Category Archives: bobbleheads

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.

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.

Thursday in Bird World

25 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that you have had a fabulous first half of the week. It is the end of May. The lilacs are blooming and the garden is so fragrant. The Baltimore and Orchard Orioles ‘flew the coop’. I have not seen one in the garden since late Monday evening. The Cowbirds are gone and the Grackles have arrived. Mr Crow was here for peanuts along with his mates and Mr Blue Jay, Dyson and family but, other than those, it was rather quiet. And cooler. Down to 11 C tonight – Melbourne weather. It feels cold.

I wish I could send a big bouquet to everyone. The lilacs were planted 24 years ago. They were just sticks that autumn. Now they are so tall – of course, the big bunches of blossoms are at the top. These are lovely, and a tiny little sprig in the conservatory makes the entire space smell grand.

As I am writing this, Bobby Horvath of WINORR who cared for Pale Male in his last hours, told me he would happily go and clean up the Patchogue nest if a bucket truck can be obtained. People are willing to help. Let us hope that permits come through. Bobby said, “It’s a matter of resources. A bucket truck capable of reaching the site and if there’s live electric involved or not. Then permission is a whole other issue. If a truck can be secured I offer my assistance removing any material I can.” I am so grateful, and there are others..it is getting all of this in place that is the issue. Fingers crossed. Thanks, Bobby!——— The power company is telling callers that they ‘will take care of it’…..let’s hope that someone does. I have to say that I worry about that little osplet but so far so good. Look at them lined up like so nicely having fish…is it possible that they are all males like Bazza, Falkey, and Ervie and this Mini will survive? One day at a time. One day at a time. I live with hope. Bib Bob is at least six times the size of Mini and the older two are just entering the Reptilian Phase. It makes monsters out of them for a short time…not sure why. Would love to see the hormone levels in their blood – the aggressive ones.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to get help to this nest. You are fantastic.

Mini-Bob looks unwell this morning and may be dying/dead. It is difficult to tell – deep sleep. Mum has been looking curiously at the poor little thing while she was also trying to remove some rubbish earlier.

This should put a big smile on your face! Wonderful, generous people really made a difference to this wildlife rehab sanctuary.

What does it mean when people donate even the tiniest things? This! Thank you to everyone who reached out for Murphy and his eaglet…this is amazing news. Windfalls like this do not happen all the time. Murphy got a lot of publicity. Just remember that every wildlife sanctuary requires items from clean used towels and sheets to those unused power tools in your garage. Go out and look. See what you have. Offer it locally!

Read all of the lines…your help for a year and more. See what is there that is needed – and then keep your eyes open for anything on this list. Is someone moving and clearing out their space? Are they leaving laundry supplies? See if they will donate them!

Gosh. I almost need ear plugs – Rosa, Zephyr, and Luna are sooooo very loud. Lewis goes running when he hears them…he is frightened.

Gorgeous Mum Annie leaves the kids to the prey – good idea, self-preservation.

In case you are missing little fluff balls starting to get rather loud, check out this feeding at Cromer Peregrine Falcons.

WRDC has announced that both of Ron and Rita’s eaglets this year are males. No surprise there! They were a delight all year, very civil…Thanks, ‘H’.

Oh, it is so nice when a fish delivery comes in and your big sibling is out flying around seeing the world. That is what happened to Middle at the Achieva Osprey nest on Wednesday morning at 0745.

Little Bob at Severna Park can be seen to get right in there when there is fish despite the huge size difference. Another nest of three that we are keeping tabs on…with hope.

Lucy flew to her nest at Lake Murray and was making the tiniest little cheeping sounds. To go to sleep and wake up and find that your only surviving chick is gone…where did it go? who took it? what happened? My heart aches for her. She lost her entire family.

Bridgette has confirmed what ‘H’ reported to me that the third chick was dead when it hatched or shortly after and Harriet consumed it. “Unfortunately #3 was not alive and was eaten up by Harriet at 5:30 a.m. Yes, that’s how it is in nature. Let’s hope for a healthy development for #1 and #2.

All is well at the RTH nest of Big Red and Arthur in Ithaca, New York. No one is hungry, no one is injured, no one has fallen out of the nest and there are no predators around those babies.

Arthur bringing in another delivery! The deliveries keep flowing. Big Red is now leaving the chicks for longer on the nest and taking breaks at a nearby light stand where she can ‘sun’ herself. She is within a quick distance if there are any problems at the nest.

Come on, have another bite! I know you are hungry! LOL. No one is ever hungry on Big Red’s nest.

Everything is good with Angel and Tom and RTH5. Tom continues to deliver, Angel picks up and feeds RTH5 who is growing fast just like Big Red and Arthur’s chicks. Remember those Blue Jays dive-bombing Angel, Tom and the nest? Well, RTH5 had a Jay nestling today. That is why they were so upset!

Both chicks at the Dahlgren Osprey platform of Jack and Diane in Virginia seem to be doing fine. There is such a difference in size. We wait and hope…

There was a second hatch at the Carthage TN Osprey platform in the early morning Wednesday the 24th.

Will there be only two little osplets for Idris and Telyn this year. We wait to see. This is what Dyfi thinks..as you look at that image I want you to remember that in four months or less, this baby will be flying alone to West Africa where we hope that H5N1 has been contained and eliminated as much as possible.

No shortage of fish for only Bob at Dyfi! Will there be another hatch tomorrow?

The first hatch for Mr and Mrs 69 at Kielder Forest hatched on the 23rd and was alert on the 24th ready for a fish feed!

Everything is going well at the Rutland Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya. The little ones can get into mischief but they are thriving. Late Wednesday Blue brought in another of his whoppers and Little Bob got its head stuck under it. He made it right…thankfully. While these big fish really do feed a lot of chicks, they are incredibly dangerous.

The baby took a whack. Let us hope it is alright. The others are up eating what would typically be either the last or penultimate meal of the day. Oh, yes, it is moving up to the food line. Lots of fish there. Mum will eat and all three will be stuffed.

It has been a rough year for many nests. Laddie and Blue NCO didn’t lose their first hatch but there have been so many intruders and it is having an impact on fish delivery. Blue NC0 had to fight off an intruder for over an hour. Imagine with two little babies under her. Brave Mum.

https://youtu.be/TkVbmAJNMfI

At Llyn Clywedog there was an intruder trying to land on its Mum, Seren Blue 5F. It was Blue 469! The big male from 2021. I don’t think Mum is too excited to see her big boy with two little ones under her!!!!!!!!!

A video has been posted of River taking the fish off the nest at Dale Hollow and presumably providing it to DH17 who you can hear squeeing in the background.

https://youtu.be/KzIt0Rl-nKg

There are no breeding pairs of Ospreys in Ireland. There are ospreys that stop for a bit or others flying by but now the plans to reintroduce to our favourite raptor are in place.

https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2023/0523/1385185-ospreys-ireland/

Dr Sharpe and Amber continue to band all of the 2023 eaglets they can on the Channel Islands. You might recall the rescue of the largest one at Bald Canyon. All ringed today.

