Iris and Blue 35

6 April 2026

Hello Everyone!

It could be a very busy day at the UK nests and in the western part of the US as favourable winds are blowing in the ospreys.

It has been confirmed that our dear Iris is, indeed, the osprey that landed early this morning on the Hellgate Canyon nest. I hope everyone had a good cry – a joyful one. Now let’s get that young male osprey back that was courting her last season!

Louis and Starr are already back. Starr was the first to arrive in Missoula. Their nest is at the Baseball Park – and despite all we think, Louis is a good mate to Starr and they raise 2 or 3 chicks to fledge every year.

Gosh, Iris looks good.

An osprey with spread wings standing on a nest made of sticks, with a view of an empty parking lot in the background.
An osprey spreads its wings while standing on a nest made of sticks. The background shows a parking lot and lampposts.
A close-up view of an osprey nest made of branches, with an osprey perched nearby. The scene is set against a parking lot in black and white.

Blue 35 has returned to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in Cumbria and is reclaiming her nest after Blue 717 got a little friendly with White YW.

We are waiting the arrival of Louis at Loch Arkaig Nest 2 in Scotland. His mate Dorcha will be delighted to see him land with a nice big trout.

Busy day at the Glaslyn nests:

A social media post detailing an eventful day at Glaslyn Valley, highlighting the presence of ospreys at the Glaslyn nest, with mentions of various birds and activities throughout the day.
A close-up view of two ospreys in a nest made of twigs, with one osprey standing and another slightly turned. The nest contains some moss and dirt. In the lower corners, there are additional images of ospreys, one in flight and another perched.

Lots of action at Loch of the Lowes.

Ospreys at Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre engaging in territorial behavior as one female osprey defends her nest from another.
An osprey perched on a large nest made of twigs, surrounded by trees and a scenic lake in the background. Two smaller images show the osprey in flight.

Thanks, Alison Copland. BoPH have created a genealogy chart. The Carey nest is the one for CJ7 and Blue 022, and it has a streaming cam.

A flowchart detailing the breeding history of ospreys in Poole Harbour from 2022 to 2025, including nests and individual codes for each bird.

Latest arrival news from Kielder Forest:

One of my favourite males, Tegid Z1, Monty’s son, who breeds on a private nest, has returned safely.

A screenshot of a Facebook post detailing the return of a BTO ringed male osprey at Glaslyn, alongside a female osprey, with information about their breeding history and nesting partners.

So the males are starting to show up in Wales, too. Come on Louis!!!!!!!!!

The feeding is going very well at the Achieva Osprey platform. My goodness, if I didn’t know better, I would think this was a new male. (Maybe it is – I am not trying to start rumours here, just pondering the fish deliveries. I was never that pleased with Jack’s deliveries for Diane and the kids. Has anyone truly identified head markings?)

A bird sitting in a nest made of twigs, with a second bird perched nearby on a wooden post. In the background, trees and residential buildings are visible.

Bella and Scout’s two eaglets are doing just fine although there was a choking concern for the baby earlier on Monday.

Two adult bald eagles are tending to three fuzzy chicks in a nest made of twigs and straw.

Nature chat’s banner:

Interloping Common Buzzard laid 2nd egg today at Lesser Spotted Eagle Cam, as usual LSE pair hasn’t arrived for the season yet.

Hatch occurred yesterday for 2nd egg at Fort St. Vrain Station Eagle Cam, and pip observed on 3rd egg.

Pip watch continues for 3rd egg at ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

Peanut has branched at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest. Best be watching this energetic second hatch. She is going to take off fast!

News about California Condors:

A California condor egg resting in a hollow cavity inside a towering redwood tree, surrounded by mist and foliage.
Text discussing the California condor's history and its relationship with ancient megafauna, highlighting its role in ecology and conservation.
An image depicting a California condor with a tracking device, alongside a nest containing an egg, set against a backdrop of a coastal redwood forest and ocean.

Stop over and see the two little cuties that Jackie and Shadow are feeding and brooding. They are two little round teddy bears! So very happy for our darling couple.

Take care everyone. Iris’s arrival has made this day much brighter! We are all delighted. If Louis returns, I will be posting again. Otherwise, I will see you later in the week.

Thank you to ‘PB’ for her messages, to the owners of the streaming cams for my screen captures and for allowing us to witness the life of these incredible birds. I am grateful to everyone who posts on FB with information. Without your eyes, we might miss something!

Has Iris landed?

6 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

Let’s get on with the great news. No confirmation yet but first thing I checked was Iris’s nest and look what I found.

An osprey sitting on a nest made of twigs, with a parking lot and trees visible in the background.

There was sad news coming out of Florida late Sunday. The little third hatch, Nod, that had captured so many hearts died from starvation caused by siblicide.

Earlier in the day.

An adult osprey stands watch over three young chicks in a nest, with a serene lake and greenery in the background.
Three young ospreys sitting in their nest, surrounded by sticks and greenery, with a calm water body in the background.

