Category Archives: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys

Monday in Bird World

19 August 2024

Hello Everyone,

The plane left late, sat on the tarmac in Winnipeg on arrival, and it seemed it took forever to get home. Of course, I was anxious – that old saying that it is a good thing to be away and even better to be home. ‘The Girls’ are so excited. All four of them are running around playing but staying right close to us. The birds were well looked after, and my neighbour is building a large planter out of stones so wild grasses can be planted. He even weeded the area around the weeping Caragana. I am so grateful. The rest is so overgrown and needs some good attention. Ten years ago it was easy – the heat just seems to take the ‘steam’ out of everyone. Everything is growing like I recall the vegetation did in Grenada. I need some sheep and goats out there!!!!!!

It was a magnificent holiday – one of the best ever, and we have had many holidays- graduate studies ensured that. I think it was because we chose not to do too much and not run around the province of Nova Scotia trying to check out tourist sites and osprey platforms. We did that one day and went ‘no’ after. The small villages and the surprise birding areas fuelled our joy. Sitting on the sidewalk sipping coffee and eating the most delicious lemon cake in Canning was just the right speed. Tonight, we are sipping some of the nicest coffee from beans roasted in Berwick and eating chocolate processed in Antigonish while the girls cuddle. It is hard to describe how wonderful it is to have Hugo Yugo wake me up during the night, nuzzling her head under my chin. Then, I looked down and saw Calico at the foot of the bed. Everything is alright in the world. The squirrels are out eating this morning – it seems I left them enough food for two weeks, not six days! When I think of Jen and her sanctuary, it is farm animals. In our garden, it is a sanctuary for those who find themselves living in an urban area that used to be wild. It makes me feel good. It also made me feel guilty as I dreamed of moving back to the hills of Nova Scotia. I think the key is to travel there often! Settling in a beautiful small village without a doctor, a grocery store, or a bank might be challenging. Today, we will revisit Nova Scotia by making a lovely brown bread with oatmeal and molasses. It is traditional – most eat it with scrumptious baked beans, just like in the States of New England. So, despite the heat, the oven will be on.

Well, the bread tasted much better than it looked. First effort! The chowder was top-notch if I say so myself. It’s Missing Nova Scotia.

The cat sitter had one thing to say, and you won’t be surprised: “Hugo-Yugo is such a little helion. LOL. She chased all the others throughout the house one morning.” The tiniest ginger cat has been the boss since she arrived. There is no question. She is not vicious, just persistent.

Calico, who loves to eat, will quickly move out of the way when she sees her coming towards her dish! They do get along. No fighting…just everyone needs to remember the hierarchy – the youngest is the boss. Antali would like that.

I ordered two books that I could skim at the sanctuary apartment. One of those is The Pig Who Sang to the Moon. Anecdotes from this volume will, no doubt, fuel some of the stories in my post in the future.

It is hard to fully articulate just how tired I am. Hopefully this posting will make some sense and not seem too scattered.

It is time for annual summaries and Dr Green has supplied us with two for Iris and Finnegan. I will continue to add these as I find them as it is so nice to revisit our nests before everyone departs.

Antali finds a fish hidden in the nest! And then Antali gets another. Well done. Don’t worry. Sum-eh has had fish.

Dr Green prepared this timeline for Iris and her nest happenings this season. Finnegan did fantastic. 8-9 fish a day, and the one day he and Iris brought in 10. Incredible. This was the biggest miracle in the eyes of all watchers who sent me their ‘miracle’ lists.

‘PB’ caught Antali waiting at the nest at Hellgate Canyon wanting a fish.

The ospreys around the Clarke Fork River are helping the scientists. Here is a podcast by Dr Green.

“Osprey chicks are helping scientists track pollution in the Clark Fork River

https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2024-08-15/osprey-chicks-are-helping-scientists-track-pollution-in-the-clark-fork-river

Iris the Osprey is a world-famous bird who’s nested along Missoula’s Clark Fork River for most of her long life. She’s also a longtime participant in research tracking mining pollution in the river. After more than a decade, the latest data on the health of the river is expected soon.”

Iris has certainly caught and eaten her share of fish in the local river. Today, she had another whopper on the Owl Pole! And after she has a good feed, Sum-eh and Antali will be wanting some.

Dad is busy filling up the little sea eaglets!

‘A’ comments on the sea eaglets breakfast:

“The littles had someone else’s chick for breakfast (probably a baby water bird with white feathers, which Lady took the prey away to pluck. Dad arrived early and was sent off on a breakfast mission at 06:48, returning just five minutes later with the bird. Once the breakfast was defeathered, Mum decided the littles were still sleepy and settled down to brood them a little longer. She got up and began feeding them breakfast soon after 07:15. SE33 is still sleeping, so she starts by feeding SE34, who is in front of SE33. After a few bites, SE34 wakes up, so Lady gives it some bites. The pair are both eating nicely, side by side, with each being given bites. SE34 is not afraid to accept the food it is offered and SE33 does not interfere. 

By 07:20 Lady is feeding SE33 exclusively. When she offers SE34 a bite at 07:22:25, it is refused. She returns to feeding SE33. Again, about a minute later, SE34 refuses a bite to eat, even though it is sitting up and indicating it would like some breakfast. At 07:23:40 Lady again tries to get SE34 to take food and it refuses. This is a worrying development. Lady again returns to feeding SE33. 

At 07:24:10 Lady again offers a bite to SE34 who is slow to accept it, but Lady persists and eventually SE34 takes the bite, without any response from SE33. From this point, Lady offers the eaglets alternate bites, with both littles accepting the food they are offered. They are like the best of mates, side by side at the table. Plenty of food and mum keeping a close eye on the kids and ensuring both get enough to eat. Lovely; 

Well that was a nice start to the day at WBSE. Dad is really doing a great job of keeping food on the nest for the family. That fish he brought in, was it yesterday?, was the largest I think I have ever seen brought in to this nest. And of course Lady is her usual self when it comes to doling out the food evenly and ensuring that the kids play nicely. “

“It was time that I spent a day with the littles at WBSE and ensured that everything was progressing well and that both parents were doing their respective jobs, while both littles were eating well and behaving themselves nicely. So today, I watched the feedings in some detail. I have already talked about the breakfast feeding. 

There was bonking at the lunchtime feeding. Dad brought in a nice fish, and Lady began feeding SE33, with SE34 asleep in front of it. After a while, SE34 woke up and lifted its head. Lady offered it a bite, which it accepted without any objections from SE33. Lady then returned to feeding SE33. At 12:38 Lady eats a big mouthful of fish herself – it was easier than preparing it for one of the littles. This seemed to frustrate SE33, causing it to wait too long between bites, and it beaked SE34 in the back of the head. SE34 ducks and tucks. It is slow to accept bites now, and Lady is slow to offer them. Lady continues to feed SE33, however, leaning over SE34 to do so. SE34 just sits, head up and waiting but not competing for food. It is a little intimidated when SE33 tries to remove a bone from its beak, thinking perhaps it is being bonked, By 12::41, SE34 is leaning towards the fish, only inches from his beak. Mum continues feeding SE34. By 12:41, SE33 is full, refusing a bite that Lady offers three times. When SE33 turns its head away, Lady offers the bite to SE34, who accepts it without hesitation. She gives the next bite to SE33, who takes it. She then resumes feeding SE33. When SE33 refuses the third bite, she offers it to SE34, who is slow to take it so she again offers it to SE33. This time, it is accepted. SE34 lifts its head and makes it clear it is wanting food but Lady offers the fish to SE33. Whenever Lady tries to clean fish off SE33’s face, it cringes away from her as if scared. Neither eaglet is keen on having its face cleaned by mum! 

!2:42 and SE34 has its head down as Lady feeds SE33. Just before 12:43, SE34 lifts its head again but Lady continues reaching past it to feed SE33. When she leans close to SE34 to pick up a dropped piece of fish, it immediately pulls as far away from her as it can. This is such strange behaviour, as mum has never hurt either of the littles, intentionally or otherwise, so I have no idea why her movement close to the eaglets causes them to behave as if intimidated. 12:43:20 and SE34’s head is up again and it is waiting hopefully for fish. Lady continues to feed SE33, who is sitting up behind SE34. At 12:45:38 Lady finally offers a bite to SE34, who takes it immediately. She offers another bite to SE34, who takes that one too. There is no reaction from SE33. From this point, Lady offers bites to both eaglets, sometimes giving SE33 two bites in a row but usually alternating between them. SE34 is initially a little cautious but is soon confidently eating with its sibling. Nice. 

By 12:52, SE33 is full and Lady appears distracted. SE34 could certainly eat more but Lady decides the feeding is over. ABut Sgain, I think SE33 did better at this feeding than SE34, and this appears to be the case at virtually all the feedings, unless Lady takes the opportunity to give SE34 a private feeding while SE33 is sleeping. This situation provides SE34 with its best opportunities to eat without concern or trepidation. There is still half a fish left on the nest (though this fish is a different species from the giant one Dad brought in yesterday and is a medium-sized, plate-shaped specimen. 

At 13:46:46 dad removes the half-fish from the nest and takes it up onto a branch to eat. At `3:53:30 he returns what remains and Lady gets up from brooding the eaglets to feed the remains to the littles. SE33 is too full for more food! It gets stepped on as mum leaves the nest, waking it up. SE34 snoozes on. But SE33 finds room for some more fish and SE34 wakes up and is also happy to eat more. Lady feeds both. By 14:04, SE34 is being offered every bite, with SE33 finding itself too full to accept bites. SE33 is behind SE34 and leaning on its sibling, leaving SE34 a little cautious, though it is not stopping the little from eating. It is finally getting its fair share of this fish! SE33 momentarily finds some more room in its crop and rejoins the feeding but by 14:06 it is again full. The bites Lady is giving SE34 in this feeding are large, but the eaglet is managing them with ease. 

Lady keeps coaxing SE33 into eating yet another bite, and SE34 is still eating with gusto. Lady is getting careless about the size of the bites she is offering, many of which are so large, she is eating them herself after the eaglets reject them. 14:09 and both chicks are accepting bites. By 14:10 Lady is feeding only SE34, who is really stretching to take the bites from mum. The winds are so gusty, Lady loses her balance on the nest and has to use her wings to steady herself. 14:11 and Lady has switched to feeding SE33. Then SE34 gets a few bites in a row. Lady is doing her best to feed both eaglets, moving the fish closer to SE34 and continuing to offer bites to both chicks. 14:12 and she is again concentrating on SE34. These chicks have impressive appetites and are gradually demolishing this fish, which is larger in pieces than it first appeared when a whole fish. 14:13 and both chicks are sitting side by side at the table, eating nicely together as they are fed alternate bites. What a cute picture they make when they’re not beaking each other in the head. Just too sweet for words. 

Both chicks ate a good breakfast of bird and a good lunch of fish. They both did small but healthy PSs while I was watching those two feedings. There was no significant aggression and nothing that intimidated SE34 from eating in any meaningful way. There were moments when it was cautious because its sibling was behind and leaning on it, but nothing that prevented it from eating a decent amount of food at breakfast and at lunch. It had a full crop after each feeding. 

I am hopeful for this nest, despite the immediate bonk-fest that these two started almost as soon as SE34 hatched. They are two very feisty eaglets and it would not surprise me if we had a female first hatch. I am unsure about the second, but it could be a little brother, based on its size and behaviour. It does appear to be the dominant hatchling, and SE34 is obeying nest order etiquette by being careful not to trigger SE33 with, say,  direct eye contact. SE33 occasionally enforces its dominance but this is rare and SE34, beyond observing the courtesies, is not being intimidated by its sibling or prevented from eating. I am keeping an eye on the obvious size gap that has opened up between them since SE34 hatched, at which stage they seemed remarkably similar in size. I cannot be certain whether the size gap that now exists is the result of gender or of SE33 getting a larger proportion of the food. I suspect the former. “

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

Daily summary Saturday 17th August 2024
The promised dry spells did appear on and off today – a bit like Affric 152 and Garry LV0, who spent hours on the nest, coming and going at different times over a three hour period. Garry showed off his nest-building skills, bringing moss and sticks, but no fish, to Affric’s displeasure. She rebuffed his advances and if he has any hope of getting her to abandon Prince and pair with him, he’s going to have to do better. Fish is key! No activity of any sort on Nest Two, and rain forecast for tonight, tomorrow and the whole of next week.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.48.22 (05.05.22); Nest Two 21.39.17 (05.09.41)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/K86m0Q234Sc N1 Something scares Garry and Affric off the nest 12.12.38https://youtu.be/_qwTc6b2sdY N1 Affric wants to see Garry’s fishing skills, not nest-building ones 12.24.16

Bonus video of beautiful Loch Arkaig scenery – Eas Chia-Aig waterfall near Spean Bridge:https://youtu.be/N7G3OfNTKGI

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

And for Sunday:

Daily summary Sunday 18th August 2024

Not much happened today, Garry LV0 provided the only action on either nest when he popped in to Nest One with half a flatfish in his talons. Ironically Affric 152 wasn’t around to take it, so he departed with it less than a minute later. LizB posted a possible reason for her absence: “Bunarkaig update – second hand information, but apparently the male was fishing in the bay this morning for around an hour, making a few trips back to the nest with fish for the chick. Perhaps there was plenty for Affric too which might explain her lack of appearances at nest 1 today”.  Weather was wet as forecasted, and will remain wet for the rest of the week, with winds varying from gentle to moderate.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.47.38 (05.09.00); Nest Two 21.39.08 (05.12.56)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/paY4d-BqJBw N1 Garry LV0 brings fish – no one’s there 13.11.38

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

Bonus watch – From Perthshire to Africa, Scottish Wildlife Trust’s google earth video of an Osprey migration route:

Both fledges at the Imperial Eagle Nest waiting for adults with prey.

Rosie Shields has given us a wrap up for Samson and Ursula at the Border Osprey nest.

GOING GOINGDownload

Our beloved Ervie is moving about the Port Lincoln area. It is about time for him to find a mate and have a family.

Hunt saboteurs are organised this year and have successfully put an end to at least two of the annual Inglorious Day Grouse shoots.

Hunt saboteurs disrupt grouse shoot on Stean Estate, Nidderdale – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

The Colonial Beach Osprey Project sent me the following information: Joanie Millward, President of the Virginia Osprey Association, kindly included numbers for last year and this for comparison. This information will go into the International Osprey Data Project to help us continue to grow a more thorough understanding of what is happening in each region.

You will note the high proportion of nests that only fledged one chick. This is an indicator of the nests’ lack of prey in that region, which is so sad.

We should all be enjoying the adults and kiddos flittering around the nests occasionally. Migration is well underway as we saw with the Shorebirds in Nova Scotia.

Will Blue NCO return and breed successfully again at Loch of the Lowes? Will her mate be the Dark Knight? We have to wait til next spring and see.

Tweed Valley reports:

Another miracle nest this year is Snow Lane, the home of Beaumont and Hope and their fledgling and soon to be fledgling in Newfoundland. It has been eons since osplets fledged from this nest and I am certain tears are being shed by all who love this couple. It is truly wonderful.

Trudi Kron posted an update from the Hancock Wildlife Foundation regarding Blue:

What a gorgeous group at Glaslyn! Aran and Elen’s 2024 graduating class.

Lola and fledgling at Charlo on Sunday.

Still home in Minnesota!

‘H’ reports: “8/18 Osoyoos osprey nest: The new fledglings seem to be doing great, flying to and from the nest.  And, their parents are providing them with plenty of fish to fuel their flights.  The cam was down until 0844, so we may have missed an early fish.  At 0946, Soo delivered a huge salmon to the nest.  Soo kept the fish, and Chick 2 was the recipient of the first meal from that fish, then Soo removed the huge leftover.  At 1023 Olsen brought a medium sized whole fish, Chick 2 nibbled at it, but was already too full.  Chick 1 flew to the nest at 1108 and ate that fish.  Soo brought back her fish at 1109, but neither chick was interested, so she left with it again.  She returned with the fish at 1134, fed Chick 1, and again Soo removed the large leftover salmon.  At 1246 Soo brought the same fish back, and fed some more to Chick 1.  It was interesting that Soo would never allow the chicks to take that fish from her.  Then at 1254, Soo removed the large leftover again.  At 1316 Chick 2 grabbed a medium sized partial fish from Olsen and ate it.  At 1317, Soo returned with the same fish she initially brought to the nest at 0946.  The massive fish had been gradually getting smaller.  She fed Chick 1, and finally the fish was all gone except for the tail.  That salmon should certainly qualify for frequent flier miles!  Olsen brought the last fish of the day at 1927, a whole fish that Chick 2 grabbed and started to eat.  But, Chick 1 flew to the nest after a few minutes and stole the fish from Chick 2!

8/18 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:  All three fledglings are still returning to the nest for fish, and they also like to hang out a bit on the perches.  Harvie brought six fish to the nest for the juvies today, and there were some pretty good battles for the fish.  The intruder was only on the nest for less than a minute in the morning, and she left when she saw Harvie approaching.  We did not see Louise today.”

We watch these beautiful birds from the time they hatch to fledge. We cry sometimes and then they are free. It is time we protect their environment as there are far too many electrocutions.

Netflix is requesting the removal and/or relocation of osprey nests. Seriously? Thanks, Geemeff.

