Category Archives: California Eagles

Jack blown off nest…Wednesday in Bird World

10 January 2024

Good Morning,

Oh, that -21 C was a bit brisk yesterday! It was still cold, -15 on Tuesday, but it didn’t seem quite so bitter. The Blue Jays and the Woodpeckers were out feeding alongside the squirrels and the sparrows. It is always reassuring to see them!

The male and female Downy Woodpeckers come and go to the feeder. They are enjoying that hunk of suet. This is the female. I could see the red feathers at the nape of her neck. Looks like a smudge in the image but you can see it, too. 

‘J’ told me that they do not have Blue Jays in Germany. She loves them and I am thrilled that she ‘met’ these amazing Corvids through this blog. ’J’ found a video of a Blue Jay shovelling snow. I have seen the ones in the garden do this same manoeuvre to get to seed.

‘The Boyfriend’ was outside. Seriously. How could you not feed this lovable guy?

Missey was staring at him from the Conservatory table.

An affectionate moment between Missey and Hugo Yugo.

Another adorable face. Yes, she has me wrapped around her tiny, tiny paw.

Calico has signalled it is story time and Baby Hope is getting ready to jump up!

Calico is ready to hear about Pale Male.

If you do not know who Pale Male was, then get your detective hat on! You should be able to find the documentary for free. Thelegendofpalemale.net

Indeed, this is what the two Blue Jays have had to do for a few days in southern Manitoba.

In the UK, Swans ring bells for food!

C10 does seem to get the bulk of the food at the Captiva nest despite not being aggressive (lately) to C11. Regardless, though, both eaglets appear to be doing extremely well.

‘A’ sent in some observations of Captiva – warning some beaking discussion: “CE10 had a large breakfast this morning while little CE11 didn’t manage to get up to the table for quite some time, and when he did, he was ignored by Clive, who at that stage stopped feeding the kids and ate a large meal himself!! However, interestingly, CE11, who at that stage had prime position, CE10 having gone into a food coma, began to attempt to self-feed on the side of the fish Clive was eating. The fish had not been unzipped along that side, so CE11 had to peck through the skin, but there was a distinct dent in the side of the fish by the time he finished (he was quite persistent, continuing to attempt to self-feed for a minute or two, and getting some flakes of fish from the exercise, so it was an excellent first effort – he may need it, as ever since the slightly hungry day three days ago, CE10 has been a little more aggressive in ensuring first position at the feedings and CE11 has become a little less confident. Eventually, though, he generally gets fed, as this nest sees a large number of speckled trout thanks to Clive (he has already brought in a nice very big trout this morning, and of course there were nestovers there already). CE11 did get fed at the second feeding, shortly after 8am, and I’m sure will get plenty to eat later on as well. CE10 woke up with a large crop, which was refilled at the first feeding. CE11 had one too, but crop dropped fairly early on, waiting for some breakfast that didn’t come until the second feeding, and he could have eaten a fair bit more there as well. CE11 does start a lot of the bonking – it is worth noting, though, that CE11 has some avian form of restless legs syndrome. Since the earliest age, little CE11 has been flapping his tiny wings in his sleep. And now, for some reason, CE10 has started objecting to being woken up by CE11’s dreams of flying. Several recent bonking episodes have been started this way, with poor little CE11 getting woken from sleep by an attacking CE10, who has been annoyed by a random wing slap in CE11’s sleep. In one such episode early this morning, CE10 had hold of the front of CE11’s throat and was really twisting and tugging at it. I was quite concerned about the potential damage, given that it was the front of the neck rather than the scruff that was being twisted by a pretty sharp, vicious-looking beak, albeit a relatively small one.”

M15 and F23 prepared for the upcoming storm. Squirrel and fish on the nest to keep E23 well fed and they will hunker down if it gets bad.

There was a beautiful and tender time at the SW Florida nest when M15 joined F23 in feeding their only eaglet, E23.

Here it comes.

I am continuing to track the storm that is hitting Superbeaks harder than at Fort Myers. There is some concern that Muhlady has gone into labour and is laying the first egg of their second clutch. Here is the weather map. It is 1855 in Florida.

This is at Superbeaks.

Muhlady flew off the nest around 17:43.

The wind is blowing hard up at The Hamlet with Gabby incubating as the rain starts. You can hear the howling wind.

Later. The winds have picked up and Gabby is still protecting that egg. The nest tree is really starting to sway.

This is Fort Myers at the same time. It is windy there, too, but the rain has not come. It will be there soon enough but it looks like the bulk of the storm hit the central and NE areas of Florida.

Still rather quiet a few hours later for F23 and E23 in the nest at Ft Myers.

This is Abby at Eagle Country at the same time. The cam focused on the nest tree shows that rain is starting to fall but it does not appear to be too windy yet.

Abby hunkered down but things are a little quieter at Eagle Country.

The winds were blowing hard in the morning at the Achieva Osprey Nest. Jack and Diane had even lined the egg cup with bark and then…the strong winds blew Jack and part of the nest off! Those winds had calmed by evening.  There were no chicks and no eggs and – well, that is sure a relief.

Thanks B. Snyder for capturing that horrific moment.

Cali Condor Jackie and Shadow at the nest. Oh, don’t we love the couple. I really hope they get to raise an eaglet or two this year.

Rotating eagles in the Kisatchie National Forest E1 nest.

At Port Lincoln, both Brad and Gil have had some fish before noon. The supplementary fish yesterday appears not to have been the one on the nest but one that got dropped in the water from the information on the obs board. My error. Apologies. Thanks ‘VS’.

‘A’ sends the report on SE31: ”January 10: No parents were seen on the river early when our watcher was there shortly after 7am. At 8am, SE31 appeared, flying from behind the island to move to River Roost. She may have been eating earlier – hopefully – though not seen. In the attached photo from early in the morning, she is possibly clutching something. At around 2pm, one adult was seen near Goat Island. No more day reports. In the late afternoon, at 5:10pm, one adult was reported at Burns Bay, honking away. The other may possibly have been there as well, and was confirmed shortly after. Then, at 5:30pm, SE31 was seen on the island.”

My addition: Just look at this magnificent sea eagle!

“At Orange, Marri was seen and heard today and Diamond was in and out of the scrape a lot as usual. Time stamps for the day are as follows: BONDING 06.06.36 X arrives for brief bonding RECAP 07.23.46, 15.42.00-15.42.15 Marri heard; Diamond was watching 14:41:16 fly down, 14:41:39 fly up & short scream, 14:49:03 another fly up & short scream; Marri involved?; 14.49.03 (?) Marri fly up; Marri screaming outside until 15:42:19; 17:37:50 Marri heard in the distance, then D flies out. Diamond was most recently back in the scrape around 20:35:28 and left at 20:42.” Thanks, A.

Humans. What can we say? Why would anyone do this?

We are getting closer and closer to the hatch of the Royal cam chick/s. This is what you can expect in the coming days.

There is a book coming out that I am very interested in because I spent much time at Belvoir when I lived in the UK. Simon Curtin has written, If You Build It, He Will Come – about the ospreys return to Belvoir after 200 years. Geemeff says, “In particular, the story of Blue4K, fledged at Rutland in 2013, who found a mate and bred for the first time in 2022 at the late age of nine years old. He was sat-tagged in 2018, and followed by Sacha Dench on the Flight of the Osprey expedition and successfully sighted in his winter home in Dobire, Guinea. The author adds “all my profits from the book will be donated to conservation charities so anything you can do to spread the word will help sell more copies when it is published on 27th February, and raise more money for good works.“ More to come when it is released.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care everyone. Stay safe. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, Geemeff, H, J’, SPO, Our Blue Planet, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, Weather Tracker, Superbeaks, NEFL-AEF, Eagle Country, Achieva Credit Union, B Snyder, FOBBV Cam, Cali Condor, Tonya Irwin, PLO, Bart M, A Place Called Hope, Kakapo Recovery, Ventana Wildlife Society, Simon Curtin, Sea Eagle Cam, and Holly Parsons.

