Category Archives: geese

Marri or Barru?…Thursday in Bird World

30 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It is the last day of November and only another month til we officially enter 2024. It flew by.

It was only -1 C on the Canadian Prairies on Wednesday. The sun was shining. The sky was bright. It was pretty unbelievable. It was the day for my flu shot, and, as a treat, I had a very, very light lunch looking out over the duck pond at the zoo. The Black-capped Chickadees were flitting about while the pond had open water in the deeper areas with very thin ice at the edges. I dream of the day the geese come flying in, honking and pooping everywhere. After I gathered up a few things to add to some pine branches for the front door. Missey was right in there helping put things together!

She was rolling in the paper, and only later I caught her with a tiny bell that had been on one of the little blue birds. Calico slept in the chair by the table. She did not mind Missey getting all the attention and could care less about crafts. We decided to go with a blue and white theme this year with birds and a few things from different cultures for all the festivities in December.

Bird news is pretty scarce right now but there are a number of running jokes about trees and cats!

One for the girls – thanks ‘auntie’.

The latest news from Sydney sent by ‘A’:

“November 29: both adults and juvenile were at the River Roost early in the morning. Light rain and the juvenile was heard whining. Around 9am, one adult flew into the mangroves and towards the west, up- river. Around 2pm the juvenile was seen low on a mangrove branch at the juvenile roost. Neither adult was seen then by our observer. Later in the afternoon, a storm was approaching and cameras were then both down. No feeding has been reported. More rain in the evening.”

Look closely. The juvenile is in the centre of the image – a slight diagonal line between the adults and up a tad. This is fantastic.

‘A’ has the latest at Sydney: “November 30: early morning both adults were at Goat Island. At 8:44, the juvenile flew out from River Roost area, low over the water and in front of Mangrove Island, where she landed. Then she flew back to River Roost. At 12:30, the juvenile was at River Roost, where it was seen yesterday. Again, between 1230 and 1:30, juvenile was making low flights over the water and from branch to branch. 2:10 adult was at River Roost and juvenile as well, given away by its raspy squeeing. At 3:30 the adult flew off, returning with prey around 4pm – greeted with eager squeeing by the juvenile. She ate, with the adult watching close by.”

‘H’ has the up to date information at Orange as of this morning: “At 162308 a Juvenile landed on the corner of the roof next to the LR (lightning rod).  A few minutes later, Xavier landed on the MW (microwave).  Diamond was in the nest box at the time. Even though the tower camera is slightly closer to the MW than the corner of the roof, the juvenile on the roof still appears to be larger than Xavier (to my eyes).  We know that Marri was larger than Xavier.  Food for thought.”

“Cilla is going to check photos of Diamond and Xavier standing next to the LR for a size comparison to this juvenile.”

‘A’ writes about Orange: “At Orange, I’m sure you’ve seen the most recent (21 November, so 8 days ago) footage of the falcon juvenile we believe to be Barru (at least I do, for several reasons, though we are still unsure due to Barru’s long toes in one shot): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAeCZRh9k4Q&t=0s Since then, it has been raining for days around Orange (ditto here in Melbourne, where it’s been raining for a couple of days, including pretty much all day today, and the rain is forecast to continue). I do wonder what happened to poor Marri. who was strong and who flew with great control when fledging, so I am genuinely very surprised that she has not survived. I really did think she was the more prepared of the two, but when you watch the pics of this juvenile (both the footage in the above clip and the footage of him on the roof with Xavier, dropping the prey dad had brought), you can see that he is more than a little clumsy, both in relation to flying in and around that tree and in regard to keeping his balance on that rooftop, especially trying to turn around at one stage. To me, the slightly ragged plumage is also more like Barru than Marri, whose constant wingercising had removed pretty much all her down before she fledged. “

At Port Lincoln, Dad was on the nest with Mum waiting for the Fairy. Dad must be really hungry and he is thinking he wants to be in line, too.

Wings are getting bigger.

Waiting for fish. Dad has moved to the shed.

Fish delivery was late. Wonder if it was due to bad weather? 17:18.

A lot of disinformation and speculation is happening on some of the chats. It is one of the reasons that many of the streaming cams do not have a chat feature or others who post videos do not allow comments. I usually do not say anything, but sometimes, we have to ask ourselves many questions and explore the whole situation, and even then, we might be missing a critical piece of evidence. So before I get on my soapbox, to be transparent, I am almost always in favour of intervention to help wildlife. It is important to me because humans have destroyed the world for our feathered friends. We can no longer sit back and ‘let nature take its course’ because we have altered nature to the point it is hard to recognise. We have taken the habitat or our wildlife and continue to do so at an alarming rate. We dump our sewage into their water. We overfish. We poison. We burn. Need I say more?

We do not know why the PLO Dad is not fishing more. Some believe it is because of the fish brought to the nest by the fairies. But is this the case? We know that Dad had at least two seizures last year on camera. Did he have more off-camera and off-season? Does he have neurological issues caused by an accident or disease? We would only know this with an examination and necroscopy. What is happening with El Niño? With the warming of the water? With the commercial fishing in the area? With the tides and the lousy weather? Pollutants? The list of human-caused issues in any specific region, including South Australia, can be endless.

The PLO nest has suffered significant siblicide compared to other nests in other geographical regions. The individuals on the board running Port Lincoln Ospreys/Friends of Sth Australia fought hard and are determined to see if supplying fish will alter those statistics. It looks like we already have our answer in two strong osplets. As viewers, we will never know the ‘gestalt’ – the ‘whole’ situation at Port Lincoln. If you get the chance, encourage others to show respect and applaud the efforts of Fran, Janet, and Bazz to run this research project. It has saved the lives of at least one of the chicks, if not both. And the health of Mum and Dad. Those fish are lifesavers.

The fight for fish at Osprey House.

A gorgeous sub-adult spent some time on the natal tree on the Pritchett Property on Wednesday. Former fledgling coming to check out what is happening?

M15 gives F23 a break!

We are waiting for eggs at KNF-E1, the home of Louis and Anna in Louisiana.

What a gorgeous fall day at Barnegat Light. The geese are there along with a stunning sunset and mind-shattering colour!

At least one adult was on the Achieva Osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida.

At the Captiva Osprey platform, it looked like someone had given the entire landscape a pink watercolour wash. Will we have occupants this year?

They are not falcons but Bald Eagles of various ages near Newmann’s scrape at Great Spirit Bluff.

We have Common Goldeneye that come to breed in Manitoba during the spring and summer. They are incredibly beautiful – just look at those glowing yellow eyes! I still remember the first time I saw one at the pond in the St Boniface Industrial Park. Research indicates that if left undisturbed by humans, they are more successful during the breeding season. ——– This seems obvious. Did I miss something?

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Kelly Sorenson and his team at Ventana Wildlife Foundation rank right up there in terms of dedication. What they have done for wildlife in California is phenomenal. If you would like to learn more about the triumphs and challenges of reintroducing nearly extinct species, listen to the discussion with Kelly. (The link should take you to the podcast).

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The latest migration count by Hawk Mountain.

