Wednesday in Bird World

4 December 2024

Hello Everyone,

First thing. There is an egg for Ron and Rose at the WRDC nest near Miami in Dade County. 14:34 according to Heidi on Tuesday. Congratulations! Everything looks alright with that egg.

The video: https://youtu.be/sb71R6oInuQ?

In one day, we will celebrate the arrival of Hugo Yugo to our lives. We adopted her on the 5th of December believing that she was a male as we had been told (and requested). The vet would laughingly inform us that we had one of a handful of Ginger Girls. Her name became Hugo Yugo, and it took her nearly nine months to start growing. We would not have given her back for a New York minute.

Wrapped in her blanket, at 11 weeks old, she was all ears. And she was sick. Poor thing. Dr Green quickly put that to rights.

My pal and faithful osprey data collector, Heidi, is worried that I will compromise ‘The Girls’ by bringing Brock into the house. She knows that these four girls are ‘everything’ to me. Brock would need to be ‘caged’ (I have one), and he would need to go to the vet for testing before he could be cleared to come into the house. I do not believe this will ever happen. Brock is too ‘feral’. So, we provide him with high-quality food, water, and 2 warm and safe places to sleep that are dry if he should choose to use them. My Girls are the rocks in my life. They give me the same joy that walking in the forest does. I will do anything and everything to protect them just as if they were my human children.

Hugo Yugo is at the vet’s last year, the morning after we picked her up from her foster family. She was dreadfully ill.

It was terrible. We ached for this little one. A week later, she was still sick, but she was showing some signs of improvement. She loved cuddling in a pink baby blanket. I would wrap her tight like a tortilla and place her in the curve of my left arm to stay warm. That is where she still sleeps today, sans a blanket.

All well at the vet’s on the 18th! She is playing and the vet tells us she will survive.

By the 28th of December (23 days later), Hugo Yugo was ruling the cat tree. We never looked back. She continues to be the boss of the house. The respite worker commented today on how HY chased Calico back into the back corner of the conservatory from the living room. This little Ginger is fearless.

At the vet last week still getting into trouble. It is a small sink but Hugo Yugo did grow, finally.

Tuesday was Gifting Tuesday. This year was Calico’s turn the local charity that would get our funds and any other selections related to that institution. Last year, Missey had this privilege. Local wildlife rehab facilities, feral cat groups, nature centres, you name it, were there for the picking. The one that Calico put her paw on first was the choice. It was Wildlife Haven this year! Then, she had to select the ambassador to be adopted. She put her paw on the printout of Gus, the Turkey Vulture! There you go. Looks like a carrion eater is our adoptee this year! It is pretty fun. We had several others this year. Giving Tuesday is great if there is someone or some institution that will double the donations. It can have a huge impact.

Gabby and Beau spent almost all day at the nest on Tuesday. Thinking eggs? Oh, please!

She looks like she is thinking about it or geez, is this Beau? My old eyes are so bad.

‘J’ reports that an owl struck Gabby during the night but she is OK. Oh, these owls!

It is windy at Port Lincoln and the family is waiting for the first fish of the day.

Noon. No fish yet. Looks like a day when we will be wishing the fairy would appear.

Now that I have gotten it out of head that Kasse has the pink ring, here she is with her bright red ring doing some nice wingers.

Well, it is afternoon. Dad is in the man cave, and he appears to not be interested in fishing. Mum is off the nest. I wonder if she has gone to find fish for her and the two osplets.

Mum did bring in that fish. Then the fish fairy came with 6 fish and Dad rounded up the day with two after 4pm! What a day at Port Lincoln.

Royal Cam Dad RLK is home safely and ready to incubate his egg! Oh, isn’t it a relief when they return after foraging?

One of the eagles was seen on Tuesday.

Giliath!

Thunder and Akecheta spent the night at the West End nest and were there in the early morning.

Hey look who is at Fraser Point! Andor and Cruz.

I did not see anyone at the Two Harbours nest of Chase and Cholyn.

It was a gorgeous day at Decorah in Iowa!

One eagle at the NCTC nest and then two. Bella and Scout visit the old nest.https://youtu.be/F6ZwZg36Vtc?

Looks like the Eagles have the Hilton Head nest! Yeah, George and Gracie. https://youtu.be/kQnHDQbI7KM?

But wait a minute! Bailey the GHO is working on the nest after the Eagle leaves. This is not so good! https://youtu.be/sb71R6oInuQ?

In past instances, the GHOs have taken the nest from the eagles. Think Bonnie and Clyde at Farmer Derek’s. They are not cute and fluffy. GHOs are Apex Raptors, Predators of the highest level.

Bonnie and Clyde paid a visit to the Cardinal Land Conservancy nest on Tuesday.

Hawk Mountain migration update. There are some real concerning numbers there and there are some surprises. See if you can find the raptors that gained in numbers and then which one lost the most?

22 year old Red tail Hawk rescued!

‘J’ sends me a note that had me shaking my head: “I told you I had bought Geo Magazine from April 1978 because it had a long article in it about kakapo. It was a harsh read. Starts with quotes from people in the 1800s – I now know the best way to cook a kakapo, you never know when that might come in handy.  When the author went over there were only 12 (!!!) kakapo left as far as anyone knew, and all of them were males. There were 24 humans watching and protecting them 24/7 and basically everyone was waiting for the species to die out. One, a 24 year old student fell down a cliff and died. But after the author came back home he got the call that 30 more kakapo had been found, so at least it ended with a positive note, everyone hoping that at least one of the 30 would be a female.”

Today, people are still working around the clock to care for these amazing birds. As of November 2024, there are 244 kākāpō alive. They are critically endangered. Fun Facts: The population has actually doubled since 2016. The programme to save the Kakapo was started by the New Zealand Government and the Maori tribe, Ngai Tahu. Conservation efforts include artificial insemination, supplementary feeding, and transmitters to help the staff locate the birds for their annual checks.

‘J’ sends us Rita the Eagle’s History Monday:

The visitor to the Achieva Credit Union osprey platform looks down and says, “What the heck is this mess?! And they want me to lay eggs, where?” Thanks, MP for the capture.

Tuesday is always a long day for me. Today was snow and really brisk winds. The roads were terrible. Calico has a project and I had to pick it up at our local photo store – which happened to be about 24 minutes across town on slick roads. I was not impressed with the way our winter is starting. Hopefully I didn’t miss too many events in Bird World!

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, notes of concern, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Heidi, J, MP’, WRDC, Heidi McGrue, Hugo Yugo and the Anderson Animal Wellness Centre in Winnipeg, NEFL-AEF, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Sharon Dunne, Judy Harrington, IWS/Explore.org, Raptor Resource Project, NCTC, Deb Stecyk, Hilton Head Land Trust, Hawk Mountain, A Place Called Hope, Natural History Museum, Rita the Eagle, Achieva Credit Union

Thursday in Bird World

21 November 2024

Good Morning,

Is it Thanksgiving in the US? I think so. So for all of you celebrating, have a wonderful, wonderful day.

We had snow on Tuesday night that started at midnight. Hugo Yugo and I were up watching the delicate flakes fall, but then the rain came. On Wednesday morning, the sky was icy gray and gloomy. Three girls were watching the squirrels scurry about outside waiting for me to dispense the peanuts.

Over coffee, I re-arranged my list of things to do citing the most important at the top going down to the least. There was another section of things to do for fun when life gets overwhelming.

On Wednesday, we set about getting Don a new ID (he can no longer drive so has no license) and passport pictures, as his passport needs to be renewed. Those were the two most critical items on the list. Then, it was time for some fun, so we went to find some things to decorate the window by my grandmother’s dining room table.

My grandmother was the most special person in my life next to my father. I don’t need her table or her quilts or her needlework to remind me of her. She is always present. Her family was from Switzerland where her grandfather was the Regierungsratspräsident or local government council president of Chur, a canton in the northeast. His job was to preside over meetings – not nearly as glamorous as it might sound! We have travelled to see the family home – a traditional house with an attached barn with the vineyards behind the house going up the mountain. It was incredibly beautiful. I am often asked why my great-grandfather left. It was very simple. Simeon was not the first son; Johannes was. All of the other boys would need to find their way as the oldest would inherit everything. So, at the age of fifteen, Simeon crossed the Atlantic alone, first settling in Virginia and then taking a wagon train to West Texas before finally settling in Oklahoma. He had intended to set himself up as a watchmaker, but all of his tools were stolen on that fateful journey to Texas. Instead, he became a cattle rancher.

The table originally belonged to Simeon and my great-grandmother, Caroline. It is unclear when and where they acquired the quarter-cut oak table with its heavy pedestal. At one point, it had several leaves that could be added or removed depending on the number of people dining. I found it buried in a blackberry patch, where it had been for who knows how long, and it only had two leaves left. For more than half a century, this table has accompanied my family, adding to its rich history. If only tables could talk!

