We have another Osprey egg – the first one laid at Venice Beach for the season.
The latest Kakapo chart sent to us by ‘J’:
JBS24 remains seemingly healthy more than 18 hours after JBS passed. This is welome news. HPAI ‘normally’ takes siblings closer together – so, it would appear HPAI is not the COD for 25.
Family portrait late Tuesday 10 February.
News of the Laysan Albatross from Hob on the island of Kauai:
The USK Valley is in Wales. The region has recently had its very first osplet fledge. In 5 weeks we hope to be welcoming the adults back to the nest.
SPO posts about the anticipation of the first egg at the US Steel nest:
Jean-marie Dupart counted 61 ospreys in the Somone Lagoon in Senegal recently. They will be departing for their nests in the UK and Europe soon.
Scout and Bella have been so busy working on their nest. These wonderful pair lost their eaglets last year when their nest collapsed. It was a real tragedy – those beautiful babies had their juvenile plumage. Sending this pair good energy for a successful year.
SW Florida’s E26 stands on the rails in heraldic pose, is self feeding, and still loves to be cared for by Mum and Dad.
Eve and Kai are growing and doing so well. They are getting their ‘tails’ at the nest of Beau and Gabby.
That piece of fencing is still in the nest of Connie and Clive. Nothing can be done about it at this point. Notice where Quinn is standing. Quinn could have a pre-mature forced fledge. Let us just hope that this piece of human junk that made its way to the nest is not harmful to anyone and that it will be removed in the off season during camera maintenance.
R9 and R10 are doing very well at the Dade County nest, too. We have much to be thankful for despite the loss of three eaglets this season.
Gus and Willow laid their first egg at the Eagle Country nest in Florida on the 11th of January. Blaze has not been seen for some months. Skye was seen after Blaze went MIA.
Thank you so much for being with us tonight as we catch up with a few of our bird families. Take care of yourself. Spring is just around the corner! But our bunch have ‘Valentine’s Day’ on their minds despite the fact that Toby’s ‘bunny ears’ arrived today. (Toby wasn’t so sure about these!) They are supposed to be a bit of a hat with ears, but we need some alterations!!!!!
We hope to be back with you the end of the week.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams, the authors of the FB posts, the creators of the videos, OpenVerse for its image bank, and The Guardian. My blog would not be the same without your talents and generosity in sharing.
We hope that each of you has had a lovely week and an even nicer weekend if you are still out in the workforce. We are so happy that you can be with us today. It is -31 C, and we have been in another extreme cold warning area for several days. Fortunately, the conservatory is on the south of the house, and the sun heats it regardless. The Girls just have to be out there watching their garden friends! It is, however, difficult at times to get outside and we often find ourselves thinking of the warm sun and birds in Guadeloupe.
This is the last day for the Big Bird Count. You have until 1 March to get your submissions into Cornell. Our garden bird numbers were down due to the extreme cold.
The deer have been eating the twigs off the newly cut trees in the park. Wood twigs are definitely not full of nutrition. I have not seen any deer in our garden for a few weeks.
This tiny little one is such a sweetie.
The temperatures continue to be on the ‘cold’ side. We keep the conservatory open for The Girls so they can enjoy the squirrels and the birds – and us, too. It will be so nice when April arrives – two months to go – until we thaw out. Star and Brock continue to come to the feeder, but I have seen no other cats which is really a blessing.
Hope and Calico are never far from one another. It is so endearing.
Hugo Yugo was grumpy at me for waking her up to try and get a photo!
Missey was grouchy too!!!!!!!!
The Girls seem to have almost gone into hibernation preferring to sleep during the cold months instead of even eating. They play with one another starting around 2130, but during the day, it is strictly nap time. Oh, what a charmed life they lead.
We hope that the bi-weekly posting is working out for you. I want to try and pick a topic that brings some additional information – that is more educational – than just a listing of what is happening at the nests. This change is allowing me to do that!
So today, I want to look at the world’s most beloved Bald Eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, whose nest at Big Bear and its elevation can be causing the issues relating to their eggs not hatching. In addition to the information below, I am also including some other information on the DDT that was sprayed in the area that might well be contributing to the thickness (or lack thereof) in some of their past egg shells. Even thought DDT spraying was outlawed decades ago, the soil remains contaminated and still impacts wildlife including Bald Eagles.
