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:
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!
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Thank you for your good wishes for Hugo Yugo. As I write this, she is pretty sick. She ate a little food on Saturday night and drank water on Sunday morning. She was able to keep it down. I am preparing to feed her with a syringe with ground-up kibble mixed with kitten milk to keep her going until she can see the vet on Wednesday. I will feed her every 1.5 hours. It is now late Sunday evening. Hugo Yugo had another feeding and instead of going straight to hide in my room on my pillow, she plunked herself down on the foot stool to watch her sisters. It feels like an improvement. And yes, we fed her with a syringe until nearly midnight when she ate on her own. Tears.
She is now cuddled with her Missey. This is fantastic.
I am really, really tired of hearing about our wildlife being killed unnecessarily. It has been a week that just keeps on giving!
New research shows that skyscrapers are killing millions of birds annually during migration. It doesn’t have to happen. What is wrong with people?
It just seems there have been so many deaths associated with humans where I live lately. There were the eight bald eagles in the field (COD pending), then the two local foxes whose den was destroyed at the site of new condos – the one being hit by a car on a busy street last night and the other on a busy bridge. My fear is that they were targeted – the driver of the vehicle either baiting them or driving around til they saw them out and speeding up. I am worried about Dyson and her kids who now run across a street that has nothing to slow down the would be Formula 3 drivers since their trees were cut down. We went to get Hugo Yugo more kitten milk and noticed the large tree at the intersection where the Blue Jays nest has a vast orange circle on it this morning, indicating it is now destined to be cut down. When they are finished, we will not have a tree anywhere in sight higher than a meter. Our street was fully canopied two years ago after the leaves came out. It was gorgeous. Looks like the barren moonscape now. The trees the City planted will take 25 years even to become a size for animals to use. The ones being cut down were planted in 1902. If I could scoop up all the garden animals and The Boyfriend and move them, I would leave.
Oh, enough of my rant. The animals are so used to me that I can now sit on the upper deck and photograph them while they forage.
Just look at Dyson. She is not young. She is a real Senior citizen in the squirrel community, but, more important, she is the matriarch.
It is not a great image, but look at that strong back leg of Dyson’s as she gets ready to jump down with her precious peanut.
One of Dyson’s three kits. Isn’t it cute?
And another kit. The three of them were running around the garden with their Mum. They don’t mind me at all. I feel so privileged – and, of course, these are the reasons that I could never leave here – just vacation elsewhere. There is no natural food or not much for them anymore. The Squirrels used to eat the ‘helicopters’ (the seeds) of the Maple Trees but there are no more Maples and no one had the foresight to plant Oak trees!!!!!!!!!!! So no acorns. I did catch Little Red at the very top of the crab apple tree getting the little apples, though. That is not enough to sustain even him, however.
This is how it starts out in the morning. Today, I discovered that the Blue Jays get busy pecking the peanuts and shooting the ones they don’t like off the feeding tray! Dyson & Co thank them for sure. Junior is also stuffing peanuts down its throat like Mr Crow – like a pouch as in pelican. :))
Both Crows visited today.
Oh, the joy they bring! Just look at that face on the Crow above. I cannot imagine anyone harming them.
Isn’t this a gorgeous image? Don Dennis photographed this Bald Eagle couple on Russell Lake, Nova Scotia on Saturday, 9 November 2024. Many more will be coming to our prey-rich Atlantic province for the winter! Don is an excellent photographer. It looks like these two were deep in conversation. I love the evergreens and then that touch of autumn foliage.
At Port Lincoln, breakfast came early. Kasse ate last, but the milestone reached was by Wilko who stood up to eat! He is becoming a ‘big boy’.
Wilko stands up tall part way through the feeding to eat! Way to go, Wilko.
Now it is Kasse’s turn for some fish!
At Collins Street, the parents want the triplets to fledge. They deliver prey and take it away flying by to tease them to use those wings and chase them! It is all coming far too soon for Melbourne and Orange. https://youtu.be/l-xDYFIszYQ?
Diamond and Xavier are not withholding prey!
No news really for the fledgling WBSE. It kind of worries me. The one was in the bushes the other day. Will someone check? I wonder. One had their wing caught eons ago in branches down low and couldn’t get away.
At Hilton Head Bald Eagle nest, we have a takeover (or potential take over bid) by the GHOs. The nest was battered by Hurricane Milton. Wonder where the eagles will nest? https://youtu.be/5WqBTRFWqZ4?
Meanwhile at NE Florida, Gabby and Beau worked tirelessly on Sunday getting that nest ready for those precious eggs (fingers crossed).
It rained in Iowa. I did not see any eagles working on the nest at Decorah North. Rain started later in the afternoon.
Eagles were present at Denton Homes.
Beautiful sunset over the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Connie and Clive.
I hope they don’t mind. Karl II was the most amazing Black Stork father and he deserves to always be remembered on ‘Father’s Day in Estonia’ and every where around the world where he was loved.
The latest from Sharon Dunne on the Royal Albatross chicks and their flight to the waters off Chile.
Rita the Eagle Monday Facts.
Live in Vancouver? There is a fundraiser for The Nest Companion Bird Car & Rehabilitation Society.
There are still hundreds if not thousands of Canada Geese in Winnipeg who have not migrated. In SW Manitoba, the Sandhill Cranes are still flying south. It is the middle of November!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, images, posts, videos, and streaming cams: ‘A, Connie and Don Dennis,H, J’, Heidi McGrue, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Judy Harrington, Hilton Head Land Trust, NEFL-AEF, Raptor Resource Project/explore.org, Denton Homes, Window to Wildlife, Heidi McGrue, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Cali Condor, ETSU-Bluff City, ETSU-Johnson City, Raptor Persecution UK, Madli Allsoo, Sharon Dunne, Rita the Eagle, The Nest Companion Bird Care & Rehabilitation Society
Bald Eagles are still abundant in Manitoba. The climate creates good conditions for prey as their territories move northward, so many will winter here. But what I woke up to on Saturday could have been better, much better.
I want to thank Ruth Hiebert for allowing images and a narrative of the horror she found in a field in southern Manitoba. She immediately contacted the Conservation Officer. She checked on Saturday, and the eagle carcasses were removed. She hopes to discover what happened to them, and I will pass on any news.
I am going to speculate, and yes, an egg could come on my face, but I haven’t seen eagles die of Avian Flu at the same time in the same place as this. I haven’t seen it with poisoning, either. Perhaps you have. I have, however, seen it when shooting is the issue. If that is the case, we should know soon. If it isn’t, it will be a while. So many dead in the same place is beyond sad.
That was the first news that I woke up to on Saturday morning. The only way to shake off something like that is to go out in nature, to feel the wind and the warmth of the sun, to hear the song of the birds, and that is precisely what we did. We walked the entire 4km trail and more with no less than a hundred Black-capped Chickadees taking seed from our hands! What a day. Little wind. Nice sky. 15 C – the middle of November. Everyone on the trails, most walking their dogs, was joyful to the extreme because of the weather.
