Category Archives: California Eagles

Goslings leap…Wednesday in Bird World

26 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

My blog is shorter today as I had an eye exam which took nearly 3 hours on Tuesday! Yes. An exceptional doctor who is working hard to help me keep my eyesight. Because of all the drops and the long time, I did not get to review the nest happenings like I would typically want to. That said, some exciting news is coming from both Decorah and, I hope later today, Dale Hollow.

First up, however, I had a question, from ‘T’, in the comments that I felt was worth sharing with all of you: “Next year, I will ‘boycott’ this nest. Will you also exclude it from the blog? We need to send a signal that people will not watch nests with such a cruelly inflexible non-intervention policy.”

Thank you for your question, ‘T’. My intention was not to mention Dale Hollow at all because of the issues that came about during the 2022 season when DH16 was so viciously killed by DH14 – and the fact that DH15 got entangled in fishing line and the reaction was, last year, the same as this one. Thankfully, the monofilament line worked its way free of DH 15.

My interest was in comparing the behaviour at the Dale Hollow nest with with the SW Florida nest- both single parent nests. As it happened, some of my readers did not want to watch once siblicide had occurred at Dale Hollow, but, they did want news of the eaglets. I was happy to provide that news. Then came the issue with the fishing line and hook and the entanglement of both eaglets. I am proud to have worked with many great people to spread the phone numbers and e-mail addresses so that the proper authorities knew what was happening at this nest and could not ignore it. I want to think that the individuals who were always so against intervention will be humbled and will understand that it is not their decision whether the eaglets get help. Indeed, anyone who runs a streaming cam should be objective. Part of their role should be to report any issues regarding the nest to the proper authorities for their assistance if required. It is then up to the various agencies to find a solution within the Migratory Bird Act. In this case, as last year, human-caused issues with wildlife warrant an intervention.

There are three problem nests. They have always had problems. They are Port Lincoln Ospreys, Achieva Credit Union, and Dale Hollow. They cause great anxiety and I do not recommend them. I will watch the Osprey nests because that is my area of research, but I have no plans to include Dale Hollow in my blog next year. It is important that we support those institutions and individuals who will seek quick and proper help for the raptors. We saw just such a rescue yesterday through the IWS in California. CROW is another good agency and SW Florida is tops along with Captiva on getting help when help is required. There are many others as well.

BC1 being hydrated by Nicole from the IWS during the rescue at Bald Canyon on the 24th of April 2023. Dr Sharpe and his team have conducted many rescues – some have been heroic feats involving cars, boats, and climbing steep cliffs. They are an excellent agency to support!

All six of the goslings have hatched. Father Goose is wanting Mum to come to the stream but the last hatch is still a wee tired. I wonder if Mother Goose will wait til in the morning?

SK Hideaways caught these energetic goslings! They are so healthy looking – tomorrow, they will take the leap to the stream off of the nest 70 feet in the air.

They lept. All six! What a privilege. ‘A’ writes: “They jumped. It was WAY quicker than last year – it took the six under five minutes to vacate the nest. At the bottom, three gathered with mum, and were joined after a moment or two by another pair. Dad came to join them. The sixth has not yet appeared. After about 15 minutes of searching, calling, listening for it, the parents eventually headed slowly for the water. When they got there, the goslings were not behind them. After a very quick dip, both parents returned to the riverbank to wait for the goslings and to continue quietly calling them. Gradually, the five appeared from the grass and joined their parents in the water. There are BOTG, who will be looking for the sixth gosling now that the parents and the other five are no longer close to the nest tree. Fingers crossed that the missing sixth chick has a bad sense of direction, as happened with one gosling last year, and can be pointed in the right direction by the BOTG. “———–The sixth was taken to the Vet. Poor Mother Goose. She has gone to the nest looking for it. And, yes, they can count and they know how many children they had! Let us hope its leg is OK.

Here is the video from AntiqueRose:

A permit and a rescue. We will not know when the attempt is made, but a Vet will be present to help the eaglets if necessary – if they can get to the nest. It is up to the rescuers now. Each agency has come together for the two Dale Hollow eaglets. So thankful for all the e-mails, phone calls, prayers, and anything else you did to facilitate this rescue attempt. There is power in people. Do not forget it. You might need to stand up for the raptors again. Do not hesitate!

DHEC and Twin Lakes have been asked to shut down the camera until the rescue is completed – from midnight Tuesday night until noon on Wednesday. Looks like it could start very early Wednesday morning! If you ever sent out positive wishes for a successful outcome, please send it to the rescue team. Then we can flood the AEF with thank yous and donations.

These two have been through a lot. They will never know the army that worked so hard for them -.

Other good news is that Middle Bob at Achieva in St Petersburg got some good bites of fish in the 1330 feeding. Well done Middle Bob for holding your ground and eating! This is a good turning point. Keep it up!

Murphy’s eaglet is growing! That little eaglet is watching everything Murphy is doing and learning. What an experience this 31 year old male Bald Eagle has had getting to raise this little one.

The little cutie pie at Decorah Hatchery nest is 19 days old today. Like Murphy’s eaglet, it is really growing and before we know it we will look up and see juvenile feathers coming in all over.

The Pitkin Country Trails Osprey Mum is under snow and it is continuing to fall very hard Tuesday night.

Dorcha was really wanting some fish and Louis finally brought her dinner! He has been wanting incubation time….well, Louis, just bring more fish! Dorcha will fly away for her meal and you can have nest time!

A beautiful Tuesday morning at the Decorah Hatchery Eagles.

It was hot in The Campanile scrape of Annie and Lou Tuesday. The couple each spent time shading the chicks until the sun was no longer pounding down on them.

Sleepy time.

The little falcons are eating well. No worries for any of them!

‘H’ reports that the second egg was laid at Barnegat Light in New Jersey. Congratulations Duke and Daisy!

We continue to be on pip watch for Tom and Angel. Tom is doing a great job coming in quickly to give Angel a break!

Little Arthur is on incubation duty over at Cornell this morning as Big Red takes a short break. We are getting close to pip watch for these two! Can’t wait. It is so much easier on the mind watching falcons and hawks.

It was short today. The other nests continue to do alright. Expecting eggs at more nests today so there should be lots of news tomorrow including the Dale Hollow Rescue. The camera is down and we wait in the hope that not only is the rescue a success but that it will set a precedent for this nest and this community. Thank you American Eagle Foundation! For now, let us find joy in the six that leaped and send your best wishes for the little one and its leg with the hope it gets back to its family quickly, if that is possible.

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

Thank you to everyone for their notes, their comments, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘T’, IWS and Explore.org, Decorah Goose Cam, SKHideaways and Decorah Goose Cam, AntiqueRose and the Decorah GooseCam, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, Murphy and the WRC, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Pitkin County Trails Osprey Cam, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, Cal Falcons, Barnegat Light Ospreys and New Jersey Conservation, and Cornell Bird Lab.

Permit for Dale Hollow? Goslings hatching, Rescue at Bald Canyon…Tuesday in Bird World

25 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It is a gorgeous sunny day in the garden on Monday, but there was a problem. It was quiet. the garden is never quiet; it is always humming with at least the sound of several dozen House Sparrows that can be heard from a distance. Something was ‘off’. I did not see a hawk, but I do wonder if one was about or an owl. Now the little birds are returning as the day begins to end. Mr Crow has come to check on the cheesy dogs. Mr Blue Jay has been for peanuts along with Dyson and her gang. The Dark-eyed Juncos are searching for Black oil seed, and the sparrows and Starlings are eating the solid suet. There are now two Common Grackles visiting and from the look of Mr Crow, it could have been the Grackles that were the disturbance. Regardless, they bring so much joy. I cannot imagine my garden without them.

What a joy and right now we need joy.

On Monday, it came in the form of Nicole and her teammate, Ben, from the IWS rescuing the oldest eaglet from Bald Canyon, BC1.

There would be many videos online if you missed the live rescue. But what you would have seen was the arrival of the rescue team. Dad was on the nest, and he began alarming when they were under the nest with the eaglet. Then he flew off the nest, circling the area while Nicole worked with the eaglet. We did not see it, but we should assume that she hydrated the baby and gave it food. Then the ladder was placed, and she climbed and put BC1 back up on the nest with its two siblings. Afterwards, she placed some more twigs for rails. There are not a lot of twigs for the eagles to use for railings. The adults returned, and the eaglets were all later fed. It was beautiful. There was not a single hiccup. This is what a rescue looks like. Flawless professionals doing their job caring for wildlife.

I am encouraging everyone to send Dr Sharpe a note of gratitude. His e-mail is: psharpe@iws.org

Not far away, Chase and Cholyn’s little one is also growing by leaps and bounds. Just look at the love in that parent’s eye.

‘H’ reports that the big news at the WRDC on Monday was that R5 was self-feeding! For real.

We continue to hope for that miracle at Dale Hollow. I cannot personally verify but a posting was made on Bald Eagles 101 that a permit has been issued for a rescue at Dale Hollow and if that it is true you must give yourself a pat on the back. It was through the huge effort in lobbying for these eaglets that this will happen.

The fact that DH Eagle Cam folks was not going to the podcast to discuss the issue is good news. There is no reason for her to join in. The appropriate authorities – state and federal – should be there and this should be a decision for the health of the eaglets. USFWS regulations state – as we all know – that human-caused issues can be mitigated.

I want to be hopeful and I don’t want to spread false hope or rumours. I would love to see something official about that permit.

The two eaglets are tethered together, right leg to the left. Everyone who is anyone knows what is going on, but the issue is doing something. Instead of just saying it can’t be done, why not be like the little train that could: “I think I can, I think I can!” Do not give up hope, and do not give up signing petitions or sending letters. I hope they get 10,000!

