Category Archives: Orange Australia

Monday in Bird World

18 November 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

We hope that you had a lovely weekend and that your week will be full of wonderful moments, smiles, laughs, and the sounds of birds.

Baby Hope sends you a nose rub!

The sky is a bright white-grey. The bare branches of the Maple trees against that ‘cold’ sky look like Victorian ‘shadow portraits’ without the humans. The garden animals are scurrying about getting their peanuts hidden and the oil seed eaten in case the drizzle gets heavier. Brock was waiting for me when I pulled the curtain back on the garden door at 1000. He stood on his hind legs with his front paws touching the glass. He is getting more trusting. His heated house arrives on Monday, just in time for the snow we expect on Wednesday. I sure hope it is easy to assemble. When was it that items had to be assembled? We seem to always get things that have the holes for the screws in the wrong place! Has this happened to you?

We made a wood fire today. It makes the house so cosy. After several years, it is now time to order firewood. I was so lucky to find someone near to where I live that sells oak. It gives off good heat and, thankfully, I learned when I was firing wood kilns, how to start the fire and keep it burning. The Oak along with some Poplar will arrive on Thursday evening. We will be busy trying to get it inside the back fence – the rest of the week will be stacking. It shouldn’t take long, but it will be cold and could be wet. There are some really beautiful firewood racks – rectangular are the traditional ones, but someone has designed some 70 inch round ones that are stunning. I think we will just stack the 1.5 cords on the deck loose! Little Red has the wood box. :)))))))))

‘The Girls’ are afraid of the fire. This is a good thing. They are, however, washing themselves after having their seared salmon and they are enjoying the warmth that only the Jotul stove can provide. Calico is on top of the dining table rolling back and forth upside down. She is so happy. If I go to take her photo, she will stop (of course!).

Oh, Calico kept doing it! Oh, I love this girl. Her fur is so white and thick and those legs of hers are strong. Baby Hope is just like her.

Meanwhile, I had to call Brock this evening. He appeared within a minute with his paws on the glass garden door, again. Wonder when he will learn to turn the knob and come in?

One of our readers, ‘EJ’ took this beautiful image of Double-Crested Cormorants at the Tensaw River, Alabama, at the Blakely Historic State Park. Thank you for sharing with us. ‘EJ’ noted that it was 80 F. Oh, how wonderful. It is 1 C or 33.8 F.

All About Birds describes Double-crested Cormorants this way: “Double-crested Cormorants are colonial waterbirds that seek aquatic bodies big enough to support their mostly fish diet. However, they may roost and form breeding colonies on smaller lagoons or ponds, and then fly up to 40 miles to a feeding area. In addition to fishing waters, cormorants need perching areas for the considerable amount of time they spend resting each day. After fishing, cormorants retire to high, airy perches to dry off and digest their meals—rocks, wires, tops of dead trees, ship masts. They tend to form breeding colonies in clusters of trees in or near water. After a while, masses of cormorant guano may kill these trees and the trees may topple, at which point the cormorants may switch to nesting on the ground.”

Here is a species spotlight: https://youtu.be/_lLYHz4cnUw?

There has been angst and even killings between fishers and the Cormorants despite their protected migratory species – just like our ospreys that often fish at the fish farms.

Emergence Magazine included a story in their e-mail today, which I hope you will enjoy. This is the synopsis: “In this piece, writer Robert Moor journeys to Haida Gwaii, an island chain in British Columbia, for the anniversary of a historic agreement between the Haida Nation and the Canadian government that protects the landscape’s last remaining old-growth forests after decades of reckless logging precipitated by colonialism. To honor the occasion, a totem pole—carved from a towering red cedar—is raised under Haida leadership on Gwaii Haanas for the first time in 130 years. Walking through a forest stewarded for generations, Robert begins to see the tangle of Sitka spruces and cedars, mosses and lichens, not as a site of slow decay, but of ongoing growth. Standing in the presence of ancient trees, we can feel, rather than intellectualize, he says, not only the deep past, but also our responsibility to the future.”

Dendrochronology – Robert MoorDownload

Each day, I wake up hoping that ordinary humans, far from politicians and industry, can make the changes that will give our beloved wildlife a chance to adapt, live, and not starve in the nest. It can feel frustrating, but we have to hope.

I dreamed about Yira last night. Is this one of the adults with Yira flying around the tower? https://youtu.be/6hrNJESmrXs?

Parents should use prey drops while in flight—either dead or injured prey—as a teaching tool. Diamond and Xavier did this on camera above the tower several days ago before Yira fledged. They will also work on Yira’s flight training to build her strength.

Xavier and Diamond have been bonding in the scrape. https://youtu.be/5pfk6Q2DS1w?

Xavier arrived in the scrape with prey but left immediately. https://youtu.be/06ZektciLHM?

On the other hand, we know that the third hatch at Melbourne did not stay attached to F23’s talon but could fly away on her own. Here is the view of the last fledge at the Melbourne scrape from an adjacent building. Enjoy. https://youtu.be/1K4s90IkRkY?

It is a weighty tome, but Richard Sale’s book, Falcons, is an excellent volume on your bookshelf if you need one of the best reference books. Excellent background information and in-depth material on Peregrines, Kestrels, Hobbies, and Merlins exist.

The cam operator at Port Lincoln gave us some amazing close ups of Wilko and Kasse. Those juvenile feathers are stunning.

This year is very different. Mum is fishing off the barge to feed herself and the kids. She is doing a great job! I wonder why she didn’t do this in earlier years? But, regardless of the reason, she is intent on feeding her hungry kids and herself if Dad isn’t having any luck.

OK. Dad came in with a whole fish at 1234. Thanks Dad – . There is plenty of time for more.

