Cams are down in Florida. We have yet to determine what happened. ‘PB’ sent the following images to me from Barb Henry. All is well at SW Florida in Fort Myers. We are waiting for the word of Clive. And I am presuming that Achieva platform is alright. It was still holding in the worst winds as the far eye wall went through last night.
This report is a kind of mixed-up stream of consciousness following of Milton and the nests. In particular, I focused on Captiva, Achieva, and SW Florida. Thursday was quite the day and many of the other nests got simply overlooked – brief mentions at the tail end. So many of you watched Clive and stayed with him til the cameras went out at Captiva. He is my hero! Let us all hope that there is some word from Window to Wildlife on his status on Thursday since power to the cameras appears to be out there.
This is the wall of the hurricane after Milton made landfall hitting the Achieva Osprey platform. Notice the surge of water in the street below.
Milton has made landfall. So far, M15 and F23’s nest is holding. Some of the upper branches might break off.
At 36 minutes to landfall…cameras went out at Captiva at 1934 or thereabouts. At that time, Clive was in the nest.
Achieva. 89 mph wind gusts at the moment. Achieva had 5 inches of rain in an hour and had more than 7 inches prior to that. Lots of flash floods. The worst of the winds seem to hit Achieva after 2100 and you could see the streets filling up with water. See second image below.
This was 24 minutes til landfall near Achieva nest.
M15 visited his nest in Fort Myers, Florida before a tornado was at Cape Coral moving towards the Fort Myers area. They are expecting that tornado to hit the area of the nest within a few minutes as I write this. This is a PDF tornado, a monster tornado with life-threatening winds. They are saying that these are some of the biggest tornadoes ever seen in Florida. There is significant damage on the north side of Fort Myers. The cells are moving to the east and the nest should be alright for now. It is 1317 at the nest.
Lots of water when that system went through but M15’s tree is still standing.
Twisting M15’s tree around. Not sure those top perches are going to survive this.
There are huge tornadoes all over the area of the nests that are covered on the streaming cams – and, of course, all those wildlife that are not covered on cam. What a horrible day this is going to be.
One of the Bald Eagles is in the nest at Captiva! Look at the time. We are within 1 hour 48 minutes of Milton making landfall. Maybe this eagle knows something we don’t. They are thinking the hurricane is going to hit Sarasota instead of Tampa Bay. That would include Fort Myers and, of course, Captiva is in that path.
Lots of power line flashes going on at Captiva.
Osprey nest at Captiva. The storm surge is hitting the island. Milton is 1 hour and 3 minutes away and the osprey nest is losing sticks and rocking but holding in there.
Cameras off at Captiva now. Clive was still at the nest, hunkered way down as the hurricane went right over Captiva on its way towards St Petersburgh and Sarasota.
‘PB’ sent the migration map. Notice how smart those birds were to avoid Florida.
In other news…
Wilko and sibling, halfway around the world, only have one thing on their mind – fish! *
Every crop is full at 367 Collins Street in Melbourne.
‘A’ reports. “Those three are voracious eaters, and mum is kept very busy indeed filling those three endlessly open beaks. The youngest is very good at getting fed – it begs ceaselessly and loudly and always has its beak wide open. When it turns forward to face mum, it does not do as well as when it has its back to her in the tripod configuration I have been talking about. When the three beaks are gathered together in the centre of the tripod, it is very easy for mum to put food into all three, even though the heights vary. So the youngest has the best access to food in this position, which it has quickly realised. Smart little eyas. Getting fed is its number one priority after all and it is working that out fast.
These little snow people are beyond adorable. Fluffy wee falcons are the cutest things. Little dad is working hard and doing a great job. From soon after 16:24, we can hear him chirping away from the northern end of the ledge. Mum is brooding the trio, who are sprawled in front of the open garage, sleeping in a pile. Dad is eager to get mum’s attention, but she remains with the chicks, It certainly interests the chicks, who wake up at the sound of dad e=chupping. He then begins his kak-kak-kak vocalisation, loudly. He repeats it once or twice. No move from mum. “
The two little falcons appear to be doing just fine at Orange.
All is well with the Olympic Park Sea Eaglets.
Everything is good at Port Lincoln!
Thank you to everyone for being with us. Continue to send positive wishes to everyone as heavy work begins cleaning up after Milton. Take care. See you soon.
*It was reported that Mum removed Comet from the nest. This was an error. The second hatch was fed to the two other chicks as we saw at Niagara Bee.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, H, PR’, Achieva Credit Union, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Google Maps, BirdCast, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Olympic Park Eagles, and Port Lincoln Ospreys.
Morning Update from Geemeff regarding Louis and Dorcha’s chicks:
“The two Arkaig osprey chicks have arrived in Spain as part of a translocation organised by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation. They were on board a flight which departed London Heathrow this morning, after testing negative for various infections and passing a vet inspection. The two males weighed 1.1kg each when handed over to the translocation team last Monday. They have been eating well since and are now both 1.5kg.”
Those poor things were so hungry. Thankfully they will survive and hopefully thrive. Thanks, Geemeff.
We also have a morning fledge at Outerbanks (Carova Beach). Chick 1 took its first flight and was seen on top of a roof later. Thanks, Heidi.
First, I know that we are missing ‘A’s’ wonderful narratives. She is ‘under the weather’. Please send her good wishes for a speedy recovery!
My goodness. It is almost the middle of July! The summer – typically for Canada, is half over. Today was hot. 29 C. I have a good friend who lives in British Columbia in the area of the Osoyoos nest. They will hit 36 C – temperature, but not the actual heat index, as our friend, Reets, pointed out – for an entire week. Several years ago, the little Cooper’s Hawks in that area jumped off the nests to their death to avoid being cooked on the top of the nest. Empathetic People and rehabbers then began to climb the nests to rescue them and take them into care. Many of us cried. So many were lost, but so many were saved. I wish beyond any hope that I might imagine a time when everyone would do that for the nests that are in trouble, even if it is feeding fish to get them through a storm or rough patch. I often think of Daisy and Duke at Barnegat Light and wonder if they might ahve considered having chicks this year if that level of kindness had been show to them last year during the June Nor’easter.
My blog might be short today. I took the afternoon off and spent it sitting on a bench in the shade of a small park near my home. After all the deaths and all the big ships out catching all the fish our ospreys need to live on, I just needed some quiet. It was a blessing. There was a little red squirrel scurrying about and an interesting woman who stopped to chat with me for a few minutes.
At home, Mr Crow continues to bring the babies, all six of them, for food. He will walk around the top of the fence railing to check and see if the dishes are full. Then he will caw to all the others. Then there is a ‘murder’ of Crows at the buffet. We have new neighbours. Our old ones loved the birds along with their little girl. I am hopeful that the new couple will be just as delighted with all the animals scurrying around the birds flying in and out.
They stand with their beaks open wanting Mum and Dad to feed them. I can hear the conversation now, ‘See that lady inside that room, she feeds you now!’ I don’t mind. I love our little paradise in the middle of a city.
The infant Cowbird bring raised by the sparrows has been at the bird bath much of today.
There is the difference in size between the baby Cowbird and the adult sparrows.
Dyson’s mate was out eating peanuts today and not too happy to have me working on the little path in the garden. They certainly let it be known that it is their territory!
It is a work in progress. Much more wedding has to be done behind the perennial flowers and I have had to order more top soil to be delivered. I had hoped to have it all finished by the end of the weekend but that top soil delivery has held me back.
News from Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey for Connick, Clive and Connie’s eaglet of 2023 who fell from the nest due to a feather issue. Connick has also donated blood to a Red-tail Hawk at the Center. Way to go Connick!
We are still watching those nests in the Pacific Northwest. I am just going to keep listing them until we get a break in the weather.
Cowlitz: ‘PB’ reports that Cowlitz has had fish and that little got some good bites. She follows up, “Cowlitz dad brought fish around 5pm nest time! Little impressed me by getting up front by mom, getting attacked by #1 but this time he didn’t stay down.He kept getting back up to grab more bites!”
‘PB’ continues to report: “Cowlitz dad fish 7:08pm…little was just attacked hard so not sure if he will get any. Little still down and #1 attacked it again when down after the feeding. Poor little is ok up and near mom. If only he would have moved on right of mom he would have safe and had food. 2 older ones have full crops.”
Steelscape: ‘PB’ also reports that Dad is getting fish on the nest.
Sandpoint: Cam is back on line. According to the chat, plenty of fish have come on the nest and I saw three. Keo is doing well. Keke and River was so full that he got a good piece of fish. We have to remember that the adults have to eat in order to be healthy to provide for their chicks. I am hoping that Iris and Finnegan will begin to eat more.
Clark PUD: It is hot on top of that nest. Dad brought in at least 2 fish, perhaps more. The camera angle makes it impossible to tell. Mum and Only Bob look alright.
Port Ridgefield: 99 F. Cam is still down. People in the area have seen Dad fishing. We will be looking for a fledge and just might miss it.
McEuan Park: Still two chicks alive out of a four chick clutch. Will try and catch a fish delivery. No rewind so this is problematic. Chicks are hot. One on the far rim of the nest. Worrisome. Have not seen a fish delivery yet but it doesn’t mean there hasn’t been one. Mum off the nest. Maybe she went fishing?
Their weather forecast. It was 99 F today.
Charlo Montana: One fish early and another mid-afternoon. It is hot, hot and Like Iris, Lola, is trying to keep her three chicks shaded while she gets super hot protecting them.
Hellgate Canyon: It wasn’t a whopper but the first fish came in early at 0817. I am sure that Iris was thrilled.
Montana temperatures. Remember this is not a heat index and it is not the more hotter temperature on the nests.
By 0930, Iris is being a Mumbrella to keep the chicks cool. It is 88 F.
The little one still has a very slight issue with its left eye.
Finnegan is back with another fish at 1109.
Iris is an amazing Mumbrella.
Third fish at 1550. Impossible to tell the size.
Late evening and ‘PB’ writes: “Finn just brought huge fish and everyone is hungry! He is amazing! Hellgate babies crops are flat so needed this. Finn tried to steal fish and Iris said NO. Finn is stealing pieces dropped by his kids. Finn brought this huge fish in whole, he could have easily took it to the owl pole to ear first, but he took it to his family. He is hungry trying to self feed off fish.”
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: Fish at 0611, 0947, 1252, 1555 nice headless large fish, rains arrived in late afternoon. 74 F with 5 mph winds.
Marder’s: Only Bob is looking good.
Snow Lane, Newfoundland: Beaumont has been delivering some exceptionally nice fish and Hope has been feeding the two chicks and as one long time observor noted, she is even being a Mumbrella this year. Hope has never, that I am aware of, shaded her chicks. I find this behaviour interesting along with the feedings. Is this the original Hope?
Blackbush: ‘PB’ reports that Little had a really great breakfast. Good news.
Pitkin County: Dad has been busy hauling in some large fish for the family!
Sunnie Day reports that the chicks on the Iowa-DNR are getting those all important primaries and just doing so well. Four gorgeous osplets strengthening their bodies for flight.
CJ7 and Blue 022 continue to shine. These two raised four beautiful really healthy osplets! Now for the goshawk to just keep its bloody distance. Blue 022 deliveried many nice fish today at the following times: 0743, 1156, 1239, 1519, 1824, 1947.
Geemeff’s report from Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Tuesday 9th July 2024
There was much confusing action today, at times difficult to unpick. The day started at midnight as so much light was provided by noctilucent clouds that the nest cams didn’t switch over and remained on day mode. Dorcha arrived early on Nest Two, Louis was seen much later but only flew over her to land in the Scots Pine instead of joining her on the nest. Then Affric 152 paid two quick visits to Nest One after not being seen there since May. Later LizB checked the Bunarkaig nest, thought to be the home of Affric & Prince, and confirmed one adult had a blue Darvic and the other was unringed – which matches with Affric & Prince. Sadly only one small head was seen bobbing around, so it looks as if the second chick hasn’t survived, with luck raptor expert Lewis Pate will be able to give more information when he does his ringing rounds. Back at Nest Two, Louis joined Dorcha on the nest to deal with a persistent intruder Osprey, the dark female who had intruded on the 7th. There was much alarm chipping, mantling and flying about, until the intruder left the area, only to turn up on Nest One, fish-calling, and who responded? Garry LV0! First he brought her a fish, which was eagerly accepted, and then he tried a clumsy mating attempt, which was less eagerly received, before both of them flew off the nest together. An intriguing situation – will Garry be successful this time? Fingers crossed for him. Weather was reasonably settled with some rain, and a colourful sunset ended the day, more rain expected overnight and tomorrow. No further updates yet on our chicks who are warm, dry, well fed and well looked after by the translocation project team.
Night cam switches on (no night / day cam switchover last night): Nest One 23.27.16; Nest Two 23.27.59
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/H3_8HTR1TVA Noctilucent clouds around Nest Two (Classic Ospreys: Pachelbel ) 01.30 – 02.45 (quicktime)
Ah, look at the little Dorset Hobbys! The oldest horked the leg!!!!
And the breakfast feeding on the 9th for both of the little eyases.
