It is 2:35 in Big Bear Valley Wednesday afternoon and there are 12, 215 people watching Jackie and Shadow’s nest for any sign of a pip. Pip watch officially begins on March 1. Typically Jackie’s eggs hatch at 38-39 days.
‘B’ sends us all the latest on this internationally loved couple.
HPAI is a concern everyone including our garden. It has been +3 for the last few days. The snow is melting. There is standing water everywhere. The air is beginning to smell like spring. Most of the snow was cleared off the deck. All of the feeders were cleaned and disinfected. We will start a daily count to determine what is happening. When the European Starlings returned, there were 58 in the lilac bushes daily. There are now only 9. There were two Blue Jays, four Grey Squirrels, two Red Squirrels, and well, we were used to get at least 150 sparrows of various species. Might there be two dozen now? The Chickadees are here flitting, and there is a single female adult Downy Woodpecker. Two Crows. The loud songs from the birds in the garden could be heard more than half a city block away. There is still song, but it is so quiet.
It was extremely warm on Wednesday and we headed off to the zoo for a long and much needed walk before an Alberta Clipper is going to dump snow on us today. Five polar bears were sleeping on the snow! Just look at how clean its pads are!
I know that most of you are nervous about the upcoming breeding seasons whether it is the remaining eagles, the ospreys, or the hawks/falcons. I would also include the storks – oh, how I adore them! Throughout this posting and in many more to come, I want to encourage you to delight in the eaglets that have hatched and are healthy, for those eggs in nests, and for the storks and ospreys that are making their way home. Sending positive energy their way. In Manitoba, we are taking bets on the arrival of the first Canada Goose to the Oak Hammock Marsh. They could arrive within the week! I am so excited.
Let’s start with something nice and I cannot think of anything nicer than the miracle eaglet, Bodie, in Gabby and Beau’s nest.
NE Florida: That little cutie pie of Beau and Gabby’s now has a name! He is 5 weeks and 3 days old today.
I asked ‘AI’ to provide the meanings for the name Bodie:
The name Bodie has multiple meanings and origins:
Enlightenment: A respelling of the Sanskrit word Bodhi, which means “enlightenment” or “wisdom”
Messenger: From the German word bode or boden, which means “messenger”
Large-bodied: From the Old English word bodig, which means “trunk” or “chest”
Bold: From the French surname Beaudin, which is rooted in the old Germanic word bald
Sheltered: From the Germanic and Scandinavian name Boden, which means “sheltered”
Bodie is a gender-neutral name with origins in Sanskrit, German, French, Scandinavian, and Scottish.
In ancient times, messengers were vital to society, carrying news and information between communities and individuals. People with the name Bodie were associated with this role, and were often respected members of society.
Bodie has been on the rise in popularity in the United States, first entering the top 1,000 names in 2014. In 2022, it was ranked 484th in the top 500 names.
A turkey vulture came and sat on the nest of Bodie on Wednesday but the real question remains: where are Gabby and Beau? They have not been seen at the nest on Wednesday. This is concerning. Bodie is not self feeding but he did go to the pantry and attempt to get a nibble or two of the prey.
Where are Beau and Gabby?
Cal Falcons: In my last post with the long listing of the nest happenings, I pondered what was going on at the Cal Falcon scrape on The Campanile. The following day a notice was posted. It made my heart sink to my toes and tears pour out of my eyes. HPAI is everywhere. I believe it is even accounting for the lack of songbirds in the garden this winter. Cal Falcons is warning us that this could be the reason that we are not seeing Annie or Archie.
More news agencies are picking up on the loss of dear Annie and her mate. My heart is feeling very empty about this and I am hoping for a miracle.
We have to find hope and beauty in those birds that are surviving and those who are desperately trying to raise families in a very hostile environment. One of those is the new mate of Thunder, Makaio. He seems really good at caring for the eggs and protecting the nest. https://youtu.be/SexBFchvb-A?
These are short-tailed Albatross. Information on the volcanic island where they live states: “The Izu-volcano on Tori-shima is one of a chain of small islands about 600 km south of Tokyo. The island is one for the threatened albatross-birds, namely the short tailed albatross, and have been uninhabited by people since the Meteorological Institute drew back their scientists from an observatory in 1965, after a strong earthquake hit the area. About 30 people lived on the island before that, but they were evacuated after an eruption in 1939. In 1902 an eruption killed all the 125 people living on the island at that time.”
Located on Izu Island south of Tokyo and the main island of Honshu.
Here is a thorough article on the history of the short-tailed albatross in the area including ‘feather picking’.
Years ago we wondered what would happen to our much loved storks flying through war-torn Ukraine. Karl II had his favourite spots to stop and rest on the way to Africa. We always held our breath. Just how much wildlife has been impacted by this war?
PSEG Patchogue Osprey Platform, Long Island: There will be no camera for the PSEG Patchogue nest. ‘MP’ sent me the response this morning when he noticed that there was no streaming cam: “Thank you for your online inquiry. I have heard back from our Wildlife department: Due to construction in the immediate vicinity of the Patchogue osprey platform, PSEG Long Island has relocated this platform to a nearby location away from construction activities and human interference. However, we were not able to reconnect the osprey camera at this new location. Therefore, the Patchogue osprey camera will no longer be available.” PSEG further added, “”The camera was removed in order to provide the ospreys with a calmer living environment, at this point there are no plans to reactivate the camera. The websiteOsprey Cams – PSEG Long Island will be updated if and when the camera comes back online.”
Of course, being a power company we both wondered why on earth they couldn’t rig up a solar panel or something or is it another issue? Like all of us calling them when the nest is dangerously dirty? Who knows. I assume PSEG wants a calmer life since the ospreys wouldn’t care one way or the other about the camera! Ridiculous.
Frenchman’s Creek: Heidi confirms that the second egg was laid on the 25th of February.
Pine Island Osprey Platform: Looks as if the eggs are not viable. This is truly a blessing with the GHO in waiting for chicks.
Achieva Credit Union Osprey Platform, St Petersburg, Florida: As of Wednesday afternoon there remains only one egg for Jack and his new mate.
We are sitting in the conservatory monitoring the birds at the feeder. This morning I put out 1/4 of the amount of peanuts, Black Oil Seed, along with a large helping of Bark Butter and Meal Works (directed at the Starlings). There are approximately nine or ten Starlings. Where have all the birds gone?
I will be tracking HPAI in our region, and elsewhere, during 2025 as it appears to be having a large impact on some bird counts.
Little Miami Conservancy: Two eggs. 19th and 22nd of February.
Duke Farms: Cute little first hatch and now it has a little brother or sister.
WRDC: Both R7 and R8 doing fantastic. Look at all the fish on that nest!
Captiva: Dasher sleeps like an adult and we have branching at the nest on Wednesday!
MN-DNR: Two eggs being incubated. Laid on the 14th and 17th of February.
FORE: Liberty and Guardian do not yet have eggs. Everyone is worried. Maybe they will not have eggs this year. Maybe they will. We wait. But it is getting late because of the heat. Both of their eaglets died last year. They know and they grieve. It is alright if they chose to skip this year. Last year Duke and Daisy chose not to raise a family. The previous year Duke was missing in the storm and we thought he was lost. Daisy lost two osplets but was able to fledge one. Life is challenging – and it is going to get worse. Send Liberty and Guardian your love and support.
Abu Dhabi Osprey Platform: The triplets appear to be doing well.
Royal Albatross Colony News:
Cornell Red Tail Hawks: The camera should be back in operation for Big Red and Arthur in a week! Thank goodness.
Can you lend a hand to Hob, her friends, and the Moli?
Rita the Eagle’s History Monday:
I am going to look forward to a day when I read about the growth of the Hen Harrier population and not that rising deaths near driven grouse moor estates in Scotland!
Geemeff sends us some good news — remember, it is going to be up to us to do what is right for wildlife and that could include purchasing land, etc.
Happier news – the RSPB Geltsdale reserve is forging ahead after the successful land purchase. More funds needed of course, but as we all know, times are tough so people can support in ways other than donations eg by publicising on their social media feeds, buying from the online shop or better yet paying a visit to Geltsdale or any other RSPB reserve.
Thank you so much for being with today. We look forward to having you with us again soon! Take care of yourselves!