We are creating a little woodland scene on that table. Right now, the focus is on placing little felt birds around the pine cones and candle. No telling what it will look like at the end of the week.

Our fun today was attaching little lights that hung down all across the window along with glittery paper snowflakes. Hopefully, Hugo Yugo will not chew on the little lights of the felt birds.

Missy moved in to watch from the sitting area.

Later, Hugo Yugo plunked herself down in front of the wood stove where she refused to move. (It is 0 C outside, but inside the register is reading 25 C – toasty!)

We now have story time before the fire, and everyone agrees that Olivia Laing’s book, In Search of a Common Paradise. The Garden Against Time is not too bad. I’ll let you know more about those later.

Bazz Hockaday has confirmed that the light installed on the barge has allowed Mum to see and catch the fish in the water just below the nest. She did not fish in past years and this is the reason for the change this year. Wilko, Kasse, and Mum enjoying a very early morning snack.

Just a beautiful osprey family. Chicks self-feeding.

So far…

Precious Mum having a nap. She has brought in all three fish on Thursday at the barge and it is now 1330 nest time. Help us out Dad or fairies…Mum is more than pulling her weight. Gosh, golly. She is gold.

When asked about Yira, Cilla Kinross replied on the chat: “I have seen her once in the field (no photos) and several probable sightings via ledge and tower cam. Some videos available on the Youtube channel FalconCam Project.”

The photograph of this bird has been making the rounds. I am unclear now who took it, but it was taken in Puerto Rico. A dark green band could be an osprey ringed in either France (Corsica) or Portugal. Enquiries have been sent out. It reminds me of Blue KW0 discovered in Barbados two years ago. I will let you know what I discover. spotted in Barbados who was a UK osprey. They do sometimes get ‘carried away’ by the winds.

No further news on SE33.

Two couples wanting the Little Miami Conservancy Bald Eagle nest? https://youtu.be/4MzB3SGpiMc?

At the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau, the couple were working on the nest. Later in the day a sub-adult comes visiting.

The day started with rain at Captiva. It cleared. No worries for that egg. Connie and Clive will keep it safe and warm – iguanas included!

I wonder if any ospreys will be interested in the Captiva Osprey platform? There sure are some beautiful sunsets!

Thunder and Akecheta at the West End nest.

Those sweethearts, Jackie and Shadow, were working on that nest today!

They had a little visitor.

Beaky kisses with our lovely couple! https://youtu.be/bevGnWpWOag?

Eagles at Denton Homes working on that new nest!

I love owls, but not when they bother osprey chicks (or any other chicks for that matter). Please eat the mice! There are plenty of them. Barn owls are particularly gorgeous.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/20/country-diary-flushing-out-barn-owls-with-an-explosive-sneeze?CMP=share_btn_url

All About Birds says: “Ghostly pale and normally strictly nocturnal, American Barn Owls are silent predators of the night world. Lanky, with a whitish face, chest, and belly, and buffy upperparts, this owl roosts in hidden, quiet places during the day. By night, they hunt on buoyant wing beats in open fields and meadows. You can find them by listening for their eerie, raspy calls, quite unlike the hoots of other owls.”

Their call sounds like they have a sore throat and need a lozenge. I mostly see GHOs and Snowy Owls. The Snowys are starting to arrive for the winter in Manitoba and can be seen sitting on poles or hay bales in the empty fields.

Female Snowy Owl Portrait” by Charles Patrick Ewing is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Speaking of owls, I don’t know if it was Owlvira or Hoots that visited the nest on Wednesday, but one of the owls made a brief stop.

Lukin, the WTE chick in a nest on a crane near Sydney, took its first short flight to the top of the crane.

What is it like being a wildlife vet? https://youtu.be/C4g2v08D2gY?

Research indicates that wildflower gardens planted in urban settings is as beneficial to insects as wildflower fields in rural areas.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/20/patches-of-wildflowers-in-cities-can-be-just-as-good-for-insects-as-natural-meadows-study-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

Checking in on the Black Stork migration. This was the last news. Gosh, I hope Waba kept on going!

Ducks Unlimited Canada is partnering with an Adjunct Professor and others to determine what is happening to the Eider population. One discovery is that their traditional breeding grounds, the Gulf of Maine, is warming and warming. It is one of the fastest warming places on the planet. Where are they going? What is happening?

A beautiful person sent me this. If you can, please feed the birds this winter.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: Bazz Hockaday, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and PLO Obs Board, Ospreys FB, Little Miami Conservancy, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, IWS/Explore.org, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Denton Homes, Toronto Wildlife Centre, The Guardian, Live Owl Cam, All About Birds, Openverse, Looduskalender

Wildlife Updates: Eagle Nests and Osprey News-Wednesday in Bird World

13 November 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

The first thing. WBSE33 is thin but no fractures and will do well. Relief. But, how many of you remember Daisy the Duck who tried desperately to have ducklings on the nest but lost to the Crows two years in a row. Look at this little sweetie on that sea eaglet nest!

Thank you, and welcome to all our new subscribers. I have exited Twitter and will no longer be posting on that platform. You can now find me on Bluesky with the name OspreyLover. I will figure out how to post my blog there this weekend. Otherwise, the best way to be assured of getting Bird World news is by subscribing. The link is below. I will not send you spam. I will never have a fee for the blog. I publish only one post per day under normal conditions. If there is news that you would not wish to miss, then yes, there could be a second. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please feel free to share the blog with your friends and family. You can also find my blog on FaceBook or by going to maryannsteggles.com

Oh, goodness. A cold, fierce wind blew into Winnipeg Monday night and Tuesday morning. My Soleri chimes were waking up everyone. The outdoor carpet was tangled. Everything was tossed about. Thankfully, Friday is to be a bit warmer. It is time to find the ‘warmer’ coats and boots. Have them at the ready. That 10 C day should also give us time to finish up things for the soon-to-be-named tuxedo cat, ‘The Boyfriend’.

Hugo Yugo is 100% better and looking for more ways to get into mischief and have to have to go to the vet! We still cannot believe that she ate a shoestring with a knot. Incredible. You wouldn’t think she had been on death’s door. The mere fact that had she not passed this shoestring, she would have had to have undergone major surgery. It gives me chills.

These images were taken on Tuesday morning after the ‘expulsion’ Monday evening. Such a cheeky girl. Please believe me when I tell you that Hope is the ‘angel’ in the family of four girls. Hugo Yugo is still quite small for her age.

Darling Hope.

On Tuesday we stopped to remember dear Lewis who died on this day in 2023. He was the dear companion of Missey – and a great kitty to all.

Every year, I prepare myself for the little sea eaglets. They have such a beautiful life in the nest. We grow to love them dearly. Then there is the reality of their lives right after fledge. Heart-breaking. I hope SE33 survives. Some of its older siblings have survived in care. I hope SE33 is trained and released. Then it can have a life. It feels like a triple kick in the gut when the news arrives. Despite knowing to expect something, we always hope. We hope two eaglets will fly out of the nest to the River Roost. There, they would sit next to Lady and Dad, eat fish, and start a family with babies. So today, I am gutted.

In Montana, someone cut down Iris’s Owl Pole where she eats her fish. Dr Greene is investigating. I mean – seriously? Why would anyone do that? But then why would someone cut down the Llyn Brenig platform? Humans need more training so we can co-exist with wildlife in our shared world.

Muhlady laid her first egg on Tuesday. (I do not cover Superbeaks other than the very main points due to the restrictions of the cam owner).

There continues to be hurricanes that can alter the fate of some of the nests in Florida.

Migratory birds are under continuous threat. They are essential to the well-being of our planet.

https://bbc.com/news/science-environment-68254027

In Port Lincoln, Dad is at the nest. Here is the obs board so far. Please note that Mum is fishing!!!!!!!! Way to go. I do not recall her fishing for the kids on the nest in past years. Thump me gently, as I could easily forget. This is excellent news. We know that the nests where females share fishing duties have a greater chance of success. I am smiling so big. I wish you could see it.

First fish is a large one that Mum caught right under the nest. Dad left his fish and then came back and took it. There is some dominance behaviour happening.

Early morning in Melbourne. The rain will come as it did in Orange. These three are staying home. As you know, females are larger. It takes longer for their bodies to bulk up and their feathers to come in because they have so many more to grow. That is also why they require more food and are aggressive. They need all they can get to be bigger and bigger. Let’s all be grateful that they are not flying. I wish Garrama had not gotten startled and flown because it began to rain right after.

Yira and Gammata are cute, adorable, and will be preparing to fledge. I worry about them, too. In the images, unless the camera is playing tricks on us, we can see the difference in size in what could be a female and a male for Diamond and Xavier.

Garrama fledged at 11:26:44 after beaky kisses with Yira.

There is the fledge. https://youtu.be/dk8u-xnmCFw?

