I bet you didn’t expect to hear from me today. Geemeff reminded me that the Big Bird Count starts this coming Friday and I wanted everyone to be ready to do a count of the birds in their gardens. It adds to our knowledge of how our avian friends are doing – and where they are being challenged and where not.
Friday the 13th – make it a lucky day through the 16th. Please take part. Information below on the history and reason and the link to join in.
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), organised by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada, is an annual four-day event in February where volunteers worldwide count birds to track population trends. The 2025 event runs from February 14–17 and requires participants to count birds for at least 15 minutes.
Key Details for the Cornell/Audubon GBBC:
When: Annually, usually over President’s Day weekend in February (Feb 14-17, 2025).
How to Participate: Count birds anywhere for at least 15 minutes, once or multiple times, and report them via the eBird website or the Merlin Bird ID app.
Purpose: The data helps scientists understand global bird population changes and health.
Global Reach: In 2024, over 640,000 participants from over 200 countries identified 7,920 species.
Accessibility: Open to everyone, from beginners to experts.
Key Data & Findings: The project, launched in 1998, was the first online, citizen-science project for collecting bird data. It is a major source of data for understanding bird population declines, such as the loss of 3 billion birds, including common species like sparrows and juncos.
In 2025, the event recorded 8,078 species.
For more information, visit the official site at birdcount.org.
A four year old Golden Eagle has been found shot at the Scottish Borders.
‘MP’ sent me a note. It seems that Jack and Jill are trying to repair their own osprey platform at the Achieva Credit Union in St Petersburg, Florida. It has been the site of much sadness due to eggs and healthy chicks falling through holes in the platform in the past. Jack has been bringing in large pieces of bark. Brilliant idea. He needs something to hold them down as the wind blew off one of the first attempts. We wish him and his new lady well this season if there are eggs.
Thanks for dropping by. Please take part in the count!
Thank you to MP for their note, to the author of Raptor Persecution UK who keeps us informed of the dispicable acts to the raptors taking place, and to the owners of the streaming cams, like the Achieva Credit Union, that allow us to observe our beautiful birds.
As is typical, I am writing my post on Saturday. I had hoped for some sun and wind to dry up all the rain, but, the rain is now coming down harder and harder. Three Crows were frantically pecking at the nut cylinder. I noticed that they gave each other space so that they could eat. All was going well until Dyson arrived! The Crows flew off. They returned later for a big bowl of cheesy dogs. I can see Junior at the feeder sorting through the peanuts. Where is Mrs Junior? It is always worrisome when one or the other does not show up at the morning feeder.
Dyson is moulting. She isn’t sick! She is so strong and healthy. It makes us happy to be a part of her life. I wish we could get the trees to grow faster or convince her to please just stay in our garden. No roads!
It has really started pouring. And yeah, Mrs Junior just flew in to get some peanuts!!!!!! Relief.
In Canada, Beaumont continues to deliver large fish to the nest where his two fledglings might like to scrap for the dinner! Both are eating well and Beaumont is making sure each is fed.
Dad and at least one chick are still at the LDF nest in Kuzeme Latvia.
Right now there is harmony and peace at the NE Florida nest of Gabby. She doesn’t seem to care if the male has necrotic feet in places. They are on the branches together, side by side at times, and in the nest making nestorations. If Gabby gets to raise little eaglets in peace this year, we should all jump up and down with joyful tears.
They have been on and off the nest on Saturday. The AEF has ‘temporarily’ designated the male as 24E1 (year, eagle, first visitor).
The eyes of the male visitor remind me so much of those of Samson. I know it isn’t, but for a split second.
The SW Florida streaming cams are up and ready for action starting today or tomorrow.
It was a beautiful day at the nest of Bella at the NCTC. Didn’t see any eagles.
You can help support conservation by buying stamps! Aren’t these beautiful?
These will be available in the new year. There are currently others for sale – some designed by adults and other junior winners. They are lovely.
The little eaglet in Australia is doing so well and this little fluffy bundle of joy has a name – Lukin.
Bradley and Shultzie. Yes! Good thing there are two perches. It’s always good, just like the Blue Jays, to get a total head count before sunset.
Judy Harrington brings us up to date with the Olympic Park Eagles.
The new pair in the USK Valley in Wales left late. They didn’t breed but hopes are high for 2025.
Bird Flu is possibly the reason for the decline in Peregrine Falcon populations in the US. Like everything else, it is still with us – it just isn’t making the news like it did. That is a shame.
Xavier flew out for the morning breakfast hunt. Diamond waits patiently to see what he will return with for her meal.
We blinked and the Olympic Park Eaglets grew and grew. When did this happen? They are more steady on their feet. Their wing feathers are growing in. They look like eagles, not nestlings. SE 34 is learning to self-feed.
Will we see the Royal Cam chick back on cam before fledge? Possibly not.
Pippa’s Mum is the first to return: Royal Cam chick Atawhai (Miss Pippa) and Lillibet’s Mum YRK is the first to return to Taiaroa this year. You will remember her amazing mate, OGK – some of us still tear up at the thought of him. OGK has not been seen since he went missing in 2022.
The Only Bob at Growing Home is so fortunate. It will never ever have to share a fish with a ravenous sibling. Look carefully. Tiny white bobblehead.
The fight for the survival of the osprey (and other wildlife) in the Chesapeake Bay is on and hinges on the curtailing of the industrial fishing of Menhaden.