Your inbox has undoubtedly been full of calls for donations or fundraising. It is the time of year when our nature centres and wildlife rehabbers do their final push for much-needed funds. I am just going to use the following promotion as an example. Today I noticed that someone wished to purchase some of the merch from Glaslyn but felt that they couldn’t because they lived elsewhere. My experience is that almost every centre will make an effort to get items shipped anywhere in the world. Glaslyn is no exception. Dyfi ships also…many now have fixed their forms to include out-of-the-way places. The Royal Albatross Centre has sent me possum hats (they are so soft) and books over the years, and it takes about 18 days for parcels from New Zealand to arrive in Canada. So, if there are things that you wish for yourself or to gift to someone else, and you cannot see a way to have the items shipped to your location, find the contact information and ask them!

Take care everyone! Thank you for being with me today. We hope to have you with us soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, fun graphics, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H’, Sydney Sea Eagles, Penny Albright, Metzger, PLO, Osprey House, Lady Hawk, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, KNF-E1, Bird Guides, Achieva, Explore.org, SOS, and Hawk Mountain.

SW Florida gets its second egg…Tuesday in Bird World

28 November 2023

Hello Everyone,

It was a crisp -15 this morning and has warmed to a balmy -10 C. The sky is ‘baby blue’, and the European Starlings have filled the bare branches of the lilacs. A new seed – especially for Jays – has massively attracted the Starlings.

The girls are napping after lunch. They have a pattern. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Then 2130 comes, and it is ‘party’ time.

I am going to put this right up front. Many of you are living in areas where it is getting cold. The mice are coming in. Lots will decide to poison them. Please don’t. There are many reasons, and here is one recent study that might help you convince others not to use poison. I had a darling, sweet three-year-old cat that I had raised on a bottle die from eating a mouse that had consumed poison in one of my neighbour’s houses or sheds. It is a tragic way for any animal to die.

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SW Florida’s M15 and his new mate F23 have their second egg right on schedule. Now the two can begin hard incubation and we might be expecting a New Year’s baby!

The Pritchett’s will post the official time.

SK Hideaways caught the joyous occasion on video.

Checking the nest at Pittsburgh-Hays, Mum and the new male.

V3 delivered a food gift to Gabby. Well done you! But, if you were watching, V3 finally ate the squirrel.

Too funny not to include!

Eagle at Redding bringing in sticks….

Meanwhile in Louisiana, eggs are being rolled at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex and Andria.

Nine more days til hatch at Superbeaks. Gosh don’t you wish that cam was fixed just a little different for that side view? I can’t imagine only watching the tops of their heads.

It was a warm day for Connie and Clive at Captiva.

It was a bright day in Iowa with the snow still clinging to the ground and the nest at Decorah North.

It is chucking down rain in Port Lincoln, South Australia.

The rain appears to have stopped or slowed down at Port Lincoln.

Getting stronger on those legs, and look at how much those tail feathers have grown. 959 people watching. Fish fairies can be lucrative in the sense that any funds generated go directly back into the project which is fantastic – new platforms, satellite trackers, and fish!

At Orange, chat mentioned that a juvenile was seen flying at 08:32:51 to the MW (I haven’t got a clue what that refers to).

Diamond watching from the scrape.

Cilla made a video with music of a juvenile chasing Diamond at the tower. Oh, how grand.

Rohan Geddes got some shots of our White-bellied Sea Eagle juvie yesterday. Nice flying.

The two osplets at Osprey House really go after the fish when Dad arrives. It is a wonder he has any talons left.

Raising condors to save the species.

Looking at this lovely Condor baby! A little bit bigger than Hope but doing the same thing – following Mamma and copying her.

Ospreys in Spain in the winter. The Biosphere at Urdaibai.

Golden Eagle believed to have come to harm — another beaten grouse hunting estate. It is time this stopped. Can a bill – the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill – be passed in Scotland and not be watered down so that the culprits continue to get by with this senseless killing? Or will the bill get passed, and then the penalties for continuing to kill the birds be so small that it is laughable, and the gamekeepers will continue to stomp on chicks and shoot these beautiful adult raptors? Despicable. While leaf blowers get my friend ‘R’ really worked up, the stomping of chicks in a ground nest and the unnecessary shooting of raptors or the mass killing of ducks and geese at ponds makes my blood boil.

Just look at that beautiful eagle.

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That missing Golden Eagle was discovered to be from a very important estate in Scotland.

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Sharon Dunne brings us news from the Royal Albatross Colony.

Looking for some new nature books? Mark Avery just published Stephen Moss’s list for 2023. Have a look. You might find something interesting. Many of the books that I love have been recommended by Avery. This is my first time to see Moss’s list.

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These are the 47 books and their reviews of Avery during 2023. The Meaning of Geese continues to be one of my all-time favourite reads of this year, alongside The Comfort of Crows.

Pink-footed geese are part of the flocks that Nick Acheson so desperately wants to see in Norfolk. And just look at this:

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How many of you have that ‘bucket list’? Or do you have a Copy of 1000 places to visit before you die? I have only two events on my bucket list – to see the ospreys fly over Cuba near Manzanillo in the mountains during migration and to travel to Norfolk and see the geese before the climate changes so much. They stop spending the winter in the UK. Perhaps next year for both!

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Take care. Look forward to having you with me again soon.

I wish to thank the following for their notes, articles, photographs, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘H’, Tufts Now, Carol Martucci Smith, SK Hideaways, PIX Cams, NEFL-AEF, FORE, KNF-E3, Superbeaks, Window to Wildlife, Raptor Resource Project, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Cilla Kinross, Osprey House, USFWS, Tim Huntington, Alan Petrie, Geemeff, Sharon Dunne, Rohan Geddes, Carol Shores Rifkin, Mark Avery, and Jake Fiennes.

Eagles are busy…Sunday in Bird World

26 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that you had a chance to get out for some time and enjoy yourself. Breathe in the fresh air and listen to some birds! It was nippy in Winnipeg. No snow but a crisp wind. So, keeping the vow to continue ‘moving’, I headed off to Assiniboine Park to the recently opened Leaf.

But before we get to the Leaf, awhile ago, I mentioned leaf blowers. My friend ‘R’ explained to me – the choir – how much he dislikes them. ‘R’, you are not alone! As the girls and I neared the end of The Comfort of Crows, Renkl’s chapter ‘How to Rake Leaves On a Windy Day’, reminded me of that conversation with R. She says, “Leaf blowers are like giant whining insects that have moved into your skull. They are swarming behind your eyes, drilling down Ito your teeth. Leaf blowers have ruined autumn with their Insistent drone and their noxious fumes, and they are everywhere. You may believe it is futile to resist then, but you can resist them. In almost every situation where something is loud, obnoxious, and seemingly ubiquitous, resistance is an option. Head to the toolshed in your backyard and fiddle with the rusty padlock until it finally yields. Reach into the corner where you keep the shovel and the posthole digger and the pruning shears. From that jumble of wonderful tools requiring no gasoline, pull out a rake…Leave the leaves lie everywhere it is possible to let the leaves lie. You aren’t trying for clean lines; you are trying only to pacify the angry neighbour who complained because some of your leaves blew into their yard. Leave the leaves in the flower beds. Leave them close to the house…When the birds return in springtime, these insects will be a feast for their nestlings. Whatever it might feel like on a damp November day, remind yourself that spring is coming.” She continues, “The leaves you let sit today will colder and rot through the winter, generating their own heat and protecting large trees and small creatures alike. Think of your desultory raking as a way to feed the trees, as an investment in an urban forest. If your neighbour complains again, tell them that you are feeding their trees.”…”Before you go inside, take a leaf into your head. Put it on your desk or next to your bed. Keep it nearby, through whatever troubles the long winter brings. It will help you remember that nothing is truly over. It will help you remember what the wind always teaches us in autumn: that just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there”. (241-43)

Moving to another Leaf.

