Concerns at Port Lincoln? Monday in Bird World

13 October 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

It is Thanksgiving Day in Canada, and I have so much to be thankful for, including all of you. Over the years, I have appreciated your letters, your support, the stories about your pets and the wildlife that come to your gardens. You give me hope, and as Jane Goodall says, we need hope to do our part in making this planet better. We cannot rely on anything or anyone other than ourselves. Just imagine if every person on this planet cleaned up their own patch and took care of the wildlife in their surrounding area – well, imagine. We would have wetlands, no one would be shooting raptors, injured birds would be taken to get help, songbirds would be fed, and there would be large green spaces that could connect, providing the wildlife with a greater area. We would stop eating tuna and any fish caught by long lines that decapitate albatross! Plastic – gosh, darn it is so hard to get away from it – would not have a place in our lives. I know I am speaking to the choir – but we need to do everything we can to help from putting out water bowls, fixing windows so that birds do not collide with them in private homes and in high rise real estate, to collecting old towels and sheets, to making sure that unused pet carriers make their way to wildlife rehabilitation centres, and fundraising. Let’s get started!

We should start with a big smile – aren’t we all Birdwatchers? We are optimistic, joyful, passionate- all because of the birds. I certainly don’t mind being called eccentric, but is that the wrong picture? Let’s check this Guardian article.

Here’s to the birdwatchers! Optimistic, slightly eccentric custodians of wonder and joy and passion and lovehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/12/birdwatching-australia-binoculars-going-birding-life?CMP=share_btn_url

SK Hideaways has been incredibly busy creating videos for us about our favourite nests! Please watch them. It takes hours to put these together, especially when commentary is added! If you click on the YouTube icon they will get credit for you watching and be sure to add a ‘like’!

SYDNEY WHITE-BELLIED SEA EAGLES

Sydney WB Sea Eagles: Lady, Dad, SE35 & SE36 (2025 Oct 13)

At just over 8 weeks old, SE35 and SE36 are active, curious, and hungry. They began their wingercise in the wee hours before Lady and Dad arrived to lead the family in not one, but two quartets. Dad brought two fish breakfasts in the span of two hours, which Lady doled out to the waiting beaks. They get more beautiful every day!

Videohttps://youtu.be/vWxGyBoETnY

Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park

367 COLLINS STREET FALCONS

367 Collins Street Falcons: Mum F24 and Dad M24 (2025 Oct 12)

At 10, 11, and 12 days old, the chicks are grabbing for food with more gusto and trying to do a little self-feeding. In 2 weeks time, F24 and M24 will be challenged to hold onto the prey long enough to feed them. 

Videohttps://youtu.be/4TkoOF41_kg

Courtesy 367 Collins St. Falcon Cam 

South Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibsohQ14cY

North Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNKk0ivuWe4

367 Collins Street Falcons ~ F24 and M24

One chick snoozed a little too close to the edge of the nest and slipped into the gutter. While the chick didn’t mind its new location, Mum F24 certainly did upon her return. As she has done in previous years, she gently grabbed the wayward chick by the scruff of the neck and returned it to the nest, where she promptly brooded all three growing chicks (2025 Oct 9, 12:45).

Videohttps://youtu.be/Mfqd-5dHEGg

Courtesy 367 Collins St. Falcon Cam

FOBBV EAGLES

FOBBVCAM Eagles: Jackie & Shadow Melodies and Visit Herald a Stunning Sunrise (2025 Oct 10)

Jackie and Shadow chortle-snortled the dawn away to greet a stunning sunrise, which they enjoyed from their Lookout Snag. During their first song, a mouse explored the nest, and in their finale, they invited a Steller’s Jay to join (though his tone wasn’t quite as melodic as Jackie and Shadows, in our opinion). 

Videohttps://youtu.be/QcL4uQGAEWI

Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley, California

Resident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014

Resident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012

🔗Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE

🔗Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc

🔴LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

🔠Eagle Glossary + Acronyms +Useful  Links: https://bit.ly/2Ln0GAN

📖Big Bear Eagle History: https://www.friendsofbigbearvalley.org/eagle-history/

FOBBVCAM Eagles: Jackie & Shadow Visit 3 Favorite Perches for Date Night (2025 Oct 4)

Jackie and Shadow are enjoying their pre-season bonding activities. Tonight’s “date” took them to the Lookout Snag, the nest, and their Roost Tree. Lucky for us, they let us come along for the ride.

Videohttps://youtu.be/3TCViBtBQCk

Courtesy FOBBVCAM, Friends of Big Bear Valley

SAN JOSE CITY  HALL FALCONS

San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcons: Hartley & Monty (2025 Oct 6)

Hartley and Monty met up for some early morning bonding, which included scraping in the nest box, a short bowing session, and preening their mid-molt feathers. Grateful they hang around all year long.

Videohttps://youtu.be/Xs_N9J2ePHU

Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam

Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBSxPjy5sow

Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU

Roof Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQLhmV6bP6o

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SanJoseCityHallFalcons/
Wiki https://sanjoseperegrines.editme.com/

CHANNEL ISLANDS

West End Eagles 🦅 Akecheta Visits Nest AND Night Perch ~ Haku Joins Him (2025 Oct 10)

We were grateful enough to witness Akecheta’s return to the West End territory on 24 September, having not seen him since the previous January after a vicious territorial dispute. But today, for the first time, he visited the nest he and Thunder tended and shared with their eaglets. He then retired to his old night perch – causing fans far and wide to reach for their tissue boxes. The bittersweet frosting on top was when Haku joined him on the night perch, though she did decide to take the lower bunk in the end. It was a heartwarming few hours here at West End.

Videohttps://youtu.be/IQ1oVrZMbXc

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org

West End Eagles: Haku, Bob AND Akecheta Have Perch Party ~ Ravens Ride the Wind (2025 Oct 8)

Haku, Bob, AND Akecheta all gathered together to perch atop the West End overlook. They departed in order of age – Bob, then Haku, then Akecheta – but Haku and Akecheta met up later for a beautiful soaring display in the late afternoon. The ravens struggled with the wind gusts as they tried to land on the hilltop.  

Videohttps://youtu.be/56eLBHJbkGs

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org

West End Eagles ~ Haku and Bob (today anyway) ( 2025 Oct 7)

Bob really seems to want to be Haku’s BFF, so he performed showy aerial displays and perched as near to her as he dared ~ 3 times. She seemed to respect his efforts and let him sit nearby, except once when she wing slapped him away. Bob is too young to be looking for a mate, so it will be interesting to see how this friendship plays out. 

Videohttps://youtu.be/jn1cWdZhwHk

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org

West End Eagles:  2-Year Old Bob from Twin Rock Returns After 3-month Absence (2025 Oct 6)

Keeping up with the saga that is the West End in 2025 is nearly impossible, but here’s the story on Bob: 

~ Bob is a 2-year-old sub-adult, who hatched at the Twin Rock nest in 2023 

~ He originally came to the West End on June 5, 2025, 2 days after Makaio disappeared 

~ It is thought that Bob was escorted from the area by the male known as MV on June 23rd 

This is the first sighting of Bob since that time.

Video: https://youtu.be/Hlct5mJkthw

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org

Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14

Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI

Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg

The big story at the moment is the concern at Port Lincoln that there could be issues. Fran Solly reported that Mum was off the eggs for many periods of time in excess of 45 minutes. Dad had not brought in fish – and then he did. Are we worried about Dad? Yes, of course. He is not a youngster and he has had visual seizures on the nest. He is not always getting fish to the nest but it is unclear what the issues are – is he losing his catches to other raptors or gulls? Possibly. Are there other problems? We can thank Fran Solly, Bazz Halliday and Janet Forster for lobbying the South Australian government to get permission to supplement the fish brought to the nest, if necessary. This is the reason for the survival of the chicks over the past what? Three years? (or is it four – time flies too fast).

To put this in perspective, we are nearing hatch. The temperatures were around 17 degrees C. Mum should be hearing the chicks. A few years ago, Milda, the White-tailed Eagle whose nest is in Durbe County, Latvia, left her eggs to go and get food for more than five hours. The temperature was 7 degrees C. To everyone’s shock, the two eggs hatched. The chicks did not survive because the male failed to provide food for Milda and them. But they did hatch!

Mum is tight on the eggs.

Helen Matcham caught some great screen captures of the 367 Collins Street Melbourne trio, who are now getting lots of pin feathers! These triplets have the best Mum who actively keeps them safe.

And more of the trio from SK Hideaways: https://youtu.be/4TkoOF41_kg?

‘A’ sends us her commentary on what is happening in the Australian nests: “There appears to be a female intruder at Orange – she is large (as tall as Diamond), with long legs and not much orange on her beak or feet. Gimbir and Diamond should be able to defend their territory, but we all know this is not what is needed at this scrape (although it is possible that this could bond Diamond and Gimbir tightly and quickly, as the ‘you and I against the world’ scenario can tend to do in humans and in animals/birds). 

In good news at Orange, Gimbir is learning to deliver prey to Diamond. This of course is hugely important to the potential success of this scrape this season, as we all know. So today was an action-packed day for our falcons, despite their apparently idyllic surroundings. Some time stamps from today: 10 Oct BONDING 06.07.48, 09.06.24 Gimbir incubates 08.56.24, 09.51.46, 13.28.05, 17:06:03 PREY 09.51.26 G in, D takes, 13.20.06 G in, D takes WATCH 14.12.59 Intruder. Note that Gimbir brings prey to the scrape for Diamond TWICE today. This is a great improvement. We do know that he is trying to please her. And we also know she is not at all reticent about giving instruction. So we have to hope he listens, understands and obeys.

At Collins Street, there was a rumour yesterday after dad disappearing, but he brought in a very large prey item (?pigeon) late yesterday and mum fed the trio a huge dinner. I haven’t personally seen him today but then I didn’t watch the entire day so would not have heard any offscreen vocals from dad. Mum twice went to the pantry and brought back large chunks of food for the littles – the three are all eating well and appear to be getting plenty. No chick is missing out and all three crops are filled several times a day. But I cannot say I saw or heard dad on camera today. 

The midday sun is starting to get really hot – yesterday, one of the chicks managed to scramble along the edge between the scrape and the window and then fall/slither into the gutter while mum was away, and when she returned, she was not pleased and tried to grab the little adventurer first by the crop (at which the chick protested loudly) and eventually by the back of the neck, hauling the escapee back into the scrape without incident. 

As I suspected, she has an excellent technique for sheltering all three from the sun, when she is there. However, she has been leaving the trio in the noon sun quite a bit, though she presumably knows what she is doing. The breeze may be enough – temperatures are in the low 20s so far, so hopefully by the time things get really hot, they will be able to head off to the shaded end of the gutter under their own steam. Ah, how I miss the patter of tiny feet gutter-stomping at Collins Street. 

At WBSE, the adults have resumed morning mating. Why, I wonder. Are they considering a second clutch? Feeling a bit of empty-nest syndrome as fledge approaches? Or just feeling friendly and frisky? (Do birds mate for enjoyment or for bonding or only when they’re fertile, so just for procreation?)

Here is today’s ranger summary, with Al’s edits and additions (look at how very grown-up the littles are in the photo- you can see what a glorious day it was today on the southeast coast of Australia, though down in Melbourne, that sun was a reminder that mum laid at the wrong end of that ledge – again): 

October 10: The whole family welcomed the day with a morning chorus – adults mating and then heading off. Both eaglets were self-grooming and stretching after the night on the nest. Just after 8am, Lady brought in a very long stick, nearly knocking SE35 off the rim. She then struggled to place it just so. Mid-morning on a lovely day and Lady was sitting nearby – waiting. She brought leaves – then flew off. By 3pm, the eaglets were still waiting for food, with SE35 passing the time by flapping somewhat alarmingly on the front rail. At 3:15pm, a currawong was swooping the pair on the nest. They’re not even waiting for fledge this season and are beginning to attack the eaglets early. The wind increased in the mid-afternoon, but just before 5:30pm, one of the adults was seen down on the river. Lady came in at last with a bird – both eaglets were fed, then they both self-fed on scraps in the nest, including the bony bits. Lady took some off herself to feed on as well. 

So it was a very lean day for the eaglets, with just one meal for the day, and that one piece of prey was also shared with mum. I was also disheartened by the boldness of those currawongs, who aren’t even waiting for the eaglets to fledge to attack them as they do every year. If you listen carefully to their vocals, it almost sounds like they are squawking “currawong, currawong” (or is that just me). 

Tonight, they are snuggled on the nest, side by side, like a couple of loaves of bread. The wind has eased since this afternoon, and the nest seems almost still in the tree branches. I cannot see an adult on the perch branch but I’m sure one or both parents will be somewhere close by. 

At Port Lincoln, dad brought mum a headless fish just before 1.30pm and a whole fish at 7:52pm (it’s daylight saving in Australia, so it’s not dark at that time even though it should be). The three eggs are being well cared for, and with 38 days the average incubation period for ospreys in South Australia, we have to be expecting a hatch in about two or three days, assuming the darkest-looking egg is fertile. 

I am often surprised that people are unaware of how to tell which egg was laid first and which was last – as I’m sure you know, the colour is ‘added’ as the egg is laid, and there is less and less colouration with each subsequent egg. So the first egg laid will be the darkest or have the darkest patterns, the next egg progressively lighter colouration and the third egg the lightest of the three in colour. Meaning the darkest of the three eggs was the first one laid and, if fertile, should be the first egg to hatch. Exciting times. You must be thrilled to be so close to hatch watch – within a week, you could have three osplets learn how to bonk each other at Port Lincoln. Oh joy! “

Thanks, A.

We are falling in love with Gimbir. He is the cutest little falcon – and he is learning about his new mate, Diamond, who doesn’t like Starlings and who doesn’t give incubation time up freely!

At the WBSE nest in the Olympic Park in Sydney, SE35 and 36 are really winging it.

We love Akecheta. We worried he would get injured again, but it appears that he has consolidated his territorial reign and is back on the West End nest with Haku (sadly not Thunder) in the Channel Islands. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/IQ1oVrZMbXc?

Androcat caught F23 testing out the nest bowl at the Southwest Florida Bald eagle nest in Fort Myers. https://youtu.be/NQ8TErSndlE?

Beau and Gabby have been building up the rails at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest south of Jacksonville. Just look at them working together so well.

It is the middle of October. Will we have eggs in a month at one of the nests? All of the eagles are returning and working on their nests including Ron and Rose at the WRDC in Dade County, Florida.

At least one osprey has been seen on the Captiva Osprey Platform on Sanibel Island, Florida. Window to Wildlife has both streaming cams up and running, so check in on Clive and Connie and the ospreys thinking about that nest. Perhaps this year we will have osprey chicks again.

The Trempeauleau Wisconsin Bald Eagle nest is streaming again after the magnificent year with Mum raising TE3 alone! Thank you Ai Ryn.

Raptors need our help – saving their habitat so they have food and much more, including rodenticides and window collisions. What can you do around your home and neighbourhood to make sure that birds are safe?

Ever heard of a Lava Gull? If not, check this out as it is the American Bird Conservancy Bird of the Week!

Cornell Bird Lab wants us to know more about American Robins in this video: https://youtu.be/bUgWy741Nhc?

Smile. The 2024 fledgling, Marina, is still on the nest with Mum hope and her two siblings (now fledglings) from 2025. George is out fishing!

If you are asked if fledglings from a previous year can help their parents raise a clutch, the answer is yes, and the proof is the 2025 brood at Osprey House Environment Centre, Australia. This was a great educational experience and solidifies my belief that if raptors cooperate, everyone wins.

I am thankful for all of the animals in my life and all of the garden birds that come each and every day in search of food. It is no secret that my Dad was a huge influence on me. He loved animals – cats, dogs, and the birds that came to our garden to eat out of his hand when I was a child. We had a three-legged dog – Trixie did everything any other dog could do. My father believed that animals were capable of almost anything and they brought him great consolation as mine do for me. I had many ‘farm’ animals on my small holding but as far as pets it was always cats. The Girls, the four of them, were here long before Toby. I certainly never want to dismiss their presence and the gifts they give to me – sitting patiently during story time every evening with Calico ‘walking out’ if the book is boring. Yes, she still does that and much of the latest pile has been ‘boring’. Toby has a huge basket of toys. Many of them belonged to The Girls. He has ones that we play fetch, ones that squeak, and the ever present tug-o-war ones with long ropes. He barks with the dogs on the telly or in the neighbourhood and goes wild if he thinks Brock is anywhere in the garden! Many of you are pet owners and you might find this article interesting:

There is at least one reported Osprey in Nova Scotia, Canada. Not ready to migrate yet – .

It must be love – Hugo Yugo and Toby.

A typical evening with Toby and Hugo Yugo before they fall asleep.

Thank you so very, very much for being with us today. From The Girls, Toby, the garden animals and birds, Brock, Don and me – we wish you a lovely ‘Thanksgiving’ even if you are not Canadian! Take a pause, close your eyes, and think of all the joy and those you are thankful for – and tell them! Don’t wait. We will look forward to having you with us again either next Monday or when there is hatch at Port Lincoln!

I want to extend special thanks to SK Hideaways for their videos and to ‘A’ for their insightful commentary on the Australian birds they love so much. Thank you to the individuals and owners of streaming cams, as well as those posting for various FB groups listed in Bold. The Guardian continues to publish informed articles on wildlife and the environment.

Today is an excellent opportunity to give them a big round of applause for keeping us informed. It is impossible for me (or anyone) to keep on top of what is happening at each of the individual nests, and I know that my blog would not be the same without their incredible talents. The fact that they share these with me so I can pass them along to you warms my heart and tells me immediately that there are more ‘good’ and ‘caring’ people in the world than not. So, thank you.

Diamond lays her first egg with Gimbal…late Sunday instead of Monday in Bird World

28 September 2025

Hello Everyone,

The big news at the moment is that Diamond has laid her first egg with new mate, Gimbir, at the Charles Sturt Falcon Cam scrape in Orange, Australia. Are you teared up? I sure am! Many questioned Gimbir’s youth and his ability. Well, they can stop wondering now!