The three at PA Farm Country have done very well, indeed. I have not checked on them in so long. Just look.

Beloved E22 is still at the nest with M15. This is the longest that any fledgling has remained…aren’t we fortunate?

The latest news on the situation at Dale Hollow that I have seen.

The Raven came and took the third egg of Iris at her nest on the grounds of the Riverview Clinic in Missoula, Montana. Fingers crossed that she can now relax and enjoy her summer.

The Sydney Sea Eagles are getting busy on their nest.

A Place Called Hope is one of the wildlife rehabbers on my list to be cared for if I were found. They are telling a story and appealing to everyone in Connecticut to get back to the politicians on these much-designed rodenticides. Most of you do not live in Connecticut, but I want you to read this narrative anyway. Then, when you have the time, get on to your politicians (a sad lot to be handling something so dangerous – I hate when things become ‘political’) and find out what is happening where you are! Help..secondary poisoning is very real. You will know if you have a pet that dies from this in great agony. I did. Her name was Duncan, after my Dad. Thank you! We have to educate ourselves.

Recycled Plastic. More harmful than the original? The key is to not use plastic – ban it from your life, whenever you can, just like you would rodenticide!

“But … the toxicity of plastic actually increases with recycling. Plastics have no place in a circular economy and it’s clear that the only real solution to ending plastic pollution is to massively reduce plastic production.”

“Recycled plastics, the report says, often contain higher levels of chemicals such as toxic flame retardants, benzene and other carcinogens, environmental pollutants including brominated and chlorinated dioxins, and numerous endocrine disruptors that can cause changes to the body’s natural hormone levels.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/24/recycled-plastic-more-toxic-no-fix-pollution-greenpeace-warns?CMP=share_btn_link

And now for some good news…don’t plant! Just leave nature to take over and do what is necessary!

“Forestry doesn’t get everything right,” he says. “But with huge areas to work with we can experiment – a bit of local disruption can supercharge an ecosystem. Scrape back here, block a watercourse there, or we can suspend planting and just step back. It might take decades to see the benefits, but fine. Foresters are used to long cycles.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/23/country-diary-a-boggy-untouched-paradise-for-wildlife?CMP=share_btn_link

Congratulations Chris Packham!

Geemeff reports that the Crowdfunder to assist in the clean up in The Gambia of the HPAI birds met is goal. Congratulations Conservation without Borders!

Thank you so very much for being with me today. I am off and running this morning so the blog is finishing up at midnight. There will, no doubt, be lots of osprey news happening in the UK while I am sleeping! It will not make it in for tomorrow…so please check to see if there are any more hatches! Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, Geemeff, ‘H’, Patchogue Ospreys, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, World Bird Sanctuary, Cromer Peregrine Falcon Cam, WRDC, Achieva Credit Union, Severna Park Ospreys, LMO, Dahlgren Ospreys, Cornell RTH, Window to Wildlife, Dalhgren Ospreys, DTC Osprey Cam, Dyfi Osprey Project, Kielder Forest, LRWT, LOTL, CarnyXWild, RTE.ie, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Sara MacDonald and PA Country Farm Eagle Cam, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Celia Aliengirl and Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, A Place Called Hope, The Guardian, Conservation without Borders and Crowdfunder, and @RSPCAChris.

The Ospreys are Hatching…Monday Morning in Bird World

22 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I continue to brag about my little garden ‘for the birds’ but, today, once again, there were more species there than at the nature centre! The wilding of the space continues to bring the migrating birds into the garden to eat and rest. There is a new book by Isabella Tree, who took land at Knepp Farm in the south of England and wilded it…this one is called The Book of Wilding. There are some chapters devoted to helping urbanites wild their spaces. It was just released and is on its way from the UK. I will let you know about it when it arrives!

Gosh..good news is always welcome and on Sunday, the good news is that River was at the nest delivering a fish to DH17. The bad news is that DH17 mantled and River could not get the fish to her only surviving eaglet. What remains of the nest is too small for her to land. Let us all hope that 17 will follow River from the nest to a place where she can feed it! So happy she is alright. Dale Hollow has had enough drama this season.

Both eaglets have fledged at Duke Farms! Big flew first and soon after Middle followed. Congratulations to Duke Farms on another fantastic eagle season.

Dylan and Seren have their second hatch at Llyn Clywedgog, just around 0600 on Monday the 22nd.

First hatch for White YW and Blue 35 at Foulshaw Moss in Cumbria this morning…oh, folks, it is beginning to happen..hatches everywhere!

Kathryn reports that Carthage TN has its first hatch of the season. Dad was there for the big event! Thanks, K. Looks like 0724 Monday the 22nd. Congratulations everyone.

‘H’ found a lovely tribute to the NE Florida nest of Samson, Gabby, and V3. Most of us know that Gabby migrates. Let us hope she returns in September, as usual, along with V3 for a new chapter at the nest.

Since his fledge, Victor Victoria has been working its wings. On Sunday morning, s/he took an earlier flight. On his return, Abby was so excited and cutely greeted him! Abby also kept her eye on Victor when he was flying, following his every move on his short spin around the nest. This is an excellent way for Victor to get his muscles strengthened.

Victor hit the fish jackpot. Abby was away and two fish came to the nest one right after the other. S/he ate them all! Times 1527 and 1535! Victor was still eating an hour later!

Dahlgren’s first hatch is looking good. On pip watch tomorrow for the second egg.

Angel and RTH5 had a nice early meal on Sunday. This nest really turned around after its very tragic start this season.

Another glorious day at the nest of Big Red and Arthur in Ithaca, New York on the grounds of the Cornell Campus.

Arthur makes a delivery and takes time to admire his babies. He will be very busy with flying and hunting training once they fledge, too.

A hatch at the Dyfi Osprey nest of Idris and Telyn always gets me excited. Soon!!!!!!! Someone has a sense of humour. And it is Telyn’s 10th birthday today…all the best Blue 3J!

Here you are as a little chick..in the middle, the only girl that year. Look at those strong legs.

Another safe night at Lake Murray! There were two fish deliveries on Sunday. The first was at 0813 and the second was a really large fish at 1606.

Lucy sleeping with and protecting C2 Sunday night.

All appears to be going well for Blue 33 and Maya at the Rutland Osprey platform. I was a little worried about Little Bob but it is getting some fish and they appear to be eating and eating and eating thanks to Blue’s fishing.

Oh, they are cute…those two babies of Laddie’s and Blue NC0s. Laddie brought in a fish right before dusk and all ate..

