It is late. I have been worried about Toby all day. As you are aware, he has HGE, and he had some blood in his stool this morning. I am not panicking, just monitoring and worrying, aka wringing my hands. It is entirely possible that it is the raw tenderloin from his birthday dinner; this is what the vet is thinking. I am overly sensitive since he had to spend four nights in the emergency vet clinic in late December, and I almost lost him! The Girls and Toby are often the glue that holds my life together when my husband’s dementia gets the best of me.
Toby had a wonderful birthday. New slush suit, sweaters, and hopefully a few indestructible toys! Please send him your good wishes. I hope everything is alright tomorrow, or it will be a rush to the emergency vet.
There is so much news in Bird World that I cannot keep up with all the happenings.
There are now three of the cutest little osplets at the nest of Harry and Sally at Moorings Park. Harry is one super dad and fish are plentiful.
Sally had some fish for herself when the babies were sleeping.
I am partial. I am so glad that osprey season is here – with all the bonking, the siblicide – the works. Those cute little bottoms with that light down, the dark line by the eye to protect them from the glare so they can see to do those amazing dives, even that ugly oily phase with the copper coloured feathers! Bring it on!!!!!!!!
After a 21-hour absence, Jackie (who scared the life out of many of us) has returned safely to the nest. Then she left again, leaving Shadow to incubate the eggs. Is there a female intruder in the area? I hope not. I hope she is just taking a much-needed break.
That cute Only eaglet at Duke Farms is getting its thermal down. Are there even a few pin feathers coming in??? There is enough food for several eaglets – there are no worries at this nest.
Mr North is not with us but we have the first egg for Mrs DNF and the New Male at the Decorah North Nest today.
Bluff City now has two little eaglets for Frances and Franklin at the ETSU nest. OK. Baby eaglets are also adorable!
One eaglet has hatched at the Kansas City nest of Ellie and Harvey and the second one is on pip watch. The first hatch has been named Osage.
There are now 52 new baby Kakapo. ‘J’ writes: “There are now just as many chicks, as there were adults 30 years ago when the recovery project started!!”
Another osprey nest with a couple arriving. The PKS nest – a new one to me but it is all over FB. It is the Pine Knolls Osprey Nest in North Carolina. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/7-wS9I-fj1w?
We all miss Annie and her mates at The Campanile. It seems unthinkable that no falcons are breeding at that magnificent site. ‘B’ has sent me the following note with links to articles. I urge you to read them to understand only one of the dangers that all of our avian friends face. “I thought you might be interested in this article on the impact of avian flu on Peregrine Falcons in the SF Bay Area, which appeared on the SFGATE website::
(SFGATE is a digital news site owned by Hearst. Hearst also owns the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, but SFGATE operates independently of the Chronicle.)
The article discusses results of a study conducted by a team of scientists from several institutions, where among other things they monitored occupancy of 47 known Peregrine Falcon nesting sites in the greater Bay Area. The decline of Peregrine population since the avian flu arrived in wild birds in the state in 2022 is reflected by the observation that nearly all of the 47 nest sites were occupied each year between 2000 and 2022, but in 2023 only 65% of the sites were occupied, and only 36% were occupied in 2025.
Here also is the abstract of the scientific study that the SFGATE article is based on:
Heidi reports that Marilyn has returned to the Old Town Home Osprey nest in Maryland.
‘PB’ sent me a note that there are now four eggs at the Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest.
Thank you so much for being with us for this quick post. We will be back on Monday. In the meantime, take care of yourselves.
Thank you to ‘B, H, J, PB’ for their letters and all the great information and articles they sent. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and to the authors of FB posts for generously spreading the information of happenings on the nest!
Heidi brought me the good news: “Moorings Park had their first hatch at 12:45 this afternoon.” She noted that the first hatch had its very first fish dinner at 1504 while the second egg was hatching!
Sally is incredible at delayed incubation!
Oh, it’s nice to have some good news!
‘B’ also sent a story from the LA Times. They write: “Cute story in the LA Times today on “How two Big Bear eagles became social media’s hottest love story”.
I really hope it helps raise funds to purchase the land around the nest of Jackie and Shadow!
Thank you for being with us. Take care. See you tomorrow when there will be two — or could there be three?
Thanks, Heidi, for the heads up and to ‘B’ for the very cool article on Jackie and Shadow. If you are a member of The Joy of Ospreys FB, there is a video of the event. Thank you to Moorings Park for the streaming cam that lets us into the lives of Harry and Sally and their osplets.
Oh, it was a grand day today. -15 at noon. Toby went for a walk with Ellen and I got to attend to some much needed recycling. The decluttering/downsizing continues at a rampant pace which makes me feel rather happy. Less really is more! It will get colder but by next Monday, we are going to be looking at -5. One of our favourite places, Pineridge Hollow, has been closed for renovations and I plan to make it a day for Ann, Don, Toby, and me. Monday is our wedding anniversary and an outing on Tuesday to feed the chickadees and be out in the country without freezing to death is in order. Oh, I can already smell the conifer trees and hear the chickadees sing!
A few quick announcements. I had not expected to be back with you til the end of the week but…
Gosh, those eagles just keeping laying eggs and hatching and doing well!
Good news, really, at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest. E2 seems to be figuring out how to survive, and the parents are doing well. There have been some good feedings without any rivalry. If the food keeps coming – and there is a huge hunk of fish on the right side of the nest, all should be well. (I am being positive because siblicide is RARE on Bald Eagle nests compared to other species).
Jackie and Shadow now have their second egg. So egg 1 on the 23rd and egg 2 Monday, the 26th. Whoooooooo yeah! I am really hopeful as these eggs are ‘early’ like last year. Last year, the first egg of 2025 was laid on Jan. 22. The second and third eggs came a few days later on Jan. 25 and Jan. 28. Their first successful chick to hatch was Spirit in 2022.
CBS LA announces the moment! (As well as so many other news agencies – Jackie and Shadow are truly loved!). https://youtu.be/fMlh1KuSPvA?
News of Royal Albatross:
Life at the E1 nest of Anna and Louis II is going along nicely.
Sally and Harry have their second egg at Moorings Park on Monday the 26th. Thanks, Heidi!
The Abu Dhabi Cams on four nests:
The second chick has hatched at John Bunker Sands Wetlands Centre!
I want to remind you that there is now a streaming cam at the Kakapo nest. This is a first, and it is a real treat. Please check out these amazing flightless parrots that are nearly extinct. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/BfGL7A2YgUY?
Thank you so much for being with us. Please take care of yourself. So many people are in storm areas. Stay warm, stay safe. We hope to have you with us again soon.
Thank you to Heidi for sending me the note about Moorings Park, to the owners of the streaming cams where we watch our favourite raptor families and use screen captures to tell their stories, to SK Hideaways and others for their videos to bring those lives to life, and to those who post announcements on FB. I am very grateful to each of you. My blog would not have all the news it does without your input.
It is so nice to have you with us today. Everyone sends you a big hello and a wish for a good start to the week.
Part of the week was spent packing away the summer linens for the fall and winter wool. It has rained – and then it rained some more. This is fantastic for the trees and shrubs and will help them during the dry cold of the upcoming months. The Girls continue to enjoy the conservatory, where, when the sun does shine, it is hot. Toby will soon give up his raincoat for winter boots held up by suspenders, along with a padded puffer jacket, hat, and jacket! He is quite the fashion aficionado! The neighbours must be chattering away behind their curtains about this very spoiled little pooch. They must think we have gone daft!
Brock continues to amaze me. Toby sends him scattering under the deck where he waits for me to get Toby inside and call ‘kitty kitty’. He then scampers out to eat his meal returning at least twice more during the day. I caught him sitting down a bit on the fence. Brock is looking pretty good these days.
The Girls are good. I will get some good images of them this week for you. We are all doing well. There are long walks with Toby around the neighbourhood and to several of our favourite parks. We are starting our third year with Anne and our fifth year of living with dementia. Either I am so used to the situation or things really are better than they were a year ago – I am not sure, but I am thankful for our days, which aren’t full of the kind of excitement some dream of, but they really are nice and comforting.
We woke up to yet another day of rain. Toby and I bundled up and cleaned out the bird feeders. The tray feeders now only hold corn kernels or peanuts as the moisture does not cause them to go off so quickly. All other seed is now in either covered feeders or in those cylindrical tube feeders. New suet out for the woodpeckers! Oh, I wish there were places to walk dogs inside when it is pitching down rain!!!!!!!!!!
A sadness fell over Bird World this week as it was acknowledged that there would be no little osplets on the Port Lincoln barge for Mum and Dad this year. The eggs were removed by Bazz Hockaday and sent to Adelaide for inspection to determine the cause of the nest failure. The eggs were fertile. There were little osplets, but for some reason, Mum determined that their lives were not viable and stopped incubation. In a post, Tiger Mozone, thought it was odd that incubation was stopped as some stay on eggs, hoping for 70 days!
