Sadly one of the four chicks of Big Red and Arthur’s did not survive hatching. I am going to presume that it was, as it appears, the crushed egg. The other one appears to be fine. Two more eggs to go.
Big Red tried several times to feed P1. There was even a live snake on offer! Eventually the little one was ready.
Meet Socialite Sandy & Laid-Back Luna ~ Figuring Out Who’s Who (2026 May 1)The votes are in and the 3rd graders selected the names Sandy and Luna for Jackie and Shadow’s chicks. I’ve pointed out some of the differences in the video to help you discern which is which.
Here’s the FOBBV announcement: ****** Chick 1’s name is Sandy with 30 student votes. Chick 2’s name is Luna with 25 student votes.
The remaining top 5 votes are as follows: Star with 22 votes. Chip with 22 votes. Phoenix with 18 votes.
Sandy was the most popular name entered with 3706 of the 63,915 names submitted. Please know that although Sandy would not have wanted us to outright name one of the eaglets Sandy, she would have been honored that you and the students went through the process and named one of the 2026 eaglets after her. Thank you for your participation and your generous support of Friends of Big Bear Valley from the entire team. You are much appreciated! ***** Video: https://youtu.be/lTEiU33HYgo
One chick gets chatty with neighbors ~ Birdwatcher in training (2026 Apr 29) Video: https://youtu.be/k1noEq1qAoE
Jackie & Shadow protected the eaglets through storm ~ Daylight brought sunshine (2026 Apr 26) Video: https://youtu.be/ckmcHQL6WFw
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
8-Day Old Chicks Place Rush Order for Lunch ~ Plus One Leg Down the Hatch (2026 Apr 28) There was an eating milestone during lunch ~ one chick downed a leg. (If you want to skip that celebration, it happens from 2:44-3:44 in the video.) Video: https://youtu.be/YQmkKceqN3k Redding Eagles ~ Redding, CA~ Liberty and Guardian Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California Livestream page: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams
Guardian romanced Liberty with a fish dinner and a bath in the river (2026 Apr 26) Video: https://youtu.be/K7ZhwXpLRq4
Check out Ruth and Oren’s two hawklets, too! And, of course, check out Monty and Hartley’s kids in SK Hideaways video.
Dual feeding with Milda and Zorro and the two White-tail Eaglets at the Durbe County nest in Latvia. They are getting pin feathers!
Ohk they are so cute.
Thank you for being with us today. It is a lovely 20 degrees and we are going to spend it outside. It is supposed to rain and get cooler. Tomorrow the cleaning lady comes and I am working on the moulding for the door. I will be watching some of the nests on my big screen but I might not be publishing a post until mid-week. So take care of yourselves. Enjoy the week, get outside, listen to birdsong. Be happy.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video links and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch the lives of our birds (the good and the not so good).
Ever heard of the International Dawn Chorus? Well, it’s tomorrow.
AI Overview: International Dawn Chorus Day 2026 takes place on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Celebrated annually on the first Sunday in May, this global event encourages people to wake early to experience the peak spring birdsong, either by joining organized guided walks or simply listening from home.
Key Details for 2026:
The Experience: Birdsong peaks in early May as annual migrants arrive, providing a spectacular, immersive, and often therapeutic soundscape.
How to Participate: You can participate anywhere, from urban areas to nature reserves. Many enthusiasts join the #DawnChorusClub on social media to share their recordings and experiences.
Events: Specific, locally hosted, in-person events include a 5:30 AM walk in Toronto’s High Park and a 6:00 AM event at Crieff, UK, according to local event listings.
Why Birds Sing: The dawn chorus peaks in spring because birds are defending territories and attracting mates.
It is recommended to check local listings for nature walks in your area.
Let’s get out in nature – .
We had our first Robin in the garden Saturday morning. So happy. We were just chatting with Ann on Friday and I said we hadn’t had Robins in the garden for several years and there it was!
Did I tell you that Toby alerted the other evening and we had two deer eating from the feeders? Life is full of beautiful moments.
Today I am having to be very cautious. Toby has had his first ‘treatment’ for ticks, fleas, and worms. These Cavaliers have many health issues. I listened to a reader, now friend, and got the best treatment I could get. Still, I cannot have the cats licking Toby’s back as one of the ingredients is dangerous for them. So the Calicos are sleeping in Don’s room and Hugo Yugo and Missey are in mine. Tonight Toby and I will lock ourselves in and by tomorrow at noon, the treatment should be completely dry and all will be well til se have to do it again in a month.