So, today we are going to start off with something different. I am going to take you for a walk around The Leaf. It is at our zoo!

This is the Parks Department description of the four areas inside the glass building with some commentary running through by yours truly.

Hartley and Heather Richardson Tropical Biome

Visitors become immersed in the warmth and vibrancy of the Hartley and Heather Richardson Tropical Biome, where exotic plants and a balmy environment creates an oasis, particularly during the winter months. This rainforest-like paradise is brimming with tropical plants, bold textures and lush green colours. The largest of The Leaf’s planted spaces; it is home to Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall, a peaceful koi pond, and lush plant material from tropical regions of the world.

It was hot! Thank goodness the reception area recommended that everyone remove their heavy winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves! People were happy, enjoying themselves. Looking at wonderful or sitting in quiet contemplation.

There was a time when everyone seemed to have a Prayer Plant in their collection of house plants.

Some of the very best Cacao I have ever tasted comes from the island of Grenada where my son lives. Deep, rich, and earthy chocolate.

The Chinese Hat Plant.

The Koi seem to have a wondrous pond.

Mediterranean Biome

The Mediterranean Biome is home to plants from regions known for their superb fruits, fine wines and abundant crops. Visitors are surrounded by plant life from climatic zones characterized by moist, cool winters and hot, dry summers including Greece and Italy, as well as South Africa, South West Australia, Central Chile and California. This biome hosts a memorable mosaic of colour, texture and fragrance that reaches its peak during the winter months. A welcoming seating area invites visitors to relax and enjoy the sights and smells of these fascinating plants. 

This area turned out to be my favourite because it was cooler than the Tropical area and also because they had the plants identified more clearly. As you enter, there was a long area (see below) of the herbs that grew so well in my garden this past summer – thyme, rosemary, mint.

What a gorgeous hibiscus this was. The one I have in the house – that goes in and out during the seasons – is pink. You can collect the flowers and make a very nice Hibiscus syrup or I have often added them to cakes – tiny chopped up bits of Hibiscus.

There are two other areas. One is a place for special floral displays and the other is the butterfly garden.

No one saw a single butterfly in the Butterly Garden. There are rumours that they flew out of the building by accident in the early fall. Perhaps, the call of migration was powerful.

The flower area was small but pretty. Would love to see it lit up at night!

It was a very nice afternoon.

We continue to wait to hear if little Greyish is available. We are approved for adoption but…the girls have slept most of the day. I caught Hope licking her incision. That is bad but, there is no way that she will wear a cone and unlike her Mamma, Calico, she will not let me get near enough to put antiseptic cream on the incision and olive oil. The trip to the vet caused her to go back weeks in terms of socialisation. It really did scare the wits out of her. Next time, when she needs her booster shots (in 3 weeks), the mobile vet will come to the house. The need for some cream on that tummy might mean that I have to toss the blanket on her and grab…I try not to do that because it is also stressful but, there is no way she is going to get an infection!!!!!!!!!

M15 got to see the first egg for him and F23. Today, he was caught bringing in a huge stick. He is going to make sure these babies do not fall out of that nest!

I know that each and every one of you is thrilled that M15 is going to get a chance to be a Dad again.

Pa Berry and Missey are working hard on their nest. Is it possible they could be next?

Gabby and V3 seem to have lined the entire nest with Spanish Moss. Just look at it. Think comfy. Now…let’s talk eggs.

There is good news coming from ND-LEEF. Lovely to see both Dad and the new female at the nest!

Looking for treats at Eagle Country…

Happy to see some stick moving at the nest of Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear on Saturday. Always good to see one or both at the nest.

Good night, Anna, and your two precious eggs at Kisatchie National Forest E-3.

Good night, Connie, at Captiva.

Good night, Muhlady. Just think. We are 12 days away from hatch!

At the NCTC nest of Bella and Smitty, Smitty has not been seen on the nest for 66 days – since 21 September. Feeling so sad for Bella. This nest has attracted many intruders with physical injuries over the past few years.

The Hancock Wildlife Foundation held its eagle count and the total was 1066 Bald Eagles. Wow.

Just look at the geese in New Jersey near the Barnegat Light Osprey nest! Oh, goodness. I would love to be there to listen to all their honking – or just to see them. I miss all the migrants once they leave Canada for their warmer winter homes.

Kestrels renewing their pair bonds in Germany.

The water at Port Lincoln looks quite calm. Mum and chicks are waiting for fish! Sometimes it seems that the life of a raptor is simply that – a life of waiting. Waiting for eggs to be laid, incubation, waiting for fish deliveries…waiting for it all to begin again.

The Fish Fairy arrives and saves the day with three fish. We get to see Giliath self feeding! They are growing up fast. Remember 8 December (that is Australian calendar/time) will be ringing, weighing, and putting on trackers. #2 will get its name.

Heidi Mc caught the fledgling/juvenile of Diamond and Xavier and its aborted landing in the scrape yesterday for us in video.

Falco, the Eurasian owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo nine months ago, has made The Guardian in a story questioning whether or not the owl can survive in the Big Apple.

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Sadly, Glaslyn has lost one of its oldest female Ospreys. Blue 8C was the daughter of Ochre 11 (98), the last chick from the original male of the translocation project. Blue 8C fledged from Rutland at 53 days on the 8th of July 2014. She was almost ten years old when Jean-Marie Dupart found her injured, and when he returned to the beach area where she was to retrieve her, she had died. Condolences. She knew her route well between the UK and Senegal…so sad to hear of her passing.

One lucky falcon. So many injuries, rescues, and will be free again soon. Magnificent.

The crimes against raptors in the UK are largely linked to the large land estates associated with shooting parties. Will a younger generation turn on this medieval tradition amongst the aristocratic classes?

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A fun bird fact from ‘J’ today:

Roger Tory Peterson’s first painting was of a Blue Jay! And it was his favourite bird.
His seventh grade teacher brought a portfolio of The Birds of New York State by bird painter Louis Agassiz Fuertes. Each kid was given a small box of water colors and a color plate to copy. Peterson got the Blue Jay.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. Enjoy your Sunday — or whatever day it feels like. When you are retired, the days roll into one another! See you soon.

Thank you to the following for the comments, notes, videos, articles, screen captures, and posts that helped me to write my blog this morning: “J”, Margaret Renkl and her book, The Comfort of Crows, The Leaf, Janet Gray, Nancy Babineau, Berry College Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, Philippe Josse, Eagle Country, FOBBV, KNF-E3, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, Hancock Wildlife Foundation, Wildlife Conservancy of NJ, Michael Raege, The Guardian, Mary Cheadle and Jean-marie Dupart, Robin Stockfelt, and Raptor Persecution UK.

News of Blue KWO…Monday in Bird World

20 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Sunday was another glorious day on the Canadian Prairies. So many people were at the park. There were even barbecues and picnics happening. One thing I really noticed was that everyone had a smile and said ”hello”.