Netflix Looks to Rehome Ospreys in Little Silver – Two River TimesDownload

Cowlitz fledgling caught on the nest Sunday morning.

Chicks home at Oyster Bay.

Raining at Patchogue – no one home.

Keke and River on the nest. Keo continues to deliver fish.

Port Lincoln has a new baby on a barge and it is not an osprey – it is a White-bellied Sea Eagle!!!!!!!!

Iris wasn’t the only female raptor catching a whopper on Sunday. Just look what Jackie hauled into the nest at Big Bear!

Xavier and Diamond are thinking ‘eggies’.

In Latvia, the first hatch, a female, Red 59T, flew for the first time on the 15th of August followed by her little brother, Red 59V, on Sunday, the 18th. Congratulations!

Thank you so much for being with us today. It is always nice to have you here – and I always enjoy your letters, your news messages, and your comments. Keep them coming! Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, images, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, PB’, Montana Osprey Cams, Cornell Bird Lab, @HellgateOsprey, Montana News, Birdling Life and More, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Rosie Shields for Border Ospreys, PLO, Raptor Persecution UK, Joanie Millward, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Imperial Eagle Cam RU, Newfoundland Power, Trudi Kron, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Charlo Montana, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, PSEG, Sandpoint Ospreys, Celia Aliengirl, The Two Rivers Times, Pam Breci, SK Hideaways, LDF, Osoyoos, and Fortis Exshaw.

Friday in Bird World

16 August 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Thursday turned out to be a great day for Bald Eagles, just when I thought that there were none to be seen until winter. The local chicken farms, which cover a large area of the Annapolis Valley, provide carrion for the eagles – all of them I am told as well as the other farmers. It made me smile. Not the chickens crunched up in tiny cages, but their lives do not go to waste when they die.

Eagles were soaring over the estuary and at Grand Pre National Monument, the site of the Evangeline memorial. I was walking through the gardens when I heard the distinct call of a juvenile, and I saw two adults flying overhead. Following the sound, I located the baby in a gorgeous pine tree by the potager (kitchen garden area). The minute the adults and a fledgling appeared, this one cried for prey. It was a beautiful juvenile doing what juveniles do when they do not hunt for themselves- tracking the adults. What a distinctive call so different from an osprey.

Taken with a 200 mm lens and cropped – oh, how I wish I had my larger lens with me!

The nest was on the grounds of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I think they are pretty lucky – quiet and protected. It is the memorial site to the Acadians forced to leave Nova Scotia by the British. The Acadians were farmers living in the 1680s in an intertidal area. The tides were over 11 metres, some of the highest in the world. They reclaimed land using dykes, wooden sluices, and a series of drainage networks creating a rich soil that enabled them to become excellent farmers.

The memorial site remembers not only the cultural legacy of the Acadians but it is also the site of the Great Expulsion. The deportation of the Acadians began in the fall of 1755 and continued through 1778. The first group was approximately 7000 individuals. In total, about 11,500 out of a population of 14,000 were deported. Why? Well, two reasons. The Acadians would not be loyal to the British, but the second was more economical. The British wanted their prime agricultural land.

Brochures state: “The Memorial Church expresses the Acadian’s strong attachment to Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada. Built in 1922, with funds raised from Acadian communities throughout North America, the Memorial Church symbolizes the spirit of Acadian nationalism and the deep-seated desire to commemorate the tragedy of the Deportation. Architect René Fréchet of Moncton, New Brunswick, drew up the plans for the church, which reflect Normandy-style architecture of the 1700s.  The design does not duplicate the original pre-Deportation church whose appearance is unknown. “

The Memorial Church at Grand Pre.

On the path leading to the entrance to the Memorial Church is a bronze statue of Evangeline. She is the focus of Longfellow’s poem, Evangeline, written in 1847. “Almost immediately after its release, the poem obtained worldwide popularity. Millions of people were drawn to the story of a young Acadian couple from the village of Grand-Pré, Evangeline Bellefontaine and Gabriel Lajeunesse, who were separated by the events of the Deportation. Evangeline, being a faithful, pious woman, vowed to find her true love Gabriel, yet she always seemed to be two steps behind. More than a fictitious character, Evangeline became a symbol of the Deportation and the perseverance of the Acadian people.”

EvangelineDownload

View over the Annapolis Valley from ‘The Lookout’ north of Canning.

There are orchards and vineyards everywhere you turn. Indeed, the local artisans have been invigorated by the steady stream of tourists coming to the wineries and the distilleries in the area. Small villages that were losing young people appear to be stabilising according to the young ladies at one of the many coffee roasters in the area.

Tomorrow I am heading out in search of some shore birds. The Noodle Guy’s food is too good to pass up so you will find me there again before leaving for home Saturday afternoon. The joy has been staying in the quiet farmlands of the valley away from the tourist areas – loud, crowded, and overpriced. The cat sitter says that ‘The Girls’ are doing fine. Calico has even come out from under the sofa for pets. It is good to get away, it will be great to be home. The trip has turned out to be a good one. erful

Cornell Bird Labs gives us a hint as to what to expect now that Iris and Finnegan are ’empty nesters’.

Youngest Osprey Chick %22Antali%22 Takes To The Skies! | Cornell Lab Bird Cams Cornell Lab Bird CamsDownload

Comings and goings at Iris and Finnegan’s nest:

Concerns have been growing for Antali who has not been seen on camera. Thank you, Dr Green and than you ‘PB’ for seeing this alert and sending it to me. Postiive energy out there please to help find Iris’s second baby.

‘A’ comments: “It was an awful day at Hellgate, with driving rains. But despite this, Finn brought in a fish for Sumeh, which she demolished in short order, finishing with a large crop. Antali flew in late (it was nearly 9pm) followed by both mum and dad. Dad brought the fish, which Iris took charge of, despite Antali trying to wrestle it from her. She fed Antali, so that once again he did not get to practice his self-feeding. He was hungry, grabbing at the bites, and vocalised throughout the feeding. But despite the dreadful weather, both fledglings had a decent-sized fish of their own today, Sumeh’s self-fed, Antali’s fed by Iris. The winds were so strong, Sumeh was literally tossed about by them when she flew off the nest. She started off by lying duckling style on the nest after she finished her fish, but as the rain grew heavier, she decided to head elsewhere, and took off in the gusty conditions. It is good to see the parents looking after this pair, and both fledglings coming to the nest for fish (obviously keeping an eye out for any sightings of an incoming Finn, in particular – he has been doing such a great job for this family. I was a little worried about this stage, where the fledglings have such a high caloric requirement, but at least Iris can fish for herself now and so Finn is only providing for three. Iris is helping with that too, I presume – today, though, it was Finn doing the fishing. 

I too worry about Iris. She is so devoted to her osplets. She goes without food herself if the chicks need it. She has been stoic in the heat, shading the osplets even once they were pretty much fully grown, and sheltered them through a very hot summer. She has been the best mumbrella in heavy rains with howling winds, keeping her babies warm and dry whilst being soaked to the skin herself. She has been the most dedicated of mums, and I do feel concerned to consider how much this season may have taken out of her, and whether she will have the time and the opportunity to rest and eat before she heads off on migration. I do wonder why there is a need for these ospreys to migrate as far as they do – surely southern USA would  be far enough. Africa seems a little extreme (and unnecessarily dangerous). 

Antali returns to the nest at 20:08, in time to meet dad with yet another fish. Iris turns up as well. Finn leaves her to it and Iris claims the fish. Antali tries to peck a little at the fish but then just waits to be fed by Iris. At least he is getting fed – I was very worried about whether he would be able to compete for food with Sumeh at this stage of their development, and although I do wish Antali would be left to self-feed a bit more, I am basically just pleased that both osplets are being fed, and apparently fed enough, to be growing and looking healthy. Both appear to be mastering this new flying skill, though the winds were very challenging today. “

‘H’ reports:

8/15 Osoyoos osprey nest:  Chick 2 fledged on 8/14 at 67 days of age, and s/he returned to the nest in about a minute.  The cam was frozen for about three hours, and we didn’t know if Chick 2 flew again during that period of time.  But, after the live stream was restored at 1149, we did not see Chick 2 leave the nest again on 8/14.  On 8/15, Chick 2 decided to take an early flight at 0552.  For the next few hours, Chick 1 flew out and back to the nest several times, but we did not see Chick 2 return.  Then the cam froze again for almost 2.5 hours, and resumed at 1230.  At 1230, Soo was seen on the nest eating alone.  Hours passed without seeing Chick 2, and we were worried.  Finally, at 1649 Chick 2 landed in the center of the nest right on top of Chick 1, practically knocking him/her off the nest.  It is entirely possible that Chick 2 may have returned to the nest during the cam downtime, but we were relieved to see Chick 2 return after 11 hours.  The siblings were both hungry, and did a lot of fish-calling.  Olsen brought a small whole fish at 1923, and it was grabbed by Chick 1.  The cam froze again at 2020.  (There is talk of setting up a fund to raise money for a new camera for next season.)

8/15 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:   We are lucky that we still get to see all three of the fledglings at the nest or the perches.  Louise has not been seen since she provided feedings on the t-perch on 8/10 and 8/11.  Harvie is continuing to bring fish to the nest.  It may not seem as though he is delivering enough fish to the nest to feed three active and hungry juvies, but he may be providing meals for them at off-camera locations as well.  The intruder is still around.  She has not been a major problem, and has not stolen a fish from the juvies in three days.  The intruder sometimes lands on the nest, or the nest perches or the t-perch.  At 1502, the intruder was standing on the nest-pole, when an adult osprey flew in quickly and flushed her off the pole.  Then there was a brief chase that occurred within our view.  We assumed that other adult osprey was Harvie.  The fledglings are becoming more confident and bolder around the intruder.  At 1908, the intruder landed on the nest, and she was forced off by one of the juvies.  Harvie delivered a fish at 2018, and the intruder landed on the nest at 2020.  The intruder simply stood there while one of the juvies was eating, but then she was forced off the nest at 2033 by one of the juvies… Well that did it, now the intruder was mad, lol.  Over the next 25 minutes, the intruder dive bombed the two juvies on the nest at least 14 times.  It seemed that she was mostly trying to harass them.  There was only some occasional minor contact with her talons on their backs, but nothing too serious.  She was not trying to hurt them… if she had been, she would have.  The fledglings are learning life lessons.  Unwanted ospreys interfering in their lives will be a part of their world.

WYL arrives to feed the Top Flat chick at the Royal Albatross Colony in New Zealand.

SE33 and 34 are getting bigger. The wings are longer as are their necks and as you can see they are nearly the same size. Lady is feeding them a small bird.

‘A’ visits the sea eagle nest: “It was also another wet day at WBSE. It seems that both eaglets are getting fed. SE34 is not at all intimidated by SE33, and is quite capable of starting a bonking incident if it feels antsy. Lady is reaching across SE33 to feed SE34, and there seems to have been quite a bit of red meat on the menu. It looks very nutritious. It may be easier to catch small birds at the moment than to fish in the rain. As long as the eaglets are being fed, we are happy. There does however appear to be a distinct size difference appearing between the eaglets, with SE34 looking noticeably smaller than its older sibling. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about at this stage but it is worth keeping an eye on. I was worried about one or both of SE34’s eyes the other day but they appear to be normal now so it may just have been rain or fish juice. (There’s often a chunk of fish stuck to the end of his beak, skewer-style, so there’s bound to be fish juice on his facial feathers.) They do both seem healthy and they are both being fed. Dad is doing a great job of keeping food on the nest and Lady is making sure both eaglets are fed. So far, so good. “

C16 on the Charlo Montana nest screaming for fish!

Oh, just look at how big those little ones are at the Osprey Environment Centre in Australia! If you recalled that there were three, sadly, one has died, but two are well.

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

Daily summary Thursday 15th August 2024

Plenty of action today as Affric 152 and Garry LV0 flew on and off Nest One over a period of several hours, ignoring a quick flypast by the RAF. She spent a lot of time fish-calling and was eventually rewarded with a fish – but it was a teeny tiny little tiddler which she demolished in about three minutes. She called for more, but Garry didn’t oblige. The weather wasn’t very obliging either, wet and windy most of the day, and same again expected tonight and tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.02.27 (05.12.15); Nest Two 21.52.38 (05.17.08)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/pL-09gIw4A8 N1 Garry LV0 brings moss, tidies, and has a preen 12.08.32 

https://youtu.be/sAin2I829BE N1 Garry LV0 returns with a stick 13.05.22

https://youtu.be/1mt2ZZZhteM N1 Affric 152 arrives followed shortly after by Garry LV0 14.55.05

https://youtu.be/U9CxLSmhoTM N1 Noisy RAF flypast doesn’t faze Affric & Garry 15.30.39

https://youtu.be/-c3lZKY7Blc  N1 Garry brings Affric a teeny tiny fish  16.36.28 

Bonus action – last chance to nominate Woodland Trust for a £5k grant, closes midnight tomorrow:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=15743696

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

Jack and Shadow continue to let us see them, returning to the nest and the roost tree often. It is fall. Oh, these two!

Growing concerns for the lack of insects in the UK. But, it isn’t just the UK. There appears to be an international decline. What is causing it? We should all be concerned because the insects are part of this great food chain. The small birds eat them – think of that little Hobby and all the Dragonflies it eats. The larger birds eat the Hobby – and, ultimately, we have our Apex Raptors. They are the measure of the health of a region – without the ladder of prey they do not survive.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/15/britain-insects-surveys-butterflies-climate-aoe?CMP=share_btn_

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, PB’, Montana Osprey Project, Montana Osprey Cam FB, Hellgate Ospreys, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Fortis-Exshaw, Olympic Park Eagles, Living Bird Life and More, Charlo Montana, Cornell Bird Lab, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, SK Hideaways, and The Guardian.

Monday in Bird World

12 August 2024

Hello Everyone!

We are about 95% ready to leave tomorrow for our mini-break in Nova Scotia. Cat sitters, garden helpers, outside garden birds and animal helpers – well, it is all under control. Mr Crow & Gang have 12 kg of cheesy dogs, there are large pails with wild bird seed, black oil seed, and peanuts prepared for each day we are away to be distributed, cat food and anything a cat sitter could need is piled high on the island including some new treats and toys. ‘The Girls’ are smart and they have caught on to what is happening. They don’t know it but I am already missing them, too. It is the only thing I dislike about even being away one night – is missing them and not having Hugo Yugo snuggling under my chin at night.

I melt every time I look at Baby Hope. It is those celadon eyes.

Calico and I have been working on items to clean cat hair off of the chairs. We have discovered that those natural coconut scrubbers for dishes are fantastic. They look like a donut and are made from the fibres of the coconut shell.

Everyone shares the one little basket that is fixed so they can look down very low and watch Mr Crow eating his dinner.

Hugo Yugo Day 1 with us and now. She is not afraid of anything and is really pretty much the boss of the gang. Yes, she still looks like a kitten but she will be a year old on 2 September. She is a little ‘toughie’.

I have just received word from the Green Ledge Light Preservation Society that the two osplets in the storm along the coast of Connecticut created by Debby are both fine. Only a couple of sticks at the nest needed to be arranged! Amazing. I cannot tell you how relieved and happy I am for those two. knew you would want to know, too – and I want to give a shout-out to the staff at Green Ledge for letting me know so swiftly.

My goodness. Getting organized for a longer trip takes the cake. I am hope that the neighbour will follow the few instructions and feed the garden animals and water the plants. The cat sitter is fantastic so no worries there. ‘The Girls’ have gotten used to Gary. It looks like the weather will be good in Nova Scotia and I cannot wait to walk across a reasonably deserted country lane and sit and watch eagles soaring in the sky for feeding on the fish at the shore.

There will be no post Tuesday morning. I don’t get into the Halifax airport til late Monday evening despite having to leave the house at noon! I was a little shocked to see all the regulations for just flying within Canada. Goodness.

The news in Bird World is dwindling and that is a good thing. We want everyone out there to be safe and building their strength for migration. On my radar are only a handful of chicks to fledge including Antali and C16 and ours in Canada.

That cute little Hobby fledged. Just quick as a wink. They change from bobblehead to Hobby so quickly. I can’t get used to it. It is like the California Falcons – one minute they are hatching and the next they are flapping all the baby down off their wings preparing to fly.

SK Hideaways always does the best videos and here is hers of the little Hobby fledging! Check out her other posts too – especially if you are missing the Cal or San Jose Falcons!!!!!

We will be watching with great anticipation and much enthusiasm as Diamond and Xavier prepare for those eggies that Xavier loves so much.

Beautiful, beautiful little sea eaglets at the Olympic Park nest. Dad couldn’t be prouder. He even fed Lady some bits of bird today – romantic and sweet. The little ones are having some bonking fests. Do not worry. It will end.

‘A’ comments (paraphrased) – The bonking is well underway at WBSE (so far, SE34 is giving as good as s/he gets), it is reassuring because some claim that the WBSE is an obligate siblicide species. Obviously, that is not universally the case, and we therefore have to ask ourselves what is it about this nest that makes it one of the exceptions. I think Lady is the difference. The parents who show a conscious interest in ensuring the younger hatch is fed are the ones who can _ and regularly do – fledge two (or even three or four – look at West End, for example, and some of this season’s osprey nests that fledged four). Lady is careful to feed both her chicks (and Dad keeps the nest well supplied with fish – at least, he has done thus far). Surely this has to make a major difference. But of course we worry when we see sibling rivalry become aggression. I’m sure it will quickly settle down, especially given how very close these two are in size. It’s hard to tell them apart except by the remains of their tiny egg teeth. 

