Writer, Conservationist, Activist, Bird Lover
13 August 2025
Oh, what a day it was. There was a lot of positive vibes being sent out to the Olympic Park WBSE as WBSE 35 worked its way out of a shell that appeared to be crushed. Meanwhile, WBSE 36 is working to get out.
Look at this sweetie! What a nice strong neck! And Dad in with a fish and a change of incubation and brooding!
Thank you to the Sea Eagle cam for the captures!
Thank you to you for being with us – so excited to see a little eaglet on the nest.
11 August 2025
Hello Everyone,
We spent Saturday in the English Gardens admiring the gorgeous plantings, chatting to other dog lovers, and eating ice cream. Dogs get free ‘pup cups’ complete with a dog biscuit. Toby is already familiar with the routine!
You can see the ‘pup cup’ in the image below. The photos make Toby look ‘tiny’ – the dream of all humans when they get their picture taken! But he is now 16 lbs.
While we were there, we had a chance to talk to a photographer waiting for the elusive hummingbird. Yes, singular. Usually, the gardens would be full of hummingbirds, but he told me that he had talked to photographers in North Dakota, and they have so many hummingbirds they can’t believe it. The theory is that the wildfire smoke kept the hummers moving til they got to clean air.
Bears and other wildlife are still suffering.
Each of you will remember the wildlife and the fires in Australia – people helping with water for the koalas, many of them on fire. It is heartbreaking – well, beyond sad. Only time will tell how many eagles and ospreys will return next year, and whether there will be any trees for them to make nests. I wondered about the ash from the fires falling into the pristine lakes, and this is what I learned: “When ash from wildfires falls into lakes, it can introduce nutrients and toxins, potentially causing temporary algal blooms and impacting water quality. While the effects are often short-term, particularly in well-mixed lakes, they can disrupt the ecosystem and affect aquatic life.”
Migration has started early, with geese congregating on many golf courses and sports fields.
At the park today, there were many more ducks and, in particular, Wood Ducks than I remember from previous years.
The weather is cooler and since the rains the past couple of days, the smoke has not been so bad. Earlier we had extreme warnings about being outside especially if anyone had respiratory issues.
At home, all is well. There are a couple of ‘witching’ times during the day when Toby needs to be calmed – after breakfast and in the late evening before bed. Otherwise, life with cats and a dog is going much better than I expected! Hugo Yugo continues to do better. She has been seen multiple times eating hard food and today ate two small tins of wet food for breakfast. She really wants to play with Toby and I must warn him that ‘the cats plot to get him in trouble’. Toby will go for his first little grooming session on Thursday. His nails really need trimming!
Missey does not quite fit on the small space at the top of this particular cat tree. She looks miserable.
Calico was inspecting the blueberry cookies for dogs thinking they should make some nice things for cats, too.
Toby spots Baby Hope inside the house when he is out.
They keep us busy.
Sunday waw three hours of sheer bliss at King’s Park. We walked and picnicked with Toby. The charcoal clouds left and the sun came out and it was simply glorious.
Part of our rigid routine is that Saturdays and Sundays are ‘family’ days. On the other days, we have Anne, Jaine, or appointments with doctors, haircuts, etc. So the weekend is reserved for ‘fun’, enjoying being together and walking outside. Our big disappointment is that there are not a lot of geese about – we will continue searching for them!
Time to get checking on those ospreys, and I want to start with one of our favourite fledglings from 2021 in South Australia, who is now old enough to be frantically looking for a mate – Ervie!!!!!!! Searching far and wide, Port Lincoln Osprey FB says, “Barge 2021 – Ervie is on the go again – still in search of the elusive partner. He has been for a visit to Taylor Island, and we know there are Osprey down there.”
The UK Hobbys are darlings.
Here’s the video capture by SK Hideaways: https://youtu.be/GoI0WP7RO1Q?
The pair were ringed, and here is the video by Wildlife Windows: https://youtu.be/h1XWCEbYKZs?
Leicester and Rutland’s Manton Bay:
Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Foulshaw Moss:
Dyfi Osprey Project: Idris is very busy getting those fish to the nest for the fledglings.
Birds of Poole Harbour: Both CJ7 and Blue 022 are delivering fish to their four fledglings. One, 5R5, hasn’t been quite as lucky on getting fish at the nest. Fingers crossed their luck picks up!
Glaslyn: Teifi continues to deliver fish to Elen and to seal their bond for the 2026 season.
Balgavies Loch:
‘PS’ give us the news from the Seattle Osprey platform:
“Visited the last few days – Saturday I saw 3 fish deliveries from dad in 40 minutes or so! Two Starry Flounder and one Coho Salmon. With the fledglings around but not always on the nest dad’s arrival often led to a bit of a scrum – though on this particular day the loser didn’t have to feel that bad as fish after fish kept showing up. One of the Flounder I saw dad circle, dive, and catch, at a distance, and then bring it straight back to the nest. It was so close he didn’t even turn the fish and just flew it back facing the wrong way. Today I arrived at the tail end of a feed, with one of the fledglings finishing up what looked to be a Salmon of some sort.
I haven’t seen mom since Aug-1; do you think she could have started her migration already, 7-10 days after the first fledge? Or maybe I’m just unlucky and keep missing her.
The ever growing album in the same spot – https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/2n65zuEk4k.”
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 10th August 2025
Today was about fish, plenty of them – Louis brought five fish, and not only did Darach 7P0 get four of them, but he also flew with fish for the first time. It was unintentional, as he slipped over the edge of the nest while pushing his brother Breac 7P7 away from his fish, but nevertheless, he took off flying clutching his fish, and returned a little later with it still firmly held in his talons. That’s a big milestone achieved as the ability to fly with fish is an essential skill for Ospreys, sometimes called fish hawks. After being the dominant chick for so long, Breac was forced to defer to Darach who grabbed fish first, then lunged at him and pushed him off the nest on several occasions, making it clear he would not be giving up his fish. Breac also lost fish to invading Hoodies, but luckily it was only a few scraps. Louis’ fish tally rises to four hundred and five (407 nest total) while the total for Garry LV0 who hasn’t been seen since the 7th remains unchanged on one hundred and forty. Dorcha also hasn’t been seen since the 7th and the last sighting of Affric 152 was on the 8th, we wait to see if any of them will still make an appearance on nest cam. The weather was reasonably settled today but the forecast for the next 24 hours is light rain and light winds with an overnight low of 14
°C and a high tomorrow of 18°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One
22.08.04 (04.32.48); Nest Two 21.57.01 (04.42.08)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/JTtFfH5B2Tc N2 Darach flies with fish for the first time, albeit accidentally 06.47.34https://youtu.be/w_Pz9_Y-138 N2 Louis waits patiently with a second fish, Breac finally arrives for it 09.27.57 https://youtu.be/-q-8BEQ-qAs N2 Darach pushes Breac off the nest to keep fish number three 16.36.05
https://youtu.be/aaBcMqNz-B0 N1 A little songbird visits – no Ospreys seen since the 8th
17.13.43https://youtu.be/S2F9L9aJnTU N2 In the stramash over fish four Louis gets his leg bitten 18.33.33 https://youtu.be/XJfd2Bxpf0M N2 Darach also gets fish number five then turns on Breac 20.03.38
https://youtu.be/8OlfdpONB9w N2 Breac suffers an invasion of Hoodies who steal scraps from him 20.37.17Bonus opportunity to support intrepid Morag who’s going to swim Loch Arkaig to raise funds for Woodland Trust:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/mary-cheadle-3
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/h7sWHXV4gck N1 Pandemonium among Pandions 2019
https://youtu.be/nEEzGfX3qOE N1 We missed you! Welcome back Aila 2019
https://youtu.be/yvB2ZHq5W6I N1 Just shut up and eat, Rannoch! 2019
https://youtu.be/vmct7etDQpo N1 One fish, two fish, new fish 2020
https://youtu.be/ZJLmsHHd1Lg N1 Captain ends up with two fish 2020
https://youtu.be/a2dk_AA0gAA N2 Several different little birds visit the nest 2022
https://youtu.be/MBQ8n7dL9zA N2 The chicks fight as fish number one arrives 2022
https://youtu.be/tgrYhwgMc1w N2 Ringed intruder perches on the nest 2022 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/FFJsvTMjkzE N2 Ludo arrives seconds after dad brings fish 2023
https://youtu.be/jUf5fhmCtZE N2 Fish number three arrives, departs, and returns again 2023
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 9th August 2025
Louis delivered his 400th fish for the season (402 nest total with Dorcha’s two) when he brought fish number three today, and it went to Breac 7P7. Breac did very well today, after finishing off the substantial remains of last night’s mackerel, he also got two fresh fish from Louis. Darach 7P0 was ferocious in his determination to get a fish and actually pushed Breac off the nest causing him to fly away. The strategy worked again when he got the next fish despite Breac being on the nest, once Darach had the fish secured and Louis had gone, he flew at Breac and forced him off the nest again, making it clear he would not be bullied to give up his fish. This is necessary as he has yet to acquire the skill of flying with fish and must therefore eat on the nest. There was no activity on Nest One, not even a songbird visited – Affric was last seen yesterday, and both Garry and Dorcha were last seen on the 7th. Have they gone south? It’s probably much too early to tell. After rain and wind and some sunny intervals today, the forecast for the next 24 hours is cloudy with light wind, an overnight low of 11°C and a high of 17°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.17.38 (04.24.47); Nest Two 22.16.54 (04.55.56)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/fTaTXlZRdfM N2 Breac arrives and finishes off last night’s mackerel 05.24.47https://youtu.be/AzHy7AQUYVc N2 Darach arrives late and it’s Breac who gets fish one 09.48.05
https://youtu.be/ZwJBjmeA050 N2 Breac attempts to stay on the nest but Darach pushes him off 15.00.16https://youtu.be/k5moRjVq8Og N2 Darach makes sure he gets fish two from Louis 16.47.46
https://youtu.be/ovoRIslJuX0 N2 One fish two hungry brothers: Breac wins Louis’ 400th fish 21.15.32
Bonus read – energy boost for Woodland Trust as E.ON Next plan to step up their donations:
https://news.eonenergy.com/news/e-on-next-set-to-surpass-gbp-500-000-woodland-trust-commitment
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/oNzCzAn0VeM N1 Stop please daddy! Louis pulls Rannoch off the nest 2019
https://youtu.be/11qAuMkDdL4 N1 Louis brings breakfast, all three are there but Doddie gets it 2020
https://youtu.be/8IC3e70LhTw N1 Temperature inversion seen from the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/sdVgKT4YE3I N1 Synchronised helicoptering by Doddie & Captain 2020
https://youtu.be/Jk-V4-DQZHI N1 Aila brings fish and gets pecked by Vera! 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/9Moy1yWHtW4 N1 Juvenile Mistle Thrush pay an evening visit to Nest One 2021
https://youtu.be/291niuqJOvQ N2 Fish number five causes a screaming frenzy from all three females (2022)
https://youtu.be/ORcpN6aPcSY N2 Hoodie lurks as Willow shows off her beautiful eyes 2022 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/vj0dVfDdwQI N2 Form an orderly queue! 2022
https://youtu.be/HT4f5n1Gss4 N1 Bullfinch lands after Affric departs 2023
https://youtu.be/xwkgVWCJ1aY N1 Garry LV0 brings a duvet of moss to Nest One 2023
https://youtu.be/aYN_ysUW3U8 N2 Ludo watches a parent chasing an intruder 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/raBkskKShcc N2 Louis is back! Looking good, and brings a fish 2023
https://youtu.be/7k-yZUR493k N2 Second fish today – number 350 for the season! 2023
https://youtu.be/2PUZSP_N918 N1 A trio of songbirds visit in the absence of any Ospreys 2024
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 8th August 2025
Today’s fish were pretty evenly shared out between the two chicks – Breac 7P7 got the substantial remains of last night’s second fish, a flatfish, for breakfast this morning, beating the Hoodies to a free meal, then got one of Louis’ three fresh deliveries today while Darach 7P0 got the other two. The nest total now stands at three hundred and ninety nine, including the two delivered by Dorcha. She wasn’t seen on camera today, neither were Garry LV0 or Affric 152, in fact the only activity on Nest One was the brief visit of a juvenile Great Tit. Garry’s tally remains at one hundred and forty. Steve Quinn published his fish stats for Week 18 today, an interesting read as always, link’s in the bonus section. Steve told us about his recent visit to Avalon Marshes and meeting with photographer Andrew Kirby who was the first to photograph 2020 chick Doddie JJ6 who’d stopped off there practising his fishing skills on his first migration journey. Doddie caused much excitement by becomlng the first Loch Arkaig Osprey to be sighted away from the nest area, link to Andrew’s fabulous photos of Doddie in the bonus section. Today’s weather was windy and sometimes wet, and tonight’s forecast is for heavy rain and what’s referred to as a moderate breeze but when seen on nest cam looks much more powerful, with a low of 12°C, changing to thundery showers with a high of 15°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.22.04 (04.46.07); Nest Two 22.13.40 (04.52.07)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/qq0Q16iCA40 N2 Breac claims the leftover fish before the Hoodies invade
https://youtu.be/CEh1emWe62w N1 A Great Tit (Parus Major) visits 09.12.37
https://youtu.be/lDkie7NcVUk N2 Darach’s waiting and gets the first fish 14.49.08
https://youtu.be/Zx0j2kT7I9E N2 Breac gets a flatfish when Louis brings fish two 16.47.44
https://youtu.be/gRcp6ywmUz0 N2 Darach gets a mackerel when Louis brings fish three 21.31.26
Bonus analysis – Steve Quinn’s breakdown of week 18’s fish stats:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27220830
Bonus photos of Doddie JJ6 in Somerset by Andrew Kirby:
https://www.akwildlifeimages.com/p488027889
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/AIAdCPIubvI Don’t bite the foot that feeds you! Louis’ difficult delivery (2019)
https://youtu.be/zLddX6xt-i0 Exit nest right pursued by Mad Mallie (2019)
https://youtu.be/_byBlgH5F0c Osprey antics as Mallie & Rannoch fight Louis and each other (2019)
https://youtu.be/DHWUsnxCNhE Vera is obviously better and pecks Aila (2020)
https://youtu.be/Rpc2uq34oKU Doddie and Vera fight for fish five (2020)
https://youtu.be/OugBSDzamKo Louis delivers a colourful Arctic Charr to Aila (2020)
https://youtu.be/vaI9BRb46fE News! Both Louis’ chicks have fledged and been named (2021)
https://youtu.be/ZQ9uid57ZLc A Sparrowhawk, a Hooded Crow and Sarafina all on the nest (2022)
https://youtu.be/oKC8m2YeWE0 Spooky Nest One in quick time (2022)
https://youtu.be/xLnSvyYalcA A good look at Dorcha coming and going 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/p7p0fEb6KnQ Fish number one, headless trout 2023
https://youtu.be/Ylyt2kQJkdU A shadow flies over Nest One but it’s not Affric or Garry! 2023
https://youtu.be/npgzBhJ8jJc N1 Garry notes unseen danger but still attempts mating 2023
https://youtu.be/-jdvLTKv3rE Fish number two, headless trout 2023
https://youtu.be/qd5T_c7Pt_4 Ludo does an involuntary helicopter in the wind 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/P5S76XoQiuE N1 Coal Tits and Robins visiting in the absence of any Ospreys 07.29.42
More cases of Bird Flu have been found in the UK, reported by Raptor Persecution UK.
