It rained off and on during Tuesday until later in the afternoon when the sky broke open, and a little blue appeared. It warmed up and became a nice day.
I had to get some fresh air. Having been inside the house or in the garden for more than ten days, I started getting a little housebound, frayed at my edges. So, off to the park for a walk around the pond. No one was around except some ducks and geese! It was lovely! No one to pass this wretched Covid to, but oh, how lovely to be with the birds for a few minutes. I am beginning to feel better, but this Covid is tricky. You get up and get around, and it comes back for you, so be careful and do not overdo it if you get the virus.
Fall is in full swing. Migration is more than halfway over. The Snow Geese have appeared in the South while the Canada Geese fly over them, heading to warmer climates. Various types of sparrows and wrens remain in the garden along with the regulars. It was so nice to be still able to see ducks, though. Gosh, I love ducks. There was not one with Angel Wing, and I did not see any with broken legs or wings today. That was joyful.
The water is pretty much clear with the aerators working full time.
A male Wood Duck in transition. Getting those feathers.
Two little female Wood Ducks paddling away. Lovely.
And isn’t this wonderful. Bazz Hockaday posted a video of Ervie fishing on the Friends of Sth Aus Osprey FB page. Here are a couple of screen grabs from that video of our dear Ervie.
The latest stats from Hawk Mountain in PA as to their migration count. Some, more than others, have made their way through. Will the huge osprey deaths in the NE have an impact on Osprey migration numbers?
The Woodland Trust published its season highlights – fantastic. Oh, that Tawny Owl!
Is there a problem with trees in Nebraska? Have a read.
Xavier is the cutest! How fortunate are we to watch this family deal with their two new hatchlings? There is a rumour that the other egg might be hatching. If that is the case let there be Starlings – thousands of Starlings and parrots descending into the area for Xavier’s hunting!
Adorable.
Teamwork is happening at SW Florida! I love these videos because they are not from the streaming cam – you get to see more of what is going on as M15 and his new mate work to get their nest in order.
V3 was at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest but was there another male visitor on Tuesday?
Gabby was with V3 on Monday night and you can tell when she sees him that he is the one for this gal. Let’s go home – the rest of you!
Beautiful Day at Superbeaks!
Eagles at the Duke Farms nest early on Tuesday.
The male at Pittsburgh-Hayes has been missing since 7 September. It is not looking good.
Didn’t see anyone at the US Steel nest on Tuesday.
Waiting to see if Jackie and Shadow show up at Big Bear on Tuesday. Aren’t those diamonds pouring down on that nest just gorgeous?
And they did – after 1800 again!
Eagles arriving early morning at the Kistachie NKF E-1 nest.
The falcons in the CBD Melbourne are certainly enjoying the cooler weather this week. There is plenty of time to enjoy Xavier and Diamond’s chicks before these hatch!
So when will the chicks in Melbourne hatch? ‘H’ has been doing some sleuthing. She writes, “There is differing information among sources online, but the majority of sources state 33-35 days is typical for the first hatch… Victor Hurley stated in one of his FFS from last season that the incubation period is approximately 32 days, and can be as long as 40 days. The four eggs at Collins Street this year were laid on: 9/3 (21:15), 9/6 (07:25), 9/8 16:44), 9/11 07:48). So, 33 days from the date of the penultimate egg is 10/11.
If the 11th is correct then we are within a week of pip watch for Melbourne.
Family portrait at the Sydney Olympic Forest. I have tried not to get attached to these two but how can you not? They are wonderful and Lady and Dad are the best.
At Port Lincoln, Dad brought a whole fish and a partial one on Tuesday. As of Wednesday, the eggs are 28, 25, and 22 days old. Ways to go for hatch.
In New Zealand, the Kakapo are getting annual health checks and battery changeovers. It will not be long til the Kakapo Recovery begins its annual fundraiser. Want to adopt a Kakapo? Check out their FB page!
Cornell catches up with Christian Cooper in a Q & A.
Work is being done to transform one of the Caribbean islands into a nature haven. How many times have I wished to live in a country that devoted its resources to wildlife and nature instead of factories and selling? Ever heard of Redonda?
In the UK, there is a delay in the decision to outlaw lead ammunition. Why oh why? We know the result of using lead in hunting and fishing – look at those beautiful raptors flooding the wildlife clinics this fall with toxic lead poisoning. Time to change!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all! See you soon.
Thank you to the following for the photographs, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: ‘Geemeff, H, SP’, Bazz Hockaday, Hawk Mountain, The Woodland Trust, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways, MLizPhotos, Wskrsnwings, NEFL-AEF, Superbeaks, Duke Farms, Pix Cams, FOBBV, KNF-E1, Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO, Living Bird Magazine, Raptor Persecution UK, and Kakapo Recovery.
I hope you are all well – and, please, stay that way. New masking restrictions are coming into play in various provinces in Canada as this new Covid variant takes hold. I slept almost all Friday curled up with Calico in the conservatory. Oh, what a loving cat she is. I wouldn’t take a million dollars for her and Hope! Or Missey and Lewis. Several have written about wanting to adopt Hope. I could never separate her and Calico. Their story makes me believe that magical things can happen.
The pair of them continue to play like kittens, and we count the days until I am well and can manage the four to ensure their lives together, living in the open, are safe for all. They all deserve it. Hope watched the Blue Jays cracking open the Black Oil seeds at the table feeder and the leaves blowing across the garden and deck. We have started a new book – new to them anyway. The Meaning of Geese. I read it in the winter and came to love the Siberian geese in parts of the UK. As our geese fly in to fatten up and head South, it is a good reminder of how wonderful these birds are. I hope they like it!
We are heading to the 1st of October in Orange, and we are on ‘pip’ watch for Diamond and Xavier. Should the first laid egg be fertile and viable, we should be seeing some action soon. We are holding our breath.
I will raise many eyebrows, and some of you will yell at me, but I hope that Diamond and Xavier have one strong hatch. Let’s see another Izzi in this scrape – not a strong first hatch and a weaker second one with feather development issues.
Keep your eyes on Orange.
Elain did ‘Highlights of Prince Manaaki’ for all those missing that cute little bundle of fluff who turned into a Royal Albatross. Loved watching him garden!
Expecting to see one of the Sea Eaglets interested in that parent branch shortly.
‘A’ has been watching them but had missed the singing, “I found the sea eaglets ‘singing’ with their parents the most adorable thing. Thank you so much for drawing my attention to that. Of course, as it happened at 05:25 and was not something that I picked up while scrolling through the footage, I would have missed it otherwise. Aren’t they looking beautiful? As I have mentioned over the past fortnight, the world beyond their nest has been fascinating to them, especially SE32, and I am truly hoping this will make them less fearful of the currawongs and crows. They are both much larger birds than the blue jays that bothered Angel.
It is hot in Melbourne, and it is not even 0900. Why didn’t someone do something about the sun on that scrape? or remove that scrape box altogether?
A noticed this, “Poor mum is doing the morning shift at Collins Street and she has been panting since before 9am. Tonight, our clocks go forward an hour, meaning the shadow will not hit the scrape until an hour later than it is currently doing, and this will gradually get worse as time progresses. Today, mum is absolutely baking. It is SO hot out there. I hate to think of what it will be like in three or four weeks time when those babies have natal down rather than thermal down and the parents are going to have to shade them for at least three hours each day. Not sure how dad is going to manage that when he is already having problems brooding the four eggs (though he is valiant in his efforts and always finds a way somehow).”
The sight of the eyases almost roasting last year still haunts many of us.
It is going to be 30 degrees today, which means it will be a lot hotter on that ledge. Sending out positive thoughts to our lovely Melbourne Couple.
At Port Lincoln, the oldest egg is now 24 days old. We still have a ways to go before hatch!
Egg dates: 6, 9, and 12 September.
Looks who is back fishing at Delamere.
A rallying call to vote for the Peregrine Falcon as Australia’s 2023 bird of the year. Remember go to The Guardian to vote!
A really quick check at some of the Bald Eagle nests – almost without exception, the Bald Eagles are busy readying their nests for next season.
Pepe and Muhlady paid an early morning visit to Superbeaks.
Jackie and Shadow returned after 1800 to work on their nest at Big Bear Lake on Friday.
Baiba catches that first stick delivery by Shadow in video.
Life is still – seemingly – unsettled for Gabby at NE Florida. No confirmation of who came to the nest on Friday.
Raining hard at ‘The Hamlet’ and no one knows who is on or off the nest.
Anna is still having trouble with her injured leg at the KNF nest that she shares with her mate, Louis.
Connie and Clive are working on their nest at Captiva. Wishing them a good year.
Checking on our Black stork family from Estonia, Karl II and Kaia almost took the same flight path – like almost identical – to get to Bursa, Turkey.
Kalvi is in Bulgaria.
Waba continues to fish on the Danube River in Romania.
The RSPB’s State of Nature (in the UK) report is out and it makes for some very grim reading. The main threats to wildlife are: “The changes in the way we manage our land for farming, and climate change were the biggest causes of wildlife decline on our land, rivers and lakes. At sea, and around our coasts, it was as a result of unsustainable fishing, climate change and marine development.”
Do you have a garden? Do you have friends or relatives that do? Have they given away all the cucumbers and zucchini they can to their friends and still have more? What about that kale? Wildlife Rehab Centres always need fresh vegetables for their patients. Your local wildlife rehab clinic will be so grateful for the food gifts.
Thank you for being with me today. Cameras will be turned on Saturday at SWFlorida! Go and watch M15 and his new mate kick off a new season. Take care of yourself. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, photos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me: ‘A’, Charles Sturt FalconCam, Elain and NZ DOC, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, PLO, Pam Hewstone and Friends of Osprey Sth Australia, The Guardian, Superbeaks, FOBBV, Baiba and FOBBV, NEFL-AEF, Tonya Irvin and KNF E-1, Looduskalender, and the RSPB.
One need not look at the calendar to know that fall is completely with us on the Canadian Prairies. Leaves are turning on all of the trees, squirrels and Jays are rushing to store food. The air feels and smells different.
Every one of the garden animals has been accounted for but one and sadly the latest Hedwig (rabbit) was hit by a car on the lane in front of my house last evening. I found the darling thing this morning.
Dyson looks particularly good. Taken with my phone when I went to fill up the table feeder – she isn’t afraid. She waited and posed. Little Red was running around. He has officially moved into the wood box in the house built for him in the spring of 2022. Yippeeee. Better late than never. He only has to go a few feet in the winter to get more peanuts!
Dyson wishes all her friends in Japan and Asia a joyous Tsukimi (Moon Viewing Festival), lots of delicious rice dumplings and Moon Cakes.
The Blue Jays are still coming to the feeders. Many do not migrate remaining on the snowy prairies along with the Black-capped Chicadees and sparrows. We wait to see what these four will do.
Lewis wants nothing to do with the new cat tree. He prefers the box, and Missey prefers the blanket that wrapped some furniture at one time or another on the top of the bins and the wicker basket.
