It is 2:35 in Big Bear Valley Wednesday afternoon and there are 12, 215 people watching Jackie and Shadow’s nest for any sign of a pip. Pip watch officially begins on March 1. Typically Jackie’s eggs hatch at 38-39 days.
‘B’ sends us all the latest on this internationally loved couple.
HPAI is a concern everyone including our garden. It has been +3 for the last few days. The snow is melting. There is standing water everywhere. The air is beginning to smell like spring. Most of the snow was cleared off the deck. All of the feeders were cleaned and disinfected. We will start a daily count to determine what is happening. When the European Starlings returned, there were 58 in the lilac bushes daily. There are now only 9. There were two Blue Jays, four Grey Squirrels, two Red Squirrels, and well, we were used to get at least 150 sparrows of various species. Might there be two dozen now? The Chickadees are here flitting, and there is a single female adult Downy Woodpecker. Two Crows. The loud songs from the birds in the garden could be heard more than half a city block away. There is still song, but it is so quiet.
It was extremely warm on Wednesday and we headed off to the zoo for a long and much needed walk before an Alberta Clipper is going to dump snow on us today. Five polar bears were sleeping on the snow! Just look at how clean its pads are!
I know that most of you are nervous about the upcoming breeding seasons whether it is the remaining eagles, the ospreys, or the hawks/falcons. I would also include the storks – oh, how I adore them! Throughout this posting and in many more to come, I want to encourage you to delight in the eaglets that have hatched and are healthy, for those eggs in nests, and for the storks and ospreys that are making their way home. Sending positive energy their way. In Manitoba, we are taking bets on the arrival of the first Canada Goose to the Oak Hammock Marsh. They could arrive within the week! I am so excited.
Let’s start with something nice and I cannot think of anything nicer than the miracle eaglet, Bodie, in Gabby and Beau’s nest.
NE Florida: That little cutie pie of Beau and Gabby’s now has a name! He is 5 weeks and 3 days old today.
I asked ‘AI’ to provide the meanings for the name Bodie:
The name Bodie has multiple meanings and origins:
Enlightenment: A respelling of the Sanskrit word Bodhi, which means “enlightenment” or “wisdom”
Messenger: From the German word bode or boden, which means “messenger”
Large-bodied: From the Old English word bodig, which means “trunk” or “chest”
Bold: From the French surname Beaudin, which is rooted in the old Germanic word bald
Sheltered: From the Germanic and Scandinavian name Boden, which means “sheltered”
Bodie is a gender-neutral name with origins in Sanskrit, German, French, Scandinavian, and Scottish.
In ancient times, messengers were vital to society, carrying news and information between communities and individuals. People with the name Bodie were associated with this role, and were often respected members of society.
Bodie has been on the rise in popularity in the United States, first entering the top 1,000 names in 2014. In 2022, it was ranked 484th in the top 500 names.
A turkey vulture came and sat on the nest of Bodie on Wednesday but the real question remains: where are Gabby and Beau? They have not been seen at the nest on Wednesday. This is concerning. Bodie is not self feeding but he did go to the pantry and attempt to get a nibble or two of the prey.
Where are Beau and Gabby?
Cal Falcons: In my last post with the long listing of the nest happenings, I pondered what was going on at the Cal Falcon scrape on The Campanile. The following day a notice was posted. It made my heart sink to my toes and tears pour out of my eyes. HPAI is everywhere. I believe it is even accounting for the lack of songbirds in the garden this winter. Cal Falcons is warning us that this could be the reason that we are not seeing Annie or Archie.
More news agencies are picking up on the loss of dear Annie and her mate. My heart is feeling very empty about this and I am hoping for a miracle.
We have to find hope and beauty in those birds that are surviving and those who are desperately trying to raise families in a very hostile environment. One of those is the new mate of Thunder, Makaio. He seems really good at caring for the eggs and protecting the nest. https://youtu.be/SexBFchvb-A?
These are short-tailed Albatross. Information on the volcanic island where they live states: “The Izu-volcano on Tori-shima is one of a chain of small islands about 600 km south of Tokyo. The island is one for the threatened albatross-birds, namely the short tailed albatross, and have been uninhabited by people since the Meteorological Institute drew back their scientists from an observatory in 1965, after a strong earthquake hit the area. About 30 people lived on the island before that, but they were evacuated after an eruption in 1939. In 1902 an eruption killed all the 125 people living on the island at that time.”
Located on Izu Island south of Tokyo and the main island of Honshu.
Here is a thorough article on the history of the short-tailed albatross in the area including ‘feather picking’.
Years ago we wondered what would happen to our much loved storks flying through war-torn Ukraine. Karl II had his favourite spots to stop and rest on the way to Africa. We always held our breath. Just how much wildlife has been impacted by this war?
PSEG Patchogue Osprey Platform, Long Island: There will be no camera for the PSEG Patchogue nest. ‘MP’ sent me the response this morning when he noticed that there was no streaming cam: “Thank you for your online inquiry. I have heard back from our Wildlife department: Due to construction in the immediate vicinity of the Patchogue osprey platform, PSEG Long Island has relocated this platform to a nearby location away from construction activities and human interference. However, we were not able to reconnect the osprey camera at this new location. Therefore, the Patchogue osprey camera will no longer be available.” PSEG further added, “”The camera was removed in order to provide the ospreys with a calmer living environment, at this point there are no plans to reactivate the camera. The websiteOsprey Cams – PSEG Long Island will be updated if and when the camera comes back online.”
Of course, being a power company we both wondered why on earth they couldn’t rig up a solar panel or something or is it another issue? Like all of us calling them when the nest is dangerously dirty? Who knows. I assume PSEG wants a calmer life since the ospreys wouldn’t care one way or the other about the camera! Ridiculous.
Frenchman’s Creek: Heidi confirms that the second egg was laid on the 25th of February.
Pine Island Osprey Platform: Looks as if the eggs are not viable. This is truly a blessing with the GHO in waiting for chicks.