There is always something to learn about migration: “For migrating birds, fall brings difficulty and danger. To reach warm winter climes, many birds must fly hundreds or thousands of miles, expend immense amounts of energy and successfully dodge storms, skyscrapers and other potential threats.
Still, scientists have long assumed that a basic trade-off made migration worth the gamble: Once birds arrived at their wintering grounds, they wouldn’t need to work so hard to stay warm, saving substantial amounts of energy. “But nobody ever tested this,” said Nils Linek, a behavioral ecologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany.
Now, Dr. Linek and his colleagues have done so. Their findings, based on a partially migratory population of German blackbirds, challenge the conventional wisdom. Even in the depths of winter, blackbirds basking in balmy southern Europe or northern Africa did not spend any less energy than those riding out the cold in Germany, the scientists found.”
Calico’s Tip for the Day. You have heard us mention numerous times the need to halt bird collisions. Residences indeed account for more deaths than skyscrapers. Hard to believe? I know, but it is true if you take all the deaths due to our windows collectively. So what is the problem? People do not know how to stop the birds from hitting their windows. Calico says that you must space the decals on the OUTSIDE of the window at least 5 cm or two inches apart. That’s right. You cannot just put one decal on the outside of your window and hope it will work; you never put it on the inside. The most economical method is window paint. Again, on the outside of the windows. I liked using the white or the yellow. Squiggle everywhere. Let your children or grandchildren help. The window paints come off easily.
Nova Scotia’s official bird (I know that everyone knew that, right?) on an iconic boat, the Bluenose II.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for the notes, posts, videos, articles, images, tweets, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘PB for today and for Saturday’s Tweet from Dr Greene’, Newfoundland Power, LDF, NEFL-AEF, NCTC, USFWS, Port Lincoln Osprey, Judy Harrington and Olympic Park Eagles, Jeff Kear and USK Valley Ospreys, Audubon, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Olympic Park Eagles, The Royal Albatross Centre, Growing Home, Bryan Watts and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Sharon Dunne, Bluenose II, USFWS, Birdlife International, and The New York Times.
Yesterday, the 26th, I ate a very special cake for my late Dad. It is his birthday. He had two favourite cakes – a fresh Coconut and, the other, a fresh Orange Cake. Some who live in the Southern US might be familiar with these – a nice white layer cake (sturdy and only handmade) filled with either freshly grated coconut with a buttercream frosting or freshly grated oranges mixed with some sugar, spread liberally between 5 or 6 layers, and let to sit. If anyone is responsible for my feelings for abandoned animals, it is certainly him. Happy Birthday, Dad.
Hugo Yugo would have loved to have some of that cake. My goodness that little cat can get into the most trouble without even trying. She is sooooo curious. This coming week, she goes back to Dr Greene for her check-up. I think the vet will be pleased.
Watching bird videos with Hope.
Hope is very patient with her little sister.
‘The Boyfriend’ enjoyed the Friday evening feast of organic roast chicken. The neighbourhood rallied around and showed their love for him – and the others – when it appeared that one individual would call the pound. I am joyful and grateful to live in an area with such compassion for animals.
Congratulations to the John Bunker Sands Wetland eagles on their first hatch of the season!
‘M’ sent me the video of Mum joyously calling Dad to tell him about the egg.
Jackie has been taking good care of the first egg at Big Bear laid on Thursday the 25th. Shadow brings his gal a nice fish lunch at 11:01. Mark your calendars for a Leap Year pip/hatch. Shadow actually brought in three fish on Friday for Jackie. Way to go….the reason nearly 10,000 people love this couple and wish them success this season. They are adorable.
If Gabby’s egg is to be the miracle of the breeding season, it should show signs of a pip Friday and hatch on Saturday or Sunday.
There seems to be a prey problem at the WRDC nest. For unknown reasons hunting seems to be difficult. Ron has not brought prey for a week, and Rose seems to be having a prey drought the past couple of days herself. Both parents seem healthy, but I’m sure they are hungry. We have not seen Rose with a crop, and Ron ate some of the fish on the nest yesterday. They have run out of scraps for Rose to feed R6. The eaglet ate well Thursday, and had a small crop after a morning scrap feeding early Friday. PS are still okay.
Late afternoon on Friday. There is still no food delivery and everyone is getting worried, even if they are not saying it. Something is very much amiss here.
Rose flew in after dumpster hunting with a child’s pull-up nappy and what appeared to be a piece of red meat (an organ) attached. R6 was fed. We must remember that eagles are carrion eaters. Their stomachs are made to digest the most horrible dead, maggot-eaten prey. Hopefully, this will keep R6 from starving, but imagine that the eagles have to eat garbage in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Florida. Rose was plucking the plastic off the nappy. Then Ron flew in with a partial fish at 1730. What a relief. It was left on the nest and rightfully so – Rose doesn’t know when the next meal will come and R6 did eat – whatever it was.
We all need to learn something from Port Lincoln. They dared to provide fish for the family during the crucial period when one or both of the osplets might have perished. Their plan worked. It did not stop the adults from bringing fish to the nest. Five fish have been arriving daily, on average, for the fledglings, Gil and Brad. Three individuals with big hearts realised that it was time to help – so I say to those who are the administrators of the WRDC nest: the feral cats in my neighbourhood have more empathy and food than these beautiful eagles at the WRDC. Tonight ‘The Boyfriend’ had his normal organic chicken dinner. So, please, Help the eagles! Get them over the hump.
When we know there is a crisis, it is our duty, if we can in any way, to help the animals through the rough patch. Weather, overfishing, loss of habitat and thus loss of prey can now be linked to humans. There is your cause for intervention.
