Category Archives: bird cams

Saturday in Bird World

3 June 2023

It is 32 degrees, with the promise of thunderstorms later today. The garden grew like RTH5 into a wild wilderness overnight with the humidity and the rain we had a couple of days ago. The heat is making it a jungle! I owe you pictures of kittens and the garden animals! This weekend. Lewis and Missey are doing well. Dyson and the gang continue to entertain them when they run onto the deck to get their morning and evening peanuts but it is getting harder and harder to see the birds in the foliage. Yesterday I decided to clear some branches and, to my dismay, felt quite ill after being out in the heat for just about 30-45 minutes. So learn from my mistake – stay inside when it is hot outside! Stay cool. Stay hydrated. At the same time, we hope that each of you has a lovely weekend.

Your morning smile comes from the Patchogue nest where Mini is up there having breakfast! Mini is turning into a Reptile..and growing. Indeed, the older ones will begin to slow while Mini will be at its peak growth period. We get a good comparison in the image below of just how different the older siblings are in size from Mini.

Let’s get the bad over with first. The youngest chick from the Patuxent I nest that was removed and fostered has died. One of the chicks at the Llyn Brenig platform in Wales has also died.

One brave eaglet, Flora, on the Dulles-Greenway Nest that is collapsing; the other two are in care. Flora has had two feedings and is doing well despite their small space! The other two are doing well in care – neither had any injuries from their fall.

The three falcons in Topeka’s Evergy scrape were ringed today. The little one was deemed to be fit BUT has anyone ever seen feathers stay in the quill/shaft like this?

Congratulations to Rosie and Richmond of the Whirley Crane nest in SF Bay by the Richmond Shipping Yards. Their first hatch of the season on Friday 2 June.

What a Friday morning it was. ‘R’ reported that Big was attacking Middle at the Achieva nest, and Big certainly was, but, it did not stop Middle from snagging the 10:50 fish delivery.

These two are not siblings but rivals for food and survival now.

Middle got it! Thank goodness.

Middle intent on eating as much of that fish as it can before Big gets it.

Middle ate lots and left a bit for Big.

The later fish went to Big after another battle. ‘R’ reports that Middle almost fell off the nest again. Ironically, so did R5…almost, again. Is it the heat? dehydration?

Patchogue Osprey nest had four fish deliveries before 11:08. Mini got some fish at the 0802 feeding but had nothing from the catfish at 0927. That is alright because a nice fish arrived at 1108, and the three big siblings were full and uninterested. Mini got a private feeding, and then, in the end, Mum fed Dad some fish. It was very touching.

Too far back to get up to the beak at 0927.

Private feeding for Mini at 11:08. All is well with the world.

Mum feeding Dad at Patchogue at 11:25. This is an amazing male…this family is so lucky!

There was more fish at Patchogue. This dad is amazing. I watched the two late feedings – one around 15:30 and then the 17:28 one. Mini was right up front but Big ‘looked at’ Mini and he went into submission. Mini ate last but he wound up with a huge crop before bed. Mini is now losing his baby down and going into the reptilian phase while the three older chicks are getting their juvenile feathers. This could help Mini. We continue to live in hope for this amazing little osplet.

Smart Mini. Keep your head down. Watch but don’t leave the table. Your turn will come – so much fish is coming to the nest. Look at those crops on the big ones. Just sit them out, Mini.

The male at Severna hauled in four fish before noon. Times were 05:41:46, 07:49, 08:26:00, and 11:35:45. Everyone ate well!

Mum fed Big and then she turned around and fed Middle!

At 0838.

Another delivery at 11:35.

So many more fish deliveries. The one at 18:21 was very civil.

Middle goes to bed with a bulging crop.

The female at Carthage TN is not interested in the egg or in incubation any longer. This is a good thing. something has gone terribly wrong at this nest in 2023. Some believe it is the same female from previous years with a new male. This female does not ‘act’ experienced…Sadly, we will not have the answers to so many questions about her behaviour. Both osplets dead.

‘H’ reports on the Forsythe Nest: “1255 to 1316, Third feeding of the day, the nestlings were sitting in a diamond shape, Mini at the point, Big and Middle at the sides, Little at the rear.  Little waited the longest to get fed, just couldn’t reach.  By 1304 Mini was in her first food coma, and that’s when Little started getting bites, reaching over Mini. Everyone except Little eventually was in a food coma, and by then Little got a short private feeding.  So they all did pretty good.  No aggression during the meal.  In between feedings, I did see some bonking between the oldest two at 0910, but Middle started it, lol.”

Dalgren gets a good report as well: ” 1156, Third feeding of the day.  Very smooth.  Both had good crops, no aggression.  I am pleasantly surprised by this nest.  I feared the worst when they hatched 4 days apart.  Fingers crossed that the harmony continues.”

Kathryn has been observing the Outer Banks 24/7 nest at Carova Beach and those three are doing well. So happy that she has a lovely family to watch after Carthage and Lake Murray…I always tell people to have a box of tissues if they watch osprey nests – for the bad times and for the good.

In the UK, Louis delivers a huge fish to Dorcha and the wee and only babe late Friday and that fish gives the chick a whacking…Thanks, Geemeff and thank goodness, all is well.

Oh, this baby is such a cutie.

There are cute babies everywhere! Aran looks on as Elen prepares to feed their duo from his fish delivery at Glaslyn.

Polly Turner caught White YW bringing a fish to Blue 035 to their nest at Foulshaw Moss.

You would not need an alarm clock if you had Blue 33 as a mate. 0500 fish…

Not to be outdone by Rutland, Idris was out fishing early, too.

Louis delivered early at Loch Arkaig as well. Gosh, they are all fishing at 0500!

Dylan was at the nest with fish at Llyn Clywedog, too! I am impressed with all of these UK males. Notice the reservoir in the image above the nest. It is the one that is annually stocked with 40,000 fish. Just think. 40,000 fish.

It appears that River now has a suitor at the Dale Hollow nest who is delivering fish to DH17! Now isn’t this wonderful! Thank you Celia Aliengirl for the FB posting. I had missed it. Three days in a row….beautiful.

At the Golden Eagle nest of Sarpike and Hevel, the second eaglet has died. ‘T’ reports that a shortage of small mammals caused by a lack of farming in the area might have caused the eldest to be aggressive to the second hatch. The baby wound up on the rim of the nest and died of hypothermia. This was on Wednesday the 31st of May. One chick remains. Let us hope that there is enough food for it. People moving from the rural areas or the change in farming methods are causing havoc to the lives of some of our beautiful raptors.

This is the link to Sarpike’s camera:

The Bucovina Golden Eagle nest appears to have food for the eagle. There are at least two roe deer or parts of on the nest of adults Lucina and Caliman.

Here is a link to that camera in Romania:

The chick of Ella and Elmar at the Estonian White-tail Eagle nest in the Matsalu National Park appears to be doing well. You might recall that in 2021, the couple on this nest were Eve and Eerik. Their two adorable eaglets died of H5N1, the first two eaglets known to have died of Bird Flu in the spring breeding season. That event had profound implications for the virologists who predicted Avian Flu would not die during the next winter. They were correct. This nest fledged 30 WTE from 1996-202. No breeding in 2022, and now we have a new couple.

The beautiful adults, Ella and Elmar.

They had one egg and one beautiful chick hatch.

Estonian Black Storks Karl II and Kaia welcomed hatch 1 and 2 on the 1st of June!

The four White Storklets of Bety and Bukacek in Mlady Buky The Czech Republic are doing fantastic.

An update on the little storklet rescued by Dmitri in Russia. It is doing fantastic. Have a look! It has really grown. My goodness and this baby looks ‘happy’. What a nice safe enclosure and lots of frogs and little fish and worms to eat without a sibling or parent pecking it to death.

To warm your heart:

There is a problem with the storklets in Spain this season; they are dying. The water that runs off of the huge garbage dumps forming little areas with frogs and little fish is full of toxins that people have placed in their bins. It goes to the dump, the rain falls and the poisons accumulate in the pools of water. The storks feed they’re going to the nest and regurgitating to feed their storklets. The storklets die. There are reasons that specific items to not go to landfills…please be aware. This can happen anywhere because more and more of our beautiful raptors and storks are losing their habitat and having to eat garbage. If you want to see a Bald Eagle in Winnipeg, go to the Brady Land Fill. How sad is this?

The Cromer Peregrine Falcons are doing fantastic…you might want to turn your volume down!

The Cal Falcons are doing fantastic! What a joy to be able to continue to see them this year. Adorable.

