It is late. I have been worried about Toby all day. As you are aware, he has HGE, and he had some blood in his stool this morning. I am not panicking, just monitoring and worrying, aka wringing my hands. It is entirely possible that it is the raw tenderloin from his birthday dinner; this is what the vet is thinking. I am overly sensitive since he had to spend four nights in the emergency vet clinic in late December, and I almost lost him! The Girls and Toby are often the glue that holds my life together when my husband’s dementia gets the best of me.
Toby had a wonderful birthday. New slush suit, sweaters, and hopefully a few indestructible toys! Please send him your good wishes. I hope everything is alright tomorrow, or it will be a rush to the emergency vet.
There is so much news in Bird World that I cannot keep up with all the happenings.
There are now three of the cutest little osplets at the nest of Harry and Sally at Moorings Park. Harry is one super dad and fish are plentiful.
Sally had some fish for herself when the babies were sleeping.
I am partial. I am so glad that osprey season is here – with all the bonking, the siblicide – the works. Those cute little bottoms with that light down, the dark line by the eye to protect them from the glare so they can see to do those amazing dives, even that ugly oily phase with the copper coloured feathers! Bring it on!!!!!!!!
After a 21-hour absence, Jackie (who scared the life out of many of us) has returned safely to the nest. Then she left again, leaving Shadow to incubate the eggs. Is there a female intruder in the area? I hope not. I hope she is just taking a much-needed break.
That cute Only eaglet at Duke Farms is getting its thermal down. Are there even a few pin feathers coming in??? There is enough food for several eaglets – there are no worries at this nest.
Mr North is not with us but we have the first egg for Mrs DNF and the New Male at the Decorah North Nest today.
Bluff City now has two little eaglets for Frances and Franklin at the ETSU nest. OK. Baby eaglets are also adorable!
One eaglet has hatched at the Kansas City nest of Ellie and Harvey and the second one is on pip watch. The first hatch has been named Osage.
There are now 52 new baby Kakapo. ‘J’ writes: “There are now just as many chicks, as there were adults 30 years ago when the recovery project started!!”
Another osprey nest with a couple arriving. The PKS nest – a new one to me but it is all over FB. It is the Pine Knolls Osprey Nest in North Carolina. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/7-wS9I-fj1w?
We all miss Annie and her mates at The Campanile. It seems unthinkable that no falcons are breeding at that magnificent site. ‘B’ has sent me the following note with links to articles. I urge you to read them to understand only one of the dangers that all of our avian friends face. “I thought you might be interested in this article on the impact of avian flu on Peregrine Falcons in the SF Bay Area, which appeared on the SFGATE website::
(SFGATE is a digital news site owned by Hearst. Hearst also owns the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, but SFGATE operates independently of the Chronicle.)
The article discusses results of a study conducted by a team of scientists from several institutions, where among other things they monitored occupancy of 47 known Peregrine Falcon nesting sites in the greater Bay Area. The decline of Peregrine population since the avian flu arrived in wild birds in the state in 2022 is reflected by the observation that nearly all of the 47 nest sites were occupied each year between 2000 and 2022, but in 2023 only 65% of the sites were occupied, and only 36% were occupied in 2025.
Here also is the abstract of the scientific study that the SFGATE article is based on:
Heidi reports that Marilyn has returned to the Old Town Home Osprey nest in Maryland.
‘PB’ sent me a note that there are now four eggs at the Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest.
Thank you so much for being with us for this quick post. We will be back on Monday. In the meantime, take care of yourselves.
Thank you to ‘B, H, J, PB’ for their letters and all the great information and articles they sent. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and to the authors of FB posts for generously spreading the information of happenings on the nest!
Oh, we hope that you had a lovely weekend – and were able to get outside and hear some birdsong! It is much warmer here. That is fantastic but it has meant that the walkways are icy, something that is difficult to deal with when Toby is so enthusiastic about being outside. He wears his boots with a skid pad on the bottom and they help him not to slip and slide. We have our boots with the big grips. Still, one worries a bit about falling so the walks have not been that long.
The skies are a cold, light grey. The leafless trees set against the sky like those Victorian shadow images we used to cut out of paper remind us, however, that it is still winter even if the European Starlings are getting their breeding plumage. I will be glad this year when the cold is all over. There is something that brings the spirit up when you can open the windows and walk down the street, not dressed like you are going on a Polar Bear expedition! But, I am not really complaining. The furnace is no longer churning out heat and there is the huge promise that the UK ospreys will be home in 5 weeks and on top of that Big Red will be thinking about laying her first egg. The days will speed by.
The Girls and Toby are fine, and so far, all of the regulars have made it through the winter that comes to the garden. We had thought that perhaps one of the Blue Jays was missing, but no, it appeared. What joy we had that morning. Brock makes his rounds and he was here at 0900. No doubt he will head down the street to have some food at Jane’s and sleep on her cushion. He showed up at her door when she got home from the symphony last night. I think he was watching and waiting for her to get home! You must be able to feel my excitement that he has another place to go for food and safety.
There are still 33 or more European Starlings coming to eat cat and dog kibble. As I noted earlier, their plumage is changing and some are now in breeding plumage. I hope that their nest in our lilacs and the back trees are successful this year. I adore them. Many people reject the Starlings and the Sparrows…I cannot imagine a day without their different songs. It is time to be equal in our treatment of the birds as most species, including these two, are in decline in various locations. Guardians of Nature just posted this image on FB as a reminder to us:
SK Hideaways Videos Week of 1 February 2026
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux Sauces Canyon Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Sauces Canyon Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnTsOesC6hE
Audacity Lays Egg #3 ~ Back to 2 Eggs After One Broke ~ Then Back to 1 Again (2026 Feb 6) Pretty much on schedule, Audacity laid her third egg with little fanfare or labor. After accidentally breaking one two days before, she and Jak once again had two precious eggs to tend. Best wishes for a fruitful outcome. Sadly, that egg broke just two hours after it was laid.
Audacity Accidentally Pierces Egg ~ Cleans Up Before Jak Arrives (2026 Feb 3) Audacity accidentally pierced one egg in the middle of the night. She simply stayed present, cleaned up the egg ~ taking in vital nutrients in the process ~ and appeared to revert to delayed incubation of the remaining egg. Keeping good thoughts for a replacement egg in a couple days. Video: https://youtu.be/b2cBALaGn08
Cholyn & Chase Share Sunset Rendezvous (2026 Feb 5) Cholyn and Chase are getting a lot of egg-making practice lately. Will she late earlier than her typical late February-early March timeframe? Only Cholyn knows for sure. Video: https://youtu.be/uZ9JOIGjHxQ
Cholyn & Chase Have a Frisky Morning ~ Twice (2026 Feb 2) With nesting season in full swing, Cholyn and Chase have frequent early morning rendezvous. Despite their 28 years of age and 23 years of “marriage”, they remain quite frisky at this time of year. So much so that they mated twice on the nest in less than 40 minutes. Will Cholyn surprise us with early eggs? Video: https://youtu.be/wMs45lc_3XA
West End Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | West End Eagles Cam Ops Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14 Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg Aerial Food Fight ~ Aerobatics ~ Nest Misses ~ SEDs Together 🤗 The current West End couple had an active day, starting with a spectacular aerial food fight (shown here at regular speed and slo-mo). The wind made for some fancy flying, including swooping nest approaches. At day’s end, the couple met on the night perch. Video: https://youtu.be/7b1wjDO5EWYFOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear, CA Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear ValleyNest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz Jackie and Shadow Defend Nest and Territory from Multiple Intruders 2026 Feb 7 The past few days have brought a number of unwelcome visitors to Jackie and Shadow’s habitat, which is not unusual at this time of year. They fiercely defended their nest and surrounding area from both adult eagles and ravens. Wishing them all peace and safety as they sort themselves out. Video: https://youtu.be/HMSdUZnPKM8
Tandem Feeding for Fluffballs JBS24 & JBS25 (2026 Feb 4) 10-day-old JBS24 and 9-day-old JBS25 are lucky little fluffballs. Mom and Dad have been filling them to the brim all day every day. Tandem feedings are common here and a joy to watch. Here, Mom and Dad feed both eaglets and even each other a little. Video: https://youtu.be/ge017VDe7mo
Thank you so much, SK Hideaways.
