Oh, it was a lovely fall day on the Canadian Prairies. The windows were flung open to let out all the stale air. Watching Hope listen to the sounds of the birds in the garden was incredible. She watches every leaf that flies over the conservatory’s roof – she wants to play. What a happy little kitten she is. Today is day 14 – it has been two weeks since Calico’s spaying. Had I felt better, Hope and Calico would have begun the second round of integration into the household on Tuesday. I don’t want anything to go sideways, no hiccups, since I am not on top of my game with this Covid. Calico, Missey, and Lewis had learned to live together. Calico is protective of Hope, which can potentially cause a problem. But soon….I continue to think of the osplets on the nests. There is enough space, enough food, and enough attention for all of them. Enough toys and treats! There will be an uncomfortable few days, and the pecking order will be established and life will settle into a routine.
Hope. She is nothing short of a Mini-Calico with her black tear in the left eye, a single spot of white on her black, and her lovely disposition. I will bore you and I am sorry but I cannot look at the two of them without feeling a little overwhelmed – in a good way – that Hope found us and Mamma and baby were reunited.
As the sun was setting on Big Bear Lake, Jackie pays a visit! So very nice to see you.
Mini did not come to the Patchogue nest on Tuesday that I am aware. Many wonder why she has not migrated. Migration depends on a food source and it is obvious that Mini still has plenty of fish in the area to eat. There are rumours that the bay is full of Snapper and other fish. Why would she leave for something uncertain? Eat up! Get fat! Then go.
This might be of interest to you. Many North American Ospreys from the NE US fly over Cuba beginning in mid-September. This article points out that there are also large numbers in October.
There has been ongoing worry about Karl II, the patriarch of the Karula National Forest Black Stork Nest Ian Estonia. His tracker stopped transmitting in Ukraine. This happened last year in an area where the cell service was disrupted because of the war. Now, Karl II has sent data!!!!!!! He is alive. Oh, thank goodness.
The time has flown by. We are approximately three days from the hatch at Orange!!!!!!!! We will enjoy these little fluff balls before things start to crack at Melbourne.
While Diamond and Xavier wait for their three eggs to hatch, Annie and Lou are doing some serious beak bonding in The Campanile in California.
The might Mum, F22, at Collins Street.
SE31 and 32 – gorgeous. The plumage. They are working those wings, self-feeding, and getting ready for their fledge in October.
Dad taking his turn incubating while Mum returns from her break anxious to get back to her three eggs.
Ervie went over to Boston Island. He certainly seems to be exploring lately. Wonder what he had in his picnic?
Anna, who was injured, and Andria are at their nests at the Kisatchie National Forest Monday night.
An Osprey landed on the perch at Achieva where it seemed to be drying its wings in the wind.
At least five fish were delivered to the fledgling at the MN Landscape Arboretum Nest on Tuesday. Dad and Lil’ Arb are still around. The weather is good, the fish seem plentiful, and why not? Just like Mini – eat the fish where you are before flying off to points unknown!
It appears that Coco has left the Sandpoint nest and she and Dad, Keo, are on their way south.
Beautiful morning at Superbeaks. If you haven’t, add this Eagle nest in Central Florida to your watch list.
Exciting news of the Black-browed Albatross being spotted in the UK. This is an extremely rare event.
Thank you for joining me today for a little snippet of the happenings in Bird World. We continue to monitor those few nests that still have juvenile Ospreys being fed by parents and, of course, are getting ever so excited about the lead-up to hatch at Orange. For me, though, the big event will be the sight of a tiny osprey in the nest at Port Lincoln. Those little ones with soft grey down and black eye lines melt the heart. Is it OK to hope we might have a better year with this new Dad? Only time will tell.
Take care everyone. Stay safe! See you soon.
Thank you so much to the following for their posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my newsletter today: FOBBV, Journal of Raptor Research, Looduskalender, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam at Orange, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO, Tonya Irwin and KNF Eagle Cam Fans, Achieva Credit Union MN Landscape Arboretum, Sandpoint, Superbeaks, and Yorkshire Wildlife.
One need not look at the calendar to know that fall is completely with us on the Canadian Prairies. Leaves are turning on all of the trees, squirrels and Jays are rushing to store food. The air feels and smells different.
Every one of the garden animals has been accounted for but one and sadly the latest Hedwig (rabbit) was hit by a car on the lane in front of my house last evening. I found the darling thing this morning.
Dyson looks particularly good. Taken with my phone when I went to fill up the table feeder – she isn’t afraid. She waited and posed. Little Red was running around. He has officially moved into the wood box in the house built for him in the spring of 2022. Yippeeee. Better late than never. He only has to go a few feet in the winter to get more peanuts!
Dyson wishes all her friends in Japan and Asia a joyous Tsukimi (Moon Viewing Festival), lots of delicious rice dumplings and Moon Cakes.
The Blue Jays are still coming to the feeders. Many do not migrate remaining on the snowy prairies along with the Black-capped Chicadees and sparrows. We wait to see what these four will do.
Lewis wants nothing to do with the new cat tree. He prefers the box, and Missey prefers the blanket that wrapped some furniture at one time or another on the top of the bins and the wicker basket.
Calico looks stronger every day. She is filling out a bit but a sweet gentle soul she is. Did I tell you we dropped all of our other projects for a few weeks to write a book for children about Calico and Hope? It will be a fundraiser for the mobile Vet clinic that works in my City to provide affordable spay and neutering, vaccinations, deworming, etc. for those persons wishing to trap and release or adopt the community cats.
It is also hoped that the book will offer a lesson for not ‘dumping’ pets.
Are you missing Mini? I sure am. You never ever forget these amazing survivors.
Patchogue tops my list for the most incredible osprey nest this past season. The adults raised four – four to fledge – at a time when a substantial number of clutches from Long Island up through the NE were entirely lost due to weather events (especially that storm in June) and overfishing. Thank you, Isac, for reminding us what a spunky fourth-hatch Mini was!
Well, shock of shocks. Mini visited the nest for about a minute at 1258 Monday. Oh, my goodness. How wonderful it is to see you!
Violence. Disregard for life of any kind.
What kind of person would deliberately shoot any raptor never mind, one of the most endangered species on our planet – the California Condor. I had been out playing with Hope and Calico and had not looked at my e-mail (one of the benefits of taking a few days off is you realise it can wait!). Then I did. A note from Geemeff, and below it is my copy from Kelly Sorenson. I am beyond understanding this.
Gabby was at the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest Monday morning.
V3 returned to the nest with what could be new wounds at 1745.
The eagles are working on the Pittsburg-Hayes nest. Look at those rails! This is a nest to envy!
There’s at least one juvie at the Dulles-Greenway nest of Martin and Rosa.
Looks like C15 and Dad might have finally left for their migration fro the Charlo Montana Osprey platform.
Ospreys are gone and the Canada Geese are enjoying the Boulder County Fair Grounds nest.
Trudi Kron gives us a good look at the injuries that Anna, the mate of Louis, at the KNF-E1 nest near Alexandria, Louisiana has sustained. It looks like they are healing. Send good wishes for all those floaters wanting a nest to scat!
Lightning fills the sky around the Superbeaks’ nest of Pepe and Muhlady.
Everyone hopes the new male at Port Lincoln will be a great provider and that the long-running heartache at the PLO barge nest will end. That said, this morning, Mum got impatient waiting for a fish and caught on camera is a female incubating eggs catching a fish.
‘A’ brings us up to date: “At Port Lincoln, the fishing is going well. Three yesterday (one caught by mum) and dad has caught at least two so far today. As always, mum is allowing him far less egg time than he would like. Guesses regarding timing of the first hatch are between 15 October and 18 October, so we have at least three weeks to wait there. So all attention is now on Orange and of course on our adorable sea eaglets in Sydney. They are gorgeous.”
There are still juvenile ospreys near their nests in the UK that have not left for migration.
Dad is still bringing fish to Coco at the Sandpoint nest.
Dad delivered at least four fishing starting at 0705 and going until 1500 on Monday at the MN Landscape Arboretum Nest.
Suzanne Arnold Horning spotted Big Red on the Cornell Campus on Monday! Looking good, Mamma.
The eaglets at Sydney Sea Eagle nest in the Olympic Forest are ever more steady on their feet.
The date that is predicted for the first egg to hatch at the scrape of Diamond and Xavier is 1 October. That is less than a week away!
‘A’ reminds us: “The countdown is on at Orange. Only four days until pip watch. There is a very pesky scout bee (or bees) that has been bothering the falcons for the past two days, buzzing constantly into, around and out of the box. I think it is really starting to annoy Diamond. Xavier made a lunge at it yesterday as if to eat it but missed (as he was on the eggs so had limited reach!) and today, it continues to irritate all. Apart from that, all proceeds smoothly at this scrape. The couple had another of their early morning bonding sessions today (05:20) but this time there was a changeover and no-one fell asleep mid-bonding. It’s so sweet the way he arrives so early and sits on the ledge to keep her company. For some reason, she allowed him an hour of early-morning egg time, so he’s happy. He’s had a couple of lengthy stints this morning.”
To prepare for what is coming – and the falcon chicks grow rapidly compared to eagles and ospreys – here is a guide to their weekly development with pictures.
Annie and Lou visiting the scrape at The Campanile of UC-Berkeley on Monday.
Almost all of the Royal Albatross chicks have fledged. We now await the arrival of this year’s adults who will be breeding.
Remember – if you have to just tie your wrists with a ribbon! Don’t start up the mower, the weed whacker, the leaf blower. Use that time to go birding and let the insects living in the leaves have a home.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care! See you soon!
I want to add that I tested positive for Covid on Sunday. I am feeling a bit rough. Thankfully there is not a lot going on in Bird World. I will continue with the newsletter but the content might be smaller for the next week while I recover.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, photographs, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, Geemeff’, PSEG, Isac and PSEG, Ventana Wildlife Society, Open Verse, NEFL-AEF, NEFL-chat, PixCams, Dulles-Greenway, Charlo Montana, Boulder County, Trudi Kron and Bald Eagles 101 Superbeaks, Bart Molenaar and Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Jeff Kear and UK Osprey Info, Sandpoint, MN Landscape Arboretum, Suzanne Arnold Horning, Sydney Sea Eagles, Charles Sturt FalconCam, Outside My Window, Killarney Today, Holly Parsons and Albatross Lovers, and Cal Falcons.
