Sadly one of the four chicks of Big Red and Arthur’s did not survive hatching. I am going to presume that it was, as it appears, the crushed egg. The other one appears to be fine. Two more eggs to go.
Big Red tried several times to feed P1. There was even a live snake on offer! Eventually the little one was ready.
Meet Socialite Sandy & Laid-Back Luna ~ Figuring Out Who’s Who (2026 May 1)The votes are in and the 3rd graders selected the names Sandy and Luna for Jackie and Shadow’s chicks. I’ve pointed out some of the differences in the video to help you discern which is which.
Here’s the FOBBV announcement: ****** Chick 1’s name is Sandy with 30 student votes. Chick 2’s name is Luna with 25 student votes.
The remaining top 5 votes are as follows: Star with 22 votes. Chip with 22 votes. Phoenix with 18 votes.
Sandy was the most popular name entered with 3706 of the 63,915 names submitted. Please know that although Sandy would not have wanted us to outright name one of the eaglets Sandy, she would have been honored that you and the students went through the process and named one of the 2026 eaglets after her. Thank you for your participation and your generous support of Friends of Big Bear Valley from the entire team. You are much appreciated! ***** Video: https://youtu.be/lTEiU33HYgo
One chick gets chatty with neighbors ~ Birdwatcher in training (2026 Apr 29) Video: https://youtu.be/k1noEq1qAoE
Jackie & Shadow protected the eaglets through storm ~ Daylight brought sunshine (2026 Apr 26) Video: https://youtu.be/ckmcHQL6WFw
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
8-Day Old Chicks Place Rush Order for Lunch ~ Plus One Leg Down the Hatch (2026 Apr 28) There was an eating milestone during lunch ~ one chick downed a leg. (If you want to skip that celebration, it happens from 2:44-3:44 in the video.) Video: https://youtu.be/YQmkKceqN3k Redding Eagles ~ Redding, CA~ Liberty and Guardian Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California Livestream page: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams
Guardian romanced Liberty with a fish dinner and a bath in the river (2026 Apr 26) Video: https://youtu.be/K7ZhwXpLRq4
Check out Ruth and Oren’s two hawklets, too! And, of course, check out Monty and Hartley’s kids in SK Hideaways video.
Dual feeding with Milda and Zorro and the two White-tail Eaglets at the Durbe County nest in Latvia. They are getting pin feathers!
Ohk they are so cute.
Thank you for being with us today. It is a lovely 20 degrees and we are going to spend it outside. It is supposed to rain and get cooler. Tomorrow the cleaning lady comes and I am working on the moulding for the door. I will be watching some of the nests on my big screen but I might not be publishing a post until mid-week. So take care of yourselves. Enjoy the week, get outside, listen to birdsong. Be happy.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video links and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch the lives of our birds (the good and the not so good).
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!
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.
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.
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:
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
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.
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!)
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.
The eyases of Oren and Ruth are so cute and becoming quite the characters. Lots of food including bunnies.
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
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.
It is 6 C and what a wonderful sunny day it has been.
There is great news coming out of Glaslyn. Our dear Aran, once the mate of Mrs G and then Elen, ousted from his nest at Glaslyn in 2025 by Teifi, is now with a new mate and there are eggs!
From the Glaslyn Osprey Group FB:
Big Red and Arthur will have a lovely little chick soon.
Look at the front egg!!!!!!!
There is now some concern for Winken at Moorings Park who was seen with a fishing line hanging from its beak.
Fish continue to be delivered by Jill at the Achieva nest with a fish arriving from Jack around 11:18 this morning.
Ping Shen reports on the Seattle couple, Harry and Sally: “Making up for lost time – Harry has been busy delivering both fish and nesting material, and also spent some time today excavating the “bowl” of the nest (you can see things flying out behind his talon, almost like a dog), sitting in it, etc. Hopefully Sally is pleased, despite his late arrival! Great to see them both back…no eggs yet, but perhaps soon…”
Viki writes with good news from Maryland: “I discovered a 22nd nest on the island, and it had 2 osprey – looked a very bare platform so perhaps they’re new. And another of my original 21 has 2 osprey now (maybe with eggs) so that’s 15 of 21 with a pair
And as for LB (the M4 young father who is fiddling around with Ethel on the side), Lily, F4, has figured it out. What LB wants to do is brood those eggs – if he brings a fish, she lets him incubate; if he shows up on N4 antsy, she lets him incubate. She no longer takes her fish to N3, which is on the way to Ethel’s N2, but takes it the other direction to N4’s traditional perch in the North Copse of pine trees. Lily also let LB mate with her-once after I’d seen him copulating with Ethel. (I think she must have a nest full of eggs given how long ago she started seriously incubating and the continued flurry of mating afterwards. Do you think the new father is satisfying himself with brooding? Possibly similar urges ?????”
