Tag Archives: Bald Eagles

Has Dorcha fledged?…Late Saturday in Bird World

8 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

Friday was a busy day. The plumbers have almost finished making our main bath ‘accessible’ in case Don needs mobility aids. They were working hard today, and it was often loud, so Don went with Ann to our Zoo, and he got to see Lumi, the little lynx that was rehabilitated by Wildlife Haven. It was exciting, as they had missed seeing Lumi on three previous occasions. This evening, Don’s second cousin, a budding Vancouver photographer, was here visiting her Mum, and Susan agreed to do some photos for us at King’s Park. It was ideal, and there was more – we had some photos taken near a waterfall and pool where Toby had his first swim!!!!!!! I am going to get him a kiddie pool. You would have thought that he went swimming every day – Toby is a real duck.

Susan will edit the images but she did send us one.

As you are aware, Jackie’s latest red blood count has dropped below 10%. She has returned to the critical care unit and has to have oxygen. I feel for this beloved eagle. Without asking you, I am pretty certain that each of us would love to see her fly back to the nest to be with Shadow. The truth is – she is hanging on to life. I have seen the craziest comments – like let her fly up to Shadow, give her another transfusion. First of all, she can’t fly. Secondly, a second blood transfusion is very dangerous. I believe that, at this point, we have to trust the highly qualified vet team and Jackie to know whether she has the strength to continue fighting. Some of you will recall that at the end of June, Jackie’s behaviour was a bit off. She had a fight with Shadow over a fish. She had to have been sick then. The team are desperately seeking answers and getting more clues daily but our girl is more than extremely sick.

No matter what happens, I will be forever grateful that Jackie used all the energy she had to bring two beautiful eaglets into the world, Sandy and Luna, with Shadow this year. I suspect she was ill at the time, and that must have really taken its toll on her body. Poor thing. If it is to be, then I hope she soars into the ether with Sandy Speers, who loved Jackie so much, and that Shadow, like M15, finds another very good mate. Until then, I continue to hope for Jackie’s full recovery.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 7th August 2026

Today was heavy with fish deliveries but light on key players – neither Dorcha nor Garry LV0 turned up today. Aurora spent a little time on Nest One but on her last appearance this evening just perched silently before flying away, clearly Garry wasn’t in the neighbourhood. The Nest One fish total remains at one hundred and ninety four. Louis however was very much in evidence, delivering eight fish to his two chicks who were stuffed so full, neither turned up for the eighth fish and he took it away again. The Nest Two total now stands at three hundred and eighty nine, four of which were brought by Dorcha. Has she left on migration? It would be an early departure for her, she usually waits until the chicks are around seventy five days old, and today Juniper and Amber are sixty seven and sixty five days old respectively.  She has been known to stay away from the nest for a day or two before leaving, popping in occasionally, so perhaps we’ll see her tomorrow. It was very wet today with heavy rain showers throughout the day, and the rain will continue lightly overnight with a low of 13°C, then heavy again tomorrow with a high of 17°C.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/u8OvfLOFDDI N2 Juniper crash lands too late – Amber’s already got fish one 06.24.08https://youtu.be/EKjatdnyNxI N2 Juniper gets fish two and doesn’t let go 07.39.56https://youtu.be/X2qE9z_sP5A N2 Louis waits with fish three on an empty nest 08.44.00https://youtu.be/oThXmsFRh2Y N2 Amber’s alone on the nest waiting for fish four 10.15.20https://youtu.be/Y2AthKRU0FI N2 Again it’s Amber who gets fish five 13.18.03https://youtu.be/Y6UGSEGtJdg  N2 Fish number six is a very large, very lively trout 18.19.16https://youtu.be/wHjquYUZyP8 N2 Is an intruder around when Louis brings fish seven? 19.33.20https://youtu.be/2CBec3aUa9U N1 Aurora waits silently then departs as Garry doesn’t show 20.05.48https://youtu.be/V030Nw9v4jo N2 Louis takes fish eight away again as no one’s there 21.29.00 (zoom)

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

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

Geemeff sends us a good news story – boy do we need it.

“A remarkable story – this little rescued nestling has gone on to have a long and well-travelled life!”

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/26439373.hastings-blackbird-rescued-15-years-ago-found-newcastle

I love Blue 33 – everyone knows that – and his mate Maya. A lovely image of two of the fledglings from this year.

I am so proud of the individuals who are stepping up to stop the gill net fishing of Menhaden. There will be a survey that can be sent in to a meeting in November. I will send that link, but please educate yourself on the impact of this vacuuming of fish and the use of spotter planes has had on the entire ecosystem, including our dear ospreys dying before our eyes. Many have lost their businesses as well to save 196 jobs at Reedsville, Virginia.

Viki is still feeding three ospreys including that fledgling! She writes, “Indeed, your language is nothing compared to my anger language. ONE flipping living chick in 3 flipping years. Fed this morning. On the search for another box of bait to keep it up. Good to know that they learn to fish at migration.”

Viki was worried that the chick would not be taught to fish so I sent her a couple of articles. There are no fish for the ospreys – the nests were in sight of her porch. She is distraught but determined – like those fighting against a 0- 50% reduction because no one knows how many fish Omega are taking. It is the most frustrated I have been in years. So when the time comes to step up and speak, I hope you will join me.

George and Hope are at the Osprey House Environmental Centre in Griffins, Australia. They have three lovely osplets this year. All very healthy!

The West Midlands (no streaming cams) had a very good year for ospreys. Congratulations. Here is the total for the 2026 class:

Good news out of Rutland – chick wasn’t lost, just looking over the territory!

Wensi follows Iris to the nest to claim a fish! Listen to dear Iris call her baby. https://youtu.be/pG2fvUB51aA?

C22 slept on the nest at Charlo and has been flying around Saturday morning with Chloe – always heading back to the nest in hope of fish! Doing well.

The fledglings are all eating at Blackbush Beach Resort in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

I was very distressed this morning to see that there are proposals for an upgrade at the park near where I live. Our mayor doesn’t like geese, apparently. So this year they culled the eggs and greased others to get rid of the population. I think they don’t know much about geese or ducks. People bring their families to see the wildlife. Why not hire a few high school students during the season to power-spray the sidewalks? It would allow the families to continue to enjoy the ducks and geese; paths would be cleaner, and the wildlife would have the right to their nesting spots they have used for aeons. 3.4 million is the cost. We have lots of crime now, lots of people who are homeless with drug issues…our City is rapidly becoming not a great place to live. Many blame it on the current group of suits that are at City Hall, not just the mayor.

I agree. We need to be outside more and not on our screens. One artist is hand-drawing 1,000 birds to try and get us to do just that. But how would an app keep us off our phones? Please read.

