It was a gorgeous albeit windy 22 C on the Canadian Prairies for the Labour Day long weekend. The sky is a beautiful blue with a few fluffy clouds. It was a good day for a walk and lunch by the lake at the nature centre. Lots of children trying their luck at getting tadpoles and little frogs jumping all around on the paths. There were several species of ducks, some Canada Geese, various species of woodpeckers, American Goldfinches, squirrels, etc. Missing were the calls of the Red-wing Blackbird which is striking in its absence.
My sanctuary at the nature centre. The wind was rather silent and the songbirds were singing their hearts out.
Well, we had a bit of a scare last evening. The garden door appeared closed when doing the final bits and bobs with the outdoor animals at 1800 but it was windy. A gust caught it and it went open and in seconds four cats on the deck! I know. Holding my breath and hollering, three ran into the house. Only Calico remained. She is actually ‘terrified’ of the outdoors – as a community cat she knows its perils. She hid under the deck for two hours. Finally, the other three were secured in the conservatory and the garden door opened. Calling and Calico ran in! I had read on the step like I did when she lived outside and she would stick her head out. Poor thing. All is well this morning, thank goodness – and a new lock will be fixed to that door after our long weekend.
We have new eggs at Port Lincoln and at Charles Sturt Falcon scrape, home to Xavier and Diamond on Saturday. Congratulations everyone! Surely we will now be in hard incubation mode.
And there are the three beautiful osprey eggs at Port Lincoln:
With the departure of Glenwais at the ripe age of 102 days at Dyfi, it is believed that Idris – not having any takers for his fish now – will begin his own migration either Sunday or today. I will keep you posted. What an amazing dad he is and like all others, we want him to eat well, rest up during the winter, and return to Wales healthy in the spring! Idris was last seen on the 30th of August at 19:53.
The empty nest. Idris has indeed departed for Africa. Idris has been breeding at Dyfi for five years, taking over for the iconic and much-loved Monty, who was here for nearly 12 years.
I wish that every streaming cam, no matter their location, would keep records and post them for the public such as those kept and published by the Dyfi Osprey Project. Their website is wonderful. Here is the information for this year. Imagine finding this at other sites!
More data to help us try and understand the return rate of the juveniles.
All four at home on Saturday at Llyn Brenig in Wales.
It was a fabulous year for Knepp Farm and their translocation project of the White Stork. They introduced injured birds from Poland. We watched them on the streaming cam and now that they are migrating, that will pause according to their FB posting.
I am pretty excited about the wetlands that are being created at Knepp Farm by a pair of beavers. This video shows what they have been doing, but beyond that, remember that wetlands are wonderful places for many species of birds!
At Poole Harbour, Blue 5R2 appears to be the only fledgling left at the nest. Blue 022 is delivering fish. Blue 5H6, the fourth hatch, migrated on the 30th of August. CJ7 and the others left earlier.
Just look at how healthy this chick is – its crop is full and its body has the kind of fat on it needed for migration. Despite having four to feed, Blue 022 and CJ7 did just that and had four really healthy fledglings this year. Bravo.
R52 would have liked another fish but Dad did not oblige at Poole Harbour.
Blue KL5 is still at RSPB Abernathy. Eating fish and getting ready for his long migration.
It looks like everyone has departed from Llyn Clywedog. Blue 5F Seren might already be in her winter spot in The Gambia. She has the same post every year and many travel to see her there. They are an amazing couple always raising big healthy chicks. Stay safe Dylan and Seren!
I missed him but Blue 33 was on the Manton Bay nest Saturday morning at 0611 for four minutes. Maya was seen on the nest on Friday at 1869. Blue 1R0, their only fledgling this year, has left on migration. They will both be leaving soon. Maya might have already departed. We wait to see for sure for a couple of days.
Bart M has done an amazing job giving us a detailed observation board and a list of key events at Manton Bay. Oh, I sure wish more nests would do this! There is a video archive, photographs, a nest history and more for anyone interested. Just go to the streaming cam and click the link to the obs board. For example, you will learn that Maya has been at this nest since 2010. Blue 33 took the nest and Maya in 2014 – he really wanted both of them! And the history of their nest and all the chicks they raised is there.
There is even a fish chart!
Finnegan delivered two fish to Antali on the nest. There might have been others at a different location. I have not seen Iris at the nest on Saturday but she was eating a fish on the Owl Pole on Friday at 1906. She could be fattening up and letting Finnegan take care of Antali and Sum-eh if she is still around.
A juvenile osprey was observed on the Osoyoos nest Saturday afternoon. I could not see what happened prior to that time and I did not see a fish delivery. Someone else might have – please let me know if you did.
At the other Fortis Exshaw nest in Canmore Alberta, both juveniles were seen on the nest wrestling for a fish from Harvie at 1534. It is presumed that Louise has left on her migration. The oldest won the prize with the smaller fledgling having to wait for another delivery. That delivery came sixteen minutes later! According to the chatters, there was a fish delivery at 0703 and 1005 also. Harvie is really working to get these two fit for flying. So it looks to me like two juveniles and Harvey with Louise and one juvenile away. Feel free to correct me!
Juvenile on post at Fortis at 1602 with adult on nest with another partial fish at Fortis. Wow.
Fish deliveries continue to come to the Newfoundland Power nest at Snow Lane. Both juveniles accounted for. Beaumont is delivering lots of fish. I cannot confidently confirm Hope’s presence but I also cannot confirm that she has departed. She did an amazing job feeding her two chicks this year and it was a happy surprise to see these two take their first flights. One of the really wonderful events of the 2024 season that will not be forgotten soon. Previously, the nest failed for four years in a row.
Heidi posted the link for the new 4K camera of Window to Wildlife at Captiva. They are doing tests.
Sharon Pollock catches us up with the Crawley Falcons:
Congratulations to Connie Dennis and Hope for Wildlife on a successful fundraising.
It is one of the reasons our zoo does not have many feathered ambassadors – when Avian Flu H5N1 hit, all of the birds had to be kept indoors for two years.
‘A’ comments on the Royal Cam chick: “at Taiaroa, the chicks are practising whenever there is enough wind, hopping and using their wings to get some air. No real hovering yet but we have had both paddles in the air. I love the way TF has built himself another nest this season. The chicks often build ‘play nests’ but they usually don’t move into them. One of the viewers noted mum sniffing at TF’s play nest yesterday and was wondering whether there was a bolus there. We await a response from the rangers to that question, as there was something white in the nest but it was blurry when you tried to zoom in on it. If it is a bolus, it would be interesting to know its contents, though of course I hope it’s not because that would suggest TF is only a day or so away from fledging. September is the month when we lose them, but not quite yet! It is the first day of spring here in the southern hemisphere, although the weather has been very vernal for weeks now. “
That lucky chick got a feeding, too!
and on the WBSE: “At WBSE, Dad was honking at 05:45, so Lady got up at about 05:50 began feeding leftover fish to SE33. She ignored SE34, who was facing the table side by side with SE33 but further from mum’s beak. After a few minutes, SE34 shuffled closer to mum, and from )5:53, she fed him exclusively, and because it was nearing the end of the fish, he got the larger bites, nearly all of which he managed. He has nearly caught up to his older sibling in size, though SE33 is still larger. Certainly, he got the better of the breakfast feeding today. There has not yet been fresh food delivered to the nest today and the pair are as usual lying in their cuddle puddle, sleeping and growing. Feathers are starting to show along SE34’s wing and both chicks are presumably itchy, as they are doing a lot of preening.
There are baby rails being brought in and positioned, and the eaglets assisted in arranging some of the smaller pieces of nest material. Too cute. There are SO many fresh green leaves on that nest. They have so far been used primarily as a table, as well as to line the nest bowl area. I believe the eucalyptus would be good at minimising bacteria and discouraging insects, as eucalyptus oils have those qualities. The pair are looking active and healthy and are getting along fine today. There was no antagonism at the breakfast table, even when Lady began feeding SE34 only for a good two minutes, his sibling right beside him. There was no intimidation from SE33 and no fear shown by SE34. So that was progress. It still seems like SE34’s head look larger than his sibling’s, probably because he retains a lot of fluff atop his head while SE33’s head appears quite sleek. Otherwise, they are easily distinguished by the feather growth on the wings. The littles are really starting to move around, validating the baby rails decision. At the moment, they have snuggled up on the green leafy dinner table, up the back of the nest. They have moved from further towards the front, where they have been for their life so far. ”
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H’, Falcon Cam Project at Charles Sturt University, SK Hideaways, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Dyfi Osprey Project, Brenig Osprey Project, Knepp White Stork Project, Birds of Poole Harbour, RSPB Abernathy, Llyn Clywedog, LRWT Manton Bay, Montana Osprey Project, Fortis-Exshaw Osoyoos and Canmore, Newfoundland Power, Heidi and Window to Wildlife, Sharon Pollock, Connie Dennis and Ospreys of Nova Scotia, RSPCA Stapeley Grange, NZ DOC, and Olympic Sea Eagle Cam.