The Chickadees were caching some of their Black Oil Seed in the crevices of the trees like this one.
The White-breasted Nuthatch would not take seed from our hand, but wanted it on the path.
At home, there was also a celebration. For the first time in a long, long time, I saw Dyson and her three kits in the garden together. They are all alive. In an urban environment, with their trees cut down, they have to run across busy streets; this is amazing. Tears. Tears and more tears. Dyson is the equivalent of a Senior Citizen in the Squirrel World. She has survived being poisoned, run over, or trapped and removed from the area. We are so pleased to see her and the three kids. Photos on Monday!
A remarks: “Fledge watch formally begins on 12 November at Orange, I believe, which is Tuesday. I think they are a little further behind the Collins Street three than that but time will tell. Garrama is having difficulty getting fed now that he has to fight his giant sister for every mouthful, usually without parental intervention. Xavier is so much smaller than Yira that he doesn’t dare interfere once she has claimed a piece of prey, while Diamond does sometimes assert maternal authority and feed the chicks herself, under which conditions Garrama gets at least some food. Otherwise, he is reduced to finding leftover scraps around the scrape, and I suspect he will be somewhat relieved when Yira fledges and he gets the food to himself for a few days before it’s his turn to take the plunge. “
No fish yet at Port Lincoln. Mum, Wilko, and Kasse are waiting to see if Dad returns with a good breakfast. Otherwise, I bet those fairies are waiting in the wings to help.
Dad came through with a partial ‘flat’? fish at 10:34. Notice how big Kasse is – larger than Wilko!
Kasse still has the white stripe on the back.
Big stretch as Mum toe dances and calls as Dad is arriving with the fish.
‘A’ gives us the day’s run down at PLO: “At Port Lincoln, our osplets are SO cute and they’ve had a pretty good day. Breakfast was a large whole fish that arrived courtesy of Dad at 10:34. At 13:55, he brought in a small tidbit in the form of a fish tail. At this point, Mum decided to get involved and brought in an extra-large whole fish at 14:49. Impressive work, Mum! The resulting feeding lasted for NEARLY AN HOUR. Both osplets got plenty to eat today, and there is still plenty of time for another fish to be brought in before dark (it’s only just after 4pm at Port Lincoln right now). “
There are still three eyases on the ledge at 367 Collins Street in the Central Business District of Melbourne as of 1017 Sunday morning.
Latest sea eagle report:
‘
There are no other nests with eggs at the time of writing that I am aware.
Beau and Gabby were at the nest. Female eagles have three periods where they are fertile and will want to mate. Of course, Eagles bond at other times, but Saturday, Gabby was not in the mood. Sorry Beau!
That precious egg of M15 and F23’s is never left for very long without someone around.
Gracie Shepherd got the shift change! Watching the care and attention these eagles give to their first egg of the season is hugely moving. I cannot comprehend why anyone would ever wish to harm one of their species. They are parents who care and who are concerned for their young just like us.
Connick leaves the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey and heads north to the Smithsonian. Connie and Clive’s little one, who fell from the nest and had feather development issues, will live an excellent life without the fear of being shot or poisoned. Let’s hope he can educate people to care for wildlife including these majestic birds.
Take a look at this!
More sadness near the grouse hunting estates in Perthshire, Scotland.
Now a smile. This Sharp-shinned Grouse has all the right moves, ladies.
Lady Hawk posted information about Lucina, the female at the Wild Bucovina Golden Eagle nest in Romania. Lady Hawk’s take from the information that is current is that Lucina died of either lead or rodenticide poisoning. The font is small so please refer to Lady Hawk’s FB page.
Audubon Florida’s Eagle Watch report looks at the challenges, some new, and the successes of the 2023-24 season. Those challenges include nest removal!
Last, a learning experience from the Toronto Field Naturalists on hawk migration and raptors. https://youtu.be/hrQk8Dg1Ebo?
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, J, Ruth Hiebert’, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Port Lincoln Ospreys, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Gracie Shepherd and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, Deb Stecyk, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, USFWS Columbia Pacific Northwest, USFWS, Lady Hawk FB, Audubon Florida, The Guardian, Toronto Field Naturalists.
It was sunny and windy on Thursday morning. There were about 500-600 Canada Geese on a nearby golf course when I drove past. The water in the ponds providing swimming for some and no doubt safety for others later.
All of the feral cats have been to the feeders this morning: Squishy, a grey tabby with a flipped over ear, the Orange Ginger family pet that is let loose during the day, the grey tabby, and The Boyfriend. The need is growing. Of course, everyone thinks that prices of things will drop, but in my lifetime I have never seen this happen. Pet food appears to be soaring. My heart breaks for the families who have to surrender their pets, but not for those that dump them. They need care and surely there is someone to take them home and love them rather than leaving them to the freezing cold of a Winnipeg winter. On Saturday we will take all the wood out of the wood boxes, load them with straw and put a light bulb in there and close in three and a half sides. It will help some.
There is still concern about Avian Flu and bird feeders. ‘R’ sent us an article from The Washington Post that might answer some of your questions. The author says, “While avian flu is widespread among wild bird species, less than 2 percent of cases have been in songbirds and other typical visitors to bird feeders. Health officials have not recommended taking down bird feeders except for people who keep domestic poultry as part of a backyard flock. (In such cases, the USDA says poultry owners should take down feeders for wild birds or keep them well away from their captive flock, and to make the captive flock’s food and water inaccessible to wild birds.)
People should clean bird feeders and bird baths regularly. Make sure to thoroughly wash your hands after touching the feeders. Avoid direct contact with birds, and do not handle sick or dead birds.”
M15 and F23 working diligently every day on their nest in Fort Myers, Florida.
M15 checks out the nest for suitability for F23 and their eggs.
Chandler flew in to the Port Tobacco Eagle Nest for a few seconds!
Haven’t seen anyone so far on Thursday at Big Bear.
Ron and Rose were at the WRDC nest despite the very windy conditions on Thursday.
Connie and Clive visit the Captiva Eagle nest on the Barrier Islands in Florida on a breezy day. Nice crops! Good to see these two after Milton tore through the island.
Eagles working on the Denton Home nest and sleeping together at the nest. What a wonderful sight.
Wednesday they worked on the West End cam of Thunder and Akecheta, Thursday it was Two Harbours nest of Chase and Cholyn, Thunder’s parents.
They were flapping and waiting for breakfast at 367 Collins Street in Melbourne.
Prey delivery at Collins Street.
