I cannot tell you what a strange day it is. It is now +4 degrees C. The snow and ice are melting. The sky is heavy with cloud, and the wind is beginning to pick up. The forecast calls for a change within four hours: cold, very windy conditions and snow. Ann has taken Don to the zoo. Toby and I have been out for a good, long walk, as the rest of the week’s weather is questionable. It feels dark and dreary, and that wet cold, when things are melting, is not so nice. Toby enjoyed all of the puddles but was glad to get home to a warm towel and be dried off!
At the feeders this morning.
Mrs Junior
One of the 31 Starlings was checking to make sure there was dog and/or cat kibble in the feeder—female house sparrow in the back.
Male House Sparrow
If you missed it, juvenile eagles visited the nest of Jackie and Shadow. Everyone wants them to be Sunny and Gizmo! We know where this nest tree is located and how difficult, if not impossible, to get there to band the eaglets but gosh, it sure would be a confirmation if they had Darvic rings.
Thanks, SK Hideaways.
“here’s the video from last nights visit by 2 juvies to J&S’s nest tree. Oh my, the eaglesphere is certainly all a flutter about it!
FOBBVCAM 🦅Two Juvie Eagles Visit Nest Tree🌲Jackie & Shadow Let Them Be ☮️ Could it be⁉️ 2025 Dec 15 https://youtu.be/F6R4BuHTTOc
Gracie Shepherd asked the question: Whose eggs will hatch first: M15 and F23 at SW Florida or Ron and Rose at Dade County. I’m for having them hatch at the same moment! But who cares if they are healthy, right?
I keep saying it. Look. This is Girri but you could be easily fooled into thinking it was Diamond. Fledge watch is on – and this gal could fly out that scrape window any second.
Nice Osprey counts coming in from West Africa. Thank you Mary Cheadle, Jean-marie Dupart and all who follow the birds!
Today’s Country Diary focuses on the Snipe – oh, how I love seeing this bird in our wetlands in the summer. Enjoy.
Many of Bird World readers are struggling. ‘T’ and ‘J’ have lost someone dear to them in the last few days, and I am aware that several have loved ones in the hospital in critical condition. Our warm thoughts are with all of you at this time.
Please take care. We will see you again tomorrow!
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Jean-marie Dupart for tackling what seems impossible, The Guardian, and the owners of the streaming cams and FB posters for their alerts!
Today, it was -22 degrees C. It was cold. Despite this, Ann braved the cold with Don and Toby to go for their walk along the river.
It’s funny. We know winter is coming when we complain it’s too hot in summer. Still, it takes time to get our heads around the fact that we do need to find all our winter kit. We have coats and boots down to -40 °C. We have scarves and toques. We have ski pants. I have discovered we need a few things because we are finding ourselves outside, walking Toby three times a day, no matter the weather. Today, two out of the three winter wardrobe essentials arrived – Merino wool Long Johns to go layer with those ski pants. They are rated for extreme cold. The next are faux fur-lined bomber hats, complete with flaps. We are just waiting for some much warmer mitts with glove liners. Toby, as you know, is all kitted out with absolutely everything. He doesn’t mind his boots, and those jump suits lined with thermal blanket are pretty amazing. If the ice on the roads would disappear, it would be really nice to go for a long walk through the forest with the chickadees.
We had ‘sun dogs’. This image was taken out of the screened window of the conservatory around 1530. Sunset is an hour later. Sun dogs appear when it is very, very cold on the Canadian Prairies.
So what are sun dogs? Mr Google says, “Sun dogs are bright spots of light that appear on either side of the sun, formed when hexagonal ice crystals refract sunlight in the atmosphere. They are also called parhelia or mock suns, and are most visible when the sun is low on the horizon, like during sunrise or sunset. The ice crystals act like tiny prisms, bending and separating the light into a spectrum of colors, with red on the inside closest to the sun.” There is another one on the other side of the sun that is low on the horizon – too low for me to get an image of the entire scene.
There is a new FB group organised by Cali Condor and a few of their friends. I am putting the link here, and I urge you to step up and join.
I caught Toby and Hugo Yugo again, so here is another of their ‘loving’ videos! I hope these two cutie pies bring you some joy today.
Want to help support ospreys in South Australia? Why not purchase a copy of Fran Solly’s book about Marie!– – Let’s talk Fran into writing a book about Ervie and that clutch! Hint, hint. The story of Ervie and his brothers, Falky and Bazza, is remarkable. There were no fish fairies that year. It was just heart-warming.
Here is the link if you wish to purchase and have the book sent to another country other than Australia:
SK Hideaways caught Liberty and Guardian having a ‘discussion’ over stick placement. Don’t you just wish you could talk ‘eagle’? I bet it sounds something like humans talking about furniture. https://youtu.be/a_YZBv6zTZo?
SW Florida’s M15 and F23 – November 12 was the day the first egg was laid. So today is day 31. The range is 34-38 days.
WRDC nest of Rose and Ron – November 12 was also the day the first egg was laid. So it is also day 31 at the WRDC nest.
Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Clive and Connie – November 16 is the date for the first egg.
This coming week is going to be very busy in terms of pip watches and hatch.
Gabby and Beau’s first egg was laid on November 23 so we have a couple of weeks before we are on pip watch for NE Florida.
The American Bird Conservancy’s Bird of the Week is the Waved Albatross – a new seabird for me. Have a read! These beautiful birds are critically endangered. Like other albatross, there are many ways we can help and changing the nature of long-line industrial fishing is at the heart of it.
Menhaden – Always on my Mind should be a popular song. Wonder what would happen to those osprey nests – the adults and any chicks that hatch – if 112 million tonnes of Menhaden got dumped in The Bay? Check out this meeting!
Wishing you a lovely weekend from our house to yours!
Thank you to Cali Condor, Friends of Osprey South Australia, Port Lincoln Osprey, and SK Hideaways for the content I added to my blog today. I am very grateful for all they do and their love and support for our Raptors. I guess I should also thank Toby, Hugo Yugo, and the American Bird Conservancy, too!
It is -9 C with soft snowflakes falling on the Canadian Prairies. Toby has been out for his walk with Ellen. Because the snow is deep and wet, he wore his boots, hat, and his insulated play suit. He wasn’t so happy. Look at that grumpy face! He sure had fun, though, once he was outside.
Ellen gave him a good romp – 1.3 km in thirty minutes. That little puppy was quite zonked when he got home. My friends and lovely neighbours are making sure that Toby has an even bigger wardrobe. One is even knitting him a beautiful scarf with snowflakes!
Both Blue Jays were at the feeders again Thursday morning. This makes me so very, very happy. The Jays wanted peanuts, but one of Dyson’s kits just sat on the big table feeder, munching and munching. Nothing was going to budge that squirrel! The Jays were losing their patience. In this two-minute video, Junior, the male, spends the last half hoping to find a way to reach the feeder!
I want to thank ‘L’ for her note today. It touched my heart. She had a feral cat named Hobo. Worrying about him in the cold, she put a heating pad inside a gigantic dog carrier. Hobo liked it. Her letter gave me pause to reconsider what I might do for Brock.
As all of you know, I agonise over Brock every winter. He has indeed survived, but there is always a worry. I have a huge carrier that I got when we had Lewis, so I am going to order a heating pad and another outdoor extension cord. Then we will see if Brock goes for it!
Brock looks in the garden door after finishing his third meal of the day. If you look at the table to the rear and left of Brock, you will see the amount of snow that fell overnight. The young man was here shovelling the deck but it has filled up – again!
Jaine arrived and headed out onto snowy roads to take Don to the Y’s walking track for the afternoon. The Girls, Toby, and I are making cinnamon-cardamon rolls for her to take home when she gets back. I hope they are good.
We use the same dough recipe for everything from pizza to cinnamon buns and butter rolls. It is effortless, and like my grandmother, I don’t measure. If you want to try it along with us, here is what I did: Place a packet of active dry yeast in a bowl with 2 T sugar, 2 T oil (I used a fruity olive oil), and 2 t salt. Add 3/4 c of very warm (not hot but quite warm) water. Stir and let it froth. Once the yeast froths, add 1.5-2 cups of flour. Depending on the weather and the type of flour you are using, you might find you need a little more. Stir hard, knead, and let the dough rise twice. Punch down between rises. [I use a small Wolf counter oven instead of my big oven. It has a ‘Proof’ setting for 80 degrees F that is really helpful and makes the rising go even faster.]
When the dough has risen twice (which makes the rolls much lighter), flour your surface and roll the dough out into a big rectangle. (See below) Those are slices of butter (you can use either salted or non-salted) spread around. You can even melt the butter and brush it on. For this recipe, the more butter the better. (Don’t tell my doctor!). Then sprinkle a mixture of 1 cup of white sugar to which I have added 1 t of cinnamon and another t of cardamom. You can adjust to taste. You might not use all of this. If you want, you can omit the cardamom. During a visit to Copenhagen, I fell in love with the Danish cardamom rolls, and ever since, I have been adding cardamom to everything. Today, I also sprinkled some dried cranberries over the dough to try and make the rolls a little more festive.
Fold up the edges and roll into a jellyroll-like shape. Then cut into slices. Place these on a buttered OLD non-shiny pan. Do not use parchment, either, as it will make the bottoms soggy, just like a shiny pan. You can be neat and make the rolls all the same. I can’t be bothered! I do like them rustic. Allow the rolls to rise one more time before placing them in a 375°F oven. Bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and, when pressed, spring back.
My family likes a lemon or orange glaze – just mix some orange or lemon juice with icing sugar and smear all over. Yummy, yum.
We decorated the box and included an ornament for her tree. I hope she likes it. I am so terribly grateful for her help and support.
So, let’s check in on some of the nests.
There are still two eaglets at the Superbeaks nest of Pepe and Muhlady in Central Florida.
The clock is counting down to SW Florida when M15 and F23 will welcome chick number 1.
