Monday was such a gorgeous day. So many people were out at the park having a picnic. The sun was glorious, as was the blue sky. Canada Geese started flying onto the pond around 1530. Some had been eating on the cricket fields earlier. Several Mallards and some Wood Ducks were still in the park. It is to get cold tonight, down to 0 C. Will everyone leave soon?
A male wood duck in transition. He will not normally begin migration until he has all of his new feathers.
I went to the park to clear my head. Lewis, as you will know, has some health issues – specifically, his immune system appears to be attacking his gums, causing them to swell up with intense inflammation. He was given painkillers but, ironically, taking them coincided with his inability to keep food down. I stopped the painkillers on Monday around noon. Lewis ate mushy tinned food this evening, and so far, he has kept it down – and then he didn’t. He was ‘starving’ at midnight, and I gave him soft, mushy food with broth. He couldn’t keep it down.
But, for a few moments, he managed to be his silly self. I brought in the herb pots from the garden for fear that frost would get them tonight. Lewis immediately curled up with the chives after I watered them.
When he and Missey were little, they had this habit of wanting to lay on the wet soil of the plant pots. One of their little idiosyncrasies. I never knew what was so attractive, and now, look, he is so big he can’t wrap around the pot anymore!
Missey spent the day watching the Dark-eyed Juncos out of the window. They were all over the garden.
We wait to see about Lewis and to see if he is HPI positive or negative. I will also have an ultrasound done to make sure there is no blockage that is causing his regurgitation. Thank you for your continued good wishes for our darling boy.
I am attaching the latest news from Birdlife Malta. It will show you the challenges that people face trying to protect the raptors that migrate over that country.
I did not spend a lot of time checking on the nests. The Bald Eagles are coming and going to their nests in the United States preparing for the upcoming breeding season.
V3 was guarding the nest while Gabby was trying it out!
Clive and Connie were on the Captiva Bald Eagle Nest. Their 2022 chick, Connick, remains in the care of the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey at Maitland, Florida. He will be released as soon as all of his feathers are grown in. I will let you know as soon as Audubon has provided release details.
Beautiful night at Superbeaks. Pepe and Muhlady have been diligent in getting their nest ready.
In Australia, we now have only one Peregrine Falcon family: Diamond and Xavier on the streaming cam. The two chicks are doing fantastic. Both are well fed – and always are ready for more prey. Xavier has had time feeding them but they are too big for him to brood. They are even getting too big for Diamond!
The feeding after 1430. Adorable…just adorable.
‘A’ adds: “At Orange, Xavier is doing his usual sterling job of keeping the scrape well provided with food. Diamond is doing a much better job now that the little one can fight with his sibling on a relatively equal basis for the food. Oh, but that little one is demanding. It NEVER stops begging for food unless its beak is full. I’m not even convinced he doesn’t squeak in his sleep as he dreams of food! I adore this chick. (Yes, I know I adore all of them, but this one is SUCH a personality. Xavier and Diamond certainly do produce some feisty eyases, do they not? Here is a feeding from this morning (Tuesday 10 October): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLXfdZT5C64&list=TLPQMTAxMDIwMjOq7dYrqDV9Tw&index=4. See how well our little one is doing. And doesn’t Xavier look even more dashing and handsome than usual?”
Only a miracle could save an egg in Melbourne. F22 was on the eggs for a bit and was at the north end of the scrape. She looks ‘rugged and ragged’ according to ‘A’ – her feathers dishevelled. She also appears to have some pain but is looking a wee better.
The Sydney Sea Eagles will be branching soon. Branching is specifically flying from the nest to land on a branch. It is not walking up a branch. They are gorgeous eaglets. Lady and Dad have done a superb job. I hope – for once – that they get to train these two to hunt prey and help them with their flying! I know the odds are against this but – I would like to hope.
31 has been on that branch for some time.
We are awaiting the pip watch at Port Lincoln. Some think this will happen on the 12th so we are only a couple of days away. I want to see if this new Dad can pick up the pace with the fish and get at least 7 or 8 on that nest daily until those chicks are a month old. We might see another three fledge again like the year of Bazza, Falky, and Ervie. Wouldn’t that be something?
There are eggs at Turnby Island that will hatch in the next few days. Eggciting news for South Australia.
Lady Hawk has highlights for the Royal Cam family at Taiaroa Head. We will never forget you, beautiful Prince Manaaki. We wish you safe travels, prevailing winds and a tummy full of squid. And we wait for the day we will see you again.
It looks like the GHOs might want to claim that beautiful nest at Skidaway Island this year.
On the way to the park Monday afternoon, my mind was boggled at the sight of leaf blowers, lawnmowers, and bags and bags of leaves so everyone could have a pristine lawn. There needs to be a blitz in every community, in schools, in the local paper to get people to stop – stop with the toxins to make the lawn green, stop with cleaning up. It is the least we can do! It costs nothing to leave everything alone. Stop trying to be ‘House Beautiful’. Please spread the word and be an advocate for our birds.
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Keep your eyes on Port Lincoln! I can’t wait – it has been too many months since there were little osplets to watch.
Thank you so much for being with me today. My report is short – I am exhausted worrying about Lewis and hopeful that calm will settle over us shortly.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A’, Birdlife Malta, NEFL-AEFR, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagles, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Fran Solly, Lady Hawk, Ventana Wildlife Society, Wild Justice, Darlene Hawkins, and Healthy Yards.
To those in Canada celebrating Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving to you! And to everyone else reading this, I am thankful to all of you – what a beautiful community of empathetic, intelligent, bird-loving people you are! I feel truly blessed to be in your company. Thank you for all your good wishes for today.
Sunday was coolish – an incredibly gorgeous fall day full of yellows, reds, and oranges. The nature centre was full of people enjoying the fall foliage and the Canada Geese that were landing on the lakes and fields. There were a few Mallards about and some House Sparrows and a feisty squirrel at one of the feeders.
All of the garden animals were out. A few Dark-eyed Juncos visit the deck. I did remember, after a comment from ‘J’ to get out there and carve that pumpkin up a bit to see if the squirrels would get interested. Will keep you posted. Mr Crow was on the hydro line and I wonder if he saw the pumpkin and thought it might be tasty.
Little Red has been digging around in the old planting boxes. I haven’t seen him going in and out of the wood box and this worried me a bit so it was great to see him today.
Remember the chubby little baby Blue Jay, just fledged, that slept with the two clay bird ornaments? Well, look now! Beautiful.
The ‘girls’ are doing well. I am sad to report that Lewis took a turn for the worse. He has been unable to keep any food down – and believe me, I have tried everything. Broth, Baby food, tinned food with broth, pulverised chicken. We wait and hope that this situation will change. It is hard to deal with any suffering.
Hope is growing fast and continues to want to play more than she wants to eat.
Calico and I have almost finished our WWII spy novel by Cara Black. Wonder what she will want to read next? I am imagining putting my comfy chair by the wood stove in the dead of winter with Calico on my lap reading away.
These cats have taught me so much about the need for a safe space that is ‘their own’ and how stabilising a routine is – even for cats!
Lewis always feels better after he throws up. Sleeping on one of his favourite chairs. Poor little guy. The Gaviscon bottle is being emptied as my stomach churns repeatedly for him.
Missey was caught in Lewis’s carrier. Oh, if something happens to dear Lewis, Missey will be lost. They have been glued at the hip since they were both adopted as rescues on 2 November 2022. This evening she has been very motherly – washing and washing Lewis – over and over – and comforting him.
It is all about Peregrine Falcons – we have had falcons on our minds since the news at Melbourne. The clutch at Melbourne is believed lost for this year. We hope the female will recover from any injuries she has sustained. Our new dad, M22 – remember he was not the father of the chicks last year but came in and helped like Xavier did with Diamond years ago, is refusing to give up on those eggs. He flew in and incubated them on Monday.
There was a video posted by the Bondi Vet, Chris, in Sydney, Australia. Do you know this character? A Peregrine Falcon couple at the Westfield Mall came into his care. Oh, this is good – ten minutes long. Enjoy.
Meanwhile, Diamond and Xavier and the two little ones – who will have names on the 15th of October – are doing fantastic. Gosh, golly, they are so cute. I fear those pink beaks and toes and that fluffy white are giving way, and little feathers are popping in underneath. The first hatch is visibly larger than the second now…a female? Probably.
So cute!
In this video by Elain, Xavier feeds the babies and Diamond, too! Very special moments of our incredible family.
‘A’ writes, “Dear little Xavier had a brief period brooding the chicks late this afternoon (about 15 or 20 minutes), during which he made valiant but futile efforts to cover the chicks by sitting up and leaning over them. He was obviously concerned about being unable to fit the egg underneath him too, and tried several times (eventually successfully) to cover it. So sweet but not a chance of brooding the two chicks. He really is tiny. Check him out when he delivers prey to Diamond. She is gigantic, especially with all her broody underfluffies, whereas Xavier is very sleek, which accentuates how much smaller he is.”
At The Campanile, Lou is sunbathing. Nice to see these two are safe and sound. I worry about them because of the poisoning of pigeons, too. Stay safe you two!
‘N’ sent me a note asking what books I recommend on Peregrine Falcons. Here is my list – not in order of preference.
Richard Sals and Steve Watson. Everything you ever wanted to know about falcons and more. A monumental book – great reference.
J. A. Baker. The Peregrine.
Christie Gove-Berg. (especially for children)
Madeline Dunphy. The Peregrine’s Journey. Similar to Belle’s Journey that documents the migration of an Osprey.
Alan Tennant. On the Wing.
There are, of course, many, many books that mention falcons.
On Sunday, Thunder and Akecheta sunned themselves at the West End Bald Eagle nest. What a gorgeous couple. Wonder if they might reconsider their nest location this year. Nudge, nudge.
Gracie Shepherd caught more of Thunder and Akecheta.
Everyone is hopeful that there will be a clutch of eggs in that nice soft nest Gabby and V3 are working on.
The adults are on the nest in Webster, Texas on Sunday.
Connie and Clive have been working on their nest at Captiva on Monday.
Gosh, 1800. Start checking on Jackie and Shadow. These two love to come to the nest in the early evening. They are certainly doing a close inspection!
In Central Park, Bruce Yolton gives us the latest on Flaco and his adventures living in the ‘wild’ of the Big Apple. (Lots of videos in the blog below)
Monday was the first time I heard Pied Currawongs in the forest while watching the Sea Eaglets SE31 and 32. Someone will tell me that I am a bit daffy, but there doesn’t seem to be an over abundance of prey being delivered to the nest.
At Port Lincoln, Dad brought three fish to the nest on Sunday. Both are doing incubation duty. Egg 1 was laid on the 6th of September. Depending on how you count, that would be 24 days in September plus 10 in October, making that egg 34 days old. Hang on, we will be on pip watch shortly!