The eaglets at the Kistachie National Forest Bald Eagle nests have been named. Tonya Irwin posted the results:
Gabby and Beau’s babies have been named!
While these two are exploring what is outside the rails, E26 at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of M15 and F23 is now standing on the rails!!!!!!
In Wales, there is an osprey platform near the one at Glaslyn. It is known as Pont Cresor. The male is Z2, Aeron, one of Monty’s sons. His mate is Blue 014. They have successfully raised chicks. Friends of Osprey installs osprey platforms on private property within Wales. They often will not reveal the location for good reason. They are now adding a camera to the Pont Cresor nest. This is fantastic.
Mary Cheadle announces this:
Here’s the other notice with more information.
Z2 Aeron’s brother, Z1 Tegid of the White Egg, is also breeding in Wales. Monty’s legacy lives long and strong in others as well.
Oh, I am getting itchy osprey talons. How lucky it is that Penny Albright gets to spend her winter watching osprey! She is posting some great images on FB, too. Thanks, Penny!
Jack and Jill have been at Achieva in St Petersburg, Florida. No eggs yet.
It won’t hatch – the single egg at Frenchman’s Creek. Mum continues to come to incubte during the day but stays away at night so as not to be killed by the GHO. In fact, she was pulled off the nest the other evening and survived. Poor thing. I wish that egg would break.
Heidi reported on that owl strike:
So far all is well with Sally and Harry at Mooring’s Park. There are three eggs. Hatch watch begins on March 1.
Beth Lorenzo posted that the Pink Shell osprey nest in Florida has three eggs: Congratulations on three eggs! This is the first time I’ve seen three (2/5): does anyone happen to know when the third was laid? No big deal; I just want to write a date in my records.
Eggs are normally laid at 3 day intervals but we have seen some at 2 days and some at 4 or 5.
There is no shortage of food in the nest of Owlvira and Hoots!
The eaglets on the John Bunker Sands Wetlands nest are doing very well. The chat says: “Mom and Dad’s eggs were laid on Dec. 18 and 21. JBS 24 hatched on Jan. 25, while JBS 25 hatched on Jan. 26.”
Positive wishes for Jak and Audacity who still have a single egg to incubate. Two of the three eggs laid have broken accidentially. And hum that tune ‘All We Need is Love’ but say ‘All We Need is One!’. That got us Betty Lou. One egg is manageable. One egg is easier to cope with when there could be issues of a thinner shell. Keep sending this couple love.
Thank you so much for being with us today! Please take care of yourself. Go outside. Smell the fresh air (I hope it’s fresh), pause. Listen to the birds and read a good book. Bake some scones. We did today – SK Hideaways recipe. They were delicious. Draw, write an old friend. Think of something lovely. We will be back by the end of the week and we hope you are able to join us.
Delicious. If you would like the recipe, let me know.
A tired Toby.
Thank you to all those individuals who voted on the names for the eaglets at the Kistachie National Forest and the NE Bald Eagle nest of Gabby and Beau. Thank you to SK Hideaways for being so kind to send me their weekly list of videos, and to all those who posted information on FB and the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to watch the lives of these amazing birds.
Oh, it was a grand day today. -15 at noon. Toby went for a walk with Ellen and I got to attend to some much needed recycling. The decluttering/downsizing continues at a rampant pace which makes me feel rather happy. Less really is more! It will get colder but by next Monday, we are going to be looking at -5. One of our favourite places, Pineridge Hollow, has been closed for renovations and I plan to make it a day for Ann, Don, Toby, and me. Monday is our wedding anniversary and an outing on Tuesday to feed the chickadees and be out in the country without freezing to death is in order. Oh, I can already smell the conifer trees and hear the chickadees sing!
A few quick announcements. I had not expected to be back with you til the end of the week but…
Gosh, those eagles just keeping laying eggs and hatching and doing well!
Good news, really, at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest. E2 seems to be figuring out how to survive, and the parents are doing well. There have been some good feedings without any rivalry. If the food keeps coming – and there is a huge hunk of fish on the right side of the nest, all should be well. (I am being positive because siblicide is RARE on Bald Eagle nests compared to other species).
Jackie and Shadow now have their second egg. So egg 1 on the 23rd and egg 2 Monday, the 26th. Whoooooooo yeah! I am really hopeful as these eggs are ‘early’ like last year. Last year, the first egg of 2025 was laid on Jan. 22. The second and third eggs came a few days later on Jan. 25 and Jan. 28. Their first successful chick to hatch was Spirit in 2022.
CBS LA announces the moment! (As well as so many other news agencies – Jackie and Shadow are truly loved!). https://youtu.be/fMlh1KuSPvA?
News of Royal Albatross:
Life at the E1 nest of Anna and Louis II is going along nicely.
Sally and Harry have their second egg at Moorings Park on Monday the 26th. Thanks, Heidi!
The Abu Dhabi Cams on four nests:
The second chick has hatched at John Bunker Sands Wetlands Centre!
I want to remind you that there is now a streaming cam at the Kakapo nest. This is a first, and it is a real treat. Please check out these amazing flightless parrots that are nearly extinct. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/BfGL7A2YgUY?
Thank you so much for being with us. Please take care of yourself. So many people are in storm areas. Stay warm, stay safe. We hope to have you with us again soon.
Thank you to Heidi for sending me the note about Moorings Park, to the owners of the streaming cams where we watch our favourite raptor families and use screen captures to tell their stories, to SK Hideaways and others for their videos to bring those lives to life, and to those who post announcements on FB. I am very grateful to each of you. My blog would not have all the news it does without your input.
It’s Sunday, not Monday. I have the week’s videos from SK Hideaways, and it is a wrap of a review of what is happening in Bird World.
We have been under an extreme cold warning for more than a week now. It is currently -35 (Saturday night). The vets have said that if it is too cold for humans then it is decidedly too cold for dogs to be outside. Their paws can freeze and crack! There is no evidence that frigid cold causes arthritis but dogs with arthritis suffer pain because of constrictions if they are out in this cold. Toby, hopefully, will never have arthritis, but his little incident the other day means he needs to stay inside. We have played a lot of fetch – he loves it – but he discovered that he also likes to play ‘fish’ with the Girls! We were decluttering the pantry as part of an overall downsizing of all our stuff and we found a fishing pole toy with feathered ends. Oh, all of them had such a good time. It was wonderful!
I have not spent as much time on the computer watching the nests as I did a year ago. This has not been a bad thing! In a recent blog, the lovely, talented cookbook author Mimi Thorisson said, “Over the years, living on this planet has taught me something important. It is imperative, from time to time, to detach slightly from the social world and enter a phase of semi-hibernation. It is healing. It is comforting. It brings you back to yourself.” I hope that each of us is taking time to watch the birds and animals outside – I often add that they are such an important part of my life that I have felt paralysed to move to a different house. Our day begins, as it always does, with breakfast in the conservatory and a ‘count’ of the visitors to the nest. Another count occurs around 1530, along with continuous checks on Brock’s dish. These birds and animals bring such joy to my life, along with The Girls and Toby, who have proven to be loyal companions. So, please, embrace the wildlife that is around you. Do what you can to improve their lives – a dish of water, some food. It all helps.
The second eaglet on the Winter Park nest in Florida has been receiving both food and attacks from its older sibling. The size and age difference along with food availability are key here.
Send good positive energy for lots of prey – the parents have to eat, too!
Research indicates that siblicide on Bald Eagle nests is 5% or less – meaning that it is rare. (The osprey mortality rate is often higher than 17% in the nests we have monitored.)
Here is a good article on various Avian Siblicide to help you understand which raptors are more likely to have one nestling kill another. It is very informative.
SK Hideaways sent their videos for the week of the 18th for your enjoyment.