Thank you also for your patience with Calico’s cards. She had no idea what was entailed when she set out to help feral cats! The latest was securing proper mailing envelopes so the cards would not be bent when shipped! Those should arrive today or tomorrow. Then we can finalize the shipping! She told me she was glad we only do this twice a year. LOL.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, streaming cams, videos, and articles that helped me to write my post today: ‘B, EJ, Geemeff, Heidi, J, MP’, Berkeley News, American Eagle Foundation, Cal Falcons, KRON4, SK Hideaways, NEFL-AEF, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Japanese Albatross Cam, The Guardian, PSEG, Tartasan WTE Cam, Frenchman’s Creek, Heidi McGrue, Achieva Credit Union, Government of Canada, Little Miami Conservancy, Duke Farms, WRDC, Window to Wildlife, MN-DNR, Gary’s Eagle Videos, Nesting Bird Life and More, Abu Dhabi Osprey Platform, Sharon Dunne, Hob Osterlund, Rita the Eagle, RSPB, Raptor Persecution UK
We hope that you have had a lovely weekend and got to spend some time with friends or outdoors in nature OR both. Sunshine, the sound of the birds, or the laughter of others can elevate a slow sad day to one full of light. Try it, please.
The days are growing longer on the Canadian Prairie, with daylight stretching until at least 6:00 PM! This is a thrilling reminder that spring is just 27 days away. Ospreys will soon be returning to the UK, and by now, many nests in the US will already have eggs. We are all wishing for their safe return.
The Girls have really been enjoying the warmer weather and longer daylight hours, too. I have noticed that they will only sleep on the back and arms of the sofa if there is a wee blanket.
This year, I am particularly invested in a few remarkable birds—after all, we all have our favourites. I am eagerly anticipating the return of Louis to Dorcha at Loch Arkaig, and I hope he arrives healthy and revitalized. Maya faced challenges in 2024, and I am determined to see her once again partner with Blue 33 to raise a family. Even though Laddie is sadly no longer with us, there is hope that Blue NC0 will find a new mate and create a family at Loch of the Lowes.
I am also excited to see CJ7 reunite with Blue 022. Their incredible bond has allowed them to raise four extraordinary osplets in 2024. Additionally, let’s not forget about Iris and Finnegan! Together, let’s energize the flyways between the southern coast of Texas and Montana to ensure Iris’s safe return, with Finnegan there to protect her and support her in raising another brood of chicks. Join me in sending our heartfelt good wishes! Join me in sending our heartfelt good wishes!
As we turn our attention to the present, the anticipation of this year’s hatchlings fills me with hope—true little miracles waiting to unfold. You may have your own favourites, but for me, the joy of seeing Jak and Audacity finally welcome an eaglet after so many years along with Jackie and Shadow, would make this season unforgettable just like it was with Iris and Finnegan last year or even Beau and Gabby this year. I can already envision myself sitting there, overwhelmed with tears of pure happiness and soggy popcorn.
It is going to be a great year. Can you feel it?
Last week, I shared an article from The Guardian that a reader sent me. The article highlighted the polar bear fur trade and mentioned that the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was actively involved in or supporting it. The reader, who had donated decided to reach out to the WWF to inquire about their position on polar bear fur and the claims made in The Guardian article. I am pleased to share the response from the WWF that they received.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns regarding a recent article in The Guardian about WWF’s position on polar bear conservation. We believe the story mispresents our position and we are actively raising inaccuracies with the publication directly. To be clear, WWF does not support or promote the polar bear fur trade, as you can see in our response to the article (https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?13500441/Guardian-response-polar-bears).
WWF remains steadfast in our mission to conserve polar bears and their habitat, while respecting the rights of Indigenous communities. Our funds are directed toward scientific monitoring of polar bear subpopulations, developing non-intrusive tracking methods such as eDNA, supporting research on the impacts of climate change on polar bears, and advocating for the protection of vital polar bear habitats. This work is essential to the long-term survival of the species.
We appreciate your passion for wildlife and for the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the conservation of polar bears and their habitat.
Regards,
Nirilis World Wildlife Fund
Donating is a very personal choice, and it can be disappointing when the values we care about conflict with the organizations we support. I’m glad to hear that our reader received a response to their inquiry clearing up the misinformation.
On another note, one of our readers has always dreamed of seeing polar bears in their natural habitat, and they are coming to Manitoba this November for that experience! That is so exciting.
Time to check on our nests. There is a lot happening! In fact, I will apologise for the long ‘list’ and I didn’t even begin to cover all of what is happening! Eggs are being laid everywhere. Just as soon as some of these eagle eggs begin to hatch, ospreys will be returning hoping to find their mates and get on with their breeding season.
I cannot find the live stream for Big Red and Arthur. Normally in the late fall they begin to check on their nest on the Fernow Light Stand. Is it the construction that is causing this? I must find out.
Cornell Red Tail Hawks: Ferris Akel caught Big Red on the scaffolding of the clock tower, one of her favourite spots on the Cornell Campus. It was 39 degrees F. Big Red will be 22 years old this year. She hatched 7 miles from the Cornell Campus in 2003 and was ringed that October. She has been raising chicks on the Cornell Campus for a long, long time. She was on streaming cam in 2012, but that is not to say that she did not start having chicks much earlier than that!
Ferris also found Arthur so all is well. Gosh, it is so good to see them.
Achieva Credit Union: Jack’s fancy nest attracted a new mate and their egg was laid Friday the 21st of February at 22:14. Congratulations!
Frenchman’s Creek: We have an egg! Now, it’s Sunday and we have two. Mum hit by a GHO over night. Can we send the owls on holiday this year?
Pine Island Ospreys: Egg 1 broke. Egg 2 is 40 days old. Looks like it is non-viable. With that audacious owl, I would be just as happy that those eggs simply break or turn into dried Dudleys.
Lake Murray: Resident pair have returned! Gosh, let us hope those strobe lights and mannequins do their job this year and are set up right when those eggs are laid to send a message to those owls.
Hilton Head Nature Conservancy: The two eaglets are doing very well.
Golden Gate Audubon: Richmond is looking for Rosie. She traditionally arrives between February 18 and March 9. Pray for her safe return.
Little Miami Conservancy: Betty laid her first egg with Baker coming to see on the 19th. Expecting egg 2 on Saturday. https://youtu.be/SuT8i49kEmo?
Sauces: The very first egg that Jak and Audacity is incubating is still holding. That egg was laid on our anniversary, the 2nd of the 2nd month. That means that today, that egg is 22 days old. We need another fortnight til pip watch. Oh, please make this their year!
31 continues to melt my heart. As far as I am concerned, 31 was a miracle eaglet. Let’s see if we can have a couple more at Sauces and Big Bear. Wouldn’t that make this a fantastic year?!
Standing on those feet!!!!!!!!!
Beau turned out just to be the best Daddy 31 could ever have wished to have….
Leucistic Red-tail Hawk: Angel has visited the nest in Tennessee.
Fay Slough Eagle Nest: Has collapsed with all the rain. Dr Sharpe recently installed a camera there. No eggs. Eagles were working on the nest.
Dataw Island Bald Eagle Nest: Skylar is doing well. Has been seen on camera really flapping its wings!
West End: Thunder and Makai have their second egg. It was laid on 20 February. A Raven took the first.
Durbe County nest of Milda: Milda, the White-tailed Eagle has been coming to the nest preparing for the next breeding season. Eggs should come in the next few weeks. Fantastic. https://youtu.be/YCxGI8aTJWA?
Gleeson’s South Australia Osprey Platform: Marie found herself inland and quite away any possible fish meals. The relief that spread through the Port Lincoln community when Marie turned and flew south to the coast could be felt in Canada. Even the fish fairies were ready with meals for Marie as she would have been super dehydrated.
Latvian Golden Eagles Spilve and Gristles: They are getting ready for an exciting breeding season. https://youtu.be/Faj0YrCBeOg?
University of Florida-Gainesville Osprey Platform: Stella has returned with a new mate. Talon disappeared with three osplets on the nest. Stella managed to keep one of them alive and Talon Jr fledged! Hoping for a better year for this new couple.
Big Bear Valley Eagle Cam: Already people from around the world are getting excited over the prospect of Jackie and Shadow having a wee eaglet this year. There are three eggs. https://youtu.be/u6LnJNYfmHc?
Jan 22, 25, and 28. Pip watch: 27/28th of February!!!!!!!! So what will you be doing on Thursday?????????????????????
Fraser Point: There are three eggs for Andor and Cruz, too! Eggs: 14, 17, and 20 on the Santa Cruz Island nest.
Bluff City ETSU: Franklin and Frances have two eggs being incubated. They were laid on the 26 and 29 of January. So let’s count. Egg 1 is 29 days old today. We should be expecting pip watch in a week – on 3 March. Mark your calendars.
