It was warm enough on the Canadian Prairies for me not to complain. The wildlife continue to come to the feeders – deer, rabbits, Crows, and all. It brings me much joy.
That first hatch for Ron and Rose is a cracker jack. I sure hope it is a male and the second hatch is – well, it would be perfect if it were another male. Precocious. Cute little button. By the time you read this in the morning, R8 will be out of that shell. Look at the progress at 1530. Wing out and mostly there.
Welcome R8.
They are now bobbleheads trying to get those eyes focused and get some fish. R8 looks like it is going to be a fine sibling.
SK Hideaways knows how much I adore Thunder and Akecheta. For a couple of years we wondered whether Thunder had picked a dud in that young male eagle. Now we know she knew better than us! He really is quite amazing. https://youtu.be/_q9mivhzDIw?
OK. It’s Monday and I am expecting to see some action at NE Florida!
F23 is leaving the kids alone more and more. They are way too big to fit under her to brood, but I hope with the GHO present she hangs around at night.
Check out that nest that Liberty and Guardian put together! Incredible team work when their nest tree finally collapsed.
Gosh. I wish I could give the nest at Captiva to Jack in St Petersburg! Hey Window to Wildlife. Would you like to make a deal with Achieva Credit Union to run the camera and maybe help the ospreys out with that mess? Jack and his new female would appreciate it. And, I consulted with my partner in crime and we both looked at our files and we are more than convinced that this is Tumbles from the head patterns. Remember the only two plumage patterns that do not change from pre-fledge til the osprey dies is the head and the underwing.
Poor Jack brings in sticks and the wind takes them off. He is trying to make crib rails and then there are those holes to deal with. My heart breaks for this potential family. I hope for a miracle.
More information has come in on SE’s 33 injury that led to him being euthanised.
We all miss Abby. Blaze is getting used to Skye.
The number of deaths of wildlife in the Southern California fires will never be known. It is a tragedy. They have also lost huge areas of habitat. The challenges that our raptors face in the future, including these Bald Eagles just hatching, is extensive. “The national symbol of the United States is projected to have only 26 percent of its current summer range remaining by 2080, according to Audubon’s climate model. However, it could potentially recover 73 percent of summer range in new areas opened up by a shifting climate. Its success isn’t guaranteed in the new areas—the majestic raptor will still have to find suitable food and nesting habitat.”
Eagles are adapting by hanging around industrial farming. We saw this in Nova Scotia where there are thousands of eagles eating the dead chickens from the farms in the Annapolis Valley.
Thank you so much for being with me while I sit on pins and needles waiting to see if we are going to have any eaglets at NE Florida! Take care of yourself. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Heidi, J, MP, SS’, WRDC, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Androcat, Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, FORE, Window to Wildlife, Achieva Osprey Cam, Eagle Cam, Eagle Country, Bart M and the PLO, Audubon, Cornell Chronicle, Outside My Window, Port Lincoln Osprey, All About Birds, The Guardian
Oh, it is a balmy day on the Canadian Prairies. -1 C. The sky is a clear blue with no clouds and the sun is so bright it is blinding. Gosh. Feeling like summer. Just kidding, but after -28 C with winds, it feels pretty nice. I plan to do some cleaning up of the feral cat area today. This morning Brock greeted me at the garden door. I think he has been missing out on some full dishes of food thanks to Star. I saw her last night, but not this morning.
From the inbox, everyone is getting excited about Saturday. Most of you are nervous at the same time about Beau’s reaction to the potential hatchlings. We can only send them good wishes. Whatever happens at the nest, Gabby will take it all in stride. She is pretty amazing. As are all the eagles. I long to be more like them.
Cornell Bird Lab reminds us that the Big Bird Count is coming. Please mark your calendars and take part. We need a really good look at what is happening to the birds this winter! Or summer if you are in the Southern Hemisphere.
I am giving a loud shout out to a young man in Virginia who is going to attend an event where he can talk to the politicians of Virginia in a hope to get them to stop Omega’s commercial fishing in the Chesapeake Bay. Dustin Byler is a sportsman. He wants to see the Striped Bass and Rockfish populations return to the Bay. I want to see Ospreys fed. We are on the same side!
It will help him if anyone who has observed or cares for the ospreys that died around the coast of the Chesapeake Bay contact him. Do for it for Cobey at Colonial Beach.
Cold weather is heading to Florida and the Eagles know it often before the weather people. M15 and F23 are taking lots of grasses to the nest to help the Es stay warm, too – they are too big to get under Mum comfortably! https://youtu.be/kWt4JkJuiks?
It’s Friday. We are one day away from pip watch at this nest!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are the observations from Port Lincoln for Thursday:
Kasse on the nest after ousting Wilko on Friday.
Kasse grabbed that first fish delivery, the first one on Friday! In the image above she is enjoying that fish while Wilko is fish calling to Mum and Dad. Way to go Kasse.
The protests for more fish seem to fall on deaf ears. Hey! Where are the fairies? Are they still out of town?
Two well fed eaglets at Captiva. One really big sister and one tiny brother or so it appears.
Can’t take the eyes off that little one, C13. Just the cutest.
Scout and Bella at the NCTC nest on Thursday.
Eagle at Two Harbours on Thursday.
Harry and Sally are bonding and they have been making appearances at the nest at Moorings Park.
This is not the way to do this folks! Everything needs a plan and I am all for rewilding and reintroductions after careful consideration. Thankfully the lynx are safe.
Dyfi is working on a project and it is a hide. I am smiling.
Bird Flu has surfaced in Louisiana. Oh, please send your strongest wishes for our eagles (and for all birds) in that state.
An extremely rare sighting of a shorebird in the UK. “The least sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) is a new world species, breeding in Alaska and Arctic Canada, before heading south to overwinter in warmer climes, from the southern states of the US to Brazil. In Britain they are a rare vagrant, with fewer than 100 sightings recorded, virtually all in autumn.”
These are tiny shorebirds, 13-15 cm, 5-6 inches. They have piercing eyes. Could you take a look at their bill? It is only slightly curved and very pointed to help them get food. Their greenish-yellow legs are almost as long as they are tall. The underparts of their bodies are white. They have a beautiful variegated plumage pattern that ranges from white, cream, taupe, darker brown and espresso brown. They are gorgeous little shorebirds.
They feed in the mud along the shores especially areas where the tide is receding. They also feed higher up on the ground. Do you remember the shorebirds that I saw when I was in Nova Scotia? Think of these little beauties.
The Least Sandpiper is the smallest shorebird in the world, weighing in at about 1 ounce and measuring 5-6 inches long. Males are slightly smaller than females.
Eastern populations probably fly nonstop over the ocean from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and New England to wintering grounds in northeastern South America, a distance of about 1,800 to 2,500 miles.
Researchers studying Least Sandpipers discovered a new feeding mechanism. While probing damp mud with their bills, the sandpipers use the surface tension of the water to transport prey quickly from their bill tips to their mouths.
