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Day 6 Welcome to Winter!

7 December 2025

Good Morning Everyone!

I want to start off today with something that might have waited til Monday’s newsletter but it is too good not to share today!

Thanks, Geemeff for sending us this inspiring story.

A lucky escape for this long-distance traveller! Russian Osprey saved from Kenyan fishing net:

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/kenya/siaya-rare-migratory-bird-from-russia-saved-while-entangled-in-fishing-net/ar-AA1Q3tBk

My goodness it is cold!

We woke up to -22 C Saturday morning. Just seeing those numbers on the phone screen and feeling the cold of the conservatory floor on the soles of my bundled-up feet reminded me how much I dislike getting up on a winter’s morning. While ‘The Girls’ have their boxes, dear Toby had to head outside for his ‘business’. Poor thing. We also had to get ready to get Toby to his last grooming session of the year. My goodness. We are 24 days away from 2026. Can you believe it?

There is a forecast, our first for a cold warning (ECCC) with windchills from -35 to -40 C. This is for Saturday night and into Sunday. Extreme Cold.

Thank you so much for your letters and your comments. Today I finally got around to answering comments, some from near Thanksgiving. I do appreciate them even if I can’t sit down and respond as quickly as I did several years ago. It reminds me that there are wonderful people out there who love our wildlife and will do anything they can to help. It makes my heart (and feet) warm.

‘MP’ sent us a link to a new Bald Eagle nest in Texas with the following note:

“Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwqE5u3HXDs

Eagle nest live Texas. It’s in Bay City, TX in Matagorda county on the coast in South Texas. There are already two eggs in the nest. They are going to be naming the adults and then the chicks after they hatch. I don’t know how long the nest has been there, but it’s on a private ranch near the Colorado River in Texas. It has a chat too. The stream opened this year on 12/2/25.”

When I checked the live stream was not available. Please check on and off as they could be having Internet issues!

If you want to help all of our wildlife, then it is time to take on the issue of lead. Every year at this time, countless raptors are admitted to rehabilitation clinics in dire condition due to lead.

Lead builds up in the bodies of raptors and other carrion eaters, such as condors and vultures, by ingesting fragments of lead ammunition from animal carcasses or gut piles left in the field by hunters. They also consume lead from lost fishing weights and sinkers in aquatic environments. Our birds do not have the luxury of ordering food. They are opportunistic. They are scavengers and eat carrion, especially in winter when live prey is scarce. When they consume meat containing tiny lead fragments (often the size of a grain of rice or smaller), the lead enters their digestive system. The stomach acid quickly breaks down this lead which is absorbed in their blood stream. Their bodies do not get rid of it. It accumulates in their liver, kidneys, brains – the soft tissues of their body – and over time it will even be absorbed into their bones. Even small amounts of lead can cause severe illness or death.

The easiest solution is for anyone currently using lead equipment – either in sports or in the military – to switch to a non-lead alternative. They cost a little more but, in the end, isn’t it worth it? If humans cannot voluntarily do what is good for wildlife and the environment, then lead ammunition and lead equipment should be banned from manufacture.

Please tell anyone that you know that hunts or fishes how they can help and what happens if they don’t stop using lead!

For those who love the Decorah Hatchery Eagles, you might recall that the wonderful female, known as Hatchery Mum or HM, also died of lead toxicity.

Decorah Eagles 2025 Update: A Year of Loss, Change, and New Beginnings at the Hatchery – SPODownload

The Kistachie National Forest nests have had a lot of drama over the past several years. It seems we are starting off this season with more!

Bald Eagle Nest Live Cam Captures Intruder Drama at KNF E-1 – December 5, 2025Download


.Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We will see you again tomorrow!

Thank you to ‘MP’ for writing in about the new Texas eagle nest! And thank you to Geemeff for that great story as well as the authors of articles and posts included today. My blog would never be the same without your input.

Welcome to Winter!

