Category Archives: Glaslyn

Mrs G Remembered, eggs for Seren and Telyn…Friday in Bird World

14 April 2023

Good Morning,

It was overcast and coolish, 1 C, in the early morning of Thursday. It felt like rain; we could use it, but the drops never came. The Dark-eyed Juncos are eating the Millet spread over the deck, the little woodpecker has been at the feeder, and 18 European Starlings showed up at about 1000. It is now noon. They should be happy. There is Bark Butter with Mealworms along with their favourite suet. Hoping they come back. Last year’s numbers were high for Starlings. Hoping it is the same this migration. People take them for granted, like Sparrows, but what happens when they are gone? They are under threat. So, this garden embraces them and the Sparrows; believe it or not, they all co-exist nicely for the most part. Right now, they all need food. Those long journeys and habitat loss in my area over the winter due to the ever-expanding need for humans to have more extensive houses means that we should all pitch in and feed them – if we can.

Snail mail. We don’t get so much of it anymore; it is always a welcome treat. Today the publications from Birdlife International and Living Bird were in the post. I realise that having them sent costs the environment. I hope they will be helpful in the future to others as they are going in dedicated binders.

Lots to learn. The National Whitebark Pine Restoration Plan members have worked for 14 years to get a plan to restore this tree species. They hope to have a tree with genetic resistance to white pine blister rust and they are really expecting the Clark’s Nutcracker to spread those seeds. It could help to restore many lost forests for the future. The Smithsonian now has a bird friendly chocolate certification programme to go along with their Birds and Beans coffee and Caffe Ibis Coffee. You can normally order from the Smithsonian. In Canada, coffee can be ordered directly from the roaster in Toronto. Some specialty bird feed providers also have one lb bags of coffee beans such as Preferred Perch in Winnipeg. What else did. learn? That both the Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks that visit my garden like Dark-eyed Juncos as prey items along with lots of House Sparrows, Mourning Doves, and Starlings. Cornell did a great study on what birds should actually be the State birds and only two states kept the ones that they celebrate: Louisiana with the Brown Pelican and Oklahoma with the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. In Manitoba, where I live our provincial bird would be the Connecticut Warbler. 33% of the entire population breeds here. Our provincial animal is currently the Great Grey Owl.

Heather Corfield at Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn has written a lovely blog dedicated to the memory of Mrs G, the formidable female Osprey that has populated the area. She laid 60 eggs and fledged 52 chicks. She has at least 130 grand-chicks along with countless great-grand chicks. She had only two mates, Ochre 11 (98) to 2015 and then our dear Aran since then. She bred at Glaslyn for 19 years and was the oldest UK Osprey. It is a good read about a very remarkable bird. As Heather says, we knew the day would come. She was at least 23-24 years old – but it doesn’t make it any easier. Mrs G did not return from migration and it is unknown when and where she died.

https://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/the-end-of-an-era/

Does get much cuter than fluffy little Peregrine Falcon eyases! OK. Big Red, yes, I do love Red-tail Hawk eyases the most!!!!!! Annie giving the two nestlings at Cal Falcons their first feeding at 0720 on Thursday morning.

There were two adorable little white white fluff balls with no egg shell present.

No shell but a visible crack in the one shell to the left.

Now Annie looking rather mischievous…and there is a half shell on the scrape. Looks like we have hatch 3.

Annie turned around at 11:53 and moved the shell and you can see a tiny wet pink eyas.

The reveal and Lou gets to see that his family has just grown some more. Best be out there hunting, Lou!

Later…the new hatch will be ready for some prey tomorrow! It is less than five hours old in the following images.

These eyases will grow dramatically from their hatch to fledging. Think 40 days. At first, their eyes are closed except when food begging; the eyes open like slits. By the fifth day, their eyes will be fully open all the time except when they are sleeping and they can focus and see clearly.

At that time their weight will have doubled from when they hatched! I am such a fan of falcons and hawks…you will be overwhelmed with ‘baby pictures’.

‘A’ says, “Little Lou is enjoying being a dad. As soon as Annie decides to take a prey gift for herself, he’s onto those chicks and the remaining egg. I wonder if he is counting. Does he notice that these well-behaved eggs are progressively being swapped out for these small fluffy wriggling things. He’s doing such a good job of covering everything and everyone he needs to, at least so far… That won’t last long, especially if that last egg hatches.”

Do you know how Peregrine Falcons get such amazing colours to their eggs? Here is the answer from the Chicago Peregrine Program:

“As an egg moves down the female’s oviduct it presses against glands that produce colored pigments. Peregrine egg colors range from pale creamy to a dark rusty brown. Marking patterns develop by if the eggs are in motion or not when they reach the glands with pigment. If the Peregrine egg is stationary at the time when it comes in contact with the glands, it’ll become spotted. If the egg was in motion, it would have streaks. Because the egg can continue to gain color down the oviduct, and as the egg can rotate slightly while it moves, you can have color laid over where color was already added.The pigments in the glands become depleted with each successive egg laid. Looking at this egg set from The Field Museum, we would estimate the egg on the far right was laid first, while the one on the far left came last.”

For more information about egg color in birds – check out this link from Cornell –https://www.allaboutbirds.org/…/the-beauty-and…/…#

Falcons are either laying eggs or have hatches…it is so much fun. Seriously if you have never watched a falcon scrape you need to start! Everyone eats! The incidence of sibling rivalry/siblicide is so diminished compared to ospreys and eagles. You will be astonished.

The Michigan Spartan scrape box has four eggs!

Oh, and then there are the most gorgeous osplets with their juvenile feathers at Moorings Park eating breakfast. Gosh, they are all beautiful.

Oh, and Idris preparing a fish for Telyn Blue 3J at the Dyfi Osprey platform in Wales. The anticipation of the first egg is growing.

And….

we have two first eggs – at Dyfi and at Llyn Clywedog! Telyn laid her egg at 17:40 with Seren coming in twelve minutes later at 17:53. Congratulations!

Telyn – congratulations to one of my most favourite couples, Idris and Telyn!

Idris sees their egg!

Beautiful Seren Blue 5F. 17:53:20.

Dylan had been up on the perch since 0615 expecting an egg today so he was there when the big event happened.

Just look at that beautiful pristine landscape. What wonderful places these Welsh ospreys have for their platforms!

Several have wondered why there are not more osprey platforms in the Glaslyn Valley. Well, there was Aran and Mrs G’s platform. Then another platform was placed just at the boundary of Port Cresor which is now occupied by Aeron Z2 (2017 Monty and Gleans) and Blue 014. At the time, some believed the placement was to ‘steal’ Mrs G from Glaslyn. There has certainly been a lot of interest in the Glaslyn nest from Monty and Glesni’s boys that hatched at Dyfi including Z1, Aeron’s full brother, Tegid (2016, Monty and Gleans). He briefly appeared on the nest. Did he steal the female’s fish? His nest is ON4 on private property. Is there a move to consolidate Monty’s family holdings in Glaslyn now that Aran is trying to establish himself with a new mate? Aran got Tegid moving!

Tegid is the 2016 hatch of Monty and Gleans and was known as ‘The White Egg’. He was harassed by Blue 24 (female) if I recall. Good to see you Tegid. Now go home to Snowdonia!!!!!

Aran flapping after sending off Tegid. Sadly, the whole event sent the nice female off and she hasn’t been seen on the nest on Friday. Aran was sky dancing to another female, a more aggressive one to him.

Ringo fledged at the Webter, Texas Bald Eagle nest near Houston but, s/he has continued to return to the nest for food lured by parents. Thursday was no exception. This is fantastic. These parents are teaching Ringo exactly the sane way that M15 is teaching the Es to survive independently. Great mantle, Ringo! Looks like a big girl to me.

There are two eggs at the Golden Eagle nest in Romania. Siblicide is common in Golden Eagle nests so watch this nest with that warning.

The cam operator at Cornell Bird Lab gave us some incredible close up images of Big Red today. It will not be long until hatch watch for her and Arthur.

She is incredibly beautiful, our 20 year old Red-tail Hawk ‘Queen’.

Achieva and Dale Hollow: River brought in a nice fish at 10:22 Thursday morning. Despite the intruder close by, River fed both eaglets well. Yes!

DH18 decided to do some self-feeding on the last of the fish bone. Way to go little one.

DH17’s wing span!

A view of the Obey River.

Both osplets at Achieva had crops during the 0800 fish feed! Good news.

The three eaglets at PA Farm Country are growing and doing very well, indeed. No issues at this nest to report.

Gabby and V3 might not have had a nest of eaglets this year but they are positively delighted being with one another and I am looking forward to November next year when, hopefully, they will lay a clutch of eggs for the first time together.