The barge nest looks lonely.
This is the latest post from Port Lincoln Osprey:
What was curious to me was that later Ervie chose to visit the barge for one of the first times in ever so long. Will Ervie take over the nest one day?
Everything you ever wanted to know about osprey eggs and more:
There are many myths and scientific explanations when events don’t work out as anticipated. In this case, ‘everyone knew’ that rain would cause eggs to fail. But, does it? Not for this clutch in Maryland:
SK Hideaways Videos for the week of 12 October 2025
Introduction: I first fell in love with raptors in 2019 ~ Annie & Grinnell, the CalFalcons, at the UC Berkeley Campanile. All the videos I’ve created since that time stem from that love and my desire to learn all I can about these and other raptors. My mission is to inform, educate, and entertain viewers. I have never and will never monetize my videos. They are purely a labor of love that give me great joy to share with anyone kind enough to view them.
Two Harbors Eagles: Cholyn & Chase Perch on Favorite “Thrones” ~ Spend Day on Cam (2025 Oct 19)
Chase was spotted just after sunrise on the cactus perch. Later, Cholyn was on her low ocean view perch, where Chase joined her ~ a special treat for fans ~ as they chortled and spent time together. In the afternoon, a visitor, possibly a juvenile bald eagle, was chased around the territory, but soon all was calm. The late afternoon found Cholyn on another ocean view perch, where she watched the world go by till dusk and beyond. Catalina Island, California.
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
West End Eagles ~ Akecheta & Haku VERY Cozy on Tor in AM🌅Back Together at Dusk🏜️(2025 Oct 18)
Akecheta and Haku met on the far tor in the morning, sitting close as they observed their habitat. They spent the day (on camera) apart, both visiting the nest at separate times. Then, as dusk approached, they came back together on the night perch. While they didn’t remain there ~ owing to human disturbances off shore ~ it is likely they either reunited elsewhere for the night or will come back together in the morning.
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org
West End ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Akecheta & Haku (2025 Oct 17)
Akecheta and Haku roosted together on the same perch overnight for the first time. They greeted the dawn with long, glorious chortles and then settled atop the far TOR (top of rock) on a sparkling blue sky, blue sea morning.
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org
FalconCam Project ~ Diamond & Gimbir (2025 Oct 17)
Gimbir made an early wake-up visit. When Diamond’s initial breakfast order went unheeded, she went out and gave him a few minutes of egg time. He came through later with breakfast, only he dashed out with Diamond, so she stashed the gift and returned. Finally, Gimbir gave her a longer break and she was able to get her breakfast.
Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW Australia
367 Collins St. Falcons🪽Wee Chick Gets Private Feeding 🍽️ Big Chicks Want Their Share🐥🐥(2025 Oct 20, 6:14-10:36)
The smallest chick ~ presumed male ~ has been unable to scale the nest since entering the gutter a few days back. This “limitation” has gotten him private attention from Mum F24 ~ including brooding and feeding. The two bigger chicks ~ presumed female ~ decided they’d had enough and barged in on a feeding. The little one was unfazed, remaining steadfast at Mum’s beak. In the end, everyone got their fill.
367 Collins Street Falcons: F24, M24, 3 eyases (15 Oct 2025, 11:26+)
As is true every year, the chicks get fed up with the morning sun and venture towards the shade. Mum F24 is never ready for this transition, doing her best to corral the chicks and keep them in the nest. This hasn’t worked in the past and didn’t work today. There was a frantic hour or so with Mum trying to brood the chicks still in the nest and those who’d escaped. Eventually she accepted the inevitable and relaxed. We were also treated to a camera adjustment, which allowed us to see the three toddler chicks sleeping peacefully in the shaded gutter. (15 Oct 2025, 11:26+)
367 Collins Street Falcons: F24, M24, 3 eyases (14 Oct/17:39+)
When Mum F24 brought yet another large meal, the chicks’ crops were already bulging. But F24 was determined to feed them, regardless of how many times they fell into food comas.
Sydney WB Sea Eagles: Lady, Dad, Eaglets SE35 & SE36 (2025 Oct 15)
Yesterday was a day of special moments for the memory treasure chest. SE35 and SE36 are quite inseparable these days. They perched on the nest rim and SE36 “hugged” SE35 while they cuddled in the nest. SE36 also performed a spectacular horaltic pose. The family came together in the evening for a meal and just to hang out.
It is a concern that should be on all our minds: what will the world be like for our grandchildren? One photographer “Margot Raggett has spent the past decade raising money for conservation efforts around the world but now she feels nervous about the future. “It does feel like we’ve taken a backward step,” she said.
The wildlife photographer has raised £1.2m for the cause in the past 10 years through her Remembering Wildlife series, an annual, not-for-profit picture book featuring images of animals from the world’s top nature photographers. The first edition was published in 2015, when the Paris climate agreement was being drafted but, in the years since, efforts to tackle the climate crisis have been rolled back.”…..”“Compared to a few years ago, there was a desire for renewables instead of drilling for oil across the world. I think the importance of nature is something for us all to cling on to,” said Raggett.
Despite this, she has some hope. “I’m nervous but equally I’m encouraged by the fact that there are so many people that do seem to still care. I’ll do everything I can to keep my end of the bargain and keep fighting. And I know there’s lots of other people who feel the same, so time will tell, but we certainly can’t be complacent.”
In a timely reminder of how fraught the outlook is for wildlife at the moment, this year’s release, titled Ten Years of Remembering Wildlife, is being published alongside original and altered images of animals including polar bears, cheetahs and pangolins living in, and then scrubbed out of, their natural habitats.”
The images are intentionally meant to provoke us into thinking what life would be like if there were no animals, no birds. Can you imagine it? The book is a massive picture book which will be released on 11 November in North America at a cost of $100 CDN.
In another article, The Guardian looks at the peregrine falcons that have taken over an industrial site in the UK. I love these 350 word Country diary stories! And, of course, we all love the falcons.
Good news is that one of my favourite books by David Gessner is out in a 25th anniversary edition, Return of the Osprey. A Season of Flight and Wonder. Helen MacDonald, author of H is for Hawk(amongst others), has written a powerful foreword to the release that you will enjoy. If you have read this book years ago, it may be time for a reread! And when you finish, I suggest returning to Soaring with Fidel, too. MacDonald describes Gessner’s odyssey with the ospreys, “Perhaps all this makes Gessner’s quest sound dry. it is not. It is a gloriously gonzo, whole-souled pursuit. He wrenches at raw fish with pliers to see what it might feel like to feed like an osprey, leaps into water to try and catch herring in a manner as much like an osprey a human can manage. There is a transporting lyricism in this book’s pages, along with passages of raw horror and moments of glorious weirdness, as when Gessner imagines the female osprey delicately feeding torn pages of his writing notebook to her young” (xi).
The release gave me the nudge to write to David Gessner to alert him about the situation in the Chesapeake Bay region and osprey starvation. This was his response:
“Mary Ann,
Thank you. I’m on it! Three weeks or so I got back from a trip up the East Coast where I saw some of the usual osprey suspects including Bryan Watts, P. Spitzer, Joannie in Colonial beach, Ben Wurst and of course Alan. Like you, I’ve got menhaden on the mind. I’ve been swallowed up by school but am heading up to Cape Cod the last week of this month and plan on finishing a longform piece then. The folks at the Atlantic said they would take a look so that’s my first stop for the essay.
All Best, David”
I am really hoping that someone like Gessner can get the kind of attention needed to stop Omega from killing off the entire ecosystem – if it is not too late already for our ospreys. I need the hope of ten Jane Goodalls. Politics should not be a part of protecting our environment. Humans must recognise the damage we are doing and work mightily hard to correct it.
How much do you know about Chimney Swifts? Charles Brown has just finished a 45-year study and has done a video presentation on YouTube on that very subject: https://youtu.be/VnnPOaf1Dpc?
Things appear to be going very well for Gimbir and Diamond at the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape in Orange, Australia. Incubation continues without issue.
Gimbir is adorable and rather brave not bringing in the entire Eastern Rosella. Diamond and all of us – while clearly missing and never forgetting dear Xavier – are appreciating this young falcon and his food gifts for Diamond. Cilla Kinross gives us the latest…notice that nice crop of our little man.
F23 takes extraordinary care of her trio at the Melbourne CBD falcon scrape! I am more and more impressed with her. The chicks have now moved themselves to the opposite end from where they hatched, keeping out of the sun and the deadly heat of Melbourne.
