Category Archives: bird books

Archie saves the Day…Swampy falls off nest…Wednesday in Bird World

24 April 2024

Hello Everyone,

Thank you to everyone who sent me a note about the little Tern’s rescue in Hawaii. Anyone can be a hero. You just have to stop and care enough to help. That is what ‘S’ did—empathy, patience, concern, and commitment. So stop the next time you see a goose crossing the road with goslings. Make others stop til they get across safely. Help the bird that has fallen out of the nest by calling the proper authorities to help. Do you have the local wildlife rescue in your phone contacts? Keep a shovel – one of those small folding ones is ideal – in your trunk. See a dead animal on the road. Pull over safely. Slow the traffic, and with your shovel, move it safely from the road so the carrion eaters can have a meal. — This also applies to urban streets. Put the dead animals away from the curb so the Crows can have a meal instead of relying on the junk food in the dumpsters. There is so much we can all do, and sometimes that means simply a shallow bowl of water – believe me, it can save the lives of so many birds. They need water! If you know of building supervisors who put poison out for the pigeons, find a way to persuade them to stop. The urban raptors rely on pigeons, and if they are poisoned, they will not only die, but their chicks could also get sick and die. Other ways include donating clean old towels, sheets, and items to your local wildlife rehabilitation clinic – and volunteering. It doesn’t have to be money.

Tuesday was a lovely day in the garden. The Blue Jays arrived before the squirrels and started helping themselves to the peanut pile. The peanut pile on the big table feeder started like this. The Jays shake the peanuts. They want to ensure they get a shell with two good nuts inside it, not an empty one! So shake, shake, shake. They spend a lot of time selecting just the right one.

A few hours later, Dyson was digging to find a peanut! Normally she is out with her kits well before the Jays arrive, but not today. But never fear, Dyson returned the minute she heard more peanuts being added and had quite the fill.

This little kit hit the jackpot a new seed cylinder!

Wild Birds Unlimited’s website has some interesting facts about Blue Jays. Here are a few about caching nuts that you might find interesting.

  • Research studies have recorded Blue Jays making over 1,000 trips per day when hiding food.
  • In one research study, 50 Blue Jays were observed selecting and caching 150,000 acorns over a period of 28 days. Each bird cached a total of 3,000 acorns by selecting and hiding an average of 107 acorns per day.
  • In another research study, Blue Jays were observed storing over 2,000 beach tree nuts in one month.
  • A Blue Jay was observed packing over 100 sunflower seeds into it’s gullet during just one visit to a feeder.

Amy Tan’s latest book arrived in the post on Tuesday.

I had been looking forward to its arrival since I watched the NYC Audubon interview with Tan and saw her lovely drawings and ‘felt’ over the virtual miles her passion for the ordinary – but always extraordinary – birds that live in her garden. The book did not disappoint – I am only 3 hours into reading it, steady, but excited. It is written like a journal with particular birds and entries for particular days out of a huge selection the author had to choose from.

I chose this illustration because it is beautiful and because the Juncos are in my garden now. Tan captured their remarkable plumage.

Of course, I love Mr. Crow and his family, and it is clear that Tan has closely observed the behaviour of her Corvids.

Moving on to Bird World…

UPDATE: Swampy officially flew and officially fledged off the branch of the tree Wednesday morning. To my knowledge, Swampy was never fed by the adults while on that branch nor the day prior. I hope this baby has some food soon – . I will however leave you with the story below and a great capture by ‘H’.

We begin with another sad, or potentially sad and lethal, story from Eagle Country. On the morning of Tuesday, April 23rd, Swampy was flapping his/her wings and slipping off the nest. This sent shock waves through viewers, who conjured in their minds Meadow, the younger sibling, being blown off the other side of the nest and eventually dying. I couldn’t believe my eyes – and the thought “This can’t be happening again” repeated itself over and over again during the day.

The time was 0811. Swampy was seen on a lower branch like Meadow. Is it possible that we will now lose Swampy?

Some Osprey nests in the UK get refurbished during the off-season. The rails are built up and wired together. Sticks are brought in to make the nests safe and help the tired migrating birds when they return from West Africa (or wherever they over wintered). Why don’t those individuals who own the streaming cams to these nests do the same? Get up there when permits are not required. Make sure that nests are solid and safe. Heaven only knows that it is difficult for the raptors to find nesting materials in some places because of habitat loss. In this instance, had that rim been secured, neither eaglet would have fallen off. (No, I am not blaming Eagle Country, but I am certainly suggesting they get a climber up there and repair this nest!)

Swampy is on the opposite side of the tree but we cannot assume s/he is uninjured just like we could not tell that Meadow was emaciated. Swampy could be also. And s/he could be injured. Swampy is ready to fledge, however, so this is a plus.

Swampy was perched on the branch. I don’t want to be cynical but we know that Meadow was emaciated and it looks like Swampy is going to suffer the same fate unless an adult gets some food to their eaglet.

The newly hatched osplet at Captiva is tired. The last time I checked on Tuesday, CO7 had not been fed. Oh, goodness gracious, Edie, get to feeding your baby. Yes, of course, it can wait but many are getting bites within a few hours of hatch! Forgive me, but this year’s first-time eagle parents have caused me to become overly worrisome around first-time Dads and/or Mums. Some are naturals; others are not.

Family portrait at Captiva. Proud parents. Will this be an only osplet?

Captiva chick eating well and Jack with the pantry packed.

First egg at Llyn Brenig at 1740 on the 23rd. Blue 372 finally has her own nest with LJ2. Everyone can rest easy now. She was out searching for a mate and now she is going to have a family. Well done 372!

‘A’ gets quite excited about those little fluff balls. “And we are still waiting on number four, who is making progress. The fluffy three that we have already are looking strong and healthy. The littlest one couldn’t seem to work out which way was front at the 6am feeding but Annie is such an experienced mum and by about 06:06, she is ensuring that the baby of the three gets some bites. It is strong too, and is really holding its own and keeping its little head up, occasionally using its tiny wings for balance. Oh Mary Ann, they are just the sweetest, most darling little creatures. Every time I see a falcon hatch, it’s just like the very first time. They warm my heart in exactly the same way as the first hatch I saw. The wonder of it never wanes. And watching these devoted, gentle, patient parents is so lovely. I do love the safety of this scrape for the chicks. It seems like a good place for a chick to grow up and find its feet, as it were. Much safer than a ledge on a high rise like Collins Street, or even that box in the sky at Orange, where the chicks always terrify us with their proximity to the edge before they have the ability to fly. Here, they have that rooftop to chase each other about and flap and play. It’s a lovely playroom for them. Four. Wow. This is going to be interesting. “

Archie meets the third chick.

Archie does wonders. How many times have we seen eaglets get hypothermia when not under Mum or Dad. Well, Archie saves the day at Cal Falcons!

If you need cheering up, head over to Cal Falcons. It will work wonders.

‘AE’ wrote and wondered about the Mum at Frenchman’s Creek. The female has been in and has fed at least one of the osplets. There has been some animosity between the osplets. They are undoubtedly frustrated and hungry despite a nest full of fish and self-feeding.

Tuffy is really growing and his beautiful feathers continue to come in. He had a reasonably good day on Tuesday, but it was not without Ruffie pushing her weight around, literally.

A large fish came in at 2008. Tuffy looks over as Ruffie is filling up. Notice that Tuffy does have a crop (thank goodness). It is during this meal that Ruffie decides to show her dominance.

It was impossible to tell if Tuffy got any fish because of the placement of Sally. He certainly was fish calling while Sally was eating – but, as mentioned before, he had a crop and he will go to bed feeling full. Sally horked the fish tail at 2105.

Once again, dear Milda is alone and trying to fend for herself and now an eaglet that has hatched. It has snowed in Latvia, a late spring snow, and Milda has to leave to find food. Will she have a chick survive this year? Milda was away for more than one and a half hours in the freezing temperature.

Many have been concerned about Tom. He is believed to have made an appearance, however short, Tuesday at the nest.

Blue NCO laid the third egg at Loch of the Lowes on Tuesday.

The first egg was laid at the Kent Island Chesapeake Conservancy nest of Tom and Audrey on Tuesday in the US.

The third egg appears to have been laid at Steelscape on Tuesday.

In the UK on Wednesday, there were more eggs:

Loch Garten: Asha and Brodie have their second egg at 1406.

Tweed Valley: Mrs O and FKO have their second egg at 1000.

Emyr Evans gives us a science lesson after Telyn lays her third egg on the 18th:

Telyn-Lays-Three-Eggs-in-2024-Without-Delay-Dyfi-Osprey-ProjectDownload

There are eggs at other nests as well and some sorting out who their mates will be. It has been a long week and I feel like my head has been crushed entering all the data for all the nests this season. Soon, we will be ‘bored’ waiting for hatch while they incubate! So if you are missing a little osplet and want to see one, try Captiva. In the meantime, I am anxiously awaiting hatch at Big Red and Arthur’s nest on the Cornell Campus.

‘A’ has been watching Big Red’s nest too and adds: “When Big Red actually stands up briefly to change position just after 17:36:30, is that a large pip I see on the top of the right-hand egg (as we look at it) nearest the camera? It looks like the second egg to me from the speckling (the egg at the front on the left appears to have more markings and was therefore probably the first egg laid) but the ‘pip’ is at the correct end of the egg and it sure looks to me like a chick is on the way out.”

I suppose we can look forward to tomorrow morning (24 April) to see whether I am right. Certainly, we have to be on pip watch at Cornell by now. 

Oh those three at Cal Falcons are adorable. I did expect number four to have joined us by now but there have been so few opportunities to see that egg today, and I am unsure whether or not it is hatching. We may end up with three eyases and a Dudley, which would be fine. But I will try and scroll back to get a good view of that egg. 

I am SO hoping I am right about the pip at Cornell, and it is so easy to misread anything from a shadow to some nest material stuck to an egg, especially when you are desperate to see a pip or even a hole. In this case, one minute I suspect we may be up to the small hole stage and the next I am thinking it is just something stuck to the egg. 

We watch, we wait, we cross everything for the little ones in the hope that they can safely make their way into the world in good shape – certainly, it will be to loving parents..”

Please do not use glue traps….EVER. Another reason why. Tell your friends and family and your retailers. They are outlawed where I live but they are still for sale on many retailer’s shelves.

The other campaign is rodenticides. This beautiful owl family lost its life – the Mum GHO and the three owlets because of rat poison. Remember ‘Rodents are the Answer’ – they eat more rats and mice than you could imagine getting in sticky tape or eating poison and you don’t have to worry about your domestic pets dying, too. (Images and original posting on Cornell Hawk Chatters by Harold Wilson as a call to stop this senseless tragedy).

White-tail Eagles breed for the very first time in centuries in Belgium. But why? Find out.

White-tailed-Eagle-breeds-in-Belgium-for-first-time-in-500-years-BirdGuidesDownload

In New Zealand, the songs of birds are returning to the urban environment. Maybe this could happen around the planet. What do you think?

Penguins-in-the-pond-kiwi-in-the-back-yard-how-a-city-brought-back-its-birds-Birds-The-GuardiaDownload

It never stops. How long will the public put up with a select view and their weekend shooting parties killing off beautiful raptors because they eat grouse? It never seems to end…Hen Harriers one day, Buzzards the next.

