Category Archives: Louisiana eagles

Saturday in Bird World

24 August 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

You will now notice links to videos within the blog. Just click on them, and they will take you to YouTube. Geemeff helped me figure out how to save that precious space to include more images without using up all my media allowance! Thanks, Geemeff.

Friday was another scorcher in Winnipeg. It will be 31 C today but the heat index is reaching to 39 or 40 C. Even the English Gardens were so sultry that it was difficult to enjoy the beautiful foliage.

I continue to smile and tell The Girls how fortunate they are. What we are seeing is a growing number of cats, beautiful ones, coming to the feral feeder. People continue to dump their pets because they cannot afford to feed or care for them. It is so sad when these darling animals bring so much joy to one’s life. There was a steady stream yesterday – ‘The Boyfriend’, a Ginger Male, and a gorgeous long-haired ‘sort of’ Calico (photo below). ‘The Girls’ alert us to their presence. ‘The Boyfriend’ mostly comes during the night – between midnight and 0400. I catch him on the front video camera. But there is also ‘something’ coming and eating all the food and pushing the dishes about and upsetting the birdbaths. I do wonder if it is the fox or a raccoon or, perhaps, a big dog. They must come in through the back because they are not seen on the front camera.

Missey watching from inside where it is cool. They are telling everyone to please put out water because the heat index today was 38 C. The outdoor animals are having a very difficult time.

Remember those storms that hit Missoula with hurricane-force winds? We worried and teared up because of dear Iris and her family. Amy Moore tells us more about the devastation to other osprey families in her article in The Pulp. Thankfully, Iris, Finnegan, Sum-eh, and Antali were not injured.

Empty nested – The PulpDownload

‘J’ reminds us that Bobby Horvath keeps himself busy saving Ospreys and geese that get hit by golf balls on courses! He picks them up and puts them back together so they can live in the wild. Our fledgling ospreys can get into much mischief thanks to us and our fishing gear. Please tell people to take care of themselves and try to clean up after themselves, or stop fishing.

I have talked to you about the issues related to Osprey starvation and the industrial fishing of Menhaden in Chesapeake Bay. ‘H’ found this article that demonstrates clearly that the fish that our ospreys need to survive in the region can make a come back. New York put in regulations. Have a listen!

Hawk Mountain is located in Pennsylvania and is considered to be the world’s first sanctuary for raptors. It began during a time when people were paid to kill raptors – in 1929, $5 was a lot of money and if you turned in a goshawk that was what you received. A dead goshawk that is. Hawk Mountain was where the shooters lined up on top of the ridges when the birds migrated to kill them. Just think of that – thousands of bodies lying on the ground in the forest. A man by the name of Richard Pough began to take photographs of the autracities and eventually those images caught the attention of Rosalie Edge. Edge went to Hawk Mountain, and she came back in 1934, leasing 1400 acres. She created a safe place for the raptors. The killing ceased. In 1935, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary was opened to the public. Edge eventually purchased the property, creating a non-profit organisation to look after the sanctuary. You can visit there today – you can even go and help do a count!

They have just published its first migration count for this season.

Little Ringed Plovers nest successfully for the first time in Cornwall.

First successful nesting of Little Ringed Plover in Cornwall – BirdGuidesDownload

Annie and Archie are getting some together time as empty nesters. https://youtu.be/8SZz3qZEUws?

And more from our favourite Cal Falcons! https://youtu.be/8SZz3qZEUws?

CROW reminds everyone – baby Squirrel season is starting in some parts of North America. What should you do? Read below.

Migration season for Ospreys in the UK is underway (as it is in other parts of the world). I will keep track, once in awhile, of who is home and who is not.

Gorgeous Friday in Missoula and there are some ospreys on that hellgate Canyon nest.

Oh, goodness. ‘TU’ sends news that a storm came through and blew fledgling Antali off the nest. Let us all hope he is alright. https://www.facebook.com/100001195985354/videos/1565499424179303?idorvanity=241808466290553

Looks like everyone is still home at Charlo.

River is hanging on tight with the high winds at Sandpoint.

Looks like everyone is still home at Pitkin County.

For the most part the Finnish Osprey nests were relatively quiet. I caught an unringed on nest #1.

A nice little video of an osprey nest in Whistler, British Columbia. https://youtu.be/XgPX9SMm7N4?

FORE (Friends of Redding Eagles) has given us an update about the necroscopy of Luna and discussions on what to do about the nest tree of Liberty and Guardian. Thanks, ‘J’ for sending this in!

“Friends of the Redding Eagles-FORE

Sotprsodnem0a5cugugg44la299993c4hfi88m7cht3gu03la021u78a912a  · 

Update on Liberty & Guardian’s Nest & Nest Tree 8/22/24:

We just wanted to give you an update on our progress this Summer! We haven’t been posting much because It’s actually been a very busy Summer! We’ve been working non-stop on finding a way to help Liberty & Guardian any way we can next season. We’ve heard several of you suggest we simply “Cut down the Nest Tree” or “Remove the Nest”. After what happened to our Luna & Sol last season we completely understand how you feel! None of us want to experience something like that ever again! But, there are several Federal Laws protecting Bald & Golden Eagles so we have to abide by those laws at all times.

We’re still waiting on the Final Report on Luna’s Necropsy, but I have been in touch with Krysta Rogers frequently these last few months & she has been very helpful. She has answered several questions we asked her after the preliminary report was released & she reviewed a few videos I sent to her of Luna on the Grassy Island. Krysta said she will share the FINAL REPORT with us as soon as it is ready. We would all like to know what the cause of death was for our Luna & Sol & we really hope the final necropsy report will give us those answers. We have to let you know that there are times when the necropsy results are inconclusive, but we remain hopeful!

We’ve also been in touch with the California State Avian Conservation Coordinator Shannon Skalos regarding what we can & can’t do about Liberty & Guardian’s Nest & Nest Tree. Shannon was very helpful & understanding & she put us in touch with our local Fish & Wildlife Supervisor John Perrine who we’ve been working with to come up with a plan. Since we are not Biologists ourselves, we work under the guidance of our local Fish & Wildlife Biologists. We’ve been discussing what we can do within the constraints of the Federal Laws protecting Bald Eagles & their Nests & Nest Trees. 

Back in June, Shannon informed us that we cannot do anything to the Nest or Nest Tree without a Federal “Take Permit”. She said those permits can take quite a while to obtain & she didn’t think we had enough time to go that route(6-12 months). She said US Fish & Wildlife generally tries to “let nature take its course”, but they will always consider things on a case by case basis. 

Shannon let us know we would NOT need a permit to do something in any of the nearby trees as long as we don’t touch the Nest Tree. So, we immediately reached out to our dear friend & Eagle Biologist David Hancock from British Columbia who has a lot of experience & success in this area. David has been consulting with us & now we are in the process of making a plan which we will complete in September. We will share more details on our plan as we get closer! 

Our Project Manager Joe will be coming to Redding in September to replace parts & overhaul the entire Eaglecam System. So, we still have a lot of work ahead of us! But, we are determined to do whatever we can to help our beloved Redding Eagles Liberty & Guardian! And, we are also determined to do whatever we can to make it a great viewing experience for all of our wonderful followers & incredibly generous Donors who make this all possible!

We could not do this without YOU!

Stay tuned!

~Terri & the FORE Team

Here is some helpful information with us from the US Fish & Wildlife Eagle Management Plan:

“Eagle Nest Protections

Along with protecting eagles, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act also protects eagle nests. Eagle nests are protected at all times, not just when the nests are in use by eagles. This means eagle nests can never be removed, destroyed, moved, tampered with, or obstructed, no matter what time of year it is, without a permit.

An eagle nest is defined as “any assemblage of materials built, maintained, or used by bald eagles or golden eagles for the purpose of reproduction. An eagle nest remains an eagle nest until it becomes so diminished, or the nest substrate upon which it is built fails, that the nest is no longer usable and is not likely to become usable to eagles, as determined by a Federal, Tribal, or State eagle biologist” (50 CFR 22.6).

The following are all considered eagle nests and are protected (unless the nests are determined by a Federal, Tribal, or State eagle biologist to no longer be usable):

Any nest constructed by an eagle, even if the nest is never finished or used.

A nest built by another bird that is subsequently used by an eagle for reproduction.

A nest constructed by an eagle that is subsequently used by another species, such as owls or osprey. 

Note that if nest take removes all available nesting substrate from an eagle pair’s territory, this can lead to abandonment and loss of the eagle territory, which constitutes a form of disturbance take.laws”

Is Mum looking a little eggy at Port Lincoln?

Seabirds sang a tribute to the Penguin Icon, Sphen, as they mourn his death.

Magic moment: Sydney aquarium filled with song after sea birds mourn death of gay penguin Sphen | AnDownload

Our smile for the day comes from ‘SP’. Most of you know the Crawley Falcons that hatch their chicks on the balcony of a high rise in Australia. Apparently neighbours decided peregrine falcons were too noisy and asked that the plant pots where the falcons laid their eggs be removed. Well…Here is the story in pictures from their FB page. Oh, they now have at least two eggs.

And a shout-out ‘back’ to my kid teaching at St George’s Medical School – he’s been sending the love for over twenty years now! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/L9wxFqMKJH1qLkBg/

Turtles are starting to arrive at the Kistachie National Forest E-1 nest…oh, geez. If this eagle keeps this up, there won’t be a turtle within 5 miles of the park! This male loves his turtles.

Karl II’s son, Waba, is in the Ukraine where he continues to feed as he works his way back to Africa. Fingers crossed that Waba will return to Estonia and take over his natal nest next year! Yes! Waba can continue the great example of his father, Karl II, who sadly was electrocuted on an unprotected pole in Turkey last year.

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

Daily summary Friday 23rd August 2024

More rain overnight last night with strong winds, and a misty morning today. No Ospreys appeared on either nest, just a pair of Great Tits on Nest One, but we were treated to footage from Spain of our one surviving chick, 1JW, looking magnificent and defending his fish with a short sharp warning nip to another Osprey who attempted to get some of it. This all bodes well for his upcoming migration journey, and explains his informal nickname of ‘Jaws’. Also sent through by Fundación Migres were photos of Pean JH3, the Loch Arkaig Osprey who fledged from a private nest in 2017 the same year that Aila & Louis fledged their first chick, Lachlan JH4. Pean’s untimely death on a faulty power line in 2018 inspired Itziar Colodro Sainz from the Fundación to campaign successfully for modernisation of the local grid at the translocation area of Marjal Pego-Oliva Nature Reserve, which has subsequently saved many birds. More here: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=15815194 and here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-46952452. The wet weather will continue all week, with the possibility of thundery showers tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.32.40 (05.19.49); Nest Two 21.24.56 (05.26.39)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/cuNHwXdx6jE Video footage of ‘Jaws’ 1JW defending his fish in Spain 

https://youtu.be/Cxnfg-UCmUk N1 Pair of Great Tits visit 07.22.56

Bonus new partnership initiative between WT and Sainsburys also means more food and homes for wildlife:

https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4349695/sainsburys-woodland-trust-launch-agroforestry-initiative

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

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

‘H’ posted on Fenwick Island….little Fen. Dad is smart. Just drop those fish in when flying by. Don’t risk those precious talons with a hungry juvenile.

