Bald Eagles – Page 9 – Mary Ann Steggles

TE3 added beauty to our year…Bird World on Monday August 18

18 August 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, my goodness. The weather has turned. We have had some nice rain, much needed. Not enough to quell the fires raging in the north of our province, sadly. As we look out to the garden with the golden rays of dusk settling on the tops of the lilac bushes, we can see the leaves beginning to change colour in the large trees about a block away. While I welcome the cooler temperatures which are much nicer for walking and sleeping – and much easier on the wildlife – it only reminds me that in a few months winter will be setting in. I have already said that I am dreading this season this year.

The rhythmn in our lives has changed for the good. I told my husband’s doctor that ‘knock on wood’, life is boring. Boring is good. It is calm, routine, life is anticipated. We had a big hiccup around a trip that turned out to be rather hilarious. We went to Pelican Lake. It was gorgeous. Don associated ‘pelican’ with the pelicans we see at Hecla Island and things began to unravel. Ever since those revelations came ‘out’, something changed. This coming week, in an effort to check on the pelicans and see some amazing Golden Eagles migrating through, this coming week we will be at Hecla Island. That was where Don thought we were going when we went to Pelican Lake – so again, something familiar is best! We will stick with Hecla Island for now!

The Guardian reports that the UK is set to reintroduce Golden Eagles into the landscape:

Golden eagles poised for reintroduction in Englandhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/17/golden-eagles-poised-reintroduction-england?CMP=share_btn_url

I want to start off with something that is beyond sad and if you live near Virginia, I want you to reach and help if you can. There are wildlife rehabbers who have rescued starving osplets but cannot get any fish to feed them! Debbie Campbell posted the link in the FB group Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal: https://www.facebook.com/groups/765772041406313/permalink/1484585112858332/?mibextid=W9rl1R

I have corresponded with the rehabber, who is not the only one in Virginia struggling to feed these babies. In the comments of several posts, Ben Wurtz, who you will know from the Wildlife Conserve of New Jersey, has said that they are also having difficulty. Maybe Omega Protein – who is taking all of the Menhaden they can find in the region should step up and provide some fish!!!!!!!!

Or maybe someone to organize a ‘fish train’ to Virginia to feed the ospreys in care that might draw national attention to their plight that would embarrass those individuals who could help but aren’t. Oh, how I wish I lived closer and could take this on. Anyone reading this want to help?

Ospreys are being photographed taking needlefish – not a great substitute but when you are starving, you have no choice.

In other areas, the ospreys that are surviving are dying due to human garbage. Unbelievable. In each instance, the deaths of these amazing fish hawks is at the hands of humans.

Are we truly the only animal that destroys its own home? APCA reminds us about the tragedies associated with fishing.

That one didn’t make it but, there is one at Christine’s Critters that will survive fishing line! Thanks, ‘J’. I really need some good news. Please check out the video in the link below.

Christine’s has a young osprey at the moment that was hurt by fishing line.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/763677599586928

S/he is beautiful.

When the cam went off at the Tremealeau Eagles Live Stream and highlights came back on, I am certain that more than half of you shed a tear. What a year it has been – the most bittersweet I remember. TE3 was certainly one of the highlights. A single mum, Mrs T, raising such a beautiful eaglet to fledge. How many doubted this miracle would happen? I sure did at times!

We will never know the fate of this much-loved fledgling. There is no Darvic Ring. If several things could change on these streaming cams, it would be the will to try and band every raptor – eagles, ospreys, falcons, etc., so that the thousands of watchers (and those studying the birds) could track their migration and their longevity and breeding. We are only lucky that Iris is so distinctive, or we might never know that she is getting close to being 30 years old and still much in love with her new man.

SK Hideaways sends us some great videos!

Southern UK Hobby Falcons ~ banded female, unbanded male

In their short, 30-day life, CT and CV captured our attention and our hearts. The adorable hobby falcons were vibrant, energetic, adorable chicks, whose fans cheered them on to thrive. Tragically, their lives were cut short when a goshawk took them both from their nest.

This tribute attempts to help us remember the good times with CT and CV with scenes from each week of their lives. Fly high and rest in peace (16 July – 15 August 2025).

With gratitude to and courtesy of Dorset Raptor Study Group (https://drsg.co.uk/),

SK Hideaway’s second video showing our beloved Eagle family from the Big Bear Valley:

Big Bear Valley, CA, home of Jackie & Shadow

A juvenile eagle roosted on Twin Pine until a Great Horned Owl struck in the wee hours. It’s possible that it could be Sunny or Gizmo, but a positive ID cannot be made. Jackie and Shadow settled on their roost tree overnight. They gifted us with long and loud chortles and snortles before traversing separately to the lookout snag at dawn. After they departed, cam ops found a beautiful red-tailed hawk first on the cactus snag and then on the headless tree. It was a busy morning in the habitat.

Sunny is 165 days old, Gizmo is 161 days old.

WBSE 35 and 36 have had fish and bird prey in their feedings. We also have a video installment from SK Hideaways about these two adorable fluffly little snow people…seriously, watching these two, even with the expected bonking, makes you smile. So far prey deliveries have been good.

E35 & SE36 Feedings and Fluff ~ Parents Deflect Marauding Magpies

Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles, Lady & Dad (17 Aug 2025)

In this video, SE35 is 3 days old, SE36 is 2 days old. Their jobs are to eat, sleep, and try to stay upright at this point. They’re both doing a brilliant job, as are Lady and Dad. In addition to caring for their chicks, the parents are dealing with swooping magpies ~ a common nuisance at this nest.

Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park (https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html)

Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/@SeaEagleCAM4/streams

Beautiful family portrait at the Olympic Park nest.

‘A’ catches up with the Australian nesting season: “These two are just so cute. They are eating strongly and the bonking has begun. Fortunately, they are very close together in size and ability – both can hold their heads up and both are keen to get to the table. Lady is such an experienced parent – she is so skilled at putting small pieces of fish into tiny swaying beaks, although these two are better than most hatchlings at keeping their heads still. Once they can see properly, they will be all over this feeding business.

Dad is a wonderful provider, although his diligence has not really bought him much in the way of chick time or even glimpses of his offspring. Lady is very protective indeed, and so very gentle with those sharp talons around the littles when she is positioning herself and enfluffeling. (I did love your blog mentioning that this is a real word. It’s long been a personal favourite of mine.)

So far, so good. I do worry that there is bonking on day three for SE35, but there is no real size discrepancy and SE36 does not appear intimidated, plus Lady leans across SE35 to feed SE36, who is in the safer position when it’s behind its sibling! They have no strength to hurt each other yet nor the eyesight to aim with any precision, so hopefully, they will be sweet with each other. Neither will go hungry if Lady is brought enough fish to feed them with. She really is so good at feeding newly hatched chicks. Such a vital but difficult task.

We are nearing egg time for the ospreys at Port Lincoln AND the falcons at Orange – it is just 10 days until 27 August, which is the date Diamond laid egg number one last year, and nine days until 26 August, when the first egg was laid at Port Lincoln Ospreys last season.

It’s still about six weeks until we can expect to see the breeding birds beginning to return to Taiaroa Head. Eggs are laid from about mid-November, with a 77-day incubation period and hatches around Australia Day (26 January), which means that courting should be getting underway by early October.

So within a fortnight, we should be watching eggs at two Australian nests as well as the adorable pair of sea eaglets, and waiting for a New Zealand fledge (our precious princess at Taiaroa Head, SSTrig chick). Of course any progress in the 2025 breeding season of the Collins Street falcons will not be revealed to us until a second egg is laid, assuming the falcons return to their scrape on an upper ledge of the Mirvac building in Melbourne’s CBD. “

Rutland is looking at their connection with Poole Harbour.

Knowing who is returning and breeding is so important! Cannot be done without those Darvic Rings.

While the owner of this camera had great luck seeing CJ7 with her fish, our dynamic Mum, who has now raised several clutches of four, including another this season, lost her fish en route to feeding those babes. It will not be long til she has departed for her migration, but, being the great female she is, it might mean she remains til September to help Blue 022 get their four on their way in good health.

It isn’t wildlife stealing from wildlife in Canada but the wild fires that rage from one end of my country to the other that are causing serious issues.

A Dyfi Osprey Project fledgling who appears to be drying off after trying his luck at fishing.

Poole Harbour: 5R3 had three fish on Sunday!

Harry was sky dancing and delivering flounder to the nest at Alyth SS hoping that Flora might show up. She has not been seen and it is believed she has left for migration.

All of the Danish ospreys have left for migration.

J Castnyer catches Zeus working on the nest at Goitzsche Wildnis, but it appears that Fjona has started her migration.

At Escherbach, J Castnyer catches Hermine. She writes, “Hermine is still in the nest territory, although she doesn’t show much. Today she came perhaps because she saw that there was no one there and that Herbert had just taken a fish out of the water. She gave us a few minutes, but she left as soon as one of the young ones arrived. The teak for the boys, she must think. She can fish by herself, although it’s beautiful when your partner does it for you.”

Runi, 13L, continues to get some nice fish at the Fru Rauer nest in Norway.

Beau continues to wait for Gabby at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest (in fact he is more than a week early on his arrival). It wasn’t Gabby but there was a visitor – a Black Vulture!

There are two Turkey Vultures! Wonder what Beau thinks.

Charlo, Montana: Lola and Charlie are still at the nest with C19 and C20 getting fish at the nest.

Dunrovin: The 4th hatch, commonly known as Little Buckaroo, is getting some height and should be fledging soon.

Hellgate Canyon: Iris and the NM continue to visit the nest.

Boulder County: Osprey fledglings continue to get fed well at the nest.

Golden Gate Audubon Ospreys with Richmond and Rosie: Fledglings fly about! https://youtu.be/z0HKZsf1bbA?

Dyfi Osprey Project:

Not Ospreys. These are Black Eagles at the Selati Wilderness Nest: https://www.youtube.com/live/AW4oNVgjYb4?

Black Eagles or (Verreaux’s eagles) practice siblicide. This behaviour, where one sibling kills another, is particularly prevalent in nests with multiple chicks and is often driven by competition for limited food resources. This gorgeous youngster is already jumping about the nest and will hover like we see in the osprey nests as there is no place on the side of this cliff for it to branch.

An article on siblicide in Black Eagles:

Siblicide in Black Eagles | SpringerLink Download

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 17th August 2025

Louis only brought one fish to the nest today, taking the nest tally to four hundred and thirty, and Darach 7P0 was there to get it. No sign of Breac 7P7, last seen 15th, nor any of the other Arkaig Ospreys, and no visitors to Nest One other than a Great Tit. Darach entertained us with a barrel roll as he left the nest, but his manoeuvre, lovely as it was, was nothing compared to the heroics of Morag Hughes who completed her epic swim down the eleven miles of Loch Arkaig in 10 hours, 6 minutes and 37 seconds. Congratulations Morag! She even got to see an Osprey during her swim, and was seen by the nest cam watchers as she swam through the nest view, albeit as a tiny white dot, you can see it in today’s videos. Link to photos on Woodland Trust’s blue sky social media (you don’t need an account to view them) in the bonus section along with the fundraiser link. So far she’s raised nearly £5,000 for Woodland Trust, and her just giving fundraiser is still open for contributions. The weather cooperated – it was sunny and the loch was calm, and after some overnight mist, tomorrow’s forecast is for more of the same.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.07.34 (04.36.51); Nest Two 22.22.38 (04.57.06)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/z3xqSXc15mY N2 Aerial antics: Darach does a barrel roll 06.05.33 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/jGdaIym_CQM N2 Darach gets a mackerel from Louis 14.02.49

https://youtu.be/82sO7EuH77Q N2 Morag Hughes seen on Osprey Cam during her Big Swim 17.07-17.17 (zoom)

Bonus read and / or action – photos of Morag on her epic swim, and donation link:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mary-cheadle-3

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/u6uN8ZibHro N1 Aila gives her fish to Lachlan (2017)

https://youtu.be/-_FoOMH8mkc N1 Finally! Vociferous Vera gets a fish (2020)

https://youtu.be/3_bmzl48f7I N1 Go away, this is mine: Vera pushes Captain off the nest (2020)

https://youtu.be/jlBKU00ODG8 N2 Sarafina crash lands and makes Willow depart (2022 slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/lmkgO09bCrg N2 Willow’s turn to crash land! (2022)

https://youtu.be/x73ZF4gTIHo N2 Would-be thief Willow gets what for (2022)

https://youtu.be/6Vlp-KsbJLo N2 Dorcha waits in vain for fish 2023

https://youtu.be/RPwIVtERtIk N1 Little birds and a Tree Creeper visit 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/bVpNB4iHLPY N2 Handsome pair – father and son 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/K86m0Q234Sc N1 Something scares Garry and Affric off the nest 2024

https://youtu.be/_qwTc6b2sdY N1 Affric wants to see Garry’s fishing skills, not nest-building ones 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 16th August 2025
It was a three fish day and all for Darach 7P0 as there was no sign of younger brother Breac 7P7, last seen leaving the nest at

09.11.28 yesterday. Has he headed south, or is he still in the area, either attempting to fish for himself, or being fed off-nest, or both? As always, the answer is wait and see. Darach didn’t appear very grateful for the fish, he launched a sustained attack on poor old Louis, grabbing him firmly by the leg and then lunging at him with open beak when Louis didn’t leave the nest after delivering the fish. Darach probably didn’t realise that Louis was unable to leave due to being firmly held in his talons. It made for uncomfortable viewing, but experienced adult that he is, Louis just tried to duck away from the worst of the attack and didn’t retaliate. He returned later with two more fish, taking the nest tally to four hundred and twenty nine. Darach was harassed by marauding Hoodies and stood up to one persistent individual, forcing the crow off the nest and away from his fish which he’d left unattended, luckily it was too big for the crow to carry off and Darach was able to rescue it. Garry LV0 brought a stick to Nest One and did a bit of tidying during his brief visit but there was no sign of Affric 152 today. The weather was sunny and the loch was mirror calm today and forecast to remain the same tomorrow, which will aid Morag Hughes in her epic fundraising swim. Link to the details and her just giving page in the bonus section. With luck, we might be able to make out her escort of kayaks as she passes through the nest view.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.14.47 (04.48.40); Nest Two 22.28.33 (04.52.56)

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/Sd4KB7rZLmU N1 Spring Sonata sunrise 04.50.39 (Classic Ospreys – Beethoven time lapse)https://youtu.be/uLFmU8IPOag N2 Poor Louis suffers a sustained attack by Darach 07.18.51 (zoom)https://youtu.be/HLhGx6GKPyk N2 Darach gets rid of a Hooded Crow who’s after his fish 08.05.11

https://youtu.be/45pZ-bgAsDE N2 Louis brings a second fish and gets away unscathed this time 10.07.35https://youtu.be/UQAvIJ9oiAE N1 Garry LV0 flies in with a long thin stick and does a bit of tidying 10.40.39 https://youtu.be/mzaHv6MUFtY N2 Darach rescues his fish from a marauding Hoodie 17.59.51

https://youtu.be/IrYYqCnBBDc N2 Louis brings a third fish and waits patiently for Darach 19.27.46
Bonus action – you can still support Morag who’ll be swimming Loch Arkaig tomorrow to raise funds for Woodland Trust:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27390542

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mary-cheadle-3

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/plpQ3BYG-Rc N1 All grown up: Rannoch defends her fish 2019

https://youtu.be/K4Kbj7NQ0q8 N1 Aila brings fish but looks like she needs it most 2020

https://youtu.be/qcBatA6qgTY N1 Size matters! Split screen 2020

https://youtu.be/hiFrQx0H8TQ N1 Captain steals Vera’s fish 2020

https://youtu.be/XaxM2NwNUCg N2 Dorcha stays on the nest until Sarafina gives her a nip! 2022

https://youtu.be/5hvJRi33SFM N2 Sarafina practises flying with fish but isn’t quite there yet 2022

https://youtu.be/F0ys6FiFeeM N2 Cleaning crew arrive too early 2022

https://youtu.be/7XYT94gy-Ig N2 Louis and Dorcha do a rapid fish handover 2023

https://youtu.be/bLzUfkvwasE N1 & N2 USAF flypast 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/rW3CJVJqZLU N2 Ludo waits ready to grab the fish 2023

https://youtu.be/RnY54XNtci8 Spain: more photos and tweets of 1JW and the other ten translocatees

https://youtu.be/rQYUcsjAKB0 N1 Affric joins Garry but he brings sticks not fish 10.51.20

https://youtu.be/lD-oLI2NjpA N1 Garry and Affric return later but there’s still no fish 16.20.59

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 15th August 2025

Fish deliveries were the main event today – Affric 152 turned up on Nest One and received a nice sized trout from Garry LV0, whose tally, after stagnating since 4th August, finally moves up a notch to one hundred and forty one. Louis delivered three fish today, all mackerel, and the nest tally now stands at four hundred and twenty six including two deliveries by Dorcha, who was last seen a full week ago on 7th August. The three fish were all taken by Darach 7P0 as apart from a brief visit lasting 26 seconds this morning, Breac 7P7 hasn’t been seen on nest cam today. In his eagerness to get the second fish, Darach locked talons with Louis and got pulled off the nest! But returned unharmed a few moments later and claimed the fish before the Hoodies showed up. The weather was settled and sunny today, the overnight forecast is for mist and light winds with a low of 12°C changing to sunny with a high of 24°C tomorrow.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.13.44 (05.04.19); Nest Two 22.34.20 (05.13.40)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/LTj4hQvEr7Q N2 Both Breac 7P7 and Darach 7P0 visit the nest, fish calling 09.11.02

https://youtu.be/KBRLr1auvUQ N2 Darach gets the first fish, a whole mackerel 15.07.58

https://youtu.be/xPi3XmjMIZ0 N1 Fish for Affric! Garry brings a whole trout 15.22.35

https://youtu.be/SXP2ua3CrHA N1 Affric & Garry spend time together, leave in opposite directions 15.40.14

https://youtu.be/S2U6mrELCwg N2 Darach locks talons with Louis and gets pulled off the nest! 16.45.28 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/AOvludmDLRM N2 A third mackerel arrives and again it’s Darach who’s there to get it 18.18.10
Bonus action – support Morag Hughes who’ll be swimming Loch Arkaig this weekend to raise funds for Woodland Trust:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27390542

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mary-cheadle-3

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/2EqB8ZLlLNQ N1 Get a grip, Mallie! (2019)

https://youtu.be/q4v0VblhLDE N1 Confirmed: final sighting of Doddie on the nest (2020)

https://youtu.be/JNjzfsGJMd0 N1 Stramash over the first fish (2020)

https://youtu.be/Btn2GxS_waQ N1 Fish delivery from Aila (2020)

https://youtu.be/41z2mZ9rRNI N2 Dorcha chases crows but they return to plague Willow (2022)

https://youtu.be/N-Z7Z-WV_1U N2 The Mystery Fish makes its appearance! (2022)

https://youtu.be/GOsbIENNolA N2 Spotted Flycatchers visit (2022)

https://youtu.be/_KZr32ZVd74 N2 Dorcha’s fish calls get no response 2023

https://youtu.be/3ReQ1_Bhj0I N2 Ludo does a faceplant 2023

https://youtu.be/mwUhXluhRss N2 Great Tit catches Ludo’s attention 2023

https://youtu.be/pL-09gIw4A8 N1 Garry LV0 brings moss, tidies, and has a preen 2024

https://youtu.be/1mt2ZZZhteM N1 Affric 152 arrives followed shortly after by Garry LV0 2024

https://youtu.be/U9CxLSmhoTM N1 Noisy RAF flypast doesn’t faze Affric & Garry 2024

https://youtu.be/-c3lZKY7Blc N1 Garry brings Affric a teeny tiny fish 2024

J’ sends us a good news story about a Black Vulture release from the World Bird Sanctury:

https://www.facebook.com/WorldBirdSanctuary

“Released after over a year in care!

Turkey Vulture 24-380 originally came to our hospital on July 7th, 2024 as a fledgling that had either been orphaned or abandoned due to his numerous health issues. Even with the July heat, 380 was hypothermic. His feather condition was poor, with several flight feathers having broken and the rest covered in heavy stress bars that made them weak and prone to breakage. Despite being nearly full grown, 380 was severely emaciated and weighed less than half of what he should.

He had recently gotten into some feed corn and bird seed and stuffed himself full with it despite these items not being something that he could digest and get nutrition from. We used tongs to manually remove as much of the corn and seed from his crop as possible and got to work rehydrating 380 and giving him some easily digestible liquid diet. Emaciated juveniles are usually able to process solid food relatively quickly compared to adults, but when we tried to introduce some, it just sat in 380’s crop and ended up having to be manually removed.

It took 3 weeks of tube feeding liquid diet before we were finally able to transition 380 to solid food. In that time, 380 battled other illnesses including an infection with a protozoan parasite called trichomoniasis (which causes thick lesions in the mouth), intestinal parasites, mild lead toxicity, and a West Nile Virus infection that started causing his feathers to pinch off and fall out.

Between the West Nile Virus and 380’s initially poor quality feathers, he ended up with no intact flight feathers and had to remain with us until it was time to molt. He’s spent the last year with our foster dad, Volo, whose presence has been essential in keeping 380 from imprinting or becoming too comfortable around humans. 380 started his molt in April, but it took 3 months for him to grow a full new set of flight feathers. Thanks to a year of quality nutrition, this round of feathers came in healthy and structurally sound.

380 was released in late July. He wasted no time before spreading his wings to soak up the sun from a high tree branch. When he realized that he was partially shaded, he moved to a higher branch above the canopy to maximize his sun exposure. Turkey Vultures are known for their love of sunning and can be regularly seen exhibiting this pose.”

How many times do you happen to be heading to an appointment early in the morning and you see cars – so many cars – with only one person in them? or homes that could benefit from grants to help insulate them to save energy costs? Our use of fossily fuels and the growing decisions internationally to open coal mines are putting wildlife in further jeopardy.

Plan to extend Queensland coalmine would bulldoze ‘critical’ koala habitat https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/15/plan-to-extend-queensland-coalmine-would-bulldoze-critical-koala-habitat?CMP=share_btn_url

Spilve and Grislis’s Golden Eaglet, Melders, has fledged but returns to the nest for prey. What a beautiful season it has been.

Speaking of Golden Eagles, they are arriving in the area of Hecla Island. We will be there this week and hope to see some of the migrants! That would be unbelievable.

Hurricanes and tropical storms are beginning to form for the Atlantic season which will run until the end of November. This is Erin.

The eye Saturday afternoon by Storm Chaser. Thankfully, our raptors and other migrating birds can sense the weather and will be able to take shelter. Erin went from a tropical storm to a Category 5 in a mere 24 hours. The storm has now settled down and as of the time of writing, Sunday afternoon, it has been downgraded to a cat 3.