I have been watching the Dulles-Greenway nest reasonably close. On Thursday by late afternoon, all I could see were two short feedings with the third hatch not getting anything at the second. Are there intruders about? or am I missing feedings?

All looks well at the Pittsburgh-Hayes Bald Eagle nest.

The eaglet at US Steel is 8 days old.

Cholyn and Chase’s single hatch this season is not going to go hungry. The nest is loaded with a variety of prey items for this chubby little fluff ball.

In Estonia, Karl II waits for the arrival of his mate, Kaia, at their Black Stork nest in the Karula National Forest. Karl II arrived yesterday from migration. Kaia is close behind.

There are some dates that you should mark on your calendar. The first one is a day that many of you will not recognise – National Curlew Day which is the 21st of April on the feast day of St Brueno, the patron saint of Curlews. The species is critically-endangered in many places around the world because of modern agricultural politics, climate change, habitat encroachment. Instead of me telling you about Curlews, read about them. Find ou what their status is where you live. These lovely shore birds migrate and they need wetlands, they need not to be shot! See what you can do to help in your area.

The other two days are about bird counts. 13 May. Mark it on your calendar. It is Global Big Day that helps us celebrate the birds that are in our environment. The second event is World Migratory Bird Day which is held twice a year to celebrate the marvellous journeys our birds make in the spring and fall. Please sign up to eBird to help track the birds and to see where help is needed. Last year 51,455 birds worldwide entered their statistics from 201 countries for 7,673 bird species.

Many of you have pets or have had in the past. Did you take them to the crematorium? Did you leave them with the Vet if they had to be euthanised? Last year we saw dumped pets euthanised in several landfills around the Minneapolis area.

Three-bald-eagles-dead-10-others-sickened-after-eating-carcasses-of-euthanized-animals-at-MinnesotaDownload

This could not have been an isolated incident, but it came to light only because of the Bald Eagles eating the carrion found at the dump and having to go into rehab. Reports have come that a similar incident happened in the Pacific-Northwest in the Cowlitz district in Washington from one of our readers. Why are we hearing about this? Has there been a change in human behaviour during and after the pandemic? Did pet crematoriums close so that vets are left dealing with animals left in their charge? What can be done? If your pet is sick, you should learn how your vet clinic disposes of the body. That should be a priority. Are they assigning these animals to another business that should be disposing of them correctly but is dumping them? It is entirely possible that these contractors are not following laws or protocols. Ask. The vets’ drugs can cause our carrion eaters – Crows, Vultures, Bald Eagles, etc. – to get ill and die. This is not a good situation. Talk to your local wildlife rehab clinic and veterinary surgeon if you want to help and do not have pets. They might not be aware!

A sad story coming from Arkansas in the US. What’s with the need to kill other living beings? I do not get it.

Thank you so much for being with me. Take care all. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, news, and streaming cams that helped inform my blog today: ‘A’, ‘B’, Heather Corfield and Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Chicago Peregrine Program, Olga Kysil and Orange, Australia Peregrine Falcons, Moorings Osprey, Dyfi Osprey, CarnyXWild, Paul White and the Webster TX Eagles, Associate Wild Bucovina, Cornell RTH Cam, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, PA Game Commission, NEFL-AEF, Dulles-Greenway, PIX Cam, IWS and Explore.org, Eagle Club of Estonia, and CBS News.

Murphy fed the baby eaglet, Maya lays historic 4th egg…Thursday in Bird World

13 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

It is a balmy ‘summer day’ on the Canadian Prairies. The temperature was 12 C with a blue sky and winds of 19 kph. It was a perfect day to go to the park and check on the arrival of the Canada Geese.

Several Ring-billed Gulls were enjoying the water. Ring-billed Gulls have white markings on their outer wing feathers. You can see these in the image below. They also have pale eyes with a red eye-ring. I like to think of them as celadon eyes, that coveted green-grey glaze from China. There is also a black band on the end of the yellow bill.

There were geese everywhere…at least 75 in a small area around the pond.

In the garden, there has been much joy with the arrival of the first European Starling around 1700. Also, there were three Blue Jays today. Last year, we had Junior and the three babies. Will there be another arrival tomorrow? We wait to see if four return from migration to join the Dark-eyed Juncos and the arrival of the Starlings.

This is the older Blue Jay, Junior.

Blue Jays are incredibly picky over peanuts. They test and shake each one for its weight. No sense in using all that energy for an old dried-up nut. Smart. About 1/3 of the peanuts in the ‘new’ bag appear not good enough to make the cut.

A blurry photo of the first European Starling for the year.

This woodpecker prefers this type of feeder while his friend is at the log suet feeder.

Migration counts continue across southern Manitoba where I live. At one site in part of an afternoon, 825 Red-tail Hawks, 130 Bald Eagles, and 3 Golden Eagles flew over. Fantastic.

The giggle for the day comes from Sharon Pollock!

The two little falcons are adorable. Lou doesn’t quite seem to know what to do but he is bringing in prey items, thankfully. Things work out. Maybe there will only be two!

‘A’ notes “Lou is a bit nervous of the little ones – as I mentioned, he trampled through the scrape and trod on one of the chicks’ heads today when retrieving prey from the back corner! He may have a bit to learn on that front. But Annie has it covered, and as long as he keeps the pantry full (which it seems he is doing so far), he will be doing his job. After all, he will be way too tiny to brood chicks for very long! What a cutie. And those little white fluffy babies with their tiny beaks open wide whenever they hear mum e-chup. Oh how gorgeous are they? Don’t you just want to snuggle them up? Well, no, that would upset Annie greatly, but you know what I mean. Such darling little creatures.”

SK Hideaways gives a good video of these two darlings!

 

Well, it doesn’t get much better. Murphy abandoned his ‘rock baby’ to care for a little eaglet that needed a parent. It was an experiment and it looks like it has worked.

The little eaglet gets a parent and Murphy gets to share his love. Win-win.

Wild Bird Sanctuary has just done a late posting. It is fantastic. Looking for a place for a donation, however small or large. Think of donating specifically for Murphy and the eaglet at Wild Bird Sanctuary!

Bella and Smitty’s little only eaglet is doing very well indeed. Check out the crop and it is going to have a second meal right away. There are so many advantages to eagle parents having only one to care for.

Meanwhile, at the Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya, the couple now have their third clutch of four eggs! The couple previously fledged two clutches of four eggs. They are heading for a record. These two are not going to let anyone else get the Super Couple award! Better put some more stock in Rutland water! Thanks, Geemeff!

Our beautiful couple need all the rest they can get during incubation!

At Glaslyn, it appears that Aran and the unringed unidentified female osprey have also come to an understanding. Aran has been sky dancing and bringing fish and she is at the nest. She is a beauty, too. Like Murphy and the eaglet, Aran is lucky that this young lady chose him when Mrs G did not return from migration.

Oh, it was wet from all the wind and storms but as the day progressed, things began to dry out a little in Wales.

Telyn and Idris have been having some discussions. It was believed Telyn laid an egg but I see no evidence of this. It was storming badly and both ospreys took to the ground so they would not be blown about. I hope Telyn did not lose her first egg of the season.

It has been a bit miserable for Dorcha and Louis up in Scotland at Loch Arkaig, too.

Gracie Shepherd posted a sweet screen capture of E21 and 22 sitting together near the pond. Oh, how we are going to miss these two. M15 has done an amazing job teaching them and they have certainly experienced more than most. Each knows how to defend a nest!

I have received word from Sassa Bird that my favourite white-tailed Eagle, Milda, whose nest is near Durbe in Latvia, has a pip in her egg! Milda is gorgeous and she has had a very tragic two years after losing her long-time mate, Ramos, just when she had laid her eggs in March 2021. We are hoping for a wonderful year for her and her new mate, Voldis.

Wondering what happened at Centreport, New York with Mum? Well, she is incubating two eggs with D3.

Cape Henlopen had a tragic 2022 season. There is a new platform this year and hopefully a new couple. Heidi McGrue brings us news of a visiting osprey. Fingers crossed.

One of the reasons that we love Jackie and Shadow so much is the fact that they love each other sooooooo much. Today Shadow brought in a massive fish just for Jackie in the nest. We know both of them would have liked to have had a replacement clutch. Might they still? We wait. Regardless, they are adorable and every day brings another giggle and smile.

Things continue to go well at the Moorings Park Osprey platform in Naples, Florida. Yes, Abby can eat a lot of fish but, we can assume that because she is a female she needs that for her extra growth in body mass and feathers.

It seems that Indigo has left to find his own way in the world. Diamond blocked him from the scrape on Saturday and he could be heard or it was thought. May he have a long and productive life full of adventure and prey.