Cute video of Bubba preparing to fledge in case you missed it. Thanks, Heidi. (I could not find the live stream today). https://youtu.be/Hbi_1T2zyfc?

Just look at Bubba! Oh, the benefits of being the only osplet on the nest.

There are three beautiful fully feathered osplets at the Coobowie platform in South Australia. This is wonderful news. This nest originally had four chicks, unheard of in Australia. Sadly, the fourth hatch died.

At Captiva Eagle Cam, Connie and Clive are there. When should we expect our first egg, do you think?

The nest at NE Florida looks ready.

It was windy in Iowa and from the historical records, we should not be expecting an egg with The Majestics at Denton Homes any time soon. Both eagles were at the nest late Monday night.

Gigi and the new male were at the ND-LEEF nest on Tuesday in South Bend, Indiana.

Hope and Chandler visited the nest at Port Tobacco separately. But like the ND-LEEF nest, they could both be sitting on branches above the nest. Sometimes you can see shadows.

At least one eagle at Avon Lake.

Beautiful Liberty and Guardian at the Redding nest on Tuesday together.

Mr North is bringing in sticks! https://youtu.be/IC8Qaj9dD-A?

At the nest of Bonnie and Clyde, there is a possum! Oh, geez. I am glad there are not eggs to eat. I love this couple despite the fact that they ousted a young eagle couple and well, we know what GHOs do to young osplets. https://youtu.be/q6hxRXKEDxk?

The latest news from Hawk Mountain. Either some species have not started to move South or we have a huge problem. Take your time and look at the up to date numbers and the ten-year average. Others are doing better – the vultures and the Bald Eagles.

Wild bird numbers continue to decline dramatically.

A teenager in British Columbia has the first case of Bird Flu, assumed to be H5, in Canada.

A Golden Eagle with a satellite tag missing in the infamous Angus Glens Grouse Moor Estate!

Your smile today comes from Missey. I now know why I cannot grow ferns.

Thank you for being with us today. I have some good images to share with you. I just need time to get my long lens camera plugged in to download them. There are never enough hours in the day!!!!!!!! Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, H, J’, Judy Harrington, Meterologist Bryan Bennett, BBC News, Port Lincoln Osprey Cam, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Growing Home, Dave Wetherall and Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, SK Hideaways, Growing Home, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, Denton Homes, ND-LEEF, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, FORE, Farmer Derek, tulsaducati, Hawk Mountain, The Guardian, Raptor Persecution UK.

Bubba is ready to fledge…Monday in Bird World

11 November 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you for your good wishes for Hugo Yugo. As I write this, she is pretty sick. She ate a little food on Saturday night and drank water on Sunday morning. She was able to keep it down. I am preparing to feed her with a syringe with ground-up kibble mixed with kitten milk to keep her going until she can see the vet on Wednesday. I will feed her every 1.5 hours. It is now late Sunday evening. Hugo Yugo had another feeding and instead of going straight to hide in my room on my pillow, she plunked herself down on the foot stool to watch her sisters. It feels like an improvement. And yes, we fed her with a syringe until nearly midnight when she ate on her own. Tears.

She is now cuddled with her Missey. This is fantastic.

I am really, really tired of hearing about our wildlife being killed unnecessarily. It has been a week that just keeps on giving!

New research shows that skyscrapers are killing millions of birds annually during migration. It doesn’t have to happen. What is wrong with people?

Fears New York buildings’ deadly toll on migratory birds could be on the rise. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/10/birds-building-collisions-new-york-city?CMP=share_btn_url

It just seems there have been so many deaths associated with humans where I live lately. There were the eight bald eagles in the field (COD pending), then the two local foxes whose den was destroyed at the site of new condos – the one being hit by a car on a busy street last night and the other on a busy bridge. My fear is that they were targeted – the driver of the vehicle either baiting them or driving around til they saw them out and speeding up. I am worried about Dyson and her kids who now run across a street that has nothing to slow down the would be Formula 3 drivers since their trees were cut down. We went to get Hugo Yugo more kitten milk and noticed the large tree at the intersection where the Blue Jays nest has a vast orange circle on it this morning, indicating it is now destined to be cut down. When they are finished, we will not have a tree anywhere in sight higher than a meter. Our street was fully canopied two years ago after the leaves came out. It was gorgeous. Looks like the barren moonscape now. The trees the City planted will take 25 years even to become a size for animals to use. The ones being cut down were planted in 1902. If I could scoop up all the garden animals and The Boyfriend and move them, I would leave.

Oh, enough of my rant. The animals are so used to me that I can now sit on the upper deck and photograph them while they forage.

Just look at Dyson. She is not young. She is a real Senior citizen in the squirrel community, but, more important, she is the matriarch.

It is not a great image, but look at that strong back leg of Dyson’s as she gets ready to jump down with her precious peanut.

One of Dyson’s three kits. Isn’t it cute?

And another kit. The three of them were running around the garden with their Mum. They don’t mind me at all. I feel so privileged – and, of course, these are the reasons that I could never leave here – just vacation elsewhere. There is no natural food or not much for them anymore. The Squirrels used to eat the ‘helicopters’ (the seeds) of the Maple Trees but there are no more Maples and no one had the foresight to plant Oak trees!!!!!!!!!!! So no acorns. I did catch Little Red at the very top of the crab apple tree getting the little apples, though. That is not enough to sustain even him, however.

This is how it starts out in the morning. Today, I discovered that the Blue Jays get busy pecking the peanuts and shooting the ones they don’t like off the feeding tray! Dyson & Co thank them for sure. Junior is also stuffing peanuts down its throat like Mr Crow – like a pouch as in pelican. :))

Both Crows visited today.

Oh, the joy they bring! Just look at that face on the Crow above. I cannot imagine anyone harming them.

Isn’t this a gorgeous image? Don Dennis photographed this Bald Eagle couple on Russell Lake, Nova Scotia on Saturday, 9 November 2024. Many more will be coming to our prey-rich Atlantic province for the winter! Don is an excellent photographer. It looks like these two were deep in conversation. I love the evergreens and then that touch of autumn foliage.

Time to check on the birds on streaming cams.

Bubba is ready to fly! 56 days old. Heidi got all the hovering action on video! https://youtu.be/Hbi_1T2zyfc?

At Port Lincoln, breakfast came early. Kasse ate last, but the milestone reached was by Wilko who stood up to eat! He is becoming a ‘big boy’.

Wilko stands up tall part way through the feeding to eat! Way to go, Wilko.

Now it is Kasse’s turn for some fish!

At Collins Street, the parents want the triplets to fledge. They deliver prey and take it away flying by to tease them to use those wings and chase them! It is all coming far too soon for Melbourne and Orange. https://youtu.be/l-xDYFIszYQ?

Diamond and Xavier are not withholding prey!

No news really for the fledgling WBSE. It kind of worries me. The one was in the bushes the other day. Will someone check? I wonder. One had their wing caught eons ago in branches down low and couldn’t get away.

At Hilton Head Bald Eagle nest, we have a takeover (or potential take over bid) by the GHOs. The nest was battered by Hurricane Milton. Wonder where the eagles will nest? https://youtu.be/5WqBTRFWqZ4?

Meanwhile at NE Florida, Gabby and Beau worked tirelessly on Sunday getting that nest ready for those precious eggs (fingers crossed).

It rained in Iowa. I did not see any eagles working on the nest at Decorah North. Rain started later in the afternoon.

Eagles were present at Denton Homes.

Beautiful sunset over the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Connie and Clive.

Where are the Ospreys at Captiva?

Jackie and Shadow make us all smile! They were at Big Bear on Sunday! https://youtu.be/QqiawH1-NpA?

Franklin was near the ETSU-Bluff City nest on Sunday.

And look who later joined him on the branch – Frances!

At the WRDC, Ron and Rose are getting cosy. https://youtu.be/g-bRObhrWfQ?

Incubation changes at SW Florida are smooth and routine.

Lots of work to do by Jolene and Boone at the ETSU-Johnson City nest destroyed by Milton. They got a kind helping hand on that rebuild.

Incorrigible. The Grouse Moor Licensing Scheme to protect raptors is already attacked by the estate owners! Unbelievable.

I hope they don’t mind. Karl II was the most amazing Black Stork father and he deserves to always be remembered on ‘Father’s Day in Estonia’ and every where around the world where he was loved.

Here is that video: https://youtu.be/ECHO4uUJrFQ?

The latest from Sharon Dunne on the Royal Albatross chicks and their flight to the waters off Chile.

Rita the Eagle Monday Facts.

Live in Vancouver? There is a fundraiser for The Nest Companion Bird Car & Rehabilitation Society.

There are still hundreds if not thousands of Canada Geese in Winnipeg who have not migrated. In SW Manitoba, the Sandhill Cranes are still flying south. It is the middle of November!

