We have another Osprey egg – the first one laid at Venice Beach for the season.
The latest Kakapo chart sent to us by ‘J’:
JBS24 remains seemingly healthy more than 18 hours after JBS passed. This is welome news. HPAI ‘normally’ takes siblings closer together – so, it would appear HPAI is not the COD for 25.
Family portrait late Tuesday 10 February.
News of the Laysan Albatross from Hob on the island of Kauai:
The USK Valley is in Wales. The region has recently had its very first osplet fledge. In 5 weeks we hope to be welcoming the adults back to the nest.
SPO posts about the anticipation of the first egg at the US Steel nest:
Jean-marie Dupart counted 61 ospreys in the Somone Lagoon in Senegal recently. They will be departing for their nests in the UK and Europe soon.
Scout and Bella have been so busy working on their nest. These wonderful pair lost their eaglets last year when their nest collapsed. It was a real tragedy – those beautiful babies had their juvenile plumage. Sending this pair good energy for a successful year.
SW Florida’s E26 stands on the rails in heraldic pose, is self feeding, and still loves to be cared for by Mum and Dad.
Eve and Kai are growing and doing so well. They are getting their ‘tails’ at the nest of Beau and Gabby.
That piece of fencing is still in the nest of Connie and Clive. Nothing can be done about it at this point. Notice where Quinn is standing. Quinn could have a pre-mature forced fledge. Let us just hope that this piece of human junk that made its way to the nest is not harmful to anyone and that it will be removed in the off season during camera maintenance.
R9 and R10 are doing very well at the Dade County nest, too. We have much to be thankful for despite the loss of three eaglets this season.
Gus and Willow laid their first egg at the Eagle Country nest in Florida on the 11th of January. Blaze has not been seen for some months. Skye was seen after Blaze went MIA.
Thank you so much for being with us tonight as we catch up with a few of our bird families. Take care of yourself. Spring is just around the corner! But our bunch have ‘Valentine’s Day’ on their minds despite the fact that Toby’s ‘bunny ears’ arrived today. (Toby wasn’t so sure about these!) They are supposed to be a bit of a hat with ears, but we need some alterations!!!!!
We hope to be back with you the end of the week.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams, the authors of the FB posts, the creators of the videos, OpenVerse for its image bank, and The Guardian. My blog would not be the same without your talents and generosity in sharing.
Gabby and the babies are on the big screen this morning. Gosh, they are big! It is windy and looks like rain coming to their nest.
Late note: Colonial Beach osprey cam is now live. We have lost a condor. Ventana Wildlife reports: “We recently found condor Vincent (892) deceased in Big Sur. He was just starting to come into his own as a breeding adult condor, and we are heartbroken to lose him so early in his life and when it was looking like he and condor Kodama (646) were about to nest.”
Thank you for all your lovely notes and supportive comments. We have had a good weekend. The weather has not always cooperated, especially on Sunday when we had pounding sleet during our walk with Toby (yes, we do get out no matter the weather). Today it is warm and the lads are in for a long walk – at least 3.6 km. We need it! And I cannot tell you how uplifting it is to go outside, even if it is for five minutes!
We hope that you had a lovely weekend. Did you watch that little sweetheart at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest? And did you remember to put in a name for C14 at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive?
The Winter Park eaglet is so cute!
The Winter Park female spent most of Sunday protecting her eaglet and 35-day-old egg from an intruder that was rather persistent.
It has been a gorgeous weekend. On Sunday, it will be 0 °C. We woke up to a fresh blanket of snow Saturday morning, and temperatures of -7 C. Toby was more than eager to get outside and go for a walk, and he was really excited when Miyoung arrived for haircut day. She is heading home to Korea for the New Year’s celebrations and to spend a month with her family. We are so very happy for her. It has been a true blessing to be able to count on her to come to our house, cut and style our hair in the conservatory, with Toby and the Girls looking on in awe. There should be more mobile units of all sorts – including dog grooming – for our ageing population. I have managed to figure out grocery delivery. Some people told me that they ordered too much because of the delivery charges – don’t do that. We want to cut down all waste, right? Just order what you need. The charges are a % of that, and you might be able to get free delivery by signing up for a service. Obviously, these conveniences are different wherever one lives! We have lucked out with the groceries, the snow removal, haircuts, and Ann. My next task is to try and organise friends and family to commit to coming one weekend afternoon a month. Those little breaks and Don’s ability to socialise with many different people make a huge difference. Keep that in mind if you or someone you know is in a similar situation.
Toby really enjoys his ‘Bully Sticks’ from Iceland. They help clean his teeth and are good at helping with the anxiety he is having. At the moment, he is wearing a sweater. The four days in the vet hospital matted his beautiful, long fur on his tummy. Poor Guy. He will go for a shave on the 17th.
Hugo Yugo got caught in Toby’s new car seat! You might recall that Hugo Yugo and Calico were quite interested in Toby’s stroller when he was a tiny pup. Well this very soft velvet carseat has caused a lot of commotion – no interest from Toby, however.
Missey has discovered a new spot to hide. I created a pile of wicker baskets – Toby chews on their handles – behind one of the sofas. Missey has taken it over. Toby can’t get back there and there is a nice window.
Baby Hope always sleeps on Don’s bed during the daytime. No one bothers her there and she does enjoy getting away from Calico once in awhile.
I might have missed it but I saw E26 getting fed ‘something’ dug up in the nest. I did not see a prey delivery on Saturday happen prior to 1600- but, please correct me. I want to be wrong. I know that road kill had been delivered and this looks like left over bones from it.
It was hot in Fort Myers.
M15 is OK. Flew in but nothing in his talons. Eaglets can go without food. E26 does not look like it is ‘starving’ – do not get me wrong but in the heat they depend on hydration from the prey. Fingers crossed for a nice whopping meal before bedtime.
Fish was on the menu for C14 at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive! Oh, how I love it when those eaglets get to eat fish.
It is so good seeing those two healthy eaglets at the Dade County Bald Eagle nest of Ron and Rose. There is also news that R5 has been photographed at a golf course at Palm Beach, Florida. —–Imagine if they had not received their bands we would never know. So happy about the survival of these eaglets!
These two are so big.
I had the loveliest note from ‘N’ and I wanted to share the Eagle Country news with all of you that they sent me: “Wanted to update you on the latest journey we are blessed with at Eagle Country. We have a pair of Great Horned Owls (Willow & Gus-EC announced names yesterday). We miss the eagles being at the nest of course but am embracing this opportunity to learn about more about GHOW with the incredible cams there. Skye has been seen on the river cams (we see eagles daily there) and was last seen Dec 16th maybe the 31st at the nest. She has failed to bond this season with one of many suitors that have been about. Blaze has not been seen in months this season
Love what Eagle Country has said “It’s been a beautiful reminder of why this place we call home is named Eagle Country. Country means the whole wild story, not just one chapter. Nature is wild. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
NE32 & NE33 Crawl to the Pantry + Gabby & Beau’s Seamless Changeovers (2026 Jan 6) NE32 is 6 days old; NE33 is 5 days old. They’re seeing more and moving more, including galumphing over to the pantry for snacks. Gabby and Beau are providing ample nourishment for these adorable, growing eaglets. Video: https://youtu.be/13nHkRpPt2Y
FOBBVCAM Eagles: Jackie & Shadow Fluffed Up Nest Ready for Pancakes & Chick-Proof Rails (2026 Jan 5) Jackie and Shadow have added fluff to the egg cup and built-up the rails around their nest. With Jackie’s fertile time occurring from January to April, we wait with giddy anticipation and hope for another successful breeding season. (5 Jan 2026) Video: https://youtu.be/E6xPBIEXv9k 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
Two Harbors Eagles: Nest of Cholyn & Chase Cholyn Brings Lunch ~ Ravens Want It ~ Chase Shoos Peregrine Away (2026 Jan 8)After a brief morning chat at the nest, Cholyn and Chase departed to a secret hideaway. Cholyn later returned with a tasty fish, but had to defend it against a raven before consuming it in peace. Chase arrived as sunset approached to defend the nest again ~ this time a swooping peregrine falcon was the culprit. Both Cholyn and Chase made quick work of their respective unwanted intruders to get on with the next eagle task at talon. (2026 Jan 8) Video: https://youtu.be/2bUHUX55g-0 Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Masked Eagle Takes to Nest ~ Visitor Perches On Hillside (2026 Jan 9) There was an eagle on the nest for the first time since 1 January. There is some discrepancy about whether it is Haku. I personally don’t think it is. What do you think? There was another eagle perched on the hillside as well. There have been no confirmed sightings of Haku since 1 January and none of Akecheta since 30 December.) Video: https://youtu.be/T3i1xbltjPU
Speaking of hanging around, how blessed are we that Girri continues to chase her parents, Diamond and Gimbir, for food, and that she’s such a strong flyer? Seeing reports on Girri just makes my heart beat bigger and warmer. Good weather and a big strong fledgling – what a difference.
