27 March 2023
Don’t you just love Auto-Correct when it sneaks in behind your back. It was not Telly home but beautiful Telyn! Mate of Idris at Dyfi.
So happy to see her!
Take care…wanted to fix that. Have a great day everyone!
Telyn is home!!!
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Ervie, Jackie and Shadow at nest, Milda lays an egg…Friday in Bird World
10 March 2022
Good Morning Everyone!
The end of the week is here! It is rarely of little consequence to me unless something is happening. There are some wonderful things about retirement!
Two new to me ‘previously owned’ books arrived in the post this morning. I have been waiting some time, and what a joy to receive them. One is by Roy Dennis. It is The Loch. A Year in the Life of a Scottish Loch. It was an accompaniment to a television series in the 1990s. The images are beautiful and would have you booking a ticket to Scotland immediately. The other is a study of Peregrine Falcons in New York City by Saul Frank. It is titled City Peregrines. A Ten-Year Saga New York City Falcons. Will keep you posted!
Meanwhile, the kittens have taken over the house. They love nothing more than going in and out of a box and all the wrappings, large paper bags are fair game for an entire afternoon of jumping in and out, and anything that is light enough to be transported can and will be picked up and moved by Lewis.
Lewis decided to take over the large dog bed today with all of the blankets!
Missy fell asleep in the small basket while she was playing.
They bring joy! And they love watching the animals in the garden.
There is news of Ervie and he is still in Port Lincoln!
Lou did a marvellous job yesterday. There was a huge storm in San Francisco and Lou incubated for almost six hours was Annie was missing.
Wondering about Jackie and Shadow? They showed up together on cam 2 on Thursday. In fact, they were on the snag tree and in the nest and Shadow stayed around for some time! There is also a sub-adult hanging about.
Looking at the image above and the chart below, how old do you think this eagle is?
Jackie and Shadow were also in the nest doing some cleaning. The time was 13:38 on Thursday. Getting anxious to see if we will have a replacement clutch.
M15 was extremely busy flushing those female intruders from the territory on Wednesday, which might account for the few prey deliveries to the Es. Lady Hawk posted all the action! We might begin to imagine that M15 wishes he was less popular.
On Thursday morning, a prey drop came at 12:47. E22 got it and ate it but not before 21 had some and then 22. It went back and forth. Both ate.
I love these little chats that C F Marshburn creates for the eagles.
Wonder why there has not been a lot of prey deliveries? D Morningstar posted a very informative video of M15 and one of the female intruders. He cannot risk getting injured. Better the eaglets be a bit hungry than to have their only provider, Dad, disabled or killed.
You can hear 22 in the background calling for fish! I don’t think we will ever forget him!
Ron and Rose are approaching pip watch and now they are having to defend both their nest and those precious eggs!
I cannot think of an Osprey nest I have enjoyed more than Moorings Park. One of the reasons is Harry. Not only is he such a great provider, but he loves being in the nest with Sally and the two kids, and he is getting more involved in feeding the little ones every day.
Unlike eagles, ospreys will remove the fish from the nest to not attract insects and intruders wanting food.
The osplets eyes are open wide, as is their beak. That open beak will get the fish! The eyes of the osprey are large. Poole tells us that they can resolve the details of an object at 3-5 times the distance a human can (11).
The pair hatched on the 3rd of March. They are a week old today. These two have already tripled their body weight since hatch. This weight will double in the nest four days. Their fastest growth is between 15-30 days.
In North America, Western Ospreys, according to Cornell Bird Lab, remain in the nest for 50-55 days before their first flight (the fledge). They will return to the nest to be fed by their parents while they develop their flying skills. While the fledglings may accompany and observe the adult fishing, they are not taught to hunt/catch prey like Bald Eagles do with their fledglings. Ospreys have developed a clear instinct for knowing how to fish after 60 million years of existence.
Notice the white at the tip of the osprey looking at you in the image below. This is what remains of the egg tooth that this little one used to break up that egg shell. Also notice the black line that extends under the eye towards the nape. This helps them to ward off glare so they can see fish in the water when there is bright sun. Yes, football players picked up on this trick from the Ospreys!
These two are beginning to develop. See the cream stripe down the centre top of the back. Notice the little ‘prickles’ on either side. This pair will keep their light woolly down (feathers) for 10-12 days, and then dark charcoal thick down will replace it. This is called the ‘reptilian period’. Their heads will look like black oil has been poured on them. Some copper-red feathers will appear at the back of the head and nape. It is often during this period that osplets get ‘cranky’ and they may begin beaking one another.
There was some concern that Indigo had left the territory of his parents, Diamond and Xavier. That is not the case. He was MIA for about 24 hours, then showed up and spent an entire in the scrape. Wonder what he was up to that tired him out so much? In the Wizard of Oz we are reminded, ‘There is no place like home!’
In Latvia, Milda, the White-tailed Eagle, has laid her first egg of the 2023 season. Sending positive wishes to her and Voids. Milda deserves it. She lost her long-time mate, Ramis, two years ago. She has yet to raise chicks to fledge since then successfully. 2022 was particularly difficult. After almost starving, Milda, who had been incubating here eggs for 8 days with no food for herself, left to eat. The fear was the eggs would not hatch. But, they did. The wee things eventually froze/starved to death. So, yes, please, lots of positive wishes for this much loved WTE.
Milda will likely lay two eggs three days apart. They will be incubated for approximately 35 days.
Voldis and Milda were working on their nest and mating late in February. Arlene Beech shares some of this with us in her video.
Watching raptors incubate eggs is boring. We are almost to the stage where Ron and Rose will stop incubating and feed little eaglets! The same applies to the Venice Golf and Country Club, where osprey eggs await their pip date. There are lots of others. Meanwhile, the Kistatchie Forest eaglets are branching, and soon SW Florida will be branching also. So enjoy a few days of incubation with Annie and Lou and watching Sally and Harry feed their little ones and the two eaglets at Duke Farms. Soon you will be scrambling to find time to check in on everyone. Oh, and then Jackie and shadow could surprise us with more eggs!
It is pip watch for Martin and Rosa at Dullas-Greenaway on the 11th! – yes, tomorrow.
Watching Karl II’s Black Stork family for migration movement. Waba headed north to Eritrea, then turned around and returned to Sudan. Gosh, this little one surprises us all the time. No transmissions from Bonus, Kaia, or Karl II yet.
There has also been no transmission from Zoe from the Port Lincoln Osprey barge. We wait in hope that she will turn up somewhere and someone will see and photograph her.
I wonder how many raptors actually land on ships and travel around. We certainly saw this with Glen, the Osprey, who was on two ships. Now a Burrowing Owl has gone on a cruise.
Gosh, I hope that Zoe didn’t get on a cruise ship!
Thank you so much for joining me today. I am heading off for a wee bit of a break and to catch sight of some waterfowl, I hope. It is not clear if there will be a blog on Saturday morning. It could be an abbreviated one. I will, for sure, be back on Sunday. Take care of yourselves. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, announcements, videos, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog this morning: ‘H’, Port Lincoln Osprey, Cal Falcons, FOBBV, Avianreport.com, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagles, Carol F Marshburn and SWFlorida Eagles, D Morningstar and SW Florida Eagles, Patti Lawless Sirbola and Ron and Roses Eagle nest Watchers, Dulles-Greenaway Eagle Nest, Moorings Park Osprey Cam, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Amanda lake and the Latvian Fund for Nature, Arlene Beech and the Latvian Fund for Nature, Looduskalender Forum, and ABC7 Southwest Florida.
Sue and Otto died of Avian Flu, Zoe leaves barge?…Sunday in Bird World
29 January 2022
Good Morning Everyone,
There are two big news items this morning. The test results on Sue and Otto, the beloved Syracuse University Red-tail Hawks and Zoe, the Port Lincoln 2022 Osprey fledgling.
Sadly, it was no coincidence. Testing reveals that Sue and Otto, the long time resident Red Tail Hawks at Syracuse University, had Avian Flu. There are still tests pending. How did they catch it? They either ate infected prey, came into contact with the saliva of an infected bird or the feces of an infected bird. We know that Avian Flu is around. We read about it several times in a fortnight and yet, when it hits home to two much beloved Red-tail Hawks, it becomes more real. Our condolences go out to everyone.
