Category Archives: protecting wildlife

Tuesday in Bird World

18 March 2025

Good Morning Everyone!

Thank you to ‘PB’ who sent me a CBS video of the Sandhill Cranes, thousands, hundreds of thousands? of them gathering in Grand Island, Nebraska. What a beautiful sight. I wish everyone would wake up this morning and see the beauty in wildlife and nature and become so empathetic – not separate – but together with nature to actually do something about making their lives and our planet a better place.

Not the same video but the event of a few years ago!

Well, osprey season is starting off with a flurry of arrivals. As you probably know, my first love was the Red-tail Hawks in my birthplace, Oklahoma. I then had an ‘experience’ with a very large female hawk in my garden, and so, the smaller raptors – the hawks and the falcons – have a special place in my heart. My knowledge is, however, about ospreys. I am, therefore, over the moon that so many are returning.

I have a tiny, but dedicated group of helpers. I have said, many times, that we monitored 502 osprey eggs last year. That is a phenomenal number. I could not do it without Heidi. We prop each other up emotionally when things go sideways, as they might well do again this year with poor little ones starving. But, I want to start the year off on a positive note in the hope that it will be different. I can personally use a break from what has been happening on the bald eagle nests especially Kistachie E3 where the adult seems to not respond to the two starving eaglets on the nest – with their full juvenile feathers. Andria had two owl strikes and there has been an intruder flying around the nest. Intruders steal prey intended for eaglets in the nest and the hits from the owl could have caused injuries.

Video of owl strikes: https://youtu.be/xYm8HqzHHBo?

As I was told many years ago by an eagle expert, the Bald Eagles will first defend their territory, then they will protect themselves and their mate, and the chicks/eggs, etc are last on the list. If Akecheta died, it was because he was protecting his territory. Even so, I find it utterly gut wrenching to watch babies die on a nest from lack of food – either because of intruders or a sick or missing parent. If these two are to pass, I hope that it is quick. They have no one giving them supplementary food like Brodie at the BBC nest last year.

Meanwhile, Gabby has decided to feed the intruding juvenile at the NE Florida nest to the dismay of many onlookers. I have mentioned her own fledgling getting lost and going from nest to nest in the area (BOGs watched and reported) trying to find food. Then I remembered that a couple of Richmond and Rosie’s fledglings from the Golden Gate Audubon Osprey platform also left their nest, went for food elsewhere, and were fed. Bodie has no siblings and while this has been ‘tough’, Bodie has to be a fighter in the real world of eagles. No one is going to cut her a break. Gabby and Beau have enough food for both of the juveniles. Gabby knows what she is doing by feeding the intruder. Yes, it will return for food. Hopefully Bodie and it will both have good crops. Bodie can learn from watching the intruder and if it is fed, maybe it will be nicer. We do not know what we would do if we were starving.

Beau came in with a rodent and Bodie self-feed! https://youtu.be/LIfKQVnJwMk?

The warm sun has melted the snow, or most of it, in the nest of Jackie and Shadow. Shadow has been doing some really good work as daddy and it turns out he is a great feeder. Those two little ones were stuffed to the top of their heads and quickly into a food coma!

The Only Eaglet at Sauces, SC1, is the sweetest luckiest little eaglet in the Channel Islands.

But back to the ospreys. I am returning to the format that I used where I include Heidi’s reports and mine daily under our names. If I miss something, it is entirely my fault. I wish that we could aim for as comprehensive a study this year as we did last year, but my life is more challenging than I ever imagined, so if we get half the number of eggs watched and all the data recorded, that would be just fine. (I have hired a Girl Friday to help with other things so I have Friday afternoons free to work on all things osprey).

If you wish to add to our knowledge and data bank, we welcome your input. We need the name of the nest, its location, the link to the streaming cam if there is one, the names or ID numbers of the adults, the dates of their arrival and departure, the dates of eggs laid, hatch dates, fledge dates, and death dates and causes.

Please note that this might not be a comprehensive listing of every osprey nest. Rather, it will include significant milestones.

Heidi’s Osprey News:

Fenwick Island: 3/17 – Fenwick Island, Delaware (Captain Mac’s Fish House):  June arrived back home to her nest in the early evening!  June is the ‘queen of the striped bass’… she caught so many of those large fish last season to feed her only osplet ‘Fen’.

Lake Murray, South Carolina: 3/17 Congrats to Kenny and Lucy.  Lucy laid egg #2 at 10:16.

Dewey Beach, Delaware: 3/17 – The female of the pair arrived on 3/12, and today at 08:30 her mate finally arrived.  It was immediately apparent that this is a bonded pair, and they fell right in step with fixing up the nest.  Best wishes for their success this season.

(Gosh those two are a handsome pair)

Mary Ann’s Osprey News:

Maya arrived at Rutland and Blue NC0 at Loch of the Lowes on the 17th.

Geemeff catches NC0’s arrival: https://youtu.be/CUabK04PELs? Oh, how I hope she gets a good mate. I often wondered if Laddie LM12 had been ill for a couple of years or unwell leaving Blue NC0 without food or the babies, some who starved. While I adored Laddie and I did, Blue NC0 deserves an eager fisher for a her new mate. I want to see that nest piled with fish.

Blue NC0 sleeping on the perch branch protecting her nest. Come on Dark Knight!

Eschenbach Osprey Platform, Germany: The news under the streaming cam is: Herbert arrived on the 16th of March. “We are waiting for Hermine to arrive, but the activity in the nest does not stop. Other females are present: some claim the place, others are passing by and take advantage of the male’s generosity. Today Herbert appeared accompanied by an unringed female. A very demanding girl who has demanded (and obtained) several deliveries of fish. What will happen? We will wait to see the events of the next few days.”

Last year Herbert arrived on April 4.

Birds of Poole Harbour:

Who will return to Loch Arkaig?

RSPB Loch Garten has had its share of drama.

Many more ospreys will be arriving in the next fortnight. At some of the US nests there are little bobs and only bobs. May each and every one flourish.

Moorings Park: Beautiful Only Bob.

Frenchman’s Creek: Only Bob doing well also!

Venice Golf and Country Club are incubating.

Incubation at Brevard, Florida:

Oceanside MNSA Osprey Nest: Blondie returns on the 13th of March.

News from Others (various birds):

Geemeff sends lots of news items including this one about Wisdom!

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2025/3/oldest-wild-bird-wisdom-has-more-than-doubled-her-life-expectancy-and-become-a-grandma

Storrington has been named the capital of the White Storks!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/17/storrington-in-west-sussex-named-uk-first-european-stork-village

Are authorities turning a blind eye to the illegal killing of birds by trapping in Cyprus. Watch and judge for yourself.

A reader from Berlin writes that they found this ebook on Germany’s Amazon site. The book is not affiliated with FOBBV:

‘J’ sends Rita’s History Monday:

We have news from Chichester Falcons.

chichester newsletter no.2Download

Worcester Cathedral Falcon Scrape has its first egg of the breeding season.

Lead can and is being replaced by other materials. Lead is toxic and deadly to our raptors. Why do the governments that make up the UK miss deadlines to stop its use? Why do people no longer care about the suffering the wildlife experience?

UK Governments miss deadline for responding to recommendations for restrictions on use of toxic leadDownload

The intentional poisoning of over 150 beautiful corellas in Australia is enough to turn your stomach.

‘Heartbreaking’: poisoning suspected after mass deaths of more than 150 little corellas in Newcastlehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/18/newcastle-corella-birds-mass-deaths-suspected-poisoning?CMP=share_btn_url

“Little corella (Cacatua sanguinea gymnopis) Blanchetown” by Charles J. Sharp is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Their challenges:

Department for Environment and Water – Little CorellasDownload

Pip watch for Bella and Scout at the NCTC nest begins today.

‘A’ brings news of Angel and Tom: “Again, Angel spent more time at the nest this morning than Tom did – and again, she is doing a lot of nestcupping, as if making final preparations to lay in this nest. I do hope so. In 2023, she laid her first egg on 24 March, which is under a week away, so I am hoping we see two eggs, as we did in 2023, rather than what happened in 2024, when they simply disappeared before Angel laid any eggs at this site. We have no idea whether she laid elsewhere, though I still think the landowner would have spotted Angel at least if she had still been nearby last season. We will never know of course and their whereabouts last season will forever remain a mystery. But ol course they may do the same thing this year and simply stop showing up at the nest. 

But I am still determined to be hopeful – after all, we have seen joyous outcomes for Iris and  her Finnegan, Gabby and her Beau, and now Jak and darling determined Audacity. If this is to be a year for miracle chicks, then please let Angel and Tom’s be among them. “

Thank you for being with me today. We are always delighted to hear your news and have you with us. Take care in the times we are in. Look for the positive and the good. Take care of your neighbours, your friends, and your family – even if it is only a smile you have to offer or a hello in an e-mail.

Migrating Birds are passing through. Protect them from your windows. Put out high-energy food if you can and water. Water is good!

We were so happy to see Star back at the feeder today.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, Heidi, J, MP, PB’, Rhoda A, American Eagle Foundation, NEFL-AEF, FOBBV, IWS/Explore.org, Fenwick Island, Lake Murray, Dewey Beach, Geemeff and Loch of the Lowes, Eschenbach Ospreys, Birds of Poole Harbour, The Woodland Trust, RSPB Loch Garten, Moorings Park, Frenchman’s Creek, Breward Ospreys, VGCCO, The Guardian, RSPB, Cassandra McClurkin, Chichester Peregrines, Worcester Cathedral, Raptor Persecution UK, The Guardian, OpenVerse, South Australia Department for the Environment and Water, Guinness World Records, Rita the Eagle FB, Visit Kearney Nebraska

Sunday in Bird World

16 March 2025

Hello Everyone!