Rose appears to be feeding R6 some of the fish. Remember – these parents are hungry, too. They will protect the territory, feed themselves, and then feed the eaglets. Let us hope that tomorrow is a much better day and that the wind, or someone, gets this nappy and its plastic off this nest.
Here is the incident in question in video.
It appeared that R6 ate some of the plastic from the nappy…those stomach acids should do the trick. At the same time, the darling almost choked.
We know that our beautiful birds around the world hunt in landfills. The storks of Western Europe, the General Adjutants in Assam, etc. What a testament to our mismanagement of the land that the animals and fish they need to survive are not abundant. One of the big threats to all of our birds, eagles included, is the growing abundance of plastic – as trash, as microplastics, fishing lines, etc. and now nappies.
The live stream went down at 2050 Friday night and returned at 0915 Saturday morning. The plastic has been removed from the nest with permission from USFWS. I hope that some fish were delivered as well.
It appears that Ron has been able to deliver a fish Saturday morning. Let us hope that the dry spelling in prey at this nest is over. And then Rose brought in a big fish. Lovely!
Royal cam chick is being fed and weighed.
Unfortunately, the amount of food the Royal Cam chick is getting is not sufficient and the Rangers – doing great diligence – have switched chicks with another family. They do amazing work, the NZ DOC rangers – everything they do is to ensure that these chicks survive to fledge. Swooping chicks, supplemental feeding, misting, you name it, they do it. Let us hope this attention to the care of these endangered seabirds spreads to other nests throughout the world.
The Royal cam chick was returned to the nest!
No shortage, so far, of prey items at SW Florida. E23 does get impatient and wishes Mum would get those bites a bit quicker to its beak!
Clive keeps the fish coming in at Captiva. These two are adorable, Cal and Lusa. Some think the plumage patterns on their backs look like turtle shells while others see them as bulls eyes.
Do you know what Doris Mager’s contributions to Bald Eagles was? If you do not know the name, have a read – and even if you do, refresh your memory!
Here is Condor Chat in case you missed it on Thursday. The missing birds will be added to the Memorial Page for 2023 in the new few days.
Dr Sharpe is out fixing cameras at the Channel Islands nests! Retired? Doesn’t seem so.
Please join various wildlife groups – such as Cornell and Audubon – for the great Bird Count on the 16th of February. The more that count, the more we know about the declines and gains in bird populations.
Bird Count is on this weekend in the UK and will there be winners such as the Waxwing? We wait to see.
We are 7 weeks and counting til the Ospreys return to the UK.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please send positive wishes for a good prey day at the WRDC and if you can produce a miracle for Gabby and Beau, please do so! Take care everyone. See you soon.
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Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, zoom chats, photographs, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, M’, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, FOBBV, Marylu Pitcher, WRDC, Eagle Goddess, NZ DOC, Lady Hawk, Sharon Dunne, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, Saturday Evening Post, Audubon Magazine, Ventana Wildlife Society Condor Chat, Gracie Shepherd, National Audubon Society, and The Guardian.
Oh, tears….The big event begins on Saturday when ‘M’ alerts me to Mini’s amazing hover and ends with all of us rejoicing. Mini flew!
On Saturday, Mini did a great hover…a great hover…has been on the nest and has observed her siblings. She is going to do so great!
The tail on the ascent.
Landing after about 5 seconds of good hovering.
And PB wrote, “Mini at Patchogue branched on the perch 7:23am and fledged 8:26am….sooo happy and crying at same time. She did the impossible from being the runt and getting bullied and made it to fledge. So wish she was banded so when she ever returns we know it’s mini!” –Those banding sentiments are with so many of us…We want to know how she does. One way to tell one osprey from another is their head markings and Mini’s are distinctive. Take screen shots of her head from all angles, keep them. It is the only part of her that will not change!
Mini got her fish at 0856. What a fantastic reward – although it is unclear that Dad knows his little girl flew! Congratulations Mini. Stay safe out there. I think we all must have cried. Bittersweet moment.
The news is sad but the eagle that is being honoured was one of the first to be banded during the re-introduction of Bald Eagles into the US after the terrible decimation of our raptors from DDT.
There has been a rare bird sighting – a Switchable Black Kite – in Norfolk.
Speaking of kites and all other raptors in the UK – the Hen Harriers, the eagles…one utility company has said that it will not renew the licenses for grouse hunting on its land. As a colleague and friend pointed out, what is not known is how long those licenses can be used. When is the deadline? I hope that it is soon and that other utilities will follow suit. If the legal system cannot stop the grouse hunters from killing off all the raptors then preventing them from using the land is a brilliant alternative. Of course, the 21st century thing to do would be to stop this medieval tradition in its entirety!
There is sad news coming from OWL in British Columbia about Tyr, the eaglet on the Hancock Wildlife nest. Early concerns showed a possible issue with its leg.
If you are fans of Thunder and Akecheta at the West End Channel Islands nest, the 2023 fledglings often show up at the old nest site along with one or more of the parents.
Anthony is often on the Two Harbours nest along with parents Chase and Cholyn.
Now for some nest news:
MN Landscape Arboretum: Gosh, that little chick is getting its feathers and Mum is attentive. A real change from a month ago!
Boulder County: What a loving family. The five of them just make my heart beat. It is so interesting this year that the Ospreys living on nests in places other than in Florida and in the NE US are doing so very well. It is good to have their population growing and sadly, as hard as it is to say, to have some of the pressure off of the over saturated areas (like Florida and Chesapeake Bay).
