Tag Archives: Achieva

P3 hatches at Cornell…late Saturday in Bird World

9 May 2026

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for your lovely comments and notes. I am so glad you enjoyed the post about those amazing female raptors! They are truly incredible.

Jill was up early Saturday morning catching a breakfast fish for her and the kids. It is hard for her – Big and Little are growing leaps and bounds and eating more and more and she still must maintain her own strength in order to go and fish for all of them. The nest cannot count on Jack who has an odd pattern of fish deliveries.

‘PB’ caught this great screen capture of Jill coming in with that early fish. She really is quite amazing.

An osprey in flight carrying a fish with its talons, surrounded by trees and a glimpse of a road below.

I don’t recall worrying so much about a hatch at Big Red’s nest. It must surely be because we lost the first one and the nest has been so soggy this year with all the rain. The little one did make it! Thank goodness. There is so much prey. No one ever goes hungry on Big Red’s nest and never will unless there is a physical reason they cannot eat!

A Red-tailed Hawk sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with visible chicks in the nest.
Two young red-tailed hawk chicks resting in their nest, surrounded by twigs and feathers.
A red-tailed hawk tending to its nest with several hatchlings visible among twigs and branches.
A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, with urban scenery visible in the background.

Saturday was always Ferris Akel Day. We watched and often chatted every Saturday during or was it after? the pandemic. I miss being able to sit and go on a bird tour with Ferris who is incredibly knowledgable. Today, I stepped in for a few moments. He was at the Blue Heron rookery and they had babies!

A close-up shot of two birds near their nests in a tree, surrounded by branches and foliage.
A bird perched on a branch near its nest, which contains chicks, surrounded by tree branches in a natural setting.

Ferris is a great distance away, which makes these images just that more special. Check him out on YouTube.

A work of art ‘Ghost Sky Dance’ that documents the illegal killing of the Hen Harriers in the Yorkshire Moors.

‘Ghost sky dance’ – powerful new artwork documents the illegal killing of Hen Harriers on UK grouseDownload

Some good news and some bad from Knepp Wilding about Turtle Doves.

Turtle doves are back!
This year our most longed-for winter migrants have been bang on time. Our first turtle dove was recorded at Knepp on 24 April. Already we’re hearing several male ‘turtle’s doing their territorial ‘turr-offs’ from dead trees in the Southern Block. 
Once common in the 1960s, the UK now has fewer than 3,000 turtle doves, thanks mostly to the loss of protective habitat and the wildflowers which provide them with tiny, protein-rich seeds to eat. Numbers at Knepp remain around 20 singing males every year – that’s a quarter of the population in Sussex. 
Last year, however, just as their numbers were beginning to recover, the European Commission overturned a ban on hunting turtle doves in parts of Western Europe. Every turtle dove arriving in the UK is a tiny miracle.

The parents have returned to the nest and brought fish to the Dale Hollow Eaglets. One had fishing line and the AEF team was able to remove it.

Three young birds nestled in a nest among tree branches, with green leaves in the background.
Three young bird nestlings resting in a nest among green leaves and trees.
A live stream image capturing a nest of young bald eagles resting on a tree branch, surrounded by green leaves.
Two young eagles resting in their nest, surrounded by green leaves and tree bark.

The Sandy Steers Celebration of Life will be on 13 June 2026. It will be live streamed. Check their FB page for details.

Banner for Sandy Steers' Celebration of Life event, featuring a scenic background of Big Bear Valley and an image of a smiling woman.

Forestry England has another nest that has a streaming cam.

A close-up image of an osprey sitting on its nest, surrounded by twigs and foliage, overlooking a lush green forest and lakes in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Olivia was not getting fish deliveries at the Severna Park Osprey platform in Maryland. She, like so many others last year, has abandoned her eggs, which have been eaten by crows. This is the first nest on a streaming cam in 2026 that the adults have had to abandon due to a lack of food. Please if you live in Virginia, please help those rally to stop the commercial fishing of Menhaden which is vital to the ecosystem for that entire area – including Maryland!

I want to give a shout-out to all those folks who are designing ingenious ways to feed the ospreys that live near or on their property. I won’t ever tell who you are, but I hope that what you try works and that those adults and babies thrive. You are my heroes.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 9th May 2026

Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday, a calm routine of fish deliveries and incubation changeovers. Exactly what’s needed as life develops inside those beautiful speckled eggshells, moving slowly towards hatching day sometime in the first half of June. Louis delivered three fish for Dorcha taking the Nest Two tally to fifty, and Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536 taking the Nest One tally to fifty three. Ospreys are migratory birds and this weekend celebrates International Migratory Bird Day, therefore tonight’s bonus item is a programme on bird migration. 

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/W5LTMlv0XbA N2 Dorcha’s dulcet tones ring out as she summons fish one 05.27.59

https://youtu.be/8A0rloqPT3U N1 Aurora refuses a fish, did she have one during cam down time? 09.11.42

https://youtu.be/cedJn2Xd8tU N2 Louis gets to egg-sit when Dorcha leaves with fish two 12.38.38

https://youtu.be/zsNnPyCm_Zc  N1 Aurora doesn’t pass up fish number two  17.26.03   

https://youtu.be/HJ6GBAbxGKI  N2 Dorcha transfers fish three to her talons in mid-air 18.44.11

Bonus listen on International Migratory Bird Day – an ‘In our Time’ episode on Bird Migration (thanks MTL)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08wmk5j

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/NqE_YC8NTWQ  N1 Graceful Aila does a fishy flypast 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/AlayYBTfRbw  N1 Louis leaves the eggs to chase an Intruder Osprey 2020 (slo-mo) 

https://youtu.be/gTF4db9pYiQ  N1 Hurricane force gust nearly blows Aila off the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/Tt0NmWwPiAw  N1 Male & female Siskin pay an early morning visit 2021 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/Z_f1lAL9g68  N2 Undignified upside down Dorcha 2022 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/Q4KTtgMN_mI  N2 Ouch! Dorcha crashes into the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/fju0tKjGYbg  N1 On again, off again male visitor LV0 visits 2023

https://youtu.be/261d7botW24  N1 Garry pays a 20-second flying visit 2024 (zoom)  

https://youtu.be/SjXAu0qtxe4 N2 Fish number two does a fast flypast before landing 2024

https://youtu.be/3ersPiqRQ9I N2 A cuckoo calls as Louis brings breakfast 2025

https://youtu.be/5tHDrDx6lpw N1 Aurora leaves her perch to grab Garry’s second fish 2025

https://youtu.be/RPVpjzsMhKA N1 Handsome Garry bathed in the light of the setting sun 2025

Come and join the friendly folk at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – everyone’s welcome!

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

The osplets at Lake Murray are doing great according to Heidi – and the little one has just the cutest bottom. Nice, round, and fat. This is all thanks to the new male at the nest!

An osprey family in their nest, with two adult ospreys feeding their three chicks. The nest is made of sticks and branches, surrounded by leaves.

The American Bird Conservancy (ABC)’s bird of the week, The Yellow-breasted Chat. Have a good read – see how much you can learn about this special feathered friend.

Yellow-breasted Chat – American Bird ConservancyDownload

One of the things that I love about my tiny urban plot is that it is home to so many species of wildlife. Every year, we try to plant more shrubs and flowers to attract more bees and butterflies while making certain there are always decaying logs scattered about the property, providing a home for insects and a feast for so many of the birds. I can’t fight the big commercial enterprises that are destroying our planet, but I can make a difference right where I live – and so can you! It only takes one plant, specifically designed for your region and the bees or butterflies that live there, to make a difference. Why don’t you find a spot to plant something this year so that you can sit and watch the visitors come? And remember – please leave out water. It is the gift of life.

In London, the Queen Elizabeth II garden is attracting all manner of creatures! Enjoy the images.

A new haven for wildlife: London’s Queen Elizabeth II garden opens to the public – in pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/apr/28/new-haven-wildlife-london-queen-elizabeth-ii-garden-opens-public-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

It has been a week of ups and downs at our house. The weather is not helping. I find that warm days when we can be outside, even if it’s just sitting on a chair on the deck, are so beneficial to one’s mental health. As I have mentioned many times in recent years, Don is now in his fifth year of being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. For those that are unfamiliar, it is different than Alzheimer’s. This AI overview is rather good:

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and Alzheimer’s differ primarily in their initial symptoms and progression: LBD features early hallucinations, significant cognitive fluctuations, and Parkinson-like movement issues, whereas Alzheimer’s typically begins with memory loss. LBD often progresses faster and includes REM sleep disorders, whereas Alzheimer’s is generally slower and affects memory first.