Tuesday in Bird World

9 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It is -21C on the Canadian Prairies. The cold weather has arrived. It was a good day to wake up to hot coffee and warm cardamon rolls out of the oven. LOL. The girls didn’t care! They wanted breakfast and story time before I started my day. Calico now ‘walks’ me out to the conservatory sofa to read. It is too funny. The cats have me fully trained. 

As you know, if you have read my blog over the summer of 2023, a large family of Crows lives in my neighbourhood. They bring their fledglings to the garden to get peanuts and for the bird bath, where they dunk their food and have baths. The numbers have decreased since the end of autumn, and I am worried about them. Today, I was happy, but simultaneously sad, to see a single crow at the corner waiting for another person who feeds birds. I know she specifically feeds the crows, but where are the others?

I have also been reading more about Crows, and if you are interested in the intelligence level of the members of the Corvid family include Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays, I have a book for you! It is called Bird Brains, and it is by Candace Savage. This is the latest edition from 2018. 

I was impressed by the writing that drew me in and made the new findings on this amazing species’ intelligence level relatable. The photographs are top-notch. (Sorry about the glare from the light)

The introduction included mention of anthropomorphism. Put simply it is ascribing human traits to animals. if, however, you study the behaviour of animals, the apologies of individuals such as many on chat for doing just that will more than irk you. 

Savage discusses the ‘ascription of meaningful intelligence to nonhuman creatures’ as problematic. She notes that at a point, scientists and researchers into behaviourist psychology who looked into memory, insights and thoughts stopped looking at nonhumans. Some had been tricked, and she noted that no one wanted to be embarrassed. It paused the subject of knowledge and intelligence…She notes that anyone who dared to state that nonhumans were intelligent was accused of the dreaded anthropomorphism. Savage’s entire book bunks the notion of ‘dumb animals’, stating that humans ‘have a lot invested in keeping animals dumb’ (19). Think about it – humans can treat animals any way they want if they believe they do not feel pain, have feelings, share emotions, solve problems, etc. Savage points to the research of many, including Irene Pepperberg from the University of Arizona, who concludes that Corvids are superbly intelligent, capable of identifying items by name, able to distinguish similarities and differences in objects, as well as ‘capable of acquiring complex vocal and nonvocal behaviours that many scientists believe are co-or prerequisites for referential communications’. Pepperberg, in her research, discovered that Corvids have the same cognitive capacities as primates. Indeed, their superior powers might be higher than primates (18).

If you are interested in avian behaviour and love the Corvid family or want to learn more about the intelligence of our feathered friends, this is an excellent book. It is well-written, wonderfully illustrated, and at a good price point. 

One of my favourite Corvids, the baby Blue Jay from the summer, came to visit the feeder on Monday. Delighted to see it!

The girls are doing great. The plumbers were here again today – they will be finishing up tomorrow – and I could not ask for better behaviour. They all stayed out of the way of any danger!

Missey has a new sleeping spot. It is on top of one of the tallest cabinets – almost touching the ceiling – next to a carved cat on a skateboard that my late friend, Charlie Scott, made. Missey is very smart. What a safe place and out of the way of Calico. They do not always get along. I would say they tolerate one another.

Hugo Yugo and Calico slept on the cat tree together, ignoring the workers who dumped the vanity behind them piled with anything and everything.

I was so delighted when ‘AM’ sent me some beautiful images they had taken of Blake Kites near their home in Japan.

Nature Japan gives us some information on one of the country’s most beautiful raptors: ”The Black Kite or “Tobi” トビ as it is known in Japanese is a common sight in the skies throughout Japan. This raptor is thought to be the world’s most abundant bird of prey. Its numbers are healthy and is under no threat.

This bird can be mainly found in Eurasia, Australasia, Oceania and is a year-round resident here in Japan. You can see this powerful looking bird often soaring in the thermals high above coastal areas, rivers and lakes. I’ve also seen them in farming areas throughout the Kansai region of Japan. They are very graceful flyers that soar with ease and turn with precision.

Male and female Black Kites look very similar and are very opportunistic hunters. They prey upon fish, rodents, and other birds. They are also known to scavenge which is one of the reasons they are so successful a species. I have watched them dive towards the ocean plucking fish from the water and I have also seen them dive-bomb people at highway rest stops trying to steal their rice balls and bento box lunches.” Their only predator is the Eurasian Eagle-owl. “This powerful owl can easily pick off even adult Black Kites and can sometimes be found in northern parts of Hokkaido (common throughout Europe and other parts of Asia).”

Wilde Nature gives us the size variations for these birds of prey: “The Black-eared Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey, measuring about 45–55 centimetres in length with a wingspan of up to 150 centimetres. The distinguishing feature of this subspecies is the black patch of feathers on the sides of the head, located behind the eyes, which gives it its name. Its eyes are dark brown; its bill is short and hooked. The outer wing feathers are black, with dark crossbars and a mottled base. The underparts are pale brown and become lighter towards the chin. The body feathers have a dark shaft, giving it a striped appearance. The corner of the mouth is yellow, but the bill is black. Male and female birds look the same, but females are slightly longer with a larger wingspan.”

Black-eared Kites are opportunistic hunters and feed on various prey such as small mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles. They are often seen soaring high in the air on thermal updrafts, effortlessly gliding while searching for potential prey on the ground.

Thank you ‘AM’ for allowing us to share these beautiful images of the kites.

Look at this beautiful White-tailed Eagle that visited one of Finland’s Osprey (Selli Island) nests on Monday. Gorgeous.

Connie with C10 and C11 today. Note more dandelions are missing! There are pin feathers coming in along the wing tips.

‘A’ comments on these little eaglets: ”Speaking of having enormous appetites, so does CE10, who is absolutely massive in comparison to baby brother CE11. I am still not entirely sure that CE10 has the temperament of a female, but certainly she has the physical characteristics of one. Little CE11 seems to eat his fill most of the time, but she can eat SO much more. Today, both of them had very big crops mid-afternoon (of course CE10’s was larger), and then Connie came in and CE10 was fed the majority of a good-sized speckled trout! CE11 lifted his head from his afternoon nap and initially decided not to bother, but about 20 minutes later, he eventually got up and made his way to the table, by which stage you might have expected CE10 to have long since fallen into a food coma, but no, she was continuing to eat, so that CE11 still had to wait some time to get perhaps a dozen mouthfuls out of the entire fish. CE11 is definitely getting enough to eat, but CE10 is bottomless. She is making no specific effort to prevent CE11 from eating, and has not really done so at any point in their development. She eats and eats and eats, while CE11 is a confident eater but not a pushy eaglet at the table. Occasionally, when big sibling is asleep, CE11 gets a quiet private feeding, usually from Connie, but the size differential continues to grow between the two eaglets. Fortunately, there has been no real food shortage (except one day where there was an inkling of ‘hungry’ experienced on the nest). The bonking has been minimal throughout (and instigated often by CE11, who has been prepared to look his older sibling in the eye from an early age, despite the inevitable results). “

‘J’ has a reminder: Today is also Connick’s first birthday. Connie and Clive’s 2023 hatch will be the Ambassador at the Smithsonian. Maybe you will be able to travel to see him!

Changing before our eyes. Thanks for the close-ups, cam op.

Faxinating caught the whole fish drop to F23 for her and E23 today – we all cheer when the Dad doesn’t eat the head, but we also cringe when the fish flops everywhere. Not to cause alarm, but these live fish have killed eaglets and Osplets. (more on SW Florida below)

Tonya Irwin reports on the action at the Kistachie National Forest E1 nest that Louis shared with his late mate, Anna.

Not a lot of action at the nest of Beau and Gabby. I really hope Gabby is getting to eat enough. It looks like Beau is busy with the defence of their territory.

All is well with M15, F23, and E23 at the SW Florida Eagle nest after the earlier fish delivery. Dad stopped in before bedtime to feed the cutie pie some fish.

The Great Horned Owls are nesting at the Hilton Head nest it seems.

On their social media page, the Hilton Head Island Land Trust posted a short video of the male bringing prey and being in the nest with the female. You can see the two eggs.

Meanwhile at the nest of Bonnie and Clyde on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas, it is snowing. No sign of the owls.

Just northeast of Kansas, in Iowa, the snow is coming down in Decorah, home to the Decorah North Bald Eagle family as well as the Hatchery Bald Eagle Family.