River fed the eaglets and DH18 ate. She is sleeping with her babies tonight. We have witnessed what M15 did for the Es. River and Obey had been mates for a long time. We saw her cry out for him after he went missing, grieving. She has gotten the two eaglets this far. Just look at them. Now to have them tangled together with line and she cannot do anything to help them. She has tried. Someone might wonder why we are so upset…”They are just birds.” Personally I believe it is a sign of our humanity that we care for them and want to get them help.

As of Monday evening, the streaming cam is still working. According to the sites, the FB page of Dale Hollow and the chat are closed for a week. There has been a lot of criticism, and there should be. Other nests state that there are non-intervention policies, and, of course, there are unless an eaglet falls out of a nest OR is endangered by something human-caused. There are other reasons a nest can be approached and an intervention undertaken. Not trying is cowardly. Where are all those people that want to put rockets into space and make more money than all of us in a few minutes? Doesn’t one have a bright idea of how to get to this nest?

The saying below needs another line: That help wildlife!

This tethered eaglet was rescued by the AEF, the same people who have offered to go to Dale Hollow.

‘H’ has been keeping her eagle eye on the Fortis Exshaw Osprey Platform in Canmore, Alberta and one of the adults has arrived today. There is a new box and the couple will need to find nesting materials.

Elen is the name of the new Queen of Glaslyn. No sooner did she receive her name and she gave Aran his first egg of the 2023 season. It is difficult to move on from Mrs G. She was such a formidable character but this gal seems to have it all. Well done, Aran!

Many are keeping a close eye on Mother Goose in Decorah. The first eaglet has hatched and there were several ready to follow. I understand the leap will be either tomorrow or Wednesday depending on the last egg to hatch. There are six eggs in total.

Mother Goose is really hissing and is a highly protective mode as the eggs hatch! Father Goose has been around to check on the progress.

Father Goose down by the water ready to help when the leap is made. He has been up on the branch of the nest tree a couple of times also.

Mother Goose is going to have fun keeping them under her while they pop out from under her tail!

Oh, there is more. Mother Goose will not be able to go and forage until they take the leap. Dad is waiting down by the creek wondering what is happening. When she does not show up for her evening meal, he will know that hatch is underway. Looks like several more goslings.

As night falls, one little head is peaking out. Other shells seem to be cracking. Looks like all six little goslings could be with us by morning. It is 22:47 and ‘A’ sent me a note saying that 3 of the 6 have not hatched.

There are five hatched at 1000 Tuesday morning and Mr Gander is pacing and honking anxious for the Mrs and the kids to get down to the stream!

Good Night, Mother Goose!

Sharon Pollock gives us the hatching in a video.

In Webster, Texas, Ringo is still being fed on the nest. Dad flies in with a small fish for Ringo. Ringo flies around the nest and then lands for its meal.

I am very grateful to ‘A’ who sent me a note about the Achieva Osprey nest. Jack went missing and was away from the nest for a similar period that Flo was at Captiva. He had to have been dealing with intruders and this then would have caused prey delivery issues. In the image below the eldest is being fed and the middle is eating nestovers or trying to. We still have prey delivery issues and the aggression from the eldest. Send this nest your positive wishes, please.

The eldest ate two fish on Monday while the Middle Bob got nothing…so far. We need a big fish on the nest now so Middle can get fed. Sad, but hopeful.

We have the second egg for Poole Harbour. In celebration Blue 022 brings in more colourful plastic! Geez.

Moorings Park Ospreys are doing well. No problems here!

I still want to cuddle DH2 and even bring it home. What a little sweetheart.

Remember. Banding Day for the eyases at Cal Falcons is 5 May! At that time their legs will have stopped growing and they can be ringed safely. The gender reveal will be interesting and hey, what about the names?!

Their pin feathers are coming and Lou and Annie helped to shade but not brood all the time now.

Incubation continues at San Jose City Hall scrape.

Dulles-Greenway seems to be doing fine. A Turkey Vulture came to visit the nest tree late on Monday and the adults kept a close eye on it.

We are approximately one week away from hatch at the Cornell Red tail Hawk nest of Big Red and Arthur.

It is pip watch at Angel, the leucistic Red Tail Hawk’s nest! Tom is as anxious as we are!

Geemeff is hopeful that the dissolution of the initiative might actually lead to meaningful change in the area of raptor persecution in the Peak District. Gosh, I hope so! The criminal charges and fines have done nothing to stop the wanton killing of the Hen Harriers, for one.

The blog states: “Incidents of shooting, poisoning, trapping, nest destruction or the disappearance of satellite-tracked birds active within the Peak District have featured in every year of the initiative’s monitoring.

The National Park Authority believes that until these illegal activities are tackled, meaningful progress towards population increases in key species will not be possible.

Phil Mulligan, chief executive of the Peak District National Park Authority said: “It is with regret that we are closing the initiative after more than a decade of endeavours to safeguard our charismatic birds of prey that have a rightful place here in the National Park.”

You can read it in its entirety here:

Peak District Bird of Prey Initiative finally folds as persecution continues

Karl II and Kaia sleeping on the Black Stork nest in Estonia Monday night.

Good night, Telyn!

I am going to sign off and have a quiet dinner. The Dale Hollow situation is quite stressful especially with regard to DH18’s leg. I want so desperately to be hopeful and that someone will step forward and come up with a helicopter plan or a rehabber with experience that is also a good rock climber to get up the hill to the nest. We just can’t give up until we have tried everything. And I do mean actually tried to help the eaglets not sat in a room talking about it theoretically. We need action like we saw at Bald Canyon. Thank you for your continuing support for these efforts.

Take care everyone. I have not posted lots of incubating birds – it is like watching paint dry. There should be more eggs tomorrow and all of the goslings will have hatched. The moderator at the Goose cam, Buddy’s Mum, thinks the leap will be Wednesday. But might it be Tuesday afternoon? It depends on the timing of that last hatch. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, their tweets, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Geemeff, ‘H’, ‘A’, ‘A from Tokyo’, ‘SP’, IWS and Explore.org, Jackie Brown and Bald Eagles Live Nest and Cams, DHEC, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nest and Cams, Fortis Exshaw, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Decorah Goose Cam, Sharon Pollock and Decorah Goose Cam, Paul White and Webster, Texas Bald Eagles, Achieva Credit Union, Poole Harbour ospreys, Moorings Park Ospreys, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Cal Falcons, San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcons, Dulles-Greenway, Cornell RTH, Cornell Leucistic Hawk, Raptor Persecution UK, Eagle Club of Estonia, and Dyfi Osprey Project.

Rescue Attempt at Bald Canyon Minutes Away

24 April 2023

The IWS Team are on their way to Bald Canyon and should be there in a few minutes to help rescue the eaglet the fell off the nest.

It is 10:35 Pacific Time.

This is the link to the camera:

Thinking about donating. It would be a good day to do it and to thank the people who care and get out and help the eaglets!

Goslings hatching, She is Elen…Monday in Bird World

24 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

Thank you so much for being here with us today. We hope that the week is starting out well for each and every one of you!

Mr Crow and a friend have returned. He has been yelling at me all day. It is unclear whether he wants his cheesy dogs or his cat kibble but he is making quite a ruckus right above my head as I write this. The first Common Grackle of the year has appeared in the garden along with the normal array of Dark-eyed Juncos, Sparrows, European Starlings and woodpeckers. I can see Little Red running through the lilacs to get to the suet while Dyson and the gang are hovering around on the ground. They much prefer the Black Oil seed when they have finished all the peanuts.

Hatchery Mum and Dad and DH2 give us another cute moment with their family portrait from Sunday. Isn’t it beautiful? That adorable little eaglet. So precious after the tragedies of last year with HPAI.

The award for the most diligent mother of the week has to go to Sally at Moorings Park who is always feeding her osplets, Abby and Victor, even at 11pm!!!!!!!

On Monday morning, the new unringed female, nicknamed ‘Dot’ at the Glaslyn Osprey platform, will be given an official name! She has now been with Aran for more than a week. It has been a joy watching the two get acquainted and bond; this is terrific news. Wonder what the name will be?

New nesting material is in and Aran has perfected handing over the fish to his new mate. All we need are some lovely eggs in that nest now!

The new female is named Elen. “Our new Glaslyn female now has a name! She will be called Elen, named after Yr Elen a mountain in the Carneddau range in Eryri (Snowdonia). As you will be aware, Aran is named after Yr Aran another mountain in Eryri.”

Their story unfolded quickly as Elen laid her first egg this morning at 10:37! What a brilliant start with a new name, too.

Dorcha has laid her second egg at Loch Arkaig with her mate Louis.

Sasha Dench is in Guinea. She has discovered why water and climate change are important to the Ospreys that migrate between the UK and West Africa. Have a listen. You will learn a lot about how our changing world impacts everything! We are all interconnected.

Flo left the Captiva Osprey nest around noon on Sunday. She looked down at the only egg that – well, it would take a miracle if it was viable – and flew off. Angus has returned to the nest. He is on the perch in the last image. The couple was seen together in the nearby trees. Their bond is essential. They can begin again next year. It was a rough season for everyone at Captiva this year.

The situation at Dale Hollow continues to weigh heavily on people’s minds and our hearts. The American Eagle Foundation and the Tampa Raptor Centre offered expert climbers to go to the site and remediate the issue. The nest is on public land, US Army land, accessed by a road through private property.

There is more news coverage of what is happening to the eaglets and letters are now going out to everyone who wrote advocating for the eaglets. I want to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart to the tip of my tiny toe for taking the time – for your love and your caring for our wildlife. You could just as easily close your eyes and ignore everything. You didn’t. We may not win this one, but we cannot give up. In an ideal situation, that monofilament line comes off. River breaks it and removes the mess from the nest. That is the perfect solution. If that does not happen, and it hasn’t yet, we must seek help for those who cannot ask for it themselves. I am so proud to be in such excellent company as all of you.