Jackie and Shadow have been braving the elements as snow transforms the Big Bear Valley in California. https://youtu.be/kJ6s66Baltg?
So why do Jackie and Shadow struggle with their eggs at such a high altitude? Their nest is 7000 feet above sea level and is known to be one of North America’s highest Bald Eagle nests. When I sought an answer, my computer came up with this one generated by AI. It looks reasonably thorough and should help us understand this couple’s difficulties in hatching eaglets. That said, we know that on occasion, they do have success. In 2023, more than 45 inches of snow fell on Jackie and Shadow’s nest due to the atmospheric rivers that year.
Eagles nesting at high altitudes can experience difficulties with fertility and egg hatching primarily due to the harsh environmental conditions at those elevations, including: lower oxygen levels, extreme temperature fluctuations, strong winds, and limited food availability, which can all negatively impact the development of the embryo within the egg and the overall health of the breeding pair.
Key factors contributing to this issue:
Oxygen stress:Reduced oxygen levels at high altitudes can affect the egg development process, potentially hindering the embryo’s ability to properly grow and mature.
Temperature extremes:High altitude environments can experience significant temperature swings, making it challenging for the female eagle to maintain a consistent incubation temperature needed for successful hatching.
Weather challenges:High winds and storms at high altitudes can disrupt nesting activities, potentially damaging eggs or causing the adults to abandon the nest.
Food scarcity:Finding enough food to sustain both the breeding pair and their chicks can be difficult in high altitude habitats, especially during harsh weather conditions, leading to malnutrition and impacting fertility.
Hormonal disruptions:Environmental stress at high altitudes could potentially disrupt the hormonal balance of the eagles, affecting their reproductive capabilities.
Here is more information on this nest:
The nest of Jackie and Shadow, the bald eagles in Big Bear Valley, California, is about 7,000 feet above sea level. The nest is located in a Jeffrey pine tree that’s 145 feet above the ground.
Explanation
The nest is one of the highest known bald eagle nests in the United States.
The nest is located in the San Bernardino National Forest.
The nest is home to Jackie and Shadow, the only year-round resident bald eagles in Big Bear.
The nest is monitored by a live-streaming camera operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit environmental preservation group.
The nest has grown to be over five feet wide and six feet deep.
The nest was started near the top of the tree by the previous resident pair, Lucy and Ricky, in 2012.
The nest is located on an undeveloped parcel of land on the north shore of Big Bear Lake.
Did you know that Jackie is thought to be the offspring of Ricky and Lucy? That would mean that she is now thirteen years old in 2025. She is the first eaglet to have ever hatched at the Big Bear nest in 2012. In recent years, her and Shadow have laid at least fourteen eggs together with five of them hatching. Simba fledged in 2019 and Spirit fledged in 2022. I still remember that fantastic eaglet. I am sure you do, too. Other eaglets were ZJ1 (yes, he was banded) named Cookie, who died of hypothermia during a storm in 2019 and Stormy, who fledged in 2018. Now, what was the name of the other one? Would you happen to know?
There is nearly a 33% chance that an egg will hatch. So will one of the three eggs hatch this year? We must wait to see. Maybe all three will! Clearly Jackie and Shadow with their devotion and love for one another and the determination they have to raise an eaglet offers each of us hope and inspiration.
What students learn about DDT and its ban in the early 1970s and the eagles at Big Bear:
Pip watch begins for Jackie and Shadow on 1 March – well now, let’s count the days from today: 12!!!!!!!! We will be on pins and needles with excitement.
Kistachie National Forest, E3: They are the cuties little fat bottomed eaglets. Their Mum, Andria II, is doing a fantastic job keeping both eaglets well fed.
John Bunker Sands Wetlands: Dad brings in a whopper of a fish for Mum and the kids!!!!! (Thanks MP)
Fraser Point: Andor and Cruz have their first egg of the 2025 breeding season.
Abu Dhabi Osprey Nest: The triplets being raised by the lone female and two males were banded. Heidi caught the action on video.