09:02:16 was the time.

The most recent videos from SK Hideaways including Diamond and her precious egg!!!!!!

DIAMOND LAYS FIRST EGG OF 2025 After Early A.M. Mating x3 (2025 Sep 29)

After dear Xavier’s disappearance on 27 August and Gimbir’s arrival soon thereafter, the breeding season was in question. No one knew if Diamond would remain fertile or whether the mating occurrences between she and Gimbir would be successful. Today’s egg laying answered some questions. 

Videohttps://youtu.be/7GizyOC-VSI

Much gratitude to Cilla Kinross, director of the FalconCam Project, and Charles Sturt University NSW

CHANNEL ISLAND EAGLES

Two Harbors Eagles, Catalina Island California ~ Cholyn & Chase (21 Sep 2025)

Cholyn and Chase enjoyed each other’s company on their cactus perch, chatting, stretching, and peacefully watching the world go by. I celebrate these 27-year-olds and their 22 years of mated bliss every time I’m lucky enough to see them

Videohttps://youtu.be/habH8sTSseo

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops 

Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ

🦅💖🦅 AKECHETA RETURNS 🦅💖🦅 (24 Sep 2025)

What a wonderful sight to see!  Akecheta arrived to greet the morning. This West End story remains fascinating and compelling. 

Videohttps://youtu.be/DgFXKDnDrp0

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org

West End ~ Catalina Island, CA

May be too soon to say for sure, but it seems that Akecheta’s return may have been a one-day event.

**********************************************

FALCONCAM PROJECT ~ ORANGE NSW AUSTRALIA

A Morning Filled with Bonding and Mating (23 Sep 2025)

Diamond and Gimbir pair-bonded twice and mated thrice all before 11 a.m. Only time will tell if the activities of this new couple have the desired effect, but it’s evident that young Gimbir’s reproductive instinct is fully functional.

Videohttps://youtu.be/yAmNZrzSwz4

Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW (http://www.csu.edu.au/special/falconcam/)

FalconCam Project, Orange NSW ~ Diamond & Gimbir (25 Sep 2025)

Gimbir incorporated the leftovers of a silver gull into a long bonding session with Diamond. It seemed a little rude until Diamond ultimately joined in the nibbling. A strange and entertaining episode!

Videohttps://youtu.be/B914LS9XHiA

Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW

Box Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv2RtoIMNzA

Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adCIawe2WWI

Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj1Y6ydRl1c

Tower Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFAsJvGPd00

**********************************************

BIG BEAR HAPPENINGS

Jackie & Shadow Chortle Night Away on Favorite Perches ~ Habitat Critters Photo Bomb (2025 Sep 26)

Glorious sounds of Jackie & Shadow filled Big Bear Valley as they chortled throughout the night. They settled on their Roost Tree overnight and convened at the Lookout Snag at dawn. All through the night, habitat critters, Fiona, the Bernardino flying squirrel, and her friend, a wee tiny mouse, visited the nest looking for snacks. A lovely Cooper’s Hawk graced the Cactus Snag to close the morning’s activities.

Videohttps://youtu.be/ARdTGn7QFfM

Courtesy FOBBVCAM, Friends of Big Bear Valley

Shadow Returns to Nest  (23 September 2025)

Shadow returned to the nest after a record-setting 82 days. He and Jackie must really be enjoying their summer vacation. Shadow took in the mess of sticks left by  Sunny, Gizmo, and all the visitors to the nest since the family departed, vowing to return with Jackie after vacation to tidy the place up. The ravens greeted him with an aerobatic display, much to his chagrin. He conveyed the whole story to Jackie  when they met up on their roost tree for the night.  

Videohttps://youtu.be/BIxkSvt4iBY

Courtesy FOBBVCAM, Friends of Big Bear Valley, CA

Jackie & Shadow Return to Nest ~ Reminisce About Sunny & Gizmo (2025 Sep 26)

After 3 months, Jackie and Shadow returned to the nest, taking in their habitat for over 2 hours. I like to think they were reminiscing about the special spring they shared raising Sunny and Gizmo. I’ve interwoven lots of those memories here.

Videohttps://youtu.be/M-vDe1_DUi8

Courtesy FOBBVCAM, Friends of Big Bear Valley, CA

ℹResident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014

ℹResident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012

Sunny is 207 days old, Gizmo is 203 days old (as of 27 Sept).

🔗Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE

🔗Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc

🔴LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

🔠Eagle Glossary + Acronyms +Useful  Links: https://bit.ly/2Ln0GAN

📖Big Bear Eagle History: https://www.friendsofbigbearvalley.org/eagle-history/

On Monday, the 22nd of September, our family said goodbye to our oldest grandson, Zak, who died in a tragic accident on the 15th. He was soon to be twenty-nine years old. His father was our son who was killed in a car accident twenty-six years ago. Zak was enormously funny and very kind; we are so grateful that we got to see him a year ago. A new tree has been added to the garden.

Needless to say, this has not been the most productive time, although distractions were welcome, and the return of Akecheta gave me hope for all manner of things.

We spent Sunday restoring our spirits in the woods of the Birds Hill Park. Toby was so good. We were shocked that he did not even bark when the chickadees came to take their Black oil seed.

Oh, lots of news in Bird World.

We saw him injured and cried. He was photographed several months later near Ojai, California on the mainland and now Akecheta has returned to the West End where he raised eaglets with Thunder. Thunder suddenly left her eggs (Makaio’s) and I still wonder if she didn’t see Akecheta and follow him. We wait to see if she shows up and if they are in camera range.

Akecheta has not been seen since the 25th at the West End. That was Thursday.

On May 18, Akecheta was photographed near Lake Casitas, California on the mainland.

Here is the chronology of the drama from Jann Gallivan around the nest of Thunder and Akecheta:

Cornell Bird Lab has posted the results of the necroscopy on Big Red and Arthur’s O1. She died of West Nile Virus.

The progress of the Royal Cam chick on her race to get to the waters off of Chile and Peru. Thanks, Holly Parsons.

Heavy rain is hitting Gabby and Beau’s nest south of Jacksonville, Florida.

On Tuesday, Charlie was still at Charlo Montana while Dad was last seen at the Boulder County Fair Grounds Saturday morning the 20th. It appears that both have started migration now.

Rosie appears to have started her migration late this week from the SF Golden Gate Audubon Osprey nest.

What happens when glaciers recede? The Guardian tells us.

‘Like walking through time’: as glaciers retreat, new worlds are being created in their wakehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/sep/13/switzerland-alps-fiesch-aletsch-glaciers-retreat-ecosystems-mountains-culture-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

Fall is a wonderful time of year to see many wildlife species as the leaves give way and the birds and animals linger feeding before winter. USFWS got some great images of the migrants.

I dream of seeing this number of Pink-footed Geese! Just look at those at the Montrose Basin Wildlife Reserve in Scotland. Oh, I am dreaming.

Sightings of youngsters is always welcome. Those at Threave Ospreys are excited.

Newmann has a visitor at Great Spirit Bluff and Ashley Wilson caught 33/U!

Did this Norwegian osprey go off course, winding up in the UK? Thanks, Mary Cheadle.

It is simply beautiful fall weather on the Canadian prairies, and we have managed to squeeze in some time to go to the nature centre for a much-needed walk during the week. I particularly wanted to see some geese, and was not disappointed.

I am very concerned about the hurricanes in the Atlantic and their impact on the Bald Eagle nests in the NE of Florida like that of Gabby and Beau. Extreme Weather Chaser posted these images.

Keep an eye on the nests as these systems move through. For those of you living in the region of the storms, please stay safe!

Please let your voice be heard on the use of rodenticides in the UK! We know that they do not just kill rodents, and we also know that eagles, owls, hawks, harriers, and all manner of our feathered friends catch the rodents that have consumed these horrible toxins and die. Let the raptors eat the rodents! Raptor Persecution UK gives the details.

‘A’ comments from Australia – (I can’t wait to see what they will say about Diamond’s egg):

“Yes, the spring equinox has ushered in some gorgeous weather – sunny and not at all hot (15C today but it’s been up to 22C in recent days). The trees are blossoming, the bulbs are flowering and everything is energised. The birds are flirting and nest-building. Melobourne is not yet subtropical.

Mr and Mrs Crow are huge birds with huge appetites.They like to grab chicken carcasses and fly it to a flat rooftop over my back fence (a three-storey block of units), where they eat at their leisure. There must be a lot of regurgitated bones and the like on that rooftop! 

Mr and Mrs Magpie definitely have a nest but do they have eggs yet? I suspect they might, as I have been seeing them both but not together. And Mr Magpie has been removing food from the garden, which is unusual. I suspect he is taking it to Mrs Magpie on their nest. It’s nearly the end of September, and the falcons have had three eggs for a couple of weeks now, so I’d be surprised if that were not the situation with the magpies. Interestingly, by summertime, the magpies are sometimes accompanied by a fledgling from the previous year as well as the one from the current year. I have no idea whether the gender of the fledgling has any impact on whether this occurs but it’s interesting to see the family group – mum, dad, and a couple of kids. (I usually see only one fledgling per season – I really should do some reading on magpie breeding because I don’t even know why there’s only one fledgling per season (siblicide/food shortage or only one fertile egg). 

Those sea eaglets in Sydney are so gorgeous as their juvenile plumage comes in. I hate watching them nearing fledge however, based on previous years. I wish I could think of ways to give them a better chance of surviving after fledge – the annual rescue with mixed success and the loss of contact with no way of knowing whether they even survive. It’s an awful end to a season of watching them daily and counting their bites and growing to know and love each one of them. I think it’s the seeming inevitability that makes it so hard. 

At Collins Street, the parents are so patient, sitting on those eggs day and night, rain or shine. Dad has this endearing habit of chatting to the eggs in a tiny, squeaky little voice. It’s adorable. And you are SO right about male falcons. They are the cutest things. Gimbir has learned to deliver the fruits of his hunts (he is a very good hunter) to Diamond – now, all he has to work out are her preferences, though she has very kindly accepted and actually partaken3 of a starling gift, no doubt trying to encourage him. Such an odd couple, with Gimbir so young and tiny and Diamond a matriarch old enough to be his great-grandmother and at least twice his size. But if we had to lose Xavier (and he is dreadfully missed) I am glad that Diamond has found a new mate. 

At Port Lincoln, the incubation continues, with mum doing most of the egg sitting and dad getting in egg time whenever he can (and sometimes being tardy about leaving again – mum has had to apply the foot more than once). Three eggs laid over the course of a week does concern me. I’m sorry to repeat myself but I do wish they had stuck to two. I suppose three eggs at Port Lincoln has far too many memories of Zoe for my liking. Still, the Fish Fairy has arrived since (and perhaps because of) the Zoe season. I keep wondering what that taught us about spoiled first hatches and their survival skills. Zoe certainly seemed to lack them! 

The information about the breeding habits of the albatross was interesting. The updates on some of the birds from previous years were fabulous. I am glad YRK has a new mate, although we always grieve for those who are missing. We must advocate for an end to the eating of tuna!

Of course we check everything for safety before offering it to the birds because they will eat all sorts of leftovers, raw and cooked, so obviously, I don’t want to do anything dangerous through ignorance. In that manner, I discovered that avocado is deadly for birds – it damages their liver. The magpies in particular love a walnut as a special treat – that’s safe for them. 

It is so good to see Gabby and Beau together. And the return of Akecheta is wonderful news. Do we think he has perhaps been recovering from an injury? What else would have kept him away, I wonder. “

The Ventana Wildlife Society has a monthly chat. If you missed the one in September, the link is here. There are other links to the different cameras for watching the condors.

We still have ospreys in Nova Scotia, Canada. At other sites, winter occupants have arrived, including Colin the Cormorant at the Rutland Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya and Fred the Heron, captured on the nest by Barb and Bob Larsen at Boulder County.

Thank you so much for being with us today. We look forward to having you with us next Monday, when we will be sharing several book suggestions! In the meantime, please take care. Put your devices away and go outside to restore your spirit.

I want to thank our notable contributor, ‘SK Hideaways’ for their videos highlighting the nests we are following, ‘A’ for their Australian commentary, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name but whom I have tried to cite in bold. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and journals that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Monday in Bird World

22 September 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

It is the autumn equinox and here is everything you should know.

The Autumnal Solstice, or equinox, marks the first day of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and occurs on September 22, 2025. At this precise moment, the sun is directly above Earth’s equator, resulting in days and nights of roughly equal length, though atmospheric effects make them not perfectly equal. This seasonal milestone also brings winter to the Southern Hemisphere and concludes summer in the Northern Hemisphere.  

What is the Autumnal Equinox?

  • A Moment of Balance: The term “equinox” comes from Latin, meaning “equal night”. While day and night are close to equal in length, the Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight, making days appear slightly longer than nights. 
  • Orbital Position: The equinox occurs when Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, and the sun is positioned directly over the equator. 

When is it?

  • Date: The autumnal equinox falls on September 22 each year. 
  • Time: In 2025, it will occur on Monday, September 22, at 2:19 p.m. EDT. 

What it means for the Hemispheres:

  • Northern Hemisphere: The autumnal equinox ushers in the start of fall and signals the end of summer. 
  • Southern Hemisphere: For those in the Southern Hemisphere, this day marks the start of spring and the end of winter. 

Additional Facts

  • Harvest Moon: The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox is known as the Harvest Moon, which historically allowed farmers to harvest crops for longer into the evening due to its earlier moonrise. 
  • Cultural Significance: The autumnal equinox is a significant date in various cultures, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival in East Asia, which is often celebrated around this time. 

Late updates:

Dyfi Osprey Project:

Little Buckaroo or Eeny at Dunrovin appears to have started its migration. Last seen eating breakfast on Thursday, the 18th of September.

Charlie is still at Charlo, Montana on the 21 September (Sunday). Gail Woodstock posted some lovely screen captures of this dedicated male.

At the Boulder County Fairgrounds, it appears the male is still present, too! Thank you for the screen capture and post – Barb and Bob Larsen. The ospreys are staying later. Does this mean a late and milder winter? I wonder. We still have ospreys in Canada, too.

SK Hideaways latest videos!

Two Harbors Eagles Cholyn and Chase (2025 Sep 19)

Chase brought a late lunch, having to dodge ravens during his meal. He managed to quickly finish his fish and then departed. Cholyn arrived later with a whopper fish, which she took her time to eat. She lingered into the late afternoon, chatting remotely with Chase, who we could hear off camera. It was a special treat to see them both. 

Video: https://youtu.be/vvXeaSus5M0

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org

Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ

367 Collins St. Falcons Dad M24 Boycotts Changeovers Till Mum F24 Sets Him Straight (2025 Sep 20)

After a typical morning of clockwork-like changeovers, Dad decided he wasn’t going to relinquish his egg time when Mum returned. She waited patiently for nearly 10 minutes before gently persuading him it was time to give up his boycott. He left without incident.

Videohttps://youtu.be/xeJOumxQUDE

Courtesy 367 Collins St. Falcon Cam

South Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibsohQ14cY

North Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNKk0ivuWe4

FalconCam Project, NSW Australia ~ home of Diamond and  Gimbir (2025 Sep 17)

Gimbir was proud of his starling gift ~ the first time he’s brought one to Diamond, who historically has refused starling gifts except to feed growing chicks. She gave him quite an earful, about which he seemed somewhat confused. In the end she e-chupped him completely out of the nest box and proceeded to eat some of the starling. Maybe Di’s taste’s have changed.

Videohttps://youtu.be/7Fibnk3qEt4

Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW (http://www.csu.edu.au/special/falconcam/)

Box Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv2RtoIMNzA

Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adCIawe2WWI

Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj1Y6ydRl1c

Tower Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4332mBQdnc

Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles Lady, Dad, SE35 & SE36 (2025 Sept 22)

After Lady and Dad woke the neighbourhood with a duet, SE35 and SE36 entertained themselves till breakfast arrived. Between beaky kisses, wingers, twig swapping, and napping, they were well occupied for the few hours till Lady returned with a nice, big breakfast.

Videohttps://youtu.be/j5_brVPp7XE

What’s happening? SE35 Steps Aside as SE36 Eats a HUGE Breakfast! (22 Sep 2025, 9:47-10:29 a.m.)

When Lady arrived with a whopper fish for breakfast, SE36 stepped right up to receive the first bites. SE35, typically, the dominant eaglet sat back and watched SE36 eat…and eat…and eat. The meal lasted for more than 40 minutes with SE36 getting most of that big fish.  There was no aggression between the eaglets, which was a welcome sight to see.

Videohttps://youtu.be/tzy323L7v2g

Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park (https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html)

Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/@SeaEagleCAM4/streams

Ventana Wildlife will be releasing condors! You can go to their website and sign up for this live event. No costs. I always watch these events. You learn so much and it is so exciting to see the youngsters go out into the world.

“`Carefully transferred from the Los Angeles Zoo to our San Simeon Release Site, seven (1.5-year-old) condors are preparing for their highly anticipated release into the wild in late October.

Condor Release – Saturday, October 25, 9AM-12PM (PT).
– Six female condors126512891300130213071312
– One male condor:1290

Here is all the information:

I want to thank each of you for taking the time out of your busy lives to check on how our feathered friends in Bird World are doing. I would also like to welcome the more than 5,500 readers from China who have joined us recently. It is so lovely to have you with us in Bird World! Welcome.

To celebrate, here is a lovely article in 10,000 Birds on the Raptors of Nanhui, Shanghai, with some beautiful images. Please check it out and see how many of our feathered friends you knew were in China. I am particularly fond of the Chinese Sparrowhawk.

Tuesday -Great news. The Royal Cam chick fledged on the 17th of September!

Cornell Bird Lab has this maiden flight on video! https://youtu.be/zYqzddsT6pA?

Elain also has a video of that initial flight! https://youtu.be/1JhCsH0JTO4?