We hope that you have had a glorious weekend! While it was nice weather during the week the cold winds hit bringing in some freezing rain that is still lingering. Did you know that kitty litter is very good for melting ice?

I wonder which nests you have been watching?

Many of you have commented that watching what is happening at the nest of Gabby and Beau is causing you a lot of anxiety. The juvenile did return to the NEFL nest of Gabby, Beau, and Bodie. The fledgling from another nest – probably lost from their own nest and hungry – was ushered off unceremoniously several times by the adults.

It is a lot of drama and I know it is difficult to watch. Gabby’s fledgling was also lost one season and could not find her nest for a week or so and she was so exhausted that she stayed home for a month once she found her nest! I feel sorry for this one – hungry and lost. Life is confusing enough and these eaglet is young. Let us hope it finds its home – and I hope its parents are alive and have prey on the nest.

Of course, you could be watching the miracle child of Jak and Audacity. What an amazing ending after years of waiting. Audacity and Jak wanting a little eaglet so much! Well, here it is!

Jak is so excited. There is fish all over for this little blessing. They are also eating the placenta from the seals that are having pups in the harbour. This is really good food for that baby.

‘A’ writes on Sunday: “The new baby at Sauces is the sweetest fluffiest little person with the cutest wee face. It is strong and active and was eating eagerly when I watched it with Audacity at lunchtime today. I was concerned that the nest bowl was too deep but the chick seems to have no trouble peering above the rim, and given the current lack of baby rails (get moving, Jak, this nest requires some toddler-proofing), it’s a good thing that the bowl is deep! As long as no-one pulls a load of grass in there and buries the baby! Or tugs a fish on top of it and squashes it! So far, Audacity is being very careful with her pride and joy.  

Lunch today was some sort of rodent, and the little one ate eagerly, managing very large bites for what I believe was its first meal. The blood all over the nest comes from yesterday’s treat for the new mum – seal placenta apparently. It does look absolutely gruesome but is of course incredibly nutritious. I have no idea of its calcium value (god knows Audacity needs to replenish that, as her body has been cannibalising her own skeletal structure season after season as she has laid all those eggs). It looks well, despite its difficult hatch (it has managed to get every piece of shell off) and it seems healthy. I have high hopes for this little family. Jak stayed on the nest after delivering lunch and seemed to want to help with the feeding, leaning in to the chick on a couple of occasions  Audacity mixed in some seal placenta with the rodent, and I’m sure the level of nutrition from that placenta would be amazing for a newly hatched chick. “

At the nest of Jackie and Shadow, the two surviving chicks of that terrible winter storm appear to be alright. Please send them your good wishes because they, too, got cold and wet despite all the good care of Jackie and Shadow.

Fish are now on the menu at Big Bear along with a pile of Coot!

Shadow comes to say good night to Jackie and the kiddos. https://youtu.be/BtNhMzwjDqY?

Sunday breakfast and all looks good except the kids are alone and uncovered. I sure hope that sun is warm.

At Manton Bay, Blue 33 (11) continues to wait for Maya, his mate who is fifteen years old this spring.

Sisters Blue 24 and 25 have both visited the Manton Bay nest hoping that Blue 33 will bring more fish for them. I sure hope Maya gets home safely and if she doesn’t, I hope that Blue 33 gets a mate worthy of him!!!!!!!

Blue 33 is known, sometimes sadly, for bringing large live fish to the nest. He was caught on video by Geemeff battling one of those a couple of days ago! https://youtu.be/9a8cvy7GrJo?

On Sunday, Geemeff writes about the shenanigans at Rutland: “Fingers crossed that both Maya and Blue 11 return safely. Meantime, this looks like a successful mating between 33 and 25, judging by the way she shakes her tail feathers. Or at least, much better than his attempts earlier today.”

https://youtu.be/QhcMVRfb6kA

Two cutie pies at Port Tobacco!

There are now three at PA Farm Country!

A nice fish came on the Kisatchie E3 nest. The eldest ate first while the little one was submissive, almost hanging over the edge of the nest to its peril. but it clung on, listened, watched, and is getting good at the snatch and grab after the oldest one is full. Oh, help this nest. It needs more food and there are tornadoes in the area tonight (Saturday). It was two days ago – on Thursday that 04 had a really nice crop. He needs to not be so fearful and snatch and grab more. It is hard with such an aggressive older sibling. They sometimes go to bed very hungry. What is happening with deliveries and fish from the lake? Anyone know?

Beautiful little eaglet at the Johnson City nest of Boone and Jolene.

Two wee ones at Bluff City. Franklin and Frances each brought in fish and the kids ate well.

Tornadoes and big storms passing through parts of the US. Berry College seems to be right in the middle of it with rain and lighting at the old nest. Pa and Missey are using another nest so I have no news on eggs.

Oh, what a sweet little osplet at the Moorings Park nest. And it is going to be a healthy one, a fat little bottom full of fish!

Hard to see but that little one at Frenchman’s Creek seems to be doing well, too.

There were at least two fish deliveries at Duke Farms and all ate well and had crops. The little one even had a private feeding.

Are these the official names? If so, I missed it! Harpo, Meechi, Jupi???

Hartley and Monty now have three eggs at the San Jose City Hall scrape!!!!!!!!! https://youtu.be/BqfENvs4uec?

Now we can see those eggs at San Jose! https://youtu.be/jOnjWZ6PGjk?

The first egg for Frida at the Falcon Cam in New Jersey was laid on Saturday.

Gorgeous Milda incubating her two WTE eggs in Latvia.

Ever wonder what gulls eat besides fries at the sea side?

From profiteroles to moles: project uncovers gulls’ surprising diethttps://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/15/from-profiteroles-to-moles-project-uncovers-gulls-surprising-diet?CMP=share_btn_url

Calico wishes to thank everyone who helped with her fundraising. She is pleased to report that when all the funds are in by the end of March, she will donate $420 to two of the charities that care for feral mothers and their kittens, trying to find them homes and for abandoned pets. She is delighted. Thank you so much! Fundraising is over for this spring.

I cannot tell you how much I miss Akecheta and Thunder. We have had so many losses this year, but this one really gutted me and still does – along with Annie and Alden. I know. They all took a piece of us, some more than others.

This was posted and I wanted to share it so that you will go to the Channel Islans Eagle Lovers: CIEL Facebook group to see the entire video clip of Akecheta courting Thunder!

Thank you for joining us today. On Wednesday, we are going on a mini-break to Hecla Island. We hope the weather is not too frigid and that we will see more geese and even the arrival of some American White Pelicans. I will post on Wednesday, take a few days break, and return on Saturday. Take care of yourself during that time. 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 blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, Heidi, J’, NEFL-AEF, IWS/Explore (Sauces Canyon), FOBBV, LRWT, Geemeff, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Lori Staely and HDonTap, Kisatchie E3 Bald Eagle nest, Union County Falcon Cam, LDF, The Guardian, SK Hideaways and San Jose Falcons, Berry College Eagles, Moorings Park Ospreys, Frenchman’s Creek Ospreys, Stephanie Ross and CIEL, SK Hideaways and FOBBV, Geemeff

Friday in Bird World

7 March 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

I don’t know about you but the thought of Jackie and Shadow with three eaglets in a nest with a huge storm in the Big Bear Valley has been the most energizing event I could imagine. Has it been the same for you? There is some beautiful reaffirmation that everything really is going to be fine. I am sleeping better, the only thing we have been watching on that screen we have been watching are two of the sweetest, most loved little eaglets ever to hatch. Still can’t believe it.

A break in the winter storm allowed Jackie to feed the first two hatches at the nest and for everyone to get a glimpse at the pip in the third egg. Most of us did not believe our eyes. Could it be possible?

Many were determined not to watch the agony of Jackie and Shadow incubating eggs that would not hatch and now – to the utter amazement of everyone, it looks like there will be three!!!!!!!!!

SK Hideaways caught that feeding on video: https://youtu.be/e6d7ulhLbsY?

I wonder if Jackie and Shadow can believe their eyes, too? https://youtu.be/GBtcM_22HW8?s

Calico is one of the biggest fans of Big Bear and hasn’t been able to take her eyes off the nest all morning. There has never been triplets before. She worries like the rest of us, but when Shadow was calling Jackie and the babies….well, she is glued.

KTLA has some of the most recent news and Sandi Spears is on and she is so excited: https://youtu.be/0lhsIUyHT7c?

There will be a naming contest. Suggestions will go in. 35 names picked at random and the Big Bear Third Graders will get the final votes! And just think – it has been three years without naming eaglets. This is so exciting.

KCAL has news: https://youtu.be/opt9GYNXYzQ?

Bluff City has a pip in its second egg!

Just look at Bodie! I think Gabby got herself a girl this year.

We are on pip watch for the second egg at Johnson City.

Pip watch at Moorings Park is coming on Saturday.

Everything is fine with the triplets at Duke Farms. https://youtu.be/it5WznBEu00?

Gosh, I wish that Frenchman’s Creek camera was better. You can hardly see if those two chicks are alive!

Sadly, one has perished. ‘H’ writes:
3/6 –  At approximately 22:15 the GHO struck Mom who was brooding the 2.5 day old and 1.5 day old babies.  One of the babies was thrown to the rails at the bottom of the nest.  Mom returned to the nest after just a few minutes.  A couple minutes later, the baby on the rails sticks began to squirm, and then fell through the sticks.”

I cannot tell you how much I dislike the GHOs that strike these osprey nests.