Achieva Credit Union Osprey Platform, St Petersburg, Florida: As of Wednesday afternoon there remains only one egg for Jack and his new mate.
We are sitting in the conservatory monitoring the birds at the feeder. This morning I put out 1/4 of the amount of peanuts, Black Oil Seed, along with a large helping of Bark Butter and Meal Works (directed at the Starlings). There are approximately nine or ten Starlings. Where have all the birds gone?
I will be tracking HPAI in our region, and elsewhere, during 2025 as it appears to be having a large impact on some bird counts.
Little Miami Conservancy: Two eggs. 19th and 22nd of February.
Duke Farms: Cute little first hatch and now it has a little brother or sister.
WRDC: Both R7 and R8 doing fantastic. Look at all the fish on that nest!
Captiva: Dasher sleeps like an adult and we have branching at the nest on Wednesday!
MN-DNR: Two eggs being incubated. Laid on the 14th and 17th of February.
FORE: Liberty and Guardian do not yet have eggs. Everyone is worried. Maybe they will not have eggs this year. Maybe they will. We wait. But it is getting late because of the heat. Both of their eaglets died last year. They know and they grieve. It is alright if they chose to skip this year. Last year Duke and Daisy chose not to raise a family. The previous year Duke was missing in the storm and we thought he was lost. Daisy lost two osplets but was able to fledge one. Life is challenging – and it is going to get worse. Send Liberty and Guardian your love and support.
Abu Dhabi Osprey Platform: The triplets appear to be doing well.
Royal Albatross Colony News:
Cornell Red Tail Hawks: The camera should be back in operation for Big Red and Arthur in a week! Thank goodness.
Can you lend a hand to Hob, her friends, and the Moli?
Rita the Eagle’s History Monday:
I am going to look forward to a day when I read about the growth of the Hen Harrier population and not that rising deaths near driven grouse moor estates in Scotland!
Geemeff sends us some good news — remember, it is going to be up to us to do what is right for wildlife and that could include purchasing land, etc.
Happier news – the RSPB Geltsdale reserve is forging ahead after the successful land purchase. More funds needed of course, but as we all know, times are tough so people can support in ways other than donations eg by publicising on their social media feeds, buying from the online shop or better yet paying a visit to Geltsdale or any other RSPB reserve.
Thank you so much for being with today. We look forward to having you with us again soon! Take care of yourselves!
Thank you also for your patience with Calico’s cards. She had no idea what was entailed when she set out to help feral cats! The latest was securing proper mailing envelopes so the cards would not be bent when shipped! Those should arrive today or tomorrow. Then we can finalize the shipping! She told me she was glad we only do this twice a year. LOL.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, streaming cams, videos, and articles that helped me to write my post today: ‘B, EJ, Geemeff, Heidi, J, MP’, Berkeley News, American Eagle Foundation, Cal Falcons, KRON4, SK Hideaways, NEFL-AEF, SK Hideaways, IWS/Explore, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Japanese Albatross Cam, The Guardian, PSEG, Tartasan WTE Cam, Frenchman’s Creek, Heidi McGrue, Achieva Credit Union, Government of Canada, Little Miami Conservancy, Duke Farms, WRDC, Window to Wildlife, MN-DNR, Gary’s Eagle Videos, Nesting Bird Life and More, Abu Dhabi Osprey Platform, Sharon Dunne, Hob Osterlund, Rita the Eagle, RSPB, Raptor Persecution UK
First up, before I forget. The Great Back Yard Bird Count is taking place from tomorrow through the 17th. Here is all the information you need to participate with Cornell and Audubon.
The Girls have asked me to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day. They want you to know they are grateful for your letters and how you care about them. Sadly, they cannot send you any candies! My best friend left a box for us, and I was going to share it with all of you. That beautiful little box was left on the dining table, lid secured. This morning, those little red balls of chocolate were all over the floor. They had a hockey game during the night!!!!!!!! I heard nothing. Thankfully, they did not eat any of the candy – it is, however, not in a state to share. I wonder which team won? Team Calico vs. Missey-HY.
The temperatures have been in the -32 C range. The sun has been out and strangely the conservatory has been warm. It is a joy to be out there watching all the animals who continue to grow in number as they discover that food is available once again. Their survival is phenomenal. Brock and Star were here today eating kibble under the feeder which was left for the Starlings along with their other food. Both seem to be doing alright despite the frigid weather. Still, it is hard not to ache for them and their circumstances.
Star is very pretty. She is on the bird feeder to get the sunshine and keep her feet warm. She was not interested in killing our feathered friends, thank goodness.
There has been one big worry in Bird World since my last post on Sunday. An owl (Barred?) visited the nest of Beau and Gabby, just like the visits at the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23. Gabby quickly flew down to the nest to protect 31. Still, this is not something that we even want to fathom.
While Ospreys are not a match for GHOs (their claws are meant for carrying fish and fighting with one another over fish), they are not meant for battling these larger raptors. The Eagles are another story. Even our local Crows gang up on the GHO that lives on the nearby golf course. They usher that owl right out of the neighbourhood. But, as you know, the owls are silent, and that little 31 sleeping alone in that big nest is problematic. Please send me some positive wishes.
This little 31 is a cutie with its dark charcoal thermal down and dandelion head. Look at the length of that beak!!!!!!! It was a magical moment when that egg hatched, and our joy just helped us get through the sadness at SW Florida.
Others shared my concern with the mailbox full of worry for 31. ‘A’ wrote: “Gabby returned to the nest soon after 4am – perhaps she realises that the pre-dawn is probably the most dangerous time of all, based on my observations of the GHO nests. They usually bring home something laor rge shortly before dawn to feed their owlet/s. Or that’s what I have seen. So presumably Gabby is aware of that too. She was on the nest for that vital 90 minutes or so before dawn, which was interesting, and of course we still have our wee one. Mind you, it’s not so wee – if I hadn’t seen those GHOs knock the parents from their perches, I’d even wonder whether NE31 is too big to carry off now. But we know how strong those feet and legs are. They are phenomenal. Scary. So I will be watching with fear and trepidation for another week or two at least with that baby alone on that nest. It’s such an expanse too – like a damned football field – so that the owl would have plenty of room to swoop and then lift NE31 and spirit it away. There are no branches to interfere with its path or slow it down – it would have no obstacles at all. I hope I am worrying unnecessarily but seeing that GHO scoping things out was terrifying.”