‘A’ comments: “Oh they are the sweetest family. Little dad is adorable – he works so hard at bringing plenty of food for those ravenous babies. And mum is very efficient at keeping the littles warm and dry and fed and generally safe. My goodness, they gave her a run for her money once they discovered the gutter, didn’t they? Poor mum. She couldn’t work out what to do. And I loved dad’s solution. He just took one look at the chaos and got the hell out of Dodge. It was hysterically funny. Which of course is why I sent it to you. Those moments are just too precious – the way the birds think is on display, and it is truly fascinating. They DO think, and you can see them logically eliminating alternatives and coming up with new ones, then being forced to prioritise, which is always absorbing. For people like us, trying to understand the thoughts and emotions of their world is absolutely fascinating. While we may run the risk of anthropomorphising a little too much, at the same time it is obvious that birds definitely do have emotions.”
At the Olympic Park WBSE nest, we have branching! The currawongs have been relentless this season in their attack on the nest. There are days that I wish the WBSE would eat all of them!!!!!!
Lots of wingersizing!
These eaglets are so gorgeous. It is difficult to tell them apart, and it is getting to be that ‘sad time’ when they will make their way out into the world. We can only hope that they survive the Currawong attacks and make their way to the river roost of their parents, where they can be fed and learn to hunt.
Screen capture of the eaglets by SK Hideaways in their video.
It has not only been the currawongs that are causing mischief but also owls.
At the West End nest, Haku and Akecheta are getting accustomed to one another.
Akecheta watching Haku soar above the nest.
Oh, I have such a fondness for Akecheta. The year that he took such gallant care of the triplets just warmed my heart beyond belief.
There are, of course, so many others – M15 raising his two eaglets alone after Harriet disappeared, every one of Annie’s mates, dear little Xavier…I could go on and on. They really are special – our raptors. It breaks my heart that our environment is changing so quickly that many of them might not be able to adapt (of course, along with humans, too).
Chase and Cholyn are at home at Two Harbours in the Channel Islands.
Big Red has been spotted at some of her favourite spots on the Cornell Campus. Suzanne Arnold Horning knows our Queen of the Red-tail Hawks very well! Thank you, Suzanne, for always keeping us informed.
There is a tragedy underway in the area of the Panama Canal. The first-ever failure of the 2025 seasonal upwelling has occurred. This is critical for fisheries and coral reefs; widespread plastic pollution; and the ecological disruption of the Panama Canal, which is allowing marine species to invade freshwater ecosystems. These problems are impacting coastal communities and local livelihoods– and will ultimately impact seabirds.
Failure of seasonal upwelling
What it is: The seasonal upwelling is a natural process where trade winds push warm surface water away from the coast, allowing cool, nutrient-rich deep water to rise. This is vital for the marine food web in the Gulf of Panama.
The issue: For the first time in at least 40 years, the upwelling did not occur in 2025. Scientists suspect this is due to weakened trade winds linked to climate disruption.
Consequences: The lack of nutrient-rich water is stressing fisheries and could harm coral reefs. This event highlights how climate change can disrupt long-standing ocean systems.
Plastic pollution
The scale: Panama faces a major plastic pollution crisis, generating over 380,000 tons of municipal plastic waste in 2022.
Waste management: More than 88% of this plastic is not properly managed, with large amounts ending up in landfills, being burned, or polluting the environment.
Consequences: This pollution threatens marine ecosystems, wildlife, public health, and the local economy.
Panama Canal ecological disruption
The issue: The 2016 expansion of the Panama Canal has allowed saltwater to enter the freshwater Lake Gatun and facilitated the movement of marine species inland.
Consequences: Ocean species like snooks and lionfish are entering freshwater ecosystems, displacing native species and disrupting the food web. This also introduces new challenges for local fishermen who rely on the freshwater ecosystem for their livelihoods.
Other impacts: The expansion has also contributed to saltwater intrusion into the canal’s freshwater supply, which is a source of drinking water for a large portion of the population.
It is time to think of the birds that visit our gardens as winter approaches. Lesley the Bird Nerd tells us how to care for them properly in her video: https://youtu.be/Zi6iIGUGxpo?
Oh, I do love the Blue Jays in our garden. Junior and the Mrs and three of their fledglings are here all day long, and if the peanut tray is empty, you can hear them easily. Two Crows visit daily along with all the squirrels, red and grey, and an army of sparrows, a few black-capped chickadees, and some woodpeckers. The Starlings continue to visit around 1530 for puppy chow!
There are osprey nests that we can begin watching in the US that will have eggs after the new year. They include Achieva in St Petersburg, Florida, where Jill has been captured sitting on the perch, along with Captiva on Sanibel Island, Florida, Moorings Park, and Frenchman’s Creek – notice, all are in Florida, where the ospreys do not necessarily migrate and where there is the warmth and fish for them earlier than in the north.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. There is a very nasty cold going around that is making people extremely tired. We will look forward to having you with us again next Monday!
I want to extend special thanks to SK Hideaways for their videos and for caring so much about our raptors and to ‘A’ for her commentary on the Australian raptor nests. Thank you to the individuals and owners of streaming cams, as well as those posting for various FB groups listed in Bold. The Guardian continues to publish informed articles on wildlife and the environment, as well as several others listed in bold. There is no way that a single individual can monitor all of the nests and keep up to the minute. I am grateful to all those who post in the various FB groups. These individuals so generously send me precious notes about their favourite birds to the authors of books that educate and inspire us, like David Gessner.
We have now had Toby at home for 24 hours (when writing this). I am shocked at how ‘chill’ this little bundle of joy is. He was only placed on his potty pads once, and he uses them all the time. He is eating and drinking well. I can hardly believe it. Toby thinks Hugo Yugo’s beautiful, thick tail is a toy. So far, only a hiss from Baby Hope once.
It is a lot of work; I will not make this sound easy. I have many ‘babies’ to care for now, but having these lovely souls surrounding me is also bliss. I cannot imagine little Toby anywhere else, not for a second. The Girls got on with their own lives later and were less curious.
I am looking forward to Toby being able to walk – short ones. Tomorrow we will try him in his backpack!
It is summer on the Canadian prairies. Today, it was 28 degrees C. Lilac buds are bursting open, and the grass is turning green before our eyes. We are now in a high fire warning because everything is so dry. We could use some of the rain that fell in some of the southern US.
We have done a little checking on some nests for you!
Loch of the Lowes: This is the first egg for the new resident pair, replacing Blue NC0 and Laddie. The female is LF25.
Our friends, Friends of the Ospreys have sent us some great news regarding Roli KA5 2019 born Llyn Brenig. Diolch yn fawr!!!
Update on the Chris Wood nest
The last couple of weeks this pair have been defending the nest, they’ve established a territory keeping other ospreys away, the first few days they had a male Osprey from a nest not far away visiting and making a nuisance of himself, but all that looks to be settled now, they’ve built up the nest with lots of nesting material and everything is looking really promising for a successful season. Male KA5 2019 from the Llyn Brenig nest, an offspring of Blue 24 and Blue HR7 and female 7C1 2022 from a private nest in the Lake District, offspring from male 9C 2014 who’s an offspring of 11/98 and Mrs G from the Glaslyn nest.”
Hellgate Canyon: A wet day for Iris and for the third egg. She looked down at her egg for a few seconds and flew off the nest. The Raven came and took the egg immediately. Iris is intelligent as are all raptors. She knows what happens. I am sad for her that Finnegan did not return – he would most certainly have if he could. No doubt he succomb to something and died or is injured and in care somewhere. Without Darvic rings we do not know.
I am also glad that Iris had a wonderful year in 2024. It was such a privilege to share her joy at having a mate that helped her raise two wonderful chicks, Sum-eh and Antali. That precious year lives on in them.
Send Iris positive energy. Raptors have feelings and I do ache for this wonderful gal, in the same way as I agonise for those females that find themselves sharing nests for whatever reason this happens, we do not know.
Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest: Despite what I just said, so far this little one appears to be doing alright.
Glaslyn: Aran was photographed in the area. He has not been at the nest for a few days but has been seen chasing intruders. Teifi came to the nest and was on the perch with Elen. It could be the end of an era and the beginning of a new partnership.
To be clear, I adore Aran. He returned very late this year, and Teifi had already settled in. I am glad that neither has fought to the death. Aran has raised a total of 26 chicks at the Glaslyn ospreys’ nest. He has successfully raised two chicks with Elen in their first year together, and three chicks last year. Previously, Aran raised 18 chicks with Mrs. G.
This is the history of Aran at Glaslyn from the Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn website:
Mrs G was first discovered breeding in the Glaslyn nest in 2004. It is also possible that she was the female osprey that a male was seen displaying to in 2003. It was mid-summer, the time we would expect to see two and three year old ospreys prospecting for partners.
Sadly she failed to return in 2023 for what would remarkably have been her 20th season breeding in the Glaslyn Valley.