Albatrosses forage at sea for an extended period after fledging, typically remaining at sea for 3 to 7 years or more before returning to their natal colony to find a mate and eventually breed. During this time, young albatrosses, known as juveniles, learn to forage and socialise in groups called gams to develop their courtship rituals.  

Post-Fledging Journey

  • Years at Sea: After leaving the nest, young albatrosses will spend several years at sea, some for as long as 5 to 8 years, continuously foraging and only returning to land for breeding. 
  • Socialization: Young albatrosses gather in groups of potential mates, known as gams, to learn complex courtship dances and develop their unique “language” for finding each other later in life. 
  • Maturation: This period allows them to mature, molt their juvenile plumage, and gain the energy and experience needed for their first breeding attempt. 

Return to Breed

  • Colony Return: Eventually, the adolescent birds return to their natal colonies. 
  • Finding a Mate: They then begin the lengthy process of finding a mate and developing a pair bond before their first breeding attempt. 
  • Breeding Frequency: After a successful breeding attempt, many albatross species take a year or more off from breeding to regain their energy and condition before their next breeding season

All the information that you could ever want to know about Albatross by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation:

The latest post from Ranger Sharyn Broni posted by Sharon Dunne.

Holly Parsons has posted some additional information:

‘A’ now has the latest: “Since our baby girl fledged on 16 Sepember, she has been steadily making her way towards South America. The tracker tells us that she is about 200 kms from the headland, heading north. She has stopped off in an area where she probably found food and is progressing well. She is a strong girl. She’ll need to be – her journey is 9000 km long. Safe travels beautiful albie. “

Many of you have been fascinated by the great prey gifts that Gimbir has been bringing Diamond. None of them were Starlings – we know that Diamond does not like Starling. Well, our poor little lad made the mistake of presenting a Starling gift to Diamond and she rebuffed him. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/7Fibnk3qEt4?

Gosh, is there anything cuter in the adult raptor world than a male peregrine falcon? Gimbir has certainly been winning hearts and minds with his generosity and excellent hunting skills. Will there be any eggs? Maybe not this year, but we will wait.

Tuesday afternoon was also magical on the Canadian Prairies. I sat in my friend’s garden, surrounded by the yellow leaves from the trees falling gently around us. Fall is truly here. It is one of the most loved seasons, yet each of us knows what follows. Winter should be a time of relaxation, sitting by the fire, reading a book, sipping hot chocolate or the best leaf teas wrapped with a soft blanket.

We are looking forward to spending several hours in the nature centre on Wednesday, checking out the geese and ducks while Toby is being groomed. There are places where dogs cannot go (understandably), and this is one of them. We have not been there for several months, so I am really looking forward to spending time on those very familiar paths.

The geese are still fattening on the golf courses and at the nature centres. They were in an area of our City that had been abandoned when one of the military bases closed. Now it is a building site. Where will those geese, who have returned to this same place each year, go now? What are humans leaving our wildlife?

We are taking away habitat minute by minute. The City I live in is no exception. For over a hundred years, the population remained stable at approximately 600,000. Now our City is a construction site with the population soon set to reach one million. It sprawls, and many city planners have, for decades, criticised this practice as it is now taking away good agricultural land, along with woods that are perfect for wildlife and birds. It makes me quite angry – the City should be safe, built up, not out, with good public transport. As it stands, things are so spread out that cars are almost a necessity, and every morning, the traffic jams reveal automobiles with a single person in them! I’d best not get started on my soapbox, or we could be here all day.

Humans to push further into wildlife habitats across more than 50% of land by 2070 – studyhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/21/humans-to-push-further-into-wildlife-habitats-across-more-than-50-of-land-by-2070-study-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

Researchers at Cornell, along with colleagues worldwide, are searching for missing birds. Here is one of the webinars that was posted, so we can join in their discoveries as well. https://youtu.be/sri3ciYgCS4?

It was an extremely sad year for the Black Stork nests in Latvia as reported by Maria Marika. As we know, we must mourn but also celebrate the success. As we take over habitat, the planet and oceans warm, there will be fewer successes unless we radically change our human behaviour.

Border Ospreys latest newsletter:

‘A’ reflects on the Australian nests:

“It was another windy day at WBSE and the chicks were left alone on the nest for most of the day. They are really developing their juvenile plumage now, especially SE35, whose feather development is well ahead of its sibling’s. One reason for this is probably the lack of food SE36 gets in comparison to SE35. I saw only one food delivery today, a gull, and SE36 was fed four or five bites of this (beause it happened to be in the right place at the right time) before SE35 intimdated it into a cowering defensive position, which it maintained until the food was gone. There were no late food deliveries as there have been on previous evenings and little SE36 went to bed with an empty crop. SE35 did relatively well, although would have preferred another two feedings. It is fortunate indeed that both eaglets were well fed on the previous two days. Here are the three reports, from today, yesterday and Sunday:

September 14: another fine day. Last night Lady slept on the rim of the nest, or just by them – disturbed at one stage by the possum passing. Early duets and she was off, returning after 6am and trying to settle in the bowl with the nestlings – but off again a after a short time. When Dad brought in a gull carcass at 7:50 she grabbed it and fed them both –for an hour. Dad came in and took off some of the scraps, with Lady very protective. He fed 36 a couple of bites, then Lady came in again and fed them a little more – protecting the food from him. Then Dad returned and fed them a little himself – and more when Lady took over and fed 35, then 36 – a massive feeding session. As the nest warmed up, chicks were panting – full crops too. They rested, sprawled out in the nest at times, moving into the shade when they could. Dad came in a couple of times and took off a scrap of bone. Late afternoon, Dad came with a whiting, claimed and fed by Lady, to SE35 first. Both ate – full and peaceful at end of day.

September 15: Lady spent most of the night on the nest rim, coming in very early to the bowl, then away. She returned as Dad brought in a Red Rock Cod at 6:15am, claimed by Lady and fed it to both chicks. Both chicks are calling now as the food comes in. A very warm day then, with both of the eaglets moving into the shade when they could. The parents were in and out a few times, with leaves – or nearby – but the chicks were mainly left alone on the nest. Lady came in at last light, but there was no more prey until just after 6pm, when Dad brought a fish. Lady then fed both nestlings before settling for the night.

September 16: Lady slept on the rim last night. She was off very early, then duets, with the nestlings joining in. Dad came and started feeding SE35 a fish scrap early, offered a bit to Lady, then she took over – though there was not much left. The eaglets then waited all morning until Dad brought a gull chick just after 2pm, on a windy afternoon. Lady claimed it and fed both, with SE35 getting most. SE36 has been venturing right to the nest rim, then returning safely to the nest bowl. Both chicks are calling on the nest now – begging for food or parental attention. They were waiting for more food all afternoon. Lady came to the nest just before 6pm, but with no food, then left again, flying to the perch branch. She returned to the nest bowl, settling on the nest next to the chicks. Will there be a late prey delivery again? (Spoiler alert: No, there wasn’t, and poor SE36 went to bed with an empty crop and a hungry tummy.)

At Collins Street, the three eggs are being carefully tended by both falcons, though mum is doing most of the shifts. 

At Taiaroa Head, we are told, Miss SS Trig is further down the hill. However, I am not convinced she has not already fledged today because there is an albatross sleeping on her nest and according to Ranger Sharyn Broni, that albatross is her father, who is waiting to feed his girl. (I wondered why, if it is him, he has not called for her at all, though he has looked around and he is sleeping on her nest – also I believe Ranger Sharyn has actually confirmed his identity on her recent travels.So we will have to take her word for the fact that Miss SS Trig has not yet fledged and that there is a goodbye breakfast with dad awaiting her if she decides to head up the hill early tomorrow morning (17 September). The wind will determine her schedule, in all likelihood, but we are hoping she will stay at least another week, until her tummy mohawk (it really is most distinctive) has been shed. 

I thank you so much for reminding me that the birds in our own gardens are the interface between ourselves and the natural world. We don’t need to filter these experiences through streaming cams from the other side of the world, although the chance to share the experiences of birds like the red-tailed hawks is something extra special (and a bird like Angel is something too precious for words). 

Meanwhile, all appears well at Port Lincoln, where the night herons are doing well with the fish light it seems. They caught two fish in rapid succession the other evening. With three healthy-looking eggs, I do have some fears about the upcoming season – there is an aggressive quality to ospreys.”

“Wednesday: The littles were up and stretching at 6am and the breakfast fish arrived at around 06:08 courtesy of ever-reliable Dad. Lady was quickly in to take control of the feeding, with SE36 finding itself in prime position at the table. It was too intimidated though by its older sibling and went into submission pose, allowing SE35 to push past and take the front spot and the first of the food. But SE36 was still closest to the fish, and had the courage to turn its head and take occasional bites when Lady offered them. It was a good-sized fish and eventually, both nestlings ate a large breakfast. 

When I checked back at lunchtime, SE35 was in a food coma and SE36, despite sporting the most gigantic of crops, was still eating like a small feathered machine as Lady fed him still more fish. Oh my goodness those eaglets were full. After yesterday’s lean pickings, I’m sure they both enjoyed the food overload they got today. They have become very vocal in recent days, chittering away to each other on the nest and vocalising to their parents whenever food approacheth. Oh they are the cutest small people. SE35 is starting to show caramel colours on its breast and head feathers and will soon begin to resemble a juvenile sea eagle. SE36 is still a huge ball of fluff with some feathertips on its wings – at least two or perhaps three days behind its older sibling. 

At Collins Street, dad brought in such a large pigeon (I think) at 15:24:20, he could hardly get it up onto the ledge. It was as big as he was. Mum was less than impressed, after all his hard work, and stayed on the eggs, so he dived off the ledge again with his prey, at which mum looked rather surprised but still didn’t move. I presume he ate it himself, or stashed it on a floor above the nest (he glanced up there before diving off the ledge). At least there appear to be enough workers back in the Melbourne CBD to feed a good crop of pigeons for the falcons to feed their chicks once those eggs hatch. Dad is obviously a good hunter – that really was a very large catch. 

Dad returned with empty talons soon after 16:28, and the pair had an animated conversation before mum dived off the ledge and presumably headed off to the pantry for the pigeon remains. Finally! Egg time for dad. He is such a cutie. A very neat little falcon. And his sweet little voice is adorable. Mum is back at 17:27:30. Another changeover at 18:02:30. “

The cam operator gave us some great closeups of the little sea eaglets and their gorgeous juvenile plumage coming in.

“Here is yesterday;s ranger report:

The eaglets both ate a large breakfast at around 10am this morning, with SE36 doing particularly well at this feeding. Both chicks finished the meal with huge crops, and spent the rest of the afternoon resting in the sunlit nest. The weather has improved, with the winds dying down and no rain today, so things are drying out and the fishing is easier. 

September 21: A lovely sunny day. Last evening, Dad brought in a last prey offering, another young gull, and Lady fed them, though SE35 ate most. SE36 found a last scrap itself. Lady spent most of the night beside them on the nest rim. A quiet morning until Lady herself brought in a young gull. SE36 did quite well at this feeding. Both are picking at things in the nest. Then, in the late afternoon, Dad brought part of a fish, having already eaten himself. He fed them a little first, then Lady took over until all was gone. As the eagles called, the youngsters joined in too at  the end of the day. Both adults settled nearby.

And today (22 September), the eaglets both ate a large breakfast at around 10am, with SE36 doing particularly well at this feeding. Both chicks finished the meal with huge crops, and spent the rest of the afternoon resting in the sunlit nest. The weather has improved, with the winds dying down and no rain today, so things are drying out and the fishing is easier. 

These two are starting to look so grown up (especially SE35). It is scary to think that they are nearing the time when their privileged life on the nest will be exchanged for their annual losing battle with the currawongs.It seems so futile – all the hard work the parents have put in and yet it is destined to be fruitless, with the fledglings unlikely to survive without human intervention (and even with that assistance, their futures are very uncertain).  

At Collins Street, the incubation continues, with the three eggs looking good and being well looked after by both parents. Mum headed off at 06:14 this morning to get herself some breakfast, and little Dad quickly arrived to take over, making his tiny chirping noises. The way he talks to the eggs is so adorable. He loves these chicks before they’ve even hatched. 

At Port Lincoln, mum is still waiting for food – nothing has been brought in so far today. There are usually two fish (or one huge fish) brought in per day, but I am not confident that this is going to increase sufficiently to feed a family of five when these eggs hatch. I do hope the Fish Fairy is ready for action because I fear she is going to be needed on this nest this season. I do wish they would stick to two eggs. 

Mum is doing the vast majority of the incubating at Port Lincoln – some days, dad spends less than an hour in total on the eggs, with mum taking care of the rest. She is doing a great job, but as I said, I’m hoping the fish supply will step up when the eggs hatch – as things stand, mum isn’t getting enough for her own needs. “

Pat Burke got the cutest screen capture of the little sea eaglets, who are a month old now.

TE3 is still hanging around the natal nest in Tempeauleau Wisconsin. This gorgeous juvenile was raised by her Mum basically single-handedly. Many thought the eaglet would not survive, but she did and what an amazing eagle she is going to be. Thank you Bud Whillock for these great images that you shared on FB.

The American Bird Conservancy announces a huge win:

ABC is celebrating a much-needed win for seabirds with the announcement that the U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF) has suspended its proposal to use Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge as a site for commercial rocket landing pads. ABC was among the first organizations to raise concerns about the plan and request further study on the potential impacts on the more than one million seabirds that nest on the tiny Pacific Ocean atoll each year. The DAF’s pause on their plans gives seabirds like the Brown Noddy and Red-tailed Tropicbird breathing room and keeps this important site a safe refuge for birds, for now.

As our population grows, the impact on wildlife is enormous.

The ospreys are almost all gone on their journeys to their winter quarters. Iris is no longer at Hellgate Canyon, and Charlie is no longer at Charlo, Montana. A few linger in Nova Scotia, and one of CJ7 and Blue 022’s fledglings was photographed in Poole Harbour.

It appears that the male at the Boulder County Fair Grounds osprey nest is still at home, too.

Swoop continues to deliver to the fourth hatch, known fondly as Eenie or Little Buckaroo, at Dunrovin Ranch. Lin Lawson did a physique comparison between the father and the juvenile.

Connie Dennis reminds us that this is the number of days we have until they return in Nova Scotia:

Each of us will be sitting on pins and needles waiting for Iris to return to Montana next spring! Lovely montage Lucille Powell, thank you.

There are still some ospreys in Manitoba! Marlene Mitchell caught this one where we go to see the Pelicans.

At the Golden Gate Audubon nest site – lamp and crane – one fledgling and the parents that remain are Beacon, Rosie, and Richmond. “At 128 days old, Beacon has now lingered the longest of any of Rosie and Richmond’s offspring. And apparently her calls for more fish are working, as she received two separate deliveries today, after visiting the Whirley Crane several times. Rosie also visited the crane. http://www.sfbayospreys.org”. https://youtu.be/sT1WdpdP4-Q?

Rosie is still there on Thursday. Thanks, Lucille Powell.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust gives us the remarkable story of White YW and Blue 35 at Foulshaw Moss, who raised three chicks, with White YW now 17 years old and Blue 35 fourteen years old. And then, White YW feeds and cares for another’s fledgling. A good read. White YW and Blue 35 are two of my favourite osprey couples in the UK, often overlooked.

It is that time of season when there are summaries and highlights. Cornell Bird Lab takes us through the life of the Barred Owls. “Relive five unforgettable moments from our 2025 Barred Owl Cam, sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited! This season was full of fun and heartwarming memories as this feathered family raised their two adorable owlets, Moss and Maple, in a nest box nestled in the backyard of WBU Founder and CEO Jim Carpenter. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/HfW9vYw2HSY?

It is also cam maintenance time for both the ospreys and the eagles.

Gabby and Beau continue to work hard on their nest in NE Florida, with Gabby even trying out the egg bowl. Will we have eggs early this year? We wait to see.

Duke Farms nest is waiting for its eagles.

There was an eagle at the ND-LEEF in South Bend, Indiana, on Tuesday.

Hawk Mountain’s Migration chart for this week:

Robert Fuller‘s six kestrel chicks have fledged! https://youtu.be/Fqc19QvkE-k?

Reports from Raptor Persecution UK.

Welsh government is in trouble as Avian Flu spreads.

While the news from Wales is worrisome, there is some good news. Hen Harriers will not be introduced into the south of England. I am delighted.

The American Bird Conservancy Bird of the Week is the Belle’s Vireo. Don’t know this bird? Have a read.

The Maori, along with North American Native Tribes, along with many other cultural groups, believe that birds carry messages, especially when someone dies. A lovely short read from The Guardian:

In the days after my mum died, a blackbird lingered like a messenger of solace | Mark Saunokonokohttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2025/sep/18/in-the-days-after-my-mum-died-a-blackbird-lingered-like-a-messenger-of-solace?CMP=share_btn_url

Toby wants to know how many people remember Murphy the Bald Eagle who incubated the rock and then got to raise an eaglet? Thanks National Geographic!

Thank you so much for being with us today! Take care of yourself. We look forward to having you with us again next Monday.

I want to thank our notable contributor, ‘SK Hideaways’ for their videos highlighting the nests we are following as well as the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, other individuals and institutions who create videos and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name but whom I have tried to cite in bold. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and journals that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. A special thank you to Raptor Persecution UK for keeping us well informed about what is happening to the raptors in the UK. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Calico wants me to add an essay, “The Thin White Line,” from Emergence Magazine. She thinks it is thought-provoking.

Thank you so much for being with us today! Take care. See you next Monday.

I want to thank our notable contributor, ‘SK Hideaways’ for their videos highlighting the nests we are following, ‘A’ for their Australian commentary, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name but whom I have tried to cite in bold. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and journals that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Monday in Bird World

15 September 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

We are one week away from the autumn solstice. It is a beautiful Saturday on the Canadian prairies. It is 24 C. The sky is a hazy light blue with the sun beating down on the garden. The cranberry bushes are turning flame red, the leaves have been turning for some time, and early in the morning, sitting on the deck with Toby and a coffee, we can hear the geese far above us honking.