Buzzard-shot-killed-near-Ilkley-Moor-West-Yorkshire-–-Raptor-Persecution-UKDownload

Do you know someone who might like this position monitoring raptors in Wales

Job-opportunity-Welsh-Raptor-Monitoring-Coordinator-–-Raptor-Persecution-UKDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. Tomorrow I am going out to Delta Marsh to catch the shorebirds that are arriving. It is going to be a long day and I look forward to hopefully having some images for you. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following or their notes, posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, AE, G, H, PB’, Amy Tan, Wild Birds Unlimited, Eagle Country, Moorings Park, Window to Wildlife, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways, Heidi McGrue, LDF, Chesapeake Conservancy, Dyfi Osprey Project, Cornell RTH Cam, Steelscape, The Scottish Wildlife Trust (LOTL), Frenchman’s Creek Osprey Cam, World Bird Sanctuary, H W and Cornell Hawk Chatters, BirdGuides, and Raptor Persecution UK.

*Disclaimer: I have made every effort to credit those individuals who send me notes and those who create the videos and other content. Please let me know if I have failed to recognise someone.*

3 Hatches at Cal Falcons…Tuesday in Bird World

23 April 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It was a beautiful spring day on the Canadian Prairies! The hundreds of Dark-eyed Juncos remain in the garden. They hop and hop, scratching and pecking trying to find seeds. They are adorable. We will enjoy them for awhile longer and then they will leaving, heading north to return again in the fall.

Calico has asked me to post her ‘new look’. She is now down a little over three pounds. She runs down the hall, through the galley kitchen and straight up to the top of the cat tree. The energy and the joy in play have returned!

In California, it was sheer happiness as the second eyas of Archie and Annie hatched on Earth Day, too!

Archie meets his chicks for the first time.

The chicks first meal.

Can’t get enough of Annie and Archie!

There will be a third one soon!

And then there were three for breakfast on Tuesday! Way to go Archie and Annie!

The first eyas has hatched at Cromer Peregrines, too!

At Mispillion Harbour, Della loves bringing things to the nest she shares with Warren. Sometimes it is something yellow, Della loves yellow. Sometimes it is something else..

The pair also have a full clutch of three eggs.

I did not get a chance to watch Tuffy as closely on Monday. He is definitely being fed. Ruffy is so big compared to Tuffy and requires much more food that it often feels as if Tuffy gets short-changed.

A nice meal at sundown and Tuffy will get a nice crop and go to sleep dreaming of more fish for breakfast.

Heidi reports that there is a possible pip in one of the eggs at the Captiva Osprey nest of Jack and Edie. This would be a welcome surprise. Some have said that they do not have late hatches in the Barrier Islands – so let us wait and see!

And it was a hatch! Welcome to the world little miracle osplet. We now know that opera eggs can hatch with a live chick this late in the season on the Barrier Islands.

Surprise! Two chicks at Lake Murray. Wow.

First egg or Mr and Mrs UV at Kielder Forest nest 5A on the 22nd at 19:47.

Nest-5A-joins-the-egg-club-Kielder-OspreysDownload

The Ospreys are returning to Finland. Some are finding open water with snow melting while other nests are covered with no ospreys yet (smart).

#1 Nest: The male, Ura, arrived on 14 April at 1516.

#2 Nest, Satakunta: Nothing

#3 Nest: Nothing

#4 Nest: Nemo, the male arrived on 8 April with Nuppu, the female, arriving on the 14th.

#5, LS: Roni and Sara are together. Sara arrived on the 16th with Roni arriving on the 21/22nd.

Janakkalan: nothing

Juurusvesi: nothing

Muonion: nothing

Aran and Elen at the Glaslyn nest in Wales have their first egg.

The second egg has been laid at Dahlgren for Helen and Doug.

What is happening at nest 1 at Loch Arkaig? What is wrong with Prince

Poor Affric. Two males. One female. One nest.

Meanwhile on the other Loch Arkaig nest, Louis is taking very good care of Dorcha.

This is the situation at Frenchman’s Creek Ospreys. The nest is full of fish, the older two osplets are alive and self-feeding. The streaming cam is up and running with notices from Frenchman’s Creek about stealing content, etc. You can go to their site on YouTube to check on the osplets. So far they are alive and it looks as if they are sleeping on fish!

In Latvia, Milda is in the midst of a snow storm. She is trying to care for her two eggs by herself since the absence of Hugo.

The female at the Trempealeau Eagle Nest in Wisconsin has done a top rate job caring for her two little eaglets all by herself! She had to leave alone to hunt for them so the three could eat. They survived that and now have their thermal down. Send positive wishes to this nest, please.

Oh, thank you Stephen Basly. I know we have talked about Meadow but let us go back to ND17. Starved by its two older siblings. We know that he had to eat skin and bones to survive and then he fell from the nest. Spent 3 full days and a bit more on the ground and then, thankfully, Humane Indiana Wildlife rescued ‘our baby’ – he was everyone’s baby. ND17 survived. They taught him to fly and hunt and returned him to a spot near the nest site where he engaged with his parents.

I want to thank Trudi Kron who has been keeping a close eye on the Mum at the JB Sands Wetlands Bald Eagle nest. You will recall that Mum injured her foot and was unable to care for JBS20 for a few days. Dad did a heroic job and continues to help out. But Trudi got a great screen capture and enlarged it and it is showing improvement and healing! Great news.

Watch for Swampy to fledge anytime! S/he is climbing higher on the nest and really working those wings.

The trio at Decorah North are getting their blood feathers. They are growing so fast. It seems only yesterday that they were white little chicks sitting in the morning sun.

There are three eggs at the Great Bay Osprey nest in New Hampshire. The third was laid on the 18th of April.

‘A’ has been keeping a wishful eye on the nest of Angel and Tom. “A male red-tailed hawk that we believe to be Tom just flew onto Angel’s nest. He left after 15 seconds, and there is some debate now about the tail markings, which were apparently different from those of the RTH that shared beakies with Angel on 5 April at 09:02:08. Others say it was definitely Tom, based on the confidence with which he entered the nest and based on the fact that this is Tom and Angel’s territory. There is a view that Tom’s plumage is still changing, even in a the two and a half weeks since 5 April, and that this was definitely Tom. 

Obviously, we all very much want it to be Tom, and it does confirm the report I made of hearing RTH vocals when I was typing my earlier email to have been accurate. It’s now 11:42 on the Tennessee nest and I can again hear the sound of a RTH very nearby. This is probably what I heard originally when I lost the TS – it sure sounds like it. If I check the PTZ cam at around the 11:42 onwards TS (the noises are continuing), I may be able to spot whether it is Angel there or whether it is Tom. or even whether it’s neither of them and some visitor instead. 

I will keep you posted, but I would call that a very hopeful sighting, and I am fairly confident it was Tom. Talons crossed. He (or she, if he was accompanied by Angel) is continuing to vocalise, and it sounds as though the vocals are coming from either the nest tree itself or somewhere within one or two trees either side of that microphone. It sure sounds extremely close. I am hopeful. “

The three Bald eaglets at the Sutton Centre in Bartlesville, Oklahoma are thriving.

Three Osplets at Venice Golf are all feathered and fine. Gosh, isn’t this a relief.

Our darling Ervie.

‘EJ’ wrote to remind me that Any Tan’s book on her backyard birds is being released tomorrow. There will be many articles and there is a wonderful interview with Tan on YouTube. My copy should be in the mailbox by Wednesday. I am so looking forward to reading it, but most of all seeing the drawings that Tan made of ‘her’ birds. She took classes, taught herself. That should encourage all of us to look closer, keep a nature journal, and get really involved with the wildlife right around us.

EJ sent this article:

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/22/1245849320/amy-tan-the-backyard-bird-chronicles-trish-okane-birding-to-change-the-world

Here is the link to the chat:

Another senseless death due to a power pole. This time a White-stork mother with five eggs on a nest. The male stayed for two days incubating and then eggs were removed. Power poles kill. Every new install should be safe at the outset – every old pole should be retrofitted so it does not harm wildlife. Yes, there are a lot of poles, but the solutions are often simple as shown to use many times by Dave Hancock of Hancock Wildlife Foundation and Christian Sasse. So sad. It happened in Germany.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Stop in and see Annie and Archie’s little fluff balls. Turn the sound up to get the full impact during a feeding. Smile. Little falcons can quickly take away the glum of the day. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams: ‘A, Geemeff, EJ, H, PB’, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways, Heidi McGrue, Sharon Pollock, Mooring Park Ospreys, Joanna Dailey, Lake Murray Ospreys, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dahlgren Osprey Cam, Geemef, Frenchman’s Creek, LDF, Aiva Vantere, Stephen M. Basly, Trudi Kron, Raptor Resource Project, Window to Wildlife, PLO, Npr.org, and VGCCO, NY Audubon.

Monday in Bird World

8 April 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

I had a marvellous day and, as a result, this post might be rather short. The weather has been splendid on the Canadian Prairies and at 15 degrees C, we begin to believe that summer is here – not spring – LOL. Everyone is out on their bikes, their electric scooters, walking their dogs, and generally being of a good humour.

I headed out to try and spot the arrival of some of the first Sandhill Cranes. No luck. Instead, I was treated to a magical ten or fifteen minutes with thirteen Snow Geese. They were riding the thermals way, way above my head, dancing with the wind. It was magical. (The images below were taken with a 600 mm lens and cropped! I have no idea how high they were.)

They are heading north up to the top of Manitoba and the Arctic Circle.

Speaking of heading north, I will be going on a short holiday north of Winnipeg, hoping to see the Sandhill Cranes, more Snow Geese and Tundra Swans, and eagles and Canada Geese. There will not be Wi-Fi available where I am going (except for my phone), so I will not be posting any news on Friday and Saturday. Everything will return to normal on Sunday. Please continue to send your images, videos, and news. I will catch up with all of them late Saturday and put them in the posting on Sunday with much appreciation. Thank you!

Today, I want to start with something so beautiful. How many times have you seen a double rainbow? Storm Kathleen was quite frightening and now that calm has arrived, Louis and Dorcha’s nest has been double blessed.

The nest that is on everyone’s mind is Moorings Park. It is nothing short of agonising watching Tuffie wanting fish and being beaked into submission continually by Ruffy. Like people, the osplets and eaglets lose their confidence despite their hunger. Some are very clever and muster enough energy to devise ways to survive. Others not only devise those ways but also have a Mum that sees and understands and finds ways to help. Some simply wait to be fed if a feeding happens. Right now that seems to be where little Tuffie is. — But if you want to remember clever and determined, then I remind you of the fourth hatch at Patchogue in 2023 named by many ‘Tiny Dancer’. Or the third hatch Tiny Tumbles at Achieva in 2021. There are, of course, a number of others. We can only hope that Tuffie gets its strength up, that it gets enough fish to last through the Reptilian phase, and that Harry continues to deliver at least 5 fish on the nest, perhaps more.