In Orange, Australia, Diamond decided to feed Gimbir instead of Girri. Of course, Girri’s crop was about to pop! What a beautiful gesture to a great first-time dad who has been Daddy Doordash all season. I bet he was hungry.
It is NOT unusual (nor is it frequently seen) for adult males or females to feed one another. Which nests can you think of where you have seen this? The FalconCam Project caught it on video: https://youtu.be/1FOmMdoS6tA?
Why does it always have to rain and why are there storms around fledge time? It always makes me so nervous. Girri will fledge soon. Enjoy her while you can! They do not normally return to the scrape very much, if at all.
Indeed, Girrir was flapping and almost went out the front. 12:34:52ish.
That was too close for comfort. She is not ready. She still has down and I want a week of sunny dry days not the storm clouds you can see in the distance.
The eagles at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands nest are working on that egg cup. This nest is looking really good. Just look at the size of it! The people who work at the centre say that visitors walking on the boardwalk often see the eagles flying overhead. Maybe you should visit JBSW if you live near Seagoville, Texas (east of Dallas).
The snow was really coming down at the US Steel nest. Evenso, nestorations continued. Those 7000 feathers kept those Irv and mate toasty warm and dry. https://youtu.be/1tK8d2JFE1Q?
Gigi and Pat were working at their nest, the ND-LEEF, in South Bend, Indiana, on Thursday despite the snow, too.
In Winnipeg, we are experiencing a very sad moment. Hundreds and hundreds of Canada Geese have been found dead due to HPAI.
This news just makes me feel very ill. I love our geese so much!
It is never good to go to bed angry and I don’t like closing my blog on a sad note. We watched T3, the only surviving eaglet of Mrs T, thrive under almost the sole care of its mother at the Trempeauleau nest in Wisconsin. There are bittersweet moments. Two other eaglets perished, but you will remember how much joy T3 gave us. Here is a lovely video about this determined young eaglet! Enjoy. https://youtu.be/OMa50gXbe18?
Mrs T was sleeping on the branch at the Trempeauleau nest on Thursday. They have snow, too.
Good night, Beau and Gabby.
Trudi Kron brings us up to date on the new couple at the Dale Hollow Bald Eagle nest.
A note from our Bird World reader ‘J’ in Berlin also brings some good news about Kakapo. Enjoy:
Thank you so much for being with us today. Everyone wishes you a fantastic end of the week!
HY knows how to stay warm.
Thank you so much to ‘L’ for the great suggestion for Brock! I am also grateful to the authors of the FB posts, the creators of videos, the owners of the streaming cams, and the authors of the articles included in today’s blog.
We hope you are well! It has been a cracker of a day, and it all started in the garden at the feeder…
A morning video of the garden and yes! Two Blue Jays. I am so relieved. Junior and Mrs J are alive!
Birds and Squirrels at the table feeder – and look two Blue Jays!
Today we have a news story about Cornell University and its attempts to protect Big Red’s nest during a construction project! Lovely. Now if we could get them to make sure every window on that campus had bird strike preventative measures.
Suzanne Arnold Horning, the admin for the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters FB group is posting daily images of events from the nest. Today it was a flap fest. Oh, goodness, these end of the year summaries and montages are really quite wonderful while we wait for all the action to start. Let’s see – third week in March for eggs for Big Red and Arthur? What do you think?
Suzanne picked the top five viewing moments. Aren’t they cute?
Speaking of protecting birds from window strike, I am ‘horrified’ that my city, under its mayor, Scott Gillingham, has altogether scrapped a programme to protect birds that came into effect only a year ago. Unbelievable. We will just have to try and fight this decision.
‘J’ in Berlin sent me a great announcement. It has to do with a young man that I mentioned several times in past years – Oliver Hellowell who lives in the UK. I love his wildlife and landscape photographs.
Oliver Hellowell loves raptors and he has photographed many. He is quite the talent. Keep your eyes open for his work.
It might have been ‘only’- 10 °C, but it was cold on the Canadian Prairies. The snow keeps on giving, and today was the photo shoot in the park. Instead of spending half an hour, we stopped at fifteen minutes. It was that wet, cold to the bone. Of course, Toby loved it! We didn’t get a chance to take off our Dyfi toques – so the whole shoot is now dedicated to a great osprey pair, Idris and Telyn. If the pictures turn out, I will post some. I, who do not like to have my photo taken, promise.
We now having a warning for -40 C (with wind chill) coming for Saturday. The frigid cold is to begin tonight!
Heidi gave me the best holiday present. She made a montage of the indoor and outdoor animals set to holiday music for us – and she included dear Lewis. I broke down when I saw him. Oh, how I loved that boy. Since so many of you have been readers for years, you might enjoy seeing HY when she was little and dear Lewis along with everyone else. Thanks, Heidi – that is what it is all about. Giving of your time and love. I so enjoyed this montage. https://youtu.be/yKOeSsFwJcE
You forget how little they once were!
Hope with her first Christmas tree.
No plant was ever safe with Lewis or Missey! He was my darling.
Heidi’s video really hits the holiday spirit even if many, who knew Lewis and saw it, have wept. Please enjoy! There is even a baby HY in there.
Bella and Scout at the NCTC nest are working hard. Last year their three beautifully feathered eaglets perished when their nest collapsed. We wish them a great season this year.
While we wait for eggs at NCTC, we do not have to wait long for little eaglets at SW Florida. My calculations indicate that we should see an eaglet around Tuesday of next week. M15 and F23 are excellent parents. This is exciting.
Gabby and Beau will have to wait a little longer. Egg dates: 23 and 26 November. End of December eaglets!
Superbeaks (Central Florida) has two hatchlings. The third egg was laid four days after the second (Froto). We wait to see if it is viable. Mira and Froto are doing well.
We have eaglets at the Duke Farms nest! No eggs. Just nest prep.
Ron and Rose continue incubating at the WRDC nest. Egg dates: 12 and 15 November. I will be looking for a pip around the 18th of December or that first egg. That would be 35 days.
Clive and Connie at Captiva on Sanibel Island are also resting and waiting while incubating. Egg dates: 16 and 19 November. I do love that camera that Window to Wildlife have installed.
There are no eggs at Eagle Country. The river cam caught the eagles bathing.
Girri is 36 days old today. Female falcons, on average, fledge at 40-44 days, slightly longer than males, because they need to fill out that larger body mass and cover it with more feathers. Girri is quickly losing her baby to all that flapping! Could you take a look at that crop? Diamond and Gimbir keep their only baby full to the brim! I recommend watching because Girri is going to fledge soon, and whether she returns to the scrape afterwards is anyone’s guess.
That’s a wrap for today. Thank you so much for your comments and your letters. We are glad that you are enjoying this daily mix of pets and birds!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. We will be back tomorrow!
Thank you to Heidi for that amazing holiday present. I am so very grateful – and for the spirit of love, care, and the time it took. These really are the best presents of all! To ‘J’ for sending me the news about Oliver Hellowell and to the owners of the streaming cams and authors of the FB posts, you have my thanks.
I hope that the beginning of the week was a good one for all of you. As the holiday season draws closer, even if you do not celebrate anything at all, you will feel the rush and the stress without knowing it. There is more traffic, the crowds are bigger, and people are not always polite. Everyone has forgotten to slow down, breathe, and have fun. Cranky might be an apt word for many others, but I hope it doesn’t describe you.
Look for the good and the beautiful, and do not let the bad and the ugly get you down; do not let them ruin your life. And don’t let the drive to have the cleanest house, the most perfect meal, and the most ideal table decorations, along with stacks of presents, ruin the moment. None of that really matters. Time with friends and family sharing laughter – and maybe a sandwich instead of a meal that took hours and hours to prepare and made you dead tired on your feet – is really what the holidays should be about.
It continues to be warmer on the Canadian prairies with temperatures on Tuesday around -9 C. Snow continues to fall and the young man who shovels for us will, no doubt, be coming again tonight as he did last evening. It is quite beautiful, but the roads are ‘greasy’ and someone even wrote to say it was raining on one side of our city. It is near the middle of December. This season is strange.
I took a very short video in the small front garden where the conifers are planted. The small tree is in memory of Melvin, one of our cats (a tuxedo like Brock). Melvin was a sweetheart. We put solar lights on his tree this year. There is a Scotch pine planted in memory of Don’s mother, a large Blue Spruce we planted in 1998 in memory of our youngest son, William, and an apple tree that was relatively small when we purchased the property. A family of chickadees lives in the Blue Spruce. Missey often sits atop a small dresser, watching them. Gosh, it makes me so happy to have a garden in the middle of a city where wildlife feel safe.
I tried to capture the snow falling, but the iPhone camera didn’t quite do it justice. Squint. You can see a bit of snow falling. LOL. If you have suggestions on the settings that will help me improve, by all means, please tell me! Please.
Ann took the boys out for a long walk in the snow. We will go out again tonight. -9 °C is simply the perfect temperature. Toby loves to romp. As I always try to mention, ‘The Girls’ do not have any desire to go outside. They easily find the closest vent with the heat pouring out – or their heated beds that ‘EJ’ recommended a couple of years ago. They still love them, especially when the floor is cold.
Everyone in the garden has been accounted for, except for one Blue Jay, missing for over a week. That leaves a sad hole in my heart. I wonder what happened. I hope that one is just off visiting the kids and will return. Stay tuned. You will be the first to know. The Crows are here, but they are not coming as often; as a result, only about half of the peanuts are eaten. The small birds have increased in number so that we will increase the amount of wild bird seed and Black Oil seed for them. They are fluffed up to stay warm.
This year, I have not ordered many books, simply because few interested me. One did entice me, though, and that was Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Journal.
You will never know which birds are visiting your garden or their seasonal patterns unless you keep a journal. This book is an excellent gift for you or for inspiring someone to look more closely at the natural world around them. You need to be sure to add the date and the year and I also recommend adding the temperature and wind conditions. Later, you can go back and do an annual comparison.