RTH5 waiting for breakfast. This little one is fed constantly by Tom and Angel. ‘A’ is thinking RTH5 is a female ‘eating machine’. What do you think?

And, last, but always at the top of my list – Big Red and her Ms and Arthur.It is all good!

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. Please take care. See you soon! — Continue to send your most positive wishes to all the nests. They need it.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, Geemeff, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘R’, ‘SP’, ‘T’, Dulles-Greenway, Evergy Topeka, Lucille Powell and Raptors of the World, Achieva Credit Union, PSEG, Severna Ospreys, Carthage TN, Forsythe Ospreys, Dahlgren, Outer Banks 24/7, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Geemeff and Loch Arkaig, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Polly Turner and the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, LRWT, CarnyXWild, Celia Aliengirl and DHEC, Sarpike WTE, Bucovina, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mlady Buky White Storks, Dmitri Stork Cam, SK Hideaways and Cromer Peregrine Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Window to Wildlife, and Cornell RTH.

Update on the Dulles-Greenway nest

2 June 2023

As many of you might be aware, the nest of Martin and Rosa and the trio has been falling apart rapidly. We saw this at the Notre-Dame Eagles nest last year, Minnesota DNR this year, and more recently, the Dale Hollow nest. It really compromises the lives of the eaglets who have juvenile feathers and who have branched but not flown.

Pi fell out of the nest this morning and was rescued.

DG4 – Pat – was the first to fall on Monday and is in care.

Flora is the only eaglet left on the small area of the nest.

This nest is being closely monitored. Send positive wishes out to all!

Friday in Bird World

2 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

It has been one of those weeks. Thankfully, it is ‘baby’ season and an excellent reason to get out amongst the ducks and the geese and count the newly hatched. Three duck mamas were quacking away, trying to keep the little ones together. It was hilarious. Those ducklings are so fast, darting hither and yon, enough that Mum just can’t keep track of them. It was adorable. I could see no goslings – yet. Not at this park, but there were 9 male Wood Ducks and not one female in sight. Perhaps they were on the island incubating eggs. At any rate, it was lovely. The day’s heat had cooled, people were smiling, and everyone seemed to want to chat.

As Father’s Day nears, I am eternally grateful that mine taught me the beauty of nature, the happiness of sitting quietly in the garden, that feeling of joy when a Cardinal lands on your upturned hand and takes a seed but, most of all, a responsibility to make the lives of animals and birds better, if I could. He helped me connect to nature and to something far bigger than myself.

‘H’ sent me a link to a TED talk this morning. She knows me well – I get very upset when humans on chats apologise for ‘anthropomorphising’ animal feelings. She knows I am a big follower of Marc Bekoff at the University of Colorado and Jane Goodall and their studies of animals and emotions. She knows that I watch adult raptors grieve when their children die. So she sent me a talk by Ron Magill. Some know Ron Magill as ‘the Eagle Guy’ from the Miami Zoo. The nest that Ron and Rose have was the brainchild of Magill. But, he is more than just eagles, and in this 18-minute talk (please listen to all of it as you will miss the best parts if you don’t!), he tells us the story of Quasi, an orphan lion cub at the Miami Zoo. Keep the link. When anyone on a chat tells you animals don’t have feelings – don’t get mad; educate them! Thanks, ‘H’.

How many Osprey nests had four eggs and four hatches? Blue 80 over at Threave Castle has four in the nest, too. It will be interesting to see how that plays out compared to the US nests. For awhile, the monitors of this nest (there is no streaming cam) thought there to be only three but up popped the fourth head. So far so good.

Yesterday, I said that “If there is a nest that gives me hope, it is Patchogue on Long Island.” Thursday was a pretty good day for Mini so let’s go through it.

This Mini-Bob has attitude! Please look at it below with those three enormous siblings lined up behind it. Mum looks down directly into its eyes. She is good to feed that baby if it gets its beak up close to hers. This Mini has to be a female…oh, how I wish we would know for sure.

Four osplets, one little Mini – and yet so civil. Fish come on the nest – nice ones – every couple of hours and the kids line up and eat if they are hungry. Mini was right up there at 1507 and was still going strong until he was so full – and hot – and got under Mum’s tail for shade at 1531.

I want to give a shout out to this great Dad who just keeps bringing in the fish! I did not count the number today but it certainly makes a difference when you have a nest with chicks spread like this one…just monster sized big siblings and there, in the centre of the nest, Mini – who is just starting to get into the Reptilian phase.

‘L’ writes that a delivery at 1600- a small gold fish – resulted in Little Bob being a little aggressive to Tiny – who did not get any food then.

Dad just delivers fishing – Daddy Door Dash Supreme. He should get some 5 star rating in TripAdvisor! A late fish came on the nest and I could not find Mini. Well, he was right up on the right side of Mum and he did get fed. Mini did not have a huge crop – or he did a crop drop which could have happened – but he did get fed for a period of time (about 15 minutes). I am astonished by this baby on this nest of ‘huge’ siblings.

At the 0930 delivery, Mini did not get any fish. And now I am beginning to worry about Mini’s survival. The big siblings are now bashing one another. Mini got up to the beak and could have eaten but was submissive. He should have snatched those few bites…they all add up. So this nest is far from being out of the woods. A s the three larger siblings grow and require more food, it might be impossible for Mini to get up there. Let us wait and see if he can figure this out.

At the Severna nest, a big fish came on the nest at 10:08:37. Big already had a huge crop from an earlier fish but, she still had to get up front. By 10:33 Middle is eating having previously moved up under Mum’s tail. Middle is still eating at 10:49!

At 16:31, a massive fish comes on the nest. It is big enough to feed both chicks and Mum to the brim!

Big will go first regardless of its already huge crop – Middle still has a crop from an earlier feed, too.

By 1654 Middle has positioned himself on the opposite of Mum and is getting fish. This chick has come a long way in figuring out how to survive on this nest! Bravo Middle.

At the Forsythe nest of Opal and Oscar, Oscar keeps bringing on the fish just like the male at Patchogue. Little Mini is right up there eating. All appears to be well with the world here with so many deliveries on Thursday.

This is Mini getting fed, not Little! Mini is stretching its neck to make it really long.

‘H’ notes the following times at Forsythe: “Forsythe:  1052 feeding, Mini in the back, got two bites (smallish fish).  No bonking.  1225 feeding, Mini worked its way up to the front and got at least 32 bites, again it was peaceful. There was a pretty significant beaking match between the two oldest at around 0929, but not at a feeding.”

No bullying at the Dahlgren Osprey nest. The two are both enjoying being side by side eating fish.

There are two osplets for Duke and Daisy at the Barnegat Light Osprey platform on Thursday! Thanks ‘H’.

So far the only Bob at Cowlitz PUD is doing fine…perhaps the other two eggs will be DNH.

The team at Patuxent River Park went to Nest 1 and removed the youngest osplet, and fostered it with another family. They did not, however, go to Patuxent II where it is believed that Mini died at least a day ago.

The eyas at the San Jose City Hall continues to do well. ‘M’ asked me about the shiny black area on the crop. This is nothing to worry about. The crop gets full, the chick goes into food coma and rolls on the stones/gravel of the nest rubbing the feathers off. Those will grow in and be beautiful before fledge!

The eyas at the Evergy Topeka Falcon Cam is getting some more feathers. Notice, however, that the wing and contour feathers have not broken out of the quills. ‘SP’ contacted the administrators of the nest about the condition of Little, and she was delighted with this response: “I have been in contact with our wildlife biologist . We’ll be banding the chicks on Friday and wildlife personnel will check on the viability of the smaller bird. If it needs to be rehabbed or needs any special attention, we’ll learn that on Friday and ensure that it gets the help it needs.” Now that is the kind of response we want from those in charge of these streaming cams. This is fantastic news.

Checking on some Canadian Osprey nests. There are three eggs at Newfoundland Power. If it is a typical year, there will be no fledges. I hope it isn’t for a change.

At Osoyoos, Soo and Olsen laid their eggs on the 21, 23, and 25th of May so we have a ways to go til fledge.

Fortis Exshaw has had to endure much smoke from the wildfires. Eggs laid on May 9, 12, and 15.

The Dulles-Greenway trio have been named!

At the UK, nests there is often all manner of information available. For example, look at this fish delivery table for Llyn Clywedog! Dylan does not quite double his deliveries from last year but, almost.

When asked where the fish came from, this was Alastair’s reply. Please note the amount of fish that are put in the Reservoir each year. Imagine how that might impact some of the US nests positively!