Johnson City ETSU: Boone and Jolene’s first egg is three days older than that of Bluff City which means that we should be looking for a pip watch on the 28th of February or 1 March.
Port Tobacco: Chandler and Hope are another couple with a three egg clutch – 3, 5, and 9 of March! So many three egg clutches this year.
US Steel: Stella and Irvine again with three eggs. This is a first for this nest!!!!!!!!! February 13, 16, and 19.
PA County Farm: Oliver returned to the nest looking good. What a relief with growing concerns over HPAI.
Centreport Eagles: First egg on the 19th. Looking for the second on Saturday before posting this blog.
Notre Dame Eagles: Gigi and her new mate now have two eggs!
Duke Farms: Goodness me. Another three egg clutch. Is this an unusual year? Eggs laid on 17, 20, and 23 of January. Pip watch for the first egg is right now- Friday evening as I write this. Maybe by the time of posting we will have eaglets in New Jersey!
Decorah North: Mr North and Mrs DNF on the 11th and 14th of February.
Redding Eagles: Liberty and Guardian have no eggs yet in the new nest and many are concerned that the time envelope is running out due to the extreme heat of the spring.
It seems that there are a larger than average number of nests with three egg clutches for the Bald Eagle nests on streaming cams in 2025. What is it that determines clutch size?
Factors that affect clutch size
Age: The age of the female bald eagle is related to the size of her clutch.
Season: Cold weather and the time of season can affect clutch size.For example, clutches laid later in the breeding season may have fewer eggs.
Resources: The availability of resources, such as prey, can affect clutch size.
Contaminants: Legacy contaminants like DDT can suppress clutch size.
Clutch size of bald eagles
The average clutch size of bald eagles is just under two eggs.
Successful pairs of bald eagles usually raise one, two, or occasionally three young per nesting attempt.
Bald eagles may lay a second clutch if the first set is lost.
Other information about bald eagle clutches
The complete breeding cycle from the time of arrival at a nest to the period of fledgling dependency is about six months.
Bald eagles may move south in the fall in response to changes in weather conditions and prey availability.
The Peregrine Falcons are starting to pay attention to their scrapes and mates. At Wilmington, Stewart is impressing Bridgette with a nice dressed pigeon!
At Orange, Xavier and Diamond have both been to the scrape. Diamond hid a grebe and well, guess who found it? Cutie pie Xavier!
Where are our Cal Falcons?
At least one falcon seen at Great Spirit Bluff.
We need hope right now and Knepp Farm is giving us a good dose of it!
Bird says of these lovely geese: “Relatively small and short-necked goose with contrasting dark brown head and neck, small black bill with pink band near tip, and pink legs. In flight shows extensively pale silvery upperwings. Breeds in Greenland, Iceland, and Spitsbergen; winters mainly in coastal lowlands with farmland and marshy grassland. In main areas, occurs in flocks of hundreds or even thousands; elsewhere, singles or family groups can be found among flocks of other geese. Rare but increasing winter visitor to northeastern North America, almost always with flocks of Canada Geese.”
Pink-footed geese breed in remote areas of Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard during the Arctic summer. They nest on cliffs, rocky outcrops, and tundra hummocks.
Breeding grounds
Greenland: Remote areas of eastern Greenland
Iceland: Remote areas of Iceland
Svalbard: Remote areas of Svalbard
Novaya Zemlya: The Arctic Russian archipelago of Novaya Zemlya
One huge issue for these geese is the thawing tundra. Will this mean that they will spend all year in Iceland, Greenland, and areas of the Russian archipelago?
There are also threats to beloved parrots. What are they? Birdlife International says:
From the humid rainforests of South America to the deserts of Australia, parrots are found on nearly every continent – adding colour and life to ecosystems globally.
But, did you know that parrots are among the most threatened group of birds in the world?
Human activities pose the biggest threats to these colourful birds:
Agriculture is impacting 78 species like the near threatened Jonquil Parrot.
Exploitation by the pet trade is affecting 75 species like the critically endangered near threatened Palm Cockatoo.
Logging is affecting 62 species like the critically endangered Swift Parrot.
Climate change is affecting 32 species like the endangered Black-billed Amazon.
The count down clock to the arrival of the UK ospreys:
Calico is checking shipping rates for her cards and will have her fundraising page up by Tuesday or Wednesday. She is looking for good shipping deals for those who have written to request cards from Europe and Asia! It is incredible how complicated sending items to others can be. Some couriers are keen competitors, and we hope to have this ready to launch by Wednesday. Thank you for being so patient. Calico is very grateful to all those who have sent notes wishing to support her fundraising.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. Try to get outside. Read an uplifting book. Watch a silly romance-comedy. Whatever it takes. We look forward to having you with us again on Thursday.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, letters, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, H, J, SP’, WWF, Ferris Akel Tours, Achieva Credit Union, Frenchman’s Creek, Pine Island Ospreys, Lake Murray Ospreys, Golden Gate Audubon, Little Miami Conservancy, IWS/Explore, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, Fay Slough Eagle Cam, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, Dataw Island, LDF, Fran Solly, University of Florida-Gainsville Osprey Cam, FOBBV, Bluff City-ETSU, Johnson City-ETSU, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, PIX Cams, PA County Farms, Centreport Eagles, ND-LEEF, Duke Farms, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, FORE, SK Hideaways, Elfruler, Wilmington Falcons, Falcon Cam (Orange), Cal Falcons, Knepp Farm, Openverse, UK Osprey Information, komu news, HDonTap
Thank you for being with us today. Many of you are experiencing cold, wintry weather, and I understand that those of you in the southeastern United States are particularly surprised by the chill! While we should be accustomed to the cold here, I must admit that I wish it would go away. We haven’t been able to spend as much time outdoors as we would like. We all need to engage with nature. It is so good for our mental health. Please be careful if it is snowy and there is ice. Nothing is important enough to fall and get injured.
While our friends in the UK hope spring might be just around the corner, we are still in an extreme cold warning on the Canadian Prairies. It is one of the most extended extreme cold spells I can remember in recent history. Thankfully, the triple pane windows also create heat, and ‘The Girls’ can pretend they are outside in the sun. Even the sun warms up the conservatory for about six hours, and then, as the sun begins to lower itself in the west, the cold sets in. They have to come into the main part of the house and not one of the four is happy about that. They love that glass box where it is like they are living outside, but are actually safe inside.
In this extreme cold, I am always fretting about the outdoor animals. One Crow has consistently come to the table feeder to eat nuts from the cylinder. You can see the sparrows all puffed up to keep warm. They love perching on the branches of the lilacs and getting warmth from the sunshine. They will leave the garden early as soon as they begin to go down. By 4:30 things are pretty quiet. I am, however, missing all the beautiful birdsong from the garden. The number of songbirds is in significant decline.
I am so glad that Calico and her kitten Baby Hope are inside and not out with Brock and Star. There appears to be nothing I can do to convince either of them to trust me despite Brock now sitting about 15 cm or 6 inches from me when I take out food. If there is any sudden movement, he is off. I do not want to stress them out, but something will be done come spring – it will be an enclosure with a heat lamp. (Right now, it is too much work and cold to begin dismantling the wood boxes…I wish I had done it earlier.) If Star has kittens, which I fear she might, we will trap them and make sure they have homes.
The mailbox brings me to the topic for this post: Darvic rings. A reader wrote, “I was wondering if you’d heard anything about the banding of the osprey at Abu Dhabi. I saw them being weighed, but they didn’t measure their wings. Yet they put blue bands on one of all of their legs. They put a silver band on the other leg of all of them too. Wouldn’t the blue band be for boys? Why put a blue band on at all?”
What are Darvic Rings? The Darvic rings are a plastic ring that is fitted to the Osprey’s leg. Normally you can see them from a distance with binoculars or a spotting scope. Different countries use different colours. In the United Kingdom, the bands are blue with white lettering. Scotland places the Darvic ring on the left leg while England and Wales put it on the right. In Spain the Darvic rings are yellow, in Germany they are Black, and in France they are orange. Over time the amount of numbers or letters has changed but there are registries of every bird that is ringed.
The birds are also fitted with a metal ring. It has a unique number and address and is more durable than the plastic ones which can, after several years, break.
Birds are ringed before they are 45 days old. The reason for this is so the specially trained banders do not frighten the birds and cause them to fledge prematurely. Also, the leg will have grown to its adult size. This prevents the ring from getting too tight and injuring the bird. Ringing often takes place when the Osprey chicks are in the 30s – such as 36 days old, etc. At the time of banding the chicks are weighed and measured. Indeed, everything about them is measured!