‘A’ remarks: “Suddenly, the trio at Collins Street are rapidly approaching fledge. Two of them are now running along the ledge, flapping their wings vigorously, which is nerve-wracking in the extreme. There is almost no fluff left on the older two, except a few dandelions on their heads. The youngest still sports some fluff on its wings, but suddenly, these three are looking very much like juvenile falcons. We will not have them for much longer. I cannot believe how quickly that triple-headed fluffball of an eating machine has become three juveniles who are potentially within days of fledging. Omigod, I am going to miss them SO much. It seems like only yesterday that we saw our first gutter stomp. “
Yira and Gammata share morning prey. Diamond feeds, too.
‘A’ comments: “At Orange, the pair still have quite a bit of down on their heads and wings. They are about a week behind the Collins Street trio, are they not? At least the Orange fledglings do often/usually return to the scrape after fledging (we remember those occasions when the parents literally had to bar the door from their adult offspring, with a not so gentle hint relating to the concept of dispersal). But we do generally get to see a bit more of them once they fledge. At Collins Street, we essentially wait until someone finds one of them injured, dead or starving on the streets of Melbourne’s CBD. We get little or no information on them post-fledge (although the Facebook group may have some BOTG – I’ll be relying on you for info from that source). But watching the Collins Street kids today has left me flabbergasted at how time has flown and the fact these chicks are already about to do the same. I’m sad now. “
Dad is off his perch and Mum is calling for food. There was not much on Thursday and Kasse got nothing. There was some beaking. This provoked the fish fairies into action.
‘A’ reports: “The most important news of the day is that there was a four-fish delivery from our beloved Fish Fairy at Port Lincoln this morning (09:38). A day too late unfortunately to prevent the two incidents of bonking yesterday that for the first time occurred during a feeding and was definitely done in order to prevent Kasse from eating. Not a good thing, and I’m glad the FF stepped in straight away. I would have preferred it to happen two days ago, when I was worrying about the lack of food deliveries and the potential for aggression this presented, but I suppose they were trying to avoid it altogether. And dad had been stepping up his fishing efforts – successfully, up until the last three or four days. So it was probably weather-related. But whatever the reason, the nature and timing of yesterday’s aggression made it essential that the Fish Fairy step in asap. I’m glad they didn’t delay. “
Thank you, Fish Fairies! I will sleep better Thursday night in Canada knowing you are there.
Heidi’s video of the Fish Fairy!!!!!!!! They included this information below the video: “Wilko is 33 days old, and Kasse is 30 days old. There were only two fish delivered to the nest yesterday, and as a result there was significant sibling aggression due to food competition. This morning, the ‘Fish Fairy’ placed four fish on the nest. It was the first time the supplemental fish were necessary this season. Ospreys are endangered in South Australia, and last season they instituted an officially authorized program of supplemental feeding for this nest. The supplemental feeding program is intended to help increase the survival rate of the osprey nestlings. Last year’s Fish Fairy program was a success, and both osplets fledged! For more information on the supplemental feeding program, please see this statement dated 10/27/23: https://portlincoln-osprey.com/portli…
Elizabeth Grey, National Audubon said on Thursday that Audubon vows to: “Strengthening Local and State Initiatives: While federal policy may shift, our commitment to local and state conservation efforts remains steadfast. We will work with communities to build resilience, ensuring that conservation continues regardless of changes at the federal level.” Just as I see my City taking every piece of land and building 3-4 story apartment buildings instead of 35 stories, each of us needs to lend a hand to help wildlife. You can do that in your own garden.
I needed a smile today and seeing Seren 5F at her winter home in The Gambia does it. She is a great mate to Dylan at Llyn Clywedog and a fantastic mother. She wasted a lot of years being courted by Aran but, in the end, he stayed with Mrs G. Great choice! But glad 5F found a great mate, too. Dylan is amazing. This is her biography from Glaslyn Wildlife.
Seren Blue 5F will be thirteen years old during the 2025 breeding season.
“Hatched at the Rutland Site K nest in 2012. Her mother is the satellite tagged female Yellow 30 (hatched at the Rutland Site B nest in 2005) and her father was the translocated Rutland male Red 08 (2001).
In December 2013, Blue 5F was photographed by Chris Wood at Tanji Marsh in Gambia, she was 18 months old at the time and would not yet have made a return journey to the UK. In December 2014 Chris returned to Tanji Marsh and he again found 5F settled for the winter there. She had not been spotted back in the UK during the summer, although it is likely she would have travelled north as a two-year old. On 9th April 2015 Blue 5F was captured on camera again, as she landed on the perch of the Glaslyn nest, this was the first sighting of her in the UK as an adult. She remained in the Glaslyn area during the summer and intruded at the Glaslyn nest on several occasions. By the middle of October we heard the news via Fansu Bojang and Chris Wood that 5F was back in her wintering quarters in Tanji Marsh.
On 29th March 2016 Blue 5F landed on the perch at Glaslyn once again. Two days later she was in a skirmish with her cousin Blue 24 at the Dyfi nest. Glesni, another cousin, who was the resident female at Dyfi, had not yet returned. Before long, 5F was back on a favourite nesting platform in the Glaslyn area. Aran was spotted mating with her on several occasions and for a while she appeared to be incubating eggs. The nest failed however and 5F soon resumed her regular intrusions at the Glaslyn nest.
During the winters of 2016 to 2019, 5F was once again settled in her wintering quarters in Gambia, where Chris Wood photographed her for the fourth and fifth consecutive years. During the winter of 2018 she spent the majority of her time in the Tujereng Beach area of Gambia, although she was spotted at Tanji again in autumn 2019.
On 1st April 2020, 5F appeared on the camera that had been installed by NRW at the Llyn Clywedog Osprey nest in mid-Wales. On 3rd April she also appeared on the Glaslyn nest, before being seen off by Mrs G. The following day she returned to Clywedog and was soon joined by the resident male, Dylan. The original female, Delyth, failed to return and 5F became Dylan’s new mate. Together they raised three male chicks and all three successfully fledged. A very happy outcome – Congratulations 5F!”
There are still Ospreys in the Netherlands that have not migrated – along with several in the UK. Maybe they know something we do not? Is it possible not to migrate in an age of climate change? Last year was the hottest on record for our planet.
A 25 year old German Osprey has been seen in Sardinia. Blue Ring OD. Amazing. Its experience, after surviving those first years after fledgling, have kept this bird alive. Incredible.
The last information I could find on the migration of the Black Storks from Estonia. Apologies for the small size. I cannot enlarge but perhaps you can.
Calico wonders if you would like to make someone feel warm and fuzzy? Lucille Powell has provided the address for the residents of the Riverview Care home next to Iris and Finnegan’s nest. Have a card and a stamp? Want to include a note about yourself and how much you love the ospreys? Or anything else. Here is the information. Think about spreading the love!