It is the start of the last week in August and today our temperature dropped to 28 C. It didn’t feel like the end of August of years gone by.
Some mark the end of summer at this time with children heading back to school. Others look to the calendar and notice that the fall equinox is on the 22nd of September, a Sunday beginning at 0743. I have yet to see any trees ‘turning’ where I live, but it often comes slowly, barely perceptible, going from deep emerald green through the greens to yellows and reds. What does this year have in store?
There are still hundreds and hundreds of birds in the garden – wrens, finches, sparrows, Blue Jays, Crows, woodpeckers, and the occasional ‘odd one out’. Dyson is here with her big kits, and all of them are starting to get their cold-weather fur. Dyson looks healthy and gorgeous. I hope to get a photo of her for you in the coming days. Little Red is busy, along with a few other little Reds. The Crows are still here, all from the one family across the lane. Everyone survived! Tonight, they were feasting on pizza. :))))))
Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope wish you a very good last week in August! We are going to have their parties on 2 September, Hugo Yugo’s birthday. We will also celebrate the arrival of Baby Hope a year ago and, of course, Calico. There will be dental treats – oh, don’t tell them they are healthy and keeping those teeth clean and gums nice with every crunch! A few new toys and another cardboard recliner scratcher. They have obliterated the one from Missey’s birthday already!!!!!!!!
If I am looking for Hugo Yugo, she will be in the cat tree – the large one in the conservatory. If she wants to find you, there will be the loudest yawl out of the smallest cat. Hugo Yugo has only one volume – extremely high! Calico never meows. Never. She doesn’t complain if I sleep in. All that is left to the little orange tabby that was supposed to be a male!!!!!!! LOL. I do adore her. Hugo Yugo is undoubtedly a character and lives up to her name. She is going to the vet the first week in September. I am concerned about her teeth, and then, of course, there is always the watery eye. I need help keeping up with the eye patch cleanings. She has gotten to the point that she runs if she sees me coming with the pad jar!
Baby Hope (aka Calico Kitty Kitty) is simply the perfect cat for someone who likes quiet. She never scratches the furniture. She never begs for food. She never gets into trouble knocking things over. She loves sleeping in the basket, looking out, and watching the squirrels, the Blue Jays, and the Crows wrestle for food near the Weeping Caragana. Her eyes don’t drool, and her teeth and gums are perfect. She is very strong and healthy (or that is how things appear).
I am so glad that we fed Calico as much as we did as long as we did once she began coming to the garden in the winter of 2022-23. Surely it helped Baby Hope have strong bones. Hugo Yugo’s mother did not have that advantage and I think he has severely compromised Hugo Yugo’s overall health. She was starving and taken in at the last minute before the seven kittens were born.
If you ever want to do the cat world a favour, adopt a rescue, and don’t buy a purebred. Donate food to a shelter, help raise funds through a yard sale or spread the word if there is one. Right now, in Winnipeg, one kitten adoption group has more than 240 kittens in its care, and we are just coming into the next kitten cycle. Advertisements are everywhere for beautiful senior cats whose owners have died and need a home. There are so many. The Girls have given me more joy and love than I will ever do for them. They are surely a cause for celebration when it comes to lowering stress.
The problem today is that you cannot have pets if you live in a 55+ or assisted living, normally. Many apartments do not allow pets. I looked at a condo overlooking Lake Winnipeg not long ago when caring for my husband, and the garden just seemed too much. The problem – they would only allow me two of the four girls. I couldn’t separate them! And, of course, the other problem was leaving the garden animals. — But, it occurred to me that there is a real problem with people being able to have pets live with them. Don’t these places know that pets can lengthen one’s life and add joy, aiding in pain relief and easing tension?
I want to start our day with something entirely different. It does involve feathers, though. I love getting letters and messages, and this story about MOMA moved me. It comes from a reader who rescues budgies. Many are elderly. MOMA was one of those lucky to find their way to this caring home. She didn’t live long, but she lived well and with love. I thought she deserved her own spot, but more news came pouring in, so here we go, first up – MOMA, the gorgeous blue and white budgie. Just look at her below.
These are the words of a lovely woman, ‘J’, who lives in Europe and rescues budgies. She currently cares for fifteen – the maximum she feels she can feed and provide veterinary care. There are hundreds, if not thousands, out there needing homes, found in deplorable conditions. She is contacted often to see if she can take any more. People need to realise the amount of care that is required, the cost of food, and veterinary costs. Even getting beaks trimmed costs at least 30 Euros. ‘J’ has always told me to tell everyone to please help stop the sale of pets at pet stores and their breeding. There are already too many wanting to find homes – sounds like our cat situation, too. So please keep that in mind.
Thanks ‘J’ for sharing Moma’s story with us. These are ‘J’s words:
Since the beginning after I read your bio I wanted to tell you about Momo. Because it involves pottery. In the year 2000 I did a course in pottery. Just a beginner, so I wasn’t very good, but I enjoyed it very much and made cups so small they’re only good for japanese tea ceremonies or such. One day though, my piece got higher and higher… My teacher came and put her hands over mine to stabilize them, and with her help I made a wonderful piece that I made into an oil therapy lamp. Years later, when the birds moved in, I couldn’t use it anymore, so I just put it on top of a cupboard.
Today, exactly four years ago, Mia and Momo moved in. On the same day, but from two different people. Mia came first and her bringer stayed quite a while, because they’re car broke down. Instead of waiting in the car she of course waited in my kitchen where Mia stood in a small cage. Then Momo was brought, and the moment her bringers left, Momo’s bringer said “WHAT is that?!”. Not very nice, but very understandable, because you had to look twice to say that the little bundle of eh what? was indeed a budgie. Or as I said to my vet: If she had been human I would have said Momo was a bag lady who had been living on the streets for many years. She was very small, and bent. Momo was found outside in such a bad state that her first avian vet was surprised she survived. Gotten to know her I’m not: Momo was a Tough Cookie!! Her age of course was unknown, but everyone agreed she had to be over 10 years of age.
Since she needed some peace and quiet now and then from the rest of the flock (the reason she moved into her own home in the first place) and also needed to be underneath the bird lamp, I put her in the big cage, lamp an all, which normally was left open so Momo could get visitors, but that I could close to give her some rest.
dig
I couldn’t leave her on the hard cold floor, because her feet/legs were badly (don’t know the correct word) “hurt” because she was laying on them all the time. You can see what she thought of my efforts. She kept shredding the kitchen paper and throwing it out.
I finally found a solution she accepted in a piece of synthetic cloth that came with one of my early mistakes (I bought a “hut” because it looked so cute). Well, she mostly accepted it…
dig
Even a bird as small as Momo does NOT fit in this lamp, often her tail stuck out through one of the star holes I made – hilarious. Her poor tail had looked poorly from the start, being in the lamp didn’t help. So I went out and bought five different houses with more room. Momo went into one, looked around, walked out and went back into the lamp and that was it.
Going to the vet was easy: why catch her, when I can just grab the lamp? Can you imagine the face of my vet, opening the box expecting a travel cage and instead looking at an oil therapy lamp??
Unfortunately, Momo didn’t get to stay long with us, she died only 7 months later. But what a 7 months they were. I am in awe of this little bird. She was so courageous, so tough and did things HER way. I was lucky to get to know her, she was one special Lady.
What a lovely story. The little bird had “Cataracts, arthritis, sores on legs, scrambled feet, bent back, and this tiny little bird lived the best life she could live.” A bit of a lesson to us all!
At Port Lincoln, the first egg of the season was laid early Monday morning. Congratulations! Mark your calendars for pip watch: 21-22nd of September.
At the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest, Beau continues to wait for Gabby’s arrival with fish on the nest! Typically, she does not return til September.
The Captiva Eagle cam is not streaming yet, but Clive is home! We have seen Jack earlier at the Osprey nest. Poor guy still has that spike in his leg, but he seems to be flying and feeding well.
My goodness C16 is a gorgeous osprey at Charlo! And look at that stunning background.