Alastair Cameron: “based on observations by John Williams the perch seem to come from the shallower “fingers” of the reservoir as it merges into smaller gulleys at the edge of the reservoir. Dylan certainly seems to go to perch when the weather is wet (perhaps easier to see when there is rain on the surface) or hot, when the trout are swimming deeper. John has also observed that at least some of the brown trout seem to come from another reservoir called Nant y Moch, a few kilometers away. Llyn Clywedog Trout fishery stock the reservoir with around 40,000 trout per year, mainly rainbows but some browns as well.”

It is difficult to image – my goodness do you ever wonder where time goes? – but the eldest osplet on the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn is now turning into a reptile. The soft downy is gone from the back of its head and that oil spot is starting to come!

Elen and Aran seem to be doing fine. the wee Bobs got covered with grasses and Aran spent some time uncovering them while Elen had her tea.

Louis and Dorcha’s only Bob having some fish supper before the sun goes down at Loch Arkaig. Some are ‘hearing’ chupping from the second egg. Could we really have another hatch? I doubt it.

CJ7 was busy feeding her two Bobs at Poole Harbour before dusk as well..fill them up and maybe they won’t wiggle all night! gosh, these Mums must get tired…and by morning, CJ7 and Blue 022 had their third!

Geemeff brings us Scottish Osprey nest real estate news. Louis’s old nest at Loch Arkaig is currently occupied by Affric & Prince. The couple keep returning to Nest One, and even had two mating attempts there last night. No idea why their own nest failed, but this one’s available and we’d love to have a resident pair again.” That is fantastic news. Louis is busy with Dorcha and the Only Bob at nest 2 so, perhaps, he will give this couple a lease!

There has also been a hatch at Kielder Forest, nest 5A. Mr and Mrs UV.

What about Angel and Tom’s little RTH5? ‘A’ gave me a big giggle – which one needs after some of the nest sadness, when she told me, “I woke up this morning (it is 9am) and immediately checked my darling Angel and RTH5 and suddenly, there was this strange hawk in the nest. It stands up all the time and looks upwards instead of down. It swallows voles, mice, birds, lizards and every other small thing that moves. It had six feedings before noon today, and then continued on eating in the late afternoon. It just eats and eats and eats. I had no idea a RTH could consume so much in such a short time. They are hunting and eating machines (or at least RTH5 is insatiable). She (I do think we may have a female here, though it is still too early to tell, and the hawklet is still way smaller than mum, but I wonder about the sturdy legs) is even more adorable.” 

We could say the same for Big Red and Arthur’s Ms…simply adorable. Walking eating cutie pie machines. The advantage that Big Red’s kids have is the long ‘runway’ for them to strengthen their legs and wings.

Wetlands are one of the most important aspects of biodiversity. We are seeing them destroyed around the world and yet, they might hold part of the secret for revitalising our planet. Around the world, these wetlands are under attack by industry wanting mining and now a huge area near Lake Victoria could fall to agricultural development. The area is the largest wetlands in Kenya, Yala Swamp. What are humans thinking? and why are there individuals who are not trying to fix our relationship with nature instead of harming it?

Irreplaceable-Kenyas-Yala-swamp-complex-BirdLife-InternationalDownload

Not a great image – really cropped – but look at Murphy’s Baby flapping its big wings! Smile. Murphy and Baby doing fine. Nest not so much!

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

I am very grateful to the following individuals and groups for their notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that helped to make up the information in my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Geemeff, ‘L’, ‘M’, ‘SP’, TED Talks, PSEG, Severna ospreys, Forsythe Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, new Jersey Conservancy, Cowlitz PUD, Patuxent River Park, San Jose City Hall Falcons, Everay Topeka Falcon Cam, Newfoundland Power, Osoyoos, Fortis Exshaw, Dulles Greenway, Alastair Cameron and Llyn Clywedog Osprey Group, Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, Birdlife International, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Poole Harbour Ospreys, and World Bird Sanctuary.

Angel’s baby doing great, Oldest Red Kite dies…Saturday in Bird World

20 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

It is Canada’s first long weekend of the ‘summer’ season. Victoria weekend – also known as Bank Holidays in the UK. It is considered the safe time to plant your tender annuals in the garden or the first time to head to the cottage and turn the water on. Of course, it has been warmer and we are all ahead of this schedule but, it is a long weekend for people who are working and hopefully, a fun and safe time.

First up, one of the first raptors in the reintroduction scheme in the UK has died. Red Kite, Aragon, was 29 years old. First we lost Pale Male and now Aragon who was named after the area in Spain who donated him to help the UK with their project.

One-of-the-first-red-kites-released-into-Thames-Valley-dies-BBC-NewsDownload

This is absolutely hilarious…for the smile we all need today, thanks, Heidi McGrue!

Here is another one…Talk about a feeding frenzy…have a look at what it is like for Annie and Lou at Cal Falcons with Rosa, Zephyr, and Luna! Goodness.

Victor Victoria finally fledged at the Moorings Park Osprey Park at 0809 on Friday the 19th of March, 11 days after her sibling. You will notice that I am using the pronoun ‘her’ and ‘she’. Vic flew to the Purple Martin bird house in the middle of the pond and from there had a few short flights and then was seen soaring, being escorted by the parents. One of the highlights for me was Abby landing on the bird house next to Victor!

It is always a worry til they return, and Victor returns to the nest at 1734 to the relief of everyone involved and all of us watching.

Victor was hot and hungry! A Red-winged Blackbird serves as an escort. I had gone to check on Angel seconds before – thanks for the alert, ‘H’. — And just a correction to some information that I have mentioned earlier. Moorings Park does not stop their pond. Thanks, ‘SD’!

It appears that the fourth hatch at Manton Bay in Rutland has died. A large fish was delivered right when it was hatching and sent its shell flying along with flapping all four osplets hard. The fish covered Mini-Bob and when Maya was finally able to get it off, the little one was very weak. Mini had a feed in the afternoon but later, there were only three heads eating. Maya was seen later covering it with grasses so no predator would get her baby.

There were four in the image below but you can see Mini…so frail and not moving. Later in the evening, only three heads could be seen. So sad for Maya and Blue 33.

Geemeff caught the last feeding and the lack of Mini Bob…taking a deep breath. Happy to have three osplets. That fish could have done more damage – so grateful it didn’t.

A plaque has gone up to Harriet near to her nest on the Pritchett Farm. It is a beautiful tribute to a much loved Bald Eagle.

Have a look at this little beauty – Chase and Cholyn’s baby from this year.

All continues to go well at Lake Murray for Lucy and C2. Tonight, I noticed that Lucy is not on the perch but is down in the nest with her baby. Weather? GHO? or both? She was on the nest til dawn when she went fishing.

Diane, Big and Middle all had fish today at Achieva in St Petersburg, Florida. Diane brought in a big fish around 1900 and Big had her own to self-feed and Diane fed Middle.

Little RTH5 wasn’t so welcoming to Tom when he arrived on the nest with empty talons. She went after them! Too funny. RTH5 ate so well on Friday. Had at least one crop drop and was so full once it could hardly move on the nest with its big crop. Details of the feedings and more images later in the blog, too. I love this little nestling.

“Oh, just one more bite!”

Thank goodness for the wildlife rehabbers who take care and try desperately to return to the wild every life that comes into their clinic. Here are two stories for today to put a smile on your face.

If you live near Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania, sometime, if you can, take the opportunity to visit there during the migration counts in the spring and fall. Here are the recaps so far this year.

The counts reveal a shark decline for our dear Ospreys.

Angel’s RTH5 has eaten very well today and these are the details that were posted, not available earlier. These are the prey deliveries and feedings up until 1700 Friday: “9:25:51 Angel back with a young Meadowlark. 9:26:20 Feed1.12:49:08 Tom in for a visit. 1:26:29 Angel back with a young Meadowlark. 1:27:33 Feed2. 3:09:52 Angel with a young Meadowlark. 3:10:40 Feed3.” We will really be able to see changes in the plumage of RTH5 which are beginning now but next week, the look of this adorable baby is going to be sooooo different.

The arrival of the Meadowlark and feeding 3.

Preening her baby!

It is a windy morning in Ithaca, New York at the nest of Big Red and Arthur. The cam operator gave us some lovely images of the eyases.

E22 was at the pond this morning looking out and probably thinking about fish and a good swim. Everyone is treasuring each moment and wondering what will come next.