There were 28 Mallards and 2 Canada Geese enjoying all the pond plants in the pond. Some were munching on seeds that visitors were tossing. I did not see anyone giving bread to the waterfowl, only approved seeds. How grand. And not a single duck was rescued that had Angel Wing. Glorious.

The kittens had a lovely day, too, and Calico was playing with Hope just as she used to. Oh, it was marvellous to see! It felt like a huge weight was lifted when she romped with the other two! Yes, Missey, too.

Calico loves catnip! Oh, she was so happy. She rubbed the catnip all over her face and then rolled in it.

Calico’s face just glows now that she feels better. Her eyes sparkle. Thank goodness for antibiotics.

Hope melts my heart. She is now scheduled for her surgery on the 22nd of November. That is this coming Wednesday. Thank you, Fixing Feral Felines!

This is Hope, but if you blink, you might think it is Calico.

Missey was watching the Blue Jays on Cat TV. Her fur has gotten so thick even though she is a house cat. She is the most gentle soul even though she looks like she could tackle anything that came near her.

Life is good in Cat World.

I have received news from Michael St John in Barbados that he spotted Blue KWO Sunday morning soaring in the thermals with a companion. Could this be the start of a love affair in the Caribbean for our ‘lost’ British Osprey? You will recall that Blue KWO left the UK in August 2022 and is spotted in Barbados by Michael. So happy that this osprey is safe! Barbados will take very good care of her.

At Port Lincoln, Mum found the tail of that big Trevally and fed it to the youngsters very early. It is there on the right and then in the next image it is gone. She is feeding the babes. What a great Mum she is.

Look at those feathers…the heads, the cute little tails. Giliath and #2 looking out to the world they will conquer before the end of the year. They are getting stronger on their feet.

Look at that sweet little bottom. It looks like a miniature Turkey!!!!!! Oh, gosh.

They are cute. They are also hard to see in that nest – they blend in so well.

It is 13:56 nest time and no fish yet. Thank goodness for that little morning snack.

The fish fairy came! Dad caught a fish. The observation board is at the bottom under the images.

There is news from Sydney about the sea eaglets!

It is V3 for Gabby. They spent the night at the nest tree and then worked on the nest, adding some seasonal greenery on Sunday. Lots of chortling is happening.

Chortling is not an alert call. They are making a sound that shows happiness, pleasure, and satisfaction. Like I said – they are a loving pair!

Attempted mating at the NE Florida nest.

Things are not improving at SW Florida where the GHOs have knocked F23 off the branch twice already on Sunday evening. This is not a good situation and believe me, the Bald Eagles do not always win in these battles. GHOs are formidable enemies to have and they are at the top of the food chain. Their silent flight and strong legs and talons – and some might say their persistence – often plays out in their favour.

The NCTC nest of Bella (and Smitty?) is unsettled, also. Is this Smitty? or is it someone else?

Turkey vultures are visiting the NCTC nest, too!

Boone has been adding sticks to the Johnson City Bald Eagle nest on Sunday.

At the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose, Ron spent the night on a nest branch and started some early morning cleaning.

An adult at the Duke Farms nest on Sunday.

Martin and Rosa were at the Dulles-Greenway nest on Sunday.

Definitely not an Osprey but wouldn’t it be grand for herons to nest here?!

Birds are adapting to climate change by breeding earlier in certain locations. Why not the Cuckoo?

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How do wind farms impact our beloved Terns (and other seabirds)?

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This graphic touched my heart. We have had many issues with people photographing wildlife – shaking trees to try and make the owls wake up and fly away – in Winnipeg. It is out of hand and very selfish – for a photograph! When photographing wildlife, please be respectful and remind others to do the same. Not just owls…

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care. Looking forward to having you with us again soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, graphics, photographs, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, MSJ’, PLO, Kathryn Palmer, NEFL-AEF, Lady Hawk, Deb Stecyk, Johnson City Eagle Cam, WRDC, Duke Farms, Dulles-Greenway Eagle Cam, Heidi Mc, Bro, and Black Swamp Bird Conservatory.

Beautiful Big Red…Sunday in Bird World

19 November 2023

Hi Everyone,

Saturday was a fantastic day on the Canadian Prairies. 6 degrees C. Snow melting. Blue sky. Bright sunshine. Happy people. I dropped off the pet food donations, picked up some Salmon Oil for Calico (and, of course, all the girls will get it along with the Cod Liver Oil and Lysine), and headed straight to the nature centre for a walk. My neighbour stopped me as I was leaving, wondering if we would get punished in January for all this nice weather…it made me think that we cannot wait to go outside on a nice day; it is a nice day. Go for it!

The girls and I are almost finished reading Margaret Renkl’s book, The Comfort of Crows. Every chapter reminds us to ‘live’. Renkl is just turning 60, and she understands that she has lived most of her life and ponders the shortness of time she has left. Renkl reminds us to slow down – to stop with the meaningless tasks we set before ourselves. To live a meaningful life not one full of just business.

Here is a quote from one of the chapters the girls and I read today: “During the funeral, when my friend spoke about her parents’ long marriage….In her eulogy, my friend reminded us of how much her father had loved to sail:  “He always said that he felt at peace when sailing, where it was serene and quiet”, she said.  “I now appreciate that he enjoyed those days on the boat because the family was together without being in a hurry.”  Instantly, I thought about those Post-it notes stuck all over my house.  How had I allowed myself to become so busy? How long had it been since I’d spent a day in the sun, eating sandwiches from a cooler and watching water ripple across the surface of a lake? Why do I so often behave as though there will be unlimited days to sit quietly with my own beloveds, listening to birdsong and wind in the pines? (129).

That is why I continued on to the nature centre today. To see the squirrels running around, to watch the one hanging on the bird feeder trying to pry out a peanut, to stop and listen to the chickadees. There is so much beauty that surrounds us. You just have to stop and listen. You can do this by simply standing outside your door or walking to the nearest green space. Sometimes, opening a window and letting the fresh air in brings contentment. Today, when I closed my eyes in the forest and took a deep breath, the smell of the damp leaves, some beginning to decompose, was so very lovely. For you see, it is impossible to smell those leaves beneath the snow!!!!!!

I am sure you do not think this looks like winter! One of the things about living on the prairies is the huge sky – the landscape is horizontal. Many modernist Canadian artists focused entirely on the tiny strip of land and the huge sky that is the hallmark of where we live.

There were three Canada Geese. The lake has only a thin sheet of ice in a couple of places. The smaller ponds are melting and there is plenty of food for geese and ducks available. There was the usual banditry of Black-capped chickadees so named as a group because they look like they have black bandanas or are wearing a mask, a single White-breasted Nuthatch, and numerous squirrels, both Red and Grey.

The chart below shows that we are above normal temperatures for this time of year.

Today I hope to get to another park where I am told the ducks are still paddling!

Thank you for your good wishes for Calico. She seems much improved and has been running around the house – something she has not done in a week!

The girls had their lunch and then it was time to ready for a nap. Calico and Missey were in the conservatory and Hope was in Missey’s basket in the sitting room. They love to curl up and stay warm – even with the temperatures outside, the oven has been on and the central heating hasn’t (the thermostat is right by the oven – bad design). Their heated beds arrive on Monday! Just in time for any dip in temperatures.