That owl has returned and Beau and Gabby jumped into action. I just wish they would remain on the nest with 31 until it is large enough that the owl will go away and leave them in peace. https://youtu.be/ExITfywEw9M?
I am not as concerned if it is a Barred Owl and this is the reason: “Barred Owls are comparable in size to a Great Horned Owl (21″versus 22″) but their weight is considerably different as the average weight of a Barred Owl is 1.6 pounds, roughly half of the weight of a Great Horned Owl.” It would not have the flight capacity of the GHO.
‘A’ remarks: “Again this morning, Gabby has gone down to the nest shortly before 4am. The only explanation I think is that she is obviously aware that this pre-dawn period is the most dangerous time, so she is going to the nest early each morning. It does give me a little bit of comfort, though I still worry all day (I’m on the other side of the world, remember, so as it is 4:11am at NEFL it is 8:11pm here). Since lunch time, I have had the NEFL screen open and I check li’l nugget regularly – mainly to see whether that little lump of fluff is still on the nest or whether one time I will look in and see that nest empty. It is terrifying, especially with both the GHO and the barred owl aware of the nest and prepared to attack the adults let alone NE31. That is a very tempting meal, I suspect, well fattened, young and tender. Just right for a growing owlet or two. It terrifies me. Poor wee eaglet. It looks so helpless and alone. Gabby is there now, as I said, and baby has woken up for yet another preen. Beau is nearby, perched above the nest.”
We are all concerned about the levels of lead contamination in our raptors, and, in particular, carrion eaters such as Bald Eagles, Condors, and Vultures. There is currently a study in the UK to ban the use of lead ammunition. the following file has a video attached, ‘The Toxic Restaurant’ that is extremely enlightening.
At the Hilton Head Bald Eagle nest, George and Gracie now has two eaglets to feed!
The two eaglets at John Bunker Sands – JBS 22 and JBS 23 -are the sweetest little things.
As mentioned in my earlier post, it appears that F23 and M15 are going to be alright. It has been a fortnight and the two adult eagles have been seen at the pond and at the nest. I know that this is a huge relief for all of you.
The couple working on their nest on Wednesday.
It is certainly going to be easy to fall in love with these two little cuties at the Kisatchie National Forest nest of Alex and Adrian II. Just look.
R7 and R8 are growing like weeds at the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose.
Gosh, look at the size of Dasher and Dancer! Clive and Connie have been working so hard for these babies.
Angel and Tom have been working on their nest. Love the pine cone.
It was a duck dinner so very French at the nest of Michigan Bald Eagles, Harry and Harriet. https://youtu.be/Hch_Q9oZs6U?
In five weeks we will be watching Ospreys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait.
For now, you can also watch deer! ‘H’ reminds us of the Brownsville, Maine deer pantry – and, yes, I do love these folks. They have 12 acres and my goodness how kind they are.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We will be delighted to have you with us again on Monday.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J’, NEFL-AEF, NestFlix Memories, Raptor Persecution UK, NCTC, FORE, Farmer Derek, Raptor Research Project/Explore, Buddy’s Mom, FOLFAN, IWS/Explore, Duke Farms, Rita the Eagle FB, Birdlife Malta, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Cornell Bird Lab, Root and Wing, World Bird Sanctuary, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Kisatchie National Forest, Window to Wildlife, Great Lakes Bald Eagle Cam
First thing. There is an egg for Ron and Rose at the WRDC nest near Miami in Dade County. 14:34 according to Heidi on Tuesday. Congratulations! Everything looks alright with that egg.
In one day, we will celebrate the arrival of Hugo Yugo to our lives. We adopted her on the 5th of December believing that she was a male as we had been told (and requested). The vet would laughingly inform us that we had one of a handful of Ginger Girls. Her name became Hugo Yugo, and it took her nearly nine months to start growing. We would not have given her back for a New York minute.
Wrapped in her blanket, at 11 weeks old, she was all ears. And she was sick. Poor thing. Dr Green quickly put that to rights.
My pal and faithful osprey data collector, Heidi, is worried that I will compromise ‘The Girls’ by bringing Brock into the house. She knows that these four girls are ‘everything’ to me. Brock would need to be ‘caged’ (I have one), and he would need to go to the vet for testing before he could be cleared to come into the house. I do not believe this will ever happen. Brock is too ‘feral’. So, we provide him with high-quality food, water, and 2 warm and safe places to sleep that are dry if he should choose to use them. My Girls are the rocks in my life. They give me the same joy that walking in the forest does. I will do anything and everything to protect them just as if they were my human children.
Hugo Yugo is at the vet’s last year, the morning after we picked her up from her foster family. She was dreadfully ill.
It was terrible. We ached for this little one. A week later, she was still sick, but she was showing some signs of improvement. She loved cuddling in a pink baby blanket. I would wrap her tight like a tortilla and place her in the curve of my left arm to stay warm. That is where she still sleeps today, sans a blanket.
All well at the vet’s on the 18th! She is playing and the vet tells us she will survive.
By the 28th of December (23 days later), Hugo Yugo was ruling the cat tree. We never looked back. She continues to be the boss of the house. The respite worker commented today on how HY chased Calico back into the back corner of the conservatory from the living room. This little Ginger is fearless.
At the vet last week still getting into trouble. It is a small sink but Hugo Yugo did grow, finally.
