Category Archives: falcons

Tuesday in Bird World

13 May 2025

Good Morning,

Set your clocks if you can and watch Monty and Hartley’s chicks get their bling this morning!

San Jose City Hall: Chicks will be ringed live on streaming cam today!

Thanks ‘PB’ for sending the announcement:

Hi all,

Zeka Glucs from PBRG here with some more details on the San Jose City Hall Banding Day. We are looking forward to banding the four chicks and reporting back to this group on check sexes and overall health. They are looking quite active for their age (~20-21 days today) so I expect they are developing well.

Tomorrow morning we will likely arrive to the roof at around 10:30am and then rappel to the nest ledge soon after that. We will be keeping the cameras running during the nest entry and try to arrange ourselves so that you can see the process of measuring and banding the chicks. Each chick gets one metal identification band per leg: a black band with a large alphanumeric code and a silver US Geological Service band which we will cover with temporary colored tape for more identification ease in the nest and during fledge watch. Once they are measured and banded we will be able to discern if they are male and female. Then we collect a wing feather clipping for contaminant stable isotope analysis and three newly emerged body feathers for genetics before returning them to the nest. During the nest entry you may see and hear the parents defending the nest. This is normal and expected, and quite convincing in person! We will complete our work as quickly and safely as possible, then leave the chicks in the nest box for the parents to discover are all well and accounted for so they can know that they successfully chased us off and can resume their job of parenting the young.

Thank you all for your interest and investment in this peregrine family. If you miss the live banding there will be a recording of the nest entry posted on youtube at a later date as well for you to observe.

Zeka”

Today’s blog is relatively short. It is the Full Flower Moon, and any full moon means that my life, as well as Don’s, is turned upside down for about four days. This is despite the fact that this is the last micromoon of the year. The others will be larger and more, thus, more concerning. The lunacy of ‘luna’ is quite real. Be gentle with anyone with mental health issues during this time.

It is also stifling hot on the Canadian prairies, and any plants left outside yesterday were rushed in and placed in a tub, soaked. It is expected to be a hot and dry summer. A wildfire broke out in a northern part of Winnipeg, and fires are burning throughout our province. The fire ban continues. We brought the dill and rosemary plants into the house, where it is cool. I cannot imagine what it will be like this summer. Perhaps it is time to get one of those enormous umbrellas!

I keep reminding myself- and you – that we have had some miracles this year. Several continue to unfold and we need to remember and rejoice in their struggles and survival.

Against all the odds, the female at White Rock has incubated her eggs, alone, and raised two eaglets so far, alone. The two are doing well and there is fish on the nest.

This is an incredible story unfolding and if there is no other news today, well, this is gold! The one is at the White Rock Bald Eagle nest. I have no images and the other at Trempealeau.

Trempealeau Bald Eagle Mum is doing amazing, too. These two really deserve some kind of gold medal this year!

More Miracles. Sunny and Gizmo.

Jackie knows it isn’t long now. What a beautiful year it has been for her and Shadow to be parents again. Monday night she slept in the nest with the ‘babies’. https://youtu.be/ff5x80cJdJ0?

Sauces: Another Miracle. Betty Lou is preparing for ledge just like Sunny and Gizmo.

NEFlorida: Bodie fledged. The nest is pretty empty without that big presence of her and her adopted sibling, Juvie.

Bodie dancing before fledgling: https://youtu.be/uje9p0LAZoQ?

Fort St Vrain: It isn’t over til they fly off the edge of the nest, but it looks like the two surviving eagles at Fort St Vrain will do just that.

Cornell Red-tail Hawk: I thank all of the stars that Big Red is still with us. Here she is with her two surviving O1 and O2 from this year.

Hellgate Canyon: The male visited the nest. I did not see Iris. She is off somewhere in the hills fishing and enjoying her summer without the need for little ones. If she returns next year and forms a strong bond with this male, then we may see another family. For now, Iris is living the spa life and this fellow is wondering where she is.

Rutland Manton Bay: Both chicks doing well.

Latvian Golden Eagle Nest: Two days ago, Spilve was feeding two of the sweetest little eaglets. https://youtu.be/2ANQ-FoirgE?

Nizhnyaya Kama National Park in Tatarstan: Chulman feeds chick on the 11th! https://youtu.be/qYSslwIatZE?si=4sNVYvfnppXPzVyY

Black Stork Nest Jogdeva: The intruder ate the last two of the chicks (they were already dead as the female did not cover them). Sad ending what was hoped to be a return of the Black Storks to the area.

Worcester Cathedral: Due to the stress of losing two of their chicks this year, with one surviving, a decision has been taken not to ring the chicks as it could be too stressful.

Norwich Cathedral: Three beautiful little eyases.

Michigan State Spartan Scrape: Three eyases and one egg.

Salinas Falcon Cam makes the news: https://youtu.be/WlCr5g_hHO8?

Tweed Valley 2: This amazing threesome, two females and a single male, are doing fantastic. These chicks will be truly blessed.

Geemeff Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 12th May 2025

An interesting day, with two fish brought to each nest by the respective males. However, Garry LV0 made Aurora 536 wait for the first fish, by showing it to her then flying off with it and not returning for several minutes. He didn’t pull that stunt with the second fish, she moved in and took it as soon as he landed. His tally now stands at forty nine. Louis brought the season’s earliest breakfast for Dorcha, and followed it up with a trout for lunch, and his tally rises to eighty three. He and Dorcha joined forces to see off an intruder Osprey who buzzed the nest several times but wasn’t given an opportunity to land, and the eggs are safely making their way towards hatching, we’ll be on pip-watch in under two weeks. The weather was sunny and settled and is forecast to continue like that for the rest of the week. Fingers crossed tonight’s clear skies and light winds don’t attract the owls who’ve been heard nearby.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.53.24 (04.05.00); Nest Two 23.05.18 (04.11.38)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/ylEhZH07-eY N2 Season’s earliest breakfast for Dorcha 04.56.06

https://youtu.be/yVlU4fGjDEw N2 Dorcha leaves with lunch as soon as Louis delivers it 13.40.47https://youtu.be/AImTtGwHR64 N1 Aurora gets Garry’s fish the second time he brings it 14.38.05https://youtu.be/PwjwvCqeWYg N2 Louis & Dorcha join forces to see off an intruder overhead 16.48.40https://youtu.be/H1uWYmgtyhE N1 This time Garry doesn’t make Aurora wait for the fish 17.52.48

Bonus watch – how tough are Ospreys? Check out this valiant female across the pond on Mother’s Day: 

https://youtu.be/tziVm7AIHPY

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/BFfBZitcjv0    N1 Haven’t you forgotten something? 2020

https://youtu.be/_rGpAZaTjmQ N1 Oops! Where’s it gone? Aila loses her fish! 2020

https://youtu.be/7fjub6AqXts  N1 Stickgate! Louis lands a stick on top of Aila then perches on it! 2020

https://youtu.be/Ah7wghdmEsA   N1 Look who’s back bringing moss! 2021

https://youtu.be/x9ltb4rsX-w   N1 The Stranger nestorises while Blue 152 calls for fish 2021

https://youtu.be/Kdo-dxeZv3Y  N1 That technique needs work! Amusing mating incident 2021

https://youtu.be/Avbi8BbEvC4  N2 Intruder Osprey flyover 2023

https://youtu.be/bLMSoIgb1Yc   N2 Another year, another stickgate!! 2023

https://youtu.be/IR7bJxY7AsE  N2 Louis brings a fine flapping trout 2024

https://youtu.be/0bNLIxCelsw N1 Female Chaffinch visits 2024 (zoom)

Everyone’s welcome to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, fun, and free:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Duke Farms: On Fledge Watch. Thanks, PB.

Oak Hammock Marsh: One of my favourite places to wander and look for birds of all species is set to reopen after an extensive refurbishment that has taken 2 years!

As I end this there is some concern that the second hatch at Venice Golf and Country Club is unwell. Heidi is keeping a watch. The symptoms sound an awful lot like Molate at the Golden Gate Audubon Nest of Richmond and Rosie. Molate did not receive a necroscopy so the cause of its death is unknown.

Eagle Country will be shutting down their cameras for maintenance very soon.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. If it is as hot where you are living as it is on the Canadian Prairies, please drink lots of water. Don’t go outside during the heat of the day and leave a bowl of water for the birds and animals outside. They will thank you for it. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their posts, notes, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PB’, White Rock (Hancock Foundation), Trempealeau Bald Eagles, WI, FOBBV, NE-Florida, Lady Hawk, IWS/Explore, Cornell Bird Lab Red Tail Hawk Cam, Montana Osprey Project, LRWT, LDF, Liznm, Nesting Bird Life and More, Looduskalender Forum, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Norwich Cathedral, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Ashley Wilson Hawks and Falcons, Cali Condor, Oak Hammock Marsh, Eagle Country, Worcester Cathedral, SK Hideaways

Sunday in Bird World

11 May 2025

It is a very, very sad day in Bird World. Not the Happy Mother’s Day that I hoped for all these beautiful birds that have raised so many amazing chicks and brought us such happiness. This morning Dory (Audubon Boathouse) was savagely killed by a GHO. She had just laid her third egg.

Heidi writes, “I loved Dory.  Mom to Skipjack, Schooner, Sloop, Skipper, Harbor, and Grey.  Sadly, three of her offspring suffered the same fate.”

Is there ever a possibility that knowing the owls are there and will strike that those individuals or organizations owning streaming cams will work together to set up methods that would keep the GHOs from harming the Ospreys? The osprey do not kill the owl chicks and eat them. They are no threat to their food supply. If people can go for a space ride for millions of dollars, cannot we come up with even a simple earthly fix to help our fish eaters? In this instance, this has been a long standing known problem and there are people who should have worked on solutions including red strobe lights!

Soar High Dear Dory.

———————————————————————————-

Happy Mother’s Day to Anyone who has ever cared for another living, breathing being! And It doesn’t matter how many legs it has!!!!!!!!!

I was fortunate. My ‘mothers’ were fascinating people. My mother has always wanted to be a registered nurse. She was the Valedictorian of her high school class and won three scholarships to three excellent universities in Oklahoma to realise her dream. All her father had to do was provide funds for room and board and her books. Well, ‘no’. She was a girl. She was bitter all her life. I was born eleven years after she had worked for the US Navy during WWII in Long Beach, California. When I was eighteen months old, she was offered a position she could not refuse, and the most wonderful thing happened. There was no daycare. My maternal grandmother cared for me until my early teens, so my mother could work. (She continued to work for many decades; it was in her DNA). While my grandmother let me do everything my mother would not allow me to do including braiding my hair (can you imagine it might straighten the curls??) and gave me this easy going sense towards life and a love of gardening and chickens, my mother spent her life making certain that I had the very best education that I could have and that opportunities she only dreamed of I did. My PhD was, in part, her desire that every woman on the planet be able to care for themselves. She was a ‘Tiger Mum’ in a sense! I am full of love and grateful to them because they gave me balance.

No doubt each of you will have a raptor Mum that has touched your heart this year in a way that was not thought possible.

I want to remember an amazing raptor mother who is not with us this year. We will never know what happened to her, but she will live on in our hearts whenever we think of the University of California at Berkeley. The Campanile will never be the same. My first Mum of this year is Peregrine Falcon, Annie.

Big Red has always been on the top of my list because she is the raptor on streaming cams that first touched my heart. She hatched in the spring of 2003 in Brooktondale, New York, seven miles from her nest on the campus of Cornell University. She has had at least two mates – Ezra and now Arthur.

Finally some sun for Big Red, Arthur, and the Os.

‘B’ swept me away because they included some of the most miraculous mothers of this 2025 season! They wrote, “Special to me are three moms who are once again mothers this year after each has had difficult years: Jackie at Big Bear, Audacity at Sauces, and Gabby at NE Florida.  Also very special to me is Mrs. T at Trempealeau, who is working so hard (and doing so well) raising eaglet TE3 pretty much by herself.”

Here is ‘B’s list!!!!!!!

FOBBV: Mark your calendars fledge watch begins on 13 May or Sunny and Gizmo. Can you believe it?

A video with Mamma Jackie! https://youtu.be/_P7jg-nW_1A?

Fish delivery by Mamma Jackie! https://youtu.be/GAyUI5s-nVU?

Sauces: Betty Lou is the spitting image.

NEFlorida: Bodie leaves the nest and misses a fish delivery from Mamma Gabby: https://youtu.be/ph-qZGmAGR4?