Checking on the progress of Karl II and his family from both BirdMap and Looduskalendar Forum. The Birdmap check on all of the storks – not just Karl II’s family – is from the 6th. Please note the concern for Karl II who has not sent data from the 30th of September.
Kaia is making good progress towards her winter home in Chad.
Kaia continues and she I snow in the Eastern Desert.
Kalvi is still in Bulgaria.
Turkey is where Waba is currently foraging.
The second Condor chick in 2023 has fledged! Fantastic.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care – and please continue to send your best warm wishes to all the nests and to our dear Lewis.
Thank you to the following for their notes, questions, articles, posts, videos, photos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, J, N’, Bondi Vet, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Holly Parsons, Elain, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore, Gracie Shepherd, Carol Shores Rifkin, Webster TX Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, FOBBV, Bruce Yolton, Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO, Looduskalendar Forum, and Ventana Wildlife Society.
I hope that this newsletter finds each of you well and happy.
Thank you so much for your continued kind wishes. Your warm thoughts and notes are always appreciated.
Wednesday. It had been on my calendar for several weeks. It was the day that the three older kittens had to go in for their shots, and Missey and Lewis had to have their annual check. My vet is very busy and I so hoped that my Covid test would show negative and the clinic would allow me to come with the babies. They did. It all worked but it turned out quite differently than I anticipated. I am hoping that soon things will become ‘calm’ – boring. Gosh, boring would be so nice.
Off we went – three cats – one huge hard carrier for Lewis and two soft-sided ones for Missey and Calico. They were all darlings, thankfully, on the way in and out of the car and to the clinic.
Lewis peeking out.
Calico is in there!
Missey’s eyes are always so expressive. She was allowed to wander freely around the examination room.
Calico passed her check-up with flying colours. She has healed nicely and is the proper weight with nothing untoward. The vet said she can continue to nurse Hope as long as she wants -it wouldn’t hurt either. Eventually, Calico will have enough and stop it all but it could be some time. I do not care as long as they are healthy. Missey was a tad ‘pleasantly plump’ – the problem associated with her still eating kitten hard food, which is being corrected. Nothing major. Missey’s teeth were sparkling white with good, strong gums. She had her shots and explored the room – a confident, dominant female cat. Quiet, confident, secure. Lewis, on the other hand, is insecure and quite frightened. As it turns out, he was so stressed that the vet did little with him besides checking his teeth and giving him his shots.
But Lewis had a serious problem, and I did not even notice. Lewis’s gums are swollen and red. Lewis, poor dear darling Lewis, needs all his teeth, but the canines, pulled. Cats are able, I was told, to live fine eating soft food.
Lewis was not tested for AIDS when he was adopted. The Humane Society used to test for the disease but stopped when the costs skyrocketed. So, we do not know if he has AIDS, which could cause his body to respond this way. If he has AIDS, is there any point in agreeing to have the surgery – which, according to the vet – is major? So, all of these things begin to twirl through your head. Is Lewis in pain? How long? Why didn’t I notice? But he is still eating. So, is this an issue of over-treating? or good sound vet advice? Too many things to think about. Tomorrow, I will walk in the park and sit with the ducks. Perhaps an answer will rise to the surface.
It took the wind out of me and so, this newsletter is shorter.
Geemeff sent me the most amazing article on Godwits, weather, and migration. We know about the extreme distances that Godwits fly to get to their winter homes but this is the tale of the return trip due to weather. Incredible story!
All of the Royal Cam chicks have fledged at Taiaroa Head. We now wait to see which adults will return for the upcoming breeding season. I am particularly interested to see if there is any remote possibility that OGK might appear. He has not been seen since the 19th of May 2022.
The joy and love continue to radiate out of the scrape at Orange. Two beautiful eyases. Both are fed well, both are a good size to one another. It is all good.
‘A’ remarks, “Those eyases are just darling. When isn’t a scrape containing fluffy chicks the most wonderful thing? Those sweet little squeaks (before they become ear-splitting shrieks) are the cutest sound, and I love the noise they make when their squeak is suddenly cut off by a mouthful of meat). Not to mention mum’s adorable chups to get them to open their little beaks. So cute. One chup and the little mouths automatically spring open. Both the chicks appear to be healthy, strong and eating well. Today, they were fed seven times through the day, and Diamond appears to be feeding both of them at each feed. She is carefully making sure that each chick is getting fed and she is being very patient in doing so. This is helped by the lack of a significant size difference, although of course chick two is a little less stable than chick one in terms of knowing which direction is front. It can, however, hold its little head up very well and is pretty stable when it does so, meaning it is able to eat when it eventually works out how to face mum (which it usually does within a couple of minutes of the feeding beginning). Xavier is not getting nearly as much chick time as he would like (of course) though Diamond is very tolerant of him remaining on the ledge if he wants to, sometimes even when she is feeding the chicks. She is especially okay with him being there very early in the mornings, when he was coming for lengthy periods before the chicks came along (and he was there for a couple of hours before both hatches). This is new, as was Diamond actually allowing Xavier egg/chick time when chick two was only halfway out of its egg! Now that’s something I never thought I’d see. So these two lovebirds are very comfortable with each other now, in season seven or eight or whatever this is for them (Xavier arrived in 2016, I believe, but they weren’t his chicks that year, so although Xavier raised three chicks with Diamond in 2016, their first season breeding together would have been 2017).”
Want to take part in the naming of the chicks? Holly Parsons tells us how.
There is a bit of excitement going on in Surrey at the Hancock Wildlife Foundation with the arrival of this Bald Eagle couple.
An owl attacked the juvenile at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest Wednesday night. Thankfully the fledgling returned to the nest seemingly unharmed. Time: 1957.
Gabby and V3 were at the nest on Wednesday. We are all hopeful.
This gave me a chuckle!
Everything is good at SW Florida with M15 and F23. Lots of bonding!
Contentment at Collins Street. It is supposed to be very hot for these falcons because it is an El Nino year. So thankful they have a reprieve for a few days and wish that a shade would be put in place above them.
El Nino is heating the oceans, too, and our seabirds might be seeing some change to their ability to find food. In the Caribbean where my son lives, outside his office, the coral is bleaching because the ocean is so hot. “The symbiotic algae inside the coral can not take hot water for a long time and die. The algae provide energy for the coral and without it they will die also.”
The Sea Eaglets continue to get more beautiful each day but as ‘A’ remarks there is some concern about the level of prey deliveries, “
I am far more concerned about the food situation at WBSE. There was one day this week when I saw no food brought to the nest at all. I may have missed something small, but certainly nothing large enough to feed them both. (It is possible for example that I missed a small fish that was immediately claimed and horked down by SE31, but I don’t think so – I certainly scanned through the footage incredibly carefully). So I am a little concerned. The parents don’t seem to be worried about it, sitting in the nest tree and not heading off to hunt for most of the day. At 07:46 this morning, they were mating on the branch behind the nest (within full view of the children, too!). So their minds are perhaps on other things. The wind this morning was extremely strong and worsened as the morning went on. Around 09:28, it was blowing a gale when Dad flew in, The kids were very hopeful, lining up at the table, but although it appeared Dad had been fishing, as he was shaking water from his feathers, he had no food in his talons. Lady flew in around 09:33 and took up a submissive position, though Dad decided not to mount her. This is bonding behaviour, I presume, though I’m wondering why it’s being considered necessary at this point of the season. Fishing would be more useful, though in that wind, it would definitely be difficult. The whole tree was tossing wildly today. Shortly before 09:58 both parents flew off, first one then, a moment later, the other. At 10:03:45 Dad flies in with a smallish whole fish. SE32 immediately claims and mantles the prey be can he keep it? SE32 is not good at unzipping a whole fish but he is trying. SE31 watches for a chance to steal the fish. SE32 is not giving her one. At 10:07, he still has the fish. Whether he is getting any bites off it is another question (and impossible to answer, as the eaglets have their backs to the camera and we cannot see much of what is happening, only who is in possession of the fish, currently still SE32). SE32 is doing a great job of mantling the fish and seems to be getting some bites from it, but about a minute later, SE31 succeeds in stealing the fish, and we can see that SE32 has got very little from it at all. He waits for a chance to steal the fish back but gets no chance until about 10:20, when he makes a frantic grab for the last piece, realising he is about to miss out altogether. SE31 responds to this by horking the remaining food down in one go. She has had a very nice breakfast. SE32 has eaten nothing. During the self-feeding by SE31, SE32 twice backed up for a PS, on one occasion trying three times, and I saw nothing come out on any of these tries. So it appears likely that food is being brought very irregularly to the nest and what food there is largely gets eaten by SE31, as SE32’s self-feeding skills simply aren’t good enough and he is not getting a chance to practise them much! When those large eels are brought in, as happened two days ago, I think, there is probably enough food to keep them going for that day and the next, and I think there had been a late afternoon eel the day before the (probably) food-free day, but perhaps Lady and Dad are encouraging these two to fledge. Surely not. Perhaps it’s just the bad weather the whole southeast of Australia has been having, with lots of rain and quite heavy winds at times too.”
The pair made another milestone on their way to fledging. They did sleep standing up just like Lady and Dad.
At the same time incubation continues at Port Lincoln with an average of two fish coming in per day for Mum.
Thank you for being with me this morning. Please send your good wishes to our dear Lewis today. Take care all.
Thank you to the following for their notes, photographs, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, C, Geemeff, H’, BBC Royal Albatross Centre, Charles Sturt University, Holly Parsons, Hancock Wildlife Foundation, MN Landscape Arboretum, NEFL-AEF, Carol S Rifkin, SW Florida Eagle Cam, lady hawk, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, and PLO.
It rained off and on during Tuesday until later in the afternoon when the sky broke open, and a little blue appeared. It warmed up and became a nice day.
I had to get some fresh air. Having been inside the house or in the garden for more than ten days, I started getting a little housebound, frayed at my edges. So, off to the park for a walk around the pond. No one was around except some ducks and geese! It was lovely! No one to pass this wretched Covid to, but oh, how lovely to be with the birds for a few minutes. I am beginning to feel better, but this Covid is tricky. You get up and get around, and it comes back for you, so be careful and do not overdo it if you get the virus.
Fall is in full swing. Migration is more than halfway over. The Snow Geese have appeared in the South while the Canada Geese fly over them, heading to warmer climates. Various types of sparrows and wrens remain in the garden along with the regulars. It was so nice to be still able to see ducks, though. Gosh, I love ducks. There was not one with Angel Wing, and I did not see any with broken legs or wings today. That was joyful.
The water is pretty much clear with the aerators working full time.
A male Wood Duck in transition. Getting those feathers.
Two little female Wood Ducks paddling away. Lovely.
And isn’t this wonderful. Bazz Hockaday posted a video of Ervie fishing on the Friends of Sth Aus Osprey FB page. Here are a couple of screen grabs from that video of our dear Ervie.
The latest stats from Hawk Mountain in PA as to their migration count. Some, more than others, have made their way through. Will the huge osprey deaths in the NE have an impact on Osprey migration numbers?