Least Sandpipers hunt for food on slightly drier, higher ground compared to other small sandpipers. Although numerous worldwide, they usually flock in smaller numbers—dozens rather than hundreds or thousands—than some other shorebirds.
The oldest Least Sandpiper on record was a female, and at least 15 years old when she was recaptured and released by a Nova Scotia researcher in 1985.
This bird almost certainly crossed the Atlantic a few months ago, but was not discovered until early January when a couple of sharp-eyed local birders at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’s Steart Marshes reserve spotted it.”
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘J’, Cornell Bird Lab, Dustin Byler FB, Real Saunders Photography, NEFL-AEF, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Window to Wildlife, NCTC Eagle Nest, Moorings Park Osprey Cam, Frenchman’s Creek Osprey Cam, LDF, Audubon, Sky News, Dyfi Osprey Project, Openverse, All About Birds, The Guardian
Wow. -14 C on Wednesday in Winnipeg. What a great mid-week temperature. The bird feeders were busy! We see the Crows flying in the distance, and the Starlings made certain that the big table feeder had sufficient cat kibble by coming up to the garden door and pounding away at the feral cat dish. It sure got my attention!
It will warm up overnight to -3 C. Do you know what this means? Tomorrow will be a good day to go for a walk in the forest. We hope to capture some images of deer and Black-capped Chickadees for you.
There is a new wildlife camera in Arizona’s desert that you might be interested in watching. Here is the latest on that venture:
I caught some White-Crowned Sparrows getting a drink.
White-crowned Sparrows are located throughout North America at various times of the year. These 17 cm (7 inch)White-crowned Sparrows are found throughout North America at various times of the year. These birds are approximately 17 cm (7 inches) long. Adult White-crowned Sparrows have attractive black and white striped heads and an orange beak. Their necks and chests are a soft grey, while their wings display a mix of brown, grey, black, white, and rust. In contrast, younger birds are primarily grey and brown, featuring a pinkish-orange bill. They are characterized by their striking black eyes. White-crowned Sparrows visit our feeders during migration as they head north to breed in the Arctic. They typically nest in areas dense with bushes. The white-crowned sparrow is not currently considered to be in immediate danger. That said, there is some concern regarding the impact of climate change and habitat loss. High snow cover and low temperatures will impact their breeding areas, especially at the northern end of their range, the Arctic. Additionally, heat domes and/or increasing temperatures will impact the ability of young birds to survive.
There was a Northern Mockingbird. This feeder might be a great way to help you with your bird identification especially with those many species of Sparrow.
The Northern Mockingbird is a medium sized songbird that can be heard to sing up to 15 lines. Look at the bird on the edge of the water tank. Notice the dark eye-line with that soft, almost cashmere look to the grey breast. There are two white wing bars. They are 21-26 cm or 8-10 inches in length making them bigger than the White-Crowned Sparrow.
The Northern Mockingbird forages on lawns, fields, or other open ground, where it hops and runs along the ground after insects. They also can be seen eating various types of fruit.
Threats to Northern Mockingbirds include predation by raptors such as hawks and owls. Domestic cats and crows often prey on fledglings, while eggs and nestlings face dangers from cats, Blue Jays, crows, snakes, and squirrels. Additionally, their habitat is being destroyed while weather, including storms and heat, are having a strong impact on their survival. Human activities contribute to these challenges, including window collisions and the use of rodenticides. Some people also directly kill these birds because they feed on fruit from their trees.
They are rarely seen in southern Canada.
Jackie and Shadow played tug-o-war with a fish on the nest. Cute, so cute. You have to love and be inspired by these two. Nothing gets them down and out for long! https://youtu.be/AVMpPOYJgS8?
Another milestone at SW Florida. The Es are beginning to pick at prey and self-feed!
I don’t know about you, but I am getting ready to get my eyes glued to the NE Florida nest of Beau and Gabby. Pip watch begins on the 11th for both NE 30 and 31. That is SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!! There are no words for the excitement that each of us is experiencing. Will this be this couple’s year?
The number of viewers are growing in anticipation.
Fires are raging in various areas of the US. Our thoughts and best wishes go to all living things in or near those fires, many of them being whipped about by growing winds. These situations can be deadly. Please keep them in your thoughts.
Calico’s Tip of the Day: Don’t Waste your time cleaning up your yard and plants in the fall. Close your ears to the neighbours talk and just think about the birds and insects that you are helping.
Now is also a good time to clean your windows and start putting up those collision strips. If you use decals remember they must be 2 inches apart! And you have to put them on the outside of your window not on the inside. The most efficient and reasonably priced method are the window paint markers. Crayola makes them. Scribble away – on the outside after cleaning.
Dr Green is giving a lecture – on insects!
Her name, Skylar, means Little Warrior. Wild Heart Ranch Rehabilitation in Claremore, Oklahoma, has been working to open her locked talons. They gave it everything they can – and guess what? Their help is working! Look carefully at what they are doing to separate those talons.
They described what they did to help her: “We use moldable plastic beads to make our Birdenstock shoes and the Birkenhawk shoes. We trace a template of the birds opened foot, or as far as we can open it. The moldable plastic beads are placed in hot, hot water to soften. They are removed and the beads are pressed into the shape of the template and the thickness we want. Once the shoe is the way we want it, it’s run under cold water to harden it into an unbreakable and squish-proof piece of plastic. The shoe is then placed inside the opened foot and taped onto the hawk, owl, or eagles foot. Enough tape is placed on the foot so the bird can’t undo the tape and get the shoe out of their foot. If the bird needs progressive bigger shoes and the foot tendons stretch out, the bird may get 2 or 3 different sizes of shoes before their treatment is completed on their foot. We save all the shoes to reuse if needed. The eagle’s left foot shoe is a shoe we used on a red tailed hawk. Below is a video of a RTH wearing its Birkenhawk shoes. Enjoy the video! -Volunteer Janice”
Incubation continues at several nests including John Bunker Sands Wetlands near Dallas, Texas.
Thunder and Akecheta are working on their nest in the Channel Islands. They are hunkered down roosting in the strong winds Wednesday night.
Look who’s home at Sauces!
Mr and Mrs North are at home in Iowa.
Snow on the nest at Kansas City.
In the UK, the RSPB stops the sale of table feeders because of a deadly finch disease. ““As a precautionary measure, whilst we await the findings of the review, we have suspended all our bird tables and related products, table mix and table mix extra, window feeders and feeder guardians with trays, from sale. This is because there is evidence to suggest that some birds, particularly finches, can be more exposed to disease when fed on flat surfaces like these.”
If you have finches visiting your garden and you have a table feeder, please read the following article and consider removing your table feeder.