A really good summary from the Woodland Trust on the first week plus at LOTL:

Osprey-Diary-at-the-Loch-of-the-Lowes-Week-9-Scottish-Wildlife-Trust-1Download

Dylan and Seren’s little one is looking so sweet. It will also figure out how to get that fish just like Monty and Hartley’s eyas will.

I have not checked on the Dulles-Greenway trio in awhile…talk about beautiful eaglets. Martin and Rosa must be very proud!

SS6 at the US Steel Nest in Pittsburgh is also doing well. You can still see some quills from that need to break off on the tail.

Our heartbeat E22 is still at the nest. Lady Hawk caught her activities on Sunday for us. How special. Every day is precious…it could be the last. I sure hope not! Might we wish E22 would hang around? Why not? There is no female thinking of the next breeding season…OK. I am daydreaming but…

‘R’ has been watching the Achieva Osprey platform closely. We have both been very concerned about the drought and any impact it could have on the fishing for Jack and Diane and, of course, the effect on the osplets. Here is a map of the drought.

The location of the nest is circled in blue on the following map. You can see some of the water features where Diane and Jack might be fishing – but, at the same time, facing huge competition or former areas where the water could now be dry.

Achieva-St.-PeteDownload

Diane came in with one of her big cat fish at 1709 on Sunday. There was an initial tug-o-war between Big and Mum but the fish is large enough for all three.

They see Mum coming.

Eventually, everyone eats! The ‘wad’ of black material on the nest is worrisome.

18:59. They are still working on that fish.

The first hatch at Alyth for the season.

Murphy’s eaglet has finished growing. He will not work on strengthening his muscles while all the feathers finally grow in. Aren’t they adorable?

There are four at Patchogue!

Iris had a young male visitor – Lupine, 2020 hatchling. He has a wire transmitters and they were able to match the bird with the ring information. Iris did not sound an alert and Louis did not come. How interesting.

Cal Falcons. I must admit that any stomach acid I might have does not act up when I watch falcons and hawklets. They get fed. Rarely does anything happen. They are adorable. They grow faster than ospreys and eaglets and fledge earlier. I mean the eyes of a little Peregrine Falcon could swoon the most cold hearted.

We know about the legendary speeds of the Peregrines but it is also their remarkable eyesight which is considered to be 10x that of humans. For a comparison, Wedge-tailed Eagles, the largest raptor in Australia, have eyesight 2x that of humans. You can see how extraordinary the eyesight of the falcon is!

The eyes of the Peregrine Falcon are enlarged so much that they do not ‘work’ the way human eyes do. In order to see, the falcon has to move its head – it has only a slight ability to move the eye in its socket. This is why it moves its head if a human is in front of it. It also has two foveal or positions of maximum visual acuity rather than the one that humans have. One fovea gives it forward binocular vision while the other is at an angle of 40 degrees to the axis of the bird helping it to track its prey.

All three looking out the windows!

Look at those wings go!

I have written to find out how the single falcon at San Jose City Hall is doing. How are Monty and Hartley settling in?

‘SP’ writes: “The eyas seems to be getting plenty of food.  The young tiercel hasn’t been doing all the hunting, but is seen bringing in prey from time-to-time. He’s also taking regular turns at incubating.” Great news. Thank you!

Here is the feed. It takes time to get in a rhythm as a first-time Mum, Dad, and a wee eyas, but wait…this chick is adorable and it will be getting its eating skills down in a few days. Must get those eyes completely focused. One more day.!!!!!!!

Oh, thank you so much for being with me. I hope that each of you had a wonderful weekend – and for those who have a long weekend, enjoy! Savour every moment. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘R’, ‘SP’, CarnyXWild, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Carthage TN Ospreys, AEF, Moorings Park Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, Dyfi Osprey Project, LMO, LRWT, LOTL and the Woodland Trust, Colin Douglas and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Dulles-Greenway, PIX Cams, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam, NOAA/NIDIS, Google Maps, Achieva Credit Union, Polly Turner and Friends of Loch Arkaig Ospreys, World Bird Sanctuary, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Montana Osprey Project, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, and SK Hideaways and San Jose City Hall.

DH River missing, hatches, branching, fledging, WBSE 30…Sunday in Bird World

21 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It was a lovely hazy Saturday on the Canadian Prairies. The garden continues to be full of species returning from their migration, stopping over for a few days or a week, before flying further north. There have been so many Baltimore Orioles and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks this morning that I had to open the window. It as the ‘first’ time that Lewis and Missy had a chance to whiff the outside air and hear the birds. They were mesmerised.

The Baltimore Orioles were eating oranges and grape jelly safely in front of the kittens.

It is the first year that Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have been in the garden and today there were more than 30 that visited.

The males have the red bib. Both are equally beautiful.

As Dad and Lady prepare for the 2023 season in the Sydney Olympic Park, there is more news coming in about WBSE30 and it is all good! Thanks, ‘H’.

This is nothing short of heartbreaking. DH17 fledged to the cam tree on Saturday. S/he was 79 days old and extremely hungry. River has been absent for three days. DH17 was last seen eating on the 19th. On top of this, the nest is crumbling underneath DH17, just like last year at the Notre Dame nest in St Joseph’s Park in South Bend, Indiana. Send your most positive wishes.

Here is the branching and the flight for DH17 on Saturday. This means that no one would be able to get to DH17 unless it is grounded.

The other big news of the day is that R4 has branched at the WRDC nest of Rita and Ron in Miami.

There is concern that there is monofilament line on the Patchogue NY Osprey platform. Thanks, ‘M’ for reaching out to me. In order to get help, we have to be rather loud! Here is the number for one of the USFWS in the area of Patchogue: (631) 286-0485 and there is the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Centre and their hot line number is  Hotline: (631) 728-WILD (9453).

At the SW Florida nest of M15, E22 landed on the nest with a squirrel on Saturday caught by Vija.

There is an amazing series of photographs by Liz of SE22 around the Fort Myers nest. Check out her FB page for them!

https://www.facebook.com/lizgandphotos

Little RTH5 had a really nice feed and a big crop before the rain started. He is three weeks old Angel is trying the best she can to keep this baby dry.

Angel and Tom meet for a prey exchange. You can see them in the video by Arlene Beech – and then the feeding of RTH5.