It looks like Iris and Antali at the Hellgate Canyon nest so far on Sunday (up to 1354).
Finn delivers a massive fish to Antali that will surely make him sleep well!
There have been juveniles at Blackbush at Old Tracadie Harbour osprey platform. Gosh, I wish chicks were banded in the US – at least the ones on streaming cams – so we could see who is still coming to the nest.
There is at least one juvenile coming to the Field Farm osprey platform for food while the nest cleaners wait to see what is left for them.
Juveniles continue to come to the Oyster Bay nest on Long Island.
No one appears to be home at PSEG’s other osprey platform in Patchogue – that is for the little sparrows who have their nest in the bottom of the osprey’s.
Keke is still with us at Sandpoint. She watches as River eats its morning fish.
Only Bob is still home at Boulder and still being fed.
I am seeing no action at the Cowlitz Osprey platform in Washington State. That doesn’t mean the ospreys are not around. I have just not caught them on the nest.
It appears that three ospreys – Louise, Harvie, and a juvenile were at the Fortis-Exshaw nest in Canmore, Alberta on Sunday.
Olsen is delivering fish to the Osoyoos nest. By 1331, he had delivered a goldfish, a twiddler, and another small fish to waiting juveniles. Soo is there too, she took a fish and Olsen worked on the egg cup.
Viki reports that all of the ospreys around Island Creek, except for Mr Bennett, have departed for their migrations. The Bald Eagles are currently returning to the area and that does seem to be the case elsewhere. I will be curious to see if the eagles lay their eggs earlier this year?
At Poole Harbour, one of the chatters (‘HW’) cited the fish deliveries at that nest in southern England: “Fish today – 12:25 (022 -> 5H6), 14:45 (022 -> 5R0), 14:55 (CJ7 -> Unclaimed), 16:00 (022 -> 5R2), 20:07 (CJ7 -> 5H6)”. It would then appear that the female CJ7 is still at the nest helping with deliveries and has not begun her migration.
Three of the four had fish at the nest with the youngest one 5H6 winning two deliveries including a royal battle with the 2007 delivery by CJ7.
Poor Dad. He needs to get out of their quick. Talons are snapping. This is one huge dust up!!!!!!!!!!!
The baby wins the fish.
Key dates for this breeding season and it is 5R1 that we have not seen at the nest on Sunday. CJ7 migrated on 2 September last year after fledglings migrated on the 27th and 29th of August. CJ7 hatched at Rutland in 2015. She is 9 years old. Blue 022 was translocated to Poole Harbour in 2019. He is 5 years old.
Two beautiful juveniles at Hope and Beaumont’s nest in Newfoundland. What a great year they had too!
There is more news coming from Captiva with Window to Wildlife:
Please remind everyone! The stores are now full of Halloween decorations – tell friends, family, and neighbours.
Geemeff’s daily summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust.
Daily summary Sunday 25th August 2024 Another day with no activity, unless you count the spiders – both nests now have a resident spider who looks spectacular on night cam, appearing huge and spinning a gigantic web. It was as wet and windy as forecast with just the odd moment here and there of sunshine stealing through, no change expected tomorrow. This time last year we saw Ludo LY7 for the last time on nest cam, and off-nest reports from LizB informed us she’d sighted an Osprey with fish in Louis’ perch tree for several hours in the late afternoon which was probably Louis sticking around, but of course, there’s no need for him to do so this year, and he hasn’t been seen since 30th July. I
t would be lovely if Garry LV0, last seen a few days ago on the 22nd, popped in if he’s still around. Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.26.30 (05.26.20); Nest Two 21.24.45 (05.35.29) Today’s videos: none! Bonus reintroduction projects – a David Attenborough video explaining the highly successful Rutland translocation, and a news item about the new Irish Osprey project:https://youtu.be/BR2M1Jgvess https://belfastmedia.com/dulra-let-s-make-the-osprey-a-symbol-of-the-lough https://youtu.be/pRLsj6nkSzM N2 Farewell to Ludo – final visit to the nest in 2023
Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:
I missed ‘A’s post for Sunday at the Olympic Sea Eagle nest. Here it is, “This morning there was a big fish on the nest when Lady decided to have a nibble herself and then, soon after 06:01, start feeding SE33, who seems hungry and is eager to eat. SE34 slumbers on, his back to the table. He wakes up and stretches a little just before 06:02 but immediately pushed the snooze button. Just before 06:11, he wakes up properly and lifts his head to survey the scene. He is still facing the wrong way. He’s in no hurry, lying there just looking around. SUCH a cutie. He is adorable. Soon after 06:16, he finally gets up and turns to face Lady. He is much closer to her than is SE33, and when she offers SE34 his first mouthful of the day, at 06:16:41, he readily takes it. Lady tucks into the fish herself, and while he’s waiting, SE34 edges closer. SE33 is also sitting up at the table, and when Lady finally offers a bite to the eaglets, it is to SE33. Lady returns to eating. The next bite, at 06:18:10, goes to SE33. At 06:18:21, Lady gives a bite to SE34. When he takes it, SE33 immediately beaks him. He lays his head down on the nest, while Lady immediately distracts SE33 with a bite of food. She then feeds SE33 for some time. It is 06:23 before SE34 again lifts his head. But he refuses a bite at 06:23:09 and another 12 seconds later, with SE33 leaning in his direction. Lady feeds SE33. SE34’s head is down on the nest. Lady picks up a dropped piece from next to SE34, who lies still, his head down. SE33 has a huge crop at this stage. There is still plenty of fish, and somehow, SE33 is finding space to eat more of it. 06:25 and Lady is unsure of what to do. She steps back, some fish in her beak, and surveys the eaglets. She eats the bite herself. She walks over to the two, wondering whether to brood them, but with Dad waiting behind the nest on the perch branch, his eyes on the two-thirds of a large fish still on the nest, Lady turns back and grabs the fish, pulling it closer to the eaglets and further from Dad. 06:27 and SE33 surely must be full. It feels so good, it stands tall and flaps its little wings. 06:27:20, Lady reaches out to offer fish to SE34, who refuses it, pulling away and putting his head back down onto the nest. Lady eats it herself, and the next bite. SE34 stretches his little wings, standing up a little and leaning forwards. He looks at Lady, but when she offers him food, he is too scared to take it. Just before 06:28, she again tries to get SE34 to eat but he is again too scared to reach for the bite. He puts his head back down on the nest while Lady offers the bite to SE33.
SE34’s head is up and he is watching Lady as she offers him another bite at 06:28:41 but he pulls away. Lady returns to eating herself, occasionally offering a bite to SE33. Dad has retreated up the branch and has turned his back on the nest, giving up on the idea of removing the fish – at least for now. 06:19:15 and SE34’s head is up. It is 06:28 and mum is still feeding SE33, with SE34 too scared to eat. His head is up and he is watching everything but he stays down. He recoils when Lady offers him a bite. 06:29 and Lady, eating quite a bit herself, is still feeding SE33. 06:29:25 and SE33 finally stands up and waddles away from the table, turning around (carefully, with an enormous crop). At last, at 06:29:39, SE34 accepts a bite of food from Lady without hesitation. He is still nervous when she picks up a dropped piece from near him, which she feeds to SE33, and SE34 pulls away slightly. 06:30 and Lady is cleaning all the dropped pieces from the table and feeding them to SE33. Lady returns to the fish, where she eats several bites herself before offering one to SE34. He is reluctant, and she is very patient and persistent with him, to no avail. At 06:31 she gives up and eats it herself. 06:31:31, it is as if SE34 has suddenly made a decision. He lifts his head and looks at mum. He shuffles forward. SE33 has left the table, but is behind SE34.
However, SE34 is still too nervous to accept the bite he is offered. 06:31:39. At 06:31:47, he finally accepts a small piece. And another 15 seconds later. And a third, larger piece just after 06:32. And another. And another. Lady is eating a lot herself, but every 10 seconds or so, she gives a bite to SE34, who is now taking them all. There is a gap between two of the bites, and when Lady offers the next one, SE34 pulls away sharply, as if startled and fearful. Lady rips the skin off the fish and eats it, leaving the juicy fleshy part of the fish, now easy to get at. SE34 is watching her closely. When she offers him a big bite at 06:33:30, he accepts it readily. Lady has to offer him the next bite three times, however, before he has the courage to grab it. SE33 has sat up now, which has perhaps made him nervous. Still, he is less scared in taking a big bite at 06:34. But in doing so, he becomes aware of the proximity of SE33 and is very nervous about accepting another bite. Probably, SE33’s huge crop brushed him as it turned away, and SE34 takes the next bite. And the next, and the next. SE34 is now eating with more confidence and SE33, full and content, is resting its giant crop, lying behind SE34 and surveying its forest world, having a yawn. Oh, butter wouldn’t melt in that sweet beak. Surely it would never bonk a younger sibling! It’s angelic.
