Iris and Blue 35

6 April 2026

Hello Everyone!

It could be a very busy day at the UK nests and in the western part of the US as favourable winds are blowing in the ospreys.

It has been confirmed that our dear Iris is, indeed, the osprey that landed early this morning on the Hellgate Canyon nest. I hope everyone had a good cry – a joyful one. Now let’s get that young male osprey back that was courting her last season!

Louis and Starr are already back. Starr was the first to arrive in Missoula. Their nest is at the Baseball Park – and despite all we think, Louis is a good mate to Starr and they raise 2 or 3 chicks to fledge every year.

Gosh, Iris looks good.

An osprey with spread wings standing on a nest made of sticks, with a view of an empty parking lot in the background.
An osprey spreads its wings while standing on a nest made of sticks. The background shows a parking lot and lampposts.
A close-up view of an osprey nest made of branches, with an osprey perched nearby. The scene is set against a parking lot in black and white.

Blue 35 has returned to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in Cumbria and is reclaiming her nest after Blue 717 got a little friendly with White YW.

We are waiting the arrival of Louis at Loch Arkaig Nest 2 in Scotland. His mate Dorcha will be delighted to see him land with a nice big trout.

Busy day at the Glaslyn nests:

A social media post detailing an eventful day at Glaslyn Valley, highlighting the presence of ospreys at the Glaslyn nest, with mentions of various birds and activities throughout the day.
A close-up view of two ospreys in a nest made of twigs, with one osprey standing and another slightly turned. The nest contains some moss and dirt. In the lower corners, there are additional images of ospreys, one in flight and another perched.

Lots of action at Loch of the Lowes.

Ospreys at Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre engaging in territorial behavior as one female osprey defends her nest from another.
An osprey perched on a large nest made of twigs, surrounded by trees and a scenic lake in the background. Two smaller images show the osprey in flight.

Thanks, Alison Copland. BoPH have created a genealogy chart. The Carey nest is the one for CJ7 and Blue 022, and it has a streaming cam.

A flowchart detailing the breeding history of ospreys in Poole Harbour from 2022 to 2025, including nests and individual codes for each bird.

Latest arrival news from Kielder Forest:

One of my favourite males, Tegid Z1, Monty’s son, who breeds on a private nest, has returned safely.

A screenshot of a Facebook post detailing the return of a BTO ringed male osprey at Glaslyn, alongside a female osprey, with information about their breeding history and nesting partners.

So the males are starting to show up in Wales, too. Come on Louis!!!!!!!!!

The feeding is going very well at the Achieva Osprey platform. My goodness, if I didn’t know better, I would think this was a new male. (Maybe it is – I am not trying to start rumours here, just pondering the fish deliveries. I was never that pleased with Jack’s deliveries for Diane and the kids. Has anyone truly identified head markings?)

A bird sitting in a nest made of twigs, with a second bird perched nearby on a wooden post. In the background, trees and residential buildings are visible.

Bella and Scout’s two eaglets are doing just fine although there was a choking concern for the baby earlier on Monday.

Two adult bald eagles are tending to three fuzzy chicks in a nest made of twigs and straw.

Nature chat’s banner:

Interloping Common Buzzard laid 2nd egg today at Lesser Spotted Eagle Cam, as usual LSE pair hasn’t arrived for the season yet.

Hatch occurred yesterday for 2nd egg at Fort St. Vrain Station Eagle Cam, and pip observed on 3rd egg.

Pip watch continues for 3rd egg at ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

Peanut has branched at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest. Best be watching this energetic second hatch. She is going to take off fast!

News about California Condors:

A California condor egg resting in a hollow cavity inside a towering redwood tree, surrounded by mist and foliage.
Text discussing the California condor's history and its relationship with ancient megafauna, highlighting its role in ecology and conservation.
An image depicting a California condor with a tracking device, alongside a nest containing an egg, set against a backdrop of a coastal redwood forest and ocean.

Stop over and see the two little cuties that Jackie and Shadow are feeding and brooding. They are two little round teddy bears! So very happy for our darling couple.

Take care everyone. Iris’s arrival has made this day much brighter! We are all delighted. If Louis returns, I will be posting again. Otherwise, I will see you later in the week.

Thank you to ‘PB’ for her messages, to the owners of the streaming cams for my screen captures and for allowing us to witness the life of these incredible birds. I am grateful to everyone who posts on FB with information. Without your eyes, we might miss something!

Remembering Rosie while Ospreys arriving…here, there, and everywhere

24 March 2026

Hello Everyone,

Oh, gosh. I can’t keep up with eaglets hatching and ospreys arriving so…watch those eagle nests as I will be chasing after osprey arrivals.

The pair at the Port of Ridgefield have arrived.

Blue 33 and Maya arrived within hours of one another at Rutland’s Manton Bay nest! I am over the moon – and I will keep saying that. Geemeff has Maya’s arrival. https://youtu.be/Zc_Zd__2jZY?

Some want to argue that it isn’t Maya. As keen osprey observers know, the head of the osprey does not change, and Maya has a distinctive ‘X’ on her head. Thanks, Geemeff.

RSPB is giving a Zoom talk, ‘The Return of the Osprey’ in May. Here are the details if you are interested: Go to Eventbrite.co.uk. It is free. Below is the date and time for me.

Big Red and Arthur have their first egg as of the 23rd. Please consider joining the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters if you are not already a member to keep up with the latest and learn when and where the live chats will take place during the hatch-fledgling period.

Osprey pair back at Cape Cod Mashpee, MA nest.

My goodness – I did say that they are arriving fast and furious.

Heidi’s watching a lot of nests and one of those is Seaside. We have Port of Ridgefield home so the rest should be arriving soon.

Heidi reports that there are now three osplets at Venice Beach and Golf Course Osprey platform as of 23 March!

The little one at Moorings Park is having some difficulties getting up to the table when fish arrive. It is having to wait but Sally is a good mum and the little one did get fish!

It takes a good food source and exceptional parents to have three osplets fledge – never mind four. I wonder if CJ7 and Blue 022 at Poole Harbour will go for another four this year? Their nest is waiting for them.

A memorial video dedicated to Rosie, Richmond’s mate who did not return this year to her nest at Golden Gate Audubon in the SF Bay Area, has been compiled. https://youtu.be/i4h2jIE8xuU?

Did I say get your tissues out?

Richmond loved putting sticks on Rosie’s back.

It is really hard to say goodbye to such a good Mum. Soar high, Rosie dear.