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 30th April 2026
What a glorious day – Aurora 536 produced her first egg, which clearly took a lot of effort but gave us our first egg on Nest One since Aila had her lockdown trio there in 2020. Six years is a long time to wait and hope for chicks on the original Loch Arkaig camera nest but today that wish is coming true. Garry LV0 was surprised and did a comical double take when he first saw the egg – shortly before it was laid, he came steaming in for a mating attempt and was roundly told off by Aurora, who pecked him and winged him away, and although he offered fish later, she wasn’t interested – had a bit of a hard day! Garry brought her four fish in total, taking his tally to thirty nine, and over on Nest Two, all was calm with Louis bringing one fish for Dorcha, taking the nest tally to thirty three. Today’s videos:
That’s it for me today. Don will be returning with Ann for some dessert after a full afternoon at the nature centre. Thank you for being with us. Take care everyone. Keep an eye on Big Red and Arthur’s nest – we will have some of the cutest babies filling that nest at Cornell shortly.
Thank you to Ping Shen, Geemeff, PB, and Viki for keeping me up to date on their nests. I am terribly grateful to them and those who post on FB and who own the streaming cams that allow us into the lives of these magnificent birds.
There is always a reason to celebrate, even when there is sadness. My friend, Geemeff, says that getting weary over the recent deaths is ‘because we care”…and yes, that is right. We fall in love with these little ones, and we want to help them when they are ill – desires most of the time that simply have to be nothing more than that. Today’s sadness comes from Mooring Park. It appears that this nest that began with three will have only one to fledge this year.
Blinken, the second hatch at Moorings Park Osprey Platform in Florida, was showing signs of being ill several days ago. Eagle-eye ‘PB’ spotted it. Sadly, the little one passed this morning, but not before looking lovingly and saying goodbye to Mum.
The very last time chicks were dancing and fledging from Loch Arkaig nest 1 was in 2020, with Louis and Aila’s trio. Aila did not return in 2021, and Louis never went back to their nest. He made nest 2 his with Dorcha. Today, Geemeff writes that Aurora has laid her first egg! Congratulations. It is nice to see that both nests at the lach will have babies this year!
The other good news is that it appears that Big Red and Arthur not only have one pip but two!
OR 6 and 7 are doing great at Syracuse University’s Red-tail Hawk nest. This is also great news.
Charlie and Lola fans will be glad that the injured female and her mate have reunited on a different nest, choosing to live in what we hope is peace. Let the intruders have their old nest. Let’s wish them luck.
Speaking of intruders, Lyn Brenig had one in the dark!
And then we have this post from Dyfi. Did Idris think his mate Telyn was an intruder?
I am waiting for Geemeff to send her summary of today’s events at Loch Arkaig. I suspect that with the arrival of the first egg in six years at Loch Arkaig nest 1, there is much to do and lots to celebrate. I will post that summary, along with all their wonderful videos, separately when they arrive.
I know that I am missing many who should appear on the Memorial Page. If you can help me with names – storks, hawks, eagles, ospreys, etc, I would be grateful. They should be remembered. Thank you!
Thank you for being with us today. We will be back with you soon!
Thank you to ‘PB’ for alerting me first about Blinken’s condition, to Marc Bekoff for his studies in animal behaviour, to Dyfi for their newsletter, to all who post on FB and keep us up to date and to the owners of the streaming cams mentioned, thank you. We would not be able to share the lives of our favourite bird families without you.
The spring weather dipped and it was chilly. Don was really looking forward to going to Fort Whyte on Wednesday, but 5 C with wind meant that he got to visit his other favourite place, The Leaf, with Ann. There are koi and the butterfly area that give him great delight.
Toby and I stayed home. Had a wee walk, did a tiny bit of clearing up, and then relaxed. I immediately fell asleep with Toby wrapped around my head. Sometimes we don’t know when we are ‘dog tired’.
