sea birds – Page 4 – Mary Ann Steggles

Tuesday in Bird World

26 December 2023

Good Morning!

Thank you for all your holiday wishes. They are so appreciated.

We had a very simple Christmas Eve and morning, which was blissful. Christmas Eve saw the party with the girls, our meal, and the socks. Christmas morning welcomed two presents for the girls along with the opening of the annual wicker. Slowing Down, not trying to have everything perfect, and not falling into the deep hole of consumerism rushing around to buy ‘stuff’ added a layer of joy and restfulness that was magical. The girls certainly brought abundant laughter – the energy they have including Calico was infectious.

After a breakfast of French toast with Wild Plum and Berry jam, it was off to the English Gardens to leave nuts and seeds for the birds and squirrels. Others do this as well. A long stroll amongst the paths was invigorating in the crisp, -6 C air. The sky was a bright blue! The Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, and squirrels were enjoying their feast to the delight of all. I feel blessed to be able to be outside often – . It changes everything.

Seeds and nuts were placed along the barrier and on the pedestals of the statues and the sundial.

In my garden, there were many visitors, including Junior and the Baby Blue Jay (now grown). Oh, how wonderful it was to see both of them flying in and out getting peanuts and eating off the suet cylinder. They are safe, and that is all that matters. What a wonderful present they gave me by their visit. It really is this type of simple pleasure that means so much.

The squirrels – I suspect Little Red – kept knocking this big hunk of suet off its holder so I laid it on top of the large table feeder in the hope that someone would enjoy it. As it happened, the Downy Woodpeckers were chipping away as were the Chickadees and the Blue Jays!

‘The Boyfriend’ was here for more chicken dinner! He is looking pretty good.

Inside the girls were exploring another toy.

Hugo is growing. Just look at how long she is. When she arrived three weeks ago, she was the length of her tail. Now we are more than double in weight with clear eyes and nostrils. She is precious. And what an attitude.

Missey pulled the pompom off the toy and took it under the Chinese dresser much to the dismay of Hugo and Hope.

In this game, the orange and yellow pompom goes in and out of the hole for the cat to try to fetch or guess where it will be. They love it.

Calico is there in the background. She is not yet as playful as the other three, but she is getting more so each week. She is much more a longer than the other three – maybe it is because she had to survive outside by herself for 8 or 10 months before coming to live inside with others. Calico does love her chew toy.

Thank you so much for enjoying the kitties and garden animals that share my life. As the Osprey season picks up in a few months, there will be less cat and more bird.

Bird World continues with some nest drama, wet weather, and waiting…waiting for those two eggs at SW Florida to hatch. Gabby’s second egg might have problems…we wait to see. I hope she gives up on it and moves on. Here is a quick check…as eggs hatch and Ospreys return (yes, my calendar is on countdown, and I am looking at the middle of March for Big Red to lay eggs and my heart to start beating fast as Rutland Manton Bay and Blue 33 and Maya return and also Laddie at Loch of the Lowes. We lost Blue NC0 last year, so will there be a new mate there?

Now, moving on to Bird World….

Monty is legendary in Osprey World. The male from Dyfi in Wales, the foundation stone that gave us legendary fledges. Why am I posting this? First, Ospreys are on my mind. Second, Margaret Blakely posted her wonderful poem to Monty and has allowed me to share it with you. Margaret says it is best sung to the tune of While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night. Thanks, Margaret!

Why do I like the UK ospreys? Records are kept so that we can understand and appreciate these dynastic families! Colour-coded. There is Monty and now we have Idris who is fantastic, too. Apologies for that ‘share’ tab on the side. I could not get rid of it. Those are the official sightings of offspring that returned after 2 years. One of my favourites is Z1, Tegid, who is breeding in Wales. Tepid the White Egg as he was known at the time.

Boxing Day Report on the WBSE: ”One adult was seen early down on River Roost and one was reported at Goat Island. Our juvenile was seen on the island at 9am. Later, one adult and the juvenile were at River Roost; it is not known if SE31 had eaten. River traffic was busy on this public holiday. Later in the day, both parents were seen at Burns Bay. In the evening? No late reports. “

The first Christmas egg was laid by Abby at Eagle Country in Florida at 16:59:44. Congratulations Abby and Blazer.

LadyDeeagle55 caught the moment:

We are four days away from pip watch at SW Florida and M15 and F23’s first clutch together! How excited are you getting?

M15 brings his new mate a great prey item for Christmas.

Things are getting a little tense at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex.

Really hoping that Alex is moving along.

Connie and Clive kept C10 and C11 dry when both stayed on the nest during the recent torrential downpour. It was a miserable soaking day throughout most of Florida.

Ondabebe caught some touching moments on the Captiva nest.

At Port Lincoln, the lads are looking good. There is going to be an early fish and Gil is gonna get it! Mum brought in a large one at 07:20:47. There is enough for all if Gil will share.

Aren’t they handsome?

But Bradley wants it.

Bradley is still staring down that fish at 0824! There isn’t going to be much left Bradley…

At 0839, Mum wants some fish, and Bradley wants some, but it looks like Gil might finish the lot. Brad, you gotta learn to steal to survive.

At 0848 a scuffle but Gil hangs on to the fish.

Then Mum decides if she is going to get a single bite, and if Brad is going to get anything, she needs to move in. Mum and Brad will get a little – not much.

Here is the weekly summary from Port Lincoln:

Three nice fish on the 26th at Port Lincoln.

There is cheering amongst South Australian Osprey fans as Calypso brings a potential new mate to the Tulsa platform nest! You might remember, with sadness, that Calypso’s former mate died from dangling upside down on a hydro pole.

Rain in the afternoon at NE Florida. Gabby on incubation duty with V3 on guard.

Marri on the Tower and ‘A’ reports on Boxing Day at Orange: ”And at Orange, we had a bonding incident. today (26 December): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1p4R5_eCew, and here is a clip from Christmas Day, with Marri chasing Xavier around the tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHIGGIJdLJ0. “

Solutions for the major waterways in the Western US required and growing to help the birds.

Momentum-Gaining-on-Important-Water-Work-to-Benefit-Birds-and-People-in-the-West-Audubon Download

The final count at Hawk Mountain for the 2023 migration. Ospreys down.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Remember – send me the events in Bird World in 2023 that really brought some joy to your life! I will list them on 1 January. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J’, Margaret Blakely, Dyfi Osprey Project, Eagle Country, Lady Deeagle55, Lady Hawk, KNF-E3, Window to Wildlife, Ondabebe, PLO, Bart M, NEFL-AEF, Helen Match, and Hawk Mountain.

Captiva Hatch…M15 protects F23 and eggs during heavy rain…Sunday in Bird World

17 December 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It was -2 C on Saturday. At one point, it was -8 when I was at the Nature Centre. Yes, I put on the super warm boots and heavier long coat and, with Possum hat in hand, went for a 2km walk. Lots of families were out enjoying the day. I saw only a few Black-capped chickadees flitting around with the woodpeckers and the squirrels. The crisp air was lovely.

This time of year, I like to pop in and check out the new bird books on the shelves. I found one that might interest you – for yourself or a friend. If you need just a little motivation to sit and watch outside or want to record your sightings, this book is for you. It is large enough you won’t be cramped on filling in information yet small enough to stick in your bag along with a pen for your walks. I usually record my findings on eBird, but I will also start to use this diary instead of scribbling on the pages of my Manitoba bird book!

When I got home, the little boy across the street ‘Teddie’ and his dad had been doing some snow sculpture. Cute!

The girls are fantastic. Well, I think they are. Calico might tell you differently. She was trying to have a nice snooze after breakfast – Calico loves to sleep upside down. Well, Hugo thought Calico’s tummy was the perfect bullseye to jump on. Hugo wanted to play. – Calico wanted to sleep. Dear Calico was so startled that she ran as fast as she could the opposite direction after giving out a hiss!

Missey quickly hid in the large tunnel toy while the commotion was going on.

Baby Hope decided that the safest place was in the basket.

Hugo, of course, was not bothered by any of this. She just went over and started playing with the other tunnel toy! Hugo is utterly fearless. I wonder what the dynamics are going to be in a year?

Baby Hope eventually came out and posed. I cannot take my eyes off her. She is the most precious kitten. I will still be tearing up when she is ten years old marvelling at how she found us after the entire neighbourhood looked and called ‘hoping’ to reunite Calico and her kitten.

Despite the mishap with Calico, Missey, Hope, and Hugo are having fun together. They are not bored but are getting vast amounts of exercise. The flow of the house from the conservatory through the kitchen, around the island, past the library and into the sitting room is a perfect race track for them to exercise those leg muscles.

The kittens want to give you a big giggle to start your day off right.

It is so quiet in Bird World that it is actually eerie. There are storms moving through Florida and along the Carolina coast. In the midst of those, Connie and Clive have their first pip. The couple had piled grasses into the nest prior to the arrival of the storm and those eggs are nice and dry. Mum and Dad are soaking! Good luck Connie and Clive. Bird World needs a little bobblehead right now especially since Gil has fledged and Brad is thinking about it!

Video of hatch in progress. If this chick makes it, it will be the first successful hatch of the 2023-24 Bald Eagle season on streaming cam! Fingers and toes crossed.

https://www.youtube.com/live/z5nu6LL74P0?si=jDKWC0HGcSKBdTel

Clive is staying right there with Connie. Both of them are getting soaked, just like M15 and F23.

The hatch came at 0614 Sunday the 17th.

At Southwest Florida, M15 is protecting F23 and their two precious eggs from the storm. What a guy…F23 does not know how lucky she is…yet.

More sightings of SE31 and Lady and Dad providing food down by the River Roost. Also I am reposting information from an earlier post in case you missed it. SE31 had been taken into care and released in the area by the parents.

This has been the most wonderful year at the Parramatta River. To have one sea eaglet survive to be trained by its parents to live a successful life in the wild just makes me tingle all over. We have all shed tears for this nest in the past and I have longed for Lady and Dad to be able to finish what they began as an egg. Let us all hope that 32 is out there someone living their life, too.

