Category Archives: nature walks

Sunday in Bird World

4 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I want to thank everyone who has sent in names of nests with three or more osplets and to those who have helped to get each bird’s name on the Memorial Wall that we have lost this year. We are at #50. If you know of a nest or see I am missing a nest on a streaming cam that had a loss, including a parent, please let me know. You can e-mail me at maryannsteggles@icloud.com OR add a comment. Thank you! And thank you to ‘T’, who helped me with some of the Golden and Imperial eagle nests today.

It was hot and humid on the Canadian prairies and the storms that were brewing showed up in the late afternoon. The lilacs and the garden are the richest British Racing Green. Stunning. I did not do a comprehensive check of all the nests today. Sometimes we all need a break and it has been a tough week. Spending time with little ducklings sure helps the spirit! These little ones were running all over the place. Hard to count!

Someone at the park must have tossed birdseed (millet?) into the gravel by the pond’s edge. The ducklings are keen on finding it.

Andy N Condor always puts a smile on my face. Some great news – an adoption!

Please send all your positive wishes to Cal Falcons. We know what intruders can do and Annie appears to have had a fight with someone.

The IWS (Dr Sharpe and colleagues) have a dedicated page to the Bald Canyon eaglet that swallowed the fishing hook. Yes, if you do not know about this, it is terrible. Here is the story and the link for future updates. Thanks, ‘B’.

Please contribute to the rehabilitation of Eagle 45/D from the Bald Canyon eagle nest on San Clemente Island. He swallowed a fishing hook attached to a fish on 6/1/23. We rescued and transported him to a rehab facility near San Diego on 6/2/23. Donations made to IWS for 45/D’s care using the Donate button below will be forwarded directly to the rehab facility. We will provide updates below as we receive them.

Status Updates:

6/3/23: The fish hook is in the lower GI tract and “free-floating”. The veterinarian was unable to remove it endoscopically. A specialist will be examining 45/D on 6/4 and a plan will be developed for the hook removal.

https://www.iws.org/45d

There has been lots of wishful thinking that E22 might just stay at the Fort Myers nest. S/he certainly feels comfortable and has enjoyed the pond. Well, on Saturday, E22 catches its first fish on camera. Heidi McC shows it in real time and then in slow-mo. My goodness. Happiness.

The Pritchett Family website for the SW Florida cam has confirmed this…and I have seen the image blown up. It is not pond debris – it is a fish!

I sure would like to see Big and Middle over at the Achieva Osprey nest catching their own fish. Some chatters believe that Diane is back bringing in some fish after injuring a foot. That would be fantastic as the dust-ups are getting pretty rough. They remind me of Ervie and his sibling, Bazza, at Port Lincoln.

At 1625 both are eating fish but Big always seems to get the largest. Another fish comes in later and Big gets it as well. That time is 1937. It could be the last delivery from Jack of the day.

1627:

The 1937 delivery:

Send some good wishes for these two. They need some fish to get strong and then go on their own way. There will be no love lost between the two of them!

As I look at all of the struggling osprey nests, I often see the term ‘survival of the fittest’ in the chat comments. In his book, Reconnection. Fixing our Broken Relationship with Nature, Miles Richardson says that Charles Darwin in his Descent of Man regularly used the term ‘love’ instead of the survival of the fittest. He argues that Darwin moved away from the term stating that he was not referring to the “victory of one over the other”. Einstein suggests that we are all part of something larger, just a piece of nature where we all belong together and survive by cooperation – as many Eastern religions have stressed since their origins. Watching Big and Middle at Achieva it is hard to think about love and cooperation. Once animals became objects – for example, in modern farming – our connectedness to them ceased to exist. Richardson believes we need to get this back – to realise that it is not a competition but that we must cooperate for our planet’s survival. I wish to travel and return to a place pre-human, pre-industrial, to see our ospreys. They have been here for more than 60 million years.

At Patchogue, Mini has been eating but Big has also been beaking at times. Very unpleasant because that older sibling is just so much bigger. Mum is very much aware of her tiny baby though and makes sure it gets under her and I also believe that she makes certain it gets fed. We can only hope that the huge fish that are coming on this nest continue so that the three big ones are full and Mini gets fed and none of the others notices! or cares.

Where’s Mini? Big sibs are full. Three is eating. Is Mini on the other side?

Mum tucking in Mini carefully.

The last feeding of the day and Mini is up there having some good fish. After being fed for a bit, one of the bigger sibs seems to take exception but Mini went to bed after doing a full crop drop. No major aggression – the Big ones just have to stand tall and ‘look’.

1906: Really nice crop. Everyone else sleeping except for big whose head you can see above Mum’s. She wants some more fish but Mini has a nice crop.

We take this nest and be joyful – one day at a time. If Mini survives, I have a tiny bottle of champagne sitting and waiting.

Early Sunday morning, Mini waits and gets a private feeding. Do you get the distinct impression that this wonderful Mum keeps some food back form the Big ones for Mini? It sure seems like it!

Three preening after breakfast. Big goes up for more. So far so good. A day at a time.

The trio at the other PSEG nest at Oyster Bay seem to be doing alright as well. Gosh, they are so much closer in size.

At Severna Park, Middle waits and watches rather than engaging with Big. If there is fish left or Big is full, Middle eats. Middle has gone without on Saturday for all feedings. This is the 0807 feeding.

13:59. You will notice that the fish deliveries are down. Big got all of this fish, too.

1558 Feeding.  “Middle started out in submission, but worked his way around the other side of Olivia, and managed to get bites for 6 minutes, then Olivia moved!  So, big attacked.  Olivia pulled the fish to the other side of the nest and fed Big.  Middle snuck around and got a few more bites.  Ended up with a small crop.” Thanks, ‘H’.

‘H’ reports that the feeding at the Patuxent I Osprey platform was super. No aggression at the feeding observed and both ate well.

At the Patuxent II nest. “A slightly different story, there is aggression by Big.  At 1317 they all ate harmoniously for the first 10 minutes, then Big decided s/he wanted to dine alone, and beaked Middle and Little, so they were out.  After several minutes, Middle worked its way back to the table, but it took quite a while longer for Little to get back.  Big decided it was OK, and dropped out shortly thereafter anyway.  The net result is that all were well fed.  It was 40 minute feeding.”