How old was she? As she was not ringed we did not know her exact age and previous history, but we do have a few clues that might indicate her possible age. It is known that three-year old birds tend to arrive during April and two-year old birds tend to arrive from late May onwards. We know the exact date the chicks were killed in 2004 and can estimate their approximate age from their plumage. By working the dates back we can guess that Mrs G would have arrived approximately around the 20th April that year. Spot on for a three-year old bird. We know for certain Mrs G arrived on 22nd April in 2005, further supporting the case that she was a probably a young female. Inexperienced younger females also tend to have smaller broods, there were only two chicks in 2004 and only two eggs hatched in 2005, although three eggs were laid. We can therefore guess that Mrs G was probably hatched in 2000 or 2001, making her around 22 years old the last time we saw her in 2022.
How many eggs did she lay? At least 60 – we will never know how many she laid in 2004, but we do know there were at least two. 32 eggs with 11(98) and 23 eggs with Aran. The first five eggs in 2015 were either infertile or father unknown.
Breeding Years
2004 to 2022
Number of chicks produced
52 hatched 44 fledged
Apart from the two chicks that were killed in 2004, she also lost a chick in 2006 (the eldest, shortly before fledging) and 2007 (the middle chick at 16 days old – it had been knocked across the nest by a very lively mullet a couple of days before, maybe this was connected). In 2019 the middle chick died at 19 days old. A post mortem revealed that the cause of death appeared to be pneumonia and lung haemorrhage associated with lungworm infestation, together with acute blood loss anaemia. The report also indicated that the middle chick was likely to have been a female.
During 2021, Aran was injured during a storm just days after the first two chicks had hatched and as the third chick was hatching. He was unable to provide fish during this critical early period in their lives and tragically all three chicks died within a week of being hatched.
Mrs G returned in 2022 for her 19th breeding season in the Glaslyn Valley and following an early season ‘brief encounter’ with Z2 / ”Aeron” on the FotO Pont Croesor Nest, she was reunited with Aran to successfully raise a family on the Glaslyn nest for what was to be the last time.
Grand-chicks
130 that we currently know about!
Great grand-chicks
13 so far.
11 (98)
Ochre 11 was hatched at a nest near Aviemore in 1998, before being taken to Rutland Water in July that year as part of the ongoing translocation project. At Rutland he was a fairly dominant youngster, frequently taking fish from other birds in his holding pen. He was released on 7th August and took an hour to leave the pen. Surprisingly given his subsequent history, he spent several weeks around the vicinity of the reservoir. He was never spotted at Rutland Water as an adult.
In the mid-summer of 2003 local birdwatchers were sure they had seen a male osprey displaying and it was believed that a second osprey was around. It was too late in the season for breeding, but it was hoped that there was a prospecting pair present. In 2004 11(98) was discovered breeding at the Glaslyn nest with Mrs G, although the pair lost their two chicks when the nest slipped during an unseasonal storm. It is very likely that 11(98) was the male osprey that had been seen displaying to a female in 2003.
He wore his ochre plastic darvic ring with the number 11 until 2007, when he confused everyone by arriving back without it. He did not appear to like flounder and was never seen to bring one back to the nest. His favourite fish were mullet and trout and he could often be spotted fishing at Pwll McAlpine, along the Porthmadog Cob. He was a very distinctive osprey and it was always a welcome sight when he was spotted fishing from the cob.
He was last seen on 4th September 2014 when he was 16 years old.
Breeding Years
2004 to 2014
Number of chicks produced
30 hatched 26 fledged
Unringed male, arrived at Glaslyn on 30th April 2015. Given the name Aran because when he first arrived, looking from the Visitor Centre, he kept flying in the direction Nantmor and appeared to be flying towards Yr Aran, the mountain peak south of Snowdon. It was also an easy name for to pronounce for non-Welsh speakers.
Aran arrived at the time we would expect to see prospecting two or three-year old ospreys. His behaviour during his first breeding year suggested that he was not an experienced male and his plumage was not what we would expect from a more mature male. Matings were less frequent than we had seen with the old pairing and he appeared rather unsure of how to behave when left alone with the young chicks. For instance, when the chicks were around two weeks old, he made no attempt to feed them when Mrs G was absent for several hours chasing away intruding ospreys, even though they were food soliciting for the fish he had bought to the nest. He is a great provider of fish however, bringing back a large variety of marine species, such as garfish, flounder and sea bass, as well as trout and mullet. He proved to be more experienced in the mating stakes during his second breeding year, as he was also spotted mating with Blue 5F. In June 2016 he demonstrated that he was more confident with the chicks, by feeding them himself for the first time.
During a raging storm on the evening of 20 May 2021, Aran left the nest to fish for his growing family. We did not see him again until the middle of the following afternoon, when the storm was finally calming down. Aran did not have a fish and it was clear from his demeanour that something was not right. Mrs G had fed the remaining scraps of the previous days fish to the chicks during the morning and the very young chicks needed feeding urgently. We realised that Aran had sustained an injury to his right wing and he was clearly fatigued.
After seeking expert advice, we decided to provide supplementary fish near to the nest, in an attempt to give the young family a chance of survival. Sadly, our efforts were not successful and the three chicks died over the course of the following few days. However, the fish we provided gave Aran the opportunity to rest and recover and within two weeks he was catching small fish and another two weeks later he was able to catch reasonably sized fish once again. It was too late in the season for a second breeding attempt, but Aran and Mrs G remained together defending their nest from intruding ospreys. By the end of the season, we were confident that Aran had made a full recovery.
Although he was later returning in Spring 2022 compared to more recent years, he arrived back on the Glaslyn nest on 10 April and soon was re-joined by Mrs G for another successful breeding season.
Number of chicks produced
26 hatched 22 fledged
Geemef’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 4th May 2025
Today was all about poor Dorcha being bombarded with intruders on Nest Two. Following on from the quick hard Tawny Owl strike last night around 11pm, she then suffered three more strikes in the midnight hour in quick succession, in fact in under eight minutes. She handled it well and neither she nor the eggs appeared to be harmed, but then mid morning the nest was invaded by an unringed Osprey who practically landed on her back before she got rid of it. By the time Louis brought her a lunchtime fish, she must have been ready for a break. Louis only brought that one fish, taking his tally to sixty seven. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 also brought only one fish which despite making several appearances on the nest only raised his tally by one to thirty six. Nest One also had visits from Tawny Owls but as it doesn’t have eggs needing protection, the visits are merely interesting interludes for the nest cam watchers. The weather was settled today with an owl-friendly overnight forecast of clear skies and light winds and full sunshine tomorrow.
Night cam switchover (day cam): Nest One 22.30.49 (04.23.57); Nest Two 22.56.59 (04.30.39)
It was a very busy day in my corner of osprey world… seven eggs and a fledge:
South Cape May Meadows: 5/4, Congratulations to Hera and Zeus on their third egg.
Dahlgren: Congrats to Helen and Doug on their first egg of the season, laid on 5/4. This nest was quite unsettled for a long time this spring, and the first egg is about two weeks later than last year.
The Boathouse at Hog Island: The first egg for Dory and Skiff was laid on 5/4. Best wishes for them.
Kent Island, Chesapeake: Audrey laid her second egg on 5/4. Hoping for a better outcome this season for Tom and (new) Audrey.
Forsythe: Opal and Oscar have been in town for about six weeks. Their season has progressed very slowly and I’m not quite sure why… it wasn’t weather or intruders. Opal laid her first egg on 5/4, more than three weeks later than last year.
Fortis Exshaw: Congratulations to Louise and Harvie on their first egg of the season. Louise laid the egg on 5/4 at 20:21.
Moorings Park: Ozzie, the only chick of Harry and Sally this year, fledged at 56 days of age. It was a strong and beautiful flight. It took her nearly 11 hours to make it back to her nest, and she looked exhausted. Some of us were beginning to worry about her. Congratulations Ozzie, well done! Here is a video of Ozzie’s fledge and return to the nest:
Cape Henlopen State Park: The new nest platform was installed over two years ago, but there has not been an osprey pair until this season. Congratulations to ‘Miles’ and ‘Hennie’ on their first egg, laid on 5/4 at 17:50. Everyone is thrilled!
[ FYI, please see my post in the Cape Henlopen Osprey Nest FB group, regarding the names for the Cape Henlopen osprey pair]
Thanks, Heidi, for that great report. Looks like things are beginning to happen!
‘PB’ sends us a fantastic image of the Fab Four at San Jose City Hall!
And of the White Rock BC Mum feeding her two eaglets. If this female could be left alone, she just might make Bald Eagle award lists for incubating alone and brooding, feeding, and hunting. Gosh, she deserves all our good wishes.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PB’, LOTL, Cornell Red Tail Hawk Cam, Kielder Forest, Llyn Brenig, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Trempealeau Bald Eagles, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, SCMM, Dalhgren, Boathouse at Hog Island, Kent Island, Fortis Exshaw, Moorings Park, Cape Henlopen State Park, San Jose City Hall, White Rock BC D Hancock Wildlife Foundation
It was positively freezing on Monday. After sorting through the winter boots, coats, hats, and scarves from spring, we now find ourselves digging into the old closet to grab a jacket. Don had his phlebotomy appointment today. So, what is that? It means his body cannot eliminate iron properly. What’s particularly curious to us and his doctors is that the excess iron lodges in his brain. The nurses extract a litre of blood monthly to lower his iron levels. Additionally, I cannot use anything containing iron, such as cast iron pans or foods high in iron (those lovely grapes!). I’ve noticed that his thinking seems clearer afterwards. I have requested they review the literature to investigate any correlation between Hemochromatosis (excess iron in the blood) and Lewy Body Dementia. I even asked if they could flush the iron out of his brain.