I love the white outline of the grey-brown juvenile feathers. Wilko and Kasse will keep this distinctive ‘look’ for 3-6 months after fledging so that they can easily be recognized as recent fledglings/juveniles as opposed to adults.

Look at those beautiful eyes. The iris is a beautiful amber colour that will change to yellow when Wilko and Kasse are adults. Did you know that this iris is more red-orange in the ospreys hatched in the US?

I got a little carried away. They are so beautiful.

The news at Sydney is thin. No update on SE34.

Jackie and Shadow. Sticks. Love. Snow. https://youtu.be/ifpOijoG_IQ?

Thunder and Akecheta were at the West End nest on Sunday! So nice to see them, just like Jackie and Shadow.

Beau on the branch above the NE Florida nest he shares with Gabby early Sunday morning.

Eagles at Denton Homes.

We no longer need to wonder who is taking the turtle shells from E1 in the Kistachie National Forest! https://youtu.be/7ZozS0pmYrg?

Scout comes to the NCTC nest on Sunday! https://youtu.be/Zq4P3POFwmc?

Rabbit dinners and pond baths are the order of the day at SW Florida. https://youtu.be/RPKXJ13u024?

Illegal laundering of the sale of Peregrine Falcons? Wife is part of the police force? Oh, the webs that are woven to stop the protection of raptors.

Fraud charge dropped_ The weird case of WPC Suzanne Hall, wife & mother of convicted peregrine launderers. – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Are the Red Squirrels of England at risk of dying off?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/16/red-squirrels-to-vanish-from-england-unless-vaccine-against-squirrelpox-funded?CMP=share_btn_url

Annie and Archie always put a smile on our face! https://youtu.be/jfzQtDwfCp0?

‘J’ reminds us that this is the very last few days to adopt a Kakapo if you were thinking about it.

And if also were thinking about donating so Ventana Wildlife and the California Condors can double their money, here is the information.

Please look at Cheryl’s comment in the WordPress ‘comments’ section of my blog. She notes an eagle at the Mississippi Flyway that has only one leg and is doing fine. She also noted Alden who was our Super Hero at Cal Falcons and was ‘disabled’ but was an amazing hunter. Then there is Ma Berry – and others. It was about my comment that I felt Garrama was not given a chance to see what he could do citing our new vet who believes little is known about wildlife and that we should try and allow them to have a life.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘C, EJ, J’, Emergence Magazine, All About Birds, Key West Tropical Forest and Garden, Birdie Cam, Birding Life & More, Richard Sale, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Judy Harrington, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore.org, NEFL-AEF, Deb Stecyk, Androcat, Denton Homes, Kistachie National Forest, Raptor Persecution UK, The Guardian, SK Hideaways, Kakapo Recovery, Ventana Wildlife and Monterey County Gives.

Sunday in Bird World

17 November 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Two of my four-legged friends who simply light up my day and like those nature walks, they ease some of the worry and challenges. Today, we are worried about Yira who has not been seen in the area since she fledged. This is not good. Why is there not an army searching for her?

Please note: FB has taken down my posts with titles so I am leaving this one plain, but I am sending it out Saturday night because of the issues with Yira and the third chick at Melbourne.

Latest news: The third hatch at Melbourne’s CBD is off the ledge. SK Hideaway has it and Victor Hurley has some remarks. https://youtu.be/2oodK8fVc30?

They love each other sooooo much.

We have cut our feed at X and are at Bluesky. Come and join us there. Give our osprey and friends some likes! @ospreylover.bsky.social

Thanks to our friends in Colorado for the Colorado Low that is set to bring the first snow to Southern Manitoba in 2024. Most of the time when we think of a Colorado Low, we think of a big snow dump. This time it seems we might just get a dusting in Winnipeg. Will keep you posted.

The feeding area for the outdoor cats is nearly complete. To help them through the winter, particularly Brock (the name pulled out of the hat for the outdoor kitty formerly known as The Boyfriend). This morning, he was shivering under one of the patio chairs, waiting for me to wake up enough to put out food. Any remaining foxes or raccoons clear all of the dishes and plates during the night. It has a heated floor which surely will make a huge difference and thankfully one of the two outdoor plugs is very close to where we would put the house. I got the larger size as he dismissed the shelter made for him out of the bins. He might have felt frightened he would be trapped.

If you are interested, my friend ‘S’ sent me this rating chart this morning before I ordered Brock’s heated house. Did you know that Brock is the Old English name for a badger. It kinda fits since they are both black and white.

Our Top 5 Feral Cat Shelter – True Winners Of 2024Download

The other things that we have done to get prepared for winter’s arrival and, oh, gosh, we wish it would wait a few weeks, is to gather up all the toques, scarves, mitts, woolen socks, and heavy boots. They are all ready to go so that we can venture out on our walks in the snow.

Then, after reading a story in The Guardian this morning, Calico and I thought that we should order some books to ready. As many of you are aware, Calico has had ‘story time’ since before I got her into the house. I used to sit on the deck and read and then, when she came inside and was in the small room, I would read to her every time I fed her. If you are trying to socialise a cat it is a wonderful way to get them used to your voice. She has her favourite authors and we read every evening for an hour. It is our ritual and all the others join in, just like children around a fire. It is one of the most beautiful times of the day. The four of them morph into something other than independent felines.

The article we read was about Ronald Blythe, the nature writer from Essex and how is little home is being turned into a sanctuary for education and writers. I am unfamiliar with his work, but after finding good used copies, Calico and I decided to give four of the titles a chance: Akenfield, Portrait of an English Village; Under a Broad Sky, Stout Seasons, and Next to Nature. I do hope she likes his ‘voice’. Calico is very particular and will walk right out of the room. Those books do not get Calico’s Golden Paw Award!

Here is the article about Ronald Blythe. It is inspiring me to think about a small urban house being used for research and writing after I am gone with the proviso that the animals are fed! Now isn’t that a thought?

