Category Archives: Cal Falcons

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

24 April 2024

Hello Everyone,

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

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

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

This little kit hit the jackpot a new seed cylinder!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moving on to Bird World…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Captiva chick eating well and Jack with the pantry packed.

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

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

Archie meets the third chick.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the UK on Wednesday, there were more eggs:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 Hatches at Cal Falcons…Tuesday in Bird World

23 April 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

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

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

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

Archie meets his chicks for the first time.

The chicks first meal.

Can’t get enough of Annie and Archie!

There will be a third one soon!

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

The first eyas has hatched at Cromer Peregrines, too!

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

The pair also have a full clutch of three eggs.

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

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

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

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

Surprise! Two chicks at Lake Murray. Wow.

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

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

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

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

#2 Nest, Satakunta: Nothing

#3 Nest: Nothing

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

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

Janakkalan: nothing

Juurusvesi: nothing

Muonion: nothing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our darling Ervie.

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

EJ sent this article:

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

Here is the link to the chat:

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

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

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

Tuffy smiling at the camera…Monday in Bird World

22 April 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It seems that ospreys were busy laying eggs on Sunday. It was like bunnies were delivering them – whether it was the first or the third – to nests around the world. I hardly had time to pull my head out of the data forms to check on other nests! So, today’s posting reads a little bit like a list. And in about 36 days there will be sixty or more osplets hatching around the world. Imagine it…they will join their siblings. Let us hope that all of the nests prosper this year.

I love a good rescue story with a happy ending and the one today comes from a friend ‘S’ who lives in Hawaii. A nestling White Tern had fallen off its branch; they do not build nests. The proper authorities were called, the chick was taken up to a much higher branch and the parent immediately came to it. Saved!

Check out the webbed feet that help them cling to branches where they nest and roost.

Animalia says, “White terns are often seen on their own or in small groups. They are a diurnal species but are more active at dawn and dusk. To eat, it dips its beak to catch prey at the water’s surface or just beneath it. A dive is often preceded by extensive hovering, and the bird may use the wind to sustain its flight. It may catch flying fish from the air, and it is commonly seen foraging near groups of predatory fish and dolphins which drive their prey towards the surface. An individual may carry a few small fish in its bill, taking these to its young with the prey held crosswise. If disturbed by a predator, a White tern will hover, flutter and make buzzing sounds. This bird has a graceful flight. It flies easily low above the waves, without landing. It will touch the surface once it has spotted prey. Its flight is buoyant, involving erratic changes in speed and direction.” They are often called ‘fairy terns’.

‘The Girls’, and I hope you had a beautiful day. It was sunny and warm—16 C—on the Canadian Prairies, but a brisk, cool wind was accompanying it. Ice cream did not taste the same, even with a heavy jumper!

Archie was encouraging the pipping chicks to hatch! What an incredible Dad he is – ‘SP’ has often wondered if he has raised chicks before and lost his mate. We will never know, but I hope that he is with Annie for eons. Cannot wait to see these fuzzy little ones with their pink beaks and legs jumping for food.

Falling in love with Archie. His enthusiasm is contagious.

The four Osaka Peregrine Falcon chicks being fed on the 20th. This is what Archie and Annie will be looking forward to very, very soon!

We have not been able to follow Nancy and Beau at the MN-DNR nest as they moved nest when theirs collapsed last year. Trudi Kron reports that the couple have two eaglets in 2024! Fantastic news.

As you know the posts by Audubon caused a stir in Bird World and everyone wanted to know what had happened to Meadow and when. The Raptor Centre of Tampa Bay posted this on their FB page on Sunday:

It certainly is a worry for those chicks that we love and who might suffer from lack of food and/or abuse by their siblings. Even Hugo Yugo craves anything with Calcium; we often think it is because her mother was starved when carrying those 7 kittens. What will Hugo Yugo’s life be like? Is this why Mini at Patchogue had the injured leg, ‘AE’ ponders. We won’t know, and sadly, we cannot tell, but there is concern for these chicks who suffer and do not get food regularly like the others. As you might recall, Meadow was beaked often and kept from prey at one time. This includes our dear Tuffy, who had a bit of a rotten ride for a while.

Today, Tuffy has been eating well. ‘H’ sent me the first screen capture below showing Tuffy smiling at the camera. How adorable. I hope that Tuffy’s health has not been compromised from lack of food and beaking for those days we worried about this little one.

He is right up at the beak at 1700 and no doubt will be smiling again.

Tuffy having a nice meal before bedtime on Sunday. Great crop, too.

On Sunday, Louis brought Iris a fish gift. — Don’t fall off your chair! Iris has been thwarting his advances. Keep it up – get some more fish, Iris!

‘H’ reports that the second egg was laid at the Seaside Nest in Oregon.

The third egg for Boulder County was laid on the 21st!

There are three eggs at Ferris State University’s Osprey nest. The three egg clutch was completed on the 21st. Their camera is now on Twitch and there is no rewind that I can see, but they do have an up-to-date FB page.

There are three eggs for Herbert and Hermine at the Eschenbach Osprey nest. Sunday began with a snow-covered nest that gradually melted during the day.

The second egg at the Cowlitz PUD osprey nest in Washington arrived on Sunday the 21st.

The three osplets at the University of Florida-Gainesville are entering the Reptilian Phase!

Waiting for the arrival of the first egg for Aran and Elen at Glaslyn.

First egg in the nest at GribSkov on the 21st.

There are now three osprey eggs in the nest in the Ramucka Forest in Poland.

‘BHA’ reports that the third egg (and hopefully the last) was laid at the Port of Ridgefield on Sunday.

It’s three eggs for Mispillion Harbour on the 22nd!

Second egg for the new couple at Dahlgren.

And then there were three at Alyth for Flo and Harry!

Bety and Buky have been incubating their two eggs in Mlady Buky.

Dunrovin Ranch’s latest newsletter reflects on the absence of Harriet and the great matriarch she was of their osprey nest.

Honoring-Queen-HarrietDownload

The American Eagle Foundation posted some images and information on Mr President and Lotus and their eaglets at their new nest. I know that many of you loved this eagle pair and are so disappointed not to be able to see them raise their chicks.

The GH owlet named Wyatt branched at the nest on Farmer Derek’s land on Sunday.

Down in the Sydney Olympic Forest, Dad and Lady are starting the nest renovations for the 2024 season! Wow. Cal Falcons hasn’t even hatched their eggs yet….did time start moving at warp speed?

The Cream-Coloured Courser is only one bird that is beginning to breed further north than its norm. Climate change is driving more and more birds to cooler areas to make their nests.

“Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius cursor) Tal Chhapar, Churu, Rajasthan, India February 15th, 2013” by Dibyendu Ash is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Cream-coloured-Courser-found-breeding-further-north-than-ever-before-BirdGuidesDownload

All About Birds shows this normal distribution map.

Key:

Animalia describes them as wading birds that forage for insects. Their numbers are decreasing but so far they are listed as of Least Concern.

“These coursers are found in Canary Islands, Cape Verde, North Africa and Southwest Asia. Their two eggs are laid in a ground scrape. The breeding season extends from February to September, but they may breed also in autumn and winter when local conditions (especially rainfall) are favourable. They are partially migratory, with northern and northwestern birds wintering in India, Arabia and across the southern edge of the Sahara. Some birds also breed in the southern desert regions in northwestern India and Pakistan. They are rare north of the breeding range, but this species has occurred as far away as Finland, Ireland and Great Britain.”

Thank goodness some communities understand. Portsmouth stops seaside condos from being built due to worries over wintering bird habitat! Give them five gold stars.

Portsmouth-seafront-flats-delayed-over-habitat-concerns-BirdGuidesDownload

There appears to be an egg at the Balgavies Loch nest on the 21st also. So many eggs on the 21st – it is raining them.

Movement has been noticed in one of the eggs at Captiva. ‘H’ reports that egg 3 is 37 days old today.

And, sadly, dear Audacity laid another egg on Sunday and it had a puncture.

Thank you so very much for being with us today. Things are going to get quite exciting the third week in May when these osplets start hatching! Take care all. Happy Earth Day.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, screen captures, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘AE, BHA, H, PB, SS’, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways, Osaka Peregrine Falcon Cam, Trudi Kron, Raptor Centre of Tampa Bay, Moorings Park, Montana Osprey Project, Seaside Ospreys, Boulder County, Ferris State University Osprey Cam, Fischadle Eschenbach LiveStream, Cowlitz PUD, University of Florida-Gainesville Osprey Cam, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, GribSkov, Ospreys in Napiwodzko-Ramuka Forest, Port of Ridgefield, Mispillion Harbour Osprey Cam, Alyth Ospreys, Mlady Buky Stork Cam, Dunrovin Ranch Newsletter, American Eagle Foundation Live Nest Cams, Farmer Derek, Eagle Cam, BirdGuides, OpenVerse, Animalia, and All About Birds.

Cal Falcons – Pipping Eggs!

21 April 2024

The eggs of Archie and Annie are beginning to pip and hatch is expected between 24-48 hours according to Cal Falcons.

So excited!

Joy and Sadness…Monday in Bird World

15 April 2024

Good Morning,

Today is full of some good news and some worrying news. As I reminded everyone yesterday, the nests and lives of our feathered friends are not easy. A nest full of happy, well-fed chicks can change in an instant, and that is precisely what might be happening at the Frenchman’s Creek Osprey platform. Across the pond, at Loch Arkaig, dear Louis and Dorcha welcome their first egg with great joy. We never know what will happen. We need to rejoice in the good times, and when we can, we need to reach out and help those birds near us – even if it is just a life-saving bowl of water. It could make all the difference in their life.

Sunday was another gorgeous day on the Canadian Prairies. Everyone is outside in their summer attire despite the nippy wind that is gusting between 30-45 kph. The girls have spent time sniffing out the open windows in the conservatory wishing they were not ‘imprisoned’ in a house! I continue to tell them it is for their own good and the good of those birds that they are so interested in! Calico now has a hassock pulled up to the window. Her and Hugo Yugo are imagining what it would be like running around and chasing the Dark-eyed Juncos they are so interested in. Oh, I adore them!

The garden was busy! It is migration. We had birds visit that I have never seen at our feeders and at the bird bath drinking water. So, I urge all of you to put out water and if you can, some food. Shallow bowls work wonders. You do not need a birdbath! Put in some rocks to get out if they slip in the bowls.

The Red-winged Blackbird was so thirsty and hungry. It foraged all under the feeders and we put additional food on the ground hoping that there was something in the songbird mix that it would find appealing.