So for the United Arab Emirates where the Abu Dhabi nest is located this is the specific information on ring colour and placement. Nothing to do with gender:
There are online lists of the colours of the rings for each country. If you spot a bird with a Darvic ring, there are sites where you should submit that information. It is always good to be able to locate where the birds are and if they are alive.
Few ring the ospreys (or other raptors) in North America which is a real shame. The benefits of ringing the birds – whether they be a raptor or a songbird – are many. Here are only a few articles to help you understand why this process is important.
Captiva Eagle Cam: Dasher and Dancer are doing just fine.
Achieva Credit Union Osprey Platforms: No egg yet for Jack and his new mate. The chicks normally hatched the first week in March. It is getting late for a clutch. I worry about the heat of the summer just as I would if there was another clutch at SW Florida.
NCTC: Scout is getting into the action of incubation. Fingers crossed. The couple now have three eggs! https://youtu.be/SsMcuXsNUIE?
West End: In case you missed it, the first egg of Thunder and Makaio was taken by an opportunistic Raven. https://youtu.be/202j3SgZOwA?
Hilton Head: The two eaglets are doing well!
PA Country Farm: The male, Oliver, is showing signs of having HPAI. Please send your good wishes.
Little Miami Conservancy: The first egg is laid for eagle couple, Bette and Baxter, on Wednesday.
USS Steel: There is a three egg clutch for Irvine and his new mate, Stella, in 2025. She is a young mum, but Irv knows the ropes. It should be an exciting nest to watch this year. https://youtu.be/2mMml-j86cA?
Cornell Red Tail Hawk: Both Big Red and Arthur have been spotted on campus.
Moorings Park: Sally and Harry continue to incubate their three eggs.
Pine Island Ospreys:
Johnson City-ETSU: Eggs on January 23 and 26. Boone and Jolene should be expecting a pip by the end of February! Just think – 8 days.
There is also a new platform at Granville Island in Vancouver for eagles. It is a galvanized pole erected by one of my former students who was in charge of the rebuilding of the Market area. More information to follow.
Wildlife is truly under threat. Many of the nature centres and rehabilitation clinics are going to need your support and help. This is one of the latest postings.
Geemeff asks, “Stating the bleeding obvious- pesticides kill! Did we learn nothing from Rachel Carson? Silent Spring was written more than seventy years ago and sadly, not much has changed, if anything, things have got worse.” I agree. Humans have much to clean up and wildlife needs us more now than ever.
One of our next conversations is going to be about where your donation dollars do the most good. Many are abandoning the WWF because of this – and other large organizations where the staff take more of the donations than the wildlife!
.They are not birds, but at this stage, the balance and health of all wildlife has to be of our concern. That includes those adorable little European hedgehogs that populate the gardens. They were of least concern and now their existence is ‘threatened’. Habitat loss and pesticide use. It is a mantra that we are going to hear over and over again this year as animals die because of us. Please help them. No more green beautiful Home and Gardens lawns. Plant for pollinators without using pesticides. Urge your neighbours, your family, and your friends. ——– It looks like it is going to be up to use to take care of the areas around where we live. Imagine the power of the people of the world if we each dedicated our lives to making their lives better. Imagine.
I feel blessed to have so many talented and caring readers, many who are have become friends over the years. One is Juni Li, a New York artist, who has shared a drawing of Iris and Finnegan with us. Just imagine—within six weeks, Iris could be back with us. Wonder who will arrive first: Iris or Finnegan? Wish them good health, favorable winds, bountiful crops – and no interlopers.
I so wish Sum-eh and Antali had been ringed. Without Darvic rings, we will never know them if they return or if someone sees them in another area. We will also not know if they are found dead.
Iris always makes us smile and I hope this next story, sent to us by EJ, will, too.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We will see you again on Monday!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, H, J, MP, SP’, Heidi Mc, Hawk Conservancy Trust, The Journal of Raptor Research, The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, Kistachie E3 Bald Eagle Nest, Nesting Bird Life and More, Gary Eagle Videos (FORE), SK Hideaways, Deb Stecyk, Little Miami Conservancy, Hilton Head Land Conservancy, American Eagle Foundation, univerise.byu.edu, Bronx Times, The Guardian, Vija, Pix Cams, American Eagle Foundation, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Cornell Bird Lab, Juni Li, Yahoo News, Raptor Persecution UK, Achieva Credit Union, Heidi McGrue and Pine Island Ospreys (Joy of Ospreys FB)
Calico is such an intelligent cat, and she is working hard to figure out the best way to provide help for feral cats. I wonder if she remembers living in the cold. She has created a line of five blank note cards on premium card stock with envelopes using my images. Her goal is to sell 500 cards. We have decided to do this directly instead of selling them through shops (who take multiple percentages from 40-60). It will mean more work for all The Girls and us, but in the end, those funds will provide much-needed food and help with spaying and neutering within our community.
I will post a separate page with information on how you can help Calico meet her goal on Monday!
While I will endeavour to stick to the Monday and Thursday regular posting, if there is ‘breaking’ news, I will send it out.
Each one of us will have mixed feelings about this post. We loved dear Akecheta. To see him injured on the 19th of January and now, 29 days later for Thunder to lay an egg with her new mate, is just a bittersweet moment.
While we might not know what happened to Akecheta, you can count on the eagles and, in this instance, Thunder to know precisely the circumstances. She did not bond with the eagle that fought with Akecheta. Rather, she has taken a younger eagle, one we hope will have the energy and enthusiasm to provide well for her and their family.
To put a smile on your face: The reason Hugo Yugo is so special. Cuddled having a nap in the armpit.
Take care everyone. Thanks to the IWS/Explore for their camera and to ‘J’ for the alert.
We hope that each of you has had a lovely week and an even nicer weekend if you are still out in the workforce. We are so happy that you can be with us today. It is -31 C, and we have been in another extreme cold warning area for several days. Fortunately, the conservatory is on the south of the house, and the sun heats it regardless. The Girls just have to be out there watching their garden friends! It is, however, difficult at times to get outside and we often find ourselves thinking of the warm sun and birds in Guadeloupe.
This is the last day for the Big Bird Count. You have until 1 March to get your submissions into Cornell. Our garden bird numbers were down due to the extreme cold.
The deer have been eating the twigs off the newly cut trees in the park. Wood twigs are definitely not full of nutrition. I have not seen any deer in our garden for a few weeks.
This tiny little one is such a sweetie.
The temperatures continue to be on the ‘cold’ side. We keep the conservatory open for The Girls so they can enjoy the squirrels and the birds – and us, too. It will be so nice when April arrives – two months to go – until we thaw out. Star and Brock continue to come to the feeder, but I have seen no other cats which is really a blessing.
Hope and Calico are never far from one another. It is so endearing.
Hugo Yugo was grumpy at me for waking her up to try and get a photo!
Missey was grouchy too!!!!!!!!
The Girls seem to have almost gone into hibernation preferring to sleep during the cold months instead of even eating. They play with one another starting around 2130, but during the day, it is strictly nap time. Oh, what a charmed life they lead.
We hope that the bi-weekly posting is working out for you. I want to try and pick a topic that brings some additional information – that is more educational – than just a listing of what is happening at the nests. This change is allowing me to do that!
So today, I want to look at the world’s most beloved Bald Eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, whose nest at Big Bear and its elevation can be causing the issues relating to their eggs not hatching. In addition to the information below, I am also including some other information on the DDT that was sprayed in the area that might well be contributing to the thickness (or lack thereof) in some of their past egg shells. Even thought DDT spraying was outlawed decades ago, the soil remains contaminated and still impacts wildlife including Bald Eagles.
Jackie and Shadow have been braving the elements as snow transforms the Big Bear Valley in California. https://youtu.be/kJ6s66Baltg?
So why do Jackie and Shadow struggle with their eggs at such a high altitude? Their nest is 7000 feet above sea level and is known to be one of North America’s highest Bald Eagle nests. When I sought an answer, my computer came up with this one generated by AI. It looks reasonably thorough and should help us understand this couple’s difficulties in hatching eaglets. That said, we know that on occasion, they do have success. In 2023, more than 45 inches of snow fell on Jackie and Shadow’s nest due to the atmospheric rivers that year.
Eagles nesting at high altitudes can experience difficulties with fertility and egg hatching primarily due to the harsh environmental conditions at those elevations, including: lower oxygen levels, extreme temperature fluctuations, strong winds, and limited food availability, which can all negatively impact the development of the embryo within the egg and the overall health of the breeding pair.