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux
Two Harbors Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI Cholyn & Chase Do Nesting Season with Class ~ Mating & Fish Gift (2026 Jan 23) Chase has embraced nesting season with much enthusiasm as he continues to woo Cholyn with fish between mating activities. 22 years of “wedded” bliss and romance is still very much alive for this royal couple of Catalina Island. (2026 Jan 23) Video: https://youtu.be/2OEWiuQ9ZxM
Chase Wants Eggs ~ Tests Nest Bowl as Cholyn Watches + Mating (2026 Jan 20) Despite the fact that Chase “knows” that Cholyn almost always lays eggs at the end of February or early March, he’s trying to hurry her along by showing her how comfy the nest bowl is and frequent mating. Here, Chase lays in the nest bowl 3 times to Cholyn’s zero times. Cholyn seems to give him a “what’re you doing?” look, but in her typical Cholyn way, just goes with the flow. Always in sync even when it means humoring the other. Video: https://youtu.be/SZZAkQ0D9z8
Cholyn & Chase Nesting Season Kickoff ~ 2x Mating & Fish Gift (2026 Jan 18) Cholyn and Chase had their official nesting season kickoff ~ at least from where we could see them. They mated in the morning, then Chase brought Cholyn a nice fish for lunch. They had long conversations off camera and then returned to the nest in the late afternoon to mate again. Here’s hoping for a fruitful season for this beloved couple and royalty of the Channel Islands. Video: https://youtu.be/bNEHHlGDCQ4
Couple ID Markers & More Mating ~ Need Nestorations to Seal Deal (2026 Jan 22) The new West End couple (aka masked and unmasked; and VE1 (male visitor) and VE2 (female visitor)) continue to take steps towards being a bonded pair. While they have accomplished mating quite well (!), they have not embraced the nest repairs that would indicate their intentions to start a family this season. It’s early, though, and things can change (as they always do). (2026 Jan 22) Video: https://youtu.be/acrvEOup90E
Masked Female & Unmasked Male Mate for 1st & 2nd Time on Camera (2026 Jan 21) The visiting eagles have been at the West End for about 2 weeks and seen together most days. While mating sounds have been heard off camera, this was the first (and second) observed mating. So the bond is there, but will they remain here to lay eggs and raise chicks? Stay tuned for the next episode of As the West End Turns. Video: https://youtu.be/Z1z28PuQFTs
FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear, California ~ Jackie & Shadow Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Morning Chortle-Snortles & Shadow’s First Incubation Stint (2026 Jan 24) Jackie laid her and Shadow’s first egg late the previous day, so this morning was Shadow’s first opportunity for some incubation time. From what we have observed, he really, really seems to enjoy this part of nesting. So much so that he took his time heeding Jackie’s fish calls. Video: https://youtu.be/jcIPh9l19aQ
Shadow delivers FEEESH ~ Jackie Stumbles on Nest Rails Trying to Collect (2026 Jan 24) When Jackie saw Shadow deliver a whole, big fish (aka feeesh) from her perch on the Cactus Snag, she squealed with glee and made a beeline for the nest. As it turns out, she and Shadow have constructed such a robust fortress, that Jackie stumbled trying to get in the front door. She, of course, did prevail and enjoyed her meal with gusto. Video: https://youtu.be/nTcUFmY6Dxw
JACKIE & SHADOW WELCOME FIRST EGG OF SEASON! (2026 Jan 23) A quick labor for Jackie as she laid the first egg of the season. Shadow quickly came to meet his egg and seemed pretty smitten already.
The Bald Eagle nest on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas has its first egg.
Rose and Ron have two gorgeous eaglets with so much juvenile plumage!
Quinn is the cutest little eaglet over at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive.
Girri is flying strong with Diamond and Gimbir. This is just incredible. How many years have we followed this nest, hoping for such an amazing outcome? This is wonderful – a strong, big female.
Duke Farms’ female looking at the trio of eggs she has laid.
SK Hideaways caught Shadow delivering a fish to Jackie as she has been incubating their first egg of the season. https://youtu.be/nTcUFmY6Dxw?
There are no concerns at the nest of Gabby and Beau. NE32 and 33 are growing strong with their thermal down and pin feathers. Lots of food and great parenting make a difference – Beau and Gabby are well-bonded, experienced, and work together like a nicely oiled machine. (Watch them using cam 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/hQrJv_Dt4tY?
At the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23, E26 is getting those gorgeous deep black juvenile feathers. Doing so well!
Anna II is a valiant mom in the cold and rain of Louisiana. Not much nourishment for everyone – let’s wish for a sunny day tomorrow.
Jack and Jill have been seen at the Achieva Credit Union osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida.
Gimbir, that cute Dad that fathered the dynamic Girri, is getting his adult plumage!!!!!!!
My lad and lass – besties forever.
It’s 2:46 minutes long. There is a bit of a pause in the middle but stay to the end. I hope these two make you smile.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Thank you for your e-mails and your comments. It is so nice to know there are others out there who love our feathered friends and who will do anything to make their lives better! I am sorry if I am not able to answer the comments or your e-mails as quickly as I did in the past, but I do appreciate each and every one of them and will, I promise, get around to responding!
We will be back on Friday, if not before – depending on action in the nests.
Please take care of yourself. We look forward to having you with us again soon.
We all owe a great debt to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to monitor the lives of our raptor families. I am indebted to all those who create videos (which takes a lot of time), such as SK Hideaways, and to the authors of the FB posts and the articles that I have included in my blog. We learn from one another, and I hope we share what we know with others. Thank you all. My blog would not be the same without your contributions.
We hope that you had a good weekend! It was ——– cold here. You can use whatever word you like. The wind blew so that even in the City there were whiteouts. I cleared off the two tables beside Brock’s feeding station to see how much snow actually fell. Have a look!
The young lad clearing the snow has certainly been busy. We are now under an extreme cold warning and some forecasts say that we will have between -38 and -42 C temperatures this coming weekend. I cannot even imagine it.
Toby was finally able to get the mats off his tummy after his stay at the vet, but the groomer had to shave him. Now Toby likes to go outside to do his ‘business’. Potty pads are for little baby training – you can almost hear him say that. Poor fella. He flew outside, did the job, and got right back in. I had a warm towel waiting for that bare stomach of his. Can dogs get frostbite?
Neighbour came up with a solution – we are going to try doggie long johns on Toby tomorrow for his walk with Ellen.
The big worry at the moment is Brock. He has not been seen since late Thursday. This is unlike him. One of the neighbours and I are keeping a close eye on our feeding stations and others have joined in to check for prints – but with the blowing snow prints are not always present. I fear he has gotten snowed in his bolt hole and cannot get out even by clawing. Oh, please let him be alright.
Bird World? What is happening.
The egg has been switched and the hatch for the Royal Cam chick is underway in New Zealand! Liznm has the switch on video: https://youtu.be/Ab_hrAB1jp8?
There is also a hatch underway in the Kistachie National Forest in the first egg at E1 nest in Louisiana.
At the E3 nest, the eggs are 28 and 25 days old today.
SK Hideaways has a great line up of videos for the week.
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux
Two Harbors: 22 Years Wed ~ Cholyn & Chase Still Bump, Beak, and Cuddle (2026 Jan 13) Cholyn and Chase filled their morning nestorations with lots of bonding bumps and beaking. Though some might call “anthropomorphism” on us, the frequent direct physical contact made by these 28-year-old wonders could only be described as cuddles (by us). Nearly 23 years as a mated pair and the romance lingers on. Video: https://youtu.be/njM08jBvYNU Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ West End: Possible Haku Return Followed by 3-Way Chase Around the Tors (2026 Jan 15) A third eagle appeared at the West End, who looks a lot like Haku. A positive ID awaits her visiting the nest, where field marks are clearer. The pair that has been around for a while sat together away from this third eagle.