This is a very frightening situation with regard to birds and waterfowl in the area. It is a distance of 59 miles from Syracuse to Cornell which is at at the southern end of Cayuga Lake.
Sue and Otta together in a much happier time. They raised 28 eyases to fledge.
Here is the announcement:
In other news:
People can make a difference. We do not have to sit back and let developers and governments allow sacred woodlands to be destroyed. Have a read!
On Ferris Akel’s Saturday tour to the wildlife areas around Ithaca, New York, there were lots of ducks – Red Heads and Canvas Backs – Canada Geese and Tundra Swans along with Mallards and Mergansers. Oh, I do miss the waterfowl and can’t wait for April when they start returning to Manitoba to breed.
The waterfowl in the images below, captured during Ferris Akel’s tour, is at the northern end of Cayuga Lake. Please look at the map I posted above to locate Cayuga Lake, Syracuse, and then Cornell so you know where Sue and Otto had their nest and where Ferris takes his tours (he does not go to Syracuse on Saturdays).
A Common Merganser.
An adult Tundra Swan and below it a juvenile.
Note the grey head and the bill which is not solid black – the indications of a juvenile Tundra Swan.
A group of 3 adults and a single juvenile Tundra Swan preparing to land on Cayuga Lake.
A Mute Swan. Note the different bill.
Notice the orange bill and the bulging nodule above the bill plus the black patch from the eye to the bill. A Mute Swan. Mute Swans are larger than Tundra Swans. The Tundra Swans have a black bill and black legs.
A good comparison of the Mute Swan and the Juvenile Tundra. Despite the Mute being farther behind, you can see how much larger these swans are than the Tundra.
A pair of Mute Swans.
Bald Eagles on a partially frozen pond – both adults and juveniles.
Always nice to lurk and listen to Ferris’s tours and then jump up to look if he finds Big Red, Arthur, and any of the kids on the Cornell Campus. No hawks today!
Nest News:
I have to start with Zoe who is 134 days old today. Yesterday (Sunday in Australia) she left the barge and flew to White Flats where there is a River and a Reservoir. Dad brought her one fish on Saturday; it is not known if she caught any fish herself . She remained on the barge in the rain Saturday evening. What ever possessed our girl to fly off and head inland instead of staying by the water is beyond me but, if you recall, Solly also travelled inland at times surprising everyone. Has our girl left her natal nest for good? I feel a little overwhelmed with Zoe leaving. She was always there, screaming for fish. I imagined she would be there much longer.
She flew off the nest at 07:55:43. It was windy and the water was choppy.
Zoe prepares for her take off.
Zoe has been gone for almost four hours at the time I am writing this. Will she return to the barge? Or will these beautiful tail feathers be our last sighting of her at Port Lincoln? It is always a bittersweet moment. We want the fledglings to have their freedom and we want them safe at home.
If this is the last we see of you, Zoe, other than photographs and sat pak tracking, live a long life. Life it fully, have many chicks, stay safe, always have a full crop.
It has been a rough year at the Port Lincoln nest losing Little and Middle Bobs. Mum and Dad were brilliant throughout it all. They will be eating fish alone in peace without a screaming Zoe. They will be building up their strength again before it is August – and if time flies as fast as it has, we will just be seeing the UK Ospreys leaving for migration when Mum and Dad think of eggs again at Port Lincoln.
Parent enjoying a fish meal in peace without Zoe screaming wanting it. The time is 12:18.
There were 277 votes cast in the naming contest for the oldest eaglet at Kistachie National Forest (KNF) E3 nest. Hello Valentine. Votes for naming Valentine’s younger sibling will start next Friday at noon nest time. Then it will be the turn of Anna and Louis’s little one to get its name. We will vote on one out of three pre-selected names.
Valentine got to the table first but, 02 was not long in getting up there to enjoy some nice fresh fish.
Gabby and V3 were together at their nest early in the morning near Jacksonville. This is V3. Note the nick under the nostril on the right side.
This amazing new couple. V3 in the back, Gabby in the front.
Can you find Connick?
That little eaglet of Connie and Clive’s is changing rapidly!
Connick loves the freshest fish on the nest…don’t blame him/her. The old fish must be dry and a little hard.
The sun is setting on the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Connie and Clive and little Connick is cheeping and wanting some last fish – he is watching Connie eat. Don’t blame him! “Fill me up Mum!” Connie finished the fish and I did not see the wee one get any before fed. Connick was full already. He just wanted a topper. It is a long time til breakfast. At least 12 hours if not a little more.
Everything seems to be going fine at the nest of Ringo and Boots in Webster, Texas. Isn’t this wonderful? You might recall that little Boots had literally been plucked (back of head, nape, and upper back) of feathers. But, Boots wants to live and that is precisely what is happening – and the beaking has stopped. Wish we knew what started those frenzied attacks when the eaglets were so young but, at the same time, it is just nice it is over. So grateful for Paul White’s videos and updates.
It is little Boots time for some food.
If you are US Steel eagle fans, the eagles are working on the nest!!!!!
Nancy and her mate were also busy in Minnesota.
It is always a winter wonderland scene in Decorah, Iowa when the snow falls. Isn’t that just beautiful? What a gorgeous view for the eagles.
Nest restorations include new corn husks. Have you noticed all the different materials the eagles use for the interior of their nests depending on where they live?
This is the scene at Decorah North. I did not see anyone there today.
Jackie is gorgeous in the morning light coming from the sun rising over Big Bear Lake in California.
Jackie was quite alert today. The Ravens/Crows were around making noises at 0933 and I heard them again when I checked back at 1058. I wish they would go away and not want those eggs!
Everyone is doing fine at Superbeaks. They are working those wings. Pearl is 51 days old today and Tico is 50 days old. The next couple of weeks will speed by in a flash…and then we are into fledge watch around 77 days for Florida Bald Eagles.
What an amazing nest this has been to watch this year. I thank everyone who recommended it to me. Pearl and Tico are so healthy and PePe and Muhlady were amazing parents. There appeared to be not a hungry moment on this nest.
It is hard to spot any remaining dandelions. There are just gorgeous espresso juvenile feathers. Beautiful dark eyes and of course the beak is dark black and grey almost ombre style.
At the opposite end is our little butterball cutie pie, B16 at Berry College. Before we blink, B16 will be standing and walking just like Tico and Pearl.
Dad came in with a huge rabbit. B16 was really hoping that Mum might give some of that for lunch but, no, she went and dug in the pantry til she found something nice and ripe!
Ron and Rose can just crack you up! Heidi Mc caught an unusual moment from today for us.
Jack continues to deliver fish to Diane at the nest in St Petersburg. Eggs should be laid if Diane is on her normal schedule this coming week.
Mabel and Angus have been hanging out today at the Captiva Osprey nest. No eggs yet either! Soon maybe. Or not.
It looks like there is some question about whether or not the nest rails are high enough. No, they are not!
Last but never least. Annie and the New Guy caught on streaming cam. Thanks SK Hideaways.
I am so very sorry to have brought you the news about Sue and Otto. Avian Flu is deadly and it can spread like a wildfire. It has not dissipated during the winter months in North America as some might have hoped. Please keep all the birds and wildlife in your most positive thoughts.
Thank you so much for being with me. The nests are all in good form. No worries at all. Looking forward to seeing you soon! Take care of yourself.
Thank you to the following for the announcements, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Red-tailed Hawk Tales, The Guardian, Ferris Akel Tours, Friends of Osprey, Port Lincoln Osprey, KNF-E3, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, Paul White and the Webster Eagle Watchers, Pix Cams, MN-DNR, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, FOBBV, Superbeaks, Berry College Eagle Cam, Heidi Mc and the WRDC, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, and Achieva Credit Union.
If you would like to subscribe so that the blog comes to your inbox daily, just fill in the information below. There is normally only one posting per day. On occasion two. I do not want to fill your e-mail. there are no ads nor are there any fees – just a large group of people from around the world joining together who love raptors.
Name the Captiva Eaglet!
20 January 2022
‘F and M’ just alerted me to the naming contest for the Captiva Eaglet. I know that you will want to participate so put your thinking caps on and come up with a terrific name for this eaglet at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Clive and Connie.
This is the announcement by Lori Covert the property owner.
To vote, you go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/LoriPellerCovert OR Instagram (search for Lori Covert).. Find this baby a great name. A gender neutral name that will travel with him or her for 40 years or more. Thank you!
https://www.facebook.com/LoriPellerCovert
Thanks Everyone! Have some fun. Pick a great, great name.