SE33 was aggressive towards its little sibling today. Despite there being plenty of fish on the nest, it would not allow the baby to eat but a few bites before starting to bonk it. SE33 goes into a food coma and Dad comes along and saves the day giving little 34 a really nice feeding. That baby was full. Love you, Dad!

‘A’ writes more of these current issues with sibling rivalry: “This morning, Lady went out early and brought back a large fresh whole fish. She started feeding SE33 at around 06:49 and continued to do so until just before 06:58, when SE34, who had had his head down on the nest, finally accepted a bite. But even though it had been eating large chunks of fish for nearly ten minutes, SE33 was not happy about SE34’s inclusion in the feeding and immediately beaks him in the back of the head. SE33 grabbed a beakful of head feathers and shook SE34 for some time. A moment or so later, when SE34 dared to move, he was attacked again. Once again, the shaking lasted some time. SE33 has an enormous crop by this stage and has been eating large pieces of fish uninterrupted since 06:50. 

The fact that SE34 had stayed down for so long, cringing violently away when Lady leaned near him to pick up a dropped piece of fish (she had dropped it, not SE34), was worrying enough in itself, but when after eating so much fish and SE34 showing deference for so long, SE33 instantly retaliated for the one mouthful SE34 had been given, it really depressed me. I thought we had got beyond this on this nest, but obviously, we haven’t. In fact, over the past week or so, it seems SE33 is getting more aggressive rather than less. 

Lady is still looking out for him, and there is still plenty of fish (Dad added a second fish to the breakfast spread this morning – there always seems to be food ready for when Lady wants to feed the eaglets) but it is a worry that he is obviously intimidated by SE33 to the extent that he is sometimes scared to eat. The question is whether he is still getting enough once SE33 has eaten all it can. 

By 7am, SE33 is getting more and more reluctant to accept bites. (It had already been rejecting them when SE34 dared to accept his first mouthful but that didn’t stop SE33 from attacking.) But SE34 is still not brave enough to lift his head. At 07:02, SE33 is STILL eating. SE34 dares to move – he is monitoring proceedings. By 07:02:40, SE33 is refusing food and Lady eats the bite herself. At 07:03, SE34 lifts his head cautiously.

There are two fish on the nest – one whole and one that Lady is finishing off. SE33 gets a second wind but this is a good thing, as it stops an attack on SE34 for lifting his head. Lady pauses the feeding. She surveys the eaglets and takes stock of the situation. She waits. SE33 is full, so I think she is waiting for it to turn away or lose interest in attacking SE34. She is certainly planning what to do next. 

Just after 07:04, SE33 does in fact turn away. SE34 sits up a little further. His head is up. At 07:04:25, Lady offers a bite to SE34, who takes it without retaliation from SE33. Lady then steps closer to SE33 and persists in offering it a bite for nearly half a minute until eventually it is accepted shortly before 07:05. 

Although SE34 has his head up, Lady does not offer him food. She continues feeding SE33, although it is reluctant and slow to accept bites. 07:06:20 and Lady moves some nest material, which strikes SE34 and causes him to turn away, fearing he is being attacked. Lady ends the feeding at this point, returning to brooding the eaglets, even though SE34 has not had any breakfast while SE33 is stuffed to the brim. There is a whole fish still on the nest, plus some leftovers from the other fish, and yet she has abandoned the effort to feed SE34. He is obviously intimidated and scared to eat, but with SE33 so full, it is unusual that Lady did not persist in her efforts to feed SE34. She made very little effort to feed him, and did not offer him bites with the same patience and persistence she used to push more and more food onto SE33. So it was all in all a worrying and disappointing breakfast feed. 

I am assuming Lady is going to let SE33 fall into a food coma and then go back to the fish to feed SE34. I certainly hope so. Otherwise, we are going to have problems at this nest. I am encouraged by the fact that the size gap between the two appears to have narrowed over the past four or five days, so talons crossed. “

There is more news from Australia. ‘A’ sends us the news of a rare white Rhino calf born – no feathers, but we will celebrate with them!https://youtu.be/QaPgf26-WYE?

Thank you so much for being with us today. Have a wonderful weekend everybody! See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, videos, articles, images, summaries, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, PB, SP, TU’, The Pulp, Return of the Menhaden, Hawk Mountain, BirdGuides, SK Hideaways, CROW, RSPB Loch Garten, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Sandpoint, Pitkin County, Saaksilvie, Whistler Osprey Cam, FORE, PLO, The Guardian Crawley Falcons Instagram, Tonya Irwin, Looduskalender, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Heidi McGrue, and Olympic Park Eagles.

Hatch at Cornell, Osprey eggs…Saturday in Bird World

27 April 2024

Good Morning,

The rain I wished for arrived Friday morning, along with a chill to the bone feeling. It was much needed, and the smell of the wet earth was intoxicating, especially after all the dust. The grass around the City is turning green, and the leaves on the lilac bushes in the garden are starting to emerge. I cannot wait to see the garden completely ‘green’ again. This morning, the first White-throated Sparrows arrived in the garden. They returned, again, in even larger numbers – 35 or 40 – in the pouring rain around 1930. They are easy to see with their three white stripes on the crown, but I realised that soon the leaves would be out, and I will be scrambling to tell who is where.

The White-throated Sparrow might look like a House Sparrow except for that amazing head and throat. The first time I saw one, I thought it was a plastic head stuck on a house sparrow. Silly me. There are three white stripes alternating with black to make up its crown. On each side, at the top of the black beak, is a yellow dot – someone got into their paint pot! The proper term is lores. Below the beak is a white triangle like a bib, hence the name – ‘White-throated’. [The White Crowned Sparrow lacks the white bib!]

All about Birds says, “White-throated Sparrows eat mainly the seeds of grasses and weeds, including ragweed and buckwheat, as well as fruits of sumac, grape, cranberry, mountain ash, rose, blueberry, blackberry, and dogwood. In summer they eat large numbers of insects that they catch on the forest floor or, occasionally on quick flights out from low vegetation. These include dragonflies, wasps, stinkbugs, beetles, flies, and caterpillars, as well as spiders, millipedes, centipedes, and snails. Parents feed their nestlings almost exclusively animal matter. During winter, White-throated Sparrows readily visit bird feeders for millet and black oil sunflower seeds. In spring they eat the tender buds, blossoms, and young seeds of oak, apple, maple, beech, and elm.” They were certainly busy kicking and foraging in the grass beneath the feeders in my garden. I noticed that they not only consumed the Black-oil seed but the Millet and the Corn.

The white eyebrows are normally sider than the single stripe running down the middle of the crown. You can see the yellow lores clearly in the image below.

“Female White-throated Sparrows put their nests on or just above the ground, typically in level areas in clearings with dense ground vegetation. The nest is usually built under shrubs, grasses, or ferns, sometimes even beneath dead vegetation from the previous year. Birds sometimes put their nests off the ground, particularly if they lost a previous nest to a predator. These nests may be in roots of an upturned tree, brush piles, in shrubs or ferns, or as high as 10 feet up in a coniferous tree.”

‘The Girls’ are just like our little raptors. After every meal they go into a food coma! Hugo Yugo is no exception.

I am afraid to say but it appears that Hugo Yugo is starting to grow – long. Her face still looks like a kitten. I am hoping that my eyes are just fooling me. She still fits in the shoe box.

Meanwhile, Missey still likes it when the plants are watered and will curl up in them like she did as a kitten with Lewis.

It isn’t an end table…it is a two-tier hard sofa for cats. I wish the individual had not felt the need to refinish the tops – the wicker is marvellous and it would certainly be more fitting for it to be in its original condition, however grotty.

The Fig Tree needs a nice new pot.

Richmond and Rosie are going to be grandparents! I get goosebumps when I hear of survivals like this. I am sure many of you watched ZD with me four years ago!

There is a second egg hatching at the nest of Big Red and Arthur Friday afternoon. There will be another beak to fill Saturday. Arthur is already bringing in the squirrels. I hope it is a huge population of them and chippies this spring – he will have six mouths to feed in total.

N1 is a darling. Our friend ‘A’ thinks so, too: “N1 is SUCH a strong little hawklet. It is eating like a small fluffy piglet. Mum is feeding it often and it is eating like a pro, even picking up dropped mouthfuls for itself! This is one precocious little chick. But of course that is hawklets isn’t it? Their nest time is so short compared to eaglets and osplets. They grow so fast and fledge so soon, we have to appreciate every day we have them in the nest. A bit like falcons, really, which returns me to the happy little band at Cal Falcons. A darling, hard-working little dad and a devoted, very experienced mum. This may be the first time all four of Annie’s eggs have hatched (although we have no idea what would have happened last season had that third egg not almost certainly been laid away from the nest on the day Grinnell died) but I have a lot of confidence in this pair to successfully raise all four to fledge, as long as they are not bothered by intruders.”

Too cute!

Big Red positively glows when her eggs begin to hatch and there are chicks to care for. She even looks younger and younger.

UPDATE: From ‘A’: “

The second hawklet is nearly dry when Big Red gives us our first good daylight look at the expanded family from about 06:28:20 when she gets up for a stretch. There is a stick that falls across the nest as she moves and the new hatchling has to struggle out from under it (mum moves it). The second little one appears strong and healthy. I’m sure there will be a meal soon, but at this stage, this is the first really good look we have had at the second hawlet. 

Two eggs hatched and two eggs to come. I wonder whether the gaps between hatches will be similar or whether there will be different time differences. There looks as though there MAY be a pip in the third egg (left hand side at the front as we are looking at the pic), right down at the bottom on the left hand end but of course I may be wrong and it may not even be at the correct end of the egg. So I wouldn’t be relying on my ability to spot pips on hawk eggs or (especially) on osprey eggs. Just too many blotches for me to see anything definitive. “

Cutie pie falcons in Osaka being fed – look how big they are! The pin gathers are coming in and they have lost that sweet baby down but gosh, they are still adorable.

H’ reports that Angel and Tom visited their nest Saturday morning. Yippeeee.

The first egg at McEuan Park in Idaho was laid on the 26th. Thanks, ‘H’.

*Caution. Not recommended. Potential neglect from female/starvation despite male delivering fish*. The first egg of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest was laid on the 25th. This is a very problematic nest. Little to none nesting materials. Experienced Dad. Female appears to have many issues. She has failed to cover egg and it has rained heavily on the egg. ‘MP’ reports that the Dad tried to cover it with the few cornstalks available. The female later returns to incubate. Quite honestly, the kind thing would be for this egg to be unviable.