A good way to end a great day is an update from Dr Sharpe and his team at the Channel Islands. He goes through all the nests and, of course, gives an update on Thunder and Akecheta. You get to see the most beautiful landscape – and yes, there are at least two eaglets in Thunder and Akecheta’s nest. You can see them!

Dale Hollow and Achieva, brief report: River brought in a small fish to the nest on Wednesday around 0900 despite being chased by intruders. One of those intruders sadly ate part of DH19’s body that had been left on the nest. It was a male. Many hope that River will accept him as her new mate – he did not harm 18 and 19. Then he could help raise the eaglets. That would be wonderful!

Harriet, Jack and the two surviving osplets at Achieva have eaten well. A visitor landed on the nest while the adults were away. I presume Harriet is out fishing!

The Ventana Wildlife Society is being so pro-active in the battle of HPAI with the goal of it not wiping out the Big Sur and Pinnacle Condors. Our hearts break for the Arizona condors losing a battle against this deadly disease.

Dear Mary,Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided an update on HPAI infection in the Arizona condor flock stating that as of April 12, 2023, eighteen condors have succumbed to this terrible disease (6 of which were confirmed to be HPAI and 12 are suspected). In addition to these deaths, five condors are currently in treatment. Our thoughts continue to be with our partners in Arizona and The Peregrine Fund. 

In addition to the measures taken since 2022 to prevent the spread of HPAI, we are now working closely with partners to develop even more contingency plans. This week, we raised $80,000 in support of the purchase of 10 quarantine pens which will arrive in two weeks. SPCA for Monterey County has approved the temporary use of their land on which to setup these pens. Once placed, these pens can be used for treatment, vaccination (when available) and even safeguarding healthy condors from HPAI. We are especially thankful to our partners at SPCA for Monterey County for their collaboration.

These new quarantine pens will be crucial in the fight against this disease, but we still need support for our staff to care for the flock. We will be sure to keep you updated as we know more.

Kelly Sorenson

Ventana Wildlife Society, 12 April 2023

Here is a story that shows you that hard work and persistence – and believing – can pay good dividends when it comes to our raptors.

Ospreys-return-from-extinction-in-England-and-Wales-UK-News-Sky-NewsDownload

While the UK is gleeful over the success of the restoration projects for the Ospreys in North America, citizen scientists are needed to help understand the impact of climate change on birds. You can be one of those that help. Read the article and please do a daily count and send to eBird. Thanks to my eagle-eyed daughter for this one!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/bird-migration-timing-climate-1.6800129

Thank you so much for being with me today. I am checking on Milda but no word of a hatch for our Latvian WTE yet. She is rolling eggs and being coy. Take care, everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures that helped make up my blog today: ‘Geemeff’, ‘T’, ‘J’, ‘A’, Sassa Bird, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Sharon Pollock and Orange Australia Peregrine Falcons, World Bird Sanctuary, Deb Stecyk and NCTC, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Friends of Lock Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Latvian Fund for Nature, Rob Schwartz and Bald Eagles of Centreport, NY, Heidi McGrue and Raptors of the World, FOBBV, Moorings Park Ospreys, IWS, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, and Ventana Wildlife Society.

Karl II is home, 2 babies for Annie and Lou…Wednesday in Bird World

12 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Spring really has arrived. It was a balmy 14 degrees C here on Tuesday with a clear blue sky and bright sun. The same weather promises for today. Yipppeeee. When the weather is good, I encourage all of us to get outside. Even if you sit on a chair and let the sun warm your face. It is all beneficial. Make a habit of it!

The snow is melting and causing some local flooding, the geese, Cormorants, and pelicans fly overhead and it is a great day to be outside and appreciate all the effort the migrants have made to get here. A bald eagle flew low on the road, banked and landed on the ice at one of the lakes. I stopped and found it had spotted some carrion, likely a dead goose.

Other geese were finding open areas of water.

Geese are very territorial as they begin to prepare for nesting. I did not have my long, long lens on the camera. I am about 10 metres away, and he is still warning me off!

The staff have all of the goose and duck boxes full of fresh straw just waiting for new occupants.

Meanwhile, at home, all Lewis can do is dream about another Dove landing on the roof! Lewis makes Missy tired…he is still very much a kitten!

Missy prefers the Japanese snacks!

Ospreys move nests. Yes, they do. In fact, at Kielder Forest some have kept people guessing as to whether they would stay or go. The male at nest 1A White YA disappeared last year. Now the female has left that nest and moved to another. Kielder is putting out a call for female ospreys! Know anyone?

Females-needed-nowDownload

The remarkable story of a rock, an eaglet, and Murphy! From World Bird Sanctuary continues in the most positive way:

There is good news coming out of CROW. After treatment, Connick’s blood is clotting normally. Now they are trying to figure out why he had the loss of so many primary feathers. Thanks, CROW!

Annie and Lou’s little eyas is such a cutie pie. Cal Falcons caught the first feeding on video for us.

As I write this, it is 19:14 at The Campanile. Annie is giving us a good look at her sweet baby.

Lou meets his baby.

Annie even allows Lou to have a couple of incubation duties. Fantastic. Thanks SK Hideaways!

Ah, thank you, Annie for showing us the two little ones!

DHM and DHD have a precious little one, too – DH2.

At Dulles-Greenway, Martin and Rosa are doing such a fantastic job raising the three. ‘A’ comments today: “The three at Dulles Greenway have the most GIGANTIC crops. Three chicks in total food comas, mama looking down at her babies. She has fed them and fed them and I have rarely seen larger crops in my life… The youngest is just a firecracker. Always has the biggest crop on the nest. Always front and centre at meal times. Just the sweetest little eaglet. I have seen little or no bonking on this nest. The three just lie around, growing and playing, and eating like small peagles (pigs/eagles).”

The eaglets were fed several times in a row always crop dropping. This is a wonderful nest to watch. If you haven’t checked in on them, please do.

 

There are terrific storms hitting the UK. It was particularly windy and rainy in Wales so much so that Idris and Telyn at the Dyfi nest took to the ground instead of staying in the trees or nest. Poor Telyn. She was readying to lay her first egg.

The weather in Wales is very wet. The new female at the Glaslyn nest beat Aran there on Wednesday. Mrs G is now well past her return date, sadly. She left a fantastic legacy of ospreys and will always be remembered and loved. Glaslyn will no doubt be issuing a lovely memorial once they are sure Mrs G is not returning.

‘T’ writes: “What a wonderful day for the cameras and watchers in the Baltic countries! Karl II is back! Kaia is not too far. Osprey Teo is back in Latvian nest. And!! A new camera is already installed on Kergu’s nest. So more black storks we will see in Estonia. Kergu is on a bird map with Karl and others.” This is wonderful news. So many storks have been slaughtered in Malta and Lebanon- such sadness. Now will cute little Teo get a mate this year?

Karl II wasted no time getting from Moldova to his home! Fantastic.

Here is the video of Karl II’s arrival!

Welcome home, Teo!

Everyone loves SP chick in New Zealand. I have promised ‘A’ to put in this cute video and I kept forgetting amidst the drama of the hatch at Cal Falcons. Here we go! What a cutie pie. Life is good with our little gardener.

Everyone reading my blog knows I love ducks and look forward to their arrival. Here is a lovely short article on the Gadwall and why we should appreciate these little non-flamboyant ducks more.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/11/country-diary-the-unassuming-gadwall-deserves-a-closer-look?CMP=share_btn_link

Checking on Dale Hollow and Achieva: River brought in at least three nice fish for DH17 and DH18 and herself. Everyone ate well. Still, River had to warm off intruders while feeding her babies. She is doing well. Continue with your best wishes.

There also appears to be an issue of a possible nest takeover at Dale Hollow. Intruders have been about and landing. A floater? A take over? We can only watch and wait.

When I last checked, Jack had delivered two flounder to the Achieva nest in St Petersburg and both osplets as well as Jack and Diane had eaten well. Relief. Again, like Dale Hollow, send positive positive wishes to this nest also.

In fact, my count was wrong. Jack brought in five fish today!

This is a short report on what is happening in Bird World. All nests are good except those I worry about – Achieva and Dale Hollow. We take them one day at a time. Shadow continues to get in the nest cup, hoping for a spring miracle – the first male eagle to lay an egg! While he and Jackie are otherwise as affectionate as ever. Eggs are being incubated, eaglets fed, and Ospreys in the UK are either incubating or working on nests. Send them all your good wishes as we wait to see if either of the remaining two eggs will hatch at Cal Falcons.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘T’, Kielder Forest, Wild Bird Sanctuary, CROW, C White and the Captiva Island Eagle and Ospreys, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Dulles-Greenaway, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Estonia Eagle Club, Latvian Fund for Nature, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, The Guardian, Dale Hollow and Barbara Snyder and Achieva Credit Union.