Tuesday was Gifting Tuesday. This year was Calico’s turn the local charity that would get our funds and any other selections related to that institution. Last year, Missey had this privilege. Local wildlife rehab facilities, feral cat groups, nature centres, you name it, were there for the picking. The one that Calico put her paw on first was the choice. It was Wildlife Haven this year! Then, she had to select the ambassador to be adopted. She put her paw on the printout of Gus, the Turkey Vulture! There you go. Looks like a carrion eater is our adoptee this year! It is pretty fun. We had several others this year. Giving Tuesday is great if there is someone or some institution that will double the donations. It can have a huge impact.
Gabby and Beau spent almost all day at the nest on Tuesday. Thinking eggs? Oh, please!
She looks like she is thinking about it or geez, is this Beau? My old eyes are so bad.
‘J’ reports that an owl struck Gabby during the night but she is OK. Oh, these owls!
It is windy at Port Lincoln and the family is waiting for the first fish of the day.
Noon. No fish yet. Looks like a day when we will be wishing the fairy would appear.
Now that I have gotten it out of head that Kasse has the pink ring, here she is with her bright red ring doing some nice wingers.
Well, it is afternoon. Dad is in the man cave, and he appears to not be interested in fishing. Mum is off the nest. I wonder if she has gone to find fish for her and the two osplets.
Mum did bring in that fish. Then the fish fairy came with 6 fish and Dad rounded up the day with two after 4pm! What a day at Port Lincoln.
Royal Cam Dad RLK is home safely and ready to incubate his egg! Oh, isn’t it a relief when they return after foraging?
One of the eagles was seen on Tuesday.
Giliath!
Thunder and Akecheta spent the night at the West End nest and were there in the early morning.
Hey look who is at Fraser Point! Andor and Cruz.
I did not see anyone at the Two Harbours nest of Chase and Cholyn.
But wait a minute! Bailey the GHO is working on the nest after the Eagle leaves. This is not so good! https://youtu.be/sb71R6oInuQ?
In past instances, the GHOs have taken the nest from the eagles. Think Bonnie and Clyde at Farmer Derek’s. They are not cute and fluffy. GHOs are Apex Raptors, Predators of the highest level.
Bonnie and Clyde paid a visit to the Cardinal Land Conservancy nest on Tuesday.
Hawk Mountain migration update. There are some real concerning numbers there and there are some surprises. See if you can find the raptors that gained in numbers and then which one lost the most?
22 year old Red tail Hawk rescued!
‘J’ sends me a note that had me shaking my head: “I told you I had bought Geo Magazine from April 1978 because it had a long article in it about kakapo. It was a harsh read. Starts with quotes from people in the 1800s – I now know the best way to cook a kakapo, you never know when that might come in handy. When the author went over there were only 12 (!!!) kakapo left as far as anyone knew, and all of them were males. There were 24 humans watching and protecting them 24/7 and basically everyone was waiting for the species to die out. One, a 24 year old student fell down a cliff and died. But after the author came back home he got the call that 30 more kakapo had been found, so at least it ended with a positive note, everyone hoping that at least one of the 30 would be a female.”
Today, people are still working around the clock to care for these amazing birds. As of November 2024, there are 244 kākāpō alive. They are critically endangered. Fun Facts: The population has actually doubled since 2016. The programme to save the Kakapo was started by the New Zealand Government and the Maori tribe, Ngai Tahu. Conservation efforts include artificial insemination, supplementary feeding, and transmitters to help the staff locate the birds for their annual checks.
The visitor to the Achieva Credit Union osprey platform looks down and says, “What the heck is this mess?! And they want me to lay eggs, where?” Thanks, MP for the capture.
Tuesday is always a long day for me. Today was snow and really brisk winds. The roads were terrible. Calico has a project and I had to pick it up at our local photo store – which happened to be about 24 minutes across town on slick roads. I was not impressed with the way our winter is starting. Hopefully I didn’t miss too many events in Bird World!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, notes of concern, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Heidi, J, MP’, WRDC, Heidi McGrue, Hugo Yugo and the Anderson Animal Wellness Centre in Winnipeg, NEFL-AEF, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Sharon Dunne, Judy Harrington, IWS/Explore.org, Raptor Resource Project, NCTC, Deb Stecyk, Hilton Head Land Trust, Hawk Mountain, A Place Called Hope, Natural History Museum, Rita the Eagle, Achieva Credit Union
Today is Thanksgiving in the US. (We had ours eons ago). My calendar tells me that I got the date correct this time. We will make a special pumpkin pie to celebrate with our American readers. It doesn’t take a special day for me to be thankful for each of you for opening your hearts and lives to me throughout the years. I always enjoy hearing from you, seeing the images of your faithful pets or the birds in your gardens, and hearing about the wonders of your holidays, road trips, or just the musings of your day. That you have allowed me into your life is so precious, and I am very grateful and touched.
I am also grateful for my life, no matter how challenging. Every day I enjoy with my husband is a real gift. Each minute is treasured. I urge you to cherish all the beautiful moments – they are fleeting like the delicate snowflakes that fall. I wondered what life might be like, but that no longer happens. We have not allowed Lewy Body Dementia to destroy us. We travel, see birds daily, play with and read to our girls, have dinner with friends and family, watch movies and laugh hysterically. We are even starting back on writing the children’s book about garden birds. What more would I want?
I am also grateful to The Girls. They are huge characters who bring so much comfort and laughter. Of course, there is also Brock, Dyson and her family, Junior and the Missus, and the two Crows. Sadly, I cannot tell one sparrow from the other, but their presence is huge. You can hear the bird song from our garden a half block away, where there is nothing but silence.
I am also grateful to all of the writers who have brought the most amazing stories – real and not – into our lives this year. We are reading Chloe Dalton’s book, Raising Hare, for the second time. It is the story of how caring for a leveret changed Dalton’s life. It is writers like her that give me hope. We have just finished reading The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The Saskatoon or Serviceberry is a metaphor for the gift economy and how each of us can, through simple grassroots, ways help change the type of rampant consumerism that lies at the heart of our climate crisis. Public libraries, free farm stands where surplus produce is left for anyone to take and use, The Little Free Libraries doting the neighbourhoods where you live, clothing depots for people who need something to wear to a job they thought they would never get — free gifts that trickle through society. We can all take part!