I do not have any finches, but I need to find out if there is any concern for the other species visiting my garden. I have tube feeders, cage feeders, and a small and medium size table feeder. I certainly don’t want to cause the death of any birds.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, J’, spo.com, SK Hideaways, NEFL-AEF, Carolina Birders, USFWS, Montana Osprey Cams, Wild Heart Ranch FB, JBS Wetlands, IWS/Explore.org, Raptor Resource Project, Farmer Derek, The Guardian
It’s the middle of the week. The temperatures are warming up a bit on the Canadian Prairie, and we hope to get outside for a short walk on Thursday before they start to drop again!
After the spotting of a deer in the garden last night, along with a rabbit arriving at 1337, I cannot stop myself from looking out the windows constantly in the hope that both will return. The Starlings, Sparrows, Red and Grey Squirrels, along with one Blue Jay were up early and at the feeders. Feral cat count: 3. Brock, Star, and a solid black one with frozen ears who comes by once in awhile.
Today’s news is going to be short. I was out most of the afternoon because it is the day that Ann is here with Don.
The biggest news in Bird World is that Beau brought Gabby a big fish and, in doing so, he got some incubation time! This gives me more confidence that he will deliver prey to Gabby and the eaglets once they hatch – and we are getting so close to that window.
The SW Florida Eaglets are itchy and seem to always have full crops. The baby down is limited to some dandelions scattered across their bodies and those mohawks. Their beaks are growing longer. The pin feathers have been coming in and, of course, there are those big clown feet!
The GHO hit M15 and knocked him off his perch Tuesday night. M15 recovered.
The nests stink. The kids stink. But, oh my goodness, C12 and C13 are the cutest little things. I have to admit that C13 has stolen my heart several times!
At Port Lincoln, Mum and Dad carried equal weight in delivering fish on Tuesday. Kasse takes nothing off Wilko and fights for that late fish!
Early morning Wednesday and three at the barge nest waiting for that early delivery.
The fish delivery for Wednesday at Port Lincoln – each got something!
World Bird Sanctuary gives us an overview of its work in 2024. Look at the number of patients – and they are not alone. Rehabilitation clinics around the world have been handling record numbers of patients.
Geemeff sends us news and links!
For any climate crisis deniers: Sahara desert flood – a dramatic meteorological anomaly.
Happened in August last year so might have benefitted any migrating birds.
And this from explore.org – a way to watch several live cams at once on their new multi-view:
My granddaughter escaped the cold weather of Winnipeg and is sunny Australia. She has sent me some images of Rainbow Lorikeets and some Galahs which I am sharing with you.
If you live in the UK, please have your say in eliminating lead ammunition for good! Please step up.
SPO reports that a sub-adult eagle visits the Berry College Bald Eagle nest. They are also reporting that there is no bonding/mating or laying of eggs by Missey Berry. SPO speculates that while Pa and Missey Berry have visited the nest occasionally, they assume they have another nest elsewhere.
Trudi Kron reports that Bella and Scout are hoping for a better 2025 than 2024:
Second egg arrives at Hilton Head.
It is 644,000 acres and it is the Florida Everglades. Here is the full Florida Audubon 2024 report on the State of the Everglades.
Baby Hope and Hugo Yugo have become very best friends.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care! See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their comments, notes, posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘My granddaughter, Geemeff, J’, SK Hideaways, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, The Real Saunders Photography, Vija, Window to Wildlife, Bart M and the PLO, Port Lincoln Ospreys, World Bird Sanctuary, Raptor Persecution UK, SPO, Berry College Eagle Cam, Trudi Kron and Bald Eagles 101, Audubon Florida, DTR, Explore.org
We hope that you are having a good start to the week.
It is a white-grey sky day in Winnipeg. I can see the little birds puffed up, trying to stay warm in the lilac bushes. What you can see in the winter is incredible, hidden by all the spring and summer foliage. All around the neighbourhood, squirrel dreys hang precariously. Bird nests are there that I didn’t know about. I see the hawk waiting at the corner, hoping for a quick lunch. Even with the cold there are so many wonderful things waiting to be discovered.
Something was terrific to be found in my garden at 2026. It was a young buck with only one antler. According to the home camera, the deer had been foraging around the bird feeders since 2056. This was unexpected despite the deer roaming the neighbourhood and especially at our park looking for food. So a load of potatoes and apples were left in case he or they return. We will get deer pellets tomorrow.
Calico had her annual check-up today. I was concerned about her weight as I joked the other day. She came in at 6.4 kg. It is right at the line or crossing it to be concerned about diabetes. Calico is beyond precious to me. I would never want to jeopardise her health, so she is now on Metabolic cat food – and so are all her sisters! If you have only one cat, it is easy to control what they eat. If you have four, it can prove challenging. So keep your fingers crossed for this special girl.
A couple of things off the top. Ranger Judy is not responsible for what happens to the Sea Eagles when they are picked up and taken into care. She is as devastated as are others who live in the area, like Cathy and Jen (and some I do not know), at the death of SE33. Yes, I wish I could have wiggled my nose to get Dr Tess down there to see if something else could be done. I am not a vet, and like everyone else outside that examining room, I don’t know anything about that injury. My wish would have been for Dr Tess to have had an opportunity to try and figure out if there was another possibility. She thinks out of the box, and in wildlife rehabilitation, that seems to be what is needed. Sadly, we will never know. Watching Lady and Dad work so hard to lose both of their eaglets is hard.
Donations. Thank you for all of your letters. I want to do a shout-out to the Ojai Raptor Centre that miraculously rid Victor of the zinc in his system – and, I forgot, and I am embarrassed about this – 19 was picked up when we feared he was dead near the nest in South Bend, Indiana and transported to the home of Humane Indiana where 19 was cared for and trained to be an eagle, returned and released near the nest. We all wept. —– There are so many other great centres. The ‘small and mighty’ Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey where Lisa Ferguson was the Volunteer of the Year. Today, she wrote to me to say that their 30-year-old ambassador, Bald Eagle Paige, took her last dance. Lisa says that Connick ‘was a character’. We hope he is happy at the Smithsonian. So look around you to the people who care and work hard for the birds when you decide to donate.
To answer a sack full of the same question: Did Beau bring prey to the nest? Yes, he brought some. Sometimes Gabby wasn’t there. That is, however, the big question. Will he bring prey to Gabby and the babies? Or will Gabby let Beau brood and she will do the hunting? We wait and we will have our answer shortly.
We wanted to let you know that we have received the Final Necropsy Report on our Redding eaglet “Luna”. We want to thank Krysta Rogers with the Wildlife Health Laboratory California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife for her hard work & thorough examination & extensive testing.
At this time, we are still reviewing the very detailed information presented in the entire Final Necropsy Report & we are consulting with our raptor rehab expert Marily Woodhouse on a few questions & clarifications on the findings. We also realize that some of the very graphic details of the report could be upsetting to many people who loved our Luna with all of their heart, so we want to be careful with how much of the Final Report we release publicly.