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, images, posts, videos, and streaming cams: ‘A, Connie and Don Dennis,H, J’, Heidi McGrue, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Judy Harrington, Hilton Head Land Trust, NEFL-AEF, Raptor Resource Project/explore.org, Denton Homes, Window to Wildlife, Heidi McGrue, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Cali Condor, ETSU-Bluff City, ETSU-Johnson City, Raptor Persecution UK, Madli Allsoo, Sharon Dunne, Rita the Eagle, The Nest Companion Bird Care & Rehabilitation Society

First egg of the Bald Eagle season at SW Florida…Saturday in Bird World

9 November 2024

Hello Everyone. Good Morning!

Congratulations to M15 and F23 on beating everyone to the start line for the 2024-25 Bald Eagle breeding season. Wow. 8 November. These two are early!

M15 was above the nest during the labour and immediately went down to share the moment with his mate. And then, of course, the gift of fish. Congratulations!

SK Hideaways captures this historic moment and the delivery of the fish gift for his mate by M15 on video: https://youtu.be/EAsqF1jMMWg?

I wonder which eagle nest will be next.

There were two major breakthroughs on Friday morning with ‘The Boyfriend’. He did not go under the step when I took ‘his’ food out. He stayed about a metre away. Then he sunned himself looking in the window at Calico and Baby Hope. About an hour later, one of the ‘pets’ that get let outside arrived. ‘The Boyfriend’ did not attack the cat, but that cat hissed and howled like someone was pulling its ears off. He just sat still and stared and then went back to getting some sun. I have put a call in for a trap to catch the tiny black kitten so that it can go to a shelter, be socialized, and have a home. And now for the fun part. How long have we been calling this tuxedo cat ‘The Boyfriend’? Don’t you think it is time for him to have a name? Please send me suggestions either in the comments or by sending me an e-mail. I will put all of them in a jar and pull one out on the 15th of December. So, please help us name this kitty we have grown to love so much! He has now started his de-worming treatments.

Please, also, send your best wishes to little Hugo Yugo who is quite under the weather. We are hoping that she is only having difficulty with a hairball. She now has medicine which should send that mat of hair out the other end like the Atlas rocket!

She has been drinking lots of water and resting. Even Hope knows she is unwell and is letting her sleep in the basket without bothering her. Thanks, Baby Hope! (Of course, Baby Hope is no longer a ‘baby’ as she is now as big as Calico!)

Gosh, I am glad the fish fairy came to Port Lincoln. What a relief. Wilko and Kasse are growing and they need more and more fish. I wonder if there is any parallel between the weeks each year when Dad’s fishing seems to slow?

Mum, Wilko, and Kasse are waiting for fish.

Kasse is one month and one day old today. There she is nearest the screen in the image above – she still has a bit of the white stripe down her back. it will be gone shortly. It was a quick and easy way to tell her apart form Wilko. Is Kasse the largest? Kasse is three days younger than Wilko. I think Kasse is a female third hatch. They are both antsy and we need more fish on this nest – for Mum, too. Come on Fish Fairies!

At this feeding, Kasse got the fish tail.

Great view of Kasse with her white stripe.

Yeah. Three Tommy Ruffs delivered to Mum, Wilko, and Kasse at 1147. Thank you, Fish Fairies.

News from Sydney–:

Both chicks ate early at Orange amidst a lot of wingersizing!

“Please feed me the Starling!”

The Collins Street eyases are looking more and more like their adult parents on Saturday.

Karen Leng caught the triplets in a FB video on Friday when F23 flew in with prey. Oh, they are hungry and it got a wee bit chaotic as would be expected as we near fledge. The baby is last up to the beak. Notice the difference in the amount of down still clinging to the wing feathers.

SK Hideaways caught the triplets branching and getting rid of a lot of fluff! https://youtu.be/YTHBvEzfNsA?

One of the triplets makes it to the perch! Heidi caught the moment on video: https://youtu.be/zZp3Q-xeBm4?

F23 protects her babies. https://youtu.be/ZW3vdXxADcc?

Bubba continues to thrive at Growing Home nest near Sydney, Australia.

It was an amazing year at Poole Harbour. CJ7 and Blue 022 raised four osplets to fledge without even missing a beat in the music. CJ7 contributed much fish to the nest to help her mate. I don’t recall any animosity and of course we all fell in love with the fourth feisty hatch Blue 5H6 which just has to be a female. There is a five part series celebrating the triumphs of the season, please take the time to watch. What a year it was!

Just look at that beautiful family.

The first segment is ‘The Arrival’. Here are Blue 022 and CJ7 meeting one another after their migration, an early scene in the segment.

It’s annual adoption time at the Kakapo Recovery.

Read Bluster-Murphy’s profile and learn how to adopt a kākāpō here: https://www.doc.govt.nz/…/get-involved/adopt-a-kakapo/

The latest news from Knepp Farm on the White Stork’s reintroduction and the huge success of 2024. It is a remarkable story of Polish storks that were injured and could not fly being brought to the UK to re-establish the population there.

Connie and Clive have been at the Captiva Nest. I wonder if they will be next to lay eggs?

Jackie and Shadow were at their nest, too! https://youtu.be/MDW_573xNpU?

And if you can keep track of the numbers, E1-M2 and E1-F3 were at the Kistachie National Forest E1 nest working hard.

The Majestics are working hard, too!

There are so many Bald Eagle nests. These aren’t even scratching the surface.

Is climage change changing eagle migration and prompting early breeding?

Geese make me smile. I love my Canada Geese, Ross’s Geese, White-fronted Geese and dream of seeing seas of Barnacle Geese and Pink-footed Geese. Maybe!

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

Thank you to the following for their posts, notes, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, H, J’, SWFlorida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Judy Harrington and Olympic Park Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Karen Leng, SK Hideaways, Heidi McGrue, Growing Home Osprey Cam, Birds of Poole Harbour, Kakapo Recover, Knepp Farm, Window to Wildlife, Cali Condor, Kistachie National Forest, Denton Homes, Zero Hour Climate, Wild Sligo.

Fish Fairy Arrives at Port Lincoln…Friday in Bird World

8 November 2024

Good Morning,

It was sunny and windy on Thursday morning. There were about 500-600 Canada Geese on a nearby golf course when I drove past. The water in the ponds providing swimming for some and no doubt safety for others later.

All of the feral cats have been to the feeders this morning: Squishy, a grey tabby with a flipped over ear, the Orange Ginger family pet that is let loose during the day, the grey tabby, and The Boyfriend. The need is growing. Of course, everyone thinks that prices of things will drop, but in my lifetime I have never seen this happen. Pet food appears to be soaring. My heart breaks for the families who have to surrender their pets, but not for those that dump them. They need care and surely there is someone to take them home and love them rather than leaving them to the freezing cold of a Winnipeg winter. On Saturday we will take all the wood out of the wood boxes, load them with straw and put a light bulb in there and close in three and a half sides. It will help some.

There is still concern about Avian Flu and bird feeders. ‘R’ sent us an article from The Washington Post that might answer some of your questions. The author says, “While avian flu is widespread among wild bird species, less than 2 percent of cases have been in songbirds and other typical visitors to bird feeders. Health officials have not recommended taking down bird feeders except for people who keep domestic poultry as part of a backyard flock. (In such cases, the USDA says poultry owners should take down feeders for wild birds or keep them well away from their captive flock, and to make the captive flock’s food and water inaccessible to wild birds.)

People should clean bird feeders and bird baths regularly. Make sure to thoroughly wash your hands after touching the feeders. Avoid direct contact with birds, and do not handle sick or dead birds.”

Here is the entire article. Please read!

The GHO continues to come to the nest of M15 and F23. https://youtu.be/dRJqTZaPN-M?

Fort St Vrain female brings rabbit up to the nest. https://youtu.be/KhZAFvcMp1c?

Gabby on and off the nest quickly at NE Florida!

M15 and F23 working diligently every day on their nest in Fort Myers, Florida.

M15 checks out the nest for suitability for F23 and their eggs.

Chandler flew in to the Port Tobacco Eagle Nest for a few seconds!

Haven’t seen anyone so far on Thursday at Big Bear.

Ron and Rose were at the WRDC nest despite the very windy conditions on Thursday.

Connie and Clive visit the Captiva Eagle nest on the Barrier Islands in Florida on a breezy day. Nice crops! Good to see these two after Milton tore through the island.

Eagles working on the Denton Home nest and sleeping together at the nest. What a wonderful sight.

Wednesday they worked on the West End cam of Thunder and Akecheta, Thursday it was Two Harbours nest of Chase and Cholyn, Thunder’s parents.

Sub-adult visits the NCTC nest of Bella and Scout. https://youtu.be/uWfxpBlLquY?

They were flapping and waiting for breakfast at 367 Collins Street in Melbourne.

Prey delivery at Collins Street.