So many deaths and traumatised animals, domestic pets included, over fireworks that I was dismayed to see a huge display over the Green Ledge Lighthouse on Long Island where there is a nest of three osplets.
Fledglings on the nest at VIMS.
The three at Collins Marsh appear, through this hazy camera, to be doing well. Some bright coloured fish coming on the nest!
Great Bay chicks are flying.
Richmond and Rosie’s babies can be seen flapping.
‘H’ reports:
7/9 Osoyoos osprey nest: Late yesterday Olsen arrived at the nest holding something in his talons, but we couldn’t see what he had. The family did not act like he had food. But this morning, there it was right in the middle of the nest… a nice sized partial fish. At 0442 Soo arrived at the nest and immediately picked up the fish and fed her youngsters. Little found a spot on the other side of Soo from the siblings, and soon Big beaked Middle. Little and Big were fed, and Middle stayed back. Middle could have beaked Little to claim that spot at Soo’s beak, but for some reason s/he didn’t. Little ate at least 67 bites of fish. Middle only ate a few bites. Also yesterday, Soo had made a couple of brief attempts to feed from a large partial fish that Olsen had delivered at 2015. This morning at 0457 she picked up that fish (still lying on the rails) and once again started to feed. But, after a minute or so, she stopped. At 0706, Soo grasped that fish in her talons and flew off the nest with it to get rid of it. Even though Olsen had eaten half of that fish, Soo had simply found it objectionable.
Olsen’s first delivery today was at 0951.. a large partial fish. Little moved away from the fish, Big beaked Middle, and eventually Big beaked Little. Big was fed, and periodically Big turned to beak or intimidate her siblings just to make sure they understood her opinion on the matter. Little and Middle bravely reached in and grabbed fish bites now and then, and were punished by Big for doing it. By 1022 Middle was eating consistently, and at 1028 Big retired from the meal. Up to that point, Little had eaten about 20 bites, and s/he now moved up to Mom for a good feeding. Little ate until 1036, at which time s/he was beaked by Big, but the meal was over anyway. That was a 45-minute feeding, and Little ate approximately 87 bites of fish.
At 1205 Olsen dropped off a medium sized whole fish. There was no beaking! The siblings all ate side by side, but our view was partially blocked, and it wasn’t possible to see how much Little ate. The feeding lasted for 15 minutes.
My weather source indicated the Osoyoos temperature at 1450 was 104F/40C. Despite the heat, Olsen delivered a small whole fish at 1441. Again, our view of the feeding was mostly blocked, but it appeared as though the chicks were all lined up near Soo, and there was no apparent aggression. The meal lasted for 7-minutes.
My goodness, Dear Olsen was working so hard in the extreme heat… he brought another fish at 1453. It was a medium sized headless fish, so at least Olsen was eating to take care of himself. This was a 14-minute meal, and there was some aggression. Big intermittently beaked Little, but Little still managed to eat 36 bites of fish at this meal, and had a nice crop after the back-to-back meals. I did not see any further fish deliveries today. The predicted high temperature for 7/10 is 104F/40C, and it will be sunny with light winds.
7/9 Patuxent River Park: Middle had fledged on 7/8, and today at 1115 Big fledged at 63 days of age. Congratulations, Big! She had been ready to fly for a few days, and had been seriously thinking about it all morning. We had thought that she was going to take off a few times. So, why did Big fly at 1115? Well, let me think about that… It was because someone had approached the nest in a boat. We could hear them, and Mom, Little and Big could also see them. The human that was at the nest caused Big to take off at that moment! You see… for a couple of days there had been a small smudge on the camera, and the Park staff thought they would just paddle on over and clean it for the viewers. How nice of them. They apparently had no clue as to the status of the pre-fledgling birds in the nest. At 59 days of age, Little is behind his big sisters in his flight readiness, and he needs a few more days of feather growth and practice before he will be ready to fly. It is very fortunate that Little did not jump from the nest when the human reached up and wiped off the camera lens! Big has not returned to the nest as yet, but perhaps she’ll fly in for ‘breakfish’.
7/9 Colonial Beach osprey nest: This area has been extremely warm, with temps in the mid 90’s. It may be even hotter up on the nest. The 14 and 15-day-old chicks are often seen ‘panting’ and in some slight distress. Betty tries to shield them from the hot sun. David is doing his best to provide some nice hydrating fish, and I saw six fish brought to the nest. Chick #1 didn’t want to eat at the 1045 meal, and that was very worrisome. But s/he seemed to recover, and ate well at the next three meals.
7/10 Audubon Boathouse osprey nest: Things are going very well for Dory, Skiff, 26-day-old Harbor, and 22-day-old Gray.
7/10 Fenwick Island osprey nest (Captain Mac’s Fish House): This nest is doing well. For the most part, they have benefited from the Atlantic Ocean breezes, and have been spared some of the extreme heat lately. Johnny and June are doing a nice job caring for their 26-day-old osplet. For my own use, I have named the little kiddo ‘Fen’. ‘Fen’ is a gender neutral name of English origin, and it means ‘marshland’.
Be grateful for every chick that lives. It was a record loss in 2024 for Kielder. – 12 chicks died. ‘PB’ is reporting this morning that fish are coming into Cowlitz, but Little has not had anything to eat. Everyone is hot and hungry. Please send good wishes to these nests.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. Go out for a walk, sit in the sunshine for a couple of minutes (don’t get too hot), listen to the birds, and breathe. It has been a rough week. Celebrate the survivors! And be back with us soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, images, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J, PB’, Carova Beach, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, Cowlitz PUD, Steelscape, Sandpoint Ospreys, Clark PUD, Port of Ridgefield, McEuan Park, The Weather Network, Charlo Montana, Montana Osprey Project, MN LA, Marder’s Ospreys, Newfoundland Power, Pam Breci, Pitkin County, Snnie Day, BoPH, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Dorsett Hobbys, Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society, VIMS, Collins Marsh, Great Bay, SF Golden Gate Audubon, The Chronicle, Osoyoos, Patuxent River Park, Fenwick Island, Audubon Boat House, and Colonial Beach.
Oh, Sunday was a joyful and a tearful day. My superb neighbours have moved. To their little daughter, I was the ‘Tomato Fairie’. She loved the little grape tomatoes and paper baskets of them appearing regularly on her front porch. I shall miss them terribly. Friends visited, and later, we took the grandson, who works too hard and who we don’t see so often, for dinner and then picked up his sister to go for ice cream. We found a new little ice cream shop – they are popping up everywhere. It was delicious. Then we went for a walk to check out the river, which has flooded the walks and bike paths down to The Forks. We spotted a family of ducks who seemed fine.
It was a good day to be outside and to be with friends and family. The killing of the second Golden Eaglet by the first, followed by the little Dunrovin chick falling off the nest to its death, and the discovery that all three Redding osplets were dead in the nest —–well, it was a difficult day. These deaths should always remind us to hold those alive close and to celebrate those who survived this year. So many didn’t. As one of my friends told me today, please don’t wait for the politicians and policymakers to do anything to improve the lives of our wildlife and environment. If we each do something good positive, however small, our planet will be a better place.
My posting may meander a little today. Several people are monitoring nests, especially for fish drops in this heat so there might be some later inclusions.
Was it true or is it just a rumour? I am still trying to figure this out. It was reported that the second hatch, Raider, at the Patchogue nest on Long Island fledged at 0511 with a successful return to the nest. Patches was flapping and Raider joined in hopping and flapping and away it went!
Not true.
Raider fludged later. See post below by Heidi.
Check out the look on Raidier’s face as he slides down the perch. Patches is paying no mind. That fish is good!
Also from Patchogue, ‘MP’ says “Chickie takes dad’s toe almost off thinking it’s a fish. Fish under green line.”
We have been worried about Blue at the Hancock Boundary Bay Nest. Deb Stecyk gives us an uplifting video showing Blue’s crop and a good ps. Relief.
At the Snow Lane nest in Newfoundland, Beaumont often brings fish to the nest and then flies to the camera pole to have a wee bit of a dinner for his efforts and returns the fish to the nest for Hope to feed their two chicks. She is doing much better than in previous years. Feeling hopeful.
Plenty of food continues to arrive on the Golden Eagle nest #2 after the eldest killed the youngest on the 7th of July. At one time, I hoped there was a shortage of prey. I even rationalised this to myself but, then, when the prey came on the nest, item after item, after the eldest had killed the youngest, it just confirmed that it was a strategy to get the one to kill the other. That second hatch survived the first attempt at killing it. Why not feed them both so close to fledge and see which one survives in the wild? Well, we will never know.
Great Bay nest is doing well. Osplets are really perfecting their self-feeding. I cannot confirm how much fish came on this nest on Sunday.
The males in areas where the extreme is going to be a factor appear to be going out fishing early and later in the day with success. Today’s high at Charlo, Montana will be 97 with 4 mph winds. It is forecast to be 99 on Wednesday. Let’s hope that the fishing continues to be good despite the heat.
This is Charlo Montana very early Sunday morning.
Finnegan also brought in an early fish at 0556.
In past summers, Iris would be in the shade catching her own fish. She is now trying to keep her two chicks cool while they wait for Finnegan to bring in another fish.
If Finnegan thought he was going to have some fish, Iris might have had another thought for him. She stuffed those two osplets to their little tiny talons and then back to the top of their heads. She knows it is hot. She knows they need hydration. Finnegan is making sure his family does not go without.
Just look at that crop!!!!!
The little one raises its neck and stands up and looks at the older sibling. It was hilarious.
Date Night on the Perch with Iris and Finnegan! (Thanks PB for alerting me to where they were!)
I did not see an early fish on the nest at Dunrovin but I might have missed it. The pair are enjoying a late breakfast or early lunch around 1130 on Sunday. This nest might miss much of the heat that other areas are getting. And then…the most horrific sadness hits the nest. The young one fell off the nest over the railing. Such a loss. A beautiful healthy osplet on a nest with food. Soar high, little one.
Note to self: I love how some nests are annual inspected and repaired by the owners of the property and the streaming cam. Glaslyn (if I remember correctly) checks the woven railing and rewires it if required when they do their annual renovations. Many nests could use nesting material, too. Thinking of MN LA. What if we helped the Ospreys this way? Could save a life or two.
Melbourne police rescue an osprey! Thanks, Geemeff. We need a good news story.
Steelscape is one of the nests in the high heat area.
‘PB’ watches Cowlitz PUD and despite the heat it was a good day.
There is no end to sad news and I thought June was the worst month. The Osprey family whose chicks survived the fireworks in Redding have died.
Fireworks are not the only stressors. Humans around nests trying to take photographs, dogs, motorised vehicles, etc. have been known to cause great stress. I am sure there is a list as long as my arm.
Geemeff’s Daily Summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Sunday 7th July 2024 There was an intruder but no fish today – Louis teased Dorcha again by appearing several times without fish and staying nearby within sight so she kept calling to no avail. The nest was overflown by an intruder who returned and landed on the nest next to Louis and was seen to be a dark female with striking markings, possibly the same one who intruded in 2021, see bonus video. Dorcha arrived and chased her off, all the way past Nest One where Dorcha dropped in briefly for her first ever visit to that nest. Weather was settled today, tonight’s forecast is partly cloudy and light winds, but rain is due again tomorrow. Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.51.05 (03.18.25); Nest Two 23.54.50 (03.27.43)Today’s videos: https://youtu.be/FrXbbUeLP1k N2 Louis arrives without fish – Dorcha yells at him 13.01.45 https://youtu.be/2OI2t67rNhU N2 Intruder overflies Dorcha on the nest 13.35.35 https://youtu.be/rzFuxemIvPE N2 Unringed intruder female lands next to Louis 13.55.40 https://youtu.be/LwP5OtDRWKY N1 Dorcha’s first ever visit to Nest One! 15.06.42 https://youtu.be/AX4rxHJaSWoN2 Louis arrives and coy mantles but no fish for Dorcha 15:21:08
Bonus video – compare and contrast today’s dark intruder with the very dark one seen once only on 27 May 2021, is it the same bird?:
Watch the Loch Arkaig Osprey livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:
Tuffy landed on the nest with a nice-sized fish he had caught. What a joy to see him. The camera will be turned off today. It could be already by the time you read this. At one point, we did not think Tuffy would survive Ruffie. Well, he did. Please notice the distinctive head marking. You will always know that it is Tuffy. There is a dark patch at the back of the head, too. Their heads and underwing markings never change in an osprey. So even without rings on their legs, if you know these, you can tell which osprey is which.
Tuffy is one of the good survival stories of the 2024 breeding season and we will always remember him (or her). What a great nest. Camera will be turned back on when Sally and Harry return to the nest.
See Heidi’s report below.
For the Decorah North eagle family, there is no place like home even if it is a dead tree without a nest. They are all fine. What a joy it is to see them, too.
Fish are coming in at Boulder. It is 46 F and 1 mph winds. The high this week will be 80 at the nest.
It is a lot hotter at the Seaside nest of Bruce and Naha. Bruce flew in with a really big Red-tail for Naha and the kids at 1649. This will keep them nicely. Temperature is expected to be 90 degrees F with 14 mph winds on Monday.