In comparison, Annie is a superb Mum. ‘A’ writes, “Annie was so careful this morning to make sure that little number 4 chick was fed after its older siblings had eaten their fill. She had to go around to the back of the pile to reach the little one, which is way too small to reach over the others and not yet strong enough to push its way to the front. So Annie is making sure that she gets the food to the little one herself. She is very deliberate about it. It has to wait its turn, but Annie keeps feeding and feeding until all the little mouths are closed, and then she e-chups some encouragement to try just a couple more bites and the little beaks open one more time. And when they have all eaten their fill, only then does Annie finish the feeding and remove the leftovers. .(Or on this occasion, she simply ate the leftovers herself, having fed the entire prey item to the chicks.) 

She is a very very good mother, and Archie is doing a sterling job. He would love to do more, and is always there if he feels the chicks might get chilly waiting for mum’s return, but knows his place and is quick to depart when mum arrives back. I think brooding the four is going to be quite a challenge for him within a day or two. “

Annie wants to be in charge of the feedings!

Squirming falcons.

Audacity laid a fourth egg that was crushed. It makes me so very sad to think how much she wants a family – or for that matter all the others like Jackie and Shadow, Chase and Cholyn, and of course, dear Gabby and Beau. When I get down in the dumps about it all, I just go over to Cal Falcons or Big Red’s…you cannot help but smile and have all the gloom washed away.

Falcons are hatching everywhere including in the Netherlands near the city of Duurstede.

Raptor Resource Project staff keeping a close eye on the eaglet at Decorah North.

Later images at Decorah North.

The first osprey in all of Italy hatched on Friday.

Fish arrived at 1326 at Moorings Park and what you can’t see is Tuffy on the other side being fed first.

Look at Tuffy working those wings. Our darling little one has grown up – and is surviving.

Idris incubates the eggs while Telyn enjoys a nice fish supper at the Dyfi Osprey platform in Wales.

Contentment at Glaslyn with Elen and Aran.

I wish that Affric and either Prince or Gary would find the same kind of contentment at Loch Arkaig nest 1. How could osplets be raised with all the kerfuffle going on?

Louis found out about the other male courting Iris and might well have sent him packing. Iris is alone in the rain. Louis has an injury on his chest.

Swampy is beautiful and appears to be doing well! Prey being provided at the nest.

Two osplets at Frenchman’s Creek are self-feeding, getting fed by Mum once in awhile, and you know what? They just might fledge – they might make it!

The eaglets at Little Miami Conservancy are walking on the nest and growing like crazy. Look at that formidable female! I would not want to get her upset.

West End trio doing quite well.

Eaglets at Duke nearing branching and fledge.

The two eaglets on Farmer Derek’s property, Wichita and Cheyenne, are both doing fantastic.

Notice the difference in plumage. Port Tobacco eaglet is getting its feathers but is only beginning compared to the Duke Farms eaglets, Jersey and Leaper.

Fort St Vrain eaglets, FSV49 and 50, are so tiny. They are losing their natal down and finishing up getting their thermal. One has even been pecking at prey.

While it might look boring, the ospreys and eagles have to stay vigilant during the incubation period least their eggs get pecked by Crows (Tom and Audrey’s most recent egg at Kent Island) or they get attacked by intruders. The pair at Boulder are always on the look out for trouble.

Denton Homes eaglet trio now have their thermal down.

Andor and Cruz’s pair are doing well – and are simply lovely.

Jackie and Shadow give me the warm fuzzies – it is like ‘everything is going to be OK’ when I see them together.

The new male at Anna and Louis’s nest, E1, at Lake Kincaid seems to have a fetish for turtles. Tonya Irvin worries that they could become endangered at the lake!

Hoping that the first hatch at Captiva is kind to the second and letting it eat enough.

There are three eggs at Cowlitz PUD.

Nothing is happening, yet, at Oregon Law’s osprey nest.

Liberty and Guardian’s eaglets at Redding are well looked after.

An unexpected snow in Finland has hit areas where the ospreys are nesting.

Others were not affected. The female at Janakallan, Yellow XKT, was on the nest today. Has her partner, Red CCL, lost his Darvic ring?

I have been following the plight of Milda and her two eggs since Hugo went missing. On Friday, Milda left the nest at 1759 and had not returned by 0700 Saturday morning. She cannot do this alone and new males have proven to her to be unreliable. Better unhatched eggs than starving chicks – precisely how I feel about other nests, too.

Researchers in Australia have found that noise from urban pollution (traffic) stunts the growth of baby birds.

Noise-from-traffic-stunts-growth-of-baby-birds-study-finds-Birds-The-GuardianDownload

An Osprey rescue in Belgium that could have a very happy ending.

If you missed it, here is April’s Ventana Wildlife Condor Chat.

Our birds and wildlife need habitat, clean water, and food. Humans need to examine the land we use and begin to see a different vision than houses – larger and larger ones – taking over land. In my City, they should be building up, not out.

Did you read Watershed Down? The local community has lost their battle for the iconic and inspiring landscape for that story to housing.

Locals-lose-battle-to-stop-360-homes-being-built-on-picturesque-Watership-Down-farmland-Daily-MaDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. I am always so happy to hear form you! Take care. We hope to have you with us again soon.

Thank you, as always, to those who sent me notes, provided posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, MP’, SF Bay Ospreys, Cornell RTH Cam, Osaka Peregrine Falcons, McEuan Park, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Cal Falcons, Wijk bij Duurstede, Raptor Research Project, Parco Natural Regional di Porto Conte, Moorings Park Ospreys, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Geemeff, Montana Osprey Project, Eagle Country, Frenchman’s Creek, Little Miami Conservancy, IWS/Explore, Duke Farms, Kansas City Bald Eagles, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Fort St Vrain Eagles, Boulder County, Denton Homes, SK Hideaways, Tonya Irvin, Window to Wildlife, Cowlitz PUD, Osprey Law, FORE, Finnish Osprey Foundation, The Guardian, Gregarious Joris Toonen, Ventana Wildlife, and the Daily Mail.

*Disclaimer: I have made effort to thank everyone who has contributed to today’s post. If there has been an error or an omission, my apologies. Please let me know so that I can correct my omission.*

UK Ospreys arriving, Flaco’s necropsy released…Tuesday in Bird World

26 March 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Monday was my birthday, and I had a grand time with the most marvellous homemade Opera cake by my talented daughter. I took the day off – for the most part – from the birds. Today, it is full of information on Flaco and the perils that the Ospreys in the US are facing, plus more information on the impact of Avian Flu. Please read this information. I urge you to join Michael Academia and me in asking for a moratorium to be put in place for the fishing of Mahaden. There is only one nest that I am concerned about. Duke Farms continued to have prey delivery and sibling rivalry issues until this morning. Please see the latest narrative by Allison at the bottom.

We will start today, however, with the necroscopy of Flaco, the Eurasian Owl, that had been at the Central Park Zoo for some 13 years before his cage was vandalised and he escaped into the Central Park and Great Manhattan area where he lived for a year before colliding with a building. Please read the entire article. The summary of the findings are: “Bronx Zoo veterinary pathologists determined that in addition to the traumatic injuries, Flaco had two significant underlying conditions. He had a severe pigeon herpesvirus from eating feral pigeons that had become part of his diet, and exposure to four different anticoagulant rodenticides that are commonly used for rat control in New York City. These factors would have been debilitating and ultimately fatal, even without a traumatic injury, and may have predisposed him to flying into or falling from the building.”

Central-Park-Zoo-Releases-Postmortem-Testing-Results-for-Flaco-the-Eurasian-Eagle-Owl-NewsroomDownload

We have also been waiting on the news about Andria who, after having at least two seizures, fell out of her nest on 8 December 2023 and died. Andria’s necroscopy report has also been released today. Andria was the mate of Alex at the E3 nest in the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana.

Andrias-necroscopy-reportDownload

Michael Academia has asked me to spread the word about the horrific impact that a shortage of Manhaden will have on success of Osprey nests along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the US. I am absolutely more than happy to do this as this is something we know can be remedied and benefit our beloved fish eating raptors. The key is to stop the fishing. Not stop the overfishing, but stop all fishing o Manhaden. Chinese commercial fishing trawlers are depleting the stocks. (They are also overfishing in AustralAsia to the detriment of the seabirds including the Royal Albatross).

In 2023, we – ‘H’ and I – identified both weather events and the lack of Manhaden as the primary reasons that osplets starved on the nests in the NE US. I was also extremely critical that supplementary fish were not provided – and I am certainly thinking that it might well be time to set up ponds just for the ospreys. Why not ponds on golf courses? They need water features anyway and we now know that the photography of ospreys is in high demand – especially when they are catching fish – that there is great money to be made. That should be enough to entice some entrepreneur to help them – and line their pockets at the same time.

A-Tiny-Fish-That-Fuels-a-Healthy-Atlantic-Ecosystem-Now-Stirs-Industry-Debates-The-New-York-TimesDownload
Researchers-peg-Mobjack-Bay-osprey-woes-on-food-shortage-Fisheries-bayjournal.com_Download

Other threats continue including Avian Flu which is now impacting the Penguins.

Penguins-at-Risk-as-Avian-Flu-Reaches-the-Antarctic-BirdLife-InternationalDownload

Telyn, the mate of Idris, arrived in the dark Monday early evening at her nest in Wales. Arrival time was 1929.

Geemeff caught the arrival of handsome Blue 022 at the Poole Harbour nest.

Lloyd Brown brings us the latest on Rita, the former mate of Ron at the WRDC nest who injured her wing and is now in Marathon, Florida.

There are now three eggs for the new couple at the Syracuse Red-tail Hawk cam on the campus of SU in New York.

These two at Decorah North should put a smile on anyone’s face.

Hope and Chandler are really spoiling their only eaglet. What a treat. Like all nests send positive images that both parents stay safe and prey is plentiful.

The two osplets at Moorings Park, like the two Decorah eaglets, melt one’s heart. Harry brought an enormous fish to the nest and one of the osplets got dragged a bit. Thankfully this little one was not injured!

‘MP’ reports that the Mum at J B Sands Wetlands who had an issue with her right leg or talon has not been seen for at least two days, but, thankfully, was on the top of the tower Monday evening. Dad finally brought in prey after showing JBS20 some food in the nest. It could have been like the WRDC where Ron and Rose tried to get R6 to self-feed. JBS20 did have a nice meal late on Monday.

The situation at Duke Farms continues to be dire. Please send positive energy. It appears to me that the male is no longer with us and that the female is having some difficulty not only with getting prey, but also with having food to feed herself and Leaper and leave some for Jersey. Jersey has had only a few bites of prey since Friday.

