Category Archives: Royal Cam Chick

It’s Melbourne 4 – Port Lincoln 2…Monday in Bird World

11 September 2023

Good Morning to all of you,

Sunday started off cool, and it warmed up but the day was mostly cloudy. So, to me, it felt cooler looking out than it actually was. Small raindrops have just started falling late in the evening. The Blue Jays are still coming to the garden for water and seeds as are the Sparrows. Migration is in full swing, and only time will tell if the Blue Jay family is staying for the winter or will leave for part or all of it. The six Crows in the Crow family are still here- they will probably remain all winter just like the Chickadees. Canada Geese continue to fly overhead as are the Pelicans – all of them leaving for parts warmer and in the South.

Audubon has a wonderful tool to learn about migration. Migration is remarkable and now that the birds are leaving I am already longing for their return next spring. Nature continues on despite all that is thrown at it.

Today was the day Hope came out of her shell. Geemeff suggested a feather teaser toy. Little Hope loves to play and right away she was in the middle of everything. I got a small stroke on her head! This kitten has the sweetest face. One miracle for the day. Next play time I will try to grab her with Geemeff’s instructions firmly in mind to let her loose so she isn’t frightened – and knows she can get away. Fingers crossed. Calico goes in for her surgery on Tuesday and I hope to have this little one all friendly by then.

Calico is very protective of Hope. While she weants to return to the main part of the house I have left the door open and Calico will not leave without the baby who remains, at this time, hesitant.

Little Mini-me. I continue to marvel at the miracle – the moment is so clear – when I looked out and saw this wee kitten eating at the feeding station. It was beyond my hope that these two would be reunited. No wonder Calico doesn’t want her out of her sight.

Lewis and Missey are much more used to the ‘smell of Calico and the presence of Hope – through glass. They are all fed at the same time and there has been lots of tasty meals to cement the idea that Calico and Hope bring ‘good things’ not bad ones! Constant companions. Constant washing and playing. Lewis and Missey are both now a year old.

Let’s start off with something fun – the season highlights from Loch Arkaig! Louis, Dorcha, Ludo and various visitors delighted us day in and day out throughout the 2023 breeding season in Scotland.

News has just come in from ‘H’ that there are now four eggs at Melbourne! Oh, little M22 has going to have his work cut out getting those big eggs under for incubation! Egg #4 laid at 07:48:52.

‘A’ gives us a prey update: “At about 09:09:48 M22 lands on the ledge with a small bird, calling F22 as he arrives. For a couple of minutes prior to this, we have watched small feathers floating up, from where M22 is obviously preparing the prey at a lower level. He chups and waits. When F22 does not appear, he plucks the bird a little more, then heads with it, still chupping, up to the scrape. He seems to want to feed his eggs! He plucks the bird a little more, and at 09:11:30 flies off with the prey, presumably to leave it in one of their stash spots for mum to retrieve. Dad returns to incubate at 09:13:39. He has a little difficulty settling down on four eggs but he manages. This pair is adorable.”

I went to check and Mum is home. No fear! After last year I worry all the time about this nest.

Liznm caught that fourth egg being laid at Melbourne for us.

Mini has not been seen at the nest since the morning of Saturday 9 September. Mum has appeared a few times (or it is believed to be Mum). I have an inbox full of concerned letters wanting help for Mini but, in truth, we do not know if Mini needs help. Wildlife rehab clinics do not have the resources to search Patchogue for Mini. Indeed, every clinic that I know relies heavily on volunteers. If someone were to find Mini and get her to a clinic – if that clinic knows her story and any in the area should – they would recognise her. But, for now, we only know that Mini is not coming to the nest. Dad has been seen on the antennae by the lake where he fishes and Mum might or might not have come to the nest once or twice. That would be typical osprey behaviour before departing for migration. The fact that Mini has not come to the nest does not mean she is grounded, nor is she dying and starving. The absence of evidence is not evidence.

The only thing that could be done at this point is for a local search party to comb the area for Mini. That is a huge task but it would be worth it just to check and for everyone to know that she is not grounded.

Five fish were delivered to the Sandpoint Osprey Platform today. Coco was deliriously full of fish dinners!

‘H’ sends her report on Kent Island and Barnegat Light:

Kent Island – The fledgling, Molly, has not been seen for almost six days.  Audrey spent the night of 9/10 on the nest, and she flew off at 0630.  She was not seen on camera for the rest of the day, until she landed on the nest just before 10 pm.  Audrey spent the night of 9/11 at the nest.  Tom was not seen on camera on 9/10.

Barnegat Light – There was frequent and prolonged buffering of the live stream on 9/10.  But, we were able to observe a fish delivery from Duke to Dorsett at 0725, and we saw Dorsett on the nest with a partial fish at 1828.

Thanks, H’!

‘A’ sends her down under report from down under – thanks A:

Sydney Sea Eagles: “It is now nearly 12:30 and Lady and Dad have spent this morning bringing in more and more nesting material .Check out how much fresh greenery there is on that nest. And that’s not counting the two gigantic branches (one at the front, one at the back) that have been brought in and carefully arranged so far this morning. It is phenomenal. They are doing a total spruce-up and a little renovating – it is a DIY fest up there this morning. The eaglets, of course, would prefer some breakfast, but I think the parents are bringing in the extra cot rails for the reason discussed yesterday (two much more mobile chicks now up off their tarsi and motoring around that nest) and all the fresh greenery and talonfuls of dry leaf material are being brought in because of the day of rain they had there over the weekend (or was it Friday). Anyway, they’re freshening up and drying out the nest. They have both been aerating today and yesterday. So I’m pretty sure that’s the reason for this sudden obsession with bringing in nest materials. 

Hopefully, there will be some food soon, though I have reached a level of confidence about this nest that leaves me unconcerned about major problems even if food is late and/or short today. Obviously, we would prefer them to get two good meals a day but they do need to learn that life in the wild is not all home-delivered meals at the drop of a twig. So either way, I am sure all will work out fine and lunch will come soon.”

Xavier and Diamond: The intruder is still causing issues for the couple. Diamond had to leave the scrape to defend the territory. This is not a good thing.

Port Lincoln: Dad was on the nest with Mum. Oh, I hope these two only have two eggs!!!!!!!

Dad2 doing incubation duties. The chat group notes that the eggs were not incubated for 41 minutes which should not be an issue.

But ‘H’ has just sent me a giggle: Is this Dad 1 or is it Dad2? Fran Solly and Bazza are starting to think it is Dad1?!

‘A’ is missing our little prince and he isn’t gone yet! She writes, “

Omigod, talk about heart in my mouth. I checked the albatross cam and not only was Manaaki’s nest empty but the camera was giving us the view of the bay from his nest. For a moment there, I thought he had fledged. Then, I saw a little flash of white far down on the hillside and sure enough, up he came. He had had a practice flight down the hill and had to walk a lolng way back up. The wind has really picked up this afternoon (it is now nearly 4pm) and it is hovering and flapping time. Scary. Every time I watch this, I wonder if it is going to be the last time, as it was that day I watched QT in the storm. Sudden. And possibly permanent. Stay with us just a little longer sweet boy. Another week to get rid of that remaining fluff. Just one more week. 

Manaaki was fed about three hours ago (13:23). We think the parent had come in earlier and that this was the second feeding today. The weather really changed three or four hours ago. The rain started teeming down and the wind really picked up. It sounds like a gale on the tab now. We believe that in all the excitement this has caused, it is possible that Quarry has fledged. UQ has been hovering a lot this afternoon, and although he is still obviously carrying too much down and has not yet perfected his flying technique (paddles are still hanging down and he hasn’t worked out how to hold them up yet), there is a fear among chatters that he will leave today. If he does, there is the danger he will ditch in the bay and become waterlogged. I’m sure they keep a close eye out for chicks that do that – I have heard talk of them being rescued for a second fledge attempt. So we watch, we wait. The wind is encouraging all the chicks, but hopefully, Manaaki’s feedings today will keep him at home a little longer. As I type, both Manaaki and UQ are still at home, Manaaki on his nest and UQ a little downhill from Manaaki (where he has been for most of the day, rather than on his nest higher up the hill – he likes Manaaki).”

At SWFlorida, home to M15 and his new mate, bonding is happening! We have a fish offering.

In the letterbox: A few letters have arrived since the posting of the death of two of the fledglings – Stormy and Simba – from Big Bear Valley in previous years. It is hoped that FOBBV might be able to find out what happened to the two siblings. Readers have expressed concern over the deaths of the eaglets and the many non viable years for our beloved Jackie and Shadow. Every year we struggle with them and, of course, it was such a delight when Spirit fledged. The difficulties that Jackie and Shadow face in terms of eggshell hardness and viability of offspring in the nest might be directly related to the historical DDT that was intensely sprayed on Big Bear Lake. Of course we are aware of the issues in the Channel Islands.

The heartache that we feel for these two Bald Eagles and they are much loved by thousands and thousands, is directly due to human causes.

From a previous blog ‘Why Do Some Eagles Have Wing Bands’: “

It all goes back to DDT and the near extinction of the Ospreys, Bald Eagles, and other birds from the United States. Sea life has been impacted and so have humans. After World War II DDT was used to eradicate for mosquitoes in the US. Various areas received high amounts of this toxin. It wasn’t just the spraying but also the illegal dumping of hundreds of thousands of tonnes that has caused harm. Indeed, the waters off Catalina Island, for one, became a dumping ground for DDT. 

In 2020, an article appeared in the Los Angeles Times about the finding of the rusting barrels of toxins leaking near Catalina Island. (The scientists were looking for methane). The author says, “As many as half a million of these barrels could still be underwater right now, according to interviews and a Times review of historical records, manifests and undigitized research. From 1947 to 1982, the nation’s largest manufacturer of DDT — a pesticide so powerful that it poisoned birds and fish — was based in Los Angeles.”

“DDT is so stable it can take generations to break down. It doesn’t really dissolve in water but stores easily in fat. Compounding these problems is what scientists today call “biomagnification”: the toxin accumulating in the tissues of animals in greater and greater concentrations as it moves up the food chain.” The birds at the top of the food chain, often referred to as the canaries in the coal mine are the Ospreys who eat the fish and the Bald Eagles.

This is a fantastic read. I urge you to take the time so that when you hear about the impacts of DDT you will understand the history and the harm.

https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-coast-ddt-dumping-ground/

In 1980, there was a reintroduction programme of Bald Eagles into the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands. Even until 2001, the eggs were removed and fostered and the chicks banded. Between 1980-86, 33 Bald Eagles were released on Santa Catalina. These birds grew to adulthood even breeding but due to the DDE levels, the eggshell thickness was still compromised. You might recall that Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear have problems with thin eggshells today. Big Bear Lake was heavily sprayed with DDT and it is residual in the soil. The tagging program can be seen with the tags on Thunder and Akacheta. Their chicks, should they hatch and survive, will be banded as part of the continuing study. 

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/chil_eaglecam/wing-bling-reference-chart-santa-catalina-and-san–t11469.html

From the findings of scientists now, the number of barrels of DDT in the waters of this area rusting and leaking are growing. In April of 2021, more were found.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/29/californias-legacy-of-ddt-waste-underwater-dump-site-uncovers-a-toxic-history

For those who would like to go back to the 1970s when the alarms were being sounded by various individuals including Rachel Carson, a good read is The Silent Spring. I would hope that most local libraries would have copies. As you can see, the storage and long life of DDT and the fact that it does not break down in water, is a continuing concern for all the wildlife and humans around the Santa Catalina Island which is now controlled by the US Navy.

There continue to be warnings about humans eating the fish from Big Bear Lake:

bigbearlakeadvisoryreport013018Download

A long report by the US Department of the Interior on DDT and its impact on fish and wildlife.

Effects-of-DDT-on-Fish-and-WildlifeDownload

A group of concerned individuals is working towards a united presentation to see what can be done about the proposed battery storage facility at SSEN Alyth where Ospreys Harry and Flora have their nest. This is one of the revised plans for the site that shows the battery storage right up to the nest.

This is very discouraging. Flora has left the nest on previous occasions when there were disturbances.

Sue Wallbanks posted this article. It is a good read for anyone who wants to understand how disturbances can cause issues at raptor nests.

Disturbance-Distances-in-selected-Scottish-Bird-Species-–-NatureScot-Guidance-NatureScotDownload

The beautiful Black Eaglet had breakfast compliments of Dad. Lady Hawk comments: “The Selati eaglet has another good day of eating compliments of Dad bring in a Rock Hyrax! The eaglet is enjoying the morning sunlight and spreads out its wings as it lies on the nest sunning itself (and keeping cool) 🙂 Mom flies in right after Dad but the eaglet claims the prey and mantles it and will self feed on it for quite some time. Finally Mom takes over and finishes up the feeding and the eaglet gets to swallow the pelt down. i did edit out a lot of the feeding since it went on for so long. Great job! Mom will then fly off leaving a very contented chick.”

These Black Eagles live in the Slate Game Reserve which is part of the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa. Their proper name is the Verreaux Eagle. Only one of two eggs hatched at this nest in 2023. This is the time line, and we expect this eaglet to hatch in less than 3 weeks.

  • First egg laid on 15 May 2023 🥚
  • Second egg laid on 19 May 2023 🥚🥚
  • Egg cracked by parent on 6 June 2023 ✖️
  • Chick hatched 29/30 June 2023 🐣
  • Fledgling flight expected from around end September 2023

Verreaux’s eagle is one of the larger eagles of Africa. It measures 75 to 96 cm (30 to 38 in) long with an average weight of 4.19 kg or 9.2 lb. Its wingspan is 1.81 to 2.3 m (5 ft 11 in to 7 ft 7 in). The Verreaux Eagles like others has reverse bisexual morphism – the female is larger than the male. The adults are the most gorgeous slate grey but some are the deepest ebony. Their cere is a remarkable yellow when they are healthy. There is also white plumage which is a great contrast and causes the birds in flight to stand out. That white is on their back, their rump and the upper-tail coverts as well as part of the scapular. The white can only be seen looking up when the birds are flying, not when they are perched. The legs are covered with deep black feathers. The juveniles appear as in the image above.

“Verreaux’s Eagle female” by Rainbirder is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

In the Kistachie National Forest near Alexandria, Louisiana, Louis and Anna from the E-1 nest are busy making nestorations!

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Take care everyone. See you soon!

I am very grateful to the following for their notes, comments, questions, letters, videos, posts, and streaming cams that help me to write my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, L’, Audubon, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Liznm and 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, PSEG, Sandpoint Ospreys, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, Sydney Sea Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, NZ DOC, Real Saunders Photo, LA Times, Tapa Talk, The Guardian, Office of the EHHA, US Dept of the Interior, SSEN Alyth, Livia Armstrong and BESS Battery Storage, NatureScot, Lady Hawk and Selati Eagles, Open Verse, and the KNF Eagle Cam E-1.

