Category Archives: murmurations

Saturday in Bird World

17 August 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Friday was the last full day of our time in Nova Scotia, and it turned out to be a blockbuster day. We arrived at Evangeline Beach in time for the Semipalmated Sandpiper murmurations! After arriving from Hudson Bay and the Arctic region, thousands of shorebirds feed on the mollusc. They will fill their bellies and get the much-needed fat on their bones in Nova Scotia before heading off for their flight to South America. It was one of the most magical moments I can remember.

I will post images from the long lens camera – thankfully I took the 600 mm. This is a poor video from my iPhone.

Turning left out of the beach road, a lone eagle was waiting for someone to toss out a dead chicken from one of the barns at a local farm.

There were eagles all along the road, sitting on hydro poles near the corn fields waiting for prey! I have images of them on my other camera and will post those for Monday. The day turned out to be really nice in terms of bird sightings.

The Eastern Kingbirds and Northern Mockingbirds have been around the animal sanctuary. The Mockingbirds particularly like the raspberries! The animals are positively charming. We respect what Jen and Will are trying to do here, taking in unwanted or abused farm animals – including a couple of feral cats. It is a lot of hard work, from dawn to dusk. I appreciate the cost of feeding and the vet care necessary for the animals, not to mention the upkeep of fencing! They sure don’t do it for the donations – it is sheer love.

This is Jen with Cece. A woman phoned at Christmas, wanting to know what to do with her newly born pot-bellied pigs. Could Jen help? At the end of it all, the baby piglets died all but one, and it was very tiny and sick when Jen finally was able to rescue it. Cece fit in the palm of Jen’s hand and had to be fed by a syringe. Cece lived to the surprise of many and thrived. Just look at her now! She is trained to live in a house but is learning to live with the other animals running free on the five-acre property.

There are too many wanting pot-bellied pigs for pets. They do grow, they need to be spayed or neutered and they need exercise. Many people do not understand how intelligent they are and are not equipped to take proper care of them. Jen now has eleven!

These two are below the apple tree. They love the apples and rolling in the mud in the little stream next to the tree.

The sheep are lovely. Not as trusting as some of the other animals. These two, mother and daughter, were quite abused and again, not expected to live. It is a testament to the knowledge and dedication — and love – that Jen gives to them. They are thriving like the donkey and the pony that are now nearly 30 years old.

The owner of the rooster had to move and could not keep him. They loved the rooster so much that they offered to help with its upkeep for as long as it lived. The rooster is thriving.

This turkey missed being someone’s dinner on Thanksgiving! It loves nothing more than a good dirt bath.

The sanctuary began with five goats that were not expected to survive. They did, and here they are now—adorable. They love people and want nothing more than to be petted.

Staying at the sanctuary enriched our holiday. I learned so much and am appalled at how harmful humans can be. It is unbelievable what we do to other living souls. It was a real joy to be in a place where life is respected.

Other adventures. included the wonderful surprises awaiting in the small town. Two decades ago, Canning was a small village that appeared destined to fold. Today, with the help of the local distilleries, wineries, tourists, and a group of young entrepreneurs, the town has taken on a new life.

The coffee was fantastic, too! The baking was delicious and is in high demand so you have to arrive early in the day to have good choices. Everything is gone around 1400 and the little shop closes at 1500. They seem to be doing well. They also sell some of the local coffee roasters beans along with pottery and art work including that of Will, one of the owners where we are staying.

The relaxed way of life, the charm of the small villages, and the friendliness of the people helped us enjoy every minute of the time we were visiting the Annapolis Valley. I look forward to returning!

Turning back to Bird World – Dr Green has found Antali. Everyone was quite worried. Antali is spending time with Dad, Finnegan, down river and is being fed well. Maybe Iris and Finnegan are dividing up the responsibilities for the two with Iris providing for Sum-eh???

‘PB’ sent me an image of Finnegan’s latest catch. My goodness. Him and Antali will be having a feast!

After spending so much time around tourists, beaches, and shorebirds, I completely understand the need to protect their nests!

Cages installed to help nesting Ringed Plovers – BirdGuidesDownload

The issue of the industrial fishing of the Menhaden is also harming the Striped Bass. It is the food chain. The commercial fishing needs to stop, not only in the Bay but also far enough away from the its mouth so that there might be some hope for the fish to recover in terms of populations, but this will not happen unless there is an immediate moratorium.