It makes me wonder if we will discover from the necrscopy of Big Red and Arthur’s first hatch, O1, if she died of Avian Flu.
At Knepp Farm (you have no idea how much respect I have for their rewilding project), the sound of the Nightingale has not only returned but is becoming more abundant.
In the US, the two oldest of the four osplets of Winnie and Swoop have fledged at Dunrovin Ranch in Montana.
Green Ledge Light Preservation Society: The three osplets of Ollie and Olivia have fledged!
Coeur de’Alene, Idaho: The three surviving osplets have fledged and ‘PB’ reports that each has taken a different osprey platform at the park where they are fish calling. I caught up with two of the trio.
Hellgate Canyon: New Male has been consistently bringing our dear Iris fresh fish to help her prepare for her migration.
Charlo Montana: Charlie has been busy bringing in some fish.
At the Fru Rauer nest in Norway, beautiful flounder are being delivered to the nest. Here is the video: https://youtu.be/F6wBsAZ6YaE?
Joan Castnyer catches a delivery at Goitzsche Wildnis: https://youtu.be/IQH_lg6K4Ak?
Zeus delivering a fish – the family trio are now rarely seen at the nest, with speculation that they are spending more time at the nearby lake.
‘A’ is keeping an eye on the Australian nests for us. So nice to hear from them! “As we reach day 37 for the first egg, the pair at WBSE have been dutifully incubating their clutch, through a lot of rain and cold nights. Lady has as always taken every night shift and on some days has sat on the eggs for eight hours or more as well. Dad relieves her often, if she’ll leave, but sometimes, she sits tight and refuses to budge.Apart from the frequent rain and the consistently cold nights, the pattern has been for not much food to be brought to the nest. Lady has done much of the hunting for herself, though Dad does bring in the odd bream tail or half-eaten fish and often arrives with a full crop himself. I do worry about whether he will step up deliveries once the eggs hatch – things will be difficult if he doesn’t. This pair appears strongly bonded, though, with duets every morning and Dad staying close to the nest each night, and they’re very experienced parents, so I’m probably just worrying about nothing. It’s just all the rain…
There have been a number of sightings of one parent or the other being bothered/swooped/chased by ravens or lapwings or currawongs so that aspect of life in Olympic Forest, sadly, has not changed. The constant rain is a concern – the eggs have for the most part been kept warm and dry but there have been a few occasions when Dad has left the nest before Lady’s return from a break, leaving the eggs uncovered in the rain for ten minutes or so. Hopefully, there won’t have been any damage to the lives inside but only time will tell.
Diamond and Xavier are doing well. Not egg time quite yet but both are looking healthy and are bonding as always. Xavier is STILL bringing Diamond starlings (and, worse yet, recycled starlings she has already rejected). It seems he has to relearn this lesson every single season. On the other hand, there seems to be a relatively plentiful supply of starlings and this can be useful when it’s time to feed some hungry eyases.
At Port Lincoln, it’s R-rated. This pair seems to be mating constantly, with occasional dinner breaks and fly arounds. Eggs are definitely on the minds of these ospreys, and when they’re not mating (or eating), they’re bringing in nesting material. I do hope we have two eggs and not three. I’m never super happy when a third egg hatches on an osprey nest, although I know you are (for research purposes of course). I suppose at this nest, which is blessed to be overseen by a Fish Fairy, the research is partially compromised, in the sense that the lessons learned on the nest are different ones, at least to some extent. I hadn’t thought much about that, but obviously you would have, given the nature of your research.
Nothing at Collins Street yet, and we don’t really expect there to be for at least another fortnight. I do wish we caught a little more of the early part of the season at Collins Street instead of having to wait until the second egg is laid (they usually don’t even switch the cameras on after the first egg, let alone before it, though they must have a fair idea of when the egg-laying window is likely to open. Frustrating.”
How in the world did we get here?
‘Erasure of years of work’: outcry as White House moves to open Arctic reserve to oil and gas drillinghttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/09/national-petroleum-reserve-alaska-oil-gas-drilling?CMP=share_btn_url
Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope you have a great week and we look forward to having you with us again on Friday.
I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘A, Geemeff, PB, PS’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, Joan Castnyer, Cornell Bird Lab, and the administrators of FB groups such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.
8 August 2025
Good Morning,
Morning Update: Big Red and Arthur’s first hatch, O1, passed last evening after being seen to be lethargic and taken to the wildlife care centre. Oh, how sad. Send positive wishes that O2 stays healthy!
Thank you for all the positive energy that you sent to Hugo Yugo. I can report that she is doing so well. She is eating on her own, and yes, she wants to play with Toby, but Toby needs to learn to be a little more gentle. Still, check out the second photo. I am so proud of Toby and how well he is doing! The Girls, as all of you know, are so important to me. I never knew a little puppy with curly ears would grab my heart and not let go of it. So, it is the five of them – everyone is included, so this is going to work. You better believe it.
The feeders were full of songbirds – warblers – and some very special sparrows – flying through from the north on their way to their winter homes. There are geese all over the golf courses, and it feels like it is at least a fortnight early for this great migration. Watch for the summaries from the nests in the UK. Those females will be on the move soon if they aren’t already!
Dog training. It’s not about training the dog. It is about getting control of ‘your’ life. I will continue to say this while Toby and I work through his issues with ‘chasing’ cats because maybe there is one of you that needs to hear that – I sure did. My life had taken over me – now I am taking control of it. Did you see that old movie Fried Green Tomatoes? There was a point where the Kathy Bates character broke – and she described the new her as ‘Towanda’. Well, welcome to Towanda Land!!!!!! Toby needs to be ‘nice and gentle to the cats’. Treats work. Tethering for calming also works. (I do not crate). Gosh, I learned so much! The day is managed so that I don’t lose my mind. So instead of having a hungry dog, four starving cats, Blue Jays and Crows screaming at me, Brock staring in the door, and a husband who wants his breakfast and coffee, the scrambled eggs for Toby are made the night before. Brock’s tin is in his dish, ready to be opened. Today, Don fixed his breakfast while I fed The Girls. I carried my coffee outside while Toby did his ‘business’ and I fed the birds. That was when I saw the Yellow Warblers. It was idyllic. It is only day 3, but quite honestly, my home is calm and so am I. How did I not know this? Well, because you get so busy taking care of everyone else that you forget to take care of yourself. You should always put your oxygen mask on first. I tell you that. I left mine in the cupboard. It is now on and turned on full!
So step back if you feel that things are not working and say it. It is OK. Because with all that peace and quiet you are going to create, you can spend more time thinking and helping birds.
So what are these birds doing?
Osprey chicks have fledged, and they are screaming for fish. Everyone is preparing for migration. Males are fattening up their fledglings so they are fit to make the very long journey south. In some instances, the females are also pitching in and helping. For example, Maya brought in three fish on Wednesday, and that was before evening! Blue 33 has been hauling in Roach. These chicks will have the best possible chance of survival any nest could have.
They are fish calling, flying on and off the nest, up at Llyn Clywedog.
CJ7 and Blue 022 have been busy feeding their four at Birds of Poole Harbour, too. These kids are really healthy!
Llyn Brenig gives us its season summary.
White YW is really having to be busy at Foulshaw Moss with those three wanting fish all day long.
On the Cornell Campus, Big Red and Arthur’s first hatch, O1, has been taken into care. The red-tail hawk fledgling was noticed displaying ‘illness’ behaviours. Let us all send good positive energy in the hope that O1 overcomes whatever has caused her/him to be unwell.
This is the link to find the latest news. Scroll to the bottom, please? https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/red-tailed-hawks/
Suzanne Arnold Horning and Woody keep track of Big Red, Arthur, and their family, and they caught 02 in a tree on Wednesday evening. What a beautiful fledgling! O2 hangs out with Arthur around the campus but is finding her/his way around the family territory. The fledglings typically disperse in August. Gosh, I wish they were banded and had a sat pack. It would be wonderful to know what happens to Big Red’s babies once they leave Ithaca. Or do they leave Ithaca? We don’t know. Mum stays for the winter! So does Dad. It is a prey-rich territory that they rule even in the cold of winter.
Pam Breci is keeping an eye on Swoop, who is busy at Dunrovin, too. – Every osprey male should be fishing and fishing, getting those osplets fattened up!
So what is happening at Loch Arkaig? And read on and find out if Dorcha is really still in Scotland!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 7th August 2025Not many fish today, just two from Louis, taking the nest total to three hundred and ninety six, and none from Garry LV0, leaving his tally unchanged at one hundred and forty. Affric 152 spent a fair bit of time on Nest One with Garry but got no fish – is she getting fish from her own mate Prince, last seen a month ago near the Bunarkaig nest where they’ve made their home, or is she fishing for herself? With Aurora 536 not seen since 28th July and presumed on migration, it will be an interesting situation if all four return next year. As Dorcha hadn’t been seen for a few days, it was speculated she might have started her migration, leaving before Storm Floris hit, but she turned up this morning paying a visit to Nest Two. Both chicks were on the nest, hungry after a lean fish day yesterday, she didn’t have any fish so left quickly before they could mob her. Her visit was so fast it led to some confusion around ID but closer inspection in slow motion showed her unique underwing spot pattern, almost as good as a Darvic ring, and that together with the behaviour of the chicks – seeking fish rather than attacking in alarm – confirmed it was indeed Dorcha. Darach 7P0 got both fish today, he shared the first with Breac 7P7, but surprisingly left half of the second fish uneaten on the nest when he left for the night. Unlike his brother, he hasn’t yet achieved the essential survival milestone of flying with fish which might explain why he left it behind when he departed as darkness started falling. The Hoodies were all over the nest this morning, if neither chick claims the fish early tomorrow, their persistence will pay off with a nice free meal. After heavy rain last night, the weather today was mainly dry with some sunny intervals but both nests had rain tonight after night cam switched over, and the forecast is for light showers throughout the night with a low of 12
°C, getting heavier tomorrow with a high of 16°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.25.33 (04.40.56); Nest Two 22.14.28 (05.00.21)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/waxcTXc9K4o N2 A Hoodie leaves when both chicks arrive but soon returns 05.59.21
https://youtu.be/rXYnFSJKSQc N2 Is that Dorcha paying a quick visit? Yes it is! 12.39.26 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/n-fnYvhFlH4 N2 Louis brings a big trout and Darach’s waiting for it 13.28.37https://youtu.be/HIFmr33i-Ig N1 Garry LV0 follows Affric 152 to the nest but brings no fish 14.21.15
https://youtu.be/8cIFbCA4EmQ N2 Why does Darach depart leaving half-eaten fish two behind? 21.42.59
Bonus read – a free ebook by W. H. Majoros Season with the Osprey:
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/hQXYIA9xPrM N1 Aila brings a large flat fish 2020
https://youtu.be/OyMVk0LlCzE N1 Louis brings a fish and gets pecked by Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/_5B50icDzn0 N1 Doddie flies off with both fish leaving none for Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/bMn6zaT7MHs N1 Captain gets the fish, Vera loses out again 2020
https://youtu.be/b5WlBmzYbrw N1 Aila’s still babying her grown-up offspring 2020
https://youtu.be/nIuBy5ocEko N1 Three little songbirds on unoccupied Nest One 2022
https://youtu.be/nVVUNWwdB-U N2 A clump of moss, a crow and Sarafina: mum steps in 2022
https://youtu.be/wiN0fI9KNiU N2 Hooded Crow attracted by fish does a flypast of the three females 2022
https://youtu.be/JJQmPvbzZ64 N1 Garry brings moss and a Jay visits 2023
https://youtu.be/SY2pbxLF5ko N2 Persistent Hoodie invades as soon as Ludo leaves 2023
https://youtu.be/4rHpMbzNnc0 N1 Affric & Garry spend time together but no fish 2023
https://youtu.be/E_31iJySQMM N2 Dorcha grabs the live flatfish as soon as Louis brings it 2023
No videos on this day in 2024 – not so much as a songbird visited either nest!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 6th August 2025
After overnight rain, the weather was more settled today but the chicks were as combative as yesterday and did their best to get hold of the three fish Louis brought. Breac 7P7 got the first and Darach 7P0 the third and a big fight ensued for the second. Breac won the battle but not before falling off the nest first, and in the confusion
Darach lunged at Louis. Still, Louis is an old hand at this, these two are his fourteenth and fifteenth chicks (counting only those who survived to be ringed) and he’s suffered worse attacks from ravenous chicks over the years. His tally rises to three hundred and ninety two (nest total 394) and fish counters are lining up to be the one to record the magic four hundred mark. Dorcha hasn’t been seen since Sunday morning and it’s speculated she may have gone south, like Aurora 536 (last seen 28th July), and Affric 152 has been taking advantage of Aurora’s absence to scrounge free fish from Garry LV0. However she was unlucky today as he brought no fish and attempted mating instead – Garry’s fish tally remains at one hundred and forty. More rain is expected tonight with a gentle breeze and a low of 13
°C, changing to light showers, a moderate breeze and sunny intervals with a high of 16°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.14.56 (04.44.08); Nest Two 22.04.43 (04.51.13)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/Nsbd2wF7mAo N2 Breac arrives just after Louis to get the first fish before Darach 10.04.13
https://youtu.be/VZ_5tmIihnU N1 Affric visits the nest but Garry’s not there and she departs 14.38.20https://youtu.be/hSlHeTBSUz4 N2 Fish number two causes a fight, Breac wins (slo-mo repeat) https://youtu.be/GZVF2KkaMOI N1 Affric 152 hopes for fish but Garry attempts mating instead 20.14.42 https://youtu.be/rmp6b-lgHi0 N2 When Louis brings the third fish, Darach pecks him! 21.34.17
Bonus watch – Woodland Trust clip of Darach v Storm Floris goes viral:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/24466187986339821
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/quq4dMy7OzY N1 Butter fingers! Mallie drops her fish 2019
https://youtu.be/ajka-bL_n_0 N1 Size matters! Tiny songbird visits Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/oQYlVSvMSe4 N1 Aila brings a fish and stays for dinner 2020
https://youtu.be/FNRVFoNuZz0 N2 Crow steals a bit of Willow’s breakfast 2022
https://youtu.be/kZ4clzNC3kU N2 Osprey flyover and a fish-stealing crow 2022 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/xcwsmz86WzE N1 Unringed visitor to Nest One 2022 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/hOGYbsvwPWs N2 Louis brings a flatfish, Willow gets it 2022
https://youtu.be/xAWm_H5HSqo N2 Good mum Dorcha allows Sarafina to have fish number five 2022
https://youtu.be/nSRB5bTgSv0 N2 Ludo is startled off the nest by Dorcha who then steals his fish 2023
https://youtu.be/D7mXIuEFLpg N1 Affric 152 waits in vain for fish 2023
https://youtu.be/YlWzoD5SCNg N2 Louis saves his fish from a marauding Hoodie 2023
https://youtu.be/Bzc7A866Xlw N2 Ludo LY7 gets some leftover fish from dad 2023
https://youtu.be/jMtQ4kDsEIE N1 Garry LV0 follows Affric 152 before a third Osprey makes them flee 2024
https://youtu.be/FzFbWLsw1xI N1 Various little birds on, over or near the nest 2024
‘PS’ is keeping an eye on the osprey family in Seattle for us.