This is our last blog until we return on Monday 25 September. We hope that you have a great week while we are away!
Today it was cold and rainy. Not a great day for the annual open house at Wildlife Haven, our wildlife rescue hospital, in Ile des Chenes, Manitoba. Normally the grounds outside would be filled with people listening to speakers and visiting with the raptor ambassadors. Today, most huddled inside.
It was good to see so many parents with children aged 5 and up asking questions and being ever so curious about the animals.
One of the highlights of the tour was seeing the new home for Majestic. Majestic is a Bald Eagle that came to Wildlife Haven from Rainy River, Ontario ten years ago. She arrived as a juvenile and is believed to be between 10 and 12 years old. She was starving, dehydrated, and was suffering from an old fracture in her left wing at intake. She cannot live in the wild as she does not have control over her flight feathers but – now – she can fly about landing on various perches within her new enclosure safely.
Meet Una, a Great Horned Owl. Una had problems in the nest, according to the presenter. She was born with a missing right eye and a beak that was not aligned – he is small for the species. As a nestling, Una was neglected by her parents. Today, she is living the good life as an ambassador.
It felt ‘very odd’ holding the tail of an Osprey that was once very much alive.
Or a Red-tail Hawk.
There were tours throughout the surgical wing, the food preparation area, the big flight chambers, and special areas for clients such as otters and fox cubs.
Every wildlife rehab centre relies on donations and volunteers. It is amazing what they do with so little. You can normally find a ‘wish list’ at your local centre of items that are urgently needed and, of course, I will continually remind you about clean used towels and sheets, bleach, washing up liquid, laundry detergent, stainless steel bowls, small hand tools that work, pet food, vegetables from your garden, and items of enrichment such as toys. Clean kennels are particularly helpful in transporting animals or isolating them while they await intake or treatment. So before you bin it, think again. There is some wildlife rehab centre near you that might find those things useful – and they would be very grateful. Thank you!
Meanwhile – the kittens. I am guilty of taking way too many images of Hope. She is growing so fast and every day I can see subtle changes in her appearance.
Calico is getting very restless to get out of the conservatory and back into the house’s main part. The vet says ten days. Meanwhile, Hope is nothing short of energy in a small packet. She wants to play and runs from chair to table to tent and couch and then scurries under the covered area over the dining table and out again. Mamma is tired and, I think, growing weary of this big kid of hers. LOL.
Hope gets excited when anyone enters the conservatory – she wants to play with her favourite feather-dangling toy. She was introduced to healthy cat treats full of flax, cranberries, chicken, and other goodies. Her treats look healthy, like homemade human granola bars with extra protein. I made a line, and sure enough, she followed it to my lap. She is still very nervous, and I try not to breathe or move when this happens. She remains reluctant for me to hold her, so we are going every so slowly.
Lewis wants everyone to know that he is cuddly, adorable and a goof.
Lewis and Missey found a way to look out the window in the old office where Calico first stayed. Little birds were flitting about the apple tree. I am so glad that their closeness has not been jeopardised by the arrival of the two new siblings.
Looks like one of the things that we will be doing next week is building some insulated cat shelters. Winter will arrive on the Canadian Prairies before we know it. The Dark-eyed Juncos showed up in the garden today looking for Millet and Robins are passing through. There are still some hummingbirds being photographed along with Pine Siskins. Geese are everywhere, filling up on grass and grain left on the farmers’ fields before going south.
There is still concern over Hurricane Lee. There are reports that one beloved male Osprey adult, Swoop, is still near the nest at Hog Island in Maine. As I write this, the defined eye of the hurricane appears to have broken up, but this could still bring high winds and heavy rains to NE USA and Atlantic Canada.
Keep all of the wildlife in your thoughts as this system moves. We still have many fledglings and adult Ospreys in Atlantic Canada that have not left for migration.
Annie and Lou are bonding! How sweet. These are rare occurrences this time of year, but what is so good about this behaviour is that we can confirm that both are healthy and doing well.
In South Australia, Ervie is back fishing at Delamere, where he used to join Dad when he was just a youngster. Ervie is now two years old. Happy Birthday, Ervie!
It is always good to see Osprey platforms being replaced or installed for new couples. There are not enough old dead trees in situ for them near good fishing spots. This is a good solution and far superior to them building nests on power poles where they could be electrocuted.
Remember the two Royal Albatross chicks that failed in their first flight? Here is the story of their rescue. Thanks, Holly!
‘H’ brings us up to date on Barnegat Light and Date County:
Barnegat Light – “Duke is enjoying a few days of well-earned rest and relaxation since Dorsett left the area on 9/11. Duke can often be seen in one of his trees at the north tree line, and Thursday he was wading at the shoreline with some gulls. Friday Duke enjoyed a nice breakfish on his perch. Later in the afternoon, he was seen on his perch shaking his tail and drying out his wings. We love ya’, Duke.”
Dade County – “The juvie, R5, was back at the nest again on 9/15, and this time he was looking for food scraps. Ah, he is so mature looking! R5 has been at the nest 5 out of the last 6 days. There is still some time before nesting season begins for Ron and Rose, but as much as we love R5, some of us are hoping that he will be bitten by the wanderlust bug soon, lol. R5 is six months old on 9/16. Happy Birthday, R5 !!”
Flaco, the Eurasian Owl that escaped the Central Park Zoo is doing well despite initial worries some months ago! You can check out more of Flake’s adventures by going to Bruce Yolton’s website urban hawks.com
‘A’ reports: “At Collins Street, F22 had a large crop today when she left the nest at 10:36, and little M22 arrived by 10:41 to take over the incubating until the shadow covered the scrape. He was panting a lot, and both parents this morning were using the technique of standing over the eggs with wings outstretched to shade them, rather than settling down on the clutch. Little dad looks so cute when he does it! He works so hard at enfluffling the eggs. It’s hard work for him to cover them all. He’s going to have major problems when it’s four eyases aged, say, a week to 10 days, without thermal down and exposed to the rain and the direct sunlight.—Yes, I’m going to say it again. WHY OH WHY could they not have strategically placed two small squares of wood to shelter from above and to extend the shelter of the building on the far side!??? What will happen on the first wet day?”
‘A’ continues: “I am genuinely concerned that there is the real possibility of a tragedy at Collins Street this season. Last year was the third consecutive La Nina year. That is not a normal Australian summer. We are about to get back to our usual summers, which include days reaching as high as 43C and I shudder to imagine what that scrape will look like by the time the chicks are, say, 10 days old. There is going to be a period of up to a month when the chicks are very vulnerable to that heat and are unable to escape it along that gutter. Not only that, but dehydration is going to be a potential problem even if they are getting enough food.”
SE31 and 32 were very hot on Friday, too. They were panting to help cool their bodies.
‘A’ reports about breakfast: “Breakfast was something that had been feathered (it looked young, but its feathers may just have been wet – it lacked a head so identifying it was not easy), which Lady brought in at 06:40:35. SE31 was in the right place at the right time, so was already in perfect position for food when it arrived, and shortly after 06:41 tried to help herself to the prey. Lady waited a while for some reason, and SE32 joined SE31 waiting for food. Because he came up on his big sister’s inside, SE32 was in primary position when mum did begin feeding, so was fed first rather than his sister. But Lady is relatively even-handed and is feeding both. The blood appears to be nearly gone from her head. so it must have come from her talons,. perhaps while scratching herself, and there is no apparent sign of what yesterday looked like a wound on her left foot. This is really lovely juicy nutritious red meat, and a decent-sized piece of prey as well. Both eaglets are eagerly grabbing bites, some of them very large. Their manners are impeccable. Neither is being at all aggressive and each is happy to watch the other eat. When they lose a competition for a bite, they just wait for the next one. It is lovely to watch. Lady is doing her best to feed both, and it seems they will end up having roughly equal amounts of this meal.”
‘J’ brings news that there is a new camera at the Centrepoint Bald Eagle Nest.
Gabby and V3 have been very alert at the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest on Friday.
The cameras will return to SWFlorida on the 30th of September.
At the Royal Albatross colony, ‘A’ reports: “Manaaki is hovering so high, he is out of camera shot. Twice, I have thought he has fledged, but he has landed far down the hill and walked back up. He may well go today, but he shouldn’t. He is still not in control of his flying and he still has too much fluff. Another three days is my guess, as he is still not tucking his feet and legs up confidently and is unable to surf the thermals with any real control. Still, he is getting great height on his hovers and staying airborne for increasing lengths of time. He is very serious about his practising, and cast another bolus at 01:40 this morning. So he is preparing to leave and it could be at any moment now. Literally.”
‘A’ returns later with what is ‘sad’ news: “Manaaki has not returned to his nest. UQ is waiting for him, in his new spot near Manaaki’s nest. The general consensus on the chat is that Manaaki has fledged, although we need to wait until the rangers do their walkaround and head count tomorrow to know whether he is elsewhere on the headland. Unless of course he returns to his nest during the night. It is agreed that he was last seen on camera at 16:39:45 and has not been seen since. Other sightings thought to be of Manaaki were in fact of UQ chick (whose hovering skills are way better than Manaaki’s). I am still sceptical because he really did not seem to be sufficiently balanced in the air and still looked very uncertain. Not to mention the fluff he still had. If he has fledged and landed on the water in the bay, he will be spotted and if necessary rescued. If he has fledged successfully, he has done so at 238 days of age. We wish him godspeed and all the luck in the world out there. We pray we (and he) will live long enough to see him return to his birthplace (some return as early as age three, others not until they are five or even older). One or probably both of his parents will visit the nest over the next few days to make sure their baby has fledged and is not hanging around nearby, needing to be fed. It is so bittersweet watching them wait. If their chick does not return to the nest to be fed, then all their devotion and hard work has paid off. They have done their job for the season, successfully raising a chick to fledge. But somehow, there is a pang as they wait. Sometimes, they come back more than once, just to be sure.