Snow was also coming down on the Denton Home Nest.

Baiba caught Blazer going after a squirrel coming up to the Eagle Country nest where he is incubating his and Abby’s eggs.

At Port Lincoln, Gil got himself a really nice fish off the nest. This is not just any fish – this is a delivery by the fish fairy at 0938.

The lads have been fighting for the fish and today Gil was the clear winner until…

Mum came in with a really large fish at 1344. The lads struggled. Gil had a nice crop – come on, Gil. Let Brad eat! Brad was hungry and got that fish and really enjoyed it. Well done, Brad.

‘A’ sends the report for the WBSE: “January 9: Early this morning, just one eagle was spotted at the river, moving between roosts. Just before 9am, SE31 was finally seen soaring high above the wetlands and the river. Then, at 9:15am, she was at River Roost with Lady, both flying back and forth a bit. At 9:20am, SE31 took flight, followed by Lady, up high, circling then off over Homebush Bay. Neither had returned at 10:15am. Just after 12 noon, SE31 was seen at River Roost, but no parents. But then we heard that at 11:06am, she had been seen catching a fish shortly after returning from her flight with Lady. At 4:30pm, one adult was seen at River Roost, and it then flew off to the west. Shortly after, at 5pm, both adults were spotted on the island, then SE31 was seen there as well.” 

BirdGuides review of the week for the UK, including some unusual finds.

Review-of-the-Week-2-7-January-2024-BirdGuidesDownload

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretative Centre is closed for renovations, but they have some online events for people living in my province. Want to know where to go birding? Check this virtual information session on the 14th of January from 1300-1400.

Virtual-Birding-Hour-Where-to-Find-Birds-in-Manitoba-Oak-Hammock-MarshDownload

Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care everyone. See you soon.

I would like to thank the following who also helped me with my blog today: ’A, AM, J’, Nature Japan, Wilde Nature, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Window to Wildlife, Faxinating, Tonya Irwin, Carol Shores Rifkin, Hilton Head Island Trust, Farmer Derek, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Denton Homes, Baiba, PLO, Bart M, Eagle Cam, Bird Guides, and Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Centre.

Monday in Bird World

8 January 2023

Hello Everyone,

We hope you had a wonderful weekend, could breathe in fresh air, and maybe hear birds. I was at the nature centre on Friday and Sunday – the air was crisp, and there were Nuthatches, Chickadees, Woodpeckers, and a few Sparrows. And, of course, lots of squirrels – Red and Grey – running everywhere. Temperatures went down to -14 C Saturday afternoon.

The girls kept me on my toes at all other times!

Hope listens to the story about Red-tails in Love (about Pale Male in Central Park) from the top of the chair.

Missey was listening to story time from the top of the tansu or Japanese step chest.

Hugo Yugo and Hope were playing in the twinkle tree.

Afterwards, someone got a good washing from their Mamma! Hope follows Mamma Calico around and copies everything she does, including stretching out her back right leg when she gets up. It makes my heart skip a beat seeing them together and not worrying about them being out in the cold snow.

The news from Bird World is rather thin this Monday. There’s not a lot of drama as compared to December. Maybe this is a good thing!

‘A’s continued news of WBSE31 brings us all great joy: ”

It’s watching her soaring high in the sky that brings tears to my eyes. She seems to be doing so very well, and hearing of her first observed fish catch last week was just brilliant. I cannot imagine how Lady and Dad feel about all this – I suppose it’s just natural for them, but it’s a new experience, and they seem to be continuing to take good care of their girl. That, too, makes me so very happy, though of course we cannot know what it does mean to them. 

Here is today’s report – there’s been a lot of rain in southeastern Australia over the past week or ten days, so most birds are keeping dry and the fishing would have been difficult I suspect. 

January 8: Our early watcher reported one adult and the juvenile nearby on River Roost at 7:30am – then again later. A quiet morning. Both moved a little between roosts, but there was no hunting or feeding seen. Some light rain. Around 3:30pm, SE31 was on Mangrove Island but there were no adults in sight. A quiet day. The picture of SE31 in flight is from yesterday . A gull is “yelling” at her in protest as she passes.

Isn’t she just glorious? Look at that wingspan. And look at that gull – so close to her, harassing her. Whether it’s crows, currawongs or sea gulls, there are always smaller birds accompanying her when she flies, and she has simply learned to ignore the irritating little buggers. That’s a huge relief, knowing that she is above it all and can handle their presence.” 

Deb Stecyk, a fellow Canadian that used to work with the Dave Hancock Wildlife Foundation, wrote a summary of the events at the NCTC nest of Bella and Smitty.

“The post season was going well for Bella and Smitty, both looked well rested after a busy nesting season. Jefferson had been gone for a couple of months and the adults were spending time on restorations and getting the nest ready for winter. Things were good at the NCTC nest. 

Unfortunately, on Sept 22 Smitty went missing for an extended period of time, which brought various young males to the nest. There was fierce competition for this nest, which was common at this nest. The NCTC eagles have a long history of defending the nest from intruders. The area is rich in resources with the nearby Potomac River and forested area, attracting lots of attention from other eagles. The first floater/intruder male showed up on September 23. The intruder was the first of many that showed up at the nest. Bella and Smitty did their best to defend their territory but Smitty’s extended absence created an opening for other males. Smitty did return for brief periods in October and November and on one occasion he returned with what looked like blood stains on the left side of his face. It looked like Smitty had been in a fight with another eagle. There were four or five different males that visited during the fall all demonstrating interest in Bella and this nest. Sadly, Smitty was absent for weeks and/or days at a time providing the opportunity for displacement. We do not know what happened to Smitty it is a question that will stay with us for a long time. We assume he was injured and that is why he could not return to his Lady Bella.

After a few months one male stood out and his persistence paid off with Bella accepting him as her new mate. The new young male was later named Scout. Scout is recognized and identified by a patch of dark feathers at the back of his head. Based on plumage we think he is about 5 years old. The patch of dark feathers blends in with his mostly white head feathers. Eventually those dark feathers will be “flushed” out and replaced with white feathers. 

Our hearts continue to miss Smitty, we watched him grow and mature over 13 seasons. There were many firsts at this nest as Smitty grew and matured into a handsome mate. A loving and devoted partner to Belle (2011 to 2018) and Bella (2018 to 2023), and an amazing loving Dad to his eaglets. Smitty you are forever etched in our hearts 💔 Thanks for the memories Smitty you are missed!

As the nesting season approaches we keep our fingers crossed that Bella and Scout will have a successful nesting season. Many firsts are once again underway for this new young male, which rings so many bells for those cherished past seasons with Smitty. It truly is bittersweet …. it’s the life cycle after all  💔❤️😢

+ many photos

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1690426617860075/?mibextid=HsNCOg

Thanks, Deb, for that great report. Smitty is seriously missed, but we hope that Bella thrives with her new mate.

Some do not think that the eaglets are so cute when they have their Mohawks, when only a few dandelions are left on top of the grey thermal down, and when their feet and beaks seem to be disproportionately large – but, gosh, aren’t they gorgeous?

Jackie and Shadow are working in earnest on their nest in the Big Bear Valley. I wonder if we might be expecting eggs later this month?

Beautiful Gabby. Looking for Beau. Needs a Break. She has, save for a period of less than three hours, single-handedly incubated her precious second egg. How much has she eaten? How could she hunt in the short time she is off the nest? Is Beau stashing prey for her? If the egg hatches, will he help her? Too many questions.

Seriously. Too cute.

The egg tooth that E23 chipped out of the shell is still there. Soon – as the fuzzy natal down gives way to the thermal down – it will disappear.

A post showing the change in E23. How quickly we forget. Happy one week birthday.

An eagle in the trees at the Decorah Hatchery nest. Is snow on its way to Iowa?

At Port Lincoln, Dad came in with a fish at 0718. Brad took that one. Gil took the fish from Mum at 0948. Those were the only fish delivered to the nest up to 1400. The pair are on the nest at 1414 wishing and hoping.

At Orange, beautiful Diamond has been in the scrape sleeping on the Cilla Stones and looking out at her domain.