Iris and Dorcha are home…Sunday in Bird World

9 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

The big news of Saturday was the return of Iris, the oldest Osprey in the world, to her nest at Hellgate Canyon in Missoula, Montana. 13:48.

Well, this is really something to celebrate. She looks good. No doubt she is off catching a whopper that she will have on the Owl Pole – and yes, that is precisely what she did although she ate it somewhere else and came back with a nice crop.

Oh, Iris. It is so nice to see you.

We have been waiting for two specific mates to appear in the UK. Mrs G at Glaslyn (she is pretty late) and Dorcha. Dorcha arrived this morning. Louis will not be lonesome! Thanks, Geemeff. But where is Louis? He has been making restorations since his arrival and has not been seen since yesterday morning (Saturday). Send best wishes! Maybe Dorcha’s voice will call him to the nest! (Oh, this doesn’t feel right).

I am receiving news from ‘T’ that Karl II has landed at his nest in Estonia. As of early morning him and Kaia were only 203 km apart in their flight. Waiting for images! How wonderful.

Happiness in the form of two fledglings at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of M15. On the branches together, in the nest together, doing some nice little beak kisses, playing at the pond. All calm until Dad brings in the evening meal, and we know what will happen if that does happen.

Meanwhile, M15 is still getting attacked when he brings food to the Es.

‘A’ notes that ever since the three GH owlets played on the Es nest they are taking liberties. Now attacks during the day caught by Lady Hawk.

An excellent (and frank) presentation by Connor on what happened to Connick and what the future might hold for him.

Jackie and Shadow continue teasing us about whether there will be a replacement clutch. It would be nice, but it is also good to see them. Both look very healthy!

Oops…no, we don’t hide the Osprey eggs, Florence! Some people colour eggs from the store and try and hide them, but, no, Florence, not Ospreys! Sadly, one of the eggs stuck to Florence when she got off the nest at Captiva and was out of the egg cup. Angus tried to roll it back in but to no avail. It is just fine. One of the other eggs will be viable, if not both. Young couple. Honestly, they do not need three to look after the first time! Thanks, ‘H’, for alerting me to this incident.

Blessings happen in mysterious ways. Not sure which egg is outside the nest cup, and this will impact the pip watch if it is the first one laid. They still have two! Two is plenty. Two is more than enough for a young first-time couple.

Mrs G is quite late, and the hope of her returning to her mate, Aran, and her nest at Glaslyn, where she is the matriarch of the UK Ospreys, is dwindling.

Aran needs a good mate. I hope the sky dancing he has been doing attracts one.

I often get asked for nest recommendations. There are so many favourites, but I also look for stable nests with rewind and good cameras that are on YouTube. I also highly recommend UK Osprey nests. The only incidence of siblicide was last year at Loch of the Lowes. Mrs G has not returned as of today. That takes Glaslyn off my recommendation list for first time watchers. Then there are the goshawks and that takes away Poole Harbour. I love Foulshaw Moss but there is no rewind and you have to go to another site. I also love Llyn Clywedog but, my top three would be Blue 33 and Maya at Rutland Manton Bay. This couple has raised two sets of four osplets. They are a super couple! The pond is stocked. Last year they raised three big females. The second is Maya’s daughter, Telyn, who has her nest in Wales with Idris at Dyfi. She is also a super Mum. Third, and these are in no particular order, is Loch Arkaig with Louis and Dorcha. There are many others but, I would start with those three.

So far the three at Bald Canyon are doing well. Send out positive wishes. It is hard raising three.

Nice crops for the two eaglets at Pittsburgh-Hayes.

Mum at Pittsburgh-Hayes had to defend the eaglets against a racoon. Have you noticed how raccoons are increasingly becoming a problem? Some nests might require baffles. Thanks, ‘A’.

Only eaglet at US Steel, USS6, is doing well too. What a little cutie.

DH2 at the Decorah Hatchery appears to be fine. What a little cutie.

All three lined up like little angels at Dulles-Greenway. Reminds of Bazza, Falky, and Ervie. Wonder if Martin and Rosa have three little boys?

Two happy eaglets at Duke Farms!

One precious little eaglet for Bella and Smitty at NCTC doing well.

Like US Steel, NCTC, Chase & Cholyn have one perfect little nestling at Two Harbours.

Rose and Ron worked together and Rose is growing into being a fantastic Mum for R4 and R5. Just look at the two of them with their really dark thermal down and wisps of white Mohawks. And, we can’t leave out the clown feet!

The new Peregrine Falcon residents at San Jose City Hall have an egg! As ‘H’ points out, the male still has his juvenile plumage!

Mother Goose is beautiful first thing in the morning and as the sun sets on Decorah, Iowa.

Abby and Victor can make a lot of noise. When they see Harry coming, they can get so loud. This is what makes Sally so wonderful. She feeds those babies – during the day and at night. An incredible Mum. This made a difference for Victor!

The owlets of Bonnie and Clyde are huge. ‘P’ asked me what type of tree the nest is in. It is an Oak tree. I am just not 100% certain of the variety of Oak.

It looks like they are having a great conversation.

We have been expecting the sadness at Dale Hollow and Achieva. As many chatters aid, the two little ones are no longer suffering. That is surely a blessing.

Yesterday, the third hatch at the Achieva Osprey nest of 2023 was added to the 2023 Memorial Wall. He died at 15:52:03. Thanks Barbara Snyder for a picture from when we were hopeful. I have listed the cause of death as starvation/parental neglect. Yes, it happens.

The third chick at Dale Hollow passed. Cause of death starvation/siblicide. It is unclear if DH18 will survive. It has not had food for a couple of days. Thank you ‘AM’ for letting me know.

‘H’ reminds me that we are awaiting the arrival of Tom at the Chesapeake Conservancy Osprey Platform. The latest he has returned is 31 March. This could be worrisome.

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. There is much good news to celebrate today. It is hoped that the two nests, Dale Hollow and Achieva, will stabilise. Please take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, their videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘AM’, ‘T’, ‘A’, ‘H’, Geemeff, Montana Osprey Project and Cornell Bird Lab, Geemeff and Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Looduskalender Forum, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Terry taipan and Bald Eagles 101, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, FOBBV, Jackie Morris and Glaslyn Osprey Group, Dyfi, IWS and Explore.org, PIX Cams, Decorah Eagles, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, Duke Farms, NCTC, WRDC, San Jose City Hall, Goose Cam Decorah, Moorings Park Ospreys, Farmer Derek, Barbara Snyder and Achieva Credit Union.

M15 is still the ‘Man of the Hour’…Saturday in Bird World

25 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Well, gosh, golly. I am going to bed feeling better than when the day began. The mantra, ‘Trust the Eagles,’ should be printed and put on the bulletin board before me. Yesterday, I worried that the intruding female had caused M15 to reconsider feeding the eaglets for fear of his and their safety. Thankfully, that was not the case. He was trying to figure out how to discourage that female and get on with being the great dad that he is.

On Friday, M15 hatched a plan that worked. He brought 3 prey items for the Es, and eventually, the pair had crops. I worried he might abandon them if the black-taloned eagle kept up her attack if he brought whole fish to the nest. So no whole fish. Some would consider those scraps, but the eaglets ate. The prey item times were: 1300, 1353, an 1515.

M15 flew to the nest and quickly dropped a fishtail off. E21 got it. Maybe this is the way to keep the female away…make tiny drops to the eaglets. They will need a lot of them, but they can self-feed now. Thank goodness. E22 will get some of that fish, too. No worries.

22 still eating. 1339. M15 more food! 21 watches how well 22 is doing at self-feeding.

The other fish part came in at 13:53. It was a really niced size piece that fed both eaglets.

They see Dad flying in with more food.

At 15:15, M15 flew in with a carcass of ‘something’ with feathers and long yellow legs. Perhaps carrion/road kill he found on the way home. Or did he raid a nest. He dropped to the nest with it and was rushed by two extremely hungry eaglets. It is difficult to say how much meat was on that piece or who benefited. E22 was self-feeding at the end. Is this M15’s plan – to bring scraps to the nest for the eaglets, small pieces and get out so as not to attract that female?