Marri flew up to the ledge of the scrape on Saturday in Australia. Oh, wonderful.

Xavier has been testing out the new pebbles in the clean scrape.

At Port Lincoln, ‘A’ gives us an update: ”Giliath went on a second flight – only about 90 seconds, from 11:58:29 until 11:59:54, when he demonstrated an impressive backward-flying landing manoeuvre. Brad was very impressed and a little surprised. It’s all happening with this pair. I still think Brad is a couple of days away from fledging. He has not done anything like the amount of wingercising that Giliath did pre-fledge. But we will see. It probably depends on the wind. “

Mum, Gil, and Brad waiting for fish mid-afternoon.

All of us remain hopeful for Gabby and V3 this year.

At the KNF nest, Alex is still doing incubation duty while F1 stands guard and protects the nest! This was Friday but he was still on the eggs on Saturday.

Saturday night and Alex is roosting elsewhere. Maybe with F1. I wonder when his hormones will shut down or he will realise the eggs are not viable? Was it Shadow that incubated for 80 days? Does someone remember?

If there is time for Pepe and Muhlady to have a second clutch, maybe this will work out for Alex and F1. If not, may their bond grow stronger. She is surely a fierce eagle!

Meanwhile, Bella gets friendly with the new male.

Elfruler.com has an article with a lot of data from their research on why Bald Eagle eggs fail. This might give some good insight into what is happening this year on some nests.

LOST-EGGS-AND-FAILED-FIRST-CLUTCHES-OF-EGGS-Bald-Eagles Download

There is more good news coming for the Albatross. We have Moana returning to NZ and we have the central character of Kalam’s Journey returning to Kauai – and she is not yet 7 years old! She survived! Tears.

Incubation changeover at Taiaroa Head at the Royal Albatross Colony. Get ready for beautiful sky calls.

Cockatoos alter their food to make it easier to eat – looks like my Crows and my Blue Jays!

Polly-Wants-a-Cracker-but-She-Wants-to-Make-It-Easier-to-Chew-The-New-York-Times Download

My rescue girls certainly think that this would be the best thing that could happen!

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care – and if you are in the path of the storms, stay safe. We want to see you back with us soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, their photographs, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J’, Cat’s Diary, Gracie Shepherd, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Chang-le Dong, Sydney Eagle Cam, Helen Match, SK Hideaways, Jerinelle Wray, Carol Shores Rifkin, KNF-E3, Deb Stecyk, Elfruler.com, Holly Parsons, NZ-DOC, Lady Hawk, and The New York Times.

Friday in Bird World

15 December 2023

Hello Everyone,

Good Morning to all of you. We are just two weeks and a day away from a brand new year – and sometime, between now and then, I hope that we have two healthy hatches at the SW Florida Eagle nest of M15 and F23. They could be the first successful nest of the year with two eaglets.

Before we move on to the other birds and the scant news, I have some more information about Hugo. When you adopt a kitten in Winnipeg, you should be given a file folder of information. That was missing when Hugo was picked up. It came in the post today. So, here are some things that were gleaned.

Hugo was born at the beginning of September. The folder says 5 September, but other information on line said 2 September, and my vet thought that because of her size and teeth development that this had to be the beginning of October. From what I understand, the original family wrote down 5 September as the date the stray cat they took in had her kittens. This original foster family took in a very malnourished stray cat, a Tortie, on the Peguis Reserve north of Winnipeg so that the cat would have a safe place to have her kittens. The family named the cat Grace and she had seven kittens. It is unknown if this was her first litter, but she was very tiny. Hugo had trouble eating. The kittens were surrendered to the adoption agency on the 11th of November. All were very tiny for their age.

It is not clear what health issues the original situation with the Mum will have on Hugo’s development, overall health, or life expectancy. Right now Hugo is enjoying eating her kitten food, the kitten kibble, and loves the thick kitten milk. She loves to play and is sleeping on one of her favourite teaser toys. She likes being wrapped tight in a blanket and held close. Like all the others, I would not give her up for anything. Today she weighed 1384 grams before her evening meal. On Thursday, she weighed 860 grams so that is a gain of 524 grams or more than a pound. She looks like she might be long. Her eyes are still a little drippy so more Polysporin for Pink Eye. She will have her second round of vaccinations on 28 December and be spayed on the 15th of March -. The vet might be in for a surprise since all the paperwork still indicates that Hugo is a ‘he’ and that ‘he’ will be neutered.

Hope watching Hugo play with the red pom-pom on the tunnel.

It was Hope that first took over Missey’s basket with the little granny square blanket she was given when she was adopted. Now it is Hugo that is moving in on Hope’s territory! I did say that little Hugo is fearless, right?

Missey sits on the back of the sofa or on the wicker and watches them all. More than half the time she is now playing with Hope and Hugo. So nice to see her back to her normal self.

Hugo looking outside to ‘The Boyfriend’ who came for breakfast.

Beautiful Calico. I tear up every time I think about what she went through and how healthy little Hope was. What a miracle.

It was +4 today and what a nice day for a short brisk walk at the nature centre. The squirrels were running everywhere and watching them made me think that they thought spring had arrived. The chickadees were out at the feeders along with a male and female Downy Woodpecker and a White-breasted Nuthatch. The entire place feels empty without the ducks and the geese, though.

There is good news coming from the Sydney Olympic Forest area for our WBSE family – Mum, Dad, and one fledgling presumed to be SE31.

“December 13: Early morning, both adults were seen at River Roost and SE31 was seen going into the mangroves and heard calling. Then again, at 07:45, SE31 was heard but not seen. Then at last, just after 9am, an adult was seen catching a large fish – grabbing it with one foot – in front of River Roost. SE31 flew out to claim it with loud squeeing, then all three were out of sight in the mangroves. No further observations during the day.

December 14: Early morning, SE31 was spotted at Mangrove Island – then moving to River roost. This seems to be her home patch now, moving back and forth and sheltering in the mangroves lining the river. It has been a really hot day again. We have no more observations for today – hopefully, our eagles were keeping as cool as they can by the river.”

And the last report from Sydney: ”December 15: Early morning report at 07:30 of SE31 and one adult at the water’s edge at River Roost, then joined by the other adult. Then, at around 09:20, SE31 was seen flying over the wetlands, venturing further and flying right up high, before returning to River Roost – feeling her wings for sure. At around 4pm in the afternoon, SE31 was seen at River Roost, a parent arrived, then shortly after she flew to Mangrove Island. Later, she was seen flying high again, before returning to the River Roost mudflats.”

At Orange, Diamond still is not too pleased that the scrape box was cleaned. Wonder what the rush was? Does anyone know if Marri has returned to the scrape since the cleaning?

At Port Lincoln, it is Gil and Brad on the nest. Both now have names. It has been such a good year at Port Lincoln thanks in full to the foresight and tenacity of Janet, Bazz, and Fran who insisted on an intervention. We can all agree that the research coming off this nest opens up new avenues for thinking when it comes to Ospreys. Give them an international round of applause. For my friend ‘A’, she is overjoyed at the success of this nest. In the past she was hesitant to even go on line to check on the osprey family. Today she wrote, “I just adore this pair SO much. Goliath in particular is wingercising with great concentration. He has been getting air, with some impressive hovering yesterday. I know it’s a wonderful achievement and I should be pleased, and it is and I am, but I will miss these two. I do hope that they do an Ervie and hang around Port Lincoln at least sometimes. I still wonder what on earth caused Zoe to head inland into the desert. It made no sense. But then, much of her behaviour made no sense.”

At the time I am writing, Dad has delivered a partial fish to Mum and the boys. That is fantastic.

They are gorgeous – Gil and Brad.

These are the comparison weights provided by the observation board, Bart M for the PLO chicks:

Giliath (male) – 1445 grams

Bradley (male – 1390 grams

In comparison:

Zoe (female – 1700 g

Ervie (male) – 1380 g

Bazza (male) – 1280 g

Falky (male) – 1230 g

At Osprey House, George has delivered two fish – one for each fledgling!

‘H’ reports: ”Broken shell overnight first noticed around 0310 (very poor visibility). Muhlady appeared to move the shell. When cam view improved, it was evident. No eaglet seen. Maybe they will reclutch. They have been mating.”

The question is this: why are these shells breaking? Is it humidity? were they viable to begin with?

We should watch for Connie and Clive at Captiva Bald Eagle nest. The wind is picking up. Storms with heavy rain are expected over the weekend on the Barrier Islands in Florida. Let us hope that there is no hatch during this time. Renee posted this information on chat: “PIP WATCH: Starts Saturday Dec. 16, 2023. Due to some delayed incubation, we may not see a PIP until Sunday 17th or Monday 18th.” I would like for this to wait until nice weather not during a thunderstorm.

There are many nests without any eggs yet. Duke Farms is one of those. Dad went missing in the spring, and there is a new male.

The other is NE Florida, ‘The Hamlet’ home to Gabby and V3. These two were busy working on the nest and alerting against intruders.

Indeed, of the streaming cams, there are so many without eggs yet. We might enjoy the spacing this year and get to see those little bobbleheads developing at all stages.

Anna and Louis laid their first egg on the 9th of December. There has not been a second egg. It would have been laid on the 12th. Fingers crossed that this egg is good – especially because of Andria’s death and the loss of the two eggs at KNF-E-1.

Alex continues to incubate his and Andria’s eggs. The female continues to bury them, and he digs them up. My heart aches for him. At the same time, please do not let these eggs hatch. The only way these eaglets could survive would be if the female visitor fully embraced motherhood. Remember, Harriet and M15’s chicks were at month old when Harriet disappeared last February at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest.

Suzanne Arnold Horning is always looking out for Big Red and Arthur. This spring, Big Red will be 21 years young.

Plans to genetically engineer the Dodo back to life! Location: Mauritius.

Bird Guides announces, “An audacious plan between geneticists and conservationists to bring back the extinct Dodo has been announced.