We would like to share this brief Summary that Krysta Rogers wrote so you will at least know what the findings revealed…
“Attached is the necropsy report for the eagle. Cause of death was likely related to the high temperatures in early June. There were no indications of infections or exposure to toxins, although testing was limited by the poor condition of the remains.”
Krysta also added this crucial information to the report:
“The unusually high temperatures in early to mid-June likely caused the eagle to leave its nest before it was physically ready. On June 11, when the eagle reportedly left the nest, the high temperature was 106°F. In early to mid-June 2024, there were two periods of consecutive days with temperatures above 100°F including June 5-7 when the maximum temperature ranged from 103°F to 106°F and June 10-12 when the maximum temperature ranged from 104°F to 106°F.
Additionally, the nighttime average low temperature for this week remained relatively high at 72°F. In early to mid-June 2023, the average high temperature was only 87°F during the day and 65°F at night, a temperature difference of 14 and 7 degrees, respectively.
Young birds in nests with little shade have few options to escape the heat and direct sunlight. During consecutive days of high heat, conditions in the nest may cause heat stress and the nestling may fall or jump from the nest when trying to escape the heat. The sibling of this eagle reportedly remained in the nest and died during this period of high heat. Heat stress may contribute to respiratory and/or cardiovascular strain, dehydration, and/or damage to the organs and gastrointestinal tract.”
Krysta Rogers
WILDLIFE HEALTH LABORATORY
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
As upsetting as this is to read, the information makes us feel even more relieved that our beloved Redding Eagles Liberty & Guardian accepted the Starter Nest we built for them & will now be nesting in a LIVE Tree with shade & a canopy to help protect all of their future eaglets. And, it was also a huge relief to learn there were no indications of infections like West Nile Virus or Avian Influenza present.
At least we finally have some closure on the 2023-2024 Nesting Season & now it is time for us to follow the lead of our beloved Redding Eagles as we begin the next chapter of this amazing journey together.
Here’s to New Beginnings!
Thank you to all of you for your never-ending patience & understanding. We appreciate all of you!
There is an exhibition in The Netherlands about birds. This is part of the text. If you are close, attend! “With a bird, showcases projects, objects, and investigations where artists explore our relationships with birds. These works delve into how we seek to understand, emulate, and connect with birds while examining how they transcend categories such as human and non-human, science and folklore, life and death, reality and dreams, and the realms of land, water, and sky. With a bird, supports resident city birds like sparrows, black crows, blackbirds, magpies, and tits with supplementary foods and invites humans to dream, imagine, speculate, observe, converse, listen, read, feed, reminisce, and reflect.”
Calico’s Tip for the Day: Work with all agencies including Wild Justice in the UK to ban lead in all its forms for ammunition! It will mean a huge life support to our raptors.
Image is from Wild Justice.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘B, Geemeff, J, S’, Great Lakes Bald Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, FORE, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Sylvia, FORE, Hob Osterlund, Moorings Park Ospreys, The Guardian, Rita the Bald Eagle, SEO Spain, Wild Justice
Very sad news has come forward late Sunday. I have decided to publish this posting tonight and not Monday morning. I know that each of you will feel as gutted as I do now. Dear SE33 is the first raptor on the Memorial Wall for 2025.
It breaks my heart to bring you this news. SE 33 was euthanised. This beautiful White-bellied Sea Eagle fledgling was found injured.
Brock is eating his lunch and Star has already visited the outdoor feeder so all is right with the feral cat community. There really are only two – the others are domestic pets let out by their owners to roam. They are kept inside when the temperature hits -25 C as it did this morning. I continue to hope that Star and Brock have homes in the spring – whether it is inside with us or with another loving family.
The cold weather continues. It is also icy and it was nice to get the thumbs up from my daughter about the exercise bike. In the warmer weather we certainly build up our leg muscles. It is frightening how quickly that muscle can go. Or as my mother’s hip surgeon said to me after he had operated and she was refusing to walk – “If you don’t use it, you will lose it!” That thought has stuck in my mind.
There are not nearly as many birds coming to the feeders. That may change if it warms up some, but where do they go? And what do they eat? Or do they eat what they need and then return to whatever warm spot they have found? I don’t know.
‘J’ has asked me not to identify the eagle nesting table as theirs. Apologies. They simply sent the work of Eagle Nest Date Charts so that we would all be aware of the upcoming events; there was no intention to claim it as their own as I might have implied. Thank you to Eagle Nest Date Charts – your work really helps us keep focused.
My inbox is always packed with questions about donations. I feel awkward advising individuals about particular institutions, streaming cams, etc., but I will tell you how I decide, and then you can test that yourself. I donate locally first. Why? Because I can check on their work and see if it is something I value. For example, the new vet at Wildlife Haven is incredible. I met her during the fall Open House. Dr Tess is from Arizona, and she has been here for at least a year. She is the one who said that we do not know enough about wildlife and what they can do. So why not a three-legged deer? She is working on a Snapping Turtle and has built a little device to raise its shell back into the correct shape. (Shells are to be hard, but due to poor quality food, this turtle’s shell is soft). I avoid large charities where the CEO makes millions that should go to the wildlife in the agency’s care. For streaming cams, which ones get out and help the birds? I know that you can answer this one yourself!!!!!!!!! I mean helping them when they need help and working hard to get a permit. Let’s see, we recently saw the removal of twine at Captiva. Then there is our superhero out on the Channel Islands, Dr Sharpe, who cannot retire because no one can replace him, and he is too dedicated to the eagles. That is the Institute of Wildlife Studies. Port Lincoln Osprey and Friends of Osprey South Australia do a bang-up job with your $20 enrollments and funds for the fish fairies. You have to look at the platforms they are installing. So, there you go. That is my list and why these particular places are unique to me. You will have your list, but think hard before you give away your dollars, Euros, or yen.
The necroscopy for Lucina, the female Golden Eagle at Bucovina in Romania has been released. She was healthy, showed no signs of outward harm. Lucina died of rodenticide poisoning. Human caused. Such a loss. Lady Hawk covered news of this nest after contacting the owner several years ago. She published the findings along with some beautiful footage of this gorgeous eagle: https://youtu.be/UDQg1UkTy28?
The Golden Eagle in Romania. It is one of the rarest birds. I don’t think anyone suspected rodenticide poisoning when Lucina was found dead. This is a huge tragedy and individuals in this area need to stop using rodenticide and let the owls and other raptors do their jobs catching vermin. Raptors really are the solution.
Our hearts go out to all those who loved this beautiful Golden Eagle. We lost so many in 2024.
I am very nervous about the upcoming hatch at NE Florida because I do not know how Beau is going to react to the hatchlings or if he will bring sufficient food for them and Gabby. The bottle of Gaviscon is out on the counter along with the worry beads.
At Port Lincoln, Kasse cleaned up on the fish on Sunday! They are still waiting for fish on Monday as I write this.