‘A’ is worried that Jak and Audacity’s egg is buried too deep. ‘A’ is not alone. She remarks, “Have you seen the depth of the pit Jak and Audacity have excavated under and around that egg? Yes, it is likely to protect the egg from cracking because there won’t be any significant body weight on it from the incubating parents or indeed any weight at all, but I’m not even sure the brood patch can come into contact with the egg because of the depth it is at. And as Audacity pulls in the dry grass and tucks it tighter around her, it gradually works its way down towards the bottom of the pit until presumably it buries the egg. I think it is getting dug out again periodically but it is in my opinion in a precarious position. 

I greatly fear that Audacity may see one of her eggs survive to pip but the eaglet will be buried at the bottom of a deep pit with loose dry grass constantly piling up on top of it. How long before an external pip can Audacity (and Jak) hear the chick cheeping inside? And if they do, will they try to dig the egg up? And are they likely to succeed or will the dry grass they remove from the bottom simply slide back down the inside of the pit? At the moment, as I said, when Audacity is incubating, she pulls dried grass towards her and tucks it in around her body. Surely this will mean that every time she moves, more dry grass falls into the bottom of the pit and more deeply buries the egg.” 

Squirrel dinner from Alex II at Kistache E3: https://youtu.be/fTUtthkKReE?

Calico’s Wall of Shame: If you promise to stop using lead ammunition and you don’t, well bloody shame on you!!!!!!

UK gamebird shooting industry fails to meet voluntary pledge to stop using toxic lead ammunition – nDownload

Mind you, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I was scrolling around the telly. Please, please do not make the balloon arch on that new Netflix show with Meghan. I thought part of the idea was being kind to nature, being respectful for the environment. So then where did the balloons come from? No balloons, no balloon arches, and definitely not machines that blow balloons up. Kids do not need balloons. The environment does not need balloons. Wildlife die because of balloons. They go up, they come down. They burst. They have strings that bind little legs. Birds eat them. You just got added to Calico’s Wall of Shame.

Life is good. Smile. A big fish just came on the Big Bear Nest!

A visitor at Cal Falcons.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and just all the stations, TV and radio or otherwise, that are covering Jackie and Shadow: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J’, SK Hideaways, FOBBV, KTLA, KCAL, Bluff City-ETSU, Moorings Park Osprey Platform, Duke Farms, Wings of Whimsy, Frenchman’s Creek, Nesting Birdlife and More, Raptor Persecution UK, Cal Falcons, NE Florida-AEF

Sunday in Bird World

2 March 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

Please note that Lori had an error and has updated the cost of the six pack cards for Calico’s Corner. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please see the posting Calico’s Corner for the update.

Before we begin with all the news, ‘EJ’ sent me a magnificent image of an osprey that flew over them in Alabama. We all need smiles right now and this is a beautiful healthy bird! (I am always so grateful for your images and your generosity in sharing with all of us!)

As I write this there are three ongoing matters in Bird World. The first is the missing Thunder from the West End nest. She left at 1430 on Friday, February 28 and has not been seen since. Makaio has gallantly incubated the eggs even bringing prey to eat on the nest while taking some short breaks. The second is the anxiousness surrounding the pip/hatch watches for both Big Bear and Sauces. I am always concerned about third hatch eaglets so I guess there are four items – that wee one at Duke Farms. I recall too many dying on that nest.

In the cast of Thunder, many speculate that she has gone off for a spa day like Gabby typically does. I am not convinced. There are several possibilities to consider: she might have been injured in a territorial fight, or worse, she could have been killed. Another concern is that she may have succumbed to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), though I hope that is not the case and I am unsure if it even exists on the islands. I tried to check and could find no conclusive information.

The romantic-comedy writer in me imagines a more whimsical scenario where she went to get prey, encountered Akecheta, and they flew off into the sunset together. Of course, this is just fanciful thinking and should be taken as such, but it would make for a marvelous ending.

If we do not see Thunder back on the nest by mid-afternoon on Monday, we must assume that she has been injured or killed.

It is the beginning of March and it is time to start watching for the arrival of Canada Geese on the Canadian Prairies as well as the return of the UK and European Ospreys. But for now, my friend ‘J’ reminds me that love, companionship, and joy wrapped up in a lot of hope for this year can be seen in 5 letters: Bodie!!!!!!!!!!

What a precious eaglet that is – and yes, Bodie is NOT small! If every nest could have one single eaglet as healthy as Bodie it would be fantastic. There is no need to cheer for three eggs or even two. Sadly, too many nests last year looked like they had two healthy eaglets when, in fact, they were not. Thing Eagle Country. One well fed eaglet. That is all we need. And it is certainly all the parents and the environment need.

Last year, Heidi and I monitored over 502 osprey eggs along with VV who kept an eye on an inordinate number of nests in Maryland right out their front door! Sadly, none of the chicks at Island Creek survived and most along the coast of the Chesapeake Bay also died. While many might wish to state categorically it was due to the heat dome, there is evidence from countries much hotter and for longer – that with sufficient fish providing hydration nests of 2 or 3 osplets can survive intense summer weather. I hold no hope for the nests again this year. There has been no change in making the Canadian company, Omega, accountable and no real science behind what is a sustainable catch limit. The people fighting this in the region are tireless but they are up against lobbyist and politicians. The dolphins and whales have already left. Would anyone in this lifetime ever have believed that this entire area could be without ospreys? Well, it can happen. What we need are fish fairies and large garden koi ponds. People who will take risks to help the ospreys.

It is now the end of February. I had intended to return to posting Bird World news every morning. The last full moon saw a marked decline in my husband’s cognitive powers and his behaviour. It has been overwhelming and my colleague ‘H’ says my ‘brain is fried’ from all of it. Thankfully, osprey season has really not started and ‘H’ has been handling 99.9% of the data entries so far. I will start with the UK nests, Rosie/Richmond, and Iris plus Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. I am hoping our dear friend VV will monitor those nests in Maryland in their front yard! We won’t get up to 502 but we will do our best to get accurate information so we can see what is causing mortalities in 2025. In 2024, it was weather/starvation as the main driver of deaths. But, back to the posting of news. I am keeping my head above water by posting two larger blogs twice a week. I hope the information is helpful. These will come on either Sunday or Monday and Thursday. Essential news items will come as they happen. I will also try to post at least one or two good news items each day by mid-afternoon. I miss all of you! And I miss being in contact with the birds in their nests like I was before…

So, let’s see what is happening!

Golden Gate Audubon: Rosie has returned to Richmond on the light stand in San Francisco Bay! March 1. I am so delighted. She landed and started calling for Richmond right away.

Port Lincoln Ospreys: I am so grateful to the folks at Port Lincoln Ospreys who are regularly posting the tracking of the ospreys in South Australia. Looks like Ervie is having a fun time hanging out with Giliath! They spend the night together. How cool is that. You can find all of the tracking on the Port Lincoln FB page. I am including the one for Ervie and Giliath here because Ervie still melts my heart.

Dale Hollow Eagle Cam: Thank you to ‘KR’ for alerting me to the two eggs at this nest. As many of you will remember, there were issues getting help for the eaglets when they were tangled in fishing line. I am only putting this notice now for those of you that wish to watch this nest. I will not be covering it.

Duke Farms: There are currently three eaglets with the last hatching on Saturday, March 1. ‘A’ comments: “Another feeding at Duke Farms about four hours after the last (no time stamp on the feed as far as I can see, which is irritating) and on this occasion, the older hatch did even better, grabbing big pieces. The younger hatch was at least facing the right way this time, and sat nicely beside its sibling at the table. However, mum only half-heartedly offered it a bite or two, it made no attempt to grab at them, although like its older sibling yesterday, it is VERY loud and persistent in its begging for food. Even so, mum is adept at ignoring all pleas and simply sitting on the noisy little bundles. Oh Mary Ann they are just ADORABLE. Aren’t they the sweetest things at this early stage (while any attempts at bonking are harmless because they can’t even see their target properly.”…”I fear I can see a definite pip on egg three, which is of concern to me for the reasons outlined yesterday. This nest is already problematic – it was with only one eaglet – so I hate to think of what will happen with three. The nest is covered in fish – dad is certainly doing his job – but whether that fish gets into those little beaks is another question altogether. Mum did give the first hatch a nice feed this morning and the wee one was doing really well, swallowing quite large pieces with relative ease. Hatch two was still fairly unsteady (and facing the wrong way) but I suspect it will be 24 hours before we need to start worrying about its food intake. It is very reassuring, though, that the older chick is eating well and mum is doing a good job of feeding it. “

Like so many nests this year, Duke Farms has three eggs. Personally I do not like three egg hatches unless the male digs right in there and helps like Akecheta did at the West End. It is difficult. Some have even raised four.

Sauces: The first egg laid by Jak and Audacity is holding! ‘A’ remarks “In wonderful news from Sauces, darling Audacity’s egg continues to hold – she has it buried fairly deep and safe in the nesting material but we still get a good look at it around 13:22. (Mind you, if Jak continues to mate with Audacity while she is incubating, there are no guarantees! Men!!) Assuming the egg doesn’t break, pip watch begins in 10 days. I think everyone is praying this egg is strong and that this poor long-suffering mum will finally get the precious eaglet she has sacrificed so much to give a chance at life. My heart goes out to this couple. Audacity is so brave and so determined. I do wonder whether the repeated calcium depletion year after year has had any long-term impacts on her bones. Certainly, she has given everything she has in her efforts to raise an eaglet. She deserves this more than anyone. It’s like Iris last year. Repeated loss finally followed by a miracle baby (or babies in Iris’s case.” 

Leucistic Red-tail Hawk Nest in TN: ‘A’ writes: “Meanwhile, Angel and Tom were at their nest again this morning. The nest looks absolutely ready for a couple of eggs and we are so hopeful this season that there will be eggs at this nest. Talons crossed (speaking of which, how gorgeous is Angel’s French polish?). There was even another afternoon check-in, and there have no blue jays in sight (or heard) today or yesterday, which ho-efully will persuade Angel and Tom that they can raise chicks without harassment at this nest. Still, after last season, I think we are all holding our breath every time they skip a day of nest work. 