It is so peaceful. The Feliway continues to work, and there are no hissing or stalking behaviours that I have seen. Calico and Missey can sleep within a few feet of one another, and Calico is no longer concerned when Hope is playing with Missey. Smiling.

There are several videos of Diamond and Xavier feeding a fledgling on top of the tower. As at Sydney, it is not confirmed if both fledglings are being seen or if there is only one. Send positive wishes for both Marri and Barru as well as 31 and 32 – we hope that we are seeing both at each area.

The latest one, from SK Hideaways, is second..

‘A’s report for Orange: “The parents had a lengthy bonding session, which I believe was at about 16:11:05. (These two have had bonding sessions lasting up to four hours, though I think Xavier fell asleep during some of the longer ones!) But they are taking advantage of some adult time. Meanwhile, at least one of the juveniles has been spotted sitting on the roof of the water tower, where we saw at least one yesterday. I am unsure whether both juveniles have been positively ID’d or not. At least one of the fledglings is strong enough to fly to the top of the tower. Now, some landing control practice and we will see at least one of them in the scrape again. Talons crossed for them both.” 

At Port Lincoln, Mum, Giliath, and #2 wait to see who will be first in with the fish. They are hoping for Dad!

It is 10:38 and Mum is telling Dad that it is about that time he leaves the barge and goes out to fish…

It looks like Dad has not gone out fishing yet…it is nearing 0930. Mum and osplets are waiting patiently.

It is 12:30 and so far no fish from Dad. PLO says the fish fairy will be there in half an hour.

A 1.424 kg Trevally was delivered to the nest. It was taken to the ropes. PLO says that two fish were delivered. Mum is eating one on the ropes. Could you look at the size of it? It would feed everyone. I hope she doesn’t lose it overboard. Watchers think something smaller was under the larger fish the chicks nibbled on. It is a bit confusing. There is nothing on the observation board yet to clarify.

OK. Mum took the supplementary fish to the ropes and right after Dad landed on the nest with his own fish.\.

Hopefully Dad will have enough to eat and Mum will not lose the big one and feed herself and the kids for the rest of the day – with maybe some for Dad, too.

Note: Dad’s fish is nice, but that single fish would not be enough to feed 4 for the day. Again, I am thankful to the Fish Fairies.

Confusing. Is Dad feeding part of his fish to the osplets?

Dad is finished with the osplets and is on one of the perches. Mum is still prepping that huge fish. It has to be tough working through that head. She has been at this for more than an hour.

OK. Some clarification. It was a Trevally and a large cleaned squid. Dad fed some of the squid to one of the chicks (#2, I think) while Mum arrives on the nest with the huge lunch. Both will join her.

Mum is going to be exhausted when she finishes feeding this fish.

The chicks are getting quite full. Mum continues to feed them and herself. She has been working on this fish for two and a half hours.

Thank you to the crew of the Calypso Star and the young lad who donated the squid to the osplets. Kindness. Sometimes when the news gets too much, it is these small gestures that make us realise that there is goodness out there.

Today (Monday in Australia), the osplets are 34 and 32 days old. Unless they are females, they will normally peak in growth at 35 days Western Ospreys. Must check and see if this is the case with the Eastern.

The observation board for Port Lincoln. It is unfortunate that Dad lost the fish down on the barge.

The cam ops are not sure who is at the nest with Gabby. I just want Gabby to be able to raise a clutch in peace this season since she lost her fabulous mate, Samson.

I am going with V3 in the nest. Gabby was flirting and V3 was interested.

Handsome couple.

I think I missed this video of Jackie and Shadow!

Ferris Akel found Big Red on the Cornell Campus on his tour on Saturday. Oh, goodness, isn’t she beautiful. Look at that deep auburn Red plumage. She will be 21 years old in March. My goodness it is so good to see you Big Red.

There are two adults on the Achieva Credit Union nest. Jack and Diane?

Been missing Monty and Hartley? A pair of love birds. Don’t you wish you could talk falconsese?

18 Days until Hatch at Superbeaks!

This is the most recent report on sightings of Lady, Dad, and at least one juvie in Sydney:

‘A’ set this report for the 17th at Sydney and I missed it so I am including it here today: “November 17: an early report of a juvenile in the usual spot in the mangroves, then seen flying to River Roost, near both parents. In the afternoon there was a large drone flying over the wetlands –a new method of mosquito spraying, rather than by helicopter. Parents were away during the day – maybe even at Goat Island, closer to the City. Both returned to River Roost before 5pm, and then to the juvenile’s usual area. Shortly after, both parents were at River Roost, with a vocal greeting. Juvenile was seen at the water edge around 6pm, then went deeper into the mangroves. At 6:45pm, an adult was seen flying from the wetlands with a fish, taken to Mangrove Island. It is unclear if a juvenile ate today. Picture shows juvenile flying yesterday.” — Any report, regardless of the day, is good news when it is about the sea eaglets flying about and being fed!

This is the most recent report from ‘A’ for Sydney: “November 19: At 7.50am, 2 adults and a juvie were near each other. Juvie moved a couple of times like yesterday, before settling on another branch nearby, in the heraldic pose at one point. Heard a couple of duets, and sounded like juvie joined in. At 10am, the parents were in much the same spot, both facing more west. The juvie must have been there somewhere. At 11am, one parent flew to River Roost. Later in the afternoon, both parents were on River Roost, near the juvenile, in the usual spot, and then one circling over Ermington Bay. Numerous people using River Walk stopped to ask about the eagles, but the juvenile is still so hard to spot. I don’t believe a feeding was observed.” 

M15 and F23 were at the nest on Saturday. I do not see them there currently but they might return later in the night.

Lady Hawk posted this video.

This was earlier.

There has been some concern about the new female ‘F’ at ND-LEEF. ‘H’ reports that she was on the nest with Dad this morning. Fantastic news! ‘H reminds us: “‘F’ was last seen at the nest on 11/12.  This morning ‘F’ was back in the nest with Dad, starting about 073341, Dad in first.  They left around 0800.”

I love books and I get so excited when I hear that youngsters are learning about our feathered friends and the challenges that they face. Thank you to one of our readers, ‘R’ who introduced Chile Bird to her second graders! We must start with the youngsters so that their respect and empathy for wildlife will grow. Hakai Magazine always has a good list of children’s books this time of year – for all of the holidays celebrated by the various people around the world – and the gifts that they give BUT also because we should all be reading! This offering is called Ten Coastal Kid’s Books. Their summaries are excellent and very useful in helping to make choices for purchase.

Ten-Coastal-Kids-Books-Offer-an-Ocean-of-Adventure-Hakai-MagazineDownload

There is another set of books that are meant specifically to inspire empathy and understanding in the young readers.

Earths-Beating-Heart-12-Coastal-Themed-Books-to-Help-Kids-Grow-Their-Understanding-and-Empathy-Download

I recently included an article on how intelligent vultures are. BirdLife International explores the efforts to stop the poisoning of these captivating creatures in Kenya.

