife Studies for updates on West End and Fraser Point.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, and streaming cams that help make up my blog today: ‘H’, ‘B’ Tonya and KNF-E3, Cal Falcons, Falcoun UdeM en direct, FOBBV, Moorings Park Ospreys, Heidi Mc and Moorings Park, SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Terry Caman Bald Eagle Live Nest Cams and News, Marti Lord and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Duke Farms, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, KNF-E3, Cornell RTH, Native Bird Boxes, Kakapo Recovery, Birdlife.org, the Courier Herald, and the IWS.

1 owlet for Bonnie and Clyde, Intruder at SW Florida, Beaking at Duke Farms…Tuesday in Bird World

7 March 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that the beginning of the week started well for you. We are so happy to have you with us today. There is just too much going on at the nests! Osprey cams are coming online because the ospreys are arriving in the US! The eagles have returned to their nest in Glacier Gardens in Alaska, eggs are being laid, and it is getting hard to remember everything that is going on. And, yes, the beaking has started at Duke Farms for no reason other than dominance. This behaviour will probably start at Moorings Park, too. Just hold your breath.

Monday was an interesting one with the kittens. Missy and Lewis have shown that they have a keen interest in ‘things’ in packets. Missy loves savoury Japanese snacks. Lewis will eat anything, and I mean anything, but he is especially fond of sweet things such as Japanese strawberry-filled crepes. Lewis will carry the little packets away while Missy is the ‘opener’. She would be great at unzipping fish for the Es. Today, a small pack of Madelines was on the island. Madeleines are delicate cakes that are the size of a cookie and in the shape of a shell. The French bakeries in my City make delicious ones. They were meant to go with Monday night’s after-dinner coffee. At 1900 the Madelines were nowhere to be found. Did I put them up, and did I forget? A thorough look in all of the drawers and cupboards turned up nothing.

Missey: ‘I didn’t take the cookies!’ [Any Mum who believes that has her head stuck in the sand!!!!!!]. Just look at that sweet face.

Lewis is now in a ‘cookie coma’.

It took ages to find the cookie packet! With Lewis practising opening doors, it seems the only safe place for any bags of treats – human or feline – is up high under lock and key!

Lewis did get another cupboard door open, too. Inside was a small vase with a handful of Canada Geese feathers picked up at the park over the summer when the geese were moulting. He was running all over the house and having such a time! Sort of playing ‘hockey’ with that feather batting it around. Such energy and agility.

Oops!

Next to boxes with paper wrapping or paper bags (cut the handles), the feathers proved to be great toys.

Lewis is often a very bad influence on Missy! He is not afraid of anything, and his battery never dies. Some of the cell phone companies should find out what his secret is! (He seriously makes me tired just watching him most days).

Missy waits for Lewis to get the paper out of the box. They will play with it for hours.

What joy these two rescue babies have brought. I cannot imagine life without them!

In the Mailbox:

‘N’ writes: Are ospreys born blind? I just saw this on a chat.

Oh, thanks, ‘N’ for sending in that question. Ironically, I saw that and a few other statements on a streaming chat today, too, and was puzzled by it. The leading authority on Ospreys in the US is Alan Poole.

The chicks are born with a furry down that is tan in colour with the distinctive black stripe down the back and the dark eye line to help them with the glare. This is not down as we think of it but it is “actually made up of feathers, simple unbranched feathers” (Poole, 97) – forming what looks like a fuzzy appearance. This helps them regulate their temperature. Now this is the important part to the answer of your question and I want to quote Poole. “Osprey hatchlings are known as ‘semi-precocial’ which means they are a step back in the development from the precocial young of chickens or ducks” (98). “Osprey hatchlings are a step ahead of their altricial young of songbirds, which are born largely naked and barely able to move much of anything beyond their heads or necks to beg for food.”

Two key terms are the thrust of the answer to the question. Precocial. The goslings and ducklings jump out of the nest after 24 hours and can care for themselves. They walk and feed. They turn to their parents for warmth and security. Altrial hatchlings are entirely dependent on their parents. So, what about Ospreys? Well, they are in the middle. They are not born blind like owlets. [A 2010 article from the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey says they are “born semi-altricial, or blind, feathered, and completely helpless.”] It does take a few days for their eyes to focus completely, but they are semi-Precocial, not semi-altricial. This is the bobblehead phase. They see a ‘beak’ and think of food. It could be their sibling!

Ospreys do not normally leave fish in the nest because it attracts predators or intruders. Normally the female will feed the begging chicks before she feeds herself. The new hatchlings can eat 10 small meals a day, the female taking the fish down to the open beak of the osplet.

Here is a good talk by Poole about Ospreys on YouTube. You can watch it in chunks:

If you are looking for a really good book with great images of the behaviours and development of Ospreys, I recommend Alan Poole’s book, Ospreys. The Revival of a Global Raptor. It also includes a section on threats and solutions. It is currently priced at $54 CDN or about $40 US on Amazon. You can also check any of the used book sellers, such as Abe Books or Thrift Books. I have this one and his earlier addition and both were purchased used.

There are many good volumes on Ospreys and over the course of the nest month I will be mentioning my favourites from the UK. Osprey season is starting – learn as much as you can!

At the Nests:

At the KNF-E3 nest, Nugget has branched at 67 days old! Congratulations everyone. Way to go Nugget.

At the nest of Connie and Clive, Connick is perching (standing on the rim of the nest like E21 and 22 at SW Florida).

I love the hatchling ospreys. However, those two little fluff balls at Duke Farms are adorable. However, the beaking has started. Thankfully, they are both about the same size, and hopefully, all of this will end soon.

Fan of Liberty and Freedom at Glacier Gardens in Alaska? Well, the streaming cam is back on early because the beloved couple was on the nest together on Monday.

Here is the link to their cam:

https://www.youtube.com/live/zukDc5a9_RE?feature=share

And guess what? the Ospreys are back at Dahlgren!!!!!! Oh, I wonder how many stuffies will land on the nest with Jack and Harriet this year?

Here is a video that HeidiMc did of the afternoon feedings at the Moorings Park Osprey nest. Sally sure does love her fish! Notice that the chicks are not yet screaming for food when she is eating! Their necks will get stronger, so they do not flop around. They need to hold their heads steady and have those beaks wide open. Otherwise, Mum does not think they are hungry!

The beak that is open is going to get the fish.

Wow, what a Dad. Harry brought in a late fish for Sally and the Bobs. Time 20:09. The Bobs were hungry. Just fantastic.

Turn around little ones!

The first GHO owlet hatched around 05:44 at the nest of Bonnie and Clyde on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas. Apparently, the name already chosen is Butch Cassidy. After the event, Bonnie and Clyde were vocalising loudly, and Clyde flew to the nest tree.

Clyde is directly below Bonnie on another branch.

The voting has begun for the Corona Owlets of Owlvira and Hoots. If you go to the YouTube live cam page for the Corona Owls, click on the tab at the top to vote. The names have been organised in groups of four possible choices, with ‘Peanut’ appearing multiple times!

M15 brought in a squirrel and 2 fish to the SW Florida nest today despite the presence of a sub-adult at the nest tree. Doing good, Dad.

