Category Archives: California Eagles

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.

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Introducing the Gray Partridge and their winter feeding habits.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Monday in Bird World

25 December 2023

Good Morning all! 

The best of the holiday season to those who are celebrating Christmas. We hope that you have a wonderful, wonderful day.

There was a light dusting of snow on Friday morning. When I went out to feed the birds, I looked up to the sky, and let a few of the falling flakes dance across my face. It was glorious. A single simple moment brings such joy.

‘The Girls Thought for the Day’: Any ordinary day can become extraordinary – stop, breathe, and look for the beauty.

Late Thursday night, I put out a ‘Bug and Nut’ suet cylinder, hoping to entice any Blue Jay in the neighbourhood. I was not quick enough with my camera this morning, but one deep in the lilacs took a nut and flew off. I didn’t scream for joy because Hugo was nestled in my arms, but oh, how wonderful it was to see the flick of those beautiful Indigo feathers. Dyson was there, too, eating peanuts along with both Little Reds. About 75 sparrows came for some festive seed, and various community cats, including ‘The Boyfriend’, had roast chicken and dry kibble.  It is a lot of work and I am behind in my shovelling of shells, but the happiness that these animals bring cannot be measured. 

The girls will have a table set just for them. Now will they really perch on the chairs and eat their chicken like nice little male osprey chicks? Or will they snarl and fuss? We will see.

The toy of the season has been this interactive one. It has a rotating laser light, a feather toy at the top that moves and little balls they can move with their paws. By far they have played with it the most.

Baby Hugo would rather play with Baby Hope sometimes.

I have mentioned that Hugo is fearless, right? She is so tiny compared to the others but playing rough is just what she wants to do. She is like a little orange tiger.

Now she has decided it is time to play with Missey!

Calico gets out of the way quickly when Baby Hugo is tearing around the sitting room.

Calico was so thin at the end of the summer after raising the kitten/s. She did an amazing job with Baby Hope compared to other stray cats and kittens I have seen. Calico is always worried about food, having lived on the streets, and I am afraid she is the ‘clean up’ kitty. She has gotten a little ‘pear-shaped’ since August when she moved into the house, and we are now working on a bit of a diet plan. 

The girls enjoyed their little party. First up to check it out was Missey followed by Hugo. Calico and Hope opted to eat in their usual spots. Each got their favourite treats along with some ‘dental toys’ and another new toy to alternate – keeping them active and away from ‘boredom’. Did we worry about cats being bored decades ago? or that their nails required trimming? or their teeth brushed?

Around the table are their bowls and favourite treats. Missey prefers the Churu Pops while Calico loves anything to do with Catnip. Baby Hope gets the Wilderness Salmon and Cranberries while Baby Hugo loves the Greenies Dental (I have to break them up for her). Sardines all around, dental chews, gnomes big and small to drag on the floor and a cat toy. All in all I would say that Santa did quite well by the girls.

They will have roast chicken in the pink dishes later. For now it is tinned food. 

See that package of sticks with tassels? They are supposed to help keep their teeth clean. They have certainly chewed on them all evening. Fingers crossed. The cleaning of teeth has been one of the biggest expenses for families with felines I am told by the vet techs. 

As the end of the year approaches, it is good to reflect on all the extraordinary events in our lives and Bird World. What were the 2 or 3 events with our feathered friends that touched you this year? If you feel like it, drop me a line and tell me so that I can share. I want to see how many overlap so I will also rank the top 5. I plan to publish them on the 1st of January to kick off the year. You can add them as a comment or send them to me as an e-mail – thanks, ever, for sharing: maryannsteggles@icloud.com

At NE Florida. Gabby. Will she have to do it all? This nest concerns me. I adore both of them and would like nothing more than to see Gabby become a mum again, but…she cannot do it alone. 

The learning curve is high. Instinctual does not mean parents (raptor or otherwise) get it right. Stop and think about the males that have either done something accidentally to harm their chicks or something silly. Tom and the first hatch for him and Angel, the Leucistic RTH, this year. The feeding of so many eggs, including that at the scrape of Monty and Hartley. Many females prefer to eat and not feed their chicks. We will never know what drove V3 to bury the first egg, and we will sit at home and scream at the screen for him to bring prey to Gabby. I would prefer that this egg fails than to see an eaglet starve. Again, Gabby cannot do it alone – she might be a super Mamma, but she will still require help. — Please prove me wrong! You can all throw rotten tomatoes at me! 

‘H’ sent me the most recent news on Gabby: ”Gabby was not in the nest for a while, and Beau flew to the Wallenda.  He stayed there for a long time, finally going to the nest at 165025.  He started pulling up moss again, and looked like he may have intended to perhaps do what he did to egg #1…but every time he started to do something, Gabby hollered at him from a nearby tree.  So, he eventually flew to the Sunset branch.  The egg was inadvertently moved to the edge of the bowl (not that there is much of a bowl) from Beau’s actions.  Now, Gabby just returned to the nest….she resumed incubating the egg from its current location.  550 people were holding their breath.”