Thank you for being with me this evening. Osprey World is very busy – and so are the eagles and hawks. There will be some fledges soon – I might miss them so please send me the news. Take care.

Thank you to everyone for their wonderful videos, and to SF Bay Ospreys for a fine memorial video of Rosie and Richmond. To those who contributed news and images on FB, I am forever in your debt, as we all are to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives of these incredible birds.

Wednesday in Bird World

18 March 2026

Hello Everyone,

We are in the midst of an unexpected blizzard, while thousands of miles to our southeast, it is green, and geese are enjoying the grass on a golf course. Thank you, ‘L’, for letting me share this lovely image of spring! We love our geese, but there is no place for them here, and yet, many arrived several weeks ago! The ponds have frozen, but there remains some open water in the two rivers that wind their way through our City. It is supposed to warm up beginning tomorrow, but I will believe it when I see it. We were not expecting this much snow today!

It doesn’t look like much, but the snow is blowing and accumulating so quickly! The lad who shovels or us thought snow was finished – he is going to get a real surprise! It is more than 30 cm deep on the walkway he cleared a few days ago, and is within 45 cm of covering the large bird table feeder. Unbelievable.

Toby loves it. He bounces through the snow if there is even a whiff of a ‘cat’ in the garden. My plan is to have a tall wooden fence built to match the one constructed a few years ago. I had not planned to put a fence on that part of the property, but the theft of dogs in our City has become quite troubling. Of course, ‘the cats’ – distinguished from ‘The Girls’ – come in from that back corner, so it is important to close it in. Toby loves his sisters, ‘The Girls’. He plays with them, but those that make their way into his outdoor territory will be ousted unless they are Brock (who now still spends 99% of his time at the neighbour down the street)!!!!!!!!!

I hope, after all these years, that each of you knows that I love all animals, but there is a special place in my heart for Big Red and Arthur, the late Annie at The Campanile, and ospreys. I have posted this song before, but I want you to get in the mood. Osprey season is starting in the UK – and has already begun in the US. Here are those wonderful school children with the Osprey Song (2011): https://youtu.be/KoOQK6ejuXY?

At the Lake Murray Osprey platform, Lucy has laid her second egg with a new mate. Please, please put up the owl defences for this family Lake Murray!

Company for Brutus. Storms are tearing down eagle and osprey nests around the US including an osprey nest that Penny Albright monitored near Sanibel that lost two chicks when the nest collapsed. These eaglets made it through…

Blue 25 has made another visit to Blue 33 and Maya’s nest at Manton Bay – Blue 33 normally arrives a few days prior to Maya, and Blue 25 enjoys his company! Geemeff caught her time on the nest: https://youtu.be/HU_XGU3NTro?

We have an osprey at the MNSA Osprey nest in Oceanside’s Jay Cool platform.

“WYL greets his chick upon returning to the nest in New Zealand. The adult male arrives from a foraging trip over the Pacific to feed his growing chick at the Plateau nest site. As the chick gets bigger, the parents will take longer foraging trips to collect enough food for both themselves and their chick.” (Cornell Bird Lab)

Peanut defended the Winter Park Florida nest against a RTH! Nestflix Memories (Gracie Shepherd) caught it on video: https://youtu.be/cQksMDubVEc?

Tonight, Wink is taking now chances. She is right in the nest with Peanut if that GHO returns – and, of course, it will – they never give up! Wink is an incredible mother – I am truly amazed and thankful for her diligence.

Gabby with her babies, Kai and Eve, at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest in Florida. Best keep a close eye on these two – they could fledge before you blink.

At the Johnson City nest of Boone and Jolene in Tennessee, snow arrived. Jolene kept those two babies warm and tried to feed them at the same time. Like Wink, she is an experiened and an exceptional Mum.

Huge crop on JBS 24. Mum and Dad are delivering food and leaving it for self-feeding on occasion.

Harry and Sally are up there in my list of osprey parents. Three babies, three little fat bottoms. Large fish coming in and Harry on guard as it appeared there could have been an intruder around today during a fish delivery. If you haven’t been watching Moorings Park, then check out this osprey family. It is a success story – and believe me when I tell you that there will be few such stories in the NE USA this season unless a miracle happens.

Rutlands Lagoon 4 nest is trying to keep the Egyptian Geese from laying eggs while everyone waits for the ospreys to arrive. This is a second nest with a camera amongst several nests at Rutland Water. AI says: “Based on 2025/2026 sightings, the Lagoon 4 nest at Rutland Water is often occupied by male 359 (a 2021 Rutland-born osprey) and female 3H9 (a 2023 Rutland-born osprey). They have been observed investigating the nest and strengthening bonds. Note: 359 and 3H9 are a distinct pair from the main Manton Bay pair, Maya and 33(11).”

I am getting impatient – and it is a tad early – for Maya and Blue 33 to arrive at Manton Bay.

At the Whitley Crane nest known as the Golden Gate Audubon Osprey nest, Richmond has worked and worked. There is a new female at the nest with him. I do not believe Rosie will make an appearance. Why do I say this? Well, when Aila did not return, Louis moved his nest to another location when he bonded with Dorcha. We often think animals and birds are not intelligent. If I have said it once, I will say it again million times, my teacher about raptor behaviour, the late Laura Culley, taught me that they are smarter and use higher levels of intelligence and communication that humans have lost.

I noticed in one of the chats – it was the Winter Park Florida chat – that someone noted that ‘animals have feelings’. Dr Mark Beckoff and Dr Jane Goodall taught us this. There are several good books out there. I urge you or anyone who is interested in the behaviour of non-humans to read any or all of the following.

Saddness at the Two Harbours as Chase & Cholyn lose their last egg. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/8vmMpnkNsh4?

Big Red and Arthur have snow on their nest at Cornell University.

Suzanne Arnold Horning caught Big Red relaxing on the lights!

Cameras are now live at the Poole Harbour nest of CJ7 and Blue 022.

We have an osprey at Threave. Is it Black 80?

At Achieva the third egg was laid on the 25th of January. Can someone who is watching this nest tell me if Jack is delivering enough fish to his mate? I did not see deliveries today, but I might have missed something.

Dyfi is live! Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/tOS_34MKI5E?

In fact, start checking out all your favourite UK and European nests as the cameras are being turned on faster than I can keep a list.

The Pitkin County Osprey nest in Colorado is live.

I have such a soft spot for this White-tail eagle in Durbe County Latvia. Milda. Her current mate is Zorro. There was sorrow and now Zorro has proved to be a good mate and provider.