Calico looks stronger every day. She is filling out a bit but a sweet gentle soul she is. Did I tell you we dropped all of our other projects for a few weeks to write a book for children about Calico and Hope? It will be a fundraiser for the mobile Vet clinic that works in my City to provide affordable spay and neutering, vaccinations, deworming, etc. for those persons wishing to trap and release or adopt the community cats.
It is also hoped that the book will offer a lesson for not ‘dumping’ pets.
Are you missing Mini? I sure am. You never ever forget these amazing survivors.
Patchogue tops my list for the most incredible osprey nest this past season. The adults raised four – four to fledge – at a time when a substantial number of clutches from Long Island up through the NE were entirely lost due to weather events (especially that storm in June) and overfishing. Thank you, Isac, for reminding us what a spunky fourth-hatch Mini was!
Well, shock of shocks. Mini visited the nest for about a minute at 1258 Monday. Oh, my goodness. How wonderful it is to see you!
Violence. Disregard for life of any kind.
What kind of person would deliberately shoot any raptor never mind, one of the most endangered species on our planet – the California Condor. I had been out playing with Hope and Calico and had not looked at my e-mail (one of the benefits of taking a few days off is you realise it can wait!). Then I did. A note from Geemeff, and below it is my copy from Kelly Sorenson. I am beyond understanding this.
Gabby was at the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest Monday morning.
V3 returned to the nest with what could be new wounds at 1745.
The eagles are working on the Pittsburg-Hayes nest. Look at those rails! This is a nest to envy!
There’s at least one juvie at the Dulles-Greenway nest of Martin and Rosa.
Looks like C15 and Dad might have finally left for their migration fro the Charlo Montana Osprey platform.
Ospreys are gone and the Canada Geese are enjoying the Boulder County Fair Grounds nest.
Trudi Kron gives us a good look at the injuries that Anna, the mate of Louis, at the KNF-E1 nest near Alexandria, Louisiana has sustained. It looks like they are healing. Send good wishes for all those floaters wanting a nest to scat!
Lightning fills the sky around the Superbeaks’ nest of Pepe and Muhlady.
Everyone hopes the new male at Port Lincoln will be a great provider and that the long-running heartache at the PLO barge nest will end. That said, this morning, Mum got impatient waiting for a fish and caught on camera is a female incubating eggs catching a fish.
‘A’ brings us up to date: “At Port Lincoln, the fishing is going well. Three yesterday (one caught by mum) and dad has caught at least two so far today. As always, mum is allowing him far less egg time than he would like. Guesses regarding timing of the first hatch are between 15 October and 18 October, so we have at least three weeks to wait there. So all attention is now on Orange and of course on our adorable sea eaglets in Sydney. They are gorgeous.”
There are still juvenile ospreys near their nests in the UK that have not left for migration.
Dad is still bringing fish to Coco at the Sandpoint nest.
Dad delivered at least four fishing starting at 0705 and going until 1500 on Monday at the MN Landscape Arboretum Nest.
Suzanne Arnold Horning spotted Big Red on the Cornell Campus on Monday! Looking good, Mamma.
The eaglets at Sydney Sea Eagle nest in the Olympic Forest are ever more steady on their feet.
The date that is predicted for the first egg to hatch at the scrape of Diamond and Xavier is 1 October. That is less than a week away!
‘A’ reminds us: “The countdown is on at Orange. Only four days until pip watch. There is a very pesky scout bee (or bees) that has been bothering the falcons for the past two days, buzzing constantly into, around and out of the box. I think it is really starting to annoy Diamond. Xavier made a lunge at it yesterday as if to eat it but missed (as he was on the eggs so had limited reach!) and today, it continues to irritate all. Apart from that, all proceeds smoothly at this scrape. The couple had another of their early morning bonding sessions today (05:20) but this time there was a changeover and no-one fell asleep mid-bonding. It’s so sweet the way he arrives so early and sits on the ledge to keep her company. For some reason, she allowed him an hour of early-morning egg time, so he’s happy. He’s had a couple of lengthy stints this morning.”
To prepare for what is coming – and the falcon chicks grow rapidly compared to eagles and ospreys – here is a guide to their weekly development with pictures.
Annie and Lou visiting the scrape at The Campanile of UC-Berkeley on Monday.
Almost all of the Royal Albatross chicks have fledged. We now await the arrival of this year’s adults who will be breeding.
Remember – if you have to just tie your wrists with a ribbon! Don’t start up the mower, the weed whacker, the leaf blower. Use that time to go birding and let the insects living in the leaves have a home.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care! See you soon!
I want to add that I tested positive for Covid on Sunday. I am feeling a bit rough. Thankfully there is not a lot going on in Bird World. I will continue with the newsletter but the content might be smaller for the next week while I recover.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, photographs, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, Geemeff’, PSEG, Isac and PSEG, Ventana Wildlife Society, Open Verse, NEFL-AEF, NEFL-chat, PixCams, Dulles-Greenway, Charlo Montana, Boulder County, Trudi Kron and Bald Eagles 101 Superbeaks, Bart Molenaar and Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Jeff Kear and UK Osprey Info, Sandpoint, MN Landscape Arboretum, Suzanne Arnold Horning, Sydney Sea Eagles, Charles Sturt FalconCam, Outside My Window, Killarney Today, Holly Parsons and Albatross Lovers, and Cal Falcons.
I did not go anywhere exotic. I rarely left my home and garden, and it was a joyful week – full of time with Hope trying to socialise this bundle of joy, calming and reassuring Lewis, petting and reading to Calico and Missey, and writing two articles. There was also time to do what was intended – begin writing up the report on the 2023 Osprey breeding season data forms, focusing on the deaths and why they occurred. I needed the cats to balance off the sadness. Sometimes, you can see the birds waiting for their mate to return, and they don’t. Or the babies starving on the nests because society has yet to understand our need to care for them. If we are to survive, the birds, the animals, and the insects need to as well. As I mentioned before the break, the cats have taught me to live in the moment, enjoy, be thankful, and not dwell on the past or the future so that it wrecks ‘the now’. Still, there is an obligation to do what can be done to make the lives of those around me – the neighbourhood community cats, the garden animals, or the birds – as good as possible. Having travelled the world many times, missing what is right at one’s doorstep is easy. For me – now – ‘there is no place like Home’. I am as joyful watching the Blue Jays flit into the little covered feeder for peanuts as I would be walking along the waterfront in Kuching or Penang.
There was also another cat tree to put together. Poor Missey has been looking out a small window with bins full of birdseed stacked one on the other and a wicker basket with a blanket at the top. But this cat tree is nothing like the solid one I have had for two decades. It was obnoxious to assemble with the holes and screws not always lining up easily. Tip: If you have the funds and know someone handy with wood, get them to build you a solid one out of good plywood. You can take it to a local upholster to get it covered. At the end of the day, Missey prefers the wicker basket on the bins. Of course. My house looks like I have opened a cat daycare centre at times. Too funny, but it is driving me a little nuts, so there will be some consolidation this week!
Before checking what happened while I was away, Geemeff sent me a link to the BBC1 programme on Birds of Prey. Ospreys are about halfway through the 57 minutes, and the couple is Brodie and Asha from Loch Garten. But don’t just skip ahead because you will miss the most beautiful landscapes, and the images of the raptors are extraordinary. Enjoy.
Saturday: Mini shows up at the nest and spends about an hour. She looks good. She is putting more weight on that leg. It was windy due to Hurricane Lee’s outer bands. She hung onto the nest tight. This image of Mini is going on a mug. I want to see this magnificent bird every morning and wish her well. Thanks, ‘H’ for the alert.
Mum L came to feed Manaaki. She looked for him twice. Bittersweet moments for these dear parents.
Upcoming announcement:
Sunday: It seems that a nest of Ospreys is causing trouble for some organisers of a Green Man Festival in Wales. Let us hope that this does not result in any harm to the platform or any birds.
Ervie travelled and might have met his sister, Calypso.
Ron and Rose began making changes to their refurbished and refortified nest in Miami-Dade County.
PG&E put up a new pole and nest for ospreys in the SF Bay Area. We need more of this!
Many Ospreys are still in Canada and have not started their migration. Lucky is well known in the Newfoundland Virginia Lake area.
Sea Eaglets enjoyed another ‘eel meal’.
Monday:
Mini visited the nest again Sunday evening at 2018 (17 September). It was already dark. Her leg looked to be bothering her. I wonder if the water has been rough and fishing hard? Mini will be 4 months old, 123 days.
My Mini mug arrived. She and I will have morning coffee together. The screen capture images work well for digital printing on items. The company I used said it was not a high enough resolution, but I told them to print it anyway. The image turned out lovely.
This will be the last sighting of our dear girl. She has come to the nest to say goodbye. Soar high for decades, dear one. May your crop always be full, may your leg heal, and may you thrive. You gave us such joy and showed us what determination can do.
Thunder and Akecheta were together at the West End.
Gabby arrived at the NE-Florida Nest early. She looks out on her territory and its uncertain future. V3 was last seen on the 16th of September. He has been missing for two days now.
Tuesday: Black Storks flying over the Straits of Gibraltar.
Hope is growing and changing. She is no longer ’round’.
Calico loves her cuddles and still wants a story whenever I am with them. It is such a great way to get them used to your voice.
Cuddle time with Mamma and Baby Hope.
How did Avian Flu or HPAI impact the breeding season? News from the BTO gives us insight.
Has HPAI impacted breeding raptors?
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been in the news because of its all too obvious impacts on our breeding seabird colonies and wintering goose populations. However, the disease has affected a wide range of bird species, including birds of prey. Because raptors tend to be more dispersed and often inhabit remote locations, there has been concern that the impact of HPAI on these species could have been underestimated.
BTO Scotland staff Mark Wilson, Anthony Wetherhill and Chris Wernham were commissioned by NatureScot to examine Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme (SRMS) data for any evidence of an impact. The team compared SRMS data from the 2022 breeding season with equivalent data from previous years, assessing whether there had been significant changes in reported numbers or breeding success of raptor pairs, and whether any of the changes detected were likely to be caused by the HPAI outbreak.
The analyses provided strong evidence for declines in breeding success consistent with impacts of HPAI on the productivity of Golden Eagle and White-tailed Eagle in 2022. These impacts were evident in most of the Scottish regions where these eagles breed but, for both species, they appear to have been greater in areas where pairs had access to coastal and marine habitats, indicating a possible link to predation and scavenging of infected seabirds and waterfowl.
Other factors that could explain the differences observed between 2022 and other years, particularly in breeding success, include variation in weather, prey availability and survey effort. Of these, the weather recorded in 2022 may have contributed to the observed differences but seems unlikely to entirely account for all of them.
The work, which has been published as a NatureScot report, highlights the valuable role played by coordinated monitoring of our raptor populations.
BTO, e-mail of 19 September 2023
And in Melbourne…
At Patchogue, a local enthusiast and lover of Mini, Isac, said on Tuesday when he went checking, “just saw an osprey crossing from the creek to the lake and have a fish in her talons. I think this our lil 4”.
Do you live in Alabama?
M15 and F1 are getting serious. Androcat brings us the action.
It is a beautiful poem to the Welsh Ospreys…completely written by AI.
Black Storks on the move. No data from Bonus and no new data from Karl II.