Captiva eagle feedings are better…Thursday in Bird World
19 January 2022
Good Morning Everyone!
It was a wonderful day yesterday. Wonderful in that – for the second day in a row – a beautiful Mourning Dove was in the garden. Yesterday, she was eating on the snow under the feeders. Today, she spent the entire day pecking at the snow on my neighbour’s roof. Why? Five cats in the garden. Five. One had the nerve to sit right under the feeders. These are fat cats, pets, let out to go to the loo, and then called to come in. How do you spell furious? No one follows the by-laws and why should they? The City doesn’t even enforce them!!!!! Why bother then?
Prior to the demise of the Passenger Pigeon in our province in 1878, the Mourning Dove appeared. Normally they are only present in our province the south and central areas from April to mid-October. A few, however, remain in the winter and wow! I feel so lucky to have seen one. The shiny patch below the ear (rather round spot) signals the difference between this Dove and the Eurasian Collared Dove with its dark crescent collar.
In the mailbox:
‘L’ sent a link to a great article on Wisdom. What is it that allows some birds to live so long? Wisdom will be 71. How is this possible? Thanks, ‘L’!
https://www.audubon.org/news/why-birds-are-anti-aging-superstars
‘H’ wrote to tell me that there is a problem with sibling rivalry at the Bald Eagle nest at Paul White’s in Webster, Texas. The older sibling has apparently plucked all of the feathers off the back of the wee one. There is plenty of fish on the nest. These two are so very tiny.
Paul White says:
Webster, TX copyright Paul W. White 1/18/2023 Boots gets most of this feeding. Boy, his back has been taking a beating, it’s bloody! Ringo bites him even when he is sleeping and there is no reason for rivalry. I have never seen the bonking this vicious before.
Pat Burke, a very wise eagle loving woman shared her thoughts with the Webster Texas Eagle Watchers FB page. I always value Pat’s wisdom.
I get so many questions every year about why raptors in the US are so much more aggressive than those in the UK. The question usually focuses on ospreys because there are no Bald Eagles in the UK. So the real question is why on nests with plenty of food does one eagle turn on the other? Admittedly, the eaglets on the Webster nest are really quite young. We need to remember that eaglets are blind when they hatch and acquire their sight and focus over a period of a few days. That is why they are often called ‘bobbleheads’. Every beak is a potential adult with food! But what about if they are older? like the eaglets at KNF-E3? We often think of dominance but are there more subtle underlying issues? Toxins/pollutants/contaminated soil and water where the eagles get their prey? DNA? There sure are a lot of refineries and pipelines around Webster, Texas. Check it out. How about Alexandria, Louisiana? Check it out. They are there, too. You just need to Google: are there any refineries around Webster, Texas? are there any refineries around Alexandria, La? Not saying. Just thinking. Always so many questions about the level of aggression in US raptors versus those in the UK.
Making News:
Some good news!
But, there is also sad news today. The female Red-tail Hawk at Syracuse University has died from head trauma – either a building or window strike or a car/bus. How very sad for all of our friends at Syracuse who watched Sue raise her eyases for the past 12 years. .
Oh, more good news. Teaming together to save the Bald Eagles and their chicks – the culprit: monofilament line. Please, please clean up after yourself if you fish, tell others to do so, and help out if you see fishing line, old masks, mesh bags…A good idea is to take a couple of bags with you if you go for a walk. You can use one as a glove. Pick up and try to properly dispose. Cutting the fishing line into tiny pieces helps. Then clean your hands!
A Place Called Hope is where you want to wind up if you are a raptor. They are fantastic. They have put out a FB announcement. If you know of anyone in this area who has lost a pet Cockatoo, get in touch.
Monitoring the Nests (some of them):
Let’s start with a wonderful Peregrine Falcon scrape and the amazing and ever loud, Indigo! This should put a smile on our faces.
Elain has her great daily summary video from Diamond and Xavier’s scrape. Yes, Indigo is still home! Love that loud kid, don’t you?
After the rain it is so nice to see Annie and her new ‘stingy male’! Thanks SK Hideaways. If he wants to win her heart, he had best part with that food. Note to self: maybe he is shy and gives her prey off camera?
Jackie and Shadow were both on the nest at 12:43. Early alerting and then relaxed. No signs of a fish delivery from Shadow so far on the 18th (til noon nest time). It looks like he might have been busy protecting the territory.
Shadow never likes to give up his turn to incubate.
At the Northeast Florida nest of Gabby and V3, the couple are working on their nest. Looks like more material being brought in. What a lovely couple.
There were some good views of Pearl and Tico at the Superbeaks Nest today. Gosh, these are lovely eaglets. Very attentive parents, lots of prey. An amazing nest! Pearl is the darkest – on the right and Tico is on the left. This is the difference in one day in eagle development.
The adults at the Duke Farm nest have been on and off and are working to get restorations finished before egg laying. There was a juvenile that flew to the nest and made a bit of a mess but all seems to be well.
It is, at times, very difficult to say what is happening at Captiva but, it is clear that Clive is a great male. The nest is full of fish – 7 or 8 of them and some pieces. Clive is doing a smacking job feeding the little one. I want to be hopeful.
At the last feeding of the day, 17:57, the eaglet has a smallish crop and is covered in fish juice.
The features of the eaglet are exaggerated because the feathers around its head, neck, and throat are all glued to its body from the fish juice. Hopefully a good night under Mum will help with that. It looks as if it has some fish today. Please keep sending your positive wishes towards this family. It will help you to see that ‘lump’ in the throat – the crop. So hopeful. There were 8 feedings on Wednesday and it would appear that baby and Mum are figuring out this feeding.
Feedings much better Thursday morning at Captiva. Feeling so happy for the little one.
So what happened to all the fish being delivered to the KNF-E3 nest? The kids have been eating off that old piece of Coot all day Wednesday. KNF-E3-01 was walking today and moving sticks about just like the adults, too! Making great strides including having a go at self-feeding. At the same time, the oldest eaglet has prevented the youngest from eating until it straddles up close to Mum and gets a few beakfuls. There are no piles of fish on this nest and when 02 did get some food, it was the hard old parts of the Coot. Where is Alex? and where is some fresh fish?
Is the beaking that began in earnest a couple of days ago because the adults cleaned up the nest and there is not a pile of fish? food insecurity?
The streaming cam went out shortly after 14:42 and this feeding. 02 is so hungry but 01 filled itself to the brim at the expense of the younger sibling. 01 can hardly stand its crop is so big. You can see that tiny little crop of 02’s.
Notice how much bigger 01 – probably a female – and 02 – probably a male – is.
Coot and fish on offer at KNF-E1 and their cam is off line also. Hoping everyone is safe.
Harriet and M15’s eaglets are getting curious about the outside world. Still so tiny! And sweet. No obvious beaking on this nest.
No word on any pips yet at Berry College.
Both eagles at the US Steel nest in Pittsburg, PA today.
Oh, I love these video clips that HeidiMc does of Ron and Rose…I wish we could get this kind of cute interaction on the nest of Gabby and V3! You have to pay really close attention…look at what Rose does!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am still laughing. Great job editing, Heidi. Do we think Ron is going to get the hint?
There was some excitement with Diane and Jack over at the Achieva Credit Union. Diane is certainly better and was feeling frisky. Bonding took place on top of the perch pole. Now – that is a feat and it really shows how much improved and healed her leg is. Fantastic. Not sure how successful that mating attempt was but, it was a first me – ospreys on a pole.
In South Australia, Zoe is 123 days old today. On Wednesday, Mum and Dad delivered 3 fish to their girl (Dad 2 and Mum 1). Zoe is not starving!!!!!!!! Delivery times were 09:55, 13:45, and 21:19.
So much news…so many nests!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. Hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their letters, their posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: ‘L’, ‘H’, Audubon.org, Webster Texas Eagle Watchers FB, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, Red-tail Hawk Tales, Judy Eddy Bald Eagles 101, Fox 13 News Tampa Bay, A Place Called Hope, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Cal Falcons, FOBBV, NEFL-AEF, Superbeaks, Duke Farms, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E3, KNF-E1, SWFL Eagles and D Pritchett, Berry College, US Steel Eagles, Heidi Mc and WRDC, Achieva Credit Union, and Port Lincoln Ospreys.