The Woodland Trust published its season highlights – fantastic. Oh, that Tawny Owl!
Is there a problem with trees in Nebraska? Have a read.
Xavier is the cutest! How fortunate are we to watch this family deal with their two new hatchlings? There is a rumour that the other egg might be hatching. If that is the case let there be Starlings – thousands of Starlings and parrots descending into the area for Xavier’s hunting!
Adorable.
Teamwork is happening at SW Florida! I love these videos because they are not from the streaming cam – you get to see more of what is going on as M15 and his new mate work to get their nest in order.
V3 was at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest but was there another male visitor on Tuesday?
Gabby was with V3 on Monday night and you can tell when she sees him that he is the one for this gal. Let’s go home – the rest of you!
Beautiful Day at Superbeaks!
Eagles at the Duke Farms nest early on Tuesday.
The male at Pittsburgh-Hayes has been missing since 7 September. It is not looking good.
Didn’t see anyone at the US Steel nest on Tuesday.
Waiting to see if Jackie and Shadow show up at Big Bear on Tuesday. Aren’t those diamonds pouring down on that nest just gorgeous?
And they did – after 1800 again!
Eagles arriving early morning at the Kistachie NKF E-1 nest.
The falcons in the CBD Melbourne are certainly enjoying the cooler weather this week. There is plenty of time to enjoy Xavier and Diamond’s chicks before these hatch!
So when will the chicks in Melbourne hatch? ‘H’ has been doing some sleuthing. She writes, “There is differing information among sources online, but the majority of sources state 33-35 days is typical for the first hatch… Victor Hurley stated in one of his FFS from last season that the incubation period is approximately 32 days, and can be as long as 40 days. The four eggs at Collins Street this year were laid on: 9/3 (21:15), 9/6 (07:25), 9/8 16:44), 9/11 07:48). So, 33 days from the date of the penultimate egg is 10/11.
If the 11th is correct then we are within a week of pip watch for Melbourne.
Family portrait at the Sydney Olympic Forest. I have tried not to get attached to these two but how can you not? They are wonderful and Lady and Dad are the best.
At Port Lincoln, Dad brought a whole fish and a partial one on Tuesday. As of Wednesday, the eggs are 28, 25, and 22 days old. Ways to go for hatch.
In New Zealand, the Kakapo are getting annual health checks and battery changeovers. It will not be long til the Kakapo Recovery begins its annual fundraiser. Want to adopt a Kakapo? Check out their FB page!
Cornell catches up with Christian Cooper in a Q & A.
Work is being done to transform one of the Caribbean islands into a nature haven. How many times have I wished to live in a country that devoted its resources to wildlife and nature instead of factories and selling? Ever heard of Redonda?
In the UK, there is a delay in the decision to outlaw lead ammunition. Why oh why? We know the result of using lead in hunting and fishing – look at those beautiful raptors flooding the wildlife clinics this fall with toxic lead poisoning. Time to change!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all! See you soon.
Thank you to the following for the photographs, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: ‘Geemeff, H, SP’, Bazz Hockaday, Hawk Mountain, The Woodland Trust, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways, MLizPhotos, Wskrsnwings, NEFL-AEF, Superbeaks, Duke Farms, Pix Cams, FOBBV, KNF-E1, Collins Street by Mirvac, Sydney Sea Eagles, PLO, Living Bird Magazine, Raptor Persecution UK, and Kakapo Recovery.
Saturday was the most gorgeous fall day. It was about 16 degrees C with a beautiful blue sky and some soft puffy white clouds as I travelled north from the City. You could see the geese overhead flying in their standard ‘V’ formation swirling around the fields that have been recently harvested – wheat and flax, mainly. There is something so magical about the rhythm of their lives. They come in late March or April and being heading to their winter homes in September-October. At one of the local nature centres, they fly in by the thousands at dusk (on a good day). Their black silhouettes filling the horizon as the sun begins to slowly set in the West.
One of the best places to see the geese in the afternoon is at Oak Hammock Marsh.
A lone American White Pelican and a Trumpeter Swan with all the geese landing at a small pond by the road.
On the way home there was a beautiful Red-tail Hawk hunting in one of the fields. What a magnificent raptor. No photo…just watched it for a bit and left quietly — we must always remind ourselves that their lives are overtly challenging and any opportunity for a meal should be respected and we should ‘disappear’.
Oak Hammock Marsh is run by Ducks Unlimited and the Province of Manitoba and is an extensive wetland. Being there reminded me that ‘R’ had sent me an article several weeks ago and our discussion about how we need cooperation to protect the birds. What he sent me was about the Excise Tax in NJ – how that comes from the sale of hunting equipment, firearms, permits, etc. goes to help with the conservation of the birds, such as our beloved Ospreys, in the state of New Jersey. We talked about how this could be a blueprint for the future if we want our birds to thrive – and as much as I hate killing of anything, it makes sense. Ducks Unlimited is working across Canada with various groups including some in the province of Alberta to purchase huge tracts of land to protect and restore for wildlife. It is something to think about. In NJ it is called the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. Does your state or province promote such a scheme? If not, it might be worth a good conversation!
All of the kittens behaved themselves. Missey and Lewis continue to be in the main house and Calico and Hope in the conservatory annex. Hope has been enjoying her new rich foods a little too much or it is that plus the stress of coming inside…but the poor little darling is now on kaolin probiotic granules for running poop shots. Hoping she is over this very quickly…she was fine when she arrived! A few images from today…Hope insists on doing everything that Mamma does. She resisted her own little dish of organic chicken and sauce to try and eat with Calico, was on the cat tree and it seems that Calico is an excellent pillow.
Giggles all around today – the cats are eating well and their rooms are disinfected and cleaned twice a day – everything. Gosh, the laundry in making those tents…Calico is off for her surgery on Tuesday and Hope will be, by then, surely she will, friendly!
Thank you Jeff Kear – I had not heard about Alyth putting in battery storage units right under the nose of Harry’s Osprey Nest! Does the need to constrict the use of fossil fuels mean that we should not consider the environmental impact and the location? Was any study done? It is not clear when it comes to the ospreys or other wildlife.
‘A’ reports on what is happening ‘down under’ – that is where most of the action is currently!
Sydney Sea Eagles: “Dad brought in a very nice fish at 08:33:22 this morning and Lady was quickly shimmying down the perch branch to take control of it. Lady and Dad have a little chat and seem excited by the fish but the eaglets (especially SE32) are more interested in what’s going on in the tree around them this morning. SE31 is first to the table, while SE32 is looking up and around at everything in his expanding world. The view is somehow different from up on his feet perhaps! At 08:39 he finally moves up to the table and his sister courteously moves aside so her brother can have some breakfast! This is so civil, it’s ridiculous. Someone remind these kids they are apex predators! Just before 08:40 Dad flies in with a stick (the parents have been busy building another level of cot railing over the past five or six days, as the two get up onto their feet and start moving around the nest a lot more – now SE32 has joined his sister up off his tarsi). Dad is very engaged in his stick placement and spends considerable time perfecting the front of the nest. So cute. Lady continues feeding SE32, though SE31 is momentarily fascinated by Dad’s manoeuvrings.”
Royal Albatross: “In New Zealand, Manaaki is on his nest and there is very little wind today, so I am not anticipating a fledge this morning. The wind may pick up during the afternoon. We will see.”
This video is from the NZ DOC. It shows our young prime hovering nicely! This was three days ago.
Melbourne Peregrine Falcons: “At Collins Street, F22 takes a break shortly after 9am (that time stamp is SO hard to read) and little M22 is soon in to take over incubation. He settles down in his customary jerky manner and then finds he has a spare egg he has failed to cover. So he has to start his enfluffling all over again. Such a sweetie. I love these falcon dads.”
Port Lincoln: “No third egg at Port Lincoln and I certainly hope there won’t be, given the gap between the first two eggs is 74 hours. A third egg could therefore be as far away as Tuesday. I do hope there isn’t another one. I’m not looking forward to the huge gap between the first two. A third hatch would be so nerve-wracking. We really don’t need that sort of stress.”
There are still only 2 eggs at Port Lincoln.
I certainly agree with ‘A’. A third hatch at Port Lincoln does not need that kind of stress! But then again, we have a new Dad and a new season and anything is possible.
Thanks, ‘A’.
Let us go and check on Diamond and Xavier – Xavier flew in with a nice prey for Diamond’s breakfast, and he then worked hard rolling the three big eggs and trying to fit them under him. He was successful, but gosh, it is a good thing there are not four of them.
‘A’ writes about the intruder that has been bothering Xavier and Diamond: “That intruder is still worrying at Orange, although Diamond and Xavier have things sorted. This morning, the intruder was spotted. Diamond called Xavier to come and mind the eggs. He arrived and took over incubation. Diamond dealt with the intruder (visible from tower cam) and returned to the nest box. All is well. I am SO glad they have this routine. Diamond is twice Xavier’s size and makes short work of an intruder. Any injury to Xavier at this point would be a disaster for the clutch. They know this. We are grateful. But I do wish this intruder would move on. I do keep wondering whether it is Izzi, as the males do tend to move no more than 50 km from their natal nest, from what I have read, whereas the female fledglings spread much further away. It is so funny that Indigo, too, proved impossible to persuade it was time to leave home, so that Diamond and Xavier had to physically bar him entry to the scrape! At least they got rid of him before the eggs were laid, which was only just the case the year Izzi was there. He was persistent in the extreme. I think it was early August before they gently told him “grow up and find your own territory, son!” and moved him on.”
So do we think that this might be Izzi? That would be interesting. (Note that raptors normally engage other raptors of the same gender).
‘H’ sent me a quote today from one of David Gessner’s books on Ospreys. It is so appropriate and she believes it is form the Return of the Osprey but neither of us had the time to dig through the book to find the right page:
“To love the Osprey is to be constantly open to loss.”
Mini was not seen at the Patchogue nest after she flew off in the early morning. It is now 2100 nest time, and she has not flown in. Mini, you taught us to persevere, not give up hope, be smart, and figure things out. Safe travels – good winds, a full crop, a good life.
‘H’ brings us up to date on the last two nests she has observed for me. She officially monitored ten nests, but it was always more than that. Over the course of osprey season, the number of eggs grew to over 350 that were monitored. I am very grateful for her help and keen eye and instincts – thank you, ‘H’. You came to Ospreys, naturally.
Kent Island – It seems that Molly may have already started on her journey. September 9th was the fourth full day without a sighting of our precious Molly. Both Tom and Audrey were seen in ‘Joe’s tree’ during the day. At 1800 Audrey came to the nest for a while to dry off after her bath. And, Audrey flew to the nest at 2300 to spend her third straight night on the nest.
Barnegat Light – There were intermittent periods of live stream buffering throughout the day. We did not observe Duke delivering a fish to Dorsett at the nest, but Dorsett was seen a few times at the nest and on Duke’s perch.