A-SWFL-Eagle-Cam-season-to-remember-—-might-it-be-the-last-WGCU-PBS-NPR-for-Southwest-FloridaDownload

For those of you that followed Louis and Aila at Loch Arkaig, you will recall that they used what is known as nest 1. When Aila did not return from migration two years ago, Louis took another nest site with Dorcha. The old nest has been vacant. Sue Wallbanks reports that there is hope that a new couple might move in – LV0 and Blue 152. That would be fantastic. Too late for eggs this year but for bonding and planning…absolutely!

Bruce Yolton caught up with Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl who escaped the Central Park Zoo. He was hunting at the Compost Site – far nicer than an earlier construction site and the dumpsters. He had caught a rat!

A UK man was sentenced for putting out poison bait – along with other offences – to protect his exotic birds. I am glad that the instigator was punished, but I wonder about the sentence. Cris Packham calls the sentence ‘pathetic’. I totally agree. What will it take for humans to understand that they do not have the right to kill wildlife indiscriminately? (or at all!!)

Man-sentenced-for-poisoning-protected-wild-birds-BBC-NewsDownload

It is, of course, not just planning in the UK that is causing havoc with wildlife. Plans for a tidal barrier along with some entertainment and economic plans for Norfolk and Lincolnshire are drawing a lot of criticism from environmental and wildlife groups for good reason. The coast along Norfolk is one of the most beautiful attracting waterfowl from the tundra to the UK for the winter. Politicians believe that economic concerns trump anything to do with the environment but have they lost touch? Does the area really need more cruise ships? Perhaps nature reserves and eco-tourism?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/19/tidal-barrier-proposal-for-lincolnshire-and-norfolk-sets-off-wave-of-opposition?CMP=share_btn_link

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. There is lots going on and many nests not covered. We are awaiting for hatches and monitoring chicks but so far all appears to be going well. Take care everyone. Have a lovely weekend. See you soon!

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Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Geemeff, ‘H’, ‘M’, ‘SD’, BBC News, Heidi McGrue and the WRDC, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Moorings Park Ospreys, LRWT, Geemeff and LRWT, Cornell RTH, Lisa Russo and the NEFL and SWFL Eagle Cam Watchers Club, IWS/Explore, LMO, Achieva Credit Union, Window to Wildlife, Wild Bird Sanctuary, The Raptor Centre, Hawk Mountain, WGCU, Sue Wallbank’s and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Bruce Yolton and urban hawks, Chris Packham, and The Guardian.

Little Bob is alive at LOTL, C1 taken by owl…Monday in Bird World

15 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

If we blink, it will be June. Seriously. I could not believe it when I went out to check on the garden Sunday evening and within the last week, there are little green tomatoes on the hanging vines, the lettuce is up and so are the climbing beans. All of the transplants are thriving. I have three peony bushes to plant and done. Oh, we love summer in Canada. It is a time for relaxing and being outside after the long winter. It is also nice to see the migratory birds flying through on their way north. The Harris Sparrows were here yesterday and some have Baltimore Orioles in their gardens now. I simply cannot stress how good for our souls nature is – even when the times are tough for our feathered friends. The air might not be as fresh as it could be, but it is so much better than having a furnace on all the time…going barefoot, having sunlight after 1630, clear skies and stars.

The worry has been at the Loch of the Lowes but, Laddie has brought in fish and by some miracle that first hatch – which appears to be the second egg – has survived. I am in tears. This is excellent news coming on the continuing sadness at Lake Murray.

Monday morning early. Is this the first hatch? Has it gotten any food?

It really is a miracle. Everyone thought that it was dead and dying but here is Laddie with a fish and Blue NC0 feeding that hatch. It turns out it was the paler second egg so if the next one hatches it should be the third so only two for Blue NC0 to deal with – that is a blessing. She does not do well with three..but two, yes!

Geemeff gives us an edited feeding over 15 minutes. Fantastic, and, yes, I am in tears.

Lucy brought in five fish to the osprey platform at Lake Murray on Sunday. No one went hungry!

Ricky was last seen on 9 May at 17:09 when he delivered this fish. Five full days. Please send your best wishes to Lucy and the two surviving osplets.

This post sadly gives us some confirmation that a dead Osprey has been found in the area of Lake Murray and I am going to presume that it was Ricky. I hope that LMO sends the body for testing. That said, Lucy has picked up the pace on fish deliveries and let us all continue to wish her well as she continues on this journey of raising these two osplets to fledge all on her own. She has lost a mate and a chick.

And then the sadness. ‘H’ and Kathryn report C1 was taken by a GHO last night at 0137. This nest is not getting a break and Lucy was doing so well. I am beyond words.

The osplets at Achieva were also eating a fish brought in by Mum at 17:38 on Sunday. They had an early fish brought in before 0700.

Everyone is alright at the nest of Big Red and Arthur. Everyone is fed. Arthur has found some nests to raid and I see at least a couple more squirrels in the pantry.

Angel’s baby RTH5 has been eating well at the nest in Tennessee on Sunday also. Tom has really grown into his role as Dad and not any time too soon. I thought this hawklet was a goner. No food and newly hatched for 30 hours.

RTH5 has black talons. it will be a normal coloured Red-tail Hawk not Leucistic like Angel.

Baby was to full to are if Angel brought in more prey Sunday night!

‘A’ found a cute little video by Ondabebe of RTH5’s birthday breakfast delivery.

When I checked there were three fish on the Moorings Park Osprey Platform in Naples, Florida. Victor has yet to fledge. It is 18:35 Sunday night.

The two hatches at Manton Bay are strong and loving their fish. Two more eggs to go for Blue 33 and Maya.

Blue 33 continues to come in and check on his family. Love this guy!

Aran and Elen are looking good at Glaslyn. Awhile to go for those eggs to hatch but life is fine on that nest in the Glaslyn Valley in Wales.

Louis has been hanging out with Dorcha at Loch Arkaig…gorgeous couple. Dorcha reminds me so much of Mrs G with that dark colouring. She is definitely good at the old ‘snake eye’.

CJ7 and Blue 022 have the switch off for fish and incubation exchange down. They are a lovely couple and it appears that Poole Harbour is planning ways in which visitors can view the nest from a hide without interfering with the birds.

For all of us missing E22 – and I suspect that is everyone reading this – s/he’s home! Must have gone for a little tour. Time: 17:23 Sunday the 14th.

Still no Ospreys at the Cape Henlopen State Park brand new Osprey platform but the Black Vultures continue to love it!

Murphy’s eaglet is all grown up and perched like Dad! Just look at that. We know the nestlings grow and watch and study everything their parents do. Then they do them! Just think if human parents realised this and only did what they wanted their children to emulate.

While Murphy’s b baby was getting to perch or ‘sort of branch’, one of the two eaglets at Duke Farms has officially branched.

It is one explanation for it – Jack at the Dahlgren Osprey platform places the stuffed animals as decoys so that if the owl attacks it takes a stuffy and not one of his and Harriet’s chicks. No chicks yet to take but the Owl got one of the dogs on the nest last evening.

This article on Svalbard is particularly disturbing. The focus is on climate change and the Polar Bear but Svalbard is home to the largest population of Pink-footed Geese that spend their ‘winter’ in the UK – in Scotland and in Norfolk. When it is getting too hot for the birds in the south and now in the north, where do they go and how do they survive?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/13/svalbard-the-arctic-islands-where-we-can-see-the-future-of-global-heating?CMP=share_btn_link

I have been reading about the Pink-footed Geese in Wintering. A Season with Geese by Stephen Rutt. His book led me to get the one that had inspired him – A Thousand Geese by Peter Scott and James Fisher written in 1953. “The pink-footed goose is the most abundant of our British wild geese – and the wildest. Its winter flocks on the meadows by the great estuaries of England and Scotland have been the respected quarry of generations of wild-fowlers, and – today – watchers. Its breeding grounds are remoter from civilisation than those of any other grey goose” writes Scott. His tale was of the wonder and the banding of thousands of geese. For Rutt, his is a diary and he speaks to a need to ‘see’ the birds that we have at hand and appreciate them. With the change in weather, and the ice melting – what will happen to the pink-footed geese?

There they are in England and Scotland where they arrive at the end of September and stay through the winter. Did you know that the geese travel with their fledglings as a family? It is quite remarkable.