This was the 16:14 fish that M15 dropped and flew. Those eaglets are quick and it was a scramble. At one point, each appeared to have a piece of fish.

E21 and 22 are perching and working their wings (21 more than 22 with the wings).

M15 appears to have been alone all day. No sightings of R23-3. Everyone is wondering where she is. Does her absence have anything to do with the intruder? This morning, a posting from SW Florida indicated three eagles around the property yesterday. I presume it was M15; we know the sub-adult and, most likely, R23-3.

Good Night, Dad. You are amazing. Your kids are perching and flapping. Today 21 is 60 days old, and 22 is 58 days old. It is hard to imagine that they could take their first flights in less than three weeks. You have put us all to shame because we doubted you…no one will ever forget your great efforts. When someone asks: can a single parent Bald Eagle raise one-month-old eaglets on their own? The answer will be, ‘Of course, M15 did it!’ *

Question: Who (or what) is on the branch below towards the road?

The IR seems to be picking up two figures on the other cam. I do not believe it is R23-3. She would most likely be on the same branch close to M15.

Annie and Lou are taking turns incubating the eggs at The Campanile on the campus of UC-Berkeley. Looks like a bit of delayed incubation. Will we see a third egg on Wednesday?

At the nest of Big Red and Arthur, something caused Dad to work frantically on the nest today. Does he know something we don’t?

On March 4th at 19:15:49 that Jackie looked down at her eggs, reflecting on them before leaving them and the nest. Shadow was flying off, and she paused. A woman on FOBBV wrote that she believes eagles have feelings after seeing Jackie’s behaviour. Of course, they do. Of course. We collectively grieve with Jackie and Shadow as their hope for a family this year dissolved on a cold winter’s day in Big Bear Valley.

Making News:

Oh, I love this. We see so many lonely widowed Canada Geese in my city. These are domesticated geese, but how wonderful…a romance ad answered for a goose! Single mingles for Geese.

Widowed-cemetery-goose-finds-companionship-through-a-personal-ad-CBC-RadioDownload

Speaking of geese…remember the Canada Goose couple that took over the old Decorah Bald Eagle nest last year and raised those goslings? They could be back!

This article came in the mailbox from Geemeff. It would be fantastic if every organisation controlling an area where our waterfowl breed would close the space off during breeding season. All too many – at least here in Winnipeg – chase the geese and ducks or send their dogs running. It is horrible treatment and causes great stress to the birds.

https://www.kpax.com/news/local-news/flathead-county/large-section-of-flathead-lake-north-shore-closed-for-seasonal-waterfowl-production

After at least eight years in the making, The High Seas Treaty has passed. This treaty will protect 30% of the high seas. While not everyone agrees about every point, most biologists believe this will go a long way to helping with climate change. It will also help our seabirds!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/05/high-seas-treaty-agreement-to-protect-international-waters-finally-reached-at-un?CMP=share_btn_link

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

My sincere thanks to the following that sent me notes, posted announcements, videos, and stories or have streaming cams that formed part of my blog today: ‘L’, ‘A’, ‘N’, ‘H’, ‘Geemeff’, Alan Poole, Amazon.com, Rhonda A and the KNF-E3 Eagle nest, Window to Wildlife, Ondabebe and Window to Wildlife, Duke Farms, Glacier Gardens, Dahlgren Osprey Cam, Heidi Mc and Moorings Park Osprey, Moorings Park Osprey, Farmer Derek, Corona California Owls, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Cal Falcons, Cornell RTH, FOBBV, CBC Radio, Laura Rose and the Decorah Eagles Love Nest, kpax.com, and The Guardian.

NOTE: A few single-parent bald eagles have successfully raised their entire clutch to fledge. I am thinking of Decorah, who had three eaglets in the nest. You might know of others. Let me know!

Annie lays her first egg, Second hatch at Moorings. huge storm at Berry College…Saturday in Bird World

4 March 2022

Good Morning Everyone!

Friday was an amazing day on the Canadian Prairies. The temperature ‘soared’ to -1 C. The sun was out, the sky was blue, the snow was melting, and the birds were singing. I had a wonderful walk at the nature centre where I was entertained by frolicking Red Squirrels and Chickadees.

Precious.

Today, I am not going to start with M15 and how wonderful he is. No, it is Flaco, the Eurasian owl that escaped from a small zoo in Central Park and has been living there happily ever after. Everyone loves Flaco and he made The New York Times! Let us all hope that this attention is not detrimental to Flaco’s well being!

Can you imagine that Flaco had no idea what the life of an owl outside an enclosure was? “Never before had the owl seen such wide open spaces. Never before had he been harassed by squirrels, and noisy blue jays and streetwise crows. It was amazing to watch Flaco learn, said Molly Eustis, a stage manager and owl lover, and “think ‘wow this is probably the first time in his life he’s been that high up in a tree!’ and to think how that must feel for him. Or the first time he caught a rat! Or felt the rain falling all around him.” Another observer said, “But then Flaco defied everyone’s expectations. As longtime bird watcher Stella Hamilton pointed out, he was “like a fledgling” mastering the art of surviving, but a fledgling who compressed weeks of learning into a couple days. Despite a lifetime in captivity, the owl had somehow “remained wild inside.”

Why-We-Love-Flaco-the-Escaped-Owl-The-New-York-TimesDownload

The camera is currently down at the Berry College Eagle nest. The huge storms that tore through the area on Friday ripped enormous trees up by their roots. Thankfully, the eagles and their tree are alright.

In Florida, M15 had delivered four fish to the SW Florida Eagle nest by 1400. The Es were delighted – and yes, E22 did eat almost an entire fish. Neither one went hungry and we should not worry about either of them. They eat or they are fed or both. One of those deliveries was caught on camera. Here comes M15 flying into the nest with a big fish in his talons.

The first fish one arrived around 0700. Shortly after, R23-3 arrived.

She feeds 21 some fish before flying off with that lovely prey.

Sharon Pollock shows us the action:

M15 was not upset. He took it all in stride flying out to get another. He was back in the nest in a few minutes feeding the eaglets. I am so glad that M15 is bringing in lots of fish instead of prey items that have been road kill. Or worse birds that could have Bird Flu. Perhaps he realizes that he could be injured by a collision and then who would care for the Es. Also, fish do not have to be prepared and when Harriet was alive, she was the one that took care of all the plucking and de-furring. Maybe M15 doesn’t like that.

It is 0719. There is this amazing Dad feeding his eaglets breakfast.

Since they have hatched, ‘A’ and I have been discussing gender. Of course, we will never know but, nests with the same gender raptors tend to have less aggression. I would say that 21 is ‘less aggressive’ compared to most older siblings if food is in short supply which it was for only a couple of days. So, in my mind, they are the same – either both males or both females. You might recall the Rutland Osprey nest in 2022 with three large females. It was relatively peaceful. The same for the Port Lincoln Ospreys when there were the three males – Bazza, Falky, and Ervie. So, look at the size of these two next to Dad. Mind you, M15 has lost weight. Females tend to lose 30% of their body weight caring for eaglets…I wonder how much he has lost. Still, look at them compared to him. What do you think?

Have you noticed how energetic the eaglets get (any nest) after a good feeding? E21 really starts flapping its wings.