There is a live Osprey chat tomorrow sponsored by Explore.org. Thanks to everyone who sent this notice to me. Sadly, I will be on the plane, but I hope they will archive the talk so those who miss it can check it out later. This is the link to join and set an alarm to alert you when the talk is starting:

Do you ever have to pinch yourself when you look at Iris and Finnegan and their two osplets? I still can hardly believe it. What an amazing year it has been, and what a challenging one for these two parents. The heat was enough to kill all the osplets off so many nests, and these two survived without a hiccup. Finn was an amazing fisher, and Iris didn’t allow any shenanigans between those chicks. Each was treated equally. Iris often fed little Antali when she might have wanted a little fish. But thanks to Finn, so many came to the nest that no one was ever hungry.

Antali watches Sum-eh fly all around the area and is often caught watching the train with Mum Iris. She is so protective of her babies. Soon Antali will be flying up and down the river chasing Dad for fish, too.

I am so in love with this family.

Iris made sure that Antali had some fish. She is really incredible. I am so glad that I got to witness her being a Mum to these two.

At Charlo, C16 continues their quest to take to the skies. C16 is really a gorgeous osplet. I am so happy that Lola and Charlie will have one to fledge. Maybe someone can work on some permanent cot rails for that platform during the off-season.

The Dunrovin Ranch chick is dreaming of flying, too – but still loves to be fed by Winnie. It has been doing some wingers but not to the extent of C16.

In Port Lincoln, Dad has been busy decorating the nest. He sure loves Turquoise. Later, he came in with a white piece of rope. I wonder if Mum would rather he was delivering fish? Port Lincoln will remove the ropes so they don’t harm the osplets! We will have eggs at Port Lincoln by the end of the month. I bet Bart is already a guessing pool on the date of the first one.

In New Zealand, the Kakapo are getting their health checks and new batteries for their transmitters. What a great job the Kakapo Recovery does in making these birds safe and keeping them well.

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

Daily summary Sunday 11th August 2024

The little songbirds were back on both Nest One and Nest two, but they were a supporting act to the main event – Ospreys turned up in the shape of Affric 152 and Garry LV0. They spent a fair bit of time together on Nest One, Garry brought a fish which was seized by Affric who proceeded to leave with it, return, munch a bit on the nest and leave with it again. After finishing it she returned and demanded more fish from Garry but only got a half-hearted mating attempt from him. The forecasted thundery showers didn’t materialise today but there’s a weather warning for the Highlands for thunderstorms starting at 2am tomorrow, and more rain throughout the night.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.14.16 (04.49.55); Nest Two 22.11.11 (05.04.26)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/zbmAOdpvwjg N2 A pair of Crossbills visit 08.31.06

https://youtu.be/MLLmjh7dMH8 N1 A Robin pays a visit 09.52.04

https://youtu.be/lzSl5Wepv8U N1 Affric 152 follows Garry LV0 onto the nest 10.58.12

https://youtu.be/WceshcwWjH8  N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish to Affric waiting on the nest 16.44.20

https://youtu.be/hotAz4uBAdI  N1 Affric returns to Garry on the nest, wants more fish 16.58.26

https://youtu.be/6trrzqNVgnQ  N1 Garry returns with sticks, does a little tidying 18.31.33

Bonus watch – how it all began! Woodland Trust Season One highlights (2017):

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

What would we do without Suzanne Arnold Horning? She chases Big Red and Arthur and the kiddos (when they are on the Cornell campus) and so generously posts her photographs on FB. This way we always know that our Red-tail Hawk Queen is safe and sound and living a good hawk life – or King if it is Arthur.

Another nest that has had me gobsmacked this season is the Newfoundland Power Snow Lane nest of Beaumont and Hope. I even went so far as to ask if ‘C’ had some historical images of Hope’s necklace and head markings. I could not believe she had gained such maternal instincts. It is her or her identical twin and this huge change in behaviour has meant that the two osplets did not starve, but look amazing in their juvenile plumage and will certainly (knock on wood) fledge!

Oh, that Boulder County nest is sure trying to get the award for the most bin bags in one season to land on an osprey nest. Caught the entire family at home on Sunday. All are safe.

Lots of very loud fish calling from the Poole Harbour nest. Blue 022 and CJ7 have been brilliant – being one of only a few nests to successfully fledge four osplets in the 2024 season. But, I bet they are tired. CJ7 will need to build her strength for migration. Blue 022 will stay behind being Daddy Door Dash til the kids depart. Hopefully he will have some time to eat some good fish alone to get himself ready. We will look forward to another grand year in 2025.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum fledgling is safe and getting those wings strong. Comes back for nice fish meals from Mum – fed on the rails like she always wants to do it.

Concerns raised that H5N1, the highly pathogenic bird flu, could break out in Australia in the spring.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/aug/12/bird-flu-outbreak-australia-h5n1-risk?CMP=share_btn_url

Let’s get a ban on the commercial fishing for Menhaden and see if we cannot have a resurgence of healthy osprey families with two or three chicks fledging instead of one or none! Come on politicians. Stand up for wildlife.

Specieswatch: Sand eel fishing ban offers hope of stock resurgencehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/07/specieswatch-sand-eel-fishing-ban-offers-hope-of-stock-resurgence?CMP=share_btn_url

Besides window strike, fishing line, hooks, baling twine – and how many more items that cause our feathered friends injury or death – did we ever think of soccer nets?

Always feel free to send me news. Always grateful! One person cannot keep up.

Polish White Storks continue their journeys after arriving in Africa.

A step in the right direction but an all out ban on fishing is needed. Thanks, ‘PB’.

Atlantic menhaden board votes to study more restrictions on controversial Chesapeake Bay fishery

https://www.whro.org/environment/2024-08-06/atlantic-menhaden-board-votes-to-study-more-restrictions-on-controversial-chesapeake-bay-fishery

The measure passed this week is meant to help protect birds and fish that rely on menhaden as a key food source. But researchers say more data is needed to understand the dynamics in the bay.

‘H’ reports:

8/11 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:  The intruder was still around, and she spent some time on the nest.  She was not aggressive today, but Harvie did jump on her a couple of times to indicate his displeasure.  At 0932, an osprey chased the intruder off of the nest-pole, but we couldn’t tell who flushed her off.

Harvie delivered at least 7 fish to the nest, and the intruder took the first one in the morning.  All the rest of the fish went to the siblings.  Our view is particularly bad in the evening due to the sun shining on the film coating the camera, and we could not tell who made the fish drop at 1855, but it was most likely Harvie.  Also, a chick was seen eating a fish at 2116, but I couldn’t find a delivery for that fish through the glare.  Besides Harvie’s deliveries, there were two other fish delivered today… and I still can’t wrap my head around this one:  At 1242, the intruder landed in the nest with a partial fish, and one of the siblings took it.  After about 3 minutes, the intruder left.  I know…bizarre, right?  Well, many of us scrutinized that osprey for identification, and we agreed that it was the intruder.  Go figure.  After the intruder flew off at 1245, she was not seen for the rest of the day.  At 1630 an adult osprey landed on the t-perch beside one of the juvies, and provided a feeding for about 18 minutes.  The t-perch is too far away for identification, but only Louise would have done that.  Louise did the same thing once yesterday as well.

Nakoda, the only chick that hasn’t fledged, was on the nest-perch twice today.  At 1352 Nakoda actually flew from a high hover and landed on the nest-perch.  Nakoda did not fledge today, but s/he is ready.

8/11 Osoyoos osprey nest:  Olsen delivered a large fish at 0735, and both chicks were able to do some self-feeding.  Then the live stream froze for more that six hours.  I did not see another fish delivered for the rest of the day.  Chick 2 was seen doing some very nice hovering in the evening…Yay!  Chick 1 fledged on 8/3 at 57 days of age.  Chick 2 is 65 days old on 8/12.

8/11 Fenwick Island osprey nest (Captain Mac’s Fish House):  The first part of this season was quite rocky as new parents Johnny and June struggled to get their act together.  They had one chick to raise, and it has all worked out wonderfully.  ‘Fen’ fledged today at 58 days of age.  Fen took off from the perch, and made a nice landing back in the nest about 5 minutes later.  Congratulations to Fen and his Mom and Dad!

Thank you so much for being with us today. I will report from the estuary with the eagles on Tuesday morning – it could be a little later than normal. Not sure. So please take care. We look forward to having you with us.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, announcements, photographs, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, C, Geemeff, H, J, L, PB’, Green Ledge Light Preservation Society, SK Hideaways, Cilla Kinross, Olympic Park Eagles, Explore, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Dunrovin Ranch, PLO, Kakapo Recovery, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Suzanne Arnold Horning, Newfoundland Power, Boulder County Ospreys, BoPH, MN-LA Ospreys, The Guardian, Fairhaven Animal Control and Shelter, SOS Tesla, WHRO.org, Fortis-Exshaw, Fenwick Island, and Osoyoos Osprey Cam.

Sunday in Bird World

11 August 2024

Good Morning,

Gosh, it is almost the middle of August, and the French are well into their annual August vacation. The entire month is taken off with businesses in Paris closing and everyone (owners and staff) heading off to enjoy the countryside, time with their family and friends, and good food. I was fortunate to spend an entire month a few years ago in a pottery village (Le Borne) and it was there that the French taught me ‘really’ how to slow down and chase after the joy of life – finding a balance and not letting work take over everything. Sitting and tasting the best bread with a good cup of coffee in the morning in a garden could not have been matched by anything. Lunch with vegetables, local bread, and goat cheese could have come from a Michelin-star restaurant – it was that good. Walking through the forest, time to smell the wood burning in the kilns and touching centuries-old ceramics were simple but profound joys. Those memories and the people who I met have never left me. Calico suggests that everyone stop and smell the roses, turn off their cell phones, grab a good book, and pet a cat!

Hugo Yugo is precious. She continues to sleep under my chin during the night. She has grown some, but, in comparison to the others, she remains rather small.

Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope continue to play fight all day long. They keep their nice figures due to all the exercise. Hugo Yugo will have her first birthday on 2 September. Baby Hope came to live in the house on the 4th so we shall have a nice party to celebrate both.

Missey just loves parties. She wants lots of squeezy treats while Hope has ordered 5-grain bread with peanut butter, and Hugo Yugo wants a grilled cheese sandwich! Baby Hope will run you down for peanut butter. It makes me think that while she and Calico were living ‘wild,’ someone fed them bread and PB. Hugo Yugo loves cheese and every evening has to play ‘hockey’ with small pieces of a nice old cheddar. She knocks the piece off the countertop onto the floor and then knocks it about before eating it. I have always believed she needs calcium.

Yesterday I had images and for some strange reason, no text from ‘H’ despite her sending it in the same e-mail. It was like half of it was cut off on my computer and then, this afternoon there were 2 more e-mails with all the information. I am including the text now. It will give you good background on what is happening at the Fortis-Exshaw nest – which appears to be a repeat of last season’s dramatic and devastating year. ‘H’ did a great job in her report – apologies it is late.

“8/9 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:  There have been some intruder issues the past few days, but today was the worst so far.  At 0700 Harvie delivered a fish and one of the three juveniles grabbed it.  The female intruder showed up early.  Initially she was passive, but by 0800 she started attacking the chicks.  Over the next couple of hours the intruder dive-bombed the chicks at least 30 times.  Sometimes she made significant contact with her talons, and a few times she was able to flip the chicks onto their backs.  She landed in the nest several times, and would jump on the chicks.  Only the two oldest osplets have fledged.  Nakoda has yet to fly, and we were worried that Nakoda was going to get pushed off the nest.  At 0851 the intruder flushed one of the fledglings off the nest and she gave chase.  The intruder was establishing control. The two remaining chicks in the nest stayed tucked in submission.  Any time they would so much as move a wing, the intruder would flap her wings at them.  At 1003 Harvie brought another fish and the intruder grabbed it.  Harvie jumped on her, the intruder flew out with the fish, and Harvie followed.  After eating her fish, the intruder returned. She was in and out of the nest a few times, and jumped on the chicks a few times.  At 1050 Harvie delivered another fish, a chick grabbed it, the intruder fought the chick for the fish, Harvie jumped on the intruder, Harvie left the nest and the intruder chased him.  The intruder returned and took the fish.  

At 1142 the intruder saw Louise approaching the nest and she immediately flew away.  Louise is the only deterrent for this female intruder.  Louse had brought a fish for the chicks.  Louise stayed for about 10 minutes, and then she left.  At 1154, the fledgling that had been flushed from the nest earlier returned to the nest.  For the next few hours the family had some peace.  Nakoda was practicing wingers, and getting some nice wind-assisted lift, and was even hovering.  The intruder returned at 1524, and started doing her usual thing… dive-bombing, jumping on chicks, and flapping at the chicks.  Harvie delivered a fish at 1621 and the intruder took it.  Harvie dropped off more fish at 1700, 1720, and 1817, and thankfully the osplets were able to eat those.  At 1843 the intruder was back, jumped on the chicks, and may have left with a piece of leftover fish.  With the glare of the afternoon and evening sun, it became increasingly more difficult to see because of the dirt on the camera.  At 1931 the intruder was back, and she appeared to arrive empty taloned.  But, she soon started to eat.  She must have found some more leftovers in the nest.  While she was eating, she was intermittently flapping at the kids.  Harvie brought another fish at 2006, and one of the chicks grabbed it.  Harvie and the intruder stared at each other for a while, then Harvie left.  The intruder continued to harass the chicks, but finally at 2127 she left for the night.  

What a terrible day this family had.  Louise’s presence is needed to keep this female intruder away.  But, we only saw Louise once today.  Is it possible that Louise is already curtailing her involvement with her family to begin her rest and recovery phase?  Would she do that before they all have fledged?  Well, we certainly hope to see more of Louise tomorrow.  “Your kids still need you, Mom.”

8/9 Osoyoos osprey nest:  Chick 2 was doing some nice wingers early in the morning, including some flap-hops going about 3/4 of the diameter of the nest. The first fish I saw was brought by Olsen at 1505.  It was a large partial fish, and Chick 2 acquired it first and ate for about 4 minutes before Chick 1 took it from him.  Chick 1 had the fish for a long time, finally leaving it at 1628.  There was still a good size piece remaining, and Chick 2 started to work on it.  By 1727, Chick 2 had accomplished all he could, because the remainder had a lot of dangling tough skin.  Soo took over and fed both of her juvies.  But, even Soo had a difficult time with the skin.  At 1927 Olsen dropped off a small whole fish.  Chick 2 grabbed the fish, and mantled strongly.  Chick 2 ate the fish, and was able to rebuff Chick 1 each and every time Chick 1 tried to steal the fish.  Nice moxie, Chick 2 ! “

Today’s post from ‘H’:

8/10 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:  The intruder was still around today, but she wasn’t nearly as aggressive toward the chicks as she was yesterday.  She spent a few long periods of time at the nest.  She would flap at the kids now and again, but there were only a few times that I saw the intruder jump on them.  And, the intruder did not do all that dive-bombing like she did yesterday.  I have 6 pages of notes on the day’s events, and I will summarize to spare you the minutiae.  Harvie brought 9 fish to the nest, and the intruder managed to acquire 3 of them.  The chicks didn’t make it easy for her, they fought the intruder for those fish.  There were a couple of times when the intruder did not make a grab for the fish.  She would simply ‘let’ them have it, and then she would just stand there and stare at them while they ate.  Strange.  But, it seems that poor Harvie is fishing for four.  Sometimes when Harvie would make a delivery with the intruder on the nest, they would have a staring contest, and then Harvie would flap his wings at her, but he always flew away.  One time, Harvie buzzed the intruder on his way out and made her duck.  Harvie knows that he cannot afford to get hurt fighting her.  The fact that we saw the intruder less often today may mean that Louise is helping to monitor the airspace in their territory.  And, we did see Louise today.  At 1211, an adult carrying a fish landed on the t-perch beside one of the fledglings that was believed to be Peyto.  Then, the adult provided a nice long feeding to the juvie on the t-perch.  It had to be Louise.  The youngest chick, Nakoda, ate two whole fish today.  Nakoda is no push-over when it comes to battles for the fish.  

Nakoda branched today!  At 1003 Nakoda flew up to the nest perch…wow!  At 1040, after figuring out how to turn around on the perch, s/he hopped back down to the nest.  Later on in the afternoon, Nakoda did several hovers that were out of our view lasting several seconds each time.  Yesterday, those hovers by Nakoda were 90% due to the wind, but today the height and hang-time was 90% due to Nakoda’s skill.  Prediction:  Nakoda will fledge on 8/11, at 56 days of age.  The three siblings are very difficult to differentiate by their appearance.  We will do our best to determine when Nakoda fledges and when s/he returns to the nest.

In my opinion, it does not seem that this intruder wants to take over the nest.  She is hungry, and wants some easy meals.  Last year it was Louise against a male/female pair of intruders, and they definitely wanted to take over the nest.  This year, it is Louise and Harvie against one intruder.  Perhaps the intruder will decide to move along soon.