06:35 and finally, SE34 is getting fed some breakfast. SE33 surveys the canopy above, gazing around its nest. It turns to check out the ongoing feeding of SE34 but soon returns to its fascination with its surroundings. 06:36 and SE34 is eating really well. Lady is feeding fast, and giving him big bites, but SE34 is managing them well. He is hungry and eager to eat. Lady occasionally takes a couple of bites herself. 06:37 and SE34 is suddenly in need of a break. He pauses, perhaps dealing with previous bites. He has eaten a large amount of fish in a relatively short period of time, and seems full at 06:37:24, but Lady coaxes him and he takes another bite. And another at 06:37:30. He has his second wind and continues to eat. He is still nervous, though, and when he drops a bite and Lady retrieves it from beneath him, he cringes and refuses the resulting bite. Lady pauses for a short snack, then offers SE34 a bite at 06:38:36. He is ready to take it. Lady continues feeding SE34, now offering him smaller bites. He eats manfully on, 06:40 and Lady is still feeding SE34, who is eating confidently.
This feeding was both reassuring and worrying. SE34 is obviously not confident when eating. Lady is persisting, and there is plenty of fish on the nest, so I remain confident that the outcome will be positive. But the process may be a nervous watch, with SE34 periodically missing out on meals and being fairly randomly bonked by SE33. I think the random nature of the attacks are part of the problem. Sometimes, SE33 is laidback and has no objection to her little brother’s participation in a meal. At other times, she is positively Zoe-like, intolerant of SE34 getting a single bite even when her own crop is absolutely massive. And there is little or no effort from SE34 to ensure he gets himself fed. It is entirely dependent on Lady’s patience and persistence. If she does not ensure that SE34 eats, there is every likelihood that he won’t. This does not bode well for his future survival prospects. If he lacks the drive to ensure its own survival in a relatively friendly nest environment with a helpful and experienced parent, I hate to think of its chances when it comes to seeing off those pesky birds that we know will shadow his every move once he fledges. I hate to say that, but in order to survive, these sea eaglets need some spunk. They need spirit and the drive to survive. I am not seeing that in SE34, which I find disturbing and concerning.
But it’s not meant to be a depressing post – SE34 had a full tummy to start the day, as did SE33, and with plentiful sushi on offer on the nest at most times of the day, let’s hope things continue to work out for SE34. If his size relative to SE33 is anything to go by, he has caught up a little bit in the past week, so the parents must be successfully getting enough food into the little man. I do hope he gains in confidence, which is such an essential quality for a successful future as an eaglet fledging into this forest. He won’t stand a chance against that army of pestering small birds if he can’t stand up for himself against imaginary threats like mum moving too close. Nor has he shown any ingenuity when it comes to getting fed. He has not moved away from SE33 or tried to skirt around it to ensure a better feeding position. He worries me in that respect. But please prove me wrong, SE34. Lady and Dad are certainly doing their best. Even mum is bringing in fish, of which there appears to be no current shortage in their favourite fishing areas.”
Today’s report from A on the sea eaglets and weather: “At 06:42, the eaglets are sitting up at the table side by side, looking adorable, but Lady is only feeding SE33. She sees that SE34 is not confident enough to take a bite. But SE33 soon decided it could no longer fit fish into its giant crop, and turned away from the table 06:42:20. S/he then lay down behind SE34. When he took a bite from mum and was not beaked for it, SE34 was emboldened to take another bite and another. Mum then proceeded to feed SE34 the remainder of the fish. He ignored SE33, who in turn was more interested in playing with nest material than bonking her little brother.
06:42:42 and SE34 is STILL pulling away from Lady offering a bite of fish. SE33 is not interested and SE34 can see that as he looks over his shoulder, but he still cringes away from the next bite offered, just before 06:43 and the next. Mum is patient, offering the bite a third time at 06:43:10 but again it is refused. But six seconds later, SE34 takes the bite and nothing happens. But as Lady offers the next bite, SE33 sits up again and SE34 turns his head away. Lady offers SE33 the bite but s/he isn’t interested and moves away. This gives SE34 the courage to take the bite offered at 06:43:45 and another five seconds later. SE34 turns away from the next bite but Lady is patient, offering it to him again, waiting, offering it again. Finally, it is taken.
Lady keeps offering bites and SE34 cringes away, feeling SE33 moving behind him. Eventually though, he accepts a bite, but cringes away again from the next, even though Lady patiently offers it to him several times. His head is turned away from Lady. After much coaxing, he accepts a bite at 06:45:45 and another ten seconds later. And another two in the ten seconds after that.
From this point, Lady feeds SE34 the rest of the fish. SE34 gets to eat a large amount of very fresh fish and by 06:57, he has a crop that rivals SE33’s. Just LOOK at it at 06:57:15-20!!!! Just look at those bright little eyes and that shiny little black beak. Is that not just absolutely adorable? And that’s a nice way to start the day – both eaglets with giant crops before 7am, and a nice feed for Lady as well. Fabulous.
We are expecting gale force winds over the next 36 hours and I think Orange may be affected. Sydney is on the fringes of the impacted area but should be okay. Melbourne shouldn’t be hit. “
‘A’ reports on the Royal Cam chick: “He is magnificent. It literally brings tears to my eyes, emphasising as it does how very little time we have left with these gorgeous chicks. As I was saying the other day, we are spoiled in the sense that it is a very very long season, with a long incubation period and a long pre-fledging period. But that does have the effect of giving us a very long time to fall deeply in love with these beautiful creatures. Seven or eight months is a very long time to watch them prepare for the flight of their lives. Or, rather, the flight that is their lives. They’ve never even practised fishing and off they go, heading for the coast of Chile, completely alone in the world and without any skills at all. There are no training wheels for albatross chicks.
We will miss you little man. You are gorgeous. Both parents have been in to feed TF in the past few days, so at least we know that they’re okay. It is always a worry for me, waiting for a parent to return and counting the days. “
Scientists are asking us to help them find species of rare birds. Can you help?
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, stories, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today. ‘A, Geemeff, J, VV’, Moma, Melbourne Falcon Cam, Port Lincoln Ospreys, NEFL_AEF, Jenny Peckham, Charlo Montana, Montana Osprey Project, Blackbush at Old Tracedie Harbour, Field Farm, PSEG, Sandpoint, Boulder County, Cowlitz PUD, Fortis-Exshaw (Canmore and Osoyoos), BoPH, Newfoundland Power, Window to Wildlife, and Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Olympic Park Eagles, SK Hideaways, Lady Hawk, and The New York Times.
You will now notice links to videos within the blog. Just click on them, and they will take you to YouTube. Geemeff helped me figure out how to save that precious space to include more images without using up all my media allowance! Thanks, Geemeff.
Friday was another scorcher in Winnipeg. It will be 31 C today but the heat index is reaching to 39 or 40 C. Even the English Gardens were so sultry that it was difficult to enjoy the beautiful foliage.
I continue to smile and tell The Girls how fortunate they are. What we are seeing is a growing number of cats, beautiful ones, coming to the feral feeder. People continue to dump their pets because they cannot afford to feed or care for them. It is so sad when these darling animals bring so much joy to one’s life. There was a steady stream yesterday – ‘The Boyfriend’, a Ginger Male, and a gorgeous long-haired ‘sort of’ Calico (photo below). ‘The Girls’ alert us to their presence. ‘The Boyfriend’ mostly comes during the night – between midnight and 0400. I catch him on the front video camera. But there is also ‘something’ coming and eating all the food and pushing the dishes about and upsetting the birdbaths. I do wonder if it is the fox or a raccoon or, perhaps, a big dog. They must come in through the back because they are not seen on the front camera.
Missey watching from inside where it is cool. They are telling everyone to please put out water because the heat index today was 38 C. The outdoor animals are having a very difficult time.
Remember those storms that hit Missoula with hurricane-force winds? We worried and teared up because of dear Iris and her family. Amy Moore tells us more about the devastation to other osprey families in her article in The Pulp. Thankfully, Iris, Finnegan, Sum-eh, and Antali were not injured.