Attempts to bring the species back to its former habitat in Mauritius are set to be led by US-based biotechnology and genetic engineering company, Colossal Biosciences, which is pursuing the ‘de-extinction’ of various other species.”

De-extinction-plan-to-bring-dodo-back-BirdGuides Download

If you missed the latest Condor Chat with Ventana Wildlife, here you go!

Could you fish in these conditions? Albatross do it every day in the roaring Southern Ocean.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Take care. See you on Saturday!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J, L’, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Karen Long, PLO, Bart M, Heidi Mc, Osprey House, Superbeaks, Window to Wildlife, Ann Penury, Duke, NE Florida-AEF, KNF E-1, KNF E-3, Suzanne Arnold Horning, Bird Guides, Ventana Wildlife Society, and Holly Parsons.

It is Bradley…Thursday in Bird World

14 December 2023

Good Morning!

Oh, a major milestone was achieved on Wednesday. Hugo ate kitten kibble for the first time (that I have observed). It is wonderful. Her eyes are clear thanks to Polysporin Pink Eye, her tummy troubles are gone thanks to FloriFauna, and she is having so much fun. Life is good. All four girls are getting along, playing – even Calico today! Can you feel my happiness?

Eyes are better this morning! And look at how big she is.

For all who wondered, Hugo is such a sweetie. She lets me bathe her, wash her face and feet – she never complains. She loves being dried with a big fluffy towel. I can’t wait to see if she is so good for teeth brushing and nail clipping. Maybe that will rub off on Hope and Calico. Missey is just as complaint, too. Makes life so much easier.

We plan to keep her name as Hugo. She comes to it and as my friend ‘R; reminded me, ‘Many great women artists and writers had to assume male names at one time or another’…so Hugo it is.

After losing Lewis and then all the issues with getting a little boy that turned out to be a little girl, well, there were times I felt pretty doomed. Hugo was so very tiny and just not doing well. It has to be difficult for her cat mother – 7 little kittens living on the streets hoping for some food and a safe place. What a terrible life for these animals – some that were once pets and left behind or that got out and got lost. There are so many kind people trying to help with portable shelters and food for them. That is the bright side but, gosh, if there could only be a concentrated effort to neuter and spay – area by area – and notching the ears as Geemeff says is done in the UK so identification is easy. It would certainly help.

Missey looking out at the birds in the snow.

Bird World is ‘sleepy’. There is such a huge lull with only a few eagle nests incubating eggs while the others continue with their restorations or establishing their relationship with a new mate.

At Port Lincoln, the fish fairy surprised everyone by dropping four fish on the floor of the barge. It worked. Neither Giliath or #2 got overly excited, and the fish made it to the nest…what more could Port Lincoln want? Their experiment demonstrates that supplementing fish for a nest that suffers from historical siblicide can make a difference. The osplets can become so familiar with humans that they might not even bolt off the nest in an early fledge. It is fantastic.

‘H’ remarks, “All the fish were eaten by the ospreys, gulls did not steal any. Mum picked up the small trevally around 1207 and fed the kids.”

And we have a name for #2. Bradley. What a great name after a youngster who truly knows and loves these osprey.

The boys and their beautiful bling if you missed it.

They are just too good together – V3 and Gabby. Fingers crossed. Could V1 be a donor and V3 a father?

I don’t know about you, but I am glad that the female at KNF E-3 has buried the eggs of Andria and Alex. Most agree that they are unviable and maybe it will help Alex move forward. Tonight those eggs are still buried while I was writing but I did see someone come around and aerate the nest. It looked like the female.

It is a couple of weeks for M15 and F23’s hatch watch. How excited are you on a scale from 0 to 10?

Boone and Jolene are doing a lot of restorations at Johnson City.

Still waiting at Superbeaks – but, I think all is lost for Pepe and Muhlady on this first clutch. Will they go for a second since it is so early in the season?

The camera is back up at Two Harbours. Some have seen Chase and Cholyn. I hope to soon.

Jackie and Shadow were home today working on their nest. They are adorable.

Cilla cleaned the nest box. To my knowledge Marri has not returned since. Hoping to see her again soon.

There is love happening at Taiaroa Head. Some who lost their mates have found love again. Which brings to mind Wisdom. Is she still dancing? Did the oldest banded Laysan Albatross in the world get a new mate? will she lay an egg and raise a chick at 72?

The Royal Couple – LGK and LGL (Lime Green Black and then Lime Green Lime).

I am so pleased to be reading about the bird counts around the world and some of the real success stories. You might remember that there is an Army of Women in Assam that is protecting the Adjutant Generals, a carrion-eating bird that is going extinct because there are no places for nests. Here is some good news: “In the Kamrup district of Assam, the number of Greater Adjutant nests has increased from 28 in 2010 to more than 250, making this the World’s largest breeding colony. Moreover, this once persecuted species has become a cultural symbol, and in the process, has also transformed the lives of local women, who now travel to other villages to raise awareness about the storks.’An excerpt from the BirdLife Magazine, March of the Adjutants by Devathi Parashuram, available in January 2024.”

After the tragic beginning to the Bald Eagle breeding season in the US, we need some good news. You can read more about some success stories here in the updated Red List of Birds by BirdLife International:

The-2023-Red-List-update-reveals-hope-for-birds-in-crisis-BirdLife-International Download

Have you ever watched Penguin Rescue?

Restoring Condors to the wild by the Ventana Wildlife Society.

There are many reasons to keep cats inside. Killing our beautiful feathered friends is one of them – cats are the number 1 killer of birds.

Killer-kitties-cats-are-eating-2000-species-including-hundreds-that-are-at-risk-Cats-The-Guar Download

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care of yourself. We hope to have you with us again soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, J, SP’, PLO, NEFL-AEF, KNF-E3, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Johnson City Bald Eagles, Superbeaks, IWS/Explore, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Sharon Dunne, Lady Hawk, Penguin Rescue, BirdLife International, Ventana Wildlife Society, and The Guardian.

Wisdom wins the dance contest…Tuesday in Bird World

5 December 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

We must start with Wisdom, the oldest banded Laysan Albatross in the world. She is dancing again! On the Midway Atoll. Can you imagine? 72 years old and dancing. Tears rolled down my cheeks when I saw the message from Holly Parsons. Wisdom is incredible. Send positive wishes that this very special albatross will breed again this year!

Wisdom lost her long-time mate three fall breeding seasons ago. Hold on to your seats this year! It looks like she might have attracted a young male partner.

Wisdom is on the left with the red band, Z333.

And then for news in Cat World. The hunt for the male kitten has come up trumps. Let me introduce the youngest and last kitten I will ever adopt. Hugo. After Grayish turned out to be a female, I was about to give up and then the head coordinator asked me what I wanted in a kitten. A short time later she phoned and said she had the perfect match. Did I mind a Ginger?

Stories about Hugo and the girls will come on Wednesday morning!

When it comes to Ospreys, no one has all the answers. I am grateful to Bart, who has worked hard for Port Lincoln to get the observation board information up to date, work on fish delivery stats, and monitor the chat. Bart has now included those days with zero fish so that his findings will be accurate. It was a simple oversight, but having those figures in there and those days will change the final statistics while providing an accurate view of what happened. Bart’s efforts and those of the fairies have offered everyone an excellent educational and sharing experience.

I gave Port Lincoln a poke yesterday. They are in a tough situation because what they are doing is unique – supplying supplementary fish to a nest where siblicide is a known reality. Dad has never been a stellar performer. As Bart noted today, he is at best good for four fish, no more. (Most of the nests I have monitored average seven deliveries a day for 2 or 3 osplets.) The reasons for the low number of deliveries can only be speculated. This is not just my thinking. We have seen two instances on camera of what appears to be seizures. But how those impact his brain and his daily living is unknown. Then there is his age. Again, there is only speculation as to whether the sheer physicality of osprey fishing is hampered by age, but it leaves us to wonder. Does he lack motivation because of the fish fairies? Anything is a possibility.
At this juncture, using one nest to test whether ospreys will stop fishing if humans provide fish is insufficient for scientific proof. And with this nest having a high siblicide rate and Dad being a poor performer regardless, that makes it even more problematic. Testing this theory on a known superstar like Blue 33 at Rutland would be better. Yes, he has fish right at the nest site. Absolutely. Would he stop fishing if fish were provided? If he did, that would be very telling. Would he start fishing to keep his chicks alive once the fish fairies stopped? Well, that is the question. At Port Lincoln, they struggle with what to do as the fledge nears. They are attempting to motivate the adults to get out there and bring in the fish because they are concerned that the osplets will bolt off the nest if delivery is so close to ‘fledge’. Another intriguing question is: Are the osplets (and ducts) so used to having humans deliver fish that they would not bolt?

I am told that Port Lincoln is disinfecting the old barge to ready it to receive fish (Dad used to take the fish there) in case they need to provide fish after banding.

The issue is this. ‘H’ and I have monitored over 300 eggs in 2023 from being laid to fledge or death or not hatching. We know that relatively good condition osplets who had their crop full can live between 58-79 hours without fish. 79 is pushing it. ‘H’ is checking her data because, in the June deaths of Chesapeake Bay, some of those chicks were younger and did not live that many hours. I will include this information once we glean it from the data forms of the International Osprey Data Project.

So let us send Port Lincoln some real positive energy as they work towards getting these two fledged. That is the goal of the project – two fledglings. After fledge, the fairies should be able to toss all the fish they want on that nest, and the kids will need it. Do you remember Ervie and Falky? or the fights between Ervie and Bazza for fish after fledging? This is one of those dust-ups between Ervie and Bazza. It happened almost two years ago…aren’t we just so proud of our Ervie?

‘H’ reports that Dad brought in a half fish at 16:58. #2 grabbed it to self-feed but Mum took over and both ate with crops. Hoping Mum got some, too.

‘H’ and I will be publishing all of the data with complete explanations but these are the findings in the International Osprey Data Project so far. It will not be complete until I add the final details of Port Lincoln this year and the information from Iowa for their 2023 nests in January.