‘A’ sent in all of the time stamps for Angel’s nest: “RTH5 Is 20 Days Old.06 47 44 Angel off the nest, onto a branch, and back with breakfast. A transfer from Tom. A young robin. 06 48 11 Tom arrives for a short visit. 06 52 35 first feed starts. 09 10 28 Angel up for her yoga exercise. 09 34 12 Angel leaves. 09 47 18 Tom and Angel land in a tree right of screen A prey transfer. 09 48 45 Tom leaves and returns a few seconds later and then enters the nest, RTH5 pecking at his talons again. 09 50 25 Angel leaves the tree. 09 51 10 Angel in with a rabbit Tom moves onto a branch and leaves 09 52 35 Second feed begins. Both feeds brought by Tom.1 20 28 Feed 3 starts the remains of the rabbit. 5 24 15 RTH5 up and wing flapping. 5 28 59 Angel leaves, spraying the camera with water off her wings. 5 40 14 A crop drop by RTH5. 5 53 45 A lot more crop dropping.5 20 36 Angel returns. chick pecking at her talons. 6 24 24 RTH5 stands up while mum preens it 7 31 10 RTH5 out from under mum. Very very close to the edge for a PS. Does a wing balance. 8:38 PM.///Twilight 9:07 PM.”

Oh, the three at the nest of Big Red and Arthur are certainly growing like wild weeds.

No more pink…they have eaten enough wild food to start getting their ‘yellow’ bits.

Iris was at her nest today watching the train. Oh, how comforting. At a time when we are losing some of our older raptors, it is such a privilege to be able to see what is believed to be the oldest Osprey in the world. Iris has been at this nest since 2012. She had earlier raised chicks with Stanley on a power pole.

The first hatch has had some fish at Dahlgren today. One delivery was larger than the twiddler that came in during the afternoon. I hope Harriet is getting some food, too – along with Jack.

Big has already fledged at the Achieva Osprey nest and has been doing regular fly in and outs returning to the nest for fish. All good with her. We are waiting for Middle. Both osplets seem thin to me as does Diane – but that is just me. Two nice sized fish came to the nest on Saturday. Hopefully more and hopefully Mum is eating off camera.

Later in the day at Achieva, Diane brings in a fish at 17:49 and Jack brings on in at 18:57. Everyone is eating! Thank goodness.

All continues to be going well for C2 and for Lucy at Lake Murray. Continued wishes that all of the things put into place to keep the GHO will work. Lucy is doing well at providing fish for her and her only surviving osplet for 2023.

Lucy is a great fisher. She flew out of the nest and into the water and plucked a big fish out for her and C2 and was back at the nest in less than a minute!

There she goes…on the right-hand side. To catch the fishing use cam 2.

At Moorings Park, Abby is still not letting Victor get any of that fish – at least not the mid-afternoon arrival! Victor has been hovering all day and that is good. It will help build up those wing muscles.

‘R’ asked me why I was calling Victor a female. Two reasons – the very late fledge because it takes females so much longer to get their body mass and feathers complete and also because of the short stocky legs. Many also add a note about ‘the necklace’ but there are some males that have far more prominent necklaces than many of the females that I have seen. I do not normally go by that but I sure look at the legs! We will never know for sure.

There is always a lot of fish at Manton Bay just like there has been at Moorings Park. Blue 33 is a great provider. Fingers crossed for Little Bob!

Hi, Dad!

Loch of the Lowes is looking good. Laddie brought in a really nice fish late on Saturday.

The first hatch at Llyn Clywedog was on Saturday and by 2100 it had already been fed four times!

There are several other nests in the UK that we are waiting on..including Glaslyn, Dyfi, Loch Arkaig, and Llyn Brenig. Elen still has the big board in her nest at Glaslyn – yes, she flew in with it!

At the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn, Telyn seems particularly uneasy – can she hear the chick? Isn’t she beautiful? Maya’s daughter!

All is well at Llyn Brenig.

‘H’ has reported that all is going well for Severna Park Ospreys: “I just watched another long feeding this afternoon.  It was entirely peaceful, not one single bonk.  Reminded me of Dory feeding Schooner, Skipjack, and Sloop when they were little.  And, although Peanut is small, I felt s/he received a decent amount of food for its size, and of course the other two ate more.  Peanut was in a food coma after 20 minutes.  To me, Peanut looks good.  S/he is a little bit pudgy, not skinny.  So, I certainly do not detect anything that makes me worry about Peanut at this point.  (hatch dates: 5/8, 5/9, 5/12)”.

They remind me of Bazza, Falky, and Ervie. Such civilised little osplets.

I am counting four little heads at Mlady Buky! This is the nest of Bety and Bukacek.

I am so waiting for Karl II and Kaia’s four eggs to hatch in Estonia!

I have suggested to Lake Murray that they get in contact with Cowlitz PUD. They installed two metal panels on either side of the nest to try and deter predation from the Bald Eagles. You might recall that all three osplets were taken within a two day period last year by an eagle at Cowlitz. It might be of benefit to Lucy at her nest but, we will need to see if it protects the chicks in Washington this year.

There is news that Steve and Callie are using the the alternative nest on Hog Island. They used the same nest and ‘H’ sent a photo from the Audubon Ranger of their alternate nest on Long Cove, Hog Island. It is unclear why the couple changed their nesting site. As we have seen with other ospreys and eagles they move nests for many reasons including chicks falling out of nests, a new mate, predation by larger raptors, and even human activity can sometimes cause them to move.

Great news is coming from the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey in Maitland, Florida. Go, Connick, go!

Netting – in this case construction site material – but, it could have been netting to keep birds off plants (do not get me started), netting from produce, soccer ball nets, tennis court nets, fishing nets —- or it could have been monofilament line or baling twine. Thankfully a number of folks came together to save this fledgling osprey! Please read this story below…

‘SP’ says that she imagines my garden as beautiful. I am not sure that is what you would call it…I will post pictures during the lush of the summer! No, a landscape designer would say it has gone ‘to the birds’. Everything has been done to attract wildlife – the bunnies, the squirrels, Mr Crow, and, of course, all of the birds except for a small Japanese garden in its first year that is ‘mine’. That said I plan to put some Bee and butterfly-friendly plants in along the side!

As I was reading this short article about a couple in Sheffield trying to attract birds, I was reminded of the garden in the UK. It was beautiful – full of fruit trees – pears, plums, apples…and little hedgehogs everywhere! You had to be there – in the garden – to ‘see’ what was happening, which meant not much was happening. Sitting in the conservatory, I look out to the table feeder, about 4 metres away. The oranges and the grape jelly for the Orioles are about one metre. They are unaware of my presence…it is the best thing I ever did – for me. But for them, vines are growing in layers for years on top of the wood boxes. They can build nests like the birds in Iris’s Osprey nest, and no one is the wiser. They can build them inside the woodboxes…Trees and shrubs are constantly planted to create a tiny forest in the city. My point is that anyone can create a space for birds, and right now, water is one of the essential things for them. You need a bowl – shallow is best. I use stainless steel, and all the bird ‘things’ get run through the dishwasher separately at super hot temperatures.