‘J’ reminds us that Bobby Horvath keeps himself busy saving Ospreys and geese that get hit by golf balls on courses! He picks them up and puts them back together so they can live in the wild. Our fledgling ospreys can get into much mischief thanks to us and our fishing gear. Please tell people to take care of themselves and try to clean up after themselves, or stop fishing.
I have talked to you about the issues related to Osprey starvation and the industrial fishing of Menhaden in Chesapeake Bay. ‘H’ found this article that demonstrates clearly that the fish that our ospreys need to survive in the region can make a come back. New York put in regulations. Have a listen!
Hawk Mountain is located in Pennsylvania and is considered to be the world’s first sanctuary for raptors. It began during a time when people were paid to kill raptors – in 1929, $5 was a lot of money and if you turned in a goshawk that was what you received. A dead goshawk that is. Hawk Mountain was where the shooters lined up on top of the ridges when the birds migrated to kill them. Just think of that – thousands of bodies lying on the ground in the forest. A man by the name of Richard Pough began to take photographs of the autracities and eventually those images caught the attention of Rosalie Edge. Edge went to Hawk Mountain, and she came back in 1934, leasing 1400 acres. She created a safe place for the raptors. The killing ceased. In 1935, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary was opened to the public. Edge eventually purchased the property, creating a non-profit organisation to look after the sanctuary. You can visit there today – you can even go and help do a count!
They have just published its first migration count for this season.
Little Ringed Plovers nest successfully for the first time in Cornwall.
CROW reminds everyone – baby Squirrel season is starting in some parts of North America. What should you do? Read below.
Migration season for Ospreys in the UK is underway (as it is in other parts of the world). I will keep track, once in awhile, of who is home and who is not.
Gorgeous Friday in Missoula and there are some ospreys on that hellgate Canyon nest.
FORE (Friends of Redding Eagles) has given us an update about the necroscopy of Luna and discussions on what to do about the nest tree of Liberty and Guardian. Thanks, ‘J’ for sending this in!
Update on Liberty & Guardian’s Nest & Nest Tree 8/22/24:
We just wanted to give you an update on our progress this Summer! We haven’t been posting much because It’s actually been a very busy Summer! We’ve been working non-stop on finding a way to help Liberty & Guardian any way we can next season. We’ve heard several of you suggest we simply “Cut down the Nest Tree” or “Remove the Nest”. After what happened to our Luna & Sol last season we completely understand how you feel! None of us want to experience something like that ever again! But, there are several Federal Laws protecting Bald & Golden Eagles so we have to abide by those laws at all times.
We’re still waiting on the Final Report on Luna’s Necropsy, but I have been in touch with Krysta Rogers frequently these last few months & she has been very helpful. She has answered several questions we asked her after the preliminary report was released & she reviewed a few videos I sent to her of Luna on the Grassy Island. Krysta said she will share the FINAL REPORT with us as soon as it is ready. We would all like to know what the cause of death was for our Luna & Sol & we really hope the final necropsy report will give us those answers. We have to let you know that there are times when the necropsy results are inconclusive, but we remain hopeful!
We’ve also been in touch with the California State Avian Conservation Coordinator Shannon Skalos regarding what we can & can’t do about Liberty & Guardian’s Nest & Nest Tree. Shannon was very helpful & understanding & she put us in touch with our local Fish & Wildlife Supervisor John Perrine who we’ve been working with to come up with a plan. Since we are not Biologists ourselves, we work under the guidance of our local Fish & Wildlife Biologists. We’ve been discussing what we can do within the constraints of the Federal Laws protecting Bald Eagles & their Nests & Nest Trees.
Back in June, Shannon informed us that we cannot do anything to the Nest or Nest Tree without a Federal “Take Permit”. She said those permits can take quite a while to obtain & she didn’t think we had enough time to go that route(6-12 months). She said US Fish & Wildlife generally tries to “let nature take its course”, but they will always consider things on a case by case basis.
Shannon let us know we would NOT need a permit to do something in any of the nearby trees as long as we don’t touch the Nest Tree. So, we immediately reached out to our dear friend & Eagle Biologist David Hancock from British Columbia who has a lot of experience & success in this area. David has been consulting with us & now we are in the process of making a plan which we will complete in September. We will share more details on our plan as we get closer!
Our Project Manager Joe will be coming to Redding in September to replace parts & overhaul the entire Eaglecam System. So, we still have a lot of work ahead of us! But, we are determined to do whatever we can to help our beloved Redding Eagles Liberty & Guardian! And, we are also determined to do whatever we can to make it a great viewing experience for all of our wonderful followers & incredibly generous Donors who make this all possible!
We could not do this without YOU!
Stay tuned!
~Terri & the FORE Team
Here is some helpful information with us from the US Fish & Wildlife Eagle Management Plan:
“Eagle Nest Protections
Along with protecting eagles, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act also protects eagle nests. Eagle nests are protected at all times, not just when the nests are in use by eagles. This means eagle nests can never be removed, destroyed, moved, tampered with, or obstructed, no matter what time of year it is, without a permit.
An eagle nest is defined as “any assemblage of materials built, maintained, or used by bald eagles or golden eagles for the purpose of reproduction. An eagle nest remains an eagle nest until it becomes so diminished, or the nest substrate upon which it is built fails, that the nest is no longer usable and is not likely to become usable to eagles, as determined by a Federal, Tribal, or State eagle biologist” (50 CFR 22.6).
The following are all considered eagle nests and are protected (unless the nests are determined by a Federal, Tribal, or State eagle biologist to no longer be usable):
Any nest constructed by an eagle, even if the nest is never finished or used.
A nest built by another bird that is subsequently used by an eagle for reproduction.
A nest constructed by an eagle that is subsequently used by another species, such as owls or osprey.
Note that if nest take removes all available nesting substrate from an eagle pair’s territory, this can lead to abandonment and loss of the eagle territory, which constitutes a form of disturbance take.laws”
Is Mum looking a little eggy at Port Lincoln?
Seabirds sang a tribute to the Penguin Icon, Sphen, as they mourn his death.
Our smile for the day comes from ‘SP’. Most of you know the Crawley Falcons that hatch their chicks on the balcony of a high rise in Australia. Apparently neighbours decided peregrine falcons were too noisy and asked that the plant pots where the falcons laid their eggs be removed. Well…Here is the story in pictures from their FB page. Oh, they now have at least two eggs.
Turtles are starting to arrive at the Kistachie National Forest E-1 nest…oh, geez. If this eagle keeps this up, there won’t be a turtle within 5 miles of the park! This male loves his turtles.
Karl II’s son, Waba, is in the Ukraine where he continues to feed as he works his way back to Africa. Fingers crossed that Waba will return to Estonia and take over his natal nest next year! Yes! Waba can continue the great example of his father, Karl II, who sadly was electrocuted on an unprotected pole in Turkey last year.
Geemeff’s daily summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Friday 23rd August 2024
More rain overnight last night with strong winds, and a misty morning today. No Ospreys appeared on either nest, just a pair of Great Tits on Nest One, but we were treated to footage from Spain of our one surviving chick, 1JW, looking magnificent and defending his fish with a short sharp warning nip to another Osprey who attempted to get some of it. This all bodes well for his upcoming migration journey, and explains his informal nickname of ‘Jaws’. Also sent through by Fundación Migres were photos of Pean JH3, the Loch Arkaig Osprey who fledged from a private nest in 2017 the same year that Aila & Louis fledged their first chick, Lachlan JH4. Pean’s untimely death on a faulty power line in 2018 inspired Itziar Colodro Sainz from the Fundación to campaign successfully for modernisation of the local grid at the translocation area of Marjal Pego-Oliva Nature Reserve, which has subsequently saved many birds. More here: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=15815194 and here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-46952452. The wet weather will continue all week, with the possibility of thundery showers tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.32.40 (05.19.49); Nest Two 21.24.56 (05.26.39)
‘H’ posted on Fenwick Island….little Fen. Dad is smart. Just drop those fish in when flying by. Don’t risk those precious talons with a hungry juvenile.
SE33 was aggressive towards its little sibling today. Despite there being plenty of fish on the nest, it would not allow the baby to eat but a few bites before starting to bonk it. SE33 goes into a food coma and Dad comes along and saves the day giving little 34 a really nice feeding. That baby was full. Love you, Dad!