I do not know if they are taking any further orders but here is the information about the Iris and Finnegan pins. These are made out of sticks brought to the nest by the ospreys and collected by Dr Greene. They are carefully lathed and assembled by Sharon Leigh and her husband. I have enjoyed mine for years and you can get find new ink cartridges almost anywhere.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We hope to 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: ‘A, R’, The Washington Post, Androcat, chickiedee64, NEFL-AEF, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, FOBBV, WRDC Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, Denton Homes Eagle Cam, Trudi Kron and Bald Eagles 101, Deb Stecyk and NCTC Eagle Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Nesting Birdlife and More, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Olympic Park Eagle Cam, Heidi McGrue, Judy Harrington, SK Hideaways, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Valerie Webber and The Clywedog Osprey Group, Yale Climate Connections, Ecology and Evolution and PMC, Jeff Kear and Friends of Loch Arkaig FB, H Lorm and Looduskalender Forum, Montana Ospreys at Hellgate and Lucille Powell, Montana Osprey Cams.
Calico thanks everyone for all the lovely birthday wishes! They made her day. She feels so special. The online retailer did not, however, come through. Her prezzies were due to arrive on Saturday so we could have her party on her ‘real’ birthday, but the party has been delayed until arrival – hopefully Sunday by 10pm. Everyone was ready today – even The Boyfriend!
I keep picture books hard copies, of the kitties. Calico tried posing for her birthday photo. Here were the possibilities. Which one do you like best?
Calico said she thought she looked like a Corgi and not a cat in the first one.
Calico decided to try for the movie star pose! She thinks this is the best look for the family album.
Happy Birthday, Calico! We will have your party tomorrow. You have brought so much joy! Thank you for agreeing to come and live with us. I cannot imagine my world without you.
Saturday was a beautiful day. Inside the City, we spotted no less than 300 Canada Geese. In the country, returning home from a long walk at Bird’s Hill, we saw a skein of about twenty-five geese heading towards Winnipeg to spend a safe evening in the water. We will check Oak Hammock Marsh tomorrow to see how many geese are feeding in the adjacent fields.
This path is the quietest place. (We do the 2 or 4 km walk through this forest.) You will recall that I ‘used’ to spend much time at the nature centre. Because it is inside the City, many school groups visit, as well as the dozens who rent bikes or others who bring theirs to ride on the trails. It is often not the tranquil spot my mind seeks when I go to the forest for a walk.
There was a wet, earthy smell to the oak leaves lining many of the paths.
Today, there were four deer and a fox in my neighbourhood. The fox comes to our garden regularly to eat. It was heart-warming that people fed the deer pumpkins and didn’t want to harm the fox.
The report on the state of Canadian birds came out today. It is really pretty dismal for some species. Success is being seen in waterfowl and raptors while the long-distance migrants (Arctic Birds), shorebirds, and grassland birds are disappearing at an alarming rate. Have a read!
The destruction of habitat is one of the reasons we dutifully purchase coffee grown in the shade, so that the land is not cleared, and the trees are not destroyed. Think about it.
‘A’ sends us the latest report from the ranger for the WBSE: “November 3: Again, no eagles spent the night at the nest last night, though ringtail possums passed by just before 8pm – including two young ones. Eagles were seen down on River Roost early – with lots of Sunday morning river traffic- water skiier, boats, ferries. Adults were then seen on Mangrove Island – and we felt that a juvenile was hidden there as well. Later, we saw one juvenile perched on a mangrove on the island – so hard to spot with its brown colouring. One of the adults then flew into the mangroves west of River Roost – out of sight and an unusual place for it to fly. Was the other juvenile in there? By early afternoon, it was a hot day, and only one adult was seen on the island. Later in the afternoon, both parents and a juvenile were on Mangrove Island. One spent a long time preparing bird prey, then a juvie was seen eating on the ground. No eagles still at the nest, though there were rainbow lorikeet visitors in the late afternoon.
I remain hopeful.- at least one of the eaglets was seen to be eating today. It is hard to be patient but as I said the other day, the BOTG at this nest are some of the best, so we just have to trust in their reports and hope for the best. The littles are strong and healthy – or were when they fledged – and hopefully their parents will get food to them.”
At Port Lincoln, there is an early fish. Everyone is delighted. Wilko was 4 weeks old on Sunday in Australia.
In Orange, Xavier comes in with an envy of a prey item – looks like some kind of parrot to me, certainly not a Starling. Yira grabs it before everyone’s eyes. Diamond comes into the scrape and takes charge. Earlier (late Saturday night in Orange), in what could have been a terrible accident with Garramatta going off the ledge – we had a save, but Dudley flew out during the ordeal.
Aren’t these two just the cutest little eyases you have ever seen (OK, tied with Annie and Archie!)?
The New York Times report includes the following: “A Washington man who killed hundreds of eagles and hawks in Montana that he later helped traffic and sell on the black market was sentenced to nearly four years in prison on Thursday, prosecutors said.
From 2015 to 2021, the man, Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Wash., traveled to the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana to help kill hundreds of birds in a “killing spree,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana said. In addition to his sentence of three years and 10 months in federal prison, Mr. Branson was ordered to pay $777,250 in restitution, prosecutors said.
“Branson went on self-described ‘killing sprees’ for thousands of eagles and hawks,” Jesse Laslovich, the U.S. attorney for the District of Montana, said in a statement. Mr. Laslovich added that Mr. Branson “butchered” the birds “and sold the parts and feathers for profit on the black market.”
Mr. Branson, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and trafficking charges in March, killed at least 118 eagles and 107 hawks himself, according to investigators who traced the killings to Mr. Branson through text messages. In total, Mr. Branson worked with others to kill about 3,600 birds, prosecutors said.”
Dyson is on the fence feeling a bit guilty. She has just chewed through the wire connecting my twinkly fairy lights and the solar panel that would bring those little twinkly globes to life. We love her regardless. Dyson is about the same age as Peanut. She has lived in the wild and come for peanuts and brought her kits to the garden. She is family.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Remember to turn your clocks back if you haven’t already. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, L’, Birds and Beans Coffee, SK Hideaways, Marilylu Pitcher, Port Lincoln Ospreys, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Birdie Cam, NEFL-AEF, The Guardian, NBC Montana, KREM News 2
It is Halloween. It is also Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Will you be celebrating either of these holidays? In years past, we used to get at least 75 children at the door wanting treats, and that all changed. I am thrilled that some of the streets in our neighbourhood are being blocked off so that the children can run from house to house and cross the street without worry of being hit by a car. On Saturday, there was the walk at Bird’s Hill, and CPAWS put on all the games and treats. There have been events at many of the community centres. Everyone is trying to make it safe for the little ones to be outside. The biggest Diwali party took place at our convention centre a couple of weeks ago.
I remember several years spent celebrating this holiday on the Indian Subcontinent eons ago. The food was delicious! It was the same later in Singapore. We have put up extra lights in the garden this year and will be thinking of our friends in India and Singapore as they celebrate good over evil and light over darkness.