Oh, I love it when the Starlings come. Look at that beautiful plumage. I love the purple on their chest that blends with the iridescent blacks, blues, and greens, and the little kisses of gold. This bird has its breeding plumage. Hopefully, some little Starlings will be coming to the garden to feed in the early summer.

The Starlings particularly like the suet. Normally I would have meal worms for them – this week will mean a visit to the shop.

The six Blue Jays were busy trying to get peanuts in-between Dyson & Co visiting the feeder.

The Dark-Eyed Juncos are everywhere. They love Millet so if you have them in your garden spread the millet on the ground. They will find it.

The other new bird in the garden was a White-winged Crossbill. According to the Cornell Bird Lab, these songbirds, “…inhabit coniferous forests, feeding primarily on spruce and tamarack seeds. Like Red Crossbills, they occur throughout forests of balsam fir and red, black, white, and Engelmann spruce. However, they are scarce or absent in most pine, hemlock, and Douglas-fir forests occupied by Red Crossbills. During periods of low food supply, many White-winged Crossbills wander far out of range. At such times, they frequent habitats that vary from weedy fields to ornamental plantings to pine forests. Their preference is for spruce species, and during irruption winters, they are attracted to small stands of spruce, as often found in older cemeteries, arboretums, or university campuses.” I have never had one in the garden before and, I am wondering if this is because of a very low food supply and an extreme loss of habitat by the continual construction of homes on prime agricultural or bird habitat land.

“Two-barred-crossbill (white-winged crossbill)-2013-12-30_05” by Jan Thomas Landgren is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

I went to check on the state of the ducks. There were a few at an industrial park pond.

The water in the agricultural fields has dried up and not a feathered friend to be seen. It is possible that we and they are going to be in for a big shock in a few days as the forecast is for either heavy snow or lots of rain. They are not sure which. It doesn’t matter. We need the moisture and I hope it materialises.

I also stopped in at a small antique and collectible shop, and look what I found—an old-fashioned pet carrier just the right size for Hugo Yugo. It reminds me of the ones that are sometimes seen on the television series from the Yorkshire Dales, All Creatures Great and Small. This one needs a good latch. That could prove to be a challenge.

Louis won our hearts during the pandemic with the triplets he raised with Aila. Here he is getting a look at his first egg of the 2024 season with dear Dorcha. He does always seem to be surprised!

Later, Louis brings Dorcha a lovely fish and takes over incubation duties.

Louis and Dorcha made the BBC news with that egg!

Tuffy did not get a lot of fish at the first feeding according to ‘H’ who patiently waited to see if the tide on the nest would change.


Harry brought the first fish of the day at 0958, a medium sized whole fish.  Tuffy received two bites but was then forced away by Ruffie, and then Ruffie ate.  Tuffy seems to be getting clever… he crawled over the rail sticks, and went around in front of Sally and ended up on her left side away from Ruffie, and ate a couple more bites.  Well, Ruffie was on to Tuffy’s little scheme, and didn’t like what she saw at all!  Ruffie dove under Sally’s head to get at Tuffy with such force that she knocked Sally backward.  Tuffy moved away and Sally resumed feeding Ruffie.  At 1005 Ruffie was still being fed, but just could not leave well enough alone, so she went behind Sally to the side and beaked Tuffy who was already in submission.  Then Ruffie wedged herself between Tuffy and Sally, and ate some more.  At 1016 Ruffie was still eating, but decided to back up, and went across the nest to beak Tuffy again.  Ruffie ate some more.  Persistent Lil’ Tuffy then went around the nest to end up on Sally’s right side (away from Ruffie), and received a few more bites of fish.  Ruffie saw Tuffy eating, and did not immediately react.  But, after a minute she decided to intimidate Tuffy into moving.  At that point, Ruffie was not eating, but just policing.  Sally gave Tuffy the last two bites of the fish.  Total fish bites for Tuffy = 18.


The second feeding of the day was tough for Tuffy as ‘H’ reports”


…At 1043 Harry delivered another whole fish, a live ladyfish, that was not very big or meaty.  It would take a very nice and pleasant sibling for Tuffy to get much to eat from this fish.  Tuffy moved aside, and Ruffie ate.  By 1100, Ruffie had stopped eating, and Tuffy received his first bite.  However, Tuffy was positioned precariously close to the edge of the nest.  By 1102, Tuffy had eaten 16 bites of fish, when Ruffie decided to dominate, went over to Tuffy and nearly forced him off the nest.  Ruffie then ate some more.  At 1104 Ruffie was no longer eating, only Sally was eating, but Ruffie was laying down right at Tuffy’s tail, forcing him to stay where he was.  Sally finished the fish by 1109.  Finally by 1114, Tuffy was attempting to extricate himself from that dangerous spot, so he inched sideways toward Sally on firmer nesting, and then he had a great PS.  Total bites for Tuffy from this fish = 16.

‘H’ checks on the 1307 feeding:

…At 1307 Harry delivered a very meaty prepped sheepshead fish.  Tuffy was closest to Sally but backed off as Ruffie approached, and she began eating.  Sally soon moved the fish to Tuffy’s advantage and he got 3 bites, but was intimidated by Ruffie and moved away.  Tuffy moved back within beak-reach of Sally, and grabbed bites when he could.  For the most part, Ruffie was less aggressive at this meal, tolerating the close proximity of Tuffy.  But, at 1316 and 1318, she did intimidate Tuffy enough so that Tuffy moved away for a short while.  Tuffy would inch closer and again grab bites from Sally.  By 1322, Ruffie was finished eating for a while, although she stayed close by.  Tuffy began a long stretch of solo eating, and had eaten a total of 246 bites by 1339.  At that time, Tuffy took a PS break and Ruffie woke up and wanted more fish.  By 1345 Ruffie retired from the meal again, and Tuffy had another long private feeding. Tuffy had eaten 286 bites by 1350 at which time Ruffie wanted a few more bites, and she and Sally finished the fish.

Despite everything, ‘H’ tells us that Tuff did manage to eat over 500 bites of fish on Sunday. by 1715:

…At 1604 Harry brought a large headless tilapia, guaranteed to allow for a decent meal for Tuffy.  Ruffie started eating, and Tuffy was waiting in the rear, crop-dropping in anticipation.  Well, Tuffy couldn’t wait, and at 1610 he approached, and got beside Ruffie who proceeded to drive him back to the rail and beak him.  At 1612, Ruffie took a break from eating, but laid down where Tuffy could not easily get by her.  At 1618 Tuffy did scoot around Ruffie, and Mom started giving him some bits of fish.  By 1619 Ruffie was back, intimidated Tuffy, and Ruffie ate some more.  Sally reached to her right and gave Tuffy a couple of bites, much to the displeasure of Ruffie who intimidated Tuffy and  caused him to scurry away.  At 1623 Ruffie was finished eating and moved away…but Tuffy hesitated to come back.  By 1624 Tuffy was back at the table, but it didn’t last long, as Ruffie returned at 1626.  Ruffie ate until 1629.  Again, Tuffy hesitated, and Sally ate.  Tuffy returned and ate at 1630, but golly, Ruffie was back eating at 1631.  Tuffy moved over to Sally’s right side, and she was feeding Tuffy several bites of fish over her right shoulder, while still feeding Ruffie.  Ruffie could have put a stop to this ‘conspiracy’ between Mom and the little brother…but she didn’t.  By 1633 Tuffy had eaten a total of 49 bites during this meal.  At 1636 Ruffie moved away, and Tuffy had a nice private feeding.  Tuffy had eaten 174 bites of fish by 1648, when he started to reject Sally’s offerings.  At 1649 Tuffy shuffled over to the rail and laid down beside Ruffie.  There was still a decent amount of fish left, and Sally had a nice meal.  At 1709, Lil’ Tuffy lifted his head, Mom came closer, and began giving her little youngster some more fish.  Tuffy had eaten at least 202 bites of fish by 1712, and then he laid down again.  At 1714 Sally was pulling the last bits of meat off the fish tail, and fed a couple bites to Ruffie, when Ruffie suddenly decided she had better lay-down-the-law again… went over to Tuffy at the rail, and bit him on the neck a few times.  So far today, Tuffy has eaten at least 522 bites of fish.

The last feeding and report from ‘H’ for Moorings Park on Sunday:

…At 1825 Harry shared a small piece of fish tail with his family.  Sally fed Ruffie, and Tuffy did not approach the table at all.  The piece of fish was finished in just over 3 minutes.

Tuffy ate very well first thing Monday morning so all is well at Moorings – indeed, it is unusual for the little one to do so well at breakfast so, yes!


At 0637 Harry arrived with a headless tilapia, and it took a while for the kids to wake up.  Tuffy got the first bite at 0639, but was beaked by Ruffie.  See you later, Tuffy.  Ruffie ate.  At 0648 and 0650 Ruffie inflicted a little reinforcing intimidation upon Tuffie.  At 0706 Ruffie moved away from the table, and Tuffy moved toward his mom.  Then, it was Tuffy’s turn to eat some breakfast.  Tuffy had eaten 125 bites of fish by 0719, when Ruffie returned.  Tuffy immediately turned and tucked.  Tuffy inched closer to Sally and got another couple of bites at 0731, and was promptly ‘scolded’ by Ruffie.  Ruffie turned away from Sally again at 0733, and she did not return to the table again during this meal, nor did she harass Tuffy.  Tuffy feasted, and he was noted to be crop dropping a few times.  Tuffy had eaten at least 256 bites of fish by 0753, when Sally downed the fish tail.

The third hatch at Fort St Vrain has died on Sunday. It had gotten out of the egg cup and rolled on to its back and appeared not to be able to right itself. The COD is not entirely clear but Elfruler notes and it sounds reasonable, “Lying on its back at this age constricts the air passages, it probably died of asphyxia. Chicks don’t begin using their lungs and air sacs until after the internal pip, and it takes a while for the system to be fully functional. Same thing happened at the John Bunker Sands nest in January, the chick ended up outside the cup on its back and couldn’t turn itself over.” 

There are concerns that JBS20 has not returned to the nest (JB Sands Wetlands) since fledging Sunday morning. This is the area around the nest in the tower. ‘AE’ provided these images of the nest and the surrounding area, along with a screen capture of Dad waiting for JBS20 to return to the nest.

Trudi Kron has it on video!

All of the goslings at the Decorah Goose Cam have hatched successfully. The most likely date for their leap of faith is today – Monday the 15th of April – to the stream below the nest.

There was much concern yesterday about the Mum at Frenchman’s Creek. Fish were stacking up and she had not fed the chicks. I have received news from ‘PB’ that Mum is back feeding the chicks on the Frenchman’s Creek Osprey nest Monday morning. Wonderful news. And there she is with them below this morning! Let’s hope all is well.