One of Atlantic Canada’s favourite male Ospreys, Lucky, is still providing fish to his chicks.
The fledgling from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest was still home.
CORRECTION TO INFORMATION I WAS GIVEN: The male at the Arboretum nest is not 21 years old. Here is the correct information: “This male is G/B MS….a five year old that was hatched in 2018 on a nest in Carver Park.”
RUTLAND WATER, home to many ospreys but my fav male Blue 33 and Maya fledged their 250th Osprey chick in 2023. Congratulations. The event is being celebrated widely and there is even a BBC Radio Programme on the 22nd of September.
Mini has not returned to the nest since Sunday the 17th. That was three days ago. A local believes they saw Mini fishing.
SE 31 and 32 are getting more steady on their feet.
It’s scandalously hot on F22 at the 367 Collins Street nest. Question: Last year, we witnessed the effects of the hot sun and heat on the eyases. So why was the scrape not taken down in that area or, instead, why wasn’t a shade put on it like at the other end?
Thursday: Mark Avery gives us a brief update on Bird Flu in the UK.
“In 2023, up until 17 September, 46 species have tested positive. The last month has seen just one addition – 4 Pheasants in Moray. Here’s the list: Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Fulmar, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Canada Goose,Mallard, Teal, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Razorbill, Guillemot, Puffin, Curlew, Ringed Plover, unspecified heron (!), Grey Heron, dove/pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Pheasant, Red Grouse, Sparrowhawk, Goshawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Reed Warbler and Carrion Crow.”
What is happening at the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest of Gabby? V3 has not been seen in some days and I fear that the tragedy of Samson has beset a potential mate for Gabby. Will there be a clear partner before breeding season in 2023? or will all be lost due to territorial disputes?
Friday: New studies on migration with relation to Black-tailed Godwits and Red Knots reveals much about how young birds travel to their winter homes.
There has been chaos at the scrape of Diamond and Xavier due to the persistent presence of a young female falcon. Diamond has engaged with the female, and as of today, Friday, the nest is calm and back to normal. We need Diamond safe. She is not a youngster and she is incubating eggs.
Here is the video of that moment! This must be very unsettling for Diamond and Xavier.
Lotus and Mr President have been photographed together at the Washington Arboretum Bald Eagle nest.
Ervie is exploring more territory.
The Pritchetts are getting ready for a new season with M15 and his young and beautiful new mate. I hope that they have many successful years – even a decade – together raising little eaglets that spend time at the pond.
Saturday: Ervie is flying inland.
Gabby has been working on the nest with the new visitor. There has been no sightings of V3 and the AEF says they have not seen any fights on camera. There now could be two suitors. ‘As the Nest Turns’ has begun. Poor Gabby. The AEF is labelling them A1, A2, etc. Gabby prefers the smaller A1 and not A2. Hoping that V3 was just run out of the territory but, what a way to start the year.
Now Anna has been injured. She returned to the KNF E-1 nest – limping with a head injury. None of this is good…. but let us hope it is all minor with Anna.
Jackie and Shadow have been seen together in the tree on cam 2. I still love the diamonds that appear on the nest when the sun is just rising at Big Bear.
SE31 and 32 have changed significantly over the past week. Just look at that plumage. My friend, the late Toni Castelli-Rosen, loved the plumage of the White-Bellied Sea Eaglets. The two are much more steady on their feet and they are flapping their wings. Beautiful eaglets.
Dad has been working on the ND-LEEF nest. The new female has also been present. (Home of ND17, that wonderful third hatch survivor that went into care at Humane Wildlife Indiana – finally!).
Eagles at Duke Farms.
Calico has come out of her operation in fine form. She has been playing like a kitten for the past 3 days, and Hope loves it. They both seem to have springs on the pads of their feet. What joy it is to see Mamma and Hope play together. After, they can often be found sleeping side by side on the top of their makeshift tent where they can look out at the garden animals.
The bells will be ringing in New Zealand as the first two Royal Albatross have returned for the 2023-24 breeding season!
This short article explains this much-anticipated event.
‘A’ is very excited and provides more details and a video explanation of the ringing. ” Meanwhile, the official ringing of the bells in nearby Dunedin to welcome the returning toroa will occur this Monday, 25 September, at 13:00 local time (in the US on Sunday 24 September at 3pm Hawaii time/6pm PST/9pm EST). Here is a brief explanation of this beautiful tradition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uanfnBN6OPI&t=36s. How adorable is the little girl?”
Sunday: Lady and Dad reinforce the side rails as SE31 and 32 become more active in the nest!
Ervie got home safely!
Speaking of getting home safely, V3 has returned to the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest of Gabby. He is a little worse for wear in places. Will Gabby show up? Will V3 take the prize? We wait.
Pepe and Muhlady are working on their nest in Central Florida as are many other eagle couples throughout North America.
Akecheta was visiting the West End nest.
This is disgraceful! You can look no further than the driven grouse estates. This is precisely what Hamza was referring to when discussing the persecution of the Hen Harriers in Scotland!
Thank you so much for being with me this morning as I ate back into Bird World. I hope each of you had a good week and are enjoying the crisp autumn air. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my newsletter over the past week: ‘A, H, Geemeff, L’, Geemeff and BBC1, PSEG, Sharyn Broni, Conservation Without Borders, The Sunday Times, PLO, WRDC Pam Kruse and SF Osprey Cam with Rosie and Richmond, Ian Winter and Ospreys of Newfoundland and Labrado, Sydney Sea Eagles, IWS/Explore.com, NEFL-AEF, Birdlife, BTO, Karen Lang and Orange, Australia Peregrine Falcon, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac Alabama Coastal Briefest. Androcat and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Dyfi Osprey Project, SK Hideaways, Looduskalendar, Twin Cities Metro Osprey Watch, Mark Avery, Inatra Veidemane and Bald Eagles in the USA, Hakai Magazine, MI McGreer, Karen Long, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Katie Phillips Conners, Tonya Irwin and KNF-E1, FOBBV, ND-LEEF, Duke Farms, The Royal Albatross Centre, Superbeaks, Sharon Dunne and Royal Cam Albatross Group NZ, and Raptor Persecution UK.
Sunday started off cool, and it warmed up but the day was mostly cloudy. So, to me, it felt cooler looking out than it actually was. Small raindrops have just started falling late in the evening. The Blue Jays are still coming to the garden for water and seeds as are the Sparrows. Migration is in full swing, and only time will tell if the Blue Jay family is staying for the winter or will leave for part or all of it. The six Crows in the Crow family are still here- they will probably remain all winter just like the Chickadees. Canada Geese continue to fly overhead as are the Pelicans – all of them leaving for parts warmer and in the South.
Audubon has a wonderful tool to learn about migration. Migration is remarkable and now that the birds are leaving I am already longing for their return next spring. Nature continues on despite all that is thrown at it.
Today was the day Hope came out of her shell. Geemeff suggested a feather teaser toy. Little Hope loves to play and right away she was in the middle of everything. I got a small stroke on her head! This kitten has the sweetest face. One miracle for the day. Next play time I will try to grab her with Geemeff’s instructions firmly in mind to let her loose so she isn’t frightened – and knows she can get away. Fingers crossed. Calico goes in for her surgery on Tuesday and I hope to have this little one all friendly by then.
Calico is very protective of Hope. While she weants to return to the main part of the house I have left the door open and Calico will not leave without the baby who remains, at this time, hesitant.
Little Mini-me. I continue to marvel at the miracle – the moment is so clear – when I looked out and saw this wee kitten eating at the feeding station. It was beyond my hope that these two would be reunited. No wonder Calico doesn’t want her out of her sight.
Lewis and Missey are much more used to the ‘smell of Calico and the presence of Hope – through glass. They are all fed at the same time and there has been lots of tasty meals to cement the idea that Calico and Hope bring ‘good things’ not bad ones! Constant companions. Constant washing and playing. Lewis and Missey are both now a year old.
Let’s start off with something fun – the season highlights from Loch Arkaig! Louis, Dorcha, Ludo and various visitors delighted us day in and day out throughout the 2023 breeding season in Scotland.
News has just come in from ‘H’ that there are now four eggs at Melbourne! Oh, little M22 has going to have his work cut out getting those big eggs under for incubation! Egg #4 laid at 07:48:52.
‘A’ gives us a prey update: “At about 09:09:48 M22 lands on the ledge with a small bird, calling F22 as he arrives. For a couple of minutes prior to this, we have watched small feathers floating up, from where M22 is obviously preparing the prey at a lower level. He chups and waits. When F22 does not appear, he plucks the bird a little more, then heads with it, still chupping, up to the scrape. He seems to want to feed his eggs! He plucks the bird a little more, and at 09:11:30 flies off with the prey, presumably to leave it in one of their stash spots for mum to retrieve. Dad returns to incubate at 09:13:39. He has a little difficulty settling down on four eggs but he manages. This pair is adorable.”
I went to check and Mum is home. No fear! After last year I worry all the time about this nest.
Liznm caught that fourth egg being laid at Melbourne for us.
Mini has not been seen at the nest since the morning of Saturday 9 September. Mum has appeared a few times (or it is believed to be Mum). I have an inbox full of concerned letters wanting help for Mini but, in truth, we do not know if Mini needs help. Wildlife rehab clinics do not have the resources to search Patchogue for Mini. Indeed, every clinic that I know relies heavily on volunteers. If someone were to find Mini and get her to a clinic – if that clinic knows her story and any in the area should – they would recognise her. But, for now, we only know that Mini is not coming to the nest. Dad has been seen on the antennae by the lake where he fishes and Mum might or might not have come to the nest once or twice. That would be typical osprey behaviour before departing for migration. The fact that Mini has not come to the nest does not mean she is grounded, nor is she dying and starving. The absence of evidence is not evidence.
The only thing that could be done at this point is for a local search party to comb the area for Mini. That is a huge task but it would be worth it just to check and for everyone to know that she is not grounded.
Five fish were delivered to the Sandpoint Osprey Platform today. Coco was deliriously full of fish dinners!
‘H’ sends her report on Kent Island and Barnegat Light:
Kent Island – The fledgling, Molly, has not been seen for almost six days. Audrey spent the night of 9/10 on the nest, and she flew off at 0630. She was not seen on camera for the rest of the day, until she landed on the nest just before 10 pm. Audrey spent the night of 9/11 at the nest. Tom was not seen on camera on 9/10.
Barnegat Light – There was frequent and prolonged buffering of the live stream on 9/10. But, we were able to observe a fish delivery from Duke to Dorsett at 0725, and we saw Dorsett on the nest with a partial fish at 1828.
Thanks, H’!
‘A’ sends her down under report from down under – thanks A:
Sydney Sea Eagles: “It is now nearly 12:30 and Lady and Dad have spent this morning bringing in more and more nesting material .Check out how much fresh greenery there is on that nest. And that’s not counting the two gigantic branches (one at the front, one at the back) that have been brought in and carefully arranged so far this morning. It is phenomenal. They are doing a total spruce-up and a little renovating – it is a DIY fest up there this morning. The eaglets, of course, would prefer some breakfast, but I think the parents are bringing in the extra cot rails for the reason discussed yesterday (two much more mobile chicks now up off their tarsi and motoring around that nest) and all the fresh greenery and talonfuls of dry leaf material are being brought in because of the day of rain they had there over the weekend (or was it Friday). Anyway, they’re freshening up and drying out the nest. They have both been aerating today and yesterday. So I’m pretty sure that’s the reason for this sudden obsession with bringing in nest materials.