‘A’ remarks: “Suddenly, the trio at Collins Street are rapidly approaching fledge. Two of them are now running along the ledge, flapping their wings vigorously, which is nerve-wracking in the extreme. There is almost no fluff left on the older two, except a few dandelions on their heads. The youngest still sports some fluff on its wings, but suddenly, these three are looking very much like juvenile falcons. We will not have them for much longer. I cannot believe how quickly that triple-headed fluffball of an eating machine has become three juveniles who are potentially within days of fledging. Omigod, I am going to miss them SO much. It seems like only yesterday that we saw our first gutter stomp. “

Yira and Gammata share morning prey. Diamond feeds, too.

Do they need more prey at Orange? https://youtu.be/S-XJbpAaq0c?

‘A’ comments: “At Orange, the pair still have quite a bit of down on their heads and wings. They are about a week behind the Collins Street trio, are they not? At least the Orange fledglings do often/usually return to the scrape after fledging (we remember those occasions when the parents literally had to bar the door from their adult offspring, with a not so gentle hint relating to the concept of dispersal). But we do generally get to see a bit more of them once they fledge. At Collins Street, we essentially wait until someone finds one of them injured, dead or starving on the streets of Melbourne’s CBD. We get little or no information on them post-fledge (although the Facebook group may have some BOTG – I’ll be relying on you for info from that source). But watching the Collins Street kids today has left me flabbergasted at how time has flown and the fact these chicks are already about to do the same. I’m sad now. “

Dad is off his perch and Mum is calling for food. There was not much on Thursday and Kasse got nothing. There was some beaking. This provoked the fish fairies into action.

‘A’ reports: “The most important news of the day is that there was a four-fish delivery from our beloved Fish Fairy at Port Lincoln this morning (09:38). A day too late unfortunately to prevent the two incidents of bonking yesterday that for the first time occurred during a feeding and was definitely done in order to prevent Kasse from eating. Not a good thing, and I’m glad the FF stepped in straight away. I would have preferred it to happen two days ago, when I was worrying about the lack of food deliveries and the potential for aggression this presented, but I suppose they were trying to avoid it altogether. And dad had been stepping up his fishing efforts – successfully, up until the last three or four days. So it was probably weather-related. But whatever the reason, the nature and timing of yesterday’s aggression made it essential that the Fish Fairy step in asap. I’m glad they didn’t delay. “

Thank you, Fish Fairies! I will sleep better Thursday night in Canada knowing you are there.

Heidi’s video of the Fish Fairy!!!!!!!! They included this information below the video: “Wilko is 33 days old, and Kasse is 30 days old. There were only two fish delivered to the nest yesterday, and as a result there was significant sibling aggression due to food competition. This morning, the ‘Fish Fairy’ placed four fish on the nest. It was the first time the supplemental fish were necessary this season. Ospreys are endangered in South Australia, and last season they instituted an officially authorized program of supplemental feeding for this nest. The supplemental feeding program is intended to help increase the survival rate of the osprey nestlings. Last year’s Fish Fairy program was a success, and both osplets fledged! For more information on the supplemental feeding program, please see this statement dated 10/27/23: https://portlincoln-osprey.com/portli…

https://youtu.be/lZRZQG4puUs?

The latest on the Olympic Park eagles.

Elizabeth Grey, National Audubon said on Thursday that Audubon vows to: “Strengthening Local and State Initiatives: While federal policy may shift, our commitment to local and state conservation efforts remains steadfast. We will work with communities to build resilience, ensuring that conservation continues regardless of changes at the federal level.” Just as I see my City taking every piece of land and building 3-4 story apartment buildings instead of 35 stories, each of us needs to lend a hand to help wildlife. You can do that in your own garden.

Jackie and Shadow have been chortling! https://youtu.be/d8gCyTmwZ0A?

I needed a smile today and seeing Seren 5F at her winter home in The Gambia does it. She is a great mate to Dylan at Llyn Clywedog and a fantastic mother. She wasted a lot of years being courted by Aran but, in the end, he stayed with Mrs G. Great choice! But glad 5F found a great mate, too. Dylan is amazing. This is her biography from Glaslyn Wildlife.

Seren Blue 5F will be thirteen years old during the 2025 breeding season.

“Hatched at the Rutland Site K nest in 2012. Her mother is the satellite tagged female Yellow 30 (hatched at the Rutland Site B nest in 2005) and her father was the translocated Rutland male Red 08 (2001).

In December 2013, Blue 5F was photographed by Chris Wood at Tanji Marsh in Gambia, she was 18 months old at the time and would not yet have made a return journey to the UK. In December 2014 Chris returned to Tanji Marsh and he again found 5F settled for the winter there. She had not been spotted back in the UK during the summer, although it is likely she would have travelled north as a two-year old. On 9th April 2015 Blue 5F was captured on camera again, as she landed on the perch of the Glaslyn nest, this was the first sighting of her in the UK as an adult. She remained in the Glaslyn area during the summer and intruded at the Glaslyn nest on several occasions. By the middle of October we heard the news via Fansu Bojang and Chris Wood that 5F was back in her wintering quarters in Tanji Marsh.

On 29th March 2016 Blue 5F landed on the perch at Glaslyn once again. Two days later she was in a skirmish with her cousin Blue 24 at the Dyfi nest. Glesni, another cousin, who was the resident female at Dyfi, had not yet returned. Before long, 5F was back on a favourite nesting platform in the Glaslyn area. Aran was spotted mating with her on several occasions and for a while she appeared to be incubating eggs. The nest failed however and 5F soon resumed her regular intrusions at the Glaslyn nest.

During the winters of 2016 to 2019, 5F was once again settled in her wintering quarters in Gambia, where Chris Wood photographed her for the fourth and fifth consecutive years.  During the winter of 2018 she spent the majority of her time in the Tujereng Beach area of Gambia, although she was spotted at Tanji again in autumn 2019.

On 1st April 2020, 5F appeared on the camera that had been installed by NRW at the Llyn Clywedog Osprey nest in mid-Wales. On 3rd April she also appeared on the Glaslyn nest, before being seen off by Mrs G. The following day she returned to Clywedog and was soon joined by the resident male, Dylan. The original female, Delyth, failed to return and 5F became Dylan’s new mate. Together they raised three male chicks and all three successfully fledged. A very happy outcome – Congratulations 5F!”

There are still Ospreys in the Netherlands that have not migrated – along with several in the UK. Maybe they know something we do not? Is it possible not to migrate in an age of climate change? Last year was the hottest on record for our planet.

How might climate change impact Bald Eagles?

Latest ever osprey in Poole Harbour is Blue 511.

A 25 year old German Osprey has been seen in Sardinia. Blue Ring OD. Amazing. Its experience, after surviving those first years after fledgling, have kept this bird alive. Incredible.

The last information I could find on the migration of the Black Storks from Estonia. Apologies for the small size. I cannot enlarge but perhaps you can.

Calico wonders if you would like to make someone feel warm and fuzzy? Lucille Powell has provided the address for the residents of the Riverview Care home next to Iris and Finnegan’s nest. Have a card and a stamp? Want to include a note about yourself and how much you love the ospreys? Or anything else. Here is the information. Think about spreading the love!

I do not know if they are taking any further orders but here is the information about the Iris and Finnegan pins. These are made out of sticks brought to the nest by the ospreys and collected by Dr Greene. They are carefully lathed and assembled by Sharon Leigh and her husband. I have enjoyed mine for years and you can get find new ink cartridges almost anywhere.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We hope to 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, R’, The Washington Post, Androcat, chickiedee64, NEFL-AEF, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, FOBBV, WRDC Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, Denton Homes Eagle Cam, Trudi Kron and Bald Eagles 101, Deb Stecyk and NCTC Eagle Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Nesting Birdlife and More, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Olympic Park Eagle Cam, Heidi McGrue, Judy Harrington, SK Hideaways, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Valerie Webber and The Clywedog Osprey Group, Yale Climate Connections, Ecology and Evolution and PMC, Jeff Kear and Friends of Loch Arkaig FB, H Lorm and Looduskalender Forum, Montana Ospreys at Hellgate and Lucille Powell, Montana Osprey Cams.

All is well in Bird World (well mostly)…Thursday in Bird World

31 October 2024

Good Morning,

It is Halloween. It is also Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Will you be celebrating either of these holidays? In years past, we used to get at least 75 children at the door wanting treats, and that all changed. I am thrilled that some of the streets in our neighbourhood are being blocked off so that the children can run from house to house and cross the street without worry of being hit by a car. On Saturday, there was the walk at Bird’s Hill, and CPAWS put on all the games and treats. There have been events at many of the community centres. Everyone is trying to make it safe for the little ones to be outside. The biggest Diwali party took place at our convention centre a couple of weeks ago.