These three at Boulder are real beauties. Mum does everything she can for them including being a huge umbrella when it is hot even if they are as big as her!
Charlo Montana: ‘L’ alerted me to the streaming cam being back on at Charlo Montana. The two chicks hatched in mid-June. They are 5 weeks old and doing well. And then the cam went down again! It is extremely hot in Montana. Mum is doing a fantastic job keeping the two cool. Bless her heart.
Loch of the Lowes: The Woodland Trust is more positive than I am that Blue NC0 will return. Laddie has his hands full and the chicks are hungry like those at Forsythe. Blue NC0 has been MIA for a week and this is really more than a spa break. She is a devoted mother and it has been a difficult year with little fish ——–how about stocking that loch like they do at Clywedog in Wales? That would solve this issue! Come on Woodland Trust – not just trees, fish! Here is the most recent report.
At the same time, I would like to call for a few more platform nests to be built for the growing population of ospreys.
Steelscape, Inc.: This Washington in Kalama had fallen off my radar until ‘PB’ wrote to me this evening about a real problem with fish deliveries for the three osplets. It is entirely possible that the third hatchling could be lost. Let us hope not. They have the same problem as Cowlitz it would appear – Eagles taking the fish from the Osprey, the heat, etc. But unlike Cowlitz, which has only one osplet to feed, this nest has three. Thank goodness the fourth egg did not hatch. Oh, goodness. Send it your very best wishes….and look. It is baking hot there, and these babies are feathered. We don’t want to lose another one – so many are starving this year.
Cowlitz: We now know that the wire mesh grids that Cowlitz PUD constructed to protect the osprey nest from Eagle predation have not hindered the ospreys. The only osplet has flapped and jumped and today, that sweet baby fledged (?) or did it branch to the top of the mesh? I think it is on top of the mesh but, if it did not fly – this one soon will!
Seaside: The two osplets, Kawok, the first hatch, and Naika, the second, are beautiful juveniles who are starting to feel their independence. They remind me a bit of Ervie and his brothers once they had fledged. Everyone was civil until then and then it was everyone lad for itself. There is a bit of an aggression showing up just like it is at other nests towards the adults especially if they do not show up with fish! No one is hungry, as far as I can tell, on this nest!
Alyth: The fledglings return to the nest for fish and rest. Flying is hard work. They did not sleep on the nest last night.
Poole Harbour: Oh, it was wet in Pool Harbour on Saturday! Miserable. Windy. The trio were busy preening and trying to dry off Sunday morning.
Glaslyn: OH2 has walked to the perch to with OH1 and Mum, Elen. Will he fly today? He sure is flapping those wings and looks strong and ready.
Dyfi: A bit of a lonely nest at times. One of the fledglings showed up Sunday morning. It looks a bit dreary and damp. Idris and Telyn will be doing a great job feeding their fledglings. Cennen has been flying for a week!
Time for ‘H’s reports:
Fortis Exshaw – Louise had some minor intruder issues, and she flushed an intruder off the tall perch and out of the area twice. She also delivered five fish to feed her chicks. The two 35-day-old osplets are thriving. Mr. O was not seen on camera Saturday.
Forsythe – There were four fish delivered to the nest, including one by Opal. The fledglings each had two fish. Even though the food had increased slightly on Saturday, there was still significant aggression, and the siblings were literally at each other’s throats. After a few days of very little food, the youngest sibling, Ollie, was the primary aggressor. The battle at 1438 was quite serious. I’m hoping the fish deliveries continue to increase so that these two juvies can relax.
Osoyoos – Dad continues to be a great provider for his family. The 26 and 27-day-old chicks are progressing normally.
Severna Park – Olivia and Oscar continue to deliver fish to the nest for their two fledglings. I have not seen anyone sleeping at the nest for the last two nights.
Barnegat Light – Oh my goodness, at 53 days of age, ‘Dorsett’ looks so grown up! Dorsett has been wingercising and practicing self feeding.
Patuxent Nest 1 – Foster and Sib-B are still hanging out and eating fish at the nest, but are sleeping elsewhere.
Patuxent Nest 2 – The livestream was down for 28 days, and finally returned full time on 7/20. By that time, all three of the chicks had already fledged. On 7/22 two of the fledglings were seen in the nest at the same time.
Thank you so much, ‘H’.
The FB posts in Manitoba are full of individuals finding baby birds in their yards. This is happening everywhere, not just near me. So what do you do? Review the chart below and make certain that you have your nearest wildlife rehab clinics on speed dial on the contact list of your cell phone, please.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Continue to send all that positive energy of yours to the nests including those that are struggling with starvation and nest aggression this season. Take care of yourself. I hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, their comments, postings, tweets, websites, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘Geemeff, H, L, M, PB, PSEG, Audubon, Birdguides.com, Raptor Persecution UK, Deb Stecyk and Bald Eagles 101, IWS, MN Landscape Arboretum, Boulder County Fair Grounds Ospreys, Forsythe Ospreys, Charlo Montana and Owl Research Project, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Steelscape Inc, Cowlitz PUD, Seaside Ospreys, Alyth, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Fortis Exshaw, Forsythe, Osoyoos, Severna Park, Wildlife Conserve Foundation of NJ, Patuxent River Park, and Chirp Nature Centre.