National Geographic Kids gives this information on Divali: “Diwali, or Dipawali, is India‘s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.
Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that’s also enjoyed by non-Hindu communities. For instance, in Jainism, Diwali marks the nirvana, or spiritual awakening, of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C.; in Sikhism, it honors the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru, was freed from imprisonment. Buddhists in India celebrate Diwali as well.”
Now, ‘The Girls’ are wondering how much you know about Halloween. They consulted Good Housekeeping and it says, “If you think Halloween is a uniquely American tradition, grab a mini Snickers and settle in, because you’ve got some learning to do. Dressing up in a creative costume, traipsing around in the gathering dusk to collect the best candy or throwing a monster bash with friends are all time-honored holiday traditions. But Halloween didn’t start stateside at all.
In fact, the origins of Halloween go back thousands of years to the Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced “sow-win”), a festival that marked the end of the harvest season and ushered in a new year. During Samhain, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was thought to be especially thin, so people could communicate with loved ones who had passed on.
Whether or not you buy into the supernatural, it’s still fun to learn a little something about the meaning behind your favorite Halloween traditions before you head out trick-or-treating. Turns out, the holiday has a much more interesting (and sometimes even spookier!) backstory than many people realize. Travel back in time with us to learn what some of the very first celebrations of Halloween looked like, including throwback ghoulies and ghosties, what people used to carve in place of pumpkins and even the elements that Valentine’s Day and Halloween have in common. We can guarantee there wasn’t a glitter pumpkin or superhero costume in sight.”
Calico urges you to keep your kitties inside during Halloween. (She thinks they should be inside all the time and Calico should know – she lived on the street!)
The best news in the world is that Lady and Dad are feeding SE33 and SE34 over away from the river from the moment and while they might be getting harranged by Currawongs and other small birds, they appear to be flying strong and eating well as of the time I am writing. Seeing the eaglets and their parents together just made me shed tears of joy. I hope you did, too!
I will continue to post all of the news that I can find. Some might overlap with earlier reports.
It is really, really hot on that ledge in Melbourne. The temperature ready for lower down is 16 C. I wonder what it is on that ledge. Just look at Mum.
News from New Jersey says that Ospreys are staying later this year. In Manitoba, there are still lots and lots of geese and ducks. Perhaps this is the reason for the low migration numbers of raptors below. I sure hope so. The Red-tail Hawk count makes me cry. Let’s hope this is just a late season or these raptors are in trouble.
It seems that we take one step forward and one or two backwards when it comes to protecting wildlife and habitat. More news from Geemeff:
This is a damning report on the state of the environment and rewilding just after we read about huge swaths of land being put into trust and not into grouse shooting.
Osprey accepted the platform that had to be removed and rebuilt in South Australia. Wonderful news. Now if we can get Ervie a mate and a platform with a camera all of our dreams will come true. Little Envies!!!!!!! Think about it.
Breakfast at Port Lincoln. Gosh, Dad is doing a good job this season. Would love to give him a pat on his feathered back. Keep up the good work!
Beau and Gabby continue to work in their amazing nest. As we enter November, we can hope that fertilized eggs will appear by the end of the month with a hatch on Samson’s hatch day (24 December).
‘H’ sent me some sad news this morning regarding the cameras at NE Florida: “We’ll be lucky if we get to see any of Gabby and Beau and their family this season. As you know, cam 2 is down all season due to a broken cable. Well, now the cam 1 issues have been diagnosed: a partially broken cable. Not all the strands within the cable at the nest are being used to transmit to the server… meaning that some of the cam 1 cable fibers are broken. Cam 4 is still okay so far.”
I cannot imagine know knowing if Gabby and Beau have babies this year. Was it the hurricane that damaged the cables (Milton)? Do the cameras get an annual check up here? I wonder.
It was raining at the West End, too. Thunder was looking out over the territory.
This is a very good use of funds. They will get to the bottom of all the questions about Menhaden and quotas and surely to goodness will help save the Osprey in the same way that the warnings from Rachel Carson issued about DDT did in the 1970s. There are many species at risk because of the commercial fishing of Menhaden being allowed by the State of Virginia. It needs to stop before they are wiped out entirely and there are no more ospreys, not even starving ones.
Scotland is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. It is home to so many raptors. So why not rewild 33% of Scotland. This film asks that question. Our narrator is a 26 year old who has eco- anxiety. Take some time to watch. It isn’t just Scotland. There are some gorgeous images and thought provoking questions. Even a good comparison between Scotland and Norway, the Oder Delta between Germany and Poland, and other sites that have rewilded. Happy ecosysystems and biodiversity link to the nature and climate crisis. https://youtu.be/FFypWj1bjPk?
Missing story time with Calico and the other three girls is not a good thing. I apologized this evening profusely and we settled down with treats and a good book. It got Calico’s Ten Golden Paw Award and she thinks you might want to put it on your holiday list for those special children in your life. It is not about raptors, but about seals and comes to us from Wales. The main characters are the seals that come to the island to have their pups and to rest. The other central character is Tina, a little girl who lives on the island where her Mum is the local vet. It is summer holiday season and Tina is determined to make the holiday goers that come to the island understand how to respect the seals. The book is: Rescue at Seal Bay by Gill Lewis. The only colour illustrations are on the front and back covers. All others are black and white drawings, just in case you wanted to know. The story is really good and Calico didn’t mind not seeing images in colour! It is listed at $14.99 CDN at the online retailers.
Calico found a lot of books written by Gill Lewis. We just ordered another one for her birthday – Sky Hawk. It is about Hen Harriers! I can’t wait to read it.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J’, OpenVerse, National Geographic for Children, Eagle Cam, Judy Harrington, Rohan Geddes, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Hawk Mountain Migration Chart, pressreader.com, Fran Solly Coffin Bay Community Notice Board, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Nesting Bird Life and More, Elain, NEFL-AEF, Androcat, Raptor Research Project/Explore.org, PIX Cams, FOBBV, IWS/Explore.org, Joanie Millward, Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal, The Scottish Rewilding Alliance, Gill Lewis, Harley Thomas White.
Thank you so much for being with us. It is nearly the end of October! Tomorrow is Halloween. The following day is All Souls Day, and when I lived in England, we were preparing to celebrate Guy Fawke’s Day on the 5th of November. I have lots of beautiful memories of ‘Guys’ in wagons, bonfires, and jacket potatoes in the back garden with friends. It marked fall. The back garden of our house on Gorse Road in Grantham had fruit trees, mostly apples and plums. They were delicious and by the beginning of November all had been picked and eaten or given to friends and neighbours. The ones that had fallen were left for the hedgehogs to eat. Shallow bowls of water were always left on the back step for them, too. When we first moved to the UK, hedgehogs were the stuff of children’s stories. Our son decided to bring one inside the house. Yes, those of you who are British will know what happened next! Fleas flew everywhere. It was a solid cloud. Our dear little friend quickly found its way back to the orchard – and if memory holds, not a single other hedgehog made its way into the house.