As sunset approached, there was a remarkable chase scene that seemed to involve minimal physical contact. All three eagles were seen flying after that, so all is well. Who knows what will transpire tomorrow. Video: https://youtu.be/XiDDW4QvFpA FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, California ~ Jackie & Shadow Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz Jackie Brings Another Tree to the Fortress ~ Shadow Shakes His Head (2026 Jan 13) Jackie is very focused on creating a fortress to protect the eaglets we hope will come along in this nesting season. To that end, she brought an even bigger “tree” to the nest than before. Shadow wasn’t too sure about all the big new furniture, but in his easygoing way, just helped “fix” the placement once Jackie stepped aside. They also both pancaked in the nest bowl to test the comfort level. Video: https://youtu.be/rmGaHA-YRtM Jackie Adds Large Furniture ~ Alters as Needed ~ Shadow Steers Clear (2026 Jan 12) Shadow thought evening nestorations would be minimal, but Jackie arrived with a massive, complex branch. Shadow mostly stayed out of the way as Jackie tinkered away ~ whittling and snapping branches. Final placement of the big, new furniture is pending. Video: https://youtu.be/EMnEs2oLQ74
Redding Bald Eagles ~ Redding, California ~ Liberty & Guardian Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California URL changes frequently, so here’s main page to livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams Liberty & Guardian Tweak Nest Bowl ~ Bump Bonding All the Way (2026 Jan 16) Liberty and Guardian made two morning visits to the nest, tweaking sticks, aerating nesting material, and all the while bump bonding. There was a minor disagreement about furniture placement, but the ensuing beaking was brief and flirty. Video: https://youtu.be/gP7Yj1vtEH8 Liberty and Guardian Defend Nest Against Mystery Midnight Intruder (2026 Jan 15) Guardian flew in to the nest just after midnight and began alert calling. Liberty joined him shortly after and the two of them sounded the alert for quite a while. While we didn’t see the intruder on camera, it could have been a Great Horned Owl or the female sub-adult bald eagle who has been hanging around the nest in the past few days or both! At 6:02-6:06 in the video, there is rustling and the sound of a sub-adult right before Guardian issues a few wing slaps.
Our dynamic duo defended together until they deemed the threat over. Liberty pancaked in the nest and dozed with her head against Guardian as he continued to keep watch. We think he grabbed a few winks as well. Eventually Guardian flew off, but Liberty stayed till dawn. This middle-of-the-night nest defense surely signals that nesting season is in full swing (not to mention the mating observed!). (2026 Jan 15) Video: https://youtu.be/hM36iXT_qfc
Want to learn more about the illegal killing of raptors in the Dales? There are three free webinars to inform you.
Fish gifts arriving at the US Steel nest! Indeed, across the eagle nests, the others are getting ready to breed. https://youtu.be/kVmf5ljfXaM?s
One of my favourite books is H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. Indeed, I like all of MacDonald’s books. Now H is for Hawk is an audio book! And it is a movie. Yes! Part of the article reads, “It is coming up to 12 years since the publication of H Is for Hawk, about the historian, writer and naturalist Helen Macdonald’s time spent training a Eurasian goshawk after an intense period of grief. Showered with awards, the book was a runaway hit and sparked a literary trend for shared transformative encounters with animals including cats, dogs, magpies and hares.
This month, H Is for Hawk comes to the big screen in a new adaptation starring Claire Foy. But there is still time to get to know the source material, which tells of the sudden death of the author’s father and how Macdonald, an experienced falconer who had previously trained kestrels and peregrines, took delivery of a temperamental young goshawk named Mabel with the aim of taming her and teaching her to hunt. Macdonald, who is non-binary, is the audiobook’s narrator. Their reading is characterised by introspection, curiosity and flashes of humour as they observe this “spooky, pale-eyed psychopath” who, as well as feeding and flying, likes to play ball with scrunched-up bits of paper.”
More eagles dying of lead toxicity. (There is great information on amounts that kill in this posting from Wild Heart Ranch in Oklahoma. When will humans get fed up with using lead and its impact on wildlife and stop the lead? ‘J’ sends us news:
·”It takes 1 ppm lead (parts per million) to kill an eagle, but less can easily be fatal.
This is the last photo of this beautiful eagle standing, taken Saturday. He crashed last night and we gently ended his struggle.
His initial lead test was above .65 ppm, which is as high as our machine reads, but he was responding to treatment and gaining strength, though he never did keep solid food down. All his calories were gavage fed (tube) and even though we deal with lots of birds that initially cannot deal with solids, we usually have them eating within 3-4 days. He wanted the fish so badly. He just couldn’t tolerate it, indicating the severity of his condition.
We did 5 days of lead chelation (binding lead in the blood with CAEDTA) and we were getting there, but it was too little too late.
His last blood test showed 27.3 on the machine (.27ppm). We had brought his levels way down, but the damage was already done. His blood tests on Friday showed his liver was struggling, so we knew then not to get our hopes up.
A “lead eagle” is an every day, all day-late into the night high alert here. We give them privacy and rest, but in between, we are on a medical battlefield, in constant contact with the veterinarians from the Tulsa Zoo, (eagle experts) adjusting, evaluating, changing treatment… following directions to the letter, recording every move we make and every result, so that if things go south, we KNOW we did everything we could, and if we pull off a “miracle”, we have our map for next time.
There is no confidence when lead levels are this high, but if they are fighting and stabilizing, we will continue to support them, even when we know their odds are low. When they crash, it isn’t a small symptom. They go down, close their eyes and they give up. That’s what he did last night.
For some of our crew, this was their first “lead eagle”. They gained experience and understanding of treatment and symptoms and the delicate and intense work of battling this toxin. His life made an impact here as he helped new hands learn how to care and reminded us of the reality of lead in the wild and why it is so important that we educate and ask, again and again. However long it takes.
ONE is too many. Lets keep lead out of the wild. For our eagles, a FLAKE, smaller than a grain of rice, is likely fatal.
Annette
I’ll be on Fox News Tulsa this morning talking about him.
His last test was a .27
Here is AI overview of blood test guidelines:
„A lead level of 0.27 ppm (27 µg/dL) in an eagle is a significant finding, indicating subclinical lead exposure, meaning the bird has ingested lead and is likely suffering chronic effects, even without obvious symptoms, but isn’t in immediate acute crisis like levels over 60 µg/dL; it’s well above background levels (below 0.2 ppm) and a major concern for eagle health, with many birds in this range experiencing subtle issues like poor body condition or anemia, and it’s a common level found in wild eagles, highlighting ammunition as a primary source.”
Beyond sad.
The first mortality of 2026 has been added to the new memorial wall. If you know of others, please let me know! Adding these names just makes me weep. I know that I am missing some from 2025 – if you notice one that isn’t there, don’t hesitate to contact me.
I am working hard to review how my care of Don is doing – and how I can engage him in helping me rather than me having to do all of the housework, all the care of the animals, and ‘entertaining’ and caring for Don. I have learned that those with dementia do not need to be entertained. Some people with dementia need to be busy – and Don is one of those. But it doesn’t need to exhaust me at the same time. So, for as long as he can, he and Toby will vacuum the carpets and apply Bono to the hardwood floors. Don can fold towels or clean out drawers (under supervision), and Toby can drag them out just as he puts them in. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Dishwashers can be unloaded – we have done all of this before, but I will engage him in helping with earnestness until the weather warms up and we can be outside. I know how much my life has changed because it was this time last year that we were in Guadeloupe. Shortly after, a sea change occured and Don’s dementia has progressed. That progression has changed our lives – and clearly it has impacted how often I can send out a newsletter about our favourite birds. But, I am not giving up! So, wish me luck. If you have any ideas, send me a note. I appreciate any and all ideas.
Thank you so very much for being with us today. We hope that you have a really good week. We are looking forward to having you with us in a couple of days, when we have some cute little hatchlings.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos. Thank you to the creators of the other videos, the owners of the streaming cams that let us view the lives of our favourite bird families, authors of FB posts, and authors of articles and posts that help us understand the lives of our raptors. My blog would never be the same without your talents.
I did not intend to post a blog today. The warm weather has energied all of us. We did a 4.3 km walk and then came home and dismantled the conservatory, scrubbed the floors, and rearranged the furniture. I wish Toby could do heavy lifting. He gets bored when Hugo Yugo wants to sleep and not play and now Toby is into tearing leaves off the tropical plants! What a mess they make.
We have our first egg at Duke Farms.
It is the time of year when some institutions offer honorary adoptions to support the essential work they do for our raptors. One of those is Ventana Wildlife, which manages the California Condors at Big Sur and Pinnacles. You could adopt – Redwood Queen, mother of Iniko (1031), who survived the Dolan Fire. Redwood Queen was the mate of Kingpin, who died, but she is now the lead condor in the flock.
Eagles at Decorah North.
Milda, the White-tail Eagle, was on her nest in Durbe County, Latvia on Monday.
I do love the eaglets – they are the cutest little things but my heart throbs at the sight of a tiny osprey or eyas.
I really ‘need’ Jackie and Shadow and Jak and Audacity to have at least one healthy eaglet this year. It would make 2026 so much better. Both couples are working on their nests.
Jean-marie Dupart counts ospreys in Western African along the coast of Senegal. We are so grateful for his diligence, dedication, and the sightings of banded birds. Thank you for your report. Gosh KA9 sounds like a familiar osplet…let me see if I can find out where it is from.