The Seattle Ospreys are continuing to do well! With both chicks fully fledged they are often though not always at the nest, often flying or perched nearby, and often calling for food. I’ve seen a couple fish deliveries from dad, as well as many practice flights involving dips into the water, sometimes over and over, presumably to get a feel for getting wet and taking off…not full on dive bombs like they will someday, more like controlled water landings and takeoffs. Fun to watch these two learn the ropes! It is strange to sometimes see the nest empty! But also a wonderfully necessary sign of a largely successful season! I will miss them as well as Harry and Sally when they depart in the next few weeks. Until then I will continue to check in…
https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/K00Bx492p4
I really love the images that ‘PS’ takes of this osprey family. They are so good. Please check out their Flickr account and see the entire story of the Seattle Ospreys.
‘J’ reminds us that if you live near Wildlife Haven in Manitoba, there is the annual Open House. You can meet the ambassadors, see the surgeries, and flight training enclosures, and find out how you can help.
Lots of news from Raptor Persecution UK. The Yorkshire Dales are not a safe place for raptors.
Missing Pine Martens are a concern in Cumbria – the Lake District!
News from the second nest in Poole Harbour (not the nest of CJ7 and Blue 022):
Heidi has some nest news from the US and Canada for us!
We better check on T3, the eagle fledgling, raised by the single mum in Wisconsin. https://youtu.be/USYBUpiRtQY?
SK Hideaways caught a sub-adult trying to land on Lady and Dad’s nest in the Olympic Park in Sydney! https://youtu.be/BNcT5G0uaB0?
In New Zealand, the Royal Cam chick is growing and stretching its wings as it is preparing to fledge within the next 5-6 weeks. https://youtu.be/Q-ToBQWzxuo?
At the American Eagle Foundation’s nest in NE Florida, the cam is on as we await the arrival of Gabby and Beau.
News from the American Bird Conservancy. How does politics impact our feathered friends?
If you can get to Poole Harbour there are still some activities left!
Let us not forget about Xavier and Diamond! Gosh, golly. Eggs by the end of the month!
Link to their camera: https://www.youtube.com/live/yv2RtoIMNzA?si=FtHXOvfCdckdk7FI
The Girls wanted you to have some pictures of our garden. Junior, the male Blue Jay, is moulting. We have a new baby House Sparrow at the feeder. There are hydrangeas – these are different as they are in a candle shape, which are toxic to animals, so I have put a fence around them so Toby cannot get to them (thanks, AK’s Mum), and a beautiful coral Hibiscus. Enjoy! I have sold all of my professional camera equipment and am learning to use the much lighter P1100, which is marvellous at only 3 lbs. I used to hold over 12 lbs. It is like a miracle. The images are getting better.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Remember to put out water for the birds and, if you are able, some food as they migrate through to their winter homes. It will help them as their habitat is being lost daily, as long as areas which would provide natural food for them.
We look forward to having you with us on Monday! Enjoy the weekend.
I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff, Heidi, J, PB, PS’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and organizations that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.
4 August 2025
Hello Everyone,
Late Updates:
Heidi’s report first as it contains some late breaking news:
OBX (Outer Banks): ‘Latte’ (the younger sibling) fludge-fledged at slightly less than 52 days of age. At 10:22 on 8/2 Latte was getting into position to eat a fish, when s/he became unbalanced on the edge of the nest and fell. Latte was later seen on the ground, and was making low, short flights. Latte spent some time sitting on a sea wall, but around 4 p.m. s/he went out of camera view, and could not be located. On 8/3, there were a couple different occasions that led chatters to believe that Betsy was taking fish to Latte across the canal. Distant juvie calls could also be heard. Fingers crossed that Latte will soon be able to fly back home.
Kent Island, Chesapeake: On 8/1, Chick 2 ‘Yellow Band’ fledged at 52 days of age, while the cam was showing Highlights.
Meldrs, the eaglet of Latvian Golden Eagles, Spilve and Grislis, fledged at 89 days. Congratulations to everyone.
Sadly, the two recently fledged ospreys in Poland were predated by a hawk. More news on that later. Thanks, ‘AK’.
The Menhaden overfishing in Louisiana is finally getting some press. Commercial fishing along the Atlantic and Gulf will see the end of our beautiful ospreys – along with others that depend on Menhaden and similar fish for their food. Is there not anyone big enough to stop this?
https://www.louisianasportsman.com/…/fishermen…/…
It is the beginning of the first week in August. Where in the world did the summer go?
And what a week it has been. Hugo Yugo is unwell. It is not clear what is the issue. I am ‘feeding’ her every two hours – it is a long weekend in Canada (or a Bank Holiday in the UK) and this is the best we can do. Needless to say, my sweet little sick girl that came into our lives early last December after we lost Lewis is just causing me to weep and weep some more. She has lost a large amount of weight in a short amount of time. In a blink, actually. She began throwing up bile late yesterday and stopped eating today, wanting to be alone. There are no toxic plants in the house. She has not gotten into cleaning products, which are supposed to be pet safe. The only thing I have noticed is that she likes to eat Toby’s kibble when it has grated cheese with it. Is this the culprit? So, please send my little ginger sweetie good wishes as we push the ground-up kibble, kitten milk, and water into every 2 hours.
We spent four hours at the vet very late last night and came home. The triage system was busy! I forced Hugo Yugo to eat some sardines, and a little later, she was drinking water. She ate two little tins of food this morning. Hoorah.
There is lots of news. One recent event was an earthquake near the osprey nest of Louis and Dorcha in the Scottish Highlands.
Geemeff brings us up to date with the earthquake and Loch Arkaig:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 3rd August 2025
More fish and less confusion today – Louis delivered three fish to Nest Two, taking the nest tally to three hundred and eighty four, including Dorcha’s two deliveries. Dorcha got the first fish, Darach the second and Breac the third one. On Nest One, Affric 152 showed up for the third day in a row to receive a fish from Garry LV0, and his tally now stands at one hundred and thirty nine. Other birds visited the nests, a songbird and a Woodpecker on Nest One, and three Hooded Crows and a Sparrowhawk on Nest Two. These visitors will have the nests to themselves in a few weeks when the last of the Ospreys has left on migration. It rained heavily overnight but was dry during the day. However, Storm Floris is due to hit tomorrow bringing heavy rain and high winds and there’s a weather warning for the area and most of northern Scotland. Link to weather forecast for Inver Mallie, which covers the nest area, in the bonus section.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.25.35 (04.41.48); Nest Two 22.21.24 (04.53.00)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/_n702NSBoGY N2 A Sparrowhawk visits when three Hooded Crows are on the nest 08.01.01 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/DH8U7GH3hkE N1 Two little visitors including a Woodpecker 10.27.30
https://youtu.be/U5SgGqUtZdo N2 Louis brings the first fish and Dorcha grabs it quickly 10.35.34
https://youtu.be/DIZTMiIUWYs N2 Breac gets old fish one from Dorcha, Darach gets fish two from Louis 10.52.06
https://youtu.be/1CtAWNgr3QI N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish and Affric 152 comes to get it! 12.46.29
https://youtu.be/JRgkQi5Vz10 N2 Breac’s waiting on the nest and gets the third fish 19.21.39Bonus link – weather forecast for the Inver Mallie area to track Storm Floris:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2646094
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/F6JyzcMzk6s N1 Eating and Squeaking: Rannoch steals Mallie’s fish 2019
https://youtu.be/X80auBko71c N1 Now now children! Fish number three causes a fight 2020
https://youtu.be/fTDNze8_qT4 N1 Aila brings another fish, nest’s empty until Doddie arrives with the previous fish 2020
https://youtu.be/gHkNqtDhJTc N2 A rainbow arcs over Sarafina 2022 (quick time)
https://youtu.be/Sq78TveUke4 N2 A chick, a crow, a fishtail, two adults and lots of flying 2022
https://youtu.be/H5NLGpEwV1w N2 Sarafina crash lands onto Willow and dislodges some feathers 2022
https://youtu.be/rfpv10J5dpk N2 Ludo does a flypast before landing to get rid of Hoodies 2023
https://youtu.be/wPm1lio9lJc N2 Hello George! Give us a wave! 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/KrpwAO9bB_4 N1 Affric pleads in vain with Garry for fish 2023
https://youtu.be/nDfuqve9IbU N2 Dorcha’s mid-air near-miss 2023 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/CybrxBatD1Y N2 Louis brings Dorcha a teeny tiny fish! 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/6hztczD-J2o N2 A Hoodie lands on Dorcha’s perch, a second on the cam pole 2024
https://youtu.be/bx54tIwLja4 N2 A Hoodie returns to the empty nest 2024
https://youtu.be/tjBR3H8XuYg N2 A Coal Tit and a juvenile Great Tit flit around 2024
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 2nd August 2025
A somewhat confusing day for the nest cam watchers with fish being lost, chicks tumbling off the nest, Hooded Crow invasions and mystery appearances. But sharp eyes managed to unpick it all – the mystery appearance was Dorcha making a ten second visit to Nest Two so she has not left on migration yet. The chicks were disturbed by the Hoodies when they invaded looking for any small scraps, but the crows weren’t around when Louis delivered his three fish, taking his tally to three hundred and seventy nine (nest total three hundred and eighty one). One of those fish was lost when Breac stole it from Darach and fled the nest, causing both chicks to look around as if it might reappear. Fortunately Darach had had a very good meal from it first, and doubtless some other forest dweller will be grateful for a free meal. For the second day in a row, Affric 152 made an appearance on Nest One and received a fish from Garry LV0 – his total rises to one hundred and thirty eight. With Aurora 536 not seen since the 28th, will Affric keep getting fish from Garry? Where is her mate Prince? No answers yet, as always, it’s wait and see. The weather was reasonably settled during the day but at the time of filing this report (02.00) heavy rain is falling as predicted, but tomorrow’s weather looks more promising with a forecast of sunny intervals, gentle breezes and a high of 18°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.30.32 (04.24.34); Nest Two 22.21.59 (04.27.03)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/vUn_kmWShyc N2 Pesky Hooded Crows invade the nest disturbing the chicks 07.54.12
https://youtu.be/B-IiNOfNGW4 N2 Darach arrives first and gets fish number one from Louis 08.14.54https://youtu.be/ixahvUdZX5g N2 Dorcha pays a ten second visit 09.20.21 (slo-mo zoom) https://youtu.be/jxxfjqRHjmM N2 Darach gets fish number two, causing Breac to fall off the nest! 14.24.25 https://youtu.be/trzbdJ9loEw N2 Breac finally gets the remains of fish two from Darach but promptly loses it! 15.34.06 https://youtu.be/uSIWF-eO9vg N1 Affric 152 visits and gets a fish from Garry LV0! 17.25.35
https://youtu.be/sngUnnMZpsk N1 Garry returns with some twigs and does a bit more nest tidying 18.12.33
https://youtu.be/1Oel0nvz6cg N2 Breac flies off with fish three, lands under the nest! 20.16.43
Bonus video – with migration looming, this video shows the journey from Scotland to Africa as the Osprey flies:
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/9AnSPvsk6DY N1 Superdad Louis brings two fish in ten minutes 2019
https://youtu.be/mNtRaeAuw2Y N1 The welcome sight of Aila after being absent for a while 2020
https://youtu.be/yqFjDElk4V4 N1 Breakfast arrives, all three chicks want it but Captain gets it 2020
https://youtu.be/pruObUISjPQ N1 Captain flies with fish for the first time on his 2 month birthday 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/LEq2B4U9j-k N1 The Fishtail Waltz: Loch Arkaig Osplets in quickstep 2020 (Classic Ospreys – Strauss)
https://youtu.be/No84G3nG5qo N2 Dorcha and the crow 2022 (extended version)
https://youtu.be/g8mHME3FIQQ N2 Willow nips Louis and nearly gets pulled off the nest as he departs 2022
https://youtu.be/K10hkey31mQ N2 Hoodie looks quite at home pottering around the empty nest 2023
https://youtu.be/1YyDkc78_SU N2 Dorcha brings a stick and gets Ludo’s leftovers 2023
https://youtu.be/8egAmzGlJ1o N2 Noisy Ludo has to deal with a flatfish by himself 2023
https://youtu.be/VD99AKBQpNU N1 Garry LV0 pays a late evening visit 2023
https://youtu.be/kTYhjh-Rrxg N2 Bats fly around the nest 2024 (super slo-mo)
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 1st August 2025
An earthquake hit in the Loch Arkaig area today, not very big – 3.1 magnitude with the epicentre 7.5 miles from Loch Arkaig, in the Loch Garry area where Osprey Garry LV0 is from. It didn’t do any damage but both Louis and the chicks reacted, Louis by alarm calling for several minutes and the chicks stopping and looking around warily. It was registered by the British Geological Survey, more details here: https://earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/recent_uk_events.html . Louis brought three fish to the nest, neatly shared out one each for Dorcha, Darach and Breac in that order, and the nest total now stands at three hundred and seventy eight including Dorcha’s two deliveries. Garry finally brought a fish to Nest One, raising his tally to one hundred and thirty seven – and guess who was there to take it? None other than Affric 152 from Bunarkaig, scrounging free fish as she prepares for migration! The weather was settled but is expected to turn misty overnight with a low of 9°C, changing to sunny intervals with a gentle breeze and a high of 18°C tomorrow.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.48.49 (04.28.25) Nest Two 22.38.06 (04.32.50)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/L40Yx5-a0p0 N2 First fish arrives & departs in lightning fast time 10.31.06 (slo-mo repeat)
https://youtu.be/FXAAZUmfrYM N1 Garry brings a fish and it’s Affric 152 who gets it! 15.10.17
https://youtu.be/N4W_xQeGA_E N2 Darach gets the second fish and warns Breac away 17.13.17https://youtu.be/8MV7EwOzWvI N2 Earthquake! Louis and chicks react to a 3.1 magnitude local tremor 17.45.41
https://youtu.be/XieskjWrJo8 N2 Breac arrives just after Louis and gets the third fish 19.10.29Bonus watch and listen to the
Dawn Chorus – how Woodland Trust’s woodland management is supporting biodiversity:
https://youtu.be/SDkwnz8DRHUBlast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/181xNOoWypU N1 Sneaky Mallie grabs the fish despite Rannoch’s protests (2019)
https://youtu.be/6YY5LU155KQ N1 Rannoch can’t decide whether to preen or screech – so does both! (2019)
https://youtu.be/DBAhTzqVg3I N1 Milestone moment: Doddie flies with fish 2020
https://youtu.be/9JjSrQqH-BI N1 What a fankle! Captain gets entangled 2020
https://youtu.be/Z2HS9pTC7eI N2 Sunrise over the nest as Louis brings breakfish 2022
https://youtu.be/Mg3YJr_l8mE N2 Upstart Crow: Edited video of its many visits 2022https://youtu.be/qYPmuE54ZQs N1 Garry arrives with a stick 2023
https://youtu.be/vPzAIFCdT-Y N1 Affric returns missing Garry LV0 by minutes 2023
https://youtu.be/i40FIIZHHWQ N2 Ludo tries to bite Dorcha for not bringing fish 2023
https://youtu.be/YlGtuWGiurU N2 Fish number two, a live mackerel, confuses Ludo 2023https://youtu.be/9LKihnfJAjo N1 A pair of Warblers visit 2024https://youtu.be/QTRqeePpg8I N1 Garry LV0 arrives, stays a while, and preens 2024
OBX (Outer Banks): No doubt Heidi will report on the osprey that was pushed off the OBX osprey nest a few days before the fledgling.