Key Differences at a Glance

  • Initial Symptoms: LBD often starts with attention, executive function, and visual-spatial issues, while Alzheimer’s starts with short-term memory loss.
  • Fluctuations: LBD patients experience drastic, daily, or hourly changes in alertness and attention; Alzheimer’s symptoms are usually more consistent.
  • Movement: Parkinsonism (rigid muscles, slow movement, tremors) appears early in LBD, often within one year of cognitive decline. Movement issues appear in late-stage Alzheimer’s.
  • Hallucinations: Early, detailed visual hallucinations are common in LBD, while they typically occur in later stages of Alzheimer’s.
  • Sleep: REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams) is a common early indicator of LBD, not Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Association +4

Brain Pathology and Progression

  • LBD: Caused by abnormal deposits of alpha-synuclein proteins (Lewy bodies) that deplete brain chemical messengers.
  • Alzheimer’s: Caused by Amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
  • Progression: LBD tends to progress faster than Alzheimer’s, with a survival rate often averaging 5 to 7 years.

Why Diagnosis Matters
An accurate diagnosis is critical because LBD patients may have severe adverse reactions to certain antipsychotic medications commonly used to treat behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer’s.

Many of you have written to me about a family member or partner that is suffering from memory loss. Please, please get them to a doctor for a diagnosis. The earlier, the better. It is incredible what treatments and medications they have now that they didn’t have five years ago!

Don’s disease is beginning to progress rapidly now. We enjoy every good moment as his apathy and hallucinations grow. I always remind everyone to also enjoy life as much as you can. Don’t sit and cry over what happened a year or ten years ago or more or worry about next year. Enjoy your life right now. You never know what is coming around the corner.

I will end there. Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. I am going to take tomorrow off. See you Monday evening.

Thank you to all of the contributors today – those great people with their daily summaries, videos, articles, and investigative reporting. Thank you to ‘PB’ and Heidi for keeping track of the US ospreys and to the owners of the streaming cams and UK Osprey Information FB.

Happy Mother’s Day to all our Raptor females

7 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

Latest Update from Cornell: “The final Red-tailed Hawk egg began to show signs of hatching early on the morning on May 7 on day 36 of incubation. Watching closely, movement can be seen from the “pip,” or small hole in the egg, throughout the video. The hatching process can take 12–24 hours to complete, or longer in some cases.”

There is a rescue underway at Dale Hollow Eagle nest (see below).

I have to say that I have never been a ‘Hallmark Person’ – someone who sends cards and celebrates special days just because some company came up with an idea for making more and more money from us. This especially goes to Mother’s and Father’s Days because so many were raised by their Grandmothers who really were their Mums (like me, so mine could work), others had parents who died or abandoned them…sometimes when a day is happy for someone, it is a total sadness day for someone else.

That said, this year we are really going to give a shout out to the most incredible raptor Mum that I have seen in years. If I could send her a bouquet of fish and a card with fish that popped up, I would. They are all heroes who have overcome more challenges than we witness, but this year, a few stand out, and one, in particular.

The top Raptor Mum Award has to go to Jill at the Achieva Osprey Platform. I would love to know if anyone has witnessed a female leave their babies at such a young age when she realised that the little one was doing to die if more fish didn’t get on the nest.

So, let’s look back for a minute. Big hatched on 27 March, with Little following five days later, on 2 April. Yes, look at that spread. There were three eggs – Heidi and I have decided that Big was egg 1 and Little was egg 3.

The first time that Jill left the nest to catch a catfish was on the 15th of April. At the beginning, she only left the chicks around 1700-1800. She would leave and return in 25-30 minutes with a large catfish. As Jack’s deliveries diminished and the chicks’ need for more fish grew, Jill began going out twice a day. She would often wait to see if Jack would bring a morning fish, and if he hadn’t by 1030 or 1100, she would go fishing. Those trips to bring fish to the nest have now increased to three as she often now goes out after 1900.

Jill took a real risk leaving her tiny babies vulnerable. Jack was not there protecting them. He was not bringing food. Jill was starving. What choice did she have? Stay on the nest and watch her babies die? Abandon the chicks? She did neither. With bold determination, both babies appear to be growing and healthy. I wonder how many other osplets would have survived if their Mums would leave the nest and go and fish for them?

‘MP’ took this screen capture commenting what a beautiful wing pattern that it is —- and it is precisely perfect. Not a feather out of place!

An eagle stands in a nest made of twigs and branches, with its wings partially spread, surrounded by green trees in the background.

‘PB’ keeps a good eye on what Jill is doing – and how Little is growing bigger and bolder.

Two young owls sitting on a nest made of sticks and debris, with a view of the surrounding habitat.
A parent osprey with three chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by greenery.
A bird resting in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by greenery and visible rooftops in the background.

My runner-up is Mrs T at the Trempealeau Bald Eagle nest, who, seeing her mate feed his chicks and another mate across the lake, was able to keep one of her eaglets alive by going out hunting and fishing.

A bald eagle, referred to as Mrs. T, is tucking a chick into a nest made of twigs and feathers while surrounded by greenery.

There are two notable senior females that we could not miss on this Mother’s Day – Iris and Big Red.

Iris is at least thirty years old.

An osprey perched on its nest made of twigs and branches, with a view of a parking lot and trees in the background during dawn.
A close-up view of an osprey sitting in its nest made of sticks, with a parking lot and trees in the background.

AI overview:

“Iris, the renowned 28-plus-year-old osprey at Hellgate Canyon, is estimated to have successfully fledged over 30 to 40 chicks in her lifetime. As of the 2024 season, she was still actively breeding, and she returned for the 2026 season to her nest at Missoula.

  • Total Lifetime Estimated Chicks: 30–40+
  • Recent Activity: In 2024, she successfully raised two chicks with her mate, Finnegan: Sum-eh and Antali.
  • Status: She is considered one of the oldest known living ospreys, nesting at the Hellgate Canyon site since at least the early 2000s. 

Iris has had several mates over her long residency in Montana, including Stanley, Louis, and her more recent mates, consistently returning to the same area to nest”.

There is a published book that I have that show the move from the utility pole to Iris’s current nest that had a good history and images. (I need to find it!)

The other is Big Red, the Red-tailed Hawk whose nest is on the Cornell Campus at Ithaca, New York. She hatched in 2003 and was banded in October of that same year at Brooktondale, New York. Her natal nest is 7 miles from her breeding nest. Her first mate is believed to be Ezra (he was on camera when it began in 2012) but, no one knows for sure. Big Red probably started breeding by 2006.

A red-tailed hawk sitting in its nest surrounded by twigs and remnants of food.
A red-tailed hawk is seen in a nest with three fluffy chicks and remains of prey.
A Red-tailed Hawk tending to its chicks in a nest, surrounded by twigs and remnants of prey.

Two separate AI entries, the first for Ezra and then Arthur:

AI:

“Big Red and her mate Ezra successfully raised 15 chicks together over the five years (2012–2016) they were followed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Cams. 

Key Details on Big Red and Ezra’s Offspring:

  • Timeframe: They nested together on the Cornell campus from 2012 until Ezra’s death in March 2017.
  • Consistency: The pair typically raised 3 chicks per year, with successful breeding seasons recorded on camera each year from 2012–2016.
  • Legacy: Ezra was known for his dedication to his family, often feeding the chicks and protecting them during harsh weather. 

After Ezra’s passing in 2017, Big Red paired with a new mate, Arthur, in 2018.”

“As of the end of the 2024 season, Big Red and her mate, Arthur, have successfully raised 20 chicks to fledging at Cornell University since pairing up in 2018. Known for regularly laying 3 eggs in many seasons, she has produced a high volume of chicks, often laying 4 eggs in 2022 and 2024. 

Key Details on Big Red’s Broods:

  • Total Fledged (approx. 2018–2024): 20 chicks.
  • Recent Seasons (2025–2026): In 2025, she laid 3 eggs. As of early May 2026, she is actively raising a new brood.
  • High-Volume Years: Big Red laid 4 eggs in 2022 and 2024.

Big Red is a highly successful Red-tailed Hawk monitored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Cams, and her nesting, egg-laying, and chick-rearing are tracked yearly. 

We know that Big Red also laid a clutch of 4 eggs in 2026 as we are watching that nest now. The first hatch died during hatch. It is unclear as of 7 May if the remaining egg is viable. There are two chicks on the nest, cute little bobble heads.

In my memory, only one chick failed to fledge til this year, and that was K3, who had an issue with their jaw. K3 was rescued but did not survive. E3 is an ambassador for Cornell. Several died from window collisions on campus and one from West Nile Virus, last year. They are not ringed so we do not know the dispersal area.

Other brief news:

Johnson City’s eaglets are almost ready to fledge.

Two young birds in a nest surrounded by greenery, taken from a camera at Johnson City.

Ruth and Oren’s little hawklets at Syracuse University are doing fine.

A mother hawk watches over her two fluffy chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.

Rescue Underway!