So thank you to all of you, to my husband struggling with Lewy Body Dementia, my children and close friends, to my girls and the garden animals who make my life worth living.
Now for something fun related to Thanksgiving, Audubon published 10 Fun Facts about Wild Turkeys. See how many you know!
Today, we were scheduled to take Missey and Calico to the vet. However, I have been concerned about Hugo Yugo’s teeth since we adopted her, so at the last minute, I decided to bring Hugo Yugo instead of Calico. It turned out to be a good decision. My fear of dental issues stems from losing Lewis last year. Unfortunately, Hugo Yugo does have dental problems, but thankfully, her condition is not as severe as Lewis’s was.
We have been using dental wipes and brushing her teeth every day, which has helped keep the issue manageable. However, she will need professional cleanings every six months. Hugo Yugo is scheduled to have a cleaning and surgery to remove her incisors. Our vet has offered to come in during her holiday if Hugo Yugo stops eating, but we are hoping to secure an appointment within the next two months.
Please send your warmest wishes to little Hugo Yugo, as she is in considerable pain but is not showing any signs of it.
The pair really looked over that office. They even had a chance for play fighting and at the end of the day they both wanted to come home together in the same cat carrier, not separately. Enjoy.
Missey is well-behaved, gentle, and extremely healthy. She has only gained 300 grams in a year. No teeth problems! No gum problems. Maine Coon. How lucky were we to get this loving motherly cat? Someone found her under a truck only a couple of days old.
Hugo Yugo was into everything – on every shelf!
Getting acquainted with the room.
Missey knew there were some squeezy treats on that counter somewhere.
It was nice to be home. Hugo Yugo had a double dinner and has been asleep since her return.
Today, I want to introduce you to the work of Emma Buck. I found Emma through a friend in the UK and was instantly taken by the intricate stitching she uses to create her birds. I had been looking for birds for a ‘tree’ in my living room and, also as holiday gifts for friends. They fit both of my loves – our feathered friends and having beautiful handmade objects.
Emma Buck describes herself as a “Norfolk birder and ringer but have spent a lot of time in Canada and wannabe wildlife artist.” Emma has recently moved from the UK to Canada, and this year – for the next few months – her only income is derived from the gorgeous handmade birds she makes. There is no comparison to the birds made in China by a machine!
Emma did not think she could master a Blue Jay, but she tried, and this is the result. It is now her favourite, and I think she captured Junior rather well. I sure love the result!!!!!!
I hope to eventually have one of Emma’s birds for each of the species that visits our garden.
And the three altogether:
These are some of the examples of past birds and animals that Emma has created. You can see the size by comparing the bird with her hand.
These handmade gems are $45 CDN each plus shipping and handling. If you have questions or are interested in commissioning a bird or animal, here is Emma’s contact information: emmarosebuck@gmail.com
Emma also has an Instagram account, too: emmas_wildlifeart
The shock of Hugo Yugo’s need for surgery is sinking in, even though I knew there was going to be a problem early on. She does not have the underlying conditions like feline leukaemia that Lewis had, thank goodness. She has slept since coming home, but did eat well. I need to watch to make sure she continues to eat. Right now, all I want to do is cuddle up with her and a warm blanket – hoping that we can make a miracle happen overnight.
So, I had little time to check on the birds today. I constantly checked Port Lincoln because it is the only active nest. Thank goodness the rest of Bird World is relatively quiet.
The morning started off pretty rough at Port Lincoln with wind gusts and damp conditions.
Dad came through with a fish that he had eaten quite bit from. Still, it is better than nothing. It is a good day for the Fish Fairy.
By 1213, there had been no other deliveries – Mum, Dad, or Fairy. Fingers crossed.
The Fish Fairy came and delivered 10 fish. Wilko is right there and it isn’t going to be long til he is claiming one of those and unzipping it. Kasse time to figure this out! Dad claimed one. Mum and the kids got the rest. Fantastic.
I will continue to advocate that providing supplementary fish to this family in Port Lincoln ensures that the chicks not only survive to fledge, but are also healthy and strong. Thank you Fran, Janet, and Bazz.
I didn’t see any activity at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau.
Holly Parsons posted a moving video of a peregrine falcon that became blind and was raised in captivity. Thanks, Holly. Wildlife are so resilient. https://youtu.be/wJCl-U6ena4?
Do you remember the only eyas raised in the flower pot in Sydney, Australia? Well, the Crawley fledgling returned to her balcony and nest after two weeks on the wing!
News from Ranger Judy on the Olympic Park Eagles. I am hoping that we will have some pictures of SE33 in rehab soon!
Wisdom has returned to Midway Island in search for a mate!!!!!!!!!!! This is amazing news. The entire staff and Laysan osprey lovers of this 74 year old albatross are giving thanks for her health and return. Let us all be grateful. She is the one with the red band on her right leg.
It’s Rita’s History Monday and ‘J’ sent me the link!
If you have been following the issues surrounding the cutting down of a Bald Eagle nest by a developer in Alabama, here is a summary that was posted of a meeting where the issues were discussed.
The Kakapo Recovery still has some adoptions open! We adopted Ralph’s father, Rangi, a couple of years ago. It is another great organization – like so many others – reaching out for help this season.
‘J’ reports that the 2024 Raptor Day at WINORR raised over $20,000 to help with Bobby Horvath’s rescue and rehabilitation efforts for raptors on Long Island.
Calico’s Tip of the Day: Ignore all of the Black Friday Week Sales. Delete the ads in your inbox. Close your eyes to the stores. Put the flyers in the recycling bin. Instead of buying a huge TV, another purse, more tools for the garage, or the temptation of a new phone or big fancy camera, pause. Think of the birds and the people who rescue and care for them, and if you can, give – a little or a lot on or before Giving Tuesday so your donation is doubled.