I have just opened my evening’s e-mail to find a host of similar letters and notices of television news coverage in Tennessee. We owe it to the eaglets not to give up. I have said that twice. It is crucial. Everything takes longer than we want. Bureaucracy takes time – and nothing happens on the weekend. Not even for Dr Sharpe!

Here is the letter going out to those who contacted Tennessee Wildlife Resources. Thank you to everyone who sent me their copy. It takes an army! Last year when I posted letters on my blog, DH labelled them as ‘fake news’. The letter below is not fake – many of you will have received the same one from the official.

Thank you for sharing your concerns. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) was notified of an eaglet tangled in fishing line by viewers of a Dale Hollow live eagle camera on Friday, April 22. TWRA staff who received the notification immediately contacted Agency staff responsible for wildlife conservation. The Agency also notified our partners at the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Eagle Foundation about the eaglet.

TWRA is actively monitoring the situation and is in communication with federal wildlife authorities. Although no longer listed on the federal list of endangered or threatened species, both bald eagles and golden eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Due to their federally regulated status, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is the agency with oversite and authority in cases of eagles in distress.

Federal laws prohibit the disturbance of eagles and their nests, which includes any substantial interference with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior. Any rescue attempt would be considered a disturbance of natural behavior, and therefore requires federal permitting to take place. Additionally, only individuals who have been properly certified are allowed to climb to eagle nests for the safety of the individual and the eagles. 

Disturbing the nest, even for a rescue attempt, comes with significant risks. Nestlings may be startled by human activity near the nest and prematurely jump from the nest before they are able to fly or care for themselves. This could result in the death of both nestlings. Adult eagles can also become territorial or defensive of the nest, and attack humans who attempt to approach the nest.

Live wildlife cameras serve as an important education tool for members of the public to safely view nature. However, from time to time, the public may see the disturbing footage of sick, injured, orphaned, or otherwise distressed wildlife as part of the natural course of events. Unfortunately, the eaglet in this situation was tangled in a piece of litter. TWRA always encourages individuals enjoying the outdoors to properly dispose of any trash to prevent injury to wildlife. Littering on public property carries varied offenses ranging from misdemeanor to felony charges.

This is a developing situation, requests for additional information should be directed to the agency with jurisdiction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal officials are aware of the situation and any additional decisions or action on the issue will be made by the US Fish and Wildlife Service with the full cooperation of TWRA.

Respectfully, 

Emily Buck
Director of Communications and Outreach
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 5107 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, TN 37211

Because of you more news agencies are picking up the story. Why not be the heroes and help the eaglets?

More news this morning:

As of this morning, DH18 is still in the same position on the nest it has been for days with the entanglement materials underneath it – in other words, DH18 continues to be tethered to the nest. River dropped the fish and was dealing with intruders.

I would love to be posting all those amazing images of the Es but they belong to the photographers that took them. Please head over to the SW Florida Eagle Cam FB page to see what the Es and M15 are doing off camera. They are amazing!

Vijay caught the breakfast delivery on Sunday! Listen to those eaglets as they know M15 is on his way!

It is Sunday afternoon in Iowa and all eyes are on every twitch that Mother Goose is making.

Mother Goose was up for her evening break but was not gone very long at all.

It is 0715 and there is a big pip and a crack in one of the Goose eggs at Decorah! Yippeeee. Thanks ‘A’ for the head’s up.

‘H’ reports that R4 had a good feed yesterday. Continuing good news for this eaglet at Miami.

Nesting is also beginning at the Osoyoos Osprey Platform in British Columbia.

You have to love the Cal Falcon feedings. Two for you and then two for you and wait, yes, two for you. As ‘H’ reminds me I have always said if you want a peaceful nest watch the falcons and the hawks! And just imagine – it is not long until we have pip watch for Big Red and Arthur!

Great video by SK Hideaways of this little number three – feisty!

Wondering which egg is which of Big Red and Arthur’s? Cornell tweeted their ID.

Sunday was happy hatch day for two California Condors. One is one of my all-time favourites, Phoenix 477. He is the mate of Redwood Queen, the mother of Iniko (with Kingpin, who died in the Dolan Fire). Phoenix got his name because he also survived a tragic wildfire. He and Redwood Queen raised #1174 in Pinnacles (a new nest for them) in 2022.

Karl II and Kaia continue their bonding and getting their strength back after their long migration from their winter homes in central Africa.

The Pitkin County Osprey Platform had its second egg today. The nest is located on a platform in Roaring Park Valley, Colorado. Last year both osplets were pulled off the nest when nesting material attached to them was attached also to the female. One died and the other survived to be released this spring.

One of those heart warming stories that we would like to see happen everywhere! The leg of the eaglet was lodged in the nest material. The AEF came to the rescue.

There is lots of wing flapping going on at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest. Not branching yet. Soon.

The plumage is not nearly that of Duke Farms but the Dulles-Greenway Eaglets are standing very well on that nest. Just look at those healthy eaglets. Three of them!

Haven’t checked on Cassidy and Sundance at Farmer Derek’s GHO nest for awhile. Gosh, they are looking out to the world beyond that nest today.

A visitor came to the Achieva Osprey nest Sunday. The distinctive heart-shaped head looks like the head of Tiny Tot Tumbles hatched in 2021. She was the third hatch many believed had died of starvation on the nest at least three times. She did not and became not only the dominant chick but also the defender of this nest against adult birds during the summer of 2021. It sure looks like her head with the narrow white stripes and the dark heart!

The osplets at Achieva had one fish on Saturday, and Jack delivered a fish at 2009 on Sunday. The eldest continues its aggression due to a shortage of fish in the nest. We must remember that Mum, who feeds the chicks, is also hungry. This nest remains very precarious.

There is good news coming out of the KNF E1 nest of Anna and Louis. Trey has been on the nest jumping about. Way to go, Trey!

Kathryn has reported that Lake Murray had its third osplet hatch Sunday afternoon!

Jackie and Shadow continue to visit their nest in Big Bear Valley. We will all look forward to the late fall and the next breeding season for them. Regardless of eggs, chicks or not, it is always good to see Jackie and Shadow!

Congratulations to Llyn Brenig on the second egg of the 2023 season laid Sunday afternoon.

Continue sending your best wishes to the nests with issues – Achieva and Dale Hollow. Tomorrow keep Bald Canyon in your thoughts as an attempt will be made to rescue the eaglet that fell from the nest. We hope that it is still alive.

Thank you so very much for being with me today as we flitted about the nests that we have been watching. There are positively some many things happening internationally in Bird World that it is hard to keep up. I hope at the beginning of the week to check on all those UK Osprey nests closer and also the ones in Finland. Take care all. See you soon!

I want to thank everyone for their notes, their tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Kathryn, A, H, B, L, S, T, J, W, WRDC, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Moorings Park Ospreys, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Mary Kerr and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Conservation without Borders, Windows to Wildlife, Sylvia Jarzomkowske and Bale Eagles Live Nests and Cams, Nicole Norment Whittemore and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Vijay and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Decorah Goose Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, @CornellHawks, Ventana Wildlife Society, Eagle Club of Estonia, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Albert Li and Big Bear, Duke Farms, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, Farmer Derek Owl Cam, Achieva Credit Union, KNF-Ei, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, and FOBBV.

Waiting for Mother Goose, …Sunday in Bird World

23 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that each of you managed to get outside and really appreciate all the joy and wonder that nature provides us on Earth Day. For Bird World, it was a day of mixed blessings and sadness. But…the kittens are meowing to be first today! They always bring joy and ‘A’ continually reminds me of the health benefits of pets. It is true!

The kittens were positively delighted that Mr Crow paid a visit to the deck yesterday. They watched him for the longest time as he decided between his cheesy dogs and peanuts. The dogs won out because he likes to dip the peanuts in the bird bath and as you can see, the water is frozen again. you can also notice that there is not a leaf yet – we are so in need of ‘green’.

Lewis continues his spell of sleeping upside down and twisting all over the ‘Big Dog Bed’.

They have both grown so much, like all the falcons and eaglets, and can now take over that entire big bed they share! Since 2 November they have been inseparable. When they are sleeping they have to be touching one another. It reminds me of just how traumatic the lives of the rescue kittens can be and how these two immediately sought the comfort of one another.

I want to start with a precious little eaglet at Decorah. What a sweetheart. This one just melts my heart for some reason…more than the others which are equally adorable.

Open wide!

The giggle of the day comes from Cal Falcons:

R4 seems to be doing much better. ‘H’ writes: “Prey deliveries were down yesterday, and the parents ate a large portion of the fish that they brought to the nest!  R4 did not eat until late in the day, but ate quite enthusiastically.  S/he even managed to scarf up some big pieces.  At 18:25 R4 ate for approximately 9 minutes.  And at 19:41, R4 ate for about 12-13 minutes fed by Rose.  Rose and R4 ate that entire fish leaving nothing for R5.  R5 was shorted on food yesterday, and ate for a total of about 10 minutes from 3 feedings.  No worries though, R5 had eaten for about 61 minutes in 7 feedings on 4/21. I have one pic of R4 from 1833 near the end of the feeding from Ron.  R4 ate a lot more a little over an hour later fed by Rose, but R4 simply would not pose for a decent picture!” This is very good news, indeed. ‘H’ mentions that banding is coming up at WRDC and they will definitely give R4 a good check to see if anything is of concern at that time.

Florence returned to the Captiva Osprey platform after an absence of 25 hours but Angu was not about. River freed one talon of DH18 but not the other nor its wing and then the pair have since gotten tangled again or so it appears. One of the eaglets from the Bald Canyon is missing and is presumed to have fallen off the nest in the Channel Islands. The nest is not far off the ground. Hopefully parents providing some food. Eaglet is 3 weeks old.