I have not seen any mating on camera but if I remember rightly, that was the case in Deyani’s season too so we shouldn’t read anything into it. Tom managed two fertile eggs out of two (even though only one chick survived) so I see no reason for concern in that regard. Young he may be but I doubt that slows down a male of any species! Just saying.”

Falcon Cam Project: Xavier and Diamond have been bonding in the scrape. Oh, how nice it is to see you! https://youtu.be/4fmYvw-ZSWo?s

Florida Slub Jay Population: Attached is Audubon Florida’s annual report on Slub Jays.

jaywatchreport2025_v5_webDownload

Royal Albatross Colony, New Zealand: The Royal Cam chick is in the post-guard phase and is getting lots of good meals from the adults! https://youtu.be/5XgDs0L8A6A?

Big Bear Valley: 13,976 souls watching Jackie and Shadow as Jackie takes over the evening incubation shift. We are on pip watch at Big Bear Valley!

Both eagles protecting those precious eggs! How dare a sub-adult try and land on that nest during this crucial time!!!!!!!! https://youtu.be/bxQRZvfUftE?s

West End: Not sure how many eggs since the camera was down. Thunder and Makaio continue incubation and then Thunder disappears. Makaio was on incubation for over 24 hours. Is this a case of needing a spa day like Gabby or Gigi or has something more sinister happened to Thunder? We wait.

Makaio took several breaks on Saturday and even brought food to eat at the nest so he is doing fantastic. Let us hope Thunder returns safely.

Kansas City: Harvie and Ellie continue the incubation of their two eggs.

Achieva Credit Union: Jack and his new mate now have two eggs in that amazing nest that Jack built.

Moorings Park: Three eggs for Sally and Harry. Pip and hatch expected between March 8-12. Yes. We are that close. This is a very good nest to watch but will three be a challenge?

Frenchman’s Creek Ospreys: Continuous owl strikes.

Venice Golf and Country Club Ospreys:

Kisatchie E3 Bald Eagle Nest: Both eaglets are doing well. https://youtu.be/JOrFfsjn6ik?

John Bunker Sands Wetlands: Both eaglets are really losing the few remaining dandelions on the tops of their heads. What a wonderful nest this has been to watch this year!

Red Kite killed in the Cairngorms. ““The Park Authority condemns the illegal killing of raptors in the strongest possible terms. Raptor persecution has no place in 21st century Scotland but sadly incidents such as this are still taking place. It is an unacceptable crime that not only harms our raptor populations, but also damages the reputation of those land managers that act lawfully and work hard to care for wildlife.

“We are committed to working with partners to make sure the National Park is a safe haven for raptors and to establish the full circumstances of this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0846 of Thursday 27 February. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously”.

Cairngorms National Park Authority condemns latest shooting of red kite – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

The issues with wind power and raptors are real. This article was contained in the most recent Raptor Resource Project Journal.

Wind power development affects entire raptor | EurekAlert!Download

Manitoba is home to Polar Bears! 27 February was International Polar Bear Day! We love our bears, but their lives are becoming more and more challenging. https://youtu.be/uDN3x4sMnjs? and https://youtu.be/nYY0k0O9g6I?

Did you miss Ventana Wildlife’s February Condor Chat? Well, never fear. Here is the archived talk! The next live event is 27 March. https://youtu.be/RATJ0DwkoQE?

Thank you to all those people who help all those rehabbers every day of the week. They would not be able to save our precious wildlife without your help.

Wondering about all those three egg Bald Eagle nests? THIRTEEN nests already with 3 eggs (incl. Sauces)…Bartlesville, Big Bear, Centerport, Duke Farms, FOLFAN, Fort St Vrain, Fraser Point,  NCTC, ND-Leef, PA Farm Country,Port Tobacco,Sauces 2 broke, and US Steel. Thanks, J.

A big shout out to all the teams in the UK who went out and cleaned up the osprey nests and refurbished them if needed! The raptors are on their way home and will arrive feeling most welcome. I wish every individual associated with a streaming cam (or not) would help our dear fish hawks (or others) with a cleaned out nest and new nesting material. It makes a difference. Just ask Hope and Beau at Snow Lane, Newfoundland.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care everyone. Go outside for a walk. Listen to the birds. Clean your feeders. Migration is coming! Turn off the news and feel the sunshine on your face. We hope to see you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, images, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, EJ, Geemeff, H, J’, NEFL-AEF, Golden Gate Audubon, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Trudi Kron, Duke Farms, IWS/Explore, Falcon Cam Project, Florida Audubon, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Farmer Derek Kansas City Eagles, Achieva Credit Union, Moorings Park, Frenchman’s Creek, Heidi McGrue, Kisatchie National Forest, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, Raptor Persecution UK, EurekAlert, Polar Bears International, Ventana Wildlife Society, Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center

Thursday in Bird World

20 February 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you for being with us today. Many of you are experiencing cold, wintry weather, and I understand that those of you in the southeastern United States are particularly surprised by the chill! While we should be accustomed to the cold here, I must admit that I wish it would go away. We haven’t been able to spend as much time outdoors as we would like. We all need to engage with nature. It is so good for our mental health. Please be careful if it is snowy and there is ice. Nothing is important enough to fall and get injured.

While our friends in the UK hope spring might be just around the corner, we are still in an extreme cold warning on the Canadian Prairies. It is one of the most extended extreme cold spells I can remember in recent history. Thankfully, the triple pane windows also create heat, and ‘The Girls’ can pretend they are outside in the sun. Even the sun warms up the conservatory for about six hours, and then, as the sun begins to lower itself in the west, the cold sets in. They have to come into the main part of the house and not one of the four is happy about that. They love that glass box where it is like they are living outside, but are actually safe inside.

In this extreme cold, I am always fretting about the outdoor animals. One Crow has consistently come to the table feeder to eat nuts from the cylinder. You can see the sparrows all puffed up to keep warm. They love perching on the branches of the lilacs and getting warmth from the sunshine. They will leave the garden early as soon as they begin to go down. By 4:30 things are pretty quiet. I am, however, missing all the beautiful birdsong from the garden. The number of songbirds is in significant decline.

I am so glad that Calico and her kitten Baby Hope are inside and not out with Brock and Star. There appears to be nothing I can do to convince either of them to trust me despite Brock now sitting about 15 cm or 6 inches from me when I take out food. If there is any sudden movement, he is off. I do not want to stress them out, but something will be done come spring – it will be an enclosure with a heat lamp. (Right now, it is too much work and cold to begin dismantling the wood boxes…I wish I had done it earlier.) If Star has kittens, which I fear she might, we will trap them and make sure they have homes.

The mailbox brings me to the topic for this post: Darvic rings. A reader wrote, “I was wondering if you’d heard anything about the banding of the osprey at Abu Dhabi. I saw them being weighed, but they didn’t measure their wings. Yet they put blue bands on one of all of their legs. They put a silver band on the other leg of all of them too. Wouldn’t the blue band be for boys? Why put a blue band on at all?”

Heidi did the video of the ringing of the triplets and I post it again here. https://youtu.be/ki2xKtFBF_Y?

What are Darvic Rings? The Darvic rings are a plastic ring that is fitted to the Osprey’s leg. Normally you can see them from a distance with binoculars or a spotting scope. Different countries use different colours. In the United Kingdom, the bands are blue with white lettering. Scotland places the Darvic ring on the left leg while England and Wales put it on the right. In Spain the Darvic rings are yellow, in Germany they are Black, and in France they are orange. Over time the amount of numbers or letters has changed but there are registries of every bird that is ringed. 

The birds are also fitted with a metal ring. It has a unique number and address and is more durable than the plastic ones which can, after several years, break. 

Birds are ringed before they are 45 days old. The reason for this is so the specially trained banders do not frighten the birds and cause them to fledge prematurely. Also, the leg will have grown to its adult size. This prevents the ring from getting too tight and injuring the bird. Ringing often takes place when the Osprey chicks are in the 30s – such as 36 days old, etc. At the time of banding the chicks are weighed and measured. Indeed, everything about them is measured!

So for the United Arab Emirates where the Abu Dhabi nest is located this is the specific information on ring colour and placement.  Nothing to do with gender:

TitleColour-ring type Soort Colour-ring colour Colour-ring code First letter Last letter Colour-ring position 
OspreysLegring : one, coded. Osprey Dark Blue [B] Three alpha-numeric code (3 letters/numbers). E Tarsus right.

 There are online lists of the colours of the rings for each country. If you spot a bird with a Darvic ring, there are sites where you should submit that information. It is always good to be able to locate where the birds are and if they are alive.

Few ring the ospreys (or other raptors) in North America which is a real shame. The benefits of ringing the birds – whether they be a raptor or a songbird – are many. Here are only a few articles to help you understand why this process is important.

Why do we put rings on birds? – Hawk Conservancy Trust – Hawk Conservancy TrustDownload
259.Reeves et al.Download
Colour Ringing – Roy Dennis Wildlife FoundationDownload

Checking on some of the nests:

Kistachie National Forest E3: The eaglets are getting frisky and playful. https://youtu.be/yUWLzSliOAA?

Redding Eagles: Will the heat impact any late eggs laid? https://youtu.be/yUWLzSliOAA?

Captiva Eagle Cam: Dasher and Dancer are doing just fine.

Achieva Credit Union Osprey Platforms: No egg yet for Jack and his new mate. The chicks normally hatched the first week in March. It is getting late for a clutch. I worry about the heat of the summer just as I would if there was another clutch at SW Florida.

NCTC: Scout is getting into the action of incubation. Fingers crossed. The couple now have three eggs! https://youtu.be/SsMcuXsNUIE?