Meanwhile, all appears to be well with the Venice Golf and Country Club osplets.

It looks like we have the first egg of the season from Harry and Flora at Alyth!

Despite their sadness, Jackie and Shadow demonstrate that love overcomes everything as they move on from their disappointment.

We are waiting for eggs at the Loch of the Lowes in Scotland with Laddie LM12 and Blue NCO. Blue NCO looked a little ‘eggy’ on Sunday. Fingers crossed.

Blue 022 worked particularly hard on the nest at Poole Harbour that he shares with his mate CJ7 on Sunday. It looks pretty comfy.

The genome of the Night Parrot has been sequenced for the first time. “Scientists have sequenced the genome of Night Parrot, one of the world’s rarest and most enigmatic birds, for the first time.The breakthrough by researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) – Australia’s national science agency – is expected to provide valuable insights into the parrot’s genetics and biology, potentially informing conservation strategies for this recently rediscovered bird, with a live parrot only photographed as recently as 2013.”

First-Night-Parrot-genome-sequenced-BirdGuidesDownload

Why is genome sequencing important for wildlife conservation?

Population-genomics-for-wildlife-conservation-and-management-PMCDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. This was a hop, skip, and jump around less than a handful of nests today. To my knowledge, the others are doing alright. And, I forgot. The Redding eaglets are the first clutch, one egg broke. I keep saying second clutch and for the life of me I do not know why! Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, photographs, screen captures, postings, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘AE, Geemeff, H, MM, PB, SP, TK’, Gemeff, BBC, Moorings Park Ospreys, Fort St. Vrain, JB Sands Wetlands, Trudi Kron, Alyth SS, SK Hideaways, Frenchmen’s Creek, VGCCO, Bird Guides, The Scottish Wildlife Trust (LOTL), Poole Harbour Ospreys, and Wiley Molecular Ecology.

*Disclaimer. Every effort has been made to acknowledge those that have provided material for my post. If I have inadvertently missed thanking someone, please let me know so that the omission can be rectified. Thank you.*

An egg, a fledge and 632 bites of fish for Tuffy…Sunday in Bird World

14 April 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

And now for some really good news before we even begin. Louis and Dorcha at Loch Arkaig have their first egg of the season! Thanks, Geemeff. This is a good nest to watch. Louis is an excellent provider although they have had their tragedies and triumphs in the past couple of years.

JBS20 fledged this morning without an issue at 08:09:10. The wind was blowing and the eaglet was antsy. Perfect form. Mum waits for the return.

It is nearing 1700 on Saturday on the Canadian Prairies when I start writing this post. I am sitting on my deck basking in the blue sky, the sounds of the songbirds in the garden, and not knowing what to think of the 20 C temperature. It is, by and large, summer.

Baby Hope is looking more and more like Mamma Calico every day. Hope just chills on the back of the sofa in the Conservatory (or glass room as we seem to be calling it) while the others try for the best spot at the open window to smell the fresh air and listen to the birds.

Mamma got to be Queen for a Day.

Of course, Hugo Yugo has the best seat in the house. I would like to give some of Hugo Yugo’s attitude to our little second and third hatches. She has never taken any ‘gruff’ from the bigger and older cats. She just pushes her way in there and gets what she wants — and she never looks them in the eye. First rule to being a little eaglet or an osplet- do not look the older one in the eye when they are in a mood.

The arrivals in the garden today include House Finches, Song Sparrows, Northern Flickers, and Cedar Waxwings to add to the Crows, European Starlings, Grackles, House Sparrows, Blue Jays, and Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers.

I walked along the river, and I was unsure whether to believe my eyes. I did not have my camera with the long lens with me. Still, it looked like a family of Hooded Mergansers. This seriously cannot be possible. The Wood Ducks just arrived at the park. In fact, today I managed to go for a long, long walk at the nature centre and a stroll around St Vital Park to welcome the Wood Ducks while scowling at the water quality and the fact that with no rain, the pond is drying up. Is there a way and a will for our City to fill it? Then, it was a walk down the path by the river with a lovely ice cream cone.

Nothing is green except for a few patches of grass, here and there. I watched five Robins pulling worms from an area where it had rained. What a beautiful sight. Seeing Robins – for me, anyway – is a rare occurrence. They hardly ever come to the garden and – wow, there were five!

Some of the geese have discovered they like bird seed.

These geese were trying to find some plants to eat under the dry grasses.

The geese were particularly aggressive to one another at the park.

The waterfowl in the river. They turned out to be Common Goldeneyes. The ones with the white patch are the males. These are divers not dabblers. They arrive in Manitoba in late March and will migrate in November.

As you can see, I took my own advice and stayed outside most of the day. Going for a walk and stopping to just notice our environment is a good way to relieve any kind of stress. I hope you will get outside soon, too! — As a result, my post is rather short today. There is no news on Meadow and I am going to assume that the old saying applies – “no news is good news”.

It has been a hard week at the nests – well, it has been a difficult season, and it isn’t over. We often think that if there is only one chick on a nest that it will have an easy life, but that is not always the case. Little B17 showed us that. The nests get damp, there is mould, there are diseases, intruders, lack of prey and loss of habitat -. A very good nest can change over night and become a tragedy. Likewise, a nest that is in trouble, can turn around. A good example of that is Duke Farms this year. We can only hope that all goes well especially for those little third hatches. One nest that still hangs in the balance is Moorings Park – if you are concerned about beaking, do not watch this nest at this time. Give it a week – let us hope that the aggression will end with the transition out of the Reptilian Phase.

But all is not negative. There are so many good nests out there to watch but, for now, ‘H’ and I are keeping track of Moorings Park and any potential Osprey nests with conflict because that is what we do. For those new to watching Ospreys, I would caution against Moorings Park for the time being – give it another week and let’s see what happens.

At Moorings Park poor little Tuffy got really beaten by Ruffy on Saturday. Ruffy reminds me of Zoe. I cannot shake her from my head but the brutal attacks on Tuffy that ‘H’ documents below when there is plenty of fish and Ruffy is full to the tip of its beak reminds me too much of that first hatch Osprey at Port Lincoln that killed her two siblings. I hope Ruffy grows out of this attitude. — Please read ‘H’s’ narrative of the day. We must find that golden lining and it does come to Tuffy on Saturday. And just a note. The research that I have done alone and over the past two years with ‘H’ has demonstrated that on average an osplet can live (stay alive but not thrive) on about 100 good bites of fish a day when a nest is stressed. As today’s title suggests, Tuffy got much more than that today.

So, thank you again, ‘H’ for your great eye and constant vigilance: “At 0929 Harry delivered the first fish of the day, a huge whole tilapia, and Ruffie intimidated Tuffy to the side rails, but also followed him and beaked him.  The size of the fish almost ensured that Tuffy would get fed eventually.  Sally started to work on the fish, and at 0932 Ruffie started to eat. At 0947 Ruffie took a little break just to go over and beak Tuffy.  Ruffie also periodically went half way over to Tuffy just to intimidate and warn him.  At 1019 Ruffie went all the way to the rail to beak Tuffy.  At 1023 Ruffie moved away from the table.  Tuffy began to make his way to Sally, but had to get past Ruffie first…Tuffy didn’t make it, Ruffie beaked him and then she ate some more.  At 1025 Ruffie moved away from Sally again, and Tuffy shuffled toward Sally, and got his first fish bite, but was intimidated by Ruffie and Ruffie ate some more.  By 1029 Ruffie had moved further away from Sally creating a wider swath for Tuffy to traverse without having to come too close to Ruffie.  Once at the table, Tuffy ate two more bites, but Ruffie beaked him and then she ate some more.  At 1031 Ruffie backed away, and there was still a lot of the fish remaining.  Tuffy got another bite to eat, and Ruffie attacked him brutally, beaking and biting him on his head, neck and wing.  Ruffie ate some more until 1035, and then moved away.  Tuffy stayed tucked in submission and Sally was the only one eating.  Finally, at 1037 Tuffy tried to get closer to Sally, but Ruffie intimidated him, and Ruffie ate some more.  The same scenario repeated at 1038.  I noticed at that time, when Tuffy was tucked that his head had a small bloody spot, the back of his neck was red, and there was a pink area on his wing.  Harry landed on the nest at 1039 due to an intruder issue.  At 1041, Tuffy raised up and finally got another bite of fish, and he received several fish bits before Ruffie intimidated him, and Ruffie ate some more.  At that point Tuffy had only eaten 9 bites of fish since the fish was delivered over an hour ago.  At 1044 Ruffie moved away, and it just so happened that Sally turned slightly so that Tuffy was on the other side of her from Ruffie.  Tuffy ate and ate!  He had eaten a total of 74 bites by 1050, when Sally shifted, and Tuffy was once again exposed to Ruffie.  When Ruffie saw Tuffy eating, she charged and intimidated him.  There was still a lot of fish left, and Ruffie ate some more.  Sounding like a broken record… At 1058 Ruffie moved away, Tuffy ate a few bites, then was intimidated by Ruffie, and Ruffie ate some more.  When Ruffie moved away, Tuffy got a few more bites until 1102, when he was intimidated by Ruffie.  This time Ruffie did not eat, but simply went away.  Go now Tuffy… Tuffy was getting fed, but slowly because Sally was spending a lot of time pulling on fish skin… “feed faster please Sally!”  By 1104 Tuffy had eaten 94 bites before being intimidated by Ruffie.  Ruffie ate, and moved away at 1106.  Then Tuffy ate again.  At 1109 Ruffie intimidated Tuffy into a tuck, and Ruffie ate a few bites.  When Tuffy resumed eating Sally was feeding faster.  Tuffy had eaten 150 bites by 1114; 190 bites by 1119.  Then Sally labored pulling on fish skin again… “please hurry up Sally, stuff the kid as fast as you can before Ruffie comes back!”  Tuffy had eaten 217 bites by 1122, but then Sally began intruder-alarming, and she jumped up and accidentally landed on Tuffy.  Harry arrived.  1123: “get up Tuffy, the intruder is gone”… but he stayed down.  Was he hurt?  Whew, 1124 Tuffy got up and resumed eating.  Ruffie was still laying down across the nest.  Tuffy had eaten 230 bites by 1126.  At that time, Harry quickly flew off the nest after an intruder, and so did Sally, and she took the fish with her!  Ah, but she immediately returned to the nest and still had the fish.  Tuffy resumes eating at 1127.  Ruffie was still too full to move, and had not been a problem since 1109.  At 1129 this was now a two-hour feeding and Tuffy had eaten 250 bites of fish.  1129 there was another intruder issue, Harry was back, Tuffy pancaked.  Feeding of Tuffy resumed at 1130, and by 1133 Tuffy had eaten a total of 265 bites of fish… at which time the live stream went down.  There was still a little bit of fish remaining at that time.