It is difficult raising three – it is extraordinary to fledge four but there have been osprey families that have done it repeatedly. Maya and Blue 33 and, as of late, CJ7 and Blue 022 seem to be setting some kind of record.

When a little one dies, I always think of two nests where the tiny one did not die. The first that comes to mind is Tiny Tot Tumbles (2021) at Achieva. We held our breath—79 hours without food. That little babe searched the nest and ate bones. It learned to ride the rails to sneak a bite and attacked the older sibling because it had nothing to lose. Diane noticed this chick wanted to live. When the older ones were asleep, and it was dark, she flew in with one of her catfish. Tiny Tot Tumbles, who was on the verge of death in March and April, survived and thrived. She defended the nest with Jack against an intruder during the third week of June after Diane had left the area. Tiny Tot was still on the nest later in the summer. She was extraordinary. I have always wondered what happened to her, and that is the problem with the US lack of ringing. The chicks on the streaming cam nests need to be ringed – and, yes, that goes for Big Red’s hawklets on the Cornell campus. Surely the folks at Cornell Bird Lab understand that knowing the dispersal area of Big Red’s babies could be important!

The second nest was Foulshaw Moss. White YW is an extraordinary male, and Blue 35 is a great Mum. The two older siblings in 2021 were much, much larger compared to the tiny third hatch. Blue 35 was clever! She managed to fill up the older ones, and once she flew off with the fish, they fell asleep. She returned with the fish and fed the tiny, tiny one. It was a brilliant strategy. I wish I could find my notes. I believe that, once ringed, the osplet was Blue 465. I really hope that Blue 35 returns this year. I am watching and waiting and so is her mate, White YW, who has been home for some days.

At the Glaslyn nest, Aran had a visitor, Blue 019. She is from the Fron nest. Elen was no where to be seen.

A young osprey chick sitting in a nest alongside an adult osprey, with a lush green landscape visible in the background.

Geemeff reports that Dorcha spent an hour on the Loch Arkaig nest 1, an unusual event. She has stopped in over the previous years, but never stayed this long. Geemeff believes that Dorcha flew in right before Storm Dave hit, while the other migrating ospreys are going to wait til the storm leaves. We are all looking forward to Louis’s arrival.

Geemeff sends us the daily summary:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 5th April 2026

The weather continued to be poor with snow and ice, and Louis hasn’t yet returned. Dorcha however turned up not only on her own nest, but paid a visit of over an hour to Nest One. She has visited Nest One before but only a couple of fleeting visits. Looking forward to the return of Louis and the Nest One residents, probably when Storm Dave passes and the weather settles – in previous years, Louis has arrived as late as 11th April.

Today’s video:

https://youtu.be/jwSZFrPoQRM  N1 Dorcha visits and perches for an hour 10.28.32

Blast from the past – this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/000ExVIHdTk N1 He’s back! Louis returns 2020

https://youtu.be/s45fByu5-ZE N2 Louis swoops around before landing with a fish 2023

https://youtu.be/_tcny1NvSfs N2 Louis is heard sky dancing at dawn 2024

https://youtu.be/onRZQMzzFec N2 Did Dorcha catch a fish or did Louis give it to her off-nest? 2024

https://youtu.be/15LM_bVIrGk N2 Comedy with a sticky situation (Classic Ospreys – Mozart) 2025

https://youtu.be/HPXA4EJ5uQc N2 The dulcet tones of a hungry female! 2025

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

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

At Loch of the Lowes, there are ospreys but not Blue NC0. It is rumoured that she has been seen at another nest. Wherever she winds up, I hope she has a good mate and raises some healthy osplets. We all loved Laddie LM12, her late mate, and feel sorry for these ‘singles’ that are left and have to leave their former homes.

Take care…chek those cutie pie eaglets out at Big Bear and the babies at Achieva.

See you soon!

Thank you to ‘PB’ for her messages and to the streaming cams that let us see these wonderful birds in all their glory and saddness.

First egg at UK Osprey platform

5 April 2026

Good Afternoon Everyone,

First. A reminder if you haven’t already marked it on your calendar. Iris’s favourite day to return to Missoula is 7 April. We are less than 48 hours away.

They are returning from migration but the osprey season officially kicked off today (IMHO) with the arrival of the first egg.

It was Maya (unringed) and Blue 33’s first egg of 2026 and it happened around 1805.

Close-up view of an osprey in its nest made of twigs and branches, with a water backdrop.

Blue 33 flies in to have a good look.

A bird, possibly an osprey, is seen in a nest made of twigs and branches, near a body of water. The setting is peaceful and natural.

There are two cameras. The rails are so high on the nest this year we might only see little heads for some time.

Wide-angle view of Manton Bay with an osprey nest made of twigs in the foreground, surrounded by water and a blue sky with clouds.

