29 November 2023
Good Morning Everyone,
Everything is just fine in Cat World. The girls had to be separated because the electrician came to work on the heating in the conservatory. Calico had been snippy yesterday, and I wondered how she would be after I opened the door. The three had their chicken dinner, and Missey settled in Calico’s chair for a nice after-supper nap. Calico went over and noticed where Missey was, and I held my breath. Then Calico proceeded to go to another chair, which was softer actually. Hope went on her little placemat, and the world smiled. I felt proud of my girls and much relieved.
Everyone says it is making sure there are enough places to nap, enough places to get up high, enough spots to hide, toys, cuddles and food – oh, yes, and litter boxes. Well, the three have lots of choices. Anyone visiting me would notice two things – an enormous amount of books and the house being more or less a kitty daycare. So, hopefully, that will do it.
Geemeff came through for me when Calico had her surgery with the suggestion of an antiseptic cream and using olive oil to keep the area moist enough so that the skin did not get taut while healing. It sure worked. Calico never licked, and she healed up nicely. Today, Geemeff suggested Omega 3 oil for Calico and her arthritis. We are going to go for it and see if it will help. So reluctant to put any of them through a visit to the vet after seeing how traumatised Hope was.
Tonight, the profile of a rabbit eating under the feeders was seen. Thank goodness for a nearly full moon. Oh, it is terrific. Not all of them have been killed by cars or cats.
There is not much time to sit! And we saw the rabbit when we were getting ready for storytime. These girls know everything that happens in the garden. Nothing slips past them! They are enjoying The Meaning of Geese the second time around. Like a good film or book, what you miss the first time is often revealed the second. I would love to be on a bicycle going around Norfolk looking for Pink-footed geese.
A few seconds before, Hope was trying to get in the basket with Calico. She does not realise how big she is! On Saturday, Hope will be 5 months old.

Oh, and one last thing. Remember I purchased some bird seed specific for Blue Jays (Sparrows eat anything)? Junior, the Dad, had been the only one at the table feeder. It seemed that all the others had migrated as many do. Well, I looked out this morning, and there was Junior and the baby of the summer’s clutch! That baby nestled with the two little clay bird figurines on the deck looks the same, just bigger. So happy to see it, along with over 35 Starlings and possibly 100 Sparrows. I did not get a photograph of the two jays…maybe today. But it was priceless to see the two.
‘H’ was busy keeping me up to date today. Thank you! She sent the first item. The big news of the day comes out of Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey. Our friend, Lisa, mentioned earlier in the year that it was planned that Connick would be released in the summer. Then there were issues with a couple of his feathers. It turns out that Connick would not have been able to live in the wild – he will always have feather growth problems. So, Connie and Clive’s 2022 hatch from Captiva will spend the rest of his life as an ambassador at the Smithsonian.
Secondly, ‘H’ solved my riddle of what the acronym MW at Orange stood for – and then SP sent me an entire listing of acronyms used at Orange. I know she will not mind my sharing! Perhaps some of you are as baffled as I am – and do not have time to spend on chat sorting these out. So grateful. Thanks, H and SP!
Acronyms from SP:
“SP = short pole on the slant of the roof by the hatch window
LR = lightning rod
MW = round microwave communications dish
MWB = MW bracket
LHC = left-hand corner of roof top”
Photo of MW with explanations and falcon from ‘H’:

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

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

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


It is nearing 1530 and still no fish. Janet Forster has just posted on chat that the fish are being weighed. It won’t be long Mum!
The weather has not been good for some days with wind and choppy water making it difficult for Dad to fish – and maybe even the fairies.

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







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



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

Tired F23.

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

At the WRDC, Rose is getting serious.
Pepe and Muhlady were the first to lay their eggs and today, we are only 8 days away from hatch!

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


Thunder and Akecheta were at there nest today working away!

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

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



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

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

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

When thinking about end-of-the-year donations, do not overlook some of those rehabbers who depend on donations and volunteers to save our wildlife, including many of the raptors that we grow to love.
A recent rescue form one of my favourite rehabbers in the US, A Place Called Hope.


If I were that squirrel, I would have been terrified.
https://outdoors.com/watch-worlds-fastest-bird-dive-bombs-after-it-drops-its-lunch/
This monstrous thing is a pole trap that was baited. There are times that I simply cannot stop fantasising about using them on the people who set them. They cause such harm (mental and physical) and death to our beloved wildlife in them.
One person commented, “The use of the pole trap was prohibited ONE HUNDRED and NINETEEN years ago. There’s absolutely no reason for anyone to possess one and as we clearly cannot trust those who do, it’s time their possession became a crime.”
The problem is complex. These hunting estates are enormous. Even if not on a hunting estate, the natural areas are vast and difficult to monitor. Then there is a judicial system that is often part of the group that frequents the hunting parties on some of the estates. At what point will killing animals stop? In the last series of The Crown, Prince William bags his buck and gets bloodied. Everyone is proud and pleased. It is those hunting traditions traced back hundreds and hundreds of years that need to come tumbling down. Will the Scottish government pass the necessary legislation? Are people sick to their stomachs about reading about another endangered species being killed? (Here I am thinking of the recent Golden Eagle…it is time to stop.)

The whole story.
How are nature and our beloved wildlife and the climate crisis linked together?

I stare at nests around my neighbourhood. Maybe this will help me figure out who made them!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. We hope to have you with us again soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘EJ, Geemeff, H, SP’, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Gris Adriana, PLO, NEFL-AEF, Trish Rawlings, HeidiMc, Superbeaks, US Forestry Service, FORE, FOBBV, Gracie Shepherd, Lady Hawk, Holly Parsons, Kakapo Recovery, APCH, Outdoors.com, Raptor Persecution UK, The Guardian, and Audubon Vermont.