Everyone is getting ready for Saturday when we will pick up the little puppy. I had considered naming him after my dad -Clyde. But, the more I look at him, the more he becomes a ‘Toby’. Something easy to say and hopefully easy to remember. Toby will be the size of the cats and smaller than Calico. Will they get along? Toby has grown up with other dogs, cats, and small children. So fingers crossed! Toby is not just a ‘pet’. He is a therapy dog for Don. Whether it is the walks in the woods, the feeding of the chickadees, the restrictions on daily activities, everything that I do for Don is to try and improve his life. Toby is just one more tool in that toolkit. Everyone is getting ready for Saturday when we will pick up the little puppy. I had initially considered naming him after my dad, Clyde. However, the more I look at him, the more he seems like a ‘Toby’ to me. It’s a name that is easy to say and hopefully easy to remember. Toby will be about the size of the cats and smaller than Calico. Will they get along?
Toby has been raised with other dogs, cats, and small children, so fingers crossed! Toby is not just a pet; he is a therapy dog for Don. Everything I do for Don—whether it’s taking walks in the woods, feeding the chickadees, or accommodating daily activity restrictions—is aimed at improving his quality of life. Toby is just one more tool in that toolkit.
The animals outside are doing well, but this morning I only counted four grey squirrels, which causes me some anxiety. Otherwise, there are two reds, one male Hairy Woodpecker, one male Downy Woodpecker, 9 Chickadees, 2 Crows, and 2 Blue Jays. Brock and Squishy come to the feral feeder daily. I saw Star once on the IR in the middle of the night several days ago.
I am so grateful that SK Hideaways put together a tribute to our dear Annie at The Campanile on the campus of University of California-Berkeley. Get some tissues!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you! https://youtu.be/BdaB7xKYCYc?
Hellgate Canyon: We anticipated this would happen. If the Ravens do their job, Iris’s hormones will soon settle down, allowing her to enjoy a relaxing spring and summer retreat before migrating south to her winter home. Without any chicks to raise, she will quickly regain her strength after laying those eggs. The time for the first was 10:36 on Tuesday.
I feel for her. No male to bring her a fish. No on there to cheer her on. And as Louis gets busy with Star, well, she won’t even have his daily visit. Indeed, Iris did not leave her precious egg once, not once, despite being hungry. Louis did nothing but come and mate right after she had laid that egg. How difficulty would it be for him to bring her a fish. It is afterall his chick!
At the same time, I am so very grateful to have seen her have a dutiful mate in Finnegan last year and raise two chicks to fledge. She was a superb Mum. It is something that I will never forget.
‘A’ writes: “Isn’t Iris exquisite? She spends her days lying on her nest unless she is off fishing. Speaking of which, her legs and feet look SO strong. I am sad that Finnegan has not returned, if only because it suggests something bad has happened to him. I suspect he would have returned to his Iris had he been able to do so. He seemed very attached to her last season and really looked after her. I remember him coming down to the nest in a rainstorm and trying to keep Iris and the osplets warm by covering her with one wing. He loved her. So it saddens me greatly to think of why he has not returned to Hellgate. How I wish they would band or even track some of these well-known birds – they have huge fan bases after all and doesn’t money talk in this world?”
Heidi’s Nest Notes of US Ospreys:
The Bridge Club osprey nest: Mom laid their third egg at 10:32 on 4/28. I’m not sure if this is the same female as last year, but last season Mom laid four eggs.
Cape Henlopen State Park osprey platform: This male is a rockstar! We don’t know his story, but in my opinion, he has done this before. There are no telltale signs of him being a young inexperienced male. He knows the ropes! Today M brought fish to F four times, he brought in nesting materials 8 times (4 sticks, 4 gobs of soft nesting), and they mated 7 times (not including 2 additional attempts). F is one lucky gal!
Trempealeau: Mr T came and took the food off the nest last night. Mrs T went and got two more fish for her and little T3 Monday morning.
Little T3 valiantly defended the nest against a squirrel while Mum was out fishing.
Tuesday morning, ‘PB’ reports that Mr T took both fish before Mum or T3 could eat! Sorry. Why couldn’t he have left one of them!!!!!!!!
Teweksbury Abbey Falcons: We are on Pip Watch.
Little Miami Conservancy: Eaglets going to bed with huge crops Monday night.
Still waiting for the goslings to hatch at the Decorah Goose Cam.
Ospreys at the nest at Salt Point. The water was a little rough – ospreys need really calm water in order to have success fishing – today.
At Rutland, folks are getting anxious. These are the dates for those four eggs: Today is day 27 since the first of 4 Osprey eggs were laid on the RutlandManton Bay nest – 2nd April, – 5th April, – 8th April, – 11th April.
Frenchman’s Creek: The Only Bob is certainly getting some height with its hovering!
Moorings Park: Ozzie hatched on the 9th of March and he is ready to soar into the skies! Harry and Sally raise the most beautiful chicks.
Wetlands: Diana Lambertson reports that the couple have three eggs.
Sandpoint: Will Keo and Keke retake their nest once the goslings jump?
From the peeps, it looks like they might have all hatched.
San Jose City Hall Scrape: Monty and Hartley’s babies are full and ever so cute.
Lodz: So windy the female falcon got blown off her eggs.
US Steel: USS8 has all its juvenile feathers and is doing well.
Loch of the Lowes: Looks like a failed nest for 2025. Eggs are normally laid by the end of April. Chicks generally hatch late May or early June. Chicks are sometimes ringed at approximately 5 weeks- early to mid July. Chicks fledge at about 7 weeks old- generally late July. It is just getting too late to hope.
Golden Gate Audubon: Richmond and Rosie have two eggs. The first egg was laid on April 21, and the second on April 18, 2025. A third egg may have been laid, but it’s not confirmed in all reports.
Collins Marsh: There appears to be no activity at the osprey platform.
Cardinal Land Conservancy: Growing and Growing.
RSPB Loch Garten: No Sign of Asha since the 25th. A new female is interested in the nest and it appears Brodie might be keen. We wait.
Glaslyn: The air is tense at the Glaslyn nest. Elen and Aran appear to not really be bonding in the way that they were last season. The single egg is still in the nest and most believe it is Teifi’s. Aran has not routed it. Aran needs to eat but if he goes fishing will Teifi come? Will he lose his nest? What a nest mess!
Glaslyn responds Tuesday: “It is now one week since Aran began the battle to regain the nest from KC6/Teifi. Teifi continues to intrude at the nest, but Elen now sees him as a threat to the nest rather than a potential mate and works with Aran to drive Teifi away from the nest.
The fourth egg is still being incubated by Elen, but is ignored by Aran. Elen is unlikely to be responsive to Aran’s attempts to mate her while the egg remains in the nest. At the moment there is still time for the pair to produce a second clutch of eggs. We can only continue to watch and learn.”
Duke Farms: Will they fledge on the same day?
Xcel Energy Fort St Vrain: Just look at these little babies. It was not that long ago that we worried we would lose them.
Denton Homes: There are storms all around the nest and the nest is rocking. Send good thoughts to this family.
OPPD Fort Calhoun: Weather has not hit the nest so far.
Worcester Peregrines: Second eyas has hatched and the third egg has a nice pip as of Tuesday.
Geemeff’s Daily Summary for the Woodland Trust and Loch Arkaig:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 28th April 2025
Another quiet day, on Nest Two Dorcha endured a wet and windy night and an equally wet day today, but was largely undisturbed although an intruder Osprey was seen in the distance when Louis delivered his only fish. His tally now stands at fifty five. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 and Blue 536 spent a little time on the nest together, there were some mating attempts and a bit of nest tidying, and one fish was delivered taking Garry’s tally to twenty four. While we await information on Blue 536’s background, tonight’s bonus guide to aging Ospreys by their plumage might come in handy. The weather forecast is much brighter with light winds overnight and full sunshine tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.00.00 (04.54.34); Nest Two 21.54.37 (05.01.37)
Conversations surrounding protecting and caring for our planet and its diverse life forms are undeniably political. As my premier and our soon-to-be prime minister champion the establishment of additional national and provincial parks to preserve our environment, another government is determined to dismantle the hard-won advances achieved over many decades. Understanding why logging and mining are strictly banned in national parks is vital—they are essential safeguards for our natural heritage and future. It is up to the people to cry out so loudly that the 9th of April declaration will also halt the shooting of migratory bird populations. As someone who treasures outdoor spaces and all the living creatures that live in them, who has fought for their protection here and elsewhere, I am simply ill.
