Social media is filled with pictures of Harriet and M15’s two little eaglets. Those eaglets are adorable.
The meaning of the word ‘pistol’ describing someone is a compliment. It means that they are full of surprises. And, so it was today, that E20 showed him or herself to be a ‘pistol’ when it provoked the first round of beaking on the nest at the 07:04 feeding, its first! It happened again at 09:04 and Lady Hawk caught it in a video for us.
Those eaglets are sure cute even when they have fish juice running all over them.
No problem opening wide. The eaglets are eating some nice fresh fish flakes today and loving it.
Look at the size of that bite. I think that is E19 up at Harriet’s beak.
Harriet always makes sure that each of the babies are fed. She is a very experienced and excellent Bald Eagle Mum. She also knows when to put her foot down on the nonsense – she just casually goes over and gets on top of both of them. Sometimes they will miss a meal if she decides they need too. Often M15 will step in and they will tandem feed the youngsters. That is the best!
Wonderful dad, M15 on guard.
Another example of fishing line! This hawk was really lucky. Around a river or lake and you see fishing line – help clean it up! We owe it to them. — In order to help we need to be ready. It helps to have a very sharp pair of scissors, a box, some garbage bags, and gloves in the trunk. Of course, you can add to that. A fishing net is great along with old towels to help the birds not get so stressed.
I am so proud of the three juveniles at the Port Lincoln Osprey Barge. I just went to check on them and Falky tries fishing. I recorded it for you. He will dive from the right ropes into the water and he will do several flybys before landing pack on the ropes. Oh, they are sure trying.
I want to close with a beautiful video of Xavier and Diamond bonding in the scrape box. Nothing more precious than seeing a pair of raptors confirming their togetherness. It was a hard season for them with the loss of Yurruga and the other two eggs not being viable. We wish them the best for next year.
It seems like today is a day of videos instead of images. I hope that you enjoyed them.
Take care everyone. Thank you so much for joining me today. Enjoy little E19 and 20. We will be at the clown feet stage before we know it.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen and video captures: SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project.
It is bright and sunny on the Canadian Prairies —— and it is cold, -32 degrees C or -25.6 F. When you walk on the snow it crunches beneath your boots.
The garden birds and animals get double feedings when it is like this. Those little legs. How do they manage? The Sparrows are so puffed up they are the size of softballs.
E19 and E20 are still getting us to ‘coo’. Harriet and M15 are adorable parents, both wanting to be in the nest with the new babies! The images begin last evening and continue through this morning.
Feedings are going well.
These two are seriously too cute.
Just look at that little crop, those tiny wings and that happy face.
Welcome E19 and E20. Be good to one another.
Just a few minutes ago! Adorable.
Many of you will know that the Great Horned Owl (GHOW) has been getting particularly aggressive towards Harriet and M15’s nest. The GHOW knocked M15 off the branch again last night. Harriet was really fed up and flew off the babies to escort that owl out of their territory.
A GHOW couple fought for and were successful in taking the nest from a young Bald Eagle couple in Kansas at Farmer Derek’s last year and right now there is a GHOW couple making plans on the Savannah Osprey nest! Did I say that there are too few big old trees for nests?
None of the lads at the Port Lincoln Osprey barge are any worse for wear after the dust ups between Falky and Ervie yesterday. The sun setting changes the look of the barge while creating diamonds on the water.
I am so used to Bazza being on the nest but it is Ervie eating a fish!
Ervie is still on the nest when the family settles down to sleep. I never imagined that the boys would still be with us at the end of the year. This is wonderful. I am so excited for all five members of this family. They did it this year – they fledged three healthy boys.
There are eagles on nests and nests waiting for eagles!
Gabby is thermoregulating at the Bald Eagle nest near Jacksonville. Looking for hatch the middle of January!
Anna is incubating a single egg down in Louisiana at the Kisatchie Bald Eagle nest. It is hot and humid there today. Some sprinkles for later.
What a beautiful view of the area around the Bald Eagle nest at Duke Farms in New Jersey.
Jackie and Shadow have snow in Big Bear, California.
All is well as we creep closer to the end of the year. That is a good thing! I hope that you are busy watching the little ones at SW Florida today. They grow so quickly! Here is the link to the camera if you don’t have it:
Today will be a quiet day for me. They say the booster can knock your socks off – I think it has. So today is a day of hot Christmas tea, good books, and a warm duvet.