8/10 Osoyoos osprey nest:  The live stream was frozen for about three hours today.  But, we did see plenty of fish at the nest, including some really big ones.  Some of the fish were obviously recycled… that is, they had previously been removed after everyone was full, and those same fish made return appearances.  There were lots of feedings and self-feedings.  A couple of times this morning, Chick 2 was seen doing some flap-hops all the way across the nest, from rim to rim… that’s progress!  Unless I’ve missed it due to recent cam issues, I have not seen Chick 2 perform hovers with decent hang-times.  Chick 2 is 64 days old on 8/11.  Weather forecast for 8/11: partly cloudy with smoky air, high temp 90F/32C, winds gusting to 11 mph.

8/10 Fenwick Island osprey nest (Captain Mac’s Fish House):  Johnny delivered two good sized fish today, and June did not disappoint when she caught her daily striped bass.  ‘Fen’ ‘branched’ to the perch this morning, and hopped back down to the nest after about an hour.  Fen will be 58 days old on 8/11, and I think he is ready to fly!

More than a few letters have come to the inbox about donations. We cheer, clap our hands, wish hard, pray, and jump up and down in support of our birds, especially those in distress. It is natural to want to rush and help fund their care and food. It just makes you the wonderful people who you are! This also happened after Meadow went into care and subsequently died. To begin, wildlife rehabilitation centres rely on donations. I know this because of our local rehabilitation centre, Wildlife Haven. They depend on volunteers and donations of all things, from bleach to large buildings, for flight training. But when to donate and what? This is going to depend on your personal circumstances. Having had many of you pour your hearts out after Meadow and Cobey passed, I think I have come up with a simple suggestion. If you wish to donate following a rescue, you might want to wait 48-72 hours. The wait period would allow insight into whether the bird might survive. Remember that anything can happen anytime – a bird looking as if it is improving might suddenly pass. We don’t have crystal balls. You might also want to save up and give to a rescue/rehabilitation centre at the end of the year. I like to watch what these centres are doing all year and like to help those that rise to the occasion to try and do anything to save the birds.

Speaking of rescues and rehabilitation, the Denton Homes fledglings are in flight training. Isn’t this marvellous. All survived. Thanks, ‘PB’.

The two osplets from the Green Ledge Light Preservation Society were holding on tight as the remnants of Debby hit Connecticut! I am waiting a post to see how they fared during that violent storm.

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

Daily summary Saturday 10th August 2024

Both nest cam livestreams were restored by 09.30 this morning after yesterday’s shutdown which was due to the internet connection for the local area going down. Actually, in such a remote area where it’s very challenging to provide services, being able to watch the nest cams is a bit of a miracle.  Therefore tonight’s bonus is about how the nest cams work with no wifi and no electrical plug points nearby. Today was wet and windy again with no sign of any Ospreys, but Nest Two did get some colourful visitors in the form of a pair of Crossbills. More rain is forecast for tonight, but there is the prospect of sunny intervals tomorrow. 

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.30.33 (04.45.22); Nest Two 22.23.05 (04.52.51)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/AfoAgZcxRZQ  N2 Colourful Crossbills visit 17.03.20 (zoom)

Bonus info – with no wifi and plug sockets, how do the nest cams operate?

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

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

The menhaden overfishing issue seems to be getting more attention:

https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/climate-environment/chesapeake-bay-osprey-population-reproduction-7MDNGMBNVZBNTGSDZVA5UAADVQ

Cute little sea eaglets!

A gorgeous image of Lady feeding her babies from the Olympic Park Eagle Cam:

As is typical, these little bobbleheads have begun to do some bonking. It will stop! It always does.

The Australian Museum describes the White-bellied Sea Eagle and how these fluffy little white nestlings will change: “The White-bellied Sea-Eagle has white on the head, rump and underparts and dark grey on the back and wings. In flight the black flight feathers on the wings are easily seen when the bird is viewed from below. The large, hooked bill is grey with a darker tip, and the eye is dark brown. The legs and feet are cream-white, with long black talons (claws). The sexes are similar. As in other raptors (birds of prey), Males (2.5 kg – 3.7 kg) are slightly smaller than females (2.8 kg – 4.2 kg).The wingspan is about 1.8 m – 2 m. Young Sea-Eagles are brown as juveniles than slowly become to resemble adults in a patchwork manner, acquiring the complete adult plumage by their fourth year.”

Iris, Sum-eh, and yet-to-fledge Antali.

Finnegan is very busy catching and delivering fish – Uber Dad!

‘A’ remarks: “Little Bro is getting lonesome on his own on that nest, but it so far has not prompted him to copy big sister Sumeh, who has been flying confidently for nearly a week now. C’mon Antali, you can do it! He’s having a pleasant nap in the late afternoon sun. Around 19:32 he begins looking around, and at 19:32:45 Finn arrives with a nice fresh fish, Sumeh hot on his tail. 

Antali is fish begging and considering self-feeding but dad keeps moving the fish. He is looking around for Iris. Antali already has a noticeable crop and Sumeh is not asking for fish, so dad eats a bite or two himself. By 19:35, however, he has started feeding Antali. Sumeh just watches the feeding. She is very used to watching Antalia being fed, after all! He has always been completely confident about getting to the table and accepting bites of fish. I have never seen him intimidated at a feeding. Sumeh has been an amazing older sister. She is very laid-back indeed. Around 19:38 she begins to show some interest in the fish, but still waits to be offered a bite. 

Finn begins feeding Sumeh and Antali stands up as tall as he can, turning away from the table. He has very long legs, which is the most obvious proof that he is a male. He is too cute. It’s Sumeh’s turn. Antali has a good crop.”

It is mid-afternoon Saturday at Charlo Montana and C16 could fly at any moment. Got so much height on its hover you couldn’t see it on camera!

C16 has not fledged as I write this Saturday evening but he could still fly as there is some time difference. Charlie delivered a fish and C16 had a nice fish dinner.

It was painful. The wind was gusting around the tree below the nest and C16 kept hovering. The sticks in the nest aren’t helping the matter. C16, you are going to fly soon – probably today or Sunday morning.

River and Keke continue to return to the nest waiting for some fish – just like nests all around the world. Chicks wait and watch for Dad flying in with a fish and they have a singular focus – nevermind who gets in the way! In that instance, being an Only Bob has an advantage.

The fledgling comes and goes from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest wanting a fish dinner, too.

On the eve of the Inglorious 12th, there are more and more calls for regulations and the policing of the Red Grouse Moor shoots.

Call for tougher policing of Scottish grouse moors on eve of ‘Glorious Twelfth’https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/10/call-tougher-policing-scottish-grouse-moors-eve-glorious-twelfth?CMP=share_btn_url

Pam Breci brings us up to date on the Fort Calhoun osprey family:

It is always reassuring that fledglings returning to the nest to get their fish. The Fab Four at Poole Harbour keep Blue 022 very busy! CJ7 is also delivering fish and some are being fed off nest because they show up on cam with a huge crop but have not been seen eating on camera.

Osplets fledge, on average, at 55-56 days after they hatch. They should return to the nest over and over again as they remain dependent on Mum and Dad until they migrate. Many say they stay until they can fish for themselves, but much research in the UK indicates that they actually don’t normally (there is always an exception) catch their first fish until they are on their way which is generally in September. The Mum will migrate first leaving the Dad behind to do the fishing for the chicks. In one year, I forget which one, Monty (Dyfi Ospreys) remained until the 20th of September til his chick fledged! The Dads and fledglings generally leave 2-3 weeks after Mum.

Please remind everyone you know that fish to please try their best not to leave lines and hooks. I know that lines break and there are snags on trees on the shore – if that is the case then everyone should pitch in to do bi-annual clean ups to protect the birds.

White Storks continue to move south throughout Europe feeding on the seeds left after harvest in places such as Lithuania and Croatia. Some have already made it to Europe. Black Storks are moving as well. Waba continues to feed in Ukraine near the Moldova border.

‘A’ reminds us that Xavier is getting excited for the possibility of eggs at the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape in Orange: “We are getting ready for egg watch at Orange. Certainly, Diamond and Xavier are in parental mode, with Xavier bringing food gifts, and the pair doing lots of bonding and mating frequently. The first egg was laid on 26 August last year, so we still have over a fortnight to go. We would be very happy with just the one, Diamond. I don’t want this pair worn out – they are not young falcons. Xavier has just come into the scrape, chupping away. There is no sign of Diamond, who is no doubt perched on the microwave or along the roof. Xavier is looking his usual handsome self. Adorable little falcon that he is. What a man. Remember his first season? Saviour, he most definitely was. “

Xavier brings breakfast and it is not a Starling to Diamond’s delight.

The Dorsett Hobby branched Saturday afternoon but did not fledge. Look to the top left. That is coming swiftly. Such a strong, beautiful little Hobby! (see further below)

Fish deliveries at the Muonio Osprey nest in Finland.

Did you know that Rita has her own FB page? Rita of Ron and Rita and the WRDC Eagle nest? Thanks, ‘J’.

https://www.facebook.com/people/Rita-the-Bald-Eagle/61562017139998

Dorsett Hobby fledged.

There are no reported sightings of Blue at HWF-BBCentral area. We hope that s/he has found fish and will be heading north to Alaska to enjoy the salmon.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, questions, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, PB’, Fortis Exshaw-Osoyoos, Fenwick Island, Fortis-Exshaw, SOAR, Greens Ledge Light Society, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Sea Eagle Cam, Australian Museum, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Sandpoint Osprey Platform, MN-LA Ospreys, The Guardian, Pam Breci, Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Looduskalender, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam Project, Nesting Bird Life and More, Osp, Rita the Eagle FB, Dorsett Hobby Cam.

Cobey is rescued…Thursday in Bird World

8 August 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It is grey and very windy today. The only animals in the garden are Dyson and her kits waiting for me to put out new peanuts. Some of the larger container pots of tomatoes were blown over during the night and I have a thick jumper on with wool socks this morning. It feels like fall!

We hope you enjoyed a little trip down memory lane with the events at the nests and the birds that gave us hope and smiles so far during the 2023-24 breeding season. I enjoyed reading every list that you sent! Thank you again. Some of you have sent in more memories than reading the lists triggered. I will include a mini-listing tomorrow or the next day. I am so happy that you enjoyed that post. If you forgot someone, feel free to tell me.

‘H’ sent me a note saying little Cobey at Colonial Beach was rescued. Tears. Thank you to the owner of the cam who persisted in requesting help, to the DWR who came to the rescue, and to Dominion Energy, which brought in the bucket truck to help get little Cobey down. Cobey’s condition was described as ’emaciated’.

And her report: “8/7 Colonial Beach osprey nest:  This morning David delivered a partial fish to Cobey at 1131, and he also chased away an intruder.  Cobey worked on the fish on and off for a couple of hours before David removed it, thinking that Cobey was done with the fish.  Mom Betty had been missing for over four days.  And, David was not providing enough fish, nor was he feeding his 44-day-old youngster, Cobey.  Cobey had to take a crash course on self-feeding the past few days.  But, Cobey wasn’t getting enough to eat, and he was declining.  Everyone knew it.  The weather forecast was predicting a few stormy days, and Cobey would not have had any protection from the weather.  The nest owner continued to consult with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, and the earlier decision to not intervene was reversed.  We were notified on the chat at around 1430, and within a half hour, we saw the bucket being raised and someone with gloved hands reaching across the nest for Cobey.  Many of us were crying.  It was a miracle.  We owe a debt of gratitude to Colonial Beach Osprey Nest Cam, and VA DWR, that Cobey now has a chance to live.  Cobey was taken to Alton’s Keep Wildbird Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, and will be under the care of Mr. Harley Thomas White.  “Now, you listen to Mr. White, Cobey, and do what you’re told… and he will make you better… And one day you will fly.”  

Screen captures from a video Heidi posted on FB of the rescue:

Harley Thomas White is caring for Cobey. He made a fish gravy and fed Cobey some fish pieces, emphasising Cobey’s critical condition. Cobey is thin and weak. There will be daily updates. These images came from a video on the website of Altons’ Keep Wildbird Rescue and Rehabilitation Center Inc. Check out Harley Thomas White’s FB page for the videos and updates for Cobey as well as the website of the centre. (Want to show your support for this rescue from the nest? Have a spare tenner? I bet they would appreciate it).

WordPress Media Storage. Once again, I have hit 99.95% of my storage capacity. Tuesday afternoon, I spent some time deleting educational and information files, videos, and images from posts in 2022 and 2023 to make room for Wednesday’s post. I will gradually go back through the Memorial Walls and try to leave the single best image for the deceased bird instead of including several. Moving forward, you will see that I am putting in links to articles and videos instead of inserting the video or the PDF file. It all goes to saving space. I pay the top subscription fee for WordPress, and they will not sell me any more storage, so this is the only alternative I have discovered. There will be images, but fewer of them, sadly. If you know any secrets to getting around this issue, please let me know!

I am getting extremely excited about the upcoming trip to Nova Scotia. There are three reasons for this. You might recall that we were in Toronto a few weeks ago. It was a trial run for a longer vacation. Two years ago my husband (at the age of 63) began having memory issues. This was followed by hallucinations beginning in March 2023. All the while, I could not get a doctor! With the help of an old friend, we were able to see a specialist in December of 2023. That visit, MRIs and trips to a neurologist confirmed a diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia. Some of you might remember that the American comedian Robin Williams had LBD. It is a terrible illness – not the memory issues. They come and go and never disappear like those who have Alzheimers, but it is the hallucinations that are tormenting. Thankfully, the pharmaceutical cocktail Don is taking is helping, and after Toronto, we got the green light to travel a little further and stay a little longer. (Please do not worry or fret. Believe it or not, we are doing great. Being outside on long walks fits me perfectly and it is also good for those with dementia. Nature heals and changes everything! We are living a good life – and enjoying every moment that we can). We are excited to return to a place we called home for so long but haven’t seen for 26 years. The second thing is that Nova Scotia is a birder’s paradise. While we will miss seeing the osprey chicks in the nest with the adults because they have now fledged, we hope to see them fishing and getting strong before they leave on their migration. We also hope to look out our windows in the morning and see Bald Eagles flying and get to add some shorebirds and waterfowl to our life lists. Meeting the Dennis family, who organised people throughout the province to observe and record the osprey nests, will be an honour. Last, luck found us the perfect place to stay. It is an Animal Sanctuary for rescued farm animals – pigs, goats, cows, etc. The entire property is Vegan, and we will be staying in a new apartment above a gallery. Across a quiet country road is the estuary where the eagles fly and the shorebirds scurry. What a wonderful change from living in the middle of a growing Prairie city! We are even hoping to ride bicycles!

‘CG’ reports on the search for Blue at HWF-BBCentral nest in Boundary Bay, British Columbia: “No reports yesterday of hearing Blue or the parents after Blue left the nest. Also, the parents were not seen later in the day.  Normally, Mere would come back to the nest and be perched above from around dinner time until Blue was tucked in for the night. At 1251 hours today a parent was seen on a post near the water.  Departed.”

In the United Kingdom, the fledging of two White-tail eaglets is causing a stir.

Beaver kits in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland are also putting smiles on the faces of those who worked so hard on their reintroduction. You may be aware that beaver activity is essential to establishing thriving wetlands and biodiversity.

https://cairngorms.co.uk/first-beaver-kits-in-400-years-born-in-the-wild-in-the-cairngorms-national-park

In Finland, all chicks at Saaksilvie #1 have flown.

USU is on the nest with Mum at nest #4 in Finland. The status of its wing is unclear or what might happen to the chick.

Beautiful osplets in Latvia waiting to fly.

Hollywood movie crew members watch Iris as she feeds her chicks. They should be considering making a movie of her life! Sum-eh fledged and returned to the nest after practising flying. She is flying around the parking lot and Dr Green reported she had also gone up and down the river. Antali is yet to fledge. S/he is five days younger than Sum-eh.

‘A’ comments: “When a lovely big fish is brought in at around 16:55, the only one home is Antali, who does not try to claim the fish or self-feed. Iris, in response to the constant begging for fish, soon begins feeding Antali. who already has a healthy crop. He can see Finn and/or Sumeh flying above – watching from below but not at all alarmed as he would be were the osprey above an intruder.  Sumeh flies in at about 16:59, eager for fish. Iris obliges. She feeds both osplets, but Sumeh is hungrier and more demanding, so she is given more food. This is a very big fish – there is plenty for the whole family. By 17:39 Iris is feeding primarily herself, although occasionally, one of the osplets (usually Antali at this stage of the feeding) decides one more bite could just fit. Dad arrives just before 18:04. Sumeh is closely studying the leftover fish mum is standing on. Iris is not pleased at the arrival of Finn, although he has BYO fish. It looks like a chunk of fish but may be something of the smaller variety. Finn takes it to the perch – the remainder of the earlier fish is still on the nest (about half of the fish) so there is still another meal for Iris and the kids.”

Beautiful osplet at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on a cloudy day. Waiting to fly. The chick has officially ‘perched’.

It really is not a coincidence that so many ospreys are dying in the Chesapeake Bay area. The extreme heat arrived, and there was no fish to hydrate the ospreys. Adults and chicks are being found dead. It is interesting to note that the Pacific Northwest had the extreme heat – even hotter in places – as did Iris – and the deaths were much less. So think about the lack of fish! The overfishing of the Menhaden needs to stop, and so does the rescue of starving osplets. We need a healthy population of fish hawks.