Louise and Banff are no longer at the Fortis Exshaw Nest. As the sun sets Saturday evening near Canmore, Alberta, not far away from Lake Louise, they have had snow on the 6th! By vehicle, it is 5 hours through the mountains, according to Google. The girls will happen to be sunning themselves in the south.
The two surviving chicks at Osprey House in Brisbane, Australia are doing well.
There is extremely sad news coming out of Big Bear Valley today – confirming losses from several years ago.
How has the earthquake in Morocco impacted Ospreys migrating from Europe and the UK? Certainly transmissions might be garbled but what about the environment where they are fishing, living, or flying through?
A lovely Red-tail Hawk – juvenile – visited the WRDC nest of Rose and Ron yesterday. ‘H’ was the first to alert me and Pat Burke has posted an image.
That’s a wrap for Sunday, September 10. Thank you for being with us. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for the notes, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H, Jeff Kear’, Alyth, Sydney Sea Eagles, NZ DOC, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, PSEG, Snow Seekers, Osprey House, Tonya Irwin and Raptors of the World, Pat Burke and Eagle Nest Watchers, Bloom Biological, and The Guardian.
Whew! What a day. ‘The yet-to-be-named kitten’ was let out of the kennel in the Conservatory, allowing her to run around with Mamma Calico. It brought tears to my eyes seeing Calico lick her kitten for the first time in 10-11 days. Of course, the kitten loved being with its Mamma and wanted to suckle immediately! Then, it wanted to play with Mamma’s tail. What a sheer delight to see the wee one following Calico around copying everything she did. It is like a Mini Calico – at first glance, it is hard to tell which is which. They are six months apart in age, but Calico took such good care of her single surviving kitten that it is plump and robust and Calico is still trying to put on some fat. Thanks also to the neighbours who have their feral feeding stations this one was in good health when I trapped her.
Calico loves the cat tree, and she quickly found Lewis’s favourite spot – the little house. The kitten could not stand it and kept jumping up and around, trying to get in with Mamma. I have, at times, wondered how happy Calico is to see her baby. Still, I made her a promise, and I am still tearful that I was able to follow through. To see the two of them on a chair together, cuddling and washing, brings so much joy. I still have to pinch myself to realise that everything worked out. The lesson for all of us is never to give up! To not lose ‘hope’.
Calico washing her kitten for the first time in 10 or 11 days.
Mamma is very protective. Lewis and Missey will be staying in the main part of the house while Calico and baby are in the Conservatory for the next week. Then we will try them in a few rooms. Thank you ‘Geemeff’ for all the tips. We appreciate them!
Promises should never be made. A friend in Berlin and I were talking about this. It caused such anxiety that promise. T he night when Calico wanted to come into the house and leave the dark deck where these two had been living, I promised her I would find her kitten if it was alive. No one had seen the kitten. Everyone believed that a white kitten that had been found in the area was Calico’s wasn’t. It was simply too young. So what did happen to Calico’s kitten? Flyers, walking the streets, putting food under the deck where the kitten was born, stopping people on the street, and postings to FB groups netted nothing. From now on, there will be no more promises. It will simply be that I will do my best to make something happen – but, no promises.
I almost was going to name the kitten ‘Promise’ but ‘J’ pointed out that the word has a negative connotation because of the anxiety it caused me. After many fantastic suggestions, the name finally just came when Calico and her kitten were having ‘story time’. Her name is Hope. Hope is something that each of us needs in our lives.
Hope loves to play with toys. The tiny little crochet ones with the catnip inside which cling to their ever so sharp nails appear to the favourite for the moment.
Meanwhile, Missey and Lewis are, as always, together. They seem to nap more since they are a year old. Missey has slowed down more, but Lewis still loves having someone to play with and run through the house. Perhaps Hope will join the midnight romp.
Trips to the park to check on the ducks and geese have been neglected lately. It was time for me to get moving before they are all gone. The afternoon was beautiful. The leaves are turning quickly. You can see the yellow kissing the tops of what was once emerald-clad trees.
The small garden at the park is still beautiful. There were lots of bees and butterflies feeding on the flowers and this Mallard leading the way.
Many of the gardens have been planted for bees and butterflies with a nod to plants that are more drought tolerant.
On the island where most of the ducks and geese were having their afternoon nap, the trees have really turned yellow.
This goose was not being very nice to the two female Wood Ducks.
Others were napping on the warm walkway.
There is something marvellous about being outside. It was a lovely walk and it felt so good to sit with the warm sun on my face enjoying the geese and the few ducks that were meandering around. The kittens were all having their ‘nap’ time while I was away. They didn’t even notice I was gone! Fresh air not ‘sardine’ air was most welcome.
Taking this lovely walk and spending much time with the four kittens did not allow me to spend the hours required to give you a good run down of the nests. Today’s report is, thus, a little thin.
Patchogue: Observing their crop is one way to know if a raptor has been eating. Some also look at the amount and force of the ‘poop shot’ or ‘ps’. The proper term is guano. “To most people, bird poop is just something they scrape off the windshield of their cars, but it’s more important than we may think. In fact, droppings were once a very important commodity in the United States. Buying and selling bird poop is not as featherbrained as it may seem either. This stinky substance, referred to as bird guano, was sailed around the world during the 19th century to be sold as the principal agricultural fertiliser in the United States. (Natural History Museum)
Mini has been eating. One of the chatters has been keeping track of Mini’s ‘ps’. Here is the times from ElizaG: “10:13pm, 11:17pm 1:10am, 3:13am.” Mini flew off to the lake and returned to the nest at 19:19 (thanks, L for the alert). She is resting that leg, thank goodness.
She put the weight on her right leg, not her left. It seems to be the typical pattern where the leg is giving her trouble at the end of the day.
Good Night Mini. SOD.
Wonderful news comes from John Williams at Llyn Clywedog. He had spotted an Osprey and thought it was Dylan (of Dylan and Seren at the Llyn Clywedog Nest) but it wasn’t. It was another unringed male and it turned out that this male had a nest with a female Blue Z5. Now she is rather special because she is the daughter of one of my favourite ospreys, Tegid Z1. Monty’s boy. Blue Z5 hatched in 2020. She is the granddaughter of Monty. Turns out the couple raised one female chick to fledge, ringed as Blue 7B9. She weighed 1670 grams. What a fantastic surprise and another osprey family for the forms. John tells us about it in his blog.
A family portrait of Dylan and Seren and the two fledglings this year. The one was sadly killed by the goshawk when there was a fish delivery and the hawk attacked the nest directly while Seren was feeding.
Mum is still home at the Boulder County Fair Grounds Osprey Nest in Colorado. So is Dad!
The fledgling at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (the only one of three to survive) is being well fed.
Keo delivered at least three fish for Coco at the Sandpoint Nest on Wednesday. Mum Keke is still home and there was relief when she did not fight her osplet for the food. Keke should be out fishing! And preparing for migration.
The Cowlitz PUD cam was buffering so bad, but there is at least one osprey still home at that nest. The protective grids worked well! Spread the news.
For all the nests that are emptying out, good winds, safe travels and full crops. See you next year Idris and Telyn!
‘H’ brings her reports for us – looks like Molly might have started her migration!
Kent Island, 9/6 – “We had not seen Audrey since 8/29. Today At 0645, Audrey landed on the nest with a large common carp. Audrey must have had to dive deep for that one, because she was soaked to the bone! Audrey nibbled on the fish, but she was waiting for Molly. When Molly didn’t arrive, Audrey ate more fervently. Soon, some crows started to harass Audrey, so Tom flew in to the rescue. Tom stayed on the nest for about 25 minutes helping to ward off the unwelcome visitors, and he was later seen eating his own breakfast on the back of an Adirondack chair. Audrey would eat some, then wait some, and by 0830 Audrey was still holding a large portion of the fish. She was waiting for her girl to appear. By 0910 Audrey had completely consumed the fish, but she still stood on the nest, seemingly waiting for Molly. Molly never arrived to claim the fish her mom had brought for her. Audrey flew away at 0953. We have not seen Molly since she flew away from the boat lift at 0745 on 9/5.”
Barnegat Light, 9/6 – “Dorsett was a bit more of a homebody, staying at the nest or on Duke’s perch much of the day. Duke delivered three fish to Dorsett. She took the first fish (a whole black sea bass) to eat on top of a flag pole across the cove. But, when she returned an hour later, she did not have as large a crop as one would expect, so she may have let part of the fish fall to the ground. Dorsett chose to eat her next two fish at the nest.”
The Sea Eaglets had an early breakfast for a change! As I am writing no other food has come to the nest but ‘A’ spots another one of those great eels that Lady has been bringing to the nest. “After a nice breakfast of leftover eel, the eaglets went the rest of the day until Lady brought in another of her giant eels soon after 15:36. Immediately, SE32 is up to her beak and pecking at the eel. Lady immediately starts feeding him. SE31 waits next to SE32 but further from Lady’s beak for her turn to eat. There is no attempt to push in or intimidate SE32, who is eating fast and with great confidence. This eel means that there is now plenty of food here for everybody. These are nice big eels that Lady has been catching. She returns with them intact, panting a little but not particularly wet, and she is not gone long. Once again, it was as though she made a decision that food was required now and she went to get it, returning within 10 minutes or so with this eel. Perhaps this mid-afternoon feeding schedule is not so much teaching the eaglets about food availability in grown-up life as a wild sea eagle as it is Lady deciding she cannot wait any longer for Dad to bring home the bacon, as it were. She has definitely been doing extra hunting over the past few days, and it makes me wonder whether Dad’s advanced age is starting to tell, so that now the two eaglets’ appetites have increased dramatically, he is finding it difficult to hunt for four alone. Just a thought. It is an explanation that would fit the facts equally well.”
At Taiaroa Head, ‘A’ remarks: Manaaki is tucked and fast asleep on his nest. But our gorgeous little man is almost ready to leave us. Look at his hovers during flight practice this morning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBFx_GGakhM&t=5s. Look how strong his wings are getting, though he is still working on his balance. He is almost on his way, just as soon as he sorts out those face-plants! We need to enjoy every moment, because once he leaves, it will be at least four or five years (and up to eight years) before we might be lucky enough to see him again. If he comes home at all, Manaaki will return to that same headland. He will land, after all that time and up to a million miles, within 40 or 50 metres of the nest where he was born. He has been imprinting its location over recent days. I am not sure if he has cast his pre-fledge bolus but I know the rangers are picking them up all around the colony and Manaaki is one of the oldest couple of chicks there. I think he is within a week of leaving, but they can surprise us and fledge early if the winds are right, so the time is nigh. QT was 220 days when she fledged, remember, while Manaaki is 230 days old. On this headland, the two females (NTF and Quarry) are definitely ahead of the two males (UQ and Manaaki) in their flight skills.”
Are you watching multiple eagle nests and wanting to keep up with what is happening? Elfruler has a calendar that spans decades with a space for this year.