Trempeauleau Eagles:

‘A’ has Mrs T as a hero. She writes: “Since your blog alerted me to the plight of Mrs T at Trempeauleau, I have been keeping an eye on that nest. So tragic that she had to leave her eaglets in freezing rain – she has been doing such an amazing job with her surviving first hatch. This morning she left just as the skies were starting to lighten – and she was back within 15 minutes with a fresh fish for the wee one’s breakfast. She fed little T3 a couple of times during the day and there was no sign of Mr T, although I have seen footage of him removing a fish from the nest and flying across the river to the island, where he obviously has another nest, to which he delivers the fish (www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bp-_oilfqc). There has been speculation on the chat that this phenomenon will become increasingly common because of the larger numbers of eagles sharing territories. It’s a double-edged sword – yes, we want more eagles but not if it means they are competing for territory to the point where they hurt each other and cause eaglets to starve. We need to provide habitat for the eagles, not just increase their numbers without thinking about how the additional eagles will live. 

But back to T3. It had a funny interaction with mum in the middle of the night last night – mum jumped down from the branch above the nest where she spends most nights and the eaglet went into nest defence mode like a little warrior. Stood up as tall as it could and pecked at mum!!! This interaction went on for several minutes – mum eventually bonked T3 back. T3 responded by pecking at mum’s breast feathers several times, still standing as tall as it could, flapping its wings occasionally for balance as it lunged forwards to peck its mum. That’s no way to treat your dedicated single parent mother on Mother’s Day T3! Especially when she’s come down to the nest for a snuggle on a windy night – she rarely joins T3 on the nest and the little eaglet, who has lost both its siblings to hypothermia, snuggles up to the trunk of the tree for warmth and comfort. Sometimes, it looks up at mum longingly – but when she did decide to come down, T3’s reaction made me wonder whether eaglets have far less acuity at night than adult eagles because it was as if T3 didn’t recognise Mrs T at all and was defending the nest against an intruder. It was very strange. Eventually, after a five or six-minute stand-off T3 snuggled down as if nothing had happened and Mrs T arranged some nesting material (she’d been bringing in fluff a lot during the day). Teenagers!! It’s a little delinquent. Here’s the footage. It’s just TOO funny: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnFmArd8jh0. “

‘VS’ said: “Love Naha at Seaside and Mum at Port Lincoln.”

Naha

Oh, yes, absolutely. Thank you.

Mum at Port Lincoln

Rutland Water: One of the finest osprey females, a super Mum, Maya, is right at the top of the list for more than two dozen people. Her and Blue 33 just had their second hatch of the season!

Heidi’s Osprey Report:

Everyone fledged at Smith Rock Park! https://youtu.be/Nt7nZI0sc4s?

This drives me crazy!

Geemeff Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 10th May 2025

Today on Nest One started with a visit from a male Tawny Owl, who perched and made an unusual call, perhaps trying to attract a mate. Later there was much excitement as Garry LV0 saw off a persistent intruder Osprey. The unringed female tried to land several times with Garry on the nest actively dissuading her, and then they had quite the aerial battle with much chasing and circling round both nearby and in the distance, all caught on nest cam. She did return and managed to land shortly after her epic encounter with Garry, but was very wary and then startled off the nest by a Jay rustling through the branches of the nest tree. Aurora 536 wasn’t around or at least not visible on nest cam during the female’s visit, but did turn up in the afternoon to get a large whole trout from Garry. That one fish took his tally to forty six, but he has a long way to go to catch up with Louis, whose two deliveries took his tally to seventy nine. The first fish he brought wasn’t much more than a tail end which explains Dorcha’s enthusiastic reception of the second, she even gulped a few mouthfuls on the nest before departing and leaving Louis to egg-sit. The weather was settled and sunny as promised, but in a change from the forecast, light rain is expected tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.51.44 (03.45.47); Nest Two 23.08.52 (04.07.40)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/lz68zyEX6Uw  N1 A Tawny Owl perches, calls but no response 00.24.40 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/KQPgI_C2YfE  N2 Louis does a flyby before delivering fish one  05.13.15 

https://youtu.be/NKSslCjZ2AY  N1 Garry’s dramatic encounter with an unringed Osprey 11.19.56

https://youtu.be/yr5AUEabxDk   N1 Unringed intruder returns but is startled by a Jay 11.35.43

https://youtu.be/CnBTtPySvKM  N1 Aurora takes Garry’s fish immediately 15.31.44

https://youtu.be/DQBB7OIY92I  N2 Dorcha gulps a few mouthfuls before leaving with fish two 18.53.41

Bonus read – looking at those clouds of insects on the nests today, this study shows the amazing biodiversity of the Arkaig ancient Caledonian rainforest:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/press-centre/2023/08/loch-arkaig-invertebrate-survey

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/WRJVln57L5w  N1 Cheeky Tawny Owl perches next to Aila 2019 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/1IEDIyo9rCQ  N1 Louis adds to the chaos on a windy day 2020

https://youtu.be/zcl511TMr_0  N1 Louis resists Aila’s blandishments 2020

https://youtu.be/e_xzfE0KTlk  N1 Louis chases a pesky Hoodie 2020

https://youtu.be/iStLjLcvl2I  N1 Eurasian Wren pays a visit 2021

https://youtu.be/VPfvH9XEqzU  N2 Unringed female intruder steals Dorcha’s fish 2022 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/AM_UsK1riDg  N1 Juvenile Tawny Owl plays on the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/0Mbyxj-Wr90  N1 A handsome Jay visits 2023

https://youtu.be/Pe8lgQ2Pdbs  N2 Season’s earliest breakfast for Dorcha 2024

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

My top book recommendation for last year – and Calico’s too – was Raising Hare. ‘B’ sent along an article from The New York Times. Raising Hare was in their top 15 for 2025! Feeling delighted.

Just in case you didn’t see it, Raising Hare is on the NY Times list of the Best Books of the Year (So Far).  One of 15 books on the list.

The Best Books of 2025 (So Far) – The New York TimesDownload

Cumbria Wildlife Nest 2: Two eggs laid very late in the season for the new couple. Fingers crossed.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care everyone.

I am going to be doing a very abbreviated blog for the next week or so. It is gardening time and with Toby and The Girls, there isn’t enough hours in the day to keep up. Geemeff and Heidi will be with us when they have news and I will be covering the hatches in the UK.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, B, Geemeff, Heidi, PB, VS’, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways, Cornell Red Tail Hawk, FOBBV, NEFL-AEF, Trempeauleau Bald Eagles, IWS/Explore, LL, Seaside Osprey Cam, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Smith Rock Park Eagles, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Maryland Western Shore, Fostythe, Fortis Exshaw, Audubon Boathouse, Rutland Water, Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Thursday in Bird World

8 May 2025

Hello!

Sssshhhhh. Toby is ‘not’ spoiled.

Toby has grown. He has legs! So far, he does not mind his collar and having his leash attached going about the house. He goes to his potty pads, twirling around like a ballerina, which is a good sign that something is about to happen. My son says I must teach him to sit and to behave on his lead. I do not doubt that this intelligent little man will be fine.

If I forgot to say, Hugo Yugo and Toby slept in the bend of my left arm Tuesday night. Calico was back on the conservatory table this morning and well, The Girls have settled into their ordinary routine and just don’t seem to be bothered by his presence this afternoon.

The weather continues to be ‘weird’. It is going to be 36 C next week. I have a serious problem with this because of the dryness and the fires. What about the birds? I have lived in Manitoba, on and off since I was a late teenager, and having a 36 degree C was something that was rare. Of course, that temperature has been more familiar the last four or five years but not until ‘summer’. Not the beginning of May. We will make certain there is plenty of water for all the outdoor animals.

Today, Mr and Mrs Crow began, in earnest, to eat the cheesy dogs, which tells me that they have either babies in the nest or are thinking about it! The Blue Jays are here in earnest, and Dyson took five peanuts this evening at one go! She has to be at least ten years old, and it is her.

My goodness. When ‘LS’ submitted her ‘Spark Bird’, I am not certain she realised how many people love Harriet and miss her so much. The fact that we will never know what happened to Harriet has left holes in so many hearts. People are pleased that M15 was able to raise their last two eaglets, E21 and E22, alone and that he was happy to find a new mate BUT everyone would like Harriet back! Thank you, ‘LS’ for taking us down memory lane – albeit full of tears.

Eleven people sent in the name Louis. You know who you are! No, not Iris’s Louis, but Louis from Loch Akraig, specifically Louis with his mate Aila, whom they met during the pandemic when the pair raised their triplets, JJ5, JJ6, and JJ7. 400,000 people are said to have watched the couple from the Loch Arkaig I nest that year. When Aila did not return, Louis moved the nest to nest 2, where he raised chicks with his current mate, Dorcha. I must admit that I was devastated when Aila did not return, and it did take me a while to warm up to Dorcha.

Louis and Aila feed the triplets. https://youtu.be/jBE6pWdWlgM?

News of a Norwegian osprey couple! What a gorgeous place for a nest! https://youtu.be/C8B9sYYWo58?

Big Red and Arthur: It appears that the last two eggs are pipping. O2 is taking some time and we have seen this many times this year. Wishing both those little ones a good hatch!

O2 has hatched!!!!!! Arthur has covered the nest with chipmunks and squirrels. O3 is on its way too and should arrive by today. What joy!

I love watching Big Red and Arthur raise their family. Arthur just fills up that nest with every kind of critter he can so that no one ever goes hungry. Big Red stuffs those babies and keeps them warm and cosy alternating brooding with Arthur. I cannot tell you how much I adore this Red-tail Hawk. She is, of all the birds on streaming cams, my ‘Spark’ Bird.

SK Hideaways has all the drama at Ithaca on video! https://youtu.be/yWjP7_1t5Os?

Cornell Bird Lab shows us that O3 is almost here! https://youtu.be/0WWZd7Gi0H0?

Someone commented about all the prey. Thank goodness for Arthur’s good hunting skills. The pantry is always full and in case of a bad weather day this is essential for these babies. Great parents.

Hellgate Canyon: The New Boy has finally brought Iris a fish!!!!!!!!!! Viewers around the world jumped up and down for joy and shed tears. It appears not to be Finnegan – I really hoped it was – but, a new male interested in our Queen and her nest.

Foulshaw Moss: White YW and Blue 35 incubating eggs. It won’t be long.

Agrippina & Antares Peregrine Falcons: https://youtu.be/kMtd_9UtYfE?

Jose City Hall Falcon Scrape: ‘PB’ sends us a screen capture of some very full crops! Monty and Hartley are taking superb care of these four. Brilliant.

Our favourite couple, Jackie and Shadow bonding at Big Bear: https://youtu.be/Ou9u3uMPdZ4?

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 7th May 2025

Today’s main story is all about Aurora 536 – we received word today that she was ringed in Loch Fleet in Sutherland in 2022. This means she’s a three year old, and a good match for five year old Garry LV0 who was ringed in Loch Garry in 2020. They’re both young and healthy, he’s an excellent fisherbird and has a good nest with a well stocked loch nearby, and she appears to have adopted him and his nest. So everything has aligned for them to be successful parents – fingers crossed it works out as hoped. The Tawny Owl who visited Nest One this morning might find surprise occupants next time if the young pair produce eggs this season! Garry brought two fish taking his tally to forty one, and over on Nest Two, Louis’ three deliveries for Dorcha take his tally to seventy three. The weather was settled and the day ended with a colourful sunset best seen from Nest Two, and the forecast promises more settled weather and sunny spells tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.46.52 (04.23.21); Nest Two 22.56.24 (04.31.52)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/iZCtZxSvdtQ N1 A male Tawny Owl visits, calls but gets no reply 04.06.45

https://youtu.be/zoVG6Xtn21o N2 Dorcha has a quick nibble before departing with fish number one 05.54.01

https://youtu.be/9AUcpQbxfI4 N1 Lunch arrives for Aurora 13.21.08

https://youtu.be/ICUoOHx0qBg N2 Louis delivers a second fish for Dorcha 16.44.58 

https://youtu.be/qGapMARckT8 N1 Aurora gets the second fish when Garry brings it back again 18.22.50

https://youtu.be/AFxIoXOi7hU N2 Dorcha’s fish supper arrives against a colourful sunset sky 21.13.23 (quick time)

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/8OaqnwQiaBI  N1 Aila does a bit of Louis-bashing before he takes the hint 2020

https://youtu.be/2qFBiVop8DQ N1 Clumsy Louis clatters the camera! 2020

https://youtu.be/T8wmG4NbfIo  N1 Late night bat visits Aila 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/VA8CwMT9qyA  N1 Eurasian Siskin and Crossbill visit 2021

https://youtu.be/0FlIlYJMsGQ  N2 Cheeky Tawny Owl perches on the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/LcPUWA3mWDo  N2 Tawny Owl strikes Dorcha then returns to perch on the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/kJIFH0RyeSk  N1 Louis pays a visit to his old nest 2023

https://youtu.be/6z_D0r_72h4  N1 A little songbird flits around for a while, then nudges a stick over the side 2024

https://youtu.be/1MzoKTgPm4w  N1 Aida lands on the perch, welcome back, we missed you 2024 

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

I am so angry. There are some of us that wish we lived in Virginia and could make an impact on these decisions. The ospreys and their chicks are dying. We saw this in earnest in 2024. Have a read!

“Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal!

Thomas Lilly  · nsdoorpetSccag140a5f51a25m8i0a227h3i9ca1ca8a66u1hch057g8ati3  · 

In case you haven’t heard the menhaden board met today at 1 PM to discuss area and seasonal protective options for Chesapeake Bay menhaden …the options the work group proposed concentrated on ospreys and their critical times for raising young for example May 1 through August 15 . Area restrictions were proposed by the WG for Chesapeake Bay and the mouth of Bay during the critical time periods.

Please be aware that Lynn Fegley, the director of DNR fisheries and Allison Colden , CBF’s chief scientist who was the Maryland representative on the work group sat in silence when the time came for them to make a persuasive presentation on the options that they favored, the benefits of the options and the benefits to Maryland. A few questions were directed to them about ospreys and striped bass and they gave very incomplete one might say incompetent answers. For example, they could not explain to the questioner the difference between the freshwater ospreys, successful breeding, and the saltwater ospreys that rely on menhaden to survive’s dismal breeding success. This is completely covered in Dr Bryan Watts’s scientific article titled a Tale of Two Bays , but they ignored these well-known sources or had never bothered to read them.

Lynn Fegley and Allison Colden are two very intelligent women who decided to sit mute during the  most important moment that we have ever had for Chesapeake Bay in so far as protecting its food supply. I am quite sure they had read all of the articles about ospreys and that they completely understand the ERP science it says when ospreys and striped bass are in poor condition it is menhaden over harvesting that is to blame. The ERP science was never mentioned. They both know completely, how our Maryland recreational, commercial and charter fishing for striped bass has collapsed but they did not discuss it. Their silence was deafening .

The question is why these two menhaden board leaders did not speak out to convince this board to adopt options to protect Maryland. When the time came for them to make a motion for the board to pass protective options to protect our bay’s food supply, they sat in silence. Because of the inaction of these two people today , there is nothing that is going to happen to prevent the starvation of thousands of osprey babies this season and nothing to prevent more of our charter fishing captains from going out of business and no hope for progress here to restore the bay’s food supply so millions our children could enjoy the bay the way it should be.

If you can find factual evidence as to why this disaster to Chesapeake Bay occurred I hope you will post it on this website so the public will know why this happened

By the way, the end result was this board abdicated its responsibility and kicked the matter back to “discuss” it again in August. You can be sure that in Virginia’s Pat Geer and his cohorts at Omega protein are celebrating victory, once again, tonight., I expect the advocates for menhaden reform are in shock over what happened today.”

Black Stork Nest in Poland: Two hatches on Wednesday!

Golden Eagle Nest in Latvia of Spilve and Gristlis: One egg has hatched. Still watching and waiting to see if the second egg will hatch.

Black Stork Nest of Kergu and Kerli: They are still incubating. The eggs were laid on: Looduskalender Forum listed when the eggs were laid:

1. egg on 21.4.2025, 00:06
2. egg on 22.4.2025, 23:35
3. egg on 24.4.2025, 22:41
4. egg on 27.4.2025, 02:02

Wild Bucovina Golden Eagle Nest 2: Eaglet was stuffed today!

Bety and Bukachek, Mlade Buky, Romania: Incubating two eggs (I think).

Glaslyn: Teifi and Elen have been at the nest. Individuals are observing Aran who is remaining in a familiar place and fishing for himself.

Ladies showing off their osprey eggs!!!!!!! Heidi’s Nest Notes are Visuals today! Love the labels – those really help. Enjoy!

Port Lincoln Ospreys: New has come in that Phantom is alive and well. Fran Solly writes,

“In what surely is the proverbial “needle in a haystack” search we were thrilled to find Phantom this afternoon and to see her with another bird. Phantom is the 2021 female bird from the Price Artificial Platform. She flew to Kangaroo Island shortly after fledge. In October 2024 her tracker stopped operating but locals reported sightings of her. Today we can confirm those sightings with these photos.”

Ospreys of Nova Scotia: Names have been chosen for Oscar and Ethel’s chicks by popular vote: Nova, Russell, and Sunny. Congratulations. Lovely names!

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

Thank you to the following for their posts, comments, notes, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, PB’, Liz Bracken, Norwegian Ospreys, Cornell Red-tail Hawk Cam, SK Hideaways, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Lab, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Agrippina & Antares Peregrine Falcons, San Jose City Hall Falcon Scrape, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Menhaden- Little Fish, Big Deal FB, Bociany Czame Online, LDF, Looduskalender Forum, Wild Bucovina, Mlade Buky Stork Cam, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dahlgren, Forsythe, Kent Island, Fortis Exshaw, Maryland Western Shore, Cape Henlopen, Port Lincoln Ospreys,

Wednesday in Bird World

7 May 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

You are all truly amazing! I absolutely cherish your questions, and I want to apologise for not being able to respond to each one personally. Time often slips away from me, but please know that every letter and comment you send means the world to me. Keep those questions coming! I promise to do my utmost to address the latest inquiries before we shift our focus to our beautiful feathered friends.

Hugo Yugo’s Fan Club is eagerly awaiting updates on her upcoming surgery and her dental health. I truly appreciate all the love and concern you’ve shown! Hugo Yugo is set to undergo surgery and extraction on June 11, but to be honest, I’m uncertain about what will actually be done.

I’m thrilled to share that we’ve been diligent in brushing her teeth twice a day, sometimes even three times. Recently, we’ve noticed a positive change: Hugo Yugo has started eating kibble instead of her usual chicken and rice wet food. I believe this shift has been beneficial in helping to clean her teeth.

At the moment, I can only spot a very tiny red area, with no signs of extensive redness in her gums. I want to remain hopeful and cautious—so I’ll knock on wood that I’m seeing accurately and not just what I want to see. We have an important follow-up in five weeks, and I’m optimistic about what we’ll discover!

The second most frequently asked question is: How are The Girls adjusting to Toby? As of Tuesday evening, Toby has been with us for 72 hours, or three days. Initially, The Girls were filled with curiosity; they simply can’t comprehend what “a tiny bundle of energy” means. While Toby isn’t a cat, he has certainly intrigued them. There have been a few hisses as they navigate this new presence. Baby Hope, in particular, prefers to keep her distance from Toby. Meanwhile, Hugo Yugo is always on guard, closely observing him, while Calico has surprisingly become more focused on Toby and is leaving Missey undisturbed. Missey, for her part, quietly watches from a distance.

Despite these initial adjustments, The Girls gradually returned to their familiar routines. Hugo Yugo continues to demand food with his usual enthusiasm, and Calico was extra affectionate with Anne today, vying for her attention. Overall, they are settling back into their typical behaviours. We’ve devoted ample time to engaging with them in our usual activities, ensuring they feel cherished and not sidelined.

The third question everyone seems to be asking is: How is Toby doing? Anne had the pleasure of meeting Toby for the first time today, and she was thoroughly impressed—she gave him the thumbs-up! Toby’s role as a therapy dog is already taking shape, and while he will receive formal training soon, he is truly stepping into that role exceptionally well.

During a walk, Anne and Don expressed some concern about leaving Toby home alone. However, when they returned, they found him peacefully asleep in his little bed, completely undisturbed. It’s heartwarming to see how much joy he brings, especially as he energetically shakes his new toys like a bull in a ring. It’s amazing to think how strong a 1.5 kg puppy can be!

Toby is now sporting a brand-new collar; we had to hunt for an extra extra small size, but we finally found the perfect fit. Today was also a success because we discovered his ideal food at a charming family-owned shop that specializes solely in pet food—no beds or toys. The shop is just a few blocks away and offers free delivery, which will be incredibly convenient for me in the future. Toby is truly settling in wonderfully! I feel blessed and every day I am just so grateful. I feel surrounded by very supportive individuals, including yourselves. That means the world to me.

I have exciting news to share! The young man who provided invaluable help with snow shovelling this winter will now take on all our gardening responsibilities. I’ve come to a realisation about my capabilities and limitations, and my top priority is to ensure Don remains comfortable at home without completely depleting my energy.

While I’m still searching for someone to assist with house cleaning, my strategy is to save the funds I would have spent on a regular cleaner and hire a professional service for a comprehensive deep clean twice a year. Besides, the floors need cleaning once or twice a day with four cats and a puppy. How much fur (hair?) finds its way into the corners is amazing! This way, I can maintain a comfortable environment for Don while hopefully managing my well-being as effectively as possible.

Spring has arrived. Green is popping up everywhere. It was cooler today. 16 C instead of 28. What a change! We are now under a fire ban because it is so dry so no outdoor fire pits or barbecues. Plants ordered on a fundraiser for the feral kittens arrive next Saturday so we will begin to have some colour and there are plans for seven 8′ tall cedar trees (I think they look like Lebanon cedars- very upright). We have a pen to put together so Toby can be outside when we are working in the garden. Hopefully The Girls don’t decide they want to go out too! They can’t.

Toby plays really hard for about 30 minutes and then instantly goes to sleep for at least 2 hours. And I am sleeping well!!!!!! Can’t believe it.

The most fun is playing chase and soon, I think that The Girls will join in. For now they know to get up higher than the ‘little yapper’. Hugo Yugo watching Toby – will try to get a chase scene soon!

Well, a major break through. Both Toby and Hugo Yugo slept together in my left warm pit last night. Yippeeee.

I truly appreciate your kindness, and I think of you every day. I hope you’re in great health and making the most of the outdoors whenever possible. Getting outside is essential for our mental well-being and for keeping our bodies active for as long as we can! Even taking a moment to sit and listen to the birds can rejuvenate a tired spirit almost instantly.

Spark Bird: There is a lovely little book by a similar name about birds that inspired people to become involved in birding. For many of us, the birds that catapulted us into wanting to know more, to help preserve, and to educate ourselves came through the nests on the streaming cams. So many of you responded to ‘LS’s’ comments about Harriet being her spark bird, and it brought back tearful memories. Indeed, so many of our much-loved birds are no longer with us. Still, we need to keep them alive in our memories, and they are, of course, alive in the DNA of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, should they have been lucky enough to have survived those treacherous early years. Tens of thousands of people certainly loved Harriet – if not more.

For ‘CL’, a local bird sparked her love of everything with feathers. She writes: ‘I grew up on The Orkneys. At the weekend, my parents would take me and my brothers and sisters to the shore to tire us out looking for ‘pirate treasure’. I was captivated by the Purple Sandpipers that populated the shore especially when the tide went out.

I had never heard of a Purple Sandpiper so I had to look them up! This is the RSPB’s description: “The Purple Sandpiper is a medium-sized wading bird that is larger, stockier and darker than a Dunlin. It is mainly dark grey above and whitish below. It has a downcurved beak and bright orange legs. In flight, it shows a white wing-stripe. A couple of pairs nest in Scotland, but this species is mainly a winter visitor to almost any rocky coast in the UK. Most are found in Orkney, Shetland and along the east coast of Scotland and northern England – it is rare south of Yorkshire, except in Devon and Cornwall. The breeding areas in Scotland are kept secret to protect the birds from egg thieves and disturbance. It is listed on Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.”

“Purple Sandpiper ( Calidris maritima ) … Filey Brig , Yorkshire (53266204391)” by peterichman is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Time to move on….I could ramble all day. Life is beautiful and being surrounded with kindness comforts me more than anyone could ever know. It is calming and reassuring. I am also grateful for many of you who are providing fish for the raptors. I know that several have created koi ponds near to the platforms while others are placing fish – these generous outpourings might prove to save chicks that otherwise might have succomb to heat and starvation. We have taken their land, their resources, and their food supplies. Giving back is a good thing.