As far as I am aware, the other nests are doing alright. We have no other deaths on Saturday.

Iris’s nest, full of leaves, tells it all but Iris is a survivor and amidst the floods and droughts, she knows where to find the fish. Here she is on Saturday with one of her ‘whopper’s on the Owl Pole. It is unfortunate that she did not have a reliable mate after Stanley. She certainly has good DNA on her side of the genetic markers – she knows how to build the best osprey nest I have seen and wow, can she fish…she is as good as it gets.

Just look at that fish!

At the UK nests, everything is going well for Idris and Telyn and their two Bobs at the Dyfi nest. Those kids have grown fast and as you can see, we are in the Reptile phase. They are 10 and 12 days old today.

Aran and his new mate Elen are keeping the two Bobs at Glaslyn well fed.

CJ7 and her mate Blue 022 have three beautiful and healthy osplets at Poole Harbour. No issues!

Condensation on the Manton Bay nest and the way that Maya stands to feed the Bobs tends to obscure what is happening. That said, there is nothing to worry about on this nest. The wee Bobs of a few weeks ago are now getting their juvenile plumage!

Loch Arkaig – the home of Louis and Dorcha – is doing just fine with its Onoy Bob. Louis is right there for a deliver for his mate and wee one.

Except for Llyn Brenig where the third hatch died, all of the other UK nests appear to be doing well.

The two Dulles-Greenway eaglets that fell from the collapsing nest of their parents, Martin and Rosa, are together again in rehab – . That is wonderful news. They can work those wings and get to be strong fliers.

Poor Flora. Earlier she was up on a high branch with one of the adults but tonight a strong wind is blowing and she is all alone and the branch is very thin. You can see that this eaglet is frightened in the storm.

I do not know if it is the same storm system or not but Daisy is holding on for dear life at the Barnegat Light osprey platform in New Jersey. She has two osplets under there that hatched on the 31 May and 1 June that can’t be fed due to the high winds. I do not know if Duke can even fish. there is a coastal flood advisory for Barnegat Light and the winds are blowing at 31 kph. ‘H’ reports that the third egg hatched at 05:13 for Daisy and Duke. Let us wish them good weather and calm winds.

All the nests along this coast will be impacted.

There is something to smile about. Look at this beautiful White-tailed eaglet that was banded on Saturday in Tatarstan region of Russia near the Volga River. Isn’t it adorable! Just look at that big beak! It is a boy! Thanks ‘T’ and thank you for letting me know that this area is rich in prey for the eagles. Let us hope that Sarpike moves her nest to this region!

As I say often, every nest can change on a ‘dime’. They need habitat, strong old trees, birds and mammals to eat, fish to catch, and clean water without toxins. Begin at home. Help when and where you can. Educate others. Build a web of caring people. Everything helps. If you see an animal in need, stop and observe. Have the number of the wildlife rehabber in your phone. Call them! You will feel better for every life you save.

And one more thought. Do you grow a garden? do you have extra produce? do you know someone who does? Our wildlife rehabber has just asked for donations of fresh veggies or for people to grow a row in their garden for the animals – kale, carrots, lettuces, beans….I suspect that every rehab centre needs fresh veggies. Check it out.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all. See you soon.

A special thanks to those who sent notes, created videos, wrote FB posts, articles, or run streaming cams that helped to create my blog this morning: ‘B’, ‘H’, ‘R’, ‘T’, Andy N Condor, Cal Falcons, IWS, Heidi MC and SWFlorida Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, PSEG, Severna Ospreys, Patuxent River Park, Montana Osprey Project, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, LRWT, Geemeff and Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Loudontimes.com, Dulles-Greenway, Barnegat Light and NJ Conservancy, Tartasan WTE.

Pale Male dies…Wednesday in Bird World

17 May 2023

Hello Everyone,

It was gorgeous weather on the Canadian Prairies yesterday, Tuesday, the 16th of May. That meant it was neither rainy, windy, or too hot. That called for a trip to Oak Hammock Marsh, the wetlands jointly managed by the Province of Manitoba and Ducks Unlimited. I have my qualms with DU – guns and shooting ducks, but they have played a considerable role in creating a network of wetlands that are home to so many migrating geese and ducks with trails surrounded by shrubs that are home to all manner of songbirds. Yesterday was no exception.

Just before arriving at the site, there was water still standing in the fields from the spring flooding. Talk about ducks – I had to take photos to remember all of them!

A male Northern Shoveler taking off in the centre. Below a Red-winged Blackbird. The water was full of Shovelers! Along with Pintails, a few Mallards, some Gadwalls. It was a surprise to see so many ducks on this one field. Grateful for spring flooding!

It is an enormous area.

The great stand off. The Red-winged Blackbird taunted the Canada Goose who was protecting its mate and their nest all afternoon.

Tree Swallows are the most common of the North American Swallows. They have this stunning iridescent blue-green upper parts – head, neck, wings, back with a spotless white underbelly, throat, etc. Two-toned! The lack of trees and woodpecker holes means that these birds are entirely dependent on nesting boxes for their breeding.

Oh, what damage we have done to the habitat of so many birds.

Purple Martins are the largest swallow found in North America. They used to build their nests and live in abandoned woodpecker holes but now, in the wetlands, and across the Prairies, they rely entirely on the goodness of humans to build them birdhouses so they can breed.

A pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds. Oh, I wish the light was better. They have a beautiful sepia-coloured head on an iridescent-green black body. These two had a nest in this tree and they were diligently keeping four Grackles at a distance.

A male Redhead. Easy to spot with that gorgeous and rather trendy brick-red upper neck and head! They are diving ducks and you will only find them in North America. Redheads like to lay their eggs in other ducks nests, more than any other duck, according to The Pocket Birds of Canada, 2nd edition (23).

Then when I walked the trails, it was a blessing that there were benches every 10 metres or so. Not because I was tired but overwhelmed and trying to identify all of the birds. Thank goodness for Merlin Sound ID and the Notes app on my phone!

It was a lovely time. Nothing was rushed…the stopping all around the trails allowed me to simply savour all those beautiful sounds and the smell of the marsh. There were children in the distance getting ready to go out in canoes and kayaks..they were laughing. Priceless.