I have learned a lot, and Toby will not go to the groomers anymore. He will only have the hair between his pads cleaned, his nails trimmed and his ears cleaned. I brush him every day and shampoo and condition as necessary – when it is muddy, it could be more than once a day. He is a Spaniel!!!!!!!! They sure love to get dirty.
The Girls are good and Don is hanging in there. we have our good days and bad days. The bad ones aren’t that bad anymore! I am working on some small renovations to the house. I wasn’t happy with the glass around the French doors that were installed – I don’t know why but it bothered me immensely so I am now working on installing bookcases with drawers and a lot of moulding.
They are IKEA. David put them together yesterday evening – a great young dad with two children who works very hard. All of that glass above will be covered up with some panelling modelled on Shaker doors. The question then is to paint or not paint? I will see how tired I am. The plan was to paint them the same colour as the walls, but David also said I could leave everything white and paint the French doors a white to match the bookcases and relax. That sounds easy! I am definitely changing the handles for knobs.
Keeps my mind busy.
There are names at two nests that I know of as of a few minutes ago –
At the nest of Jackie and Shadow, the school children selected the names Sandy for the oldest and Luna for the youngest out of the names sent in.
At the nest of Irvine and Stella, USSteel, the triplets have been named:
The Achieva Credit Union runs the cam but doesn’t get involved either the ospreys. Why doesn’t the chat group have someone run a naming contest for Jack and Jill’s two?
‘PB’ took this screen capture of their bursting crops of the US Steel eaglets. Irvine has been keen to ensure the little one is fed regularly, while Stella seems to take care of the older two. I wonder if the ‘baby’ smelled different when it returned from rehab/rescue – similar to the way our cats and dogs smell different when they come home from the vet, and the other pets in the house growl and dismiss or attack them
Achieva’s Mum Jill is incredible, and if there is a bird Mum of the Year, it could well be her for pitching in immediately when she saw her baby was going to starve to death and catching those catfish like Diane used to bring in. The difference is that Jill goes fishing at a specific time in the afternoon and always comes back with a nice catfish dinner. She sometimes goes out early, too, if Jack fails to bring in breakfish.
Big at Achieva has started self-feeding. He grabbed a small fish from Jack and ate while Jill fed her catfish to Little on Saturday.
The Kakapo streaming cam is live again. They are growing so fast and turning sooooo green. Just beautiful.
The hatch at the Cornell Red Tail Hawk nest of Big Red and Arthur is bothering me. I hope I am just being too cautious. It looks like one of those high-humidity crush eggs. I want to be terribly wrong about this concern. I haven’t seen any of Big Red’s eggs crush like this in the years I have been watching – and that has been a long time. (Please feel free to correct me!)
Arthur and Big Red are doing a lot of changeovers but they are sure now showing us anything. I sure hope those babies are fine. The Cornell Bird Lab has a whole Q & A on their hawks. People always ask:
How Old Are Big Red And Arthur?
Records show that Big Red was banded in the nearby town of Brooktondale, New York, during her first autumn in 2003. Arthur was first spotted by local birders on Cornell University campus as a fledgling in 2016.
Big Red picked Arthur to be her mate after her previous mate, Ezra, died. Arthur did not yet have his red-tail!!!!!!!!!!! But as we know, the birds know better than we do. Arthur impressed by presenting Big Red with a multiple squirrels, his great hunting skills showing he would be a good provider for their chicks, won her heart. The rest is history.
The nest is, as I recall, over the years, very successful, with all the eggs hatching but one. Only one chick, K3, did not fledge. Sadly, a few have died from window collisions on the campus and one from West Nile Virus. E3 is an ambassador for the Cornell Bird Lab.