Bon Voyage Mini…Sunday in Bird World

10 September 2023

Hello Everyone!

Saturday was the most gorgeous fall day. It was about 16 degrees C with a beautiful blue sky and some soft puffy white clouds as I travelled north from the City. You could see the geese overhead flying in their standard ‘V’ formation swirling around the fields that have been recently harvested – wheat and flax, mainly. There is something so magical about the rhythm of their lives. They come in late March or April and being heading to their winter homes in September-October. At one of the local nature centres, they fly in by the thousands at dusk (on a good day). Their black silhouettes filling the horizon as the sun begins to slowly set in the West.

One of the best places to see the geese in the afternoon is at Oak Hammock Marsh.

A lone American White Pelican and a Trumpeter Swan with all the geese landing at a small pond by the road.

On the way home there was a beautiful Red-tail Hawk hunting in one of the fields. What a magnificent raptor. No photo…just watched it for a bit and left quietly — we must always remind ourselves that their lives are overtly challenging and any opportunity for a meal should be respected and we should ‘disappear’.

Oak Hammock Marsh is run by Ducks Unlimited and the Province of Manitoba and is an extensive wetland. Being there reminded me that ‘R’ had sent me an article several weeks ago and our discussion about how we need cooperation to protect the birds. What he sent me was about the Excise Tax in NJ – how that comes from the sale of hunting equipment, firearms, permits, etc. goes to help with the conservation of the birds, such as our beloved Ospreys, in the state of New Jersey. We talked about how this could be a blueprint for the future if we want our birds to thrive – and as much as I hate killing of anything, it makes sense. Ducks Unlimited is working across Canada with various groups including some in the province of Alberta to purchase huge tracts of land to protect and restore for wildlife. It is something to think about. In NJ it is called the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. Does your state or province promote such a scheme? If not, it might be worth a good conversation!

Wildlife-and-Sport-Fish-Restoration-Program-Fish-Wildlife-Download

All of the kittens behaved themselves. Missey and Lewis continue to be in the main house and Calico and Hope in the conservatory annex. Hope has been enjoying her new rich foods a little too much or it is that plus the stress of coming inside…but the poor little darling is now on kaolin probiotic granules for running poop shots. Hoping she is over this very quickly…she was fine when she arrived! A few images from today…Hope insists on doing everything that Mamma does. She resisted her own little dish of organic chicken and sauce to try and eat with Calico, was on the cat tree and it seems that Calico is an excellent pillow.

Giggles all around today – the cats are eating well and their rooms are disinfected and cleaned twice a day – everything. Gosh, the laundry in making those tents…Calico is off for her surgery on Tuesday and Hope will be, by then, surely she will, friendly!

Thank you Jeff Kear – I had not heard about Alyth putting in battery storage units right under the nose of Harry’s Osprey Nest! Does the need to constrict the use of fossil fuels mean that we should not consider the environmental impact and the location? Was any study done? It is not clear when it comes to the ospreys or other wildlife.

Alyth-BESSDownload

‘A’ reports on what is happening ‘down under’ – that is where most of the action is currently!

Sydney Sea Eagles: “Dad brought in a very nice fish at 08:33:22 this morning and Lady was quickly shimmying down the perch branch to take control of it. Lady and Dad have a little chat and seem excited by the fish but the eaglets (especially SE32) are more interested in what’s going on in the tree around them this morning. SE31 is first to the table, while SE32 is looking up and around at everything in his expanding world. The view is somehow different from up on his feet perhaps! At 08:39 he finally moves up to the table and his sister courteously moves aside so her brother can have some breakfast! This is so civil, it’s ridiculous. Someone remind these kids they are apex predators! Just before 08:40 Dad flies in with a stick (the parents have been busy building another level of cot railing over the past five or six days, as the two get up onto their feet and start moving around the nest a lot more – now SE32 has joined his sister up off his tarsi). Dad is very engaged in his stick placement and spends considerable time perfecting the front of the nest. So cute. Lady continues feeding SE32, though SE31 is momentarily fascinated by Dad’s manoeuvrings.” 

Royal Albatross: “In New Zealand, Manaaki is on his nest and there is very little wind today, so I am not anticipating a fledge this morning. The wind may pick up during the afternoon. We will see.” 

This video is from the NZ DOC. It shows our young prime hovering nicely! This was three days ago.

Melbourne Peregrine Falcons: “At Collins Street, F22 takes a break shortly after 9am (that time stamp is SO hard to read) and little M22 is soon in to take over incubation. He settles down in his customary jerky manner and then finds he has a spare egg he has failed to cover. So he has to start his enfluffling all over again. Such a sweetie. I love these falcon dads.” 

Port Lincoln: “No third egg at Port Lincoln and I certainly hope there won’t be, given the gap between the first two eggs is 74 hours. A third egg could therefore be as far away as Tuesday. I do hope there isn’t another one. I’m not looking forward to the huge gap between the first two. A third hatch would be so nerve-wracking. We really don’t need that sort of stress.”

There are still only 2 eggs at Port Lincoln.

I certainly agree with ‘A’. A third hatch at Port Lincoln does not need that kind of stress! But then again, we have a new Dad and a new season and anything is possible.

Thanks, ‘A’.

Let us go and check on Diamond and Xavier – Xavier flew in with a nice prey for Diamond’s breakfast, and he then worked hard rolling the three big eggs and trying to fit them under him. He was successful, but gosh, it is a good thing there are not four of them.

‘A’ writes about the intruder that has been bothering Xavier and Diamond: “That intruder is still worrying at Orange, although Diamond and Xavier have things sorted. This morning, the intruder was spotted. Diamond called Xavier to come and mind the eggs. He arrived and took over incubation. Diamond dealt with the intruder (visible from tower cam) and returned to the nest box. All is well. I am SO glad they have this routine. Diamond is twice Xavier’s size and makes short work of an intruder. Any injury to Xavier at this point would be a disaster for the clutch. They know this. We are grateful. But I do wish this intruder would move on. I do keep wondering whether it is Izzi, as the males do tend to move no more than 50 km from their natal nest, from what I have read, whereas the female fledglings spread much further away. It is so funny that Indigo, too, proved impossible to persuade it was time to leave home, so that Diamond and Xavier had to physically bar him entry to the scrape! At least they got rid of him before the eggs were laid, which was only just the case the year Izzi was there. He was persistent in the extreme. I think it was early August before they gently told him “grow up and find your own territory, son!” and moved him on.”

So do we think that this might be Izzi? That would be interesting. (Note that raptors normally engage other raptors of the same gender).

‘H’ sent me a quote today from one of David Gessner’s books on Ospreys. It is so appropriate and she believes it is form the Return of the Osprey but neither of us had the time to dig through the book to find the right page:

  “To love the Osprey is to be constantly open to loss.” 

Mini was not seen at the Patchogue nest after she flew off in the early morning. It is now 2100 nest time, and she has not flown in. Mini, you taught us to persevere, not give up hope, be smart, and figure things out. Safe travels – good winds, a full crop, a good life.

‘H’ brings us up to date on the last two nests she has observed for me. She officially monitored ten nests, but it was always more than that. Over the course of osprey season, the number of eggs grew to over 350 that were monitored. I am very grateful for her help and keen eye and instincts – thank you, ‘H’. You came to Ospreys, naturally.

Kent Island – It seems that Molly may have already started on her journey.  September 9th was the fourth full day without a sighting of our precious Molly.  Both Tom and Audrey were seen in ‘Joe’s tree’ during the day.  At 1800 Audrey came to the nest for a while to dry off after her bath.  And, Audrey flew to the nest at 2300 to spend her third straight night on the nest.

Barnegat Light – There were intermittent periods of live stream buffering throughout the day.  We did not observe Duke delivering a fish to Dorsett at the nest, but Dorsett was seen a few times at the nest and on Duke’s perch.

Louise and Banff are no longer at the Fortis Exshaw Nest. As the sun sets Saturday evening near Canmore, Alberta, not far away from Lake Louise, they have had snow on the 6th! By vehicle, it is 5 hours through the mountains, according to Google. The girls will happen to be sunning themselves in the south.

The two surviving chicks at Osprey House in Brisbane, Australia are doing well.

There is extremely sad news coming out of Big Bear Valley today – confirming losses from several years ago.

I am attaching the article.

Color-Banded-Bald-Eagles-in-Southern-California-UPDATE-—-Bloom-Biological-IncDownload

How has the earthquake in Morocco impacted Ospreys migrating from Europe and the UK? Certainly transmissions might be garbled but what about the environment where they are fishing, living, or flying through?

Morocco-earthquake-at-least-2000-dead-and-thousands-more-injured-Earthquakes-The-GuardianDownload

A lovely Red-tail Hawk – juvenile – visited the WRDC nest of Rose and Ron yesterday. ‘H’ was the first to alert me and Pat Burke has posted an image.

That’s a wrap for Sunday, September 10. Thank you for being with us. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for the notes, comments, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘A, H, Jeff Kear’, Alyth, Sydney Sea Eagles, NZ DOC, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, PSEG, Snow Seekers, Osprey House, Tonya Irwin and Raptors of the World, Pat Burke and Eagle Nest Watchers, Bloom Biological, and The Guardian.

Three for Melbourne…Saturday in Bird World

9 September 2023

Good Morning All,

Friday was a busy day for me and most of the time I was away from home. However, the moments that I did get to spend with my four four-legged furry friends was brilliant. Hope is now peeking around the corner at me and even came near to my foot when I placed a dish of organic roast chicken down for her! This kitten has so much energy. I cannot wait to get it with Lewis. He is going to enjoy having a playmate.

We are about a metre apart. Hope is curious and getting less afraid by the story!

If Mamma Calico moves her tail, Hope is right on it!

Everyone watches one another. The four of them enjoyed a nice roast chicken dinner – a treat to encourage Missey and Lewis to link ‘treats’ and goodies with their two new siblings.

Each of us hopes that you are well and looking forward to a nice weekend wherever you are. Let’s all try and get outside if the weather is nice! And speaking of outside…every time I go to the park there is litter. There are bins everywhere for litter so why don’t we use them? This post on FB seemed really appropriate.

‘H’ sent me the good news. PLO has its second egg of the season! Oh, I hope this young Dad is an excellent fisher and brings those fish into the nest one after another. Can I ‘hope’ that this couple might fledge all of them just like 2021 with Bazza, Falkey, and Ervie?

There is other good news coming out of Port Lincoln!

‘A’ is musing about the Royal Albatross chicks: “the rangers have confirmed that Miss NTF fledged on 7 September. She had been off exploring (or perhaps finding an ideal place from which to fledge), as the chicks often do for a few days before fledge, but they have confirmed her gone. She was last seen on the morning of 7 September so we think she fledged some time after 11am on Thursday. Godspeed sweet girl. Quarry, who has been out and about for the past couple of days, returned to her nest this morning and seemed to miss Miss NTF. The two girls had been hanging out a lot. UQ on the other hand is less pleased to see Quarry, who needs a restraining order whenever she is in his vicinity. Manaaki is less tolerant of her and clacks his bill at her if she gets too close. Poor little UQ is much more timid. The winds are not super strong today, though Quarry and Manaaki have been doing a lot of wingercising in the wind there is. It could be any time now for either of them. It looks as if Quarry will be next to go, then Manaaki and finally UQ. But we will see. I again emphasise that these are precious hours we are spending with Manaaki now. And once he launches, there is no guarantee we will ever see him again. Will we live that long? Will Manaaki? Will the climate permit a return? They fly into an uncertain future, but don’t we all?” Those worries of the state of the ocean, of long line fishing, of climate haunt all of us as well look at these long-lived seabirds.

Manaaki looking out to an uncertain future.

Lady Hawk caught Gabby and her new mate V3 in the pouring rain and has some super close ups for us.

I was contacted by several individuals today about Mini and was told that there was much anxiety about her condition. My day allowed me no time to go and observe Mini until she was at the nest after dark. At the bottom of everyone’s desires is for Mini to thrive – we care, we worry. We want her to be whole and live a long, prosperous life. The fact that Mini somehow injured her leg causes great anxiety to everyone. We will never know what caused that injury. No one saw what happened. Unless she goes into care, we may not even know what that injury is. There are many, many theories, but that is all they are – theories. Until a vet/a vet technician/or a rehabber has a bird in hand, a diagnosis cannot be made, and sometimes sophisticated tests and scans are needed to determine the problem and the possible treatment. The DEC does not normally give permits for a bird that is flying. There is a reason for this — it is extremely dangerous for the bird. No one wants to endanger Mini’s life further. Her injury is now old. She has been adapting. Life is not perfect but she is living it.

Life in the wild is extremely challenging for all raptors – for all wildlife. Each day is about survival. Some days there is a lot of fish and other days there are none. Whether or not Dad is delivering or Mini is fishing is not known. It could be both. On Thursday Mini had several nice poop shots. I am not clear about what happened on Friday and, of course, she is often not on the nest.

I urge everyone to enjoy the time we have left with Mini at the nest. To treasure her, to wait for her to come in at night to rest her leg – she is very smart to do that. In a couple of year’s time, I would very much like to see a two-year-old osprey land on this nest with a wonky leg. That would be marvellous so…with that in mind, I really hope that Mini is a male and not a female. Send her positive wishes. Treasure all that she taught us, for she did teach us much about endurance and determination.

Mini did seem to put her weight on both legs when she landed on the nest from the perch at 20:26.

Mom has been spotted landing on the nest so she has been here at least until today. That is good news because under normal conditions the males will not leave until the females do. With the climate changing we do not expect these fledgling ospreys to travel all the way to South America and they might well spend the winter in the Carolinas or Florida.

At the Minnesota National Arboretum nest, Dad brought in 7 fish – yes, you read that correctly – 7 fish on Friday!!!!!!! That is one well fed fledgling. One of those beauties was lost overboard. Hopefully some other hungry creature will discover that tasty meal.

‘H’ reports on Molly and Dorsett:

Kent Island –  Molly was last seen (so far) on 9/5.  Her dad, Tom, was seen almost every day up to 9/7, but we did not see him on 9/8.  That does not mean that Molly or Tom have formally begun their migration, they may simply not be on camera.  We shall see.  Audrey was seen in “Joe’s” tree, and for the second consecutive night, Audrey spent the night at her nest on 9/9.  It is surprising to see Audrey this late in the season, but we are thrilled to see her.

Barnegat Light – Dorsett and her dad, Duke, seemed to have a good day.  The camera operator managed to catch Duke taking a bath, and the highlight of Dorsett’s day was a live bunker that her dad delivered to her for supper.  Dorsett decided to eat the whole fish atop the 24th street pole.  Yum!