Hopefully, there will be some food soon, though I have reached a level of confidence about this nest that leaves me unconcerned about major problems even if food is late and/or short today. Obviously, we would prefer them to get two good meals a day but they do need to learn that life in the wild is not all home-delivered meals at the drop of a twig. So either way, I am sure all will work out fine and lunch will come soon.”
Xavier and Diamond: The intruder is still causing issues for the couple. Diamond had to leave the scrape to defend the territory. This is not a good thing.
Port Lincoln: Dad was on the nest with Mum. Oh, I hope these two only have two eggs!!!!!!!
Dad2 doing incubation duties. The chat group notes that the eggs were not incubated for 41 minutes which should not be an issue.
But ‘H’ has just sent me a giggle: Is this Dad 1 or is it Dad2? Fran Solly and Bazza are starting to think it is Dad1?!
‘A’ is missing our little prince and he isn’t gone yet! She writes, “
Omigod, talk about heart in my mouth. I checked the albatross cam and not only was Manaaki’s nest empty but the camera was giving us the view of the bay from his nest. For a moment there, I thought he had fledged. Then, I saw a little flash of white far down on the hillside and sure enough, up he came. He had had a practice flight down the hill and had to walk a lolng way back up. The wind has really picked up this afternoon (it is now nearly 4pm) and it is hovering and flapping time. Scary. Every time I watch this, I wonder if it is going to be the last time, as it was that day I watched QT in the storm. Sudden. And possibly permanent. Stay with us just a little longer sweet boy. Another week to get rid of that remaining fluff. Just one more week.
Manaaki was fed about three hours ago (13:23). We think the parent had come in earlier and that this was the second feeding today. The weather really changed three or four hours ago. The rain started teeming down and the wind really picked up. It sounds like a gale on the tab now. We believe that in all the excitement this has caused, it is possible that Quarry has fledged. UQ has been hovering a lot this afternoon, and although he is still obviously carrying too much down and has not yet perfected his flying technique (paddles are still hanging down and he hasn’t worked out how to hold them up yet), there is a fear among chatters that he will leave today. If he does, there is the danger he will ditch in the bay and become waterlogged. I’m sure they keep a close eye out for chicks that do that – I have heard talk of them being rescued for a second fledge attempt. So we watch, we wait. The wind is encouraging all the chicks, but hopefully, Manaaki’s feedings today will keep him at home a little longer. As I type, both Manaaki and UQ are still at home, Manaaki on his nest and UQ a little downhill from Manaaki (where he has been for most of the day, rather than on his nest higher up the hill – he likes Manaaki).”
At SWFlorida, home to M15 and his new mate, bonding is happening! We have a fish offering.
In the letterbox: A few letters have arrived since the posting of the death of two of the fledglings – Stormy and Simba – from Big Bear Valley in previous years. It is hoped that FOBBV might be able to find out what happened to the two siblings. Readers have expressed concern over the deaths of the eaglets and the many non viable years for our beloved Jackie and Shadow. Every year we struggle with them and, of course, it was such a delight when Spirit fledged. The difficulties that Jackie and Shadow face in terms of eggshell hardness and viability of offspring in the nest might be directly related to the historical DDT that was intensely sprayed on Big Bear Lake. Of course we are aware of the issues in the Channel Islands.
The heartache that we feel for these two Bald Eagles and they are much loved by thousands and thousands, is directly due to human causes.
From a previous blog ‘Why Do Some Eagles Have Wing Bands’: “
It all goes back to DDT and the near extinction of the Ospreys, Bald Eagles, and other birds from the United States. Sea life has been impacted and so have humans. After World War II DDT was used to eradicate for mosquitoes in the US. Various areas received high amounts of this toxin. It wasn’t just the spraying but also the illegal dumping of hundreds of thousands of tonnes that has caused harm. Indeed, the waters off Catalina Island, for one, became a dumping ground for DDT.
In 2020, an article appeared in the Los Angeles Times about the finding of the rusting barrels of toxins leaking near Catalina Island. (The scientists were looking for methane). The author says, “As many as half a million of these barrels could still be underwater right now, according to interviews and a Times review of historical records, manifests and undigitized research. From 1947 to 1982, the nation’s largest manufacturer of DDT — a pesticide so powerful that it poisoned birds and fish — was based in Los Angeles.”
“DDT is so stable it can take generations to break down. It doesn’t really dissolve in water but stores easily in fat. Compounding these problems is what scientists today call “biomagnification”: the toxin accumulating in the tissues of animals in greater and greater concentrations as it moves up the food chain.” The birds at the top of the food chain, often referred to as the canaries in the coal mine are the Ospreys who eat the fish and the Bald Eagles.
This is a fantastic read. I urge you to take the time so that when you hear about the impacts of DDT you will understand the history and the harm.
In 1980, there was a reintroduction programme of Bald Eagles into the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands. Even until 2001, the eggs were removed and fostered and the chicks banded. Between 1980-86, 33 Bald Eagles were released on Santa Catalina. These birds grew to adulthood even breeding but due to the DDE levels, the eggshell thickness was still compromised. You might recall that Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear have problems with thin eggshells today. Big Bear Lake was heavily sprayed with DDT and it is residual in the soil. The tagging program can be seen with the tags on Thunder and Akacheta. Their chicks, should they hatch and survive, will be banded as part of the continuing study.
From the findings of scientists now, the number of barrels of DDT in the waters of this area rusting and leaking are growing. In April of 2021, more were found.
For those who would like to go back to the 1970s when the alarms were being sounded by various individuals including Rachel Carson, a good read is The Silent Spring. I would hope that most local libraries would have copies. As you can see, the storage and long life of DDT and the fact that it does not break down in water, is a continuing concern for all the wildlife and humans around the Santa Catalina Island which is now controlled by the US Navy.
There continue to be warnings about humans eating the fish from Big Bear Lake:
A group of concerned individuals is working towards a united presentation to see what can be done about the proposed battery storage facility at SSEN Alyth where Ospreys Harry and Flora have their nest. This is one of the revised plans for the site that shows the battery storage right up to the nest.
This is very discouraging. Flora has left the nest on previous occasions when there were disturbances.
Sue Wallbanks posted this article. It is a good read for anyone who wants to understand how disturbances can cause issues at raptor nests.
The beautiful Black Eaglet had breakfast compliments of Dad. Lady Hawk comments: “The Selati eaglet has another good day of eating compliments of Dad bring in a Rock Hyrax! The eaglet is enjoying the morning sunlight and spreads out its wings as it lies on the nest sunning itself (and keeping cool) 🙂 Mom flies in right after Dad but the eaglet claims the prey and mantles it and will self feed on it for quite some time. Finally Mom takes over and finishes up the feeding and the eaglet gets to swallow the pelt down. i did edit out a lot of the feeding since it went on for so long. Great job! Mom will then fly off leaving a very contented chick.”
These Black Eagles live in the Slate Game Reserve which is part of the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa. Their proper name is the Verreaux Eagle. Only one of two eggs hatched at this nest in 2023. This is the time line, and we expect this eaglet to hatch in less than 3 weeks.
First egg laid on 15 May 2023 🥚
Second egg laid on 19 May 2023 🥚🥚
Egg cracked by parent on 6 June 2023 ✖️
Chick hatched 29/30 June 2023 🐣
Fledgling flight expected from around end September 2023
Verreaux’s eagle is one of the larger eagles of Africa. It measures 75 to 96 cm (30 to 38 in) long with an average weight of 4.19 kg or 9.2 lb. Its wingspan is 1.81 to 2.3 m (5 ft 11 in to 7 ft 7 in). The Verreaux Eagles like others has reverse bisexual morphism – the female is larger than the male. The adults are the most gorgeous slate grey but some are the deepest ebony. Their cere is a remarkable yellow when they are healthy. There is also white plumage which is a great contrast and causes the birds in flight to stand out. That white is on their back, their rump and the upper-tail coverts as well as part of the scapular. The white can only be seen looking up when the birds are flying, not when they are perched. The legs are covered with deep black feathers. The juveniles appear as in the image above.
In the Kistachie National Forest near Alexandria, Louisiana, Louis and Anna from the E-1 nest are busy making nestorations!
Thank you so very much for being with me today. Take care everyone. See you soon!
I am very grateful to the following for their notes, comments, questions, letters, videos, posts, and streaming cams that help me to write my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, L’, Audubon, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Liznm and 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, PSEG, Sandpoint Ospreys, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, Sydney Sea Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, NZ DOC, Real Saunders Photo, LA Times, Tapa Talk, The Guardian, Office of the EHHA, US Dept of the Interior, SSEN Alyth, Livia Armstrong and BESS Battery Storage, NatureScot, Lady Hawk and Selati Eagles, Open Verse, and the KNF Eagle Cam E-1.
There is so much good news and, of course, some worrisome – worrisome that appears to be unsolvable at the moment.
First, the kittens are fully integrated into the house. It was initially believed that Missey would be the dominant and could cause issues but, it turned out that Lewis was insecure. After spending time on the streets and being so little, Calico has some ‘smarts’, which include always being up higher and never responding to Lewis. It was brilliant! One more night separated and then we will see how they do together unsupervised during the ‘wild time’. I am just dizzily gleeful.
Calico has spent her day looking out the windows to the world where she used to live. Everyone has eaten together, separated by about 1.75 metres. Hopefully, like osplets and eaglets, there is enough space, love, attention, and food that they will each feel secure and thrive.
The stand off.
Calico’s fur is getting much better.
Watching.
Of course, it was too good to be true. Lewis decided to attack Calico at the end of the day. One hiccup – it was stopped before it started. Hoping Lewis has this anxiousness out of his system by Monday. Wish us luck~!
I had not seen it yet and ‘H’ sent me the good news first thing this morning from the Australian Raptor Care and Conservation!
It is gorgeous. These are a couple of images from VisitNSW.
Our hearts all sank. Mini arrived at the nest to everyone’s great delight at 17:44. But immediately thoughts went to her leg which she is really having trouble with – again, at the end of the day. It made us ache for her. At 18:42 she was seen to be hobbling. At the same time, she was actively fish calling. We have observed a good PS every day and her crop is still not appearing concave so we can deduce that she is either being fed or she is fishing and being lucky.
There appeared to be some green algae/plant material ?under her right wing and on her leg when she landed.
The bottom line is you are loved and everyone is worried about your quality of life, Mini.
I wish we could see who she is calling…hopefully, Mini will rest her leg at the nest tonight. She has more difficulty at the end of the day than at the beginning. She also has a somewhat rounded crop – it is not concave – she is being fed (said twice, but we need to remember that just because we do not see fish delivered to the nest does not mean any of the ospreys are not getting food).
Everyone wants Mini to be whole and perfect and live an extraordinary life. If we could have had that leg mended when the injury first occurred it would have been grand. We wish her the very best…she is showered with positive hope and love. Now we need some luck and ingenuity.