It is like a roller coaster ride. Meanwhile, Annie and Lou’s little ones are all over the scrape and amazing each of us by their antics. That little one is such a cutie. We are also waiting for the Decorah Goose…this will be exciting.

We will never know what happened but Florence returned to her eggs after 25 hours. It is highly unlikely they are viable but I thought that about Milda’s eggs also and they hatched. We will wait and hope with Florence and Angus.

It is currently 1600 and Angus has not returned to the nest. Oh, dear.

Angus has not been seen since 0955 Saturday morning – nearly 12 hours as I am writing Saturday night. There are intruders in the area as Flo has been alerting. There is a hole in one of the eggs nearest the camera and that it is egg 2 leaving only egg 3, according to the hat. It could just be debris. Sadly a single osprey parent cannot take care of nestlings alone – it is just a fact – if Angus does not return and the eggs hatch.

The call to spread the word about DH18 in distress – tangled in all that fishing line and nesting material – and who will surely die if not untangled – is getting some traction in the news outlets in Tennessee. Will all this attention get help to DH18? Gosh, we would sure hope so! It is a human interest story with Obey disappearing, River having to defend the nest against intruders while trying to raise and feed DH17 and DH18 after DH19 died.

UPDATE: Around 1504 River was able to free DH18’s talon after the feeding. The wing is still tangled. As of Sunday morning it appears that the situation is more distressful as both eaglets are now entangled, again.

This was reported by Deb Stecyk for Bald Eagles 101 Saturday evening:

· “We continue to keep DH18 and the Dale Hollow eagle family in our prayers as DH18 leg remains tangled up in fishing line (and carcass), which appears to be affecting the circulation in that leg/foot. On a positive note, the eaglet is alert, and its appetite is not impaired 😊Some reports on FB indicate the AEF and FWS are watching this situation closely so hopefully help is on the way.”

Poor Mother Goose woke up to a windy Saturday with light snow flakes.

We wait, rather impatiently.

Eggs still in tact Saturday at 2100. Mother Goose takes a break.

After dusk. Mother Goose has been pulling down off her breast today to keep the eggs warm and covered when she leaves and to make sure there is not any drafts when she is incubating.

The Iowa DNR has published an article on 8 Cool Things about Geese!

8-cool-things-you-should-know-about-Canada-geese-DNR-News-ReleasesDownload

We are five days away from fledge watch at Moorings Park Osprey Park in Naples, Florida. Will it be Victor or Abby that flies first?

At 1658 Harry brought in the fourth fish of the day to Sally, Abby, and Victor. It was a Tilapia.

Wet eaglets at Pittsburgh-Hayes Saturday morning.

These two are getting their feathers now. Oh, they look like they are itchy.

It was a gorgeous sunny day on the Channel Islands Bald Eagle nests and we got a rare treat with Chase and Cholyn on the nest together with their little eaglet. Just imagine. They have been together for a long, long time – two decades!

Waiting for that second egg at Glacier Gardens for Liberty and Freedom.

Blue 33 and Maya have some lovely nesting material. Blue 33 has been cuddled up with his lady on and off during Saturday.

It is Saturday and that means that I am lurking while Ferris Akel is doing his live stream in upstate New York near Ithaca. He found five Mute Swans this morning. Gosh, they are beautiful.

There was also a Glossy Ibis at Montezuma as well. They are considered rare for the area and are gorgeous if you can catch the iridescence of their plumage.

There was a single Sandhill Crane in the area of the Glossy Ibis, also. Ferris told us that the red on the head of the Sandhill Crane is not feathers but skin. I had no idea. Thanks, Ferris!

In the fields they eat grain. Everyone, including Ferris, is wondering what they are foraging after here at Montezuma.

American Coots and Blue-winged Teals were paddling in the water.

A Shoveler.

I loved it when Ferris Akel said “Birds always have the right of way but, he wishes they would be more careful”. He also added that “at least they do not look at their phones when they cross the street”! Yeah, Ferris.

At the end of the evening, Ferris caught Arthur, all wet, up on Bradfield while Big Red keeps the eggs warm and dry on the nest. Dark and rainy.

Gracie Shepherd gives us a video of E21 and 22 soaring together in the thermals at Fort Myers. My goodness. It will not be long now til they soar. What a blessing this nest has been. The Es are 16 weeks old. They might be around for another week or a bit. What glorious eagles M15 raised.

The winds are really blowing at Ithaca. Big Red and Arthur are changing shifts and oh, goodness, they must have to hold on tight.

The heavy rain forecast for Ithaca began around 1630.

No worries for any of the Cal Falcons. That third hatch is a firecracker and it had a big crop today!

Iris blessed us by a visit to the Owl Pole today.

The falcons that use a nest instead of a scrape at the Baryczy Forest in Poland have three babies they feed. You can watch them in the video below.

Some great news coming out of Tampa.

A rescued eagle with a fish hook – so much fishing and so many lines and hooks and sinkers full of lead.

Sadly, as so many of you know, the fish have been on and off again at the Achieva Nest this week. There are either lots or few or none. The oldest is now gone into aggression mode again but, against Middle Bob now. Remember – there are always three difficult nests to watch: Achieva, Port Lincoln Ospreys, and Dale Hollow. Without exception. Every year unless it is a year of three males at PLO (2021).

The eaglets are 36 and 35 days old today.

My heart will hardly stay still. An enormous outbreak of Avian Flu is hitting The Gambia where many of European ospreys spend their winter and where the youngsters remain. This is tragic!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/22/bird-flu-outbreak-the-gambia-threat-poultry-uk-aoe?CMP=share_btn_link

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. I am investigating a report that the group at Dale Hollow have applied for a federal grant for a new marina at the Moody Boat Dock on Dale Hollow Lake. Take care all. Send all your wishes to our nests today – the news is like a roller coaster.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog this morning: ‘H’, ‘A’ Raptor Resource Group and Explore.org, WRDC, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Heidi MGrue and Raptors of the World, Window to Wildlife, Decorah Goose Cam, Iowa DNR, Moorings Park Ospreys, Pittsburg-Hayes and PIX Cams, IWS and Explore.org, Glacier Gardens, LRWT, Ferris Akel Live Tour, Gracie Shepherd and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Cornell RTH, Cal Falcons, Montana Osprey Project, Sokol-D Baryczy, 10 Tampa Bay, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagle Live Nests and Cams, Achieva Credit Union and The Guardian.

First egg for Louis and Dorcha, Lou feeds the kids…Friday in Bird World

21 April 2023

Good Morning everyone,

It is 2 degrees C with snow and blowing snow and a weather warning going from Thursday evening until Friday morning, which will be extended to Saturday. Possibility of 10-20 cm of new snow accumulation. The snow in the garden had melted, and as of the time I am writing – it is 1922 Thursday evening; only a few Dark-eyed Juncos are left on the branches and hopping about looking for Millet. The European Starlings have been here in great numbers today, and you could feel that ‘something’ was coming, and it has now arrived in the form of heavy snow.

The second Hibiscus bloom of the year. If you live where the grass is green and the flowers are blooming it is hard to imagine how much people living in the snowy wintery areas crave flowers and greenery! It has been such a delight to see this Hibiscus survive for the past several years. It goes out in the summer and then comes in before the first frost. That used to be in August but now it might not happen until late September or October.

Missy and Lewis believe in ‘looking up’. You never know what is going to fly over the glass ceiling! Today they have been watching low-flyin Ring-billed Gulls.

Lewis thinks the best thing to do on a snowy day is to have a nice long nap!

The European Starlings have emptied the Meal Worm and Bark Butter feeder three times today. They are so beautiful, and despite rumours to the contrary, they get along quite nicely with all of the other birds in the garden including the House Sparrows.

Always grateful when a kind person makes an effort to care for our wild birds migrating here for their spring and summer breeding grounds.

Coming out of the UK is news that will make you weep. At the same time, the individual who tore down the trees and demolished the ecosystems along the river on his property will pay for the damage dearly as will all the wildlife and birds for his actions. The message is clear: You cannot destroy the planet even if you own the land. We are, after all, only stewards, and we need to do a better job caring for our planet.

This is the most unbelievable idea I have ever seen and it could decidedly endanger the adult ospreys as well as the hatchlings. The nest of Audrey and Tom at Kent Island is covered with sticks with yellow and blue in support of Ukraine. My problem is not the support but the plastic and the fact that it is in the nest. The plastic can break off, entangle the osplets and do all manner of destruction to the environment. It isn’t cool.

There are some very strange things going on around the world these days including a proposal by the NZ Government to have children kill feral cats. It was revoked because of public outrage but who would ever consider such a thing?!

Moving on to things more delightful. Louis and Dorcha have their first egg. Thanks, Geemeff, for sending me the good news. Nice to wake up and see something positive these days! That egg arrived at 05:44:19. Louis was there to support Dorcha during the entire event. He brought her a nice fish at 06:31:05. What a great guy!

Oh, those nice fish gifts. Sweet, Louis!

Annie and Lou’s little fluff balls are getting ‘to that stage’ when only a mother and dad can love them. Ahhh…no, I am wrong. We love them regardless. They will look more like their dinosaur ancestors for a few days as those pen feathers come in .

These babies are beginning to explore the scrape box and flap their little wings.

And just look at this feeding by Lou- 5 minutes! Really, watch it…those babies are soooooooo cute.

The little one has a nice crop – and still wants to eat. These three are always hungry!

There were at least three fish brought to the Achieva Osprey nest on Thursday. Two in the morning and another at 18:20. Both osplets are doing splendidly and had huge crops and I am hoping Diane got some fish, too. It was large, the last one, and Jack had taken the head.

Let’s all hope that the wind calms down, that Mother Goose gets a good meal, and that the weather is perfect for the hatch on Saturday (or Friday if it is early)! Following their Mum, the goslings will remain in the nest for 24-48 hours before they leap to the ground and then swim in the stream. This is the most fantastic sight. You will never forget it.