I remember several years spent celebrating this holiday on the Indian Subcontinent eons ago. The food was delicious! It was the same later in Singapore. We have put up extra lights in the garden this year and will be thinking of our friends in India and Singapore as they celebrate good over evil and light over darkness.

Divali 2011” by npmeijer is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

National Geographic Kids gives this information on Divali: “Diwali, or Dipawali, is India‘s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.

Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that’s also enjoyed by non-Hindu communities. For instance, in Jainism, Diwali marks the nirvana, or spiritual awakening, of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C.; in Sikhism, it honors the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru, was freed from imprisonment. Buddhists in India celebrate Diwali as well.”

Now, ‘The Girls’ are wondering how much you know about Halloween. They consulted Good Housekeeping and it says, “If you think Halloween is a uniquely American tradition, grab a mini Snickers and settle in, because you’ve got some learning to do. Dressing up in a creative costume, traipsing around in the gathering dusk to collect the best candy or throwing a monster bash with friends are all time-honored holiday traditions. But Halloween didn’t start stateside at all. 

In fact, the origins of Halloween go back thousands of years to the Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced “sow-win”), a festival that marked the end of the harvest season and ushered in a new year. During Samhain, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was thought to be especially thin, so people could communicate with loved ones who had passed on.

Whether or not you buy into the supernatural, it’s still fun to learn a little something about the meaning behind your favorite Halloween traditions before you head out trick-or-treating. Turns out, the holiday has a much more interesting (and sometimes even spookier!) backstory than many people realize. Travel back in time with us to learn what some of the very first celebrations of Halloween looked like, including throwback ghoulies and ghosties, what people used to carve in place of pumpkins and even the elements that Valentine’s Day and Halloween have in common. We can guarantee there wasn’t a glitter pumpkin or superhero costume in sight.”

Calico urges you to keep your kitties inside during Halloween. (She thinks they should be inside all the time and Calico should know – she lived on the street!)

The best news in the world is that Lady and Dad are feeding SE33 and SE34 over away from the river from the moment and while they might be getting harranged by Currawongs and other small birds, they appear to be flying strong and eating well as of the time I am writing. Seeing the eaglets and their parents together just made me shed tears of joy. I hope you did, too!

I will continue to post all of the news that I can find. Some might overlap with earlier reports.

Those precocious falcon chicks are stealing more prey from Dad. https://youtu.be/pDUOEwKDnzM?

The Collins kids are all over the place.

It is really, really hot on that ledge in Melbourne. The temperature ready for lower down is 16 C. I wonder what it is on that ledge. Just look at Mum.

News from New Jersey says that Ospreys are staying later this year. In Manitoba, there are still lots and lots of geese and ducks. Perhaps this is the reason for the low migration numbers of raptors below. I sure hope so. The Red-tail Hawk count makes me cry. Let’s hope this is just a late season or these raptors are in trouble.

It seems that we take one step forward and one or two backwards when it comes to protecting wildlife and habitat. More news from Geemeff:

This is a damning report on the state of the environment and rewilding just after we read about huge swaths of land being put into trust and not into grouse shooting.

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/blairgowrie-advertiser/20241029/281530821516284

Osprey accepted the platform that had to be removed and rebuilt in South Australia. Wonderful news. Now if we can get Ervie a mate and a platform with a camera all of our dreams will come true. Little Envies!!!!!!! Think about it.

Breakfast at Port Lincoln. Gosh, Dad is doing a good job this season. Would love to give him a pat on his feathered back. Keep up the good work!

Wilko is full and Kasse is still eating.

Breakfast for Yira and Garrama. Yira takes the leftovers. https://youtu.be/RBnv5MTwXdg?

Elain gives us a glimpse into Yira and Garrama in a way only she can. https://youtu.be/2WdhOJyefhc?

Beau and Gabby continue to work in their amazing nest. As we enter November, we can hope that fertilized eggs will appear by the end of the month with a hatch on Samson’s hatch day (24 December).

‘H’ sent me some sad news this morning regarding the cameras at NE Florida: “We’ll be lucky if we get to see any of Gabby and Beau and their family this season.  As you know, cam 2 is down all season due to a broken cable.  Well, now the cam 1 issues have been diagnosed:  a partially broken cable.  Not all the strands within the cable at the nest are being used to transmit to the server… meaning that some of the cam 1 cable fibers are broken.  Cam 4 is still okay so far.”

I cannot imagine know knowing if Gabby and Beau have babies this year. Was it the hurricane that damaged the cables (Milton)? Do the cameras get an annual check up here? I wonder.

Pouring down rain at Decorah North on Wednesday.

Eagle vocals were heard at Pittsburgh-Hayes.

Jackie and Shadow were busy on Wednesday.

Five food gifts for F23 from M15 on Wednesday. https://youtu.be/-V8VxMSS1is?

It was raining at the West End, too. Thunder was looking out over the territory.

This is a very good use of funds. They will get to the bottom of all the questions about Menhaden and quotas and surely to goodness will help save the Osprey in the same way that the warnings from Rachel Carson issued about DDT did in the 1970s. There are many species at risk because of the commercial fishing of Menhaden being allowed by the State of Virginia. It needs to stop before they are wiped out entirely and there are no more ospreys, not even starving ones.

Butterflies are moving north, expanding their territory because of climate change. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/30/butterflywatch-gatekeepers-spread-north-scotland?CMP=share_btn_url

Scotland is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. It is home to so many raptors. So why not rewild 33% of Scotland. This film asks that question. Our narrator is a 26 year old who has eco- anxiety. Take some time to watch. It isn’t just Scotland. There are some gorgeous images and thought provoking questions. Even a good comparison between Scotland and Norway, the Oder Delta between Germany and Poland, and other sites that have rewilded. Happy ecosysystems and biodiversity link to the nature and climate crisis. https://youtu.be/FFypWj1bjPk?

Missing story time with Calico and the other three girls is not a good thing. I apologized this evening profusely and we settled down with treats and a good book. It got Calico’s Ten Golden Paw Award and she thinks you might want to put it on your holiday list for those special children in your life. It is not about raptors, but about seals and comes to us from Wales. The main characters are the seals that come to the island to have their pups and to rest. The other central character is Tina, a little girl who lives on the island where her Mum is the local vet. It is summer holiday season and Tina is determined to make the holiday goers that come to the island understand how to respect the seals. The book is: Rescue at Seal Bay by Gill Lewis. The only colour illustrations are on the front and back covers. All others are black and white drawings, just in case you wanted to know. The story is really good and Calico didn’t mind not seeing images in colour! It is listed at $14.99 CDN at the online retailers.

Calico found a lot of books written by Gill Lewis. We just ordered another one for her birthday – Sky Hawk. It is about Hen Harriers! I can’t wait to read it.

Smile for the day. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/JPkhvnseMUSZKTni/

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, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J’, OpenVerse, National Geographic for Children, Eagle Cam, Judy Harrington, Rohan Geddes, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Hawk Mountain Migration Chart, pressreader.com, Fran Solly Coffin Bay Community Notice Board, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Nesting Bird Life and More, Elain, NEFL-AEF, Androcat, Raptor Research Project/Explore.org, PIX Cams, FOBBV, IWS/Explore.org, Joanie Millward, Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal, The Scottish Rewilding Alliance, Gill Lewis, Harley Thomas White.

Sea eaglet fledglings being harrassed….Tuesday in Bird World

29 October 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Greetings from a beautiful day on the Canadian Prairies. We hope all of you are well. Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope have the perfect idea for what to do on a cool fall afternoon.

At Melbourne, F24 is searching for prey for the triplets. https://youtu.be/f8zV8-Qp_zU?

How many times have we seen an immature eagle bring its very own fish tail to a nest? It happened at Captiva. https://youtu.be/0YrQh375GBY?

Beau and Gabby continue to work on their nest at NE Florida. We are a month away from eggs at all the nests (or thereabouts).

M15 and F23 continue work on their nest as well fortifying the crib rails. https://youtu.be/8BBKEm1CH4U?

Ron and Rose are busy at the WRDC nest!

Hope has been at the Port Tobacco nest on and off and flew in with a big fish late Monday morning.

No one has been at the Bluff City nest in Tennessee so far.

Duke Farms is working on their camera.

Gigi has been on the ND-LEEF nest. A male eagle has also been seen.

Eagle on the NCTC nest on Monday.

The fledglings are being seen. Now are they being fed?

‘A’ writes: “October 28: An empty nest but a couple of sightings during the day. During the morning, we think one eaglet was heard in the mangroves. The parents were circling overhead. Lady was seen with a fish, circling over the whole area. We were listening for alarm calls from the swooping currawongs and ravens, which alert us to where an eaglet might be. Early afternoon, we spotted an eaglet in a casurina by Wharf Pond – just over our heads, with a couple of currawongs in attendance. After a while, it flew off strongly, out of sight. Later, both eagles were reported with prey over the river, though both fed themselves and when seen again had no catch. Just after 3pm, I saw one adult circling over the Armory area. One eaglet spotted again in the area – it’s hide and seek . We watched as the eaglet, we thing SE34, hoped along a wire fence-line, with ravens pulling and poking it. It finally flew off along the pathway, landing clumsily in a tree. The swoopers found it again, both currawongs and magpies. By standing still, the swoopers gradually left and it was resting. We think it flew off again late. A long day for 2 eaglets out in the world.”