On the Canadian prairies, it was raining and then it started snowing a bit and everything is brown and grey. No beautiful sunshine. Toby was so filthy from our walk that he had another bath – he is so good in the tub. Tomorrow he will have a mobile nail trimmer arrive to shorten those claws. In the meantime, it is damp to the bone weather here in Winnipeg. I hope it is much nicer where you are.

Check out the darling bobble heads at Big Bear and Achieva. Wink has brought in a huge fish to share with Peanut, who has repeatedly defended itself and the nest against that persistent owl. Storks are returning to Europe. One was on the nest at Mlady Buky the last time I checked. Remember, Milda is on eggs, and by the end of the month, I hope to see the cutest little white-tailed eaglets on that nest in Latvia. Fort St Vrain has a second hatch happening with pip watch on the third and only egg remaining (first two broke) going on for the ND-LEEF eagles in South Bend, Indiana.

FSV56 looking at Mum. What a beautiful sight.

A bald eagle tending to its nest, with a chick visible, surrounded by sticks and straw.

Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams – without them we would not be able to look into the lives of these birds and witness these little bobblehead miracles!

Both eaglets have hatched at Big Bear

5 April 2026

Wow. Isn’t this a great morning?! We had marvelled at Jackie and Shadow’s first hatch keeping a keen eye on that second egg that was pipping knowing full well there would be two eaglets today – and there are!

We missed the second hatch. Thanks to ‘PB’ for sending me some great images while we were out walking Toby.

It has been a while since I watched the news. In fact, I have made a conscious decision to live in the moment, to rejoice in what is happening in our garden as the seasons change, and to monitor how our on-screen bird families are faring. The world is too dark and from past experience checking on streaming cam videos that show ‘death’, it would seem that more people prefer to see a ‘snuff’ video of an eaglet than one where a much loved and wanted chick is hatching. To me that is simply ‘sick’. So, I don’t post them and I don’t watch them.

Today was also a glorious day in the garden. At 0900 three Blue Jays appeared! Three. One of Junior’s and the Mrs fledglings from previous years has returned. They make their nest in the tree across the lane now that their big elm has been cut down. Mr and Mrs Crow have arrived. We have started putting out leftover chicken and their cheesy dogs as they begin to build up after the winter and prepare for their nesting. The Starlings are here, the sparrows are down in number, and the chickadees arrive at dusk and dawn. The Red squirrels are busy caching peanuts – I do not know why and to date, we still have dear Dyson coming with her kits. She is VERY old. We know it is her because of markings that we have compared over the years. With lots of good food and a safe environment, Dyson can possibly live for several more years. That makes me happy.

The Starlings yesterday:

I could never catch the three together in the same frame.

Two blue jays perched near a feeder, one holding a peanut, with a background of twigs and branches.
Two blue jays at a bird feeder filled with peanuts, one in flight with a peanut in its beak and another perched on the feeder.

I record the seasonal changes in the garden including the arrival of more species in this book:

Cover of 'The Naturalist's Notebook' featuring illustrations of birds, plants, and natural elements, with titles and authors' names.
An open book page featuring illustrations of a large beetle with wings and a black bird perched on a tree branch.

Just like many of the large nature centres keep track of the arrival and departure of their ospreys and eagles, I do the same with all of the garden animals over the years. It is a wonderful way to keep yourself in ‘the present’. Nature heals us – it does not destroy us. We need to embrace the life around us.

Each of us should turn off the outside world to keep our hope and kindness. Most of you will recognise that we are all interrelated and that what is good for wildlife and the planet is also good for humans. Then why do we allow people to destroy our precious home? Clearly, Jackie and Shadow do nothing to destroy Big Bear, and yet their habitat is constantly under threat, as it is now from proposed construction at Moon Camp. I want ‘the people’ to triumph for Jackie and Shadow – not just for them but as a signal that we care about wildlife, their habitat, and the sheer joy that their existence gives to us. If there has ever been a time to step up and be heard on this matter, it is now. Being silent is no longer an option. Whether you do it at the ballot box, by donations or volunteering, writing letters or op ed pieces, do something. That something could be as simple as a dish of life-saving water put out daily and refreshed for the birds and animals.

Baiba has the first feeding attempt at Big Bear for hatch 1. (Gosh, I hope they name this one Sandy!), and they could name the second Speers. That would be a wonderful tribute to a woman who worked so hard for these eagles. https://youtu.be/Lyo3kpR280M?

Baiba has the arrival of the second eaglet: https://youtu.be/CB0Jfj3dVoQ?

My gosh they are cute.

A fluffy gray chick sits in a nest surrounded by sticks and two unhatched eggs, with some straw and twigs scattered around.

There continue to be ospreys arriving. We are keeping a close eye out for Louis and I would love to see Blue 35 return to Foulshaw Moss although I have to say that hope is dwindling by the day. Blue 717 has really taken a liking to White YW and why wouldn’t she? He is an amazing provider.