April 7. Hellgate Canyon. Iris’s favourite day to return to her nest in Missoula, Montana. Count the days – 20. Less than three weeks! The snow has melted.

There is evil in the world. I cannot imagine how anyone could harm an animal and yet, every day I find myself telling people not to give their kittens away to anyone. Russell Mason beat a Goshawk to death – how in the world can someone do this?

Large estates, with no eyes around in Scotland (and elsewhere), allow many horrific things to happen to our beautiful feathered friends. What can be done to stop this?

The Cornell Bird Lab gives us hope that people around the world are increasingly engaging with nature and birds. Yes, there are incredibly vicious people anywhere in the world that will harm birds and other animals, but there are more, I hope, that love and help them.

To put a smile on your face:

A total hoot! Beautiful birds – in pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2026/mar/17/a-total-hoot-beautiful-birds-in-pictures-claire-rosen?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you so much for being with me today and for your patience, as my posting is often irregular. I had hoped to keep to Fridays and Mondays til the UK osprey season began, but every day there is something new and exciting! I will continue to post at the oddest of times, sometimes two or three times a day as news comes in. As you can imagine, my life is anything but routine. We do have a schedule, but it all depends on my husband’s mood, which can vary. I am impatiently waiting for spring to arrive. What I miss most is reading. Yes, we have story time, but it isn’t the same as sitting quietly on a park bench with squirrels dashing around, the wind gently blowing, with a good book in my hand, reading in silence. So, no promises other than there will always be a Monday blog, often coming out late Sunday, until we have osprey chicks on the nests in the UK and Europe.

Thank you to everyone who created videos, wrote informative FB posts, to Raptor Persecution UK for keeping us informed, and to the Cornell Bird Lab for continuing to support education. I remain forever grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to venture into the challenging lives of our feathered friends. To all my readers who are now long-time friends, I appreciate your support. Your letters and comments mean the world to me.

Where is F23?

28 February 2026

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Concern is growing over F23, the mate of M15 at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest. She has been an incredible mate and mum and E26 is nearly ready to fledge having branched a few days ago.

This is what the Pritchett Family have posted:

Screenshot

I have to say that when I saw this, my heart sank. The only good thing is that M15 is well prepared, having raised two eaglets from one month to fledge after Harriet went missing.

There is no word about Mr North either and Mrs DNF and MU are in the nest.

Jolene and Boone have their first hatch at the Johnson City ETSU nest.

Another egg:

Honestly, I am having trouble keeping track of all the eggs being laid, branching, hatching – thank goodness the ospreys are not arriving yet in the UK.

Brutus and Peanut ate well on Saturday. Peanut? Peanut might be bigger than Brutus by the time they fledge.

The kids at Dade ate well, too!

Ferris Akel found Big Red and Arthur today on his tour. This is a great way to end this short post. Send best wishes to all the raptor families but a little more for F23 to return home safe.

On the Canadian Prairies, it is cold. Was -28 C this morning and Toby took one sniff of the freezing air and decided that ‘going on the potty pads’ was what was going to happen this morning. He’s very good. He might be able to win at darts!

We are moving my office, clearing boxes, and waiting for a new Magic Mouse from Apple to arrive. Toby and Hugo Yugo are having a nice nap in the conservatory.

In the garden, the European Starlings are gathering in mass.

Thank you so much for being with us today. We are tired from moving tonnes of boxes. I think Toby and I will have a wee nap before a big mug of tea. Take care of yourself. See you soon with the new Kakapo chick hatch count!

Thank you to Ferris Akel for chasing after Big Red and Arthur, the Pritchett family for their streaming cam and website announcements, the owners of the other streaming cams and those who post on FB and keep us up to date. You are greatly appreciated.

Egg at Venice Beach…Late Tuesday in Bird World

10 February 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

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.

First egg for Franklin and Amonella. Here is the link to their streaming cam: https://youtu.be/N0DA2GlzCPc?

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.

How did a European Robin get to Canada?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/10/european-robin-canada-birdwatchers-montreal-rare-sighting-bird-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

European Robin – Roodborst (Erithacus rubecula)” by Martha de Jong-Lantink is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

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.

Eaglets have been named…Late Sunday in Bird World

8 February 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

Oh, we hope that you had a lovely weekend – and were able to get outside and hear some birdsong! It is much warmer here. That is fantastic but it has meant that the walkways are icy, something that is difficult to deal with when Toby is so enthusiastic about being outside. He wears his boots with a skid pad on the bottom and they help him not to slip and slide. We have our boots with the big grips. Still, one worries a bit about falling so the walks have not been that long.

The skies are a cold, light grey. The leafless trees set against the sky like those Victorian shadow images we used to cut out of paper remind us, however, that it is still winter even if the European Starlings are getting their breeding plumage. I will be glad this year when the cold is all over. There is something that brings the spirit up when you can open the windows and walk down the street, not dressed like you are going on a Polar Bear expedition! But, I am not really complaining. The furnace is no longer churning out heat and there is the huge promise that the UK ospreys will be home in 5 weeks and on top of that Big Red will be thinking about laying her first egg. The days will speed by.

The Girls and Toby are fine, and so far, all of the regulars have made it through the winter that comes to the garden. We had thought that perhaps one of the Blue Jays was missing, but no, it appeared. What joy we had that morning. Brock makes his rounds and he was here at 0900. No doubt he will head down the street to have some food at Jane’s and sleep on her cushion. He showed up at her door when she got home from the symphony last night. I think he was watching and waiting for her to get home! You must be able to feel my excitement that he has another place to go for food and safety.

There are still 33 or more European Starlings coming to eat cat and dog kibble. As I noted earlier, their plumage is changing and some are now in breeding plumage. I hope that their nest in our lilacs and the back trees are successful this year. I adore them. Many people reject the Starlings and the Sparrows…I cannot imagine a day without their different songs. It is time to be equal in our treatment of the birds as most species, including these two, are in decline in various locations. Guardians of Nature just posted this image on FB as a reminder to us:

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 1 February 2026

Channel Island California Eagles
Livestreamed nests:
~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor
~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak
~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase
~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux


Sauces Canyon
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Sauces Canyon Eagles Cam Ops 
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnTsOesC6hE

Audacity Lays Egg #3 ~ Back to 2 Eggs After One Broke ~ Then Back to 1 Again (2026 Feb 6)
Pretty much on schedule, Audacity laid her third egg with little fanfare or labor. After accidentally breaking one two days before, she and Jak once again had two precious eggs to tend. Best wishes for a fruitful outcome. Sadly, that egg broke just two hours after it was laid.