My friend ‘A’ has nothing but praise for 22 doing this feeding. She says,

‘The feeding at 15:15 saw E22 get brave. He snatched and grabbed some big bits of that feed and he swallowed one giant bit of bone with flesh attached to it that even I doubted he could manage – but only for a moment. For a few mouthfuls there, he still had about ten inches of that hanging out the left side of his beak while he grabbed another three good-sized mouthfuls from dad, then returned to swallowing, and repeat. So he did well. He has had enough food to get through to another day. He mantled that food too when he grabbed it – and when E21 tried to intimidate him out of the position right next to M15’s beak, E22 fought for his spot and refused to be driven away from it.’

22 is in there first.

22 is doing some snatch-and-grab as 21 gets to the beak of M15. The intruder did not bother M15 today.

At 16:18:53, E22 is full for the first time in 48 hours or more. He cannot hold up his crop or keep his eyes open. The three prey items came in a flurry of deliveries from 1300-1515, 2 hours and 15 minutes. That interests me because not only did It fill up the eaglets, but coming in such rapid succession meant that both ate without intimidation. The female intruder did not come around. Good job, Dad.

M15. Thank you! You are so loved and admired. It has taken some time to figure out how to manage all that you have on your plate – eaglets to be fed, your own needs for prey and keeping healthy, sleep, security, and keeping intruders away from the eaglets. You have worked that out. I am so sorry if I ever doubted you!

Good night Dad! Good night Es. SEDs.

If you are wondering, ‘she’ is not on the same branch or cuddled up to M15 tonight, as I write. She is, however, on the nest tree. She could be as formidable as Harriet and make a great mate, protecting future eaglets, but right now, M15 doesn’t need her attention, nor does he need her in the nest stealing food. As we know, male Bald Eagles do not normally fight larger, more aggressive female eagles. I am glad he has figured out how to deal with all that has been ‘thrown’ at him. The Es are seven weeks old. They are going to branch and fledge before we know it.

Around 0835, M15 dropped off an Armoured Catfish to the eaglets and did some aeration on the nest. He did not stay to feed the eaglets at that time. It appears that they have broken through the head and are self-feeding. This is a great start to Saturday!

E21 seems to have given up and 22 has been working on the tail..smart. It is 0903.

In other news, the Peregrine Falcons are back in the scrape box and have been for some days. Elain caught all of them -Diamond, Xavier, and Indigo – yesterday in her scrape highlights.

Do you remember the fireworks that caused Diamond so much distress? The discussion over what happened continues.

You can still hear the ice pellets at the nest of Bald Eagles Jackie and Shadow. Shadow did bring in a very nice fish to Jackie! Oh, how I wish she would stand up and we would see a huge crack in one of those eggs.

I so admire how Californians love Jackie and Shadow. They are making the news with their endurance during this terrible winter storm that has hit Southern California.

There is something about Angus. Is it his youth? or the funny expressions he makes? Looking forward to eggs for Angus and Florence at Captiva!

Other Osprey nests are now coming into play. At the Lake Murray platform, Lucy has returned on the 17th of February and Ricky was back on Thursday the 23rd.

‘H’ writes to tell me that there is a possible first pip at the Moorings Park Osprey Platform in Naples, Florida!

And speaking of Ospreys, how would you like to help protect the Glaslyn Ospreys? Do you live in Wales near the Glaslyn Valley? Geemeff writes that this is a great opportunity – and it is. I wish I lived there!

https://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/news/volunteers-needed-to-protect-glaslyn-ospreys-597028

As so many of you know, the Royal Cam chick is a delight to watch. Yes, it is difficult to see them alone on those nests! It is rather amazing that they stay so close to home. My kittens would never be so disciplined. Sweet Pea is gardening already. Sharon Dunne caught it on video:

The Steller’s Sea Eagle was first seen more than a year ago along Canada’s Atlantic coast. Then it went to Maine, returned to Canada, and is now back in Maine. It appears that a large raptor that should be spending its winters in Ussuriland, Japan, or Korea is finding life rather pleasant in Maine. Obviously, there are no food worries. The Stellar’s Sea Eagle breeds in areas of Russia and in particular, the Bering Sea. As far as I know, there is no mate.

One of the nature centres about an hour from where I live is getting ready for the ducks and geese to begin arriving. So lovely to involve students from one of the local universities to get their hands in there and help them with their duck tunnels!

Elsewhere in Canada, old-growth forests are continually under threat in British Columbia. This past year numerous Bald Eagle nests have been cut down. There is a move for legislation to save the very last of these lovely spotted owls before they are completely extinct.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/24/environment-minister-calls-for-emergency-order-to-save-last-of-canadas-spotted-owls?CMP=share_btn_link

I promised I would check on the GHO nest in Corona, California. There are four owlets in that nest! On Thursday night, Hoots brought Owlvira the following: 1 RODENT, 1 MOUSE, 1 RABBIT / Tonight: NO deliveries as of yet on Friday as I am writing this. The weather is a little frigid and mice might be tucked in tight.

This is the link to this streaming cam. Best action is during the night when food deliveries and feeding occurs.

https://www.youtube.com/live/xqvrR6dkWeg?feature=share

In Kansas, on Farmer Derek’s land, Bonnie and Clyde are incubating eggs. You might recall that in 2021 they took over the nest of a young Bald Eagle couple. They raised two owlets to fledge. They were adorable, and seeing them climbing around on this giant nest was a treat. It will be a good comparison to that deep nest in California. Highly recommended.

Here is the link to their streaming cam:

https://www.youtube.com/live/MRMzzjyumHs?feature=share

I wish I could tell you that Jackie and Shadow have a pip or a hatch or that Zoe has checked in, but I can’t. We wait until the eggs are unviable, and with Zoe, we hope her transmitter begins working. CROW does not need to intervene in SW Florida. M15 has this under control! Relief.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, their posts, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘Geemeff’, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Susan Starck Romano and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam Project and Cilla Kinross, Cilla Kinross and Orange Australia Falcons, FOBBV, Jason Robertson and FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, Moorings Park Osprey Nest, Shela Staley and Osprey Friends, Cambrian News, Sharon Dunne and NZ DOC, Matt Felperin and Maine Birds, Oak Hammock Marsh, The Guardian, Carona California Owl Cam, and Farmer Derek.

Will KNF-E3 01 be Valentine or Trey?…Osprey memories…Saturday in Bird World

28 January 2022

Good Morning Everyone.

It is 2230 on a Friday night on the Canadian Prairies and it is -24 C with a wind speed of 13 kph. A little breezy. Temperatures are set to fall to -30 Saturday with an extreme cold warning due to wind chills which will go below -40. They are warning us not to be outside if it is not absolutely necessary. Many of you, especially in Australia, are at the opposite end with high heat. Everyone, please take care, wherever you are.

As of Saturday morning at 10:33, 230 votes have been cast for little KNF-E3 01. Of those 49% favour Valentine and 39% voted for Trey. There is still time but it looks like this baby could be Valentine.

A Trip down Memory Lane:

Every once in awhile I like to mix things up and a video posted today on FB reminded me of a very special Osprey, Blue 5F Seren. We are still in Bald Eagle season in the US waiting for the two Osprey nests in Florida – Achieva and Captiva – to have eggs. The Ospreys will be packing their bags in Africa soon to return to the UK and Europe. Some are not as familiar with the UK Osprey nests so I thought, before the season starts, that it would be good to introduce you to the nests and the adults that we expect will be returning in late March or early April. I hope to dig into the archives on Saturday and again on a weekday. I hope that you are amused and learn something. I will work my way through four nests that are on streaming cams in Wales: Llyn Clywedog, Glaslyn, Dfyi, and Llyn Brenig – in no particular order. There are now 7 ‘known’ pairs of Ospreys breeding in Wales. In 2022 they produced 17 chicks. If you take the 14 adults and the 17 chicks, that means 31 Ospreys of ‘known’ origins in Wales. There are others, unringed. It is not certain how many of these unattached birds there are OR unknown nests. What is known that at least 5 of the chicks fledged from Llyn Clywedog have returned. They are KS7 (2018), KS8 (2018), KA7 (2019), 550 (2020), and 551 (2020). That is marvellous. All of those returnees are Dylan’s chicks either with Delete his mate from 2016 through 2019 or with 5F Seren.

Here is the hatching chart for Llyn Clywedog thanks to John Williams.

We are going to start with a hilarious video from the nest Llyn Clywedog in the Hafren Forest off. Blue 5F Seren’s first chick is hatching. Seren was not young when she bonded with Dylan. She hatched in Rutland in 2012, making her 8 years old. She had spent some time at the Pont Cresor platoform where she was courted by Aran, had a nest, laid eggs and then Aran would go back to Mrs G. This is how John William’s puts it in his blog about the ospreys of Llyn Clywedog:

In 2018 she formed a polygamous pairing with the male from the Glaslyn nest Aran. She laid 3 eggs in the Pont Croeso nest unfortunately the male concentrated his efforts on providing for his main nest and didn’t feed 5F at all. So she had to hunt for her self which left her eggs exposed to predators, and the elements. Unfortunately these eggs failed to hatch. Last year she spent a lot of time with the young Dyfi male Tegid (ZI) also at the Pont Croeso (near Glaslyn) nest. It was thought that they may of returned there in 2020 and attempt to breed there. But 5F had other plans.