…The live stream returned 40 minutes later at 1211, and Sally was feeding Ruffie from part of a fish. In my opinion, there had not been ’40 minutes of fish’ remaining on the earlier fish.  I would estimate the previous fish would have only lasted about another 10 minutes or so.  I wonder if Harry had delivered a small headless fish while the live stream was offline.  At any rate, we returned live to find Tuffy on the furthest rail sticks, about as far as he could go without falling off the nest.  It was obvious that he had been forced into into that precarious position.  And, he was boxed in by the positions of Sally and Ruffie feeding right behind him.  At 1219 Sally moved the fish and Ruffie followed, allowing Tuffy a space to climb back into the nest.  This kid sure has a difficult life!  Tuffy circumnavigated the perimeter of the nest attempting to come around the other side of Sally, but as he got near, he was cut off by Ruffie.  By 1226 Tuffy was beside Mom and got two bites, then was intimidated by Ruffie.  Another bite of fish, then Ruffie was on him, and a couple more bites and was intimidated by Ruffie who was no longer eating but was stationed right at Tuffy’s tail.  At 1231 Ruffie ate some more.  At 1237 Ruffie finally moved away, and Tuffy was fed.  Tuffy had eaten 32 bites by 1241, and then Ruffie charged in front of Sally to beak Tuffy.  Sally and Ruffie finished the fish, and Sally fed Tuffy a couple scraps later.  Total for Tuffy at this meal (that we observed) was 34 bites of fish.  Because of Tuffy’s position on the nest when the live stream returned, he was most likely forced to the nest edge by Ruffie, and I doubt that Tuffy had anything to eat from this fish while the live stream was down.


…At 1605 Harry dropped off a headless, medium sized fish.  Ruffie began to be fed and Tuffy stayed away, waiting his turn.  At 1610 Ruffie intimidated Tuffy just for the heck of it, Tuffy tucked.  And she again intimidated Tuffy at 1611, so Tuffy moved further away.  At 1625 Ruffie moved away from Sally, but Tuffy did not approach, and stayed on the far rim.  He knew he had no clear path to get to Sally where Ruffy would not be able to attack him.  At 1627 Ruffie ate some more.  Ruffie seemed to be finished eating at 1629, and at 1630 Tuffy started to make his move, but about halfway to the feeding line, Ruffie cut him off, and Tuffy ended up tucked at the rail on the other side of the nest.  By 1631 the fish was gone.  It takes a really big, long-lasting fish for Tuffy to have a chance to eat.

‘H’ continues, “Harry delivered a large headless fish at 1658.  It wasn’t just the size of the fish that meant Tuffy was  likely to be fed, but also because it was delivered so close to Ruffie’s last meal, and Ruffie would still be full.  To start, it just so happened that Sally was positioned in a way that Tuffy could be on the opposite side of her from Ruffie.  Sally was preferentially feeding Tuffy to her left.  Several times Ruffie tried to get at Tuffy by going under Sally’s chin, but was not able to do so.  Eventually, Ruffie’s actions disrupted Sally and she had to move, which exposed Tuffy, and sure enough Ruffie inflicted a brutal and prolonged attack on Tuffy.  Sally ate, and Ruffie was not very hungry.  At 1705 Ruffie moved away, but Tuffy was hesitant and stayed tucked for a bit.  By 1706 Tuffy was at Mom’s beak and being fed.  Tuffy had eaten a total of 34 bites by 1707  when Ruffie returned, and Tuffy tucked.  Ruffie moved away again at 1713, and Tuffy had a long private feeding.  At 1723 Sally moved the fish a little closer to Ruffie and offered her some, but she wasn’t interested.  Tuffy moved closer to Mom and started to eat again.  To say Ruffie was more relaxed than earlier in the day would be an understatement.  By 1725 Tuffy was still eating and Ruffie was standing close by, just watching him eat.  At 1742 Tuffy was so crop-heavy he had to go lay down.  Sally finished the fish.  Total bites of fish for Tuffy at this meal = 249.  So far today, Tuffy has eaten approximately 548 bites of fish.”

..At 1900 Harry brought in the fifth fish of the day, a large headless fish.  Tuffy moved aside a little bit, and Ruffie started to eat.  Tuffy was able to get 6 bites before he was intimidated by Ruffie, then he got a couple more bites at 1904, and by 1906 they were both being fed.  From what he has been put through, Tuffy was understandably a little skittish of Ruffie, and Tuffy moved away a few times, even though Ruffie was not acting in a threatening way.  Ruffie laid down at 1916, and Tuffy kept on eating.  At 1917 Tuffy took a little break and laid down, but went back for more at 1919.  By 1924 Tuffy was refusing most of Sally’s offerings, and Sally finished the fish at 1928.  Tuffy ate at least 84 bites of fish at this meal.  Total for the day = 632 bites of fish for Tuffy !

Remember – it is not the number of fish but the size that matters. Five large headless fish are much better than 8 small ones!

My inbox was flooded most of yesterday with concern for Tuffy. Those that stayed throughout the day even thought Ruffy might kill Tuffy. It was then such a relief to see the little one with that full crop. ‘H’ caught it as did many others including ‘PB’.

‘H’ is also monitoring a few other nests. She reports that Opal laid egg 2 at the Forsythe Nest and egg 3 arrived at Carthage today, too.

Each one of these nests brought some bitter sadness to viewers last year.

Forsythe (Caution watching this nest):

Carthage (Caution watching this nest):

There are now three chicks at Fort St Vrain in Colorado. Like many of you, I hoped that the third egg would not hatch. The two older siblings are just so much bigger than the little one. We will wait and see how this will all work out. Last year one of the two eaglets was dragged off the nest by a raccoon and killed. This appeared to be in retaliation for the eagles taking one of the baby raccoons to feed to the chicks. A predator baffle has been installed at the nest for this year.

Sunnie Day posted a note on FB about the female at Fort St Vrain: “Mom was banded in Colorado in May 15, 2002. she is 22 years old! She has hatched 36 eaglets. “

I cannot say how this nest will behave in terms of beaking yet.

In contrast, the three osplets at the Venice Golf and Country Club appear to be fine. There is plenty of fish in the area and this nest is recommended. The osplets are out of the Reptilian phase, also. They are all getting their juvenile feathers. Perhaps I have missed it, but life seems pretty civil compared to Moorings Park. Please feel free to correct me!

The first egg of the season was laid at the Osprey nest of Dylan and Blue 5F Seren at Llyn Clywedog on Saturday. This couple have successfully fledged a number of eaglets, many of them returning in their second year. Sadly, last year, one of the osplets was taken by a goshawk when Seren was feeding.

There is a difference between the nests of the UK and the US. First, there are far fewer Ospreys in the UK. Many of them have their nests in living trees. They are rural as opposed to living in cities near people. The nests are located near reservoirs or lochs full of fish. In the seven years that I have been researching siblicide, the incidence of this in the UK has been minimal. Loch of the Lowes is one exception that comes to mind. These are good osprey nests to watch. If I were to recommend just one, it would be the nest of Idris and Telyn at Dyfi in Wales for those just learning about UK Ospreys.

Iris worked on her nest at Hellgate Canyon in Missoula, Montana to everyone’s surprise and delight on Saturday. Maybe she just had a tour of the area after she arrived and now she is ready to work on her always amazing nest. (This nest is good to watch because it is Iris, but there will be no chicks. Since 2018, there have been no chicks because the male she has bonded with, Louis, has another nest with Star at the baseball field). Most of us hope that Iris lays her eggs, the Crows eat them, and she has a lovely summer to herself eating trout!

Intruders have been bothering Hera and Zeus and there was some concern for Hera earlier.

Harriet did not return from her migration to Dunrovin. Swoop might have a new female partner. This is the latest.

Now nests that I certainly recommend include the falcons and the hawks. There is little to no sibling aggression. We will be looking for a hatch in about ten days with Annie and Archie. Archie is a first-time Dad – or is he? He can certainly incubate eggs. Maybe he lost his mate, too. In fact, poor Annie has had four mates in four years. That gives you some idea of the dangers that the males face in this urban environment.

Archie loves incubating the eggs!

The little eyases are hatching in Osaka!

And you have to watch Big Red and Arthur, the Cornell Red-tail Hawks! Big Red is twenty-one years old. When her long term mate, Ezra was killed, Big Red chose a very young Arthur – he didn’t even have his red tail which is a marker when the birds turn a year old. Watchers thought she was ‘nuts’. Well, she wasn’t. She trained Arthur and he is an amazing Dad and an incredible hunter. The year was 2017. They had their first chicks in 2018. In all the years, possibly eighteen, that Big Red has raised hawklets, only one has failed to fledge and that was K2 who had to be removed from the nest due to a jaw issue. She was later euthanised.

There are several really good eagle nests. The West End nest of Akecheta and Thunder is top notch.

But what about the nest of Liberty and Guardian in Redding, California? Their two eaglets are younger and they are doing well. (One egg broke).

The Duke Farms nest has turned around. At one point, the bites of fish that Jersey got were counted. Ringing is expected on Monday morning with measurements. Recommend to watch or fledge.

‘L’ found a recent image of Wisdom, the oldest banded Albatross in the world, taken by the USFWS on Midway Atoll. Wisdom is on the right. She is in her 70s.

‘L’ sends us images from the birds at the Fairhope Pier on the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama. An Osprey couple make their home on the lighthouse while a Blue Heron suns itself among the gulls. Thank you for sharing your day – this is where everyone should be, if they can – outside!

Osprey are on the light platform.

Birds never want to pose for a good picture – right when ‘L’ got close enough for the Heron to be in focus! Gosh, isn’t this the problem trying to photograph wildlife?!!!!!!! Or cats.

Just look at those legs.

They are beautiful. There are parakeets in London and in San Francisco and I bet some of you can tell me more places. Here is a beautifully photographed article in a French magazine about the “Parakeets of Paris.”

The-Parakeets-of-ParisDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, photographs, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘Geemeff, H, J, L, PB’, Geemeff, JBS Wetlands, Moorings Park Ospreys, Forsythe Ospreys, Carthage Ospreys, Fort St Vrain, SDNP, VGCCO, CarnyXWild and Llyn Clywedog, Montana Osprey Project, SK Hideaways, Osaka Peregrine Falcons, Heidi Mc and Joy of Ospreys, Pam Breci and Joy of Ospreys, Cornell RTH, IWS/Explore, FORE, Duke Farms, USFWS, and MFCH.