Murphy and the Eaglet update:

There is continuing concern over R4 at the WRDC Bald Eagle nest in Miami. Alison writes: “I am worried about R4 at WRDC. There is definitely something wrong. With the two feedings I watched, R4 seemed to be dropping or spitting out the bites of food. It made me very fearful of trich. If he does have it, swallowing will be becoming very painful, which could account for the way he was dealing with the food he was being given. He was hungry, and still trying to intimidate R5 and stop it from eating, so it wasn’t that. But according to chatters, he ate little or nothing all day, and his eating has not been ‘quite right’ for up to three days. Some suggested he may have a pellet, others that he has suddenly become a picky eater (as we know, there is no such thing with bald eagles – there are preferences, but very little they will actually refuse to eat if they are hungry, and R4 is hungry). But there is consensus that something is not right. R4 is hungry but not eating.”

R4 is 38 days old and R5 is 36 days old today. R4 had a big crop yesterday. I hope that it is just a bone injury and his mouth is a little sore but, sadly, all we can do is wait to see what is happening.

‘H’ reports that, “R4 did eat this morning, has a decent crop, still was spitting out some bites though; and, R5 is getting a good feeding!” This is Friday morning reports so this is good. It seems that R4 is trying to cast a pellet, according to ‘H’ and this could be the issue. Fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Second hatch at Lake Murray on the 20th!

I have to admit to having a really soft spot for the nests with single hatches. That little one at Decorah Hatchery is adorable. Just love the delicate way the huge parents feed this little baby.

Soft dry nesting material was brought in for the baby today. At one point it was covered like it was a blanket!

Another little cutie pie belongs to Chase & Cholyn at Two Harbours. Today, for awhile I could not locate that little one on the nest and almost panicked. I began to think about Lancer going over the edge but, no, there this one was! Can you spot the eaglet?

A third cutie pie is at US Steel. USS6 is adorable. They are all about the same age (I think USS6 is just a day or so older, must check my charts). Lots to look forward to as they develop.

Good view of USS6’s ear! It will be covered with feathers but right now appears as a black dot behind the beak. This little one is eating well. Note the feet beginning to turn yellow and the area around the mouth.

River has brought in fish and there is still a nice piece on the nest for DH17 and DH18 to peck at. Where is the monofilament line of DH18? I cannot tell. I can, at times, still see that raccoon pelt with what appears to be line tangled in it.

Update: Both eaglets may now be entangled in the line. Let us all hope that this resolves itself without either eaglet being injured.

Sally and Harry continue to feed Abby and Victor lots of fish with Sally staying on the nest with the youngsters at night. They have all their juvenile feathers and are getting really steady on those gorgeous legs.

Tom did not return to the Chesapeake Conservancy nest and Audrey has finally chosen another Tom to replace her mate from last year. Good luck!

With Kaia’s arrival on Thursday, Karl II is busy working on the Black Stork nest in Estonia’s Karula Forest. Karl II looks like he is smiling today!

The climate crisis might be changing where some birds choose to live. See what is happening with the Alpine Swift in the UK. We will also begin to notice changes in North America.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/20/once-rare-alpine-swift-uk-soon-stay-breed-climate-crisis?CMP=share_btn_link

Bazz Hockaday provided some images of Calypso and Ervie going about their lives as osprey in South Australia. Here are two of the photos of Ervie from the Friends of Osprey S Aus FB.

Wondering what is going on with Connick from the Captiva Bald Eagle nest? Deb Stecyk reached out to Lori Covert the land owner and this is the response she received:

Thank you so much for being with me today as we stop in at a few of the nests we have been monitoring. The only concerns are with R4 at WRDC and the eaglets at Dale Hollow. Everyone else seems to be doing alright at the moment. As we all know everything can change so quickly. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, videos, tweets, photos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Alison, ‘H’, Geemeff, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Pembina Valley Hospital, Dr Amy-Jane Beer, Chesapeake Conservancy and Explore.org, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Achieva Credit Union, Decorah Goose Cam, World Bird Sanctuary, WRDC, Lake Murray Ospreys, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, IWS and Explore.org, PIX Cams, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Moorings Park Ospreys, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, The Guardian, Eagle Club of Estonia, Bazza Hockaday and Friends of S Aus Ospreys, and Deb Stecyk and Bald Eagles 101.

Ervie, Iris, and more in Bird World for Tuesday

18 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that the beginning of the week was good for all of you. There is just a lot of great news out there in Bird World and I am really excited to share it with you.

Ella, the mate of Pip, laid the first Peregrine Falcon egg of the 2023 season in Manitoba at the Radisson Hotel scrape in downtown Winnipeg on the 17th of April! What a great kick-off to the season after Tracy’s outstanding presentation at Oak Hammock on the work of our local Peregrine Recovery Group Sunday.

It is always good when a two year old osprey has been spotted and this one is from the 2021 hatch at Loch of the Lowes. Laddie and Blue NC0’s LR2 was photographed in Spain! Alive and well. Just beautiful like her Mum.

‘B’ sent me a link to an excellent opinion piece in The Guardian about the swift decline in bird species. We know that there are also declines in North America. The Big Bird Day is coming – I will remind you closer to the time – and we should participate to get a detailed look at how and where the birds are doing. Some species in a significant decline in the UK are doing well in North America and vice versa.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/17/birds-vanishing-crisis-40m-birds?CMP=share_btn_link

Murphy and his eaglet made The New York Times! Yahoo. My wish is that everyone who has enjoyed the story of Murphy sends World Bird Sanctuary $10. If everyone did that, this wildlife rehabber in Missouri could do amazing things, including caring for Murphy and the eaglet.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/us/murphy-bald-eagle-rock.html?unlocked_article_code=kR-e7nYc4rZ-i5bM5D-ozD6L92h2iJLZ8K8p9bQSWs7urb6LQtWwS-5NQpDZC9JwLpIwcTfcZA7zDedbZq-5pWsw1forBDI0A-VRWerKUDcFUCET2RZ4i9eYaqlclCdIdaaJ1a3nB9r9SHnmAn9ET2WdxnnenP5v6r2OhSiumHakX_VxOFASGTVUgPc9VUR4OinBTtooGd9RcjcTJg2JrPww7NlAtSAZtbP2OWG-2fR5A8-fsp9molBFKD6cs2QoTqG_845bH2yqCZUoSEN9AjqVvfXY6KdIKXSQPHc2NqRl1hJkwoZvnaCxHdAtVK20ppQZicC8QXwcU5o&giftCopy=4_Disclaimer&smid=em-share

More Murphy Cartoons:

The latest update on Murphy and the eaglet after the tornado and big storms went through Missouri.

The third hatch of Annie and Lou has its beak wide open for prey – even when Mum feeds, and Dad brings in extra. That little one is up front and centre, as ‘A’ observes, and she said she felt like today had been a turning point on this scrape with the baby being fed well. Just look at that bite Annie is giving this little one.

The little one getting ‘stuffed’ crop before bedtime. We do not need to worry about this one! Lou is keeping all of the different places for stashing prey full. Great Dad!

There was a good feed at Dale Hollow! If those intruders are leaving River alone maybe her and DH17 and 18 will get to eat well and the eaglets will fledge. Wouldn’t that be nice?

River fed the eaglets so much that when they wanted to hop around the nest they had a hard time because of those crops.

Full crops at Moorings Park Ospreys.

Abby and Victor are now as loud as Sally when Harry arrives with the fish. Here comes Dad!

Hatchery Mum fed and kept that little eaglet dry and warm throughout the blizzard. Now the sun is out!

White-tail Eagle Milda feeding her two little eaglets in Latvia. Oh, I so want to see these two well fed and fledge this year. Milda deserves it.

Kaia has not arrived in Estonia at the Black Stork nest she shares with Karl II. There has, however, been another female with a distinctive pattern on her right leg. We do not know if Kaia will arrive at the nest. She was last in Ukraine. We can only wait to see.

The female is unringed but has this distinctive pattern on her leg.

At the nest of Betynka and Bukadek in The Czech Republic, Bety is incubating four precious eggs.

Iris continues to bring in her whoppers – a magnificent trout – that she eats on the owl pole.

Oh, and this is what an amazing ‘ps’ looks like Iris-style.

Mother Goose and her eggs appear to be fine after the blizzard in Iowa. We have no geese with eggs yet in Manitoba but, there is a snow storm brewing for Wednesday and Thursday that is predicted to dump 30 cm (1 ft) of snow.

Every time I look at an old tree with a nest in it, I think of Nancy and Beau losing their nest and their sweet little eaglet. I wonder how many other trees need some support?

The Pittsburgh-Hayes Eagle nest:

Thank you ‘B’ for sending me this link so that we can all see Andor and Cruz’s two eaglets from this season at the new Two Harbours nest!

Speaking of Channel Islands, here is an older video of our hero Dr Sharpe fostering chicks into nests. Oh, so many would love if a foster chick could get into Jak and Audacity’s nest this year. They have tried so hard! Thank you to everyone who sent me this link…we would love to see him do this one more time for Sauces!

A Kestrel was spotted in Winnipeg Monday morning, the first for the season. At Robert Fullers in the UK, Mrs Kestrel has laid her first egg.

Oh, geez. I get nervous when an Osprey nest has three eggs but here is another one with four this season in Missouri. The other is Maya and Blue 33 at Manton Bay, Rutland Water in the UK.

Charlotte is back at Charlo Montana! My goodness she is a beauty.

Buzz Hockaday posted some images of Calypso and Ervie on the Friends of S Australia Osprey site. I pulled out two of Ervie for you. He is looking good. Ervie, it is so nice to see you!