‘PB’ reports that a nice late fish came into Steelscape. They are in the hot zone, too.
Cowlitz has fish, too. The Dads on that Columbia River are really working hard to get fish to their nests in this heat.
‘H’ reports:
7/7 Osoyoos osprey nest: It was a sunny day, and the temperature reached 100 F/38 C yesterday afternoon. Olsen brought eight fish to the nest, but most of them were quite small. When the ‘kids’ were little, that would have been ample, but now it may be only half (or less) of what they need. Five of the fish were delivered before 0900, while the sixth fish was delivered at 1657. Meal duration times were: 5, 7, 4, 3, 18, 5, 8, 5 minutes. Our views of the feedings were partially blocked at times, making it difficult to determine how much Little was eating. There was no aggression at the first three meals, and Little seemed to eat some fish at each of those meals. Big beaked Little at the third meal, which consisted of a tiny fish, and Little ate one bite of fish. The fifth fish, at 0849, was the largest. Little was beaked, but managed to start receiving some bites on the other side of Soo at 0855 for a couple of minutes. I could not tell how much Little was able to eat. When we say the osplets are ‘at the table’ or ‘at the chow line’, we are referring to them being in a position to receive bites of fish offered by the parent. When the ‘kids’ were little, the ‘table’ was small. They could all fit side-by-side compactly in a small area, easily within reach of Soo’s beak. But, at the current size of the chicks, the ‘table’ is wide. There was no aggression at the sixth feeding, at 1657. Little was skittish, and waited a couple of minutes before approaching. When Little was ‘at the table’, s/he was positioned closer to Soo’s tail. It was only a 5-minute feeding, and I did not see Soo reach back and offer a bite to Little. There was an 8-minute feeding at 2058, and once again, Little hesitated to approach. But when s/he did get to the table at 2103, he ate two bites, then was beaked. The last meal of the day was at 2122, and lasted five minutes. Little was beaked, and was not able to eat. Little’s crop was noticeably hollow. Unfortunately, Little did not eat much today, which is all the more serious due to the extreme heat which can hasten dehydration. Little’s last good meal was around 11:00 on 7/6. Middle was not prevented from eating today. It’s going to be another hot sunny day on 7/8, with the high temperature predicted to hit at least 102F/39C. Winds will be 14-22 mph. Wouldn’t it be nice if Olsen could find a big whopper of a fish? Surely, Little would then get a good meal. Good luck out there Olsen…we know that you are doing your best.
7/7 Patuxent River Park: The osplets are 57, 60, and 61 days old. A few days ago, Big and Middle were making some progress with wingersizing and managing some brief hovers. But, over the last couple of days, their activity has been reduced, possibly due to the extreme heat and calm winds. The temperatures have been in the upper 90’s.
7/7 Captiva osprey nest: Ding is 75 days old, and fledged 15 days ago. On 7/6, Ding caught her first fish, and it was a needlefish. This morning, on just her third fishing attempt of the day, Ding caught another needlefish! After she finished her breakfast, she resumed diving for fish. On her sixth fishing attempt of the day, Ding caught another needlefish, just 32 minutes after her last successful catch. You go girl! Ding may be known by some viewers as the ‘Needlefish Kid’. Ding made numerous attempts at fishing over the next six hours. Edie was not seen on 7/7. Ding is expending a lot of energy with her fishing. It would be wonderful if Edie would drop off a fish for Ding in the morning.
7/7 Moorings Park osprey nest: Monday morning at 0900 the camera will be turned off for the season. Tuffy treated viewers to some extended appearances today. At 11:29 we witnessed Tuffy dive into the water to try to catch a fish. He didn’t appear to come away with a fish on that attempt. About an hour later, Tuffy flew to the nest carrying a tilapia. Tuffy was wet, and shaking off water. He took a long time to eat that tilapia. How wonderful that we got to witness those events on the last day of the live stream. We have been blessed to witness your life thus far, Tuffy… through all your struggles and your victories. You are a survivor. We wish you a long and prosperous life.
Studies identifying the extent of the bycatch problem and our beloved birds like those cute little Royal Cam chicks. We do not want them, their parents, or any of the colony ending up like the ones below. Those trawlers gather the fish to provide feed for salmon and chickens. Want to save our seabirds? Stop eating farmed fish and industrially grown chickens.
New study shows the real scale of seabird bycatch in European waters.-https://www.birdlife.org/news/2024/07/03/bycatch-tragedy-we-are-losing-200000-seabirds-annually/
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, MP, PB, TU’, PSEG, Heidi McGrue, Deb Stecyk, Newfoundland Power, Eagle Club of Estonia, Great Bay Ospreys, Charlo Montana Osprey Cam, Montana Osprey Project, Dunrovin Ranch, Space Coast Daily, Pam Breci, FORE, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Moorings Park, Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, Boulder County, Seaside Ospreys, Steelscape, Cowlitz PUD, Birdlife International, Osoyoos, Patuxent River Park, and Window to Wildlife.
We hope that you had a lovely weekend. Sunday was beautiful in southern Manitoba. Blue skies with lots of wind to keep the mosquitoes away. We did the 10 km walk, the long path, around Oak Hammock Marsh. The Red-winged Blackbirds followed us. There were songbirds, ducks with ducklings, goslings, Pelicans, and Swans. There was even Killdeer. It was a glorious afternoon spent outside.
They were clearly ‘white’ but, for the sake of saving my arm today, I went with my phone and not the long lens. Bad decision. They look like Snow Geese or Swans to me and not Pelicans, but they were approximately 30 metres away. Please feel free to disagree! The image when cropped and blown up is too faint to tell accurately.
I really hope that you got to spend some time outside, away from the computer screen. Hearing the birds, listening to the wind, feeling the sun – it all makes everything better and it has been a particularly rough week in Bird World.
First news for Monday: We have a second chick at Hellgate for Iris and Finnegan!
I am going to start with the sadness so we can move on to the gladness.
Geemeff sends us the report for The Woodland Trust and the Osprey nests at Loch Arkaig:
Daily summary Sunday 16th June 2024
Sadly, there’s only one story today – the death of little bob3 at 24 days old. The youngest chick succumbed to weather, lack of food, and stress from aggression by the middle chick. Although s/he did get some fish today, it was too little too late and two days of cold wet weather plus being left uncovered in a downpour this morning when too weak to crawl under mum was too much for the chick to overcome. It will be interesting to see how the other two chicks react to having one less competitor, but it looks like chick1 is already working out strategies to prevent chick2 getting all the food. Louis brought five fish to the nest today, taking his tally to two hundred and seven. No activity on Nest One except for a little songbird who pootled around for a few minutes. It was very dreich today but tonight’s forecast of partly cloudy with light winds and 9°C temperatures is slightly better.
RIP little chick three: 24th May – 16th June 2024
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.42.37 (03.13.33); Nest Two 23.20.40 (03.51.29)
Watch the livestream 24/7 and join in the conversation here:
And now for the giggle of the day which comes form ‘A’:
In Sydney, the eagles have been on the nest this morning (in fact, Lady is there at the moment). The magpies chose Saturday to start mating all over Melbourne. Nature strips, medians, backyards. It’s avian pornography wherever you look. Even the noisy mynahs are joining in (not with the magpies, obviously!) so it seems it is about a week or two until egg-laying begins in southeastern Australia. We are keeping an eye/ear out for our falcons in Collins Street – they must be around their scrape by now if they are planning to use it this year.
It is time for some good news! Smallie is flying. ‘PB’ reports that he was seen sitting on a bicycle and was flying back and forth to the nest. Smallie was the much loved Amersfoort tiny, tiny falcon with the humongous siblings. Many thought Smallie didn’t have a chance. The parents kept feeding and Smallie, by his/her own nature didn’t give up. She/he got out on that scrape and ate anything they could. Now Smallie is flying! Tears.
‘PB’ reports that Smallie flew off the ledge like a pro! There he goes!
Another tragedy that has turned out alright. Both Decorah North eaglets are flying. Their nest collapsed Sunday morning and it was feared one might be grounded and couldn’t get up. But now they are together on a branch – the last news that I had. Mr and Mrs DNF are incredible parents and they will make sure these two are well looked after! No worries there.
The power on the camera at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum went down at 0530 on Sunday morning after the storms and rain went through the area.
All four osplets at Field Farm are doing great.
And smile. All four at Poole Harbour are doing fantastic, too. Little Mini is turning into a Reptile!
Reports from ‘H’:
6/16, Fortis Exshaw osprey nest: The third baby hatched at approximately 14:04. Louise’s new mate, Harvie, has taken good care of her this season, helping with security, providing fish, and incu-brooding. We know that he’ll be a great Dad.
6/16, Patuxent osprey nest: There were six fish brought to the nest. It wasn’t the best day for Little, but he still did okay. There was no ‘whopper’ fish that would allow for a prolonged private feeding for Little. S/he ate well at 0752 and 1237, but was only able to eat for about 9 minutes at the last four meals of the day.
6/16 Mispillion Harbor osprey nest: Della and Warren, and their two 21 and 20-day-old chicks are doing great. Warren is a fishing machine, and it seems like these two osplets are always eating.
6/16, Captiva osprey nest: It was another fish-filled day…and as you know, fish make ospreys happy…so everyone was happy! There were seven fish brought to the nest by Edie and Jack, and Jack delivered five of them! Oh, my goodness, what a great Dad…tirelessly providing for his family despite being injured.
We are on fledge watch for the last of the San Jose falcons! And SK Hideaways shows us how silly these kids are.
Food fight at San Jose!
Three beautiful babies at Cowlitz PUD protected by those fish grates by the PUD.
Three beautiful babies enjoying a fish dinner at Osoyoos.
More good news. The two Eastern Imperial Eaglets of Altyn and Nova in the RU nest appear to be very healthy.
I continue to hope that the two Golden Eaglets in the Estonian nest 2 will survive. They appear to both being doing well, also.
There was some concern about the osplet of Iris and Finnegan. It had gotten itself upside down in the nest, but that drama, thankfully, has passed and the chick is right side up again!
‘A’ comments: “Finn is still the perfect partner, feeding Iris and bringing in fish for her and the youngster. He just loves being on the nest when Iris is feeding the chick, which he is absolutely besotted with. He is fascinated and delighted by the little one and takes every opportunity to see it. He is very careful around the chick now, using his wings to keep his balance and ensure that he does not stumble or step on the chick – a major improvement on his initial clumsy clomping around the nest.
Iris was a lot better today, feeding the osplet more often and generally looking a lot more alert and active. I wonder whether she was very tired from the first hatch,she had three nights (two that were particularly disturbed) when she was awake for much of the night while the first chick was hatching. She was aware on that first night of the activity beginning in one of her eggs, and over the following two nights she had a hatching egg, and then on the third night, a just-hatched chick. She had very little sleep, and she really did appear lethargic to me over the past couple of days. But today, she appeared much more energetic
Meanwhile, that osplet is MONSTROUS. Surely it cannot possibly be only five days old. It looks twice that age, and it is growing so fast, it appears to be entering the dinosaur phase already. I am extremely nervous about a potential second hatch. This size discrepancy is ridiculous. Surely a hatch as tiny as this second one is likely to be has absolutely no chance against a sibling literally ten times its size. And I am not entirely sure Iris has the energy to give a new very tiny chick. Certainly, Finn will do his best to support Iris, and I love the way he feeds her on the nest. She sure is demanding! I never saw her with Stanley, but if he also fed Iris, then perhaps it is Iris who is dictating the behaviour of the males in her life. It is most unusual behaviour in my experience. Certainly, we have seen males occasionally offer a mouthful to a female on the nest, but I have never seen feeds of this length and this regularity. She is being feted by this handsome young man. Our Iris sure is an impressive cougar. “
And the news is still good. Richmond of SF Golden Gate Audubon is a Grand -Dad. Robin B caught Lassen and his family on video for everyone.
Sharon Dunne reports that both Royal Cam chick parents were in today! What luck!
Sara and Sota at the Sun Coast Osprey nest had two fledges this past week. Congratulations! (screen capture by Lucille Powell)
The two chicks at the WDNU Tower in South Bend, Indiana appear to be doing well. No rewind so it is hard to catch a great image of the entire family!
Charlie and his new mate at Charlo Montana have three beautiful osplets. Mum is not too happy with the delivery of ‘something’ – it certainly wasn’t a fish! She uses her beak to push it to the rails.
There are many benefits to having only one osplet to feed. Parents do not use up as much energy. There is normally enough fish for three. The Only Bob usually grows big and strong. Boulder County is a good example.
Only Bob at Manton Bay is doing fantastic. ‘She’ – seriously I believe this is a nice big female – will be ringed this week. Blue 33 and Maya doing well after Maya’s earlier sickness. (I still owe you the entry for Manton Bay. I have not forgotten. The deaths and tragedies seem to have overtaken everything lately).
After the issues at the Dahlgren nest, Sandpoint’s platform is starting to worry me. Old fish, new fish. Baby gets fed.