Of course, KA9 is a male that hatched at Llyn Brenig in 2022. Ringed 4 July 2022. Parents are LJ2 and LM6.
Screenshot
We did lots of walking and cleaned up the conservatory, moving furniture, etc. Then we made SK Hideaways’ scone recipe #2. Delicious.
Oh, I wish I were a little younger. I would open a facility for people with dementia where they had free access to gardens, animals, baking -. Most talk about the time for some things, but it doesn’t seem to happen in the free way that it should. Keeping minds and bodies busy is paramount.
I will share one of these with each of you virtually!
Thank you so much for being with us for this very brief blog. I cannot promise that there will be another til the end of the week or next Monday. In the meantime, please do take care of yourself.
Thank you to everyone who posted information on FB. We appreciate your generous sharing of information and videos. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our beloved raptor families.
Gabby and the babies are on the big screen this morning. Gosh, they are big! It is windy and looks like rain coming to their nest.
Late note: Colonial Beach osprey cam is now live. We have lost a condor. Ventana Wildlife reports: “We recently found condor Vincent (892) deceased in Big Sur. He was just starting to come into his own as a breeding adult condor, and we are heartbroken to lose him so early in his life and when it was looking like he and condor Kodama (646) were about to nest.”
Thank you for all your lovely notes and supportive comments. We have had a good weekend. The weather has not always cooperated, especially on Sunday when we had pounding sleet during our walk with Toby (yes, we do get out no matter the weather). Today it is warm and the lads are in for a long walk – at least 3.6 km. We need it! And I cannot tell you how uplifting it is to go outside, even if it is for five minutes!
We hope that you had a lovely weekend. Did you watch that little sweetheart at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest? And did you remember to put in a name for C14 at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive?
The Winter Park eaglet is so cute!
The Winter Park female spent most of Sunday protecting her eaglet and 35-day-old egg from an intruder that was rather persistent.
It has been a gorgeous weekend. On Sunday, it will be 0 °C. We woke up to a fresh blanket of snow Saturday morning, and temperatures of -7 C. Toby was more than eager to get outside and go for a walk, and he was really excited when Miyoung arrived for haircut day. She is heading home to Korea for the New Year’s celebrations and to spend a month with her family. We are so very happy for her. It has been a true blessing to be able to count on her to come to our house, cut and style our hair in the conservatory, with Toby and the Girls looking on in awe. There should be more mobile units of all sorts – including dog grooming – for our ageing population. I have managed to figure out grocery delivery. Some people told me that they ordered too much because of the delivery charges – don’t do that. We want to cut down all waste, right? Just order what you need. The charges are a % of that, and you might be able to get free delivery by signing up for a service. Obviously, these conveniences are different wherever one lives! We have lucked out with the groceries, the snow removal, haircuts, and Ann. My next task is to try and organise friends and family to commit to coming one weekend afternoon a month. Those little breaks and Don’s ability to socialise with many different people make a huge difference. Keep that in mind if you or someone you know is in a similar situation.
Toby really enjoys his ‘Bully Sticks’ from Iceland. They help clean his teeth and are good at helping with the anxiety he is having. At the moment, he is wearing a sweater. The four days in the vet hospital matted his beautiful, long fur on his tummy. Poor Guy. He will go for a shave on the 17th.
Hugo Yugo got caught in Toby’s new car seat! You might recall that Hugo Yugo and Calico were quite interested in Toby’s stroller when he was a tiny pup. Well this very soft velvet carseat has caused a lot of commotion – no interest from Toby, however.
Missey has discovered a new spot to hide. I created a pile of wicker baskets – Toby chews on their handles – behind one of the sofas. Missey has taken it over. Toby can’t get back there and there is a nice window.
Baby Hope always sleeps on Don’s bed during the daytime. No one bothers her there and she does enjoy getting away from Calico once in awhile.
I might have missed it but I saw E26 getting fed ‘something’ dug up in the nest. I did not see a prey delivery on Saturday happen prior to 1600- but, please correct me. I want to be wrong. I know that road kill had been delivered and this looks like left over bones from it.
It was hot in Fort Myers.
M15 is OK. Flew in but nothing in his talons. Eaglets can go without food. E26 does not look like it is ‘starving’ – do not get me wrong but in the heat they depend on hydration from the prey. Fingers crossed for a nice whopping meal before bedtime.
Fish was on the menu for C14 at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive! Oh, how I love it when those eaglets get to eat fish.
It is so good seeing those two healthy eaglets at the Dade County Bald Eagle nest of Ron and Rose. There is also news that R5 has been photographed at a golf course at Palm Beach, Florida. —–Imagine if they had not received their bands we would never know. So happy about the survival of these eaglets!
These two are so big.
I had the loveliest note from ‘N’ and I wanted to share the Eagle Country news with all of you that they sent me: “Wanted to update you on the latest journey we are blessed with at Eagle Country. We have a pair of Great Horned Owls (Willow & Gus-EC announced names yesterday). We miss the eagles being at the nest of course but am embracing this opportunity to learn about more about GHOW with the incredible cams there. Skye has been seen on the river cams (we see eagles daily there) and was last seen Dec 16th maybe the 31st at the nest. She has failed to bond this season with one of many suitors that have been about. Blaze has not been seen in months this season
Love what Eagle Country has said “It’s been a beautiful reminder of why this place we call home is named Eagle Country. Country means the whole wild story, not just one chapter. Nature is wild. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
NE32 & NE33 Crawl to the Pantry + Gabby & Beau’s Seamless Changeovers (2026 Jan 6) NE32 is 6 days old; NE33 is 5 days old. They’re seeing more and moving more, including galumphing over to the pantry for snacks. Gabby and Beau are providing ample nourishment for these adorable, growing eaglets. Video: https://youtu.be/13nHkRpPt2Y
FOBBVCAM Eagles: Jackie & Shadow Fluffed Up Nest Ready for Pancakes & Chick-Proof Rails (2026 Jan 5) Jackie and Shadow have added fluff to the egg cup and built-up the rails around their nest. With Jackie’s fertile time occurring from January to April, we wait with giddy anticipation and hope for another successful breeding season. (5 Jan 2026) Video: https://youtu.be/E6xPBIEXv9k Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz
Two Harbors Eagles: Nest of Cholyn & Chase Cholyn Brings Lunch ~ Ravens Want It ~ Chase Shoos Peregrine Away (2026 Jan 8)After a brief morning chat at the nest, Cholyn and Chase departed to a secret hideaway. Cholyn later returned with a tasty fish, but had to defend it against a raven before consuming it in peace. Chase arrived as sunset approached to defend the nest again ~ this time a swooping peregrine falcon was the culprit. Both Cholyn and Chase made quick work of their respective unwanted intruders to get on with the next eagle task at talon. (2026 Jan 8) Video: https://youtu.be/2bUHUX55g-0 Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Masked Eagle Takes to Nest ~ Visitor Perches On Hillside (2026 Jan 9) There was an eagle on the nest for the first time since 1 January. There is some discrepancy about whether it is Haku. I personally don’t think it is. What do you think? There was another eagle perched on the hillside as well. There have been no confirmed sightings of Haku since 1 January and none of Akecheta since 30 December.) Video: https://youtu.be/T3i1xbltjPU
Speaking of hanging around, how blessed are we that Girri continues to chase her parents, Diamond and Gimbir, for food, and that she’s such a strong flyer? Seeing reports on Girri just makes my heart beat bigger and warmer. Good weather and a big strong fledgling – what a difference.
The theft of the peregrine falcons in the UK:
“In the 90s, the UK trade in peregrine falcons was domestic, but it is now almost exclusively geared towards serving the market in the Gulf states. The UK exports more live raptors than any other country, and the UAE is the largest importer. “Over the past 10 years there has been significant growth in the falcon breeding industry,” said DC Steven Irvine, who has been investigating this trade.
Trading captive falcons is entirely legal, but what is not legal is the trafficking of wild birds into the captive trade. It is not known how many of those exported birds are wild caught, but police have identified at least some that are.” Read more…
It is now less than 60 days til we expect the first osprey to land in the UK. Who will it be? Seren Blue 5F at Clywedog? Blue 33 or Maya at Rutland? Blue 28 at Rutland?