Addressing-wildlife-poisoning-in-Kenya-BirdLife-InternationalDownload

I read an article that you mind find interesting – it isn’t directly about raptors or wildlife but it certainly is about the quality of life of our neighbours. As many of you know, wealthier countries export their trash – whether it is plastic waste or donated clothes – to poorer countries, often in Africa. This creates untold harm to the people living there at many levels. I recall my granddaughter – who did her practicum for Social Work in Senegal – telling me never to donate clothes. They are sold cheaply and exported and then sold in the markets where they cause the local textile industry to die. We have all seen the piles of plastic garbage. Now the EU is passing legislation to ban the exporting of plastic. Thank goodness someone is tacking responsibility for their own mess. Now which other countries will follow suit?

EU-agrees-to-ban-exports-of-waste-plastic-to-poor-countries-Waste-The-GuardianDownload

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care – keep sending your good wishes to our three Australian families on streaming cams. Their challenges are certainly not over, and we want all those fledglings to be safe and well fed. We hope to have you with us again soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, tours, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, R, SP’, SK Hideaways, PLO, NEFL-AEF, Ferris Akel Tours, Achieva Credit Union, Superbeaks, Anna Laios, Lady Hawk, Hakai Magazine, BirdLife International, and The Guardian.

Fish Fairy comes in with 4…Saturday in Bird World

18 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Before we blink, it will be 2024 and I think I have just gotten comfortable typing ‘2023’ without having to think about it! Where does the time go? And why does it seem to fly by so quickly?

Thank you for all your good wishes for Calico. As you know, I have a really warm spot for this cat that was probably dumped and had to live in the wild for last winter until she moved into the house in late August. I am so glad she became trustful. The good news is that Calico has an infection and will be 100% back to normal in a few days. It is the same as she had before when Hope was lost and the milk built up. She has a slight case of mastitis. But the bad news is she does have some arthritis in her legs or perhaps her health was compromised by having kittens and taking such good care of Hope when she was so young. You might recall that Calico was so very thin despite eating a lot of good cat food daily. For any of you who have arthritis (my gran did, and so do I), there are treatments but no real cure. Poor thing. That warming cat bed will be nice for her this winter and she has some vitamins now to help get her bones stronger. Geemeff has suggested adding Lysine and Cod Liver Oil and we will certainly do that. I suspect she will want to sleep in that warm bed year-round. There are anti-inflammatory medications she can be on, as well as feline acupuncture. Because she is very young (just a year and a fortnight), the vet is weighing the options and will get back to me on Monday with a plan for Calico. In the meantime, we will fight this infection! She is looking better already after 24 hours of antibiotics.

Hope and Calico on my grandmother’s quarter-cut oak round table. Hope quickly got on a plant stand that I had put a table mat on and has now claimed it as her own.

Mamma.

Hope stood up as if she were a model and then she did the contrapposto pose of the Ancient Greeks, almost. (It is when a person stands with their weight on one leg, allowing the other to be more relaxed and bent at the knee. It gives a rather relaxed pose). Oh, she is so cute I can’t stop taking photos of her…soon she will be a big girl.

Little Hope is being trained to go into the carrier so she can go for her operation this coming week. She is so easy. She loves treats! Thank goodness. Missey supervised!

The camera at Port Lincoln was able to get some beautiful close ups of Giliath early Saturday morning while the pair wait with Mum for a fish delivery. Gorgeous. Simply beautiful. Look at those lovely juvenile feathers growing in!

And #2.

They are exercising those wings!

Dad came through at 0903. Way to go, Dad!

The chat moderator and camera operator (and observation board), Bart, says that the Fish Fairies delivered close to 9 kg of fish on Friday to the nest. Way to go Fish Fairy!

The Fish Fairy arrived and left four really lovely fish at 1330 (the observation board says four, but I see three…where is the other one? under a chick?). What a nice feast they will have. Mum quickly got the fish and started feeding Giliath and #2.

So is it Giliath or #2 that went over to try and do some self-feeding? I am having difficulties telling them apart.

Mum finished feeding the first fish and started on the second – a red mullet. Despite the crops being full, the chicks are still eating. Surely, they will fill up, crop drop, and top up their holding tank again. This could be the last fish til Sunday, when the fish fairy visits again. That red Mullet must have been hiding.

Three down and one left. Mum is eating and is extremely hungry. They have stopped. The last fish is under one of the osplets. Will Dad come and have a meal? Surely he is easily as hungry – if not more – than Mum and the chicks.

Mum started on the last fish. She is eating most of it herself. She is obviously very hungry – she did a fantastic job feeding her youngsters now it is her turn for a really good meal.

Wow! Thank you to everyone supplying fish to this much-loved osprey family. This family and these chicks would not be what they are today without your empathy and generosity.

Note: Dad took one of the Whiting! So everyone had the best fish.

If you have considered donating, it could be an excellent time to show appreciation and help feed these osplets. If you are an international donor, you will do the stripe transfer. You will see a page with merchandise and amounts for donation. Once you begin the process, there is a place at check out to add ‘barge feeding’.

Fran Solly confirms (on FB comment reply) that ringing will occur the first week in December, and one of the osplets will get a satellite tracker. The dates that I have seen suggested are the 5-7th of December. I wonder who will get the tracker.

At Orange, the fledglings are being fed on the top of the tower!

Cathy Cook has been busy taking photographs and videos of the sea eaglets. You should check out the Sydney Sea Eagles FB page for the complete images. Lovely to see the youngsters flying strong and being heckled by the little birds but doing well. It has been a glorious year. Thanks, Cathy!

‘A’ sent the Ranger’s report:

“November18: Early the juvenile was down in the usual mangrove area, with Lady keeping watch above. Saturday morning the river is noisy with rowers training, much shouting and noise until 9am. Pleasing to see the juvenile fly a short way. At 12:30 the juvenile was on a mangrove branch in the shade and both adults on River Roost, no swooping or calls. 1:10 both adults took flight from River Roost and were away for some time. 1:20 juvie flew back again, then moved again a few metres and again, so hard to see. Later we were thrilled to see her make a couple of passes over the water, with talons reaching out- practising hunting? (see picture – ).The wind was very strong, hard for a young eagle. Then she was back again to the favourite patch. Not sure if a late feed was delivered.”

Let’s check that other Osprey nest at Osprey House with Atlantis and Kailani.

Gosh, Dad looks little delivering these fish. Gotta watch those talons.

An Osprey visitor at the Captiva nest in the Barrier Islands, Florida.

It was windy, stormy, and wet at the nest of Gabby and V3. Still V3 was on the branch being ever vigilant over their territory.

There is a lot of misinformation, and sometimes I get caught in it…this is the information from the AEF on who was at the NE Florida nest Friday night. Many still believe that V1 visited.

At the SW Florida Eagle Nest, Mr Hootie flew into the nest hooting for his mate with prey. He stayed in the nest, went up to a branch, and then returned to the nest calling. He left but he might come back. No sign of M15 while this was happening.

Then the eagles came! It was after midnight.

Lady Hawk shows us M15 giving a fish gift to F23.

It was a nice day on the other side of Florida at Captiva in the Barrier Islands. Clive and Connie have alternated incubation of their two eggs.

There is activity at Dulles-Greenway.

We are 19 days away from hatch at Superbeaks!

Late visit at Big Bear. It is sure windy there!

Looks like River is still at Dale Hollow. I wonder if she is still with the male that was there after Obey disappeared?