Let’s skip to ‘H’s reports for this morning:
Kent Island – There was only one fish delivered to the nest. Tom brought a whole menhaden to Molly for her supper. And, while we haven’t seen Audrey at the nest since 8/29, it was reported that Audrey was seen on a neighbor’s dock on 9/2.
Barnegat Light – Duke brought at least three fish to the nest for Dorsett. Whether she is perched on her favorite utility pole, on top of a flag pole, or on her dad’s perch, Dorsett doesn’t miss a thing. In the afternoon, Dorsett had been standing on Duke’s perch for a while, when she suddenly took off, flew in a big circle, and landed on the nest one second before Duke landed with a fish. Nice timing!
Osoyoos – The Osoyoos osprey cam has been offline for four days. The fledgling is 69 days old, and fledged on 8/21.
Thanks so much ‘H’.
The big news in migration comes from the sat-packed Tweed Valley youngster Poul who is now in Morocco! Congratulations Di Bennet and gang. It looks like he was fitted with a jet pack at the same time. What a good time to get to Africa.
Seiont hit the century and is still home-fed by Dad, Idris, or Daddy Longlegs. What a handsome osplet Seiont is. Will we see him in 2 years coming by the Dyfi nest to say hello? I sure hope so.
Meanwhile, Aran was finally getting to enjoy one of those lovely trout that he has been bringing in to the nest – alone, in quiet, on a branch. Elen is gone…both juveniles were still around – OH1 and OH2. One got to enjoy a Garfish on Saturday.
Maya was still at Rutland. I have not seen Blue 33 for a couple of days. it would be highly unusual for him to depart before Maya. I wonder if he is feeding kids off the nest and allowing Maya to have time to eat her big catches in peace?
Fledgling still at Alyth with Dad.
CJ7 and Blue 022 have both been seen at Poole on Saturday.
Sharon Leigh posted some super information on the migration patterns and the timing of migration for the US Ospreys from Montana.
At the Richmond Ship Yards, Rosie is still home. Richmond will remain for the winter near the nest while Rosie will go and have some fun in the sun.
Iris is still with us in Missoula!
The Bald Eagle couples are returning and working on their nests. Gosh, that just makes me get so excited. It is the worry of who will return and who won’t but right now we have —
M15 and his new lady holding the fort at Southwest Florida.
Louis and Anna at Kistachie Nest 1:
V3 and Gabby at NEFlorida. The AEF stated on FB “We believe that Gabby is about 9 years old based on her feather coloration and behavior when she first arrived at the nest in 2018/2019. V3 we believe is a mature eagle but probably young – maybe between 5 – 7 years old.”
Pepe and Muhlady are on and off the nest at Superbeaks. Look at that beautiful majestic eagle:
Shadow and Jackie are at Big Bear. Will be checking on the others as the end of osprey season progresses.
‘A’s reports from ‘down under’ – where spring is arriving!
“In Orange, both Xavier and Diamond appear to have eaten, and the two are spending a lot of time together. Xavier is once again sitting on the ledge, keeping her company, which he has been doing sometimes for hours at a time. It is so sweet. Sometimes, they chat quietly but usually they just sit together in silence.”
At Sydney, “Still no breakfast at WBSE. It is after midday and the eaglets are waiting patiently and behaving nicely. SE32 has done a very healthy PS (haven’t seen SE31 do so yet but I’ve been busy this morning. Cats. The kitchen. You know the sort of thing. Lady has been on the nest a bit with the eaglets. She has been aerating the nest and generally spending time with her babies. Keeping them reassured. Both eaglets are now sleeping up at the table, ready for food to arrive.”
It was nice to be watching and catch the arrival of a nice fish!
September 1.
A remarkable bird surviving on the Isle of Man away from the persecution of the driven grouse estates.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please send positive energy to dear Mini. See you soon – and stay safe out there.
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, G, H’, Australian Raptor Care and Conservation, VisitNWS.com,PSEG, Kent Island, Osoyoos, Wildlife Conserve of NJ, Tweed Valley, Dyfi, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, LRWT, Alyth, Jeff Kear and UK Osprey Info, Sharon Leigh and Montana Osprey Cams, Pam Krute and SF Osprey Cam with Rosie and Richmond, Montana Osprey Project, Sydney Sea Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Linda Russo and NEFL and SWFL Eagle Watchers Club, Tonya Irwin and KNF Eagle Cam Fans, the AEF, Superbeaks, J & R Aquatic Animal Rescue.
Friday was tough. A GHO wiped out a nest of 37-34 day old osplets at Moraine Park, PA, beginning around 0135. What a tragedy. These three were doing fantastic. When the totals come in for the season, how high will the percentage be for predation by raptors? It hit me hard…because I enter those deaths three times: here in the blog, on the Memorial Wall, and in the data forms. I am ‘sick and tired’ of entering ‘Died’. To top it off, a feral cat took one of the baby Blue Jays that got too low…Not a good morning so I cannot promise you that this blog will be even intelligent today! Apologies beforehand.
Other good news…The Tom and Angel mugs arrived today and they are cute and super. Coffee in them tonight! Thanks Windows to Wildlife for the fundraiser to upgrade your camera for this beautiful RTH family in Tennessee. Tom brought Deyani a lovely meal today. She must perch and watch for the adults to fly in with prey. Deyani was hot on Dad’s heels.
The other good news is that two other things arrived in the post. One were some new window markers. With the fledgling Blue Jays it is not too soon- and all the fledgling sparrows and now little Crows – to redo all the squiggles. Remember to always put the decals and do the window painting on the OUTSIDE – not the inside of the windows. The other was David Gessner’s new book, A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World. Gessner inspired me by his early books on Ospreys along the Cape and to travel to Cuba to see the Osprey migration over the mountains in September which I hope to do soon.
The really good news is that Mini did eat – and she is not being so aggressive today. Hunger can change a chick’s behaviour. If they think they are dying they have nothing to lose if they attack to test their chances. Mini even wound up with a crop today. That was a fantastic lift to the spirits!
‘R’ sent me a running list of events at Patchogue for which I am terribly grateful. It was a busy day today and I could not keep up. Please read this carefully there are a couple of surprises in there.
“Here is what has happened so far today. 0556 – Mini working on scrapes. 0627- 0638- Mum pulls out a large chunk of fish and feeds Mini over 100 bites! Nothing left for the Bigs. 0853-0857 – Mini and 3 are fed by Mum. Both get equal portions. 1201 – large fish delivered but Mum sits on perch while Bigs eat the whole fish. Nothing for Mini. Despite this she has a nice crop in the afternoon. 1549 – Big stands up and has been laying on a large fish! Can’t find when it was delivered, but Mini gets nothing, nor do 2 or 3.1606 – Bigs eating away. Mini watches. 1728 – Dad delivers another fish. Mini and 3 watching as 1 and 2 gorge themselves!” Now follow the images below and see what happens at 1741. Thanks so much, ‘R’ – so grateful for your eyes on this nest.
Mini has a crop at 0950.
1015. Mini eating. Mini is on the right side of Mum and had a good 14 minute feed.
1137: Nice crop.
1233. Big got the next fish. Mini did not get any.
‘3’ got the 1738ish fish. Mini would like some fish.
‘R’ reports: “1741. Mini eating from tail of large fish while 2 eats from head. Still going strong at 1756! Sneaky!” That is so brilliant of our Little Mini.
The other good news is that with the sibling rivalry happening in the Borders nest, Juno, the female, took matters into her own hands and went. fishing. Read this blog post. It will give you a smile because now there is hope that the third hatch will survive. Way to go Juno!
Then Jackie and Shadow were up in Big Bear and that couple lives on hope..the failed seasons and then the beautiful eaglet, like Spirit. They make me happy and help the sad go away!!! This couple loses brood after brood to crows and DNH and yet they continue to love one another and are now at the nest waiting for the next season. Let us all hope it is a good one for them!
‘MP’ wrote to me about the MN Landscape Arboretum nest and the band on the male. We could tell a certain alphanumeric. ‘MP’ went on to find this information. “Black MS – was banded in 2002 at the nest off of Kings Point Road just north of HWY 7 and Carver Park Reserve in Hennepin County.” The only other possibilities were bands with combinations of green and black so it appears that the male at this nest is 21 years old. Is this a new female? I wish we knew more. As a male he would certainly know what to do after surviving for more than two decades —- that just makes me happy and washes some of the sadness of the day away. Thank you ‘MP’.
Mum has fed and shaded the little one better today. The grassy materials brought in are not flying away either but hardly any sticks are staying on the nest. This couple needs a pile of nesting material! But, just seeing this chick alive today is good. Very good.
Twin Cities Metro was really happy with the National Arboretum nest today too, so she went to check on another nest. Please read it all..you will recognise yourself in that post.
Our ‘not so little’ Cowlitz chick is doing well. Please, please let those metal grids hold so that this nest is not attacked by the eagles and this baby taken. If this works, every nest should put up similar grids. We would then not lose 3 precious babies to a GHO at Moraine, or at Lake Murray…well, I could go on and on.
Geemeff wonders if ospreys can have a brain freeze? Do birds go crazy? or have fogs? What is up with Elen when she repeatedly attacks Aran at Glaslyn? I am bewildered by it all. Aran was just sitting on the perch minding his own business.
I am so upset with Patuxent River Park that has the osprey nests. These are the reasons that I will not promote this nest at all in any of my blogs next year and I urge people to boycott their streaming cam.
First, Patuxent nest 2 was the site of tourist boat encroaching in the area of the nest that left the adult birds stressed and away from the chicks for several hours. Then the third hatch on Patuxent 1 was ill (lack of food?) and placed in another nest where it died the following day. Now why was this chick not taken to rehab and then returned to a nest – either its own or another? That was 1 June. The chick died on June 2.
But this is really getting to me. Yesterday, nest 1 received a foster chick from a nearby tower with its Darvic ring and metal band. Today, they ringed the two chicks from nest 1 – Big and Middle. The individuals retrieving the chicks out of the nest did not cover them with anything. Instead – well, you can see the images but because the chicks were stressed, their bodies were ‘yanked’. If the chicks had been covered with a cloth, they could have been removed easily. We have seen this many times – at Barnegat Light recently and at Dale Hollow when DH18 was rescued. Oh, but that wasn’t all – the bangers caused the forced fledge of the foster chick.
Removing second chick for ringing. Why not a towel to cover them so they are not frightened? And ouch! Geez. I don’t want anyone grabbing me like that.
At the end of the ringing, as is customary, no fish were placed on the nest. Seriously they can probably hear me screaming in Maryland.
Foster chick returned wet. I am sure that you can come to your own conclusions but I prefer slow, kind, and compassionate when dealing with our raptors.
The female at the Boulder County Fairgrounds Osprey platform is a sweetie.
The Outer Banks is doing great….I wonder how many of these amazing nests have GHOs around?
Oyster Bay continues to thrive.
The WDNU Tower camin South Bend, Indiana, is back on line. This is the nest where two chicks died on the 14th of June for unknown reasons. Then the camera was taken offline so viewers did not see the dead bodies…they are now more incorporated into the nest and the third chick is thriving. It is the oldest and has been named Huey. This is wonderful news.