The Backyard Bird Journal is more than a journal if you let it be. Tan discusses how nature ‘saved her’ and how being outside in the natural world can reduce stress. Her ‘Introduction’ is very personal – read it. Think about how wildlife, being in nature and actually ‘seeing it’, can change your life. Her other book, Backyard Bird Chronicles, is beautiful and tells her journey to find happiness after the stress she felt when she began. I highly recommend both – especially now when you might be feeling there is no hope for nature.
The second eaglet has hatched at the Central Florida nest of Pepe and Muhlady and its name is Froto.
I mentioned issues with disclaimers at Superbeaks. I am so grateful that Heidi spoke up with what happened to her. This is the reason that I am very weary of covering this nest.
This is in the comments section of my blog, but, because many people do not read the comments, I want to include it here.
Heidi wrote:
“About 18 months ago I made 3 videos to show the fledges of the eaglets (Mason and Dixie) and their return to the nest. The videos were complex with transitions, overlays, and graphics, and took a lot of time to make. I gave credit to Superbeaks, and their logo was on the videos. My YT channel is not, and has never been monetized. SB/CF took my videos, cropped off my watermark, and posted them on their own channel. When I protested, they replied that the videos I made were their property. I filed copyright strikes with YT, I won, and YT removed the videos from the SB/CF site. Then, SB/CF filed a counter-strike with YT and threatened to sue me. YT washed their hands of it at that point, and told me that I had 15 days to show proof that I was suing SB/CF. Of course, I was not going to spend the money and go that far. It was after their issue with my videos that SB/CF posted their current legal language below their live feed. Their copyright statement is not new, it has been posted for about 18 months. There was no such language posted before I made the fledge videos. By the way… I was not, nor have ever been a ‘professional scraper’. Beware.”
For those of you who are capturing images and making videos, like Heidi, I recommend being careful.
One nest I do love is the Charles Sturt Falcon cam. Girri is getting so big. She is waiting for breakfast to arrive and in it comes!
Dad was on the nest of the barge at Port Lincoln in South Australia. Hello, Dad! So nice to see you again.
Hawk Mountain has posted their migration chart for the week of December 9:
Look over those numbers. Some birds have really increased in numbers – like the Bald Eagle. Others have had a sharp decline (so far). We still have eagles in Manitoba. I continue to say that they know more about the changes in weather patterns than we do. It is going to be a very interesting winter.
A close encounter with a Buzzard. The following commentary, “Six feet away, the buzzard crouched, as though preparing to leave if I came any closer, and I wondered what kept her there. Was she weak with hunger? Or sick? Or reluctant to waste energy against the cold wind? What remains with me now is the intensity of her eye, glossy black in the light, how the buzzard’s gaze drilled into mine, as if the world were simply endless calculation.” reminds me of my encounter with a very large female Sharp-shinned/Cooper’s Hawk years ago in my garden. Looking deep into her eyes changed my life. I have not experienced anything so powerful since that cold winter’s morning in the garden. This is one of those lovely little Country diary articles of 350 words or fewer. Enjoy.
The RSPB describes Buzzards: “Now the most common and widespread UK bird of prey, the Buzzard is quite large with broad, rounded wings, and a short neck and tail. When gliding and soaring, it will often hold its wings in a shallow ‘V’ and the tail is fanned. Buzzards vary in colour from all dark brown to much paler variations, but all have dark wingtips and a finely-striped tail. Their mournful mewing call could be mistaken for a cat.”
“Key features to look out for:
Not to be confused with the Honey Buzzard, which is a rare summer visitor to the UK. They glide with their wings held flat, tilting their tail like a kite. Their wings are not held raised in a ‘V’. They are neatly barred underneath, with a prominent small head.
Usually brown, with white undersides to the wings, but their plumage is quite variable
Adults have an obvious dark tail band and dark trailing edges to their wings
Long, broad wings with prominent ‘fingers’
Buzzards tend to hold their wings in a raised ‘V’ when soaring, whereas Red Kites hold their wings flat, or slightly downcurved
Short tail, often fanned in flight, which lacks the distinctive fork of a Red Kite’s
Yellow beak, with a black tip
Yellow legs
Often sits with a hunched posture”.
In the UK, Buzzards are on the UK Green List meaning they are doing well and have no conservation concerns. I love them. They remind me of Red-tail Hawks despite the difference in their plumage.
Calico sends everyone some love.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Thank you to Heidi for carefully explaining what happened to her when she posted a few of her videos. At the time, I was so taken aback by the way she was treated that I stopped covering this nest, and despite how much I admire Pepe and Muhlady as parents, other nests will get my attention and donations. Thank you to Hawk Mountain for providing their detailed charts and to Amy Tan for her new book. Thanks, Gracie Shepherd, for the FB post about the second hatch at Superbeaks. Thanks to everyone connected with the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape – Cilla Kinross and to Holly Parsons for being such a great FB group moderator. Once again, I want to thank The Guardian for its articles on wildlife and the environment and OpenVerse for images that can be used on various social media platforms if citations are included.
I am sending this out Sunday evening as Monday morning is going to be a little hectic. Enjoy!
It is -17 C on the Canadian Prairies, and Brock is at the feeder for the fourth or fifth time today! It was much colder overnight, and he really needs a lot of food – like the birds – to survive.
Brock was the subject of our neighbourhood FB chat. It worried me because I am so afraid that someone is going to get him trapped and take him to our humane society. They would euthanise him as he is not ‘socialised’ with no hope for adoption, even though he has survived outdoors, alone for at least four years, and is much loved.
Several feed him, and we might have even found his bolt hole – a small house with an opening under the porch, either into a crawl space or the basement. No one lives in the house, and eventually it will be torn down, and one of the new ‘infill’ houses will go in. I hope this takes years.
Calico will not wear a parka, but she sure likes sleeping on something soft. She is looking out the window at Brock. Is she his mother? Or his friend, who was also dumped at the same time? I will always wonder.
There is news in Bird World – and that is what I am supposed to be writing about today!
Mum and Dad put in appearances at the barge in Port Lincoln, South Australia, on Sunday. Mum was in the nest, and Dad was in his cave. It is so lovely to see them after the nest failed this year, when Mum abandoned the eggs. There have been other visitors – Ervie has been at the barge nest along with Calypso and friends.
Mum and Dad are looking quite well. I wonder if they have returned to the nest to check and see what their kids have done while they were away?
Diamond and Gimbir’s daughter is getting huge. Girri has turned out to be quite the character.
The necroscopy on SE36 has been released.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos of the week:
SK Hideaways Videos, week of 30 November 2025
Channel Island Eagles Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org Two Harbors: Supermoon 🌕Chase ❤️🔥Sunset 🌅 Life is Good explore.org 2025 Dec 5
Cam ops captured the last supermoon of 2025 as it set over the hills. Chase soon arrived with a nice, big stick to continue shoring up the nest rails. We got a nice close-up of the nose bling he’s sporting at the moment. Later, he was found on his and Cholyn’s sofa, while Cholyn remained incognito. Finally, a stunning sunset capped off a lovely Two Harbors Day. (2025 Dec 5, 6:17-16:40)
Girri Gets as Close to Diamond as Possible ~ Precious Mum-Daughter Time (2025 Dec 6)
Girri couldn’t get enough of Diamond during this long visit. She got as close as she possibly could, nibbled Di’s talons, her feathers, and took a little nap with her. A sweet scene between mother and daughter.
Girri Sleeps in Mock Yogi Pose ~ Then Gravity Takes Control (2025 Dec 5) There’s something incredibly addictive about watching birds sleep ~ especially big, fluffy falcon chicks. Girri took the captivating, adorable slumber fest to a new level. Bonus: dancing around the egg and huge wingers. Video: https://youtu.be/dC31StjFAxs
Girri Grabs Whole Prey from Diamond 🍗 Mantles, Tries to Self-Feed🍽️(2025 Dec 4) Diamond brought Girri a large breakfast, which Girri was eager to consume. The chick grabbed the prey, pulled it away from her mum, and attempted to self-feed. Her fluffy mantling of the prey was a little comical, but she persisted. Diamond patiently waited 12 minutes before taking over the feeding. Once Girri calmed down, she realized that this was a more efficient way to eat. In the end, Girri had another huge crop, stretched to show her magnificent height and wings, and ultimately gave us a selfie on the Cilla stones. Another milestone completed. Video: https://youtu.be/CbDNoL_XujU Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW
Jackie & Shadow Begin & End Day in Song🎶➕Nest Bumps, Nibbles & Beakies🥰 (2025 Dec 1) As nesting season begins, there are more visits from Jackie and Shadow, and the most glorious serenades, filled with chortles and snortles galore. Today we got those gifts as well as body bumps, tail nipping, beaky kissing, and a sleepover in the Roost Tree. Welcome back, Jackie and Shadow! Video: https://youtu.be/Z9lSEHWL2yY
Jackie & Shadow Defend Nest 🪹 Juvenile Chooses Bad Time to Visit 😬 (2025 Nov 30) Jackie and Shadow were doing nestoration chores when a beautiful juvenile decided to stop by for an uninvited visit. Shadow karate kicked the young one away from the nest and Jackie delivered her one-two kick from a basement branch. She then appeared to follow the juvie, likely giving her one more piece of her mind before returning to perch on the Lookout Snag. Shadow remained in the nest a while longer. This defensive behavior is a good indication that nest restoration had begun in earnest. Video: https://youtu.be/0nMw_5DvSlk
At the Central Florida Bald Eagle nest of Pepe and Muhlady, there is a hatch. Congratulations! This nest has been the first to have hatches over the past few years. Next should be M15 and F23.
Raptor Persecution UK is following several stories including the shooting of a peregrine falcon in Derbyshire and a halt to international trade in falcons by downgrading their status.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. Looking forward to having you with us again tomorrow!
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos, to the authors of the FB posts and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives of these beautiful birds. Thank you also to ABC and their Bird of the Week highlights and The Guardian for their wildlife stories.