We will be looking to see if there are further eggs at 367 Collins Street and Port Lincoln Osprey Barge today.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Missey, Lewis, Calico and Hope remind you to please put out water and to also turn off your lights at night for the migrating songbirds. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, L, PB’, PSEG, John Williams, George Green and the Clywedog Osprey Group, Boulder County, Pam Breci and The Joy of Ospreys, Sandpoint, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, NZ DOC, Dyfi Osprey Project, and Sydney Sea Eagles.
I hope that you found time to be outside, to sit, and to just listen to the birds. What a lovely feeling it is. I spent part of Sunday searching for a gravestone. It was not to be found but the little cemetery sits on the bank of the Red River and the birds were singing. What a tranquil place. The benches were also lovely and I could imagine sitting there sipping tea and reading a book. Just might do that one day!
Across the road there was a fawn that had lost its mother and was in a right panic. By the time the Wildlife Reha number was dialled, it was gone – hopefully back with Mum.
It is always good to start with a wonderful Osprey nest and what better one than Moorings Park. Have you still been checking in? If you are then you know that Victor is at the nest fish calling. Did Harry think he would still be supplying Victor with fish in July? Who knows but – Harry is doing an excellent job and just look at what a beautiful bird Victor is!
If you are worried about Soledad, San Jose City Hall’s fledgling falcon, she is fine! Screaming for prey!!!!!!!!!!!
We have been distressed about the fireworks and the raptors. Friends of Big Bear Valley have noted the impact on our dear Jackie and Shadow, the Bald Eagles, that live in the Valley. They are hoping to gather enough evidence to stop the fireworks in that area. Please send them anything you have in terms of articles, and also, if you have images of instances of fireworks near raptors that caused them stress, please also send that. Here is the information that ‘B’ sent me today:
The latest post on the Friends of Big Bear Valley facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FOBBV/) from Sandy Steers. She talks of how Jackie and Shadow disappeared for three days after the Big Bear fireworks show, and how last year they disappeared for six days after the show. Sandy closes with: For any of you who might be interested, we are gathering information on the intense and detrimental impact that fireworks have on wildlife, on the lake, on the environment in general and even on domestic animals and humans. If any of you have references to studies about any of this, please share them with us at fobbvinfo@gmail.com. Thank you!
I sent Sandy a number of articles and I am attaching a few of those here for you to read if you would like. Perhaps we need a movement that begins in the name of Jackie and Shadow and spreads across North America to stop fireworks out of respect for our non-human friends.
Sandy also included a history of the eagles Jackie and Shadow. Enjoy!
Two Imperial Eaglets at the Tatarstan nest in Russia got their bling, and they are both girls! Anyone reading my blog for any time will know that female raptors are highly aggressive. Imperial Eagles are no exception. Rarely does the second hatch survive. Well, this nest is a bit of a miracle for having two eaglets survive, but never mind, they were both girls. There were plenty of small mammals, and the male just kept bringing in prey. There was never a feeling of food insecurity, so both survived. Beautiful.
The three osplets at the Dunrovin Ranch have been ringed and it looks like there are two males and a female! Congratulations. More information as it becomes available.
‘H’ is concentrating on the FortisExshaw nest as it appears tragedy is just brewing. She writes, “What a mess this feeding was . . from 0903 to about 1115 – 090253 Louise brought in a monster fish, and she began to feed. Big beaked both its siblings right away. Louise began to have intruder problems at 0909. There was a pair of intruders, and the feeding was disturbed many times, as Louise defended and flew off after the intruders. Each time she returned she would resume the feeding. At one point, one of the intruders landed on the nest while Louise flew after the one on the perch.Long story short . . Over the course of more than two hours, Big and Middle each ate the equivalent of two or three meals. Little never got a chance. If it hadn’t been for those intruders, there would most likely have been a couple of opportunities for Little to get fed from that huge fish while the others were full and napping. But, it just didn’t work out that way. Total bummer. In addition to Jasper being missing, Louise does not need intruders to interfere with her attempts to care for her three offspring.After that, Louise left the nest a few times throughout the day, and would usually return with nesting material. But at 2032 she returned with a fish. It was difficult to be certain due to the raindrops on the camera, but the fish appeared to be partially eaten. The feeding lasted until 2041. At the beginning of the feeding, Big once again beaked both of its siblings. Middle did get to eat however, while Little cowered and stayed tucked behind the feeding line. At that point Little had not eaten for about 34 hours, and Little did not have very much to eat on 7/7 or 7/8. Little seemed to be weak, with waning resolve.Jasper has been missing since 0930 on 7/7.
The intruder on the nest at Fortis Exshaw. We may lose Little but please send this nest your most positive wishes. When Jasper disappeared these babies were so tiny. Most of the Mums do not go easily slip into getting fish for their chicks and it is going to be very difficult for Louise.
The two osplets have been ringed at the Borders nest and if you watched it is no surprise that the bigger and more aggressive second hatch is a female with the first hatch being a male. The male weighed 1480 grams and is Blue 733 and the female weighed in at a good 1720 grams and is Blue 732.
I still love how Dad likes to be on the nest ‘to see’ Mum feed the only surviving osplet at the MN Landscape Arboretum nest.
The little one got a late night feeding. Feeling optimistic.
Little Mini might have dreamed about being home alone and getting a huge fish delivery from Dad until it became a reality on Sunday at 12:41. Mini worked on that fish til 1330 when one of the Big siblings came home and took it. Oh, how I wish Mum had flown in and fed Mini.
There was so much left I wonder how much Mini was actually able to eat…I know she pulled really hard on the skin – you could see this on the streaming cam.
Mini got a late night feeding by Mum. These parents will not forget their fourth chick!
Awwwhhhh. After seeing fish on the nest and wishing, Mum feeds little Mini at 10:15 Monday morning. Mini I son Mum’s right.
So a spin through some of the nest that I have been monitoring:
Cowlitz PUD: Nice fish on the nest and it looks as if some was left so the Only Bob could practice self-feeding. Fantastic.
Collins Marsh: The two osplets were doing well on a rather misty/foggy Sunday. The fish cannot be huge or plentiful – or else that streaming cam goes through quickly. Still everyone seems to be alright.
Clark PUD: Sometimes the camera angle is so bad you cannot see a feeding! The only hint I have is that one of the osplets has a large crop and there was a fish left on the nest. Looks like the adults are teasing the waters of self-feeding at this nest, too.
Bridges Golf: Everything is fine.
Boulder County Fair Grounds: Lots of nice fish coming on to the nest. Sometimes Little tries to go under Mum to get some bites but, at the end of the day, Mum was hungry, too.
Island Beach: Beau and Bay and their lovely feathered osplets are doing fantastic. The kids are starting to try self-feeding.
Loch Arkaig: He is a beautiful little man who will soon have a name. Louis on top of his game with the fish deliveries on Sunday.
Llyn Clywedog: No place better than home!
Llyn Brenig: Everything is fantastic.
Loch of the Lowes: Blue NC0 did some feeding while one of the chicks delighted in having a piece on its own. Lots of wheeing…just like an eagle. Blue NC0 made sure that both were fed. Fantastic Mum.
Manton Bay: We get a glimpse of them now and then if we are lucky.
Dyfi: Two beautiful birds. Everything is good and better than good with Idris and Telyn and their two chicks. Fledging will be soon.
Glaslyn: Lots of nice fish coming in for these two. Elen and Aran made a great team and I think we have all fallen in love with the new Queen of Glaslyn.
Poole Harbour: Blue 022 made sure that CJ7 and the trio had a nice fish before bedtime!
Alyth: Lots of fish coming on the nest. The chicks give self-feeding a go but Mum comes in and makes sure that everyone gets some fish.
Finnish #1. A middle of the night feeding for what looks like Little.
Finnish #4. Now only two.
Finnish #5. Only two chicks to begin and now two as well. They appear to be alright and not suffering from bad weather or poor fish deliveries.
Moving over to ‘H’s’ reports- thank you ‘H’:
Kent Island – Despite some afternoon storms, all was good for this Osprey family on the bay. I am so happy for Audrey that she has a little one to care for this year. Tom and Audrey’s little kiddo is 28 days old.
Barnegat Light – Duke brought a fluke for his family in the afternoon. At 40 days old, 09/N was doing some wingers.
Severna Park – Chick #1 fledged on 7/9, at 62 days of age. She made a nice return landing on the nest three hours later, and she enjoyed several more flights throughout the day. Chick #2 is 62 days old on 7/10.
Forsythe – All is well for Opal, Oscar, and their two chicks aged 49 and 48 days.
Osoyoos – The fish have been plentiful at the nest. At 14 and 13 days old, those two kids are doing great.
South Cape May Meadows – Hera was seen at her nest in the morning of 7/9, where her three babies died of starvation due to the prolonged storm in June. Zeus has not been seen since the storm. My heart aches for Hera.
Dahlgren – We could see chick #1 fledge this week. The chicks are both doing well, and are 53 and 49 days of age.
Patuxent Nest 1 – There could be another fledge any day. The two siblings are 56 and 55 days old, and I think I can tell them apart, lol, so hopefully we’ll know which one fledges next. Foster loves that perch so much, she spent the night on it, with Mom back on the nest last night.
Audubon Boathouse – Dory and Skiff’s only chick is 30 days old already, and little Skipper is doing great!
It is always a joy to receive your e-mails, to read your comments, and to have you hear with us in Bird World. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘B, H, T’, Moorings Park Ospreys, SK Hideaways and SJCH Falcon Cam, Earth.com, Page, BC SPCA, FOBBV, Tatarstan Eagle Cam, Dunrovin Rach, Fortis Exshaw, Borders Ospreys, MN Landscape Arboretum, PSEG, Cowlitz PUD, Collins Marsh, Clark PUD, Bridges Golf, Boulder County Fair Grounds Ospreys, Island Beach State Park, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, CarnyXWild, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, LOTL, LRWT, Dyfi Ospreys, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Alyth, Kent Island, Severna Park, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Forsythe Ospreys, Osoyoos, Audubon Boathouse, Patuxent River Park, DAhlgren Ospreys, and SCMM.
Thank you for your wonderful notes and your cheerful suggestions on what you do when you feel stressed. Gosh, what a wonderful ‘Bird Family’ I have! so caring and compassionate. ‘M’, I will watch those sparrows netting under the Ospreys at Patchogue! Every time I get mad at Big for raising its head when Mini has a chance to eat I promise I will seek those birds out!
There is some good news coming in from Sunday. I have already posted it but everyone is so thrilled that Duke has returned to Daisy at Barnegat Light. Gone a little over 72 hours. Not sure if he has eaten. Duke looks thin and was interested in Daisy’s fish. Daisy has done magnificently as a single Mum for a few days despite losing two of three chicks…she could ahve lost them all. It is sad to see a big healthy Middle, a fat little osplet, on the nest dead. What a few days it has been in osprey World.