The average temperature in Abu Dhabi is 25 degrees C. Last year it was 30 C. There is no temperature for the nest which is located on a huge mound of sticks on the desert. The chicks survived with lots of fish!
West End Nest: The camera was down on Friday for awhile due to a big storm that went through the area. They played highlights. Hearts were broken everywhere watching Akecheta feed his triplets.
Sauces: Jak and Audacity’s first egg is still holding! The other two have broken. Well, we only need one and this couple sure deserve it. Their issue is, of course, not the same as Jackie and Shadow and the higher elevation nest. Theirs is strictly due to the DDT in the area. Next posting will look at why some nests in the Channel Islands might be
Two Harbours: Chase and Cholyn are working on their nest. No eggs yet.
USS Steel: The first egg for Irv and his new mate, Stella, arrived and the second was laid on the 16th. Congratulations to Irvine and Stella. Missing Claire. https://youtu.be/hg37rCwNavc?
Decorah North: Second egg laid on Valentine’s Day. First egg laid on the 11th. (In 2024, the first egg was laid on the 15th of February). Oh, we are going to be busy in five weeks time with all these hatches!
Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest: There is some concern that Mr T has not been seen at the nest since the 11th of February.
NE Florida: NE 31 stood on its feet, flatly on the nest, on Saturday the 15th for the first time. A milestone. What a great eaglet. Huge crop. Devoted parents. Melts your heart just watching Gabby and Beau care for this precious one.
‘A’ comments: “The chatters are calling it NE31’s stick fort, but as I described yesterday I think it was, there are some very thick kiddy rails on the side of the nest opposite the dining table. NE31 has been sleeping so that one of those large sticks is across his back, so that I am hoping his stick fort might make it hard for an owl to get a grip on him and extract him from under his stick. Again tonight, alone on the nest, he was sleeping in his stick fort when Gabby came down to the nest around 1.42am. She aerates the nest, in the process extricating NE31 from beneath his stick, and NE31 stands up tall and eyeballs mum, then tries to burrow back under the stick fort.
Gabby has some difficulty brooding NE31 because of the stick but eventually the eaglet snuggles down in front of her breast feathers and goes back to sleep. Mum leaves again at 01:55. Little now can no longer get under its stick fort. The stick has been broken and displaced so that it no longer affords the protection it has done to the point. Unfortunate.
Beau arrives on the nest to check on NE31 at 03:03:35 and does some aerating of the nest. This eventually disturbs the sleeping NE31, who stands up tall and bonks dad! (TS 03:12:25). TOO funny. It’s hard to see how effectively the stick fort now protects NE31 – it may represent some form of obstacle still, though not as useful a barrier as it was two nights ago, before it got broken.
It is reassuring to me to see Beau on the nest tonight. It is a little early – I hope he remains until daylight because we know how that hour or 90 minutes before the sky begins to lighten is very much the favourite time for owls to hunt – or so I have observed when watching GHO cams. “
SW Florida: M15 is thinking he would like another chance at raising eaglets this year. How is F23 feeling about that? https://youtu.be/ol57dhBfdbg?
Leucistic Red Tail Hawk Nest: ‘A’ notes with concern: “The last visit to the nest was on 2 December – I think there is an entry in the log noting that Angel had flown under the nest (twice) about a week ago, but it is starting to look like this season will be much like last. We may not see them again this year. It is a mystery – where are they going? What are they doing? And why?”
The hawks might have relocated like they did last year, but we know that they are fine.
World Bird Sanctuary. This falls in line with the story below about the turtle where wildlife manage to survive under very challenging conditions. This one with a severe beak injury.
Wildlife Haven, Manitoba, Canada: Dr Tess designed a ‘contraption’ to help a turtle whose shell was soft and sunken in the hope of giving it a second chance at life. I love this vet and wish she would be here forever. She doesn’t give up and as I have said several times, she has no trouble believing a three legged deer can survive or a one legged eagle. Bravo, Dr Tess!
Calico’s Tip for the Day: If we want to help wildlife, modify the amount of beef, palm oil (please do check your labels), and timber. Trees are cut down for these crops and there are clear alternatives!!!!!!!!! Calico also recognises that birds flourish when coffee is grown in the shade. Why not reduce the amount of coffee you drink in order to help wildlife? Look for the certified Birds and Beans coffee!!!!!!!! Accept no substitute. Indeed, I can tell you that having one good cup of coffee that I know did not cause a tree to be cut is much better than drinking 3 or 4. Try it.
Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care. See you on Thursday. Have a great week everyone. Sending you good positive energy.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, information, and streaming cams that helped me to write this post: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, MP’, SK Hideaways, FOBBV, LAist, Fish and Wildlife Services, Kistachie National Forest E3, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, IWS/Explore, Heidi McGrue, USS Steel, Sylvia, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest, FOLFAN, Hilton Head Island Trust, NEFL-AEF, SK Hideaways, Deb Stecyk, NCTC Bald Eagle Nest, Cardinal Land Conservancy, WRDC Bald Eagle Nest, Window to Wildlife, Centreport Eagles, Moorings Park Osprey, Achieva Credit Union, Hob Osterlund, liznm, Window to Wildlife, World Bird Sanctuary, Wildlife Haven, The Guardian, The New York Times, Animaux du monde, Raptor Persecution UK
The two doe and fawns did not return to the park. City workers have been digging up the street for the past two days. That said, we believe that the four have safely found their way to the river and, we hope, are back in a larger park area away from traffic.
I could easily be fooled into thinking this is Calico. It is Baby Hope. Every day she looks more and more like her Mum. She will be 17 months old on 2 December.
She was looking out the window at the birds. There is an increasing number of European Starlings with two crows, two Blue Jays, five grey squirrels, two red squirrels, and about 100 sparrows. The winter weather and cold have made everyone hungry.
One of the most remarkable transformations within the house and among The Girls. Baby Hope has taken up with Missey. Hope rubs her head lovingly against Missey’s just like she used to do with Calico. It happened slowly, Calico distancing herself from her daughter. So, as you can imagine, I am delighted. Missey is the perfect Mum – she continues to care for Hugo Yugo and there is no reason to believe that she will not continue to bond with Hope.
The two Crows are now coming every day for peanuts. One is quite large and the other is the smaller from the summer. A bonded pair. The fledglings have not been seen since the end of the summer/beginning of the fall. After they finished the peanuts (shared with the others), they ate a nice big pizza!
It is wonderful to see them come to the garden every morning. It is not that long until spring! Yes, I keep telling myself that very thing as more snow falls.
There is little happening in Bird World. We are waiting for Wilko and Kasse to be ringed, and I would like to have a more positive sighting of Yira. There are many more Bald Eagle nests to lay eggs in the coming weeks.
Gabby and Beau continue to work on their nest. When will we have their first egg.
Cali Condor wonders if the sub-adult visiting Big Bear might be Spirit. How wonderful if it were! https://youtu.be/wehjVdpEF_Q?
At the Coobowie Osprey nest, Libby has fledged. This is the nest in South Australia that initially had four chicks. Libby is the oldest.
Mum, Wilko, and Kasse are waiting for their breakfast.
Yesterday, Kasse, Wilko, Mum and Dad had six supplementary fish.
Today it is so windy that neither Dad or Mum will surely be able to catch fish. Fish Fairy!!!!!!!!! We need you.
I really hope that Wilko doesn’t decide to stand up and start flapping his wings. He could wind up in Melbourne with these high gusts!
Incubation continues for M15 and F23.
We know that M15 is one of the most capable male Bald Eagles around. We watched him raise his two eaglets alone after Harriet disappeared. Now he would like a little more incubation time! https://youtu.be/D5tdZyavHcw?
The Hilton Head Land Trust caught a Bald Eagle on the nest that the GHOs hope will be theirs. https://youtu.be/DqylzZ66z98?
Calico’s Tip of the Day: Mark the date. December 3rd is Giving Tuesday. Many wildlife groups rely on donations and Giving Tuesday is often coupled with a doubling of your donation by other donors. If you can, could you help? With the cost of living escalating, so many cannot so every dollar helps. Small or large, no one cares. It all adds up!