‘A’ reports on the breakfast for the Sea Eaglets: “a nice large fish was brought in at WBSE early this morning (around 06:40) and both eaglets had a good breakfast. SE31 got the early bites, then SE32 moved up beside his sister and ate without fear or intimidation. The two were perfectly behaved throughout the meal.”

So many love the Collins Street falcons and my inbox was bursting with news of the third egg! Do you think they will go for four?

Xavier just melts my heart. He is the cutest little male falcon and his mate Diamond often gives this poor guy such a rough time. So happy he got some egg time…it must actually feel nice to be able to do duckling style and rest for a bit…just thinking about Mini and how it helps her leg.

‘A’ reports: “Manaaki was fed by one of his parents at about 6pm this evening (9 September) – we don’t know which one because it was not within camera view but our little man gets so excited, wheeing away. I do love that sound. And we will miss it until this time next year. But I cannot wait to see whether YRK (and maybe even OGK) return over the next two or three months. He is the footage of Manaaki’s feeding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj35d68kQ6g&t=2s“.

News has come to me Friday night from ‘B’. We have wondered about the fishing at Cowlitz PUD. This is a new discovery. “The river where they fish has been full of silt and mud from a landslide up north awhile back which we never heard about…” ‘B’ continues by saying that a drive by a couple of weeks ago revealed sandbars in the river that were never there previously. This is so sad but let us hope the eagles and the ospreys have another source of food. Thanks so much ‘B’.

There is often a lot of confusion about feeding birds. Audubon has a short article to help us.

When-Its-Okay-or-Not-to-Feed-Birds-AudubonDownload

Speaking of feeding birds. Chiang Mai is north of Bangkok in the beautiful mountains. It is one of my most favourite places in the world. There is an historic walled city full of Buddhist temples. Just outside the walls is a small French area with some of the best coffee and lemon tarts to be found anywhere. Check out a feeding table in this northern Thai city!

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their comments, alerts, posts, videos, and streaming cams: ‘A, B, H, L’, PLO, NZ DOC, Lady Hawk and NEFL-AEF, PSEG, MN Landscape Arboretum, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve F of NJ, Sea Eagle Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Karen Leng and Orange Australia Peregrine Falcons, and Audubon.

Three for Diamond and Xavier…Friday in Bird World

8 September 2023

Gosh, another week has flown by. Honestly, I do not notice unless I have an appointment. All of the days blur together, and that is perfectly fine. It was nice to put up the watch and not have the calendar overflowing with appointments once I retired. As one former student says, ‘My days are busier and fuller,’ but my choice is what they are busy or full with. Garden animals, birds, and kittens…

When my grandmother could no longer make the elaborate patterned quilts of her youth -because her arthritis in her fingers was so bad in her 90s- she started making strip quilts. [The woman could not sit still for long. S he was gardening, raising chickens, doing embroidery or quilting til the day she died. She was an incredible role model.] That is what she called them – long strips of material pieced together. Sometimes, she would tie the layers together with bright embroidery thread that ‘tickled’ my children. They became known as ‘tickles’. Calico was sleeping on one of those today – a tired Mamma!

To see this little kitten follow its Mamma or to peek around the corner and see them sleeping together still brings tears to my eyes. Honestly, I did not think this would happen.

Both Calico and her daughter have a black tear on their left tear duct.

The sunlight is so crazy often the pair are bleached out in the images and no adjusting will help! Calico spends a lot of time washing her little one. There are so many kittens in the lost kitten postings and Hope is so healthy compared to them. S he has no eye problems, her fur is in incredible condition and she is ‘fat’.

Missey and Lewis are doing brilliantly. Today Calico wanted out of the conservatory, and when she was in the main part of the house, Lewis was friendly! I almost fell over. In fact, Lewis and Missey are back to their old selves – confident that there is lots of food and love – enough to go around to four. It reminds me of Ospreys and little eaglets in the nestHoping to have the kitten integrated by the end of the weekend as Mamma goes in for her surgery on Tuesday.

I was away for part of the day, and when I got home, the first nest I checked was Mini, and there she was. Mini arrived at 18:47. The left leg is still held – and may always be – out at an odd angle. It does not look any worse in my humble and non-wildlife rehabber/vet/vet technician-trained eye. Her crop was not as full as it often is, but it was still a gift to see her, and I hope she gets an evening fish or one first thing in the morning.

Mini was on the nest in the evening. It was good to see her resting her leg.

At 22:59 she raised herself up – it made me ache a bit to see her with that left leg still causing issues but, she did quite a normal looking ps. Thick and well projected over the edge. She is eating. Who is getting the fish is unknown.

At Alyth, Harry has been busy feeding Chirpy some really nice Flounder and other fish every single day, sometimes several times a day. Today Harry arrived with a fish and no Chirpy. Has Chirpy migrated? We wait to see but it certainly looks like it. That third hatch never wanted to miss a meal!

Swoop is still delivering to Crackle at Dunrovin.

‘H’ tells us what is going on with Molly and Dorsett – they are still home!


Kent Island, 9/7 – For the second straight day, we did not see the fledgling, Molly.  Some believe that Molly may be exploring a wider area, perhaps catching her own fish, and that we may see her again.  In the meantime, Tom was seen dining on a nearby dock, and we saw either Tom or Audrey perched in a tree.  The most pleasant surprise was when Audrey arrived at the nest around 9 pm, and spent the night on the nest.  It has been a very long time since she did that.

Barnegat Light, 9/7 – There were at least two fish brought to the nest by Duke for Dorsett.  Dorsett was a little conflicted as to where to eat her breakfish at 0645.  She first took the fish to the 22nd street pole and ate a bit, then she flew to the 24th street pole and ate some more, and then she changed her mind once again … back to the 22nd street pole with the fish, lol.

Tweed Valley’s Poul is now in central Algeria. Ah, he didn’t stay in Morocco like Glen. Curious path. We wait to see where he goes next.

Xavier and Diamond were right on schedule with their third egg on Thursday. I am going to say something that will be wildly unpopular and then I will forever hold my peace – I actually hope that only one egg hatches. Diamond does better with a single chick that grows to be big and strong like Izzi than she does when there are two. I can’t even begin to imagine three ——and I adore Diamond. Just my own personal observation which, in the world of nature, doesn’t mean a heck of a lot!

SE 31 and 32 are growing like crazy! 31 has become an expert self-feeder.

‘A’ reports: “SE31 is really getting serious about self-feeding, which is so funny, because we thought SE32 would master this skill first and of course during that week or so when he was being intimidated, he did make some early attempts but did not have the weight to hold down prey. Now, it is SE31 who is waiting for food while SE32 gets fed, and she is getting impatient enough to start self-feeding while she waits. This eel is perfect for the purpose, long enough for Lady to feed SE32 from one end while SE31 self-feeds from the other. She starts off having some problems opening the eel but soon works it out and is doing a great job of using her right foot to hold down the food. The eels can be difficult, and Lady sometimes has to work really hard to separate the flesh from the skin, so I am really impressed by SE31’s effort on this one. It has only been opened at one end, the end from which Lady is feeding SE32, so SE31 is doing great work. Check her out from around 15:40! Quite the professional. Well done SE31! SE31 is much more balanced on her feet than SE32 and is practising her walking and her wingercising with vigour. She is really starting to look more like a juvenile than a nestling, with her beautiful feathers growing in by the day. Two absolutely exquisite sea eaglets. How lovely it is to see them getting along so nicely again. This nest really does have something special, as according to my reading, many authors consider this an obligate siblicide species. Fledging two happy eaglets who get along well season after season is quite an achievement if that is the case, and one can only assume it has something to do with the parenting on the nest. It is not because we have single-gender clutches here (especially two males). As far as I can recall, the last three seasons have seen a female first hatch with a younger brother. So unless there’s something genetic that makes the offspring of this couple particularly laid-back, it seems to be more nurture than nature as it were.”

There should be another egg arrival at Port Lincoln.

At Collins Street, Dad brought in a Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike for Mum. Wow. Way to go Dad!

These Shrikes range in size from 32-34 cm and mostly feed on insects, seeds, and some fruits. They are stunning birds in terms of their plumage. The body is a soft pearl pale gray often paler on the belly. Their face has a very distinctive ebony black mask and throat. If you look carefully there may be some white edges at the wing and feather tips. The eye is black blending in with the mask while the sharp bill is a deep charcoal. The bird is really a study in greys -. Gorgeous. They live in wooded areas as well as urban habitats and farmland in a large area that reaches from Indonesia to Australia.

“Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike” by jeans_Photos is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

So are there two or three? We wait for the reveal at Collins Street.

At the Royal Albatross Colony, Manaaki is losing all of that fluffy baby down and starting to look like a juvenile who will soon embark on a journey so long and for so many years that it is hard for this human to fathom it.

Oh, wow. Good news from SWFlorida coming from ‘A’: “We have lovely news from SWFL, with M15 and his new lady love  having been observed bonding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHlwSU3y4uA&list=TLPQMDgwOTIwMjPQFEwHlsRyRQ&index=3 Does this not gladden your heart? What a loss it would be if the best eagle dad of all time did not get the chance to be a dad again.”

Checking on Karl II and his family:

Kaia is in the Ukraine near some fish ponds. Nice.

Waba is also in the Ukraine.

Bonus is alive, but the transmitter is only sending out an alive signal not a location.

Kalvi is in Bulgaria.

There has been no data available for Karl II, the patriarch of the clan. I have not but am hoping to find an update somewhere for today.

Pharmaceuticals kill birds that forage. India, one of the largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals for humans and non-humans, is banning two veterinary drugs that have proven to kill vultures – Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac- can no longer be manufactured, sold and distributed throughout India. Are these being used in your country?

Bans-on-two-more-veterinary-drugs-linked-to-vulture-deaths-in-India-BirdLife-InternationalDownload

BirdLife International has launched a Seabird Conservation Handbook for West Africa. Have a look at what is being done in the latest press release.

Press-Release-BirdLife-launches-Seabird-Conservation-Handbook-for-West-Africa-BirdLife-InternatioDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. Hoping to see you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H’, PSEG, Sue Wallbanks and Friends of Loch Arkaig Osprey Cam, Kent Island, Wildlife Conserve of NJ, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Sydney Sea Eagles, Deborah Victoriana and Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, PLO, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, NZ DOC, Maria Marika, Looduskalender Forum, and BirdLife International.

PLO has their first egg…Wednesday in Bird World

6 September 2023

Good Morning and what a grand morning it is!

I finished reading to the kittens – yes, did you know that reading aloud to your pets is also soothing for them? Calico’s kitten is now learning about ways to save our vanishing birds by listening to A Wing and a Prayer. The Race to Save our Vanishing Birds by Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal. You can find time to squeeze in a good book by sharing with your pets!

The book is well written and insightful. I am learning so much. Did you know that more than 8,000 species of plants and flowers in the Americas depend on hummingbirds for pollination? Or that productivity in apple orchards goes up 66% if there are insects? The book is about finding ways to keep the birds alive because human life depends on that. In Kauai, there are only a few hundred Puaiohi Thrushes. These birds spread seeds around the island, creating the rainforest. “Without forests, we have no flood control. We have no drinking water.” (219) Baby Cal is learning what we all need to – first, how important our wildlife area to our existence, what problems we have created for them, what a lack of balance means to our existence and theirs, and how some talented individuals are figuring out ways to save some of these fragile creatures. So how will they save the Puaiohi Thrush? By releasing lab-bred mosquitoes. AI is being used in the Sierra Nevada to track and protect the Spotted Owl.

I had just finished a chapter when I noticed a note from ‘H’. Was I surprised? Then another note about Collins Street. Thanks so much, ‘H’

Port Lincoln has their first egg!!!!!!!! I am overjoyed and I am hopeful that we might see a big change in the behaviour of this nest unless, of course, the fish supply is limited. From Ernie’s recent catches that does not appear to be the case.

I am so happy for Mum. Nesting material had been brought in so this new couple had some idea that yesterday was the big day.

Dad was there by her side. I am going to like this guy if he is a good provider and there is no siblicide.

We are expecting an egg at 367 Collins Street and guess what? It arrives. We have lift-off in Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spotting Ospreys: Blue 550 hatched at Llyn Clywedog in 2020 was seen and is believed to have a nest in mid-Wales. Fantastic.

Migration continues in the US. These are the latest numbers from Hawk Mountain.

Checking on some of the Osprey nests – who is home and who is not.

Patchogue: Mini is home and Dad has been seen down by the lake. Someone mentioned that Mom might still be around as several Ospreys were seen flying. Mini continues to adapt as she struggles with that left leg – often late in the day. She certainly does better after having a long rest on the nest! She is flying, she is eating – whether or not it is dad feeding her, Mini catching fish or both – she is eating. She is not lethargic. Mini is doing what this spunky independent determined fourth hatch always does – she gets on with it. She is living her life as a fledgling osprey the best she can with the issues that she has.

Mini landing at 1909.

Beautiful Iris is still home at her nest in Missoula Montana. Iris maintains one of the most splendid Osprey nests I have ever seen. Just like some of the others she is adding a few sticks to continue to lay claim to the nest. Soon, she will fly south – thought to be the oldest osprey in the world – we live in the hope that she will return in late March or early April and maybe, just maybe, have one of those young men waiting for her that she met this summer.

Iris demonstrated her great fishing skills even when there were flood waters. What marvellous fish she brought to the owl pole. The result, if you look carefully, is a fat little bottom. Eat up, Iris! We want you to make it to your winter home in southern Texas (??) safely and in good shape.

Of course, Iris is not ringed and no one knows for sure where she over winters but it is believed it could be the southern part of Texas and not further afield in Central America or Mexico.

Glaslyn: Aran is still home and so is 0H1 as of the time of this writing. OH1 is 98 days old. OH2 has not been seen since 4 September when he was 95 days old. That nest looks rather empty! Waiting to see if OH1 is still home on the 6th of September.

Harry is still delivering to Chirpy as of Tuesday. Chirpy was 103 days old. Both siblings and Mum have left on migration from Alyth.

Here comes Harry!

That amazing Dad is bringing fish to Mum on the nest at Boulder County Fairgrounds. What a loving couple and what better way to help your mate with a safe migration than to help her eat well after raising three strong osplets this season to fledge.

Snap and Crackle are both eating fish at the Dunrovin Osprey nest. T hanks, Swoop!

Fledgling fish calling at Collins Marsh – and still being fed! It was a really windy day in Wisconsin. You can’t tell the trees are blowing but look at the feathers of the juvenile. Fantastic.