Some other news we are following this morning:

  • All is well at Achieva. Diane fed the two a huge catfish yesterday and Dad brought in another fish. They ate for at least three hours.
  • Z2 Aeron and his mate, Blue 014, have laid their first egg at Port Cresor.
  • At Kielder Nest 4, Mr and Mrs 69 laid their first egg on Sunday morning
  • There is some concern that the male at the Osoyoos nest this year is not Olsen.
  • There is some concern that R4 at the WRDC nest in Miami of Ron and Rose has some issues. He is being monitored as it appears he has difficulty eating. Hopefully, this is not Trichomonosis. We have seen this in a Finnish Osprey nest (Boris and Titi) and also the 4th hatch at CBD in Melbourne in 2021. It causes severe damage to the tissues of the mouth, throat, crop and esophagus and affected birds may drool saliva, regurgitate food, have difficulty in swallowing food and water, demonstrate laboured breathing and/or have a swollen neck or throat.
  • I am trying to get a good feed on the Venice Golf and Country Club Osprey platform to see if there are still three osplets on the platform.

Some people rescue our feathered friends and who, in the process, understand just how much our birds do for us. Here is a lovely article of a Welsh writer and illustrator and the owls she has rescued and what they give to her life. Oh, it is a good read!

Writing about George (the subject of her forthcoming book), Hughes says, “He and his magpie presence had a very powerful effect on me. He left me with a love of birds that I just hadn’t expected. If you had told me, a few years before, you’re going to fall in love with a magpie and be completely crackers about it, I would have laughed at you. If you’d told me I was going to end up with 13 owls in an aviary, I wouldn’t have believed you.” I imagine that so many of you could say that about the feathered friends from the streaming cams that have become so much a part of our lives. They give us so much. In return, I hope that we can help make the changes that will ensure that their lives are more secure.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/apr/16/frieda-hughes-crow-death-sylvia-plath-ted-hughes?CMP=share_btn_link

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: As many of you know, I am researching osprey behaviour. The main project is on siblicide. At the same time, Claudio Eduardo has set up a programme to get an accurate number of how many eggs are laid, how many hatches, and how many fledge. In addition, we can monitor if any of the osplets perish. This will give us a better idea of the survival rate in the nests of the streaming cams.

I am looking for volunteers. In particular, I seek observers for the following nests: Charlo Montana, City of Independence, Dunrovin, Lake Murray, McEwan Park, Minnesota Landscape, Newfoundland Power, Nova Scotia Power, Oyster Bay, Patchogue, Seaside, Wolf Bay, Salem Electric. There is no compensation, just my eternal gratitude, and you will always be mentioned in any material in print for your assistance.

This does not involve watching nests intently or taking pages of notes. I require the dates that eggs are laid, the dates that the eggs hatch, and the dates that the chicks fledge. If you observe a nest that appears to be in trouble and where siblicide might occur, I would like to be alerted so that the nest can be closely monitored. If you can help, please send me a note with your name and contact information and which nest you can observe: maryannsteggles@icloud.com Thank you so much.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘H’, ‘A’, ‘L’, ‘B’, Manitoba Peregrine Recovery Project, Valerie Webber Loch Garten and other Ospreys, The Guardian, the NY Times, World Bird Sanctuary, Cal Falcons, Dale Hollow Eagles, Keisha Howell and Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Moorings Park Osprey, Raptor Resource Project, Latvian Fund for Nature, Eagle Club of Estonia, Looduskalender Forum, Mlade Bury, Montana Osprey Project, Decorah Goose Cam, PIX Cams, IWS, Robert E Fuller, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Mary Anne Miller and Osprey Friends, and Bass Hockaday and Friends of Osprey S Australia.

Mrs G Remembered, eggs for Seren and Telyn…Friday in Bird World

14 April 2023

Good Morning,

It was overcast and coolish, 1 C, in the early morning of Thursday. It felt like rain; we could use it, but the drops never came. The Dark-eyed Juncos are eating the Millet spread over the deck, the little woodpecker has been at the feeder, and 18 European Starlings showed up at about 1000. It is now noon. They should be happy. There is Bark Butter with Mealworms along with their favourite suet. Hoping they come back. Last year’s numbers were high for Starlings. Hoping it is the same this migration. People take them for granted, like Sparrows, but what happens when they are gone? They are under threat. So, this garden embraces them and the Sparrows; believe it or not, they all co-exist nicely for the most part. Right now, they all need food. Those long journeys and habitat loss in my area over the winter due to the ever-expanding need for humans to have more extensive houses means that we should all pitch in and feed them – if we can.

Snail mail. We don’t get so much of it anymore; it is always a welcome treat. Today the publications from Birdlife International and Living Bird were in the post. I realise that having them sent costs the environment. I hope they will be helpful in the future to others as they are going in dedicated binders.

Lots to learn. The National Whitebark Pine Restoration Plan members have worked for 14 years to get a plan to restore this tree species. They hope to have a tree with genetic resistance to white pine blister rust and they are really expecting the Clark’s Nutcracker to spread those seeds. It could help to restore many lost forests for the future. The Smithsonian now has a bird friendly chocolate certification programme to go along with their Birds and Beans coffee and Caffe Ibis Coffee. You can normally order from the Smithsonian. In Canada, coffee can be ordered directly from the roaster in Toronto. Some specialty bird feed providers also have one lb bags of coffee beans such as Preferred Perch in Winnipeg. What else did. learn? That both the Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks that visit my garden like Dark-eyed Juncos as prey items along with lots of House Sparrows, Mourning Doves, and Starlings. Cornell did a great study on what birds should actually be the State birds and only two states kept the ones that they celebrate: Louisiana with the Brown Pelican and Oklahoma with the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. In Manitoba, where I live our provincial bird would be the Connecticut Warbler. 33% of the entire population breeds here. Our provincial animal is currently the Great Grey Owl.

Heather Corfield at Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn has written a lovely blog dedicated to the memory of Mrs G, the formidable female Osprey that has populated the area. She laid 60 eggs and fledged 52 chicks. She has at least 130 grand-chicks along with countless great-grand chicks. She had only two mates, Ochre 11 (98) to 2015 and then our dear Aran since then. She bred at Glaslyn for 19 years and was the oldest UK Osprey. It is a good read about a very remarkable bird. As Heather says, we knew the day would come. She was at least 23-24 years old – but it doesn’t make it any easier. Mrs G did not return from migration and it is unknown when and where she died.

https://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/the-end-of-an-era/

Does get much cuter than fluffy little Peregrine Falcon eyases! OK. Big Red, yes, I do love Red-tail Hawk eyases the most!!!!!! Annie giving the two nestlings at Cal Falcons their first feeding at 0720 on Thursday morning.

There were two adorable little white white fluff balls with no egg shell present.

No shell but a visible crack in the one shell to the left.

Now Annie looking rather mischievous…and there is a half shell on the scrape. Looks like we have hatch 3.

Annie turned around at 11:53 and moved the shell and you can see a tiny wet pink eyas.

The reveal and Lou gets to see that his family has just grown some more. Best be out there hunting, Lou!

Later…the new hatch will be ready for some prey tomorrow! It is less than five hours old in the following images.

These eyases will grow dramatically from their hatch to fledging. Think 40 days. At first, their eyes are closed except when food begging; the eyes open like slits. By the fifth day, their eyes will be fully open all the time except when they are sleeping and they can focus and see clearly.

At that time their weight will have doubled from when they hatched! I am such a fan of falcons and hawks…you will be overwhelmed with ‘baby pictures’.

‘A’ says, “Little Lou is enjoying being a dad. As soon as Annie decides to take a prey gift for herself, he’s onto those chicks and the remaining egg. I wonder if he is counting. Does he notice that these well-behaved eggs are progressively being swapped out for these small fluffy wriggling things. He’s doing such a good job of covering everything and everyone he needs to, at least so far… That won’t last long, especially if that last egg hatches.”

Do you know how Peregrine Falcons get such amazing colours to their eggs? Here is the answer from the Chicago Peregrine Program:

“As an egg moves down the female’s oviduct it presses against glands that produce colored pigments. Peregrine egg colors range from pale creamy to a dark rusty brown. Marking patterns develop by if the eggs are in motion or not when they reach the glands with pigment. If the Peregrine egg is stationary at the time when it comes in contact with the glands, it’ll become spotted. If the egg was in motion, it would have streaks. Because the egg can continue to gain color down the oviduct, and as the egg can rotate slightly while it moves, you can have color laid over where color was already added.The pigments in the glands become depleted with each successive egg laid. Looking at this egg set from The Field Museum, we would estimate the egg on the far right was laid first, while the one on the far left came last.”

For more information about egg color in birds – check out this link from Cornell –https://www.allaboutbirds.org/…/the-beauty-and…/…#

Falcons are either laying eggs or have hatches…it is so much fun. Seriously if you have never watched a falcon scrape you need to start! Everyone eats! The incidence of sibling rivalry/siblicide is so diminished compared to ospreys and eagles. You will be astonished.

The Michigan Spartan scrape box has four eggs!

Oh, and then there are the most gorgeous osplets with their juvenile feathers at Moorings Park eating breakfast. Gosh, they are all beautiful.

Oh, and Idris preparing a fish for Telyn Blue 3J at the Dyfi Osprey platform in Wales. The anticipation of the first egg is growing.

And….

we have two first eggs – at Dyfi and at Llyn Clywedog! Telyn laid her egg at 17:40 with Seren coming in twelve minutes later at 17:53. Congratulations!

Telyn – congratulations to one of my most favourite couples, Idris and Telyn!

Idris sees their egg!

Beautiful Seren Blue 5F. 17:53:20.

Dylan had been up on the perch since 0615 expecting an egg today so he was there when the big event happened.

Just look at that beautiful pristine landscape. What wonderful places these Welsh ospreys have for their platforms!