It is now late Wednesday night. There is growing concern for the second hatch, Blinken, at the Moorings Park Osprey Platform in Naples, Florida. The osplet cannot eat, and its poop shots are ‘dry’. The bird is very dehydrated, and I fear it will not live much longer.
You might recall that Richmond and Rosie lost a fully feathered osplet several years ago. Molate died immediately after falling from the nest to a platform below on July 16, 2022, at 58 days of age, following a decline in health. The body of Molate was on the platform but not retrieved and no necroscopy was conducted (as I recall the situation). The behaviours of Blinken and Molate are similar – it is unfortuante that we do not know what caused Richmond and Rosie’s chick’s demise.
Molate:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 29th April 2026Dorcha produced her second egg right on schedule today – it arrived bright and early with a few squeaks and whistles. The branches and bedding is hiding it from view for now, but her behaviour made it quite clear she’d laid another egg. Third and probably final egg due in three days time. Meanwhile over on Nest One, Aurora 536 is keeping us guessing, no egg as yet despite showing quite promising signs from time to time. The males performed as expected, both Louis and Garry LV0 delivered two fish each, taking the Nest One tally to thirty five and the Nest Two to thirty two. Today’s videos:
Quiet Eagle caught one of this year’s fledglings returning to the NE Florida nest of Beau and Gabby! What a wonderful surprise! https://youtu.be/VXg35bQvgTI?
It is raining on Big Red at the Cornell Red-tail Hawk nest as we await pip.
Arthur is such a good mate! Here in a video by Cornell Bird Labs, he delivers prey to the Queen of the RTHs. https://youtu.be/IcX48z_ZTNA?
At the other Red-tail Hawk nest of Ruth and Oren, the two little ones are doing well.
Milda and Zorro’s White-tail eaglets in Latvia are nothing short of adorable. They are four days old.
Migration Update from Hawk Mountain, PA:
Sharon Pollock brings us an interesting video from the Big Bear nest of Jackie and Shadow. (copy and paste the link into your computer)
I am closing tonight with a very disturbing incident that happened in my City. A seventeen year old male drove an SUV over sleeping Canada Geese. Warning: This video is very disturbing. https://youtu.be/G8EqFpLOi4w?
Citizens are outraged, and many in the mental health field are stating that this type of violence towards innocent wildlife is only a short way from harming humans.
We must close with some happiness, and that is the Achieva osprey nest. Mum, Jill, is incredible. As Mother’s Day approaches, surely she might be the top nominee in Bird World this season. She has kept her babies alive and herself by going out and fishing, some mornings and almost every evening but one that I am aware. Other osprey nests might be successful when fish are short if those females would follow her lead.
Thank you for being with us tonight. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us again soon.
Thank you to Sharon Pollock and the Cornell Bird Lab for their videos, to Geemeff for their extensive daily summary and videos of all things at Loch Arkaig, to the authors of the FB posts, and the owners of the streaming cams. I am very grateful. Thank you also to The Guardian for reporting on environmental and wildlife news and ‘PB’ for keeping me up to date on Blinken and the Achieva osprey nest.
They have four little eyases, pink beaks, pink toes…white fluff. They are readying to be able to see (it usually takes 4-5 days). Monty and Hartley’s little falcon babies are so cute. Each one is doing so well.
Audubon Florida has published their annual report. These summaries are very interesting and you can learn a lot! Take, for example, how hurricanes benefit some shorebirds: “When multiple hurricanes and storms in 2024 rearranged habitats across the Gulf Coast, the resulting expanses of bare sand created ideal conditions for beach-nesting birds, especially Wilson’s Plovers. Combined with a lack of major storms in 2025, our team saw encouraging results for many coastal bird species all around the Sunshine State, thanks in large part to the dedication of our incredible shorebird steward staff and volunteers.”
Check it out. We can all learn something and what is happening in one region might give some insight into what is occuring in others.
Ospreys have returned to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum platform.
Ospreys have also returned to a very sad nest at Collins Marsh in Wisconsin. It is on top of the roof of an old fire watch tower that was hauled in to the nature centre. This nest has always needed attention and I feel for these two because it looks as if there are no rails at all and the whole is sloping downwards. My wish would be that every owner of a streaming cam connected to an osprey platform make an effort during the off season to clean and refurbish – and strengthen the nests and the platforms.