All is well at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Connie and Clive. The eaglets are growing and growing. No shortage of prey.
It is similarly good at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of M15 and F23.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you on Tuesday!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this evening: ‘Geemeff, J, MP’, Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, Romania.Insider, Milvus Group, NEFL-AEF, Bart M and the PLO, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, The Real Saunders Photography, SK Hideaways
We spent the day being ultra-busy securing a month’s worth of cat food for the indoor and outdoor felines and fresh fruit and veg for us. The birdseed arrived on Friday. After checking and seeing six deer in the forest, we got home in the deep cold and started moving furniture. Yes, cleaning the house is great exercise, but warmer weather and a walk in the forest is much more enjoyable! So the point of moving all the furniture – which delighted the cats as they discovered old toys again – is to make way for a stationary bicycle. We can peddle through the Highlands, go through Bali’s rice fields, or enjoy the golden fields of southern France. We will get those 4-10k walks in one way or another. It arrives on Wednesday.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because they have never worked for me. However, our goal is to make 2025 an even better year than 2024. Wish us luck! We plan to plant more trees and shrubs, modify the wood boxes with chicken coop lamps, and launch Calico’s Corner to help feral cats and wildlife—that should keep us busy for a while. What are you hoping to do?
As someone commented in the Achieva chat, it is difficult to watch Jack sitting on the perch, calling for Diane. We have no evidence of what happened or any ring numbers to provide clarity. The one thing we do know is that the platform is currently unsafe for eggs and chicks and requires restoration. There are many ospreys in the area that could utilize the platform if it were fixed, but if I were a female osprey, I certainly wouldn’t lay my eggs on that nest!
Osprey platforms are very expensive to build and install. Just ask the folks at Friends of Osprey South Australia! The Achieva nest has withstood several hurricanes, including Hurricane Milton. I am surprised that no one has volunteered a cherry picker to fix the holes and replace the nesting material to encourage occupation. We learned from Newfoundland Power that helping ospreys by adding nesting material and making the nest comfortable can change the behaviour of the female. For the first time in many years, Beaumont and Hope successfully fledged two osplets in 2024. It felt like a miracle happened at that nest.
Raccoons can get almost anywhere. One was on the Whirly Crane, the old nest of Richmond and Rosie in SF Bay, early Saturday morning. I wonder if they moved their nest last year because of the predators? https://youtu.be/vnp2jx-bzlU?
Need a smile? Wisdom is back from foraging and has relieved her mate to incubate their egg on the Midway Atoll.
Many people are finding comfort in watching the Bald Eagle nests in Captiva and Southwest Florida. The adult eagles are demonstrating experienced parenting, and there is plenty of prey available on the nests. We have the joy of observing four adorable eaglets as they develop into fledglings before we know it!
It looks like it if fish dinners with an egret side course at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Clive and Connie and C12 and C13.
M15 brings in some interesting meals. It looks like fish and the two SW Florida eaglets are just cute little itchy pin feathered buttons.
Already stuffed to the top of their little Mohawks and they are getting more food at SW Florida! It was one of those beautiful tandem feedings.
Gabby took her typical spa day before the eaglets hatch. She used to do this when she was on the nest with her much loved Samson.
Many people in the UK are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first ospreys. We hope to see Blue NC0 at Loch of the Lowes and Maya at Rutland in early March.
Some of the Peregrine scrapes are getting busy.
A nice thought.
Idaho is working for wildlife. I would love to have a few of these in Winnipeg!
If you have been following the saga of the Florida Manatees, there is good news and bad coming out of the state.
You can’t find a happier osprey FB group – I seriously mean this – than the Ospreys of Nova Scotia. Healthy, happy nests (31 nests lost only 2 chicks last year post-fledge), a responsive utility company that amends nests if there is an electrocution, lots of friendly chatters who check on their sites and post daily, and then there are the frantic laughs provided by the members.
Geemeff sends us news about walking our dogs!
These little birds fly up to 10,000 km, only to be disturbed by humans walking their dogs, who probably don’t even notice these gallant little migrants.
What are the threats to the European Turtle Dove? The European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) faces many threats, including:
Habitat loss: Intensive farming practices, such as the use of pesticides and herbicides, reduce the number of seeds available for the doves to eat.
Illegal hunting: Turtle doves are often illegally hunted or trapped, especially in the Mediterranean. Hunting is prohibited during breeding season by EU law, but the problem persists.
Disease: Disease can contribute to the decline of the turtle dove population.
Unsustainable hunting: Unsustainable levels of hunting can threaten the turtle dove population
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for your notes, posts, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, J’, Achieva Credit Union, SF Bay Ospreys by Golden Gate Audubon, Jeff Kear and Colins Cornflake Capers, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, Tewkesbury Peregrine Falcons, Alt National Park Service, Idaho Transportation Department, The Weather Channel, Ospreys of Nova Scotia, National Wildlife Federation, The Guardian, OpenVerse, Operation Turtle Dove, Countrypress, Hilton Head Wildlife Reserve
Oh, gosh, it was cold on the Canadian Prairies on Friday. -22 C. My legs were freezing. Thank goodness I am short. It means those coats that fall below the knee hit my ankle! A bit of a wind, too, made your cheeks feel like they would fall off. Still, it isn’t as cold as it was when it was -38 C.
So for something different today because so few nests have chicks. Winnipeg. Our lesson for the day – everything you wanted to know about where I live and move. We are the coldest city in the Western Hemisphere! We have the world’s longest river skating rink. This video will tell you more about the City where I live. Just a note. You will see tent cities discussed. Our new premier, Wab Kinew, is removing these one by one. Accommodation will be made available to all. There are currently ten tent cities, normally of indigenous people along the river. They will all be gone in a few months. No worries about anyone freezing!!!!!! But notice all the parking lot comments. Concrete. No efficient transport to the suburbs where most live so you see one person in a car driving into the city centre. Empties at the weekend. Those houses for $200,000 – mostly new immigrants. The average price of a family home in a reasonable neighbourhood with good schools is about $525,000 and up. Enjoy! Watch: https://youtu.be/yOJ28eNaw3Y?
CROW came to the rescue at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Connie and Clive. If you were watching you will know that a large piece of some kind of twine made its way on to the nest. A big threat to the eagles and eaglets and human caused. Still, CROW required a permit from USFWS to get up to an occupied nest. That intervention took place Thursday.
The osplet at Thistle Island in South Australia has fledged.
Kasse and Wilko did well on Saturday. Both Mum and Dad really pulled their weight with the fish and at the end of the day both fledglings had good meals.
The Real Saunders Photography gives us a different view of the SW Florida nest of F23 and M15. https://youtu.be/QD1sfL3a_oc?