‘A force for everything he represented’: Ronald Blythe’s home to become nature reserve. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/16/ronald-blythe-home-nature-reserve-akenfield?CMP=share_btn_url

The smile on the face of Mum at Port Lincoln is that she dove from the barge and caught a very very early fish for the kids. Look at the time on the obs board below. Then Dad came in with a fish later from Mum, Wilko, and Kasse. Yes, I am smiling. Mum sure told Dad what for – get off your talons and get these kids some food!!!!!!!!!

That was a really nice fish that Mum caught. I hope she gives some lessons to the kids early on – wow. Could we see them fish off the barge? We used to watch Falkey, do you remember?

Dad incoming! Everyone was doing the talon dance in anticipation of the arrival of another fish.

The third hatch, a nice big female from the looks of it, at 367 Collins Street loafing and looking after trying to scale the side of the building earlier.

She had breakfast at 0620 and then went about her antics. She looks just like Mum save for that one big dandelion on her head. What a healthy eyas – one really ready to get out in the world. I am glad she is waiting, but it looks like she could fly any moment. The time is 0827 in Melbourne on Sunday the 17th.

At Orange, Diamond was on the ledge of the scrape looking out. Is she looking for Yira? Xavier was there, too, at different times.

They are looking for Yira and this makes me incredibly sad. There have been no alarm calls or anything from the parents indicating the presence of their oldest chick who fledge. I am so nervous.

Did you miss Bubba’s fledge at Growing Home? https://youtu.be/-9yBFAZHAi4?

After the extremely sad and disappointing news from ospreys being shot because they are hungry and need some fish, I asked my UK friends to send me instances of where individuals, groups, of businesses have worked to help the osprey. Jeff Kear sent me one of the first. Thank you, Jeff.

One of the others was in a blog a few days ago. You will recall that Iris’s owl pole had to be cut down. But another was put up for Iris and Finnegan and they began to put the lines below ground to help saves the raptors from getting electrocuted.

In the UK, most people know that at Gwash, they discovered that trying to earn a living selling farmed fish was difficult. So instead of fighting with the ospreys who wanted some of the fish in the ponds, Gwash set up a hide for photographers who come from around the world to capture images of osprey catching fish! Maybe our friends in the US might do that instead of shooting them.

There are some people who care about the condition of nests enough to get a ladder and put some wonderful nesting material there for the birds. It wasn’t long after the straw was put in that Friday the stork showed up! Some centres, like Glaslyn, regularly refurbish the nests and check them for safety before the birds return.

Hochstadt, Germany.

Thanks to Tonya Irvin who caught one of those golden moments – looks like a successful mating at NE Florida with Gabby and Beau.

M15 delivered his beautiful mate a rabbit dinner. https://youtu.be/btFrkKxm_0k?

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘EJ, JK, SC’, The Guardian, Port Lincoln Ospreys, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Heidi McGrue, Lyn Brenig, Hochstadt Stork Cam, Tonya Irwin and the NEFL-AEF, Androcat and SW Florida Eagle Cam

Saturday in Bird World

16 November 2024

Hello!

Friday was spent forest bathing and spending time with my closest friend who suddenly lost her husband in the summer. It was a great day to be outside. The temperature was 10 C and there was no wind. Only clear blue sky. Walking in nature and feeding birds can transform you. Please, please, get out in nature especially when you are feeling overwhelmed. It really helps. And be mindful, the full moon is here.

The sun setting.

There are some wonderful videos of Yira’s fledge and some flying around campus. You need to see them! The top one is Yira flying on the campus taken by the Falcon Cam Project:

https://youtu.be/5dKYGbmQA0s?

The second is a great multiple view of Yira’s fledge by SK Hideaways. It is dedicated to Garrama.

https://youtu.be/MHlZqxPFG3w?

And another from the Falcon Cam Project of Yira flying over the tower. https://youtu.be/vZs9BbeE5Js?

It was nearing 1530 on Saturday and Wilko had some small fish early but Kasse had nothing. Will the fish fairies arrive?

No fish came but the little twiddler and Kasse had nothing on Saturday. Then the rain came. Not good. Let’s hope that there is a nest of fish when they wake up so that no one gets stressed.

At the same time, there was remaining on the ledge of 367 Collins Street the last hatch waiting to fledge.

The latest from Judy Harrington:

The fledgling, Bubba, at the Growing Home osprey nest near Sydney had a flight and returned to the nest. S/he is a gorgeous healthy osprey.

Sad news coming from ‘EJ’. Maybe everyone should tell this hatchery that its counterparts in the UK either allow people to take photos of the ospreys fishing and make more money (Gwash is a great example) or some allow the birds to eat!

‘EJ’ wrote: https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/audubon-society-sues-federal-government-for-wiping-out-osprey-birds-at-state-fish-hatchery

“The fish hatchery is 220 acres with 49 ponds to raise fish for sport fishing.
Maybe they should have to watch an osplet starving to death in its nest.”

‘J’ sent us Rita the Eagle’s Fun Fact Friday from Rita’s FB page. Check it out and send Rita a message and tell her how much you miss her!

We have some great news from Hob Osterlund with the Laysan Albatross in Kauai’, Hawaii:

Just a short catch up this morning because I did not include some of the Yira videos last evening. Thank you for being with us! Take care.

Have a great weekend. Thank you for your happy moments. They are coming through slowly in the blog.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘EJ, J, SP’, SK Hideaways, Judy Harrington and the Olympic Park Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Port Lincoln Ospreys, ktvg.com, Rita the Eagle, Hob Osterlund.

Yira fledges…15 November 2024

Good Evening Everyone,

There is some news coming in after I was away for all the day so I am sending out what would be my Saturday newsletter Friday evening.

