Wear something purple for Jackie…late Tuesday in Bird World

1 September 2026

California has officially proclaimed September 4, 2026, as California Wildlife Day in memory of Jackie, the famous Big Bear bald eagle. 

  • The Resolution: Senator Tony Strickland introduced Senate Resolution 140, which passed with bipartisan support in the California State Senate
  • The Purpose: The special day honours Jackie’s global impact, highlights the importance of wildlife conservation, and ties into America’s 250th anniversary. 
  • Legal Status: It is a single-day legislative proclamation and does not create a permanent annual state holiday, official time off, or mandatory closures. 
  • Background: Jackie was a beloved 14-year-old bald eagle in the San Bernardino National Forest whose life was broadcast globally via a 24/7 livestream run by the Friends of Big Bear Valley. She passed away in August 2026. 

Those who support this bill and want to show their love and honour Jackie will wear purple on the 4th! I am telling you this early so you can find something purple!!!!!!!

I would like to thank ‘B’ for alerting me to this wonderful tribute to Jackie.

KTLA covers the story: https://youtu.be/ZJTL6ZWnJsg?s

So get out your purple. What a wonderful way to honour wildlife and our dear Jackie! Each of us needs to support wildlife so let us all join in with California no matter where we live!

Thank you for being with me this evening. Please take care.

Thank you to ‘B’, to KTLA, and to the State of California!

Tributes continue for Jackie…Tuesday in Bird World

18 August 2026

Greetings Everyone,

We hope that the beginning of the week has been good to each and every one of you. The weather has certainly cooled off on the Canadian prairies, and it’s wonderful! We seem to have a bit of a spring in our step – at least in the morning before we get too tired!!!!!!!

Ann took Don to Fort Whyte today, and they walked the Buffalo Trail and saw pelicans and Cormorants. Don said, ‘It was a good day!’ That is wonderful. Toby and I are still doing the Swedish death cleaning. We had things from the attic that needed sorting, and we got that done today while Don and Ann were gone. It felt good. Tomorrow is my ‘running around’ day, but for now we are going to enjoy a fresh peach crisp with ice cream and a quick dinner of salad and chicken. Oh, I love these easy end-of-summer meals.

We are all concerned about the environment and the changes that we are seeing. I am profoundly concerned about the impact on wildlife, especially the raptors. Roy Dennis’ the founder of the Roy Dennis Foundation and the individual who reintroduced ospreys to Scotland amongst other places has written an blog that should be of interest to us all.

Past news from Geemeff about the goings on at Loch Arkaig:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 17th August 2026

Garry LV0 is still here, he visited Nest One today, bringing a stick and staying for a minute before flying off, perching on Pole Tree then flying eastward out of sight. A few small feathered visitors investigated the nest but there was no sign of Aurora 536, last seen on the 14th, and Garry didn’t bring any fish so his tally remains at two hundred and one. The Nest Two cam is still out until probably Wednesday, therefore using Steve Quinn’s formula, the adjusted fish total for Nest Two is now four hundred and thirty four. Thanks to LizB and her spotting scope, we know a chick was seen at 15.10 eating on the nest, with attendant Hoodie on the cam post. A chick was also seen at other times in the morning, whether both sisters or the same one, can’t be determined. There was heavy rain in the afternoon and evening and at the time of filing this report (22.30) it’s still raining. Heavy rain is forecast throughout the night with a low of 13°C, changing to light rain showers, a gentle breeze and occasional sunny spells with a high of 16°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/ALTuMyCGsZI N1 Still here! Garry visits then perches on Pole Tree 09.34.12 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/2IkVwajpYlI N1 Various little birds and a bee visit 14.01.38

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 16th August 2026  
Nest Two cam is still down, Nest One cam is up for two thirds of the day but no one came to the nest today, and no one was observed in the area. Have Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 left? Garry was last seen on nest cam at 