Big Bear: Could you ignore Shadow’s charms? https://youtu.be/1ZAaKfrNXoE?

West End: In case you missed it, the first egg of Thunder and Makaio was taken by an opportunistic Raven. https://youtu.be/202j3SgZOwA?

Hilton Head: The two eaglets are doing well!

PA Country Farm: The male, Oliver, is showing signs of having HPAI. Please send your good wishes.

Little Miami Conservancy: The first egg is laid for eagle couple, Bette and Baxter, on Wednesday.

USS Steel: There is a three egg clutch for Irvine and his new mate, Stella, in 2025. She is a young mum, but Irv knows the ropes. It should be an exciting nest to watch this year. https://youtu.be/2mMml-j86cA?

Cornell Red Tail Hawk: Both Big Red and Arthur have been spotted on campus.

Moorings Park: Sally and Harry continue to incubate their three eggs.

Pine Island Ospreys:

Johnson City-ETSU: Eggs on January 23 and 26. Boone and Jolene should be expecting a pip by the end of February! Just think – 8 days.

Royal Albatross Colony: Adorable chick nestles next to its mother. https://youtu.be/Baq1kDo8k7Y?

SW Florida: M15 and F23 come to the nest. https://youtu.be/wFSLKTEhqq4?

NE Florida: For a $5 donation, you can help select one of four names for Beau and Gabby’s only eaglet in 2025.

Dale Hollow: Taylor and Franklin have their first egg.

Friends of South Australia Ospreys are concerned about Marie from Gleesons who has flown far from her nest.

News of new nest platforms comes from Geemeff:

New nest platforms in Utah:

https://universe.byu.edu/metro/provo-power-and-division-of-wildlife-resources-collaborate-to-build-osprey-nests

And in the Bronx:

New home for osprey birds being built in Eastchester Bay

There is also a new platform at Granville Island in Vancouver for eagles. It is a galvanized pole erected by one of my former students who was in charge of the rebuilding of the Market area. More information to follow.

There is a new FaceBook group organized by Trudi Kron for the Wolf Bay Osprey platform in Alabama. Here is the link to the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1368435824519762

Here is the link for the camera. Sticks are already being delivered! https://youtu.be/3xUG9gpVzlY?

Wildlife is truly under threat. Many of the nature centres and rehabilitation clinics are going to need your support and help. This is one of the latest postings.

Geemeff asks, “Stating the bleeding obvious- pesticides kill! Did we learn nothing from Rachel Carson? Silent Spring was written more than seventy years ago and sadly, not much has changed, if anything, things have got worse.” I agree. Humans have much to clean up and wildlife needs us more now than ever.

https://www.birdguides.com/news/pesticides-a-major-contributor-to-global-biodiversity-crisis-says-stud

One of our next conversations is going to be about where your donation dollars do the most good. Many are abandoning the WWF because of this – and other large organizations where the staff take more of the donations than the wildlife!

WWF helping facilitate trade in polar bear fur, investigation reveals | WWF | The GuardianDownload

.They are not birds, but at this stage, the balance and health of all wildlife has to be of our concern. That includes those adorable little European hedgehogs that populate the gardens. They were of least concern and now their existence is ‘threatened’. Habitat loss and pesticide use. It is a mantra that we are going to hear over and over again this year as animals die because of us. Please help them. No more green beautiful Home and Gardens lawns. Plant for pollinators without using pesticides. Urge your neighbours, your family, and your friends. ——– It looks like it is going to be up to use to take care of the areas around where we live. Imagine the power of the people of the world if we each dedicated our lives to making their lives better. Imagine.

I feel blessed to have so many talented and caring readers, many who are have become friends over the years. One is Juni Li, a New York artist, who has shared a drawing of Iris and Finnegan with us. Just imagine—within six weeks, Iris could be back with us. Wonder who will arrive first: Iris or Finnegan? Wish them good health, favorable winds, bountiful crops – and no interlopers.

I so wish Sum-eh and Antali had been ringed. Without Darvic rings, we will never know them if they return or if someone sees them in another area. We will also not know if they are found dead.

Iris always makes us smile and I hope this next story, sent to us by EJ, will, too.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/experts-baffled-results-unlikely-solution-110014598.html

The Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group Conference is fast approaching. Hopefully they will provide us with archival talks and paper presentations.

Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group Conference, 22 February 2025 – booking open – Raptor PersecutionDownload

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We will see you again on Monday!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, H, J, MP, SP’, Heidi Mc, Hawk Conservancy Trust, The Journal of Raptor Research, The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, Kistachie E3 Bald Eagle Nest, Nesting Bird Life and More, Gary Eagle Videos (FORE), SK Hideaways, Deb Stecyk, Little Miami Conservancy, Hilton Head Land Conservancy, American Eagle Foundation, univerise.byu.edu, Bronx Times, The Guardian, Vija, Pix Cams, American Eagle Foundation, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Cornell Bird Lab, Juni Li, Yahoo News, Raptor Persecution UK, Achieva Credit Union, Heidi McGrue and Pine Island Ospreys (Joy of Ospreys FB)

Calico is such an intelligent cat, and she is working hard to figure out the best way to provide help for feral cats. I wonder if she remembers living in the cold. She has created a line of five blank note cards on premium card stock with envelopes using my images. Her goal is to sell 500 cards. We have decided to do this directly instead of selling them through shops (who take multiple percentages from 40-60). It will mean more work for all The Girls and us, but in the end, those funds will provide much-needed food and help with spaying and neutering within our community.

I will post a separate page with information on how you can help Calico meet her goal on Monday!

Monday in Bird World

17 February 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

We hope that each of you has had a lovely week and an even nicer weekend if you are still out in the workforce. We are so happy that you can be with us today. It is -31 C, and we have been in another extreme cold warning area for several days. Fortunately, the conservatory is on the south of the house, and the sun heats it regardless. The Girls just have to be out there watching their garden friends! It is, however, difficult at times to get outside and we often find ourselves thinking of the warm sun and birds in Guadeloupe.

This is the last day for the Big Bird Count. You have until 1 March to get your submissions into Cornell. Our garden bird numbers were down due to the extreme cold.

The deer have been eating the twigs off the newly cut trees in the park. Wood twigs are definitely not full of nutrition. I have not seen any deer in our garden for a few weeks.

This tiny little one is such a sweetie.

The temperatures continue to be on the ‘cold’ side. We keep the conservatory open for The Girls so they can enjoy the squirrels and the birds – and us, too. It will be so nice when April arrives – two months to go – until we thaw out. Star and Brock continue to come to the feeder, but I have seen no other cats which is really a blessing.

Hope and Calico are never far from one another. It is so endearing.

Hugo Yugo was grumpy at me for waking her up to try and get a photo!

Missey was grouchy too!!!!!!!!

The Girls seem to have almost gone into hibernation preferring to sleep during the cold months instead of even eating. They play with one another starting around 2130, but during the day, it is strictly nap time. Oh, what a charmed life they lead.

We hope that the bi-weekly posting is working out for you. I want to try and pick a topic that brings some additional information – that is more educational – than just a listing of what is happening at the nests. This change is allowing me to do that!

So today, I want to look at the world’s most beloved Bald Eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, whose nest at Big Bear and its elevation can be causing the issues relating to their eggs not hatching. In addition to the information below, I am also including some other information on the DDT that was sprayed in the area that might well be contributing to the thickness (or lack thereof) in some of their past egg shells. Even thought DDT spraying was outlawed decades ago, the soil remains contaminated and still impacts wildlife including Bald Eagles.

Jackie and Shadow have been braving the elements as snow transforms the Big Bear Valley in California. https://youtu.be/kJ6s66Baltg?

So why do Jackie and Shadow struggle with their eggs at such a high altitude? Their nest is 7000 feet above sea level and is known to be one of North America’s highest Bald Eagle nests. When I sought an answer, my computer came up with this one generated by AI. It looks reasonably thorough and should help us understand this couple’s difficulties in hatching eaglets. That said, we know that on occasion, they do have success. In 2023, more than 45 inches of snow fell on Jackie and Shadow’s nest due to the atmospheric rivers that year.

Eagles nesting at high altitudes can experience difficulties with fertility and egg hatching primarily due to the harsh environmental conditions at those elevations, including: lower oxygen levels, extreme temperature fluctuations, strong winds, and limited food availability, which can all negatively impact the development of the embryo within the egg and the overall health of the breeding pair. 

Key factors contributing to this issue:

  • Oxygen stress:Reduced oxygen levels at high altitudes can affect the egg development process, potentially hindering the embryo’s ability to properly grow and mature. 
  • Temperature extremes:High altitude environments can experience significant temperature swings, making it challenging for the female eagle to maintain a consistent incubation temperature needed for successful hatching. 
  • Weather challenges:High winds and storms at high altitudes can disrupt nesting activities, potentially damaging eggs or causing the adults to abandon the nest. 
  • Food scarcity:Finding enough food to sustain both the breeding pair and their chicks can be difficult in high altitude habitats, especially during harsh weather conditions, leading to malnutrition and impacting fertility. 
  • Hormonal disruptions:Environmental stress at high altitudes could potentially disrupt the hormonal balance of the eagles, affecting their reproductive capabilities. 

Here is more information on this nest:

The nest of Jackie and Shadow, the bald eagles in Big Bear Valley, California, is about 7,000 feet above sea level. The nest is located in a Jeffrey pine tree that’s 145 feet above the ground. 

Explanation

  • The nest is one of the highest known bald eagle nests in the United States. 
  • The nest is located in the San Bernardino National Forest. 
  • The nest is home to Jackie and Shadow, the only year-round resident bald eagles in Big Bear. 
  • The nest is monitored by a live-streaming camera operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit environmental preservation group. 
  • The nest has grown to be over five feet wide and six feet deep. 
  • The nest was started near the top of the tree by the previous resident pair, Lucy and Ricky, in 2012. 