I hope that your week is going well! We have been sent back into the deep freeze. This morning it was -21 C. It is -12 C now, with the promise of much warmer weather at the weekend. Yippeee. When it is really cold, I keep the door to the conservatory closed. Missy and Lewis do not like it these days! They stand and stare but quickly settle into the other living area with nice windows looking out to the birds. Lewis has taken a keen interest in them as of late. It is nice to see both kittens enjoying the out-of-doors safely indoors!
We are going to start with Jackie and Shadow. It is terrific that Ravens ate the two eggs of our beloved couple. I have never said that before! The Ravens arrived at the Big Bear nest at 15:01. They were cautious, looking out for the eagle pair and then getting busy consuming the eggs. Jackie and Shadow can move forward. I have used, and so have many others, the term ‘second clutch’ about the Big Bear nest, but that is the wrong term. The appropriate wording is ‘replacement clutch’ about when the first clutch of eggs is non-viable or lost to predators. At least when they return to the nest, the eggs will be gone. Jackie and Shadow will have closure. Thanks, ‘B’ for letting me know about this!
Jackie and Shadow are going to be on television. Here is the information if you get CBS.
There are currently 2 eggs at the Two Harbours nest of Chase & Cholyn, 1 egg at Sauces with Jak and Audacity (please keep sending best wishes to them), and three eggs at Bald Canyon. I have had no news or seen anything about the Fraser Point nest of Andor & Cruz (they are showing highlights). For those anxious to discover what is happening with Thunder and Akecheta’s nest, Dr Sharpe is travelling to the area at the weekend and will send out a report confirming if there are eggs.
This has just been posted from the IWS Tuesday late.
Akecheta shows up at the old West End nest site where three eaglets fledged last year. Time is 11:31 on the 7th of March.
He was still there at 12:11 enjoying the sun and the view.
Bald Canyon Eggs. Three always make me nervous. Two eaglets are a handful. It is difficult to image the resources and feedings required for three in comparison.
Cholyn at Two Harbours incubating her two eggs. I believe she is 25 years old this year.
Some of the best news is that Jak and Audacity’s seventh egg is still in tact. Today is day 9.
The Channel Islands Bald Eagles are part of a reintroduction project by the Institute for Wildlife Studies. Most of us know Dr Sharpe and his team from the intervention efforts at three of the nests during the 2022 breeding season: eaglet rescue at West End, eaglet rescue at Two Harbours, and Victor removed to rehab from the Fraser Point nest.
You might not know the history of DDT on the Channel Islands. Here is an introductory excerpt from the IWS website:
Bald eagles were present on the Channel Islands until the mid-1950s or early 1960s, but no successful nesting activity was known. The reasons for the decline and eventual disappearance of bald eagles on the Channel Islands are not completely understood. Possible causes include shooting, egg collecting, nest destruction, poisoning, removal of young from nests, and nest disturbance (Kiff 1980). The most likely cause of population declines, however, was the production and use of the industrial pesticide DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro ethane). Between 1947 and 1961 an estimated 37 to 53 million liters of DDT-contaminated acid sludge, containing 348-696 metric tons of DDT, were disposed of in an ocean dump site 16 km northwest of Catalina Island. In addition, it was estimated that another 1800 metric tons of DDT were discharged from the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant outfall, 3.3 km offshore of Palos Verdes Peninsula (Chartrand et al. 1985). The introduction of DDT into the Santa Monica Basin marine ecosystem was implicated in the decline of two other piscivorous bird populations on the Channel Islands, the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) (Risebrough et al. 1971, Gress et al. 1973). These declines coincided with the decline of bald eagles as a breeding species on the Channel Islands.
I have mentioned it before, but DDT was also sprayed on Big Bear Lake. The toll this believed to be harmless insecticide wrought on all wildlife is unbelievable and ongoing.
Here are the links to all of the Channel Islands cameras including the falcons.
We are three days away from pip watch at the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose in Miami. It is hot at the nest! 86 degrees F. Oh, goodness. We will get to see how eaglets do in the heat. You have observed them when it is cold and snowy.
Pepe and Muhlady have had a wonderful year. Tico and Pearl were on the nest Tuesday at 15:10, having some fish. They are observed flying around the area. Excellent.
On Tuesday, M15 had to contend with an intruder who even entered the nest. Still, he brought in 3 fish, and two prey items – an odd bit of something and a road kill possum. M15 is a constant observer – either in the nest or on the branch – of how the eaglets are doing with their self-feeding. Each of us must be smiling from ear to ear. We all have favourites every year, and 22 has certainly won over the hearts and minds of so many. No longer submissive and cowering but strong and surviving.
Mid-afternoon, Dad brings in a fish and feeds the other eaglet the rest of the road kill.
At 1646, Dad is in the nest cleaning up some of the tidbits that would attract predators and feeding the eaglets their final meal for the day (presumably). E22 is right up there snatching and grabbing that old possum!
Good Night SW Florida. Where is R23-3? Am I missing something?
The two eaglets at Duke Farms each ate well on Tuesday. They are sure growing! Fuzzy little ones with big crops.
In Louisiana, KNF-E1-03, Trey, was almost hit by a falling perch branch!
At the nest of Big Red and Arthur, Arthur flew into the nest early (0626) with more greenery. He checked out the nest bowl and off he went!
Big Red was in later inspecting everything that Arthur did just to make sure it is perfect.
The snow is starting to fall on the nest of our adorable Red-tail Hawks Tuesday evening. It is -1 C with 25 kph winds. Very windy!
The osplets at Mooring Park in Naples, Florida appear to be doing quite well.
Mum Sally needed a quick early morning break.