Time passes too quickly. Not two blinks ago, the children were getting out of school for the summer holidays, and now they are back. We are even having our annual street party tomorrow. It felt as if the last one was just months ago. Do you ever feel this way? Like time is melting between your fingers? Still, it will feel like aeons until Gabby and Beau have their first egg. Time will drag til the ospreys return, and then it will fly again!

I am happy to report – thank you to all the good energy you sent – that Baby Hope is completely healed and new fur is growing over her injury! I cannot tell you what a relief this is. We worried that she would continue to scratch at the injury so that it wouldn’t heal. Toby is also fine. He is a little ‘stiff’ going down the stairs but he is back to wrestling some with Hugo Yugo. They continue to sleep together in the big dog bed. It is so sweet. Missey and Calico are well, too. I cannot ask for more.

So what is happening in Bird World? For the most part, the ospreys are gone. Tiger Mozone reminds us it is approximately 178 days til they return in the UK. What will we do without them? — Watch Port Lincoln! And the Bald Eagles, right?

We will start with two video offerings by SK Hideaways to get us excited! None other than Monty and Hartley and, of course, our favourite Big Bear Valley Eagles – Jackie and Shadow.

San Jose City Hall Falcons Hartley & Monty (2025 Sep 14)

Monty arrived to tidy up the nest prior to Hartley’s arrival. Their meeting was a veritable beaky kiss fest. Guess three successful broods is the key to a successful relationship.

Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam

Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBSxPjy5sow

Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU

Roof Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQLhmV6bP6o

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SanJoseCityHallFalcons/

Wiki https://sanjoseperegrines.editme.com/

Big Bear Eagles Jackie & Shadow (2025 Sep 12-13)

Jackie and Shadow perched on their Roost Tree overnight and Lookout Snag at dawn. Such peaceful, soothing scenes.

Courtesy FOBBVCAM, Friends of Big Bear Valley

Resident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014

Resident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012

Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE

Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc

LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

There are a few ospreys still at home. Dinas is one of those in the Glaslyn Valley with Oscar still in Nova Scotia.

Others are being spotted as they move through the UK on their way to the coast and off to the Iberian Peninsula or West Africa.

The last hatch, the fourth, remains at Dunrovin Ranch in Colorado with Dad, Swoop.

Looks quiet at Charlo Montana.

Rosie is still at Golden Gate Audubon. She migrates while Richmond remains in the territory over winter.

Iris was still eating fish at Hellgate Canyon on Saturday! Lucille Powell caught her on camera on Sunday. Iris is staying late.

Fledgling White Tail Eagle, Leo, is still at Milda’s nest in Durbe County Latvia! https://youtu.be/H-0dVRE5nfg?

Heidi reports that the male is still at Field Farm feeding his two juveniles who fledged mid-August.

It has gone quiet at Rutland Manton’s Bay Osprey platform.

Making the departure of Blue 33 and Maya complete, Colin, the Cormorant has moved into the nest!

As I shift the blog to Mondays until the first hatch at Port Lincoln, I hope to fill you in on some of the books that Calico and I have been reading. Yes, it has been more than two years, and we are still having story time – four cats and a dog! Here are our first offerings. Some will make great holiday gifts.

The Naturalist’s Notebook for Tracking Changes in The Natural World around You by Nathaniel T Wheelwright and Bernd Heinrich (2017).

It is a beautifully illustrated book with gilt edges and just the right size to hold and read comfortably. The authors discuss their ancestors and how they learned to observe the changes in the natural world, day by day and month by month. In the back is a five-year calendar divided by the seasons, reminding us to be present in our lives. I am particularly fond of the extensive calendar, which allows me to easily compare the arrival of the Starlings, the fledge of the Blue Jay babies, and the first honks of the geese flying overhead to their winter homes. It would make a lovely gift for someone just beginning to learn about the world around them, or for someone like me who wants to keep track of what is happening in my garden. $24.95 CDN.

The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin.

This is a review on Goodreads – and it is spot on! Atkin, like Wheelwright and Heinrich in The Naturalist’s Notebook for Tracking Changes in the Natural World around You, observes owls that live near her. She doesn’t travel far and wide, and like so many, she is not a professionally trained expert in the behaviour of owls. She is a person, just like all of us, who loves animals and birds and is a keen observer of their lives. That review reads: “Polly Atkin does not profess to be an expert on owls or anything else. This refreshing book brings the love of birds, especially owls, right from her heart to yours. It also brings the sights, sounds, and weather (oh, the weather!) of England’s Lake District right into your sitting room.

In The Company of Owls, we are treated to the author’s observations of the owls that choose to live near her. This nips off to other places she’s lived and visited, which adds richness to her descriptions, but it is her ‘home’ birds, and particularly one year in their lives, that is the primary focus.

The author has wonderful descriptive powers, and it is no surprise to glean her interest in poetry from her tale. Her description of the bog habitat where she went looking for short-eared owls is superb, although given the daily walks that provide the basis for her writing about her local owl family as they grow, it is amazing that there is no hint of repetitiveness.

Atkins supports her story with solid research, comparing owl numbers now with the records since Victorian times. These details tend to slip in as anecdotes, and more narrative quotes combine to give a really good picture of how owls have fared over the last century or so.

It’s a very personal record, and she isn’t afraid to reveal her own mistakes, which brought me back after a slight dip in attention in the middle of the book. On the whole, I think this is a really good book for the cosy bird lover, and people who like to know all the birds on their patch, rather than the twitching variety. I’m a patcher, of course.”

Both of these books take a very personal look at the natural world that is around them. They are inspirational to each of us to look just outside our back door – we don’t have to travel the world checking off lists – great things are happening beside us – now.

The power couples of Florida’s Bald Eagle streaming cams are returning to their nests and restoring them for the new season.

M15 and F23 have been home at SW Florida working on their nest.

Beau was absolutely delighted when Gabby arrived home to their nest in NE Florida early.

Ron and Rose are at the WRDC nest near Miami.

Now what is going on with Connie and Clive at Captiva?

In California, Andor and Cruz are at Fraser Point.

‘A’ is keeping a close eye on the Royal Cam chick for us as well as the others in Australia.

“Dad came in a couple of hours ago and fed his big girl breakfast. She was very excited to see him, and watched him closely as he took off after the feeding. It is hard to think this may be the last time they see each other. We (the viewers) hope not because Miss SS Trig still has what the viewers are calling a belly mohawk, with quite a bit of tummy fluff we would like to see gone before she leaves. Her feather development when compared with dad’s this morning was obviously still a week or so away from being ready, so we do hope she doesn’t get overexcited (or caught in a storm Lillibet style). Miss SS Trig is 229 days old today (Lillibet fledged at 219 days, the second youngest ever, the youngest being 218 days old a few years ago). And that number I was trying to read the other day wasn’t 555 at all – her number is YE55 (so the E looked like a five and the Y was further around her leg and not readily visible). This may become important later on, as she will lose the GPS device with her first moult, I presume. I did read something about this being a better GPS device but can’t remember what it was.”

Wow. Doesn’t SE35’s feather development over the last few days astonishing? So much more advanced than SE36, who is still a fluffball with few discernible black lines along its wings. This afternoon, the pair have been left alone on the nest in the dappled sunshine, working as hard as they can at converting fish into eaglet feathers. The effort is obvious, as they are flat out like a lizard drinking (sorry – old Australian saying). SE36 has a huge crop so has obviously eaten well today. SE35 is never hungry so there’s no need to update you there! Oh they are exquisite at this age, are they not? Every bit as gorgeous as they were last week and probably just as beautiful as they will be next week when their plumage will be completely different to what we see today. (In other words, they are absolutely lovely every single day of their growth, from the moment they hatch to the day they fledge, and even then, their plumage has many stages to go through before (hopefully) they finish up looking like Lady and Dad. 

I did mention to you that the juvenile red wattlebird in my garden has breast plumage that reminds me of the young falcons but from doing a bit of reading, I think those vertical striations (in either greys or caramels with cream) must be common to many (perhaps most) young birds – the red-tailed hawks have a similar pattern. Obviously, it is an excellent camouflage because it is very similar to the way objects appear when struck by the rays of the sun glinting through leaves. 

But I digress. I came here to Olympic Park to say that the littles are doing fabulously well, as usual. Lady is such a devoted mum, and Dad, despite or perhaps because of his advancing years, is an incredibly reliable provider, even in difficult conditions. I have to believe that is the result of his experience – he must know exactly where he can fish when the winds are coming from a particular direction or when there is prolonged rain or whatever the prevailing conditions are. These are the advantages of old age I suppose. And Lady is no slouch herself – she often brings in a late afternoon fish when she has the chance to stretch her wings. It’s easy to forget how old these two actually are. Their fertility appears stable – two fertile eggs per year.”

Incubation continues at Port Lincoln Osprey barge.

It has been a wonderful year at the Osprey House Environment Centre. If you didn’t follow the nest, the fledgling from 2024, helped the parents to care for the little ones in 2025. It turned out marvellous. The babies thrived and now the first one has fledged.

Incubation is still going well for the falcons in the CBD of Melbourne at 367 Collins Street.

Little Gimbir is winning hearts and minds as he has proven to be an exceptional hunter and provider for Diamond at the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape in Orange.

The Wedge-tailed Eagle is the largest in Australia. This is a short film, 18 minutes by Filming Wildlife, of this large raptor hunting! https://youtu.be/TEJ7gSYUOek?

Meldrs, the Golden Eagle fledgling of Spilve and Grislis, no longer comes to the nest in Latvia but is out following the adults, learning to hunt.

‘L’ from South Carolina sends me the most gorgeous images of a Cooper’s Hawk that visits their garden often, drinking at the bird bath. It is a reminder that we should all put out water for the birds that stay and those, so thirsty, that are passing through on migration. (The hawk is enjoying a Shrike lunch).

Emergence Magazine is launching its next volume, Seasons. I am attaching a link to a film, Crying Glacier by Lutz Stautner. The author says, “In the trickling, creaking, and gurgling heard through hydrophones and contact microphones, sound artist and composer Ludwig Berger listens for the voice of Switzerland’s dying Morteratsch Glacier. Directed by Lutz Stautner, this short film follows Ludwig on one of his many visits to the glacier, where he gathers its hidden sounds, the pop of centuries-old air bubbles and the groan of ice, inviting us into the intimacy of listening to more-than-human voices. One hundred years from now, we may only be able to hear the sounds of glaciers through recordings like these.”

https://emergencemagazine.org/film/crying-glacier/?utm_source=Emergence+Magazine&utm_campaign=5f28ad1708-Newsletter_20250914&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-0be9b497cf-356972785

Dedicated individuals continue to fight to end the industrial fishing of Menhaden if the osprey and other species are to survive in the Chesapeake Bay and region.

It’s migration. Please encourage everyone to turn off their lights!

One lucky little gosling.

Your smile for the week comes from Toby who is busy excavating peanuts in the flower pots where the squirrels have hidden them!

Very pleased with himself.

Toby had his operation on Tuesday. He can’t have a bath for another week and a half! He is so dirty and stinky!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope that you had a lovely weekend and were able to get outside and enjoy lots of fresh air and bird song. Take care. We will be back with you again on Monday the 22 of September. Fall will have officially begun!

I want to thank our notable contributor, ‘SK Hideaways’ for their videos highlighting the nests we are following, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name but whom I have tried to cite in bold. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and journals that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Monday in Bird World

1 September 2025

Good Morning Everyone!

I’m late! Lots of news.

Exciting Update: George Anderson has posted that a confirmed sighting of Breac (Loch Arkaig 2025) on the north coast of Spain on the 30th of August. He was last seen at Loch Arkaig on 15 August. This is incredible news.

The photographer sent the Woodland Trust the images to share including this one of the location – and they note that Breac was flying with another osprey.

I am so thankful for this BlueSky post. White YW is one of my all-time favourite UK male ospreys, and he is often overlooked by the nests at Rutland and in Wales. He deserves a gold medal. This year, he stayed and fed a juvenile that wasn’t even his at Foulshaw Moss in Cumbria!

August is now a page turned in the calendar. Children are getting excited about returning to school to see their friends, and, for us, it really marks the time that most of the ospreys have migrated to their winter homes, with the Bald Eagles thinking about returning to their nests. In fact, M15 and F23 have now returned to SW Florida! Fantastic.

The real active nests are those in Australia. There are chicks in the nest in the Olympic Park, eggs being laid on the ledge at Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD, eggs expected at the Port Lincoln barge and the other nests around South Australia, and then there is Diamond’s scrape. It may be a failed year if dear Xavier does not return. In New Zealand, the Royal Cam chick is set to fly off on her grand adventure within the next fortnight.

At Port Lincoln, Mum and Dad are cosy, and I get the feeling that eggs are imminent.

The weather in the Canadian prairies is hot and humid. The paint stores are busy as new colours are appearing around my neighbourhood. We even managed to get our front door re-painted. It was ‘too’ blue for me, so now it is ‘nearly’ black, a colour called Railings. It works well. Now to do the window frames.

Brock looked pretty shabby not that long ago. His coat is improving, and the missing fur from his tail is growing back. Toby often scares him, but Brock appears to have learned to let me know that he is here for food, then step back, let me put it out, and come back up to the deck to eat. Tonight he had two huge bowls! Another cat has appeared. She is a lovely grey, almost tortoiseshell, with some nice apricot splotches. She has either had kittens or is going to have kittens – she will not let me get close enough to tell. Toby often sends her running.

Baby Hope. Gosh. I had no idea it was a long weekend. That is what happens when you are retired. It was impossible to get a vet! She continues to allow me to have a ‘guarded look’, but clearly, she would benefit from antibiotics. Anne and I are going to attempt to trick her into a carrier and get her to the clinic on Tuesday. She is eating well and had jumped up to the ledge of the piano window in the living room, where she was last seen washing herself. I am grateful for your good wishes for this darling girl and to ‘MP’ for their expert guidance on what she might benefit from, including a long-term antibiotic injection. — Well, I haven’t slept much because of the injury, which is on her chin, where she can’t wash easily, looked bad on Saturday, and, as a consequence, I didn’t sleep. Come Sunday morning, and I got a great look, and things are very much improved. I will have to trap her, but ‘MP’ has given me some great advice about getting medicine to calm her to help that along if it is needed – a tiny bit of Gabapentin. How kind. At any rate, she seems to be on the mend. Fingers and toes crossed.

The Troublemakers:

Bird World news is going to become ‘thin’ as we wait. I hope to fill some of the void with book news and articles for you to read over the winter in the coming months as we wait for baby eagles to hatch in North America.

Our Canadian osprey fledglings are very smart! One or the other or both from the Russell Lake osprey platform in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is catching their own fish! Thanks, Connie and Don Dennis.

SK Hideaways new videos!

Flirty Haku Gets Frisky with MV on Night Perch🌠

West End Eagles🦅 Catalina Island, CA (2025 Aug 29)

The budding romance between Haku and MV is fascinating to watch. Here, Haku is in a particular frisky mood when she arrives on the night perch. 

Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org

Dad Juggles Growing Chicks🤹‍♂️ SE36 Gets Wise for Bites

Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles Lady & Dad (2025 Aug 30)

At 2 weeks old, SE35 and SE36 are getting too big for Dad to brood, but he does his best. SE36 is finding clever ways to get plenty to eat when Lady brings a whopper for breakfast.

Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park (https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html)

Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/@SeaEagleCAM4/streams

SE35 and SE36 Nibble Clown Feet, Beaky Kiss, and Cuddle

Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles (2025 Aug 31)

SE35 and SE36 had the nest to themselves, so cam ops took the opportunity to zoom in to the cuteness. 

Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park (https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html

Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/@SeaEagleCAM4/streams

Here’s one more – the young tiercel at Orange.

Diamond has a Young Suitor ~ He’s Making Himself at Home (1 September 2025)

Diamond’s long-time mate, Xavier has been missing for 5 days. In that short time, a young male falcon (tiercel) has appeared and seems to be courting Diamond. The tiercel visited the nest and took a good look around. Diamond met him there for what appeared to be a short bonding session. We will have to watch and wait to see how the story unfolds.

Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW

Sacha Dench and Conservation Without Borders have uploaded the entire 22-episode series of The Flight of the Osprey to YouTube. There is some really great information and discussion in these. Here is your link:

The Queen of the North American ospreys, Iris, is still at her nest at Hellgate Canyon in Missoula, Montana. She arrived on Friday in need of a fish! Was she looking for the New Male to chase her down? He has been very good at providing meals and helping renovate the nest.

Hard not to check on Iris all day long. She is still home and as beautiful in that golden light as ever.

Iris is still home in Missoula on Monday.

Charlie continues to deliver nice fish to C19 and C20 at Charlo Montana. What an amazing place for ospreys. It is a gorgeous landscape.

At least one fledgling is still in Idaho at the Coeur d’Alene South Osprey platform.

Teifi is still at Glaslyn. Here he is on the old Oak snag. Elen has not been seen since Thursday, 28 August. Teifi was also seen on Monday and so was Aran so both of the males are staying around Aran’s ‘old nest’? Or will Aran return early and try a takeover in 2026??

At Rutland Water, both Blue 33 and Maya and their 110-day-old fledgling 3R8 are still home.