The two chicks at Island Beach, NJ have been banded by Ben Wurst. They are Red 24N and Red 25N. They are part of the RedBand Project which is “A citizen-science based banding and re-sighting project on Barnegat Bay that is menat to engage locals and visitors to the New Jersey coast in osprey management and conservation.”
It is worth posting what NJ is doing and why this project is so important. Here is the information from the website so that you can see how funding cuts can lead to citizen science.
Ospreys have made a remarkable recovery in New Jersey. Over the past 40 years we have seen the population grow from only 53 pairs in 1973 to over 700 in 2022! Over that same time funding needed for their management has declined. Today their population is not in jeopardy of being extirpated as it was in the early 1970s. As funding is being directed towards species that are in decline, we move to utilize our citizen scientists and volunteers to help monitor and manage the population.
To help engage citizen scientists and for the first time in over 20 years, young ospreyshave been marked with an auxiliary band in New Jersey. The new band, which is a red anodized aluminum rivet band bears an alpha-numeric code. This allows birders, osprey watchers and wildlife photographers the ability to identify these individual birds by their bands — when they are alive!
This new project is being focused on ospreys that nest in the Barnegat Bay watershed from Point Pleasant south to Little Egg Harbor. The main goals of the project are to engage the public in osprey management and conservation along the Jersey Shore. At the same time, while collecting data from re-sightings, we will learn about their dispersal, foraging habits, site fidelity, migration routes, and their life span.
Project Redband
#4 Finland: All three accounted for – and doing well.
#3 Empty. Let us hope that there is a couple and chicks here in 2024.
#5 LS: Two chicks only. Doing fine.
Nest #3 in Finland appears so lonely after the Mum was killed and one chick died with the other two taken into care. Likewise South Cape May Meadows, lost the male and all three osplets during the extreme weather system that hung over the area. The camera is back on. No one home. No, I was wrong. ‘H’ tells me that Hera visited yesterday. It must be so sad for her – no mate, no chicks. Zeus has been missing since the storm and did not return like Duke at Barnegat Light.
‘H’ reports that all is well at FortisExshaw near Canmore, Alberta: “Another good day. The older two chicks, (both aged 12 days on 6/30) have been climbing up to the edge of the nest cup and checking out the local landscape. I observed two feedings. Louise always makes sure that ‘Little’ gets fed (age 10 days). There was a little bonking squabble between the three nestlings in the morning that appeared to have been started by Little. There was no parent on the nest at the time. When Louise landed, Little scooted right up to her and appeared to be explaining his innocence, lol.”
The following reports also come from ‘H’-
“Osoyoos: The little chicks are doing well, ages 4 and 3 days on 6/30. Egg #3 will be 37 days on 7/1.”
“Severna Park: Lots of flapping going on, with a little lift!. Ages 53 and 52 days on 6/30.”
“Dahlgren: Those two Osplets are doing great, and they are practicing their wingers (especially ‘Big’). Ages 43 and 39 days on 6/30”.
‘Forsythe: Things have really settled down at this nest. The fish are usually small, but they are plentiful. There were 11 fish delivered to the nest. The siblings are 39 and 38 days old on 6/30.”
“Barnegat Light: Duke, Daisy, and their surviving chick are doing quite well. I just can’t quite get some of the recent sadness out of my mind, and am still grateful that Duke was able to make it back after the storm. We tend to take the adults for granted . . until one day they don’t return. Oh, and Duke loves the new perch installed by Ben! ‘Big’ is 30 days old on 6/30, and no name has been given to Big as yet.”
“Kent Island: Tom continues to provide for his family and delivered five fish that I saw. Tom and Audrey’s only chick is 18 days old, and lovin’ life on the Bay.”
“Audubon Boathouse: Dory and Skiff’s 20 day old nestling is also lovin’ life on the Bay!”
Thanks, ‘H’. So grateful for your monitoring these nest and your daily reports!
Now what is happening in the world of storks?
The three storklets in the nest in Tukums, Latvia are growing so much they could become confused with the adults soon.
Karl II and Kaia are keeping close watch on their three storklets in Estonia.
The four storklets of Bety and Bukacek will definitely be ready for fledging and migration. They are big and strong.
Dmitri’s fostered storklet is doing wonderfully.
Checking on that nest of Imperial Eagles in Tartan Russia…both have survived, and they are getting so big.
There is so much prey on the nest of Golden eagles Lucina and Caliman in Romania. This chick is very lucky.
Ventana Wildlife has released the recording of the June 2023 Zoom chat on the state of California Condors. Have a listen.
Suzanne Arnold Horning found the Ms around the Cornell Campus Friday night. Gosh, she must have a ‘hawk eye’. They are doing fine and so very grateful for that protective curtain on that glass building and walkway that a few have hit and injured themselves or died. It is important that humans be pro-active in caring for our wildlife.
This is the latest update on the Sydney Sea Eagles from them but ‘A’ tells me that while Dad is flying he still seems to be unsteady on those legs:
There is also a worrisome update about Tuffy, the RTH in the Eagle’s nest. It sounds like the eagles are starting to think that Tuffy is prey.
The latest edition of the Journal of Raptor Research – volume 57, no 2, June 2023- is all about kestrels. I love them but know little about them. The stated fact is that there is a “widespread, long-term decline of American Kestrels that persists across North America” (152). The studies were attempting to discover the causes. They include an increase in Cooper’s Hawks, habitat loss, habit loss while nesting, the emergence of anthropods and grasshoppers, rodenticides, the use of neonicotinoids, and climate change. For my purposes, the study that Claudio and I and ‘H’ are conducting studies just Ospreys. The predation by other raptors is of real concern – more than twice the number of chicks killed by predators than siblicide. We will know after all the chicks have migrated, but it is becoming worrisome.
Want to see some nest repairs? Check out what is happening in the Kistachie Forest, home to the nest of Anna and Louis, Alex and Alexandria.
Thank you so much for being with me this morning. Today is Canada Day and the Fourth of July is coming up along with Bank Holidays and all other celebrations as summer begins so take care. I hope that you live in an enlightened community and are not having fireworks as they do so much damage and stress out the urban wildlife…See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, reports, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H, Geemeff, MP, R’, Sunnie Day, Window to Wildlife, PSEG, Border Ospreys, FOBBV, MN Landscape Arboretum, Twin Cities Metro Osprey News, Cowlitz, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Patuxent River Part, Boulder County Fair Grounds, Outerbanks 24/7, WDNU, Island Beach, Project Redband, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Fortis Exshaw, Osoyoos, Severna Park, Dahlgren, Forsythe, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Audubon/Explore, Latvian Fund for Nature, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mlady Buky, Dmitri Storks, Imperial Eagle Cam, Bocina Wildlife, Ventana Wildlife, Suzanne Arnold Horning, Sydney Eagle Cam, Nor Cal Birding, Tonya Irving and the US Forest Services, and JRR.
Thank you so much for being here with us today. We hope that the week is starting out well for each and every one of you!
Mr Crow and a friend have returned. He has been yelling at me all day. It is unclear whether he wants his cheesy dogs or his cat kibble but he is making quite a ruckus right above my head as I write this. The first Common Grackle of the year has appeared in the garden along with the normal array of Dark-eyed Juncos, Sparrows, European Starlings and woodpeckers. I can see Little Red running through the lilacs to get to the suet while Dyson and the gang are hovering around on the ground. They much prefer the Black Oil seed when they have finished all the peanuts.
Hatchery Mum and Dad and DH2 give us another cute moment with their family portrait from Sunday. Isn’t it beautiful? That adorable little eaglet. So precious after the tragedies of last year with HPAI.
The award for the most diligent mother of the week has to go to Sally at Moorings Park who is always feeding her osplets, Abby and Victor, even at 11pm!!!!!!!
On Monday morning, the new unringed female, nicknamed ‘Dot’ at the Glaslyn Osprey platform, will be given an official name! She has now been with Aran for more than a week. It has been a joy watching the two get acquainted and bond; this is terrific news. Wonder what the name will be?
New nesting material is in and Aran has perfected handing over the fish to his new mate. All we need are some lovely eggs in that nest now!
The new female is named Elen. “Our new Glaslyn female now has a name! She will be called Elen, named after Yr Elen a mountain in the Carneddau range in Eryri (Snowdonia). As you will be aware, Aran is named after Yr Aran another mountain in Eryri.”
Their story unfolded quickly as Elen laid her first egg this morning at 10:37! What a brilliant start with a new name, too.
Dorcha has laid her second egg at Loch Arkaig with her mate Louis.
Sasha Dench is in Guinea. She has discovered why water and climate change are important to the Ospreys that migrate between the UK and West Africa. Have a listen. You will learn a lot about how our changing world impacts everything! We are all interconnected.
Flo left the Captiva Osprey nest around noon on Sunday. She looked down at the only egg that – well, it would take a miracle if it was viable – and flew off. Angus has returned to the nest. He is on the perch in the last image. The couple was seen together in the nearby trees. Their bond is essential. They can begin again next year. It was a rough season for everyone at Captiva this year.
The situation at Dale Hollow continues to weigh heavily on people’s minds and our hearts. The American Eagle Foundation and the Tampa Raptor Centre offered expert climbers to go to the site and remediate the issue. The nest is on public land, US Army land, accessed by a road through private property.
There is more news coverage of what is happening to the eaglets and letters are now going out to everyone who wrote advocating for the eaglets. I want to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart to the tip of my tiny toe for taking the time – for your love and your caring for our wildlife. You could just as easily close your eyes and ignore everything. You didn’t. We may not win this one, but we cannot give up. In an ideal situation, that monofilament line comes off. River breaks it and removes the mess from the nest. That is the perfect solution. If that does not happen, and it hasn’t yet, we must seek help for those who cannot ask for it themselves. I am so proud to be in such excellent company as all of you.
I have just opened my evening’s e-mail to find a host of similar letters and notices of television news coverage in Tennessee. We owe it to the eaglets not to give up. I have said that twice. It is crucial. Everything takes longer than we want. Bureaucracy takes time – and nothing happens on the weekend. Not even for Dr Sharpe!
Here is the letter going out to those who contacted Tennessee Wildlife Resources. Thank you to everyone who sent me their copy. It takes an army! Last year when I posted letters on my blog, DH labelled them as ‘fake news’. The letter below is not fake – many of you will have received the same one from the official.
Thank you for sharing your concerns. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) was notified of an eaglet tangled in fishing line by viewers of a Dale Hollow live eagle camera on Friday, April 22. TWRA staff who received the notification immediately contacted Agency staff responsible for wildlife conservation. The Agency also notified our partners at the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Eagle Foundation about the eaglet.
TWRA is actively monitoring the situation and is in communication with federal wildlife authorities. Although no longer listed on the federal list of endangered or threatened species, both bald eagles and golden eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Due to their federally regulated status, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is the agency with oversite and authority in cases of eagles in distress.