Fish deliveries at ​​the Pont Cresor nest of Z1 Aeron and Blue 14 are at 07:03 – 11:29 – 16:23 according to chat. This is the new streaming cam at Glaslyn owned by Friends of Osprey.

Z1 Aeron is an excellent provider – one of Monty’s boys. Making his dad proud.

A bird with outstretched wings is perched on a nest made of branches, set against a cloudy sky at dawn. The image is slightly blurred due to water droplets on the camera lens.
A close-up view of an eagle perched on a branch near its nest made of twigs, with a scenic landscape of hills and greenery in the background.

At the nest of Aran and Elen, close to the Pont Cresor platform, Aran is delivering fish in terrible conditions, but no Elen to eat them. It is not clear to me that Aran and Elen have seen one another at all since Aran’s return. Please correct me if I am wrong.

A bird perched on a branch amidst bare trees, with greenery in the background.

Storm Dave has brought rain and wind, with some snow, to Wales. It was particularly bad last evening in Sotlad at the Loch Arkaig nest. Will Louis return today or tomorrow?

Dorcha had a sunken crop. She is waiting for Louis to bring her a fish but she doesn’t know he has not arrived. Oh, please, Louis come home.

A bird sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, overlooking a mountainous landscape with patches of snow in the background.

Asha has arrived home at RSPB Loch Garten.

A female osprey is seen in a nest made of twigs at Loch Garten, surrounded by a forested landscape with hills in the background.

Keep your eyes on those screens for arrivals and if you haven’t seen the second baby at Achieva, check it out. Dad is doing an amazing job bringing in the fish! What a relief.

An osprey chick stands in a nest made of twigs on a platform, with an adult osprey perched above it. In the background, trees and a street are visible.

To those celebrating, Happy Easter or Happy Passover. May you find peace and joy and have good times with friends and family.

Take care everyone. That is it for today. Toby is getting a nail trim in the house tomorrow. Another one of the convenient services I have discovered and it is now time for me to think of what we might have for lunch. We hope to see you soon!

Remember – if you are feeling the least bit down, put on a jacket and head outside. Sit and listen. Feel the breeze on your cheek. I promise you will feel a thousand times better. If you are up to it, go for a walk. Check out the birds around your home. Let me know what you are seeing. Bye for now!

Thank you to Baiba for the videos of the Big Bear Valley family of Jackie and Shadow. Thank you ‘PB’ for alerting me to the full second hatch at BBV and to all the owners and people who post news including Jeff Kear and the UK Osprey Info FB, I am so grateful. Thanks a billion!

Big Red isn’t fooling around….Wednesday in Bird World

1 April 2026

It might be April Fool’s Day but Big Red isn’t fooling around. She laid her fourth egg today! Cornell Bird Lab has it on video: https://youtu.be/JlHxc-bpsQg?

A red-tailed hawk sitting on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a focus on its back and tail feathers.

Aeron Z2 has arrived at the Friends of Osprey Pont Cresor nest in Glaslyn. Of course, this could get interesting as Elen is home alone at the other Glaslyn nest and Blue 014 has yet to arrive at Pont Cresor.

Aeron Z2 is handsome, and he did cause a lot of mischief last season. His brother Tegid Z1 (on a private nest) is also equally adorable. Monty’s boys.

A close-up of an osprey standing on a nest made of sticks, with a scenic background of hills and sparse trees. The sky is overcast.

Lots happening at Loch of the Lowes but not a couple confirmed as yet. And where is Blue NCO? Does she have another nest and mate? I wonder.

Text post about recent osprey sightings at Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve, discussing their behaviors and conditions.

In the garden, lots of action as a Sharp-shinned Hawk (a male) had a Starling lunch right in front of us.

A hawk standing on the snow, next to its prey, a fallen bird, surrounded by scattered leaves and twigs.

Missing Blue 35 – and females chasing after White YW. I don’t blame them – he’s a great dad at Foulshaw Moss.

An osprey nest with two ospreys in a dramatic pose, surrounded by a landscape of open fields and distant hills, showcasing daytime activity in the nest.

USS9 and USS10 are cute.

Two fluffy bald eagle chicks in a nest, with an unhatched egg between them, resting on straw.

More fish are needed at Moorings Park. Everyone is fighting with little three, and 2 seems to be the dominant osplet right now. 3 got some fish – finally.

An adult osprey standing in a nest with three chicks, surrounded by branches and vegetation, near a body of water.
An osprey stands beside three chicks in their nest, with a view of a calm body of water and greenery in the background.
An osprey standing near three chick ospreys in a nest, surrounded by greenery and water in the background.
An osprey standing on a nest with three young ospreys in a natural setting by a river, surrounded by trees.

I am always concerned about the Achieva nest, always. For many reasons.

An osprey stands in a nest made of twigs with another chick visible inside, surrounded by green trees and a suburban street in the background.

‘J’ sent Naturechat’s points:

Pip in progress for 3rd egg at U.S. Steel Eagle Cam.