Take care everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. See you soon.
Thanks to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: SWFlorida Bald Eagles and the D Pritchett Family, Friends of Big Bear, Duke Farms, KNF Bald Eagle Cam, Port Lincoln Osprey Project, and NEFlorida Bald Eagle Cam and the AEF.
Thank you for all your well wishes. One thing our City is reasonably good at is getting the main roads cleared from snow! We got home in time for a great visit with our daughter and to watch E20 join the world. It is always special when a little one comes into the world. The Pritchett Family says it was 17:54:44.
This is a short clip of E20 pushing on that shell.
I hope E19 is as proud and happy tomorrow when E20 is dry and rearing to go, too.
Oh, adorable!
Let us all hope that both of these beautiful little eaglets, E19 and E20, remain healthy, friendly, and grow into beautiful juveniles just like their big siblings from last season, E17 and 18.
For all my parrot lovers – of which I am one – ABC News is reporting that the once critically endangered Orange Bellied Parrot is increasing in population and has moved away from the brink of extinction.
Most Orange-Bellied Parrots live in Australia and Tasmania. They got their name from that bright orange patch on their belly! They are small birds who nest in Eucalyptus Trees. Their numbers have been threatened by habitat destruction, cats and foxes that hunt and kill them, collisions with buildings, cars, windows, etc. Australia has conducted a captive breeding programme that hopes to increase the numbers in the wild of these beautiful birds.
Oh, it is rough and tumble down at the Port Lincoln osprey Nest. Bazza appears to have received the first little fish but – then it happens that at one time all three were fighting and being kicked off the nest to try and get it.
Falky and Bazza.
A little later Ervie has joined them on the nest! It won’t be long til Falky and Ervie are catching most of their food. Let us hope that Bazza joins in. But for now, they are all just fine. Egos bruised at times but healthy juvenile ospreys. Puts a smile on your face.
Right before 08:39 Falky is on the perch and Ervie is on the nest. Falky flies down to the nest. Ervie has the sat pak and is to the right. Falky is to the left. Both think that a fish is coming in to the nest.
Ervie gets right mad at Falky and shoves him off the nest a few minutes later. There is no question ———– our little third hatch, Ervie, who won the sat pak because it turned out he was the biggest – is going to survive in the wild. It is awful to see them go after one another but it is necessary for their survival. And we all want each of them to survive. It was a real dustup!
Wow. A new eaglet. What a great day. It should be interesting watching E19’s reaction to having a sibling tomorrow. I wonder if it will be like Ervie and Falky today?
Thanks so much for joining me. Take care everyone!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my video clips and screen captures: SWFlorida Bald Eagle Cam and D Pritchett and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project.
It has been a wonderful day in Bird World. It is a good time to reflect on how much joy the birds bring into our lives, how much they teach us as we observe them and, as always, what else we can do to enrich their lives like they have ours. I cannot even begin to imagine what my life would have been like. First was the feeding of the songbirds in our garden and then there was the arrival of Sharpie’s mate. All of that was followed by watching Red-tailed Hawks in New York City and in Ithaca on the streaming cams. Years later the pandemic hits. Two years ago we had barely returned from a trip to Quebec City to celebrate my retirement and the first discussions of a deadly virus were swirling about. It was not long until we learned about the cases in PRC and, of course, all of that is now history. The first hawks that I watched in New York City are no longer with us (secondary rodenticide poisoning) but Big Red is still going strong up in Ithaca. She gave so many a reason to get up in the morning and, at the same time, reasons for us staying up all night as well – worrying. The birds taught – and continue to teach – me many things including empathy and patience.
Today, the Hilton Head Eagles, Harriet and Mitch, had their second hatch. The nest was discovered in October and the Hilton Head Trust held a contest for names for the couple while also setting up a streaming cam. Harriet is named after Harriet Tubman, nurse and spy for the Union army, and Mitch is for Civil War General, Ormsby Mitchel. Tubman actually led 700 slaves to their freedom, 100 of them to Mitchelville, a community established by the General for formerly enslaved persons. Thus, the names have a connection to one another and also to the community where the nest is located.