The nest is located on an undeveloped parcel of land on the north shore of Big Bear Lake. 

Did you know that Jackie is thought to be the offspring of Ricky and Lucy? That would mean that she is now thirteen years old in 2025. She is the first eaglet to have ever hatched at the Big Bear nest in 2012. In recent years, her and Shadow have laid at least fourteen eggs together with five of them hatching. Simba fledged in 2019 and Spirit fledged in 2022. I still remember that fantastic eaglet. I am sure you do, too. Other eaglets were ZJ1 (yes, he was banded) named Cookie, who died of hypothermia during a storm in 2019 and Stormy, who fledged in 2018. Now, what was the name of the other one? Would you happen to know?

There is nearly a 33% chance that an egg will hatch. So will one of the three eggs hatch this year? We must wait to see. Maybe all three will! Clearly Jackie and Shadow with their devotion and love for one another and the determination they have to raise an eaglet offers each of us hope and inspiration.

What students learn about DDT and its ban in the early 1970s and the eagles at Big Bear:

What Students Learn From Their Big Bear Bald Eagle (And Real Life) Teachers | LAistDownload

The effects of pesticides on Bald Eagle populations:

1882Download

Pip watch begins for Jackie and Shadow on 1 March – well now, let’s count the days from today: 12!!!!!!!! We will be on pins and needles with excitement.

The Ravens wished to give Jackie grief. She wasn’t having it.https://youtu.be/_-zcJ-1qwAk?

Looking at the other nests:

Kistachie National Forest, E3: They are the cuties little fat bottomed eaglets. Their Mum, Andria II, is doing a fantastic job keeping both eaglets well fed.

John Bunker Sands Wetlands: Dad brings in a whopper of a fish for Mum and the kids!!!!! (Thanks MP)

Fraser Point: Andor and Cruz have their first egg of the 2025 breeding season.

Abu Dhabi Osprey Nest: The triplets being raised by the lone female and two males were banded. Heidi caught the action on video.

The average temperature in Abu Dhabi is 25 degrees C. Last year it was 30 C. There is no temperature for the nest which is located on a huge mound of sticks on the desert. The chicks survived with lots of fish!

West End Nest: The camera was down on Friday for awhile due to a big storm that went through the area. They played highlights. Hearts were broken everywhere watching Akecheta feed his triplets.

Sauces: Jak and Audacity’s first egg is still holding! The other two have broken. Well, we only need one and this couple sure deserve it. Their issue is, of course, not the same as Jackie and Shadow and the higher elevation nest. Theirs is strictly due to the DDT in the area. Next posting will look at why some nests in the Channel Islands might be

Two Harbours: Chase and Cholyn are working on their nest. No eggs yet.

USS Steel: The first egg for Irv and his new mate, Stella, arrived and the second was laid on the 16th. Congratulations to Irvine and Stella. Missing Claire. https://youtu.be/hg37rCwNavc?

Decorah North: Second egg laid on Valentine’s Day. First egg laid on the 11th. (In 2024, the first egg was laid on the 15th of February). Oh, we are going to be busy in five weeks time with all these hatches!

Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest: There is some concern that Mr T has not been seen at the nest since the 11th of February.

FOLFAN: Second egg laid on the 13th of February.

Hilton Head Bald Eagles: George and Gracie’s oldest gets out of the egg cup! https://youtu.be/2zmRnrAIbfw?

NE Florida: NE 31 stood on its feet, flatly on the nest, on Saturday the 15th for the first time. A milestone. What a great eaglet. Huge crop. Devoted parents. Melts your heart just watching Gabby and Beau care for this precious one.

‘A’ comments: “The chatters are calling it NE31’s stick fort, but as I described yesterday I think it was, there are some very thick kiddy rails on the side of the nest opposite the dining table. NE31 has been sleeping so that one of those large sticks is across his back, so that I am hoping his stick fort might make it hard for an owl to get a grip on him and extract him from under his stick. Again tonight, alone on the nest, he was sleeping in his stick fort when Gabby came down to the nest around 1.42am. She aerates the nest, in the process extricating NE31 from beneath his stick, and NE31 stands up tall and eyeballs mum, then tries to burrow back under the stick fort. 

Gabby has some difficulty brooding NE31 because of the stick but eventually the eaglet snuggles down in front of her breast feathers and goes back to sleep. Mum leaves again at 01:55. Little now can no longer get under its stick fort. The stick has been broken and displaced so that it no longer affords the protection it has done to the point. Unfortunate. 

Beau arrives on the nest to check on NE31 at 03:03:35 and does some aerating of the nest. This eventually disturbs the sleeping NE31, who stands up tall and bonks dad! (TS 03:12:25). TOO funny. It’s hard to see how effectively the stick fort now protects NE31 – it may represent some form of obstacle still, though not as useful a barrier as it was two nights ago, before it got broken. 

It is reassuring to me to see Beau on the nest tonight. It is a little early – I hope he remains until daylight because we know how that hour or 90 minutes before the sky begins to lighten is very much the favourite time for owls to hunt – or so I have observed when watching GHO cams. “

SW Florida: M15 is thinking he would like another chance at raising eaglets this year. How is F23 feeling about that? https://youtu.be/ol57dhBfdbg?

NCTC Nest: Scout is delivering fish dinners and grasses to Bella. https://youtu.be/MBaiPt014YU?

No wonder. Bella laid her third egg!!!!!!! Scout is really going to be a busy lad if these three eggs hatch. https://youtu.be/S4DH20KLU30?

Cardinal Land Conservancy: Bonnie and Clyde have their first egg and by the time you read this they should have their second.

Dade County home to Ron and Rose saw the ringing of R7 and R8.

Captiva: Connie and Clive’s Dasher and Dancer work their wings on the nest hoping to fly like Mum and Dad. https://youtu.be/-h0DY3y8MoA?

Centreport: Waiting for the first egg.

Moorings Park: Harry and Sally are incubating three eggs!

Achieva Credit Union: Jack and a new mate ??? – no eggs yet.

Kauai Moli:

Royal Cam Chick Royal Albatross Colony, NZ: Some really cute close ups. https://youtu.be/NVeCGfehAfo?

Leucistic Red Tail Hawk Nest: ‘A’ notes with concern: “The last visit to the nest was on 2 December – I think there is an entry in the log noting that Angel had flown under the nest (twice) about a week ago, but it is starting to look like this season will be much like last. We may not see them again this year. It is a mystery – where are they going? What are they doing? And why?”

The hawks might have relocated like they did last year, but we know that they are fine.

World Bird Sanctuary. This falls in line with the story below about the turtle where wildlife manage to survive under very challenging conditions. This one with a severe beak injury.

Wildlife Haven, Manitoba, Canada: Dr Tess designed a ‘contraption’ to help a turtle whose shell was soft and sunken in the hope of giving it a second chance at life. I love this vet and wish she would be here forever. She doesn’t give up and as I have said several times, she has no trouble believing a three legged deer can survive or a one legged eagle. Bravo, Dr Tess!

Calico’s Tip for the Day: If we want to help wildlife, modify the amount of beef, palm oil (please do check your labels), and timber. Trees are cut down for these crops and there are clear alternatives!!!!!!!!! Calico also recognises that birds flourish when coffee is grown in the shade. Why not reduce the amount of coffee you drink in order to help wildlife? Look for the certified Birds and Beans coffee!!!!!!!! Accept no substitute. Indeed, I can tell you that having one good cup of coffee that I know did not cause a tree to be cut is much better than drinking 3 or 4. Try it.

Richest nations ‘exporting extinction’ with demand for beef, palm oil and timberhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/14/richest-nations-exporting-extinction-with-demand-for-beef-palm-oil-and-timber-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

A good read. Hummingbirds discovered living in a hive in a cave in Ecuador.

Hummingbirds Living in a Hive Found for the First Time – The New York TimesDownload

For your watching pleasure: A documentary on the return of the Storks to Alsatia. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/1KyhelY3FyI?

Killed for sport and dumped. It is time to end this archaic practice in the UK.

Shot gamebirds geese dumped in NottinghamshireDownload

Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care. See you on Thursday. Have a great week everyone. Sending you good positive energy.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, information, and streaming cams that helped me to write this post: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, MP’, SK Hideaways, FOBBV, LAist, Fish and Wildlife Services, Kistachie National Forest E3, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, IWS/Explore, Heidi McGrue, USS Steel, Sylvia, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, Trempealeau Bald Eagle Nest, FOLFAN, Hilton Head Island Trust, NEFL-AEF, SK Hideaways, Deb Stecyk, NCTC Bald Eagle Nest, Cardinal Land Conservancy, WRDC Bald Eagle Nest, Window to Wildlife, Centreport Eagles, Moorings Park Osprey, Achieva Credit Union, Hob Osterlund, liznm, Window to Wildlife, World Bird Sanctuary, Wildlife Haven, The Guardian, The New York Times, Animaux du monde, Raptor Persecution UK

Very late Saturday in Bird World

1 February 2025

Greetings Everyone!

It rained in a rain forest. No surprise there! We meandered into the small area of shops and found a lovely little restaurant overlooking the marina. The food was delicious. The coconut pie was out of this world – the best I have ever eaten and that is saying something coming from the southern US, originally.

Deshaies offers everything we wanted in a break from the Canadian winter. The hummingbirds fill the garden area flitting from flower to flower. There are three or four different types. Then there are Bandicoots, Red Jungle Roosters, hens, and chicks, and today we heard a woodpecker along with many others serenading us that we could not identify and neither could Merlin ID (only 65% of the birds on Guadeloupe are in their identification system). The National Forest is about 50 yards away on one side.