Happiness is a walk around a duck pond or through the forest when the sun is warm on your face and at every turn there is a new surprise. Today it was in the form of little ducklings and goslings and all the birds enjoying the bird bath or the fledgling Blue Jays trying to crack a peanut so that it is the right size to eat.
The Canada Geese or moulting. There will be feathers all over the area around the pond for the next 4-6 weeks. T hey undergo an entire moult and cannot fly during this time.
This lucky family had five goslings. Dad was behind being security guard.
A juvenile Mallard.
Proud Mum had several of those little fuzzy duckling juveniles.
Coming home, the fledgling blue Jays were having a wonderful time in the bird bath!
Our top tip of the day comes form Amy Tan and it is great advice – costing around $1-$5 – to keep birds from colliding with windows and being injured or dying.
Now see the spider webs.
For the first time, Ospreys are breeding in an area of Germany where there were none! The ringing of the beautiful osplets today. Talk about happiness.
It is only 1515 at the Barnegat Light nest of Daisy and Big Bob. Daisy has already brought in four fish on Sunday. Big is eating well and Daisy is eating, too. They will be fine unless another catastrophic event happens. Daisy adjusted quickly to being a single Mum providing for the nest – the weather did not cooperate but she will get to raise one healthy chick to fledge, hopefully.
Daisy protecting her only surviving osplet. Big is 26 days old today.
Well, of course, the good news is that Duke has returned to Daisy and their nest. He looks thin. He was gone over 72 hours.
‘H’ notes that Daisy hid the body of Middle on Duke’s arrival. Poor Mum. She did her best and we have no idea what Dad went through…just glad they are together with one chick. ‘H’ also confirms that Duke did steal the fish that Daisy had but went fishing and brought another one in for the family. Poor guy. He was so hungry. Wonder where he had been?
The other great news is that Little Mini at Patchogue lucked out and had two good meals so far on Sunday. The first was at the crack of dawn at 0500 and the second came at 13:28. Little Mini ate the entire fish! No one else was interested. This is what will save our Mini…and it is Sunday. So good going!
Oh, thank goodness. Mini got a little more fish from the 1707 delivery. How much before the big ones come to the table…well, unknown. Mini is so hungry it is not leaving the table but is increasingly intimidated by the bigger siblings.
Mini stays and starts getting fed again at 1812. What a relief. Nope. The Bigs come back! Mini needs to grab that fish. Mum offers and he keeps his head down.
Mini has a tiny mini crop.
Mini did really well Monday morning. Right up there with Three eating! This is a really good break through for our wee one who is getting so many feathers it is hard to tell 4 from 3.
Thanks Stephen for this great photo of another survivor at South Bend.
Continuing to be grateful to the Finnish Osprey Foundation for removing the surviving chicks from nest 3 for care.
At the Forsythe Nest, ‘H’ confirms that Oscar brought in 13 fish on Sunday. Big was extremely aggressive and almost pushed Middle over the edge. That aggression died down a bit and Middle did eat. Let us hope that this all stops. Big is 34 days old and Middle is 33.
Osoyoos: ‘H’ was then that called the pip! Sunday 23:21. Oh, I hope this nest has a good year without the heat domes of past.
Boulder County Fair Grounds is sometimes not an easy nest to watch. There is plenty of fish but Little sometimes appears to get shut out. It had a couple of reasonable feeds by 1600 on Sunday.
Cowlitz PUD: Did not see any fish deliveries up to and including 1330 nest time. Where are the fish?
Seaside: Those two chicks are really growing! Would love to ship the Cowlitz baby over to them some days!
RVA Ospreys, James River: Two Ospreys on the nest on Sunday. No clutch this year. Maybe next.
Great Bay Ospreys: LOTS of fish. Some dominance issues with the Big sibling but the second hatch got some fish!
Moraine Preservation Fund: Trio are doing well and this is a nest where the Dad steps up to feed the chicks! We need more of that wired into their system!
Outerbanks 24/7: Chicks are well fed. Betsy flew off with a fish at 1431 when kayakers came too close to the nest. The osplets pancaked. There need to be barriers around the nests and notices to people in boats, motorised or not.
Oyster Bay: Everything is good.
Maryland Western Shore for Old Town: Fantastic day!
The Bridge Golf Club Ospreys, Noyack, NY: Trio on the nest. Larger two siblings will not let the very tiny third hatch eat. To be fair, the second hatch is quite thin and the little one is so tiny and so hungry. This nest is not thriving.
Sandpoint: Chick hatched on 22 June. Eating well.
Cape Henlopen: No ospreys and the Black Vultures have come to use it as a spot to rest and scope out the area.
White Stork Nest, Tukums, Latvia: Since the rain this nest has been doing fantastic. Storklets growing and appear to be very healthy.
The construction of the new nest for Martin and Rose is now finished. Thank you Window to Wildlife. Pi and Pat were apparently watching from a distance. It is approximately 6 ‘ x 3’.
‘A’ is worried about some events at the nest of Angel and Tom and Deyani. She writes, “at Angel’s nest, there was no food brought to Deyani today (Sunday). She visited the nest several times during the day, attacked the nest a little, pancaked for an afternoon rest for a while, but left late in the afternoon and did not return. There were early evening storms in the area, and about an hour ago, there was very heavy rain and thunder. Then, about 15 or 20 minutes ago, and once more as I type this, there were several shots fired. They were about 30 seconds or so apart and there were three or four of them. Then, as I said, about a minute ago, another shot rang out. It was pitch dark when the first shot was heard. They were fairly close to the microphone (which is in a tree at least 100 metres from the nest). I have no idea what anyone would be shooting at out there in the dark, but I sure hope it’s not Angel. The others would not be visible to a shooter. I am presuming all is okay, but it’s always worrying. Deyani is unlikely to be starving, and could easily have been fed off-nest today, but we will see what happens tomorrow. She is a strong flyer and seems able to manoeuvre around the trees well, so I am fairly confident she will be fine.” Lamping is the term for hunting at night with lights. I really hope that nothing untoward has happened to anyone in our hawk family. This is one reason the location of nests is often not disclosed. — Angel is sleeping on a branch Sunday night so is OK.
Window to Wildlife has a fundraiser to upgrade Angel’s camera for next year. Information is under the streaming cam above the live chat. There are lots of worthy fundraisers out there….
In the mailbox: ‘D’ shares a photo from her holidays. An osprey nest above a Go-Kart track in a busy shopping mall in North Carolina. She was surprised that the ospreys were not bothered by all the humans and the noise and adds that when asked the people at the mall and track said that the osprey return every year.
Ospreys have had to adapt based on humans taking over their natural habitats and cutting down dead trees. Ospreys prefer the top of a dead tree with a clear view in every direction. This differs from eagles that like to build their nest on the tops of conifer trees. Both have suffered good nesting sites due to our increasing demand for land, and artificial nests and platforms are being constructed in almost every country. Living around humans is a high cost compared to a nice site near a lake. “The Ospreys’ ability to adapt to and prosper within urban and suburban areas, combined with their recent reproductive success and thriving populations, has resulted in conflicts between Ospreys and the electric utility, communication, and transportation (e.g., aviation) industries. Human–Osprey conflicts vary widely in scope and scale, ranging from minor conflicts, such as an individual Osprey nest built on a human-made structure (e.g., cellular tower), to major problems, such as local populations of Ospreys directly or indirectly impacting human safety near civilian airports and military airfields through nesting and movement activities. Creative, mutually beneficial management and mitigation practices for both people and Ospreys are needed to allow for the successful coexistence of Ospreys and humans, especially in landscapes highly altered by humans.” Here is the full article from the Journal of Raptor Research:
Thank you so much for being with me. I hope to cover more of the international Osprey nests tomorrow and in particular, the UK ones where ringing is taking place. Take care all. See you soon.
Thank you to everyone that sent notes, videos, tweets, posts, and operated streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A, D, H, M, T’, Amy Tan and Nor Cal Birding, Gregarious Joris Toonen and Ospreys, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, PSEG, Stephen M Basly, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Boulder County Fairgrounds, Cowlitz PUD, Seaside Ospreys, RVa Ospreys, Great Bay Ospreys, Moraine Preservation Fund, Outerbanks 24/7, Maryland Western Shore for Old Town Home, Bridge Golf Club, Sandpoint Ospreys, Cape Henlopen State Park, Latvian Fund for Nature, Window to Wildlife, Forsythe Ospreys, Osoyoos Ospreys, and the RRP.
So what do you do when you worry? This morning after seeing Tiny shut out of food at the Patchogue nest for another day, it seemed like a good idea to head out for a walk in the forest despite the 29C temps. Tiny has not eaten since it had a huge crop late Saturday. Nothing is better to clear the mind than walking through trees with a slight breeze and looking at ‘the living’.
Fort Whyte Alive is restoring and building wetlands. They are being so careful not to disturb the waterfowl that the new area is intended to benefit. Two days ago, I could see only two Hooded Mergansers despite others saying there were three. Today, I turned, and there were three! Two drakes and a hen. Then turning away – I did not make a peep, but I sure wanted to – there was another hen with ducklings! There were eighteen. After so few goslings and Mallard ducklings, this was just overwhelming. Hooded Mergansers do breed in southern Manitoba but, according to all the ‘counts’, they are more populous in eastern Canada and Ontario than where I live.
Happiness in a pond full of Dragonflies and mosquitoes! A tip: if you go to wetlands and there are mosquitoes about, do not wear open-toe sandals. Yes, I did. LOL. Silly me. But I did have on long pants and a long sleeve shirt. Thank goodness. The running joke in Winnipeg is that people get eaten so severely by mosquitoes that they feel like they have given blood to the Red Cross. There were t-shirts to that effect for one year. The Dragonflies must be eating well!!!!!!!
In addition to the Hen, there were also two Mallard hens with eight ducklings. This was just a wonderful sight.
The two Mallard drakes were having a siesta!
Hooded Mergansers are ‘climate endangered’ according to Audubon. Many hope that the species is adjusting to climate change.
There are always Red-winged Blackbirds standing sentry at the top of the trees, flying around and following the humans on the paths if they get too close to their nests. This fella kept a really close eye on me and was vocalising very loud.
But then…just around the bend, there were geese with their five goslings. Talk about growing! This is the couple in the water two days ago.
Just lovely. School children were everywhere with nets checking the water, some were in kayaks or canoes, and others were heading to the Interpretative Centre. It is a great place to introduce youngsters to nature and hopefully, they will grow up to be good stewards of the land.
Lewis and Missey literally go and hide when they hear a Peregrine Falcon! It is incredible. Not frightened by eagles or anything else but let those falcons start and off they run! Her name is Soledad, the only eyas of Monty and Hartley at the San Jose City Hall scrape. Nice name.
Soledad is one ‘tough cookie’. Very strong and curious…she goes all over the place! After a meal, of course.