Announcement of a planned intervention operation by the American Eagle Foundation to assist a bald eaglet entangled in fishing line at a nest in the Dale Hollow area.
Information about the American Eagle Foundation's efforts in wildlife rescue and the dangers posed to eagles by discarded fishing line.
A close-up image of a young bird with fluffy feathers resting in a nest made of twigs and leaves, surrounded by greenery.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 6th May 2026

Another calm routine day where not a lot happened, just fish deliveries and changeovers of egg-sitters. Garry LV0 brought Aurora 536 two fish, taking his tally to forty eight, and Louis brought one fish for Dorcha, taking the nest total to forty three. The weather was settled but is forecast to change to light rain showers with light winds overnight and through to tomorrow afternoon. Both nests fall under the Inver Mallie weather forecast area:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2646094.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/QO1-pGX75Lg N2 Dorcha’s fish does a flyby before Louis lands with it 13.41.35

https://youtu.be/XOC7oeyszfI N1 Garry finally brings the first fish 15.11.57

https://youtu.be/0WArpnJT-sM N1 Aurora gets an evening snack 20.39.17

Bonus action – local elections take place tomorrow in England, Scotland and Wales. When the results are in, please consider emailing the successful candidates to remind them of their campaign promises around trees and wildlife:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-trees-and-woods/campaign-with-us/elections/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/rDDH4Z8zHEc  N1 Health and safety first, says Louis 2020

https://youtu.be/2ULJmAe1b5E  N1 Louis bashes Aila with a big stick 2020

https://youtu.be/hOnID1xMcys  N2 Coronation Day –  breakfast fit for a queen arrives 2023

https://youtu.be/usB2iBz2BQM  N2 Ringed Osprey visits 2023 (super slo-mo, zoom)

https://youtu.be/Dfmo_U46rCY  N2 Dorcha has a stretch and a squirt  2024

https://youtu.be/oI3R7TrjVHA  N1 A little Passerine visits 2024

https://youtu.be/sa-_Txps92s  N2 Throwing shapes – Louis and Dorcha are winging it 2024 

https://youtu.be/xG3Lh8YLrE8 N1 breakfast for Aurora and a bark surprise for Garry 2025

https://youtu.be/oLDAq_ILX7Y N2 Dorcha’s calls finally quieten as fish number two arrives 2025

https://youtu.be/gvIrP6Pu5Q4 N1 Garry brings a second fish and watches a jet go by 2025

Come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Wish everyone well, that is going to help the near-to-fledge eaglet at Dale Hollow and send positive energy to Big Red’s nest for a successful last hatch! There is lots of food for three!!!!!! Arthur is keeping that nest well stocked, no matter the weather.

Take care everyone…remember to think of those who cared and raised you no matter their gender this coming weekend. See you soon.

Thank you to ‘MP and PB’ for allowing me to use their screen captures of Jill at Achieva and for keeping me in touch with her remarkable journey of motherhood. I am grateful to all the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives of these birds and to the AEF for their determination to help eagles when possible. I am always grateful to Geemeff for their summaries and videos of the day’s happening at the two Loch Arkaig nests!

Eaglets get names…late Saturday in Bird World

2 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

Ever heard of the International Dawn Chorus? Well, it’s tomorrow.

AI Overview: International Dawn Chorus Day 2026 takes place on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Celebrated annually on the first Sunday in May, this global event encourages people to wake early to experience the peak spring birdsong, either by joining organized guided walks or simply listening from home. 

Key Details for 2026:

  • The Experience: Birdsong peaks in early May as annual migrants arrive, providing a spectacular, immersive, and often therapeutic soundscape.
  • How to Participate: You can participate anywhere, from urban areas to nature reserves. Many enthusiasts join the #DawnChorusClub on social media to share their recordings and experiences.
  • Events: Specific, locally hosted, in-person events include a 5:30 AM walk in Toronto’s High Park and a 6:00 AM event at Crieff, UK, according to local event listings.
  • Why Birds Sing: The dawn chorus peaks in spring because birds are defending territories and attracting mates. 

It is recommended to check local listings for nature walks in your area.

Let’s get out in nature – .

We had our first Robin in the garden Saturday morning. So happy. We were just chatting with Ann on Friday and I said we hadn’t had Robins in the garden for several years and there it was!

A close-up of a robin perched on the edge of a birdbath, surrounded by bare branches and a blurred background.

Did I tell you that Toby alerted the other evening and we had two deer eating from the feeders? Life is full of beautiful moments.

Two deer near a bird feeder, surrounded by bare branches and debris on the ground.

Today I am having to be very cautious. Toby has had his first ‘treatment’ for ticks, fleas, and worms. These Cavaliers have many health issues. I listened to a reader, now friend, and got the best treatment I could get. Still, I cannot have the cats licking Toby’s back as one of the ingredients is dangerous for them. So the Calicos are sleeping in Don’s room and Hugo Yugo and Missey are in mine. Tonight Toby and I will lock ourselves in and by tomorrow at noon, the treatment should be completely dry and all will be well til se have to do it again in a month.

I have learned a lot, and Toby will not go to the groomers anymore. He will only have the hair between his pads cleaned, his nails trimmed and his ears cleaned. I brush him every day and shampoo and condition as necessary – when it is muddy, it could be more than once a day. He is a Spaniel!!!!!!!! They sure love to get dirty.

The Girls are good and Don is hanging in there. we have our good days and bad days. The bad ones aren’t that bad anymore! I am working on some small renovations to the house. I wasn’t happy with the glass around the French doors that were installed – I don’t know why but it bothered me immensely so I am now working on installing bookcases with drawers and a lot of moulding.

They are IKEA. David put them together yesterday evening – a great young dad with two children who works very hard. All of that glass above will be covered up with some panelling modelled on Shaker doors. The question then is to paint or not paint? I will see how tired I am. The plan was to paint them the same colour as the walls, but David also said I could leave everything white and paint the French doors a white to match the bookcases and relax. That sounds easy! I am definitely changing the handles for knobs.

Keeps my mind busy.

A cozy living space featuring a Buddha statue, candle holder, and decorative items on a wooden table with a white bookshelf in the background, and a sofa in the foreground.

There are names at two nests that I know of as of a few minutes ago –

At the nest of Jackie and Shadow, the school children selected the names Sandy for the oldest and Luna for the youngest out of the names sent in.

At the nest of Irvine and Stella, USSteel, the triplets have been named:

A close-up view of three young eaglets in their nest, surrounded by twigs and greenery.

The Achieva Credit Union runs the cam but doesn’t get involved either the ospreys. Why doesn’t the chat group have someone run a naming contest for Jack and Jill’s two?

‘PB’ took this screen capture of their bursting crops of the US Steel eaglets. Irvine has been keen to ensure the little one is fed regularly, while Stella seems to take care of the older two. I wonder if the ‘baby’ smelled different when it returned from rehab/rescue – similar to the way our cats and dogs smell different when they come home from the vet, and the other pets in the house growl and dismiss or attack them

Three young birds sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with fluffy feathers and visible talons.

Achieva’s Mum Jill is incredible, and if there is a bird Mum of the Year, it could well be her for pitching in immediately when she saw her baby was going to starve to death and catching those catfish like Diane used to bring in. The difference is that Jill goes fishing at a specific time in the afternoon and always comes back with a nice catfish dinner. She sometimes goes out early, too, if Jack fails to bring in breakfish.

Big at Achieva has started self-feeding. He grabbed a small fish from Jack and ate while Jill fed her catfish to Little on Saturday.

The Kakapo streaming cam is live again. They are growing so fast and turning sooooo green. Just beautiful.

Two Kākāpō parakeets sitting near their nest inside a hollow log.

The hatch at the Cornell Red Tail Hawk nest of Big Red and Arthur is bothering me. I hope I am just being too cautious. It looks like one of those high-humidity crush eggs. I want to be terribly wrong about this concern. I haven’t seen any of Big Red’s eggs crush like this in the years I have been watching – and that has been a long time. (Please feel free to correct me!)

A red-tailed hawk sitting in its nest with a cracked egg on the ground, surrounded by twigs and nesting material.

Arthur and Big Red are doing a lot of changeovers but they are sure now showing us anything. I sure hope those babies are fine. The Cornell Bird Lab has a whole Q & A on their hawks. People always ask:

How Old Are Big Red And Arthur?

Records show that Big Red was banded in the nearby town of Brooktondale, New York, during her first autumn in 2003. Arthur was first spotted by local birders on Cornell University campus as a fledgling in 2016.

Big Red picked Arthur to be her mate after her previous mate, Ezra, died. Arthur did not yet have his red-tail!!!!!!!!!!! But as we know, the birds know better than we do. Arthur impressed by presenting Big Red with a multiple squirrels, his great hunting skills showing he would be a good provider for their chicks, won her heart. The rest is history.