Some great images of Liberty at the Redding California nest. Wow. She is a beauty.

The Three Bridges Eagle Cam will go live shortly.

Did not die of lead poisoning. Someone shot this beautiful Bald Eagle, and it died. I have a hard time getting my head around the reasons that anyone would do such a thing.

Cody is still having some issues at the Kisatchie National Forest E-3 nest with the solar power…this time it is ants.

Osprey count from Gambia. 5F is Seren, Dylan’s mate, at Llyn Clywedog.

What species of birds live the longest in the UK?

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A win-win.

Join me in reading about Canada’s National Bird – the Canada Jay. Nicely written…a joy.

The-Naturalist-and-the-Wonderful-Lovable-So-Good-Very-Bold-Jay-Hakai-MagazineDownload

Ever wonder how far Peregrine Falcons fly from Europe to their winter homes? Check this Finnish bird out! Incredible.

Be kind to your friends with pets this holiday season. Do NOT give them any of these plants!

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, announcements, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A’, PLO, Fran Solly, Holly Parsons, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Cathy Cook, Osprey House Environment Centre, Val Gall, NEFL-AEF, Linda Russo, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, Window to Wildlife, Dulles-Greenway Eagle Cam, Superbeaks, FOBBV, Sassa Bird, FORE, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Carol Mandis-beadle, Cody Wayne, Jean-marie Dupart, Bird Guides, Brian Horne, and Atlas Obscurer.

Fish Fairies…Monday in Bird World

13 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, oh….Sunday was so warm. It went up to +6 C. The sky was blue. There was a little bit of wind, and it was a perfect day for a long walk at the nature centre. There were 2 Bald Eagles, a Northern Shrike, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, many Black-capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos, about 26 Hooded Mergansers, a single Cormorant, a host of gulls, a pair of ducks and squirrels running everywhere. Everyone was happy and smiling and greeting their fellow birders. Such a wonderful reprieve!

Here are a few images to share with you. The sun was about 3/4 of the way towards setting, and the light was so bright. I worked on some of the images, but still, they continue to look as if they were in silhouette. Apologies.

One of the nicest parts of my walk was sitting on a bench, closing my eyes, and listening to the sound of the geese honking as they flew in. Oh, how I miss that sound when they are all gone. The silence is simply too much.

A lone Cormorant.

Part of the Hooded-Merganser families that have been at the centre since the babies hatched in the early summer.

Nearer to the feeders, the squirrels were busy trying to pull the peanuts and other seeds out from the wire mesh.

S/he got one!

Hairy or Downy? I think it is a female Downy. Remember if you purchase these type of suet feeders to get the ones with the wooden triangle at the bottom. It helps the woodpecker to keep their tail straight and they can feed much more efficiently. They are a little pricer but I promise you they enjoy them that much more.

A Junco hoping to get some seed that one of the birds or squirrels knocks out of the feeders.

It was simply stunning. The light made everything so beautiful. The benches, the empty nests, the lake…even the ice!

The hide is where one of the feeding stations is located. It is perfect for watching the squirrels and little songbirds without scaring them. The wire mesh is to protect the newly planted trees from the deer, while the plastic sleeve around the trunk is to keep the rabbits from destroying the trees.

Before I went for my walk, the girls helped me clean the house. They are too funny. Hope has now managed to take over two of Missey’s favourite spots – the top of the wicker basket looking out to the garden and, of course, the sacred basket with Missey’s baby blanket.

Missey is waiting to see how long it will take Hope to find this other basket in the conservatory! Of course, the good thing is – Hope cannot be in three places at once so there will be a place for Missey (there are many others but Missey is particularly fond of wicker and baskets).

Calico has been getting many brushes during the day and I am rubbing her legs and back. Poor thing. I remember how thin she was when Hope (and any siblings) were newly born. Calico ate and ate…she would rush to finish to get back to her kittens. I worry that her young body paid for that…

They certainly keep me sane.

I missed the photo op, but little Hope was very curious today when ‘the boyfriend’ was eating. His missing fur on the tail and back are coming back in, and he sleeps regularly in the shelter. Geemeff suggested that he might be a good candidate for the male cat in the house…we will see. He was looking in the garden door today!!!!!!!!!!!! You might recall that Calico did that as well when she began to fully trust me.

I want to imagine that all of you are checking on three different nests – you are watching while holding your breath for Marri and Barru to fledge, worried to death about M15 and F23 and the GHOs, and watching those darling babies at PLO and praying for fish deliveries. Certainly that is where my focus has been while also waiting for news of the sea eaglets.

First, thank you to ‘M’, who wrote to remind me that M15 and Harriet had another nest on the Pritchett Property. I had forgotten. This is marvellous news. The GHOs concern me. We have witnessed them taking over eagles’ nests on the streaming cams. The first one that comes to mind is the young eagle couple on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas.

The GHOs hit F23 three times Saturday evening. M15 came to protect her, and they were on the branch together in the morning. M15 delivered a nice fish in the nest for his new lady, and fingers and talons crossed, things go smoothly.

Lady Hawk put the attacks together in a single short video.

At Port Lincoln, Dad came through with a morning fish for Mum and the kids—those precious babies. Yesterday, one of them fed the other a morsel. It melted my heart. My bet is on these two being males. Gentle little males that will go wild once they fledge fighting for fish! Just like Ervie did with his siblings but, until then, perfect little gentlemen.

One large supplementary fish came on the nest, and my goodness, I am not good at identifying fish, but it sure looks like a shark.

Mom’s eyes look like they will pop out.

The look on Giliath’s face tells it all!!!!!!!!!!

#2 likes the shade of Mamma…this fish will last a long time. Maybe #2 will begin pecking at the tail, too. How wonderful. Thank you, Fish Fairies.

They cleaned up the fish. Giliath might have been in a perfect position, but #2 got lots of fish. Both left the feeding with bulging crops – and happily, Mum could also get a good meal. Let us hope Dad brings another nice fish to the nest for his family later in the day. Otherwise, it will be a long time until the fish arrive tomorrow. Dad came and took the fishtail at 13:53, but Mum seemed to have quite a few scraps in the nest, and the chicks were already thinking it might be good to eat them.

You can see #2’s crop in the image below. Giliath’s head is behind Mum’s right wing.

Food comas.

Ah, and I bet you have noticed…we don’t have reptiles anymore. Look at the beautiful feathers and that deep thermal down that will help our ospreys regulate their temperature. Look at the size of the wings and those cute tails. Growing up!

‘A’ comments on those feedings at PLO: “Every year, there comes a moment when I genuinely wonder whether a crop has ever literally burst. Surely a crop the size of Giliath’s or Little Bob’s must be extremely uncomfortable. I wonder whether they need to leave the food there for a period of time for primary digestion before crop dropping it into their stomachs and whether it is uncomfortable or painful to swallow too much too soon. They don’t seem to do it all that often, though we do see smaller hatches doing it if they’ve waited a long time and suddenly get some fish or occasionally when they are trying to fit more in during a particularly lengthy feeding to which they return several times. (Little Bob has done it once or twice when mum has been particularly insistent during one of her hour-plus feedings. Some of these fairy fish are gigantic, thank goodness.) But this evening (it is 18:20 in Port Lincoln) everyone is full. Mum has eaten heaps. Dad has taken the fish away, eaten, and brought back leftovers. He’s a good dad. He tries. Sometimes, it’s very gusty and the waves are extremely choppy. I imagine it could be very difficult fishing there at those times, which occur most days – some days are just particularly bad. “

Several other news items from Port Lincoln. It was Calypso’s mate (he is the 2019 hatch at Port Lincoln) that was found hanging upside down on a pole. The female flew off but has not been seen. People are watching out for her. Calypso was at the nest looking and calling for her.