Yira fledged at 0734. Prior to this, the female 2024 hatch of Xavier and Diamond had been ‘losing’ it in the scrape box. She was running, pulling at fluff, flapping her wings, and attacking the parents. She watched them fly and lure her. And she appeared to fly well. Here are some images from before that first flight:

The moment before she flew. She is strong and determined. It looked like the best fledge. Go girl!

Send good wishes for her survival!

Here is the video: https://youtu.be/igkrrKnhMjI?

There was a parent in pursuit as Yira flew down over the trees and circled back.

A magnificent flight!

It is Friday, and it is time for the second instalment of the Poole Harbour 2024 year for CJ7 and Blue 022 and their four chicks!!!!!!! https://youtu.be/HTsguUDXPPs?

It was historic. Never in the last 600 years did they have four chicks in an osprey nest in Poole and it is rare in other parts of the UK as well. It is also a challenge for all four to survive. CJ7 and Blue 022 worked together from the start to provide fish for this fast growing family. In the middle of the screen with its soft down – ever so tiny 5H6 – aside its big siblings already into the Reptilian phase. No one believed 5H6 would survive, but survive she did. What a scrapper.

I get lots of news. Many are from wildlife rehabilitation clinics that have patients that have survived or died. They send reminders for us and the first one is from World Bird Sanctuary in St Louis. It is still migration – we still have birds here to leave – and they have had so many window collisions. Please spread the word:

Window strikes are one of the most common causes of injury we see in our patients and are responsible for the deaths of millions of birds each year. Depending on the current lighting and angle, windows can look like more sky or a reflection of the surrounding woods rather than the hazard they are. You can help prevent window strikes by putting anti-collision decals on your windows. These decals are minimally visible to humans but reflect UV light making them more visible to birds. They are now available in a huge range of designs so you can choose a pattern that suits your style. Click the button below to see the various types of decals.

If you witness a bird colliding with a window, swiftly containing it is crucial for its survival. Many birds seem to recover and fly away shortly after the impact, only to succumb to their injuries days later. Gently place the bird in a box or pet carrier and keep it in a quiet, dark area while reaching out to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Even if the bird appears uninjured, a licensed rehabber can treat hidden injuries and monitor its recovery to ensure it’s safe for release.

California Condors are always on my mind. So few people are making such a huge difference to increase the numbers of these very endangered carrion eaters. The Ventana Wildlife Society has a fundraiser where every dollar you send is matched with some more on top of that. Here is the letter from the Director with the information in case you are interested.

Help Save the California CondorDownload

At Collins Street, F23 spent the night with her last remaining chick in the scrape. https://youtu.be/3KDeB74gSZg?

Oh, dear. Mum brought in a tiny little part of a fish early on Saturday and by noon Dad had brought nothing. Fish Fairies please come! Kasse had none.

A reminder from Toronto.

One of my favourite wildlife rehabbers in the world – A Place Called Hope. It reminded me that we must have hope and believe in the birds. I wish someone had believed that Garrama had something to give to the world. Why isn’t there a service that addresses the right of physically challenged raptors like we have for people? (A reminder to put Garrama on the Memorial Wall – oh, geese. That is hard!)

Beau and Gabby continue to discuss the comfort of their nest in Northeast Florida.

Thank you so much for being with us today. ‘The Girls’ are all fine. Hugo Yugo recovered completely and is now trying to find the next string, cord, or cable that she could chew and swallow so she would get all the attention again! The Boyfriend has much competition. We watch for him to get his bowl outside but there are now 8 cats at the feeder, an increase in a week of three. The Starlings are still here along with the Crows and Blue Jays, but not as many Sparrows. They still keep me busy – and of course, smiling. We walked today in the forest with the chickadees and took my good friend with us. It is always a treat. At the end of doing that ‘forest bathing’ there is nothing in our minds but happiness and hope.

Take care everyone. I will be back Sunday morning.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post: ‘A, J’, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways, Birds of Poole Harbour, World Bird Sanctuary, Kelly Sorenson and Ventana Wildlife Society, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Port Lincoln Osprey Cam, Bart M for the Obs Board at PLO, Toronto Wildlife Centre, A Place Called Hope, NEFL-AEF.

Avalon chick fledges

15 November 2024

Good Morning,

This is just a quick check-in. My inbox was packed this morning. Thank you for all the good news stories I will organize and share with everyone over the next few days.

The Avalon Chick aka Bubba at Growing Home has fledged. S/he was 60 days old. Heidi has it on video: https://youtu.be/-9yBFAZHAi4?

Check out the video to see this chick return safely. Did Dad bring a congratulatory gift? Find out.

Rutland Water facilities damaged during attempted robbery.

Remember that today is the last day for donations to the GoFundMe for Iris. This has been a resounding success as has the pen sales. There will be note cards and other items as fundraisers shortly. Keep checking the Montana Osprey Cam FB page. I will also post.

Cute little Takahe chicks, once extinct, in New Zealand give hope to the population.

At Port Lincoln supplementary fish were delivered by the Fish Fairy. ‘A’ reports: “Four supplementary fish were delivered at 16:02 (just over an hour ago) after an otherwise lean day at Port Lincoln. What a difference the security of that knowledge has made at this nest. Both parents have worked hard, and they are certainly not lolling about because of the Fish Fairy. Those beautiful osplets deserve to fledge as healthy youngsters and if the parents need a little help, it’s not because they have not been trying their best.”

If you wish to donate to the Fish Fairy, please follow this link to the website of the Friends of Osprey South Australia. Calico decided to give her holiday money for fish for Wilko and Kasse. Way to go Calico!

Friends of Osprey is a South Australian conservation group focused on protecting and growing the population of Osprey in South Australia. Visit the website at https://friendsofosprey.com.au

The latest on the Olympic Park Sea Eagles from Ranger Judy:

At Orange, Diamond slept on the ledge of the box while Yira is on the Cilla Stones. Send positive wishes to this sweet little one for its survival after post-fledge. Diamond and Xavier worked so hard. They deserve one strong chick to train and send off into the world.