Let’s start with Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 6th May 2025 

Louis started the day by bringing the earliest fish of the season at 5am, and followed it up with a second at tea time, taking his tally to seventy fish, not bad since his season only started on 2nd April. Apart from a few minor alarms, no low-flying owl or Osprey intruders bothered Dorcha or the eggs today, and steady progress is being made towards first hatch. Over on Nest One, the new Arkaig Osprey pair are also making steady progress. No intruders bothered them although Garry LV0 was scared off the nest by a piece of bark. He brought two fish for Aurora 536 which seems to have satisfied her as she didn’t appear when he brought a third fish, and his tally now stands at thirty nine. The promised sunny spells materialised, the weather was settled and due to stay that way with more sunny intervals due tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.28.43 (03.50.45*); Nest Two 22.18.01 (04.19.19)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Ap8s269oY3g N2 Season’s earliest fish 05.00.02

https://youtu.be/xG3Lh8YLrE8 N1 breakfast for Aurora and a bark surprise for Garry 09.23.59

https://youtu.be/oLDAq_ILX7Y N2 Dorcha’s calls finally quieten as fish number two arrives 15.15.09

https://youtu.be/gvIrP6Pu5Q4 N1 Garry brings a second fish and watches a jet go by 16.10.25

https://youtu.be/vtp8n5kldRU N1 Garry brings a third fish, Aurora’s not there so he has a nibble 18.36.00

Bonus read – the many facets of the strong partnership between WT and the People’s Postcode Lottery:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/partnerships/our-partners/peoples-postcode-lottery

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/rDDH4Z8zHEc  N1 Health and safety first, says Louis 2020

https://youtu.be/2ULJmAe1b5E  N1 Louis bashes Aila with a big stick 2020

https://youtu.be/B5w5Yemqvyo  N1 Social distancing is for the birds! 2020

https://youtu.be/hOnID1xMcys  N2 Coronation Day –  breakfast fit for a queen arrives 2023

https://youtu.be/usB2iBz2BQM  N2 Ringed Osprey visits 2023 (super slo-mo, zoom)

https://youtu.be/Dfmo_U46rCY  N2 Dorcha has a stretch and a squirt  2024

https://youtu.be/oI3R7TrjVHA  N1 A little Passerine visits 2024

https://youtu.be/sa-_Txps92s  N2 Throwing shapes – Louis and Dorcha are winging it 2024 

*day cam switched on during cam reset, mid point time used

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Heidi’s Osprey News:

Smallwood State Park:  Their first baby hatched the evening of 5/6.  

Patuxent River Park (nest 1) –  Mom and Dad have their first hatch.  The hatchling was first seen the afternoon of 5/6.

Patuxent River Park (nest 2) – They also have their first baby, seen the evening of 5/6.  The egg cup is very deep and we have not been able to see any eggs.  We can just barely see the new baby’s head.  

OBX (Outer Banks):  Betsy laid her second egg early on 5/7.  It was laid almost 5.5 days after she laid egg #1.  

Audubon Boathouse at Hog Island:  5/7, Dory laid her second egg early this morning. 

Big Red and Arthur: Pip is getting bigger on O2. Just look at how many squirrels Arthur is already bringing to the nest – soon those babies will have a squirrel bed. https://youtu.be/gTDiCN_px-E?

Border Ospreys: Recent update on everything!

FULL SETDownload

Trempealeau Eagles: A beautiful scene – Mum guarding her only surviving baby who she is caring for alone.

Denton Homes: If the weather will continue to cooperate, this family will be just fine. Look at those gorgeous eaglets getting their juvenile feathers.

Kistachie National Forest E3: The surviving eaglet is gorgeous and returns to the nest for all to see how well s/he is doing.

Little Miami Conservancy: Two beautiful eaglets squeeing their heads off when food arrives.

Duke Farms: These three look ready to fly!

Fort St Vrain: Chucking down rain on the two surviving eaglets.

NEFlorida: Stunningly beautiful Bodie.

Big Bear Valley: Family Portrait.

Sauces: Betty Lou is gorgeous and much, much loved. She has been standing on the cot rails!

Fraser Point: Lovely.

Tweed Valley Ospreys:

Latest news from Tweed: On 6th May Newboy brought a good- sized fish back to nest 2 where Mrs O was sitting on eggs. She instantly stood up and pounced on the fish and took it in her talons. She began to eat at the nest but a hungry F2 returned and tried to grab the fish. When food is involved, it seems that this is the only time that any aggression between the birds is evident, Mrs O was fiercely holding on to the fish and had no intention of letting F2 take it. A slight squabble broke out and she then launched into the air taking the fish with her. F2 then settled on to the four eggs and the male took off from the nest too. Ten minutes later Mrs O returned to the nest with the remaining leftovers of the fish and she let F2 take it from her.

Loch of the Lowes: Second egg has arrived for the new couple

Loon Preservation Monthly News:

Loon Preservation Committee Month at a GlanceDownload

Hellgate Canyon: Louis is busy providing fish for Star as she incubates her eggs and there is now a persistent male visitor at Iris’s nest. There is considerable ‘wonderings’ if this is Finn. Did Finn return earlier and was chased away by Louis? Did Finn bring the fish earlier? Remember. I keep saying it. Tim Mackrill and Roy Dennis will tell you. The only two places on an osprey where the plumage pattern does not change is the top of the head and the underwing. It is extremely difficult to get good images of the underwing unless you are lucky enough to be directly under the bird in flight. Images have been posted of Iris and the new male and of Finn. ‘PB; sent me copies for your consideration (and my pondering).

I would like it to be Finn – I would liked it to have been Finn a month ago. I am not sure. It would be nice for Iris to be courted with fish- for her to feel special and I believe that these intelligent raptors know the difference. To Iris and all the love that might come her way still!

Port Lincoln Ospreys: Beautiful Mum was at the barge! Be sure to renew your membership. Every membership (very reasonable) goes to erect platforms for the growing osprey population in South Australia. The Friends of Osprey Sth Australia is incredible – what they do with the funds they have. They have motivated community members and in doing so, everyone protects these endangered raptors.

What cute faces! Monty and Hartley’s little ones lined up for breakfast.

Take care everyone. thank you for being with us today. 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: ‘CL, Geemeff, Heidi, PB’, RSPB, Openverse, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Cornell Bird Lab Red-tail Hawk Cam, Rosie Shields and Border Ospreys, Trempealeau Bald Eagles, Denton Homes, Kistachie National Forest E3, Little Miami Conservancy, Duke Farms, Xcel Energy, NEFL-AEF, FOBBV, IWS/Explore, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Loon Preservation Society, Hellgate Osprtey Cam, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Smallwood Osprey Cam, Patuxent River Park, OBX, Audubon Boathouse, Loch of the Lowes, San Jose City Hall

Tuesday in Bird World

6 May 2025

Hello Everyone,

Morning Update: Hellgate Canyon. The timing could not be more perfect since Finnegan did not return (or did he?). Iris laid her three eggs and poof – Ravens took them. Starr, Louis’s mate, will have her eggs and Louis will be busy providing Starr with fish. The battle of the nest took place on Monday and early Tuesday morning, Iris and the victor sat on her nest together. We wait to see what happens.

[On an Osprey, the only two markings that never change yearly are the head markings and the underwing markings. Remember that. Everything else could vary.]

Big Red and Arthur: O2 making its way. O1 eating well and Arthur is stocking up the nest! It is a Hawk Delight buffet!

Another ‘summer’ day at the beginning of May on the Canadian Prairies. It was a perfect day. Toby’s ‘godmother’ visited with a toy basket full of everything a tiny dog would love to chew. Toby is really feeling at home. He likes to play tug of war with the hem of my long linen dress, growling and hopping around. He had his first bath today. Didn’t seem to mind and loved the drying off with the towel. I hope he sleeps well tonight!

The Girls are fine. They are curious but not intimidating. They keep their distance trying to figure out what this ball of energy that is either wide awake with great energy or sound asleep ‘is’. Not a cat. None of them have ever seen a dog before. It is quite interesting.

Hugo Yugo thinks it is just a great day to sleep in the conservatory where the temperature is in the 30s.

I really would like to hear from you about those birds on the streaming cams that sparked your interest. So send them in! I will try and include one a day for the next few weeks!

‘LS’ wrote: “What sparked me was when I saw Harriet and M15 profiled on the nightly news in 2018. It intrigued me to hear that a camera was installed so the public could watch an eagle’s nest. I would watch occasionally and was fascinated with learning things about eagles I never knew. It was 2020, the year E14, died that really grabbed my heart and attention. When Harriet and M15 reclutched I fell in love with E16 and then E15 who didn’t leave the area until early November. I still miss those 2 eaglets.” 

Thank you, ‘LS’.

The last time I checked there was a good size pip in O2’s egg at the Cornell Red-tail Hawk nest of Big Red and Arthur. Cornell Bird Lab has it on video: https://youtu.be/dJNVLRdb6Dc?

More activity at the Ithaca nest! https://youtu.be/Edn2Ayvrt5s?

Hellgate Canyon: There was a lot of activity going on at the nest of Iris today. The third egg was taken by the Raven on Sunday. Today another male took on Lewis and appeared to want to be friendly with Iris. The situation is ongoing.

Xcel Fort St Vrain: Those two surviving eaglets that we worried so much about seem to be doing just fine. Always a relief.

Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest: Things are going well despite Mr T’s theft of fish. Eaglet has its blood feathers coming in!

White Rock Nest: ‘PB’ writes that the eaglets eat well Monday afternoon. A lovely fish fairy. 🙂

San Jose City Hall Falcon Scrape:

Golden Eagle Nest, Latvia, Spilve and Grislis: Hatch is underway!

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: First egg for the new couple. Thanks, ‘MP’.

Glacier Gardens Bald Eagles, Juneau, Alaska: Two eggs.

Glaslyn: I posted about Aran Monday morning. What a wonderful osprey he is.

West Point Eaglets: A storm took down the nest and the eaglets have perished just like Scout and Bella’s triplets at NCTC.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 5th May 2025

Today’s news is that Blue 536 has been given a name: Aurora. George WTS comments: Now that it looks like 536 is going to stick around we have decided to call her Aurora. This is a popular girl’s name in Scotland these days. Its root meaning is “dawn” which vibes well for her as a new beginning for Garry and Nest One. It is also a nod to the northern lights aka aurora borealis. Aurora strengthened her claim to Garry LV0 and his nest by bring some moss and a tiny twig and doing a little gentle nestoration. Garry on the other hand spent time mating but didn’t bring any fish, although we suspect he is providing fish to her away from the nest. His tally remains at thirty six. It was far busier on Nest Two, where Louis and Dorcha had at least two incursions by intruder Ospreys, and Louis spent much time fighting aerial battles. He still managed to find time to fish, and brought one fish to the nest, raising his tally to sixty eight. The overnight forecast is for a clear sky and light winds, and sunny intervals tomorrow. 

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.39.32 (04:10.24); Nest Two 22.57.08 (04.21.44)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/VvL_ZaQsu7s N1 Woodland Trust have given Blue 536 a name – hello Aurora! 06.10.22

https://youtu.be/PNRVXZc0NDU N2 Louis alarm calls as an intruder Osprey flies overhead 08.10.56

https://youtu.be/GVFzskmn1_s N2 Dorcha’s fish number one and only finally arrives 16.16.04

https://youtu.be/SYZq9BrLbWs N2 An unringed Osprey intrudes on Louis who gives chase 16.28.58

Bonus read – plan to connect rainforest habitat from Cornwall to Scotland

https://www.scotsman.com/hays-way/scotland-included-in-ps40m-project-to-connect-rainforest-habitat-along-uk-coastline-5112723

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/vi57aF6RvWs  N1 Aila suffers an owl strike 2019 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/50n9gpytiy4   N1 A typical night on the nest for Aila 2020

https://youtu.be/fCzbYErsSgA  N1 Persistent Hoodie won’t leave Aila alone 2020 (Slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/pBzJsBFIzek  N1 Strange Osprey lands on the empty nest 2023

https://youtu.be/Rg-hxBiPEPM  N2 Louis has an aerial encounter with an intruder 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/4KzkpgYcDBc  N1 Aida arrives fish calling, Garry LV0 arrives with moss but ignores her 2024

https://youtu.be/eX9kUX1m6QM N1 Aida wants fish, Garry wants to mate and gets rejected 2024

https://youtu.be/J0T2g4AjXv0 N2 Finally – Louis delivers the first fish to Dorcha 2024

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Geemeff sends us a good news story about Laysan Albatross, Wisdom!

74 years old, she is a marvel, has a chick this year: https://friendsofmidway.org/the-wisdom-ohana-family/

Yes, we get attached to them!!!!!!!!!!! Citizens in Wales love their ospreys.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/03/nesting-ospreys-villagers-excited-wales-usk-valley?CMP=share_btn_url

Why should wildlife ever lose out? But especially when there is criminal activity underway?

Why should wildlife lose to businesses underpinned by criminal activity Mark Carwardine on driven grouse shooting BBC Wildlife MagazineDownload

If you are a member of Ospreys of Nova Scotia, voting is now underway for three names for Ethel and Oscar’s 2025 chicks! Great names suggested! And voting made easy. Just click on the name.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care! We hope to see you again soon!!!!!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, MP, PB’, Cornell Bird Lab Red-tail Hawk, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Cam, Trempeauleau Bald Eagle Cam, White Rock Eagles/D Hancock Foundation, LDF, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Ospreys, Glacier Gardens Eagles, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, West Point Eagle Nest, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Xcel Energy, Friends of Midway, The Guardian, Raptor Persecution UK

Sunday in Bird World

4 May 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

Morning Update: Glacier Gardens streaming cam is now live and Liberty appears to have a new mate!

NEFlorida: Gabby brought Bodie two fish on Saturday! Yippee.