‘H’ has been wonderful to watch over this nest for me for the past few days and I am so grateful. She writes:

“At 0651 Sally picked up the leftover fish and began to feed. There was no initial aggression, as Tuffy was still quite sleepy and showed no interest in eating, so Ruffie was fed.  At 0658 Tuffy was finally awake enough to show interest in the meal, at which time Ruffie beaked Tuffy into submission.  Sally stopped the feeding at 0705 with fish remaining.  No bites for Tuffy.  The remainder of that fish was removed from the nest.

1029 Harry delivered a live bluegill. Tuffy was already at the side of the nest and didn’t bother to head toward Mom.  Sally fed Ruffie.  At 1043 Tuffy finally approached the feeding line, and was promptly beaked into submission by Ruffie.  At 1050, with the fish nearly gone, Ruffie moved away, and Sally finished the fish.  The bluegill was not nearly as big as the tilapia that Harry frequently brings in, so there was not an opportunity for Tuffy to eat after Ruffie was full.  No bites for Tuffy.”

“At 1734 Harry delivered another large headless tilapia.  Tuffy got 5 quick bites before he was attacked by Ruffie.  At 1734 Tuffy got 4 more bites and then was brutally attacked.  Ruffy ate some, but wasn’t very hungry.  Sally ate.  At 1744 Tuffy got 1 bite.  At 1748 Tuffy ate 3 bites.  Then, starting at 1749 Ruffie left him alone, Tuffy had a long feeding, and he was seen crop-dropping several times.  Tuffy ate an additional 90 bites of fish, for a total of 103 bites at this meal!  After his last two bites at 1806, Tuffy was so full and tired, he simply scooted away from Mom and laid his head down.

So far today, Tuffy has eaten at least 133 bites of fish.”

“Harry delivered a smallish headless fish at 1852.  Ruffie was not aggressive toward Tuffy, although a couple of times Tuffy moved away slightly because he thought he was about to be attacked.  Tuffy ate at least 40 bites of fish.

Total for the day so far = 173 bites for Tuffy.” I don’t know about you, but seeing that little one – and it is so little compared to Ruffy – an indication of the difference in good and gender – with a bulging crop just makes me weep.

‘H’ sent me a short video of Tuffy’s PS. I thought it was good. It appears that our little one is ‘allowed’ to eat at the end of the day if there is enough fish.

Relief for another day.

This video is from a couple of days ago but what a lovely family, all eating. Thunder could send out booklets to all the Mums on how to take care of bonking.

At Big Bear, Jackie and Shadow might be thinking that the eggs are not viable and they will soon move on.

Louis and Dorcha are alright. It looks wet at Loch Arkaig but the gale force winds from Storm Kathleen seem to have subsided.

Mum and Dad working on the nest at Boulder County Fairgrounds.

The names of the two eaglets at the Kansas City Bald Eagle nest on Farmer Derek’s property are Wichita and Cheyenne. And just look at them. It feels like they only hatched a couple of days ago!

JBS20 is about ready to fly. Thanks ‘AE’ and ‘MP’ for these wonderful screen captures. There were a lot of worries at this nest including the death of JBS21 and Mum’s injury. We are nearing fledge. Fingers crossed that all goes well.

The two little ND-LEEF eaglets of Dad and Gigi are so cute and so tiny and before we blink they will look like JBS21!

All is well at Duke Farms. Mark your calendars. Leaper and Jersey will be banded, weather permitting, on 12 April at 10am.

The trio at Little Miami Conservancy are adorable.

Peach (aka BC17) is already out of the nest bowl and over to the rim! Goodness. I am glad that I did not see this live.

Only surviving eaglet renamed Viper at Bluff City appears to be thriving.

Dixie and Mason at Superbeaks are big kids now. We can see them with east on the side cam!

DNF did not let those two little precious eaglets of hers be out in the damp cool weather in Iowa for long. Both are doing well.

US Steel welcomes USS7 who hatched from that rather crushed shell Sunday morning.

It looks like Swoop might have arrived at Dunrovin! Now for Harriet.

‘A’ sends us news of Angel and Tom: “

They have been back since 3 April, and though neither turned up on 4 April, both have visited each morning since. Many people seem to think the eclipse on 8 April may have something to do with her tardiness in her egg-laying schedule but personally, I’m somewhat sceptical. On the other hand, anything that disrupts the ‘pull’ of the moon in a major way could in theory impact egg laying, and presumably ovulation in humans. No-one will convince me that in a creature that’s about 75% water, as we are, the length of the cycle of the moon just coincidentally happens to exactly coincide with the female ovulatory and menstrual cycle, especially when the moon’s cycling demonstrably influences the movements of bodies of water on our planet, in the form of tides etc. In other words, there is a logical reason why it COULD be so, meaning perhaps it IS possible. If so, according to the theory, after today (8 April), she may lay her egg/s.

They are both continuing with their nest-preparation behaviour albeit in a very limited way – at this stage the only thing they are bringing to the nest is tree bark for the nest bowl, no sticks at all. Other interesting behaviours of note include beakie kisses between Angel and Tom, Angel plucking at her brood patch and, for me most exciting of all, Angel getting in some chick practice by allopreening Tom’s head. Shades of Deyani!!! 

She is definitely getting ready to lay an egg.  But then, I have said that before … This nest has appeared ready for at least three weeks now. The question has been whether Angel and Tom are ready. But small things are different. No sticks, just bark to line the nest bowl. Cautious behaviour too – standing in the nest looking carefully around for example, as if checking for intruders. Tom is also being annoyed by a few of the smaller birds (last year they buzzed poor, stoic Angel almost constantly but seemed to leave Tom completely alone – that is no longer the case). 

Can you tell I am OVER THE MOON that my gorgeous Angel and oh so handsome Tom are back at their nest? Now for an egg or two. Just so excited. “

And, look, Bradley with a puffer! So nice to see you 173 day old Bradley.

Is there a miracle happening at the NCTC nest of Scout and Bella?

“The Girls” and I have finished two books. The first one they want to tell you about is Tim Mackrill’s The Osprey. I did not think that Tim could do any better than his book for the RSPB, RSPB Spotlight Osprey, but he did. This is a wonderful volume and will be a great addition to the library of anyone who loves Ospreys and wants to know as much about them as possible. Over 300 pages. There are charts, reference materials, and excellent colour photographs (not tonnes but enough to illustrate his points). Tim is a gifted writer and is one of the leading authorities on Osprey migration. The book covers everything from nesting behaviour and raising chicks to migration issues and considerations. Discussion is not just limited to UK ospreys either. I much appreciated the discussion of their wintering habitats and discussions of the threats to their survival. Even the girls gave it a 10 out of 10. The price is $60 CDN for the hardcover. If that is more than your pocket will bear right now, but if you are looking for an excellent book on Ospreys, go for the RSPB Spotlight Osprey, which is $24 CDN. I prefer it to Alan Poole’s larger more expensive edition on ospreys, actually.

The second book is Chris Packham’s Birdwatching Guide from Beginner to Birder. Chris must have been a teacher in a previous life. The book is laid out, like Tim’s, in a logical way, covering every aspect of birdwatching from the purchase of binoculars, setting up a hide, what to wear birding to bird behaviour. There is a good discussion on wing shape and caring for your garden birds. I loved the one with images of the feet to show you the relationship between the feet and bird species. The illustrations are very good. I would definitely buy this for someone who is beginning to watch birds. And if you are feeling a little bit flush and wanted to add something more, how about a map of good birding spots in the individual’s location, a pass to a nature centre, or add a pair of binoculars along with this book. It will get them going. The price is right. 12.99 GBP. Hardcover.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care of yourself. We hope to see you here again soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post for today: ‘AE, H, J, MP’, Geemeff, Moorings Park, Lady Hawk, SK Hideaways, Geemeff, Boulder County, FARMER DEREK, JB Sands Wetlands, ND-LEEF, Duke Farms, Little Miami Conservancy, Sharon Lee, Bluff City-ETSU, Superbeaks, Raptor Resource Project, PIX Cams, Kitty Carlyle, Window to Wildlife, Port Lincoln Osprey, Deb Stacy and Bald Eagles 101, and Amazon.

Big Red has an injury…Tuesday in Bird World

2 April 2024

Hello Everyone,

UPDATED CORRECTION: IT IS LIBERTY AND GUARDIAN’S FIRST CLUTCH. ONE EGG BROKE. I APOLOGISE FOR ANY CONFUSION WHEN I SAID IT WAS THEIR SECOND. REMEMBERING WRONG! THANK YOU SP.

We are starting with Big Red. Many of us watched and wondered about Big Red. Several reported seeing a limp before eggs arrived including myself. It appears that our much beloved Red-tail Hawk at the Cornell Campus has sustained an injury to her foot. Please read the article below for all the information and send positive energy to Big Red, Arthur, and their four eggs.

Big-Red-Begins-2024-Breeding-Season-With-Toe-Injury-Cornell-Lab-Bird-Cams-Cornell-Lab-Bird-CamsDownload

The warmth of the sun is pouring into the conservatory. Hugo Yugo is asleep in the blue chair while Missey eyes the top of the cat tree. A woodpecker is at the square suet feeder while the Blue Jays flit back and forth from their nest tree to the feeder loaded with peanuts. Dyson and the last year’s kits have already been to eat and Little Red is still scurrying about.

There is something comforting and stabilising about nature and the change of the seasons. No matter what happens in our lives, life outside of ‘us’ continues. That natural rhythm gives me hope every year as life returns to the garden. The soil warms, the first Crocus will appear, and then the tulips. The leaf buds will pop open on the lilac bushes, and the fragrance of the flowers will envelop the entire space around the third week in May. This year also brings new promise as the Black-capped Chickadees are making a nest in two trees in the garden. It is a first. Normally, they nest in the very large Blue Spruce across the road. If deemed safe, Junior and his mate will bring the new Blue Jay fledglings this summer, and we will also have a deck full of baby Crows. Seriously, I cannot wait. That reminds me – both ‘Boyfriends’ have been to the feeding station today. Are they brothers?

The top is the ‘original’ Boyfriend that came to the deck with Calico. He has 2/3 of a white bow tie.

This one has only a part of a bow tie. The one below is actually the friendlier of the pair.

The central heating is off, and nothing made me think I needed a jumper or socks this morning. Today will be a day for a trip to the country or time spent whipping the deck into shape. It is getting there. This year, I will put up privacy screens to become a trellis for climbing flowers for the hummers and bees. Everything is going to be red – hopefully, it will be inviting. There is a new outdoor carpet to replace the old soiled and faded one. I dislike them immensely, those carpets. Most are plastic. This one is made out of recycled fizzy drink bottles, but the energy consumed in manufacturing the original bottles and now this carpet is probably much. I should try and find out. I have the carpet for a single reason – the feral cats. It covers the spaces between the boards and keeps the snow and rain from going under the deck where the outdoor cats often sleep.

It all feels different today – like spring really is coming. It was something we would only dream of on 1 April several years ago.

Megan Boardman spent Easter weekend at Rutland Water, where she took some amazing images of the Ospreys. Megan has happily and generously allowed me to share these with you. She holds the copyright. Do not share them with anyone – just enjoy them here. Thank you, Megan!

Maya in the nest with Blue 33 on the perch.