This is the current information for all the nests and the 335 eggs we monitored. Thank you, Claudio, for making our life easy with those forms!

My interest is in siblicide, specifically, the 3rd and 4th hatches that survive siblicide attempts. This has meant monitoring hours between an osplet getting any fish and counting bites of food when they do in comparison to the rest of the clutch. It is agonising research, but the triumphs are enormous. Think of the fourth hatch at Patchogue this year…imagine for a second that tenacious tiny little osplet whose drive to live was tremendous. Some called her Tiny Dancer. She was amazing.

The following information includes nests in North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia. This is the raw data and it is, as far as I know, one of the largest osprey behaviour studies that is ongoing.

We got some great close ups of Giliath and #2 as a few raindrops fell.

Cute little Dad. His crop is certainly not bulging.

Whole family lining up for the fish fairy! Or that is what it looks like. But…

Today is the odd day so no deliveries from the fairies. Will either adult deliver a fish? We wait to find out.

‘A’ sent us reports about the Sea Eaglets. Isn’t it wonderful to know that one is alive and well. Tears of joy:

“December 3: There was a storm last night with hail and heavy rain so the river is very muddy. Both parents were on River Roost around 8am and the juvenile was spotted on a low branch in the sun – all drying out. Later when the young one was seen near the adults, she was whining for food. At 10:30 when adults are on River Roost and she is on the island, she is quiet. In the afternoon around 4:30pm, both parents were on River Roost, with the juvenile out of sight again. A parent flew into the mangroves; the young one was probably there hidden away. Just after 5pm, she was seen low on a branch at River Roost again.

…Audio file December 4: down by the river 07:24 both parents on river roost and duetting. 08:04, young one calling. Earlier, peewee swooping adults. 08:07 parents calling again, juvenile too. 08:13, the tide has turned. 08:35, a good shake by the juvenile, downy fluff flying, then moved to a different branch. Then a few minutes later, the juvenile flew closer to the adults. When parents duetted, she was listening and looking up. Then again , and juvenile on and off. The parents moved a little closer, but at 9:30 all were still there. Just after 10am an adult left, swooped over the river and caught a fish. Juvie flew down to the ground, and the fish was delivered. She ate on the ground out of sight. Around 11:15, the adult took off, circling overhead. No action then until 12:10, when the juvie was flushed out by 4 ibis flying in to the mangroves. Then shortly after, it changed branches again, flying a short distance. At 12:30, neither adult was there. No more observations later.”

‘A’ sent the latest news from the Parramatta River in Sydney and the WBSE:

There have been no sightings of any juvenile activity at Orange since the 2nd of December Australian time. ‘H’ tells me that Cilla has checked the trees and there is no sign. This is so very sad. The huge effort put into their eggs, their survival in the scrape, ….heart breaking for Xavier and Diamond.

‘A’ provides the latest news though…perhaps there is a juvenile? There are reports that a juvenile might have been heard. There was no sighting. It was very hot in the area and the birds were staying in the shade of the trees to stay cool.

Gabby and V3 are taking a page out of Jackie and Shadow’s play book – gosh, they messed around with those sticks for such a time!

Everyone is cheering for this couple!

Our beautiful Jackie and Shadow.

Ron and Rose are busy, too.

We are so close at Superbeaks.

Liz Schwartz has posted romance over at the Centreport Eagle nest.

Released condors having a feast.

Overfishing. The decline of worldwide fish stocks. It is time to think about this as we enter the breeding season for many of our feathered friends who depend on the oceans for their food and, thus, their lives. It is estimated that the number of fish in the oceans has declined by 90% since 1900. There are many, many scientific articles about these catastrophic numbers – just a sampling of some of general interest and some more academic.

workshop2_roberts Download

Fish-and-Overfishing-Our-World-in-Data Download

How-overfishing-threatens-the-worlds-oceans—and-why-it-could-end-in-catastrophe Download

Human-impacts-on-fisheries-resources-and-abundance-in-the-Danish-Wadden-Sea-c1520-to-the-present-Download

The-effects-of-118-years-of-industrial-fishing-on-UK-bottom-trawl-fisheries-Nature-Communications Download

The-Issue-of-Overfishing-in-the-United-States-Department-of-English Download

The latest migration count from Hawk Mountain is in.

Maybe some ideas….I recall once when my children were quite little seeing someone hanging the thin orange slices on their spruce tree outdoors. Here we coat the pinecones with melted suet and roll them in bird seed and hang them throughout the lilacs during the winter.

Thank you for being with me today. It is so nice to have you here with us. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, streaming cams, and articles that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, HP, J, SP’, Holly Parsons, Friends of Midway Atoll, PLO, Bart M, Sydney Sea Eagle FB, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, NEFL-AEF, Ventana Wildlife Society, C Roberts, Our World in Data, National Geographic, BMC, Nature Communications, US Dept of English, Helgoland Marine Research, Centreport and Liz Schwartz, Hawk Mountain, and Wildlife Watch.

Marri or Barru?…Thursday in Bird World

30 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It is the last day of November and only another month til we officially enter 2024. It flew by.

It was only -1 C on the Canadian Prairies on Wednesday. The sun was shining. The sky was bright. It was pretty unbelievable. It was the day for my flu shot, and, as a treat, I had a very, very light lunch looking out over the duck pond at the zoo. The Black-capped Chickadees were flitting about while the pond had open water in the deeper areas with very thin ice at the edges. I dream of the day the geese come flying in, honking and pooping everywhere. After I gathered up a few things to add to some pine branches for the front door. Missey was right in there helping put things together!

She was rolling in the paper, and only later I caught her with a tiny bell that had been on one of the little blue birds. Calico slept in the chair by the table. She did not mind Missey getting all the attention and could care less about crafts. We decided to go with a blue and white theme this year with birds and a few things from different cultures for all the festivities in December.

Bird news is pretty scarce right now but there are a number of running jokes about trees and cats!

One for the girls – thanks ‘auntie’.

The latest news from Sydney sent by ‘A’:

“November 29: both adults and juvenile were at the River Roost early in the morning. Light rain and the juvenile was heard whining. Around 9am, one adult flew into the mangroves and towards the west, up- river. Around 2pm the juvenile was seen low on a mangrove branch at the juvenile roost. Neither adult was seen then by our observer. Later in the afternoon, a storm was approaching and cameras were then both down. No feeding has been reported. More rain in the evening.”

Look closely. The juvenile is in the centre of the image – a slight diagonal line between the adults and up a tad. This is fantastic.

‘A’ has the latest at Sydney: “November 30: early morning both adults were at Goat Island. At 8:44, the juvenile flew out from River Roost area, low over the water and in front of Mangrove Island, where she landed. Then she flew back to River Roost. At 12:30, the juvenile was at River Roost, where it was seen yesterday. Again, between 1230 and 1:30, juvenile was making low flights over the water and from branch to branch. 2:10 adult was at River Roost and juvenile as well, given away by its raspy squeeing. At 3:30 the adult flew off, returning with prey around 4pm – greeted with eager squeeing by the juvenile. She ate, with the adult watching close by.”

‘H’ has the up to date information at Orange as of this morning: “At 162308 a Juvenile landed on the corner of the roof next to the LR (lightning rod). A few minutes later, Xavier landed on the MW (microwave). Diamond was in the nest box at the time. Even though the tower camera is slightly closer to the MW than the corner of the roof, the juvenile on the roof still appears to be larger than Xavier (to my eyes). We know that Marri was larger than Xavier. Food for thought.”

“Cilla is going to check photos of Diamond and Xavier standing next to the LR for a size comparison to this juvenile.”

‘A’ writes about Orange: “At Orange, I’m sure you’ve seen the most recent (21 November, so 8 days ago) footage of the falcon juvenile we believe to be Barru (at least I do, for several reasons, though we are still unsure due to Barru’s long toes in one shot): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAeCZRh9k4Q&t=0s Since then, it has been raining for days around Orange (ditto here in Melbourne, where it’s been raining for a couple of days, including pretty much all day today, and the rain is forecast to continue). I do wonder what happened to poor Marri. who was strong and who flew with great control when fledging, so I am genuinely very surprised that she has not survived. I really did think she was the more prepared of the two, but when you watch the pics of this juvenile (both the footage in the above clip and the footage of him on the roof with Xavier, dropping the prey dad had brought), you can see that he is more than a little clumsy, both in relation to flying in and around that tree and in regard to keeping his balance on that rooftop, especially trying to turn around at one stage. To me, the slightly ragged plumage is also more like Barru than Marri, whose constant wingercising had removed pretty much all her down before she fledged. “

At Port Lincoln, Dad was on the nest with Mum waiting for the Fairy. Dad must be really hungry and he is thinking he wants to be in line, too.

Wings are getting bigger.

Waiting for fish. Dad has moved to the shed.

Fish delivery was late. Wonder if it was due to bad weather? 17:18.

A lot of disinformation and speculation is happening on some of the chats. It is one of the reasons that many of the streaming cams do not have a chat feature or others who post videos do not allow comments. I usually do not say anything, but sometimes, we have to ask ourselves many questions and explore the whole situation, and even then, we might be missing a critical piece of evidence. So before I get on my soapbox, to be transparent, I am almost always in favour of intervention to help wildlife. It is important to me because humans have destroyed the world for our feathered friends. We can no longer sit back and ‘let nature take its course’ because we have altered nature to the point it is hard to recognise. We have taken the habitat or our wildlife and continue to do so at an alarming rate. We dump our sewage into their water. We overfish. We poison. We burn. Need I say more?

We do not know why the PLO Dad is not fishing more. Some believe it is because of the fish brought to the nest by the fairies. But is this the case? We know that Dad had at least two seizures last year on camera. Did he have more off-camera and off-season? Does he have neurological issues caused by an accident or disease? We would only know this with an examination and necroscopy. What is happening with El Niño? With the warming of the water? With the commercial fishing in the area? With the tides and the lousy weather? Pollutants? The list of human-caused issues in any specific region, including South Australia, can be endless.