Ever wonder how many prey items Peregrine Falcons eat and their chicks? The moderators at 367 Collins Street have already produced the fact sheet for 2024!

FFS 20-24 Diet of Peregrine FalconsDownload

As so many of you have said – summarized: It has been a tragic year. Let’s hope the Bald Eagles fare better.

I am writing our new wildlife vet from Arizona to see if she can point my nose in the direction of the latest research. I will share whatever I discover with you.

And on that note and still with a heavy heart about Garrama, I will close for today. We are going for a long walk in the forest after we feed all the outdoor animals. Our minds need cleansing! Take care everyone. See you tomorrow.

Thank you to ‘A, H’, Growing Home, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, Judy Harrington, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam Project, Victor Hurley and the moderators at 367 Collins Street Falcon Project.

Friday in Bird World

15 November 2024

Good Morning,

I had not intended to write a blog today and I am actually sending this out before it is midnight on Thursday. It has been a very long day with many challenges. My arm and hand are, however, healing and I appreciate all your good wishes. Those gel bandages do the thing. Some people asked and the brand name here in Canada is NuSkin.

All of us are very saddened by the death of Garrama. It comes so quick on the back of Nox and SE24 that we feel gutted still. In many ways, I see a huge cultural divide in attitudes. There are so many rehabbers in North America who might have given Garrama a chance to be an ambassador bird or to have at least seen what this lovely little falcon could do. Several persons from Europe and the US wrote to me with examples of birds that were deemed unable to fly or walk, but who are doing precisely that right now. They stressed, as I do, that it takes the right person who looks beyond. I was so pleased this year when I visited our wildlife rehabilitation centre with the new vet from Arizona. Her attitude is – attitudes are changing and there is not enough research into wildlife rehabilitation. The focus for vets earlier was farm animals, then pets, and now wildlife. Indeed, there are few qualified wildlife rehabilitation vets. She says as a science and as vets, they don’t know enough and there is still the need for much more research. She is the first one to let the 3 legged turtle live its life in the wild. She said she admired how it figured out how to do things to survive. There were many other creatures with only 3 legs that were given the chance, too, including a deer who can run and eat with the bet of them now. So, I wish that Garrama had a rehabber who saw the potential not the problem. There, that is said. I am not a vet and I am not a wildlife rehabber, but I like the attitude of our young vet from Arizona at Wildlife Haven who says we don’t know enough and we need to give the animals a chance to show us what they can do.

Cilla Kinross has posted a statement with his x-ray showing the deformity of the spine – and it is clearly deformed. Here it is:

Garrama euthanased – FalconcamDownload

Victor Hurley has posted some information about the third hatch at 367 Collins Street.

That youngest one is flapping and hopping and got up to Mum’s perch. https://youtu.be/QhqYms8SUjI?

Mum brought in a huge pigeon for her third hatch to pluck and eat. She is preparing it for its life in the wilds of Melbourne.

Dr Greene is reminding everyone that if they want to get in on the Crowdfund raising, 15 November – today – is the last day.

This video by Heidi of Wilko and Kasse trying to self-feed on the fish left by the fairies is simply too funny. https://youtu.be/o5UdX2lc9zo?s

It sure is a good thing Mum is around.

Today they are practicing on some nesting material.

SE33 is resting and recovering according to Ranger Judy who uses the pronoun ‘he’.

Please send me some good news!

In Scotland, every attempt to protect wildlife seems to fall flat. “NatureScot, a government agency, has decided to greatly reduce the area of land affected by a new licensing regime for grouse moors after legal threats from shooting estates and land owners.”

Scottish conservation agency accused of undermining law to protect birds of prey. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/14/wildlife-charities-call-on-scottish-government-to-close-loophole-in-law-on-protected-birds?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you for being with me for this short update. Let us all send positive wishes to the two eyases left to fledge – Yira at Orange and the third hatch at Melbourne – as well as to SE33 who we hope to hear will be trained to fly and hunt and eventually released into the wild. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: Holly Parsons, Cilla Kinross, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street, Montana Osprey Cam and Dr Erick Greene, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Heidi McGrue, and The Guardian.

Garrama

14 November 2024

Hello Everyone,

As you know, Garrama was grounded after fledgling at 39 days (a bit early but in the range but, still…). It rained. Garrama was seen by a staff member. The following day, Dr Cilla Kinross retrieved Garrama and took a small pair of scissors and cut off the remaining sheaths on his tail feathers. The elimination of these is normally done by preening. A call went in to have Garrama checked by a wildlife specialist.

The sheaths remaining on the tail feathers look like plastic. See the two below.

Thank you to Holly Parsons and Dr Cilla Kinross.

Garrama goes into care…Thursday in Bird World

14 November 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

First up the latest on Garrama:

The following information has been provided by my friend, Holly Parsons, who has been following Cilla Kinross’s comments in the chat The latest news on Garrama is that he has been taken into care. Holly wrote me earlier that Cilla Kinross had located Garrama and was able to hold him and remove the sheaths from his tail feathers. As we know, if you can hold a raptor without them tearing off your arm, they are not well. Kinross contacted WIRES for advice.

I am over the moon. Garrama fledged early and the weather almost immediately turned to rain with possible thunderstorms. I cannot tell you how my heart sank in those circumstances. In the past, similar combinations have resulted in the death of the fledgling. So now Garrama will have a chance!

It was a drizzly Wednesday morning on the Canadian Prairies. The bare trees, grey sky, and snow north of us were enough to send us walking in the Chickadee forest while we could.

I just love these little songbirds. They are so precious. It is hard to imagine that stay in Manitoba even in the coldest of winters.