E22 is eating a nice fish at 1054. The kid has done well at self-feeding and is much more proficient than 21.

M15 feeding the Es at 1343.

M15 delivered another giant fish around 16:16 and fed the Es. Then left some for them to self-feed. All the while, R23-3 was on a branch of the nest tree. She did not bother them. We did get a good look at her foot.

Heidi Mc caught the couple bathing together at the pond today. These two look so happy together. I am glad that M15 has company. They seem to enjoy one another’s company!

Another bath video!

Good Night, M15. You really are the ‘Dad and Mum of the Year’.

Darn that owl! M15 can’t get any rest!!!!!!

The Es are 7.5 – 8 weeks old. The little one at Moorings Park is less than 24 hours old. Heidi Mc prepared a video of its first feeding! Oh, how I wish these osprey parents would kill those fish before bringing them to the nest!

Heidi Mc also caught the hatch. If you missed it, here it is:

The pip in the second egg at Moorings Park is progressing well. This was 1542.

And then there were two at The Moorings. Congratulations Sally and Harry. Well done!

Oh, those two little eaglets at Duke Farms are simply cute. What else can you say about less than 24 hour old eaglets? There is plenty of food. Looks like a rabbit and a huge hunk of fish on that nest. I wonder if they are going to get some of the bad weather that will hit the Ithaca area impacting Big Red and Arthur?

At the Webster Texas Eagle nest, Ringo is really getting some air under those wings! Go Ringo!

Arthur has been working hard during Friday as the winter storm is approaching Ithaca. Big Red flies in to inspect his efforts.

And the snow is coming down on Arthur and Big Red’s nest right now!

Are you interested in the history of the Osprey nest on the Whirley Crane? of Richmond and Rosie? Tony Blake put together a chronological order of the history and happenings. I am so grateful that SF Bay Ospreys posted it for us. If you are new to watching Ospreys or want a reminder of all the exciting things to come, this is for you. It will, of course, apply to most of the other osprey nests we monitor, too!

Richmond and Rosie began breeding on the Whirley Crane in 2016. At the time they would have been three years old, approximately. This makes them 10 years old this year. Did you know that the average life expectancy of an osprey living in the wild is 8-10 years. That said, many live to be in their late 20s. Let us all vow to watch and love this couple and wish them a long life.

A-Chronological-Osprey-Season-SF-Bay-OspreysDownload

I promised ‘A’ that I would look in on the four owlets of Hooty and Owlvira at the Corona California owl basket (?). The oldest is huge compared to the little one but all are alive and seem to be doing rather well. The space is certainly getting tight!

At The Campanile, Annie and Lou have their first egg of the 2023 season!

Happy hatch day, Tangiwai.

Whenever you look at little Sweet Pea at the Royal Cam Albatross nest in New Zealand or those adorable Moli at Kauai’, I want you to remember that plastic is killing them. Now, it is worse. There is a disease that has been found that is linked to plastic and sea birds. They are calling it ‘Plasticosis’. The author says, “When birds ingest small pieces of plastic, they found, it inflames the digestive tract. Over time, the persistent inflammation causes tissues to become scarred and disfigured, affecting digestion, growth and survival.”

So what can you do about it? Refuse to purchase anything plastic. Make it known to the people who sell you produce that you will not purchase items in mesh plastic bags. It doesn’t matter if they are recycled or not. They do more harm to all of the birds and wildlife, just like monochrome filament line. The beaks and little legs get caught up in those nasty bags. We do not need them. Surely we can take home 4 lemons without having them in a bag! Besides you can never truly see how good the items in the mesh bags are when compared with those sold separately.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/03/plasticosis-new-disease-caused-by-plastics-discovered-in-seabirds?CMP=share_btn_link

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cam that help make up my blog today: The New York Times, Tani Denton B3 Branch Buddies and Berry College Eagles, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Sharon Pollock and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Heidi Mc and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida and D Pritchett, Heidi Mc and Moorings Park Osprey, Duke Farms, Paul White and Webster Texas Eagle Cam, Cornell Bird Lab RTH Cam, Tony Black and SF Ospreys, Corona California Owl Cam, Kakapo Recovery, and The Guardian.

Hatch for Moorings Park, 22’s crop, sadness for Sauces…Friday in Bird World

3 March 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Let’s all just take a deep breath! There is energy in the air this Friday morning. There are reports of two ospreys seen flying into Finland on BirdGuides (yes, this is early) and another heading over Devon. We have the first osprey hatch in Florida of the four nests I follow there, and the recent hatch of both eaglets at Duke Farms. Life is picking up. Oh, and all of the osprey streaming cams are coming on line! Let’s all get our running shoes on!!!!!!!!

Today was a very special day in 2022. It was the day that Spirit hatched at Big Bear! Happy first hatch day Spirit. Oh, what an eaglet she was – and the name selected by local third graders fit her perfectly!

Most of you will have noticed that E22 can surely squee, all the time, eating or not. Well, SK Hideaways caught it today on video for us. E22 is squeeing all the time he is being fed that big fish by Dad. It is just too funny. Have you ever seen an eaglet so vocal? E22 got lots of nice fish – lots!

E22 on the rails Thursday. Notice the crop. 22 had some very nice fish and what looked like a squirrel.

E21 had the squirrel first but after a bit, as is usual now, 22 came along and snatched it and had a good feed.

21 with the squirrel when it was delivered whole by Dad.

22 with the squirrel after he waited and then did the old snatch and grab and run routine he is famous for now.

There was a fish delivery at 13:52:01 – M15 did a gallant job feeding both ofg the Es.

M15 flew in with a late headless fish for the eaglets at 18:43:27. The fish is big enough for both of them! E21 mantles but also reaches over with its beak to remind 22 that it is claiming the fish. I wonder how long 22 will let 21 play about with that fish?

Yes, E21 left a very nice piece of fish. Will 22 go and feed off it?

So who has the fish? It was still on the nest fully visible at 23:05:04 when 22 went over to check on it.

Saving it for later? E22 appears to go to sleep on the leftover piece of fish! Sneaky.

22 did not eat that fish. It was on the nest early and 21 went over and finished it off at 06:26:42.

M15 brought in a fish at 07:18:41 and fed both of the eaglets. At 07:36:16, 22 finished off the tail!

Another fish came in at 10:06. This time it was a drop. As I write this, the two eaglets are still trying to finish out to eat it.

Following my review of Marti Lord’s book on the 2020 season for Harriet and M15, here is a recent video of the happenings of the Owls and the Es on the Pritchett Property from that all important, local perspective.

It was a month on 2 March, Thursday, that Harriet went missing.

Oh, they are the cutest little butterballs at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest. Both adults doing a superb job. Lots of fish on the nest for these little ones.

Angus continues to bring the nicest fish to Florence. Still no eggs at Captiva, though.

Speaking of eggs, Audacity had laid her seventh egg and now, hold on, yes, there is an eighth. Honestly, what is the level of calcium in her body now?! This is 8 eggs in 27 days. I received word first thing this morning that one of the two eggs at Sauces has now broken at 22:53 2nd of March. Our hearts break with this wonderful couple. Thanks, ‘B’.

Do you know who this eagle is? and the names of the eaglets? Look closely.