“Hansen, a renowned ornithological illustrator and author, has a monumental task – a hand-painted compendium of every one of the roughly 1,000 bird species ever recorded from the US and Canada, including those found in waters up to 200 miles from shore, Hawaiian birds not included. When finished, it will complete the visual backbone of an app called Flock, whose mission, compared with that of most apps, is quietly subversive.

For rather than seeking to monopolize and monetize its users’ attention, it deftly employs elements of computer gaming and social networking to draw people outward, into the world of birding, with the broader aim of cultivating a community of conservationists.”

The ornithological artist drawing 1,000 birds by hand – all for an app that wants you off your phone

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/08/birds-artist-flock-app-california?CMP=share_btn_url

am signing off. We are going outside today. Rain is predicted for the beginning of the week and today the temperatures will go up to a wonderful 23 C. Take care all. I hope you are well.

Thank you to Geemeff for their wonderful summary and videos from Loch Arkaig, the UK Osprey Info with Jeff Kear, to all those who post on FB, to Susan Thompson for the great photos at King’s Park yesterday, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our bird families. We are so very grateful to each and every one of you. Thank you as always to The Guardian for including interesting wildlife stories every day.

Send a note of encouragement to those caring for Jackie!

Hello Everyone,

Simply one note today. The staff and volunteers at the Ojai Raptor Centre who are caring for our beloved Jackie would appreciate cards and letters of encouragement as they strive to get our beloved Big Bear Bald Eagle Matriarch back home.

Here are the details:


Want to Send a Note to Patient 26-519 or Our Team?

Over the past few days, several people have asked if they can mail a card or note of encouragement for Patient 26-519 or for the team caring for her. The answer is absolutely! We would be honoured to receive your cards and messages, and we’ll display them at the Centre for our team to see. Your words of encouragement have meant more to us during these past few weeks than you may realise. If you’d like to send something, please mail it to: Ojai Raptor Centre Attn: Patient 26-519 P.O. Box 182 Oak View, CA 93022

Thank you for caring so deeply about wildlife and about the people working every day to give these animals the very best care possible.

Wednesday in Bird World

5 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

We are having another cool day. It is fantastic! We hope that you are as well.

Heidi is meticulous in keeping data records for all the osprey nests that she monitors and she has been doing this or the International Osprey Data Project (my long term study in osprey mortality) for the past three/four years. Heidi posted this detailed information about a few of the nests that she has observed and documented this year. You will learn a lot from reading this.

“Keep in mind, there is a great deal of older osprey educational material available in print and online. The older materials present a typical osprey family lifestyle as being similar to old TV shows like Ozzie and Harriet, Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show, and Leave It To Beaver. The dads worked, and the moms stayed at home. I have watched dozens of osprey nest cams for a few years, and that has rarely been the case. An osprey nest where the female never fishes is uncommon, in my experience. If you do your research online, artificial intelligence will glean information from the out-dated articles as well as some newer information.

First, we shouldn’t assume that Miles has ‘succumbed’ to anything or became injured or died. That’s a bridge too far. Since we only know what we see on cams, it is important not to go too far in our ‘what if’ theories. We do know that there is a shortage of fish, primarily due to menhaden overfishing.

It is not unusual for both parents to fish. Many females do typically start to fish for the family to supplement the male’s contributions, when the chicks get older. That’s what Hennie did. The females are not necessarily supposed to provide most or all of the fish, but that is what I have been seeing at many nests. However, don’t forget that the males can also become preoccupied at times with defending the nest and surrounding area against intruders, and then they will spend less time fishing. When fishing becomes poor for our on-cam osprey families, it becomes poor for all of the fish-eating birds in the area, like other ospreys and eagles. This may result in a greater chance of one of ‘our’ osprey’s catch being stolen by other hungry birds. It stands to reason, that kleptoparasitism would increase in times of fish shortages. You can imagine for example, Miles spending a lot of time trying to catch a fish, he finally catches one and then it is stolen. He later catches another fish, and he eats it because he is expending a lot of energy and he is starving. Miles (and all the other males and fishing females) may have also had to travel further away to find better fishing than what they were finding at their usual local fishing spot. That would mean more energy expended just to get to the new fishing area, and then to fly home with the fish. The male can try to do this all day long, and the end result may be that the male has brought very few if any fish to the nest that day for his family.

Osprey nest ground monitors have been noticing that many females are abandoning nests earlier in their nesting season than in previous years, and that some males have been leaving early also. From what I have seen on cams, many of the males are leaving before the females. Leaving does not mean migrating. It could mean that they simply have reached their own maximum degree of malnutrition and exhaustion that they can tolerate, and they simply had to become self-focused to save their own lives.

What I have seen on nest cams this season:

For some nests, the ‘food stress’ for the ospreys presented itself early enough in the season that the eggs were abandoned. The male ospreys stopped coming to the nest with fish for the females, so the females had to leave to fish for themselves. This was not the first year we have seen this. We noticed this at the Severna Park, MD nest two years ago, last year the cam was down, and this year Oscar and Olivia abandoned their eggs again due to lack of fish.

Last season at the Forsythe, NJ nest, the male could not support the female by bringing her enough fish, so she abandoned their eggs. This season, the food stress presented itself much later, and two chicks hatched. The male, Oscar, stopped coming to the nest several days prior to the female finally giving up on the chicks. Opal had a long history of being a fishing osprey mom. But, unlike several years in the past, the she did not bring any fish to the nest for her chicks this season. She did however, spend many hours off cam and would return with a crop and empty talons. One would assume that she fished to save her own life, but probably also tried to fish for her family, and she simply wasn’t able to do so. How far did she have to fly to find fish? Opal finally abandoned the chicks and they perished. Both parents were seen at the nest a few times in the days after their chicks died.

Last year at the South Cape May nest, Hera abandoned her eggs when Zeus had been unable to provide enough fish to her. This season, Hera was last seen at the nest when Uno was only 38 days old. There had been a significant slowdown in fish deliveries to the nest. Hera had already been fishing for a couple weeks, and was providing 1/3 to 1/2 of the daily fish totals to the nest. After Hera’s departure, Zeus continued to support Uno for several days by delivering fish, mostly very small menhaden. July 26, was the last day that Zeus was seen at the nest. On 7/28 the cam was turned off and NCNJ began to place fish on the nest for Uno.

The Wetlands nest is a special case. Their only chick would not allow mom to feed it, repeatedly attacking her very severely, and attacking the dad as well. However, the male continued to make fish drops, and Rascal learned to self feed. But, fish counts were down significantly compared to earlier in the season. In the end, both parents abandoned the nest altogether, and Rascal passed away.