We will never know what happened to Diane at the Achieva Credit Union nest. Normally we would see her before the end of the year back at the nest with Jack. Did she choose not to return after a couple of poor years? We have certainly see Bald Eagle females not return after several poor years. A Good example is Ma Berry from the Berry College nest in Georgia. Ma Berry voluntarily left her mate and was photographed in Alabama. I also believe that Connie’s mate Joe also left the nest after he delivered a rat to the nest which was fed to Peace and Hope. The result was that both eaglets perished due to rodenticide poisoning. I will never forget his grieving over their bodies. Diane might have seen the state of that nest at Achieva and tossed her talons into the air! She might also have perished. She was not seen after Hurricane Milton which hit the St Petersburg area with great force. She was not ringed. We can speculate and we will never know. I am listing her on the Memorial Page. I also cannot prove that the female on the nest is Tumbles, the third hatch of this nest in 2020. She was not ringed. I can only examine the pattern on top of the head. The plumage pattern on the top of the head and the underwing of ospreys do not change from the time they fledge til they die. All other parts of them can.
The nest platform is a mess. The nesting materials are drying in the sun and some might blow off, but nothing has been done about securing the drainage holes or the presence of squirrels on the nest. Indeed, how are they getting up the holes? And why, so many months after Milton, with no activity on this nest, has no one stepped forward to do anything?
The Bald Eagles, George and Gracie, have prevailed with their first egg arriving at the Hilton Head nest!
Gabby and Beau are doing fantastic with the incubation of their two eggs – getting off and on you would think they had been doing this for decades.
Thunder and Akecheta at the West End nest on Friday.
Chase and Cholyn were both seen at the Two Harbours nest on Friday. Chase flew in with a fish and then appears to have left with it. Are they both 26 years old this year? For those not familiar, Chase and Cholyn are the parents of Thunder at the West End nest.
Highlights are still playing at the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Cruz.
A good news story about an osprey rescue! An Osprey ringed in the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Illinois, was found injured in Colombia, South America, more than 2500 miles away. Thanks, Geemeff.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, J, TU’, From Here to There, Window to Wildlife, Port Lincoln Osprey, Achieva Credit Union, Bart M and the PLO, The Real Saunders Photography, NEFL-AEF, IWS/Explore, Eagle Country, FOBBV, Yvonne M, The Guardian
It’s a new year! ‘The Girls’ have been up to lots of mischief and they have given us much fun and some very loving moments as one year ends and another begins.
Who would have thought? Hugo Yugo has taken to washing Calico! Notice that HY does a great ‘bug-eyed look’ while trying to clean that ear. Calico looks like she doesn’t mind!
The European Starlings rush to eat the cat kibble if I don’t get out with the birdseed soon enough. Before they do, they hang off the vines above the door, and it drives the cats crazy. Calico and HY are being teased by them in some of the images below.
It also looks like Calico has been into holiday shortbread. Her annual check-up is on the 6th. I wonder if Dr. Green thinks she should try that diet again. (My neighbour said she is beginning to look like a Corgi!)
Baby Hope remains one of the most beautiful cats I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing my home with. Her temperament is just the same – sweet and gentle, quiet. A little shy. Never into trouble. I cannot say that about the other three!!!!!!!!!
Missey always gets the ‘sweetness’ award despite the fact that she looks like she can eat you alive.
Clive continues to win high marks. Not only did he ride out Hurricane Milton in the nest, but he recently got in with Connie to help protect the eaglets during the latest storm – and to reassure the family that it really wasn’t all that bad! Today it looked like he was going to get the angler’s award, too. That nest is full of fish. No one is going hungry on Clive’s watch. Connie picked well.
‘A’ sends her remarks: “It’s raining again at Captiva tonight but it looked to me as though lots and lots of dry grasses were brought in during the morning – by afternoon, the nest looked to have a thick dry layer on top. The littles are so cute and I am worried about the dampness on this nest, especially with more rain at the moment. It is nothing like the other night but the nest is still not dry from the storm. The parents have obviously worked hard to get a thick dry layer on top but I hope it is enough. Clive has been doing a lot of aerating too. He’s such a good dad – he does a lot of feedings too, making sure he takes care of both eaglets. He often feeds one and then the other (you will notice that on the logs). I am so impressed by him.
But then, the more you watch these birds, the more impressive you realise many of them really are. I haven’t had time this season to have much of a look at Thunder and Akecheta, but any couple that routinely fledges three has to be doing something very right indeed. So that is a pair I would like to get to know a lot better. Their nests are not only successful but largely peaceful from what I have observed. I have not seen any bonking problems at West End and nothing that would ever make one worry about siblicide. That doesn’t happen by accident. And of course Ron and Rose are becoming an old married couple by now, gaining in experience and becoming better parents by the season. I am so hopeful for Gabby and Beau but it will be an interesting season, assuming these eggs are viable. Beau has good protective instincts and he is obedient to Gabby, which is a good start. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he also becomes a great provider, but that is the big unanswered question, isn’t it?
I am still concerned at SWFL. I fear we may have a tragedy at this nest. I cannot believe that a bird with the experience of M15 is not making it clear to F23 that this is not safe practice here, and certainly not this year after what we saw pre-laying. Both adults were knocked from their perches by the GHOs at least twice, and surely that is enough to warn them. After all, these owls are their major predators. I really find it very difficult to understand. What are your ideas on this? Why are they leaving the eaglets totally unprotected and in such danger?”
To answer ‘A’, everyone continues to worry about Beau’s ability to provide for Gabby and the eaglets post-hatch. Now, of course, there is the chance that the pair will change roles with Gabby procuring the food for the family and Beau brooding the eaglets. It doesn’t sound like a real possibility, but the eagles always surprise me. I just hope that we do not have a situation here like we had last year at two of the nests when the new male did not realize the hatchlings were to be fed, not eaten. We are just going to have to wait and see and that day is fast approaching. As for M15 and F23 leaving the eaglets, I am a little suprised because of the presence and tenacity of that GHO. Perhaps the eagles know something that I do not. Certianly if the adult eagles are asleep, they might not hear the GHO approaching in time. Again, we will just have to wait and see how this season transpires and hope beyond hope that the motto, ‘Trust the Eagles’ prevails in a good way.
Beau decided to burn one of the eggs this year like he did last year. Gabby wasn’t having it and she uncovered that precious one. https://youtu.be/SAvMuo-jEPY?
Some people spent New Year’s counting albatross on nests. How lovely.
Liberty and Guardian spent their time working on that new nest after their nest tree finally collapsed a few weeks ago. https://youtu.be/iZ1Hq9z4veM?
Wilko and Kasse each have a fish so far on Thursday. Mum and Dad are doing well.
And Mum did much better:
Gorgeous Kasse.
On Friday both kids waiting for fish.
There are no eaglets in nests except in Florida at the moment. It won’t be long until there are eaglets everywhere and like this one in Alaska that was rescued earlier in the year, the wildlife rehabilitation centres will be bursting at the seams.
I love the stuffy.