3rd egg laid today at Black Stork Cam in Poland 2.

Pip watch continues for 1st eggs at Big Bear Eagle CamFort St. Vrain Station Eagle CamGlen Hazel (Hays) Eagle Cam and ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

When will Frannie lay her 1st egg at Eastern Bluebird Cam in VA?

It was quite the day here. Our entire routine went upside down and sideways. The new care helper came at 0830. She is fantastic. Then the delivery man came with two months of birdseed – bags everywhere. Then the installer arrived to wire the house for the alarm, the doorbell, and the fire alarm. Ann arrived and then there were several other deliveries. I don’t need to tell you that Don, The Girls, and Toby are all snoring! It is going to be an early night.

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon – remember. We are waiting for the hatch at Big Bear along with hundreds of thousands of other people.

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and those who have posted information and images on FB that I have used in today’s blog.

Andor is a master angler, Pip Watch for Jackie and Shadow…Late Tuesday in Bird World

31 March 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

It was a lovely day on the Canadian prairies. After all the snow, everything began to melt. The sky was a beautiful Azure blue with soft cotton clouds. The garden was full of birds, squirrels, and a Ginger cat that came to visit. Brock was down the street napping after a full dinner at Jane’s and the world seemed right. The Girls and Toby are fine. Ann took Don and Ann for a long walk while I finalised the details of the door alarms and the new doorbell video camera. Hopefully installation will be soon. Those security measures will ease some anxiety.

On the Cornell campus, the rain came down in a fury late in the day. Big Red will do anything to protect those precious eggs!

A red-tailed hawk sitting in its nest made of twigs on a balcony railing, with a view of a street and a blue bus passing below.
A red-tailed hawk sitting in its nest on a ledge, with a view of a street and parked cars below. The scene is partially rainy, and there are trees and buildings in the background.

Shaking off all the rain like Toby does!

A red-tailed hawk perched on a nest made of twigs and greenery, with a view of a rainy urban landscape and street below.
View from a live cam showing a red-tailed hawk nestled in its nest on a balcony, surrounded by branches, overlooking a street scene with wet pavement and trees.

It felt pretty quiet in terms of UK osprey arrivals.

‘J’ sent the following notes from naturechat.org:

Hatch occurred today for 2nd egg at U.S. Steel Eagle Cam.

Alla laid 3rd egg this morning at at Northern Goshawk in Estonia.

Pip watch begins for 1st eggs at Big Bear Eagle CamFort St. Vrain Station Eagle CamGlen Hazel (Hays) Eagle Cam and ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

When will Frannie lay her 1st egg at Eastern Bluebird Cam in VA?

If you have not checked out this site, you will find live cams, information on dates of eggs, arrivals, hatches, etc. for many streaming cams around the world.

A young woman using ‘Raptor Stories’ as a handle created a lively little video on YouTube announcing the beginning of pip watch for Jackie and Shadow’s eggs. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/QVZM43Ys00U?

I am truly excited. Those eggs are intact. The Ravens have been kept at bay. Hope reigns in our house for one healthy eaglet in this nest! Send all your positive wishes.

Baiba has Shadow bringing in a nice fish for Jackie as pip approaches. They should be hearing those eaglets. https://youtu.be/F0N83Ivj98o?

KTLA, along with other news outlets, are getting excited for Jackie and Shadow, too. https://youtu.be/-nZBWJcBYCw?

Telyn is home at Dyfi, but no Idris. Look closely. She is on Monty’s perch eating a fish.

A wide view of a grassy field with a large osprey nest made of branches in the foreground, and a tall wooden pole with a perch above it in the background.

No one at home for Elen at Glaslyn either. At Loch of the Lowes, Dark Knight shows up, but where is Blue NCO?

Thank goodness CJ7 has her mate Blue 022 home!

A close-up of an osprey resting in its nest, surrounded by twigs and branches, with a scenic view of trees in the background under a clear blue sky.

Can you see all the fish Andor is bringing in to Cruz and the kids? You’d think there were a dozen little bobble heads being brooded under Cruz’s feathers!!!!!!! Looks like it is big sis, Sasha, and second hatch, Zuma.

A bald eagle sitting in its nest, with remnants of fish nearby and a wooded background.
A bald eagle standing over its nest with two fluffy eaglets visible in the nest below.

In PA, Irvine is going to need lots of prey – US Steel 9 hatched, US Steel 10 has hatched and there is another to go.

A close-up view of a newly hatched bald eagle chick resting beside two eggs in a nest, surrounded by straw and twigs.

Pix Cams has Stella on video feeding the two! https://youtu.be/QO0GawHAjdo?

Two fluffy bald eagle chicks resting in straw next to an unhatched egg in their nest.

Ellie and Harvey at the Kansas City Bald Eagle nest have two lovely eaglets who are getting their feathers.

A bald eagle standing guard over its nest with two gray chicks, surrounded by branches and grass in the background.

