24 October 2022
It is another dreary day on the Canadian Prairies. Geese have been flying low overhead and there are now more than 20 European Starlings roosting in my back tree. They are not coming to the feeders despite the fact that I filled a larger cylinder with Meal Worms and Butter Bark. Are the Blue Jays keeping them away? In the spring when the Starlings stopped on their way north, they filled up the lilacs. Then there was only Junior. He did not bother them. The only thing that has changed are the number of Blue Jays and Crows and the Crows are not about today. It is causing me to be very curious. What is so very nice is that the Black Capped Chickadee is flitting around getting seeds and flying right by me. They are so adorable.
“Black-capped Chickadee” by DaPuglet is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
The first nest in Australia to have breakfast was 367 Collins Street. This couple is a riot. Mum is obviously ‘very’ independent. So this morning after Dad surviving a false alarm and getting mobbed by the Melbourne Four, he flew off. Then Mum arrived with a nice fat pigeon and within seconds Dad arrived with another one. He decided to fly off with it! These two really do need to coordinate their efforts!!!!!! Of course, two pigeons first think in the morning might be fantastic as these four grow. But it reminds me of having two cooks in the kitchen, one making coffee with a French Press and the other with a Drip Machine.
Here comes Dad! This new couple is so cute. Dad definitely doesn’t want to see the eyases go hungry!!!!!!!
The Port Lincoln Osprey barge was the next to have breakfast. It was 07:16:51. I could not tell you how large the fish was for this morning’s delivery nor can I tell you precisely who ate the most bites. Mum had all of this obscured with her back to the camera! However, Big had a ‘wee’ crop and Middle’s crop was larger.
Middle has walked away from the table and Middle continues to get fed.
Middle has a great big wing flap and stretch with its numb up in the air. Very nice pantaloons.
Now to wait for the next arrival. That fish was all finished in less than 20 minutes. I do wonder how big it was and if Mum got any.
It was a very foggy morning in Orange. Xavier arrived with breakfast at 0830. Oh, the eyases were so hungry. They were quiet when he arrived on the ledge with prey but when they realized what was happening they immediately began squeeing and jumping up and down. Feed me, feed me!
Everyone has had their breakfast in Australia. That is a huge relief and a great way for them to start the day and…for me to end mine.
In the US, the Bald Eagles continue to be the story with streaming cams coming on line and the huge Apex raptors working diligently to get ready for breeding season. I wonder if they will chose to use a papadam chair like Ron McGill did at the Miami Zoo for Ron and Rita to replace and help Connie and Clive with their destroyed nest at Captiva???
Harriet and M15 are working super fast to get their nest built.
If you live in the UK, check out the schedule for BBC4 and the Ospreys! Only 5 more months until they return from their winter vacations…..oh. I cannot wait. Wonder who will be first? My money is on Blue 33 and Maya at the Manton Bay Osprey Platform at Rutland.
Thank you so much for joining me. Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Port Lincoln Ospreys, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Charles Stuart Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, BBC4, and SWFL Bald Eagles and D Pritchett.