“Pink-footed Geese” by naturalengland is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

As I worry about geese – no matter the species that I have come to love because of our local geese and ducks that return in spring – others are working to try and breed captive birds to release in the wild. There was some success with Socorio Doves at the London Zoo! The author says, “Numbers have been rising slowly and the birth of a new chick raises hopes that the doves, which once thrived on Socorro island, 600km (373 miles) off the west coast of Mexico, before being eradicated, could be restored to their former homeland.” Wouldn’t that be fantastic?!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/14/london-zoo-team-save-doomed-species-rewilding-socorro-dove-wild?CMP=share_btn_link

Thank you so much for being with me today. Remember Dr Sharpe’s team are doing banding at the West End Eagle nest in the Channel Islands today. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, discussions, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Kathryn, Geemeff, LOTL, Nick Gordon and Friends of Dyfi Osprey Project Lake Murray ospreys, Laurie Spender and osprey Friends, Achieva Credit Union, Cornell RTH, Window to Wildlife, Moorings Park Ospreys, LRWT, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Postcode Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, Poole Harbour Ospreys, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Heidi McGru and Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park, World Bird Sanctuary, Duke Farms, Dahlgren Ospreys, and The Guardian.

Angel’s nest normalises…Thursday in Bird World

11 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, it was a scorcher on the Canadian Prairies on Wednesday and we are set for 28 degrees C in a few days as the heat dome moves towards us fromm the West coast. All I can say is it is hot!

It is now 1839 Wednesday evening. Hail is coming down so intense that it is covering the ground like it is snow. It is about the size of marbles pelting. I can only imagine the horror at the Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest and the other nests in the area of that storm that went through Colorado. I wonder where all the garden critters are. Some will have gone into the small shelters for the chopped wood.

Relief. As soon as the storm passed, everyone was back in the garden.

Your giggle for the day comes from SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons! Red steals the food but doesn’t know what to do with it! She will learn soon enough! Mum Annie has a lot of patience but does the siblings who are hungry for breakfast?

A first for me. Two storklets with a snake on a nest in Germany could have gotten tangled. The Fire Brigade came to the rescue and saved the day. How do you say enlightened in bold letters?

‘T’ sent me the following information – check out the age of the male. “After the long-standing breeding stork Anna died in the 2021 breeding season, we will accompany Gerome (25 years) and his new breeding partner Frieda (17 years) from the Hessian nature reserve Bingenheimer Ried in the Wetterau in the 2023 breeding season. Up to and including the 2021 breeding season, Gerome had bred 14 times very successfully with the long-standing breeding stork Anna. During this time, Anna laid 71 eggs, from which 65 stork chicks hatched and from these a total of 47 young storks fledged.”

‘T’ reports that this is the same nest of Anna, the female Stork who broke her leg and the community helped to feed her and her babies. This is Anna’s former mate, Gerome, with his new female of two years. What an enlightened and caring community!

Another timely rescue this time of little Red-tail hawk lets in Austin, Texas. Smile every time you see humans helping our wildlife and reach out and thank them!

There has been, apparently, a lot of concern expressed about how Murphy’s baby will learn to hunt and live in the wild. World Bird Sanctuary shared their strategy with us on FB.

Bravo! E22 caught its first fish…little one dropped it but, gosh, this is progress. Well done, E22. Thanks, Gracie Shepherd. It is so good to see how well 22 is doing.

One day E22 will be catching whoppers like Aran does in the Glaslyn Valley of Wales, we hope. Just look at the size of that fish that landed on that nest! Elen has no idea how lucky she is that she found this nest and stayed….

There has been some concern about M1 taking a peck at M2 at Big Red and Arthur’s nest. This is perfectly normal behaviour and absolutely nothing to get worried over. It is very different from the dangerous level of aggression we have seen on osprey and eagle’s nests where siblicide has occurred due to food insecurity. I do not expect this level of rivalry to continue, and Arthur never lets the pantry dry up. Last year you might recall, everyone worried about little L4. Well, that last hatch climbed over all the others and was the first to catch its prey, becoming the first real juvenile after fledging. L4 is still around the campus – as far as I know.

I would loved to have seen Big Red when she was young and had her first brood. Just look at those tired feet. So grateful Arthur is such a good provider.

Big Red and one of her famous feeding sessions filling up those crops.

Birds, rats, mammals were all part of the feast at the nest of Angel and Tom in Tennessee today. Wow! So happy this little one survived those first days when food was so terribly scarce and Dad wasn’t sure how to help.

At 1841 the little one is getting another meal!

Everyone was elated when Rose returned to the WRDC nest – to Ron and R4 and R5. She appears to be fine.

Kathryn reports that Lucy has brought in the only fish at Lake Murray Ospreys on Wednesday. She also notes that Mum consumed C3. This nest really needs fish! What is going on with Ricky? Kathryn recalls six fish being delivered on Tuesday. Ricky has only been heard and not at the nest at all on Tuesday as of night fall. Intruders?

In addition to losing C3 on the 9th of May, we also lost the second hatch, Golden Eaglet, at Bucovina in Romania, the second hatch at Fort St Vrain, Colorado in a tragic hail storm. One of the little hatchings at Utica Peregrine scrape in NY was stuck to Mum Ares’ wing when she flew out. It fell and did not survive. So sad. Condolences to all those nests.

‘H’ reports that we have some osprey eggs that continue to be laid. Skiff and Dory – they raised three adorable osplets last year – have their third egg as of 10 May. This nest, as ‘H’ aptly notes could be problematic. She observes, “8 days between egg 1 and egg 3, with 5 days egg 1 to egg 2.  Intermittent incubation for only about a day. (I may be wrong about that, we’ll know if they hatch closer together.)”. Last year we delighted in these two raising those feisty three. Let us hope that the outcome is equally as good this year but that is a huge difference -.

S Cape May Meadows in New Jersey has a second egg for Zeus and Hera on the 10th. Lots of eggs are going to be hatching at once! I have never watched the South Cape May osprey platform – let’s see how it goes. Are any of you avid fans?

Not clear how many fish came to the Achieva Osprey nest on Wednesday but, it looks as if it could have been two. Middle did get some fish around 1500 or a little after.

That cute little Decorah eaglet is huge. It looks like it is going to be a really big female! Look at the size of those legs and feet next to Dad. Wow, Hatchery Chick. Seriously, we blinked, and this happened. That cute baby turned into a Hulk?!

Chase and Cholyn’s eaglet is growing, too, but does not appear to be as ‘huge’ as DH2!

Iris has been fighting off female intruders and today a banded Montana intruder. She also accepted the reality of that egg and went off to feed herself. The Raven took the egg on the morning of 10 May. Iris will no doubt lay another and another and the Raven will also have those for breakfast.

As far as I know, at the time of writing, Victor has not taken his first flight. Abby flew for the first time on the 8th of May. Victor is working his wings.

Two beautiful ospreys…Sally and Harry were remarkable. With the heat domes, the impact of urban expansion, places could take a look at Moorings Park and start stocking the ponds for the ospreys! It is going to become more and more important as we create growing challenges for them.

Warblers and Baltimore Orioles are arriving in Manitoba along with White-throated Sparrows. In the UK, the Warblers are singing, too. Remember – sit outside, go for a walk, let the sun warm your face. It will make everything seem a whole lot better! Stay in the moment. We cannot bring back the feathered friends we have lost but we can enjoy the ones that are with us – live or virtually.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/10/birdwatch-the-erling-haaland-of-warblers-turns-up-the-volume-to-11?CMP=share_btn_link

The goal of 1500 GBP has almost been met with a fortnight to go. Thank you to all of the donors. Conservation without Borders is working hard to keep HPAI from killing more birds – and I am thinking of late summer/fall return down the flyway.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. The sun is out Thursday morning and we are looking forward to some pips and hatches at a couple of the UK Osprey nests. Take care all. See you soon and remember…13 May is Big Bird Count! More on that tomorrow.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘T’, ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘S’, Kathryn, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Starch Hochstadt, Candy Smith and Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters, World Bird Sanctuary, Gracie Shepherd and SW Florida, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Cornell RTH, Window to Wildlife, WRDC, Lake Murray Ospreys, Audubon/Explore, Nature Conservancy in New Jersey, Achieva Credit Union, Raptor Resource/Explore, IWS/Explore, Montana Osprey Project, Moorings Park Ospreys, The Guardian, and Crowdfunder.

Iris lays her first egg, C3 dies, Tom helps, Dorcha crashes…Tuesday in Bird World

9 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

As I write this, a gentle rain is falling on the garden. The Chickadees are at the tube and table feeders, the Starlings have been and gone, Mr Crow and Mr Blue Jay were here, and the Hairy Woodpecker. It is just turning 1330 on Monday. Life in the garden is good. The rhythm is so reassuring, knowing that everyone is here and safe. It is also my ‘go-to place’ when events on the nests get just too much. This has been a challenging year for many of our Raptor families. It is almost hard to imagine all that has happened.