‘H’ brings us up to date on Molly and Dorsett:

Kent Island 9/5 – Molly flew to the nest at 0625, fish-called a bit, then she flew away 20 minutes later.  That was the last time she was seen at the nest.  She was soon spotted on a nearby boat lift.  In the evening, the cam focused for a long time on an osprey in the distance on a pole, but it was unclear if it was Molly.

Barnegat Light 9/5 – At 0735 Duke delivered a fish to Dorsett at the nest, and she flew to Duke’s perch to eat her breakfast.  Dorsett did return to the nest a couple of times, but sightings of her were scant throughout the day.  Dorsett arrived back at the nest early to wait for her much anticipated 7 p.m. dinner fish, but her dinner never arrived.  As the sun was setting over the bay, Dorsett resigned herself to going to sleep hungry, and she spent the night perched on one of the camera braces.

Do you live near Cornell University at Ithaca NY? Have children aged 8-18? Check this out! What an amazing opportunity for young people. In the book, Lead! Finding your Voice a Chaotic World by Barry Dore, Tim Mackrill, talks about the opportunities he had as a young person to volunteer and learn about raptors. It changed his life and led him to create opportunities for young people through his charity Osprey Leadership Foundation.

This event at Cornell is another super opportunity to get young people involved who might become our future conservationists.

The seat eaglets were up for an early morning walk about and then back to the duckling resting position waiting for breakfast.

‘A’ comments on part of the day including the self-feeding of 31: “

At 15:38, as Lady is looking around in a very agitated manner at something near the nest tree, at about the same height as the nest, SE32 starts eating the food she has in her talons. He is giving this self-feeding thing a try, having closely watched his sister eating prey that looked the same as this (he was just TOO TOO funny – ducking down with his head under her tail to peer between her legs and watch her doing very well indeed at her first self-feeding). 

SE32 pecks at the food a few times but all he can reach is a leg, and no matter how many times he picks it up, he cannot work out how to eat it. So he moves closer. SE31 is paying close attention to this – she has reached out for the food once or twice herself but is not in as good a position now as SE32 is. Lady is very upset by something and paying no attention to the food or the chicks. SE32 has moved further forward. He is up on his feet now, self-feeding on the meaty bit. Lady resuming feeding him, even though she continues to be distracted by something. SE32 remains right up on his feet while he takes the bites. 

Shortly before 15:40 Lady resumes feeding SE31. SE32 turns and moves away from SE31 a little but then turns back to face the table and Lady. He just wanted space between himself and his sister. But he gets offered no bites. At 15:41:24 he tries unsuccessfully to steal a big bite, but overbalances and falls forward, correcting himself with his outstretched wings. Lady still feeds SE31. At 15:41:30, he tries to steal another bite. Again, he fails. The next bite, he grabs incredibly fast. No-one else had a chance. He got given the one after that, then his sister gets a bite. The one after that is a big piece and destined for SE32. He grabs it and works hard to swallow it. 

Lady is still very distracted. Periodically, she gives SE32 a bite. Both eaglets have good crops now. At 15:42:34, SE32 grabs a really big piece. He swallows it with relative ease, as Lady doesn’t even bother trying to retrieve it from him. There is still an amazing amount of meat on this carcass. The two have eaten well. Both have good crops but both are still keen to keep eating. SE32 is very brave, diving for every bite and winning most of them, especially all of the really big pieces. Lady occasionally gives a bite to SE31, but she is not competing with SE32 and is largely just watching him grab and swallow. 

At 15:44, SE32 grabs a large piece of meaty flesh with a longish leg and a foot attached!! He horked the lot with no trouble at all. By 15:44:30 he is back competing for and winning bites. Lady is feeding both eaglets plenty of food but overall, SE32 is getting the better of the feeding at this point. He is winning most of the bites that are competed for and Lady is offering him way more bites than she is SE31, who is sitting back a bit by now. 

At 15:46, SE32 swallows the second leg and foot, also with flesh attached, though not as much as was attached to the first leg. Still, he swallows it without difficulty. Within 10 seconds, he is taking the last few bites from Lady and cleaning the table of leftovers. The feeding is over by 15:48. Both chicks have very large crops, and SE32 has already done a couple of small crop drops during the feeding to fit in extra food. That second piece of prey had a really large amount of flesh on it. The head was gone, but the body provided a great deal of food. Both eaglets have had plenty to eat today. 

There may be more food – I will check. But they did well for the day – eventually – and both will go to bed with full crops. “

‘A’ reports on the Royal Albatross Chick, Manaaki: “GLY may have been in today to feed Manaaki off camera but we’re not sure. We know GLY has fed Manaaki behind the camera at least once recently. The chicks are a lot more mobile now and are doing a lot of exploring as they prepare to fledge. It is starting to get scary when Manaaki is off camera for six hours or more on occasion – we think he might have fledged and we missed it! He still has about a fortnight to go until he reaches 240 days, but of course at least four chicks have already fledged from the 33 at the colony and Manaaki is one of the oldest (and though he does have a lot of fluff remaining, QT did too). He has not done enough wingercising, in my opinion, and still needs to be doing a lot more practising. We need to see much better hovering, and face-planting is an undignified landing for an albatross. I think he has quite a lot of work to do before he is ready to fledge. Let’s hope he doesn’t leave before he is good and ready, but often, it is the winds that determine the timing. As with Lilibet (QT). “

Beautiful Gabby. What a lovely couple – I miss Samson. But life moves on and we have the most amazing memories of him. Gabby mourned last year and took her time selecting a new mate out of the many contenders. Let us hope that V3 is up to the task. He has big talons to fill.

Lady Hawk caught Gabby bringing in her breakfast.

No one is home. Louis, Dorcha, and Ludo are on their way with only Sparrowhawks visiting the nest. Look at this beautiful capture over the nest as the sun rises. Stunning.

Visiting Sparrowhawk.

We always need to be reminded, especially with there still being hot days in many parts of the world, of how we can help wildlife. Please read and keep them in mind. Water is essential. Water and some shade.

Let’s see how much you know about Condor numbers! (Answers below)

  1. How many California Condors were alive on 6 September 2023? a) 208; b) 91; c) 214; d) 345; or e) 559?
  2. How many California Condors live in the wild? a) 76; b) 345; c) 214; d) 93; or e) 54?
  3. How many California Condors live wild in Central California? a) 93; b) 65; c) 214; d) 23; or e) 75.

Do you want to know more about the efforts to protect and grow the California Condor community? In 2022, the Ventana Wildlife Society commissioned a documentary to be made to introduce people to the Condors of the Big Sur. They are working on another film in 2023 called Condor Canyon. It isn’t finished but, for now, why not check, out Part 1 of the 2022 film. You can find the other segments on YT by doing a search or checking on the side panel.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: “A, Geemeff, H’, PLO, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, John Williams and Clywedog Osprey Group, Hawk Mountain, PSEG, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Alyth, Boulder County Fair Grounds, Dunrovin Ranch, Collins Marsh, Kent Island, Conserve Wildlife F of NJ, Cornell University Bird Lab Raptor Program, Sydney Sea Eagles, NEFL-AEF, Lady Hawk and NEFL-AEF, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Ventana Wildlife Society, and Durham Wildlife Trust.

Answers to the three question Condor number quiz: 1. The answer is e. 559 total number of Condors. 2. The answer is b. 345 live in the wild. 3. The answer is a. 93 live in the wild in central California.

Gabby is home…Saturday in Bird World

2 September 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It is the ‘long weekend’ in Canada. It is the last weekend before the schools reopen, and the children return from their summer holidays. Despite being almost three weeks until the official beginning of fall, it is the marker for the end of summer. The weather stations tell us it will now be 35 degrees DC today. Even so, it will not be long until everyone thinks about tidying their lawn and garden for winter. This year, please constrain yourselves. Leave the Leaves!

The insects need the leaves, and the following article that ‘R’ sent tells what we should be doing to increase the number of insects in our environment. Want fewer bugs biting you? Then you need more insects!

Many years ago, my tutor, Dr Klaus Klostermaier, and I had a long conversation. I had been to Germany, where he grew up, and returned amazed at the lack of insects. No screens on the windows. Meanwhile, on the Canadian Prairies we were being eaten up by mosquitoes. Dr Klostermaier (one of the most brilliant individuals I have ever met with a surprising biography) told me how said my statement was. Industry in Germany had killed off the insects. Yes, of course, I had been to the area around Duisburg and Dusseldorf…and that area worked hard to clean up its rivers since that time and stop some of the pollution from industry. That conversation always stuck with me.

The author says in summing up the following article, “In other words, the problem isn’t that we have too many bugs in cities and suburbs; the problem is that we don’t have nearly enough. We’ve been so successful at vanquishing the little critters that the entire insect world is in big trouble — and so are we if we don’t help them to recover.” Thanks, ‘R’.

Please talk to your friends, your family, your neighbours. That pristine chemically kept perfect law should not exist! Don’t bag the leaves. Please leave them til May. It will help the entire food chain and our songbirds will thank you in the spring!

Opinion-Removing-bugs-from-our-habitats-is-coming-back-to-bite-us-The-Washington-PostDownload

Cornell Bird Lab explains how the Royal Albatross chicks are getting ready to take their maiden voyage which will last 5-6 years before they set foot on land again. I wish we could guarantee them a sea full of fish and no bycatch.

Royal-Albatross-Chick-Gets-Ready-For-Lift-Off-Cornell-Lab-Bird-Cams-Cornell-Lab-Bird-CamsDownload

The RSPB explains what can be done to prevent bycatch. It is a good read and if you adore Manaaki and all the other little Royal Albatross chicks then you should read this and educate yourself. You might boycott fish!

albatross-taskforce-10-years-of-conservation-actionDownload

Getting over to the nests, I can hardly contain myself. V3 flew in to the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest yesterday and Gabby is home Friday evening. They even gave one another beaky kisses. Relief. Elation. I cannot wait to see these two raise some eaglets in this nest after the sadness of last year when Samson went missing.

The pair went right to work assessing the needs of the nest signalling their determination to have a family together this year. Get the tissues out! Joyful tears.

Mini flew to the nest much to the delight of everyone. What a relief it was to see her flying and landing with both legs extended. She is strong. Mini has shown us since the day she hatched that she adjusts, thinks, solves problems well. No, we do not like seeing her look at her leg as if she is in pain – is she? is she not? I do not know. She has won all of her hearts because she was so tiny and persevered on a nest when it seemed impossible that she would. We must remember that going forward.

The DEC is hanging up on anyone that phones them. They are the ones that issue permits under the Migratory Bird Act. It is clear no permits are going to be given. Locally, Mini’s situation is know and one of the locals on the chat checks for her. Boots on the ground is essential. That said, she is flying strong and eating. Dad is still feeding her but maybe someone will also see her fishing. She is dearly loved.

I also want to add something here, in case you are wondering. I strongly believe in intervention if the bird or animal can be helped. The Mini is not grounded. She is flying. She is not 100%. But this is what worries me. While we do not know her injury, she is injured in a way, unlike WBSE26. When WBSE flew to the balcony of the condo and was ‘rescued’, it was determined that 26 would not have a quality of life and was euthanised. It broke the hearts of thousands of people. I do not want that to happen to Mini. For however long or short her life is, I hope she lives it free. She has proven she can adapt to anything thrown at her – at least from what we see on cam – and I think she can then adjust to almost anything, including picking up and eating fish off a beach.

Mini flies in both feet extended from her legs.

While she still favours that left leg, she landed fine.

Gosh, she is gorgeous. Her eyes are bright.

Off she goes eleven minutes later.

In Australia, the main cam for Sydney Sea Eagles came back to life and the joy that came with that could not be measured. It seemed that the little sea eaglets had grown twice as big in a single day. It wasn’t true, of course, but there they were, SE32 with a huge crop! They are both thriving and it will be interesting to see which is the largest as they develop between now and fledge.

Gracie Shepherd caught one of the sea eaglets peeking over the nest when the camera was down. T hey are so big.

‘A’ has been watching the sea eaglets closely and she is a tad concerned stating, “Breakfast never arrived at WBSE this morning. Smart little SE32 has taken to spending much of his waiting time sleeping on the table, right there in prime position for any food that arrives on the nest. The eaglets were not at all pleased when Dad arrived shortly after 12:11 with a large spray of gum leaves! As I type, it is nearly 12.40 and they are now waiting for lunch! I have been worried this morning because while SE32 got up this morning and did a small, thinnish PS, when SE31 got up a few minutes later, she appeared to make three definite attempts over about two minutes to have a PS and produced nothing. On each occasion, she wiggled her little tail as if she had just done her PS but nothing had emerged. I have not watched their every minute this morning, but I have been over the footage relatively closely, and I have not seen her do a PS (one of them did stand up a while ago – it may or may not have been for a PS – but I am keeping a close eye on things in that regard right at the moment, especially since your vision of the eel feeding just as the storm began. I am starting to get concerned that SE32’s newfound confidence is resulting in SE31 not getting enough food. SE32 has had a larger crop than his sister for the best part of a week now. Is this causing a problem? Or did SE31 have a problem to begin with that allowed SE32 to become dominant..So it is possible that there is some reason she is not pushing for food…I could be worrying about nothing, but until I see a healthy PS from SE31, I will continue to be concerned. I don’t like to see a chick trying and failing to manage a PS, especially first thing in the morning.” 

Food finally did arrive and A has the report: “The food took until around 15:30 to arrive. We saw Dad on a branch in the nest tree spot something and fly off with a purposeful look, and I thought he had finally decided it was time to feed the kids (I’m sure these occasions are deliberate lessons for the eaglets – sometimes, food doesn’t arrive like clockwork). Sure enough, it wasn’t long before he was back with a fish, panting slightly. 

He waited a couple of minutes for Lady to appear, but when she didn’t, he rather reluctantly set about doing the feeding duties himself. First to the table was SE31, who ate for the first two minutes before SE32 approached the table beside her. He was soon given a bite (around 15:37:30) but then Dad resumed feeling SE31. So not being in the favourable position (side by side but with SE31 between him and Dad), SE32 moved himself several inches forward. Dad then proceeded to feed SE32 while SE31 watched patiently and waited for her next bite. 

Soon, Dad started feeding them even-handedly, a bite for one, a bite or two for the other. Both ate well, with the feeding lasting for well over half an hour. If anything, SE31 may have done slightly better than SE32 but it was a close-run thing. The prey itself was hard to identify but appeared to be red meat rather than fish, though I could not see feet. (You know how bad I am at prey IDs but I am trying to learn). 

The main news, though, is that they have both been well fed. It was a VERY late brunch, however. “

Xavier and Diamond are taking turns with the incubation and Diamond is, sometimes unhappily, accepting the Starling meal – prepared or not.