Videohttps://youtu.be/Qm66NocEA74


Audacity Accidentally Pierces Egg ~ Cleans Up Before Jak Arrives (2026 Feb 3)
Audacity accidentally pierced one egg in the middle of the night. She simply stayed present, cleaned up the egg ~ taking in vital nutrients in the process ~ and appeared to revert to delayed incubation of the remaining egg. Keeping good thoughts for a replacement egg in a couple days. 
Videohttps://youtu.be/b2cBALaGn08


Two Harbors
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn & Chase Share Sunset Rendezvous (2026 Feb 5)
Cholyn and Chase are getting a lot of egg-making practice lately. Will she late earlier than her typical late February-early March timeframe? Only Cholyn knows for sure. 
Videohttps://youtu.be/uZ9JOIGjHxQ

Cholyn & Chase Have a Frisky Morning ~ Twice (2026 Feb 2)
With nesting season in full swing, Cholyn and Chase have frequent early morning rendezvous. Despite their 28 years of age and 23 years of “marriage”, they remain quite frisky at this time of year. So much so that they mated twice on the nest in less than 40 minutes. Will Cholyn surprise us with early eggs? 
Videohttps://youtu.be/wMs45lc_3XA


West End
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | West End Eagles Cam Ops 
Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14
Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg
Aerial Food Fight ~ Aerobatics ~ Nest Misses ~ SEDs Together 🤗
The current West End couple had an active day, starting with a spectacular aerial food fight (shown here at regular speed and slo-mo). The wind made for some fancy flying, including swooping nest approaches. At day’s end, the couple met on the night perch.
Video
https://youtu.be/7b1wjDO5EWYFOBBVCAM Eagles  ~ Big Bear, CA
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear ValleyNest 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

Jackie and Shadow Defend Nest and Territory from Multiple Intruders
 2026 Feb 7
The past few days have brought a number of unwelcome visitors to Jackie and Shadow’s habitat, which is not unusual at this time of year. They fiercely defended their nest and surrounding area from both adult eagles and ravens. Wishing them all peace and safety as they sort themselves out.
Videohttps://youtu.be/HMSdUZnPKM8


John Bunker Sands Bald Eagles

Courtesy John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Eagle Cam
Eagle Tower Camera 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdo7BzUU_g
Eagle Tower Camera 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEDb2KqvvyQ

Tandem Feeding for Fluffballs JBS24 & JBS25 (2026 Feb 4)
10-day-old JBS24 and 9-day-old JBS25 are lucky little fluffballs. Mom and Dad have been filling them to the brim all day every day. Tandem feedings are common here and a joy to watch. Here, Mom and Dad feed both eaglets and even each other a little.
Videohttps://youtu.be/ge017VDe7mo

Thank you so much, SK Hideaways.

The eaglets at the Kistachie National Forest Bald Eagle nests have been named. Tonya Irwin posted the results:

Gabby and Beau’s babies have been named!

While these two are exploring what is outside the rails, E26 at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of M15 and F23 is now standing on the rails!!!!!!

In Wales, there is an osprey platform near the one at Glaslyn. It is known as Pont Cresor. The male is Z2, Aeron, one of Monty’s sons. His mate is Blue 014. They have successfully raised chicks. Friends of Osprey installs osprey platforms on private property within Wales. They often will not reveal the location for good reason. They are now adding a camera to the Pont Cresor nest. This is fantastic.

Mary Cheadle announces this:

Here’s the other notice with more information.

Z2 Aeron’s brother, Z1 Tegid of the White Egg, is also breeding in Wales. Monty’s legacy lives long and strong in others as well.

Oh, I am getting itchy osprey talons. How lucky it is that Penny Albright gets to spend her winter watching osprey! She is posting some great images on FB, too. Thanks, Penny!

Jack and Jill have been at Achieva in St Petersburg, Florida. No eggs yet.

It won’t hatch – the single egg at Frenchman’s Creek. Mum continues to come to incubte during the day but stays away at night so as not to be killed by the GHO. In fact, she was pulled off the nest the other evening and survived. Poor thing. I wish that egg would break.

Heidi reported on that owl strike:

So far all is well with Sally and Harry at Mooring’s Park. There are three eggs. Hatch watch begins on March 1.

Beth Lorenzo posted that the Pink Shell osprey nest in Florida has three eggs: Congratulations on three eggs! This is the first time I’ve seen three (2/5): does anyone happen to know when the third was laid? No big deal; I just want to write a date in my records.

Eggs are normally laid at 3 day intervals but we have seen some at 2 days and some at 4 or 5.

There is no shortage of food in the nest of Owlvira and Hoots!

The eaglets on the John Bunker Sands Wetlands nest are doing very well. The chat says: “Mom and Dad’s eggs were laid on Dec. 18 and 21. JBS 24 hatched on Jan. 25, while JBS 25 hatched on Jan. 26.”

Positive wishes for Jak and Audacity who still have a single egg to incubate. Two of the three eggs laid have broken accidentially. And hum that tune ‘All We Need is Love’ but say ‘All We Need is One!’. That got us Betty Lou. One egg is manageable. One egg is easier to cope with when there could be issues of a thinner shell. Keep sending this couple love.

Thank you so much for being with us today! Please take care of yourself. Go outside. Smell the fresh air (I hope it’s fresh), pause. Listen to the birds and read a good book. Bake some scones. We did today – SK Hideaways recipe. They were delicious. Draw, write an old friend. Think of something lovely. We will be back by the end of the week and we hope you are able to join us.

Delicious. If you would like the recipe, let me know.

A tired Toby.

Thank you to all those individuals who voted on the names for the eaglets at the Kistachie National Forest and the NE Bald Eagle nest of Gabby and Beau. Thank you to SK Hideaways for being so kind to send me their weekly list of videos, and to all those who posted information on FB and the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to watch the lives of these amazing birds.

Late Thursday in Bird World

29 January 2026

Hello Everyone,

It is warming up. -15 C wasn’t bad today but it is still cold. Not having any wind really helped on our morning excursion. The last Thursday of the month is ‘old people’s day’ at pet food stores, with 10-20% discounts. Toby loves going to the pet store. He is spoiled. Well, is there a word that means ‘more than spoiled’. He is always on the ‘lookout’ for a new toy when we go shopping, and today it was a fishing wand with some Valentine feathery bobbles. He would not stop whining til it went in the cart!!!!!!! Now, pet stores often do things on purpose just like grocery stores – put the toys down low in line of the pet’s sight. Remember having a toddler at the checkout line with candy???