Lewis and Missy continue to love the conservatory. Today, for whatever reason, they were not so interested in what was going outside.

The Starlings cooperated and ate together at the table once the squirrels had left. At one point there were five finding food.

Before we check in on all the action at the nests, two educational items in today’s blog: the first about monofilament line (with some images later from ‘B’) and the second about siblicide and the theories of why this happens.

First up, fishing line – any posting about this will be in tribute to DH18 whose life could have been spared had help been called immediately to come to the nest. All moderators of all chats must notify the proper authorities and local rehabbers immediately when a monofilament line or baling twine is seen on a nest. It is imperative, moving forward, no excuses.

It is not just Bald Eagles that get tangled…every kind of waterfowl has been seen dead or dying from this horrible stuff.

It appears that Iris has laid her first egg of the season. As I always say, we know how this will go so we should not fight it. At the same time, I would love her to feel the teamwork that Maya and Blue 33 have, to have Louis there with her with a celebratory fish and to have him help raise those chicks. Sadly, he cannot take care of two nests! So, Iris…lay the eggs, let the Crows get them, and spend your summer leisurely taking care of yourself.

The time was around 19:50-59.

Diane and her two surviving osplets from 2023 – Big and Middle. Aren’t they gorgeous? Everyone was so happy when Jack brought two fish to the nest. Let us hope that despite the drought, he and Diane will get enough fish to the nest for these two to fledge. They have gorgeous plumage, and they should have taken their first flights by June.

A short video clip posted by Heidi McGru on FB showed the Bald Eagle trying to snatch Middle at Achieva. I had wondered if it was after the fish but, no. He did not make it…I want to hope those osplets are too big. We wait. Everyone is now very vigilant on that nest.

Cowlitz PUD put up guards so the eagles cannot steal the osplets off the nest…maybe if this continues Achieva needs to think about that.

At the Moorings Park Osprey platform, the osplets are eating and they are helicoptering. We are right on the verge of fledge – it could come at any moment.

Our cuteness overload is coming from the nest of Big Red and Arthur. M2 hatched sometime around 0300 Monday. M1 is a strong feisty little hawk let, typical for Big Red’s chicks. Arthur has the pantry already full and we are already wondering if he will bring a nice Robin for Big Red for Mother’s Day. She loves Robins and will take them off the nest and eat them herself.

M1 is a very strong hawk let. It is already eating large morsels of prey. Look at that crop. Big Red has filled M1 up and will move to feed M2. Everyone at Big Red’s table gets fed if they want food and have that beak open. We have never lost a hawk let from siblicide or being hungry. Only one K2 had an issue with its beak and did not fledge…Big Red has been having chicks since probably 2005. That is an amazing record. She is 20 years old this spring.

Too Big!

There is a pip on that third egg…see image below the next one.

Early evening feeding…

There has been a significant change in the nest of Angel the Leucistic RTH and Tom in Tennessee. Monday morning, Tom gently preened the chick. He also brought in a lizard which Angel fed exclusively to the chick; she had previously delivered a nestling. Angel is more comfortable with Tom, and Tom is helping now with the nest by providing prey items. Progress.

At 10:17 Angel is feeding the nestling to her nestling.

Tom delivers lizard at 2:05:33.

At 2:05:42, the baby gets some lizard.

Beautiful Angel and her baby, the baby she is determined will live.

Big Red at Cal Falcons ran off with the breakfast prey this morning. It was finally retrieved and everyone ate but this gal is determined (and big).

With hawks and falcons, whose time in the nest is much shorter than eagles or ospreys, you can blink and they have gone from hatching to fledge!

Is Rose missing from the WRDC nest or is she just taking a break? The eaglets have not fledged! She was last seen at 0635 Sunday morning at the nest. If she has not returned by late Tuesday or Wednesday it is time to get really concerned.

Ron is bringing in fish to the two eaglets. Thankful they are older. This trend of single-parent nests this year is almost unnerving but Ron will manage as the eaglets are so much older than when M15 had to start caring for the Es.

There are three eggs for Tom and Audrey at Chesapeake Conservancy.

Idris has been working overtime with the fish coming to the nest for Telyn one after another!

Geemeff caught Dorcha crashing into the Loch Arkaig nest in the middle of the night…she is OK, thankfully.

Looks like Cape Henlopen has attracted some visitors but they are not Ospreys! They are Black Vultures. They feed almost exclusively on carrion but have a poorer sense of smell than the Turkey Vulture with its red head. You will often see Black Vultures following the Turkey Vultures to find prey. They roost in tall trees with unobstructed views…looks like this platform could be their roosting spot! ‘H’ writes that they are there every day. How lovely!

The tragedy with the three Osplets starving on camera when the male was killed and the female driven away (maybe injured) by a new couple was heartbreaking.

Zephyr and Bruce are at the Seaside Osprey nest near the Neawanna River in Seaside, Oregon.

Eggs being rolled at the nest of Jack and Harriet at Dahlgren.

Dad and Lady have been sleeping at the nest tree and they have also been working hard to repair the damage that the Ring-tailed Possums did to the nest. It is so lovely to see them! And to also know that both 27 and 30 are doing well in the wild after having been rescued and rehabilitated.

Thank you ‘B’ for sending me these images. More and more places are setting up containers for broken fishing line and hooks. Here is another example from the East Bay area near San Francisco. There should be educational programmes for children and adults on the dangers to encourage responsibility.

Much easier to see how big Murphy’s baby is…I wonder if Murphy will ever incubate another rock?

Look at those legs…wow. This baby is doing fantastic and thanks to Murphy, World Bird Sanctuary, and all the donors, Murphy’s baby will get to live wild. Please tell me that they are going to band this little one…er, big one.

World Bird Sanctuary has a Red-shouldered Hawk that is incredible in caring for more babies than you can imagine – and they are not hers! Some of the rehabs’ work is decidedly not high tech…here just gold old parenting skills. In others, the birds are enriched with paper flowers for their birthday to shred. I am trying to see if anything is being done with feathers other than having new feathers glued in place. Many wind up in care for at least a year until their new feathers grow in like the one below. We know this is the case with Connick from the Captiva Bald Eagle nest.

Before we move on to Lake Murray – which is, at present, one of two tense events (Rose missing being the other at WRDC), we need a bit of a laugh and it is thanks to Chase and Cholyn’s eaglet!

The weight of the size difference in the Osplets at Lake Murray is certainly worrisome. I have seen this once before and that was at the Foulshaw Moss nest of White YW and Blue 35 in Cumbria in 2021. That third hatch survived – for many reasons. Blue 464 was bloody clever and determined and Mum, Blue 35, made special attempts to make sure it was fed when the others were asleep. I have not seen that diligence at Lake Murray. Blue 35 actually flew away with prey and waited til the two big siblings were asleep and then feed 35. There was also not the level of aggression as is being shown at Lake Murray. I often wonder ‘why’ the UK Ospreys are so much more civil than the US ones?

I would like all of them to live but I am not hopeful. Just look at the difference in the first screen capture of the wing sizes.

C1 zealously attacked C3 most of Monday and unrelentingly close to 1700.

*distressing image*

C1 holds C3 down so that it cannot move at all…more or less suffocating its sibling. Then, by some miracle, C3 gets up and tries to get to Mum. The time is 19:27. C3 died on the 8th of May. It was 15 days old having hatched on the 23rd of April. Soar high little Peanut.

Another article on siblicide by Robert Simmons in Animal Behaviour.

siblicide-does-not-get-more-foodDownload

Kathryn has been helping me with the events on Lake Murray. She has found another article on siblicide. I will, as noted yesterday, continue to post several articles during the next week. We have lots of ospreys incubating eggs with many of those nests not practising delayed incubation. It is possible that there will be many more chicks die this year. We wait to see. In the meantime we can educate ourselves on all the ideas that scientists have.

Eldon-Greij-explains-why-some-birds-practice-siblicide-BirdWatchingDownload

In Canada, we have had ‘heat domes’ that have taken the lives of many raptors including the chicks at Osoyoos, others jumping out of their nests in the interior of British Columbia to get away from the heat…that was previous years. This is the lead up to what could be another tragic year in Canada. Send all those babies on nests in BC your most positive wishes along with all the other nests we are watching.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care…we should have a hatch for Big Red by the end of the evening or early Wednesday morning. See you soon!

I want to thank Kathryn, who helped me with the siblicide at Lake Murray. It is not easy monitoring a nest where there is anxiety, where there is a ten-day difference between the age of the hatches (laying + hatch). She stayed right in there and provided me with valuable information. I also want to thank ‘H’ for sending me notes also. These are sad events that are very difficult to observe.

Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, pots, videos, articles, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures that helped to make my blog today: ‘B’, ‘H’, ‘A’, Geemeff, Kathryn, PC Clavier and Bald Eagles Live Nest and Cams, Montana Osprey Project, Achieva Credit Union, Moorings Park Ospreys, Cornell RTH, Suzanne Arnold Horning and the Cornell Hawk Chatters, Window to Wildlife, Cal Falcons, SK Hideway and Cal Falcons, WRDC, Heidi McGru and Raptors of the World, Joan Brady and Friends of Dyfi Osprey Project, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig, people’s Postcode Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, Cape Henlopen State Park, Seaside Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, Sydney Sea Eagles, East Bay Regional Park Department, World Bird Sanctuary, Jann Gallivan and CIEL, Lake Murray Ospreys, Animal Behaviour, Bird Watching, and @VladRadica.

Osprey eggs, DH18 update…Tuesday in Bird World

2 May 2023

Good Morning!

The sky is blue, and the sun is bright this Tuesday morning on the Canadian Prairies. By tea time it will be 15 degrees C. This should really bring on the budding of the leaves and hopefully, we will be seeing some green shortly. Everyone in the City is preparing for the arrival of the Baltimore Orioles – stocking up on grape jelly (they like any flavour, actually) and oranges to help them after their long journey. They fly what is known as an ‘ancestral route’ through the Central Plains of the US down to Florida, the Antilles, and then to their final destination in the marshes of Southern Brazil returning to us in May. It is a long journey, 8-11,000 km (5-6800 miles). They are meeting many challenges due to the changing patterns in agricultural production and irrigation, loss of habitat, and climate changes. These guests will be a welcome addition to the garden family. They stay for about 8 or 9 days and fly north to their breeding grounds for the summer.

Your first smile for the day is brought to you by the students of the Hurst Lodge School in Montana – we missed Osprey Week but we can still enjoy their performance!

Monday evening a moth has gotten into the house. This gobsmacks Missy and Lewis. Lewis got so tired of jumping up and down chasing it that he had to nap…all stretched out. Earlier in the day, Missy and Lewis had also been napping in their Big Dog Bed..always together except in the ‘cat tree’ house. There is no longer room for both of them inside!

First, the latest update on DH18. I am so saddened to hear that an infection has been found but, glad it was and is being treated. We wait to see how our warrior is doing in a couple of days. I know that none of us will give up on DH18. His young life was full of tragedy that none of us would want to go through – lost his dad, lost his sibling, was beaked and starving at times, and then trapped with monofilament line cutting through its legs and causing tremendous pain.

If you see wildlife whose lives are endangered by monofilament lines or baling twine, you must contact the proper authorities immediately. Do not hesitate. We will never know why those watching at DH denied that the fishing line injured the eaglets. All we know is that through dedicated hard work and the efforts of hundreds of people, these two eaglets have a chance – one on the nest with River and the other with the AEF. We hope that DH18 will be released and live in the wild…along with its sibling DH17.

We all know the captivating story of Murphy and the Eaglet. ‘B’ sent me an article out of The New York Times today and it is a good one about Murphy. It isn’t long and I urge you to read it til the end. I can gift articles so please copy and paste the link. The author says, “We fail to understand the creatures who share our ecosystems because we assume they are nothing but bundles of instincts.” I wish more humans understood that all living things are sentient beings. The world would be very different, indeed.

tps://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/opinion/murphy-eagle-rock-baby.html?unlocked_article_code=C0NC7KXrItFJ3nP31LqrjicRndEnDVp9sfIua3biiLRQ155Rauw3gBdy1rU7V-QZkhEcamsCx3ZwdP6fAzngaXNAqQcdoRgVQw-hS306a1NHlys2x1G0uDsqatuHWANg2d4qxWknvedOg8DX3sE26d1_z4FvKEZr2pxrFPwmlvhMk9AEauVyVVxlwUBIH4zXJTmn93T3r-STgABY8WCnRb2PlXZi1HWWiEqepcHNNR-Jjijq12d4eMXSHMbEo1vMGm7KlarRk39uWdanOOPk8bcrtI2GB4P1YeIUZBl97r29_4hKZ-brILDoG4nxglajP7u9fvF8UdCyoR0_8KkIeQ&giftCopy=0_NoCopy&smid=em-share

Thanks to those great BOGs we still get to see what E22 is up to around the Fort Myers Bald Eagle nest on the Pritchett Property. The departure of E22 will be so bittersweet.

Bella and Smitty’s only eaglet is doing fine. Smitty brought in four big fish for them on Monday.

‘H’ reports that Kent Island has its first Osprey egg of the season!

‘H’ also reports that Dory up at the Boathouse might be sitting on her first egg. This is exciting! And there is that egg.

Over in the UK, the third egg has arrived at Loch Garten.

Aran continues to deliver his huge fish to Elen at Glaslyn. Oh, you are so handsome, Aran – but, what is important is that you can catch big fish!

Sasha Dench and her team from Flight of the Osprey have been in The Gambia and are driving through Morocco trying to find Blue 4K. He was located earlier and should now be in the UK breeding but where is he?

‘A’ remarks about Tom and the new baby…”Tom returns to the nest around 2.06 pm this afternoon (1 May) – check out the darling little baby from 2:04:12 onwards. Again, Angel is forced to leave the baby on its own. Tom later brought a small opossum to the nest and Angel made it very clear to him that he was not to touch the baby at this point, just bring it food! So Tom has done well today. He has managed not to kill or injure the hawklet and he has brought food. Now that’s what I call progress”. Let us all hope that this progress continues.

‘A’ continues: “Based on his actions this afternoon, I think Tom has got the message. He is delivering prey, and he has watched Angel feeding the baby. I think he is learning fast. And yes, it is a precious darling little thing (and so was its sibling). Angel is being super protective of her baby. When Tom brings the second opossum, she vocalises constantly until he leaves the nest. She remains firmly on top of the chick. She is teaching him. Gee that second opossum is huge. No wonder it provided four feedings and still there are nestovers. “

Excellent news. I am so glad there is food and that Angel is being super protective Mum although the possum family might not be happy about losing its babies. This single surviving hawk let deserves the best of care by Mum and Tom needs to keep that pantry filled – to try and ensure this one survives regardless of its DNA.

There were several fish brought to the nest at the Achieva Credit Union today. The one around 1800, which Diane brought in, was a blessing. Big Bob self-fed off another fish while Diane fed Middle. Oh, this is grand! Today was a good day on the Achieva Nest. With the drought, we can be grateful.

Harry is such a great provider and he also has the advantage of a stocked pond at his doorstep – compared to Achieva. Abby and Victor have been well cared for…is it possible they might never ever want to leave home?! It seriously feels that they are always eating fish! That pond is going to need a good restocking.

Talk about beautiful osplets. I wish the plumage would stay the same when they are adults.

Remember Friday, 5 May. The banding of the Cal Falcons. They are so cute and are getting pin feathers…flapping cotton balls. Thanks SK Hideaways.

At San Jose City Hall, Hartley found the leftover egg from last season and thinks maybe it should be incubated too – in addition to the four he is already incubating! Our giggle of the day. Thanks, Hartley and SK Hideaways.

Missy Berry flew to the nest with a fish for B16. She wasn’t there…they must have found one another because B16 returned to the nest with the fish. Well done! Lots of training going on out there for these fledgling Bald Eagles. Thanks Bel-A-Dona.

The DNA testing has returned for Ron and Rita’s eaglets at the WRDC. R4 is a male and the testing was inconclusive on R5 and will be re-done. Thanks, ‘H’.

Did anyone else notice Big Red looking down, listening, and moving slightly differently at 1838 Monday evening? Pip watch is coming!

Big Red got up and left the eggs around 2000. No pip yet.

This morning at the change over…I am getting excited.

And a bit of a giggle – Big Red getting that egg cup just right.

In Latvia, the two White-tail Eaglets of Milda and Voldis continue to thrive. Wonderful!

‘L’ sent me a photo of the Canada Goose family that lives hear her in the Carolinas. Look how protective they are. Geese are amazing parents. Thank you, L.

