Thursday was a gorgeous day. The temperature hovered around 0 C. So it was damp and the wind was a little nippy but it was still a good day for a walk in the park and a party for the girls!
I did not touch the colour. This really was a ‘grey’ day! There is a skim of ice over most of the pond but not all of it.
The gardeners have left everything for the birds that winter there and the birds in the spring when all those insects come to life. Remember that if you see Cedar Waxwings in groups on the sidewalks or lawns looking dead, they have been eating fermented berries and are drunk. They will come around!
I had hoped to get the girls to wear those decorative collars and all sit nice around their cake and food dishes but…well, cats do not cooperate! They are independent with minds of their own. Too funny. Looking forward to many more years with these three. Oh, and ‘the boyfriend’ also got a special plate of food.
Missey licking her lips after some nice chicken.
Missey looked at the little cake with its raspberry icing and thought about tasting it. But Missey is too polite to do that – she only rushes and grabs if it is chicken! or butter.
Hope thought the best thing was the six different types of treats.
The vet might have something to say about ‘little’ (LOL) Hope.
Calico was all excited – she enjoyed the chicken, two plates of special tinned food and then to top it off, she wasn’t shy about checking out the raspberry icing! Happy first birthday, Calico!
Tonya Irwin reminded everyone on the KNF chat of last year’s egg laying: “That’s what happened last season. Superbeaks on 11/2 then KNF E-3 on 11/19, then Metro, then back to Florida at SWFL, then KNF E-1.”
It was a good morning at Port Lincoln. There were two early feedings!
With the chicks full, Mum gets to enjoy some nice fish.
The report for the day:
In other Port Lincoln news,
Parent feedings and self-feeding at the scrape of Diamond and Xavier early morning.
The down is quickly coming off those heads!
Lady and Dad were at the old Ironbark Nest in the Sydney Olympic Park early in the morning.
‘A’ sends the report from Sydney: “November 2: Last evening late (November 1) at 19:27, Dad brought in a good-sized fish. As no juvenile turned up, Lady ate it. This morning, both eagles came to the nest early, moving a few sticks before leaving. All was quiet on the nest during the day. Then, late in the afternoon (17:14), Lady was escorted into the nest area by the currawongs and was seen up high above the camera. Neither juvenile has been seen here today . Later, both parents came in, were seen on the nest and looking down below, before settling in.
November 3: Both parents were seen at the nest early and later down on the river. Otherwise no sightings during the day – all quiet. I went for a walk in the forest again, searching, and could not see either of the juveniles. I did find lots of gull feathers under the nest – remains of prey – though no fish bits. Maybe a fox has cleaned them up? There were also clumps of possum fur here and there and a few furry remains – maybe signs of Powerful Owl prey? The picture is from the forest in the ironbark roost area and shows our original hide. We used to watch the original oldest nest from there. This was BC – Before Camera.”
There are Bald Eagles at Decorah and in Manitoba, where I live, they are gathering along the river – juveniles, sub-adults, and adults. They will almost all begin their migration soon although some are choosing to remain here in the winter.
Clive and Connie were at Captiva. (I wonder if we should check the osprey cam soon?)
At Dulles-Greenway, Martin brings Rosa a rabbit lunch!
Looks like Ron and Rose are thinking eaglets, too! Let us hope their second season together at the WRDC nest is fantastic.
Ahhhhhh….love is on the minds of all the eagles. Louis and Anna, both recovering from some injuries, were working diligently on their nest in the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana.
M15 brings a huge fish and for the first time, his new mate, F23, eats it on the nest!
Jak and Audacity always hopeful – at Sauces in the Channel Islands.
Graceful. Beautiful. The Sandhill Cranes feed on the farmer’s fields here in Manitoba in the spring and the fall. Ferris Akel captures some video of the ones near Ithaca, NY this past weekend that are undertaking migration.
The National Wildlife Foundation provides the following information on the range of the Sandhill Crane: “Sandhill cranes spend most of their lives in freshwater wetlands, including marshes, wet grasslands and river basins. Three subpopulations of sandhill cranes are migratory: the lesser, greater, and Canadian sandhill cranes. All of these subspecies spend winters in the south and summers at their breeding grounds. The cranes winter in Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. In the early spring, they begin the migration to their breeding grounds. Throughout the spring, the cranes can be seen resting and feeding along rivers and wetlands throughout the Great Plains and Pacific Northwest. The largest congregation of sandhill cranes occurs from February to early April along the Platte River in Nebraska. During the late spring, summer, and early fall, sandhill cranes can be seen at their breeding grounds. Some breed in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Others breed in Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. Three subpopulations of sandhill cranes are non-migratory. The Mississippi sandhill crane is found on the southeastern coast of Mississippi. Florida sandhill cranes occur in many inland wetlands of Florida. The Cuban sandhill crane lives exclusively in savannas, wetlands, and grasslands in Cuba. Mississippi and Cuban sandhill cranes are critically endangered.”
New records were set for counting on Big Bird Day! How wonderful.
As the weather gets cooler in the Northern Hemisphere, people worry about mice and head to the shops to get rodenticide. Please don’t.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care of yourself. I hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for the notes, posts, articles, videos, graphics, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A’, Tonya Irwin, Superbeaks, Sassa Bird, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Window to Wildlife, WRDC, Dulles-Greenway Eagle Cam, KNF-E1, National Wildlife Federation, Lady Hawk, Ferris Akel, BirdLife International and BirdGuides.
It is a very special day at our house today. When our vet examined Calico and said she was not a year old and that her best guess was that she was only ten months at the time, she asked me to pick a birthday for Calico. I picked 2 November. So today is Calico’s first birthday. We are having a little party full of lots of treats and an extra chapter of story time. We have now finished H is for Hawk and starting another book. Will tell you all about it tomorrow.
There will be some treats and an attempt at a birthday cake made of tinned food plus lots of love.
Some flashbacks…
Calico on 7 May 2023 when she was an outdoor kitty. She came regularly for food and slept under the lilacs. Often she slept under the deck.
30 June. By now, Calico is bursting and it is apparent that the kittens she is carrying will be born any day. And they were, two days later. She came to the feeding station many times during the day. She would eat for no more than 5 minutes and rush back to where she had hidden her kittens.
26 July. Her kittens are three weeks old. We have been looking for them.
26 August. Calico has joined the family inside. We hope to find her only surviving kitten.
The next day, Calico has relaxed.
Out with the rest of the family on 4 September. This will be a momentous day.
Little Hope shows up at the feeder. She will be humanely trapped and brought inside to join her Mamma and her new family.
Little Hope on 1 November 2022. She was born on 2 July so she is four months old today. Hope is a real treasure. Look at those eyes.
It is also another special day. It was one year ago today that Missey and Lewis joined our family. Oh, how I wish Lewis was still with us. He died way too young. Poor lad. You would not know that the fate of feline viruses would turn against him so quickly.
Lewis and Missey were so cute and tiny and so full of love for one another.And what a great day it was….these two brought me so much comfort and joy.
Missey still misses Lewis. She has lost some weight and we are monitoring her closely. Spending extra time with her and making sure that she gets lots of good roast chicken.
Once upon a time, the term ‘publish or perish’ was a big part of my university academic life. After a residency at Hospitalfield (the first art school in the UK) in Arbroath, Scotland, which focused on the environment, I became ever more critical of ceramics as a practice of making. Four book chapters highly critical of the teaching of the discipline came out of that residency. The last one will be published this summer.
Books take a long time to reach publication – this one some six years. Since then, I have retired and moved on to what truly sparks my life – osprey behaviour and conservation. It is nice to be putting this ‘to bed’ as they say.
The book ‘Finding Hope’ should be finished in the new year. It will address the tragedy of people dumping pets through the eyes of Calico and Hope. The proceeds will go to our local mobile vet unit that spays and neuters strays and feral cats in our City. Will keep you posted. It was a joy to write – just getting the illustrations perfect and the layout.
Now, let’s get to the three nests we are following and then to check on any recent news.
SK Hideaways gives us some chuckles thanks to Marri and Barru.
Oh, these two are so cute. They are both doing really well at the self-feeding and in the images below you can see that both are getting prey. Marri is flapping those wings and the baby down is flying all around the scrape. Marvellous.
Just look at those beautiful wings being revealed.
Barru is tired.
Just look at the difference in size between Galiath and #2.
Dad brought the fish at 06:48. Both had large crops, #2 achieved that goal first, I believe. They are both well and truly in the Reptilian Phase!
Look carefully at the nape of the neck and there is a hint of the copper feathering on Galiath. Their colouring is as dark as the ebony of their beaks with the pin feathers making them look like they are wearing a Donegal Tweed.
And the clown feet are here, too.
Babies are hungry.
Still waiting. No fish fairy either. Odd that there is not a regular time for the delivery of the daily supplement.
The fish fairy arrives. Mum eats and then feeds Galiath and #2. Dad arrives a little later with a fish but Mum has had the supplemental fish so Dad will leave with it returning with the fish tail which he will also remove as Mum and the chicks are full. All have eaten – Dad has to eat as well.
The experiment that is taking place is interesting. Will the number and amount of total weight of fish change as the chicks require more food? It reminds me of the kindness of Urmas and his team with the Black Storks in Estonia. They are endangered there, like the Ospreys are in South Australia. To attempt even a slight change of increasing the population, humans realised quickly that habitat destruction and weather patterns, lack of rain and food, meant that Urmas and his team had to provide food. Similarly, thankfully, Fran, Bazza, and Janet knew they had to help this nest.
She moves! #2 has a huge crop. Galiath is being fed. Mum and the two chicks will be full.
Galiath is full and turns away. #2 is still being fed. Mum does turn to see if Galiath wants some more fish then she takes some large bits for herself.
Oh, Galiath changed her mind! It could be the only fish they will have until tomorrow morning. Best ill up completely, crop drop and eat some more.
The report from Port Lincoln so far:
06:38
A brief, morning bonking starts. Mum’s blocking the view. Looks like chick #2 started it and Giliath retaliates. Chick #2 submits.Couple of minutes later, Giliath nibbles at Mum’s talons.
06:48
Dad in with a whole fish!
Dad (L,Whole)
06:48 1
Mum feeds. Giliath’s in front. Both chicks get full crops! Dad takes the fish. Mum eats scrapes on nest.
09:03
Giliath bonks chick #2 and chick #2 submits. Then Giliath bonks Mum! Mum doesn’t react.9:18 Giliath bonking chick #2 again. Giliath gets distracted when Mum comes back into the nest with nesting material.
10:37
Mum takes out some sea weed and brings it back in. Mum’s making trips bringing in some of nesting material.10:55 Giliath tries to do some nest work too. lolEven more nesting material! Chick #2 tries to help out with the nest work as well! lol
15:07
3 supplemental fish delivered! 2 red mullet!
Sup. Fish (M,Whole)
15:24
Dad in with a partial fish!
Dad (M,Part)
15:24
Dad takes the partial fish off after Mum shows no interest with the supplemental fish.
15:37
Dad back on the nest with his fish tail. Mum’s not interested and he takes it off to eat.