Just a quick check in. We are doing great and the air even smells like spring. This is a real boost to my spirits. Take care everyone! See you soon.

Thank you to everyone who created videos! Thank you to those that posted on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams that let us see the highs and lows of these amazing raptor families.

Close-up of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel resting its head on a soft blanket, with its eyes looking directly at the camera.

Dyson was here today. Bless her.

A gray squirrel sitting in the snow, holding food in its paws, with a bushy tail and a snowy background.

Telyn arrives at Dyfi…Clogwyn arrived at Usk Valley in Wales

29/30 March 2026

Good morning, everyone,

Oh, the winds are blowing the UK birds home. There are a lot of watchers on the Dyfi streaming cam in anticipation of Telyn arriving after 2000, which she typically does!

Telyn arrives! Blue 3J is home. Time 1420.

An osprey perched on a nest made of sticks, with greenery visible on the nest and a blurred background of vegetation.
An osprey perched on a nest made of sticks, with a green background indicating vegetation. The bird displays distinctive markings and a leg band for identification.

Come on Idris! And for those of you who do not know, Telyn is the daughter of Maya at Rutland Water.

Here is Clogwyn! Last year she arrived on the 18th of April. We are nearly three weeks early this year.

A large bird of prey, possibly an osprey, stands on a nest made of twigs, overlooking a lush green landscape with distant sheep and trees.

Frankie has landed at Loch Doon this morning to join his mate Angel.

A view of an osprey nest at Loch Doon, surrounded by trees and with a scenic background. The nest is empty, indicating that osprey number two, named Frankie, has recently arrived and reunited with Angel.

Oh, that third hatch at Dale Hollow is such a tiny one compared to its elder sibling, who is getting pin feathers! Send this tiny third hatch your best wishes.

A bald eagle sitting beside its chicks in a nest, surrounded by trees and overhanging branches, near a body of water.

Elen at the Glaslyn nest waiting for someone, anyone to arrive.

An osprey standing on its nest made of twigs with a scenic landscape in the background, featuring hills and trees under a cloudy sky.

Hatch at US Steel for Irvine and Stella.

Deb and Scout are so excited about babies that they are already tandem feeding. This is beautiful. Deb Stecyk has it own video: https://youtu.be/es6-VUaVnsQ?

Two adult bald eagles are feeding a chick in their nest, with a remaining egg visible nearby, surrounded by straw and twigs.

Big Red lays her third egg at the Cornell RTH nest with mate, Arthur.

A red-tailed hawk sits on its nest containing three eggs, surrounded by twigs and branches.

Cruz and Andor welcome Sasha at the Fraser Point nest. SK Hideaways (who is supposed to be on holidays!) gives us the video: https://youtu.be/HTrZlwpDO0I?

A bald eagle is seen in its nest, looking at a hatching chick surrounded by twigs and natural materials.

Bella and Scout have two eaglets now! Thanks Deb Stecyk for the video: https://youtu.be/qvDk-slIm3A?

I think we have a second eaglet for Andor and Cruz, too.

A close-up view of a bird's nest filled with dried grass and twigs, featuring partially hidden chicks and a parent bird softly tending to them.
Close-up of a bald eagle nest with hay and twigs, featuring a bald eagle's foot and a small, fluffy eaglet in the center.

A lovely article sent to me via SK Hideaways for everyone to enjoy – news about Mr President and Lotus! I hope you can open it. (Spoiler – they have eggs in their alternate nest).

https://wapo.st/47Qk1SD.

Thank you so much for being with me. Must run. The alarm chap will be here momentarily and then the possible cleaning lady is coming to check us out! It is a packed day. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to SK Hideaways and The Washington Post, to the owners of the streaming cams, and to those who post on FB – I am so grateful for all your work and for owners allowing us to view these amazing raptor families.

Seren with Dylan and White YW arrives at Foulshaw Moss…

29 March 2026

Hello Everyone!

It is pitching down rain and Seren, Blue 5F has arrived home. She is now in the trees sheltering from the storm with her mate Dylan. Tears of joy!

An osprey standing on its nest with a green landscape and trees in the background, captured in a misty setting.

And another famous osprey is home – this time a grandfather!

An Osprey landing on the water with wings spread, surrounded by greenery.

I am writing this late Saturday with the hope and anticipation that Sunday will be a less dramatic day! A call has gone in to the people who installed the locks in our doors. They will be out on Monday with recommendations on how to ‘know’ if Don is getting out of the house. There are locks and devices to go over door knobs, but I have opted to have them tell me my options. An alarm system sounds best. It doesn’t need to be monitored. In Canada, that is often the most costly part. I am also going to get a digital door opener for all the doors. Then I don’t have to worry about keys. One set has already gone ‘walkabout’. My goodness…dear little Toby did get his reward. A nice piece of tenderloin and a bath after our last walk. The sidewalks are flooding and are like a slush cone. He was dirty and wet, so it seemed like a good time to try our first shampoo. (Normally, the groomers do this. He was incredible. He just stood on the mat in the tub and let me shampoo him!!!!!!!!!! He had such fun with the towels and loved being rubbed dry.