They are adorable. Xavier never wants to give up his ‘egg’ time. We all wonder how he fits those three big eggs under him. Will there be one hatch? Two? possibly three? Personally, I do not want the third one to hatch. For the past years, in my humble opinion, Diamond has struggled at times if the chicks vary too much in size. One healthy fledgling with all its feathers fully developed is a priority for this writer.

“Oh, please, Diamond, just a few more minutes.”

‘A’ loves them, too – like we all do, adding, “At Orange, Diamond had pigeon for breakfast and rejected a starling just before noon. There has been a half-hour sleepy early morning bonding session and several changeovers, giving Xavier some egg time (not enough in his opinion, but of course it’s not his decision (although the other day, when he protested “just another five minutes dear”, Diamond stood on the ledge for 47 minutes – a very rare occurrence indeed). We thought Xavier was going to try and feed the eggs again! (It’s not the first time.) I just adore the way he talks to them every time he settles down to brood. Just how incredibly adorable are these tiny falcon dads?” I totally agree – Peregrine Falcon dads are the best! 

They are an adorable couple at Port Lincoln.

Ervie was photographed at Delamere where he used to fish with Dad. So wonderful to see you!

Calypso, Ervie’s full sister, might have found herself a platform. Will Mum become a grandmother this year? or next?

‘A’ reports that the Royal Albatross had a busy day. “All four of our headland albie chicks were fed today. The boys (UQ and Manaaki) had their mums come in, while the girls (NTF chick and Quarry chick) were fed by their dads. At one stage, there were three parents coming and going around noon. It was chaos. At this moment, Manaaki is on his nest practising his cute sky calls. He has a full tummy after mum’s visit and he is a happy albie today. The wind has been very light the past couple of days and it seems all the parents have chosen today to come in and feed their offspring.”

Lady Hawk has it all in a 49-minute video! Oh, I love the wheeing when the chicks smell and see their parent arriving to feed them.

Flipping through a few of the other nests:

Dad is still delivering to at least one juvenile at the Alyth Osprey platform. Just look at that crop. I think this is three.

It is entirely possible that Maya and Blue 33 are still at Rutland and Blue 022 is still at Poole Harbour. I did not catch the Poole Harbour male on the streaming cam but others have or he was sighted locally.

These are the dates for Poole Harbour as posted under their streaming cam:

5H3 fledged – 19th July ———–5H4 fledged – 21st July ——–5H5 fledged – 22nd July CJ7 migrated —— 27th August 5H4 migrated —– 27th August 5H5 migrated —– 27th August 5H3 migrated – 29th August

OH1 had a fish on the nest and it or OH2 was eating a fish on a nearby tree branch on Friday at Glaslyn.

Idris is taking catching fish at Dyfi, too. Lots of activity there on Friday, including the clean-up crew finding all those wonderful morsels of fish left behind.

Seiont you are truly handsome.

I did not see anyone at Llyn Brenig – others might have.

Viewers counted 7 fish being delivered to Coco at Sandpoint today and that was only until late afternoon!

The nest at Steelscape has really taken a beating. his season! The fledglings flying to the nest look good.

At least one fledgling still at Collins Marsh and fish are still being delivered.

The fledglings are now doing what ospreys do – fight over fish deliveries. This was Snap and Crackle at Dunrovin Ranch today.

Have you seen the new nest for Ron and Rose at the WRDC in Miami?

I did not catch Iris at the Owl Pole on 1 September but Lucille Powell and Marlene Harris both did on the 31st. The Queen of North American Ospreys has not left Missoula yet. Each sighting is a blessing.

Heading to ‘H’s reports on three Osprey nests:

Fortis Exshaw – The intruders were back at the nest several times on 9/1.  We had not seen the male for a day and a half, and we thought he may have started his migration, but he is still around.  We still call them the ‘intruders’, but they did successfully complete a nest takeover, against a single mom and her kid.  To the osprey pair, other ospreys are the intruders.  They alerted and defended the nest when they felt threatened.  At 1442 the female flew up from the nest toward an approaching osprey and chased it away.  The other osprey was carrying a fish, but we could only see the legs and a bit of the wings at a distance.  It was impossible to say if it was Banff or Louise, and there may be other ospreys in the area.  It would be cool to think it was Banff, and that she had caught her own fish.  But, Banff is already used to eating at locations other than the nest, and she probably has a favorite spot to dine.  It would be unlikely that Banff would try to bring a fish to the nest, especially while both of the ‘angry birds’ were standing on the nest.  Later there was an incomplete mating between the pair.  And, at one point the male landed on the empty nest with a fish, chirped a while, then flew off with his fish.  We won’t know until next year, but these two adult ospreys may be the new residents.  Many of us hope that Louise will arrive back in the area early next spring, find a new mate, and win the nest back.  Well, one can only hope.”


Kent Island – Molly finally got her wish. Her dad brought a lovely whole fish to her at the nest.

Barnegat Light –  Dorsett is looking lovely in the evening sunlight as she finishes her dinner fish.

Thank you, ‘H’ – things are winding down!

For all the stork lovers, this is excellent news.

Our smile for the day comes from Brusse TTirzah and those fantastic eagles, Jackie and Shadow:

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care of yourself – stay safe this long holiday weekend. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, articles, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, R’, The Washington Post, Cornell Bird Lab, RSPB, PSEG, Sydney Sea Eagles, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Alyth Ospreys, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, llyn Brenig, Sandpoint Ospreys, Steelscape Inc, Collins Marsh, Dunmrovin Ranch, Lolita Ozolina and Bald Eagles in USA, Lucille Powell and Montana Ospreys at Hellgate, Marlene Harris and Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters, Fortis Exshaw, Wildlife Conserve Foundation of NJ, Kent Island, Birdguides.com, and Brusse TTirzah and FOBBV.

First egg for Diamond and Xavier…Saturday in Bird World

26 August 2023

Good Morning!

Friday was a particularly cloudy day on the Canadian Prairies with some drizzle. The birds, all of them, have been more than frantic today. The ground quivers with the hundreds of sparrows looking for seeds that fell from the feeders. They are great clean-up crews. The Blue Jay siblings – the four that survived (there were originally six) – have been here all day eating and bathing or just squeaking in the lilacs.

“Splish splash, I was taking a bath, Long about a Saturday night, yeah
A rub dub, just relaxing in the tub” – that is precisely what the youngest of the Blue Jays did most of the day. This is that little ‘rather round’ one that has grow up but it still retains that sweetness when I first laid eyes on it sleeping on the two clay birds.

If there is a peanut on the property, Mr and Mrs Little Red will have their claws on it. My wood box is going to be so full of peanuts by the end of September these two should be able to sleep in the home I built in there (and insulated) two summers ago near their food source.

Everyone is accounted for…including Calico, who was here Friday morning for food and who was brushed til my arm got numb because she had gotten into burrs.

I wish I could tell you that I have a kitten in hand. The food left under the deck was not eaten Thursday evening or Friday. The kitten is alive. I could tell by the slightly dry fur around the one teat, and Calico was sunken in like the old mules and donkeys that used to be on some classic television Westerns. Calico ate well Friday evening – 4 small tins of food. I sat on the step and fed her in front of me instead of placing the food under the deck for her to eat alone), pushing the food up with a fork now and then removing some more burrs. She did not want me to leave and kept rubbing my legs and pulling me back to the step so I could hold her. Calico loves having her cheeks and head scratched. Then, a van stopped suddenly on the street, and she became fearful. It is a quandary on what to do. There are pros and cons to every approach. The kitten is now 57 days old. It should be eating kitten milk and gruel and some solid food. Perhaps it is out hunting with Calico at night. The trail cam was removed, and I will put it in a different place – aimed at the area in front of the deck where Calico comes and goes on Sunday or Monday. At the moment I dream of a ccrow bar and dismantling that deck!!!!!!!!

You might recall that I stopped going to the ‘bird seed’ shop and began purchasing Black Oil Seed, Chicken Feed, and Mixed Birdseed at a farm supply. Mixing them in a ratio of one to one was ideal. Then I found a farmer who sells seed directly to customers. The farm is 60 km north of Winnipeg. They deliver – this is seriously wonderful. The driver carried those 50 lb bags of seeds into the house for me. The only thing they did not do was open the bags and put the seeds in their metal storage bins. What a joy. The birds are enjoying the first of the new seeds.

I love this – farm-to-feeder -without all the middle businesses. I desperately try to live as ‘local (within 100 km)’ as possible and forego plastic when possible. The birds have taken to the seed, and the total cost of their food will be 30% less per month. It is a win-win as farmers try to monetise their land and crops differently than previous generations. Many are setting up their farm shops, and one is advertising pet food. Must check that out! If you use a lot of bird food, you can check it out. You could also have a farmer-to-feeder situation where you live.

Oh, jump up and down for joy. We have lift off in Orange. Diamond laid her first egg while Xavier was on the ledge Saturday morning in Australia. Oh, how brilliant. She had been looking a little ‘eggy’. Congratulations!

Xavier was there cheering Diamond on – time was around 0435.

Xavier got some eggy time at 0636.

We always welcome news of Ervie, and is it possible that he is looking for a forever home and mate? Will Ervie get a platform? And a camera? I cannot imagine a more worthy osprey – and for the life of me, I cannot imagine that it won’t happen once he settles down. Everyone loves Ervie, the third hatch from Port Lincoln in 2021.

‘A’ has a snapping report on the Sydney Sea Eagle nest: “This morning was very strange at WBSE. Somehow, they have demolished that gigantic fish/eel (what did you think it was?) overnight, although the table is scattered with some sort of leftovers and there are fish flakes galore. The first breakfast arrived soon after 06:28 and it was a small fish. SE31 ate it all, with SE32 not even bothering to get out of bed for it. The pair lay about on the rails, stretched a bit and were generally convivial. The second small fish (almost identical to the first) arrived at 09:56. This one was for SE32, who confidently headed up to the table, sat up happily, and ate the lot without a single grab or cringe. He didn’t turn away as he took the bites. He just ate. Normally. At 10am SE31 got up, turned around and stretched, and started watching the feeding. She then moved towards the table, but stopped when she got level with the back of SE32, who continued eating. At 10:00:25 Lady reaches forwards to give SE31 a bite. She then returns to feeding SE32, who keeps eating. SE31 stays where she is, looking around her, not at all interested in intimidating SE32. At 10:00:50, SE31 shuffles up to the table, next to SE32, and Lady leans forward to give her half a dozen more bites. SE32, though not in submission, is no longer sitting up. His head is up though and he is watching mum. SE31 seems hungry. SE32 had already eaten about two-thirds of the fish before SE31 arrived so is not as hungry (it has been three and a half hours since SE31 ate the first small breakfish). But he is now not as confident as he was, very aware of SE31’s proximity. Will be be brave enough to accept the next bite he is offered?That bite comes almost immediately, with a very large piece of skin and flesh from near the end of the fish. SE32 grabs it, turning his head away as he does so. This could well be to stop Lady trying to retrieve it, as she often does with such large pieces, and SE32 is well aware of this and does his best to thwart her – he is not scared of SE31 or he would not have risked taking the bite with her right next to him in perfect position to beak him for eating it. The fact that he took it without hesitation was very exciting. Yesterday was not an alternate reality. It seems to have persisted! The fish is now gone and Lady is looking for leftovers and table flakes, which she is either eating herself or feeding to SE32, who grabs them without hesitation. At 10:02:10, SE31 shuffles closer to the table. SE32 shuffles his position slightly, turning towards Lady a little, letting her know that he is still up there in the foodline. Lady surveys the scene and decides now would be a good time to leave. The two sit there for a minute or so, looking around, looking at the table. Around 10:03:30, SE32 stands up for a good PS and then considers the leftovers. He stands up on his feet, stretches his little wings out and flaps them, falling flat on his face onto the table at 10:03:44!! He is quickly up and tries it again, with slightly more success. He sits down, looking pleased with himself. Both chicks are looking very interested in the leftover scraps on the table. They are sitting side by side in front of it, wondering whether and how to approach eating it. When SE31 reaches out to nibble at it, SE32 (gently) pecks her, then again, on the top of the head!! He then stands up and does it again. Twice. SE31 rears up and goes to beak him back but SE32 remains standing and just leans back to avoid her. She withdraws and both stand their side by side. SE32 was definitely the dominant chick in that interaction. I think you see what is going on here from my description. SE32 is still a little cautious if he is eating with SE31 touching him. but it is not stopping him from eating and he has not been beaked or intimidated for a day and a half now. He is getting his share of the food, as is SE31, and he is doing so without having to pay for it with beakings from SE31. This is wonderful to watch. I do hope the food supplies remain as good as they have been recently (yesterday, I think, SE32’s crop was bigger than I’ve ever seen it) so SE32 can consolidate his newfound confidence and SE31 can get out of the habit of automatically intimidating her little brother, hungry or not.”

Thanks, ‘A’. This is certainly a terrific change of behaviour.

 

The season is kicking off at SouthWest Florida as M15 and his Lady begin pair bonding! OK. How excited are you that this amazing male is with us again this year with a new female? Oh, is she one lucky Bald Eagle!

https://youtu.be/15jN8EuzleY?si=YGgEfg6C_D6GWwKm

Eagle on the nest at Superbeaks Friday morning in Central Florida.

At Glacier Gardens, Hope loves to sit on her favourite branch just out of view of the cam. (to the left). An adult flies in with prey and she is there in a hop and a jump. Oh, a beautiful eaglet.

Mini snags a fish at 0904 that was on the nest and squawks at Sneezy (Three) when it lands on the perch. No one is taking that fish – or her nest! Oh, she is a spunky gal. Mini returns later to the nest to get the tail that was left. Lucky girl – no one spotted it. Not the Crows and not Sneezy. Mini returns for the tail that she left on the nest along with all manner of little scraps, which she cleans up like Dyson! She appears to be putting more weight on that left leg – not completely but looking better. Mini had at least three fish on Friday. She ate them in fine spirits not wanting to share with anyone and not wanting to lose any overboard.

Mini has scratched her head a few times with her left talon. For all the talk about capturing her, this will not happen unless she is desperately dehydrated or ill. She is doing better, and like it or not, she adapts to whatever situation that injury throws her. Was it ever a fracture? We will never know. Was it only a serious infection? We will never know. We are only armchair observers of her life – and each of us wants her to succeed. Would we have liked her to have help immediately? Of course, No question about it.

Maya was still at the Rutland Manton nest on Friday morning. Her mate, Blue 33, continues to not only protect the nest but is working to get it in ship shape for next spring. Just look at that beautiful abode. Many are falling apart with fledglings going in and out. Incredible Blue.