Wind Turbines. There are a number west of where I live in the hills that provide the thermals for the migrating birds coming in the spring and departing in the late summer. They do not have to die. There is a simple solution. If you live in an area considering wind farms, please enter the conversation about how to make them safe for our raptors.

Lots of waterfowl rescues. Wildlife Haven, near to where I live, have just cleaned some Canada Geese that got into a ‘substance’ in the northern part of our City. They will be released just like these mallard ducks at another Canadian rescue.

Please put out water and/or food for the migrating birds, volunteer if you can, donate if you can, but please leave out water!

Thank you for being with us today. The osprey season is winding down. The Bald Eagles will begin to arrive slowly, with eggs expected in the US in November-ish. Focus will switch to the raptors in Australia, and we wish every raptor on their way to their winter home good winds and a bursting crop.

I will not be posting on Friday as we will be on our break at Hecla Island but I will be back on Monday the 25th of August. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us in a week.

Toby hopes that everyone has a great week and something wonderful to chew on like his Blueberry-Yak Milk Bully stick!

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘A, Geemeff, J, SK Hideaways, PB’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, Debbie Campbell at Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends including The Guardian. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Goshawk predates UK Hobbies…Friday in Bird World

15 August 2025

Hello Everyone, Good Morning or Good Evening,

Late News: The two cute little hobbys in the UK were predated by a goshawk only a few moments ago. Oh, how sad that is.

If you blinked, like I did, the end of the school term was two months ago in Canada and wow – they are loading up those school bags and preparing to head back to classes. What happened to those long dog days of summer? Traditionally, we have short summers and long winters with temperatures colder than Mars (or so the meterologists report). It can get to -38 C but, either my memory is totally faulty or things are changing, since we no longer have month after month of temperatures in the -30 C range. Still, I do not want winter to arrive.

Until then, we will make the most of every day, heading out for walks and picnics until it is so cold that Toby requires a parka and boots. One place I am looking forward to is Chickadee Trail – feeding out of hand those precious little birds that stay year-round.

Toby had his first grooming today. His cute little report card said he was ‘relaxed and responsive’ with ‘skin and coat in excellent condition’! That made me smile. He is resting by me, chewing on one of his Bully Buddies – Blueberry and Yak Milk. Yes, our animals eat healthier than we do! Bullie Buddies are from Iceland and are organic and contain no chemicals. They are solid and will not splinter. Check them out. Our trainer says they need these to help them calm, to clean their teeth, and to teaching them what they can and cannot chew.

How could you say ‘no’ to those eyes? (And yet you must if you want a clam and happy dog that others want to be around).

The highlight of the week has been the hatch of WBSE 35. Lots of fish on the nest. WBSE 36 was still working to get out. The hole is getting larger.

SK Hideaways has the cutest little video capture of WBSE 35 helping 36 gets its shell off! And some great bites into that beak of 35 by Lady! https://youtu.be/gNial0KwZyk?s

Oh, the little SE look like little fluffy snow people. Adorable. I shall be watching this nest closely as it is very dear to my heart.

‘A’ writes: “Meanwhile (and for this moment, more importantly) we have two healthy-looking active sea eaglets who are both eating well from a veritable smorgasbord Dad has brought to the nest in a frenzied of proud parental excitement. Both have been eating well today – at lunch, SE35 was so stuffed to the gills, it turned away from the table, allowing SE36 to continue eating well. These two are adorable, Lady is experienced, and Dad is doing his job wonderfully well, despite all the rain. Yesterday, while SE36 was hatching and SE35 was resting from its lengthy hatch, Lady sat all day in the rain, water puddling on her back, with the littles warm and dry in her underfluffies.

The currawongs are bold this year, proving a nuisance already, attracted by all the food laid out on the nest (currently two nearly whole fish and the remains of what was once a largish bird, I believe). Lady is honking at something higher in the tree that sounds like currawongs to me. It sounds as though Dad is also higher in the tree and alerting, with the currawongs squawking and occasionally swooping if Lady’s movements on the nest are any indication. We can’t see them but we can certainly hear them and Lady’s ducking and snaking of her neck as well as her vocalisations definitely suggest the presence of a currawong or three higher in the nest tree. Finally, there is silence, except for Lady and Dad’s occasional squonks, and Lady returns to lunchtime feeding. At 12:59 she switches to the bird carcass and feeds some of that to the eaglets.SE35 has returned for seconds and SE36 is still finding it all a bit difficult – it probably can’t even see properly yet.

These two are the sweetest little sea eaglets. Fluffy little white babies with the cutest little wings. I just adore them at this early stage. And the fact that they both appear strong and healthy and active, eating well, with two caring and competent parents, is such a blessing. “

The second big event in my estimation is the return of Beau to the NE Florida nest he shares with his mate, Gabby. She usually arrives between the 8th and 12th of September, just about the time Iris is taking off for parts south.

There is much concern as many of the streaming cams will be going offline now that the raptors have fledged. ‘B’ wrote, “I am also sad, because the word from the Trempealeau chatters is that they will be turning off that cam in the next few days. I forget whether they are saying the 15th (which is Friday) or whether it is on the weekend. But I have gotten attached to TE3, who has still been on the nest or perching nearby quite a bit. I haven’t seen her today since 11:10 am CDT, and she doesn’t seem to be perching in cam view tonight (as she has many recent nights). Hopefully i will see her again before the cams are cut off — or maybe I should hope I don’t see her and can trust that she has finally successfully dispersed. But I do worry because TE3 seems to still be fed so much by Mrs. T that I wonder if she doesn’t yet have the skill to make it on her own. I have great respect for Mrs. T raising TE3 pretty much alone, but I do worry whether the absence of the second parent means that TE3 missed out on some training and experience. (It helps to remember, though, how successfully M15 raised two eaglets on his own when Harriet went missing.)”

T3 is a strong eaglet raised well by a single Mum – an adult added to that Hall of Fame along with M15 and several others including Mrs Decorah North. They are incredible and there are, no doubt, many more that suffer the plight of their mate having another nest and almost abandoning them completely. Mrs White Rock comes to mind with two eaglets who have been seen soaring over the trees.

To ‘B’ I would say many things: People used to have an impact. I grew up at a time when the collective voice changed so much bringing an end to the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and Women’s Rights. We are watching many of those rights be eroded, but, as someone said to me the other day, you can’t tuck your head under the duvet and think it is all going away. I do believe that collectively we can bring about change and the change I am talking about is the livelihood of our dear raptors. So what can you do? –This list is not complete. No doubt you will think of many things to add – write and tell me.

–Put out water. Water is life and plant trees. Trees provide shade, and birds need this for protection, nesting, and to cool down and live. Make your garden bird-friendly.

-Provide food if you can.

-Donate money and items to the wildlife rehabilitation and rescue centers near you. This can be anything from a monthly donation of $5 and up to clean used sheets, towels, extra bottles of beach, dishwashing liquid, puddle pools, toys, pet carriers, etc.

Donate your time. Become a volunteer to help at rescue centers. Help bring animals and birds into care centres. Do fundraising.

Volunteer to do clean up around lakes and rivers for invasive species of plants.

Share your skills in fundraisers.

Stop eating tuna. I want you to go and have a look at the Royal Cam chick. If your eating tuna or not meant whether this little beauty would survive or not, what would you do?

“Accueil » Fishes and Shellfishes » Today, when you eat tuna, you’re killing an albatross. Seabirds are victims of oil spills and other pollution. Plastic waste and ghost nets drifting in oceans are also threats along with invasive rodents on the shoreline. They are also victims of tuna fishing.”

Many reasons not to eat canned tuna: https://youtu.be/2USz2nEeqn0?

Today, when you eat tuna, you’re killing an albatross. | Robin des Bois Download

Educate people about the challenges of the sea birds, including climate change, resulting in warming waters and long-line commercial ships.

Keep the politicians informed.

Sign petitions like this one. BirdLife Malta wants lead banned. You can sign it even if you life elsewhere. Could you read the information?

Ban Lead Now | Sign Our Petition Download

One of the only magazine/journal/groups that I belong to currently is BirdLife International. A beautiful informative magazine arrives 4 times per year. One of the articles in the most recent offering is titled, ‘Taking Action. How you can help’. The article was about the volunteers counting birds on Migratory Bird Day – which is something you really should consider partaking in! Martin Harper, CEO Birdlife International writes, “I have seen first hand hoiw fragile and virtal green spces can be, as even a small loss can affect the future of birds. Yet, I have also seen what’s possible when people come together to protect breeding grounds, restore forests, grasslands and ewetlands, and change the way we treat nature. Thank you for making this day special. Keep looking up, keep speaking up, and together we’ll help birds and all life thrive” (50, July-September 2025).

That is just what we have been talking about. Another article focuses on the power of many, whereby hunters have been brought in to help critcally endangered species in West Africa. The 19 are being trained as hunting protectors and biodiversity regulators as well as inspiring communities to mobilise. It can be done – but it won’t be if we sit on our hands watching the telly. Everyone can do something – even phoning people to remind them where they can join up to help count migratory birds.

If you are looking to help and have $10 per month, consider BirdLife International. (Donations are tax-deductible.) Of course, there are so many rehabilitation and rescue centres that it is hard to know where to give our funds, especially as daily living becomes increasingly expensive.

Heidi’s Nest Note:

SK Hideaway’s recent videos:

Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles🦅 SE35’s First Meal 🦈 A Bobble-Palooza🤹 2025 Aug 14, https://youtu.be/OKS-RHvlBII

Sydney WB Sea Eagles🦅SE36 Struggles to Finish Hatching🐣SE35 Nicely Pushes Eggshell Away🧹2025 Aug 15, https://youtu.be/gNial0KwZyk

West End Eagles🦅Haku & MV’s Nighttime Shenanigans 🃏 Flirtation in Motion💞 explore.org | 2025 Aug 14, https://youtu.be/QHo8BM3zlmE

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 14th August 2025 The thunderstorms of the yellow weather warning fortunately failed to materialise, and once the morning mist wore off, the weather was settled, however Louis was having a slow fish day and only brought two fish to the nest, taking his tally to four hundred and twenty one (nest total 423). The chicks had a fish each, which as Steve Quinn’s stats just released for Week 19 show, is more than enough to sustain them. As always, Steve’s report is an interesting read, link is in the bonus section. Garry LV0 brought a stick to Nest One and did a little tidying, and apart from a Chaffinch and a few Hoodies visiting Nest Two, that was all the activity today. Drizzle and light winds are forecast for overnight with a low of 15°C, and a dry day with light cloud, light winds and a high of 20°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.59.22 (04.38.52); Nest Two 21.52.11 (04.55.02)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/uH7vzL-Kmy8 N2 Darach fights Breac and wins the first fish 05.53.47https://youtu.be/GA1DdGuHWAE N2 A Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) perches and sings 12.39.23

https://youtu.be/n-lvO51lcWg N1 Garry LV0 brings a stick and tidies up 14.21.41 (zoom)https://youtu.be/NDpDdbXKxiQ N2 Both chicks are on the nest when fish two arrives but Breac gets it 19.19.00

Bonus info – the fishing stats for week 19 ended 13th August (thanks Steve Q):

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27364536

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/7Z3dXSCx7jI N1 Who wants a fish? No one, so Louis takes it away again 2019

https://youtu.be/IxehDNQnTws N1 A little songbird visits before dawn 2020

https://youtu.be/fzFGKL_ShWQ N1 Aila brings the first fish of the day 2020

https://youtu.be/85HjtmwU31E N1 Why does everyone leave the nest in a rush 2020

https://youtu.be/qe3sErXlB98 N1 Sunrise time lapse (Classic Ospreys – Schubert) 2022

https://youtu.be/8EcjI8PmiSY N2 Little bird visits and does a balletic move near Willow 2022

https://youtu.be/HHrtWJO-cHE N2 Unidentified intruder LV(?): chase version 2022 (slo-mo, zoom)

https://youtu.be/zBUsLQqBJGU N2 Bold crow on the nest with Sarafina 2022

https://youtu.be/7tLsSt_pNfs N2 Sunset time lapse (Classic Ospreys – Bach) 2022

https://youtu.be/n82yRRBoSDc N2 Dorcha divebombs an intruder 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/rcY16NgfPsw N2 Ludo furiously chases an intruder 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/bJhNMD2vSXI N1 Garry LV0 mantles as an intruder flies overhead 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/0OrTqJ8jBCs N2 Dyson the Hoodie looks at home on the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/ImqlNz9eqo8 N1 What bird flies across the cam view? 2024

CTV News reports that Peregrine Falcons hatched in the city of Edmonton, Alberta are being helped in the wild. https://youtu.be/8dwT96hzZ8A?

Foulshaw Moss:

Kielder Forest: Happy to have sightings of previous fledglings!

A special sighting _ Kielder Ospreys Download

There are massive estates in Scotland. More land belongs to an individual who might be absent and whose property is managed by the Estate Manager. What happens on these estates can curdle your blood. Raptor Persecution UK follows one, Auch.

New BBC documentary provides shocking insight into appalling crimes on Auch Estate, Bridge of Orchy Download

Birds of Poole Harbour: A record number of White-tail Eagle chicks fledge! “A record THREE White-tailed Eagle chicks have successfully fledged from TWO wild nests in England. The chicks were reared by White-tailed Eagles that were released as part of the ground breaking conservation project by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation to return this lost species to England.

Two different pairs of White-tailed Eagles successfully bred this year. This included the first chick in Dorset for over 240 years, and two chicks raised in a nest in Sussex.“

Record number of wild White-tailed Eagle chicks hatched in England this year with first chick to fle Download

What is exciting to me is that CJ7 and Blue 022 are grandparents.

This is something that is monitored – it helps us understand the strength of some parents. Mrs G of Glaslyn, former mate of Aran and Monty, has many returnees, and they bred, producing grand chicks and great-grand chicks. It is good DNA and also some darn good luck. Now it is the turn for the attention to spread to this couple in Birds of Poole Harbour. Do you remember when CJ7 waited, lonely, on that platform, hoping for a male? Then Blue 022 came along, too late for eggs and hatches, but the pair bonded with all of the town! Everyone remembers who saw them. We prayed that they returned safely, and return they did. They have now raised many nests, including two nests of four chicks.

These are the four chicks from 2025.

Thank you so much for being with us today. I will be monitoring what is happening in Australia and New Zealand this weekend as the osprey season in North America winds down. The birds are on the move, and the great migration has begun. Remember to turn out your lights, leave out water, protect birds from hitting your windows, and ask your town and cities to turn their lights off. It would save millions of birds that die needlessly.

Next week, Toby, Don, and I are going to Hecla Island to check and see if there are any pelicans still catching fish around the island. I need a break from the normal routine and this is the perfect time of year to slip away for a few days. I will publish on the 18th and then the next time, the 25th, will get us back on our regular Monday and Friday schedule. Please send me any news or questions and I will answer them on my return. The plan is not to take my laptop and for this to be a really nice family time like we have on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Life is good. Finding balance can be achieved but it takes determination. I am ‘determined’ that this holiday, however brief, will be marvellous!

Take care everyone. Please go and see those adorable sea eaglets and check the other nests. Who knows – it could be the very last time you see those beloved fledglings or the adults. Send them your good wishes for a safe migration!

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘A, B, Geemeff, Heidi, SK Hideaways, ‘, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, Cornell Bird Lab, and the administrators of FB groups such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and international birding groups, such as Birdlife International, that continue to cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Busy Osprey Dads feeding fledglings with empty tanks…Monday in Bird World

11 August 2025

Hello Everyone,

We spent Saturday in the English Gardens admiring the gorgeous plantings, chatting to other dog lovers, and eating ice cream. Dogs get free ‘pup cups’ complete with a dog biscuit. Toby is already familiar with the routine!

You can see the ‘pup cup’ in the image below. The photos make Toby look ‘tiny’ – the dream of all humans when they get their picture taken! But he is now 16 lbs.

While we were there, we had a chance to talk to a photographer waiting for the elusive hummingbird. Yes, singular. Usually, the gardens would be full of hummingbirds, but he told me that he had talked to photographers in North Dakota, and they have so many hummingbirds they can’t believe it. The theory is that the wildfire smoke kept the hummers moving til they got to clean air.

Bears and other wildlife are still suffering.

Each of you will remember the wildlife and the fires in Australia – people helping with water for the koalas, many of them on fire. It is heartbreaking – well, beyond sad. Only time will tell how many eagles and ospreys will return next year, and whether there will be any trees for them to make nests. I wondered about the ash from the fires falling into the pristine lakes, and this is what I learned: “When ash from wildfires falls into lakes, it can introduce nutrients and toxins, potentially causing temporary algal blooms and impacting water quality. While the effects are often short-term, particularly in well-mixed lakes, they can disrupt the ecosystem and affect aquatic life.”

Migration has started early, with geese congregating on many golf courses and sports fields.

At the park today, there were many more ducks and, in particular, Wood Ducks than I remember from previous years.

The weather is cooler and since the rains the past couple of days, the smoke has not been so bad. Earlier we had extreme warnings about being outside especially if anyone had respiratory issues.

At home, all is well. There are a couple of ‘witching’ times during the day when Toby needs to be calmed – after breakfast and in the late evening before bed. Otherwise, life with cats and a dog is going much better than I expected! Hugo Yugo continues to do better. She has been seen multiple times eating hard food and today ate two small tins of wet food for breakfast. She really wants to play with Toby and I must warn him that ‘the cats plot to get him in trouble’. Toby will go for his first little grooming session on Thursday. His nails really need trimming!

Missey does not quite fit on the small space at the top of this particular cat tree. She looks miserable.

Calico was inspecting the blueberry cookies for dogs thinking they should make some nice things for cats, too.

Toby spots Baby Hope inside the house when he is out.

They keep us busy.

Sunday waw three hours of sheer bliss at King’s Park. We walked and picnicked with Toby. The charcoal clouds left and the sun came out and it was simply glorious.

Part of our rigid routine is that Saturdays and Sundays are ‘family’ days. On the other days, we have Anne, Jaine, or appointments with doctors, haircuts, etc. So the weekend is reserved for ‘fun’, enjoying being together and walking outside. Our big disappointment is that there are not a lot of geese about – we will continue searching for them!

Time to get checking on those ospreys, and I want to start with one of our favourite fledglings from 2021 in South Australia, who is now old enough to be frantically looking for a mate – Ervie!!!!!!! Searching far and wide, Port Lincoln Osprey FB says, “Barge 2021 – Ervie is on the go again – still in search of the elusive partner. He has been for a visit to Taylor Island, and we know there are Osprey down there.”

The UK Hobbys are darlings.

Here’s the video capture by SK Hideaways: https://youtu.be/GoI0WP7RO1Q?

The pair were ringed, and here is the video by Wildlife Windows: https://youtu.be/h1XWCEbYKZs?

Leicester and Rutland’s Manton Bay:

Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Foulshaw Moss:

Dyfi Osprey Project: Idris is very busy getting those fish to the nest for the fledglings.

Birds of Poole Harbour: Both CJ7 and Blue 022 are delivering fish to their four fledglings. One, 5R5, hasn’t been quite as lucky on getting fish at the nest. Fingers crossed their luck picks up!

Glaslyn: Teifi continues to deliver fish to Elen and to seal their bond for the 2026 season.

Balgavies Loch:

‘PS’ give us the news from the Seattle Osprey platform:

“Visited the last few days – Saturday I saw 3 fish deliveries from dad in 40 minutes or so! Two Starry Flounder and one Coho Salmon. With the fledglings around but not always on the nest dad’s arrival often led to a bit of a scrum – though on this particular day the loser didn’t have to feel that bad as fish after fish kept showing up. One of the Flounder I saw dad circle, dive, and catch, at a distance, and then bring it straight back to the nest. It was so close he didn’t even turn the fish and just flew it back facing the wrong way. Today I arrived at the tail end of a feed, with one of the fledglings finishing up what looked to be a Salmon of some sort.

I haven’t seen mom since Aug-1; do you think she could have started her migration already, 7-10 days after the first fledge? Or maybe I’m just unlucky and keep missing her.

The ever growing album in the same spot – https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/2n65zuEk4k.”