So now, a year after we watched QT fledge, we are waiting for her parents to return for the new season. Mum YRK and dad OGK. Of course, our hope that OKG will return is very slim indeed, but it does remain a possibility. They ring the bells at the colony when the first returnees arrive home, and then the bells ring out all over the area. They love the toroa.”
There is good news. While I do not know the number of butterflies in Canada this year, we have noticed a considerable number in the garden and the local parks. Others have mentioned this as well. In the UK, the record of butterflies has grown this summer – excellent news. This does not mean that there has been an increase in the number of insects – so vital to the lives of our songbirds.
Indeed, a group of residents at one of the condominiums in Winnipeg has noticed that the songbirds have disappeared from their property after the management had the grass treated by a firm claiming to be ‘Eco’. If it kills weeds, it will kill insects that the birds eat and often kills the birds. If you know of any well-researched articles on the issue of lawn treatments and songbirds, please send them to me. I hope to help some of my former students prepare a united front and argue against this practice in the future.
Do you know the Island of Mull on the west coast of Scotland? It is notorious for its wildlife, and the White-tail Eagles are no exception. There are also dolphins and whales to be seen.
While the Ospreys are away, want to watch a different table feeder in Scotland? Check out the one at RSPB Loch Garten. Here is the link. You might see some of those adorable red squirrels.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to seeing you on the 25th of September when we return from a brief break.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ‘A, H, J’, Geemeff’, Wildlife Haven, NOAA Hurricane Centre, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, PLO, Jeff Kear and UK Osprey Info, Holly Parsons and Albatross Lovers, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, WRDC, Bruce Yolton, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney sea Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, The Guardian, and Hakai Magazine.
Tuesday was a very ‘difficult’ and, at the same time, rewarding and joyous day. Two beautiful Calico cats are off the streets and out of the cycle of producing feral kittens. Needless to say I did not sleep well Monday night. It is the ‘alarm clock syndrome’. Difficulty sleeping for fear of sleeping through the alarm.
Calico’s surgery went well. The vet phoned to say that Calico was ‘very strong’ and a gentle, sweet ‘kitten’. The staff spent much time with her when she was recovering – her story and that of Hope finding us -touched each and every one of them. It still makes me weep at all the things that had to ‘work’ for this to happen. I am indebted to those individuals that reached out to help me find ways to track Calico, who helped by providing the kitten trap for Hope, and to each and everyone whose experience with community cats helped us to have a successful ending to their story.
The biggest issue at the vet’s was the advice to keep Calico and Hope separated overnight. Of course, if Calico insisted, the stress being separated from Hope would be worse than Hope trying to suckle. The distance between the little office door and the one for the conservatory is approximately 65 feet. Calico made it very clear that she was not staying in that room. Lewis and Missey were contained in another room with the door to the conservatory open. Calico bolted the instance the office door opened. Hope came running! For a few seconds, there was a lovely little conversation between Mamma and baby. Thankfully, the only kitten that Calico will ever have is healthy and safe and with her Mamma tonight.
Calico is still in a bit of a haze, but Hope is so happy! Mamma is home. Just look at that round little belly on Hope. Poor Calico. She is just so wee…she weighs 2.3 kg or 5.03 lbs. Hope may weigh that much. Calico will start to put on weight and become healthy.
It is a secret. Hope spent the entire day playing with Missey!!!!!!!!!! They are super friends but don’t tell Mamma.
What fun it was to sit and watch these two with the new scratch post. They took turns with Hope watching every move that Missey made carefully and then imitating it.
Hope really loves this new scratch post with the feathered ball.
Before lights out, Hope got in some playtime while Calico rested. She forgot about where she was and wound up on my lap with the feather teaser. It was too funny – the startled look on her face when she realised that I had reached over and started petting her. Things are coming together. She is no longer 100% afraid of me scurrying off to hide in a corner. Humans mean food, cuddles, treats, and playtime!!!!!!!
What is happening in Bird World? One word: migration. Cornell Bird Lab and BirdCast are predicting that 348 million birds will be on the move as I am writing this Tuesday evening 12 September.
The National Wildlife Federation gives these ten tips for helping migrating birds – these are things we can initiate that can give instant success.
1. Keep your cat indoors—this is best for your cat as well as the birds, as indoor cats live an average of three to seven times longer. Even well fed cats kill birds, and bells on cats don’t effectively warn birds of cat strikes. For more information, go to http://www.abcbirds.org/cats.
3. Eliminate pesticides from your yard—even those pesticides that are not directly toxic to birds can pollute waterways and reduce insects that birds rely on for food.
4. Create backyard habitat—if you have a larger yard, create a diverse landscape by planting native grasses, flowers, and shrubs that attract native birds. You will be rewarded by their beauty and song, and will have fewer insect pests as a result.
5. Donate old birdwatching equipment such as binoculars or spotting scopes to local birdwatching groups—they can get them to schools or biologists in other countries who may not have the resources they need.
6. Reduce your carbon footprint—use a hand-pushed or electric lawnmower, carpool, use low energy bulbs and Energy Star appliances. Contact your energy supplier and ask them about purchasing your energy from renewable sources.
7. Buy organic food and drink shade-grown coffee—increasing the market for produce grown without the use of pesticides, which can be toxic to birds and other animals, will reduce the use of these hazardous chemicals in the U.S. and overseas. Shade coffee plantations maintain large trees that provide essential habitat for wintering songbirds.
8. Keep feeders and bird baths clean to avoid disease and prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
9. Support bird friendly legislation both locally and in the U.S. Congress.
10. Join a bird conservation group—learn more about birds and support important conservation work.
According to ABC, birds need our help now more than ever. In addition to the ongoing threat of loss of habitat that is becoming magnified by global warming, millions of birds are directly killed due to a number of different human-related causes.
Scientists estimate that 300 million to 1 billion birds die each year from collisions with buildings. Up to 50 million die from encounters with communication towers. At least 11 million die from car strikes. Another 1 million may die each day from attacks by cats left outdoors.
Some of these deaths occur year-round but many occur during the peak spring and fall migrations. Some studies suggest that perhaps as many as half of all migrating birds do not make it back to spring and summer grounds, succumbing to various threats on either end of the journey.
14 April 2010, NWF newsletter
There is great news coming out of Cal Falcons. Zephyr (2022) has been sighted more than once! Thanks, ‘B’ for the head’s up!
‘H’ brings us her report on Kent Island and Barnegat Light:
Kent Island – “Audrey was seen a few times throughout the day. In the morning, she was seen in ‘Joe’s tree’, and she was obviously scoping out the water below for fish. Both Audrey and Tom have previously been seen diving from that tree. The video went to ‘highlights’, and when the livestream returned, Audrey was seen on a dock eating her catch. Later, Audrey was seen in the same tree in the afternoon. There are times when the camera is focused on the nest, and an osprey can be heard nearby, but the cam does not pan in that direction. Many bird nest cams online do not have PTZ capabilities or a dedicated camera operator. No matter what nest we are watching online, we are always grateful for what we are able to observe. We only know what we can see, and we learn what we can.”
Barnegat Light – “There were significant livestreaming issues once again on 9/12, especially during the afternoon and evening. In the morning, Duke was seen in his tree at the north tree line for a while. There were a few hours in the morning without livestream glitches, and during that time we did not see or hear Dorsett. Because of that, it is thought that Dorsett may have left the area. We will continue to follow today, and hopefully the livestream will behave. Dorsett is the only chick to have survived the storm in late June. I am sharing a photo from 6/8/23.”
Gabby and V3 were at the nest early on Tuesday. Later Gabby had to deal with the female intruder that has been showing up – she ushered her out of the territory (or so it seems). Wouldn’t it be nice if this nest could just be quiet and boring this year?
These two were chortling back and forth. A chortle is a form of communication between Bald Eagles. It is a series of short rapid chirps which might mean several things. You have to look at the context. In the image below it is a greeting between Gabby and V3. It could, at other times, signal that eagles are going to engage in a dispute.
At the nest of Anna and Louis in the Kistachie National Forest, Louis has brought Anna the first fish gift on camera of the season. This is the couple’s fourth year together. The nest that they use was vacated in 2013. They did not have any chicks for the 2019-20 season. In 2020-21, they fledged Kisatchie in 2021-22, a female, Kincaid. What a great moment it was when Kisatchie hatched – the first eaglet in the forest for 8 years.
M15 and his new mate are working hard on the Fort Myers nest on the Pritchett Property that M15 shared with Harriet for 8 years.
Checking on Australia:
367 Collins Street: It is hard to get those four big falcon eggs tucked. Gosh, this ledge in the CBD of Melbourne is going to be busy in about a month. The nice thing about incubation is it gives Mum time to rest up before caring for the four – and Dad will be able, nearing the time of hatch, to stock up the pantry.
Sydney Sea Eagles: Breakfast was served early – followed by some nice wingersizing. The eaglets are getting stronger and stronger, standing for longer, and walking with much more confidence.
‘A’ was watching adding, “The sea eaglets had a good early breakfast (around 06:07 I think). It was feathered, minus its head, and a really good size. It looked afterwards as though SE31 had the larger crop but both ate enough breakfast. It was a large piece of prey. SE32 was like a toddler teething this morning. He nibbled at mum’s face and beak when she was aerating the nest in front of where he was lying. He nibbled at her wings. He nibbled at her breast. He nibbled at her underfluffies. Then, he turned around and began nibbling SE31. I have no idea what he was doing, but it was too cute. No-one else objected – it was exploratory and perhaps some level of allopreening was involved, but certainly it was not aggressive. The parents continue to be obsessed by the need to bring in more big sticks (kiddie rails, not just sticks) and lots and lots of greenery, as well as dry leaf material to lay on top of the greenery. They are very diligent in their nest work……Oh those eaglets are GORGEOUS. They are starting to get that beautiful russett colouring on their breasts, shoulders and wings. Lunch came in at 14:21, and both eaglets were interested in the food, which looked like another of the large eels (Dad brought it in and Lady quickly came to manage it). SE32 was first at the table, and got the early part of the feeding, but there was plenty of meat on that eel and both eaglets ate well. They were, as is always the case these days, perfectly behaved at the table, patiently waiting when the other was eating, with no beaking or intimidation or acts of submission or fear. It was a lovely thing. These two are doing so well and they are rapidly beginning to look like juvenile sea eagles. Their colouring is just exquisite. The perfection of their camouflage is amazing. They are truly beautiful at this age are they not?”