Federal laws prohibit the disturbance of eagles and their nests, which includes any substantial interference with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior. Any rescue attempt would be considered a disturbance of natural behavior, and therefore requires federal permitting to take place. Additionally, only individuals who have been properly certified are allowed to climb to eagle nests for the safety of the individual and the eagles.
Disturbing the nest, even for a rescue attempt, comes with significant risks. Nestlings may be startled by human activity near the nest and prematurely jump from the nest before they are able to fly or care for themselves. This could result in the death of both nestlings. Adult eagles can also become territorial or defensive of the nest, and attack humans who attempt to approach the nest.
Live wildlife cameras serve as an important education tool for members of the public to safely view nature. However, from time to time, the public may see the disturbing footage of sick, injured, orphaned, or otherwise distressed wildlife as part of the natural course of events. Unfortunately, the eaglet in this situation was tangled in a piece of litter. TWRA always encourages individuals enjoying the outdoors to properly dispose of any trash to prevent injury to wildlife. Littering on public property carries varied offenses ranging from misdemeanor to felony charges.
This is a developing situation, requests for additional information should be directed to the agency with jurisdiction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal officials are aware of the situation and any additional decisions or action on the issue will be made by the US Fish and Wildlife Service with the full cooperation of TWRA.
Respectfully,
Emily Buck Director of Communications and Outreach Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 5107 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, TN 37211
Because of you more news agencies are picking up the story. Why not be the heroes and help the eaglets?
More news this morning:
As of this morning, DH18 is still in the same position on the nest it has been for days with the entanglement materials underneath it – in other words, DH18 continues to be tethered to the nest. River dropped the fish and was dealing with intruders.
I would love to be posting all those amazing images of the Es but they belong to the photographers that took them. Please head over to the SW Florida Eagle Cam FB page to see what the Es and M15 are doing off camera. They are amazing!
Vijay caught the breakfast delivery on Sunday! Listen to those eaglets as they know M15 is on his way!
It is Sunday afternoon in Iowa and all eyes are on every twitch that Mother Goose is making.
Mother Goose was up for her evening break but was not gone very long at all.
It is 0715 and there is a big pip and a crack in one of the Goose eggs at Decorah! Yippeeee. Thanks ‘A’ for the head’s up.
‘H’ reports that R4 had a good feed yesterday. Continuing good news for this eaglet at Miami.
Nesting is also beginning at the Osoyoos Osprey Platform in British Columbia.
You have to love the Cal Falcon feedings. Two for you and then two for you and wait, yes, two for you. As ‘H’ reminds me I have always said if you want a peaceful nest watch the falcons and the hawks! And just imagine – it is not long until we have pip watch for Big Red and Arthur!
Great video by SK Hideaways of this little number three – feisty!
Wondering which egg is which of Big Red and Arthur’s? Cornell tweeted their ID.
Sunday was happy hatch day for two California Condors. One is one of my all-time favourites, Phoenix 477. He is the mate of Redwood Queen, the mother of Iniko (with Kingpin, who died in the Dolan Fire). Phoenix got his name because he also survived a tragic wildfire. He and Redwood Queen raised #1174 in Pinnacles (a new nest for them) in 2022.
Karl II and Kaia continue their bonding and getting their strength back after their long migration from their winter homes in central Africa.
The Pitkin County Osprey Platform had its second egg today. The nest is located on a platform in Roaring Park Valley, Colorado. Last year both osplets were pulled off the nest when nesting material attached to them was attached also to the female. One died and the other survived to be released this spring.
One of those heart warming stories that we would like to see happen everywhere! The leg of the eaglet was lodged in the nest material. The AEF came to the rescue.
There is lots of wing flapping going on at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest. Not branching yet. Soon.
The plumage is not nearly that of Duke Farms but the Dulles-Greenway Eaglets are standing very well on that nest. Just look at those healthy eaglets. Three of them!
Haven’t checked on Cassidy and Sundance at Farmer Derek’s GHO nest for awhile. Gosh, they are looking out to the world beyond that nest today.
A visitor came to the Achieva Osprey nest Sunday. The distinctive heart-shaped head looks like the head of Tiny Tot Tumbles hatched in 2021. She was the third hatch many believed had died of starvation on the nest at least three times. She did not and became not only the dominant chick but also the defender of this nest against adult birds during the summer of 2021. It sure looks like her head with the narrow white stripes and the dark heart!
The osplets at Achieva had one fish on Saturday, and Jack delivered a fish at 2009 on Sunday. The eldest continues its aggression due to a shortage of fish in the nest. We must remember that Mum, who feeds the chicks, is also hungry. This nest remains very precarious.
There is good news coming out of the KNF E1 nest of Anna and Louis. Trey has been on the nest jumping about. Way to go, Trey!
Kathryn has reported that Lake Murray had its third osplet hatch Sunday afternoon!
Jackie and Shadow continue to visit their nest in Big Bear Valley. We will all look forward to the late fall and the next breeding season for them. Regardless of eggs, chicks or not, it is always good to see Jackie and Shadow!
Congratulations to Llyn Brenig on the second egg of the 2023 season laid Sunday afternoon.
Continue sending your best wishes to the nests with issues – Achieva and Dale Hollow. Tomorrow keep Bald Canyon in your thoughts as an attempt will be made to rescue the eaglet that fell from the nest. We hope that it is still alive.
Thank you so very much for being with me today as we flitted about the nests that we have been watching. There are positively some many things happening internationally in Bird World that it is hard to keep up. I hope at the beginning of the week to check on all those UK Osprey nests closer and also the ones in Finland. Take care all. See you soon!
I want to thank everyone for their notes, their tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Kathryn, A, H, B, L, S, T, J, W, WRDC, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Moorings Park Ospreys, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Mary Kerr and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Conservation without Borders, Windows to Wildlife, Sylvia Jarzomkowske and Bale Eagles Live Nests and Cams, Nicole Norment Whittemore and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Vijay and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Decorah Goose Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, @CornellHawks, Ventana Wildlife Society, Eagle Club of Estonia, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Albert Li and Big Bear, Duke Farms, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, Farmer Derek Owl Cam, Achieva Credit Union, KNF-Ei, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, and FOBBV.
On Saturday, a grey day in Manitoba started drizzly and cold. The birds were at the garden feeders an hour early. It was pretty interesting. There were more Black-capped chickadees and woodpeckers today than in previous days. The conservatory has genuinely been a blessing. It is like sitting with them in the middle of the garden but separate, not bothering them. They seem unaware of my presence, looking out the windows, often with my camera. Thankfully, the sun is up, and it is a bright day in Manitoba this morning.
Missy has taken to enjoying looking out the window from inside a large ceramic platter that has become a new sleeping spot!
Lewis is such an ‘angel’ when he is sleeping.
Our continuing good news story comes from the World Bird Sanctuary. Murphy and his Eaglet are doing well. The folks at World Bird Sanctuary are working hard to get some images out. These are screen captures from a short FB video they posted. Things look good. Just look at Murphy, 31 years old, wanting to be a Dad, sitting by his eaglet. Does it get any better?
In the images below, Murphy is teaching the eaglet what to do.
Murphy and his eaglet made the news – well, they are making the news around the world. We are so in need of joyful happenings and this is certainly one of those.
Other happiness comes from the Achieva Osprey nest and San Jose City Hall. I received word from ‘H’ of the two big celebratory occasions. First up, there was fear for Middle Bob at Achieva. He has not eaten much for at least two days. On Saturday at 16:44, a big fish landed on the nest, and Middle Bob was fed for 25 minutes. Today, Middle managed to get to a place where he could get fed and be protected from the aggressive older sibling. It was a relief to all watching. It is one day at a time on this nest. It is an extremely difficult Osprey platform to watch – and it isn’t any easier this year than it was in 2021.
At Dale Hollow, DH18 stole the fish and had a good feed. Again, River is doing her best with all the intruders in dire circumstances. She has been feeding them every day. Perhaps not nearly as much as she would like or they need but, they are being fed. We have to remember that River also needs to eat. It is extremely difficult for single-parent raptor nests. We send her and DH17 and DH18 our most positive wishes.
Do you recall the year-old falcon, the San Jose City Hall male who tried to feed his first egg? Well, as of Saturday, he has four eggs that he will have to feed in a little over a month! They will need a full pantry!
‘H’ also sent me a link to a tribute to Connie-Clive-Connick. Nice one! Connick is healing. His blood is coagulating and CROW is attempting to find out what impacted his primaries.
Anna and Louis are taking very good care of Trey as her leg injury heals. Mum Raptors love to fill those babies up to the top of their crop to keep them on the nest. Trey, you need to rest your leg not be flying all over the tree!
In Latvia, Milda and Voldis now have two little White-tail eaglets. It is so hard to see them in that deep nest bowl.
Saturday is the day for Ferris Akel’s tour and there was plenty of waterfowl today including a Wilson’s Snipe. Oh, I love shore birds and am so looking forward to seeing some ‘live’ here in Manitoba this summer. I did not know that the female Wilson Snipe tends the eggs and nestlings. Once the chicks are ready to fledge, the adults split them up. The male takes the two oldest and the female takes the two youngest.” Separate training!
Ferris checked on one of the Bald Eagle nests and to everyone’s surprise there were eaglets – at least two – their heads poking above the rim. Adorable.
The highlight of the tour today was the Great Blue Heron Rookery at Montezuma.
Sunset at Montezuma.
Iris brought in a whopper to the owl pole and had a really good feed. Then she spent time sitting in her nest watching the activities in the parking lot. I have not noticed Louis being over yet and my friend, ‘T’ says he will wait until Star has eggs under her and she can’t check on him! Too funny. Ospreys have such interesting behaviours.
Iris is great at catching whoppers.
Just look at the size of that fish. She could easily take first prize in the local fishing contests.
There are now three eggs at the Patuxent River Park Osprey platform #1.
The Glaslyn Valley is waiting for a new Queen. It looks like Aran might have one!
The unringed female is a natural beauty. Those intense eyes remind me of Mrs G.
Aran preparing a fish for his beautiful female.
She is waiting in the nest when Aran brings it to the rim.
She accepts!
Good night, Aran. You might have a formidable new mate who will protect your chicks against anything!
There is no rewind on the Foulshaw Moss camera in Cumbria. Polly Turner caught Blue 35 laying the season’s first egg for her and White YW. I am incredibly fond of this female and how she was able to ‘trick’ her two much larger by a long shot osplets so that she could feed the tiny third, Blue 464 two years ago.
The first egg was laid at the Dahlgren Osprey Platform in Virginia on 11 April. Jack has been filing the nest with plastic objects, not toys, but, junk. There was concern for the egg. ‘H’ notes that it is now four days since the first egg and no second one. We wait.
‘H’ reports this morning that 4 days and 16 hours after the first egg, Harriet at Dahlgren laid her second egg.
M15 continues to be rather amazing, as are his two fledglings. The female intruder wanted a fish M had brought to 21 and 22. She landed in the nest, trying to take in. E21 flew in to help dad – he was fearless. Then 22 came in to assist. What a team they made. The female still made off with the fish, but seeing those three work together cooperatively was remarkable.
A must watch. M15 defends the nest from the female intruder! Fish goes over board.
It is just so much calmer within the scrape at Cal Falcons. Lou really wants to feed his trio.