Remember the clinics always need our help. Clean sheets, towels, bleach, laundry soap, tools, pet carriers, stuffys, and monetary donations. You could also volunteer your time!
Input is being sought on the release of White-tailed Eagles in the UK – with several groups taking on projects after the success of the Roy Dennis Foundation on the Isle of Wight.
There is a new female at the Achieva Credit Union nest and I wish there was a younger male, too, but it appears that Jack is there. I am 90% certain that the female bird on this nest is the female fledgling of 2020 who defended this nest against adults when she had barely fledged (June) and who stayed around and returned several times later. She has a heart on the top of her head in espresso black. She went 79 hours without food. Was given up for dead several times as a wee, wee one. Was saved because her Mum brought those big catfish on that nest and fed her privately once Diane realised that this third hatch wasn’t going anywhere. Well, I believe this female is Tiny Tot Tumbles. Thanks, MP for that head shot!
I wish I were younger! Just look at this great opportunity. If you know of anyone that might be eligible and would be interested, please pass this information on to them. A fully funded PhD – that is what I had to the University of Leicester – and it is worth a truck full of gold and more. Pass the information along, please.
‘A’ is only one of hundreds who have written to me about Angel, the Leucistic Red Tail Hawk who had her nest in Tennessee. What happened to her? No one knows. ‘A’ writes: “ill searching for any word on the fate of Angel and Tom. There is none, though I am not the only person looking for news. I get such a bad feeling when I think about what has happened. We would not recognise Tom in the absence of Angel – if someone were to see him, the ID could not be certain. So it is her that we would recognise and the fact that she has not been seen is very worrying indeed. Not a body either, so she hasn’t had a flying accident or caught bird flu. The landowner has kept an eye out for them I am sure – I know that was the case back when they first disappeared and I imagine that would continue in the course of the day-to-day operations on the property. So we would probably know if she had been killed or had died within or near her territory.
I do suspect she has been trapped by someone and is imprisoned in a cage somewhere or even dead. I suppose I would prefer that she be dead than locked up for life in a cage. Birds bred in captivity are one thing (and not a nice one) but those who have lived a wild and natural life like Angel would suffer dreadfully from being restrained. It makes me want to cry. Not a week passes that I don’t search the web for some news of her. “
One of the biggest problems with the streaming cams is this. No one wants anyone to know where the nest is unless it is made public. I won’t go into how people can find nests because I don’t want to add any more stress to our raptors and I don’t want to give away methods and secrets. Despite the claims to try and hide the locations, many of the chat moderators give away far too much information. It makes me really upset. The nest of Angel was one of those – too much information. We already know that there are international crime circuits that collect eggs and birds. Wonder how much a pure white Red-tail Hawk was worth? She definitely could have been trapped. She could have died of Avain Flu. She could have died of West Nile Virus. She could have been shot. She could have died of natural causes. Anyone that is on a chat – whether they are a moderator or a chatter – should never ever mention anything about where they live especially if they live in close proximity and check on nests. Criminals are clever. Nothing should be mentioned. Not even the weather! And those cameras should be careful what they show in the background. Believe me people can put the pieces together if they are intent on doing harm and making money.
Gabby and Beau continue incubation. It won’t be long now – a little over a week til we will be waiting for hatch at the NE Florida nest.
Clive continues to prove himself, over and over. Those little eaglets are the cutest things – even with fish juice all over them.
There is worry for F23 leaving those eaglets alone on the nest with that GHO about. But look at those little cutie pies with their dark thermal down coming in and their pin feathers.
Look at the body shape of the SW Florida eaglets compared to Captiva. This will give you an idea of the growth that happens in just a couple of weeks.
Look at that fluffy white mohawk.
I wish Mum would stay in that nest all night tonight!
The image below comes from the following publication: tps://www.researchgate.net/publication/313384900_Monitoring_Bald_Eagles_in_Southwest_Alaska_Network_Parks_Standard_Operating_Procedures_Version_10?enrichId=rgreq-410614b7533b2248c3f0ad792f63b549-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzMxMzM4NDkwMDtBUzo0NTg4NTI4NjE3Nzk5NzBAMTQ4NjQxMDQ1NTgxMA%3D%3D&el=1_x_3&_esc=publicationCoverPdf
Look at the image above and then look at the screen captures from the SW Florida nest to see the age and development of the plumage of the eaglets.
This poster was created by the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee. Look carefully. It will not be long that M15 and F23’s eaglets will be moving quickly to image C.
Peregrine Falcons are amazing. 42 days. An incredible journey.
What an amazing osprey nest in South Australia.
If anyone ever tells you that our raptors and other mammals (non-humans) do not have emotions and do not grieve, please share this tragic story with them.
The increasing tragedy of bird migration when cities will not turn their lights off. It is so simple and yet few have had the tenacity to flip the switch. It angers me just like my city does when it decides to shoot the deer and the coyotes and not question its planning model.
Sasha Dench and Conservation without Borders are trying to save ospreys from power line deaths. https://youtu.be/jlkw1cGA8aI?
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, J, MP’, SK Hideaways, Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Preserve, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Alaska Raptor Centre, Raptor Persecution UK, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Researchgate, Southwestern Bald Eagle Management, Sandeepa Imasha Punsara, Fran Solly, The Guardian, Achieva Credit Union, Conservation without Borders
Here it is, the last day of December. The days sailed by. It seems like it was only yesterday that Blue NC0 returned to Loch of the Lowes and now, in about two months plus a few days, she will be back at her nest for 2025. In 2024, we lost a lot of birds. I still have a few to add to the Memorial Page – and every time I review the names, it brings about a spate of tears. So many died, faithful feathered friends we had watched on the streaming cams for years, and so many little ones. And, of course, others who survived brought us unimaginable joy. Those triplets kept Thunder and Akecheta busy while M15 and F23 raised their first eaglet together. I wonder what is in store for us this year?
We have had Miss Calico’s favourite book list. This one is mine.
I struggled with this listing. In 2024 there were not that many great books published on birds. There were field guides, books on nature and conservation, books that listed all the birds in the world with images so small you need a magnifying glass to see them. The top-listed book isn’t even about a bird, but it is an inspirational book about how nature can transform your life. We might switch the hare for a small bird. The finest book on a single species is hands down Mackrill’s book on ospreys. If you watch ospreys, it should be on your bookshelf.
As always, I do not receive books from publishers to review. I don’t want any influence, conscious or un. These are volumes that I have purchased and sit on my bookshelf. Lots and lots of books did not make this short cut. They will eventually find their way into the little ‘Free Library’ or Calico will have a book sale to earn money for one or another of the charities she is supporting in 2025. You should be able to find these books in your local library or by asking your librarian to bring them in through inter-library loan. They are also available for purchase online or at your local bookshop.