Allins Cove West: Fledgling continues to come to the nest and is fed by Dad. https://youtu.be/T97W3NM8kW8?
Allin’s Cove East: Three juveniles are waiting and fighting for fish.
Charlo, Montana: Two surviving osplets are doing well, and Charlie is busy delivering fish! The third hatch died on 15th of July from siblicide/starvation.
Hellgate Canyon: Iris made a quick visit to the nest on Friday afternoon.
Fish delivery on the nest for Iris on Thursday evening. https://youtu.be/yJC3-X7J_Jc?
Iris visits the nest on Sunday.
Dunrovin Ranch: The nest is full with four osplets wearing juvenile plumage flapping their wings. This nest needs more fish. Every nest with four needs more and more fish.
Eschenbach, Germany: Fish deliveries for our fledgling.
Olympic Park Sea Eagles: Incubation continues for Lady and Dad.
Muonio Osprey Platform, Finland: Ten fish were delivered to this nest in Finland on Friday. What a difference from starving ospreys in the US.
Ilomantsin sääkset #1: Three babies always wanting more and more fish!
Cumbria Wildlife Trust/Foulshaw Moss: All of the chicks are fledged. White YW is busy getting fish to the feisty three as they begin bulking up for their first migration.
Usk Valley, Wales: No sign of our Only Bob fledgling who made history for this area of Wales, but Mum, Chogwyn, shows up fish calling several times a day with her wishes fulfilled.
Llyn Clywedog, Wales: Two fledgling Bobs screaming for fish with full crops. Dylan is keeping the flyways busy with deliveries. Is Seren still home?
Baby Eagle captures the first branching of Spilve and Grislis’s Golden Eaglet! 87 days. https://youtu.be/IetmOKW6ZfI?
Recent summary from the Border Ospreys:
Thank you, ‘A’ – your words mean a lot to me: “Anyway, that’s my world at the moment…I love you, though, also with a passion. You opened up a whole new world for me. I now have a close relationship with Mr and Mrs Magpie, who sang beautifully for me this morning when I took out their breakfast. They eat out of my hand sometimes when they’re a bit impatient. (I walk past them as they perch on my air walker machine on the back landing and take their breakfast to the normal spot on the edge of the concrete. They don’t move at all, even though I walk within inches of them. I just talk quietly and gently to them and they know my voice and are scared of me at all. Sometimes, I offer them a piece of walnut or some other treat as I walk past them and they will take it right out of my hand. They are so sweet – they know how much I love their singing and they always sing to say thank you to me. Then I change the water bowls because Mr and Mrs Crow have usually had their breakfast bath and boy are they messy. They love their bath SO much. They immerse themselves totally and flap around to get really wet under their wings. When they’ve finished (and emptied four or five inches out of the deep water bowl) they perch on the clothes line and preen their feathers and feak their beaks. The small native mynahs are the only other birds that love the bath. They choose the shallower birdbath that’s on a stand and off the ground because they feel safer up there I think. But like the crows, they flap around to get themselves really wet. They perch around the rim, six or eight at a time, and take turns to flap from one side of the bath to the other. Too cute.
These birds are now part of my day in a way they never were before. And that’s entirely because of you. Your blog. Your menagerie. You inspired me to look closer to home. It’s one thing to watch Angel on a camera in Tennessee, and that is a wonderful privilege, but it should inspire rather than replace a more direct interaction with the birds immediately around us. You reminded me of that. And I’m sure you’ve done the same for many of the people who read your blog. You should be so proud of that. Making the world a better place and the people in it more understanding of their position as caretakers of the birds and animals and plants around us.”
‘A’ also adds: “In bird world, Lady and Dad are very devoted in tending their eggs. Lady does incredibly long incubation stints, some days taking no more than an hour in total off the nest. And she always takes the night shifts too. When he is able to talk her into leaving, Dad does his incubating duties without demur. Like most of the males, he loves his egg time. The nest is looking very strong and sturdy this year, which is excellent because those winds are really tossing the nest tree about tonight and we have had strong winds and some heavy rain over the past ten days or so along Australia’s east coast.
We have about 12 days or so until pip watch begins (the first egg was laid on 4 July and we have an incubation period of 40 to 42 days, with some delayed incubation early on). I do keep wondering about the advanced age of this pair and when it will begin impacting their fertility – so far, we are still getting two eggs every season but let’s hope both these eggs are fertile. Go Dad! He is a lovely mate. He tries hard to look after Lady and his eggs.”
I am so glad that ‘A’ mentioned the Olympic Park White bellied Sea Eagles. As you know, I have been decluttering and in that process, I found a book that was put together honouring WBSE 26 and one of the devoted chatters, Phyllis Robbins. Phyllis had a very aggressive cancer, and despite dire predictions, the WBSE kept Phyllis going for much longer than any doctor would have imagined. She loved ’26’ dearly as we all did.
‘PS’ catches us up on what is happening in the Seattle Washington Osprey Platform that they have been monitoring from the time love hit the air in April!
“The update from yesterday and today – both chicks have definitely fledged!! Attaching the photo with “proof” – one in the air and the other on the perch! Just a joy to watch them take their practice loops around the nest area. Such beautiful birds, hopefully they will lead long and healthy lives, and perhaps I will see them again in the area when they return (usually after a few years?)…
In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose – I will continue to visit until they decamp for warmer climes, I guess. What a captivating summer it’s been – and already August!!”
Recent news from Knepp Farm’s Rewilding Project:
CROW – would like to invite you to a party in January as a fundraiser. Do you live near Fort Myers or Sanibel Island?
Thank you so much for being with us. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of ‘Blue 33’ as part of this amazing fundraiser for the Rutland Water Ospreys. Thank you Sarah for sharing your talents and your generosity.
I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘AK, Geemeff, Heidi, PS’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.
1 August 2025
Good Morning Everyone,
Thank you so much for being with us today! We hope that the week has been kind to you.
I am going to start with another heartbreaking moment – Heidi’s report for today. This beautiful baby, with only one week to fledge, has died. The commercial overfishing of Menhaden in this region has shaped this entire season. Buckets of tears are being shed, and everyone feels helpless. Do we have to wait for the Governor of Virginia to be replaced? Cannot the other States in the surrounding area do something to stop this genocide?
Please send your positive wishes that the two remaining chicks get enough food to fledge and migrate out of the Chesapeake. Maybe these ospreys will find another home – a place that will protect them and appreciate and love them.
“Kent Island, Chesapeake: Sadly, there weren’t enough fish being brought to the nest by Tom and Audrey, and Little Boy 3 lost his struggle to survive at 47.5 days of age. He was so endearing, and we all loved him. Fly high with a forever-full crop sweetie. We all are hoping that he will still be given a name.”
Thankfully, Heidi has some good news!
‘Lil’ Peabody’s wings took him far beyond where these two will fly. He joins thousands of others who have perished this year. This is the latest from Ben Wurtz. Please read it. Take it all in. I know you love these magnificent gentle fish eaters like I do – get angry. Cry. Maybe throw something and then start lobbying on behalf of the ospreys and all the other wildlife whose populations are being decimated by commercial fishing!
The summer is flying by. The female ospreys are preparing to leave, or some have left on their long migration. The juveniles are flapping, eating, and gathering their own steam to leave the natal territory on their first great adventure. The dads wait for all to go so they can have some fish to themselves and get some strength to fly to their winter homes.
Look at this beauty! Gosh, I love those ‘snake’ eyes. Reminds me of Blue 33. This Norwegian beauty has a long way to go to get to warmer weather! Runi fledged on the 26th of July.
Froy brought a crab to the nest! That was on the 26th, the day that Runi fledged. Have you seen an osplet bring a crab to the nest?
An osprey in the area of the Southern Shores Beach in North Carolina has been photographed flying with a Sailfish in its talons. Will they begin looking for other species in the Chesapeake Bay area OR are all the fish gone? Some know? Write me!
What has Milda been up to since fledging those two beautiful White-tail Eaglets in Latvia? Liz nm has some video for us. https://youtu.be/-Y9kFNKanU8?
T3 spent the night and most of the day at the nest. What a beauty. SK Hideaways caught it on video https://youtu.be/Y9RMrpKyTA8?
‘PS’ sends us the good news out of Seattle, Washington.
“Hi Mary Ann,
Visited yesterday – both young there, with mom making a brief appearance. One of the young took two practice flights while I was there – lifting off from the nest and into the skies for some surprisingly graceful loops around the area before landing (also gracefully – fast learner!) back at the nest. Sibling looked eager – hopping around and flapping her/his wings and I hoped I might see confirmation of both fledging but it was not to be – perhaps today!
It is surprisingly heartwarming and inspiring to see these birds, who you have watched since birth, take to the skies as such graceful raptors. Impossible to not have your own heart soar with them when they slip so gently into the air! Full set: https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/p4Q1Lzea6p. “
Please check out these beautifully photographed ospreys on the flickr account above. These are some of the finest images of ospreys in a nest I have seen for a long time. Look at those fledglings go! Thank you, ‘PS’.
In the UK, there are four new outbreaks of Avian Flu.
Leicester and Rutland Wildlife Trust give us their season summary as we await the departure of Maya, the four fledglings, and then the last to depart, Blue 33.
Geemef’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 31st July 2025
It was a slow day today, just three fish from Louis which the chicks didn’t fight over. Breac got the first, Darach the second, and when Breac got the third one, Darach still had plenty of his fish left so they ate on the nest together in reasonable harmony, just a few protesting squeaks at the other’s proximity. Dorcha was around but didn’t compete for any of the fish as the boys made it plain her presence was not required. She’s either fishing for herself or being fed off-nest, or possibly a bit of both. Her tally remains at two while Louis’ now stands at three hundred and seventy three, and the nest total at three hundred and seventy five. Will we see it rise to four hundred this season? Probably, if the chicks stay around for a few more weeks. Steve Q will be able to calculate the odds, possibly with the Week 18 fish stats. Link to Week 17’s stats, published today, in the bonus section. In other news, Garry visited Nest One bringing nesting materials and doing a little tidying, no fish were delivered but that’s not surprising as Aurora hasn’t been seen since Monday and may well be on her way south therefore his tally will probably remain at one hundred and thirty six for the season. A few crows visited Nest Two but there’s not much chance of leftover fish with the two hungry chicks still around. There was some rain overnight but dry during the day – tonight’s forecast is partly cloudy with light winds and a low of 11°C, rising to a high of 18°C tomorrow.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One (04.28.04); Nest Two (04.33.52)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/cNsrP5fSZbs N1 Garry LV0 brings a clump of dead rushes and does some tidying 10.30.06
https://youtu.be/imQIELjA2D0 N2 Breac’s shouting pays off when Louis brings the first fish, a flatfish 14.47.44https://youtu.be/KJGJMVqr8m8 N2 Darach gets fish number two but objects to Breac being nearby 19.10.26
https://youtu.be/c3zr2XFPymw N2 Both chicks eat together: Breac has fish three, Darach has fish two 20.28.05
Bonus info – Steve Quinn’s Week 17 fishing stats:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=27030710
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/Kd2L1Nz_I2E N1 Louis brings breakfast and gets another nip for his trouble 2020
https://youtu.be/57UvSSpDhJU N1 Aila makes a seven second appearance on the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/nh0nSXoL1G0 N1 Vera pecks Louis but it’s Doddie who gets the fish 2020
https://youtu.be/xKkstvD5Sic N2 A fledge, a fish, and a crash landing 2022
https://youtu.be/S4bXOzEfa9Y N2 Aerial fight as Dorcha chases an intruder away from the nest 2022
https://youtu.be/yQyJt-gBLKw N2 Sarafina flies from underneath the nest and crash lands on Willow 2022
https://youtu.be/bh8rFF73NG0 N2 Hoodies give Ludo some bother 2023
https://youtu.be/txoV9kCv9EI N2 Ludo eats a whole live fish and swallows the tail 2023
https://youtu.be/YZ-M5ZUiWx4 N2 Dorcha looking fabulous flying past with a fish 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/0pQQIotNUsM N1 Various little birds visit the nest 2024
https://youtu.be/dJAmVH178r8 N1 A juvenile Robin fiddles with the nest furnishings 2024
https://youtu.be/irAW6knurFY N2 A pair of juvenile Bullfinches investigate the empty nest 2024
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 30th July 2025
More fish and more fighting – both Darach 7P0 and Breac 7P7 are now in hyperphagia preparing for their first migration journey and are compelled to consume as much as possible. Louis delivered five fish to the nest today, and although Dorcha seemed to get three of them and take them away to eat in peace, she did return them to share with her offspring. Not that they were always grateful, on one occasion Darach lunged at both adults to protect his fish but as experienced parents they merely stepped back and allowed him to take the fish. Louis’ tally now stands at three hundred and seventy, with the nest total of three hundred and seventy two including Dorcha’s offering. Nest One had a few little songbird visitors and Garry LV0 visited too but didn’t bring any fish so his tally remains at one hundred and thirty six. There was no sign of Aurora 536, she was last seen on Sunday 27th – has she left on migration already? If so, we wish her fair winds and plenty of fish, and hope to see her back next Spring. The promised rain materialised along with a few sunny spells, and more rain is expected overnight with a low of 11
°C, changing to light cloud with a gentle breeze and a high of 18°C tomorrow,
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.47.27 (04.19.28); Nest Two 22.35.55 (04.22.01)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/g2pTliEtUbw N2 Louis brings breakfast and Breac gets it 05.09.16https://youtu.be/e2YeXNo2oWc N1 Nest One gets several little visitors including a Robin 07.48.00 https://youtu.be/oal0VpdeChg N2 Dorcha gets the second fish all to herself 08.13.21 https://youtu.be/Vly3stdFv7s N2 Darach gets fish number three then turns on his parents 12.28.01
https://youtu.be/DxY_6Epb4Us N1 Garry LV0 visits briefly but where’s Aurora 536? (Last seen 27th)14.39.52
https://youtu.be/uINk-c-68Hg N2 Dorcha’s alone on the nest when Louis delivers the fourth fish 15.39.57https://youtu.be/j9a4x-pNqm8 N2 Louis brings the fifth fish and Dorcha’s ready and waiting 17.43.17
Bonus watch – Woodland Trust’s new video shows Pine Marten kits romping around – the first born in a new reintroduction project:https://youtu.be/Ljm9WJvFxpc
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/cl1eAm6FOXs N1 Aila jumps in to do a bit of housekeeping 2020
https://youtu.be/fuizCNp_jVc N1 And thereby hangs a tail.. Captain cleans up 2020
https://youtu.be/YI4UBZVYNQM N1 Ouch! Let go! Doddie mistakes Louis’ leg for a fish 2020
https://youtu.be/1JbjYXkzBX4 N2 Who does a flash flypast of the nest? 2022 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/cgcwsyN0f_s N2 Dorcha brings a puzzle stick 2022
https://youtu.be/8GXaxy_KAVQ N2 Sarafina’s glad to see breakfast arriving 2022https://youtu.be/umTGPvoNtIQ N2 Dorcha steals a breakfast fish from Ludo 2023
https://youtu.be/vLx9WrSeCkg N2 A Sparrowhawk pays a visit 2023
https://youtu.be/_qjozIrNnhE N1 Garry LV0 brings moss but Affric wants fish 2023https://youtu.be/04rKdVyEFzc N1 Which grey bird does a fast flypast? 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)
https://youtu.be/CzIH1toDNCU N2 Affric pays a quick visit 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)
https://youtu.be/PWlcQcKRdf8 N2 Louis arrives! Great to see him after a few days absence 2024
https://youtu.be/QprHdPaZKDw N2 Louis returns for a second, much longer visit 2024 (zoom)
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 29th July 2025
Plenty of fish turned up today, all for the ravenous chicks and their long suffering mother on Nest Two. Louis delivered six fish taking his tally to three hundred and sixty five, with the total for the nest at three hundred and sixty seven. It was Darach’s turn to get the lion’s share but Brec and Dorcha also fed well, and despite Louis’ hard work he is also looking in good shape with a nicely rounded crop indicating he is also eating plenty. An unseen intruder bothered Dorcha, was it Garry before he made an appearance on Nest One? He brought a big clump of moss but no fish, so his tally remains at one hundred and thirty six. N
o sign of Aurora today, but there were two quick visits from a Robin and another from a Buzzard, who looked comfortable on the centre perch. After a little overnight rain, the weather was settled today, however drizzle is forecast for tonight with a low of 14°C, and light rain tomorrow morning and late afternoon with sunny spells in between and a high of 19°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.58.35 (03.41.53); Nest Two
23.23.06 (04.25.41)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/80c8n8icjWk N2 Breac arrives to get the first fish of the day 05.36.27 https://youtu.be/ya-n-a9DizY N2 Darach takes the second fish away from his mum 09.57.39https://youtu.be/W572pWqkHlA N2 Dorcha gets fish number three but lets Darach have it 11.09.17https://youtu.be/lD99HLk-Qhw N2 Both chicks want fish number four but again it’s Darach who gets it 16.16.25https://youtu.be/T3p6txWKeaM N1 A Buzzard visits and perches for a few moments 16.43.28https://youtu.be/p7mDh_24FhA N1 A Robin visits again, same one or another? 04.38.53 / 17.55.04https://youtu.be/nym1Vib30tM N1 Garry brings moss and does a little nest tidying 18.25.14 https://youtu.be/zXkR_-eiYiY N2 Breac arrives just before Louis to get fish number five 19.36.01 https://youtu.be/adIr8WuK1l8 N2 Dorcha’s eating F5 when Louis arrives with the sixth fish 21.40.12
Bonus webinar on Osprey migration from Dr Tim Mackrill, raptor expert and founder of the Osprey Leadership Foundation:https://youtu.be/JXWgoSF-Yrk
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/65VTcTWBkVY N1 What makes the chicks go on high alert? 2020
https://youtu.be/5Z0vj85sWko N1 Aila’s waiting for Louis’ fish but lets Doddie take it 2020
https://youtu.be/xpyogWxLzQ8 N1 Captain’s share 2020
https://youtu.be/Lij7mWnm70A N2 Mini fledge but so far and no further! 2022
https://youtu.be/JqvlmVGLJPg N2 Lovely helicopter but still no fledge for LW6 2022
https://youtu.be/tFxRlDePet8 N2 Fish number one and only, headless trout 2023
https://youtu.be/6v_LyOHunUU N2 Louis has a stand-off with a cheeky Hoodie 2023
https://youtu.be/BwkefmoTjdQ N1 Affric arrives, waits, no response, departs 2023
https://youtu.be/Lbdqih9j8Jk N2 Three Hoodies work cooperatively until chased away by Louis 2023
https://youtu.be/ZozTNcuC3a0 N1 Garry LV0 arrives alarm-chipping 2024
https://youtu.be/7vYMN9QOr90 N1 Affric 152 follows Garry LV0 when he returns to the nest 2024
https://youtu.be/VDKpq9TtiJk N1 A Wood Pigeon perches for a little while 2024
I know you probably haven’t thought about it, but summer is speeding up. It is the first day of August, and soon we will have osprey eggs in South Australia! Gosh, I wish Ervie would get a mate! Do we need Roy Dennis to translocate some females to Aussie Land? Bradley was stopping on Tumby Island. Where are Partney and Marrum? Check out the Port Lincoln Osprey FB page for all the latest news.