At Dewey Beach last year, both parents abandoned their only chick and it died at 50 days old. Dad left several days before Mom did. We did see the mom on the nest a few times after her chick passed. This season they had a new female, and she started fishing when Sassy was young. The last couple weeks of their season, Mom was catching most of the fish, and it was almost entirely small menhaden. Dewey Dad stopped coming to the nest when Sassy was 54 days old. Mom continued to provide for Sassy for four days after Sassy fledged. Mom was last seen on 7/17. We saw Dad again on 7/18 with a fish, Sassy flew in to take the fish, but Dad flew off with it. Mom has not been seen since 7/17, but I continue to see Dad at the nest, guarding against intruders. I last saw him on 7/30. Sassy has not been seen since 7/19.

The Cape Henlopen nest: Miles was last seen at the nest on 7/28 at 10:28 when he delivered a small menhaden. The fish count had been way down from a few days earlier. I believe that Miles had reached a breaking point where his body told him that he had to take care of himself. He was probably exhausted from trying to fish, fighting off kleptos trying to steal his fish, and trying to guard the area from intruders. In addition, Miles may have been flying further away to try to find fish, using up even more energy. He may have only been able to eat a couple tiny menhaden a day, or a dogfish, which wasn’t enough to support his energy requirements. I think it is possible that Miles may have left to find better fishing at a different location, so that he could regain his weight and strength. The adults also know that they have to migrate in a month or so. Starting from a depleted physical state, they know they have to begin to rest and fatten up before undertaking the immense challenges of migration.

Hennie had begun fishing fairly early in the season, and her contributions were very significant. There were no fish brought to the nest on 7/29 and 7/30. Hennie arrived in the evening on those days with a crop. The fact that she had eaten but not brought a fish to her youngster was quite shocking to some viewers. It was similar to what Opal had been doing at Forsythe, arriving with a crop but no fish. I believe that Hennie had tried to bring fish to her youngster, but it simply didn’t work out with the challenges of finding fish and surviving fish thieves. Hennie brought three fish to Chick1 on 7/31. On 8/1 Hennie brought a small menhaden to the nest for Chick1 at 11:14. It was approaching too late in the evening to expect another fish, so I knew Chick1 would not have another fish that day. The eagle took Chick1 that evening. We heard Hennie alarming from a nearby tree during the eagle attack. Hennie never abandoned her chick, and Chick1 was not dying. See the videos of the chick being active throughout the day on 8/1. I counted several very good ps’s by Chick1 on 8/1. But, Chick1 needed more fish, and if the eagle predation had not occurred, I don’t know if Hennie would have been able to catch enough fish for herself and her chick, so that Chick1 could fledge. We will never know. I do know the last few days that Hennie was seen on camera, she looked very thin, tired and depleted.

There are those that have said if Hennie or Miles had been at the nest the eagle attack would not have happened. That is not necessarily true. If Hennie had been on the perch, it may have deterred the eagle, or it might not have. In 2021 on an osprey live cam in Washington state, a bald eagle swooped down on an osprey nest and took two osplets at once. The osprey parents were both at the nest at the time.

Fish: I have monitored fish at many regional on-cam nests this season. The catch has overwhelmingly been small menhaden. Menhaden comprise the bulk of an osprey’s diet along the mid-Atlantic coast, and the northeast coast. Large adult menhaden have a very dense caloric content due to their high concentration of omega fatty acids. Small menhaden, while still food, lack the nutritional value of larger menhaden. They are not old enough to have accumulated and stored the high concentrations of omega oils. Other fish I have seen at the nests include lots of bluefish earlier in the season (very few later in the season), a lot of dogfish, a few croaker, scup, spot, mackerel, and even one black sea bass from Miles. Zeus at Cape May, brought several fresh water species to the nest this season (bass, sunfish varieties). We thought that would be a boon for that nest, since Zeus had an alternate location to fish. But, in reality, it pointed to the fact that their primary food source, menhaden, was missing. I have only seen a few large menhaden this season at Wetlands, Dewey Beach, Cape Henlopen, and South Cape May. Due to overfishing by an industrial reduction fishing fleet, the adult menhaden along the east coast have been almost entirely wiped out.

The photo is from June 13.”

In the Tweed Valley in the UK, one of the osplets was being attacked by its older sibling who had made sure the younger one did not eat. It was rescued so that it could survive. This is the latest update:

There is more news from Tweed:

In Australia, George and Hope are raising their three osplets alone this year – without their older sister helping!

People make a difference and this is a marvellous change to a very long standing tradition. This year Gannet chicks will not be clubbed to death.

Please remember that collectively we can make change – and I am hoping that one of those changes will be the absolute elimination of the industrial fishing for Menhaden that is causing an entire ecosystem to collapse and the death of our dear ospreys (amongst other wildlife).

People are helping ospreys in trouble. It warmsmy heart.

Geemeff Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 4th August 2026
Plenty of drama today – Dorcha saw off a persistent intruder Osprey who kept over-flying Nest Two, then intruded on Nest One herself, and was swiftly chased off by Aurora 536. Less than ten minutes after Aurora drove her away, she returned to Nest Two bringing a fish! Early in the season before Louis returned, Dorcha had brought two fish to the nest. She’s now doubled that total with her delivery of a trout yesterday and another today. The chicks were on and off the nest throughout the day competing for fish, and while attempting to keep her fish away from her sister, Amber accidentally achieved a milestone and flew with her fish for the first time. However, she still needs to perfect the other half of that skill, which is to keep hold of it, as on returning to the nest, she crashed through the branches at the side, and landed with empty talons. Garry brought one fish for Aurora, taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and ninety two, and the Nest Two tally rises to three hundred and seventy five with five fish from Louis and one fish from Dorcha today. As forecast, there were heavy rain showers and strong gusts of wind during the day and the wet weather is set to continue with light rain showers and a low of 14°C overnight, changing to thundery showers and a yellow warning for thunderstorms tomorrow, with a high of 17°C. 


Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/lqX0uWRACTo N2 Amber achieves another milestone and flies with fish 13.10.42 https://youtu.be/IkQf6Ot_E1g N2 Unringed intruder seen off by Dorcha 13.28.18 https://youtu.be/J7o7_cWLtnE N1 Dorcha intrudes on Nest One and is chased off by Aurora 14.15.43 https://youtu.be/PdoihiOsSic N2 Dorcha delivers fish number two and an almighty stramash breaks out 14.24.37 https://youtu.be/KFShvMNpdLM N2 Amber fends off Juniper and keeps fish three 14.40.28 https://youtu.be/lRqs6vluU6I N2 Dorcha gets fish four from Louis but feeds Amber when she begs 16.49.53 https://youtu.be/Vf-8L9oKHp4 N1 Garry stays to feak his beak after Aurora leaves with fish one 17.12.29 https://youtu.be/zUJcgT5sgWw N2 Juniper grabs fish five and moans at Dorcha’s presence 18.03.15 https://youtu.be/U46zajCBEXw N2 Three females on the nest calling loudly for fish six 19.27.30Bonus retail therapy – bag yourself a bargain and stand up for trees at the same time, Woodland Trust’s sale is now on:

https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/sale

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

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

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There was a fledge this morning at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest. Gosh what a good nest to watch this year with new adults!