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 10th August 2025
Today was about fish, plenty of them – Louis brought five fish, and not only did Darach 7P0 get four of them, but he also flew with fish for the first time. It was unintentional, as he slipped over the edge of the nest while pushing his brother Breac 7P7 away from his fish, but nevertheless, he took off flying clutching his fish, and returned a little later with it still firmly held in his talons. That’s a big milestone achieved as the ability to fly with fish is an essential skill for Ospreys, sometimes called fish hawks. After being the dominant chick for so long, Breac was forced to defer to Darach who grabbed fish first, then lunged at him and pushed him off the nest on several occasions, making it clear he would not be giving up his fish. Breac also lost fish to invading Hoodies, but luckily it was only a few scraps. Louis’ fish tally rises to four hundred and five (407 nest total) while the total for Garry LV0 who hasn’t been seen since the 7th remains unchanged on one hundred and forty. Dorcha also hasn’t been seen since the 7th and the last sighting of Affric 152 was on the 8th, we wait to see if any of them will still make an appearance on nest cam. The weather was reasonably settled today but the forecast for the next 24 hours is light rain and light winds with an overnight low of 14

°C and a high tomorrow of 18°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One

22.08.04 (04.32.48); Nest Two 21.57.01 (04.42.08)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/JTtFfH5B2Tc N2 Darach flies with fish for the first time, albeit accidentally 06.47.34https://youtu.be/w_Pz9_Y-138 N2 Louis waits patiently with a second fish, Breac finally arrives for it 09.27.57 https://youtu.be/-q-8BEQ-qAs N2 Darach pushes Breac off the nest to keep fish number three 16.36.05

https://youtu.be/aaBcMqNz-B0 N1 A little songbird visits – no Ospreys seen since the 8th

17.13.43https://youtu.be/S2F9L9aJnTU N2 In the stramash over fish four Louis gets his leg bitten 18.33.33 https://youtu.be/XJfd2Bxpf0M N2 Darach also gets fish number five then turns on Breac 20.03.38

https://youtu.be/8OlfdpONB9w N2 Breac suffers an invasion of Hoodies who steal scraps from him 20.37.17Bonus opportunity to support intrepid Morag who’s going to swim Loch Arkaig to raise funds for Woodland Trust:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mary-cheadle-3

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/h7sWHXV4gck N1 Pandemonium among Pandions 2019

https://youtu.be/nEEzGfX3qOE N1 We missed you! Welcome back Aila 2019

https://youtu.be/yvB2ZHq5W6I N1 Just shut up and eat, Rannoch! 2019

https://youtu.be/vmct7etDQpo N1 One fish, two fish, new fish 2020

https://youtu.be/ZJLmsHHd1Lg N1 Captain ends up with two fish 2020

https://youtu.be/a2dk_AA0gAA N2 Several different little birds visit the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/MBQ8n7dL9zA N2 The chicks fight as fish number one arrives 2022

https://youtu.be/tgrYhwgMc1w N2 Ringed intruder perches on the nest 2022 (slo-mo zoom)

https://youtu.be/FFJsvTMjkzE N2 Ludo arrives seconds after dad brings fish 2023

https://youtu.be/jUf5fhmCtZE N2 Fish number three arrives, departs, and returns again 2023

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 9th August 2025
Louis delivered his 400th fish for the season (402 nest total with Dorcha’s two) when he brought fish number three today, and it went to Breac 7P7. Breac did very well today, after finishing off the substantial remains of last night’s mackerel, he also got two fresh fish from Louis. Darach 7P0 was ferocious in his determination to get a fish and actually pushed Breac off the nest causing him to fly away. The strategy worked again when he got the next fish despite Breac being on the nest, once Darach had the fish secured and Louis had gone, he flew at Breac and forced him off the nest again, making it clear he would not be bullied to give up his fish. This is necessary as he has yet to acquire the skill of flying with fish and must therefore eat on the nest. There was no activity on Nest One, not even a songbird visited – Affric was last seen yesterday, and both Garry and Dorcha were last seen on the 7th. Have they gone south? It’s probably much too early to tell. After rain and wind and some sunny intervals today, the forecast for the next 24 hours is cloudy with light wind, an overnight low of 11°C and a high of 17°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.17.38 (04.24.47); Nest Two 22.16.54 (04.55.56)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/fTaTXlZRdfM N2 Breac arrives and finishes off last night’s mackerel 05.24.47https://youtu.be/AzHy7AQUYVc N2 Darach arrives late and it’s Breac who gets fish one 09.48.05

https://youtu.be/ZwJBjmeA050 N2 Breac attempts to stay on the nest but Darach pushes him off 15.00.16https://youtu.be/k5moRjVq8Og N2 Darach makes sure he gets fish two from Louis 16.47.46

https://youtu.be/ovoRIslJuX0 N2 One fish two hungry brothers: Breac wins Louis’ 400th fish 21.15.32

Bonus read – energy boost for Woodland Trust as E.ON Next plan to step up their donations:

https://news.eonenergy.com/news/e-on-next-set-to-surpass-gbp-500-000-woodland-trust-commitment

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/oNzCzAn0VeM N1 Stop please daddy! Louis pulls Rannoch off the nest 2019

https://youtu.be/11qAuMkDdL4 N1 Louis brings breakfast, all three are there but Doddie gets it 2020

https://youtu.be/8IC3e70LhTw N1 Temperature inversion seen from the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/sdVgKT4YE3I N1 Synchronised helicoptering by Doddie & Captain 2020

https://youtu.be/Jk-V4-DQZHI N1 Aila brings fish and gets pecked by Vera! 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/9Moy1yWHtW4 N1 Juvenile Mistle Thrush pay an evening visit to Nest One 2021

https://youtu.be/291niuqJOvQ N2 Fish number five causes a screaming frenzy from all three females (2022)

https://youtu.be/ORcpN6aPcSY N2 Hoodie lurks as Willow shows off her beautiful eyes 2022 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/vj0dVfDdwQI N2 Form an orderly queue! 2022

https://youtu.be/HT4f5n1Gss4 N1 Bullfinch lands after Affric departs 2023

https://youtu.be/xwkgVWCJ1aY N1 Garry LV0 brings a duvet of moss to Nest One 2023

https://youtu.be/aYN_ysUW3U8 N2 Ludo watches a parent chasing an intruder 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/raBkskKShcc N2 Louis is back! Looking good, and brings a fish 2023

https://youtu.be/7k-yZUR493k N2 Second fish today – number 350 for the season! 2023

https://youtu.be/2PUZSP_N918 N1 A trio of songbirds visit in the absence of any Ospreys 2024

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 8th August 2025

Today’s fish were pretty evenly shared out between the two chicks – Breac 7P7 got the substantial remains of last night’s second fish, a flatfish, for breakfast this morning, beating the Hoodies to a free meal, then got one of Louis’ three fresh deliveries today while Darach 7P0 got the other two. The nest total now stands at three hundred and ninety nine, including the two delivered by Dorcha. She wasn’t seen on camera today, neither were Garry LV0 or Affric 152, in fact the only activity on Nest One was the brief visit of a juvenile Great Tit. Garry’s tally remains at one hundred and forty. Steve Quinn published his fish stats for Week 18 today, an interesting read as always, link’s in the bonus section. Steve told us about his recent visit to Avalon Marshes and meeting with photographer Andrew Kirby who was the first to photograph 2020 chick Doddie JJ6 who’d stopped off there practising his fishing skills on his first migration journey. Doddie caused much excitement by becomlng the first Loch Arkaig Osprey to be sighted away from the nest area, link to Andrew’s fabulous photos of Doddie in the bonus section. Today’s weather was windy and sometimes wet, and tonight’s forecast is for heavy rain and what’s referred to as a moderate breeze but when seen on nest cam looks much more powerful, with a low of 12°C, changing to thundery showers with a high of 15°C tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.22.04 (04.46.07); Nest Two 22.13.40 (04.52.07)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/qq0Q16iCA40 N2 Breac claims the leftover fish before the Hoodies invade

https://youtu.be/CEh1emWe62w N1 A Great Tit (Parus Major) visits 09.12.37

https://youtu.be/lDkie7NcVUk N2 Darach’s waiting and gets the first fish 14.49.08

https://youtu.be/Zx0j2kT7I9E N2 Breac gets a flatfish when Louis brings fish two 16.47.44

https://youtu.be/gRcp6ywmUz0 N2 Darach gets a mackerel when Louis brings fish three 21.31.26

Bonus analysis – Steve Quinn’s breakdown of week 18’s fish stats:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27220830

Bonus photos of Doddie JJ6 in Somerset by Andrew Kirby:

https://www.akwildlifeimages.com/p488027889

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/AIAdCPIubvI Don’t bite the foot that feeds you! Louis’ difficult delivery (2019)

https://youtu.be/zLddX6xt-i0 Exit nest right pursued by Mad Mallie (2019)

https://youtu.be/_byBlgH5F0c Osprey antics as Mallie & Rannoch fight Louis and each other (2019)

https://youtu.be/DHWUsnxCNhE Vera is obviously better and pecks Aila (2020)

https://youtu.be/Rpc2uq34oKU Doddie and Vera fight for fish five (2020)

https://youtu.be/OugBSDzamKo Louis delivers a colourful Arctic Charr to Aila (2020)

https://youtu.be/vaI9BRb46fE News! Both Louis’ chicks have fledged and been named (2021)

https://youtu.be/ZQ9uid57ZLc A Sparrowhawk, a Hooded Crow and Sarafina all on the nest (2022)

https://youtu.be/oKC8m2YeWE0 Spooky Nest One in quick time (2022)

https://youtu.be/xLnSvyYalcA A good look at Dorcha coming and going 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/p7p0fEb6KnQ Fish number one, headless trout 2023

https://youtu.be/Ylyt2kQJkdU A shadow flies over Nest One but it’s not Affric or Garry! 2023

https://youtu.be/npgzBhJ8jJc N1 Garry notes unseen danger but still attempts mating 2023

https://youtu.be/-jdvLTKv3rE Fish number two, headless trout 2023

https://youtu.be/qd5T_c7Pt_4 Ludo does an involuntary helicopter in the wind 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/P5S76XoQiuE N1 Coal Tits and Robins visiting in the absence of any Ospreys 07.29.42

More cases of Bird Flu have been found in the UK, reported by Raptor Persecution UK.

Six more Bird Flu outbreaks in England, Scotland & Wales – Raptor Persecution UK Download

It makes me wonder if we will discover from the necrscopy of Big Red and Arthur’s first hatch, O1, if she died of Avian Flu.

At Knepp Farm (you have no idea how much respect I have for their rewilding project), the sound of the Nightingale has not only returned but is becoming more abundant.

Knepp News bumper year for nightingales our MICHELINlisted Restaurant and Paul Hawken author supper Download

In the US, the two oldest of the four osplets of Winnie and Swoop have fledged at Dunrovin Ranch in Montana.

Green Ledge Light Preservation Society: The three osplets of Ollie and Olivia have fledged!

Coeur de’Alene, Idaho: The three surviving osplets have fledged and ‘PB’ reports that each has taken a different osprey platform at the park where they are fish calling. I caught up with two of the trio.

Hellgate Canyon: New Male has been consistently bringing our dear Iris fresh fish to help her prepare for her migration.

Charlo Montana: Charlie has been busy bringing in some fish.

At the Fru Rauer nest in Norway, beautiful flounder are being delivered to the nest. Here is the video: https://youtu.be/F6wBsAZ6YaE?

Joan Castnyer catches a delivery at Goitzsche Wildnis: https://youtu.be/IQH_lg6K4Ak?

Zeus delivering a fish – the family trio are now rarely seen at the nest, with speculation that they are spending more time at the nearby lake.

‘A’ is keeping an eye on the Australian nests for us. So nice to hear from them! “As we reach day 37 for the first egg, the pair at WBSE have been dutifully incubating their clutch, through a lot of rain and cold nights. Lady has as always taken every night shift and on some days has sat on the eggs for eight hours or more as well. Dad relieves her often, if she’ll leave, but sometimes, she sits tight and refuses to budge.Apart from the frequent rain and the consistently cold nights, the pattern has been for not much food to be brought to the nest. Lady has done much of the hunting for herself, though Dad does bring in the odd bream tail or half-eaten fish and often arrives with a full crop himself. I do worry about whether he will step up deliveries once the eggs hatch – things will be difficult if he doesn’t. This pair appears strongly bonded, though, with duets every morning and Dad staying close to the nest each night, and they’re very experienced parents, so I’m probably just worrying about nothing. It’s just all the rain…

There have been a number of sightings of one parent or the other being bothered/swooped/chased by ravens or lapwings or currawongs so that aspect of life in Olympic Forest, sadly, has not changed. The constant rain is a concern – the eggs have for the most part been kept warm and dry but there have been a few occasions when Dad has left the nest before Lady’s return from a break, leaving the eggs uncovered in the rain for ten minutes or so. Hopefully, there won’t have been any damage to the lives inside but only time will tell.

Diamond and Xavier are doing well. Not egg time quite yet but both are looking healthy and are bonding as always. Xavier is STILL bringing Diamond starlings (and, worse yet, recycled starlings she has already rejected). It seems he has to relearn this lesson every single season. On the other hand, there seems to be a relatively plentiful supply of starlings and this can be useful when it’s time to feed some hungry eyases.

At Port Lincoln, it’s R-rated. This pair seems to be mating constantly, with occasional dinner breaks and fly arounds. Eggs are definitely on the minds of these ospreys, and when they’re not mating (or eating), they’re bringing in nesting material. I do hope we have two eggs and not three. I’m never super happy when a third egg hatches on an osprey nest, although I know you are (for research purposes of course). I suppose at this nest, which is blessed to be overseen by a Fish Fairy, the research is partially compromised, in the sense that the lessons learned on the nest are different ones, at least to some extent. I hadn’t thought much about that, but obviously you would have, given the nature of your research.

Nothing at Collins Street yet, and we don’t really expect there to be for at least another fortnight. I do wish we caught a little more of the early part of the season at Collins Street instead of having to wait until the second egg is laid (they usually don’t even switch the cameras on after the first egg, let alone before it, though they must have a fair idea of when the egg-laying window is likely to open. Frustrating.”

How in the world did we get here?

‘Erasure of years of work’: outcry as White House moves to open Arctic reserve to oil and gas drillinghttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/09/national-petroleum-reserve-alaska-oil-gas-drilling?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope you have a great week and we look forward to having you with us again on Friday.

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘A, Geemeff, PB, PS’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, Joan Castnyer, Cornell Bird Lab, and the administrators of FB groups such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Big Red and Arthur’s O1 passes…Friday in Bird World

8 August 2025

Good Morning,

Morning Update: Big Red and Arthur’s first hatch, O1, passed last evening after being seen to be lethargic and taken to the wildlife care centre. Oh, how sad. Send positive wishes that O2 stays healthy!

Thank you for all the positive energy that you sent to Hugo Yugo. I can report that she is doing so well. She is eating on her own, and yes, she wants to play with Toby, but Toby needs to learn to be a little more gentle. Still, check out the second photo. I am so proud of Toby and how well he is doing! The Girls, as all of you know, are so important to me. I never knew a little puppy with curly ears would grab my heart and not let go of it. So, it is the five of them – everyone is included, so this is going to work. You better believe it.

The feeders were full of songbirds – warblers – and some very special sparrows – flying through from the north on their way to their winter homes. There are geese all over the golf courses, and it feels like it is at least a fortnight early for this great migration. Watch for the summaries from the nests in the UK. Those females will be on the move soon if they aren’t already!

Dog training. It’s not about training the dog. It is about getting control of ‘your’ life. I will continue to say this while Toby and I work through his issues with ‘chasing’ cats because maybe there is one of you that needs to hear that – I sure did. My life had taken over me – now I am taking control of it. Did you see that old movie Fried Green Tomatoes? There was a point where the Kathy Bates character broke – and she described the new her as ‘Towanda’. Well, welcome to Towanda Land!!!!!! Toby needs to be ‘nice and gentle to the cats’. Treats work. Tethering for calming also works. (I do not crate). Gosh, I learned so much! The day is managed so that I don’t lose my mind. So instead of having a hungry dog, four starving cats, Blue Jays and Crows screaming at me, Brock staring in the door, and a husband who wants his breakfast and coffee, the scrambled eggs for Toby are made the night before. Brock’s tin is in his dish, ready to be opened. Today, Don fixed his breakfast while I fed The Girls. I carried my coffee outside while Toby did his ‘business’ and I fed the birds. That was when I saw the Yellow Warblers. It was idyllic. It is only day 3, but quite honestly, my home is calm and so am I. How did I not know this? Well, because you get so busy taking care of everyone else that you forget to take care of yourself. You should always put your oxygen mask on first. I tell you that. I left mine in the cupboard. It is now on and turned on full!

So step back if you feel that things are not working and say it. It is OK. Because with all that peace and quiet you are going to create, you can spend more time thinking and helping birds.

So what are these birds doing?

Osprey chicks have fledged, and they are screaming for fish. Everyone is preparing for migration. Males are fattening up their fledglings so they are fit to make the very long journey south. In some instances, the females are also pitching in and helping. For example, Maya brought in three fish on Wednesday, and that was before evening! Blue 33 has been hauling in Roach. These chicks will have the best possible chance of survival any nest could have.

They are fish calling, flying on and off the nest, up at Llyn Clywedog.

CJ7 and Blue 022 have been busy feeding their four at Birds of Poole Harbour, too. These kids are really healthy!

Llyn Brenig gives us its season summary.

A tale of growing and ringing at the Brenig Osprey Project _ North Wales Wildlife Trust Download

White YW is really having to be busy at Foulshaw Moss with those three wanting fish all day long.

On the Cornell Campus, Big Red and Arthur’s first hatch, O1, has been taken into care. The red-tail hawk fledgling was noticed displaying ‘illness’ behaviours. Let us all send good positive energy in the hope that O1 overcomes whatever has caused her/him to be unwell.

Red-tailed Hawk Fledgling _O1_ Admitted To Wildlife Hospital After Apparent Illness _ Cornell Lab Bird Cams Download

This is the link to find the latest news. Scroll to the bottom, please? https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/red-tailed-hawks/

Suzanne Arnold Horning and Woody keep track of Big Red, Arthur, and their family, and they caught 02 in a tree on Wednesday evening. What a beautiful fledgling! O2 hangs out with Arthur around the campus but is finding her/his way around the family territory. The fledglings typically disperse in August. Gosh, I wish they were banded and had a sat pack. It would be wonderful to know what happens to Big Red’s babies once they leave Ithaca. Or do they leave Ithaca? We don’t know. Mum stays for the winter! So does Dad. It is a prey-rich territory that they rule even in the cold of winter.

Pam Breci is keeping an eye on Swoop, who is busy at Dunrovin, too. – Every osprey male should be fishing and fishing, getting those osplets fattened up!

So what is happening at Loch Arkaig? And read on and find out if Dorcha is really still in Scotland!

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 7th August 2025Not many fish today, just two from Louis, taking the nest total to three hundred and ninety six, and none from Garry LV0, leaving his tally unchanged at one hundred and forty. Affric 152 spent a fair bit of time on Nest One with Garry but got no fish – is she getting fish from her own mate Prince, last seen a month ago near the Bunarkaig nest where they’ve made their home, or is she fishing for herself? With Aurora 536 not seen since 28th July and presumed on migration, it will be an interesting situation if all four return next year. As Dorcha hadn’t been seen for a few days, it was speculated she might have started her migration, leaving before Storm Floris hit, but she turned up this morning paying a visit to Nest Two. Both chicks were on the nest, hungry after a lean fish day yesterday, she didn’t have any fish so left quickly before they could mob her. Her visit was so fast it led to some confusion around ID but closer inspection in slow motion showed her unique underwing spot pattern, almost as good as a Darvic ring, and that together with the behaviour of the chicks – seeking fish rather than attacking in alarm – confirmed it was indeed Dorcha. Darach 7P0 got both fish today, he shared the first with Breac 7P7, but surprisingly left half of the second fish uneaten on the nest when he left for the night. Unlike his brother, he hasn’t yet achieved the essential survival milestone of flying with fish which might explain why he left it behind when he departed as darkness started falling. The Hoodies were all over the nest this morning, if neither chick claims the fish early tomorrow, their persistence will pay off with a nice free meal. After heavy rain last night, the weather today was mainly dry with some sunny intervals but both nests had rain tonight after night cam switched over, and the forecast is for light showers throughout the night with a low of 12

°C, getting heavier tomorrow with a high of 16°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.25.33 (04.40.56); Nest Two 22.14.28 (05.00.21)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/waxcTXc9K4o N2 A Hoodie leaves when both chicks arrive but soon returns 05.59.21

https://youtu.be/rXYnFSJKSQc N2 Is that Dorcha paying a quick visit? Yes it is! 12.39.26 (slo-mo zoom)

https://youtu.be/n-fnYvhFlH4 N2 Louis brings a big trout and Darach’s waiting for it 13.28.37https://youtu.be/HIFmr33i-Ig N1 Garry LV0 follows Affric 152 to the nest but brings no fish 14.21.15

https://youtu.be/8cIFbCA4EmQ N2 Why does Darach depart leaving half-eaten fish two behind? 21.42.59

Bonus read – a free ebook by W. H. Majoros Season with the Osprey:

Click to access ASeasonWithTheOsprey.pdf

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/hQXYIA9xPrM N1 Aila brings a large flat fish 2020

https://youtu.be/OyMVk0LlCzE N1 Louis brings a fish and gets pecked by Vera 2020

https://youtu.be/_5B50icDzn0 N1 Doddie flies off with both fish leaving none for Vera 2020

https://youtu.be/bMn6zaT7MHs N1 Captain gets the fish, Vera loses out again 2020

https://youtu.be/b5WlBmzYbrw N1 Aila’s still babying her grown-up offspring 2020

https://youtu.be/nIuBy5ocEko N1 Three little songbirds on unoccupied Nest One 2022

https://youtu.be/nVVUNWwdB-U N2 A clump of moss, a crow and Sarafina: mum steps in 2022

https://youtu.be/wiN0fI9KNiU N2 Hooded Crow attracted by fish does a flypast of the three females 2022

https://youtu.be/JJQmPvbzZ64 N1 Garry brings moss and a Jay visits 2023

https://youtu.be/SY2pbxLF5ko N2 Persistent Hoodie invades as soon as Ludo leaves 2023

https://youtu.be/4rHpMbzNnc0 N1 Affric & Garry spend time together but no fish 2023

https://youtu.be/E_31iJySQMM N2 Dorcha grabs the live flatfish as soon as Louis brings it 2023

No videos on this day in 2024 – not so much as a songbird visited either nest!

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 6th August 2025
After overnight rain, the weather was more settled today but the chicks were as combative as yesterday and did their best to get hold of the three fish Louis brought. Breac 7P7 got the first and Darach 7P0 the third and a big fight ensued for the second. Breac won the battle but not before falling off the nest first, and in the confusion

Darach lunged at Louis. Still, Louis is an old hand at this, these two are his fourteenth and fifteenth chicks (counting only those who survived to be ringed) and he’s suffered worse attacks from ravenous chicks over the years. His tally rises to three hundred and ninety two (nest total 394) and fish counters are lining up to be the one to record the magic four hundred mark. Dorcha hasn’t been seen since Sunday morning and it’s speculated she may have gone south, like Aurora 536 (last seen 28th July), and Affric 152 has been taking advantage of Aurora’s absence to scrounge free fish from Garry LV0. However she was unlucky today as he brought no fish and attempted mating instead – Garry’s fish tally remains at one hundred and forty. More rain is expected tonight with a gentle breeze and a low of 13

°C, changing to light showers, a moderate breeze and sunny intervals with a high of 16°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.14.56 (04.44.08); Nest Two 22.04.43 (04.51.13)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Nsbd2wF7mAo N2 Breac arrives just after Louis to get the first fish before Darach 10.04.13

https://youtu.be/VZ_5tmIihnU N1 Affric visits the nest but Garry’s not there and she departs 14.38.20https://youtu.be/hSlHeTBSUz4 N2 Fish number two causes a fight, Breac wins (slo-mo repeat) https://youtu.be/GZVF2KkaMOI N1 Affric 152 hopes for fish but Garry attempts mating instead 20.14.42 https://youtu.be/rmp6b-lgHi0 N2 When Louis brings the third fish, Darach pecks him! 21.34.17
Bonus watch – Woodland Trust clip of Darach v Storm Floris goes viral:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/24466187986339821

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/quq4dMy7OzY N1 Butter fingers! Mallie drops her fish 2019

https://youtu.be/ajka-bL_n_0 N1 Size matters! Tiny songbird visits Vera 2020

https://youtu.be/oQYlVSvMSe4 N1 Aila brings a fish and stays for dinner 2020

https://youtu.be/FNRVFoNuZz0 N2 Crow steals a bit of Willow’s breakfast 2022

https://youtu.be/kZ4clzNC3kU N2 Osprey flyover and a fish-stealing crow 2022 (slo-mo zoom)

https://youtu.be/xcwsmz86WzE N1 Unringed visitor to Nest One 2022 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/hOGYbsvwPWs N2 Louis brings a flatfish, Willow gets it 2022

https://youtu.be/xAWm_H5HSqo N2 Good mum Dorcha allows Sarafina to have fish number five 2022

https://youtu.be/nSRB5bTgSv0 N2 Ludo is startled off the nest by Dorcha who then steals his fish 2023

https://youtu.be/D7mXIuEFLpg N1 Affric 152 waits in vain for fish 2023

https://youtu.be/YlWzoD5SCNg N2 Louis saves his fish from a marauding Hoodie 2023

https://youtu.be/Bzc7A866Xlw N2 Ludo LY7 gets some leftover fish from dad 2023

https://youtu.be/jMtQ4kDsEIE N1 Garry LV0 follows Affric 152 before a third Osprey makes them flee 2024

https://youtu.be/FzFbWLsw1xI N1 Various little birds on, over or near the nest 2024

‘PS’ is keeping an eye on the osprey family in Seattle for us.