The past several years have been really challenging. I never know if I am waking up to a toddler or a teenager. It is difficult navigating through life with a partner whose Lewy Body Dementia is getting worse. I have learned more about dementia in the last couple of years than I ever imagined. Well, to begin with, I never imagined caring for a person with dementia a decade younger than I am, but it happens more often than you might think. There are beautiful moments, and then, in a blink, his world and mine change. I have learned to grasp onto those times and hold them tight. Thank you for bearing with me through these transitions. My reports are not as long and do not include as much academic information – Bird World is relatively quiet right now (thank goodness) and my real focus is always the ospreys. Thankfully, the Northern Hemisphere’s breeding season is not here yet and will not be in full swing until the new year. In the meantime, I am so grateful for the garden animals and The Girls and for the fact that I can go for long extended walks in the parks and forests near to where I live. It all helps keep my mind in balance!
I did have a laugh. One long time reader and friend thought that Missey had done Calico in. No, Calico was not eaten by Missey! Yes, I know Missey looks huge in the images. She is large; she is a Maine Coon, but she is also mostly fur. Missey does look formidable, something out of a medieval forest lurking with magical creatures. Calico is, however, very much alive and well. Both Calico and Missey like to think that they are the boss, but the real boss of the house is Hugo Yugo. She is the tiniest, bossiest little ginger female I have ever met. She will rush to finish her food dish and then leap off the counter and run to push Calico away from her dish so she can eat it. That single fact has helped Calico lose all that weight. Just look at how trim she is. The vet will be pleased when she sees her in November for her annual check up. When we brought Calico in from the cold outdoors, we did not know when she was born. The vet guessed how old she was and based on that we picked November 2 for her birthday. This, of course, means that we will be having another one of those wild parties on Saturday.
Sadly, as The Girls have now all passed the year mark, they do not run and play at night like they used to. I surely miss that!
The real boss of the house! And if you are wondering, Hugo Yugo did run and jump on Calico to get that spot in the purple chair.
I have said it once and I will say it a million times, Baby Hope is nothing short of the sweetest thing around. Look at her staring at Hugo Yugo as HY is getting ready to leap to the top of the cat tree.
Calico and Baby Hope never cause an instant of trouble. It is always Hugo Yugo and Missey. If things are falling down in the middle of the night, you can count on it being those two.
Two Crows were at the big tray feeder. I counted. This one carefully took six peanuts including this one, the seventh, in his beak. Incredible. The Crows are ‘off’ the cheesy dogs. I also find that very interesting. They started wanting only peanuts in early September. We start out with huge piles on the tray feeders – big and small – and scattered on the deck for the squirrels. They will be gone within an hour! I am not kidding you.
Junior and the Mrs were also after those peanuts. Just look at that pile of peanuts on both those feeders. These Corvids are busy! They are in competition with three grey squirrels and two red ones.
Just a quick note. Yesterday I included the day’s sightings at some of the Bald Eagle nests. I did not mean to imply that eagles had not visited ETSU-Johnson City. I had just not seen them yesterday. Boone and Jolene have been regularly visiting the nest and refurbishing it!
Wildlife groups and rehabilitation clinics continue to plead with people not to use the fake spider webs. Here is another one:
What is going on in Bird World? Well, the focus is on the Sea Eaglets at the Olympic Park in Sydney. And the questions that are on everyone’s mind are these: Are the eaglets eating (either being fed or getting their own prey? OR Will they wind up grounded near the Discovery Centre and wind up in care – which if they are not so emaciated, would not be so bad. As far as I can tell the only bad scenario is that these fledglings are not seen fed and are not grounded by the Discovery Centre so they can be rescued. So fingers crossed. I will post all the news that I can find.
“October 29: Eagles were seen on the river around 7:30 –then shortly after on the mangroves – one with a fish. While doing surveys in the wetlands nearby between 7am and 8:30, there was no sign of either eaglet. Around 8:15, an eaglet was seen flying across the Armory grassland, being chased by the usual swoopers. It was seen on top of one of the old Navy-era mounds, then flew off again. One eaglet was reported by a member of the public along one of the pathways, but was gone when we investigated. We think this is SE34 and it is flying strongly and moving about. There were more sightings during the day, and one of the eaglets was seen from the ferry, flying along the river. Early evening, Dad was seen with a bird, taking it to River Roost. Neither eagle returned to the nest today. At dusk, the adults were at River Roost. The picture is from a sighting yesterday.”
‘A’ remarks: “I can hear those damned currawongs from the open WBSE tab, which I check regularly in the hope that one time, I will see an eaglet back on the nest, eating some fish. But all I hear are currawongs. It’s worrying, and oh so sad. I really thought this year might be different, due to the lengthier time the youngsters spent dealing with the swoopers while still having the nest as their ‘safe spot’. But it seems not. And what is really worrying to me is that it seems to be the parents who are letting the eaglets down. I was hoping that, like last season, the parents would help the eaglets by feeding them and showing them where the fish were. Watching their parents hunt would surely have helped immensely. But apparently this is not happening. “
In the Central Business District of Melbourne, there is a peregrine falcon scrape. Everyone held their breath as one of the chicks got a little too close to the ledge. https://youtu.be/0nKnS5II4rU?
They are getting their juvenile feathers as you can see clearly in the images below. They will be walking soon, tall and strong. They are learning to pluck by watching the parents who are bringing the prey to the nest and plucking it before them.
‘A’ remarks: “At Collins Street, the littles are self-feeding, and at least from dad’s point of view, it may well have reached the dump and depart phase. He brought some prey early, about 06:12, but one of the humongous fluffballs grabbed it from him and dad considered, then thought better of trying to retrieve it. The triumphant chick took its prize down into the gutter to eat it in peace, so dad retrieved what looked like a very long leg (or perhaps a piece of wing) from the scrape and began feeding it to one of the others.
The third chick sat motionless, intently watching the scene unfold, from the back corner of the scrape. Eventually, it moved forward and into the feeding line. When dad responded by offering it food, it stole the entire piece and took it back into its corner of the scrape, where it proceeded to self-feed. Dad continued feeding what was left of his leftovers to the remaining chick.
So in the end, everyone ate breakfast, but it was hardly the most organised or coordinated of feedings. Everyone ate in their own place and in their own time. Dad just went with the flow, handling the situation with aplomb. These three are already a massive handful for their parents, especially poor little dad, who is dwarfed by his offspring. This family is just TOO funny. “
These kids at Collins Street are so precocious. They are developing right where they should and one decided to take the prey from Dad and high tail it to the other end of the ledge!