Some of you will remember my praise for the visiting Vet at our wildlife rehabilitation clinic, Wildlife Haven. Dr Tess was determined that wild animals could live in the wild even with physical challenges such as three legs. She ‘invented’ a mechanism to save a turtle whose shell was soft – 200 days later that turtle has been released to the wild! Thank you Dr Tess for your love and belief in things wild.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/215984769453847
Final update on the “Shell-evator” patient!
After 200 days in care, several wire tightenings, a few bumps along the way but mainly many successes, patient 24-1880 more comonly refered to as the “Shell-evator” was released back to the wild!
We are so grateful for the support from our community, who rallied behind this patient and ensured she received the best care possible. The work we do would not be possible without you.
It feels terrific to see this turtle make it to the wild. We met the turtle, talked with Dr Tess, and admired her dedication and determination. Hopefully, some of our donations helped this happen.
Coeur de’Alene Osprey Platform: The three surviving chicks appear to be doing rather well at this Idaho nest.
Juurusvesi -There is a lot of fish in Finland! I didn’t count. It seemed that one came in right after another. Video capture by
Kala Saaski. https://www.youtube.com/live/27ZzX88ZtIo?s
Final fledges at Kielder Forest. Here is the roundup!
It is getting serious at the West End nest. MV brings Haku a nice fish gift – and she accepts. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/UlU5rCg6ygc?
And while we are all thinking about what to do til the fall arrives, I would like to point out that in about 5-6 weeks, Gabby should be back at the NE Florida nest! Oh, let’s hope that Beau is there, too.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We will see you again on Monday!
Baby Hope wishes you a joyrful weekend.
I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff, J, Heidi, PS, PB’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends and to the people at the Conserve Wildlife of New Jersey and Ben for this monitoring and reporting of the issues impacting the osprey in that region. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.
25 July 2025
Hello Everyone,
Before I even begin, thanks to everyone at PSEG Oyster Bay. The chick with what appeared to be an injured leg was taken into care. The report from the rehab facility is that there is nothing wrong with the osplets’ legs. The chick was malnourished. Their plan is to feed this little one well, get it healthy, and then release it back into the wild to live its life. Wonderful news.
Just a few things to catch up on. It was a very hot day in the Canadian Prairies—30 °C and very humid. Toby didn’t even want to ‘walk’ at the park, preferring to be pushed in his pram with a towel wrapped around an ice pack! It is now just past 1900, and there is shade and a lovely breeze in the garden. The song birds, along with the Blue Jays, were feeding when the local Cooper’s Hawk arrived at 1900. There was quite a bit of commotion, and it flew out with something fairly large between its talons. Honestly, I hope that was not the Baby Blue Jay. The hawk flew in fast, grabbed its prey, and out it went. Some might not have noticed, and, of course, my camera was sitting in the house.
We are enjoying the evenings outside now that the perimeter of the garden is secure and Toby can wander at his leisure. Trying to hold on to a dog on a leash while relaxing is not relaxing!
‘PS’ sent me their report from Seattle. The images are so gorgeous. Please do go to the ‘PS’s Flickr account and read the entire diary!
“As for the Seattle Osprey – I visited every day this week through Thursday, sometimes for short visits, and both young continue to look good, fish looked to be in good supply (sometimes I’d come and mom would still be holding half a fish with nobody eating…and eventually they would get around to finishing it, which I imagine/hope is a sign of plentiful food). Lots of flapping, hopping around and across the nest, head bobbing, etc – I’ve said it for a while but fingers crossed they will both be fledging soon. I figure they are right around 50 days old (plus or minus a day or two) so right in that “typical” range. Unfortunately I am out of town until Sunday but I hope to have time to visit Sunday evening and then definitely Monday so will update you more then. Picture library continues to grow (https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/x87X142Y7m), also sending a couple through here.”
Take a moment to look at these amazing images. Thank you ‘PS’. There is something to learn in each of them. The top image is of an adult osprey. What colour is its eye? Now look at the chicks in the nest? What colour is theirs?
Osprey eyes change colour as they mature. Young ospreys are born with dark blue or black eyes, which then change to amber or orange. As they reach maturity, around 2-3 years old, their eyes transition to a bright yellow like the parents in the top image.
Now look at the beak.
Just look at the wing span of the adult. The wingspan of an adult osprey typically ranges from 1.45 to 1.80 meters (55 to 71 inches), or approximately 4.75 to 6 feet. Females tend to be slightly larger than males, with wingspans on the higher end of that range.
This is an excellent video about everything you need to know about an osprey. Please watch it even if you think you know everything! https://youtube.com/shorts/H6bklarQT38?
What is special about the osprey’s feet? and their toes?
What is special about their foot pads?
Are osprey talons unique? How?
What is special about an osprey’s beak?
What is the purpose of the dark band behind the eyes?
How long is it til the fledglings get their adult plumage?
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 25th July 2025
Yesterday it was thought that Dorcha had brought a fish to the nest, a most unusual occurrence for her with a total of two fish to date (one each in 2023 and 2024) but on closer inspection she was just returning a fish brought earlier by Louis. However, it does appear that she brought a fish today – whether she caught it herself or received it off-nest from Louis can’t be known, but checking back doesn’t show Louis sneaking in with an extra fish so it must be concluded that Dorcha’s fish tally for 2025 soars up to the magnificent total of one. Louis brought four fish to the nest and his tally rises to three hundred and forty eight out of the three hundred and forty nine year to date total. Although it seems that Garry gave Aurora a fish off-nest, he didn’t bring any to the nest, preferring to attempt unsuccessful mating instead so his tally remains at one hundred and thirty five. The chicks Darach and Breac made sure of getting their share of fish, chasing away the other, lunging at their parents and trying to see off a persistent Hoodie while reacting to the occasional intruder Osprey seen in the near distance. Both are in excellent physical condition and plumping up nicely in readiness for the long journey south which probably won’t happen for a few weeks yet. The forecasted rain materialised late in the day and is due to continue overnight with a low of 13
°C, through to tomorrow, with a high of 17°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.06.00 (04.15.54); Nest Two 22.51.27 (04.23.56)
Today’s videos: https://youtu.be/GUmC2NK_rwA N2 Breac’s allowed to have the first fish 08.28.02https://youtu.be/IjXxfMRafVc N2 Did Dorcha really catch fish number two? 11.27.34 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/ER6LoV2oGZQ N2 The chicks watch something before Breac tucks into fish three 15.15.31
https://youtu.be/t0Y9BSUsV3Y N2 Darach lunges at Dorcha, chases her away from fish four 16.30.15https://youtu.be/PqLvfIFdy-Y N2 Dorcha keeps fish 5 despite a combative chick and a pesky Hoodie 18.08.03https://youtu.be/ywvzszOj8-Q N2 Persiste
nt Hoodie intrudes on Dorcha and Darach 18.14.01
Bonus action – voting now open for Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year, link to vote for your favourite:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/tree-of-the-year
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/kGQ3dyIJkCg N1 Doddie piggybacks on Louis 2020
https://youtu.be/y_H5V8LSawI N1 No one wants Louis’ fish so he takes it away 2020
https://youtu.be/y4c9zsaxflg N2 Synchronised flapping as mum watches 2022
https://youtu.be/PYaDCd_5M0c N2 High off the screen helicopter! 2022
https://youtu.be/B4EbyOjxxKc N2 FLEDGE! Willow finds her wings 2022
https://youtu.be/X839GjpyvY0 N2 Sarafina reacts to seeing Willow 2022
https://youtu.be/8-Wb41wJuH8 N2 Willow’s second flight via nest cam 2022
https://youtu.be/dJ9IvFCEPbk Willow’s second flight via long lens 2022 (thanks LizB)
https://youtu.be/sI6lN7wD5OA N2 Ludo and the Jay 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/9FcJOMLI9Cg N2 Ludo allows Dorcha to take the fish 2023
https://youtu.be/k0pKZzcF5Zc N1 Garry seems reluctant to give Affric the fish 2023
https://youtu.be/9NadyAHk6Gc N2 Ludo lives up to his name and plays on a seesaw 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/S3V8_nzaX6I N2 Ludo grabs Dorcha’s head feathers to stop her getting his fish 2023
https://youtu.be/Dy4yQvefzA8 N1 Affric 152 follows Garry LV0 to Nest One 2024
https://youtu.be/ePTJwID4lmQ N2 Louis visits his nest bringing a stick 2024
https://youtu.be/kroSVUdVBKU FLEDGE – the great news that 1JW has found his wings and flown 2024
Kielder Forest: Latest news on the fledglings.
Green Ledge Light Preservation Society: First fledge on Friday!
Marlene Harris and Ferris Akel and the O’s!
The Russell Lake Ospreys are really starting to flap their wings!
That’s it for today! Thank you so much for being with us. We look forward to seeing you on Monday!
Thank you to those wonderful people who send me reports on the birds including Pam Breci, those great images and information from Seattle ‘PS’, Geemeff keeps us up to date with all things Woodland Trust, UK Osprey Info FB has amazing information please think about joining, and thanks to all the others that have streaming cams whose images we have used, those who contributed newsletters such as Kielder Forest, Marlene Harris, Ferris Akel and the Cornell Red-tail Hawks, the Green Light Preservation Society, and of course the driving forces behind letting us know about Nova Scotia ospreys – Connie and Don Dennis.
25 July 2025
Good Morning Everyone,
I can tell you that Pelican Lake is beautiful and that it is actually home to so many American White Pelicans. I can also tell you that Lewy Body Dementia is a challenging disease for both the person who bears the burden of it and for those trying to enrich their lives. We were at Pelican Lake precisely two hours before Don ‘lost me’. I will not bore you with the details of someone spiralling downwards, but suffice it to say I was happy to be able to administer his medication, repack the car (thank goodness we hadn’t really unpacked), and get him and Toby in the car and back home. No more holidays. I was beginning to wonder if the days of travelling were over several months ago. We will take our trips within the confines of the city, so that if something goes sideways, home is close at hand. I already have a list of parks that we haven’t yet visited – just imagine all the things we might have been missing!
Toby and I spent Thursday doing some projects. He now has a fully enclosed back garden where he can roam freely. We also played with a new camera. ‘AK’ knew that I was fed up with carrying heavy, long lenses and big medium-format cameras. That is the reason you have seen so few images of birds this year. The weight is phenomenal. The total weight of what I used was more than 12 lbs. So ‘AK’ recommended that I check out the P1000 with its fixed 3000mm zoom lens. I was only able to get the P1100, and at three pounds with a 3000 mm zoom and a ‘bird’ setting, Toby and I had a lot of fun testing it out on the birds at the feeder. The images are not great. This is my first hour using this camera, but I can tell you it feels like a winner in terms of what I need for my life at this moment. It sure was fun, even with squiggly Toby on my lap.
Notice the texture. This camera is not supposed to do well in low light – well, that squirrel is deep in the lilacs and it was dark with light just filtering in from the West!
And for anyone wondering, this is not just any squirrel. This is Dyson. Look at her large arms and long fingers. She is our matriarch.
Junior is moulting, so no crest. Those feathers, the layers and layers, are quite amazing. (I am roughly 16 metres from the bird feeder).`
Tiny little female house sparrow.`
Three baby crows with their velvet heads.
My sidekick, Toby. He is enjoying the freedom of the garden but also likes to lounge in the chair and always comes when I call. Kitties aren’t allowed outside in Winnipeg.