The Seattle Ospreys are continuing to do well! With both chicks fully fledged they are often though not always at the nest, often flying or perched nearby, and often calling for food. I’ve seen a couple fish deliveries from dad, as well as many practice flights involving dips into the water, sometimes over and over, presumably to get a feel for getting wet and taking off…not full on dive bombs like they will someday, more like controlled water landings and takeoffs. Fun to watch these two learn the ropes! It is strange to sometimes see the nest empty! But also a wonderfully necessary sign of a largely successful season! I will miss them as well as Harry and Sally when they depart in the next few weeks. Until then I will continue to check in…

https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/K00Bx492p4

I really love the images that ‘PS’ takes of this osprey family. They are so good. Please check out their Flickr account and see the entire story of the Seattle Ospreys.

‘J’ reminds us that if you live near Wildlife Haven in Manitoba, there is the annual Open House. You can meet the ambassadors, see the surgeries, and flight training enclosures, and find out how you can help.

Lots of news from Raptor Persecution UK. The Yorkshire Dales are not a safe place for raptors.

Illegal persecution of birds of prey is again a major public concern in Yorkshire Dales National Par Download

Missing Pine Martens are a concern in Cumbria – the Lake District!

Disappearance of two tracked Pine Martens being treated as ‘suspicious’ – Cumbria Police appeals for Download

News from the second nest in Poole Harbour (not the nest of CJ7 and Blue 022):

Heidi has some nest news from the US and Canada for us!

We better check on T3, the eagle fledgling, raised by the single mum in Wisconsin. https://youtu.be/USYBUpiRtQY?

SK Hideaways caught a sub-adult trying to land on Lady and Dad’s nest in the Olympic Park in Sydney! https://youtu.be/BNcT5G0uaB0?

In New Zealand, the Royal Cam chick is growing and stretching its wings as it is preparing to fledge within the next 5-6 weeks. https://youtu.be/Q-ToBQWzxuo?

At the American Eagle Foundation’s nest in NE Florida, the cam is on as we await the arrival of Gabby and Beau.

News from the American Bird Conservancy. How does politics impact our feathered friends?

If you can get to Poole Harbour there are still some activities left!

Let us not forget about Xavier and Diamond! Gosh, golly. Eggs by the end of the month!

Link to their camera: https://www.youtube.com/live/yv2RtoIMNzA?si=FtHXOvfCdckdk7FI

The Girls wanted you to have some pictures of our garden. Junior, the male Blue Jay, is moulting. We have a new baby House Sparrow at the feeder. There are hydrangeas – these are different as they are in a candle shape, which are toxic to animals, so I have put a fence around them so Toby cannot get to them (thanks, AK’s Mum), and a beautiful coral Hibiscus. Enjoy! I have sold all of my professional camera equipment and am learning to use the much lighter P1100, which is marvellous at only 3 lbs. I used to hold over 12 lbs. It is like a miracle. The images are getting better.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Remember to put out water for the birds and, if you are able, some food as they migrate through to their winter homes. It will help them as their habitat is being lost daily, as long as areas which would provide natural food for them.
We look forward to having you with us on Monday! Enjoy the weekend.

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff, Heidi, J, PB, PS’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and organizations that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Monday in Bird World

4 August 2025

Hello Everyone,

Late Updates:

Heidi’s report first as it contains some late breaking news:

OBX (Outer Banks): ‘Latte’ (the younger sibling) fludge-fledged at slightly less than 52 days of age. At 10:22 on 8/2 Latte was getting into position to eat a fish, when s/he became unbalanced on the edge of the nest and fell. Latte was later seen on the ground, and was making low, short flights. Latte spent some time sitting on a sea wall, but around 4 p.m. s/he went out of camera view, and could not be located. On 8/3, there were a couple different occasions that led chatters to believe that Betsy was taking fish to Latte across the canal. Distant juvie calls could also be heard. Fingers crossed that Latte will soon be able to fly back home.

Kent Island, Chesapeake: On 8/1, Chick 2 ‘Yellow Band’ fledged at 52 days of age, while the cam was showing Highlights.

Meldrs, the eaglet of Latvian Golden Eagles, Spilve and Grislis, fledged at 89 days. Congratulations to everyone.

Sadly, the two recently fledged ospreys in Poland were predated by a hawk. More news on that later. Thanks, ‘AK’.

The Menhaden overfishing in Louisiana is finally getting some press. Commercial fishing along the Atlantic and Gulf will see the end of our beautiful ospreys – along with others that depend on Menhaden and similar fish for their food. Is there not anyone big enough to stop this?

https://www.louisianasportsman.com/…/fishermen…/…

It is the beginning of the first week in August. Where in the world did the summer go?

And what a week it has been. Hugo Yugo is unwell. It is not clear what is the issue. I am ‘feeding’ her every two hours – it is a long weekend in Canada (or a Bank Holiday in the UK) and this is the best we can do. Needless to say, my sweet little sick girl that came into our lives early last December after we lost Lewis is just causing me to weep and weep some more. She has lost a large amount of weight in a short amount of time. In a blink, actually. She began throwing up bile late yesterday and stopped eating today, wanting to be alone. There are no toxic plants in the house. She has not gotten into cleaning products, which are supposed to be pet safe. The only thing I have noticed is that she likes to eat Toby’s kibble when it has grated cheese with it. Is this the culprit? So, please send my little ginger sweetie good wishes as we push the ground-up kibble, kitten milk, and water into every 2 hours.

We spent four hours at the vet very late last night and came home. The triage system was busy! I forced Hugo Yugo to eat some sardines, and a little later, she was drinking water. She ate two little tins of food this morning. Hoorah.

There is lots of news. One recent event was an earthquake near the osprey nest of Louis and Dorcha in the Scottish Highlands.

Geemeff brings us up to date with the earthquake and Loch Arkaig:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 3rd August 2025
More fish and less confusion today – Louis delivered three fish to Nest Two, taking the nest tally to three hundred and eighty four, including Dorcha’s two deliveries. Dorcha got the first fish, Darach the second and Breac the third one. On Nest One, Affric 152 showed up for the third day in a row to receive a fish from Garry LV0, and his tally now stands at one hundred and thirty nine. Other birds visited the nests, a songbird and a Woodpecker on Nest One, and three Hooded Crows and a Sparrowhawk on Nest Two. These visitors will have the nests to themselves in a few weeks when the last of the Ospreys has left on migration. It rained heavily overnight but was dry during the day. However, Storm Floris is due to hit tomorrow bringing heavy rain and high winds and there’s a weather warning for the area and most of northern Scotland. Link to weather forecast for Inver Mallie, which covers the nest area, in the bonus section.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.25.35 (04.41.48); Nest Two 22.21.24 (04.53.00)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/_n702NSBoGY N2 A Sparrowhawk visits when three Hooded Crows are on the nest 08.01.01 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/DH8U7GH3hkE N1 Two little visitors including a Woodpecker 10.27.30

https://youtu.be/U5SgGqUtZdo N2 Louis brings the first fish and Dorcha grabs it quickly 10.35.34

https://youtu.be/DIZTMiIUWYs N2 Breac gets old fish one from Dorcha, Darach gets fish two from Louis 10.52.06

https://youtu.be/1CtAWNgr3QI N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish and Affric 152 comes to get it! 12.46.29

https://youtu.be/JRgkQi5Vz10 N2 Breac’s waiting on the nest and gets the third fish 19.21.39Bonus link – weather forecast for the Inver Mallie area to track Storm Floris:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2646094

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/F6JyzcMzk6s N1 Eating and Squeaking: Rannoch steals Mallie’s fish 2019

https://youtu.be/X80auBko71c N1 Now now children! Fish number three causes a fight 2020

https://youtu.be/fTDNze8_qT4 N1 Aila brings another fish, nest’s empty until Doddie arrives with the previous fish 2020

https://youtu.be/gHkNqtDhJTc N2 A rainbow arcs over Sarafina 2022 (quick time)

https://youtu.be/Sq78TveUke4 N2 A chick, a crow, a fishtail, two adults and lots of flying 2022

https://youtu.be/H5NLGpEwV1w N2 Sarafina crash lands onto Willow and dislodges some feathers 2022

https://youtu.be/rfpv10J5dpk N2 Ludo does a flypast before landing to get rid of Hoodies 2023

https://youtu.be/wPm1lio9lJc N2 Hello George! Give us a wave! 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/KrpwAO9bB_4 N1 Affric pleads in vain with Garry for fish 2023

https://youtu.be/nDfuqve9IbU N2 Dorcha’s mid-air near-miss 2023 (slo-mo zoom)

https://youtu.be/CybrxBatD1Y N2 Louis brings Dorcha a teeny tiny fish! 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/6hztczD-J2o N2 A Hoodie lands on Dorcha’s perch, a second on the cam pole 2024

https://youtu.be/bx54tIwLja4 N2 A Hoodie returns to the empty nest 2024

https://youtu.be/tjBR3H8XuYg N2 A Coal Tit and a juvenile Great Tit flit around 2024

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 2nd August 2025
A somewhat confusing day for the nest cam watchers with fish being lost, chicks tumbling off the nest, Hooded Crow invasions and mystery appearances. But sharp eyes managed to unpick it all – the mystery appearance was Dorcha making a ten second visit to Nest Two so she has not left on migration yet. The chicks were disturbed by the Hoodies when they invaded looking for any small scraps, but the crows weren’t around when Louis delivered his three fish, taking his tally to three hundred and seventy nine (nest total three hundred and eighty one). One of those fish was lost when Breac stole it from Darach and fled the nest, causing both chicks to look around as if it might reappear. Fortunately Darach had had a very good meal from it first, and doubtless some other forest dweller will be grateful for a free meal. For the second day in a row, Affric 152 made an appearance on Nest One and received a fish from Garry LV0 – his total rises to one hundred and thirty eight. With Aurora 536 not seen since the 28th, will Affric keep getting fish from Garry? Where is her mate Prince? No answers yet, as always, it’s wait and see. The weather was reasonably settled during the day but at the time of filing this report (02.00) heavy rain is falling as predicted, but tomorrow’s weather looks more promising with a forecast of sunny intervals, gentle breezes and a high of 18°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.30.32 (04.24.34); Nest Two 22.21.59 (04.27.03)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/vUn_kmWShyc N2 Pesky Hooded Crows invade the nest disturbing the chicks 07.54.12

https://youtu.be/B-IiNOfNGW4 N2 Darach arrives first and gets fish number one from Louis 08.14.54https://youtu.be/ixahvUdZX5g N2 Dorcha pays a ten second visit 09.20.21 (slo-mo zoom) https://youtu.be/jxxfjqRHjmM N2 Darach gets fish number two, causing Breac to fall off the nest! 14.24.25 https://youtu.be/trzbdJ9loEw N2 Breac finally gets the remains of fish two from Darach but promptly loses it! 15.34.06 https://youtu.be/uSIWF-eO9vg N1 Affric 152 visits and gets a fish from Garry LV0! 17.25.35

https://youtu.be/sngUnnMZpsk N1 Garry returns with some twigs and does a bit more nest tidying 18.12.33

https://youtu.be/1Oel0nvz6cg N2 Breac flies off with fish three, lands under the nest! 20.16.43

Bonus video – with migration looming, this video shows the journey from Scotland to Africa as the Osprey flies:

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/9AnSPvsk6DY N1 Superdad Louis brings two fish in ten minutes 2019

https://youtu.be/mNtRaeAuw2Y N1 The welcome sight of Aila after being absent for a while 2020

https://youtu.be/yqFjDElk4V4 N1 Breakfast arrives, all three chicks want it but Captain gets it 2020

https://youtu.be/pruObUISjPQ N1 Captain flies with fish for the first time on his 2 month birthday 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/LEq2B4U9j-k N1 The Fishtail Waltz: Loch Arkaig Osplets in quickstep 2020 (Classic Ospreys – Strauss)

https://youtu.be/No84G3nG5qo N2 Dorcha and the crow 2022 (extended version)

https://youtu.be/g8mHME3FIQQ N2 Willow nips Louis and nearly gets pulled off the nest as he departs 2022

https://youtu.be/K10hkey31mQ N2 Hoodie looks quite at home pottering around the empty nest 2023

https://youtu.be/1YyDkc78_SU N2 Dorcha brings a stick and gets Ludo’s leftovers 2023

https://youtu.be/8egAmzGlJ1o N2 Noisy Ludo has to deal with a flatfish by himself 2023

https://youtu.be/VD99AKBQpNU N1 Garry LV0 pays a late evening visit 2023

https://youtu.be/kTYhjh-Rrxg N2 Bats fly around the nest 2024 (super slo-mo)

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 1st August 2025

An earthquake hit in the Loch Arkaig area today, not very big – 3.1 magnitude with the epicentre 7.5 miles from Loch Arkaig, in the Loch Garry area where Osprey Garry LV0 is from. It didn’t do any damage but both Louis and the chicks reacted, Louis by alarm calling for several minutes and the chicks stopping and looking around warily. It was registered by the British Geological Survey, more details here: https://earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/recent_uk_events.html . Louis brought three fish to the nest, neatly shared out one each for Dorcha, Darach and Breac in that order, and the nest total now stands at three hundred and seventy eight including Dorcha’s two deliveries. Garry finally brought a fish to Nest One, raising his tally to one hundred and thirty seven – and guess who was there to take it? None other than Affric 152 from Bunarkaig, scrounging free fish as she prepares for migration! The weather was settled but is expected to turn misty overnight with a low of 9°C, changing to sunny intervals with a gentle breeze and a high of 18°C tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.48.49 (04.28.25) Nest Two 22.38.06 (04.32.50)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/L40Yx5-a0p0 N2 First fish arrives & departs in lightning fast time 10.31.06 (slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/FXAAZUmfrYM N1 Garry brings a fish and it’s Affric 152 who gets it! 15.10.17

https://youtu.be/N4W_xQeGA_E N2 Darach gets the second fish and warns Breac away 17.13.17https://youtu.be/8MV7EwOzWvI N2 Earthquake! Louis and chicks react to a 3.1 magnitude local tremor 17.45.41

https://youtu.be/XieskjWrJo8 N2 Breac arrives just after Louis and gets the third fish 19.10.29Bonus watch and listen to the

Dawn Chorus – how Woodland Trust’s woodland management is supporting biodiversity:

https://youtu.be/SDkwnz8DRHUBlast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/181xNOoWypU N1 Sneaky Mallie grabs the fish despite Rannoch’s protests (2019)
https://youtu.be/6YY5LU155KQ N1 Rannoch can’t decide whether to preen or screech – so does both! (2019)
https://youtu.be/DBAhTzqVg3I N1 Milestone moment: Doddie flies with fish 2020
https://youtu.be/9JjSrQqH-BI N1 What a fankle! Captain gets entangled 2020
https://youtu.be/Z2HS9pTC7eI N2 Sunrise over the nest as Louis brings breakfish 2022
https://youtu.be/Mg3YJr_l8mE N2 Upstart Crow: Edited video of its many visits 2022https://youtu.be/qYPmuE54ZQs N1 Garry arrives with a stick 2023
https://youtu.be/vPzAIFCdT-Y N1 Affric returns missing Garry LV0 by minutes 2023
https://youtu.be/i40FIIZHHWQ N2 Ludo tries to bite Dorcha for not bringing fish 2023
https://youtu.be/YlGtuWGiurU N2 Fish number two, a live mackerel, confuses Ludo 2023https://youtu.be/9LKihnfJAjo N1 A pair of Warblers visit 2024https://youtu.be/QTRqeePpg8I N1 Garry LV0 arrives, stays a while, and preens 2024

OBX (Outer Banks): No doubt Heidi will report on the osprey that was pushed off the OBX osprey nest a few days before the fledgling.

Allins Cove West: Fledgling continues to come to the nest and is fed by Dad. https://youtu.be/T97W3NM8kW8?

Allin’s Cove East: Three juveniles are waiting and fighting for fish.

Charlo, Montana: Two surviving osplets are doing well, and Charlie is busy delivering fish! The third hatch died on 15th of July from siblicide/starvation.

Hellgate Canyon: Iris made a quick visit to the nest on Friday afternoon.

Fish delivery on the nest for Iris on Thursday evening. https://youtu.be/yJC3-X7J_Jc?

Iris visits the nest on Sunday.

Dunrovin Ranch: The nest is full with four osplets wearing juvenile plumage flapping their wings. This nest needs more fish. Every nest with four needs more and more fish.

Eschenbach, Germany: Fish deliveries for our fledgling.

Olympic Park Sea Eagles: Incubation continues for Lady and Dad.

Muonio Osprey Platform, Finland: Ten fish were delivered to this nest in Finland on Friday. What a difference from starving ospreys in the US.

Ilomantsin sääkset #1: Three babies always wanting more and more fish!

Cumbria Wildlife Trust/Foulshaw Moss: All of the chicks are fledged. White YW is busy getting fish to the feisty three as they begin bulking up for their first migration.

Usk Valley, Wales: No sign of our Only Bob fledgling who made history for this area of Wales, but Mum, Chogwyn, shows up fish calling several times a day with her wishes fulfilled.

Llyn Clywedog, Wales: Two fledgling Bobs screaming for fish with full crops. Dylan is keeping the flyways busy with deliveries. Is Seren still home?

Baby Eagle captures the first branching of Spilve and Grislis’s Golden Eaglet! 87 days. https://youtu.be/IetmOKW6ZfI?

Recent summary from the Border Ospreys:

A CHICKLESS NEST Download

Thank you, ‘A’ – your words mean a lot to me: “Anyway, that’s my world at the moment…I love you, though, also with a passion. You opened up a whole new world for me. I now have a close relationship with Mr and Mrs Magpie, who sang beautifully for me this morning when I took out their breakfast. They eat out of my hand sometimes when they’re a bit impatient. (I walk past them as they perch on my air walker machine on the back landing and take their breakfast to the normal spot on the edge of the concrete. They don’t move at all, even though I walk within inches of them. I just talk quietly and gently to them and they know my voice and are scared of me at all. Sometimes, I offer them a piece of walnut or some other treat as I walk past them and they will take it right out of my hand. They are so sweet – they know how much I love their singing and they always sing to say thank you to me. Then I change the water bowls because Mr and Mrs Crow have usually had their breakfast bath and boy are they messy. They love their bath SO much. They immerse themselves totally and flap around to get really wet under their wings. When they’ve finished (and emptied four or five inches out of the deep water bowl) they perch on the clothes line and preen their feathers and feak their beaks. The small native mynahs are the only other birds that love the bath. They choose the shallower birdbath that’s on a stand and off the ground because they feel safer up there I think. But like the crows, they flap around to get themselves really wet. They perch around the rim, six or eight at a time, and take turns to flap from one side of the bath to the other. Too cute.

These birds are now part of my day in a way they never were before. And that’s entirely because of you. Your blog. Your menagerie. You inspired me to look closer to home. It’s one thing to watch Angel on a camera in Tennessee, and that is a wonderful privilege, but it should inspire rather than replace a more direct interaction with the birds immediately around us. You reminded me of that. And I’m sure you’ve done the same for many of the people who read your blog. You should be so proud of that. Making the world a better place and the people in it more understanding of their position as caretakers of the birds and animals and plants around us.”

‘A’ also adds: “In bird world, Lady and Dad are very devoted in tending their eggs. Lady does incredibly long incubation stints, some days taking no more than an hour in total off the nest. And she always takes the night shifts too. When he is able to talk her into leaving, Dad does his incubating duties without demur. Like most of the males, he loves his egg time. The nest is looking very strong and sturdy this year, which is excellent because those winds are really tossing the nest tree about tonight and we have had strong winds and some heavy rain over the past ten days or so along Australia’s east coast.

We have about 12 days or so until pip watch begins (the first egg was laid on 4 July and we have an incubation period of 40 to 42 days, with some delayed incubation early on). I do keep wondering about the advanced age of this pair and when it will begin impacting their fertility – so far, we are still getting two eggs every season but let’s hope both these eggs are fertile. Go Dad! He is a lovely mate. He tries hard to look after Lady and his eggs.”

I am so glad that ‘A’ mentioned the Olympic Park White bellied Sea Eagles. As you know, I have been decluttering and in that process, I found a book that was put together honouring WBSE 26 and one of the devoted chatters, Phyllis Robbins. Phyllis had a very aggressive cancer, and despite dire predictions, the WBSE kept Phyllis going for much longer than any doctor would have imagined. She loved ’26’ dearly as we all did.

‘PS’ catches us up on what is happening in the Seattle Washington Osprey Platform that they have been monitoring from the time love hit the air in April!

“The update from yesterday and today – both chicks have definitely fledged!! Attaching the photo with “proof” – one in the air and the other on the perch! Just a joy to watch them take their practice loops around the nest area. Such beautiful birds, hopefully they will lead long and healthy lives, and perhaps I will see them again in the area when they return (usually after a few years?)…

In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose – I will continue to visit until they decamp for warmer climes, I guess. What a captivating summer it’s been – and already August!!”

Recent news from Knepp Farm’s Rewilding Project:

PlanetPositive Meat Download

CROW – would like to invite you to a party in January as a fundraiser. Do you live near Fort Myers or Sanibel Island?

CROW Connection August Download

Thank you so much for being with us. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of ‘Blue 33’ as part of this amazing fundraiser for the Rutland Water Ospreys. Thank you Sarah for sharing your talents and your generosity.

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘AK, Geemeff, Heidi, PS’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Commercial Fishing continues to kill…Friday in Bird World

1 August 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you so much for being with us today! We hope that the week has been kind to you.

I am going to start with another heartbreaking moment – Heidi’s report for today. This beautiful baby, with only one week to fledge, has died. The commercial overfishing of Menhaden in this region has shaped this entire season. Buckets of tears are being shed, and everyone feels helpless. Do we have to wait for the Governor of Virginia to be replaced? Cannot the other States in the surrounding area do something to stop this genocide?

Osprey came back from the brink once. Now chicks are dying in nests Download

Please send your positive wishes that the two remaining chicks get enough food to fledge and migrate out of the Chesapeake. Maybe these ospreys will find another home – a place that will protect them and appreciate and love them.