As I write, Dyson and Scraggles are on the deck after peanuts, Little Red is going after the table feeder, Mr Crow is flying in and out, telling them the peanuts are his! What a blessed life. I cannot imagine, for a second, not having the sound of birds around me.

The big news of the morning is that Pale Male, the legendary Red-tail Hawk of Central Park has died. What a way to wake up! Thanks, ‘H’. He was called ‘Pale’ Male because of his light plumage. He was notorious for having his nest on one of the most expensive buildings around the Park and was the focus of the movie, The Legend of Pale Male. It is free online and if you haven’t seen it – or if you have – and want to honour this amazing raptor, have another look-

https://www.thelegendofpalemale.net

He was rescued by Bobby Horvath of WINORR.

At the WRDC Bald Eagle nest in Miami-Dade, Ron and Rita’s R5 fell out of the nest and has been taken for evaluation. He appears to be fine but whether or not he will be returned to the nest is another story since R4 could bolt.

‘T’ reports that the rescue of getting the nylon wrapped around one of the storkelets in Lindheim, Germany was a success.

The Loch of the Lowes nest is not strictly out of the ‘woods’ yet. The fish are not coming on the nest like they are at Rutland but, fish is coming. Continue to send your warmest and most positive wishes. Just look at those two sweet little babies.

Laddie brings a flapping fit to the nest at 1330 on the 16th.

These will be the only two hatches for Laddie and Blue NC0 this year. The first hatch was the second egg….and, as my grandmother always reminded me, things do work out. We might not always know the reason but, they do. In this instance, Blue NC0 has always struck me as a female osprey who can deal with, at most, two in the nest unlike Maya who has easily handled four three times. It has been a rough start and two healthy little ones is better than three sick and starving.

The Woodland Trust has put out a statement about the nest and the events of the last week.

An-update-from-the-osprey-nest-Scottish-Wildlife-TrustDownload

These two are seriously cute…let us hope that Laddie can keep up the fishing.

Laddie had only delivered on fish on Tuesday and then, right before 2100, he came in with a nice big one. Everyone went to bed with full tummies.

The wildfires in Canada are having a huge impact on the air quality not only for humans but for wildlife. This is the Fortis Exshaw osprey platform near Canmore, Alberta. The smoke is coming from fires at a distance. There are currently at least 81 fires burning in that province of Canada.

Oh, it would be nice if the pouring rain in Tennessee was in Alberta getting rid of the smoke. As I am writing Angel is keeping RTH5 snug and dry as the drops come down through the leaves and branches of the nest tree. There was snake on the menu today along with some of the usuals. RTH5 is growing, getting feathers, and is nothing short of adorable.

Tom’s deliveries to Angel and RTH5 caught on video by Arlene Beech.

Continued positive wishes for Lake Murray Ospreys. All their efforts on the night of Monday the 15th paid off – the GHO did not get C2 Monday night and let us all jointly send energy that it never does. Wish them well.

Thankfully C2 is cleverly camouflaged on that nest! Still, the GHO knows that it is there.

Lake Murray Osprey has put in more strobe lights, moved the mannequins around, put out some more bicycles – all in an effort to deter the GHO.

Big Red in all her glory! The Ms are growing and Arthur simply cannot stop hunting.

The little baby at Decorah hatchery is anything but a baby. It is walking stronger and flapping those beautiful wings as more and more juvenile feathers come in.

There are many advantages to being the only baby in the nest. Look at those legs and that fat bottom. Incredible.

All is well at Achieva Credit Union in St Petersburg. A really nice big fish came late in the afternoon. I am not sure about prior deliveries. Big is so busy working those wings while Middle is enjoying that fish.

Oh, and then another big whopper came on the nest! Everyone at Achieva had a good fish day.

My goodness Blue 33 is a good provider! I lost count and couldn’t even go back before noon…fish after fish. Big ones for Maya and the kids – not little twiddlers. I cannot see a pip in either of the other two eggs. That does not mean it isn’t there, though.

These two have been together and raised so many osplets. They are like a very expensive Swiss watch in terms of their coordination and timing.

Oh, my goodness. The eyases are outside screaming when Lou lands on the ledge with lunch! They are so loud.

E22 is still on the nest and might have caught its first fish on Tuesday. It is, however, unclear if the fish was provided and brought to the nest by M15 or, after all the work that E22 has been doing trying to catch a fish at the pond, she finally got one. What is good is that E22 is still at home, still learning, gaining new skills, and of course, growing in confidence and strength. All of that will help ensure a long and prosperous life. Oh, don’t you wonder what has happened to E21?

Vija caught the event on video. Oh, that squeeeeee of 22’s.

For those watching the Golden Eaglet in Japan, Nina, she is growing fast and the parents have been delivering pheasant and deer for their little one! These are such beautiful eagles!

This is very worrisome. Only two more mutations required before it spreads quickly through humans. If you can help prevent bird flu by funding clean up activities, by volunteering, or even cleaning your bird feeders, please do. We have no concerns in Manitoba and no one is telling us to take down feeders. H5N1 has been moving to the West in North America but it is still spreading amongst waterfowl in the UK where this article was written.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/16/research-bird-flu-humans-prepare-now?CMP=share_btn_link

That is a quick check on some news and events we have been following. Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care, everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, updates, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘T’, WINORR, Storch Lindheim, LOTL, Scottish Woodland Trust, Fortis Exshaw, Window to Wildlife, Arlene Beech and Window to Wildlife, LMO, Cornell RTH, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Achieva Credit Union, LRWT, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Vija and SW Florida Eagle Cam, and The Guardian.

Cal Falcons getting banded, update on SE30…Friday in Bird World

5 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

Wednesday was a tough one. Thursday was better, but there are still two worrisome nests – Achieva’s and Angel’s. When it gets too much – and it does for everyone, we need to step back and change what we are doing. There has been no food for the little one at Angel’s for a day, and the little one has only had a few bites. I do not expect it to survive and, as of this morning, I, too, will step back.

It is true – go out and spend some time in nature, go for a walk, say hello to people you don’t know…at the end of all, you feel better. That is precisely what I did – a spin or two around the pond, stopping to chat with everyone along the way. The Wood Ducks are back.