There are growing concerns for C3 at the Bridge Golf Club. We have already lost Mini Little to siblicide and it looks as if we could lose Little on this nest. It would appear that the supply of fish might only be enough for two chicks, not four and maybe not three.
The two osplets at Ferris State University have all their beautiful juvenile plumage. One egg DNH.
The trio at Radford University are at the same stage as those at Ferris in their plumage development. Aren’t these babies beautiful?
Two little sweeties at Blackbush. Hoping those eggs continue to be DNH.
Is it dangerous to be a fledgling eagle parent? Ask Akecheta!
There are so many people who have helped wildlife. At the moment I am completely behind Isabella Tree and rewinding. I am hopeful that what she has done at Knepp Farm might translate into urban and suburban gardens. After adding more trees to our property, we added more annuals to attract the pollinators. Every little bit helps. You can do it with a single pollinator friendly potted plant!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Have a great week. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, MP, PB’, Geemeff for The Woodland Trust, Sea Eagle Cam, Amersfoort Falcons, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, MN Landscape Arboretum, Field Farm, BoPH, Patuxent River Park, FortisExshaw, Window to Wildlife, Mispillion Harbour, SK Hideaways, Cowlitz PUD, Osoyoos Ospreys, Eastern Imperial Eagle Cam RU, Eagle Club of Estonia, Montana Osprey Cams, SF Bay Ospreys, Robin B, Sharon Dunne, Sun Coast Ospreys, Lucille Powell, WDNU Tower, Charlo Montana, Boulder County, LRWT, Sandpoint Ospreys, Bridge Golf Club, Ferris State University, Radford University, Netflix Memories, and The Guardian.
To all those wonderful men – human and not – for taking care of living breathing things, protecting them, feeding them, loving them – Happy Father’s Day. And to one special Osprey this morning who is injured with a spike in his leg – Jack at Captiva. You are amazing. Despite all, you are still helping feed your family this morning!
There is a lot going on in Bird World. Rescues, uprightings, sibling rivalry, hatches, GHO attacks, and death. You name it, it seems to be happening. The very beautiful and good is tinged with the sorrow and sadness. We just have to breathe and as someone said today, ‘life is very fragile, embrace someone and hold them tight, you don’t know what is coming next’. What a year it has been and we are only half way through. As one reader said to me, “The Memorial Page has exploded”. It has and I am still catching up! It is always sad to lose one of the birds and, please, take the time to check out the Memorial Page. If I am missing one of our feathered friends, please write and tell me so I can add them. I am still working on the European Storks that died so tragically from the horrific weather. And, another thing, the second hatch at Hellgate has not happened. I was sent incorrect information and the more I looked for a second head, I could not find it.
In all of this, Saturday was a gorgeous, hot windy day and we spent it at the duck pond watching the little ducklings and goslings, of all ages, flitter around the pond enjoying the shade and the cool water despite the build up of algae. People were happy being outside. There was a wedding reception in the garden area, and the ice cream man with his bell could be heard at a distance. Even deer were coming out to eat grass in the shade. Now the skies are pearl grey to dark charcoal and you can just feel a storm building up. Despite saying we would have no rain, we are now in an area of Extreme Weather with high winds, hail, and rain predicted. If this continues, we will need machetes for the garden instead of clippers and mower.
There were lots of ducks and geese on the islands in the pond which is shaded. The wind was keeping everyone cool despite the 27 C temperatures. Some of the geese had been in the water with their goslings. Some went in and out, in and out. Others foraged for little pebbles to aid their digestion. The goslings range in size from those that are about half as large as their parents to tiny wee ones that looked like they hatched only a couple of days ago. All of the adult geese are moulting. They will exchange all of their feathers. They will not be able to fly and leave the area until their full moult is complete. I don’t think anyone minds. Each trip I gather a handful of feathers for ‘The Girls’. They go crazy for them. Besides boxes and bags (without handles), these feathers are their next favourite toy. Their most favourite are the tunnels that they race in and out of late in the evening or early in the morning.
Baby Hope will be one year old on 2 July. As so many of you know, just thinking about her brings tears to my eyes. After Calico ‘decided’ that she was coming in the house on 28 August 2023, we thought we would never be able to find her only surviving kitten. (We could tell there was only one by the single teat being suckled). It appears that Calico might have lost ‘Hope’ and that was why she was ready to leave her life on the streets and come inside where she had lots of food, a safe place to sleep, comfy beds and toys and, of course, lots of love and stories. Five days later we looked out at the feral feeding station and there was a mini Calico. We knew it was her kitten. In three hours, Hope was inside suckling on Mum and life was good. We are trying to figure out precisely just what kind of party to have for her!
Hugo Yugo says that she thinks we need grilled cheese sandwiches along with ice cream for the party! What do you think?
Hugo Yugo is still tiny, a little peanut, but she remains the boss of all the others. Despite eating her food and theirs, she has hardly grown. She is a bundle of energy that never stops. She still sleeps draped around my neck at night. And she still begs for her pieces of cheese around 2100. I have been able to wean her off the kitten milk at the vet’s request. She is dynamite!
As I go to press, I am getting sad news. It appears that a GHO attack has taken all of the osplets from the Crooked Lake nest in Iowa. ‘H’ says, “This is without a doubt the most bold owl attack I have ever seen. Just unbelievable. The owl stayed in the nest and killed all three osplets right in the nest in front of Mom, then flew off with one of them.’
Geemeff is also writing that C2 at Loch Arkaig is now dead or death is imminent. This is so sad and is due directly to siblicide by the ever aggressive C1. First time ever to happen at Loch Arkaig.
We will begin with news from ‘H’.
6/15 Forsythe osprey nest: There were eight fish delivered to the nest by Oscar, and a few of them were fairly big. How many times have we seen situations where the fish production at a nest increases after the starvation deaths of one or two of the osplets? I know I’ve seen it happen a few times, and it just leaves me shaking my head. After the siblicide/starvation deaths of Mini and Little, there is still some aggression from Big toward Middle. But, Middle is managing to find ways to eat. S/he most often squeezes around to the other side of Opal from Big, where there is just a small space between Opal and the outer rim of the nest. Middle ate at least 345 bites of fish in eight meals. I hope Oscar continues to have fishing success.
6/15 Dahlgren osprey nest: The baby named ‘Hope’ was stuck in a deep hole in the nest for about 1.5 days. Dahlgren Osprey Cam arranged for a rescue by Tidewater Wildlife Rescue. TWR performed the rescue this afternoon, and repaired the hole in the nest. Little Hope is doing well, and we are so grateful. Keep the fish coming in, Doug!
6/15 South Cape May Meadows osprey nest: The two little bobs are doing very well. Zeus has really stepped up, and he is providing lots of fish for his family. We are so pleased!
6/16 Chesapeake, Kent Island osprey nest: We wait to see if the first egg of the second clutch for Audrey and Tom will hatch. The egg is 39 days old, but it was pecked by a crow on 5/16. I hope there will be at least one
6/16 Boathouse osprey nest: The little osplet of Dory and Skiff is doing great. Their second egg is 35 days old today.
6/15, Patuxent osprey nest: Dad continues to deliver tons of fish, and many of the fish are huge. He brought fish to the nest six times today, but we could tell that a few of them were the large leftovers he had previously removed from the nest. All of the chicks were stuffed many times over. There was very little aggression today, and Little was even seen eating at the ‘big kids table’!
6/15 Captiva ospreys: There were 7 fish brought to the nest, four by Edie, and three by Jack. There was a lot of eating going on…feedings and self-feedings. Ding and Darling ate their fill. And, at 53 days of age, Ding was hovering! We are still worried about Jack. He still has that foreign body ‘spike’ sticking through his leg. But, he is able to fish and help take care of his family. Bless his heart.
I want to thank Heidi – again and again. I could not keep up with the nests without her. So everyone, give her a loud shout out, please!
Those watching the Dahlgren nest and getting ever more anxious that the wee babe named Hope was stuck in a hole can now relax. It has been rescued and all the time it was there, dear Mum kept feeding it. Thank goodness. This is one of those really feel good moments that we need when tragedy seems to be lurking at many of our nests. Thank you to everyone who alerted the owners and to the rescue team that saved the wee one. Bless their hearts they filled in and repaired this nest with sticks, mud, and grasses/moss. Well done!
Tragedy may have been averted at the Wells Fargo Iowa DNR Osprey Platform. The little one with a full crop got on its back and could not right itself. It took the entire day. Will it be alright? We have to wait and see.
My favourite capture of Iris and Finnegan. I hope she lives many more years to enjoy this wonderful relationship.
Zoe fledges and Lucia returns flying strong several times.
Middle flew back to the osprey platform to be with Mum at Lake Murray after avoiding the GHO by flying. Magnificent. Fingers crossed everyone. This is such good news. Seriously this is incredible news. So happy happy.
Polo 7422 published a video of the hit by the GHO on Hope. (Have you noticed so many named Hope or Hugo??)
Going to check on some of the Finnish nests today! I had a lovely note from ‘SP’ today. I have been covering some of them as best I can but I also learned that some of my confusion with the numbering and names is because there are two separate organisations. That is why I cannot find 10 nests on this one site! ‘SP’ elaborates, “The link I gave in my previous male, Sääksikamerat (kaikki näkymät) | Sääksilive (saaksilive.fi), with 5 nests, and 2 views of the active nests (I follow mainly these):
Here nests 1, 3 and 4 are occupied.
Number 4 has last year’s couple, 3 chicks, eating a lot, and the making heavy exercises (fighting) from the very beginning (genes from the female). A video in the web by a non-native follower: Brutal fight between two eaglets #ospreycam #ospreys #siblingfight #shorts (youtube.com) Hope the fishing weather will be good in July … (Last year the yongest chick got fiercely killed by the sibling.)
Number 1 has an older, experienced couple, with so far 1 chick and 2 eggs left.
Number 3, with a first time mum (bride from last year) and last year’s male, has 1 chick, one to pop up soon (hole in the egg already). First chick died.
(Last year the female disappeared and the 3 chicks died.
Number 5: the last year’s couple arrived, but somehow they ”changed their mind” abt nesting. The two eggs, not taken care about, were taken by a raven. Very ”nicely”, indeed, both times:
This nest, number 5 was interesting last year: After the own 2 chicks had left, a foreign chick, from Sweden, landed on the nest, and stayed very long, for weeks, and got fed by the male.”
Number 1 – adults doing incubation. Waiting for pip/hatch watch.
Number 2 is a failed nest. No activity.
Number 3 has a beautiful osplet. Dad brings a huge fish!
Number 4 has three healthy osplets.
Number LS/5 is a failed nest. No activity.
From separate organisations:
Seilin in the West of Finland. Couple incubating eggs.
Janakkala in the North has three osplets.
Muonion, in the far north, is incubating eggs.
At Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Dad delivered no less than five fish, several large. There is also rain and Mum is keeping those babies warm and dry. Everyone ate.
‘L’ writes: “Dad stood near mom while she fed the babies at Minnesota. I think he is trying to teach her. She literally went over the head of the oldest one to feed the third one. ” It seems that the latter part of the day was not so good at this nest. We live and hope.
Olsen is doing the best that he can at the Osoyoos Osprey Platform. Most of the fish brought in were so small but he landed a whopper later in the afternoon and everyone did eat well.
It has been a miserable day across much of Wales. Telyn and Idris worked to feed their three chicks and to keep them dry even though they are getting their juvenile plumage and can thermoregulate.
Blue 022 is working hard to get lots of good fish to CJ7 so that their four Bobs will all be full and happy.
I know how sad everyone has been after the loss of Sol, so close to fledge, at the Redding nest of Liberty and Guardian. Everyone at FORE is simply heart broken, too.
Luna is alive and well and for this we must be very glad.
All three eggs have now hatched at Niagara Bee. They are all looking good.
I will now be carrying the daily summary by Geemeff that she publishes for the Woodland Trust. It is the happenings on the Loch Arkaig nest of Dorcha and Louis. Lots of good information and links to videos! Thank you, Geemeff, for allowing me to publish this information.
“Daily summary Saturday 15th June 2024
No action on Nest One, and very little on Nest Two. Louis only brought one fish mid-morning, and wasn’t seen again until suppertime when he caused consternation by arriving empty-taloned. Dorcha couldn’t believe it and gave him a right earful while he cleaned bits of fish off his beak. He’d obviously eaten recently and had a nicely rounded crop which added fuel to Dorcha’s ire. Earlier Dorcha had caused a bit of consternation herself when she arrived with an awkwardly shaped stick and proceeded to drag it through the huddle of chicks, although she quickly redeemed herself by being an excellent mumbrella and keeping her three big chicks warm and dry during a torrential downpour. As usual, chick2 got all the fish and beaked the other two to keep them away from the food, therefore it will be good if Louis arrives early tomorrow morning with a fish big enough that C1 & C3 get a share too. Statto Steve Q provided us with a thorough analysis of the fish stats to date – despite the odd blip, Louis’ current total of two hundred and two fish is pretty much comparable with previous years. The weather was very unsettled today with a misty start turning into a rainy day and more of the same forecast for tonight.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.36.53 (02.58.59); Nest Two 23.10.58 (03.27.50)
Looks like we have one hatch at the Green Ledge Light Preservation Society nest on Long Island.