Ciril Nest, Threave: Mary Cheadle has posted that PF4, the unringed female that came to the nest, is none other than Laddie LM12 and Blue NC0’s fledgling from 2023! Oh, how wonderful that one of their chicks, who had one of the harshest starts in terms of weather and lack of food, is alive.

Saturday was a long day. It took nearly three hours over rolling hills, past farmer’s planting their fields, and ponds full of ducks and geese. The trip to pick up Toby was magical and so good for our souls.

Toby is tired. He slept all the way from his home in the country with his brothers and sisters to the City. He played for a bit with a tiny rope chew toy and he is now asleep again. The Girls have been curious, but not aggressive in any way. I don’t think they know ‘what’ Toby is! The key is going to be making certain that each and everyone of them does not feel left out but gets lots and lots of love and cuddles.

Calico looking at me wanting to know what ‘that thing’ is!

I don’t think Hugo Yugo had seen anything so tiny – and Toby is VERY tiny.

Toby likes to be held or be in his very soft bed. Nothing else.

Toby is going to fit into the family just fine. All I had to do was look over at Don’s face as he held Toby on the trip home and well, I melted. A gentle puppy for a very gentle man.

I am going to check on a few nests but before that Geemeff sends us the daily summary for Loch Arkaig – and oh, goodness, poor Dorcha. The owls are at it again!

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 3rd May 2025

Another day of low activity and nothing out of the ordinary. Dorcha and Louis continue to take turns incubating the three eggs, Dorcha gets a break to eat, bathe, and stretch her wings when Louis brings fish and takes over egg-sitting, and Louis does whatever male Ospreys do when they’re not fishing, egg-sitting, or patrolling their territory. Louis brought one fish today, taking his tally to sixty six, while over on Nest One, Garry brought two fish to take his tally to thirty five. Blue 536 continues to come to the nest and Garry continues making mating attempts, not always successful. However, he seems to have developed a teasing strategy whereby he brings a whole fish to the nest, shows it to her then takes off with it, returning it headless a little later and only on the second go round letting her take it. Interesting times on Nest One. The dry weather’s set to continue with an overnight forecast of partly cloudy with a gentle breeze, and sunny intervals tomorrow.

EDIT: So much for nothing out of the ordinary – after this report was filed, a Tawny Owl struck Dorcha. Neither she nor the eggs were harmed. We’ve been hearing owls for some time and anticipating a strike and it’s come tonight – when will the next one happen?

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.25.48 (04.30.05); Nest Two 22.24.58 (04.39.52)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/-UydAzTc7fw N1 Garry LV0 brings and takes away a whole fish, returns it headless to Blue 536 13.17.07

https://youtu.be/hmAqX1qE0FM N1 Yet again Garry LV0 makes Blue 536 wait for the fish 16.20.24

https://youtu.be/QtzXJFp8qDc N2 Louis does a flyby before landing and giving Dorcha this late first fish 16.37.49

https://youtu.be/vQ2GdD48Pqw N2 Tawny Owl strikes Dorcha! 22.58.41 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

Bonus watch – stunning drone footage of the two nests, filmed last year before the birds returned of course:

https://youtu.be/HKIxtz_ICXU N1

https://youtu.be/wiSNcrl7_mM N2

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/_ldayacEJVk  N1 Domestic abuse? Aila makes Louis move 2020

https://youtu.be/O66MzVbKdEk  N1 Louis chases a Hoodie wanting his fish 2020

https://youtu.be/EXKZvJIsSnU  N1 Poor old Louis! First a kick then a bit of fish stuck in his beak 2020

https://youtu.be/U-5w06vRVgc  N2 Dorcha wears a fake moustache 2022

https://youtu.be/475Qa4mMr_M  N2 Louis gets a bashing with a big stick 2022

https://youtu.be/aGybeh25I3I  N2 Size matters! Coal Tit is startled by Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/hr9oHiTH2EA  N2 Mute button needed as Dorcha sees Louis bringing dinner 2023

https://youtu.be/9NftDmPybXk  N1 Garry brings fish number one for hollow-cropped Aida 2024 

https://youtu.be/mmOwq1QEOTQ  N2 Louis misjudges landing with a big stick 2024

https://youtu.be/zp36YlZE3yA  N2 Two Lesser Redpolls arrive and one perches near Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/eAqcolh9_VQ  N1 Woodland visitors: Tree Pipit, Coal Tit, Wren 2024

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Usk Valley Ospreys: No birds breeding in the valley for at least 250 years. This pair is much loved and they made The Guardian! Will they turn out to be super media stars like Jackie and Shadow?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/03/nesting-ospreys-villagers-excited-wales-usk-valley?CMP=share_btn_url

Cornell Red Tail Hawk Cam: Arthur has brought in a bird and some other type of prey for Big Red, their first hatch of the season. It is a rainy, wet day. I am beaming like a godmother!

This little one is O1. Sometimes I think Big Red will make it til the end of the alphabet! What an amazing hawk.

Sunday is rainy in Ithaca.

White Rock Eagles: ‘PB’ reports that Mum fed the two eaglets the leftover duck, and instead of fighting, they ate and had crops. Mum later brought in a fish for the two of them. If the males leave this nest alone, we might see a female not only incubate but also raise eaglets without help. I hope she makes it! Send such good energy.

The eaglets are the 25th and 26th of this great Mum and they are named Yankee and Zulu.

Hellgate Canyon: Iris took a break – a very short one – and the Ravens came and took the second egg.

Trempealeau Bald Eagles: Mum and Baby are holding their own. Just smiling.

Duke Farms: It feels like fledge is coming soon. Eagles fledge from 10-14 weeks and can spend from a month to three or four months in the area of the nest being trained and fed by parents.

FOBBV: Beautiful Gizmo and Sunny at Big Bear are getting as anxious as the Duke Farms eaglets to fly.

Charlo Montana: The second egg has arrived for Charlie and Lola.

Much news coming out of the UK:

Police are seeking information on the killing of two Red Kites.

Police Scotland appeal for information after two Red Kites found poisoned in Castle Douglas – RaptorDownload

Two men charged in relation to the killing of the Red Kites in Cairngorms.

Two men charged in relation to illegal killing of Red Kites in Cairngorms National Park – Raptor PerDownload

Gamekeeper in court accused of killing Hen Harriers.

Gamekeeper due in court today in connection with alleged shooting of hen harrier on grouse moor in YDownload

Gamekeeper appears in court and pleads not guilty to offenses against Hen Harriers.

Gamekeeper Racster Dingwall pleads not guilty to two charges relating to alleged conspiracy to killDownload

You are invited to a free webinar (you do need to register) with the Cornell Bird Labs: Here is the information:

Red-tailed Hawk by Cynthia Sedlacek
Red-tailed Hawk by Cynthia Sedlacek
Dear Friend, More than 1 billion birds are killed from collisions with windows every year. Fortunately, affordable and effective solutions are available for residents just like you! Join the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for a free, virtual webinar to learn how YOU can make the windows at your home safer for birds. Everyone who attends will be entered to win up to $500 in bird-window collision deterrents.* Register today, spots are limited!
When?WednesdayMay 14, 20257:00 p.m. EDT
Where?Zoom Platform
How?RegistrationRequired
To register, click the button below or copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Lh-fQfXFQsWWBPiibRqjUQ
Register to Reserve Your Spot!
*The prize-drawing winner will receive a gift card for $500 to apply toward products to deter bird-glass collisions. The winner will be randomly selected and notified on May 15, 2025, at the email address they provide during registration. We hope to see you there, Dr. Tina PhillipsOn behalf of the Bird-Friendly Action TeamCornell Lab of Ornithology
This webinar is part of a research initiative conducted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology about our outreach to reduce window strikes. You must be 18 years of age or older to register. By registering, you consent to sharing your name and email address as part of the study, but we will code and remove any personal information so the data are anonymous and not personally identifiable. 
cornell-lab-logo-full-white

That is it for me today. It is time to pay some attention to a very late dinner and some four legged friends. Take care everyone! See you soon.

Thank you to everyone for their notes and to those who especially sent me the sometimes vulgar ads that appeared on my blog. I have sent these to WP trying to determine what has happened. Thank you to those that sent notes, posts, images, videos, ideas, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, PB’, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Cornell Bird Lab Red-tail Hawks, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Lab, White Rock Eagles and Hancock Wildlife Foundation, Trempeauleau Bald Eagle Cam, Duke Farms, FOBBV, Charlo Montana/Raptor Resource Project, Raptor Persecution UK, Cornell Bird Labs, Glacier Gardens, NEFL-AEF

Saturday in Bird World

3 May 2025

Good Morning All,

Morning Update: The first hatch of Big Red and Arthur comes in some pouring rain – last I checked the little one is almost free of the egg. BR is keeping it dry!

My Friday newsletter was hacked. Ads originating with Facebook appeared where the information images and posts from the White Rock Eagles should have been. I have sent this to WordPress. At the same time, I am so sorry. I will be removing all information other than my own wording about White Rock today in the event that their posting is ‘infected’ as WP thinks it could be. Please let me know if you see other ads. They should not appear. Thank you, Geemeff and Heidi, for calling this to my attention.

Calico and Hugo Yugo are helping me write to you today. Calico is a typical toddler – the minute their parent gets on the telephone, they want attention and will do anything for it including walking all over the keyboard! Hugo Y is more interested in a large basket that has appeared in the conservatory and Missey has decided, along with Baby Hope, that the best thing to do today is have a nap. The sitting room is clean enough a baby could eat off the floor. There is positively nothing that could go into a puppy’s mouth including the much loved peants in the shell that the girls like to use for hockey late in the day. The deck has been cleared and the feral feeder has been moved. No need for heated bowls anywhere but water will be very welcome as it is to be – yes, hold it, 25 degrees C tomorrow when we pick up Toby. He might need a cooling pad even with the AC in the car. Unbelievable. Winter to what would have been the very heat of summer and it is just May. I fear for our birds this year.

The biggest news of the day is that Bodie flew. Our first miracle of the year has flown. Friday morning. Bodie just up and flew off the nest like a professional.

As I write this, the bird that I love the most, Big Red, the Cornell 22 year old Red-tail Hawk, has her first hatch of the 2025 season underway.

It started raining in Ithaca. I ‘hate’ rain and hatchlings. Yes, to be sure, Big Red and Arthur are perfectly capable of keeping the eggs warm and dry and any hatchling the same. What I dislike is when the cold and the damp set in and take over the next and little ones die of what we might simply call a ‘cold’. It is harder to feed them when it is pitching rain and prey scrambles to keep itself dry, too, so might not be as abundant. Let us hope that the rain subsides.

What was your ‘Spark’ Bird when you first started watching the streaming cams? If you are inclined, I would love to include your initials and your comments in my blog.

‘PB’ wrote that she is enamoured with the little eyases at the San Jose City Hall falcon cam.

What about the little falcons at Lincoln Cathedral? They are darlings!

Most of what I hear, over and over again and in my own head, is the silence at The Campanile and the difficulty in realising that Annie is gone. Those were such beautiful years that she gave us with her mates always raising beautiful fledglings. DDT took them and now it appears HPAI is destroying the remaining numbers.

Will my grandchildren even get to hear the beautiful songs of birds? I wonder.

We have falcons in Canada, too!

There are four little falcons at Union County now! https://youtu.be/Bw1fUWiVJOc?

Salisbury Cathedral:

Tewkesbury: So cute. It has been a very rough year for the eagle families, and the ospreys will have a difficult time. Is it time for us to step up and watch the smaller raptors – the hawks and the falcons?

Duke Farms: Just look at them looking out to their world.

Xcel Energy, Fort St Vrain: Eaglets in heraldic pose. Tried to shade under Mum today. Appear to be doing well.

Two other miracles at the Big Bear Valley nest of Jackie and Shadow are preparing to fly.

Sauces: Betty Lou is one ‘big’ gal! She has done so well and is another of the miracles from 2025 that we should never forget.

Farmer Derek GHO nest of Bonnie, Clyde, and Starr: As you will remember, Starr fludged unexpectedly. She returned to the nest. Androcat has it all on video in case you missed it earlier. https://youtu.be/7A4kOTOF1kg?