The theft of the peregrine falcons in the UK:
“In the 90s, the UK trade in peregrine falcons was domestic, but it is now almost exclusively geared towards serving the market in the Gulf states. The UK exports more live raptors than any other country, and the UAE is the largest importer. “Over the past 10 years there has been significant growth in the falcon breeding industry,” said DC Steven Irvine, who has been investigating this trade.
Trading captive falcons is entirely legal, but what is not legal is the trafficking of wild birds into the captive trade. It is not known how many of those exported birds are wild caught, but police have identified at least some that are.” Read more…
It is now less than 60 days til we expect the first osprey to land in the UK. Who will it be? Seren Blue 5F at Clywedog? Blue 33 or Maya at Rutland? Blue 28 at Rutland?
Of you can’t wait that long, Moorings Park thinks they might have an egg this week – Harry and Sally are home.
‘A’ sends us a long commentary from Melbourne – thank you! “I was a huge fan of Beau when he was V3, as you might recall, and was thrilled when Gabby warmed to him (in her own time) and decided he was worth training. Beau was young and totally inexperienced at being a mate (and of course Gabby is one very demanding female). But he got there and look at who he is now. The most devoted of mates and a perfect dad. I adore watching the tandem feedings (where Beau usually feeds NE33 while Gabby feeds NE32, I have noticed, although occasionally it is the other way around), especially when he is feeding bites to Gabby that she in turn feeds to NE32, or vice versa.
What I do notice is that when Beau is doing a feeding on his own, he always makes sure that the food is shared between the pair, with a bite for NE32 and then a bite for NE33. These nestlings do have impeccable table manners, which helps a lot, but then I suspect the angelic behaviour at meal times is probably the result of knowing that they will each be given enough to eat so there’s no need for bonking. It just slows down their eating!!
I am so glad that Gabby found such a wonderful mate after losing Samson. She deserved Beau, and as I keep saying, I loved that he was patient with her and not pushy, allowing her to move on at her own pace. I think they did have a special bond. Something made Gabby chose V3 rather than V9 or V13 or even V14.
Suffice it to say that Gabby (and her nest) represented prime eagle real estate and there was much competition for both. It is interesting that a very young, inexperienced male should be the ultimate victor – it surely has to represent a choice on her part because otherwise, it would be most unlikely that V3 should successfully see off so many older, more worldly competitors to ultimately win her talon, so to speak. A true bald eagle love story.
And now look at the results. Super parents in a relaxed, happy, mutually supportive partnership. What a truly adorable family they are.
Meanwhile, the pair at WRDC are also adorable, I agree with you about siblings. I think they are a major plus on a nest, and was really amused to re-read the story of Bodie and Juvie at this nest. I truly believe that was a huge plus for Bodie, and it was so typical of this particular family that they adopted Juvie as their own. I wonder what the motivation was for that on the part of Gabby and Beau. Did they understand the bonuses in the situation for Bodie? Or were they simply reacting instinctively to a young bird begging for food, in pretty much the same way as the parents of Junior did when they brought in Malala, the red-tailed hawklet, to feed to their own chick as lunch but then adopted?
But I’m rambling. It’s a lovely sunny 18C day today with a cool breeze and a blue sky. There are still fires in parts of the state but some rain overnight and the halving of temperatures have helped the situation immensely. Everyone In the family is safe.
At Tataroa Head, the Royal Cam egg (laid on 6 November) is 66 days old today. The egg has been candled and we know that it contains a living creature that we presume to be a miniature northern royal albatross. That means we are less than a fortnight from pip watch. TOO exciting. I’m wondering whether the incubating parent is aware of the impending hatch – I’m presuming they can hear that a hatch is underway – and be reluctant to leave the nest during the hatch. Or whether the foraging parent has some way of knowing that a hatch is due and so hurries home for the hatch.
Of course it is possible that they are remarkably unconcerned about the whole process, given the fact that the rangers remove the egg as soon as a pip is detected and take it to hatch in a supervised incubator, leaving the proud parent carefully incubating a dummy egg that suddenly ceases to emit any sound whatsoever. I do have to wonder whether that distresses them in any manner (it doesn’t appear to do so and fortunately, but somewhat strangely to me, there is no information to indicate any of the bamboozled incubating parents abandoning the suddenly silent egg. Maybe they just accept the happy ending and/or have learned to trust the intervention of the rangers, whatever form it takes.
But to return to my point, the Royal Cam egg is due to hatch in 13 days (which is 24 January by my estimate). The egg takes many days to hatch, so I’m not sure what stage the 79 days takes us to. The pip? The hatch itself? I will have to look it up, but based on my memory of previous years, I think it means we should have a small damp fluffy person on 24 January. I will look it up to be sure but the timing of a hatch on day 79 is perfect – it’s two days before Australia Day.
I’m so excited. I do adore the early weeks of a baby albatross, and this nest is such an easy watch because of its isolated setting and the rangers’ dedication. Intervention? These birds get squid smoothies when they need nutrition, electrolytes when they need hydration, sprinklers when it’s too hot, supervised hatching of the eggs in incubators, and regular general health monitoring throughout, and of course all nests have one chick only and the albatross is the most gentle of birds, so a bit of posturing and bill clacking is about as aggressive a watch as it gets. The birds are just exquisitely serene, as you would be if you planned to spend more than half a century drifting around the world on air currents. Their entire life is a meditation.”
Thank you so much for being with us today. We will see you next Monday.
Thank you to those who post news on the various FB groups – what would we do without them?! And to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to look into the lives of the Raptors, as well as news agencies and blogs that report on the atrocities that happen to our beloved feathered friends, such as The Guardian and Raptor Persecution UK.I am grateful to ‘A’ for her long commentary, to ‘N’ for writing in about Eagle Country, and to SK Hideaways and their amazing videos. Thank you all!
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.
Yesterday was Earth Day. While we should, each day, try to protect our planet, did you do anything special? In Winnipeg, we will be having the opening of the new Buffalo Crossing at Fort Whyte on Sunday the 27th. It will mark the end of a week of events celebrating Earth Day. https://youtu.be/DQPIdqPi3TI?
Do you know the history of Earth Day? It is always on the 22nd of April.
Here’s are some facts:
1969:John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and peace, later sanctioned by the United Nations.
1970:Senator Nelson organized the first Earth Day, focusing on the United States.
April 22, 1970:The first Earth Day took place, with an estimated 20 million Americans participating.
Late 1970:The Environmental Protection Agency was created, and other environmental laws like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act were passed.
1990:Earth Day went global, with over 140 countries participating, significantly expanding its reach and influence.
Present:Earth Day continues to be an international event, advocating for a cleaner, more sustainable world.
Morning Update: Kielder Forest: At 11.40 today KF13 laid egg 3 in nest 1A.
It is a heavy overcast day on the Canadian prairies. The birds flit in and out of the garden while a gentle rain descends. It doesn’t feel like spring. Much more like the end of autumn, but we need some good rain, so let it pour! That will help everything turn green. Still, the heaviest snows seen all year are falling in parts of northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
There really is not a lot going on with the ospreys right now. Many are incubating while others are fighting off intruders and trying to hold on to their nests. Some have simply not returned.
Tweed Valley Osprey Project: Well, this is marvellous. I hoped we would have a trio – two females and a male. Wouldn’t this be nice for Iris?
It is that age-old question—do we cooperate and thrive or compete and fail? Unfortunately, failure seems to be the order of the day for 2025 breeding osprey nests that have intruders.