Key factors contributing to this issue:
Oxygen stress:Reduced oxygen levels at high altitudes can affect the egg development process, potentially hindering the embryo’s ability to properly grow and mature.
Temperature extremes:High altitude environments can experience significant temperature swings, making it challenging for the female eagle to maintain a consistent incubation temperature needed for successful hatching.
Weather challenges:High winds and storms at high altitudes can disrupt nesting activities, potentially damaging eggs or causing the adults to abandon the nest.
Food scarcity:Finding enough food to sustain both the breeding pair and their chicks can be difficult in high altitude habitats, especially during harsh weather conditions, leading to malnutrition and impacting fertility.
Hormonal disruptions:Environmental stress at high altitudes could potentially disrupt the hormonal balance of the eagles, affecting their reproductive capabilities.
Here is more information on this nest:
The nest of Jackie and Shadow, the bald eagles in Big Bear Valley, California, is about 7,000 feet above sea level. The nest is located in a Jeffrey pine tree that’s 145 feet above the ground.
Explanation
The nest is one of the highest known bald eagle nests in the United States.
The nest is located in the San Bernardino National Forest.
The nest is home to Jackie and Shadow, the only year-round resident bald eagles in Big Bear.
The nest is monitored by a live-streaming camera operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit environmental preservation group.
The nest has grown to be over five feet wide and six feet deep.
The nest was started near the top of the tree by the previous resident pair, Lucy and Ricky, in 2012.
The nest is located on an undeveloped parcel of land on the north shore of Big Bear Lake.
Did you know that Jackie is thought to be the offspring of Ricky and Lucy? That would mean that she is now thirteen years old in 2025. She is the first eaglet to have ever hatched at the Big Bear nest in 2012. In recent years, her and Shadow have laid at least fourteen eggs together with five of them hatching. Simba fledged in 2019 and Spirit fledged in 2022. I still remember that fantastic eaglet. I am sure you do, too. Other eaglets were ZJ1 (yes, he was banded) named Cookie, who died of hypothermia during a storm in 2019 and Stormy, who fledged in 2018. Now, what was the name of the other one? Would you happen to know?
There is nearly a 33% chance that an egg will hatch. So will one of the three eggs hatch this year? We must wait to see. Maybe all three will! Clearly Jackie and Shadow with their devotion and love for one another and the determination they have to raise an eaglet offers each of us hope and inspiration.
What students learn about DDT and its ban in the early 1970s and the eagles at Big Bear:
Pip watch begins for Jackie and Shadow on 1 March – well now, let’s count the days from today: 12!!!!!!!! We will be on pins and needles with excitement.
Kistachie National Forest, E3: They are the cuties little fat bottomed eaglets. Their Mum, Andria II, is doing a fantastic job keeping both eaglets well fed.
John Bunker Sands Wetlands: Dad brings in a whopper of a fish for Mum and the kids!!!!! (Thanks MP)
Fraser Point: Andor and Cruz have their first egg of the 2025 breeding season.
Abu Dhabi Osprey Nest: The triplets being raised by the lone female and two males were banded. Heidi caught the action on video.
The average temperature in Abu Dhabi is 25 degrees C. Last year it was 30 C. There is no temperature for the nest which is located on a huge mound of sticks on the desert. The chicks survived with lots of fish!
West End Nest: The camera was down on Friday for awhile due to a big storm that went through the area. They played highlights. Hearts were broken everywhere watching Akecheta feed his triplets.
Sauces: Jak and Audacity’s first egg is still holding! The other two have broken. Well, we only need one and this couple sure deserve it. Their issue is, of course, not the same as Jackie and Shadow and the higher elevation nest. Theirs is strictly due to the DDT in the area. Next posting will look at why some nests in the Channel Islands might be
Two Harbours: Chase and Cholyn are working on their nest. No eggs yet.
USS Steel: The first egg for Irv and his new mate, Stella, arrived and the second was laid on the 16th. Congratulations to Irvine and Stella. Missing Claire. https://youtu.be/hg37rCwNavc?
Decorah North: Second egg laid on Valentine’s Day. First egg laid on the 11th. (In 2024, the first egg was laid on the 15th of February). Oh, we are going to be busy in five weeks time with all these hatches!
Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest: There is some concern that Mr T has not been seen at the nest since the 11th of February.
NE Florida: NE 31 stood on its feet, flatly on the nest, on Saturday the 15th for the first time. A milestone. What a great eaglet. Huge crop. Devoted parents. Melts your heart just watching Gabby and Beau care for this precious one.
‘A’ comments: “The chatters are calling it NE31’s stick fort, but as I described yesterday I think it was, there are some very thick kiddy rails on the side of the nest opposite the dining table. NE31 has been sleeping so that one of those large sticks is across his back, so that I am hoping his stick fort might make it hard for an owl to get a grip on him and extract him from under his stick. Again tonight, alone on the nest, he was sleeping in his stick fort when Gabby came down to the nest around 1.42am. She aerates the nest, in the process extricating NE31 from beneath his stick, and NE31 stands up tall and eyeballs mum, then tries to burrow back under the stick fort.
Gabby has some difficulty brooding NE31 because of the stick but eventually the eaglet snuggles down in front of her breast feathers and goes back to sleep. Mum leaves again at 01:55. Little now can no longer get under its stick fort. The stick has been broken and displaced so that it no longer affords the protection it has done to the point. Unfortunate.
Beau arrives on the nest to check on NE31 at 03:03:35 and does some aerating of the nest. This eventually disturbs the sleeping NE31, who stands up tall and bonks dad! (TS 03:12:25). TOO funny. It’s hard to see how effectively the stick fort now protects NE31 – it may represent some form of obstacle still, though not as useful a barrier as it was two nights ago, before it got broken.
It is reassuring to me to see Beau on the nest tonight. It is a little early – I hope he remains until daylight because we know how that hour or 90 minutes before the sky begins to lighten is very much the favourite time for owls to hunt – or so I have observed when watching GHO cams. “
SW Florida: M15 is thinking he would like another chance at raising eaglets this year. How is F23 feeling about that? https://youtu.be/ol57dhBfdbg?
Leucistic Red Tail Hawk Nest: ‘A’ notes with concern: “The last visit to the nest was on 2 December – I think there is an entry in the log noting that Angel had flown under the nest (twice) about a week ago, but it is starting to look like this season will be much like last. We may not see them again this year. It is a mystery – where are they going? What are they doing? And why?”
The hawks might have relocated like they did last year, but we know that they are fine.
World Bird Sanctuary. This falls in line with the story below about the turtle where wildlife manage to survive under very challenging conditions. This one with a severe beak injury.
Wildlife Haven, Manitoba, Canada: Dr Tess designed a ‘contraption’ to help a turtle whose shell was soft and sunken in the hope of giving it a second chance at life. I love this vet and wish she would be here forever. She doesn’t give up and as I have said several times, she has no trouble believing a three legged deer can survive or a one legged eagle. Bravo, Dr Tess!
Calico’s Tip for the Day: If we want to help wildlife, modify the amount of beef, palm oil (please do check your labels), and timber. Trees are cut down for these crops and there are clear alternatives!!!!!!!!! Calico also recognises that birds flourish when coffee is grown in the shade. Why not reduce the amount of coffee you drink in order to help wildlife? Look for the certified Birds and Beans coffee!!!!!!!! Accept no substitute. Indeed, I can tell you that having one good cup of coffee that I know did not cause a tree to be cut is much better than drinking 3 or 4. Try it.
Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care. See you on Thursday. Have a great week everyone. Sending you good positive energy.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, information, and streaming cams that helped me to write this post: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, MP’, SK Hideaways, FOBBV, LAist, Fish and Wildlife Services, Kistachie National Forest E3, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, IWS/Explore, Heidi McGrue, USS Steel, Sylvia, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest, FOLFAN, Hilton Head Island Trust, NEFL-AEF, SK Hideaways, Deb Stecyk, NCTC Bald Eagle Nest, Cardinal Land Conservancy, WRDC Bald Eagle Nest, Window to Wildlife, Centreport Eagles, Moorings Park Osprey, Achieva Credit Union, Hob Osterlund, liznm, Window to Wildlife, World Bird Sanctuary, Wildlife Haven, The Guardian, The New York Times, Animaux du monde, Raptor Persecution UK
First up, before I forget. The Great Back Yard Bird Count is taking place from tomorrow through the 17th. Here is all the information you need to participate with Cornell and Audubon.