See the hedge in the image below…they provide an excellent place to escape the heat and rain as well as a place for nests that are concealed from predators.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/20/young-country-diary-holding-out-for-the-blackbirds-steve-and-stevetta?CMP=share_btn_link

Oh, thank you so much for being with me today! Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to everyone who sent notes, made videos, posted announcements and news, and to all those that provide streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘M’, ‘SP’, Australian Raptor Care and Conservation Inc, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Deb Stecyk and Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, WRDC, Vija and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, Arlene Beech and Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, Montana Osprey Project, Dahlgren Ospreys, LMO, Moorings Park Ospreys, LRWT, LOTL, CarnyXWild, Llyn Brenig, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Severna Park Ospreys, Mlady Buky Storks, Eagle Club of Estonia, Cowlitz PUD, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, Audubon, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, and The Guardian.

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.

Emergency approval for HPAI vaccine for California Condors…Thursday in Bird World

18 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

The skies have been weirdly overcast. The ‘look’ is partly from the wildfire smoke infiltrating Manitoba. It has, however, been drizzling for part of the day, making it a bit cooler at 22 degrees. They say our air quality poses a ‘low’ risk today because of the rain. I wonder about the poor birds and mammals in Canada’s western provinces. How are they doing amidst this outbreak of fire?

Lewis has taken over one of the chairs. Claudio tells me that I can clear up his hair stuck to the wool with washing up gloves. I need to try this!

Several times a day, Missy and Lewis take turns washing one another’s faces. My goodness, they are such a delight. The sheer joy animals bring our lives is so difficult to describe. Hold them close.

Just a note for all those Canada Goose fans. Decorah Goose Cam is shutting down. The new couple do not seem interested in using the nest. We will look forward to another successful year in 2024.

The loss of Pale Male, Central Park’s notorious Red-tail Hawk, who died at the age of 33 years in the loving care of Bobby Horvath took the birding community by surprise.

Thirty-three years. What a long life flying between high-rise apartment buildings in the area of New York City’s famous park. It was a long life and yet, of course, the loss is felt. Just like friends and relatives who have lived to ‘a ripe old age’, it still leaves a hole. For me, the death of Pale Male made the presence of Big Red and her three hawklets on the Cornell Campus much more significant. We didn’t get to watch Pale Male’s life play out – unless you happened to be living in NYC or visiting – but, since 2012, Big Red has been the star of one of the few Red-tail Hawk streaming cams in the world. She is the ‘Queen’. She is not young. So every day with her is simply precious.

Kelly Sorenson of the Ventana Wildlife Society writes that the use of the HPAI vaccine was approved on the 16th of May as an emergency measure to try and save the Big Sur and Pinnacle Condor Colonies in Central California from H5N1. The resolve to save these beautiful birds has made news around the world.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/17/vaccine-california-condor-avian-influenza-near-extinction?CMP=share_btn_link

The quarantine pens resulted from a huge fundraiser of the Ventana Wildlife Society. They raised 85,000$ to build them to enclose the California Condor community against the avian flu that is killing the condors in Arizona.

The total number of condors in Central California is currently 91 since the Dolan Fire of 2020. Ventana Wildlife continues to rebuild from that horrific fire that took so many lives.

Let us hope that the protective measures that are being employed will help during this tragic outbreak of H5N1 in the region. Arizona lost 20 of their flock this spring. Incredibly sad.

R5 fell out of the WRDC nest and was quickly rescued. On Wednesday, he was returned to the nest successfully without any alarm to R4. Well done, WRDC.

Lucy was vocalising during the late afternoon at the Lake Murray Osprey platform. LMO has done an incredible job of trying to keep the GHO from any further attacks after the predation of C1. Looks like the strobe lights, golf carts, picnickers and loud music are working. Other osprey nests with predation by GHOs should take notice – and also, check out the metal barriers installed by Cowlitz PUD against Bald Eagle attacks at their osprey nest in Washington like that which happened last season.

Lucy is fishing and taking good care of C2 who has a huge crop as best she can with these daily and night intruders at her nest.

We are on pip watch at the Dahlgren Osprey platform of Harriet and Jack.

I woke up to news form ‘H’ that the pip hatched early morning on the 18th.

Angel and her baby continue to do well although Tom either has trouble hunting or is a little unreliable. There was lots of food on Tuesday with a single delivery of a bird by Tom on Wednesday (please correct me!). As ‘A’ notes, Angel left the little one for several hours and either was unsuccessful in hunting or ate all the prey herself. Hopefully today there will be lots of food. The difference in this nest and Big Red’s is striking including – the eyases at Cornell are hardly ever left alone. Still nervous as there is a ways to go for Angel and Tom and RTH5.

The third osplet hatched at Rutland’s Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya. Oh, goodness, there is five days difference between Big Bob and Little…with one egg left to hatch!

So far, so good at Loch of the Lowes.

Louis brought in three really nice fish for Dorcha today. Gosh, he has always been such an extraordinary mate.

Dr Sharpe is really out there working to get all of the eaglets banded and, I presume, to say goodbye to the nests that he has so lovingly taken care of for many, many decades on the Channel Islands. These two beauties belong to Andor and Cruz.

More pictures from when Dr Sharpe banded Thunder and Akecheta’s eaglets the other day.

E22 is still at the SW Florida Eagle nest in Fort Myers. There are some incredible images being taken by the photographers on the ground. Oh, how I wish someone would make a book about this year!

This beautiful image came from the streaming cam. E22 is such a beauty and how wonderful to continue to see you.

B16 is 116 days old and fledged 38 days ago. She continues to come to the nest at Berry College in Georgia and her loving parents continue to provide prey for her. What a beauty!

Our dear Ervie, the 2021 third hatch at Port Lincoln osprey barge, continues to get photographed in the area that he has called home since he fledged. I wonder if he is still fishing with Dad?

Lou and Annie’s chicks are awfully precocious this year. Rosa has already been looking out of the windows, a behaviour seen a week or so before fledge. Now all three of them have been caught glimpsing at the world that will soon welcome them.

Luna has also joined Rosa in trying to catch moths! Oh, the legacy that was Alden…his spirit, not his DNA, lives on at The Campanile.

Iris may or may not have any eggs in her nest. One was laid, are there two? Hopefully the Corvids will be there to claim them while Iris is off catching whoppers like the one today. It is incredibly sad that after 2018 – that was five years ago – that Iris did not have a reliable mate. She would, as we can see, be an amazing mother with good DNA.

As it nears midnight in Canada, Blue NC0 is awaiting the first fish delivery of the day to the Loch of the Lowes from Laddie for her and the two little bairns. There was a nice late fish by Laddie on Wednesday evening. It looks like Mum still has a crop but those little ones will be ravenous.

Maya is waiting for her delivery from Blue 33 at Manton Bay also.

My last check on the Moorings Park Osprey platform for the day shows Victoria eating away whenever he can. He has not fledged yet. Abby fledged ten days ago! It is so nice at home with Mum Sally, Victor just might want to stay forever. I don’t blame him. It has to be one of the most stable osprey platforms in the US.