Mark Avery reminds us: “The Inglorious 12th – the start of the grouse shooting season is approaching. It’s one of the few issues that brings animal welfare, climate change, nature conservation and law enforcement together so clearly.” So what is the Inglorious 12th those that do not live in the UK ask? (12 August)

“Red Grouse chick” by cazalegg is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

PETA UK says: “Traditionally, the Glorious Twelfth – or the “Inglorious Twelfth”, as it should rightly be named – marks the start of the red grouse shooting season. But this year, many estates have been forced to delay or even cancel it after human-induced climate change saw unseasonably hard sleet and cold rain, resulting in fewer birds for hunters to blast out of the sky…About 700,000 red grouse will be killed between now and December. According to a report by the League Against Cruel Sports, 40% of birds shot are wounded rather than being killed outright, causing intense and prolonged suffering. Grouse are low-flying and difficult to shoot cleanly, and hunters need no formal training or competence with a gun to go on a shoot – it’s a free-for-all. These are just a couple of reasons why this barbaric “sport” should be banned.

Grouse are charming, sensitive birds who are devoted parents to their chicks. They deserve better than being killed in cold blood for someone’s twisted idea of entertainment. And it’s not just the grouse who suffer at the hands of the hunters. To preserve the interests of their own sick pleasure, hunters remove the grouse’s natural predators, meaning foxes, stoats, weasels, squirrels, and birds like hawks, falcons, owls, hen harriers, and eagles are trapped, poisoned, or shot or their nests are destroyed.

All this cruelty and destruction so that a tiny minority of bloodthirsty people can wander through the British countryside gunning down sentient animals – it’s a senseless massacre, not a hobby.”

When you sibling wants your other slipper!

In a comment to a post about migration and if the males ever leave a chick on the nest (the question was in regard to nest #4 in Finland where the sole surviving osplet appears to have a wing injury), the author of Belle’s Journey and many papers on Osprey behaviour and, in particular, migration, Rob Bierregaard says: “Adult females almost always leave first, usually a week or two before the males. In the northeastern US, it’s usually mid-August for females and the first 2 weeks of September for the males and young. This information is based on 107 satellite-tagged birds, so I know when birds start migrating, as opposed to leaving the nest and hanging around somewhere, which they’ll do, especially after a nest fails. When young leave the nest, they are not necessarily starting their migration. Some wander all over the place and and delay the start of their migration until, exceptionally, November. I had one young from Martha’s Vineyard, an Island off the east coast of Massachusetts, wander 1,200 miles all the way to the Great Lakes! I had one male linger into late September when a young couldn’t get its act together and was constantly on the nest begging. The male finally gave up and left before the young did.”

The Eurasian Hobby in Dorsett is becoming a Hobby instead of a ‘baby chick’. Don’t you just love those strong legs of the falcons?!

Geemeff sends both a happy and sad story of Ospreys at the Cape which has grown from a few pairs to now over 500 they estimate.

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/08/06/as-ospreys-make-a-strong-comeback-on-the-cape-many-have-run-afoul-of-human-infrastructure

Geemeff also sends the daily summary from Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:

Daily summary Wednesday 7th August 2024

No action whatsoever today, not even a visit from a little bird. It’s not yet the middle of August, but with night cam switching on ever closer to 10pm and staying on until almost 5am, and no chicks flying around demanding fish from Louis, the season feels suspiciously like it’s over for this year. Affric152 and Prince should still be around as they have a young fledgling to look after, and with luck we might even see their chick testing his wings on or near one of the cam nests. Garry LV0 was the last one to leave last year so perhaps he’ll do that this year too but it does seem as if the star pair, Louis & Dorcha, have already headed south. With the weather being wet and windy today, and more of the same forecast for the next ten days, moving south seems the sensible thing to do.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.21.45 (04.41.53); Nest Two 22.14.31 (04.49.20)

Today’s videos: none – not even a visit from a little bird!

Bonus read – a free ebook by W. H. Majoros Season with the Osprey:

Click to access ASeasonWithTheOsprey.pdf

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

‘J’ sends news that the couple at the Pittsburgh-Hayes nest had their nest collapse during heavy rains and storms. Thankfully no eggs or chicks!

Welcome WBSE34 who joins that sibling at the Olympic Park Eagle nest in Sydney.

‘R’ sends a good read on why we should be putting bird friendly tape on our windows. How many birds do you think die each year from window strike?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/billion-bird-deaths-glass-window-building-crashes

The wind appeared to be strong at the Port Lincoln barge. Both Mum and Dad were tucked in and then Dad flew off and left Mum hoping he was going to bring her a nice big fish for brekkie.

Jackie and Shadow were at the nest for morning chortles on Wednesday.

Ceramic nests save the life of little seabirds and they are coming to Alcatraz to save birds. Thanks, ‘EJ’ – a very engaging story of people figuring out solutions.

https://sfstandard.com/2024/07/30/as-atmospheric-heat-kills-seabirds-a-bay-area-ceramicist-fires-up-a-solution/?utm_source=copy_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons

Sadly, we will be hearing more about bird flu.

Bird flu is here. We have no plan.Download

But this is good news. It is time for some serious consideration about taking all the Menhaden that keep our ospreys alive (and other birds and mammals).

Atlantic menhaden board votes to study more restrictions on controversial Chesapeake Bay fishery

https://www.whro.org/environment/2024-08-06/atlantic-menhaden-board-votes-to-study-more-restrictions-on-controversial-chesapeake-bay-fishery

The measure passed this week is meant to help protect birds and fish that rely on menhaden as a key food source. But researchers say more data is needed to understand the dynamics in the bay.

I really hope that my readers living in this area and loving the Osprey will speak up – and anyone else that feels it is important for Osprey to have fish to eat! The commercial fishing of Menhaden has to stop – inside and outside of the Chesapeake Bay.

‘H’ reports:

8/7 Osoyoos osprey nest:  Unless I missed one, it seems that there were only 4 fish brought to the nest, all delivered by Olsen.  There were two good size fish from which Soo provided nice feedings.  And, the two very small fish were acquired by Chick 1.  Chick 2 was doing much better with his wingercizing today.  At 1749, Chick 2 was so high that s/he was almost completely out of view for a second.  Keep exercising those wings #2!  Weather forecast for 8/8:  Partly cloudy with smoky air, high temp 92F/33C, light winds.

8/7 Fenwick Island osprey nest (Captain Mac’s Fish House):  Everything is going well for Johnny, June and 54-day-old ‘Fen’.  Today was the first day in a few weeks that June did not catch a large striped bass, but the wind and rain may have had something to do with that.  Fen was wingercizing with some nice hops today.

8/7 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:  There was another fledge today.  Due to the dirty camera, it is still difficult to see details of the birds.  But, at 1200, we believe that chick 2, named Peyto, fledged at 54 days of age.  Peyto landed on the nest perch at 1240, and dropped to the nest when a fish arrived.  Congratulations Peyto!

A wee peak at WBSE 33 and 34. They always look like fluffy little snow people to me.

Hugo Yugo wishes everyone the best Thursday (or Friday) depending on where you live. She is a sleepy girl waiting to get her eyes cleaned, poor thing.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, CG, EJ, Geemeff, H, J, PB, RP’, Heidi McGrue and the Joy of Ospreys, Henry Thomas White and Altons’ Keep Wildbird Rescue and Rehabilitation Center Inc., Pam Breci and The Joy of Ospreys, Sea Eagle England, Cairngorms National Park, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Montana Osprey Cams, LDF, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Osprey Cam, Chesapeake Mermaid, OpenVerse, PETA UK, Dyfi Osprey Project, SK Hideaways, CBS News, SFStandard, The New York Times, Mark Avery, Brian Collins and Menhaden- Little Fish, Big Deal FB, Osoyoos Ospreys, Fenwick Island, and Fortis Exshaw.

Miraculous moments that made us smile…2023-24 Season

Good Morning Everyone,

Some of our morning updates before we get to what is the real thrust of today’s news: SE33 has hatched at the Olympic Park Sea Eagle nest in Sydney. Congratulations Lady and Dad. What a beautiful strong little eaglet!

‘A’ remarks: “August 7 (Afternoon) After another shift for Lady, Dad was on incubation duties again for nearly an hour, though he left quickly when she returned. She then fed the chick again, with gentle, tiny bites offered, before settling again. She is restless, as you would expect with a chick and a pipping egg. Just before 2pm, Lady ate a little of the stored fish, and although she tried to feed the chick, she gave up because it was facing the wrong way. Shortly afterwards, she tried again and this time, SE33 ate a little. The pip on the second egg is more raised now. At 14:51, Dad brooded again, then went to the pantry but didn’t feed the chick. Lady was back after a 15-minute break. She was on the nest from just after 4pm, after a last short feed for SE33. Dad brought in a late fish at dark, and Lady ate a little before settling. She has spent longer on the nest today, though Dad has had a couple of shifts. He brought prey, and SE33 was fed four times. What will this night bring? Last season, the eggs hatched 32 hours and 46 minutes apart.”

‘H’ reports:

8/6 Osoyoos osprey nest:  I had a busy day, so when I got home, I primarily rewound the stream to check for a possible fledge for Chick 2.  S/he did not fledge today.  And, when Chick 2 did his wingercizing, he was still only achieving what seemed to be a few inches of lift off the nest (cam view can be deceiving).  A person very experienced with ospreys stated on a chat a few weeks ago, that ospreys typically need to do wingers and hovers for 10 days to build up their muscles for flight readiness.  I’m not an expert, just a nest cam watcher… but, I have seen ospreys suddenly have the ability to perform some nice hovers, and then fledge in a day or two.  Side note:  Little died from starvation on 7/15, and his body has remained in the nest.  This afternoon, a strong gust of wind lifted Little’s body and swept it off the nest.  ‘AMW’, a very kind and caring viewer that lives nearby, drove to the nest to recover Little’s remains.  She posted in the Facebook group:  “Little is now buried in my yard … and I will plant a flowering annual plant in Little’s memory.”  Thank you, ‘AMW’, from all of us.

8/6 – 8/7  Colonial Beach osprey nest: Cobey was awake early and at 0630 he picked up the old piece of fish and managed to pull off some pieces of fish-jerky.  He worked on it now and again, and by 0800 he was still trying.  David did not bring a fish for Cobey until 1348.  It was a large whole fish.  At the very young age of 43 days, Cobey has become quite the self-feeder by necessity.  Cobey had managed to eat the head of that fish before there was an intruder issue.  At 1415 David landed in the nest first, and it seemed that David may have been tangling with the intruder nearby.  The intruder landed in the nest immediately after David, and stole the fish, despite David being on the nest.  Oh no, no, no!  Poor lil Cobey’s only meal of the day was gone!  David did not bring another fish.  

The nest owner, host of the live stream, is a very caring and avid osprey conservationist.  She and others monitor many osprey nests in the Colonial Beach area.  She stated that they are finding many dead ospreys, on the ground or in nests.  It is thought that not only was fishing difficult when it was very hot, but that there may in fact be a shortage of fish for the ospreys to catch.  Some ospreys are having to resort to kleptoparasitism to survive, or to feed their young.  

Cobey’s mom, Betty, will have been missing for 4 days on the morning of 8/7.  The cam owner provided a statement regarding a possible rescue of Cobey.  “The VA DWR recommends that nothing be done at this time… we will continually monitor the nest, things may change.”  Please note that the cam owner’s hands are tied, and she must follow the advice of the regulating authorities.  Some comments on the chat were hurtful to her.  Go easy on the chat.  The cam owner is hurting as much, if not more, than you are.   Colonial Beach weather forecast for 8/7:  Cloudy with showers, risk of thunder storms, high temp 81.

8/6 Fortis Exshaw:  There was a fledge today.  It appeared to be the same chick that was doing the high hovering yesterday.  We missed seeing them for about 3 weeks when the cam was dirty, and we still do not have a completely clear view.  As a result, we were never able to learn how to differentiate the siblings.  We know that the oldest chick in a brood does not always fledge first, but I suppose we will simply assume that’s the one that flew.  The eldest chick was named BJ, and BJ initially seemed to only go as far as the camera at 0803, then returned to the nest at 0834.  But, BJ made a true fledge at 0927.  S/he made a nice landing on the T-perch at 1536, followed by a return to the nest at 1538.  Well done, new fledgling!

‘CG’: “Blue branched this morning, and between the time she branched and the time she fledged, she was doing  wingers, hopping, getting some good height, and went from the nest to the branch a number of times.  She went to the back of the nest and totally surprised everyone at 1557 hours by fledging from the back north corner of the nest by the screen.  One minute she was there then she was gone.  She is 100 days old today.

They have been looking for her but haven’t been able to locate her on the cams.  There is a ground crew out looking for her too.

Aug6-Fledge2.jpg

Congratulations Blue!  Way to go!!”

Geemeff’s Summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:

Daily summary Tuesday 6th August 2024

No activity at all on Nest Two, today’s action all came from Nest One, where Affric 152 turned up at dawn quickly followed by Garry LV0. However the pair fled the nest when a third Osprey appeared in the distance – Affric’s mate Prince, perhaps. Garry returned a little later with a stick but didn’t stay long. A few hours later birds were seen in the distance on nest cam and a Wood Pigeon overflew the nest. It rained pretty much throughout the day, and more rain forecast for tonight and tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.23.05 (04.07.43); Nest Two 22.22.22 (04.27.15)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/jMtQ4kDsEIE N1 Garry LV0 follows Affric 152 before a third Osprey makes them flee 05.15.16

https://youtu.be/bzEL4MZcwk0 N1 Garry LV0 returns with a stick 05.52.29

https://youtu.be/FzFbWLsw1xI N1 Various little birds on, over or near the nest 08.33.40

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

Thank you so much for sending in the moments during the 2023-24 season that put a smile on your face. I really appreciate the time and thoughtful regard that you put into your choices and for sending them in. Most people will hesitate. Why do we think our voice doesn’t count? I hope that there are some surprises in here. I received 79 e-mails with the single word Iris along with what is posted below. So if you sent one of those in and I did not include your initials, my apologies. Just know that you counted in making Iris and her year with Finnegan, Sun-eh and Antali the top of the charts by a long mile. Also I didn’t ask for images but have included them if you sent them in!

‘MM’: “After a season filled with heartbreak after heartbreak it has made the happy moments even sweeter! One happy moment that happened early on in the season was when Beau finally figured out how to mate with Gabby and she was able to lay two eggs, unfortunately Beau got the mating mastered but that’s where the happiness ended, hopefully next season he’ll be ready. 

Another happy moment was the successful fledge of two healthy osprey chicks from Port Lincoln thanks to the fish fairy and the generosity of so many who donated. The two happiest moments of the season for me are tied for first place. I was beyond thrilled when the season started in SWFL and M15 had taken F23 as his new mate after the loss of our beloved Harriet last session. The season got even happier with the hatch of the incredible E23 💜 And of course the other happy moment at #1 is sweet Iris finally getting sweep off her talons by the handsome Finn and their two amazing chicks 💙 ❤️ Thank you for the opportunity to reflect on the good after dealing with so much bad. Praying next season will be filled with many happy moments .”

‘H’: “As I understand it, you are asking for happy stories.  Well, this makes me happy. This may sound strange.  But, I am happy for Darling at Captiva.  Darling fledged on 6/26 at 63 days of age.  His post-fledge life was not easy.  There was competition for the nest and food from his sibling, Ding.  In addition, both of his parents may possibly have had issues with their health, and they stopped bringing food to the nest.  Darling had not eaten for 3 days when he ended up in the water and was rescued and taken to CROW on 7/4.  He passed away at CROW that night.  We don’t know why things turned out the way they did, and we will never understand it.  I wish it had not turned out that way.  So, why does this make me happy?  It doesn’t.  The part that makes me happy is that Darling flew.  I think of all the ‘littles’ we have known that died from nest accidents, or weather events, or starvation, or illness, or predation, and they never got a chance to fly.  Darling was able to experience the sheer joy and exuberance of flying.  And, I am so happy for him.”

‘SP’: Amongst all the turmoil of this year, there were more golden moments and miracles to celebrate. (Photos below in order of the list)

  • Cal Falcons Annie & her new mate Archie fledged four beautiful falcon chicks in Berkeley. This was the first time since Annie’s been a YouTube star that all 4 of her eggs hatched. We were entertained, enamored and completely enthralled with Aurora, Solstice, Eclipse, and Equinox.
  • San Jose City Hall couple Hartley & second year dad Monty also fledged four beautiful falcon chicks – all girls. Though we lost one, we enjoyed weeks of the girl power brought by Luna (RIP), Zoe, Lucia, and Alma.
  • Southwest Florida M15 and his new mate F23 fledged the ever-endearing E23, further mending the holes in our hearts left by the disappearance of Harriet the previous year. F23 proved to be a most nurturing and loving mother, while M15 continued his legacy of being provider extraordinaire.  E23 was such a character and embraced being an only child with gusto. He proved to be an excellent flyer and at one point a protector of his natal nest. 

Oh, thank you for the opportunity to revisit these wonderful moments!”

Cal Falcons.