*Disclaimer: I make every effort to acknowledge those that send me photographs, videos, articles, etc. If I fail to recognise someone, please let me know and I will rectify the situation. Thank you.*

Grateful for those that are thriving…Saturday in Bird World

13 April 2024

Hello Everyone,

Thursday and Friday were difficult days. Jackie and Shadow said goodbye to their eggs after one cracked, with Jackie covering them later. The miracle babies hatched at the NTCT nest of Bella and were killed and eaten by the male, Scout. Audacity surprised everyone with another egg, but it broke Friday morning. Little B17 died and Meadow is ill. It felt a little bit like a roller coaster of emotions. Others call it ‘hope fatigue’. These events take their toll and sometimes we need to go outside and listen to the birds or sit and stroke a beloved pet. Then we need to stop and be very thankful for those that survive – they are very precious.

Bella feeds her second little eaglet before flying off to find food. She returns, looks around the nest, cannot find the baby while Scout is on the perch, then Bella flies off saying goodbye. It would have been difficult, if not impossible or Bella with the attitude that Scout was exhibiting. Many wondered if this was not a blessing in disguise.

The empty nest says it all.

The Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey is expressing concern over Meadow’s condition on Friday. Send your positive energy to this eaglet.

So what is giving us hope?

Iris returned to her nest at 20:51:22 Friday night. She looked like she had a full crop. So the Matriarch is fine! She stayed til after 0633 Saturday morning. Perhaps she didn’t want Louis to see her!

Annie and Archie. We are 11 days away from hatch watch. ‘A’ is getting excited. “Annie is looking particularly lovely this evening – she really is an exquisite specimen of a bird. Just beautiful. I cannot wait to see four little fluffy eyases lined up with their beaks open in that scrape. Poor little Archie is going to be run off his talons. And if he thinks it’s difficult to incubate four eggs, wait until he tries brooding four chicks. That should take some serious enfluffling.”

Tuffy is getting smarter and is sometimes braver. This nest gives me hope because of “H’s great observations.

‘H’ reports on how Friday morning began well for Tuffy: “At 0728 Harry arrived with a large live tilapia.  Sally started to eat, and for once Sally was positioned near the rail facing outward.  Her positioning would afford Tuffy an opportunity to position himself on the other side of her from Ruffie.  Tuffy was on Sally’s right, and Ruffie hung back a bit.  Tuffy received 5-6 bites of fish before Ruffie reached over and beaked him.  So much for Sally’s new positioning.  Tuffy scooted away and tucked.  At 0728 Tuffy was trying to move around to the other side of Sally, but Ruffie saw him and cut him off at the pass.  At 0750 Tuffy was getting a little too close to Sally for Ruffie’s liking, so she beaked him.  By 0753 Ruffie moved away from the feeding, but still kept an eye on Tuffy and was giving him a warning look.  Soon, Ruffie started to eat some more.  At 0803, brave lil’ Tuffy decided to go for it, and shuffled right up to Sally in front of Ruffie, and started to get some bites.  Ruffie turned away for a PS, and she then stayed away.  Good.  By 0813, Tuffy had eaten approximately 100 bites of fish.  The view was partially blocked and I was not able to see if bites were dropped.  I just had to count when Sally leaned toward Tuffy, and he leaned toward her.  At that point Ruffie returned to the table to eat some more, and she beaked Tuffy.  Ruffie was finished, this time for good, at 0816…Tuffy untucked and resumed eating his breakfast.  Tuffy took a break for about a minute at 0822, then resumed eating.  At 0831 Tuffy simply couldn’t eat any more and shuffled away from Sally sporting a very large crop.  Sally finished the fish.  Tuffy ate an estimated 180 bites of fish.  Great way to start the day!”

Look at Tuffy’s crop!

“… At 1128 Harry brought a nearly whole tilapia.  Ruffie was fed, and Tuffy remained on the sidelines.  Harry stayed in the nest for a while, so Tuffy gradually moved to get into Dad’s shade.  Even after Harry left, Tuffy stayed away from the feeding line.  At 1207 Tuffy moved to be closer to Sally, and was beaked by Ruffie.  By 1214, Ruffie had moved aside slightly, Tuffy moved in, and it appeared that Sally was feeding Tuffy (view was blocked).  Sally did move a little bit and we were able to see that Tuffy was eating.  By 1218 Tuffy had eaten 40 bites of fish before being intimidated by Ruffie, and he shuffled away.  Ruffie continued to eat, and around 1222, Sally reached over to Tuffy to give him some bites, before Ruffie again banished Tuffy to the sidelines at 1224.  At 1227 Tuffy was again reaching to Sally to receive fish bits.  Ruffie simply did not want little brother to eat, so at 1228 she made a big physical display of dominance and Lil’ Tuffy scurried away.  At 1234 Ruffie seemed to be finished eating, and our view was partially blocked, but it was obvious that Sally was feeding Tuffy.  The meal was over by 1248 save for a few scraps.  Tuffy ate at least 78 bites of fish.”


.”..Harry delivered the third fish of the day at 1705, a headless tilapia.  It was a smaller piece of fish, which did not bode well for Tuffy’s chances for a nice meal.  Ruffie approached Sally, Tuffy moved further away from Sally.  I noted that Tuffy’s crop was flat at that time.  Ruffie was giving warning glances to Tuffy as Ruffie was fed.  However, Sally managed to periodically sneak a bite to her little one who was standing off to the side.  Many of those quick bites to Tuffy went under Ruffie’s radar, but some did not.  When Ruffie would notice Tuffy getting a bite she leaned toward Tuffy to intimidate him.  So, Tuffy would move a little further away, but would then slowly inch closer to Mom as he dared.  By 1731 Tuffy had eaten 14 bites of fish by Sally quickly sneaking bits to him.  Then he received 5 bites in quick succession while Ruffie was trying to eat a big piece of skin.  Ruffie was not able to eat the skin, so she dropped it, but seemed irritated that Tuffy had eaten those bites…so she charged Tuffy who went to the rails.  Ruffie then wedged herself in between Sally and Tuffy.  Finally, at 1743, Ruffie was full and moved across the nest and laid down.  Tuffy made a beeline to Sally, but unfortunately there wasn’t much fish left.  Tuffy ate, and some bites were a pretty good size.  Sally did her best to pull every last bit of meat from that fish tail, then she offered the tail several times to Tuffy, who simply could not do anything with it.  Total bites for Tuffy at this meal = 46, and he had a small crop.  Total for Tuffy so far today = 304 bites of fish.”

Sally was calling for fish at 1957.

The three osplets of Talon and Stella at the Florida-Gainesville campus continue to do well. This is excellent news. They are all lined up like the three lads at Port Lincoln in 2022. You can see the size difference now between the first hatch in the centre and the baby on the right. At one time, they were almost all the same having hatched within a 36 hour window.

‘H’ reports that the Canada Geese and the Ospreys have switched nests at McEuen Park in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. Grateful for Geese and not owls!

In the UK, Idris and Telyn have their first egg of the Osprey season on Friday at the Dyfi Nest in Wales.

Waiting for Seren and Dylan at Llyn Clywedog to have their first egg of the season. Seren was not impressed with the food gift o a frog that Dylan brought to her and when he wasn’t looking, she dropped it overboard.

Intruders have been bothering Aran and Elen at Glaslyn. It was sent packing over to the Pont Cresor Nest of Aeron Z2 and Blue 014.

Louis fishes in the worst weather and delivers beautiful fish to Dorcha.

I am grateful that Laddie LM12 made it home safe this year to Blue NCO. No eggs at Loch of the Lowes yet.

Blue 33 guards Maya. He has been bringing in gold fish – beautiful bright orange-gold Koi. Someone’s pond is getting raided. He must like the colour!

Bradley makes me smile and it is fantastic that Port Lincoln continues to post videos of him bringing his fish to the barge. It is heartwarming when these fledglings thrive. A still form that video. Check out what is happening at Port Lincoln by going to their FB group.

And there are these various stages of some of the bobbleheads that are doing well:

US Steel 7: It is pitching down rain but Irvin has the nest full of fish and Claire is trying to keep the wee one dry while keeping it fed.

Little Miami:

Johnson City-ETSU:

Superbeaks, Dixie and Mason:

Kansas City, Cheyenne and Wichita:

Duke Farms, Jasper and Leaper who will be ringed on Monday:

ND-LEEF – Dad’s new mate Gigi appears to be doing well:

Eagle Country – Swampy in the nest and Meadow in care. Hoping dear Swampy is not sick, too:

Denton Homes – three Majestic babies:

Decorah North:

Redding with Liberty and Guardia:

Port Tobacco:

Bluff City and Viper:

Fort St Vrain. Two little bobbles doing well.

West End. Aklecheta and Thunder showed us how to deal with three healthy energetic eaglets this year:

Fraser Point, two adorable eaglets for Andor and Cruz:

PA Country Farm – a family who can consistently raise three:

Dade County, R6 has fledged and returns to the nest:

SW Florida, E23- so grateful that M15 had a new family this year after the sorrow of losing Harriet and the joy of raising E21 and 22 to fledge by himself:

Poor E23 has had to defend its nest!

JB Sands Wetlands, JBS20. We lost JBS21. Please keep Mum in your thoughts because of her injury:

Trudi Kron captures JBS20 getting ready to fly.

It isn’t all of them, but count these as blessings. In a year when many nests did not have a single hatch, we can be grateful. There is no news on Meadow Saturday morning form the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey.

Jackie and Shadow start over. What an amazing pair of eagles these are! ‘A’ writes: “Meanwhile, the sadness at Big Bear is felt by thousands of BB viewers. Jackie and Shadow are much loved by so many. This video really broke my heart. They take it in their stride and carry on, together. While they have each other, there is always next year. Spirit was such a miracle. It was a joy watching that couple caring for their precious eaglet. They were so devoted. That little one sure was spoiled for love. And fish, obviously.” 

The Royal Albatross are always bittersweet. Little fluff ball TopFlat Chick, the Royal Cam chick, waits for food deliveries. LGK Lew in on Friday to feed the little one who can be heard squeeing. At the end, you see TF flap its little wings copying the adults.

The top bird sightings in the UK. Please note the huge decline in House Sparrows since 1979 and the growth of some others. House Sparrows live amongst humans that is why they are seen so often and we are destroying their habitat which is why the huge decline. Feed them. Be joyful when you hear their song. Just imagine if they were not there.