I just want to call it ‘evil’. I am still trying to wrap my head around the mind of an individual who would shoot a mute female swan incubating eggs and then stomp on her eggs, leaving her life-long partner to mourn. Now, the poaching of Bald Eagles in Michigan. These inconceivable acts of abuse and violence against animals happen in every country. No region is immune. Some blocks away from where I live, but close enough for discomfort, a seemingly normal couple tortured and killed cats on the dark web for money. They were looking for a child to be next when they were caught. The cruelty by the individuals against the swan, the eagles, and the raptors in places like Scotland tells me that if a person would hurt an animal, what in the world would they do to a human? They have no heart.
There is great news coming from the Snow Lane Osprey Platform in Newfoundland, Canada – Beaumont has just returned. Let’s hope his new mate arrives safely!
We have egg number 3 at Lyn Brenig in Wales.
The female at Loch Garten returned today after a week’s absence and laid her first egg.
Things going very well with Andor and Cruz’s triplets after the return of Ryder who fell out of the nest by the IWS.
Beautiful eggs of Teifi and Elen.
‘PB’ sent me a note that USS 11 was returned to the nest along with some nice fish gifts! Congratulations. Well done.
Thank you so much for being with us today for this quick report. We hope that you are well and enjoying the beginning of your week! Take care. We will be back in a couple of days – unless Big Red and Arthur have hatches and we will be back sooner.
Thank you so much to ‘PB’ for her alert, to the owners of the streaming cams for allowing us to view the lives of our bird friends, to Jeff Kear at UK Ospreys FB for keeping me on my toes, and to all who post information and images on FB to keep us up to date on what is happening.
We had a very strange day today. We were both tired. Toby was due to go for his grooming. It was a new doggie spa. I will only say this – Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are not to be ‘shaved’ all over unless they are covered from tail to nose in heavy matting. (That would be supreme neglect. I said ‘no’ to the shave – I should have been warned off by that question. Toby did not get hurt, or anything, and the groomer did do what I asked, except that, on their own, they cleaned his face, which meant they cut off his whiskers! —– Toby will be going to his former groomer from now on even if I have to wait to get in!
The weather has turned a bit cool. It was 0. We had a very cool wind. It is to warm up – aren’t I always saying that? Spring really needs to come. I have ordered a gallon of paint so I can do a second coat of Railings on the exterior doors. I do love that deep grey with a blue undertone. We have changed door wreaths – we simply change the flowers and ornaments. The next couple of months are pink peonies. Oh, how I love peonies! We have one old bush from 1902 that still thrives, and over the past two years, I have planted more. Many of the shrubs have to be segregated from Toby as they would make him ill if he ate them!
‘PB’ alerted me to the goslings preparing to jump. These parents were incredible.
The five goslings were encouraged by Mum several times and then Dad flew up to give them a pep talk. The five appear to have made it down safely. Nothing cuter than these babies taking this huge leap of faith. Heidi has it on video: https://youtu.be/sqTCn7X8ipE?
Ping Shen wrote last night with such relief. “Here, it has been an interesting few weeks – after seeing Sally on April 2nd I naturally kept an eye out for Harry and a few days later a male did show up on the nest…upon closer inspection (photos), however, it was fairly clearly not Harry (no distinctive black spot in the left iris, etc). Sally seemed to tolerate this new male well enough (#5350 is Sally, on the right, with the new male on the left), though I wondered if she would wait for Harry and if so…where was he and when would he show up. As the days turned to weeks…I started to resign myself to the idea that I might not see Harry again. Then…as I ambled down towards the nest yesterday, seeing the 2 birds there and assuming it was Sally and the new male, imagine my surprise and joy to look through the viewfinder and find a different male…much more brown on the chest and then…as he turned just right…that drop in the left iris! Harry!! Unmistakably Harry, and the two are now back together – I hadn’t visited in a few days so I don’t know exactly when he showed up or what happened to the other male (presumably chased off by one or both of them), but what a relief! Interesting that he showed up some 3+ weeks after Sally – perhaps this is why she left a good six weeks or so before he did last summer? Perhaps her schedule is just earlier than his…anyways, as you can see they are wasting no time, and the nest is starting to expand and the Osplet-making has begun!