San Jose.

SW Florida:

‘B’ writes: Too many sad stories, but always some nice ones, too.  I liked how you said you think of all the miracles we have seen, to help offset the sadness of the sad stories.  I had meant to write you a couple of weeks ago how I followed a similar strategy to help offset the sadness.  I had a lower threshold than you, just thinking of the things that make me smile, rather than holding out for “miracles”.  But my number one was the same as yours: the arrival of Finnegan, so that Iris has a real and proper (and wonderful) mate for the first time in years.  Enough of that two-timing Louis!

In fact, two more of the top things that made me smile were also from Hellgate: the wonderful job Iris does as a mom when having chicks for the first time in years.  Especially protecting those chicks in that awful heat.  I swear, if “Mumbrella” were an Olympic event, Iris would be a medal winner.  And the other is how peaceful and calm those osplets are when there started with such a huge difference in size. Part has to be what a great provider Finn is, and also how diligent Iris is in making sure each chick is served well.  Gosh, the larger of the two would just stand and watch patiently if Little was served first, knowing his/her turn would come.

Also, Tuffy’s story always made me smile (even if hard to watch in earlier days), seeing him do what he needed to do to make it to being a beautiful and healthy fledgling in spite of the “Ruff” treatment from Ruffie.

And I couldn’t help but smile whenever I checked in on the Decorah eaglets after their nest (and branch) fell away, to see them happily perched on branches, as if to say, “we don’t need no stinkin’ nest, so long as we got our branch and our parents!”

In spite of all their hard luck getting a hatch, one can never help but smile to see Jackie and Shadow together.  I have to hope for another Spirit next year.

And wonderful to see both Annie and Archie at Cal and Hartley and Monty at San Jose have four healthy hatches make it to fledge, even with the sadness of losing Luna at San Jose and the injury to Nox in Berkeley.  I was so worried, especially for San Jose, what with the tough urban environment and seeing Lucia get rescued from the sidewalk and taking the elevator back to the roof twice before successfully fledging. 

There’s more, but these are some of the stories that make me smile.  (And, oh yes, of course there is Treasure and her siblings, also treasures.)”

CG: “My first thought was Tuffy.  I watched this nest with trepidation. Tuffy was the underdog.  How many times did we think he wouldn’t make it.  He was so endearing, and I loved his sneakiness to try to get food.  He never gave up.  You always talk about the will to survive, and boy, his little body was bursting with it.  The last time I saw him was just before they shut the cam down, and he was proudly standing on his nest.

Iris and Finnegan.  I knew nothing about her until you talked about her.  Finnegan came along and showed Louis the door.  He has been a wonderful mate and provider for Iris and their osplets, and Iris has been a wonderful mum feeding and protecting her little ones the way she does.  Just look at how they have turned out under their care.  They look so healthy, and Big has been a wonderful big sib being so patient with his little sibling except for the one time little sib got uppity and boldly attacked big sib.  That won’t be happening again!  This has been a wonderful osprey nest to watch.

I could not fail to mention my peregrines Annie and Archie and Hartley and Monty, each pair with four chicks this year.  Hartley and Monty went from newbies with one feisty Soledad last year to FOUR this year.  What a jump!  They handled it all with finesse.  No nonsense Annie always handles her chicks with finesse, and her new mate Archie was a great provider and dad.  Peregrines are a wonder and miracle every year.  I wish all nests could be as calming as theirs with equal feedings, no shortage of food, no predators, and lots of chick shenanigans. “

‘BHA’: My smile of the year has to be Iris, Finnegan and family. (Along with you and probably everyone else.)  What a miracle nest this year!!

Also, the San Jose falcons. The antics and shenanigans of the four girls were priceless! (Of course with a bit of sadness that we lost one of them…)

‘PB’: The bird that made me smile is Smallie. He was such a fighter especially how small he was up against 3 big sisters. I’m still sad about it. O18 became my favorite osprey, she was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Her personality matched her beauty. I miss her too! It’s making me cry thinking of them. But before them was a tie between Tuffy and Tiny D. They will all be in my memory forever.

‘J’ loves the Tortilla Bird. ” The photo of that tiny little babe in the tortilla just melts my heart (the feet! the feet!). That someone thought of wrapping it in a warm tortilla to keep it from getting cold is just brilliant – and hilarious at the same time. “

A Family Saved a Baby Bird With a Warm Tortilla. Its name? Taquito.Download

Geemeff: “But just want to say the names chosen for Iris & Finn’s miracle chicks are lovely and very suitable. In a season of sadness, they and the Poole Harbour Four have been some comfort. Iris’ success after so may years of being bullied by her ex, together with the unexpected success of saving one of Louis & Dorcha’s chicks to the point of successfully fledging, are my favourites of this season.”

‘TU’: My favourite article for a good mood is the one in The Guardian about the bird of New Caledonia. I loved it from the first sight.

Much cagou about something: New Caledonia’s favourite bird thriving after conservation push | New CaDownload

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/02/new-caledonia-cagou-bird-conservation

‘L’: Iris finding Finnegan or vice versa.  A wonderful memorable miracle. This nest brings pure joy! Iris is the best osprey mom I’ve ever had the privilege to watch and Finnegan is a precious gem. 

Blue is amazing at the Boundary Nest. I think he’s a miracle for surviving erratic food deliveries. 

The rescue of Rutland’s Little Bob. Golden moment. 

The Purple Martins in Erie PA. All 5 fledged. Enjoyable to watch.

McEuen Park. One, out of 4, that survived to fledge after losing father. 

Eagle Country-Tears for Meadow but Swampy lived and fledged. 

Thunder, Akecheta and their 3 beautiful eaglets! Koa, Treasure & Sterling. A delight to watch. A stress free nest. 

Cowlitz PUD- happiness, a survivor golden moment. 

Osoyoos, losing Little which was sad enough. Thankful two will fledge. Happiness and a miracle in my book. 

Little Miami Conservancy-All 3 eaglets fledged! Happiness. 

Southwest Florida Eagles-One hatch, smart and accelerated in growth. An amazing first eaglet for M15 & F23. 

BONUS!!!! Pure joy. 

Challenger surviving his health issues. 

Hugo Yugo, Calico, Hope & Missey and all the birds and squirrels that visit your garden. 

(I could go on and on. So many more miracles and golden moments….The 2 miracle eaglets that definitely would have made my list were unfortunately killed by father Scout at the NCTC nest.)”

‘BA’: “The first time Lucia accidentally fell from the nest area and had to be rescued. First lots of worry about her, and then the smile moment when she was released on the rooftop. And then the chuckle: later watching SKHideaway’s video of it all. Lucia was just out of the box, looking around wide-eyed at all the contraptions and weird stuff, and SKH’s caption said, “She thinks she’s in Disneyland!” That cracked me up. It was such a tense moment, worrying about how frightened Lucia might be,  and somehow we knew then she was going to be okay. (And then a couple of days later when she made it back down to the nest area and was reunited with her sisters – that was also a big smile moment.)”

LL: “Anything to do with Iris and Finn”.

JT: “The hatch of E23.”

PM: “Iris, Iris, Iris…West End nest. Those three eaglets were remarkable.”

‘A’: “Just before 09:32, there is a lot of thunder at Hellgate and Iris immediately flies to the nest. The rain really sets in, and Iris opens her roller doors and does her perfect mumbrella, managing to keep two fully grown osplets perfectly dry in the heavy downpour. What a mum she really is. Sumeh is the sweetest big sister ever, and little bro is adorable and such a feisty wee lad. This nest has been such a joy to watch. I could not have imagined enjoying watching a big sister/little brother osprey nest without a moment of stress or worry, but then along came Finnegan.” 

I am with you – Iris has put everything into this season, and it may be costly. But it may also give her a reason to return no matter what it takes, as she now has Finnegan waiting for her. These two have bonded strongly and I am really hopeful that the strength of their relationship will give Iris what she needs to make it home again. She truly has been the most wonderful mother. What a waste – Louis truly is a cad. 

BT: “Too numerous. 1. Fish Fairies at Port Lincoln. 2. Finnegan ousting Louis and winning Iris’s heart. 3. Annie and Archie raise four little falcons. Jackie and Shadow because they just make me smile all the time.”

RW: “The Fabulous Four at Poole Harbour ties with Iris and Finn.”

CB: “SE31 fledges and spends time with Lady and Dad on the Paramatta River learning to be an eagle. Iris and Finnegan because I never thought Iris would ever raise chicks again. The eagles at Decorah North because they survived so much and continued to be a family at their nest tree even when it had fallen over.”

CD: “I loved Smallie. The wee little falcon longed to live and it did get to fly.”

DDS:

  • Iris and Finnegan. Never thought this would happen.
  • Jackie and Shadow and their sticks and hopefulness.
  • M15 gets another chance to be a Dad.
  • They didn’t raise a family but seeing Gabby and Beau together made me smile.
  • The rehabbers that help.
  • The small Dutch falcon that died but got to fly.
  • The people who dared to provide fish to the osprey chicks at the barge in Australia.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to those who didn’t but sat and thought about what made them smile this year!

My list in a bit of a narrative and in no certain order:

The day I learned that Bonus was alive, I cried. Knowing that both Black Storks Waba and Bonus, raised by Karl II, are still flying gives me hope that there are others, too. I continue to be ever grateful for the work of Urmas in Estonia and his team in providing fish for the storks, ringing them, and checking on their well-being. It makes me smile to see the fish baskets that he sets up and fills to keep the storks alive. I wish that more people would engage with wildlife positively and constructively. I am grateful to the Roy Dennis Foundation and the Woodland Trust for removing the two chicks of Louis and Dorcha for translocation. Louis was not himself, and while I had an enormous smile when he reappeared after so many days, he needed to get his strength up, so it still felt like a good win-win. But knowing dear Louis is alive is a huge grin and a happy moment. The fish fairies at Port Lincoln took a stand and saved the osplets of Mum and Dad at the barge and I will forever think that this was a miracle that saved the chicks lives. Didn’t you just grin seeing the hand lay the fish on that nest? Whenever I checked on the nest at Poole Harbour, I smiled at the absolute dedication and great parenting of CJ7 and Blue 022. I remember the year they were courting, and it didn’t seem possible that CJ7 would get a mate, and now, to the astonishment of all, in their third year together, they successfully raised four to fledge. The California falcons will always make me smile: Larry at Alcatraz, Annie and Archie, and Monty and Hartley. Incredible families and, oh, our dear little ones that got themselves into some mischief, including Nox, who is recovering. That photo of him with his wing wrapped was lovely. I was happy when Smallie could come and go in and out of the scrape and got to fly and feel the wind under its wings despite its subsequent death. Big Red always puts a smile on my face as does Arthur when he lines the nest bowl with squirrel fur. They love being parents. And this year, because of the year that it was, I am grateful and smile whenever I see one of the nests have a fledge because they are just that much rarer. So many bird families lost so many of their offspring this year. To the delight and relief of many, Hope and Beaumont look like they will fledge two chicks this year from Snow Lane in Newfoundland – the first for many, many years. The Moorings Park nest just melted my heart when Tuffy overcame the abuse of the older sibling, Ruffie, and survive to become a gorgeous osplet that returned time and again to the nest so we could see that he was alright. What made me mad and also sick at times was the Frenchman’s Creek nest with fish after fish piled up and the poor osplets having to learn to feed themselves to survive – not from starvation but lack of parental attention. They triumphed, and somehow, the nasty fish disappeared. That made me smile big time. There were so many moments. Seeing SE31 flying over the Paramatta River with Lady and Dad, free of the harassment of the Pied Currawong, was simply one of the best moments ever, along with Flaco, the Eurasian Owl, who escaped from the Central Park Zoo and flew freely for a year. Perhaps I have said it more than once, but the resilience of Jackie and Shadow makes me smile every day.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/frgJbZxiHeHFwDSy

The ultimate smile was Iris and Finnegan, though. I never thought I would see Iris raising chicks. Louis drove me nuts, and to see a young male osprey keep Louis on the other side of the territory made me grin every day, especially when Finn chased Louis off the owl pole. Iris is simply amazing. She is old (I have great empathy for her), raising chicks in that heat, and now Sum-eh has fledged. I also smile whenever I get a note or a letter from you. It makes my day, along with my garden animals, my family, and the girls, that much better. Thank you for being there.

Thank you to everyone who sent in their memories and for the images and videos thank you to ‘A, CG, Geemeff, H, J, PB’, NestFlix Memories, Osoyoos, Fortis-Exshaw, Colonial Beach, Menhaden- Little Fish, Big Deal, HWF-BBCentral, Heidi and Windows to Wildlife, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, SK Hideaways for the images of the falcon families from San Jose, Cal Falcons, and SWFlorida Bald Eagles, Wildwest Rehabilitation Centre, Texas Monthly, SK Hideaways, and The Guardian.

Tuesday in Bird World

6 August 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

What a wonderful way to start the day!

This is part of a fabulous message from ‘B’: “Gosh, Mary Ann, Hellgate is breaking the smile-meter today.  Not only does Sum-eh “branch” to the perch at 6:53, but then s/he tires of the perch at 7:43 and takes off on a real fledge.  And without even seeing her, we can follow the whole flight by seeing Antali track the whole flight, right up to the landing a minute later.  At 8:00 Iris lands and begins calling for the celebratory fish, but she must already know it is on the way, because Finn arrives with fish at 8:00:54, and the whole family is on the nest to celebrate Sum-eh’s fledge.”

How many of us just had tears in our eyes when we saw Sum-eh fly? I keep thinking that this is the perfect Osprey family. Everything this year was as if it had been choreographed by someone directing a world-famous symphony or ballet company at the Hellgate nest of Iris and Finnegan. I want it to stay this perfect.

Iris and her family have energized me.

Information on Montana Ospreys and where they migrate and when:

Osprey – Montana Field GuideDownload

Poor Iris.

Oh, it was not so hot today but that did not stop the Blue Jays dive bombing the Crow fledglings whenever they came to get cheesy dogs and kibble! The sounds of the fledglings alarming and wanting the parents to come and help was, at times, a bit eerie. And then a community cat came and that really got the Crows going!

The tree you can see is where the Blue Jays nest. They gather there and swoop at the fledgling Crows whenever they come for food. You will see that one of the Crows on the fence has a lighter chest (far right)—it is moulting and an adult.

BirdGuides Photo of the Week is an osprey diving for a fish. Several places in the UK offer hides for taking these amazing images – at a price. Most of all, it helps the ospreys because there is a healthy amount of fish available and, in all cases, as I understand it, the ‘farmers’ who monetised their ponds or fish tanks are making more money from folks like us who want to get that winning image. Note that I have been more than careful not to say ‘shot’ – as the ospreys steal fish at the commercial fish ponds in South America and do get shot. I wish those farmers would advertise hides for taking photographs. They might discover this win-win situation, too.

Photo of the Week: 29 July-4 August 2024 – BirdGuidesDownload

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

Daily summary Monday 5th August 2024

Just a raft of Mistle Thrushes and a Woodpecker on Nest One today – no Ospreys, no other action on either nest, just plenty of rain. Filling in the gap a little, LizB posted more footage of the Bunarkaig nest showing Affric and her chick, links in the bonus section. The wet weather continues tonight and tomorrow, with the possibility of thundery showers in the late afternoon.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.35.04 (04.41.35); Nest Two 22.46.59 (04.49.03)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/2VFRd-lLvn4 N1 Many Mistle Thrushes and a Woodpecker visit 13.12.59

Bonus videos – Another couple of bits of video footage from Bunarkaig (thanks LizB):

https://youtu.be/KZnXzJYpR6Q  The chick having a flap and a hop about on the nest with mum Affric

https://youtu.be/aFurmuMNz5E The chick taking flight

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

Concerns for USU at nest #4 Finland continues as migration approaches. Will someone take the osplet into rehab?

‘PB’ caught USU flapping!!!!!!!

We are going to have a fledge at Charlo soon!

The other nest to keep an eye on is Minesota Landscape Arboretum. Our only surviving chick is on the perch with Mum on Monday.

Dad continues to deliver nice fish meals to the Cowlitz PUD nest.

River has come a long way to getting very proficient at self-feeding. Mum Keke looks on at the Sandpoint nest.

All three on the nest at Blackbush at Old Tracadie Harbour.

Nice crops on Mum and the fledgling at Boulder County.

‘PB’ caught a great image of the McEuen fledgling – just look at that crop. Mum did well. Such a sad year for this nest but one osplet survived with Mum despite the heat and having a single parent nest.

Blue (HWF BBCentral nest) was doing some wingers and moving around the nest including standing on the rim.

From the Forum:

‘CG’ reports:

AP Hovasse was out taking videos this morning.  Believes Blue is ready to FLY!!  He will be out again tomorrow morning.  

Cams came back up at 1452 hours.

At 1715 hours, she pulled a plastic bag up out of the nest and proceeded to rip it up scattering it across the nest.

Aug5-Bag2.jpg

At 1750 hours, a parent delivered food, dropping it at the edge of the nest.  Blue grabbed it and mantled it.

She did her usual flapping and seems to have taken to sitting on the edge of the nest.  She also had three healthy looking PSs this afternoon.  

Aug5-Edge1.jpg

Close up of Blue.Aug5-Close4.jpg

By 2251 hours, she is lying down asleep.