At the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn, Idris was busy bringing fish to Cennen and Seiont. Telyn was last seen on Saturday the 19th of August.

At Glaslyn, Aran and both osplets OH1 and OH2 are still home. It also looks like Elen is also here. She is believed to have been seen perched on the lone pine. I do not have a screen capture of Elen and cannot confirm that she is still in the Glaslyn Valley. We wait to see if she shows up on the nest or the perch.

At Poole Harbour, 5H3, 5H4, and 5H5 are still home as are Blue 022 who is busy delivering fish and CJ7.

The Alyth Male still delivers fish to at least one fledglings. Mum Flora, HKO, was last seen on the 10th of July.

Loch of the Lowes is so desperately silent. Here is the latest season summary for the nest!

Earliest-arrival-and-departure-of-webcam-ospreys-Scottish-Wildlife-TrustDownload

Geemeff gives us our last glimpse of Ludo at Loch Arkaig. Mum Dorcha was last seen on 17 August with Louis last seen delivering a fish on the 24th. Safe travels!

At Sandpoint, Coco is 67 days old. Three fish were delivered on Friday up to and including 1530.

Despite some rain – I mean seriously: does an Osprey have a problem with water? – things are fine at Boulder County Fair Grounds Osprey platform.

Mum and the male at the Port Lincoln Osprey barge in South Australia are a striking couple. Many people think today might be the day for the egg, while others believe there will be no egg for this newly paired couple this season. We will see.

Things continue to be upsetting at the platform of Louise and her mate, feared dead, Jasper, and their only surviving fledgling, Banff. ‘H brings us the news, “The intruders must have been off fishing in the morning, and Banff decided to try her luck at her nest.  She flew to the nest at 0649.  She called for fish.  There was peace . . for a while.  At 0816 there was a close intruder flyby, and several seconds later the intruder landed directly on Banff and attacked her a couple of times, and then Banff was dragged off the nest.  From 0836 to 0856 the male and female intruders spent time at the nest together.  At 1226 we could hear Banff calling, and she flew over the nest being chased.  A few seconds later Banff landed on the nest.  She was immediately buzzed by one of the intruders and then dive bombed.  Banff flew off the nest.  At 1228 the female intruder landed on the nest.  Another adult landed on the nest at 1252.  There was a controversy as to the identity of that bird.  We had a side view of a slight necklace, and the bird seemed to be about the same size as the female intruder.  The female intruder jumped on the 2nd adult’s back, and then began to push it off the nest.  The 2nd bird resisted, but did not fight back.  After several tries, the intruder was successful in pushing bird #2 off the nest.  We did not get a look at the top of the head, but the necklace seemed to rule out the male intruder (and why would the female intruder have treated her mate that way?)  O’Hara was ruled out.  Could it have been a new rogue intruder?  Or, could the 2nd adult at that time have been Louise?  The back of the head was similar to Louise.  Over the next hour, the female intruder was on and off the nest.  After that, for a couple of hours we would occasionally hear Banff’s calls, and we would also see a few osprey chases in the distance.  Banff came back to the nest at 1526, and after a few minutes she began intruder-alerting.  At 1533 Banff was buzzed twice, and she flew off.  At 1637 Banff was chased over the nest, then the intruder pair both landed on the nest. Within seconds the male flew off to chase Banff, followed by the female.  Banff landed on the nest at 1639, and was immediately dive bombed twice, so she flew off.  From 1701 to 1724 the female was at the nest.  At 1757 Banff flew to the nest.  Then at 1807 an intruder approached from the south and landed directly on Banff, and grabbed Banff’s head with its talons.  Banff managed to break free and she literally staggered over to the side of the nest.  The intruder jumped on Banff’s back.  Banff tried to fly away, but she was attacked again.  Then Banff managed to fly from the nest, but the intruder was right on her tail.  The female intruder was back in the nest from 1844 to 1857.  We noticed that the intruder had a very hollow crop, and before she flew from the nest she did a very small PS on the nest that only projected a few inches.  Why hasn’t intruder-F eaten?  A chatter that lives near the nest informed us how the intruders keep the nest in their cross hairs.  One of the intruder pair hangs out in a tree near one side of the nest, and  the other one perches on a utility pole across from the other side of the nest.  So, that way they can keep a constant eye on the nest and the surrounding air space.  We did not see Banff with much of a crop today, but it wasn’t exactly hollow like the intruder’s had been.  Banff is doing a great deal of flying, so she obviously has hydration and calories to burn from ingesting fish.  She is most likely being supplied fish from Louise, but we don’t know how much.  Most of the time when we saw Banff today, she seemed to be hungry, and tired.  And, she would stand on the nest with a hunched posture, looking forlorn and defeated.  The primary key to Banff’s survival at this point is for her to stay completely away from the nest.  She is going to be seriously injured or killed from a violent attack by the intruders.  “But, it is the only home she has ever known, and it is her instinct to go the the nest,” is heard repeatedly on the chat.  I’m sure there is a learning curve for Banff.  But hopefully, she will come to associate her nest with DANGER.  Banff must come to that realization, or she may not survive to migration.  “Please do not come to the nest any more, Banff.  We are worried that you will be hurt.  We are very sorry sweetie, but the nest is no longer your home.  Go hang out with Mommy, and eat lots of fish.  You don’t know it yet, but you will have a very long journey coming up soon.  And, Mommy does too.” 

‘H’ so has reports for us on Kent Island and Forsythe.

Kent Island – Audrey did not spend the night at her nest for the first time, and she was not seen throughout the day.  Molly spent a lot of time fish calling, but she was off the nest a good bit as well.  Tom brough Molly a nice fish in the afternoon, which she took off the nest to eat.  Tom may have also taken a fish to Molly at the nearby dock or a tree as well.

Forsythe – I only saw Oscar bring one fish to the nest for Ollie, at 1613, but perhaps I missed one.  It seems as though activity at the nest is tapering off for Dad and his girl.

Thanks ‘H’ – we all hope that the situation at Fortis Exshaw calms down so that Banff and Louise can spend their remaining time in the area getting prepared for migration.

Things could not be better for the Royal Cam chick! Manaaki has had feedings for 5 days in a row! Thankfully this means that L is not have to venture so far to find food for both of them.

The Condor Chat with Ventana Wildlife Society. One good news item is that none of the California Condors that have received the HPAI vaccine have shown any adverse effects. There are currently 93 California Condors and there are 5 active nests.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘ A, H’, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, Sydney Sea Eagles, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Superbeaks, Glacier Gardens, PSEG, LRWT, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, SSEN Alyth, LOTL, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Sandpoint, Boulder County, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Fortis Exshaw, and the Ventana Wildlife Society.

Banff flipped overboard…Friday in Bird World

25 August 2023

Good Morning,

Well, if you are following the saga – it will become an odyssey soon – with me and Calico, it is now Calico 13 and Mary Ann 2. Yesterday the food dishes were licked clean in under 45 minutes. Calico does not eat that quickly or much in that amount of time. Today, the first breakfast was the same. But the afternoon feed was hardly touched. The trail cam was set up underneath the deck at 1300. The space is so limited that it appears the motion detection system did not operate properly when I returned with food and to check the footage. Can you hear me growling like a cat? Calico is laughing her head off with a smile like a Cheshire Cat. So the camera is somewhat repositioned, and if that doesn’t work overnight, I will put it outside so that it covers the entrance to the area where Calico comes and goes. I believe that the kitten or kittens are old enough that it/they might follow Mama. I will continue to provide food in the hope that the wee one will associate food with my voice and come trotting out one day – before it is too late to socialise the kitten/s. I continue to praise this kitten that had kittens herself for finding the right place – it is so safe, and secluded. No one would know she was under there if they were not searching like me. Still, I will need to get her in hand – Calico that is – on 4 September for her surgery.

Morning Update: Calico was waiting for me at my garden door with brambles in her fur. While she ate she allowed me to brush her for over an hour and a half removing more than 3/4 of them. What patience with me! She also ate well. We then went together to retrieve the camera – they are meant to work in open spaces not in confined spots so it is now up on a pole!

Our thoughts continue to be with the wildlife (and the people) impacted by the wildfires burning in my country. These were the most recent stats that I could find on The Narwhal.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there are currently 1,035 active fires burning across the country, 368 in B.C. alone. A staggering 15 million hectares (a jump of nearly 2 million hectares since last week) have burned this year so far — and there’s no end in sight to the inferno. The heavy blanket of smoke from fires in the Pacific Northwest stretches from San Diego to Great Slave Lake.

I have had several questions and letters about migration. Many of you might not be completely familiar with the reasons that the Ospreys migrate or how far they travel.

This first article is by the RSPB and focuses on the UK Ospreys but there is much good information that applies to all ospreys that migrate.

Osprey-Migration-Patterns-The-RSPBDownload

This second article is full of gorgeous images and maps that will help you understand more not only about migration but about where those birds along the NE coast of the US travel. It is an excellent read.

Ospreys-Have-A-Shocking-Spring-Migration-—-Save-Coastal-WildlifeDownload

If you are looking for a comprehensive book on bird migration (it includes many species), I highly recommend The Atlas of Bird Migration. Tracing the Great Journeys of the World’s Birds. It is by the Smithsonian (there is another by a similar title so I am providing the cover image). This book is everything that you wanted to know and much that you didn’t even know you wanted to know! The cost at my local nature centre was $24.95 CDN.

The tracker for Bonus, the foster storklet of Jan and Jannika, who grew up on the nest of Karl II and Kaia in 2022 has problems with the transmitter not charging. Bonus was somewhere in Belarus. Stay safe, Bonus!

Urmas’s fish basket that has helped to keep the family of Karl II alive this season is still operational. Urmas and his team refill as necessary and on Thursday, Karl II went there to fill up the trio.

Imagine how some of the fortunes of the US and Canadian Osprey nests might have changed had fish been compassionately provided during their time of need – during drought, storms, and fires. I praise Urmas and the Estonia team who try, in whatever way they can, to protect their precious Black Storks. Bonus is an example of that, and we will never forget the dummy female and the robot-feeding male stork. Enlightened is the word I often use for Urmas and Dr. Madis. Bravo! The world could use 100s of people like you who are willing to step up, take a chance, do the right thing. We made a mess of their planet – isn’t it time we fix that?

There is ‘mixed news’ in the most recent Tweed Valley report.

23rd-Aug-news.docx-Google-DriveDownload

We must check on Fortis – ‘H’ has given us a grand report on what happened to poor Banff on Thursday. “Banff spent the night away from the nest.  The morning started with the female intruder arriving at 0607, and her mate arrived a little later.  We heard Banff’s voice, and for some reason the intruders simultaneously flew off the nest at 0626.  After a few minutes we saw Banff being chased by at least one of them.  The female intruder returned to the nest at 0635.  At 0649 Louise hovered with a fish in her talons, and the female intruder kept her away.  At the same time, the male intruder landed on the nest, and Louise flew to the T-perch.  Louise did not eat the fish.  She flew off the T-perch with the fish at 0653, perhaps to find Banff.  The intruder pair mated on the nest at 0733.  The male left the nest at 0826 and would not be seen for the next 9.5 hours.  Banff flew toward the nest at 0845, but she was intercepted in the air by the female and was then chased.  The female intruder brought a fish to the nest at 0905, left with it after a couple of minutes, and returned without the fish at 0916.  Over the next couple of hours, the female intruder was on and off the nest a few times.  Banff flew toward the nest at 1104, and once again the female intercepted her and chased her away.  After that, the female intruder stood on the ‘lookout post’ for about three minutes, and then she was not seen at the nest for the next 5.5 hours.  At 1336 Louise arrived with a fish.  She waited for Banff to arrive for eight minutes, but then she flew off with the fish.  Banff landed on the nest at 1453, but she hurriedly flew off as she saw an intruder approaching.  We only got a brief glimpse, but it did appear that Banff had a small crop.  Osprey chases were noted a few times throughout the day, and we assumed they may have involved Louise and/or Banff.  Louise landed on the nest with a small partial fish at 1746.  The male intruder landed and Louise immediately chased him off.  Louise waited a few minutes for Banff to arrive, but she ate the fish herself, and flew off at 1804.  Banff arrived at the nest at 1815.  She looked tired.  She called.  But, Mom did not come back.  At 1929 Banff began alerting, and she assumed a defensive posture.  She knew an intruder was approaching.  The intruder buzzed Banff at 1930, and Banff pancaked.   A few seconds later the intruder dive bombed and hit Banff really hard.  Banff was flipped over onto her back, but she seemed to be okay.  She righted herself and flew off.  Go roost near Mom, Banff.  And, Mom will bring you a nice fish for breakfast.”

On Thursday morning, our dear Mini was on the nest and got the first nice fish of the day from Dad. She did well eating it except when it got to the small tail piece which was lodged in the side of the nest. She got it out and finished off that fish. The time is 0751.

Mini got another nice fish later in the day from Dad.

Mini ate well Thursday! Let us all hope that Dad is looking after himself. Mum is still around and the other three siblings might well be. Three is off the opposite perch this evening from Mini.

Sammy McLoughlin copied the article about Mini into the chat for Patchogue. This is what it said and it had a photo of Dad in March – sadly, not of Mini!

Every year, PSEG Long Island celebrates the return of the local osprey population in Patchogue Village by preparing for the breeding season and performing maintenance on the osprey. The monitored Patchogue nest is located on West Main Street, just south of the Blue Point Brewery. This year, watchers of the live cam noticed of the four chicks (which is rare in itself), one of them seems to have injured its leg. The youngest chick, according to New York City viewer Judith Camacho, who noticed the injury and alerted the local paper, suffered some sort of leg injury last week and she believed it was in need of help. After noticing the injury, the “chatters,” as they call themselves, contacted PSEGLI, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation,  and wild care rehabbers in the area. The injury can be seen at 7:34 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 14, during a feeding session. “She has difficulty holding the food and you can see the injury on her left leg. She is such a fighter,” Camacho said. “Survived with three older siblings, which is extremely rare. It will be a pity if she is not helped.” PSEGLI referred to Jim Jones, one of the bird experts  they work with in these situations. After being alerted to the situation, he said he has been watching the nest, on and off, for 24 hours. He confirmed that the chick does have an injury to the left foot, but he said that there are a few things to consider: The fledgling has been perching fairly easily, and the foot can grip, but a bit clumsily; it was able to finish the fish meal without incident. It can also stand on that leg without any apparent leaning. It can fly, and has been leaving the nest to forage, and possibly hunt. The parents are still there and are feeding the “All of these things are good,” he said. “The injury does not—at this time—appear life threatening. We (PSEG, myself, and a wildlife rehabber) are all monitoring the situation. At this time, we are letting things progress naturally. These kinds of injuries are not uncommon, and osprey that I have worked with have recovered. We will keep watching!”