Heidi reports “Oyster Bay is having a good day. Mom had not been seen for 2 days, but she’s back. Five fish so far (3 Dad, 2 Mom), both chicks have been eating.”

The update on Colonial Beach chick that was electrocuted and taken into care. It is able to stand up but did not eat well yesterday. Send your good wishes, please, to this baby.

At Hellgate Canyon, Wensi is really working his or her wings and well, there could be a fledge any time. Proud Mama Iris watches every move. Iris is looking a little rough. I sure hope she is able to spend the next month fattening up and getting into good condition for migration.

If you missed the hour discussion on the Hellgate Osprey Season 2026 here it is: https://www.youtube.com/live/T1-QR1RyDlc?

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. I will be back with you on Friday. Taking a day off tomorrow (Thursday).

Thank you to everyone who sent me information, to Heidi for that great synopsis of some of the nests she is watching, to Geemeff for her videos and summary, Cornell Bird Lab, all who post on FB and the streaming cam owners who allow us to watch these amazing birds.

Prayers for Jackie…

3 August 2026

The Ojai Raptor Centre is seeking expedited testing to find out why Jackie’s anaemia is not only persistent but also getting worse. Her blood cell levels should be 30% or higher. They have dropped from 17% to 13%.

This was the latest update. I apologise. The update has blown up the image of Jackie. I have used it for the cover.

Ojai Raptor Center Logo August 3, 2026 Update: Bald Eagle Patient 26-519
From Big Bear Lake Photo [above]: Bald Eagle Patient 26-519  Patient Update: Bald Eagle 26-519Today’s bloodwork brought some difficult news: her packed cell volume (PCV) has dropped back down to 13%, which means her anemia has worsened since our last update.  Our veterinary team is responding quickly. Additional advanced diagnostic testing is now underway, and expedited laboratory testing has been requested as we continue working to better understand her condition and guide the next steps in her treatment.  At this stage, we do not have further answers to share, but we promise to keep you informed as soon as we have meaningful new information. We know how deeply so many of you care about this eagle, and we are grateful for your continued encouragement and support. At this time, we kindly ask the public and members of the media to continue respecting the veterinary and rehabilitation teams involved in her care by allowing them the time and space they need to remain focused on patient care. Please refrain from calling, texting, emailing, or visiting our facility for updates. Thank you for standing with us as we continue doing everything possible for Patient 26-519.

Please send your love, prayers and positive energy to our dear Jackie, who is obviously struggling.

I hope that the Ojai Raptor Centre can, through quicker testing, find out the root cause of Jackie’s anaemia.

Take care, everyone. I am sorry this is not better news.

Super year in Seattle, Sol gets a new home… Monday in Bird World

3 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

Update: After the heat from yesterday, we woke up to cloudy skies and 18 C. What a blessing! We got to have a little longer walk with Toby. Don is not able to walk a great distance anymore but he made it for four blocks. We were delighted. Rain is to start at 1600. Bravo!

Oh, my goodness. The winds blew hot in Winnipeg on Sunday, with the temperature reaching 31 C around 1700. This is certainly not as hot and horrific as it is in other regions of the world. Still, I have seen a change in the garden wildlife. First, they appear to be needing and enjoying the water – we now have seven little sources for them – before wanting food. We are concerned about the Blue Jays as they do not seem to be around in the numbers they were a week and a half ago; there is one Red Squirrel, and I am only seeing two grey squirrels. The other sadness is, of course, Brock. The last positive sighting of him – along with a photo – was the 24th of June. Since then, all of my neighbours, including Jane, who helped feed him, have been searching to no avail. He disappeared on the same day as another friendly neighbourhood cat, Charlie. It is concerning. Jane and I miss him terribly – perhaps a weird thing to hear, but after feeding him for five years, he had a huge place in my heart. We worry that there is someone who is poisoning animals in our area, and that could be my City! But all of that is another discussion. For now, I just hope Brock shows up and surprises us all. He is certainly loved.

Wildfires in the UK have impacted some of the rarest wildlife in the country.

Wildfire near Sizewell nuclear plant causes ‘total devastation’ to Suffolk landscapehttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/31/suffolk-wildfire-sizewell-nuclear-plant-dunwich-heath?CMP=share_btn_url

The wildfires are, of course, impacting wildlife around the globe. It is devastating if you look at a map where there are fires. I understand that one of the reasons there are so many fires is that with all the early rain, vegetation grew. Then there is the drought, with places not having rain in a month or more. Then the fires.

I can say that the ospreys that live along the shore of Lake Winnipeg are being photographed and are doing well. We do not have lots of ospreys – we have some in our City – so they are not battling for fish as they are in some other places. It makes me happy.

Sol was not renested at Fru Rauer but was placed in another nest. Here is the video of him being taken in a box to the tree and placed in his new home. https://youtu.be/3B5cm7a0gl8?

In the UK, if the mothers are not on their way to their winter homes. Instead, many are fishing and helping the males with the fledglings.

Such a beautiful sight, big fish coming in steadily to fatten up the fledglings so that their first migration is a success. It is a contrast to what is happening in the US, where many of the males have disappeared. It is frightening that the females are struggling to find fish for their chicks and they need to be finding them for themselves.

At Santiam Canyon, the male has been missing for ten days. There are now great fish fights at the nest amongst the fledglings and concern that chick 2 is dominating the feedings so that the others might actually suffer or starve. The oldest and the youngest are decidedly thin-looking, and this will certainly impact their migration.

We are so near to fledge for Wensi at Hellgate Canyon, home to Iris and Clark, that you might not want to take your eyes off that nest! Look at Wensi hover!!!!!!!!!!

Cornell Bird Lab has Wensi’s hovering on video: https://youtu.be/cHvC1zwc4mc?

Look at what good condition Wensi is in. If it should happen that beloved Iris does not return next year, I will always remember what an amazing mother she is. She shielded Wensi from the extreme heat and made sure that s/he ate well every time a fish came to the nest. I will remember Clark being an amazing partner to Iris, more than I could have dreamed of when he first arrived. Iris deserves a good mate like Clark (or Finnegan), and I just wish she could have had mates like them all her life. It was a magical year for this family, and I know that every day our hearts warmed to watch them thrive.

Fledgling enjoying fish on the Clark PUD nest – and then another one arrives.

Healthy fledglings – all on the nest – fish calling at Finland’s #1 nest.

Waiting for dinner at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn in Wales.