When nests like Bluff City or Duke change, after starting out so successful, it is good to stop and look at the exceptional ones like the West End. ‘A’ gives us her wonderful narrative of this Channel Islands wonder: “Meanwhile, as I turn on to the West End cam, I see a bunch of huge teenagers. Who are they and what did they do with those cute chicks? Oh wee WE is SO adorable. Check out the mid-afternoon feeding (from 15:10) being doled out by mum. The three actually appear to grow in front of your eyes during the 20 minutes or so of the feeding. There is some bonking on this nest and some chatters actually worry about wee WE!!! No need to have concerns about that little one. Bold and clever. Just too cute for words. I  adore wee WE – my favourite of the season so far (though little Willow was obviously also very special to me because I’m such a sucker for the tiny younger chicks). The two older chicks are the main instigators (Nessy may be the second hatch but that neck has always given it an advantage, so hatches one and two are very evenly matched indeed) but sometimes the little one starts a rumble it cannot finish. It has learned to duck, and tends to stay below the level of its bonking siblings. If it does end up the victim, it ducks and tucks quickly, then gets back to the table at the first opportunity. It has no hesitation in reaching over and in front of its siblings to get bites. All three look very strong and healthy. Thunder is fabulous and you know my feelings towards Akecheta. A dad right up there with the very best. An M15 in fact, and you know what a huge statement that is. But watching him with two three-hatch clutches has been very stress-free viewing. To me, that clearly indicates a good food source and excellent parents.”

Thunder knew precisely how to deal with the rivalry in the nest. Whenever it began, no matter when—even during a meal—she sat on the eaglets. That and plenty of prey brought by Akecheta put an end to the nonsense. It was simple and effective. I am surprised other nests do not use this as a behaviour-changing strategy.

Arthur and Big Red are incubating their three eggs – the last laid on the 23rd of March during a snowstorm in the dark. Cute little Arthur has a prey item for his much loved mate waiting for her return.

Monty and Hartley have their second egg. ‘SP’ says it was an easy labour!

PA Country Bald Eagles have three eaglets in their nest. They have had four in the past but three is actually quite unusual. Most eagles only lay two eggs.

Swampy and Meadow in Eagle Country continue to thrive.

Mason and Dixon at Superbeaks nest in Central Florida can now be seen over the edge of the other camera (side view). They have grown so much thanks to Pepe and Muhlady.

Bartlesville Oklahoma’s Sutton Centre has its first Bald Eagle hatch for 2024.

It is hatch watch for Liberty and Guardian at Redding. Three eggs were laid on Feb 15, 18, and 21. One broke, but which one is unknown. Egg #1 would be 40 days today, so it may be the one. Egg #2 would be 37, and Egg #3 would be 34. Fingers crossed for this devoted couple.

At Glaslyn, everyone is delighted as Elen arrived home this morning!

Blue 022 has been waiting for his mate CJ7 and she has arrived home to Poole Harbour safely. All is well.

As all of you know, I believe in intervention where it is warranted and can save lives of our precious birds. As our planet warms and the climate of various regions changes – including where I live where the temperature is expected to rise and the winters I recall but are rapidly changing will change even more – we will be called to help. Port Lincoln did that this past breeding season. As ‘A’ reflects, “The fabulous progress of Giliath and Bradley is testament to their actions – the pre-fledge period made it perfectly clear that, when required, the parents stepped up their fishing, even though there was a plan in case they didn’t. But they did fish, contrary to the dire predictions of the naysayers, and they certainly have taught their offspring to do the same. I do hope someone is writing up the Port Lincoln experiment for a scholarly journal, because we are sick of people telling us we shouldn’t ‘interfere’ to mitigate the hugely negative impacts of our interference in their habitats. What convenient hypocrisy that is. No interference when it comes to helping the birds but interference a plenty when it comes to destroying their food sources and habitats.”

This is why, when I look at where this post began, with a dire look at the lack of fish to feed the ospreys in the Atlantic region of the US, we must look at not only halting the fishing, but helping nests that can be helped in a manner like that undertaken at Port Lincoln. Barneghat Light might have had an entirely different outcome last year when the June storm hit. Cape May Meadows might not have lost all its chicks and the male – or at least the chicks – and how many others did we watch where a week of fish deliveries might have meant all the difference? Some will tell you that we do not need any more osprey researchers or that there are too many ospreys. I hear there are too many sparrows and European Starlings, but their numbers are plummeting – and, without knowing it, the same can happen to our magnificent raptors. Instead of waiting for that day, let us see what we can do to help. Whether it is habitat protection, wetlands creation, the final lid on the use of rodenticides, the refusal to use plastic, cleaning up the river bank, donating clean old sheets – whatever you can, please do it and get your friends and family to join in. Let us look up with pride and know that we helped. We were part of the solution, not the problem.

Duke Farms: “Mum woke up and immediately stood up at 06:19 and left the babies on their own to go hunting for food. Jersey is still alive this morning and appears to be clinging on, just. Leaper woke him up with a bonking as mum was preparing to leave. Thank god it was just a grab of the back of the neck and a bit of twisting. Not much at all, perhaps because she could tell the little one was almost gone. Bonking is not necessary. 

Just before 06:53 Jersey stands up and tries to flap his little wings. He is a little unsteady but that may well be because of the wing-flapping (he’s only three and a half weeks old). But he’s standing and stretching a little, which is a good sign. He’s not yet lying on the nest, dying. Oh mum, please bring back a fish big enough for the whole family. By 06:40 they are cuddled up together, sleeping. 

And at 07:01:37, mum is back!!! She has a good-sized fish and it is whole. She has not eaten any of it herself. Leaper of course immediately begins thrashing Jersey. Mum stops this by beginning to feed Leaper. The IR light goes off. Jersey is huddled over, back to the food, with Leaper leaning over him to feed, meaning that Jersey is unable to move or even stretch out towards mum. This is a good-sized fish. It should feed both chicks and a bit for mum. But will Leaper allow Jersey to eat anything? Will Jersey get the courage to try and eat? 

07:05:45 and Jersey tries to get onto its feet as Leaper moves towards mum. Just before 07:07, as we see Leaper’s crop expanding, DAD lands on the nest with some nest material. Not much use dad. This is precisely the moment we could have done with a second fish but omigod are we glad to see him. 

The feeding continues after Leaper puts in a very prolonged attack on Jersey. Dad leaves. The attack continues. Leaper is shaking the little one by the scruff of the neck like a rag doll. Jersey is hanging limp and appears to be avoiding real injury.; has done another assault on Jersey (07:07+) There is still some fish mum appears to have fed about two-thirds of it to Leaper (she may have had a few bites herself but not many or much). 

Shortly after -7:13 Jersey raises his head. He’s facing away from the food, but Leaper, now with a giant crop, turns to attack him yet again. It’s only a token peck, but Jersey tucks again. Mum searches for dropped pieces to eat herself. The fish is finished. Leaper has a giant crop. Jersey has not eaten a single flake. Mum has had a few bites but must still be very hungry. 

BUT DAD IS BACK. Let’s pray he brings in something else very very early this morning, otherwise, this will all come too late for Jersey. He is still looking fairly alert and is moving. I have not seen a PS this morning so far though. I am hoping he can make it through the day and that enough food will come in today to save his life, but it’ll be touch and go. Boy is dad a welcome sight. Maybe, just maybe, he is back in time….. Talons crossed for little Jersey. 

We watch in hope.” Then….”Shortly before 8am, and having moved away towards the feeding zone and away from Leaper, Jersey suddenly realises that mum has left some fish on the nest. He heads towards it, which alerts Leaper, who gets up, looks around and considers an attack..She does a couple of crop drops. Jersey moves towards the rails, away from Leaper, and looks over to the food. 

Leaper considers her options. She is VERY full. She flaps her wings, stretches, and turns away from Jersey, who cringes slightly but is still on his feet next to the leftovers,  which are SO close. He is keeping an eye on Leaper and is aware of her every move. He is very scared but he wants that food so badly. Leaper flaps and stretches again, moves two steps closer to Jersey but then stops a step away. Jersey prepares to tuck and turn away but Leaper stays where she is, so Jersey considers turning back towards the food. 

Eventually, just after 08:02, Jersey turns to the food. Leaper ignores this. Jersey examines the food wondering what to do next. Leaper turns to look and Jersey huddles over the top of the fish! Leaper turns away again. aJersey has a little nibble on the fish. Leaper is again interested, and flaps, disturbing Jersey. But Leaper is full, and again settles, allowing Jersey to resume his self-feeding efforts. He is getting quite a few small pieces. Leaper is totally uninterested, on the other side of the nest and facing in the other direction. JERSEY IS EATING. On his own. A life skill being learned early through sheer necessity. But this fish is open and an easy starter kit for the new self-feeder, which is such a blessing this morning. 

Oh he’s doing such a good job, holding the fish down and pulling off pieces. Go baby!!!”

Thank you so much for being with us today, and thank you to those who sent me the news. I am always so grateful. I am also so appreciative of Allison, who watched the Duke Farms nest when I needed a break. Take care all. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, letters, videos, articles, reports, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, MA, MP, SP’, WCS News, University of Georgia – Vet Medicine, The New York Times, The Bay Journal, BirdLife International, Dyfi Osprey Cam, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Geemeff, SU-RTH Cam, Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, Ondabebe, Moorings Park Ospreys, JB Sands Wetlands Tower Cam, Duke Farms, Cornell RTH, SK Hideaways, PA Country Farm, Eagle Country, Superbeaks, and Sutton Centre Bartlesville.

First egg second clutch for Missey and Pa Berry…Sunday in Bird World

18 February 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you for all your good wishes for Hugo Yugo. She was fed with a syringe every 30-60 minutes until 1300 on Saturday when we went for our long walk at the nature centre. The sky was blue but, strangely, the temperatures had risen to a lovely -4 C. It was a fantastic day to be in the woods – and it really helped take away the worrying for the little ginger kitten for a bit.

Instead of going through the regular paths, I cut in and out of the forest area. There were lots of people doing things – tobogganing, sitting by the outdoor fire pits, ice skating, bike riding – because of the good weather. Even so, it was so quiet in the trees.

On the way home, we stopped and got special cat food – a gentle chicken and rice. I was curious to know if Hugo Yugo would eat. She has refused food – except for about a Tablespoon on Friday morning. I hoped the ground-up kibble and kitten milk syringe feeds would strengthen her and create an interest in food – and play. — And it worked. She ate. 2 T for the first feeding, which increased to the point where she ate three small portions of the chicken and rice food. I was literally in tears.

Ah, the one that causes all the worry. Ragged and missing whiskers, curious about everything, and getting better. She will cause all my hair to fall out!

But, oh, she is so adorable. I would do anything for this little one. She is the life of the party – the heart beat of our house.

Baby Hope’s face is changing a bit. She looks more and more like a cat and less like a kitten. She is a real little sweetheart. This girl is big and strong.

Missey found another high hiding spot. She seems to be able to plot where to get away from Calico if Calico is cranky.

As I finished checking on the birds at midnight on Sunday morning, Baby Hope and Hugo Yugo were playing. It is the first time now since Thursday that Hugo Yugo has played.

Sunday Morning Update: Hugo Yugo ate all of her chicken and rice food and drank her kitten milk. Then her and Baby Hope proceeded to ‘clear’ the island. I think she is now fine!!!!!!!!!!!