Iris, Hellgate Canyon: Some are starting to look at that osprey that delivered the fish as if it could have been Finnegan. There was a more than 90% chance that it was due to the plumage and the fish gift. Thankfully, there continues to be no egg in the nest. The most we can hope for is that Louis gets busy helping with Star and their chicks, that Finnegan returns if Louis disappears to the baseball park, or that Iris does not lay a single egg this year. It is hard on her body, and for what? For Crow food?
Poor Iris was fish calling and calling. When you read that raptors ‘bond’ for life, after this year, I hope you don’t believe it! Male arrives with a stick. It looks like Louis to me. Brings a stick, not a fish and then wants to mate.
Iris did quiet little cheeps looking over to the owl pole and flew off the nest late Tuesday afternoon.
Rumour has it that a male was sky dancing. I would love it to be Finn or another young one willing to tackle Louis.
Glaslyn: Aran continues to try for his nest, but Teifi is there or about, and, quite honestly, I think this much-loved older male osprey, mate of Mrs G and then Elen, is losing his hold.
Elen in the rain.
Duke Farms: I honestly did not believe all three would survive to fledge, but here they are. Just look at those beautiful juveniles.
Redding Eagles: On Tuesday, Liberty and Guardian were working on their new nest, bringing in soft grasses.
Eagle Country: Blaze and his new mate, Skye, did not have any eaglets this year, but the couple continue to come to the nest with prey items.
Little Miami Conservancy: LM 8 and LM 9 are getting their thick thermal down, and those pin feathers appear. Sadly, there are problems with not having enough food. LM 8 from a small fish, and LM 9 got some scraps.
USS Steel: USS8 has had nothing but big crops. There is something extraordinary about being an only eaglet.
Port Tobacco: Riley and Teo appear to be doing well.
Golden Eagle Cam, Romania: Pip Watch. If you are queasy and the second egg hatches, please be advised that golden eagles practice ‘Cainism’. The older will kill the younger unless there is an extraordinary amount of food, and even then, the life of the second is not guaranteed.
Denton Farms: ‘PB’ writes: “Denton Farms little one is too cute…look at that crop!”
Raptor Resource Project reports on our single Mum and the only surviving eaglet and ‘PB’ adds: “Trempealeau mom just had her huge fish stolen from Mr T…this mom is trying so hard. Good thing the baby ate well. Now she needs to fish tomorrow before the rain starts.”
‘PB’ reports that Mum was up early for food for the two of them. The little T3 has a nice crop. They also report that huge storms with tornades are moving into the central area of the US. Stay safe everyone.
Fort St Vrain: The two surviving eaglets are getting their thick thermal down. They remain way too curious about the outside world, and those crib rails could use some reinforcement: they appear to be doing well.
Saaksilivie #1, Finland: It is located on the edge of a swamp in Satakunta, in the top of a pine tree about eight meters high. It is the home of Eura and Eve who fledged two chicks in 2024, Lumme and Utu.
Saaksilvie Satakunna, #2, Finland: No information on any occupancy or hatches since 2019. It is currently empty.
Saaksilivie Satakunnan, #3, Finland (Wind and Magic): This is the nest of Tuulos and Taika. They had three eggs in 2024. One did not hatch, one chick died right after hatching, and another was taken by an Eagle Owl.
Information on Nest #3: Nest #3 is located in the Satakunta region in Western Finland. Ospreys have nested there in 1997 and from 2002 to 2009. The man-made nest was rebuilt in 2016 but it wasn’t until 2019 when the current male, Ahti, discovered the nest and was soon joined by a female who was called Helmi. The young pair spent the summer in the vicinity of the nest but Helmi didn’t lay any eggs. The following year the pair returned and in the spring of 2020 Helmi laid 3 eggs. The first successful nesting at the site in 11 years resulted in two fledglings. In the spring of 2021 Ahti returned but Helmi didn’t. By the time Ahti returned the nest had been taken over by a new pair, but Ahti reclaimed his nest site and the female eventually stayed with him. The new female, who was named Nuppu, had a ring on her right leg. She was ringed as a nestling in 2018. In 2022, Tuulos and Tiuku were a new pair. They were there in 2024.
Saaksilivie #4, Finland: This is the nest of Nemo and Nuppu. In 2024, they had three eggs hatch. Chicks were URA, USU, and UPU. Upu was taken from the nest by a White-tail Eagle. Ura escaped from the nest when the White-tail eagle tried to take it. Usu fell from the nest and was rescued. USU was taken to the Pyhtää Bird Sanctuary for care but died later.
Saaksilivie #5 LS nest in Southwest Finland: Home of Sara and Roni who laid two eggs in 2024. Both were taken from the nest by Ravens when the nest was empty. They had two chicks fledge in 2023.
Geemeff sends us the daily summary for all things Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Plenty of excitement today after a quiet day yesterday! Dorcha laid her third and final egg this morning, and a few hours later was seeing off an intruder Osprey who buzzed her on the nest. Unfortunately the intruder didn’t allow us a proper look but s/he was wearing a Blue Darvic ring on the left leg, therefore a Scottish Osprey. Blue 536 and Garry LV0 are candidates, or it might have been an unknown newcomer to the area. It probably wasn’t
Affric 152, as Chaddie reports the Bunarkaig nest has a sitting Osprey on incubation duty, and we know that is Affric’s nest after LizB confirmed it via her long lens camera last year. Louis brought two fish to the nest, taking his tally to forty five. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 brought Blue 536 an early afternoon fish but she wasn’t around when he brought a second fish at supper time. Perhaps he’s supplying her with fish off-nest, as their relationship seems to be building nicely. His fish tally rises to twelve. After a soggy night, today was dry and will remain so overnight and tomorrow morning, but rain is forecast for the afternoon. Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.58.56 (05.03.55); Nest Two 22.17.01 (05.07.23)
Farmer Derek’s Owl Cam: Bonnie and Clyde’s Starr is growing and getting those gorgeous GHO feathers. Soon she will be hunting with her parents, practising on the ground. The adults will provide her with lots of food so she can thrive and teaching movements. Her initial hunting will be on the ground – after she fledges.
MN-DNR: Not an eagle! Look carefully and you will see the nesting duck.
Geemeff has found a new nest cam for a Great Gray Owl! “A new nest cam from explore.org: A Great Grey Owl
Geemeff has sent us some good information from Cornell’s Nestwatch about building bird houses and what to provide for birds when they are nesting. Enjoy!
Good night everyone! I moved the smaller light coloured cat tree into the conservatory. Hugo Yugo is the Queen of her castle!
Baby Hope likes the edge of the sofa. She has already created a bit of a dent!
Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams: ‘Geemeff, PB’, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Lab, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Duke Farms, FORE, Eagle Country, Little Miami Conservancy, Pix Cams, Port Tobacco, Wild Bucovina Association, Denton Farms, SK Hideaways, Saaksilvie #1, Explore.org, Farmer Derek’s Owl Cam, Cornell Nestwatch, Xcel Energy, Saaksilivie Nesting Information, MN-DNR, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust
Please note that Lori had an error and has updated the cost of the six pack cards for Calico’s Corner. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please see the posting Calico’s Corner for the update.
Before we begin with all the news, ‘EJ’ sent me a magnificent image of an osprey that flew over them in Alabama. We all need smiles right now and this is a beautiful healthy bird! (I am always so grateful for your images and your generosity in sharing with all of us!)
As I write this there are three ongoing matters in Bird World. The first is the missing Thunder from the West End nest. She left at 1430 on Friday, February 28 and has not been seen since. Makaio has gallantly incubated the eggs even bringing prey to eat on the nest while taking some short breaks. The second is the anxiousness surrounding the pip/hatch watches for both Big Bear and Sauces. I am always concerned about third hatch eaglets so I guess there are four items – that wee one at Duke Farms. I recall too many dying on that nest.
In the cast of Thunder, many speculate that she has gone off for a spa day like Gabby typically does. I am not convinced. There are several possibilities to consider: she might have been injured in a territorial fight, or worse, she could have been killed. Another concern is that she may have succumbed to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), though I hope that is not the case and I am unsure if it even exists on the islands. I tried to check and could find no conclusive information.
The romantic-comedy writer in me imagines a more whimsical scenario where she went to get prey, encountered Akecheta, and they flew off into the sunset together. Of course, this is just fanciful thinking and should be taken as such, but it would make for a marvelous ending.