“Kent Island, Chesapeake: Sadly, there weren’t enough fish being brought to the nest by Tom and Audrey, and Little Boy 3 lost his struggle to survive at 47.5 days of age. He was so endearing, and we all loved him. Fly high with a forever-full crop sweetie. We all are hoping that he will still be given a name.”

Thankfully, Heidi has some good news!

‘Lil’ Peabody’s wings took him far beyond where these two will fly. He joins thousands of others who have perished this year. This is the latest from Ben Wurtz. Please read it. Take it all in. I know you love these magnificent gentle fish eaters like I do – get angry. Cry. Maybe throw something and then start lobbying on behalf of the ospreys and all the other wildlife whose populations are being decimated by commercial fishing!

Photo from the Field_ Starving at the Shore – Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ Download

The summer is flying by. The female ospreys are preparing to leave, or some have left on their long migration. The juveniles are flapping, eating, and gathering their own steam to leave the natal territory on their first great adventure. The dads wait for all to go so they can have some fish to themselves and get some strength to fly to their winter homes.

Look at this beauty! Gosh, I love those ‘snake’ eyes. Reminds me of Blue 33. This Norwegian beauty has a long way to go to get to warmer weather! Runi fledged on the 26th of July.

Froy brought a crab to the nest! That was on the 26th, the day that Runi fledged. Have you seen an osplet bring a crab to the nest?

An osprey in the area of the Southern Shores Beach in North Carolina has been photographed flying with a Sailfish in its talons. Will they begin looking for other species in the Chesapeake Bay area OR are all the fish gone? Some know? Write me!

What has Milda been up to since fledging those two beautiful White-tail Eaglets in Latvia? Liz nm has some video for us. https://youtu.be/-Y9kFNKanU8?

T3 spent the night and most of the day at the nest. What a beauty. SK Hideaways caught it on video https://youtu.be/Y9RMrpKyTA8?

‘PS’ sends us the good news out of Seattle, Washington.

“Hi Mary Ann,

Visited yesterday – both young there, with mom making a brief appearance. One of the young took two practice flights while I was there – lifting off from the nest and into the skies for some surprisingly graceful loops around the area before landing (also gracefully – fast learner!) back at the nest. Sibling looked eager – hopping around and flapping her/his wings and I hoped I might see confirmation of both fledging but it was not to be – perhaps today!

It is surprisingly heartwarming and inspiring to see these birds, who you have watched since birth, take to the skies as such graceful raptors. Impossible to not have your own heart soar with them when they slip so gently into the air! Full set: https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/p4Q1Lzea6p. “

Please check out these beautifully photographed ospreys on the flickr account above. These are some of the finest images of ospreys in a nest I have seen for a long time. Look at those fledglings go! Thank you, ‘PS’.

In the UK, there are four new outbreaks of Avian Flu.

Four more bird flu outbreaks confirmed, including on a Pheasant shoot – yet selfish BASC starts anot Download

Leicester and Rutland Wildlife Trust give us their season summary as we await the departure of Maya, the four fledglings, and then the last to depart, Blue 33.

Our Ospreys have fledged Download

Geemef’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 31st July 2025
It was a slow day today, just three fish from Louis which the chicks didn’t fight over. Breac got the first, Darach the second, and when Breac got the third one, Darach still had plenty of his fish left so they ate on the nest together in reasonable harmony, just a few protesting squeaks at the other’s proximity. Dorcha was around but didn’t compete for any of the fish as the boys made it plain her presence was not required. She’s either fishing for herself or being fed off-nest, or possibly a bit of both. Her tally remains at two while Louis’ now stands at three hundred and seventy three, and the nest total at three hundred and seventy five. Will we see it rise to four hundred this season? Probably, if the chicks stay around for a few more weeks. Steve Q will be able to calculate the odds, possibly with the Week 18 fish stats. Link to Week 17’s stats, published today, in the bonus section. In other news, Garry visited Nest One bringing nesting materials and doing a little tidying, no fish were delivered but that’s not surprising as Aurora hasn’t been seen since Monday and may well be on her way south therefore his tally will probably remain at one hundred and thirty six for the season. A few crows visited Nest Two but there’s not much chance of leftover fish with the two hungry chicks still around. There was some rain overnight but dry during the day – tonight’s forecast is partly cloudy with light winds and a low of 11°C, rising to a high of 18°C tomorrow.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One (04.28.04); Nest Two (04.33.52)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/cNsrP5fSZbs N1 Garry LV0 brings a clump of dead rushes and does some tidying 10.30.06

https://youtu.be/imQIELjA2D0 N2 Breac’s shouting pays off when Louis brings the first fish, a flatfish 14.47.44https://youtu.be/KJGJMVqr8m8 N2 Darach gets fish number two but objects to Breac being nearby 19.10.26

https://youtu.be/c3zr2XFPymw N2 Both chicks eat together: Breac has fish three, Darach has fish two 20.28.05

Bonus info – Steve Quinn’s Week 17 fishing stats:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27030710

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/Kd2L1Nz_I2E N1 Louis brings breakfast and gets another nip for his trouble 2020

https://youtu.be/57UvSSpDhJU N1 Aila makes a seven second appearance on the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/nh0nSXoL1G0 N1 Vera pecks Louis but it’s Doddie who gets the fish 2020

https://youtu.be/xKkstvD5Sic N2 A fledge, a fish, and a crash landing 2022

https://youtu.be/S4bXOzEfa9Y N2 Aerial fight as Dorcha chases an intruder away from the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/yQyJt-gBLKw N2 Sarafina flies from underneath the nest and crash lands on Willow 2022

https://youtu.be/bh8rFF73NG0 N2 Hoodies give Ludo some bother 2023

https://youtu.be/txoV9kCv9EI N2 Ludo eats a whole live fish and swallows the tail 2023

https://youtu.be/YZ-M5ZUiWx4 N2 Dorcha looking fabulous flying past with a fish 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/0pQQIotNUsM N1 Various little birds visit the nest 2024

https://youtu.be/dJAmVH178r8 N1 A juvenile Robin fiddles with the nest furnishings 2024

https://youtu.be/irAW6knurFY N2 A pair of juvenile Bullfinches investigate the empty nest 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 30th July 2025
More fish and more fighting – both Darach 7P0 and Breac 7P7 are now in hyperphagia preparing for their first migration journey and are compelled to consume as much as possible. Louis delivered five fish to the nest today, and although Dorcha seemed to get three of them and take them away to eat in peace, she did return them to share with her offspring. Not that they were always grateful, on one occasion Darach lunged at both adults to protect his fish but as experienced parents they merely stepped back and allowed him to take the fish. Louis’ tally now stands at three hundred and seventy, with the nest total of three hundred and seventy two including Dorcha’s offering. Nest One had a few little songbird visitors and Garry LV0 visited too but didn’t bring any fish so his tally remains at one hundred and thirty six. There was no sign of Aurora 536, she was last seen on Sunday 27th – has she left on migration already? If so, we wish her fair winds and plenty of fish, and hope to see her back next Spring. The promised rain materialised along with a few sunny spells, and more rain is expected overnight with a low of 11

°C, changing to light cloud with a gentle breeze and a high of 18°C tomorrow,
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.47.27 (04.19.28); Nest Two 22.35.55 (04.22.01)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/g2pTliEtUbw N2 Louis brings breakfast and Breac gets it 05.09.16https://youtu.be/e2YeXNo2oWc N1 Nest One gets several little visitors including a Robin 07.48.00 https://youtu.be/oal0VpdeChg N2 Dorcha gets the second fish all to herself 08.13.21 https://youtu.be/Vly3stdFv7s N2 Darach gets fish number three then turns on his parents 12.28.01

https://youtu.be/DxY_6Epb4Us N1 Garry LV0 visits briefly but where’s Aurora 536? (Last seen 27th)14.39.52

https://youtu.be/uINk-c-68Hg N2 Dorcha’s alone on the nest when Louis delivers the fourth fish 15.39.57https://youtu.be/j9a4x-pNqm8 N2 Louis brings the fifth fish and Dorcha’s ready and waiting 17.43.17
Bonus watch – Woodland Trust’s new video shows Pine Marten kits romping around – the first born in a new reintroduction project:https://youtu.be/Ljm9WJvFxpc
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/cl1eAm6FOXs N1 Aila jumps in to do a bit of housekeeping 2020
https://youtu.be/fuizCNp_jVc N1 And thereby hangs a tail.. Captain cleans up 2020
https://youtu.be/YI4UBZVYNQM N1 Ouch! Let go! Doddie mistakes Louis’ leg for a fish 2020
https://youtu.be/1JbjYXkzBX4 N2 Who does a flash flypast of the nest? 2022 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/cgcwsyN0f_s N2 Dorcha brings a puzzle stick 2022
https://youtu.be/8GXaxy_KAVQ N2 Sarafina’s glad to see breakfast arriving 2022https://youtu.be/umTGPvoNtIQ N2 Dorcha steals a breakfast fish from Ludo 2023
https://youtu.be/vLx9WrSeCkg N2 A Sparrowhawk pays a visit 2023
https://youtu.be/_qjozIrNnhE N1 Garry LV0 brings moss but Affric wants fish 2023https://youtu.be/04rKdVyEFzc N1 Which grey bird does a fast flypast? 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)
https://youtu.be/CzIH1toDNCU N2 Affric pays a quick visit 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)
https://youtu.be/PWlcQcKRdf8 N2 Louis arrives! Great to see him after a few days absence 2024
https://youtu.be/QprHdPaZKDw N2 Louis returns for a second, much longer visit 2024 (zoom)

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 29th July 2025
Plenty of fish turned up today, all for the ravenous chicks and their long suffering mother on Nest Two. Louis delivered six fish taking his tally to three hundred and sixty five, with the total for the nest at three hundred and sixty seven. It was Darach’s turn to get the lion’s share but Brec and Dorcha also fed well, and despite Louis’ hard work he is also looking in good shape with a nicely rounded crop indicating he is also eating plenty. An unseen intruder bothered Dorcha, was it Garry before he made an appearance on Nest One? He brought a big clump of moss but no fish, so his tally remains at one hundred and thirty six. N

o sign of Aurora today, but there were two quick visits from a Robin and another from a Buzzard, who looked comfortable on the centre perch. After a little overnight rain, the weather was settled today, however drizzle is forecast for tonight with a low of 14°C, and light rain tomorrow morning and late afternoon with sunny spells in between and a high of 19°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.58.35 (03.41.53); Nest Two

23.23.06 (04.25.41)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/80c8n8icjWk N2 Breac arrives to get the first fish of the day 05.36.27 https://youtu.be/ya-n-a9DizY N2 Darach takes the second fish away from his mum 09.57.39https://youtu.be/W572pWqkHlA N2 Dorcha gets fish number three but lets Darach have it 11.09.17https://youtu.be/lD99HLk-Qhw N2 Both chicks want fish number four but again it’s Darach who gets it 16.16.25https://youtu.be/T3p6txWKeaM N1 A Buzzard visits and perches for a few moments 16.43.28https://youtu.be/p7mDh_24FhA N1 A Robin visits again, same one or another? 04.38.53 / 17.55.04https://youtu.be/nym1Vib30tM N1 Garry brings moss and does a little nest tidying 18.25.14 https://youtu.be/zXkR_-eiYiY N2 Breac arrives just before Louis to get fish number five 19.36.01 https://youtu.be/adIr8WuK1l8 N2 Dorcha’s eating F5 when Louis arrives with the sixth fish 21.40.12
Bonus webinar on Osprey migration from Dr Tim Mackrill, raptor expert and founder of the Osprey Leadership Foundation:https://youtu.be/JXWgoSF-Yrk

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/65VTcTWBkVY N1 What makes the chicks go on high alert? 2020

https://youtu.be/5Z0vj85sWko N1 Aila’s waiting for Louis’ fish but lets Doddie take it 2020

https://youtu.be/xpyogWxLzQ8 N1 Captain’s share 2020

https://youtu.be/Lij7mWnm70A N2 Mini fledge but so far and no further! 2022

https://youtu.be/JqvlmVGLJPg N2 Lovely helicopter but still no fledge for LW6 2022

https://youtu.be/tFxRlDePet8 N2 Fish number one and only, headless trout 2023

https://youtu.be/6v_LyOHunUU N2 Louis has a stand-off with a cheeky Hoodie 2023

https://youtu.be/BwkefmoTjdQ N1 Affric arrives, waits, no response, departs 2023

https://youtu.be/Lbdqih9j8Jk N2 Three Hoodies work cooperatively until chased away by Louis 2023

https://youtu.be/ZozTNcuC3a0 N1 Garry LV0 arrives alarm-chipping 2024

https://youtu.be/7vYMN9QOr90 N1 Affric 152 follows Garry LV0 when he returns to the nest 2024

https://youtu.be/VDKpq9TtiJk N1 A Wood Pigeon perches for a little while 2024

I know you probably haven’t thought about it, but summer is speeding up. It is the first day of August, and soon we will have osprey eggs in South Australia! Gosh, I wish Ervie would get a mate! Do we need Roy Dennis to translocate some females to Aussie Land? Bradley was stopping on Tumby Island. Where are Partney and Marrum? Check out the Port Lincoln Osprey FB page for all the latest news.

Some of you will remember my praise for the visiting Vet at our wildlife rehabilitation clinic, Wildlife Haven. Dr Tess was determined that wild animals could live in the wild even with physical challenges such as three legs. She ‘invented’ a mechanism to save a turtle whose shell was soft – 200 days later that turtle has been released to the wild! Thank you Dr Tess for your love and belief in things wild.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/215984769453847

Final update on the “Shell-evator” patient!

After 200 days in care, several wire tightenings, a few bumps along the way but mainly many successes, patient 24-1880 more comonly refered to as the “Shell-evator” was released back to the wild!

We are so grateful for the support from our community, who rallied behind this patient and ensured she received the best care possible. The work we do would not be possible without you.

Thank you!

It feels terrific to see this turtle make it to the wild. We met the turtle, talked with Dr Tess, and admired her dedication and determination. Hopefully, some of our donations helped this happen.

Coeur de’Alene Osprey Platform: The three surviving chicks appear to be doing rather well at this Idaho nest.

Juurusvesi -There is a lot of fish in Finland! I didn’t count. It seemed that one came in right after another. Video capture by
Kala Saaski. https://www.youtube.com/live/27ZzX88ZtIo?s

Final fledges at Kielder Forest. Here is the roundup!

Final fledging news and more _ Kielder Ospreys Download

It is getting serious at the West End nest. MV brings Haku a nice fish gift – and she accepts. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/UlU5rCg6ygc?

And while we are all thinking about what to do til the fall arrives, I would like to point out that in about 5-6 weeks, Gabby should be back at the NE Florida nest! Oh, let’s hope that Beau is there, too.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We will see you again on Monday!

Baby Hope wishes you a joyrful weekend.

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff, J, Heidi, PS, PB’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends and to the people at the Conserve Wildlife of New Jersey and Ben for this monitoring and reporting of the issues impacting the osprey in that region. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Friday in Bird World

25 July 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

I can tell you that Pelican Lake is beautiful and that it is actually home to so many American White Pelicans. I can also tell you that Lewy Body Dementia is a challenging disease for both the person who bears the burden of it and for those trying to enrich their lives. We were at Pelican Lake precisely two hours before Don ‘lost me’. I will not bore you with the details of someone spiralling downwards, but suffice it to say I was happy to be able to administer his medication, repack the car (thank goodness we hadn’t really unpacked), and get him and Toby in the car and back home. No more holidays. I was beginning to wonder if the days of travelling were over several months ago. We will take our trips within the confines of the city, so that if something goes sideways, home is close at hand. I already have a list of parks that we haven’t yet visited – just imagine all the things we might have been missing!

Toby and I spent Thursday doing some projects. He now has a fully enclosed back garden where he can roam freely. We also played with a new camera. ‘AK’ knew that I was fed up with carrying heavy, long lenses and big medium-format cameras. That is the reason you have seen so few images of birds this year. The weight is phenomenal. The total weight of what I used was more than 12 lbs. So ‘AK’ recommended that I check out the P1000 with its fixed 3000mm zoom lens. I was only able to get the P1100, and at three pounds with a 3000 mm zoom and a ‘bird’ setting, Toby and I had a lot of fun testing it out on the birds at the feeder. The images are not great. This is my first hour using this camera, but I can tell you it feels like a winner in terms of what I need for my life at this moment. It sure was fun, even with squiggly Toby on my lap.

Notice the texture. This camera is not supposed to do well in low light – well, that squirrel is deep in the lilacs and it was dark with light just filtering in from the West!

And for anyone wondering, this is not just any squirrel. This is Dyson. Look at her large arms and long fingers. She is our matriarch.

Junior is moulting, so no crest. Those feathers, the layers and layers, are quite amazing. (I am roughly 16 metres from the bird feeder).`

Tiny little female house sparrow.`

Three baby crows with their velvet heads.

My sidekick, Toby. He is enjoying the freedom of the garden but also likes to lounge in the chair and always comes when I call. Kitties aren’t allowed outside in Winnipeg.

My first hydrangea bush! I have a friend who mailed me dried hydrangea blooms one year. They made it all the way from British Columbia! Now I have my own.

Please do not believe everything you read on a chat. In fact, it is almost the last place to find accurate information sometimes. The PSEG Oyster Bay osplet with the injured leg did NOT fledge, it was rescued and taken into rehab.

Here is Heidi’s Osprey report for the US:

Raptor Persecution UK confirms that there are some 143 Hen Harriers illegally killed or missing since 2018.

143 Hen Harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or close Download

Other Hen Harrier chicks fledge but with the help of the RSPB after their parents go missing.

Hen Harrier chicks fledge with RSPB support after suspicious loss of parent birds – Raptor Persecuti Download

Balgavies Loch: Partial Nest collapse this week. 4L1 and 4L2 were both in the nest together on Thursday! How wonderful. Flying strong.

Lyn Brenig: Older sister, 7M4 fledged at 52 days. We are waiting for little brother, 7M5, who is 50 days old today.

Wensley: No camera, but three magnificent chicks in the nest.

Kielder Forest: Blue 3B5 Irthing took her first flight on Thursday the 24th. More news from Kielder here:

3B5_Irthing leaves her nest _ Kielder Ospreys Download

Birds of Poole Harbour news:

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 24th July 2025
Today was all about fish – arriving, departing, returning, reappearing and causing confusion among the nest cam watchers until sharp eyes sorted out the details. Dorcha did not supply any new fish, all six deliveries to Nest Two were made by Louis, and his tally now rises to three hundred and forty four.

Dorcha found and ate the fish lost last night in the nest furnishings and today’s fresh fish were shared out between her and the two chicks, with Breac 7P7 getting the lion’s share. Darach 7P0 made sure he hung onto his share causing Breac to fall over the edge and hang upside down in an OMG moment. However Breac managed to untangle himself and fly away, returning unharmed to a chorus of relief on the forum, and later he achieved the milestone of flying with fish for the first time, another event noted by sharp eyed watchers. Steve Q crunched the numbers and posted last week’s fish stats, link in the bonus section, and although the fish counters noted Garry LV0’s one delivery to Aurora 536 today, taking his tally to one hundred and thirty five, it’s hoped that we will need Steve to include Nest One fish stats in future reports if Garry and Aurora produce the longed for chicks on that nest next year. The weather was settled but is expected to turn damp overnight and through tomorrow with light rain and light winds, a low of 13°C tonight and a high of 18°C tomorrow.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.15.40 (03.51.48); Nest Two 23.00.46 (04.15.30)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/qry_vU46fGw N2 Breac fights and gets the first fish: Dorcha & Darach lose out 05.53.51

https://youtu.be/08tLoYhbP7c N2 Oh no! Breac hangs upside down off the nest! 07.33.20

https://youtu.be/C4fGv8x0HUE N2 Dorcha spots the fish lost by Breac last night and grabs it 09.33.59

https://youtu.be/JkPf_AOvnmU N2 Louis brings a third fish: it’s Dorcha turn and she grabs it fast 12.40.55

https://youtu.be/SBNbIl0Tp-I N2 Another milestone achieved – Breac flies with fish 13.23.55

https://youtu.be/3R4FM0hTYYg N1 Garry brings a flatfish for Aurora 13.47.06https://youtu.be/yDZ8oYDskiA N2 Dorcha’s waiting when fish four arrives: she lets Darach have it 14.14.28

https://youtu.be/psTRt9-NuAQ N2 Good mum Dorcha allows Breac to take fish number five 16.51.36

https://youtu.be/Jeo0-VlMQGg N2 Dorcha holds onto fish number six but feeds Breac 22.06.48
Bonus shopping opportunity – Woodland Trust shop summer sale now on:

https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/sale

Bonus nutrition info – the fish stats for Week 16, expertly compiled as always by Steve Quinn:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=26854776