I am so happy that Toby and Hugo Yugo’s little kissing/licking fest touched your hearts. It is really easy to see why they bring such joy to our lives! SP wrote, “Mary Ann, you are my Santa! The Toby-HY love fest… I’ve only watched it three times… so far. xoxo”
Brock reminded me today that it is ‘essential’ to find a way to have water for the outdoor animals that we feed. This is easy if you live in an area where it never gets below freezing. Here, it can be problematic. You MUST be careful so as not to cause the little birds to freeze their feet and feathers. Because of these issues, I am reluctant to use a heater in the bird baths if there is any chance their little feet will stick and be pulled off! Luckily for Brock, there are two dishes in his heated feeding station – one for wet food and the other for water. He had several long drinks today!
The small sparrows and Starlings were busy eating snow. They don’t get as much as they would if there were a bird bath for them, but they do get some hydration, which is really important if you are feeding them.
I hope you did not worry about Gabby being away from her nest and leaving Beau to incubate for approximately 24 hours. This is ‘Gabby’s Way’. Every year, she takes a break before the eggs hatch. The first time I saw this panic set in, I thought she had died, leaving Samson to care for their family, but no. Gabby was having a ‘spa time’ – I liked to call it. Gabby is now home, and Beau was so happy to get off those eggs, he flew off the nest when he caught her flying in!
Beautiful Gabby back in the nest.
I decided to take a sheet out of Gabby’s playbook today while Anne was caring for Don, Toby, and The Girls.
You probably know someone who was or is a caregiver to another individual – their partner, a parent, another family member, or a friend. It is stressful. There is no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Caregivers are often ‘tired beyond belief’ and rarely take time for themselves. You might know someone who cared for another person and actually died before them. It happens more often than you might think. As Don’s illness progresses, I am trying hard to make sure that my life is a bit more balanced. So, going back to Gabby…I gave myself a ‘treat’ today. I spent the afternoon at the Dior counter today getting a ‘refresh’ from a wonderful woman who has worked for this French cosmetics company for 35 years. It was fun – and a reminder that each of us needs to create time to relax and laugh!
Moving back to our birds. As you know, Heidi and I have been monitoring osprey nests for mortality numbers and causes. Heidi sent this to me today and I thought that you might be interested, too.
“This was the presentation held yesterday on Virginia Eastern Shore by Dr. Watts and Ben Wurst. The presentation itself is only about 67 minutes long, and is very informative.https://youtu.be/bR8byYABd8s?s
A lot of takeaways. VV’s nests all had abandoned eggs. But, Watts’ data indicated the majority of nest failures were from brood reduction due to a lack of menhaden. Most of the eggs hatched, but most chicks didn’t survive. Interesting.”
Overfishing has led to the death of 60,000 penguins! The Guardian gives us the details. “More sustainable fisheries management could improve the penguins’ chances of survival. Conservationists are taking action on the ground, by building artificial nests to shelter chicks, managing predators and hand-rearing adults and chicks who need rescuing. Commercial purse-seine fishing, which involves encircling a school of fish with a large net and then trapping them by closing the bottom, has been banned around the six largest penguin-breeding colonies in South Africa.
It is hoped this will “increase access to prey for penguins at critical parts of their life cycle”, said the study co-author Dr Azwianewi Makhado, from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in South Africa.”
I don’t know about you, but my calendar is counting down to the arrival of the ospreys in the UK! Of course, there is a big gold star at the beginning of April to remind me to be on the lookout for Iris’s return to Missoula, Montana.
Lots of couples are incubating. Eagles and Albatross.
You can watch the Royal Albatross Royal Cam Pair, BOK and WYL, in New Zealand. If you are not aware, the letters relate to the coloured identification bands on their legs. BOK (female) is Blue-Orange-Black with ‘K’ being for Black. WYL (male) is White-Yellow-Lime.
Today, the couple were reunited as they switched incubation duties. The note under the video reads: “WYL returns to the Plateau nest site to give his mate BOK a well-earned break from incubation. Watch him enter from the left of the frame to greet her, and after a brief reunion, BOK lifts off and hands over nest duties. Following a few vocal exchanges with the neighbors, she heads back out to sea. Join us live as we follow their journey through the 2025–26 breeding season! RoyalCam was set up in January 2016 by the Department of Conservation and the Cornell Lab has been collaborating with DOC since 2019 to bring the cam to life. To learn more while watching, view the cam at https://www.doc.govt.nz/royalcam“
At Port Lincoln, Dad was on the barge during the early morning hours having a nap. The camera panned to the old barge but no ospreys were visible.
Girri is such a character. She has even been incubating the remaining egg in the scrape on and off!
Just look at those juvenile feathers coming in!
Girri is a BIG girl.
There has been no news of any peregrine falcons from the CBD of Melbourne coming into care. This is great news!
Liberty and Guardian have been at the Redding Eagles nest.
More eagle news on Monday!
Signing off with Hawk Mountain’s migratory count for the week of 3 December. Osprey count way down. Bald Eagles up. Sharp-shinned Hawks down along with many others. My goodness…but a growth in Broad-winged haws.
It isn’t just at Hawk Mountain that some species numbers are beginning to plummet. In the UK, recognizing this horrific act, people are opting to name streets after our amazing birds in order that they not be forgotten.
I don’t need to tell you that Toby and The Girls make my life worth living.
After a day of frolicking in the snow, there is nothing nicer than napping on a toy duck.
Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope to have you with us again tomorrow!
Thank you to Heidi for sending us the link to that presentation on the Ospreys with Dr Watts and to SP for allowing me to quote them. I am also grateful to the owners of the streaming cams – Charles Sturt University, Port Lincoln Osprey, American Eagle Foundation, and NZ Dept of Conservation/Cornell Bird Lab – where I took my screen captures today and to the authors of the articles on providing water for wildlife in winter, The Guardian for covering the death of the African Penguins or OpenVerse for the image of the African Penguins.
We are so happy that you could be with us today! Everyone in the family – from the tiniest red squirrel to energetic Toby and the ‘sleepy’ Girls – hopes that you had a terrific week. If you are struggling, we will send you a virtual hug. The holiday season can be terribly difficult, especially for those alone.
We want to remind you that if you are planning to donate to your local wildlife rehab clinic or another organisation that helps our raptors, consider donating on Giving Tuesday, 2 December. All of the wildlife groups are struggling with limited funds, with donations, in many cases, being down due to the rise in the cost of living. Their costs are up, too. Thankfully, some individuals pledge to match any donations on Giving Tuesday (up to specific amounts). So, if you are thinking of giving, why not donate when the organisation can have double?
Or you might consider adopting (symbolically) a condor!
Before we begin, the greatest news of the week is that Wisdom’s young mate has returned safely to the Midway Atoll.
Our week sped by. Thursday was haircut morning, and during that time, Ellen arrived to take Toby for one of his two weekly walks. It was a bit chaotic for about five minutes as Toby really loves Miyoung, who comes to cut our hair. Honestly, I do not know where the time goes. On Saturday, Toby went to the pet store to get his photo with Santa. When the digital images hit our inbox, I will be happy to share that adventure with you. Pet photographers must have iron-clad patience – and humour!!! We also took advantage of the Black Friday sales to stock up on pet and bird food. It felt good to save 30% as prices have steadily increased here since the spring, with dry cat food prices tripling. Everyone is now set for several months into the new year. The ‘third’ annual visit with Don’s doctor was mid-week. Every year, he checks to see how Don is doing, and while we have had a little cognitive and physical decline, it is not nearly what should be expected as we head into either the fourth or fifth year of Lewy Body Dementia. Dr Classen attributes this to Don exploring ‘new’ things, going on adventures, walking anywhere from 1.2 to 3.6 km a day, eating well, and, last but not least, Toby. I am grateful for every moment we have together. I cannot tell you how it breaks my heart for this kind and ever-so-gentle man to have this disease. We are doing everything we can to make his and our lives as rich and full as we can as we navigate the unknown.
Snow began to dance through the skies late Friday and by today we had about 12 cm on the deck which Toby and I quickly cleared. We have found a product that will melt the ice but not harm the animals. It is a bit pricey but I cannot imagine Toby or any other dog or outside animal licking it and getting ill.
Winter is, indeed, officially here—no more sandals or lightweight jackets.
There have been some worries in Bird World. I did not send them out because it is often the case that we need to just take a deep breath and settle down to wait and see how things evolve.
Akecheta was not seen for three days. My heart sank as each day went by, but he showed up!
Akecheta spent some time on the far tor on Sunday.
The other issue was Gimbir’s lack of prey deliveries to the scrape for three days!
‘A’ fills us in with what has been happening- I am very grateful and I do not edit their ‘voice’:
The first paragraph is from today and the other comments come from various days observing the Australian birds.
“Girri did not get fed all day today. After a couple of good breakfast feedings, there was no prey brought to the scrape until 19:00, when Gimbir arrived with a beautifully prepared piece of prey, very closely followed by Diamond.
But neither was counting on a starving Girri, who immediately grabbed the prey from Gimbir and ran off with it, Diamond in hot pursuit. Eventually, she retrieved the food and began feeding Girri.. You have NEVER heard a feeding like this one. It took all of Diamond’s experience to negotiate the feeding process without losing her beak. The entire prey item (it was hard to recognise because Gimbir had already removed its head, wings and most feathers so that it most resembled a small lean beef roast) was demolished within about three minutes, with Diamond getting perhaps one bite while Girri was busy dealing with a particularly large beakful.
At 19:03, when Diamond actually dared eat a bite herself, Girri was not impressed. Making absolutely sure of the subsequent bite, she (this is a female – I agree with Cilla) leaned in, grabbed the prey from mum and tried to wrestle it away! Diamond was stronger and retained control but karma’s a bitch, and coincidentally, the next bite for Girri was a leg bone! That challenged her for a moment. She even checked mum’s talons to ensure she had eaten every last morsel
I think the lesson to be learned from this story is Girri needs food. Lots. Often. She didn’t become the gigantic fluffball we see before us without lots and lots of food. She INHALED that bird. And did I mention how beautifully prepared the prey was? Well done, Gimbir!”