They are just adorable – littl eaglets with their soft grey natal down and spiky hair. Look how strong they are in the image below. It is so reassuring when they hatch and are strong and ready to go! Have a look:
I have been watching M15 and Harriet and the hatch of E19 most of the day. If you missed it, I updated my earlier blog identifying M15 as the adult on the nest when E19 hatched. That hatch was at 12:43:04. Harriet saw her baby for the first time at 14:46. The couple have each had turns feeding their first hatch of the 2021-22 season.
Look how wide E19 is opening its mouth. Harriet is pleased.
M15 stands guard over his nest with mate Harriet, E19, and yet-to-hatch eaglet, E20.
All of these eaglets will spend 75-85 days in the nest, depending on where they hatched. Here are the three standard divisions of the eaglet’s development. The first stage, 35-40 days, is called ‘structural growth.’ This is when the eaglets rapidly gain weight. They seem to be eating all the time. They are building bones and muscles as well as their tissue, toes, claws, etc. The second stage is related to the eaglet’s future ability to fly. The eaglets are born with natal down. Next is thermal down, then their juvenile feathers come in, and over the course from fledge to the time they are five years old, they will go through stages of feather development resulting, finally, in an adult with a beautiful white head, gorgeous brown body and yellow legs and feet. The thermal down will begin coming in around day 10. Juvenile flight feathers begin growing between 24-27 days. You will notice the eaglets doing wingercizes which help them develop the muscles in their wings. Right now these eaglets do not have much control over their heads and beaks. They will, as their neurological coordination increases, begin to stand on their feet instead of scooting around on their tarsi. They will learn to tear food, holding the prey down with their feet and pulling with their beak. Instead of being clumsy unfocused bobble-heads, they will turn into beautifully focused chocolate feathered raptors.
Within the last hour, another GHOW strike has happened at the SWFlorida Eagle Nest. These attacks are occurring much more frequently. Several nests including one Osprey one at Hog Island employed lights and clothed dolls to thwart the GHOW attacks. Thank you for that information, ‘L’. Maybe it is time to consider lights for Harriet and M15.
The Kakapo Recovery posted the cartoon of their infamous bachelors about two weeks ago.
Well, the staff no longer have to wait for breeding season to begin on Whenua Hou Island. The Kakapo kicked it up into high gear starting on 24 December. Oh, let there be many baby Kakapo!
Over at Port Lincoln everyone is eating well. Bazza found a fish before day break on the floor of the barge, then Bazza received another fish. Did I say I think Bazza will never leave home? Ervie has been over on the ropes eating a fish that it appears he caught and when he couldn’t eat another bite, Falky took over. Wow. Sibling sharing. How nice!
Ervie is at the top and Falky is eating the rest of the fish Ervie caught on the ropes near the bottom of the image.
Diamond slept on the Cilla Rocks last night. It is comforting to see her sitting on the ledge of the scrape at first light.
As I approach the end of the day, the sun is waking up on the deserts of Africa. The little birds are flitting about the bore hole in Namibia getting drinks. What a beautiful view. So peaceful. So warm compared to the cold snowy weather of Manitoba!
Good Night everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this evening. Stay well, stay safe. See you soon.
Thank you to the following streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Hilton Head Eagle Cam, SWFlorida and D Pritchett Eagle Cam, Port Lincoln Osprey, Charles Sturt University Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Nambia Cam, and Kakapo Recovery FB Page.
We have lift off at Southwest Florida. E19 was welcomed into the world at 12:43:04. It is Day 37. Harriet was on the nest tree and M15 was doing some soft chirping to tell her the good news.
M15 was on the nest during the entire hatch. Harriet will see her eaglet for the first time at 14:46.
A very proud Dad!
Oh, just look. The sun will dry the grey down soon.
Now we wait for E20!
At one time there were nearly 6500 persons watching and waiting for a glimpse of the little one.
Harriet is so beautiful and E19 is sooooooo tiny.
So cute.
E19 held its head up for a moment. You can clearly see the egg tooth that helped E19 out of its shell.
So happy this little eaglet has hatched and is fine! That is all that matters.
Congratulations to Harriet, M15, the Pritchett Family and all the lovers of Southwest Florida Eagles!
Thank you to SWFlorida Bald Eagle cam and the Pritchett family where I took my screen captures.