17.28.25 on Thursday 13th, and Aurora at 08.55.46 on Friday 14th, however, an Osprey was observed near the nest yesterday 15th, and recorded via long lens from across the loch by LizB, but too far away to identify. She also recorded one of the chicks chasing a Hoodie today, both clips are in the today’s videos section, and observed a fascinating sequence where a chick and a Kestrel chased a White-tailed Eagle! Hyvor no longer allows active links to comments, so scroll to LizB N2 17.08, and you’ll be able to read about the whole episode. Steve Quinn posted his weekly analysis of the fishing stats for Louis, currently being estimated daily until the cam is back on line, and still showing clear differences between years with males and years with females – search for Nest 2 fish summary to week 17 to read the full post. After overnight rain, the weather was mainly settled today and forecast to be cloudy and dry overnight with a low of 12°C, changing to heavy rain with a high of 19°C tomorrow

If you missed it, Jackie made The Guardian. Thanks, ‘B’.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/16/california-jackie-the-bald-eagle-legacy

There continue to be tributes. If you see an exceptional one, please do send me the link and I will post it for everyone.

People continue to post images of the cards, flowers, and toys being left at the site near the lake.

What an image from the Dyfi cam and staff today!

Concern over little 4 at Blackbush as there are no fish deliveries to the nest in the past day and a half. Is he eating off nest?

The Dads are sure having to protect those talons. Just look at the three at Poole Harbour waiting for a fish drop!

On many of the nests, fish deliveries are picking up in the hope of getting those kids fat and ready to fly.

News from Kielder Forest:

News from Rutland and it is their 30th anniversary!

Rutland Osprey Project

r͏d͏o͏S͏o͏s͏n͏p͏e͏t͏6͏m͏u͏f͏5͏5͏g͏u͏8͏t͏0͏l͏m͏a͏7͏t͏5͏h͏1͏8͏3͏6͏h͏u͏h͏c͏4͏0͏7͏l͏0͏1͏m͏i͏2͏6͏a͏a͏0͏0͏a͏7͏7͏m͏1͏2͏i͏c͏4͏2͏ ·

2026 RUTLAND OSPREYS RINGING DETAILS

Just announced by Tim Mackrill, here are this season’s Osprey chick ringing details. There are 24 chicks across 12 nests, comprising 14 males and 10 females. All have now fledged successfully.

Ringing date: 19/06/2026

Nest: Site C

Female parent: 25(10)

Male parent: 11(10)

8R4 (F)

Ringing date: 23/06/2026

Nest: Manton Bay

Female parent: Maya

Male parent: 33(11)

8R5 (M)

8R6 (F)

8R7 (M)

Ringing date:25/06/2026

Nest: Site K

Female parent: 00(09)

Male parent: 06(09)

8R8 (F)

Ringing date: 26/06/2026

Nest: Site B

Female parent: HJ8

Male parent: 359(21)

8R9 (F)

9R0 (F)

Ringing date: 29/06/2026

Nest: Site N

Female parent: Metal-ringed

Male parent: 6K(14)

9R1 (M)

9R2 (M)

9R3 (F)

Ringing date: 30/06/2026

Nest: Site L

Female parent: Unringed

Male parent: 3AH(17)

9R4 (M)

Ringing date: 30/06/2026

Nest: Site J

Female parent: 2AF(16)

Male parent: 1K(13)

9R5 (M)

9R6 (M)

Ringing date: 03/07/2026

Nest: Site Z

Female parent: 5H1(22)

Male parent: 3AY(19)

9R7 (M)

9R8 (M)

9R9 (F)

Ringing date: 05/07/2026

Nest: Site O

Female parent: Unringed

Male parent: 093(20)

9S0 (M)

9S1 (F)

9S2 (M)

Ringing date: 06/07/2026

Nest: Site Y

Female parent: Unringed

Male parent: 355(21)

9S3 (F)

9S4 (F)

Ringing date: 06/07/2026

Nest: Site S

Female parent: 30(05)

Male parent: T3(16)

3R9 (M)

Ringing date: 17/07/2026

Nest: Site W

Female parent: 3H9(23)

Male parent: 1H7(22)

9S5 (M)

9S6 (M)

I am happy to report that locals have been to the Osoyoos Osprey Platform and say the chick is big, healthy, and getting fish. Bravo!