Well, the fishing wand toy was a big hit with everyone – including all The Girls. So, thank you, Toby!

We managed to get The Girls two extra-large bags of their kibble and six large 24-tin boxes of wet food, and then there was Brock. He got his huge bag of dry kibble and some wet, and I got a big box of wet food for my neighbour, who also feeds Brock. Toby got his dry food and a handful of Lamb Chop toys. On the way home we stopped to pick up a box that had been delivered earlier in the week when we weren’t home. It is an aviator jacket – faux leather with shearling. Toby is a WWII fly boy!!!!!!

Does he look tired of trying on coats? He isn’t actually. Apparently, the tri-colours look ‘grumpy’ because of their colour patterns. I think he is rather handsome and reminds me of the character Andrew in the Foley’s War series.

Toby now has more jackets than Don and me combined. I guess it is time for a doggie closet. It is a good thing that not one of the The Girls likes to be ‘dressed’.

We have finished one book and begun another for Calico’s story time at night. The book was an ‘accident’. Yesterday was the day you don’t want to wake up to. I woke up unwell, but did manage to get the last appointment with my doctor on Friday. Then, when I went to do errands while Ann was here, the front passenger tyre was cooked. The book was a purchase so I could relax and read while the chaps worked on getting a new tyre for my car. The Kamogawa Food Detectives Menu of Happiness by Hisashi Kashiwai. If you have ever travelled or lived in Japan, I recommend this book. When I visited Japan, which I often did, starting in the 1980s, I always stayed several blocks from the JR Station on Gojo-dari. I could walk to the Kamo River. The book somehow brought back all the flavours and aromas of the streets that I loved so much, like a tsunami rushing over me. Calico approves. The other book, The Friendship Book, arrived in the post – I had not ordered it. Who blessed me with a book of daily readings??? Eventually, the mystery revealed itself, and we are very grateful to ‘MC’ for the volume that we read at the start of story time each evening.

There is a lot going on in Bird World.

‘N’ writes about the Kansas City Bald Eagles, “Ellie laid her first egg this evening! Woohoo so excited. I have included the Facebook post of the announcement. I felt like I was reading Elfuler’s section on behavior in oviposition (egg laying) as I am watching. Amazing. Never gets old does it…

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AZTyqT5eN/

‘R’ sent me a link to a story about a Nightjar that has found itself in Florida!

Here is a better link: https://www.alligator.org/article/2026/01/lesser-nighthawk

The Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis) is a small, mottled brown-and-gray nightjar found in open, arid habitats throughout the Americas. Known for its buoyant, butterfly-like flight, it feeds on flying insects at dusk and dawn. It is often distinguished from the similar Common Nighthawk by its lower, more erratic flight and a white or buffy bar located closer to the wingtips. 

Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis)” by forstwalkris licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Our Melbourne correspondent is in love with the Royal cam albatross: “Just look at that beautiful little creature. Isn’t it just exquisite beyond words? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeHJsX84JAI. And how wonderful is Mum BOK? They are so serene, gentle, and patient. Beautiful, stately birds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeHJsX84JAI

‘A’ continues, “The partying juveniles are keeping our baby awake. (Probably, they’re providing some form of entertainment for BOK as she sits there for days on end.) Seriously, aren’t these ‘adolescents’ just too funny? Mind you, after this period of partying, they can spend literally decades as part of a bonded pair, devoting themselves to raising a chick every second season, so perhaps this is the only real chance they get in a very long lifetime to ‘live it up’. 

Aren’t their sky calls just wonderful? One of those adolescents has the most startling screeching noise. They do seem to have highly individual voices at that age. 

Plateau Chick is progressing well, although it is still fairly small (and lost weight the first two days after hatching, which is not unusual). Mum regurgitated a squid beak during yesterday morning’s feeding, which the chick spat out and the ranger later retrieved from the nest. The twice-daily weighings and health checks will become daily at one week of age I believe, but so far, there have been no concerns with the wee one. It is absolutely precious, is it not? That perfect little bill and those sweet little feet are totally adorable.”

The Royal Cam chick was weighed. LizNm has it on video: https://youtu.be/Nsd2qegdeYU?

SK Hideaways caught two of the cutest little eaglets at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands nest! https://youtu.be/GPwd5POXfuM?

At the Moorings Park Osprey platform, Harry and Sally now have three eggs. They are an incredible couple. Food is normally not scarce but, honestly, I hope one of these eggs does not hatch!

All those Hen Harrier killings in the UK??? Well, one man, Racster Dingwall pleaded guilty to the offences in some of the killings.

The North Yorkshire Police made a statement following the first-ever guilty plea for the illegal killings of Hen Harriers:

In part it reads, “MAN SENTENCED FOR BIRD OF PREY PERSECUTION OFFENCES ON GRASSINGTON MOOR

A man has been sentenced for trying to kill a legally-protected bird, following an investigation by North Yorkshire Police. 

The case against Racster Dingwall for encouraging or assisting bird of prey persecution, using the Serious Crime Act 2007, is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

In October 2024, a covert camera placed by the RSPB captured footage of three men on Grassington Moor, using radios and speaking in code to discuss shooting towards and killing wild birds, including hen harriers.  

The recording was passed to North Yorkshire Police, and an investigation was launched by the force’s Rural Taskforce. 

The footage was processed by technicians at the Regional Scientific Support Services, and an expert from the National Wildlife Crime Unit was called in to interpret it.

This analysis showed that one of the men – later identified as gamekeeper Racster Dingwall – was in possession of a semi-automatic shotgun for the sole purpose of killing a hen harrier.

Dingwall, 35, from Ellingstring, was interviewed by Rural Taskforce officers, and subsequently charged with encouraging or assisting the killing of a Schedule 1 wild bird (contrary to Sections 45 and 58 of the Serious Crime Act 2007); and possessing a shotgun for the purpose of killing a Schedule 1 wild bird (contrary to Section 18 (2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981).

All wild birds are protected by law, and ‘Schedule 1’ birds, including hen harriers, have additional protection.

It is thought to be the first time a charge of encouraging or assisting an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2007 has been used in relation to bird of prey persecution. 

There are still more people to find, as a substantial number of satellite-tagged Hen Harriers have been shot over the past couple of years.