We are enjoying paradise.

The view to the marina.

Mostly fish items – freshly caught but also spaghetti and curry.

The finest coconut pie with homemade ice cream.

I had hoped for relaxation, and that is what we found. The puppy waits for us at the gate or comes running if she hears our voices wanting pets and more pets. Don’t tell The Girls! She has melted our hearts.

The trip is already more than I could ask for in a holiday. My dear husband has managed so well—often better than I did when things got anxious. He is excellent at spotting hummingbirds and helps watch for the roosters, hens, and their chicks on the road. They are everywhere. It almost seems like everyone has them for eggs. The weather has been warm; being outside in a forest melts any woes. It is forest bathing in a way so different from home – and we love it. I feel so privileged to travel and stay in such a serene place. Feeling grateful.

Checking on our bird friends…

There is now a second hatch for Alex II and Andria II at the Kistachie E3 nest in Louisiana. Oh, these bobbleheads are cute and strong! Go and check them out.

CROW has put out a statement answering some Questions and rumours that have been filtering through the airwaves. ( I hope this shows up in its entirety. Please search on CROW FB if it isn’t. Very informative information).

M15 and F23 have both been seen around the Pritchett Property.

The Royal Cam chick is doing quite well under the care of its father, RLK. Ranger Sharyn did a weight check. https://youtu.be/aU4-uKEgY4k?s

E31 is likely to be the most spoiled eaglet in the entire state of Florida this breeding season. Talk about a dad! Beau has embraced fatherhood like he read the manual from Shadow or M15. Gabby did really well. Oh, I know that we growled at Beau at times, but she kept the faith and for good reason.

Up at the food table. Can you see little 31?

Beau is feeding NE31 – again. Gosh, he loves taking care of this eaglet. https://youtu.be/EQapL5_-Z6M?

Kids climbing over one another to try to get priority at feeding at John Bunker Sands.

Three fish gifts for Jackie from Shadow – one for each egg? https://youtu.be/aTcHAYxfDRs?

Dasher and Dancer enjoying a nice meal.

Looked like a fish dinner for R7 and R8 and it also looked like R8 got its tank filled up! Nice.

More groups should band together to buy up huge tracts of land like the RSPB before developers get their hands on it and wildlife declines.

‘It’s incredible, the place just swarms with birdlife’: inside England’s biggest bird sanctuaryhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/01/its-incredible-the-place-just-swarms-with-birdlife-inside-englands-biggest-bird-sanctuary?CMP=share_btn_url

Two other news items. Tom and Angel have been seen at the nest and Window to Wildlife says that the cam will be turned on soon. Dr Sharpe is also planning to make a trip to the West End to see about the camera and hopefully to have some news of the eagles, Thunder and Akecheta for us.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care! See you in a few days – it could even be Tuesday or earlier if there is news.

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: Kistachie National Forest E3 nest, CROW, NZ DOC, Sharon Dunne, NEFL-AEF, AEF, John Bunker Sands, SK Hideaways, Window to Wildlife, WRDC, The Guardian

Late Friday in Bird World

31 January 2025

Hello Everyone,

It was a beautiful day in Guadeloupe. We spent it at the Botanical Gardens. If you are ever in this part of the world, I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful space. As you might recall, we are staying in a cottage on the grounds of the old Botanical Garden.

The new one began its current configuration in 2001. Scattered throughout the gardens are koi ponds, flamingos, Rainbow Lorikeets, and Parrots. The birds used to fly free in great numbers on the island. They are now extinct! Habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting wiped them out. You can purchase food for the various fish and birds at the entrance gate. It is a great way to spend three or four hours.

The koi pond.

Lorikeets eat out of your hand.

The Panoramic Restaurant at the top of the water falls. Great local dishes but everything is on Caribbean time – allow at least 2.5 hours for a lingering lunch.

The sound of the water falling over the rocks. Click for the video. Oh, I hope it plays.

Looking at the Flamingos from the Panoramic Restaurant.

Look at the size of the tree compared to the humans below.

There are roosters, chickens, and chicks everywhere!!!! This is a Red Jungle Rooster. There were Crested Hummingbirds, Carib Grackles, Bandicoots around the garden.

Roger is having his lunch.

A beautiful day in paradise.

Now to check on our bird families…

Everyone in Bird World continues to mourn the loss of E24 and E25 with the SW Florida Bald Eagle family. We hope that F23 and M15 will be spared and return to the nest next season to once again raise a family. It has certainly been difficult not knowing how the adults are doing.

One of the most wonderful notices that I received was that M15 was seen at the pond on Friday. The individual told me he looked good. We need to allow for a fortnight from when the eaglets were sick and passed away for F23 and M15 to be ‘out of the woods’. Then they should have temporary immunity to this blessed curse that has hit the avian world. Here is the video link showing them: https://youtu.be/ZTANpuxjUNE?

While we wait for word from the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta and more sightings of F23 and M15 that show that their health is good, we really must rejoice for those nests that are, at this time, doing very well. I cannot think of a better place to start than the Royal Albatross colony in New Zealand near Dunedin. There OGK’s son, RLK, is brooding their beautiful chick! The NZ DOC has put out the most precious video of RLK meeting that wee babe and reaching down to talk to it. OGK would be very proud! https://youtu.be/0uZs1z5msug?

Great close ups and a feeding! https://youtu.be/ZTANpuxjUNE?s

They are the gentle giants of the sea. They hunt over 6 million square miles of sea, mostly The Roaring Forties of the Southern Ocean, for food. It is a shame that as an international community we have not stopped the practices of the long-haul fishing trawlers (dropping their lines during the day) or have not come up with ways to rid the seas of plastics to save these beautiful creatures with their ten foot wingspans. They live in the winds lowering their heart rate to the same as when they are on their nests (80 beats per minute). They spend years foraging before returning with their wobbly legs to find a mate and then maybe, in years to come, to have a family. They should live to be as old or older than Wisdom, now in her 70s.

There are some things that we cannot control, that we cannot do anything about and then there are others that we can. With Avian Flu, demands must be placed at every level to curtail the disease including the factory chicken farms. Many would have them closed. We can certainly lobby environmental groups to help put into place best practices – demand that best practices be used – on those fishing trawlers such as loading lines at night and on the side of the boat, using safety protections on the hooks, etc. The list is not long and many agencies offer free devices for the ships. It is shameful that we cannot cause change in the industry to the extent that we no longer have to worry about an albatross being beheaded. Yes, that is what happens. It is horrendous. But eating plastic and thinking it is food and dying is horrific, too. While it is difficult to stop buying items that are made of plastic, we certainly should be trying our best. The other day, I realised that one of the biggest culprits is plastic medicine bottles! Why not put tablets in wax-lined paper envelopes? I plan to contact several of our local pharmacies when I return to Canada. We need to also support and call for funding for companies seeking to rid the ocean of consumer plastic waste.

We must smile when we look at Jack working so hard at Achieva Credit Union Osprey nest in St Petersburg. While we were trying to get help for that platform, Jack had other ideas. He started building a nest anyone would be proud of. Now ‘MP’ reports that he is bringing in fish to the nest and calling. Is he calling Diane? That is so sad. Maybe another female will want this beautiful nest and that fish!

Maybe Jack will attract a female! Someone arrived.

Tandem feeding for 31 – and, at the age of 10 days, 31 gets out of the nest bowl and up to the buffet to be fed by Dad. Fantastic! https://youtu.be/_rpYDa8AW6w?

Still waiting for the cams at the West End. Will we have eggs? Thunder usually lays them at the end of January or beginning of February – around our anniversary!

Congratulations to Alex II and Andria II at the E3 nest in the Kisatchie Forest on their first hatch of the 2025 breeding season! https://youtu.be/5iD4P2eY4z8?

The first egg is in the nest at PA County Farm! https://youtu.be/kRAOM-MS9nE?

Geemeff sends us this: How the Sport Shooting Industry is spreading HPAI and getting away with it! These poor animals are bred only to be shot, and not even for food which would allow some slight justification for their slaughter, then dumped illegally. Besides the potential spread of bird flu, scavengers of their carcasses are prone to getting lead poisoning from the lead shot used by the disgusting shooting industry.

Shot pheasants dumped in Lincolnshire during heightened risk of Avian Influenza

More Hen Harriers killed….when oh when will there be something done to stop this massacre?

133 hen harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or close to grouse moors

Storks arriving in Lindheim!

Good night Dasher and Dancer.

In a highly significant step forward for vulture conservation, India’s government has banned the use of Nimesulide – a widely used veterinary painkiller that’s highly toxic to these threatened birds.

https://www.birdlife.org/news/2025/01/10/vulture-conservation-in-india-boosted-by-additional-veterinary-drug-ban

Egg #2 for Sally and Harry arrived at Moorings Park on Friday.

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you late Sunday or Monday.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J, MP’, Jardin Botanique de Deshaies, NZ DOC and Cornell Bird Lab, Royal Cam Albatross, Lizmn, Whiskers and Wings, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, Baiba, SK Hideaways, HDonTap, Raptor Persecution UK, GalS, Window to Wildlife, birdlife.org

Late Thursday in Bird World

30 January 2025

Hello Everyone,

When we left Canada, it looked like this at the Montreal airport. There was heavy snow in the area that hit both Ottawa and Montreal. We wondered if we would take off. Thankfully, we did!

The learning curve upon arrival in Guadeloupe was high. I have to admit that my French is not that good! Renting a car might take only minutes in North America, but after a long day, it was a three-hour wait in 28-degree heat. Then, it was an arduous drive up and around the mountains to our cottage on the grounds of the Old Botanical Garden near Deschaines. The anxiety was worth it!

This is the view off the terrace of the cottage.