Keep sending all of your good wishes to every nest. They need all the help that we can muster for them.

Thank you for being with me today. So much going on! Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Geemeff, ‘H’, The Legend of Pale Male, Cornell RTH Cam, The Guardian, Ventana Wildlife Society, Heidi McGrue and R Nest Eagle Nest Watchers, LMO, Sheila Staley and Osprey Friends, Window to Wildlife, LRWT, LOTL, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig, IWS/Explore, Jann Galliva and CIEL, SWFL Eagle Cam, Rebecca Dawn and SWFL Eagles, Berry College Eagle Cam, PLO, Fran Solley and Friends of Osprey Su Bus, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Montana Osprey Project, and Moorings Park Osprey Platform.

Pale Male dies…Wednesday in Bird World

17 May 2023

Hello Everyone,

It was gorgeous weather on the Canadian Prairies yesterday, Tuesday, the 16th of May. That meant it was neither rainy, windy, or too hot. That called for a trip to Oak Hammock Marsh, the wetlands jointly managed by the Province of Manitoba and Ducks Unlimited. I have my qualms with DU – guns and shooting ducks, but they have played a considerable role in creating a network of wetlands that are home to so many migrating geese and ducks with trails surrounded by shrubs that are home to all manner of songbirds. Yesterday was no exception.

Just before arriving at the site, there was water still standing in the fields from the spring flooding. Talk about ducks – I had to take photos to remember all of them!

A male Northern Shoveler taking off in the centre. Below a Red-winged Blackbird. The water was full of Shovelers! Along with Pintails, a few Mallards, some Gadwalls. It was a surprise to see so many ducks on this one field. Grateful for spring flooding!

It is an enormous area.

The great stand off. The Red-winged Blackbird taunted the Canada Goose who was protecting its mate and their nest all afternoon.

Tree Swallows are the most common of the North American Swallows. They have this stunning iridescent blue-green upper parts – head, neck, wings, back with a spotless white underbelly, throat, etc. Two-toned! The lack of trees and woodpecker holes means that these birds are entirely dependent on nesting boxes for their breeding.

Oh, what damage we have done to the habitat of so many birds.

Purple Martins are the largest swallow found in North America. They used to build their nests and live in abandoned woodpecker holes but now, in the wetlands, and across the Prairies, they rely entirely on the goodness of humans to build them birdhouses so they can breed.

A pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds. Oh, I wish the light was better. They have a beautiful sepia-coloured head on an iridescent-green black body. These two had a nest in this tree and they were diligently keeping four Grackles at a distance.

A male Redhead. Easy to spot with that gorgeous and rather trendy brick-red upper neck and head! They are diving ducks and you will only find them in North America. Redheads like to lay their eggs in other ducks nests, more than any other duck, according to The Pocket Birds of Canada, 2nd edition (23).

Then when I walked the trails, it was a blessing that there were benches every 10 metres or so. Not because I was tired but overwhelmed and trying to identify all of the birds. Thank goodness for Merlin Sound ID and the Notes app on my phone!

It was a lovely time. Nothing was rushed…the stopping all around the trails allowed me to simply savour all those beautiful sounds and the smell of the marsh. There were children in the distance getting ready to go out in canoes and kayaks..they were laughing. Priceless.

As I write, Dyson and Scraggles are on the deck after peanuts, Little Red is going after the table feeder, Mr Crow is flying in and out, telling them the peanuts are his! What a blessed life. I cannot imagine, for a second, not having the sound of birds around me.

The big news of the morning is that Pale Male, the legendary Red-tail Hawk of Central Park has died. What a way to wake up! Thanks, ‘H’. He was called ‘Pale’ Male because of his light plumage. He was notorious for having his nest on one of the most expensive buildings around the Park and was the focus of the movie, The Legend of Pale Male. It is free online and if you haven’t seen it – or if you have – and want to honour this amazing raptor, have another look-

https://www.thelegendofpalemale.net

He was rescued by Bobby Horvath of WINORR.

At the WRDC Bald Eagle nest in Miami-Dade, Ron and Rita’s R5 fell out of the nest and has been taken for evaluation. He appears to be fine but whether or not he will be returned to the nest is another story since R4 could bolt.

‘T’ reports that the rescue of getting the nylon wrapped around one of the storkelets in Lindheim, Germany was a success.

The Loch of the Lowes nest is not strictly out of the ‘woods’ yet. The fish are not coming on the nest like they are at Rutland but, fish is coming. Continue to send your warmest and most positive wishes. Just look at those two sweet little babies.

Laddie brings a flapping fit to the nest at 1330 on the 16th.

These will be the only two hatches for Laddie and Blue NC0 this year. The first hatch was the second egg….and, as my grandmother always reminded me, things do work out. We might not always know the reason but, they do. In this instance, Blue NC0 has always struck me as a female osprey who can deal with, at most, two in the nest unlike Maya who has easily handled four three times. It has been a rough start and two healthy little ones is better than three sick and starving.

The Woodland Trust has put out a statement about the nest and the events of the last week.

An-update-from-the-osprey-nest-Scottish-Wildlife-TrustDownload

These two are seriously cute…let us hope that Laddie can keep up the fishing.

Laddie had only delivered on fish on Tuesday and then, right before 2100, he came in with a nice big one. Everyone went to bed with full tummies.

The wildfires in Canada are having a huge impact on the air quality not only for humans but for wildlife. This is the Fortis Exshaw osprey platform near Canmore, Alberta. The smoke is coming from fires at a distance. There are currently at least 81 fires burning in that province of Canada.

Oh, it would be nice if the pouring rain in Tennessee was in Alberta getting rid of the smoke. As I am writing Angel is keeping RTH5 snug and dry as the drops come down through the leaves and branches of the nest tree. There was snake on the menu today along with some of the usuals. RTH5 is growing, getting feathers, and is nothing short of adorable.

Tom’s deliveries to Angel and RTH5 caught on video by Arlene Beech.

Continued positive wishes for Lake Murray Ospreys. All their efforts on the night of Monday the 15th paid off – the GHO did not get C2 Monday night and let us all jointly send energy that it never does. Wish them well.

Thankfully C2 is cleverly camouflaged on that nest! Still, the GHO knows that it is there.

Lake Murray Osprey has put in more strobe lights, moved the mannequins around, put out some more bicycles – all in an effort to deter the GHO.

Big Red in all her glory! The Ms are growing and Arthur simply cannot stop hunting.

The little baby at Decorah hatchery is anything but a baby. It is walking stronger and flapping those beautiful wings as more and more juvenile feathers come in.

There are many advantages to being the only baby in the nest. Look at those legs and that fat bottom. Incredible.