‘A’ writes more of these current issues with sibling rivalry: “This morning, Lady went out early and brought back a large fresh whole fish. She started feeding SE33 at around 06:49 and continued to do so until just before 06:58, when SE34, who had had his head down on the nest, finally accepted a bite. But even though it had been eating large chunks of fish for nearly ten minutes, SE33 was not happy about SE34’s inclusion in the feeding and immediately beaks him in the back of the head. SE33 grabbed a beakful of head feathers and shook SE34 for some time. A moment or so later, when SE34 dared to move, he was attacked again. Once again, the shaking lasted some time. SE33 has an enormous crop by this stage and has been eating large pieces of fish uninterrupted since 06:50.
The fact that SE34 had stayed down for so long, cringing violently away when Lady leaned near him to pick up a dropped piece of fish (she had dropped it, not SE34), was worrying enough in itself, but when after eating so much fish and SE34 showing deference for so long, SE33 instantly retaliated for the one mouthful SE34 had been given, it really depressed me. I thought we had got beyond this on this nest, but obviously, we haven’t. In fact, over the past week or so, it seems SE33 is getting more aggressive rather than less.
Lady is still looking out for him, and there is still plenty of fish (Dad added a second fish to the breakfast spread this morning – there always seems to be food ready for when Lady wants to feed the eaglets) but it is a worry that he is obviously intimidated by SE33 to the extent that he is sometimes scared to eat. The question is whether he is still getting enough once SE33 has eaten all it can.
By 7am, SE33 is getting more and more reluctant to accept bites. (It had already been rejecting them when SE34 dared to accept his first mouthful but that didn’t stop SE33 from attacking.) But SE34 is still not brave enough to lift his head. At 07:02, SE33 is STILL eating. SE34 dares to move – he is monitoring proceedings. By 07:02:40, SE33 is refusing food and Lady eats the bite herself. At 07:03, SE34 lifts his head cautiously.
There are two fish on the nest – one whole and one that Lady is finishing off. SE33 gets a second wind but this is a good thing, as it stops an attack on SE34 for lifting his head. Lady pauses the feeding. She surveys the eaglets and takes stock of the situation. She waits. SE33 is full, so I think she is waiting for it to turn away or lose interest in attacking SE34. She is certainly planning what to do next.
Just after 07:04, SE33 does in fact turn away. SE34 sits up a little further. His head is up. At 07:04:25, Lady offers a bite to SE34, who takes it without retaliation from SE33. Lady then steps closer to SE33 and persists in offering it a bite for nearly half a minute until eventually it is accepted shortly before 07:05.
Although SE34 has his head up, Lady does not offer him food. She continues feeding SE33, although it is reluctant and slow to accept bites. 07:06:20 and Lady moves some nest material, which strikes SE34 and causes him to turn away, fearing he is being attacked. Lady ends the feeding at this point, returning to brooding the eaglets, even though SE34 has not had any breakfast while SE33 is stuffed to the brim. There is a whole fish still on the nest, plus some leftovers from the other fish, and yet she has abandoned the effort to feed SE34. He is obviously intimidated and scared to eat, but with SE33 so full, it is unusual that Lady did not persist in her efforts to feed SE34. She made very little effort to feed him, and did not offer him bites with the same patience and persistence she used to push more and more food onto SE33. So it was all in all a worrying and disappointing breakfast feed.
I am assuming Lady is going to let SE33 fall into a food coma and then go back to the fish to feed SE34. I certainly hope so. Otherwise, we are going to have problems at this nest. I am encouraged by the fact that the size gap between the two appears to have narrowed over the past four or five days, so talons crossed. “
There is more news from Australia. ‘A’ sends us the news of a rare white Rhino calf born – no feathers, but we will celebrate with them!https://youtu.be/QaPgf26-WYE?
Thank you so much for being with us today. Have a wonderful weekend everybody! See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, videos, articles, images, summaries, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, PB, SP, TU’, The Pulp, Return of the Menhaden, Hawk Mountain, BirdGuides, SK Hideaways, CROW, RSPB Loch Garten, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Sandpoint, Pitkin County, Saaksilvie, Whistler Osprey Cam, FORE, PLO, The Guardian Crawley Falcons Instagram, Tonya Irwin, Looduskalender, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Heidi McGrue, and Olympic Park Eagles.
It is actually Tuesday afternoon, late afternoon, that I am beginning to write the post for tomorrow. The sounds of the Blue Jays squawking at something are overlaid with the sound of a jet aeroplane flying overhead. It was a hot day today. 29 C. Sweltering at the nature centre. A few songbirds were out getting seed at the feeders, and some ducks were sitting under one eating dropped seed, but not much more. Only a few humans were venturing out at 1400 these days! We are all idiots likely to get heat stroke! Thank goodness for the small shade gardens scattered about with benches. These have been growing to accommodate the increasing summer heat and the need for people to stop and take a breath.
The ducks are having a wonderful time searching for seed under one of the feeders near the hide. They knew I was there and cared little. Humans are no threat to the wildlife in the centre. Thank goodness there is a safe place for them.
There is a group of volunteers that care for the garden areas. They have recently finished a couple of small ponds with koi and turtles. The sound of the water is so relaxing.
A second pond.
Looks like a grebe to me!
An American Goldfinch and a Black-capped Chickadee.
There is very little news in Bird World. The revelation that Laddie died a natural death while very sad, is a tremendous relief to everyone. The thought of an individual or individuals purposefully killing this beloved osprey at Loch of the Lowes was simply unthinkable.
A few sites continue to post some of the highlights from the season. Just look at the snow at Clywedog!
There are rumours that F23, the mate of M15 at Southwest Florida, has been seen at the nest on Tuesday.
He is one of my favourite dads in the UK, and his mate Blue 35 ranks right up there, too. She is the one who creatively fed Tiny Little several years ago – the tiniest third hatch I had seen in years compared to the big siblings already in reptile plumage. Tiny Little became the dominant bird in the nest and was called Blue 464. White YW stayed late and fed her. I have seen no sightings, but I hope she has survived.
Our friend Geemeff that supplies the summaries for Loch Arkaig loves polar bears. I hope to travel up to the Arctic with them to see these beautiful creatures but, in Manitoba, you are having to travel greater distances. The bears that come into the town because they are starving to death get little respect. It is the three strikes law. After three visits, they are shot. Of course, the ice and the seals they rely on are few these days. It isn’t about birds but I am including this article because Geemeff loves those beautiful bears so much.
“The fatal encounter and sightings in unusual locations foreshadow what experts say is a looming clash between polar bears and northern communities as climate change upends the habitat and food sources of the apex predator.” “Across the region, sea ice will play a critical role in polar bears’ future prospects, including where they are spotted and how well-fed they are. Some populations faced near-record-low ice cover this summer, while other bears like the western Hudson Bay population had “excellent” ice coverage. But even extensive ice cover isn’t enough: across swaths of the bay, the ice was thick but lacked ridges and snow cover, meaning it was a poor breeding site for ringed seals, a top polar bear prey. Shifts in seal populations will put immense pressure on bears to find enough food.”
They are starving. I wonder what humans do when they are starving and their children are starving?
Royal Albatross Chick is spreading those big wings and it is only the 20th of August!
‘A’ remarks: “The Cornell footage of our TF testing his wings is impressive. What a wingspan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqzeozQW_SM&list=TLPQMjEwODIwMjQgpA2JbubKqA&index=5 Isn’t that magnificent? I am unsure whether that is TF or TFT. If it is TF, he has far more fluff left on him than I thought from last week’s shots, when there appeared to be very little left on his wings and back. And he should have lost more since those pictures, so this chick appears to have quite a lot to still get rid of. “
‘MB” sent us a great article about the growing White Stork colony at Knepp Farm. It is on my bucket list!
There is still activity at the Hellgate Canyon nest of Iris and Finnegan.
Geemeff sends her daily report for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Tuesday 20th August 2024
Nothing to say, not one visitor big or small on the nests today. Affric and Prince are perhaps still around looking after their fledgling on the Bunarkaig nest as the male and chick were seen there as recently as Sunday 18th, but Bird Guides reports more and more sightings of Ospreys on the move and we wish all of them a safe migration journey and hope to see the adults back next year. The wet and windy weather certainly makes migrating now the best option, for Scottish Ospreys anyway.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.41.41 (05.08.00); Nest Two 21.36.44 (05.13.09)
Today’s videos: None!!
Bonus Highlands walk report including Loch Arkaig:
The latest from Richmond and Rosie’s nest on top of the light stand in San Francisco:
‘H’ caught up with Fenwick Island:
Remember. Those Omega ships in the Bay are causing the ospreys to starve especially in the extreme heat periods. If you live in the US and feel strongly about this issue, please write your Senator!
There is growing concern that the area that Omega has been fishing has caused this – impacting jobs and tourism.