Thought you might enjoy the update from Seattle, and the good news. ”
Ping is not the only one who worries about late arrivals. This year, a number of ospreys have arrived several weeks later than they were expected. I am starting to wonder if they wintered in the same area, and weather events meant they were late in leaving. Wonder where they were??
The latest news from the chat – both chicks are out. “15:10-15:17–Ruth continued to help the chick in Egg #1, removing much of the shell as the chick pushed. A hatch can’t be called until the chick is fully out of the eggshell.” “A LOT has happened today! Egg#2 hatched around 17:08, so HAPPY HATCH DAY OR2 the second chick of 2026 named for its parents initials as well! We are THRILLED both chicks hatched on the same day!”
The little eaglet of Irv and Stella at the US Steel nest, USS 11 will be returned to his nest on Tuesday the 28th after rescue and rehabilitation. Great work everyone!
Geemeff stayed up very, very late. Aurora was assaulted by owl strikes. Check out all the action below at Loch Arkaig at the two nests!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 27th April 2026Today started as a routine day enlivened by our first sight of the egg when Dorcha stood to roll it, giving us a good look at it. Louis delivered two fish to her, taking the nest total to twenty seven, and Garry LV0 brought two fish to Aurora 536, taking his tally to thirty two. Aurora didn’t eat either of them – she dropped the first and despite circling round to look for it, had to leave without it, and although Garry kept returning with the second fish, she showed no interest. It was speculated she might be getting ready to lay an egg but that ended when she left the nest at 19.40.
However, she returned to the nest at 23.53 but if she had any hopes of staying the night and laying an egg, those were dashed by a bombardment from owls who kept flying past her and over her, with calls heard continuously in the background. She didn’t actually receive a strike but had had enough and departed at 00.04. While this was going on, Dorcha was undisturbed on her nest.
All is well at the UK nests save for the owl strikes and intruders, including returning two year olds. We wait for hatch!
If you live near southern Manitoba, Wildlife Haven is having its ‘Baby Days’ on Saturday, 2 May. They are in great need. They already have over thirty new baby patients this season, and that number will continue to grow. I am certain it is the same with the rescues near you. Check out their wish lists – look in your garage. Got an old dog or cat carrier that is in good shape? Clean it up and donate if you no longer use it. Check for other items. You would be surprised by what is needed—including tools!
Thank you for being with me today. Tomorrow you should be able to see the two little darlings at Syracuse University. I encourage you to hawk watch – you won’t regret it. I am now waiting for Big Red and Arthur to have their babies.
Take care. We will see you soon.
I am so grateful to Ping Shen for sharing his Seattle osprey family with us. Thank you to Geemeff for staying up late to create the video of Aurora’s attack and all the other news. To ‘PB’ for keeping me informed on great events that I might have missed. To the authors of FB posts and the owners of the streaming cams – I am always grateful.
We hope that you had a wonderful weekend – and please tell me that you had some time to go outside. It was a tad cooler here today but we sat in the warm sun on the deck and listened to birdsong coming from the feeders. Oh, it made my heart skip happy beats! It was another quiet day – a most welcome one. We did some spring cleaning and celebrated by making strawberry shortcakes. Tomorrow, Toby goes for a much-needed grooming (Monday). I’m hoping for a trip to Fort Whyte for a walk in the forest and a check on the geese that should be laying eggs.
Shadow continues to bring in big fish for Jackie and the kids. The snow is melting.
Isn’t he handsome? Teifi is one of Idris and Telyn’s fledglings – he is Maya’s grandson. How cool is that? I am so glad that the Glaslyn nest has settled down or him and Elen. As you know, I adore Aran and it seems that he has also found a platform and a mate. Smiling. Calm is good.
The Dyfi family tree now has its fledglings at Glaslyn:
Here’s Teifi. It was the first year, 2020, that Idris was bonded with Telyn after Monty:
News from Loch of the Lowes:
SK Hideaways videos for the week – always grateful!
Jackie & Shadow got everything in order as a storm approached ~ The chicks enjoyed meals 7 and 8 ~ They’re tucked and warm under Jackie (2026 Apr 25) Video: https://youtu.be/ZHZwUvD7SEw One Chick Escapes Egg Bowl ~ Jackie has a Word with Shadow About It (2026 Apr 19) Video: https://youtu.be/Af1ZfwYL1bk
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
I’m not going to swear but…how many ospreys die because of hooks and fishing line? This one was rescued.