Unfortunately, they did not include images of Mini at various stages of her life or ask locals to keep their eyes out for any ospreys on the ground. That said, Mini is progressing nicely, and there is no way that she could be easily captured currently. Nature is working its magic – and we hope for Mini that she is fit and ready to fly south soon. She is determined – a survivor, and we can only hope she has many more lives – like a cat!

At the Loch Arkaig nest of Louis and Dorcha, Louis is making up for his time away defending. I believe we are now on fish 5 but Ludo is being stalked by the Hoodies – Dyson, Hoover, and Henry – who are getting as much or more of that fish that Ludo.

Fish 5 for Ludo!

That official announcement from Ulster! Ospreys have been seen flying to and from Ireland but there were no reports of a breeding pair – and a successful one at that – until now.

Pam Breci reports that all is well at the osprey platform of Steelscape, Inc.

Our 21 year old Osprey Dad is doing a great job delivering fish to his recent fledgling at the Minnesota Arboretum nest.

‘H’s reports on Osoyoos and Barneghat Light:

Barnegat Light – Duke delivered a whole fluke to Dorsett for lunch. “Wow, thanks a lot, Dad!”  Mom, Daisy, has not been seen since 8/21.

Osoyoos – Life is going well for this family of three.  Soo brought a beautiful large fish to the nest at 1310, and she waited a long time for her fledgling to return for lunch.  Lunch lasted three hours! 

Oh, gosh it is good to hear that Osoyoos is alright. Thanks so much H’ for all three reports this morning. Always appreciated!

Blue 33 was delivering fish to Maya at the Rutland Manton Bay platform. He is helping her prepare for her migration in the hope that they both return, as usual, safely next March.

At Orange, Xavier slept on the ledge while Diamond was in the scrape.

Later, Diamond with a huge crop! Thanks, Xavier. You are keeping Mama healthy – she might not have liked the two Starlings but from the second image she devoured the pigeon. Eggs by the end of the month!

At Port Lincoln, the new couple – old Mum and new Dad – are still trying for eggs. It is definitely not too late in Australia!

Gosh, golly. I know that ‘A’ is watching the Sea Eagles much more carefully but it was sure nice for me to go through a few minutes of rewinds and see 32 up there eating and then both up at the beak and with nice crops.

‘A’ wrote us a story about SE32 and its feedings! “Lady comes in around 09:45 to deal with the fish that is left over from breakfast and again SE32 is straight up to the table and starts eating confidently. SE31 is slow to get up and stretch and she then does not move more than a step or two towards the table. Lady feeds SE32 and eats a fair bit herself while SE31 watches. She then moves towards the table, but heads around the far side of SE32, so that SE32 is between her and Lady. SE31 arranges some sticks on the left rails while SE32 keeps eating. I think you get the gist. Something is going on today. SE31 looks healthy, though the PS she just did was very small for her, but she is not attempting to head up to eat. It is after 09:53 when SE31 leans over SE32 (slowly and carefully) to take a bite from Lady. SE32 can feel his sister leaning across him but does not go into submission. SE31 is having to work to swallow the bite (there are a lot of bones in the pieces being fed by now, although there is still a lot of flesh attached), so SE32 accepts the next large mouthful, despite the very close proximity of his sister! Normally, he would get beaked for doing this but not today. Mum offers him a piecde that’s too big and SE31 thinks Lady is going to give it to her but Lady eats it herself and SE32 takes the next couple of mouthfuls. SE31 retreats slightly and just watches! What is going on? He refuses another bite because it is just too big and he is too full, and SE31 leans forward on SE32’s far side, thinking she will get this piece. But no, again Lady eats it herself and SE31 pulls back a bit, disappointed. SE32 has not dropped his head or appeared intimidated in any way so far today, and not now either. Finally, at 09:54:54 Lady starts feeding SE31, who leans forward eagerly on the far side of SE32 to eat the mouthfuls. She is hungry. SE32 stays where he is, his head up, just too full to eat. Mum offers him the occasional bite, but he is too full and only takes one small piece, so SE31 gets most of the remaining fish. It is good to see her eat. (I never thought I would have to say that!!) The meal is over just after 10am. There is still a little fish and flesh left over. Mum returns shortly after 11:04 to finish it off and again SE32 is first up to the table. Mum starts feeding him and eating some of it herself. Most of the fish is gone shortly before 11:11. Mum has worked really hard to get each morsel of flesh from it. SE32 has the most gigantic crop I have seen on a chick in a very long time. SE31 never leaves her spot on the front rails to eat. The eaglets spend a couple of hours snuggling on the rails, stretching occasionally or playing with a stick. At 13:00, SE31 turns her head to look at. SE32 eyeballs her and raises himself up slightly, leaning towards SE31 in an intimidating manner. She retreats and he settles back down. They are doing so much preening as those feathers come through. They must be really itchy. Look at the difference between the size of those crops!!! SE31 looks hungry. SE32’s is beyond description, it is so large. Dad brings in an extra large, long whole fish at 14:44 (or a very fat eel) and SE32 is straight up to the table. Dad waits for Lady, while SE31 has not even woken up yet. She is still sleeping on the front rails. Dad starts nibbling at the fish himself, looking around for Lady, while SE32 moves closer. This gives SE31 time to wake up, stretch, and move up to the table. This causes SE31 to move further forward, keeping his head down. This is not the confident SE32 from the previous feedings today. Dad feeds SE31 and continues eating himself. SE32 keeps moving forward until he is level with the fish and with dad’s beak, to one side of the table. SE31 is in the usual position in the centre of the nest, leaning forward for bites, so she is not making any contact with SE32, who is submissive but not with his head down – he is watching Dad carefully, and when he is offered a bite at 14:51 he accepts it. SE32 turns his head away as he does so Dad gives a bite to SE31 but then turns to feeding bite after bite after bite to SE32, who eats them all. SE31 crawls closer to the table and waits her turn. Dad offers her a bite at 14:54, then returns to feeding SE32. SE31 is still waiting at 14:57 and starts nibbling on the end of the fish (or very fat eel). She is up at the table but with the food between herself and SE32, with Dad in the normal parental feeding position at the back of the nest. At 14:57:27 SE31 grabs the end of this enormous piece of prey and pulls it towards herself. Good job SE31. Dad takes it back. He is still looking around periodically for Lady. He continues feeding SE32. At 15:00 she is still waiting patiently, playing with sticks, watching while SE32 eats very fast and very confidently. SE31 sits down and continues to wait patiently. Finally, at 15:02, Dad leans her way and she eagerly grabs the bite. He then starts feeding them alternate bites until soon afterwards, SE32 is full and not interested in more, so Dad feeds SE31, who is hungry. Every couple of mouthfuls, he glances at SE32 to see whether he wants a bite, then continues feeding SE31. This is a lengthy feeding – SE32 decided he could fit more food in after all – and both chicks ate a large amount. There was another feeding around , and there is also still so much leftover food that there’s enough for the whole family to eat all day tomorrow as well. This was such an interesting day because of SE32’s apparent confidence. which was diminished somewhat at that mid-afternoon feeding but was regained during it. The combination of plentiful food, SE32 getting lots of feeding from the parents and SE31 for some reason being incredibly patient and effectively taking SE32’s role for the day. She ended up getting plenty to eat with that massive fish/eel but at the time of that feeding, she had eaten very little for the day and had not seemed interested enough to press the issue.”

Thanks so much, ‘A’. We can always use a good news story on 32!

SE32 watches as 32 self-feeds. Gosh, they are just over a month old and growing so fast.

No one will say it is for certain but another beautiful image of our star single-dad M15 with a potential mate from the SW Florida Eagles nest on the Pritchett Property in Fort Myers.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care! Looking forward to having you with us again soon.

My deepest gratitude to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, H’, Amazon and Firefly Press, RSPB, Save Coastal Wildlife, Fortis Exshaw, Osoyoos, Wildlife Conserve of NJ, Maria Marika, Liznm, Tweed Valley Ospreys, PSEG, The Woodland Trust, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Ulster Wildlife, Pam Breci and The Joy of Ospreys, MN Landscape Arboretum, LRWT, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, Sydney Sea Eagles, Gracie Shepher and Raptors of the World.

The curious happenings at Fortis Exshaw…Wednesday in Bird World

23 August 2022

Good Morning to each of you!

It was a drizzly sort of day in the garden. The sun never came out and everything felt cold and damp. Everyone was here, at one time or another, including one of the Crows. Calico had her tracker on during the day. In the early afternoon, she was here, and when I went outside to freshen up the table feeder, she lept to the deck. It startled me as I am so used to her meandering in from the back of the lilacs. She ate her food, chased a moth, and then had a siesta under the lilacs. It was different behaviour, but in a bit, she went back to the place where she has her kitts. She returned at her usual time in the evening, and while she ate, I removed her tracker for charging. Once in a while, I will check to ensure she has not moved the Kitts.

Dyson was here chasing peanuts and trying to get as many or more than Little Red.

Dyson was smart. She had dumped the covered feeder and then when the drizzle began she decided to go inside the feeder!

This is one way to get a drink!

In the frenzy between Little Red and Dyson, the Black-capped Chickadee swooped in and occasionally grabbed a seed!

There is some celebrating going on!

Jane Dell posted (on a couple if FB websites) a really good document on Western Osprey identification. This will be a very helpful resource – maybe put it in a file with useful articles, etc. for when the time comes.

Western-Osprey-–-Raptor-Identification-–-The-complete-raptors-guideDownload

‘H’ has one report for us today and that is about the intrusions that continue at the Fortis Exshaw nest in Alberta, Canada.

8/21 had been an unusually tranquil day for the fledgling Banff.  The first half of the day was also very peaceful on 8/22.  Banff took a couple of early morning flights, and she was out when Louise delivered the first fish.  Banff flew in quickly at 0715 to claim the large whole fish.  At 0729 Louise delivered a tiny whole fish to Banff.  Banff managed to swallow the last half of the fish in one big gulp!  For the next three hours Banff enjoyed numerous out-and-back flights and spent some time on the big T-perch and the nest perches.  At 1032 Louise brought the third fish of the day, a medium sized whole fish.  After she ate that one, Banff resumed her brief fly-abouts.  Fish #4 from Louise at 1155 was a huge live fish.  Louise wanted to keep the fish, and there was a brief tug-o-fish, but Louise gave in.  Banff was eating intermittently, and had eaten about 1/3 of the large fish, when, at 1313 a female intruder landed on the nest.  At 1316 the intruder made a move for the fish, but Banff fended her off.  Then there was a long standoff.  At 1334, the intruder moved aggressively to take the fish.  There was a struggle as Banff tried to hold on to her fish.  Both birds ended up going overboard, and it looked like the intruder had the fish in her left talon.  At 1335 Banff flew back to the nest, and was almost immediately dive bombed three times by the intruder (apparently the intruder had dropped the fish).  Banff flew off the nest.  An aerial chase between ospreys could be seen at 1409, but we don’t know who was involved.  At 1438 Louise landed with a partial fish, but Banff was still off the nest.  Within seconds, a different intruder landed on the nest.  Some thought it was O’Hara, but the markings didn’t seem quite right.  Louise was not happy at all, and at one point she flapped at the intruder, but that had no effect.  Louse flew off with the fish at 1447.  The intruder starting moving some sticks around, and that really confused us!  At 1458, as Banff flew toward the nest, the intruder flew off, but it immediately circled back and dive bombed Banff a couple of times.  Louise immediately returned with the partial fish and Banff grabbed it.  The intruder dive bombed Banff three more times while Louise was on the nest.  That was a first.  No intruder had ever attacked while Louise was on the nest.  We were dismayed that the intruder had become more brazen and had elevated its aggressiveness to a higher level.  Banff flew off the nest at 1459, leaving the fish behind.  Louise waited for Banff to return, but she flew off with the fish at 1545.  At 1553, the intruder brought a stick to the nest, and left.  That was so bizarre, and so confusing for the viewers, who were trying to make some sense out of everything.  Louise landed on the nest with a different headless fish at 1655 (fish #6).  Banff quickly flew to the nest to claim it and Louise departed.  Banff was nervous, and mantled the fish, scanning the sky.  At 1702 the intruder buzzed and dive bombed Banff at least six times, and at 1703 Banff hurriedly flew off, leaving the fish on the nest.  The intruder departed.  Banff flew back to the nest at 1734, and grabbed her fish.  This time, she got down to business and ate without hesitating.  The latter part of the evening was intruder-free.  Banff took a couple of short flights, and she landed on the T-perch at 2026.  Dear, sweet Banff elected to roost on the T-perch overnight.  It had been a very complex, and stressful day for Banff, but she was well fed.  Onward, Banff.

Thanks so much ‘H’.

As of Tuesday, Elen was still at Glaslyn and Aran had delivered a double-header at 1735 – there were more fish during the day despite some windy periods. Aran you are amazing. Everyone is home and safe, eating well thanks to this amazing dad – and well, what a great year with new Mum, Elen. So happy for Glaslyn!

Elen eating a flounder Aran brought for her. She will be gone very soon. are travels, return to us!

Maya and Blue 33 were still on the nest on Tuesday 22 August. You can always tell Blue from that look in his eyes before you see the Blue Darvic band.

That is one brave Hoodie going after Ludo! Good thing Ludo is an osprey and not an eagle.

What is happening with Bird Flu? It was big news and then something else takes over and the impact of this deadly disease is put aside. What is going on and what is happening in Africa where our beloved European and UK birds will spend their winter. Mark Avery brings us some of the latest data to his blog on Monday, 21 August. “In 2023, up until 14 August, 45 species have tested positive. The last month has seen a bunch of colonial seabirds adding their names to this year’s casualties. Here’s the list (with additions in bold): Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Fulmar, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Teal, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Razorbill, Guillemot, Puffin, Curlew, Ringed Plover, unspecified heron (!), Grey Heron, dove/pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Red Grouse, Sparrowhawk, Goshawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Reed Warbler and Carrion Crow.  Last year will be remembered as the first year when impacts on seabirds in the breeding season were noticed. This year the disease spread to many colonial gulls, in particular Black-headed Gulls, all over the UK.”

Mini has been eating well, resting her leg, and using the right foot more.

Early morning.

0815. Beautiful. I think this one will deserve a spot on the bulletin board. She is so lovely.

1605. Looking up and expecting a delivery?

She was slightly wonky on that leg with that 1609 fish.

1908

Mini flew into the nest with a huge drop around 1957! Gracious. It looks like our girl had a nice fish meal off-camera.

At Dunrovin, Harriet is still home and there was at least one chick at the nest today – possibly all, I did not watch or rewind. This nest of Swoop and Harriet has done well this season! So happy for them.