Birds of Poole Harbour: 1H1 from Nest 2 was seen fishing at the Christchurch Harbour on Monday.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 31st August 2025
Not much to say – a handful of songbirds and a Great Spotted Woodpecker paid a visit, and amidst concerns about the invasive spruce bark beetle, currently trending in the news, Woodland Trust’s 2025 update to their 2021 State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report is available, link in the bonus section. Within the report there are links for each of the four home nations, it’s a very interesting read. George will post the official season summary on this page when it’s ready, and I’m working on my highlights video and hope to be able to post it here before the comments close. In any event, I’ll shut down the increasingly redundant daily summary in the next few days.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.07.46 (05.41.14); Nest Two 21.01.03 (05.48.18)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/eVzQjLMvX0E N2 Songbirds and a Great Spotted Woodpecker visit 09.57.55
Bonus read – Woodland Trust’s 2025 updated 

State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report:https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/state-of-uk-woods-and-trees/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/ECZCvjfv2RE  N1 Breakfast for Lachlan 2017 (thanks Scylla)

https://youtu.be/BrP-yVmDLTg  N1 Daddy’s little girl: Louis brings breakfast for Rannoch 2019 

https://youtu.be/ASzCFlv2ZWU  N1 Daddy’s little girl: Louis brings Vera another mackerel 2020

https://youtu.be/0dzTFe878FI N2 Daddy’s little girl: Louis brings Sarafina a flapping fish 2022

https://youtu.be/P1ssYays84o  N2 No takers for the fish so Louis takes it away again 2022

https://youtu.be/cdSV6EEtVwA  N2 Sparrowhawk causes Hoodies to flee the nest 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/FzP9g_92PQI  N2 A small raptor flies across the nest 2023 (slo-mo zoom)

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 29th August 2025

Today started with Nest One receiving a midnight visit from a Tawny Owl, and both nests had daylight visits from songbirds but the most interesting event was Steve Quinn publishing his end of season fish stats. Louis delivered four hundred and thirty seven fish, and Dorcha doubled her previous score with two deliveries, ending the season with four hundred and thirty nine fish brought to the nest. Steve says: “As a community we have now counted/reported 2222 fish over the 5 seasons”. 

Every single one of those fish was observed and recorded and scrutinised to make sure it wasn’t an earlier fish returning, and everyone who played a part should congratulate themselves for a remarkable feat of citizen science, with huge thanks to Steve for his very thorough analysis. 
Link to his report:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27717133
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.24.35 (05.13.38); Nest Two 21.15.19 (05.34.04)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/ParQX-rqPec N1 Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) pays a midnight visit 00.44.09

https://youtu.be/TFLcoXLuJOE N2 Coal Tits and a Blue Tit investigate the nest 09.20.27

https://youtu.be/7geTciJSH4s N1 Coal Tit flits around the nest 10.30.31Bonus read – WT scientist is examining the 800 year old Druid Oak to see if its DNA can help save future forests:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2xz8r7egpoBlast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/jsDHToe6rUM N1 Breakfast arrives for vociferous Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/yqjTp04jfSc  N1 Vera does a flypast before arriving ready for Louis with fish 2020
https://youtu.be/-hi-VABn-l4  N1 Little songbirds visit the empty nest 2020
https://youtu.be/gYLmi9ILHEo N2 Cocky Corvid tweaks Sarafina’s tail and steal her fish 2022
https://youtu.be/Q384cYlIOz0 N2 Louis does a flypast then waits patiently until Sarafina arrives 2022
https://youtu.be/Ni3VtPGi4Pw N2 Harassing Hoodies eventually cause Sarafina to flee the nest 2022

Idris is still delivering fish to Brianne at the Dyfi Osprey Platform in Wales.

‘DL’ found a juvenile landing on the Clark PUD nest in Washington State, US.

‘IP’ posts news of the Norwegian Nest:

13L has been spotted trying to fish at the Frau Rauer Norwegian nest: https://youtu.be/_dPJuiJ2JOc?

In Finland, at the Ilomantsin nest, the three juveniles remain at home screaming for fish! https://youtu.be/-ACc1KOu3_0?

Milda is delivering prey to her two fledglings in Latvia! Liznm caught it. https://youtu.be/KrAgqNWzBv0?

Meldrs is roosting off the nest of his mum, Spilve and father Grislis in Latvia. Isn’t he a gorgeous Golden Eagle?

A gorgeous Black Eaglet in the Sellati.

Victoria the Eagle has died.

More about the Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary and its founder:

Your smile for today: African Crowned Eagles incubate Egyptian goose eggs and they hatch! Liznm captures it on video! https://youtu.be/Jh9X9yV7rpg?

On Monday, one of the goslings jumped to the ground safely and was confirmed to be alive and well by the environmental team at the Zimbali Estate. Liznm has it on video: https://youtu.be/3Iv4wfRnxCw?

The August newsletter from Birdlife International:

On the Cornell Campus, Big Red and Arthur have been seen. O2 appears to be off exploring the area. It is that time when the fledglings leave their parent’s territory to set off on their own. We wish the three of them a good fall and winter and will watch for Arthur and Big Red to bring sticks in for next year.

In Orange, a new male has shown up at the scrape.

Then Holly Parsons noticed a similarity with one of our favourite fledglings from this nest – Izzi. Poor Cilla. She put him back in the scrape twice that season. Izzi was such a character – do you remember his cicada popsicles?

Thanks, Karen Leng.

Richmond and Rosie are still home with 112 day old fledgling Beacon keeping them company at the Golden Gate Audubon osprey ‘light’ nest in San Francisco Bay. https://youtu.be/fcqdZFri2DU?

Our Melbourne commentator ‘A’ writes: “This is such devastating news, and at this stage, there seems little possibility of his return. A hunting accident is being considered the most likely but perhaps we’ll never know for certain. It is a tragedy, but Diamond is not wasting any time in moving on. There is a male juvenile falcon (such a cutie) who has been bonding with her and who seems very at home in the scrape and on the ledge. He has been eating in a leisurely manner on the tower as well, and Diamond has been engaging in bonding behaviour with him (see 06:08:10 this morning and again at 13:02:03 – on both occasions he was in the scrape, e-chupping, and Diamond came in for bonding). So it seems as though she may be getting to like him. His plumage is still not adult, though, so he is still too young I think to be a mate for Diamond. Time will tell. 

Meanwhile, I have been so sad about the loss of Xavier, who has been a wonderful mate for Diamond. We all adore Xavier. I really didn’t know how to cope with his disappearance initially. I still don’t. He was the sweetest falcon, and we’ll never forget the way he stepped in and stepped up when Diamond was left to raise eyases alone. He is a huge loss to all of us who watched him and loved him. 

There has been talk of a second male hanging around Diamond, so perhaps she has two suitors. Most of the chat seems to think there will not be fertilised eggs this year, but mating has been seen, so Diamond for one is not giving up just yet. To be honest, there is a surreal aspect to even typing this. I tried to do it yesterday but I just couldn’t. I’ve kept on thinking if I don’t acknowledge it, maybe it won’t be true. I know. It’s pathetic. But I keep wondering what it is that is so lethal in that seemingly idyllic environment for falcons. Why do none of the fledglings seem to survive? What kills the males at this scrape? Is there that much competition in this area? “

Want to know more about hummingbirds – and who wouldn’t? Great programme with David Attenborough – so much nicer than the news (which we don’t watch anymore). Forty-five minutes of great images and information: https://youtu.be/Lbmy4TLkVFU?

If you would like to attract hummingbirds to your garden, have a watch! The Nature of Things shows you how to create the perfect environment. https://youtu.be/g02Ss3xgABc?

We are right in the middle of migration season. Many have written to tell me that the Canada Geese have arrived in some southern locations. This is about European geese. If you haven’t seen it, take the time to do so. The images are magnificent and, as always, there are many things to learn. This could be, along with some of the others mentioned above, a good alternative to the news cycle. We found that our minds are no longer spinning since we literally stopped watching or listening to the news! Yes, we buried our heads in the sand, and it is terrific. https://youtu.be/Rxo-IbAF7kQ? Thank you Animal Documentaries.

If you missed the August edition of Condor Chat with the Ventana Wildlife Society, here it is archived on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SrasdEJfexw? This is the 5th anniversary of the Dolan Fire and the rescue of Condor 1031, Iniko.

There is a discussion about Bob Cats killing young condors. The Condor Chat is excellent – you can learn and learn and never know enough about these amazing carrion eaters.

Calico wants everyone to try and aim for zero waste!

Thank you so much for being with us. Please take care. We look forward to having you back with us on Friday.

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘A, Geemeff, PB, and SK Hideaways’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos and post them on YouTube, and the administrators of FB groups such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding. I also want to thank ‘MP’ for the generous sharing of their knowledge of veterinary medicine with me so that I could help Baby Hope.

Sadness at Dunrovin…Friday in Bird World

29 August 2025

Hello Everyone,

It feels like summer again, but the tips of the trees tell me that it is decidedly pre-fall on the Canadian prairies. Migration is definitely underway. The ducks had left the pond at Assiniboine Park, while the Canada Geese are fattening up on the golf courses around the City. We continue to enjoy the fantastic weather and spend most of our time outside. The Girls (for the most part) and Toby are doing well, and I can tell you that a new sense of calm has come over the house. My husband is doing very well.

The only hiccup in the ointment is Baby Hope. Nine days ago, something happened. We do not know precisely what happened, so we cannot place blame. Baby Hope is injured. She had been play wrestling with her Mum, Calico. But then there is Toby. It appears that ‘something’ got caught in her fur and tore a slit through the fur about 7 cm or 3 inches long. Two days ago, it had healed, but today it is oozing again. The underlying issue is that Hope is partially feral. She will allow us to sit next to her and give the occasional strokes. I cannot put antibiotic ointment on the wound, but she allowed me to see it this evening. Tomorrow, I will see if any of the mobile vets have experience with ‘these cats’. Wish us luck. Hope never complains. I might never have known she was hurt if I hadn’t paid particular interest in her face that morning. She is eating and has never stopped. She loves flowers and always enjoys the ones I bring from the farm, which are pet-friendly. Send her some love.

And if Hope’s injury was not enough, then there is missing Xavier. My heart has sunk to great depths. It has been a wretched year. You might hear me saying that a lot.

At Orange, Australia, Peregrine Falcon Scrape, there is hope tinged with a hint of potential sadness. My heart sank when I saw this. I adore Xavier. His name means ‘Saviour’, and that is what he did – he saved Diamond’s clutch when her previous mate did not return after eggs were laid. Xavier took care of Diamond and the chicks, and she then bonded with this wonderful lad. Was that nine or ten years ago? This was posted on Thursday, and I know that you will be as concerned as I am for Xavier. Please send your good wishes to him!

In the wild, peregrine falcons typically live an average of four to five years, although they can live much longer, with some documented cases reaching 15 to 20 years or more. High mortality rates, particularly in their first year due to learning to fly and other factors, shorten the average lifespan, but survival improves for adults. The record for a banded peregrine falcon in North America is 19 years and 6 months. This fall, Diamond is at least 12 years old, and Xavier is at least 11 years old. Diamond arrived in Orange in 2015 and Xavier in 2016, and since peregrine falcons typically begin breeding at 2–3 years old, they would have been at least that age when they started their courtship at the Orange falcon scrape.

And then there was the missing MO from Dunrovin Ranch Osprey Nest, who was seen to have a very raspy voice. Sadly, she has been found dead. The other three have been returning to the nest. So sad. It has been a wretched year. Thank you ‘PB’.

‘A’ sends us the Ranger reports for the WBSE:

August 26: An early feed at 6am – both fed with no pecking, but SE35 had more. Then Lady settled again. Soon after another short feed. It was a sunny, warm morning. The nestlings were left uncovered in the morning for over six hours – parents often close by with duets and matings seen. Dad brought in a trevally (fish) after 12, and both ate more. Dad came in to the fishy remains later and fed them as well. Lady came with a really big fish after 3pm, and fed more. Seven good feeds today, and then last thing, Dad fed them a few extra mouthfuls. They were uncovered in the afternoon until Lady came in at last light. She was standing by them – will she cover them now?

August 27: Lady spent the main part of the night just covering the nestlings, rather than complete brooding. It was a milder night, and after an early morning duet, she fed them from the remaining tail end of the fish. Both ate, SE36 second. Later, SE35 was busy grooming its itchy down, with a very full crop. Dad came back with a bream just after 7am, grabbed by Lady and fed to the young. SE36 did very well. She then went to cover the chicks. After some time, Lady was up and eating some herself. She then fed them both well again – three feeds before 9am. Dad came in and ate some fish – the youngsters were full and not interested. Late in the afternoon, Dad bought in another two fish, and during the day there were a total of seven feeds. The day became cooler and Lady spent longer brooding than she did yesterday. At the end of the day, she was over the chicks, settled for the night.

August 28: Last night was colder and Lady slept over the chicks, only partly covering them as they get bigger. She left in the morning just after 6am. Dad brought leaves in early and later a big stick, dropped on the chicks and then moved by Lady. Both were bringing in more leaves – and the wind was becoming stronger. The chicks were huddled together in the nest bowl, uncovered all morning, though both eagles came in a few times – even the parents tossed by the wind. Of course the nest camera moving makes the wind seem stronger. Finally, Lady came to shelter the chicks at 1:14pm – covering them for some 90 minutes. Then she was up again, with the chicks cheeping for food. At 4pm, both parents were in but still no food. At 4:30pm, Lady settled on the youngsters again. Late in the afternoon, the wind eased a little – both parents were there, but still no prey. At dusk, Lady was settled over the hungry chicks, with a cooler night expected again.

‘A’ adds: “I did miss that crop on SE36. It’s a brave little eaglet. Such a cutie. When these two hatched, they were so similar in size it was very hard to tell them apart. Have a look at tiny little SE36 now. It’s half the size of its sibling. I can only hope it’s primarily a gender-based size discrepancy – otherwise, SE36 would have to be the smallest female I’ve seen on this nest. I wonder how many two-egg clutches have a female first hatch and a male second hatch and how many the other way around. Is it just my imagination or is a first male hatch with a second female hatch quite unusual? Perhaps we are very much aware of the large female first hatch dominating a smaller second male hatch because it leads to a lot of the bonking and siblicide problems we see on the nests, so it just seems that there are more of them. I would be very interested to know. 

It is SO windy at WBSE – that nest is tossing around and there are lots of fresh leaves on the nest, shaken loose by the winds and brought by the parents. Today, there has been no food whatsoever brought to the nest, so the chicks have not eaten. It is 6.45pm and there won’t be anything brought in tonight. This is not good. I’m not sure why Dad has failed to provide – he is usually able to bring in something regardless of the weather, even managing to fish successfully in the rain. But perhaps the wind made today’s hunting impossible for him. So we can only hope tomorrow is more productive. It is very cold at nights and the chicks will be using a lot of calories keeping themselves warm now they no longer fit properly underneath Lady (she does have an excellent method of covering them though, her wings spread wide, so she is doing her best to keep them cosy). 

I hate to imagine losing Lady or Dad. They are there on the Parramatta River all year round, and we love them dearly. But they are elderly – in their 20s, yes? And they are wild birds, living a difficult life. Two fledglings per year, none seemingly able to thrive in the wild, as far as we are aware. I wonder what happens to them once they do disappear from the area. I wish they would track the fledglings from this nest so we had some idea of their ultimate fate. It is so frustrating not to know. 

But back to SE36. The daily ranger reports are the best way to tell what is going on – I find it fairly hard to watch at the moment, although both parents are making an effort to make sure SE36 is getting fed. I don’t need the stress, and I hate watching a younger smaller chick being intimidated and scared away from food. It is just more stress than I need right now. But this is the only nest at the moment, so I have little choice, though I am keeping something of a distance from the nest to keep from obsessing. That’s not good for my blood pressure or my mental health. And days like today, with both chicks hungry and no food for either, are too hard to watch. 

At Taiaroa Head, the day draws nearer, and SSTrig chick continues to explore the headland and potential take-off points for her maiden voyage. Only a few weeks to go now – she’ll be gone in under a month. It’s so hard to think that after watching them for eight months, we are now going to have to wait several years before perhaps seeing them return to court and then to breed as adult birds. It never ceases to amaze me that they travel thousands of miles and return to within 50 metres of the nest where they hatched. It boggles the mind. And when they leave on that incredible voyage, they have never flown before, never fished before, never navigated before. It’s incredible. And yet these are the longest-living wild birds in the world, with Wisdom still breeding into her seventies. No wonder the albatross is the stuff seafaring legends are made of. No sailor would ever harm an albatross. “

SK Hideaways captures some of the rivalry between the SeaEaglets and news from other nests:

SE36 Bonks SE35🥊Chicks “Brood” Each Other🪆Lady & Dad’s Duets+Matings💞2025 Aug 26

Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles Lady & Dad

Lady and Dad started the day with a duet, followed by a peaceful feeding. SE36 worked on asserting itself with a couple pecks to SE35. The peck was returned each time, but the aggression was mild and brief. The finale brought some family time plus two more duets and two matings by Lady and Dad.

Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park

🪽Mum & Dad Welcome Egg #2 🥚🥚 Dad Cheerleads Effort🎉 (2025 Aug 26)

367 Collins St. Falcons

Juvenile Overnights in Roost Tree 🌲 Visits Nest & Does Brief Clean-Up🥢2025 Aug 28

Big Bear Valley, CA, home of Jack & Shadow

What a beautiful and heartwarming surprise! A beautiful juvenile bald eagle spent the night in Jackie and Shadow’s regular roost tree while they were elsewhere. The nest visit took our break away. We cannot know if the visitor is Sunny or Gizmo, but it was a welcome visit nonetheless.

Courtesy FOBBVCAM, Friends of Big Bear Valley

🪽 Egg #3 Arrives🥚Dad Brings Breakfast🥓 Congrats, Mum & Dad🎉 2025 Aug 29

367 Collins St. Falcons, Melbourne 

Mum and Dad welcomed their third egg. Dad took on incubation duties and brought breakfast as well. Busy guy. 