Not in any great numbers, about five males and a couple of those sweet little females. There were a handful of Mallards and several hundred Canada Geese. It was sunny and dry, and everyone was happy to be outside.

There is green grass coming and some vegetation growing quickly so they can feed.

In the garden, Dyson sees me. She knows that I am taking her photo. Isn’t she lovely?

The table feeder is becoming more popular as the birds get used to seeing it in the garden.

While Dyson and the Starlings were eating peanuts, the Crows were assembling in the big tree in front of my house. It was planted in 1902 so 121 years old. I will not start about our City’s tree trimming policies! Normally when the Crows gather they are here to escort the GHO out of their neighbourhood!

Specific events tell me spring is here, and hopefully, there will not be any more snow. The first is the arrival of the Canada Geese, then the Dark-eyed Juncos and Blue Jays. The second is the opening of the local farmer’s market. There are a few ingenious farmers who have built greenhouses, not to grow flowers like the Dutch arrivals in our area in the 1950s but, to grow – strawberries. The farmer’s market opened yesterday, and those berries had not only the aroma of a ripened berry in a field but the most delicious flavour. Well done to those trying to figure out how to grow things locally that might be otherwise flown in from thousands of miles away – and have no taste and be polluting the planet. The third is the arrival of all the annual flowers and herbs to be planted in flower boxes or gardens. Today was a celebration of all of those – the geese at the pond, a trip to the farmer’s market and a box full of herbs and, instead of a hanging basket of flowers, a Tiny Tom Hanging Tomato vine. How will it do? All of this helped to wash away the anger and some of the sadness over the death of DH18.

In celebration of these spring rituals, the kittens and I will enjoy a lovely little Japanese sponge cake with strawberry buttercream filling.

Do you know Aldo Leopold? He was talking about biodiversity and stewardship of land before any of the more recent environmental movements. He died in a fire in Wisconsin helping a neighbour in 1948. He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin but loved escaping to his weekend refuge without modernisation. I love his sense of humour. One time during a flood – and you have to understand that his cabin is the family escape from the world of humans, Leopold writes, “There are degrees and kinds of solitude. A n island in a lake has one kind; but lakes have boats, and there is always the chance that one might land to pay you a visit..I know of no solitude so secure as one guarded by a spring flood; nor do the geese, who have seen more kinds and degrees of aloneness than I have. ..So we sit on our hill beside a new-blown pasque and watch the geese go by. I see our road dipping gently into the waters, and I conclude with inner glee that the question of traffic, in or out, is for this day at least, debatable only among carp.” (27)

Leopold observes, “Conservation is getting nowhere because it is incompatible with out Abrahamic concept of land. We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” (xviii) I highly recommend his little book, A Sand County Almanac. Essays on Conservation from Round River. Written like a diary, Leopold says of March, “One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of a March thaw, is the spring.” (19) Leopold takes you through the months, and he loves his spring geese. It is more than just Leopold’s close observation and love of all things wild. He stops to make us think about the value of our land and why some, like trophy hunters, will never be able to understand those of us in the minority who see the word of living things connected and sacred. “…our bigger-and-better society is now like a hypochondriac, so obsessed with its own economic health as to have lost the capacity to remain healthy. The whole world is so greedy for more bathtubs that it has lost the stability necessary to build them, or even to turn off the tap…Perhaps a shift of values can be achieved by reappraising things unnatural, time, and confined in terms of things natural, wild, and free”. That was written on the 4th of March 1948 right before his death. It could have been written yesterday. Today, the situation with DH18 continues to weigh heavy on my mind and I would substitute in much of the quotes of Leopold the term wildlife instead of land…we think we own it, it is a commodity that we can abuse…that kind of thinking has to stop.

Our smile for the morning comes from the Cal Falcons and the food tug-o-war caught by SK Hideaways. Then marvel at how well falcons tend to feeding three chicks! Most of the time (Angel and Tom excluded) falcon and hawk nests are incredibly energetic and full of laughs.

Right now we need all these precious joyful moments that we can garner. It has been a ‘depleting week emotionally’ for all of us.

Check your clocks. Banding is taking place at Cal Falcons between 0830-0900 Pacific Time. The cameras will be off during the banding. A video of the event will be uploaded after. There will also be the annual Q & A session with Sean and Lynne (see further down for details) tomorrow.

The Australian Raptor Care and Conservancy has provided an update on SE30! Oh, she is doing well. This is the kind of news we want and need. Thanks, ‘H’.

George Smith gives us an update on the Rutland Ospreys. Quite a good read and happy to see that Maya and Blue 33 are attempting to raise their fourth set of four osplets. Wrap your head around that one. Some nests cannot manage even two! But four sets of four. Super couple! Some of their fledglings are out chasing down nests and mates. Have a read!

Great-Egg-Spectations-Leicestershire-and-Rutland-Wildlife-TrustDownload

Thanks for posting some successful rescues. We all know about Dr Sharpe but there are also other rescues for monofilament line as well as non-human caused issues. CROW was at Captiva last year with the Osplets. CROW intervened when E17 and E18 at SW Florida had conjunctivitis. There are so many more. In the incident below, the eaglet appeared to have half its body ‘stuck’ to the nest. It was removed because it was weak..information below. It was successfully released after this 4 May 2012 intervention. Thanks, Deb.

M15 still gets my vote for ‘Dad of the Year’ for Raptors. E22 knows precisely when there is a food delivery and is on it!

There are a lot of Peregrine Falcons hatching in the world and the first one at Cromer Peregrine Falcons is here.

You can watch this white little fuzzy with its pink beak and toes here.

Today is banding day at Cal Falcons. There is a Q & A scheduled. You can go to YouTube and search for Cal Falcons 2023 Banding Q&A. You can get a notification to watch it live and they always archive the event if you miss it. For me, it looks like it is at 1300 but if you live in California, I bet that time is 1100.

We are all aching for Angel and her baby. Tom has not provided any prey today. He has not been seen. Angel has left the little one for long periods of time – once an hour – to go hunting but came back to the nest empty taloned. Whether or not Tom is still around or if the prey in the area is so limited is unclear. The little one cannot thermoregulate its temperature, and it should be fed much more often than is happening. At the same time, Angel is also hungry. The chick’s last meal was Thursday morning.