Megan caught the moment that the intruder arrived at the nest as Maya was laying her first egg. Blue 33 went into action to chase them away!

The first chase.

The intruder comes for the second time. Megan says that it was ‘an action filled day’.

Megan writes, “After things calm down (and first egg laid during the chaos), 33 brings fluff to the nest and Maya flies to wash her talons.”

I am a sap for Blue 33. Here he is protecting Maya again today.

Maya laid their second egg at Rutland this morning.

Sadly, intruders can cause damage and on Monday one of those caused Mother Goose to lose one of her eggs at Decorah.

As you will note from Alison’s terrific commentary, Leaper and Little Jersey are doing quite well at Duke Farms. There has been a big turnaround in food deliveries and life has settled back to being civilised. It is the ‘cherry’ on top of the sundae when life returns to normal without an eaglet being lost in the process.

‘A’ stayed up til the middle of the night (she lives in Australia) to give you this morning round up at Duke. “

Another fish came in at Duke Farms, courtesy of dad, just before 08:05. It is whole and medium in size. There is still half of the breakfast fish left nearby on the nest. Mum is brooding the eaglets and doesn’t get up. Dad leaves again 30 seconds later, knowing better than to attempt to take any fish with him. It is raining this morning, and mum shelters the eaglets, doing her best mumbrella. Just before 08:11, dad is in with ANOTHER fish, a little smaller than the last one but whole. Dad stands there for a bit, periodically looking down at his fish, then flies off the nest at 08:11:50. At 11:04:35, dad is in with yet another whole fish. This is getting ridiculous. He surveys the fish buffet in front of him – three whole fish and a half fish left over from breakfast – actually looking from one to another, to another. I think even he is astonished. Dad leaves at 11:04:49. 

At around 11:20, mum finally gets up and shakes her wings to get rid of the water, while the chicks scramble to get up from beneath her. This leaves Jersey front and centre at the table, and as mum flaps her wings to remove the water, one of her wings strikes Leaper, who immediately grabs Jersey by the back of the nape, though she quickly lets go and herself goes into submission. She is quickly up again while Jersey remains tucked. Mum surveys the brunch selection and chooses the smallest of the three whole fish to begin feeding Leaper. Jersey remains tucked though facing the table. Leaper interrupts her eating to back up for a huge PS (11:21:26) then returns to the table. Jersey remains tucked until 11:23:25, when he lifts his head and turns away from the food. Mum is now eating herself. She is hungry. She downs the last third of the fish, including the tail, as a single mouthful. 

She then moves to a second whole fish. Leaper, who had left the feeding and sat down on the far side of Jersey, who had finally turned towards the table, suddenly changes her mind, turns around and heads back towards mum. This causes Jersey to turn away from the table again. Seeing that mum is offering bites to Leaper, who is refusing almost all of them, Jersey gains the courage to turn around and move up to the table beside his sister, though he is still nervous. Mum ignores both of them, continuing to eat herself. She appears very hungry. It’s a while since I’ve seen her eat fast and greedily like this. She sure deserves it. When Leaper shakes her head, Jersey leans away slightly. He remains nervous. 

Finally, mum reaches out towards Jersey with a bite. He shuffles a couple of paces closer to mum, half-turning away from Leaper as he does so, and grabs the bite. It is his first of the feeding. (Leaper has eaten about half a fish at this feeding so far.) Mum continues to feed Jersey big juicy fishy bites with no objection from Leaper, who is full, so sits watching her brother eat. He is still a bit slow to take bites, nervous of his sister, and is still grabbing at the food rather than eating in a leisurely and relaxed manner. At 11:27:20 Leaper moves towards mum, causing Jersey to turn away, but she is just changing position and has finished eating, so Jersey immediately looks over his shoulder and grabs the next bite. He then eats and eats, and some of the bites are very large. It is a lovely juicy fleshy fish. 

Around 11:29, he refuses a bite – he is too full (he started the feeding with a crop from breakfast), so does a crop drop and accepts the next bite offered. She is very patient with him, offering pieces several times, moving slowly and carefully around him so as not to startle him, turning her head to make a bite easier for him to access – she really is a special mum. I have grown to love and admire her so much over the past week. She has been amazing. Jersey is still eating at 11:30 but is looking as though he cannot fit much more. There is still one whole fish and two half fish (one large, one smaller) left on the nest. Both eaglets have gigantic crops. Again. He refuses a big bite at 11:30:30. Mum waits for a bit, and at 11:31:16 Jersey accepts the next bite she offers and then continues to eat. At 11:32, having refused a bite, Jersey crop drops but still cannot fit in the next bite mum offers either. 

After a short period where he was too full to take the proffered bites, Jersey resumes accepting food. Mum is stuffing him to the brim. A couple of crop drops shortly before 11:35 don’t make enough room for more food, so Jersey refuses some bites but then accepts a very large piece, and another bite, around 11:35:30. Mum is working on the last of this second fish now. The rain, which has never entirely stopped, is now getting steadily heavier and the eaglets are starting to look more than a little damp. By 11:36 mum is eating virtually all of the mouthfuls herself. She tries hard to persuade him to take just one more bite around 11:37 but he says no, eventually underlining his point by backing off and then turning away. The feed officially ends. 

Jersey is full and being soaked by the rain, so he heads for the centre of the nest and tries to dive headfirst under his sister, but is thwarted by her immense crop. He tries again, and there is some general shuffling of eaglets, after which he succeeds in tucking some of his head under Leaper’s crop He keeps trying to find a way to burrow under his sister, and eventually, at 11:40, mum comes over from where she has been standing on the rails, does a little aerating behind the two eaglets, and then settles down to shelter the pair from the continuing rain. What a wonderful mum. 

There is still one medium-large whole fish and one large part of another fish on the nest, along with a scattering of leftovers from the two fish that have already been almost completely demolished this morning (mum has left the second one as a skeleton with something that looks like a jawbone attached to one end and perhaps part of a tail at the other – slim pickings from that carcass I suspect). So there is lunch and dinner on this nest already, regardless of how busy an afternoon the parents have. Now that the rain appears to have set in, that may be a very good thing. 

At 12:26, mum stands up and flaps her wings, sending sprays of water in all directions. Another burst of flapping, and she leaves the nest soon after. The eaglets snuggle up together – it is still raining steadily, though not too heavily. As I type this, it is 13:10 and Jersey is sleeping with his head tucked as far under his sister’s right wing as possible. Both are in food comas, even as they are being soaked by the continuing rainfall. They have their thermal down now – this is the world of grown-up eaglets. (I think they’d prefer being brooded by mum over youthful independence just now.) I hope their mumbrella is back soon. I do hope she is not out fishing!!”

Monday morning and that beautiful peachy orange of the sun is waking up the land at Decorah North.

Those babies are kissed by its rays and Mum is ready with breakfast.

Guardian and Liberty laid a second clutch. They so wanted a family and here they are with two little bobbleheads at Redding. Doesn’t it feel nice?

The breakfast fish seems to be coming in around 0900 or 1000 at Moorings Park. Perhaps I am missing an earlier delivery. Little Tuffie did not seem interested in the first feeding but caught up during the second. The fish was nice and big and there was still much good flesh left for the third meal.

Both osplets are scooting out of the egg cup but Ruffy is the real expert so far.

Due to Ruffy’s long neck and bigger size, Tuffy has to work a bit harder to get food.

Look closely. They are changing. The back of their heads. The feathers are disappearing and that black oily tar colour is appearing as the two softly enter the Reptilian stage.

Notice the difference in plumage at Frenchman’s Creek Osprey nest. These three are getting their juvenile feathers. A really big fish is on the nest for breakfast Monday and the little third hatch is up at Mum’s beak getting first bites.

It looks like the third hatch got a bit of a private feeding later.

‘AE’ sent some images of the Patchogue Osprey platform. Mum and Dad have worked hard to repair the disturbance caused when the nest was flipped upside down. The egg area is quite small compared to last year but it appears that the eggs will not roll out. Might we hope for only two? And as ‘AE’ notes, the plastic bags continue to be brought to the nest.

She also sent us a screen capture of the eaglet at JB Sands Wetlands. Just look at how big s/he is! Dad did a fine job caring for the eaglet and Mum just like Arthur is doing for Big Red. Look at those gorgeous wings!

‘MP’ writes that Barbara Walker, the Manager of the Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue, has undertaken to put up the necessary deterrents out of ‘high quality’ materials at the Achieva Credit Union Osprey nest of Jack and Diane who lost their eggs and two-day old chick. The precise reason for the eggs to be found under the nest and the demise of the little osplet has never been determined. Thank you, Barbara! – from all of us.

Watching for Iris to return to Hellgate Canyon.

The Owl Pole where Iris loves to eat the whoppers she pulls out of the local river.

Iris’s nest. It will be the best nest on the continent – Iris does an amazing job of keeping it in tiptop condition. Her ‘train’ is also waiting. When she arrives you will hear my scream all the way to Rio! Or Melbourne.

LJ2 working on the nest at Llyn Brenig.

Libby and Branson have returned to their nest at the Lochter Activity Centre in Scotland.

Today there were four eagles at the Dulles-Greenway nest.

The couple at the Wetlands Institute Osprey nest (there are five and this is one of them) are back working on their nest this year in hopes of raising a family.

There is a pip on Monday afternoon at the ND-LEEF nest! Congratulations!

Is there a second hatch at Centreport?

At the NCTC nest of Bella and Scout, the rain is coming down. Bella is protecting her precious eggs in the hope of fledging eaglets off this nest this year.

Chicks doing well at Little Miami Conservancy. And another one hatched this morning, LM3. Now there are three.

A lovely radio interview on BBC Radio Scotland about Louis and Dorcha at Loch Arkaig.

Dorcha and Louis make the BBC news.

Louis pretending he is a penguin delivering Dorcha a fish!

The Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society has put up a new nest for Ollie and his mate at Norwalk. It is a beauty. His nest often got washed out to sea with the high tides. They hope this will help. Ollie has returned home and is waiting for his mate. There is also a new camera. I am trying to locate the link for you.

Note the lovely mesh below the frame.

This was a storm that hit Ollie’s nest in 2022. The nest is on Long Island Sound.

Many have asked about Dmitri. You will recall he rescued the little storklet – the one Mamma Stork was killing – and raised it to fledge. Then Dmitri required surgery. He is well and fixing the stork nest for this year! Thank you to all who helped. He says he is “so happy to be alive and for the birds arriving back from Africa”.

At Utica, Astrid has laid her fourth falcon egg of the season!

Which brings me to Angel and Tom. Our dear ‘A’ is very worried about them and the fact that there are no eggs. I wonder if it is possible that they have another nest this year? or are they just a little late?

The latest word on R6:

The White Storks in Goggling Germany now have 5 eggs!

I love gulls and I purchase chips for them whenever I am at the beach or at Lockport by the dam. Do you feed gulls chips?