The eyases of Oren and Ruth are so cute and becoming quite the characters. Lots of food including bunnies.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 1st May 2026
A mainly routine day today after the excitement yesterday of an egg for Nest One finally arriving after six long years. Both first time parents Aurora 536 and Garry LV0 fulfilled their parental obligations with Aurora brooding the egg and Garry supplying fish, and quick meal breaks for Aurora while Garry took over egg duties. This bodes well for their next two eggs, due 3rd and 6th May. Garry delivered two fish, taking his tally to forty one, and on Nest Two, Louis also delivered two fish to Dorcha, although the first was just a tail-end snack. Their nest tally now stands at thirty five including two brought by Dorcha. Her third and probably final egg is due tomorrow, 2nd May, and with luck she won’t be disturbed by intruders like the one she fought off today, the English male Osprey whose Darvic looks like 286 and who’s intruded a couple of times already. Weather was settled but expected to change to light showers overnight with possible thunder showers tomorrow. Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/KsufkdeOL14 N2 Louis brings a tiny snack for Dorcha 06.44.34https://youtu.be/I9K9nCpFocQ N1 Garry brings Aurora a fish and remains on egg duty 11.11.28 https://youtu.be/tgDswzdcGxI N1 Garry brings a second fish but the first’s still there 15.01.43
Sadly the fishing line is still hanging out of the mouth of the only surviving of three osplets at the Moorings Park nest – Poor Winken. Is no one coming to help?
Thanks so much for being with us today. Enjoy being outside tomorrow. Smile. Listen for the birdsong. It will relieve whatever is aching your heart.
Thank you to all the contributors today – we appreciate your dedication and hard work on your summaries, your videos, your FB posts, and all the articles. Thank you so much to everyone who got in touch with me with news of happenings in Bird World and to the owners of the bird streaming cams, we are all grateful to you for allowing us into their lives.
The spring weather dipped and it was chilly. Don was really looking forward to going to Fort Whyte on Wednesday, but 5 C with wind meant that he got to visit his other favourite place, The Leaf, with Ann. There are koi and the butterfly area that give him great delight.
Toby and I stayed home. Had a wee walk, did a tiny bit of clearing up, and then relaxed. I immediately fell asleep with Toby wrapped around my head. Sometimes we don’t know when we are ‘dog tired’.
It is now late Wednesday night. There is growing concern for the second hatch, Blinken, at the Moorings Park Osprey Platform in Naples, Florida. The osplet cannot eat, and its poop shots are ‘dry’. The bird is very dehydrated, and I fear it will not live much longer.
You might recall that Richmond and Rosie lost a fully feathered osplet several years ago. Molate died immediately after falling from the nest to a platform below on July 16, 2022, at 58 days of age, following a decline in health. The body of Molate was on the platform but not retrieved and no necroscopy was conducted (as I recall the situation). The behaviours of Blinken and Molate are similar – it is unfortuante that we do not know what caused Richmond and Rosie’s chick’s demise.
Molate:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 29th April 2026Dorcha produced her second egg right on schedule today – it arrived bright and early with a few squeaks and whistles. The branches and bedding is hiding it from view for now, but her behaviour made it quite clear she’d laid another egg. Third and probably final egg due in three days time. Meanwhile over on Nest One, Aurora 536 is keeping us guessing, no egg as yet despite showing quite promising signs from time to time. The males performed as expected, both Louis and Garry LV0 delivered two fish each, taking the Nest One tally to thirty five and the Nest Two to thirty two. Today’s videos:
Quiet Eagle caught one of this year’s fledglings returning to the NE Florida nest of Beau and Gabby! What a wonderful surprise! https://youtu.be/VXg35bQvgTI?
It is raining on Big Red at the Cornell Red-tail Hawk nest as we await pip.
Arthur is such a good mate! Here in a video by Cornell Bird Labs, he delivers prey to the Queen of the RTHs. https://youtu.be/IcX48z_ZTNA?
At the other Red-tail Hawk nest of Ruth and Oren, the two little ones are doing well.
Milda and Zorro’s White-tail eaglets in Latvia are nothing short of adorable. They are four days old.
Migration Update from Hawk Mountain, PA:
Sharon Pollock brings us an interesting video from the Big Bear nest of Jackie and Shadow. (copy and paste the link into your computer)
I am closing tonight with a very disturbing incident that happened in my City. A seventeen year old male drove an SUV over sleeping Canada Geese. Warning: This video is very disturbing. https://youtu.be/G8EqFpLOi4w?
Citizens are outraged, and many in the mental health field are stating that this type of violence towards innocent wildlife is only a short way from harming humans.
We must close with some happiness, and that is the Achieva osprey nest. Mum, Jill, is incredible. As Mother’s Day approaches, surely she might be the top nominee in Bird World this season. She has kept her babies alive and herself by going out and fishing, some mornings and almost every evening but one that I am aware. Other osprey nests might be successful when fish are short if those females would follow her lead.