Thanks so much, ‘H’. 

It is raining at the nest of Alex in the Kisatchie National Forest. Alex is trying to keep those eggs dry tonight. Just ache for him…gosh, I wish I could send you Gabby and her egg!

The John Bunker Sands Eagles are incubating two eggs and the area has already had over two inches of rain.

Now that it is the 25th of December, you can start getting excited because we are going to be on hatch watch at the nest of M15 and F23 in Fort Myers soon. There has been great success at Captiva with Connie and Clive and I am looking forward to M15 and his new mate raising their first clutch together. 

Great photos coming out of the Parramatta River from Chang-Le Dong of SE31. Thank you!

‘A’ gives us a good report on the sea eagles: ”December 25: Early, all three eagles were down on the river and SE31 was eating a fish. Around 7am, the parents were duetting with the juvenile squeeing a ‘Happy Christmas’. Again, after 8am, when our juvenile had finished eating, there was another chorus. Then she seemed to stay out of sight, with no more views. Late in the afternoon, at 5:30pm, the storm was approaching and only one adult was to be seen. There was a great sighting of the critically endangered Eastern Curlew earlier, flying over the wetlands. Very exciting.” 

‘A’ also says “At Orange, all three of our falcons have been sighted today, with both parents visiting the scrape (Diamond several times during the day, and she is there now, while Xavier visited for a bonding session at 18:26). Marri was sighted (and heard!!) atop the tower more than once, chasing poor Xavier off the roof on one occasion. There was a big storm, with hail, in the middle of the day, but it fined up later on and all falcons were sighted after the storm, so none of our precious falcons was harmed. “

Checking on Port Lincoln:

Gil and then Brad share in the last fish delivery that is recorded before I call it night’s out. It was a nice big fish to complement an earlier delivery by Dad.

The Arno Bay Ospreys in South Australia have been given names!

At Redding, Guardian is bringing in the prey and building up Liberty’s strength for eggs! 

At the Royal Albatross Colony:

Scary times for Anna and Louis?

Monty and Hartley have a brand new scrape box. Listen to them discuss its potential!

Some images today from the Captiva nest:

The nest is sure nice at Eagle Country. Waiting for eggs.

Jackie was hard at work Sunday morning moving some sticks around on her nest at Big Bear.

Occasionally, I see a posting about an extraordinary young person getting involved to help save the birds and their habitat. I know that there are lots more out there, but kudos to this young man on his second fundraising project for the albatross.

On Christmas Eve, the girls and I slowed down. My friend in Paris suggested I take a nice chunk of chocolate and put it into a mug with heated 10% cream. Stir. Drink. Just like one of the stalls makes in Shakespeare and Company. It was lovely. Try it! And if you want to give it a hint of Mexico – stir with a cinnamon stick. Then, we wrapped ourselves in my grandmother’s quilts and continued reading about Red-tails in Love – the story of Pale Male – in the quiet of the conservatory with the full moon hovering overhead. Blissful. Truly one of the nicest moments of the year.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H’, NEFL-AEF, KNF-E3, Tom Fleming, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Brandy Adams, Chang-Le Dong, PLO, Fran Solly, FORE, Sharon Dunne, Tonya in NO, SK Hideaways, Window to Wildlife, FOBBV, Holly Parsons, and Eagle Country.

Saturday in Bird World

23 December 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Friday was a day of ‘hoar’ frost in Southern Manitoba. It was foggy and beautiful – and again, sadly warm for this time of year. It is nearing midnight and it is -1 C. It was a nice day for a brisk walk through the park, but it felt cold to the bones because everything was melting and damp. Oh, how I am longing for winter! Or Spring! But not this.

It was an interesting morning with Calico. She perched on the new cat tree and watched ‘The Boyfriend’ eat at the close feeder. It was eerie. I often wonder if he wasn’t a litter mate of hers instead of just being her friend outside when she was living rough. He has come to the garden door when the bowls needed replenishing, but he shows no signs of wanting to be friendly like Calico did so that he might work his way to joining us in the house.

Beautiful Calico.

Baby Hope (yes, she will always be a ‘baby’ just like Hugo) watched him as he went under the back gate.

Missey looks lovely in that soft morning light filtering through the garden door. She loves watches the birds flit in and out of the vines dangling down from the gutter.