I want to close with something that has worried and touched our hearts for many years – the Achieva Osprey Platform. One of my long time readers and a keen observer of this nest has worn their computer out writing to people to help. A recent letter was sent to Connor O’Brien with Window to Wildlife. This is part of that response. If you live in St Petersburg, why not take up the baton and with what Connor is saying get on the phone and try to get some help for these lovely ospreys!
This was Connor’s response:
“I’ve heard about this nest, and I’ve been advising a very passionate person on how to get state law enforcement involved. I’m hopeful that it will help. From my understanding, it seems to be a fairly easy fix.
Sadly, it’s not a nest we could afford to take over. If the company reached out to us to work on it, we could help or advise them. At the end of the day, this company should fix it and make it safe. The state government should enforce that as well, since it is a man-made nest.”
Connor is referring to Achieve Credit Union and I find it interesting that he also refers to law enforcement. Please help if you can by writing to anyone in the St Petersburg area.
Thank you so very much or being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, Heidi, MP, PB’, SK Hideaways, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Lab, Raptor Resource Project/Cornell Bird Lab, Little Miami Conservancy, Salt Point Osprey Cam, Kielder Forest, LRWT, Frenchman’s Creek, Moorings Park Osprey, Wetlands, Sand Point, San Jose City Hall, Lodz, PixCams, Cardinal Land Conservancy, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Duke Farms, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Golden Gate Audubon, Collins Marsh, Raptor Persecution UK, Xcel Energy, Denton Homes, Denton Homes, OPPD Fort Calhoun, Worcester Peregrines, Teweksbury Falcons, IWS/Explore, Cape Henlopen State Park, RSPB Loch Garten
Oh, Thursday was wonderful. We got to spend time with our granddaughter and her Australian boyfriend. We will have her in Winnipeg until the fall, and then she will be heading ‘Down Under’. Thursday has been busy and I did not check on many nests.
I am happy that we had ‘dinner and a show’. The deer came to the bird feeders while we had dinner in the conservatory. Josh so wanted to see a deer, and I had no idea that they were still coming to the garden. I have not seen them. It was magical. They stayed for about an hour and a half, eating birdseed.
Aren’t they adorable with the seed stuck to the end of their nose?
Iris caught herself one of those whoppers she is known for showing up with, to the envy of that male from the Baseball Park. No Finnegan. Ospreys are still arriving in Nova Scotia. I want to be hopeful for those heading to Montana.
Like you, tears will flow if this Finn returns to deliver a big fish to our Queen, Iris.
‘A’ comments: “Iris does appear to be searching for Finnegan. She is at least eating well – whenever I see her, she seems to have a large crop. But it is so sad that Finnegan has not returned to her. Is it Louis who is hanging around? Or is it some other osprey? Certainly, whoever it is is very persistent, as you say, and she is not happy about it. For that reason, I wonder whether it is in fact Louis, because surely she wouldn’t be so keen on protecting the nest from him. The fish, yes, obviously she doesn’t want him stealing that, but would she try driving him away? I’m sure if it is Louis, regular watchers of this nest would recognise him.
‘A’ notes on Friday: “This visiting osprey has brought Iris a nice fish (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcxvXwiAElI) but she is not interested and is obviously still waiting for Finnegan. And to me, that also suggests that this is not Louis, because Louis was a cad. He would have arrived empty-taloned and tried to mate with Iris. So at least this osprey is attempting to woo her, but still, she is not interested. At least, not yet. PLEASE come home Finn.”
Is Athena just the cutest thing? And aren’t her owlets just too adorable for words? I know they’re deadly enemies of our eaglets and osplets but they are truly the most exquisite creatures, are they not? And the little owlets are SO sweet. “
‘CG’ sends us news from Raptor Resource:
This year’s season of ‘The Falcon Bachelor’ flipped the script! As usual, Newman passed out roses – by which we mean food gifts – to a succession of female falcons. We spotted Julie 90/Z (a regular visitor), Kandiyohi H/34, Hope E/60, and Newman’s mate from last year, Elaine U/09! Elaine celebrated her second birthday and first year as an adult this spring, and we were excited to see a little less drama than we saw last year. Or so we thought!
Real Falcon Housewives of the Mississippi River
US Bank to GSB: Five miles as the falcon flies
We have a nest box at the US Bank Building in La Crosse, Wisconsin, roughly five miles SE of Great Spirit Bluff as the falcon flies. Male Ardy 06/D, a 2015 hatch from Ardent Milling in Lake City, MN, has nested there with Karen44/P, a 2016 hatch from MPL’s Clay Boswell plant in Cohasset, MN since at least 2021. We were quite surprised to see Elaine show up in Karen’s stead this spring. Or did she? For at least two weeks, Elaine flew back and forth between La Crosse and Great Spirit Bluff, chasing competitors away, receiving food gifts, and copulating with both males. Twice the courtships, twice the attention, and most importantly, twice the food gifts!
Elaine accepting food gift from Ardy
We’re usually wondering which falcon the irresistible Newman will end up with! But Elaine flipped the script by locking down two territories and two potential mates. Since she appeared to prefer Ardy – she certainly spent more time with him – we were wondering if Newman would end up with a mate at all. When Elaine laid an egg at US Bank La Crosse, we figured it was game over. Sorry, Newman! But Elaine confounded our expectations by laying her next four eggs at Great Spirit Bluff! As I write this…
Elaine and Newman are in full incubation at Great Spirit Bluff. We expect hatch on or around May 5.
Ardy is pursuing an unbanded two-year-old female. Addie isn’t caring for Elaine’s lone egg, but will probably lay her own.
Elaine dropped by to visit US Bank on April 7 while Newman was busy incubating the couple’s eggs. She tussled with Addie, briefly chasing her away. Is she still locking down the territory and/or copulating with Ardy? We’d love to see how closely related the GSB nestlings are to one another, since Newman might not have fathered all of them!
PS: In case you don’t know, mother Savanna was killed by a GHO June, 2023, while protecting her four eyases. No one replaced her in 2024. This scrape is worth a looksee. Great cameras with great views of the surrounding area from near the top of the bluff. I-90 and the Mississippi River below. Across the river is Wisconsin.
Mum and Dad were on the nest at the Sydney Olympic Park.
Geemeff sends us the daily summary for The Woodland Trust and Loch Arkaig:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 17th April 2025
After the excitement of the first egg arriving yesterday, today fell into a steady routine. Louis delivered two fish taking his tally to thirty seven, he and Dorcha spent time on the nest, sometimes together, sometimes taking turns off the nest. A Hooded Crow nearby, not seen on nest cam, made the pair startle and fly off the nest but not for long, and the egg, barely seen in its cocoon of moss, was mostly kept covered from the light rain. The second egg is due in three days, should be sometime on Saturday, but delayed incubation is being practised until it’s laid, and this egg won’t suffer from being left unbrooded for short periods. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 returned with some bedding and spent some time doing nest prep and surveying his territory. The overnight forecast is for mist turning into light rain tomorrow but there should be some dry and sunny spells.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.37.43 (05.23.58); Nest Two 21.40.39 (05.29.07)
Bonus watch – the Beò Airceig initiative founded by Achnacarry Estate, Arkaig Community Forest, Forestry & Land Scotland and Woodland Trust Scotland to revitalise an area larger than Edinburgh:
We have teamed up with three other landowners at #LochArkaig to reawaken the landscape across an area of Lochaber that is larger than Edinburgh. The founding members of Beò Airceig are Achnacarry Estate, Arkaig Community Forest, Forestry and Land Scotland and Woodland Trust Scotland.🧵 1/4
“It’s difficult to give a precise number of poisoned mice an eagle needs to eat before succumbing to rodenticide poisoning. The exact amount of poison that will cause death in an eagle depends on factors like the type and concentration of rodenticide, the size and health of the eagle, and how much of the poisoned prey is consumed. However, it’s clear that eagles can be poisoned through secondary poisoning, meaning they can die from eating prey that has already ingested a lethal dose of rodenticide.
Here’s what the research shows:
The effects of rodenticides can persist:Even after an eagle has eaten poisoned prey, the effects of the rodenticide can last for several months.
Rodenticides are lethal to various animals, including eagles:When a rodent eats bait containing rodenticide, it can take days for the poison to take effect, causing internal bleeding and eventually death.
Eagles can be exposed to rodenticides through their prey:Eagles that eat poisoned mice or rats are at risk of secondary poisoning.
Exposure to rodenticides is widespread:Studies have shown that a significant percentage of eagles tested have anticoagulant rodenticides in their bodies, indicating widespread exposure.
Rodenticides can be a cause of death:While rodenticides aren’t always the direct cause of death in eagles, they have been confirmed as the cause of death in some cases.