HeidiMc got the feeding on video! They love their Red Mullet.
The camera at the Sea Eagles nest points away towards the river and where we might see the adults flying about or even, in my most desired dreams, a juvenile. One eagle was in the nest over night (or were there two) and both were at the nest for a brief period in the morning.
I am more than worried about SE31 and 32 as there appears to have been no sighting of them in several days.
SK Hideaways caught their rendezvous. They must be searching for their children in the forest and around the river. Let us hope that they find one another.
M15 sure picked a beauty! Let us all cross our fingers and toes that their babies – their first clutch together – are safe from egg to fledge.
Work continues at the NE Florida nest of V3 and Gabby.
Fish gifts for Gabby?
There is snow at the nest of Little Bit ND17 and some concern that the new female is lost to us. Locals are keeping an eye.
It was a beautiful day for having a meal at Dulles-Greenway.
Pepe flies out of the nest taking much of that nice moss for his and Muhlady’s eggs on Wednesday. Oh, that makes me nervous. Seen too many osprey chicks and eaglets pulled off accidentally when nesting material gets caught in the talons of the adults.
There were 522 people watching the Big Bear nest of Jackie and Shadow hoping to get a glimpse of our couple. They were not disappointed.
Did Ron’s Rose at the WRDC nest fly into something that had white paint on it?
Dyson, not the squirrel, but the hooded crow, visited Loch Arkaig. So many visitors during the off-season for the Ospreys. It is lovely to see all the wildlife.
Cross your fingers and toes. Karl II’s chick of 2023 with its transmitter is in Turkish territory.
Falco continues to enjoy his freedom around New York City’s Central Park. Thanks Bruce Yolton for taking him down!
Remember we talked about Ospreys that are still in their spring and summer breeding grounds in the UK and Colorado. Here is one in Newfoundland, Canada today! Unbelievable. There is apparently an endless supply of Brown Trout going through the area at the moment. Maybe this is the smartest of the local ospreys!
Midway Island. This is from a year ago. There will be another count soon.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: Wilfred Laurier Press, SK Hideaways, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, Heid Mc, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Hazel sky, NEFL-AEF, Lady Hawk, ND-LEEF, Dulles-Greenway, Superbeaks, FOBBV, Geemeff, Maria Marika, Bruce Yolton, John Alexander, and the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels FB.
It is 1600 on the Canadian Prairies, Tuesday 31 October, as I begin to write. In about an hour before children will begin screaming ‘Trick or Treat’ or ‘Halloween Apples’. I am ready! Let’s hope that I am not too scary.
If you are trying to read the apron, it is from the Hanoi Cooking Centre and if you are ever in Hanoi and want to take cooking classes, I highly recommend it as an option.
The water was not completely frozen at the park near to where I live Tuesday morning but the hundreds of Canada geese and ducks are gone leaving a pair of Mallards and about a dozen Canada Geese. It was quiet except for the occasional honk.
In the garden, there were lots of Sparrows at the feeders along with many Dark-eyed Juncos and Red Crossbills. The Starlings came to visit as did Mr Crow and, of course, the squirrels.
The nest in the Sydney Olympic Park, home to Lady and Dad, and SE 31 and 32 (this year) is eerily quiet.
No one slept on the nest and no eaglets have been seen so far in at least 36 hours.
‘A’ gives us the official report: “October 31: A very hot windy day. Both parents were at the nest early, moving a few sticks, then away. During the early morning bird survey over in the nearby wetlands, I could see both parents over on River Roost. During the afternoon, we think there was a sighting of one juvenile flying into the forest. We went for a walk in the forest searching, but everything was very quiet with the heat. Both parents were in the forest around 3pm and then seen again down on River Roost. Looking under the nest, we did find the dried remains of a puffer fish and the tail of the little ringtail we saw them eat previously. Also lots of silver gull feathers and a couple of eagle feathers. Around 5pm, both adults were heard down on River Roost. We shall keep watching and listening for signs of our fledglings.”
‘A’ reports to me that there are bush fires around Sydney. We are both worried about the sea eaglets and, in particular, SE31.
At the Port Lincoln barge nest of Mum and Dad, Mum was waiting and flew off for either a comfort break of to try and get breakfast.
Mum hoping for a fish and Galiath and #2 ready!
Gave up.
Dad got the fish to the nest at 08:56:30. Everyone was ready! And thrilled. Dad had eaten before the delivery – so a fish.
At some point in the morning, #2 beaked Galiath and Galiath retaliated…#2 became submissive. All appears to be well. Galiath is substantially larger than #2 and we can only assume that Galiath is female and little 2 is male since there is only two days difference between them in terms of hatching.
Then the fish fairy came.
Just look at that crop on Galiath. I hope that #2 got some fish!
11:24
2 tommies and 2 red mullet supplemental fish delivered!
Sup. Fish (M,Whole)
11:24 2
Mum’s back in the nest much more quickly than yesterday. Giliath’s on the left and chick #2’s behind Mum. Both chicks eats some. 2 whole tommies and 1 partial red mullet and 1 red mullet tail remain for now.
12:02 3
Mum’s back on the red mullet. Giliath’s on the left and chick #2’s behind Mum. Giliath eats som
‘A’ comments, “Everyone ate well at Port Lincoln today. As usual, dad brought in a nice breakfast fish, the fish fairy arrived with lunch, which fed the whole family throughout the afternoon, and dad is currently on dinner duty (it’s nearly 5pm there now). The osplets ate a huge meal from 08:56 and their crops were topped up repeatedly during the day, with the fish fairy delivering four nice fish. Once again, I saw no bonking whatsoever on the nest, and feedings were peaceful and fraternal. Big sister sat and watched little bro get half a dozen bites in a row, without objecting or getting aggressive. At one point, after Little Bob had been eating uninterrupted for a couple of minutes, Giliath did shuffle slightly to indicate she was getting slightly impatient, at which point mum promptly gave her a bite. But that was as exciting as things got. Both osplets are well into their reptilian phase and are looking as if they’ve been dipped in a bucket of dirty sump oil. Gone are the cute fluffy creatures of only a few days ago. These slimy-looking black chicks have fat tummies and very round little bottoms. When their crops get too big to stand up to eat, they sit like plump little ducklings to feed. Of course there is a lot of preening occurring and the first wingercising has begun. Although Giliath did faceplant once or twice in the process, she soon worked out how to operate her wings today, doing some very impressive and energetic flapping. Little Bob was in awe. “
Xavier brought in a Starling for Marri and Barru.
Diamond came to the rescue so that both would have some breakfast.
Migration Count from Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania, USA.
There are a few ospreys staying in places that humans think they shouldn’t. Some in Colorado and some in the UK.
San Francisco is one of those places where some ospreys migrate like Rosie while others stay like her mate, Richmond. Here is another pair – are they the only bonded pair that are staying behind in California together?
Can you help monitor the Condor cam in search of #171 California Condor named Traveler who has been missing from the feeding stations at Big Sur has caused concern. They are asking for our eyes. Thank you.
Bella and Smitty are reunited at the NCTC Bald Eagle nest. Please send warm wishes that all the intruders and injuries are now past.
Gabby and V3 continue to work on their nest. No on-camera mating that I am aware. ‘A’ is worried that V3 might not be up to the job. We will wait and see. I am hoping he is camera shy!
Jackie and Shadow were working at their nest despite the fact that they will be the last ones to lay their eggs, most likely.
Work continues on the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive, parents of Connick. No word yet on Connick’s release. Will let you know when I hear some news.
The pair at Duke Farms have a beautiful nest and I do mean gorgeous. Look at the rails and the grasses!
These are two updates from Duke Farms: “June 25 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection update: The nest collapsed in several sections. This is not an uncommon occurrence with eagle nests. Nests that are used for many years get very large and heavy. Every year a few nests fall or, in some cases, the entire nest tree falls. Depending on what time of the nesting season this occurs, it can result in chicks being injured or killed. The fact the nest collapsed after the juveniles fledged is a good thing. They have been fledged for over a month, haven’t been seen at the nest as frequently and will soon be going off on their own. We’ll have to wait and see what will happen with the nest. The adults could try and rebuild the nest or move to a new nest tree. August 11 NJDEP update: A volunteer has been keeping an eye on the cam. Two adult eagles have been seen at the nest – it looks like the eagles are a male and female based on the size, but it’s not clear if one of the eagles is A/59 or a new male. It’s indeterminable if the pair will return to the nest. In many cases, pair rebuild nests in the same location or close by if a collapse has occurred. Sometimes, if there is a new bird in the bird, they will move nest locations. The identity of the male in the pair is a contributing factor in the situation. The fact that two adults are together at the nest may lead to the possibility of rebuilding in the same spot or close by.”
Martin and Rosa checking out the skies over their nest at Dulles-Greenway.
Mr North, Mrs DNF, and a lovely Red-tail Hawk were at the Decorah Eagle nest on Tuesday. Looks like there is snow in Iowa, too!
Aerial battles over Loch Arkaig??????
Any time our feathered friends make the news, it is good. Someone new will learn something and maybe they will spread the word about how we are trying to help!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care! Looking forward to having you with us again soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A’, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Hawk Mountain, BarbandBob Larsen, Jeff Kear, SF Bay Ospreys, Ventana Wildlife Society, Deb Stecyk, NEFL-AEF, FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, Duke Farms, Dulles-Greenway, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Geemeff, TCD, BirdGuides and Sassa Bird.
It is a beautiful blue sky, a bright sunny day on the Canadian Prairies. -3 C. The snow is beginning to melt, so some ice is building up on the walkways in front of the houses. Not good for walking, but getting outside today and having some fresh air was nice. Every year, I promise to document all of the bird nests within a five or 6-block radius from where I live. Now is the perfect time. I want to ‘learn’ these nests just like I want to continue learning the sounds/songs of the birds using Merlin Sound ID. Most of the ones I found today appear to belong to the sparrows. I could not find the Crow’s nest, but they were landing in a tree where I know they raise their young. I did find a new woodpecker home!
New woodpecker home.
Now I thought that this was a sparrow nest but I am beginning to wonder if it is not a drey made by a squirrel or a Blue-Jay nest. Any nest experts out there? Happy for any advice.
There were hundreds of sparrows at the feeders during the day.
Some puffed their feathers to stay warm.
Nearly 30 European Starlings visited.
All four of the Blue Jays appeared during one time or another during the day.
The girls watched from the comfort of the conservatory – sometimes the birds and squirrels and often one another. Missey is staring down Calico who is on the floor wanting to cause a hiccup but, she didn’t.
Hope loves spending time with Missey.
‘The Boyfriend’ visited the feral feeding station 5 times on Sunday. He had to be very hungry. I feel so sorry for the outdoor cats. He has food, water, and an insulated home with a heating pad if he wants. His fur looks good, and the patches pulled out in the summer during fights have grown back in. Hopefully, his life will be a little easier now that he has had a visit with the vet. Oh, and I want to reassure anyone that neither cat that was ‘fixed’ by the vet belonged to someone. They are well known for being feral, but, just in case, communiques were sent out a fortnight before the vet’s arrival. Geemeff named the white one with black patches and the teardrop on its eye – Dadpa. So fitting. He has not been around!!!!!!!