They are busy at the Decorah North Bald Eagle nest including eating fish on the nest! https://youtu.be/sT3OmgA-Ueo?

At SW Florida, M15 and F23 are like an exquisite machine working together in a kind of blended harmony. Just image when Harriet went missing. Did anyone believe that M15 would raise those two beautiful month old eaglets to fledge? He did. Did we ever believe seeing all those female eagles fight for fish on the nest with their worn talons that he would find a beautiful mate like F23? And just look. Their second breeding year together. I can’t wait! https://youtu.be/-tgJiE7otoU?

Gammatta and Yira are full of energy. https://youtu.be/MUnHxeRvIhM?

Breakfast at Port Lincoln. More fish and more fish. Wilko and Kasse are little eating machines. Aren’t they beautiful?

As we prepare for the Osprey breeding season next spring in the northern hemisphere, why not begin to grow your knowledge? I will be posting articles from the most basic to several theses that deal with specific aspects of the fish hawk’s behaviour.

Lily and Margot found!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/28/parrots-missing-london-zoo-found-cambridgeshire-garden-lily-margot?CMP=share_btn_url

‘J’ sends us a book recommendation (I have not read it yet), but I thought you might be interested:

Calico’s Tip for the Day!

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

Thank you for to the following for their posts, notes, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, J’, Nesting Bird Life and More, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, The Real Saunders Photography, SW Florida Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, WRDC, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, ETSU-Johnson City, ND-LEEF, Rohan Geddes and Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, tulsaducati, Androcat, SK Hideaways, Port Lincoln Osprey Cam, RSPB, The Guardian, Taschenbuch, Winnipeg Missing and Found Cat Watch.

Monday in Bird World

28 October 2024

Good Morning,

Oh, we had a fun time Saturday afternoon. For the past four years, CPAWS (Canada Parks and Wilderness Society) hosts a Halloween walk with games and treats at Bird’s Hill Provincial Park. We headed out to get our 2k exercise and check out the chickadees. Had they returned? And would they land on our hands for seed?

Decorations lined the paths, which were clearly marked. There was that peculiar smell of fall, the musky sweet aroma of the fallen leaves under our boots, so familiar that one never forgets it from year to year.

To the right of our dear witch are the golden leaves of the Oak trees, so plentiful in the park. There were conifers, aspens, and birch.

When we were in Nova Scotia, our remembrances of the trip were the Red Maple Leaves we collected and the pine cones. There were no Red Maples in the woods, but we did find pine cones to add to the bowl on our dining table. They are so tiny compared to the ones we brought home from the Annapolis Valley.

The Black-capped Chickadees were not shy. They would get their seed, fly quickly to a branch to crush and eat it, and then, just as quickly return for another. The energy they expend getting food is admirable. It is their familiar song – the chick-a-dee-dee – that filled the air on Saturday.

I had no idea how many calls these cute little birds had until I checked the information on the Cornell Bird Lab site.

‘A’ remarks on SE34’s fledge: “The rain had come over this morning shortly before SE34 fledged. It looked grey and overcast and as if it were raining or about to do so. It was not great fledging weather, but soon after SE34 fledged, the sun came out and things were looking a lot brighter. 

In the minute before fledging, SE34 had been struck by a swooping currawong on the nest (09:58:40). The currawong then flew to a branch right in front of SE34’s face, about a metre away, and the two vocalised at each other before the currawong flew off. SE34 hopped and flapped around the nest, making vocals indicating his displeasure. Just before 09:59 the currawong swooped again, this time met by SE34, who flapped and vocalised at the currawong. SE34 moved up the perch branch, and at 09:59:06, the currawong again swooped past him. SE34 hesitated for a second and then fledged, flying off in pursuit of the currawong, or so it appeared. 

We did not see either eaglet for the remainder of the day, so I am keenly awaiting the ranger report for this evening. “

In Port Lincoln, Wilko and Kasse have stopped the slight agro as they move out of the reptile phase. Totally grand. I have loved how Kasse tried to make herself bigger and looked Wilko straight in the eye. Would not be surprised if Wilko is a male and Kasse a female. But we will have to wait – and wait for a long time maybe. Everyone believed Calypso to be a female and she turned out to be a he with a mate this year. I often wonder at how Falkey and Bassa shot out of Port Lincoln like Zoe if they weren’t females….just weird thoughts on a Sunday morning sitting in the sun. Of course, Tiger Mozone told me in jest years ago not to question the person ringing the raptors. But, of course, I do because only DNA testing or seeing an egg is the absolute mark of gender. https://youtu.be/foDdB91SsI4? (more below)

I hope that eel that Lady kept from the ospreys is for the sea eaglets!

‘A’ comments on what I am worried about, too – have the sea eaglets been fed? “I’m concerned too. Here is yesterday’s ranger report, which doesn’t actually give much comfort:

October 27: SE34 slept on the front rail of the nest overnight – were the parents nearby? Early morning swoopers were about and swooping SE34 as he moved a little about the nest branches. SE34 moved up higher, then back to the nest again. A currawong came close, clipping/ SE34. The eaglet flew off then, strongly – flying out and up. So SE34 fledged today around 10am, at 81 days from hatching. Then, he was out of sight. The ground crew reported adults down on the river and SE33 possibly out of sight in the mangroves. At 1:20pm, no prey had been brought back to the now-empty nest. Around 1:30pm, one fledgling was seen flying over Ermington Bay, landing on the power tower. Then, when flushed, it took off over Wentworth Point and the residential areas – and away. The parents were circling overhead. Later, SE33 was seen flying back towards the general forest area again. As well, an eaglet was reported earlier on the ground in the area near the nest – SE34 – in the restricted access area. After 5pm, the adults were seen circling high overhead. There were several sightings of them, so SE33 seems to be moving about. We are unsure where SE34 is at the end of the day. Will the adults return to the nest area? Will either fledgling?

When SE34 fledged, he had just been struck by a currawong swooper, and it seemed to me, watching the footage of the five minutes or so leading up to the fledge, that SE34 took off after the currawong, chasing it. I was pleased to see that it was not the other way around! But SE34 definitely appeared to me to be chasing his tormentor. That attitude is a good one, at any rate. But the fact that it has been seen on the ground near the nest is not a great sign. Still, the parents are obviously aware of where the fledglings are, and are keeping an eye on them, though that’s not the same thing as feeding them. Obviously, I am waiting anxiously for tonight’s ranger report, which should be posted in about an hour, two hours at most. I’ll let you know as soon as there is word from the BOTG at WBSE. We are reliant now upon their reports, and it is a wonderful thing to know that they are out every day in that forest, watching and listening for the eaglets and their parents. It is a great comfort to have their daily updates on what the fledglings are doing and whether they are with their parents or getting fed. Things are a little unsettled at the moment, and I would give a lot to see those eaglets return to their nest. But whether they have the physical strength or the flying skills to do so at this stage is dubious. So obviously, we are hoping the parents will bring food to them wherever they are perched. SE33 has apparently at least stayed off the ground, which is more than can be said for SE34, who is in serious danger as long as he remains there, vulnerable to feral cats, foxes and even dogs, not to mention the swooping smaller birds. I am sick with worry about both of them and it makes us feel so helpless.”

If you missed it, SE34 fledged while being harrassed on the nest by Currawongs and then chased. S/he flew out of the forest in a path very similar to the adults. Wishing 33 and 34 long and productive lives with lots of eels. https://youtu.be/neBjn5AZJO4?

Just look at how much Bubba at Growing Home has grown!!!!!! https://youtu.be/A8PjiB8snC0?

Wilko and Kasse are doing so good at Port Lincoln! 22 and 19 days old now. Beautiful juvenile plumage coming in. They survived the dreaded reptile phase and now we can just breathe nicely. Of course, the fish fairies are always there should there be the need, which is another bonus for these two beauties.

These two at Port Lincoln are so adorable. I am absolutely smitten by Kasse.

The Majestics have returned to Denton Homes to rebuild their nest! https://youtu.be/gr5CQ3p5nKM?

Breakfast arrived as the golden rays of the sun kissed the scrape of Diamond and Xavier.

At 367 Collins Street, breakfast was served at the cooler end of the ledge. Goodness me those little chicks knew to run down there and stay where the sun would not beat down on them. One went and the other two followed. As far as I can remember, this is the earliest the chicks have moved down to the other end and used this scrape in the shade. Mum has a great perch to watch her triplets, too.