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Egg swap at Royal Albatross Cam…Tuesday in Bird World
17 January 2022
Hello Everyone!
The start of the week was rather exciting with the pip of the Royal Cam chick’s egg! The worries about Jackie in the snow and the two eggs at Big Bear. Of course, we shouldn’t worry. Shadow and Jackie have this! Oh, I adore them. My only worry is CJ7 at Captiva which will be explained as this blog unravels today. I have written CROW to find out if there are any circumstances in which they might intervene. I probably will not hear back but, if the chick gets conjunctivitis, they might. They did with E17 and E18 at SWFlorida several years ago.
I found Dyson on top of the neighbour’s house at the corner watching me. Notice how ‘wooly’ she is and those gorgeous little ear tufts. Oh, she is a sweetheart in her winter coat. The squirrels begin growing extra fur in late September here inn Manitoba. Those many layers help them to stay warm in our brutal cold.
Robert Archambeau used to tell us to look ‘to nature’ for colours and patterns to inspire ceramics. I imagine that a lot of textile designers might like to do the same. This is a European Starling in non-breeding plumage. Note the white dots on the chest indicating the ‘non-breeding’. But look at the espresso brown wing feathers lined with that rusty taupe. Then there is that brilliant emerald green sometimes changing to blue and purple depending on the light with its light tips. I mean this is a real beauty. It kept watching me til I was finished…one of the first times I have been able to capture a Starling and see its eye. I love how the camera and this lens cuts through that branch and gives us the detail of the bird with some boke behind.
There were so many Starlings that came to the suet feeders today.
This is not a great photograph but I am including it for a reason. Notice the dark stocky male to the right and then look below. Cornell says that there are white spots all over during the winter but, this is obviously, not evident in these bird’s plumage. The bird at the lower right (not the House Sparrow) is a non-breeding female. Look also at the light marks around the dark eyes. In breeding season, the long beaks of the Starlings will be a bright yellow. You can see a hint of this on the bird to the far left.
One of Dyson’s babies from last summer is enjoying the nuts and sultanas around the small roofed feeder on the deck today. What a little cutie pie.
Making News:
Another unnecessary and painful death on a grouse moor hunting estate! Maybe the only way to get the gamekeepers and the property owners to abide by the law is to take away any licenses that are associated with grouse hunting. There has to be something that will break this endless cycle of raptor deaths that are entirely unnecessary and inhumane.
Barn-owl-found-dead-in-a-crow-cage-trap-on-an-Angus-Glens-grouse-moor-–-Raptor-Persecution-UKDownload
Did you know?
On Monday, I wrote about an incident that occurred on the KNF E3 nest with E01 launching an aggressive attack on E02. I wanted to check and see how old E01 was at the time and the eaglet that hatched on the 26th of December was 20 days old. We note that the blood feathers are just starting to grow in and there remain numerous ‘dandelions’ from the natal down as the layer of thermal down grows in fully.
The eaglets have had their breakfast and everything appears to be fine on Monday morning. E01 is attempting to stand and flap its wings and I caught E02 trying to do the same and walk.
In the top image, the eaglets’ crops are full and E02 is letting its now getting heavy wings flop to the side. Also note that there is plenty of fish on this nest so food insecurity is not an issue with the dust up that happened on Sunday. It is the ‘clown feet’ stage. Notice how much larger E01’s feet are than E02.
E01 is ‘itchy’. This might be a better image to see the size difference in the feet of the eaglets.
The little one of Anna and Louis is a darling. It just wants some Coot! And Anna loves her Coot, too. Sometimes it appears she gives the eaglet a bite but, she does not. She leans down, then changes her mind! Am I more frustrated than the baby eaglet?
Anna leans over to feed little E03 and changes her mind.
“Wait Mama. Can I have a bite?”
Finally…a half hour later.
There are lots of fish on the nest of Connie and Clive at Captiva. An early feeding at 07:56.
Connie fed the little one and at 08:50, there was a little crop.
At 0900, you can see that little crop better.
Want some more fish? It is 09:39.
A little more fish and lots of fish juice around 10:14. Connie is a messy feeder. Poor baby is just soaked in fish juice. Connie does not feed the eaglet a lot.
By 11:39, the little one is wanting some more fish! Maybe not this time. Mum is really wanting some lunch, too.
By 12:26, the eaglet is really wanting some of that fish. “Hey, I want some fish, too!” Connie has eaten half of it. This little one is going to crawl out of that egg cup one day and start nibbling at those fish. Just wait!
Despite some observations, CJ7 was never stuffed – maybe half. The adults certainly eat and it does get fed but, it is frustrating watching at times. Connie ate half a fish. Yes, I know the adults have to eat, too. But, gosh, golly…stuff the little one and then eat, please. Stuff it full. Don’t stop half way over with a bite and then eat it, Mum.
Finally at 13:10:55, some bites but only after Connie moved to the other side – barely missing CJ7 went she stepped over the egg cup.
Sometimes I feel that I am too much of an auntie so I was thrilled when I accidentally found this comment by fellow Canadian, Deb Steyck, writing about Captiva on the 16th.
Seriously I ache for this little babe. I hope that Connie gets her act together. There is so much fish juice. Will this cause an eye infection?
The little one was actually able to hold on to this big piece and eat. it will be the last meal of the day.
Jackie has had a miserable several days ever since she laid that second egg. That storm in Big Bear appears not to be going anywhere soon – and I do hope that it would so that prey could be brought and Jackie relieved.
Jackie is covered at 0200 on the 16th of January.
At 0727 on the 16th it appears that Jackie has gotten up and removed the snow from her back and head. The weather remains a misery. 2540 persons are watching and worrying for Jackie.
There is a winter storm warning for an area south of BB Lake. The forecast for the BB Lake area is as follows:
By 10:51:55, it is clearing a bit but the wind is still very strong.
Oh, bless his heart. Once everything had cleared, Shadow appears on the nest with prey for Jackie and even gives her a break as he takes over incubation a few minutes after she finishes eating. Jackie was so happy to have the food and the break. 14:04. Thank you, Shadow!
Jackie returns at 15:52 and Shadow is off incubation duty. I love how he sees her coming and begins to call, the high pitched calls and the chortles. So sweet as they greet one another. The equivalent of the Albatross sky call.
Just look at how long and sharp those talons are! I thought trimming Lewis’s nails was bad enough. Imagine!
All is well at the Northeast Florida nest of Gabby and V3. V3 will fly in and Gabby will be there seconds later. They have worked on the nest and slept at the nest. While there may or may not be any eggs this season, the pair appear to be a bonded couple and V3 seems to have established himself. There have been no intruders at the nest for some time now. They are a lovely couple. Wishing Gabby the best, the very best.
V3
V3
V3 on the left and Gabby on the right.
Want to see a crop?!!!!!!! Gabby had an amazing dinner!!!!!!! Would love to see CJ7 look like this. :))))). Just saying.
E22 is no worse for wear after having Harriet deliver a huge fish on top of it at the Southwest Florida nest she shares with M15. Later in the day both were looking out of the rails at the world beyond.
As the sun sets over the Central Florida Superbeaks Bald Eagle nest, Tico and Pearl are going to sleep with nice big crops. Nite everyone!
Mum and Dad were both bringing sticks to the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest – the natal nest of our own Little Bit ND17.
At the Osprey platform on the grounds of the Achieva Credit Union in St Petersburg, Florida, Jack delivered a fish to Diane at 07:28. After the couple continue to work on the nest periodically.
FO and Mo were both at the Captiva Osprey platform in Florida today.
I was so hoping that the Florida-Gainesville Osprey nest would be up and running this year but, sadly, no. This was the announcement from the University:
“Unfortunately, at this time, there will not be an osprey camera for 2023. The nest was located on the lights at the softball ballfield and these lights were changed (to new LED lights) in the fall of 2022. We are not sure if the ospreys will build a new nest with the new light structure. Please stay tuned for updates about whether it is possible to install another osprey camera in 2024. Thanks for your support! And don’t worry, the osprey parents (Stella and Talon) will build another nest somewhere if not at this exact location.“
Zoe is 121 days old. On the 16th of January in Australia, Mum delivered a fish and so did Dad. Those deliveries came at 14:10 and 17:29. Zoe appears to have a nice crop from the earlier feeding. Mum will arrive in about five minutes with a fish for her girl.