It is dusk and Angel has left the baby again to go hunting. I hope she finds some food for them. The possums and other creatures often come out at dusk. Oh, I hope she finds some food. Remember, I told you that this situation is very dire and it is. Unless Tom steps up and begins to deliver prey regularly it will be difficult, if not impossible, for Angel to feed the two of them and provide security and warmth. The area is obviously not prey rich like that of Big Red and Arthur. It is heartbreaking.

Angel did not have any food when she returned. Many believe Angel is at a disadvantage as the prey can see her coming since she is leucistic rather than camouflaged. This creates a huge problem if that is the case. Tom is not helping. Please send your good wishes…I wish some food would drop from the sky. The forecast does not look good. Rain for 5 days in a row at the nest…we could easily lose this baby. Personally, if I owned the land this nest is on, I would put out a prey table now!

If this year has already been too much for you, you might want to step away from this nest. Come back on Monday and see how things are going.

We are really waiting for a pip and a hatch at Big Red and Arthur’s nest on the Cornell campus. The changeovers have been swift. These two work like a well-oiled and cared for machine. There is little time to even get a glimpse of those eggs.

When Big Red lost her mate Ezra, everyone thought she was ‘nuts’ picking such a young mate as Arthur. Well, she wasn’t. He is an uber hunter and wooed her with the number of squirrels he could catch! I know there is a lot of chatter about how young Angel’s mate Tom is but, I just don’t think it is that. There is either hardly any prey to be had in the area, he is not the father of the chick so really has not much interest, or he is just a dud.

Cute little Arthur.

Big Red.

You may recall that a group at Cornell University worked diligently to get the windows on campus fitted so that bird strikes do not happen. Several of Big Red’s fledglings have been injured or died. Now there is movement in other places to ensure that birds are safe. Thanks, ‘S’ for sending me the latest news on what is happening in Washington, DC. This needs to go international.

Washington, D.C. Passes Bird-Friendly Building Act

This is the weather at Big Bear Valley today for Jackie and Shadow.

The eagles did a nest check.

Looking for a US Osprey nest to watch? You cannot get any better than Moorings Park. Victor and Abby still have up to seven fish meals a day. Neither has fledged although they are spreading their wings!

Achieva is a tough Osprey nest in the US to watch. It is on my list of not recommended nests. At the present time, food is also scarce and Big Bob, number 1 is acting like Zoe at Port Lincoln. Jack delivers the fish, Big takes it and neither Diane or Middle get anything to eat. As we know, there is a drought in the area that is causing canals to dry up and fears of wildfires. This means that all those Ospreys are fighting for little fish.

These beautiful osplets have their juvenile feathers and they need more fish. It is always a problematic nest but with climate change and so many ospreys in the St Petersburgh area, the competition for fish could become ruthless and many ospreys might not survive. They might have to move further north. Let us hope that both survive to fledge.

Little Decorah Hatch – DH2 – is doing fantastic. What a crop…the joys of being an only nestling.

The crop on Chase & Cholyn’s only eaglet is equally as large at Two Harbours. And check out those thighs!!!!!!!!

Precious trio to Martin and Rosa continue to thrive at Dulles-Greenway.

There is good news coming out of SF Bay Ospreys!

The winds at Loch Arkaig were so intense on Thursday that Louis was literally blown off the nest while incubating. Thankfully, he returned, unharmed. Geemeff caught it on video:

There is some concern and a little bewilderment at the Osoyoos Osprey platform in British Columbia. The nest was that of Soo and Olsen. ‘H’ sent the history of the nest in terms of egg laying: “Egg laying history for Osoyoos Osprey Cam: 2016- Apr26. 2017- May 14 (late because they had to wait for Canada Geese goslings to exit the nest) 2018- Apr 28. 2019- May 5. 2020- May 2. 2021- Apr 29. 2022- May 6.” No one knows for certain if the male at the nest is actually Olsen. Some believe it is a new male. It is now 4 May and I actually wondered, last season, if Soo and Olsen might lay their eggs earlier to try and avoid the sheer magnitude of the heat in the area. That is certainly not the case and, as of this evening, the nest is not ready.

Fellow Canadian, Deb Stecyk who administers the Bald Eagles 101 FB Page has posted the following call for action following the death of DH18. Many of you will recognise our request for simple emergency numbers under the streaming cams. Some of you will recall the sheer panic two years ago when the foster osplet fell off the Patuxent River Park platform. ‘S’ and I phoned – her halfway around the world to try and get help. The park office was closed but thankfully a staff member checked and returned with a canoe – just in time as the tide was going to start to go out. Deb’s is a good plan and a good protocol. We need to work towards finding a rapid response for all the raptors that are on streaming cams now – and it needs to be universal.

One of the two eaglets at Duke Farms has ‘officially’ branched on Thursday. Congratulations! They have both done so well this season.

Tom and Audrey at the Chesapeake Conservancy Nest have their second egg. It was laid 74 hours after egg 1.

As the coronation of King Charles III approaches, Australia’s gift is a donation of 10,000$ to help save a beloved parrot of South Australia. “The government has pledged $10,000 to help conserve the critically endangered “shy and rarely seen” species in honour of the monarch, on behalf of the people of Australia.” Will the king’s views on conservation influence any changes towards wildlife, biodiversity, land management, etc in the UK? We wait.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/03/australias-coronation-gift-to-king-charles-is-10000-donation-for-wa-endangered-parrot?CMP=share_btn_link

There is lots of good news out there in Bird World. I am getting so excited to see the Cal Falcons banded and to see the list of names the children select so we a vote. Of course, waiting for Big Red and Arthur’s first hatch of 2023 is agonising. So, all of the nests are doing well but Angel’s and Achieva where Middle really needs some fish and so does Mum, Diane. Again, Angel’s baby needed feedings every few hours, not a few bites in a day. Angel is extremely hungry as well. Send her your love.