Justice-for-gulls-They-steal-our-chips-–-but-also-deserve-our-love-empathy-and-respect-Birds-TDownload

Did I ever tell you how marvellous it is to still have story time with the girls? At least once a day, and always at 1900, we gather in the conservatory and I read to the cats. It all began with Calico and her needing to recognise my voice and to trust me. She was in a little room, my old office, and I would go in with a book and her meal. She would eat, cuddle on my lap (yes I sat on the floor) and I would read to her. She has a preference for certain author’s voices. It has been a wonderful way for me to keep up with my reading and for all four of them to gather together. I now know that volunteers at the raptor centres read to the ambassador birds. They are no different than humans – all living things need stimulation and love. I ordered a number of books before the end of 2023 because part of my year was a promise to cut down on the book orders. I have ordered three books so far which has to be an all time low for me during the winter when there is time to read! So, ‘The Girls’ and I are working through that stack of books during story time. Next up is Chris Packham’s Birdwatching From Beginning to Birder. Will keep you posted as we finish up Tim Mackrill’s The Osprey. Review coming up later this week.

Missey looking at the bookshelf to see if she can find a book for story time.

It was a delight to see that animal skins and feathers are being banned from fashion week in Copenhagen. It could be the start of something special. No more animals bred and kept for the fashion industry!

Skins-and-feathers-are-as-cruel-as-fur-the-fashion-industry-is-told-Fashion-The-GuardianDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. All of the nests appear to be doing fine with the exception of Big Bear and Two Harbours where disappointment at a lack of hatch touches all of our hearts. All of the eaglets in the nest and all eggs being incubated appear to be in good order this Tuesday morning. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, photographs, videos, screen captures, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘A, AE, Geemeff, H, J, MB, MP, SP, TU’, Cornell Bird Lab, Megan Boardman, LRWT, SK Hideaways, Duke Farms, Raptor Resource Project, FORE, Moorings Park Ospreys, Frenchman’s Creek, AE-PSEG, MP-Achieva, Montana Osprey Project, Llyn Brenig, Lochter Activity Centre, Dulles Greenway, Wetlands Institute, ND-LEE, Centreport Eagles, Little Miami Conservancy, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC, Geemeff, LRWT, Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society, @Stork40, Utica Falcon Cam, Windows to Wildlife, Jeanne Kaufman, The Guardian, Goggling Germany White Storks and SPO, and Amazon.

Three for Thunder and Akecheta…Tuesday in Bird World

12 March 2024

Hello Everyone,

Oh, my goodness. Monday was one glorious day. Blue skies. +10 temperatures. Happy people everywhere. What more could you ask for? Well, feeding deer and Black-capped Chickadees by hand while, overhead, a skein of 17 Canada Geese were arriving.

Several decades ago, I would be waiting for this arrival in mid-April. Saw one goose in a puddle by a major highway and more deer. Today’s outing certainly boosted the spirits – or as some say here – ‘it sure got the sap running’.

I had to back up as this one kept coming right towards me…I did have a deer once eat part of a wool jacket. It was one of the deer in the park at Nara, Japan, that loved cookies. Many vendors in front of the Todaiji Temple sell the deer’s favourite snacks. They are entirely protected and can even go inside the shops!

Before we go further into Bird World, there is a pip on Monday afternoon in Thunder and Akecheta’s third egg. This little bobble will join two very feisty siblings who know the ropes in that small nest. Wow. Things could get very interesting.

At 0410, Thunder gets rid of the shell from the third hatch! The first two continue to ‘play fight’ while they are trying to be fed. Oh, bless this new one.

As far as I know, there is no pip or hatch at either Two Harbours, Big Bear, or Sauces. I am having, what most people call, a bit of hope-frustration. Not for me, but for these lovely eagle families.

A pile, literally a stack, of new bird books arrived today. One of them is Tim Mackrill’s The Osprey. I will keep you posted as I compare this book with the one he wrote for the RSPB and his PhD thesis at the University of Leicester. Tim is one of the world’s experts on Ospreys. His name is associated with so many reintroductions and it seems that despite having a life, he is always there to help when someone needs it if it involves our beloved fish hawks.

The book that I am most looking forward to reading is one on its way. It is My Summer with Ospreys. A Therapists Journey into Hope, Community, and Healing our Planet.

The one that I am reading is Simon Curtain’s, If you build it, he will come. I lived in the market town of Grantham in Lincolnshire. My two haunts were Belvoir Castle and closer to home, Belton House. The book is the story of the reintroduction of Osprey into the UK after their demise. It specifically tells the tale of 4K, the male Osprey that settled on one of two platforms built at Belvoir raising two chicks in 2022. It is a love story to that singular bird that was the focus of Sacha Dench’s Flight of the Osprey. 4K did not return to breed in 2023. He sadly died on his way home in February 2023 somewhere near Dobire, Guinea.

It is a page-turner when you get to the part where Curtin wonders, after so many years, if 4K will have a mate, lay eggs, and have chicks! His excitement was infectious and Calico and I were up way past our bedtime reading his diary.

Ospreys-make-triumphant-return-as-breeding-pairs-spread-across-UK-Birds-The-GuardianDownload

Most everyone who reads my blog knows that I believe nature has the power of healing. I spent at least four days a week outside for numerous hours. I do not wear headphones as I smell the fresh air and walk through familiar paths in the forest. Even though I do this repeatedly, each day is different. There are times that I long to live the life I did when I was twenty, on a small treed average, miles from anyone. Chickens, sheep, Roosevelt the Pig, horses, cows, cats, rabbits, and Guinea Fowl. Sometimes urban spaces ‘get to me’. But living sustainably was a lot of hard work – rewarding but hard, from morning to night. So now the forested areas around the City are my refuge.

Which brings me back to this book. I will keep you posted when it arrives.

Things are really starting to pick up with the Ospreys with reports coming in from near and far.

We discovered that the osprey photographed in San Diego did not originate in Montana. There is a mystery about this bird: the band and the lack of a federal band. The band reads Blue 61. But there is another white line. I am contacting everyone I know who bands Ospreys and has records of them. The news from the federal banding programme takes time. If you know anyone that bands ospreys, ask them if they recognise this band. Notice the line that goes all the way around. It is unique:

That egg at Captiva. It made its way back to the centre of the nest. Jack has delivered a nice fish to Edie and takes a breath. Everything seems fine for now. Lesson learned. Too much bark and objects in a nest can be dangerous for eggs! I am sure glad these two do not like stuffed toys.

‘H’ reports that Jack injured his foot early this morning but he has delivered a fish and seems to be much improved.

At Dahlgren, Jack and Harriet have been reunited.

No matter what happens…we love them.

A lovely video of Jackie and Shadow with those diamonds raining down on Jackie – oh, the bond these two have. I so wished this year had been theirs.

At Berry College, Missey and Pa Berry’s second clutch of eggs was laid on February 17th and 20th. Today, the oldest egg is 24 days. We have 12 days til pip/hatch watch.

My goodness. Francis must be a fast feeder. I blink and she is finished. It looked like the little one did get some nice bites on Monday, regardless, at Bluff City.

There were issues with prey deliveries at both nests – Bluff City and Johnson City on Monday. Franklin brought a garter snake to the nest in Bluff and it was nearly 1700 when Boone brought in a fish.

Kids at Johnson City were a little antsy. They are little to be waiting so long for food to arrive. It was after 1700. They did get a fish dinner.

Check out E23. Goes from the nest to the branch to hovering high in the wind.

Cal is doing some serious hovering, too!

It is hard to see Dixie and Mason the Superbeaks nest. They blend right in with the Spanish Moss. Three weeks old today – Dixie is.

Ron and Rose’s R6 celebrates his 8 week birthday. Check out Heidi Mc’s video for the celebration at this title on YouTube: 3/10/24 Dade County Eagles: Happy 8-Week Birthday, R6 !!

R6 is standing strong on the rails. Wonder when he will get interested in the branches?

Both eaglets at Duke Farms are doing well. Each fed nicely on Monday and the pantry was full.

Swampy and Meadow got a delivery of a huge fish. Both eating well and getting those juvenile feathers with no problems at this time.

Meadow is self-feeding!

I sure miss Diamond and Xavier. Here is the latest news:

Here is that video:

Kielder is preparing for the upcoming season as their ospreys fly home from West Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.

Preparing-for-the-season-Kielder-OspreysDownload

Are we getting ready for eggs for Rasene and Akacis at their nest in the Kemeri National Park in Latvia? Lots of time spent in that nest on Monday!

The latest from Janet Shaw at Chichester Peregrine Falcons.

Tom and Angel continue to work on their beautiful nest. Pine boughs and pine cones are adding a special touch – and we know that the pine helps to keep insects away!

Black Storks are arriving back in Poland!

No sign of any hatch action at the Achieva Osprey cam. The precise date that the third egg was laid is not known. It is seen on the morning of the 8th of February. If that is the correct date of it being laid, then it is only 34 days old today. Give it a few more days to hatch.

Could Rutland be home to more than Ospreys – like bears and wolves? They are hoping for this type of transformation!

Extravagant-plans-for-Rutland-nature-reserve-BirdGuidesDownload

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us again soon!

Thank you to the following for their comments, posts, photographs, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J’, IWS/Explore, The Guardian, Pamela Lowell, F Borja, Window to Wildlife, Dahlgren Osprey Platform, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Berry College Eagle Cam, Bluff City-ETSU, Johnson City-ETSU, WsperWings, Sylvia, Superbeaks, WRDC, Duke Farms, Eagle Country, Holly Parsons, Kielder Ospreys, LDF, Janet Shaw, Arlene Beech, Achieva Credit Union, and BirdGuides.

Sunday in Bird World

21 January 2024

Hello Everyone,

Saturday was a lovely day. The temperatures had warmed up to -15 but there was a brisk wind off Devonian Lake at the nature centre that made it feel much colder. Tomorrow the high will be -7 C. We will be out in our summer jackets!!!!!!! LOL. 

It is often difficult to get motivated to get the boots, toque, gloves, scarf, and winter coat on -. In the end, though, it is worth it. The air is so fresh. There has been a special crunch with the snow because it has been so cold. Mostly, in the forest, it is serene and the clean white snow is more than beautiful. It looks, in places, like a down duvet covering the earth.

Several Downy Woodpeckers were fighting for the last food in the feeders while the Red Squirrels ran all over the snow. A bunch of children were screaming with delight as they went down the tower on their sledges – what fun!

Calico and Missey were just worn out watching Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope run from one end of the conservatory to the sitting room and back, all the while leaping over sofas and chairs, clamouring over the island, up on the cat tree, down and away. Sometimes they scrambled over the coffee table pulling blankets off the sofa and tearing through the tunnels. 

You can see that Missey and Calico look a little dazed or grumpy. It did get to be a little much after an hour! It is no wonder that Baby Hope is nicely fit and slender. Don’t say anything, but Calico and Missey could also use some of that exercise daily. The vet smiles and says they are a little ‘pleasantly plump’. 

This one just attracts trouble like a magnet! Oh, we have ordered some eye wipes that Auntie ‘R’ recommends. Hopefully they will be here this week.