There is a contest for the Bird of the Century in New Zealand. Please go over and see the list of birds. Read about them and the challenges they have faced or are facing, and cast your vote for 5. Thank you. t is free. There is a donation page, but you can just say ‘no, thanks’ and continue. It is a great way to learn about what is happening with birds in a region of the world that might be unfamiliar to you.
One of the birds is the Kakapo. Attempts to reintroduce the Kakapo to their homeland on the mainland of New Zealand are underway. And those very smart tree climbing non-flying parrots are giving their handlers some headaches!
Ranger Sharyn has confirmed that our beloved OGK is lost. I had listed him on the Memorial Page last year when he did not return to feed Lillibet after 45 days. He went missing on 19 May 2022. When he passed and what the circumstances were will never be known. Lady Hawk has included the following information under a video of the new arrivals looking for mates. One of those will be YRK, who had been OGK’s mate since 2006.
“Ranger Sharyn Broni gave an update on OGK today and it is not the news we have been hoping for. It confirms what our hearts knew but our head kept hoping for that miracle return. OGK was a magnificent albatross and one of the best Royalcam Dad’s and faithful mate to YRK since 2006. He will always be remembered for his devotion to his family, especially returning injured in 2020 just so he could feed Atawhai Pippa. OGK & YRK have fledged 6 chicks and raised one foster chick over their years together including the Royalcam chicks Atawhai & Lilibet, & daughter KBR and sons RLK & LWK. Our hearts are heavy with this loss but our hopes lie with YRK finding love again next season. Here is the message from Sharyn. “Although we do not know for sure it looks like the much-loved OGK has not returned following his disappearance in the winter of 2022 while raising Royalcam chick, Lilibet. He would be 26 years this coming January and was one of the first cohorts of chicks that I saw raised here at Pukekura. https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native… OGK and YRK first nested in front of the Royalcam in 2020 when they raised Atawhai during the pandemic and we all had many hours more of viewing time. https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native… OGK has been with YRK since 2006 as toroa typically mate for life. 2022 was their eighth breeding attempt. They have fledged six of their own chicks and one foster chick (This was a chick of Button’s). They have raised the foster chick after the egg they laid was broken during 2018. The first chick they raised is a breeding female and the natal mother of the 2018 Royalcam chick, Amīria. During 2021 their 2012 chick RLK (male) raised a chick known as SSTrig near the Royalcam chick, Tiaki. YRK would, by late October be preparing to lay an egg. Instead, she is looking for a new mate as is typical of bereaved toroa as the urge to mate is strong. There is no way of knowing what has happened to OGK. We do know that there are certain risks on the ocean such as plastic pollution and long-line fishing. Disease and starvation cannot be discounted either. OGK had sustained an injury in 2020 and we do not know what long-term impact this may have had. In the event you come across any wildlife in NZ call our emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). Although as a group albatross are at high risk from long-line fishing this does not seem to be the case for Northern Royal Albatross. Comparatively few are recorded on long lines compared to Antipodean Albatross, for example. The conservation status of Antipodean Albatross is Nationally Critical due to bycatch and marine pollution. in comparison the Northern Royal Albatross are Nationally Vulnerable. Read more about the Antipodean Albatross here: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native… z/albatrosses/antipodean-albatross/”
OGK was my all-time favourite, and he will not be forgotten. Let us all work towards safer seas for these magnificent birds that can live well past 70 years in his honour.
In the world of the Bald Eagles, some are having to really defend their nests. Belly and Smitty are busy trying to hang on to their NCTC nest on a daily basis with injuries seen on some of the eagles.
The problems continued on Sunday for Bella who is defending her nest alone against a male. Myth busted: Females only fight females. Not in this case.
Here is the video of the battle:
The only hatch at Windswept Heights, Tumby Island, South Australia has been predated by a raptor. Little Blythe was approximately 18 days old when she was taken although the precise time is unknown as the camera does not stream continuously. She hatched on the 11th of October. Her parents are Partney and Marrum. Condolences to all.
Port Lincoln has put out a weekly summary in video format.
At Port Lincoln, Dad delivered a whole fish to Mum, Goliath and Little at 0645:18 on Monday. Look at those two happy chicks. Goliath is really oily today – the fluff is gone entirely from her head. In a couple of days Little will look the same!
Oh, my goodness. There was drama at Port Lincoln. Dad delivered the whole fish at 0645 and the Fish Fairy came with 4 fish at 11:49. Then there were intruders wanting ‘free’ fish! This is the report from the ops board: “It starts normally with Mum feeding the 2 chicks. Giliath’s in front. Then there’s are intruder osprey that interrupts! It was Calypso and her mate! Dad to the rescue! Both chicks full. Mum done for now. 2 fish remain.”
Fish left and Mum protecting her babies. Mum will eat some more fish – she appears to be very hungry today but as always, she stuffed her babies to the brim.
‘A’ gives us her report of the day at Port Lincoln: “The day at Port Lincoln began with a large whole live fish delivered by dad at 06:45. Both chicks ate well before mum settled down to brood them. Dad took the fish, bringing it back 15 minutes later and Giliath ate briefly again (Little Bob was in a food coma). At 08:35 mum left to stretch her wings and Little decides to bonk Giliath, who retaliates. The fighting stopped when Little lay down. Mum returns and Little lifts its head, resulting in Giliath bonking him again till he submits. Mum leaves again and the siblings lean on each other, preen a bit and eventually fall asleep in a cuddle puddle. This aggression is all about pecking order (their crops get in the way of their bonking at times!) and it is relatively minor and brief. Not only that, it is being started by Little Bob as much as by his big sister. At 11:49, four medium-sized fish were delivered by the food fairy and an extended feeding took place (49 minutes!!) Both chicks ate themselves into food comas, and then CALYPSO (a previous fledgling from this nest) interrupts and his mate actually lands on the nest (12:08:47)!!! During the afternoon, there were six small feedings and no bonking between that massive feeding and the next fish delivery – Little Bob ate at all but one of those feedings, as did Giliath. At 18:38 dad arrived with a headless medium-sized fish and the dinner feeding began. Little Bob has the front position but soon turns away, still full from all the eating. Giliath downs a few bites and also gives up. The kids have eaten well today.”
Banders can get it wrong. Unless a DNA test is taken and processed, no one is ever certain of the gender. I recall once being told by Tiger Mozone to ‘not question the banners’. Of course, he said it in jest! Now there is reason at Port Lincoln to wonder if Calypso, always presumed to be a female, might actually be a male – and that, of course, could explain why she has stayed so close to Port Lincoln like Ervie.
Marri and Barru, the Orange eyases, were hungry and very excited when the first prey item arrived at 0711. Marri had a nice tug of war wanting the prey to herself but…that didn’t happen!
More food later..
Marri and Barru scamper all over that scrape box. They are flapping their wings, doing some self-feeding, and running their talons off!
‘A’s report for Orange: “At Orange, our fluff balls are zooming about and their feathers are getting more prominent each day. And those eyes! Here are the time stamps for the day: PREY 07.11.26, 08:10:53, 16:24:51, 16:42:44, 19.08.08 FEED 07.12, 08:11, 16:25, 16:43, 19.08 (M+B) HIGHLIGHT 16:28:50 M & D tug of war; 17:54:27 Barrru running with morsel.”
The sea eagles nest is quiet. ‘A’ sent the report from Sydney but we both wonder what in the world they mean by progress? It takes many many weeks for fledglings to learn how to fly and hunt. They are normally cared for by their parents and this has been the issue at Sydney due to the Currawongs. “October 30: A quiet night, with neither parents nor fledglings seen at the nest – though they may have been nearby. Parents were heard calling in the forest in the early morning. Later, they were seen down on their off-season River Roost, on mangroves along the Parramatta River. Currawongs even swoop them down there. The fledglings have not been seen today – they may be anywhere in the forest or nearby – all part of their progress.”
The Redding Eagle Cam is live and there is an adult on the nest.
An eagle at Pittsburgh-Hayes where there will be a new male this year. This is V, the new male.
Eagles at Superbeaks. All of the eagles are getting serious about their nests. Pepe and Muhlady have been working hard. Will they win the race for the first egg to be laid?
Gabby is at NEFlorida with a HUGE crop!
Two eagles at Duke Farms early Sunday morning. It is not clear if this is Mum with a new male or if this is entirely a new couple at the nest. Waiting for confirmation.
Eagles at Decorah.
Non-breeding European Starlings and M15 at the SW Florida nest checking it out for the new lady, F23.
Ron at the WRDC nest in Miami.
Abby and Blaze have won the territorial dispute over their nest at Eagle Country with the GHO.
Martin and Rosa working on their nest at Dulles-Greenway on Sunday. There were some friendly beak nips…
That buzzard continues to visit the Loch Arkaig nest and is, as Geemeff notes, awfully talkative. Is it calling Louis to bring in dinner?
I received a note asking about the hunting in Scotland (both fox and beaten grouse) and why I am so against it. The girls and I are reading H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald and in the chapter we were reading today, she recounts T H White’s first fox hunt and what he said after. ” Riding out with the Old Surrey and Barstow Hunt, White recorded the first time he saw a kill with distanced fascination. The fox was dug out of a drain where it had taken refuge and thrown to the hounds. They tore it to pieces while a circle of human onlookers ‘screeched them on’. The humans, White thought, were disgusting, their cries ‘tense, self-conscious, and hysterically animal’. But the hounds were not’. The savagery of the hours,’ he wrote, ‘was deep-rooted and terrible, but rang true, so that it was not horrible like that of the human.’ I think that says it all. The gameskeepers at the grouse hunting estates are (some of them) as viscous in killing the raptors that take some of the grouse for meals. One recent incident of the stomping on a nest of little goshawk hatchlings was particularly gruesome in my mind’s eye.hese are sports of the wealthy and the influential and I hope that they stop due to the fact that people care about wildlife and the compassionate voices, I hope, will prevail.
Mark Avery’s, Inglorious. Conflict in the Uplands, gives particular insight to field sports – grouse hunting – and their links to the class system in the UK. Of course, it is also political as many of the men (they are almost exclusively men) are wealthy donors or politicians or even sit in the courts. It will be difficult to abolish the practices but not impossible. Ever so hopeful.
As you know, I am a big fan of Merlin Bird ID. Here is a list of some other apps that might be helpful.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ‘A, Geemeff, H’, Forest & Bird, Kakapo Recovery, Lady Hawk, Deb Stecyk PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, FORE, PIX Cams, Superbeaks, NEFL_AEF, Duke Farms, Raptor Resource Project, SWFL Eagle Cam, WRDC, Eagle Country, Dulles-Greenway, Geemeff, Birdlife International, and the Guardian.
In North America, it is almost Halloween. Children still go door to door and hear screaming ‘Halloween Apples’ or ‘Trick or Treat’. I always feel sorry for them when it is cold and you can hardly see their costumes. We are all set – packaged goods only – lots of combinations of dried fruit. Presumably, they will eat their candies first and sigh when they see the fruit, but I won’t feel guilty about their teeth. I had a friend once who handed out toothbrushes.