Port Lincoln: Dad2 brought in at least three fish before 1400. He took turns incubating so that Mum could eat. Ask me how much I am liking this new male.
‘A’ adds: “At Port Lincoln, dad brought three or four fish today and mum had some or all of two of them. She is doing the vast majority of the incubation time. Interestingly, the eggs were left unattended for just 1% of the 24 hours on Tuesday (and incubated for 99%) but on Wednesday were left alone for 19% of the time (incubated 89%). This may relate to the weather, but I found it interesting. “
Orange Peregrine Falcons: Xavier brought in a nice chunk of prepared prey for Diamond at 06:27. At the time I am writing (14:14 Australia time) no other prey items had been delivered that I could confirm.
What a little sweetie Xavier is…I love this gleeful way he rushes over to incubate those eggs in the morning.
Like so many, ‘A’ has been missing Manaaki, the Royal Cam chick since he began to get his juvenile feathers. Now..he is ready to fly she adds, “Here is the evidence that we are about to lose Manaaki to his destiny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghTGyX8-ADg. I know it is what he is born for and I know it represents a fabulously successful season for everyone at Royal Cam and for parents L and GLY. But oh how I am going to miss this gorgeous creature, with his adventurous mischievous personality and his obsession with gardening and excavating and exploring.
Now he has cast his bolus (or boluses), he is pretty much ready to leave. There is little fluff left now, and the next windy spell should see him on his way. Treasure these last hours. We may never see him again. I am so sad, but happy too.”
One of those lovely happy endings – a successful rescue of an Osprey caught in fishing line posted on The Joy of Ospreys by D Lambertson.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to see you again soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ‘A, B, H’, BirdCast, NYTimes, Cal Falcons, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, NEFL-AEF, Tonya Irwin and KNF E-1, Real Saunders Photography, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, NZ DOC, and D Lambertson and the Joy of Ospreys.
Calico had her vet appointment and I cannot possibly describe the relief. No HIV, No Feline Leukaemia, her teeth and ears are perfect. She is between 8-10 months old so the vet let us choose a ‘birth’ date for her and we picked 2 November, the day Lewis and Missey arrived. Calico does have mastitis and is on an antibiotic and she will have ‘the’ operation and be microchipped on the 12th at 0800. Everything is good. She was cleared to join Missey and Lewis but she is so tired from it all that she is sleeping and sleeping. I have to add that while Lewis howls like you are pulling his toe nails out when he is in the car, Calico was polite and sweet during each and every event this morning. What a sweetie she is.
Lewis and Missey will get to meet their new sister tomorrow now that she is all clear for any issues – how lucky are we? No obvious fleas, ticks, parasites, etc. And all tests came back negative.
On the way to the vet.
Here are some interesting facts about Calico cats taken from the Website All about the Calico Personality:
Calicos are one of the subjects of “The Duel,” a popular children’s poem by Eugene Fields. The poem describes a fight between a “calico cat” and “gingham dog.”
Because of their rarity, Calico cats are considered lucky by many around the world. The Calico cat is thought to bring good luck and fortune to the homes and families that adopt them. They are also considered to be a little magical because of their three colors.
In the 1870s, Calico cats were named the official symbol of fortune in Japan. They’re sometimes called “money cats” here and elsewhere.
The Calico cat became the official cat of the state of Maryland in 2001. The Calico cat was chosen because the colors of its fur are similar to that of the Baltimore Oriole, which is the official state bird.
According to Irish folklore, if you have a wart that you want to get rid of, just rub it against a Calico cat’s tail.
You will recall that I have been feeding and cuddling with Calico for months and months outside. She was brought into the house at 1900 last Saturday, the 26th. After that, extensive effort was put in by the neighbourhood to find any kitten or kittens. One of the neighbours ran over to tell me that the kitten had been found late Thursday. Well, it turns out that ‘a kitten’ was found and turned in to the Humane Society. It was processed through their intake the morning of Friday, the 25th – thirty-four hours before Calico moved in. I am not convinced it is Calico’s kitten because the posting said 2 weeks old. But if it is, it is a beautiful white kitten that someone is going to love. Calico’s kittens would have been approximately 54-55 days old. Still, it tells me that people know what to do if they see a lost kitten! No other sightings that I am aware of currently.
‘H’ report at Fortis Exshaw is fantastic, “Overall, it was an extremely quiet day. The female intruder flew to the nest alerting at 0646, and after twelve minutes she flew away. We did not see her on cam the rest of the day. The male intruder has not been seen since the afternoon of 8/30. We would occasionally hear an osprey call, but not often. The highlight of the day was a surprise visit by Banff. At 1130, Banff casually flew in and landed on the right side of the T-perch. We were absolutely delighted to see her. She was calm. The intruders were not around, and Banff knew that. She exuded confidence and maturity. She appeared regal. She shifted her position once in a while. She preened a bit. She roused once. She surveyed the entire area. Was she reminiscing? After all, she had spent her entire life there. Of course, I know she wasn’t reminiscing, ospreys live in the moment. But while I watched Banff on that perch, I was reminiscing. Everything that had transpired over the past few months, good or bad, happy or sad, flashed before my eyes. After twelve minutes, Banff gracefully and majestically flew away toward the river. Was that ‘Goodbye’? We did not see her or hear her for the rest of the day. We will continue to look for her, just in case. Banff has made it. She is ready. “Well done, Banff.”
Thanks, ‘H’. You have done. great job reporting on this nest. It is so wonderful to see Banff thumb her nose at the intruders but, at the same time, allow all of us to see that she survived it – she survived it all. Go Banff!
Mini did a good PS at 0602 before flying off the perch at Patchogue. It is impossible to tell what happening with her left leg. She does not return to the nest during the day like she used to, and from the size of the PS she is being fed off-camera or catching her own – my bet is on the former.
I would give anything to have GPS tracking on Mini. After watching and worrying for so long, she has become so big a part of so many people’s lives it is difficult to let go and not know how her life is unfolding like we do that of Poul.
Tweed Valley’s sat packed fledgling, Poul, is in Spain. Great time!
The main camera has not returned to the Sydney Sea Eagles cam. ‘A’ has been watching: “Dad brought breakfast for the eaglets (I presume a fish) at around 07:37. Lady had flown in and taken control of it within 10 seconds. She is impressive. I can’t see any heads so I don’t know who is in front and whether both are being fed, but she is feeding eaglets, so based on yesterday and the four days before that, I am sure all is well.”
Update: “As of about ten minutes ago, the nest camera came back up at WBSE. The time stamp says 23.32:12 when the screen changes but the time just before the screen changed was 21:27:27 (which wasn’t the correct time either). It is currently 21:41 in Sydney (1 September). Lady is on the nest with the babies, who are sleeping peacefully. SE32 looks even bigger than last time I saw him! “
Mum and Dad2 at Port Lincoln. Still hoping.
Dad2 is a really good provider for Mum.
There was one super large fish that arrived on the Boulder County Fair Grounds nest. One happy osplet and one wishing and hoping some will be left!
At Sandpoint, Coco had at least one fish delivery part of which she left on the nest and there was also an intruder. Everything is fine. Coco is getting fed well.
There is at least one of the two fledglings coming to the nest at Collins Marsh. I did not see any fish deliveries to the nest on Thursday.
Gorgeous fledglings getting some nice fish at the Dunrovin Ranch Osprey Platform in Colorado.
These female Ospreys can fish. Just look at the catch Maya pulled on the nest! Now, where is Blue 33? He flew off on Wednesday. Was he checking the territory to make certain that the fledglings were all dispersed before he leaves? He is always there until they are gone and this year Maya is still there with him.
‘H’ other reports:
Barnegat Light – Dorsett is still enjoying her life at the bay, and her dad, Duke, continues to provide fish for his girl.
Kent Island – I didn’t see a single fish brought to the nest for Molly on 8/31, but perhaps she had a meal or two off the nest.
Osoyoos – The livestream has been offline for the past two days.
Thanks, ‘H’.
The big news is that the AEF is 99% certain, based on physical markers, that V3 is back on the NEFlorida Bald Eagle Nest near Jacksonville on 31 August! We wait for the arrival of Gabby.
Muhlady and Pepe are both at Superbeaks!
The beautiful view of the Glacier Gardens Bald Eagle Nest.
David Abram writes what the salmon were like in 1988 – the eagles in Alaska have historically lived on salmon.
I got up and walked over to the water’s edge; the stream, I now saw was thick with salmon, boiling with salmon, all jostling and surging against the current in fits and starts – it was as though the stream was made of salmon! I gazed and gazed for a couple hours, then went back to my tent and tried to sleep, but couldn’t. So I hiked back into the middle of the night and stood staring into that moon-illumined river of fish, and then I waded out into that mass of sparkling, silvery muscles, all shoving and lunging against the water’s flow. In the middle of the stream, I was up to my knees in salmon, but they didn’t care – didn’t even notice; they bumped into my legs and then plunged on past with a single-minded determination I’d never encountered before, nosing aside their dying cousins who were floating back downstream on their sides, too exhausted to swim, with their mottled skin starting to peel off. Yet the vigorous salmon around me just nudged me out of the way, wholly intent on making their own way upstream to reach the remembered place of origin – their spawning place – so they might deposit their eggs, and fertilize those eggs, before they too began to fall apart and die.
D. Abram, ‘Creaturely Migrations on a Breathing Planet’, Emergence Magazine, vol. 4, pg. 146.
Pat, one of Martin and Rosa’s trio this year from the Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest, has been released. How wonderful!