So on to these birds…

Please go and vote for the name for New Guy at Cal Falcons! ‘B’ did some searching and found some very interesting information about one of the nominated names in addition to the information circulated the other day by Cal Falcons. This is for the name Archie. The high school in Marin County that was named after this Archie is known as the “Home of the Peregrine Falcons”, the name for their athletic teams.  And their logo features a peregrine falcon with aviator goggles (Archie Williams was a pilot who during WW II was an instructor at the school where the Tuskegee Airmen trained, and himself flew missions in WW II and Korea):

I am not suggesting one name over another but I do love that logo!

Everyone at Berry College is more than excited. Pa and Missey have worked on their nest since their first clutch failed. Nothing was going to deter them from having a family this year. On Saturday the 17th around 1911, Missey laid the first egg of their second clutch for 2024. Let’s wish them well. Congratulations!

The cams were down, and during that time, the folks at the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose took the opportunity to band R6. He or she is fitted out with the normal green and black band for the nest with “the sequential number 5/6 green/black”. ‘H’ tells us that a feather sample was taken to do DNA sequencing. By the end of the week, we will know whether R6 is male or female.

In the second photo, look at R6 standing tall and strong!

Ron Magill posted some images that he took of Rita during the opening celebrations of her enclosure at Marathon. Notice Rita’s green and black band also.

In Florida, band colours can be confusing. The Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey uses this: “The band color indicates the type of nest the young eagle hatched in: green for nests in trees and black for nests on artificial structures.” So what if they have a black and green band?

Blue is also a colour used in Florida.

But the Green over Black in Florida is for Brian Mealey, the bander. See PDF below.

Eagle-Band-Colors-The-Center-for-Conservation-BiologyDownload

Swampy and Meadow continue to do well, also. They are growing leaps and bounds. At the moment you can easily tell Swampy because of its darker plumage, darker and more shiny black bill, and s/he has fewer dandelions on their head.

Someone asked how birds hear. You can clearly see Swampy’s ear in the top photo. Look at the corner of the mouth and go straight back…that is the ear. It will be covered with feathers eventually.

Swampy and Meadow being fed before the rains begin.

29 February is officially pip watch for Jackie and Shadow. That is 11 days away. The eggs look good. Jackie rolls them ever so gently…she is completely aware of what could happen. 11 days. We are all so anxious for this loved couple…imagine a hatch. The news agencies around the world will be celebrating.

Bonnie and Clyde have their second egg at the Cardinal Land Conservancy Nest.

It’s raining at Superbeaks – and we are now on hatch watch for Pepe and Muhlady and their second clutch.

We will be looking for egg 2 at Decorah North on Monday.

There might be a problem at the Dulles-Greenway nest of Rosa and Lewis. Rosa calls Lewis to incubate the egg. Will he? There is snow, and it is cool. The leg has been left on and of for periods of time so Rosa could eat and have a break.

Egg 2 is due today. Will this new partnership work out? We wait.

The egg has been left several times. Rosa is an experienced female with a new inexperienced male (or not the same male at all). We will just have to wait and see how this turns out but best it be eggs that become non-viable than eaglets on the nest suffering.

And then, Rosa laid her second egg, right on time.

I have been looking for studies about the life expectancy of the males versus the females in terms of Bald Eagles living in the wild. I haven’t found anything good to post for you – the answer to whether the males live longer than the females is unclear. We do have some older females this year – Gabby, Rosa, and Ellie (below)- who have younger mates. We know that M15 has a younger female partner. Maybe we should start keeping a list and come up with our own data.

There is a new Bald Eagle couple on Farmer Derek’s land in Peabody, Kansas. They have a nest now with their first two eggs. The banded female is Ellie and she is ten years old. The male is named Harvey. He was there with her on Saturday when she laid the second egg at 13:39:52.

Dad and the new female at the ND-LEEF nest have been very busy.

The first female Bald Eagle I ever saw buried in snow as this same female at Duke Farms. She has a new mate this year. Wishing her the best.

If you are watching the new couple at the Kistachie National Forest nest E-3 (Alex and Andria’s old nest), there is a fishing line and lure tangled in the moss bedding of the nest. Neither eagle is tangled. There are no eaglets on the nest. But does this pose enough of a threat to the birds for USFWS to allow Cody to remove it? Let’s hope so – before there are eaglets.

We still have only one egg at the nest of Jak and Audacity (Sauces) in the Channel Islands. The track record is dismal for this super pair of eagles – all due to the continuing presence of DDT after what? 75 years?

The following material is intended for classroom use for students ages 11-12. However, I find it really informative about the impact of DDT on the Eagles in the Channel Islands. If you are not aware of why Jak and Audacity continue to have difficulties – as well as Jackie and Shadow – have a read. (Note: Many areas of the US were sprayed with DDT including Big Bear Lake).

ClassroomStudyGuide-ChannelIslandsDownload

There are many articles.

COLUMN-ONE-DDT-Ills-Still-Haunt-the-Coast-Years-after-scientists-thought-threat-from-pesticide-hDownload

Osprey fever is beginning to happen. Geemeff sent me a link to an Osprey nest in Mallorca that I did not know about! And also an Osprey chat space for the off season. Have a look! Thanks, Geemeff.

To the live feed camera:

To the Osprey Fanatic chat page. Adam has two young daughters…you might enjoy this space.

https://walkingwithdaddy.com/osprey

Harry and Sally laid their third egg of the Florida Osprey season at their Moorings Park Nest in Naples at 10:59 on Saturday, the 17th! If anyone can raise three, these two can.

Sally obliged cam watchers by showing us her labour…She raises her back slightly and spreads her wings out. Like eagles, ospreys will allow the egg to cool and harden after laying. Sally will surely being hard incubation now.

The Peregrine Falcons are getting busy. It is almost egg time in California.

She certainly has beautiful under fluffies. The third egg is shiny and wet. All three appear to be darkly speckled.

Bolivia rehabilitates three Harpy Eagles so they can return to the wild.

After-Years-in-Captivity-These-Rescued-Harpy-Eagles-Are-Flourishing-in-the-Wild-AudubonDownload

Everything you need to know and more about the world’s largest eagle, the Harpy.

Harpy-eagle-guide-where-these-strange-but-iconic-eagles-live-how-they-hunt-and-why-they-are-calledDownload

Thank you so much for being with me and for all your positive energy for Hugo Yugo. She is doing so much better. We hope to see you soon! Take care.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, articles, screen captures, photographs, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘A, B, Geemeff, H, J, SP’, Cal Falcons, Berry College, WRDC, Ron Magill FB, The Centre for Conservation Biology, Eagle Country, FOBBV, V, Superbeaks, Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, Dulles-Greenway, Gracie Shepherd, Duke Farms, KNF-E3, Farmer Derek Eagle Cam, Phillip Josse, Return Flight, Column One, SEO Birdlife, Walking with Daddy, SK Hideaways, Moorings Park, and BBC Discover Wildlife.

Friday in Bird World

26 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Thursday was simply a gorgeous day. By the time I had treated all over King’s Park and through the entire space of IKEA – well, I had accomplished more than my goal of 5km. Whew! The snow is melting quickly and soon, we will be getting stuck in the muck. But, for today, it was marvellous. The puppies were off to the dog park and everyone had a smile on their face and a big hello. Tomorrow, I hope to find some Short-eared Owls and some Snowy Owls in an adventure north of the City.

It is not Calico, it is Baby Hope. She looks more and more like Mamma every week.

Calico wanted to give Baby Hope a good wash, but unlike Hugo Yugo, Hope wasn’t having any of it!

Missey sat close and watched Calico trying to be a good Mamma.

Hugo Yugo is always a bit of a blur…

When the first thing you read in the morning is the shooting of a Peregrine Falcon, it is hard to put on a happy face.

Peregrine-found-shot-in-Doncaster-–-Police-appeal-for-information-–-Raptor-Persecution-UKDownload

At Big Bear, Shadow was attacked by an unidentified eagle at 1443 on Wednesday! The worry beads were out, and tears were falling – Shadow has now returned safely to the nest at 1135 Thursday.

Then, the unexpected happened. Jackie laid her first egg of the 2024 season. Tears of joy are flowing around the world for this most beloved couple who fight against the impact of the DDT spraying from decades ago on their breeding success.

Here’s the video!

At Sauces, there are fish gifts form Jak to Audacity. Love this couple whose name should be Tenacious and Persistent.

Gabby and Beau protecting the nest and incubating an egg that is going to need a super miracle if it is to hatch for these two.

Beau had a lesson in incubation today! It looks like he might have gotten it! Thanks, Gabby!!!!!! He is a keeper. Maybe not eaglets this year, but next.

E23 is really noticing what is beyond the nest. And what a change – like the eaglet doubled in size!

There is a surprise and some joy in the Kisatchie National Forest today after the loss of Anna and Andria, their eggs, nests, and mates. The time stamp of 2014 must be an error.

All is going well for Duke Farms. There is a second egg – that should be it!

Here’s the video.

Royal Cam chick enjoys breakfast with Mum.

A tour of the landscape around the Pittsburgh Hays nest occurred on Thursday. You can see the river where the eagles go fishing…gorgeous.

Gracious. Your giggle of the day comes from V2 and DG. Practice. There are no eggs at the Dulles-Greenway nest of Rosa and V2 but practice for incubation is underway and guess what V2 is using? A hambone! Maybe we needed one of these for Beau.

Successful mating at Moorings Park on Thursday with the first egg expected any time.

Cal and Lusa are getting their cute little tail feathers! 

No eggs yet for Liberty and Guardian at Redding in California.

Both the new female and Dad were on the ND-LEEF nest today after the snow melted. New female (top) and Dad (below).

‘A’ sends the reports for the past days at the Parramatta River. It appears that SE31 has now dispersed from the nest area.

“Here are the WBSE reports for the past three days (24, 25 and 26 January):

January 24: Early in the morning, one eagle was at River Roost. It appeared to be Dad. On the incoming tide, there was lots of floating rubbish, man-made and natural – leaves, branches, plants. Stormwater carries lots of debris. Only Dad was seen by the river during the day. A drone was seen over the wetlands, delivering routine mosquito-management spraying. Later in the afternoon, again only one eagle was seen. SE31 seems to be out of sight or has moved away from this area. She was last seen flying towards Homebush Bay. The photo below is from the other day, a good catch though our youngster was not there to claim it. Thanks to Jan and all our other eagle watchers and photographers.

RangerJudy1d

January 25: An eagle-free day, it seems, as none was seen by the river all day. Watchers checked nearby bays and the ospreys were sighted.

RangerJudy29m

January 26: A very quiet day today, with no sea eagle sightings recorded. A picture from the past for a memory. We wonder where they all are.

Meanwhile, it was another fish frenzy day with five coming in to the nest for Brad and Gil who are still at home!

So it seems our girl has moved on – apparently, with peregrines, the females disperse much greater distances from the natal area than do the male juveniles. I’m unsure if the same applies with sea eagles. SE29 headed north, up along the coast, a particularly lovely part of the country.” 