At the Fort Myers nest o M15 (who delivered three meals in record time on Thursday), E26 has not only been incubating the egg, covering it with moss, and is now working on building the rails. Quite the eaglet!

Gabby and Beau’s NE32 and 33 are growing like wild weeds in a picture-perfect garden. Both had huge crops on Thursday afternoons, and the adults even managed to get some nice fish.

There is a lot of prey on the Winter Park Bald Eagle nest. There was a tandem feeding. Both have been fed. The oldest is simply big in comparison, so you can probably guess that she is a fierce first-hatch female and a second-hatch little boy. Things have turned around. Fingers crossed that it continues.

Cuties at the E1 nest of Anna and Louis II in the Kisatchie National Park.

It will not be long til those little bobbleheads of Anna and Louis will be the gorgeous feathered juveniles like those on Ron and Rose’s nest at Dade County.

C14 or Quinn at the Captiva nest of Clive and Connie is catching up with those juvenile feathers quickly. So sweet this Only.

Thank you so very, very much for being with us today and for all your wonderful comments, e-mails, and snail mail letters. I do so appreciate them! Take care of yourself. We look forward to having you with us again at the end of the weekend!

Thank you so much to the individuals who have created some incredible video captures of our raptor families, to those who post information on the various social media sites, and to Raptor Persecution UK, OpenVerse, and to ‘N’ and ‘R’ for sending me great information along with ‘A’ and her commentary on the Australian birds. My life is so much better – as is my blog – with each of you in it!

Toby relaxing in the conservatory.

Calico tempted to eat Toby’s chicken for her lunch!

Royal Cam chick taken to nest…Late Thursday in Bird World

22 January 2026

Good Morning Everyone,

As predicted, we woke to -34 C Thursday morning. It was SO COLD that when Toby set his paw on the deck, he cried and ran into the house. The general rule is: if it is too cold for humans, it is too cold for pets to be outside. No walk with Ellen today – we will find something else to do inside to work those muscles! Maybe it is a good day to vacuum – Don pushes and Toby chases. Great for both.

Today is a very special day. For 21 years, my son has the first class he teaches at the SGU medical school say ‘Hello Mom’. It happens in a few minutes and always brings tears. It is difficult living so far away from your children. I am glad that Jaine and her family are close. For years, I travelled with my son (since he was 18 and our first trip to India) and later him, his wife, and Don. Unbelievable times in Asia – great memories.

Again, thank you so much for your kind wishes for Brock. He is much loved and has been coming regularly to the heated feeder. He has already arrived on Thursday morning. Brock has to have a warm place to hunker down, or he’ll freeze. Gosh, I am glad, but I wish I knew where it was!

Before we move on, let us consider some numbers. Fifty-one (51) days til the middle of March, when we should begin to look for Big Red and Arthur to think about eggs, UK Ospreys will be arriving, and if we add another fortnight to that, Iris might be back, but for sure, by 8 April – her day of choice. I miss the ospreys. The lack of chicks at Port Lincoln left a big hole.

Hard to believe but an osprey has already been spotted in Scotland this past week and a visiting falcon to the scrape at University of Montreal in the snow!

The Royal Cam chick has been returned to the nest and Dad is there to greet the little one. https://youtu.be/pPuUIdzt8ss?

Locally, Wildlife Haven has been busy. Lumi, the lynx, has been flown to Guelph, Ontario for an MRI. Lumi is improving and will return to the Assiniboine Park Zoo, a partner with Wildlife Haven, soon. There is also a new raptor ambassador.

Introducing Our Newest Ambassador
We’re thrilled to introduce the newest member of the Wildlife Haven family—a young Swainson’s Hawk named Harriet.
Harriet arrived at Wildlife Haven as an orphaned nestling in August of 2025. She was very young, and it was unusual for a Swainson’s Hawk to be at this stage so late in the year, as she would normally need to prepare for fall migration.
In addition to being orphaned, Harriet needed medical care for a serious eye injury; a retinal detachment. She responded wonderfully to treatment and thrived under the care of our hospital team. With the expertise of the Wildlife Haven hospital staff and Dr. Sherri, Harriet’s retinal detachment fully healed.
Although her physical recovery was excellent, Harriet was too young to complete migration. Swainson’s Hawks must successfully complete their first migration to properly imprint, as this initial journey provides a foundational map for all future migrations. Without this experience, Harriet’s chances of survival in the wild would have been unlikely. After careful consideration, it was determined that she would be an excellent candidate for our ambassador team.
In September, Harriet moved to our ambassador wing, where she started training and learning important skills, including stepping up onto the glove. She continues her training in preparation for active participation in our Education Program, where she will have the opportunity to visit schools, attend community events, and help inspire people of all ages to care about and protect wildlife.
Harriet when she arrived at Wildlife Haven in August.Amy, our Education Program Manager, training Harriet to step up on the glove.
Ambassador animals play a vital role in conservation by connecting the public with nature and encouraging action to protect wild animals. Thanks to the incredible care Harriet has received, and the ongoing support of our community, she now has the chance to live a long, enriching, and meaningful life while educating Manitobans about wildlife.
Welcome to the team, Harriet!

Some good news is coming from the Winnipeg City Council. You might recall that there was a move to revoke the requirement for bird-friendly windows – well, that motion lost! Birds and wildlife lovers won against the bureaucracy. Remember. The movement to stop the City Councillors from changing this bylaw began with only a few people and grew and grew until the Council had to back down. Anything is possible when people join together for the greater good.

A great review of the 2025 osprey breeding season in Iowa! “Young osprey numbers hit a record high in Iowa, while peregrine falcons hold steady

https://www.iowapublicradio.org/environment/2026-01-19/ospreys-peregrine-falcons-birds-iowa-dnr-2025

According to new DNR reports, raptor surveyors and volunteers documented 58 osprey fledglings and 28 peregrine falcon fledglings in 2025. The positive numbers stem from years-long restoration efforts in Iowa.”

SK Hideaways caught the new couple mating for the first time in the West End nest area of the Channel Islands. https://youtu.be/Z1z28PuQFTs?

For the first time, Friends of Osprey South Australia have produced a very detailed report for the 2025 breeding season.

Heading to Poole Harbour? I sure hope I might make it and it is good to know what events are in store for the summer —- mine will be seeing CJ7 and/or Blue 022!

https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk

At Kisatchie E1, there are now two eaglets, E04 and E05.