Thank you for being with us tonight. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us again soon.
Thank you to Sharon Pollock and the Cornell Bird Lab for their videos, to Geemeff for their extensive daily summary and videos of all things at Loch Arkaig, to the authors of the FB posts, and the owners of the streaming cams. I am very grateful. Thank you also to The Guardian for reporting on environmental and wildlife news and ‘PB’ for keeping me up to date on Blinken and the Achieva osprey nest.
We hope that you had a wonderful weekend – and please tell me that you had some time to go outside. It was a tad cooler here today but we sat in the warm sun on the deck and listened to birdsong coming from the feeders. Oh, it made my heart skip happy beats! It was another quiet day – a most welcome one. We did some spring cleaning and celebrated by making strawberry shortcakes. Tomorrow, Toby goes for a much-needed grooming (Monday). I’m hoping for a trip to Fort Whyte for a walk in the forest and a check on the geese that should be laying eggs.
Shadow continues to bring in big fish for Jackie and the kids. The snow is melting.
Isn’t he handsome? Teifi is one of Idris and Telyn’s fledglings – he is Maya’s grandson. How cool is that? I am so glad that the Glaslyn nest has settled down or him and Elen. As you know, I adore Aran and it seems that he has also found a platform and a mate. Smiling. Calm is good.
The Dyfi family tree now has its fledglings at Glaslyn:
Here’s Teifi. It was the first year, 2020, that Idris was bonded with Telyn after Monty:
News from Loch of the Lowes:
SK Hideaways videos for the week – always grateful!
Jackie & Shadow got everything in order as a storm approached ~ The chicks enjoyed meals 7 and 8 ~ They’re tucked and warm under Jackie (2026 Apr 25) Video: https://youtu.be/ZHZwUvD7SEw One Chick Escapes Egg Bowl ~ Jackie has a Word with Shadow About It (2026 Apr 19) Video: https://youtu.be/Af1ZfwYL1bk
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
I’m not going to swear but…how many ospreys die because of hooks and fishing line? This one was rescued.
So happy. This time it was a happy ending.
It was a booming year (no pun intended). Kakapo breed every four years. Records broken this year on this critically endangered species, but the species remains in decline from four years ago.
Osprey baby in Italy!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 26th April 2026
Today’s momentous news is the arrival of the first egg – around 06.50 Dorcha started making little squeaking sounds and at 06.56.29 she laid the first egg of Season Ten. The nest cup is too deep and there are branches obscuring the view, but it was clear from her behaviour that she is now brooding an egg. Louis came along about an hour later with her breakfast, and we were able to watch his reaction before he happily took over egg duty, allowing her to depart to eat her fish. No sign of eggs yet for Aurora 536 and Garry LV0 but things will take longer with them as they aren’t a long-established pair like Louis & Dorcha. Garry delivered two fish taking his tally to thirty, and Louis delivered three fish, taking the nest tally to twenty five. At the time of this report (23.30), Dorcha is still away after departing with her third fish, and Louis is looking very settled on the nest.
It was a good day at Achieva thanks to Jill who is really stepping up to take care of her babies. Jack was late today – last time I checked Jill had delivered a fish and then went out later, at her usual time, to bring in another catfish.
In the image below, you can see the significant size difference between the two chicks. Big is almost fully feathered. Little is just getting its tail. We still see the white stripe on Little.
Alaska and Australia teaming up to help protect the Shearwater!
‘The birds are a global citizen’: Indigenous groups in Australia and Alaska team up to track a feathered adventurer’s epic journey.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself and have a great end of the weekend and the beginning of the week. See you soon!
Toby loving his Bully Stick.
Thank you so much to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their great contributions – their work takes so much time. I am very grateful to those who post current information on FB and other platforms, to The Guardian for its reporting on wildlife concerns, and to Dyfi Osprey Project for keeping such wonderful historical information. To the owners of the streaming cams, thank you seems too small. We would know about these amazing birds and their environmental challenges if it were not for you.
Did you see it? Ryder fell out of the Fraser Point nest of Cruz and Andor. Many worried. Most ‘believed’ IWS would, because of their wonderful history, get the permissions and rescue. Others wrenched their hands.