M15 and his lady seem to be quite the couple. So happy that he has kept his territory – M15 certainly deserves it after the stunning year he gave us following Harriet’s disappearance in early February.
How long will our changing climate support the Chum Salmon that eagles like Hope depend on for their food?
Xavier gets some precious egg time while Diamond takes her break.
A prey delivery at 12:31 (off camera) got Diamond off the eggs and Xavier some more incubation time. Oh, what a character he is!
At The Campanile, Lou and Annie are bonding – something they continue to do since the eyases fledged.
The Black Stork nest in the Karula National Forest in Estonia is quiet. All three fledglings of Karl II and Kaia have now left the natal nest and begun their journeys south towards Africa. Kalvi flew first and has the satellite tracker. This is the information at the time of my writing.
This is the area where Kalvi is foraging.
This short video shows the last time that the storklets of Karl II and Kaia were together.
The last data:
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H, PB’, All About the Calico Personality, PSEG, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO. Boulder County, Sandpoint, Collins Marsh, Dunrovin, LRWT, NEFL-AEF, Superbeaks, Glacier Gardens, Linda Russo and NEFL and SWFL Eagle Watcher’s Club, Emergence Magazine, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, SK Hideaway and Cal Falcons, Maria Marika, MadliaA, Fortis Exshaw, Wildlife Conserve of NJ, Kent Island, Looduskalender, and All About Black Storks.
It was another beautiful day – it is decidedly fall. I can look out the conservatory’s windows and see the sky between the branches of the 100+-year-old Maple trees a block away. They are so tall that they dominate everything. Thankfully, they are Maples as the old Elms are being cut down. On my walks, I cringe when I see the orange spray paint – a solid circle and a line underneath means the tree is diseased and is due to be cut down. All of the trees in front of my house that the squirrels used to leap to the ones on the other side (they formed a huge canopy) so they did not have to run across the pavement will be gone before winter. The Re-Leaf programme has already planted a Snowflake Hawthorn in place of one of them, and I am due two other trees in a few weeks to go on my property. A friend is also donating some small trees they thinned from their property. So the forest behind my house – the garden area – is growing and will continue to do so. The intent is to have it so thick that mowing is never required but, primarily, so the birds have a thick shelter, a sanctuary.
Calico is adapting wonderfully. We have played with toys, and had meals, she has slept on my lap while I was reading, and she is eating well. No one in the area has seen kittens or a kitten – during the day or at night. Everyone was asked when they were walking their dogs or working in their garden this evening. One lovely lady is leading the late-night search for them for another 5 or 6 days. Then we will all rest easy. They will continue to be vigilant. We all noticed that the food left under the deck – very smelly fish- had not been touched and a hungry kitten would have wolfed it down. Sad.
I suddenly discovered that I had a lot of time on my hands and could sit, sip tea, and read, sometimes with Calico and sometimes alone. Missey and Lewis – believe it or not – are not especially lap kitties. I am hoping they will change their ways. They adore being ‘together’ – that relationship is, for them, paramount. So far, everyone is happy, and this transition will be slow and steady…I am happy to have Calico safe with Lewis and Missey in the house. She is no longer hiding under her tent in my old offie but, is sleeping in the open on the large pet carrier with a soft blanket that my lovely neighbour made long ago for another rescue kitten, Duncan. Duncan loved watching Ladybirds and often had to be stopped from eating them! They dominate the pattern.
Thanks ‘JE’ for sending me the link to this rescue by PSEG Long Island.
We have this rescue but we also have trouble at Centrepoint. Can you help by writing in to help save the eagles of Centrepoint? Here is the information – thanks ‘J’ for sending this in:
18 August at 02:27 · “Last year we fought for the rights for the eagles to keep their territory as they found it. Today the Town of Huntington approved the beginning of construction of the first of many projects that are in direct view of their nest. I failed the people who adore both the eagles and the the town of Centerport. The Huntington Town Boards, Council, Zoning board and more including our elected officals failed us all. They promise it all before we vote, made by certain officals in the town, the inter-connections from the town officials for these construction projects is disgusting and wrong. The abuse of power must end. There I was thinking they were looking out forthe people who voted for them.. What a fool I was. Poor eagles…Didn’t sleep much last night knowing that these projects being SOO close to our eagles nest could spook the eagles from Centerport – so I compiled a list of Names and Phone numbers / email addresses of those you can contact…Let these caring individuals know what we think. If you send an email to ANY of these people be sure to “CC Andrew Raia” He is the town clerk and it forces the town to make your email part of the record. Please only like this post if you’re willing to send emails to these people. This way I know if 3 people or 300 people make the effort. Thanks all..”
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON 100 MAIN STREET, HUNTINGTON, NY 11743 GENERAL SWITCH BOARD: 631 351-3000. HOURS: 8-4
KEITH BROWN, NY STATE ASSEMBLYMAN 12TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 631 261-4151 (COMMACK OFFICE) BROWNK@NYASSEMBLY.GOV
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It was a very touching moment when Tina Moore retrieved the body of JJ, Jasper and Louise’s second hatch at Fortis Exshaw, and buried him by the big rock by the lake. What a kind and generous individual. RIP JJ – soar high in the thermals above the pond.
The intruders have been relentless.
Poul Blue 2E3 fledged from Tweed Valley. He was fitted with a tracker and this is his amazing journey so far. A goshawk killed his sister Sacha after she fledged. So, he is ever so important. He is doing so well….safe travels!
What a beautiful place for an Osprey nest – Charlo Montana. Fledglings still at home, still fish calling!
At the Glacier Gardens Bald Eagle nest, Hope flew off at 0659 this morning. She made several trips back and forth to the nest including eating some prey!
At 1106:
Final sighting of Dorcha at Loch Arkaig. 17 August.
Final sighting of Louis at Loch Arkaig. 24 August.
And when will the final sighting of Mini be at Patchogue? She was on the perch Sunday morning, the 27th of August, but as of 1437 Manitoba time, she has not reappeared.
‘R’ has been watching Mini since her injury – very closely – and he notes that she has been using her leg much more and putting weight on it and wonders if “she tore a ligament since her knee only appears to buckle in a single direction?” We won’t ever know, but it does appear that she will recover, and that is excellent news.
Mini returned to the nest perch at 16:26.
Mini flew back to the nest around 1700 and was, surprisingly, joined by Mum, who might be coming to check on her nest and say goodbye before migrating. Most females appear to stop – however briefly – at their nest before leaving, even if they have been out and about in the territory for several days or weeks before their departure.
Mini is doing very well. Mrs J Johnson on the chat reports that Mini has developed new skills including mashing the fish with her beak to eat it and now eating with both her right and left feet. We know she scratches her head with her left leg. She had a crop when she landed in the afternoon, so she is being fed off nest. I bet Dad would love it if all of them were down where he caught the fish to save him from flying through town.
Maya and Blue 33 were still home on Sunday. They had a juvenile intruder about. It seems none of the nests have been left undisturbed this year.
At the Fortis Exshaw nest, ‘H’ brings us the latest on the tragic events unfolding at this nest near Canmore, Alberta. “It was an emotionally stressful day for the viewers. We heard Banff calling and approaching the nest at 0647. She was being chased. Banff landed at the far side of the nest, and planted her talons firmly on the back of JJ’s body, and she tucked a bit. Banff knew that she was about to be struck. And she was. One second after Banff landed she took a hard hit on her back by the big female intruder. The intruder held on to Banff as they went over the edge of the nest, and Banff briefly held on to JJ. JJ’s body fell to the ground, and it appeared as though the intruder was still holding on to Banff as she flew over the pond. For a short while, we heard Banff weakly calling in the distance. Ugh, poor Banff. We had previously witnessed the intruder pair attempting unsuccessfully to remove JJ from the nest on a few occasions. Well, now JJ’s body was on the ground. And, what about Banff? Was she alright? It was a very long day waiting for any sign of Banff. Meanwhile the new ‘owners’ of the nest were frequently on and off the nest. The female ate a fish on the t-perch, and was briefly joined on the perch by the male. A viewer that lives nearby arrived at the nest shortly after 1000. ‘TM’ was there to look for Banff, and to bury JJ’s body. We all watched as TM buried JJ near the pond. It was very moving. Thank you, TM for your compassion, and for giving sweet JJ a proper burial. While TM was at the nest area, she felt confident that she heard Banff’s unique voice coming from across the river. She spotted an osprey in a tree, but wasn’t quite able to make it out to be a juvenile. Before she left, TM again heard Banff calling. Throughout the afternoon we thought we heard Banff calling in the distance. And then . . at 1725 we heard Banff’s voice, and it was getting closer, and louder . . Oh please don’t land on the nest Banff! The female intruder landed on the nest with her intruder alert . . yes, that’s right, Banff is now the intruder at her natal nest. Then sweet Banff quickly flew by and buzzed the nest from behind the camera, and she was screaming at the female: “I am still alive you crazy bird!” Haha! The female intruder really did have a look of amazement on her face, lol. We were thrilled and relieved to know for sure that Banff was alive and well. Banff is an amazingly strong and resilient fledgling. “It may not be possible for us to see you any more, Banff. For your safety, you should not come back to the nest.”
‘H’ also reports on Forsythe noting what I have – there is not much to report! “Oscar brought one fish to the nest for Ollie. Ollie flew to the camera pole at 1033, and she was not seen the rest of the day.”
One of the fledglings was on the perch at Wolf Harbour in Alabama on Sunday afternoon.
Fledgling or fledglings going to the Seaside Osprey nest on Sunday also.
Dad continues to bring fish to the fledgling at the MN Landscape Arboretum nest.
At the Bridge Golf Club, both fledglings are still coming to the nest for fish. It is reported that there were four delivered on Friday and three on Saturday. So far, one fish has been delivered on Sunday that I have seen.
Harry continues delivering lots of fish to the third hatch at Alyth. Indeed, the most activity over the weekend is these incredible Dads flying back and forth from their fishing spots to the nest to fatten up their chicks so they can migrate. Then, the Dads will need a few days to care for themselves. They are real athletes. Those legs must be ever so strong and muscular.