Geemeff’s Daily summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 2nd May 2025  

Today was mainly quiet apart from Louis & Dorcha being buzzed by a low-flying intruder Osprey. The ringed intruder didn’t land nor did s/he give us a good look at its blue Darvic ring but as it was worn on the left leg, we know it’s a Scottish Osprey. Louis brought two fish to the nest taking his tally to sixty five, and two fish were brought to Nest One taking that tally to thirty three. However, the second fish unusually arrived carried in by Blue 536 rather than by Garry, although it’s suspected he handed it to her off-nest. The weather forecast states light rain and light winds overnight, but keep in mind the nests are exposed at the tops of tall trees so the conditions might not be that light. However the forecast for tomorrow is brighter and drier with light clouds, a gentle breeze, and a few sunny spells.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.08.52 (04.39.22); Nest Two 22.02.14 (04.44.57)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/J5_6QOg7l8I N2 Sweet birdsong greets fish number one  05.23.07

https://youtu.be/WLLCALZOinI N1 Blue 536 gets the first fish from Garry LV0 the second times 05.34 20

https://youtu.be/Cp3WkBSAZ_I N2 Intruder Osprey buzzes Louis & Dorcha10.05.54 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/oKoy1bMp2AY N2 10-second handover for fish number two 15.00.36

https://youtu.be/vF0HagQMSb8  N1 fish number two but it’s B536 who brings it! 16.336.56

Bonus read – what do Rhizocore, Woodland Trust and magic mushrooms have in common?https://www.rhizocore.com/blog-3-1/500000-rhizopellets-planted

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/0Rw_H0C8-SE  N1 Owl strike on unsuspecting Aila 2020 (Slo-Mo)

https://youtu.be/JJRPS8QYvpY  N1 Lockdown Ospreys star on BBC Breakfast 2020

https://youtu.be/rwa2_9rR24Q  N1 WT’s Dr Jessica Maxwell discusses the nest on BBC Breakfast 2020

https://youtu.be/1syQj_jjjxw  N2 Golden variation: Dorcha is bathed in the setting sun 2022 (Classic Ospreys Bach)

https://youtu.be/efwVjBqAYpA  N2 Gerroff and go fishing! 2023

https://youtu.be/bdcOT9JEGB8 N1: Garry LV0 brings moss, flies to Pole Tree then away 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/GioCl06202I N2: Fish number one and only for Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/EKAjiNbY3A0 N2 Shadows seen near the nest at the time of the Eagle encounter 2024 (zoom)

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

White Rock, BC. It is a wonder the two little sweeties are still alive. When food is present, they fight and don’t eat getting only a few bites and then one of the intruding males takes the food. ‘PB’ writes of an incident Saturday evening: “WR 20:18-20:22 the male was on the nest moving material on top of the babies and was pecking them. He did this several times, and on his last peck on the baby’s head, mom yelled at him, and he backed off and then flew away. I’m scared this guy will kill the babies.”

Rutland Manton Bay: We will be on pip watch by the end of the week.

One of the things I am learning about having a puppy is precisely how much I do not know. At the same time, as I read Louise Glazebrooks’s book, One of the most eye-opening experiences of having a puppy is realizing just how much I have yet to learn. As I delve into Louise Glazebrook’s insightful book, “Everything Your Puppy Wants You to Know,” I can’t help but draw parallels to my husband’s journey with dementia.

Here are some essential insights that have significantly shaped my approach:

  • Never allow people to jump or lean into the carrier with the puppy—it’s crucial for their safety and comfort.
  • Ensure a calm environment for your puppy; a tranquil setting fosters a happier pet.
  • Establish a consistent routine; this creates a sense of security for your new furry friend.
  • Refrain from scolding for accidents; instead, offer praise for good behavior to encourage positive habits.
  • Invest in high-quality food for your puppies; nutrition is key to their development and health.
  • Pay close attention to your puppy’s cues—understanding their needs strengthens your bond.
  • Always ensure they go to the bathroom before breakfast; a simple step that can make a big difference in your day.
  • Be prepared to sacrifice some sleep; the rewards of companionship and unconditional love are worth it.

These lessons not only enhance my understanding as a pet owner but also serve as reminders of patience, care, and the importance of nurturing relationships.Everything your puppy wants you to know‘, I am reminded of my husband with dementia. Don’t let people jump and lean into them in a carrier. Keep the puppy calm. Establish a routine. Do not scould for accidents. Give praise for things well done. Feed the puppies good food. Listen to what your puppy is saying. Make sure they go to the bathroom before breakfast! Be prepared to lose sleep.

I am smiling. My father always had a dog. Surely I have told you this many, many times. The first was, of course, the three-legged terrier, Trixie. Then there was a Manchester Terrier. Somewhere in the mix was a poodle that my dad just knew I would love. His last dog came from a family that dumped three Doberman puppies next to our fence in a box. People knew my dad would feed any animal or person – he could not stand for anyone to be hungry. Besides the dogs we also had cats. He stayed home from his position at Tinker Airforce Base to help with one female have her kittens. She would press her back legs against the palm of his hands. He would make sure that they were all well and that the garage was secure so the males could not come in and kill the kittens. It was a different time. No one took dogs and cats to the vet to be spayed or neutered. Later, of course, he did. The Doberman’s name was Daisy and she was the most gentle dog I ever met. She rode in the passenger seat of his car and they were never separated until he broke his hip and had to go into hospital. Daisy would have killed anyone who tried to harm my father. Thankfully no one ever did. I tear up just thinking about the two of them together. They were so peaceful, calm, and quiet together. Daisy would sit right next to my dad as he handed the Cardinals and Eastern Bluebirds in his garden. Which reminds me why I started on this – puppies, I now understand, as well as people with demential, also require lots of calm quiet time. No drama. Well, as it turns out nesting birds also need the same!

Country diary: Capercaillies need peace to survive, let’s give it to them | Amanda Thomsonhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/02/country-diary-capercaillies-need-peace-to-survive-lets-give-it-to-them?CMP=share_btn_url

I hope that Toby is as happy with our family as Daisy was with my father.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, messages, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PB’, NEFL-AEF, Cornell Bird Lab Red-tail Hawk Cam, San Jose City Hall, Lincoln Cathedral, Canadian Raptor Conservancy, UCFC, Peace, Roger Smith and Salisbury Cathedral, Teweksbury Abby Peregrine Falcons, Duke Farms, Xcel Energy Fort St Vrain Eagles, FOBBV, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust and Loch Arkaig, IWS/Explore, The Guardian, Farmer Derek Owl Cam

Friday in Bird World

2 May 2025

Hello Everyone,

As we prepare for the arrival of Toby, my time is running out. Anything that could fit into a small mouth must go into hiding along with ‘precious’ rugs, shoes, etc. Cords must be taped to the wall so they cannot be seen. It is a big learning curve from having cats! As a result, my blog will be brief for the next several days. I will try to catch the latest news and follow up on the White Rock and Trempealeau eagle nests and any happenings in the UK.

Cornell Red-tail Hawks: On Thursday, Big Red and Arthur have their first pip of the 2025 season.

Here is the video: https://youtu.be/lPqiUSN3wwE?

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: ‘MP’ alerts us to a new couple on the nest. “I don’t know if you are aware of this nest having 2 new osprey residents. A new male and female. The nest looks amazing compared to the other resident’s nests.”

 

‘AR’ sent me a great good news story to share with you! One lucky Eagle.

https://www.fox13news.com/news/sarasota-county-man-dives-lake-save-eagle-this-is-symbol-america-man

White Rock, BC Bald Eagle nest. Read this carefully – the female incubated the eggs alone for 42 days. She might be fine if the males would stop stealing the food. Then there is the issue of the heat. This nest needs a sunshade! They are the sweetest little eaglets and well, I do not believe this is going to end well. Maybe all these eagles should take a page out of the osprey playbook from Threave!

The latest post on the White Rock eaglets from Terry Anita:

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Weird and Wonderful Secondhan

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Kathryn Russell

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Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News

Terry Anita  · ronsdpteSou2hugui4cu78lc9itlhaliu5h4983cilc65837219m7utc6th0  · 

5/2/25 This is the White Rock, BC, Canada post for today. Please comment here. I’ll be updating & adding screenshots & info throughout the day. Eagles Mom (Dad missing) 2 eaglets. Hatched 4/30/25.

Screenshot 1: The male with the missing feathers above the right eye visits the nest. #2: Mom and male fly out. #3 Eaglets looking good this morning. Mom returns with no food. Male returns, digs in the nest for leftovers, then leaves.

These are believed to be Moms 25th and 26th eaglets. She has a lot of experience. But the circumstances are so difficult. She just spent 42 days incubating alone. And if it wasn’t for the males stealing all the food she brought in. She’d be in a better position, with left overs in the pantry. Local residents have left out grasses for her, to line the nest. But she hasn’t taken them. She’s doing the very best she can. The eaglets are also left alone in full sun on that nest. And are way too young to be able to regulate their temperature. All we can do is keep positive vibes going. This is a very big uphill battle for Mom.

Live cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suz5R5mBV7s

There are other nests in close proximity. And many bald eagles in the area. There have been several males vying for Mom since Dad went missing. However most of the males seem more intent on taking food from the nest, than anything else. Mom has been tolerant of a few of these males and mated with more than one of them. The area gets a lot of eagles visiting when the herring run takes place. The White Rock, BC herring run typically happens in spring, with the most intense activity usually occurring in early to mid-March. The exact timing is unpredictable, but it generally begins in late February or early March and can continue into April.

We are watching nature unscripted. Should it become distressing to watch. Please step away & take a break.. Please do not try and compare this situation with other nests. No two nests, eagles or circumstances are the same.

Backstory. Mom is not a first time Mom. She’s been in the area for several years. And is believed to have had around 26 hatches, including this seasons eaglets. The male (Dad) went missing shortly after the first egg was laid. That egg was left unattended for over 11 hours and deemed non viable. The second egg was laid. But with her mate missing the female had to incubate the eggs alone. She was obviously gone for long periods of time, multiple times. As she has to find food for herself. The male visitors weren’t bringing her food and had no interest in the eggs. The eggs hatched on 4/30/25.

***Several males have been around, trying to win Mom over.

You might see any one of these males on the nest, usually stealing food. It’s very difficult to distinguish one male from another… A young male “Smudge” with dark feathers on his head just above the beak is one that can be easily recognized.. Smudge has been a frequent visitor… He’s been seen for about the last month and a half, on and off. But had stayed for the past few weeks.. Smudge seemed to be invested and even brought a fish in on 4/30/25.

Update. Smudge was in a fight with another male on the evening of 4/30/25. We are waiting to see if he’ll return. Or if the male he fought with has taken his place.”

Hellgate Canyon: Iris laid the second egg on Thursday 1 May. Poor darling. I would give almost anything to see Finnegan fly onto that nest right now.

Hilton Head Eagles: E1 fledged three days ago. https://youtu.be/nGnlkFIXzbI?

FOBBV: Gizmo and Sunny are really working their wings. https://youtu.be/prd7vuG7xjY?

Heidi’s Osprey Nest Notes:

Kent Island (Chesapeake Conservancy):  There’s a new Audrey in town.  ‘Fair Lady’ beat out a couple other females and won over Tom, and she laid her first egg on 5/1 at around 11:10.  Meet Audrey4, aka simply ‘Audrey’.

OBX (Outer Banks):  Oh my, what an early rough start to the season it was for Betsy and Frederick.  There were so many intruders and battles.  But, finally things settled down and Betsy laid her first egg of the season on 5/1 at 14:07.  This first egg is almost a month later than last season.

My inbox continues to be filled with the most devastating news for wildlife that I have witnessed in my lifetime.

Each of you should know the name ‘Wisdom’, the oldest ringed bird in the world, a Laysan Albatross, who nests on the Midway Atoll. So when you read the following, sent in by Geemeff, I want you to think about ‘Wisdom’ and I hope that this will cause you to act to fight against any policies that destroy the lives of those, like Wisdom, who cannot speak for themselves.

Now is Our time!

Spinner dolphin

A Nai’a (Spinner Dolphin) springs forth on Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) 2025
Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Volunteer Joe Owen

Supporters of Friends of Midway Atoll (FOMA) are needed now more than ever to be the voice for the public lands and waters known as Kuaihelani (the backbone of  heaven), which is designated as a National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial within the larger Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM).  The Administration has reduced the federal workforce, is proposing new policies and rescinding long-standing environmental policies, all of which are negatively impacting the ability to conserve, honor and protect our Nation’s public lands and waters.   

With these unprecedented challenges, the FOMA Board is committed to sharing specific requests and calls to action via this newsletter and our newly launched advocacy web page here.  Addressing and finding solutions to the critical needs of wildlife and people on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway National Memorial has our sleeves rolled up. We are positioned to help but the need is greater than our current capacity.  

One Way to Help

FOMA takes its responsibilities seriously by aligning your donations with priority conservation needs that cannot be met by the refuge. We promise to continue to direct our funds to projects that offer immediate support for wildlife, bridge the financial gaps needed to continue collecting one of the longest sets of seabird data on the planet, share the stories and magic of Midway, and supplement core volunteer functions lost to budget and personnel cuts. As an example, the current refuge volunteer coordinator position will be vacated and unfunded in May.  However, your donations have enabled FOMA to fund a volunteer coordinator position to mentor, train, and lead a 4-person crew of 6-month volunteers to implement critical on-the-ground conservation work. This will allow critical work to continue without losing ground to protect species and their habitats.