Courtesy 367 Collins St. Falcon Cam 

South Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibsohQ14cY

North Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNKk0ivuWe4

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 28th August 2025
The usual – no activity on the nests today, but there’s plenty of interesting material to peruse from Woodland Trust, including history of the nests, sightings away from the nest, how to ID males and females, and fascinating facts from behind the scenes. There are clickable links on the Osprey cam page, and here are some of the direct links:

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

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2023/04/osprey-identification

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

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/osprey/
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 

21.18.33 (

05.23.48); Nest Two  21.15.01 (05.33.41)
Today’s videos: none
Bonus watch – link to LizB’s YouTube channel for videos of Loch Arkaig, Nest Two in 2021, the Bunarkaig nest and more:

https://www.youtube.com/@lizbracken3674
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/fVMtG5F3ThI  N1 Jumping jellyfish! Rannoch’s sneezing panda moment 2019
https://youtu.be/1RMV5UfWHHE  N1 Give and take: Louis brings a fish and takes a stick 2019
https://youtu.be/pGXgK0GMNl8  N1 A bat visits the nest 2019 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/aGEs5Tpn7Ng  N1 Rainbow and flatfish for Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/guCEb2Gy-VY  N1 Fast food! Is this the last supper for Vera? 2020
https://youtu.be/2grUWl7Mdeo  N2 Holy mackerel! Another fish for Sarafina 2022
https://youtu.be/y1sRBxzlF8E  N2 Confirmed: last sighting of Willow 2022https://youtu.be/62dNfGk0AEc  N2 Dyson the Hoodie pays a visit 2023
https://youtu.be/pitvvk8HnhQ  N2 Dyson returns but no more fish til next year! 2023
https://youtu.be/Y4UJXG3BY40  N1 A pair of little birds visit 2023https://youtu.be/9raQZmSsDdE N1 By day and by night: Penelope the magic weaver 2024

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 27th August 2025

Today had the usual lack of action barring a few songbirds visiting, however we have plenty of interesting information from Steve and George to digest. Steve published stats with special reference to age of chicks at migration and the season duration of the adults, and George informed us of a new Nature Scot initiative called Nature30, with Loch Arkaig PIne Forest among the first four organisations, links here:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27669614  Steve’s migration age stats

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27669204  Steve’s season duration of adult stats

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27661789  George’s Nature30 links

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.35.46 (05.07.50); Nest Two 21.50.48 (05.30.51)

Today’s videos: none

Bonus read – minister Jim Fairlie visited Loch Arkaig Pine Forest to explore issues around sustainable deer management:

https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/25418231.minister-gains-insight-sustainable-deer-management

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/OB6LtEsTwig N1 Is this it, dad? Rannoch gets a very small fish 2019

https://youtu.be/mOuak3yiihg N1 A fish arrives and departs under its own steam 2020

https://youtu.be/TT9PseXWqGM N1 Dangerous intruder: a Pine Marten visits! 2020

https://youtu.be/R-KhzHiFgLw N2 Willow’s wonderful wings 2022 (slo-mo with zoom)

https://youtu.be/KD-1nkX6pkc N2 Hoodie cleaning crew move in 2022

https://youtu.be/beaeal1Hayo N1 Colourful little Redstart visits 2022

https://youtu.be/KHoE1Rzw2T0 N2 Lightning fast handover from Louis to Sarafina 2022

https://youtu.be/hTR19iu3QpQ N2 Willow protects her fish and tries to prevent Sarafina landing 2022#

Hawk Mountain’s most recent migration news:

UK Juveniles have started making their way south to the West coast of Africa (or the Iberian Peninsula). The trio at the Foulshaw Moss Nest of White YW and Blue 35 left on the 13th and 14th of August. White YW remains in the area delivering fish to a fledgling from another nest!

Harry is still delivering fish to Forest at Alyth SS.

On Tuesday the 26th, there were four at Rutland including Mum, Maya!

Blue 3R7 is still at the Rutland Manton Bay nest along with Blue 33 on Thursday, the 28th. She is 110 days old today and is set to break a record for the longest fledgling to remain on the nest. Maya was there on Wednesday, but it appears she might have migrated. It is raining, and Blue 33 is delivering trout.

Brianne is still getting deliveries from Idris at the Dyfi Osprey Platform in Wales.

5R3 remains at Poole Harbour with fish deliveries coming in from Dad, Blue 022.

9K5 remains at the Usk Valley nest in Wales. Dad is busy! Mum has left for migration.

Loch of the Lowes sends their season summary. Will Blue NC0 return early and claim her nest? I am betting on it!

Glaslyn was a failed nest this year with Elen arriving and mating and bonding with Teifi while Aran arrived very late and eggs were destroyed. In the end, Teifi took over the nest. We hope that they both return safely and that Aran does as well and finds another mate and raises a family. Aran is an amazing Dad!

Looks deserted at Dylan and Seren’s nest at the Llyn Clywedog Reservoir in Wales.

Iris was still in Missoula on Wednesday the 27th of August. That nest that she has been working on with the new male will be ready for them in the spring of 2026.

C19 and C20 are still getting fish deliveries from Charlie at Charlo Montana.

In Nova Scotia, the Dads continue to deliver the fish. Nova and Russell, the fledglings of Oscar and Ethel at the Russell Lake Osprey Platform in Dartmouth are no exception!

The Eagles are returning to their nests for bonding before eggs being laid later in the year.

The Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest is now live. https://www.youtube.com/live/guYNIOtN5EE?si=DuGCqKYQbu3geqyN

There is some question about the identity of the Bald Eagle that has been at the NE Florida nest of Beau and Gabby. Rain and hail on Thursday at the nest.

If you are a fan of TE3, she remains in the area of the nest at Trempeauleau, Wisconsin according to neighbours.

People continue to fight for the Menhaden! I wonder when the politicians of Virginia will wake up to the fact that having a thriving ecosystem – not a dead one – can only enhance tourism business and the joy and wealth of their State?

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us on Monday!

I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘A, Geemeff, PB, and SK Hideaways’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos ande post them on YouTube, and the administrators of FB groups such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends and to the rehabilitation centres like Ojai Raptor that care enough to try hard to send their patients back into the wild. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.

Tuesday in Bird World

27 May 2025

Good Morning,

Update: Third chick just hatched at Loch Arkaig for Louis and Dorcha. Oh, I was hoping that this one would stay in the egg as the others are so big. But, no. They have three!

Hatch at Boulder County Fairgrounds.

Hello, everyone. It is nice to be back with you after being away for a week. The hours and days flew by and it was a week that was anything but uneventful! Let’s see if I can remember a few of the highlights:

-Toby’s ear infection got worse. Then he started clawing at his left ear, and went back to the vet. This time, they realised that putting drops into Toby’s ear wasn’t working for Toby, me, or the infection. They gave him a treatment that was to last a fortnight. Hopefully that will do the trick! A snood has been ordered. A scrunchie ties these floppy ears back with a covering for the ears themselves. I will send photos when it arrives. To make my life easier, Toby is sleeping through the night. He has learned to go potty outside. This is a big deal and I am shocked at how smart he is. Does every puppy parent say that? The issue is you cannot do something once and think you won’t have to repeat it so it takes thinking at every turn not to be caught into creating a bad behaviour. Toby loves to play fetch, and he drops his little lamb at my feet so I will toss it again. That poor lamb. Toby shakes it and shakes it. I am told it goes back to when Spaniels were ‘helping with the hunt’ and would subdue the prey. Today, it is often a way of getting rid of some energy, thank goodness. Toby has lots of energy and continues to be either in ‘off’ or ‘on’ mode. There is no middle ground. Toby loves Hugo Yugo, and they often play chase! Initially, I wondered if I had made a mistake getting a puppy. It was ‘my’ first dog. My father always had dogs, but they were under his care, and I loved the cats at our house. So Toby has been a new experience. It is getting easier and I adore him.

-I lost my credit card. Anyone who has lost a card will understand the frustration this causes.

-Garden planting. We have all the containers on the deck planted with pollinator-friendly plants, herbs, or a combination of three types of beans and peas. The Kentucky Wonder beans have already sprouted! There are cherry tomatoes and peppers in patio pots, and we picked up some bright red Salvia today for the hummingbirds when they arrive. The new hose is heavy. The new brass nozzle is divine. We also planted four hydrangeas, and to our delight, the three peonies we planted last year are coming up nicely.

-Little trips. We helped with my bestie’s Golden Retriever while she was away – a walk and a small feeding at noon. Then we headed out on various trips, including Baby Days at the wildlife rehabilitation centre, the opening of Oak Hammock Marsh, and a couple of trips to Pineridge, where the antique shop held a yard sale. We found two lovely French terracotta jardinieres, as well as another on a stand. The plan is to create a focal point on the deck. We have been able to visit with some friends during all of this, which was delightful. Today, at Pineridge, we ran into our granddaughter, who was there with a friend checking out its potential as a wedding venue for June 2027.

-Nice things that happened. I have desperately been trying to make my life easier. Three areas that require attention when one has a puppy is grocery shopping, hair cuts, and doctor’s appointments. We were able to solve the hair cuts by getting an appointment with one of our City’s most respected mobile salons. Will keep you posted. We ordinarily do not go to malls or large grocery stores and Toby is welcome in the Farmer’s Kitchen at Pineridge and St Leon’s Market, thankfully. That is perfect for us. Now just to figure out what to do about the doctor’s appointments or treatments. If I know that they are on prone to be on time, it is not a problem. We are trying not to be away longer than 1.5 hours due to the issues related to ‘withdrawal/separation anxiety’ within this breed.

So the week was a balance of the good and the bad. Thankfully, there was ‘no ugly’.

What I realised during this time away from writing the blog is that our summers are very short. This past winter was not conducive to being outside often due to the ice on the trails. One of the things I want to do is spend much more time in the garden with Don and Toby, as well as friends and family. Simple meals and laughter, hopefully with few wasps! (The feral feeder is being relocated to help with that.)

I have consistently emphasised the importance of spending time outdoors in nature and finding a balance in our busy lives as crucial for prioritising self-care. I often remind myself to secure my oxygen mask before assisting others. As Don’s dementia evolves—albeit subtly—he continues to help with many things around the house, which allows him to feel valued. Yet, sometimes I find it challenging to discreetly untangle his assistance without him noticing. Communication is growing more difficult, but there are moments of striking clarity that leave me almost speechless.

This summer, my intention is to dedicate more quality time to him, fostering patience, fun, and cherished memories that will sustain us during tougher times. With all this in mind, I’ve made the difficult decision to shift my blog schedule. Difficult? I have made so many long-time friends through the blog that not reaching out to you every day has caused me some anxiety. I need to slow down, and I know you understand. Rather than daily posts, I will share updates twice a week—on Mondays and Fridays.

I intend to summarise all the weekend happenings on Mondays, while Fridays reflect the week’s events. I aim to revamp the format to better engage with you by addressing your questions from the mailbox, spotlighting key happenings at the nests, and featuring one educational topic of current interest related to nest activities. I appreciate your understanding as I navigate these changes.

I also want to thank all those wonderful people who continually support me by sending me news from the nests. You have no idea how helpful that is.

Australian Bird news: Alison gives us a run down on what has been going on ‘down under’:

“In bird world, Diamond and Xavier are well. Diamond regularly has a giant crop – she was crop dropping this morning, twice actually, so she has plenty of room for a largish lunch. Xavier is such a darling. He is very fond of Diamond, though he is twinkle-toed when it comes to bonding sessions, when he darts out of the box as if afraid he’ll get squashed. 

At Port Lincoln, mum and dad were both on the barge this morning, Mum on the nest and Dad in the mancave. Both are looking well and seem to like their renovated nest. 

At Collins Street, there is no activity, and won’t be until eggs are due to hatch (assuming we get eggs this season). 

At Olympic Park, Mum and Dad have been working on the nest, bringing sticks and nesting material around lunchtime yesterday. They went fishing in the afternoon, then settled near the nest overnight. 

At Taiaroa Head, SS Trig chick is on her nest this morning, looking absolutely gorgeous as usual. It is so lovely to see that snowy-white plumage unblemished by any incidents of spilling. This is plumage that indicates a childhood totally free of bullying! She is exquisite, she really is. Mum came in yesterday at breakfast time to feed her chick and the little one was given a supplementary feeding two days ago (24 May). We’ll see what her weight is like tomorrow (Tuesday 27 May), which is weekly weighing day. SS Trig chick has fairly consistently been on the skinny side, with her parents seemingly unable to find enough food for her. Thank heavens we have the rangers – the squid smoothie fairies. These gorgeous birds really are given the very best of care. It’s astonishing how far these rangers go to ensure their safety and to assist them to breed successfully. A wonderful example to the world. 

Winter is quickly approaching in Melbourne, with icy mornings but sunny days.”

Stork Intervention is not new to the European Union.

‘PB’ reports: “Watching white stork cam in Hungary and they rescued baby #5. They said its taken to a rehab where they later release it. So happy they saved it before parents threw it over.”

So, just why do people help the storks?

People in Europe help storks due to a combination of cultural beliefs, environmental concerns, and the birds’ role as a symbol of positive aspects like good luck, new beginnings, and family life. Storks have been associated with good fortune, and their presence on rooftops was believed to bring harmony and even protect against fires.


Here’s a more detailed look at the reasons:
Cultural and Symbolic Reasons:
Good Luck and Fertility:
Storks are widely believed to bring good luck, and in many regions, they are associated with fertility and the arrival of babies.
Family Harmony:
In Central and Eastern Europe, storks are believed to bring harmony to families on whose property they nest.
Symbol of New Life:
The storks’ tendency to nest on rooftops is seen as a symbol of the arrival of new life, contributing to the belief that they bring babies.
Protection Against Fire:
In some regions, storks’ nests on houses were believed to offer protection against fires, further enhancing their revered status.
Conservation and Environmental Efforts:
Habitat Protection:
Storks are highly dependent on wetlands and other natural habitats. People in Europe are actively involved in protecting and restoring these habitats to ensure the continued survival of stork populations.
Awareness and Education:
Programs like the “Stork Route” in Brandenburg and initiatives like the European Stork Villages network help raise awareness about storks and their conservation needs.
Public Relations:
Festivals and events celebrating storks, photography contests, and other public relations initiatives help foster a positive relationship between humans and storks.
Stork Villages:
The European Stork Villages Network encourages communities to embrace storks as part of their natural and cultural heritage, fostering a sense of responsibility for their well-being.

As an advocate for intervention, I find the actions of individuals helping storks to be noble and I wish these attitudes would translate themselves to the eagles and ospreys that need help throughout the world.

One significant relationship that became internationally famous was that of a Polish man and a female white stork who could not fly and her mate. If you do not know this story then please watch this video that captures the extraordinary measures that were taken to care for this female and to ensure that each year she could spend the summer with her mate raising storklets.

Her name was Malena. https://youtu.be/sXMfbY8CawY?

Another video by Unity: https://youtu.be/b3Sb3-u4vAk?

Bonus: You might also recall when Urmas rescued the surviving storklets of Jan and Janikka after Jan disappeared on June 1, 2022. It is believed that he was probably electrocuted. The storklets were taken to the veterinary clinic on June 5, and there, along with Dr Madis, they were first raised by humans and mechanical storks before being placed into nests. Bonus was adopted by my favourite Black Stork of all time, Karl II and his mate, Kaia on 30 June. Bonus was fitted with a transmitter. We know from a sighting that the transmitter was down when he was alive and well on August 3, 2024, at Turov, Belarus.

Video of Urmas removing the storklets: https://youtu.be/oCJd5RLfN6M?

Video of storklets being fed by by humans and mechanical storks: https://youtu.be/3-Jf2gTlvbQ?

Video of Urmas placing Bonus on the nest of Karl II and Kaia: https://youtu.be/UrFLFPbDGZk?

Video of Karl II feeding his storklets and Bonus: https://youtu.be/JKU6H1NH85E?

Mlade Buky, Czech Republic: Community comes together to feed the stork nest when parent is dead. Caught on video by Tomas Borbely: https://youtu.be/nm5wTNjWfC4?

There are many more examples of human kindness towards storks. I encourage you to find them; they will warm your heart.

I want to publicly thank the individuals at Maryland Western Shore Old Town Home Osprey nest and streaming cam for rescuing baby three on Monday, the 26th of May. Owl Moon Raptor Centre will be trying to save this little one. It is one of the youngest, if not the youngest, osplets I have seen go into care. I know they will try their best to help this baby. It had been pecked and had a bloody head, had been denied food, and on Monday morning, Dad stepped on its head and stood there for some time. The little one was rescued and taken into care. It is unknown whether it is too small or ill to survive at the time of this writing, but I am grateful for the kindness shown. It is time for all interventions to occur. Fish are in short supply, and fish fairies are needed! As are rescues.

What has been happening in the UK Osprey nests (and the few North American ones) while I was away the last week?

Rutland Manton Bay: Blue 33 and Maya have four osplets this season. It is not the first time. Sadly, the last time there were four, tiny little Bob perished. Blue 33 is hauling in lots and lots of fish and all four are doing well. The tiny little Bob is quite the character and gets itself up there for the feedings!

Birds of Poole Harbour: Blue 022 and CJ7 have three beautiful and healthy chicks! Chick 4 is emerging from the egg.

Loch Doon: Frankie and Angel have sadly lost their little third hatch. It is quite cool at the nest and the older two got under Angel after a feeding, but little three didn’t. It perished very quickly being unable to thermoregulate.

Llyn Clywedog: Miserable damp cold weather here, too. Seren Blue 5F is keeping her two Bobs fed and warm. Unclear about the third egg.

Glaslyn: First up. The good news is that Aran has been seen after being MIA for a number of days. People were getting concerned. Thankfully the BOGS have been keeping a good eye and saw him!

Elen and Teifi are sheltering in the trees.

Dyfi: The weather is miserable and Idris was trying to feed them a very tough flounder this morning. Idris and Telyn have had their three eggs hatch! Dates were:

🐣 17th May at 16:22 (38.1 days)

🐣🐣  18th May at 13:15 (36.0 days)

🐣🐣🐣 21st May at 15:29 (36.0 days)

Foulshaw Moss: All three eggs of White YW and Blue 35 have successfully hatched.

Kielder Forest:

Nest 7: KX7 and KM18 have three successful hatches.

Tweed Valley: This is the latest news, and it’s a week old. I hope the weather has improved and more fish have come for the two females – eggs should have hatched or be hatching soon!

Loch Arkaig 1 and Loch Arkaig 2: See Geemeff’s daily summary below.