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: ‘J’, NEFL-AEF, Cali Condor, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and PLO Obs Board, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Androcat, Hilton Head Land Trust, SK Hideaways, LDF, Hob Osterlund, Backyard Birds of North America, Gardenista, Eagle Country and nature chatter, Owl Cam
‘The Girls’ and I are sitting in the conservatory despite the high temperature. It is 29 C. We have gotten hotter in the summers, but everything feels strange – like a big storm coming. The trees are twirling around and the clouds are moving quickly covering up the sun and yet, there is no prediction of anything happening. Cold water has been put out for the birds and more food for the Corvids as they are feeding babies and fledglings are coming to the garden now. I hope to get some good images of them one day.
I am not complaining. I understand from ‘MM’ that it is 96 F with a heat index of 101 in North Carolina. This is why all those osprey babies (and eagles) should hatch in the winter. So much better!
The garden is a shady paradise in the lilacs and the tunnel created with the vines and other trees. There is also shade on the deck in the late afternoon. The birds come out to feed again after having a siesta.
Junior wants a peanut but Dyson is there.
So he decides to have a bath.
It is hot everywhere. Please remember to leave out shallow bowls of water for the animals. You will save their lives. Water is more important than food when the heat is so high. Even pie pans with water – put try and put them in the shade. Thank you.
This just puts a smile on my face. Someone doing something to help birds. Enter mosquitoes to the Hawaiian Islands.
Idris and Telyn have set a record at the Dyfi nest in Wales. One of the females broke the weight record for a chick ringed in Wales. She came in over 2 kg. Here is the announcement with the names of the osplets!
That is incredible. ‘Daddy Longlegs’ Idris has really been hauling in the fish. Even that male has a nice healthy weight.
‘MM’ sends news that we have the first hatch at Colonial Beach. It is hot there. 31.3 C or 88 F. Chick has already had its first feeding! Well done, Betty and David. See also ‘H’s report below on this nest.
Iris’s oldest chick is rather precocious. It is already nibbling on the fish!
‘A’ comments on something magical: “Finn brought in a leftover chunk of fish at about 18:44 and just stands with it on the nest for about 25 minutes. Finally, he starts nibbling at it and Iris stands up, but Finn just keeps eating himself. Baby Bob spots who has the fish and is promptly over to dad, although both chicks already have good crops. It takes dad a while to stop feeding his face (and giving the odd bite to Iris) and start feeding Little Bob, and then he looks the wrong way when dad offers him fish, but around 19:16 a feeding of sorts begins. Soon, Big Bob sees what is happening and lumbers up behind Little Bob but does not interfere. Dad leans over to feed the older chick and at this point, he gives up on eating and starts feeding the two osplets in turn. It is wonderful to watch. This guy really is a keeper. He has a bit to learn about leaving leftovers on the nest and if he is only going to catch two or three whoppers a day, to bring them back more than once so they represent more than one feeding, but none of that will matter shortly, when they are big enough to handle fewer, larger feeds.
Finn has been an amazing first-time dad, guarding his family and the territory with great dedication and bringing in enough fish to feed the family (albeit his delivery schedule needs a little adjustment – see above). He has fed Iris on several occasions when she is tired or when it is wet, and now, he is feeding the osplets as well. This is one fantastic dad in the making. And Iris has chosen well. “
‘B’ writes that we have fledges! “Fledges at both Fraser Point and Bald Canyon this morning — the second FP chick (usually referred to as Reign) at 8:32:09 and Selene at BC at 10:07:54. Reign was back on an adjacent branch at 10:38:06 and on the nest proper within a minute…So all the Channel Islands eaglets that are on nest cams have now fledged.” Congratulations everyone. A wonderful year!
‘B’ also sent us a link to an article in The Washington Post. Do you think the Bald Eagle is the official bird of the United States? Have a read!
‘TU’ has sent us some news. A pair of Egyptian Geese took over a stork nest. Their chicks took the leap this morning. Video below.
In Montreal, Peregrine Falcon chick Polo fledges! Beautiful flight. Oh, how I hate those windows.
Let’s catch up with the news from ‘H’:
6/24 Colonial Beach Virginia osprey nest: Congratulations to Betty and David on the hatch of their first baby!
6/24 Barnegat Light osprey nest: Even though Daisy and Duke did not have any eggs this season, they continue to hang out together in the bay area. We are delighted when they grace us with their presence on camera. Theirs is a love story.