Thank you for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you so much for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘S’, ‘H’, ‘A’, Geemeff, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, George Smith and the LRWT, Deb Stecyk, MN Bound Eagle Family, Gracie Shepherd and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Cromer Peregrine Falcons, Window to Wildlife, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, American Bird Conservancy, FOBBV, Moorings Park Ospreys, Achieva Credit Union, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, IWS and Explore.org, Dulles-Greenway, SF Bay Ospreys, Geemeff and Loch Arkaig, People’s Postcode Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, Duke Farms, The Guardian, and the Australian Raptor Care and Conservancy.

Rose and Ron bonding…Friday in Bird World

13 January 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Here it is, Friday the 13th. I wonder how many people reading this are superstitious?

On Thursday afternoon, I put on the heavy coat and took out the camera and battery, warmest boots, scarf, toque and headed out to the nature centre. It was -12 degrees C with only a 4 kph wind and 84% humidity. Damp. It was a lovely day in the forest and a few friends were around the feeders.

Several Red Squirrels were running about enjoying the peanuts knocked down from the feeders by the birds or another squirrel ‘friend’.

‘Squirrel Friend’ in action!

A sweet little female Downy Woodpecker enjoying the suet. I love feeding suet in the winter because, unlike peanuts and Black Oil seed, have to be cleared up regularly.

The Black-capped Chickadees are simply precious. They flit about taking one seed, fly to a branch, open and eat it and fly back to get another – all day long.

What a treat it was to see a White-breasted Nuthatch.

Merlin Sound ID alerted me to a Yellow Flicker in the area but I did not see it. The deer were not around today near the hide.

Making News:

It is easy to worry about our favourite feathered families with the heavy rains and floods that have been happening in California (and at other places in the US and around the world). That makes it so much of a relief to see that Annie and her new male friend are at The Campanile and are safe.

They are putting sat pads on Ospreys in Senegal! It seems that the people in Africa are as curious about where their ospreys go to breed as we are to find out where they winter. This is just grand.

Creating new wetlands is a good thing.

If you missed The Flight of the Osprey presentations/shows/talks, Geemeff has reposted the links so that you can watch/hear:

The expectations are that Avian Flu will continue to kill domestic and wild birds. Are you noticing any shortage of eggs? Tests are going on now as duck hunting season is in full swing in places like California. The researcher in this article ” will deliver her samples to UC Davis, where lab personnel will test them first for avian flu in general and ultimately for the specific strain known as Goose/Guangdong (Gs/GD) lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Gs/GD HPAI is the deadliest and most infectious bird flu ever to strike Europe or North America, according to wildlife epidemiologists. The strain ravages domestic poultry flocks and can sicken and kill more species of wild birds across a greater geographic area than any previous outbreak, leaving an unprecedented trail of death. So far, the virus has affected more than 52 million domestic poultry birds in the U.S. and has been tested for and confirmed in 4,362 wild birds across the country.” 

this-bird-flu-pandemic-is-terrible-and-strange-bay-natureDownload

The first eagle in SW Virgina confirmed to have bird flu. This year there could be some very serious hardships.

I was interviewed last week about the impact of war on wildlife. Today there is an article appearing in The Guardian about Hooded Crows around Babyn Yar near Kyiv. Keeping in mind that there has been so much destruction in Ukraine, it is a very interesting article to read.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/12/country-diary-the-silently-screaming-ravine-is-now-filled-with-bird-chatter?CMP=share_btn_link

In the mailbox:

‘L’ send me the latest Audubon news that shows their lobbying of the federal government has included many of their concerns about the environment and wildlife. Thanks, ‘L’. Have a read:

https://www.audubon.org/news/recently-passed-federal-funding-package-makes-investments-natural-climate

‘A’ has noticed that Clive is bringing a lot of trout to Connie and CJ7. Where is the trout coming from? That is such an interesting question. Thank you for asking it, ‘A’. I am reminded of when Dylan has brought Brown Trout into the nest at Llyn Clywedog that he shares with Serena Blue 5F. Dylan could get them from the local Reservoir but often humans are there fishing. I was so impressed with John Williams who tracked Dylan in a round about way and discovered that Dylan will escort intruders up to 25 miles away from the nest and it seems he stops along the way back home to fish! So now, where does Clive get those trout? Believe it or not, Captiva is well known for its winter fishing which includes Trout. Fresh Water Fishing Advice said this, “Spotted seatrout fishing is good in Captiva year-round. The season to fish for spotted seatrout in the region is high between January and October. The best time of the year to catch spotted seatrout in the area is between April and June.”

Checking the Nests:

The two eaglets at Superbeaks are growing and growing and then growing some more. It is difficult to get a screen capture of both of them together so I was pleased about the first image. It is early morning and Pearl and Tico are waiting for a fish delivery and breakfast. Their crops are empty!

Tico is 34 days old and Pearl is 35 days old today.

It is not long until fish arrive on the nest and these two get fed til they are full to the brim.

It is a wonder they can bend over. I am very impressed with these parents, PePe and Muhlady.

The two eaglets at the Kistachie National Forest E-2 nest of Alex and Andria are nothing short of precious. So civil to one another.

It is possible that KNF-E1-03 will be an only eaglet this year. In fact, this chick could be from the second egg. No matter. It will thrive under the watchful eye of Louis and Anna.

17:42. Probably the last meal of the day for the wee eaglet. Some people love the little pink feet but I love those little wings and the peek at the tail appearing.

Tonya Irwin gives us a short video of Louis taking care of E1-03 Thursday morning. Louis is such a proud daddy.

Shadow saw the precious egg that Jackie laid at 1600 on Wednesday early Thursday morning. Tine 07:06:22. After this, he flew out and returned with a nice fish for Jackie.

Jackie does not want to begin hard incubation until she is sure the second egg is in the nest. Otherwise the eaglets would be too different in birth times and this could cause severe rivalry. But, Jackie also knows that she cannot leave the egg alone or the Crows will get it. Little Fiona came to the nest but Fiona will not bother the egg.

One good way is for Jackie to perch near the egg – or Shadow – protecting the nest should a predator arrive.

What a sweet look – a marvel. Jackie looking at that egg she has laid. Oh, let us all hope that this is a good year for our Big Bear Valley couple. They deserve it. What fantastic parents they were to Spirit.

Notice how Jackie is sleeping over the egg to protect it from any predators but it is not yet hard incubating so if there is a second egg, the eaglets will hatch closer together. What a brilliant idea to keep the Crows at bay.