UPDATE FROM IWS:
“We’re attempting to rescue Ryder. Erin expects to arrive at the nest around noon, and will see if she can find the eaglet. If she does, and it’s healthy, she’ll attempt to climb the tree and return Ryder to the nest. If Ryder is injured, she’s prepared to take him/her to a wildlife care facility.”
True to form, Ryder was rescued. There are lots of videos.
What a dramatic event. We are so blessed to have the dedicated staff at the IWS – and if you are ever looking for a worthy institution to donate, IWS is certainly one that uses your money wisely!!!!!!!!!
I am keeping an eye on Big Red and Arthur and their four eggs on the Fernow Light Stand, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
Have a listen. Have you ever heard a Nightingale? Rewilding is bringing them back. News from Knepp Farm:
There appeared to be no early fish at Achieva. Jill left after 1000. She flew in around 1022 with a fish to feed the hot and hungry kids. Yeah for Mum. She waited as long as she could.
Feed us! Catfish are bony, especially the heads, and it takes Jill a while to get into the meat for the babies. They were anxious for fish but not fighting.
Both adults on nest later looking for intruders.
Jill waiting for more fish: 1635. It is a bad fish day. My heart aches.
Hope that the babies have more fish. The nest has been relatively calm. Little did bonk Big once but paid for it – still, a brve move on the part of the baby.
The third egg at Pont Cresor for Aeron Z2 and Blue 014.
Ashley Wilson catches Winnie and Swoop looking from the perch over the new snow.
We have the first egg at Loch of the Lowes. Wish this new couple the very best!
Oh, it was the most magnificent day. I feel like I won the lottery. When we put on the addition, more than a decade ago, the individual pouring the crawl space had to cut back the deck. I have ignored it…But I can’t any longer, as I fear Don will fall. I phoned a carpenter to get a quote for extending that piece and another area. He came this morning. My neighbour has a friend visiting til he moves into his own space. He is working on The Little House on the Prairie Project, and they wondered what was ‘happening’ when I opened the gate so they could take some red lounge chairs I didn’t need. As it turns out, that friend is a carpenter, and together they are going to fix everything for me gratis. My neighbour even has the wood and deck screws. I am feeling very teary and blessed. How nice.
We hope that you have a wonderful weekend….Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care.
Thank you to the IWS for always being there, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos, to the UK Osprey FB group for all their information and to everyone else who posts news on FB as I cannot keep up all the time, and to the owners of the streaming cams – I am forever grateful. We would never know the challenges that these raptor families face.
It is time for one of those ‘heart-to-heart’ chats with everyone who ‘only’ watches US Osprey nests. You have wrung your hands and cried when the baby died at Moorings Park. You have torn your insides out watching Achieva with the first baby dying, Jack not delivering enough fish, and now Mum having to fish because she is starving. Will Middle make it? We don’t know. It is difficult to watch osplets starve on a nest. Each of us wants every nest and every chick to thrive.
I study osprey mortality. The rate and cause of death vary from region to region. When I began my study, the top COD was siblicide – one sibling killing another. Normally, this is triggered by a lack of food, but there have been some exceptions due to food and dominance. I doubt if anyone watching the nest with Zoe at Port Lincoln (or Solly, also at Port Lincoln) will forget the eldest female eating and eating – much more than seemed possible and then killing her two siblings. Port Lincoln obtained permission to supplement the feed for the chicks on the nest in subsequent years. At Achieva, Mum is desperate. It is hot, and she leaves for only about ten minutes at a time to try her hand at fishing. She normally brings back a catfish, her legs wet. This is a huge risk for these young babies due to heat and predators, but when everyone is starving, what other choice does she have?
It is the last of the fish. Little will get nothing. Big got most of two fish.
Little had 64 bites of fish – Heidi is counting – . Still, Jill is fish-calling and fish-calling. She knows they are in danger of losing Little. She’s a good Mum.
We do not know why Jack does not deliver more fish. I have not kept up with the weather and drought conditions in the region this year. But heat and drought certainly impact fishing. Intruders taking fish from ospreys is another cause. Simple lack of fish is another – again, I wish I knew this area better. For years, there has been speculation that Jack might even have another family to feed. We simply don’t know, and speculating doesn’t change the situation.