6/24 The Osoyoos osprey nest had another nice day. They had nine feedings, and all three of the osplets had good crops. Meal times remained peaceful, but I did catch a pretty good beaking battle in between meals, and that kerfuffle was started by Little!
6/24 Fenwick Island osprey nest (Capt Mac’s fish House): Okay now…I am starting to be impressed. June is keeping her leftover fish, saving it for more feedings, and she is feeding longer. Just look at the crop on that lil’ 10-day-old osplet. Now, that’s what I’m talking about!
6/24 Patuxent River Park osprey nest: It was a veritable fish-feast-day. There were a total of six long meals throughout the day . Something really cool happened in the afternoon… At 1410 Mom brought a large fish to the nest (first fish for her this season), and two minutes later Dad landed in the nest with a large fish. A dual feeding took place, with Dad primarily feeding the two older siblings for 1/2 hour before he left with half his fish. And, Mom primarily fed Little. She continued to feed everyone from her fish after Dad left, and her fish lasted an hour.
6/24 Captiva ospreys: The day started off with a surprise for Ding and Darling when they had a visitor in the middle of the night…a young heron landed in the nest for a short period of time. The kids maintained their cool, but we’ve never seen their eyes so big! Jack brought three fish to the nest today, and Darling had his very own hardhead catfish. He was able to unzip it, and ate the whole fish. Edie was last seen on cam on 6/23, but there have been sightings of an adult osprey landing in a nearby tree, and some believe that they have heard Edie. It is believed that Edie is taking a short break, and that her absence from the nest has nothing to do with the fishing line incident of 6/21. After the fishing line incident, Edie delivered fish to the nest on 6/21, 6/22, and 6/23, and she seemed just fine.
Thanks so much, ‘H’. That Fenwick Island baby is too cute – and oh, so full! Love it.
That little osplet in Kurzeme Latvia is also so cute. OK. They are all cute little dinosaurs.
Four hot ospreys at Field Farm. Little Mini is getting its feathers.
Birds of Poole Harbour Fab Four are deliriously wonderful. CJ7 and Blue 022. I can’t tell you how much I adore them.
And then there is Louis at Loch Arkaig that brought in a fish at midnight to Dorcha. Yes, midnight. Do ospreys hunt in the dark? how light was it in Scotland at midnight? Oh, I just wish I could send one of those fish over to Osoyoos.
Geemeff’s Daily Summary for Loch Arkaig: Monday 24th June 2024
The day started out a bit soggy but soon improved, and Louis had a bit of a lie-in after yesterday’s midnight fish, not turning up until lunchtime with today’s first fish. He followed it up with three more, taking his tally to two hundred and forty six. Dorcha had fun with a stick but was left hungry as the growing chicks devoured most of the fish, however the arrival of a large 11pm fish supper meant she didn’t end the day hungry. The nest seems to be getting a little crowded now that the chicks are mobile and stretching out their suddenly long wings, perhaps that’s why one chick took a pop at the other and a short sharp fight broke out. There was much discussion on the forum about which chick is which as it’s getting very difficult to tell them apart. Garry LV0 turned up on Nest One again today, bringing nesting materials and doing a bit of nest scraping. Is this a frustration eyrie? Whatever his motives, it’s good to see him. Tonight’s forecast is light rain and light winds, luckily although the chicks are too big to fit under Dorcha, their preen glands are coming through and they’re starting to get some waterproofing.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 00.15.51 (02.48.23); Nest Two (03.32.32)
Watch the livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:
Blackbush. Sometimes dual feedings. Sometimes Dad feeding Mum who feeds babies. Send this nest hope. We have seen these little ones before survive. Tiny Dancer. Tiny Little. Blue 464. It depends on the amount of prey and the willingness of the parents to work hard to keep all of them alive – just like CJ7 and Blue 022 are doing.
Beautiful fledglings back on the VIMS nest.
Once in awhile you will catch a fledgling on the Frenchman’s Creek nest. These kids are gorgeous. Look at that clean nest!
Looks like Tuffy had a couple of nice fish today on the Moorings Park nest. These kids of Harry and Sally are gorgeous.
