vulnerable birds – Page 11 – Mary Ann Steggles

Utter heartache as osprey chicks die…Friday in Bird World

23 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

I don’t know how many tuned in to the Zoom chat about birding with Amy Tan and Christian Cooper, sponsored by The New York Times, but it was a great discussion about how people get interested in birding. Cooper has a new book out and Tan is writing a book about her backyard birding experiences for release next year. Can’t wait to read both of them. If you missed it, here it is recorded on YouTube:

Lewis did not feel the anxiety that I was having checking on the osprey nests today. Instead, he decided to sleep right in front of me as I watched the Blue Jays so that he could get some good scratches now and again.

It was quite the morning in the garden. There are at least six fledgling Blue Jays – not just the one sitting in the rock bird nest. They have delighted for hours. Some know how to get a peanut open, others don’t. All know that cats are a ‘danger’ and one even flew directly at the window of the conservatory at Missey. I was shocked – so was the Blue Jay.

One of the recent fledglings. Just look at those feathers! They are incredible. They are getting their crests and Junior is losing his – he can now do his annual moult since the babies are now fledged. The patterning…stop, look. It is like a study for a design class using a limited palette.

Each of the fledglings has a ‘different’ pattern and ‘look’. You get to know them as individuals if you stop and watch for long periods of time. That was one of the takeaways from Amy Tan who does her birding mostly in her garden – she has learned the behaviour of her garden birds and their distinct personalities. It is precisely the same for many of us. The first birds we noticed and those that bring us joy every day are those that are in our garden or the local park we visit. They are family.

This is the little fledgling that was nestled with the clay birds on the deck. he is a good flyer and he can open peanuts (or maybe it is a she).

Notice the different pattern on this one to the one above.

The growing numbers in Junior’s family meant a trip to get shelled and unshelled peanuts and more Blue Jay mix. Watching these fledglings learn about the world brings such happiness and takes my mind off the weather and ultimately, the osplet deaths that may come from the Long Island and New Jersey coastal area nests.

I began writing this blog on Thursday watching and with great tears knowing that we were going to lose a lot of chicks. So, the narrative will change for a few of the nests as you read through. As you do read of all the sadness, pause for a moment and get a little angry. Do not let anyone tell you that the weather and the fires are ‘just nature’. Humans have destroyed nature. In the event that the males cannot fish due to these storms, it is now time for us who have destroyed their habitat, the climate, the water, to step up and provide food until the storm has passed. It can be done. We just have to take responsibility. I want to thank ‘H’ who has helped me for two years now observing nests. She chose many of those that have been hit the hardest and this morning she says she is ‘just crushed’. You get so attached to these little ones when you watch them for days – invested in their eating, mourning when they die. To have this one storm impact so many nests – and believe me, the wild nests are suffering the same heartache – is often just too much to take in.

It is not looking good for Hera at South Cape May Meadows. She will, ultimately, have to try and find some food for herself. It is doubtful the three osplets – only wee – will survive two days without food and cold damp weather. I am already grieving for her. She will keep them warm and dry as long as she can but, ultimately, she will have to leave the nest to fish. They cannot thermoregulate. It is not clear if Zeus is missing or simply cannot catch enough fish to feed the family and is not returning to the nest. The last time I checked the eldest could barely raise its head and fish cry.

The males have not been seen at the nests at Barnegat Light and Forsythe either although Duke has been caught on camera elsewhere. They know their family is hungry and their chicks are starving but there is nothing they can do. The weather – the rain and the heavy winds – have churned up the water so that they cannot see the fish. They must eat to be able to carry on as does the Mum.

At South Cape May, “Two of the babies died overnight. The third will die soon if not fed. Hera brooded all night. No fish for 60 hours at 0700 on 6/23. Zeus has not been seen since 6/20. Surely Little died. Big and Middle were close in age. Ages on 6/22 were 7, 6, and 4 days old.”

My heart aches for Hera. They are showing season highlights. All chicks have passed.

Forsythe has had no fish either for more than two days. The chicks are older and can thermoregulate but the end result is, as ‘H’ reports, “Oscar delivered a very small whole fish at 0639, after 60 hours. Little was too weak to approach the feeding. Big beaked Middle. Opal took one bite. Big was the primary recipient of the fish. Middle got 3 bites. The fish lasted 2 1/2 minutes. Opal has left the nest a few times the last couple of days. She must have eaten, I suspect. But, she apparently was not able to catch fish for the kids. Same with Oscar. He would have had to have fed himself. This is just so sad on many levels.”

Barnegat Light is in the same situation. The weather is miserable and there was no fish for the second full day in a row. The dead and dying, ” Little died overnight at just under 19 days of age. No fish since 1006 on 10/21, and I don’t think Little was able to eat much at those early 6/21 meals. Duke has been seen the past couple of days, but not at the nest. Ages on 6/23: 23, 22, 19 days.”

It was raining at Severna Park Maryland but fish were coming to the nest. It is unclear who got the lion’s share but Middle did get some as Mum was quick to feed him. H reports, “at least five fish were delivered to the nest by Olivia and Oscar. ‘Big’ is self-feeding! Ages 45, and 44 days on 6/22.”

Mum feeding Middle.

At Chesapeake Bay, Kent Island: “The weather was improving, and Tom brought three fish that I saw. Audrey fed the little one at least 5 times. Things seem to be clicking better between Audrey and Tom, but they do seem to have an ongoing intruder issue. The little nestling is 10 days old on 6/22.”

At Dahlgren: “The two siblings have always been quite civil to each other, but then they had a ‘big fight’ yesterday afternoon that was started by Middle. Well, at the next feeding, at 1917, they were back to being besties, no aggression! What a relief! Ages 35 and 31 days old, and ‘Big’ is self-feeding.”

The weather is a bit miserable in Boulder as well but fish are arriving at the nest for all three chicks and Mum and Little is being fed. The male is very interesting. Big fish come on the nest and there is dominance – Little always has to wait as the rain began to fall later with the arrival of a fish, Dad stepped in and moved Mum and got the other’s attention away so she could feed Little. It was very interesting. He has also on occasion done dual feedings! Was this a small third hatch male ill-treated when he was in the nest?

Good night, Boulder.

The two surviving chicks at Collins Marsh are doing well. It is a ‘hot’ nest – constructed out of what appears to be a metal disk covered with twigs on top of a fire watch tower moved to the nature centre. The fish are not always plentiful despite there being a pond and wetlands. I would personally suggest that anyone associated with this centre or if you know someone who is – that they consider stocking the pond. It really helps!

Cowlitz can always use more fish – any fish. It is a blessing that there is only one osplet this year. It would cost so little to stock that water! At the Kisatchie National Forest, it is my understanding (please correct me) that the lake is stocked annually. Yes, for fishers but, it helps the wildlife, too.

Clark PUD in Vancouver, Washington. Does anyone know this nest. It looks hot! One chick is/or entering Reptile phase another with down and looks like a DNH. Let me know if you have any history of this nest. Thanks!

Audubon Boathouse: H reports: “Plentiful fish, and doting parents, what a lucky kid! Age 12 days on 6/22.”

Fortis Exshaw: H reports, “Jasper delivered 4 fish that I saw, and Louise fed the babies at least 6 times. Trying to ascertain if the youngest is getting fed is difficult. There is a lot of bobbing and weaving in that deep nest cup at meal times. At the 1636 feeding, I did count at least 18 bites for Little. Louise seems to ensure that all get fed. Ages 4, 4, and 2 days on 6/22.”

At Patuxent, there are persistent problems with the park tour boat interfering with the nests. They are coming too close. It is too stressful for the birds. H reports on Patuxent I, ” Fish deliveries started to recover a bit on 6/22 after the worst of the stormy weather of the past couple of days. They had at least two large fish. The osplets are 22, 21, and 18 days old on 6/22.:

Patuxent II: H reports, “Also improved fish deliveries today, as the weather is improving. Of note was a large live fish delivered at 1305. As Mom was dragging the heavy fish into position, a park tour boat full of tourists steered very close to the nest to provide a better photo opportunity. This human interference cause Mom to fly away with the fish. She did return later with the fish after the tour boat had passed. The osplets on 6/22 are 39, 37, and 33 days old, and they eat very nicely together.”

Here is that ‘tourist attraction’:

At the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, there are two new little osplets.

Patchogue: It is a good thing that Little Mini had some fish at the beginning of Thursday because the Bigs were sure hungry.

Mini workings its wings at 0617.

Mini having breakfast at 0659.

Mini having fish before bed at 1947:

The Big ones are increasingly heading up to eat first and Mini is having to wait. It has had some fish but not sure how much twice Friday morning.

Loch of the Lowes: The two chicks of Laddie and Blue NC0 were ringed on Friday.

Dyfi Ospreys: These two gorgeous osplets of Idris and Telyn will be ringed on the 27th. They will be given names that day as well – either rivers or mountains of Wales.

Glaslyn: Everything is good with Aran and Elan and the two bobs who will also be ringed but not for another 10 days and a bit!

Poole Harbour: The sun coming up over the horizon on CJ7 and her precious trio.

Loch Arkaig: Louis is such an amazing Dad. Poor Dorcha, she gets a lot of beaking from the wee one. Geemeff wonders if this is part of behavioural development if there is no sibling. I wonder. We certainly recall the Finnish osplet from 2022 who was quite aggressive towards Mum.

Good and bad news coming in from Kielder Forest:

New-post-Mainly-wonderful-news Download

At the scrape of Monty and Hartley, Soledad is really flapping off any baby feathers that could be left – and screaming for food! Ah, Monty has to feed his baby. What a dad! She is so much bigger than he is!

Ferris Akel had a special tour to check on M1 after her brilliant first flight today at the nest on the Cornell Campus of Big Red and Arthur. She is certainly a beauty.

That fledge happened at 0600. traditionally raptor fledges happen in the morning or early evening – not at night and usually not in the heat of mid-day.

M2 and 3 on the nest thinking about flying.

Big Red keeping a good eye on all that is happening. S he knows precisely where each of her chicks are.

Thanks, Ferris for the tour. There will be another fledge soon!

Chase and Cholyn’s Anthony fledged and got a reward for returning to the nest.

It will continue to be a sad day on the NE coast of the US and their osprey nests. It is inevitable that all will be lost at South Cape May if not already and perhaps more at Forsythe and Barnegat Light. Our thoughts go out to these families. Thank you for being with me. Send positive wishes to all the nests that are struggling and those that are doing well. Events such as weather can change things overnight. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog this morning: – A big shout out to ‘H’. Also Geemeff and SP, the New York Times, SCMM, Forsythe, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Severna Park, Chesapeake Conservancy, Dahlgren Ospreys, Boulder County FG Ospreys, Collins Marsh, Cowlitz, Clark PUD, PSEG, LOTL, Dyfi, Bwywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Sk Hideaways and the San Jose City Hall Falcons, Ferris Akel Tours, IWS, Audubon Boat House, Patuxent River Park, Heidi McGru and Patuxent River Park, Fortis Exshaw, MN Landscape Arboretum, and Kielder Forest.

Fledges, Zeus missing? and more…Thursday in Bird World

22 June 2023

It is always good to go somewhere and soak in a very different environment and then, it is always good to be ‘home’. It was hard to leave the island. There had to be one last stop by the rocks and the water with the Pelicans and Hooded Mergansers. Before I could get there, a family of Canada Geese swam by! Oh, joy!

This beautiful female Common Merganser sitting on ‘her’ rock watching her babies swim.

Pelicans have to be the comedians of the shore. Notice that the pelican on the right has a ‘caruncle’ – a protrusion from the top beak. It is thought that these are there to attract a mate as they are shed after mating and eggs are laid. Both males and females grow them.

Lake Winnipeg is the 10th largest freshwater lake in the world at 25,514 sq km. It is also very shallow – something that causes these huge swells. At its deepest, it is only 38 m.

The water pounds against the rocks when it is windy – I find it soothing. They were all there, so it was a nice goodbye, and then, crossing the causeway, there was a single Tundra Swan and, to my delight, a Bald Eagle (not an adult but too far at a distance to determine age) who was none too happy that I stopped to say hello! It was near the Black Wolf trail, where their nests are located.

The distance is about 80-90 metres. That eagle with its keen sight knew where I was all the time. It had flown from an old dock to that tree in the distance to keep an eye on me.

I love it when the garden animals realise that I am home! Or maybe it is the smell of those peanuts in the feeders! LOL

Poor Junior looks a little bedraggled now that he is moulting. That Blue Jay in front – well that is the little fledgling that was sitting with the stone birds last week.

Dyson is looking a lot better than she did a few days ago.

There were so many birds getting drinks.