The amount of rodenticide ingested is crucial:The lethal dose of rodenticide varies depending on the specific chemical, but it can be relatively small.
OPPD Fort Calhoun: First egg of the season!
Foulshaw Moss: Third egg for White YW and Blue 35.
SW Florida Bald Eagles: M15 and F23. Gorgeous couple. Offseason but thinking of the future. https://youtu.be/pvCpxYiIB_Q?
Latvian White-tail Eagle Nest, Durbe County: Milda and Zorro have two little eaglets! Liznm catches a feeding for us: https://youtu.be/uJUZL1D295g?
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, CG, Geemeff, MP, PB’, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Lab, Cornell Bird Lab, Sydney Sea Eagles, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, OPPD Fort Calhoun, Cumbrian Wildlife Trust, FOBBV, Charlo Montana, Friends of Dillon Ranger District, Vija, Dyfi Osprey Project, Raptor Resource Project, Liznm
Glaslyn: Aran arrived home safely today! Yes. Come on Finnegan. Geemeff sent this: Aran is finally back at Glaslyn. Elen has bonded with Teifi (hatched at Dyfi) so fun and games there today. She is confused and has flapped her wings at Aran. Aran has been defending his nest – and his Mrs! All quiet now, I think Aran is chasing Teifi away. Going to be fun there. The same thing happened at the Llyn Brenig nest and seemingly that hasn’t settled yet.
Dyfi: Idris and Telyn have their second egg of the season.
John Bunker Sands Wetlands: The second eagle fledged.
Bety and Bukachek are reunited at the Mlade Buky White Stork nest! Thank you PB.
15 degrees C. Feels like summer.
It just feels like spring is here on the Canadian prairies. The Dark-eyed Juncos are enjoying the White Millet that has been scattered on the deck and on a small piece of ice near the wood box. The central heating is turned off. Our heavy winter coats are in the closet. If a blizzard hits – and they have been known to – we can easily grab them. A replacement bird bath has been ordered and we are beginning to clean up the yard where we can. Some things are still frozen to the ground!
In anticipation of the arrival of our songbirds and raptors, I will remind everyone how to keep their feeders clean so as not to spread disease:
The National Audubon Society gives these tips to help stop the spread of bird diseases such as avian flu. Clean feeders and bird baths with a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach every two weeks. Use multiple feeders to make it easier for birds to feed at a distance from each other, and remove feces and seed casings from below feeders regularly.
On the way home, the Bald Eagle that has its nest between our nature centre and the dump, flew right in front of our moving car, and grabbed an enormous bunch of dried grass and lifted off. Majestic. Thank goodness I was not driving fast. This all happened in the blink of an eye. Huge talons full of dead grasses and a flurry to get off. Scared me. I cannot imagine hitting this beautiful creature. I cannot imagine anyone doing them (or any other wildlife) harm.
It was not a surprise. So many were hopeful. Still, the 4th eaglet did not survive at Fort St Vrain. Many of you wrote to say that you are glad that the little one went quickly.
A growing number of you, along with others we may not yet know, are passionately seeking support. Last year, ‘MP’ and I faced significant frustration as we encountered endless obstacles—it felt like we were stuck in a loop. It is essential that we find a dedicated individual in the area who is willing to champion this important initiative. Having high-quality photographs is vital; many potential supporters rely on current visuals, but the images available on Google Maps are often outdated. Let’s come together to ensure we capture the attention and resources needed to move this project forward. for the Achieva Osprey Platform.
Geemeff sends the daily summary for the Woodland Trust and Loch Arkaig:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 11th April 2025Today was a bit calmer, no intruders on Nest Two, just plenty of fish deliveries from Louis giving Dorcha the luxury of refusing one or two of them. Louis brought four fish to the nest, taking his tally to twenty four, along with sticks and moss to prepare the nest ready for the arrival of the first egg. That could be as early as the 14th, just three days away – there will be many watchers looking out for that special event. Over on Nest One, the day started with an early morning visit from a Tawny Owl who only stayed for a few minutes, giving her distinctive call before flying away again. Garry LV0 brought a fish but had no takers as neither Affric 152 nor any unattached females were seen, and he took it away again. Perhaps the continuing good weather will bring some traffic to the area and give Garry the hope of finding a mate. Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.31.23 (05.34.38); Nest Two 21.43.39 (05.40.16)Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/OEnaIWW4XeE N1 Tawny Owl visits 04.06.02https://youtu.be/2y8zxmxgX9M N2 Fish number one – early breakfast arrives 06.13.32
The Bird of the Week from the American Bird Conservancy.
Its life is threatened by habitat loss due to logging and mining.
Many more are threatened by our lights. Turn them off during migration as ‘PB’ has done. They send us the latest migration map.
While we are sad when we lose a little one or the adults do not return, there are many to celebrate including USS8 who is being fed by his dad, Irv, at the US Steel Nest.. https://youtu.be/IswC6bNr6Nw?
Thankful for our miracle, Bodie.
For Sunny and Gizmo at Big Bear Valley:
For only amazing miracle eaglet, Betty Lou, at Sauces Canyon:
For Iris returning to us at Hellgate Canyon:
I have a deep appreciation for European Starlings and House Sparrows. It’s disheartening to see their numbers dwindling in my garden, and the decline of the Starling population in the UK is alarming. We must take action to protect our feathered friends. When you encounter a garden company claiming to rid your space of weeds without using any toxic chemicals, challenge their assertions—it’s simply misguided. Our environment and wildlife deserve better!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write this short post today: ‘Geemeff, J, PB’, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, JBSW, Mlade Buke White Stork News, The Audubon Society, Fort St Vrain, Achieva Credit Union, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Sydney Sea Eagle FB, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, American Bird Conservancy, USFWS Columbia Pacific, The Guardian
Update: Sadly the little eaglet at Decorah North with the crushed egg that fought valiantly to get out for more than 4 days has sadly died. The second pip is still in progress at DN. Andor and Cruz have their second hatch at Fraser Point. Chase and Cholyn were seen mating near their old nest.
Monday was glorious. The sky is blue with a few fluffy white clouds coming in from the West around 1633. We were outside for awhile. Geese are landing on the local soccer fields and flying overhead while the Crows are making a racket wanting more food. The two of them are quite loud. So glad that the weather is warming up and the animals are coming back to the garden daily.
At the time I am writing this there is not a lot of news – other than to say that the eaglets on all the nests seem to be doing alright today.
I missed it on Monday. Scout and Bella now have triplets and Blue 372, the female at Lyn Brenig in Wales has returned at 15:54 on Monday. At the Decorah North nest, the chick is still moving inside the egg after 4 days of trying to hatch on Monday. I hope by the time you read this that little one is safe and out of its shell – finally. Another eaglet at Decorah is also hatching as of Monday.
Gracie Shepherd posted Terry Anita’s message on FB:
The mystery of why the adults at the KNF-E3 nest did not feed their second hatch and did not bring in much food for four days remains. ‘MP’ reports that one of the Rangers (Steve) said plenty of Coots were in the lake for prey. Others cite recent chats where intruders were blamed and earlier claims of the eagles’ inexperience. Whatever the cause, watching the KNF E3 nest compared to the nest of Beau and Gabby at NEFlorida should give us all pause to reflect on whether it is better to resort to competition or cooperation. [Thank you to everyone who sent in comments and copies of chats regarding the KNF nest].
Gabby came in with a fish. Bodie was waiting on the nest and VJ flew in for a family meal. Gabby fed Bodie and VJ together Monday afternoon! Cooperation. Both eaglets thriving.
An unringed female has visited Tweed Valley Nest 2 on Monday.
Moorings Park: The Only Bob is entering the Reptilian Phase. Notice the copper-red feathers coming in at the back of the head and the nape of the neck. In a couple of days, this cute little bobble head will look like it dipped its head in dark black oil.
Manton Bay: Blue 33 delivering fish and helping Maya work on the nest. Guesses as to when the first egg will be laid were seen on the chat. I always lose, but it is fun to take part. My guess was 31 March. We will see how far off I am!
Loch of the Lowes: Blue NC0 continues to fish and to work on her nest while she waits the arrival of a male partner after the loss of LM12 Laddie last season.
Llyn Clywedog: Reports that two ospreys were seen flying over the reservoir and one landed on the nest of Dylan and Seren. The streaming cam is not yet operational. John Williams hopes to have it up and running today. Williams reports damage to nest 2 stating the couple will nee to work to get it in shape. Last year Dylan and Seren arrived on the 28th of March.
Bald Eagle News:
Sauces Canyon: Isn’t this just the most beautiful sight? A healthy full to the brim eaglet with a parent that tried so hard for this moment? I sure hope they get some more cot rails on this nest!!!!!!!!! That little one is scooting around like it has wheels on those talons.
Fraser Point: One eaglet and a second egg is pipping on Monday. Cruz and Andor do not like to show off their eaglet!