STRIPEDBASS_Issue10_05-17-2024Download

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

Daily summary Friday 16th August 2024

Garry LV0 and Affric 152 spent hours on the nest again today. Although Affric gave Garry much vocal encouragement, he only brought moss to the nest, no fish. Fundación Migres provided more photos of the Scottish cohort including our chick 1JW, we’re not sure which photo he’s in but all the birds look in magnificent shape as they prepare for migration. Photos and tweets cobbled together into a video for those who don’t get on with TwiX. Weather-wise it was wet and windy as forecast, and more of the same tonight but with a possibility of dry spells tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One  21.56.53 (05.06.56); Nest Two 21.47.01 (05.13.30)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/RnY54XNtci8 Spain: more photos and tweets of 1JW and the other ten translocatees

https://youtu.be/rQYUcsjAKB0 N1 Affric joins Garry but he brings sticks not fish 10.51.20

https://youtu.be/lD-oLI2NjpA N1 Garry and Affric return later but there’s still no fish 16.20.59

Bonus photo – our ringer Lewis Pate makes The Week In Wildlife (thanks Moira)

https://bit.ly/WeekInWildlifeLewisringingaSeaEaglechick

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

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

‘A’ comments about the Royal Albatross:

“At Taiaroa Head, TF chick is doing well, according to his latest weighing. He has been fed regularly by his parents over the past two weeks. The chicks are all starting to flap and hop, stretching their wings to feel the wind. It is so sad to think that when they go, they are leaving for up to five years, heading for South America (off the coast of Chile) and not returning to Taiaroa Head for four to five years, when they will return to their natal nesting area to find a mate. We have a long time to become deeply attached to these chicks, born in January and leaving us in September. That’s many months to fall in love with them, watch them, wait for their parents, and hope for their wellbeing. It is such a bittersweet moment, and I will never forget the look of sheer bliss on Lilibet’s face as she fledged into the storm. It was an amazing thing to watch live. I felt very privileged indeed.”

“Lady is doing a great job of feeding the eaglet, really stretching to reach it and giving it just the right sized pieces, and the chick in turn is a great little feeder. SE34 is hungry and is eager to reach out for the bites. I did notice a size difference between the chicks yesterday or the day before, but they are still relatively closely matched. Once or twice, when Lady goes to clean bits of fish off SE34’s face, the eaglet shrinks as if intimidated and on one occasion ducks and tucks, but in general, it seems confident when eating. 

Just before 15:53, after SE34 really reaches to grab a big bite, Lady drags the fish closer to the chicks. Shortly before 15:54, SE33 wakes up. SE34 continues to accept the bites Lady offers. SE33 is sitting up and watching the feeding. It has a PS, but does not interfere as SE34 continues to eat, not appearing to be intimidated at all by its sibling. 

The two eaglets were left alone on the nest for a lot of time today – it was a sunny spring day and I doubt they were cold, and I also presume there was a parent within eyeshot somewhere, though I didn’t see either. 

At 15:55 SE34 is being very careful not to look SE33 directly in the eye, but is not scared to accept yet another bite of fish. SE33 does another (small) PS. Lady continues feeding SE34, who continues taking mouthfuls without hesitation. SE33 sits beside SE34 at the table but is not being offered food, so competes for a bite. Lady looks slightly startled. 

At 15:56 Lady gives a bite to SE33. At 15:56:35 the next bite goes to SE34 and SE33 decides to take exception, beaking its sibling in the head. It grabs a beakful of head feathers and twists at the back of SE34’s head. No damage is being done but SE33 is definitely frustrated and continues its attack for a full 20 seconds before looking up at mum. SE34 stays down. 

Lady offers SE33 a bite, then proceeds to clean up the table, have a few bites herself, and generally not feed SE33. She offers a bite around 15:58 but there is no interest. She offers another and SE33 accepts it. Lady gives SE33 a second bite, then a third, and SE34 lifts its head. Lady continues feeding SE33 (who has the remains of an earlier crop). SE34 is getting squashed by its sibling. 16:02 and the feeding of SE33 continues. SE34 watches but is not offered any bites, nor does it compete for any. On the other hand, SE34 is pretty full by now, with a very respectable crop, and is certainly not intimidated, with its head up. At 16:02:45 Lady offers a bite to SE34, who accepts it without hesitation. There is no reaction from SE33. So it appears the bonking that is occurring on this nest is not causing problems with SE34’s feeding. SE34 is not intimidated out of eating and Lady is keeping an eye on your younger hatch. So far, so good. But as we know, these nests are very volatile and the dynamics can change rapidly and dramatically. Talons crossed that Lady and Dad do their usual sterling job. “