We are in the middle of a snowstorm here on the Canadian Prairies. The European Starling are using those really long and sharp beaks of theirs to try and forage food under the feeders. The sparrows are flitting around from branch to branch as the wind blows the snow in tiny little tornado-like gusts. For a long time we have wondered what to do for the birds when the weather is like this. A carport for birds and feeders????
The camera does not catch the snow blowing – and I don’t have a slow enough shutter speed on my phone. You can see the snow on the domes of the feeders and the little pine tree is almost completely covered.
All those white dots are snow blowing around. So hard to capture it so that you can really see the amounts. The depth is about 34 cm or over a foot. I do so feel for the birds – and other animals living in the wild – on days like this.
The eaglets, E19 and E20, in the eggs under Harriet are still working their way out. You can see what appears to be a large crack in one of them below. Or is this a piece of grass stuck to the egg?
The view of the eggs changes each time Harriet rolls them. Last evening a large piece of the moss stuck to one of the eggs making it appar that there was a crack going all the way around.
It is currently 24 degrees C in Fort Myers. It will rise to 27 degrees mid afternoon for Harriet and M15 today.
Poor Harriet. She is already panting to regulate her temperature.
Harriet is certainly restless this morning. I don’t blame her. Those pips came about 14 hours ago. She has been so careful moving around the eggs.
The camera has been down at Port Lincoln for a couple of days. I can see what I believe are the three lads. If they are in their usual spots it is Bazza on the nest, Ervie on the perch, and Falky on the ropes in his favourite diving spot. It is 03:00 on the barge.
The temperatures in Jacksonville, Florida are currently 18 degrees C rising to 23 during the middle of the afternoon for Gabby and Samson.
I found a new bird feeder cam that I really like for the variety of birds that arrive to eat. This feeder will not allow me to embed the link for you so go to youTube and search for LIVE Feeder Cam Gettysburg PA. They aren’t raptors but they sure are fun to watch when waiting for eagles to hatch!
The Starlings can be bullies but I still love them!
And for those looking for a new board game, look no further than ‘Wingspan’. Don’t be fooled – there are two parts. First is the book, Celebrating Birds and then there is the actual board and playing disks. I wish they were sold together. The book and game were developed with the Cornell Lab, Natalie Hargrave, and a couple of creative women, Natalie Rojas and Ana Maria Martinez. The images are beautiful – each is a watercolour. It is a great way to learn about the birds of the world but, you need to do your homework and check prices. I found that they can vary by as much as 40% for the actual board game and pieces. The book is quite reasonable and there are various extensions including the birds of Oceania.
I hope all of you are well. Thank you so much for joining me this morning as we anxiously await for the arrival of E19 and 20. Take care and stay safe. I hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, NEFlorida Eagle Cam and the AEF, Port Lincoln Osprey Project, and the Live Bird Feeder Cam Gettysburg PA.
It is a little past 21:00 at the nest of Harriet and M15.
Have a look at those pips!
Then Harriet rolled the eggs.
I am not even certain you can call that huge crack going all around the egg a pip. Looks like we are getting close to hatching, E19.
It is not going to be long now!!!!!!!!
I cannot wait to wake up in the morning and see a fluffy dry little eaglet. This is great progress from twelve hours ago when the first pip on each egg was spotted. Nice strong chicks. Positive wishes as they make their way into the world.
Thank you for joining me for this quick announcement. I get so excited around hatch time that my joy overflows everywhere. Take care everyone.
Thank you to the streaming cam at SWFlorida and the D Pritchett Family. That is where I took my screen shots.
If you live in the Commonwealth you are celebrating Boxing Day today. Centuries ago, all people working in the manors and upper-class homes were given the day off after Christmas as a holiday. Small gifts from the wealthy would go to their help and the tradespeople who worked for them during the year. The tradition might have begun during the Roman-Christian era when alms boxes were outside the churches for the poor.
We lived in a wonderful small town when I was a student in England. Boxing Day was lovely – visits from good friends, small exchanges of food items. Most prized for someone who never loved mincemeat were the tarts with the orange pastry shells made by Jane. If you liked or needed to, you could begin paying for your Christmas dinner and all the treats in January. The milkman arriving with the electric float had a small catalogue. You paid by the week. The meal with all the trimmings was delivered when Christmas came. I was most impressed with the focus on being together as a family and sharing a meal – not on presents. Typically, children received a new bike and a sock full of treats and candies. We were extraordinarily fortunate to have the most wonderful neighbours and acquaintances. I can close my eyes and return to our living room on Gorse Road – magical.