If we do not see Thunder back on the nest by mid-afternoon on Monday, we must assume that she has been injured or killed.
It is the beginning of March and it is time to start watching for the arrival of Canada Geese on the Canadian Prairies as well as the return of the UK and European Ospreys. But for now, my friend ‘J’ reminds me that love, companionship, and joy wrapped up in a lot of hope for this year can be seen in 5 letters: Bodie!!!!!!!!!!
What a precious eaglet that is – and yes, Bodie is NOT small! If every nest could have one single eaglet as healthy as Bodie it would be fantastic. There is no need to cheer for three eggs or even two. Sadly, too many nests last year looked like they had two healthy eaglets when, in fact, they were not. Thing Eagle Country. One well fed eaglet. That is all we need. And it is certainly all the parents and the environment need.
Last year, Heidi and I monitored over 502 osprey eggs along with VV who kept an eye on an inordinate number of nests in Maryland right out their front door! Sadly, none of the chicks at Island Creek survived and most along the coast of the Chesapeake Bay also died. While many might wish to state categorically it was due to the heat dome, there is evidence from countries much hotter and for longer – that with sufficient fish providing hydration nests of 2 or 3 osplets can survive intense summer weather. I hold no hope for the nests again this year. There has been no change in making the Canadian company, Omega, accountable and no real science behind what is a sustainable catch limit. The people fighting this in the region are tireless but they are up against lobbyist and politicians. The dolphins and whales have already left. Would anyone in this lifetime ever have believed that this entire area could be without ospreys? Well, it can happen. What we need are fish fairies and large garden koi ponds. People who will take risks to help the ospreys.
It is now the end of February. I had intended to return to posting Bird World news every morning. The last full moon saw a marked decline in my husband’s cognitive powers and his behaviour. It has been overwhelming and my colleague ‘H’ says my ‘brain is fried’ from all of it. Thankfully, osprey season has really not started and ‘H’ has been handling 99.9% of the data entries so far. I will start with the UK nests, Rosie/Richmond, and Iris plus Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. I am hoping our dear friend VV will monitor those nests in Maryland in their front yard! We won’t get up to 502 but we will do our best to get accurate information so we can see what is causing mortalities in 2025. In 2024, it was weather/starvation as the main driver of deaths. But, back to the posting of news. I am keeping my head above water by posting two larger blogs twice a week. I hope the information is helpful. These will come on either Sunday or Monday and Thursday. Essential news items will come as they happen. I will also try to post at least one or two good news items each day by mid-afternoon. I miss all of you! And I miss being in contact with the birds in their nests like I was before…
So, let’s see what is happening!
Golden Gate Audubon: Rosie has returned to Richmond on the light stand in San Francisco Bay! March 1. I am so delighted. She landed and started calling for Richmond right away.
Port Lincoln Ospreys: I am so grateful to the folks at Port Lincoln Ospreys who are regularly posting the tracking of the ospreys in South Australia. Looks like Ervie is having a fun time hanging out with Giliath! They spend the night together. How cool is that. You can find all of the tracking on the Port Lincoln FB page. I am including the one for Ervie and Giliath here because Ervie still melts my heart.
Dale Hollow Eagle Cam: Thank you to ‘KR’ for alerting me to the two eggs at this nest. As many of you will remember, there were issues getting help for the eaglets when they were tangled in fishing line. I am only putting this notice now for those of you that wish to watch this nest. I will not be covering it.
Duke Farms: There are currently three eaglets with the last hatching on Saturday, March 1. ‘A’ comments: “Another feeding at Duke Farms about four hours after the last (no time stamp on the feed as far as I can see, which is irritating) and on this occasion, the older hatch did even better, grabbing big pieces. The younger hatch was at least facing the right way this time, and sat nicely beside its sibling at the table. However, mum only half-heartedly offered it a bite or two, it made no attempt to grab at them, although like its older sibling yesterday, it is VERY loud and persistent in its begging for food. Even so, mum is adept at ignoring all pleas and simply sitting on the noisy little bundles. Oh Mary Ann they are just ADORABLE. Aren’t they the sweetest things at this early stage (while any attempts at bonking are harmless because they can’t even see their target properly.”…”I fear I can see a definite pip on egg three, which is of concern to me for the reasons outlined yesterday. This nest is already problematic – it was with only one eaglet – so I hate to think of what will happen with three. The nest is covered in fish – dad is certainly doing his job – but whether that fish gets into those little beaks is another question altogether. Mum did give the first hatch a nice feed this morning and the wee one was doing really well, swallowing quite large pieces with relative ease. Hatch two was still fairly unsteady (and facing the wrong way) but I suspect it will be 24 hours before we need to start worrying about its food intake. It is very reassuring, though, that the older chick is eating well and mum is doing a good job of feeding it. “
Like so many nests this year, Duke Farms has three eggs. Personally I do not like three egg hatches unless the male digs right in there and helps like Akecheta did at the West End. It is difficult. Some have even raised four.
Sauces: The first egg laid by Jak and Audacity is holding! ‘A’ remarks “In wonderful news from Sauces, darling Audacity’s egg continues to hold – she has it buried fairly deep and safe in the nesting material but we still get a good look at it around 13:22. (Mind you, if Jak continues to mate with Audacity while she is incubating, there are no guarantees! Men!!) Assuming the egg doesn’t break, pip watch begins in 10 days. I think everyone is praying this egg is strong and that this poor long-suffering mum will finally get the precious eaglet she has sacrificed so much to give a chance at life. My heart goes out to this couple. Audacity is so brave and so determined. I do wonder whether the repeated calcium depletion year after year has had any long-term impacts on her bones. Certainly, she has given everything she has in her efforts to raise an eaglet. She deserves this more than anyone. It’s like Iris last year. Repeated loss finally followed by a miracle baby (or babies in Iris’s case.”
Leucistic Red-tail Hawk Nest in TN: ‘A’ writes: “Meanwhile, Angel and Tom were at their nest again this morning. The nest looks absolutely ready for a couple of eggs and we are so hopeful this season that there will be eggs at this nest. Talons crossed (speaking of which, how gorgeous is Angel’s French polish?). There was even another afternoon check-in, and there have no blue jays in sight (or heard) today or yesterday, which ho-efully will persuade Angel and Tom that they can raise chicks without harassment at this nest. Still, after last season, I think we are all holding our breath every time they skip a day of nest work.
I have not seen any mating on camera but if I remember rightly, that was the case in Deyani’s season too so we shouldn’t read anything into it. Tom managed two fertile eggs out of two (even though only one chick survived) so I see no reason for concern in that regard. Young he may be but I doubt that slows down a male of any species! Just saying.”
Falcon Cam Project: Xavier and Diamond have been bonding in the scrape. Oh, how nice it is to see you! https://youtu.be/4fmYvw-ZSWo?s
Florida Slub Jay Population: Attached is Audubon Florida’s annual report on Slub Jays.
Royal Albatross Colony, New Zealand: The Royal Cam chick is in the post-guard phase and is getting lots of good meals from the adults! https://youtu.be/5XgDs0L8A6A?
Big Bear Valley: 13,976 souls watching Jackie and Shadow as Jackie takes over the evening incubation shift. We are on pip watch at Big Bear Valley!
Both eagles protecting those precious eggs! How dare a sub-adult try and land on that nest during this crucial time!!!!!!!! https://youtu.be/bxQRZvfUftE?s
West End: Not sure how many eggs since the camera was down. Thunder and Makaio continue incubation and then Thunder disappears. Makaio was on incubation for over 24 hours. Is this a case of needing a spa day like Gabby or Gigi or has something more sinister happened to Thunder? We wait.
Makaio took several breaks on Saturday and even brought food to eat at the nest so he is doing fantastic. Let us hope Thunder returns safely.
Kansas City: Harvie and Ellie continue the incubation of their two eggs.
Achieva Credit Union: Jack and his new mate now have two eggs in that amazing nest that Jack built.
Moorings Park: Three eggs for Sally and Harry. Pip and hatch expected between March 8-12. Yes. We are that close. This is a very good nest to watch but will three be a challenge?
Frenchman’s Creek Ospreys: Continuous owl strikes.
John Bunker Sands Wetlands: Both eaglets are really losing the few remaining dandelions on the tops of their heads. What a wonderful nest this has been to watch this year!