2 December 2025

On Saturday, Toby had his photo with Santa taken at PetValu Osborne. Proceeds went to Spirit of Hope Rescue. They just received 46 puppies from the far north of Manitoba and are in dire need of everything. So if you have clean towels, blankets, laundry detergent, bleach, cat or dog food or beds, reach out to your local wildlife rescue. They might need these same things.

We want to kick-start your December with Toby and Santa, in the hope that this photo brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart. Over the next month, I will endeavour to ‘dress’ the cats so they are adorned with festive cheer, too!

We are so thankful that you are part of our Bird World community! See you again soon.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers…

27 November 2025

Every day should be a day of thanksgiving, but today is the day for my American readers to spend time with family and friends over the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It will be a day of good food, laughs, and I hope glorious reflection on all those things that we have to be grateful for – and, if you look closely, you will find that we have many.

I am grateful to each of you, no matter where you live. Thank you for being part of this wonderful family that is Bird World and most of all for caring for our beautiful raptors. I am also thankful for your letters, news stories that are of interest to everyone and your supportive notes throughout the year. My life would not be the same without each of you.

I want to single out a few individuals who would add much to my blog over the year, if I might. To SK Hideaways for their videos – thank you. To ‘A’ for their knowledge and commentary on all that is happening at the Australian nests, we are grateful, and we hope that we don’t hear anything from you about the Collins Street falcons any further this year. To Heidi, well, thank you is never enough. You chase after so many eggs for our research and keep track of what is going on in the NE USA alongside your migration counts. So proud of you and happy that our lives crossed. I am grateful to Geemeff for their ongoing reporting on Loch Arkaig during the season.

Be grateful and smile – and, one last bit of news. Gabby and Beau have their second egg as of 2008 on the 26th of November. Well done.

Beak Boy 168 takes on only parent duties and raises chick to fledge

26 November 2025

I wanted to find a good news story for us after hearing of the death of WBSE 36. Thirty-six had been flying the morning of the 26th in Australia strongly, and it was during lunchtime that the accident occurred, which took their life on top of the building. Keep everyone at Sydney Sea Eagle, Lady, and Dad in your thoughts.

You will remember that M15 took over the care of two eaglets when Harriet disappeared. They were a month old. Others, such as Mrs T, raised her chick almost alone as did the White Rock female. Here is a posting about a male condor who lost its mate and raised – from the egg – the chick to fledge! Remarkable.

Congratulations to the Ventana Wildlife Society and to Beak Boy 168. We needed a smile today, and you delivered! This is a great organisation working hard to preserve and protect the California Condor community. Consider a symbolic adoption to help support their efforts this Giving Tuesday.

Here is Beak Boy’s story:

Beak Boy (168) – VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETYDownload

Oops…correct link for Aila and the stick fest!

Thanks to ‘B’ who alerted to me that an incorrect link was posted.

Here is the one for Aila’s stick fest at Lock Arkaig with the trio. Enjoy – and please do watch until the end. https://youtu.be/g-T2vcO-j0s?

Gimbir provides prey!

5 November 2025

Good Afternoon,

There has been much concern about Gimbir’s understanding about his role as father. Prey had not been brought to the scrape despite his showing up with a large crop.

Well, the first feeding is underway right now. Gimbir has provided Diamond with two birds for her and the little one.

I think we all can now feel a great deal of relief for this new family!

Heidi reports he has just brought in a third, landed with it and left with it. My goodness this young dad is quite enthusiastic!

Three cheers for three meals for his family – yeah, Gimbir.

Thank you to Heidi and to the Charles Sturt Falcon Cam. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/yv2RtoIMNzA?

First hatch at Orange

4 November 2025

Oh, my goodness. It seems like a quick arrival. The first hatch for Gimbir and Diamond was on the 5th of November in Orange, Australia, at the Charles Sturt University Falcon scrape. Diamond gives us a glimpse of the wee one before the fluff is dry at 1301.

How thrilling!

Congratulations!