What a wonderful day! Thank you so much for being with me. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, photographs, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’A’, Raptor Persecution UK, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Gracie Shepherd, NEFL-AEF, Lisa Yen, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Cody Wayne, Duke Farms, Ondabebe, Bill Kitchen, NZ DOC, Pix Cams, Dulles Greenway Eagle Cam, Mooring Park, Window to Wildlife, FORE, ND-LEEF, Eagle Cam, PLO, and Bart M.

1st egg for Duke Farms, Tuesday in Bird World

23 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

The girls have been helping me nurse a cold today. That means no crazy antics. In fact, they are still resting up from all the fun they had on Sunday!

Trouble with a capital T slept most of the day:

Calico woke up as usual – if she did not appear with a single meow around 0835 I would think she was the one feeling under the weather. Oh, what a gentle soul she is.

Time for Hugo Yugo to get those eyes and ears washed! Missey is an exceptional Mamma. Then they always spend a good hour snuggled together. It is beautiful.

The second round of eagle eggs are beginning to be laid. Congratulations Duke Farms – we welcome a new male there this season. Estimated time was 1548. Thanks, Trudi Kron, for the great screen capture!

Congratulations to Jolene and Boone at the ETSU nest in Johnson City on their second egg. Hard incubation has begun.

Will we have a clutch at the KNF-E1 nest with the new couple? We wait.

What a relief to have Gabby back at the nest tree. That egg is not viable, but, gosh, if a miracle happened and it hatched, I would not complain. Gabby had a huge crop and another fish. That was reassuring…but, mostly, it was one of those moments when the world feels like it is lifted off your shoulders. 

Poor Gabby. Does she believe that Beau incubated the egg, like Samson would have, in her absence? She is there on her egg Monday night. I feel bad for her.

As I continue to remind myself, I will say again – we are lucky. There are four well fed, much loved, fat bottomed eaglets to coo over. Perhaps there will be less competition for them when they are looking to raise their families.

F23 has turned out to be a fine mate for M15 and a grand Mum for E23.

F23 wants to make certain that E23 has its blankie.

Clive makes sure that Cal and Lusa are not going to go hungry! Their names, combined, stand for the local indigenous tribe that settled the area of Captiva eons ago.

Many believe that Ron and Rose should get the award this season for the deepest egg cup. This little one hasn’t a hope of getting out to those rails – or does it?

Missey and Dad were working on renovations to their nest after the two eggs they had been incubating broke – and appeared to not have any contents at the weekend.

I love how the eagles have shown their ability to mourn over the years (still remember vividly Joe at Captiva standing over the body of his dead daughter after she had secondary rodenticide poisoning) and then get on with life when something like this happens at Berry. 

Meet the new Royal cam chick!

And she’s home with Mamma!

A sub-adult landed on Gabby’s tree and we all jumped and hoped it was Legacy! Gosh, do you remember when she got ‘lost’ from the nest tree and flew by finally landed and stayed home for a month after fledging? I wonder if it is her. She was an incredibly beautiful fledgling and this sub-adult is a show-stopper! I would like to think that since Samson returned to his natal nest that it is entirely possible that this is Legacy. The plumage development might indicate that, too. (Of course, there are many eagles in this area, but…I can wish!)

EagleGoddess caught the sub-adult at NEFL covering the egg ever so gently. 

Other sub-adults are showing up elsewhere. There was one at the Pittsburgh-Hayes nest, too.

A note from the Eagle Cam and some of the latest images from Chang-Le Dong of WBSE 31. Let us hope SE31 breaks the norm and stays at the river much longer than anticipated. Watching her develop from an egg to such a gorgeous fledgling has been a joy.

You might recall that the osprey on Louis and Alia’s old nest – nest 1 at Loch Arkaig – is named Affric. Look what they have discovered in Scotland. Thanks, Geemeff. It is stunning – love those bright colours.

Rob Schwartz continues to fight on behalf of the eagles of Centreport to stop construction that would be harmful to the eagles habitat. It is a bit long but I have included Rob’s entire post in case you want the details and wish to send a letter on behalf of the ‘eagles’.

Schwartz: ”For those of you who could not attend the Jan. 18th ZBA Meeting, I am attaching a partial video (which I cut to remove the legal mumbo jumbo). Per the testimony from a SEQRA expert , when the ZBA granted a business depth extension following their Aug. 3rd meeting, they violated SEQRA, with little or no regard for our eagles whose nest is adjacent to the Centerport Mill Pond. We feel that if this is done with the way most of the building has been done in the past – the area in which our eagles live will be destroyed, the environment is not taken into the proper consideration. The owners of the land are not doing their due diligence to make sure the land surrounding the Mill Pond is environmentally ready. As per the owners previous “pre application”, the proposed building is going to be 4 stories tall, (3 are only allowed in Huntington). Not surprisingly, there are rumors that the next door restaurant could also be demolished and turned into more apartments. The slimy nature of how the TOH ZBA is acting in the best interest of the builder should scare us all. The ZBA had a chance to end this on Thursday. However, they refused to hear from residents, even from the resident who initialized the complaint. The plan to put a boardwalk in over the mudflat alone should have been a signal to all, they intend to add as many apartments as they can get away with. The bottom line to this is: They are not willing to follow proper law in the Town of Huntington when it comes to the environment. Those laws were created to protect the environment. No one is telling anyone they cannot build on their land, but the town law needs to be followed. No one is above the law, no matter how much money they have. We all want responsible building in Centerport, but not a build and burn scenario. If this is allowed to go unchecked, you can say goodbye to our eagles and all the wonderful life Mother Nature has brought to Centerport. By the way, the ZBA Board Members are appointed, not elected – what do they have to lose? However, we should be sure to let the Town Board know how we feel about the ZBA that they appointed. If you email any of the below – be sure to CC Andrew Raia TOH Clerk, this way you email goes “On The Record”.Please consider sending emails to all of the following, protesting the ZBA’s reckless disregard for the environment. Here are the people you can email to tell them how you feel about ignoring the Environment. Keith Brown, NY State Assemblyman 12th Assembly District 
631 261-4151 (Commack Office) brownk@nyassembly.gov Edmund J. Smyth, Supervisor 631 351-3030 esmyth@huntingtonny.gov, Dr. Dave Bennardo, Councilman 631 351-3172 dbennardo@huntingtonny.gov, Salvatore Ferro, Councilman 631 351-3175 sferro@huntingtonny.gov, Gerard Asher, Chair 
John Bennett, Special Counsel 631 351-3196, ZBA@huntingtonny.gov

Hartley and Monty are bonding in San Jose!

The first fish comes after 1300 at Port Lincoln. Gil got it. Adult stretching their wings in heraldic pose to dry off.

Sadly, Australia has added 144 species to its list of threatened wildlife, an increase of five fold! For the first time, the Pink Cockatoo was listed. 

More-Australian-wildlife-added-to-threatened-species-list-in-2023-than-ever-before-conservationistsDownload

The Ventana Wildlife Society will have its regular chat. You can sign up on their website. They also archive the conversations – they are always informative.

In other news, Jean-marie Dupart has photographed Blue LV0 ‘Garry’ from Loch Arkaig in Senegal. Wonderful news.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’J’, Trudi Iron, Duke Farms, ETSU, Tonya Irwin, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, WRDC, Berry College, Sharon Dunne, Holly Parsons, EagleGoddess, PIX Cams, Eagle Cam, Geemeff, Rob Schwartz, SK Hideaways, PLO, The Guardian, Jean-marie Dupart, and The Ventana Wildlife Society.

Tuesday in Bird World

9 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It is -21C on the Canadian Prairies. The cold weather has arrived. It was a good day to wake up to hot coffee and warm cardamon rolls out of the oven. LOL. The girls didn’t care! They wanted breakfast and story time before I started my day. Calico now ‘walks’ me out to the conservatory sofa to read. It is too funny. The cats have me fully trained. 

As you know, if you have read my blog over the summer of 2023, a large family of Crows lives in my neighbourhood. They bring their fledglings to the garden to get peanuts and for the bird bath, where they dunk their food and have baths. The numbers have decreased since the end of autumn, and I am worried about them. Today, I was happy, but simultaneously sad, to see a single crow at the corner waiting for another person who feeds birds. I know she specifically feeds the crows, but where are the others?

I have also been reading more about Crows, and if you are interested in the intelligence level of the members of the Corvid family include Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays, I have a book for you! It is called Bird Brains, and it is by Candace Savage. This is the latest edition from 2018. 

I was impressed by the writing that drew me in and made the new findings on this amazing species’ intelligence level relatable. The photographs are top-notch. (Sorry about the glare from the light)

The introduction included mention of anthropomorphism. Put simply it is ascribing human traits to animals. if, however, you study the behaviour of animals, the apologies of individuals such as many on chat for doing just that will more than irk you. 

Savage discusses the ‘ascription of meaningful intelligence to nonhuman creatures’ as problematic. She notes that at a point, scientists and researchers into behaviourist psychology who looked into memory, insights and thoughts stopped looking at nonhumans. Some had been tricked, and she noted that no one wanted to be embarrassed. It paused the subject of knowledge and intelligence…She notes that anyone who dared to state that nonhumans were intelligent was accused of the dreaded anthropomorphism. Savage’s entire book bunks the notion of ‘dumb animals’, stating that humans ‘have a lot invested in keeping animals dumb’ (19). Think about it – humans can treat animals any way they want if they believe they do not feel pain, have feelings, share emotions, solve problems, etc. Savage points to the research of many, including Irene Pepperberg from the University of Arizona, who concludes that Corvids are superbly intelligent, capable of identifying items by name, able to distinguish similarities and differences in objects, as well as ‘capable of acquiring complex vocal and nonvocal behaviours that many scientists believe are co-or prerequisites for referential communications’. Pepperberg, in her research, discovered that Corvids have the same cognitive capacities as primates. Indeed, their superior powers might be higher than primates (18).

If you are interested in avian behaviour and love the Corvid family or want to learn more about the intelligence of our feathered friends, this is an excellent book. It is well-written, wonderfully illustrated, and at a good price point. 

One of my favourite Corvids, the baby Blue Jay from the summer, came to visit the feeder on Monday. Delighted to see it!

The girls are doing great. The plumbers were here again today – they will be finishing up tomorrow – and I could not ask for better behaviour. They all stayed out of the way of any danger!

Missey has a new sleeping spot. It is on top of one of the tallest cabinets – almost touching the ceiling – next to a carved cat on a skateboard that my late friend, Charlie Scott, made. Missey is very smart. What a safe place and out of the way of Calico. They do not always get along. I would say they tolerate one another.

Hugo Yugo and Calico slept on the cat tree together, ignoring the workers who dumped the vanity behind them piled with anything and everything.

I was so delighted when ‘AM’ sent me some beautiful images they had taken of Blake Kites near their home in Japan.

Nature Japan gives us some information on one of the country’s most beautiful raptors: ”The Black Kite or “Tobi” トビ as it is known in Japanese is a common sight in the skies throughout Japan. This raptor is thought to be the world’s most abundant bird of prey. Its numbers are healthy and is under no threat.