It is the same everywhere in the UK – those fledglings fish calling loudly. Parents can’t get the fish on the nest fast enough as these ‘babies’ fatten up for their first big migration. They will head to Spain and Portugal or West Africa.

At the Birds of Poole Harbour, Carey Secret Garden nest of CJ7 and Blue 022:

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 2nd Aug 2026


The chicks and Dorcha were on and off the nest throughout the day, calling for fish and pouncing on Louis when he arrived. The noise when only one is on the nest and calling is quite considerable and it ramps up by several orders of magnitude when two or more are calling – that and getting his toes chewed by eager beaks means Louis isn’t spending very much time on the nest, he drops his fish and departs as soon as possible. There were some alarms today but nothing serious and no intruders seen on nest cam, nothing to interrupt fish delivery and Louis brought four to the nest, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and sixty five. Dorcha contented herself with an old tail end allowing the chicks to take the fresh fish from her. 

Steve Quinn posted his usual thorough weekly analysis of Louis’ fishing stats, with interesting info on fish numbers in years with female chicks and years with male chicks and documenting Louis’ remarkable consistency. Details for his post in the bonus section. Aurora waited on Nest One but got no fish today, Garry turned up but only to do some nest tidying. His tally remains at one hundred and eighty nine. The weather was settled today but is forecast to change to light rain and light winds overnight and tomorrow, with a low of 11°C and a high of 17°C.


Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/p2sheGainoM N2

 Instead of fish one,Amber grabs Louis by the foot – again! 05.38.50https://youtu.be/Qlf9ZCp3ue0 N2 Juniper grabs fish two and lets Dorcha have the F1 tail end 06.21.45https://youtu.be/VafesrHDAzk N2 Dorcha again gives way to her chicks and lets Amber have fish three 13.35.59https://youtu.be/KJzg1f6mayc N1 Garry flies in quietly with a stick and does some nest tidying 15.33.14 https://youtu.be/VM54yBlwoWM N1 Aurora flies from Pole Tree and waits in vain on the nest 19.28.00https://youtu.be/AH7xKoaQwcg

N2 Dorcha follows Louis with fish four but lets Amber take it 22.10.19

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

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

Our fish-tossing heroine, Viki, saved the chick and two adults – the chick fledged! Imagine a small place, St George’s Island, where up to 60 osprey chicks would have hatched five years ago, and now only one survived to fledge thanks to our brave human!

“Junior fledged a week ago. He practiced dragging his feet through the creek today, buzzed a couple of gulls who were simply minding their own business. His landings are spot-on and he hangs in the NCopse as do his parents. But he has not ventured out of sight of the nest.

After Junior fledged the female began making more appearances at the nest and surrounds. She has twice swooped down to grab one of the frozen menhaden I throw but did not feed any to Junior and otherwise ignores the frozen fish, even if Junior is fish calling for someone to bring it to him. She will bring and share live fish with Junior, as does the male. These fish are tiny and infrequent.

The male avoids directly providing the female with fish. A couple times she joined Junior on the nest and shared with him the frozen fish the male brought. But if she’s already on the nest he won’t bring a frozen fish to Junior.

The male and female  seem to avoid sharing either of their two nests simultaneously and keep a greater distance between one another in the NCopse.  But both seem committed to prepping Junior for migration.

I’m still tossing out 8 – 10 fish a day, sometimes fewer, and the male continues to fish, more so with the return of the female. But no matter how long he’s out fishing, there aren’t even medium-sized fish around.

No other chicks on St. George Island have survived.”

What is happening at St George Island, Maryland, is reminiscent of events where both Omega’s gill nets and industrial fishing, along with heat and storms, have wiped out the osprey population. This isn’t fiction. It is happening right before our eyes, and it is human-caused. Thank you, Viki, for saving these three!!!!!!! I only wish that those individuals who ‘observe’ the deaths on the platforms would step up for the wildlife they are hired to protect!

Things are very good for Sally and Harry and their three osplets in Seattle. Thanks, Ping Shen, for doing these observations and sending us images.

“Here in Seattle Harry and Sally and the 3 young continue to do really well! My visit today saw 3 fish deliveries in 45 minutes (2 from dad, 1 from mom), and I left with all the kids contentedly eating (2 on their own with their own fish, and 1 being fed by mom). Also saw some almost-flying, short trips across the nest, vertical flight up to a few feet above the nest, etc – I’m sure fledging will begin within the next day or so! They continue to look really good and mom and dad have clearly kicked fishing into high gear, with obvious success…can’t wait to see the little ones flying from the nest!

This is so wonderful – the adults will be healthy and fattened up for migration along with three fledglings. It has been a great year. I am delighted after the horrors of the NE.

There has been a fledge at Finland’s Loumais nest this morning.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We will see you again for a late post tomorrow. Ann and I hope to take Don and Toby to Oak Knoll Farm to pick up eggs and veggies along with some flowers tomorrow.

Thank you so much to Ping Shen, Viki Volks, SK Hideaways, and Geemeff for their wonderful monitoring, images, and videos. I am so grateful to them. Thank you to all who posted on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch these incredible birds striving to survive.

Late Sunday in Bird World

2 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

What a week it has been! My fear is that we are still seeing the perils our dear osprey will have to deal with as wildfires, drought, and extreme rain are impacting all parts of our planet. That weather is impacting us as well – the heat and what will be food shortages, particularly items made of wheat or cereal crops, that have been impacted. It truly is a difficult time for all.

Thank you to everyone who posted good wishes to Heidi. The loss of CH1 is truly devastating, as there were so few ospreys left in that region and, of course, it is the nest she loved.

There is some good news.

0E5, the first hatched male, at Dunrovin Ranch fledged this morning and returned to the nest!

The chick that was removed from the Fru Rauer nest in Norway has been rehomed in a nest with adults that had one chick about the same size. Sol is being fed and monitored by a team as there is no camera. Here is the YouTube announcement: https://youtu.be/zcYWlWscCMc?

The second hatch at Tweed Valley was removed with the hope that it will thrive away from a nest where there was a very aggressive older chick that would not allow it to eat.

The younger chick at Oyster Bay is staying near the nest and getting the fish being delivered.

Fish is being provided to all four fledglings at Poole Harbour. Blue 022 and CJ7 are exceptional parents. The fledglings seem to be always eating.