Of you can’t wait that long, Moorings Park thinks they might have an egg this week – Harry and Sally are home.
‘A’ sends us a long commentary from Melbourne – thank you! “I was a huge fan of Beau when he was V3, as you might recall, and was thrilled when Gabby warmed to him (in her own time) and decided he was worth training. Beau was young and totally inexperienced at being a mate (and of course Gabby is one very demanding female). But he got there and look at who he is now. The most devoted of mates and a perfect dad. I adore watching the tandem feedings (where Beau usually feeds NE33 while Gabby feeds NE32, I have noticed, although occasionally it is the other way around), especially when he is feeding bites to Gabby that she in turn feeds to NE32, or vice versa.
What I do notice is that when Beau is doing a feeding on his own, he always makes sure that the food is shared between the pair, with a bite for NE32 and then a bite for NE33. These nestlings do have impeccable table manners, which helps a lot, but then I suspect the angelic behaviour at meal times is probably the result of knowing that they will each be given enough to eat so there’s no need for bonking. It just slows down their eating!!
I am so glad that Gabby found such a wonderful mate after losing Samson. She deserved Beau, and as I keep saying, I loved that he was patient with her and not pushy, allowing her to move on at her own pace. I think they did have a special bond. Something made Gabby chose V3 rather than V9 or V13 or even V14.
Suffice it to say that Gabby (and her nest) represented prime eagle real estate and there was much competition for both. It is interesting that a very young, inexperienced male should be the ultimate victor – it surely has to represent a choice on her part because otherwise, it would be most unlikely that V3 should successfully see off so many older, more worldly competitors to ultimately win her talon, so to speak. A true bald eagle love story.
And now look at the results. Super parents in a relaxed, happy, mutually supportive partnership. What a truly adorable family they are.
Meanwhile, the pair at WRDC are also adorable, I agree with you about siblings. I think they are a major plus on a nest, and was really amused to re-read the story of Bodie and Juvie at this nest. I truly believe that was a huge plus for Bodie, and it was so typical of this particular family that they adopted Juvie as their own. I wonder what the motivation was for that on the part of Gabby and Beau. Did they understand the bonuses in the situation for Bodie? Or were they simply reacting instinctively to a young bird begging for food, in pretty much the same way as the parents of Junior did when they brought in Malala, the red-tailed hawklet, to feed to their own chick as lunch but then adopted?
But I’m rambling. It’s a lovely sunny 18C day today with a cool breeze and a blue sky. There are still fires in parts of the state but some rain overnight and the halving of temperatures have helped the situation immensely. Everyone In the family is safe.
At Tataroa Head, the Royal Cam egg (laid on 6 November) is 66 days old today. The egg has been candled and we know that it contains a living creature that we presume to be a miniature northern royal albatross. That means we are less than a fortnight from pip watch. TOO exciting. I’m wondering whether the incubating parent is aware of the impending hatch – I’m presuming they can hear that a hatch is underway – and be reluctant to leave the nest during the hatch. Or whether the foraging parent has some way of knowing that a hatch is due and so hurries home for the hatch.
Of course it is possible that they are remarkably unconcerned about the whole process, given the fact that the rangers remove the egg as soon as a pip is detected and take it to hatch in a supervised incubator, leaving the proud parent carefully incubating a dummy egg that suddenly ceases to emit any sound whatsoever. I do have to wonder whether that distresses them in any manner (it doesn’t appear to do so and fortunately, but somewhat strangely to me, there is no information to indicate any of the bamboozled incubating parents abandoning the suddenly silent egg. Maybe they just accept the happy ending and/or have learned to trust the intervention of the rangers, whatever form it takes.
But to return to my point, the Royal Cam egg is due to hatch in 13 days (which is 24 January by my estimate). The egg takes many days to hatch, so I’m not sure what stage the 79 days takes us to. The pip? The hatch itself? I will have to look it up, but based on my memory of previous years, I think it means we should have a small damp fluffy person on 24 January. I will look it up to be sure but the timing of a hatch on day 79 is perfect – it’s two days before Australia Day.
I’m so excited. I do adore the early weeks of a baby albatross, and this nest is such an easy watch because of its isolated setting and the rangers’ dedication. Intervention? These birds get squid smoothies when they need nutrition, electrolytes when they need hydration, sprinklers when it’s too hot, supervised hatching of the eggs in incubators, and regular general health monitoring throughout, and of course all nests have one chick only and the albatross is the most gentle of birds, so a bit of posturing and bill clacking is about as aggressive a watch as it gets. The birds are just exquisitely serene, as you would be if you planned to spend more than half a century drifting around the world on air currents. Their entire life is a meditation.”
Thank you so much for being with us today. We will see you next Monday.
Thank you to those who post news on the various FB groups – what would we do without them?! And to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to look into the lives of the Raptors, as well as news agencies and blogs that report on the atrocities that happen to our beloved feathered friends, such as The Guardian and Raptor Persecution UK.I am grateful to ‘A’ for her long commentary, to ‘N’ for writing in about Eagle Country, and to SK Hideaways and their amazing videos. Thank you all!
I have been asked to share this urgent request immediately because of the timely nature of the legislative bill: I apologize for the size – maybe you can go to the Wild Heart Ranch FB for the details if you cannot blow this up.
What a great community of people we have in Bird World. When I look at the map of people who read my blog and treasure our birds, there are very few places on the planet where there isn’t someone who is not a member of our family. It warms my heart.
There was a deep underlying purpose in asking you to contribute the joyful moments you remember from Bird World in 2025. Too often, we focus on the negative, even if that terrible event was only one of a dozen wonderful, glorious ones in a day. It is time for us to shift the way that we think – and believe me, I need to do this as much as anyone. Life has thrown a lot of extraordinarily difficult challenges at me this year – and I know that it has done the same to so very, very many of you. Sometimes I want to slide under the duvet and stay there for several days, hoping that whatever it is will go away. It doesn’t happen, of course. It is like some big furry monster just waiting for you to stick your head out. So now is the time to deal with it and bring the sunshine back into our lives.
I am going to start with a few instances to get the ball rolling, so to speak. Akecheta. The day when I saw Akecheta’s bloody head on Tor and Thunder sitting next to that other male, I was devastated. Maybe it was just the icing on top of the cake, the cherry on top of the sundae to different events that day, but it hit me so very, very hard. Then, when Akecheta was photographed on the Californian Mainland, I wept with joy. He was alive! But the real triumph was when Akecheta returned, healed and confident, to take his rightful place at the West End, sitting proudly with Haku looking out at the sea. The second instance that made me so very happy was seeing CJ7 and Blue 022 raise another clutch of four osplets at Poole Harbour. To raise two can be hard – three is difficult – but it takes extraordinary parenting to fledge four (and a source of good quality fish). https://youtu.be/mzG-D8kmI-s?
It has been a long time since we have witnessed the sea eaglets at the WBSE nest in the Olympic Forest survive. Most of the time, we cheer their growth, admiring their intelligence and beauty, only to worry that the Currawongs will drive them out of the territory or find them near the Discovery Centre, in need of care. This year, the Currawongs were outwitted! Yes, we lost the male 36, but there is no reason to believe that anything untoward happened to 35. She was a strong flyer. But seeing them fly in and out, getting food without falling into the Currawongs’ harm’s way, gives me hope for future clutches as well. Oh, there are so many. Iris returning to her nest.
Diamond mating with a very young male and producing a strong female who appears to be doing splendidly.
“There is something to appreciate in every moment of every day. Strive to
find it as often as you can. Living with gratitude will change your life.” (Goodreads)
There are so many quotes. Find one that suits you and print it and look at it each morning when you open the fridge.
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” — Oprah Winfrey
There were a lot of wonderful memories in Bird World for 2025. Thank you for sharing some of your magical moments with the rest of us!
‘BF’: “Perhaps not the same as a highlight — in fact, this had the potential to be a “lowlight” — but an unusual situation that captured my attention was when an uninvited (and not related) juvenile bald eagle showed up on Gabby and Beau’s NE Florida nest looking for food. It was rocky at first, but after a few days — and a few tussles — “Juvie” almost seemed to be an accepted member of the nest family (perhaps grudgingly?), along with Gabby and Beau’s own not-yet-fledged juvenile, Bodie. All seemed to get along, it was surprisingly peaceful, and perhaps it was even a positive for Bodie to have the slightly older juvenile nest mate. Eventually Juvie moved on and Bodie fledged and dispersed and both are successfully off on their own.