The nest is, as I recall, over the years, very successful, with all the eggs hatching but one. Only one chick, K3, did not fledge. Sadly, a few have died from window collisions on the campus and one from West Nile Virus. E3 is an ambassador for the Cornell Bird Lab.

Two red-tailed hawks in their nest, one facing away and displaying its feathers, while the other is visible on the right, standing on the nest's floor surrounded by twigs.

The eyases of Oren and Ruth are so cute and becoming quite the characters. Lots of food including bunnies.

A close-up view of a bird's nest containing a newly hatched chick and its parent, with nesting materials like twigs and straw around them.
A hawk sitting in its nest surrounded by twigs and grass, with small prey nearby.
A fluffy chick resting in a nest made of twigs and pine needles, with remnants of small prey nearby.

Weekly update, a Nesting Eagles Podcast, of the Trempealeau Bald Eagle nest. https://youtu.be/hJrEKu04BrU?

Migration is stepping up in North America. Please turn out the lights and save lives.

A social media post by Meteorologist Ross discussing an upcoming bird migration surge, with advice to turn off outdoor lights to help migrating birds. Includes a map showcasing migration intensity and alerting about three key migration nights.

‘J’ sent the banner from nature chat:

1st egg laid today at Lesser Spotted Eagle Cam in Estonia.

Pip watches begin for 1st eggs at Black Stork Cam in Poland 2 and at Northern Goshawk Cam in Estonia.

Pip watches begin for 1st eggs at Golden Eagle Cam in Estonia 2 and at Golden Eagle Cam in Romania.

Pip watch continues for 1st egg at Peregrine Falcon Cam in New Jersey.

I wonder why they aren’t covering Big Red????????

News from Kielder – more osprey eggs!

Egg 3 for Nest 2 and other news

Beautiful Iris and what looks like her new mate.

Two ospreys perched on a nest, with a parking lot and greenery in the background.

Perhaps he’s young?

An osprey is seen on its nest with two chicks, flapping its wings in a natural setting with a parking lot and buildings in the background.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 1st May 2026

A mainly routine day today after the excitement yesterday of an egg for Nest One finally arriving after six long years. Both first time parents Aurora 536 and Garry LV0 fulfilled their parental obligations with Aurora brooding the egg and Garry supplying fish, and quick meal breaks for Aurora while Garry took over egg duties. This bodes well for their next two eggs, due 3rd and 6th May. Garry delivered two fish, taking his tally to forty one, and on Nest Two, Louis also delivered two fish to Dorcha, although the first was just a tail-end snack. Their nest tally now stands at thirty five including two brought by Dorcha. Her third and probably final egg is due tomorrow, 2nd May, and with luck she won’t be disturbed by intruders like the one she fought off today, the English male Osprey whose Darvic looks like 286 and who’s intruded a couple of times already. Weather was settled but expected to change to light showers overnight with possible thunder showers tomorrow.  Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/KsufkdeOL14 N2 Louis brings a tiny snack for Dorcha 06.44.34https://youtu.be/I9K9nCpFocQ N1 Garry brings Aurora a fish and remains on egg duty 11.11.28 https://youtu.be/tgDswzdcGxI N1 Garry brings a second fish but the first’s still there 15.01.43 

https://youtu.be/uf3M3YUjaEU N2 English blue ringed Osprey intrudes on Dorcha 17.17.30https://youtu.be/SR8offMPO9s N2 Dorcha flies off with fish two as soon as Louis brings it 18.48.22

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/l-f7VaXK21A  N1 Two red deer graze near the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/fnHg9LxETHA  N1 Louis pays a flying visit 2021 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/wE6nWxP8JTU  N2 Dorcha’s third egg arrives just after midnight 2022

https://youtu.be/w3jSNo9VC3g  N1 Affric & Prince are back with moss! 2022

https://youtu.be/KiQW-kUOBnM  N2 Louis is oblivious as a bat flits around 2022

https://youtu.be/iF-53Y6h0IA  N2 Dorcha’s finally able to persuade Louis to leave 2022

https://youtu.be/7fF-jH2_83k  N2 Dorcha tells Louis off for taking so long 2023

https://youtu.be/0wwxhyiiz24 N1 Aida arrives with the sunrise, Garry is heard but not seen 2024

https://youtu.be/oHU-qlnE6lQ  N2 Intruder nearby makes Dorcha & Louis flee the nest 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

https://youtu.be/8mdWTR5kpcE  N1 Garry LV0 brings a fish but Aida’s not there 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/CggxUpYOh3M N1 Another successful mating 2025 https://youtu.be/vfGb0sFlXtk N2 Dorcha does a grab and go with the second fish 2025https://youtu.be/EfXhITns0qo N1 Blue 536 grabs the second fish immediately  2025

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Sadly the fishing line is still hanging out of the mouth of the only surviving of three osplets at the Moorings Park nest – Poor Winken. Is no one coming to help?

Thanks so much for being with us today. Enjoy being outside tomorrow. Smile. Listen for the birdsong. It will relieve whatever is aching your heart.

Thank you to all the contributors today – we appreciate your dedication and hard work on your summaries, your videos, your FB posts, and all the articles. Thank you so much to everyone who got in touch with me with news of happenings in Bird World and to the owners of the bird streaming cams, we are all grateful to you for allowing us into their lives.

Looking good…Iris and NG 2 are back together

19 April 2026

Good Morning,

Dr Green can correct me, but I am pretty sure that this is NG2. They are keeping an eye on the skies – possibly for Louis and other intruders.

Oh, Iris puts a smile on my face with or without a partner and with or without babies. She is so resilient. There are so many lessons to be learned from her including always keeping our house tidy!

An osprey sitting in its nest made of sticks, with a parking lot and trees visible in the background, captured via a webcam.
Two ospreys sitting in their nest made of sticks, captured by the Hellgate Osprey Cam.
Close-up of an osprey with striking yellow eyes and intricate feather patterns, perched near a branch.
Two ospreys perched on a nest made of twigs, with a parking lot and trees in the background, taken from the Hellgate Osprey Cam.
Two ospreys sitting together in their nest, with a parking lot and trees in the background.
Two ospreys sit on their nest made of twigs and branches, with a view of an empty parking lot and trees in bloom in the background.
Two ospreys sitting on their nest made of twigs and branches, overlooking a parking lot and grassy area in the background.

‘PB’ has sent me another good news story: The little baby of Irvin and Stella had to be rescued. Everything went well. Here is the story: “Rescued little US Steel #11 (3rd hatch) swallowed synthetic fishing worm and already in digestive tract. Needed surgery and baby doing well.”

Tamarack Wildlife Center coordinates rescue efforts for a young eaglet that ingested a fishing hook, detailing the collaborative rescue process and emergency surgery.
A bald eagle feeding its chicks in a nest filled with twigs and branches.

Jack has brought in a fish at Achieva, but the little one is not eating. Perhaps the eldest will survive. Send good wishes to this family. Mum is trying her best in difficult circumstances.

An osprey sitting in its nest made of twigs, with a wooden post visible in the background surrounded by trees and a residential area.

News from Kielder Forest – more eggs. https://kielderospreys.wpcomstaging.com/…/egg-2-for…/

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 18th May 2025

It was business as usual today – a fish was brought to each nest, taking Nest One total to sixteen and Nest Two to three, along with a few sticks and other nesting materials, and after dealing with an English intruder Osprey, ring either 2B6 or 286, Louis and Dorcha were reunited. Any lingering fears about Louis’ health were allayed by the vigour with which he commenced mating activity, he initiated multiples sessions which all appeared successful  and we could be looking at eggs on Nest Two within 12 – 15 days, and on Nest One even sooner as Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 started much earlier. Fingers firmly crossed! The media enjoyed the return of Lockdown Louis and many emphasised the gettiing rid of the toy boy angle, link to one of the news articles in the bonus section – we wish JJ4 well but we are really happy to have Louis back. 