There has been quite a bit of rivalry at the Winter Park Florida Bald Eagle nest amongst the chicks due to a lack of food.

Wow. Look at that NE Florida Bald Eagle cam! Can you find the eaglets?

Thank you so much for being with us today. We are going to try to stay warm. Please take care. We will see you again on Monday.

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams for letting us keep an eye on our favourite raptor families. I am very grateful to the authors of the FB posts included above, who give us great information and images. Thank you to Fran Solly and the Friends of Osprey Sth Aus for undertaking that great 2025 survey!

Hatch underway at Royal Albatross Colony…Monday in Bird World

19 January 2026

Good Morning,

We hope that you had a good weekend! It was ——– cold here. You can use whatever word you like. The wind blew so that even in the City there were whiteouts. I cleared off the two tables beside Brock’s feeding station to see how much snow actually fell. Have a look!

The young lad clearing the snow has certainly been busy. We are now under an extreme cold warning and some forecasts say that we will have between -38 and -42 C temperatures this coming weekend. I cannot even imagine it.

Toby was finally able to get the mats off his tummy after his stay at the vet, but the groomer had to shave him. Now Toby likes to go outside to do his ‘business’. Potty pads are for little baby training – you can almost hear him say that. Poor fella. He flew outside, did the job, and got right back in. I had a warm towel waiting for that bare stomach of his. Can dogs get frostbite?

Neighbour came up with a solution – we are going to try doggie long johns on Toby tomorrow for his walk with Ellen.

The big worry at the moment is Brock. He has not been seen since late Thursday. This is unlike him. One of the neighbours and I are keeping a close eye on our feeding stations and others have joined in to check for prints – but with the blowing snow prints are not always present. I fear he has gotten snowed in his bolt hole and cannot get out even by clawing. Oh, please let him be alright.

Bird World? What is happening.

The egg has been switched and the hatch for the Royal Cam chick is underway in New Zealand! Liznm has the switch on video: https://youtu.be/Ab_hrAB1jp8?

There is also a hatch underway in the Kistachie National Forest in the first egg at E1 nest in Louisiana.

At the E3 nest, the eggs are ​​28 and 25 days old today.

SK Hideaways has a great line up of videos for the week.

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 11 January 2026

AEF-NEFL Eagles ~ Northeast Florida ~ Gabby, Beau, NE32 & NE33
Courtesy American Eagle Foundation/NEFL Eagle CamOps https://nefleaglecam.org/
Nest Cam 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouWBQoVFegI
Nest Cam 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQrJv_Dt4tY
Cam 3 (Approach view) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImHK7o8UHXE
Nest Cam 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkln9bA4CwE

NE33 Comes to Terms with New Clown Feed & Flappable Arms
 (2026 Jan 17)
As 18-day-old NE32 napped, 17-day-old NE33 looked down only to discover very large appendages at the end of its legs that seemingly sprouted overnight. Yes, the clown feet phase has arrived along with more exuberant baby wingers. This is going to be fun. 
Video: https://youtu.be/ydq-njzJr7I


Channel Island California Eagles
Livestreamed nests:
~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor
~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak
~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase
~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux

Two Harbors: 22 Years Wed ~ Cholyn & Chase Still Bump, Beak, and Cuddle
 (2026 Jan 13)
Cholyn and Chase filled their morning nestorations with lots of bonding bumps and beaking. Though some might call “anthropomorphism” on us, the frequent direct physical contact made by these 28-year-old wonders could only be described as cuddles (by us). Nearly 23 years as a mated pair and the romance lingers on. 
Videohttps://youtu.be/njM08jBvYNU
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

West End:  Possible Haku Return Followed by 3-Way Chase Around the Tors
 (2026 Jan 15)
A third eagle appeared at the West End, who looks a lot like Haku. A positive ID awaits her visiting the nest, where field marks are clearer. The pair that has been around for a while sat together away from this third eagle. 

As sunset approached, there was a remarkable chase scene that seemed to involve minimal physical contact. All three eagles were seen flying after that, so all is well. Who knows what will transpire tomorrow. 
Videohttps://youtu.be/XiDDW4QvFpA

FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, California ~ Jackie & Shadow
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

Jackie Brings Another Tree to the Fortress ~ Shadow Shakes His Head
 (2026 Jan 13)
Jackie is very focused on creating a fortress to protect the eaglets we hope will come along in this nesting season. To that end, she brought an even bigger “tree” to the nest than before. Shadow wasn’t too sure about all the big new furniture, but in his easygoing way, just helped “fix” the placement once Jackie stepped aside. They also both pancaked in the nest bowl to test the comfort level. 
Videohttps://youtu.be/rmGaHA-YRtM

Jackie Adds Large Furniture ~ Alters as Needed ~ Shadow Steers Clear
 (2026 Jan 12)
Shadow thought evening nestorations would be minimal, but Jackie arrived with a massive, complex branch. Shadow mostly stayed out of the way as Jackie tinkered away ~ whittling and snapping branches. Final placement of the big, new furniture is pending. 
Videohttps://youtu.be/EMnEs2oLQ74

Redding Bald Eagles ~ Redding, California ~ Liberty & Guardian
Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California 
URL changes frequently, so here’s main page to livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams

Liberty & Guardian Tweak Nest Bowl ~ Bump Bonding All the Way 
(2026 Jan 16)
Liberty and Guardian made two morning visits to the nest, tweaking sticks, aerating nesting material, and all the while bump bonding. There was a minor disagreement about furniture placement, but the ensuing beaking was brief and flirty. 
Video:  https://youtu.be/gP7Yj1vtEH8

Liberty and Guardian Defend Nest Against Mystery Midnight Intruder
 (2026 Jan 15)
Guardian flew in to the nest just after midnight and began alert calling. Liberty joined him shortly after and the two of them sounded the alert for quite a while. While we didn’t see the intruder on camera, it could have been a Great Horned Owl or the female sub-adult bald eagle who has been hanging around the nest in the past few days or both!  At 6:02-6:06 in the video, there is rustling and the sound of a sub-adult right before Guardian issues a few wing slaps. 

Our dynamic duo defended together until they deemed the threat over. Liberty pancaked in the nest and dozed with her head against Guardian as he continued to keep watch. We think he grabbed a few winks as well. Eventually Guardian flew off, but Liberty stayed till dawn. This middle-of-the-night nest defense surely signals that nesting season is in full swing (not to mention the mating observed!). (2026 Jan 15)
Videohttps://youtu.be/hM36iXT_qfc

Want to learn more about the illegal killing of raptors in the Dales? There are three free webinars to inform you.