At 10:44 after fish calling, Zoe flew off the nest and returned a minute later with a fish. She did not catch it. Her feathers are not wet. It was a hand off from one of the parents. Gotta be.
Zoe is certainly vocal!! She is 122 days old today.
Sixteen minutes later and Zoe is still eating her fish.
If you are missing Indigo highlights by Elain, Indigo has been heard outside the scrape box but has not been inside for more than two days now.
The egg of L and GLY has been swopped out for the dummy egg at 10:08 Australian time Tuesday Jan 17. Everything seemed to go smoothly. Fly spray added to nest to prevent fly strike when the chick is returned from the incubator. It is ‘egg citing’ on Taiaroa Head. Love the NZ DOC that does so much for its beloved birds. I would love to see their misters on some of the osprey nests in the Pacific NW (Canada and US). Or feeding hungry chicks if something happens to their parent/s?
And a pip has been confirmed. There are currently three eggs in the incubator at Taiaroa Head.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their posts, their announcements, their videos, and their streaming cams that make up my screen captures: Raptor Persecution UK, A Mighty Girl, KNF-E3, KNF-E1, Window to Wildlife, Deb Steyck and Bald Eagles 101, FOBBV, NEFL-AEF, SWFL and D Pritchett, Superbeaks, ND-LEEF, Achieva Credit Union, U-Florida Gainesville, Port Lincoln Ospreys, and NZ DOC.
Poor Jackie…Monday in Bird World
16 January 2022
Good Morning!
I hope that you had a lovely weekend and that it has been a nice beginning to the week! It remains warm in Winnipeg. So warm that the snow on the glass roof of the conservatory melted on Sunday and the snow in the parking pad is sludgy. It is a good day for a walk. Whether I will head to the nature centre or finally take that drive an hour out of the city to see the chickadees – well, I have not decided. I love going to the same place, 20 minutes from where I live, and see how the visitors change from day to day. Will keep you posted!
On Sunday there were many visitors to the garden feeders – 38 European Starlings and about 60 House Sparrows. One Black-capped chickadee and Dyson and gang. About 30 Crows flew over head after chasing the GHO out of the neighbourhood. It is a regular occurrence during the winter. The GHO has a nest on the golf course a few blocks away. What is puzzling me is: where are the Blue Jays?
A Request: Just check this out.
I was so impressed by the perches (some osprey nests on the streaming cams do not provide these for their birds and that is sad). And the hide. Can you help with any images? See the information below.
Checking on our nests:
Oh, the weather just continued to get worse at Big Bear. Poor Jackie. She is one devoted mother. She has been incubating the eggs since the second was laid yesterday before 17:11 with a break but I have seen no food. No doubt Shadow has not been able to hunt and I do not know if this couple had a stash prepared.
We are all aching for this warrior Mum but, Jackie has lived in Big Bear Valley for now 11 years and she is used to the weather. Eagles have 7000 feathers to keep them warm and dry. My only concern is her need for breaks and food. Help, Shadow!
Shadow came in and relieved Jackie. She returned at 1408 and Shadow didn’t want to get off the eggs. Oh, sweetie. They have this!
Shadow is doing a great job.
Jackie arrives!
The weather is just horrific up on the nest at Big Bear. I don’t blame Shadow for not wanting to get off the eggs. Poor Guy. He is either going to have to go and hunt or perch on those madly swaying branches.
The snow is getting deeper by 1600.
Here is the exchange in video by Gracie Shepherd. The exchange begins at 12:43.
Shadow’s reluctance to give up incubation is caught on video:
We are sitting in our houses warm and dry. Just looking at Jackie makes me want to bundle her and Shadow up and bring them inside along with their eggs. They are, however, quite fine. Probably a lot better than if it were 45 degrees C!
1656 are watching Jackie and wishing her well (and warmth) as the winds and ice pellets fly on to the nest at 20:00 Sunday evening.
So how do birds stay warm in the winter? Here is some information from the British Trust for Ornithology. Most of the songbirds in my garden and others in winter need to eat the equivalent of their body weight in food to stay warm. They lose, according to this article, approximately 5% of their body weight during the night staying warm to stay alive. So, if you can, find some energy rich suet and peanuts and put them out for the birds! They will thank you. The world will thank you.
When Dad got up at 14:40 on Sunday to check her eggs, it looks like there could be a pip in one of them. Of course, it could just be nesting material, too, but if it isn’t a pip, we are getting close. Missy relieved them shortly after.
All of the other nests are fine with their eaglets eating well and growing. I have not spotted any problems and the eaglets at SWFlorida and KNF E3 continue to be little darlings with little if any beaking. Indeed, I have seen none so far on Sunday and it is about time they would grow out of this phase unless something happens in the food supply chain.
Anna feeding KNF E1-03. This is a sweetie pie.
Louis always keeps a lot of fish. Anna and the wee one will never need to worry about being hungry. Louis is awesome. These Louisiana eagles sure love their Coot. Maybe it is a nice change from fish??? The little one loves it as much as Anna!
The KNF gang looked at the unhatched egg and established that it is the first egg that was laid – the pointy one. It is now 46 days old and no hope of hatching so KNF E1-03 is from the second egg.
I am biased. Andria is a fantastic Mum. She is always checking to see if one or the other of the eaglets wants some more bites. These kids love their Coot just like E1-03. They are adorable and their plumage is changing. Just look at the natal down dandelions that are disappearing to reveal the deep charcoal thermal down. And you can really see the pin feathers when they move about. Growing before our eyes. Love this couple – Alex and Andria.
Alex and Andria enjoying a meal on the nest together after 01 and 02 are filled up! Just look at the crop on 02. One of those puffy pillows it appears.
01 is already in a food coma. Andria is checking to make sure that 02 is completely full. “Have som4e more little darling.”
Seriously, they look like old carpets or towels to me. Those dandelions are breaking off and look – KNF -E3 O1 is getting its mohawk!!!!!!!!!!! (look at the image above)
Big crop on KNF-E3-01.
Are you sure you have had enough, little baby?
The two eaglets are sleeping in food coma but ‘A’ reports something disturbing: “Then, at 16:02:10, as mum was getting another bite of food ready, the larger one suddenly and without any warning or provocation pecked the younger one on the top of the head, then grabbed it by the back of the neck and twisted. Then it grabbed it again and this time actually lifted it up by its neck (the little one was still in submissive pose with wings spread). It dropped the smaller eaglet again, then picked it up a third time and shook it. The entire attack lasted less than six seconds.” The eaglets will stagger over and go to sleep as if nothing happened.
I missed this attack. What in the world would cause KNF E3-01 to do this? ‘A’ reports that the confidence of the little one is not phased as it went back up to eat some more, even with an enormous crop, and had to undue itself from the cuddle puddle it was in with the larger sibling. Good! How old are the eaglets? Osplets will start battering one another once the blood feathers come in from 8-12 days old. Must check!
E21 and E22 are adorable. Please watch this beautiful eagle family if you haven’t been because you are afraid of some beaking. The eaglets are adorable. They are growing fast and you cannot beat the parenting of M15 and Harriet. They have this whole process nailed down to the finest details and if M15 thinks E22 has not had enough – he gets in and gives the little gaffer some more food. These eaglets are so secure. They wait patiently for Harriet to feed them. No fighting. Nothing. I mentioned the other day that I felt that they were males. They could be two females, too but not an older female and a younger male. They are just getting along too well! The best nest I have watched for years was PLO’s 2021-22 Osplets – the three boys – Bazza, Falky, and Ervie. Oh, sure, they dusted up all over the place once they had fledged but that is normal survival in the wild. They have to work on it at home!
Keep an eye on the area around their mouth for it to turn yellow. This will happen at about a month of age.
A cuddle puddle.
E21 is full to the brim and Harriet is filling up 22.
Food coma.
CJ7 almost got walloped by a huge headless fish today. There is so much food on this nest – fish everywhere you look. Clive is an excellent provider. Ah, just a nervous auntie but I wish Connie would fill that little eaglet up with a lot of food a little more often. It is only tiny and needs those 45-60 minute feeds all day long.
I am really grateful to the readers who sent me a note and asked me why I was not mentioning Superbeaks. What a fabulous Bald Eagle nest this has turned out to be. Exceptional. Pearl is 38 days old and Tico is 37.