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/paoDoG1tURA N2 English male Osprey Blue 286? intrudes on Nest Two  06.34.55 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/IYpCTEk_pHc N2  Together again! Louis and Dorcha are reunited  06.37.28 

https://youtu.be/J-gySL4y8Cs N1 Garry LV0 lands with a fish, Aurora’s waiting but he takes off again 13.08.39

https://youtu.be/LLEVRpCvv0M N2 Louis delivers fish number one, no one there, he drops it and goes 13.32.19 

https://youtu.be/757Xxolx_uM  N2 Louis & Dorcha get down to business 15.53.59

Bonus read – The return of Louis makes the news:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/osprey-louis-returns-to-nest-in-time-to-woo-mate-away-from-toy-boy-rival/ar-AA21c4jT

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/WF3FAQOLy8s  N1 Female stranger visits lonely Louis 2021 (real time)

https://youtu.be/WF3FAQOLy8s  N1 Female stranger visits lonely Louis 2021 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/ijqYocF2QoE  N2 Louis does a flypast with fish 2022 (zoomed)

https://youtu.be/ikX-jxrt_kw  N2 Louis subdues a stubborn stick 2023

https://youtu.be/QOxlUE3bGts N2 Louis delivers supper at sunset 2023

https://youtu.be/dU43UqtK7tI N1 cheeky Hoodies want Garry’s fish 2024

https://youtu.be/kRPBQfqCCs0  N1 Affric 152 is attacked by a strange Osprey 2024 (slo-mo repeat plus stills) 

https://youtu.be/zrElVMqpJlU  N1: Fish for Affric from Garry LV0, big headless trout 2024https://youtu.be/zrElVMqpJlU  N1: Fish for Affric from Garry LV0, big headless trout 2024

https://youtu.be/cZ1_OOE1hN4 N1 Garry LV0 buzzes a deer 2025

https://youtu.be/Qea56AzPPXo N2 Louis egg-sits after bringing fish number one 2025

https://youtu.be/sT_rfNZ_oPs N1 New Scottish female Blue 536 sees Affric 152 off the nest! 2025

https://youtu.be/GASqP38H2Fs N1 Garry and Blue 536 meet up on camera 2025

You’re invited to join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

That’s all for today. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us into the lives of these wonderful raptors and to ‘PB’ for sending me that wonderful good news story. A big shout out to Geemeff for the daily summary from Loch Arkaig and also to Kielder Forest for keeping us up to date. Thanks everyone!

Lola missing after GHO strike…Late Thursday, part 2, in Bird World

16 April 2026

It’s late so it is ‘good night’. Some news has been crossing over my computer that I think you might want to know if you do not already.

First up, JBS 24 fledged today. No tree, no branches to practice, just take off and go! That is precisely what this surviving eaglet did. Congratulations to everyone!

At Achieva, Jill brought in another catfish. Little got to eat its fill and went to bed with a huge crop. I wonder if she will do this every day? If so, Little will survive. Catfish are tough old things to try and take apart to feed but, my goodness, she has found the source that Diane must have used so there will be food unless something strange changes.

A bird with outstretched wings is perched on a large nest made of twigs, surrounded by leafy trees and a glimpse of a residential neighborhood in the background.
A hawk standing on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a background view of trees and a road. There's a logo for Achieva Banking for Good in the lower left corner.
An osprey stands on a nest made of twigs, with a view of trees and houses in the background.
A hawk standing on a nest made of twigs, with chicks in the nest, surrounded by trees and a residential street in the background.

There is growing concern for the plight of Lola in Charlo, Montana. Charlie did not return from migration. I have to add him to the Memorial Wall. Lola has been knocked off the nest by a GHO, hard. There have been searches for her. No sighting. Thanks, ‘PB’, for alerting me to this situation. GHO strikes, often very hard ones, can result in the osprey being hit hard enough to be sore and tired. Let us hope that Lola is off in a tree recuperating. She has been defending the nest prior to the attack.

A scenic view of a rural landscape featuring rolling fields, a winding path, and a distant wooden house surrounded by trees and mountains in the background. The scene is under a cloudy sky, with hints of snow on the mountain peaks.

At the Sandpoint nest of Keke and Keo, the geese finally gave up on raising goslings, and Keo and Keke returned to their original platform. Now Keo has been missing for two days. Ospreys do go MIA – I can think of several. The females do, too, especially before eggs. Elen at Glaslyn is the latest reminder of this. So let’s not give up on Keo yet, but it is breeding season, and it doesn’t feel right.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 16th April 2026

Today saw the welcome return of JJ4, the young male from the western nest. He made his presence felt, first intruding on Dorcha with a very inept attempt at landing on her back, then returning in her absence and spending quite some time nestorising, including nest scraping and having a go at the troublesome stick. JJ4 also got rid of the tricky stick that Garry LV0 had brought this morning and dumped on Dorcha, and later on he got rid of Garry himself, defending the nest vigorously when Garry intruded. By contrast, things were quiet on Nest One – Aurora 536 received one fish taking Garry’s tally to fifteen, and had several mating encounters, at least two of which looked successful.
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/Sbm_OYe9MYU N2 Garry LV0 plays seesaw with Dorcha 09.38.22https://youtu.be/jgmmHJWLDD0 N2 JJ4 makes an undignified exit after intruding on Dorcha 10.04.35  https://youtu.be/-rKKuHCP9bQ N2 JJ4 returns to Nest Two in Dorcha’s absence and does some nest prep 10.56.18

https://youtu.be/MciKwECEQ5E N1 Aurora 536 eventually gets the fish from Garry LV0 12.47.28

https://youtu.be/uDj0b9vDX-sN2 JJ4 makes himself at home nest cupping and stick moving

13.54.03https://youtu.be/3VsdeIbHPx8 N2 JJ4 defends the nest against Garry LV0

15.29.40 (slo-mo repeat)

Bonus read – Woodland Trust on rare UK butterflies and why they need our help:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2026/04/rare-butterflies-in-uk-woods/
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/I-VmcgzVveY  N1 Aila watches a Red Deer near the nest 2020
https://youtu.be/7_XmXGafimM N1 Lonely Louis skydances in vain 2021
https://youtu.be/CJl9LiQ23eQ N1 Louis is vertically challenged! 2021
https://youtu.be/XNiNQjkUSBs N1 Louis does his demented penguin impression 2022
https://youtu.be/3g5njmmeykE  N1 Comedy as Louis forgets he’s got a fish and tries mating! 2022
https://youtu.be/mJrYkJieaSo  N1 A Robin sings in the dark 2023
https://youtu.be/krmpSP7wVU0  N1 Louis does a flypast with fish number two 2023https://youtu.be/qYLZK_Iym44 N1 A Barn Owl visits 2024
https://youtu.be/g4S95JxjN_k N1 Interesting triangular encounter – with a new player! 2024
https://youtu.be/GH6XNHVJR1M N2 Dorcha didn’t take long to sort out Louis’ awkward stick! 2024
https://youtu.be/OI9pOORSzXA N2 Nest One A Hoodie lands, interrupting Garry’s nest prep 2024https://youtu.be/s_kzQzXLhzM N2 Dorcha uses her crow voice to scare off a Hoodie 2025 https://youtu.be/yMqIGkUXvnc  N2 First EGG! Congratulations Dorcha! 2025 (zoom)https://youtu.be/WJOWeX-Hxd8 N2 Louis’ first look at the egg 2025

You’re invited to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Great condor news.

A glowing egg in a dark setting, likely in a cave or nest.

Thanks so much for being with us again today. I am very tired – like Lola defending her nest. My house is now alarmed so that if Don wanders, I will know. The day was disruptive – for everyone, including The Girls and Toby. I am hoping for a much more gentle Friday.

I hope to have a wee bit of a break from posting but it seems the birds have other ideas!

Take care everyone.

Thank you to ‘PB’ for alerting me to the catfish delivery at Achieva. Thank you to everyone who posts info and images on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to worry all the time about our dear bird families.

Sadness at Lock Arkaig 2…Sunday in Bird World

12 April 2026

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I am writing today’s blog with a very heavy heart. Louis has not returned to Lock Arkaig 2. There was rain late on Saturday. Still, a part of me hopes that he will land on the nest and shock us all. The reality that he is not returning lingers, and it is a difficult pill to swallow. Jean-Marie Dupart has monitored the youngsters staying over in Senegal til they return to their birth homes at two years. He also notes this week that there remain some older ospreys, either setting off on migration late or deciding to stay in their winter homes. I would like to think that Louis has decided to retire, living his life out catching fish in the sun and sand of West Africa.

I am counting on Geemeff to put together a terrific memorial video to Louis if he does not turn up in the next few days. It will not be easy as Louis was such a big part of so many learning to love ospreys.

A nighttime camera view of a bird's nest made of twigs and branches, situated on a tree, with a dark water surface visible in the background.

Windy and not so nice at Lach Arkaig 2 Sunday. Dorcha has not been seen at the nest on Sunday. Has she left to check out other possibilities?

A bird's nest made of branches and twigs, situated in a tree overlooking a hilly landscape with trees and a body of water in the background.

Geemeff asked me if I remembered life before Toby. I do, but it is a life that will never return. We had a vacation in Guadaloupe – the last big holiday that Don and I will ever take, the February before adopting Toby in April. Don’s health began to deteriorate about a month after Toby arrived. What I didn’t say in my response is that I am very happy. I can’t turn back the clock. Don’s health is such that I can actually begin monitoring the ospreys more closely this year, since there are no long trips to see birds. We walk Toby and go to the park, watch the animals in the garden, and Ann is so helpful in getting him to The Leaf and The Zoo, places that Toby can’t go. I have good support. Toby also means I will be spending much time in the garden, as he loves company and patrols the perimeter in case any of those ‘cats’ come inside. Today, we worked on spreading birdseed and peanut shells and painted a lidded bench that Ann gave me for his clothes. Don was content to sit in front of the telly (yes, that is where we are). I am not complaining – life is just changing, and Toby and the Girls and I are adjusting ourselves to this changing reality.