The California news is already celebrating Jackie and Shadow’s first egg! Oh, how wonderful.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/the-scene/the-first-egg-of-2023-arrives-for-big-bears-beloved-bald-eagles/3071805/?_osource=db_npd_nbc_knbc_eml_shr

Connie and Clive’s little one had a nice big crop today. There are lots of fish on that nest! Some of them are hidden. The little one looks fine despite some concerns over Connie eating more than she is feeding the chick. It does not look like the second egg will hatch. Like the KNF-E1 nest, it is possible that this chick was actually from the second egg.

Gabby and V3 were working on the nest this morning. He is rather handsome. I know he is not Samson but there are things about him that remind me of Samson – like his tight ‘jeans’.

HeidiMc caught Ron and Rose bonding in the WRDC nest in Miami yesterday. They are such a funny eagle couple! I love how Rose nibbles on Ron’s feathers. Oh, so sweet.

The beaking at the Southwest Florida nest of E21 and E22, kidlets of Harriet and M15, is not that bad. The problem is E22 who does seem to stare E21 right in the eye and then aim at him/her with its beak and then E21 shows 22 who is boss.

Look carefully. You are going to see black dots. Those are not bugs. The plumage is beginning to change. Yes, already. You will see the thermal down but you will also begin to see tiny black dots where the shafts of the feathers are emerging. You will also notice that the egg tooth is disappearing.

E22 you should never look 21 in the eye. Never!

For now, 21 is the oldest and is the boss. Just leave things alone.

A short clip from SK Hideaways showing E21 and 22 eating a meal and rather behaving. They do not always. E22 can still get rough.

It is raining in Fort Myers and Harriet is keeping the two wiggle worms underneath her!!!!!! M15 has a big rabbit on deck for dinner when it stops.

Indigo the beetle-slayer! and Diamond chaser. Indigo is so proud of his beetles. Just imagine what it will be like when he gets his first ‘real’ prey!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is lots of news and things happening in the world. It is hard to keep track of everything and report on all the birds. All of the hatched eagles at every nest appear to be doing just fine. That is wonderful news. Diane at the Achieva Osprey nest appears to be so much better on her her injured leg. She even flew off with a fish in that leg’s talon today. I do not think we will see any more chicks at Captiva or KNF-01. Keep watching as we have Berry College Eagles coming up and for all of the Royal Albatross fans, the pip on the Royal cam chick is about a fortnight away?

Thank you so very much for being with me. Please take care of yourselves. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their questions, their tweets, their posts, videos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: ‘A’, ‘L’, Cal Falcons, SKHideaways and Cal Falcons, Project Tougoupeu FB, BBC Dorset, Geemeff, Bay Nature, L Doyle and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, Audubon News, Superbeaks, KNF E3, KNF E1, Tonya Irwin and KNF-E1, FOBBV, NEFL-AEF, HeidiMc and SWFlorida Bald Eagles and D Pritchett, SWFlorida Bald Eagles and D Pritchett, SK Hideaway and SWFL Eagles and D Pritchett, and Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross.

Waiting for E22, wildlife protection laws in Northern Ireland and more…Friday in Bird World

6 January 2022

Good Morning Everyone!

It was -12 degrees C with no wind Thursday. The sky was a bright blue and there was hoar frost on the trees and shrubs. My photographs do not do the frost justice – it is like a fairy wonderland out there.

Today was my first walk at the nature centre this year. The lake is frozen and it is gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

According to the Woodland Trust, “Hoar frost is a type of feathery frost that forms as a result of specific climatic conditions. The word ‘hoar’ comes from old English and refers to the old age appearance of the frost: the way the ice crystals form makes it look like white hair or a beard. It forms when the water vapour in the air comes into contact with solid surfaces that are already below freezing point. Ice crystals form immediately, and the ice continues to grow as more water vapour is frozen. On a still night, it can grow well on tree branches, where the surface temperature is unlikely to rise above zero for several hours.”

It was a bit of a fairy tale day. I had not expected to see any birds but, right off, there was a pair of Downy Woodpeckers – a male and a female – as I entered the forest. It felt like a really nice greeting.

When I went to submit the three Downy Woodpeckers to eBird, Cornell thought that was absolutely too many for this date. Thankfully I had images of the three of them. (The third was at a feeder).

There were only two Red Squirrels that I could see. One was eating out of this feeder and the other one was finding seed on the ground.

The Chickadees are so sweet. They will follow you through the forest.

There had been five deer feeding I was told but, this was the only one left when I got to the hide. It was about 3 metres away from me.

It was a good day to get outside for other reasons, too. E21 hatched! E22 is on its way and will be here by tomorrow morning. E21 is so cute and adorable and in a few days everyone will be yelling at that eaglet to stop beaking its sibling. It just happens. So, today was a good day just to be somewhere else.

And it starts. Those lovely soft feathers are going to be just coated and matted together with fish juice and pieces of prey! M15 had the honours of dropping this big piece of prey on E21’s little beak.

Oh, I hope E21 isn’t a little stinker. Looks like an eaglet with attitude.

Harriet is a pro of an Eagle Mother. How old is she now? 26? 28? The fact that the second egg is already pipping is a testament to her experience. The closer they are in hatch times, the better for them – more evenly matched in their dust ups.

Harriet was feeding E21 when the camera zoomed in and caught the precise moment that E22 broke through the membrane and the shell. Lady Hawk has it on video:

The progress at 0736 Florida time Friday morning for E22.

I am so glad that I did not get to see inside the Superbeaks nest. If you think the age and size difference is a lot at KNF-E3 with Alex and Andria, it has to be even a little more at Superbeaks. That first hatch is monster size compared to the little second one. We are now at the stage where they both have thermal down, there is plenty of food, and both are being fed well. My only worry – that will cause some minutes of loss of sleep – is that one area of the nest without a rail. One of the eaglets was hanging its head over that end today! By the way, jump for joy. The rain cleared off the camera (mostly).

Pepe is an amazing fisher and Muhlady has managed to raise two very different aged eaglets. Remarkable. Now I wish they would get their carpentry skills out and get with adding some chair rails before I have a heart attack!