So happy. This time it was a happy ending.
It was a booming year (no pun intended). Kakapo breed every four years. Records broken this year on this critically endangered species, but the species remains in decline from four years ago.
Osprey baby in Italy!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 26th April 2026
Today’s momentous news is the arrival of the first egg – around 06.50 Dorcha started making little squeaking sounds and at 06.56.29 she laid the first egg of Season Ten. The nest cup is too deep and there are branches obscuring the view, but it was clear from her behaviour that she is now brooding an egg. Louis came along about an hour later with her breakfast, and we were able to watch his reaction before he happily took over egg duty, allowing her to depart to eat her fish. No sign of eggs yet for Aurora 536 and Garry LV0 but things will take longer with them as they aren’t a long-established pair like Louis & Dorcha. Garry delivered two fish taking his tally to thirty, and Louis delivered three fish, taking the nest tally to twenty five. At the time of this report (23.30), Dorcha is still away after departing with her third fish, and Louis is looking very settled on the nest.
It was a good day at Achieva thanks to Jill who is really stepping up to take care of her babies. Jack was late today – last time I checked Jill had delivered a fish and then went out later, at her usual time, to bring in another catfish.
In the image below, you can see the significant size difference between the two chicks. Big is almost fully feathered. Little is just getting its tail. We still see the white stripe on Little.
Alaska and Australia teaming up to help protect the Shearwater!
‘The birds are a global citizen’: Indigenous groups in Australia and Alaska team up to track a feathered adventurer’s epic journey.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself and have a great end of the weekend and the beginning of the week. See you soon!
Toby loving his Bully Stick.
Thank you so much to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their great contributions – their work takes so much time. I am very grateful to those who post current information on FB and other platforms, to The Guardian for its reporting on wildlife concerns, and to Dyfi Osprey Project for keeping such wonderful historical information. To the owners of the streaming cams, thank you seems too small. We would know about these amazing birds and their environmental challenges if it were not for you.
Louis and Dorcha have their first egg of the season! Oh, how we worried Louis would not show up from migration. He has worked hard on the nest and helping Dorcha get into fit shape for the eggs and chicks.
I love this on the Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre Guides: “No fishing is permitted at Loch of the Lowes at any time of year to protect its wildlife and rare underwater flora.”
This would stop all the lines and hooks, protect the environment, and focus on what is important – the wildlife and flora.
A rope that is being used to connect broken habitats has finally been used!
Want to see some goslings jump? Check out Heidi’s post and then go to the streaming cam at Captain Mac’s. Sorry, no ospreys this year. Perhaps that is a blessing.
If you love forests as much as we do, here is a good 57-minute listen called The Scaffolding of Life by Suzanne Simard. I hope you can open it:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 25th April 2026
Today was another settled day with good weather, plenty of fish, and no intruders. Garry LV0 brought two fish for Aurora 536 taking his tally to twenty eight, and Louis delivered four fish to Dorcha, taking the nest tally to twenty two. No eggs yet, perhaps that will give Dorcha or Louis a chance to get rid of The Stick before their first one’s laid. Louis nearly succeeded today, moving it into a much better position braced against the cot rails, however it didn’t last long there and is back where it started out today. Woods and trees are vital for the wellbeing of people and wildlife, and Woodland Trust would like our help to get candidates in the 7th May local UK elections to recognise this, details in the bonus section.
All is well for Iris and the New Guy 2 (is that the right number?). Fish delivery!
There was mating at the nest, but it was so quick and no fish that I thought it might have been you know who. Someone tell me I am wrong.
All is good at Achieva. Jill continues to deliver fish in the evening and sometimes in the mornings if Jack doesn’t deliver. The babies are doing well. Fingers crossed. Look closely. Little is getting its tail!
Jack was in with an early fish!
Big Red rolls the eggs and Arthur arrives to take over incubation.
Lots of self-feeding with Winken and Blinken at Moorings Park.
It hit. Remember that eagles actually do better in cold weather – as long as they have a food source – than in the extreme heat.
Lots of incubation going on. Most of the UK osprey nests have a full clutch but there are some just starting with eggs. We wait to see what happens at Locch Arkaig 1. We wait to see if Iris will lay eggs this year.