Aug5-Nite1.jpg

Weather for Tuesday high of 73F, low 50F, sunny.  Temperature predicted to rise to the 80s Wednesday-Friday, then back down to the 70s with clouds for Saturday through the next week.”

Dad brought a really nice fish to Mum at the Port Lincoln Barge Tuesday morning! Oh, these two are getting me excited. Think the fish fairies will be around this year?

Small beak peeking out of the egg at the Olympic Sea Eagle nest in Sydney. The chick has made some progress during the night and Lady didn’t get much sleep. Let’s hope it is out today.

At Osprey House Environment Centre, the three osplets are little reptiles. I wonder if they will continue to play sweet. Let’s hope!

Where does Australia’s Painted Snipe go in the winter?

One of Australia’s most elusive birds, a 2,200km journey and a mid-winter mystery solved | Birds | TDownload

A reality TV show in Australia where the contestant ate a rare bird. I thought Geemeff was kidding me – not. Who are these idiots?

https://www.birdguides.com/news/reality-tv-contestant-killed-and-ate-protected-bird

And some better news!

https://www.birdguides.com/news/extinct-in-the-wild-guam-kingfisher-hatches-in-captivity

‘H’ reports:

8/6 Colonial Beach osprey nest:  By 0935 this morning, Betty will have been missing for three days.  Yesterday, David brought 43-day-old Cobey a large headless fish in the morning, and Cobey ate some of it a few times throughout the day.  Cobey is doing well with his self-feeding, but he is not strong enough to tear through much of the skin, especially as the fish dries out.  There was an interesting period of time when there was an intruder on the nest for about 1.5 hours.  Fortunately the intruder was not interested in Cobey, and he did not take the leftover fish.  The intruder simply looked around, and moved some sticks.  We were hoping that David would bring a fresh fish for supper, but he didn’t.  Cobey was noted to have a few good PS on 8/5, but s/he needs more fish than what he is getting.  Unfortunately, David does not do any feeding.  As a single dad, we are hoping that David will increase the amount of fresh fish that he provides for Cobey.  Today will be mostly cloudy, high temp 90, winds gusting to 17 mph.  Please come home, Mommy!

8/5 Osoyoos osprey nest:  They had a good day.  There were 7 fish brought to the nest, including 2 from Soo.  And, both Soo and Olsen delivered some whoppers.  Chick 2 is still not quite ready to take that maiden flight.  S/he did some wingers with slight lift, but no hovers that I have seen.  Weather for 8/6:  sunny, high temp 90F/32C, winds gusting to 13 mph.

An Osprey family living in the Turtle Mountains of Manitoba just west of where I live taken by Brenda Lyons two days ago!

In Estonia, three new Black Storks have been fitted with transmitters. Yeah! We wish them a long, long life. We hope that one of those, Kerli, which is believed to be Kergu’s sweetie pie, will return with him next year to breed.

Kerli (young female – Kergu’s sweetheart) – Black Stork – Ciconia NigraDownload

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, B, CG, Geemeff, H, PB, RP, TU’, Montana Osprey Project, Montana Osprey Cams, mt.gov, McEuen Park, Hancock Wildlife Forum, HWF-BBCentral, BirdGuides, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Cathy Cohen, Osprey House Environment Centre, The Guardian, BirdGuides, Colonial Beach, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Brenda Lyons, Ciconia Negro.

Sum-eh flies Monday in Bird World

5 August 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Morning update:

It is getting to the time when you need to be getting your ‘miracles’ of the year in! Deadline: Wednesday, the 7th of August, so Tuesday evening CDT is the deadline—about 2000. Even a single sentence! Let me know what made you happy this year. I won’t spoil it, but there is already a clear winner for the top miracle of the year. Can you guess what that was?

It is cooler on the Canadian Prairies. Imagine extreme heat (32 for us) and then waking up and thinking you need a jumper! That was what it was like Sunday morning. The garden animals are loving it!

I did have a bit of a scare this evening. All the Crows were about and two of them were ragged and had white on their breasts. Took a deep breath. It is Junior and his mate and they are molting. Poor things. Junior stays but she heads south in the fall. I hope one or two of the youngsters will be around with us for fall and winter. They have been busy tonight protecting their territory. Urban crows live in family groups taking over a specific area and making sure that other groups of crows don’t enter! That said, when the GHO arrives, everyone comes to help usher it out of the space.

The blog is a little all over the place today. Osprey nests are winding down with fledglings returning for fish and awaiting the time to depart for migration. People are starting to stop and look at the state of the eagle nests and – we are on pip watch for the Olympic Park White-Bellied Sea Eagles in Sydney!

Update: Confirmed pip for SE33!

The three osprey chicks at the Osprey House Environment Centre are doing very well. Three weeks old!

In Port Lincoln, Mum is resting on the barge nest. Yes, yes, it is all beginning to happen ‘down under’.

Xavier is delivering prey to Diamond in the scrape at Orange, Australia. Now all we need is the Melbourne CBD Falcon cam to come on line. Typically that is after the eggs are laid.

If this is your first time to watch ospreys, you might want to find out about their migration – as most (save for Florida and some Gulf areas, the Caribbean, and Austral-Asia) fly to winter homes.

Osprey Migration Explained – Avian ReportDownload

More about migration from the UK.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/62/2023/03/Do-ospreys-migrate-6e4d8a7.jpg

Where do they go? Well, it depends on where they started!

Where Do Ospreys Go in the Winter? | AudubonDownload

Many of you will remember the Red-tail Hawk raised by the Eagles on Gabriola Island in British Columbia. You will also recall that the eaglet that shared the nest, Junior, was electrocuted. We all cried. It is too common an occurence. We lost one of two gorgeous osplets raised by Oscar and Ethel at the Russell Lake Osprey nest in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It was discovered that it was Heidi. She had fledged the day prior. These events are so very sad.

If you recall the discussion with Dr Christian Sasse and Dave Hancock on how to mitigate against electrocution using simple methods and know that YouTube video, let me know. I am looking forward to sharing it with our friends in Nova Scotia. I have written to the HWF but have not heard back from them.

‘H’ reports:

8/4 Osoyoos osprey nest:  There were nine fish delivered to the nest, including one from Soo.  Olsen had tapped into a good location to catch those small green-colored fish, so his offerings consisted of those fish.  Soo brought a large headless fish at 1251 that actually resulted in two separate long feedings.  It was interesting to note, with 5 of the 8 fish delivered by Olsen, chick 1 rather easily took the fish from chick 2, after chick 2 had initial possession of it.  Chick 2 still displays some residual effects of the psychological conditioning that took place during all those weeks when chick 1 had been very aggressive toward him, and he learned to submit.  Chick 2 needs to get over that, and try to hold on to his food!  Chick 1 did not eat all of those fish he acquired, and he left a couple of good sized chunks on the nest for chick 2.  Everyone had plenty to eat today.  Chick 1 took a few flights off the nest throughout the day.  And, chick 2 managed to get several inches of lift off the nest during his evening wingercizing!  Weather forecast for 8/5: Sunny, high temp 94 F, light winds. There is a chance of strong thunderstorms in the afternoon. 

8/4-8/5 Colonial Beach:  Betty has not been seen since 0935 on 8/3.  Last night, 42-day-old Cobey spent his second night alone on the nest.  Cobey did not have anything to eat on Friday.  On Saturday, David dropped off a headless fish, Cobey self-fed for the first time, and was able to eat most of that fish.  On Sunday, David provided Cobey with a headless fish at 0724.  Once again, Cobey did a great job with his self-feeding.  His technique is not perfect, but he does amazingly well.  He ate the fish off and on for several hours, and picked it clean.  At 1828 David brought a live fish to the nest.  The fish was not very lively, but it took Cobey a while to figure out how to unzip the fish.  Cobey managed to do it, and ate the head!  Then he reached in and pulled out a lot of the center of the fish, avoiding the tough skin.  This morning 8/5,  Cobey has already tackled the leftover piece of fish, and managed to pull off a few bites, but it is dry and tough.  Hopefully David will bring Cobey a fresh fish this morning.  And, we are praying for Betty to come home.  Weather forecast for 8/5:  Sunny, high 90, light winds.  The forecast for the rest of the week may include periods of very heavy rain and some wind, as the remnants of ‘Debby’ moves up the coast.  Cobey will need some protection from all that bad weather, and David doesn’t seem to like that kind of Dad.  Please come home, Mom.

I am so looking forward to seeing these beautiful Nova Scotian ospreys in real life. Take off in a week! Will be announcing a wee break in normal posting – I will be sending out special Nova Scotia episodes while I am away so you can learn about one of our beautiful Atlantic provinces. It is famous for birdwatching – I am so excited.

Flipping over to Wales. Dylan has been busy delivering his famous Brown Trout to the Llyn Clywedog nest in Wales that he shares with his mate, Seren. The kids are there wanting fish! And if one is eating the other is fish calling very loudly!

Aran is busy at Glaslyn fishing for his and Elen’s kids, too. Everyone wants and needs to eat before migration.

In the south of England, the kiddos are waiting at Poole Harbour, too – and Blue 022 has four to feed!!!!!!!

At the nest of Iris and Finnegan, Sum-eh is getting restless to fly.

She is getting more height by the hover. Could today be the day she flies?

Our friend ‘A’ comments: “I’m hoping that her bond with Finnegan will bring her home. Certainly, she has something to come home to, which has not been the case before now. I know they’re territorial, and she returns to her nest, but now that nest has someone waiting on the perch, she may have an even stronger urge to be back. If indeed the older chick is female, then it is an incredible testament to the mothering skills of Iris, who has raised these two to be as close as any siblings I’ve seen on a nest. Never a hint of aggression or intimidation. They love to snuggle. Little Bob is usually fed first, but regardless of feeding order, they wait their turn. Sometimes, they compete for bites or even eat from each other’s overflowing beaks but never with violence attached. And if indeed Iris has achieved that outcome with a huge female hatched a week before her younger brother, we are definitely in the presence of a super mum. I love the way she has abandoned the nest to the kids, watching from the perch. She does always look to have a good crop, so at least Finn is keeping the family well fed. Perhaps too well fed. Why would these kids bother to leave home? This generation doesn’t, apparently. I do need to remember their names!!

This morning, big sister did a big and healthy PS, which pleased her so much that she had a hover. She is getting very good at her hovering. Oh Mary Ann she is magnificent. Such a beautiful osplet. She is gorgeous. (Little Bro is not yet interested in leaving his version of terra firma.) Iris immediately rises as if in an invisible lift, and she is out of there. Let hovering practice take place without her!! She can supervise from the perch. There is much fish calling (it’s 06:53). Little Bro is fascinated by his sister’s hovering (or perhaps he is just worried she’s about to land on his head)! But certainly, he is keeping his eyes on her. She is really getting some strength as she flaps. She is holding herself aloft for longer and longer, sometimes landing on an outer kiddie rail (is that technically branching or does she have to reach the perch?) and she is really enjoying the sense of wind beneath her wings. Those talons already look pretty deadly to me! “

At nest #3 in Finland, Tuulos and Taika have a fish and mate in the nest.

They are rebuilding at Decorah North!

Only one left to fledge at Blackbush – the other two that are flying continue to return to the nest for fish. Everyone is so well fed that on Sunday even Mum had some time to have a nice fish meal to herself.

In Newfoundland, Canada, Hope and Beaumont’s oldest is starting to work its wings. The chicks are 42 and 37 days old. We could have fledge in a little over a week for the oldest. Fledge dates average around 55 days. (some say 50-55)

Little Eurasian Hobby doing well eating dragonflies brought to the nest. As a fledgling, it will glide over the water catching dragonflies and other bugs for its meals along with small birds.

Everything you wanted to know about the Eurasian Hobby and more:

Eurasian Hobby | The Peregrine FundDownload

Geemeff’s Summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:

Daily summary Sunday 4th August 2024

A dreich day with no sign of Louis or Dorcha, it’s starting to feel like they’ve headed south to warmer climes as Dorcha was last seen eight days ago on the 27th, and Louis last seen five days ago on the 30th. Of course, those are the dates they were last seen on nest cam so there’s the possibility they are still in the area. Affric 152 and Garry LV0 are definitely still around and both came to Nest One today. Affric looked hollow-cropped and asked Garry for fish but he didn’t have any for her. It’s her mate Prince who should be providing fish for her back on the Bunarkaig nest where their newly fledged chick is probably still returning to, but like last season, there’s a complex relationship with that pair and Garry LV0 which seems to be ongoing. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow is heavy rain with a gentle breeze, and light rain for the rest of the week too.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.29.01 (04.37.17); Nest Two 22.21.56 (04.44.16)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/mqRrJB__R5o N2 A Hoodie arrives and perches on Dorcha’s perch 07.10.05

https://youtu.be/O28igrtvFXE  N1 Affric 152 follows Garry LV0 to the nest 12.13.01

Bonus webinar – Osprey migration with Dr Tim Mackrill: 

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

‘CG’ reports that the streaming cam at Boundary Bay, the nest of Blue, is still down and expected to be so until some time today.

Debby is hitting the nests in Florida and is ramping it up in Fort Myers as I write. Send good thoughts.

Gardening for the animals.

The frogs may be gone, but life goes on: how I regained my faith in gardening for wildlife | WildlifDownload

Worries continue for USU’s wing at nest #1 in Finland against growing concerns that Nuppu (Mum) will depart the area. At the moment fish continues to be brought to the nest for the youngsters.

Geemeff sent us some more stories. Enjoy.

1) Article says nest was inspected and no eggs or chicks found. But it sounds like this was an active nest if it suddenly became a problem. Would be good to hear a new platform is being built nearby:https://www.whec.com/top-news/osprey-nest-removed-from-cell-tower-in-town-of-ontario-was-disrupting-cell-service/

2) A good news rescue story:

https://www.obawebsite.com/local-tree-climber-saves-osprey-in-night-rescue

3) And this one made me smile:

https://www.diesachsen.de/en/environment/swan-family-causes-traffic-chaos-in-limbach-oberfrohna-2944816

And back in California, Hartley and Monty are bonding after a great season!

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Thank you to the following who sent in notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and the streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘A, Connie and Don Dennis, CG, Geemeff, H, J, RP’, Hellgate Osprey X, Becky R, Olympic Park Eagle Cam, Osprey House Environment Centre, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Avian Report, Purpleshrub.com, Audubon, Ospreys of Nova Scotia FB, Osoyoos, Colonial Beach, Llyn Clywedog, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, BoPH, Montana Osprey Project, Saaksilvie, Raptor Research Project, Blackbush, Newfoundland Power, Wildlife Window, The Peregrine Fund, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, CNN Weather, The Guardian, whec.com, obawebsite.com, diesachen.de, Heidi McGrue, John Williams, and SK Hideaways.

And then…along came Finnegan. Sunday in Bird World

4 August 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

A year ago we were running a couple of blocks to feed Calico and any living kittens that we couldn’t see. We had ordered a GPS tracker then, and when we take our walks now, we are reminded of the worry and anxiety of those days. This is Calico and her only surviving kitten, Baby Hope, on 6 September 2023, two days after Baby Hope came to join us. Calico had come inside a week earlier. Hope came to the feral feeder…it was such a joyful day.

The woman who helped me told me to leave Baby Hope in the kennel, alone, for six days. I couldn’t. She needed to be with Mamma. They continue to be inseparable. The joy that kitten had when she saw her mother and dear Calico, too, – well, who says animals do not have emotions?

Double Calicos = Double Happiness.

November 2023.

March 2024.

And then there are the Crows. Such beautiful intelligent birds. The fledglings are getting braver. They are coming to the bird baths more often and they are eating at the big table feeder.

We cannot forget the baby Blue Jays. They are sooooooo adorable. This one reminds me of the littlest one last summer. The babies have their crests. The adults are molting and look ragged – an easy way to tell them apart. Every day I wake up and feel blessed by having these wonderful garden animals and ‘The Girls’ in my life.

Today is Owl Awareness Day! Many of you know how I feel about owls when they decide to have an osplet for lunch. Poisons should not be used – ever. Spread the word -DO NOT USE RODENTICIDES!

With the destruction of habitat and the dwindling number of small mammals, rats and mice become food. If they are poisoned, they move slowly and the raptors catch them. It can kill them or their chicks. So sad. We have seen this happen. I know you remember the nests! Of course they also kill domestic pets such as cats who also catch mice and rats.

Dr Green is in the hide on the lift taking photos of Iris and her family. He hasn’t done this since 2018.

There were concerns when Antali was trying to pass a pellet early Saturday, but all is OK. The chicks are eating well and getting huge crops. Thanks for the close-ups, cam op!

I cannot imagine waking up and not seeing Iris and her babies – and Finn, too, and that day is coming in 5 weeks or less.

Fledges Saturday at Island Beach State Park and Blackbush Old Tracerie.

There was also a fledge at nest 10 in Kielder Forest. It was the young male. He took off and did a quick return. Kielder cannot confirm this was his maiden flight but it probably is.

Oh, goodness, there’s a fledge at Osoyoos, too. I’m shedding tears over this one. Heidi will report it in full, but we have lifted off in a year when many feared we would lose all three chicks to extreme heat and not enough fish. In the end, it appears the nest will only lose one chick, Little. Congratulations, Soo and Olsen—you did it!