Decades ago, it became clear that ‘incidents’ happen and children should not eat treats from people they don’t know unless they are fully sealed, etc. I often wonder why the community centres, schools, and families do not just have a local party for the children. When we lived in England, Halloween was not a ‘thing’. I understand it is now. We had Guy Fawkes Night on 5 November – jacket potatoes on the barbecue or bonfire. Sometimes called Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night. Effigies were burned. It always depended on whose side you were on, I was told (please correct me). Fawkes was part of a plot to burn down the Houses of Parliament; he was a Catholic in 1605. So, the effigy is sometimes considered the Pope, and some burn a figure of Fawkes in support of the monarchy. The holiday became official in 1859. It was all new to us and great fun – friends from the cup de sac at the foot of the gorse joined to celebrate. Gosh, I miss them!
The girls will be safely stowed away in the conservatory while treats are handed out. I still do not trust them not to run out the door – although I have to say that Calico has not even ventured near the door to do that. She will look out at the birds and, on occasion, at the cats visiting the feeding station, but she is mostly uninterested. The three girls still love story time. It is a ritual that prescribes I sit on the floor with a pile of blankets beside me. The little portable heater needs to be on. I must have a bag of treats. Calico will sit on my lap or the blanket. Missey is on the couch, and Hope is under one of the chairs. Treats were distributed, and then, today, we reached the end of H is for Hawk. If I do not do precisely as I have done since Calico first came into my life, she appears to get stressed. Ritual. I love it, too. We all know what to expect, and I get time to read some very good books.
Hope has decided to move into Missey’s basket. Missey doesn’t seem bothered. If I look for Hope and cannot find her, she will be in the basket! Just look at that bushy tail. Hope is a really sweet kitten. Missey loves playing with Hope (not so much Calico).
Calico has taken over the couch. We are so glad so many of your enjoyed seeing Hope and Calico with ‘Lewis’s’ pillow. It was a wonderful surprise – so thoughtful. Thanks, Auntie.
Other images from Saturday – cats lounging, the snow, Missey watching the birds.
Calico seems to have decided that she still needs to provide milk for Hope. She was bursting this afternoon…Hope is very well fed!
Now, one thing. Pumpkins and peanut butter. The squirrels are too well-fed to bother. I saw some little birds pecking, but the deer is like the pumpkins in Canada. I have discovered that pumpkins are dangerous to hedgehogs, so don’t put them out if you live where there are hedgehogs. We don’t wish to kill them. I loved the ones who came to the orchard at the end of our garden to eat the fruit that had fallen on the ground.
Before we check on Australia, M15 is getting really serious about his new mate and the potential for a family with her. He brought in two fish gifts on Saturday. She, of course, might know that she won the Bald Eagle lottery when they met and bonded. F23 could not have a better mate and provider for her and their babies.
At Port Lincoln, Goliath and Little are really into the Reptilian Phase. The Reptilian Phase generally begins around Day 12. Between the plumage of the newly hatched, that light down with the dark eye line and the slightest hint (or more) of the dark stripe on their back and their juvenile feathers. In the Reptilian Phase, the chicks look like they have been dipped in a pot of old motor oil. They are dark, scaly, slick, bald, ebony black heads with little copper-red feathers coming in at the back of the nape. Those coppery-red feathers will begin to appear elsewhere as well. The chicks become itchy as their blood feathers begin to grow. The feathers grow out of ‘blood quills’ if you did not know. If these are broken, they can die if the blood does not coagulate. It is the same with eaglets, and some of you will recall the season 2021 at Captiva when Joe and Connie’s two eaglets died of rodenticide poisoning. One directly from the poison and the eldest from its blood feather breaking, and because the blood did not coagulate (due to the rodenticide to kill mice/rats), it bled to death on the nest). From my observations over the years, this is the time when the chicks also begin bonking.
They are right in terms of development. Goliath is 12 days old, and Little is ten days old. The size difference can reflect the two days between hatch and gender, with the female being much larger than the male. You will notice that Goliath is darker with less down – it is the age difference. Little is just entering the new itchy phase. They will appear thin and ‘lean’. As this phase and the juvenile feather phase take over, their flight feathers, both the primaries and secondaries on the wing and the tail feathers, will come in. The largest and longest of the feathers take much longer to come in. Once all their feathers are in, they are ready to fly! No worries. We are a long way from fledge!!!!!!!!!!!!
As I write, Dad has brought in a whole fish at 0747 which lasted for two feedings an hour apart.
It is hard to tell how much fish Little received at the feeding. He got tangled with Goliath. Dad returned to fetch the fish at 0809. He will return it, but – he will have some breakfast, too. The fact that the parents can now eat will give them strength. It was physically hard on Mum during the last season with Zoe when she demanded so much fish that neither her siblings nor Mum had some at times. This year is going to be so very different. Hoping for the best for all of them. This family deserves a ‘break’.
All of the positive comments on the Port Lincoln Osprey FB feed must be heart-warming to those who fought hard for this intervention to happen.
The fish fairy arrives with four really nice size fish. Mum and Goliath and Little feast as does Dad.
PLO posts: “Dad the first one back and takes 1 fish. Mum feeds the 2 babies. Both babies full. Dad back for a 2nd fish and leaves the fish tail.”
‘A’ gives us her report: “There were several good feedings for both osplets at Port Lincoln today. Dad brought in a big whole breakfast fish at 07:47. and the ensuing feeding continued until 08:12. At 12:45, the fish fairy delivered four medium-sized whole fish. This fed everyone – dad was first to the nest after the delivery and grabbed one for himself. Mum then arrived to feed the kids. Neither parent is at all perturbed, it seems, by the aunty door dash and seem to be getting very used to it. It’s a race between them to get to the nest after the fairy leaves, given they know what they will find there. The feeding from those gift fish lasted for 37 minutes and, like the morning feeding, left both osplets with very very full crops. Another half fish was brought in by dad for dinner, at 18:42. So everyone went to bed with full tummies. And again today, there was no bonking and no signs of aggression between the osplets.”
‘A and H’ mention that there is really sad news coming out from Turnby Island, the Osprey nest of Partney and Marrum.
Calypso, the 2019 Port Lincoln Hatch, has been exploring the area. Everyone is hoping she will find a mate and raise chicks so Mum and Dad can be grandparents. Port Lincoln will build a platform for her if she does not settle on one of those available.
Port Lincoln has found another osprey nest with chicks that they did not know about! Check out that nest. Off the ground and away from predators.
At the nest tree in the Sydney Olympic Forest (the old Ironwood Tree), SE 32 decided to stay home. S/he had many meals and time with Lady and Dad – which brought joy and tears to all of us. SE31 was also seen. No one has seen 31 fed on camera but the eaglet is flying strong — send every positive wish you have for the eaglets as they persevere against the Currawong who would like to drive them from the forest!
Earlier News.
Currawongs harassing 31.
As soon as the adults flew off the nest (they had stayed with 32 overnight), the Currawongs came and pestered 32 til it flew off. Later, the parents are looking over the forest for their eaglets.
All is well at Orange. It looked like something other than a Starling arrived for breakfast at 0728. The two are really getting their primary and secondary wing feathers in as well as the tail feathers. The faces are changing and every day they get stronger and stronger on their legs. Diamond makes them stretch their necks to get their prey – strengthening those muscles that will become so valuable to them in the future.
‘A’ gives us the prey report from Orange: “At Orange, mum arrived home for the evening about ten minutes ago. The two eyases are asleep in their usual cuddle puddle, on the near side wall of the scrape (so largely invisible from the Box Cam). They are gorgeous. Here are the day’s time stamps: PREY 06.12.06 M takes, 07.27.50, 08.19.23, 10.42.06, 13:35:02, 17:10:05 FEEDING 06.13+, 07.22 M+B self feed, 07.28, 07.43( leftover starling), 09.08, 10.43, 13:37, 17:10 (M self-feed). HIGHLIGHTS: 06.07+ zoomies, 07.25.50+ B+M plucking, 12:58:10 Barru ‘broods’ Dudley. 12: 58:57 Marri’s turn, LEDGE CAMERA 10.09.20 M puts wing over B, 13:36.35 + Barru nipps at Xavier’s tail feathers.”
Did they? or didn’t they? Gabby invites V3 to mate.
The first confirmed case of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza reaches the Antarctic. So, it’s not just melting sea ice but now H5N1 that is a massive threat to all species including the Penguins.
Everyone thought he retired – of course, Dr Peter Sharpe can never retire. He has Bald Eagle blood flowing through his veins and today he was fitting a camera so that Thunder and Akecheta’s breeding season can be viewed at their new nest. Of course, they could choose the old nest – thankfully there is a camera there. Thanks, Dr Sharpe!
Territorial disputes continue at the NCTC nest of Bella and Smitty.
Always grateful to the kindness extended to our wildlife in trouble – normally created by us like fishing line! Completely tanged and the kind soul took the time – and great patience – to free this osprey.
In the UK, Babet, the storm that hit and caused extensive flooding and damage, also caused some birds to wind up in very unusual places.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourselves. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H’, Lady Hawk, PLO, Rohan Geddes, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Denise W Starr, SK Hideaway, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, British Antarctic Survey, The Telegraph, Down to Earth, Dave Gallivan, Deb Stecyk, Rachel Stevenson-Thomas, and Bird Guides.
Oh, good morning everyone! Friday turned out to be just a fantastic day in Bird World with the return of 32 to the nest and the delivery of fish from the parents. More on that later.
We woke up to more snow – heavy, wet snow – on Friday. The back trees were full of European Starlings, and Fox Sparrows were dancing on the deck along with the House Sparrows and the Dark-eyed Juncos. There were more at the feeders as food in the wild is often hard to find.
The Baby Blue Jay – the one that sat with the little clay birds when it first fledged. All of the Jays are still here. Sometimes, they come in pairs. I am careful to check out the white on the base of their tail to ensure all are safe.
Fox Sparrow. It was so wet and miserable. Some songbirds insist on foraging on the ground or the deck, so there is always some seed for them, bit it makes it so messy. As winter sets in, I will begin only to have seed suet, solid suet, and Black Oil seed for them. It’s less messy to clean up but good for them for the winter. The European Starlings particularly love the solid suet, while all of the birds will eat the seed suet and sunflower seed.
Calico and Hope curled up on Calico’s blanket – staying warm inside. Thanks Auntie ‘H’ for the beautiful pillow of our brother. We promise to keep it clean!
Calico working her way up the cat tree where Missey is currently ‘The Queen of the Castle’.
Missey watching the birds fly over the conservatory.
Ospreys do well in care – do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Another great rescue and rehabilitation story. Full story below the posting. Notice how large the Osprey is!
The GHOs at the Southwest Florida Pritchett Property are visiting the eagle nest and the male is bringing food gifts to the female! Let’s hope they have their eye on their own nest and not M15s and F23s.