Meanwhile in San Jose, Monty and Hartley are busy bees feeding four.
Milda feeding her two white-tail eaglets at her nest in Durbe County, Latvia. Aren’t they cute? It is so windy at that nest!
All over Europe storks are incubating eggs. It is wonderful.
We had a very quiet Saturday. I have marked Thursdays and Saturdays off our calendar – no appointments, no visitors for Don, nothing but the regular animal feedings. No cleaning. Easy meals. No screen time. This probably sounds quite silly, but the other five days of the week are full – and they are really nice. Ann is amazing with Don and keeps him busy – talking and walking. I am forever grateful to her. Tolu keeps him squeaky clean, and Melissa now looks after the house. Tomorrow, Toby goes for his groom. He loves to get in the water and the mud. His hair is VERY curly in spots and wavy in others, and it tends to get matted in certain areas (under his ears!). We have been to Pineridge, and we might just go back today. I promised Toby a ‘car ride’. His eyes and ears perk up when I say ‘car ride’. I love it. We are fine, and I am establishing some boundaries to maintain a good balance between activity and quiet. Last evening we had a video chat with our granddaughter in Australia. She is eloping in July, and her best friend is arriving any moment to celebrate her birthday. She is happy, and that makes me happy, although we do miss her terribly.
Have a good week. Take care! See you soon.
Thank you to Geemeff and SK Hideaways, to ‘PB; who keeps me informed about all goings on at Achieva, to those who post on FB, and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch these birds. I am also grateful to Emergence Magazine, Kielder Forest, and The Guardian for reporting on environmental issues and what is happening where they are.
Did you see it? Ryder fell out of the Fraser Point nest of Cruz and Andor. Many worried. Most ‘believed’ IWS would, because of their wonderful history, get the permissions and rescue. Others wrenched their hands.
UPDATE FROM IWS:
“We’re attempting to rescue Ryder. Erin expects to arrive at the nest around noon, and will see if she can find the eaglet. If she does, and it’s healthy, she’ll attempt to climb the tree and return Ryder to the nest. If Ryder is injured, she’s prepared to take him/her to a wildlife care facility.”
True to form, Ryder was rescued. There are lots of videos.
What a dramatic event. We are so blessed to have the dedicated staff at the IWS – and if you are ever looking for a worthy institution to donate, IWS is certainly one that uses your money wisely!!!!!!!!!
I am keeping an eye on Big Red and Arthur and their four eggs on the Fernow Light Stand, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
Have a listen. Have you ever heard a Nightingale? Rewilding is bringing them back. News from Knepp Farm:
There appeared to be no early fish at Achieva. Jill left after 1000. She flew in around 1022 with a fish to feed the hot and hungry kids. Yeah for Mum. She waited as long as she could.
Feed us! Catfish are bony, especially the heads, and it takes Jill a while to get into the meat for the babies. They were anxious for fish but not fighting.
Both adults on nest later looking for intruders.
Jill waiting for more fish: 1635. It is a bad fish day. My heart aches.
Hope that the babies have more fish. The nest has been relatively calm. Little did bonk Big once but paid for it – still, a brve move on the part of the baby.
The third egg at Pont Cresor for Aeron Z2 and Blue 014.
Ashley Wilson catches Winnie and Swoop looking from the perch over the new snow.
We have the first egg at Loch of the Lowes. Wish this new couple the very best!
Oh, it was the most magnificent day. I feel like I won the lottery. When we put on the addition, more than a decade ago, the individual pouring the crawl space had to cut back the deck. I have ignored it…But I can’t any longer, as I fear Don will fall. I phoned a carpenter to get a quote for extending that piece and another area. He came this morning. My neighbour has a friend visiting til he moves into his own space. He is working on The Little House on the Prairie Project, and they wondered what was ‘happening’ when I opened the gate so they could take some red lounge chairs I didn’t need. As it turns out, that friend is a carpenter, and together they are going to fix everything for me gratis. My neighbour even has the wood and deck screws. I am feeling very teary and blessed. How nice.
We hope that you have a wonderful weekend….Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care.
Thank you to the IWS for always being there, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos, to the UK Osprey FB group for all their information and to everyone else who posts news on FB as I cannot keep up all the time, and to the owners of the streaming cams – I am forever grateful. We would never know the challenges that these raptor families face.