The Girls have asked me to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day. They want you to know they are grateful for your letters and how you care about them. Sadly, they cannot send you any candies! My best friend left a box for us, and I was going to share it with all of you. That beautiful little box was left on the dining table, lid secured. This morning, those little red balls of chocolate were all over the floor. They had a hockey game during the night!!!!!!!! I heard nothing. Thankfully, they did not eat any of the candy – it is, however, not in a state to share. I wonder which team won? Team Calico vs. Missey-HY.
The temperatures have been in the -32 C range. The sun has been out and strangely the conservatory has been warm. It is a joy to be out there watching all the animals who continue to grow in number as they discover that food is available once again. Their survival is phenomenal. Brock and Star were here today eating kibble under the feeder which was left for the Starlings along with their other food. Both seem to be doing alright despite the frigid weather. Still, it is hard not to ache for them and their circumstances.
Star is very pretty. She is on the bird feeder to get the sunshine and keep her feet warm. She was not interested in killing our feathered friends, thank goodness.
There has been one big worry in Bird World since my last post on Sunday. An owl (Barred?) visited the nest of Beau and Gabby, just like the visits at the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23. Gabby quickly flew down to the nest to protect 31. Still, this is not something that we even want to fathom.
While Ospreys are not a match for GHOs (their claws are meant for carrying fish and fighting with one another over fish), they are not meant for battling these larger raptors. The Eagles are another story. Even our local Crows gang up on the GHO that lives on the nearby golf course. They usher that owl right out of the neighbourhood. But, as you know, the owls are silent, and that little 31 sleeping alone in that big nest is problematic. Please send me some positive wishes.
This little 31 is a cutie with its dark charcoal thermal down and dandelion head. Look at the length of that beak!!!!!!! It was a magical moment when that egg hatched, and our joy just helped us get through the sadness at SW Florida.
Others shared my concern with the mailbox full of worry for 31. ‘A’ wrote: “Gabby returned to the nest soon after 4am – perhaps she realises that the pre-dawn is probably the most dangerous time of all, based on my observations of the GHO nests. They usually bring home something laor rge shortly before dawn to feed their owlet/s. Or that’s what I have seen. So presumably Gabby is aware of that too. She was on the nest for that vital 90 minutes or so before dawn, which was interesting, and of course we still have our wee one. Mind you, it’s not so wee – if I hadn’t seen those GHOs knock the parents from their perches, I’d even wonder whether NE31 is too big to carry off now. But we know how strong those feet and legs are. They are phenomenal. Scary. So I will be watching with fear and trepidation for another week or two at least with that baby alone on that nest. It’s such an expanse too – like a damned football field – so that the owl would have plenty of room to swoop and then lift NE31 and spirit it away. There are no branches to interfere with its path or slow it down – it would have no obstacles at all. I hope I am worrying unnecessarily but seeing that GHO scoping things out was terrifying.”
That owl has returned and Beau and Gabby jumped into action. I just wish they would remain on the nest with 31 until it is large enough that the owl will go away and leave them in peace. https://youtu.be/ExITfywEw9M?
I am not as concerned if it is a Barred Owl and this is the reason: “Barred Owls are comparable in size to a Great Horned Owl (21″versus 22″) but their weight is considerably different as the average weight of a Barred Owl is 1.6 pounds, roughly half of the weight of a Great Horned Owl.” It would not have the flight capacity of the GHO.
‘A’ remarks: “Again this morning, Gabby has gone down to the nest shortly before 4am. The only explanation I think is that she is obviously aware that this pre-dawn period is the most dangerous time, so she is going to the nest early each morning. It does give me a little bit of comfort, though I still worry all day (I’m on the other side of the world, remember, so as it is 4:11am at NEFL it is 8:11pm here). Since lunch time, I have had the NEFL screen open and I check li’l nugget regularly – mainly to see whether that little lump of fluff is still on the nest or whether one time I will look in and see that nest empty. It is terrifying, especially with both the GHO and the barred owl aware of the nest and prepared to attack the adults let alone NE31. That is a very tempting meal, I suspect, well fattened, young and tender. Just right for a growing owlet or two. It terrifies me. Poor wee eaglet. It looks so helpless and alone. Gabby is there now, as I said, and baby has woken up for yet another preen. Beau is nearby, perched above the nest.”
We are all concerned about the levels of lead contamination in our raptors, and, in particular, carrion eaters such as Bald Eagles, Condors, and Vultures. There is currently a study in the UK to ban the use of lead ammunition. the following file has a video attached, ‘The Toxic Restaurant’ that is extremely enlightening.
At the Hilton Head Bald Eagle nest, George and Gracie now has two eaglets to feed!
The two eaglets at John Bunker Sands – JBS 22 and JBS 23 -are the sweetest little things.
As mentioned in my earlier post, it appears that F23 and M15 are going to be alright. It has been a fortnight and the two adult eagles have been seen at the pond and at the nest. I know that this is a huge relief for all of you.
The couple working on their nest on Wednesday.
It is certainly going to be easy to fall in love with these two little cuties at the Kisatchie National Forest nest of Alex and Adrian II. Just look.
R7 and R8 are growing like weeds at the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose.
Gosh, look at the size of Dasher and Dancer! Clive and Connie have been working so hard for these babies.
Angel and Tom have been working on their nest. Love the pine cone.
It was a duck dinner so very French at the nest of Michigan Bald Eagles, Harry and Harriet. https://youtu.be/Hch_Q9oZs6U?
In five weeks we will be watching Ospreys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait.
For now, you can also watch deer! ‘H’ reminds us of the Brownsville, Maine deer pantry – and, yes, I do love these folks. They have 12 acres and my goodness how kind they are.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We will be delighted to have you with us again on Monday.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J’, NEFL-AEF, NestFlix Memories, Raptor Persecution UK, NCTC, FORE, Farmer Derek, Raptor Research Project/Explore, Buddy’s Mom, FOLFAN, IWS/Explore, Duke Farms, Rita the Eagle FB, Birdlife Malta, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Cornell Bird Lab, Root and Wing, World Bird Sanctuary, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Kisatchie National Forest, Window to Wildlife, Great Lakes Bald Eagle Cam
Traveling is wonderful. It is the getting there and getting home that are not! The snow did not hinder our arrival late Thursday in Montreal and the young man who removes the snow around our property has already visited twice. Temperatures have even managed to warm up in Winnipeg.
It is now Saturday – late afternoon. Provisions for the birds and cats received attention today. Their pantry is stocked full. Saturday morning saw only one grey squirrel at the feeders. Now I am watching Dyson eating peanuts in the small feeder with little red hanging out at one of the newly replaced nut cylinders filling up. The Sparrows have returned and here comes another Grey. I want to see all four of them along with Mr Blue Jay and the woodpecker family and the chickadees today. Then I will feel like the garden is fine. Oh, it is doubly fine. There is another little Red!!!!! Oh, goodness me. The animals are a worry.
The Girls were fine. They are well looked after, but it does not replace the almost 24/7 attention they get when we are home. There is no Story time or pets that last hours. Hugo Yugo slept in my armpit for almost the entire night snuggled in very tight. Right now, they are all on the table with me as I write to you.
Sunday noon. The Starlings have returned to the garden along with TWO blue Jays. I teared up. I haven’t had time to check their tail feathers, but I want to be hopeful that Junior and Mrs. are both here. Star is eating at the feral feeder, and Brock was here earlier. As I said, life is beginning to return to normal. It feels good. We have visited our Bestie and a new episode of All Creatures Great and Small arrives this evening! No, we are not watching the Superbowl.
Sauces. Audacity laid three eggs. Egg one is still intact. Fingers crossed for it and that she doesn’t wear herself out laying eggs. One good one, one hard shell fertilised egg is all they need. https://youtu.be/q16DyG2BW5E?
Duke Farms has its Bald Eagle cam up and running for all fans. Mum is incubating three eggs! Three. Oh, dear.
Foggy morning on Friday at the West End nest of Thunder. (I am now throwing the towel in yet…)
This is the banding video for the male, Makaio, who appears to have displaced Akecheta. Displaced not injured. That was a male without any bands! https://youtu.be/XkXWRimCl3g?
I just want to go to the West End camera and see Akecheta on that nest. It has now been 22 days since we saw him injured.
Fish was not on the morning menu at Captiva for Dasher and Dancer. Every time I see a bird on any nest, I hold my breath.