The PLO nest has suffered significant siblicide compared to other nests in other geographical regions. The individuals on the board running Port Lincoln Ospreys/Friends of Sth Australia fought hard and are determined to see if supplying fish will alter those statistics. It looks like we already have our answer in two strong osplets. As viewers, we will never know the ‘gestalt’ – the ‘whole’ situation at Port Lincoln. If you get the chance, encourage others to show respect and applaud the efforts of Fran, Janet, and Bazz to run this research project. It has saved the lives of at least one of the chicks, if not both. And the health of Mum and Dad. Those fish are lifesavers.

The fight for fish at Osprey House.

A gorgeous sub-adult spent some time on the natal tree on the Pritchett Property on Wednesday. Former fledgling coming to check out what is happening?

M15 gives F23 a break!

We are waiting for eggs at KNF-E1, the home of Louis and Anna in Louisiana.

What a gorgeous fall day at Barnegat Light. The geese are there along with a stunning sunset and mind-shattering colour!

At least one adult was on the Achieva Osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida.

At the Captiva Osprey platform, it looked like someone had given the entire landscape a pink watercolour wash. Will we have occupants this year?

They are not falcons but Bald Eagles of various ages near Newmann’s scrape at Great Spirit Bluff.

We have Common Goldeneye that come to breed in Manitoba during the spring and summer. They are incredibly beautiful – just look at those glowing yellow eyes! I still remember the first time I saw one at the pond in the St Boniface Industrial Park. Research indicates that if left undisturbed by humans, they are more successful during the breeding season. ——– This seems obvious. Did I miss something?

Breeding-goldeneye-thrive-following-reduced-human-disturbance-BirdGuides Download

Kelly Sorenson and his team at Ventana Wildlife Foundation rank right up there in terms of dedication. What they have done for wildlife in California is phenomenal. If you would like to learn more about the triumphs and challenges of reintroducing nearly extinct species, listen to the discussion with Kelly. (The link should take you to the podcast).

SOS-Reintroducing-endangered-species-1A Download

The latest migration count by Hawk Mountain.

Your inbox has undoubtedly been full of calls for donations or fundraising. It is the time of year when our nature centres and wildlife rehabbers do their final push for much-needed funds. I am just going to use the following promotion as an example. Today I noticed that someone wished to purchase some of the merch from Glaslyn but felt that they couldn’t because they lived elsewhere. My experience is that almost every centre will make an effort to get items shipped anywhere in the world. Glaslyn is no exception. Dyfi ships also…many now have fixed their forms to include out-of-the-way places. The Royal Albatross Centre has sent me possum hats (they are so soft) and books over the years, and it takes about 18 days for parcels from New Zealand to arrive in Canada. So, if there are things that you wish for yourself or to gift to someone else, and you cannot see a way to have the items shipped to your location, find the contact information and ask them!

Take care everyone! Thank you for being with me today. We hope to have you with us soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, fun graphics, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H’, Sydney Sea Eagles, Penny Albright, Metzger, PLO, Osprey House, Lady Hawk, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, KNF-E1, Bird Guides, Achieva, Explore.org, SOS, and Hawk Mountain.

Connick will go to the Smithsonian…Wednesday in Bird World

29 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Everything is just fine in Cat World. The girls had to be separated because the electrician came to work on the heating in the conservatory. Calico had been snippy yesterday, and I wondered how she would be after I opened the door. The three had their chicken dinner, and Missey settled in Calico’s chair for a nice after-supper nap. Calico went over and noticed where Missey was, and I held my breath. Then Calico proceeded to go to another chair, which was softer actually. Hope went on her little placemat, and the world smiled. I felt proud of my girls and much relieved.

Everyone says it is making sure there are enough places to nap, enough places to get up high, enough spots to hide, toys, cuddles and food – oh, yes, and litter boxes. Well, the three have lots of choices. Anyone visiting me would notice two things – an enormous amount of books and the house being more or less a kitty daycare. So, hopefully, that will do it.

Geemeff came through for me when Calico had her surgery with the suggestion of an antiseptic cream and using olive oil to keep the area moist enough so that the skin did not get taut while healing. It sure worked. Calico never licked, and she healed up nicely. Today, Geemeff suggested Omega 3 oil for Calico and her arthritis. We are going to go for it and see if it will help. So reluctant to put any of them through a visit to the vet after seeing how traumatised Hope was.

Tonight, the profile of a rabbit eating under the feeders was seen. Thank goodness for a nearly full moon. Oh, it is terrific. Not all of them have been killed by cars or cats.

There is not much time to sit! And we saw the rabbit when we were getting ready for storytime. These girls know everything that happens in the garden. Nothing slips past them! They are enjoying The Meaning of Geese the second time around. Like a good film or book, what you miss the first time is often revealed the second. I would love to be on a bicycle going around Norfolk looking for Pink-footed geese.

A few seconds before, Hope was trying to get in the basket with Calico. She does not realise how big she is! On Saturday, Hope will be 5 months old.

Oh, and one last thing. Remember I purchased some bird seed specific for Blue Jays (Sparrows eat anything)? Junior, the Dad, had been the only one at the table feeder. It seemed that all the others had migrated as many do. Well, I looked out this morning, and there was Junior and the baby of the summer’s clutch! That baby nestled with the two little clay bird figurines on the deck looks the same, just bigger. So happy to see it, along with over 35 Starlings and possibly 100 Sparrows. I did not get a photograph of the two jays…maybe today. But it was priceless to see the two.

‘H’ was busy keeping me up to date today. Thank you! She sent the first item. The big news of the day comes out of Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey. Our friend, Lisa, mentioned earlier in the year that it was planned that Connick would be released in the summer. Then there were issues with a couple of his feathers. It turns out that Connick would not have been able to live in the wild – he will always have feather growth problems. So, Connie and Clive’s 2022 hatch from Captiva will spend the rest of his life as an ambassador at the Smithsonian.

A-Patriotic-New-Chapter-for-Connick-Popular-Captiva-Island-Nest-Cam-Eaglet-Audubon-Center-for-Bir Download

Secondly, ‘H’ solved my riddle of what the acronym MW at Orange stood for – and then SP sent me an entire listing of acronyms used at Orange. I know she will not mind my sharing! Perhaps some of you are as baffled as I am – and do not have time to spend on chat sorting these out. So grateful. Thanks, H and SP!

Acronyms from SP:

“SP = short pole on the slant of the roof by the hatch window

LR = lightning rod

MW = round microwave communications dish

MWB = MW bracket

LHC = left-hand corner of roof top”

Photo of MW with explanations and falcon from ‘H’:

Gris grabbed a screen capture of a juvenile on the LHC (?).

Holly Parsons grabbed a screen capture of a juvenile flying by Xavier sitting on the ledge. We know there is one juvenile still in the territory. It is believed to be Barru. There have not been two juveniles seen ‘together’. Because banding has never been approved for this research project, it is impossible to tell if there is only one or two. That said, it is reassuring to see one flying so well. That is a feat getting to the top of that tower. Perhaps soon they will be in the scrape. Wouldn’t that be grand? Screaming for prey like Izzi?

It is nearing noon and Mum and Giliath and #2 (gosh, it will be exciting to find out its name) are waiting for some fish.

It is nearing 1530 and still no fish. Janet Forster has just posted on chat that the fish are being weighed. It won’t be long Mum!

The weather has not been good for some days with wind and choppy water making it difficult for Dad to fish – and maybe even the fairies.

The fairy arrives! Will promise not to mention it too many more times, but I would like you to contemplate what would have happened to these two beautifully feathered and unique osplets without the supplemental fish.

Chicks pancaked as the fairy approaches.

V3 and Gabby were working away at their nest. They are a gorgeous couple. Let’s hope there are well fed eaglets on this nest for our darling Gabby this year.

M15 is taking very good care of F23. We would expect nothing less.

Tired F23.

So, so tired from laying that second egg. Dear F23. I have been busy with many things the last few days, but I have heard no news of GHOs. I shouldn’t say anything, but did I miss something?

At the WRDC, Rose is getting serious.

Pepe and Muhlady were the first to lay their eggs and today, we are only 8 days away from hatch!

The rangers at the Kisatchie National Forest are getting excited as are all the fans. Waiting for Louis and Anna to provide some eggs for that nest – Alex and Andria thankfully laid theirs early so that we will be able to completely enjoy and learn as we watch the eaglets develop.

Thunder and Akecheta were at there nest today working away!

Wow. Liberty and Guardian were both at the Redding, California Bald Eagle nest on Tuesday.

Jackie and Shadow visited the nest to move some sticks and then went to perch together on the Roost Tree. Jackie appears to have a full crop, while Shadow seems to have some prey blood on his beak. It could be the camera angle and my poor eyes – still hoping they both had a lovely meal before settling down for the night.

For Royal Cam Watchers, if you missed the news, here it is again. Video below.

Tumanako is home and looking for a mate. Will this former Royal Cam chick become a dad this season?

Kakapo might not be able to fly, but they are sure causing issues for those trying to contain them in the nature area in New Zealand! We are always reading about how smart our feathered friends are. This is very interesting – figuring out how to evade the fence!

When thinking about end-of-the-year donations, do not overlook some of those rehabbers who depend on donations and volunteers to save our wildlife, including many of the raptors that we grow to love.

A recent rescue form one of my favourite rehabbers in the US, A Place Called Hope.

If I were that squirrel, I would have been terrified.

https://outdoors.com/watch-worlds-fastest-bird-dive-bombs-after-it-drops-its-lunch/

This monstrous thing is a pole trap that was baited. There are times that I simply cannot stop fantasising about using them on the people who set them. They cause such harm (mental and physical) and death to our beloved wildlife in them.

One person commented, “The use of the pole trap was prohibited ONE HUNDRED and NINETEEN years ago. There’s absolutely no reason for anyone to possess one and as we clearly cannot trust those who do, it’s time their possession became a crime.”