‘PB’: Most memorable nest for me is Dunrovin and all that drama! Losing Mo due to a throat problem and then found by the river passed. Relieved Eenie fledged. That nest was so stressful when we almost lost the little ones falling off the side of the nest. I hope Dunrovin will fix the nest for next season so we don’t have to go through all that again.
“B’: “There are so many highlights for 2025 — for sure, every single hatch and fledge is a highlight to be remembered. But I was especially pleased to see the successful hatch and fledge of eaglet Betty Lou for Audacity and Jak at the Sauces Canyon nest on Santa Cruz Island, since for Audacity and Jak it had been three seasons and four long years — with many broken eggs — since their most recent previous eaglet, Dina in 2021.
Similarly, celebrity eagles Jackie and Shadow had spent many, many days the past two seasons at Big Bear Valley — through snow and winter storms — incubating eggs that turned out to be nonviable; it was wonderful to see the 2025 hatch of lively eaglets Sunny and Gizmo at Big Bear, the first for Jackie and Shadow since Spirit in 2022.
The return of Akecheta to West End has been a surprise highlight. We last saw Akecheta early in the year, lying on the ground, injured in an apparent territorial fight. Then the cameras went out, and when they returned Akecheta was nowhere to be seen, and we were concerned for his survival. It has been a real blessing that Akecheta has returned now to West End; we hope for mating and new eaglets in 2026. As great as Akecheta’s return has been, the real highlight for me was the day in May when we heard the report that Akecheta and his distinctive blue wing tags had been spotted at Lake Casitas, many miles away on the mainland near Ojai, for that was when we learned that Akecheta had survived and was off in the world being an eagle.
oh, and how could I forget another whole class of highlights: the watching and waiting for the return of the migrating birds and the highlight it is when you see Iris or Louis and Dorcha arrive. Or seeing Beau arriving weeks early and waiting for Gabby. These sorts of things are simple and repeatable, but they are something to celebrate each time.
‘R’: “My favorite ‘Bird’ story this year was following Iris. 🪺 And Jackie and Shadow’s success ❤️
My favorite non-bird item was definitely Heidi’s Christmas video to you ❤️💕and the pictures of Don and you! I saved “Day 11 Welcome to Winter”, so I could look at the pictures again.Ever since I’ve known you, before WordPress, I heard of Don, knew he was ill, and not as bad, back before COVID, but I never had a face to go with the name.”
‘N’: “I have many favs but this recent one comes to mind…caught this recently at Dade (speaking of our Florida nests). Made me giggle, which I can use often!
Sibling pooping on sibling!
SP’: Oh, Mary Ann, with so much human tragedy in 2025, I was so invigorated to go back through the events of 2025 in Bird World only to discover an avalanche of happy, heartwarming, beautiful events throughout the year. Here are way too many (in alpha order)!
367 Collins Street Falcons: F23, M23, and 4 chicks F23 and M23 had their talons full with 4 rambunctious chicks, but they raised and fledged them beautifully. Dad Tries to Feed 5- and 2-Day Old Chicks Whole Prey (2025 Oct 5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02vbdny7Bo0 Pre-Fledge Chicks Perform Acrobatics ~ Teetering on Ledge (2025 Nov 10) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_GfSbdrs68
AEF-NEFL Eagles: Gabby, Beau, NE31, and Juvie The arrival of Bodie (NE31) and Beau’s first foray into fatherhood were so special, as was the development of Gabby and Beau’s relationship. The “adoption” of Juvie by Gabby and Beau, and the ultimate bonding between Bodie and Juvie were simply beautiful. Beau Tries to Feed NE31 for the First Time (2025 Jan 21) https://youtu.be/G4zea3983tw?si=RA0InJ2bNJkm5wYo Bodie Branches Out ~ Juvie Shares Flying Tips (2025 Apr 5) https://youtu.be/cYTuJVPT8K4?si=tNR4bQZCq6EQRa7o
FalconCam Project: Diamond, Gimbir, and Girri (RIP dear Xavier) Girri lifted our spirits as we mourned for Xavier. Gimbir stepped up to take on parental duties as he learned from pro mum Diamond. Gimbir Brings 3 Starlings in 9 Minutes ~ Chick Gets First Meal (2025 Nov 6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mynzf-kkOQQ GIRRI FLEDGES at 43 Days Old ( 2025 Dec 18) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96yPLdvaixU
FOBBV Eagles: Jackie, Shadow, Sunny, and Gizmo (RIP Misty) Jackie and Shadow mourned the loss of one chick as they raised Sunny and Gizmo to be strong, independent fledglings. It was such a gift after two years of failed clutches. SC Stands Tall on New Clown Feet ~ BC Delivers Single Bonk (2025 Mar 23) https://youtu.be/sWFD087ffRg?si=ATZrG4B9dD3xnpqm Golden Hour Moments with Sunny & Gizmo ~ Special Times to Remember Always (2025 May 15) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WraMnX8mFy0
San Jose City Hall Falcons: Hartley, Monty, Emma, Willow, Octavia, and Chico For the second year, Hartley and Monty raised four chicks. There were so many delightful moments with all of them. FIRST 2 CHICKS HATCH: One Gets Wild Ride Across Nest (2025 Apr 19) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9jZtIHqat4 Raucous Rooftop Food Fight ~ All 4 Chicks Win (2025 Jun 7) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9rt2B1BZ8A Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles: Lady, Dad, SE35, and SE36 Despite a sad ending for SE36, the saga of SE35 and SE36 was a joy to watch. Family time was always a special treat. SE35, SE36, Lady & Dad Spend the Afternoon Together Next Door (2025 Nov 10) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcaObXf4qpA
Two Harbors Eagles: Cholyn and Chase Every moment with these two is a gift. Cholyn & Chase on 22 Years of Mated Perfection (2025 Oct 21) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTbMUL24oMs
I could go on (Betty Lou, Blue and Kaimana, TE3!), but I’ll stop here. Thank you for pulling this good news together to go on lifting spirits as you do all year long.
‘L’: 1. Beau at the NEFL nest brooding the eggs and the look on his face when “Bodie” hatched. In addition to Bodie being a single, a rogue juvenile showed up and stuck around for a few weeks providing additional entertainment.
2. Audacity and Jak, Santa Cruz Island. Audacity laid 3 eggs, 2 broke and the third hatched. It was a miracle after several years of broken eggs for this longtime pair. It was pure joy watching “Betty Lou” grow up.
3. Jackie & Shadow with 3 hatchlings! Unfortunately losing one but the other two survived given the names “Sonny” & “Gizmo.”
4. The trio of Scout & Bella lined up on the rails at the NCTC nest(unfortunately the nest collapsed)
5. The Trempealeau nest with TE3. Mrs. T deserved an award after practically raising TE3 alone.
6. Gimbir taking over the nest after the male Xavier disappeared from the Charles Sturt University FalconCam nest. Diamond laying 3 eggs and little Girri hatching!
‘J’: I obviously do not have a lot of memories this year, but one stands out above everything: WELCOME HOME AKECHETA!
‘SA’: Iris arrives home. Jackie and Shadow have two – Sunny and Gizmo. Cheta comes home to the West End.
‘TN’: It was a cracker of a year for Poole Harbour raising another clutch of four to fledge. Simply brilliant.
‘C’: Akecheta returns to the West End.
‘BA’: “As for favorite nest event of 2025, mine is probably the same as most everyone else’s — the successful hatching of Jackie and Shadow’s three eaglets, and the subsequent successful fledging of two of them. (The death of one was probably the saddest event for me, though I know it was probably best that they only had to raise two.)
Second favorite event was Gabby and Beau’s first successful year together raising an eaglet. (That too is probably a favorite of most others.) I know there were many other joyful moments in bird world. It’s good to have them balance out the sad moments.
(Really sad about CalFalcons last year…. haven’t yet gotten over the loss of both — and that nest that still sits empty.)”
‘J’: “Has to be Sunny and Gizmo hands down. Jackie and Shadow being parents gave me a new reason to want to live through my cancer treatments.’