From earlier:
“The cable has been repaired and the cameras are back up at WBSE but there has been no sighting or even any audio indication that SE35 is around. It has not returned to the nest tree over the past two days, despite prey being brought to the nest by the parents. This is worrying me greatly.
November 27: Camera streaming has been restored and we have been able to look back at some of the recorded action. Last evening at 19:19, gull prey was brought in, though SE35 was not seen at the nest. One adult spent last night by the nest. Early, both adults were seen on River Roost and lovely flowers were seen that were left in memory of SE36. Then at 7:24, fish prey was brought to the nest, though SE35 was not seen to eat any. We feel SE35 is still in the area though.
November 28: Lady brought a gull chick prey in to the nest at 6:22. The eaglet did not return, so Lady ate it herself nearby. Shortly after, neither parent was seen at the river, until just after 9am, when one was seen on Mangrove Island. A ground search in the morning showed no sign of SE35 in the area. A quiet day, then at 16.30, one adult was seen at River Roost being swooped by a currawong. Then a currawong escorted Dad in with a catfish at 5:40pm, followed by Lady. SE35 was still not seen and Lady again ate the prey herself – the parents then joined in a duet. In the evening, both parents were nearby, but we haven’t seen our SE35 today. We wonder how long the parents will stay around now?
November 29: Both parents were near the nest last night and flew in to the nest early – checking things and moving a few sticks. During the morning, lorikeets visited, with the usual lorikeet fuss and noise. Cockatoos were close as well. The wind picked up and was quite strong during this hot day. At 11am, both parents were seen on Mangrove Island. Then a quiet afternoon with no sightings – keeping their heads down in the wind somewhere sheltered. By late evening, no eagles had returned to the nest. Then, just after dark, at 8pm, both parents came in. A duet and moving a few sticks, then settled close by.
At 10.30pm (29 November), both parents are perched side by side, tucked and sleeping. We can only hope for the best, but the fact that there has been no sign of SE35 for three days now is depressingly familiar news. When they came in, one parent (Lady, I think) checked the nest and moved a stick, but primarily, she appeared to be studying the look and smell of the nest, as if seeking signs that SE35 had been there at some point during the day. After a couple of moments, Dad joined her for five minutes or so, and he did much the same, before returning to the perch branch. Lady stayed on the nest another five minutes or so, seemingly unsure, before joining Dad. They are both settled for the night.
Yes, I’m anthropomorphising, but rewind the footage and watch for yourself (time stamp from 20:04:15) and then tell me what you think she’s doing. She is looking for her eaglet. She is trying to ascertain with whatever senses she can bring to bear on the question whether SE35 has been on the nest since she checked it last. I’m not just looking at the footage, I’m emotionally immersing myself in it. I think you might be a person who understands what I mean by that.
But in any case, I really don’t want to speculate at this point. I would actually be surprised to lose SE35. I honestly would. Independence really should be at least as good a possibility as disaster in explaining its absence, but somehow that sinking feeling overwhelms me. SE35 was such a confident and competent eaglet, with a strong will to survive, and was obviously smart enough to return to the nest to be fed. I felt it had the drive and the skills to learn quickly. It would be possible that it is being fed nearer to the river, but it would then surprise me that the BOTG are finding no sign of it. These birds DO have very recognisable (and often very loud) vocalisations. I am so disheartened.
I think it’s easy to forget how urban their immediate environment really is. Far more like what the Collins Street fledglings face than we realise. This area of parkland is in the centre of a large city – a bit like New York’s Central Park in some ways, though it does have more ‘wilderness’ features, with a walking trail of 1000 steps, which tells you something about its size.
At Orange, Gimbir has not brought prey to the box for three days, with Diamond doing all of the hunting. That is an interesting development. Girri is GIGANTIC with all that fluff, and appears much larger than Gimbir. She brought in a banded rail this afternoon. The scrape is filled with feathers, some of which are Girri. Girri loves all four corners of the scrape and is usually napping in one of them. When Gimbir arrived earlier, he saw the empty scrape and there was a momentary look of alarm before he scanned all the corners and spotted Girri in the front right corner. He went over to check his chick, touching it with his beak. Too cute.
Girri’s feathers are starting to come through. Our little one will look very different by next week. But please don’t be in too much of a hurry to fledge – we will miss you! I wonder where Gimbir came from. Where was his natal nest? Is there any possibility that he is the offspring of one of Diamond and Xavier’s surviving chicks or have no recent fledglings survived? I am curious about where he came from, though, given that the males tend not to disperse nearly as far from their natal nest as the females. That would suggest that he was born within a 50-km radius of this scrape, perhaps even closer. I would love to know.
On the 30th:
The sea eagles were awake early this morning, by 5am. By 5.05, it was starting to get light and they had both come down to the nest – first Dad and then, a moment or so later, Lady. They spent about 15 minutes nosing about the nest, doing some aerating and moving the odd stick. Then one parent (I think it was Lady) moved high up the perch branch, then flew off at 05:23. Around 05:30, the other also moved high up along the perch branch, where he waited a moment or two, before flying off at 05:37. Around 07:13 some rainbow lorikeets visited the tree, their raucous vocals seemingly a mismatch for their gorgeous brightly coloured plumage (bright red beak, orange and yellow chest, blue head and green wings and back and tail – look them up because they are absolutely gorgeous and we see them here in Melbourne all the time). See the close-ups around 07:20 and especially 07:34. By lunchtime, the wind was starting to get gusty, and intermittently, the branches of the nest tree were really rocking. That nest is VERY secure. But no signs of any sea eagles, juvenile or adult. Or any vocals. Around 2.29pm, the whole tree was tossing, and I thought I heard a sea eagle in the background. But no sign of SE35. The wind has continued to gust, and by 3pm, the rocking of the nest tree branches was really quite violent. (Melbourne’s day is very similar today, with gusty winds, but we have some decent rain as well.)
At Taiaroa Head, mum BOK (Blue, Orange, Black), currently on incubation duties) has been fitted with a new GPS tracking device on her back feathers. Dad WYL (White, Yellow, Lime) will get his tracker when he returns from foraging to take his next turn at incubating. Their offspring will be known as ‘Plateau Chick’ until given a proper name. Their egg, laid on 6 November, has been candled and is fertile. Incubation will take 77 to 79 days, so it is due to hatch between 22 and 24 January. The rangers report that 47 eggs have been laid this year, only one of which is non-viable. I think that refers to the one egg that was broken. They are ‘holding’ that couple (GO and WO) with a dummy egg in case they are needed as foster parents. Our 2025 Royal Cam chick Kaewa (meaning traveller or adventurer, and she is certainly that!) has travelled over 10,000 km since fledging on 17 September and is now fishing the Humboldt Current off the west coast of Chile. Wow. Safe travels Kaewa. Hope to see you in 2030.”
Thank you so much!
I found the latest posting by the Sea Eagle Cam FB group for you:
An early update November 30: Parents were by the nest last night and came to nest very early, fiddled with a few sticks – then away soon after. During the morning both eagles were seen on Mangrove Island. We searched in the forest and nest area though no sign of SE35, & no alarm calls from currawongs. We found a currawong nest – with 2 Channel-billed Cuckoo chicks – probably a currawong we have heard calling at the nest. Late afternoon, we have not seen or heard any reports of SE35.
SK Hideaways has sent us her week’s videos – thank you so much!
SK Hideaways video for week of 23 November 2025
Redding Bald Eagles: Liberty & Guardian Attend to Some Branch Management(2025 Nov 27)
With a few challenging and wonky branches to place, Liberty and Guardian worked together (mostly) to resolve all their construction challenges. A crisp autumn day in Redding cast a golden glow on this beautiful couple.
Cholyn Tries Egg Cup ~ Fans Try to Relax (2025 Nov 25) During their evening nest check, Cholyn and Chase aerated the nesting material ~ all part of preparing the nest for eggs. But then Cholyn laid down to test out the nest cup for comfort. While we know that she has never laid before 15 February, this action still gave fans pause. She was clearly teasing us. A collective deep breath was taken. Video: https://youtu.be/hNt_gEbzjKA
Cholyn & Chase Spend Day Together ~ 23rd Anniversary Approaches (2025 Nov 24)
Cholyn and Chase met at the overlook nest before settling in on their couch for most of the day. Next year marks their 23rd year together, which we think deserves a big party. Video: https://youtu.be/wRZeXKpPz8c
FalconCam Project
Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University
Girri Gives Gimbir Feeding Lesson (2025 Nov 30)
Girri was already in a food coma from the huge breakfast Diamond had fed her. But like a good child, she rushed up to Gimbir when he arrived with more food. It took Gimbir a few minutes to remember why he had brought food, as he munched on it himself. But then he remembered and Girri obliged by taking the bites her dad offered. It was a heartwarming scene between this young dad and his big girl.
It is Bald Eagle season. It will not be long til eggs will start hatching while others are still working on their nests.
That incredible female at the White Rock Bald Eagle nest that raised her chicks alone is back at the nest.
It is exciting times.
Just a last check in on some nests before signing off.
Diamond stuffed Girri, and then Gimbir came in with prey, and the poor chick is going into a long food coma at the Charles Sturt University falcon scrape!
Beau and Gabby exchange incubation duties at NE Florida.
Incubation at SW Florida with M15 and F23 continues.
Liberty and Guardian have been restoring their nest at Redding.
Clive and Connie are enjoying the sunshine while incubating their two eggs at Captiva.
Mr North and Mrs DNF are undaunted by the snow that hit the Midwest.
Busy at John Bunker Sands!
Jackie and Shadow have been discussing stick placement at their nest in Big Bear Valley.
One of the short, 350 word pieces, in The Guardian, does reveal that patience and determination can change things. It put a smile on my face. Maybe it will yours, too.