The problem is complex. These hunting estates are enormous. Even if not on a hunting estate, the natural areas are vast and difficult to monitor. Then there is a judicial system that is often part of the group that frequents the hunting parties on some of the estates. At what point will killing animals stop? In the last series of The Crown, Prince William bags his buck and gets bloodied. Everyone is proud and pleased. It is those hunting traditions traced back hundreds and hundreds of years that need to come tumbling down. Will the Scottish government pass the necessary legislation? Are people sick to their stomachs about reading about another endangered species being killed? (Here I am thinking of the recent Golden Eagle…it is time to stop.)

The whole story.

Peregrine-found-dead-in-illegal-pole-trap-in-Pentland-Hills-–-Police-Scotland-appeals-for-informatio Download

How are nature and our beloved wildlife and the climate crisis linked together?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/29/10-ways-in-which-climate-crisis-and-nature-are-linked-aoe?CMP=share_btn_link

I stare at nests around my neighbourhood. Maybe this will help me figure out who made them!

Who-Built-that-Nest-Audubon-Vermont Download

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. We hope to have you with us again soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, H, SP’, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Gris Adriana, PLO, NEFL-AEF, Trish Rawlings, HeidiMc, Superbeaks, US Forestry Service, FORE, FOBBV, Gracie Shepherd, Lady Hawk, Holly Parsons, Kakapo Recovery, APCH, Outdoors.com, Raptor Persecution UK, The Guardian, and Audubon Vermont.

Beautiful Big Red…Sunday in Bird World

19 November 2023

Hi Everyone,

Saturday was a fantastic day on the Canadian Prairies. 6 degrees C. Snow melting. Blue sky. Bright sunshine. Happy people. I dropped off the pet food donations, picked up some Salmon Oil for Calico (and, of course, all the girls will get it along with the Cod Liver Oil and Lysine), and headed straight to the nature centre for a walk. My neighbour stopped me as I was leaving, wondering if we would get punished in January for all this nice weather…it made me think that we cannot wait to go outside on a nice day; it is a nice day. Go for it!

The girls and I are almost finished reading Margaret Renkl’s book, The Comfort of Crows. Every chapter reminds us to ‘live’. Renkl is just turning 60, and she understands that she has lived most of her life and ponders the shortness of time she has left. Renkl reminds us to slow down – to stop with the meaningless tasks we set before ourselves. To live a meaningful life not one full of just business.

Here is a quote from one of the chapters the girls and I read today: “During the funeral, when my friend spoke about her parents’ long marriage….In her eulogy, my friend reminded us of how much her father had loved to sail: “He always said that he felt at peace when sailing, where it was serene and quiet”, she said. “I now appreciate that he enjoyed those days on the boat because the family was together without being in a hurry.” Instantly, I thought about those Post-it notes stuck all over my house. How had I allowed myself to become so busy? How long had it been since I’d spent a day in the sun, eating sandwiches from a cooler and watching water ripple across the surface of a lake? Why do I so often behave as though there will be unlimited days to sit quietly with my own beloveds, listening to birdsong and wind in the pines? (129).

That is why I continued on to the nature centre today. To see the squirrels running around, to watch the one hanging on the bird feeder trying to pry out a peanut, to stop and listen to the chickadees. There is so much beauty that surrounds us. You just have to stop and listen. You can do this by simply standing outside your door or walking to the nearest green space. Sometimes, opening a window and letting the fresh air in brings contentment. Today, when I closed my eyes in the forest and took a deep breath, the smell of the damp leaves, some beginning to decompose, was so very lovely. For you see, it is impossible to smell those leaves beneath the snow!!!!!!

I am sure you do not think this looks like winter! One of the things about living on the prairies is the huge sky – the landscape is horizontal. Many modernist Canadian artists focused entirely on the tiny strip of land and the huge sky that is the hallmark of where we live.

There were three Canada Geese. The lake has only a thin sheet of ice in a couple of places. The smaller ponds are melting and there is plenty of food for geese and ducks available. There was the usual banditry of Black-capped chickadees so named as a group because they look like they have black bandanas or are wearing a mask, a single White-breasted Nuthatch, and numerous squirrels, both Red and Grey.

The chart below shows that we are above normal temperatures for this time of year.

Today I hope to get to another park where I am told the ducks are still paddling!

Thank you for your good wishes for Calico. She seems much improved and has been running around the house – something she has not done in a week!

The girls had their lunch and then it was time to ready for a nap. Calico and Missey were in the conservatory and Hope was in Missey’s basket in the sitting room. They love to curl up and stay warm – even with the temperatures outside, the oven has been on and the central heating hasn’t (the thermostat is right by the oven – bad design). Their heated beds arrive on Monday! Just in time for any dip in temperatures.

It is so peaceful. The Feliway continues to work, and there are no hissing or stalking behaviours that I have seen. Calico and Missey can sleep within a few feet of one another, and Calico is no longer concerned when Hope is playing with Missey. Smiling.

There are several videos of Diamond and Xavier feeding a fledgling on top of the tower. As at Sydney, it is not confirmed if both fledglings are being seen or if there is only one. Send positive wishes for both Marri and Barru as well as 31 and 32 – we hope that we are seeing both at each area.

The latest one, from SK Hideaways, is second..

‘A’s report for Orange: “The parents had a lengthy bonding session, which I believe was at about 16:11:05. (These two have had bonding sessions lasting up to four hours, though I think Xavier fell asleep during some of the longer ones!) But they are taking advantage of some adult time. Meanwhile, at least one of the juveniles has been spotted sitting on the roof of the water tower, where we saw at least one yesterday. I am unsure whether both juveniles have been positively ID’d or not. At least one of the fledglings is strong enough to fly to the top of the tower. Now, some landing control practice and we will see at least one of them in the scrape again. Talons crossed for them both.”

At Port Lincoln, Mum, Giliath, and #2 wait to see who will be first in with the fish. They are hoping for Dad!

It is 10:38 and Mum is telling Dad that it is about that time he leaves the barge and goes out to fish…

It looks like Dad has not gone out fishing yet…it is nearing 0930. Mum and osplets are waiting patiently.

It is 12:30 and so far no fish from Dad. PLO says the fish fairy will be there in half an hour.

A 1.424 kg Trevally was delivered to the nest. It was taken to the ropes. PLO says that two fish were delivered. Mum is eating one on the ropes. Could you look at the size of it? It would feed everyone. I hope she doesn’t lose it overboard. Watchers think something smaller was under the larger fish the chicks nibbled on. It is a bit confusing. There is nothing on the observation board yet to clarify.

OK. Mum took the supplementary fish to the ropes and right after Dad landed on the nest with his own fish.\.

Hopefully Dad will have enough to eat and Mum will not lose the big one and feed herself and the kids for the rest of the day – with maybe some for Dad, too.

Note: Dad’s fish is nice, but that single fish would not be enough to feed 4 for the day. Again, I am thankful to the Fish Fairies.

Confusing. Is Dad feeding part of his fish to the osplets?

Dad is finished with the osplets and is on one of the perches. Mum is still prepping that huge fish. It has to be tough working through that head. She has been at this for more than an hour.

OK. Some clarification. It was a Trevally and a large cleaned squid. Dad fed some of the squid to one of the chicks (#2, I think) while Mum arrives on the nest with the huge lunch. Both will join her.

Mum is going to be exhausted when she finishes feeding this fish.

The chicks are getting quite full. Mum continues to feed them and herself. She has been working on this fish for two and a half hours.

Thank you to the crew of the Calypso Star and the young lad who donated the squid to the osplets. Kindness. Sometimes when the news gets too much, it is these small gestures that make us realise that there is goodness out there.

Today (Monday in Australia), the osplets are 34 and 32 days old. Unless they are females, they will normally peak in growth at 35 days Western Ospreys. Must check and see if this is the case with the Eastern.

The observation board for Port Lincoln. It is unfortunate that Dad lost the fish down on the barge.

The cam ops are not sure who is at the nest with Gabby. I just want Gabby to be able to raise a clutch in peace this season since she lost her fabulous mate, Samson.

I am going with V3 in the nest. Gabby was flirting and V3 was interested.

Handsome couple.

I think I missed this video of Jackie and Shadow!

Ferris Akel found Big Red on the Cornell Campus on his tour on Saturday. Oh, goodness, isn’t she beautiful. Look at that deep auburn Red plumage. She will be 21 years old in March. My goodness it is so good to see you Big Red.

There are two adults on the Achieva Credit Union nest. Jack and Diane?

Been missing Monty and Hartley? A pair of love birds. Don’t you wish you could talk falconsese?

18 Days until Hatch at Superbeaks!

This is the most recent report on sightings of Lady, Dad, and at least one juvie in Sydney:

‘A’ set this report for the 17th at Sydney and I missed it so I am including it here today: “November 17: an early report of a juvenile in the usual spot in the mangroves, then seen flying to River Roost, near both parents. In the afternoon there was a large drone flying over the wetlands –a new method of mosquito spraying, rather than by helicopter. Parents were away during the day – maybe even at Goat Island, closer to the City. Both returned to River Roost before 5pm, and then to the juvenile’s usual area. Shortly after, both parents were at River Roost, with a vocal greeting. Juvenile was seen at the water edge around 6pm, then went deeper into the mangroves. At 6:45pm, an adult was seen flying from the wetlands with a fish, taken to Mangrove Island. It is unclear if a juvenile ate today. Picture shows juvenile flying yesterday.” — Any report, regardless of the day, is good news when it is about the sea eaglets flying about and being fed!

This is the most recent report from ‘A’ for Sydney: “November 19: At 7.50am, 2 adults and a juvie were near each other. Juvie moved a couple of times like yesterday, before settling on another branch nearby, in the heraldic pose at one point. Heard a couple of duets, and sounded like juvie joined in. At 10am, the parents were in much the same spot, both facing more west. The juvie must have been there somewhere. At 11am, one parent flew to River Roost. Later in the afternoon, both parents were on River Roost, near the juvenile, in the usual spot, and then one circling over Ermington Bay. Numerous people using River Walk stopped to ask about the eagles, but the juvenile is still so hard to spot. I don’t believe a feeding was observed.”