It was 26 C in Osoyoos today. Tomorrow will be 27 – and believe me, it is hotter on the top of an osprey nest than it is at ground level. Then there is to be rain. Oh, please give these babies some fish – some big fish because Soo and Olsen have to eat, too!
My goodness. The plumage on that baby at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is dark. Very pretty little osplet. The image shows Mum feeding the little one from the whole fish that Dad brought in around 1400. There had at least been one earlier fish. It is hot on that nest!
Oh, look at those fat little bottoms at Charlo Montana!
Winnie and Swoop have their second baby at Dunrovin on the 24th.
It is hot in Colorado. Pitkin County Mum is the perfect mumbrella keeping her babies cool. She fluffs her own feathers to keep herself cool as well.
I sure would like to see more fish in the heat at Cowlitz PUD but there are still three osplets that appear to be alright.
Beautiful baby at Clark PUD.
Boulder County Mum keeping their Only Bob cool and fed!
No love lost when it comes to food amounts San Jose fledglings!
Many of us are hoping to find out what happened to Redwood Queen and Zenith’s chick in the Big Sur Redwood Forest. We are joining the Ventana Wildlife Society’s Condor Chat which is on the last Thursday of the month. Very informative.
Got to the Ventana Wildlife Society website to sign up. The Condor chats are also archived and you can view them on YouTube.
Educate yourself about California Condors and the acute challenges they face. The Ventana Wildlife Society led the way in giving their flock vaccines for HPAI. Now they are helping others.
We have another Condor baby. Fingers crossed.
Decorah North continues to thrive despite the nest collapse.
Gorgeous Black Storks in Portugal.
Beautiful Mum at Port Lincoln Barge on the nest and eating a fish she caught and brought back quickly.
‘PB’ has been keeping an eye on Cowlitz PUD and Steelscape. She writes, “I just checked both Cowlitz and Steelcase since they are both in the same area. Fish seems to be coming in slow and far apart, keeping #1 grouchy and getting most of the food. Steelcase is worrisome to me for #3. It’s is constantly bullied by #1 when food arrives. Even bullies away #2. #3 Steelcase could use more fish. #3 managed to bravely grab a few big pieces of the tail section on ladt fish but is hungry. Cowlitz little baby ate a good breakfast but not much after that. Last fish there was 4 hours ago. Still light out so hoping for a late fish but both places need larger fish to feed 3 mouths.”
Smile. Canada Geese enjoying the grass by an airport in Alabama. Thanks, ‘L’. It seems so odd seeing them with palm trees! Oh, I love the Canada Geese – and guess what? They are not the national bird of Canada. The Gray Jay is. Go figure.
And another smile. Ospreys rescued and in care. Thanks, ‘J’.
Menhaden are the primary fish of the Ospreys in the NE USA. If you want to know how bad the commercial fishing industry is impacting these life-giving little fish, you only have to go to the FB page – Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal. here is a post from this morning. This is seriously concerning and the commercial fishing needs to stop before the Osprey are completely wiped out. Of course Dophins and Whales eat Menhaden, too, and they are practically disappeared from the area.
Our friend Hob in Kauai sends us news of the first moli fledge for 2024. how wonderful!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. If it is super hot where you live, drink lots of fluids. Consider putting water out for the animals even if you can’t see them – we have visitors during the night that eat and drink. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, letters, comments, questions, videos, images, posts, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, B, Geemeff, H, J, L, MM, MP, PB, TU’, The Guardian, Dyfi Osprey Project, Colonial Beach Ospreys, Montana Osprey Project, Montana Osprey Cams, Pam Breci, The Washington Post, Fenwick Island, Patuxent River Park, Osoyoos, Wildlife Conserve of NJ (Barnegat Light), Window to Wildlife, HorstsHorst, Montreal Falcon Cam, LDF, BoPH, Geemeff, Blackbush, VIMS, Frenchman’s Creek, Moorings Park Ospreys, Osoyoos Ospreys, MN Landscape Arboretum, Charlo Montana, Ashley Wilson, Pitkin County Open Spaces and Trails, Clark PUD, Boulder County, SK Hideaways, Ventana Wildlife Society, Lady Hawk, Tajo International, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Polk County Animal Control, Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal FB, and Hob Osterlund.