Wondering where the second eaglet is? They are on the opposite side of the nest looking away from the camera. This is why we can usually only see one!
It looks like the eagles in the Channel Islands are starting to get interested in their nests and thinking about much needed renovations for the 2023 season. Guess who was caught on camera today? Chase and Cholyn at the Two Harbours nest! Parents of Lancer (2022).
Akecheta was at Tor at the West End nest but I did not see Thunder nor did I see any eagles at the nest site.
If you are wondering about deliveries to Zoe, Mum brought in 2 fish for her girl yesterday, the 15th. In fact, it has been Mum that has been making the deliveries to the Port Lincoln barge. Wonder what will happen today?
Gabby and V3 have been at the nest tree. One is often perched on a branch seen by the other cam. There has been no active working on the nest for several days. Perhaps we will have to wait for another one of those fertile fortnights for Gabby or maybe all three have passed and we will wait for next year. Either way it is alright. It will give Gabby time to really get over the loss of Samson and also to see if V3 is going to last.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their posts, their videos, their streaming cams that form my screen captures: ‘A’ for her report on KNF E3, Ospreys Only, FOBBV, BTO, Berry College, KNF-E1, KNF-E3, SWFlorida and D Pritchett, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, IWS and Explore.org, PLO, and NEFL-AEF.
It’s 2 eggs for Jackie and Shadow, 2016 Royal Cam chick returns…Sunday in Bird World
15 January 2022
Good Morning Everyone,
Oh, what a lovely weekend we are having on the Canadian Prairies. It is currently -5 C with a 4 km/h wind. It is lovely. Just lovely except that it is ‘grey’. No blue sky. No sun. Looking forward to a walk in the forest today! Will keep you posted on what I see. I hope the weekend has been kind.
Making News:
Eagle Nest Removal. One of our blog family did some additional research on the removal of the nest on that cell tower that I mentioned a day or two ago. ‘B’ located a news article from South Carolina with information including the e-mail address to write if you are concerned by these actions. As we are all too aware, nests are being cut down and blown down by weather and it is breeding season. You should read the article carefully. The eagles were present and around – this was NOT a disused nest! Indeed, it is outrageous that it was removed.
I will include a link to the article. ‘B’ draws our attention to a final paragraph. If you wish to voice your concerns about this incident – please use the e-mail below. The link to the article is below the quote and above the albatross image. Thank you for taking the time to speak up for our raptors who cannot speak for themselves!
“The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources responded to reports of the removal of a large raptor nest in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has initiated an investigation regarding the removal, and inquiries concerning this incident should be directed to Office of Communications, United States Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Regional Office at fw4_comms@fws.gov .”
https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2890157123613/fed-investigating-removal-of-mt-pleasant-eagle-s-nest
The 2016 Royal Cam chick, Moana, has been confirmed to have arrived at Taiaroa Head after 7 years at sea. Talk about incredible. Just think about that. She is very steady on her feet and Ranger Sharyn wonders if she didn’t arrive earlier and wasn’t spotted. She settled down by her half-brother GLY for a bit. Oh, my goodness. This is fantastic news.
“American Golden-Plover with Yellowlegs” by Dendroica cerulea is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Have you ever seen a Golden Plover? We do not, as far as I know, attract them to Manitoba but, oh, they are so gorgeous. I can only imagine them at sunset!
More lead poisoning. I was going to try and put together a form letter for everyone to send to their various agencies but, the laws regarding lead vary from State to State and Country to Country. If this is an issue where you live – and it certainly is in the US and Canada – find out what the laws are. We know that some states have partial led bans. Get informed. Then use some of the information from posts such as the one below to write to your state and federal agencies asking them to ban lead from fishing and hunting equipment. Your letter should not be longer than a page and it should get to the point with facts.
Lincolnshire detectives warn that the poisoning of raptors could lead to human death. “The RSPB has described Lincolnshire as “a national hotspot” for the persecution of birds of prey”. How sad. Why do people believe they have a right to kill or severely injure animals or birds?
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-64225792
The AEF has made a memorial video of Samson. It shows some beautiful close ups of him, images of him and Gabby, and their kids. Get a tissue. I assume that they have now determined that something fatal has happened. So very sorry and sad. He was a magnificent partner and dad and I will just never forget the tender care he gave to Legacy and Jasper and Rocket. I did not watch this nest the year of Jules and Romeo).
There has been some discussion about physically challenged raptors. Here is another example of an eagle with one leg that landed on the Fort St Vrain nest in Colorado. Wonder when it lost its leg? and how it hunts its prey? There are places where challenged raptors can live out their lives; ‘L’ send me some information on them but, what about in the wild? Is it a case for not euthanising raptors if they have a single leg injury? I am, of course, thinking of our beloved WBSE26 right off the top but, there are others. I don’t know the answer. I am thinking out loud. Is it inhumane to even think that eagles could be freed with one leg? It is curious.
Checking on the nests:
Jackie laid her first egg on 11 January at 15:58. It is a horrible day in Big Bear Valley. It started out rather nice and quickly changed into high winds with pelting hail/rain/snow. Jackie will be laying egg 2 on this miserable day. Shadow has taken turns incubating and the pair have been on and off and always one of them around the nest at Big Bear.
At 12:28, there was still only one egg. The weather has changed the hour prior and is starting to get quite nasty for our darling Jackie.
Gabby at 13:54 Saturday. The cameras went out shortly after.
The second egg was laid before 17:11 on Saturday the 14th. In miserable weather. Poor Jackie. She must be hungry, too. Let us all hope tomorrow is a better day.
It looks like it is a much nicer day in central Florida for Superbeaks.
The first image is an unusual one. I am posting it here so you will see the blood feathers coming in on Pearl’s wing.
Connie and Clive’s little eaglet has fish juice on its feathers. It cannot be helped. Poor thing. Connie definitely likes to eat and I have yelled at her a few times to feed the baby! There is fish on the nest. Once Connie gets started and is not distracted, the eaglet normally winds up with a crop. Poor little one is also learning how to handle those huge bites…hence all the fish juice everywhere.
Anna is a bit like Connie. She sure likes her fish! Anna is making KNF E1-03 really stretch its neck to get any food. I must admit to getting irritated at both Anna and Connie. I want to see them feeding that wee babe til it can’t move and then having a big lunch themselves! Oh, well…they are never going to listen to me.
At the KNF E3 nest of Alex and Andria, E01 and 02 are doing fantastic. They look like two old wooly grey carpets. There is always an adult around but both can regulate their temperature now and it is a lovely day near Kincaid Lake in Louisiana.
Lots of good feedings and M15 and Harriet together in the later afternoon. These two are such sweethearts. I wonder if they are both male?
Ron and Rose were working on their nest on Saturday. That Rose is certainly a sweetheart. She is so smitten with her man.
MO and FO have both been at the Captiva Osprey platform nest on Saturday. (This is the same osprey).
Jack and Diane have been at the nest on the parking lot of the Achieva Credit Union in St Petersburg. They seem to be vigilantly watching for intruders instead of actually working on any aspect of the nest. Diane’s leg looks like it is almost entirely healed. Wonderful news.
Jack went fishing and came in with a nice fish breakfast for Diane at 07:52.
In Australia, Zoe had no fish deliveries on the 14th and nothing so far (noon) on the 15th none. The waters are very choppy. She is 119 days old. Mum and Dad could have trouble getting their own fish. Mum delivered one fish on the 13th. It looks as if Zoe is hunting around in the nest for leftovers, even dried fish. Is she catching her own? I don’t know but Mum and Dad fish at Delamere where Ervie does and Zoe might have followed them. Surely the parents are encouraging our girl to become independent and move out of the nest. She isn’t fish screaming either but that could be because Mum and Dad are not visible.
Nearly 1600 on Sunday for Zoe and no fish deliveries for more than 48 hours. She is either extremely hungry or she is fishing and eating off cam.
We will end in Australia with Elain’s nest highlights from Orange and the family of Diamond, Xavier, and Indigo.
Beautiful Diamond.
Save for poor Moana and Jackie, it has been a very quiet day. Pip watch soon for Berry College!
Thank you for being with me today. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their posts, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Sharon Dunne and Royal Cam Albatross Group NZ, Openverse, The Guardian, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, BBC, AEF, FOBBV, Superbeaks, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E1, KNF-E3, SWFL and D Pritchett, WRDC, Achieva Credit Union, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, and Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross.