Moorings Park Victor is having a ball, skimming the water for fish, and coming to the nest wet! What a delight!

Little Mini is doing very well despite the Bigs getting some small fish to self feed on previous days. ‘R’ sent me two images of Mini up feeding at dawn and again when another early fish arrives. It seems that things are back to normal with Mini eating well in the early morning and evening. Don’t you just love this little character?

A big fish came into the nest at 18:44, and Mum happily fed Mini from 19:54-19:21, when she was too full to eat another bite. Mum got to enjoy some nice fish. We should no longer have to worry about Mini, but because she is a fourth, I will continue to watch her closely until she fledges! It is simply a delight to see this little one work hard to stay alive and is now thriving.

Mini also had the most amazing ‘ps’ at 20:31. That wide ribbon of white going in front of the perch is going to make a big splash on the sidewalk.

Deyani fledged on Wednesday and returned to the nest. Perfect.

Angel arrived to an empty nest.

Deyani returns to get the little bird for her lunch that Angel brought. This is excellent—the continuation of the nest as a place for prey.

On Wednesday, the Ms were getting a little antsy. One was on the fledge ledge and the railing today sending out the signal that they could fly anytime now and M1 did. She flew Thursday morning.

We almost had an ooops.

Here is the video of that flight!

Perhaps I am the only one but this eyas at the Evergy Topeka scrape – while it has now its back and wing feathers broken out of their shafts – still has the most peculiar head. Where is its plumage?

Climate change is revealing new places for our birds to try and live. Here is some news from Sanibel Islands.

Storms are really playing havoc with the osprey nests along the NE coast of the US today. This is the report from ‘H’. “Ospreys near the Mid-Atlantic coast are not eating well today. Rain and heavy winds. So far today as of 1955:

Barnegat Light, three early fish – Little had 36 bites at the first meal, and at the other two meals the view was blocked. I note that the wind is terrible and Mum is soaked as night begins to descend.

Kent Island, one early fish (two meals)

Dahlgren, two early fish

Patuxent 1, one afternoon fish

Severna Park, two early fish (I think that’s all)

SCMM, no fish so far !!! And now we may know why. ‘H’ reports: “Worrisome. Zeus was not seen at all yesterday. We assume he had no luck fishing for the family, but he did not stop by the nest. Hera flew off the nest this morning at 0810 and did not return until 0953. We assume she went fishing. When she returned, she did not have a fish and her crop was flat. It is damp and chilly, 63 degrees. For some reason, she has not returned to brooding the chicks at 10:20.”

This is very sad, indeed. Hera might know that something has happened to Zeus and that she cannot care for the osplets alone. We wait. Send good wishes to all of these nests, please.

Forsythe, no fish so far (Big and Middle self-fed Mini’s carcass) !!!

Boathouse, plenty of fish and feeds.

Exshaw, three feedings so far. I watched the feeding at 1630 (mdt) to make sure Little was getting fed, and the answer is a very big YES. Louise went out of her way to make sure Little in the back row had many bites, even some big ones that the little stinker surprisingly managed to swallow.

As you can see, some of the nests are doing splendidly and do not have weather issues – others have severe wind and rain causing a lack of food and those horrid wet and cold conditions that can make osplets vulnerable. We may lose some chicks off these nests. I am particularly concerned about Barnegat Light.

Here is a sweep of some other nests:

Cowlitz PUD: The osplet was seen attacking Mum’s beak because it is hungry. The fish are small and most often not enough of them.

Finally!

Boulder County Fair Grounds: Everything appears to be alright. Little got a private feeding!

Outerbanks, North Carolina: Everything is good. Chicks are self-feeding and also being fed.

Dunrovin: Three healthy osplets!

At the Finnish Nests:

#1. It appears that all three are doing good.

#3. Little sometimes hangs back but manages to get up front and get some of the big fish that are brought to the nest.

#4. Everything appears to be alright. Lined up nicely for meals with a wee bit of bother sometimes – but not during feedings that I have observed.

#LS5: Everything looks alright with this nest and its two osplets. It is the only Finnish nest with only two this year.

Janakkalan: The third hatch often gets fed after the two big ones.

In the UK, banding will occur at all of the nests we have monitored as long as the weather holds and there are banners. Chicks cannot be banded after 45 days for fear of causing a premature fledge/fludge. The ideal time is 35-38 days.

Loch of the Lowes: Blue NC0 has to protect her chicks from bad weather.

Nice fish for a late night meal. Laddie has been delivering a lot of fish. On the 15th of June, he delivered a record eleven for the nest.

Dyfi Osprey Project: The ringing of the two osplets of Idris and Telyn will take place on 27 June, weather permitting. Awwwww, sleeping sweeties.

Glaslyn: I love seeing Aran and Elen sharing the perch. The chicks are growing and healthy and all is well.

Loch Arkaig: Geemeff catches the delivery of fish number two in the early afternoon….It is identified as a whole Silver Tourist (a species I do not know but gosh, what a nice one!). I can only imagine if a fish like this landed on the Cowlitz PUD.

Poole Harbour: Breakfast is served at 0426. Blue 022 is really an early bird.

Llyn Clywedog: Dylan fed the Bobs a really nice Brown Trout for their tea on Wednesday.

For the fans of the Albatross, the Royal Cam chick has a name. A really nice compilation by Sharon Dunne aka Lady Hawk.

Does M15 – our amazing SW Florida Dad – have a new mate? Oh, this is fantastic – let us hope that these two bond and we see them in the late fall at the nest. So grateful to those photographers on the ground.

You might really enjoy seeing the winners of the Audubon Photography Awards. There are so many talented individuals!

The-2023-Audubon-Photography-Awards-Winners-and-Honorable-Mentions-Audubon Download

And now for something extraordinary – we really could use a pick me up after the weather and Zeus missing…Middle at Achieva. He is fattening up at the Tampa Bay Raptor Centre and will attend flight school next week. How wonderful is that? Thanks, ‘H’.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care everyone. See you soon – and do not forget to send good wishes to these beautiful nests. Many of them might be in some trouble today.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, postings, photographs, and streaming cams that help make up my blog today: “A, H, L, R’, Moorings Park, PSEG, Window to Wildlife, Cornell Bird Lab, Evergy Topeka, NBC2 News, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Chesapeake Conservancy, Dahlgren Ospreys, Patuxent River Park, Severna Ospreys, SCMM, Forsythe Ospreys, Audubon Boat House, Fortis Exshaw, Cowlitz PUD, Boulder County Fair Grounds, Outerbank ospreys, Dunrovin Ranch, Finnish Osprey Foundation, LOTL, Dyfi, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Laura Davis Nelson and SWFL Eagles, and Audubon.

World Albatross Day…Monday in Bird World

19 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that each of you had a lovely weekend. It is World Albatross Day today and the theme this year is the harm that plastics due to the sea and to these fish eating beauties. They fill up with plastic ‘things and then get so full they cannot eat real food and die. They feed plastic to their babies like SP at Taiaroa Head, NZ. Th e Royal Cam chick of the year. Then they die. How can we help? Let’s start at home. The next time you purchase an item, try to go plastic free. Then do it again. Soon you will be doing so much good for the environment, yourself, and our precious wildlife.

“‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ on World Environment Day 2018” by United Nations Information Service Vienna is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Today is a run-through of many nests because I have not caught up with some for a few days. There are only brief notes to say that they are alright. I know that many of you wait for the news of some of the nests that we are concerned about. Hopefully, this will give you a quick sense of how they are doing. I apologise that this reads a bit like a grocery list. It is also the day that I drive north to the Grindstone/Hecla Island Provincial Parks to attempt a count of the Bald Eagle nests around the island. Last year the nests were flooded. All of the eggs were lost. I will take you to the islands and show you a different part of my province and its wildlife.

The area was initially settled by people migrating from Iceland and many of the communities in the surrounding area are populated by people of Icelandic descent.

I am also looking forward to stops along the way and little day trips to areas where I have never been…a breath of fresh air from the City OR will it be with the forest fires?

We need a smile. Thanks, Cal Falcons.

I want to give a big shout-out to Kathleen at Marder’s. Two of their osplets died, and the third is not in good shape. They responded quickly. Marders has a lift ready to retrieve the two little eaglet bodies. They will be refrigerated so that they can be collected by the DEC. Dr Gavin Hitchener will perform the necroscopy if the bodies are not too decomposed. Marder’s loves their ospreys. This has been a sad year for them and others along this coast.

Nest and Scrape Round Up:

I am going to start with a couple of the Latvian nests. My friend Sassa Bird is dancing with glee as the rains are coming down in Latvia. I hope she doesn’t mind…her note was so joyous. She says, “I can happily report that it has been raining for two days in Latvia. Finally!!! I can’t remember the last time when I was so overjoyed about raining and taking it in with all my senses. I’m so happy for all the wildlife getting some relief. We already see a rapid change in the feeding pattern at our live-streamed white stork nest – they’re getting more and more of all the little creatures that have come out of hiding.”

When I went to check on the nests, the forest is so alive with song and life!

White Storks, Tukums, Latvia: They will be so happy because of the rain! Sassa Bird says they have been eating much better since the rains began.

Lesser Spotted Eagles, Latvia: The nest of Anna and Andris and their only surviving eaglet. The rains have brought out the small animals and Andris brings a vole to the chick on the nest who is hungry.

Video of Anna bringing a bird for the chick, Arturs, on 18 June.

Karl II and Kaia Black Stork Nest, Karula National Forest, Estonia: No rain yet for this couple and their three storklets after the brood reduction of Little Benjamin. Send them good positive energy. Let the rains come and the frogs come out of hiding! Such a lovely family.

No rain but Karl II found some fodder for the storklets and Kaia gave them water…Here are the feedings from Sunday.

Kaia giving water to her storklets.

Black Stork Nest, Lodz Poland: The only surviving storklet was getting a feeding when I last checked! Good news.

Black Stork Nest, Wolsztyn, Poland: Missing Tytania returns to the nest after a three-day absence. Want to see ‘stork’ happiness? Watch. Do not, for a second, ever let anyone tell you that wildlife do not have emotions.

White Stork Nest, Mlady Buky: The four storklets of Bety and Bukacek have been ringed and are growing and growing. The food source must be very good in this area of The Czech Republic.

Collins Marsh: The third osplet has died either late on the 16th or the 17t of June, 9-10 days old. Image is of Mum with her two surviving osplets and a partial fish.

Cowlitz PUD: Looks good today.

Newfoundland Power: Three eggs being incubated at the nest that is considered a ‘lost hope’. Let’s see if we can get a fledge here this year! That would be brilliant.

Fortis Exshaw: There are two hatches. The second shortly after the first. Yeah for delayed incubation! Rain is there and windy. Fingers crossed. It is a really deep nest cup and this could help these hatchlings.

Boulder County Fairgrounds: Gosh, this nest is doing well today.

HellGate, Missoula Montana Ball Park: Star and Louis have three osplets this year. That is why Louis has been so busy! He doesn’t have time to go over to that ‘other’ nest.

Severna Park: ‘H’ says that everything is fantastic. Big and Middle are now thriving and we remember Little. Great screen caps, ‘H’. Thank you.

Forsythe: ‘H’ reports that the nest has settled down with the death of Mini and that all were lined up eating without beaking.

Dahlgren: This osprey nest has just been civil and peaceful all season. The chicks are doing great. Thanks’ H’.

Kent Island: It seems that Audrey has figured out that she needs to feed her Only bob! As ‘H’ says, ‘thank goodness’.

Patuxent I: Serene.

Patchogue. Sunday is always a bad day for fish on this nest. I wonder if it is the number of people going outside to the creeks and lake? Mini never gets all the food it wants, but the wee one started out alright with a massive crop at 0908. That was good because Mini got shut out of several fish later in the day. Keep an eye on Mini for me on Monday. Send me a note telling me how it did. Thank you!

There is so much rubbish on our osprey nests. Mum tried to get rid of that clear plastic. Every nest should be cleaned, thoroughly, before the next breeding season starts.

Oyster Bay: The three seem to be doing alright.

Outerbanks: Kathryn reports that the nest is tranquil compared to the other two nests she observed. It has to be – 9 fish before 1230! Gracious. Incredible.

Barnegat Light: This is now the problem nest with Big beaking Little almost constantly. ‘He’ kept close tabs on this nest on Sunday and Little did manage to get a total of 239 bites but there were a lot of feedings. Hoping the aggravation and dominance from the first hatch settles down.

Finland Saaksilvie 1: All is good.

Finland Saaksilvie 5 (LS): Nice fish deliveries. Chicks are in the Reptile phase. All is good.