Achieva has always been a nest where I remember the difficult year when Tumbles triumphed. Heidi and I sat up and each of us counted every bite that baby got. We monitored when Diane changed her mind and brought in a catfish at dark when the older two were sleeping and fed her baby. Tumbles was her nickname and she was feisty and smart. She ate off the old bones hidden deep in the nest. She scrambled around the rim to get to Mum’s beak to get some food. She squeezed into tight spaces to get bites so the older, much bigger siblings couldn’t get her. It was horrible to watch. At least five times, we thought Tumbles was a ‘goner’. Once, she had no fish for 79 hours. But she was a survivor. Out in the real world, ospreys cannot be timid. There is too much competition for so little in so many places in North America. So when you see a Tumbles, you always remember them – the drive to live was exceptional.
Each nest offers us a learning experience, whether it thrives or struggles. But often, our personal lives leave us emotionally worn out. We can’t stand to see another one starve to death, so below I have some recommendations for highly successful nests.
Nothing came.
In contrast, Sunnie Day reports on the Moorings Park chat: “8 fish today. 9:44, 10:38, 1:08, 2:42, 3:15, 4:19, 5:02,, and 6:31. All from Harry.” That is what needs to be happening when the chicks are bigger at Achieva. (And it won’t, believe me).
My recommendations: The first one is the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn in Wales. Idris is known as ‘Daddy Longlegs’. He delivers whoppers. He feeds Telyn. They are great parents. Then there is Dylan and Seren up at Lyn Clywedog. That reservoir is stocked annually with 45,000 fish (or so I was told several years ago). Then there is Poole Harbour, with CJ7 and Blue 022. They are going after some record for raising four osplets over and over again. There are others, including Rutland’s Maya and Blue 33, but there have been accidents with fish, and we have had a little one die now and then. They remain super parents still.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 17th April 2026
There is only one story of any note – the return of Louis, the dominant male of Loch Arkaig since 2017. As hopes started to fade due to his exceeding his previous latest arrival date by nearly a week, he arrived in a blaze of glory onto Nest Two at 17.57.42 this evening. Dorcha, his mate since 2021, wasn’t around and he landed without his usual soft chirrup so who’s to say they hadn’t already met up earlier in the day. We’ll never know but what is certain is that all of us watchers are thrilled, amazed and delighted to see Louis home safely and looking so well. In other news, the potential rival male JJ4 wasn’t seen today, and Garry LV0 was quickly sent packing when he intruded on Dorcha today. He returned to his own nest, Nest One, on a surfboard, and didn’t bring any fish for his mate Aurora 536 so his tally remains at fifteen fish to date. How quickly will Louis overtake that? It will be great fun to watch. Welcome home Louis!
Champagne corks popped around the world when Louis touched down. Louis has lost no time making up for being late. Fish and mating continue….eggs in a week?
SK Hideaways Videos, 10-16 April 2026
John Bunker Sands, Combine, TX
Courtesy John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Eagle Cam
Oh, the comings and goings at Iris’s nest. I cannot keep up with it! Nor can I tell Louis from one of the visitors – or maybe it is just Louis every time I check!
So many things are happening. Pip watches here and there…Peanut is back on the nest, Lola has an injury on her wing from the owl, etc. It is hard to keep up! We have been cleaning out a room today and had a short, brisk walk. The temperature with the wind was -15 C. Not so nice. But it was a good day. And I can tell you that the alarms work! Don got up this morning and decided to go outside. The siren went off. Yes, it did give him a bit of a fright, which I think will make him think twice about touching that door!!!!!!!!! It is nice not to have to take keys any longer but my real hope is that spring arrives soon.
Take care everyone.
Thank you to everyone who has been writing to me about Achieva – ‘MP, PB’, to Heidi for keeping on top of the bite count there, to SK Hideaways for their videos, to Geemeff for the daily summary and to everyone who posted images and information on FB, gosh, I am grateful to you. Thank you so very much. As always, we are grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives of these raptor families.
‘MP’ just sent me the good news that dear Peanut has fledged from the Winter Park Bald Eagle nest in Florida. It looks like a brilliant flight and I bet that eaglet who had been attacked 55 times, according to ‘MP’, was glad to get off that nest. Congratulations!
This news was just too good not to send tonight.
Fru Rauer returned to her nest in Norway on Monday.
Winnie has returned from migration and is with Swoop at the Dunrovin nest in Colorado.