Hellgate Canyon: Iris and the ‘New Guy’ are still together! She often gives him a right ear full. It is too funny. No more eggs this year, just take the time to enjoy every moment with this amazing osprey! The new guy shares some of his fish. What a couple.

Charlo Montana: Pip Watch is coming soon! Coyotes were observed on the streaming cam going across the valley.

Golden Gate Audubon: Richmond and Rosie have one chick this year, which hatched on either the 10th or 11th of May. (I have no knowledge of another hatch, but please correct me!)

Snow Lane, Newfoundland: Beaumont and the New Female have been sighted around the nest. No eggs yet. Maybe not this year.

Russell Lake, Nova Scotia: The unseasonal weather has stopped. Oscar and Ethel are incubating eggs, but only for another 7 or 8 days.

Trempeauleau Eagles: The success of this single-parent nest (male has another nest) is outstanding. Just look at T3 all kitted out with its juvenile feathers.

FOBBV: Sunny and Gizmo are getting great height as they prepare for fledging.

Sauces Canyon: Betty Lou has also been getting some amazing air. What a miracle child for Jak and Audacity. So thankful that they were able to be parents this year after so many tragic attempts.

Fraser Point: Kaimana and Blue Day are 65 and 63 days old. Adorable eaglets! Andor and Cruz are great parents.

Denton Homes: The trio are really getting into jumping on that nest. They have survived storms and what a relief it is to see that nest held during some dramatic weather. It will not be long.

Kansas City Eagles: Kanza is 9 weeks old and getting some air. Ellie, Harvey and Kanza have suffered through some rough weather like The Majestics.

Latvian Golden Eagle Nest: Spilve, Grislis, and Meldrs. Food has not been plentiful. Grislis finally brought a squirrel! https://youtu.be/7uXlT8ve3bk?

Fort St Vrain Eagle Cam: We worried they would get caught in the sticks and could not escape. We feared they would fall over the edge. Could you look at the two surviving eaglets on this nest?

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 26th May 2025

A slow day on Nest One, Aurora 536 spent time perching and waiting, then Garry LV0 arrived but without any fish. He had other ideas and mounted her successfully but it’s probably too little too late for eggs this year. His tally remains at sixty six. Over on Nest Two, Louis brought a big breakfast in the form of a massive trout from which the bobs had plenty of feeds. He’d eaten the head but still seemed hungry and returned for a mid morning raid, discovering the fish tucked under Dorcha’s feathers and foiling her attempts to stop him taking it by pulling her across the nest until she let go. He did return the fish a little later, however the fish’s travels weren’t over as he took it away again with Dorcha in hot pursuit until he returned it for the bobs’ next feed. Later Dorcha’s attention was on a distant aerial chase as two Ospreys pursued each other, too far away to confirm ID but one was probably Louis. The day’s action ended with Louis bringing a small fish supper so fresh it was still flapping, and he remained on the nest watching Dorcha feed the eager chicks. At the time of posting this report (midnight) some watchers think the third egg has pipped but the view hasn’t been clear enough to confirm it. Perhaps those who watch through the night and submit their excellent reports will have exciting news for us tomorrow morning. It was a wet and windy day today just as forecasted, and the rain’s expected to continue overnight with a low of 6°C but with the possibility of sunny intervals tomorrow and a high of 13°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One (03.50.35E); Nest Two 22.35.27 (04.04.54)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/Tz7Y_155TwI N2 Dorcha tucks into breakfast, Louis covers the chicks 07.30.55

https://youtu.be/Rb60Etc3cw0 N1 Aurora calls for fish but Garry has other ideas! 10.25.19https://youtu.be/nC9LVBEwMcg N2 Dorcha tries and fails to stop Louis taking a fish 11.40.42

https://youtu.be/43o1eD2kI3I  N2 Louis steals the fish but Dorcha makes him return it 13.57.46

https://youtu.be/2FqE3EXsIwY N2 Dorcha watches as two Ospreys chase each other 14.41.05 (zoom / slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/QrzNvjRaZWU N2 Louis delivers a fresh flapping fish supper 19.44.59

Bonus – fancy solving a puzzle? Loch Arkaig jigsaw puzzle featuring Louis & Dorcha is on sale:

https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/woodland-trust-loch-arkaig-osprey-jigsaw

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/j2zFGdLHFfI  N1 What spooks Aila? 2019

https://youtu.be/OtayWPtR_fo N1 Aila repels an intruder Osprey 2020 (real-time)

https://youtu.be/Ocm48b6Os7s N1 Same intrusion in slo-mo 2020

https://youtu.be/dedcBVUI0dQ N1 Tug of fish: Let go, Louis! 2020

https://youtu.be/AYQ–hL3MLU N1 A Jay visits 2023

https://youtu.be/EJXmdCL0D2g N2 Dorcha has breakfast while Louis does the housework 2023https://youtu.be/qgZZjeA6M5U   N2 Fish number three, headless trout – bobs are home alone 2024https://youtu.be/CMBJis-X6UQ  N2 No one wants fish number four so Louis takes it away 2024

Everyone’s welcome to join the community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and friendly:

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

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 25th May 2025

A soggy night and wet for a good part of the day too, but that didn’t prevent the second chick hatching. Pipping was seen yesterday  around 10pm, and tucked away warm and dry under Dorcha, bob2 allowed brief glimpses from time to time as it made its way out of the shell, emerging fully by 3am. By 5am bob2 had had a first feed from Louis’ first fish delivery, and things are looking good for these two. The third egg is a few days away from hatching and will need to be strong and determined to compete with this pair. Louis delivered a second fish and his tally rises to one hundred and eight. Unusually when returning the second fish to Dorcha, he sat on top of the chicks and wouldn’t let her feed them, prompting a discussion about his usual lack of enthusiasm for chick-sitting as opposed to his extreme enthusiasm for egg-sitting. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 put in an appearance after not being seen yesterday, and rewarded Aurora’s patience with a fish. His tally rises to sixty six but Aurora would probably prefer it rises a bit faster as she sat patiently perching for many hours waiting in vain for him to return with more fish. Dorcha’s mumbrella skills will be needed as more rain is forecast throughout the night with a low of 6°C, and thundery showers and a moderate breeze with a high of 11°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.08.17 (

03.51.04); Nest Two 22.39.52 (04.10.50)
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/NyeaPABkHboN2 Welcome little bob2 – second chick is here! 02.58.07

https://youtu.be/Oij43i5RvqQN2 Fish number one – bob2’s first feed 04.56.58

https://youtu.be/Nsf3B2QYrC8 N1 After yesterday’s no-show, Aurora’s glad to see Garry with fish 

09.35.23

https://youtu.be/Lr0bAPHnRHY N2 Dad brings a second fish and mum feeds the bobs 13.00.47

https://youtu.be/f2aHh2WdLOA N2 Dorcha would like to feed the chicks but unusually Louis is sitting on them ! 15.19.36

Bonus advice – George WTS’ 2024 post on how to survive the highs & lows of nest cam watching:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=14839719

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/8FYcojpPJQc  N1 Louis brings a v-shaped stick 2020

https://youtu.be/5f4o-219oIs  N1 What time do you call this? 2020

https://youtu.be/DKhP0pbVLbQ  N1 Louis is given his marching orders 2020

https://youtu.be/if-vCqrqRLI  N2 Unusually persistent Hoodie annoys Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/Isc_NPFqB4M  N1 Louis visits again 2023

https://youtu.be/rLwmdraNUD4  N2 Dorcha’s branching out 2023

https://youtu.be/4pTHER9sy-w  N2 Bob1 has a go at self-feeding!!!!! 2024

https://youtu.be/GRCzf9FTFRo  N2 Olympic hero! Louis pole-vaults in  2024    

https://youtu.be/vZcMnDPsX-s  N2 Fish number three, first flatfish of the season 

https://youtu.be/EpDxudcMp6Q  N2 Tough as old boots – Dorcha and the fish skin 2024 

https://youtu.be/P_1jqw2RRf8  N2 Purple haze: Louis & Dorcha caught in the glow of sunset 2024

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

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

Big Red and Arthur and O1 and O2. The hawlets are getting their feathers! What a beautiful nest! Everything continues to go smoothly with Big Red in her element as Queen Mum.

Latvian Goshawk: The eyasses were ringed. Here is the video! https://youtu.be/sHUHLcDdJwM?

San Jose Falcons: Oh, they are mischievous! SK Hideaways catches them in the act. https://youtu.be/uhz-X5Mg4hU?

Looking for Loons? The cams are back up!

Wildfires continue to burn in our province. Grave concerns for wildlife – not only the mammals but also the migrant raptors and songbirds that come to Manitoba in the late spring to raise their young. Send positive wishes.

A beautiful story of people working together to transform sheep fells for birds. “A groundbreaking tree-planting programme is uniting farmers and rewilders, as portions of common ground in the Yorkshire Dales national park are being restored to their ancient glory.” Why can’t this be happening everywhere?

Bringing back the birds: the ‘ghost woodlands’ transforming England’s barren sheep fells https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/26/ghost-woodlands-rewilding-sheep-fells-yorkshire-uk-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. I will see you again on Friday!

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, posts, messages, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, PB’, Eagle Goddess, The Dodo, Liznm, Unity, Tomas Borbely, Maryland Western Shore Old Town Home, LRWT, Birds of Pool Harbour, Loch Doon, Llyn Clywedog, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Kielder Forest, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Golden Gate Audubon, Snow Lane Osprey Cam/Newfoundland Power, Nova Scotia Ospreys/Connie and Don Dennis, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Cornell Bird Lab Red-tail Hawk Cam, Trempeauleau Eagle Cam, FOBBV, Sauces Canyon/IWS and Explore, Fraser Point/IWS and Explore, Denton Homes, LDF, Xcel Energy, The Weather Centre of Manitoba, LDF/Verotaja, San Jose City Hall, SK Hideaways, The Guardian, Loon Preservation Society, Farmer Derek

Thursday in Bird World

8 May 2025

Hello!

Sssshhhhh. Toby is ‘not’ spoiled.

Toby has grown. He has legs! So far, he does not mind his collar and having his leash attached going about the house. He goes to his potty pads, twirling around like a ballerina, which is a good sign that something is about to happen. My son says I must teach him to sit and to behave on his lead. I do not doubt that this intelligent little man will be fine.

If I forgot to say, Hugo Yugo and Toby slept in the bend of my left arm Tuesday night. Calico was back on the conservatory table this morning and well, The Girls have settled into their ordinary routine and just don’t seem to be bothered by his presence this afternoon.

The weather continues to be ‘weird’. It is going to be 36 C next week. I have a serious problem with this because of the dryness and the fires. What about the birds? I have lived in Manitoba, on and off since I was a late teenager, and having a 36 degree C was something that was rare. Of course, that temperature has been more familiar the last four or five years but not until ‘summer’. Not the beginning of May. We will make certain there is plenty of water for all the outdoor animals.

Today, Mr and Mrs Crow began, in earnest, to eat the cheesy dogs, which tells me that they have either babies in the nest or are thinking about it! The Blue Jays are here in earnest, and Dyson took five peanuts this evening at one go! She has to be at least ten years old, and it is her.

My goodness. When ‘LS’ submitted her ‘Spark Bird’, I am not certain she realised how many people love Harriet and miss her so much. The fact that we will never know what happened to Harriet has left holes in so many hearts. People are pleased that M15 was able to raise their last two eaglets, E21 and E22, alone and that he was happy to find a new mate BUT everyone would like Harriet back! Thank you, ‘LS’ for taking us down memory lane – albeit full of tears.

Eleven people sent in the name Louis. You know who you are! No, not Iris’s Louis, but Louis from Loch Akraig, specifically Louis with his mate Aila, whom they met during the pandemic when the pair raised their triplets, JJ5, JJ6, and JJ7. 400,000 people are said to have watched the couple from the Loch Arkaig I nest that year. When Aila did not return, Louis moved the nest to nest 2, where he raised chicks with his current mate, Dorcha. I must admit that I was devastated when Aila did not return, and it did take me a while to warm up to Dorcha.

Louis and Aila feed the triplets. https://youtu.be/jBE6pWdWlgM?

News of a Norwegian osprey couple! What a gorgeous place for a nest! https://youtu.be/C8B9sYYWo58?

Big Red and Arthur: It appears that the last two eggs are pipping. O2 is taking some time and we have seen this many times this year. Wishing both those little ones a good hatch!

O2 has hatched!!!!!! Arthur has covered the nest with chipmunks and squirrels. O3 is on its way too and should arrive by today. What joy!

I love watching Big Red and Arthur raise their family. Arthur just fills up that nest with every kind of critter he can so that no one ever goes hungry. Big Red stuffs those babies and keeps them warm and cosy alternating brooding with Arthur. I cannot tell you how much I adore this Red-tail Hawk. She is, of all the birds on streaming cams, my ‘Spark’ Bird.

SK Hideaways has all the drama at Ithaca on video! https://youtu.be/yWjP7_1t5Os?

Cornell Bird Lab shows us that O3 is almost here! https://youtu.be/0WWZd7Gi0H0?

Someone commented about all the prey. Thank goodness for Arthur’s good hunting skills. The pantry is always full and in case of a bad weather day this is essential for these babies. Great parents.

Hellgate Canyon: The New Boy has finally brought Iris a fish!!!!!!!!!! Viewers around the world jumped up and down for joy and shed tears. It appears not to be Finnegan – I really hoped it was – but, a new male interested in our Queen and her nest.

Foulshaw Moss: White YW and Blue 35 incubating eggs. It won’t be long.

Agrippina & Antares Peregrine Falcons: https://youtu.be/kMtd_9UtYfE?

Jose City Hall Falcon Scrape: ‘PB’ sends us a screen capture of some very full crops! Monty and Hartley are taking superb care of these four. Brilliant.

Our favourite couple, Jackie and Shadow bonding at Big Bear: https://youtu.be/Ou9u3uMPdZ4?

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 7th May 2025

Today’s main story is all about Aurora 536 – we received word today that she was ringed in Loch Fleet in Sutherland in 2022. This means she’s a three year old, and a good match for five year old Garry LV0 who was ringed in Loch Garry in 2020. They’re both young and healthy, he’s an excellent fisherbird and has a good nest with a well stocked loch nearby, and she appears to have adopted him and his nest. So everything has aligned for them to be successful parents – fingers crossed it works out as hoped. The Tawny Owl who visited Nest One this morning might find surprise occupants next time if the young pair produce eggs this season! Garry brought two fish taking his tally to forty one, and over on Nest Two, Louis’ three deliveries for Dorcha take his tally to seventy three. The weather was settled and the day ended with a colourful sunset best seen from Nest Two, and the forecast promises more settled weather and sunny spells tomorrow.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.46.52 (04.23.21); Nest Two 22.56.24 (04.31.52)

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/iZCtZxSvdtQ N1 A male Tawny Owl visits, calls but gets no reply 04.06.45

https://youtu.be/zoVG6Xtn21o N2 Dorcha has a quick nibble before departing with fish number one 05.54.01

https://youtu.be/9AUcpQbxfI4 N1 Lunch arrives for Aurora 13.21.08

https://youtu.be/ICUoOHx0qBg N2 Louis delivers a second fish for Dorcha 16.44.58 

https://youtu.be/qGapMARckT8 N1 Aurora gets the second fish when Garry brings it back again 18.22.50

https://youtu.be/AFxIoXOi7hU N2 Dorcha’s fish supper arrives against a colourful sunset sky 21.13.23 (quick time)

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/8OaqnwQiaBI  N1 Aila does a bit of Louis-bashing before he takes the hint 2020

https://youtu.be/2qFBiVop8DQ N1 Clumsy Louis clatters the camera! 2020

https://youtu.be/T8wmG4NbfIo  N1 Late night bat visits Aila 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/VA8CwMT9qyA  N1 Eurasian Siskin and Crossbill visit 2021

https://youtu.be/0FlIlYJMsGQ  N2 Cheeky Tawny Owl perches on the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/LcPUWA3mWDo  N2 Tawny Owl strikes Dorcha then returns to perch on the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/kJIFH0RyeSk  N1 Louis pays a visit to his old nest 2023

https://youtu.be/6z_D0r_72h4  N1 A little songbird flits around for a while, then nudges a stick over the side 2024

https://youtu.be/1MzoKTgPm4w  N1 Aida lands on the perch, welcome back, we missed you 2024 

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

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

I am so angry. There are some of us that wish we lived in Virginia and could make an impact on these decisions. The ospreys and their chicks are dying. We saw this in earnest in 2024. Have a read!

Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal!

Thomas Lilly  · nsdoorpetSccag140a5f51a25m8i0a227h3i9ca1ca8a66u1hch057g8ati3  · 

In case you haven’t heard the menhaden board met today at 1 PM to discuss area and seasonal protective options for Chesapeake Bay menhaden …the options the work group proposed concentrated on ospreys and their critical times for raising young for example May 1 through August 15 . Area restrictions were proposed by the WG for Chesapeake Bay and the mouth of Bay during the critical time periods.

Please be aware that Lynn Fegley, the director of DNR fisheries and Allison Colden , CBF’s chief scientist who was the Maryland representative on the work group sat in silence when the time came for them to make a persuasive presentation on the options that they favored, the benefits of the options and the benefits to Maryland. A few questions were directed to them about ospreys and striped bass and they gave very incomplete one might say incompetent answers. For example, they could not explain to the questioner the difference between the freshwater ospreys, successful breeding, and the saltwater ospreys that rely on menhaden to survive’s dismal breeding success. This is completely covered in Dr Bryan Watts’s scientific article titled a Tale of Two Bays , but they ignored these well-known sources or had never bothered to read them.

Lynn Fegley and Allison Colden are two very intelligent women who decided to sit mute during the  most important moment that we have ever had for Chesapeake Bay in so far as protecting its food supply. I am quite sure they had read all of the articles about ospreys and that they completely understand the ERP science it says when ospreys and striped bass are in poor condition it is menhaden over harvesting that is to blame. The ERP science was never mentioned. They both know completely, how our Maryland recreational, commercial and charter fishing for striped bass has collapsed but they did not discuss it. Their silence was deafening .