There is a fledge at Sandpoint – and a return! Well done, Coco.
The goshawk is still about at Poole Harbour and it makes me nervous. One fledgling died last year when it was dragged off this nest by the hawk.
Sadly, there might not be any eggs this year at Port Lincoln. Mating attempts are not very productive. He is young! It might be good for Mum to have a year off – but there is still time for eggs. It is Australia, not North America and Eastern ospreys do not migrate.
Spoke too soon…maybe.
The three fledglings at Boulder County Fair Grounds spent the night together on the perch and were there at the nest during the day wishing for fish.
A giggle from the Dyfi nest today!
Have you wondered about Flaco, the Eurasian Owl that escaped from the Central Park Zoo? Robert Yolton catches us up on some of Flake’s latest comings and goings. I don’t always post on Flaco, so please go to Robert’s blog – you will learn much about urban hawks!
Andor visited after being in the water at the Fraser Point nest on the Channel Islands Sunday. He dried off quickly in that beautiful California sun.
Mum and Dad were on alert at the Sydney Sea Eagle nest in the Olympic Forest. Possums and other intruders kept them busy. SE31 and 32 are doing well. They are standing strong, their beautiful feathers are coming in, and they are delightful.
We are expecting the second egg for Diamond and Xavier today.
SK Hideaways caught that second egg! Congratulations Xavier and Diamond.
Please keep all of our friends – feathered or not – in your positive thoughts as Idalia heads for Florida.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care of yourself. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, JE, PB, R’, Fortis Exshaw, Forsythe, Geemeff and Tweed Valley, Charlo Montana, Glacier Gardens, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, PSEG, LRWT, Wolf Harbour, Seaside, MN Landscape Arboretum, Bridge Golf Club, Alyth, Pam Breci and The Joy of Ospreys, Anne Ryc and Love for Pool Harbour Ospreys, PLO, Boulder County, Marissa Windic and Friends of Dyfi Osprey Project, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, and Sunnie Day.
Saturday was a beautiful ‘fall’ day – yes, ‘fall’ day on the Canadian Prairies. The top of the trees have a kiss of gold and it was a perfect morning, after feeding Missey, Lewis, and Calico, to head and check on the American White Pelicans that spend their spring and summer near me breeding.
Oh, I am very blessed. Three amazing rescue kittens. So sweet and so gentle.
Calico has moved in to be part of the family. Early Saturday evening I went to feed her. She ate like she had not seen food before and she began to follow me home. At one point she rolled on her back and I sat on the sidewalk and rubbed her tummy. No milk. All dried up – not like on Thursday when there was some milk at one teat. No indication of anyone sucking. I carried her the full block home. No one growled – I guess I smelled of Calico for so long that Missey and Lewis just accepted her. Still, she has a special room with several baskets, a carrier, an open donut bed and anything she could want including a small area to hide behind a basket. I will sit and read to her and stroke her and we will take time integrating into the rest of the house.
Letters went into mailboxes for the area where Calico had her kittens. Posters have gone up. Sadly, if there were any surviving kittens, I do not know what they look like, but people around here are good, and they will bring any kittens to me if they see them on the streets – if they can catch them or let me know where they saw them. For now, Calico is safe. No more life on the streets – it is a new beginning for her and us! She is sleeping in a basket on top of a quilt made in the early 1800s by my great-great-great grandmother. I spent much time scratching her face and rubbing her. Not a burr in sight. Slee well, Calico!
At least a third of all North American White American Pelicans arrive in Manitoba in spring and depart late summer or early fall. They are truly a wonderful sight. Many grab a picnic lunch and sit on the shore of the Red River, watching them at a place called Lockport – there is a dam, and they catch the fish when they come over. There were a few Cormorants today.
On Thursday, I wrote to Michael St John in Barbados to see if there had been any further sightings of Blue KW0. Ah, he wrote back and sadly had not see the British osprey blown off course last year since March. Oh, but wait…Saturday afternoon I received a note – did I bring Michael some luck (he thinks so) – twice since our correspondence, he saw and photographed this famous osprey. Oh, fantastic! I look forward to seeing Blue KW0 in person later this year and meeting Michael and everyone working so hard for wildlife on the island. Thanks for allowing me to share the photographs, Michael.
Speaking of famous Ospreys, Zoe is infamous for some reasons many do not like to discuss but, many of you might not know who she is. Fran Solly wrote Zoe’s Story back in August. I will post it here in case you do not know what could be the sad ending to the only surviving osplet from Port Lincoln in 2022.
Prior to her departure, Zoe was often characterised as a ‘fish eating machine’. Her two siblings perished due to siblicide in the nest…it was quite sad and there were times I found myself upset with Zoe especially when it was clear that Mum was so hungry. Middle was an especially sweet osprey, but food deliveries were down for a period, and many believed that Dad might have been having health problems.
Zoe’s sibling Ervie (2021) used to fish with Dad at Delamere. I wonder when they were last seen fishing together? Does anyone know?
Mum with her new mate. Remember, for identification, it is the markings on the head that never change from year to year. Take photographs and compare them from all angles. It is unclear whether or not the couple will successfully produce eggs in their first year together. Many do not. We wait. There is no urgency. The ospreys do not migrate, but the breeding season coincides with better weather and fish.
These special times of seeing Mini on the Patchogue nest could be drawing to a close. She arrived on the platform Saturday morning at 0855 with a chunk of fish. She worked down the last of it at 0901 and flew off. She has developed a good strategy for holding on to small pieces by using her beak. And we can get a good look at her leg. Yes, it is still a bit wonky.
Mini makes funny faces. I want to remember her like this – spunky and full of life. She did not let anything get her down and she delighted in the most curious of things – a sandal and a piece of cardboard.
Good night, Mini!
At Glaslyn, 0H2 had four fish deliveries…0H1 was nowhere to be seen. Thanks, Aran! The birds are moving south. Everyone feels a change of seasons.
Fish continue to arrive at the nest of Idris and Telyn at Dyfi in Wales.
Saturday morning, Maya was still enjoying being with Blue 33 for another day at least. These two are such a very special couple.
People often ask if the females deliver fish to the fledglings..yes, and often before they fledge! CJ7 has been busy delivering fish to 5H5 at Poole Harbour on Saturday.
There was also a goshawk that landed on the nest and Blue 022 drove it away. This is so scary. The couple lost a chick last year to a goshawk and we do not want anyone to get injured or worse now. It is migration time – even in Poole Harbour where thousands of birds on their way to Africa stop over to rest and feed before crossing the water to France.
‘H’ brings us up to date on what has been happening at Fortis Exshaw. “The intruder osprey pair that completed a nest takeover a few days ago was on and off the nest throughout the day. Louise was last seen at the nest or perch three times on 8/24, and possibly once on the 25th. On 8/26, Louise may have landed on the T-perch once and the tall pole once, but it was impossible to say. There were quite a few times when we heard Banff either in the distance or closer to the nest, but for the most part, she stayed away from the nest. Perhaps Banff had heeded our warnings! At 0857 we heard Banff approaching, and the female intruder jumped up to intercept her. We did not get a good look at Banff, but we knew it was her. There were also other times when we knew the intruders flew off the nest to chase Banff, because we had heard her. A couple of times when the intruder pair was on the nest, they alerted when an osprey flew close. It could have been Louise, or another osprey, but Banff tends to announce her arrivals, lol. Listening to Banff’s vocals at 1409 and also at 1757 was particularly notable, and enjoyable. We could hear her chatter starting in the distance and progressively getting closer to the nest. We did not see her (thankfully she did not land on the nest). But what was utterly delightful was the ‘cheerfulness’ heard in her voice! Banff actually sounded ‘happy’. She was having fun. You go girl! I was grinning from ear to ear. Banff was adjusting to her new life, out and about in the world without needing the nest-of-her-youth as her anchor. Banff is technically still youthful, but after facing and surviving the many trials and challenges she has had to endure since she fledged, she is no doubt, wise and skilled way beyond her days. So, to summarize, it was a relatively uneventful day . . oops, uh . . wait just a minute . . At 2049 Banff was heard calling, and she landed on the nest! She may have been chased, and she immediately assumed a slightly submissive posture. In less than twenty seconds, Banff was dive bombed and hit twice. She then quickly flew off the nest. It seems that the intruders constantly have the nest in their crosshairs and they are on Banff like ‘white on rice’. Banff is still learning to accept that she is a defenseless ‘sitting duck’ on the nest, and she is not safe there. Good night, Dear Banff, stay safe. Good night, Dear Louise, and thanks for continuing to take such good care of your girl (our girl).”
Oh, what a terrible season Louise has had. Our hearts really go out to her and Banff. Thank you ‘H’ for your careful monitoring and concern for this family.
Here are the other four reports by ‘H’.
Kent Island – Tom brought four fish to his young lady, but Molly wanted more. Molly stood on the nest in the afternoon, staring down at the water, contemplating and triangulating. Then she plunged straight down toward the water. We could hear a splash, and we had a brief glimpse of her emerging from the water empty taloned. Nice try, kiddo! Audrey was last seen on 8/24.
Osoyoos – There was an empty nest for a large part of the day, but Junior may be perching just out of our view. I only saw two fish brought to the nest, but I might have missed one, and Junior may be eating off nest. All seems to be well for this osprey family.
Barnegat Light – Duke delivered five fish for Dorsett. Dorsett was still eating fish #4 on the utility pole when she saw her dad flying to the nest with another fish. So she held onto her fish and flew back to grab fish #5. Dorsett had two fish at once!
Thanks, Suzanne Arnold Horning, for chasing after any Ms still on the Cornell Campus. Your photos are always heartwarming. Nice to see one of the Ms!
Well, it was a grand day – full of prey – for the sea eagles! ‘A’ fills us in: “For the first time last night, Lady didn’t sleep with the eaglets. Soon after midnight, she went to the perch branch behind the nest, where she slept for the remainder of the night. She was keeping an eye on the youngsters, but they were alone on the nest. They are awake, waiting for breakfast, at 06:22…..”