Poole Harbour: Life is sweet for the trio of CJ7 and Blue 022. Lots of fish, growing like mad. Little Reptiles in the making.

Llyn Brenig: All is great in Wales!

Loch of the Lowes: Laddie brought in a huge trout for the family. All is good.

Manton Bay: The problem is this is such a successful nest that I don’t always check in. Beautiful trio. Banding soon…Proud parents Maya and Blue 33.

Dyfi Ospreys: Wet chicks! Banding in about a week. Well done Idris and Telyn.

Loch Arkaig: Many have said that they are glad that Louis and Dorcha had only this Bob as it is a handful and a half. Cannot even imagine with all the fine fish the life the Middle might have had! LOL.

The latest news from Kielder:

New-post-Nest-5A-news Download

Imperial Eaglets, Tatarstan, Russia: The two eaglets of Alton and Altynay are doing fantastic! So big and healthy!

Evergy Topeka Scrape: The older siblings have fledged and are getting fed at the scrape and mid-air while the third hatch with its underdeveloped plumage waits in the scrape hoping for a feeding. The company and a wildlife rehabber in the area have been contacted by the situation. The eyas is beginning to develop feathers but is very late and some have not come out of their shafts. Looking better each day.

San Jose City Hall: What can I say? Soledad is trying out for the role of The Hulk.

Angel and Tom RTH: “Deyani is still on the nest at 6.15pm so hopefully we won’t get a late afternoon fledge (it is light at that nest until well after 9pm). Deyani finally killed the pine cone early this morning. It is now just a small piece. It is astounding to me that she is still on the nest. She is flapping and jumping all over the nest, prey spotting on the ground (we thought she was about to take the plunge this morning when she saw something particularly interesting) and perfecting some very vicious-looking grabbing and killing skills on innocent nest material. Such an exquisite hawklet.”

Later ‘A’ remarks: “Deyani’s only meal today was a bird (catbird according to some chatters) after 4pm, so the parents are definitely giving her the hint, I think. Angel spent the previous two nights sleeping on the branch near the nest (until then, she had spent every night on the nest with Deyani). Tonight, she is not there, but is presumably perched elsewhere in the nest tree, within eyeshot of her precious hawklet. So yes, six are clearly there, the food has been cut right back today and mum has left the building (or at least the near vicinity). So it’s time to fly sweetheart. We want you to stay forever but your parents have other ideas.”

One of the ways that we tell if a hawk let is ready to fly is to count the lines on its tail. It is better if you can clearly count six lines before fledge. Deyani clearly has 6!

Cornell Red Tail Hawks: The Ms. Big Red and Arthur’s kids. Flapping, jumping, and walking…But count the stripes on the tail of this one. Not 6.

Whew! Yes, like a grocery list. I will not be listing nests like this again but there could be some that are unfamiliar and you might want to check them out.

Wondering how it is going in The Gambia fighting Avian Flu? The fundraiser was successful and Conservation without Borders also got some additional help.

And last, climate change affects our feathered friends in many ways.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that helped me to create my blog today: ‘A, H, Kathryn, Kathleen, Sassa Bird’, OpenVerse, Cal Falcons, Marders Ospreys, Latvian Fund for Nature, Arlene Beech and the Latvian Fund for Nature, Looduskalender Forum, Eagle Club of Estonia, Lodz Poland Storks, Mlady Buky Storks, Collins Marsh, Cowlitz PUD, Newfoundland Power, Fortist Exshaw, Boulder County Fair Grounds, Louis Matteau and Montana Ospreys at Hellgate, Severna Park, Forsythe Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, Kent Island Ospreys, Patuxent River Park, PSEG, Outerbank 24/7, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, LOTL and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, LRWT, Dyfi Ospreys, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Kielder Forest, Imperial Eagles Tatarstan, Evergy Topeka, SK Hideaways and San Jose City Hall Falcons, Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, and Geemeff and Conservation without Borders.

Fly high Forsythe Mini…Sunday in Bird World

18 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

To all the males in the world – raptor or human – who have cared for any living soul in their lifetime, Happy Father’s Day! Rejoice in your compassion and humanity. We thank you.

There is so much news, so I decided to stop and make apricot and cherry jam on Saturday just to shut down. It is necessary sometimes but, first, we have new members of the ‘garden club’. Dyson brought her two kits to the garden today for the first time. My calendar notes show they are 8-9 weeks old (give or take). Dyson has been busy taking peanuts to and from her nest, which I have not located. We have numerous very tall and old trees nearby, and it may be in one of those. Grey squirrels are born without fur, no teeth, and closed eyes. Those eyes do not open until the kits are about six weeks old. Dyson was here with them and I made sure that there were peanuts in all of the tray feeders and on the deck. For some reason, the little ones do not like to get on the ground and good thing – those bloody cats!

Dear Dyson – named because she can suck up peanuts faster than any of Sir Dyson’s vacuum cleaners can get at the cat fur! She is so precious to me and to have her bring her kits into the garden warms me from the top of my head to my big toe.

It is difficult to put in perspective how small they are because they are not standing at the table feeder with Mum.

Dyson is moulting. She looks tired to me. She is not a youngster. Hopefully, lots of good nuts will help her replenish her health now that the two youngsters can fiend for themselves.

We lost two osplets at the Marder’s platform at East Hampton, Long Island, NY, on the 16th, Friday. Thank you for the head’s up ‘SW’. Dr Gavin Hitchener of the Cornell Lab will do a necroscopy if the specimens can be retrieved and if they are not too deteriorated. He is with the Duck Lab on Long Island. So grateful. What is causing this? It would be good to find out… the number of unexplained osplet deaths this season grows.

The areas of recent sudden deaths are included in this map and begin at Edgewater, Maryland (near the D in Maryland-lower left) and follow the coast to East Hampton, Long Island and then to Cananicut Island, Rhode Island (Jamestown). You can see the coastal/water path that this pattern is taking.

The female at Marders with her only surviving chick.

Today, remembering Mini at the Forsythe Nest who died during the night after surviving horrific conditions of siblicide/starvation. ‘H’ noted that before it died last night, it did a tiny PS Saturday afternoon and took a direct shot at Little who had been the problem with it getting food. Fly high, little one!

There were two more osplets that hatched overnight. The first hatch for Fortis Exshaw is reported by ‘H’ for day 40 of egg 1 on 16 June and the the third hatch for Hera and Zeus on the 18th at South Cape May Meadows. Thanks ‘H’ for monitoring these nests!

As most of you know, this has been a tragic year at many of the US Osprey nests. It feels unprecedented. ‘H’ and I have been monitoring – along with Kathryn and ‘L’ – a number of nests and when we see beaking at a certain stage, we get nervous. With the death of Mini at Forsythe, directly from siblicide/starvation, we are watching carefully the Barnegat Light nest in NJ. Chatters have commented how cute the beaking is – it isn’t. As ‘H’ and I know far too well, this can quickly turn deadly. If you see people considering this light-hearted play, let them know that it is very serious dominance behaviour that could lead to the one being abused being shut out from food. Thank you!

‘H’ reports: “Duke arrived with a partial fish at 1905. Just prior to the feeding, Middle beaked Little, and then Big beaked Middle. So both Little and Middle were tucked. After a moment, Middle was up and joined the feeding. It took longer for Little to raise up, in between Middle and Big. After Little received a few bites, he was again beaked by Middle and tucked again. Little did return to the feeding and received enough bites to have a crop. It was a relatively short feeding, and the majority of the feeding was peaceful. After the feeding, Middle and Big engaged in a bit of a beaking-fest.”

Many of you have wondered what the impact of the wildfires has on the behaviour of wildlife and raptors. ‘R’ sent me an informative article. Have a read!

Researcher-Smoke-from-wildfires-impacted-bird-behavior-Local-News-standard-journal.com_Download

Last night I took the time to check in with the Finnish Osprey nests to see what was happening. Here is a brief encounter with the nests and their chicks – all have three osplets but nest #5 which has only 2. There are two nests without any occupants and one that is curious.

#1: There are three wonderful little osplets.

#3. Three osplets!

#4. There are also three!

#LS-5. Two Osplets.

I am trying to find out what happened at the osprey nest at Janakkalan – the nest of Boris and Tito last year. Female and one if not both chicks are believed to have died of Trichomoniasis. There were two osplets on the nest. Then it appeared that something had happened to both of them and today the female is back on the nest. Very confusing. Do you know?

Second chick hatched on 8 June after the first on the 7th.

The history of the Osprey in Finland:

Keeping with a focus on some of our international osprey nests, I went back to check on a German nest we checked on earlier in the season. Those osplets are doing fantastic.

There are also three osplets at the Urdaibai platform in the Biosphere which is part of the Basque region. It has been raining and miserable – and in past years the chicks have died of exposure. Let us all hope that these three make it.

In her 2006 M.Sc. thesis, FACTORS INFLUENCING MORTALITY IN NESTLING OSPREYS (PANDION HALIAETUS): AN ANALYSIS OF BREEDING STRATEGIES, Jennifer Anne Rettew confirms that “Weather is a significant influence on breeding success. There are fewer young in years of heavy rainfall. Even when brooded, if the nest becomes wet, the mortality of eggs and chicks increases. Younger chicks are vulnerable to becoming too cold. Direct sun can also cause significant mortality among nestlings. This is especially true for younger chicks. Small young are susceptible to overheating on hot summer days (Poole et al. 2002). Severe storms can also cause nestling mortality. Storm killed young are most often older young because they are too large to be effectively brooded by adults. Poole (1984) found that severe storms caused a substantial number of deaths in a third of study sites. However, chicks were also emaciated, indicating that both starvation and exposure during the storms led to mortality. Weather can also cause a decrease in parental provisioning, which in turn can decrease nestling viability. Cloud cover or sun does not have a significant effect on hunting ability but wind speed and water surface conditions do. Precipitation increases the length of hunt duration such that prey delivery rates to the nest decrease in rain. Hunting is no longer profitable for adults in terms of energetic costs when wind speeds are greater than seven meters per second (Machmer and Ydenberg 1990).”

We have seen this several times on streaming cams where the chick cannot get under the female who is brooding in bad weather and dies of exposure. Indeed, it is quite common especially in large broods or where there are large chicks and one smaller one that cannot get underneath Mum to stay dry and warm.

I love it when I get mail where the excitement jumps right off the computer screen. That happened this morning when ‘R’ wrote to tell me about the antics of Little Mini at Patchogue. So instead of taking screen captures, I did a very short video clip and then a little longer one. Our Little Mini is a tour de force!

Little Mini had such a good day that on several occasions, it appears that she is so full she can hardly walk. It is difficult to imagine having to worry about Mini any longer. This is a formidable, intelligent osplet that is determined to eat as much fish as it can, when it can – and survive!

One of the neighbourhood children saw this image and thought that Mini had quite the costume on but that the ‘grey sweater’ was ‘too tight’. LOL. I was hysterical! Out of the mouths of youngsters! They all love Little Mini and are so excited she is thriving.

‘A’ reports that Deyani ate a skunk today – amongst other prey items. Oh, gosh golly. Tom fed it to his girl who has been jumping and flapping all over the nest. Fledge is near.

The little RTH living with the Bald Eagles in Redding took a bit of a fright today.

Big Red and Arthur’s hawklets are doing fantastic…getting too close to fledge, too.

Oh, but they still love to be fed by Mama.

I am always amazed at all of the things that a wildlife rehabilitation centre needs – and let’s face it, they rescue wildlife in the strangest of locations, build and repair enclosures, and do all the health stuff. Do you have an unused kayak you could donate? Just think about all the waterfowl that get tangled in line or trapped….they need a way to retrieve them!

Want to learn how to catch a fish? Let Ervie teach you! That third hatch of the 2021-22 Port Lincoln season continues to live and thrive in the area of the barge. And guess what? Mum and Dad were on the barge together the other day…the season will begin to kick off in Australia soon enough.

Gosh, he is a handsome osprey. Perfect form!

Cal Falcons are all fledged and grown up but still hanging around the scrape! Thanks, SK Hideaways.

If you are missing fuzzy little Peregrine Falcons, well, here is a scrape with four little ones and an egg in Alberta Canada! Link to camera is below image of this cute little family:

And last, a beautiful tribute to M15 – the Bald Eagle of the year – from SK Saunders Photography. They did an amazing job with all of their footage! Warning: G et the tissues out.

Thank you for being with me today. We will be back to some full nest checks of the osprey in the US and UK for tomorrow. Take care!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to create my blog this morning: ‘A, H, R, SW’, Google Maps, Marders Osprey, Forsythe Osprey, Fortis Exshaw, SCMM, Barnegat Light, The Standard Journal, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Fischadlerwebcam, Urdaibai Biosphere, PSEG, Window to Wildlife, FORE, Cornell RTH, Birds in Helping Hands, Fran Scully and Friends of Osprey Sth Bus, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, The Real Saunders Photography, and Scotfold-Alberta Falcons.