‘H’ reports:

8/3 Osoyoos osprey nest:  Great news:  At 57 days of age, Chick #1 fledged at 0533, and made a nice landing back on the nest less than two minutes later.  Chick 2’s head was on a swivel going round and round, as he stood in the nest and watched his sibling flying.  Chick 1 had performed some very high hovers yesterday, so the fledge was not unexpected.  Olsen delivered a small whole fish at 0620 and Chick 1 grabbed it and gobbled it down.  After his breakfast, Chick 1 took a few more short flights.  At 0753 Olsen dropped off a large partial fish, and Soo fed both osplets for 45 minutes.  There was still some fish left, but the chicks both walked away, so Soo was able to finish the fish herself.  Olsen also brought some nice-sized fish at 0927 and 1024, and Soo fed both siblings.  Then the cam went offline for 4.5 hours.  After the live stream resumed, we saw Olsen deliver a small fish, and Soo fed Chick 2.  Chick 1 didn’t even approach the chow line.  I did not see any more fish delivered today.  The high temp today was 101 F, and Olsen had done a great job fishing despite the heat.  Unless I have missed it at some point, I don’t believe Chick 2 has performed any hovering as yet.  Weather forecast for 8/4:  partly cloudy with smoky air, high temp 95F/35C, winds gusting to 17 mph.

8/3-8/4 Colonial Beach osprey nest:  This is a sad story.  The last time 41-day-old Cobey ate well was on Thursday.  There were no fish brought to the nest on Friday.  On Saturday, Betty left the nest at 0935, and she did not return.  David dropped off a medium-sized headless fish at 0957, and he left.  Cobey had not previously done any significant self-feeding, but he was ravenous and he tore into the fish.  He was doing a pretty good job of pulling off fish bits.  Cobey ate the fish off and on over the next several hours.  His efforts were tiring, and he would have to take breaks to rest.  It appeared as though Cobey managed to eat all but the tail of that fish.  There were no other fish brought to the nest for the rest of the day.  At 1915 David stopped at the nest for just a minute, and he did have a crop.  Poor lil Cobey was fish-begging, and David left.  We hoped that David would return with a fish…but he didn’t.  Cobey had been left alone for 9.5 hours on Friday, but Betty eventually did return.  The weather was warm on 8/3 (90 F), and there was a moderate breeze, but we had known Betty to have success fishing in much more adverse weather.  On 8/4, David arrived at the nest at 0724 with a headless fish.  After Cobey briefly chatted with his Dad, he started to eat. The fish seems to be tough, and Cobey is expending a lot of energy.  We are praying that Betty is safe, and we are praying for her to return to the nest.  Cobey needs a proper Mom-feeding at this point.  Weather forecast for 8/4:  partly cloudy, high temp 88, winds gusting to 14 mph.

The only surviving osplet out of four at McEuen Park is gaining wing strength flying from platform to platform.

Female osprey Goldie seems to be able to care for the three osplets despite her mate Kurt’s MIA and the heat in the area.

https://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/499647/West-Kelowna-woman-worried-for-osprey-couple-nicknamed-

Goldie-and-Kurt-

I wonder how many birds are electocuted each day because of hydro poles that have not been mitigated to protect them? This poor darling caught on fire and then, hitting dry grass, started a fire.

https://www.wavy.com/news/national/electrocuted-bird-falls-to-ground-sparks-brush-fire-in-colorado

The situation really needs to change if the Ospreys in the region of the Omega Menhaden trawling are to survive.

Please urge people to watch their speed. Their are so many fledglings and many get hit by cars. So sad.

Thunder and Akecheta were spending some time at home on Saturday – the West End nest of Catalina Island.

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

Daily summary Saturday 3rd August 2024

No Ospreys seen on either Nest One or Nest Two today, but LizB pulled off a coup by getting clear footage of the resident female at Bunarkaig and yes, her video confirms what’s been suspected for some time – it’s Affric 152. Link to her video in the bonus section. Nest One had some little songbird visitors and Nest Two had bigger and less melodious visitors when some Hoodies arrived for a fruitless check for fish scraps. It was a dreich day with rain on and off throughout the day, and more rain expected tonight and tomorrow. 

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.26.50 (04.24.39); Nest Two 22.25.18 (04.34.28)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/6hztczD-J2o N2  A Hoodie lands on Dorcha’s perch, a second on the cam pole 07.11.53

https://youtu.be/bx54tIwLja4  N2 A Hoodie returns to the empty nest 10.39.41

https://youtu.be/tjBR3H8XuYg N2 A Coal Tit and a juvenile Great Tit flit around 19.22.06

Bonus video – Confirmation of Affric 152 as the Bunarkaig resident female (2 Aug 2024 – thanks LizB):

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

Top Flatt chick required a supplementary feeding today and the NZ DOC rangers were there to help.

Clark PUD fledgling back on the nest resting and waiting for fish.

Fledgling waiting at Cowlitz PUD, too. These images are important because our flying babies lived for another day!

The Only Bob at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has the most beautiful wings. Flying soon.

Still showing up at Poole Harbour. Six fish arrived at the nest on Saturday. Mum helped deliver some, too.

Blue NC0 looks out over the Loch of the Lowes. Her life changed completely this year. Her dear Laddie LM12 was killed and her precious eggs were kicked out of the nest. The good thing – no chicks hatched, no chicks starved. Blue NC0 seems to have kept her nest and maybe she has a new mate. We will see next spring.

One chick left to fledge at Collins Marsh. The other two continue to return – as they should – for fish and rest.

The only surviving chick at Charlo Montana is getting antsy with those wings. I wonder which will fly first – Sut-eh or the chick at Charlo?

River with a full crop at Sandpoint!

Family portrait at the LDF Osprey nest in Kurzeme.

Hen Harriers are one of the most gorgeous raptors. Two more have been killed, and investigations are underway. Sadly, one of those is Susie. You might remember that I reported on her nest of chicks – five of them. An individual stomped on them til they died. It is worth reading about these amazing raptors that make their nests on the ground. I have mentioned Bowland Beth and A Hen Harrier’s Year. Both are excellent.

Criminal investigations into deaths of two Hen Harriers – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Little Taquito is getting feathers. Thanks, ‘J’ for the video capture.

The camera at Boundary Bay is frozen at 0901. On Saturday Blue had a remarkable ‘ps’.

At the Captiva Osprey nest, Jack was seen at least twice. Poor Dad. Easy to recognize. He still has the spike in his leg but he appears to be doing well.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, questions, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J, MP, PB’, RATS, Hellgate Osprey, Montana Osprey Project, Kielder Forest, Osoyoos, Colonial Beach, Pam Breci, castanet.net, wavy.com, Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal FB, Red-tail Hawk Tales, IWS/Explore, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Lady Hawk, Clark PUD, Cowlitz PUD, MN-LA, BoPH, Scottish Wildlife Trust (LOTL), Collins Marsh, Charlo Montana, Sandpoint Ospreys, LDF, Raptor Persecution UK, BirdWatch Ireland, Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, and HWF BBCentral Forum.

Saturday in Bird World

3 August 2024

Good Morning!

Well I am in tears this morning. One good and one bad. One of the beautiful fledglings at Russell Lake in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia has been electrocuted. We have talked about these poles and the responisiblity of the power companies on my posting many times. It is an easy fix and if the power company knows the poles that the birds use – they do tend to go to the same ones – then they should be required to do the necessary modifications.

The good tears is for a Black Stork. BONUS is alive!!!!!! Jan and Janikka’s beautiful Black Storkling, adopted by Karl II and Kaia when Jan died – hence the name Bonus – has been transmitting. This might tie with Iris being a mother again for the number of tissues used. Thank you ‘PB’ and ‘TU’ for catching this great news and sending it to me. I don’t know if I will stop crying all day.

We have the second fledge at Niagara Bee.

We hope that you are enjoying your weekend. For Canadians, it is a ‘long’ weekend. Is it a Bank Holiday in the UK? Another holiday somewhere else? If so, enjoy! It is still hot here, but it is going to begin to slowly cool off. It feels like a good day to check on ducks and geese this evening.

In fact, it was so warm in the garden that the Crows are starting to come to the bird bath. They have been drinking water but not splashing. I can’t wait to see which one of them will be the first to take the plunge.

Because of the heat I have been going through all the forms for the 438 eggs out ogf 151 nests. In fact, I am still adding nests from Nova Scotia with 16 more to go! But it has also given me a chance to take a peek at what is happening and to check on some nests to try and find out about fledges.

The pie chart shows that nearly half of all osprey eggs laid this year did not hatch. Siblicide was the next highest cause of mortality at 17% and weather events at 14%

For some nests there is little information. Some have videos on YouTube but no real data elsewhere. So it is a bit of a mystery hunt. I hope to cover a few of those nests that are not regularly reported.

Two growing chicks of Blue 330 and PYO from Nest 10 at Kielder Forest are a welcome sight after all the heart break and loss at other nests.

Seriously. This puts a smile on my face. A Loon that is 38 years old? (Thanks, J)

On Finland nest #1 Utu fledges on August 2. Returns to the nest! Congratulations.

Both chicks on nest #1.

Parent is on the nest feeding only surviving osplet on nest #4 in Finland. Parent also comes and goes as if monitoring the forest situation. We know that the eagle lives in that area.

Three gorgeous osplets at Janneniemi, Juurusvesi, Finland.

At the Kuopio nest, we have had a fledge with another one pending. Chicks are Eero (1), Victoria (2), and Amanda (3).

Cowlitz fledgling is still coming to the nest for fish! It is a good day.

Amazing Iris is getting some nice fish after her chicks are fed to they are full and then more full.

It is almost that time. Iris and Finnegan’s chicks will take to the sky. They will hone their flying skills and be fed by Finnegan – and maybe Mum – til it is time to migrate south. I hope that Finnegan continues with the great deliveries so that Iris can get herself fit after a grueling summer so that the migration is not too hard on her this year.

I cannot get enough of Iris and her chicks Sum-eh and Antali.

‘RP’ sent us an X but the age of Antali that Hellgate Osprey posted is incorrect. It is 46 days.

All three chicks survived at Bar Harbour despite some early worries for the small third hatch. We are expecting fledgling shortly.

The two ospreys at Balgravies Loch fledged in mid-July.

Geemeff’s Daily Summary of Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:

Daily summary Friday 2nd August 2024

Another day with no sign of any Ospreys on either nest. Dorcha was last seen on nest cam – Nest One! – on 27th July, has she headed south already? Perhaps she’ll appear soon, but as always it’s a case of wait and see. Louis was last seen more recently, on 30th July, on his own nest, and the only thing that’s certain is that many pairs of eyes are on the lookout for any sightings of any Ospreys. HelenG’s keen eyes spotted bats swooping around Nest Two in the early hours, that and a juvenile Robin on Nest One was the extent of the action today. The forecasted rain materialised and continued until about 7pm. Tonight’s forecast is dry conditions with light clouds and light winds but back to wet tomorrow with thundery showers throughout the day until late evening. 

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.55.33 (04.33.24); Nest Two 23.03.47 (04.38.24)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/kTYhjh-Rrxg N2 Bats fly around the nest 02.22.40(super slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/vgs5NO-r20w N1 One of the under-nest residents pops up for a quick visit 08.34.07

Bonus video – from Scotland to Africa as the Osprey flies:

Blast from the past, this day in 2020

https://youtu.be/LEq2B4U9j-k  N1 The Fishtail Waltz: Loch Arkaig Osplets in quickstep (Classic Ospreys – Strauss) 

Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:

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

We are never too young or too old to watch the birds. Read the latest from Audubon.

https://cbop.audubon.org/news/eaglewatch-volunteer-shares-joy-nest-monitoring-assisted-living-residents

More Ospreys going into care. The Juveniles are fledging and having their own difficulties flying nevermind finding food and coping with the intense heat.

Bolton Castle has the only known Ospreys in Yorkshire at Wenslydale. The couple raised three chicks to fledge in 2024! There are 2 males and 1 female. I have yet to get the proper Darvic ring numbers and weights but I am trying!

The only chick at Clark PUD has fledged and returned to the nest.

A whopper of fish for the kiddo.

Two of the three chicks at Collins Marsh in Wisconsin have fledged. Congratulations!

The first of the Eschenbach trio of ospreys fledged on the 11th of July. Now all three are flying and returning to the nest for fish.

Friday was a windy day for Hope and Beaumont and the two chicks. I never thought I would live to see another osplet fledge from this nest and it looks like we will have two this year. Everyone in Newfoundland must be over joyed.

At the Lipka Forest nest in Poland, the osplets have fledged and are doing great flying. One of them is eating a huge fish on the nest with the other waiting its turn when a goshawk comes out of the forest to attack. Because the osplets can fly strong, they get away!!!!!!!!

At Field Farm, the Fab four have all fledged and everyone returns to the nest rushing as fast as they can to try and get some fish dinner!

At the SF Bay nest of Richmond and Rosie, Tully continues to hover. She now holds the record for being the longest osplet to fledge!

It will not be long until our chick at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum flies. What a gorgeous osplet.

‘H’ reports:

8/2 Colonial Beach:  It’s a good thing that 39-day-old Cobey ate well yesterday, as there were no fish brought to the nest today.  It was quite warm (96 F), and it was a bit windy… not a good day for fishing.  It was also very concerning that Cobey was left alone in the hot sun for 9.5 hours straight.  Poor lil Cobey.  We assume that Betty had been trying to catch fish, and she would have had to eat if she did catch one.  It should also be noted that the area is known to have many osprey nests, and the possibility of fish thievery exists.  Betty did not have much of a crop when we saw her at 1850, and we noticed that she was wet.  David has been inconsistent with fish deliveries even in nice weather, and we did not see him today.   Weather forecast for 8/3:  Partly cloudy, chance of thunderstorms, high temp 90 F, winds gusting to 22 mph.

8/2 Osoyoos osprey nest:  At 0556 Olsen delivered a large headless fish.  Soo fed her osplets for about 3 minutes before she decided to take the fish off nest.  She returned with the slightly smaller fish about 9 minutes later and fed for an additional 19 minutes.  Olsen dropped off a small headless fish at 0942, that provided for a 4-minute meal for the siblings.  He brought another small partial fish at 1512, and Soo fed for 6 minutes.  It was a hot day, with a temperature of 102F/39C at 1700.  The last fish of the day was brought by Olsen at 1906, and it was a very small whole fish.  There was a tug-o-fish between the siblings, and Chick 1 gained possession.  When Chick 2 tried to take the fish from Chick 1, Chick 1 bit him on the nape of the neck.  Chick 1 ate the fish in 6 minutes.  The osplets are 56 and 55 days old, and they were both doing some nice wingers in the evening.  News Flash:  Chick 1 was hovering high out of our view a few times!  Weather forecast for 8/3:  Partly cloudy with smoky air, high temp 100F/38C, winds 13 mph.  The Facebook group Admin reminded us that it is a long holiday weekend, and there may be increased watercraft activity on the lake, potentially hindering ospreys attempting to fish.

8/2 Fenwick Island osprey nest (Captain Mac’s Fish House):  Everything is going well for this family.  Johnny is contributing at least one fish per day.  And, June was catching those huge striped bass every evening for the last two weeks.  Well, that seems to have ended. For the past few days, June has been catching the large striped bass in the morning, haha!  ‘Fen’ is 49 days old and has been wingercising a bit.

8/2 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest:  We haven’t been able to see the nest for a couple of weeks due to the camera being soiled with PS.  News from the Facebook group:  A local viewer, ‘YH’ was at the nest on 8/2, and was able to make a short video recording showing the presence of three osplets!  Yay!  So, we know that Harvie and Louise have been able to provide enough fish for their family.  Thank you ‘YH’.  Sorry, no images to share, the video is private.  The ‘kids’ are 52, 50, and 48 days old on 8/3.  There is a chance for an afternoon shower, which may help clean the camera.

Choughs breed in Kent England for the first time in 200 years! Smile.

“A young pair among eight birds released last year defied expectations to successfully breed this summer, making a nest on Dover Castle and rearing one chick, which fledged in June.”

Choughs look like a very trendy Mr Crow. They have glossy ebony plumage but it is the legs and bill that are a bright orange-red that mark them as different! Prior to this they were only known to breed along the West coast of England according to the RSPB. Aren’t they gorgeous?

“File:Red-billed Chough Sikkim India.jpg” by Dibyendu Ashis licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/02/choughs-breed-in-kent-for-first-time-in-200-years?CMP=share_btn_url

At Steelscape, the osplet that was injured has returned to the nest and appears to be healing. Send good wishes.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J, PB, RP, TU’, Maria Marika, Pam Breci, Kielder Forest, New Hampshire Loons, Nesting Bird Life and More, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Cowlitz PUD, Montana Osprey Project, Cornell Bird Lab, Hellgate Osprey X, Bird Cams, Doreen Mann, Balgravies Loch Ospreys, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Raptor Centre of Tampa Bay, Bolton Castle, Clark PUD, Collins Marsh, Eschenbach Osprey Cam, Newfoundland Power, Lipka Forest Ospreys, Field Farm, SF Bay Ospreys Golden Gate Audubon, MN-LA, OpenVerse, The Guardian, RSPB, Osoyoos, Fenwick Island, and Colonial Beach.