There is sad news coming out of San Francisco. This will be the very last season that we will be able to view Richmond and Wendy at the Richmond Shipyards. The streaming camera will be cut in September 2025. Here is the announcement:
My goodness – I feel a bit gutted. There are many species that are in huge decline, and in parts of the US, ospreys are one of those species! We do know that the peregrine falcons in the area have been hit hard by avian flu. Let us wish all well and just maybe someone else will take over that camera!
Everyone has heard me say that watching ospreys is better than any of the shows on the streaming stations. Well, Glaslyn has turned out to be that – and it sounds like Loch Arkaig might be as well.
Yesterday, we were certain that the Glaslyn nest would be occupied by Teifi and Eschells. Well, guess who returned to ‘her’ nest today? None other than Elen, who has been gone for a week (or a tad more). Then Aran decided to do two flybys!!!!!! At the end of Monday, it was Teifi and Elen on the Glaslyn nest. So will Aran hook up with Eschells? She would have a great mate!
That’s Elen on the perch. She appears to be ready to spend the night defending her nest. Teifi had better get that breakfast fish in early.
Geemeff catches us up with Loch Arkaig:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 13th April 2026
A very confusing day today as everyone swapped nests, three fish put in an appearance including a pike
(Esox lucius), a species not seen on the nest since 2023. The day started with the handsome new boy JJ4 visiting Nest Two but then got complicated with Garry LV0 & Aurora 536 constantly intruding on Dorcha on Nest Two, and at one stage four Ospreys were in sight although it wasn’t possible to ID the fourth, might have been JJ4 or an unringed intruder. Perhaps all the intrusions on Nest Two are due to the absence of the dominant resident male, our missing Louis, so it remains to be seen how things will play out. Despite their intrusions on the other nest, Garry & Aurora look very at home on Nest One, and the day ended with the pair of them perched quietly together looking for all the world like a pair of lovebirds. In other news, Chaddie informs us that Prince & Affric are staying on their nest at Bunarkaig, quietly going about their business. Probably just as well, as six birds swapping nests would need serious detangling skills from the watchers.
Look who is checking out the scrape at Charles Sturt University’s that belongs to Diamond and Gimbir! FalconCam Project caught them: https://youtu.be/h7EZJMtlFlU?
Watch to see what the falcons do when they come to the scrape!!!!
The difference in size of the osplets at Achieva is incredible. The wee one waits for the eldest to get a huge crop and then steps up to get its fill of fish. Mum and Dad are doing well in caring for these two.
Brevard County ospreys had a good fish day, too.
The two at Fort St Vrain are doing well. Egg 4 is within the hatch window but I am hoping that it is a Dudley! Two healthy eaglets is just fine.
That’s it for tonight. Toby and I worked hard shifting birdseed today and right now it is time for ‘Calico’s Story Time’. Take care. We will see you soon.
Thank you to ‘Geemeff, J, MP’ for their news, notes, and images. I am always grateful – the more eyes on the nests the better. Thank you to those who posted on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to share in the lives of these amazing birds.
It could be a very busy day at the UK nests and in the western part of the US as favourable winds are blowing in the ospreys.
It has been confirmed that our dear Iris is, indeed, the osprey that landed early this morning on the Hellgate Canyon nest. I hope everyone had a good cry – a joyful one. Now let’s get that young male osprey back that was courting her last season!
Louis and Starr are already back. Starr was the first to arrive in Missoula. Their nest is at the Baseball Park – and despite all we think, Louis is a good mate to Starr and they raise 2 or 3 chicks to fledge every year.
Gosh, Iris looks good.
Blue 35 has returned to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in Cumbria and is reclaiming her nest after Blue 717 got a little friendly with White YW.
We are waiting the arrival of Louis at Loch Arkaig Nest 2 in Scotland. His mate Dorcha will be delighted to see him land with a nice big trout.
Busy day at the Glaslyn nests:
Lots of action at Loch of the Lowes.
Thanks, Alison Copland. BoPH have created a genealogy chart. The Carey nest is the one for CJ7 and Blue 022, and it has a streaming cam.
One of my favourite males, Tegid Z1, Monty’s son, who breeds on a private nest, has returned safely.
So the males are starting to show up in Wales, too. Come on Louis!!!!!!!!!