Little Mini is the Early Bird again…Friday in Bird World

16 June 2023

Good Morning,

Thursday was a wonderful day full of field birding in the area of Delta Marsh at the southern end of Lake Manitoba and Island Park in Portage la Prairie. At least 29 species of birds at Delta Marsh – almost all vocalising while the Pelicans and Terns were busy catching fish. To be out among the living – in fields near a big lake – well, it simply lifts one’s spirits! The area is maintained by the Province of Manitoba and Ducks Unlimited. Those are the folks that I have a love-hate relationship. I am grateful that they expand and maintain wetland areas in our province such as Delta Marsh and Oak Hammock Marsh. Both are major flyways for migration. My only problem is ‘duck hunting’….

The haze from the wildfire smoke clouded the sky. Overhead, 77 Canada Geese were heading north in it. Do they know the fires are up there? Chevrons of 70-150 geese have been flying north for several days now. These geese have no goslings to care for….remember I am very worried about the numbers this year. They are heading for food, space, and cooler weather – although surprisingly it has cooled down the past couple of days in the southern part of Manitoba.

Three American Robins flitted about the parking areas. There are so many insects and mosquitoes…what a fantastic place to live and hunt. It was so quiet…no one else about save for a couple of men fishing down the road.

A female Yellow-headed Blackbird serenaded me from the path.

While her mate, across the path, was warning me to keep walking!

At a great distance, the Black Terns were fishing in Lake Manitoba.

A pair of Northern Shovelers were in a shallow pond nearby. It was such a variety of habitats.

At Island Park, a Goldeneye was being followed by eleven little ones.

A Mallard couple were resting in the sunshine while a female Mallard had a raft of ducklings she was trying to manage.

Did you know that a group of flying ducks is called a skein? If they are in the water, it is a raft, and if they are walking on the ground, the group is called a flock or a waddling.

Oh, these babies are so cute.

Sometimes it is just so wonderful to leave the city behind and be in a place where all you can hear is the sound of birds!

‘A’ sent this to me yesterday. You don’t have to be a Royal Albatross fan to smile when you hear SP do a skycall. It just melts your heart. Oh, we need to clean up how those ocean trawlers cast those long lines and stop the beheading of the osprey. We need to demand that they take the six simple steps to stop the killing of albatross as bycatch. Here they are- have a short read and educate yourself, and then set about studying which fish sold is responsibly harvested – if you eat fish.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/6-ways-us-fisheries-reduce-albatross-bycatch

19 June 2023 is World Albatross Day. This year’s theme, selected by The Albatross and Petrel Agreement, is Plastic Pollution. Here is more information:

Agreement-on-the-Conservation-of-Albatrosses-and-Petrels-World-Albatross-Day-2023-Photo-Posters Download

And a video.

Now imagine that sweet little chick on the South Plateau trying to eat fish with an ocean full of plastic. You can help by refusing to purchase any items made of plastic. We now know that recycled plastic is not good for the environment. Choose alternatives.

We are now four days away from American Eagle Day in the US on 20 June. A posting by Sassa Bird reminds us of the challenges that eagles such as M15, E22, and Jackie and Shadow face every day.

While I was away today, Little Mini at Patchogue was eating and growing, eating and sleeping and growing. Seriously waking up and finding out that this fourth hatch had breakfast while I was still sleeping just makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

So the first fish comes around 0545 and like Wednesday, the big siblings are ‘sleepy’. Little Mini is gonna’ get the proverbial worm – in this case, a private 20 minute feeding. Little Mini has a huge crop at 0604 when he stops eating. The crop Little Mini had at 0748 was hilarious. Mini did not get any of the 0956 fish and the kid scared the wits out of me when he is hanging over the nest at 1414. Another fish lands on the nest at 1418. Little Mini is good. He sees it is a big one and he hangs back while slowly making his way around the rim of the nest so as not to alert the other three. Did someone on chat call them ‘The Three Witches of Patchogue’? At 1513, Little Mini is at the beak. Then another fish arrives at 1622, another at 1726, and at 1848. Little Mini was up and ready to eat at 1858. He didn’t get a lot but then another fish shows up at 2031. I thought Mini would go up but he didn’t bother.

0545:

0743:

Little Mini’s crop at 0748. Have a giggle.

This nest needs better rails!

1424 – making his way around the rails.

1729:

1858:

1903. I wold say that Mini did very well in terms of fish today. Mum has been so good to feed him better and thankfully those big siblings are not earlier risers. These parents are amazing. Dad fishes all day and Mum feeds almost all day long.

2018: Still has a crop.

Oh, I hope that this pattern that has been set for a few days continues at Patchogue. Little Mini got the early fish this morning as well. It is fantastic.

0622

0634

0804. Little Mini is getting feathers and has clown feet…oh, joy. Look at that lovely crop.

The Memorial Wall has grown to include 70 birds from the streaming cams now. The latest was Little Benjamin from the Karula Forest Black Stork Nest of Karl II and Kaia. I mentioned this in Thursday’s blog – it must have been heartbreaking as this is the first time Karl II has ever had to do this horrific deed. So many nests are struggling and osplets dying…take a look at that listing for the last two weeks alone! We hope that there is enough food for the five in the family. Send good wishes to this Estonian couple. Black Storks are so rare and everyone has tried to help.

Little Benjamin sitting upright moments before.

Kathryn found another Osprey nest with a trio. This one is at Great Bay, New Hampshire! The chicks hatched on 24 May and the 27th of May – yes the last two on the same day seven and a half hours apart.

Kathryn says there is some submissive behaviour but, in the last image, you can see that all three have big crops!

Here is the link to their camera:

Sunnie Day reports that the Iowa DNR Osplets are doing great.

‘H’ reports on the Forsythe Nest where there are four osplets. Both ‘H’ and I are extremely concerned for Mini who had only 30 bites of food on Thursday and 34 on Friday. This is not enough to sustain life.

At South Cape May Meadows, there is new life. I kept hoping Mum would give us a good look, but no. Sure are a nice looking couple – let’s see how he does with fishing, and she does with feeding!

Oh. surprise. ‘H’ noticed the second hatch this morning at SCMM!

Every time I watch the Boulder County Fairgrounds nest, I start to have palm sweats. Then I am proven wrong…the wee third hatch gets to eat!

Just look at that face! Seriously, osplets can be joyful and enthusiastic when eating fish!

The third hatch at Oyster Bay has a fat little bottom.

Tom and Audrey’s first hatch at Chesapeake Conservancy is a cutie.

The only osplet at the Cowlitz PUD is doing great!

‘A’ looks at Deyani and remarks, “I’m glad we have our exquisite hawklet for at least one more day. Every moment is becoming more precious as the time for fledging grows ever nearer. Will we ever be ready? I doubt it.” Beautiful – and not a bunny will be left on that farm! Deyani has the most beautiful water blue eyes.

Everything seems to be just fine at Severna Park ospreys. Middle is practising some self-feeding. And Big is as big as Mum.

All three at Barnegat Light are either in the Reptile phase or entering it. Fingers crossed for Little Bob. Still tiny and still precarious feeling.

The trio at Dunrovin Ranch in Colorado are big and doing fantastic.

Those two at Jack and Harriet’s nest in Dahlgren are doing great, also. Nice big crops and growing like weeds…and I am not seeing so many toys in that nest now. Thank goodness.

At Loch of the Lowes, Laddie brought in a big fish, and everyone ate including Mum, Blue NC0. Nice.

Idris and Telyn have BIG Bobs…I blinked. Just look at these two.

CJ7 and Blue 022 are such great parents. It has been a joy to watch them raise chicks for the second year.

Those amazing wildlife rehabbers! Two osprey chicks hatched from eggs and fostered. Thanks, Sunnie Day.

HARWICH PORT — 06/14/23 — A couple of osprey chicks await to be re-nested. A couple of osprey chicks were re-nested at Bud’s Go-Karts where there is an existing nest. Wild Care Executive Director and Wildlife Rehabilitator Stephanie Ellis has raised the birds from eggs that were removed by wildlife officials from nests built on chimneys in Osterville and Falmouth. The chicks were placed into surrogate nests along with chicks their same age to be raised by a new set of parents.

MERRILY CASSIDY/CAPE COD TIMES

Thanks Sassa Bird for this joyous story. Bald Eagle parents – more than 30 years old have healthy triplets.

Thank you so much for being with me. I am up and out early, so there could be news I miss. Please send your positive wishes to those struggling, including the little one at Forsythe who seems to be shut out of early fish today. We may lose this baby. Take care, everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, postings, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A, H, Kathryn’, NoAA, Albatross and Petrel Agreement, ABUN, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Sassa Bird and the AEF, PSEG, Eagle Club of Estonia, Great Bay Ospreys, Sunnie Day and the Iowa DNR, Forsythe ospreys, SCMM, Boulder County Fairgrounds, Chesapeake Conservancy, Cowlitz PUD Window to Wildlife, Severna Park, Barnegat Light, Dunrovin Ranch, Dahlgren Ospresy LOTL, Dyfi Ospreys, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Sunnie Day and Harwich Point, and Sassa Bird and Alaska Rain.

Mini finally gets some fish…Loud and feisty Soledad…Tuesday in Bird World

13 June 2022

Good Morning!

So what do you do when you worry? This morning after seeing Tiny shut out of food at the Patchogue nest for another day, it seemed like a good idea to head out for a walk in the forest despite the 29C temps. Tiny has not eaten since it had a huge crop late Saturday. Nothing is better to clear the mind than walking through trees with a slight breeze and looking at ‘the living’.

Fort Whyte Alive is restoring and building wetlands. They are being so careful not to disturb the waterfowl that the new area is intended to benefit. Two days ago, I could see only two Hooded Mergansers despite others saying there were three. Today, I turned, and there were three! Two drakes and a hen. Then turning away – I did not make a peep, but I sure wanted to – there was another hen with ducklings! There were eighteen. After so few goslings and Mallard ducklings, this was just overwhelming. Hooded Mergansers do breed in southern Manitoba but, according to all the ‘counts’, they are more populous in eastern Canada and Ontario than where I live.

Happiness in a pond full of Dragonflies and mosquitoes! A tip: if you go to wetlands and there are mosquitoes about, do not wear open-toe sandals. Yes, I did. LOL. Silly me. But I did have on long pants and a long sleeve shirt. Thank goodness. The running joke in Winnipeg is that people get eaten so severely by mosquitoes that they feel like they have given blood to the Red Cross. There were t-shirts to that effect for one year. The Dragonflies must be eating well!!!!!!!

In addition to the Hen, there were also two Mallard hens with eight ducklings. This was just a wonderful sight.

The two Mallard drakes were having a siesta!

Hooded Mergansers are ‘climate endangered’ according to Audubon. Many hope that the species is adjusting to climate change.

Valley-News-Adaptable-Hooded-Merganser-Adjusts-to-Changing-Environment Download

There are always Red-winged Blackbirds standing sentry at the top of the trees, flying around and following the humans on the paths if they get too close to their nests. This fella kept a really close eye on me and was vocalising very loud.

But then…just around the bend, there were geese with their five goslings. Talk about growing! This is the couple in the water two days ago.

Just lovely. School children were everywhere with nets checking the water, some were in kayaks or canoes, and others were heading to the Interpretative Centre. It is a great place to introduce youngsters to nature and hopefully, they will grow up to be good stewards of the land.

Lewis and Missey literally go and hide when they hear a Peregrine Falcon! It is incredible. Not frightened by eagles or anything else but let those falcons start and off they run! Her name is Soledad, the only eyas of Monty and Hartley at the San Jose City Hall scrape. Nice name.

Soledad is one ‘tough cookie’. Very strong and curious…she goes all over the place! After a meal, of course.

Sometimes Monty looks terrified.

In case you are going to miss, Deyani, SK Hideaways did a really cute video of this gorgeous hawklet before she fledges!

Patchogue is heartbreaking. The fish have changed. There are big bony ones coming on that take a long time to feed so that by the time it could be Mini’s turn, the Big ones are hungry again. Mini is very intimidated but that does not stop it from watching and trying to get up to some fish. It has been beaked by one of the big siblings and has lost out on food on Monday – at least anything more than a few bites by 1606 that I have seen.

Mini hopeful at 1607, but no fish left. This little one had tried and tried. Did I say that I have to go for walks in order to watch this nest now? Pray for lots of fish…we need a fish right after one another.