Sometimes Monty looks terrified.
In case you are going to miss, Deyani, SK Hideaways did a really cute video of this gorgeous hawklet before she fledges!
Patchogue is heartbreaking. The fish have changed. There are big bony ones coming on that take a long time to feed so that by the time it could be Mini’s turn, the Big ones are hungry again. Mini is very intimidated but that does not stop it from watching and trying to get up to some fish. It has been beaked by one of the big siblings and has lost out on food on Monday – at least anything more than a few bites by 1606 that I have seen.
Mini hopeful at 1607, but no fish left. This little one had tried and tried. Did I say that I have to go for walks in order to watch this nest now? Pray for lots of fish…we need a fish right after one another.
Mini had only a few bites of food today and was brutally attacked by the older siblings. How sad this has all become. It is unclear if any intervention could take place. ‘L’ is on it -. PSEG says that the osplets are all “doing fine”. It is 2300 and Mini has not eaten for 52 hours…OK. 3-4 bites. By Tuesday evening it will be the very critical 72 hours. Let us all collectively hope for a fish.
It is Tuesday morning and three large boney fish came to the Patchogue nest prior to 1019. Mini had 3 bites before it was sent into submission. The little one tried to chew off a bone. Mini is starving and persistent and a survivor…if it gets a chance. Mum was being so slow to start to feed it from this fish that I thought she was going to refuse. Mini does not understand.
Mum works around that bony head of the fish and finally starts feeding Mini a few decent bites. Is it possible Mini will get the rest of that fish before the others wake up? If so, Mini will survive to live again. Go Mini!
Tears. This nest desperately needs fish delivered like this or Mini will continue to be shut out and desperate. Send your most positive wishes. We need Mini to be another week older and he should be able to handle the Big ones better.
1100. Still being fed. Mum is fighting the bones and trying to eat, too. Mini is getting a crop. So Mini went more than 60 hours. Tears. Come on Mum…feed this baby more quick!
Mini ate until 1108 when the Big ones came up. Now why can’t Mum feed Mini as fast as she does the Big ones? It would make all the difference.
The weather has turned nasty in the UK with thunderstorms, high winds, lightning and hail. Maya kept the three osplets warm and protected as best she could teaching them to tuck their heads in. The minute the storm stopped Blue 33 was on the nest with a fish. Yes, he caught it during the thunderstorm for his family. Great guy! My choice if I were an Osprey!
It might be clear in Rutland but it is pitching down rain at Glaslyn. Elen is keeping the babes warm and dry.
The camera at Dyfi seems to be down.
At Llyn Brenig, Mum is spread out in a great umbrella protecting her chicks.
Dylan is home with Seren at Llyn Clywedog. The storm is passing.
At Loch of the Lowes, Laddie delivered another small gold fish. This nest is hungry. The issue is down to intruders.
Good feed on Tuesday. No animosity at LOTL. Yippeee.
At Loch Arkaig, the storm arrived quickly and left. Dorcha took great care of her Only Bob in the heavy rain and hail – but not until she had bolted off the nest when loud thunder frightened her. Just listen to the wind and heavy rain. Poor thing.
No shortage of fish at Poole Harbour. I saw one on the nest while CJ7 was feeding off another. All Bobs are little reptiles now.
Continuing to watch the Evergy Topeka Peregrine Falcons, where the third hatch is only a day younger than the two oldest and yet…the plumage is underdeveloped. Grateful that the feathers are starting to come out of the shafts but, what will happen to this baby?
‘H’ reports that the feedings remain civil at Barnegat Light. That is fantastic news…We all know that this can change. All it takes is a bad day for fish deliveries to set the nest off so please enjoy it now! You can see they are turning into little reptiles…itchy and a little anxious, they will be.
Birds in Helping Hands reminds us:
We are monitoring the Great Spirit Bluff Falcon scrape. There was a fierce GHO attack and Savannah defended the nest. Hoping she returns and is uninjured.
Newmann, the Dad, has been dropping off food. Savannah has not been seen since the GHO attack. Send your wishes. The eyases are old enough that Dad can raise them alone but our thoughts are with this brave Mum who might have fought that owl to the death to save her chicks.
Young Benjamin has caught up with the other storklets and is now six days old. This is excellent news. This wee one was so tiny. See the change!
There are still four storklets at the nest of Karl II and Kaia in the Karula National Forest in Estonia. There were numerous feedings throughout the day and at the evening feeding by Karl II the storklets had huge crops. Kaia arrived to feed but seeing no one was hungry enjoyed all the fish herself. the parents have to eat, too. This is great news – everyone full and the storklets all growing.
Bety and Bukacek’s storklets are growing and growing and doing fabulous. There are five of them.
This is the latest update on Dulles-Greenway Pat:
Ithaca, New York needed rain. We noticed this on Ferris Akel’s tours and it was getting it on Monday. The Ms were soaked! But with all that beautiful plumage, they are fine. Big Red was on the nest at one point and you could not tell her from one of the Ms.
Not sure they moved!
Murphy and his Eaglet have now been separated. Here is the latest news from Wild Bird Sanctuary.
If you are a fan of Kielder Ospreys then you will be delighted to hear that Blue 437 named Elsin, the only offspring of UV, and grandchick of Mrs G and 11 (98) – the original Glaslyn pair – was spotted in Cumbria. He survived his first migration!
Thank you so much for being with me this morning as we skipped around the nests. My focus remains on Mini at Patchogue (as well as Mini at Forsythe who had 36 bites this morning and Boulder County that I need to check on). Send your best wishes to all the nests. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog this morning: ‘H’, ‘L’, ‘SK’, San Jose City Hall Falcons, SK Hideaways and SJCH Falcons, SK Hideaways and Window to Wildlife, PSEg, LRWT, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Llyn Brenig, CarnyXWild, LOTL, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Evergy Topeka Falcons, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Birds in Helping Hands, Linda McIlroy and Raptors of the World, Maria Marika, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mlady Buky Stork Cam, Celia Aliengirl and BE Live Nest Cams and News, Cornell RTH, Kielder Forest, and Wild Bird Sanctuary.
On Saturday, I checked on Mini at Patchogue the first thing and then went off to count goslings and ducklings. I do not even know what to say. The numbers are dismal for hatches this year. Last year, we had floods that ruined the eggs. Some couples laid replacement clutches. But this year, there were simply not the number of geese in the parks to start and even fewer now. We know that the heat has driven all those without little ones north to find food and cooler weather. But what happened to their eggs in the first place? I am hoping that some of our goose specialists will have some answers later in the summer.
I have been following this goose couple all season. Like the other couple, below, they used the nesting baskets provided for their eggs. If there were predators about, this is why their eggs were safe. Why only one hatched for these two is not known. They have always had one little one tagging between them. They are very protective and with reason. This gosling is precious!
There was one other goose couple. They started out with nine youngsters and are now down to five. How adorable is this? A train in the water – Mum and Dad at either end keeping track so no one gets lost or left behind.
Looked and looked. Came across a pair of Hooded Mergansers and some turtles sunning themselves.
And a pair of Mallards with six ducklings.
At the nature centre, the geese and ducks generally remain in the confines of the wetlands, not venturing out as some of the others in our City might. There is a considerable absence of young this year. I then went to another site that I check regularly – where the Osprey flew over head the other evening. There were 38 Canada Geese and 16 goslings of varying ages.
The American White Pelicans were swimming around the edge of the pond and then decided to cross. They are lovely.
When I got home, it was a relief to see Junior enjoying the water in the bird bath and Scraggles on the fence eating a peanut. The garden is sooooo very quiet. (taken through window screens so not so clear)
Scraggles sees me and is frozen…he is living in a tree just down the lane. Wish I could find where Dyson is! The City cut down her original tree as it did Scraggles and she has relocated…
But, first up, there was an intervention at the Cornell Red-tail Hawk nest of Big Red and Arthur. Thanks to streaming cam watchers and volunteers, there was ‘movement’ noted in the ears of two of the Ms. Veterinarians from the Janet Swanson Wildlife Hospital observed and identified the problem as being maggots. They also noted that M3 was keeping its 3rd eyelid over its eye, indicating pain. Arrangements were made to intervene as leaving the infestations could cause pain, infection or damage to the ear and nerves. The intervention was successful and the Ms are now back in the nest with Big Red and Arthur. Thank you! Cause of the maggots: an abundance of prey!
Mini might get shut out of some meals, but, more often than not, Mini leaves with a big crop. On Saturday, there was a moment when the Third tried to intimidate Mini. It went away but was back at the table within a few minutes. Many of Saturday’s fish were very large. Everyone at the Patchogue Nest ate. One thing is for sure – Mini is growing! Those wings are getting bigger. Oh, I hope we are on the stretch to knowing that Mini will survive and fledge!
Mini waiting at noon for the next fish and it arrives. A nice big one.
Mini decides to sleep on the fish but is still in a bad spot for feeding.
Mini moves out of the way.
Oh, but Mini watches and waits and then just look at all that fish that is left and who is up there for a feeding.
After…a nice crop.
Just look at our Little Mini. Clown feet, the red copper feathers at the nape of the head. This osplet is changing and in the nest few days will look very different! Little Mini is going to have some nice feathers growing from that wooly charcoal coloured thermal down. Look carefully at the size of Little Mini’s wings. Not so ‘Little Mini’ anymore. Thankfully.
Throughout the day, Little Mini had a good crop. Dad always brings in at least one nice fish at the end of the day if not two. Mini was too full to eat! All is well.
It appears that Mini might have been shut out of all the early morning feeds at Patchogue. A fish has been left in the middle of the nest to encourage self-feeding and while Mini can sit at the open end and pull some flakes, he really is not yet able to hold it down and pull to get enough food. I am hopeful Mum will feed the little one. Big is now hoping and wing flapping.
‘H’ has been watching the Boathouse Osprey platform of Skiff and Dory closely for the first sign of a pip and it came Saturday morning! Day 39 for egg 1. ‘H’ reports that it was a quick hatch. Dory was not giving any secrets away but the first full view of the chick came at 1338. Thanks, ‘H’. Already wanting fish!