Complete with a dog that adopted the owners of the property – a Guadeloupe rescue. She is sweet. They even have cats!!!!!!! Who said we would be homesick?

It is Paradise. We are way up on the mountains in the rain forest and while it is 28 C, the breeze is vibrant, and we are not hot. Today was a wee trip into the small village to pick up a baguette and acquaint ourselves with what is available here. The nearest large supermarket is in Sainte-Rose. That is about 11 km away on a very winding road up and down and around the mountain. We opted to stay local. Tomorrow we will venture out to find one of the many restaurants that our host has recommended.

Now, skipping briefly to Bird World News:

The news has come that both E24 and E25 tested positive for HPAI. I do not know the strain but there is a new one in California, H5N9. I was also sent this information from my sidekick: “To the best of my knowledge… no one (bog’s) has reported seeing M15 today. F23 was recently seen at the pond, and looked okay.  I’ll let you know anything I can find out. Crow made an announcement at the nest tree, and the vet said we should possibly be concerned about the parents for up to two weeks.  They also said that HPAI is relatively new to the SWFL region.”

I found CROW’s press conference. It is here: https://youtu.be/BJelOrdk6P0?

Please send this amazing couple your best wishes. It is not easy seeing the two children you cared for so much die before you and you are helpless. I still remember Joe (Connie’s former mate at Captiva) mourning over the loss of Peace and Hope (rodenticide poisoning several years ago). It haunts me – that figure of him looking down as the last one, apparently healthy, broke a blood feather and bled to death.

Barb Henry posted a screen capture of F23 down at the pond.

Wings of Whimsy’s tribute to the SW Florida Eagle family and to E24 and E25. Get the tissues. https://youtu.be/YcEUG9mZJKI?

We have the first egg at Moorings Park Osprey nest for Harry and Sally.

Jackie and Shadow have surprised us with three eggs. My goodness if this is a year for a miracle at their nest, is this an extra one for luck? What if all three hatch? Shadow will be busy!!!!!!

Fishey eagle love at the nest before the third egg at Big Bear: https://youtu.be/tsKskF0ue-g?

All is well at the nest of Gabby and Beau. Beau loves being a Dad!!!!!! He has really picked up on feeding NE31. Gabby joins him in this video: https://youtu.be/_rpYDa8AW6w?

OGK’s son, RLK, got to meet his newly hatched chick at the Royal Albatross Colony in New Zealand.

NZ DOC image shared by Sharon Dunne on the FB group:

There are some wonderful events to celebrate. Please send all of the nests your most positive wishes for success. They have many, many challenges to over come – both the wee ones and the parents.

Thank you for being with us for this brief recap of what has been happening. There is lots more news out in Bird World. We will be back with you later on Saturday from what can only be called ‘Paradise’ – Guadeloupe. Take care everyone.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write this post today: ‘H, J, PB’, CROW, Barb Henry and the NEFL and EFL Eaglecam Watchers, Wings of Whimsy, Moorings Park, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, NZ DOC, Sharon Dunne

Saturday in Bird World

18 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

The blizzard, being noted as a historic one for parts of my province, blew and blew in the early hours of Friday morning. I do not know how much snow came with it. There were gusts when I was out feeding the birds, and the neighbour’s house was sometimes invisible. It is now late afternoon. The sky is a beautiful transparent Wedgwood Blue as the sun sets, casting a golden glow over the Japanese garden area. The Starlings are still here, along with several dozen sparrows. Little Red and a couple of grey squirrels have been gathering peanuts all day. Mr Blue Jay – yes, Junior is in the garden – was here at noon. Even the Crows came to criticize the food that was left by the time they arrived! I did not run out of cheesy dogs since I had none! They had quit eating them and only wanted peanuts for so long. Now I wonder what they are craving.

Tiny fawn arriving to go around the side of the house to the garden.

These are European Starling prints leading to the cat dish with kibble.

Oh, goodness. Brock is here eating! I have not seen him for four days. Talk about anxiety. That coupled with Beau and Gabby kept me awake at times when I should have been sleeping. I wonder if he were locked in somewhere? We try to take a digital image of every cat that we see eating at the feeders each day. We can also track them if they come in through the front and the video camera catches them and says ‘pet’. I can then check and take a screen capture. Well, this is a relief. Now maybe that second egg for Gabby will begin to pip!!!!!!!!!!!

This was the word from the moderator at NE Florida Friday afternoon: “Today is day 40 for egg 1 and day 36 for egg 2. With delayed incubation, if egg 1 doesn’t pip by tomorrow it likely won’t. We still have 3 days for egg 2.”

Later Friday afternoon:

I have had more than a couple of dozen e-mails with a similar question: If Gabby’s eggs do not hatch, will she take another mate? The answer is ‘yes’. Eagles are known to mate for life. If their partner dies, they take another mate. We have seen this over and over again. F23 is the new mate of M15 at SW Florida, for example. Yes, if there is a period of unsuccessful breeding, they might take another mate. Still, Jackie and Shadow stay together and Gabby has hung in there with Beau. We will have to wait and see what happens.

Only the eagles know if there are any little cheeps in those eggs. Egg 2 is 36 days old as I write. There is still hope for it and I am sending out tonnes of energy on Friday to them, good energy.

At Pine Island, the GHO is very bold. Not only knocking off the resident ospreys, but sitting on the perch staring at the three eggs! There are also Bald Eagles in the area. I am more than concerned for this nest. I won’t mention it again, but the presence of such a bold owl eyeing three eggs and thinking future fat chicks just makes me ill. Reminds me of several nests from 2024 including the Boat House, Lake Murray, and Cowlitz (eagle) amongst others.

In our data forms for 2024, owls accounted for the loss of 13 chicks, while Bald Eagles killed 5.

They are so cute. What is that song about ‘I can’t take my eyes off of you?’

Eggs coming soon at the Redding nest of Liberty and Guardian?

At Port Lincoln, Mum should receive some type of citation for really providing the food this year. She has completely surpassed Dad in terms of her abilities and the light on the barge significantly helped her earlier in the season when she could dive and bring a fish to the nest quickly. Kasse and Wilko owe their lives to her efforts. Of course, we cannot forget the Fish Fairies whose dedication to this nest has ensured fledglings over the past several years.

This was the tally for Friday in South Australia.

Jack has been working hard on that nest at Achieva. I wish that someone would reach out and fix those drain holes so that the eggs and/or chicks would not fall through them to the ground below.

Sally and Harry were at the nest before the rains came to Moorings Park.

Do you think we will have a family at the osprey platform at Captiva this year?

The view at Boulder. We will soon be counting down the days til the Ospreys arrive. It is less than two months for some hope for the really early birds in the UK but more like 2.5 months.

Both Eagles are working on their nest at Ft St Vrain, Colorado.

Thunder and Akecheta early Friday morning.

Beautiful family at SW Florida. M15 sitting on the perch being vigilant to protect his family. Look at those sweet babies. Tears. M15 certainly got a good mate to replace the much loved Harriet.

E25 walks for bites of prey! https://youtu.be/2rTHwUQ99xg?

Alex and Andria II incubating eggs from a beautiful view of the lake at Kistachie National Forest E3 nest.

The Norths are working on their nest at Decorah.

Eagles at the new MN-DNR nest on Friday.

Drilling ban off the coast of New Jersey could significantly help wildlife.

Environmental Groups Praise Bird Delisting and Offshore Drilling Ban – Two River TimesDownload

New from Kelly Sorenson on the remarkable year for the California Condors in 2024. They continue to treat the Condors for lead poisoning despite their efforts to provide free non-lead ammunition. Iniko 1035 was just released into the wild after being treated for lead toxicity at the LA Zoo.

There is outstanding news in the first paragraph. Congratulations to everyone at the VWS! They have worked harder and harder to achieve those figures. Let us all hope that the growth in fledgling chicks and their survival continues.

While I am not happy with GHOs, it appears eggs are being incubated at the Owl Cam! I know that some of you love them. Here is the link to that streaming cam: https://www.youtube.com/live/pxMQgmeROEM?

Christian Sasse photographs thousands of eagles gathering! https://www.thedodo.com/daily-dodo/photographer-stumbles-upon-mysterious-gathering-of-1000-bald-eagles

News items from Geemeff:

Raptor monitoring volunteers needed:

https://www.abc4.com/news/everything-utah/calling-bird-enthusiasts-volunteers-needed-to-monitor-raptor-nests-in-utah

Good news for persecuted Hen Harriers – 2024 Christmas Satellite Tag Appeal smashes the target:

Hen Harrier Action 2024 Christmas Appeal Smashes Target Again

This Heron’s been fixed and is flying free again:

GREAT WHITE HERON FOUND FLOATING IN A CANAL SET FREE IN ISLAMORADA

The winds have stopped gusting Friday evening and tomorrow I hope to get out and get some deer pellets. They have much more nutrition than the vegetables, fruit, and peanuts I have been leaving out for the deer. It is supposed to be super cold with a Polar Vortex visiting us. Send positive wishes to Brock, Star, and all of the garden animals as they navigate winter!

Calico also has some good news. She has developed a line of cards featuring the birds visiting the garden and our province’s nature areas. She has partnered with one local group that helps feral cats and their kittens to raise funds to buy food for them. This local fundraiser will be taking place in February. More news to follow!

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me write my post today: ‘EJ, Geemeff. Heidi, J’, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Pine Island Osprey Cam, Window to Wildlife, FORE, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Achieva Credit Union, Moorings Park Osprey Cam, Boulder County Osprey Cam, Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle Cam, IWS/Explore, Androcat, Kistachie National Forest Eagle Cams, Raptor Resource Project/explore.org, The Two River Times, MN-DNR, Kelly Sorenson and the Ventana Wildlife Society, The Owl Cam, The Dodo, ABC4, Florida Keys Weekly,