All is well at Achieva Credit Union in St Petersburg. A really nice big fish came late in the afternoon. I am not sure about prior deliveries. Big is so busy working those wings while Middle is enjoying that fish.

Oh, and then another big whopper came on the nest! Everyone at Achieva had a good fish day.

My goodness Blue 33 is a good provider! I lost count and couldn’t even go back before noon…fish after fish. Big ones for Maya and the kids – not little twiddlers. I cannot see a pip in either of the other two eggs. That does not mean it isn’t there, though.

These two have been together and raised so many osplets. They are like a very expensive Swiss watch in terms of their coordination and timing.

Oh, my goodness. The eyases are outside screaming when Lou lands on the ledge with lunch! They are so loud.

E22 is still on the nest and might have caught its first fish on Tuesday. It is, however, unclear if the fish was provided and brought to the nest by M15 or, after all the work that E22 has been doing trying to catch a fish at the pond, she finally got one. What is good is that E22 is still at home, still learning, gaining new skills, and of course, growing in confidence and strength. All of that will help ensure a long and prosperous life. Oh, don’t you wonder what has happened to E21?

Vija caught the event on video. Oh, that squeeeeee of 22’s.

For those watching the Golden Eaglet in Japan, Nina, she is growing fast and the parents have been delivering pheasant and deer for their little one! These are such beautiful eagles!

This is very worrisome. Only two more mutations required before it spreads quickly through humans. If you can help prevent bird flu by funding clean up activities, by volunteering, or even cleaning your bird feeders, please do. We have no concerns in Manitoba and no one is telling us to take down feeders. H5N1 has been moving to the West in North America but it is still spreading amongst waterfowl in the UK where this article was written.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/16/research-bird-flu-humans-prepare-now?CMP=share_btn_link

That is a quick check on some news and events we have been following. Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care, everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, updates, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘T’, WINORR, Storch Lindheim, LOTL, Scottish Woodland Trust, Fortis Exshaw, Window to Wildlife, Arlene Beech and Window to Wildlife, LMO, Cornell RTH, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Achieva Credit Union, LRWT, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Vija and SW Florida Eagle Cam, and The Guardian.

Fledge at Achieva, 2nd hatch at LOTL…Tuesday in Bird World

16 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It was another hot day in the Canadian Prairies. The temperature shot up to 29 C before one even realised it was hot outside. It is late evening, and it is still 28 degrees. The birds in the garden have been spending much time getting drinks out of the bird bath, and the bowls are scattered around the deck between the plants. It is vital to put water out in shallow dishes for them when it is hot – even more important than supplying food is water! The garden plants will need water later tonight. There is no rain in sight. This kind of lazy day – a summer day when it is not officially summer – gave me a chance to look at a new arrival in the stack of books I want to read. This one is Two Lights. Walking through Landscapes of Loss and Life by James Roberts. His writing style and references to his great-grandfather, the Scottish naturalist George Seton, pulled me in immediately. He lives in Wales along the border with Herefordshire and writes, “The dawn begins with seabirds, with the first faint wash of rose-tinted light touching their feathers. There are crested auklets perched on lava flows and sea cliffs. They are here in their millions. The sounds they make, as their milk-pale eyes open, creak and grate, as if overnight the salt winds have penetrated their workings. In among them are tufted puffins, red-legged kittiwakes, short-tailed albatrosses. Their purrs and shrieks begin.” Roberts imagines all the birds waking up at dawn around the world – that line of light separating day and night as it moves around the globe. He appears to have a fascinating mind and I can’t wait to get the time to really read this book. He continues, “It’s our fate on this ocean-facing island, if our direction of travel as a culture continues, to face the rising waters, the ever-more frequently boiling rivers. We may continue to poison them, to carve, block, and silt them for a time, yet, believing as we do that they are simply our resources to be harnessed. But they will outlast us, and their waters will run clean, eventually. There will come a time when this stretch of river will flow wilder than it does now.” The Ospreys have been here for 60 million years. They will be here- enough to begin again-, long after us, to reclaim these clear waters and their fish.

So many things to do and so little time to do them.

Lewis and Missey are not particularly cooperating when it comes to photos. When they were younger they would pose. Today, as usual, they are stuck to one another firm as if one was not there, the other would evaporate. They are watching out the window. Mr Crow is standing on the rim of the bird bath. They are as interested in what is happening in the garden as I am. They were the first to see the Northern Flicker when he landed in the lilac bushes today. Their sounds made me look!

The whole gang was here including Mr Blue Jay and Little Red who was frustrated that the birds were getting all the goodies from the table feeder.

Fledge of the Day comes from Achieva! Wow..look at Big go! 08:20:07. (More information on the nest below). Congratulations Achieva!

Smile of the Day. No one could believe that first hatch at Loch of the Lowes (LOTL) could be alive Monday morning and yet it was. Tears.

What a precious little baby.

On Tuesday, Laddie and Blue NC0 welcomed their second hatch of the season. Will there only be two Bobs?

I have been torn as to whether or not comment on the situation at LOTL. As anyone reading my blog knows, I believe in intervention when it will help and not harm them. Could we sit and watch the osplets starve to death not knowing if Laddie was only injured slightly? A number, how many is unknown, called for a fish table, myself included. When Laddie landed on the nest with that huge fish, we were all so glad he was well enough to care for his family. Now, it appears that this might have been an intervention to save the nest. If it was, then a big round of applause for those that helped! Please keep it up until Laddie is healed!

So grateful for all those people to kick in to help our little feathered friends! This feel good story comes to us today from CROW.

Our hearts go out to the Lake Murray Ospreys community. Middle will now be the only Bob at Lake Murray unless the GHO returns in the night and snatches it from the nest. It has been a tough 6 days for Lucy. She has lost her mate and two babies – just like River. I cannot even imagine what that must feel like. Now the fear of losing another one. Oh, these owls. I am always reminded of how the Crows actually escort the owls out of our neighbourhood during the day – not the night. Let us all hope that Lucy will be able to fledge one osplet this year. Send your best wishes.

This was posted by the individual who cares for the platform. We must always be mindful that we do not know what goes on behind the scenes and they must be feeling terrible right now. No sought music will be blaring and mannequins will be everywhere to try and now protect Lucy and C1. Be kind everyone. Their hearts are broken, too.

‘T’ writes that Lake Murray try and keep C2 and Lucy safe from the GHO. They have added: “3 strobe lights and a radio, along with moving the golf car and 2 trucks in the area. One night at a time is all we can do. Just like last year. Prayers for C2 and Lucy!” Send them all the positive energy that you can.

Lucy will defend this baby to her detriment if she sees the danger. We must now hope that all the deterrents that Lake Murray has put in place will work and we will have one nice healthy fledgling for Lucy.

Breakfast at Great Spirit Bluff for the four little falcons.