‘A’ adds: “At Orange, there has also been a lot of rain – Diamond came into the scrape today absolutely sodden and headed for her Cilla Stones. Marri was seen flying past the scrape this afternoon at 15:51:32 and was heard, squeeing very loudly, seconds beforehand, and again for several minutes from 20:37:39. There was also a gorgeous bonding session between Xavier and Diamond at 06:32 this morning. So all appears to be well for our girl at Orange and her wonderful parents. “

“Finally, at Taiaroa Head, the first hatch is approaching and ranger Sharyn Broni has given a little blurb on what to expect. 

‘We are now 10 days away from visual checks of LGK and LGL’s egg at Top Flat. When hatching begins, the developing embryo moves into the air cell of the egg. Sometimes, sounds like scrunching can be heard as the membranes are broken through. There may even be a chick call. When the shell has a crack or pip in it for the beginning of hatching, we will remove it to the incubator. We hold the parents on the nest with a dummy egg until the chick has hatched. The nest will be sprayed with Avian Insect Liquidator* to ensure that flies are not living in the nest when the chick is returned.’

The live streaming camera for Milda, the White-tailed Eagle from Durbe County in Latvia is now operational. There could be eggs the end of March! Fingers crossed. Milda and her mate Voldis fledged two eaglets in 2023.

The decline of birds of prey, including vultures, in Africa could lead to human deaths. Why? Have a read.

Birds-of-prey-in-Africa-experiencing-population-collapse-study-finds-Endangered-species-The-GuaDownload

Introducing the Gray Partridge and their winter feeding habits.

Gray-Partridge-Audubon-Field-GuideDownload

Do you travel to Aruba? Here is a reintroduction story and a reminder to be mindful when seeing birds in the wild.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us again soon.

Thank you to the following for their posts, videos, streaming cams, and articles that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’A, J’, Deb Stecyk, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, BaiBai, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Laura Davis Nelson, Explore, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Biruta Lap, Aruba National Park Foundation, NZ DOC, The Guardian, and Audubon.

Sunday in Bird World

7 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It was a sunny day albeit a little cooler today and the temperatures will be slowly dropping to the inevitable -27 or more C at the end of next week. There was a nice dusting of snow and if I had a wish it would be that we had a huge blizzard that stopped everything for a day. Snow is a good thing and we need it.

The girls had story time, and everyone was off in their little hiding spot, having a long afternoon nap. As it gets colder outside, Calico and Missey are sleeping more. Today, Hope and Hugo were piled in together. They tend to come out for several good romps now and then. Couldn’t live without them!

Hugo Yugo only ‘stops’ when she is asleep. 

If Calico is by the end of the sofa, then you can bet that Missey is under it. It is hard to determine which one is afraid of the other. They seem to take turns. It is, of course, ridiculous – just like all that beaking or bonking by the little raptors. Lots of food, love, cat trees, perches and one thinks they have to be the boss. Can you hear me growling? Of course, Hugo Yugo is going to come flying through and scare the wits out of Calico. Go figure.

Calico is doing pretty good on her weight loss programme. When spring comes – hoping for snow but wanting winter to end in March and not May – Calico will have a padded halter and we are going to go for some walkies. 

Another really good report coming about SE31: ”January 7: SE31 was seen early flying from behind to her favourite branch on the island, in the morning sun. Then at around 9am, she went for a long flight to the south, over the Sydney Olympic Park area, for about 20 minutes – exploring further each day. As always, she is escorted by chasers like ravens – the lot of a raptor. Later in the afternoon, at 6pm, she was on her favourite perch on Mangrove Island, with no adults seen. Then she took off again, towards Juvie Roost and out of sight from our observer at the boat ramp.” Thanks, ‘a’.

‘A’ reports on the falcons At Orange, “there was a late afternoon bonding session at 17:55:08. Marri was not seen or heard today (or yesterday). The last time she was positively identified was on 5 January, when she was seen and heard flying past the scrape. Of course, the same applies to Marri as to SE31 – the longer they are out there, the more invested we become in their longer-term survival. So with two days since Marri was last seen, we start to worry (at least, I do). There has been so much rain in southeastern Australia over the past couple of weeks, and there have also been storms at Orange, I believe. As I type, beautiful Diamond is preening on her ledge, preparing for bedtime.”

At SW Florida, F23 is finishing up the remnants of the Armoured Catfish and feeding E23.

M15 joins them while F23 eats some fish. Is M15 on alert?

This is one strong eaglet. At only six days old, E23 is out of the nest bowl!

Connie and Clive protect C10 and C11 amidst a big storm that hit the Barrier Islands on Saturday.

That storm hit the Eagle Country nest of Abby and Blazer, too.

It got rainy at Port Lincoln, too. Brad and Gil are soaked. Mum delivered a breakfast fish at 0733 but Gil dropped it. Mum retrieved it and took it to the old barge to eat all by herself. Good lesson!

There will be a total of five fish brought to the nest.

It is getting windy up near Jacksonville at Gabby’s nest with V3.

The second egg which Gabby is incubating was laid on the 23rd of December. Looking for a pip around the 27th of January at 35 days?

What the AEF mod at the NEFL Eagle cam said today re Samson: “RaptorLvr_AEF​Samson has not been seen or found. He was by all accounts healthy when he disappeared. However, since they were so close to egg laying, we think something prevented him from returning to the nest.” More comments followed. ”RaptorLvr_AEF Samson and Gabby were a strong bonded pair with 3 successful clutches – very unlikely he would decide to abandon his nest.RaptorLvr_AEF ​While we never saw any other eagles in the area prior to Samson’s disappearance, eagles did show up within a day or so. They could have been out there out of cam view and we don’t know what went on.”

Guardian is at the Redding nest in California he shares with Liberty – restorations are being made. Wishing these two a much better year in 2024.

I want to go back to Anna and Andria for a moment. We will never know for certain what happened to Anna. It is a shame that Cody and Steve went to so much trouble to retrieve her – first to get help for her and second, to find out why she died – and she was incinerated and the cause will not be known. As ‘H’ reminds me – it isn’t for us, it is for the area. Is there something there. ’M’ is involved in veterinary medicine and is a technician. This is their thoughts on what MIGHT have happened to Anna. ”I thought the bird named Anna wasn’t acting like she had avian influenza. I think she was either poisoned with a metal like lead, etc. or had a neurologic disease like Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy (AVM). It affects water birds as well as raptors, including the bald eagle. It was first documented in eagles and American coots in Arkansas in 1994. In the field, affected raptors have difficulty landing on perches and will fly into objects. It is believed to be caused by a toxin produced by a cyanobacterium (a blue-green alga). This bacter–ium grows well on aquatic plants such as Hydrilla verticillata. Eagles become affected after consuming water birds, especially coots, which have fed on this plant. I noticed someone in chat at the nest cam said a coot was brought to the nest and consumed. This disease is often observed during the fall and winter months on or near water bodies with invasive aquatic vegetation. The only way to positively confirm AVM is by examining the brain for the presence of the characteristic vacuoles in the myelin sheath of the brain.”  

Tiger Mozone says it is 70 days til the Ospreys arrive in the UK. We are on the countdown.

Raptor Persecution continues in the UK. I will be so joyful on the day that I can quit posting these monstrous intentional injuries and killings.

Buzzard-suffers-shotgun-injuries-in-Essex-–-the-8th-known-raptor-persecution-victim-in-this-county-iDownload

Translocation Project of Black-footed Albatross to try and stop their extinction.

A recent good book has arrived. The Backyard Birdwatcher’s Bible. 413 pages with illustrations that include gorgeous photographs, textiles with birds, drawings by Audubon amongst others, maps, diagrams. There is the Introduction which includes good tips on how to use the book to its full advantage along with an excellent glossary. Four chapters include Chapter One that discusses the origins of birds, various specie profiles along with feeding and attracting birds to your garden. Chapter Two says it is for beginners but it is full of detailed information from egg to fledge, migration, conservation, the history of bird watching. Chapter Three is specifically on how to attract birds including creating a bird-friendly back yard, making a bird bath, a bird cafe, nesting boxes, etc. Chapter Four is all about birds and their history in art, painting, sculpture, photography, design, and craft. At the end is a long list of additional resources and further reading. It is hefty and would be a welcome addition to anyone’s library.