The first fish of the day at Port Lincoln was large. Mum fed both osplets well and had some for herself before Dad took it away. One thing to notice is that Little is up front and eating well and ignoring Galiath who did not do any beaking during the meal!
Dad taking the fish when the feeding was over. Remember, Dad has to eat too and so does Mum but no worries this year. The Fish Fairies from Port Lincoln will be around.
The fish was returned at 0801 and both chicks ate well. Little was stuffed and Galiath got more this feeding.
‘A’ brings us up to date with some later events at Port Lincoln: “Around 09:20 this morning, seven small fish appeared on the nest. Mum quickly downed a couple herself, then fed the Bobs. There had been an earlier feeding, when dad brought in a very large whole fish at 07:20, and both already had respectable crops. Mum ate very little from the earlier fish. So now she is tucking in, and moving on to the third fish. Dad ate well from the breakfast fish before bringing it back for a second feeding around 8am. So all have eaten well at Port Lincoln and there has been no bonking. It is worth stressing in regard to yesterday’s incidents that Little Bob started several of the fights and also fought back strongly once or twice when Giliath started the melee. This osplet is not going to simply lie down and take it. He is very feisty indeed. This may be a good thing (Giliath is not shaking his confidence one iota) but it could easily do the reverse – forcing Giliath to use increasing force to get her message across. We will as always have to wait and see. But so far, Giliath is not ramping up the aggression but is actually tending to leave Little Bob alone today. It is noteworthy that the visit of the fish fairy this morning hardly ruffled a parental feather, with mum back on the nest in about two minutes. I suggest that being the highly intelligent creatures they are, these ospreys have quickly worked out that these visits are brief, non-threatening, and involve lots of fish. I think they will soon get so used to the fish fairy that the interventions should not carry a major risk of the parents deserting the nest and chicks. As the chicks get older, the risk of spooking them into a fludge will presumably be much higher, though they too may get used to the fish fairy and to watching their parents being unphased by her visits. Just a hopeful thought.”
Those little sweeties looking out to the big world they will too soon be a part of…
HeidiMc has the fish fairy on video!
‘A’ continues with the day at Port Lincoln, “At Port Lincoln, after the excellent feeding from the breakfast fish and the fish delivered by the fish fairy, the Bobs were very full and spent much of the afternoon sunbaking, sleeping and preening. Then, at 15:51 dad brought in a headless medium-sized fish, and although the feeding was largely obscured by mum, it went on for 20 minutes, until 16:11, and both osplets ate. The important thing as far as I’m concerned was that there was no bonking today as far as I could see. Both got along well at the table and Little Bob did not appear to be intimidated or reluctant when it came to getting fed. He was up and waiting, beak open, and confident enough to compete for bites. He fought back a lot yesterday when his sister tried to exert her dominance, and although Little is smart enough to keep an eye on her at times, once he is up at the table, he ignores her altogether and is not fearful of being pecked in the head during a feeding.”
‘A’ reports: “At Orange, the giant fluff balls are so cute. The feathers are growing in along the edges of their wings and the ends of their tails and they are getting very steady on their feet. Two very active eyases are now really filling up that scrape, which suddenly seems very small indeed. Here are the time stamps for the day so far: PREY 08.31.38 (eastern rosella), 12.46.01, 17:36:11 Xavier with prey, Diamond comes and takes. FEEDINGS 08.32, 12.46, 17:37. HIGHLIGHTS 08:35:14 Marri falls over in tug-o-war with Barru, 08:40 Marri tries to snatch the prey from Diamond, 12.14.10+ Barru and Marri demand food; 16:40:55 Barru and Gabuda (that’s what Cilla has named Dudley). “
‘M’ sent me a link to Twitch and there was some news on the sea eagles for Thursday. Thanks, ‘M’
Of course, the biggest news for the season – perhaps – with the exception of the supplementary feeding at Port Lincoln, was WBSE32 being on the nest today. It flew in chased by Currawongs and honking at them. The parents came and brought a fish which, the famished eagle, ate in about an hour.
And here is that homecoming!
The forest was silent at 10:55:47. Then you could hear the Currawong. There was honking. It could not have come from 32 as its beak was closed. There was more honking and more calling from the Curra at 56:11, 56:14, at 12:09:13, again at 12:28 and periodically. WBSE 31 was someone near the natal nest. It had to be him!!!! Tears all around. Thanks, SK Hideaways, for hearing my call to listen and capture this for us.
SE32 and Lady later in the day at the nest.
‘A’ sends the official report of the day from Sydney: “October 28: fine again early and heard the parents’ usual duet. Our ground team was out early searching, hearing calls. One fledgling, possibly SE31, was seen sitting high in a tree fairly close to the nest. Then another message that both have been seen and best news, SE32 flew to the nest at 9:09 with currawong escort. Shortly after, at 9:23, both parents came in and delivered a bream, which 32 pounced on, though he did seem to have a full crop already. 32 then spent a long time near the nest, though swooped by a currawong relentlessly at times. Just before 5pm, 32 flew a short distance to a nearby branch – all quiet though. Lady delivered a big fish at 17:37, ate herself and was joined by 32. Lady fed 32 for 10 minutes, then 32 left and moved up the branch. Lady kept eating the fish herself. Then more, when Dad brought a bird carcass at 19:02. This time 32 snatched the prey and started eating straight away. When 32 was finished, Dad ate the last scraps. During the day our ground team reported finding SE31 as well. And at last light, we received news of SE31, seen flying strongly. Lady, Dad and 32 were settled close for the night.”
There was an eagle at the Pittsburgh-Hayes nest today.
Martin and Rosa working on the Dulles-Greenway Nest on Friday.
Shame on me for thinking that pigeons are only meant to be food for peregrine falcons!
Here is the recording of the October 26 Ventana Wildlife video chat! Great up to date information on the status of the California Condors.
It’s a wrap. I am just so overjoyed to see SE32 on the nest and hear 31 that I can hardly sit still. That with the fish fairy at PLO just starts this weekend off in such a positive way.
I hope that each of you are well. Stay safe. Go outside and smell the fresh air and listen for the birds. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, B, H, SP’, Wild Care, Lady Hawk, PLO, Sydney Sea Eagles, HeidiMc, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways, Pix Cams, Dulles-Greenway, The Guardian, and Ventana Wildlife Society.
That is not a permanent change – ‘cat’ – World but, I think that the cat I kept seeing and thinking was Hope’s father is, indeed, just that – the father.
Now, look carefully. This cat has short, stocky legs and a square jaw like Hope, but he also has that teardrop that Hope has. Remember, Calico has that teardrop, too. Even his paws look like Hope and Calico’s, and that single patch of a few white hairs is also on Calico and Hope. It has to be him. The shape of the eyes gives it away, too…So is this big lad both Hope’s father and grandfather? Or could he be a brother to Calico? One way of finding out is if I can get a blood sample and compare it to both Calico and Hope, aka Bushy Tail.
I can tell you his days of fathering kittens all over the neighbourhood are ending quickly. There is a chicken dinner waiting for him and the vet will perform the magic tomorrow. There is a nice heated garage, too! And if we are lucky, two others will join him. Fingers crossed. It gets dark so early and sometimes it is difficult to coordinate things. Calico watched him eat out the garden door. She didn’t hiss or anything. Just sat on the island looking out. I hope she was glad to be inside as it was wet and cold out there!
Whenever I see a house with these fake cobwebs that kill the birds and insects, I go ballistic. It is time to stop using these fake cobwebs. There are other things that can be used to decorate without injuring or killing wildlife.
It isn’t about birds but it is about saving our precious wildlife. Amazing what a simple change can do! Spread the word if you live where boats, motors, and Manatees try to coexist.
There were protests, and many decided not to donate to Cornell Bird Lab when they did not directly fund the collision blinds for Big Red’s fledglings. Now, they will build a building where Big Red has her nest! Seriously? Other places need donations, and I can live without Living Bird Magazine.
Want to help our feathered friends during a Tropical Storm or a Hurricane? Here are some tips! Thanks, Sunnie Day.
Osprey doing very well in rehab! Another one to add to the list. Please do not let anyone tell you that ospreys cannot handle being in care. The Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, the Raptor Centre, and here is another will tell you differently – CROW. They handle many Ospreys. Thank goodness for wildlife rehabilitation clinics and the kind people who operate them and the volunteers who assist. What would our wildlife do without them?
Just look at this beautiful buzzard that flew to the Loch Arkaig nest. Gorgeous creature.
Port Lincoln has posted the information about the research project and the feeding of the Ospreys at the Barge. Let us all wish them luck! I have been flooded by letters from viewers telling me they will now return to watch this nest, one that they quit watching years ago due to the siblicide. Please remember to send Fran Solly a note of support! (Thanks ‘H’ for getting this to me. I had not gone to check this morning!)
Heading to Australia, Dad had a really nice size fish on the nest for Mum and the chicks at 0629.
The kids had a little feed, Mum had some good bites and Dad took the fish. He returns it later for a second feeding!
0733: #2’s crop is really not that large.
0741:
More fish for the kids left from that one. Giliath eats and then # 2 gets fed. Mum is very good to check on #2 as long as his beak is up. She is doing so well with these two.
‘
I continue to be relieved that fish will be provided if necessary. And I hope that the compassion and interest shown at Port Lincoln will spread to other nests that could be in trouble of losing all their chicks during a storm – supplementary feeding for a couple of days can be a good thing. It would have made all the difference at a nest such as Barnegat Light that got hit hard by Duke missing for days, the stormy weather, and the decline in Menhaden due to humans overfishing.
Mum was not home and Galiath took the opportunity to give #2 a right going over -. Notice that Galiath has started going into the Reptilian Phase, the time when the beaking begins most often. What we want is for this to stop and not to continue. The little one was noticeably not as aggressive wanting food and Galiath had her body over it later in the day. Sad to see this beginning.
Standing over the little one displaying sheer dominance – with a full crop.
At ten days old, you can see Galiath’s plumage changing.
By noon, both chicks are hungry again. Only one fish in from Dad and that was early. More fish needed! Please, Fish Fairy. Galiath is ‘itchy’ from the pin feathers coming. in. Little one is hopeful for some fish. He has not had a lot this morning despite the large fish brought in early.
Waiting for fish.