GROWLS will be back up 15 January…Saturday in Bird World
14 January 2022
Good Morning Everyone,
I hope that the start to the weekend has been a good one and that Friday the 13th was lucky for you! It is warming up on the Canadian Prairies. It will be a balmy -1 C tomorrow. How lovely! Everyone will be out and about and it might be a good day to try and see if those chickadees will come to feed in my hand. I have opted lately to go to the local nature centre instead of driving an hour. It felt a little indulgent at a time when I am trying to have a very low carbon footprint. In the garden, it was Sparrows and European Starlings today along with Dyson and her gang. We have set up a trail camera and are hoping to see if the rabbits come during the night. I will let you know!
Thank you for all your comments and letters. I am getting caught up in my replies. Apologies for being a little later than I would like. There is lots of news today and pictures…grab a cuppa’.
In the Mailbox:
‘L’ asks if Xavier is still around? The answer is a decided, ‘yes’. Xavier is still delivering prey to Indigo in the scrape and getting out as quickly as he can. No adult falcon wants their talons ripped to shreds by a fledgling that thinks they are starving (Indigo isn’t). All is well at Orange!
My daughter just sent me some news coming out of British Columbia. A Great Horned Owl has closed down 4 ski hills!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/overland-ski-club-owl-attack-closure-1.6713589
In the News:
So many of you have written in to find out what happened at GROWLS. I am so happy to report that their camera will come back on line on the 15th of January and this may also apply to their FB presence! This was home to Junior and Malala, the adopted RTH, in 2022.
More eagles are being euthanised as they arrive at the rehabbers with Avian Flu. This breaks everyone’s hearts but, we must prepare ourselves for it to get worse impacting many of the raptor families that we cherish. It appears to be almost everywhere. Reports from Virginia yesterday and Oklahoma today.
Bald Eagles are increasing in numbers but, what will be the net result after Avian flu in 2023?
More lead…
Just received the Florida Audubon newsletter and I want to share it with you if you do not receive it. There is a good discussion on how better to prepare for more and stronger hurricanes like Ian in the future – ways to help our wildlife.
Last year the two eaglets at the Hilton Head nest died of Avian Flu. Their parents, Mitch and Harriet, have abandoned the nest, according to the announcement, and it has now been taken over by Great Horned Owls. Question: Did Mitch and Harriet abandon the nest? or did one or both die of Avian Flu last year? Does anyone know for sure?
This is highly illegal (Migratory Bird Act). Sadly we see nests removed – no one seems to care. So get mad and tell the USFWS. It is egg laying season. Gracious. This really makes me angry. I hope they have to put it back in place!
Checking the nests:
It is clear that the other egg at the nest of Anna and Louis, KNF E1 is not going to hatch (same at Captiva). There are lots of reasons for why eggs do not hatch. According to Loudon Wildlife Conservancy, there are two main reasons that eagle eggs do not hatch:
There are two main reasons an egg won’t hatch. The first is that it wasn’t fertilized in the process of mating. It requires great timing for the female’s ovum and the male’s sperm to meet as it is going through the female’s oviduct. Sometimes multiple mating attempts are seen on cams, but many mating attempts may occur out of cam view. Along with needing the proper amount of mating attempts, the mating attempt must be successful. It’s all about timing!
The second reason why an egg won’t hatch has to do with some factor that happened after fertilization halting the process of embryo development. It could be an external factor such as improper temperature, improper humidity, or lack of rolling the egg (which helps keep the embryo from sticking to the shell). Somewhere in the process the egg may have developed a crack that allowed bacteria to enter the egg, or it may have been accidentally damaged. Eggs have been witnessed on web cams to be stepped on and broken open during the incubation period.
17 March 2022, Loudon Wildlife Conservancy
The AEF also believes that the age of the eagle might have some bearing believing that fertility rates decline as eagles age. There are, however, a number of Bald Eagles that challenge that theory such as Harriet at SWFlorida who is most likely around 28 years old.
Do we care? I don’t. The increasing number of eagles can cause problems in the future. Louis and Anna have the most adorable eaglet. There will be more fish for Anna – she does love her fish!!!!!!!
Just released late Friday evening by Tonya Irwin for KNF:
The two eaglets of Alex and Andria at the KNF E3 nest are really in a growth spurt. It is hard to realise that we were worrying about the wee one getting any food last week. These two are quite friendly and adorable. The eldest got up by the railings yesterday and today, the adults are bringing in moss and lining the nest around the rails. Smart. Trying to keep those feisty eaglets in the centre! Just check out the thermal down coming on the eldest!
It started out as a wet soggy Friday morning at Superbeaks. Those two eagles will be fine even with the wind and rain. They are pretty much 95% covered with thermal down and you can see in some of the images below the flood feathers coming in. Thank you to the cam operator for those amazing close ups! One day apart. Lovely eaglets. You can see eagle development by examining these three nests: 5 weeks at Superbeaks down to a week at KNF E1 (almost a week).
It is a nasty wet windy day at the Captiva Eagle nest of Connie and Clive. There are fish tucked into every corner of that nest. Clive is doing great and having spare food when stormy weather and rough seas or water sources could prevent fishing is wise.
Oh, my goodness, the high winds are really rocking and rolling Gabby’s nest up near Jacksonville. Those gusts are around 31 kph and rain is expected later.
V3 was in with a fish which he ate on the nest early in the day before the winds began to whip up. He does have lots of wounds on his talons but they are healing. Ah, if he fishes in salt water the salt will help heal them. V3 wet and drying off. Eating his fish next.
Soggy at the SWFlorida nest of Harriet and M15. Everyone in Florida will be wet at sometime on Friday it seems. It did clear and 21 and 22 are enjoying fish and rabbit meals. They are so cute. I know that many of you are afraid to watch because they might beak one another but, seriously, you are missing out on the normal development of eaglets. Harriet, to my knowledge, has never ‘lost’ an eaglet to siblicide. I sure don’t see it happening this year. Both are healthy and 22 knows that 21 is boss even if it wants to test that fact once in awhile. LOL.
Jackie and Shadow are not doing hard incubation yet. They seem to be taking turns with Jackie doing most of the incubating. I noticed that they had semi-covered the egg with nest grasses. I am not sure this would fool an intelligent Crow. Oh, take care Jackie and Shadow! Sometimes I do not ‘trust the eagles’.
Chase visited the Two Harbours nest in the Channel Islands that he shares with Cholyn, Thunder’s mother.
Caught one of the adults on the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest in St Patrick’s Park, South Bend, Indiana. This is the natal nest of Little Bit ND17 who miraculously survived falling out of the nest thanks to Humane Indiana Wildlife. BTW. They are having a big party. If you live in the area, check it out. It is a fundraiser. In addition, there was some news that local BOGs believe that Little Bit ND17 has visited the area recently. Maybe pictures will be forthcoming. The new nest is looking good after the old one collapsed. These adults believe in chair rails! Thank you Mum and Dad.
Oh, and here are those images of the visit to the nest. Oh, I sure hope it was him showing us he is doing grand.
Many of you are Royal Albatross lovers and watchers. GLY has come in to relieve L as hatch approaches for the Royal Cam family at Taiaroa Head in New Zealand. Elain captures the amazing sky calls and the changeover in her video.
Mum and Dad are slowing down their deliveries – a bit. Zoe is 118 days old. The norm for leaving the nest is 112 at PLO. It looks like Zoe might be breaking another record. On Friday, in PL, Mum brought Zoe one fish. On Saturday, Zoe dove down at 0941 but it appears she did not catch a fish. I have a feeling that if she has not caught her own fish, our girl will shortly. She certainly has the bobbing of the head and focusing down and her dives are excellent. The waters are choppy later on Saturday. Not good for a novice fisher.
Zoe does not like gulls!
Mum didn’t give that fish to Zoe! (at least not on camera)
Did you know that we can help our birds by helping ourselves and the planet? Of course, you did! Two tips for today to make the world a better place. First, dryer sheets with fabric softener. We have seen and read the ads. We have used them and loved the ways the clothes smelled after drying. They are, however, bad for the planet and bad for our health. Did you know that if you add some distilled white vinegar to your wash that it will work as a natural softener? Try it. It is amazing what distilled white vinegar is good for. Once upon a time when I worked 24/7, I had a cleaning lady once in awhile come in to give me a hand. The only thing she used was distilled white vinegar, lemons, and baking soda. My house was always spotless and sparkly. Second tip. Do you own microfibre cloths? Oh, yes, they are fantastic for their absorption but did you know that every time they are washed they will shed millions of microfibres that get into the waterways? Think micro plastic.