This bird can be mainly found in Eurasia, Australasia, Oceania and is a year-round resident here in Japan. You can see this powerful looking bird often soaring in the thermals high above coastal areas, rivers and lakes. I’ve also seen them in farming areas throughout the Kansai region of Japan. They are very graceful flyers that soar with ease and turn with precision.

Male and female Black Kites look very similar and are very opportunistic hunters. They prey upon fish, rodents, and other birds. They are also known to scavenge which is one of the reasons they are so successful a species. I have watched them dive towards the ocean plucking fish from the water and I have also seen them dive-bomb people at highway rest stops trying to steal their rice balls and bento box lunches.” Their only predator is the Eurasian Eagle-owl. “This powerful owl can easily pick off even adult Black Kites and can sometimes be found in northern parts of Hokkaido (common throughout Europe and other parts of Asia).”

Wilde Nature gives us the size variations for these birds of prey: “The Black-eared Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey, measuring about 45–55 centimetres in length with a wingspan of up to 150 centimetres. The distinguishing feature of this subspecies is the black patch of feathers on the sides of the head, located behind the eyes, which gives it its name. Its eyes are dark brown; its bill is short and hooked. The outer wing feathers are black, with dark crossbars and a mottled base. The underparts are pale brown and become lighter towards the chin. The body feathers have a dark shaft, giving it a striped appearance. The corner of the mouth is yellow, but the bill is black. Male and female birds look the same, but females are slightly longer with a larger wingspan.”

Black-eared Kites are opportunistic hunters and feed on various prey such as small mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles. They are often seen soaring high in the air on thermal updrafts, effortlessly gliding while searching for potential prey on the ground.

Thank you ‘AM’ for allowing us to share these beautiful images of the kites.

Look at this beautiful White-tailed Eagle that visited one of Finland’s Osprey (Selli Island) nests on Monday. Gorgeous.

Connie with C10 and C11 today. Note more dandelions are missing! There are pin feathers coming in along the wing tips.

‘A’ comments on these little eaglets: ”Speaking of having enormous appetites, so does CE10, who is absolutely massive in comparison to baby brother CE11. I am still not entirely sure that CE10 has the temperament of a female, but certainly she has the physical characteristics of one. Little CE11 seems to eat his fill most of the time, but she can eat SO much more. Today, both of them had very big crops mid-afternoon (of course CE10’s was larger), and then Connie came in and CE10 was fed the majority of a good-sized speckled trout! CE11 lifted his head from his afternoon nap and initially decided not to bother, but about 20 minutes later, he eventually got up and made his way to the table, by which stage you might have expected CE10 to have long since fallen into a food coma, but no, she was continuing to eat, so that CE11 still had to wait some time to get perhaps a dozen mouthfuls out of the entire fish. CE11 is definitely getting enough to eat, but CE10 is bottomless. She is making no specific effort to prevent CE11 from eating, and has not really done so at any point in their development. She eats and eats and eats, while CE11 is a confident eater but not a pushy eaglet at the table. Occasionally, when big sibling is asleep, CE11 gets a quiet private feeding, usually from Connie, but the size differential continues to grow between the two eaglets. Fortunately, there has been no real food shortage (except one day where there was an inkling of ‘hungry’ experienced on the nest). The bonking has been minimal throughout (and instigated often by CE11, who has been prepared to look his older sibling in the eye from an early age, despite the inevitable results). “

‘J’ has a reminder: Today is also Connick’s first birthday. Connie and Clive’s 2023 hatch will be the Ambassador at the Smithsonian. Maybe you will be able to travel to see him!

Changing before our eyes. Thanks for the close-ups, cam op.

Faxinating caught the whole fish drop to F23 for her and E23 today – we all cheer when the Dad doesn’t eat the head, but we also cringe when the fish flops everywhere. Not to cause alarm, but these live fish have killed eaglets and Osplets. (more on SW Florida below)

Tonya Irwin reports on the action at the Kistachie National Forest E1 nest that Louis shared with his late mate, Anna.

Not a lot of action at the nest of Beau and Gabby. I really hope Gabby is getting to eat enough. It looks like Beau is busy with the defence of their territory.

All is well with M15, F23, and E23 at the SW Florida Eagle nest after the earlier fish delivery. Dad stopped in before bedtime to feed the cutie pie some fish.

The Great Horned Owls are nesting at the Hilton Head nest it seems.

On their social media page, the Hilton Head Island Land Trust posted a short video of the male bringing prey and being in the nest with the female. You can see the two eggs.

Meanwhile at the nest of Bonnie and Clyde on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas, it is snowing. No sign of the owls.

Just northeast of Kansas, in Iowa, the snow is coming down in Decorah, home to the Decorah North Bald Eagle family as well as the Hatchery Bald Eagle Family.

Snow was also coming down on the Denton Home Nest.

Baiba caught Blazer going after a squirrel coming up to the Eagle Country nest where he is incubating his and Abby’s eggs.

At Port Lincoln, Gil got himself a really nice fish off the nest. This is not just any fish – this is a delivery by the fish fairy at 0938.

The lads have been fighting for the fish and today Gil was the clear winner until…

Mum came in with a really large fish at 1344. The lads struggled. Gil had a nice crop – come on, Gil. Let Brad eat! Brad was hungry and got that fish and really enjoyed it. Well done, Brad.

‘A’ sends the report for the WBSE: “January 9: Early this morning, just one eagle was spotted at the river, moving between roosts. Just before 9am, SE31 was finally seen soaring high above the wetlands and the river. Then, at 9:15am, she was at River Roost with Lady, both flying back and forth a bit. At 9:20am, SE31 took flight, followed by Lady, up high, circling then off over Homebush Bay. Neither had returned at 10:15am. Just after 12 noon, SE31 was seen at River Roost, but no parents. But then we heard that at 11:06am, she had been seen catching a fish shortly after returning from her flight with Lady. At 4:30pm, one adult was seen at River Roost, and it then flew off to the west. Shortly after, at 5pm, both adults were spotted on the island, then SE31 was seen there as well.” 

BirdGuides review of the week for the UK, including some unusual finds.

Review-of-the-Week-2-7-January-2024-BirdGuidesDownload

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretative Centre is closed for renovations, but they have some online events for people living in my province. Want to know where to go birding? Check this virtual information session on the 14th of January from 1300-1400.

Virtual-Birding-Hour-Where-to-Find-Birds-in-Manitoba-Oak-Hammock-MarshDownload

Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care everyone. See you soon.

I would like to thank the following who also helped me with my blog today: ’A, AM, J’, Nature Japan, Wilde Nature, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Window to Wildlife, Faxinating, Tonya Irwin, Carol Shores Rifkin, Hilton Head Island Trust, Farmer Derek, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Denton Homes, Baiba, PLO, Bart M, Eagle Cam, Bird Guides, and Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Centre.

Sunday in Bird World

7 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

It was a sunny day albeit a little cooler today and the temperatures will be slowly dropping to the inevitable -27 or more C at the end of next week. There was a nice dusting of snow and if I had a wish it would be that we had a huge blizzard that stopped everything for a day. Snow is a good thing and we need it.

The girls had story time, and everyone was off in their little hiding spot, having a long afternoon nap. As it gets colder outside, Calico and Missey are sleeping more. Today, Hope and Hugo were piled in together. They tend to come out for several good romps now and then. Couldn’t live without them!

Hugo Yugo only ‘stops’ when she is asleep. 

If Calico is by the end of the sofa, then you can bet that Missey is under it. It is hard to determine which one is afraid of the other. They seem to take turns. It is, of course, ridiculous – just like all that beaking or bonking by the little raptors. Lots of food, love, cat trees, perches and one thinks they have to be the boss. Can you hear me growling? Of course, Hugo Yugo is going to come flying through and scare the wits out of Calico. Go figure.

Calico is doing pretty good on her weight loss programme. When spring comes – hoping for snow but wanting winter to end in March and not May – Calico will have a padded halter and we are going to go for some walkies. 

Another really good report coming about SE31: ”January 7: SE31 was seen early flying from behind to her favourite branch on the island, in the morning sun. Then at around 9am, she went for a long flight to the south, over the Sydney Olympic Park area, for about 20 minutes – exploring further each day. As always, she is escorted by chasers like ravens – the lot of a raptor. Later in the afternoon, at 6pm, she was on her favourite perch on Mangrove Island, with no adults seen. Then she took off again, towards Juvie Roost and out of sight from our observer at the boat ramp.” Thanks, ‘a’.

‘A’ reports on the falcons At Orange, “there was a late afternoon bonding session at 17:55:08. Marri was not seen or heard today (or yesterday). The last time she was positively identified was on 5 January, when she was seen and heard flying past the scrape. Of course, the same applies to Marri as to SE31 – the longer they are out there, the more invested we become in their longer-term survival. So with two days since Marri was last seen, we start to worry (at least, I do). There has been so much rain in southeastern Australia over the past couple of weeks, and there have also been storms at Orange, I believe. As I type, beautiful Diamond is preening on her ledge, preparing for bedtime.”

At SW Florida, F23 is finishing up the remnants of the Armoured Catfish and feeding E23.

M15 joins them while F23 eats some fish. Is M15 on alert?

This is one strong eaglet. At only six days old, E23 is out of the nest bowl!

Connie and Clive protect C10 and C11 amidst a big storm that hit the Barrier Islands on Saturday.

That storm hit the Eagle Country nest of Abby and Blazer, too.

It got rainy at Port Lincoln, too. Brad and Gil are soaked. Mum delivered a breakfast fish at 0733 but Gil dropped it. Mum retrieved it and took it to the old barge to eat all by herself. Good lesson!

There will be a total of five fish brought to the nest.

It is getting windy up near Jacksonville at Gabby’s nest with V3.

The second egg which Gabby is incubating was laid on the 23rd of December. Looking for a pip around the 27th of January at 35 days?

What the AEF mod at the NEFL Eagle cam said today re Samson: “RaptorLvr_AEF​Samson has not been seen or found. He was by all accounts healthy when he disappeared. However, since they were so close to egg laying, we think something prevented him from returning to the nest.” More comments followed. ”RaptorLvr_AEF Samson and Gabby were a strong bonded pair with 3 successful clutches – very unlikely he would decide to abandon his nest.RaptorLvr_AEF ​While we never saw any other eagles in the area prior to Samson’s disappearance, eagles did show up within a day or so. They could have been out there out of cam view and we don’t know what went on.”

Guardian is at the Redding nest in California he shares with Liberty – restorations are being made. Wishing these two a much better year in 2024.