Mini had only a few bites of food today and was brutally attacked by the older siblings. How sad this has all become. It is unclear if any intervention could take place. ‘L’ is on it -. PSEG says that the osplets are all “doing fine”. It is 2300 and Mini has not eaten for 52 hours…OK. 3-4 bites. By Tuesday evening it will be the very critical 72 hours. Let us all collectively hope for a fish.

It is Tuesday morning and three large boney fish came to the Patchogue nest prior to 1019. Mini had 3 bites before it was sent into submission. The little one tried to chew off a bone. Mini is starving and persistent and a survivor…if it gets a chance. Mum was being so slow to start to feed it from this fish that I thought she was going to refuse. Mini does not understand.

Mum works around that bony head of the fish and finally starts feeding Mini a few decent bites. Is it possible Mini will get the rest of that fish before the others wake up? If so, Mini will survive to live again. Go Mini!

Tears. This nest desperately needs fish delivered like this or Mini will continue to be shut out and desperate. Send your most positive wishes. We need Mini to be another week older and he should be able to handle the Big ones better.

1100. Still being fed. Mum is fighting the bones and trying to eat, too. Mini is getting a crop. So Mini went more than 60 hours. Tears. Come on Mum…feed this baby more quick!

Mini ate until 1108 when the Big ones came up. Now why can’t Mum feed Mini as fast as she does the Big ones? It would make all the difference.

The weather has turned nasty in the UK with thunderstorms, high winds, lightning and hail. Maya kept the three osplets warm and protected as best she could teaching them to tuck their heads in. The minute the storm stopped Blue 33 was on the nest with a fish. Yes, he caught it during the thunderstorm for his family. Great guy! My choice if I were an Osprey!

It might be clear in Rutland but it is pitching down rain at Glaslyn. Elen is keeping the babes warm and dry.

The camera at Dyfi seems to be down.

At Llyn Brenig, Mum is spread out in a great umbrella protecting her chicks.

Dylan is home with Seren at Llyn Clywedog. The storm is passing.

At Loch of the Lowes, Laddie delivered another small gold fish. This nest is hungry. The issue is down to intruders.

Good feed on Tuesday. No animosity at LOTL. Yippeee.

At Loch Arkaig, the storm arrived quickly and left. Dorcha took great care of her Only Bob in the heavy rain and hail – but not until she had bolted off the nest when loud thunder frightened her. Just listen to the wind and heavy rain. Poor thing.

No shortage of fish at Poole Harbour. I saw one on the nest while CJ7 was feeding off another. All Bobs are little reptiles now.

Continuing to watch the Evergy Topeka Peregrine Falcons, where the third hatch is only a day younger than the two oldest and yet…the plumage is underdeveloped. Grateful that the feathers are starting to come out of the shafts but, what will happen to this baby?

‘H’ reports that the feedings remain civil at Barnegat Light. That is fantastic news…We all know that this can change. All it takes is a bad day for fish deliveries to set the nest off so please enjoy it now! You can see they are turning into little reptiles…itchy and a little anxious, they will be.

Birds in Helping Hands reminds us:

We are monitoring the Great Spirit Bluff Falcon scrape. There was a fierce GHO attack and Savannah defended the nest. Hoping she returns and is uninjured.

Newmann, the Dad, has been dropping off food. Savannah has not been seen since the GHO attack. Send your wishes. The eyases are old enough that Dad can raise them alone but our thoughts are with this brave Mum who might have fought that owl to the death to save her chicks.

Young Benjamin has caught up with the other storklets and is now six days old. This is excellent news. This wee one was so tiny. See the change!

There are still four storklets at the nest of Karl II and Kaia in the Karula National Forest in Estonia. There were numerous feedings throughout the day and at the evening feeding by Karl II the storklets had huge crops. Kaia arrived to feed but seeing no one was hungry enjoyed all the fish herself. the parents have to eat, too. This is great news – everyone full and the storklets all growing.

Bety and Bukacek’s storklets are growing and growing and doing fabulous. There are five of them.

This is the latest update on Dulles-Greenway Pat:

Ithaca, New York needed rain. We noticed this on Ferris Akel’s tours and it was getting it on Monday. The Ms were soaked! But with all that beautiful plumage, they are fine. Big Red was on the nest at one point and you could not tell her from one of the Ms.

Not sure they moved!

Murphy and his Eaglet have now been separated. Here is the latest news from Wild Bird Sanctuary.

If you are a fan of Kielder Ospreys then you will be delighted to hear that Blue 437 named Elsin, the only offspring of UV, and grandchick of Mrs G and 11 (98) – the original Glaslyn pair – was spotted in Cumbria. He survived his first migration!

New-post-The-sighting-of-the-year Download

Thank you so much for being with me this morning as we skipped around the nests. My focus remains on Mini at Patchogue (as well as Mini at Forsythe who had 36 bites this morning and Boulder County that I need to check on). Send your best wishes to all the nests. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog this morning: ‘H’, ‘L’, ‘SK’, San Jose City Hall Falcons, SK Hideaways and SJCH Falcons, SK Hideaways and Window to Wildlife, PSEg, LRWT, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Llyn Brenig, CarnyXWild, LOTL, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Evergy Topeka Falcons, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Birds in Helping Hands, Linda McIlroy and Raptors of the World, Maria Marika, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mlady Buky Stork Cam, Celia Aliengirl and BE Live Nest Cams and News, Cornell RTH, Kielder Forest, and Wild Bird Sanctuary.

Hatch for Tom and Audrey…Monday in Bird World

12 June 2023

Good Morning,

Oh, Sunday was a beautiful day – much cooler with a super breeze. A nice day to be out in the garden – it has really been neglected. The tiny tomatoes needed picking and the w—- hole hanging to—–mato plant needed a good spray with Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salts). Did you know that about a 1/4 of a cup in a gallon container – mixed well – and sprayed on the leaves will rejuvenate them if they are yellow with green veins. Try it! Planted three oak trees for the future and three more peony plants for me. The bees have really been visiting the climbing rose-s and the rest of the garden is quiet except for Junior, one grey squirrel, and some sparrows. Talk about lonely – missing those critters.

————————————————————————————-

With the Ms safely back in their nest and everyone talking about ear parasites, how much do we really know?

Everything you did and did not want to know about nest parasites and maggots in the ears of hawks!!

maggots-in-Ithaca-Hawks-35-36 Download

Taking a wee bit of a break from the ospreys to check on some of the other nests that we like to follow such as the Black Storks in the Karula National Forest in Estonia of Karl II and Kaia (the foster parents of Bonus). Oh, they are adorable. There has been or had been some difficulty with getting food as the Blue Herons were taking the fish from the baskets provided by Urmas. The chicks are hungry and for the first time it has been noticed that Karl II was pulling on both chick 4 and 3…perhaps to do a brood reduction due to poor foraging. This is highly unusual. I do not know of Karl II ever initiating an attempt at brood reduction. He must be very concerned about the foraging and the ability of him and Kaia to provide for four on the nest. This is so sad. Urmas has worked hard to supply the fish baskets for the storks but, he cannot stop other species from feeding. They are also hungry.

When they were feeding, Kaia put the food down in front of storklet 1. Parents want at least one of their offspring to survive when times with food shortages are intense. So many nests of all species have food shortages this season.

The only eaglet at the Bucovina Gold Eagle nest in Romania appears to be doing well.

Oh, the love-life dramas of single male Ospreys. W6 needs a mate at Keilder Forest and he would be a fantastic catch. Read about his latest escapades!

New-post-Nests-1A-and-6-update Download

There is much concern at the Kielder nest 2 where the third chick has hatched and it is 75 hours younger than egg 2! The record at Kielder is 100 hours. Please send this nest your best wishes…we are all nervous already.

Late-arrival-of-chick-3-at-Nest-2-Kielder-Ospreys Download

‘H’ nest updates at Barnegat Light: “Another feeding observed, 1517 to 1530 -Little was late arriving to the table as s/he was sleepy. The three siblings ate side by side without any bonking. At one point Big accidentally knocked Little flat on his back, but Little recovered and went back to Daisy for more bites. Little had a total of 30 bites, and some of them were pretty big ones. Later, per the chat: feeding at 1646 “They eat so nicely” “All three in a food coma”

Hatch for Tom and Audrey at Kent Island! ‘H’ reports that this baby was out of the shell around 0330 and that if it is egg 1, it was 42 days old – H was told that Audrey’s eggs tend to hatch at the far end of the scale.

Tom sees his baby for the first time. (This is new-dad, Tom – all ospreys at this nest are named Tom and Audrey).

Dahlgren looks good, also. “Feeding 1413 to 1455, very peaceful, both Osplets well fed. Ya, know, at 4 days apart, this nest is just a pleasant surprise. It still amazes me.”

At the Forsythe nest, Mini is getting battered by Little. Like Mini at Patchogue, it has missed out on a number of critical meals on Sunday. There were ten fish deliveries and ‘H’ counted that Mini got 159 bites of fish. I remember dancing when I counted 97 bites for Tiny Tot Tumbles. Mini will live to see another day but Little appears to be getting much more aggressive…going after Mini which tells me the third hatch is a female, most likely.

‘H’ complete report to give you an idea of how a nest is watched when we think siblicide could become an issue: “Feeding 0818 to 0829, small partial fish – Mini was up front and did not get any bites from Opal before s/he was beaked by Little. Crazy Little beaked big at 0820, and was beaked back. Little did make it back to eat, but Mini never even made an attempt to get back to the feeding line. Total for Mini = 0I’ve noticed that the attacks on Mini by Little the past day or so have become more violent, and include the biting, and last longer. Oh, geez.Feeding 1236 to 1251 – medium whole fish. Over 4 hours since the last fish.Little beaked Mini at the start. Mini in submission. I took until 1248 for Mini to get into a good position [3,1,2,4], but then Middle beaked Mini ! Total for Mini = 0Feeding 1340 to 1353 – medium whole fishMini wasn’t even up at the feeding line, but at 1342, Little reached back and beaked Mini, and again at 1345, and 1346. At 1346 Big Beaked Little. By 1348 Mini had found a safe spot to try to get fed, between Middle and Big, but Big beaked Mini ! Mini never came back. Bites for Mini = 0Feeding 1456 to 1501 – small partial. Mini was not bonked at all, but s/he seems timid of all of them now. Big only had a couple bites and dropped out. Mini held back, sort of between and behind the other two. Mom reached out and gave Mini one bite. Total bites to Mini = 1 Feeding 1529 to 153230 – small fish piece. Poor Mini scrambled across the nest to get to Mom first, and got two bites, before Little caught up with him and beaked him. Total for Mini = 2 bites. Feeding 1608 to 1615 – small fish. Mini first to Mom’s beak, but is soon bonked by Little. Things shuffle around a bit, Mini gets back to the table, then positioned [4,1,2,3], and Mini got some bites. Total bites for Mini = 17. Feeding 1647 to 1654 – small partial. Once again Mini rushed over to Mom, received one bite, then was beaked by Little. At 1652 Little tried to reach between Middle and Little, and Little beaked Mini. Total for Mini = 1. Feeding 1749 to 1803 – partial fish. Mini was bonked by Little at the beginning. At 1752 Mini wasn’t even close by, but Little just had to beak him again. At 175942, Mini got its first bite. Only Middle was still nearby, but at that point Mini got nearly a private feeding. Total bites for Mini = 36. So far, today, 10 feedings (I sent a report on the first two earlier). There may be another feeding this evening, I’ll check in the morning. Total bites for Mini so far today = 159.” How sad it is that your birth order has such an intense impact on your life (as it often does with humans, too). — The feeding for Mini did not change with other deliveries on Sunday night. Mini went into submission even though there was fish left that Mum ate. It is not looking good for this fourth hatch at all.

At the Patchogue Osprey platform, Mini is as keen as Mini at Forsythe for fish but has been often locked out due to the Big ones barging in or the intimidation that comes now from both Big and Third. Thankfully, Mini is older, wiser, and waits and watches…and I am certain that this Mini is a female.

Mini at Patchogue stretching and flapping its wings after finally getting a fish feed. Mum fed the three for over an hour. It is unclear how much was left of that bony fish when Mini got its ultimate time to eat by itself in peace. But, Mini did get some fish.

In the UK, Louis turns up with a late night fish snack for Dorcha. So sweet…and the talon tapping osplet slept through it!

Oh, how I have been missing Jackie and Shadow. Popping in and what a surprise. Our gorgeous Big Bear couple were on the nest! ‘B’ tells me this is an unusual low-lying cloud on the mountain obstructing the view. These two are looking good and they are protecting their territory and taking care of that nest!