That is Shadow with Cookie and Simba! Yes, he chased off Mr BB and wooed Jackie and he didn’t even have his white head!!!!!!!!!!! The year is 2019.

So sad for Jackie and Shadow this year. They worked so hard and then something went terribly wrong. It was today, last year, that Spirit hatched!

Despite having chosen the Fernow Light Stand for their 2023 nest, Big Red and Arthur seemed to be concerned today about the work going on across Tower Road on the Cornell Campus. Check out how deep the egg cup is! Big Red is making sure it is perfect.

This is the deepest egg cup I have seen at this nest. Will there be another four egg clutch like in 2022?

Gabby and V3 at the nest today. Looks like no eggs for this season – and that is just fine. Let us hope that this lovely couple are still together in November!

A pip was seen on the large end of the egg at Moorings Park at 18:51 Thursday night.

The first hatch at Moorings came at 01:29 on the 3rd of March. Thanks, ‘H’! ‘H’ says the second egg appears to have a pip. Oh, that would be wonderful. Two osplets hatched closely like the eaglets at Duke Farms.

Sunnie Day caught the hatch on video.

The little one at Moorings Park has already had its first fish breakfast. Time 09:48. Did I say that I melt when I see a newly hatched osplet? I love them all but those little eye lines and that stripe and their light grey wooly down…so sweet. Congratulations to Sally and Harry!

Guess who showed up at the West End nest in the Channel Islands today? It was Thunder! We will sure miss seeing what her and Akecheta are up to this season. Maybe Dr Sharpe will have some ideas for a camera if the couple stay at their new nest site.

This screen capture was taken at 13:15 on Thursday 2 March.

Chase and Cholyn take turns incubating at the Two Harbours nest on the Channel Islands.

Nancy and Beau have one intact egg at the MN-DNR nest.

Eggs, eggs everywhere. The first one was laid at Fort St Vrain in Colorado on Thursday! You might recall this nest as the one where the raccoon took one of the eaglets in 2022. So sad.

Two days ago, Valentine was hovering so high on the KNF-E3 nest in the Kisatchie Forest. Today, at 66 days old, Valentine branched. Rhonda A has caught it for us.

Anyone reading my blog loves wildlife, being in nature when they can, and the joy that these amazing birds bring to our lives. If the whole world were like you, this would be a better place for all living beings. Sadly, recent research shows that the climate crisis is causing more conflict between humans and wildlife.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/27/research-reveals-climate-crisis-is-driving-a-rise-in-human-wildlife-conflicts-aoe?CMP=share_btn_link

I personally have huge concerns for our raptors that live in areas where prey might become a big issue. Will the increasing cost to living cause people to hunt what the raptors eat? Stay tuned.

Of course, there are humans that continue to snare song birds. Seriously? Precisely why are the Sardinians doing this to these birds? Well, here is the answer from an anti-poaching website:

Unlike in many other parts of Italy, bird-trapping in Sardinia is mainly a organised business of poacher gangs and not a simple pastime. Caught birds are sold on the black market to private buyers or to butchers and restaurants.

I didn’t think it could get much worse until I read this. Horrible. I wonder how they would feel if the tables were turned?

Birds should be free. Look at these gorgeous Stellar Eagles.

You might recall that I mentioned the loss of one of the Peregrine Falcons at Lincoln Cathedral. This was a place I visited often in the UK and so, it is with some delight that I find a tweet by Wakefield Peregrines that one of their birds is at Lincoln today!

Cal Falcons are looking for memes. Check out the posting below! Annie, I am looking for eggs. Can you and Lou help all of us? We are trying to be patient.

So anxiously awaiting those eggs in that scrape of Annie and Lou’s!

Thank you so much for joining me today. Remember to get outside if you possibly can. Even if it is for ten minutes. While we love our birds on the streaming cams, our eyes need a break. But sitting too long is a problem too. Walk around, stand up every 30 minutes, put your feet up! In other words, please take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that help make up my blog today: ‘H’, ‘B’, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, SK Hideaways and D Pritchett, wskrsnwings, SW Florida Cam, Duke Farms, Window to Wildlife, Heidi Mc and Window to Wildlife, Sassa Bird and Bald Eagles in the USA, Jannet Hubbart and FOBBV, Cornell RTH, NEFL-AEF, Moorings Park Ospreys, Sunnie Day and Moorings Park, IWS, MN-DNR, Lisa Yen and Fort St. Vrain Eagle Cam, Rhonda A and KNF-E3, The Guardian, @CABS, Susan Hillman and B3 Branch Buddies, @NeillDonaghy, @wfldPeregrines, and Cal Falcons Cam.

Hatch at Duke Farms, GHO owlet with family, E22 is the fastest prey grabber…Tuesday in Bird World

28 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Lewis and Missy hope you have had a wonderful start to the week. They are enjoying a new ‘dog bed’. It is so soft, and with their own blankets, they both decided that it was ‘OK’. They are way too big to share the small basket, and neither one will be alone!

They had to do everything together from the moment they came to their forever home. It is like synchronised living. Sleep, eat, drink water, poop, look out the window, play – it is always in tandem.

My goodness. Most of the time we think of a pip and then a wait to see how long it will be until hatch. Well, the first eaglet of the year has blasted out of the egg at Duke Farms. This is one strong eaglet. Want to bet she is a fierce formidable female?

Dad was on the nest checking on the progress.

The reveal came around 14:06.

Well, hello! Aren’t you amazing? Such a strong eaglet! Dad sees his chick for the very first time.

One strong eaglet! A nice fresh fish on the nest for Tuesday morning breakfast!

The first breakfast for Monday came in at 10:28:45 at the SW Florida nest of M15 and the Es. It was very difficult to see what that prey item was, actually. E22 mantled it and got a huge chunk. M15 found some small bits and kept 21 busy feeding him.

Another delivery came at 13:47:05. This time it was a small fish, not tiny but not huge. E21 was up at Dad’s beak first but 22 did his usual work around and got up to the beak to get some of that fish. E22 exhibited no fear as he touched beaks with 21 trying to get some fish. Meanwhile, the female is down in one of the trees not bothering what is going on at the nest. It appears that 21 and 22 play around trying to eat the skin and some bits and bobs.

E22 is the fastest eaglet on this nest and the best at self-feeding. He learned those traits early on when we all thought he might not survive. What a great eagle you will be 22.

M15 came in with another prey item at 14:54:14. It was difficult to tell which eaglet was which, but both got something to eat. I think it was 22 at the end who also had the bone and was chewing on it. Perhaps you held your breath seeing the adult above the nest, but thankfully, it was M15 just getting off the nest at 15:01:36.

I believe it is 21 on the left and 22 on the right by the tail feathers but, I could be so wrong.

M15 came in with another fish for the eaglets at 16:23:21. E21 got some first bites but E22 was quick to get itself into a position to snatch and grab from the right to the left!

E21 is on the left and E22 is on the right.

He just grabbed a big piece of fish!

22 pushes 21 back while keeping his beak up to get the fish.

The fish went back and forth, but E22 got it and finished it off quickly. Dad was back up to the branch at 16:28:38.

That might be the last feeding of the day. It has gone well. Thank you, M15.