NCTC: Then there were three. Send this nest the most positive wishes that you can.
Big Bear: Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets are moving about and flapping those sweet wings. Their thermal down is coming in and look closely for feathers.
The largest was walking across the nest on Monday using its wing for balance.
It is no wonder these two are growing like bad weeds. They had 11 meals on Monday. Jackie and Shadow are going to make sure that these precious gifts are never hungry. I don’t know about you but just knowing that Jackie and Shadow and Jak and Audacity finally got to be parents again has really made the pain of this breeding season tolerable. Here is that last feeding caught on video by SK Hideaways: https://youtu.be/HAVcM_3_XiI?
Bluff City-ETSU: Squirrel and fish were on the menu Monday.
Johnson City-ETSU: The only eaglet is growing like a wild weed. Look at the little dandelion mohawk!
‘PB’ sent me great news. The ducks are coming, the ducks are coming!!!!!!!
Thank you for being with us. It is spring. We hope you can get outside and smell the freshness of the air. It is such a nice change from being inside for the winter so much. And smile. We are so lucky to spend time with these wonderful Raptor families. I am looking forward to the arrival of the ducks, many more Canada Geese, and the Pelicans! Take care of yourself. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘H, J, L, MP, PB’, Gracie Shepherd and Terri Anita, NEFL-AEF, Kielder Forest, IWS/Explore, Osprey InfoUK, East Ayshire Trust, LRWT, Woodland Trust (LOTL), The Clywedog Osprey Group, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Duke Farms, NCTC, Bluff-City ETSU, Johnson City-ETSU, SPO, Nonsuch Expeditions, Cohen Wildlife
I am finishing reading David Gessner’s book, The Book of Flaco. The World’s Most Famous Bird. I have about a quarter more to go, and I will send a review. However, I have discovered another writer who brings up topics we should contemplate within this volume. The author is Jack Turner, and the excerpts from his book, The Abstract Wild, set me out to order a copy.
The thread that bonds ‘us’ is our deep love and caring for animals, whether real or virtual. I have found it as easy to care for the lives of Jak and Audacity and suffer through their struggles as I have with Hugo Yugo and her teeth. Now, seeing the second hatch on the Kistachie E3 nest being beaten to death and starving causes acute anxiety and tears. Gessner writes about Turner: “In his brilliant manifesto….Jack Turner mourns the loss of our deep connection with animals. Implied in this is our unwillingness to fight for wild animals.” He then quotes Turner: “To reverse this situation we must become so intimate with wild animals, with plants and places, that we answer to their destruction from the gut. Like when we discover the landlady strangling our cat.” (135)
We turn to nature, to the trails in the woods, to the open skies for relief from what is surely a deplorable state on our planet. Nature is healing. I can no longer read the news where country upon country is attacking others and killing ordinary people, destroying their lives and homes – and, of course, the pets and the wildlife alongside this. Or the news that truck loads of people have powerful rifles and are aiming at the skies in Lebanon to kill innocent storks – the ones who survived the winter and the long migration and are returning to breed. What makes us so unique to think we can do this? Thank goodness there are a few people willing to get out there and stand up to make sure those people leave.
Each of us needs to find a way to stand up and help. And it doesn’t have to be money because everyone is struggling in this current economy. We have discussed this before, but right now, your volunteering, those old clean sheets, that bottle of bleach or detergent, and a flat of cat or dog food are more needed than ever. Each day, more beautiful animals are being left tied to the doors of pet shelters, surrendered by families who can no longer afford to feed themselves, never mind a much-loved pet. Help if you can in whatever way you can. Time, money, making phone calls, helping with fundraising, whatever…please help. Even that single bowl of water refilled during the day for migrating birds is a huge help. Do not underestimate these small acts of kindness. They save lives. Show that humans do care about wildlife and domesticated pets. Stay positive! Look for the beauty. It is right there, and it might need your help.
Turning to something different, I am so happy today. In the very late fall, when snow and ice were at the nature centre, we found two Canada Geese. They were ‘stranded’ here, and it was too late to fly. We told the lovely girl at reception, and she phoned Wildlife Haven, and they picked them up to add to four others from the centre from the previous day. Today, all six were released to the lake to join hundreds of other geese that have arrived, marking spring in Manitoba.
It was so lovely to be there to witness their return! [Please note the pet carriers. All rehab centers need them to help transport animals. If you have some sitting around please do donate them!]
All of the preparations for the outside animals have been made along with The Girls or our mini-break to Hecla Island. We are not gone long, returning late on Friday. We have a new cat sitter, but a miracle has happened. I do not know why we are so blessed, but I will take it. Anne, who has been with us for 15 months, helping with respite care for Don and giving me a break, has offered to take care of the girls when we travel. The Girls love Anne, they know her well. They run to the door when she arrives. This is so much of a relief. I do not know how many longer trips there are in our future, but I know that I will be much more relaxed now!
Bald Eagle News:
NE Florida: Bodie is learning to live like an eagle and doing well. (more news below)
Kisatchie E3: Three fish came on the nest. The eldest got all of then while the youngest was both submissive and attacked vigorously by the oldest almost to the point of death. They are both starving. The oldest will live another day, but will the youngest. This nest needs food, more food so that the adult might ‘decide’ (she or he is ignoring it)* and intruders and owls are not helping. Send them positive wishes, please. (Warning or watching this nest).
*As we have often seen, adults do not respond to chicks that are submissive and hungry. This nest was going OK, not great but it had the potential to fledge two. Now that is in jeopardy.
West End: Makaio’s new mate FV at the West End nest has been chosen by a donor an winner in the nest challenge.
Sauces Canyon: Jak and Audacity do not wish for SC1 to go hungry. The nest is full of seal placenta, seabirds of some type, fish. The little one is so protected in that deep nest bowl. This family is simply delightful.
The first egg has been laid at the Surrey Bald Eagle nest of Brit and Rey in British Columbia, Canada.
‘J’ sends sad news from PA County Farm:
Osprey News:
Heidi’s News:
3/18 – Fenwick Island osprey nest (Delaware, Captain Mac’s Fish House) – Woohoo, Johnny arrived back at the nest a day after we first saw June. How wonderful! Happy to see this pair again. Last season, June and Johnny lost their first two eggs to crows… so “I would advise that you two be more diligent this season, okay?” lol.
3/18 – Wolf Bay osprey nest (Alabama) – Congratulations to Josie and Bert. Egg #2 was laid in the early morning hours today.
3/18 – South Cape May Meadows osprey nest (New Jersey) – We have been awaiting the return of Hera and Zeus from their migration. Last season their two very young babies were predated by a Great Horned Owl. Then this morning… We witnessed a GHO visit the nest, and our hearts sank.
Thank you, Heidi.
There has been no news of new arrivals in the UK or Europe at the time of this writing.
Eschenbach, Germany: “Herbert is already in nesting mode and has started working on the nest, carrying and moving branches. He is waiting for Hermine, of course, but if there are other candidates, the place must be attractive, not only for the capabilities of the titular male, but also for the comfort it offers. A long migration is well worth it!”
PARQUE NACIONAL MARÍTIMO-TERRESTRE DEL ARCHIPIÉLAGO DE CABRERA: Both adults have arrived at the nest and are refurbishing and mating. https://youtu.be/vEaRhXjFrkc?
Loch of the Lowes: Blue NC0 has begun refurbishing her nest waiting for the male who will be her new mate and provider.
Not only is Blue NC0 a good mother, she is also an amazing fisher. Look at that salmon!!!!!!!!
Guildford, Connecticut: Osprey on the nest!
Threave: Osprey has touched down. Believed to be a male. We are hoping it is Black 80.
Other Nest News:
At 4:51:54, Beau takes a fish from the juvenile intruder and gives it to Bodie who horks that fish down looking straight at the camera. While we might all have been ‘sick’ to see this intruder, it is possible that Bodie not having a sibling has learned many survival skills she will need in the wild by having this visitor.
They appear to be ‘friends’ now as long as it does not involve food. Bodie beaked and protected his food yesterday. This is a great learning experience. I think Gabby and Beau have decided that too.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. Tomorrow we leave for Hecla Island. We will return on Friday after hopefully seeing American White Pelicans, Trumpeter Swans, and Geese that have arrived recently. I do not know if I will be sending out a blog during that time but I will be back with you for sure on Saturday.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, J’, NEFL-AEF, Carol Shores Rifkin, Institute for Wildlife Studies, Fenwick Island, Wolf Bay, SCMM, Eschenbach Ospreys, PARQUE NACIONAL MARÍTIMO-TERRESTRE DEL ARCHIPIÉLAGO DE CABRERA, Loch of the Lowes, Guildford Connecticut Osprey Group, SK Hideaways, Knepp Farm and Torrington Storks, World Bird Sanctuary, Maria Marika, Elain, IWS/Explore, Kistachie National Forest E3, PA Country Farm
– 2nd April, 