More of Lou – and Annie – and the trio from SK Hideaways.
It seems that each of us has, at one time or another, yelled – loudly or silently – at the GHOs on the Pritchett property that continually hit and harassed M15 and the Es. At the same time, we look at Bonnie and Clyde’s two owlets and want to ‘cuddle’ with them. They really are quite adorable.
The three eaglets at Dulles-Greenway had big crops throughout the day. The plastic bags on the nest have multiplied. There are now two. Hopefully, the wind will blow them from the nest before any eaglet gets tangled. You might remember that nests have been cleaned when too much human debris could endanger the nestlings.
‘A’ notes that it was Rosa that brought in the squirrel that has been feeding the little ones. Martin arrived in the nest empty taloned yesterday to Rosa’s dismay. So far this nest has done well with the three. We do not need any intermittent lags in prey delivery right at this stage!
Wet little munchkins.
I have lost track of when the goslings are due to hatch in Decorah. Do you know? It will be grand to see them all take that leap of faith again this year.
Just down the road is the Decorah Hatchery nest with its cute little eaglet. It started raining late in the day and HM is keeping baby warm and dry.
Abby and Victor are 44 days old today. Stunning. Their juvenile plumage is nothing short of gorgeous.
A portion of England’s wetlands seek UNESCO heritage status. Wetlands. How often do you think about them? They are critical during migration, and they are essential for the ducks and waterfowl or the raptors that hunt them. We need more wetlands across the globe. Many regions are working to increase theirs. What is happening where you live?
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care everyone. Hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Australia Raptor Care and Conservation, World Bird Sanctuary, Achieva Credit Union, Heidi McGru and Achieva Ospreys with Jack and Diane, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, San Jose City Hall, Onabebe and Captiva Eagle Cam, Tonya Irwin and KNF Eagle Cam Fans, Looduskalender Forum and Latvian Fund for Nature, Ferris Akel, Montana Osprey Project, Ashley Wilson and Patuxent River Park Osprey Nest, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Polly Turner and Friends of Loch Arkaig Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, Sw Florida Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideways and Cal Falcons, Farmer Derek, Dulles Greenaway, Decorah Goose Cam, Moorings Park Ospreys, and The Guardian.
Some excellent news has come to me via Karel and Bogette’s Livestream from Cornell this morning. Last year, Big Red’s beautiful girl, L1, was killed when she struck the breezeway that connects the old Stocking Building and the new Stocking Hall on the Cornell Campus. It is also the building where L3 was injured. Two years ago, a Bird Strike Committee was established at Cornell to remediate issues related to glass structures. The Acopians are now installed on the breezeway at Stocking so that Big Red and Arthur’s Ms and all other raptors on campus are protected.
This is Stocking Hall. The breezeway is in the middle.
The Acopians being installed.
The article about Bird Strike. Thank you, Cornell, for rising to the challenge since you are – Cornell Bird Lab! Now every building everywhere with glass should have these simple devices installed to protect our birds.
Oh, it was cold to the bone on Friday in the Canadian Prairies. The skies were heavy with clouds and only reached 4 degrees C. There was rain but that did not stop the Dark-eyed Juncos from seeking out the millet or the Starlings and Woodpeckers coming for the suet, thankfully. We will have some cloud and sun and then, believe it or not, snow is forecast for next week. Poor migrants!
The mate was waiting for its term on the Crabapple Tree.
The squirrels were out enjoying the peanuts! This is one of Dyson’s sweet babies from last year. Watching them chase one another through the lilacs, sending the birds fluttering away for a few minutes is such a pleasure. They all survived the winter.
Meanwhile, in the house, Lewis and Missy decided that rainy days were good for napping in the ‘Big Dog Bed’. They certainly fill it up! Despite their antics, the two of them are inseparable. Constantly having to touch one another, doing the same thing, grooming one another. It is pretty precious.
The early morning grin for the day continues to come from World Bird Sanctuary!
An intriguing interview and the ‘excellent news of the day’ comes from Conservation without Borders. This is one of the best – can wildlife thrive at a garbage dump? Listen to what Sasha Dench found out in Dakar, Senegal.
Annie and Grinnell’s Laurencium (Larry) has been breeding on Alcatraz and her and her her mate have four little eyases. Wow! That amazing pairing of Annie and Grinnell live on in their grandchicks.
Meanwhile, Annie and her new mate, Lou, have three eyases with constantly open beaks ready for prey!
‘A’ observes, “We’ve been wondering what sort of dad little Lou would be – I think this video answers the question. Isn’t he just the cutest little falcon? He looks so guilty when Annie catches him too, quickly offering her the food he had just carefully prepared for the little ones (he seemed more careful too about removing the feathers Annie is so fond of feeding the chicks). Love the little conversation between them.And those dear little eyases – all they know how to do at this point is open their tiny pink beaks as wide as possible. Unbelievably cute. I agree that it is now unlikely the fourth egg will hatch, which is probably a good thing, although I am quite sure this pair could manage to raise four. Lou is proving to be a very good provider, and like most males, he really wants some chick time.”
The very young male falcon at San Jose City Hall is figuring it all out!
Iris was back at her nest Friday morning much to the relief of everyone after she was not seen for a couple of days. We all know that Iris is older than Mrs G and when we cannot see her, we do worry that she is no longer with us. Thank you for coming back to the nest, Iris. I have not seen any news of Louis visiting Iris since she returned from her migration. I find that rather interesting…or maybe he has been there and I have missed it.
In Wales, it appears that the quick visit by Monty’s 2016 hatch Z1 Tegid scared off one of the females vying for Aran’s attention to replacing Mrs G. Everyone loved that sweet female. Turns out she was Z1’s mate and he was wanting her to go home!!!!!! Tegid certainly has a beautiful mate and they have raised many chicks together. Let us hope that all is well.
The female on the nest on Friday was very assertive – a quality that many thinks bodes well for the nest sighting that ‘Aran likes to be bossed around’. Aran has been providing fish and the female is sleeping on the perch Friday night.
The new more aggressive female is still on the nest at Glaslyn with Aran on Saturday. He has brought her two fish and they have mated. Oh, I do hope she stays. She is a beauty! But also, Aran is an incredible male that deserves a super female. She has that look in her eye like Mrs G!
Then there is Kielder Forest and no one can figure out who is on what nest this year!
Mrs G has made the BBC news. No doubt numerous other news outlets will carry the story of this amazing osprey.
It was a summery day – 28.86 or 84 degrees F – for Big Red incubating her three eggs on the Cornell campus. This appears to be a heat record for this time of year in the area.
The two eaglets at the Pittsburgh-Hayes Bald Eagle nest were hot -. were it was also 28 degrees C.
Those same blistering temperatures were also at the Dulles-Greenway nest of Martin and Rosa. But human debris is on the nest. Let us hope the winds get up and carry it away!
‘A’ found a video of one of the feedings at Dulles-Greenaway. On Friday, all the kids did was eat. They are growing so fast with those incredible clown feet!
The challenging and magnificent year at the SW Florida Eagle Cam is quickly coming to an end. E21 and E22 fly and soar, play and peck, and have entertained us. It will be so sad to see them go. The family made the news again. It is a beautiful story. M15 did it and in grand style – raised two month-old eaglets alone.
More GHO strikes on the Es last night. Those owls are relentless.
Achieva and Dale Hollow: The early meals at Achieva on Friday appear to have mostly gone to the oldest chick on the nest; the same was also happening at Dale Hollow, although 18 did some of the early morning fish compared to the 3 bites that Middle got at Achieva. Food is a continuing problem at these nests, along with dominance issues.
It’s hot and the family is wishing for fish.
DH18 will move around to the side to get some fish away from the older sibling.
It is difficult to watch with the youngest prey calling to River. Heart breaking.
Trey had not been seen in Louisiana at the E1 nest (neither had Anna or Louis, as I understand it) for 11 days. Trey returned today and was limping. She is at the nest being cared for by her parents, who, most likely, was helping her away from the nest when she was injured. Everyone is hoping for a good rest for Trey and a great outcome to the limping leg.
The Bartlesville Oklahoma Bald Eagle nest lost a chick. It disappeared in the night several days ago. The third egg hatched and the couple are now raising two. Hopefully all goes well.
All of the other raptor nests that we have been following seem to be doing well. See note at the end about Achieva and Dale Hollow.
Trey has been moving around on the branches of the nest tree and was last seen on the fledge tree. Everyone is hoping that she might spend the night in the nest and let her injured leg rest and heal.
Rosie and Richmond have a new nest on the whirly crane this year. No eggs yet but soon. Are there specific reasons that raptors will build new nests? Akecheta and Thunder moved their nest. Was it because of the eaglet falling off? Andor and Cruz moved their nest. Was it because of Victor’s illness? Did Richmond and Rosie change the site of their nest on the crane because of Molate’s death last year? I wonder.
You can see the old nest further back.
I received news about the ill Bald Eagles in Cowlitz, WA. Thanks so much, ‘B’, for following up on this. The ill Bald Eagles had eaten the flesh of two horses that had been euthanised. As it happened, the backhoe broke before they could be buried, and quickly the eagles came in for the warrior, not knowing there was pentobarbital in their systems. The owner of the horses is working diligently with the local wildlife clinic to help those eagles. They had no idea that their actions would harm wildlife. Education is the key here for everyone. Please spread the world as it is appropriate.
Another hitchhiker! This time a Kestrel.
A map of Georgian Bay by Park Canada. Lots of islands.
Research into the diets of Kakapo found in ancient caves might help scientists help with new habitat locations.
There are a lot of open houses at the wildlife clinics coming up around the world. Check out what is happening in your local area and if you live anywhere near Ithaca (oh, don’t I wish), head for the Cornell Vet Lab. You will get to meet the ambassadors and one is a Big Red fledgling!
Congratulations to Milda and Voldis on the hatch of their first eaglet of the 2023 season. Voldis fed his little one some fish. Send all the most positive wishes to this family. Milda deserves it!
Last, Karl II is working on the nest for Kaia’s arrival. She is now in Ukraine. Soon! Karl II looks pretty comfy in that nest…he will have it perfect for his mate’s arrival.
Thank you so much for being with me today. It is always a pleasure to have you with us. Take care. See you soon!
Oh, and I forgot to say. Please feel free to share my blog on FB and Twitter if you wish. Just click on the buttons below. If you like what you have read, click the ‘Like’ button. Thanks!
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘B’, Karel and Boggette’s Livestream, Ellie VanHoulen and All About Birds, Corviforms and World Bird Sanctuary, Geemeff and Conservation without Borders, Cal Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways and San Jose City Hall Falcon Cam, Montana osprey Project, Welsh Osprey and Loch Garten and Other Ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, BBC, Cornell RTH, PIX Cams, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, S & M Turkatar and Dulles Greenway, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Capecoralbreeze.com, Achieva Credit Union, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Tonya Irwin and Kisatchie National Forest Eagle Cam Fans, Sutton Centre, Golden Gate Audubon, Canadian Raptor Conservancy, Parks Canada, Department of Conservation (NZ), Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters, Latvian Fund for Nature, and Looduskalender Forum.