Boulder County: Throughout the day I only saw two fledglings at the nest at any one time. It is impossible to know if they are the same two each time.

At Orange, Xavier came in with a Starling for Diamond. What a guy. She doesn’t always want them! Eggs should be coming before the end of the month. But then later Xavier comes in with a Red-Rumped Parrot (thanks ‘A’) to the delight of Diamond who is looking a little eggy these days.  

In California, Annie and Lou continue to come to the scrape in The Campanile. They also bond in the scrape but we won’t be seeing any eggs until spring of 2024. Stay safe you two!

It is sometimes painful to watch the early feedings at the Sydney Sea Eagles. Even after 31 was full and 32 had finally gotten itself up to Lady’s beak, Lady had to try and try to get this very intimidated little man to eat. ‘A’ provides a complete narrative for us: “The little one gets up to the table by about 06:45 but he cowers away from Lady’s beak when she tries to feed him. She keeps feeding SE31, even though SE32 is right up to the table – she tries periodically to coax SE32 to eat but he just won’t accept the food, no matter how patient mum is. He finally takes a bite at around 06:50:45, just before dad arrives at 06:50:50 with yet more food. Surely there wasn’t another nestling in that nest. It is a fourth! At 06:54 mum finally manages to get him to start eating, albeit very gingerly. He is so nervous that even though SE31 is full and nowhere near him, he is still not confident about taking a bite from Lady, who is only inches from him. He is facing her, watching the food, but still cringes each time she tries to feed him. It is SO frustrating to watch. But there are still at least two nestlings on that nest and SE31 is full, so surely SE32 will get a decent breakfast. Lady is doing everything she can but she cannot force-feed SE32! She is certainly being as patient as she can. By 06:56 he is eating with a bit more confidence but SE31 is moving back towards the table, considering a second helping. She stays back for now. SE32 continues to eat, very nervously. Lady is now feeding them alternate bites. SE32 grabs at each mouthful, turning away as he does so. He is SO scared, even though he has not been bonked at all during this feeding and SE31 is sitting back, not leaning over him or making any contact with him. He should be gaining confidence and eating faster but he is still cringing with each bite. Lady returns to feeding SE31, offering SE32 a single bite for every four or five she gives his big sister, whose crop is now huge. Around 07:05, she returns to feeding SE32 bite after bite. This is fresh juicy red meat and should be very nutritious for SE32, who is slowly developing a crop. And surely, out of four nestlings, there is enough food for both to eat plenty. Lady is also eating. Dad is the only one who seems to have missed out on breakfast, so I would suggest he is currently out fishing. Mum was certainly not letting him take any of the four chicks he brought in for his own chicks to eat! She made that very clear, physically and verbally, when he delivered the fourth. At 07:08 she is still feeding SE32 bite after bite, some of them extremely large. He is eating everything he is offered, no longer turning away from Lady but confidently staying at her beak at last. He has a good crop and has eaten a lot of food quite quickly (he is grabbing huge chunks and swallowing them all). At 07:10 she gives SE31 a few bites, then returns to feeding SE32, whose crop is still only half the size of his sister’s. At 07:20, she is still feeding SE32 the last remnants of the nestlings. He now has a very large crop, though nowhere near the size of his sister’s, which is so huge that she actually refused a mouthful a few seconds ago.”

 

Another prey delivery and ‘A’ notes: “Dad brought in a small whole fish just before 08:38 but by the time the little one got up to the table, the fish was all gone. He is still SO nervous, he cannot eat, even with a full crop and SE31 not being aggressive. He did take one small mouthful and was beaked in the head (just once) for doing so, which of course sent him straight into submission for the remainder of the feeding. This attitude is so worrying, but then occasionally, when he is hungry enough, he suddenly finds some courage and stands up for himself and his food.”

Port Lincoln: Mating but no eggs yet.

Taiaroa Head: ‘A’ reports: “In New Zealand, there was no weighing of Manaaki yesterday, but he has had six or seven parental feedings since last week’s 9.8 kg so is no doubt at a healthy weight! Mum arrived around 09:54 this morning to feed her little man yet again, leaving again at 10:01. It’s great to see you, mama. We missed you so much. We adore Manaaki. He is such a special little person, very laid back but also very confident, having spent his childhood living on a crowded street corner. He has been the most entertaining chick to watch, excavating and gardening as he engages in his endless nest-building, as well as exploring his surrounds and visiting his many neighbours. We will miss you, Manaaki. We have another fortnight or so with him, but that fluff is fast disappearing, and he will fledge in the not-too-distant future.”

He found the camera!

 

Karl II’s mate, Kaia, who had not been at the nest since 23 July but had been out foraging to regain her strength for her long travels, came to the nest to say goodbye on 15 August and began her migration on the 22nd. Thanks, ‘PB’ for the confirmation. Here is the information from Looduskalender.

Maria Marika reports that Timmy has also begun its migration. Soon they will all be on their way and we will be fingering our worry beads until we know that they are safe and sound in their winter homes.

Karl II continues to feed the three fledglings at the nest. All three were present on the night of 22 August. They, too, will begin their migration shortly.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. Hope to see you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog this morning: ‘A, H, PB’, Megan McCubbin, Jane Dell, Fortis Exshaw, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, LRWT, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Mark Avery, PSEG, Dunrovin Ranch, Boulder County, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Cal Falcons, Sydney Sea Eagles, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Looduskalender, Maria Marika, LizM and the Eagle Club of Estonia.

SE 32 eats and eats…Monday in Bird World

21 August 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

Calico’s new world is waiting for her and any kitten/s that have survived. She has been so good to let me fiddle around with ‘training’ collars. Her GPS tracker arrived on Sunday and we spent considerable time together trying to get the kitten size to fit. Nope. Too big. She is the tiniest thing. So now I have a much smaller kitten collar for her. The debate is whether or not to fit her late this evening or wait til in the morning. I am thinking in the morning is better for me…wider awake to go digging around in hiding spots for the little one. We are almost there.

The Canadian Government is evacuating people from Yellowknife NWT. Fires are burning around BC, and I have friends now that I cannot get in touch with. I hope they are safe. The rain is pounding down in Big Bear Valley as an unprecedented hurricane hits the western coast of the US. In Bird World, our focus remains on three nests: Fortis Exshaw, Patchogue, and Sydney Sea Eagles – and our thoughts with all of the birds and wildlife being impacted by Hurricane Hillary.

We know that our feathered friends – M15 and Harriet – survived Hurricane Ian as did many of those on Captiva. Still, our thoughts are with those in the line of the storm including, as I was reminded, all those hummingbirds.

Heavy rain was hitting the Big Bear Valley when I last checked. At the time the wind seemed to have calmed.

We always start with Mini at Patchogue. Mini had two nice fish by the time 1630 rolled around on the clock. She managed to eat all of the first one in good time and worked hard on the second, flying away with the tail in her beak. Her fans cheered her on nothing how her eating is so improved now that she is holding down the fish with that right talon! Just see below our wonderful girl. She is a survivor!

Mini was back on the nest cleaning her beak with ‘someone’ on the perch.

Mini did a lot of talking to the bird on the perch. Mini loves her piece of cardboard that the Crows pulled out of the nest Sunday morning. She was using it as a pillow one time. Some of you might recall that a flip-flop or a sandal arrived on the nest, and she slept on it too. So precious.

Mini was also seen on camera scratching her head with her left foot.

I have just checked and Mini is eating a fish. Dad is taking good care of his girl. She is adapting to a situation that was beyond her control. An old falconer told me decades ago that the raptors live in the moment. At this moment, Mini is doing the best she can without help for her leg.

I know that there are individuals upset that Mini is not getting help. The rehabbers can’t help her unless she is down on the ground or low enough for them to get her without injuring her further.

This was the situation early Monday morning at Sydney Sea Eagles. WBSE 32 finally got some much-needed nourishment. ‘A’ reports: “SE32 has had a small fish for breakfast, without any interference from an already stuffed SE31 (who had just eaten someone else’s baby chick – perhaps half her age). The good news about this (as well as the eating, obviously) is that once he had eaten a couple of bites, SE32 began to eat with confidence and by the end he was eating greedily and without hesitation. That is excellent, though it will take more than one bonk-free feeding I fear to rebuild his carefree little spirit. The second and possibly more important thing was that SE31 was not interested in preventing SE32 from eating. On a couple of occasions, she got up, but only to change position and flop back down, duckling style, to rest her giant crop!”  Later, ‘A’ writes: “SO good that the little one got to eat as much as he needed without paying for it by being bonked and beaten. That is just wonderful, and it’s happened twice today. He is still fearful and cringing, from mum as well as from SE31, though his confidence builds as he eats more and doesn’t get bonked. But even during that eat-a-thon, he was nervy between bites. But he has eaten and he has eaten very, very well. Lady did a great job of managing that fish so that SE32 ate more than half of it. She has been working hard at dealing with this situation over the past couple of days. It may not look like it at times, but she really has been thinking about him and how to get enough food to him. That feed was a particularly good example of it, but what happened late yesterday was also something I’ve rarely seen – all those deliveries in such a short time and in an obvious effort to feed SE32. That gives me heart.”

Fortis Exshaw: ‘H’ has been my helper all season and we have both taken to the antacids on more than one occasion. She has lived with Fortis Exshaw and its tragedies. She writes a very moving report on Banff and Louis this morning: “

It can be very frustrating watching raptor nests.  Quite often, things simply do not follow our desired script.  On 8/19 Louise had treated Banff to a ‘whale’ fish that she worked on for most of the day, and later Mom brought Banff a smaller fish.  But by late afternoon, with parts of two fish still in the nest, the intruder had driven Banff from her nest, and she spent the night roosting elsewhere.  On 8/20 Banff flew to the nest at 0621, and we were very glad to see her.  She immediately picked up one of the leftover fish.  But, it was almost as if the intruder had been lying in wait.  Less than a minute after her arrival to the nest, the intruder began dive-bombing her, and at 0622 Banff was dragged off the nest (for the third time).  We were able to see that Banff had been released from the intruder’s grip.  Banff had a piece of fish in her talon as she went over the side.  Poor Banff simply cannot get a break.  We waited, and we worried.  At 0918 Banff flew back to the nest.  We do not know if Banff had been able to hold on to the fish she had in her grasp when she was dragged off the nest.  When she returned to the nest, her crop was rather flat, but three hours had passed.  Over the next few hours, Banff did not retrieve the other piece of fish from the nest, so it must have been dragged overboard during the earlier melee.  Poor Banff was almost constantly fish-calling to her Mom.  At 1323 Banff was twice buzzed by the intruder, and as the intruder approached for the third time, Banff flew off the nest and was then chased by the intruder.  At 1424 Louise landed with a whole medium-sized fish.  She waited for Banff to show, but Louise was hungry too, so she began to eat.  Banff finally flew to the nest at 1444 and grabbed the partial fish from her Mom.  Louise immediately flew off and we were sure that she would bring in another fish.  For most of the rest of the day Banff was alternately calling her Mom for more fish, or she was alerting when she would see a perceived ‘unfriendly’ bird in the sky.  No more fish came for Banff today.  Eventually Banff laid down in the nest and resigned herself to going to sleep hungry.  Banff is learning many lessons that will prepare her for her challenging life ahead.  Banff is a survivor.  NOTE: We don’t know what role the ‘stepdad’ O’Hara has at this point (if any).  O’Hara was instrumental in helping Louise flush out the intruder on 8/14, after the intruder dragged Banff off the nest for the first time.  O’Hara was last seen on camera on 8/17 when he stood on the nest for a while.  He has not delivered a fish to the nest for at least ten days.  While the intruder problem continues, we do not know how many intruders there are, and O’Hara may still be playing a role in keeping most of the intruders at bay.  Louise is likely dealing with intruders in the area as well, and we feel certain that she is doing the best she can for her only surviving ‘child’.  Banff fledged on 8/13, and Louise would normally be tapering off her ‘Mom’ duties to prepare herself for her long migration.  But, without a male to take over the support of Banff until she disperses, there has been a role-reversal for Louise.  While O’Hara was instrumental in ensuring the success of the family early on (and we will be forever grateful to him for that), Louise has essentially had to be both Mom and Dad ever since Jasper disappeared on 7/7.  We are observing a unique situation.  Will Louise continue to support Banff until Banff is ready to leave?  Will hunger encourage Banff to learn how to fish sooner rather than later?  Would the intruders even allow Banff to keep her hard-fought prey once in her talons?  We are filled with such love and empathy for this young osprey.”

‘H’ also checked on two other nests for us today.

Kent Island – We have not seen Molly fly to the nest carrying a fish, but we have seen her diving from the nest, possibly fishing.  Meanwhile she continues to be well fed by Mom and Dad. 


Osoyoos – There were only two small whole fish brought to the nest (that I saw), and both were delivered by Mom.  ‘Junior’ continued to practice wingercising, and at 56 days of age s/he is definitely on fledge watch.

Reports of a fledge at Osoyoos. Need confirmation from ‘H’.

Thank you ‘H’ as always.

Waiting for eggs at Port Lincoln and at Orange.

At Sandpoint, by 1626, there had been six fish delivered. I am not even certain that Coco is hungry!

At Minnesota, Mum is happily feeding her fledgling. It was a great fledge but coming back to an empty nest, Mum looked a little shocked by it all. Everything is fine.

Mum sure likes to feed on this same corner. 1245 and later, after 1700.

Hello Iris! You are gorgeous. No wonder you are getting so much attention. Wonder if it will be Bachelor Number 1, 2, or 3? I guess we will have to wait til spring to find out.

Two beautiful fledglings at Collins Marsh continue to return to the nest for fish. This has been a good season for this nest and what appears to be two new parents.

Boulder: Everything is just fine. Fledglings continue to come to the nest for fish like at most of the others. They all appear to be present in the last shot. Life is good in Colorado.

The eagles continue to be at Superbeaks!

Waiting for Gabby…

It’s a crazy busy morning. Calico has her tracker on – just – and the collar is still too big. As Geemeff says, ‘Kittens having kittens’. The tracker is stationary. I hope it has not fallen off. Wish us luck. I understand that there has also been a feeding at the Royal Cam Albatross colony of the little Manaaki. Yeah! Looks like both parents have been in recently. More news tomorrow.

I want to thank ‘H and A’ for their continuing reports and Geemeff along with all of the streaming cams and individuals who posted information that helped me write my blog today: Fortis Exshaw, Kent Island, Osoyoos, PSEG, Boulder County, Sydney Sea Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, IWS/Explore, AEF-NEFL, Collins Marsh, Superbeaks, Montana Osprey Project, MN Landscape Arboretum, and Sandpoint.