I have to say that I am particularly impressed by the variety of illustrations that include the females. They are often difficult to identify in the garden because some books do not even acknowledge them. The information is concise and accurate with some fun things to try to bring birds into your life.

Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care. We hope to see you again soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’A, H, M’, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, Window to Wildlife, Gracie Shepherd, Eagle Country, SK Hideaways, PLO, Bart M, NEFL-AEF, Carol Shores Rifkin, FORE, Raptor Persecution UK, Holly Parsons, Amazon, and The Backyard Birdwatcher’s Bible.

Moorings Park is up and running…Saturday in Bird World

6 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that the start to your weekend is a good one!

It was only -5 on Friday at the nature centre. It was a really good day for a walk. The Chickadees, the squirrels, and the woodpeckers were all out looking for food and enjoying the mild weather before – next week – when it is forecast to be -29 C. There were so many going for walks today. Happy. They were smiling and taking photographs. Sometimes, when it is frigid, we don’t want to get outside! So Friday was a good opportunity to walk in and have that quiet, peaceful time in the woods. Nature is healing.

Not a great shot of the woodpecker upside down at the feeder.

Snowshoes. The Ontario Heritage Trust gives us a good history of the snowshoe in Canada: ”Snowshoes are a practical mode of winter transportation, and they are also a symbol of practical ingenuity representing thousands of years of cultural history and adaptation to the country’s snowy winters. It is believed that snowshoes arrived in Canada during ancient migrations at least 10,000 years ago from eastern Siberia over the Bering Strait. In 1608, Samuel de Champlain provided the first written account of the First Nations using snowshoes to walk across the deep winter snow. Recognizing their value, Europeans used snowshoes for hunting and trapping, and for exploring the rugged landscape. In the mid-1800s, snowshoeing became a popular recreational activity, with clubs meeting for hikes and competitive races.”

The girls are fantastic. Every day – many times a day – I profess my great astonishment that these four girls are safe and sound. They bring me such happiness I cannot imagine life without them.

Today, my daughter sent me an article form the local news. Apparently feeding stray cats is illegal in my city. Well, who would have known? If I had not been feeding strays, I would not have Calico or Hope and the Boyfriend would be thin. My entire neighbourhood would be fined. Now how ridiculous is that? It seems that someone has thought so too so there is a move to strike that law and allow people to care for these needy animals. The girls and I intend to write in support of lifting the law that prohibits the feeding of feral cats.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-considers-allowing-care-for-feral-cats-1.7074944

Missey is rather ‘wild’ looking. ’J’ thinks she comes from a magical forest full of unicorns. I could not agree more. She is now 22 lbs. and is 16 months old.

Storytime and Baby Hugo decides which of the treats everyone is going to receive.

Calico listening to a chapter about the establishment of The Ramble in Central Park and all the birds that migrate there twice a year.

After story time, Baby Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope wrestle and run.

Hugo Yugo knows that Baby Hope is hiding under the tablecloth, ready to pounce.

There would not have been enough fines in the world to get me to stop feeding Calico — and I am so glad that someone rescued Missey and took her as a week-old kitten to the Humane Society – and that some kind heart took pity on Baby Hugo Yugo’s mother and brought her in to have her 7 kittens safely. These four beautiful souls are what rescue is all about. 

There is not a lot of action in Bird World. In some ways this has turned out brilliantly for all of us as we can enjoy three little eaglets – both clutches at such different stages of development – without having to spend much time decided on which streaming cam to watch.

There is much relief at watching the SW Florida nest – no bonking! Just one very special little eaglet who has the complete attention of its parents – the super dad M15 and his new mate F23.

E23 is an eating machine…and F23 and M15 are fantastic parents. Food coma after a great feeding from Dad!

The variety of food coming to the SW Florida nest this year is quite incredible. Today it was an Armoured Catfish – but there has been rabbit, egret, fish. F23 is very grateful for the fish!

A nest full of fish and eaglets looking out to a beautiful world at Captiva.

My goodness the nest was really rocking for Rose at the WRDC Bald Eagle nest in Dade County. Thinking pip in a week?

It is always a good day when Jackie and Shadow are in the nest at Big Bear.

At Port Lincoln, it is wet. Bradley took the first fish delivery from Mum. Giliath had to wait for food today until dad brought in a headless fish at 18:09.  He ate the entire thing in 15 minutes. 

Look at Gil’s tracking! We all wish Brad could have had that extra tracker. It would have been fantastic to compare the two brothers.

At Orange: ”At Orange, Marri was seen and heard flying past the scrape yesterday (5 January). Diamond and Xavier had two bonding sessions this morning (05:39:30 and 07:24:45). Diamond spent a lot of the day surveying her territory from the ledge of the scrape.”

WBSE news of 5 January: “SE31 appeared from River Roost at 6:40am, then flew to the island. She flew around the bay then, just before 7am, attempted to catch a fish, with a splash. Shortly after, she was not eating, so must have missed (or dropped it). Neither parent was seen earlier, but at 7:45am, one adult was seen at River Roost with SE31, who was whining continually for food. Around 11am, we saw SE31 soaring way up high and one adult on River Roost. Then, at around 12:05pm, the juvenile returned, past the adult and into the mangroves below the adult. Lady took off from River Roost, then the other adult appeared from behind the island. Both then set off, hunting hopefully, at 12:22pm. We did not see SE31 or either adult when we left at around 1:30pm. Then, at around 5pm, SE31 was seen again, and set off on a long flight, over the river to Homebush Bay and over Meadowbank, then back to more familiar territory.”

The latest news from WBSE: ”January 6: Early in the morning, our observer reported one adult and  the juvenile upstream of River Roost. Being Saturday, river traffic was very noisy. They were still there some time later. Then, at around 12:30pm, one adult was seen flying with a big fish, followed by an eager SE31. Around 40 minutes later, SE31 was seen sitting on a low branch on the island – had she eaten? Later in the afternoon, after a very hot day, none of the eagles could be seen from the boat ramp. Plenty of fish were jumping – come on SE31! “ Thanks, ‘A’.

At the Royal Albatross Colony near Dunedin, New Zealand:

Now this is the kind of news we want to read.

Oh, oh, oh. Moorings Park Ospreys are live!!!!!!!! Didn’t we have a great year last year with Harry and Sally. Look who is home. Oh, talk about a fluttering heart.

It is time to have some fun with some of those strange ‘bird terms’….Gorget, anyone?

Birdword-An-Illustrated-Guide-to-Some-Tongue-Twisting-Ornithological-Terms-All-About-Birds-All-AbDownload

How can we help our urban birds? An article in the latest Living Bird Magazine from Cornell Bird Lab has some answers.

A-Fifth-of-All-Bird-Species-Occur-in-Cities.-Could-Urban-Living-Be-Made-Easier-All-About-Birds-AlDownload

Results of the Christmas Bird Count in Canada. Now, please make sure that you join Cornell and other groups for the Big Bird Day coming up in February. I will remind you again and again of the date as it approaches. All of this helps us understand what species are in decline, which are flourishing, and where. Then, we can ask why.

The-123rd-Christmas-Bird-Count-in-Canada-AudubonDownload

If you live near Threave, you might want to join in the fun! This sounds like a great experience…wish I was in Scotland.

Two more book reviews coming for Sunday, 7 January.

Thank you so much for being with me today. We should have a few more eaglets in a week and hopefully some more eggs. We are looking for hatches at the WRDC and Berry College. Take care all. We hope to see you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me write my blog today: ’A, H, J’, SK Hideaways, Vija, Window to Wildlife, Jenna Dorsey, WRDC, FOBBV, PLO, Bart M, Sea Eagle Cam, Ron Young, Fran Solly, Moorings Park, Living Bird Magazine, Audubon, and the National Trust for Scotland.

Bird Flu in Polar Bears…Friday in Bird World

5 January 2024

Good Morning,

Hugo Yugo went to the vet on Thursday and she had an excellent report. Not a single problem and she is now a good weight for her age and she is getting some adult teeth. Vet Kate thinks she is going to be a super small kitten. It was nice to see Hugo Yugo with lots of energy while she was at the clinic – she is awesome.