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/5B4tYF5XWeI N1 FLEDGE Vera finds her wings 2020

https://youtu.be/IEpTHTQ83MU N1 FLEDGE Captain takes off <three hours after Vera 2020

https://youtu.be/CsH62EjSANk N1 Vera returns from her maiden flight 2020

https://youtu.be/_x8G4wApzFY N1 Captain returns safely but not very gracefully 2020

https://youtu.be/SEOkidLKvJc N1 Fledge compilation video: The Four Ospreys (Classic Ospreys – Vivaldi 2020)

https://youtu.be/nV0kAGoM-y0 N2 Dorcha and Sarafina just watch as Willow grabs the first fish 2022

https://youtu.be/iGA54OTD6BQ N2 Hop and a skip but no jump – Willow decides to wait 2022

https://youtu.be/wsjKHvZAXpo N2 Chicks bemused by a flapping flatfish 2022

https://youtu.be/lOKNG5FLCv0 N1 RAF jet causes Affric & Garry to flee 2023

https://youtu.be/WNOA0O4wA6Q N2 Another milestone for Ludo, dealing with a live fish 2023

https://youtu.be/5z5M0SPFXu4 N1 Garry arrives with a stick 2024

https://youtu.be/mZHjWrUX0kQ N1 Various little birds flit around 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 23rd July 2025
Another slow day with not much action apart from the chicks Darach 7P0 and Breac 7P7 trying to get as much fish as possible when Louis made deliveries to the nest, and fighting anyone who got in their way. Louis brought four fish to the nest today, one of which Breac managed to lose in the muddle of sticks on the right hand side, with luck it will be found and consumed tomorrow. Louis’ tally now stands at three hundred and thirty eight, while Garry LV0’s rises to one hundred and thirty four following his single delivery to Aurora 536. The weather was settled today and set to continue with a forecast of light clouds and light winds overnight and tomorrow, with a temperature spread of 13 – 21°C, and the prospect of sunny intervals tomorrow afternoon.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.49.56 (04.09.34); Nest Two 23.04.31 (04.20.45)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/wPUO11fOGlA N2 Breac can only watch as Darach consumes fish number one 05.59.16https://youtu.be/s_fU3fE5EsE N2 Darach gets fish number two and attacks Dorcha to keep it 11.05.01

https://youtu.be/tIuWuRFD4zk N1 Aurora seizes the fish from Garry LV0 and flies off with it 14.15.40https://youtu.be/jAj48B05YfU N2 Louis brings a third fish but Breac manages to lose it 21.08.08https://youtu.be/tgnHuJFSmpg N2 Breac gets the fourth fish and doesn’t lose it this time! 21.59.21
Bonus read – Painting of Scotland’s oldest wild Scots pine puts the plight of unique pinewoods in the spotlight:https://pressat.co.uk/releases/painting-of-scotlands-oldest-wild-scots-pine-puts-plight-of-unique-pinewoods-in-spotlight-2436dbdb42c832c92f5ae3f248615373/Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/ZqWuqafl36c N1 Captain helicopters! 2020
https://youtu.be/cSDip8llxAY N1 Doddie has a tug of fish with Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/a3UUPQUtnkg N1 Low flying RAF plane causes Aila to flee 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/9K11f2xd0Ww N1 Vera does a helicopter completely off the screen 2020
https://youtu.be/zFcnK8aIKqk N1 Aila brings a nuisance stick and stands on Captain! 2020
https://youtu.be/9_avX1YHofU N2 All three females want fish number four 2022
https://youtu.be/olWHydNGMV4 N2 Results are in: meet Willow and Sarafina! 2022https://youtu.be/5B_o4EM_oyE N2 Dorcha is harassed by invading Hoodies 2023
https://youtu.be/mtWqo9g5K6A N2 Ludo helicopters with moss 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/CEDLQcHPA1Y N1 Garry arrives with a fish for Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/WcKyGvhpqI4 N2 Hangry Ludo grabs Louis’ leg wanting fish 2023
https://youtu.be/yw2IAFZ5Iro N1 Dorcha pays another visit to Nest One 2024
https://youtu.be/Z8amhCfcwhQ N2 Dorcha returns to her own nest 2024

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 22nd July 2025
It was a slow fish day today, Aurora 536 was disappointed when Garry arrived bearing nesting materials but no fish, so his tally remains at one hundred and thirty three, and Louis delivered three fish, raising his tally to three hundred and thirty four. Breac 7P7 is extremely dominant and got the first two fish, his older brother Darach 7P0 had to wait until he’d had enough before getting his own chance to eat. Louis brought the final fish after dark, giving Dorcha the opportunity to eat in peace before she returned the fish to the nest and handed it over to one of the chicks – Breac, of course. Nest cam watchers would like Darach to become more competitive. It rained through the night but the weather was reasonably settled during the day, however it’ll be damp again tonight as the overnight forecast is for drizzle and light winds with a low of 13

°C, improving tomorrow with light cloud, light winds and a few sunny spells with a high of 19°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.08.25 (04.09.55); Nest Two 22.59.28 (04.24.20)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/zOdvFUukCXE N2 Dorcha gets the first fish from Louis then lets Breac have it 08.53.55https://youtu.be/LrxqVtV3uPY N2 Darach wants fish two but Breac’s not letting go 11.31.32

https://youtu.be/b7dWNaTq2gk N2

Dorcha arrives on the nest and gets fish three from Louis 22.15.40
Bonus watch –

N2 Long lens video of Aspen LW3 & Alder LW4 seen near the nest 2021 (thanks LizB)

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/C9r2h07HYeM N1 Carnival of the Ospreys 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Saint-Saëns)

https://youtu.be/u-2jWDOe8dg N1 Vera is fascinated as Captain feathers his nest 2020

https://youtu.be/j6YDTQA5stk N1 Aila decides what’s needed is another stick 2020

https://youtu.be/B-JGsEAwA4I N2 Midnight callisthenics 2022

https://youtu.be/CoLyqB6O_iI N2 Nearly but not quite! LW5 prepares for lift-off 2022

https://youtu.be/h87JPZiw5no N2 Louis chases a Hoodie away, watched intently by the chicks 2022

https://youtu.be/4N64tTO4iJE N2 Ludo returns after his first night away 2023

https://youtu.be/nWjM3BF9wxw N1 & N2 Two beautiful pairs of Ospreys posing for the camera 2023

https://youtu.be/Rqz_dXEyC8w N2 Louis arrives to help Dorcha get rid of Hoodies 2023

https://youtu.be/NOUuCyUUt2M N1 Garry brings a second fish for Affric 2023

https://youtu.be/bDbqDZ8sN64 N2 Dorcha spends some time on her nest, no sign of Louis 2024

https://youtu.be/g0q-Tf1BJIc N2 Louis arrives with a stick and does some nest work 2024

https://youtu.be/SgnwBnDdY-g N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish but no one’s there 2024

https://youtu.be/z52q-f7fFmg N2 Spectacular sunset 21.30 to 22.30 (2.3 minute time lapse) 2024

Tweed Valley Ospreys/UK Osprey Information:

Rosie Shields brings us up to date on everything about the Border Ospreys season.

WHERE DID THE TIME GO Download

Dunrovin Ranch: Those four beautiful osplets are looking really good!

Charlo: Two surviving osplets are doing fantastic. They are getting some gorgeous juvenile feathers and growing as fast as Toby!

Boulder County: One chick would really like some fish! They both seem to have survived one of the worst nests for human debris I have ever seen!

Hellgate Canyon: Iris still has one of the most beautiful well maintained osprey nests I have ever seen.

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: Three surviving osplets are looking good.

More news from the UK: David Wick writes:

sSdoroptenh3aag7i9586l4m6139190i1lh87i0u9mlhaa044uglill9f4f7 ·

“Morning all, both chick’s have fledged at NWT Ranworth .That makes it first to breed and hatch and fledged in about 250 years”

Threave Garden:

Osprey House Environment Centre in Australia where the older sibling is not only being fed but helping feed!

UK Hobbys: https://youtu.be/V4xohmzR0Mo?

Ferris Akel found the Os today and the other evening, and Cornell released a video of Big Red feeding her babies a week ago. https://youtu.be/k-dHLxtlrOI?

Arthur.

One of the Os.

Robert Fuller gives us insight into Red Kite chicks. https://youtu.be/3FtIHHfp2i4?

Is it possible to resurrect a 600 year old extinct bird?

It’s 12ft tall, covered in feathers and has been extinct for 600 years – can the giant moa bird really be resurrected?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/11/de-extinction-extinct-giant-moa-bird-colossal-bioscience-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We will see you again on Monday!

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘AK, Geemeff, Heidi’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Monday in Bird World

21 July 2025

Late breaking news that cannot be ignored:

I love storks – white, black or even rainbow coloured. Storks are wonderful and we are killing them along with other birds such as ospreys because of our general disregard for what plastic does to the world. “The chief culprit was baler twine, a plastic string used to secure hay bales: either the twine or its wrapping was responsible for almost all the entangled chicks. A few were caught up in domestic plastics such as bags or milk containers. The chicks died from strangulation, amputation and infected wounds.

“They roll and roll and they go around and it’s almost as if they tie the rope around their legs even harder as they move,” Franco says.

Acácio likes to talk about successful rescues, too. Once, she peered into a nest built on the stump of a cork oak tree to find two three-week-old siblings, their limbs coiled in spirals of blue baler twine.”

How many times has Dr Greene talked about the baling twine issues with ospreys in Montana? We need to find a solution for this plastic monster. It is more than sad.

Please read the article from The Guardian. It is enlightening.

Killer in the nest: how young storks are being strangled by plastichttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/14/discarded-plastic-baler-twine-killing-birds-white-storks-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

A situation is developing at Osprey House Environment Centre in Australia. The female is feeding last year’s fledgling and her two young osplets! ‘MB’ sends us the FB link:

https://www.facebook.com/OspreyHouseEnvironmentCentre?

Whew! Welcome to the beginning of the week! We hope that each of you had a wonderful weekend.

The Girls enjoy watching the dozens of new baby birds in the garden. They come up close to the conservatory windows and cause quite a stir! Cute little wrens today. The baby Crows still arrive wanting their peanuts, and you can hear the Blue Jays two blocks away if the feeder is empty. It is a joy! Toby has had several walks. We have met many new neighbours and their puppies. He is growing leaps and bounds. I cannot quite believe it. His halter had to be loosened today, and I swear he is 15 cm or 6 inches longer. My new bed seems much smaller, and he really snores. We had a wonderful barbecue celebrating my daughter’s birthday. Everyone was there. It was fantastic. Even the wildfire smoke and wasps could not dampen anyone’s spirits.

I am now a member of the Virginia Wildlife FB group. (Thank you so much for letting me join – I really want to learn about the situation of all wildlife in Virginia.) First thing I noticed – images of Bald Eagles chasing Ospreys to get their precious fish! Check it out on their FB group. Ospreys have trouble with all manner of feathered ‘friends’ trying to get their fish. Gulls, eagles, even other ospreys.

Heidi’s Osprey Nest Notes:

Seaside osprey cam has had issues with their live stream all season, and it has been frustrating for viewers and the chat moderator, Jewel. There was a fledge the morning of 7/20 that occurred when the livestream was down, and reports came in from ‘boots on the ground’, John and August. With a brief nest view later.

Thank you, Heidi.

Gorgeous photograph of the three fledglings from the Centreport Bald Eagle Nest on Long Island, New York.

A good news story about wildlife is always welcome, and I received one last week from one of our regular readers, ‘MP’. I have tried to attach the images, but alas, I gave up. I know that you can imagine a barbed wire fence with large barbs and how, if an animal jumped over the fence, they could easily become injured.

“Hi, Mary Ann. All these photos and writings are from Ron Dudley. He’s showing a good side of ranchers and Nature Conservancy working together for nature. thought this to be a positive side.I thought you’d like to know.~M

Some ranchers in the valley have installed pronghorn-friendly barbed wire fences that have no barbs on the bottom wire. This fence is one of them.

And pronghorn-friendly fences aren’t the only example of ranchers trying to protect wildlife in the valley. Much of the huge valley is Sage Grouse country. When in flight, grouse have a hard time seeing barbed wire, so they often crash into it. When a 6+ lb. Sage Grouse crashes into barbed wire at speed, the results are predictably disastrous.

So some ranchers have allowed organizations like the Nature Conservancy to install bright white fence flags on their fences. The flags are easy to see and research has shown that they significantly reduce grouse/fence mayhem. I took this photo on June 19th in one of the more remote areas of the valley.

Not long after this photo was taken, I talked to a local rancher (Justin) about the fence flags. Here’s what he said (paraphrased) – “As long they (the Nature Conservancy and organisations like them) are willing to pay for them, and install them, I’m certainly willing to allow them to do so.”

Foulshaw Moss and Cumbrian Wildlife Trust:

All three at Foulshaw Moss have now fledged. Congratulations White YW and Blue 35 for another fantastic and very successful year.

Dyfi Osprey Project: Idris is one of my all-time favourite male ospreys. He is known as ‘Daddy Long Legs’, but he is a great fisher. Now he has broken another record. Watch the video to find out what that is: https://youtu.be/Y_GEb2QQapM?

Dunrovin Ranch Osprey Platform:

Allin’s Cove West: “A day in the life of the single parent offspring. Sleep, stretch, wing flat, call for food, and when none arrives, sleep some more.”https://youtu.be/cQx9eX2G31w?

Goitzsche-Wildnis with J Castyner: “Being an only child seems to have only advantages. Zeus and Fjona have focused on taking care of the boy, protecting him and feeding him in the best possible way. We can see it in the video. Mother and son are (I think) on the camera pole screaming to claim the teak, but when the father arrives alone the young man goes down to collect the piece: a beautiful headless fish, a luxurious fillet. For the boy, the best.” (The two older siblings were predated by a Red Kite). Other report below on this nest.

Sauces Canyon: Betty Lou comes home. https://youtu.be/19Ah8LzbEfI?

Two Harbours: Date night with long-time bonded mates, Chase and Cholyn by SK Hideaways. https://youtu.be/4PCwSnUvu2k?

West End Nest: Haku is on and off the nest. Makaio has not been seen for some weeks. Many believe he has left for migration since this is off-season. We must wait. It looks like Haku is warming up to the new visiting male.

I receive many questions about Akecheta since he was photographed on the mainland near Ojai. To my knowledge, no other photographs with his blue wing tag have been taken. I am sure he is alright. Is Thunder with him? Well, we haven’t seen her around the nest, and I just think she left eggs so abruptly that it is possible.

Haku and MV (male visitor) are a nice looking couple.

Coeur de’Alene, Idaho: The three surviving osplets are doing well. Mum has not removed the body of the fourth baby yet.

Fru Rauer: The Norwegian Osprey Project and Translocation of Norwegian birds to Ireland.

Short explanation video. Click on CC for English. The ten are already in Ireland. https://youtu.be/o6mjGxTfAbs?

Ringing of Ospreys in Taipalsaari 2025: https://youtu.be/opE1IBwXeN0?

mie caught a fish delivery at the
Kallaveden sääksilive: https://youtu.be/K4pDiyKbUTg?

Ringing at the Janakkalan Nest in Finland: https://youtu.be/UFhpbkVDrwA?

J Castnyer catches a fish delivery at the Goitzsche Wildnis Osprey nest in Germany. That fledgling was in there quick – ‘Mine and Mine Alone’ is the message. https://youtu.be/C7sh8ngNEVo?

And they give us an update at Eschenbach: “Despite the problems in broadcasting the live broadcast from the Eschenbach nest, I have uploaded this short video to confirm that everything is going well: Herbert has delivered a fish, Hermine is repeating the teak between the children and, most importantly, both are now flying. Normality is a gift from heaven.” https://youtu.be/yp5U1QXB_LQ?

Rutland Manton Bay: Will Maya stay home, postponing the start to her migration to help feed all those babies? We wait to see.

Birds of Poole Harbour: Everyone wants fish. Caught three on the nest.

Big Bear Valley: Jack and Shadow ‘almost’ visit. SK Hideaways catches it. https://youtu.be/SjMY4TyS_Ws?

Trempeauleau, WI: Mum is home, but where is T3? Well, that fledgling is never far away. Mum comes in with a fish and you can hear the sqeeing and then T3 is there to grab her dinner.

SK Hideaways caught Mum bringing in one of her whoppers for her ‘baby’. https://youtu.be/rmu1eJKTMkY?

Talk about a loving and devoted mother. Mrs T sure is that and more. I get all weepy seeing the two of them together. It was such a challenging year for Mrs T raising this fledgling from hatch alone – and often, as I have said many times, without the help of Mr T, who was a hindrance stealing fish for his other nest with two youngsters from this one! But, nevermind, Mrs T did the unthinkable. She is amazing.

SK Hideaways also catches up with the Southern UK Hobby Falcon nest in the UK: https://youtu.be/7S9hwxdwaQ0?

Oh, my goodness, they are sooooo cute.

Tatarsan White-tail Eagles, RU: Fledgling visits nest, hoping for food.

Latvian Golden Eagles: Food delivery from Grislis. Spilve feeds – and it was a long feeding. https://youtu.be/-_HhGdK-pi8?

Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal: The entire article and the information on how to write is in my late Monday, 14 July blog. There is a big meeting on May 7. Don’t sit on this. Could you write to the Virginia Legislators? Cute and Paste – send it to all of them, demanding proper biodiversity and an end to commercial fishing in the Chesapeake and along the coasts of the Atlantic. We don’t want any more osplets to die, along with many other species.

If you love osprey, don’t sit on this. Get busy. Set aside two hours – that is all it would take to compose a letter – and send it out to every Virginia politician, along with the journalist who wrote the article, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, etc. This is not the time to be silent.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 20th July 2025

The two chicks practised their flying and landing skills today, popping on and off the nest especially when Louis was around delivering fish. Breac got most of the two fish delivered by Louis, but Darach was determined and attacked both Dorcha and Breac to get a share. Both chicks were mantling and squawking over the fish so it appears hyperphagia (compulsion to eat) is setting in as migration looms in the not too distant future. Louis’ tally rises to three hundred and twenty eight, and Garry’s one fish delivery takes his tally to one hundred and thirty one, although it was such a small piece of fish, Aurora might not consider it worth counting. After staying dry most of today, the rain started this evening and scattered showers will probably continue through tonight with cloudy skies, light winds, and a low of 15°C causing muggy conditions. There’s a weather warning in place for the Highlands tomorrow of heavy showers and scattered thunderstorms causing localised flooding, and a high of 21°C in the Inver Mallie area.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.26.53 ( 03.50.00E); Nest Two 23.19.12 (03.57.54)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/4l4BfjYbvU0 N1 Garry brings Aurora a tiny bit of fish but she takes it anyway 06.59.02

https://youtu.be/1XR3T6twJ-g N2 Dorcha takes fish one from Louis then allows Breac to take it 14.01.16

https://youtu.be/AcWKLikcyc8 N2 And repeat! Dorcha gets fish two from Louis then lets Breac get it 19.28.55

https://youtu.be/_Xh5vhdm9qI N2 Dorcha & Breac are attacked by Darach after he gets hold of fish two 20.29.10

Bonus watch – LizB’s long lens videos from a mile away of Darach and Breac just after Darach fledged yesterday:

Blast from the past, 19th July* in previous years:

https://youtu.be/BIHDRrpe6Qo N1 My turn daddy! Louis feeds Rannoch 2019

https://youtu.be/TwqqSshM42E N1 Doddie drops in to grab all the breakfast 2020

https://youtu.be/-xNiwmN-xQI N1 Doddie does an evening flypast of the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/EYDBamjYrf8 N1 Hey! who put that there? Prince makes an undignified departure 2021

https://youtu.be/304-lrclaZw N1 Third visit by the new pair Blue 152 & Prince YP 2021

https://youtu.be/xW2CIMG3IDM N2 Hooked on you – the chicks get hooked together! 2022

https://youtu.be/lmPZ_jmuEz0 N2 Dorcha reacts to an intruder Osprey seen on camera 2022

https://youtu.be/L1DG3H9gUUM N2 RAF flypast doesn’t stop Louis (2022)

https://youtu.be/k_2pVwLNAZU N2 Louis brings a fish and eats it himself 2023

https://youtu.be/Lq9DbF3I6J4 N2 LY7 does a massive double helicopter! 2023

https://youtu.be/9SyP31iXLbc N2 FLEDGE! Ludo LY7 is off into the world! 2023

https://youtu.be/xArpA43gG1Q N1 Affric 152 receives another fish from Garry 2023

https://youtu.be/6SBcqw1oX38 N1 A Wood Pigeon visits 2024

https://youtu.be/wp5mZUIOlQU N2 No fish and a failed mating attempt 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 19th July 2025
Today was a day for celebration – not only did Breac 7P7 return safely after not returning to the nest after his maiden flight yesterday, but Darach 7P0 also fledged, and returned in time to be fed by his mum Dorcha. His fledge wasn’t the nonchalant take off his brother made – Darach did some flapping, hopping, and squeaking before launching himself off the right edge of the nest and out of sight. However, his return was pretty good, he made a smooth landing looking confident as if he’d been flying for a while. So that’s both chicks achieving this milestone, and while some on the forum express sadness at no longer having them around all the time, this is the major step in their development, their parents have been working towards. Many watchers are celebrating by making a donation towards the upkeep of their home in Arkaig Forest – there are many ways to donate, the easiest one is to use the yellow button on this page above ‘What’s been happening on the nest today?’ All donations of whatever size are gratefully received and will be put to good use. In other news, Louis delivered four fish to the nest today, one of which Breac tried to eat starting from the tail! But soon realised his mistake, flipped it around neatly, and started tearing into the head as Dorcha has shown them. Louis’ tally now stands at three hundred and twenty six, while Garry’s rises by one to one hundred and thirty following his delivery to Aurora today. The promised rain materialised and the chicks were just a damp huddle, the forecast calls for more rain overnight continuing tomorrow with thundery showers, with a low of 16°C tonight and a high of 21°C tomorrow.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.43.27 (03.31.43); Nest Two 23.55.24 (04.00.52)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/lm8l1KbeW_w N2 Darach & Dorcha ignore Louis’ fresh fish preferring the old one 04.56.26https://youtu.be/B56rYKu0NdQ N2 That’s no way to treat your mum! Darach pecks Dorcha 07.13.28 https://youtu.be/B89bbPQVaPk He’s back! Breac returns from his maiden flight N2 09.05.27 https://youtu.be/OdCbe-kLjjA N2 Both helicopter together, Breac takes off for flight two 10.38.00

https://youtu.be/2ks2GzdtlO8 N2 FLEDGE! Darach has done it! also found his wings 13.02.38 (zoom)https://youtu.be/hnm7TNtng34 N2 Dorcha allows Breac to have the second fish 15.45.52 https://youtu.be/i-scN7LGgIY N1 Aurora grabs the fish and goes, Garry stays and tidies up 17.26.48

https://youtu.be/tQMpMSjGkpo N2 He’s back! Darach returns and sticks the landing 17.31.27https://youtu.be/OAkKQWbpQRU N2 Two wet chicks greet Louis arriving with fish number three 18.31.50 Bonus watch – another brilliant video from Steve Quinn of the nest seen from a kilometre away:

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/bzD0ewEZPy0 N1 FLEDGE!! Mallie takes her first flight! 2019

https://youtu.be/nyUAdw2pU64 N1 I’m home mum! Mallie lands gracefully after her maiden flight 2019

https://youtu.be/NZL4TzrXZJ4 N1 A different perspective: the family in split-screen, 2020 (thanks LizB)

https://youtu.be/Dn8RbvlOV_s N1 Vera lands on Captain 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/S9BxyRx0wUA N2 Night moves: LW5 prepares for liftoff 2022

https://youtu.be/EcWKtfYf9OU N2 Have fish will travel: Fish number two arrives, departs and returns 2022

https://youtu.be/Mz4fJSZ_LUQ N2 Dorcha and LW6 fight over a fish 2022

https://youtu.be/T8wtZ_Zrq_E N2 Ludo’s second flight 2023

https://youtu.be/kYV3QZ-BIa8 N2 Ludo’s eventful third flight – gets divebombed and crash lands 2023

https://youtu.be/ZtKWJC9nqiU N1 Affric eventually gets a fish from Garry 2023

https://youtu.be/VmlZ8LP5KjU N2 Ludo makes a perfect landing this time 2023

https://youtu.be/HQpwZ0KNtUU N2 Ludo gets tired of waiting and self-feeds 2023

https://youtu.be/n5V3RcoCZJI N1 Garry arrives with a third fish for Affric 2023

https://youtu.be/yx5Yoxe0feY N2 Not tonight! Dorcha’s not accepting of Louis’ attentions 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/Vkh1bYP9V_U N1 Sweet little singer visits 2024

https://youtu.be/U2bBn4PpMoM N1 Garry LV0 brings a stick and does nest prep 2024

https://youtu.be/jN1-tY56wnA N1 A pair of little birds pay an early evening visit 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 18th July 2025