Thank you so much for being with us today. There will not be a posting on Sunday as we arrive home late Saturday. I will look forward to sharing some of the images of the shorebirds and more eagles on Monday. In the meantime, take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for the posts, notes, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, BAH, Geemeff, H, PB’, Jen Lussing and Will Cooper and the animals at the LAILO Farm Sanctuary, Aspinall Pottery, The Village Coffee Shop, Montana Osprey Cam FB, Montana Osprey Project, BirdGuides, Menhaden- Little Fish, Big Deal, Maryland DNR, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, NZ-DOC and Cornell Bird Lab, and Olympic Park Eagles.

Anna and Louis have a hatch, pip for Connie and Clive…Monday in Bird World

9 January 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that you had a lovely weekend. Maybe some time to watch some birds? or did you stay glued to the screen over the Es at Southwest Florida? It was beautiful here on the Canadian Prairies with a reasonable temperature but, the wind remained such that being outside had you gasping for breath. I am hoping to get out this coming week! Til then I am still working on all my new year’s cleaning! How can two kittens, not big cats yet, leave behind so many furry balls every day? It is like they invite friends over and party all night! Quietly.

I love the Starlings that come to my garden. I would not want them to ever stop coming. They are on the Red List in the UK – they were one of the first birds I posted when I began listing the 20 or so out of the 160 odd that are vulnerable to extinction. Here they are in murmuration.

Have a read. The decline in winter birds that migrate to the UK and their empty nests has many worried. Once there would have been 2 million Starlings murmuring in Somerset at dusk, now there is only 25% of that number. What is the cause?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/08/uk-wintering-birds-sharp-decline?CMP=share_btn_link

HeidiMc has a lovely video of a day in the life of Ron and Rose..greetings, working on the nest, lots of chortling and a fish delivery. A nice celebration of a new relationship! Thanks H.

And another video by Golden Gate Audubon. Peregrine Falcons have been spending time on Richmond and Rosie’s Whirly Crane Osprey nest in SF Bay. I wondered if they were any of the fledged CalFalcon chicks but they answered this in the description – no. If they find out where the falcon was banded, they will let us know. Until then…he or she is a cutie.

There is news of WBSE27: On the 14th of December, WBSE 27 was at Swan Bay on the Karuah River. You can see Sydney and then the red pin. It is a distance of 188 km.

Isn’t she beautiful? I wish Lady and Dad knew their baby was safe and doing well.

WBSE27 is 17 months old and is going through her first moult. As a result she has shed her tracker which was attached to her tail. WBSE 27 is banded so any future sightings will be from the band and not the tracker. “Now SE27 starts the new year afresh – while we can no longer follow her adventures, we have a wealth of information to analyse and share! We are happy that she has found her way in the world after such a rocky start. She is familiar with a wide expanse of the Hunter Region of NSW, and has established travel corridors, roosting and feeding areas. We hope that in the next few years she’ll be able to find a territory, mate and nesting site, and one day produce chicks of her own to continue the journey.” Tears. After watching these beautiful babies thrive on the nest, it is a tragedy that they are so attacked by the smaller birds to the point of near death or death unless someone finds them and takes them so they can have the care they require. WBSE30 will get a sat pak tracker when she is released and we will be able to watch another baby.

My wish for the new year is that all of the sea eagle fledglings go and sit in front of the Discovery Centre – right away after fledging – and are taken into care so they will be able to thrive in the wild knowing how to hunt prey and fly well like 27. OR that someone comes up with a solution to the Currawongs, Boobook Owls, and Magpies that harass them til they are no longer in their parents territory, are injured, or stave to death.

Suzanne Arnold Horning caught Big Red and Arthur out in the sunshine on Sunday. Big Red first and Arthur the second image. Thanks SAH.

There are birds that instantly will draw me to tears – tears of joy and relief. In Ferris Akel’s tour of 7 January, we saw Big Red and L4 hunting. Cornell has posted a tweet showing L2 on Sunday morning. Also Karel Sedlacek had Arthur on his iPhone presentation on Sunday. So why am I so happy? All of Big Red and Arthur’s kids from 2022 are accounted for: L3 is in care but preparing for release in the spring (we believe). L2 and L4 are hunting in their parent’s territory. Sadly, we lost L1 when she hit a glass corridor at Cornell (shame on them for having no bird proofing on that!). This is the very first year that I can remember fledglings being present in January! There is obviously plenty of food and Mum and Dad are not anxious for them to go anywhere. Tears of joy.