They both look a little tattered. Harriet was M15’s first mate. She was a fierce eagle as we know and no one would mess with her chicks, her nest, or her territory. We wait to see how this goes.

I am warming up to her. Injuries, stress, hunger. They all trigger behaviours that might not otherwise take place. Yes, she has pecked and winged but, she has not injured E21 or E22. As we know she did, voluntarily or feeling forced, feed 21. She has protected the territory. M15 will need a ferocious mate to take on this popular territory together.

M15 brought a squirrel into the nest at 093215 for 21 and 22. He did some feeding but, in the end, it seems that 21 took some of it to self-feed. That is 22 getting fed by Dad below.

There appears to be, sadly, a territorial dispute going on at the Redding Bald Eagle nest of Liberty and Guardian. Guardian returned to the nest where Liberty is incubating their single egg for the season injured on Sunday. Injuries appear to be the left eye, the top of the head, and some frayed tail feathers.

A short time in Ron and Rose’s nest, a shift change. I love the chortling.

Everyone is counting down the time to eggs and I am thinking that it is two weeks. Around 13 March for Big Red and Arthur. So happy they are back at the nest on the Fernow Light Stand so that we can watch them raise their eyases.

Meanwhile, L4 is still with the young hawk and still on Mum and Dad’s territory as far as I am aware.

The heavy snowfall promised to hit the northeastern US is now falling on Big Red and Arthur’s nest in Ithaca, New York.

Indigo is still home! And he is loud. Missy and Lewis always want the volume off. For some reason, Indigos’ screeching scares them.

If you want to glimpse the four owlets at the Corona Owl Nest, you need to watch during the night or do a good rewind. There are four of them, and voting will begin on naming the four on March 6. Check out the chat with the live stream: Corona Owls on YouTube.

At Taiaroa Head, home to the Royal Albatross Colony, Sweet Pea does her very first sky call. Lady Hawk caught it for us!

Jackie and Shadow made the news in Greece. I keep saying if love could fill that nest with little eaglets, that nest would be spilling over. Fingers crossed for a successful second clutch and hatch in the future. If you are wondering, yes, it is possible. When Harriet and M15 lost Sassy Pants, M15 wanted another clutch of eggs. Those two eaglets hatched and were named Miracle and Grace.

Making News:

I brought you the news from CROW about a GHO owlet that had fallen out of a tree and was placed in a laundry basket hoping the parents would feet it. The story gets quite amazing. A wellness check was done, the original nest located, a sibling and lots of food in the nest – and even more special, the adults welcomed the ‘lost’ baby back into the family! Thank you, CROW.

They stopped the fireworks in the UK not to disturb this amazing walrus named Thor. Today, he was discovered in Iceland!

Please don’t tell any gamekeepers on those moors!

‘EJ’ sent an article to me explaining it isn’t the type they usually send. It is hard to believe that some individuals take shotguns and are called ‘removers’. They are culling one owl species for another. Honestly, I think humans should leave nature to nature. Do we actually understand what we are doing to wildlife and the planet? — Sorry, I am ‘getting started’. Nothing has convinced me that we are proper conservators of our home and theirs or that we have insights that make us superior. I wish it were different.

https://www.salon.com/2023/02/26/professional-owl-terrorists-scare-off-barred-owls-with-shotguns-in-the-name-of-conservation/

The author says: “Remover” was an accurate term for what Hunt did. But it was a euphemism. Hunt is one of the best in the business at shooting barred owls out of trees with a shotgun. The twenty-eight-year-old, slightly-built wildlife management specialist from Belmont, New York, had spent five winters tracking barred owls and systematically blasting them from the canopy with a twelve-gauge. The goal was to reduce the barred owl population enough to relieve the pressure on spotted owls. It was a divisive study generating high emotions on all sides. But Hunt loved the work. “I’m kinda sad the removal part is over,” she said.”

This is wonderful news. I am certain that when Rita was injured, we wished this might have been the outcome. It was not to be but, for this couple, it was the perfect ending. Congratulations to all!

Here is the whole story:

Incredible-Reunion-Of-Rescued-Bald-Eagle-With-Lifelong-PartnerDownload

Some bird humour compliments of the Webster Texas Eagles FB page.

The season’s first egg is at one of the Peregrine Falcon’s nests in Japan. Congratulations! For those who would like to watch this scrape, I have messaged the site to get a link. The scrape fledged four little eyases in 2022.

A former student ‘CD’, now teaching her university-level science classes, posted this today. Do you know about these women who saved the birds?

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

Thank you to the following for their tweets, notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that help make up my blog: ‘CD’, ‘EJ’, Duke Farms, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Gary and FORE, @Cornell Hawks, Valerie Valicento and Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Corona Owls, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Maria Grigoriadou and FOBBV, Heidi Mc and WRDC, CROW, BBC, Google Maps, Yorkshire Post, Salon.com, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cam and Nests, Webster Texas Eagle Watchers, Ashai Falcon Kirara, Women Who Saved Birds.

Daddy Door Dash does great…Monday in Bird World

27 February 2022

Oh, good morning, everyone! Lewis hopes that you had an extraordinary wonderful weekend full of treats! He has been enjoying some strawberry-filled Japanese crepes lately – just little bites – and he loves them! I must go into a room and lock the door to keep him away! He does not understand, ‘Sweets are not good for a cat’s teeth!’

Sunday was a rather fantastic day in the garden! Mr Woodpecker was in ‘Abigale’s tree’. Mr Crow came here. Oh, it is so nice to see you! And then, there was the rabbit. I don’t want the rabbits here, but, it was such a delight to see one alive. The feline pets that frequent the feeders kill the rabbits for fun. It isn’t their fault. Their owners let them outside when it is clearly against city by-laws.

So what is Abigale’s tree? We started ‘re-foresting’ our city lot by planting trees for family members and cats when they died. Now the garden is getting full. It is a nice escape for the birds in the City, cool in the summer and lots of food in the winter. Abigale was the big ‘Blue’ Abyssinian cat. She was huge, adorable, and ever so gentle.

Mr Crow reminds me of E22, who is always ‘sqeeing’ for food even if he has a fish tail in his mouth!

There is wonderment when seeing wildlife in a big city. It makes me so happy and tells me that, hopefully, when we are gone, they will take over and have the run of the place again.

M15 delivered one earlier prey item on the SW Florida nest on Sunday before dropping a nice fish off at 13:09:30. (The female took the possum tail from an early delivery). E21 got that breakfast and the 13:09 prey item, too. 22 has been calling to Dad, who has been on the tree branch ever since. M15 is ignoring 22. I don’t believe 22 got any of the earlier breakfast, and he is hungry. This is the problem with Dad needing to play the double role of Mum and Dad. He is making drops, and the eaglets are dealing with food as they would if they were in the real world. In other words, the eaglets mostly have to fend for themselves in terms of eating. It is good. These are great lessons. Sometimes it would be nice to see Dad feeding the babies, but it could also draw the female to the nest. On Saturday, M15 delivered 5 fish and 2 prey items to the nest!

E21 is being cautious. It knows that 22 is hungry and could grab that fish. I hope 21 leaves something because 22 mantled the early fish and then lost it to 21 and hasn’t eaten. It looks like there is a lot left. Hurry up 21 so 22 can have some before ‘she’ comes.