Some say Mrs G sent her packing in 2020. Others see it as a big relief when she left the Glaslyn/Pont Cresor nests and made her way to Llyn Clywedog and Dylan. I adore her. Dylan is unringed. He ousted the much loved Dai Dot to take over as the male at the Llyn Clywedog nest in 2016. Dai Dot was extremely popular and it was unclear if Dylan would be popular but, he has turned out to be a very interesting male chasing intruders off as far as 25 miles and then stopping to fish for Brown Trout to take back to the nest (figured out by John Williams over the last few years by driving and watching).

Seren Blue 5F was seen yesterday in her usual spot, in nice form, in The Gambia, eating a fish. Indeed, she has been photographed most of the winter. She leaves Wales and lands on her favourite tree in Africa. How marvellous is that. We will look forward to her return. She is a much loved Welsh female who has now raised 7 chicks in three years.

When you watch the video imagine that Seren has laid eggs but, of course, they never hatched. Here is that video:

In this next video, Dylan will arrive with a fish after seeing his first chick for the first time. Strong little one. Ready to eat. Did I saw that all three of these chicks will fledge. Quite an accomplishment!

All three hatched and Dylan and Seren are tandem feeding. Three osplets is a handful. They were all males: 550 weighed 1250 grams at ringing; 551 weighed 1350 grams and 552 weighed 1450 grams. All fledged.

In 2021 only one of three eggs hatched. It was a male, Blue 496 (quite the character) weighing 1400 grams at ringing. Also fledged. In 2022, Seren and Dylan further fledged three very healthy chicks. This is the information on their numbers, gender, and weight: 553 Is female weighing 1710g at 40 days old; 554 is Male weighing 1485g (40 days old); and 555 is also male weighing 1410g (37 days old).

Oh, it will not be long until all of the Ospreys begin their migration from Africa and the Iberian peninsula to the UK and Europe. I cannot wait! Now that I have said that at least twice today, I know you know I am excited. Here is a beautiful sunset from Friday at the Chesapeake Osprey Conservancy in the US.

In the Mail:

‘L’ sent another news story about the adoption of Sanibel on US National Save the Eagles Day. Thank you ‘L’. It is always wonderful to hear good news and an eagle who cannot be released getting a special home.

Sanibel’s Story: In Honor Of U.S. National Save the Eagles Day 

Nest News:

The eaglets at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex and Andria are adorable. Alex flew in with a fish around noon and 02 got the first bites. 01 already had a big crop and hung back. 02 remains the ‘king’ of snatch and grab and got those first bites that 01 thought were theirs.

Voting for KNF-E3 01’s name is ongoing until noon Saturday. Three choices are Valentine for the Valentine Lake Trail, Trey who is the husband of Lucy Lewis, the Forestry Supervisor since 2017, and I am not sure about the connection of Tercel to the area. I associate Tercel with falcons or third hatches. There must be a local connection! I will continue exploring. Valentine is currently in the lead. We will know tomorrow at noon. Next week there will be the naming of 02. It really is exciting to be part of chasing what they will be called. I would love to be a little fly on the wall listening as to how they come up with the 3 choices.

Alex arrived with a fish and fed the eaglets til they just about popped.

At the end of Alex’s feeding, both eaglets are so full that they can hardly move.

Food coma!!!!!!!

Adorable.

All is well over at the nest of Anna and Louis where there is a single little butterball growing and growing and growing.

Did something happen at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest? Just look at the clown feet on Connick! No, no, no. There are hardly any fuzzy little eaglets left!!!!!!

Natal down is coming in and there is a cute little tail. If you look carefully, the beginnings of the feathers. I know…it seems like Connick just hatched yesterday!

Oh, that little Berry College eaglet of Pa and Missy is the cutest thing. Still soft and fuzzy. They have to develop quickly but it just seems like it is overnight and the wee ones are getting feathers.

Ron and Rose are the cutest eagle couple. Ron came in with a nice headless fish for Rose…they are so sweet together. It is so funny to see Ron in the nest cup all the time.

Ron always looks like he is smiling!

HeidiMc caught Ron and Rose with a bit of a controversy over stick placement. Too funny. Reminds me of Shadow with his sticks and the SWFlorida nest from M15 wants Harriet to shift.

It is a beautiful day today at the Achieva Osprey nest in St Petersburg. Both of the ospreys have been around. No eggs yet.

That early morning sun is just gorgeous. It paints the nest a perfect rose gold. Diane is beautiful.

In Australia, Indigo is still around. He has been heard in the evening and morning but has not been to the scrape. Indigo is likely catching his own prey now. Mum and Dad enjoying some quiet moments together.

After the attacks by the Corvids, Jackie and Shadow are taking no chances. Check out this perfect swap over caught by SK Hideaways.

A quiet moment looking at the precious eggs.

Shadow has been doing a great job relieving Jackie so she can have a break. Sometimes Jackie just doesn’t want to get up and go! Having seen raptors do amazing stretches after incubating or brooding for long periods of time, they must get stiff just like we do.

Both eaglets at Superbeaks are flapping their wings and self-feeding. The adults continue to feed them as well and no one is going hungry, not even for a second on this nest in Central Florida.

There are very few natal down dandelions left on the eaglets. They are almost completely covered with beautiful ebony/espresso juvenile feathers.

Another feeding after the IR camera clicks in.

And last here is a link to the page that will take you to January’s Monthly Condor Zoom Chat by the Ventana Wildlife Society.

https://www.ventanaws.org/zoom-chats.html

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, announcements, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: ‘L’, Llyn Clywedog and John Williams, CarnyxWild, Chesapeake Conservancy and Explore.org, Virginia Zoo, KNF-E3, KNF-E1, Window To Wildlife, Berry College Bald Eagle Cam, WRDC, HeidiMc and the WRDC, Achieva Credit Union, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, SK Hideaways and FOBBV, FOBBV, Superbeaks, and Ventana Wildlife Society.

If you would like to receive my blog daily, please subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time. No ads, no fees, just a community of people that love raptors – and other bird species – that want to make our planet a better place for them.

Cute little butterball babies…Wednesday in Bird World

25 January 2022

Good Morning to Everyone!

It is almost the end of January. Just a few more days. It is cold today. -21 C. Bright beautiful sun, though.

There are countdowns ongoing and contests beginning to start on when the UK Ospreys will return. Then, of course, there is Iris. When will she arrive at her nest in Missoula? As for me, I am glad that there is still a bit of a reprieve before all the Bald Eagle nests and Ospreys come on line.

As I sit here at my desk looking at an image of Aran with his wings outstretched on the perch at Glaslyn, there is a part of me that just can’t wait! If I skip the pages to get to March on the Glaslyn calendar, I see that Mrs G returned on the 26th of March with Aaron Z2 returning to Port Cresor on the 31st. That time with the two of them alone in the valley before Blue 014 and Aran came home from their winter migration was almost as good as a soap opera…no, actually it was better. Aran arrived on the 10th of April followed by Blue 014 the next day on the 11th. Mrs G’s first egg was laid on the 19th. Good thing those two got down to business right away or Aran might have been kicking those eggs out of the nest!!!!!!!!

On the opposite side of the bulletin board is the Loch Arkaig calendar with its notation that Louis and Dorcha returned on the 11th of April in 2022. So, the clock is ticking and it is normally Blue 33 and Maya that arrive first at Rutland – around the 23rd of March. Let’s see if that happens this year.

Also just quick note – the storms going through Louisiana took out some of the boxes on the cams at the Kisatchie National Forest. Cody will get them up and operating as quickly as he can. He says “The eagles are all OK”. Good news.

In the Mailbox:

Geemeff has written with a request. Did you watch the The Flight of the Osprey series? If you did, they would like your feedback!

“️We’d love to get your feedback on the Flight Of The Osprey expedition, the communications you received, and what you’d like in the future. The survey takes under five minutes and will allow us to continue to build on and strengthen our work. #TogetherWeFly Thank you!”