We are exploring creative ways to support Midway, including directing FOMA funds to pay contractors who can continue to protect habitats from invasive species. After nearly 3 decades of continuous effort, the refuge is close to eradicating Verbesina encloides; and stepping back now is inconceivable. Additionally, we will ensure efforts continue to honor those who fought in the Battle of Midway.  We also commit to building a relationship with the PMNM Culturally Working Group while illuminating the cultural significance of Kuaihelani by honoring native Hawaiian species and place names. 

Heavy Hearted Farewells

As a result of recent actions by this Administration to reduce the federal workforce, Midway has lost critical  operational and administrative staff capacity. In February 2025, Midway Atoll and its sister Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge lost their supply, shipping and travel logistics coordinator, Dan Link.  This is a critical position given the logistics of supporting these remote refuges in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.   On Friday, April 17th Midway Atoll lost its full-time Budget Analyst who managed Midway Atoll’s budget including paying bills, making purchases and supporting large contracts. 

Also on April 17th we bid a heavy-hearted farewell to an irreplaceable brain trust  in the Pacific Islands Refuges and Monuments Office in Honolulu that provided direct support to Midway Atoll and the other refuges and monuments in the Pacific.  We bid farewell to Science Manager for the Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative Jeff Burgett, Refuges and Monuments Area Supervisor Ric Lopez, Deputy Area Supervisor Susan White, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist Beth Flint, Biology Science Technician Anna Vallery, Administrative Officer Eloise Wong and Wildlife Biologist Megan Laut (pictured below).

support office for all the National Wildlife Refuges 2025

 Photo by: USFWS/Laura Beauregard 

These individuals were the backbone of the support office for all the National Wildlife Refuges including the Battle of Midway National Memorial and the Marine National Monuments in the Pacific. Their cumulative time spent working at the field level for wildlife (and people too) along with upper level managerial and planning experience is measured in centuries of knowledge, passion, intellect and wisdom. Known throughout the Pacific for their expertise, these now former employees had to secure their files and walk out the door with only a few days’ notice.

The impact of this loss will be felt for decades and has crippled the ability of those remaining to protect Midway and meet the mission of the agency.  Unfortunately, this is just the beginning as more staff cuts are anticipated as well as a possible Reduction in Force.  Along with budget and staff reductions, Executive Orders to eliminate previous provisions to protect nature further threaten the ability to conserve fish and wildlife in these extraordinary and unparalleled environments.  

Imminent Threats to Midway’s Wildlife and What You Can Do!

Unfortunately, these warp speed actions by the Administration are now producing major threats to wildlife and habitat through the dismantling of federal laws protecting the islands, reefs, and waters at PMNM and more urgently at Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIHMNM). This monument encompasses 7 National Wildlife Refuges and protects wildlife that knows no ocean boundaries as they transit in the greater oceanic ecosystem. 

pacific-remote-islands-sharks (1).jpg

Grey reef sharks and schools of anthias in the waters of Jarvis Island, Pacific Remote Island Areas Marine National Monument. President Biden has an opportunity to fully protect the area. (Kelvin Gorospe/NOAA/2017)

In an effort to create a collective strength in numbers, we will continue to highlight the most pressing threats and point to those non-profit organizations protecting these monuments. On our webpage you will find links to recent executive orders or actions that seek public comment. We will also provide clear guidance and helpful tips. 

Now is our time to hoist the sails and voyage together. We feel honored to join you and look forward to speaking out together for what we deeply value as we malama (take care of) Kuaihelani.  

I Mua! 

In the Hawaiian language the words I Mua mean to “move forward” or “move ahead” towards a goal and can express a deep commitment to support a feeling, an idea, a person or a cause. 

Mahalo for all your support,
Your Friends of Midway Atoll
 
friendsmidway@spanchoo

We need to treasure and protect them.

Farmer Derek Kansas Bald Eagle Nest: Continually hit by owl strikes. https://youtu.be/JPBxkZYEXn4?

As many of you might recall, I have praised the wildlife vet, Dr Tess, that has spent the last year at our rehabilitation clinic, Wildlife Haven. She maintains that wildlife are more resilient and can survive with many physical challenges. What this means is that new wildlife vets like Dr Tess are reluctant to simpy euthanise wildlife simply because they are missing a limb or have an inconvenient broken bone. ‘MP’ sent me an example of another surviving nicely in the wild with one leg! They write, “This is an example of what you were talking about. Ron Dudley captured this photo of a Brewer’s Blackbird missing a foot but still able to go on. It didn’t stop her from gathering nesting materiel for her nest. She was just as efficient as the other females. Only the female builds the nest in this species, as you probably know. So, all the males around just sat back and watched. They appear to have big feet too. I thought you’d be interested in seeing it play out in real time.”

Border Ospreys: Samson and Augusta have their first egg of the season!

FIRST EGGDownload

San Jose City Hall: There is joy to be found. Look at those crops. Thank you, ‘PB’.

A magnificent rescue!

Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest: T3 is getting stuffed. Despite male taking food, the little one is doing well. Please send good positive energy.

How thoughtful.

Geemeff’s daily summary for Loch Akraig and The Woodland Trust:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 1st May 2025
After an absence of a few hours which had us feeling a little edgy in case Blue 536 was ‘doing an Aida’, she turned up on Nest One ready to accept fish and mating advances from Garry LV0, and succeeded in getting both. Just as well, as females need ongoing mating for egg production to be stimulated, and the male needs to deliver a steady supply of fish to keep the female’s interest. Bearing in mind that Aila & Louis met on 28th April, mated for the first time on 29th April and still managed to fledge a chick in time to migrate, this pair are in line with that schedule so there is still an outside chance of chicks on this nest this season. Garry’s three fish deliveries take his tally to thirty one, and over on Nest Two, Louis also delivered three fish to Dorcha, raising his tally to sixty three. There was a bit of rain today, but the Inver Mallie forecast for tonight and tomorrow is more settled, with light clouds and light breezes.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.08.23 (04.37.31); Nest Two 22.03.42 (04.43.17)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/ilG9n0vf8YE N1 Garry LVO brings a fish to the empty nest 05.06.50 

https://youtu.be/jIX9worErpA N2 Dorcha stays on the nest to dine on the first fish 11.02.05 https://youtu.be/gHoeec_K298 N1 Successful mating after a short absence 11.29.39 

https://youtu.be/CggxUpYOh3M N1 Another successful mating 11.51.15 https://youtu.be/vfGb0sFlXtk N2 Dorcha does a grab and go with the second fish 13.39.56https://youtu.be/EfXhITns0qo N1 Blue 536 grabs the second fish immediately  14.16.16 https://youtu.be/ym2B_bnn8SA N1 Fish number three is very well travelled! 16.23.16 https://youtu.be/iHguhJna2Os N2 Dorcha wastes no time taking the third fish 19.04.28 

Bonus lesson – how to pronounce Dorcha’s name:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/Easandorcha.shtml

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/l-f7VaXK21A  N1 Two red deer graze near the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/fnHg9LxETHA  N1 Louis pays a flying visit 2021 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/wE6nWxP8JTU  N2 Dorcha’s third egg arrives just after midnight 2022

https://youtu.be/w3jSNo9VC3g  N1 Affric & Prince are back with moss! 2022

https://youtu.be/KiQW-kUOBnM  N2 Louis is oblivious as a bat flits around 2022

https://youtu.be/iF-53Y6h0IA  N2 Dorcha’s finally able to persuade Louis to leave 2022

https://youtu.be/7fF-jH2_83k  N2 Dorcha tells Louis off for taking so long 2023

https://youtu.be/0wwxhyiiz24 N1 Aida arrives with the sunrise, Garry is heard but not seen 2024

https://youtu.be/oHU-qlnE6lQ  N2 Intruder flying nearby causes Dorcha & Louis to flee the nest 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

https://youtu.be/8mdWTR5kpcE  N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish but Aida’s not there 2024 (zoom)

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. We hope to see you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, posts, letters, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘AR, Geemeff, Heidi, MP, PB’, Cornell Red-tail Hawk Cam, Cornell Bird Lab, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Fox News, Hilton Head Eagles, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Friends of Midway Atoll, Pukaha National Wildlife Centre, Farmer Derek Kansas City Bald Eagle Nest, San Jose City Hall, Deborah Victoriana Friends of Duke Farms, Raptor Resource Project, Kent Island, OBX, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust

Thursday in Bird World

1 May 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

It is May! The grass is getting green. There are buds on the trees and our favourite market garden opened for the season on Wednesday. Everyone was so happy and couldn’t help but let that spill over to saying hello to everyone! Fantastic. Happiness is contagious.

The White Crowned Sparrows have returned form their migration and spent the morning scratching in the garden. Lovely to have them back.

We are getting ready to pick up Toby on Saturday. Yes, there has been a name change! Yesterday we connected with some neighbours on our walk that had small dogs. It is going to be fun! Toby passed his vet check on Wednesday except for a tiny hernia which will be repaired when he is fixed.

We also noticed how many birds are now nesting in a type of evergreen, a small upright one, since the large elm trees have been cut down in our neighbourhood. Today we are going out to get several of these trees. They grow fast and will give some added protection for our garden friends including the rabbits that like to hide under them.

Hugo Yugo wants to wish everyone a wonderful May Day from her favourite spot in the house. No worries about Toby jumping up there.

Heidi sends some nest news for us:
Osoyoos osprey nest:  The first egg of the season was laid on 4/30 at 21:27.


South Cape May:  Congratulations to Hera and Zeus on their second egg, laid on 5/1 at 07:37.

Geemeff sends us the daily summary for the Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 30th April 2025

This day last year was all about Aida, the ten-day wonder we thought would be Garry LV0’s mate but who disappeared as soon as she was given a name! Things look very different on Nest One this year however, as Blue 536 arrived on 18th April and has not only allowed Garry to mate successfully with her but has also brought nesting materials and shown Affric 152 the door when she came calling. Garry brought two fish to the nest, taking his tally to twenty eight. However, something unseen caused him to startle and fly off the empty nest with the second fish, dragging bits of bedding as he went. There was no sign of Blue 536 and no intruder caught on nest cam. The residents of Nest Two continued calmly, no alarms, just routine, with three fish delivered by Louis raising his tally to fifty nine. We are now potentially three weeks away from first hatch. The weather was settled and sunny but light rain is expected tonight through to mid morning, and cloudy for the rest of the day.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.03.57 (04.19.43); Nest Two 22.02.10 (04.38.42)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/Jne_dpBphq0 N2 Dorcha departs with the first fish in a beak hold 09.21.29https://youtu.be/SsW5LJKZSBk N1 Garry LV0 brings Blue 536 the first fish of the day 11.00.50https://youtu.be/VEXgE-ScSkQ N2 Is this second fish a Brown Trout or a Silver Tourist? Dorcha doesn’t mind which! 13.48.54 

https://youtu.be/5XmPB_jp2N8 N1 Why does Garry LV0 flee the empty nest with fish number two? 19.43.35

https://youtu.be/s52rukepjLI N2 DeliverLouis: A nice fish supper arrives for Dorcha 19.54.11

Bonus listen – latest Woodland Walks podcast from Adam Shaw about another Woodland Trust temperate rainforest like Arkaig Forest:

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/ZIC6oJaL_EM  N1 Cheeky Hoodie annoys Louis 2017

https://youtu.be/tg86hWM2aIA   N1 Is it the Tawny Owl disturbing Aila? 2020

https://youtu.be/PoQ1BlwQBTE  N1 Little plucker! Aila’s drastic action to make Louis move 2020

https://youtu.be/dDUQS2FK7Yw  N2 Shouldn’t laugh but.. poor Dorcha! 2022

https://youtu.be/PhoMl4grLhI  N2 Louis removal aids! 2023

https://youtu.be/Rwc5CsbBa3w  N1 She’s back and she’s got a name – meet Aida! 2024

https://youtu.be/5wDe16_t_eE  N1 Aida gets a fish from her boyfriend Garry 2024    

https://youtu.be/3rZnQ5f8Qn4  N1 Aida seems willing, Garry makes several attempts but no success yet 2024

https://youtu.be/k5rxoSg2D44   N2 Intruder Osprey touches down next to Dorcha 2024 (slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/RU2k7NeBRZ8  N1 Aida screams for fish but Garry’s eaten it all 2024

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

White Rock, BC: Well, the new male, Smudge, is pitching in! Can we hope that these two little eaglets that recently hatched will survive? Wishing for another nest that is compromising for the good of the hatchlings.

Little sweeties being fed by Mum.

San Jose City Hall: Cuteness overload. https://youtu.be/jbOL_HuRLbQ?

Trempeauleau Nest, Wisconsin: It is an eagle nest that I am watching closely so these are all the updates I can find.

Rutland Manton Bay Previous Fledgling: Oh, my goodness 3H3 is really making the rounds!

Great Bay Ospreys:

Charlo, Montana: Lola showing off her egg.