After the osplets hatch, the Mom stays in the nest most of the time. That said, she does take breaks, and, at this nest, Dad can be seen relieving her so she can have a stretch and a relaxation break. Still, his primary role is food delivery – ‘Daddy Door Dash’ and security. Alan Poole reminds us that the number of fish deliveries doubles and triples in the first 20 days after hatch. This is a rapid growth period.
Ospreys are semi-precocial. This means that they are not as developed as ducks or chickens who, after 24 hours, can walk, are covered with feathers, and feed themselves. Ducks and chickens are precocial. On the other hand, Songbirds are born altricial –naked and require complete care. Osplets are in between. They need their parents to feed them. They cannot regulate their temperature until they are 2 to 3 weeks old.
In terms of growth, osplets should “triple their body weight in the first eight days after hatch and then double that again in the next four days”, according to Poole. By the time they are a month old, they will be 70-80% of their adult size if all has gone well.
The GHOs in Corona, California are growing. That nest is getting tight. All four are doing well. The fourth hatch – about a 1/4 of the size of the oldest – has had some personal feedings.
We all knew it…just from the size, but it has now been confirmed. Sweet Pea or South Plateau Royal Cam chick is a male! A little boy. So nice for a change.
Making News:
We have seen 3-D printers make beaks for eagles and bits and bobs for humans, but, we have been waiting for legs. Now, when will we see these on an eagle? Surely they can use their mind to clinch the toes and talons, right?
Each of us wants to know what happens when one of the birds fledges. This is especially true when they have had a tragedy, such as ND17, when it fell from the collapsing nest. In the UK, at Balgavies Lach, Blue 640, known as The Bairn, did just that – fell out of a collapsing tree, too. That juvenile was spotted in Senegal! It survived its first migration. This is the reason for a huge celebration.
Now this is exciting!
Do you live near enough to the Audubon Centre of Prey in Maitland, Florida, to go for a celebration of baby owls? Oh, it looks like fun! What a great way to get items needed for the rehabilitation of our raptors.
The Cal Falcons t-shirt and hoodie fundraiser has begun for 2023. This design is fantastic, and on Wednesday, 8 March, if Annie is on time, she will lay her 3rd egg around 1600 scrape time.
The Institute of Wildlife Studies (Dr Sharpe) is having their annual fundraiser, also.
Wisdom, the oldest living banded albatross in the world (early 70s) is a grandmother again!
Thank you so very much for being with me today. Keep an eye on Annie and Lou’s scrape and, of course, the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose as pip watch approaches. Take care all. See you soon.
Thank you so much to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that make up my blog today: ‘B’, ‘H’, FOBBV, Jana Maria Johnson Jamar and FOBBV, IWS, IWS and Explore.org, Jann Gallivan and CIEL, WRDC, Superbeaks, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Duke Farms, Tonya and KNF-E1, Cornell RTH, Moorings Park Ospreys, Corona California Owl Cam, Sharon Dunne and the Royal Cam Albatross Group NZ, David Attenborough Fans, Ospreys, The Telegraph, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, Cal Falsons, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels.
Before we begin today, I want you to watch a really short and sweet video of Nugget and Valentine at the KNF-E3 nest by Rhonda. As you might recall, Nugget had an injured leg. Thankfully that is all better. Have a look – you will need this before you read the rest of the news, I promise. It is also a reminder that legs can heal, that good things can happen!
Also on the plus side – Diamond has returned to the scrape after the fearful fireworks set up near the tower several days ago. That was around 08:42 on the 16th in Orange. All three of the Orange falcons are now accounted for and all three have now been in the scrape. Diamond was the last. Welcome back, Diamond. sorry you had to go through that extreme stressful ordeal. Fireworks should be banned! Maybe, Diamond, they could use your beautiful face as the poster for why all loud sounding celebratory items need to be banned, not manufactured, not sold, banned…Every other raptor, wildlife, dog or cat will thank everyone.
Oh, goodness. Soap operas do not hold a candle to ‘As the Nest Turns’ and right now that saying goes for Redding Eagles Liberty and Guardian, Big Bear Valley Samson and Jackie, Captiva Ospreys Mabel and Angus, and, of course, SWFlorida with M15 and E21 and E22. Add the Frequent Female Visitor with the injured talon/s who is so hungry well, Wednesday was quite the day. There would be awards if this was afternoon television! Every nest would be signing contracts…just kidding, of course, but…what the heck?
There were quite a number of feedings at the SWFlorida nest today. I won’t go into them in detail but the one around 1300 caught one attention. M15 is really trying his best to get food to 22. We have all watched him move the fish around, side step, pause with a piece of fish hoping that 22 will grab it. Sometimes 22 is just too scared. Sometimes the fear of what has happened is cause to stop 22 from eating. So at this feeding, ‘A’ wrote this. It is lovely.
Towards the end of that lunchtime feeding, E22 eventually made a frantic grab while M15 was working on a piece, and got the tail of the fish, with some flesh attached. When he turned away with it, mantling, he couldn’t swallow it and M15 came over and picked up the piece. Just when I thought M15 was going to swallow it himself, he instead started feeding it to E22, who managed at least half a dozen decent mouthfuls plus the tail, which he was able to swallow once M15 had pulled off those half-dozen mouthfuls for him.
No matter what happens on this nest…M15 is trying even going without himself to ensure that these two eaglets survive to fledge. He is exhausted. You can see that when he finishes feeding them for the evening and gets on the nest and his head just falls. He is ravenous if you look at how fast he ate some fish today, too. He really is Dad of the Year and he is certainly making me tearful just thinking at how hard he is trying to make this work.