While there is jubilation at the Boathouse, there is growing concern at the Forsythe Nest that ‘H’ has been monitoring. Here are Saturday’s observations. “The aggression seems to be getting worse. There were 9 fish deliveries, but they were all small or small partials. Feeding 0750 to 0808 -Mini did not start out next to Little, and managed to get some bites, but when Middle slid back a little bit, Little attacked Mini. By 0757 Mini was back in a pretty good place [4,2,3,1]. Mini got some bites until Middle dropped back, and at 0806 Little again attacked Mini. Mini didn’t make it back. Total bites for Mini = 35. Feeding 0835 to 0900 – Mini started out eating beside Little and got many bites before Little even started to eat. Little already had a big crop. By 0840 Little wanted to eat, and beaked Mini (Mini never retaliates, simply goes into submission). At 0856 Mini was back at the table eating beside Middle. Big and Little had dropped out. Total bites for Mini = 45. Feeding 1030 to 1045 – Positioned [4,1,2,3]. Positioning stayed the same. There was no aggression. Total bites for Mini = 30.nFeeding 1158 to 1206. Positioned [1,4,3,2]. At 1159 Little beaked Mini, but shortly thereafter, Little dropped out. Mini soon came back and ate. Middle dropped out at 1204. Total bites for Mini = 29. Feeding 1603 to 1610 -Positioned [4,1,3,2], Mini should be good right? At 1606, Little lunged at Mini right across the front of Big, Mini dropped back. Then, Little beaked Big and Middle. Big attacked Little. Little then attacked Mini who was already in submission. Big attacked Little again. At 1607 Big and Middle ate. At 1609 Little tried to get back to eat, and was beaked by Big. Big wouldn’t allow Little to return. Then for some reason, Big beaked Middle. Mom, Opal, finished the fish. Total bites for Mini = 6. Feeding 1645 to 1654 – Positioned [3,4,1,2] Mini stayed tucked in submission from the start. So I went back to see what had transpired before the fish arrived. Well, for some reason at 1644 Mini beaked Big a couple of times. So Big punished Mini. Mini tucked and stayed tucked. They lined up to feed right around where Mini was. Little beaked big up at the food line, so Big beaked back and Little was out. So, Little had just a few bites, Middle and Big finished the fish. Bites for Mini – 0. Feeding 1735 to 1745 – Positioned [1,2,4,3} Mini had 2 bites and then was beaked by Little, then Big beaked Little. At 1736 Mini tried to stand up and was beaked by Big!!! So Mini stayed in the back. At 1743 Mom reached over and gave Mini one bite. At 1744 Little turned around and beaked Mini. Bites for Mini = 3. Feeding 1803 to 1812 – Mini tucked when the fish arrived. The other three ate. At 1805 Mini tried to approach the feeding line next to Little and is beaked. Ditto at 1807 and 1810. Bites for Mini = 0. Feeding 1855 – 1908 – Mini tucked when the fish arrived. But Mini did approach the line, positioned [1,2,3,4}, got one bite of fish then was beaked by Little. At 1857 and 1859 Mini tried to approach and was beaked by Little. At 1903 Mom reached out and gave Mini 4 quick bites, but as soon as Little realized it, she beaked Mini. Total bites for Mini = 5.
Sunday morning saw improvements for Mini at Forsythe. ‘H’ reports: “Feeding 0539 to 0606 – Huge live fish,From the start, Little beaked Mini pretty badly, Mini out. Ditto at 0545, 0546, 0552 0604. At 0553 Big beaked Little. Each time Mini tried to engage, s/he was beaked by Little. Now, I was encouraged by the size of this fish, because the large fish tend to increase Mini’s chances of getting a private feeding at the end. Well, inexplicably, with 75% of the fish remaining, Oscar took it off the nest!! Cringe. Really Dad? Bites for Mini = 0. Feeding 0650 to 0716 – Oscar had taken the previous fish to the perch to eat, and he brought back 1/2 of the large fish. Mini got bites early, Little was late to the table, but by 0652 Little beaked Mini. Again 0655 Little attacked Mini when Mini raised up; that time Big beaked Little very aggressively and Little was out. Big laid down beside Little, between Little and the feed line, so Little couldn’t get back! One time Little tried, and Big raised up and gave her ‘the look.’ So, Middle and Mini ate. By 0706 Middle dropped out. At 070648 Mini walked away with a large crop, but Mini returned at 070830; and walked away again at 071030; and Mini returned to feed at 071315. Both Middle and Big returned for a few bites later on, but Little never did make it back to the front. Total bites for Mini = 102 YES!!!
‘H’ reports that the Dahlgren cam was down all day. She notes reports of two good feedings at Severna. Her observations of both nests at Patuxent revealed that all is well.
Kathryn reports on the Carova Osprey nest. She observes, “The dad has delivered 8 fish so far today. And it is only 3:30pm! They are averaging one fish per hour. It seems like the chicks are rotating feedings and one usually naps while the other two eat and then the one eats at the next feeding. Here they are all amazed because the dad brought two fish at once and one was flopping around! A commenter suggested this may have been done purposely by the dad to get them used to an alive fish! So cool.”
The fish are not always plentiful at the Cowlitz PUD nest. Most days, they might be said to be ‘pitiful’ compared to the size and number being brought to Patchogue. One nice sized fish did get on the nest on Saturday after Kathryn observed only a couple of tiny ones and the Only Bob got a feed.
The wee one had a nice crop and Electra had a good meal, too.
Imagine raising these little osplets from eggs found in a chimney. Sunnie Day posts a heartwarming story from MSN.COM:
Syndication: Cape Cod Times
ORLEANS 06/10/23 Wild Care’s Stephanie Ellis feeds just days old hungry osprey chicks their breakfast of ground quail She raised the birds from eggs that were removed from nests built on chimneys in Osterville and Falmouth by wild life officials The mission next, get the chicks placed into surrogate nests soon along with chicks their same age to be raised by a new set of parents Cape Cod Times/Steve Heasli in ORLEANS 06/10/23 Wild Care’s Stephanie Ellis feeds just days old hungry osprey chicks their breakfast of ground quail. She raised the birds from eggs that were removed from nests built on chimneys in Osterville and Falmouth by wild life officials. The mission next on ORLEANS 06/10/23 Wild Care’s Stephanie Ellis feeds just days old hungry osprey chicks their breakfast of ground quail. She raised the birds from eggs that were removed from nests built on chimneys in Osterville and Falmouth by wild life officials. The mission next, get the chicks placed into surrogate nests soon along with chicks their same age to be raised by a new set of parents. Cape Cod Times/Steve Heasli.
‘A’ has been pondering the nest of Angel and Tom and the upcoming fledge of Deyani.
“Can I nominate Angel as mother of the year? She only raised one, I know, but the sheer horror of watching her mate kill their first-born shook her to the core, and her ability to raise the second hatchling as she did, smothering it with love and protection, hunting for it alongside Tom to make sure it was properly fed until he got his act together, putting up with constant bombardments from the blue jays and their extended family, literally bouncing off her at the rate of up to a dozen hits per minute, was nothing short of inspirational. Even when Deyani was nearly as big as mum, Angel was on the nest during rain, sheltering her baby to the best of her considerable ability (she is a fantastic mumbrella, with those warm and cosy underfluffies looking very safe and appealing), spreading her wings to cover a huge area. She has been absolutely devoted.” “Meanwhile, it just occurred to me that rarely has a chick been so lucky to be born second on a nest. (Yes, I know, it’s a bizarre thought, but true.) I do miss that first hawklet, even though we only knew the little one for a day. It was such a sweet little cutie, and I will never forget its adorable face as it looked up at its dad and yawned. It was our final view of the chick alive. At least its death was quick – hawks are obviously relatively efficient in that regard. But I think a lot about what Deyani has missed out in without her sibling and Angel’s grief was truly something awful to watch. She was heartbroken. And very very angry. She knew she still needed Tom but she didn’t have to like that fact! I hope she has forgiven him for his error – he has done his best to do his best, as it were, and as I mentioned, he even fed Deyani the other day (or, rather, Deyani took food from his beak in a manner reminiscent of feeding). I hope they stay together now and build on what they have done this season. It is such a lovely, peaceful, prey-rich area to raise chicks.”
I did not, as mentioned earlier, check on many nests on Saturday. I am so grateful to those who monitor Osprey nests for me and those who send me news of nests I have been monitoring for one reason or another but did not on Saturday. ‘SP’ sends me new screen captures of the eyas from the Evergy Topeka Peregrine Falcon scrape. Oh, goodness. The wee one looks much better now that those feathers are breaking out of those quills. Now this really is a relief.
Dmitri’s storklet is certainly growing and eating – thriving under the care of this generous and compassionate man.
Dmitri has his storklet outside on the ground in this short video.
Ervie looking good! I kept the comment so you could see it is Ervie. Hard to locate that tracker the way he is situated.
Don’t these Osprey Mums know that we want to see that every chick gets fed?! Barnegat Light 1815 Saturday.
On Sunday, ‘H’ was able to get sight of some feedings, “Feeding from 0644 – 065230. Little was in the back, kind of clueless as to how best to get fed. After several minutes Little started to move around Big and got two bites from Daisy. But, clumsy Big inadvertently knocked Little into the back row again. It was a long time until Little finally got beside Big and began to consistently get bites. Soon Big and Middle dropped out. They are clumsy and awkward, but, there was no intentional bonking between any of them. Total bites for Little = 17.
Crossing the Pond and look at those healthy chicks of Idris and Telyn at the Dyfi Osprey nest in Wales.
What a beautiful Osprey family – CJ7 and Blue 022 – and their trio at Poole Harbour.
Lady
Laddie has had to spend too much time guarding the territory and needs more time being able to fish for the family. There were no less than six intruders seen. Laddie delivered a fish in the morning and one around 1330. Blue NC0 was fish crying for her and the kids Sunday morning.
At Loch Arkaig, we have the ‘bobbing’ Bob. The Only Bob seems to like to beak Dorcha’s talons. It reminds me of a nicknack my grandmother’s had – a bird that would bob its head and pick up a toothpick. The Only Bob is 11 days old today, and you can see it is entering the Reptile phase. See that oily black head. Louis delivered at least five fish on Friday and is known for being diligent…the chick is definitely not hungry!
It is also time to begin checking on Dad and Lady at the WBSE nest in the Sydney Olympic Park. It is now time that eggs could be laid! ‘A’ is going to keep tabs on this couple for us. She reports, “Shortly after 2pm, both Lady and Dad were back on the nest in Olympic Park. Dad arrives first, around 14:02, and arranges a stick before just standing in the middle of the nest for a couple of minutes, looking around as if surveying the area. Checking it for potential threats perhaps? Lady joins him just before 14:07. Dad does some aerating in the centre of the nest as Lady watches. They then stand in the middle of the nest for a moment. Their visits to the nest are becoming increasingly frequent. These two are definitely trying for an egg (or two). Lady is not only ‘receptive’ but appears to be actively encouraging mating, which would lead one to presume her ‘window of hormonal opportunity’ is open.”
I know that many of you are interested in bird feeders and their cameras and this particular video caught my eye. There is a Cooper’s Hawk that visits!
Thank you for being with me today in Bird world. Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to create my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘SP’, Cornell RTH Cam, PSEG, Audubon/Explore, Forstythe Ospreys, Outerbanks 247, Cowlitz PUD, Sunnie Day and MSN.com, Window to Wildlife, Evergy Topeka, Storks on line, Janice Love and Friends of Osprey Sth Ads, Barnegat Light and Conservation Conservancy of NJ, Dyfi Osprey Project, Poole Harbour ospreys, LOTL, Friends of Lock Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, and Gettysburg Live Cam.