Blue NC0 is still with Clyde at Alyth SS.

How to be an osprey? Some tips from Rutland!!!!!!!! Smile.

Looks like an adult at the Coeur d’ Alene nest in Idaho.

Sea eaglets are very cute. SK Hideaways catches up with 37 and 38. https://youtu.be/x-hHNirjBWA?

CBS LA has a live look at Jackie’s Memorial: https://youtu.be/zNLckuDRveM?

Another tribute – https://youtube.com/shorts/49DQeydr9rY?

Children remembering Jackie: https://youtu.be/2Q66x3RD-xU?

Gimbir captures a swallow for Diamond: https://youtu.be/iZ2Nx3hm-hY?

Like Clark, Gimbir has turned out to be a great provider!

We can see the rescue of the two condors in the release cages! Oh, my. You have to love the dedication of the folks from the Ventana Wildlife Society. https://youtu.be/WSb3GKTESh0?

Thank you for being with us today. It is a breezy evening, and it is about 22 C. Gorgeous. We are heading out for our next-to-last walk of the day. Take care of yourself. Take a breath. Send best wishes to all those fledgling ospreys struggling to find fish in the NE US.

Thank you to SK Hideaways, Geemeff, Roy Dennis, Rutland Water, and to all those who contributed on FB, including Jeff Kear and the UK Osprey Info FB Group. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and the news groups that are covering the life of our raptors.

Beau returns, Seattle trio fledge…Tuesday in Bird World

11 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

I know that we are all still taking in a world without ‘Jackie and Shadow’. I know that many of you were very attached to M15 and Harriet – everyone had their favourites but Jackie and Shadow symbolised persistence, resilence, and hope to me. Every year they struggled with their eggs and we sat and watched Jackie encrusted in snow and ice praying that the eggs would hatch – just please, let them hatch one more time. I was lucky enough to see Spirit, Sunny and Gizmo, and Sandy and Luna hatch at the Big Bear nest – with Shadow and his sticks and Jackie a devoted mother. Jackie will never be forgotten. She is loved by so many people around the world who, today, are still feeling lost and gutted.

Every news agency is developing a tribute to Jackie – she meant that much. https://youtu.be/4cHVisPKRg8?

Most people are asking if Shadow will get a new mate. Just pause for a moment. How many mates has Connie had at Captiva? M15 at SW Florida was Harriet’s mate and then F23, etc. That should answer the question.

This subadult eagle, KD1, nearly five years old, has been spending time. She is on the nest and then on the perch later.

Video of Shadow with his beautiful morning chortling and KD1. https://youtu.be/XyNnd3p6nLU?

The news that I hoped to announce on Monday is that Harry and Sally, the Seattle osprey couple followed by Ping Shen, have fledged three osplets!


“Here in Seattle, we have liftoff! I’m sure they’ve been flying for a day or two but I saw two of the three take lovely practice flights circling around the nest today. Seems fairly certain the third has also flown though I didn’t witness it today. Harry and Sally fledged all three this year! So wonderful to see, and to see this pair once more, after following so closely last year. I’ll continue to check in until they leave, but all good out here in the Northwest…”

There is some good news. In Cumbria, at RSPB Campfield Marsh, three osplets fledged. This is the very first time that ospreys have bred and the first time that osplets have flown from a nest at Campfield Marsh. This is fantastic news.

At the NE Florida nest of Beau and Gabby, Beau has returned. All of the cameras are now operational.