We are also putting out all the signals that spring is arriving. The forecast says it will be 18-20 C on Wednesday. You have to be kidding me. Or is it another year of roller coaster rides, with up-and-down temperatures from extreme heat to cold? Toby says a barbecue might be good!

What are the things you do that signal a change from winter to spring in your mind?

The RSPB is advising individuals to remove their birdseed tables and feeders and use suet and solid seed cylinders instead. We are going to do this when my last batch of seed bags runs out this year. The aim is to prevent avian flu. Have a read to see how you can help. Avian Flu is not restricted to the UK; it is a global phenomena that probably killed our much beloved Annie, the peregrine falcon from The Campanile, in San Francisco and the thousands of geese here in Manitoba.

Take down bird feeders this summer to cut spread of avian disease, says RSPBhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/10/rspb-bird-feeders-nuts-seeds-summer-parasitic-avian-disease?CMP=share_btn_url

At Rutland’s Manton Bay osprey platform, Maya laid her third egg on Saturday. Blue 33 would like to have four again!

An osprey sitting in its nest made of twigs, with a body of water in the background.

We can’t forget about the wonderful Bald Eagles, and SK Hideaways has put together some memories of Eve and Kai at the nest of Gabby and Beau before these two beautiful eaglets depart. It has been a magical year at this nest. https://youtu.be/yLkrhOSwPmQ?

Two juvenile eagles resting together in their nest, surrounded by twigs and branches.

Bety and Bukacheck have returned to the Mlady Buky White Stork nest.

Two storks in their nest on a rooftop, with a scenic view of a village and mountains in the background.

At Fort St Vrain, the two eaglets are already scooting out of the nest bowl. The youngest did so at five days old! I am impressed. I also hope that those remaining eggs do not hatch despite Mum continuing to incubate them and brood these characters! It is pip watch for the last one.

A top view of an eagle's nest containing three eggs and two fuzzy eaglets, with an adult eagle nearby, surrounded by a natural landscape.
A bald eagle sitting in its nest with two chicks in a natural setting.

You can clearly see the ‘ears’ on the triplets at the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Cruz in California.

A bald eagle sitting in its nest with several fluffy chicks nearby, surrounded by twigs and vegetation.

‘J’ keeps me up on the latest kakapo news:

“Andrew Digby‬ made a comparison with 2019:

This year’s #kakapo breeding season has been the biggest on record:
– 256 eggs (252 in 2019)
– 148 fertile eggs (116 in 2019)
– 105 eggs hatched (86 in 2019).
It’ll be 2+ months until we know how many chicks will fledge (73 in 2019). There are currently 95 alive.”

Thanks, ‘J’.

SK Hideaways also sent me a link to share with everyone – the return of the Golden Eagle!

Golden eagles could be reintroduced to England after more than 150 years
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/12/golden-eagles-reintroduced-england-150-years?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

We have our first egg for Dylan and Seren Blue 5F at Clywedog! 13:27 was the time.

A bird resting on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a green hilly landscape in the background.

If you are wondering why I am not reporting on many of the North American nests, I’m so glad that Heidi is keeping up with them – I don’t know how she manages it. I track a small number, a very small number. Heidi will begin her reporting when there are chicks hatching.

Heidi reports: “4/12 – The Venice kids are doing great. They are 23, 22, and 20 days old.

A bird sitting in a large nest made of twigs and branches, located on a wooden structure above a body of water. The surrounding area features green grass and trees.

Live cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_XWSAR-ltE

I love this post!

An osprey standing near its nest, which contains three eggs, with a body of water in the background. The image captures a moment during a live stream of the nesting site.

Eggs are coming at Heidi’s nests!

An osprey named Opal sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a clear view of a grassy field in the background.

The chicks at Brevard have had lots of fish as the wind in the region has diminished. Achieva chicks are doing OK, too much to my surprise. I would still like to see a pile of fish on that nest, but Jack doesn’t leave them there, as that could easily attract predators.

A bird sitting in a nest made of twigs, with a natural landscape and a body of water in the background.
An osprey nest made of twigs, with a young osprey standing inside, set against a backdrop of trees and a residential street.

It continues to rain and with all the snow melting, all manner of wildlife are coming into our neighbourhood including frolicking deer! Posted on our FB community page:

Two deer wading in a small puddle in a park, surrounded by grass and remnants of snow, with houses visible in the background.
Screenshot

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

Thank you to SK Hideaways for continuing to create videos even while on holiday, to all the individuals, including Heidi, who post recent nest information and images on FB, and the owners of the streaming cams, so that we can watch these wonderful avian families. Thanks, ‘J’, for not letting us forget about the kakapo!

Late Thursday in Bird World

9 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

I will just start with the sadness and move on to some gladness and some ‘bloody plain anger’. The third hatch at the Brevard County Osprey platform has died. Food was not always plentiful, the weather turned miserable, and the entire family was hungry. Thankfully, the wee babe did not suffer long.

There continues to be concern about food at that nest and the second hatch at Achieva needs more food, too. Thanks, ‘PB’ for being eyes and ears at these nests for me.

Brood reduction is a real thing by females experiencing hunger and understanding there is not enough food for everyone. Alan Poole wrote an article in 1982 on this subject. Here is the abstract:

In an effort to understand patterns and causes of nestling loss in Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), I studied brood reduction in three eastern U.S. Osprey colonies during 1978 and 1979. The colonies, located in Florida Bay (1) and on coastal Long Island, N.Y. (2), differed in the average daily amount of food delivered to nestlings; Florida nests received 43% and 11% less fish per day than nests in the two N.Y. colonies, largely because latitude and season restricted day length and thus foraging time for the winter-breeding Florida Ospreys. Increased distance from stable food sources accounted for the lower rate of feeding at one of the N.Y. colonies. Variation in clutch size in the three colonies reflected differences in latitude more than in food availability; average clutch sizes in Long Island were larger than Florida clutches by 0.5 of an egg, but were similar to each other and to those in other northeastern U.S. Osprey populations.Increased nestling loss coincided with reduced food delivery rates and, in food stressed colonies, this loss was 2-3 times greater than any recorded for Ospreys. Starvation was the primary cause of nestling death, with mortality concentrated on third chicks, which hatched on average 3.9 d later and from eggs 5.6% smaller than chicks hatching first. Sibling aggression accounted for the preferential feeding of older nestmates,but only in colonies or nests where food was limited. Aggressive chicks nearly always stopped fighting after being fed. This behavior provided a reversible mechanism for controling brood reduction that was based on nutrition. Growth rates of young measured during the first half of the growth period were more variable between colonies than within nests. This is interpreted as reflecting both the differences in colony food delivery rates as well as the evolutionary pressures of sibling competition to equalize the growth of nestmates.

Title of full article: Poole A. Brood reduction in temperate and sub-tropical ospreys. Oecologia. 1982 Apr;53(1):111-119. doi: 10.1007/BF00377144. PMID: 28310611.

I don’t know about you, but I need some cheering up. Winter feels like it is never going to end. We woke up to snow everywhere Wednesday morning and then rain. The sun did come out and the skies turned blue and it was brilliant. It seems that I am not the only person in the world that needs birds to feel the joy. Jackie and Shadow’s babies made The Guardian (along with at least fifty other news outlets). The author says, “Over Easter weekend, thousands of people tuned in to celebrate something spectacular unfolding 145 feet up a pine tree in southern California’s San Bernardino national forest – the hatchings of two bald eagle chicks.”

Hatchings of two California bald eagle chicks delight vast livestream audiencehttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/06/bald-eagle-chicks-hatching-california-livestream?CMP=share_btn_url

Cumbria Wildlife Trust is ever so excited their breeding osprey pair has returned!

https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/news/dramatic-return-ospreys-foulshaw-moss

Keep dogs on leashes. Osprey attacked!

https://patch.com/connecticut/vernon/leashless-dogs-attack-distressed-osprey-after-flight-mishap-vernon-rescue-group

It just seems to continue on those big estates in the UK and, particularly, in Scotland. Why makes gamekeepers and other humans think that they can shoot or poison beautiful raptors that are protected? Sometimes I would like the penalty to match the deed! That is how sick I am of reading about these offenses.