Wrestling in the conservatory with Hope. Look at Calico’s face. She is so glad not to be a part of this action.

The plumbers were here all day. They are terrific and got all new drains and vents and a new WC installed, etc. Hugo found a pile of old towels destined for the clinic and she snuggled in. I think the vaccinations made her a little tired. All of the cats were so good. They were sequestered so as not to get outside and the best of the lot were Calico and Hope. Missey and Hugo Yugo were their curious selves. Hugo Yugo is getting nice little ginger tufts of fur on the tips of her ears.

All had a special late dinner to thank them for being so patient during the plumbing ordeal.

You need to be part of the Big Bird Count. Go to the Cornell Lab or Audubon and sign up! We need accurate counts of birds in winter to help understand declines and increases in populations. Thank you!

Looks like M15 brought in an Egret for lunch after the family had finished the rabbit.

Here is that Egret delivery by Faxinating.

F23 catches her own fish and brings it to the nest. M15 removes the Egret carcass. E23 is doing fantastic.

From the behaviour, it sure looks like C10 is a female at Captiva. She still rears her long neck and head and C11 still plummets down on occasion. Little male?

Gabby is on territorial protection duty it seems. Gabby is doing all the incubating as far as I can tell on Thursday.

Ravens and Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear. Video of the busy day at the nest at the end.

Looks like Mum at Pittsburgh-Hayes.

At Port Lincoln, Brad found some leftover fish in the nest and had a nice breakfast. Gil was not bothered.

They see Dad.

The day so far at Port Lincoln. 

‘A’ sends us good news from the Parramatta River. We can all sleep easy. SE31 is really catching fish and providing for herself. It really is OK to sit there and cry your eyes out. We have been waiting for years to see this miracle happen.

Here is the latest: “January 4: The first report of our juvenile today was just after 7am, flying into Juvenile Roost. Then at 9am, she was seen catching a fish, then eating it. Wonderful sighting. At around 10:30am, she took to the air, joining an adult circling above, higher and higher and over Ermington. Then back again when a parent, we think Lady, brought in an even bigger fish – with the young one squeeing eagerly when going to take it from the adult. SE31 has eaten well today. Our juvenile is growing and gaining in experience, flying and soaring strongly, and now has been observed catching her own fish. Late in the evening, both adults were seen at Goat Island.”

The video of WBSE31 catching a fish!

‘A’ also reports: ”Thought you would want to know that BOK came in today (4 January) to relieve WYL. Such a relief to all. I am not sure whether they will replace the dummy egg with the real one again now – I presume they will.”

Diamond looking out as a falcon flies down from the tower. You can see them if you squint! (light grey form half way down Diamond’s chest in green area).

BirdGuides Review of the week:

Review-of-the-Week-18-December-2023-1-January-2024-BirdGuidesDownload

If you have cried over the plight of the Manatees in Florida, a new report is giving hope. Not raptors but I know many of you are concerned. We will take all the good news we can get the beginning of 2024!

Seagrass-resurgence-offers-ray-of-hope-for-Floridas-hard-hit-manatees-Marine-life-The-Guardian-1Download

Some good news I you are not a fan of wind turbines killing our birds.

“In Petit-Pressigny, in South Touraine, the PROJECT FOR EIGHT WIND TURBINE MASTS WAS REJECTED by the Versailles administrative court of appeal DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF A BLACK STORK’S NEST NEARBY.”

We close on a bit of a sad and confusing/conflicting note.  Anna’s body should not have been incinerated without being signed off. Also it only takes 2-3 days to get the HPAI rush results so what is going on? The author is right to be frustrated…good gracious. 

Bird Flu has now been detected in a Polar Bear. 

First-Case-of-Lethal-Bird-Flu-in-Polar-Bears-Reported-in-Alaska-The-New-York-TimesDownload

On the plus side – we will soon be on pip watch for Dade County with Ron and Rose and Berry College with Pa and Missey! ’H’ reports that Superbeaks looks promising for a second clutch. Fingers crossed.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. We look forward to having you with us again soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J’, Cornell Bird Lab, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Faxinating, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, FOBBV, Baibai, PIX Cams, PLO, Bart M, Eagle Cam, NZ DOC, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Bird Guides, and The Guardian.

Thursday in Bird World

4 January 2023

Good Morning,

It is almost the last of the warm weather. We are beginning to dip. It is -12 C. Next week the forecast is for -23 on Friday. I know you will be wondering how on earth we stay warm, but we do! Insulated houses, jackets, boots, warm mitts/gloves, warm hats, triple pane windows, etc. It is, of course, bloody cold! And I tend to find it much nicer to have lots of story times with the girls than go out. 

As I am writing this, Hope and Hugo are chasing one another all over the place. They are the best of playmates. When you look remember that both were the kittens of strays. Baby Hope, the Calico, was born on 2 July 2023 and Hugo Yugo was born on 2 September 2023. There is only two months separating them. Hope is almost as big as her mother. Hugo is very, very tiny. You can see this better in the second image. Still, Hugo Yugo is not afraid of anything and she loves nothing better than a play fight and tumble with Missey or Hope.

Hope likes to pose. She is so beautiful.

Precious Mamma.

Awhile ago I played with names. Never did change her name from Hugo because she was a girl but I have found myself calling her Hugo Yugo and she comes running even when she is busy in the twinkle tree when she hears it. 

You can get an idea of how tiny Hugo Yugo is from comparing her head to the ornament below her. 

We don’t have any new snow but Baibai caught the first snow for Jackie and Shadow on Wednesday. It is so beautiful.

The eaglets are eating, sleeping, and growing at Captiva. They are really at that ‘awkward’ moment, but so cute with those full crops. ‘Oh, just have one more bite!”

Beau did not completely bury the second egg when he was incubating and aerating. Beau will learn – he is learning. Gabby is back on deck.

Here is a video of that three hour incubation shift.

There is what all the fuss is about in Fort Myers! That little fuzzy cutie-pie of an eaglet of M15 and F23—-E23. They are finishing up that rabbit on Wednesday. This chick and its first time Mum have no idea how lucky they are…’Harriet-trained M15′ as a dad and partner. Wow.

M15 feeding F23.

M15 feeding his only eaglet.

Dad and the new female at the ND-LEEF have that nest that collapsed when Little Bit ND17 went overboard in tip top shape for a new season. They are north so the eggs will come later than the ones in Florida and the other parts of the south.

The female at Duke Farms is working with the new male on their nest. There are a lot of new pairs this year, did you realise this?

Pepe and Muhlady have a beautiful nest. Will there be a second clutch?

Abby and Blaze continue incubation at Eagle Country.

Liberty is so gorgeous in the sun at the Redding nest she shares with Guardian.

Some action at the NCTC nest of Bella and Scout.

It was a good day for Gil and Brad at Port Lincoln and that was just up to early afternoon!

One of my favourite Osprey couples is Blue 33 and Maya at Rutland Water. Blue 33 is Maya’s second partner. She how now broken Osprey history at Rutland by fledgling 37 chicks. Her and Blue 33 are considered to be a Super Couple because they have also successfully raised several clutches of four!

Annie and Lou were not impressed when humans entered ‘their’ territory.

Because I see the rivalry at my bird feeders, this article coming out of Audubon on the birds that win at getting seed turned out to be very interesting. I think you will be surprised, too.

Who-Wins-the-Feeder-War-AudubonDownload

Did you know?

The Midway Atoll has some hatches.

A study to determine if painting a wind turbine blade black will help stop bird deaths.

Can-Black-Paint-Help-Birds-Avoid-Wind-Turbines-AudubonDownload

Of course, there can sometimes just be too many studies and not enough action. A Norwegian study from four years ago -.

Paint-it-black-Efficacy-of-increased-wind-turbine-rotor-blade-visibility-to-reduce-avian-fatalitiesDownload

Iberdrola is already undertaking this action because of previous research.