I love this image of Blue 33 almost getting his talons pulled off as he delivers two fish at once to the Rutland Manton Bay nest in the UK. Plenty of fish for the ospreys! Amazing Dad.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 1st August 2026

Today was a repeat of yesterday, the chicks slept elsewhere overnight and are really unlikely to sleep on the nest again, preferring to perch in trees which better suits the shape of their feet. They hopped on and off the nest, called very noisily for fish, competed with their mum to get fish from Louis and mantled over their prize, loudly warning the others away. Dorcha might have to go fishing for herself soon as she’s not getting much of Louis’ deliveries but she doesn’t try too hard to get the fish ahead of the chicks. There were a few alarms today, Ravens were heard cronking in the distance but nothing came near enough to be caught on camera. Louis delivered four fish, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and sixty one, and nearly lost a toe to Amber in her eagerness to get to the fish. Garry brought one fish for Aurora and stayed to do a little nest tidying – the Nest One tally now stands at one hundred and eight nine. It should be mainly dry overnight and tomorrow with a low of 11°C and a high of 19°C.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/2YFqbqkQ4P0 N2 Dorcha allows Amber to take fish one 06.48.53 

https://youtu.be/L192Lk1U3cM N2 Tug of trout over fish two, Dorcha lets Juniper win 08.31.34

https://youtu.be/I-7iN2YBxg4 N1 Garry does a little nest tidying after Aurora leaves with fish one 10.24.57

https://youtu.be/vo6MJKwZhX0 N2 Dorcha’s on alert with fish three, Ravens heard cronking 15.45.50

https://youtu.be/0lQHDONgA4I N2 Amber grabs poor Louis instead of fish four 18.04.55

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

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

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This is the last article that University of Florida-Gainsville Intern at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre has written before returning to classes. ‘R’ sent it to me to share with you, and it gives us some hope for a species and maybe for all species. I keep thinking we need young people like Wes taking care of the environment!

Shorelines » Blog Archive American Icons: Reviving the River Herring – ShorelinesDownload

SK Hideaways Videos for Week of 26 July 2026

FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA
Resident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014
Resident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012
Sandy hatched 4 April 2026, Luna hatched 5 April 2026
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Nest Cam:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Wide View Cam (Cam 2):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4

Shadow Checks In Morning and Night  ~  Sub-Adult Stays Close ~ Critters Clean Up (2026 Jul 30)
Shadow continues to spend the night in his usual roost tree, stopping briefly on a favorite perch in the morning. The sub-adult (I think the same one) seems to be in the area whenever Shadow is there. The sub-adult has taken the hint to perch a respectable distance from Shadow, as he’s shown no interest in interacting directly. While the eagles are away during the day, a whole host of critters visit the nest ~ I call them the cleaning crew. Sandy and Luna have not been seen on camera since July 23rd. Enjoy this day in Jackie and Shadow’s habitat.  
Video: https://youtu.be/wzV_Uf40fP4
Shadow’s Comings and Goings While Awaiting Jackie’s Return (2026 Jul 24)
Shadow’s routine has changed since Jackie was taken into care. Sometimes we see him morning and night, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes with a sub-adult bald eagle, sometimes alone. Here’s a day when we saw him both morning and night. This was also the last day faint squees were heard from juvenile eagles, which we hope were Sandy and Luna. It’s a time of wonder, discovery, and hope as we observe this habitat in a different light. 
Video: https://youtu.be/qfP_F-PEN9k

Jackie is on everyone’s mind! She is improving and was feeding herself. She is in the best care, and this is a reminder not to be sucked into those who keep spreading horrible rumours. No wildlife facility, let alone Ojai Raptor Centre, would keep a raptor in care longer than is needed for donations! Unbelievable.

Arthur has been spotted on campus with the Ps who continue to thrive with him and Big Red providing prey.

This is another tragedy. Every White-tail Eagle that has died in Dorset, England has died of rodenticide poisoning.

Natural England forced to admit ‘Every White-tailed Eagle death in Dorset linked to rat poison’ – RaDownload

The two osplets at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum are thriving despite the heat that is covering our region. [Please note this nest never had three chicks – the third did not die, and any information related to that on the Memorial Page has been removed. There was confusion about the name of the nest when an individual sent me information for the Memorial Page].

Mum and Dad on the barge nest at Port Lincoln as they prepare for the 2026 breeding season – mating is certainly on the agenda!

Friends of Osprey Sth Australia have been checking the other platforms in the area as they work to reintroduce the species to the region. They are hopeful for a good year! I will keep you posted.

All four juveniles, including the fledglings, home for fish at Blackbush.

Fish arrived at Cowlitz.

I have no idea what has happened at Osoyoos but the heat has been incredible.

Fish at Sandpoint for only osplet.

Fledglings return to the Salmon, Idaho nest for fish. On occasion you can see the wildfire smoke on the streaming cam that is near.

Lucky osplet at the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho nest just got a huge whole fish from Dad!

These two osprey nests are right in the middle of humans – just look at Sandy Hook!

We hope that each of you are doing well. Please do check the Memorial Page and help me fill in the gaps and send good wishes to all those osplets on nests for a successful fledge and migration – and to the adults who are trying to fatten up for their journey to their winter homes. I can tell you that Seren Blue 5F has made it to her winter home in The Gambia. She has been photographed. I hope that next year is a better season for her and Dylan at Llyn Clywedog.

Hugo Yugo clowning around on the chair. You can see the poor dear has no teeth in front to hold her tongue. She is a real character.

Hope loving Missey.

Toby had his flea and tick treatment and wears his little jacket so none of the liquid will get on the cats.

It has been busy at the bird baths. The raccoon comes at night and even took a bath and a good old drink. Please remember to leave out life-saving water for the birds and other wildlife. It does make a difference.

See you soon!

Thank you to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their dedication, their videos, and nest summaries. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me this week. I am grateful to everyone wo posted on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to view these families. A big shout out to those who rescued osplets in need and who have tried to make their lives better – Fru Rauer and Tweed Valley this week.

CH1 predated by Bald Eagle…late Saturday in Bird World

1 August 2026

It was not my intention to post any information today, so this will posting will include only one big announcement.

It is with the deepest sadness that I write this evening. At 1956, a Bald Eagle predated Miles and Hennies’ precious first hatch of 2026, CH1, at the Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey platform in Lewes, Delaware. This nest is the heartbeat of our dear Heidi, who set up a FB group and loved this family so much. She even gave them their names, as she did to the osprey pair, Della and Warren. I know that she is struggling tonight. She worried about the Bald Eagles there as well as at other sites that she monitors. Please send Heidi positive energy. This has been a very difficult year, but this predation will make a hole in Heidi’s heart.

CH1 was fully feathered and hatched on 9 June and was really ready to fledge had it not missed days without food.

Precious CH1 minutes before resting on the nest after having had fish brought by mum today.

The other two osplets at this nest perished on 2 July from a weather event (CH2) and CH3 from siblicide on 25 June.

Thank you to Pam Breci and to the Parks Department of Delaware for their streaming cam.

A fish at Cape Henlopen…relief. Late Friday in Bird World

31 July 2026

Hello Everyone,

This is going to be a very, very short hello to everyone and a wish that each of you has a lovely weekend – and if it is a long one like it is in Canada, then please get out and enjoy some birdsong in the shade, if possible. It remains very hot here. Ann has taken Don out, and I plan on having a cuddling nap with Toby! The Girls are all sound asleep. Calico and Missey have not been happy with one another, so I am trying another one of those calming diffusers from the vet. I really do feel gutted when they are not getting along.