Oops. Dad arrived Wednesday morning on the ledge and those triplets let him know that he can only come with his talons full! https://youtu.be/ej47XnKN9JE?
At Port Lincoln, Wilko eats first but Kasse wants some fish and gets some! He scoots up and Mum notices. ‘A’ comments: “At Port Lincoln, there was a bit of bonking at 06:32, but dad brought in a small whole fish at 06:41 and everyone was happy. Kasse is up off hisd tarsi and onto his feet today. He seems to have a fascination with feet that reminds me of a sweet girl called Lindsay. She too had to be reminded that other people’s toes were not toys. But Kasse is playing with Wilco’s toes and with mum’s. Just adorable. “
Diamond feeds Yira and Garramma their second breakfast. Xavier had a good go for a few minutes!
Black Stork Migration. Here is the Bird Map chart for the 30th of October. Waba still appears to be in the very south of Egypt at his last transmission.
Despite the fact that ospreys are what make me wake up in the morning, I love all birds and there are some that pull at my heart strings more than others. Jackie and Shadow are one of those couples. Jackie was at the nest looking at it and out over the territory while Shadow was finding the best sticks for cot rails. This couple lives in hope – the eternal hope that maybe this year they will be able to raise another eaglet together.
Polar Bears. The Canadian province where I live is often called the world’s Polar Bear capital. At our local zoo, three live in a large open space with pools and dens built a few years ago. In the north, in Churchill, the bears are hungry. If they come into the town three times, they are shot. Not tranquilized, but killed. They are hungry. The sea ice has retreated, and there are fewer seals they rely on for food. It is hot in Churchill and parts of the Arctic. It is unclear when the entire ecosystem that supports them will collapse, but there is evidence to show that it is beginning to happen sooner than expected. So what about captivity, like our zoo? What are the pros? And cons?
This is a good read. It asks a lot of important questions.
What a great post from Connie Dennis in Nova Scotia. How often do we hear people say or read that our dear feathered friends, mammals, and fish do not have feelings? They are sentient beings; their behaviour towards these beautiful creatures will surely change once people recognize this. For a good read on animals and birds as sentient beings look no further than Marc Bekoff, The Emotional Lives of Animals.
The trailer for the documentary on California Condors from the Ventana Wildlife Society: https://youtu.be/dgCVAA-NNig?
Geemeff sends us some really good news. Don’t we wish we could get together and buy the Chesapeake Bay and stop the fishing? They say, “One more parcel of land for nature, one less for the #IdiotsWithGuns who like to kill in the name of so-called ‘sport’.
While that is a good thought-provoking read about polar bears, we are going to close today with a good news story about a juvenile rescue. We need these good stories!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care everyone. Stay safe out there.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, J, SA’ Valerie Wright , Judy Harrington, Kerry Allen, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Deborah Victoriana, SK Hideaways, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Falcon Cam Project, NEFL-AEF, Androcat, Charter Group Birdcams, The Guardian, Connie Dennis, Ventana Wildlife Society, Tamarack Wildlife Centre.
Greetings from a beautiful day on the Canadian Prairies. We hope all of you are well. Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope have the perfect idea for what to do on a cool fall afternoon.
Hope has been at the Port Tobacco nest on and off and flew in with a big fish late Monday morning.
No one has been at the Bluff City nest in Tennessee so far.
Duke Farms is working on their camera.
Gigi has been on the ND-LEEF nest. A male eagle has also been seen.
Eagle on the NCTC nest on Monday.
The fledglings are being seen. Now are they being fed?
‘A’ writes: “October 28: An empty nest but a couple of sightings during the day. During the morning, we think one eaglet was heard in the mangroves. The parents were circling overhead. Lady was seen with a fish, circling over the whole area. We were listening for alarm calls from the swooping currawongs and ravens, which alert us to where an eaglet might be. Early afternoon, we spotted an eaglet in a casurina by Wharf Pond – just over our heads, with a couple of currawongs in attendance. After a while, it flew off strongly, out of sight. Later, both eagles were reported with prey over the river, though both fed themselves and when seen again had no catch. Just after 3pm, I saw one adult circling over the Armory area. One eaglet spotted again in the area – it’s hide and seek . We watched as the eaglet, we thing SE34, hoped along a wire fence-line, with ravens pulling and poking it. It finally flew off along the pathway, landing clumsily in a tree. The swoopers found it again, both currawongs and magpies. By standing still, the swoopers gradually left and it was resting. We think it flew off again late. A long day for 2 eaglets out in the world.”
At SW Florida, M15 and F23 are like an exquisite machine working together in a kind of blended harmony. Just image when Harriet went missing. Did anyone believe that M15 would raise those two beautiful month old eaglets to fledge? He did. Did we ever believe seeing all those female eagles fight for fish on the nest with their worn talons that he would find a beautiful mate like F23? And just look. Their second breeding year together. I can’t wait! https://youtu.be/-tgJiE7otoU?
Breakfast at Port Lincoln. More fish and more fish. Wilko and Kasse are little eating machines. Aren’t they beautiful?
As we prepare for the Osprey breeding season next spring in the northern hemisphere, why not begin to grow your knowledge? I will be posting articles from the most basic to several theses that deal with specific aspects of the fish hawk’s behaviour.
‘J’ sends us a book recommendation (I have not read it yet), but I thought you might be interested:
Calico’s Tip for the Day!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you for to the following for their posts, notes, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, J’, Nesting Bird Life and More, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, The Real Saunders Photography, SW Florida Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, WRDC, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, ETSU-Johnson City, ND-LEEF, Rohan Geddes and Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, tulsaducati, Androcat, SK Hideaways, Port Lincoln Osprey Cam, RSPB, The Guardian, Taschenbuch, Winnipeg Missing and Found Cat Watch.
Oh, we had a fun time Saturday afternoon. For the past four years, CPAWS (Canada Parks and Wilderness Society) hosts a Halloween walk with games and treats at Bird’s Hill Provincial Park. We headed out to get our 2k exercise and check out the chickadees. Had they returned? And would they land on our hands for seed?
Decorations lined the paths, which were clearly marked. There was that peculiar smell of fall, the musky sweet aroma of the fallen leaves under our boots, so familiar that one never forgets it from year to year.
To the right of our dear witch are the golden leaves of the Oak trees, so plentiful in the park. There were conifers, aspens, and birch.
When we were in Nova Scotia, our remembrances of the trip were the Red Maple Leaves we collected and the pine cones. There were no Red Maples in the woods, but we did find pine cones to add to the bowl on our dining table. They are so tiny compared to the ones we brought home from the Annapolis Valley.
The Black-capped Chickadees were not shy. They would get their seed, fly quickly to a branch to crush and eat it, and then, just as quickly return for another. The energy they expend getting food is admirable. It is their familiar song – the chick-a-dee-dee – that filled the air on Saturday.