I want to go back to Anna and Andria for a moment. We will never know for certain what happened to Anna. It is a shame that Cody and Steve went to so much trouble to retrieve her – first to get help for her and second, to find out why she died – and she was incinerated and the cause will not be known. As ‘H’ reminds me – it isn’t for us, it is for the area. Is there something there. ’M’ is involved in veterinary medicine and is a technician. This is their thoughts on what MIGHT have happened to Anna. ”I thought the bird named Anna wasn’t acting like she had avian influenza. I think she was either poisoned with a metal like lead, etc. or had a neurologic disease like Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy (AVM). It affects water birds as well as raptors, including the bald eagle. It was first documented in eagles and American coots in Arkansas in 1994. In the field, affected raptors have difficulty landing on perches and will fly into objects. It is believed to be caused by a toxin produced by a cyanobacterium (a blue-green alga). This bacter–ium grows well on aquatic plants such as Hydrilla verticillata. Eagles become affected after consuming water birds, especially coots, which have fed on this plant. I noticed someone in chat at the nest cam said a coot was brought to the nest and consumed. This disease is often observed during the fall and winter months on or near water bodies with invasive aquatic vegetation. The only way to positively confirm AVM is by examining the brain for the presence of the characteristic vacuoles in the myelin sheath of the brain.”  

Tiger Mozone says it is 70 days til the Ospreys arrive in the UK. We are on the countdown.

Raptor Persecution continues in the UK. I will be so joyful on the day that I can quit posting these monstrous intentional injuries and killings.

Buzzard-suffers-shotgun-injuries-in-Essex-–-the-8th-known-raptor-persecution-victim-in-this-county-iDownload

Translocation Project of Black-footed Albatross to try and stop their extinction.

A recent good book has arrived. The Backyard Birdwatcher’s Bible. 413 pages with illustrations that include gorgeous photographs, textiles with birds, drawings by Audubon amongst others, maps, diagrams. There is the Introduction which includes good tips on how to use the book to its full advantage along with an excellent glossary. Four chapters include Chapter One that discusses the origins of birds, various specie profiles along with feeding and attracting birds to your garden. Chapter Two says it is for beginners but it is full of detailed information from egg to fledge, migration, conservation, the history of bird watching. Chapter Three is specifically on how to attract birds including creating a bird-friendly back yard, making a bird bath, a bird cafe, nesting boxes, etc. Chapter Four is all about birds and their history in art, painting, sculpture, photography, design, and craft. At the end is a long list of additional resources and further reading. It is hefty and would be a welcome addition to anyone’s library.

I have to say that I am particularly impressed by the variety of illustrations that include the females. They are often difficult to identify in the garden because some books do not even acknowledge them. The information is concise and accurate with some fun things to try to bring birds into your life.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ’A, H, M’, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, Window to Wildlife, Gracie Shepherd, Eagle Country, SK Hideaways, PLO, Bart M, NEFL-AEF, Carol Shores Rifkin, FORE, Raptor Persecution UK, Holly Parsons, Amazon, and The Backyard Birdwatcher’s Bible.

Action at SW Florida…Saturday in Bird World

30 December 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

There is news – not a huge amount – there is worry and there is hope. Between now and when the largest group of eagle eggs hatch, Bird World will be pretty quiet. So, two things before I forget. I still want to hear from you. Send me your personal best moments of 2023 in Bird World. Let me know by late on the 31st as I will post them on New Year’s Day. You can add a comment or send them as an e-mail message to maryannsteggles@icloud.com  My plan is to rank them and put in some comments with only initials. The list is growing nicely and is very interesting! So please, join in. Second, New Year’s Day is the day that I host the family.  In order to get ready for their arrival and to work on the list for publication, I am going to take Sunday off. I want that list ready with some illustrations if I can find them for us to welcome in 2024. So remember – I won’t be here on Sunday! But watch SW Florida. There could be a bobblehead or two.

The girls continue to be fine. I am overwhelmed. I could not pick a single highlight of the year in Cat World – getting Calico’s trust was incredible, the thought of losing her only surviving kitten was almost the death of me and then – Hope found us! There she is with Hugo playing in the conservatory on Friday. I cry every time I think of all of that. The bitter moment was the loss of dear dear Lewis. 

Worries continued on Friday for Anna at the KNF-E1 nest. The hope is that the rushed request from the toxicology reports for Andria will get back in time to provide some insight into what ‘might’ be happening to Anna. Still, let us continue – if she is alive when this is published – to send her positive healing energy. It sure has been a rough start to the Bald Eagle season in the US.

Here are the laws that govern what is happening at the KNF-E1 nest:

Can-I-Install-a-Camera-at-an-Eagle-Nest-U.S.-Fish-Wildlife-ServiceDownload

Maybe some good news? I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up or bring them down. We just wait and see what happens with Anna.

Anna continues to fight – and she has been caught on the canopy camera flying by Baiba. Everyone lives in hope that she has overcome any ailment. 

We are officially on hatch watch for M15 and F23. One egg has a pip and the shell on the other egg is crushed – we have seen these hatches before, they just take a bit longer. Humidity comes to mind but I am not an eagle expert (always remember that – my area is osprey behaviour).

Interesting activity at the NEFlorida Nest of Gabby and V3 (and V1?).

Beau cuddles with Gabby on the nest!

Issues with a sub-adult intruder at Johnson City.

Scout continues his visits to Bella at the NCTC nest.

At Port Lincoln, two fish came in before noon, Gil was the victor but never rule Brad out…there will be more fish and when he is hungry, he is going to do a good snatch!

Brad is waiting patiently to see if Gil is going to leave any of that fish.

Some gutting news actually.

Last-Siberian-Crane-missing-in-action-BirdGuidesDownload

Land purchases are attempting to help the population of other species.

Wicken-Fen-purchases-land-to-help-European-Turtle-Dove-BirdGuidesDownload

Great work being done by our rehabbers and the public who call in injured wildlife.

The search for the Buff-breasted Buttonquail continues.

In-search-of-the-buff-breasted-buttonquail-–-the-one-Australian-bird-that-has-never-been-photographeDownload

Wondering what to do with that holiday tree?

Thank you so much for being with me today. Stay tuned to SW Florida! Take care everyone. See you on Monday!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J, L, SP’, KNF-E1, USFWS, James Nesta, Baiba, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Gracie Shepherd, Carol S Rifkin, AEF, Deb Stecyk, Sara A, PLO, Bart M, Bird Guides, APCH, The Guardian, and the David Suzuki Foundation.

Worries for Anna…Friday in Bird World

29 December 2023

Hello Everyone,

Gosh, it is almost 2024. Wonder how long it will take me to remember to use that instead of 2023? Six months? 

First up. There is extreme concern for Anna, the mate of Louis at the KNF-E1 nest this evening. Tonya Irwin has posted that she is experiencing some dizziness, drowsiness, clumsiness, and overall just not being herself since the morning of the 27th. ——- Oh, please let this not be anything. We have only lost Andria and the results of her necroscopy are not in yet. Is this the same illness that took dear Andria? And if so, why is it only impacting the females? Thanks, ‘H’ for giving me the head’s up. I am gutted to hear this.

Latest: 

KNF Kisatchie Nest Cam E1 ~ ANNA IS ILL & EXPERIENCING BALANCE ISSUES! Similar To Andria 12.28.23

This is the Kisatchie E-1 nest with Anna & Louis. Their nest is located across the lake about 0.8 miles from Alex & Andria’s nest. Anna and Louis have one egg laid this season. Anna has been experiencing some balance issues today – where she has to use her wing to help balance her on the nest, she has been very drowsy – dozing off while standing on the side of the nest. She is walking very slow and with a drunken gait. Anna also had some flying issues yesterday. The USFWS has put a “Rush” status on Andria’s toxicology report and necropsy. These symptoms that Anna is experiencing seem to be similar to the ones Andria experienced three weeks ago. But it is not known if this is the same problem or something else so we really can’t speculate at this time. The rangers have been made aware of the situation and are monitoring the nest. We are all keeping Anna in our prayers that she can overcome this illness and stay strong. Thank you for watching!

Then a correction…To go from a tiny pip to a hatch seems to take forever. I wonder what it feels like for M15 and F23? Or was it a tiny pip? The egg sure looked like it, but no one is calling a pip – and it could be two more days. Hundreds of us got that wrong. 

M15 – forever the amazing partner – gives F23 time for a bit of a relaxing time before hatch. 

Nearer to home, Missey has ‘adopted’ Hugo. For those that follow my blog you will remember that Missey and a grey tabby named Lewis were adopted together. Lewis died in September. Those two were stitched together. Missey was so lonely. Calico had Hope and Missey was just all by herself. Then we adopted Hugo. But, they played but nothing more and then…For the past few nights, Missey and Hugo have been sleeping together. Now today, she is holding Hugo down and washing her and they are on the post together. Life is looking up for these two! I am so overjoyed I do not know what to do with myself.

Missey has Hugo wrapped so tight.

Those ears will never be dirty again!

What a wonderful Christmas present —- little Baby Hugo has someone to care for him and Missey has a baby and a friend. 

Tears of Joy. 

Back to the Eagles…it really has not been a good start to the year. We lost Andria and the two eggs of hers and Alex’s, now Anna is sick. Martin is no longer with us. Duke Dad is no longer with us. Gabby lost one egg. Superbeaks lost their first clutch. We just hold our breath for the next thing to come along and that could, of course, be Anna. Send positive wishes please to her and Louis.

Abby and Blaze – 2nd egg laid on time at Eagle Country! Congratulations.

A nice holiday lunch at Dulles-Greenway for Rosa and her new mate.

There is some action with Bella and Scout at the NCTC Bald Eagle nest (sadly, I need to add Smitty to the Memorial Page now).

‘R’ writes that the Hanover Eagle cam is now back on line. Here is an article about the couple!

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/community/hanover-eagle-camera-online/521-1520d500-bdf9-4ffa-97a7-9b7a2fd52f1e

Lots of carrying on at Superbeaks.

It was wet earlier in the day on Thursday at The Hamlet. Dried off. Gabby gave the egg a bit of a break.

At Captiva, C10 is out of the egg cup and over to the edge. Gosh, it is wet in Florida. I hate damp musty nests! I think Connie does, too, after trying to dry out the nesting material yesterday. In the meantime, Clive has the whole place full of fish.

Irv and Clair were at the US Steel nest.

At Port Lincoln, the kids have found some left over fish in the nest. Nothing new has come in so far on the 29th for them but it is early hours.

Mum is going to do some feeding this time.

Have you ever seen a bird that is both a male and a female?

First-time-in-100-years-photographer-captured-extremely-rare-bird-half-female-and-half-maleDownload

For those of you following Victoria Cockatoo. I have received word from ‘J’ that she died on the 20th of December. Victoria Cockatoo lived at Parrotland for 7 happy years after being rescued after her previous owner abandoned her in a dark cage. She required extensive medical care. It was just so sad to hear about the way that humans treated her – and all the other abused animals in the world.

Please send positive wishes to Anna…this is heart breaking news. Surely the Rangers will get to the bottom of what it is that is causing the female eagles to be ill at the Kisatchie National Forest. Our thoughts go out to them. Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘G, H, J, R’, KNF-E1, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, Eagle Country, NCTC, Deb Stecyk, Denise W Starr, NEFL-AEF, Carol S Rifkin, Dulles-Greenway, WNEP, Window to Wildlife, PIX Cams, PLO, Bart M, Meteored and Victoria’s Playground.