House-sparrow-tops-Big-Garden-Birdwatch-charts-for-21st-year-in-a-row-RSPB-Big-Garden-Birdwatch-Download

Thank you for being with me. Step outside. Celebrate spring, listen to the birds that live around you. Smile. There are things in the world that we have no control over. We change what we can, when we can doing the best we can. We mourn the little ones that are lost, but remain joyful and hopeful for those thriving on the nests.

*Disclaimer: Every effort is made to credit individuals who send me information, those who take screen captures, create videos or posts, those who write articles, and those who operate streaming cams. If I miss acknowledging someone’s contribution, please let me know so I can rectify that omission. Thank you.*

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, streaming cams, videos, and articles that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, J, H, PB, SK, TK’, NCTC Eagle Cam, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, Cal Alcons, Moorings Park ospreys, Florida-Gainesville, McEuen Park, Dyfi Osprey Project, Llyn Clywedog and CarnyXWild, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, The Woodland Trust (Loch Arkaig), Geemef, The Scottish Wildlife Trust (LOTL), LRWT, Port Lincoln Ospreys, US Steel Eagle Cam, Little Miami Conservancy, Johnson City-ETSU, Superbeaks, FARMER DEREK, Duke Farms, ND-LEEF, Eagle Country, Denton Homes, Raptor Research Project, FORE, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Bluff City-ETSU, Fort St Vrain, IWS/Explore, PA Country Farms, WRDC, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, JB Sands Wetlands, Trudi Kron, Lady Hawk and The Guardian.

Leaper and Jersey not rattled by earthquake…Saturday in Bird World

6 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

The girls hope that you have a wonderful start to the weekend. They have been enjoying the +11 C temperatures and the life that has come back into the garden. The squirrels, the Blue Jays, the Dark-eyed Juncos, and an array of Sparrows including some Pine Siskins have been keeping them busy.

Calico ran from one corner of the conservatory to the other – yes, Calico ran! watching the squirrels gather peanuts and hide them.

Hugo Yugo played and slept in her basket and kept an eye out when Dyson was on the fence. I clean her eyes twice daily but she still has the drippies.

Baby Hope looked beautiful watching the birds fly over the glass ceiling.

My friend Ruby was visiting. She is an indigenous healer. Her knowledge about the natural world is abundant as are her observations. The Snow geese could be seen on Tuesday at a particular point near to where she lives. For her, this signals that there is no more snow coming to us!

Today, driving through the agricultural fields north of Winnipeg, yielded huge numbers of Canada Geese on the shallow waters foraging from what was left of last year’s crop that they fed on when they migrated south. There were Snow Geese and Tundra Swans mixed in.

The Snow Geese arrive in early April and will be with us until November – just like the Canada Geese. In the late fall they will congregate south of where I live to fill up in the corn fields that have been cultivated – a boost to them for their long flight south.

The Tundra Swans normally arrive before all the snow is gone and forage in these flooded fields like they are doing today. They will make their nests along the coast of the Arctic at the top of Manitoba near Churchill. These nests will be large mounds of material along the shoreline. The female will incubate 4-5 eggs for 31-32 days. The geese are ‘dabbling’ waterfowl and forage along the surface for aquatic vegetation and invertebrates. They also eat tubers and, as we see here, grain left after cultivation.

It was positively joyous seeing the geese playing in the water and foraging for plants. I wish some of the ones in the urban areas would take flight to the country.

Two news items coming in this morning about Ospreys in the US.

USFWS says it is legal to put deterrents on light poles to keep ospreys form nesting.

Osprey catches prized Golden Rainbow Trout.

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Thank you to everyone who sent me news items. I am so grateful to all of you. ‘R’ is watching the Gainesville nest and ‘H’ is keeping a keen eye on what is going on at Moorings Park for me. Watching the osprey nests is extremely difficult when there is a chance of siblicide. It wrenches your stomach, causes you to have indigestion, and a great sadness comes. As I continue to say, it is never easy and over the past seven years, this year has been the hardest. When ‘H’ and I start counting bites – we hope that there are at least 100 a day, minimum. Tuffie had 99 on Thursday. Let’s see how that poor little one winds up today.

‘H’ has kept eyes on Tuffie for me when I am not able. So thankful! This nest is so bleak compared to last year. She reports, “Tuffy has had a bad day.  S/he has suffered numerous beat-downs from Ruffie, even outside of meals.  And, at meals Ruffie would not let Tuffie get fed. Four fish so far: 0904 – whole fish, nothing for Tuffy; 1124 – partial fish, two bites for Tuffy; 1354 – almost whole fish, one bite for Tuffy;1607 – an enormous headless tilapia.  Ruffie had the equivalence of at least 3-4 meals on and off for 1.5 hours, while intermittently severely beaking Tuffy, and not letting Tuffie eat.  Finally, at 1734 Tuffie began to get fed.  Tuffie had eaten 4 bites up to that point, and ate a total of 46 bites before Ruffie decided that Tuffy had had enough.  At that point Sally fed Ruffie a little more, and then she walked away from the large leftover piece of fish.  She fed Tuffie three scraps off the nest.  At 1801 Harry arrived to remove the fish from the nest.  Total bites to Tuffie so far today = 53.”

Then an update -“Harry brought a partial fish at 2000.  Selly fed both osplets, and Tuffy ate about 42-43 bites at that meal.  Sally stopped the feeding early, perhaps because it’s too dark for them to see, but still plenty of fish left for breakfast unless Harry removes it.  Total fish bites for Tuffy today = at least 95.”

Sunday Morning Update: “4/6 – Around 0652 Sally picked up the large leftover piece of tilapia and began feeding Ruffie.  Ruffie beaked Tuffy several times, and was particularly brutal at 0707.  However, Ruffie eventually moved away from the feeding line and Sally was able to feed Tuffy.  Tuffy received several bites before Ruffie eventually moved back to the feeding line.  For several minutes Tuffy and Ruffy ate peacefully side by side, but for some reason, only Ruffie got bites for the last 4 minutes of the feeding.  I counted 54 bites that Tuffy actually ate. “

Sunday morning image:

The back of Tuffie’s head has been battered and is bloody – it isn’t feathers coming in…Send your most positive wishes to this nest, please.

Again, Sunday morning you can see the size difference. Tuffie certainly got a good name! This little one is like Hugo Yugo!

Tuffie being fed Sunday morning:

The peaceful side by side meal.

Reports of Meadow in care – and these are the same folks that are repairing the Achieva Osprey nest of Diane and Jack if you are looking for somewhere to donate:

This is the rest of the communique that says that Meadow will go to the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey – that was where Connick rehabilitated along with some of our favourite ospreys.

They state: “Meadow made it here safe and sound. The eaglet is very thin. We have rehydrated it and are getting ready to start the baby on liquid food. This is our standard protocol for very skinny birds. The liquid food consists of carnivore care. This is a premium recovery food for carnivores with a poor nutritional status. It is a specialized formula that contains beneficial omega, fatty acids and easily digestible proteins that come from egg and chicken sources to support nutrient absorption, and optimize the energy levels of the bird. We do have a few other additives as the bird progresses in its recovery slowly switching over to solid food. Because this bird is eight weeks old, it is no longer safe to put it back in the nest, even if she was in perfect health, which she is not. There are multiple reasons for this, but for Meadow, even if she was younger, because of her nutritional status, putting her back is not an option. We will transfer Meadow to the Audubon Center for Birds Of Prey in the morning so that she can get continued excellent care under their Eagle experts, and she will be with at least 17 other eagles that are currently patients there. And she will be in the presence of adult eagles, which we feel is important.Will keep provide an update later on this evening. Please cross your fingers and say your prayers and think positive thoughts for Meadow. If you would like to support the raptor center of Tampa Bay and help us out with the things that we do to support our eagles and all other Birds Of Prey, please visit our website.”

A further update on Meadow. Thanks, ‘J’.

‘R’ reports on Talon and Stella at Gainesville: “All is well in G’ville. Talon is bringing in big fish and all 3 osplets are well fed and all about the same size.  Hopefully all 3 will thrive.”

The three eaglets at PA Country Farm are also doing well!

The earthquake that went through parts of New York and NJ did not make the Duke Farms eaglets even flinch. They had nice crops during the day and both Leaper and Jersey appear to have overcome the period of low prey delivery just fine. It would be nice if this would happen at Moorings Park – but the Mum at Dukes Farm worked hard for these babies.

Here is a video showing the nest at Duke Farms shaking during the earthquake.

Proud parents Liberty and Guardian at Redding.

Archie is taking very good care of Annie.

Likewise, at Loch Arkaig, Dorcha was equally happy to see Louis arrive with a fish.

This was after he did a beautiful sky dance at dawn.

The trio of osplets at Frenchman’s Creek are really looking nice as they get their juvenile plumage. What a difference – sorry Sally and Harry – but just look – this nest has three osplets that are thriving!

I absolutely would not mess with the Mum at Little Miami Conservancy. Her little bobbleheads are all doing fine.

That Johnson City Eagle nest is very windy! Did we blink? These two look like Swampy and Meadow to me.

There ARE three eaglets at FOLAN.

Two sweet eaglets at Farmer Derek’s Bald Eagle nest.

Swampy alone on the nest after Meadow’s accident.

The eaglet – JBS20- at John Bunker Sands Wetlands is 71 days old today. The average age of eagle fledging in the US is 77 days (unless it is Alaska where it is 85 days).

Angel the Leucistic Red-tail Hawk made an appearance at last year’s nest in Tennessee. There are no eggs and little activity for some time. I believe that Angel and Tom made an alternative nest to use this year somewhere close.

It is not unusual for raptors to change the site of their nest. Mr President and Lotus moved their nest, River moved her nest at Dale Hollow, M15 and Harriet moved their nest, Richmond and Rosie moved theirs this year, while Thunder and Akecheta changed sites in 2023. Sometimes the birds perceive a danger that we might not – such as the site being unsafe. “Excessive human activity near raptor nests in the early weeks of the breeding season may cause a pair to abandon the site; or if later in the nesting cycle, may cause an incubating or brooding female to flush from the nest, leaving eggs or nestlings vulnerable to fatal chilling or predation.”

We will never know the specific reasons and it is always sad if a nest has been on camera and we do not know what is happening, but, in the end, we have to trust that the raptors felt more secure in moving their nest and laying their eggs in a different location. For Angel, maybe she felt the old location meant a smaller nest and not a lot of room for 3 or 4 chicks to flap about!

There is an Osprey pair on the nest in Kurzeme, Latvia!