7771 people watched M15 feeding the eaglets when the hungry female flies down landing on the nest and scuffling with the eaglets. She flew down, began eating the fish, and nipped at 21. It was 16:12-13:18ish.
She started eating the fish so quickly. She is – I am sorry to keep saying this – but, she is starving because she cannot hunt for herself with the condition her talon is in. (I cannot confirm it but there are rumours that there are more than one female around the nest with 2 of the females having injured talons).
She is ravenous and is eating. The eaglets give her a wide berth.
Then M15 is back at the nest and he sees what is going on. At 16:14:28, M15 flies down to the nest and gets rid of the female.
He moves the fish so that he can continue feeding E22 but he is also very hungry and eats ravenously, too.
21 already had a crop and is ready for a nap…good timing for 22.
E22 did get food – that was all I cared about and so did M15. He ate like he hadn’t seen fish for a month which made me – at first glance – think it was the female but there were those dark streaks on top of the head! M15 looks exhausted.
E22 got the fish tail and at 16:24:59 he tried to hork it without success.
There’s the part of the fish tail!
M15 is still feeding 22 at 16:37. E22 leans over and does a reasonable PS at 16:38:40.
Oh, it wouldn’t splatter to the pond but it was a ps and that is good – 22 is not dehydrated. 22 actually was doing a pretty good job eating that fish when the commotion began again. So glad he had some bites.
And, yes, M15 must have forgiven her – or he knows she is extremely hungry and is sick, hopefully healing from talon injuries. He also knows that she has helped defend the territory. Still, he will not give her food before he feeds 21 and 22 and himself. So…hunger is a driver for bizarre behaviour. I have seen osplets attack their older siblings which are 8 times their size. And let us all be honest…M15 is worn out and tense. He is ferociously hungry. The eaglets are hungry. And the female is ravenous like 22.
The female returned and ate all the scrapes. She is with M15 on the branch tonight. She is awake and he is getting some much needed sleep. M15 you are our hero…you are working so hard and it is taking its toll on you – a single dad with all these intruders to contend with!
The struggle for survival at the SWFlorida Bald Eagle nest is a good example for all of us – it is helping us to understand the challenges that our eagle families face each and every day of their lives.
The latest news:
At the Captiva Osprey nest, there are now ongoing battles that have lasted for at least six hours for control of the nest. This could get rather gruesome. Hormones are raging during breeding season and we all know that many of the trees that are good for osprey nests and – some established nests on Captiva and Sanibel – even on the mainland – were destroyed by Hurricane Ian. Everyone is looking for a nest. ‘H’ recorded more than 40 separate events in 8 hours..frightening.
Then the excitement came to the Redding Eagle nest when Liberty laid her first egg of the 2023 season last night.
And then, it waned. Liberty flew off the nest and left the egg. The Magpies came and pecked on it. Finally Guardian was there …According to ‘B’, there are boots on the ground looking for Liberty. These two are dedicated parents like Jackie and Shadow, M15 and Harriet…there is something wrong. Do they have intruders as well?
Relief. Liberty flew in…was she gone since morning. An avid Redding eagle lover, ‘B’ commented that she arrived at the nest in full alert mode vocalising. Oh, I hope that there is no trouble at this nest with intruders. It is simply too close to what might have happened to Harriet.
The problem with the success of the osprey and Bald Eagle breeding in the US – their big comeback after DDT – is that their habitat is being lost, their food supplies are diminishing and everyone wants and needs a nest, food, and security! They will fight to the death to get it, too.
Then there is the lingering question of why Jackie and Shadow continue to be on and off again with the eggs? and Mating? Right now – it is early evening on the Canadian Prairies on Wednesday the 15th and the eggs at Big Bear were left for the last time at 16:28. No Eagles on them at 15:41. While eggs can survive for different periods of time and hatch, I am beginning to wonder if the eggs are non-viable to begin with…and when after a period of time, no sound or movement was detected – or they heard the eaglets and then it stopped – something has caused Jackie and Shadow to behave differently. Like everything at these nests, there is nothing for us to do but wait and watch. Or take a break and return in a day or two.
Last year we all wept when the fourth hatch – that energetic little scrambler – at PA County Farm died of hypothermia. It is congratulations to Lisa and Oliver on their third egg of the season. Oh, that nest bowl is deep this year…I wonder if they will have a fourth egg?
There is no news of Zoe. An osprey was on the power pole at Streaky Bay. Not identified as Zoe. So long and no news…surely with the way she flew before there would be some place she would ping cell service by now. Patience required.
Making News:
Audubon reports that there are several victories in Alaska at the start of the year that will have us all cheering. The Bristol Bay Project is one of those and the most recent is the Tongass Forest rulings. The Bristol Bay mining project had the potential of harming the waters and the fish and therefore, the birds that depend on those fish such as the Bald Eagles. The Tongass will not have roadless entry protections for species. Have a read.
Sometimes it just feels like a roller coaster. There is great environmental news and then, we turn, and there are 350 dead waterfowl in a Victoria nature reserve in Australia. Why?
Authorities believe it is a case of Avian Botulism which occurs when there is a lot of water and then that water dries up. “Avian botulism is a serious neuromuscular illness, causing problems with muscle paralysis which can result in death. Botulism outbreaks are common during drought when wetlands evaporate rapidly, causing more birds to be concentrated in smaller areas of warmer, shallow water, and resulting in a concentration of bird faeces”. So sad.