I need to continue reminding myself that E22 got a super duper feeding from Dad Saturday afternoon! Yes, M15 does still feed them. E22 did eat a lot on Saturday. Must not panic if he doesn’t get fish today. That is the mantra.

The fact of the matter is that E21 is not as good at self-feeding as 22 who had to figure all of this out to survive. E22 is now ‘under’ 21’s tail and will steal that fish! The time is 13:30.

Thank you, big sibling! There is enough for 22 to have a meal. E22 eating at 133953.

At 135223, E22 eats the fish tail.

There was another delivery at 14:19:06. Both eaglets ate off this fish. It went back and forth, and each wound up with a good-sized crop. Then Daddy Door Dash M15 flew in with another fish at 16:36:59.

Notice that 21 has a piece of leftover fish from 22 and is reaching over to Dad’s beak to be fed! Too funny. E22 is absolutely stuffed.

E22 with his big crop. I wonder if he will also want some of the last fish of the day?

No. That was the quickest feed. E21 got it all, and 22 didn’t care; he was too full to care. That is a brilliant way to end the day! It was another excellent day at the SW Florida nest of M15 and the Es. Harriet would be proud.

Too funny. By 1652, 22 is digging around an old fish head for flakes of prey.

The Es had a great day in terms of food.

A very good radio interview. You might have to cut and paste the title into the news organization.

M15, you are magnificent. Sweet Eagle Dreams.

The Es had breakfast around 10:28:45. 21 was more or less fed by Dad, while 22 snatched and grabbed some nice pieces of the prey. Thank you, M15!

It is a much nicer day at the Big Bear Valley nest of Jackie and Shadow. Still, snow on the nest, but the storm that raged for several days has passed. Sadly, the two eggs in the nest are now well beyond the viable dates. Egg 1 was laid on the 11th of January, making it 46 days old and egg 2 was laid on the 14th, 43 days old. There is time for a second clutch.

Yes, it is Connick! Blink, and they do grow up. Those ebony-coloured feathers are now making this little one look immensely grown up. Connick is on the rails. In the second image, you can see that thermal down that will help Connick regulate its temperature and keep him dry.

Louis has flown into the KNF-E1 nest in the Kisatchie National Forest. I want you to look at the size of E1-03. Sure looks like they have a female this year at this nest after two previous male fledges.

Not much longer til branching!

Do you need to see baby eaglets? Well, get ready! The first egg at Duke Farms was pipped at 21:31:13 Saturday night, the 26th!

The eaglet at Duke Farms is making progress Monday morning. Dad has been on the nest checking how things are going.

Just a few hours before the pip at Duke Farms in New Jersey, Denton Homes in Iowa had their third egg!

SK Hideaways shows us that Lou is growing up. Annie gets a whole prey item all to herself. Brilliant!

Making News:

Going for a walk on flooded lanes and being the only one there with a Golden Plover. Rather idyllic, right?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/23/country-diary-for-a-moment-its-just-me-and-a-golden-plover?CMP=share_btn_link

CROW has had an intake with Red Tide poisoning in Florida.

Yesterday I posted an image of the Stellar’s Eagle that flies back and forth from Canada to Maine. This eagle is far from home. Here is an image from Hokkaido, Japan where the eagle should be!

Remember this if you should spot a new hatch GHO on the ground. Call your local wildlife rehabilitation centre and wait. And then suggest the laundry basket for the nest if they don’t know this trick of CROW.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams that make up my blog today: Superbeaks, SW Florida Eagles and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagles and D Pritchett, Tonya Irwin and Raptors of the World, FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E1, Duke Farms, Sherri van Syckel and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, The Guardian, CROW, and Jonathan Wadsworth Photography and Birds of Prey.

M15 is still the ‘Man of the Hour’…Saturday in Bird World

25 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Well, gosh, golly. I am going to bed feeling better than when the day began. The mantra, ‘Trust the Eagles,’ should be printed and put on the bulletin board before me. Yesterday, I worried that the intruding female had caused M15 to reconsider feeding the eaglets for fear of his and their safety. Thankfully, that was not the case. He was trying to figure out how to discourage that female and get on with being the great dad that he is.

On Friday, M15 hatched a plan that worked. He brought 3 prey items for the Es, and eventually, the pair had crops. I worried he might abandon them if the black-taloned eagle kept up her attack if he brought whole fish to the nest. So no whole fish. Some would consider those scraps, but the eaglets ate. The prey item times were: 1300, 1353, an 1515.

M15 flew to the nest and quickly dropped a fishtail off. E21 got it. Maybe this is the way to keep the female away…make tiny drops to the eaglets. They will need a lot of them, but they can self-feed now. Thank goodness. E22 will get some of that fish, too. No worries.

22 still eating. 1339. M15 more food! 21 watches how well 22 is doing at self-feeding.

The other fish part came in at 13:53. It was a really niced size piece that fed both eaglets.

They see Dad flying in with more food.

At 15:15, M15 flew in with a carcass of ‘something’ with feathers and long yellow legs. Perhaps carrion/road kill he found on the way home. Or did he raid a nest. He dropped to the nest with it and was rushed by two extremely hungry eaglets. It is difficult to say how much meat was on that piece or who benefited. E22 was self-feeding at the end. Is this M15’s plan – to bring scraps to the nest for the eaglets, small pieces and get out so as not to attract that female?

My friend ‘A’ has nothing but praise for 22 doing this feeding. She says,

‘The feeding at 15:15 saw E22 get brave. He snatched and grabbed some big bits of that feed and he swallowed one giant bit of bone with flesh attached to it that even I doubted he could manage – but only for a moment. For a few mouthfuls there, he still had about ten inches of that hanging out the left side of his beak while he grabbed another three good-sized mouthfuls from dad, then returned to swallowing, and repeat. So he did well. He has had enough food to get through to another day. He mantled that food too when he grabbed it – and when E21 tried to intimidate him out of the position right next to M15’s beak, E22 fought for his spot and refused to be driven away from it.’

22 is in there first.

22 is doing some snatch-and-grab as 21 gets to the beak of M15. The intruder did not bother M15 today.

At 16:18:53, E22 is full for the first time in 48 hours or more. He cannot hold up his crop or keep his eyes open. The three prey items came in a flurry of deliveries from 1300-1515, 2 hours and 15 minutes. That interests me because not only did It fill up the eaglets, but coming in such rapid succession meant that both ate without intimidation. The female intruder did not come around. Good job, Dad.

M15. Thank you! You are so loved and admired. It has taken some time to figure out how to manage all that you have on your plate – eaglets to be fed, your own needs for prey and keeping healthy, sleep, security, and keeping intruders away from the eaglets. You have worked that out. I am so sorry if I ever doubted you!

Good night Dad! Good night Es. SEDs.

If you are wondering, ‘she’ is not on the same branch or cuddled up to M15 tonight, as I write. She is, however, on the nest tree. She could be as formidable as Harriet and make a great mate, protecting future eaglets, but right now, M15 doesn’t need her attention, nor does he need her in the nest stealing food. As we know, male Bald Eagles do not normally fight larger, more aggressive female eagles. I am glad he has figured out how to deal with all that has been ‘thrown’ at him. The Es are seven weeks old. They are going to branch and fledge before we know it.