I am certain that the sentiments of ‘A’ might well reflect many of those reading my blog. ”I’ve just checked in on a few of my favourite bald eagle nests. And what do I see? Massive crops all over Florida. At SWFL, E23 is so full it’s eating duckling style (btw, when did that giant eaglet suddenly appear – I remember a cute little fluffy thing like R6?). And speaking of R6, it too is currently being stuffed, while the wee CEs both have HUGE crops (although CE10’s is absolutely ridiculous and, seriously, may well be the biggest I have ever seen on a nestling) after yet another feeding from Connie. Meanwhile, I’m not entirely sure that there isn’t a fish buried under a bit of nesting, because CE11 appeared to be self-feeding from something that it was able to pull pieces off because it was being held down fairly firmly by the nesting (he’s still not heavy enough to properly hold prey down for effective self-feeding, though he gets some food if he’s persistent). Either way, those are two very happy, well-fed eaglets. Lovely. It’s nice to watch only chicks, getting plenty of food and no bonking, but there’s nothing quite like the sibling experience.”

E23 was full to the brim, too. Mum and Dad took some time to enjoy the sunshine after all the rain from the recent storm.

R6 is one of those well-fed only eaglets. Rita sometimes likes to try out super large bites for this little one. R6 tries…and Mum gets a bite. Surprise.

Some bonding activity on the Hanover nest even with the snow.

It’s cold in South Bend, Indiana. There is snow on the ND-LEEF nest tree in St Patrick’s Park, and I could see no sign of any eagle visits on Saturday.

At NE Florida, Beau did get a turn to incubate while Gabby was off eating, we hope. There have been some intruders in the vicinity. 

Beau on the nest after noon.

Gabby did the majority of incubation on Saturday.

Some stretching and rolling of the egg along with aerating the nest.

Details of the day’s events with Gabby and Beau.

I do not believe that the remaining egg at Berry College will hatch. It might be a miracle for Missey and Dad if it does tomorrow. One of the eggs was crushed today and appeared to have nothing inside. It was covered up with nesting material later (It is directly to the right under the straw of Missey’s head). Will they go for a second clutch like Pepe and Muhlady? We will have to wait and see.

Lady has been providing for SE31. How lovely. Doesn’t your heart just want to skip a beat in happiness for Lady and Dad this season – finally getting to raise a little one down at the River Roost after fledging.

‘A’ sends another report for the WBSE for January 21: “An early visit to the nest by Lady – the first for a long time – arrived just after 6am, moved a stick about. A Grey Butcherbird and native Noisy Mynahs nearby, then moved off to the river area at 6:50am. Then, SE31 was seen pestering Lady for food, before finally having a couple of “attempts” herself, her only catch being a ball, taken into mangroves at River Roost! Kept her amused for a good 20 minutes. While we were there (until about 9am), she flew about a bit and kept flying close to Lady, seeking food and causing Lady to move. Again, her protective colouring makes her hard to see. There were no more observations recorded later in this very hot day – the eagles were no doubt sheltering from the heat.” 

‘A’ notes: ”

At Orange, it is being noted that there have been no bonding sessions between Diamond and Xavier for three days. Without tower cam operating, these are the only real chances we get to see Xavier a lot of the time, so people are a little worried that he has not been spotted during their usual early-morning bondings. Diamond is currently on her ledge, as always, and Marri has been heard in good voice. Cilla posted this yesterday (20 January): NEWS 20th January 2024 Cilla KinrossMarri is still with us and still chasing adults for food. This action takes place before dawn, so is a bit gloomy even with enhancement.  https://youtu.be/SDUNhwNDKns TOWER CAM. The technician came this week to investigate the ongoing problems with the youtube streaming. The part supplied did not function, so will need to be replaced…”

At Port Lincoln, there were 6 fish brought in on the 21st – 4 from Mum and 2 from Dad. 

Two Golden Eagles come in for lunch. It is a beautiful winter wonderland. 

Diane normally lays her first egg the first week of February. Barbara Snyder has been capturing her on the nest on Saturday.

Recently there has been attention drawn to the killing of the Red List Woodcocks. In some regions, they are of least concern, but overall, their population is declining. If you are not aware of these remarkable birds that are threatened, here is some information to help you appreciate them more.

All About Birds describes them thus, “American Woodcocks are plump, short-legged shorebirds with very long, straight bills. Their large heads, short necks, and short tails give them a bulbous look on the ground and in flight. The wings are broad and rounded compared to most other shorebirds.”

Audubon says, “Related to the sandpipers, but strikingly different in habits. This rotund, short-legged bird hides in forest thickets by day, where it uses its long bill to probe in damp soil for earthworms. Its eyes are set far back on its head, allowing it to watch for danger even with its bill buried in the dirt. Males perform a remarkable ‘sky dance’ on spring and summer nights, in a high, twisting flight, with chippering, twittering, bubbling sounds.”

They are about the size of the Crows that visit my garden, 30 cm or 12 inches in length.

“Photo of the Week – Woodcock at Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, RI” by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

The Woodcocks make their nests, a feathered scrape (not unlike the peregrine falcon grave scrape, but feathered, on the ground. The female normally lays four eggs. Five would be very rare but sometimes there are only 1-3 pink-beige, blotchy with grey and brown marked eggs. Incubation takes approximately three weeks. The newly hatched chicks leave the nest within a few hours of hatching. The hen will care for them and feed them, but after a couple of days the young are finding their own worms in the moist soil. They will make short flights when they are a fortnight old and will be completely independent of their parents by five weeks.

“File:American Woodcock Scolopax minor.jpg” by guizmo_68 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The female is thought to carry the chicks away from danger in her feet or pressed between her legs and body. Woodcocks feed at night probing the wet earth with their very long bill making exploratory holes. They can even take the temperature of the soil as they look for worms and beetle snags sucking them up like young children do with spaghetti! Scientists continue to marvel at the flight patterns over vast expanses of open water between the UK and Northern Europe. Myth states that they return to the UK on the first full moon in November. 

Here is a document that gives a good understanding of 50 years of research into the decline and the reasons for this decline. 

Insights-from-five-decades-of-monitoring-habitat-and-breeding-populations-of-American-woodcock-GutDownload

Woodpeckers enjoying a feast on the cones of the Sitka Pines.

Country-diary-High-in-the-treetops-a-winter-feast-Trees-and-forests-The-GuardianDownload

Today is National Squirrel Appreciation Day, but around here, Dyson knows that she is loved every day! Today there will be some extra peanuts for her and the kits. Remember your garden squirrels today, if you can.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. We hope to see you again soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, photographs, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ’A, H, J’, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida, WRDC, HeidiMc, Trudi Iron, ND-LEEF, NEFL-AEF, Berry College, Donna Nickerson, Chang-Le Dong, PLO, Bart M, Trine, Barbara Snyder, Open Verse, BTO Red Sixty Seven, BTO Into the Red, British Ecological Society, The Guardian, and Squirrels Galore.

Tuesday in Bird World

9 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It is -21C on the Canadian Prairies. The cold weather has arrived. It was a good day to wake up to hot coffee and warm cardamon rolls out of the oven. LOL. The girls didn’t care! They wanted breakfast and story time before I started my day. Calico now ‘walks’ me out to the conservatory sofa to read. It is too funny. The cats have me fully trained. 

As you know, if you have read my blog over the summer of 2023, a large family of Crows lives in my neighbourhood. They bring their fledglings to the garden to get peanuts and for the bird bath, where they dunk their food and have baths. The numbers have decreased since the end of autumn, and I am worried about them. Today, I was happy, but simultaneously sad, to see a single crow at the corner waiting for another person who feeds birds. I know she specifically feeds the crows, but where are the others?

I have also been reading more about Crows, and if you are interested in the intelligence level of the members of the Corvid family include Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays, I have a book for you! It is called Bird Brains, and it is by Candace Savage. This is the latest edition from 2018. 

I was impressed by the writing that drew me in and made the new findings on this amazing species’ intelligence level relatable. The photographs are top-notch. (Sorry about the glare from the light)

The introduction included mention of anthropomorphism. Put simply it is ascribing human traits to animals. if, however, you study the behaviour of animals, the apologies of individuals such as many on chat for doing just that will more than irk you. 

Savage discusses the ‘ascription of meaningful intelligence to nonhuman creatures’ as problematic. She notes that at a point, scientists and researchers into behaviourist psychology who looked into memory, insights and thoughts stopped looking at nonhumans. Some had been tricked, and she noted that no one wanted to be embarrassed. It paused the subject of knowledge and intelligence…She notes that anyone who dared to state that nonhumans were intelligent was accused of the dreaded anthropomorphism. Savage’s entire book bunks the notion of ‘dumb animals’, stating that humans ‘have a lot invested in keeping animals dumb’ (19). Think about it – humans can treat animals any way they want if they believe they do not feel pain, have feelings, share emotions, solve problems, etc. Savage points to the research of many, including Irene Pepperberg from the University of Arizona, who concludes that Corvids are superbly intelligent, capable of identifying items by name, able to distinguish similarities and differences in objects, as well as ‘capable of acquiring complex vocal and nonvocal behaviours that many scientists believe are co-or prerequisites for referential communications’. Pepperberg, in her research, discovered that Corvids have the same cognitive capacities as primates. Indeed, their superior powers might be higher than primates (18).

If you are interested in avian behaviour and love the Corvid family or want to learn more about the intelligence of our feathered friends, this is an excellent book. It is well-written, wonderfully illustrated, and at a good price point. 

One of my favourite Corvids, the baby Blue Jay from the summer, came to visit the feeder on Monday. Delighted to see it!

The girls are doing great. The plumbers were here again today – they will be finishing up tomorrow – and I could not ask for better behaviour. They all stayed out of the way of any danger!

Missey has a new sleeping spot. It is on top of one of the tallest cabinets – almost touching the ceiling – next to a carved cat on a skateboard that my late friend, Charlie Scott, made. Missey is very smart. What a safe place and out of the way of Calico. They do not always get along. I would say they tolerate one another.

Hugo Yugo and Calico slept on the cat tree together, ignoring the workers who dumped the vanity behind them piled with anything and everything.

I was so delighted when ‘AM’ sent me some beautiful images they had taken of Blake Kites near their home in Japan.

Nature Japan gives us some information on one of the country’s most beautiful raptors: ”The Black Kite or “Tobi” トビ as it is known in Japanese is a common sight in the skies throughout Japan. This raptor is thought to be the world’s most abundant bird of prey. Its numbers are healthy and is under no threat.

This bird can be mainly found in Eurasia, Australasia, Oceania and is a year-round resident here in Japan. You can see this powerful looking bird often soaring in the thermals high above coastal areas, rivers and lakes. I’ve also seen them in farming areas throughout the Kansai region of Japan. They are very graceful flyers that soar with ease and turn with precision.

Male and female Black Kites look very similar and are very opportunistic hunters. They prey upon fish, rodents, and other birds. They are also known to scavenge which is one of the reasons they are so successful a species. I have watched them dive towards the ocean plucking fish from the water and I have also seen them dive-bomb people at highway rest stops trying to steal their rice balls and bento box lunches.” Their only predator is the Eurasian Eagle-owl. “This powerful owl can easily pick off even adult Black Kites and can sometimes be found in northern parts of Hokkaido (common throughout Europe and other parts of Asia).”