Let us all wish our nests a little calmer day today! There was a small piece of fish (or small fish) brought on to the SWFlorida nest at 0928. 21 ate. 22 got a scrap….
The camera at the nest of Big Red and Arthur has been offline for a long time. It is now back on just in time for nest building!
Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, articles, and streaming cams that form my blog: ‘J’, ‘A’, ‘H’, Rhonda A and the KNF-E3, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, Nancy Babineau and SWFL Eagles, FORE, M and FORE, FOBBV, PA Fair Country, Audubon.org, The Guardian and Cornell Bird Lab.
Friday is going to be a much nicer day in terms of weather. It has been sweltering on the Canadian prairies. The high will be 21 and not 32! It is hard to imagine it being 32 degrees at the beginning of September in Winnipeg. The sun is bright and the sky is blue without a cloud in sight. It will be a good day to go to the nature centre for that long walk and to see how those little ducklings have grown this week. The egrets were still in Winnipeg last night. They attracted a few of us to gasp at their beauty as they flew into their roosting tree at sunset.
No matter what is happening today in your life, take the time to marvel at the work of the wildlife rehabbers who are giving our darling raptors a second chance to live out their lives soaring in the skies. Smile. Victor is flying!!!!!!!!!!!!
Making News:
The Ojai Raptor Centre has done an amazing job getting Victor to flying in the large aviary from the patient that arrived with severe zinc toxicity. They posted a Victor of our dear Victor flying so well. So thankful for Dr Sharpe and everyone who gave Victor his second chance! What a wonderful sight to see ——-Victor flying and not having to do physio being supported by a human lifting a towel. Tears.
Whenever you think about intervention and someone says ‘nature will take care of it’ ——think of our dear Victor and tell them about him. Maybe you can gently change their mind. Or you could tell them about Little Bit ND17 – or both!!!!!!
You might remember that one of the two eaglets on the US Steel Bald eagle nest fludged and, in the process, tore many of its feathers. It was taken into care. Here is the most recent news on this lucky eaglet who is getting its second chance!
Rosie’s broken feather on the right.
The new feathers being inserted. They will fall out when Rosie has her first moult. Oh, what a very lucky eaglet! Just like Victor and Little Bit.
If you are living where Baltimore Orioles will or are passing through, heading to their winter homes, remember to put out the oranges and the jelly (they love other flavours than grape, too) for them to help build their energy.
The RSPB gives us all some ideas about how we can better ‘green’ our lives.
I was extremely interested in their article on how to create a garden that is beneficial for wildlife. It is always good to look for new and better ways to take care of those garden friends that come to us for food, shade, and shelter.
Who could have predicted that the Hellgate Canyon nest would have a visit from both dear Iris and Louis on Thursday? What a pleasure it is to see her. Like so many of you, I have growled at Louis but, in the end, Iris seems much happier when he is about so…I am going to stop moaning when I see Louis. I wonder if this is the pair together, Iris saying goodbye to all of us until next spring?
Beautiful Iris. If this is the last time we see you this year, travel safe, always have a full crop, enjoy your winter but return in the spring. You give us hope and inspiration.
And she is off, the oldest osprey in the world living in the wild.
Feeding time for the Sea Eagles. Notice how much progress they are making in terms of plumage but also, in standing.
There was another prey delivery at 1200 and SE30 did some impressive mantling on its arrival.
Xavier brought Diamond a nicely dressed pigeon for breakfast. She was thrilled and Dad got to spend some time incubating those three eggs in the scrape at Orange.
At the 367 Collins Street scrape in Melbourne, the little Dad loves taking care of the eggies just as much as Xavier does. Here is an early morning hand over.
The Collins Street Mum just found ‘us’!
Mum and Dad have such a good routine at the Port Lincoln Osprey barge. Mum knows that Dad is coming with a partial fish for her. She would have seen him eating his portion on the ropes before arriving at the nest and transferring the rest of the fish to her. Typically, the males eat the heads of the fish. Then Dad gets a chance to incubate the eggs, too. Great system. Gives Mum a nice quiet time to have her lunch. It sure won’t be quiet in a couple of weeks!!!!!!
Dad brings in some more decorations for the nest later.
The check on Karl II and his family as they migrate shows us that Karl II is following his normal flight path. Everyone hopes that he will be changing his trajectory as this normal path will have him flying directly into Kherson an area that is quite unsafe. Looduskalender posted the different colours for his flight this year and Karl II’s last two years.
Karl flew fast and quick to get into Belarus. Let us all hope that the winds carry him to his favourite tree -safely and quickly- in the very centre of Africa.
Bonus appears to be in Belarus near Makarychy in the Gomel Oblatst. He must be finding a good food source in the Pripyat River marshes.
Kaia’s tracker came on and showed she had traveled 28.8 km. She remains in Ukraine.*
Waba – no data since 30 August.
Thank you so much for joining me this morning. Wishing our Black Stork family from the Karula National Forest in Estonia safe, safe travels. It will be interesting to see what Karl II does as he approaches Ukraine. Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the following whose posts, videos, and streaming cams made up my news for the day: Ojai Raptor Centre, Hawk Mountain, Audubon, RSPB, Montana Ospreys, Tamarack Wildlife Centre, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Port Lincoln Ospreys, and Looduskalender.
I have inadvertently been using the term ‘the Ukraine’. Having lived in the 2nd largest area of Ukrainians many decades prior to the country’s independence, it became a habit to say ‘the’. Now it is not appropriate. Ukraine is, of course, its own independent country. Apologies to anyone who might have been offended by my oversight.