Oh, there is so much going on! I continue to say that it is hard to keep up with all the nests — and it is.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care wherever you are. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their letters, posts, tweets, announcements, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures: ‘L’, ‘J’, CBC.CA, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, Medina Raptor Centre, Florida Audubon, KNF-E1, Tonya Irwin and Kistachie National Forest Eagle Cam Fans FB, KNF-E3, Superbeaks, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, SWFL and D Pritchett, FOBBV, IWS and Explore.org, ND-LEEF, Elain and NZ DOC, and Friends of Osprey.
Eggs, Coots, and more…it is Thursday in Bird World
12 January 2022
Good Morning Everyone,
I hope that the week has been good to you. I think of everyone in the paths of the storms that I am reading about and I hope that all of you are safe.
I am repeating the story of Jackie laying her first egg. 3884 people were watching the nest at the time. It went up to over 4000. Incredible. Jackie and Shadow are much loved. It just made me giddy and all of us wish this couple the very best of luck this year. Let us hope for good weather, no predators and nothing untoward.
From the Bookshelf:
I continue to sing the praises of Slow Birding. It is my pick of all the books I have read so far as being one of the most informative and easy to understand. If you like picture books, it is not for you!!!!! Last night I tackled the chapter on American Coots. They visit us and last summer I had the privilege of seeing several at the ponds around our city on a daily basis. I want to share with you what I learned – it is fascinating.
Coots are not ducks. They are rails but they spend their time in the water – like a duck. Their bodies are a deep espresso brown black, the head a darker shade than the body. Their bill is white with a shield that ranges in colour from a deep red-brown to brick red. You can see this below. They have red eyes. Stunning. Their secondary feathers have a white trim and there is a tiny white line going down the middle of the tail to its tip. Their feet have toes and those toes have evolved over time to have phalanges that help them to swim.
“American Coot (Fulica americana)” by Jacob McGinnis is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
In the image below notice the red on the head of the chick.
“Mud Hen or American Coot (Fulica americana) feeding her baby” by Peggy2012CREATIVELENZ is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Some interesting facts about Coot behaviour:
- Baby Coots have red heads. When predators are about they will stick their heads deep into leaves or into the nest so the predator cannot see them. As they age they can dive and camouflage their head by being under water. There is, on average, a five day spread between the first hatch and the last.
- Adult Coots can tell the parasitic eggs (eggs laid by another Coot in their nest) from their own eggs due to patterns on the shell.
- Adult Coot parents divide up the brood – older chicks with fading red heads and younger ones with red feathers. Chicks who kept their red feathers were the favourites of the adults to be fed. Unlike ducklings who can forage themselves, baby Coots are fed by the parents.
Making News:
Did you know that the Kakapo Recovery group check out the Rimu fruit, essential for Kakapo survival, to determine when breeding will begin? I didn’t.
More raptors are arriving in wildlife rehabilitation centres now that they are having to scavenge for food. Often this means that they are eating the innards left from hunters in the fields and woods – those are loaded with lead and it sends them right into care if they don’t die first. Sadly, this Golden Eagle got help but it was too late. This is entirely preventable. Write your representatives and urge them to ban all levels of lead in fishing and hunting equipment! Now. Thank you.
I would give just about anything to see a pile of ducks quacking away in my local park’s pond. They will return in the late spring. For now I have to rely on stories of others. I hate no idea, however, that Wigeons whistled, did you?
Nest News:
How many of you worried and fretted that Connie had not fed the little eaglet? I sure did! Connie has now fed the eaglet – about 24.5 hours after it hatched! Yippeee. Oh, I bet that first bite of fish tasted good! Little one holding its head up nicely. There is no sign that the second egg is pipping but it could be. Perhaps the egg that hatched was actually the second one laid. We wait. The raptors will teach us patience whether we like it or not!
Connie fed the little one again at 13:39 and at 14:20. I am making an assumption that the feedings will be nearly hourly from this point onwards for a few days during daylight hours. Clive has brought in Mullet and Trout. Good job, Dad.
Thursday>. No obvious pip in the second egg at Captiva.
Oh, that little one at the KNF E1 nest of Anna and Louis is just a cute little butterball. Will that second egg hatch? I cannot see a pip there either. Oh, those little wings. Adorable. Just adorable. No signs of a pip in the other egg.
I do not see a pip on the second egg at KNF-E1 Thursday morning either but it could be there.
One big difference that you might notice is that Andria feeds her eaglets more often than Anna. That is a really good thing for those two eaglets especially the second hatch as it remains much smaller than the first. Both are being civilised and both are well fed and cared for – no worries here.
Jack and Diane were bringing in bark to the nest in St Petersburg Florida. I am sure hoping that they leave it as a liner to cover up that hole. Last year their eggs rolled in there and with the help of Crows, the couple had no osplets. The year prior they fledged three. Diane’s leg appears to be improving daily.
Both PePe and Muhlady have brought in fish to the nest. These eaglets, Pearl and Tico, are so lucky. What a great source for fish their nest has.
Pearl is really getting her juvenile feathers.
Just look at this beautiful eaglet.
Gabby and V3 were both at the nest this morning. V3’s talons have really taken a beating but they appear healing or healed. Then off to secure the territory while Gabby stays home! What a guy.
Gabby lets out a big cry at 09:46.
Both V3 and Gabby are at the nest tonight on their respective perches watching for intruders and probably hoping to get some rest.
We have all noticed the large number of intruders at Gabby’s nest – and, of course, no Samson is what started all of this. The Centre for Conservation Biology has noticed that Bald Eagles spend more time guarding than they did 20 years ago due to the growing number of eagles in the area. Here is an article that arrived in my inbox today. It really sheds some light on what could be happening in The Hamlet.
They continue to work on the nest at Big Bear. With body temperatures of 105 degrees, Jackie and Shadow can melt the snow on the nest very quickly. Keep an eye out for any fluff being brought to the nest bowl. That will signal egg laying.
Well, goodness. I said watch for the eagles to bring in soft nesting material and look what happened late Wednesday afternoon!
That nest bole has been occupied for longer than an hour. I am not ready for this! But it just might be that Jackie is!!!!!!!!!!! She certainly wouldn’t listen to me.
Oh, tears. Jackie just laid her first egg. Beautiful. Between 1557 and 1600. Jackie made it look easy.
There is a fully history of the Big Bear nest under the streaming cam. It is very possible that Jackie is the 2012 hatch of Ricky and Lucy. In 2019, Shadow arrives at the nest and refuses to leave. Eventually, Jackie’s mate Mr BB leaves the area. Jackie and Shadow fledged Cookie and samba in 2019. Tragedy strikes for the pair in 2020 and 2021. Last year Jackie laid eggs on 22 January and 25th. One of those hatched. It was Spirit who stole our hearts and who fledged on 31 May.
Jackie was still keeping that precious egg safe at 1800.
E21 and 22 are really enjoying the fish that was brought in on Wednesday. they are cuties. Both M15 and Harriet fed the little ones fish and both were nicely behaved. Yes.
Indigo loves bringing beetles into the scrape that he has caught. Today there were four that Elain caught in her video! Indigo is so proud of his catch.
Ron and Rose are still working on the nest in Miami-Dade. Today, Ron brought Rose a fish in the nest. How sweet.
I am waiting for the pip watch at Berry College for Pa Berry and Missey. Last year they raised a strong eaglet B15 that stayed in the area and entertained people well into the fall with his flying skills. They are not on YouTube. You must Google Berry College Eagle Cam.
The eagles are working on the nest at Duke Farms.
And the new couple at the Captiva Osprey nest, MO and FO, are working on eating a catfish (or is it a shark?) and mating at the same time. Good luck with that.
Thank you so very much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that make up my blog: Openverse, Kakapo Recover, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, The Guardian, Window to Wildlife, NF-E1 and E3, Achieva Credit Union, Superbeaks, NEFL-AEF, Centre for Conservation Biology, FOBBV, SWFL Bald Eagles and D Pritchett, Charles Sturt University Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, WRDC, Berry College Bald Eagles, and Duke Farms Bald Eagles.