Beau and Gabby are dedicated to their nest in NE Florida near Palm Court.

Wings of Whimsy gives us a round up of what is happening at 17 Bald Eagle nests from the 21st to 24th of October. https://youtu.be/erEAiieAfj8?

One of the images from the video summary is from the John Bunker Sands Wetlands where Mum and Dad are busy at work fixing up that beautiful nest of theirs.

Stars and Stripes are back at Avon Lake. https://youtu.be/4JZzxe9Sxx8?

Research is giving new insights into bird migration.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/28/high-flying-life-of-australias-birds-revealed-in-new-detail-thanks-to-weather-radars?CMP=share_btn_url

This is the problem.

Calico’s Tip for the Day is don’t turn into a bear that hibernates. Get out and enjoy nature, make it part of your life regardless of clock changes and weather! It will make your life so much better.

From the article: “It’s easy to pass birds without really seeing them or to walk through a park without paying attention to the trees. We can become so caught up in our own thoughts and conversations that we miss the sensory gifts nature has to offer. By tuning in to the sights, sounds and sensations around us, by listening to the birds, we can transform passive wandering into an immersive experience. When we truly notice nature, something magical happens.”

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/oct/27/the-clocks-go-back-but-now-is-not-the-time-to-hibernate?CMP=share_btn_url

And last, please leave the leaves. Spread the news. It will save you time to do other things. If you must, just pile the leaves but do not put them in bags! or grind them up with a mulcher. Just let them sit. Read a good book.

Thank you 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, H, J’, Heidi McGrue, Cornell Bird Lab, Olympic Park Eagles, SK Hideaways, Rohan Geddes and Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, NestFlix Memories, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Trudi Kron, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, NEFL-AEF, Wings of Whimsy, The Guardian, Brian Collins – Menhaden, Little Fish, Big Deal, Pollinator Friendly Yards.

Saturday in Bird World

26 October 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

I want to once again thank SK Hideaways for putting together the Memorial video of dear little Nox. So many have reached out to say how sad they are at his passing and how much they enjoyed it. Nox (Equinox) was a very special little guy. One of those amazing birds that come into our lives that will never be forgotten.

It was a nippy albeit beautiful fall day on the Canadian Prairies. The only leaves remaining on my property are on the small Cranberry bushes and the lilacs. Everything else is bare and brown, and the grey-brown dismal, taupey days of early winter are heading our way.

The park looks pretty desolate.

There have been only two Blue Jays lately, Junior and the Mrs. Only two Crows. The Starlings continue to dominate the numbers at the feeders. Around the City there are still Canadian geese feeding on the grass and ducks in the ponds and at the river. It is time again to go and check the numbers and see how many are flying in and out at night.

Mr Crow enjoying a peanut.

One good thing that did happen today was an apparently successful mating between Gabby and Beau. Last year he just didn’t know which end was which! https://youtu.be/bAIeeFqm72Q?

That mating was on the nest! And Gabby didn’t seem to nip or be off putting. All good signs.

The pair to continue to work on their nest bringing in sticks and moss. Fingers crossed for a successful year for these two – can I say ‘finally’.

F23 and M15 continue to work on their nest in SW Florida while guarding their territory. https://youtu.be/bs2Dq24r01M?s

At the Sydney Olympic Park, SE34 is still on the nest after having its elder sibling SE33 fledge yesterday. SE33 was located on a low bush near the nest after spotters heard Magpie calls. It is unclear if any food is going to SE33 or if he can get out of its location.

SE34 might fly at any moment.

A nice whole fish came to the Port Lincoln barge for Mum, Wilko and Kasse at 0711. Wilko seems to be behaving his/her self better.

And more for Kasse.

Mum had some fish, too. Yeah!

‘A’ is monitoring our little osplets: “Meanwhile, at Port Lincoln, Dad brought in a large whole fish at 07:09 this morning and both osplets ate well. Dad retrieved his leftover fish at 07:34 and ate hungrily but returned the tail end about ten minutes later, so the kids had a second breakfast at 07:44. I saw no bonking and little Kasse is an eager eater, definitely not intimidated by its sibling, which is good to see. 

These two are deep in their oily teenager phase but will soon emerge from it as those gorgeous shades of bronze appear on their heads and necks.  Meanwhile, those round tummies and fat little bottoms are testament to their good health and always make me smile. These two are just SO cute. I don’t think Kasse quite understands bonking – he looks confused more than scared. “

In Melbourne, the triplets are moving up and down the gutter and have no trouble getting back into the scrape box.

Dad brings prey to the kiddos in Melbourne! https://youtu.be/L4V9bEG3w0A?

The kids choose the cooler other scrape with the cover and F23 follows her intelligent children! https://youtu.be/6Umglw1ZJp4?

Breakfast was early at Orange.

Diamond brings in a Galah for the kids. https://youtu.be/fRDIoRcJYTE?

‘A’ remarks: “All is well at Orange, where a pile of fluff slumbers in the corner while Diamond watches from her favourite position perched on the ledge. Here is the summary of this morning’s activity:

26 Oct FEED 05.55.22 leftover; 06.49.53 scrap; PREY 06.06.08 X feeds; 07.39.04 X feeds/07.42.43 stashed on MW ; 07.57.36 feeds; 09.04.30 feed; WATCH 07.46.10 Yira selfie

At Collins Street, the chicks have taken advantage of their newly found mobility to immediately change scrapes. When I tuned in this morning, the scrape was EMPTY and of course for a moment, I panicked, before I realised where they had to be. Sure enough, on the north facing camera, we can see two chicks sleeping in the sheltered scrape, with a parent perched on the comfortable spot that was added to the front of the sheltering structure, so the parents can comfortably use the perch rather than getting stiff perching on the edge of a board. They used some sort of car-tyre rubber, I believe, to create that perch and it is obviously very comfortable for the adults, who can get up and out of the melee to a good supervision spot. Perfect. A great addition. 

So this makes us happy because the shelter at that end is SO much better, giving mum a break from her mumbrella duties and also improving the safety of the chicks themselves. You know how much I wanted the scrape at the south end of the ledge actually removed altogether, forcing them to use the northern end, but the chicks have done that of their own accord as soon as they were able. TOO funny. I wonder whether they will stay at the north end, return to the south end, or split themselves between the two scrapes. It could get very awkward for feedings and confuse the parents no end. 

Anyway, that’s the big news in Australia’s falcon world this morning. “

Clive’s Ride made more news stations. Clive is possibly the most positive story to come out of Hurricane Milton.

There’s an eagle at Decorah North in Iowa!

Gracie Shepherd caught Mr North and DNF having a bath today! https://youtu.be/B-vDfnf0NvY?

I missed her on cam but the chat says that Hope was doing some nestorations early Friday at Port Tobacco.

I did catch the two darlings of the Big Bear Valley, Jackie and Shadow, perched looking out over their territory.

‘J’ sent a link to a video showing Jeffrey the Pinecone on Jackie and Shadow’s nest is bigger than Fiona! https://youtu.be/Oqy1JFa4r4o?

Liberty and Guardian were home working on their nest in Redding, California.

Sadly, today I added Nox and the little fourth hatch at the Coobowie Osprey Platform in South Australia to the Memorial Page.

How do war zones – and as I write this tonight there are many of them – impact our raptors, their lives, and their migration?

I have been concerned about the Black Storks that have migrated through Ukraine. Now I try to keep an eye on Waba whose last transmission was on the 18th of October when he was in Israel. I hope to goodness he is now out of Israel and well into Africa.

Cal Falcons gives us a favourite Nox moment. https://youtu.be/uzDzj0htaXQ?

As we continue to monitor the issues surrounding Osprey’s deaths in the Chesapeake Bay, Geemeff sends us to reports on the impact of commercial fishing of Menhaden on osprey deaths. Thank you, Geemeff.

https://www.cbf.org/news-media/newsroom/2024/all/as-osprey-populations-struggle-manager-continue-deliberations-on-chesapeake-bay-menhaden.html

and from William & Mary University:

Calico’s Tip for the Day could save your pet’s life: Do not use scented candles, air fresheners that plug in, or any time of air freshener spray. There are also essential oils that are extremely dangerous. You might be putting a few drops in water in one of the new plug in contemporary diffusers. Please check with your vet to find out which oils are safe! This is why.

‘The Girls’ wish you a fantastic day! And a lovely weekend. Remember to sit outside and listen for the birds! They sure would like to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

Thank you to the following for their posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, J”, Nest Flix Memories, NEFL-AEF, Androcat, SWFlorida Eagle Cam, Olympic Park Eagles, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Nesting Bird Life and More, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Falcon Cam Project, AccuWeather, Decorah North and Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, Gracie Shepherd, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, FOBBV, Nature Lover Bird Life Odyssey, FORE, Current Biology and British Trust for Ornithology, Cal Falcon Cam, cbf.org, William and Mary University.