One of the things that keen observers of Canadian geese know is how loyal the mates are to one another. In one of the books at the farm animal sanctuary, there was a story of a couple. The female had a broken wing and could not fly. The male would walk, fly a short distance, and wait for his mate to catch up. The story of the swans in the post below reminded me of this kindness. How many of you remember the story of Arnold and Amelia? Two Canada Geese living at a pond on the grounds of a wildlife rehab centre in the NE US? Arnold had his foot attacked by a snapping turtle and required care. Amelia waited on the porch of the clinic, looking in. Eventually, they were allowed to eat together and then be together as Arnold improved. It was beautiful – sheer devotion.
Beaumont and Hope’s second hatch has been doing a lot of hovering. It will be flying with the rest of the family soon.
Four at home at Dyfi – still not seeing Senni.
Remembering SW Florida’s beautiful season.
Nine fish were delivered to the Muonion nest in Finland on the 20th of August! NINE. Everyone was seen.
Altyn and Nova’s fledglings at the Imperial Eagle nest in RU.
For those of you that remember the agonising death of Golden Eagle Spilve’s chick, Klints, I am happy to say that Spilvie and her new mate are at the nest in Latvia doing some restorations.
Thunder and Akecheta at the West End nest in the Channel Islands on Tuesday. Cholyn, Thunder’s Mum and mate to Chase, was seen at the Two Harbours nest a few days ago.
The USK Valley in Wales has a new streaming cam for ospreys! Congratulations.
We have something a wee different from a reader. I want to add that every living creature is impacted when humans use poisons.
‘MP’ writes: “I thought I’d send a little something different. Like the rodenticide to Raptors, insecticides have done the same to the hog-nosed skunk. Skunks don’t ask for anything other than to just be left alone. Insecticides have done in many insects which is what the hog-nosed skunk feeds on and the insecticide that killed the insects too kills the skunk who eats the insect. This species of skunk is hard to find now in Texas where it was plentiful once.
Hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus mesoleucus) are about the same size as striped skunks but have some differences in appearance. They have a long, hairless nose pad and come equipped with long claws and powerful front legs that are good for digging. They typically have a single broad, white stripe that starts at the head and extends down the back to the end of the tail. Their diet consists mostly of insects. Hog-nosed skunks are found in the western parts of the state. A subspecies from the Big Thicket of East Texas is thought to be extinct. Alternate name: rooter skunk. Texas Parks and Wildlife.”
‘A’ writes about the little sea eaglets: “Early breakfast at WBSE was lovely. Both chicks ate side by side, with mum offering them both bites and no bonking was observed. SE34 is noticeably smaller than SE33 but not fearful to eat today at all. He leaned forwards and even shuffled forwards a couple of steps at one stage to get closer to mum’s beak. SE33 did do better from the feeding but this was due to Lady favouring the older eaglet.
Certainly, both had enough food at that meal, which ended when Dad turned up and shortly before 06:32 began that godawful cackling that the ranger’s report calls ‘duets’. There is nothing musical about them – they are a dreadful din, slightly reminiscent of a gaggle of backyard geese greeting a rain shower. Duet? I don’t think so. Anyway, participation in said duet distracted Lady from the job of feeding the eaglets. By 06:33 when it ended, the chicks had both dozed back off.
Around 06:35 the littles again wake up and the feeding resumes. But Lady now has to stretch too far to reach SE34 so she feeds SE33. SE34 is looking interested, head up, and even tries to get a little closer to mum, who ignores him. Finally, at 06:37:41 Lady reaches the extra distance to SE34 and gives him a bite. And a second. She then resumes the easier option of feeding SE33. When SE33 refuses a bite at )6:38:10, Lady offers it to SE34, who takes it gratefully. Lady is now down to leftover scraps and is working hard to get edible pieces for the littles.
She feeds the second half of a bite to SE34, but otherwise feeds SE33. SE34 gets a bite at 06:38:40. Again, Lady resumes feeding SE33. By 06:39:30, SE33 has decided it is still hungry and stands up to better reach the food. SE34 shuffles forward as well, but SE33 is now even closer to Lady and is now eagerly eating, so SE34 is not offered any food until 06:40:24, when Lady makes a real effort to reach SE34 with a bite. SE33 again shuffles forward. SE34 does the same but SE33 is much closer to mum, who resumes feeding SE33.
By 06:41:20, SE34 is obviously trying to eat and each time SE33 gets a bite, SE34 watches and tries to get closer to mum. Lady eventually stretches to give him a bite just before 06:42. She then gives him a second bite, before cleaning his face and feeding what she removed to SE33. SE33 again sits up eagerly, moving forward, so gets offered the food. At 06:42:46, SE34 sits up tall, hoping mum will notice him, and she does. He gets a bite. SE33 considers, then rejects the idea of turning away from the table.
Around 06:43 Lady is patiently feeding a bite to SE34 when SE33 leans in and steals the last piece from literally in front of SE34’s beak. Lady is only feeding SE33. The two are sitting up side by side looking cute as fluffy little buttons. At 06:45:28 Lady reaches to give SE34 a bite but then resumes feeding SE33. At 06:46 Lady makes a real effort to feed a bite to SE34. There has been no intimidation or bonking and no sign that SE34 is nervous or reluctant to eat. Both eaglets behave perfectly throughout the meal.
Lady then takes the remaining carcass (bones mainly) off the nest, and the littles were then left alone for a long time. SE34 is determined to use SE33 as a pillow, then they switch positions, and eventually the two settle down into a cuddle puddle. There is obviously still some close parental supervision, as evidenced by a periodic cackle. The littles are sleeping.
At 08:42 a parent visits the nest and checks the babies, scattering some dry leaves over them like a blanket. SE33 wakes up and what I believe to be Lady does some allopreening of her older hatch. SE33 sits up and turns around, revealing its large crop. Around 08:46 Lady heads up the perch branch. She flies off just before 09:23. The little pile of white fluff is already asleep again.
These two seem to be doing okay, but SE33 is certainly dominating most of the feedings, largely because of Lady. I am not sure whether this is happening at all the feedings, and certainly SE34 did not appear intimidated when offered food at this feeding. Whenever Lady bothered to reach far enough, SE34 readily accepted the mouthful. There was no hesitation. He did look at his sibling a few times, but never in the eye. Nest etiquette was observed and as a result, there was no aggression and both were very civilised. This is what we want to see. “
‘H’ posts about the Fortis Exshaw nest – doing good!
Please lobby to get the lights turned out in your town or City. It is migration season. Billions die from collisions each year because the lights in our city’s tallest buildings are full on.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Hugo Yugo wants you to have the most marvellous day ever!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, MB, MP, PB’, George Green and The Clywedog Osprey Group, @Foulshaw Ospreys, The Guardian, Knepp Farm, Montana Osprey Project, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, SF Bay Ospreys, Dyfi Osprey Project, Heidi McGrue, Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal, Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary, Newfoundland Power, The Real Saunders Photography, Saaksilvie, Liznm, IWS/Explore, USK Valley Ospreys, Wesley A. Brasheat, Global Bird Rescue, and Olympic Park Eagles.
It is getting to the time when you need to be getting your ‘miracles’ of the year in! Deadline: Wednesday, the 7th of August, so Tuesday evening CDT is the deadline—about 2000. Even a single sentence! Let me know what made you happy this year. I won’t spoil it, but there is already a clear winner for the top miracle of the year. Can you guess what that was?
It is cooler on the Canadian Prairies. Imagine extreme heat (32 for us) and then waking up and thinking you need a jumper! That was what it was like Sunday morning. The garden animals are loving it!
I did have a bit of a scare this evening. All the Crows were about and two of them were ragged and had white on their breasts. Took a deep breath. It is Junior and his mate and they are molting. Poor things. Junior stays but she heads south in the fall. I hope one or two of the youngsters will be around with us for fall and winter. They have been busy tonight protecting their territory. Urban crows live in family groups taking over a specific area and making sure that other groups of crows don’t enter! That said, when the GHO arrives, everyone comes to help usher it out of the space.
The blog is a little all over the place today. Osprey nests are winding down with fledglings returning for fish and awaiting the time to depart for migration. People are starting to stop and look at the state of the eagle nests and – we are on pip watch for the Olympic Park White-Bellied Sea Eagles in Sydney!
Update: Confirmed pip for SE33!
The three osprey chicks at the Osprey House Environment Centre are doing very well. Three weeks old!
In Port Lincoln, Mum is resting on the barge nest. Yes, yes, it is all beginning to happen ‘down under’.