My absolute favourite book of the year is Raising Hare by Claire Dalton. If you are looking for beautiful colour images of Hares, this is not the book for you. It is, however, a book that has been wonderfully written by a woman who was transformed by caring for a wee hare that she discovered on a road behind her country house during the pandemic. It is that subtle transformation through the pages that brought me back to this volume many times. She was a woman with a high-powered city position that had alienated her from the countryside and it wildlife. She strives to keep the wee one alive with little help from any volumes. Indeed, she cites books about cooking hare, not caring for them. Few people knew what they ate. The hare begins to infiltrate itself into her life and she adjusts that life more and more so that it is ‘free’. Free is what drives Dalton. She is determined that the hare in her care will be able to come and go and life a full life, despite the dangers (which she cites often) in the fields beyond the house. This book is that story.
2. Return of the Condor: The Race to Save Our Largest Bird from Extinction by John Moir. For a number of years i have paid particular attention to the work of the Ventana Wildlife Society, its care, protection, and determination to increase the numbers of condor living in the wild. Moir is an exceptional writer who brings to life the early conservation efforts to ensure that the condor was not lost forever.
3. An Anthology of Exquisite Birds by Ben Hoares. The illustrations are exceptional and there is information on birds that I have only read or heard about. The texts are beautifully illustrated. As I have mentioned in an earlier blog, some will say this is a children’s book. It is on my bookshelf and is a welcome addition.
4.The California Condor. A Saga Natural History and Conservation by N and H Snyder.
5. The Osprey by Tim Mackrill. The most thorough and up to date book on ospreys. Mackrill studied migration, flight, winds, and other issues related to migration for his PhD thesis at the University of Leicester. It is contained in this volume. That information is missing from other publications on ospreys and could be of interest. If you are only going to purchase one book on ospreys, this could be the one. It depends on how much you wish to know. The only other recommendation is Mackrill’s RSPB much smaller book on Ospreys. It should be everyone’s first book on our amazing fish hawks. One of the best books published in 2024.
6. The Peregrine Thief by Alan Stewart. The third in a trilogy about a wildlife detective, Detective Sargent Bob MacKay. No illustrations. It is a lively narrative of a detective rushing across Scotland to get to the bottom of egg thieves. In light of the current arrest for 60,000 eggs stolen, the book might bring some insight for those who do not know anything about this very lucrative international illegal trade. Stewart worked for law enforcement and is more than knowledgeable about how the culprits in the tremendous international birding trade industry get by with this ludicrous crime.
7. Nature’s Ghosts: The World We Lost and How to Get it Back by Sophie Yeo. This insightful volume looks back at what the natural world was like and how we might shape the future through our compassionate actions. I have some qualms with the book’s logic, but it made me think that questioning one’s attitudes is always a good thing. The writer is very positive, and some days, I wake up so depressed at the state of our planet that I need a good kick in the backside.
8. Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan. It is filled with detailed observations of the birds that visited Tan’s vast garden with incredible drawings (Tan says she can’t draw – she can!). I hope this book inspires you to keep a notebook and start drawing the birds that frequent your lives – even if they might be on a streaming cam! How often do we ignore the beauty right before our eyes? So, please start looking! Bird counts are way down this year and I fear with the global warming that is taking place alongside H5N1 and West Nile Virus, we could lose species before we even have a chance to blink. Gorgeous volume. Highly recommended.
9. Leaf, Cloud, Crow: A Weekly Backyard Journal by Margaret Renkl. This book seems to follow what Amy Tan did but as a small notebook to inspire you to notice the natural world around you. Renkl gives situations you can follow – or as I did, I ignored them! It is a lovely little volume, beautiful illustrations, and would be a good gift for someone starting to keep track of their observations. My problem was it didn’t have enough pages! I particularly like the thoughtful sayings that accompany each week such as: “Human beings are neither vultures or crows. The world would count itself lucky if we were vultures or crows.” (July 12-18)
10. Space for Birds: Patterns and Parallels of Beauty and Flight by Dr Bondar, Canada’s first female astronaut. The book focuses on two species: The Lesser Flamingo and the Whooping Crane. Many images from space show us where these birds travel, their commonalities, and their real challenges in terms of survival. Bondar hopes, I believe, that we will be as in awe and want to quickly jump to help preserve their habitat and our planet as we were when we first saw the earth from space. Gorgeous book.
11. Birding for Boomers: And Everyone Else Brave Enough to Embrace the World’s Most Frustrating Hobby by S Collard III. Great book for someone starting to observe and feed birds. It is light-hearted and tries to get at the heart of every question you might want to ask!
12. The Complete Language of Birds. A Definitive & Illustrated History by Randi Minter. It is a bit of a field guide, including folklore and more interesting facts that I could ever find in one volume. Some familiar birds, some not. Did you know that Barn Owls are the symbol of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, beauty, and fertility. For some, if a Barn Owl lands on their house it signals a coming death. There are indigenous stories about the birds and their place in the natural and unnatural world. Calico didn’t rate it because it is a book of facts, not a good story she told me!
13. The Last Crow by Bob Berzins. You might pass it up because of the cover, but it is a good read. A tad of a novel set amidst the huge estates, oligarchs and hedge fund managers that own them. Corruption galore. A few fighting back to save the last of the wildlife. It is an eye-opener in the vein of the activism of Wild Justice, Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin, and friends. Groundskeepers shooting Hen Harriers, Golden Eagles, all to keep them from eating a grouse as well as the fox hunts that haunt anyone who has ever witnessed hounds ripping a fox apart.
We don’t have oligarchs that rule the justice system in the same way that they do in Scotland, but the demise of numbers and the idea that Crows would disappear form the landscape hits me right in the heart.
14. Wild Woman. Empowering Stories from Women who Work in Nature by Philippa Forrester. Well-written, wandering to other areas, touching upon Thoreau, a book that might inspire some of you. No images. Not just about birds, but women who worked hard and made a difference.
Other books not published in 2024:
What an Owl Knows. The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman. I am not a fan of owls because of their predation of the eagle and osprey nests. However, if you are an owl lover and if there is anything you might want to know, this is your book! 8 pages of colour images in the middle; the remaining few are black and white.
The Meaning of Geese. A thousand miles in search of home by Nick Acheson. This remains one of my favourite books. A young man who changes his life of travel and lecturing to focus on the geese of Norfolk. It is much more than that as our world changes quickly. How long will the Pink-footed geese and the Brents travel to the UK? What will happen to their permafrost habitat as the tundra is thawing and breaking apart?
Another beautiful book surprise for me was the 2003 The Birds of Manitoba. Maps, great text, beautiful drawings. A real hidden gem. It was written by many of the big names in birding in our province. You might want to check out older volumes for where you live -. Used book stores can bring gold.
I will be back on Friday anxiously awaiting some hatches. In the meantime, thank you so much for being with us today. Please have a wonderful end to 2024 and remember to look up in 2025 – that is where the birds usually are!
We are so happy to have you as part of our Bird World Family!