M15 and F23 were at the nest on Saturday. I do not see them there currently but they might return later in the night.

Lady Hawk posted this video.

This was earlier.

There has been some concern about the new female ‘F’ at ND-LEEF. ‘H’ reports that she was on the nest with Dad this morning. Fantastic news! ‘H reminds us: “‘F’ was last seen at the nest on 11/12. This morning ‘F’ was back in the nest with Dad, starting about 073341, Dad in first. They left around 0800.”

I love books and I get so excited when I hear that youngsters are learning about our feathered friends and the challenges that they face. Thank you to one of our readers, ‘R’ who introduced Chile Bird to her second graders! We must start with the youngsters so that their respect and empathy for wildlife will grow. Hakai Magazine always has a good list of children’s books this time of year – for all of the holidays celebrated by the various people around the world – and the gifts that they give BUT also because we should all be reading! This offering is called Ten Coastal Kid’s Books. Their summaries are excellent and very useful in helping to make choices for purchase.

Ten-Coastal-Kids-Books-Offer-an-Ocean-of-Adventure-Hakai-Magazine Download

There is another set of books that are meant specifically to inspire empathy and understanding in the young readers.

Earths-Beating-Heart-12-Coastal-Themed-Books-to-Help-Kids-Grow-Their-Understanding-and-Empathy-Download

I recently included an article on how intelligent vultures are. BirdLife International explores the efforts to stop the poisoning of these captivating creatures in Kenya.

Addressing-wildlife-poisoning-in-Kenya-BirdLife-International Download

I read an article that you mind find interesting – it isn’t directly about raptors or wildlife but it certainly is about the quality of life of our neighbours. As many of you know, wealthier countries export their trash – whether it is plastic waste or donated clothes – to poorer countries, often in Africa. This creates untold harm to the people living there at many levels. I recall my granddaughter – who did her practicum for Social Work in Senegal – telling me never to donate clothes. They are sold cheaply and exported and then sold in the markets where they cause the local textile industry to die. We have all seen the piles of plastic garbage. Now the EU is passing legislation to ban the exporting of plastic. Thank goodness someone is tacking responsibility for their own mess. Now which other countries will follow suit?

EU-agrees-to-ban-exports-of-waste-plastic-to-poor-countries-Waste-The-Guardian Download

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care – keep sending your good wishes to our three Australian families on streaming cams. Their challenges are certainly not over, and we want all those fledglings to be safe and well fed. We hope to have you with us again soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, tours, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, R, SP’, SK Hideaways, PLO, NEFL-AEF, Ferris Akel Tours, Achieva Credit Union, Superbeaks, Anna Laios, Lady Hawk, Hakai Magazine, BirdLife International, and The Guardian.

V3 is home…Wednesday in Bird World

15 November 2023

Hello Everyone,

Right now it is 16:20 Tuesday afternoon in the NEFlorida Eagle Cam and V3 is in the nest on full alert! I have heard such speculation about him ‘not being up to the job’ (maybe he isn’t), but Gabby and him sure make a good tea and he risks his life to protect their territory like any bonded mate would. Welcome home. Tears flowing.

V3 and Gabby were at the nest tree and on high alert Wednesday morning.

Now for other news. Tuesday was the glorious day that was promised. The wind was a little nippy, but to be outside in the fresh air, to turn the heating off, and to clear the deck by pushing and not lifting the shovel is a blessing.

I went to the zoo. The purpose was to see the Snowy Owls and the Stellar’s Eagle. I will not tell you what I said quietly in my head after I paid the entrance fee. All I will say is I wonder how families can afford to go to the zoo! But never mind…the Snowy Owls were ‘somewhere’ not to be seen. The road to the Stellar’s Eagle enclosure was blocked for tree trimming. I won’t give it 5 stars for a great day, but I sure did get that long walk in.

The birds in the Toucan Building were lovely. The Roseate Spoonbills were high on the ledges preening. The Toucan had posed for a group of school children and was ready for a break…some of the ducks were bothering one another.

Eurasian Reindeer – the kind that are found in Lapland.

There were several Emu. Australian Birds. They are the second largest bird after the Ostrich. They cannot fly. They have two sets of eyelids – one for blinking and the other for keeping dust and other particles out of their eyes.

A beautiful Reeve Pheasant.

This is an Inukshuk. “The word “inukshuk” means “in the likeness of a human.” For generations, Inuit have been creating these impressive stone markers on the vast Arctic landscape. Inukshuks serve several functions, including guiding travellers, warning of danger, assisting hunters and marking places of reverence.”

At home, Hope and Missey have been playing on the large cat tree.

I am a little worried about Calico. She is on the waiting list to get in to see the vet. She is just not herself.

At Port Lincoln, Mum was doing the toe dance in anticipation of the arrival of Dad with a fish and he did not disappoint. There was a nice headless fish brought in around 08:40.

Giliath is 29 days old and #2 is 27. They are doing so well.

Everyone ate. Notice how quick that fish disappears!!!!!!! We have two hungry youngsters in a big growth spurt.

Huge crops. Thanks so much, Dad!

Fish fairy arrives at 13:15.

Mum removes the fish from the nest to eat the head on the ropes, ensuring that Mum gets some fish. She ate for more than half an hour.

The ops report at Port Lincoln:

Diamond showed up at the scrape at Orange. No word on either Marri or Barru yet but I will keep checking.

Later Diamond and Xavier were bonding in the scrape. Hope should give them a ‘High Five’ for the great job they did raising Marri and Barru.

Cilla Kinross stated that she saw Marri flying about on her way into work and that the fledgling was doing well. She did not have time to grab her camera.

‘H’ sent a note that Cilla had more recent news on the Orange Australia FB page:

Here is Cilla’s video:

M15 defending the nest against the GHO Monday night – if you missed it.

M15 has had to defend the nest again on Tuesday night. Please send all your positive energy. This is a very tense situation and bald eagles and GHOs fighting for territory can result in a tragic end. Stay safe M15!

M15 stayed in the nest last night.

A lot of disinformation is coming out about the SWFlorida and NEFlorida Bald Eagle nests. We wait for things to settle down at both. V3 is still defending the territory near The Hamlet nest against other eagles, and M15 has his hands full with the GHOs.

Looks a little stormy at Captiva. Connie is keeping that precious egg nice and dry.

The second egg was laid Tuesday evening early. Clive was nearby.

I love Martin and Rosa at the Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest. They can raise more eaglets easier than you can blink your eyes. If you do not have them on your watch list, I highly recommend you put them there.

Looks like someone is interested in the Captiva Osprey cam!

A lesson raptor ID.

The New York Times has a great story on how intelligent Vultures are! Thank you to my good friend, ‘N’, for spotting this and sending the link to me so I could share it with you.

Why-Vultures-Might-Just-Be-the-Smartest-Birds-Above-the-Block-The-New-York-Times Download

Hawk Mountain Migration Count til 13 November.

USFWS declares ten birds extinct – eight of them from the Hawaiian Islands. Feeling sad.

Eight-Hawaiian-bird-species-declared-extinct-BirdGuides Download

Want to know more about hummingbirds? I love seeing them in the garden but the speed with which they move is so incredible making it nearly impossible for an amateur like me to catch their likeness with my camera. Those beautiful little bullet shapes with the most amazing wings and iridescent colours to rival any eye shadow pallet this season – read on.

Scientists-learn-secret-to-hummingbirds-remarkable-agility-Science-The-Guardian Download

Love Albatross? Looking for an excellent children’s book? Chile Bird. The true story of a Royal Albatross is a wonderful choice, beautifully illustrated – touches the hardships that our Royal Albatross face in their daily lives and the heroic efforts of people to save them. I ordered my copy from the Royal Albatross Visitor’s Centre on Taiaroa Head. (Apologies for the glare).

Children's Books, Toys, Homewares

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, N’, PLO, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Cilla Kinross, Gracie Shepherd, Androcat, Window to Wildlife, Dulles-Greenway Eagle Cam, Phil Hayne, The New York Times, Hawk Mountain, Bird Guides, The Guardian, and Diane Miller.

Fish Fairies…Monday in Bird World

13 November 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, oh….Sunday was so warm. It went up to +6 C. The sky was blue. There was a little bit of wind, and it was a perfect day for a long walk at the nature centre. There were 2 Bald Eagles, a Northern Shrike, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, many Black-capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos, about 26 Hooded Mergansers, a single Cormorant, a host of gulls, a pair of ducks and squirrels running everywhere. Everyone was happy and smiling and greeting their fellow birders. Such a wonderful reprieve!

Here are a few images to share with you. The sun was about 3/4 of the way towards setting, and the light was so bright. I worked on some of the images, but still, they continue to look as if they were in silhouette. Apologies.

One of the nicest parts of my walk was sitting on a bench, closing my eyes, and listening to the sound of the geese honking as they flew in. Oh, how I miss that sound when they are all gone. The silence is simply too much.

A lone Cormorant.

Part of the Hooded-Merganser families that have been at the centre since the babies hatched in the early summer.

Nearer to the feeders, the squirrels were busy trying to pull the peanuts and other seeds out from the wire mesh.

S/he got one!

Hairy or Downy? I think it is a female Downy. Remember if you purchase these type of suet feeders to get the ones with the wooden triangle at the bottom. It helps the woodpecker to keep their tail straight and they can feed much more efficiently. They are a little pricer but I promise you they enjoy them that much more.

A Junco hoping to get some seed that one of the birds or squirrels knocks out of the feeders.

It was simply stunning. The light made everything so beautiful. The benches, the empty nests, the lake…even the ice!

The hide is where one of the feeding stations is located. It is perfect for watching the squirrels and little songbirds without scaring them. The wire mesh is to protect the newly planted trees from the deer, while the plastic sleeve around the trunk is to keep the rabbits from destroying the trees.