I had no idea how many calls these cute little birds had until I checked the information on the Cornell Bird Lab site.
‘A’ remarks on SE34’s fledge: “The rain had come over this morning shortly before SE34 fledged. It looked grey and overcast and as if it were raining or about to do so. It was not great fledging weather, but soon after SE34 fledged, the sun came out and things were looking a lot brighter.
In the minute before fledging, SE34 had been struck by a swooping currawong on the nest (09:58:40). The currawong then flew to a branch right in front of SE34’s face, about a metre away, and the two vocalised at each other before the currawong flew off. SE34 hopped and flapped around the nest, making vocals indicating his displeasure. Just before 09:59 the currawong swooped again, this time met by SE34, who flapped and vocalised at the currawong. SE34 moved up the perch branch, and at 09:59:06, the currawong again swooped past him. SE34 hesitated for a second and then fledged, flying off in pursuit of the currawong, or so it appeared.
We did not see either eaglet for the remainder of the day, so I am keenly awaiting the ranger report for this evening. “
In Port Lincoln, Wilko and Kasse have stopped the slight agro as they move out of the reptile phase. Totally grand. I have loved how Kasse tried to make herself bigger and looked Wilko straight in the eye. Would not be surprised if Wilko is a male and Kasse a female. But we will have to wait – and wait for a long time maybe. Everyone believed Calypso to be a female and she turned out to be a he with a mate this year. I often wonder at how Falkey and Bassa shot out of Port Lincoln like Zoe if they weren’t females….just weird thoughts on a Sunday morning sitting in the sun. Of course, Tiger Mozone told me in jest years ago not to question the person ringing the raptors. But, of course, I do because only DNA testing or seeing an egg is the absolute mark of gender. https://youtu.be/foDdB91SsI4? (more below)
I hope that eel that Lady kept from the ospreys is for the sea eaglets!
‘A’ comments on what I am worried about, too – have the sea eaglets been fed? “I’m concerned too. Here is yesterday’s ranger report, which doesn’t actually give much comfort:
October 27: SE34 slept on the front rail of the nest overnight – were the parents nearby? Early morning swoopers were about and swooping SE34 as he moved a little about the nest branches. SE34 moved up higher, then back to the nest again. A currawong came close, clipping/ SE34. The eaglet flew off then, strongly – flying out and up. So SE34 fledged today around 10am, at 81 days from hatching. Then, he was out of sight. The ground crew reported adults down on the river and SE33 possibly out of sight in the mangroves. At 1:20pm, no prey had been brought back to the now-empty nest. Around 1:30pm, one fledgling was seen flying over Ermington Bay, landing on the power tower. Then, when flushed, it took off over Wentworth Point and the residential areas – and away. The parents were circling overhead. Later, SE33 was seen flying back towards the general forest area again. As well, an eaglet was reported earlier on the ground in the area near the nest – SE34 – in the restricted access area. After 5pm, the adults were seen circling high overhead. There were several sightings of them, so SE33 seems to be moving about. We are unsure where SE34 is at the end of the day. Will the adults return to the nest area? Will either fledgling?
When SE34 fledged, he had just been struck by a currawong swooper, and it seemed to me, watching the footage of the five minutes or so leading up to the fledge, that SE34 took off after the currawong, chasing it. I was pleased to see that it was not the other way around! But SE34 definitely appeared to me to be chasing his tormentor. That attitude is a good one, at any rate. But the fact that it has been seen on the ground near the nest is not a great sign. Still, the parents are obviously aware of where the fledglings are, and are keeping an eye on them, though that’s not the same thing as feeding them. Obviously, I am waiting anxiously for tonight’s ranger report, which should be posted in about an hour, two hours at most. I’ll let you know as soon as there is word from the BOTG at WBSE. We are reliant now upon their reports, and it is a wonderful thing to know that they are out every day in that forest, watching and listening for the eaglets and their parents. It is a great comfort to have their daily updates on what the fledglings are doing and whether they are with their parents or getting fed. Things are a little unsettled at the moment, and I would give a lot to see those eaglets return to their nest. But whether they have the physical strength or the flying skills to do so at this stage is dubious. So obviously, we are hoping the parents will bring food to them wherever they are perched. SE33 has apparently at least stayed off the ground, which is more than can be said for SE34, who is in serious danger as long as he remains there, vulnerable to feral cats, foxes and even dogs, not to mention the swooping smaller birds. I am sick with worry about both of them and it makes us feel so helpless.”
If you missed it, SE34 fledged while being harrassed on the nest by Currawongs and then chased. S/he flew out of the forest in a path very similar to the adults. Wishing 33 and 34 long and productive lives with lots of eels. https://youtu.be/neBjn5AZJO4?
Wilko and Kasse are doing so good at Port Lincoln! 22 and 19 days old now. Beautiful juvenile plumage coming in. They survived the dreaded reptile phase and now we can just breathe nicely. Of course, the fish fairies are always there should there be the need, which is another bonus for these two beauties.
These two at Port Lincoln are so adorable. I am absolutely smitten by Kasse.
Breakfast arrived as the golden rays of the sun kissed the scrape of Diamond and Xavier.
At 367 Collins Street, breakfast was served at the cooler end of the ledge. Goodness me those little chicks knew to run down there and stay where the sun would not beat down on them. One went and the other two followed. As far as I can remember, this is the earliest the chicks have moved down to the other end and used this scrape in the shade. Mum has a great perch to watch her triplets, too.
Beau and Gabby are dedicated to their nest in NE Florida near Palm Court.
Wings of Whimsy gives us a round up of what is happening at 17 Bald Eagle nests from the 21st to 24th of October. https://youtu.be/erEAiieAfj8?
One of the images from the video summary is from the John Bunker Sands Wetlands where Mum and Dad are busy at work fixing up that beautiful nest of theirs.
Calico’s Tip for the Day is don’t turn into a bear that hibernates. Get out and enjoy nature, make it part of your life regardless of clock changes and weather! It will make your life so much better.
From the article: “It’s easy to pass birds without really seeing them or to walk through a park without paying attention to the trees. We can become so caught up in our own thoughts and conversations that we miss the sensory gifts nature has to offer. By tuning in to the sights, sounds and sensations around us, by listening to the birds, we can transform passive wandering into an immersive experience. When we truly notice nature, something magical happens.”
And last, please leave the leaves. Spread the news. It will save you time to do other things. If you must, just pile the leaves but do not put them in bags! or grind them up with a mulcher. Just let them sit. Read a good book.
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: ‘A, H, J’, Heidi McGrue, Cornell Bird Lab, Olympic Park Eagles, SK Hideaways, Rohan Geddes and Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, NestFlix Memories, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Trudi Kron, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, NEFL-AEF, Wings of Whimsy, The Guardian, Brian Collins – Menhaden, Little Fish, Big Deal, Pollinator Friendly Yards.