“There is a chunk of that fish left at the back of the nest. It appears to be the tail and attached flesh and may represent a quarter of that large fish (I have no idea why Lady went to so much trouble to get the flesh off the bony parts of this fish while leaving this chunki at the back of the fish, I have no idea. She must have eaten it through the middle and then finished off the head end (which they seem to prefer starting with for some reason). SE32 has been aware of this for a while, and has even approached it to consider a nibble, but he is simply way too full. SE31, however, has a much smaller crop, and at 12:15, SE31 reaches out and grabs the open end of the fish tail, pulling it towards herself. Smart girl, SE31. She looks around, perhaps hoping a parent will come and help her. She then surveys the fish again. She is unable to work out the problem and resumes wingercising. The size discrepancy between the two eaglets, while still obvious, appears to have shrunk significantly over the past three days. SE31 was getting close to twice SE32’s size, but just have a look at them now! I am starting to believe in this nest turnaround. This is the third day of SE32 gaining confidence and eating plenty. While he began by retaining a little caution, he has now thrown that entirely to the winds and is acting as though he is the dominant chick on the nest. SE31 is deferring to him, reinforcing his belief that he is top eaglet. He is quite prepared to rear up and stare SE31 down on the rare occasions it is necessary, and the timid submissive little man we saw only four or five days ago is a thing of the past. This is an entirely new nest. What a joy it is. And the fishing has been excellent for the past few days as well. I do wonder what would happen if the fish suddenly disappeared for a day or two. Would things revert to an SE31-dominant situation? Or would the relationship that currently exists survive a food shortage? Let’s hope we do not have to find out. Just after 12:36, Lady arrives with a small-medium fish for lunch. SE32 is closer and sits up. SE31 remains in duckling position and watches. Lady is looking around, so SE32 sits down again. After a while, she starts feeding SE32 while SE31 watches. There really is a large chunk of leftover fish from this morning. It’s way bigger than I realised (it was hard to see initially) – it is significantly larger than this fresh fish, which itself is a reasonably sized fish of the same variety of the small fish that were being brought in earlier in the week. Still a nice fish, and SE32 is enjoying it, but that fish this morning was another monster and should feed the nest for the remainder of the day. It is the bottom third of the fish, so it is open at one end. I am wondering whether either chick will attempt it. SE32 is so full, I doubt he will be motivated to bother, but SE31 has not eaten enough yet today so she may well be hungry enough during the afternoon. We will see. For now, Lady is feeding SE32 again. Still. At 12:40:53, she gives a grateful SE31 a bite. SE32 pulls himself up and shuffles forward a little so that both eaglets are sitting up side by side at the table. SE32 gets the next bite but Lady then starts feeding SE31. It appears SE32 is a bit distracted and at 12:41:45, as he takes care of yet another PS, Lady offers another big bite to SE31, who is happy to take it. Around 12:42 Lady switches to the leftover chunk of fish. She feeds both eaglets a bite, then concentrates on feeding SE31, who eats big bites. She is hungry. SE32 sits beside her and watches her eating. Dad flies onto the nest at about 12:45. It’s hard to see if he has prey. It looks like a bunch of eucalypt leaves. Dad has a very large crop. Lady continues feeding SE31. Dad flies up onto a perch branch and Lady continues feeding SE31. Just before 12:34, SE31 gets up, turns around and walks away from the table to collapse on the front rails. Her crop now matches SE32’s. Lady proceeds to start feeding SE32, in case he can fit any more, and he does his best to oblige. He keeps eating steadily until just after 13:00, at which point he too stops. It is 13:04:15. He looks like a Thanksgiving turkey!! He turns away from the table, despite Lady’s best efforts at coaxing him to see whether an eaglet can physically burst through eating. (Spoiler alert: Apparently not. Probably …. )”
“Today was the third consecutive day and this nest has turned around. Today, SE32 occasionally pecked at his sister (just gently), such as when her wingercising hit him by mistake, and he was first up to each feeding (unless he was in a food coma, in which case SE31 would get fed). He is so confident that the casual viewer would assume him to be the dominant chick on the nest. Both are happy, very very full, and playing together so nicely. They will both sleep well tonight. The fishing is extraordinary, with plentiful fish being brought in (two of the biggest fish I’ve ever seen have come in over the last three days, along with additional smaller fish). Both parents are also eating heartily. The nest is humming along, which of course makes one fear it is all about to come crashing down. But let’s remain positive and just enjoy these two beautiful siblings growing up together happily and peacefully. It is just lovely.”
This video clip by Gracie Shepherd was too cute to leave out…32 honking at 31! Just smile. 32 is getting its mojo.
Darling Xavier and the first time with his egg captured in video by Elain. Oh, Xavier is such a darling. Goodness…
And I love this post! Have a laugh!!!!!!
Annie and Lou have been pair bonding again..don’t you love peregrine falcons?
Ah, the air is still crisp. In Manitoba, it is time for local corn and apples. Even though it is not yet September, it feels like fall is officially arriving. It is a beautiful time of year. The wasps will leave. Hopefully, the heat and humidity will be gone, and walks will be done with a little quicker step. The Canada Geese will begin arriving at the nature centre from up north. They will take a break and spend a few days with us. By the middle of September, hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, will arrive just after dusk. It is my favourite time of year…there is something about the scent of fallen leaves, just slightly damp, the tussle of the ones that have dried, the squirrels working hard for winter. It is lovely!
But for now, I will sleep so well – Calico is home. She is off the streets and safe. No more worries about her being hit by a car. The challenge is to continue to get her fur in good order, get her health checked and everything that goes along with that…. it is time for Missey and Lewis (almost) to have their annual check-up! They have been spreading their joy for almost a year. Life is good.
Calico slept in the basket on the antique quilt waking up to breakfast without wasps attacking her. She has not cried or growled or scratched or tried to leave her space. Missey and lewis are curious – but no growling. They saw one another for the first time this morning. The trio will be eased into one another’s lives slowly. For now, though, it is really blissful.
The kittens ask that you remember their friends outside!
Thank you for being with me this morning. It is time to feed the garden animals. I will be counting Blue Jays wondering if they will migrate or if they will stay over for the winter. Their ‘blue’ is gorgeous when it is snowing! Take care all. See you soon.
Thank you to ‘A and H’ for their wonderful reports, to MSJ and SAH for allowing me to use their photographs, Fran Solly, PLO, PSEG, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dyfi Ospreys, LRWT, Poole Harbour ospreys, Fortis Exshaw, Kent Island, Osoyoos, Wildlife Conserve of NJ, Sydney Sea Eagles, Sk Hideaways and Sydney sea Eagles, Gracie Shepherd and Sydney Sea EAgles, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Karen Leng and Orange Australia Peregrine Falcons, and SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons.
It was a drizzly sort of day in the garden. The sun never came out and everything felt cold and damp. Everyone was here, at one time or another, including one of the Crows. Calico had her tracker on during the day. In the early afternoon, she was here, and when I went outside to freshen up the table feeder, she lept to the deck. It startled me as I am so used to her meandering in from the back of the lilacs. She ate her food, chased a moth, and then had a siesta under the lilacs. It was different behaviour, but in a bit, she went back to the place where she has her kitts. She returned at her usual time in the evening, and while she ate, I removed her tracker for charging. Once in a while, I will check to ensure she has not moved the Kitts.
Dyson was here chasing peanuts and trying to get as many or more than Little Red.
Dyson was smart. She had dumped the covered feeder and then when the drizzle began she decided to go inside the feeder!
This is one way to get a drink!
In the frenzy between Little Red and Dyson, the Black-capped Chickadee swooped in and occasionally grabbed a seed!
There is some celebrating going on!
Jane Dell posted (on a couple if FB websites) a really good document on Western Osprey identification. This will be a very helpful resource – maybe put it in a file with useful articles, etc. for when the time comes.
‘H’ has one report for us today and that is about the intrusions that continue at the Fortis Exshaw nest in Alberta, Canada.
8/21 had been an unusually tranquil day for the fledgling Banff. The first half of the day was also very peaceful on 8/22. Banff took a couple of early morning flights, and she was out when Louise delivered the first fish. Banff flew in quickly at 0715 to claim the large whole fish. At 0729 Louise delivered a tiny whole fish to Banff. Banff managed to swallow the last half of the fish in one big gulp! For the next three hours Banff enjoyed numerous out-and-back flights and spent some time on the big T-perch and the nest perches. At 1032 Louise brought the third fish of the day, a medium sized whole fish. After she ate that one, Banff resumed her brief fly-abouts. Fish #4 from Louise at 1155 was a huge live fish. Louise wanted to keep the fish, and there was a brief tug-o-fish, but Louise gave in. Banff was eating intermittently, and had eaten about 1/3 of the large fish, when, at 1313 a female intruder landed on the nest. At 1316 the intruder made a move for the fish, but Banff fended her off. Then there was a long standoff. At 1334, the intruder moved aggressively to take the fish. There was a struggle as Banff tried to hold on to her fish. Both birds ended up going overboard, and it looked like the intruder had the fish in her left talon. At 1335 Banff flew back to the nest, and was almost immediately dive bombed three times by the intruder (apparently the intruder had dropped the fish). Banff flew off the nest. An aerial chase between ospreys could be seen at 1409, but we don’t know who was involved. At 1438 Louise landed with a partial fish, but Banff was still off the nest. Within seconds, a different intruder landed on the nest. Some thought it was O’Hara, but the markings didn’t seem quite right. Louise was not happy at all, and at one point she flapped at the intruder, but that had no effect. Louse flew off with the fish at 1447. The intruder starting moving some sticks around, and that really confused us! At 1458, as Banff flew toward the nest, the intruder flew off, but it immediately circled back and dive bombed Banff a couple of times. Louise immediately returned with the partial fish and Banff grabbed it. The intruder dive bombed Banff three more times while Louise was on the nest. That was a first. No intruder had ever attacked while Louise was on the nest. We were dismayed that the intruder had become more brazen and had elevated its aggressiveness to a higher level. Banff flew off the nest at 1459, leaving the fish behind. Louise waited for Banff to return, but she flew off with the fish at 1545. At 1553, the intruder brought a stick to the nest, and left. That was so bizarre, and so confusing for the viewers, who were trying to make some sense out of everything. Louise landed on the nest with a different headless fish at 1655 (fish #6). Banff quickly flew to the nest to claim it and Louise departed. Banff was nervous, and mantled the fish, scanning the sky. At 1702 the intruder buzzed and dive bombed Banff at least six times, and at 1703 Banff hurriedly flew off, leaving the fish on the nest. The intruder departed. Banff flew back to the nest at 1734, and grabbed her fish. This time, she got down to business and ate without hesitating. The latter part of the evening was intruder-free. Banff took a couple of short flights, and she landed on the T-perch at 2026. Dear, sweet Banff elected to roost on the T-perch overnight. It had been a very complex, and stressful day for Banff, but she was well fed. Onward, Banff.