I am so glad that we did that!

Around 1800, I accidentally tipped over a pot of boiling water on my right hand and part of my right arm. Calico will provide you with tips on what to do if this happens to you, but for now, I’m keeping this post brief. I’ll be taking a day off to allow my injuries to heal.

In Bird World:

Good news coming from Montana. Thank you, Dr Greene!

Dad came in with a small partial fish (an appetizer for the two kiddos and Mum) at around 0629 at Port Lincoln. The local herons had been fishing off the barge and walking around with their catch. I wish they had given it to Wilko and Kasse. Maybe the Fish Fairies will come today.

Wilko did some hovers. Everyone is guessing their genders. What do you think? I am going to vote for Wilko as a male and Kasse as a female.

It is now past 1300 and no other delivery but that tiny partial fish. I hope the fairies come or one of the adults gets a big fish on the nest to these cuties.

Would you like to guess the gender of Wilko and Kasse? If you want to, then you must put your guess in the chat in this format: Gender guess: Wilko XXXX, Kasse XXXX.

Yira is 41 days old and would benefit from a few more days in the scrape. Seriously, the longer they stay at home the more success they have in the wild. They are just that bigger – and hopefully full when they fly in case they don’t get fed right away.

Yira had a prey delivery and Garrama has been seen and the staff member at Orange said they were doing well. That is excellent news.

The oldest from Orange:

There is only one eyas left on the ledge at Melbourne. One flew, the other fludged, and is believed to have righted itself. Images of remaining falcon and video of the fledge! https://youtu.be/MoyS1jlbgd8?

A note from Victor Hurley:

I asked AI to provide me with information on the survival rate of fledgling falcons in urban areas. This is what AI generated:

“Peregrine falcons can survive well in cities, and some say New York City has the largest urban population of the species. Here are some factors that help peregrine falcons survive in cities: 

  • Nesting: Peregrines nest on ledges of tall buildings, such as church towers. These ledges are similar to the cliff faces and rock outcrops that peregrines would naturally use for nesting. 
  • Food: Peregrines feed on the large populations of pigeons and starlings in cities.They dive and catch their prey in mid-air. 
  • Fewer predators: Peregrines have few predators in urban areas. In remote areas, great horned owls, martins, and some snakes prey on young falcons. 
  • Nest boxes: Nest boxes can help reduce weather-related mortality. 
  • Rescue: Rescuing grounded fledglings can increase survival. 

Some other things to know about peregrine falcons include:

  • Peregrines are known for their fast flying, diving at speeds of over 200 mph. 
  • The most common cause of death for peregrines is exposure to wet and/or cold weather when they are very young. 
  • Collisions with human structures and vehicles are another common cause of death for peregrines in human environments. “

Post-fledge survival and dispersal of peregrine falcon chicks – some information you might find interesting despite it coming from a different region.

Post-fledging Survival and Dispersal of Peregrine Falcons DuringDownload

It is more detailed, more scientific, but some of you will appreciate this article on how falcons choose breeding spots with the question of urban versus rural.

Breeding habitat, peregrine falconDownload

There has been no word on the state of WBSE 33 who is in care.

Do you live in Northumberland?

It made my heart skip a beat and put a big smile on my face! Big Red was spotted. Her and Arthur should be checking the nest soon if they already haven’t.

Another smile from EJ: https://www.thedodo.com/daily-dodo/climber-sees-wings-trapped-under-a-boulder-and-saves-majestic-animals

Calico’s Tip. If you spill boiling water anywhere on you, the first thing you need to do is to begin running cold water over the burned area. Leave the water running for 20 minutes or until the ‘burn feeling’ has gone away. Then get plastic wrap (Glad Wrap, Cling Film, etc) and wrap the burned area. This is to stop any infection. If you have any blisters, do not pop them. Take something for pain. If you are concerned, seek medical attention particularly if you have blisters. Blisters means that the burn has gone deeper.

Thank you for being with us. Please take care. I will see you on Sunday morning!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘EJ’, Holly Parsons, Montana Osprey Cam, Port Lincoln Osprey Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Victoria Hurley, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Holly Parsons, AI, Digital Commons, Journal of Urban Ecology, RSPB Birders, Cornell Hawk Chatters, The Dodo

Wildlife Updates: Eagle Nests and Osprey News-Wednesday in Bird World

13 November 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

The first thing. WBSE33 is thin but no fractures and will do well. Relief. But, how many of you remember Daisy the Duck who tried desperately to have ducklings on the nest but lost to the Crows two years in a row. Look at this little sweetie on that sea eaglet nest!

Thank you, and welcome to all our new subscribers. I have exited Twitter and will no longer be posting on that platform. You can now find me on Bluesky with the name OspreyLover. I will figure out how to post my blog there this weekend. Otherwise, the best way to be assured of getting Bird World news is by subscribing. The link is below. I will not send you spam. I will never have a fee for the blog. I publish only one post per day under normal conditions. If there is news that you would not wish to miss, then yes, there could be a second. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please feel free to share the blog with your friends and family. You can also find my blog on FaceBook or by going to maryannsteggles.com

Oh, goodness. A cold, fierce wind blew into Winnipeg Monday night and Tuesday morning. My Soleri chimes were waking up everyone. The outdoor carpet was tangled. Everything was tossed about. Thankfully, Friday is to be a bit warmer. It is time to find the ‘warmer’ coats and boots. Have them at the ready. That 10 C day should also give us time to finish up things for the soon-to-be-named tuxedo cat, ‘The Boyfriend’.

Hugo Yugo is 100% better and looking for more ways to get into mischief and have to have to go to the vet! We still cannot believe that she ate a shoestring with a knot. Incredible. You wouldn’t think she had been on death’s door. The mere fact that had she not passed this shoestring, she would have had to have undergone major surgery. It gives me chills.