There was a lot of discussion over which eaglet it was that fell from the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Cruz. It appears it was Manini and not Reign as I reported earlier. Congratulations on fledging!!!!! BVS Girl has that first flight on video.
The two Golden eaglets in Estonia nest 2 are plump and healthy. They are flapping their wings and walking.
This is the second hatch spreading its wings. Look at that fat bottom and those big strong legs. I am so happy for this nest. I hope the good fortune continues.
Fish dinner arriving at Cowlitz PUD and we have three hungry osplets.
I cannot tell you how much fish Little Mini got at Field Farm on Saturday. It is often difficult to tell, but the wee one is growing and had a sort of half crop in the morning.
Checking in on the San Jose Falcons.
For images of the Cal falcon fledglings, please go to the Instagram account of moon_rabbit_rising!
Suzanne Arnold Horning posted some lovely images of Big Red and Arthur’s Ns. They have fledged and were found in spots near to Fernow and Tower Road. Both fledglings are doing well.
Tweed Valley Osprey Project gives us an excellent view of Mrs O feeding her three osplets.
Thank you so much for being with me. Watch for that hatch of Iris and Finnegan from Sunday-Tuesday according to Dr Greene. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, observations, videos, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A’, Geemeff, H, L, MM, PB, SP’, Timothy Dygert Live Stream, The Woodland Trust, Forsythe Ospresy, Dalgren Ospreys, SCMM Kent Island, Boathouse Ospreys, Patuxent River Park, Window to Wildlife, Heidi McGrue, Sunnie Day, Montana Osprey Project, SK Hideaways, Lake Murray Ospreys, Polo 7422, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Nesting Bird Life and More, MN Landscape Arboretum, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Dyfi Osprey Project, BoPH, FORE, Niagara Bee, Feemeff, Green Ledge Light Preservation Society, BVSGirl, Eagle Club of Estonia, Cowlitz PUD, moon_rabbit_rising, Suzanne Arnold Horning, and Tweed Valley Ospreys.
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. (Thoreau, Walden, 58).
The Girls and I are revisiting Thoreau’s Walden – I learn something every time I read this book! Mostly, it cements in me how fortunate we are if we can spend time with the trees, the animals living in the wild, even nature in our own gardens.
I hope that you had a really good weekend and found some time to spend with friends, family, or outside—or all three! We worked in the garden and are sore from the tips of our toes to the top of our heads. The heat and rain have caused everything to grow out of control! So far there has been no rain so it was a good day since everything is drying out. I would love to send this rain to places that are running out of water. It is frightening because there are not only implications for humans but also wildlife.
Two things to put a smile on your face today. The first comes from ‘T’. Watch ‘the cobra’ attack the Imperial Eagle. Then laugh. (Valid made the video and Rinur posted it).
The second comes from Missey and Hugo Yugo, who adore one another. When Missey lost her best friend Lewis last year, she was the saddest cat. Then Hugo Yugo came into her life and she took over the motherly duties the little ginger cat was longing for. Like Calico and Hope, these two are inseparable.
TWO Great Questions from the InBox:
Question 1. ‘NF’ asks: “Have a question…we had eaglets double fledge 6/7 in Kansas. Do you have any knowledge of that happening before? Many questions about that. Thanks in advance & keep up the good work!!”
Sadly, my data forms are for Ospreys but I could recall instances of eagles fledging close together, but not specifics. Thankfully, Elfruler came through and ‘NF’ sent me their response. I thought some of you might also be wondering. “Hi, Nina, it was fun watching your 2 juveniles take off yesterday! Yes, there are several records of 2 juveniles fledging on the same day. In recent years:
Maryland Port Tobacco, 6/4/23, three eaglets fledged on June 4, the first at 6:18, the second shortly after that (cam down, time uncertain), the third accidentally fell at 7:09.
Ohio Avon Lake, 7/7/22, one at about 6:22, the other at about 7:21.
Oklahoma Bartlesville 6/10/22, one at about 15:21, the other at 15:28.
Pittsburg Hays 6/10/22, one at 7:20, the other at 7:50.
Ohio Ashtabula, 6/24/20, one at 6:43, the other at 12:43.
British Columbia Surrey Reserve, 6/28/20, one at 8:15, the other at 10:18.
There are more in my spreadsheets, I’ve just searched the last few years, but from these you can see that it does happen.
Best to you,
-elf”
Question 2. From ‘PB”. “I saw your update on Seaside and #3 passed due to a wind/hail storm…but I watched their in memoriam video of #3 and they showed the storm so how did the little baby pass when under mom? Was it more lack of food?”
Yes, the little one was well protected by Mum. The death was not caused by anything human or by siblicide but was starvation and/or illness caused by a weather-related event. The storm was a mitigating factor in the chick not having enough food and also they get these terrible respiratory illnesses from the cold and damp. We won’t know precisely which it was.
If you missed it, Treasure at the West End nest of Akecheta and Thunder fledged on Saturday. Lady Hawks’ video shows the whole event clearing up many questions. Treasure is on a steep hill and has not been seen eating. Is this a place where the eaglet can get its footing to fly off? More questions than answers. The latest information is that Treasure is on a cliff face near the old nest.
‘B’ reports that Sterling has fledged on Sunday so all three of Akecheta and Thunder’s eaglets this year have taken their first flights.
Hats off to Dylan at Llyn Clywedog – he brought two HUGE trout (along with other fish) to the nest for Seren and chicks on Sunday. My goodness, gracious. Dylan does love his trout and if you don’t know, they stock the Clywedog Reservoir with 45,000 fish annually!
Dr Green just posted the following information as we are now on pip/hatch watch for the first egg at Iris and Finnegan’s nest.
I don’t know about you, but I am sitting on the edge of my chair in anticipation. I never thought Iris would have another devoted mate like Stanley.
Port Lincoln reports that Calypso and his new mate are checking out the Tulsa Platform. Could Mum and Dad be grandparents this year??? Things are beginning to heat up in Australia!
Little Mini right up at the beak for that fish dinner at Field Farm. One determined little osplet. This will certainly help with its survival. Don’t you just love these vivacious fourth hatches? They have to be clever and determined. Remember: It is only about 1 out of 100 fourth hatches that survive. Looks like Field Farm and Poole Harbour are going to be survivors if things continue as they are. Other nests are in trouble.
It rained some more. Each time there was a feeding Little Mini is there. No problems that I can see other than its size. The other three are rather ‘chill’ compared to many nests.
At Poole Harbour, Little Mini is right there. Sadly, Blue 022 has a love for black bin liners. I wish he didn’t bring them to the nest.
Two chicks for the WDNU Tower in 2024.
Two surviving chicks at Seaside.
The trio at the Salt Point Osprey Platform are all thriving. Do you know this nest at Cayuga Lake in Upstate New York? It is the home of Orpheus and Ursula. Here is some information provided by the Lansing Parks and Recreation Department.
“This nest was built by Orpheus in 2013, and with his two mates Ophelia (2013–2022) and Ursula (2022–current), they have reared many healthy fledglings over the years. The nest is ideally located within the Salt Point Natural Area in Lansing, NY, at the confluence of Salmon Creek, a fast-flowing trout stream, and fish-rich Cayuga Lake. Orpheus and his mate continually tend their nest built atop a 55′ dedicated nesting platform with a spectacular 360º view—and protection against marauding great-horned owls. This nest camera is a solar-powered camera operating in one of the cloudiest areas in the USA. After a streak of consecutive overcast or stormy days, the batteries drain and the recording may stop. After a few hours of sunshine, all will return to normal. High winds may also cause noise from the camera housing.”
Here is the link to their streaming cam. These chicks are doing fantastic.
Three at Pitkin County Open Trails and Spaces are doing well. We can just see the tops of their heads!
‘H’ sends in the reports for the nests she is monitoring:
“6/9, Forsythe NJ osprey nest: This nest has become very unsettled and dangerous. The nest dynamics continue to evolve for the worse. The oldest of the four osplets, Big1, has become very aggressive and controlling. Before today, Little3 was the primary aggressor, and would take out its hunger-frustration on Mini4. Today, Big1 was beaking all of its siblings. Every time LIttle3 would beak Mini4, Big1 would beak Little3. But, several times at each meal, Big1 would beak all of them, including Middle2, so that Big1 would be the only one eating. Quite often that would set off Middle2, and Middle2 would beak everyone. There were six meals today. Middle2 managed to make out okay simply because of its size. Middle2 was able to position itself further away from Big1 at feedings, and still be able to reach Opal’s beak. Neither Mini4 nor Little3 had very much to eat yesterday, as Little3 would keep Mini4 from eating, and Big1 would keep Little3 from eating. Today, I counted fish bites for both Little3 and Mini4. Mini4 ate a total of 36 bites of fish today, and Little3 ate a total of 17 bites of fish. There is not enough fish being brought to this nest for three osplets undergoing a growth spurt, much less four osplets. It’s going to take A LOT MORE FISH. This is very sad.”
6/9, Patuxent River Park osprey nest: It was a good day for this nest. There were “only” three fish and feedings, but a couple of the meals lasted so long, they should be counted as two meals. The first fish at 0749 was a large live catfish, and that fish flipped and flopped all over the place. No one was hurt, and I think the kids were mildly entertained, lol. That meal lasted for 95 minutes. Little still does get beaked and intimidated once in a while, but Little has learned to mitigate those occurrences. S/he simply stays away from Mom in the early phase of a meal, so as not to incur the wrath of Big. Little waited until about 0830 and then worked his way to the other side of Mom and she began to include her youngest in the feeding. After a while Little had a bit of a private feeding, and had eaten a total of 80 bites of fish. When Mom had given up on picking at the catfish skull, Dad moved on over, picked up the skull and pulled off 30 additional bits of meat for Little. What a cool Dad. The fish at 1118 was a small headless fish, and the meal lasted 10 minutes. Big and Middle were not very hungry, and Little ate 55 bites of fish. The last fish of the day at 1458 was a huge whole fish, that provided for another 95 minute feeding. Little had a few separate private feedings and ate for a total of 30 minutes.
Dahlgren osprey nest: Being first-time parents, the new couple, Helen and Doug, continue to work out some issues with parenting. There is a learning curve of course, and they are getting better. Their single osplet is 8 days old, and is looking good…nice and plump!
Fortis Exshaw osprey nest: Louise and her new mate Harvie are expecting their first baby at any time. Louise laid three eggs, but we’ve never seen three eggs at one time in that deep egg cup. All the best to them!
South Cape May Meadows osprey nest: On 6/8 a crow destroyed one egg, and pecked at another. We believe that there is still at least one viable egg remaining. From the nature of the contents of the destroyed egg, we believe that egg was definitely not egg #1, and was more likely egg #3 (not positive, though). Eggs #1 and 2 would be 38 and 35 days on 6/10. We are hoping for a hatch for Hera and Zeus.
Fenwick Island, Delaware osprey nest, at Captain Mac’s Fish House: Johnny and June’s first two eggs were destroyed by crows. Eggs 3 and 4 remain, and we are on pip watch!
Osoyoos osprey nest: Soo and Ollie’s two little bobs are doing great. The third egg is 36 days old on 6/10.
McEuen Park osprey nest: They have three little hatchlings that hatched sometime between 6/4 and 6/8, with one egg remaining. There is no rewind for that cam, so it was difficult to find a view when the parents were not ‘incu-brooding’.
If you were following Chance, the Red-tailed Hawk that went to an eagle’s nest for dinner and got adopted, you might know that it fell from the nest. Chance is near-fledging. Chance was rescued and is in a wildlife facility. This is the latest from the photographer covering the story, Jann Nichols.
‘PB’ writes that Smallie has been seen and photographed – see image below – but there is no confirmation that the eyas has had any food since being returned after its fall.
Big siblings on the grate.
One of the chicks, the eldest, wasn’t looking good to me at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It seems to have rallied a bit. I do wish this Mum would spend less time eating fish and more time feeding her chicks. That is precisely how we lost the chicks last year! Send good energy to this nest!
‘MP’ has been watching and counting. He says, “I counted her eating five bites to one she attempts to give one chick but if they don’t take it immediately she retreats with it and eats it herself. One chick keeps rolling on their back.” MP continues, “The male appears to be bringing bigger fish maybe so she will have enough for her and the chicks? He does stand there and watch which I’ve never seen other males intently watch the feeding. My take is he’s seeing if she feeds them at all. It is hard to watch not knowing if you are watching the makings of mental illness on a nest of innocent babies leading to their death.”
This is the oldest chick that keeps going over. I fear that the babies are dehydrated. Mum leaves them exposed and the little things cannot regulate their temperature. It is very hot at times and they need many feedings, lots of little bites throughout the day to keep them healthy. So very, very sad. We have seen this same behaviour in Hope at the Snow Lane nest consistently. I once queried an old hand at osprey behaviour about mental illness and our discussions wound up around the theme of how chicks learn. We know that they have instincts and we also know that they copy parental behaviour. That is how they learn. We know that some osprey nests are simply better than others. The environment is richer with fish. The parents are more attentive. Did this female as well as Hope come from nests where the female neglected her chicks? or where there was a drought and the chicks suffered? We will never know the answer to that question because the birds are not ringed and we cannot track their history.