There is relief. ‘PB’ writes: “Hennie brought CH1 a dogfish (which was to tough to eat) and 2 menhaden which baby devoured. Hennie looks thin this morning but took off after 3rd fish delivery hopefully to get her own fish or eat some of it and bring back a partial.”

There was no help coming for CH1 like at South Cape May Meadows and those who care dearly for the adults and chicks at this nest – namely our Heidi – were devastated that CH1 would wither and die on that nest. Why not feed them? The answer was that the chick might fledge early. My response is – they can’t fledge if they are starving to death. Let us hope that more fish arrives for the adults, too.

There is other good news. Jackie is continuing to improve.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 30th July 2026 

The chicks spent today flying around making constant short flights, landing on the nearby Scots Pine, returning to the nest for fish, competing for fish with each other and with Dorcha, and generally enjoying their new found freedom. For the first time since the season began in April, the nest is empty as both chicks are spending their first night elsewhere. This is another side of nest cam watching – we’re willing the chicks on to fledge, and then suddenly have to cope with empty nest syndrome! But we will have the pleasure of the chicks’ company for a few weeks longer as they fatten up and prepare for migration, historically Dorcha doesn’t stay too long after her chicks fledge but Louis will stick around bringing fish until the chicks leave. From now on every sighting is to be treasured. This time last year Aurora had already left but both she and Garry are still here, Garry brought her one fish today taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and eighty seven, while Louis brought five fish, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and fifty one. After a damp start the weather was settled although the ‘moderate breezes’ sounded very loud on nest cam, and it’s forecast to be dry overnight with a low of 9 °C, changing to thundery showers tomorrow with gentle breezes and a high of 15 °C.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/oOXarBAKpW8 N2 Juniper attacks Dorcha and gets both fish one 04.59.33 and fish two 05.05.35https://youtu.be/IicSVqhKqsk N2 Amber gets fish three and Dorcha loses out again 10.09.13https://youtu.be/uga2QueDe1g N2 Dorcha gets fish four to herself as both chicks are absent 12.47.18https://youtu.be/kHmRBZU5Jcg N1 

Garry follows Aurora to the nest and gives her a fish 14.12.57

https://youtu.be/6ktLd4RWAKU N2 Dorcha gets fish five first then gives it to Amber 14.21.04


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

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

It has been confirmed that little Sol will not be returned to the Fru Rauer nest in Norway but will be placed with a more experienced pair of adults where there is plenty of fish.

It seems that many places are suffering this year from a lack of fish. The wildfires and heat across the UK and Europe have had an impact as well as in North America.

The latest Condor Chat from the Ventana Wildlife Society. https://www.youtube.com/live/DRuhlA8PXig?

Sadly there are a lot of condors dying from lead poisoning.

I cannot get enough of Iris and Wensi!

Nearing fledge in Minnesota. Two beautiful osplets.

Smile. There are still four feathered chicks at Blackbush!

Take care, all. I will be back on Monday. I am going to take a few days off. We are having some plumbing renovations done, and the plumbers are not here, so if the weather allows, I hope to get Don and Toby out for some walks and to visit with some friends and family this weekend.

Remember – please leave a dish of water out and food if you can!

Thank you to Geemeff, to PB, and to everyone who posted on FB, to the Ventana Wildlife Society and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to view the lives of these magnificent creatures.

Seattle’s trio doing fantastic while other starving ospreys need our help…late Thursday in Bird World

30 July 2026

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday it was 45 C with the humidex. It was so hot and humid in the garden you could barely breathe. Even the birds had little interest in food. Toby and I kept filling up the bird baths so that they could wash and get drinks. Tolu noticed right away that there was only one Blue Jay, and I am concerned about them. I did just see one Blue Jay come to the table feeder from inside the lilac tunnel. Perhaps that’s where they are. There were three crows just here, so that is good.

As many of you know, there are fires burning everywhere, driven by the heat and an ongoing drought. This will have a serious impact on our ospreys, as they rely solely on water and fish for food and hydration.

Please send your good wishes to all of them, and thank you again to Wildlife Conserve of NJ for feeding Uno and setting a precedent. Now please go and feed all the others because all of this heat and lack of fish is a human-driven issue – it is not ‘nature’.

Also read the following carefully and respond appropriately, thank you:

Connecticut Osprey Group

Madeline Raleigh ·sopdetornSht2gl9a12187fm0i14i6im5l61mcgg0h6366l78t1h4ttcg104 ·

MENHADEN ARE DISAPPEARING AND OSPREY ARE DYING !

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN HELP NOW –

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ASMFC is meeting August 5 to consider the possible reduction of the menhaden fishing quota – hopefully by 50%. Last year ASMFC lost their nerve and only reduced the take by 20% or less.

Write to the commissioners from YOUR STATE of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission now. ASMFC is responsible for setting quotas along the U.S. East Coast and balancing commercial fishing with the ecosystem’s forage needs.

This is the most important actions you can do right now. Don’t let the industrial fishing harvesters deplete our osprey’s food source.

Urge your state commissioners to protect the osprey and menhaden populations by adopting substantially stronger, ecosystem-based management of menhaden. by adopting a 50% reduction in the industrial harvest, or by totally ending industrial menhaden reduction fishing along the East Coast or by closing the Chesapeake Bay to industrial harvesting until independent science demonstrates that the fishery is not harming the ecosystem.

Your six CT ASMFC commissioners are:

  1. Shanna Madsen Assistant Director, CT DEEP Fisheries Division, Shanna.Madsen@ct.gov
  2. Proxy: Matthew Gates, DEEP Fisheries Matthew.Gates@ct.gov (860)434-6043
  3. William Hyatt CT DEEP hyattwilliam01@gmail.com (860)402-6947
  4. Proxy: Robert Lafrance, Policy Director Audubon’s CT, Robert.Lafrance@Quinnipiac.Edu, (203)668-6685
  5. CT Representative Joseph P. Gresko, joseph.gresko@cga.ct.gov 860.240.0363
  6. Proxy: Craig Miner former state senator craigminer230@gmail.com (860)309-0485

    Write them all TODAY !

East cut & paste – Shanna.Madsen@ct.gov, Matthew.Gates@ct.gov, hyattwilliam01@gmail.com, Robert.Lafrance@Quinnipiac.Edu, joseph.gresko@cga.ct.gov, craigminer230@gmail.com

See the comments section for more information on the problem to help you write your comments to the commissioners.