We wish all of you celebrating Thanksgiving a day of laughter and love with those near and dear. To everyone else, take time to be grateful for something little or big that makes your life worth getting up for. If it is a person, tell them! We all need to know we are valued. Enjoy your dinner – lots of love, effort, and expense went into it!
Thank you for being with us. Please take care. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write this short blog today: ‘J’, Audubon, Emma Buck, SK Hideaways, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Judy Harrington, Hob Osterlund, Rita the Eagle, Holly Parsons, Untamed, Orange Australia Peregrine Falcons and Crawley Falcons, FORE, Dulles-Greenway Eagle Cam, Wings of Whimsy, Kakapo Recovery
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
Gosh, it is almost the middle of August, and the French are well into their annual August vacation. The entire month is taken off with businesses in Paris closing and everyone (owners and staff) heading off to enjoy the countryside, time with their family and friends, and good food. I was fortunate to spend an entire month a few years ago in a pottery village (Le Borne) and it was there that the French taught me ‘really’ how to slow down and chase after the joy of life – finding a balance and not letting work take over everything. Sitting and tasting the best bread with a good cup of coffee in the morning in a garden could not have been matched by anything. Lunch with vegetables, local bread, and goat cheese could have come from a Michelin-star restaurant – it was that good. Walking through the forest, time to smell the wood burning in the kilns and touching centuries-old ceramics were simple but profound joys. Those memories and the people who I met have never left me. Calico suggests that everyone stop and smell the roses, turn off their cell phones, grab a good book, and pet a cat!
Hugo Yugo is precious. She continues to sleep under my chin during the night. She has grown some, but, in comparison to the others, she remains rather small.
Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope continue to play fight all day long. They keep their nice figures due to all the exercise. Hugo Yugo will have her first birthday on 2 September. Baby Hope came to live in the house on the 4th so we shall have a nice party to celebrate both.
Missey just loves parties. She wants lots of squeezy treats while Hope has ordered 5-grain bread with peanut butter, and Hugo Yugo wants a grilled cheese sandwich! Baby Hope will run you down for peanut butter. It makes me think that while she and Calico were living ‘wild,’ someone fed them bread and PB. Hugo Yugo loves cheese and every evening has to play ‘hockey’ with small pieces of a nice old cheddar. She knocks the piece off the countertop onto the floor and then knocks it about before eating it. I have always believed she needs calcium.
Yesterday I had images and for some strange reason, no text from ‘H’ despite her sending it in the same e-mail. It was like half of it was cut off on my computer and then, this afternoon there were 2 more e-mails with all the information. I am including the text now. It will give you good background on what is happening at the Fortis-Exshaw nest – which appears to be a repeat of last season’s dramatic and devastating year. ‘H’ did a great job in her report – apologies it is late.
“8/9 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest: There have been some intruder issues the past few days, but today was the worst so far. At 0700 Harvie delivered a fish and one of the three juveniles grabbed it. The female intruder showed up early. Initially she was passive, but by 0800 she started attacking the chicks. Over the next couple of hours the intruder dive-bombed the chicks at least 30 times. Sometimes she made significant contact with her talons, and a few times she was able to flip the chicks onto their backs. She landed in the nest several times, and would jump on the chicks. Only the two oldest osplets have fledged. Nakoda has yet to fly, and we were worried that Nakoda was going to get pushed off the nest. At 0851 the intruder flushed one of the fledglings off the nest and she gave chase. The intruder was establishing control. The two remaining chicks in the nest stayed tucked in submission. Any time they would so much as move a wing, the intruder would flap her wings at them. At 1003 Harvie brought another fish and the intruder grabbed it. Harvie jumped on her, the intruder flew out with the fish, and Harvie followed. After eating her fish, the intruder returned. She was in and out of the nest a few times, and jumped on the chicks a few times. At 1050 Harvie delivered another fish, a chick grabbed it, the intruder fought the chick for the fish, Harvie jumped on the intruder, Harvie left the nest and the intruder chased him. The intruder returned and took the fish.
At 1142 the intruder saw Louise approaching the nest and she immediately flew away. Louise is the only deterrent for this female intruder. Louse had brought a fish for the chicks. Louise stayed for about 10 minutes, and then she left. At 1154, the fledgling that had been flushed from the nest earlier returned to the nest. For the next few hours the family had some peace. Nakoda was practicing wingers, and getting some nice wind-assisted lift, and was even hovering. The intruder returned at 1524, and started doing her usual thing… dive-bombing, jumping on chicks, and flapping at the chicks. Harvie delivered a fish at 1621 and the intruder took it. Harvie dropped off more fish at 1700, 1720, and 1817, and thankfully the osplets were able to eat those. At 1843 the intruder was back, jumped on the chicks, and may have left with a piece of leftover fish. With the glare of the afternoon and evening sun, it became increasingly more difficult to see because of the dirt on the camera. At 1931 the intruder was back, and she appeared to arrive empty taloned. But, she soon started to eat. She must have found some more leftovers in the nest. While she was eating, she was intermittently flapping at the kids. Harvie brought another fish at 2006, and one of the chicks grabbed it. Harvie and the intruder stared at each other for a while, then Harvie left. The intruder continued to harass the chicks, but finally at 2127 she left for the night.
What a terrible day this family had. Louise’s presence is needed to keep this female intruder away. But, we only saw Louise once today. Is it possible that Louise is already curtailing her involvement with her family to begin her rest and recovery phase? Would she do that before they all have fledged? Well, we certainly hope to see more of Louise tomorrow. “Your kids still need you, Mom.”