Let us hope that this nest has a turn around.
This was earlier.
Later:
Three eggs visible at the nest of Hope and Beau in Newfoundland at Snow Lane.
Two cutie pies at the Sandpoint Osprey platform. Looks like we have one egg that could be a DNH. We wait. These two are only two days old.
Trio at Great Bay doing fantastic, too. Is it my imagination or are the inland nests doing better this year in terms of survival rates? In my data forms, we have regions such as North America, UK, Europe, etc but we do not have North America divided up by regions. That might prove helpful in the future.
Patchogue osplets are doing very well despite the nest being full of garbage – the plague of being a nest in an urban environment.
Three beautiful babies at the Dyfi nest in Wales enjoying a fish dinner in the drizzle.
Three little ones at Bridge Golf being fed. Fingers crossed.
Two eaglets – still – at the Eastern Imperial Eagle nest in RU.
Still seeing two at the Estonian Golden Eagle nest.
Fledge feels eminent at the Cornell RTH nest of the Ns – two hawlets of Big Red and Arthur. Both have been flapping and jumping from one end of the nest to the other. Arthur has been busy bringing in prey close together to try and stop them from flying today.
Oren and Ruth’s two hawklets (one died) are preparing to fledge form their nest at Syracuse University, too.
Cal Falcon fledglings visiting the tower.
Many of you are travelling to see osprey. For the next couple of days I will be including images. Today is from Mobile Bay and tomorrow will be Rutland. ‘L’ had a lovely tour of the Alabama and Florida coasts and sent some images of Ospreys on their platforms and fishing that she saw and took with her phone for us. Thanks, ‘L’.
Some great news coming in late. One of two chicks fathered by 4K at Belvoir Castle near where I lived in the UK has been photographed in the UK on his return as a two-year-old. 4K was the subject of a book, If You Build It, He Will Come. He was also the focal osprey for Sacha Dench’s first round of Flight of the Osprey. Blue 4K is a mature male Osprey from Belvoir Castle, Rutland, hatched in 2013 and satellite-tagged in 2018. I wondered how he had died and Geemeff gave me the following information months ago, “Blue 4K’s tracker showed him in Guinea setting off north, then stopped transmitting. The tracker was fitted in 2018 so was coming to the end of its service anyway, therefore we just expected to see him back at his nest a month or so later. But after weeks went by, it was clear he wouldn’t be returning, and Simon has assumed he died in Guinea when the transmissions stopped. But of course, we don’t know.”
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. We hope to see you again soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, questions, photographs, comments, videos, articles, tweets, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, B, Geemeff, H, J, L, MP, NF, PB, TU’, Thoreau, CounterPunch, Elfruler, Lady Hawk, Llyn Clywedog Osprey Cam, Montana Osprey Project, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Field Farm, BoPH, WDNU, Seaside Ospresy, Salt Point Ospreys, Pitkin County, Jann Nichols Photography, isamersfoort.pl, MN Landscape Arboretum, Newfoundland Power, Great Bay Ospreys, PSEG, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bridge Golf Club, Imperial Eagle RU, Eagle Club of Estonia, Forsythe Ospreys, Patuxent River Park, Fortis Exshaw, Dahlgren Ospreys, SCMM, McEuen Park, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, and Fenwick Park Ospreys, Cornell RTH Cam, SU-RTH Cam, and Cal Falcon Cam.
It is 28 degrees C on the afternoon of the 28th of August on the Canadian Prairies. On Saturday, it is expected to be 34 degrees C. That is hotter – by several degrees Celsius than where my son lives in the Caribbean.
Our summer weather began to change 5-6 years ago. I joked and said it was time to put in a swimming pool – “If it is the shot next year, I am getting a pool!”. Before 2017, people would have laughed at the thought of a pool. Our summers never got hotter than 20 degrees C, and they were short, with the first frost normally in August, sometimes early August. The last snow might have been 15 May. Well, it is all different. I didn’t put in the pool, but I might build a pond for the birds and small mammals late next spring. Remember – water is essential to their lives. Leave out containers of water. Ensure they are topped up at night – many critters are nocturnal.
The weather has caused so many problems this year for the Ospreys. The storms and flooding led to starvation at many nests. The overfishing of Menhaden was another, but the weather has just thrown everyone for the proverbial loop. It has led to the infamous wildfires and played with the birds’ arrival and departure dates. In Manitoba, we have had the type of weather that I grew up with in Oklahoma as a young child. Large hail, winds ripping trees out, and tornadoes. The displacement of wildlife from the affected wildfire areas will have a lasting impact for decades until those old, big, beautiful – trees can regrow.
Missey, Lewis, and Calico continue to do well. The biggest shock has been Lewis. I know to open the office door – enough for cats to put their noses through. Whenever Lewis gets close to Calico’s nose, he leaps backwards. It is hilarious. Missey is more reserved, preferring to sit on the top of the wood stove playing with pussy willows and acting like she is not interested in her new sister. We have moved Calico’s appointment date to this Friday, 1 September. That way, she can be integrated into the family a little earlier. Today, she has been playing with me and with toys by herself. Perhaps she can recapture some of her lost kitten hood.
Our giggle of the day comes from Osprey House in Australia posted by Linda McIlroy. Wouldn’t we love to see crops on all the osplets like this one?!
A blast from the past!
A recorded Webinar from Cornell Bird Lab on the race to save our vanishing birds.
As many of you are aware, there is a category 3 or 4 hurricane heading towards the western shores of Florida that is expected to cross the entire state. Weather systems such as hurricanes can cause such harm to raptors and other wildlife. We have celebrated in the past when we discover they survived Hurricane Ian, for example. Lost nests but not lost birds! Here is some information if you are wondering how hurricanes can impact our beloved feathered friends.
Fledglings getting fed well at the Dunrovin Ranch Osprey nest of Harriet and Swoop. Indeed, fledglings continue to be well fed around the world as the adults – mostly but not exclusively the males – fatten them up for migration.
Idris continues to fill the fledglings to the brim at the Dyfi nest in Wales.
At Glaslyn, Aran is bringing in the fish. His new mate, Elen, has left. She took the place of Mrs G, the oldest osprey in the UK, this year. Mrs G was 21-24 years old (unringed so not known for sure how old she was) and did not return from migration. Elen proved she was a very worthy successor taking amazing care of the two fledglings this year.
Dad has not delivered fish to the Patchogue nest for either Sunday or Monday. It is 1730 nest time there. Everyone is missing seeing Mini. Maybe she will come and rest her leg. She is, no doubt, being fed off nest like many of the other families are doing.
Mini flew in at 1800. Oh, what a strong flyer she is and she did not look like she was starving even thought she was really doing a lot of fish calling!
You can see her coming in near the top left.
‘H’ gives us her report on Fortis Exshaw: “The action started early. At 0614, we heard Banff calling as she approached the nest. Two minutes after Banff landed, she was buzzed three times by the male intruder. The intruder flew to the tall pole, and then landed on Banff twice. Then the intruder stood on the nest, and proceeded to jump on Banff three times, then flew away. But the intruder wasn’t done, he soon returned and hit Banff on the fly, and Banff was knocked overboard. For the next several hours the intruders were on and off the nest, the horizontal nest perch, and the lookout post. The male even brought in some nesting material. At 1306 Banff was calling, then she flew under the left side of the nest toward the pond, turned toward the road, and then flew back east, and all the while she was being chased. At 1654 Banff landed on the nest and was immediately dive bombed then jumped on by one of the intruders. Banff managed to fly away. Banff was involved in another chase at 1858, and she briefly landed on the nest for a few seconds, but was not hit. At 1918, Banff flew over the nest being chased. At 1948 Banff flew toward the nest being chased and she immediately diverted rather than land on the nest. She seemed to clip her right wing on the nest as she passed by. At 2054 Banff was again being chased. She touched down on the nest and was immediately hit by an intruder, then she was dive bombed, and Banff flew off the nest. Are you noticing a pattern here? Banff is definitely eating, and is most likely still being provided fish by Louise. If Banff has managed to catch some fish, it may be supplemented by Louise. We do not see Louse on camera. Louse knows that the entire area around the nest has become hostile. It seems that young Banff has yet to fully come to that realization. I wish Banff would stay completely away from the nest area, hang out near Mom, and perhaps practice fishing.”
‘H’ catches up with some other nests:
Forsythe – The last remaining fledgling, Ollie, has not been seen since early on 8/27. On 8/28 Oscar landed on the nest briefly at 11:11. He made a quick survey of the nest, and then he flew away. That was our only osprey sighting of the day.
Osoyoos – There were at least four fish brought to the nest by Soo and Olsen. They and their fledgling are doing well.
Barnegat Light – Duke continues to provide fish for his hungry fledgling, Dorsett. Daisy was last seen on the nest the night of 8/27.
Kent Island – Audrey was at the nest on 8/28. She helped Tom with nest defense, and she brought a fish for Molly.”
Thank you so much ‘H’ – we appreciate your continuing reports on these nests knowing that FortisExshaw is a very difficult nest to observe.
There should be no more concerns about SE32 at the Sea Eagles nest. 32 appears to have caught up in size to 31 and the meals are very civil. Both eaglets stuffed at the morning feed. It is a wonder they could even move.
‘A’ remarks: “The civility continues at WBSE. The breakfast fish (another nice large one, minus Dad’s breakfast) around 07:45. SE32 was slow to get up to the table, but started his breakfast first. SE31 was busy organising her morning PS. When she eventually dealt with that, she was keen to practise her walking. Her balance is improving and she got up to the table, then flopped down. She soon got a bite, though Lady was concentrating on feeding SE32, giving SE31 a bite here and there. SE31 is happy to sit beside her little brother and watch. Once again, no bonking or intimidation. Just two happy eaglets in the morning sun, knowing there’s plenty of fish for both.”
“Oh my. Just look at the size of the thighs on those sea eaglets! And those extra-round little bottoms. Just darling!! And those tails are really coming along now – especially SE31’s. It looks like lace. Dad and Lady are doing one of their raucous duets around 13:33:30 (usually reserved for around 6am). “
“SE31 is getting much steadier on her feet. She seems to enjoy practising her walking. She sits up looking very pleased with herself afterwards. Both these two have really large crops. Lady coaxed each of them to eat until they could eat no more. Somehow that big fish has been devoured. Have a look at their relative sizes now. It is as though SE32 has caught up to SE31 in size. I presume he is still the smaller of the two but not by much. I am now wondering whether the genders I had assumed all along are in fact correct. Maybe we have two males here, one of which was younger and went through a state when it was more nervous than the other. Unfortunately, as they do not band these eaglets, we won’t know unless they end up in care (which I suppose is highly likely, based on previous seasons). But certainly, SE32 has grown quite dramatically over the past three or four days, since he began eating his fill several times a day. Just lovely to see how healthy and happy they look, with their gorgeous feathers sprouting on their shoulders and wingtips and their little tails growing. “
‘A’ also checked on Xavier and Diamond for us. “At Orange, Xavier has just come bouncing into the nest box with a starling, which surprisingly, Diamond takes and flies off with. This buys Xavier some precious egg time, and as always, he chats to his eggs as he settles down to brood. Oh he is the sweetest little falcon. These little males are adorable, aren’t they? Like Alden and then Lou at Cal Falcons, both similarly small but gorgeous. Diamond and Xavier had another of their lengthy half-asleep bonding sessions this morning, from 04:54:52 to 05:39:08. These two are SO cute. “
‘A’ also adds: “We are worried about an intruder at Orange. There has been an unknown falcon upsetting Diamond and Xavier at exactly the worst possible time. Of course they would not desert their nest box and their eggs. This is their territory and they will defend it. But of course the very last thing this scrape needs is the loss of a parent. Diamond is a very large, powerful female, but we would not want her risking her safety. And Xavier is essential to the provisioning of this scrape, so he too cannot be injured. There are suggestions that this might be a previous fledgling – Indigo or even Izzi! These two have tended to have male eyases and it is the males who return to the natal nest area, is it not? So far, the intruder is not causing major problems, but s/he is hanging around. If it is a female, of course, the problem could become more serious. “
Thanks, ‘A’.
There are no eggs at Port Lincoln, but I quite like the new male. He is good to bring Mum fish, and they are trying. Let’s all send them a wink, nod, and some good positive energy. We might be surprised! I cannot think of anything nicer than this Mum having a nest full of osplets but also full of fish – and everyone living to fledge!
It is to be noted, as ‘A’ reminded me this evening that none of the other Osprey nests in South Australia have eggs either – so either they are all late (at least historically) or we won’t see any osplets this year! I prefer to think that they know something we don’t and the eggs are just late.
There are no eggs at 367 Collins Street yet. This is the latest update.