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0RAQdZ1PO5s1y1Cf7OEt6BblJgr44LDusdllh6kflr_iG1w/viewform?pli=1

‘L’ sent me a listing of the wildlife rehabbers in the US and Canada. If you do not know who your nearest wildlife centre, check the list (I cannot vouch that it is 100% complete). Put their number and address in your cell phone. If you are out and see an injured bird, you can phone them and ask what to do. And if you really want to get serious about volunteering, you can check out their workshops. Every rehabber needs help. They do not earn salaries. Everything is by donation. That includes the driving of injured wildlife to their clinics. So check, see what you can do…and keep up the mantra of gently used and clean towels and sheets – they use lots of them. Do a collection in your neighbourhood in the spring when people are cleaning out! Petfood is another item, bleach, detergent…the list is long. Thanks, ‘L’.

https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/beginners/helping-birds/raptor-rehab-centers-u-s-canada/

Making News:

There could be a reason we are not seeing Thunder and Akecheta at the West End nest. Are they building a new nest elsewhere? I wonder if the fright of the eaglet falling out of the nest and having to be retrieved by Dr Sharpe has caused this change?

CROW is taking care of a very tiny bald eaglet that fell out of its nest tree.

Did you know that there is a Superb owl (Super Bowl for Owls) contest? The winner will get $5000 for their wildlife rehabilitation centre? I did not know today until the Audubon Centre for Prey wrote and asked me to vote for Sanford.

You can see the competition and vote here:

https://www.bonusfinder.com/about-us/blog/the-superb-owl-awards

Audubon also put out its special anniversary edition of Eaglewatch. There is some seriously interesting information inside the pages of this report.

audubon_florida_eaglewatch_2022_v11_web-accDownload

Conservation without Borders has received many requests about the whereabouts of Blue 708 Glen (Tweed Valley Juvenile) – he seems to like Morocco!

The latest announcement from GROWLS. It does not sound like there will be any camera at all during the breeding season for 2023.

At the Nests:

It seems to be a good day at the nests without any undue problems of beaking or lack of prey. So nice! Would love a period of calm before the storm of the Osprey arrivals!

Sometimes when it all gets too much or you just need a break, head over to the Royal Albatross family. They are nothing short of sweet, adorable, and gorgeous. One chick every two years. This little one is very special.

GLY has returned home and has seen his chick for the first time. What lovely moments! L is now out foraging.

There will be a contest to give Sweet Pea its Maori name. Ranger Sharyn says it will take place after mid-February when the last egg has hatched.

Elain is giving us beautiful updates and a feeding of the Royal Cam chick. Thanks Holly Parsons for the posting!

Gabby and V3 were at the Northeast Florida Bald Eagle nest at 0730 doing some restorations. Gosh, they are a beautiful couple.

Gorgeous Gabby.

If you can see both of the right sides of their faces, you can easily tell them apart. Look at the shape of their heads and beak but, the real giveaway is the ‘V’ shaped nick below the cere of V3.

It has been raining in Webster, Texas. At the time Paul White published this video, the eaglets were having their second meal for the day. Ringo got a lot of the first bites, then Boots had some and then when Ringo was getting full, Boots starting getting all the fish. Both eaglets had nice crops and were full at the end of the feeding. It was very civilised.

Little CE9 was also fed well. CE9 will have a name on the 26th of January. Have you sent in a suggestion? If not, message Lori Covert on Instagram. And just a note, the Ospreys Mabel and Andy are named after Lori Covert’s maternal grandparents, not parents.

We all love Indigo and will be sad to see this beautiful juvenile falcon leave its parents territory. It is difficult to get so attached and have them leave and go on their way. It is, of course, why I like banding and sat paks. With banding, there is a chance to find out about the dispersal and survival rates. We can also find out about the history. Of course, with sat paks – which are much more expensive – we can track the long journeys of migrating birds as well as the ones who stay close to the nest.

It is always a treat at this time of year to have the juveniles still around, returning to the scrape so we can see them. Hello Indigo!

The Berry College Eaglet B16 is doing fantastic. It continues to be one of the cutest, chubbiest little babes. Adorable. Not sure what is up with B17 but if there is only one hatch, that is just fine!

Pa Berry was feeding his baby early this morning.

At the KNF-E3 nest, 02 has mastered the snatch and grab but, at the same time, he often gets bony pieces because he can’t or won’t wait. Several times Andria has had to save him. Here is an example that Rhonda A caught.

Book Review:

If you have been following my blog, you might remember that I have sung the praises of Joan E Strassman’s 2022 volume, Slow Birding. The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard. No fancy pictures just great writing and a challenge to all of us to learn about the birds that live near to us, to study them, to get to know them intimately.

One of the things that drew me to Strassman’s book was the fact that it was not a guide and it was not a book that would encourage you to run or drive or fly hither and yon to add to your Life List of Birds. Indeed, it is quite the opposite. Over the years I have received many letters from talented women who told me their lives were ruined by their fathers who stuffed them in the car before dawn on a weekend morning to go ‘birding’. The problem was…the male ran off leaving the wife to care for the children, often in the car, for hours. One told me that the best thing was ‘the donuts’. Another told me that she is just now, at the age of 65, learning to love birds.

All of us know about these life lists. E-bird often encourages it. But what we need isn’t a bird ticked off on a list but a real understanding of a bird’s behaviour, an intimate observation over time – days, weeks, years. Strassman challenges us to see the things around us and to understand them.

The book that I want to talk about today was written long ago by Florence A Merriam. Birds through an Opera Glass was published in 1896. 127 Years Ago. It has to be the first book, written by a woman, on ‘slow’ birding. It has been out of print for decades. The Leopold Classic Library prints copies on demand. Like Strassman’s, there are no colour images but, rather, black and white illustrations from Baird, Brewer and Ridgway’s History of North American Birds. Also like Strassman, Merriam is an excellent writer bringing her observations of the birds living around her to life with their strange behaviours and song.

This is a quote on how the nuthatch got its name:

“But his most interesting name is – nuthatch!  How does he come by it?  That seems riddle.  Some cold November day put on a pair of thick boots and go to visit the beeches.  There in their tops are the nuthatches, for they have deserted the tree trunks for a frolic.  They are beechnutting!  And that with as much zest as a party of school-children starting out with baskets and pails on a holiday.  Watch them now.  What clumsy work they make of it, trying to cling to the beechnut burr and get the nuts out the same time.  It’s a pity the chickadee can’t give them a few lessons!  They might better have kept to their tree trunks.  But they persist, and after tumbling off from several burrs, finally snatch out a nut and fly off with it as clammy as if they had been dancing about among the twigs all their days.  Away they go till they come to a maple or other rough-barked tree, when they stick the nut in between the ridges off the bark, hammer it down, and then, when it is so tightly wedged that the slippery shell cannot get away from them, by a few sharp blows they hatch the nut from the tree!  Through my glass I watched a number of them this fall, though some of them wedged their nuts far into cracks or holes in the body of the tree, instead of in the bark.  One of them pounded so hard he spread his tail and almost upset himself.  The fun was so great a downy woodpecker tried it, and of all the big school-boys!  The excitement seemed to turn his head and he attacked a beechnut burr as if he would close with it in mortal combat!”

Merriam writes about The Kingbird:  “The sobriety of his plain blackish coat and white vest are relieved by a coloured patch that may sometimes be espied under his crest, and also by a white tip to his tail, which when spread in flight, has the effect of a white crescent.”  

Birds Through an Opera Glass, 1896

The list of birds that Merriam covers is massive but she also gives hints to people who want to observe birds. 1) Avoid light or bright coloured clothing. 2) Walk slowly and noiselessly. 3) Avoid all quick, jerky motions. 4) Avoid Talking. 5) “If the bird was signing, but stops on your approach, stand still a moment and encourage him by answering his call. If he gets interested he will often let you creep within opera-glass distance. Some of the most charming snatches of friendly talk will come at such times.” 6) Make a practice of stopping often and standing perfectly still. “In that way you hear voices that would be lost if you were walking…” 7) Conceal yourself against a tree or pulling a branch in front of you. Merriam also advises that anyone wishing to observe birds should consider the time of the day and the weather. “They follow the sun!” “In spring and fall you will find them in the fields and orchards early in the morning, but when the sun has warmed the south side of the woods they go there; and in the afternoon they follow it across to the north side. During heavy winds and storms you are most likely to find birds well under cover of the woods, no matter at what time of day; and then, often on the side opposite that from which the wind comes.”

Merriam challenges us to begin with the simplest – the birds that you see and hear on a daily basis. For her it was the Robin. What would be your bird?

I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants to learn more about Robins, Crow Blackbirds, Ruffled Grouse, Nuthatches, Chickadees, and 65 other species. It is $19.66 CDN from Amazon. There is a link in the book for a free digital copy. It will be the best $20 you have spent. I promise. Just remember it is full of a great narrative and knowledge but not beautiful photographs!