Red Kite killed in the Cairngorms. ““The Park Authority condemns the illegal killing of raptors in the strongest possible terms. Raptor persecution has no place in 21st century Scotland but sadly incidents such as this are still taking place. It is an unacceptable crime that not only harms our raptor populations, but also damages the reputation of those land managers that act lawfully and work hard to care for wildlife.
“We are committed to working with partners to make sure the National Park is a safe haven for raptors and to establish the full circumstances of this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0846 of Thursday 27 February. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously”.
Did you miss Ventana Wildlife’s February Condor Chat? Well, never fear. Here is the archived talk! The next live event is 27 March. https://youtu.be/RATJ0DwkoQE?
Thank you to all those people who help all those rehabbers every day of the week. They would not be able to save our precious wildlife without your help.
Wondering about all those three egg Bald Eagle nests? THIRTEEN nests already with 3 eggs (incl. Sauces)…Bartlesville, Big Bear, Centerport, Duke Farms, FOLFAN, Fort St Vrain, Fraser Point, NCTC, ND-Leef, PA Farm Country,Port Tobacco,Sauces 2 broke, and US Steel. Thanks, J.
A big shout out to all the teams in the UK who went out and cleaned up the osprey nests and refurbished them if needed! The raptors are on their way home and will arrive feeling most welcome. I wish every individual associated with a streaming cam (or not) would help our dear fish hawks (or others) with a cleaned out nest and new nesting material. It makes a difference. Just ask Hope and Beau at Snow Lane, Newfoundland.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care everyone. Go outside for a walk. Listen to the birds. Clean your feeders. Migration is coming! Turn off the news and feel the sunshine on your face. We hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, images, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, EJ, Geemeff, H, J’, NEFL-AEF, Golden Gate Audubon, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Trudi Kron, Duke Farms, IWS/Explore, Falcon Cam Project, Florida Audubon, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Farmer Derek Kansas City Eagles, Achieva Credit Union, Moorings Park, Frenchman’s Creek, Heidi McGrue, Kisatchie National Forest, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, Raptor Persecution UK, EurekAlert, Polar Bears International, Ventana Wildlife Society, Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center
We hope that you have had a lovely weekend and got to spend some time with friends or outdoors in nature OR both. Sunshine, the sound of the birds, or the laughter of others can elevate a slow sad day to one full of light. Try it, please.
The days are growing longer on the Canadian Prairie, with daylight stretching until at least 6:00 PM! This is a thrilling reminder that spring is just 27 days away. Ospreys will soon be returning to the UK, and by now, many nests in the US will already have eggs. We are all wishing for their safe return.
The Girls have really been enjoying the warmer weather and longer daylight hours, too. I have noticed that they will only sleep on the back and arms of the sofa if there is a wee blanket.
This year, I am particularly invested in a few remarkable birds—after all, we all have our favourites. I am eagerly anticipating the return of Louis to Dorcha at Loch Arkaig, and I hope he arrives healthy and revitalized. Maya faced challenges in 2024, and I am determined to see her once again partner with Blue 33 to raise a family. Even though Laddie is sadly no longer with us, there is hope that Blue NC0 will find a new mate and create a family at Loch of the Lowes.
I am also excited to see CJ7 reunite with Blue 022. Their incredible bond has allowed them to raise four extraordinary osplets in 2024. Additionally, let’s not forget about Iris and Finnegan! Together, let’s energize the flyways between the southern coast of Texas and Montana to ensure Iris’s safe return, with Finnegan there to protect her and support her in raising another brood of chicks. Join me in sending our heartfelt good wishes! Join me in sending our heartfelt good wishes!
As we turn our attention to the present, the anticipation of this year’s hatchlings fills me with hope—true little miracles waiting to unfold. You may have your own favourites, but for me, the joy of seeing Jak and Audacity finally welcome an eaglet after so many years along with Jackie and Shadow, would make this season unforgettable just like it was with Iris and Finnegan last year or even Beau and Gabby this year. I can already envision myself sitting there, overwhelmed with tears of pure happiness and soggy popcorn.
It is going to be a great year. Can you feel it?
Last week, I shared an article from The Guardian that a reader sent me. The article highlighted the polar bear fur trade and mentioned that the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was actively involved in or supporting it. The reader, who had donated decided to reach out to the WWF to inquire about their position on polar bear fur and the claims made in The Guardian article. I am pleased to share the response from the WWF that they received.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns regarding a recent article in The Guardian about WWF’s position on polar bear conservation. We believe the story mispresents our position and we are actively raising inaccuracies with the publication directly. To be clear, WWF does not support or promote the polar bear fur trade, as you can see in our response to the article (https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?13500441/Guardian-response-polar-bears).
WWF remains steadfast in our mission to conserve polar bears and their habitat, while respecting the rights of Indigenous communities. Our funds are directed toward scientific monitoring of polar bear subpopulations, developing non-intrusive tracking methods such as eDNA, supporting research on the impacts of climate change on polar bears, and advocating for the protection of vital polar bear habitats. This work is essential to the long-term survival of the species.
We appreciate your passion for wildlife and for the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the conservation of polar bears and their habitat.
Regards,
Nirilis World Wildlife Fund
Donating is a very personal choice, and it can be disappointing when the values we care about conflict with the organizations we support. I’m glad to hear that our reader received a response to their inquiry clearing up the misinformation.
On another note, one of our readers has always dreamed of seeing polar bears in their natural habitat, and they are coming to Manitoba this November for that experience! That is so exciting.
Time to check on our nests. There is a lot happening! In fact, I will apologise for the long ‘list’ and I didn’t even begin to cover all of what is happening! Eggs are being laid everywhere. Just as soon as some of these eagle eggs begin to hatch, ospreys will be returning hoping to find their mates and get on with their breeding season.
I cannot find the live stream for Big Red and Arthur. Normally in the late fall they begin to check on their nest on the Fernow Light Stand. Is it the construction that is causing this? I must find out.
Cornell Red Tail Hawks: Ferris Akel caught Big Red on the scaffolding of the clock tower, one of her favourite spots on the Cornell Campus. It was 39 degrees F. Big Red will be 22 years old this year. She hatched 7 miles from the Cornell Campus in 2003 and was ringed that October. She has been raising chicks on the Cornell Campus for a long, long time. She was on streaming cam in 2012, but that is not to say that she did not start having chicks much earlier than that!
Ferris also found Arthur so all is well. Gosh, it is so good to see them.
Achieva Credit Union: Jack’s fancy nest attracted a new mate and their egg was laid Friday the 21st of February at 22:14. Congratulations!
Frenchman’s Creek: We have an egg! Now, it’s Sunday and we have two. Mum hit by a GHO over night. Can we send the owls on holiday this year?
Pine Island Ospreys: Egg 1 broke. Egg 2 is 40 days old. Looks like it is non-viable. With that audacious owl, I would be just as happy that those eggs simply break or turn into dried Dudleys.
Lake Murray: Resident pair have returned! Gosh, let us hope those strobe lights and mannequins do their job this year and are set up right when those eggs are laid to send a message to those owls.
Hilton Head Nature Conservancy: The two eaglets are doing very well.
Golden Gate Audubon: Richmond is looking for Rosie. She traditionally arrives between February 18 and March 9. Pray for her safe return.
Little Miami Conservancy: Betty laid her first egg with Baker coming to see on the 19th. Expecting egg 2 on Saturday. https://youtu.be/SuT8i49kEmo?
Sauces: The very first egg that Jak and Audacity is incubating is still holding. That egg was laid on our anniversary, the 2nd of the 2nd month. That means that today, that egg is 22 days old. We need another fortnight til pip watch. Oh, please make this their year!
31 continues to melt my heart. As far as I am concerned, 31 was a miracle eaglet. Let’s see if we can have a couple more at Sauces and Big Bear. Wouldn’t that make this a fantastic year?!
Standing on those feet!!!!!!!!!
Beau turned out just to be the best Daddy 31 could ever have wished to have….
Leucistic Red-tail Hawk: Angel has visited the nest in Tennessee.
Fay Slough Eagle Nest: Has collapsed with all the rain. Dr Sharpe recently installed a camera there. No eggs. Eagles were working on the nest.