Waiting for hatch for the Olympic Park White-bellied Sea Eagles, Dad and Lady. I keep checking and I am not very patient. Judy Harrington has noticed a possible small pip through the membrane.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 10th August 2026
Today’s main talking point is the extreme aggression shown by the two chicks as they competed for food, particularly with the first fish where Juniper suffered a sustained attack by Amber, being divebombed and struck repeatedly and then forced overboard. Both are ravenous, in the grip of hyperphagia, and while we can expect to see more of this behaviour, at later fish deliveries both chicks were on the nest without attacking each other. Louis brought four fish today, Juniper got the first and Amber the other three, so perhaps he will step up his fishing and have more six- and eight-fish days. The Nest Two tally now stands at four hundred. Dorcha wasn’t seen today, her last sighting was at 16.18 

on Saturday, but both Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 were around, Garry brought her a fish taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and ninety six. The weather was settled and should remain so, with light cloud, light winds, an overnight low of 11°C and a high tomorrow of 21°C.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/0gDaRa0Tt2o N2 Huge fight breaks out as Juniper gets the first fish 1142.40(slo-mo zoom repeat)
https://youtu.be/iX41WsaOYlY N2 Amber’s waiting and gets fish two 11.56.22https://youtu.be/CrwvZ97vsBc N2 Amber gets the third fish 13.03.14https://youtu.be/X2A7PszFOp4 N2 Amber gets the fourth fish, Juniper loses out again 14.50.38https://youtu.be/E57ODE9Ou8w N1 Garry brings a fish for Aurora 15.17.58


You’re invited to 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

=========================================================

There is concern growing for the Big Sur Condor Release area as wildfires are encroaching. From Kelly Sorenson:

August 10, 2026
Dear Mary,On Saturday, the Timber Fire began burning in the mountains above Big Sur and has already closed access to our California Condor Sanctuary. Firefighters continue to battle the blaze in extremely rugged terrain, and we are monitoring conditions closely.
 
Although our staff cannot currently reach the Sanctuary, we’ve immediately shifted into the emergency response plans we’ve developed over many years of working in fire-prone landscapes. Our team is actively evaluating conditions and preparing, if necessary, to safely release California Condors 868 and 340, who are currently recovering from lead poisoning in our on-site release facility.
 
At this time, neither condor is in immediate danger, and any decision to release them will be based on conditions at the Sanctuary and what is safest for the birds. We have planned for situations like this, and our staff is in close communication with fire officials and our agency partners should conditions change.
 
Wildfire is one of the realities of conserving wildlife in the rugged landscapes of California. While we can’t control the fire, we can prepare for it, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re grateful for the firefighters and first responders working to protect Big Sur, and we’ll continue to closely monitor the situation.
 
We’ll keep you informed as the situation develops. In the meantime, you can watch the Sanctuary and follow the condors through our live Condor Cams.Read Condor (340) and Condor 868’s full bios California Condors 340 and 868 recuperating from lead poisoning inside our Big Sur Release Facility on August 10, 2026. 

Thank you for your concern. We appreciate your support and will share another update as soon as we know more.
 
 
With gratitude,


Kelly Sorenson
Executive Director

Please keep everyone in the area of wildfires and all the wildlife in your prayers and send them positive energy. We have fires burning in Canada and they are growing in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

This image has been circulating all evening. I do not know who to thank as it was shared by so many, but it is an image of Jackie as an eaglet in the Big Bear nest with her parents.

Good advice.

Breakfast has not arrived. Is Clarke having trouble finding fish today?

In Estonia, Urmas is feeding the storklets fish baskets on the nest. Urmas ringed the male down at the stream with the fish baskets but the adults have had trouble foraging and he is being the fish fairy to their storklets.

Blue NC0 from the Loch of the Lowes, who lost her nest when her mate Laddlie LM12, died is on the Alyth SS osprey platform with Clyde. Now this is interesting. I am hoping for a pair bond before migration.

Thank you so much for being with us today. We are heading out to Wildlife Haven in about twenty minutes. It is part of the ‘get outside move’ for the remainder of the summer when the temperature cooperates. Please continue to take care of yourself. Jackie’s death has impacted each and every one of us in ways that we might not recognise. So take it easy.