Wilde Nature gives us the size variations for these birds of prey: “The Black-eared Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey, measuring about 45–55 centimetres in length with a wingspan of up to 150 centimetres. The distinguishing feature of this subspecies is the black patch of feathers on the sides of the head, located behind the eyes, which gives it its name. Its eyes are dark brown; its bill is short and hooked. The outer wing feathers are black, with dark crossbars and a mottled base. The underparts are pale brown and become lighter towards the chin. The body feathers have a dark shaft, giving it a striped appearance. The corner of the mouth is yellow, but the bill is black. Male and female birds look the same, but females are slightly longer with a larger wingspan.”

Black-eared Kites are opportunistic hunters and feed on various prey such as small mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles. They are often seen soaring high in the air on thermal updrafts, effortlessly gliding while searching for potential prey on the ground.

Thank you ‘AM’ for allowing us to share these beautiful images of the kites.

Look at this beautiful White-tailed Eagle that visited one of Finland’s Osprey (Selli Island) nests on Monday. Gorgeous.

Connie with C10 and C11 today. Note more dandelions are missing! There are pin feathers coming in along the wing tips.

‘A’ comments on these little eaglets: ”Speaking of having enormous appetites, so does CE10, who is absolutely massive in comparison to baby brother CE11. I am still not entirely sure that CE10 has the temperament of a female, but certainly she has the physical characteristics of one. Little CE11 seems to eat his fill most of the time, but she can eat SO much more. Today, both of them had very big crops mid-afternoon (of course CE10’s was larger), and then Connie came in and CE10 was fed the majority of a good-sized speckled trout! CE11 lifted his head from his afternoon nap and initially decided not to bother, but about 20 minutes later, he eventually got up and made his way to the table, by which stage you might have expected CE10 to have long since fallen into a food coma, but no, she was continuing to eat, so that CE11 still had to wait some time to get perhaps a dozen mouthfuls out of the entire fish. CE11 is definitely getting enough to eat, but CE10 is bottomless. She is making no specific effort to prevent CE11 from eating, and has not really done so at any point in their development. She eats and eats and eats, while CE11 is a confident eater but not a pushy eaglet at the table. Occasionally, when big sibling is asleep, CE11 gets a quiet private feeding, usually from Connie, but the size differential continues to grow between the two eaglets. Fortunately, there has been no real food shortage (except one day where there was an inkling of ‘hungry’ experienced on the nest). The bonking has been minimal throughout (and instigated often by CE11, who has been prepared to look his older sibling in the eye from an early age, despite the inevitable results). “

‘J’ has a reminder: Today is also Connick’s first birthday. Connie and Clive’s 2023 hatch will be the Ambassador at the Smithsonian. Maybe you will be able to travel to see him!

Changing before our eyes. Thanks for the close-ups, cam op.

Faxinating caught the whole fish drop to F23 for her and E23 today – we all cheer when the Dad doesn’t eat the head, but we also cringe when the fish flops everywhere. Not to cause alarm, but these live fish have killed eaglets and Osplets. (more on SW Florida below)

Tonya Irwin reports on the action at the Kistachie National Forest E1 nest that Louis shared with his late mate, Anna.

Not a lot of action at the nest of Beau and Gabby. I really hope Gabby is getting to eat enough. It looks like Beau is busy with the defence of their territory.

All is well with M15, F23, and E23 at the SW Florida Eagle nest after the earlier fish delivery. Dad stopped in before bedtime to feed the cutie pie some fish.

The Great Horned Owls are nesting at the Hilton Head nest it seems.

On their social media page, the Hilton Head Island Land Trust posted a short video of the male bringing prey and being in the nest with the female. You can see the two eggs.

Meanwhile at the nest of Bonnie and Clyde on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas, it is snowing. No sign of the owls.

Just northeast of Kansas, in Iowa, the snow is coming down in Decorah, home to the Decorah North Bald Eagle family as well as the Hatchery Bald Eagle Family.

Snow was also coming down on the Denton Home Nest.

Baiba caught Blazer going after a squirrel coming up to the Eagle Country nest where he is incubating his and Abby’s eggs.

At Port Lincoln, Gil got himself a really nice fish off the nest. This is not just any fish – this is a delivery by the fish fairy at 0938.

The lads have been fighting for the fish and today Gil was the clear winner until…

Mum came in with a really large fish at 1344. The lads struggled. Gil had a nice crop – come on, Gil. Let Brad eat! Brad was hungry and got that fish and really enjoyed it. Well done, Brad.

‘A’ sends the report for the WBSE: “January 9: Early this morning, just one eagle was spotted at the river, moving between roosts. Just before 9am, SE31 was finally seen soaring high above the wetlands and the river. Then, at 9:15am, she was at River Roost with Lady, both flying back and forth a bit. At 9:20am, SE31 took flight, followed by Lady, up high, circling then off over Homebush Bay. Neither had returned at 10:15am. Just after 12 noon, SE31 was seen at River Roost, but no parents. But then we heard that at 11:06am, she had been seen catching a fish shortly after returning from her flight with Lady. At 4:30pm, one adult was seen at River Roost, and it then flew off to the west. Shortly after, at 5pm, both adults were spotted on the island, then SE31 was seen there as well.” 

BirdGuides review of the week for the UK, including some unusual finds.

Review-of-the-Week-2-7-January-2024-BirdGuidesDownload

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretative Centre is closed for renovations, but they have some online events for people living in my province. Want to know where to go birding? Check this virtual information session on the 14th of January from 1300-1400.

Virtual-Birding-Hour-Where-to-Find-Birds-in-Manitoba-Oak-Hammock-MarshDownload

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

I would like to thank the following who also helped me with my blog today: ’A, AM, J’, Nature Japan, Wilde Nature, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Window to Wildlife, Faxinating, Tonya Irwin, Carol Shores Rifkin, Hilton Head Island Trust, Farmer Derek, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Denton Homes, Baiba, PLO, Bart M, Eagle Cam, Bird Guides, and Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Centre.

Pip at SW Florida…Thursday in Bird World

28 December 2023

Good Morning!

We are so happy to have you with us today! You will have a wonderful walk through memory lane on 1 January when the list of events that brought happiness to my readers is revealed. Your notes have brought tears to my cheeks and made me laugh – and remember things I had forgotten. You still have time for those who have not sent in what moved them in 2023. You can send me 1 or 4 (or more) moments during Bird World in 2023 that were so moving and meaningful. Please do so by late 31 December so I can compile them for New Year’s morning. I think you are going to be surprised in some cases -. You can send them as a comment or if you want to keep your list secret, send it to my e-mail: maryannsteggles@icloud.com    Thanks so much!

Oh, I can tell you these girls must had some party Tuesday night! When I woke up Wednesday morning, there were toys everywhere. The chewy dental sticks were torn apart, and half of the ornaments on the twinkling tree were scattered about the floor. Interactive toys were upside down, and a small box of mince pieces that had been on the coffee table was on the floor. 

I don’t think it was Calico. 

I suspect that it was Baby Hope and Hugo! As I write this, I hear them tearing around, finding something else to get into. Hugo was incredibly tired most of the day, as was Hope.

Baby Hope wound up with a winky after all that fun.

Missey is always an ‘angel’. 

Now on to Bird World…

Well, the rumour that there was a pip at SW Florida was just wishful thinking and then it wasn’t…there is a definite pip in one of those eggs Wednesday night.

Here is the video of the pip.

Wet morning at SW Florida. F23 not giving us any hints.

If you did tune in to the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive and could not see C10 and C11 – they did not fall out of the nest. Connie buried them! ’H’ sent me a note to warn me. 

The mods think it is so the nesting material could dry out a bit. Great idea on the part of the eagles if that is the case – it will keep those kids form getting a chill in a damp nest.

That could have given someone a heart attack!

Everything turned out fine.

It was a bit breezy at Port Lincoln today. Sure going to miss these two. What a fantastic year it has been and it was all done to the fortitude of Janet, Bazz, and Fran to supply the fish for the family to see them through to fledge. It made all the difference in the world. I hope they go to sleep at night with a smile on their face! They certainly deserve it.

Dad was in with a small fish at 0813 and Brad got it! Way to go – we don’t need to worry about you anymore. You got this.

Bradley is certainly a looker.

Well, way to go Bradley. Mum came in with a nice fish at 1329 and Bradley took that one, too. Wow. I am impressed.

No doubt there will be more to add to the observation board…Bart still has to highlight that 1329 arrival. I am up and off early in the morning. You can check for later deliveries – and to see if Gil gets anything – by going to the YT live stream and look under the images for the observation board link.

SE31 still going strong. Just makes your heart beat a little faster to see one of those eaglets survive to be taught how to be an eagle by Lady and Dad down at the river. I wish our dear friend Phyllis – who loved these sea eagles so much- had lived to see this day!

Gabby continues to care for that egg. She’s got it back in a nest cup now.

Sue Dumas caught Akecheta and Thunder having a successful mating on Wednesday.

The eggs of Alex and Andria were buried today by one of the female visitors at the KNF-E3 nest. We all miss Andria and we will wish Alex well as he reorganises his life without her.

Dad and new female were both seen near the ND-LEEF eagle nest in St Patrick’s Park, South Bend, Indiana. Nice.

The eggs of the Royal cam couples at Taiaroa Head were candled today.

Here is the video and the thumbs up:

Holly Parsons posted a great little video clip of Marri chasing Xavier with Diamond watching from inside the scrape.

Since the arrival of the little book on the art and photography of Roger Tory Peterson, I have taken a keen interest in just how influential he was on all of us who love birds. Today, another used volume arrived in the post. Peterson Reference Guide to Bird Behaviour. Written in 2020 by John Richer, this richly illustrated volume covers most aspects of avian behaviour. There may be aspects that are out od date – the streaming cams are providing us with new information daily -, but still it will be a valuable addition to your library if you would like to understand more about the social life of birds, their brain and their senses, territory guarding and mating, etc. I know you are curious about all of those things!

If you do not know who Roger Tory Peterson is, please check out this YT video. Loaded with lots of information, it is 13 years old and might appear a little dated, but he was such an influence it is good to know who he was and his contributions to birding.

The sheer decline in bird numbers and the state of our planet can, most often, be bewildering, frightening, and overwhelming. I am grateful to ‘SP’ for sending me the following article with special mention of the closing lines, “The last paragraph really says it all “’This is how I personally cope with having these big imminent issues hanging over my head all the time, like climate change and destruction of the biosphere,” he says. “The more you zoom out, the more powerless you feel. So I think the best way for me to engage in life as an activist is just to influence things within the sphere of my control.’”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/26/collisions-with-buildings-are-killing-millions-of-birds-nationwide-a-dark-sky-movement-to-save-them-is-sweeping-the-bay-area/ 

Attempts to restore seabird life to Atlantic Canada.

Whose-Numbers-Are-So-Great-as-to-Be-Incredible-Island-Restoration-and-the-Seabirds-of-Atlantic-CanaDownload

Thank you so very much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘H, J, SP’, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Amanda Lake, Toni Hoover, Window to Wildlife, PLO, Bart M, Chang Li-Dong, Jerinelle Wray, NEFL-AEF, Sue Dumas, KNF-E3, Kim Weinenger, Roz Young, Lady Hawk, Mercury News, Holly Parsons, Amazon, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels, and The Wandering Rook.