General & hazardous waste, including bags of suspected shot gamebirds, found dumped in a pit on an eDownload

From Geemeff:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 8th April 2026

Another exciting day full of action and nest-swapping! Aurora 536 and Garry LV0 invaded Nest Two and Garry even attempted mating there, until a furious Dorcha swept in and chased them away, with the aerial battle visible on nest cam in the distance. Aurora was given two fish by Garry on Nest One, took the first and ate it, and rejected the second – along with Garry’s advances – until it had been on and off the nest a few times. They did however appear to have at least one successful mating attempt but many more are needed if we’re going to get chicks on Nest One this season. Another intruder female, not yesterday’s, tried to hang out with Garry until he chased her off, and the day ended with an endearingly clumsy juvenile Barn Owl putting in an appearance on Nest One. No Louis yet but there’s still time, and the weather is good.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/HpfyjOiT3xA N2 Aerial battle as Dorcha ejects Aurora and Garry from her nest 10.47.23

https://youtu.be/4WHoq31W6gI N1 Aurora finally gets a fish from Garry 13.46.53

https://youtu.be/KtlqD3h_Af8 N1 Unringed female intruder Osprey is chased away 14.04.51

https://youtu.be/-LYzzfoiwWI N1 Garry brings a second fish but Aurora’s not interested 15.40.10

https://youtu.be/8tkUV6gqrTk N1 Clumsy and cute little juvenile Barn Owl visits 21.14.15

Bonus read: All about Loch Arkaig, and the Mile Dorcha that gave our Dorcha her name: 

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/speanbridge/locharkaig/index.html

Blast from the past, 8th April in previous years:

https://youtu.be/YADMDipmet0  N1 Aila gets the brush-off 2020

https://youtu.be/9DmoNXRo4u4  N1 Louis nearly pulls Aila off the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/MOwOw_Okoq4  N2 Magic rainbow diamonds 2022 (Artistic Ospreys)

https://youtu.be/uBJT3Gullpc  N2 Louis’ one and only visit – Dorcha’s not home yet 2023

https://youtu.be/rWdpjJV1mFg N2 Louis chases an intruder 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/cU7dI1sudXs  N2 Louis pole vaults onto the nest 2024

https://youtu.be/in2K_CSR5Mg  N2 Intruder Osprey overflies Dorcha on the nest 2024

https://youtu.be/cULExhyJn2s N1 Welcome back! Affric 152 & Prince arrive (zoom) 2025

https://youtu.be/I6GhPq9RQEo  N1 After a hasty departure, Affric & Prince return to the nest 2025

https://youtu.be/cSkecFnZ3i8  N2 Louis swoops in with a whopper trout 2025

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Nests are not settled. Mispillion Harbour is one of those and resident female, Della, is fighting or her nest with her life on the line. Aran appears to have abandoned Glaslyn and is over near a grove of trees so that one of the monitors can keep an eye on him. If he doesn’t have a mate, like he did last year, it will be a shame. His last chick with Mrs G has been seen in the area and his first two chicks with Elen are also in the area. Good DNA there! Elen you are missing out. Elen has also not been seen at the nest since last Sunday (I believe that to be correct) with Teifi arriving to make matters worse if Elen and Aran did show up together.

A majestic osprey flies above its nest, carrying a fish in its talons, with a lush landscape in the background.
Announcement about exciting sightings of Ospreys by Glaslyn Wildlife, including updates on two Ospreys spotted at different locations.

Louis has not returned to Loch Arkaig but his favourite date to return is 11 April so I am holding on to hope.

Dyfi wants you to join the fun and guess the first egg!

A promotional image for the 'First Egg Competition' by Dyfi Osprey Project, featuring the book 'Ospreys in Wales - The First Ten Years' by Emyr Evans, with an osprey perched on a branch.

Some more Nestflix – the birds are so much more interesting than what is on the streaming cams!!!!!! Seriously.

A series of images depicting two ospreys in flight and near their nest, showcasing one osprey diving down and the other perched nearby.

And more…

A pair of osprey birds are interacting on their nest, surrounded by a forested area. One bird is prominently featured in the foreground while the other is partially hidden within the nest made of sticks.

Heidi is watching so many nests this breeding season and sadly some of them are in areas where getting fish to the nest is a challenge. ‘PB’ has been watching the Florida nests and we have some serious issues at Brevard County. The weather is not letting up and Dad cannot fish with those waves. Mum is really hungry and the two surviving of three babies are starving. Mum fed them their dead sibling this morning.

Heidi reports we have egg 2 at Moraine Beach.

An osprey on its nest, with an egg visible, captured from a live camera feed.

Ospreys are now on the Barnegat Light platform – the camera is up and running. I am not entirely certain on the identity of these birds.

Two ospreys perched on a nest overlooking a marshy landscape with a road in the background.

Lola has returned to Charlo Montana.

And, of course, we still have Bald Eagles. Dearest little Peanut keeps getting ravaged by that bloody owl at the Winter Park nest.

I do support them and their campaign and this is not a commercial site so I hope I don’t get into too much trouble by putting up images of Jackie and Shadow and their babies. This nest brings nearly 40,000 viewers at the moment great joy. That is what nature does for us – not the news! I know that many are without jobs, have been recently laid off, are living on a fixed low income, and cannot support the Moon Camp campaign. But, you can do other things. Why not send -emails to various businesses to try and get them to sponsor the saving of Moon Camp? Put out water for your local birds. They really need it more than food. Think about what you can do without spending a cent!

A pair of bald eagles in their nest with a chick visible. The nest is surrounded by pine trees and overlooks a scenic landscape.
A close-up view of a bald eagle nest, featuring two fluffy eaglets and an adult bald eagle nearby, surrounded by twigs and natural debris.

Mum and Baby at Duke Farms are doing very well.

A mature eagle and a chick resting in a large nest made of twigs, surrounded by a natural landscape.

There are now three eaglets at the Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest.

A bald eagle feeding a chick in a nest made of twigs and grass.

The Ventana Wildlife Society cares for the California Condors. You should care about this amazing bird that cleans up our environment and protects us. Watch – find out how many still exist in the wild, what is happening this breeding season, and how people are helping. https://www.youtube.com/live/th4-OBjWAxw?

It is going to be a very difficult year for many nests. Seas and waterways, as well as our planet, are warming, and this has enormous implications for our wildlife (and us).

The Guardian has the article:

Non-survivable’: heatwaves are already breaching human limits, with worse to come, study finds, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/08/extreme-weather-heatwaves-breaching-human-survival-limits-study-finds?CMP=share_btn_url

This really is a wake-up call for all of us. Please take care of yourself. Send our nests good positive wishes. If you have a wand that can drop fish on nests – please send some to Achieva and Brevard.

See you soon!

Thank you to ‘PB, Heidi, and Geemeff’, to those who create videos and post information on FB, to The Guardian that continues to monitor the environmental news and post it for us to educate ourselves, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to see these remarkable families – thank you. Thank you to the authors of very informative articles including Alan Poole.

Has Iris landed?

6 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

Let’s get on with the great news. No confirmation yet but first thing I checked was Iris’s nest and look what I found.

An osprey sitting on a nest made of twigs, with a parking lot and trees visible in the background.

There was sad news coming out of Florida late Sunday. The little third hatch, Nod, that had captured so many hearts died from starvation caused by siblicide.

Earlier in the day.

An adult osprey stands watch over three young chicks in a nest, with a serene lake and greenery in the background.
Three young ospreys sitting in their nest, surrounded by sticks and greenery, with a calm water body in the background.

It is difficult raising three – it is extraordinary to fledge four but there have been osprey families that have done it repeatedly. Maya and Blue 33 and, as of late, CJ7 and Blue 022 seem to be setting some kind of record.

When a little one dies, I always think of two nests where the tiny one did not die. The first that comes to mind is Tiny Tot Tumbles (2021) at Achieva. We held our breath—79 hours without food. That little babe searched the nest and ate bones. It learned to ride the rails to sneak a bite and attacked the older sibling because it had nothing to lose. Diane noticed this chick wanted to live. When the older ones were asleep, and it was dark, she flew in with one of her catfish. Tiny Tot Tumbles, who was on the verge of death in March and April, survived and thrived. She defended the nest with Jack against an intruder during the third week of June after Diane had left the area. Tiny Tot was still on the nest later in the summer. She was extraordinary. I have always wondered what happened to her, and that is the problem with the US lack of ringing. The chicks on the streaming cam nests need to be ringed – and, yes, that goes for Big Red’s hawklets on the Cornell campus. Surely the folks at Cornell Bird Lab understand that knowing the dispersal area of Big Red’s babies could be important!

The second nest was Foulshaw Moss. White YW is an extraordinary male, and Blue 35 is a great Mum. The two older siblings in 2021 were much, much larger compared to the tiny third hatch. Blue 35 was clever! She managed to fill up the older ones, and once she flew off with the fish, they fell asleep. She returned with the fish and fed the tiny, tiny one. It was a brilliant strategy. I wish I could find my notes. I believe that, once ringed, the osplet was Blue 465. I really hope that Blue 35 returns this year. I am watching and waiting and so is her mate, White YW, who has been home for some days.