A’ gives us a later rundown on nest happenings, “By 13:49 we see that dad has flown onto the side of the nest to babysit. Around 13:52 a shadow passes over the nest, the chicks immediately pancake, and dad starts alerting. Mum is back at 14:06:40 with a nice whole fish. The osplets immediately line up. Giliath has front position so Little, to Giliath’s left, scrambles a bit closer to mum. As mum feeds Giliath, Little tries pecking at the fish in mum’s talons!! Go, Little! Now, under the current evolving circumstances, that is a great skill to practise at any opportunity. Mum has to work hard at trying to get bites to Little, due to its feeding position, which is not ideal (at the wrong angle to make it easy for mum) and also because Giliath is leaning across in front of Little and grabbing many of the bites intended for her younger sibling. Little is not at all intimidated by its sibling, and is sitting up at the table as normal, competing for bites and sometimes stealing morsels from its sibling’s face or beak. Mum is really trying to get bites to Little, but Giliath is getting two or three bites to every one of Little’s. Note that during most of this feeding, Giliath is in perfect position to beak her brother in the back of the head but this does not disconcert Little, who is behaving completely normally. There is no bonking. This interests me – Giliath was not hungry at 09:11 and now that she is, and there is competition for the available food, she displays zero aggression. I presume this indicates that the attack had nothing to do with food insecurity and everything to do with establishing an agreed pecking order. We will see. At 14:19, Little turns away. Mum finishes feeding Giliath at 14:33 and dad removes the remainder of mum’s fish. At 14:50 dad is back with what’s left of the fish. This feeding quickly turns into a private feeding for Little. It gets fed well, as Giliath is largely in a food coma, and Little finishes with a big crop by the time the feed ends with mum horking down the tail at 15:01. Mum broods Little. Giliath remains out, sunbaking and preening. She does a PS on mum, then takes a nap. Little wakes up and at 16:01 does a PS on Giliath, which wakes her up. It’s all getting a bit messy. Giliath perhaps didn’t appreciate being pooped on and bonks Little. She soon settles down though and the pair return to being friendly.”
HeidiMc catches that fish going overboard at Port Lincoln -.
At Orange, the chicks are starting to look like sheep that can walk on two legs!
More from ‘A’: “Here are the time stamps for the day for our favourite falcon chicks, who are now running across the scrape. How quickly these hawklets and falcon chicks grow up. PREY 06:30:48, 07:20:06, 09.05.42, 14.24.49, 16:42:56, 18:19:54 FEED 06:31 (self-feed & D), 09.07 (X), 14.25, 16:43, 18:21. RECAP 6.25.53 Barru wingers, 6.30.31 ledge cam X aborts landing w/prey, 6.30.53 ledge cam D aborts landing, 06.32.24 Barru kekking, 08:23:34 ledge cam X glides out, 14.31.55 Marri struggles with a wing. Diamond and Xavier really do make this look easy, although we know it is anything but that. Xavier did one of the feedings, and at that feeding, the younger one, Barru, was particularly well fed. (Not that it was exactly fading away before that!) These two are adorable to watch. Just gorgeous. And those naughty little sidelong glances – those eyes just melt your heart. “
At the Sydney Olympic Park, Lady and Dad are looking for their babies.
Yesterday was the same. My heart aches for the two of them. According to the postings no one has seen the eaglets being fed since they did not return for prey on the nest. I hope that they are eating elsewhere but the history of the nest would leave me to think otherwise. Hoping for an update from the BOGs!
At Taiaroa Head, the mate of OGK, the gorgeous YRK has flown in and is socialising with those coming in for breeding. ‘A’ wonders if she knows that OGK is no longer with us?
At the nest of M15 and F23, the new female occupant is bringing in air plants to decorate the nest! Gorgeous.
There is wonderful news coming from the Fraser Point nest!
Pepe has been making some fish deliveries to Muhlady as they both continue to monitor the territory and work on their nest.
An eagle on Tor at the West End Bald Eagle Nest and a gorgeous sunset over the Channel Islands.
‘H’ loved those skinny jeans of Liberty!
Hoping to change some minds about the driven grouse moor hunting in Scotland.
Malta is not the only country that turns an eye to poaching. Lebanon. Poland. Today, The Guardian published an article on trapping wild birds in France. The malicious killing of birds (and all wildlife) is a global issue. It needs to stop – politicians need to know that ordinary people demand protections for our natural world. Vote. And watch those purchases you make and the trips of a lifetime – try to support those who are trying to make a difference. Stay at a cottage on a farm that is working towards biodiversity through rewilding. Buy your tuna from pole and line fishers (see below).
I asked ‘H’ about the type of tuna she is finding and she gave me the following information. It is certified to be pole and line – not long line trawler that beheads our precious albatross as bycatch.
‘H’ sent me to the Wild Planet page where you can find all manner of sustainable products.
The same sustainable brands are available in Canada. You can check on Amazon’s site and then compare it with other retailers. I just might go back to having a tuna sandwich once in awhile BUT now I must begin to research the food the girls eat. Right now it is organic chicken from a local farmer, some dry food, and some tinned. But where does this tinned food originate?
Thanks so much for being with us. Two of the male cats will be ‘fixed’ in about fifteen minutes and hopefully live a healthier and safer life in the future. Take care all!
Thank you to the following for their notes, graphics, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, Geemeff, H’, Ruth Thomas, Birds in Helping Hands, Ellen Miller, Sunnie Day, Audubon, Jane Dell, Geemeff, PLO, HeidiMc, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Sydney Sea Eagles, Lady Hawk, Laura Davis Nelson, IWS, Superbeaks, Raptor Persecution UK, The Guardian, and Amazon.
It is dark outside. The time is 1800. In another month, it will be dark at 1630. The long days of winter will be upon us. There were small flakes of snow falling a little bit ago. Dyson was eating at the table feeder, and a couple of Blue Jays and some Dark-eyed Juncos were persistent in their search for seed. Earlier, sparrows and Starlings had been having bird baths!
Behind the birdbath, look closely. There are still tomato blossoms, you can see a red grape tomato and clusters of green ones. I ran out quickly and picked them all!
Lots of sparrows. You can hear their songs at least a half block away on a typical day. Hundreds stay in the lilacs – feeding and resting, resting and feeding.
Then the heavier snow came. The trees in the garden, particularly the conifers, look like someone sprayed that white ‘snow’ on their limbs. It is quite beautiful – and quiet.
Calico has decided that it is time to stop nursing Hope. Missey could not be happier. This means that Hope is hanging around with her more!!!!!!!! Calico seems to be enjoying the break in parenthood and not having Hope follow and copy everything she does. I have not observed a mother with a kitten for many decades, which has been an enlightening experience. Every day I am grateful that Calico trusted me enough to turn her life over to me and come inside and that little Hope found us. All I have to do is look at that snow, and I smile seeing them inside on their blankies.
Standing on the deck looking into one of the garden doors and there is Hope looking outside.
The benefit of Calico wanting to wean Hope is that Calico is no longer bothered if Hope wants to play with Missey! Missey loves the company and knows that if she moves her tail, Hope will pounce! The house is very peaceful with the girls except for the kitten version of a Formula 1 race from about 2130 to midnight!
While these two are in the conservatory, Calico is trying to get her beauty sleep on her blanket in the sitting room.
At Port Lincoln, Mum was still waiting for a fish to come to the nest. It was after 0900. The osplets had a good feed with those fairy fish last night (thanks Fran, Bazza, and Janet) and there will be more if the wind and weather prove to be too much for Dad. The chicks are 7 and 9 days old today – we are approaching the Reptilian Phase.
That really nice fish arrived. Thanks, Dad! It was 10:58. Mum and the kids waited a bit but look – Dad came through and it has its head on it. (Note to self: Dad has to eat, too! – as does Mum)
It is a really nice feeding.
Eighteen minutes later and Mum is still feeding but the crops of Galiath and chick 2 are growing and growing.
It’s 11:26. Dad might be hoping some fish is left for him. Let’s see.
Mum is making sure that those two osplets are full to the top of their heads before she lets go of any fish. “Here have one last bite!”
Dad flies off with a nice fish tail. Did Mum get enough to eat?
Look at the size difference between the two chicks in the image below. What do you think? Nice big girl and little boy?
Later, some nest work by Mum.
‘A’ sends us detailed observations of when the fish fairy arrives to help! PLO supplied an additional 7 slender fish to the nest. “Mum is fish calling…Dad delivered no more fish, and the chicks presumably got hungry as the day wore on. And then, visible to all observers, the fish fairy arrived at 16:44:19, delivering seven supplemental fish. She was gone again by 16:44:37 – a total of under 20 seconds. Little and Giliath do not even wake up. (They sleep half a metre apart, with Little out of the nest bowl.) By 16:47, both parents had returned to the nest. Dad immediately grabs one of the fish in his beak and flies away with it, while mum eats her way through a second. The chicks are watching her closely and eagerly. Dad returns at 16:48:17. Little’s sleeping position means he is much closer to mum than is Giliath, and around 16:49, mum picks up fish number three and begins feeding Little. Giliath reaches the table around 16:50 but is still behind Little. Mum gives Little a few more bites, then begins to feed them alternately. I know I repeat this often, but watching how this mum works hard to ensure both are fed is wonderful. I was very interested to see the fish fairy arrive today with so many fish. Perhaps the one huge fish dad brought in mid-morning and the feeding from it would have been considered enough to keep the osplets alive for another day, making supplemental feeding unnecessary, But no. They obviously intend to ensure that the older chick does not go hungry and learn that food is finite and so anything its sibling does eat is effectively stolen from it. The discovery that food is a finite resource can turn a nest in a few hours, as we both know. Avoiding aggression on a nest does actually depend on the oldest osplet never discovering the existence of a thing called hunger until it nears fledge and the younger chicks are large enough to look after themselves. Mum keeps feeding both osplets until fish number three is gone, then at around 16:51, she starts on fish number four. (She is eating many bites herself as she feeds the osplets.) Dad is still standing beside mum, watching her feeding the pair. At 16:55:45 mum finishes off that fish and moves on to what I believe is fish number five (unless dad brought back part of fish number one). This is a really good feeding, with mum feeding and feeding and feeding both chicks pretty equally, giving them big bites of juicy fish. They eat and eat. So does mum. By 16:58, Little can no longer fit another mouthful. He starts to turn away from the table. Mum keeps feeding Giliath, and herself. At 17:07, she finally stops feeding and settles down to brood. There is yet another feeding, at 18:06, at which both osplets ate a few bites but were generally not very hungry. Mum ate a bit herself and settled back down to brood at 18:16. That was it for the night. I think there might be a couple of part fish left on the nest, though it’s hard to be sure. I find it hard to believe all seven were eaten but dad may have removed a second fish from the seven. Other than that, mum and the osplets ate the other five (and this morning’s fish from dad was large and whole). So all in all, today should give Little a boost in growth. He has not yet really gone hungry on this nest, and of course nor has Giliath. They both look extremely healthy, with Giliath due to turn into a small dinosaur any day now. Talons crossed.”
Mum and the chicks were hungry. Thank you, Port Lincoln, for recognising that additional fish is required to get these two to fledge. We might never know the reason – is it a lack of fish for Dad to catch? El Niño and warming waters? overfishing by the commercial fisheries that are plentiful in the area? is it old Dad, and he is just worn out? What we do know is that this nest will now survive by the compassion and understanding of the people at Port Lincoln who supported intervention.
This was posted on the ops board:
16:42
Mum flies off in a hurry as 7 Supplemental fish are delivered by the fish fairies (the process visible for all to watch). More information on the how and why will be put in the news section this evening, or tomorrow
It was no small feat to convince the board that manages the building of the platforms and care of the ospreys in South Australia to agree to an intervention at the barge in Port Lincoln. We can thank Fran Solly, Bazza Hockaday, and Janet Forster for studying the issues and being able to speak to the positive benefits of supplementary feeding. I would urge all of you who support this decision to send them a note, and you can do so by searching for Fran Solly on FB. This is the cover page. I know they will appreciate the support.