Several have wondered why there are not more osprey platforms in the Glaslyn Valley. Well, there was Aran and Mrs G’s platform. Then another platform was placed just at the boundary of Port Cresor which is now occupied by Aeron Z2 (2017 Monty and Gleans) and Blue 014. At the time, some believed the placement was to ‘steal’ Mrs G from Glaslyn. There has certainly been a lot of interest in the Glaslyn nest from Monty and Glesni’s boys that hatched at Dyfi including Z1, Aeron’s full brother, Tegid (2016, Monty and Gleans). He briefly appeared on the nest. Did he steal the female’s fish? His nest is ON4 on private property. Is there a move to consolidate Monty’s family holdings in Glaslyn now that Aran is trying to establish himself with a new mate? Aran got Tegid moving!

Tegid is the 2016 hatch of Monty and Gleans and was known as ‘The White Egg’. He was harassed by Blue 24 (female) if I recall. Good to see you Tegid. Now go home to Snowdonia!!!!!

Aran flapping after sending off Tegid. Sadly, the whole event sent the nice female off and she hasn’t been seen on the nest on Friday. Aran was sky dancing to another female, a more aggressive one to him.

Ringo fledged at the Webter, Texas Bald Eagle nest near Houston but, s/he has continued to return to the nest for food lured by parents. Thursday was no exception. This is fantastic. These parents are teaching Ringo exactly the sane way that M15 is teaching the Es to survive independently. Great mantle, Ringo! Looks like a big girl to me.

There are two eggs at the Golden Eagle nest in Romania. Siblicide is common in Golden Eagle nests so watch this nest with that warning.

The cam operator at Cornell Bird Lab gave us some incredible close up images of Big Red today. It will not be long until hatch watch for her and Arthur.

She is incredibly beautiful, our 20 year old Red-tail Hawk ‘Queen’.

Achieva and Dale Hollow: River brought in a nice fish at 10:22 Thursday morning. Despite the intruder close by, River fed both eaglets well. Yes!

DH18 decided to do some self-feeding on the last of the fish bone. Way to go little one.

DH17’s wing span!

A view of the Obey River.

Both osplets at Achieva had crops during the 0800 fish feed! Good news.

The three eaglets at PA Farm Country are growing and doing very well, indeed. No issues at this nest to report.

Gabby and V3 might not have had a nest of eaglets this year but they are positively delighted being with one another and I am looking forward to November next year when, hopefully, they will lay a clutch of eggs for the first time together.

I have been watching the Dulles-Greenway nest reasonably close. On Thursday by late afternoon, all I could see were two short feedings with the third hatch not getting anything at the second. Are there intruders about? or am I missing feedings?

All looks well at the Pittsburgh-Hayes Bald Eagle nest.

The eaglet at US Steel is 8 days old.

Cholyn and Chase’s single hatch this season is not going to go hungry. The nest is loaded with a variety of prey items for this chubby little fluff ball.

In Estonia, Karl II waits for the arrival of his mate, Kaia, at their Black Stork nest in the Karula National Forest. Karl II arrived yesterday from migration. Kaia is close behind.

There are some dates that you should mark on your calendar. The first one is a day that many of you will not recognise – National Curlew Day which is the 21st of April on the feast day of St Brueno, the patron saint of Curlews. The species is critically-endangered in many places around the world because of modern agricultural politics, climate change, habitat encroachment. Instead of me telling you about Curlews, read about them. Find ou what their status is where you live. These lovely shore birds migrate and they need wetlands, they need not to be shot! See what you can do to help in your area.

The other two days are about bird counts. 13 May. Mark it on your calendar. It is Global Big Day that helps us celebrate the birds that are in our environment. The second event is World Migratory Bird Day which is held twice a year to celebrate the marvellous journeys our birds make in the spring and fall. Please sign up to eBird to help track the birds and to see where help is needed. Last year 51,455 birds worldwide entered their statistics from 201 countries for 7,673 bird species.

Many of you have pets or have had in the past. Did you take them to the crematorium? Did you leave them with the Vet if they had to be euthanised? Last year we saw dumped pets euthanised in several landfills around the Minneapolis area.

Three-bald-eagles-dead-10-others-sickened-after-eating-carcasses-of-euthanized-animals-at-MinnesotaDownload

This could not have been an isolated incident, but it came to light only because of the Bald Eagles eating the carrion found at the dump and having to go into rehab. Reports have come that a similar incident happened in the Pacific-Northwest in the Cowlitz district in Washington from one of our readers. Why are we hearing about this? Has there been a change in human behaviour during and after the pandemic? Did pet crematoriums close so that vets are left dealing with animals left in their charge? What can be done? If your pet is sick, you should learn how your vet clinic disposes of the body. That should be a priority. Are they assigning these animals to another business that should be disposing of them correctly but is dumping them? It is entirely possible that these contractors are not following laws or protocols. Ask. The vets’ drugs can cause our carrion eaters – Crows, Vultures, Bald Eagles, etc. – to get ill and die. This is not a good situation. Talk to your local wildlife rehab clinic and veterinary surgeon if you want to help and do not have pets. They might not be aware!

A sad story coming from Arkansas in the US. What’s with the need to kill other living beings? I do not get it.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, news, and streaming cams that helped inform my blog today: ‘A’, ‘B’, Heather Corfield and Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Chicago Peregrine Program, Olga Kysil and Orange, Australia Peregrine Falcons, Moorings Osprey, Dyfi Osprey, CarnyXWild, Paul White and the Webster TX Eagles, Associate Wild Bucovina, Cornell RTH Cam, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, PA Game Commission, NEFL-AEF, Dulles-Greenway, PIX Cam, IWS and Explore.org, Eagle Club of Estonia, and CBS News.

Murphy fed the baby eaglet, Maya lays historic 4th egg…Thursday in Bird World

13 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

It is a balmy ‘summer day’ on the Canadian Prairies. The temperature was 12 C with a blue sky and winds of 19 kph. It was a perfect day to go to the park and check on the arrival of the Canada Geese.

Several Ring-billed Gulls were enjoying the water. Ring-billed Gulls have white markings on their outer wing feathers. You can see these in the image below. They also have pale eyes with a red eye-ring. I like to think of them as celadon eyes, that coveted green-grey glaze from China. There is also a black band on the end of the yellow bill.

There were geese everywhere…at least 75 in a small area around the pond.

In the garden, there has been much joy with the arrival of the first European Starling around 1700. Also, there were three Blue Jays today. Last year, we had Junior and the three babies. Will there be another arrival tomorrow? We wait to see if four return from migration to join the Dark-eyed Juncos and the arrival of the Starlings.

This is the older Blue Jay, Junior.

Blue Jays are incredibly picky over peanuts. They test and shake each one for its weight. No sense in using all that energy for an old dried-up nut. Smart. About 1/3 of the peanuts in the ‘new’ bag appear not good enough to make the cut.

A blurry photo of the first European Starling for the year.

This woodpecker prefers this type of feeder while his friend is at the log suet feeder.

Migration counts continue across southern Manitoba where I live. At one site in part of an afternoon, 825 Red-tail Hawks, 130 Bald Eagles, and 3 Golden Eagles flew over. Fantastic.

The giggle for the day comes from Sharon Pollock!

The two little falcons are adorable. Lou doesn’t quite seem to know what to do but he is bringing in prey items, thankfully. Things work out. Maybe there will only be two!

‘A’ notes “Lou is a bit nervous of the little ones – as I mentioned, he trampled through the scrape and trod on one of the chicks’ heads today when retrieving prey from the back corner! He may have a bit to learn on that front. But Annie has it covered, and as long as he keeps the pantry full (which it seems he is doing so far), he will be doing his job. After all, he will be way too tiny to brood chicks for very long! What a cutie. And those little white fluffy babies with their tiny beaks open wide whenever they hear mum e-chup. Oh how gorgeous are they? Don’t you just want to snuggle them up? Well, no, that would upset Annie greatly, but you know what I mean. Such darling little creatures.”

SK Hideaways gives a good video of these two darlings!

 

Well, it doesn’t get much better. Murphy abandoned his ‘rock baby’ to care for a little eaglet that needed a parent. It was an experiment and it looks like it has worked.

The little eaglet gets a parent and Murphy gets to share his love. Win-win.

Wild Bird Sanctuary has just done a late posting. It is fantastic. Looking for a place for a donation, however small or large. Think of donating specifically for Murphy and the eaglet at Wild Bird Sanctuary!

Bella and Smitty’s little only eaglet is doing very well indeed. Check out the crop and it is going to have a second meal right away. There are so many advantages to eagle parents having only one to care for.

Meanwhile, at the Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya, the couple now have their third clutch of four eggs! The couple previously fledged two clutches of four eggs. They are heading for a record. These two are not going to let anyone else get the Super Couple award! Better put some more stock in Rutland water! Thanks, Geemeff!

Our beautiful couple need all the rest they can get during incubation!

At Glaslyn, it appears that Aran and the unringed unidentified female osprey have also come to an understanding. Aran has been sky dancing and bringing fish and she is at the nest. She is a beauty, too. Like Murphy and the eaglet, Aran is lucky that this young lady chose him when Mrs G did not return from migration.

Oh, it was wet from all the wind and storms but as the day progressed, things began to dry out a little in Wales.

Telyn and Idris have been having some discussions. It was believed Telyn laid an egg but I see no evidence of this. It was storming badly and both ospreys took to the ground so they would not be blown about. I hope Telyn did not lose her first egg of the season.

It has been a bit miserable for Dorcha and Louis up in Scotland at Loch Arkaig, too.

Gracie Shepherd posted a sweet screen capture of E21 and 22 sitting together near the pond. Oh, how we are going to miss these two. M15 has done an amazing job teaching them and they have certainly experienced more than most. Each knows how to defend a nest!

I have received word from Sassa Bird that my favourite white-tailed Eagle, Milda, whose nest is near Durbe in Latvia, has a pip in her egg! Milda is gorgeous and she has had a very tragic two years after losing her long-time mate, Ramos, just when she had laid her eggs in March 2021. We are hoping for a wonderful year for her and her new mate, Voldis.