‘K’: ‘There was worry that Louis might not return to Loch Arkaig. Seeing him land on the nest was the best moment for me all year. Louis survived what ailed him and came home to Dorcha.’
‘WL’: There are too many wonderful things that happened but two stand out for me amidst a lot of dismal nests. The first is little T3 in that nest in Wisconsin, raised only by its mother, no thanks to that two-timing dad. That chick was determined to live. The other was Iris returning to her nest. It was sad Finnegan didn’t make it. Maybe the new one will.’
‘A’: ‘The death of Xavier rocked my world to its core. Then an almost too-young Gimbir turns up. Diamond likes him. Diamond really likes him. Out of the sadness came a superb female falcon named Girri. Many of the latest fledglings out of that scrape did not make it. Girri is doing extremely well. Seeing Girri fly over the tower, learning to be a falcon from Diamond and Gimbir, makes me smile every day. It was the best thing to come out of the worst.’ ‘We cannot forget the falcon fledges from the CBD in Melbourne!’
Thank you ‘AK’ for this incredible card!
Thank you to everyone who participated.
The day my baby got sick.
Home from the vet and bright-eyed but sad because he cannot find his daddy.
Woolly and Mysterious Missey, who has a ‘mat’ that I must cut out. Don typically brushes her many times a day.
Precious Calico.
The little trouble maker, HUGO YUGO!
Sweet Hope.
Toby is sleeping upside down next to me. He is feeling better because he wanted to romp around the house with Hugo Yugo a few minutes ago. It is so very nice to have him home from the veterinary hospital. While I might have complained that there isn’t enough room in the bed with him on the pillow and HY in my arm, Calico at one side, and Missey near my feet – I sure would not want it any other way. The only one that doesn’t join in is Hope and maybe she will one day.
We wish you a wonderful 2026.
Thank you to everyone who participated and to the owners of the streaming cams so that we can watch these amazing birds and their families. I also want to thank SK Hideaways for their amazing videos that add depth to the stories. You are all so wonderful and my blog would never have the spice of life that it does without you!
Great news from the American Eagle Foundation. It is official. Beau and Gabby have a pip. This is what I have been waiting for – and what joy this little one will bring.
This image is from the AEF:
First, please do send me some of your favourite memories from our bird nests so that I can post them on 2 January! I really want to hear from you!
SK Hideaways Videos, week of 12/21/25
Channel Island Eagles
Fraser Point Eagles: Elusive Cruz Visits Nest with Andor ~ A Few Sticks are Shuffled (2025 Dec 27)
It was a real treat to see Cruz and Andor together after Cruz’s nearly 2-week absence from the cameras. For those who haven’t met this pair, we provided a little history as they did a bit of stick shuffling and hanging out.
The female, Cruz, hatched at the Pelican Harbor nest on Santa Cruz Island in 2006 and was the first known chick to naturally hatch on the islands since 1950. Andor hatched at the Baby’s Harbor nest, also on Santa Cruz Island, in 2017. Video: https://youtu.be/ijOvAohCxeA Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Fraser Point Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
Two Harbors Eagles Cholyn & Chase ~ 22 Years of Devotion & Territory Rule (2025 Dec 21) Cholyn and Chase briefly greeted the morning together at the nest before Chase departed to do eagle things. Cam ops then gifted us with close-ups of Cholyn and we took the opportunity to share some history of these 27-year-olds marvels, who have been together for 22 years. Their story is part of the eagle restoration program in the Channel Islands that began in 1980. Through trial, error, and extraordinary work by scientists at the Institute for Wildlife Studies, the program has been wildly successful. Cholyn and Chase, now the elders of the Channel Island eagles, are just one piece of that story.
Jackie With and Without Fishing Line 🎣 With Shadow and Wonky Stick (2025 Dec 26-27) Jackie arrived on December 26th with a long bit of fishing stuck to her beak. She stayed at the nest a short time, flying off with the line still attached. We were relieved to see her arrive the next morning without the fishing fine, but with a beautiful, big wonky stick. Shadow joined later to celebrate and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Video: https://youtu.be/qscEDVaWNwM
Jackie & Shadow Bicker, Beaky Kiss & Bump During Big Nestorations (2025 Dec 26)
Jackie and Shadow spent just over an hour bringing a wide variety of branches to build up rails and begin forming an egg cup in anticipation of nesting season. Along the way, they entertained us with bickering, beaky kissing, and bumping each other to and fro. Video: https://youtu.be/cn4LWsO8YQU
San Jose CH Falcons: Hartley & Monty Stop By to Deliver Holiday Greetings ❄️ (2025 Dec 25)
Hartley and Monty stopped by for some pair-bonding after opening and devouring their Christmas gifts.
AEF-NEFL Eagles: Gabby and Beau Have Long Conversation Before Changeover (2025 Dec 23)
Gabby and Beau may have been discussing the fact that pip watch for NE32 and NE33 is just 2-3 days away. They talked for quite some time before Gabby relieved Beau of incubation duty. The chortling and chirping was music to our ears. Video: https://youtu.be/2UAbkrjUyp8 Courtesy American Eagle Foundation/NEFL Eagle CamOps
FalconCam Project GIRRI RETURNS TO TOWER! 2025 Dec 23 Girri shows off her strength and flying skills as she returns to the top of the tower to meet up with her parents. She fledged just 5 days ago. Great job, Girri! (2025 Dec 23) Video: https://youtu.be/2Yvnm67rL2A Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW (http://www.csu.edu.au/special/falconcam/)
We’re on HATCH WATCH at NE Florida for Beau and Gabby and it is raining Monday night. The AEF confirmed a pip in the afternoon around 3pm.
Gabby is restless.
There will be a little one tomorrow.
We have a hatch at Hilton Head.
Everyone else is doing fine.
My news is that my husband is in the ICU waiting for a bed in the hospital so that he can be fully treated. I do not know what the future holds but he is calm and knows me, and there is nothing nicer than lying next to him cuddling. Thank you for all your positive wishes – that beautiful energy sent from around the world is precious and is helping us I am certain.
Please take care of yourselves. I will check in tomorrow briefly.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos, to the owners of the streaming cams, and to those who post news on FB. My blog would be nothing without your input.
It was a great night. Our visiting canine, Nellie, settled in and slept through the night – and so did the rest of us! We woke up refreshed. Toby and Nellie headed out with Ellen at 0930 while ‘The Girls’ had their breakfast in peace. When the dogs got home, Don and I looked at the four sad bananas on the counter and set about to make banana bread. It was a great start to the morning.
Hugo Yugo and Toby were holding hands last evening. I can’t get enough of this puppy and sweet kitty. They have to either be touching or near to one another.
Oh, these animals just lift my spirits.
There are two eggs at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands Bald Eagle nest in Texas! That one flew right by me I was so intent on finding out about Girri. Congratulations.
Let’s hope we see more of Girri’s strong flying. It gives me hope that this fledgling of Diamond’s will survive!!!!!!!! She is one heck of a flyer.
Our friend ‘A’ is checking on Angel, the Leucistic Hawk, and her mate Tom and found an update from Connor at Window to Wildlife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHDDXUkIKio
Connie and Clive have a hatch at the Captiva Eagle cam. CE14 looks strong and alert.
E26 appears to be lucky (in some ways). No indication of a pip in E27’s egg. This is day 38 for that egg. Yes, it is still within the time frame for hatching. Would I want it to? Well, I wouldn’t. Many will. E26 is strong, healthy, and eating well. A lack of a sibling means no bonking – that has already started at Dade County in force with the Rs.
Gabby and Beau continue incubation at NE Florida. I am getting excited for their first pip next week.
Jackie and Shadow are visiting the Big Bear Valley Bald Eagle nest! They were there Tuesday!
Ron and Rose have a nest full of food for C10 and C11. There are still a few bites of Coot and a whole lot of fish ready and waiting.
If you missed Ventana Wildlife’s December chat, here is the link to find out what is going on with the California condors: https://www.youtube.com/live/_FO6WuxmL08?
The post today is quick and sweet. We hope you are not caught up in the rat race of the build-up to the final days of the holidays. Take care. We will see you tomorrow.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams where I took my screen captures, to SK Hideaways for their video, to ‘A’ for alerting me to Connor’s Window to Wildlife update! This blog would not be the same without you and without all those amazing members of Bird World!