The death of a single Kakapo rattles the world. There are now only 247 of these gorgeous green non-flying parrots alive in the world.
It is that time of year when window collisions are happening more frequently. Here is a good little article to help you or someone you know understand how to deal with a bird that has hit a window.
We are experiencing Hummingbirds on their migration from the north to the south. If you are also, please provide sugar water for them. Do not purchase this at the shop with the dye…make your own. The recipe is simple: 4 cups of water to 1 cup of white sugar. Heat to dissolve the sugar only. Cool before putting in your hummingbird feeder. These little ones need all the energy they can get, and right now, some of the flowers no longer have nectar. They are dried up due to the summer heat!
Thank you so much for being with me today. For everyone in the area of Hurricane Idalia, please take care. We hope to see everyone with us soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, PB’, Linda McIlroy and Raptors of the World, Susan Butler and FOBBV, Cornell Bird Lab, ATV, Dunrovin Ranch, Fortis Exshaw, Kent Island, Osoyoos, Forsythe, Wildlife Conserve Foundation of NJ, Ian Dragnet and Friends of Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, PSEG, Sea Eagle Cam, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, PLO, Nazz Derbz and Peregrine Falcons Melbourne, Kakapo Recovery, and Maureen Eiger.
Calico’s new world is waiting for her and any kitten/s that have survived. She has been so good to let me fiddle around with ‘training’ collars. Her GPS tracker arrived on Sunday and we spent considerable time together trying to get the kitten size to fit. Nope. Too big. She is the tiniest thing. So now I have a much smaller kitten collar for her. The debate is whether or not to fit her late this evening or wait til in the morning. I am thinking in the morning is better for me…wider awake to go digging around in hiding spots for the little one. We are almost there.
The Canadian Government is evacuating people from Yellowknife NWT. Fires are burning around BC, and I have friends now that I cannot get in touch with. I hope they are safe. The rain is pounding down in Big Bear Valley as an unprecedented hurricane hits the western coast of the US. In Bird World, our focus remains on three nests: Fortis Exshaw, Patchogue, and Sydney Sea Eagles – and our thoughts with all of the birds and wildlife being impacted by Hurricane Hillary.
We know that our feathered friends – M15 and Harriet – survived Hurricane Ian as did many of those on Captiva. Still, our thoughts are with those in the line of the storm including, as I was reminded, all those hummingbirds.
Heavy rain was hitting the Big Bear Valley when I last checked. At the time the wind seemed to have calmed.
We always start with Mini at Patchogue. Mini had two nice fish by the time 1630 rolled around on the clock. She managed to eat all of the first one in good time and worked hard on the second, flying away with the tail in her beak. Her fans cheered her on nothing how her eating is so improved now that she is holding down the fish with that right talon! Just see below our wonderful girl. She is a survivor!
Mini was back on the nest cleaning her beak with ‘someone’ on the perch.
Mini did a lot of talking to the bird on the perch. Mini loves her piece of cardboard that the Crows pulled out of the nest Sunday morning. She was using it as a pillow one time. Some of you might recall that a flip-flop or a sandal arrived on the nest, and she slept on it too. So precious.
Mini was also seen on camera scratching her head with her left foot.
I have just checked and Mini is eating a fish. Dad is taking good care of his girl. She is adapting to a situation that was beyond her control. An old falconer told me decades ago that the raptors live in the moment. At this moment, Mini is doing the best she can without help for her leg.
I know that there are individuals upset that Mini is not getting help. The rehabbers can’t help her unless she is down on the ground or low enough for them to get her without injuring her further.
This was the situation early Monday morning at Sydney Sea Eagles. WBSE 32 finally got some much-needed nourishment. ‘A’ reports: “SE32 has had a small fish for breakfast, without any interference from an already stuffed SE31 (who had just eaten someone else’s baby chick – perhaps half her age). The good news about this (as well as the eating, obviously) is that once he had eaten a couple of bites, SE32 began to eat with confidence and by the end he was eating greedily and without hesitation. That is excellent, though it will take more than one bonk-free feeding I fear to rebuild his carefree little spirit. The second and possibly more important thing was that SE31 was not interested in preventing SE32 from eating. On a couple of occasions, she got up, but only to change position and flop back down, duckling style, to rest her giant crop!” Later, ‘A’ writes: “SO good that the little one got to eat as much as he needed without paying for it by being bonked and beaten. That is just wonderful, and it’s happened twice today. He is still fearful and cringing, from mum as well as from SE31, though his confidence builds as he eats more and doesn’t get bonked. But even during that eat-a-thon, he was nervy between bites. But he has eaten and he has eaten very, very well. Lady did a great job of managing that fish so that SE32 ate more than half of it. She has been working hard at dealing with this situation over the past couple of days. It may not look like it at times, but she really has been thinking about him and how to get enough food to him. That feed was a particularly good example of it, but what happened late yesterday was also something I’ve rarely seen – all those deliveries in such a short time and in an obvious effort to feed SE32. That gives me heart.”
Fortis Exshaw: ‘H’ has been my helper all season and we have both taken to the antacids on more than one occasion. She has lived with Fortis Exshaw and its tragedies. She writes a very moving report on Banff and Louis this morning: “
It can be very frustrating watching raptor nests. Quite often, things simply do not follow our desired script. On 8/19 Louise had treated Banff to a ‘whale’ fish that she worked on for most of the day, and later Mom brought Banff a smaller fish. But by late afternoon, with parts of two fish still in the nest, the intruder had driven Banff from her nest, and she spent the night roosting elsewhere. On 8/20 Banff flew to the nest at 0621, and we were very glad to see her. She immediately picked up one of the leftover fish. But, it was almost as if the intruder had been lying in wait. Less than a minute after her arrival to the nest, the intruder began dive-bombing her, and at 0622 Banff was dragged off the nest (for the third time). We were able to see that Banff had been released from the intruder’s grip. Banff had a piece of fish in her talon as she went over the side. Poor Banff simply cannot get a break. We waited, and we worried. At 0918 Banff flew back to the nest. We do not know if Banff had been able to hold on to the fish she had in her grasp when she was dragged off the nest. When she returned to the nest, her crop was rather flat, but three hours had passed. Over the next few hours, Banff did not retrieve the other piece of fish from the nest, so it must have been dragged overboard during the earlier melee. Poor Banff was almost constantly fish-calling to her Mom. At 1323 Banff was twice buzzed by the intruder, and as the intruder approached for the third time, Banff flew off the nest and was then chased by the intruder. At 1424 Louise landed with a whole medium-sized fish. She waited for Banff to show, but Louise was hungry too, so she began to eat. Banff finally flew to the nest at 1444 and grabbed the partial fish from her Mom. Louise immediately flew off and we were sure that she would bring in another fish. For most of the rest of the day Banff was alternately calling her Mom for more fish, or she was alerting when she would see a perceived ‘unfriendly’ bird in the sky. No more fish came for Banff today. Eventually Banff laid down in the nest and resigned herself to going to sleep hungry. Banff is learning many lessons that will prepare her for her challenging life ahead. Banff is a survivor. NOTE: We don’t know what role the ‘stepdad’ O’Hara has at this point (if any). O’Hara was instrumental in helping Louise flush out the intruder on 8/14, after the intruder dragged Banff off the nest for the first time. O’Hara was last seen on camera on 8/17 when he stood on the nest for a while. He has not delivered a fish to the nest for at least ten days. While the intruder problem continues, we do not know how many intruders there are, and O’Hara may still be playing a role in keeping most of the intruders at bay. Louise is likely dealing with intruders in the area as well, and we feel certain that she is doing the best she can for her only surviving ‘child’. Banff fledged on 8/13, and Louise would normally be tapering off her ‘Mom’ duties to prepare herself for her long migration. But, without a male to take over the support of Banff until she disperses, there has been a role-reversal for Louise. While O’Hara was instrumental in ensuring the success of the family early on (and we will be forever grateful to him for that), Louise has essentially had to be both Mom and Dad ever since Jasper disappeared on 7/7. We are observing a unique situation. Will Louise continue to support Banff until Banff is ready to leave? Will hunger encourage Banff to learn how to fish sooner rather than later? Would the intruders even allow Banff to keep her hard-fought prey once in her talons? We are filled with such love and empathy for this young osprey.”
‘H’ also checked on two other nests for us today.
Kent Island – We have not seen Molly fly to the nest carrying a fish, but we have seen her diving from the nest, possibly fishing. Meanwhile she continues to be well fed by Mom and Dad.
Osoyoos – There were only two small whole fish brought to the nest (that I saw), and both were delivered by Mom. ‘Junior’ continued to practice wingercising, and at 56 days of age s/he is definitely on fledge watch.
Reports of a fledge at Osoyoos. Need confirmation from ‘H’.
Thank you ‘H’ as always.
Waiting for eggs at Port Lincoln and at Orange.
At Sandpoint, by 1626, there had been six fish delivered. I am not even certain that Coco is hungry!
At Minnesota, Mum is happily feeding her fledgling. It was a great fledge but coming back to an empty nest, Mum looked a little shocked by it all. Everything is fine.
Mum sure likes to feed on this same corner. 1245 and later, after 1700.
Hello Iris! You are gorgeous. No wonder you are getting so much attention. Wonder if it will be Bachelor Number 1, 2, or 3? I guess we will have to wait til spring to find out.
Two beautiful fledglings at Collins Marsh continue to return to the nest for fish. This has been a good season for this nest and what appears to be two new parents.
Boulder: Everything is just fine. Fledglings continue to come to the nest for fish like at most of the others. They all appear to be present in the last shot. Life is good in Colorado.
The eagles continue to be at Superbeaks!
Waiting for Gabby…
It’s a crazy busy morning. Calico has her tracker on – just – and the collar is still too big. As Geemeff says, ‘Kittens having kittens’. The tracker is stationary. I hope it has not fallen off. Wish us luck. I understand that there has also been a feeding at the Royal Cam Albatross colony of the little Manaaki. Yeah! Looks like both parents have been in recently. More news tomorrow.
I want to thank ‘H and A’ for their continuing reports and Geemeff along with all of the streaming cams and individuals who posted information that helped me write my blog today: Fortis Exshaw, Kent Island, Osoyoos, PSEG, Boulder County, Sydney Sea Eagles, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, IWS/Explore, AEF-NEFL, Collins Marsh, Superbeaks, Montana Osprey Project, MN Landscape Arboretum, and Sandpoint.
There was a fish delivery at 0816 on the Patchogue Nest and Mini, who was on the perch at the time, flew down to snap that breakfast up! Mum was on the nest at the time of the delivery and flew off….it makes you wonder if the adults aren’t counting who gets what fish during the day. This family is so good at keeping all four of their fledglings fed. It is heart warming.
Mum is so proud of her little fourth hatch. She was on the nest when Mini did a big ‘ps’ at 0844 and then Little Mini did laps around the nest. gosh, she is a good flier. Mini returned at 0846 with Mum watching every flap of her wings!
Off she goes!
Look at Mum’s beak…there is Mini flying in front of the Blue Point Brewery.
Great landing. Darn that black bin bag!
Little Mini is so smart. The others are away from the nest and Dad flies in with a nice fish at 1052 Monday morning. Way to go, Mini!
There were many other fish deliveries. Fish 3 arrived at 11:26, fish four was at 14:23, and another fish came at 15:50. I did not watch for fish after this. Mini got the majority of these and it looks like Three had one with Mini on the perch. The 1550 fish was taken by Dad off the nest either to feed himself or another one of the siblings off nest.
Good Night Mini – good night Mum, Three, and One.
Good Morning Mini.
Well, no surprise, I am celebrating Mini! What a precious osplet who defied the odds – and I mean defied the odds with most of the nests from New York along up along the Chesapeake producing less than one osplet a nest! You are looking at a miracle.
If you are thinking about the heat and its impact on the birds, think no more. ‘R’ sent me an article from The Washington Post on what is happening in Phoenix. — Please, no matter where you are, find a way to leave our water for the birds. It does not have to be anything fancy. An ordinary bowl will work fine. They desperately need hydration.
Attempts to safe the world’s rarest bird might have a chance!
Spinning Around the Nests:
Glaslyn: Both of the lads have now fledged. Aren’t they gorgeous?
Bridge Golf Club Ospreys: What a change from the earlier fish deliveries. Today five fish were delivered!
Steelscape: I cannot comment on the amount of fish that the third hatch had today but all three are alive at the end of Monday evening.
Sandpoint: Mum Keke is on the nest with the only osplet, Coco. Fish deliveries appear to have slowed a bit as fledging is approaching.
MN Landscape Arboretum: Gosh, golly. This Mum really turned herself and this nest around. There are nice fish being brought in by the 21 year old male and the chick is growing magnificently.
Collins Marsh: There are two beautiful osplets growing like one of our Canadian wildlfires in this nest…incredible result after the sadness of losing Malik in a forced fledge and no nesting last year.
Great Bay: It is hard to believe that this nest and so many lost all their chicks around the Chesapeake Bay. Water so close and yet – no fish. Overfishing of Mehenden? Need a quote or an outright ban on fishing. Need re-stocking?