My first hydrangea bush! I have a friend who mailed me dried hydrangea blooms one year. They made it all the way from British Columbia! Now I have my own.
Please do not believe everything you read on a chat. In fact, it is almost the last place to find accurate information sometimes. The PSEG Oyster Bay osplet with the injured leg did NOT fledge, it was rescued and taken into rehab.
Here is Heidi’s Osprey report for the US:
Raptor Persecution UK confirms that there are some 143 Hen Harriers illegally killed or missing since 2018.
Other Hen Harrier chicks fledge but with the help of the RSPB after their parents go missing.
Balgavies Loch: Partial Nest collapse this week. 4L1 and 4L2 were both in the nest together on Thursday! How wonderful. Flying strong.
Lyn Brenig: Older sister, 7M4 fledged at 52 days. We are waiting for little brother, 7M5, who is 50 days old today.
Wensley: No camera, but three magnificent chicks in the nest.
Kielder Forest: Blue 3B5 Irthing took her first flight on Thursday the 24th. More news from Kielder here:
Birds of Poole Harbour news:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 24th July 2025
Today was all about fish – arriving, departing, returning, reappearing and causing confusion among the nest cam watchers until sharp eyes sorted out the details. Dorcha did not supply any new fish, all six deliveries to Nest Two were made by Louis, and his tally now rises to three hundred and forty four.
Dorcha found and ate the fish lost last night in the nest furnishings and today’s fresh fish were shared out between her and the two chicks, with Breac 7P7 getting the lion’s share. Darach 7P0 made sure he hung onto his share causing Breac to fall over the edge and hang upside down in an OMG moment. However Breac managed to untangle himself and fly away, returning unharmed to a chorus of relief on the forum, and later he achieved the milestone of flying with fish for the first time, another event noted by sharp eyed watchers. Steve Q crunched the numbers and posted last week’s fish stats, link in the bonus section, and although the fish counters noted Garry LV0’s one delivery to Aurora 536 today, taking his tally to one hundred and thirty five, it’s hoped that we will need Steve to include Nest One fish stats in future reports if Garry and Aurora produce the longed for chicks on that nest next year. The weather was settled but is expected to turn damp overnight and through tomorrow with light rain and light winds, a low of 13°C tonight and a high of 18°C tomorrow.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.15.40 (03.51.48); Nest Two 23.00.46 (04.15.30)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/qry_vU46fGw N2 Breac fights and gets the first fish: Dorcha & Darach lose out 05.53.51
https://youtu.be/08tLoYhbP7c N2 Oh no! Breac hangs upside down off the nest! 07.33.20
https://youtu.be/C4fGv8x0HUE N2 Dorcha spots the fish lost by Breac last night and grabs it 09.33.59
https://youtu.be/JkPf_AOvnmU N2 Louis brings a third fish: it’s Dorcha turn and she grabs it fast 12.40.55
https://youtu.be/SBNbIl0Tp-I N2 Another milestone achieved – Breac flies with fish 13.23.55
https://youtu.be/3R4FM0hTYYg N1 Garry brings a flatfish for Aurora 13.47.06https://youtu.be/yDZ8oYDskiA N2 Dorcha’s waiting when fish four arrives: she lets Darach have it 14.14.28
https://youtu.be/psTRt9-NuAQ N2 Good mum Dorcha allows Breac to take fish number five 16.51.36
https://youtu.be/Jeo0-VlMQGg N2 Dorcha holds onto fish number six but feeds Breac 22.06.48
Bonus shopping opportunity – Woodland Trust shop summer sale now on:
https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/sale
Bonus nutrition info – the fish stats for Week 16, expertly compiled as always by Steve Quinn:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=26854776
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/5B4tYF5XWeI N1 FLEDGE Vera finds her wings 2020
https://youtu.be/IEpTHTQ83MU N1 FLEDGE Captain takes off <three hours after Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/CsH62EjSANk N1 Vera returns from her maiden flight 2020
https://youtu.be/_x8G4wApzFY N1 Captain returns safely but not very gracefully 2020
https://youtu.be/SEOkidLKvJc N1 Fledge compilation video: The Four Ospreys (Classic Ospreys – Vivaldi 2020)
https://youtu.be/nV0kAGoM-y0 N2 Dorcha and Sarafina just watch as Willow grabs the first fish 2022
https://youtu.be/iGA54OTD6BQ N2 Hop and a skip but no jump – Willow decides to wait 2022
https://youtu.be/wsjKHvZAXpo N2 Chicks bemused by a flapping flatfish 2022
https://youtu.be/lOKNG5FLCv0 N1 RAF jet causes Affric & Garry to flee 2023
https://youtu.be/WNOA0O4wA6Q N2 Another milestone for Ludo, dealing with a live fish 2023
https://youtu.be/5z5M0SPFXu4 N1 Garry arrives with a stick 2024
https://youtu.be/mZHjWrUX0kQ N1 Various little birds flit around 2024
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 23rd July 2025
Another slow day with not much action apart from the chicks Darach 7P0 and Breac 7P7 trying to get as much fish as possible when Louis made deliveries to the nest, and fighting anyone who got in their way. Louis brought four fish to the nest today, one of which Breac managed to lose in the muddle of sticks on the right hand side, with luck it will be found and consumed tomorrow. Louis’ tally now stands at three hundred and thirty eight, while Garry LV0’s rises to one hundred and thirty four following his single delivery to Aurora 536. The weather was settled today and set to continue with a forecast of light clouds and light winds overnight and tomorrow, with a temperature spread of 13 – 21°C, and the prospect of sunny intervals tomorrow afternoon.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 22.49.56 (04.09.34); Nest Two 23.04.31 (04.20.45)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/wPUO11fOGlA N2 Breac can only watch as Darach consumes fish number one 05.59.16https://youtu.be/s_fU3fE5EsE N2 Darach gets fish number two and attacks Dorcha to keep it 11.05.01
https://youtu.be/tIuWuRFD4zk N1 Aurora seizes the fish from Garry LV0 and flies off with it 14.15.40https://youtu.be/jAj48B05YfU N2 Louis brings a third fish but Breac manages to lose it 21.08.08https://youtu.be/tgnHuJFSmpg N2 Breac gets the fourth fish and doesn’t lose it this time! 21.59.21
Bonus read – Painting of Scotland’s oldest wild Scots pine puts the plight of unique pinewoods in the spotlight:https://pressat.co.uk/releases/painting-of-scotlands-oldest-wild-scots-pine-puts-plight-of-unique-pinewoods-in-spotlight-2436dbdb42c832c92f5ae3f248615373/Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/ZqWuqafl36c N1 Captain helicopters! 2020
https://youtu.be/cSDip8llxAY N1 Doddie has a tug of fish with Vera 2020
https://youtu.be/a3UUPQUtnkg N1 Low flying RAF plane causes Aila to flee 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/9K11f2xd0Ww N1 Vera does a helicopter completely off the screen 2020
https://youtu.be/zFcnK8aIKqk N1 Aila brings a nuisance stick and stands on Captain! 2020
https://youtu.be/9_avX1YHofU N2 All three females want fish number four 2022
https://youtu.be/olWHydNGMV4 N2 Results are in: meet Willow and Sarafina! 2022https://youtu.be/5B_o4EM_oyE N2 Dorcha is harassed by invading Hoodies 2023
https://youtu.be/mtWqo9g5K6A N2 Ludo helicopters with moss 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/CEDLQcHPA1Y N1 Garry arrives with a fish for Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/WcKyGvhpqI4 N2 Hangry Ludo grabs Louis’ leg wanting fish 2023
https://youtu.be/yw2IAFZ5Iro N1 Dorcha pays another visit to Nest One 2024
https://youtu.be/Z8amhCfcwhQ N2 Dorcha returns to her own nest 2024
Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 22nd July 2025
It was a slow fish day today, Aurora 536 was disappointed when Garry arrived bearing nesting materials but no fish, so his tally remains at one hundred and thirty three, and Louis delivered three fish, raising his tally to three hundred and thirty four. Breac 7P7 is extremely dominant and got the first two fish, his older brother Darach 7P0 had to wait until he’d had enough before getting his own chance to eat. Louis brought the final fish after dark, giving Dorcha the opportunity to eat in peace before she returned the fish to the nest and handed it over to one of the chicks – Breac, of course. Nest cam watchers would like Darach to become more competitive. It rained through the night but the weather was reasonably settled during the day, however it’ll be damp again tonight as the overnight forecast is for drizzle and light winds with a low of 13
°C, improving tomorrow with light cloud, light winds and a few sunny spells with a high of 19°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.08.25 (04.09.55); Nest Two 22.59.28 (04.24.20)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/zOdvFUukCXE N2 Dorcha gets the first fish from Louis then lets Breac have it 08.53.55https://youtu.be/LrxqVtV3uPY N2 Darach wants fish two but Breac’s not letting go 11.31.32
https://youtu.be/b7dWNaTq2gk N2
Dorcha arrives on the nest and gets fish three from Louis 22.15.40
Bonus watch –
N2 Long lens video of Aspen LW3 & Alder LW4 seen near the nest 2021 (thanks LizB)
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/C9r2h07HYeM N1 Carnival of the Ospreys 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Saint-Saëns)
https://youtu.be/u-2jWDOe8dg N1 Vera is fascinated as Captain feathers his nest 2020
https://youtu.be/j6YDTQA5stk N1 Aila decides what’s needed is another stick 2020
https://youtu.be/B-JGsEAwA4I N2 Midnight callisthenics 2022
https://youtu.be/CoLyqB6O_iI N2 Nearly but not quite! LW5 prepares for lift-off 2022
https://youtu.be/h87JPZiw5no N2 Louis chases a Hoodie away, watched intently by the chicks 2022
https://youtu.be/4N64tTO4iJE N2 Ludo returns after his first night away 2023
https://youtu.be/nWjM3BF9wxw N1 & N2 Two beautiful pairs of Ospreys posing for the camera 2023
https://youtu.be/Rqz_dXEyC8w N2 Louis arrives to help Dorcha get rid of Hoodies 2023
https://youtu.be/NOUuCyUUt2M N1 Garry brings a second fish for Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/bDbqDZ8sN64 N2 Dorcha spends some time on her nest, no sign of Louis 2024
https://youtu.be/g0q-Tf1BJIc N2 Louis arrives with a stick and does some nest work 2024
https://youtu.be/SgnwBnDdY-g N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish but no one’s there 2024
https://youtu.be/z52q-f7fFmg N2 Spectacular sunset 21.30 to 22.30 (2.3 minute time lapse) 2024
Tweed Valley Ospreys/UK Osprey Information:
Rosie Shields brings us up to date on everything about the Border Ospreys season.
Dunrovin Ranch: Those four beautiful osplets are looking really good!
Charlo: Two surviving osplets are doing fantastic. They are getting some gorgeous juvenile feathers and growing as fast as Toby!
Boulder County: One chick would really like some fish! They both seem to have survived one of the worst nests for human debris I have ever seen!
Hellgate Canyon: Iris still has one of the most beautiful well maintained osprey nests I have ever seen.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: Three surviving osplets are looking good.
More news from the UK: David Wick writes:
sSdoroptenh3aag7i9586l4m6139190i1lh87i0u9mlhaa044uglill9f4f7 ·
“Morning all, both chick’s have fledged at NWT Ranworth .That makes it first to breed and hatch and fledged in about 250 years”
Threave Garden:
Osprey House Environment Centre in Australia where the older sibling is not only being fed but helping feed!
UK Hobbys: https://youtu.be/V4xohmzR0Mo?
Ferris Akel found the Os today and the other evening, and Cornell released a video of Big Red feeding her babies a week ago. https://youtu.be/k-dHLxtlrOI?
Arthur.
One of the Os.
Robert Fuller gives us insight into Red Kite chicks. https://youtu.be/3FtIHHfp2i4?
Is it possible to resurrect a 600 year old extinct bird?
It’s 12ft tall, covered in feathers and has been extinct for 600 years – can the giant moa bird really be resurrected?
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We will see you again on Monday!
I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘AK, Geemeff, Heidi’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.
22 July 2025
SK Hideaways shares a video of Lady returning home to the WBSE nest in the Olympic Park in Sydney after a two-night absence. How tragic this could have been. So relieved. https://youtu.be/yjHWorX70IE?
Talk about another concern for the year unfolding until this golden moment.
Raptor Persecution UK: Peregrines fledge as investigation into the stamping of first clutch continues at St Alban’s Cathedral, UK.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 21st July 2025
Both Darach 7P0 and Breac 7P7 are flying strongly and making good landings, barring the odd crash landing as Breac did today, and spending a great deal of time away from the nest, returning in the hope of being fed. At the time of filing this report (midnight) the nest has been empty for some time as both chicks are opting to spend the night perching in trees like adult Ospreys rather than lying on the nest. They go very quickly from flapping their wings and peering over the edge of the nest to fledging and staying out overnight! Nest cam watchers are suffering from Empty Nest Syndrome (ENS) but we can expect to have the pleasure of the chicks’ occasional company for a little longer before they set off on their epic journey south to Africa. Louis brought three fish to the nest today, the first two were shared by both chicks but only Breac was around to share the third fish with Dorcha. Louis’ tally now stand at three hundred and thirty one, it’s possible he might feed them off nest but only fish brought to the nest are included in the tally. Dorcha will need to feed up before she sets off on migration – in previous years she has brought a total of two fish to the nest, once for herself when she and Louis reunited on 10th April 2023, and once last year on 27th June when Louis was unable to provide fish for the chicks who were subsequently removed and placed on the translocation programme. It will be interesting to see if she brings a fish before leaving Loch Arkaig this year, she was kept busy today seeing off persistent Hooded Crows and for now will continue to rely on Louis for fish. Garry brought two fish to Nest One for Aurora, and his tally rise to one hundred and thirty three. The rain set in this evening, it’s raining now and forecast to continue overnight and all day tomorrow, with an even temperature spread of 15
°C to 17°C.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.06.11 (03.47.07); Nest Two 22.53.56 (03.48.27)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/gUfoE9cW-jY N2 Both chicks are on the nest when Louis brings the first fish04.27.17
https://youtu.be/IdMhLFxTgUc N2 Dorcha and the two chicks greet Louis bringing the second fish 05.17.24
https://youtu.be/cVnRDTNgI9g N1 Garry LV0 brings a breakfast fish for Aurora 06.57.09
https://youtu.be/_IOi93jpKZA N2 Dorcha plays chase with Hooded Crows on and off the nest 11.51.24
https://youtu.be/Ssfmft_FLfQ N1 Aurora gets a second fish from Garry 14.04.39
https://youtu.be/uscyJR5yvXs N2 Breac crash lands on the nest to get fish number three 17.01.48 Bonus podcast – Woodland Trust’s Woodland Walks:
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/tLf_gt9SeJg N1 You little plucker! Unhappy Rannoch nips her mum 2019
https://youtu.be/9AKeLfu1bkc N1 Vera & Captain track Doddie as he returns 2020
https://youtu.be/nUygc6nQVDo N1 Everyone pays attention when RAF Airbus ZM415 flies low past the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/wzmzLuDZqh8 N1 Doddie eats a fish full of fish! 2020
https://youtu.be/AYLqHNPNjBg N2 Dorcha & Louis react furiously to intruder Ospreys 2022
https://youtu.be/MVMad-tdWEY N2 Upstart Crow invades the nest 2022
https://youtu.be/EuIBG6Jr7-4 N2 Tug of trout! Dramatic fight by the chicks 2022
https://youtu.be/9NT23F7pAQo N2 Loch Arkaig Ospreys and Woodland Trust’s George on STV Evening News 2022
https://youtu.be/hfrsSbzGVx8 N2 Simply spectacular sunset seen on nest cam 2022 (speeded up)
https://youtu.be/-WYnf2UNrM8 N1 Affric and Garry look cosy together 2023
https://youtu.be/9ammyKprKoE N1 The welcome sight of Prince arriving to join Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/0ov8gkDNCao N1 Garry brings fish3 for Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/VNxRHm7h66U N2 Ludo departs, will he return tonight? 2023
https://youtu.be/xjqv-5EWRFA N1 Three Ospreys on the nest: Affric 152, Garry LV0 and Dorcha! 2024
https://youtu.be/J4Y2emy_rkM N2 RDF visits Louis on the nest 2024
https://youtu.be/umi0spLP–4 N1 Affric follows Garry to the nest 2024
Birds of Poole Harbour News:
‘PB’ reports that two of the three osplets at OPPD Fort Calhoun in Nebraska have fledged!