I have a feeling that this little puppy is gold-plated underneath all that fur. Whatever power in this universe sent this baby into my life really knew what they were doing. Indispensable.

Toby’s fur is quite long. He has had to wait a month since his last blood event to get groomed. That will be 11 April. He was so good in the bath, I wonder if he will let me trim him??? We have a lovely woman coming to trim his nails on Easter Monday, and she will show me how. Toby is a bit anxious about the groomer since she had to shave the matts off his tummy from when he had to stay at the vet’s for 4 nights in December. Poor baby. He might not look like he is show ring ready if I trim him but if it keeps his anxiety down, it will be worth it!

The Rod Stewart look! And he’s getting his Grinch feet.

A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel lying on a beige couch, looking directly at the camera with a slightly concerned expression.

White YW is one of my favourite UK ospreys. He and his mate, Blue 35, are at the Foulshaw Moss nest in Cumbria.

Here is the link to the Cumbria Wildlife Trust. There are two views and a replay camera: https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey-webcam

There is now a YouTube station: https://www.youtube.com/live/8K0V8qFl1N4?

White YW looks good.

A young osprey stands on its nest made of twigs and branches, overlooking a vast open field with rolling hills in the background.

Samson also returned to the Borders Osprey platform. Rosie Shields writes,

A very quick note as it’s late and I’m not long back home but I had to share the good news that Samson arrived back today, some 2 weeks earlier than last year. He’s already brought sticks to the nest and has engaged in some crow bashing. I don’t have any photos as yet because the camera is throwing a small temper tantrum but, if I throw enough money at the system I’m sure it will work eventually!! 
Luckily, we had just finished doing some repairs to the nest following the severe battering it and the tree got during the various winter storms but Samson will no doubt not be satisfied and will furnish it himself in his own inimitable style. 
I’m delighted and relieved that he’s back. All eyes to the skies for Augusta now.

Windy and cold at Poole. Beautiful CJ7.

An osprey sitting on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a landscape view of trees in the background.

Blue 33 and Maya are already thinking about babies even in the cold wind.

Two ospreys sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches beside a body of water.

This wind might blow in more ospreys to the UK. Let’s hope.

Fru Rauer, the Norwegian osprey of some renown, is on her way home. She has a sat pak and her location will be announced the beginning of the week.

A scenic view of a coastal landscape with a large osprey nest in the foreground, overlooking a calm sea and distant shoreline at sunset.

The first feeding of DH13 (Decorah Hatchery) by Earlybird. https://youtu.be/ff_avdLYMKI?

A close-up of a bald eagle in its nest, surrounded by twigs and grass, with warm sunlight illuminating its feathers as it focuses on its surroundings.

Everyone saw the pip at Fraser Point for Cruz and Andor. It is now 2128, and there is some concern about activities at 1922 at the nest. It is unclear whether the chick has hatched or if there was a problem. We will find out in the morning. Fuzzy head now seen.

Close-up of an animal's head near a nest filled with straw and twigs, with a blurred background.
Close-up of a bald eagle near its nest, with a chick visible among the straw.

We are on pip watch for Irwin and Stella at the US Steel nest in PA.

A bald eagle resting in its nest at night, surrounded by branches, captured in black and white.

JBS24 at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands is getting a lot of air under those beautiful wings. The eaglet looks really good. Do you remember worrying about whether or not 24 would survive after 25 suddenly died? I do. So happy for the parents that they have one splendid eaglet nearing fledge.

A nest on a metal tower containing several eaglets, with greenery in the background.
A young bird sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, positioned on a metal tower structure. The background features greenery, indicating a natural environment, and a logo for a wetland center is visible in the corner.

I am delighted that Richmond’s new mate has been named Wendy after the ‘Wendy Welders’ at the Richmond Shipping Yard. In World War II, my mother was one of those women!

There are ospreys – two of them – at Steelscape in WA.

Two ospreys perched on a nest made of branches and foliage atop a platform, with a view of an industrial area and vehicles in the background. Environmental data displayed includes weather conditions and time.
Two calico cats resting on a beige quilt.
Three pets relaxing on a couch: a gray cat sleeping on the back cushion, an orange cat curled up on the side cushion, and a black and white dog chewing on a stick on the front cushion.

Thank you for being with us. Keep your eyes os the screens! Second hatch at Decorah Hatchery and first for Irv and Stella. My reporting of the US Bald Eagles will slow as the UK and European ospreys arrive. Even with everything going on in the house at times, I am going to try and see if Heidi and I can get back near our record of monitoring 500 osprey eggs this season. So take care, let me know of any sightings!

If you are subscribed via Facebook, you may be missing posts. You can subscribe by sending your address and clicking subscribe. It is easy to unsubscribe. I do not send ads, but during busy times, you could get several posts a day. Alternatively, you can check my Blue Sky account and sign up: ospreylover.bsky.social.