Our very own Dave Hancock answers some questions that have come up about Bald Eagles and mating.

There they are. The beautiful Liberty and Guardian.

Thunder and Akecheta were at their West End nest in the Channel Islands. There has been rain and storms in the area but, it sure is beautiful around 1630 when the pair were spotted on the streaming cam.

The other Channel Islands nests – Fraser Point and Two Harbours – continue to show highlights from last season.

There was rain and pelting hail and show today at Big Bear. It did not stop Jackie from coming to the nest to eat her late lunch at 1344!

Nancy came to the MN-DNR to do a nest check today after the snowy weather yesterday.

The two eaglets at the KNF-E3 nest are doing fantastic. Prey items are continually brought to the nest and if the angle is right you can see the feathers coming in on the wing tips of 01.

They are both getting longer and more slender looking as they move towards losing that natal down and getting their wooly coat.

They still seem to have fat little bottoms with tails coming in.

Gosh, Andria is huge. She sure loves her fish!

The continuing saga of Gabby and V3! Thanks ‘J’. I didn’t see this but saw them sitting together. These two seem to have communication problems over prey deliveries and now Gabby’s signals to want to mate. Goodness.

Lots of eyes trying to get a glimpse of the eggs at the KNF-E1 nest of Louis and Anna. Is there a pip? It is not clear.

My memory – of the first eaglets to die in 2022 of Avian Flu – was the Hilton Head Eagle nest. At the time it was unclear if the parents had gotten sick or died from eating the virus laden prey. This announcement was posted in December. We will wait to see if the eagles return to the nest? Perhaps, sadly, they also passed away later. The GHOWs are still at the nest today, 5 January.

It appears that Diane – of Jack and Diane – at the Achieva Osprey Cam in St Petersburg, Florida is doing better today with her injured leg. That is excellent news!

I am continually surprised at how adaptable wildlife her to the challenges thrown at them. At the same time, I wonder why we do not give them that change to prove themselves? Why not a one legged eagle? Dennis Brecht has photographed one. Just asking. Check out this fox! Only 2 legs.

One reason that I continually peck at this issue is that when I was born, my dad had a three-legged dog that guarded my basket and enjoyed life like any other four-legged animal. I do not recall her having issues but, I do know that she lived to be more than 20 years old.

Before I went to the nature centre, I had a couple of things to pick up. Without naming the store, I noticed a woman fumbling around with a lot of things in aisle 6 – this aisle was fully of products to get rid of ants, mice, etc. I decided to ‘be nosey’. The woman told me she had mice and she had successfully used the traps with the cubes of rodenticide poisoning and also just to be sure, she puts glue traps on the floor around the traps.

I am so aware of the harmful effects of secondary rodenticide poisoning because of Missy and Lewis and losing a cat years ago to these designer toxins. Of course, we read about secondary poisoning for our eagles and other raptors every day. Every day. So I asked the woman some questions. How do you dispose of the glue pads once you have caught your mouse who has died a horrifically painful death? Did she imagine that the garbage bag could get ripped open by wildlife at the landfill and then it would also ‘trap’ them? Did she know that the mice eating the solid blocks of poison go outside, get sludgy and a local cat or hawk can eat them and die? I recounted the horrible death of Duncan – nothing the vets could do. This woman had no idea. She also had no idea that our City outlawed the use and sale of both products. So why are they still on the store’s shelf? My rant had zero impact as I saw her loading the items in her cart. She is more troubled by having the mice around and doesn’t care what happens to the pets of others or the wildlife. Sad.

All of this brings me to a very sad story. Remember the eagle floating on the ice? the one who was saved? and went into rehab?

More eagles in a different state – this time Montana – poisoned from euthanised pets being dumped. It sounds like this practice is more wide spread than anyone would have thought. Isn’t it time for someone to investigate and get in touch with every Vet society there is to stop this inhumane dumping practice that is causing widespread suffering in the Eagles. Cremation is the only way. Just do it.

Keeping in the thread of rodenticide and all manner of illegal killing of raptors – their persecution, we know that there are people working very hard to change laws in every country. Once on the books to try and get those laws enforced and then strengthen them when need be. It is not easy as you have seen by the postings from Raptor Persecution UK. I want to be hopeful that ‘finally’ people at all levels – including the highest in governments – will notice that there is a sea change and the population wants our wildlife, our water, and our land protected. We know the importance of this – help spread the word. Finally for today and certainly not least, Northern Ireland passed its own laws similar to those in the UK. Well done, Wild Justice. You can follow their progress and that in the UK by following Wild Justice and Raptor Persecution UK. Here is the announcement. Thanks, Geemeff for reminding me to post this important information!

Northern Ireland: new general licences which permit killing of a variety of birds are now published (link 1 below) The new licences are much improved: fewer species are listed and the lists make a lot more biological sense. For a bit more detail see our blog (link 2 below) 

These licences are now much closer in line with those in England (where we have taken successful legal challenges), Wales (where we took the former licences to court and although we lost the case, the changes that followed were what we had asked for) and Scotland (where changes have happened in response to those elsewhere in the UK and without us having to intervene, as yet). In particular, the slimmed down version of the ‘conservation’ licence, TPG3, only applies during the breeding season and only includes a couple of corvid species.  In addition, the licences are much better and more tightly worded than before.  

It has taken a long time, and quite a lot of effort, and quite a lot of money spent on legal fees, to get these changes but they wouldn’t have happened without Wild Justice. And by Wild Justice we mean you, our supporters too because many of you responded to the consultations (one aborted and one completed) that the Northern Ireland authorities launched.  And, of course, you funded all the legal challenges across the UK. You helped get this change – thank you.

Thank you so much for joining me today. Please take care of yourself as we await the hatch of E22. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, announcements, postings, Twitter feeds, videos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: SWFL Eagles and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SWFL Eagles and D Pritchett, Superbeaks, FORE, IWS and Explore.org, FOBBV, MN-DNR, KNF-E3, NEFL-AEF , NEFL-AEF and Lady Hawk, KNF-E1, Hilton Head Island Trust, Achieva Ospreys, The Telegraph, Terry Carman and Bald Eagle Live Nest Cams, Geemeff and Wild Justice, and Wild Skies Raptor Centre.