Lastly, one of our readers who ‘reads’ extensively has spotted a trend in books being published. The titles are misleading. There is one way to spot these volumes quickly and easily, our astute fellow bird lover has discovered. They say ‘Pet Owner’s Manual’ – there is one for Kakapo!!!!!!! Indeed, the kakapo was the book that set off our friend to searching through some other titles. Can you imagine a Kakapo as a pet?!!!!!!! They say purchase at your own peril.
I have not read or purchased any of these books but just from what I have been told and read I would certainly say, ‘beware’.
Version 1.0.0
Thank you again for being with us. We hope that you have a lovely week and we look forward to having you again with us next Monday!
Thank you so much to SK Hideaways and ‘A’ for their brilliant contributions. I am grateful to the owners of the streaming cams and the authors of the FB posts that add so much to my blog, as well as to The Guardian for continuing to follow critically essential topics on the environment and wildlife. Thanks, ‘J’, for the book report.
I am too excited and couldn’t wait til tomorrow to share the fantastic news. Gabby and Beau have their first egg at the NE Florida American Eagle Foundation nest! That egg arrived around 18:33. What a way to start the week!
I hope you had a remarkable weekend and spent some time outside, enjoying the crisp air of late autumn/early winter and getting those legs moving! Don went with Anne to the nature centre for a walk in the golden sunlight and to see if there are any geese on Friday. Toby and I have come in from our walk, and all the Girls, including Calico, are napping. Calico is doing well. Thank you for your kind notes. She is a very special girl to me, and I was so afraid we would lose her!
It has been quite warm. 8 or 9 degrees C on Sunday! We had such a lovely walk. The children were outside playing with only light jackets. We could tell which houses had birdfeeders by the song from their gardens, and many were taking the opportunity to put up fairy lights on a day when their fingers wouldn’t freeze. The time is speeding by. It was a blink, and a week disappeared.
Toby is getting his photo taken with Santa on the 29th. I will post it for you. I can’t imagine taking The Girls to the pet store to get their photo taken although it would be so cute and it is an excellent fundraising idea.
As I mentioned in earlier blogs, the raptors are still in Manitoba, along with hundreds of Canada Geese. It is hard to believe. What else is hard to believe is that for the past couple of weeks, we have seen Christmas trees decorated inside the homes as we go for our evening walk. The lights are gorgeous – I do appreciate them – but when did we start getting ready for the holidays (no matter which one/s you celebrate) right after Halloween?
Look what arrived in the post! (Our postal workers are on rotating strikes, and to receive any mail is rather remarkable.) I am so delighted. The Dyfi calendar is full of beautiful images and historical facts and those beanies will come in handy when winter does arrive.
I want to wish all of our readers who will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week a very special day to enjoy good food and the companionship of friends and family.
SK Hideaways Videos, week of 16 November 2025
Channel Island Bald Eagles Sauces Bald Eagles, Santa Cruz Island, CA: Jak & Audacity’s Stunning Habitat plus Roosting On the Night Perch (2025 Nov 21) Cam ops treated us to spectacular views of Santa Cruz Island before panning to the night perch, where Jak and Audacity roosted for the night. Video: https://youtu.be/G4Wa_vOuuYQ Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnTsOesC6hE
West End Eagles: Haku Scarfs Lunch ~ Meets Akecheta on Tor + Night Perch Rendezvous(2025 Nov 18) After cam ops gave us a glorious tour of the area from the HD camera, they caught Haku devouring a nice, big vermilion rockfish on the nest before setting off to Wray’s Rock and then the far tor, where Akecheta met her. As evening approached, they rendezvoused on the night perch, much to the delight of fans. They don’t tend to spend the night on this perch and this night was no exception. But they did seem to spend much of the day together, and most likely roosted together out of prying camera eyes. Videohttps://youtu.be/dLIlDCq_DO0
West End Eagles: Akecheta on Sentry & Haku on Fish + Island Fox ~ HD Cam New Position (2025 Nov 16) The IWS re-positioned the West End low cam for better visibility of the nest (no more secret hideout), but it also provides excellent views of the tors. Here we see both Akecheta and Haku from the re-positioned vantage point. As a bonus, an island fox makes a cameo appearance. Seeing Haku devour a fish on the nest gave us the view we needed to get our bearings of the re-positioned camera. The cherry on top was seeing Akecheta and Haku meet up on the far tor, this time on the original West End camera (not HD, but a wonderful scene nonetheless). (2025 Nov 16; 7:12-15:02) Video: https://youtu.be/ILrE2CbmkoI Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14 Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg
Girri Burrows into Diamond for Cute Cuddles (2025 Nov 18) Girri got the cuddles they were craving from super mum Diamond. A mother-child connection at its sweetest. Video: https://youtu.be/aHzjeTDcHcY Girri Tries to Teach Gimbir to Brood ~ Detente is Achieved (2025 Nov 17) 12-day old Girri still likes to be under a parent, where it’s nice and warm. Gimbir, however, hasn’t yet learned how to brood. Despite Girri’s efforts to wedge under Gimbir, it is not to be. A side-by-side arrangement has, however, been achieved. Not to Girri’s full satisfaction, but it’s working. Video: https://youtu.be/vWzj5tnUWOs
FOBBV Eagles, Big Bear Valley, CA Jackie & Shadow Herald the Start of Stick Season ~ with Raven Cameo(2025 Nov 20) It was a 9 stick day in what might have been the beginning of stick season. Jackie and Shadow came and went from the nest throughout the morning with Jackie making a final visit just before dusk. It was all about delivery, but little placement. There’s plenty of time. During the day, Jackie and Shadow rested on Split Pine, a raven visited the nest, and there was a sprinkling of snow at day’s end. Video: https://youtu.be/GNMyJtB-Zbc Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz
Redding Bald Eagles Liberty & Guardian Have Some Branch Management Issues (2025 Nov 19) Liberty and Guardian performed some serious nestorations, some of which involved tricky branch placement. They each had a troublesome branch that we think will require ongoing tweaking before they’re content. Their new nest is coming along beautifully and will be ready for breeding time whenever they are. Video: https://youtu.be/5cl-uDFTq0I Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California Livestream page: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams
SE35 Attacks Camera Parts ~ Tired of Paparazzi (2025 Nov 22) SE35 has had an ongoing rivalry with the nest camera that we fans cling to, day in and day out. With SE36 out exploring, SE35 has been the sole star of the show. On this day, SE35 put their talon down and went after the camera equipment, tired of being in the spotlight. They succeeded in pausing its operation for about 10 minutes, but when operation resumed, we were right there watching. SE35 has since realized that being the object of so many fans’ affections is really not so bad after all. Video: https://youtu.be/_U_eFdYLgec
SE35’s Quandary ~ Self-Feeding or Being Fed ~ Tricky Fish Skin/Bones (2025 Nov 21) When Dad delivered a fish, SE35 was somewhat conflicted between independence and the comfort of being nurtured. It was a pretty gnarly fish from a skin and bones perspective. Lady knew just what to do. She let SE35 stand on part of the fish while feeding the other part. Then she stood back and watched as SE35 practiced self-feeding before helping again. It was a very long meal with lessons learned along the way. Video: https://youtu.be/h0y6JphCKDY
The Tweed Valley Osprey Project has reason to celebrate and so should we. Blue 722.
The Raptor Resource Project wonders which eagles you are watching at Decorah?
Beautiful condors in heraldic pose captured by Tim Huntington.
Speaking of condors, did you catch the Condor chat with Kelly Sorenson and his team at the Ventana Wildlife Society? If you missed it, here is the link and as always, you will learn so much! https://www.youtube.com/live/XBZIu2i9l5s?
Here is the population update and, of course, it is only one page in the presentation. Please do check this presentation out!
‘A’ sends us her commentary on the Australian nests with a nod to Beau and Gabby:
“Just WONDERFUL news about Wisdom. You know my soft spot for albies – I’ve been watching the returnees at Taiaroa Head finding each other and laying eggs. The announcement of the Royal Cam family for this season is coming any minute now – literally. I will let you know when I hear. The educated money is on LGK and LGL, who are experienced parents and previous Royal Cam parents with a fertile egg this year.
Meanwhile, the WBSE story continues to be a happy one, with the eaglets doing fabulously well. They continue to sleep in or near the nest, with their parents nearby, and they continue to return to the nest to wait for food deliveries or follow their parents in to the nest when they see them returning from a successful hunting trip. Each day, they are bigger and stronger and more confident. We can only hope they are following their parents down to the Parramatta River – they have been spotted near River Roost – and learning to fish for themselves. But at least they are getting that chance this year. What was it, I wonder, that so convinced me that this would be the year? As you will recall, I have been saying this since they were far too young for it to be even an educated guess. This was just a ‘feeling’, a premonition if you like. But I did feel it, and you are my proof! I am SO happy to be right about this. There are no words. There has been so much hope with such beautiful eaglets in previous seasons, only for them to come to a tragic end or disappear altogether. But this is so special and so beautiful to watch. They are operating as a family group, and this is the secret to the success of this year’s fledglings.
Meanwhile, I have no news to report on the Collins Street fledglings, and this is good news. My sister tells me that there have been no fledglings brought into care so far – if there are, her husband will know because he will be the person they are likely to be brought to. So the absence of any word is wonderful. I spoke with her this afternoon, just to check, and so far, so good. I am annoyed that Mirvac turned off the cameras on 16 November, so we have no idea whether the chicks are returning to the ledge for food. I am hopeful that they may be, based on what we saw before the cameras went off. The parents both visited the ledge on that final day of footage – I told you about the behaviour in the scrapes – but we also know that all three did return to the ledge on the day of or the day after fledging, and the returnees foraged for leftovers and self-fed in the gutter. So I remain hopeful that they may be continuing to do so.