Osprey pair returned to their nest in the Lipka Forest in Poland on 4 April.

A great image from Sharon Dunne of the Royal Cam chick – so white and so fluffy.

Shadow is not giving up! I really do wish there was an orphan eaglet somewhere that could miraculously find itself under this amazing Dad.

Do you love penguins? There are some amazing shots of several penguin species in the following 17 minute video DaniConnorWild did of her photography excursion to Antarctica.

Human debris is coming to all of the osprey nests. There is hardly a single one that is not plagued by plastic. What will happen to the chicks and the eggs?

Sometimes the wind takes things away!

Looks like the geese are thinking about the Sandpoint Osprey platform as a nest.

Beautiful day at Lake Murray. Lucy is incubating those precious eggs.

The birds are migrating and some old friends are arriving at your feeders and bird baths. Thanks so much for giving them water and food. ‘L’ says that the Brown Thrashers are in Alabama!

Ending with that wonderful happy glow that spread around the world when Iris set down on her nest at Hellgate Canyon Friday morning.

Cornell has a free raptor guide for you to download to help you ID the birds.

Download-Our-Free-Raptor-Reference-GuideDownload

More about bird flu, the poultry industry in the US, the price of eggs….

A-Cruel-Way-to-Control-Bird-Flu-Poultry-Giants-Cull-and-Cash-In.-The-New-York-TimesDownload

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, images, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘Geemeff, H, J, L, R’, WMUR9, WJAR, Moorings Park Ospreys, Raptor Centre of Tampa Bay, HDonTap, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, PA Country Farms Eagles, Duke Farms, SK Hideaways, Geemeff, Frenchman’s Creek Ospreys, Little Miami Conservancy, Johnson City-ETSU, AEF, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, LDF, Utah Grosse, Sharon Dunne, DaniConnorWild, Steelscape, Boulder County Fair Grounds, PSEG, Sandpoint, Lake Murray, ‘L’, Montana Osprey Project, Cornell Bird Lab, and The New York Times.

Jersey eats more, hatches, arrivals…Thursday in Bird World

28 March 2024

Good Morning!

Hugo Yugo seems to be doing fantastic. She is extremely lovable and continues to sleep on my head or chest at night. All you have to do is whisper her name and she is there.

I just remembered that I needed to add ‘enchanted’ before Missey. ‘J’ thinks Missey belongs in the ‘Magical Kingdom of Landover’ and ‘she should be able to talk’. Now don’t tell anyone, but I think she does! Missey has now taken Baby Hope under her arm and is proving to be a good second Mum to her if I could only train Missey to clean Hugo Yugo’s eyes.

Good news is coming in from the nests, but we must start with a magical image of a rainbow coming over Telyn at the Dyfi Osprey nest she shares with her mate, Idris, in Wales. Totally enchanting! Now come on Idris, come home.

Irish poet WB Years reminds us: “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

Seren Blue 5F arrived home from The Gambia this morning. Now we wait for Dylan to get to Llyn Clywedog in Wales! She might be wishing for that West African sun.

Isn’t this one a cutie? Liberty and Guardian’s first hatch at Redding.

I am always happy to have egg on my face. It appears that darling Laddie did survive and has now returned to his nest with Blue NCO to start another season. Let us all send good wishes and hope that he is up to the task at hand and this lovely pair at the Loch of the Lowes do not have any intruders to harm them or cause harm to their babies this year. I can hardly believe it. Fantastic.

Thanks, Geemeff.

Laddie wastes no time getting reacquainted. Is there a competition between him and Blue 33 for first eggs laid?

I have spent a greater proportion of my post for the last couple of days on the situation at Duke Farms. There is a clear reason for this – the detailed study of the eagles’ behaviour when food becomes in short supply and the reaction of the eaglets to one another. We are only seeing the second hatch, Jersey, gain more confidence today. Jersey is self-feeding, and Mum seems to have figured out how to manage the situation in the nest. The situation here is no different than it would be on an osprey nest when the eldest has perceived insufficient food for all and begins attacking its sibling/s. It could wind up being siblicide, but, I am hopeful that unless there is another dramatic reduction in prey, we will have two fledges at the Duke Farms nest in 2024.

On Wednesday at 11:26, Mum finds an old fish tail in the rim of the nest. She feeds Leaper. Jersey is obviously interested but afraid. The little one moves around the rim of the nest to get closer to the feeding area. At the point where Leaper has a full crop, Jersey moves up and begins to self-feed on the fish tail. Leaper goes to sleep. At this point Mum begins to feed Jersey who has a nice crop by 12:03. Mum literally stuffs Jersey with all the remaining fish taking advantage of Leaper being in a food coma. The feeding ends at 1212 when there is no longer any food on the nest.

We now wait to see if more food will come to the nest. The good news is that food did arrive.

‘A’ notes, “Jersey lined up mum and did a large and very healthy-looking PS straight at Mum from a distance of only inches (17:54:33). He hit her squarely on the top of her head (she was working on getting bites off the remaining prey – that giant fish has now become a very long spine. It looks amazing. Jersey has eaten today. This is one extremely good mother. She has worked very hard to keep these two alive. When it rained this afternoon, she was the perfect mumbrella, keeping both her growing eaglets warm and dry, She is devoted and smart. I am starting to become very attached to her. But both chicks will go to bed with full tummies and good crops tonight.”

Dad came in with a headless fish and little Jersey ate and ate….that sweetie pie was so full it turned away from the fresh fish at 17:54. Reports are that the the Raritan River is low and not as muddy as it was. In addition, the State of New Jersey is putting the trout back into the rivers so let us hope that fish will be plentiful on the nest.

Getting a late night snack. Jersey has an enormous crop.

How cute is little Jersey?

Jersey had a good morning on Friday so far.

Friday morning at Duke Farms with ‘A’: “

Mum was absolutely saturated after sheltering her eaglets overnight, and had the biggest flap of her wings to try and get the water off – then repeated the exercise three more times. Poor mum. It was a long, wet night, but Jersey got the best of it in terms of shelter, staying pretty dry for most of the night. 

Jersey has had a lovely morning. He missed out on the first feeding, which mum gave him from the leftover torso (or whatever that was), but there was no bonking whatsoever before or after the first breakfast, just a lot of snuggling and preening, including a little allopreening from Leaper to her little brother. She is very sweet to him when she’s not thrashing him. 

When mum returned to feed a smallish whole fish lying on the side of the nest, Jersey went into submission and Leaper began eating, but was full fairly quickly and turned away. Jersey got to the table relatively quickly and began his snatch and grab style of eating. Mum was so patient, even ensuring that when he dropped a piece and she went to pick it up, she moved slowly and carefully near Jersey so that he didn’t get startled or cringe away from the food. She waited for him to take each bite, offering it as many times as necessary. Jersey downed some large pieces, but one was too big for him, even on the second or third attempt, and turned away, so mum ate that bit herself. Jersey had managed the tail, with attached flesh!! He actually ate so much that he had had enough and ended the feeding as a result. He had a large crop. 

After breakfast number two, mum broods her eaglets again. So cute. They are probably a bit damp still, and it has been raining lightly on and off through the morning. She is such a devoted mum and she is having a terrible hair day. 

Just before 08:46 dad flies in with a large whole fish. Is this the first food delivery from dad in five days? I think it may well be. It’s a lovely big fish and he leaves it on the edge of the nest for mum to manage. The babies are too full to bother, so she gets up and flies off the nest. At 08:53:31 dad is back with a talonful of damp grasses, which he spreads about the place. He then takes hold of the fish, drags it closer to the cuddle puddle of eaglets, and offers a bite to Jersey. Despite being literally entwined in Leaper, Jersey is not too scared to accept the bite!!!

This is massive. Normally, he would not have had the courage and would have cringed away from dad’s beak, probably going into a submissive tuck. But now, he takes the bite without hesitation. He is not interested in the second bite offered so dad starts hoeing into the head of the fish himself. Leaper at this stage decides to stand up and stretch. Jersey stays where he is, not cringing or tucking. Leaper lines up for her second PS of the morning (Jersey too has done a very large and healthy PS earlier this morning). 

Leaper now moves up to the table beside Jersey, who is a little nervous and pulls away just slightly but still remains up at the table, his head up. Leaper does nothing to intimidate or hurt him. Dad continues to eat. Leaper watches. So does Jersey. Eventually dad gives Leaper a bite. Jersey stays where he is. He considers leaning towards dad but thinks better of it. Still he is up at the table, wary but not in submission. Dad continues to feed Leaper. There is NO bonking. There has been none all morning. 

Suddenly, at 08:59:30, Jersey reaches across in front of Leaper to take a bite from dad. Leaper is fine with this and does nothing to stop Jersey eating. Dad is doing pretty well out of this fish head himself, feeding the occasional mouthful to Leaper. Jersey remains beside and slightly in front of Leaper, watching carefully. It is 09:03. Just after 09:04, dad offers a bite to Jersey, who accepts it, without any reaction from Leaper. This is SO good to watch. 

Jersey takes another bite. And another. Dad doles out the tiniest pieces. A very different feeding technique to mum’s (I haven’t watched dad feed these chicks at all in the past week). Both chicks are still full from their earlier breakfast, and turn away from the table to snuggle up together again. 

We will see what the rest of the day brings, but so far, this has been the best morning on this nest in about a week. Little Jersey has eaten very well already, with a very large crop, as has Leaper, and there has been not one incident of aggression from Leaper at all. Nothing. Perhaps the food insecurity has gradually abated and Leaper has calmed down. We will see. CertaInly, it was wonderful to see dad bring in a nice big fish this morning.”

There is word of a possible pip at the Centreport Bald Eagle nest on Long Island, New York.

R6 does not want us to forget how handsome he is! Ron and Rose at the WRDC nest agree along with all his fans.

It will not be long til these beautiful eaglets leave their natal nest area. Clearly M15 and F23 have E23 in training. I had to laugh. I thought Hugo Yugo was very loud when she protests that she is ‘starving to death’ on the kitchen counter. Well, E23 sure is loud! it was a good year for M15. This amazing dad deserved it.

Not only are the Osprey having great challenges due to the overfishing of shallow swimming fish like the Menhaden, but now there are different issues with the salmon industry – and they are, as Geemeff, describes, sounding ominous.

Inslee-signs-Rep.-Wilcoxs-bill-to-study-avian-salmon-predation-Nisqually-Valley-NewsDownload

At the same time, I would draw your attention to these two articles that outline the severe impact that the fish shortage because of commercial fishing is going to have on the Atlantic and Gulf Ospreys in the US.