Osprey eggs!!!!!!…Thursday in Bird World

21 December 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Happy Winter Solstice! 

The girls are pretty good. Baby Hugo continues to baffle me with her runny eyes and sneezing. Tomorrow, we pick up the antibiotics if the sneezing doesn’t stop. We continue on the Polysporin for Pink Eye. Does she have an allergy? Or will this be a respiratory issue all her life due to her poor beginning? The latter is what the vet thinks. She does have a good appetite if I sit with her and turn the dish. She is playing but not as much as the other day. Hence, I am feeling the need for a little help here. 

Baby Hope is perfect. No problems, not even a weight one. And her temperament is that of a very gentle soul. She loves to get right up to the camera and will sometimes still do those Famous High Fives.

Hope loves to pose for me. Just pull out the camera and she gets ready.

Missey is beautiful. Lots of brushing! 

Calico has one thing on her mind – Hugo. Where is Hugo?

The days are cloudy but warm for Winnipeg, aka Winterpeg, in December. -2 C. It was slushy out by the bird feeders. My phone tells me we are +5 degrees C higher than the norm for this time of year. It was nice enough to clean up the shells from the Black Oil Seed. I have cut the seed down in half, and the birds are still not eating it all. I said I was concerned that the numbers have dropped significantly at the feeders. This normally does not happen in the winter. I have not seen the Starlings for nearly a week and the Blue Jays for a bit longer. Dyson and Gang, along with Little Red, are taking advantage! They are getting the peanuts.

The Boyfriend was here several times today, too. He loves that Kitten Kibble!

V3 at NE Florida has been given a name. ‘H’ sent me the link to the AEF FB page. It tells us why they chose the French name, Beau, to go with the French Gabriella. Be careful. ’L’ said it teared her up!

But remember, there are two. One at NE Florida and the other with Nancy up at the DNR-Minnesota nest.

https://www.facebook.com/AEFNestCams

Beau guarding Gabby and their first egg. The question now is: will he help Gabby incubate? will he bring her prey items? will he feed the eaglets? We wait. I love the couple together but he seems to lack the instincts that other young male eagles have had. I am thinking of Harry at Minnesota as one of those. 

V3 brought in a fish for Gabby, but will he help her? I worry. Let us hope that his instincts kick in!

Oh, I get excited when there are Osprey eggs. Sorry, eagles. Sunnie Day posted the first on a streaming cam in Naples, Florida. Check them out – cut and paste the link to the live cam if you cannot click and connect.

OK. C10 and C11 are really cute and C11 looks like it will be able to hold its own against its older sibling! Still…..I dream of that little stripe and the black eye liner of the little osplets.

Gil and Brad on the nest at Port Lincoln waiting to squabble over the first fish delivery. If you haven’t noticed, Mum has really been pulling the weight of the fish deliveries since the fairies stopped providing.

That Brad is sure handsome. Look at that crest – and it looks like some whitecaps in the background. Hope the fishing isn’t bad today. Maybe Mum has a good spot.

This is how the day went so far. Most agree that Brad is going to get pretty hungry if he doesn’t step up and snatch that fish! Gil got the first one and is still eating the one that Mum brought in at 12:57.

Look at all the fish…there were many feeding times!

How exciting! Marri visits the scrape at Orange but gets frightened by the pump!

These are some great screen captures of Marri during her visit. Marri is gorgeous. You could confuse her for Diamond if you didn’t look carefully at the chest bands.

Mr President and Lotus were at the National Arboretum Bald Eagle nest in DC. Oh, how nice to see them.

Abby and Blaze were at Eagle Country.

Lots of hay being delivered to the nest at SW Florida – getting it nice and cosy for those little eaglets when they hatch.

Dad and the new female F were working on the nest at ND-LEEF in South Bend, Indiana, on Wednesday.

Eagles at Decorah North on Tuesday.

Egg rolling at Berry College with Pa and Missy.

‘A’ brings us the wonderful report of the WBSE at the Parramatta River:

“December 21: A cooler start to the day and more rain. At 7am, SE31 was on the island and both adults were on River Roost. A little later, the juvenile was seen flying from behind the island to land on the other side, then going into the mangroves. Adult was seen with fish in the morning and then again at 2:28pm. The juvenile possibly took the fish, but was hidden in mangroves behind River Roost. Wind was strong today at times, affecting their flight.

‘J’ recommended a lovely little book to me. It is Peterson’s Birds. The Art and Photography of Roger Tory Peterson. It was published in 1994, thirty years ago, the year at Peterson died. Full of biographical information on what led Peterson to his love of birds along with pages of his gorgeous and skilful sketches and photographs. Mine is an ex-library copy in mint-condition. It is only available ‘used’ but worth the effort to find a copy for yourself or someone special.

I like the size of it and Calico will approve. Perfect for petting a cat on the chest while holding and reading!

Bald Eagle released at our local wildlife centre includes a short mention of the eagle’s importance to my province’s indigenous people.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, photos, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’A, H, J, L’, AEF FB, NEFL-AEF, Judy Harrington, Sunnie Day, Window to Wildlife, PLO, Bart M, SK Hideaways, Helen Matcham, National Arboretum Eagle Cam, Eagle Country, Lady Hawk, ND-LEEF, Raptor Research Project/Explore, Berry College Eagles, Peterson’s Birds, and Wildlife Haven.

Captiva Hatch…M15 protects F23 and eggs during heavy rain…Sunday in Bird World

17 December 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It was -2 C on Saturday. At one point, it was -8 when I was at the Nature Centre. Yes, I put on the super warm boots and heavier long coat and, with Possum hat in hand, went for a 2km walk. Lots of families were out enjoying the day. I saw only a few Black-capped chickadees flitting around with the woodpeckers and the squirrels. The crisp air was lovely.

This time of year, I like to pop in and check out the new bird books on the shelves. I found one that might interest you – for yourself or a friend. If you need just a little motivation to sit and watch outside or want to record your sightings, this book is for you. It is large enough you won’t be cramped on filling in information yet small enough to stick in your bag along with a pen for your walks. I usually record my findings on eBird, but I will also start to use this diary instead of scribbling on the pages of my Manitoba bird book! 

When I got home, the little boy across the street ‘Teddie’ and his dad had been doing some snow sculpture. Cute!

The girls are fantastic. Well, I think they are. Calico might tell you differently. She was trying to have a nice snooze after breakfast – Calico loves to sleep upside down. Well, Hugo thought Calico’s tummy was the perfect bullseye to jump on. Hugo wanted to play. – Calico wanted to sleep. Dear Calico was so startled that she ran as fast as she could the opposite direction after giving out a hiss!

Missey quickly hid in the large tunnel toy while the commotion was going on.

Baby Hope decided that the safest place was in the basket.

Hugo, of course, was not bothered by any of this. She just went over and started playing with the other tunnel toy! Hugo is utterly fearless. I wonder what the dynamics are going to be in a year?

Baby Hope eventually came out and posed. I cannot take my eyes off her. She is the most precious kitten. I will still be tearing up when she is ten years old marvelling at how she found us after the entire neighbourhood looked and called ‘hoping’ to reunite Calico and her kitten. 

Despite the mishap with Calico, Missey, Hope, and Hugo are having fun together. They are not bored but are getting vast amounts of exercise. The flow of the house from the conservatory through the kitchen, around the island, past the library and into the sitting room is a perfect race track for them to exercise those leg muscles. 

The kittens want to give you a big giggle to start your day off right.

It is so quiet in Bird World that it is actually eerie. There are storms moving through Florida and along the Carolina coast. In the midst of those, Connie and Clive have their first pip. The couple had piled grasses into the nest prior to the arrival of the storm and those eggs are nice and dry. Mum and Dad are soaking! Good luck Connie and Clive. Bird World needs a little bobblehead right now especially since Gil has fledged and Brad is thinking about it!

Video of hatch in progress. If this chick makes it, it will be the first successful hatch of the 2023-24 Bald Eagle season on streaming cam! Fingers and toes crossed.

https://www.youtube.com/live/z5nu6LL74P0?si=jDKWC0HGcSKBdTel

Clive is staying right there with Connie. Both of them are getting soaked, just like M15 and F23.

The hatch came at 0614 Sunday the 17th.

At Southwest Florida, M15 is protecting F23 and their two precious eggs from the storm. What a guy…F23 does not know how lucky she is…yet.

More sightings of SE31 and Lady and Dad providing food down by the River Roost. Also I am reposting information from an earlier post in case you missed it. SE31 had been taken into care and released in the area by the parents.

This has been the most wonderful year at the Parramatta River. To have one sea eaglet survive to be trained by its parents to live a successful life in the wild just makes me tingle all over. We have all shed tears for this nest in the past and I have longed for Lady and Dad to be able to finish what they began as an egg. Let us all hope that 32 is out there someone living their life, too. 

Marri flew up to the ledge of the scrape on Saturday in Australia. Oh, wonderful. 

Xavier has been testing out the new pebbles in the clean scrape.

At Port Lincoln, ‘A’ gives us an update: ”Giliath went on a second flight – only about 90 seconds, from 11:58:29 until 11:59:54, when he demonstrated an impressive backward-flying landing manoeuvre. Brad was very impressed and a little surprised. It’s all happening with this pair. I still think Brad is a couple of days away from fledging. He has not done anything like the amount of wingercising that Giliath did pre-fledge. But we will see. It probably depends on the wind. “

Mum, Gil, and Brad waiting for fish mid-afternoon.

All of us remain hopeful for Gabby and V3 this year.

At the KNF nest, Alex is still doing incubation duty while F1 stands guard and protects the nest! This was Friday but he was still on the eggs on Saturday.

Saturday night and Alex is roosting elsewhere. Maybe with F1. I wonder when his hormones will shut down or he will realise the eggs are not viable? Was it Shadow that incubated for 80 days? Does someone remember?

If there is time for Pepe and Muhlady to have a second clutch, maybe this will work out for Alex and F1. If not, may their bond grow stronger. She is surely a fierce eagle!

Meanwhile, Bella gets friendly with the new male.

Elfruler.com has an article with a lot of data from their research on why Bald Eagle eggs fail. This might give some good insight into what is happening this year on some nests.

LOST-EGGS-AND-FAILED-FIRST-CLUTCHES-OF-EGGS-Bald-EaglesDownload

There is more good news coming for the Albatross. We have Moana returning to NZ and we have the central character of Kalam’s Journey returning to Kauai – and she is not yet 7 years old! She survived! Tears.

Incubation changeover at Taiaroa Head at the Royal Albatross Colony. Get ready for beautiful sky calls.

Cockatoos alter their food to make it easier to eat – looks like my Crows and my Blue Jays!

Polly-Wants-a-Cracker-but-She-Wants-to-Make-It-Easier-to-Chew-The-New-York-TimesDownload

My rescue girls certainly think that this would be the best thing that could happen!

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care – and if you are in the path of the storms, stay safe. We want to see you back with us soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, their photographs, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J’, Cat’s Diary, Gracie Shepherd, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Chang-le Dong, Sydney Eagle Cam, Helen Match, SK Hideaways, Jerinelle Wray, Carol Shores Rifkin, KNF-E3, Deb Stecyk, Elfruler.com, Holly Parsons, NZ-DOC, Lady Hawk, and The New York Times.