To those that have already sent me notes saying that they are now happy to watch Port Lincoln having stopped because of the past history, please send Fran a note. These folks need all the support that they can get!
I went to check on the sea eagles and my heart sank. There was an adult on the same branch that Dad perched on looking for SE26 when she was flailing around in the bush being pursued by the Currawong – pecked and dive-bombed! It broke back all the memories of that very sad year when 25 was driven out early to the salt marshes, never to be seen again and 26 to be eventually euthanised. Oh, let us hope this year is different – there is still a chance!
‘A’ sent us the report from Sydney: “October 26: neither eaglet was seen last night and parents were off early. Dad returned at 6:49 with a fish, which Lady took and flew off with. Is she searching for the eaglets? She appeared later to have eaten it herself and from about 8:30 was sitting above the nest –at times currawong swooping. It was a much colder and windy day today. The adults and probably fledgling have been heard calling at times, but not seen. One of our team did see the osprey catch a fish near River roost –which was then possibly pirated by Dad –the first interaction between them that we have seen. Much honking and flying about. Around 5:30 of our observers saw one of the fledglings on a path, surrounded by ravens and currawongs – it flew up onto a tree fortunately and back towards the forest – flying strongly and lifting well. At dark, we heard calls, adults were nearby, at least one fledgling in the forest somewhere – and the search goes on –and it was raining.”
This is the latest posting that I could find form Ranger Judy:
Meanwhile, all is well at Orange. The chicks look like they are getting goggles. Look at their heads. The wisps of down will be gone soon, and we will see the beginnings of their juvenile plumage bursting through.
They are both getting much more sturdy on their feet and they move around that scrape box like Hope running a marathon in the house. They are fast!
I wondered if Diamond was going to kick Dudley out of the scrape.
Full.
There is some self-feeding going on! Always be sure to check out the ledge cam, especially since these two are spending so much time over on the Cilla stones.
Redding Bald Eagle Dad, Liberty. He buys his beautiful black jeans at the same shop that Samson did! Each just needed an electric guitar.
Guardian. She isn’t young, but she is sure beautiful. We adore you, Guardian. So are Guardian and Cholyn the two oldest breeding Bald Eagle females on streaming cams? Give me names of others that are at least 25!
Liberty and Guardian! Another video by Gary.
More food gifts are coming to the nest from M15 to F23. Did he get it from the Publix store? Notice the European Starlings. Remember that the white dots on their plumage mean they are ‘non-breeding’.
Beautiful Gabrielle at the NE Florida nest.
Lots of moss coming in to line that nest! Come on Gabby and V3. We have been waiting for a year…
Lady was at the Superbeaks nest working diligently early this morning.
Intruders being chased off at The Campanile by Lou and Annie. Everyone wants the best penthouse in the City.
The latest migration figures coming from Hawk Mountain in PA.
Want to join the Ventana Wildlife Condor Chat? Last Thursday of every month. There is one on today. Here is the information to join.
There is not a lot going on in Bird World. Eating and growing at Orange and PLO. Hoping at Sydney. Nest building elsewhere while millions and millions of birds continue to migrate. It is a good time to learn some new things or read a good book – or, get out for a walk, call a friend, drink a nice mug of something warm.
This is a video you should watch. It is about Conservation without Borders, Sacha Dench, the Flight of the Osprey — and many other interesting things you might not know about. I really enjoyed it!
I also want to recommend an inspiring book about the rescue rehabilitation and release of a tiny Screech owl. Like Calico and Hope, that owl gave Safina and his family much more than they gave it. The book details the two years that Alfie was part of the family, but it is more than that. It is about how humans relate to the natural world and what we receive when we open ourselves to the possibility of understanding and connecting with another species. It is well-written and personal, and it warmed my heart. Safina put into words some aspects of rescuing Calico and Hope that I wasn’t – and it made me look at their presence in my life differently. I can tell you that I am much richer by their presence and all that they have taught me. Safina learned from Alfie in the same way.
There are good discussions on governments that have given legal standing to rivers and trees as well as the beautiful creatures trying to survive us and our oceans – dolphins, amongst others. There is a frank presentation on the need to cooperate with various agencies for the greater good.
Alfie & Me is another of several wonderful books (and some not so great) written during the pandemic when each of us had time to reflect on our relationship or lack of relationship with nature.
Last, to give you a giggle. I have been surveying the feral male cats that had the potential to be Hope’s father. Hope has the colouring of Calico but her build is definitely not that of Mamma. There are four possibilities: a Ginger, “the boyfriend” – the Black cat with the white boots, a very large White cat with black spots, and a huge tabby. It is silly and trivial but it is amusing me…and, of course, I will never know if I am right or wrong unless there would be a DNA test. I have images of two of the cats – but it is the big white one with the squared-off jaw and busy tail and stout legs – that stands out. He is here at the feeding dish most days. I just have to have the camera ready.
Of course, some of you with studies in genetics might be able to help me figure the out better!
Thank you so much for being with me. Take care, please. I hope that you will be back with us another day.
Thank you so much to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H’, PLO, Sydney Sea Eagles, Judy Harrington, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, FORE, Gary and FORE, Lady Hawk, NEFL-AEF, Superbeaks, SK Hideaways, Hawk Mountain, Ventana Wildlife Society, and Conservation without Borders.
It is currently -1 C on the Canadian Prairies and snow is expected to arrive later today. And so…it begins. Hopefully, we will have spits and starts to winter with some beautiful days full of blue skies and sunshine before the depth of winter sets in.
The news at both Port Lincoln and Sydney is a bit scattered. I put the latest decisions by PLO first and the other news later. It is all good.
I am on a bit of a rant today – leaf blowers. Today, when I travelled to the marsh and then to my daughter’s and home again, at least a third of the homes I saw had people blowing leaves with those noisy machines. It made me go ‘wild’ for a few minutes. What is wrong with having leaves? If someone doesn’t like them scattered over the lawn, then rake them gently into a pile in the corner until next May. You will have benefited the environment and the life of our songbirds. Those noisy leaf blowers – so the leaves under the shrub will move so that the owner can have the ‘perfect’ lawn. Why? And what with the noise?
It is a small way that you can aid in conservation. It costs nothing – not even your energy – to let the leaves sit until the spring! So I am thinking that if the fashion magazines can go from having only 00 models to having real people – young and old – smooth skinned and those with wisdom lines – then maybe those home magazines can go from having flat green lawns aided by toxic chemicals to look healthy and green – to having lawns full of bushes and leaves and no grass (or hardly any). Can you hear me quietly screaming?
Please spread the word. Let us all work together for a healthier planet for all living things. Thank you!
The fear of snow sends everyone outside on the Canadian Prairies if it is a sunny day – and Tuesday was sunny. There was a bit of a brisk wind, and I had my down jacket and toque on, along with a turtle neck sweater hiking boots and big woolly socks. Quite comfy.
The geese are still flying in. There were Canada Geese, Ross’s Geese, Cackling Geese, and Greater White-fronted Geese. There were a number of species of ducks including Gadwalls, Green-wing Teals, Redheads, and Ruddy Ducks.
There were also four Black Terns flitting about one of the ponds, which had hundreds of geese and ducks.
I took my 70-200 mm fast lens – of course, I wish I had taken the big heavy long lens but never mind – you will need to squint. My apologies.
It was simply a fantastic day. There is nothing better to lift one’s spirits after a string of damp grey days than being outside with the birds.
So what is the good news at Port Lincoln? This is going to be out of order but it should put a smile on everyone’s face who reads my blog. You will know that for years we have been calling for supplementary fish at Port Lincoln barge when needed. Much information was sent to various members last year that was collected by myself and I am certain by many others. Well, the response has been positive. ‘H’ put together the chat roll for us:
Fran & Bazz: “After a review of the latest scientific research we have decided this year to provide a small amount of supplementary feed. Generally nest location would make that hard but we have a unique opportunity here. Fish numbers and size are being monitored and we will record any supplementary fish. We know some will disagree with this stance. So today we have taken the failed egg to have examined, removed the plastic and left some fish. Today was unusual in that we had to go on to the barge (5 minutes) for the egg and the plastic that would not normally be the case. Supplementing will be “when we feel it necessary” “
Port_Lincoln Osprey: “This is a difficult decision. Some people are very happy about it, some are not, but we are in an ideal situation where we can feed daily if needed. It will be interesting to see the result.”
This action might have saved Middle’s life last year. We cannot go backwards but this is excellent news moving forwards. Thank you Fran and Bazza.
“Watch carefully. This is how you pluck a Starling.”
At Port Lincoln, the chicks had an early breakfast and what appeared to be a snack a couple of hours later. Dad was over on the ropes and Mum is wanting more fish.
Many have been wondering why Giliath has a name and the second hatch does not. Here is the answer from Bart M, one of the nest/chat moderators:
“We are all waiting for number 2 to be named. Unfortunately that might not happen soon. The process of naming the chicks is very important to Janet: It gives her the chance to honour a person who has contributed to the well being of this nest, or who is just important to her. The name has meaning for the person who she asked to name a chick and is usually gender specific. So sometimes it makes sense to wait until the gender is determined and we are assured the chick has survived.. and that happens at banding in a few weeks. Giliath is a genderless name and therefor it could be given at once, but in hindsight it might have been better to name at a later moment.. and we are sorry if this leads to any confusion. The number 2 chick won’t mind not being named yet though. So.. It could be that a name is decided on before banding, or it could as well be possible that we as a viewer, will have to wait until banding has occurred. I hope you understand and respect this decision. Until then.. we will call it #2, number 2 or Two. Thanks, Bart”
‘A’ sent us a round up of the day’s feedings and a visit from the fish fairy who left gifts when they removed the plastic bag and Dudley: “Little at PLO ate very well today. Dad brought in a whole medium-sized breakfish at 06:36. Little was in front position and mum fed the two chicks alternate bites. Both had a good breakfast. Mum finished off the fish at 06:48. Dad brought in a second fish at 09:12. Mum obscured the beginning of the feeding but when we can see, Little is again in front position and mum is feeding the two alternately. Again, both eat well. At 09:22 Little is tired and takes a break. Mum finishes off the second fish. There are then no fish delivered until a convenient pan of the harbour area shortly before pm. When we return to the barge at 14:58, we see that Dudley and the plastic bag have disappeared from the nest and a feeding is underway. There is a fish in mum’s talons and two dead fish to her right. It seems the ‘fish fairy’ has visited the nest. At this meal, while Giliath remained asleep for the first part of the feeding, Little got really well fed, eating bite after bite. Mum feeds hiim first. He has a build-up of fish on his face by 14:59 but is undeterred and continues to eat. Finally, Giliath wakes up and gets to the table at 15:09. Mum finishes off the third of the supplementary fish at 13:17. At 16:36, Dad brings in his third fish of the day (the sixth, including the three supplementary fish). Yet again, Little has the front position and mum feeds the two osplets alternately. The feed ends at 16:49 with Little in a food coma, and takes away the remainder of the fish. At 16:59 he brings back the leftovers from his dinner and mum starts yet another feeding. AGAIN, Little has front position but is still in a food coma from the previous meal, so Giliath has to eat over the top of it! Eventually,it wakes up but is stuck beneath Giliath and take a while to get out. When it does, it has a few more bites. Both are absolutely stuffed. Mum finishes feeding at 17:11 but hangs onto the fish tail. They still haven’t filled in details on the Obs Board after this time, so it will be worth checking to see whether anything exciting happened in the three hours between 5pm and 8pm. According to the chat, I missed nothing important in this period. At 20:08, dad brings in a piece of fish and mum gives the kids a bit of supper before setting down for what will be a chilly night (the temperatures have suddenly plunged in southern Australia, from 30 degrees two days ago to 14/15C yesterday and today, with commensurately cold overnight temperatures). This pair has had a wonderful eating day, and thanks to the decision regarding the role of the fish fairy this season, it is likely that will continue. I wonder whether the total lack of bonking thus far will last – the reptilian phase approaches rapidly.”