Wondering what happened at Centreport, New York with Mum? Well, she is incubating two eggs with D3.

Cape Henlopen had a tragic 2022 season. There is a new platform this year and hopefully a new couple. Heidi McGrue brings us news of a visiting osprey. Fingers crossed.

One of the reasons that we love Jackie and Shadow so much is the fact that they love each other sooooooo much. Today Shadow brought in a massive fish just for Jackie in the nest. We know both of them would have liked to have had a replacement clutch. Might they still? We wait. Regardless, they are adorable and every day brings another giggle and smile.

Things continue to go well at the Moorings Park Osprey platform in Naples, Florida. Yes, Abby can eat a lot of fish but, we can assume that because she is a female she needs that for her extra growth in body mass and feathers.

It seems that Indigo has left to find his own way in the world. Diamond blocked him from the scrape on Saturday and he could be heard or it was thought. May he have a long and productive life full of adventure and prey.

A good way to end a great day is an update from Dr Sharpe and his team at the Channel Islands. He goes through all the nests and, of course, gives an update on Thunder and Akecheta. You get to see the most beautiful landscape – and yes, there are at least two eaglets in Thunder and Akecheta’s nest. You can see them!

Dale Hollow and Achieva, brief report: River brought in a small fish to the nest on Wednesday around 0900 despite being chased by intruders. One of those intruders sadly ate part of DH19’s body that had been left on the nest. It was a male. Many hope that River will accept him as her new mate – he did not harm 18 and 19. Then he could help raise the eaglets. That would be wonderful!

Harriet, Jack and the two surviving osplets at Achieva have eaten well. A visitor landed on the nest while the adults were away. I presume Harriet is out fishing!

The Ventana Wildlife Society is being so pro-active in the battle of HPAI with the goal of it not wiping out the Big Sur and Pinnacle Condors. Our hearts break for the Arizona condors losing a battle against this deadly disease.

Dear Mary,Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided an update on HPAI infection in the Arizona condor flock stating that as of April 12, 2023, eighteen condors have succumbed to this terrible disease (6 of which were confirmed to be HPAI and 12 are suspected). In addition to these deaths, five condors are currently in treatment. Our thoughts continue to be with our partners in Arizona and The Peregrine Fund. 

In addition to the measures taken since 2022 to prevent the spread of HPAI, we are now working closely with partners to develop even more contingency plans. This week, we raised $80,000 in support of the purchase of 10 quarantine pens which will arrive in two weeks. SPCA for Monterey County has approved the temporary use of their land on which to setup these pens. Once placed, these pens can be used for treatment, vaccination (when available) and even safeguarding healthy condors from HPAI. We are especially thankful to our partners at SPCA for Monterey County for their collaboration.

These new quarantine pens will be crucial in the fight against this disease, but we still need support for our staff to care for the flock. We will be sure to keep you updated as we know more.

Kelly Sorenson

Ventana Wildlife Society, 12 April 2023

Here is a story that shows you that hard work and persistence – and believing – can pay good dividends when it comes to our raptors.

Ospreys-return-from-extinction-in-England-and-Wales-UK-News-Sky-NewsDownload

While the UK is gleeful over the success of the restoration projects for the Ospreys in North America, citizen scientists are needed to help understand the impact of climate change on birds. You can be one of those that help. Read the article and please do a daily count and send to eBird. Thanks to my eagle-eyed daughter for this one!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/bird-migration-timing-climate-1.6800129

Thank you so much for being with me today. I am checking on Milda but no word of a hatch for our Latvian WTE yet. She is rolling eggs and being coy. Take care, everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures that helped make up my blog today: ‘Geemeff’, ‘T’, ‘J’, ‘A’, Sassa Bird, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Sharon Pollock and Orange Australia Peregrine Falcons, World Bird Sanctuary, Deb Stecyk and NCTC, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Friends of Lock Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Latvian Fund for Nature, Rob Schwartz and Bald Eagles of Centreport, NY, Heidi McGrue and Raptors of the World, FOBBV, Moorings Park Ospreys, IWS, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, and Ventana Wildlife Society.

Karl II is home, 2 babies for Annie and Lou…Wednesday in Bird World

12 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Spring really has arrived. It was a balmy 14 degrees C here on Tuesday with a clear blue sky and bright sun. The same weather promises for today. Yipppeeee. When the weather is good, I encourage all of us to get outside. Even if you sit on a chair and let the sun warm your face. It is all beneficial. Make a habit of it!

The snow is melting and causing some local flooding, the geese, Cormorants, and pelicans fly overhead and it is a great day to be outside and appreciate all the effort the migrants have made to get here. A bald eagle flew low on the road, banked and landed on the ice at one of the lakes. I stopped and found it had spotted some carrion, likely a dead goose.

Other geese were finding open areas of water.

Geese are very territorial as they begin to prepare for nesting. I did not have my long, long lens on the camera. I am about 10 metres away, and he is still warning me off!

The staff have all of the goose and duck boxes full of fresh straw just waiting for new occupants.

Meanwhile, at home, all Lewis can do is dream about another Dove landing on the roof! Lewis makes Missy tired…he is still very much a kitten!

Missy prefers the Japanese snacks!

Ospreys move nests. Yes, they do. In fact, at Kielder Forest some have kept people guessing as to whether they would stay or go. The male at nest 1A White YA disappeared last year. Now the female has left that nest and moved to another. Kielder is putting out a call for female ospreys! Know anyone?

Females-needed-nowDownload

The remarkable story of a rock, an eaglet, and Murphy! From World Bird Sanctuary continues in the most positive way:

There is good news coming out of CROW. After treatment, Connick’s blood is clotting normally. Now they are trying to figure out why he had the loss of so many primary feathers. Thanks, CROW!

Annie and Lou’s little eyas is such a cutie pie. Cal Falcons caught the first feeding on video for us.

As I write this, it is 19:14 at The Campanile. Annie is giving us a good look at her sweet baby.

Lou meets his baby.

Annie even allows Lou to have a couple of incubation duties. Fantastic. Thanks SK Hideaways!

Ah, thank you, Annie for showing us the two little ones!

DHM and DHD have a precious little one, too – DH2.

At Dulles-Greenway, Martin and Rosa are doing such a fantastic job raising the three. ‘A’ comments today: “The three at Dulles Greenway have the most GIGANTIC crops. Three chicks in total food comas, mama looking down at her babies. She has fed them and fed them and I have rarely seen larger crops in my life… The youngest is just a firecracker. Always has the biggest crop on the nest. Always front and centre at meal times. Just the sweetest little eaglet. I have seen little or no bonking on this nest. The three just lie around, growing and playing, and eating like small peagles (pigs/eagles).”

The eaglets were fed several times in a row always crop dropping. This is a wonderful nest to watch. If you haven’t checked in on them, please do.

 

There are terrific storms hitting the UK. It was particularly windy and rainy in Wales so much so that Idris and Telyn at the Dyfi nest took to the ground instead of staying in the trees or nest. Poor Telyn. She was readying to lay her first egg.

The weather in Wales is very wet. The new female at the Glaslyn nest beat Aran there on Wednesday. Mrs G is now well past her return date, sadly. She left a fantastic legacy of ospreys and will always be remembered and loved. Glaslyn will no doubt be issuing a lovely memorial once they are sure Mrs G is not returning.

‘T’ writes: “What a wonderful day for the cameras and watchers in the Baltic countries! Karl II is back! Kaia is not too far. Osprey Teo is back in Latvian nest. And!! A new camera is already installed on Kergu’s nest. So more black storks we will see in Estonia. Kergu is on a bird map with Karl and others.” This is wonderful news. So many storks have been slaughtered in Malta and Lebanon- such sadness. Now will cute little Teo get a mate this year?

Karl II wasted no time getting from Moldova to his home! Fantastic.

Here is the video of Karl II’s arrival!

Welcome home, Teo!

Everyone loves SP chick in New Zealand. I have promised ‘A’ to put in this cute video and I kept forgetting amidst the drama of the hatch at Cal Falcons. Here we go! What a cutie pie. Life is good with our little gardener.

Everyone reading my blog knows I love ducks and look forward to their arrival. Here is a lovely short article on the Gadwall and why we should appreciate these little non-flamboyant ducks more.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/11/country-diary-the-unassuming-gadwall-deserves-a-closer-look?CMP=share_btn_link

Checking on Dale Hollow and Achieva: River brought in at least three nice fish for DH17 and DH18 and herself. Everyone ate well. Still, River had to warm off intruders while feeding her babies. She is doing well. Continue with your best wishes.

There also appears to be an issue of a possible nest takeover at Dale Hollow. Intruders have been about and landing. A floater? A take over? We can only watch and wait.

When I last checked, Jack had delivered two flounder to the Achieva nest in St Petersburg and both osplets as well as Jack and Diane had eaten well. Relief. Again, like Dale Hollow, send positive positive wishes to this nest also.

In fact, my count was wrong. Jack brought in five fish today!

This is a short report on what is happening in Bird World. All nests are good except those I worry about – Achieva and Dale Hollow. We take them one day at a time. Shadow continues to get in the nest cup, hoping for a spring miracle – the first male eagle to lay an egg! While he and Jackie are otherwise as affectionate as ever. Eggs are being incubated, eaglets fed, and Ospreys in the UK are either incubating or working on nests. Send them all your good wishes as we wait to see if either of the remaining two eggs will hatch at Cal Falcons.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘T’, Kielder Forest, Wild Bird Sanctuary, CROW, C White and the Captiva Island Eagle and Ospreys, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Dulles-Greenaway, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Estonia Eagle Club, Latvian Fund for Nature, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, The Guardian, Dale Hollow and Barbara Snyder and Achieva Credit Union.