Let us hope that the other two follow quickly. Gimbir you are going to be very busy hunting, sweetie.

Here is the link to the streaming cam so you can catch all of the action: https://www.youtube.com/live/yv2RtoIMNzA?

Hugo Yugo…late Monday in Bird World

4 August 2025

Hello Everyone,

Gosh, I am blessed. Thank you for all your queries and your good wishes for dear little Hugo Yugo.

Ever since this little ginger female came into our lives in December 2024, she has been a source of worry. She was rushed to the hospital the day after we adopted her.

At the same time, Hugo Yugo has brought nothing but joy into our lives and to everyone she meets.

She slept most of yesterday.

But she was very, very sick. She did not eat or drink and tried to find places where it was quiet and she could be away from everyone.

It was a long weekend in Winnipeg. Our vet was closed and there were few options for emergency care. In the end, we wound up waiting for more than four hours at one of the emergency vets. Hugo Yugo was very good until she was getting sick in her carrier. Don did amazingly well, but sitting in an unfamiliar environment with LBD late at night is not helpful. After four hours, I left with Hugo Yugo and Donald in tow.

When I got home I decided that since there was nothing I could do, I would do something. We broke sardines into small bits and I literally shoved them to Hugo Yugo’s throat so she would swallow and eat. (She had been throwing up the gruel that I had made for her). She ate some and we put her to sleep in the conservatory. A check about half an hour or 45 minutes later revealed she was drinking water. It felt wonderful. She slept quietly.

This morning Hugo Yugo voluntarily ate tinned food.

We believe that she kept all of the food down.

As a treat for being so amazing at the vet for four hours, I took Toby and Don for a walk in the woods and to Pineridge for their NuBurgers and Dragon Fruit treats.

Toby and Hugo Yugo have so wanted to play together. They are best buddies. Toby put his favourite toy, Little Lamb, on the chair by Hugo Yugo.

Hugo Yugo is not out of the woods. She is resting and moving around. She is drinking water and will have her dinner soon. I cannot get her an appointment at our vet, but I can take her and leave her, and when they have a space, they will examine her to see what the issue might be.

She is still with us, but she has lost weight. I am grateful for all the positive energy and love you are sending her way. Thank you for that from the bottom of our hearts.

Second Monday in Bird World news…21 July..Sadness at Balgravies

The nest has collapsed with two near fledglings.

Thank you to Jeff Kear and the UK Osprey Information FB group and to all the folks at Balgravies searching for 4L1. Sending our best wishes for the recovery of this little one.

Tuesday Morning in Bird World

15 July 2025

As many of you know, Heidi Mc has been the spirit and eyes of the ospreys in the Northeast United States and in several other places throughout the US. Highly respected for her acute observation and now her migration ID skills, it has been a very tough year for her and those that care about our fish hawks.

This morning the second chick at Cape Henlopen passed. To see the videos please go to the Cape henlopen Osprey FB page.

Throughout this season, I have tried, albeit with limited success in some places, to get individuals to understand that if there are no fish available, the adults cannot bring food to the nests. Indeed, any fish brought to the nests in this area of the US is a lucky meal for the family. I cannot emphasise that enough. Images of Bald Eagles by private individuals, not posted online, show them taking the fish from the osprey. Every living thing that relies on Menhaden in this region is on the verge of starving. Osprey parents always try their best. Sometimes chicks are sick. When that happens and food is in short supply, the stronger chick will get fed so that one will hopefully survive.

Let’s try not to be armchair coaches. Instead, put your energy into helping solve the issue of commercial fishing that kills wildlife and raptors.

Heidi’s heart is breaking this season as she observes chick after chick die. I am grateful for her steadfastness in these deplorable times we live in. Anyone less would have thrown in the towel.

Please sign the petition to stop Omega Protein fishing – and they are not just in the NE. They also operate large ships along the US coast, including in Louisiana. Could you write to the legislators in the Virginia Assembly? May 7 is a big meeting. Thank you.