At the Glaslyn nest, Aran had a visitor, Blue 019. She is from the Fron nest. Elen was no where to be seen.

A young osprey chick sitting in a nest alongside an adult osprey, with a lush green landscape visible in the background.

Geemeff reports that Dorcha spent an hour on the Loch Arkaig nest 1, an unusual event. She has stopped in over the previous years, but never stayed this long. Geemeff believes that Dorcha flew in right before Storm Dave hit, while the other migrating ospreys are going to wait til the storm leaves. We are all looking forward to Louis’s arrival.

Geemeff sends us the daily summary:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 5th April 2026

The weather continued to be poor with snow and ice, and Louis hasn’t yet returned. Dorcha however turned up not only on her own nest, but paid a visit of over an hour to Nest One. She has visited Nest One before but only a couple of fleeting visits. Looking forward to the return of Louis and the Nest One residents, probably when Storm Dave passes and the weather settles – in previous years, Louis has arrived as late as 11th April.

Today’s video:

https://youtu.be/jwSZFrPoQRM  N1 Dorcha visits and perches for an hour 10.28.32

Blast from the past – this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/000ExVIHdTk N1 He’s back! Louis returns 2020

https://youtu.be/s45fByu5-ZE N2 Louis swoops around before landing with a fish 2023

https://youtu.be/_tcny1NvSfs N2 Louis is heard sky dancing at dawn 2024

https://youtu.be/onRZQMzzFec N2 Did Dorcha catch a fish or did Louis give it to her off-nest? 2024

https://youtu.be/15LM_bVIrGk N2 Comedy with a sticky situation (Classic Ospreys – Mozart) 2025

https://youtu.be/HPXA4EJ5uQc N2 The dulcet tones of a hungry female! 2025

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

At Loch of the Lowes, there are ospreys but not Blue NC0. It is rumoured that she has been seen at another nest. Wherever she winds up, I hope she has a good mate and raises some healthy osplets. We all loved Laddie LM12, her late mate, and feel sorry for these ‘singles’ that are left and have to leave their former homes.

Take care…chek those cutie pie eaglets out at Big Bear and the babies at Achieva.

See you soon!

Thank you to ‘PB’ for her messages and to the streaming cams that let us see these wonderful birds in all their glory and saddness.

Late Wednesday in Bird World

18 February 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

We were supposed to get a big snowstorm with lots of wind. It didn’t quite work out that way. We did get snow – enough to make everything pretty and white and for the young man to have to come and shovel! Toby still got to go for a walk with Don and Ann and I managed to get to IKEA to return the most complicated set of coat hooks on a metal back I have ever seen.

While everyone was worried about Brock because he did now show up to eat today until late late, Calico was napping in the conservatory not having a single thought about the weather!

The Girls are doing very well. I am sorry I do not mention them as often as I did pre-Toby. The one constant is ‘story time’ and we have been reading a lovely book of poetry that arrived from ‘BA’, The Woman and the Whale. Encounters with other kingdoms. The dedication really touched me: “To all those people whose faces become recognizable to animals and birds as helpers and saviors.” The author is Ethel Mortenson Davis. Calico gives it her ten-paw golden award so far – and I am really loving the empathy and love for wildlife in every line.

So many of you have written to me since the call to help the eaglets on the E-1 nest at the Kistachie National Forest was sent out. The line is still on the nest. The eaglets still sleep and walk on and around it, as does Anna II.

It isn’t just the E1 nest with an issue. The situation at the E3 nest is not good. We overcame any thoughts of siblicide at the Winter Park, Florida, nest. Indeed, today, both of the eaglets, hatched five days apart at Winter Park, were self-feeding graciously today – and I do mean getting along, eating from the same fish at the same time. There you go. This is not the case at the E3 nest, where we will have to wait and see if the smallest survives. It didn’t last year. Is it the same female? I don’t know. Does anyone know for sure, unless there is a striking physical mark like Iris’s eye, if there isn’t a Darvic ring? Several of you have written to me privately in anguish that nothing can or will be done for the little one. Is it a lack of fish, an inexperienced female -.

Check out the crop on Tiny Tim in some of the images below. Incredible. Let’s send good energy in the hope that there might be a turnaround for the little one on KNF E-3.

There is a lot of other activity elsewhere and I will run through some of that news.

First, Jack and Jill have their first egg at the Achieva Credit Union platform in St Petersburg, Florida. Please send this couple your best wishes. The female was so shocked when she laid that egg that we have to understand that was her first egg ever! ‘MP’ got a screen capture of the moment. How would you caption this image?

The first egg of Bella and Scout is now just a broken shell but today Bella laid their second egg and we need to wish this couple well. For those who do not know, the pair lost their fully feathered eaglets last year when the nest collapsed. It was a huge tragedy.

Deb Stecyk has the moment on video: https://youtu.be/QuHk5d85P48?

More eggs at Decorah for the Raptor Resource Project.

We have more osprey news from ‘R’, who is keeping a close eye on the osprey platform (one of several) at the University of Florida-Gainesville. This is Stella’s nest, and ‘R’ notes that this morning one of the ospreys was on the nest. The camera is not yet turned on – hopefully soon!

Things going well for Josie and Bert at Wolf Bay.

Heidi has already reported three eggs for Venice Beach.

Penny Albright reports that one of the osprey families she is following on Sanibel has two chicks in their nest.

Richmond has been hanging around the whirly crane at San Francisco Bay. He is waiting for Rosie who should be returning from her migration (Richmond does not migrate) any moment.

Things going well at Moorings Park where we are 10-13 days away from the first hatch.

It turned out to be a soggy day for Big Red and Arthur on the Cornell Campus.

‘L’ sent a note that the Bald Eagles at the Sutton Centre in Oklahoma have their first egg.

Kakapo, Green flightless parrots that live in New Zealand, are also in the nearly extinct category. They breed when food is available. They eat native plants, fruits, seeds, leaves, buds, flowers, and sapwood, with a strong preference for rimu tree fruit. Rimu fruit is key to breeding seasons, however. This is the first time in four years that there are chicks. ‘J’ has been keeping me informed, and I am delighted to inform you that we now have two chicks. The current verified total for Kakapo is 236, according to NZ DOC. We are so hopeful for so many chicks to survive this year!

We had a really good day today. Last night was the first night in ever so long that I slept all night not troubled by the arthritis in my left hand. Despite snow, it was ‘warm’. I had a lovely time finding some small brass door pulls for all the cabinets I had painted ‘Railings’ in the fall. Found a lovely bake at home meal at the Italian grocery – and another one for Ann to take home – and that along with the cinnamon buns and dinner rolls Don and I had made early, it was just a great ending to the day not to have to cook. Toby had his first piece of beef tenderloin and proved that dogs can eat as much as fast as Dyson the squirrel does. Maybe I should re-name him Dyson! (We haven’t eaten beef since the Mad cow Disease Crisis in the UK when we were living there decades ago – so asking the butcher for the equivalent of organic beef for my dog was rather hilarious).

An article, “No trees, no food, shot for fun … yet Serbia’s imperial eagles are making an improbable return”, that gives me some hope for the gorgeous, beautiful Imperial Eagles of Eastern Europe – these are in Serbia.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/18/serbia-eastern-imperial-eagles-returning-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

E-bird describes the Imperial Eagle as “Very large; dark-brown body of adult contrasts with pale head and nape. Similar to the Golden Eagle but with a shorter tail and white shoulders that are difficult to spot. The underwings are dark with low contrast. Immatures are strikingly different, sandy brown with prominent streaks and a pale rump contrasting with the dark tail and dark flight feathers. Breeds in forested areas intermixed with steppes and agricultural areas, where often seen perched on pylons. Winters in open habitats, including cropland.”

The eagle has been on the brink of extinction – this article gives me hope. But, like everything else, the threats are largely created by us. One of the primary causes of death is electrocution. Many power lines are illegal – and yet, there are some countries that are going out of their way to make those lines safe (in those instances normally for storks when so many have perished). Intentional poisoning (just as it is in parts of the UK) is another key cause of the rapid decline of the species. Then there is deforestation, changes in agricultural practices, lack of food, hunting, and lead poisoning.

If we hope to help wildlife, humans really need to change the way we live our lives! I won’t get on my soapbox – Toby is snoring beside me. Calico thinks it is time for all the cats to have a treat, and Don has already gone to bed. I do love this quiet time at the end of the day.

Thank you so much for your notes – I really appreciate hearing about eagle and osprey eggs that have been laid and what is happening at the nests. It is more than difficult for me to keep track of them at this point in my life. So thanks to everyone.

Thank you to the following for their notes today: ‘H, L, J, MP, PA, R’, to BA for that lovely book, Openverse for their images, E-bird for their information, the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to monitor the lives of the birds, and those who post information on FaceBook. I am very grateful.