Today, I hope that you have been able to be with a friend, friends, or loving relatives – in person or virtually.
Ferris Akel is having a wonderful tour today. He was at the Finger Lakes Regional Airport where there were two, perhaps three, Snowy Owls.
There were also Bald Eagles.
There was a male and a female Hooded Merganser.
Male Hooded MerganserFemale Hooded Merganser
There were ducks and geese paddling around the partially frozen water.
The ones with the white breast are Northern Pintails.
There were so many ducks.
I wished that Daisy was there with them paddling around and eating. The image is not clear but Ferris believes that the ducks below are Black Ducks (similar but different to Daisy).
There were Canada Geese and Trumpeter Swans flying about.
Canada Geese in formation.Trumpeter Swans
Ferris also found a very interesting goose. Is it a pale Canada Goose? or is it a hybrid? It is smaller than a typical Canada Goose. Mind you, we see various sizes here in Canada – the small geese pair up with the same size, the larger with the larger ones. Ferris believes this to be a hybrid – a Canada Goose and a Snow Goose.
There were also Sandhill Cranes.
Ferris is on his way to Ithaca – hopefully he will catch sight of Big Red and Arthur!
Meanwhile in Hilton Head South Carolina, Harriet, named after Harriet Tubman, and Mitch, named after General Mitchel, either have their first hatch or are close to it. There is no rewind function for the camera but the images are crisp and beautiful. More than 400 individuals sent in names for the pair. Great choice!
There will be twins again for Harriet and M15 with both eggs pipping this morning! The Pritchard family set the time as 09:55:54 on 26 December. Tears, Get your worry beads out. It will be rough and tumble in a couple of days!
M15 has had food in the pantry for Harriet who normally will not leave their eggs at this stage – no matter how persuasive M15 can be!
I am so excited. Harriet and M15 are amazing Bald Eagle parents and the Pritchett family has provided them with everything they need – including a stocked pond – and care when required. Here is the link to the camera. You will not want to miss these two!
It is very hot on the nest. Harriet is panting to regulate her temperature. She is used to the weather in Fort Myers so no worries. The eaglets will be listening to one another and that will give them momentum to hatch.
Last breeding season I believe there was only four hours difference between E17 and E18. Remember those two? How could we forget, you are thinking.
Not a week old and they go into care with CROW for conjunctivitis. The image below is after a couple days of treatment. Lucky eaglets, Thanks CROW. Thanks Pritchett family for insisting these kiddos got the care and treatment they needed.
E17 got time out in the peach towel because he was being too aggressive to 18.
Besties.
Thank you for joining me today and for going back to look at these two wonderful juvenile eagles, E17 and E18. The time between when they hatch and fledge will pass as if you only blinked your eye. I urge you to stay tuned and watch this marvellous family go about their every day lives – feeding babies and protecting one another in Fort Myers, Florida.
Thank you to the Hilton Head Eagle Cam, SWFlorida Eagle Cam and the D Pritchett family for their streaming cams and Ferris Akel for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots. I also want to thank CROW for their FB Page where I took the images of E17 and E18 in care.
It is always heart warming to find that individual effort can really move people to action to help wildlife. We have been fortunate to see this happen many times this year and it gives us hope.
Some of you might remember Carrot the Deer. Everyone knew her and then she showed up with an arrow in her head last year. The community of Kenora, Ontario were devastated. Carrot got help! Well, meet ‘Christmas with the broken leg’ – and the woman who saved Carrot goes into action and will not take ‘no’ for an answer until she gets help for another deer in Kenora, Ontario!
I wonder why Harriet is such a popular name for Bald Eagle females???? Does anyone know? News is out that the Hilton Head Bald Eagle Mum, Harriet, has a confirmed pip today. Congratulations Mitch and Harriet. That is one substantial pip.
Oh, can you tell I am really missing these Bobble heads? The Pritchett Family has confirmed that there is no pip or Harriet and M15 yet. Perhaps tomorrow – 26 December, Boxing Day!
I can’t think of a better way to end this newsletter than with this beautiful tribute to adorable Yurruga. It’s lovely. Please have a look.
Take care everyone. Thank you for joining me this evening. See you soon!