Great news from Ping Shen in Seattle:

Quick visit today, found the three siblings looking good, mostly resting when I arrived, though one started some fairly vigorous warmups for life’s next stage, even managing a few jumps and momentary liftoffs in the process. Good to see them still doing well! Figure they are about ~6.5 weeks old give or take, so fledging may be around the corner…! Fingers crossed.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 29th July 2026

Another amazing day – Juniper 8P7 achieved the ultimate milestone and fledged! Mind you, her maiden flight only lasted 31 seconds before she circled back and crash landed on the cam post, but she took off elegantly and confidently only an hour after doing her first proper off-the-screen helicopter, and made better landings on subsequent flights. Her helicopter and Dorcha’s stick antics were captured from a different perspective by LizB and her marvellous long lens a mile and a half away across the loch, links in the bonus section. Louis delivered four fish taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and forty six, and Amber made sure she got her share, returning to the nest after spending time perched on the branches underneath the nest with just an occasional wingtip betraying her presence. Over on Nest One, Garry made up for the lack of fish over the last couple of days and brought two fish for Aurora, taking his tally to one hundred and eighty six. Aurora was so excited to see the first one that she managed to fly off without it and did a smart about turn to grab it properly the second time. After a soggy night, the weather was reasonably settled today and the pattern repeats with light rain, light winds and a low of 11°C overnight, continuing tomorrow with light rain showers, a moderate breeze, some sunny intervals and a high of 15°C.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/9WjpSagX9_M N2 Amber returns in time to share the first fish 08.41.24

https://youtu.be/Wsa96HmQXZo N2 Two raucous females fish calling – no Amber when fish two arrives 11.10.56

https://youtu.be/U-DSXQw-ao0 N2 Amber arrives before little fish three is finished 11.44.45

https://youtu.be/PA63agQu2Tk N2 Juniper does her first off-the-screen helicopter then does a second! 16.42.40

https://youtu.be/XIcPhsvbWXQ N2 FLEDGE! Juniper finds her wings and flies – for 31 seconds! 17.44.03

https://youtu.be/g9iAUy1ahKg N2 Poor Louis! Amber grabs his foot while Dorcha grabs fish four 17.48.31

https://youtu.be/qZFLrIYISCE N1 Aurora mantles over fish two and quickly departs with it 21.24.12


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

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

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The plumbers continue to work. We were fortunate to get Toby out for a walk before the heat set in today. There was a huge thunderstorm at 11 pm last evening with winds of 100 km passing through our City. Lots of big trees down. The plumbers had put a heavy piece of granite on Toby’s clothes box, so he did not have his thunder jacket. I could not lift that 2-inch granite! I wrapped him up tight in a baby blanket, held him in bed, and sang to him until it passed. Poor guy.

The Girls were alright. Missey and Hugo Yugo were in bed with me and Toby. Calico and Hope were in with Don.

If you haven’t seen this documentary, I recommend it.

This link should take you there: edcoraluniverse.com/en/play/69e8c6d262897193d5221799?id=69e8c6d262897193d5221799&advs=true&fbclid=IwY2xjawTYcbJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE3SVhhS0M1NEhxOTh1NTA0c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHu2Ztmvw5jamfEB0iM6JAst2nVOORV2832Qm1z9VCHuTUSzJ71K2LuxBegQ4_aem_Ke9a929zbw8MzUF-9JTMSg

At Hellgate Canyon, Clark continues to deliver lovely fish to Iris and Wensi: https://youtu.be/JRcU6jY2QKQ?

This is one lucky little osprey.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Thank you to Ping Shen for the amazing photos of Sally and Harry and their trio, to those who posted information on FB with images, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to follow the lives of our birds. Thank you, Geemeff, for your videos and daily updates on all things Loch Arkaig.

Fish fairy for Uno, Juniper fledges…late Wednesday in Bird World

29 July 2026

Hello Everyone,

This will not be a long post but it has some very good news in it that I hope will make you smile.

My faith in humans stepping up to help the ospreys is improving. This was in the latest newsletter from the NJ Wildlife Conservancy.

“SOUTH CAPE MAY MEADOWS

Important Osprey Cam Update

July 29 Update on Osprey Chick “Uno”

Yesterday, our staff consulted with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection including representatives from the endangered species program regarding the osprey chick at South Cape May Meadows.

Following the discussion and having not seen either adult osprey nearby for more than 24 hours, our staff made the decision to provide fish in Uno’s nest. As of this afternoon, Uno ate a sizeable meal of fish placed on the platform and continues to be bright, active and alert.

This juvenile osprey is large and healthy and right on the verge of fledging. We hope he/she will fly and hunt independently in the coming days but for now will continue to provide daily fish with fingers crossed for a positive outcome.

It is important to recognize that nature has a delicate balance and that human intervention, however well intended, can be disruptive and cause negative results. Some would argue it is better to let nature take its course, and that often is the right option. We do not know how providing fish might affect Uno’s life journey.

At this time, we do not plan to turn the streaming osprey camera on again this season but will share Uno updates as appropriate.

Thank you again for caring so much about Uno, and please know we care just as much and are doing all we can to help.”

This is the newsletter in full:

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/new-jersey

At the Loch Arkaig nest, Juniper fledged. She took off and did the shortest flight in the nests history – 31 seconds!

Geemeff has it on video: https://youtu.be/XIcPhsvbWXQ?

Colonial Beach also had a fledge – how marvellous.

Good news about Jackie:

onsSotprde76cu1fi12ulm070311ia7277798i2081f7hfl0h6ch4t3g68cl ·

Patient Update: Bald Eagle 26-519 from Big Bear Lake

She continues to receive around-the-clock veterinary care. We’re pleased to share that she has now been moved from our intensive care unit, where she required oxygen therapy, to one of our regular hospital care units. While this marks an encouraging milestone, she remains a very sick patient and continues to require intensive treatment and monitoring. This is an encouraging step forward, but it does not mean she is out of danger.

We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support, encouragement, and kindness shown to our team throughout her care. Your messages on social media truly mean a great deal to all of us.

As always, we kindly ask the public and members of the media to continue respecting our small team’s time and allowing us to remain focused on patient care. Please refrain from calling, texting, emailing, or visiting our facility for updates. We will continue sharing meaningful updates through our official social media channels as new information becomes available.

If you would like to support Ojai Raptor Center’s work, please visit our website or the Bald Eagle Rehabilitation Campaign link in our bio. Your generosity helps us provide specialized care for this patient while strengthening our ability to care for future Bald Eagles and the hundreds of other wild birds that arrive at Ojai Raptor Center each year.

Thank you for continuing to stand with us on this journey.”

This is great news and there is more coming in a longer post at the end of the week.

Thank you so much for being with us today!

Thank you to Pam Breci for her messages, to Geemeff, to those great folks in NJ, and to the owners of the streaming cams and those who post on FB with the latest info and images.