Xavier is delivering prey to Diamond in the scrape at Orange, Australia. Now all we need is the Melbourne CBD Falcon cam to come on line. Typically that is after the eggs are laid.
If this is your first time to watch ospreys, you might want to find out about their migration – as most (save for Florida and some Gulf areas, the Caribbean, and Austral-Asia) fly to winter homes.
Many of you will remember the Red-tail Hawk raised by the Eagles on Gabriola Island in British Columbia. You will also recall that the eaglet that shared the nest, Junior, was electrocuted. We all cried. It is too common an occurence. We lost one of two gorgeous osplets raised by Oscar and Ethel at the Russell Lake Osprey nest in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It was discovered that it was Heidi. She had fledged the day prior. These events are so very sad.
If you recall the discussion with Dr Christian Sasse and Dave Hancock on how to mitigate against electrocution using simple methods and know that YouTube video, let me know. I am looking forward to sharing it with our friends in Nova Scotia. I have written to the HWF but have not heard back from them.
‘H’ reports:
8/4 Osoyoos osprey nest: There were nine fish delivered to the nest, including one from Soo. Olsen had tapped into a good location to catch those small green-colored fish, so his offerings consisted of those fish. Soo brought a large headless fish at 1251 that actually resulted in two separate long feedings. It was interesting to note, with 5 of the 8 fish delivered by Olsen, chick 1 rather easily took the fish from chick 2, after chick 2 had initial possession of it. Chick 2 still displays some residual effects of the psychological conditioning that took place during all those weeks when chick 1 had been very aggressive toward him, and he learned to submit. Chick 2 needs to get over that, and try to hold on to his food! Chick 1 did not eat all of those fish he acquired, and he left a couple of good sized chunks on the nest for chick 2. Everyone had plenty to eat today. Chick 1 took a few flights off the nest throughout the day. And, chick 2 managed to get several inches of lift off the nest during his evening wingercizing! Weather forecast for 8/5: Sunny, high temp 94 F, light winds. There is a chance of strong thunderstorms in the afternoon.
8/4-8/5 Colonial Beach: Betty has not been seen since 0935 on 8/3. Last night, 42-day-old Cobey spent his second night alone on the nest. Cobey did not have anything to eat on Friday. On Saturday, David dropped off a headless fish, Cobey self-fed for the first time, and was able to eat most of that fish. On Sunday, David provided Cobey with a headless fish at 0724. Once again, Cobey did a great job with his self-feeding. His technique is not perfect, but he does amazingly well. He ate the fish off and on for several hours, and picked it clean. At 1828 David brought a live fish to the nest. The fish was not very lively, but it took Cobey a while to figure out how to unzip the fish. Cobey managed to do it, and ate the head! Then he reached in and pulled out a lot of the center of the fish, avoiding the tough skin. This morning 8/5, Cobey has already tackled the leftover piece of fish, and managed to pull off a few bites, but it is dry and tough. Hopefully David will bring Cobey a fresh fish this morning. And, we are praying for Betty to come home. Weather forecast for 8/5: Sunny, high 90, light winds. The forecast for the rest of the week may include periods of very heavy rain and some wind, as the remnants of ‘Debby’ moves up the coast. Cobey will need some protection from all that bad weather, and David doesn’t seem to like that kind of Dad. Please come home, Mom.
I am so looking forward to seeing these beautiful Nova Scotian ospreys in real life. Take off in a week! Will be announcing a wee break in normal posting – I will be sending out special Nova Scotia episodes while I am away so you can learn about one of our beautiful Atlantic provinces. It is famous for birdwatching – I am so excited.
Flipping over to Wales. Dylan has been busy delivering his famous Brown Trout to the Llyn Clywedog nest in Wales that he shares with his mate, Seren. The kids are there wanting fish! And if one is eating the other is fish calling very loudly!
Aran is busy at Glaslyn fishing for his and Elen’s kids, too. Everyone wants and needs to eat before migration.
In the south of England, the kiddos are waiting at Poole Harbour, too – and Blue 022 has four to feed!!!!!!!
At the nest of Iris and Finnegan, Sum-eh is getting restless to fly.
She is getting more height by the hover. Could today be the day she flies?
Our friend ‘A’ comments: “I’m hoping that her bond with Finnegan will bring her home. Certainly, she has something to come home to, which has not been the case before now. I know they’re territorial, and she returns to her nest, but now that nest has someone waiting on the perch, she may have an even stronger urge to be back. If indeed the older chick is female, then it is an incredible testament to the mothering skills of Iris, who has raised these two to be as close as any siblings I’ve seen on a nest. Never a hint of aggression or intimidation. They love to snuggle. Little Bob is usually fed first, but regardless of feeding order, they wait their turn. Sometimes, they compete for bites or even eat from each other’s overflowing beaks but never with violence attached. And if indeed Iris has achieved that outcome with a huge female hatched a week before her younger brother, we are definitely in the presence of a super mum. I love the way she has abandoned the nest to the kids, watching from the perch. She does always look to have a good crop, so at least Finn is keeping the family well fed. Perhaps too well fed. Why would these kids bother to leave home? This generation doesn’t, apparently. I do need to remember their names!!
This morning, big sister did a big and healthy PS, which pleased her so much that she had a hover. She is getting very good at her hovering. Oh Mary Ann she is magnificent. Such a beautiful osplet. She is gorgeous. (Little Bro is not yet interested in leaving his version of terra firma.) Iris immediately rises as if in an invisible lift, and she is out of there. Let hovering practice take place without her!! She can supervise from the perch. There is much fish calling (it’s 06:53). Little Bro is fascinated by his sister’s hovering (or perhaps he is just worried she’s about to land on his head)! But certainly, he is keeping his eyes on her. She is really getting some strength as she flaps. She is holding herself aloft for longer and longer, sometimes landing on an outer kiddie rail (is that technically branching or does she have to reach the perch?) and she is really enjoying the sense of wind beneath her wings. Those talons already look pretty deadly to me! “
At nest #3 in Finland, Tuulos and Taika have a fish and mate in the nest.
They are rebuilding at Decorah North!
Only one left to fledge at Blackbush – the other two that are flying continue to return to the nest for fish. Everyone is so well fed that on Sunday even Mum had some time to have a nice fish meal to herself.
In Newfoundland, Canada, Hope and Beaumont’s oldest is starting to work its wings. The chicks are 42 and 37 days old. We could have fledge in a little over a week for the oldest. Fledge dates average around 55 days. (some say 50-55)
Little Eurasian Hobby doing well eating dragonflies brought to the nest. As a fledgling, it will glide over the water catching dragonflies and other bugs for its meals along with small birds.
Everything you wanted to know about the Eurasian Hobby and more:
Geemeff’s Summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Sunday 4th August 2024
A dreich day with no sign of Louis or Dorcha, it’s starting to feel like they’ve headed south to warmer climes as Dorcha was last seen eight days ago on the 27th, and Louis last seen five days ago on the 30th. Of course, those are the dates they were last seen on nest cam so there’s the possibility they are still in the area. Affric 152 and Garry LV0 are definitely still around and both came to Nest One today. Affric looked hollow-cropped and asked Garry for fish but he didn’t have any for her. It’s her mate Prince who should be providing fish for her back on the Bunarkaig nest where their newly fledged chick is probably still returning to, but like last season, there’s a complex relationship with that pair and Garry LV0 which seems to be ongoing. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow is heavy rain with a gentle breeze, and light rain for the rest of the week too.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.29.01 (04.37.17); Nest Two 22.21.56 (04.44.16)
Worries continue for USU’s wing at nest #1 in Finland against growing concerns that Nuppu (Mum) will depart the area. At the moment fish continues to be brought to the nest for the youngsters.
And back in California, Hartley and Monty are bonding after a great season!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thank you to the following who sent in notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and the streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘A, Connie and Don Dennis, CG, Geemeff, H, J, RP’, Hellgate Osprey X, Becky R, Olympic Park Eagle Cam, Osprey House Environment Centre, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Avian Report, Purpleshrub.com, Audubon, Ospreys of Nova Scotia FB, Osoyoos, Colonial Beach, Llyn Clywedog, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, BoPH, Montana Osprey Project, Saaksilvie, Raptor Research Project, Blackbush, Newfoundland Power, Wildlife Window, The Peregrine Fund, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, CNN Weather, The Guardian, whec.com, obawebsite.com, diesachen.de, Heidi McGrue, John Williams, and SK Hideaways.