Thank you so much for joining me today. It is always a pleasure to send you the news about our feathered friends, especially when it is all good. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their tweets, posts, announcements, videos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: Geemeff, ‘L’ and Birdwatching Daily, CIEL and the IWS, Dana Campbell and the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters plus CROW, Audubon Raptor Centre and Bonusfinder, Audubon Raptor Centre, Conservation Without Borders, Celia Aliengirl and Bald Eagles Nest Cam and News and GROWLS, NZ DOC, Elain and the NZ DOC, NEFL-AEF, Paul White and the Webster Texas Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, and Rhoda A and the KNF-E3 Bald Eagle Nest.

Blue 497 in Senegal, adult osprey released after 53 days in care…it is Tuesday in Bird World

3 January 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope everyone is well and that the start of the week got off to a good beginning for 2023. It is a warmer day here, -8, and there are lots of sparrows along with Dyson and her gang and the European Starlings at the feeders. It is always good to see them and my heart skipped a little when my granddaughter said she could hear the birds singing as she approached the house on New Year’s Day. Just lovely. What would the world be without our feathered friends singing?

I want to start my blog today with two ‘good news’ osprey stories because, Ospreys are really the raptors that I know best, they make my heart beat just that much faster. The first one is a remarkable sighting because we all know that the majority of the first year fledglings simply do not ‘make it’. The second one is dear to my heart and it is about an adult male osprey taken into care by CROW and released 53 days after being admitted! Remember: Too many people sing the mantra of ‘Ospreys do not do well in care’. This simply does not seem to be borne out by the evidence.

I am super excited. Two Glaslyn Ospreys have been spotted in Senegal. KC4 has been seen previously but it is the youngster, 497, a 2022 fledgling that has me jumping up and down. 497 made the cover of the Glaslyn calendar this year! 497 hatched on May 26 and was last seen at Glaslyn on 13 September 2022. Many of you watched these chicks at Glaslyn grow from egg to fledge. Now Blue 497 is successfully in Senegal. Fantastic. Tears of joy.

What a handsome osprey! The best of Aran and Mrs G in one fish eating bird of prey. Oh, my goodness what a beautiful bird – with great DNA. Can you tell how excited I am?

KC4 is a 2020 fledgling seen in this image before fledging with the entire family. She has been sighted in Senegal various times since she fledged. As I said about 497 – these chicks of Mrs G and Aran have really great DNA. Good DNA and luck – the two things that help the young fledglings. That and experience later. Their Mum, Mrs G, is the oldest Osprey in the UK.

Many of you will recognise the name CROW. They are the wildlife rehabbers located on Captiva Island. Their facilities were hit by Hurricane Ian but many were standing. They have a good news story about an adult male Osprey. Remember this when anyone tells you that Ospreys do not do well in care. We now have a growing file of evidence from chicks to adults that they do well in care – if the wildlife rehabbers know what they are doing and care!

That is simply incredible news.

To the shock of everyone, there is a new little osplet in a nest on the NW coast of Kangaroo Island. Kangaroo Island lies off the coast of South Australia and is Australia’s third largest island.

Xavier and Diamond get to bond without an interruption by Indigo! Can you believe it? Me, neither!

It is so difficult seeing the two eaglets – Pearl and Tito -at Superbeaks. It seems there is more ps on the camera lens. It didn’t stop us getting sight of the largest of the two (I presume) standing up and walking a couple of steps. Can you believe it?

Standing tall!

Then a feeding and both were there. Oh, they are sweet. Looks like a big sister and a little brother to me…but who knows. Or does this camera really distort the size difference? Whatever. Both look great as the sun begins to set on the nest.

Ron and Rose were at their nest today. Rose is a young sweetie. Next year the brown will be gone in her white head. Look closely. Find anything distinguishing. Ron has been working on that nest probably hoping for eggs this year. Will there be any? Perhaps not but who knows. That is the reason that it will be good to try and identify any special features of Rose for next year.

Ron has really made a very nice nest.

The lovely couple.

‘HeidiMc’ did a fantastic clip of Ron and Rose yesterday – a fish delivery, footsie, and bonding! Thanks, ‘H’.

Some people have been very disappointed that there will be a black out of news about Rita and her whereabouts. There is a very good reason for this. WRDC was rehabbing another eagle and people attempted to steal that eagle. That is why the precise locations of nests and now Rita’s future home will not be disclosed. It makes perfect sense. This is precisely the reason that the location of many nests is not published for the safety of the birds. Can you imagine someone trying to steal Gabby?

I did not see a lot of activity at the NEFlorida nest of Gabby and V3. Gabby was prominent on one of the branches around 0948 but after there it appears little presence by either eagle.

Jerinelle Wray posted a video on FB of all the bugs that made V3 move to another branch last night. I took a capture from her video to show you. As she says, “this could be the reason that the eagles are not sleeping on the nest tonight”. You may recall that some cams are now turning off the light at night that attracts insects to the nests and scrapes. It just reminds me that while some will dismiss the bother of the insects, we know that three peregrine falcon eyases at Spirit Bluff jumped to their death because of so many black flies.

The two little eaglets at the KNF-E3 nest are just fine. The oldest one will eat more food because its crop is larger and can hold more. Today, seemed relatively peaceful in the nest to me. Andria has been feeding them American Coot and then switched to one of the two Sunfish on the nest.

02 had a crop and both are sleeping sound in a food coma.

Both Alex and Andria have been doing tandem feedings – a good way to get both chicks full without any beaking. It is a great help and I have always cheered those males that step in – including many of the male UK Ospreys who help out like Louis did with Dorcha when they had JJ5, JJ6, and JJ7 in 2020. Still, Tonya Irwin, the moderator and FB admin for the Kistachie Eagle Cams has placed an announcement on FB today:

I really wondered if Mum and Dad at the ND-LEEF nest would rebuild in the same tree but, like the other eagles who rebuilt after Hurricane Ian (if the tree was still standing), the pair remained faithful to their old home. This is the Bald Eagle nest in St Patrick’s Park in South Bend, Indiana – home of Little Bit ND17. Mum and Dad have done it and the chair rails are going up nicely.

Gosh, I wish that Humane Indiana had gotten Little Bit banded. Wouldn’t you love to know where our ‘survivor’ is?

Andor and Cruz were at the Fraser Point Bald Eagle nest working a bit. — If you go to that cam, be careful. It seems that all of the Channel Islands streaming cams are putting in Highlights now and again. It is easy to be fooled into thinking that what you are seeing is current.

The eagles look to be in very good condition nothing their chrome yellow beaks and feet along with what appears to be good plumage .

Chase and Cholyn visited the Two Harbours nest, too, but I did not see either Thunder or Akecheta at the West End nest today.

Jackie was at the Big Bear Valley nest despite the snow.

There are still some pip watches ongoing or coming up: SWFlorida, Captiva, Berry College, and Metro Aviation to name four. Here is one of the pip watch announcements.

In California, people are flocking to see a rare sight – a Snowy Owl. Here in Manitoba, the Owls literally love our snow. But what is one doing in the heat of the western US?

I have mentioned Cockatoos several times in relation to calls for assistance by one US sanctuary. The real issue is that Cockatoos should not be exported for pets to anywhere. If you have heard them at the White-bellied Sea Eagle nest, their cry sounds like someone being murdered. It is not that nice. They are also pesky toddlers as my friend ‘J’ continues to tell me. Remember the one throwing pots from a second story balcony. Now, seriously why would you want one for a pet? There is an article in The Guardian today showing just how clever these birds are, too.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/23/cockatoos-in-sydney-learning-from-each-other-to-bin-dive-for-food-study-finds?CMP=share_btn_link

Let’s end with a good news story just the way we began. There are a lot of kind people who are looking out at the ice patches floating on rivers around the world. This morning there are several stories of Bald Eagles being rescued who are found sitting on tiny pieces of ice. Most are juveniles.

https://www.fox32chicago.com/…/bald-eagle-rescued…

Thank you so very much for being with me today. I hope that you have a wonderful Tuesday. Tomorrow a look at the anger around illegal poisons killing Ravens in the UK and investigations into raptor deaths that seem to be going no where. Stay safe. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their posts, videos, announcements, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: Brewed Gwyllt Glaslyn, CROW, RAD KI, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Superbeaks, WRDC, NEFL-AEF, Jerinelle Wray and the NEFL and SWFL Eagle Cam Watchers Club FB, HeidiMc, KNF-E3, Tonya Irwin and the Kistachie National Forest Eagle Cam Fans, IWS and Explore.org, FOBBV, CBS, Sharon Dunne and the NEFL and SWFL Eagle Cam Watchers Club FB, FOX32Chicago, and The Guardian.