Iberdrola-is-painting-wind-turbine-blades-black-and-applying-vinyl-shapes-resembling-eyes-to-protectDownload

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’A, H, J’, Baibai, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, ND-LEEF, Duke Farms, Superbeaks, Eagle Country, NCTC, Meredith Gertz, PLO, Bart M, Rutland Osprey Project, SK Hideaways, Audubon, Projeto Albatros, USFWS, Wiley Online Library, and Iberdrola.

Pip at SW Florida…Thursday in Bird World

28 December 2023

Good Morning!

We are so happy to have you with us today! You will have a wonderful walk through memory lane on 1 January when the list of events that brought happiness to my readers is revealed. Your notes have brought tears to my cheeks and made me laugh – and remember things I had forgotten. You still have time for those who have not sent in what moved them in 2023. You can send me 1 or 4 (or more) moments during Bird World in 2023 that were so moving and meaningful. Please do so by late 31 December so I can compile them for New Year’s morning. I think you are going to be surprised in some cases -. You can send them as a comment or if you want to keep your list secret, send it to my e-mail: maryannsteggles@icloud.com    Thanks so much!

Oh, I can tell you these girls must had some party Tuesday night! When I woke up Wednesday morning, there were toys everywhere. The chewy dental sticks were torn apart, and half of the ornaments on the twinkling tree were scattered about the floor. Interactive toys were upside down, and a small box of mince pieces that had been on the coffee table was on the floor. 

I don’t think it was Calico. 

I suspect that it was Baby Hope and Hugo! As I write this, I hear them tearing around, finding something else to get into. Hugo was incredibly tired most of the day, as was Hope.

Baby Hope wound up with a winky after all that fun.

Missey is always an ‘angel’. 

Now on to Bird World…

Well, the rumour that there was a pip at SW Florida was just wishful thinking and then it wasn’t…there is a definite pip in one of those eggs Wednesday night.

Here is the video of the pip.

Wet morning at SW Florida. F23 not giving us any hints.

If you did tune in to the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive and could not see C10 and C11 – they did not fall out of the nest. Connie buried them! ’H’ sent me a note to warn me. 

The mods think it is so the nesting material could dry out a bit. Great idea on the part of the eagles if that is the case – it will keep those kids form getting a chill in a damp nest.

That could have given someone a heart attack!

Everything turned out fine.

It was a bit breezy at Port Lincoln today. Sure going to miss these two. What a fantastic year it has been and it was all done to the fortitude of Janet, Bazz, and Fran to supply the fish for the family to see them through to fledge. It made all the difference in the world. I hope they go to sleep at night with a smile on their face! They certainly deserve it.

Dad was in with a small fish at 0813 and Brad got it! Way to go – we don’t need to worry about you anymore. You got this.

Bradley is certainly a looker.

Well, way to go Bradley. Mum came in with a nice fish at 1329 and Bradley took that one, too. Wow. I am impressed.

No doubt there will be more to add to the observation board…Bart still has to highlight that 1329 arrival. I am up and off early in the morning. You can check for later deliveries – and to see if Gil gets anything – by going to the YT live stream and look under the images for the observation board link.

SE31 still going strong. Just makes your heart beat a little faster to see one of those eaglets survive to be taught how to be an eagle by Lady and Dad down at the river. I wish our dear friend Phyllis – who loved these sea eagles so much- had lived to see this day!

Gabby continues to care for that egg. She’s got it back in a nest cup now.

Sue Dumas caught Akecheta and Thunder having a successful mating on Wednesday.

The eggs of Alex and Andria were buried today by one of the female visitors at the KNF-E3 nest. We all miss Andria and we will wish Alex well as he reorganises his life without her.

Dad and new female were both seen near the ND-LEEF eagle nest in St Patrick’s Park, South Bend, Indiana. Nice.

The eggs of the Royal cam couples at Taiaroa Head were candled today.

Here is the video and the thumbs up:

Holly Parsons posted a great little video clip of Marri chasing Xavier with Diamond watching from inside the scrape.

Since the arrival of the little book on the art and photography of Roger Tory Peterson, I have taken a keen interest in just how influential he was on all of us who love birds. Today, another used volume arrived in the post. Peterson Reference Guide to Bird Behaviour. Written in 2020 by John Richer, this richly illustrated volume covers most aspects of avian behaviour. There may be aspects that are out od date – the streaming cams are providing us with new information daily -, but still it will be a valuable addition to your library if you would like to understand more about the social life of birds, their brain and their senses, territory guarding and mating, etc. I know you are curious about all of those things!

If you do not know who Roger Tory Peterson is, please check out this YT video. Loaded with lots of information, it is 13 years old and might appear a little dated, but he was such an influence it is good to know who he was and his contributions to birding.

The sheer decline in bird numbers and the state of our planet can, most often, be bewildering, frightening, and overwhelming. I am grateful to ‘SP’ for sending me the following article with special mention of the closing lines, “The last paragraph really says it all “’This is how I personally cope with having these big imminent issues hanging over my head all the time, like climate change and destruction of the biosphere,” he says. “The more you zoom out, the more powerless you feel. So I think the best way for me to engage in life as an activist is just to influence things within the sphere of my control.’”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/26/collisions-with-buildings-are-killing-millions-of-birds-nationwide-a-dark-sky-movement-to-save-them-is-sweeping-the-bay-area/ 

Attempts to restore seabird life to Atlantic Canada.

Whose-Numbers-Are-So-Great-as-to-Be-Incredible-Island-Restoration-and-the-Seabirds-of-Atlantic-CanaDownload

Thank you so very much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘H, J, SP’, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Amanda Lake, Toni Hoover, Window to Wildlife, PLO, Bart M, Chang Li-Dong, Jerinelle Wray, NEFL-AEF, Sue Dumas, KNF-E3, Kim Weinenger, Roz Young, Lady Hawk, Mercury News, Holly Parsons, Amazon, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels, and The Wandering Rook.

Brad steals the fish…Wednesday in Bird World

27 December 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you for being with us. There is ‘some’ news coming in from Bird World and a note from ‘J’ who found a YT video of a young woman reading to an Eagle! She said that she had never heard of reading to animals til she discovered I was reading to the cats. If you have animals, read to them, especially if they are young and frightened. Let them get used to your voice. The tone of the words in the book is important, too. Calico will walk out if they are ‘loud or gruff’. Seriously. Otherwise, she sits and listens intently from my grandmother’s quilt or my lap. The girls have all had story time more than once today. It is a lovely time together, and they listen, just like this eagle.

https://www.facebook.com/BirdTLC/videos/224864223356789/

The kittens are tuckered. They played, going around in circles and up through the ‘catservatory,’ over the table, through the kitchen, leaping to the island and down to the floor before scurrying as fast as they could tree in the con into the sitting room. Hope liked to take an ornament off the twinkling tree, and away she would return to the cat tree. As a consequence, today has been quiet. Quiet as a mouse wanting to get into the mince pies on the counter. They have slept all day. Even Hugo has not been crying for food. Incredible.

Thank you to those who have sent in their uplifting moments from 2023. For those that haven’t, there is still time. Send them in by the end of the day on 31 December. I will be posting them on the 1st of January. You can add them in the comments or send me an e-mail. I won’t mention your name! E-mail is: maryannsteggles@icloud.com

The big news in Bird World is a possible pip at the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23. I have not seen this or any official notification by the Pritchett family, so it could be simply someone being optimistic. That is easy to do – I have been there once or twice.

F23 and M15 should be able to hear their eaglets soon (if not now).

The hatching process by Elfruler.

HATCHING-Bald-EaglesDownload

Clive and Connie -along with C10 and C11 -survived that soaking storm that went through Captiva. The eaglets look a little ragged but everyone is alright. Just look at that pantry! What I wouldn’t give if V3 had Clive’s instincts! These two are going to be nibbling on those fish before we know it. Just look at all of them!!!!!! A nestful.

Did your hair look like this in the 80s? (Thanks, J). And where did those pin feathers come from!!!!!! Stop growing you two. 

Gabby rolling the egg at NE Florida.

Eggs are completely unviable. Alex off the nest at KNF-E3.

One egg for Abby and Blazer at Eagle Country on 25 December. Second should arrive on the 28th – that is Thursday.

Both eagles working on the nest at Duke Farms.