Dataw Island Bald Eagle Nest: Skylar is doing well. Has been seen on camera really flapping its wings!
West End: Thunder and Makai have their second egg. It was laid on 20 February. A Raven took the first.
Durbe County nest of Milda: Milda, the White-tailed Eagle has been coming to the nest preparing for the next breeding season. Eggs should come in the next few weeks. Fantastic. https://youtu.be/YCxGI8aTJWA?
Gleeson’s South Australia Osprey Platform: Marie found herself inland and quite away any possible fish meals. The relief that spread through the Port Lincoln community when Marie turned and flew south to the coast could be felt in Canada. Even the fish fairies were ready with meals for Marie as she would have been super dehydrated.
Latvian Golden Eagles Spilve and Gristles: They are getting ready for an exciting breeding season. https://youtu.be/Faj0YrCBeOg?
University of Florida-Gainesville Osprey Platform: Stella has returned with a new mate. Talon disappeared with three osplets on the nest. Stella managed to keep one of them alive and Talon Jr fledged! Hoping for a better year for this new couple.
Big Bear Valley Eagle Cam: Already people from around the world are getting excited over the prospect of Jackie and Shadow having a wee eaglet this year. There are three eggs. https://youtu.be/u6LnJNYfmHc?
Jan 22, 25, and 28. Pip watch: 27/28th of February!!!!!!!! So what will you be doing on Thursday?????????????????????
Fraser Point: There are three eggs for Andor and Cruz, too! Eggs: 14, 17, and 20 on the Santa Cruz Island nest.
Bluff City ETSU: Franklin and Frances have two eggs being incubated. They were laid on the 26 and 29 of January. So let’s count. Egg 1 is 29 days old today. We should be expecting pip watch in a week – on 3 March. Mark your calendars.
Johnson City ETSU: Boone and Jolene’s first egg is three days older than that of Bluff City which means that we should be looking for a pip watch on the 28th of February or 1 March.
Port Tobacco: Chandler and Hope are another couple with a three egg clutch – 3, 5, and 9 of March! So many three egg clutches this year.
US Steel: Stella and Irvine again with three eggs. This is a first for this nest!!!!!!!!! February 13, 16, and 19.
PA County Farm: Oliver returned to the nest looking good. What a relief with growing concerns over HPAI.
Centreport Eagles: First egg on the 19th. Looking for the second on Saturday before posting this blog.
Notre Dame Eagles: Gigi and her new mate now have two eggs!
Duke Farms: Goodness me. Another three egg clutch. Is this an unusual year? Eggs laid on 17, 20, and 23 of January. Pip watch for the first egg is right now- Friday evening as I write this. Maybe by the time of posting we will have eaglets in New Jersey!
Decorah North: Mr North and Mrs DNF on the 11th and 14th of February.
Redding Eagles: Liberty and Guardian have no eggs yet in the new nest and many are concerned that the time envelope is running out due to the extreme heat of the spring.
It seems that there are a larger than average number of nests with three egg clutches for the Bald Eagle nests on streaming cams in 2025. What is it that determines clutch size?
Factors that affect clutch size
Age: The age of the female bald eagle is related to the size of her clutch.
Season: Cold weather and the time of season can affect clutch size.For example, clutches laid later in the breeding season may have fewer eggs.
Resources: The availability of resources, such as prey, can affect clutch size.
Contaminants: Legacy contaminants like DDT can suppress clutch size.
Clutch size of bald eagles
The average clutch size of bald eagles is just under two eggs.
Successful pairs of bald eagles usually raise one, two, or occasionally three young per nesting attempt.
Bald eagles may lay a second clutch if the first set is lost.
Other information about bald eagle clutches
The complete breeding cycle from the time of arrival at a nest to the period of fledgling dependency is about six months.
Bald eagles may move south in the fall in response to changes in weather conditions and prey availability.
The Peregrine Falcons are starting to pay attention to their scrapes and mates. At Wilmington, Stewart is impressing Bridgette with a nice dressed pigeon!
At Orange, Xavier and Diamond have both been to the scrape. Diamond hid a grebe and well, guess who found it? Cutie pie Xavier!
Where are our Cal Falcons?
At least one falcon seen at Great Spirit Bluff.
We need hope right now and Knepp Farm is giving us a good dose of it!
Bird says of these lovely geese: “Relatively small and short-necked goose with contrasting dark brown head and neck, small black bill with pink band near tip, and pink legs. In flight shows extensively pale silvery upperwings. Breeds in Greenland, Iceland, and Spitsbergen; winters mainly in coastal lowlands with farmland and marshy grassland. In main areas, occurs in flocks of hundreds or even thousands; elsewhere, singles or family groups can be found among flocks of other geese. Rare but increasing winter visitor to northeastern North America, almost always with flocks of Canada Geese.”
Pink-footed geese breed in remote areas of Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard during the Arctic summer. They nest on cliffs, rocky outcrops, and tundra hummocks.
Breeding grounds
Greenland: Remote areas of eastern Greenland
Iceland: Remote areas of Iceland
Svalbard: Remote areas of Svalbard
Novaya Zemlya: The Arctic Russian archipelago of Novaya Zemlya
One huge issue for these geese is the thawing tundra. Will this mean that they will spend all year in Iceland, Greenland, and areas of the Russian archipelago?
There are also threats to beloved parrots. What are they? Birdlife International says:
From the humid rainforests of South America to the deserts of Australia, parrots are found on nearly every continent – adding colour and life to ecosystems globally.
But, did you know that parrots are among the most threatened group of birds in the world?
Human activities pose the biggest threats to these colourful birds:
Agriculture is impacting 78 species like the near threatened Jonquil Parrot.
Exploitation by the pet trade is affecting 75 species like the critically endangered near threatened Palm Cockatoo.
Logging is affecting 62 species like the critically endangered Swift Parrot.
Climate change is affecting 32 species like the endangered Black-billed Amazon.
The count down clock to the arrival of the UK ospreys:
Calico is checking shipping rates for her cards and will have her fundraising page up by Tuesday or Wednesday. She is looking for good shipping deals for those who have written to request cards from Europe and Asia! It is incredible how complicated sending items to others can be. Some couriers are keen competitors, and we hope to have this ready to launch by Wednesday. Thank you for being so patient. Calico is very grateful to all those who have sent notes wishing to support her fundraising.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. Try to get outside. Read an uplifting book. Watch a silly romance-comedy. Whatever it takes. We look forward to having you with us again on Thursday.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, letters, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, H, J, SP’, WWF, Ferris Akel Tours, Achieva Credit Union, Frenchman’s Creek, Pine Island Ospreys, Lake Murray Ospreys, Golden Gate Audubon, Little Miami Conservancy, IWS/Explore, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, Fay Slough Eagle Cam, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, Dataw Island, LDF, Fran Solly, University of Florida-Gainsville Osprey Cam, FOBBV, Bluff City-ETSU, Johnson City-ETSU, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, PIX Cams, PA County Farms, Centreport Eagles, ND-LEEF, Duke Farms, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, FORE, SK Hideaways, Elfruler, Wilmington Falcons, Falcon Cam (Orange), Cal Falcons, Knepp Farm, Openverse, UK Osprey Information, komu news, HDonTap
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
First – just look at SE33 ready to take on the world! Just about.
SE33 is just gorgeous. Look at the amazing plumage pattern on those underwings! I wish this incredible eagle a long, long life, full of prey items, a wonderful mate, and lots of little eaglets. Do it for SE34, too – SE33, you have to live life to the fullest for both of you.
There will be some small squeeze treats for The Girls today to celebrate the anniversary of Hugo Yugo’s arrival. Was it as cold last year as it is this morning, -15 C. The sky is the most transparent, brightest blue we have seen for some time. There are sun dogs on either side, iridescent like someone sprayed gold and bronze paint on them. Sundogs are atmospheric optical phenomena that appear as bright light spots on either side of the sun at about 22 degrees. They are red on the inside and white on the outside. The sundog varies in shape and size of the ice crystals that create them. They appear when the sun or moon shines through a thin cirrus cloud of hexagonal ice crystals. The ice crystals then refract the light causing the sundogs to appear. Living in Winnipeg, you know it is very cold if you see them.