There are new variants of bird flu spreading in different parts of the world. The dairy industry in the US is now monitoring their milk after an outbreak of variant D1..1. “Genome sequencing of milk from Nevada identified the different strain, known as the D1.1 genotype, in dairy cows for the first time, the USDA said. Previously, all 957 bird flu infections among dairy herds reported since last March had been caused by another strain, the B3.13 genotype, according to the agency.”
Virologists tell us that it is only a matter of time for when another global pandemic strikes. Right now, our thoughts are with our feathered friends and the hope that they survive.
At the present time, I understand that the American Medical Association is monitoring the Bird Flu spread as the CDC is not reporting.
The two little eaglets at John Bunker Sands are so sweet. They seem to be doing very well.
Bella and Scout have been at the old NCTC nest. I wonder if Scout is going to step up and be a great dad this year? We can only wait and see.
This nest is 21 years old. The newer one is about 15 feet or 4 metres below, according to Deb Stecyk.
Heidi reports that Port Lincoln’s Kasse caught a fish! We won’t know if it was her first, but it sure is a huge milestone to celebrate, regardless.
The people of Virginia and around the Chesapeake are fighting for the survival of the ospreys and other species due to the industrial harvesting of Menhaden – a fish critical to the osprey diet. Please lend them your voice. Write to the current governor, Senators, politcians and bloody well vote like you care in the next election!
Port Lincoln is reporting the tracking of its osplets. I am including Ervie here! Ervie has been going to Mundy Point where Kasse and Wilko go for their baths. Interesting.
Wisdom, the at least 74-year-old Laysan Albatross, returned to her week-old chick. How incredible. I sure hope this image doesn’t get scrambled! Apparently, screen cams don’t get jostled but if I take something from another site, weird things can happen. So if there is a problem, please go to the Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge FB page!
Wisdom is now out foraging and her mate is feeding and brooding their little bundle of joy. Does he know how famous his partner is?
Richmond is expecting Rosie to return from her migration any day now. Think Valentine’s Day! He has been seen on all of the light poles, but was caught on the Whirley Crane, on all the lights, and today on the one they used for their nest in 2024.
Are you looking for a gold medal award winning osprey tour while visiting the UK (or while living there)? Look no further than the Birds of Poole Harbour! who have just won gold in Dorset.
Bonnie is incubating two eggs at the nest she shares with Clyde on Farmer Derek’s property.
There are eagles at the new MN-DNR nest in Minnesota.
I will probably mention it more than once, but it appears that F23 and M15 are doing rather well. Fish delivery at the nest. Both seen at the nest tree. It has been a fortnight since E24 passed. Let us hope that the adults are fine and will live long and productive – and healthy – lives. So happy.
Looking for something to watch? You might want to find out about this documentary that is winning awards: The Birdwatchers. 13.40 minutes long. https://youtu.be/z7xwv3twYDI?
If you missed the January 2025 Ventana wildlife Society Condor Chat, here it is archived! https://youtu.be/Oq1xfog0xmQ?
The triplets at the Abu Dhabi Osprey nest appear to be thriving. Their gorgeous juvenile plumage is coming in nicely!
Jack and the new female at the Achieva Credit Union nest appear to be getting on rather well.
Thank you for being with me today. We are still adjusting to being home. Right now, everything seems to be going reasonably well here and in Bird World and Osprey season is, thankfully, not really underway. In a month, there could be arrivals on the UK screens of your favourite families and, for sure, within six weeks we will be seeing ospreys everywhere. My plan is to post Bird World news twice a week for the next fortnight – on Mondays and Thursdays. We will resume daily posts at the end of February. We always look forward to having you with us. Take care!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff’, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore.org, Window to Wildlife, AVMA, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, Wings of Whimsy, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, Deb Stecyk, NCTC Bald Eagle Nest, Heidi McGrue, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Midway Atoll, SF Bay Ospreys, Raptor Persecution UK, Farmer Derek GHO Cam, MN-DNR, The Birdwatchers, Ventana Wildlife Society, Abu Dhabi Osprey Cam, Achieva Credit Union
Oh, it has been a glorious time in Guadeloupe. We hoped to see more hummingbirds and today what a shock we had. We walked through a treed area and there on a branch sleeping was a Purple throated hummer. It is large, much bigger than any of the hummingbirds that visit our garden in Canada and, indeed, larger than a sparrow! The images are not so good – I only had my phone and I was so surprised to see this gorgeous creature.
There was also a Green Heron fishing in the pond with the Flamingos. Each day, there are new surprises.
We are at the airport in Port a Pitre. It id a really hot day! The AC in the departures lounge is working over time. We had the most amazing trip. Small little coves, private beaches, the rainforest. Lots and lots of fresh fruit, but I am dying for a big salad and some vegetables! It is snowing and blowing in Winnipeg. We will be home tomorrow afternoon late and it should be clear. We hope that all of you have had a good ten days. This is a beautiful island to visit if you ever get the chance!
Oh, so many are worried about little NE31 sleeping alone in that big eagle nest. Beau and Gabby are up on the branches ready to protect 31 and, thankfully, there does not seem to be any predators, such as GHOs, in the area.
31 is hot in the Florida sun!
Thunder has been hanging out with the new young male at the West End. The last time Akecheta was on the screen was when he was injured on the 19th of January. We wait to see because we have no knowledge of what has transpired since the cams went down almost immediately. I recall incidents at the NCTC nest where Bella and/or Smitty were injured and they returned after a period of time, once it was 21 days, if I recall correctly.
If anyone has been worried about R8, Rose fed the youngest one an entire fish or so it seemed. The kids are doing good and it doesn’t seem that there should be any cause for alarm.
There is some concern over Southwest Florida’s M15’s eyes. Conjunctivitis is a symptom of HPAI. You might recall that E17 and 18 were removed for treatment for Conjunctivitis several years ago and returned to the SW Florida nest. Now, F23 and M15 would have HPAI. They ate the food of the eaglets; they shared the nest. I believe this was covered in one or both of the CROW releases. The incubation period is a fortnight, two weeks. R25 passed on 26 January. We will be approaching the end of the two weeks at the weekend. F23 was seen bathing at the pond on Wednesday and drying her wings. — I think they both look good, and like everything else, let us appreciate these moments. Everything turns on a dime in Bird World. Who would ever have predicted that our dear Akecheta would lose his territory? I still can’t believe it.
Other news. Hope has laid her second egg at Tobacco Creek and we have the second egg for Jak and Audacity at Sauces. Sadly, at least one of Audacity’s eggs has broken. Our hearts break for this couple. Oh, how I wish someone would place a fertile hard-shelled egg in their nest!
Hope’s second egg:
There is good news coming out of the IWS and Dr Sharpe. ‘T’ writes that Sauce’s fledgling is ‘Kaiannika (hatched in Sauces in 2019). She is the current female at the Empire Nest!! She had an eaglet last year.” Let us hope that she is successful again this year! That is wonderful news.
“MP’ reports that everything is going well at the JB Sands Wetlands. “The eagles at this nest are doing exceptional. You’ll see this family having lunch and dinner together most days. It seemed to solve the bonking with dad feeding one or both chicks. Sometimes mom lets dad think he’s helping a lot, and he really is. He is probably the sole reason the bonking has stopped.”
At the Achieva Osprey platform, Jack built a gorgeous nest trying to attract a new mate. The following screen captures show their interaction. It is sometimes very challenging!
Two females fighting over Jack’s nest! Gracious.
Jack scaring off one of the females.
The female ousting Jack off the nest!
That sweet little Royal Cam chick getting fed by Mum! Need a break from the woes of the world, just check these gentle giants out!!!!!! https://youtu.be/zMNQfoxmENg?
Bart Molenaar sent me a note wondering if I had ever seen an osprey nest with two males and one female caring for a family of three osplets. I have not. I have seen falcon nests with several parents but not an osprey nest that I can recall (will check my files when I am home). Most often we see those male ospreys kicking the eggs out that might belong to another male. We most recently saw this at Iris and Finnegan’s nest when Finnegan ousted what he believed to be a ‘Louis egg’. The nest that Bart is referring to is a new one that showed up on his YouTube feed and it is in Abu Dhabi. There were originally four little chicks, but the smallest just didn’t thrive. They look to be between three and four weeks old with those lovely juvenile feathers coming in.
Fish delivery times according to ella on the chat: Fish deliveries = 07:02:23, 8:56:02, 10:17:27, 11:11:06, 13:53, 14:25:55, 14:48:08, 15:49:03, 16:28:17, 16:45:54, 18:06
When you have two active dads you don’t need any fish fairies it seems.
We also have news of Ervie. It is ALWAYS comforting to see his tracker working and to know that our favourite lad is doing well.