These images were taken on Tuesday morning after the ‘expulsion’ Monday evening. Such a cheeky girl. Please believe me when I tell you that Hope is the ‘angel’ in the family of four girls. Hugo Yugo is still quite small for her age.

Darling Hope.

On Tuesday we stopped to remember dear Lewis who died on this day in 2023. He was the dear companion of Missey – and a great kitty to all.

Every year, I prepare myself for the little sea eaglets. They have such a beautiful life in the nest. We grow to love them dearly. Then there is the reality of their lives right after fledge. Heart-breaking. I hope SE33 survives. Some of its older siblings have survived in care. I hope SE33 is trained and released. Then it can have a life. It feels like a triple kick in the gut when the news arrives. Despite knowing to expect something, we always hope. We hope two eaglets will fly out of the nest to the River Roost. There, they would sit next to Lady and Dad, eat fish, and start a family with babies. So today, I am gutted.

In Montana, someone cut down Iris’s Owl Pole where she eats her fish. Dr Greene is investigating. I mean – seriously? Why would anyone do that? But then why would someone cut down the Llyn Brenig platform? Humans need more training so we can co-exist with wildlife in our shared world.

Muhlady laid her first egg on Tuesday. (I do not cover Superbeaks other than the very main points due to the restrictions of the cam owner).

There continues to be hurricanes that can alter the fate of some of the nests in Florida.

Migratory birds are under continuous threat. They are essential to the well-being of our planet.

https://bbc.com/news/science-environment-68254027

In Port Lincoln, Dad is at the nest. Here is the obs board so far. Please note that Mum is fishing!!!!!!!! Way to go. I do not recall her fishing for the kids on the nest in past years. Thump me gently, as I could easily forget. This is excellent news. We know that the nests where females share fishing duties have a greater chance of success. I am smiling so big. I wish you could see it.

First fish is a large one that Mum caught right under the nest. Dad left his fish and then came back and took it. There is some dominance behaviour happening.

Early morning in Melbourne. The rain will come as it did in Orange. These three are staying home. As you know, females are larger. It takes longer for their bodies to bulk up and their feathers to come in because they have so many more to grow. That is also why they require more food and are aggressive. They need all they can get to be bigger and bigger. Let’s all be grateful that they are not flying. I wish Garrama had not gotten startled and flown because it began to rain right after.

Yira and Gammata are cute, adorable, and will be preparing to fledge. I worry about them, too. In the images, unless the camera is playing tricks on us, we can see the difference in size in what could be a female and a male for Diamond and Xavier.

Garrama fledged at 11:26:44 after beaky kisses with Yira.

There is the fledge. https://youtu.be/dk8u-xnmCFw?

Cute video of Bubba preparing to fledge in case you missed it. Thanks, Heidi. (I could not find the live stream today). https://youtu.be/Hbi_1T2zyfc?

Just look at Bubba! Oh, the benefits of being the only osplet on the nest.

There are three beautiful fully feathered osplets at the Coobowie platform in South Australia. This is wonderful news. This nest originally had four chicks, unheard of in Australia. Sadly, the fourth hatch died.

At Captiva Eagle Cam, Connie and Clive are there. When should we expect our first egg, do you think?

The nest at NE Florida looks ready.

It was windy in Iowa and from the historical records, we should not be expecting an egg with The Majestics at Denton Homes any time soon. Both eagles were at the nest late Monday night.

Gigi and the new male were at the ND-LEEF nest on Tuesday in South Bend, Indiana.

Hope and Chandler visited the nest at Port Tobacco separately. But like the ND-LEEF nest, they could both be sitting on branches above the nest. Sometimes you can see shadows.

At least one eagle at Avon Lake.

Beautiful Liberty and Guardian at the Redding nest on Tuesday together.

Mr North is bringing in sticks! https://youtu.be/IC8Qaj9dD-A?

At the nest of Bonnie and Clyde, there is a possum! Oh, geez. I am glad there are not eggs to eat. I love this couple despite the fact that they ousted a young eagle couple and well, we know what GHOs do to young osplets. https://youtu.be/q6hxRXKEDxk?

The latest news from Hawk Mountain. Either some species have not started to move South or we have a huge problem. Take your time and look at the up to date numbers and the ten-year average. Others are doing better – the vultures and the Bald Eagles.

Wild bird numbers continue to decline dramatically.

Wild bird numbers continue ‘alarming’ decline in UK, Defra figures show | Birds | The GuardianDownload

A teenager in British Columbia has the first case of Bird Flu, assumed to be H5, in Canada.

A Golden Eagle with a satellite tag missing in the infamous Angus Glens Grouse Moor Estate!

Satellite-tagged golden eagle ‘disappears’ in suspicious circumstances on grouse moor in the notorioDownload

Your smile today comes from Missey. I now know why I cannot grow ferns.

Thank you for being with us today. I have some good images to share with you. I just need time to get my long lens camera plugged in to download them. There are never enough hours in the day!!!!!!!! Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, H, J’, Judy Harrington, Meterologist Bryan Bennett, BBC News, Port Lincoln Osprey Cam, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Growing Home, Dave Wetherall and Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, SK Hideaways, Growing Home, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, Denton Homes, ND-LEEF, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, FORE, Farmer Derek, tulsaducati, Hawk Mountain, The Guardian, Raptor Persecution UK.

Sad news, WBSE34 euthanised and 33 is in care…Tuesday in Bird World

12 November 2024

Hello Everyone,

Sad news has come in this morning. As you were aware, it appeared that only one sea eaglet was seen around the parents. WBSE34 found itself far, far from home and blinded. We have also received word that WBSE33 is in care. This could be very good news if her condition is good. Oh, these poor babies. Thanks, Heidi.