Fish gifts arriving at the US Steel nest! Indeed, across the eagle nests, the others are getting ready to breed. https://youtu.be/kVmf5ljfXaM?s

One of my favourite books is H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. Indeed, I like all of MacDonald’s books. Now H is for Hawk is an audio book! And it is a movie. Yes! Part of the article reads, “It is coming up to 12 years since the publication of H Is for Hawk, about the historian, writer and naturalist Helen Macdonald’s time spent training a Eurasian goshawk after an intense period of grief. Showered with awards, the book was a runaway hit and sparked a literary trend for shared transformative encounters with animals including cats, dogs, magpies and hares.

This month, H Is for Hawk comes to the big screen in a new adaptation starring Claire Foy. But there is still time to get to know the source material, which tells of the sudden death of the author’s father and how Macdonald, an experienced falconer who had previously trained kestrels and peregrines, took delivery of a temperamental young goshawk named Mabel with the aim of taming her and teaching her to hunt. Macdonald, who is non-binary, is the audiobook’s narrator. Their reading is characterised by introspection, curiosity and flashes of humour as they observe this “spooky, pale-eyed psychopath” who, as well as feeding and flying, likes to play ball with scrunched-up bits of paper.”

H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald audiobook review – a soaring journey through griefhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jan/15/h-is-for-hawk-by-helen-macdonald-audiobook-review-a-soaring-journey-through-grief?CMP=share_btn_url

Updates on the Northern Ireland Peregrine Falcon shooting:

Update on what is happening at Knepp with its rewilding and Burns night celebrations. Oh, I wish I could be there!

More eagles dying of lead toxicity. (There is great information on amounts that kill in this posting from Wild Heart Ranch in Oklahoma. When will humans get fed up with using lead and its impact on wildlife and stop the lead? ‘J’ sends us news:

·”It takes 1 ppm lead (parts per million) to kill an eagle, but less can easily be fatal. 

This is the last photo of this beautiful eagle standing, taken Saturday. He crashed last night and we gently ended his struggle. 

His initial lead test was above .65 ppm, which is as high as our machine reads, but he was responding to treatment and gaining strength, though he never did keep solid food down. All his calories were gavage fed (tube) and even though we deal with lots of birds that initially cannot deal with solids, we usually have them eating within 3-4 days. He wanted the fish so badly. He just couldn’t tolerate it, indicating the severity of his condition. 

We did 5 days of lead chelation (binding lead in the blood with CAEDTA) and we were getting there, but it was too little too late.

His last blood test showed 27.3 on the machine (.27ppm). We had brought his levels way down, but the damage was already done. His blood tests on Friday showed his liver was struggling, so we knew then not to get our hopes up. 

A “lead eagle” is an every day, all day-late into the night high alert here. We give them privacy and rest, but in between, we are on a medical battlefield, in constant contact with the veterinarians from the Tulsa Zoo, (eagle experts) adjusting, evaluating, changing treatment… following directions to the letter, recording every move we make and every result, so that if things go south, we KNOW we did everything we could, and if we pull off a “miracle”, we have our map for next time. 

There is no confidence when lead levels are this high, but if they are fighting and stabilizing, we will continue to support them, even when we know their odds are low. When they crash, it isn’t a small symptom. They go down, close their eyes and they give up. That’s what he did last night. 

For some of our crew, this was their first “lead eagle”. They gained experience and understanding of treatment and symptoms and the delicate and intense work of battling this toxin. His life made an impact here as he helped new hands learn how to care and reminded us of the reality of lead in the wild and why it is so important that we educate and ask, again and again. However long it takes. 

ONE is too many. Lets keep lead out of the wild. For our eagles, a FLAKE, smaller than a grain of rice, is likely fatal. 

Annette 

I’ll be on Fox News Tulsa this morning talking about him. 

His last test was a .27

Here is AI overview of blood test guidelines:

„A lead level of 0.27 ppm (27 µg/dL) in an eagle is a significant finding, indicating subclinical lead exposure, meaning the bird has ingested lead and is likely suffering chronic effects, even without obvious symptoms, but isn’t in immediate acute crisis like levels over 60 µg/dL; it’s well above background levels (below 0.2 ppm) and a major concern for eagle health, with many birds in this range experiencing subtle issues like poor body condition or anemia, and it’s a common level found in wild eagles, highlighting ammunition as a primary source.”

Beyond sad.

The first mortality of 2026 has been added to the new memorial wall. If you know of others, please let me know! Adding these names just makes me weep. I know that I am missing some from 2025 – if you notice one that isn’t there, don’t hesitate to contact me.

I am working hard to review how my care of Don is doing – and how I can engage him in helping me rather than me having to do all of the housework, all the care of the animals, and ‘entertaining’ and caring for Don. I have learned that those with dementia do not need to be entertained. Some people with dementia need to be busy – and Don is one of those. But it doesn’t need to exhaust me at the same time. So, for as long as he can, he and Toby will vacuum the carpets and apply Bono to the hardwood floors. Don can fold towels or clean out drawers (under supervision), and Toby can drag them out just as he puts them in. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Dishwashers can be unloaded – we have done all of this before, but I will engage him in helping with earnestness until the weather warms up and we can be outside. I know how much my life has changed because it was this time last year that we were in Guadeloupe. Shortly after, a sea change occured and Don’s dementia has progressed. That progression has changed our lives – and clearly it has impacted how often I can send out a newsletter about our favourite birds. But, I am not giving up! So, wish me luck. If you have any ideas, send me a note. I appreciate any and all ideas.

Thank you so very much for being with us today. We hope that you have a really good week. We are looking forward to having you with us in a couple of days, when we have some cute little hatchlings.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos. Thank you to the creators of the other videos, the owners of the streaming cams that let us view the lives of our favourite bird families, authors of FB posts, and authors of articles and posts that help us understand the lives of our raptors. My blog would never be the same without your talents.

Louis and Dorcha…late Saturday in Bird World

17 January 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope that you are all warm and well. It has been remarkably cold here on the Canadian Prairies following a huge snow storm on Friday. But if -22 C seems cold, then imagine -42 C which is what is forecast for next Saturday.

I am sending you some news, and I want you to smile. Louis and Dorcha, Loch Arkaig’s ospreys, are ‘Parents of the Year’ in The Guardian.

Thank you, Geemeff, for sending us this wonderful news!