Thank you to everyone who posted images and information on FB groups and to the owners of the streaming cams, we are forever in your debt. We would not be able to enjoy these amazing bird families without you.

Dylan arrives at Lyn Clywedog in Wales

28 March 2026

It is a gorgeous day on the Canadian Prairies. We went for a walk and had a nice chat with one of our neighbours who has two very cute Cavaliers. It was wonderful to feel warm! And the temperature was only +1 but the sun was shining and there was no wind.

Dear Toby saved the day today. At 7:58 he alerted me. He jumped on my head and began scratching. I knew immediately something was wrong. And yes. Don had gone out of the house – albeit with his winter coat on, one winter boot and a dress shoe – . He left the house, checked the mailbox, went to the gate, and walked towards a busy street a block and a half away. Thanks to Toby, I was able to yell at him to ‘come home’. This was the event I most worried about. The locksmith will be here on Monday but I feel as if the house is no longer safe for him. It is amazing how one thing can cause a huge ripple effect. AirTags don’t really work. I could put the GPS tracker o him and set up the satellite subscription that I had for Calico, but it is more than that. He could leave the door open and all the animals would run out including Toby. I felt like no one was safe.

There is news in Bird World. The winds coming from Africa might be changing. I understand that there still remain a large number of ospreys waiting to leave. Fingers crossed for all of them to make that long journey home safely.

Dylan arrived at Llyn Clywedog Saturday afternoon late. He looks good! And true to form he went to the reservoir and caught a huge fish dinner.

Oh, he’s handsome and he is such a good provider. His mate, Blue 5F Seren, should be arriving right away – their arrival times are normally within one day of one another.

Elen (Glaslyn nest) likes to visit the Pont Cresor nest of Z2 Aeron and Blue 014. Today she had a visitor there.

The Barneghat Light Osprey cam that is at the nest of Duke and Daisy (or a new couple now) needs to be replaced. Here is the appeal.

Tensions still at the Moorings Park over fish. Third hatch did get some at the feeding mid-day that I saw.

Cute little one at Achieva. I sure hope Jack hauls in a lot of fish….

Bell and Scout had their first hatch yesterday at the NCTC nest. Difficult to get a screen capture.

Hatch at Decorah Eagle cam and a pip in the second egg there today.

Take care everyone!

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and those that posted information on FB – all appreciated!

Remembering Rosie while Ospreys arriving…here, there, and everywhere

24 March 2026

Hello Everyone,

Oh, gosh. I can’t keep up with eaglets hatching and ospreys arriving so…watch those eagle nests as I will be chasing after osprey arrivals.

The pair at the Port of Ridgefield have arrived.

Blue 33 and Maya arrived within hours of one another at Rutland’s Manton Bay nest! I am over the moon – and I will keep saying that. Geemeff has Maya’s arrival. https://youtu.be/Zc_Zd__2jZY?

Some want to argue that it isn’t Maya. As keen osprey observers know, the head of the osprey does not change, and Maya has a distinctive ‘X’ on her head. Thanks, Geemeff.

RSPB is giving a Zoom talk, ‘The Return of the Osprey’ in May. Here are the details if you are interested: Go to Eventbrite.co.uk. It is free. Below is the date and time for me.

Big Red and Arthur have their first egg as of the 23rd. Please consider joining the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters if you are not already a member to keep up with the latest and learn when and where the live chats will take place during the hatch-fledgling period.

Osprey pair back at Cape Cod Mashpee, MA nest.

My goodness – I did say that they are arriving fast and furious.

Heidi’s watching a lot of nests and one of those is Seaside. We have Port of Ridgefield home so the rest should be arriving soon.

Heidi reports that there are now three osplets at Venice Beach and Golf Course Osprey platform as of 23 March!

The little one at Moorings Park is having some difficulties getting up to the table when fish arrive. It is having to wait but Sally is a good mum and the little one did get fish!

It takes a good food source and exceptional parents to have three osplets fledge – never mind four. I wonder if CJ7 and Blue 022 at Poole Harbour will go for another four this year? Their nest is waiting for them.

A memorial video dedicated to Rosie, Richmond’s mate who did not return this year to her nest at Golden Gate Audubon in the SF Bay Area, has been compiled. https://youtu.be/i4h2jIE8xuU?

Did I say get your tissues out?

Richmond loved putting sticks on Rosie’s back.

It is really hard to say goodbye to such a good Mum. Soar high, Rosie dear.

Thank you for being with me this evening. Osprey World is very busy – and so are the eagles and hawks. There will be some fledges soon – I might miss them so please send me the news. Take care.

Thank you to everyone for their wonderful videos, and to SF Bay Ospreys for a fine memorial video of Rosie and Richmond. To those who contributed news and images on FB, I am forever in your debt, as we all are to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives of these incredible birds.