Thanks so much for being with me today. We have two full days of travel ahead and are watching a large storm that is brewing around Montreal. Hopeful that all the flights will go as planned. My next post will likely not be until Monday – giving me time to settle back at home and spend some hours with The Girls who will be demanding much attention. Take care all. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Bart M, Geemeff, J, MP, TU’, NEFL-AEF, IWS/Explore, SK Hideaways, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Achieva Osprey Platform, JBS Wetlands, NZ DOC, Abu Dhabi Live, newscientist.com, Port Lincoln Osprey
Oh, I wish I could bottle up the warmth of this island and send it to all of you. The sun, the quiet, the clean air, the sounds of birds and amphibians, and all the local roosters just lift your spirits so much. One of the nicest things is eating outside! And not having to have a coat or boots on. I am feeling blessed.
Our breakfast guest was a Brown Trembler. She comes every morning and evening when we are outside. She must be related to puppy!
eBird describes thus: “A bright-eyed, hefty billed bird of forests and scrublands. Tends to hold its tail cocked up and wings drooped, especially when feeding. Typically appears almost entirely warm brown; dark above and paler below with some gray on head. Gray Trembler lacks the brown hues of Brown Trembler and has some degree of white below. White-breasted Thrasher has largely bright white underparts and a dark red eye (not yellow as in Brown Trembler). Song is a slow jumble of rich whistles and high-pitched sibilant notes. Calls include scattered whistles and harsh scolding notes.”
It is Monday and we head home on Thursday arriving on Friday. There is currently snow falling because the young man is going to go and shovel. Oh, I wish I could twitch my nose and fetch The Girls to Guadeloupe for the rest of the winter. The idea of going back to that cold is not appealing.
One of the best things about this holiday has been doing nothing. Everyone in the village is rushing around the large beach near town, Grand Anse. It is crawling with tourists. The parking lots are full. We came to be outside but have opted to stay away from the chaos. So far it has been the right decision. While I do not rush after a new bird to add to the Life List, it has happened with ease just walking through the garden here. In fact, there is a Guadeloupe Woodpecker visiting regularly. It is larger, I believe, than the Hairy Woodpeckers that visit my garden. The plumage is a glossy black with a shocking red iridescent breast.
To some, it sounds odd to travel so far to do nothing, but nothing is perfect. As you might recall, our son lives on the island of Grenada and we always enjoy our trips there – the great food, the white sand beaches, and the birds. This trip is different. It feels good just to stop – to feel the wind and the sun on our faces and to listen to these some 290 species of birds. I just wish I could see them and that Merlin had them in their sound ID!!!!!!!!!!
Two lovely young ladies from Paris had grilled fish dinners with us sitting on the sandy beach! Talk about delicious. They even said that Donald was ‘cool’. That sure boosted his ego!!!!!!!!!!
The mantra everywhere is embrace ‘local’. The fish came with either white rice or rice and beans. The ladies have a set menu and the porc ragut and the creole poulet were already gone when we arrived. Just as well. I am not a fish lover and this fish was good!!!!!!!!
The camera is now up and running at the West End nest. Thunder is confirmed as being at the nest. There is another male eagle. Tonight I am waiting for any confirmation about Akecheta.
Visitor at the West End nest with Thunder??? It is very foggy – I can’t tell who is who. This male visitor has two silver bands, one on each leg. As the fog clears, the cam is getting some better images. It would appear that it is not our beloved Akecheta. https://youtu.be/KJN5edaYWXk?
Jak and Audacity have their first egg at Sauces laid on our anniversary 2/2.
Reminders around the Internet that Harriet disappeared two years ago today, too. 2/2/2023. M15 did such an amazing job raising E21 and E22 alone. We were so proud of him. And while we miss Harriet, F23 has proven to be an exceptional mother. We continue to send positive wishes to F23 and M15 as they recover from the loss of E24 and 25 to HPAI. May they live long and have many healthy eaglets in the years to come.
If you missed it, both eggs have now hatched at the E3 nest in the Kistachie National Forest of Alex II and Andria II.
Everything appears to be fabulous with Gabby, Beau, and NE31.
There appears to be a female interested in Jack’s outstanding nest at the Achieva Credit Union in St Petersburg, Florida. Way to woo them, Jack!
They look pretty happy. Lots of nice bark coming. Maybe this is the best nest this platform could ever wish for?????!!!!!!!!!!!
The Royal Cam chick has been switched out for another. RLK does not seem to have enough food for the wee one, so it has been placed with an adult who does. LGL is said to be some 500 km away from the nest, foraging. Send a big shout-out to the fantastic rangers in New Zealand who take such good care in monitoring the needs of these babies and act immediately when help is required. They are incredible.
And then they brought fed chick back to dad! Fantastic. I hope RLK gets to go and eat soon! https://youtu.be/Q85Zm_Iug6Y?
At Captiva on Sunday with Dasher and Dancer.
The GHO at the Pine Island Osprey nest attacked the female in the middle of the night and then stood over the eggs. It is not clear, but it would appear that the eggs are unharmed, but the female osprey might have been injured. I suggest not getting attached to this nest because of the GHO. Think Lake Murray! This owl is just waiting. That is very sad, but it is a reality. Brace yourself and hope for the best.
Harry and Harriet and eagle love in a snowy nest in Michigan. The couple had three eggs and fledged three eaglets in 2024. Looks like a good nest to watch!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. I do not plan to post again until very late Wednesday or Thursday before we fly out.
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, posts, images, videos and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: eBird, OpenVerse, Wings of Whimsy, IWS/Explore, Kisatchie National Forest E3 Bald Eagle Cam, NZ DOC, limn, Window to Wildlife, Pine Island Osprey Cam, NEFL-AEF, Achieva Credit Union, Great Lakes Bald Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, The Guardian
It rained in a rain forest. No surprise there! We meandered into the small area of shops and found a lovely little restaurant overlooking the marina. The food was delicious. The coconut pie was out of this world – the best I have ever eaten and that is saying something coming from the southern US, originally.
Deshaies offers everything we wanted in a break from the Canadian winter. The hummingbirds fill the garden area flitting from flower to flower. There are three or four different types. Then there are Bandicoots, Red Jungle Roosters, hens, and chicks, and today we heard a woodpecker along with many others serenading us that we could not identify and neither could Merlin ID (only 65% of the birds on Guadeloupe are in their identification system). The National Forest is about 50 yards away on one side.
We are enjoying paradise.
The view to the marina.
Mostly fish items – freshly caught but also spaghetti and curry.
The finest coconut pie with homemade ice cream.
I had hoped for relaxation, and that is what we found. The puppy waits for us at the gate or comes running if she hears our voices wanting pets and more pets. Don’t tell The Girls! She has melted our hearts.
The trip is already more than I could ask for in a holiday. My dear husband has managed so well—often better than I did when things got anxious. He is excellent at spotting hummingbirds and helps watch for the roosters, hens, and their chicks on the road. They are everywhere. It almost seems like everyone has them for eggs. The weather has been warm; being outside in a forest melts any woes. It is forest bathing in a way so different from home – and we love it. I feel so privileged to travel and stay in such a serene place. Feeling grateful.
Checking on our bird friends…
There is now a second hatch for Alex II and Andria II at the Kistachie E3 nest in Louisiana. Oh, these bobbleheads are cute and strong! Go and check them out.
CROW has put out a statement answering some Questions and rumours that have been filtering through the airwaves. ( I hope this shows up in its entirety. Please search on CROW FB if it isn’t. Very informative information).
M15 and F23 have both been seen around the Pritchett Property.
The Royal Cam chick is doing quite well under the care of its father, RLK. Ranger Sharyn did a weight check. https://youtu.be/aU4-uKEgY4k?s
E31 is likely to be the most spoiled eaglet in the entire state of Florida this breeding season. Talk about a dad! Beau has embraced fatherhood like he read the manual from Shadow or M15. Gabby did really well. Oh, I know that we growled at Beau at times, but she kept the faith and for good reason.
Two other news items. Tom and Angel have been seen at the nest and Window to Wildlife says that the cam will be turned on soon. Dr Sharpe is also planning to make a trip to the West End to see about the camera and hopefully to have some news of the eagles, Thunder and Akecheta for us.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care! See you in a few days – it could even be Tuesday or earlier if there is news.
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: Kistachie National Forest E3 nest, CROW, NZ DOC, Sharon Dunne, NEFL-AEF, AEF, John Bunker Sands, SK Hideaways, Window to Wildlife, WRDC, The Guardian