Around 0835, M15 dropped off an Armoured Catfish to the eaglets and did some aeration on the nest. He did not stay to feed the eaglets at that time. It appears that they have broken through the head and are self-feeding. This is a great start to Saturday!

E21 seems to have given up and 22 has been working on the tail..smart. It is 0903.

In other news, the Peregrine Falcons are back in the scrape box and have been for some days. Elain caught all of them -Diamond, Xavier, and Indigo – yesterday in her scrape highlights.

Do you remember the fireworks that caused Diamond so much distress? The discussion over what happened continues.

You can still hear the ice pellets at the nest of Bald Eagles Jackie and Shadow. Shadow did bring in a very nice fish to Jackie! Oh, how I wish she would stand up and we would see a huge crack in one of those eggs.

I so admire how Californians love Jackie and Shadow. They are making the news with their endurance during this terrible winter storm that has hit Southern California.

There is something about Angus. Is it his youth? or the funny expressions he makes? Looking forward to eggs for Angus and Florence at Captiva!

Other Osprey nests are now coming into play. At the Lake Murray platform, Lucy has returned on the 17th of February and Ricky was back on Thursday the 23rd.

‘H’ writes to tell me that there is a possible first pip at the Moorings Park Osprey Platform in Naples, Florida!

And speaking of Ospreys, how would you like to help protect the Glaslyn Ospreys? Do you live in Wales near the Glaslyn Valley? Geemeff writes that this is a great opportunity – and it is. I wish I lived there!

https://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/news/volunteers-needed-to-protect-glaslyn-ospreys-597028

As so many of you know, the Royal Cam chick is a delight to watch. Yes, it is difficult to see them alone on those nests! It is rather amazing that they stay so close to home. My kittens would never be so disciplined. Sweet Pea is gardening already. Sharon Dunne caught it on video:

The Steller’s Sea Eagle was first seen more than a year ago along Canada’s Atlantic coast. Then it went to Maine, returned to Canada, and is now back in Maine. It appears that a large raptor that should be spending its winters in Ussuriland, Japan, or Korea is finding life rather pleasant in Maine. Obviously, there are no food worries. The Stellar’s Sea Eagle breeds in areas of Russia and in particular, the Bering Sea. As far as I know, there is no mate.

One of the nature centres about an hour from where I live is getting ready for the ducks and geese to begin arriving. So lovely to involve students from one of the local universities to get their hands in there and help them with their duck tunnels!

Elsewhere in Canada, old-growth forests are continually under threat in British Columbia. This past year numerous Bald Eagle nests have been cut down. There is a move for legislation to save the very last of these lovely spotted owls before they are completely extinct.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/24/environment-minister-calls-for-emergency-order-to-save-last-of-canadas-spotted-owls?CMP=share_btn_link

I promised I would check on the GHO nest in Corona, California. There are four owlets in that nest! On Thursday night, Hoots brought Owlvira the following: 1 RODENT, 1 MOUSE, 1 RABBIT / Tonight: NO deliveries as of yet on Friday as I am writing this. The weather is a little frigid and mice might be tucked in tight.

This is the link to this streaming cam. Best action is during the night when food deliveries and feeding occurs.

https://www.youtube.com/live/xqvrR6dkWeg?feature=share

In Kansas, on Farmer Derek’s land, Bonnie and Clyde are incubating eggs. You might recall that in 2021 they took over the nest of a young Bald Eagle couple. They raised two owlets to fledge. They were adorable, and seeing them climbing around on this giant nest was a treat. It will be a good comparison to that deep nest in California. Highly recommended.

Here is the link to their streaming cam:

https://www.youtube.com/live/MRMzzjyumHs?feature=share

I wish I could tell you that Jackie and Shadow have a pip or a hatch or that Zoe has checked in, but I can’t. We wait until the eggs are unviable, and with Zoe, we hope her transmitter begins working. CROW does not need to intervene in SW Florida. M15 has this under control! Relief.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, their posts, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘Geemeff’, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Susan Starck Romano and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam Project and Cilla Kinross, Cilla Kinross and Orange Australia Falcons, FOBBV, Jason Robertson and FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, Moorings Park Osprey Nest, Shela Staley and Osprey Friends, Cambrian News, Sharon Dunne and NZ DOC, Matt Felperin and Maine Birds, Oak Hammock Marsh, The Guardian, Carona California Owl Cam, and Farmer Derek.

Nest Takeovers, Little Bit ND 17’s Mum missing…Sunday in Bird World

19 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Gosh, it was a gorgeous day on the Canadian Prairies…it was so nice that I spent the entire day in the conservatory with the kittens watching and counting birds and watching the cams. Gabby had me fooled into thinking she was going to lay an egg today!

Cornell has posted the results so far for the Great Bird Count: “Halftime for the 4-day Great Backyard Bird Count—and the results so far are impressive. More than 200,000 bird enthusiasts have reported 6,426 species on 125,101 checklists and 103,207 sightings saved in Merlin. Bird reports are coming in from 182 countries so far.” That is very impressive.

It is difficult not to take pictures of Missy all day. She loves to pose! Lewis can’t slow down. He would rather terrorise the toys or his tail.

As spring is only a little over a month away, the bright-white dots on the Starlings’s sides, flank, and belly are getting lighter and some are disappearing. These suet cylinders are just the best thing for us in the winter. No mess. No waste. Everyone likes them but the woodpeckers and Black-capped Chickadees.

Things continue to be unsettled in various parts of Bird World this morning and yet, the eagles and ospreys just go on with their lives. They can teach us a lot of good lessons if we listen! Sometimes it is just difficult to watch a day longer. Take a break. It will be good for you. Much of the time the birds bring us great joy. Their lives touch ours and we often feel like we know the bird families better than our neighbours or friends. And then something happens and it feels like it has happened to ‘our family’ — and it has. Our connection to these beautiful raptors is not insignificant. Think about it. Sometimes things do not go the way we want them to. But when it goes well, there is nothing more adrenalin pumping and happy…hysterical joy. So take a moment if you are stressed…and then come back and share the joy.

First up, we have some more sad news – another female Bald Eagle is MIA. Our dear Little Bit ND-17’s mother has been missing since the morning of 15 February. A female intruder has been landing on the nest. We wait to see if Mum returns.

Is it OK to say that things are really getting nasty out there with so many eagles – males and females – wanting nests and mates?

Dad tussling with female intruder who flew onto nest. At other times it appears he might tolerate her a little.

ND-17 was one of the great success stories of last year – at a time when most of us were frantic that he would die of starvation. Today, Paul Kolnik posted a memory of the day that Little Bit fell off this nest…we waited, we pleaded, we wrote letters…and then, really just in time to save him, the Humane Indiana Wildlife came to his rescue. He ate, he learned to fly and his wings got strong and he learned to hunt prey and then — he came home to the park to live in the wild. It was wonderful to have the BOGs sending in photos of his great progress and to watch him near the river.

This is another lesson for all of us. If you can pick up a raptor, something is wrong. Get help immediately. This precious little one that ate squirrel pellets to survive deserved nothing less – and he lived! Always grateful to the wildlife clinic that gave him a chance at life. Always.