A foggy Christmas at the Dulles-Greenway Nest.

They are busy at the Johnson City Bald Eagle nest.

Dad brought in a small fish at 0744 to the Port Lincoln Osprey barge nest. Gil got it and Brad stole it and ate it! Way to go Brad. That was a really good steal.

SE31 rumoured to have caught another fish.

Marri’s Christmas set to music by Cilla Kinross.

Ospreys at Achieva in St Petersburg. Normally eggs are laid in early February.

A Eurasian Hobby has reached South America.

Eurasian-Hobby-reaches-South-America-for-first-time-BirdGuidesDownload

Have you ever seen a Common Shelduck?

Common-Shelduck-the-forgotten-duck-BirdGuidesDownload

What do the birds have to do with mistletoe?

Mistletoe-Whats-It-to-the-Birds-AudubonDownload

We had hedgehogs in our garden when we lived in the UK. One even made its way into the house by way of a seven-year-old who thought it adorable til the fleas started flying off in the gazillions! The hedgehogs feasted on the fruit from the orchard at the back of the garden and from the food we left them: water, cat food, and mealworms. While this note is for people with hedgehogs, think also of the community cats in your neighbourhood and leave food and water out for them and the birds – if you can. A bowl of water can be a lifesaving thing!

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

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, videos, articles, poems, and posts that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’H, J’, Bird TLC, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Elfruler, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, Carol Shores Rifkin, KNF-E3, Pat Burke, Eagle Country, Duke Farms, Dulles-Greenway, Sara A, PLO, Bart M, Cilla Kinross, Achieva Credit Union, BirdGuides, Audubon, and Al-liance.

Tuesday in Bird World

26 December 2023

Good Morning!

Thank you for all your holiday wishes. They are so appreciated. 

We had a very simple Christmas Eve and morning, which was blissful. Christmas Eve saw the party with the girls, our meal, and the socks. Christmas morning welcomed two presents for the girls along with the opening of the annual wicker. Slowing Down, not trying to have everything perfect, and not falling into the deep hole of consumerism rushing around to buy ‘stuff’ added a layer of joy and restfulness that was magical.  The girls certainly brought abundant laughter – the energy they have including Calico was infectious. 

After a breakfast of French toast with Wild Plum and Berry jam, it was off to the English Gardens to leave nuts and seeds for the birds and squirrels. Others do this as well. A long stroll amongst the paths was invigorating in the crisp, -6 C air. The sky was a bright blue! The Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, and squirrels were enjoying their feast to the delight of all. I feel blessed to be able to be outside often – . It changes everything.

Seeds and nuts were placed along the barrier and on the pedestals of the statues and the sundial.

In my garden, there were many visitors, including Junior and the Baby Blue Jay (now grown). Oh, how wonderful it was to see both of them flying in and out getting peanuts and eating off the suet cylinder. They are safe, and that is all that matters. What a wonderful present they gave me by their visit. It really is this type of simple pleasure that means so much.

The squirrels – I suspect Little Red – kept knocking this big hunk of suet off its holder so I laid it on top of the large table feeder in the hope that someone would enjoy it. As it happened, the Downy Woodpeckers were chipping away as were the Chickadees and the Blue Jays!

‘The Boyfriend’ was here for more chicken dinner! He is looking pretty good.

Inside the girls were exploring another toy.

Hugo is growing. Just look at how long she is. When she arrived three weeks ago, she was the length of her tail. Now we are more than double in weight with clear eyes and nostrils. She is precious. And what an attitude.

Missey pulled the pompom off the toy and took it under the Chinese dresser much to the dismay of Hugo and Hope.

In this game, the orange and yellow pompom goes in and out of the hole for the cat to try to fetch or guess where it will be. They love it.

Calico is there in the background. She is not yet as playful as the other three, but she is getting more so each week. She is much more a longer than the other three – maybe it is because she had to survive outside by herself for 8 or 10 months before coming to live inside with others. Calico does love her chew toy.

Thank you so much for enjoying the kitties and garden animals that share my life. As the Osprey season picks up in a few months, there will be less cat and more bird.

Bird World continues with some nest drama, wet weather, and waiting…waiting for those two eggs at SW Florida to hatch. Gabby’s second egg might have problems…we wait to see. I hope she gives up on it and moves on. Here is a quick check…as eggs hatch and Ospreys return (yes, my calendar is on countdown, and I am looking at the middle of March for Big Red to lay eggs and my heart to start beating fast as Rutland Manton Bay and Blue 33 and Maya return and also Laddie at Loch of the Lowes. We lost Blue NC0 last year, so will there be a new mate there?

Now, moving on to Bird World….

Monty is legendary in Osprey World. The male from Dyfi in Wales, the foundation stone that gave us legendary fledges. Why am I posting this? First, Ospreys are on my mind. Second, Margaret Blakely posted her wonderful poem to Monty and has allowed me to share it with you. Margaret says it is best sung to the tune of While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night. Thanks, Margaret!

Why do I like the UK ospreys? Records are kept so that we can understand and appreciate these dynastic families! Colour-coded. There is Monty and now we have Idris who is fantastic, too. Apologies for that ‘share’ tab on the side. I could not get rid of it. Those are the official sightings of offspring that returned after 2 years. One of my favourites is Z1, Tegid, who is breeding in Wales. Tepid the White Egg as he was known at the time.

Boxing Day Report on the WBSE: ”One adult was seen early down on River Roost and one was reported at Goat Island. Our juvenile was seen on the island at 9am. Later, one adult and the juvenile were at River Roost; it is not known if SE31 had eaten. River traffic was busy on this public holiday. Later in the day, both parents were seen at Burns Bay. In the evening? No late reports. “

The first Christmas egg was laid by Abby at Eagle Country in Florida at 16:59:44. Congratulations Abby and Blazer.

LadyDeeagle55 caught the moment:

We are four days away from pip watch at SW Florida and M15 and F23’s first clutch together! How excited are you getting?

M15 brings his new mate a great prey item for Christmas.

Things are getting a little tense at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex.

Really hoping that Alex is moving along.

Connie and Clive kept C10 and C11 dry when both stayed on the nest during the recent torrential downpour. It was a miserable soaking day throughout most of Florida.

Ondabebe caught some touching moments on the Captiva nest.

At Port Lincoln, the lads are looking good. There is going to be an early fish and Gil is gonna get it! Mum brought in a large one at 07:20:47. There is enough for all if Gil will share.

Aren’t they handsome?

But Bradley wants it.

Bradley is still staring down that fish at 0824! There isn’t going to be much left Bradley…

At 0839, Mum wants some fish, and Bradley wants some, but it looks like Gil might finish the lot. Brad, you gotta learn to steal to survive.

At 0848 a scuffle but Gil hangs on to the fish.

Then Mum decides if she is going to get a single bite, and if Brad is going to get anything, she needs to move in. Mum and Brad will get a little – not much.

Here is the weekly summary from Port Lincoln:

Three nice fish on the 26th at Port Lincoln.

There is cheering amongst South Australian Osprey fans as Calypso brings a potential new mate to the Tulsa platform nest! You might remember, with sadness, that Calypso’s former mate died from dangling upside down on a hydro pole.

Rain in the afternoon at NE Florida. Gabby on incubation duty with V3 on guard.

Marri on the Tower and ‘A’ reports on Boxing Day at Orange: ”And at Orange, we had a bonding incident.  today (26 December): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1p4R5_eCew, and here is a clip from Christmas Day, with Marri chasing Xavier around the tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHIGGIJdLJ0. “

Solutions for the major waterways in the Western US required and growing to help the birds.

Momentum-Gaining-on-Important-Water-Work-to-Benefit-Birds-and-People-in-the-West-AudubonDownload

The final count at Hawk Mountain for the 2023 migration. Ospreys down.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Remember – send me the events in Bird World in 2023 that really brought some joy to your life! I will list them on 1 January. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J’, Margaret Blakely, Dyfi Osprey Project, Eagle Country, Lady Deeagle55, Lady Hawk, KNF-E3, Window to Wildlife, Ondabebe, PLO, Bart M, NEFL-AEF, Helen Match, and Hawk Mountain.