Baby Hugo is so much better. The antibiotics have helped. She is no longer sneezing, and her eyes are hardly drooling. We also had a major milestone – she ate her Royal Canin Kitten Kibble. What a relief. So, she is eating well – her kitten tinned food and now the kibble and water. She had some sardines today as well. She is more than 14 weeks old and is considerably small for her age – about the size of an 8-week-old kitten. She is lively- what a character. I keep saying she is fearless, and she is. She is unafraid to lunge at any of her sisters, and she will leap on Calico without thinking. Calico is normally shy, shocked she doesn’t know how to respond. She is always ready for a good game of hide and chase! She is also very curious about food. Tonight, her interest was on a samosa, then a cup of pomegranate tea – and finally, oh boy, she found a small individual butter dish that did not have its top. She is getting very long, and I expect she is now more than three times the size she was when she arrived. We will know how well she is doing on the 4th of January when she goes in for her check. She is too wild to sit on the scales now!!!!!!!!

I am hoping to get a decent photo of her for you! Saturday morning. These are better. I have not cleaned Baby Hugo’s face yet – there is only a little muck from the night. Yippeeeee. Calico wanted her photo taken and everyone is happen. It is 0 degrees C and it is so nice and toasty in the conservatory! They love it out there – watching the entire outdoor world around them.

Hugo having a look at Calico!

Hope looking at Hugo taking her toy.

Missey getting ready to leap to the top of the post before Hugo and Hope come roaring around again.

In Bird World, only a singular event today caught people’s attention. Gabby left the nest, and V3 came and buried the egg deep into the cavity. Gabby returned and tried to make things right to no avail. Of course, the big question on everyone’s mind is why did V3 do this. 

When male Ospreys come to the nest and find eggs, believing them not to be their own, they kick them like crazy out of the nest in a rage. So, do Bald Eagles bury their eggs? Was this egg not V3’s?  Or is V3 just confused by the egg because he is so young? That is an interesting proposition, but I return to some very young male eagles (younger than V3) who became excellent mates and fathers like Harry at MN-DNR. He was probably between 4 and 5 years old when he fathered his clutch, and he did magnificently. Others did not do so well. ’J’ reminded me that it took Akecheta three seasons to get ‘fatherhood’ right! And then he turned out to be brilliant. So we wait to see what will happen.

‘J’ sent this note from Naturechat: ”Debra NatureChat: It took Akecheta the mate of Thunder on the West End Eagle nest… 1 season of failure because he wouldn’t incubate…Ist season no incubating at all, 2nd season he did incubate up until the day of hatch, and then flew off the nest, and the ravens came and got all 3 eggs. The 3rd season he incubated throughout the time and did a Great job, feeding the hatchlings was all new to him but he got the hang of it. “

Beau and Gabby returned to the nest and were making some restorations and being affection, but not mating. V3 might have been interested, but Gabby wasn’t. 

Friday night and Gabby is in the nest – is she in labour with a second egg?

The only bobbleheads to hatch are C10 and C11, Connie and Clive’s kids over at Captiva. They are doing well and despite some bonks, C11 seems to be able to hold its own.

The pantry is full and brimming over. and these are two very strong beautiful eaglets. Such a blessing in a year that has gone sideways for our eagle families. There is some beaking. C11 goes into submission pretty quick sometimes. There is a daily activity log for the nest. Check on the link within the chat for the Google Spreadsheet. Both ate well on Friday.

Was so pleased to see that Alex has moved on from incubation duties at KNF-E3. He is recovering.

Beautiful Jackie looking out over Big Bear Lake.

Hope and Chandler were doing some nest work at Port Tobacco.

Guess what? There is another Beau! At Denton Homes. So – MN-DNR and NEFL-AEF and Denton Homes. Any more that you can think of?

Pepe and Muhlady are thinking about a second clutch!

At Port Lincoln, the lads have been flying around and the parents have been delivering fish to their lads. It was a good day at the barge.

There was a prey transfer at Orange!

Jack and Diane are bringing in bark for their nest on the grounds of the Achieva Credit Union in St Petersburg. 

OK Owl People. Hoots was in the new nest Friday morning!

Here is the link to their live camera:

I know some of you missed it. Geemeff sent me the link to the latest video of “at least 73 year old” Wisdom, the oldest banded Laysan Albatross in the world, dancing on Midway Island. 

Sunnie Day posted the link to a PBS video on the impact of Lead poisoning.

https://www.pbs.org/video/lead-poisoning-DjicIx/

2500 studies prove what we knew…

After-2500-Studies-Its-Time-to-Declare-Animal-Sentience-Proven-Op-Ed-Live-ScienceDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care – there are lots of cases of flu and Covid out there. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, Geemeff, H, J’, NEFL-AEF, Mary B.L. Tung, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E3, FOBBV, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Denton Homes, Superbeaks, PLO, Bart M, Falcon Cam Project, Angela Edwards, USFWS Midway Atoll Sunnie Day, and Live Science.