Things are looking well at the Achieva Credit Union Osprey Platform in St Petersburg, Florida despite a terrible drought in the area.

It looks like a couple of fish came to the nest on Monday. The last one was at 1857 as I write this. It is an enormous fish and everyone will get to eat off it including Diane who will wind up with a nice crop as well.

Life continues for Angel and RTH5 and Tom at their nest on the farm in Tennessee. As we know, Tom has really stepped up to his role as Dad and is providing prey and also standing over the baby when the other songbirds are attacking.

Such a big yawn.

Dad being protective while Mum is out hunting.

Looks like Angel brought in a squirrel!

You can see the ear clearly. When the feathers grow, it will be concealed. Have you noticed how dark the baby’s eyes are and how much they look like Angel’s?

Hot on the nest today. Little one panting.

‘A’ sent in the time stamps for Angel and her nest. My goodness how this has turned around to the good! “It was another day of eating for RTH5, who is now gigantic for a chick just 15 days old. Here are the time stamps: 10:33:18 Angel looks to be off on a mission. 11:35:57 Chick does some cro dropping. 11:39:43 Crop drops. 12:02:32 Tom in and 12:47:27 He is off after 2 Jays. Back 12:04:55. 12:07:34 Off gain. 12:49:20 Back up for a PS. 1:40:08 Angel returned to nest. 1:42:32 A little stretch for chick. 1:43:53 Angel of nest. 1;44:17 See her fly on a hot mission through trees. 1:46:32 Tom on duty. 1:50:22 Angel back with a squirrel she may have received from Tom while out nearby, as he had blood on his face and the squirrel was prepared. 1:58:10 Feed1. 2:19:35 Chick has had enough! 2:25:18 Time to do a face clean. 4:53:35 Angel is in strike mode. 4:54:15 She is off. And the chick has a PS. 5:06:20 Angel below and to the nest 5:06:53 with a young meadowlark. 5:09:30 Feed2. 5:48:48 Angel does another preening. 5:53:37 Chick crop drops. 6:39:38 Another preening. 7:29:10 Feed3. 8:19:17 Another preen and face wash. And the squirrel is finished, I think!”

The Ms are growing so fast. Big Red feeds and preens while the eyases grow and sleep. Arthur loads the pantry!

Big Red so loves being a mother.

Waiting and watching for Victor to take his first flight at Moorings Park Ospreys. Not yet. Abby flew a week ago! They are both intent on seeing what is happening in the water today.

And, of course, Sally is always ready to feed her babies.

While we are all ready to see the babies on the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta, Dr Sharpe has been busy elsewhere in the Channel Islands banding eaglets.

Banding right now.

At one time there were two eaglets spotted and that is precisely what Dr Sharpe and his team found when they got to the nest – two little boys for Thunder and Akecheta this year! I have to admit that the baby rails on that nest make me nervous just looking at them as I type these words.

If you are not aware, Dr Sharpe is retiring. Amber will be taking over in his place. If you are as grateful to him as I am consider sending him a quick note to tell him what his interventions and everything he did for the Channel Islands Eagles to be restored meant to you. I am sure he will print them and read the letters in time. His e-mail is: psharpe@iws.org

Osprey eggs being laid across Canada now as the Ospreys have returned from their migration. ‘H’ caught another egg at Fortis Exshaw today and now Newfoundland!

Both of the eaglets at Duke Farms have now branched.

Severna Park Ospreys at the Loudon Valley Osprey Centre have three osplets on the nest. Thankful to ‘H’ who is going to keep an eye on this family for me. It is always gratifying for three to survive and fledge but it is always a challenge for the parents to have food and security for five.

‘H’ spotted another egg being laid at Fortis Exshaw near Canmore, Alberta and also a feeding at Patuxent despite the egg cup being so deep all you can see are the feeding motions of the parents. There are osplets everywhere now and it is going to get busy as more begin to hatch.

Well, he is still my pick – Blue 33. There he was at 0434 with a fish for Maya and the babies just as the sun rose. Like the chapter ‘Chasing the Dawn’ in Roberts book, around the world, there are males bringing fish to their mates to start the morning off so that their babies are not hungry.

The camera was not zoomed in close enough to see if either of the other two eggs had a pip. Already these two are loving their fish. Nice big bites they were taking, too at Manton Bay. Such strong little osplets.

Others like Louis at Loch Arkaig will be bringing their mate a fish and letting them have a breakfast break from their all-night incubation. It is wonderful to check on these UK nests early…the songbirds are heralding in the dawn.

Telyn is also waiting for Idris to relieve her at the Dyfi nest in Wales. They must get so stiff!

Ah, Telyn couldn’t wait for that comfort break…gives us a chance to have a good look at those three eggs. She was gone for a minute and back on those eggs!

For all the newcomers, Telyn is the daughter of Maya at Rutland who has two little ones she is feeding and another two eggs she is incubating.

At Glaslyn, Aran slept on the perch while Elen incubated the eggs.

Ah, I often wonder what Murphy thinks about that little eaglet that grew up. Still doing well. What a lucky break for both of these guys.

Thankfully Bruce Yolton continues to track the raptors and birds around Central Park and he brings us news of Falco. He says, “It’s getting much harder to watch Flaco, the feral Eurasian Eagle-Owl that was released from the Central Park Zoo over three months ago. He’s not using the construction site as often, has gotten much quieter, and is less visible with the trees fully leafed out.”

Luckily, I did get to see him for about twenty minutes on Sunday night.

Wildlife Rehabilitation. I have been asked to write a blog on the new use of technology in helping our wildlife and every time I turn around there are old school methods being used. This one is perfect for keeping this Snowy Owl cool – an ice machine. If you have one and you are not using, take it out to your local wildlife rehab clinic. They might be able to put it to use!

A rescue is taking place at a stork nest in Germany today (Starch Lindheim) to remove a nylon stocking or strong brought to the nest. The fire brigade will do this today, not yesterday when it was discovered because there are too many straw bales at the site of the nest. It has worried some who think the adult might fly off with the nylon string attached and pull off a storklet.

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. A lot is going on, and this is just a glimpse into some of the nests we have been watching – particularly those that might have concerns. We send all good wishes to Lake Murray! Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, Geemeff, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘L’, ‘T’, LOTL, Geemeff and LOTL, Lake Murray Ospreys, Great Spirit Bluff Falcons, Barbara Snyder and Achieva Ospreys with Jack and Diane, Achieva Credit Union, Heidi McGru and Achieva, Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, Moorings Park Ospreys, IWS and Explore.org, Townsend Duong and CIEL, Lin Lawson and osprey Friends, Duke Farms, Severna Park Ospreys, LRWT, Loch Arkaig, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, World Bird Sanctuary, Bruce Bolton, Medina Raptor Centre, and Starch Lindheim.

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.