At Orange, Gimbir is really taking to the role of dad enthusiastically, but it is also true that the little one adores its dad. Watching it trying to get Gimbir to brood made me laugh so much, because of course despite the best efforts of father and chick, nothing was going to make Gimbir large enough to cover the fluffball. Still, both tried hard. Girri was SO determined. The wee one has also followed dad to the ledge more than once – heart in the mouth stuff – and on one occasion, nipped at his tail and wing feathers (playfully or perhaps thoughtfully might be a better description). But it really does seem like dad is a bit of a favourite with Girri.
As you might remember, I was a huge fan of Beau when he was V3 (I believe there were a total of 13 suitors for Gabby when Samson disappeared), and where all the others were pushy, V3 was quiet and loyal and took his time to respect Gabby’s grieving process and the time she needed to bond to a new male. I was always fond of the way he did his courting (yes, anthropomorphising to the max here but he really was the quiet devoted type when all his rivals were the exact opposite). It felt like Gabby needed to take whatever time it took her to process the loss of a long-term partner, and V3 was the only visiting male to recognise that. But whether or not that was the case, Beau certainly had staying power, and he is certainly doing his job with gusto this season. Just take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITiCBZwVQys&list=TLPQMjExMTIwMjVp9OEdcQ6I4Q&index=11. What a man!
Update from WBSE:
November 21: Early to wake and away from the nest before 6am. Dad brought a good-sized fish at 8:35, with SE35 in quickly to claim it. Lady followed soon after with the remains of a gull. SE35 was quick to grab that, a little tussle, Lady fed a little, then SE35 self-fed well, Dad calling in for the tail. Then, it was fairly quiet until mid-afternoon, when one eaglet was close by, with currawong swoopers close too, swooping enthusiastically. Late in the afternoon, the parents were seen down on the river. Then at 7pm, just one was there and one eaglet came in to the nest, hoping, and finding a little scrap. At 7:30pm, Lady and one eaglet were above the nest. The other adult joined them shortly after. The second eaglet was not to be seen. A late duet then. Now all settled?
November 22: Early duets and SE35 came to the nest. At 5:30am, Dad flew in apparently with a small fish which SE35 ate on the nest. Both adults were seen on River Roost. Meanwhile our other eaglet was heard and then seen closer to the river, but in the Armory area. Swoopers were chasing it, ravens and currawongs. SE36 was flying strongly and seen in a tree. Has it been fed during the past day or two when not seen? At 11:20am, SE36 was seen again being chased across parklands – both adults were on River Roost. SE35 was seen below the camera at 13:40, still near home.
So one of our eaglets, SE36, is being chased and harrassed but is apparently flying strongly and could, we know, return to the nest if it wanted to do so. Perhaps it is exploring the Armory area and the Parramatta River, watching its parents fish. It is healthy and strong, so we continue to hope both are doing well even if we don’t see both every day – the BOTG at this nest provide wonderful information for us all. As I type, SE35 is playing with the twine holding the microphone above the nest, having finished eating the fish that Lady brought in.
More when there is news at Taiaroa Head.
Much love to you (and a special chin scratch for Calico)”
And more from ‘A’ on Sunday: “There are some concerns about SE36. Last night, SE35 slept in the nest tree, but I saw no sign of SE36. This morning, SE35 was where it had slept, in the branches of the nest tree, and waiting for breakfast. Around 06:28, a parent flew in to the nest with a piece of leftover fish, and SE35 hurried down the branch, squeeing with excitement, to self-feed. Happy eaglet noises! The juvenile seemed to be begging to be fed but Lady (I think it was mum) was having none of that. You’re a grown-up eaglet now! Feed yourself! Eventually, SE35 settled down to eat very proficiently, gripping the chunk of fish tightly in its left talon. The currawongs were swooping but SE35 seemed unconcerned. The parent remained on a branch above the nest while SE35 ate breakfast. The rain was falling and the wind gusted up and Lady flew higher in the nest tree. SE35 responded by doing a bit of flapping of its own, whether to get the water off its wings or whether a burst of energy suddenly overcame the fledgling, I have no idea. But there was jumping and flapping in the rain. At one stage, SE35 took the chunk of fish halfway up the perch branch, where it ate the remainder of its breakfast, still gripping its fish tightly in its left talon. Very well done SE35. But there was no sign of SE36.
It is noteworthy that only one parent slept in the nest tree last night from what I could see. So the other parent could be with SE36. And it is worth remembering that the BOTG have heard SE36 and spotted it in the Armory area. I think it has also been seen and heard around River Roost. The question is whether SE36 is being fed. When it has been spotted, it has been flying strongly.but it has also been pursued by currawongs. So it is not being harrassed to the point that previous fledglings from this nest have been. However, it is critical that SE36 gets fed, wherever it is at the moment, and I have to wonder why it was not sleeping in the nest tree lasts night, if only because the nest and the nest tree have proved to be a reliable family-run restaurant for both juveniles since fledging. So it follows that if SE36 is healthy and hungry, it should be at or near the nest tree. The only reasons for this not being the case would be that it is injured or exhausted or that it is being fed elsewhere. We have to believe that the BOTG will report some sighting or audio of SE36 today (it is a Sunday in Australia so there should be people out there looking for these two today – and yesterday) and remember that when last spotted, SE36 was in good shape.
We know little or nothing about the dispersal of fledgling sea eagles in this area because there really hasn’t been any recorded, thanks to the damned currawongs. And we have no idea of the genders of these two. So we don’t know whether one or both of the fledglings will instinctively move to establish a territory away from the nest area, though I would be surprised if either has learned to hunt independently as yet. So there remains a concern that if SE36 is not returning to the nest tree, things are not proceeding as smoothly as they have been. I will of course get today’s ranger report to you asap. It should be posted in the next couple of hours, but with daylight savings, it could be as late as 8pm (it’s 5.22pm now and I would expect it by 6.30).
After breakfast, SE35 hung around in the nest tree, drying out its wings once the rain stopped, and occasionally vocalising when a currawong came too close. It was obvious that a number of them were above SE35 in the nest tree, but SE35 seemed confident that it was the boss. SE35 is the most exquisite creature, looking absolutely beautiful with its wings outstretched and the glint of the early morning sunlight on its plumage. After foraging around in the nest for any scraps, SE35 flew off the nest at 08:27.
Shortly after 3:05pm, an eaglet landed on the nest. I am not sure which one but I think it may have been SE36. They’re very hard to tell apart when they’re not together, and I could easily be wrong because the pics of SE35 from this morning were in quite heavy rain and its plumage was therefore looking different. This afternoon visitor was getting dive-bombed by currawongs, swooping low over the nest, and it stood in the centre of the nest, looking up at the currawongs and vocalising as they swooped past. It was definitely an aggressive response, not one of fear and intimidation. But the currawongs are certainly as relentless as they have been in every previous season. Certainly, this prolonged dive-bombing did not occur this morning when SE35 was on the nest, so I wonder whether that also suggests that this afternoon eaglet is SE36. If so, the currawongs are attacking it far more fiercely than they did SE35 this morning, which is concerning, but SE36 (if it is 36) is giving back as much as it can muster and is refusing to be cowed. No parent arrived with food, though the eaglet continued to hang around in the nest tree.
So SE36 has not been seen at the nest for the past two days, so we are starting to worry. SE35 is doing wonderfully well but I am concerned about SE36. “
“There was no ranger’s report for WBSE yesterday, which is why I didn’t send it to you, but I was hoping it would go up later. Not so. I fear they may have decided the season is over and ceased doing daily reports, which is frustrating because now is when we really need them. There has been no sign of SE36 at or near the nest for two days and two nights now, which is very worrying because it represents a sudden change from the routine the fledglings had established since leaving the nest. I can only hope for the best, and rely on the parents to do their job. At least SE35 is doing well and standing its ground against the currawongs. But I am very worried for SE36.
News from Taiaroa Head is that the RoyalCam couple for this year is BOK and WYL, who raised a chick in 2024 at Top Flat Track. These are experienced parents and are incubating a fertile egg.”
Thanks, ‘A’ – so glad there is no news to report on the Collins Street kids. It is as they say: No news is good news!
We are all concerned about what is happening to the osprey and other species due to industrial fishing in the Chesapeake Bay region – I say region because Omega goes out from the Bay since they have taken all of its Menhaden. Heidi found a really informative article from The Washington Post for us on this very subject. Please lobby to protect the ospreys!
Red Kites are one of the most magnificent raptors. The RSPB describes them thus: “This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail. It was saved from national extinction by one of the world’s longest-running protection programmes. It has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland. Red Kites are listed under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.” In terms of their conservation status, the RSPB states: “Back in Shakespeare’s day, Red Kites were really common, even in cities, where they acted as clean-up crews, catching rodents and scavenging on the scraps of meat that littered the streets. But attitudes changed and Red Kites became the victims of intense persecution. By the end of the 19th century, they were extinct in Scotland, England and Ireland, and just a few pairs were clinging on in Wales.
Thanks to reintroduction projects led by the RSPB and other organisations, Red Kites have made an astonishing comeback in the UK, with numbers increasing by 2,464% between 1995 and 2023. The UK is now home to about 17% of the world’s population.”
The study intended to shed light on the release of non-native gamebirds in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, which is proving problematic. Thank you, Raptor Persecution UK.
What a stunning image by one of our Manitoba photographers of a Northern Harrier.
Mark Avery brings us up to date in his 21 November blog on Bird Flu in the UK:
“Bird flu: Defra’s most recent update seems to cover the period up to 16 November and has a lot of positive records, especially of wildfowl, with Black Swan, four new duck species and Woodpigeon added to the 2025 list of affected species bringing the total to 52: Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Bewick’s Swan, Black Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Eider, White-tailed Eagle, Red Kite, Buzzard, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Kestrel, Curlew, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Kittiwake, Little Gull, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Roseate Tern, Gannet, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Cormorant, Razorbill, Guillemot, Puffin, Black Guillemot, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Grey Heron, Pheasant,Woodpigeon, Greenfinch and Starling. The flaws in the ‘surveillance’ scheme mean that it is difficult to know what this species list means in terms of species affected – click here.