Cowlitz: We had a fledge on the 24th and the little one has successfully returned to the nest. Well done. You can just see the chick’s tail.
‘PB’ found a great image of this nest with its protective shield. If you know of a nest that should use this device, then please feel free to take a screen show or go to the Cowlitz PUD FB page for 30 March.
Seaside: It was a windy day with some precipitation.
Boulder County: ‘PB’ caught one of those osplets getting a lot of height! Fledge watch! T hanks ‘PB’.
Dunrovin: Flapping and hopping. Someone is going to fledge soon. W ill it be Snap, Crackle, or Pop?
Fort Calhoun Station, Omaha Nebraska: The only osprey nest in eastern Nebraska and now with a streaming cam. One nicely feathered chick. Here is that link:
Island Beach: the two osplets of Beau and Bay are getting some good hovering in.
Osprey House Environmental Centre in Australia: Two of the eggs hatched on the 24th. One left to go. Don’t you just love these little osplets? They are so cute. Just wanting a little bit of fish.
Llyn Brenig: Both of the Osplets took to the wind and flew, one right after the other!
Salt Water Cove Harbour, Newfoundland: Just look at that Osprey nest! BTW. In Canada, Newfoundland is known as ‘The Rock’.
And now for ‘H’s report:
Fortis Exshaw – “There was a total of seven fish, including two headless offerings from Mr. O. Mr. O also contributed two sticks for nest maintenance, and he provided on-nest intruder defense during one of Louise’s feedings. One of the two 36-day-old siblings was doing some serious wingers!”
Forsythe: Oh dear, another day with few fish for the fledglings. Oscar delivered fish at 0607, 0933, and 1812. Ollie managed to grab the first one, while Owen won the battle for the other two. The nest was fairly civil, however, with no major kerfuffles. And, guess what? After some major head-bobbing and triangulating, one of the sibs (thought to be Ollie) dove into a small pond adjacent to the nest! She did not appear to come away with a fish, but she must have seen one. Very cool Ollie!
Barnegat Light – A couple of mini-milestones for 54-day-old Dorsett: she ate her first fish tail, and she managed to get several inches of lift off the nest while vigorously flapping her wings.
Osoyoos – All is well for the Ospreys in Osoyoos. Soo and Olsen are doing a fantastic job raising their 29 and 28-day-old youngsters.
Dahlgren – The nest remains a frequent gathering and dining spot for the family. How did that nest get so small?
McEuen Park – Those three gorgeous osplets are nearing fledge. And, one of them even sleeps standing up.
Thank you ‘H’. Mini was a fourth hatch miracle. For the ospreys, the Fortis Exshaw Nest is another. What a fairytale story.
Do you want to know about the California Condors? the impact of the vaccine for HPAI on their population? why not join Joe and his crew on Thursday for a live chat.
An up-to-date study out of Northern Colorado on the eagle population and the post-fledge period – video. Post-fledge is the time the eaglets (or any Avian) spend with their parents before they leave their parent’s territory and become independent.
Let’s end with a big smile – one of our favourite Peregrine Falcon couples, Lou and Annie – bonding.
Thank you so much for being with me today. There is so much action on the nests right now with impending fledges it is difficult to keep up! Tomorrow I will focus more on the UK and European nests. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning. ‘H, PB, R’, PSEG, The Washington Post, Science, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Bridge Golf Ospreys, Steelscdape Inc, Sandpoint Ospreys, MN Landscape Arboretum, Collins Marsh, Great Bay, Cowlitz PUD, Seaside, Boulder County, Dunrovin Ranch, Ft Calhoun Station, Friends of Island Beach, Osprey House, Linda McIlroy and Raptors of the World, Gerard Hickey and Ospreys of Newfoundland and Labrador, Fortis Exshaw, Forsythe, Wildlife Conserve Foundation of NJ, Dahlgren, McEuen Park, Ventata Wildlife Society, Northern Colorado Front Range Bald Eagle nesting Programme and SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons.
It has rained every day for ever so many days. The garden is emerald green. Without even looking at the forecast – the storm clouds roll in quickly – you can tell that something is going to happen by the frantic activity of everyone trying to eat!
One of Dyson’s kits got so excited and then lost its peanut over the edge of the feeder. Ahhhh….
The little sparrows lined up on the branch of Abigale’s tree hoping to get fed or get a turn at the feeder after the squirrel.
It was delightful to see Little Red at the feeders! He knew I was watching and thwarted my gaze.
Baby Blue Jay having a nap.
The little one only woke up when a sibling came to pester. There are five of the babies alive out of the original six…they were all in the garden on the feeders, having baths, and eating today. That is pretty good…they bring me such joy I cannot even describe it properly sometimes.
The baby on the left (above) is the one that slept with the little garden ornamental birds. Its crest finally has blue on it! But I can still tell which one this wee baby is from its behaviour. Adorable. Always loves a good long bath.
Lewis, of course, could care less. These days he is either sleeping or eating!
Oh, my goodness, the ospreys were fledging on Wednesday! I am going to lose count of all of them quickly! It took great effort to get all of the data in my forms along with the continued quest to find more French and German osprey nests.
And they were fledging on Thursday. OH1 just took off not long ago at the Glaslyn Nest! Congratulations! Time was 14:33.
‘D’ wrote and told me that it looks like it is possible all three on the Crooked Lake, Iowa osprey platform of parents Nobel and Whitley fledged on the 19th. Sunnie Day was going over to the footage to make sure that the first hatch CL16 also flew – and the verdict is ‘yes’ – all three flew today.
Take off and return for the first chick’s flight.
Siblings watching.
A great return.
‘H’ wrote and the second chick at Dahlgren flew!
Geemeff wrote that Ludo, the newly named osplet of Louis and Dorcha at Loch Arkaig, fledged before he got his official name. It was apparently the shortest trip ever from the nest take-off to the return landing.
Here is the video of that short flight:
Blue 5H3 took off at Poole Harbour at 1719 on the 19th.
These are exciting times for these young birds but, we have to remember that their journey is just beginning. Like many others less fortunate, these birds got to fly and we hope they will be safe.
The news coming out of the Chesapeake Bay Area that has been hit with storms and whose ospreys are starving to death underscores the coming challenges for the osprey population in the area.
“Williamsburg, VA – In 2023, The Center for Conservation Biology has documented the highest rate of osprey nest failure ever recorded within the lower Chesapeake Bay. Only 17 of 167 nests monitored during the season produced any young. The nesting population produced only 21 young resulting in a reproductive rate of 0.13 young per pair. This rate is below that recorded during the height of the DDT era. In order for the population to sustain itself, pairs should produce 1.15 young per pair.”
When a goshawk attacks a fledgling osplet on the nest while it is eating along with its sibling and Mum, my heart stops. Those are dangerous raptors and all of you know that predation by goshawks occurs throughout Europe and the UK. The loss of these chicks is personal to those who live and work around the nests – to whom the birds really are family. Have a read of John William’s poignant blog regarding the loss of the Llyn Clywedog fledgling on the 18th of July.
Instead of chopping down the Osprey platform for the demolition, it will be left standing long after the osplets fledge! We needed a good news story like this one. Thanks, Geemeff – it is “one for the good guys” as you say.
Rare bird spotted in the UK. Accident? Intentional? Black winged Kites are a “Small and distinctive falconlike kite. Light underneath, blue-gray above with conspicuous black shoulders formed by black wing coverts. Juveniles have a scaly back and brownish-washed breast. Found in open savannah, semi-desert, and agricultural lands with scattered woods; frequently seen on exposed perches. Varied flight style, hovering like a kestrel or gliding like a harrier with deep wingbeats and raised wings.. ” (eBird).
Time for a spin around some of the nests not covered above:
Boulder County Fair Grounds: A Fantastic news with diligent devoted adults and three very healthy nearly ready to fledge osplets.
MN Landscape Arboretum: It is all good. Lots of nice fish meals beginning very early. Our 21 year old Dad is doing fantastic.
Patchogue: Little Mini had a nice fish first thing as the sun was coming up.
The time was 0525 and Mini scrambled with that fish stuck on its foot!
Cowlitz PUD: All is well. Chick is eating, sleeping, and growing. And the metal grids are still holding out against the Bald Eagle predation. At the suggestion of ‘MB’, I wrote to Tweed Valley and Llyn Clywedog about the metal grids erected on the nest at Cowlitz to try and stop predation. It is something that the UK nests might have to consider if the goshawk threat to ospreys continues.
Oyster Bay: All present and accounted for.
Wolf Bay: Fledglings come to the nest hoping for a fish dinner.
Dunrovin: Everything is fantastic.
Poole Harbour: Getting lift and then gone. Blue 5H3 fledged at 1719 while its siblings watched.
Glaslyn: I thought it was the best screen capture I had seen of Aran’s new mate Elen and their two lads. Everything is fine. No fledges as yet. Soon.
‘H’ reports on the nests she is monitoring:
Fortis Exshaw: “Thankfully it was a mostly intruder-free day for this blended Osprey family. There were a couple of minor intruder issues, with Mr. O quickly flying to the nest at 0624 and 0651 to assist with defense. There were a total of 5 fish brought to the nest, one by Mr. O. At 1249 Mr. O landed on the nest and got an earful from Louise. She may have been telling him to go fishing, and even the two kids got involved and had a ‘talk’ with their stepdad, lol. This went on for about three minutes, with poor Mr. O just standing there and responding with soft chirps. It was comical. He showed up later with a headless fish. After Louise had brought the last fish of the day at 1951, Mr. O came to the nest and simply stood by for 27 minutes, while Louise fed the kids and enjoyed a meal for herself. Very cool, Mr. O.”
Dahlgren – At 1246 D12 became a fledgling at 58 days of age, although it was unclear if that was her intention at the time. She flew across the nest and may have intended to land on the other side, but miscalculated and tumbled over the edge. There was the sound of sticks hitting the water, but no splash or ripples were seen. Several seconds later, D12 was seen flying low past the nest toward a nearby dock. D12 landed safely back on the nest 4 1/2 hours later. Enjoy your new life as a flighted bird, D12!
Kent Island – All is well on the Chesapeake for Audrey, Tom, and their 38 day old youngster.
Severna Park – Olivia and Oscar continue to provide for their two fledglings at the nest.
Forsythe – At 57 days of age, Ollie jumped up, flapped three times and landed on the camera pole. Then 52 minutes later she jumped back down to the nest. Perhaps she will fly away from the nest and take a spin around the marsh today.
Boathouse – At 40 days of age, Skipper has been taking wingercising very seriously.
Thanks so very much, ‘H’!
Dorset Hobby: Oh, my goodness gracious. These little Hobbies are adorable.
Port Lincoln: Mum and Dad seem to be staying more and more on the barge nest as egg-laying approaches in August. ‘A’ reports some failed mating attempts, and you might recall that there was some concern for Dad last season.
Sydney Sea Eagles: ‘A’ reports that the 19th was “another quiet night, possums passing a few times. Lady left for a short break just before 7am and back straight away. Dad brought part of a fish shortly after, which she took away to eat. Both were then in and out during the day though Lady spend more than 2 hours longer than Dad on the eggs today. In the whole incubation period to date both have spent an almost equal time on the eggs. At dusk, Lady was settled as usual for the night.”
Durbe County, Latvia: Milda and Voldis’s male eaglet returns to the nest looking for a meal. Isn’t he gorgeous?
The female fledgling also visited the nest! both are safe and flying well.
Lesser Spotted Eaglet Nest in Zemgale Latvia of Anna and Andris. the eaglet enjoyed having a vole and a frog for a meal. I wonder how scarce food is in the forest?
Three beautiful storklets at the nest of Karl II and Kai in Estonia.
Four beautiful storklets of Bety and Bukacek are superb.
Lady Hawk captures a feeding at the Selati Verreaux Black Eagle Nest in South Africa.
Black Eagles are large raptors that live in various parts of Africa. The pair will lay two eggs four days apart. Incubation is 40-45 days. If two eggs and both hatch, the oldest chick will kill the second one. There will be only one chick to raise and fledge. They eat mammals such as monkeys, small antelope, squirrels, and rabbits.
Thank you so much for being with me today. P lease take care. Have a good end of the week. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Thank you to the following for their alerts, notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, D, Geemeff, H, MB’, Timothy Dygert Live Street, Pool Harbour Ospreys, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, The Centre for Conservation Biology, John Williams Blog, Gregorious Joris Toonjen and Ospreys, CBS2, ITV News, BBC News, Boulder County Fair Grounds, MN Landscape Arboretum, Wolf Bay, Dunrovin Ranch, PSEG, Annie Roc and The Glaslyn Osprey Group, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Fortis Exshaw, Dahlgren Ospreys, Kent Island Ospreys, Severna Park, Forsythe Ospreys, Boathouse/Audubon, Dorset Hobby Nest, Pool Harbour Ospreys, Cowlitz PUD, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Sydney Sea Eagles, LizNM and the Latvian Fund for Nature, Latvian Fund for Nature, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mlade Buky Storks,Lady Hawk and Selati Verreaux Black Eagles.