Usk Valley: 9K5 fledges!
One of the most remarkable events today comes from a deceased osprey male 4K of Belvoir Castle (near to where we lived in the UK). He raised only two chicks. That is a 100% success. Have a read! 4K is a grandfather. I am in tears. 4K was the hero of Sacha Dench’s Conservation without Borders documentary on the flyway between the UK and West Africa. He sadly died on a power pole.
Geemeff writes, “Simon Curtin, author of If You Build It, He Will Come, emailed me to say that the female of the first pair of Ospreys to breed in East Anglia after an absence of 250 years is none other than Blue 2H7, Blue 4K’s chick!! She’s paired with an unringed male, and Tim Mackrill has confirmed they have two chicks.
Furthermore Simon tells me her brother Blue 2H8 has been sighted back at Belvoir Castle last year and again this year, although not paired up.
What are the odds?! Blue 4K was sat-tagged and tracked by Sacha Dench on the Flight of the Osprey expedition and sighted in his winter quarters in Guinea. He was a 2013 Rutland bird who bred for the first time at nine years old in 2022, produced two chicks at Belvoir then sadly died in Africa returning from migration in 2023. And both of those chicks have been sighted back in the UK – simply astounding and astronomical odds.
Simon’s book is about the attempt to attract Ospreys back to Belvoir after an absence of two hundred years by building nest platforms under the guidance of Tim Mackrill. The project was successful when 4K arrived and paired up with an unringed female and they produced 2H7 and 2H8 who turned out to be his only offspring. George, Steve Quinn and I were thanked in the credits as Woodland Trust gave permission for us to provide fish stats, video and photos of the two Loch Arkaig nests as the Belvoir nests don’t have nest cams.
The book is an easy read and highly recommended.”
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Geemeff and Simon Curtain as well as Geemeff’s Woodland Trust report, Pam Breci, Usk Valley, St Albans, Raptor Persecution UK, and Birds of Poole Harbour for their reports, their images, and their streaming cams. Much appreciated.
21 July 2025
Hello Everyone,
You need some good news! And we have it.
My earlier report indicated that the nest tree at Balgavies Loch had collapsed.
Concern was raised for 4L1. Then something wonderful happened.
Oh, there are birds flying! We may have lost many, but we have to be joyful for those who survived this year. Wish them strength, good health, great winds, and lots of fish – and a return in two years!
Part of Heidi’s earlier post was not attached and it should indicate that at Seaside, Chee fledged! “Seaside osprey cam has had issues with their live stream all season, and it has been frustrating for viewers and the chat moderator, Jewel. There was a fledge the morning of 7/20 that occurred when the livestream was down, and reports came in from ‘boots on the ground’, John and August. With a brief nest view later on, Jewel determined that the oldest chick, ‘Chee’, had fledged at 54 days of age. The BOG’s provided information throughout the day, and when the live stream resumed later on, Chee was seen back on the nest. “
At Alyth SS, Forest, the oldest of the two surviving chicks, has flown on Monday the 21st.
News from the Usk Valley in Wales as they anticipate, in week 7, a huge celebration as 9K5, the first osplet to fledge from a nest in this region of Wales, in over 250 years.
We also have good news coming from Seattle with ‘PS’s report for the weekend.
‘PS’ writes: “Two chicks continue to look good – lots and lots of wing flapping, hopping around, and head bobbing/weaving. Multiple fish feeds by both mom and dad, with dad doing several “touch and gos” just delivering fish and then leaving immediately to look for more. Seem very close to fledging – fingers crossed for these two. Growing body of photos here: https://www.flickr.com/gp/193514804@N08/582NHoev1b
It’s wonderful to see these two doing so well with their crops bulging, and Dad coming in with another fish. So many nests have failed – so as I continue to say, we must rejoice in those that triumph. We cannot lose hope. We need to take action and address the factors that impact our ospreys, such as habitat loss, commercial fishing, and a warming planet.
‘J’ sends us news of both Rita and Ron!
https://www.facebook.com/people/Rita-the-Bald-Eagle/61562017139998
We interrupt Rita’s History Monday posts to bring you an update on Rita’s former nest in the wild! Though we miss Rita on the nest, her mate, Ron continued to carry on the R Nest legacy when he took a new mate, Rose. After Rita’s injury, Ron and Rose continued to raise more “R” nest eagle babies. With the continued care by Lloyd Brown, Wildlife Rescue of Dade County, and the very generous support of Ron Magill and the Ron Magill Conservation Endowment, these eagles continue to thrive at the nest. On Friday, the old nest platform was replaced, and Daniel Montanez, Modern Day Tech Solutions, was on hand to perform all of the camera and sound system maintenance for the upcoming season. Stay tuned for the announcement for when the cams go live again! Thank you to all of these professionals for their care of Rita and her extended family. Your support for these organizations is greatly appreciated. Without your help, they can’t do all of the amazing and valuable work that they do. JK #ritathebaldeagle https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16rY5dH3Fu/
Today we replaced the Bald Eagle nest platform for the “R” nest, the one that is livestreamed from Miami-Dade County, Florida. We pulled down the old “R” nest, expanded the platform and put the new “R” nest in place. The new nest platform was created by South Miami Senior High School teacher Mr. Nick Truby’s class. Our IT guy Danny worked on the cameras and associated electronics. Thanks to our fantastic volunteers Jeanne Kaufman, Jolie Van Der Vlugt, Daniel Montanez, and Mark Monroe, and to Mr. Truby’s students.
This Eagle Nest Cam is made possible by a partnership between Wildlife Rescue of Dade County and the Ron Magill Conservation Endowment. Your donations help us help our National Bird and all the animals in our care: http://dadewildliferescue.com/donate.php
Thank you to Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, Jim Hughes, and the gang at Balgavies Loch; to ‘J’ for the Ron and Rita information, to ‘PS’ for their wonderful photographs and news for the nest in Seattle, Heidi’s monitoring and news, the Usk Valley News, and Alyth. We are so grateful for your concern and care for ospreys! Thank you again.
21 July 2025
Late breaking news that cannot be ignored:
I love storks – white, black or even rainbow coloured. Storks are wonderful and we are killing them along with other birds such as ospreys because of our general disregard for what plastic does to the world. “The chief culprit was baler twine, a plastic string used to secure hay bales: either the twine or its wrapping was responsible for almost all the entangled chicks. A few were caught up in domestic plastics such as bags or milk containers. The chicks died from strangulation, amputation and infected wounds.
“They roll and roll and they go around and it’s almost as if they tie the rope around their legs even harder as they move,” Franco says.
Acácio likes to talk about successful rescues, too. Once, she peered into a nest built on the stump of a cork oak tree to find two three-week-old siblings, their limbs coiled in spirals of blue baler twine.”
How many times has Dr Greene talked about the baling twine issues with ospreys in Montana? We need to find a solution for this plastic monster. It is more than sad.
Please read the article from The Guardian. It is enlightening.
Killer in the nest: how young storks are being strangled by plastichttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/14/discarded-plastic-baler-twine-killing-birds-white-storks-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url
A situation is developing at Osprey House Environment Centre in Australia. The female is feeding last year’s fledgling and her two young osplets! ‘MB’ sends us the FB link:
https://www.facebook.com/OspreyHouseEnvironmentCentre?
Whew! Welcome to the beginning of the week! We hope that each of you had a wonderful weekend.
The Girls enjoy watching the dozens of new baby birds in the garden. They come up close to the conservatory windows and cause quite a stir! Cute little wrens today. The baby Crows still arrive wanting their peanuts, and you can hear the Blue Jays two blocks away if the feeder is empty. It is a joy! Toby has had several walks. We have met many new neighbours and their puppies. He is growing leaps and bounds. I cannot quite believe it. His halter had to be loosened today, and I swear he is 15 cm or 6 inches longer. My new bed seems much smaller, and he really snores. We had a wonderful barbecue celebrating my daughter’s birthday. Everyone was there. It was fantastic. Even the wildfire smoke and wasps could not dampen anyone’s spirits.
I am now a member of the Virginia Wildlife FB group. (Thank you so much for letting me join – I really want to learn about the situation of all wildlife in Virginia.) First thing I noticed – images of Bald Eagles chasing Ospreys to get their precious fish! Check it out on their FB group. Ospreys have trouble with all manner of feathered ‘friends’ trying to get their fish. Gulls, eagles, even other ospreys.
Heidi’s Osprey Nest Notes:
Seaside osprey cam has had issues with their live stream all season, and it has been frustrating for viewers and the chat moderator, Jewel. There was a fledge the morning of 7/20 that occurred when the livestream was down, and reports came in from ‘boots on the ground’, John and August. With a brief nest view later.
Thank you, Heidi.
Gorgeous photograph of the three fledglings from the Centreport Bald Eagle Nest on Long Island, New York.
A good news story about wildlife is always welcome, and I received one last week from one of our regular readers, ‘MP’. I have tried to attach the images, but alas, I gave up. I know that you can imagine a barbed wire fence with large barbs and how, if an animal jumped over the fence, they could easily become injured.
“Hi, Mary Ann. All these photos and writings are from Ron Dudley. He’s showing a good side of ranchers and Nature Conservancy working together for nature. thought this to be a positive side.I thought you’d like to know.~M
Some ranchers in the valley have installed pronghorn-friendly barbed wire fences that have no barbs on the bottom wire. This fence is one of them.
And pronghorn-friendly fences aren’t the only example of ranchers trying to protect wildlife in the valley. Much of the huge valley is Sage Grouse country. When in flight, grouse have a hard time seeing barbed wire, so they often crash into it. When a 6+ lb. Sage Grouse crashes into barbed wire at speed, the results are predictably disastrous.
So some ranchers have allowed organizations like the Nature Conservancy to install bright white fence flags on their fences. The flags are easy to see and research has shown that they significantly reduce grouse/fence mayhem. I took this photo on June 19th in one of the more remote areas of the valley.
Not long after this photo was taken, I talked to a local rancher (Justin) about the fence flags. Here’s what he said (paraphrased) – “As long they (the Nature Conservancy and organisations like them) are willing to pay for them, and install them, I’m certainly willing to allow them to do so.”
Foulshaw Moss and Cumbrian Wildlife Trust:
All three at Foulshaw Moss have now fledged. Congratulations White YW and Blue 35 for another fantastic and very successful year.
Dyfi Osprey Project: Idris is one of my all-time favourite male ospreys. He is known as ‘Daddy Long Legs’, but he is a great fisher. Now he has broken another record. Watch the video to find out what that is: https://youtu.be/Y_GEb2QQapM?
Dunrovin Ranch Osprey Platform:
Allin’s Cove West: “A day in the life of the single parent offspring. Sleep, stretch, wing flat, call for food, and when none arrives, sleep some more.”https://youtu.be/cQx9eX2G31w?
Goitzsche-Wildnis with J Castyner: “Being an only child seems to have only advantages. Zeus and Fjona have focused on taking care of the boy, protecting him and feeding him in the best possible way. We can see it in the video. Mother and son are (I think) on the camera pole screaming to claim the teak, but when the father arrives alone the young man goes down to collect the piece: a beautiful headless fish, a luxurious fillet. For the boy, the best.” (The two older siblings were predated by a Red Kite). Other report below on this nest.
Sauces Canyon: Betty Lou comes home. https://youtu.be/19Ah8LzbEfI?
Two Harbours: Date night with long-time bonded mates, Chase and Cholyn by SK Hideaways. https://youtu.be/4PCwSnUvu2k?
West End Nest: Haku is on and off the nest. Makaio has not been seen for some weeks. Many believe he has left for migration since this is off-season. We must wait. It looks like Haku is warming up to the new visiting male.
I receive many questions about Akecheta since he was photographed on the mainland near Ojai. To my knowledge, no other photographs with his blue wing tag have been taken. I am sure he is alright. Is Thunder with him? Well, we haven’t seen her around the nest, and I just think she left eggs so abruptly that it is possible.
Haku and MV (male visitor) are a nice looking couple.
Coeur de’Alene, Idaho: The three surviving osplets are doing well. Mum has not removed the body of the fourth baby yet.
Fru Rauer: The Norwegian Osprey Project and Translocation of Norwegian birds to Ireland.
Short explanation video. Click on CC for English. The ten are already in Ireland. https://youtu.be/o6mjGxTfAbs?
Ringing of Ospreys in Taipalsaari 2025: https://youtu.be/opE1IBwXeN0?
mie caught a fish delivery at the
Kallaveden sääksilive: https://youtu.be/K4pDiyKbUTg?
Ringing at the Janakkalan Nest in Finland: https://youtu.be/UFhpbkVDrwA?
J Castnyer catches a fish delivery at the Goitzsche Wildnis Osprey nest in Germany. That fledgling was in there quick – ‘Mine and Mine Alone’ is the message. https://youtu.be/C7sh8ngNEVo?
And they give us an update at Eschenbach: “Despite the problems in broadcasting the live broadcast from the Eschenbach nest, I have uploaded this short video to confirm that everything is going well: Herbert has delivered a fish, Hermine is repeating the teak between the children and, most importantly, both are now flying. Normality is a gift from heaven.” https://youtu.be/yp5U1QXB_LQ?
Rutland Manton Bay: Will Maya stay home, postponing the start to her migration to help feed all those babies? We wait to see.
Birds of Poole Harbour: Everyone wants fish. Caught three on the nest.
Big Bear Valley: Jack and Shadow ‘almost’ visit. SK Hideaways catches it. https://youtu.be/SjMY4TyS_Ws?
Trempeauleau, WI: Mum is home, but where is T3? Well, that fledgling is never far away. Mum comes in with a fish and you can hear the sqeeing and then T3 is there to grab her dinner.
SK Hideaways caught Mum bringing in one of her whoppers for her ‘baby’. https://youtu.be/rmu1eJKTMkY?
Talk about a loving and devoted mother. Mrs T sure is that and more. I get all weepy seeing the two of them together. It was such a challenging year for Mrs T raising this fledgling from hatch alone – and often, as I have said many times, without the help of Mr T, who was a hindrance stealing fish for his other nest with two youngsters from this one! But, nevermind, Mrs T did the unthinkable. She is amazing.
SK Hideaways also catches up with the Southern UK Hobby Falcon nest in the UK: https://youtu.be/7S9hwxdwaQ0?