Hellgate Canyon: Beautiful, resilient Iris.

Sandpoint: The Canada Geese have left the property and it appears that Keo has flown by a couple of times to check and see if the property is indeed vacated.

All of the goslings made it to the water safely!

Loch of the Lowes: We now have what appears to be a stable pair on Blue NC0 and Laddie’s nest:

Denton Homes: ‘PB’ sent a great image of a dual feeding Wednesday.

Farmer Derek’s GHO Cam: Starr fludged Tuesday night. Androcat has the mishap on video: https://youtu.be/7A4kOTOF1kg?

German White Storks: ‘TU’ sends us news: “German white storks Sissi and Franz had 4 eggs and few attacks on the nest. Few of them happened even at night time so we could see battles in black and white ) So 3 chicks hatched the same day!” https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10049613998422033&set=pcb.1375529173713873

Kakapo Recovery: Great news.

Common pesticides are killing gorgeous Corellas in Australia. It could happen anywhere.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/30/fenitrothion-cased-mass-bird-death-little-corellas-newscastle-nsw-epa-confirms-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url

Please turn the lights off!

If you live in Manitoba, consider heading to the Baby Shower at Wildlife Haven in late May.

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PB, TU’, Wildlife Haven, Ross Ellet, Kakapo Recovery, German White Stork Cam, Farmer Derek, Denton Homes, Sandpoint, Montana Osprey Project, Raptor Resource Project, Diana Lambertson and The Joy of Ospreys, Evelyn Bardoul, SK Hideaways, Terri Anita and White Rock BC Eagles, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, SCMM, Osoyoos Osprey Platform, Jeff Kear and UK Osprey Info, Rutland Osprey Project

Wednesday in Bird World

30 April 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

It is a special day for Aran at Glaslyn today! They write, “Roll back to April 30 2015. On this day ten years ago Aran landed on the Glaslyn nest for the very first time, when the original male 11(98) failed to return. He arrived just in time and raised two chicks with Mrs G that year. Ten years on and the situation at the nest is no less dramatic!” Well, done Aran.

It feels like winter hit us again! The sky is blue and the sun is shining but it is cold. The central heating is back on and my friend, who was going to put the pump in her pond, has decided to wait til the end of May!

Still, we have wildfires, and this one does not please me. It is about 20 km north of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. I go to Delta Research to see the birds, and there is an eagle family that has their nest there, which would be close to where the fires are burning.

Some Ospreys continue to arrive in Canada. It feels late, but I am not certain that it is. Will have to check the forms one day.

Snow Lane, Newfoundland: Beaumont is home. We wait for Hope.

FOBBV: Beautiful video of Sunny and Gizmo. Please savour every second we have with them. Soon they will fly and while that is their destiny, what little miracles and what amazing joy they have brought to us, to their parents Jackie and Shadow, and to one another. https://youtu.be/I4WMS9H3HrQ?

‘TU’ sends us some news: “WTE couple from Tatarstan in Russia got their chick and we hope it will be a good season. Couple of booted eagles in the same region have 2 eggs, second appeared yesterday. But as we remember for booted eagles in Spain it was always bad story for the small eaglet.”

Sad news coming out of Hancock Wildlife White Rock Bald Eagle nest:

Why can’t these chicks be moved to another nest for fostering? Or can we have intervention in the form of supplementary fish until the eaglets are old enough for Mum to leave them to go hunting? Or, pray tell, why, knowing the situation, were the eggs not moved to another nest to be hatched and raised? If you haven’t guessed by now, I believe firmly in intervention when it can occur and when there is a chance of a better outcome than watching two little eaglets starve to death.

Hellgate Canyon. Don’t pass out. Iris needed a break and probably some fish and look who came to take care of the egg. Am I dreaming?

The egg was rained on and rolled by Louis and then the Raven took it.

Beautiful Iris and her whopper of a fish.

Charlo Montana: Charlie and Lola have their first egg of the season.

Salisbury Cathedral Falcons:

Cornell Red-tail Haw cam of Big Red and Arthur: We are on pip watch.

Most of us are aware that Murphy the Eagle died some time ago. I received today and I thought I would put all of the information that was sent to me with the question by the reader: “Tragedy struck on a stormy weekend. Violent weather swept through Missouri, and Murphy was found dead in his aviary. Authorities reported that the severe storms and tornadoes that passed near the area played a role in his untimely demise. As First Alert 4 reports, a full necropsy later revealed that he sustained significant head trauma. The sanctuary stated they could not determine if the trauma resulted from a fall or from the fierce winds and heavy precipitation. This uncertainty adds to the sorrow felt by wildlife lovers and local residents alike. Additional reports highlighted the unpredictability of nature. Officials explained that Murphy had weathered many storms during his long life. Yet this particular outbreak proved too much for him. KTVI reports that his death came as a shock not only to the staff at the sanctuary but also to a community that had followed his journey closely. The sanctuary confirmed that no other birds were injured during the incident. They stressed that their safety plans had prevented further harm, though Murphy’s case remained an unfortunate exception.”

So the question is: with the reasonable accurate weather forecasting, why are not raptors and other animals/birds moved inside until the storms have passed? Sadly, I do not know the answer to this question but with climate change the increasing frequency of severe weather, one would think, if funds and staff are available, that all animals would be removed to a safe place until the storm had passed. I think here of the evacuations that occur throughout Florida.

Achieva Credit Union: According to MP, Jack and Jill are being harassed by some very persistent Blue Jays. There it is up on the perch. That Blue Jay is lucky that ospreys only like fish!

Sydney Sea Eagles: Lady and Dad have been photographed.

Heidi’s Nest Notes (please note that she does not cover every nest in the US nor every nest daily, just highlights):

South Cape May Meadows osprey nest:  The camera was down for the better part of a few days.  It was live streaming again late afternoon of 4/27 for just a couple of hours, and there were no eggs seen.  When the cam resumed again on the morning of 4/29 at 07:30, Hera was incubating one egg.  So, the egg could have been laid as early as the evening of 4/27, or on 4/28, or overnight on 4/29.  Just in case, we should be on egg watch for egg #2 by the afternoon or evening of 4/30.

While the live stream was down, a motion-sensing infrared night light was installed for the purpose of helping us see when there is activity in the dark.  The GHO has had a significant presence at the nest all season so far.  Please see the following chat posts from the Nature Conservancy of New Jersey, to explain what has been done to try to deter the owl:  

_______________

Lake Murray ospreys:  It looks as though Lucy will not have any chicks from this clutch of eggs.  Lucy laid 3 eggs and one of them broke on 3/29 (not known which egg).  Her mate, Kenny, was usurped by the current male on 3/27-3/28.  The new male (named Newman) has been bringing Lucy fish, and he has also been doing some incubating.  Even if we go out on a limb and say that the two remaining eggs are egg #2 and egg #3, they are ages 44 and 41 days on 4/30, and no sign of a pip.


4/30 – The Frenchman’s Creek chick fledged this morning at 57 days of age!  That first flight happened at 09:50, and s/he returned to the nest in just over a minute.

At Syracuse University, two of the Red-tail Hawk eggs hatched on Monday.

Geemeff writes: “Every time I hear anything at all on the subject of hen harrier persecution, my teeth start to ache from being ground very hard. What is it about this amazing bird that causes the idiots with guns who like to kill for ‘fun’ to persecute it so relentlessly? Surely the bird can’t be taking more than one grouse per day in breeding season? Given that the sport shooting industry raise and release around fifty million game birds annually simply to be shot, the very low numbers of hen harriers in the UK can’t begin to make a dent in those numbers. Even if each hen harrier took two or even ten a day, it still wouldn’t affect the vast numbers of game birds reared merely to be killed and most often not even eaten as they’re riddled with toxic lead shot.

It makes me ashamed to have a government that protects the so called ‘sport’ shooting industry.”

https://raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/04/28/138-hen-harriers-confirmed-missing-or-illegally-killed-in-uk-since-2018-most-of-them-on-or-close-to-grouse-moors/

Geemeff continues, “And another four satellite-tagged Hen Harriers have gone missing since the beginning of this year”:

https://raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/04/28/four-more-satellite-tagged-hen-harriers-have-gone-missing-since-january-2025/

Thank you, Geemeff. You are absolutely right. Anyone who wants to begin to understand just needs to read any of the many books on the topic, but I particularly like Bowland Beth.

And, sadly, it is not just your government. The cutting of funding to rangers, changes to the migratory bird act in the US, etc, make life for all wildlife very precarious. I am embarrassed and infuriated. We all should be.

Falcons and other birds need them to survive. Can we not figure out a way to get along with pigeons?

Ruffling feathers on the allotment | Brief letters  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/27/ruffling-feathers-on-the-allotment?CMP=share_btn_url

Calico’s Tip for Everyone: It’s Migration. Turn out the Lights. Ask your cities and towns to turn them off!

Trempeauleau: Mrs T at Trempeauleau Bald Eagle nest in Wisconsin is incredible. She is going to raise this little eaglet of hers to fledge. I can feel it. The baby is getting its thermal down, and there must be fish ready. Just about as soon as she catches one, or in this case, brings what appears to be a road kill possum and a fish, Mr T comes to get it to take it to the other nest. Regardless, things are going well for now. Let us all send positive wishes that they continue to do so. Is he lazy? Opportunistic? This is his eaglet, too!

Video of Mr T stealing a possum Mum brought in and then a fish. https://youtu.be/KaGPMBaL-dg?

Great Bay Ospreys: Egg #2, 4/29 at 20:05.

Xcel Fort St Vrain: Two surviving babies are doing well.

Geemeff’s daily summary for The Woodland Trust and Loch Arkaig:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 29th Apr 2025An exciting day today on Nest One where it looks like Garry LV0 and Blue 536 have mated successfully, not once but at least three times today. Furthermore, as if to fully claim possession of the nest (and Garry!), Blue 536 brought a stick to add to the furnishings. He brought her two fish taking his tally to twenty six. We wait to see how things progress, but it’s looking very good for finally having a resident pair on Nest One 

since she arrived on Friday 18th April. Over on Nest Two, Louis and Dorcha went about their usual business of giving and receiving fish and taking turns incubating the eggs, and Louis’ two fish deliveries take his tally to fifty seven. Tonight’s forecast is for clear skies and light winds, and a sunny day with gentle breezes tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.10.49 (04.47.08); Nest Two 22.25.41 (04.52.28)

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/IVnRt58Tuws N1 At last! Successful mating between Blue 536 and Garry LV0 05.13.00https://youtu.be/rOUzWiOpTpI N2 Dorcha’s keen to tear into fish number one 05.47.04https://youtu.be/Rqv12H8GHP0 N1 Handover of fish one is interrupted by an unseen intruder 10.44.31

https://youtu.be/NA39q-kBs_0 N1 Blue 536 accepts the tiny tail end of fish number two 16.50.59

https://youtu.be/il6HhuVaY2s N2 Dorcha’s happy to see Louis with fish number two 18.38.15 

Bonus action – a significant, lasting way you can support Woodland Trust and stand up for trees:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/give/gift-in-will

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/rxYqoHxXPMY  N1 Louis coy-mantles for Aila 2017

https://youtu.be/wO972vIFy8U  N1 First mating for Louis & Aila 2017

https://youtu.be/shhxI4hywlY  N1 Tawny Owl attacks Aila 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/rYQg6ow0Krg  N1 Aila helps Louis log on 2020

https://youtu.be/TCoPSKsYP4w  N1 Aila chases an intruder leaving the eggs unattended 2020

https://youtu.be/5zVFnXl94p8  N1 Affric & Prince return 2022

https://youtu.be/h0lIyo4MYQw  N1 The Art of Weave 2023 (Classic Ospreys: Bach in quicktime)

https://youtu.be/FoF0b5rBZ4s  N2  Dorcha’s glad to see Louis bringing breakfast 2024 

https://youtu.be/_ptnXEqz0JI  N1 Fish number one for Garry’s potential girlfriend 2024   

https://youtu.be/en2jZLwlbtg  N1 Garry LV0 tries and fails mating with his new female friend  2024     

https://youtu.be/KgbhdQWyOZE  N2 Dorcha’s not interested when a third fish arrives 2024 

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Dyfi: Mark the 17th of May for pip watch for Idris and Telyn.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘BHA, Geemeff, Heidi, PB, SB, TU’, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, SK Hideaways, Newfoundland Power, Terry Anita and Bald Eagles Live Nest News and Cams, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Lab, Raptor Resource Project, Salisbury Cathedral Falcons, Eagle Cam, Cornell Red Tail Hawk Cam, The Guardian, Raptor Persecution UK, Achieva Credit Union, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Trempealeau Bald Eagles, Peace, Xcel Fort St Vrain, SCMM, Lake Murray Ospreys, Frenchman’s Creek, Dyfi Osprey Project