Today has been a different posting…I will do a quick sweep of some of the Osprey nests but not all of them. My concerns are with Forsythe and Patchogue. We will go back to tracking the daily happenings of most of the nests for Tuesday.

Patuxent I appears to be good today. Nice crops on both osplets.

Loch of the Lowes: Despite having to defend the nest, literally, from intruders, Laddie managed to get a big fish in and both of the osplets had bulging crops. Blue NC0 had to help Laddie defend…go away intruders!

Dyfi Ospreys: It was raining in Wales. Telyn had been a keen mumbrella for the two. Dry and fish in the nest. Thanks, Idris!

All is well at Glasyn with Elen and Aran and the two osplets.

Poole Harbour: Three itchy Reptilian Bobs for CJ7 and Blue 022. All is good.

Manton Bay: All is well, feathers are coming in – you can see the shafts. But the condensation doesn’t let us get a very good look at Blue 33 and Maya’s three Bobs.

Llyn Clywedog with Dylan and Seren Blue 5F: All good.

Llyn Brenig: As far as I can tell-without watching closely-, all is OK.

Loch Arkaig: Louis brings a large whole fish to Dorcha and chick for breakfast. Well done, Louis.

Boulder County Fairgrounds: My concerns are growing for the survival of the third hatch. Is anyone watching this family closely? Any comments? Hatch dates are May 26, 27, and 29 but that little one appears to be struggling. Please correct me if I am wrong!

In Germany, at the Fischadler web scale, the trio are doing great. T he third hatch just barrels in and pushes its way through the two bigger siblings to get fish. Way to go!

‘A’ watched Deyani yesterday for us and reports, “Deyani had an interesting day, with three breakfasts between 07:10 and 07:33, then nothing until shortly after 7.30pm, when dad brought in a partial rabbit for dinner. As occurred yesterday, the food brought to the nest was about half what they had been bringing up until that point. So it is obvious that over the past two days, the parents are preparing Deyani for fledge – she does presumably need to lose a little bit of weight before she can fly (power-to-weight ratio, spoilt, greedy only chick and all that). Today (12 June) will be the first day of fledge watch – I am not ready, but it appears Deyani is, and Angel and Tom certainly believe their hawklet is on the verge of taking the plunge. The chick is SO curious. I will miss her antics on the nest. Today, she had an epic battle with a pine cone, which landed on the nest with quite a big ‘thud’, obviously from high in the tree. (Had it landed on Deyani, she would really have felt it, I suspect, from the sound dit made and the size of it.) The hawklet had no idea what it was, and initially gazed at ity in astonishment. She then became concerned it may be alive. The tentative approaches with her talon, followed by kicks and other attacks on the pine cone were just TOO funny. Watch her from 5.59pm as she hangs onto it tightly with her right talon and attempts to pull pieces off the pine cone (or defur it). She also had an entertaining moment when a Daddy Long Legs crawled across the pine cone and up the tree. She was entranced as she watched its progress.”

Darling Luna visits the scrape giving us a really good look at how much those chicks of Lou and Annie have grown since fledge.

Birdlife Malta is concerned about changes to EU laws that had allowed for the creation of biodiversity spaces – the Restoration Lawls – and a move by politicians to delete or water down what is in existence. If you live in the EU, speak up!

That said, I know that each of you is interested in so many things, and a new essay in Emergence Magazine might interest you. It is about migrations. The writing is fantastic. Have a read “Creaturely Migrations on a Breathing Planet”.

Creaturely-Migrations-on-a-Breathing-Planet-–-David-Abram Download

Thank you so much for being with me today. I hope that you found something of interest – and that you will always look out for the birds. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to create my blog today: ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘H’, Parasitism in Hawks, Looduskalender Forum, Eagle Club of Estonia, Bucovina Golden Eagles, Lady Hawk and Bucovina Golden Eagles, Kielder Ospreys, Barnegat Light, Dalhgren Ospreys, Forsythe ospreys, PSEG, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, FOBBV, Patuxent River Park, LOTL, Dyfi Ospreys, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, LRWT, CarnyXWild, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Boulder County Fair Grounds Ospreys, Fischadler Web Cam, Birdlife Malta, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, and Emergence Magazine.

Mini self-feeds…Saturday in Bird World

10 June 2023

Good Morning, Everyone!

I am, as usual, starting my newsletter/blog on Friday, and Friday doesn’t ‘feel like Friday’. Does that happen to you sometimes? The garden has been unusually quiet for the past week – and when I say quiet, I mean quiet. One or two Crows, maybe. One Blue Jay. A few House Sparrows and a couple of squirrels. Their absence makes me nervous. There was always a feral cat, a Calico, but a week ago, she went MIA along with the other cats that came to try and catch a bird. It is just odd…And then, to my horror, a dead grey Squirrel was on the lane in front of my house. I moved the poor thing off the road but could not tell if it was Dyson – or another large squirrel. Dyson showed up Friday evening around 1930 for peanuts, to my great relief. She has babies somewhere…Tears of joy.

Also, to my delight, on Thursday evening, there were Ladybirds on the hanging tomato plants, and this morning, there were more than a dozen Honey Bees on the climbing roses. Taken with my phone from a bit of a distance, so not so clear…but they are there! Feeding and pollinating!

It has been quiet at the ponds in town, too. There is not the number of Canada Geese that I counted last year. So why? Well, the geese (and ducks) that have no goslings – no parental responsibilities – are taking off for the north of my province where there is more space, more food, and it is cooler!

It is known as the second migration. Why are so many geese failing to reproduce this year? Why so many singles? Or couples who did not have eggs? Or unviable eggs? I do not know the answer….but they sure have left town!

Your giggle for the day comes from Geemeff and that rambunctious osplet of Dorcha and Louis at Loch Arkaig.

This just about gave me a heart attack at the Oyster Bay PSEG nest. Please cut every loop and handle on anything that you dispose of! And tell everyone you know to do the same.

The adult worked and got that packing strap material from off its neck and is putting it into the rim of the nest. If you observe this nest and see this loop or another around the head of any occupant of this nest, I want you to phone PSEG immediately, as I might miss it! 1-800-490-0075 OR 631-755-6000. I was more successful with the second number when complaining about human rubbish in the Patchogue Nest than the toll-free line, but try them both. Don’t take no for an answer. Bobbie Horvath can be contacted on FB as well. Take a screen capture and make sure they see it! They need to contact USFWS immediately to get permission if the osprey’s life is in danger from human rubbish. But be sure it is when you call. This time the adult worked that packing material off.

There were several nice fish on the Oyster Bay nest today and it appears that all had a chance to eat fish.

The mystery of the Carthage TN Osprey nest may have been solved thanks to Sunnie Day. The lake has small trout, which were brought in for the osplets to eat. Fishers there are told to cut the line when they catch the trout – meaning that the little fish swim about with a tiny hook inside them and line. Two points: Sunnie Day continued to look through the footage and saw choking in both osplets trying to expel the hooks. Second, we know that the zinc hooks can cause toxicity, which killed Alo from the Bald Canyon nest. We observed zinc toxicity in Victor from Fraser Point (did he also have a hook that was expelled after the zinc made him sick? What about Molate? Sunnie’s observations, “The parenting is excellent, many fish delivered. After reviewing so much recorded video, I was wondering about the cam pole being treated; it was not. It is a light pole in the park. I reviewed more and have recorded videos of both choking. First was the youngest, at 6 days, I have footage of its death. The second was the oldest, 9 days old, and was struggling to eat in the last feed before dark, shaking to expel something. The next morning, that nestling too expired. The last 8 fish were small trout. I tried to see if there was a small hook in one, but my guess, with catch and release both succumbed to small hooks fed, you see this, head shaking to expel with this…Pretty much, I have determined it was very probable to be fish hooks consumed from small trout. They tell you to cut the line, and Osprey young are so vulnerable to that/ even older birds, few survive the surgery to remove.” Thanks, Sunnie.

Of course, no one should be told to cut the line and return the fish to the lake. Could the line and hook be in the fish, could they take them home? Tossing them back into the water to grow bigger so they might be caught later is only a means to harming the wildlife that feeds off the fish. Can you imagine the suffering? This is very sad and a great explanation.

Checking in on Mini at Patchogue before the day begins. At least three fish by 1009. The first arrived at 0513 and Mini was seen with a crop at 0651 so it got some fish. Hard to see through Mum!

The second fish arrives at 0756. Mini was caught at the back.

Trying to get up to eat at 0806 by stretching its neck – geez…that is a long neck.

By 0811 Mini is at the beak and is still eating at 0819. But Mini is nervous of Little. Mini has a little crop.

Fish three arrives at 1009. The male drops the fish on the nest and Mum makes no effort to get it – they are trying to see if anyone will self-feed. Well, guess who did? If you said Mini, you would be right!

Mum takes the fish and feeds and Mini is up there at 1042.

Is there another fish around 11:42. Mini is sitting on it and I wonder if it is left overs from before but…there is lots of fish. Mini gets to eat a lot! Feeling relieved.

1227. Mini and its crop.

More fish at 1300 and 1524. Mini has a huge crop at 407 and was under Mum and getting fed at 1541. Mini has not gone hungry – it is determined to get up to the fish and has no problem standing up and looking the third hatch, Little, right in the eye. Mini rarely backs down in that situation but it will go into submission if Big ‘looks’ at it.

At the 2012 feeding, Mini was beaked by one of the older siblings when he tried to get to the table. Head of big sib beaking Mini behind Mum’s tail.

Mini went into submission. It is not a giant fish. Mini still has a crop. Holding my breath, hoping this does not become a pattern. When Mum finished, Mini was still at the back in submission despite raising its head to see once in a while. No worries. Mini did eat well, but we don’t want a pattern to begin!

Mini eating breakfast on Saturday. Always a relief. That private feeding lasted from 0539-0616 when Third came up and Mini left.

At 0616, Third comes and Mini knows to leave.

But, at 0636 (it was a big fish!), Mini is back up at the table wanting more. Good for Mini. He missed out on the next small fish at 0922.

Just look at Dmitri’s storklet!

The second Red-tail hawklet at the Bald Eagle nest is alive!

‘H’ report on Severna is great for today: “At the earlier feedings the chicks were well fed. Oscar brought a whole fish at 1536, and seemed to want Olivia to show up to feed, so he waited. Eventually he began to feed at 1542. OMG, it was like pulling teeth, what a slow (or reluctant) feeder. At one point Big got impatient and grabbed the fish and attempted to self feed. Oscar took the fish back after a couple of minutes and continued to feed. While Oscar was still feeding, Olivia landed with a whole fish, and both parents were feeding for a few minutes. At 1711, while Olivia was still feeding, Oscar landed with another whole fish. So, the siblings literally had a fish feast from 1542 to 1740.” Isn’t this fantastic news?! This nest really deserves a break.

At Patuxent 2, ‘H’ reports: “Feeding at 1050 was peaceful and all ended up with good crops. Big beaked Little after the feeding, I believe simply because it wanted to head in a certain direction and Little was in the way. They hardly have any room to get around each other in that deep, narrow bowl.”

The Dahlgren nest appears to be harmonious while there is still trouble with the third hatch, Little, at the Forsythe Nest, and Mini. Because there are four -like Patchogue – we are paying particular attention to the Forysthe nest.

‘H’ reports on Forsythe:

Feeding 0623 to 0641, partial fish: Same general scenario, lined up [2,1,4,3], Little beaked Mini a couple of different times. Big beaked Little after one of those times, and Big even gave Middle a couple of bonks, but I don’t know why.  Total bites for Mini = 2.

Feeding 0837 to 0915, large whole fish: Lined up [2,1,4,3], and later on [1,2,3,4]. Mini doesn’t realize h/she needs to get away from Little. Again, same scenario, Little beaked Mini intermittently (more severely a couple of times), so MIni spent a great deal of time in submission. By 0859 Middle had dropped out, and Big was in between Little and Mini, and Mini finally got bites. Eventually both Little and Big dropped out and Mini had quite a long private feeding.  Total bites for Mini = 98.

(You know I count very conservatively, if there is any doubt, I discount it as a bite). It’s nice when the fish is large, so Mini can wait for the others to be sated. Opal was able to eat a bunch too.

Feeding 1037 to 1102, whole fish: Mini started with a pretty good size crop. When Mini had Middle or Big as a buffer, then Mini got bites, but positions do get shuffled around, and then Little will attack Mini. By 1047 Mini started to get bites, and it lasted until Big and Middle dropped out and Mini was exposed to Little again.  Total bites for Mini = 18, but s/he had a big crop.