Mum and Dad worked so hard to rebuild their nest in St Joseph’s Park in South Bend, Indiana after it completely collapsed last year causing – ultimately – ND 17 (Little Bit) to eventually go into care. It is hard to see these adults come come back and rebuild and work for their future – just like Harriet and M15 – and have things thrown apart by possible intruders.

Intruders are everywhere. Even Annie at Cal Falcons had to engage with a Red-tailed Hawk!

Everyone waited and watched as Mabel and Angus readied their Osprey nest and we just knew that we were going to have eggs for Valentine’s. Again everything turns on a dime. Mabel is gone. Did she tire of battling the female intruder? or was she so injured she had to leave? or was it worse? It is absolutely not clear what happened to Mabel. And it is definitely not certain that there will be any eggs on this brand new nest platform this year unless Angus leaves and a bonded pair come to the nest right ready for their eggs to be laid.

There was an intruder attack on the NCTC nest of Bella and Smitty. Bella laid her first egg on the 15th and her second on Saturday at 18:55–the attack was only 47 minutes earlier. Please keep this couple and all the raptor families under attack in your most positive thoughts.

Connick is really growing up and this is a great video of him winging it. You can see those new juvenile feathers coming in with their quills, Connick’s big strong legs and her amazing tail.

Gosh, the meals might be very different with the TBD male at the Cal Falcons scrape. He brought a Greater Yellowlegs, a shore bird, to his gal on the 17th. He’s learning!!!!!!!

Thank you to ‘B’ who sent a really nice article about Mr P and Lotus at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. The couple have moved their nest and are, this year, among several very popular Bald Eagles who have decided for new housing. At the West End we have Thunder and Akecheta and at Fraser Point, Andor and Cruz, too.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/02/17/bald-eagles-national-arboretum-dc/

There is great news coming out of New York City. Flaco will be allowed to live free and not pursued or returned to the Zoo. He is living the good life and has proven that he can take care of himself.

Now – for all the raptors that live around Central Park – if the City and residents plus all those businesses – would not allow rodenticide, Flaco and his pals could clean up the place without their lives being in danger.

I wanted you to see where Flaco was…the arrow for the video only works if you go to the person’s twitter feed unfortunately.

It opens with our friend Indigo screaming into the scrape…Elain’s highlights from the Charles Sturt University Falcon Cam in Orange, Australia. Indigo is a darling and he looks so much like Izzi…so happy all members of the family have returned to the scrape and are safe and sound.

Not a day can go by without checking in with M15 and the eaglets, E21 and 22. On Saturday morning at 0735, M15 comes in with a fish..many thought that it was a small fish. In fact, M15 took advantage and gave the eaglets some teaching moments. He left the head for one and a portion of flesh and the tail for the other. They worked on those for a bit. 21, of course, ate first and 22 had to resort to his amazing snatch and grabs. 22 also got the tail – smart – out of the pile and dismissed with it nicely. 22 is doing well…he really is. Still a bit timid but on Saturday he ate well as he had done on Friday with that rabbit and innards.

While 21 battles with that Armoured catfish head, 22 got the juicy and meaty tail!

At 1400, M15 comes in with another fish. This time 21 appears to get it all with 22 searching the nest for scraps which he finds! 21 was still eating at 15:11. It was a nice fish. Too bad 22 didn’t turn around…but, hey. They have eaten well in the past few days. There are no worries.

This amazing Dad did not disappoint. He flew into the nest an Armoured Catfish around 15:52ish. 22 got the lot of it and, of course, the event was not without some anxiety as the female with the black talon flew onto the rim of the nest. She did not bother the eaglets. Instead she watched M15 feed 22. Then she flew off.

M15 gave her a piece of his mind and she will fly away…he did his job. He fed the eaglets!

At 1600 the female is watching Dad.

Seconds later she flies away leaving 22 and the eaglets. 22 would like more but, he will in fact, wind up with a crop. 21 was full from the earlier feeding. you can see s/he still has a crop in the image below. Timing is perfect for 22.

At 16:38 M15 is back with a nice chunk of ‘fish’? and 22 gets right over there at Dad’s beak. 21 does not care. He is asleep on the rails. 22 gets some super nice bites of fish…well done 22. You don’t have to snatch and grab. It was a much more civilised meal for you. It lasted 10 minutes.

One of the females landed on the nest tree with prey. She flew off with the prey. Was she thinking of feeding the Es? or just needed a plucking post? The Es continue to wait for breakfast on Sunday morning…

There is something ‘up’ at the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest of Gabby and V3. Gabby was on the nest again today…They are a beautiful couple and the area is so much more secure and stable since V3 took control.

V3 and Gabby have been scanning the horizon for intruders and at 1800, Gabby is back in the nest.

Nancy and Beau have their second egg – arriving right on time – at the MN-DNR nest. Congratulations!

Liberty and Guardian seem to be back to their old selves after their first egg collapsed.

https://www.youtube.com/live/0EmSL0K_XGA?feature=share

Congratulations to Valentine who – for the first time in their life – mantled and claimed their own fix from Dad Alex at the KNF-E3 nest. Thanks Rhonda for the video! Oh, this is just brilliant. A beautiful execution by Valentine.

Missy and Pa have a little while to go until B16 is mantling a fish and taking it but…in all honesty, it won’t be long. B16 is 29 days old today. This is one big eaglet just like KNF-E1 03 (Trey).

At the National Arboretum, Mr P is decidedly hanging out at the old nest after it seems Lotus insisted on having a new one deep into the forest.

There are Peregrine Falcons almost everywhere and Tom and Azina at the Charing Cross Hospital scrape box are getting to know what it is that Azina prefers for her gift meal.

Every morning when we wake up, we need to thank the wildlife rehabilitation centres, their staff, and the army of volunteers they have who save our birds when they get themselves in trouble.

The dumping of shot game birds in the UK has now found its way to Wales. Go to Raptor Persecution UK for the whole nauseating story…

Question I keep getting asked: Do I think Jackie and Shadow’s eggs are viable? I would hate to speculate. Eggs have been left for long periods of time and miraculously hatched. It depends on the circumstances and we don’t know what all of those are. I continue to remind myself that the first egg might not hatch but the second could. If that is the case then I will not give up until the 25th which is 6 days away. That would be the last day for egg 2 to be viable. If they do not hatch, I hope the Ravens take them so Jackie can lay new eggs in the nest without the issue of having the other two there as well.

It is possible that the UK Ospreys are beginning to pack their bags in Africa and start their journey to their spring and summer breeding grounds…I am so excited.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, videos, announcements, and streaming cams that make up my blog today: ‘B’, ‘H’, ND-LEEF, Paul Kolnik and Bald Eagles 101, Cal Falcons, D Steyck and the NCTC Eagles, Window to Wildlife, The Washington Post, MSN, Stella Hamilton, Elain and the Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, SWFL Eagles and D Pritchett, Paul Kolnik and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, MN-DNR, FORE, Rhonda A and KNF E-3, Berry College, Mr P and Lotus Twitter, FaB Peregrines, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nest News and Cams, Raptor Persecution UK.

If you would like to receive our newsletter in your inbox, please subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time.