The snow that has fallen the past couple of days makes the outdoors seem even brighter. There are no girls in the conservatory. They had their breakfast and opted for the sitting room where it is warmer to their paws. I close off the conservatory at night, something that I did not do last year. I want to see if there is any savings. It might just equal out by having to heat it right up every morning.
In the garden, there are a few Sparrows, a single Red Squirrel and a dozen Starlings wanting breakfast. Someone ate all the cat kibble so that has been replaced in case Brock shows up. He seems to not like snow or cold weather. I do not blame him!
Oh, Dyson’s kits have shown up!
The wind is picking up. Both Crows have now arrived for peanuts so all we are missing in the garden count are the two Blue Jays.
I forgot to leave the kibble for the Starlings so out I go!
With the arrival of the egg for Ron and Rita at the WRDC, it is only a matter of days before we start seeing eggs in the other nests, I hope. Will Gabby and Beau be next?
Beau has been checking out the nest bowl all morning at NE Florida. He also brought Gabby a fish gift – an improvement on last year! Will Gabby get to be a Mum again? It has been some time. Beau has protected the nest and kept off any attempts at a takeover. He is a great protector. Last year, he didn’t know what to do. Let’s see what happens this year. I am just grateful that those eggs did not hatch last year.
All is well at SW Florida and Captiva. Incubation continues at both nests. We are now less than a fortnight away from hatch for M15 and F23 in Fort Myers, Florida.
The nest bowl at Captiva is soooo deep.
Liberty and Guardian have been at the nest and goodness. Let’s get these eaglets hatched and up and flying before the real heat arrives.
Skye and Blaze were both hit hard by a GHO during the night at Eagle Country. Both eagles returned to the nest in the morning. The presence of GHOs is becoming even more alarming this year as storms and fires have destroyed good nesting spots.
Adult Black-winged kites are about the size of small falcons. They are the softest light grey underneath with a steel blue grey plumage above, black shoulders and wing coverts that give them their name. They have bright yellow legs and distinctive red eyes. They live near farming lands with woods, semi-desert areas, and open savannahs. They are versatile in their hunting styles – hovering like kestrels or gliding low over the fields like a harrier. Their geographical location is Western Europe, SE Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the coast of Africa.
The New York Times published an article about Bird Flu. We cannot dismiss it and West Nile Virus as contributing factors to raptor mortality this year, along with lead and rodenticide poisoning, loss of habitat, and direct human interaction such as shooting.
Do you know about the blue socks helping the Blue Booty? And the two brothers that are helping? Will and Matty? Socks are $16 US and shipping is free in the US. $5 internationally. —— Young people doing something wonderful for the world and especially if it involves feathers really warms my heart!
All About Birds Cool Facts about Blue-footed Booby:
To stay cool in very hot environments, Blue-footed Boobies sometimes defecate on their feet (a behavior called urohydrosis). They also flutter the skin of their throats (the gular pouch) by rapidly vibrating bones in their throat, which creates evaporative cooling through the open mouth.
The blue color of Blue-footed Booby’s feet varies in its intensity. Boobies with bluer feet appear to have more success in finding a mate than birds with duller blue feet. One study looked at foot color in relation to the health of young chicks and found that healthiest chicks tended to have fathers with intensely blue feet—possibly an indication of the father’s ability to keep himself well fed. Although the famous mating display might seem comical to humans, the display of foot color provides critical information on a bird’s health and ability to provide for young.
The Blue-footed Booby makes no nest, but lays its eggs on bare ground. The incubating birds defecate while on the nest, and the eggs become surrounded by a circular wall of excrement.
Calico’s Tip for the Day for those that have feral cat shelters and live in snowy areas:
It is hard to imagine, but an osprey was photographed in Cork, Ireland yesterday. It has not migrated. I wonder how many are still in England?
In 2024, the death rate for osprey chicks internationally was super high. It was 26.6%. These are clearly documented instances. We know of many other deaths related to starvation along the Chesapeake Bay, but we do not have enough detailed information on the nests to post the information on the data forms. The mortality figures would have been considerably higher.
As it stands, this is 6% higher than in 2023.
‘J’ sends the Rita the Eagle Update:
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 blog today: ‘J, RP’, Judy Harrington, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, AEF, Window to Wildlife, FORE, Eagle Country, WATOP. Port Lincoln Ospreys, Review Bird Nest, The New York Times, Hob Osterlund, Sharon Dunne, Will and Matty, Cornell All About Birds, The Guardian, Winnipeg Missing and Found Cat Watch, International Osprey Data Project, Rita the Eagle and Marathon
The two doe and fawns did not return to the park. City workers have been digging up the street for the past two days. That said, we believe that the four have safely found their way to the river and, we hope, are back in a larger park area away from traffic.
I could easily be fooled into thinking this is Calico. It is Baby Hope. Every day she looks more and more like her Mum. She will be 17 months old on 2 December.
She was looking out the window at the birds. There is an increasing number of European Starlings with two crows, two Blue Jays, five grey squirrels, two red squirrels, and about 100 sparrows. The winter weather and cold have made everyone hungry.
One of the most remarkable transformations within the house and among The Girls. Baby Hope has taken up with Missey. Hope rubs her head lovingly against Missey’s just like she used to do with Calico. It happened slowly, Calico distancing herself from her daughter. So, as you can imagine, I am delighted. Missey is the perfect Mum – she continues to care for Hugo Yugo and there is no reason to believe that she will not continue to bond with Hope.
The two Crows are now coming every day for peanuts. One is quite large and the other is the smaller from the summer. A bonded pair. The fledglings have not been seen since the end of the summer/beginning of the fall. After they finished the peanuts (shared with the others), they ate a nice big pizza!
It is wonderful to see them come to the garden every morning. It is not that long until spring! Yes, I keep telling myself that very thing as more snow falls.
There is little happening in Bird World. We are waiting for Wilko and Kasse to be ringed, and I would like to have a more positive sighting of Yira. There are many more Bald Eagle nests to lay eggs in the coming weeks.
Gabby and Beau continue to work on their nest. When will we have their first egg.
Cali Condor wonders if the sub-adult visiting Big Bear might be Spirit. How wonderful if it were! https://youtu.be/wehjVdpEF_Q?
At the Coobowie Osprey nest, Libby has fledged. This is the nest in South Australia that initially had four chicks. Libby is the oldest.
Mum, Wilko, and Kasse are waiting for their breakfast.
Yesterday, Kasse, Wilko, Mum and Dad had six supplementary fish.
Today it is so windy that neither Dad or Mum will surely be able to catch fish. Fish Fairy!!!!!!!!! We need you.
I really hope that Wilko doesn’t decide to stand up and start flapping his wings. He could wind up in Melbourne with these high gusts!
Incubation continues for M15 and F23.
We know that M15 is one of the most capable male Bald Eagles around. We watched him raise his two eaglets alone after Harriet disappeared. Now he would like a little more incubation time! https://youtu.be/D5tdZyavHcw?
The Hilton Head Land Trust caught a Bald Eagle on the nest that the GHOs hope will be theirs. https://youtu.be/DqylzZ66z98?
Calico’s Tip of the Day: Mark the date. December 3rd is Giving Tuesday. Many wildlife groups rely on donations and Giving Tuesday is often coupled with a doubling of your donation by other donors. If you can, could you help? With the cost of living escalating, so many cannot so every dollar helps. Small or large, no one cares. It all adds up!
Thank you 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’, NEFL-AEF, Cali Condor, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and PLO Obs Board, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Androcat, Hilton Head Land Trust, SK Hideaways, LDF, Hob Osterlund, Backyard Birds of North America, Gardenista, Eagle Country and nature chatter, Owl Cam
It snowed on and off all day. This morning there were five grey squirrels at the feeders – five in sight, altogether. Dyson, the three kits, and another one. Is it Dyson’s mate?
A cutie.
Then these four. Each appears to be healthy. They have their heavy winter coats and are so beautiful against the snow.
Starlings came. So did the Blue Jays, Crows, and Sparrows. Everyone was hungry. They are working away at the suet cylinder. Calico and I hope to get into the kitchen and make some suet cookies to hang throughout the lilacs. Where does the time go? How did I ever teach, assist in running a school of art, and take care of a home?