Today’s main story is Breac 7P7’s fledge. After doing a proper high helicopter off the screen in the morning, around lunchtime he casually had a quick preen, then without any fuss, spread his wings and launched himself out into the world. Older brother Darach 7P0 looked slightly bewildered but mum Dorcha flew off her perch to deal with the interloper, mistaking him for one of the intruders who’ve kept her and Louis busy today. He didn’t return to the nest, but thanks to LizB and her trusty scope, he’s been sighted perching on a tree behind the nest. Link in the bonus section to those trees via the drone flyover video. Despite intruder alarms, Louis delivered four fish to the nest, taking his tally to three hundred and twenty two. Nest One cam was up and running again this morning, allowing us to see Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 on the nest. He didn’t bring her any fish but they did have a successful mating, and when Affric 152 intruded and landed on the nest, they flew off together in the same direction showing their strong bond which bodes well for next year. His tally remains at one hundred and twenty nine. The weather was settled today, the thundery showers didn’t materialise but are forecast to show up tomorrow with a high of 22°C, but overnight it’s expected to be dry and partly cloudy with light winds, and a low of 14°C.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.41.29 (03.51.51E); Nest Two (04.08.30)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/FAR3H2mrmRY N2 Darach wins the tug of war for fish one 06.59.30

https://youtu.be/jiKLX7mriNA N1 Garry and Aurora are scared off by Affric 11.02.30

https://youtu.be/Dehz9bEl9po N2 Breac gets high! Proper off-the-screen helicopter 09.40.27

https://youtu.be/Y3McAjshYKw N2 FLEDGE! Breac 7P7 has found his wings and flown! 13.23.30

https://youtu.be/G_madcp0b3c N2 Louis brings a second fish but only one chick is there 14.51.40

https://youtu.be/632J3R7_bUk N2 Darach is alone on the nest and gets fish three to himself 16.59.16

https://youtu.be/JIAeVM0yzpY N2 Darach does a good job of tackling a whole fish, 4th today 21.56.24

Bonus watch – LizB has spotted Breac 7P7 perched behind the nest, in the trees seen in this drone flyover video:

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/hVAZXaUtY_M N1 Did Aila pop out for a quick pint? Looks tipsy on landing! 2019

https://youtu.be/25QSyNV93w8 N1 Sibling rivalry – Rannoch gets a beating 2019

https://youtu.be/fZq4NVQVZGk N1 FLEDGE! Doddie finds his wings 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Chopin 2020)

https://youtu.be/FXbWOQ9_eII N1 Vera and Captain bow to Doddie 2020

https://youtu.be/jzeN92U37KU N2 Dorcha makes off with fish number two, chicks not happy 2022

https://youtu.be/QLDYCp-9mQE N2 Dorcha makes room for LW5 to wingercise 2022

https://youtu.be/gGXO_xyQDws N1&2 RAF do another flypast – three jets this time 2023

https://youtu.be/vxdVywfJT3U N1 Garry finally brings a fish for Affric 2023

https://youtu.be/mmcV4tRItZk N2 LY7 gets high! Proper helicopter! 2023

https://youtu.be/qaojgIgK74A WTScotsocial tweet and footage of 1JR tucking into his fish dinner in Spain 2024

https://youtu.be/wa59vTuwYJc N2 No fish, just a failed mating attempt 2024

https://youtu.be/pxWsh7-M96g N2 Is this a juvenile Tawny Owl calling nearby? 2024

From the Ventana Wildlife Society. I am starting with a quote from the newsletter. The work that these remarkable individuals do should get the highest praise. There are few of them and they really live their lives caring for these amazing creatures.

“If you watched our wildlife documentary, Condor Canyon, you got to know Amigo (204) and his long-time mate, Kodama (646). Often the first condors seen by blossoming birders in Big Sur, CA, Amigo and Kodama were fixtures in their territory at Sea Lion Cove. They raised three biological chicks together playing a key role in the recovery of the species.

On December 13, 2024, Amigo was found deceased on the cliffs of his coastal territory. It is known that condors can live more than 5 decades, however, at the time of his death, Amigo was just 25 years old. Necropsy results confirmed his cause of death was lead poisoning. The lead bullet recovered from his digestive tract was consistent with a .22 caliber. While this caliber is legal in California, lead-based ammunition has been banned for hunting wildlife since 2019 due to its devastating effects on condors and other wildlife. Lead poisoning accounts for half of all known causes of death in condors and unfortunately for Amigo, his life was cut short.

However, this isn’t about blame, but rather, about solutions. Hunters and ranchers across California are following the law and doing their part to protect wildlife. Many responsible land stewards want to make the switch but still face limited availability of reliable non-lead options for smaller calibers like .22, which is America’s most popular rifle. Expanding access and awareness is key to protecting condors and supporting people whose livelihoods depend on working and living off the land.

Let’s honor Amigo’s legacy by advancing practical tools and partnerships that benefit both people and wildlife. If you or anyone you know hunts or has a ranch in central California, please pass along information about our Free Non-lead Ammunition Program. Click or tap the button below to get started.” That button is in the newsletter. If it doesn’t work, go to their website.

Lead toxicity impacts more than just condors. Many of the Bald Eagles taken into care have enormous amounts of lead, so don’t just do this for the condors, do it for all raptors. Call for a lead-free world in terms of ammunition (both recreational and military) as well as in fishing gear, etc. It is do dangerous!

The Full Crop Download

I have received news from ‘TU’ that the mother stork hit by the car in the Czech Republic has died. Thankfully, her storklets are doing very well. Had their rescue taken any longer, it might have been a different story.

‘TU’ and I also discussed Bonus the much beloved Black Storklet that was orphaned, raised for a bit in a clinic with Urmas and Dr Madis, and then fostered by Karl II and Kaia. We all loved Bonus and followed ‘his’ journeys and then his satellite transmitter went dead and our hearts sank. Well, Bonus might not have a transmitter but SHE is very much alive and has been seen and photographed at many nests. Urmas also agrees that Bonus is a female. Yippee. I hope that Bonus finds a safe nest – many more are needed along with artificial ponds full of frogs and little fish – but that she lives long, raises many storklets, and carries on the DNA of her parents, Jan and Janika.

Grandaughter Elysha highly recommends David Attenborough’s Ocean. It is a documentary that raises the issue of overfishing in the ocean and sheds light on our beloved albatross. Please check out the official trailer and then find the documentary on your streaming channel: https://youtu.be/O7V8OuS2BMY?

A new FB group that also looks at Kakapo.

The Cornell Red Tail Hawks, Big Red, and Arthur’s Os are still enjoying their time around the Cornell Campus and having Mum and Dad provide them with meals!~

Thank you so very much for being with us. We are taking a brief retreat-type holiday this week. The forecast, however, is for rain both where we live and at our destination. It is easier to be home to care for Don and Toby, but we are going with open minds and eyes, knowing that home is only 2 hours and 20 minutes away! My Friday blog may be short.

Brock is waiting for food. Then the wasps came and he left. Thankfully, he returned and ate his entire meal. I felt relieved, as he doesn’t look so good these days.

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PB, PS, TU’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all those at Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal FB. I am very grateful to you and all the others and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Friday in Bird World

18 July 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

We hope that the week was kinder to you than it was to the little osplets on the nests. Gosh, I hate to be a bearer of bad news. This year has really ‘gotten’ to me and Heidi. She said something very important on Tuesday and I hope she does not mind my repeating it since it was public. Heidi wrote, “I love them, and I want to be there for them… because it is happening to them whether we watch or not. If they can endure the pain, then so can I.” Precisely how I feel and I know from many of you who have written to me in the middle of the night that you sit up and virutally hold their little talons as they pass. Thank you for being there for them.

The plight is getting news coverage – keep up the pressure! Thanks, Heidi.

Menhaden Scarcity Leads to Bleak Outlook for Ospreys – The SandPaper Download

The book decluttering was quite the event. The final books went to the fire station thanks to my neighbour for their book drive. They were shocked to get thousands of almost new books! A great place for them. A win-win. The picnic table is assembled. The new beds are lovely and now, the last task is to pick a paint colour for the living room. It is the only room that I am going to refresh. Sometimes these things can become overwhelming so the goal is to stop before that becomes a reality.

In a week, we are going on a short holiday. Toby is going and The Girls are staying with Anne. On our return, Toby will begin his training. The trainer will come to our home. Looking forward.

There has been some sadness in the garden. We discovered that we had two baby Blue Jays. This evening when we took Toby on his walk, he wanted to go a different direction than normal. There in the back lane was one of the Baby Blue Jays. It had either hit one of the utility lines or landed on one and fell to its death. We scooped it up and brought it home burying it under the lime green hydrangea – a place where the little ones often flew. So sad. The adults work so hard to raise their young and in the end, so few survive those first months. There is also other sadness coming. For two nights Brock has not wanted to eat. He rests on the chairs on the deck and then goes back to the woodbox. Despite supplements, lots of good quality hard and wet food, dewormer, Brock is getting thinner and thinner. He does not run away from me but only allows me so close. I told him tonight how much his presence has meant to me and that I only wish he had trusted me enough to let me help him. He will be buried in the garden when he passes under the very large Crab Apple tree. I hope this time is not soon, but it feels as if it is. Send Brock your good wishes. All of this coloured what was to be a fun birthday party for Missey. So we will postpone that for a couple of days. The height of the party will be a small container of KFC. Missey loves KFC!!!!!!

‘PS’ report from Seattle Friday morning: “The two chicks continue to seem to do quite well, with multiple feedings witnessed, lots of flapping and hopping up and down on one leg, and some eating (though also a lot of still being fed by mom). I imagine, if all goes well, they will be fledging within the next 7-10 days? Can’t wait!

Managed a lucky capture of mom coming back to the nest with a Starry Flounder one day, too. Rest of the photos here (https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/00d128UF4o). “

Mum has turned out to be a great fisher! It is so nice to see a nest doing well. They did lose one chick but these two are really flapping and getting strong. Thanks, ‘PS’

Some osprey nests have been neglected. As I race to try and decipher all my notes and get the data into the forms, it is time to start at the top and check to see what is happening. Before I do that, my inbox is full of great individuals wanting to help stop the commercial fishing that is taking all the Menhaden. Here is a new posting from Ben Wurtz and his team at Conserve Wildlife NJ.

First, pick a story to make the decline of ospreys ‘real’. Ask these lawmakers if they want to be the ones to go down in history as the killers of the Chesapeake and the cause of osprey genocide? Here is the individual listings of everyone in the Virginia House of Delegates and their e-mail addresses. Write to them. Make it clear what is at stake. Make it personal. Then sit down and write the radio, local television, local newspapers, anyone who will listen. We are gaining traction in our fight to get a moratorium. I want that and a clear 10 mile limit with no use of helicopters or spotter planes!

Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings Download

Heidi’s Osprey Report:

Allin’s Cove East: The trio are approximately six and a half weeks old. They will be thinking of fledging very soon.

Allin’s Cove West: One chick on the nest. It looks good.

City of Independence: The fishing seems to have slacked off a bit. River and Laurel have two osplets and there is a Bald Eagle nest right across the river! No doubt the eagles try and grab some of that fish that River catches for his family.

Charlo Montana: Mum and both osplets got lots of fish on Thursday evening. Delighted.

Dyfi: All fledglings are on the nest and accounted for Tuesday evening.

Dunrovin:

Latest Dunrovin Ranch newsletter:

Heat Masks and High Drama in the Nest Download

Thursday evening at Dunrovin. Little 4 figured out, after several attempts, how to get up and get some of that fish! Thank goodness.

Alyth SS: Flora is an incredible Mum. They lost one this year but two will fledge.

Birds of Poole Harbour: CJ7 and Blue 022 make beautiful babies. Blue has stepped up his fishing and everyone is full to the brim before light’s out.

Glaslyn: Elen continues to keep a careful watch over her nest, which appears she will share with Teifi if both safely return from migration nest season.

Foulshaw Moss 1: Home to White YW and Blue 35.

Steelscape: Two osplets were ringed on Wednesday the 16th!

Yorkshire Dales Castle Bolton Estate: Ringing of three osplets!

San Jose City Hall Falcons thanks to SK Hideaways! https://youtu.be/gWiPEYENiFk?

Cornell Red-tail Hawks and Ferris Akel: Ferris managed to catch up with the Os.

One or more of the Os have been sleeping in the natal nest on the Fernow Tower recently,

Bald Eagles on the mend at Hoo’s Woods:

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 17th July 2025

Nest One cam went down shortly after day cam switched over and is still down – technical issues mean it might be down for a while. Fortunately Nest Two cam is unaffected, as all eyes are on the nest awaiting the fledge of the two chicks, which didn’t happen today but is imminent. There were several intruder alerts causing Dorcha to alarm call but no intruders were seen. The chicks spent a great deal of time hopping, flapping, and getting quite high liftoff, and also spent a bit of time peering over the edge and triangulating, the process of determining distance or location which takes the form of rapid head bobbing by the chicks. Louis delivered four fish to the nest taking his tally to three hundred and eighteen. Due to the cam outage we have no idea if any fish were delivered to Nest One today, therefore Garry’s tally remains at one hundred and nine, however off-nest reports from LizB suggest both Nest One residents, Garry and Aurora, were in the area. The rain materialised later than forecast and is expected to last through the night with thundery showers, light winds, and a low of 16°C, and continue tomorrow with thundery showers, gentle breezes, a high of 21°C and a few sunny intervals.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One cam still down since 03.48.19 (03.05.51); Nest Two 22.57.45 (03.51.26)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/WS8ORUqI5A4 N2 The chicks have a tug-of-war over fish number one: Breac wins 05.01.58

https://youtu.be/JT-ncpD1424 N2 Dorcha’s absent when fish two arrives so Breac takes it 07.28.22

https://youtu.be/pBRkRI0jyBk N2 Breac helicopters and hovers getting ready for fledging 09.51.51

https://youtu.be/54NqajNZADI N2 Dorcha returns in time to get fish three from Louis 14.05.26

https://youtu.be/rc1Ez7Lsdg0 N2 No one wants fish four so Louis drops and goes 16.45.39

Bonus video – Woodland Trust’s restoration work at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest featuring gentle giant Tarzan:

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/ck2Pg7Q5eLY N1 You little plucker! Aila has her feathers plucked out 2019

https://youtu.be/lgknSbXblXc N1 Louis brings a protesting pike 2020

https://youtu.be/iDqoJdLmn_k N1 Doddie gets high – helicoptering! 2020

https://youtu.be/h-Cl2LeaLKE N2 Early morning wingercising: getting ready for lift off 2022

https://youtu.be/JVDiG_6Oyuo N2 Dorcha is attacked by her chick 2022

https://youtu.be/g0lqwAW8cgo N2 Pesky persistent Hoodie 2022

https://youtu.be/KZglDL7mQK0 N2 Three females and a colourful sunset 2022

https://youtu.be/azPfrKSwNcA N2 Loud gunshot near the nest – Dorcha flees instantly 2023

https://youtu.be/vwRQv_1sNL0 N1 Affric follows Garry to the nest but he has no fish 2023

https://youtu.be/CwKUyPR_ync N1 & N2 Noisy RAF jets disturb the females on both nests 2023

https://youtu.be/AogYtfshRZU N2 Dorcha’s unwieldy stick nearly knocks the chick off! 2023

https://youtu.be/4wpfSlXahCc N2 Louis & Dorcha meet on the nest but there’s no fish 2024

https://youtu.be/-M7049KwfMA N1 Who does a distant flash flypast? 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 16th July 2025
The weather was settled today and it looked a good day for first flights, but neither chick fledged. Perhaps the intruder alerts in the morning put them off as they spent a lot of time pancaked and didn’t make any helicopter attempts today. They did however do plenty of wingercising and bunny hops, including an amusing incident when Breac 7P7 did a flap and a hop from one side of the nest to the other and landed on Darach 7P0’s back in a flurry of wings then immediately hopped backwards again. Right before that they’d been perfectly in sync, both standing at the front of the nest turning in unison to watch something off-cam then checking out the view over the edge. Steve Quinn was also checking out the view from his vantage point a kilometre away and took some stunning long lens footage of the nest and its residents, link to his video in the bonus section. It was also a good day for fishing – Garry LV0 brought two fish for Aurora 536, and further strengthened their bond with what looked like a successful mating attempt. His tally now stands at one hundred and twenty nine fish. Louis brought five fish to the nest, taking his tally to three hundred and fourteen, but Dorcha didn’t get all of them as the chicks especially Breac are asserting themselves and taking fish directly from Louis as he lands. Tonight’s forecast is dry overnight with a clear sky, light winds and a low of 13

°C but it’ll change tomorrow to heavy rain, a gentle breeze and a high of 23°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.43.23 (02.56.41); Nest Two 23.39.24 (03.28.04)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/VtMiUVtqDmc N2 Early breakfast arrives 04.07.14https://youtu.be/8Ca-PVst_OM N2 Darach takes the second fish from Louis 06.02.56https://youtu.be/8bUM0B9iWBg N1 Aurora calls for fish but Garry mates with her instead 06.53.40

https://youtu.be/7DW28KMMB80 N1 Garry responds to Aurora’s calls with a fish 14.09.44

https://youtu.be/4rn3HjvGPRMN2 The chicks take fish three from Louis and tussle over it 14.14.14

https://youtu.be/qKdynluAV9k N1 Aurora squeaks her excitement at getting a second fish 18.37.47

https://youtu.be/YFu-Ctayry4 N2 In and out of sync: the chicks together on the nest 19.20.57https://youtu.be/gaUsRO5PJFo N2 Against a colourful sunset, Louis delivers a fourth fish 21.47.05

https://youtu.be/3UCjzdxVnEc N2 Late night fish supper, fish five, arrives 22.43.22
Bonus watch – Steve Quinn’s amazing long lens video of the nest from a kilometre away:

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/4Ab9eT-jFjE N1 Louis finally turns up with fish, gets mobbed by hangry chicks 2020

https://youtu.be/dED37P7d8HQ N1 Synchronised stretching 2020

https://youtu.be/VOjowNQ9fqE N2 Stretching & squirting: what the chicks get up to home alone at night 2022

https://youtu.be/3BVXtY_Bzx0 N2 Louis flies with fish 2022 (slo-mo zoom)

https://youtu.be/BF_0tp4x8j8 N2 Hi def version of Dorcha’s injury 2022 (slo-mo zoom)

https://youtu.be/h817CRnJtF0 N2 That’s no way to treat your mum! 2022

https://youtu.be/CSswPOm8JvE N2 LY7 nibbles the rotten egg 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/yn79acfwWD0 N2 The infertile egg is finally crushed by LY7! 2023

https://youtu.be/8SQiPHQE5tw N1 Affric and Garry check out an intruder threat 2023

https://youtu.be/bcctn-mHR5s Comedy moment: the wind blows Louis away during a mating attempt 2024

https://youtu.be/tmvFGPHenBo How does Louis manage to fly with a 10 foot pole? 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 15th July 2025
Intruder alerts and mini-helicopters were the order of the day but not much in the way of fish. Louis delivered only two fish today, a breakfast fish at 5am and a late night supper around 10.45 pm, taking his tally to three hundred and nine. However, an intruder Osprey was in the area causing multiple alarms and came close enough to be caught on camera on one occasion, which would have occupied Louis’ attention, and the second fish was a big lively trout, good for several dinners worth. The chicks’ energy levels are high enough for them to be preparing for fledging by flapping energetically, lifting off, and doing little hovers throughout the day when they weren’t pancaking because of the intruder alarms. Over on Nest One, Aurora 536 had a long wait before Garry LV0 finally brought her a fish at 8.15pm – was she the intruder at Nest Two, looking for free fish? The timings would work but the intruder wasn’t seen clearly – and his tally now stands at one hundred and twenty seven. The weather was mainly settled and set to continue with light clouds, light winds and a low of 12

°C overnight changing to sunny intervals and light winds with a high of 23°C tomorrow. Perfect for fledging? We shall have to wait and see!Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 00.07.30 (03.17.10); Nest Two 00.33.44 (03.34.57)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/AARQYgzR5Vo N2 Breakfast arrives and again Breac gets the fish first 05.31.11

https://youtu.be/pU9KyEAD0bQ N2 Intruder Osprey seen on nest cam – both adults defend 09.09.23

https://youtu.be/77_DfKJgquw N2 Lift off! The chicks get ready to fledge 11.51.14

https://youtu.be/jGPJxnvnJFw N1 Finally! Aurora’s first fish arrives at suppertime 20.14.53

https://youtu.be/bn1_moU9mZ8n N2 Late night lively fish supper arrives, fish number two 22.46.14Bonus watch – with fledging imminent, here’s what our chicks will see when they find their wings:

https://youtu.be/wiSNcrl7_mM and https://youtu.be/JALrf51Ljfk

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/Y6uqbk9cB5I N1 Aila sees off an Intruder Osprey landing on the nest 2019

https://youtu.be/d1TPzhnNURo N1 Aila lands on a chick and gets nipped 2020

https://youtu.be/iFO12gpfwOs N1 Daylight sonata: Doddie in slow motion 2020 (Classic Ospreys – Beethoven)

https://youtu.be/2qGCifFHKS0 N1 Vera dances, Doddie joins in, Captain just watches 2020

https://youtu.be/9sIzFlMDITo N2 Lovely wingercising by both chicks 2022

https://youtu.be/FfxiO3U1nu4 N2 Ready – aim – sorry mum.. 2023 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/LXNdASNtViU N1 Affric departs Nest One after no response to her calls 2023

https://youtu.be/AM_F3zl7x9I N2 LY7 wingercises facing the nest cam 2023 (slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/rmFJdA2wDCc N1 Juvenile Buzzard (Buteo buteo) visits 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/5Y9kwM70tXI N2 Two fish in two days! Louis brings an early breakfast 2024

https://youtu.be/qJEOIijj5Hc Valencia: the chicks are preening, plus tweets & FB posts 13-15th July 2024

https://youtu.be/h9oCsNTe8zE N2 Louis returns and this time gives Dorcha the fish 2024

Moraine State Park: First fledge Wednesday morning.

Tweed Valley:

Cornell Red-tail Hawks with N Sirohi:

Fish for all – just not industry. The petition on Change.org has gathered all the required signatures. Letters are going out to members of the Virginia Legislature. Keep sending them. I am reminding them that they could go down in history as the individuals who killed the Chesapeake Bay. Shame.