Feeding 1350 to 1411, large fish: Sounding like a broken record, but positioning is everything. Little had many opportunities to beak Mini. At one point Mini was in back, and Little turned to beak Mini, but beaked Middle by accident, so Middle beaked Little, Big beaked Little and Middle and Big beaked each other, then Middle beaked Mini. Goodness! Long story short, Mini got 15 bites.

Feeding 1526 to 1612, large whole fish:Mini was behind the other three, but eventually squeezed between Big and Little [2,1,4,3]. Why always next to Little? Mini did not get bites and was beaked by Little intermittently. At 1534 Big took it upon himself to beak Little out of the way for a bit, so Mini was able to eat until 1540, at which time Little returned. By 1544 Mini was back at Mom’s beak and ate a ton until 1551.  Total bites for Mini = 97.

‘H’ mentions something very important – the position of the smallest to the sibling that might attack is paramount. This is also true of Patchogue.

Rosa has gotten awfully aggressive…poor Annie!

At Moorings Park Abby is still around as she was seen a couple of days ago. S he is being fed off-camera, most likely. Victor enjoys the whole fish and the nest to himself!

A report from Audubon on the end of the 2023 Florida Bald Eagle nesting season. You might find this to be of some interest. In addition, please be advised that the camera at the SW Florida Eagle nest of M15 and E22 will be turned off at the end of June unless it is taken out by a storm earlier. When it is safe, camera maintenance will be undertaken. Please check the SWFlorida FB pages for the local photographers and their information after.

Eagle-Nesting-Season-Ends-Audubon-Center-for-Birds-of-Prey Download

Vijay has a short clip of what appears to be E22 flying, and if you look carefully towards the end at the bottom right in the grasses by the pond you will see an adult.

Two teeny fish and one red nice one before the rains started at Cowlitz PUD.

Dulles-Greenway’s Flora was caught flying around the wetlands and over the creek. Gosh, she is looking good!

Meanwhile, Dulles-Greenways Pat is being moved.

Have you peeked at Dayani lately? ‘A’ reports: “Dayani is the same size as Angel, so I think the gender is fairly obvious at this stage…I am astounded at how large the local vole population must be, considering how many Deyani eats each day. Dayani is SO close to fledging. I am not ready for her to go. Her wingspan appears to be the same as that of her parents now – those wings are gorgeous – and she is jumping and really flapping those wings, feeling the air and the lift under them. She is really testing out her power-to-weight ratio and her parents will probably reduce the food supply a bit this week. Her chest is pure white like her mum’s, with just a little colouring on her tummy. Apparently, two of Angel’s three 2021 chicks had the same colouring as the Ms while the third looked like Deyani, so it must be an individual thing.”

Big Red and Arthur’s Ms will be getting ready to fledge soon…M1 is already flapping and jumping. Oh, these hawklets and falcons grow up way too fast.

There is also good news about L3, last year’s fledgling.

Eyas at San Jose City Hall gets banded and this fearsome eyas is a girl!

One healthy falcon…oh, if every nest could be so lucky…these two young parents figured it out… look at this fearless gal. Congratulations Monty and Hartley.

Banded Baby was starving or she thought so by the time Monty and Hartley arrive with food! Gracious. You have to watch this! They both have food. turn the volume up for the full effect!

Kathryn reports some energetic beaking at the Barnegat Light nest today. Let us hope that it is just playful fun. They can sure be angels when they want to be!

For those wondering about Dale Hollow 17, the new male continues to bring food to the nest for the fledgling. Super! The UK nests are doing fine, although concern continues about the visits of the Tawny Owl to the Loch Arkaig nest of Louis and Dorcha.

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

If you would like to be part of our Bird World family, please subscribe. You will get an e-mail with the day’s newsletter. No fees. No ads. And you can unsubscribe anytime!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that help to make up my newsletter today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Kathryn, Sunnie Day, CTV News, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, PSEG, Dmitri’s Storklet Cam, Doug Gillard, Severna Ospreys, Patuxent River Park, Forsythe Ospreys, SK Hideaway and Cal Falcons, Moorings Park Ospreys, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, Vijay and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Cowlitz PUD, Dulles-Greenaway Eagles, Bald Eagles Naturally and Dulles-Greenaway Eagles, Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, Jenn Johnson Graff and Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters, SJCH Falcon Cam, SK Hideaways and SJCH Falcon Cam, and Barnegat Light.

How some Osprey parents avoid siblicide…Thursday in Bird World?

8 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, it has been relatively quiet in the garden. In fact, eerily quiet. There has been no sign of the feral cats that visit this end of the neighbourhood, the birds have seemingly disappeared, and only Dyson and Co. have been coming for peanuts, along with a few Sparrows and Wrens. Is it the heat? I wonder. Lewis and Missey ‘decided’ that they would no longer allow me to trim their nails without putting up a big fuss. Well, guess what? Both carriers out; they went in out of curiosity and zipped up and off to the nail trimmer! They were both in such shock. Lewis howled as if I was pulling those toenails out, and Missey was a darling then, on the way home, they were both angels. No more nails for scratching one another – well, til they grow out.

We will start with some sad news that Alo, 45D, from the Bald Canyon Eagle nest has died. This eaglet swallowed a fish hook and line and underwent surgery under the care of the IWS. Completely unnecessary.

I thought that would be the only death but, no…sadly I woke up to news from ‘H’ and ‘SP’ that Rosie and Richmond have lost their only osplet this season to unknown causes. Our hearts go out to this devoted couple.

And then there are balloons…seriously. This one has a happy ending, thankfully.

As all of you are aware, Osprey nests can be a feast or famine. One day there will be six or seven fish deliveries and the next day, it might be only one. Weather and intruders contribute to these fluctuations. We remain grateful to the wildlife rehabbers that rescue and give the little ones a second chance (sometimes third and fourth).

One nest that is flourishing with four Osplets on it is PSEG’s Patchogue platform on Long Island. It is remarkable because of the difference in size between the first two hatches and the fourth, little Mini. Somehow I doubt if anyone seeing this nest for the first time believed there was any hope for little Mini and yet, here we are on the 7th of June and little Mini is growing and growing. What is the secret?

As we have seen, osplets get brooded and ‘normally’ have their last fish delivery about an hour before the sun sets. Yes, there are exceptions – the midnight feedings at Moorings Park in Naples, Florida, taught us that this year. But imagine, four osplets full or partially full at bedtime waiting for another 8 or 9 hours before another meal. They are hungry!

On the Patchogue platform on the morning of 7 June 2023, the male delivered four fish before 0850. Those deliveries were at 0545, 0642, 0711, and again at 0850. I do not know how much fish little Mini got at 0545 feeding but at the 0642 feeding, Mini was right up there and there was fish left for Mum. At 0711, Mini is eating alone, a private feeding from Mum. By 0725, Mini has a huge crop and Mum moves the fish over to the other side of the nest to feed the others if they want to eat. Mini is first up at the table at 0850 and is still eating at 0934. Then the others eat some.

0725 and little Mini has a big crop.

Private feeding. Fish 4. Mum has fed chicks for more than three hours with all these deliveries.

At 1004 others eat.

1043. Little Mini is preening.

1114: Little Mini and the bulging crop.

1204. Little Mini in food coma. What a lovely sight.

There has never been an attempt not to feed little Mini despite its small size in relation to the others. Everyone gets fed and Mum makes an extraordinary effort to check and see and moves the fish around the nest to assist in feeding all.

‘M’ sent me two really cute screen shots of Little Mini standing up to one of the big Bobs. My goodness, this fourth hatch has got nerve!

1549. Mini is right up there eating!

1856 and Little Mini is up there with a huge crop! Oh, the haze from the fires burning in Canada. Dreadful for all.

There is another fish at 1936. Little Mini gets itself right up under Mum’s beak and intercepts a piece of fish meant for Big. Now Little Mini already has a big crop – Big took exception and beaked Mini who went into submission. Mini did not need to eat and did not need to create the aggravation. All big ones and Mum enjoyed that nice big trout. Nite Mini!

One thing that is happening is that little Mini is in a period of rapid growth that requires much more food while the older chicks are beginning to taper off. They eat more but less often. This might help little Mini. What does appear to be working is that fish are getting on the nest in plenty early in the morning – perhaps the fishing is easier? – and this appears to have a calming effect on the older siblings causing them to be food secure and less aggressive (not that they have ever been very very aggressive on this nest with all the fish Dad brings in and the equitable feeds by Mum).

A nest that has a problem with differentiation in feeding is Achieva (and Severna). As of Wednesday afternoon Middle has been rescued by Birds in Helping Hands. He was underweight and well…I can only imagine how good that fish is going to taste to him.

Big eating the fish on the nest..Big was very aggressive – the nest lost one chick to siblicide/starvation and Middle was on the verge. So thankful to those people who helped — you know who you are.

Want to thank Birds with Helping Hands? Send them a donation. That is how they manage to stay afloat.

Middle grounded.

Middle in the carrier on the way to rehab and a second chance at life. What a shame it would have been for this beautiful bird to starve to death. It was noted that Middle was not critically endangered of starving to death as so many are and he should be back and fit – having enjoyed meals without having to fight big.

Shelley Vickery contacted me Wednesday evening. Penny, the rehabber, says that Middle “should be just fine”. Isn’t that fantastic news?!

Please consider a donation – every dollar helps, no matter how small. We must support those that get out there and answer our calls for help.

Go to: birdsinhelpinghands.org

‘H’ sends me word from a view nests that we have been monitoring. At Severna, Big got all of the early fish. Then “The next fish was brought at 1330, and feeding commenced 1333. Middle was on the other side of Olivia, and Olivia maintained her position for once. It was a 16 minute feeding and Olivia distributed bites evenly.” Thank heavens! Middle had another good meal at 1438. Oh, keep it up Mum!

At the Patuxent II nest, H reports, “This is the nest of three osplets where there had been some aggression, although no bird has been kept from eating at the feeds I have observed. Feeding from 1316 to 1434. I observed no aggression at all. All were very well fed. #2 had to wait his turn simply because of the strange configuration of that nest bowl. Mom just couldn’t reach #2. But at 1341, #2 started to get fed as others dropped out.”

‘H’ sent a good report on some of the changes at Forsythe Osprey nest and the new aggression towards the small osplet during meals – something that has not happened previously. “Fish 0912, feeding 0913 to 0927. Mini in front row beside Little. All got bites, no one touched Mini. Mini ended up in a food coma. 1011 fish, feeding from 1013-1052. Prior to the start of the feeding, Little beaked Mini and Middle, Mini tucked, Middle beaked back. Little beaked Big, and Big beaked back. At the start of the feeding Little beaked Middle again, Mini was still in submission. Mini had a hard time getting up to the food line through the wall of the three older siblings, went around the other side away from Little and waited. By 103842 Mini got its first bite, Big and Little dropped out, soon followed by Middle. So Mini had a private feeding until 1047 when the others started to come back. By 1048 Mini was in a food coma. 1222 fish, feeding from 1223 to 1232. When the fish arrived, before the feeding started, Little beaked at Mini pretty roughly. After the feeding started, Mini stayed back, nevertheless, Little turned around and beaked Mini on 4 different occasions. Mini never made it to the food line. After that feeding was over, Little beaked Mini at 1350, 1355, 1358 and 1403. I don’t know why Mini stayed close to Little and didn’t seek a safe spot beside Big or Middle.”

The feedings really depend on Mini being able to stay away from Little who appears to be a very aggressive third-hatch female. ‘H’ notes that Mini got ’52’ bites on the Thursday morning feed because it was buffered by Big and Middle away form Little.

The latest report from ‘H’ on the Forsythe platform is really interesting. “All lined up [3,2,4,1], so I thought, good, Mini stay away from Little. But due to the sheer size of Middle and Big reaching for bites with Mini in between, Mini got squeezed out to the back row (nothing intentional). When Little saw Mini, Little went on a mission to punish Mini. Little went to the back row, and beaked Mini intermittently from 1449 to 1454. Finally Big saw what was going on and reached back and beaked Little, so Little moved away! Finally at 1500 Mini was up between Big and Middle again and was able to eat. At 1503, Little tried to get back into the feeding and Big beaked Little, keeping it away, seeming to protect Mini, I kid you not. So, Mini got fed, and probably ended up with more bites than Little. If Little had just stayed in the original feeding line and not focused on beaking Mini, she would have been better off.”

Laddie LM12 delivered a whopper of a fish to the Loch of the Lowes Nest – late. Finally Middle gets to eat. Both osplets had full crops at the end of the feeding and even Blue NC0 got some fish.

Only osplet at Cowlitz PUD is still looking good. I sure hope some big fish come to this nest…that water area needs to be stocked!

