30 April 2023
Good Morning Everyone,
It was an overcast Saturday on the Canadian Prairies with a few raindrops. Everyone is itching to get out and clean up their gardens, but it is best to wait another couple of weeks to benefit the insects and birds. Instead, the conservatory got its windows cleaned to the delight of Missy and Lewis who seemed to think they could vaporise through the panes of glass and be outside with the birds!
Missy gets the award for being naughty. Oh, if she only knew how much trouble my friend in British Columbia went to sending me her dried hydrangeas! In the post no doubt. Missy!!!!!!!!!
There are still thirty-five or forty Dark-eyed Juncos in the garden and now a couple of Brown Thrashers kicking up everything looking for insects. The Starlings have been in, 23 of them, and out throughout the day, but there is a noticeable decrease in the number of House Sparrows. I hope that they are feeding elsewhere. Mr Woodpecker came around his usual time and if everything is alright with the world, the other two Downeys along with the Chickadee will appear within the hour. Ah, no sooner than I said it, the Chickadee appeared. Then the Downys and along came a Hairy who arrived with a single Grackle.
One of a handful of House Sparrows in the garden. They are so loud. I miss their songs.
I could almost set a watch by the woodpeckers. They come to eat suet every six hours during the day. Today, there were five different woodpeckers in the garden. I could hear a sixth, the Pileated, in the distance.
The female Downy waits at the tree til the male is finished before going to the suet log. If he returns, she flies away immediately.
The second male arrives when the female leaves. This male is a Hairy Woodpecker, larger than the Downy. You can see how much of the log its body covers compared to the little Downys.
The Starlings are gorgeous. These are full breeding colours. Notice how the white spots on the breast are almost entirely gone.
Dyson is enjoying the fresh water in the bird bath. Water is so essential and the birds and mammals eat the snow during the winter but there is nothing like a big drink!
It is really important that we take are of our environment beginning right at home and then moving out into the greater community. This article on these Blackbird chicks states, “To have been born at all in this place at this time when so many millions of birds perish through casual ecocide is miraculous. Environmental justice is not just about the survival of species, it’s about care for these birds, right here and now, and to see them is such a privilege.”
Here is this short article. I imagine each of you could watch and write your own story! The joy the birds bring cannot be denied. So many of you write and tell me that you have found new life in the lives of the birds, both on the streaming cams, and outside in your garden and at the parks. Many of us find being with the birds often more productive and calmer than being with humans!
On Saturday, at 1319, E21 took flight and left the nest area and has not returned. It is ‘assumed’ that s/he has started on their life of independence. E22 spent the first night alone in the nest with a major thunderstorm raging. Vija caught it for us.
Earlier, E22 had spent time down at the pond – gosh, this eaglet loves that pond and chasing dad with a fish dinner. Thanks, Lady Hawk.
We have seen a similar photo before of Ervie and Mum and Dad on the pine tree at Port Lincoln. This one was taken on Sunday. I find it so interesting how they hang out together. We know, for sure, that two of the PLO fledglings have survived – Calypso (2019) and Ervie (2021). Both have stayed reasonably close to Port Lincoln instead of venturing out at a distance.
There is a pip at the nest of Angel and Tom and let us all send the best wishes that the second baby thrives. The trauma of Tom not recognising his own chick and killing it must have been horrific for both him, when he realised, and Angel.
Status of the pip at 1924. You can see the egg tooth. Oh, please…let this little one survive.
Otherwise, it is quiet in Bird world, which is nice…we sure could use some down time. This year started off in a whirlwind and has not stopped. It was crisis-central. It would be nice if there was a 30 day lull between the eagles and the ospreys…but, no. Never.
Good news. The AEF issued their statement on DH18’s condition on Saturday. It is beautiful to hear that the AEF are both “grateful and overwhelmed” with public support for the medical care for our little warrior. Send positive wishes for his surgery on Monday. He is a fighter and a survivor!
So how did Nick Dwyer climb that tree to rescue the Dale Hollow eaglets? Gosh, smile…with an incredibly simple tool – a sling shot!
Freya wasn’t a raptor (she could have easily been) but a furore over officials who euthanised the Walrus in Oslo last summer resulted in a bronze statue to her memory – and, just perhaps, a reminder that humans should reconsider their actions.