Before I went for my walk, the girls helped me clean the house. They are too funny. Hope has now managed to take over two of Missey’s favourite spots – the top of the wicker basket looking out to the garden and, of course, the sacred basket with Missey’s baby blanket.

Missey is waiting to see how long it will take Hope to find this other basket in the conservatory! Of course, the good thing is – Hope cannot be in three places at once so there will be a place for Missey (there are many others but Missey is particularly fond of wicker and baskets).

Calico has been getting many brushes during the day and I am rubbing her legs and back. Poor thing. I remember how thin she was when Hope (and any siblings) were newly born. Calico ate and ate…she would rush to finish to get back to her kittens. I worry that her young body paid for that…

They certainly keep me sane.

I missed the photo op, but little Hope was very curious today when ‘the boyfriend’ was eating. His missing fur on the tail and back are coming back in, and he sleeps regularly in the shelter. Geemeff suggested that he might be a good candidate for the male cat in the house…we will see. He was looking in the garden door today!!!!!!!!!!!! You might recall that Calico did that as well when she began to fully trust me.

I want to imagine that all of you are checking on three different nests – you are watching while holding your breath for Marri and Barru to fledge, worried to death about M15 and F23 and the GHOs, and watching those darling babies at PLO and praying for fish deliveries. Certainly that is where my focus has been while also waiting for news of the sea eaglets.

First, thank you to ‘M’, who wrote to remind me that M15 and Harriet had another nest on the Pritchett Property. I had forgotten. This is marvellous news. The GHOs concern me. We have witnessed them taking over eagles’ nests on the streaming cams. The first one that comes to mind is the young eagle couple on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas.

The GHOs hit F23 three times Saturday evening. M15 came to protect her, and they were on the branch together in the morning. M15 delivered a nice fish in the nest for his new lady, and fingers and talons crossed, things go smoothly.

Lady Hawk put the attacks together in a single short video.

At Port Lincoln, Dad came through with a morning fish for Mum and the kids—those precious babies. Yesterday, one of them fed the other a morsel. It melted my heart. My bet is on these two being males. Gentle little males that will go wild once they fledge fighting for fish! Just like Ervie did with his siblings but, until then, perfect little gentlemen.

One large supplementary fish came on the nest, and my goodness, I am not good at identifying fish, but it sure looks like a shark.

Mom’s eyes look like they will pop out.

The look on Giliath’s face tells it all!!!!!!!!!!

#2 likes the shade of Mamma…this fish will last a long time. Maybe #2 will begin pecking at the tail, too. How wonderful. Thank you, Fish Fairies.

They cleaned up the fish. Giliath might have been in a perfect position, but #2 got lots of fish. Both left the feeding with bulging crops – and happily, Mum could also get a good meal. Let us hope Dad brings another nice fish to the nest for his family later in the day. Otherwise, it will be a long time until the fish arrive tomorrow. Dad came and took the fishtail at 13:53, but Mum seemed to have quite a few scraps in the nest, and the chicks were already thinking it might be good to eat them.

You can see #2’s crop in the image below. Giliath’s head is behind Mum’s right wing.

Food comas.

Ah, and I bet you have noticed…we don’t have reptiles anymore. Look at the beautiful feathers and that deep thermal down that will help our ospreys regulate their temperature. Look at the size of the wings and those cute tails. Growing up!

‘A’ comments on those feedings at PLO: “Every year, there comes a moment when I genuinely wonder whether a crop has ever literally burst. Surely a crop the size of Giliath’s or Little Bob’s must be extremely uncomfortable. I wonder whether they need to leave the food there for a period of time for primary digestion before crop dropping it into their stomachs and whether it is uncomfortable or painful to swallow too much too soon. They don’t seem to do it all that often, though we do see smaller hatches doing it if they’ve waited a long time and suddenly get some fish or occasionally when they are trying to fit more in during a particularly lengthy feeding to which they return several times. (Little Bob has done it once or twice when mum has been particularly insistent during one of her hour-plus feedings. Some of these fairy fish are gigantic, thank goodness.) But this evening (it is 18:20 in Port Lincoln) everyone is full. Mum has eaten heaps. Dad has taken the fish away, eaten, and brought back leftovers. He’s a good dad. He tries. Sometimes, it’s very gusty and the waves are extremely choppy. I imagine it could be very difficult fishing there at those times, which occur most days – some days are just particularly bad. “

Several other news items from Port Lincoln. It was Calypso’s mate (he is the 2019 hatch at Port Lincoln) that was found hanging upside down on a pole. The female flew off but has not been seen. People are watching out for her. Calypso was at the nest looking and calling for her.

Did Ervie go to help search for his brother’s mate? –Sadly, Fran Solly has now posted that Calypso’s mate has been found dead. This is so sad. So many Osprey’s lost, so few because they are so endangered in South Australia. Now for Calypso to find another female. Condolences to all.

Love the Port Lincoln Ospreys? Friends of Osprey Sth Australia have calendars and I understand that it is full of Fran Solly’s amazing photographs – even Ervie!

The money from all of the fundraising projects goes directly to put up the platforms, the trackers, etc. Here is a copy of the August 2023 newsletter telling you what was accomplished up to that date.

I am over the moon that Fran, Bazz, and Janet fought to intervene at the nest this year with supplementary feedings, just like in NZ with the Royal Albatross Chicks. I look forward to their research findings and want to help in any way I can so that they know their compassion for this family is appreciated…that is why I am posting the information about the calendar.

Newsletter-3 Download

Partney and Marrum lost their only osplet to predation by a raptor (presumed) on Tumby Island. The Crows then took over the nest and the nest is now reclaimed by a pair of ospreys. It is not confirmed if it is Partner and Marrum.

More problems with Crows could have been the cause of the death of the osplet on the Sunshine Coast. So sad.

We have all been biting our fingernails watching Marri and Barru. Barru had a close call slipping out of the scrape, but thankfully, he recovered! It is 2130 on the Canadian Prairies Sunday evening, and neither has fledged, but they sure could while I am sleeping. These two are ready. Their interest is in the outside world. Diamond and Xavier are doing a good job keeping them focused on their flying – doing aerial displays and carrying prey. Everything the adults do is a lesson imprinted on the minds of Marri and Barru to take with them into their futures.

Whew!

Still there…it is past midnight in Canada…

The Osprey Cam on Captiva will go live today!

The cameras at the West End are now live, too, and you can see both the old and new nests of Thunder and Akecheta! Amazing, Dr Sharpe. Thank you.

The cameras are back at Lock Arkaig and there are more visitors to Louis and Dorcha’s nest!

Was it Smitty?

‘H’ reports that “‘F’ eagle is back at Notre Dame Eagles, per post by Phillipe Josse 11/12, both she and Dad were in the nest briefly on 11/12.” Wonderful news for Little Bit ND17’s Dad!

Deb Stecyk gives us an update of some of the Bald Eagle nests in Canada and the impact of the wildfires this past summer.

Good news coming out of the Kakapo Recovery on one of the Kakapo that had to go for treatment to Dunedin.

‘A’ sent this to me and I missed it so did not include it with the Sunday newsletter. Hopefully there will be some sightings of the eaglets.”Finally, the report for 11 November from WBSE: November 11: Prey delivery last evening at 6:30 to Mangrove Island, not sure if juvenile was about. This morning at 7:45, an adult, I think Dad, was on mangroves where seen yesterday. Hard to see if a juvenile is there in the shadows. Lots of river traffic, with scullers going close and loud microphones yelling training orders. Rivercats passing, dozens of watercraft – Dad ignores them it seems. At 8:01, I heard a juvenile squawk and a currawong – close to an adult. Lots of rubbish under the mangroves, and I heard another threat. Hearing a Koel – is it yelling at the juvenile as well? Pied Oystercatcher flying past. Striated Heron. Great Egret with breeding plumage. Mangrove Gerygone behind me. Later, around midday, the ground team reported adults on Mangrove Island and circling over the area, but no juvenile or feeding was seen.”

And then the report for yesterday from WBSE, thanks ‘A’: “November 13: Early in the morning, I saw one of the adults down in the mangroves, then the other as well. One soared so high overhead, I could no longer see it. The adults were hard to spot on the river, not always in their familiar roosts, and seemed to be moving further into the mangroves. Later, at last, we saw one of the juveniles on a branch in the mangroves – so hard to spot in the shadows, with its brown colouring (see the picture). It stayed still there for over 2 hours while we were watching, with not a sound. One of the adults was moving in and out, but we saw no prey delivered. Again the mullet are jumping. We saw the male Osprey over the Nature Reserve wetlands, flushing out about a dozen lapwings. No more news during the afternoon. As there is an “empty nest” now, or mostly, we rely on ground observers to report any action on the river.”

Oh, I wished I lived closer to Vancouver! If you do, then here is a real opportunity.

HPAI or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or Bird Flu is claiming so many of the sea and shore birds.

Worlds-largest-gannet-colony-declines-by-a-quarter-following-bird-flu-BirdGuides Download

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Take care of yourself. We hope to have you with us again really soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, photographs, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, M’, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk, PLO, Friends of Ospreys Sth Australia, Anita Corran, Eric Kotz, Wildlife at Osprey House, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Window to Wildlife, Jan Gallivan, Geemeff, Deb Stecyk, Kakapo Recovery, Hancock Wildlife Foundation, and Bird Guides.

Category Archives: sea birds

Tuesday in Bird World

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Captiva Hatch…M15 protects F23 and eggs during heavy rain…Sunday in Bird World

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Friday in Bird World

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It is Bradley…Thursday in Bird World

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Wisdom wins the dance contest…Tuesday in Bird World

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Marri or Barru?…Thursday in Bird World

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Connick will go to the Smithsonian…Wednesday in Bird World

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Beautiful Big Red…Sunday in Bird World

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V3 is home…Wednesday in Bird World

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Fish Fairies…Monday in Bird World

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