The two books I am currently reading are about geese, particularly Pink-footed Geese, Barnacle Geese, Greylags, Brants, and Bean Geese. They are The Meaning of Geese. A thousand miles in search of Home by Nick Acheson and Wintering. A Season with Geese by Stephen Rutt. I must admit that I find Wintering quite a delight to read. Rutt’s writing style sucks you into his burgeoning love for these large flying creatures. It is his discovery and fascination that keeps you turning the pages. Acheson’s book is excellent, too. It is a diary of his year spent with the geese weaving in their history, the science, the challenges of climate change for our feathered friends. Both, however, deal with the migration from the Siberian Tundra or Iceland and Greenland of these beautiful creatures who land in Scotland or Norfolk beginning in September to spend their winters in the UK. Highly recommended.

“grey lag and pink footed geese” by Nick Goodrum Photography is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, pictures, videos, posts, tweets, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog this morning: ‘B’, ‘L’, ‘H’, ‘A’, ‘S’, Geemeff, Hurst Lodge School, AEF, The New York Times, SW Florida Eagle Cam, NCTC, Explore.org, RSPB Loch Garten, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Conservation without Borders, Geemeff and Conservation without Borders, Window to Wildlife, Achieva Credit Union, Moorings Park Ospreys, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and San Jose City Hall, Bel-A-Dona and Berry College Eagle Cam, WRDC, Cornell RTH, Latvian Fund for Nature, and Openverse.

DH18 in guarded condition…Friday in Bird World

28 April 2023

Oh, good morning to everyone! Have you been checking Twitter or FB for a recent update on DH18? So have I! I want to imagine the little fellow recovering from surgery in a lovely soft nest where he is warm with a vast crop, having filled up on a gourmet quail dinner. You deserve it, 18!

News has come that DH18 is in ‘guarded’ condition. Please send all your positive wishes to this little warrior. I am not a violent person, but this whole situation has me imagining a human with a fishing line wrapped so tight around their ankles that it cuts the skin to the bones for a week. How would they feel if people said they couldn’t be helped?

While you look at the image of DH17 standing on the rails today, please smile. Look at that sweet face and those legs now free of monofilament line and looking forward to a beautiful future in the wild. I keep saying thank you to each of you because that rescue yesterday was only possible because you cared because you believed that intervention was necessary and were willing to work to make that happen. So look in those beautiful eyes and remember never to give up, to keep trying.

There is some great news coming out of Achieva. ‘R’ writes, “At Achieva, Mum brought in a fish and 2 positioned himself at the rail so 1 could not get to him.  I thought she was going to knock Mum and 2 off the nest, but her attempts were futile!  Mum fed the whole fish to 2!  After awhile, 1 just backed off and watched.  I couldn’t believe 2 actually had a crop.  Then…..just before your email, Dad brought in a fish which Mum fed to 1.  After most of it was finished 1 tried to self feed and 2 walked over, grabbed the fish from 1 and finished it whole.  Looks like his survival skills are improving. There is hope!”

If you are interested, the t-shirt fundraiser for this year at Cal Falcons is open for four more days.

As we all know, the falcons grow up so fast and are gone so quickly into the wild. Here is a condensed day in the life of these lovely eyases of Lou and Annie captured by SK Hideaways.

Oh, this one is cute…close ups of these darling chicks.

Have you been wondering how the PA County Farm Eagles are doing? Have a look! All three are really growing their juvenile feathers. Bravo!

‘H’ reports that banding took place at the WRDC today. They did measurements and weighed the eaglets R4 and R5 including taking DNA samples. Here those babies are with their new bling.

R5 is working away at its self-feeding skills as R4 looks on.

It is very true. M15 is going to need a holiday after this breeding season. He is continually trying to feed his babies while fending off intruders that literally come to the nest to grab the food! Today he was plucking a bird for them when he had to turn into security guard and territorial protector.

Earlier M15 had brought in a squirrel, a small one. E22 got it – and worked the entire thing to his complete delight while 21 watched. Gracie Shepherd caught it on video!

Kathryn reports on the Lake Murray Osprey nest. She says, “Every time I check on these osplets that are so stuffed they can’t even move! I love how the mom, Lucy, goes out of her way to make sure C3 eats well. Such a nice nest so far. There has been minimal bonking and the mom just puts food in her beak between them when they did bonk each other but I only saw that in the beginning.” This is wonderful news!

We are so lucky that there are BOGS that keep up with some of the fledglings. Just look at Ringo from the Webster Texas Bald Eagle nest. Perfecting that flying like the Es and B16 and the kidlets down in the Kisatchie National Forest.

Loretta is keeping eyes on the First Utility District Osprey platform for me. The first of the three hatched yesterday. The adults are Ricky and Lucy. Nice fish coming in to feed the little one. It started raining later in the day and Lucy could not risk feeding the baby so, Ricky fed Lucy her dinner. I thought maybe he would incubate/brood but, Lucy didn’t want to give up the responsibility. They are a cute pair and I hope that you will put this nest on your list to watch. It is in a really beautiful setting and it looks like the lake has some good fish. (This will be my first time keeping tabs on this nest).

The Decorah Goose nest had some visitors today but it is empty as I begin writing for tomorrow’s blog. News has come in that the sixth gosling that had trouble swimming and was believed to have temporary paralysis in its leg did not make it. That is very sad. The other five are doing splendidly and have taken to the water like ‘ducks’. LOL.

We are all concerned with the impact that the current strains of HPAI will have on our raptor populations. I know that many of you, like myself, scream when one of the adults brings a shorebird or a duck into the nest to feed to the chicks. Cal Falcons held one of their fantastic Q & A sessions with Dr Victoria Hall of The Raptor Centre in Minnesota. This is an hour’s presentation, and it is excellent. I urge you to listen even if you do it in hits and spurts. You will learn a lot – and that is what we are all doing – learning.

Lots of great questions. Is there a vaccination? How complicated would that be? Where is the highest outbreak now? How does HPAI impact trade? When might this outbreak stop soon? How might this impact zoos? Is this a risk to humans? Are Bald Eagles more susceptible than Peregrine Falcons?

HPAI has having a global impact. ‘R’ sent me this very informative article. Have you seen it?

https://www.doximity.com/newsfeed/3d5bde14-eeeb-4fa6-a4d1-8102ec73449c/public

The UK appears to be particularly hard hit with birds at the wetlands and ponds and along the coast dying in ever increasing numbers.

One of the biggest concerns in the US right now are the Condors, carrion eaters who are particularly susceptible to HPAI.

I will continue to post some of the latest stories on this influenza that is tragically impacting our wildlife. In doing so, I want to remind you to do something you might think is silly. If you go for a walk like I did today, you need to bag your footwear and disinfect it. I do not know if that is even enough. There are geese all around the parking lots of our parks and nature centres. Do they have HPAI? We don’t know. They could be carriers. If so, it is possible that their ‘ps’ could get on my tires, and I could spread the disease. In the Q & A session with Cal Falcons, the measures taken to ensure that HPAI doesn’t spread have been thoroughly considered. Let’s listen again so we know what we could do to help stop the spread.

Two well-fed little eaglets. The Decorah Hatchery eaglet and Two Harbours eaglet.

Decorah Hatchery chick. Losing its baby down. Getting that mohawk and that lovely dark charcoal thermal down growing in so that it can regulate its own temperature.

As the eaglet ages, the pink ‘mouth’ turns yellow.

Chase and Cholyn’s only eaglet gets special attention, too. Just look at that crop. Both the Hatchery eaglet and Two Harbours can now eat all the parts of the prey and their crop will process this material. Anything that cannot be fully digested will form into a hard pellet or a ‘cast’ and they will ‘cast it off’.

The three eaglets on the Denton Homes Bald Eagle nest in Decorah, Iowa are slightly older than the ones at the Hatchery. Look at the two images and see the difference a week can make.

The three eaglets at Bald Canyon are fantastic. What a great rescue that was by the IWS on Tuesday. So grateful to Dr Sharpe and his team who take such good care of these Channel Islands Bald Eagle families.

Thank you so very much for being with me this morning. Please continue to send your best wishes to DH18 this morning, who is in guarded condition after the surgery to remove the dead tissue from his legs yesterday. DH18 has the best care. We wait. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, videos, tweets, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog this morning: ‘R’, ‘S’, ‘J’, ‘H’, ‘A’, ‘L’, Kathryn, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, Cal Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, PA Game Commission, WRDC, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Gracie Shepherd and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lake Murray Ospreys, Jon Truman and Webster TX Eagle Watchers, First Utility District, Decorah Goose Cam, The New York Times, @Mark Avery, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, IWS and Explore.org, and Denton Homes.

Rescue Video of Dale Hallow Eaglets

27 April 2023

Please watch. Great video giving you a good insight into the rescue of the Dale Hollow Eaglets.