Thanks so much ‘H’.
As of Tuesday, Elen was still at Glaslyn and Aran had delivered a double-header at 1735 – there were more fish during the day despite some windy periods. Aran you are amazing. Everyone is home and safe, eating well thanks to this amazing dad – and well, what a great year with new Mum, Elen. So happy for Glaslyn!
Elen eating a flounder Aran brought for her. She will be gone very soon. are travels, return to us!
Maya and Blue 33 were still on the nest on Tuesday 22 August. You can always tell Blue from that look in his eyes before you see the Blue Darvic band.
That is one brave Hoodie going after Ludo! Good thing Ludo is an osprey and not an eagle.
What is happening with Bird Flu? It was big news and then something else takes over and the impact of this deadly disease is put aside. What is going on and what is happening in Africa where our beloved European and UK birds will spend their winter. Mark Avery brings us some of the latest data to his blog on Monday, 21 August. “In 2023, up until 14 August, 45 species have tested positive. The last month has seen a bunch of colonial seabirds adding their names to this year’s casualties. Here’s the list (with additions in bold): Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Fulmar, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Teal, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Razorbill, Guillemot, Puffin, Curlew, Ringed Plover, unspecified heron (!), Grey Heron, dove/pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Red Grouse, Sparrowhawk, Goshawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Reed Warbler and Carrion Crow. Last year will be remembered as the first year when impacts on seabirds in the breeding season were noticed. This year the disease spread to many colonial gulls, in particular Black-headed Gulls, all over the UK.”
Mini has been eating well, resting her leg, and using the right foot more.
Early morning.
0815. Beautiful. I think this one will deserve a spot on the bulletin board. She is so lovely.
1605. Looking up and expecting a delivery?
She was slightly wonky on that leg with that 1609 fish.
1908
Mini flew into the nest with a huge drop around 1957! Gracious. It looks like our girl had a nice fish meal off-camera.
At Dunrovin, Harriet is still home and there was at least one chick at the nest today – possibly all, I did not watch or rewind. This nest of Swoop and Harriet has done well this season! So happy for them.
Boulder County: Throughout the day I only saw two fledglings at the nest at any one time. It is impossible to know if they are the same two each time.
At Orange, Xavier came in with a Starling for Diamond. What a guy. She doesn’t always want them! Eggs should be coming before the end of the month. But then later Xavier comes in with a Red-Rumped Parrot (thanks ‘A’) to the delight of Diamond who is looking a little eggy these days.
In California, Annie and Lou continue to come to the scrape in The Campanile. They also bond in the scrape but we won’t be seeing any eggs until spring of 2024. Stay safe you two!
It is sometimes painful to watch the early feedings at the Sydney Sea Eagles. Even after 31 was full and 32 had finally gotten itself up to Lady’s beak, Lady had to try and try to get this very intimidated little man to eat. ‘A’ provides a complete narrative for us: “The little one gets up to the table by about 06:45 but he cowers away from Lady’s beak when she tries to feed him. She keeps feeding SE31, even though SE32 is right up to the table – she tries periodically to coax SE32 to eat but he just won’t accept the food, no matter how patient mum is. He finally takes a bite at around 06:50:45, just before dad arrives at 06:50:50 with yet more food. Surely there wasn’t another nestling in that nest. It is a fourth! At 06:54 mum finally manages to get him to start eating, albeit very gingerly. He is so nervous that even though SE31 is full and nowhere near him, he is still not confident about taking a bite from Lady, who is only inches from him. He is facing her, watching the food, but still cringes each time she tries to feed him. It is SO frustrating to watch. But there are still at least two nestlings on that nest and SE31 is full, so surely SE32 will get a decent breakfast. Lady is doing everything she can but she cannot force-feed SE32! She is certainly being as patient as she can. By 06:56 he is eating with a bit more confidence but SE31 is moving back towards the table, considering a second helping. She stays back for now. SE32 continues to eat, very nervously. Lady is now feeding them alternate bites. SE32 grabs at each mouthful, turning away as he does so. He is SO scared, even though he has not been bonked at all during this feeding and SE31 is sitting back, not leaning over him or making any contact with him. He should be gaining confidence and eating faster but he is still cringing with each bite. Lady returns to feeding SE31, offering SE32 a single bite for every four or five she gives his big sister, whose crop is now huge. Around 07:05, she returns to feeding SE32 bite after bite. This is fresh juicy red meat and should be very nutritious for SE32, who is slowly developing a crop. And surely, out of four nestlings, there is enough food for both to eat plenty. Lady is also eating. Dad is the only one who seems to have missed out on breakfast, so I would suggest he is currently out fishing. Mum was certainly not letting him take any of the four chicks he brought in for his own chicks to eat! She made that very clear, physically and verbally, when he delivered the fourth. At 07:08 she is still feeding SE32 bite after bite, some of them extremely large. He is eating everything he is offered, no longer turning away from Lady but confidently staying at her beak at last. He has a good crop and has eaten a lot of food quite quickly (he is grabbing huge chunks and swallowing them all). At 07:10 she gives SE31 a few bites, then returns to feeding SE32, whose crop is still only half the size of his sister’s. At 07:20, she is still feeding SE32 the last remnants of the nestlings. He now has a very large crop, though nowhere near the size of his sister’s, which is so huge that she actually refused a mouthful a few seconds ago.”
Another prey delivery and ‘A’ notes: “Dad brought in a small whole fish just before 08:38 but by the time the little one got up to the table, the fish was all gone. He is still SO nervous, he cannot eat, even with a full crop and SE31 not being aggressive. He did take one small mouthful and was beaked in the head (just once) for doing so, which of course sent him straight into submission for the remainder of the feeding. This attitude is so worrying, but then occasionally, when he is hungry enough, he suddenly finds some courage and stands up for himself and his food.”
Port Lincoln: Mating but no eggs yet.
Taiaroa Head: ‘A’ reports: “In New Zealand, there was no weighing of Manaaki yesterday, but he has had six or seven parental feedings since last week’s 9.8 kg so is no doubt at a healthy weight! Mum arrived around 09:54 this morning to feed her little man yet again, leaving again at 10:01. It’s great to see you, mama. We missed you so much. We adore Manaaki. He is such a special little person, very laid back but also very confident, having spent his childhood living on a crowded street corner. He has been the most entertaining chick to watch, excavating and gardening as he engages in his endless nest-building, as well as exploring his surrounds and visiting his many neighbours. We will miss you, Manaaki. We have another fortnight or so with him, but that fluff is fast disappearing, and he will fledge in the not-too-distant future.”
He found the camera!
Karl II’s mate, Kaia, who had not been at the nest since 23 July but had been out foraging to regain her strength for her long travels, came to the nest to say goodbye on 15 August and began her migration on the 22nd. Thanks, ‘PB’ for the confirmation. Here is the information from Looduskalender.
Maria Marika reports that Timmy has also begun its migration. Soon they will all be on their way and we will be fingering our worry beads until we know that they are safe and sound in their winter homes.
Karl II continues to feed the three fledglings at the nest. All three were present on the night of 22 August. They, too, will begin their migration shortly.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. Hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ‘A, H, PB’, Megan McCubbin, Jane Dell, Fortis Exshaw, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, LRWT, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Mark Avery, PSEG, Dunrovin Ranch, Boulder County, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Cal Falcons, Sydney Sea Eagles, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Looduskalender, Maria Marika, LizM and the Eagle Club of Estonia.
It was a grey drizzly day on the Canadian Prairies. All of the garden animals are present and accounted for. None of the Blue Jays appear to be thinking about leaving on migration. The Chickadees have been out in force and as I am writing, Little Red is busy stocking away all the peanuts he can get his little hands on and the duvet is out – signalling that it is beginning to feel a little hippy in the evenings now. There is a tinge to the top of the trees, just a hint of chartreuse with a soft yellow in places that signals a change of season is on us..
For all those wondering…I found Calico’s hiding spot with her kitten or kittens. Ironically it was the first spot where I believed she was- it was ideal – lots of piled up things and a huge deck that was difficult for anyone to get under – including any dogs or foxes (yes, there is a fox that lives in a garden of Tiger Lilies in the summer near to where Calico is hiding). A neighbour had informed me that a raccoon was living under that deck, but that was untrue. It was Calico! The young man who owns the house has given me full permission to come and go in his garden. Sadly, I cannot get under the low part of the deck to get to her, and there is no access to the higher part without cutting into the structure. So we wait to try and lure this kitten out. It will not be for lack of trying, but one day that kitten will play with the laser pointer, see the fluffy feather toy, smell the sardines and come walking out. It is certainly in a safe place – and I am no longer worried except for car traffic. Calico comes to eat and scurries back – quick as a wink she is away. Patience and more cunning than her mother will be required…and I am not sure the latter is possible. Calico is one smart Mama. The score is now Calico 10- Mary Ann 2.
The storm in California has passed. Checked on four nests. Just because I did not see the eagles on the streaming cam does not mean there is a problem. I have not seen eagles often at the West End or recently at Fraser Point. The amount of rain and flooding has been considerable, but the nests and the trees appear to have survived fine. I hope that is the case and that they have not been weakened.