My heart still sinks when I think of the Sea Eaglets but inside all this news is some rays of sunshine – at least for SE32..
‘A’ found the latest news for us (earlier news below): “Wednesday 25 October: more adventures. Neither was seen near the nest on camera in the morning. While searching about in the area for either fledgling, we saw an adult fly in over the nest with prey at 11:13 – circled then left – chased by ravens. Alarm calls indicated one under casuarinas just before that –near where we saw one yesterday, then it flew off. We saw one in the forest, just behind the DC at 11:28, sheltering in the leafy canopy, with lots of swoopers. It flew off strongly – and was then seen flying over Silverwater jail at 11:41. Just before that at 11:40 an adult flew over Silverwater jail as well. We assume we have seen at least one eaglet in that time – flying strongly and seeming to be in contact with parents. Lady brought in a bird to the nest at 12:24 and Dad a fish at 12:57 – both ate their own catch. At 2:14, as I approached the nest tree quietly, thinking no eaglets were there, I saw one sitting on the adjacent camera tree -and backed straight out. We feel this is SE32. Then we were able to capture it on camera, sitting below the nest. Late at 18:19, dad brought in a mullet, which was taken by Lady. We have not seen the eaglets being fed yesterday or today but it is pleasing to know that at least one of them has returned to the nest area. . At dark, both parents were near the nest and we are unsure where the eaglets were.”
Image of eaglet in the branches of the nest tree:
Earlier images.
SP just sent me the latest from Ranger Judy. We are both taking this as good news – the fact that the adult knows where one of the eaglets is!
“We saw an adult fly in over the nest with prey at 11:13 [on 25 Oct], circled, then left – chased by ravens. We thought [there was an eaglet] under casuarinas just before that – then flew off. We saw one in the forest, just behind the DC at 11:28, behind the fire hydrant; flew off strongly, then seen flying over Silverwater jail [at] 11:41. Just before that at 11:40, adult [flew] over Silverwater jail as well. We assume we have seen one eaglet in that time flying strongly and seems to be in contact with parent.”
Gabby and V3 continue to work on their nest.
At the Southwest Florida Eagle Nest of M15 and F23, there appears to be a rush to finish the nest. Will they be the first to lay eggs this season?
Just look at that nest. Quite different than I recall Harriet’s nursery.
Pepe was working at Superbeaks. Gosh, any thoughts on who will have the first egg? Superbeaks or SW Florida?
It is so good to see things getting back to normal with Smitty and Bella after Smitty’s 29 day absence from the nest.
The girls have decided that the house is a good race track for playing chase! No more clear photographs unless they have completely stopped and are asleep or falling asleep. Point the camera and they run!!!!!!!!! Hope then Calico and Missey who stops for a minute to look out the window.
Thank you so much for being with me today. I am over the moon with the change of heart at Port Lincoln. Did the fact that the ospreys are so endangered in Southern Australia and the election of the Green Party to power with its mandate for protecting wildlife not help this situation, along with the tonnes of information sent to PLO after Middle died? Whatever it was – thank you. We can rest assured that the two osplets this year have a fighting chance to get to the fledge line.
Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H, SP’, Baltimore County Master Gardener, USDA, Environment, David Suzuki Foundation, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Sydney Sea Eagles, Sassa Bird, NEFL-AEF, Lady Hawk, Superbeaks, and Deb Stecyk.
Oh, the weather turned on Monday. No sun, just grey skies. In the morning, I could still run outside and put the birdseed out in my slip-on sandals. Then the winds came, the sky turned the deepest dark charcoal in places, and the European Starlings arrived. There were 37 of them! They are heading south, leaving Manitoba, where our temperatures are set to plummet to 0 with snow on Thursday and -5 on Friday, leading up to -10 C in a week. The furnace is on, and it is now time to find those gloves I did not have at the nature centre yesterday! The leaves quickly blew off the trees in the strong wind. They look bare against the sky like some of the drawings that Van Gogh did. Tonight I put out the food for the ‘outdoor’ cats and I was chilled to the bone. So much for winter being far away.
I am so glad that Calico and Hope are inside the house and not outside ‘homeless’.
Look who was preparing to jump into Missey’s basket while she was napping in the conservatory.
At Orange, the eyases, Marri and Barru, are changing rapidly. Notice the pinfeathers that will become their gorgeous tails – their rudders. They have their wing feathers coming in splendidly, and their faces are getting darker!
See the quills. They are called ‘blood feathers’. All of the raptors have them. The eyases will preen, and that preening will help rid the chicks of their white fluff, revealing their juvenile feathers underneath. It will also help break off the shafts from which their feathers are growing.
You can see that all of that baby pink is gone and that gorgeous slate blue-grey coming under their eyes. These chicks look healthy. Their feather development looks spot on.
Soon the white fluff will disappear and these two little ones will look like the great falcons they will become – the fastest birds on the planet (or any animal/bird for that matter)..
‘A’ adds: “At Orange, the cuddle puddle is currently on the near-side wall of the scrape, in front of the Cilla Stones. They both got up off their tarsi and tried walking today, a skill young Barru is mastering more quickly than his older sister Marri. So cute. Here are the time stamps for the day. PREY 08:33:36, 10.37.11, 17:13:37, 18:08:20 FEED 08:33 (X & D), 10.37, 17:14, 18:09 XAVIER GUARD 16:16:01. HIGHLIGHTS: 13:24 chicks up close; 13:44:27 Marri walking; 14:05:46 Barru face plants; 15:24:41 Barru sleep kicks Marri; 15:45:33 Marri standing next to D; 16:28:27 Barru walks.”
At Port Lincoln, the two eyases have eaten well with both having nice crops from several feedings and a half a fish sitting on the nest. The wind is picking up.
The pair wanted fish at 0738. Mum made four feedings out of the single breakfast fish. She knows how to keep them satisfied but yet safe on fish if she thinks the deliveries could be short.
Both of them know to open those mouths made so Mum knows they want fish. The remaining egg is a Dudley – thank goodness. Two is plenty.
You can see that both chicks have nice crops. If you look close, you can also see that their down is beginning to disappear, and sadly, we are going to be in the reptile phase shortly. I dislike it immensely as it is often the time when one or another becomes more aggressive.
Concerns over Giliath being out of the nest bowl. They cannot regulate their temperature yet.
Heidi made two videos of Giliath exploring and another longer one of the last feeding of the day! Thanks, H. There are so few videos of the Port Lincoln Nest – much appreciated!
Mum is good to feed the little one equally.
At 0659 Lady flew into the WBSE nest with a fish. There were no fledglings and Lady ate the fish. She was still there at 0740 (eating slow) hoping that one of her babies, 31 or 32, would fly in for a meal. It did not happen. She waited some more. As she sat on the branch looking out into the forest Dad flew by. Was he looking for the fledglings too? Have the Currawong now driven them from the forest? or did they fly out of their own accord? We wait for that answer to be revealed. I was so hopeful since they were returning to the nest. My heart has now sunk down to my toes and I feel nauseous. By 0840, no one is at the nest tree.
Sadly, my concerns for the sea eaglets has played out yet another year. It is heart breaking.
‘A’ sent the official news at WBSE: “The sea eagles report for the day (23 October) is as follows, confirming that both eaglets have now left the immediate area. October 24: 32 again slept on PB close to nest, 31 nearby. Very early both flew off out of camera range. When Dad brought in a leatherjacket early at 6:44, neither eaglet responded and Dad ate it himself. Lady brought in a gull at 7:43 and again ate it herself. The Annual Bird survey team spotted one eaglet in a tree in the buffer zone – safe but away from the nest. During the later morning, Lady was seen high near the nest, but the eaglets still out of camera range. We went looking for 32 and saw it on the ground – being swooped by currawongs and ravens, even pulling its tail. It then flew strongly over a fence and then over another fence into the forest. Away from the nest, safe and uninjured. We could not see 31 and did not go near the nest, fearing disturbing it. Late in the day we received 2 reports that an eaglet had been seen flying across the Armory not far from the Discovery Centre. As Rohan could still see the first we had found, we now know that both fledglings have left the nest area. So when Dad brought in a bird around 6:30pm, neither eaglet was home and he ate it himself. We shall be watching around the whole area carefully for any sign of our fledglings. Stay safe and strong.”
Jackie and Shadow show that team work can help move some big sticks about at their nest in Big Bear Valley.
Here comes Jackie to help Shadow! Look at those magnificent pine cones.
Redding Eagle Lovers. Liberty and Guardian are back! News about when the camera will be up and some images and discussion with Gary.
M15 and F23 are busy as well!!!!!!
F23 laid in her new nest for the first time – the event captured by Lady Hawk. So will this couple be the first with eggs in the nest? Could be.
Gabby and V3 have been working on their nest. Someone suggested Gabby might start giving him a right kick like Harriet did to M15! We shall see.
Nest checks were going on at Dulles-Greenway.
Thank goodness there are two cameras at Superbeaks. Pepe and Muhlady are getting those rails and that moss so high you can hardly see them when they are in the nest!
Anna appears to be sleeping in the KNF-E-1 nest Monday night.
I missed getting a screen capture of them, but Hope and Chandler were both at Port Tobacco on Monday.
The new male at Pittsburgh-Hayes has been working on the nest.
No one should be travelling to Malta. Letters should be going out demanding the Maltese government stop the loopholes in the laws that allow poachers to kill migrating birds. These poor babies struggle to survive and then when they almost reach Africa they get shot. It is despicable.
More about the illegal loopholes that allow the poaching of migratory birds in Malta.
Last. It is not a story about birds going extinct or Avian Flu but about a cat that was lost and found 11 years later…and love. To put a smile on your face.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please keep WBSE 31 and 32 in your thoughts and send them positive energy. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H’, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, Heidi Mc, Sydney Sea Eagles, Judy Harrington, FOBBV, Gary and FORE, Lady Hawk, NEFL-AEF, SK Hideaways, Dulles-Greenway, Superbeaks, KNF E-1, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Pix Cams, Birdlife Malta, M Conservation News, and The Guardian.