Notice, Woodpigeon is on the list. Maybe it would be helpful to know a bit more about those Woodpigeon movements at this time of year.
In Germany (1000+ birds) and France (maybe 10,000 birds) very large numbers of migrating European Cranes have died of bird flu. “
It’s not a bird or a plane, but just a bit of fun with fashionable dogs and a cat in Country Life! (I do think Toby fits the Spaniel – his ability to track the cats that come to the garden is undeniable!)
Toby has more winter outfits than I do! He loves his red turtleneck.
Adorable friends.
Dear Calico.
Toby and Hugo Yugo caught horsing around.
Thank you so much for being with us today! We hope that you have a marvellous week with lots of birdsong and fresh air – please do get outside if you can! It really does raise your spirits. We look forward to having you with us again next week.
I want to thank SK Hideaways and ‘A’ for their generous contributions to my blog. SK Hideaways’s videos are first-rate and I am so grateful that they create them out of love for the birds and not for subscription numbers. That said, please give them a like and share them with friends and family. I also want to thank ‘A’ for their lively commentary and observations of the Australian raptor families. To the owners of the streaming cams, the blogs and the FB groups that are indicated in bold throughout my blog, my post would not be the same without you, too. I am grateful to all of you!
It is a beautiful Saturday on the Canadian Prairies. On Friday, many towns in and around Winnipeg reached a high of 16.7 degrees C, the highest temperature recorded in Canada that day. It was truly uncharacteristically warm, and thus worrisome.
I am actually sending this post out Sunday evening instead of Monday morning. I hope this is not too confusing! Monday morning is going to be very hectic. Toby has an organized dog walk with Ellen and then we are going to fetch our friend Ruth who is coming for lunch with a pop in visit by our daughter. Enjoy!
Oh, how nice it is to have you with us today. I hope that everyone has been watching that cute little fluff ball of Gimbir and Diamond. He or she now has a name – Girri – and thankfully it is one of two syllables that is easy to pronounce!
Cilla Kinross broke down the votes – but look at the number of votes. That is a fantastic response!
I have the listing from SK Hideaways of her weekly videos but this one is particularly cute. Can we truly take our eyes off little Gimbir, first-time dad, and his little baby!?? https://youtu.be/SyatpPaTnJU?
Is it my imagination, or is Gimbir getting much more time with his chick than Diamond allowed Xavier? Gimbir even tries to brood the baby! Or is Diamond just away a little longer and doesn’t see the interactions?
There was lots of activity and SK Hideaways has caught it on video:
We love that little fluffball of Gimbir and Diamond. Can you imagine someone stealing it to sell for profit? Well, Raptor Persecution UK is following a court case for someone who does just that!
Some of the cute stills of Gimbir feeding the little one for the first time. This is precious.
Look how big Diamond is compared to Gimbir in the image right above.
Just imagine Gimbir and Diamond arriving at the scrape with that precious baby gone?
Raptor Persecution UK continues to follow the plight of the Hen Harriers especially those found dead in and around the large hunting estates. You might recall that I reported on five little Hen Harrier chicks stomped to death several years ago. Their mother has now been found dead, and once again we are made starkly aware of how dangerous the lives of these amazing birds are!
Snow on the nest of Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear Valley on Sunday.
Both eagles at US Steel.
Both eagles at Cardinal Land Conservancy. Will there be an egg soon?
On a sad note, Blaze has not been seen at the Eagle Country nest for eleven days now.
I am enchanted with what is happening at the Sydney Sea Eagle nest this year. Lady and Dad arrive at the nest in the early morning with prey and no sea eaglets. They begin to defeather, looking around, and then both eaglets fly to the nest! In all the years I have watched this nest, this has never happened (at least to my memory). Does anyone else remember a year where the fledglings could fly freely around the forest returning to be fed? Please let me know!
This just brings tears to my eyes and I hope yours, too. These two eaglets from the Olympic Forest in Sydney will surely survive. They will get strong, learn how to hunt and beat those darn Currawong!
Just over the moon – almost beyond giddy. How long have the supporters of this nest have waited for a season like this one?
‘A’ has sent in a lot of commentary, and I need to post it, as I have been sending out little blurbs when an event has happened without a comprehensive narrative. I know how many of you enjoy their ‘take’ on what is happening in and around Australia, so here we go – albeit some out of order. Enjoy.
“It is nearly 8pm in eastern Australia and starting to get darker (it won’t be dark for a while yet with daylight savings) and both our eaglets are settling for the night on the branches above the nest. Lady is also perched nearby, in the nest tree. As I said, this is a family unit, working together. It is wonderful to watch, and the eaglets are gaining in confidence by the day. I have not seen this before. I hardly dare to hope that this really is the season they will succeed but I have felt that all along, as you know, and it is beyond thrilling to see the eaglets flying with confidence, returning to the nest for food and rest, and refusing to be cowed by those damned currawongs. “
“The upshot is that all three chicks have fledged and that one of those three has successfully returned to the ledge. Mum brought a snack too, which is encouraging – I am hoping we see all three return to the ledge. As I said, I’m hoping no news will be good news in terms of their welfare and whereabouts.
I will keep an eye on the cameras to see if we get any returnees but you would be best keeping an eye on the Facebook group – I am not a member of Facebook and refuse to become one at this late stage, but it might be worth it at this stage of events for the Collins Street group. It is exciting news that all three have fledged successfully and each one of the three appeared to fledge strongly and confidently. It terrifies me to even think about how difficult it is for young falcons to learn the intensely dangerous skills involved in their hunting technique, but I suppose this is where the parents play yet another critical role. I have been tremendously impressed by these parents, and the moment the crash landing back into the gutter occurred, a parent (probably mum) was immediately in the frame, doing a fly down (probably following the chick) to check that the chick was okay, indicating that the parent in question had been very close by during that fledge and obviously supervising everything that was going on. I do hope that indicates that these parents are going to be good teachers of their chicks. So many times during this season, I have been astounded at the size of the prey items brought to the ledge. These parents are very good hunters – let’s hope they’re great teachers as well. I suspect they might be. How wonderful would that be? There must be room for at least one more pair of peregrines in the CBD area. I’m still wondering where there are suitable nesting areas near Melbourne Airport. I must ask my sister that question again.
It will be raining in Melbourne over the next couple of days – not good flying weather for new fledglings. I do hope they return to the ledge for shelter, rest and food. There is plenty of time to learn all the skills they will need to survive alone out there.”
“Superdad M15. My favourite bald eagle male of all time. He is amazing. We will never forget his efforts the season he reared two eaglets alone. I think Mrs T might be in front in the female version of that award. And I noted from your blog that Mr T is up to his old tricks yet again. Leave the woman alone, you cad! What’s the betting he leaves her incubating a fertile egg and then takes off for the girlfriend’s island nest? I have no trust in him, I’m afraid. Once a cheat, always a cheat.
Oh, the joy of watching WBSE post-fledge. I never thought I’d type that! What a happy mutually supportive family they are this year. That nest makes me so happy at the moment.
Meanwhile, at Collins Street, two fledglings are on the ledge. The little male who returned after fledging yesterday spent the night on the ledge and in the scrape, and one of his sisters joined him around lunchtime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYQ2f7XnC8I&list=TLPQMTMxMTIwMjUIejz-QtbpwA&index=6. Wonderful! The returnee’s first priority is a little self-feeding in the gutter. Excellent. Let’s imprint that return to the ledge for food behaviour. The control she showed flying onto the ledge was impressive, don’t you think? Strong and balanced.
All three of the Collins Street fledglings returned to the ledge yesterday – the little male was still there from his fledge and immediate return the day before, but both his sisters joined him there during the day (how cute were the beakie kisses when the first sister returned and they lay side by side on the ledge? Just too adorable. I hope they can help and support each other just as the sea eaglets are doing. I’m sure it helps. Meanwhile, at Orange, our darling dad in training is progressing with determination. “
The Friends of Osprey South Australia and Port Lincoln have announced that, due to the failure of the trackers that have been placed on the osplets, they will now only be banding the little raptors.
Our local wildlife rehabilitation clinic, Wildlife Haven, is helping a Red-tail Hawk!
It is that time of year when people start thinking about the upcoming holidays. No matter what religious persuasion you are (or maybe not any), gifts find their way into the celebrations. Why not do something to help wildlife? One year, our family adopted the hawks, the Crow, and some of the other raptors at Wildlife Haven instead of buying ‘stuff’. Indeed, I do not need anything, having spent the last year trying to rid myself of the many things accumulated over a lifetime. Instead, we now gift small, locally made consumables. We will also reach out to local clinics in various ways. We have two large, used once dog carriers that are way too big for Toby. They will be donated along with a pet crate and various items on the wish list. I hope our family approves! Over the holidays, we will have a four-legged visitor to join our gang – Nellie, a very large British White Retriever. She is Toby’s bestie. The plan is to invite another four-legged friend and provide treats for the cats and dogs, along with some delicious shortbread for the adults.
There continue to be an enormous number of Canada Geese in and around Winnipeg along with Bald Eagles at every turn. Many of the geese have turned into lunch or those eagles. Great image by Kevin Eisler.
We still have osprey in Manitoba, too – the water is still open and fish and prey are readily available for the raptors. Migration times are extended!
Hawk Mountain’s latest migration chart for the week of 12 November. Those osprey numbers are not good.
Please continue to spread the word: Good Wolf reminds us that balloons have no place in celebrations in 2025. We know that they harm wildlife – it isn’t speculation. There are many other ways to decorate that are safe for our raptors and other wildlife.
Thank you so much for being with us. Please take care of yourself. We look forward to having you back with us for our next Bird World post which should be on Monday 24 November. See you soon!
Thank you so much to SK Hideaways, Heidi, and ‘A’ for their videos, notices, and commentary and to the owners of the streaming cams and FB groups who keep us informed, and The Guardian -I am in your debt. I am grateful to everyone behind Raptor Persecution UK who are working hard to bring justice for our raptors and to all who work hard to protect our precious feathered friends.