The question is why these two menhaden board leaders did not speak out to convince this board to adopt options to protect Maryland. When the time came for them to make a motion for the board to pass protective options to protect our bay’s food supply, they sat in silence. Because of the inaction of these two people today , there is nothing that is going to happen to prevent the starvation of thousands of osprey babies this season and nothing to prevent more of our charter fishing captains from going out of business and no hope for progress here to restore the bay’s food supply so millions our children could enjoy the bay the way it should be.

If you can find factual evidence as to why this disaster to Chesapeake Bay occurred I hope you will post it on this website so the public will know why this happened

By the way, the end result was this board abdicated its responsibility and kicked the matter back to “discuss” it again in August. You can be sure that in Virginia’s Pat Geer and his cohorts at Omega protein are celebrating victory, once again, tonight., I expect the advocates for menhaden reform are in shock over what happened today.”

Black Stork Nest in Poland: Two hatches on Wednesday!

Golden Eagle Nest in Latvia of Spilve and Gristlis: One egg has hatched. Still watching and waiting to see if the second egg will hatch.

Black Stork Nest of Kergu and Kerli: They are still incubating. The eggs were laid on: Looduskalender Forum listed when the eggs were laid:

1. egg on 21.4.2025, 00:06
2. egg on 22.4.2025, 23:35
3. egg on 24.4.2025, 22:41
4. egg on 27.4.2025, 02:02

Wild Bucovina Golden Eagle Nest 2: Eaglet was stuffed today!

Bety and Bukachek, Mlade Buky, Romania: Incubating two eggs (I think).

Glaslyn: Teifi and Elen have been at the nest. Individuals are observing Aran who is remaining in a familiar place and fishing for himself.

Ladies showing off their osprey eggs!!!!!!! Heidi’s Nest Notes are Visuals today! Love the labels – those really help. Enjoy!

Port Lincoln Ospreys: New has come in that Phantom is alive and well. Fran Solly writes,

“In what surely is the proverbial “needle in a haystack” search we were thrilled to find Phantom this afternoon and to see her with another bird. Phantom is the 2021 female bird from the Price Artificial Platform. She flew to Kangaroo Island shortly after fledge. In October 2024 her tracker stopped operating but locals reported sightings of her. Today we can confirm those sightings with these photos.”

Ospreys of Nova Scotia: Names have been chosen for Oscar and Ethel’s chicks by popular vote: Nova, Russell, and Sunny. Congratulations. Lovely names!

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their posts, comments, notes, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, PB’, Liz Bracken, Norwegian Ospreys, Cornell Red-tail Hawk Cam, SK Hideaways, Montana Osprey Project/Cornell Bird Lab, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Agrippina & Antares Peregrine Falcons, San Jose City Hall Falcon Scrape, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Menhaden- Little Fish, Big Deal FB, Bociany Czame Online, LDF, Looduskalender Forum, Wild Bucovina, Mlade Buky Stork Cam, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dahlgren, Forsythe, Kent Island, Fortis Exshaw, Maryland Western Shore, Cape Henlopen, Port Lincoln Ospreys,

Friday in Bird World

25 April 2025

Hello Everyone!

We have a nest note from Heidi: Bruce and Naha have their third egg at the Seaside Osprey platform. Congratulations! The egg was laid on Thursday the 24th.

‘A’ wants us to have a smile on our face, first thing! They write: “Aren’t they the cutest little people? And look at how strong their tiny legs are. That’s one of the features of these birds that I hadn’t really appreciated until the streaming cams.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2SHdcmTIo8&list=TLPQMjUwNDIwMjXPhayb3oGdQg&index=2

Oh, if humans were as resilient as raptors! Bella and Scout have been doing renovations on the alternative nest at the NCTC after their main nest and three chicks were blown off and killed.

.  New eaglet at Surrey Bald Eagle nest in beautiful British Columbia, Canada!

Can you help this little eaglet that lost its nest?

How about donating some fish for your local wildlife rehab clinic? Thank you so much to those high school students. I wonder how many other clinics need fish?

Don and Connie Dennis closely watch Ethel and Oscar at the Russell Lake osprey platform in Nova Scotia. They got this great photograph (there is no streaming cam) of Oscar catching his sweetie, a fish!

Usk Valley: First egg on Thursday!

Threave Ospreys: Former fledgling is home!

Wolf Bay: An enormous fish arrives, and both osplets get a nice feed.

Boulder County Fairgrounds: Mum and new male have four eggs on Thursday!

Centreport Eagles: There are three eaglets in the nest with thermal down.

HAPPY 29TH BIRTHDAY IRIS!

Salisbury Cathedral: First hatch came on Thursday!

San Jose City Hall: Four little fluff balls in a pile. Their eyes remain closed. That said, these eyases will develop very quickly. From hatching as fluffy chicks covered in down like the four below, they grow into powerful, feathered hunters. They first fly at about 35-45 days, but remain dependent on their parents for several weeks while they learn to hunt.

Here is a detailed look at the development to help you as you observe these beautiful falcons.

1. Hatching and Early Growth:

  • Peregrine falcons lay 3-5 eggs in a clutch. 
  • The eggs hatch after about 30-36 days of incubation. 
  • Newly hatched chicks are covered in white down and weigh about 1.5 ounces. 
  • They quickly gain weight, doubling in size within the first 6 days and increasing tenfold within 3 weeks. 
  • Chicks initially scoot around on their tarsi (lower leg bones) before they are strong enough to stand and walk. 

2. Feather Development:

  • At around 21-35 days, feathers begin to replace the down, and brown juvenile feathers emerge. 
  • Pin feathers, the precursors to full feathers, appear at wing tips and tail. 

3. Fledging and Dependence:

  • Young falcons are ready for their first flight around 35-40 days, but they remain dependent on their parents for another month or two. 
  • Parents continue to feed and protect the young, teaching them how to hunt. 

4. Juvenile Plumage and Independence:

  • Juvenile plumage is worn for about a year, gradually fading and changing with wear. 
  • After a period of learning and practice, young falcons become independent and begin hunting on their own. 

5. Maturity and Breeding:

6. Lifespan:

  • Peregrine falcons can live for 12-15 years, and some may live even longer. 

Rutland Water: (From their recent newsletter): “Spring means the return of our Rutland Water Ospreys, and it’s already been a busy few weeks for them! The male 33(11) returned on 13th March, followed by Maya on 17th March. She has previously raised 38 chicks, and is one of the most successful breeding female Ospreys on record! After arriving and refuelling, the pair have certainly busy. 33(11) was collecting sticks and grass to build up the nest, and Maya laid her first egg on the evening of 2nd April, followed by a second on 5th April, a third on 8th April, and a fourth on 11th April. The two parents are taking turns incubating the eggs – though they had some drama to contend with when an intruding Osprey briefly landed on the nest (on Maya in fact!). It takes between 35-42 days for an egg to hatch, so the eggs should begin hatching in the first couple of weeks of May. Maya and 33(11) have successfully raised and fledged a clutch of four eggs previously, and we look forward to following their progress this season.”

Trempealeau Bald Eagle Cam: This is a wonderful Mum. She fishes and brings food to her only surviving chick (who is getting its thermal down, thankfully) and then the male comes and takes the fish. So far, they are doing alright, but send them good energy, please.

Denton Homes: Bad weather continues in the region. Hoping all the eagle nests (and others) stay safe!

Little Miami Conservancy: Two little eaglets filled to the brim. How lovely.

Decorah Goose Cam: We are on pip watch this week. Mother Goose carefully covers the eggs with the down so she can feed.

Mlade Buky, Romania Black Storks: Beautiful Bety and Bukachek.

Do you know what an Oystercatcher is?

Norfolk bird surveyors find Britain’s oldest known oystercatchers https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/24/norfolk-birds-rspb-britains-oldest-known-oystercatchers?CMP=share_btn_url

Glaslyn: Aran and Elen have been on the perch together on Thursday. I hope things are settling down and that the single egg in the nest hatches and fledges.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, PB’, NCTC, Ryan Baliski/Raptors of the World, Centre for Wildlife Care, Hoo’s Woods Raptor Centre, Connie and Don Dennis/Ospreys of Nova Scotia, Usk Valley Ospreys, Threave Valley Ospreys, Wolf Bay, Boulder County Fairgrounds, Centreport Eagles, Montana Osprey Cams, Salisbury Cathedral Scrape, San Jose City Hall Falcons, LRWT, The Guardian, Trempealeau Bald Eagle Cam, Denton Homes, Little Miami Conservancy, Decorah Goose Cam, Mlade Buky Black Stork Cam, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Cornell Bird Lab Cams

Thursday in Bird World

17 April 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

This morning marked the arrival of our first Brown Thrasher, energetically scratching in the soil, while several dozen Dark-eyed Juncos flitted about, along with our regular visitors, all eagerly waiting and searching as I savored my coffee before feeding them.

Anne made a generous donation of a large bag of hot dogs for the crows, and their delight was palpable! Additionally, a neighbor brought over a hefty 50-pound bag of kibble for our outdoor cats. It’s heartwarming to see ‘Squishy’—the beloved cat with one ear folded down—making a comeback at the feeder after a long absence.

Everyone has their favorite birds and animals, yet they’re unable to set up feeders of their own, making their contributions all the more meaningful. It’s truly wonderful to witness such kindness and community spirit.

Our rescue facilities are currently overflowing and desperately in need of supplies. One essential item that we often overlook is thin protection gloves. If you have any spare pairs at home, consider donating them to someone in your community—they can make a significant difference!

As we dive into spring cleaning, tidying up our gardens and swapping out winter clothes, let’s not forget the countless items that animal rescues and rehabilitation shelters desperately need. Before you throw anything away, take a moment to consider whether it could be of value to a local shelter.

Donating your unwanted items is not only an excellent way to declutter your home, but it also provides critical support to those caring for animals in need. It’s a powerful act of kindness that benefits both you and the animals—let’s make a positive impact together!

————————————————————————————-

The notice arrived in my inbox shortly after I published my post on Wednesday morning. I promised Geemeff that it would be prominently displayed today!

News! Egg – well done Dorcha!!! First glimpsed at 17.52.55

17.50 Dorcha is on the nest sitting down and making little squeaking noises. She’s getting ready to lay her first egg!

17.52.55 She gives a little wiggle and stands up and the egg can just be glimpsed. Congratulations Dorcha!

And Louis, not forgetting his 5-second contribution..

18.06.12 She stands up and as she does, she gives the egg a little push with her leg and we get a clearer view.

(zoomed)

Iris: Iris: There’s someone who’s been visiting Iris, trying time and again to steal her incredible fish. You know who I am talking about. His persistence drives me up the wall! However, I’ve taken a moment to reflect on the ‘good’ Louis brings to the nest. Take Blue NC0 at Loch of the Lowes, for instance—she lost her partner, Laddie LM12, in 2024. Last year, there was genuine hope for her to bond with the Dark Night this year. Sadly, without a male to defend her territory, Blue NC0 lost both her nest and her land. Louis is the one who now safeguards Iris’s territory (she was there before him!). Finn, the only young male bold enough to challenge Louis, managed to oust Louis and keep him away from Iris. Together, they raised two beautiful chicks last year. If, heaven forbid, Finn doesn’t return, I have faith that Iris will still hold on to her nest because Louis is so protective of ‘his’ territory. Iris absolutely deserves it! So, if there is any silver lining, that is it. Thin like aluminum foil, but a reality nonetheless.

Elen has laid yet another egg at the Glaslyn nest, and this one is likely Teifi’s. Aran, having taken possession of the nest he initially shared with Mrs G, faces a crucial decision. With uncertainty surrounding the paternity of this new egg, it seems almost inevitable that he will choose to remove it. After all, why would Aran invest time in raising a chick that could belong to another male, jeopardising his own genetic legacy? It’s a tough call, but the instinct to protect his own lineage is likely to prevail!

Pitching rain in Wales Wednesday afternoon.

In contrast to Glaslyn, at the Tweed Valley 2 nest, Mrs O and an unringed female seem to be inclined to share the single male at the nest! They only get disgruntled when a fish is delivered. Maybe he should try bringing in two at a time. We might have a Trio at Tweed!!!!!! That would be really interesting.

Sauces: Betty Lou has had the most amazing care an eaglet could ever dream about. Jak and Audacity have kept her full and safe and relished every second getting to be parents again. One of those miracle moments of this year that we must cherish.

Dyfi: Idris and Telyn have three eggs they are incubating. The wind is blowing like it is a gale over at Dyfi! They may get some of that rain, too. The skies over the distant hills certainly seem to imply that damp weather is descending on the Glaslyn valley.

Llyn Clywedog: Seren Blue 5F is getting soaked, too. Did you know that Aran from Glaslyn courted Seren while he was bonded with Mrs G? Seren luckily gave up on losing her eggs and flew north a bit and found Dylan. They have raised some wonderful chicks together. I believe they still hold the record for the largest male osplet ringed in Wales.

Boulder County Fair Grounds: First egg arrives on Wednesday!

Loveland, Colorado: Two eggs as of Wednesday.

PSEG Oyster Bay: One egg as of Wednesday.

Xcel Energy Fort St Vrain Bald Eagles: Out of four, the two surviving eaglets appear to be doing quite well.

Charlo Montana: Lola is not too fond of the new male hanging around the nest. Charlie has yet to return and is very late.

Geemeff sends us the daily summary from Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 16th April 2025

Only one topic of conversation tonight – the arrival of the first egg! With a few squeaks, Dorcha produced the egg at 17.52.55 today and tonight there’s the welcome sight of her on the nest protecting the egg from the weather. Congratulations to Dorcha, and to Louis who did his usual classic double take at his first sight of the egg! Many on the forum are celebrating by making a donation to Woodland Trust: if you’re able to give, any amount is welcome, and the info is in the bonus section. Link to George WTS’ fundraising comment here: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=24512818. In other news, no activity at Nest One today  – we had reports of a third Osprey at Bunarkaig, which might explain Garry LV0’s absence, perhaps we’ll see him tomorrow. Louis delivered two fish today to take his tally to thirtyfive, Dorcha chased a Hoodie away, and the wet weather is due to continue overnight and through to Friday.

Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One (05.20.12); Nest Two 21.22.09 (05.26.09)

Today’s videos: 

https://youtu.be/s_kzQzXLhzM N2 Dorcha uses her crow voice to scare off a Hoodie 10.58.30

https://youtu.be/ps0VU6SZ-F4 N2 Elevenses for Dorcha when fish number one arrives 11.46.13 

https://youtu.be/BKHSD1BymP0 N2 Dorcha quickly returns when Louis brings a second fish 16.41.45 

https://youtu.be/yMqIGkUXvnc  N2 First EGG! Congratulations Dorcha! 17.52.55 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/WJOWeX-Hxd8 N2 Louis’ first look at the egg 19.04.11

Bonus action – if you’re eggcited by the first egg, anticipating a second in three days, and have any spare funds… Woodland Trust will put them to good use protecting Louis & Dorcha’s home. Hit the yellow button on this page or use this link: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/give/donate  

If you prefer to donate offline call WT’s friendly team on 0330 333 3300 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday 

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/I-VmcgzVveY  N1 Aila watches a Red Deer near the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/7_XmXGafimM N1 Lonely Louis skydances in vain 2021

https://youtu.be/CJl9LiQ23eQ N1 Louis is vertically challenged 2021

https://youtu.be/XNiNQjkUSBs N1 Louis does his demented penguin impression 2022

https://youtu.be/3g5njmmeykE  N1 Comedy as Louis forgets he’s got a fish and tries mating! 2022

https://youtu.be/mJrYkJieaSo  N1 A Robin sings in the dark 2023

https://youtu.be/krmpSP7wVU0  N1 Louis does a flypast with fish number two 2023

https://youtu.be/qYLZK_Iym44  N1 A Barn Owl visits 2024

https://youtu.be/g4S95JxjN_k  N1 Interesting triangular encounter – with a new player! 2024

https://youtu.be/GH6XNHVJR1M N2 Dorcha didn’t take long to sort out Louis’ awkward stick! 2024

https://youtu.be/OI9pOORSzXA  N2 Nest One A Hoodie lands, interrupting Garry’s nest prep 2024

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

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

What can we do to help our garden birds?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/16/garden-birds-need-a-hedge-against-decline?CMP=share_btn_url

Sandpoint: Geese continue to incubate eggs while Keo and Keke attempt to build a nest on a light pole.

I have been worried sick about Finnegan. If I could these beautiful birds would have tracking devices – I know it is silly – so we would know where they are and what is happening with them. I needed a smile and after checking on Betty Lou and Sunny and Gizmo, I went to check on Big Red and Arthur. There was snow starting to fall. Arthur had arrived to give a shift change and with some prey for the Queen of the Red-tail Hawks.

They have been together for 8 seasons!

The first egg was laid on April 2. Incubation is typically 28-32 days, making pip watch set for April 30.

Adorable Arthur.

Smile. CROW rescues a pair of osplets.

Lastly. It is time to stand up for the nests. In off time, those running streaming cams should refurbish and restore their osprey platforms which should include building rails, making certain that the base can allow for the drainage of water but has SS mesh to keep from sticks, eggs, and chicks form falling through. Nesting material should be provided. It has been shown that a proper nest can encourage good care of osplets (Snow Lane, Newfoundland, 2024).

Salem Electric, the osprey family wanting to use this platform needs help. Get the bucket truck up there and help them! Get everything ready and let your crews do this quickly!

Kielder Forest: KF13 laid her and W6’s first egg of the season at 13.01 today at Nest 1A.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff’, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Bwywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Tweed Valley 2, IWS/Explore, Dyfi Osprey Project, Llyn Clywedog, Boulder County Fairground, Loveland Colorado Ospreys, PSEG, The Guardian, Xcel Energy Fort St Vrain, Cornell Bird Lab, CROW, Charlo Montana, Sandpoint, Salem Electric, Kielder Forest, Foulshaw Ospreys