Needed to check in on Victor and Abby. I think this is Victor screaming for a fish and then chowing down on one…talk about fantastic parents!

Oyster Bay osplets look like they are doing OK.

The trio at Outerbanks also look healthy with clear shiny eyes. I have not been able to ascertain about the equity in feeding but right now, each looks healthy.

Two babies at Seaside are looking good, too.

How much food the third hatch is getting at Barnegat Light is unclear. The two big ones did not allow it near to a nice big fish at the late feeding and I have not watched this nest closely but it did eat well at an earlier one.

Oh, just look at that Bob stand up for its fish at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn!

At Glaslyn, Elen is feeding the chicks and Aran is on the branch with another fish!

Two years ago, CJ7 of Poole Harbour only dreamed of having a mate and osplets. Then a very young Blue 022 stopped by the nest. It was too late in the season and everyone hoped he would return. This is their second year for raising chicks and they have three adorable little osplets.

Tucked in tight for the night.

Big Red and Arthur are starting to get the Ms to be interested in self-feeding. M1 took on a chippie today and did well. The others will not go hungry during this period. Big Red will continue to feed them. Very different than an osprey nest!

All done.

San Jose City Halls little falcon sure is loud. Had a nice meal in the morning and – well, I don’t blame it – I didn’t see later prey. Screaming for food at noon! Hopefully a later meal.

Still screaming at 1525.

Locations of Waba and Bonus on 6 June.

Dmitri’s Storklet is growing and doing well…gosh, there is good news out there in Bird World.

Pi, one of the trio at the Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest, was doing so well, she was released back into the wetlands to be fed and trained by her parents, Martin and Rosa. The metal you see around the tree is a raccoon protector.

Angel and Tom’s surviving hawklet now has a name – Deyani (Great and strong). Beautiful. ‘A’ writes: “Great name for RTH5. It was lovely to see Tom feeding Deyani yesterday – as I mentioned, it was more a matter of Tom pulling bits off that squirrel and Deyani grabbing them. Tom looked a little shocked the first time the hawklet grabbed dad’s bite from him, but then Tom continued with his work on the squirrel and eventually actually deliberately gave the hawklet some bites. I felt like a proud auntie.”

Fires are raging. No Arctic ice. Temperatures are rising and the situation at nests such at Achieva who are suffering from a severe drought are set to see this pattern continue. Nests burned, raptors dead…

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/06/too-late-now-to-save-arctic-summer-ice-climate-scientists-find?CMP=share_btn_link

As-smoke-darkens-the-sky-the-future-becomes-clear Download

One of my favourites, Bill McKibben on the haze…Thanks ‘B’!

I-can-see-clearly-now Download

Thank you to everyone who has sent e-mails worried about me and the wildfires. That was so sweet and so very kind. We have haze but it is not nearly as bad as other parts of Canada and the US. So far the recent rains have helped.

Thank you for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. Send your good wishes to our nests. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to create my blog today: ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘H’, ‘L’, ‘SP’, IWS, SF Bay Ospreys, Holly Parsons and The New Zealand Herald, PSEG, Achieva Credit Union, Birds in Helping Hands, Severna Ospreys, Forsythe Ospreys, LOTL, Cowlitz PUD, Moorings Park, Outerbans 24/7, Seaside Ospreys, Conservancy Conservation of NJ, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Cornell RTH, SJCH Falcons, Bird Map, Dmitri’s Storklet Cam, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, The Guardian, and The New York Times.

Featured Image: Chicks being fed by Daisy at Barnegat Light.

Wednesday in Bird World

7 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Today’s nest report is a little scattered. Lots of information on birds in rehab, some funny moments, and some sad ones.

Let’s start with something fun. That little eyas at the San Jose City Hall scrape broke free today!

The Bald Canyon Eaglet with the hook and line in its GI tract will be undergoing surgery today. Please send your warmest wishes to Alo and continue to educate people on the dangers of fishing tackle – line, hooks, and lead weights.

Then there is the human rubbish…

We need to educate people..not just children. Air guns have no place in animal cruelty. This poor Osprey had, “It had three airgun pellets in its body, a fractured le wing, a ruptured right eye and flesh wounds.” Parents have to teach kindness but they also have to model it.

Osprey-put-down-after-being-shot-with-airgun-in-Washington-BBC-News Download

Sometimes I take a deep breath and hold it when I can’t see Mini on the Patchogue nest immediately. But there he was eating and flapping its little wings and walking on its feet, not its ankles today.

0801 – eating

And a PS. Mini is trying to anticipate the next fish delivery and be up close to Mum. It has been a few hours and he is hungry.

There were not as much fish at Patchogue today but Mini did eat in the morning and at 1902 was up there getting fish as well.

Right up at the beak!

There was another fish delivery after this one. I cannot tell who got what…Mum was blocking the view. It was 2006. Still, the Big ones kept eating and I could not see Mini. Then after the fish was finished, Big went ‘over’ Mini. I continue to say this is ‘not good’. Mini remains too small and the Big sibling is really showing its dominance as it requires more and more fish. I remain very concerned for Mini – but always hopeful of a miracle.

There are plenty of fish at PSEG Oyster Bay but is the little one getting its share? The oldest is moving into the reptile phase. I hope this nest stays calm!

There is nothing sweeter than a newly hatched osplet – and nothing worse that a hungry Osprey fledgling (like Big and Middle). The three at Barnegat Light are doing fine so far. But they are small and cute.

The Only Bob at Cowlitz appears to be doing well. How many times do I wish there was only one spoiled, well-fed chick at each nest?

‘A’ asked me if there are more than three and four chick osprey nests this year, and the answer is yes. When all of the ospreys have migrated or fledged and left their territory (September), Claudio and I will crunch the numbers. At that time, we can tell you the % of 2, 3, and 4 chick nests, % that fledged, the % that died and how they died. We will also know the DNH rates. I will share that information with you, but there are more nests with larger broods. I cannot say if the death rate is higher, but it ‘feels’ like it is.

At Glaslyn, Aran has been feeding the chicks under the watchful eye of Elen.

The trio on the nest of CJ7 and Blue 022 in Poole Harbour are thriving. Lots of fish. Lovely kiddos.

The Achieva Osprey platform is simply heartbreaking. The first hatch, Big Bob has taken all of the fish and Middle is hungry – so hungry that calls have been made to the local wildlife rehab clinic. It is difficult – or as ‘R’ says, ‘it breaks your heart’ to watch one bird eat and eat and eat and one get nothing.

At the Severna nest, Big is also exercising its right to all fish but Middle is getting some – because Mum is still feeding. She does not always do what I want her to and turn around and feed her second hatch but he is getting some fish.

On Tuesday, the third hatch osplet at the Patuxent River Park I nest in Maryland died in care after being removed from the nest for sibling aggression/starvation.

Laddie LM12 has delivered a big fish to the Loch of the Lowes nest and Blue NC0 and the two chicks went to bed with full crops. Relief. I do so worry about this nest that should be thriving -. He had earlier delivered two fish. The eldest ate the first and then the second got some of the second delivery.

Ferris caught a Doe and her fawn on video…not a raptor but lovely.

What impact does the haze and fine ash from the Canadian wildfires have on ponds and fishing for the Osprey? This article in The New York Times talks about the fires and their impact outside of Canada but…what about our birds?

Haze-darkens-skies-across-northern-US Download

Big Red has ‘something feathered’ she is plucking. I really do not want to think about it but, it looks like a small Blue Heron. Don’t hold me to that. Chicks are excited and Big Red is looking good. (All of the cameras are hazy from the fires in Canada).

It is 2041 and Big Red is just beginning to feed the trio. They have grown so much and we will be waiting for fledge watch far too soon.

SK Hideaways caught the trio chowing down! Big Red’s kids are never hungry. They all eat – you will never see the type of food rivalry that you would on an Osprey nest.

If you have been watching the story of the two Red-tail hawklets in the Bald Eagle nest, there is a sad update. I am so glad that these eaglets were not RTH5 or any of the Ms.

Angel and Tom’s RTH5 is growing and you can see similar plumage to the eyases of Big Red and Arthur. This little one will be fledging shortly, too. RTH5 will also have a name in the morning when I post this blog. Angel brought in a small Cotton-tail bunny for a late night dinner for her and the chick.

Angel has arrived with the prey and RTH5 spots her on a branch below.

Confirmation of the prey item when Angel flies to the nest.

Tom was on the nest earlier, feeding RTH5. He has turned into a good mate and parent.

E22 might never leave the Southwest Florida Bald Eagle nest. S/he is right at home having hatched in the nest, played in the pond, and caught its first fish there. Why would it leave? Right now there is no pressure from M15 or any potential mate of his. But, we never know and every second must be appreciated as if it were the last —- precisely the way that we should live our lives. Nothing is promised. So enjoy this amazing fledgling…you might remember that, at one point, we worried E22 would get enough to eat! M15 was an incredible parent. He did well by his last two eaglets with Harriet…better than many nests with two adults to care for the young.

Kathryn has been helping me observe osprey nests this season and sadly, the first two did not do well. She is also aware that I am looking for examples of osplets going into care, surviving, and fledgling – to try and convince some organisations that intervention can help, that Osplets do well in care – at least in the US. Seaside Seabird Sanctuary showed a short clip of two little osplets doing well…Thanks ‘K’. Know of any others? Have you seen any posts? Please let me know. Thanks, everyone.

Right now I would like to see Middle at Achieva having a big bowl of fish.

Karl II and Kaia looking after their four storklets in Estonia.

Oh, I love storks…the four of Bety and Bukachek were wanting some fish! or worms.

The chicks learn from their parents and mimic their behaviour. Sadly, Murphy’s eaglet is hopping and not trying to fly so, the pair will need to be separated and the eaglet placed with an adult who can fly. Thanks, Murphy! You were a great Dad. Gosh, he is going to miss his eaglet.

‘H’ reports that R5 has returned to the WRDC nest! Fledged/fludged on the 4th and returned on the 7th. Lovely. Great video of that reunion with Mum and R4. Love the squeeing and the chortling.

‘H’ reports on several other nests: “Patuxent 1: 1156 fish delivery, Big almost immediately launched an attack on Middle, but it didn’t last that long. But surprisingly, when the feeding began, it was entirely peaceful. Go figure, another nest with some aggression, but not at the feedings. Also surprising, #1 didn’t really try to eat very much, laid down part of the feeding, even though it did not have a big crop and they had not been not recently fed. Middle’s crop was 3x the size of Big’s at the end of the feeding. After the feed, Middle remained alert, and Big laid down.”

Patuxent 2: Difficult to see feedings as view is often blocked. “Feeding from 1610 to 1731, huge fish. Little was intimidated by ‘the look’ and stayed back. Middle and Big ate. At 1619 Little tried to approach and was bonked. At 1624 Little started to eat with Big’s blessing. 1628 Big and Middle backed away, Little had a private feeding to 1636. At 1638 Little beaked Big, big mistake, lol. But that brought out the beast in Big, and Big then went after Middle, and came back and went back after Little again. By 1646 Little was back at the table. All three ended up with large crops.”

Thank you for being with me…for all the nests that continue to struggle with aggression or lack of fish, send your positive wishes their way. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my newsletter today and a big shout out to ‘L’ who kept in touch with the rehabbers in St Petersburg on Tuesday about Middle at Achieva. ‘A’, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘SK’, SK Hideaways and SJCH Falcons, IWS, The Friends of Island Beach State Park, BBC news, PSEG, Barnegat Light and Conservancy C of NJ, Cowlitz PUD, SW Florida Eagles, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Achieva Credit Union Severna Park Ospreys, Ildiko A Polk and Patuxent RP Osprey Nest, LOTL, Ferris Akel, The New York Times, Cornell RTH, SK Hideaways and Cornell RTH, Birds of Prey and Doug Gillard, Window to Wildlife, SK Hideaways and SWFlorida, Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mlade Buky, Patuxent River Park, World Bird Sanctuary, and Heidi McGru and the WRDC.

Category Archives: vulnerable birds

Utter heartache as osprey chicks die…Friday in Bird World

Like this:

Fledges, Zeus missing? and more…Thursday in Bird World

Like this:

World Albatross Day…Monday in Bird World

Like this:

Fly high Forsythe Mini…Sunday in Bird World

Like this:

Little Mini is the Early Bird again…Friday in Bird World

Like this:

Mini finally gets some fish…Loud and feisty Soledad…Tuesday in Bird World

Like this:

Hatch for Tom and Audrey…Monday in Bird World

Like this:

Mini self-feeds…Saturday in Bird World

Like this:

How some Osprey parents avoid siblicide…Thursday in Bird World?

Like this:

Wednesday in Bird World

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: