16 January 2024
Good Morning Everyone,
It is warming up on the Prairies for a couple of days. We hit a summery -16 C on Monday!!!!! There was some snow falling. It looks like snow was falling down in Texas too…there is some seen on the John Bunker Bald Eagle nest near Dallas.
It was raining in Fort Myers and little E23 wanted under Mamma. The thermal down is not all in. There are pin feathers coming.
SK Hideaways catches F23 as the great Mumbrella for us.
F23 is still protecting her precious chick, E23, into the night.
R6 has been fed at the WRDC nest – I am not hearing any news about a pip in that second egg. Remember they were laid four days apart.
Oh, I wish Rose would be more cooperative when she is feeding R6! This little one is a real sweetheart.
It is pitching down rain at the Captiva Eagle nest of Connie and Clive. C10 and C11 are tucked under Connie as best she can!
The very heavy rain stopped at Captiva around 1715.
‘A’ writes: ”Connie flew off the nest about 06:53 this morning and immediately headed off for food. When she returned, it was with the head of a fish – she too must have been ravenously hungry. The little ones both got something to eat, CE10 more than CE11 of course (he largely had to pick up dropped scraps), and the eaglets are now hunkered down under mumbrella as the rain pours down. It’s as bad as it was yesterday and poor stoic Connie has been in this position for all but two of the past 12 hours or so. She is amazing. The garage door technique is her only option at this stage, with the eaglets growing so large, and today, CE11 has managed the prime position right under mum, happily, as he got the raw end of the deal quite a bit yesterday afternoon. “ Where is Clive?
No rain for Muhlady yet at Superbeaks where she is partially incubating the first egg of the second clutch for her and Pepe.
It is dry, so far, for Gabby and V3.
Beau is protecting Gabby and the nest.
It is wet for Abby and Blazer at Eagle Country.
The snow appears to have stopped in Iowa and one of the eagles, looks like DNF, at Decorah North is plucking their dinner on the snowy nest.
Chandler was in and out quick checking the snowy Port Tobacco nest.
There was some quick work on the rails at Duke Farms by both Mum and the new Dad. Mum has been laying in the nest for some time Monday afternoon late and evening. Might there be an egg coming?
There was no noticeable pip on either egg at Berry College Monday night. Egg 1 is 39 days old today.
The first fish of the day came at 0732. Both Brad and Gil were on the nest and could see the arrival. It was tense. Gil got it. These are incredibly handsome lads.
Brad gets a nice late afternoon fish!
The most recent posting for SE31 at the Sydney Olympic Park and the Parramatta River. So grateful for the images that the BOGs are sending.
“January 16: all 3 Eagles were reported at the river early at 7:30, with a duet and SE31 calling too. I have noted that she was seen with prey yesterday, probably a fish, though no catch details. At 8:30, juvenile was at Juvie Roost and one adult nearby at River Roost when an osprey flew past, calling. The adult flew to SE31, as the osprey, possibly the young one, continued upriver. The river is still very muddy, with floating rubbish. Then at 10:10am, SE31 was spotted on the island with prey, possibly a bird. She was eating, then distracted by the parents’ duet, and when changing branches, she appeared to drop it, though was seen pecking at scraps on the initial branch. She probably did not catch this herself, though delivery was not seen. She was heard whining again later, and at 11:05am, all members of the family were still around on their riverside roosts. Later, at 1:30pm, SE31 was on the island, but her parents were not seen until mid afternoon, at around 3:30pm, when they were both seen near Goat Island.”
‘M’ sent a note about an intruder at the Achieva Osprey Nest of Jack and Diane. A female. Jack didn’t mind. Was it, ‘M’ asks – one of their chicks visiting? I have old images of the heads of the fledglings. You will remember that the pattern on the head of the osprey is the ONLY part of their plumage that does not change. I wonder if it is Tiny Tot Tumbles? She has returned on a couple of occasions. ’M’ says, “…09:25:08 when an intruder came into and landed in nest with Jack. He allowed her to land in nest with no push back and I’m wondering if she might be a chick from previous years. She is certainly a beauty and I think Jack is really impressed by her.”
For all you Red-tail Hawk lovers, World Bird Sanctuary (Home of Murphy the BE that incubated the rock and raised a fledgling) has sent some news of two of their RTH releases that have trackers!
“Both of our former rehab patients that had radio transmitters put on them are doing well. Lynyrd, the juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, is covering quite a bit of ground as he moves around the city. He spent the first few nights near the release site before heading east, further into the city. Since then he has moved southward and is now moving back west while still remaining in St. Louis City. As a juvenile bird, Lynyrd doesn’t yet have an established territory. He will mostly likely not breed until his 3rd year (2025) and it will be interesting to see if he finds a territory before then or remains more nomadic. Check in tomorrow to see how the adult is doing! Forest Park Living Lab is a collaboration between the Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis University, the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Washington University in St. Louis, World Bird Sanctuary, and Forest Park Forever.”
It is always good to see birds safely released and living in the wild after receiving rehabilitation.
Humans brought mice to the islands of the Southern Ocean. It took more than a million dollars to make Marion Island mouse-free. Can you imagine mice eating adult albatross and petrels? Well, that is what they did!
I tried to take a good photograph of the article about the Million Dollar Mouse that appeared in the Winter 2023 BTO News. It isn’t great.
The drawings are great and there is additional reading on the bottom right which is pretty clear.
More details about the father and son team that stole wild Peregrine Falcons and their eggs in Scotland and sold them on to the Middle East are coming to light.
It is winter everywhere. What is cold to me might not be the same temperature as it is in Iowa or Texas, but when the temperatures drop – we all get cold. Birds and animals. I grew up in Oklahoma, and they have posted a recipe to help the birds out in the winter. This could be a fun project! It is a great recipe and is much more cost-efficient than purchasing ready-made. This could be a great project to create interest in children – yours, at school and in youth groups. Bring in the science of how birds stay warm. What kind of food do they need – get them involved in making the suet!
Because it is cold, the suet does not melt. It can be cut with cookie cutters or pressed into other forms such as paper cups that can be removed. A hole can be made, and they can be hung from branches.
Use only unsalted peanut butter, please. No bacon grease, etc.
Thanks so very much for being with me today. Stay warm. Stay safe wherever you are. We hope to have you back with us again soon.
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Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: ’A, H, J, MP’, John bunker Tower Cam, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, WRDC Eagle Nest, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, NEFL-AEF, Eagle Country , Raptor Resource Project, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Duke Farms, Berry College, PLO, Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, World Bird Sanctuary, NZ DOC, BTO Winter News, Raptor Persecution UK, and the Oklahoma Ornithological Society.