8/9 Osoyoos osprey nest: Chick 2 was doing some nice wingers early in the morning, including some flap-hops going about 3/4 of the diameter of the nest. The first fish I saw was brought by Olsen at 1505. It was a large partial fish, and Chick 2 acquired it first and ate for about 4 minutes before Chick 1 took it from him. Chick 1 had the fish for a long time, finally leaving it at 1628. There was still a good size piece remaining, and Chick 2 started to work on it. By 1727, Chick 2 had accomplished all he could, because the remainder had a lot of dangling tough skin. Soo took over and fed both of her juvies. But, even Soo had a difficult time with the skin. At 1927 Olsen dropped off a small whole fish. Chick 2 grabbed the fish, and mantled strongly. Chick 2 ate the fish, and was able to rebuff Chick 1 each and every time Chick 1 tried to steal the fish. Nice moxie, Chick 2 ! “
Today’s post from ‘H’:
8/10 Fortis Exshaw osprey nest: The intruder was still around today, but she wasn’t nearly as aggressive toward the chicks as she was yesterday. She spent a few long periods of time at the nest. She would flap at the kids now and again, but there were only a few times that I saw the intruder jump on them. And, the intruder did not do all that dive-bombing like she did yesterday. I have 6 pages of notes on the day’s events, and I will summarize to spare you the minutiae. Harvie brought 9 fish to the nest, and the intruder managed to acquire 3 of them. The chicks didn’t make it easy for her, they fought the intruder for those fish. There were a couple of times when the intruder did not make a grab for the fish. She would simply ‘let’ them have it, and then she would just stand there and stare at them while they ate. Strange. But, it seems that poor Harvie is fishing for four. Sometimes when Harvie would make a delivery with the intruder on the nest, they would have a staring contest, and then Harvie would flap his wings at her, but he always flew away. One time, Harvie buzzed the intruder on his way out and made her duck. Harvie knows that he cannot afford to get hurt fighting her. The fact that we saw the intruder less often today may mean that Louise is helping to monitor the airspace in their territory. And, we did see Louise today. At 1211, an adult carrying a fish landed on the t-perch beside one of the fledglings that was believed to be Peyto. Then, the adult provided a nice long feeding to the juvie on the t-perch. It had to be Louise. The youngest chick, Nakoda, ate two whole fish today. Nakoda is no push-over when it comes to battles for the fish.
Nakoda branched today! At 1003 Nakoda flew up to the nest perch…wow! At 1040, after figuring out how to turn around on the perch, s/he hopped back down to the nest. Later on in the afternoon, Nakoda did several hovers that were out of our view lasting several seconds each time. Yesterday, those hovers by Nakoda were 90% due to the wind, but today the height and hang-time was 90% due to Nakoda’s skill. Prediction: Nakoda will fledge on 8/11, at 56 days of age. The three siblings are very difficult to differentiate by their appearance. We will do our best to determine when Nakoda fledges and when s/he returns to the nest.
In my opinion, it does not seem that this intruder wants to take over the nest. She is hungry, and wants some easy meals. Last year it was Louise against a male/female pair of intruders, and they definitely wanted to take over the nest. This year, it is Louise and Harvie against one intruder. Perhaps the intruder will decide to move along soon.
8/10 Osoyoos osprey nest: The live stream was frozen for about three hours today. But, we did see plenty of fish at the nest, including some really big ones. Some of the fish were obviously recycled… that is, they had previously been removed after everyone was full, and those same fish made return appearances. There were lots of feedings and self-feedings. A couple of times this morning, Chick 2 was seen doing some flap-hops all the way across the nest, from rim to rim… that’s progress! Unless I’ve missed it due to recent cam issues, I have not seen Chick 2 perform hovers with decent hang-times. Chick 2 is 64 days old on 8/11. Weather forecast for 8/11: partly cloudy with smoky air, high temp 90F/32C, winds gusting to 11 mph.
8/10 Fenwick Island osprey nest (Captain Mac’s Fish House): Johnny delivered two good sized fish today, and June did not disappoint when she caught her daily striped bass. ‘Fen’ ‘branched’ to the perch this morning, and hopped back down to the nest after about an hour. Fen will be 58 days old on 8/11, and I think he is ready to fly!
More than a few letters have come to the inbox about donations. We cheer, clap our hands, wish hard, pray, and jump up and down in support of our birds, especially those in distress. It is natural to want to rush and help fund their care and food. It just makes you the wonderful people who you are! This also happened after Meadow went into care and subsequently died. To begin, wildlife rehabilitation centres rely on donations. I know this because of our local rehabilitation centre, Wildlife Haven. They depend on volunteers and donations of all things, from bleach to large buildings, for flight training. But when to donate and what? This is going to depend on your personal circumstances. Having had many of you pour your hearts out after Meadow and Cobey passed, I think I have come up with a simple suggestion. If you wish to donate following a rescue, you might want to wait 48-72 hours. The wait period would allow insight into whether the bird might survive. Remember that anything can happen anytime – a bird looking as if it is improving might suddenly pass. We don’t have crystal balls. You might also want to save up and give to a rescue/rehabilitation centre at the end of the year. I like to watch what these centres are doing all year and like to help those that rise to the occasion to try and do anything to save the birds.
Speaking of rescues and rehabilitation, the Denton Homes fledglings are in flight training. Isn’t this marvellous. All survived. Thanks, ‘PB’.
The two osplets from the Green Ledge Light Preservation Society were holding on tight as the remnants of Debby hit Connecticut! I am waiting a post to see how they fared during that violent storm.
Geemeff’s summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Saturday 10th August 2024
Both nest cam livestreams were restored by 09.30 this morning after yesterday’s shutdown which was due to the internet connection for the local area going down. Actually, in such a remote area where it’s very challenging to provide services, being able to watch the nest cams is a bit of a miracle. Therefore tonight’s bonus is about how the nest cams work with no wifi and no electrical plug points nearby. Today was wet and windy again with no sign of any Ospreys, but Nest Two did get some colourful visitors in the form of a pair of Crossbills. More rain is forecast for tonight, but there is the prospect of sunny intervals tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.30.33 (04.45.22); Nest Two 22.23.05 (04.52.51)
A gorgeous image of Lady feeding her babies from the Olympic Park Eagle Cam:
As is typical, these little bobbleheads have begun to do some bonking. It will stop! It always does.