The feeding is going very well at the Achieva Osprey platform. My goodness, if I didn’t know better, I would think this was a new male. (Maybe it is – I am not trying to start rumours here, just pondering the fish deliveries. I was never that pleased with Jack’s deliveries for Diane and the kids. Has anyone truly identified head markings?)
Bella and Scout’s two eaglets are doing just fine although there was a choking concern for the baby earlier on Monday.
Nature chat’s banner:
Interloping Common Buzzard laid 2nd egg today at Lesser Spotted Eagle Cam, as usual LSE pair hasn’t arrived for the season yet.
Peanut has branched at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest. Best be watching this energetic second hatch. She is going to take off fast!
News about California Condors:
Stop over and see the two little cuties that Jackie and Shadow are feeding and brooding. They are two little round teddy bears! So very happy for our darling couple.
Take care everyone. Iris’s arrival has made this day much brighter! We are all delighted. If Louis returns, I will be posting again. Otherwise, I will see you later in the week.
Thank you to ‘PB’ for her messages, to the owners of the streaming cams for my screen captures and for allowing us to witness the life of these incredible birds. I am grateful to everyone who posts on FB with information. Without your eyes, we might miss something!
First. A reminder if you haven’t already marked it on your calendar. Iris’s favourite day to return to Missoula is 7 April. We are less than 48 hours away.
They are returning from migration but the osprey season officially kicked off today (IMHO) with the arrival of the first egg.
It was Maya (unringed) and Blue 33’s first egg of 2026 and it happened around 1805.
Blue 33 flies in to have a good look.
There are two cameras. The rails are so high on the nest this year we might only see little heads for some time.
On the Canadian prairies, it was raining and then it started snowing a bit and everything is brown and grey. No beautiful sunshine. Toby was so filthy from our walk that he had another bath – he is so good in the tub. Tomorrow he will have a mobile nail trimmer arrive to shorten those claws. In the meantime, it is damp to the bone weather here in Winnipeg. I hope it is much nicer where you are.
Check out the darling bobble heads at Big Bear and Achieva. Wink has brought in a huge fish to share with Peanut, who has repeatedly defended itself and the nest against that persistent owl. Storks are returning to Europe. One was on the nest at Mlady Buky the last time I checked. Remember, Milda is on eggs, and by the end of the month, I hope to see the cutest little white-tailed eaglets on that nest in Latvia. Fort St Vrain has a second hatch happening with pip watch on the third and only egg remaining (first two broke) going on for the ND-LEEF eagles in South Bend, Indiana.
FSV56 looking at Mum. What a beautiful sight.
Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams – without them we would not be able to look into the lives of these birds and witness these little bobblehead miracles!
It might be April Fool’s Day but Big Red isn’t fooling around. She laid her fourth egg today! Cornell Bird Lab has it on video: https://youtu.be/JlHxc-bpsQg?
Aeron Z2 has arrived at the Friends of Osprey Pont Cresor nest in Glaslyn. Of course, this could get interesting as Elen is home alone at the other Glaslyn nest and Blue 014 has yet to arrive at Pont Cresor.
Aeron Z2 is handsome, and he did cause a lot of mischief last season. His brother Tegid Z1 (on a private nest) is also equally adorable. Monty’s boys.
Lots happening at Loch of the Lowes but not a couple confirmed as yet. And where is Blue NCO? Does she have another nest and mate? I wonder.
In the garden, lots of action as a Sharp-shinned Hawk (a male) had a Starling lunch right in front of us.
Missing Blue 35 – and females chasing after White YW. I don’t blame them – he’s a great dad at Foulshaw Moss.
USS9 and USS10 are cute.
More fish are needed at Moorings Park. Everyone is fighting with little three, and 2 seems to be the dominant osplet right now. 3 got some fish – finally.
I am always concerned about the Achieva nest, always. For many reasons.
It was quite the day here. Our entire routine went upside down and sideways. The new care helper came at 0830. She is fantastic. Then the delivery man came with two months of birdseed – bags everywhere. Then the installer arrived to wire the house for the alarm, the doorbell, and the fire alarm. Ann arrived and then there were several other deliveries. I don’t need to tell you that Don, The Girls, and Toby are all snoring! It is going to be an early night.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon – remember. We are waiting for the hatch at Big Bear along with hundreds of thousands of other people.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and those who have posted information and images on FB that I have used in today’s blog.