Finally a good look at both of the eaglets on the Superbeaks cam at once and look at those crops. Goodness these eaglets are being well fed and nicely cared for by Pepe and Muhlady. Notice also that a big stick has been placed across that opening to the left! Yes.

Big crops for both E3-01 and E3-02 at 1302 on Sunday! And it looks like there are still about nine fish on that nest. Alex is a great provider.

Alex came in yesterday and diffused a bonking event. E3-01 was 12 days old. Bonking seems to start with the growth of the thermal down (or at the age of about 8 days in Ospreys). It is hard to watch and entirely not understandable with a nest with so much fish but, in fact, food sometimes has nothing to do with it. Just a dominance issue. Thanks, Alex, for stepping in. Not worried about them…the eldest just making sure the little one knows who is boss!

Sunday. Look at the fish on the nest of Alex and Andria. Both babies eating well.

The key is to let the older sibling eat til it is about to pop and then feed the younger. This is only a problem if there is not enough food. On this nest there is tonnes of fish. No shortage here and both parents are willing to feed til they each have a crop as in the image above and below. The eldest can be a stinker.

Anna is listening to the eggs as she has a fish lunch at the E1 nest in the Kisatchie National Forest. There is a pip in one of the eggs.

And there is a hatch!!!!! Welcome to the world, E1-03.

Oh, precious. Louis will start hauling in the fish now. Can’t wait to see what he brings in – last year he was so excited he brought in 11 and Anna brought in 9 for a total of 20 fish on the nest in a single day. These eagles in Louisiana hatched at Kincaid Lake eat well!

MO and FO are still there. Reports are coming in from the SW coast of Florida that a lot of Ospreys are now returning to the area. I hope there are not too many nest fights. Will Lena return? Is Andy still out there?

MO and FO are working on technique.

E21 and 22 are fed well. There is some beaking at times. Still, they are adorable. How many eaglets has Harriet raised? Everyone to fledge as far as I know. I do not worry about these two at all.

Gabby and V3 on alert today.

Both Gabby and V3 were sleeping at the nest tonight. You could see Gabby on cam 1 and V3 on cam 2.

It is nearing 0700 and Zoe is awake wishing for a breakfast fish. Mum and Dad appear to be trying to get their girl to go out and fish for her own breakfast. Yesterday Dad brought a fish and Mum brought a fish but the times for the deliveries were late in the day: 16:42 and 17:50. So our girl went to sleep full to the brim. Today she is 113 days old.

A screaming Indigo!!!!!!!

I wanted to stop and check on Karl II’s family – the Black Storks from the Karula National Forest in Estonia. There has been no transmission from Karl or Kaia since they were in Africa and this is expected. There has been no transmission from Bonus since he was crossing the Eastern Desert in Egypt and I do not know yet what to think about that. Urdu (2021) remains in Turkey near the Aegean Sea although he flew west and not south. Perhaps Udu will stay in Turkey??

Little Waba (2022) seems to have really settled in to staying in Sudan on their side of the Nile. He is actively fishing.

A few bobble heads to watch and keep you yelling at the screen when they are beaking. It does end! It is often not nice to watch. If it drives you crazy, take a few days off. It looks like Diane at Achieva has a problem. She flipped in the nest into that hole in the centre. Last year that ‘hole’ at their eggs. No sense laying them this year if that hole that the squirrels made is not patched!!!! It appears that the eggs at Metro Aviation are not viable. The female is new replacing a long term mate of the male this year. The new female is very restless on the eggs tonight. Maybe a miracle late hatch? It would be nice as that nest has a history of successful fledges.

Last, congratulations to Connie and Clive on the pip of their first egg at Captiva. Last year their eggs were not viable. Wonderful news after the tragedy of Hurricane Ian, too.

Thanks for being with me today. Take care all. See you soon!

Thanks to the following for their notes, posts, videos, announcements, tweets, and photos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: The Guardian, Heidi Mc and WRDC, Golden Gate Audubon, Raptor Recovery Australia, Suzanne Arnold Horning, @CornellHawks, Superbeaks, KNF-E3, KNF-E1, Window to Wildlife, SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, NEFL-AEF, PLO, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, and Looduskalender.