Hugo Yugo is fine. It could, however, have ended badly. She ate a shoelace with a knot at one end! I will spare you the details, but suffice it to say that the ‘evidence’ arrived in the middle of dinner with my ‘bestie’. Hugo Yugo is back to her cheeky self and is now cuddled under my left arm, making it difficult for me to keyboard. Her sisters might well wish she was still under the weather as they had quite a bit of peace while she was under the weather. We are all relieved, and to think we thought she was trying to pass a fur ball!!!!!!! Not our girl. Where in the world she found this shoestring is beyond me; none seem to be missing. Gracious. I thought only dogs did things like this!!!!!!

Quickly skipping to our birds…

As anticipated, the second egg arrived for M15 and F23 around 6:15 PM. F23 experienced some intense contractions, which made me feel uncomfortable! I don’t expect a third egg, so we should be entering the hard incubation phase. A hatch is expected in mid-December.

Here it is caught on video! https://youtu.be/CyGBfYAPlDk?

We might have at least one fledge at Collins Street when you read this. The eyases are hungry, the parents are teasing them, and they can fly – they don’t know it yet! https://youtu.be/lauS5ZxHfaw?

Still there, but not for long.

Gosh, they are cute. SK Hideaways caught two on the perch and beaky kisses, too. We are so going to miss these three! https://youtu.be/xTzR2lhGCh8?

The family is waiting for breakfast at Port Lincoln. One fish arrived at 0924, and another at 1018. Mum brought them both to the nest, but as you will see from the images, she is not wet, so it is assumed that she picked them up from Dad. Unless, of course, she dried really quickly before returning to the nest.

Yesterday, Dad delivered four fish. He will probably do that again today. He is off to a good start! Kasse and Wilko can eat all the fish that comes to the nest – guaranteed.

.These fish counts and observations are absolutely critical in understanding osprey behaviour and the fish demands of a nest. I am still collecting data for the people working in Virginia to end the commercial fishing of menhaden. Yesterday, I received a fish count from ‘SD’ who counted 579 deliveries at Glaslyn. Counts vary due to the weather, the nests close proximity to good fishing, competition from other ospreys, eagles, gulls, etc. (More about the overfishing of Menhaden and need for accurate counts like they do at Port Lincoln below).

Morning images from the scrape of Diamond and Xavier. They might not have the runway that the Collins Street triplets have, but there is a whole lot of flapping going on with downy feathers flying everywhere! These two are more than adorable. Diamond and Xavier are demonstrating their flying skills and showing the kids how much fun it is to be a bird outside the window of the scrape.

Lots of food at Orange. The down is disappearing with only a few dandelions left. This year I have spent more time watching this scrape than Melbourne. Oh, how I hope that Yira and Garrama triumph without any issues soaring high above the tower chasing Diamond and Xavier for prey and getting it! With no bad weather when they fledge. Yes, let’s wish – all of us for sunny days and no rain!

Lots of activity at the nest of Gabby and Beau on Monday.

In migration news, Blue 511 appears to have flown with the good winds south out of Poole Harbour Monday morning. There is news of an osprey still in The Netherlands that has not left on its migration.

If you missed part 1 of the five part series on what CJ7 and Blue 022 got up to in raising four osplets to fledge in 2024, then here it is. There is a new release every Friday so do subscribe. (It’s free). The first episode is ‘The Arrival’. https://youtu.be/IlySzcfTh3c?

Isn’t it about time that all power companies need to be respectful of wildlife and amend and erect new poles or place them underground so no bird gets fried? Eighteen swans found dead. Please read about their unnecessary deaths here: https://bbc.com/news/articles/cew2nzvdyklo

The posting below addresses Stripped Bass; if you look closely, you will see that this was over a year ago. Never mind the date – everything still applies. I want to add that the osprey chicks and some adults starved to death because of Omega’s industrial fishing of Menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. Not just a few, nearly every chick hatched and not just in Virginia! This has to stop. For precious little Cobey and all the Cobeys that hatch in the future, please help. If you do not live in Virginia, write to their Governor. Let’s flood his office from around the world. You can get a digital form by searching for Governor Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia and clicking the ‘Contact’ link at the top.

Wild Justice has just sent out its report on the Rodenticide Stewardship Report. Did the efforts to create less harm to wildlife work? Have a read – you can really educate yourself on these commercial killers and the harm that they do.

Collateral_Damage_Wild_Justice_websiteDownload

Can you help the British Trust for Ornithology?

Calico would like you to help those who cannot always help themselves or who find themselves in a difficult moment.

‘MP’ sent me a link that addresses even more ways that being in nature heals us and how touching plants can help. Thank you!

https://www.livescience.com/health/a-direct-relationship-between-your-sense-of-sight-and-recovery-rate-biologist-kathy-willis-on-why-looking-at-nature-can-speed-up-healing?utm_term=EACFAD43-2015-4ED5-BB24-0F91F8AC994E&lrh=ad9593b53bdc7d1701328fe35b20b4bcfcaf820d4b7c74c2aa18868201b08d9d&utm_campaign=368B3745-DDE0-4A69-A2E8-62503D85375D&utm_mediu

So that you know, I will no longer be posting on X but will be moving the blog to Bluesky this week. The best way to receive the blog is by e-mail subscription. There is no fee, and I have vowed that there never will be a charge for my blog or ads. You can unsubscribe at any time quickly.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please stop and go outside and be near plants and birds. Each of us needs to take care of ourselves. It is an anxious time. Tomorrow I will have some images of the geese and ducks that remain at my local pond for you. It was soothing – yes, soothing is a good word – to spend time with them on a crisp sunny day.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J, MP’, SWFlorida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Port Lincoln Ospreys, NEFL-AEF, Birds of Poole Harbour, CBCN, Wild Justice, BTO, Facts that will Blow Your Mind FB, livescience.com