Oh, it is always so lovely to see them. However, Brock (aka The Boyfriend) did not come at his usual time. It worried me. Several hours later, Calico came in and kept patting me and meowing. Brock was here! Communication. Brock prefers wet food, but it freezes, and it is so hard to watch for him when we have busy days. This was amazing.
A shout out to ‘H’ and ‘J’ for some news you will all want to hear.
Sadly, I have added Bald Eagle Abby and mate of Blaze at Eagle Country to our Memorial Wall. She has been MIA long enough for Eagle Country to declare her deceased. A new female is now at the nest with Blaze.
This is the new female Skye.
Link to all of the Eagle Country cams – and they have a lot of them on this nest!
Mark your calendars. ‘H’ informs me: “Banding for Wilko and Kasse at PLO: Weather permitting, Saturday 11/30. Alternate dates 12/1 or 12/2.” It makes me sad. They will soon fledge after this and I find myself hoping that they are male so they hang around, but we need some females down there for Ervie!!!!!!! I sure hope Wilko doesn’t fledge or the ringing will be canceled.
SK Hideaways has posted a video showing what appears to be one of the adults in flight traning with another bird. Is this training with Yira? or is this Diamond and Xavier flying together? passing prey? I want to believe it is Yira.
Oh, it is a bright morning at Port Lincoln. We have lots of wingers going on! Everyone is anticipating the arrival of the morning fish.
The Fish Fairy arrived at mid-morning much to the delight of Mum, Wilko, and Kasse. Just look at all the nice fish! They were hungry. This is so good.
They will sure make quick work of those fish! Seven were delivered. Wilko was unafraid!
Dad came and took one of the fish for himself leaving Mum and the kids six. Wilko is trying to unzip one.
Look at the time. Almost all of the fish are gone.
Wind and rain came later to Port Lincoln.
‘A’ writes: “I see on the Port Lincoln chat that you have nominated Kasse as female and Wilko as male, and based on relative size and their behaviours, I absolutely agree with you. I initially thought they might both be male, because they got along so well, but at this stage, Kasse is absolutely huge, so large that she really must be a female. Wilko is a cute and brave little man. How much did he make you laugh today, standing up to defend the nest against the potentially dangerous Hat? And as for Kasse, she pancaked beautifully at the approach of the Fish Fairy’s vessel and stayed flat to the nest, her eyes wide in amazement as the Hat deposited a veritable fish-shop display window onto the nest right in front of her. In fact, she remained pancaked for about five minutes, until Mum literally landed on her head! I also admit to laughing uncontrollably at the sight of Kasse literally being stood on her head overbalancing while grabbing a bite just after 10:25. TOO funny. She did eventually manage to regain her footing but it took her quite a while.
These two are adorable. Kasse has absolutely no fear of her older sibling, and I do think their behaviour definitely supports your opinion. The older they have got, the more obvious those genders have been, with lots of small interactions suggesting that Wilko is indeed the older brother, with Kasse the younger sister. I always think that for stress-free viewing, this is by far the best option (apart from two males on the nest). If we are going to have a behaviourally dominant female on a nest, it is best that she be the youngest, as it gives her a bit of spunk to survive being bottom of the pecking order and means her older sibling is not too aggressive. That of course is what has happened here in my opinion. But they are both gorgeous, very healthy and have a magnificent mum. I could not agree more with your assessment of this osprey mum. She has been incredible this season, including taking over fishing duties whenever it has been necessary. Just a really special bird. “
Gabby and Beau are diligently working on their nest in NE Florida. They seem to do this early in the morning when it is cooler.
A gorgeous day at the Captiva Bald Eagle cam.
‘J’ copied Rita’s History Monday for us: “It’s time for Rita’s History Monday! Now that Rita’s offspring, #98, was off on her eagle adventure, attention once again focused on the fallen nest. Year after year it fell apart, and as Lloyd Brown of Wildlife Rescue and Ron Magill of Zoo Miami examined the condition of what little was left, they felt that it would be in the best interest of the eagles to install a more secure platform in a more stable spot in the tree. It is said that Bald Eagles mate for life, and they also have nest fidelity, so they return to the same nest tree each year. The remnants of the old nest were 95 feet high, up in a spindly part of a Casaurina (Australian) Pine. There was concern that if the eagles returned and tried to rebuild in that unstable spot, the nest would likely fail again. With approval from US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), they researched the best type of platform that could be used in that type of tree. So, in preparation for Season 2022, a new nest platform was installed! The platform is made of a 5 foot wide wooden papasan chair that was lined with plastic mesh to provide drainage and airflow. This type of nest has been successfully used for other Bald Eagle nest platforms. They carefully secured it in the tree and partially filled it with small sticks and pine needles to make it more inviting. We waited and hoped that the eagles would return. But, that’s not all folks! The community was also in for a great surprise! Stay tuned for more exciting news and thank you for liking and sharing the history of Rita.”
Xavier is arriving with cicadas. Does anyone remember Izzi eating all those cicadas like they were ice lollies? Oh, how I miss that lovely boy. https://youtu.be/ayiv0X4Z9Sg?
The Peregrines Zen and Zara – SK Hideways shows us their ‘need for speed when a Merlin is concerned! https://youtu.be/-wfh2voivv0?
The Girls and I have been reading books. We have a small stack to get through but we have finished reading Serviceberries. I will talk about that on Thanksgiving Day. The book that Calico really wants me to mention is certainly an exceptional book for young people, but Heidi is going to tell me it is equally terrific for adults, and she would be right. The book is An Anthology of Exquisite Birds by Ben Hoare. This weighty volume has been reviewed, and its gorgeous drawings have received critical acclaim. It is full of fun facts and information in a way that it is different from your normal field guide. It keeps you engaged. I wanted to know more about these exotic birds – well, at least exotic to me! One of my favourite illustrations was the Superb Fairywren.
There are 224 pages, including an entry on my beloved House Sparrows. They noted that thousands of years ago, ‘house sparrows lived only in Europe and Western Asia.’ (189). Today, they are located on every continent except Antarctica. Many loathe having them at their feeders along with European Starlings, and yet, for the decades that birds have been coming to the garden, I cannot honestly cite either one as bullies. Everyone seems to have a turn. One day, after observing the Starlings for several hours, they actually ‘lined up’ to get to the feeder, flying from the neighbour’s tall tree to those at the back of the garden. Then, a few would fly to Abigail’s tree, waiting their turn in line for the big tray feeder. It looked exceptionally well organized. For the life of me, I simply cannot abide by those that go to the end of the earth to find ways to stop these two species from getting seed at their feeders. If a human or non human is hungry, then why not feed it? Does it really matter what feather pattern the birds have? At some time in the future, perhaps sooner than they might realize, the sparrow’s song might be the only one in the garden. At the same time, their numbers are declining. Research indicates that sparrow numbers are declining worldwide. The North American Breeding Bird Survey estimates that the total numbers of sparrows declined by 80% between 1966 and 2019. In Europe, numbers are down by approximately 60%.
This is the list of birds included in this beautiful encyclopedia of sorts that also includes information on feathers, nests, beaks, etc.
I didn’t ask permission to post these page images, but I hope the publisher will realize that Calico’s Ten Golden Paw Award is, precisely, a golden recommendation! If you have someone struggling to find a birthday gift or a holiday present, this could solve your struggles. It is $21.40 US from the online retailers. It’s a perfect price point, too. It is an excellent book to hold and read. Good paper, gold tipped pages matching the amazing cover, below.
Be careful for the deer. The four deer were running around trying to find food this morning. We had a huge box of apples, carrots, cabbage, etc and could not find them despite the fact they had been near to our house 45 minutes prior. Tomorrow we will leave the food at the park. There were City workers doing something to the road next to where they stay so no one saw them there.
You can see the snow that fell on our garden by looking at the top of the table. The tracks belong to Brock who has chosen to come and go to a place where he feels safe. Oh, maybe one day he will trust us enough to just step inside. For now, we hope he is warm. It is -5 C and feels like -10.
Thank you for being with us today. Take care everyone. We hope to 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: ‘A, H, J’, Eagle Country, MN-DNR, SK Hideaways, Port Lincoln Ospreys, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, Rita the Eagle FB, Nesting Birdlife and More, SK Hideaways, An Anthology of Exquisite Birds by Ben Hoare, The Guardian, The Cornell Bird Lab, Ventana Wildlife Society, John Debacker, USFWS