The Australian Museum describes the White-bellied Sea Eagle and how these fluffy little white nestlings will change: “The White-bellied Sea-Eagle has white on the head, rump and underparts and dark grey on the back and wings. In flight the black flight feathers on the wings are easily seen when the bird is viewed from below. The large, hooked bill is grey with a darker tip, and the eye is dark brown. The legs and feet are cream-white, with long black talons (claws). The sexes are similar. As in other raptors (birds of prey), Males (2.5 kg – 3.7 kg) are slightly smaller than females (2.8 kg – 4.2 kg).The wingspan is about 1.8 m – 2 m. Young Sea-Eagles are brown as juveniles than slowly become to resemble adults in a patchwork manner, acquiring the complete adult plumage by their fourth year.”
Iris, Sum-eh, and yet-to-fledge Antali.
Finnegan is very busy catching and delivering fish – Uber Dad!
‘A’ remarks: “Little Bro is getting lonesome on his own on that nest, but it so far has not prompted him to copy big sister Sumeh, who has been flying confidently for nearly a week now. C’mon Antali, you can do it! He’s having a pleasant nap in the late afternoon sun. Around 19:32 he begins looking around, and at 19:32:45 Finn arrives with a nice fresh fish, Sumeh hot on his tail.
Antali is fish begging and considering self-feeding but dad keeps moving the fish. He is looking around for Iris. Antali already has a noticeable crop and Sumeh is not asking for fish, so dad eats a bite or two himself. By 19:35, however, he has started feeding Antali. Sumeh just watches the feeding. She is very used to watching Antalia being fed, after all! He has always been completely confident about getting to the table and accepting bites of fish. I have never seen him intimidated at a feeding. Sumeh has been an amazing older sister. She is very laid-back indeed. Around 19:38 she begins to show some interest in the fish, but still waits to be offered a bite.
Finn begins feeding Sumeh and Antali stands up as tall as he can, turning away from the table. He has very long legs, which is the most obvious proof that he is a male. He is too cute. It’s Sumeh’s turn. Antali has a good crop.”
It is mid-afternoon Saturday at Charlo Montana and C16 could fly at any moment. Got so much height on its hover you couldn’t see it on camera!
C16 has not fledged as I write this Saturday evening but he could still fly as there is some time difference. Charlie delivered a fish and C16 had a nice fish dinner.
It was painful. The wind was gusting around the tree below the nest and C16 kept hovering. The sticks in the nest aren’t helping the matter. C16, you are going to fly soon – probably today or Sunday morning.
River and Keke continue to return to the nest waiting for some fish – just like nests all around the world. Chicks wait and watch for Dad flying in with a fish and they have a singular focus – nevermind who gets in the way! In that instance, being an Only Bob has an advantage.
The fledgling comes and goes from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest wanting a fish dinner, too.
On the eve of the Inglorious 12th, there are more and more calls for regulations and the policing of the Red Grouse Moor shoots.
Pam Breci brings us up to date on the Fort Calhoun osprey family:
It is always reassuring that fledglings returning to the nest to get their fish. The Fab Four at Poole Harbour keep Blue 022 very busy! CJ7 is also delivering fish and some are being fed off nest because they show up on cam with a huge crop but have not been seen eating on camera.
Osplets fledge, on average, at 55-56 days after they hatch. They should return to the nest over and over again as they remain dependent on Mum and Dad until they migrate. Many say they stay until they can fish for themselves, but much research in the UK indicates that they actually don’t normally (there is always an exception) catch their first fish until they are on their way which is generally in September. The Mum will migrate first leaving the Dad behind to do the fishing for the chicks. In one year, I forget which one, Monty (Dyfi Ospreys) remained until the 20th of September til his chick fledged! The Dads and fledglings generally leave 2-3 weeks after Mum.
Please remind everyone you know that fish to please try their best not to leave lines and hooks. I know that lines break and there are snags on trees on the shore – if that is the case then everyone should pitch in to do bi-annual clean ups to protect the birds.
White Storks continue to move south throughout Europe feeding on the seeds left after harvest in places such as Lithuania and Croatia. Some have already made it to Europe. Black Storks are moving as well. Waba continues to feed in Ukraine near the Moldova border.
‘A’ reminds us that Xavier is getting excited for the possibility of eggs at the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape in Orange: “We are getting ready for egg watch at Orange. Certainly, Diamond and Xavier are in parental mode, with Xavier bringing food gifts, and the pair doing lots of bonding and mating frequently. The first egg was laid on 26 August last year, so we still have over a fortnight to go. We would be very happy with just the one, Diamond. I don’t want this pair worn out – they are not young falcons. Xavier has just come into the scrape, chupping away. There is no sign of Diamond, who is no doubt perched on the microwave or along the roof. Xavier is looking his usual handsome self. Adorable little falcon that he is. What a man. Remember his first season? Saviour, he most definitely was. “
Xavier brings breakfast and it is not a Starling to Diamond’s delight.
The Dorsett Hobby branched Saturday afternoon but did not fledge. Look to the top left. That is coming swiftly. Such a strong, beautiful little Hobby! (see further below)
Fish deliveries at the Muonio Osprey nest in Finland.
Did you know that Rita has her own FB page? Rita of Ron and Rita and the WRDC Eagle nest? Thanks, ‘J’.
There are no reported sightings of Blue at HWF-BBCentral area. We hope that s/he has found fish and will be heading north to Alaska to enjoy the salmon.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, questions, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, PB’, Fortis Exshaw-Osoyoos, Fenwick Island, Fortis-Exshaw, SOAR, Greens Ledge Light Society, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Sea Eagle Cam, Australian Museum, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Sandpoint Osprey Platform, MN-LA Ospreys, The Guardian, Pam Breci, Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Looduskalender, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam Project, Nesting Bird Life and More, Osp, Rita the Eagle FB, Dorsett Hobby Cam.