Did Ervie go to help search for his brother’s mate? –Sadly, Fran Solly has now posted that Calypso’s mate has been found dead. This is so sad. So many Osprey’s lost, so few because they are so endangered in South Australia. Now for Calypso to find another female. Condolences to all.

Love the Port Lincoln Ospreys? Friends of Osprey Sth Australia have calendars and I understand that it is full of Fran Solly’s amazing photographs – even Ervie!

The money from all of the fundraising projects goes directly to put up the platforms, the trackers, etc. Here is a copy of the August 2023 newsletter telling you what was accomplished up to that date.

I am over the moon that Fran, Bazz, and Janet fought to intervene at the nest this year with supplementary feedings, just like in NZ with the Royal Albatross Chicks. I look forward to their research findings and want to help in any way I can so that they know their compassion for this family is appreciated…that is why I am posting the information about the calendar.

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Partney and Marrum lost their only osplet to predation by a raptor (presumed) on Tumby Island. The Crows then took over the nest and the nest is now reclaimed by a pair of ospreys. It is not confirmed if it is Partner and Marrum.

More problems with Crows could have been the cause of the death of the osplet on the Sunshine Coast. So sad.

We have all been biting our fingernails watching Marri and Barru. Barru had a close call slipping out of the scrape, but thankfully, he recovered! It is 2130 on the Canadian Prairies Sunday evening, and neither has fledged, but they sure could while I am sleeping. These two are ready. Their interest is in the outside world. Diamond and Xavier are doing a good job keeping them focused on their flying – doing aerial displays and carrying prey. Everything the adults do is a lesson imprinted on the minds of Marri and Barru to take with them into their futures.

Whew!

Still there…it is past midnight in Canada…

The Osprey Cam on Captiva will go live today!

The cameras at the West End are now live, too, and you can see both the old and new nests of Thunder and Akecheta! Amazing, Dr Sharpe. Thank you.

The cameras are back at Lock Arkaig and there are more visitors to Louis and Dorcha’s nest!

Was it Smitty?

‘H’ reports that “‘F’ eagle is back at Notre Dame Eagles, per post by Phillipe Josse 11/12, both she and Dad were in the nest briefly on 11/12.” Wonderful news for Little Bit ND17’s Dad!

Deb Stecyk gives us an update of some of the Bald Eagle nests in Canada and the impact of the wildfires this past summer.

Good news coming out of the Kakapo Recovery on one of the Kakapo that had to go for treatment to Dunedin.

‘A’ sent this to me and I missed it so did not include it with the Sunday newsletter. Hopefully there will be some sightings of the eaglets.”Finally, the report for 11 November from WBSE: November 11: Prey delivery last evening at 6:30 to Mangrove Island, not sure if juvenile was about. This morning at 7:45, an adult, I think Dad, was on mangroves where seen yesterday. Hard to see if a juvenile is there in the shadows. Lots of river traffic, with scullers going close and loud microphones yelling training orders. Rivercats passing, dozens of watercraft – Dad ignores them it seems. At 8:01, I heard a juvenile squawk and a currawong – close to an adult. Lots of rubbish under the mangroves, and I heard another threat. Hearing a Koel – is it yelling at the juvenile as well? Pied Oystercatcher flying past. Striated Heron. Great Egret with breeding plumage. Mangrove Gerygone behind me. Later, around midday, the ground team reported adults on Mangrove Island and circling over the area, but no juvenile or feeding was seen.”

And then the report for yesterday from WBSE, thanks ‘A’: “November 13: Early in the morning, I saw one of the adults down in the mangroves, then the other as well. One soared so high overhead, I could no longer see it. The adults were hard to spot on the river, not always in their familiar roosts, and seemed to be moving further into the mangroves. Later, at last, we saw one of the juveniles on a branch in the mangroves – so hard to spot in the shadows, with its brown colouring (see the picture). It stayed still there for over 2 hours while we were watching, with not a sound. One of the adults was moving in and out, but we saw no prey delivered. Again the mullet are jumping. We saw the male Osprey over the Nature Reserve wetlands, flushing out about a dozen lapwings. No more news during the afternoon. As there is an “empty nest” now, or mostly, we rely on ground observers to report any action on the river.”

Oh, I wished I lived closer to Vancouver! If you do, then here is a real opportunity.

HPAI or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or Bird Flu is claiming so many of the sea and shore birds.

Worlds-largest-gannet-colony-declines-by-a-quarter-following-bird-flu-BirdGuidesDownload

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Take care of yourself. We hope to have you with us again really soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, photographs, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, M’, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, PLO, Friends of Ospreys Sth Australia, Anita Corran, Eric Kotz, Wildlife at Osprey House, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Window to Wildlife, Jan Gallivan, Geemeff, Deb Stecyk, Kakapo Recovery, Hancock Wildlife Foundation, and Bird Guides.

The osplets are ‘itchy’…Sunday in Bird World

5 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Saturday was a day that fluctuated between blue skies and grey. It was also the day I learned all there is to know about making insulated homes for the feral cats that come to my feeder. Our winters are cold and can be wet with heavy snow. I often long for the dry snow that used to blow across the country roads, creating ‘whiteouts’ on the highway. Most often, I was told when I first arrived on the Canadian Prairies, people would go off the road and into the ditch but on the other side. Whiteouts are precisely that – solid white – opaque milk glass. You quickly get disoriented when you are driving, and the snow is blowing across the highway.

The insulated boxes mean ‘The Boyfriend’ and another friend (wonder who that will be?) will have warm and dry places to stay if they choose – under the deck. That horrid old carpet that needs to be replaced will remain til spring. It will keep the snow from falling between the decking onto the ground below. Hopefully, they will have a nicer winter.

Calico can watch them from inside, snug and warm. Gosh, I love how that cat finally came to trust me. The three girls are such wonderful gifts. They are creatures of ritual and the story reading one is very precious. It reminds me of the time when my children were small and cuddled in for their bedtime stories. Now they nestle on the scrap quilt my grandmother made beside me – Calico and Hope – with Missey either on the table or the cat tree. I am so lucky. If petting a cat removes stress, my life should be completely stress free!

Today I did put a little post in FB seeking out a very young male kitten, a little brother for them. I am looking for a little boy younger than Hope, perhaps 6-8 weeks. Fingers crossed.

Calico trying to catch a ‘cat nap’. Hope does sleep but rather than eat or sleep, she would much rather play!

In keeping to my promise to try and get out to the park for a walk at least 5 days out of 7, I headed off to check on the Wood Ducks, the Mallards, and the Canada Geese that were at Kildonan Park a week ago. There is an area by the ‘Witches Hut’ where people come to feed them seed.

There were no ducks in sight, but there were twenty-five Canada Geese.