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I will continue to call for individuals that have the access and authority to set aside a pond for the birds of prey so that they can eat. For all of us to call for a moratorium on commercial fishing of Menhaden and for the curtailing of fishing by long line trawler regardless of where they are fishing in the world. There are not too many Ospreys in the US. What is happening is a steep decline right before our very eyes. The population is anything but stable. ‘H’ and I found this in comparing the data from the US and the UK in the 2023 nests that we observed.

Somewhere there is a Bald Eagle nest struggling, just like we saw when an adult is injured, dead, or missing for a few days. This time it is due to the frolicking killing by a human.

A-bald-eagle-believed-to-have-been-a-nesting-bird-was-found-illegally-shot-in-Dane-CountyDownload

Checking in on Monty and Hartley and their incubation.

Hartley lays her third egg!

Archie is so cute. These males are so tiny and trying to get four big eggs under them is sometimes a bit of a challenge.

The Black Storks are beginning to arrive in Latvia! Oh, how I wish Karl II was going to be flying into Estonia. What a loss he will be.

Is Mrs O back at Tweed Valley?

Warren and Della are back at Mispillion Harbour working on their nest. Della is notorious for loving ‘yellow’ things – she brings them to make the nest more beautiful! Kinda’ like dear Jack did with his stuffies at Dahlgren.

The trio at Frenchman’s Creek are doing well. The third hatch does have to wait in line, but sometimes manages to get a private feeding.

The triplets at the West End are doing exceptionally well. As I have said, Thunder sat on them when they acted up and they didn’t get to eat then. Food is a great motivator!

Harry came in with a couple of big fish for Sally and the two osplets. Looks like the other egg is not going to hatch – no problem! Two healthy osplets are just fine.

Mark your calendars. We are 3 days and 11 hours from ‘Iris Watch’. For those who do not know who Iris is, she is believed to be the oldest osprey in the world. Her nest is in a parking lot at the Riverview Health Centre at Hellcat Canyon, Missoula, Montana. Her first mate, Stanley, and her were very happy. Her second mate, Louis, has another nest and life has been rough. There have been no chicks for at least five years and many would like to see Iris have another mate. Louis would have to give up the territory and his domination of Iris despite having Star on the nest at the Baseball Park. For me, I hope she has another wonderful summer fishing and catching those big whoppers she is known for. Iris gets her name from the flecks in her right eye.

In San Francisco, Richmond and Rosie will have more rain which is delaying their nest building – and it looks like they have a lot of materials required. Do you remember the year the Crows kept taking all of their sticks when they would bring them in? Oh, goodness. Maybe they will leave the ospreys alone this year!

Many of you have asked about Mr President and Lotus. The AEF has posted the following information today. Unfortunately, it appears that we will not even get updates on their breeding season.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, Michael Academia, SP’, The Scottish Wildlife Trust, FORE, Geemeff, Duke Farms, Centrepoint Eagles, WRDC, Misqually Valley News, frontiers, AOL, SK Hideaways, Maria Marika, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Heidi McGrue, Frenchman’s Creek, IWS/Explore, Moorings Park, Montana Osprey Project, SF Ospreys, and the AEF.

More hatches, more arrivals…Monday in Bird World

25 March 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

We hope that you have had a nice weekend. The sound of the geese coming into Devonian Lake today—where there was water for them—was like a choir singing. Sitting on the bench at the nature centre and listening to them was soothing on a day when calm was needed. More and more geese and ducks fly over each day, bringing us the hope that not only spring but some rain might come one day. It is still dry and dusty if the wind is whipping it up, and I still have issues sometimes.

Here the Canada Geese are arriving around noon on Sunday. There were hundreds and hundreds in the lake and more than that trying to find some grass over with the Bison at our nature centre.

The Girls continue to enjoy the warm weather. Well, I call it warm. It was -5. But next week the forecast is for +14 on Tuesday. No rain predicted. This is not good.

Hugo Yugo will be completely healed in 10-14 days but she is just so much better every day since she had her surgery. Calico is losing some weight very slowly. I am now adding warm water to her wet food to ‘fill her up’ a bit and she is eating her low calorie hard food. The others are just simply wild with spring fever.

Watching and waiting for Hugo Yugo to strike!

Missey who looks like she came out of the forest.

Calico who dared to give us a chance.

Gorgeous Hope.

Hugo Yugo. So sweet when she is asleep.

The second osplet hatched at Moorings Park Sunday morning. The second hatch is still quite unsteady and has fallen inside its shell. Hopefully, it will be up and steady soon.

Oh, that is so much better!

As of 15:45 Sunday afternoon, there has been no food delivery at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest since Friday at noon. Mum found an old bone and got a few bites off of it on Saturday. The first hatch, Leaper, is beating the crap out of the second. We are now at 50 hours without a substantial meal. Mum is ‘starving’, too. Is it possible that something has happened to the male? Mum will have to move in and against her instincts stop brooding and feeding and start hunting. I fear we are losing Jersey. Already they will be intimidated from eating and unless a huge fish or prey item comes and Leaper goes into a food coma, the feeding could be quite one-sided like it was at Bluff City-ETSU.

I last saw or heard the Dad several days ago. I read that the adults at Duke often exchange prey on the branches rather than Dad coming to the nest, but it would appear that this is more than that. He may be missing, injured or killed. As mentioned in the earlier paragraph, Mum is still in brooding mode with her hormones, but she will need to move swiftly into hunting mode. The eaglets are just a month old and have their thermal down, and while it is not ideal, they can be left. It is the same situation as M15 faced when Harriet died, only it was the Dad who had to take over full-time care, including security, hunting, feeding and brooding. Jersey did eat some scraps, and it can dig around the nest, but will it be enough? for leftovers, I continue to be reminded of the resilience of the third hatch at Achieva in 2021, Tiny Little I called her. She did just that and survived and became the dominant in the nest, defending it against adults when she was just 4 months old. These little survivors can achieve much – but they need to survive!

Prey arrived late at Duke Farms. Mum brought it in. Leaper ate. Jersey was too afraid. Mum ate. Nothing more to say unless a huge food item arrives.

Jersey did not get any of the food that arrived at 1800.

Jersey may try and chew on that little bony piece that is left. Look at the crop on Leaper. The Mum noticed Jersey trying to feed itself from the scraps. In the case of the third hatch at Achieva, Diane was able to bring in catfish late, when the older two were full and asleep, and feed the third – once she realised how determined it was to live. And it did live because of Diane’s actions.

This year has already seen several instances of siblicide in Bald Eagle nests in the US. As we move into Osprey season – and still have quite a number of eagle nests where eggs will hatch – it is a good idea to remind ourselves ‘why’ siblicide occurs.

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Here is a longer Master’s thesis on siblicide.

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Hope and Chandler have more than enough fish for their little one and them. That is a whopper.

The surviving eaglet at Bluff City has had plenty of fish and has been renamed ‘Viper’.

There is a pair of ospreys on the Patuxent 1 nest in Maryland Sunday morning when the cam came back on.

Frenchman’s Creek triplets are doing well.

In contrast to the weather in Maryland, the Decorah North Bald Eagles are experiencing heavy snow and high winds. They are forecast for 1-3″ of snow and then rain. There is a new hatch under Mrs DNF.

Welcome DN17.

The snow has stopped at the nest of Cornell Red-tail Hawks, Big Red and Arthur.

We continue to wait for eggs at the nest of Angel, the Leucistic Red tail Hawk, and Tom.

Baiba made a montage of the Eagle Country nest featuring Blaze, Abby, Swampy, and Meadow on the 23rd of March.

Swampy and Meadow had a lesson in plucking. They are magnificent. Those nests that successfully raise two eaglets to fledge in 2024 should get double gold medals.

R6 is older, and he could fledge at any time. He spends much time on the rim of the nest, looking out over Ron and Rose’s territory. gr8lakes suggests that R6 should just take his time. He is in the safest place he will ever be, and when he leaves that nest, life becomes a huge challenge.

Few could raise three gentle souls. Give Thunder and Akecheta a round of applause.

Trudi Kron catches the hatch at the Land Conservancy and the second hatch for Farmer Derek’s eagles.

Berry College was on the top of the list for this week’s hatches and they are right on time! BEL-a-donna caught it.

Both ospreys-Oscar and Olivia – have been spending much of the day at the Severna Park platform in Maryland.

It was windy at the Carova Beach (Outerbanks) Osprey nest of Betsy and Frederick.

The Oyster Bay resident ospreys have returned.

The couple have returned to the Boulder Fair Grounds. What a week this is going to be – eaglets hatching and ospreys arriving.

White YW, that incredible male at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve Osprey nest, has returned home safely from his migration on the 24th of March.

The remarkable Black 80 has returned from his migration from Africa to Threave Castle. What is the secret to his long life besides luck? He is the chick of Mrs G and her mate, 11(98), at Glaslyn. Great DNA.

First California Condor egg of the 2024 season. Something to celebrate and a brand new couple.

E23 is doing well and F23 and M15 are great teachers.

There was also a beautiful subadult visitor to the M15’s nest. Could it be one of M15 and Harriet’s fledglings returned?

More than that, though, is the touching relationship between F23 and her first eaglet. Sleeping together…this eaglet is going to be so missed if they ever encourage it to leave! (or when its instinct kicks in to seek the wider world)

It is officially hatch watch at the nest of Liberty and Guardian in Redding, California.

The weather has been miserable at many of the Bald Eagle nests and Kansas City is no exception. Ellie and Harvey and their family have been rocking and rolling Sunday night and there was, of course, rain. Harvey has the pantry full and is often with Ellie on the nest.

Hartley and Monty recovered from their intruder and are thinking more eggs!

Closing tonight with the cutest little Peregrine Falcon – soon to be a dad for the first time – Archie at the Cal Falcons nest. His mate Annie gave them four eggs!

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. I very much look forward to having you with us again soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, questions, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘H, J, MP’, Moorings Park Ospreys, Duke Farms, Port Tobacco, Bluff City, Patuxent I, Frenchman’s Creek, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Cornell RTH Cam, Window to Wildlife, Baiba, Eagle Country, WRDC, gr8lakes, IWS/Explore, Trudi Kron, Berry College Eagle Cam, Severna Park, Outbanks 24/7 Osprey Cam, PSEG and Oyster Bay Osprey Cam, Boulder County Fairgrounds Osprey Cam, Cumbria Wildlife Trust (Foulshaw Moss Osprey Cam), Jeff Kear, Brian Taylor, Ventana Wildlife Society, Lady Hawk, Real Saunders Photography, FORE, SK Hideaways, and Cal Falcons.