Oh, my goodness, they are sooooo cute.
Tatarsan White-tail Eagles, RU: Fledgling visits nest, hoping for food.
Latvian Golden Eagles: Food delivery from Grislis. Spilve feeds – and it was a long feeding. https://youtu.be/-_HhGdK-pi8?
Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal: The entire article and the information on how to write is in my late Monday, 14 July blog. There is a big meeting on May 7. Don’t sit on this. Could you write to the Virginia Legislators? Cute and Paste – send it to all of them, demanding proper biodiversity and an end to commercial fishing in the Chesapeake and along the coasts of the Atlantic. We don’t want any more osplets to die, along with many other species.
If you love osprey, don’t sit on this. Get busy. Set aside two hours – that is all it would take to compose a letter – and send it out to every Virginia politician, along with the journalist who wrote the article, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, etc. This is not the time to be silent.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 20th July 2025
The two chicks practised their flying and landing skills today, popping on and off the nest especially when Louis was around delivering fish. Breac got most of the two fish delivered by Louis, but Darach was determined and attacked both Dorcha and Breac to get a share. Both chicks were mantling and squawking over the fish so it appears hyperphagia (compulsion to eat) is setting in as migration looms in the not too distant future. Louis’ tally rises to three hundred and twenty eight, and Garry’s one fish delivery takes his tally to one hundred and thirty one, although it was such a small piece of fish, Aurora might not consider it worth counting. After staying dry most of today, the rain started this evening and scattered showers will probably continue through tonight with cloudy skies, light winds, and a low of 15°C causing muggy conditions. There’s a weather warning in place for the Highlands tomorrow of heavy showers and scattered thunderstorms causing localised flooding, and a high of 21°C in the Inver Mallie area.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.26.53 ( 03.50.00E); Nest Two 23.19.12 (03.57.54)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/4l4BfjYbvU0 N1 Garry brings Aurora a tiny bit of fish but she takes it anyway 06.59.02
https://youtu.be/1XR3T6twJ-g N2 Dorcha takes fish one from Louis then allows Breac to take it 14.01.16
https://youtu.be/AcWKLikcyc8 N2 And repeat! Dorcha gets fish two from Louis then lets Breac get it 19.28.55
https://youtu.be/_Xh5vhdm9qI N2 Dorcha & Breac are attacked by Darach after he gets hold of fish two 20.29.10
Bonus watch – LizB’s long lens videos from a mile away of Darach and Breac just after Darach fledged yesterday:
Blast from the past, 19th July* in previous years:
https://youtu.be/BIHDRrpe6Qo N1 My turn daddy! Louis feeds Rannoch 2019
https://youtu.be/TwqqSshM42E N1 Doddie drops in to grab all the breakfast 2020
https://youtu.be/-xNiwmN-xQI N1 Doddie does an evening flypast of the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/EYDBamjYrf8 N1 Hey! who put that there? Prince makes an undignified departure 2021
https://youtu.be/304-lrclaZw N1 Third visit by the new pair Blue 152 & Prince YP 2021
https://youtu.be/xW2CIMG3IDM N2 Hooked on you – the chicks get hooked together! 2022
https://youtu.be/lmPZ_jmuEz0 N2 Dorcha reacts to an intruder Osprey seen on camera 2022
https://youtu.be/L1DG3H9gUUM N2 RAF flypast doesn’t stop Louis (2022)
https://youtu.be/k_2pVwLNAZU N2 Louis brings a fish and eats it himself 2023
https://youtu.be/Lq9DbF3I6J4 N2 LY7 does a massive double helicopter! 2023
https://youtu.be/9SyP31iXLbc N2 FLEDGE! Ludo LY7 is off into the world! 2023
https://youtu.be/xArpA43gG1Q N1 Affric 152 receives another fish from Garry 2023
https://youtu.be/6SBcqw1oX38 N1 A Wood Pigeon visits 2024
https://youtu.be/wp5mZUIOlQU N2 No fish and a failed mating attempt 2024
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 19th July 2025
Today was a day for celebration – not only did Breac 7P7 return safely after not returning to the nest after his maiden flight yesterday, but Darach 7P0 also fledged, and returned in time to be fed by his mum Dorcha. His fledge wasn’t the nonchalant take off his brother made – Darach did some flapping, hopping, and squeaking before launching himself off the right edge of the nest and out of sight. However, his return was pretty good, he made a smooth landing looking confident as if he’d been flying for a while. So that’s both chicks achieving this milestone, and while some on the forum express sadness at no longer having them around all the time, this is the major step in their development, their parents have been working towards. Many watchers are celebrating by making a donation towards the upkeep of their home in Arkaig Forest – there are many ways to donate, the easiest one is to use the yellow button on this page above ‘What’s been happening on the nest today?’ All donations of whatever size are gratefully received and will be put to good use. In other news, Louis delivered four fish to the nest today, one of which Breac tried to eat starting from the tail! But soon realised his mistake, flipped it around neatly, and started tearing into the head as Dorcha has shown them. Louis’ tally now stands at three hundred and twenty six, while Garry’s rises by one to one hundred and thirty following his delivery to Aurora today. The promised rain materialised and the chicks were just a damp huddle, the forecast calls for more rain overnight continuing tomorrow with thundery showers, with a low of 16°C tonight and a high of 21°C tomorrow.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.43.27 (03.31.43); Nest Two 23.55.24 (04.00.52)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/lm8l1KbeW_w N2 Darach & Dorcha ignore Louis’ fresh fish preferring the old one 04.56.26https://youtu.be/B56rYKu0NdQ N2 That’s no way to treat your mum! Darach pecks Dorcha 07.13.28 https://youtu.be/B89bbPQVaPk He’s back! Breac returns from his maiden flight N2 09.05.27 https://youtu.be/OdCbe-kLjjA N2 Both helicopter together, Breac takes off for flight two 10.38.00
https://youtu.be/2ks2GzdtlO8 N2 FLEDGE! Darach has done it! also found his wings 13.02.38 (zoom)https://youtu.be/hnm7TNtng34 N2 Dorcha allows Breac to have the second fish 15.45.52 https://youtu.be/i-scN7LGgIY N1 Aurora grabs the fish and goes, Garry stays and tidies up 17.26.48
https://youtu.be/tQMpMSjGkpo N2 He’s back! Darach returns and sticks the landing 17.31.27https://youtu.be/OAkKQWbpQRU N2 Two wet chicks greet Louis arriving with fish number three 18.31.50 Bonus watch – another brilliant video from Steve Quinn of the nest seen from a kilometre away:
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/bzD0ewEZPy0 N1 FLEDGE!! Mallie takes her first flight! 2019
https://youtu.be/nyUAdw2pU64 N1 I’m home mum! Mallie lands gracefully after her maiden flight 2019
https://youtu.be/NZL4TzrXZJ4 N1 A different perspective: the family in split-screen, 2020 (thanks LizB)
https://youtu.be/Dn8RbvlOV_s N1 Vera lands on Captain 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/S9BxyRx0wUA N2 Night moves: LW5 prepares for liftoff 2022
https://youtu.be/EcWKtfYf9OU N2 Have fish will travel: Fish number two arrives, departs and returns 2022
https://youtu.be/Mz4fJSZ_LUQ N2 Dorcha and LW6 fight over a fish 2022
https://youtu.be/T8wtZ_Zrq_E N2 Ludo’s second flight 2023
https://youtu.be/kYV3QZ-BIa8 N2 Ludo’s eventful third flight – gets divebombed and crash lands 2023
https://youtu.be/ZtKWJC9nqiU N1 Affric eventually gets a fish from Garry 2023
https://youtu.be/VmlZ8LP5KjU N2 Ludo makes a perfect landing this time 2023
https://youtu.be/HQpwZ0KNtUU N2 Ludo gets tired of waiting and self-feeds 2023
https://youtu.be/n5V3RcoCZJI N1 Garry arrives with a third fish for Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/yx5Yoxe0feY N2 Not tonight! Dorcha’s not accepting of Louis’ attentions 2023 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/Vkh1bYP9V_U N1 Sweet little singer visits 2024
https://youtu.be/U2bBn4PpMoM N1 Garry LV0 brings a stick and does nest prep 2024
https://youtu.be/jN1-tY56wnA N1 A pair of little birds pay an early evening visit 2024
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 18th July 2025
Today’s main story is Breac 7P7’s fledge. After doing a proper high helicopter off the screen in the morning, around lunchtime he casually had a quick preen, then without any fuss, spread his wings and launched himself out into the world. Older brother Darach 7P0 looked slightly bewildered but mum Dorcha flew off her perch to deal with the interloper, mistaking him for one of the intruders who’ve kept her and Louis busy today. He didn’t return to the nest, but thanks to LizB and her trusty scope, he’s been sighted perching on a tree behind the nest. Link in the bonus section to those trees via the drone flyover video. Despite intruder alarms, Louis delivered four fish to the nest, taking his tally to three hundred and twenty two. Nest One cam was up and running again this morning, allowing us to see Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 on the nest. He didn’t bring her any fish but they did have a successful mating, and when Affric 152 intruded and landed on the nest, they flew off together in the same direction showing their strong bond which bodes well for next year. His tally remains at one hundred and twenty nine. The weather was settled today, the thundery showers didn’t materialise but are forecast to show up tomorrow with a high of 22°C, but overnight it’s expected to be dry and partly cloudy with light winds, and a low of 14°C.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.41.29 (03.51.51E); Nest Two (04.08.30)
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/FAR3H2mrmRY N2 Darach wins the tug of war for fish one 06.59.30
https://youtu.be/jiKLX7mriNA N1 Garry and Aurora are scared off by Affric 11.02.30
https://youtu.be/Dehz9bEl9po N2 Breac gets high! Proper off-the-screen helicopter 09.40.27
https://youtu.be/Y3McAjshYKw N2 FLEDGE! Breac 7P7 has found his wings and flown! 13.23.30
https://youtu.be/G_madcp0b3c N2 Louis brings a second fish but only one chick is there 14.51.40
https://youtu.be/632J3R7_bUk N2 Darach is alone on the nest and gets fish three to himself 16.59.16
https://youtu.be/JIAeVM0yzpY N2 Darach does a good job of tackling a whole fish, 4th today 21.56.24
Bonus watch – LizB has spotted Breac 7P7 perched behind the nest, in the trees seen in this drone flyover video:
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/hVAZXaUtY_M N1 Did Aila pop out for a quick pint? Looks tipsy on landing! 2019
https://youtu.be/25QSyNV93w8 N1 Sibling rivalry – Rannoch gets a beating 2019
https://youtu.be/fZq4NVQVZGk N1 FLEDGE! Doddie finds his wings 2020 (Classic Ospreys: Chopin 2020)
https://youtu.be/FXbWOQ9_eII N1 Vera and Captain bow to Doddie 2020
https://youtu.be/jzeN92U37KU N2 Dorcha makes off with fish number two, chicks not happy 2022
https://youtu.be/QLDYCp-9mQE N2 Dorcha makes room for LW5 to wingercise 2022
https://youtu.be/gGXO_xyQDws N1&2 RAF do another flypast – three jets this time 2023
https://youtu.be/vxdVywfJT3U N1 Garry finally brings a fish for Affric 2023
https://youtu.be/mmcV4tRItZk N2 LY7 gets high! Proper helicopter! 2023
https://youtu.be/qaojgIgK74A WTScotsocial tweet and footage of 1JR tucking into his fish dinner in Spain 2024
https://youtu.be/wa59vTuwYJc N2 No fish, just a failed mating attempt 2024
https://youtu.be/pxWsh7-M96g N2 Is this a juvenile Tawny Owl calling nearby? 2024
From the Ventana Wildlife Society. I am starting with a quote from the newsletter. The work that these remarkable individuals do should get the highest praise. There are few of them and they really live their lives caring for these amazing creatures.
“If you watched our wildlife documentary, Condor Canyon, you got to know Amigo (204) and his long-time mate, Kodama (646). Often the first condors seen by blossoming birders in Big Sur, CA, Amigo and Kodama were fixtures in their territory at Sea Lion Cove. They raised three biological chicks together playing a key role in the recovery of the species.
On December 13, 2024, Amigo was found deceased on the cliffs of his coastal territory. It is known that condors can live more than 5 decades, however, at the time of his death, Amigo was just 25 years old. Necropsy results confirmed his cause of death was lead poisoning. The lead bullet recovered from his digestive tract was consistent with a .22 caliber. While this caliber is legal in California, lead-based ammunition has been banned for hunting wildlife since 2019 due to its devastating effects on condors and other wildlife. Lead poisoning accounts for half of all known causes of death in condors and unfortunately for Amigo, his life was cut short.
However, this isn’t about blame, but rather, about solutions. Hunters and ranchers across California are following the law and doing their part to protect wildlife. Many responsible land stewards want to make the switch but still face limited availability of reliable non-lead options for smaller calibers like .22, which is America’s most popular rifle. Expanding access and awareness is key to protecting condors and supporting people whose livelihoods depend on working and living off the land.
Let’s honor Amigo’s legacy by advancing practical tools and partnerships that benefit both people and wildlife. If you or anyone you know hunts or has a ranch in central California, please pass along information about our Free Non-lead Ammunition Program. Click or tap the button below to get started.” That button is in the newsletter. If it doesn’t work, go to their website.
Lead toxicity impacts more than just condors. Many of the Bald Eagles taken into care have enormous amounts of lead, so don’t just do this for the condors, do it for all raptors. Call for a lead-free world in terms of ammunition (both recreational and military) as well as in fishing gear, etc. It is do dangerous!
I have received news from ‘TU’ that the mother stork hit by the car in the Czech Republic has died. Thankfully, her storklets are doing very well. Had their rescue taken any longer, it might have been a different story.
‘TU’ and I also discussed Bonus the much beloved Black Storklet that was orphaned, raised for a bit in a clinic with Urmas and Dr Madis, and then fostered by Karl II and Kaia. We all loved Bonus and followed ‘his’ journeys and then his satellite transmitter went dead and our hearts sank. Well, Bonus might not have a transmitter but SHE is very much alive and has been seen and photographed at many nests. Urmas also agrees that Bonus is a female. Yippee. I hope that Bonus finds a safe nest – many more are needed along with artificial ponds full of frogs and little fish – but that she lives long, raises many storklets, and carries on the DNA of her parents, Jan and Janika.
Grandaughter Elysha highly recommends David Attenborough’s Ocean. It is a documentary that raises the issue of overfishing in the ocean and sheds light on our beloved albatross. Please check out the official trailer and then find the documentary on your streaming channel: https://youtu.be/O7V8OuS2BMY?
A new FB group that also looks at Kakapo.
The Cornell Red Tail Hawks, Big Red, and Arthur’s Os are still enjoying their time around the Cornell Campus and having Mum and Dad provide them with meals!~
Thank you so very much for being with us. We are taking a brief retreat-type holiday this week. The forecast, however, is for rain both where we live and at our destination. It is easier to be home to care for Don and Toby, but we are going with open minds and eyes, knowing that home is only 2 hours and 20 minutes away! My Friday blog may be short.
Brock is waiting for food. Then the wasps came and he left. Thankfully, he returned and ate his entire meal. I felt relieved, as he doesn’t look so good these days.
I want to thank our notable contributors, ‘Geemeff, Heidi, PB, PS, TU’, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos, including SK Hideaways, and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all those at Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal FB. I am very grateful to you and all the others and to the newspapers that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.