In my past, I studied the commemoration of Britons in SE Asia and, in particular, the Indian sub-continent. Statues go up and they come down mostly due to the political nature of the human memorialised. Let us hope that the presence of Freya will remind us to be ‘human and caring’ to all wildlife even if they ‘inconvenience’ us. We did take over their land and poison their oceans, after all. We owe it to them.
All is well with the two hatches at First Utility Ospreys.
Ever since Middle forged its way to Diane’s beak and made it clear that it was going to eat and survive, the Achieva Osprey nest seems to be much more balanced.
Beautiful Decorah Hatchery family.
DH Mum and Dad spent some time on Saturday putting up some more crib rails for DH2. That little one is getting big and they do not want their precious baby to go overboard. Michelle Celeste caught the action on video for us.
On the Cornell Campus, Big Red and Arthur continue to incubate their eggs on Saturday.
At the same time, E3, the fledgling of Big Red and her former mate, Ezra, is celebrating its 9th hatch day! Just look at that face.
Geemeff catches Louis delivering a nice fish supper to Dorcha at Loch Arkaig.
A nest to watch is Moorings Park Ospreys. Abby and Victor are 8 weeks old and helicoptering and first flights are imminent. Florida Ospreys typically fledge at 55 days.
Abby is on the right and Victor on the left – Victor’s head has much more white on it.
It has been a great year at the Moorings Park Osprey Platform and I urge you to put this nest on your watch list for next year but, if you haven’t checked in this year, now is a good time to do so. Helicoptering by pre-fledge ospreys is incredible. Perhaps not as good as the Royal Albatross chick will do but, still, it is remarkable. I sure can’t hover! Gosh, don’t we all wish we could grow feathers and fly, just once?
The trio at Dulles-Greenway were a little soggy early Saturday but the day ended with some sunshine and all eating well.
‘S’ wrote and asked why we see two of the eaglets at Dulles-Greenway together almost all the time with the other one separate. It is believed that this is a gender separation issue – the two together are the same gender with the other one alone, the opposite. Oh, if they were to band them we could find out for sure in this case!
On 5 May, Annie and Lou’s eyases will be banded. They will be measured, weighed, and DNA will also be taken. Today, you can see that the plumage on the two older chicks (look around the eyes) is beginning to change.
This video is too funny…Thanks SK Hideaways…Lou eats but what about the chicks?
Beautiful Iris.
There are three little osplets at Lake Murray. Take a deep breath and hope that Ricky gets lots of fish to this nest. That third hatch is so tiny.
Aran and Elen are expecting their third egg at the Glaslyn nest today -if there is to be one. Aran stayed with Elen in the nest during one of Wale’s downpours. It rains in Wales – or so it seems – like it does in Ireland – and everything is continually green and lovely from the nest.
There could be only two eggs this year. That would be just fine..a nice way to ease into motherhood for Elen.
Glaslyn posted this reminder. It was on the 30th of April 2015 that a very handsome young male osprey landed on Mrs G’s nest. Here we are 8 years later…you were a keeper, Aran.
Dad GLY has been in to feed South Plateau chick at the Royal Cam nest on Taiaroa Head on Saturday. The little one was weighed this past Thursday and their weight was fantastic despite the fact that Mum L has not been in for a feeding for nearly a fortnight now. Send good wishes. We hope she is alright.
Lots of eyes on the nest of Big Red and Arthur as pip watch is fast approaching! Indeed, some are counting on a hatch for tomorrow…we will see.
In Latvia, Milda and Voldis have their hands full with the roaming little white-tail nestlings. Liznm gives a glimpse into their lives through a feeding.
In The Czech Republic, Betty and Bukacheck continue to incubate their five White Stork eggs.
And last but never least, my daughter sends us an article on the Peregrine Falcons at the University of Montreal! And the people who protect them. Thank you!
We are awaiting the hatch for Angel and Tom, fledge at Moorings Park and more eggs at other nests.
Thank you so much for being with me this morning – it is sunny with a blue sky today. Take care all. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Geemeff, Jaine, The Guardian, Vija and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk and SWFlorida Eagle Cam, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Bass Hockaday and Friends of Sth Bus, Cornell Bird Lab, AEF, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, First Utility Ospreys, Achieva Credit Union, Raptor Resource and Explore.org, Cornell Raptor Program, Suzanne Arnold Horning and Cornell Hawk Dam Chatters, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, Moorings Park Ospreys, Dulles Greenway Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Montana Osprey Project, Laurie Spence and Osprey Friends, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, NZ DOC, LixnM, Ziva Camera, and CBC.