‘A’ brings us up to date with what is happening in Australia: “I have two major concerns about WBSE this year. First, the gap between the laying of the two eggs is huge – nearly 80 hours (17:50 on 4 July to 01:15 on 8 July) – although delayed incubation was practised until the second egg was laid. Already, I’m hoping that first hatch will be a male. Second, there have been a number of days when no prey has been brought to the nest at all and I am wondering why. Of course it’s not a major concern at the moment but when there are two fast-growing eaglets in that nest, it will matter a lot more than it currently does. Also, Lady and Dad are not the only white-bellied sea eagles on the block, with another adult eagle being spotted on the river a few days ago. That is wonderful of course but it also makes me a trifle nervous, for obvious reasons.

Dad has been doing his share of the incubating, with the pair splitting the nest-sitting duties fairly evenly on many days, though Lady always takes the night shifts. Dad has been sleeping close by and is very attentive. I love how keen the dads are for egg time (and later on, for chick time). These sea eagles really are exquisite birds. I love the delicacy of their heads.

At Orange, there is much bonding and mating occurring. Diamond and Xavier are adorable, and both are looking particularly healthy and well fed.

Eggs are still six weeks away at Port Lincoln and we have heard nothing about Collins Street so far this season.”

Many of you will recall that we had hoped to go and see Puffins this summer. It did not happen. Today an article appeared in The Guardian showing how climate change and the heating of our planet is impacting these precious little seabirds.

How this summer’s heatwaves are affecting breeding birdshttps://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/jul/17/how-summer-heatwaves-affecting-breeding-birds?CMP=share_btn_url

The bird of the week!

Cochabamba Mountain Finch Rufous and Slate Download

Missey, Calico, Baby Hope, Hugo Yugo, Toby and all the garden family including Brock wish you a very happy weekend.

Including Baby Blue Jay (the adults are moulting and have lost their crests).

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care everyone. See you on Monday!

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PS’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts and articles, including The Guardian, Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all those at Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal FB. I am very grateful. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Monday in Bird World

14 July 2025

Happy Monday! We hope that you had a great weekend.

The three Blue Jays living in the trees in my garden will wake you up! This is how they sound when I deliver a new pail of peanuts. They have lost all their trees but one, and I saw a new orange circle on it, which means it will be cut down, too. Thankfully, we have a home for them.

I want to start with some interesting news and a request for help. Two years ago, Michael St John from Barbados took some photos of an Osprey with a Blue Darvic Ring. That number was Blue KW0. It was unfamiliar. Where was it from? And how did it get to Barbados? Well, it was from the United Kingdom, and whether it was blown off course, got on a ship, one will never know, but it wound up in Barbados and was photographed by Michael. Now he has another quandrum that he is hoping we can help – especially if you are or know someone who is a specialist in Harriers.

There are several species of harriers, all belonging to the genus Circus. The most well-known include the Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), the Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), and the Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus). Other species include the Eastern Marsh Harrier, African Marsh Harrier, Swamp Harrier, Malagasy Harrier, Réunion Harrier, Long-winged Harrier, Spotted Harrier, Black Harrier, Cinereous Harrier, and Pallid Harrier. Some species, like the Papuan Harrier and Eyles’ Harrier, are also recognised.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
Northern Harrier:
Found in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and they prefer open habitats like marshes and grasslands.
Marsh Harrier:
A group of harriers, including the Western Marsh Harrier, Eastern Marsh Harrier, and others, is often associated with marshland and reedbeds.
Montagu’s Harrier:
A migratory species, often confused with other harriers due to similar plumage.
Other Species:
The African Marsh Harrier, Swamp Harrier, Malagasy Harrier, Réunion Harrier, Long-winged Harrier, Spotted Harrier, Black Harrier, Cinereous Harrier, and Pallid Harrier each have unique geographic distributions and characteristics.
Harriers – Raptor Identification – The complete raptors guide
The classification of some harrier species, particularly within the marsh harrier group, is still being refined.

This is a young Reunion Harrier (Raptors are the Solution).

Michael St John has sought out the advice of many agencies and I was happy that one of them acknowledged that raptors (birds of all types) get off course.

Doing his own research, Michael has these findings:

“1/ Prominent white rump patch at base of tail

2/ Length of tail…its an obvious longer than normal tail

3/ Five fingers on the hand, makes it either a Northern or Hen, female. This Rules out Pallid and Montague, they have 4 fingers on the hand.

4/ Faint white ring around neck

5/ Wing Bars pattern

6/ Curve of the beak

7/ Yellowish legs

8/ Underbelly plumage: yellow/ ochre streaking

9/ I notice the curvature of the trailing edge of the secondaries in the Female Hen and not the Female Northern, the northern has straighter trailing edge secondaries. I haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere in the literature, I just see this feature popping out in the online photos.

After carefully reviewing Northern & Hen Pictures online I’ve ruled out Northern completely and the 5 photos below, in my opinion… are identical to Hen, female.

My call at this stage of research is Female Hen Harrier.”

These are the images. This is the type of detail you need if you are looking to properly identify a ‘vagrant’.

Still, Michael wants to be certain, and he is reaching out to anyone who is an expert to assist in this identification. Note that Barbados is far south and closer to South America. It is easy for birds from Central America and Africa to get off course and wind up in this region.

Thank you so much for any help. You can leave a comment or write to me at maryannsteggles@icloud.com

‘PS’ sends us the Seattle report for the weekend:

A good weekend for the nest! Numerous feeds (including one where Harry brought back the rear half of the largest fish I’ve seen on the nest this year!) seen on July 11, 12, and 13, and both chicks continue to do well and look good! They both continue to flex their wings a lot, with one jumping ever so slightly up on one leg yesterday. Also they are both trying to take bites out of food on their own, with the larger one actually feeding itself yesterday! Mom had brought back a Coho Salmon and was feeding one chick when the other started pecking at something – I couldn’t tell what. But when it turned sideways to me I could see it had another salmon in its beak! I guess there was a “spare” fish in the nest that it decided to try and eat. Mom and sibling took several funny looking glances at the youngster as it tried to rip pieces off the fish, but it did so many times so seemed to successfully (if inefficiently) feed itself. Several intercept missions by both mom and dad, and I spotted a group of 3 Osprey hanging out atop a nearby crane (that drew Sally off the nest). ~40 days old now, give or take – fingers remain crossed! Few pics here, many more up here (https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/8459V5m6z6).

Check out Ping’s gorgeous images on his Flickr account. Link is in the information above!

Sharon Pollock sent the following video link to me remarking that I might cry my eyes out. I did. Get the tissues. It is the story of T3 from egg to fledge. Remarkably raised by a single Mum! https://youtu.be/xj8ZQw63Nzw?

Mrs T is a very remarkable eagle. I have seen others raise eaglets alone but never from the egg to fledge. Great video by Explore!

In the United States, several osprey nests have been attacked by individuals in boats. On Sunday, the three osplets at Smallwood were forced to fledge. They have not returned, and we do not know if they drowned or if they made it to a safe place. The individuals in the boat repeatedly returned to the nest.

So many other nests in the US struggling for food and with high heat or both.

Heidi’s Osprey Nest Reports for the US:

Chick 2’s passing at Cape Henlopen… I don’t intend to post a separate nest-news item regarding this.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15stgoZpQ9

Thank you, Heidi.

We have sadness at the Osoyoos nest in British Columbia. The first hatch was stepped on and died. The second died. Ann-Marie Watson has created a flower garden in memory of all the osplets lost at this nest—poor little souls. I also want to add that she has returned to Osoyoos after working and heading home to retrieve the little bodies that fell off the nest to place them in a quiet, peaceful spot. Her actions always touched my heart – no one else in the town seemed to care! Many have passed away over the years, primarily due to heat domes affecting the region and the male Olsens’ struggles to provide for their family adequately.

Waiting for a food delivery while keeping her four osplets cool at Dunrovin Ranch in Colorado.

Swoop just flew in with a late Sunday evening fish. Thanks, ‘PB’.

Little 4 is full.

Charlo Montana – waiting for Charlie to finish with the fish!

It is hot in Idaho at Coeur de’Alene where the three osplets seem to be doing very well after the starvation of little four.

Birds of Poole Harbour: All four fledglings were back in the nest for night with fish arriving at the following times: 10:02, 16:14, 18:32, 19:29, 21:17. Big round of applause for CJ7 and Blue 022 – they raised four to fledge again.

Dyfi Osprey Project: All three back in the nest for an evening fish and a good sleep.

Everything to know about the fledging of Idris and Telyn’s trio:

All Three Chicks Fledge 2025 _ Dyfi Osprey Project Download

Rutland Manton Bay: The three surviving osplets return on and off during the day for fish, which is continually provided!

Alyth SS: Sadly we lost Oakley to siblicide/starvation when they were fullty feathered. The two older osplets are doing well.

Llyn Clywedog 1: Seren and Dylan have had their first fledge since Friday.

Foulshaw Moss 1: White YW and Blue 35 have their first fledge.

At Finnish #3 nest, the Raven helps himself to the three osprey eggs.

At Wildnis-Goitzsche, Zeus delivers the last fish of the day as the sunset captures the reflections. The osplet has fledged. Thanks, Joan Castnyer. https://youtu.be/bdWWyZ_vFK4?

Other images form the live stream from Wildnis-Goitzsche:

Renee and Ricci doing very well at Eschenbach!

Up close and personal with Bety and Bukacek’s two storklets at Mlade Buky.

A nest full of storks in Trutnove in the Czech Republic.

Two Black Stork babies waiting for a food delivery in Bolewice, Poland.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 13th July 2025
Today was all about helicopters – both chicks spent considerable amounts of time practising lift off, and even getting quite high, but not the only-feet- visible-on-nest-cam sort of height for a true helicopter. However, practice makes perfect, and provided Dorcha doesn’t push them over the edge, as nearly happened to Darach 7P0 this evening, both chicks are on course to fledge this week. Louis delivered four fish to the nest, the second of which was his three hundredth for the season, but at times the chicks seemed more interested in bunny hopping and wingercising than eating, although Breac 7P7 did grab a fish directly from Louis, hold it away from Dorcha, and start having a munch on it. Louis’ tally now stands at three hundred and two. There were a couple of intruder alarms, but no one seen on nest cam, although over on Nest One, a shadow was seen briefly as Aurora 536 flapped her wings and squeaked before flying off. Garry LV0 brought her two fish – well, one and a half really, the second was just a small piece – and his tally rises to one hundred and twenty five. He also brought several sticks, one of which he actually rode in on and perched upon for a comedy moment. It was hot again today, at 29.7

°C slightly hotter than the forecasted 29°C, and the overnight conditions call for partly cloudy and light winds with a low of 16°C but the temperature is expected to drop tomorrow to a high of only 20°C, with thundery showers and a gentle breeze to cool things down.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.51.42 (02.48.36); Nest Two 23.41.08 (03.13.59)

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/kIin3dspeg8 N2 Dorcha returns one second after Louis brings breakfast 04.32.09https://youtu.be/-TCD6tobTbw N1 As the sun rises, Garry brings a fish for Aurora 05.21.12https://youtu.be/sZJGRtOX3CM N2 Today’s second fish is also season’s number 300! 07.16.54https://youtu.be/qc9jnAuqO6o N1 Garry shows off his pole vaulting skills but Aurora wants fish 11.21.51

https://youtu.be/G2Kg57yBQIE N2 Breac 7P7 takes fish three from Louis 13.54.20

https://youtu.be/Lvw0yyPQVY4 N2 Both chicks practise helicopters until Dorcha returns to dish up fish 14.11.36

https://youtu.be/v0e4qbX8bmA N1 Aurora receives half a trout from Garry, second fish today 15.37.39

https://youtu.be/7x9lw0-yZmg N2 When Louis delivers a fourth fish neither chick seems interested 16.18.36

https://youtu.be/Y0dlcEBocmg N2 Danger! Dorcha nearly causes Darach to have an early fledge 21.59.39 (slo-mo zoom)Bonus action: voting now open for Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/11/beatles-virginia-woolf-uk-tree-of-the-year-shortlist-culture

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/0Cl8FINNtoo N1 Ouch! Ungrateful chick! (2019)

https://youtu.be/ffII5_YiOdg N1 The chicks’ names are revealed on BBC Breakfast (2020)

https://youtu.be/GP_us9LEcMw N1 Doddie JJ6 tackles nest furnishings (2020)

https://youtu.be/CGdPBqFGdz8 N2 Dorcha brings a very big stick (2022)

https://youtu.be/bN7HPh85yqs N2 Takes two to tangle! The girls are hooked! (2022)

https://youtu.be/UcwVIYkX9kc Ospreys and wildlife disturbances: BBC Breakfast 2023

https://youtu.be/LOk6dL2laVY N2 LY7 kicks the egg and gets in a flap preparing for lift off 2023

https://youtu.be/S68l64FV5oQ N1 Affric departs chased by another bird 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/f4cyHgyr1-c N2 Louis is heard skydancing before landing 2024

https://youtu.be/39BScubJvE0 N2 Louis affirms his bond with Dorcha with a mating attempt 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 12th July 2025

On a hot day where temperatures soared to more than 33°C, the chicks didn’t seem to want extra fish, in fact, they appeared uninterested when the second and third fish arrived, preferring to wingercise and do the odd bunny hop. As seems to be the pattern now, Breac 7P7 acts keen on fledging first, flapping energetically and attempting lift off more than his older brother Darach 7P0. Louis brought three fish to the nest, taking his tally to two hundred and ninety eight, and despite appearances the chicks did eat enough to get the fuel they need at this stage of development. Dorcha had her fill of fish too, and spent time perching on the high perch or out of sight behind the nest on the cam post, relaxed despite being dive bombed by an intruder Osprey who buzzed the nest twice before leaving the area. Was it Aurora 536? The timings would work, but the intruder wasn’t seen clearly enough to notice if there was the blue flash of a Darvic ring. Garry LV0 brought two fish to Nest One but took the first away as the nest was empty. Aurora turned up too late shortly afterwards but was present when Garry delivered the second fish, and did her usual grab and mantle before leaving with it. Garry’s tally now stands at one hundred and twenty-three. Tonight’s overnight forecast is clear sky and light winds and a low of 15°C, continuing very hot tomorrow with sunshine, light winds and a high of 29°C.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 00.17.27 (02.42.05); Nest Two no switchover as at 00.45 (03.07.08)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Xo_q03kNy3M N2 Louis arrives with a not so early breakfast 07.56.37

https://youtu.be/v8IwCZVzsIE N1 Garry takes fish one away as Aurora’s not there 08.51.08

https://youtu.be/sjjZaaIqymE N2 Dorcha is divebombed by an intruder Osprey 15.22.31

https://youtu.be/FiGyxf_ToX8 N1 Louis brings a second fish but the chicks don’t seem interested 17.29.18

https://youtu.be/Ki-EokaeiA8 N1 Aurora’s there this time to take the second fish 18.09.46

https://youtu.be/201ZoZUQV58 N2 Third fish arrives but Breac’s busy flapping and trying to get airborne 21.15.40

Bonus look – in case you missed Jelf’s artwork yesterday, here’s her fabulous drawing of our family:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/o6r9cg4s5wtvfaj3tcx28/ospreys-at-arkaig.jpg?rlkey=2m1969sw0xgmzsnye3dch4cha&st=rjo91bu5&dl=0

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/7TuZUUU01Zk N1 Fish arrives but Aila is reacting to an intruder 2020

https://youtu.be/Wikzl0L2al0 N1 The chicks are too big for mumbrella 2020

https://youtu.be/y9bWx04ZpDs N1 Silver tourist arrives but Aila keeps calling 2020

https://youtu.be/j9Q-6R_wTsA N2 Dorcha in hi-def close up 2022

https://youtu.be/gQtZdZ87KiY N1 Is that Louis chasing away visitors? 2022

https://youtu.be/mVPRbvjXYak N2 Meet LW5 and LW6: now we await the gender info 2022

https://youtu.be/qVf3XW17uNY N2 Chick self feeds, moves around the nest holding a fish 2023

https://youtu.be/s9fhcpnTL90 N2 Chick plays football with the egg 2023

https://youtu.be/Iq1v2o1P-Yo N1 Late night mating attempt but no fish 2023

https://youtu.be/Nb4V8EKa_os WTS tweets and footage of our chick 1JR in the Spanish aviary 2024

https://youtu.be/Zv55S0PD-T0 N2 Dorcha arrives fish-calling, Louis arrives but brings no fish 2024

https://youtu.be/WnoPi5nkNGY N1 Garry LV0 brings nesting materials and keeps a lonely vigil 2024

There is so much news. The UK osplets are taking to the skies. All four of Blue 33 and Maya’s chicks have fledged. Sadly, we lost one who found himself in the water near the shore. A post-mortem is being conducted. Ringing has finished as far as I know. I wonder how many osplets over the entire UK were fitted with their Darvic rings and their BTO identification. I will try and find out.

Some include:

I am happy to report that the three osplets at the Green Ledge Light Preservation Society nest survived the storm and are now busy flapping their wings, preparing for fledge. Aren’t they beauties? No shortage of fish here! Long Island and New York have strict laws regarding the catching of Menhaden.

‘EJ’ thought we could use a hopeful Osprey article! I agree.

Marais d’Orx: a wetland with a rich history, diverse nature and birds of prey | Euronews
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/07/07/marais-dorx-a-wetland-with-a-rich-history-diverse-nature-and-birds-of-prey

Good morning! Have a look at this, it’s so wonderful!
I thought we could each use a hopeful, uplifting osprey article.

It has been crazy hot. How do animals keep cool?

Panting, gular fluttering and sploots: how Britain’s animals try to keep coolhttps://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jul/11/panting-gular-fluttering-sploots-how-britain-animals-try-keep-cool-heatwaves?CMP=share_btn_url

A heartwarming story about a rescue that refused to give up on this eagle: the images tell the entire story. Smile. Thanks, ‘J’.

World Bird Sanctuary adds:

“Happy 1 year intake anniversary to Bald Eagle 24-390!

While it seems strange to celebrate a patient having to be in our care for a whole year, it originally seemed unlikely that 390 would even survive the week. 390’s injuries were severe. He had gunshot injuries to both his left wing and his beak. with a significant portion of the middle of his beak missing due to the injury. Today we celebrate how far he’s come and the fact that his is still with us and progressing towards release!

There were many times, especially early in 390’s care, when we questioned whether it was time to give 390 the final gift we could, an end to his suffering through humane euthanasia. We diligently monitored his pain and stress levels and made adjustments to our treatment in order to keep him as comfortable as possible. At each turn we considered if his chance at recovery was worth everything we had to put him through.

But each time we considered calling it, 390 would take a step forward and show us that he was still fighting. He started taking his hand feeding without needing to be handled, was keeping down food, and started gaining weight again. His beak injury seemed less painful by the day as it started to heal and we reached the right balance of pain medications. His attitude and energy improved as he became feistier for care. All the while the beak was healing and enabled him to start eating on his own again.

It took 7 surgeries and countless wound cleanings over a period of 4 months to get 390’s beak to aligned and healing free of necrotic tissue. It required 8 1/2 months of healing before the gap in the bone finally finished closing. Now we are in the stage of keratin regrowth. 390 will need to grow an entirely new layer of keratin over his upper beak before we can consider him for release. This will likely take a full additional year of care. His beak will always be abnormally shaped due to his injury, but only time will tell if will regrow in a way that enables release.

Thank you to everyone who supports WBS and makes it possible for patients like 390 to have a fighting chance. A special thank you to our Rescuer’s Giving Club, whose monthly contributions go directly to our hospital and enable us to proved care to over 750 injured raptors each year. If you’re interested in getting more involved in supporting our patient’s journeys, you can learn more on our website.”

Another rescue. Father was missing. Mum tried to feed storklets. The fourth one passed. Then Mum was hit by a car. They were rescued. Here is Mum with her Babies. Czech Republic. Thanks, ‘TU’.

Here is the video of Mother and storklets having rest after all stress. They are all together. Mama got a name Freya, goddess of love ) https://www.facebook.com/1073024352/videos/738388092008980?idorvanity=830475097910416

We continue to monitor what is happening with the Ospreys in the US. Thanks, ‘EJ’.

Osprey came back from the brink once. Now chicks are dying in nests, and some blame overfishing
https://www.yahoo.com/news/osprey-came-back-brink-once-112937843.html

So glad to hear there could be two to fledge! This is a miracle in a very dire situation. Omega Protein Ocean Harvesters takes 112 metric tons, or roughly 230 million lbs, and it is based on science that measures the population in the ocean, not in the Bay.

Please sign the petition. I am Canadian and I don’t care what country you belong to – this needs to be stopped and I am embarrassed it is a Canadian company. The donations go to change.org. You do not need to donate but please share widely. We need this to stop.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-industrial-fishing-kick-canada-out-of-the-chesapeake-bay-and-virginia-waters

Also read this article and support the actions of this singular politician who wants to help.

No-fish story_ Milde afraid that lack of menhaden is dooming osprey – Fredericksburg Free Press Download

Want to know ‘why’ politicians aren’t doing anything? What is the cost of the collapse of an eco-system and the deaths of thousands of ospreys? Well look below.

“Political contributions muddy waters

Reedville-based Omega Protein, which makes fish oil products, is the main beneficiary of menhaden fishing in Virginia, and it’s no stranger to politics.

The company has given $955,783 to Virginia political campaigns since 1996, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit that tracks money in politics.

That total includes money given to politicians on both sides of the aisle. The company, for example, has donated $38,000 to the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus over the years, and $34,500 to the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus, according to VPAP.

Locally, Omega Protein has given $32,843 over the years to state Sen. Richard Stuart, a Westmoreland County Republican whose 25th District includes Caroline and King George counties.

And this year alone, the business has given $500 to Del. Joshua Cole (D-Stafford).

Milde, however, said he will not accept contributions from Omega Protein.”

Even with such a catastrophic year, there is a glimmer in some parts of New Jersey after months of bad reports.

In Orange, Australia, Diamond and Xavier are bonding. Seriously, the time is passing so quickly! Thanks, SK Hideaways. The WBSE have their eggs. Collins Street will have eggs soon. Diamond and Xavier will have eggs and geez…I feel like it is still March. https://youtu.be/NK2lhcIPD2w?

Lady and Dad at the Olympic Park WBSE nest.

The latest rewilding success news from Knepp Farm:

Knepp news record butterflies market garden bounty tomato tasting Download

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We will see you again on Friday.

Thank you so much for being with us today. I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘EJ, Geemeff, Heidi, Michael St John, PB, PS, TU’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts and articles, including Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information. I am very grateful. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Category Archives: Bald Eagles

TE3 added beauty to our year…Bird World on Monday August 18

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Busy Osprey Dads feeding fledglings with empty tanks…Monday in Bird World

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Big Red and Arthur’s O1 passes…Friday in Bird World

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Monday in Bird World

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Commercial Fishing continues to kill…Friday in Bird World

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