Thank you to Geemeff and Ping Shen for their great contributions today. To those who post on FB with images and information, I am grateful. Also, a big thanks to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to follow the lives of our raptor families.

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.

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.

Is it Jackie?…Late, late Sunday in Bird World

19 July 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

This will be an incredibly short posting with what I hope is some really great information.

I have avoided mentioning dear Jackie, our beloved Mum and mate of Shadow at Big Bear Valley, until I saw and heard some information that felt ‘transparent’. A message recording has been put out and here is the link:

https://recorder.google.com/c0a3385a-d53f-40fc-b01b-f66df7f392d6

Thank you, Pam Breci, for sending this to me. We are waiting for any confirmation. This is why Darvic Rings are important, but it would have been nearly impossible to have ringed Jackie, as she hatched in that gorgeous, very tall tree in 2012. She shared with Mr B, then with Shadow and their chicks.

SK Hideaways has sent their video listing for the week:

SK Hideaways Videos for the Week of 12 July 2026
While we may have seen the last sightings of the four siblings at the San
Jose peregrine falcon nest, we continue to enjoy Sandy and Luna at Big Bear,
as well as any and all happenings with the Channel Island eagles. My
Southern Hemisphere coverage will ramp up over next few weeks. That’s just
my little world of coverage for now.  Mary Ann covers much, much more and
we’re eternally grateful.

FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow; eaglets Sandy &
Luna (hatched 4-5 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
Live Recap & Observations:  https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

Sub-Adult Breaches Nest ~ Shadow Attacks and Chases as Luna & Sandy Fly In
(2026 Jul 19)
One of the persistent sub-adult bald eagles followed Shadow to the nest.
Shadow made his displeasure known vocally, but when Luna arrived, Shadow
leapt over him and flushed the sub-adult from the nest, chasing them to the
lake and possibly beyond. Sandy arrived at the nest as the chase was
unfolding, and she and Luna looked on, squee-less. Not a minute later,
Shadow was perched on Twin Pines and 9 minutes later, Sandy and Luna perched
on the Cactus Snag. Shadow remains on Twin Pines, on guard as we publish. We
wish all Big Bear eagles well and continue to wait for definitive news of
Jackie’s whereabouts. 
Video: https://youtu.be/3OnNjmhclpo

Dramatic Tug-o-Fish Episode ~ Sandy & Luna Split the Difference (2026 Jul
18)
A dramatic nest entrance and tug-o-fish session ends with both Sandy and
Luna getting some fish. Then they perch together like nothing ever happened.
Video: https://youtu.be/Y1ibuAnekiI

Cross-Valley Eaglet Chortles ~ A.M. Tug-o-Fish ~ Three on Cactus Snag (2026
Jul 18)
Dawn at Big Bear brought another symphony of chatter with Sandy and Luna
squee’ing across the valley. Sunrise was magnificent as they continued their
conversation. When they left their night perches, Sandy and Luna met on the
Cactus Snag till Shadow flew past with the first fish of the day. They raced
to the nest to collect their snack ~ Luna beating Sandy to the grab. About
1/2 way through the fish, Sandy snuck in for the steal; at 3/4 gone, Luna
took it back. They digested on the front perch before returning to the
Cactus Snag, where Shadow ultimately joined them,  chortling to Jackie, who
remained off camera. In a spectacular finale, Shadow struck an horaltic pose
that mesmerized even Sandy and Luna. A glorious morning was had by all lucky
enough to see it. 
Video: https://youtu.be/ah5ksEbUODY

Shadow’s 7-Fish Day ~ Sandy & Luna Compete Fiercely ~ Score Evenly (2026
Jul 17)
Once again Shadow outdid himself in the fish delivery department. He
brought one fish early, which no one came to the nest to claim. But then
delivered 6 more in a 4-hour timespan.  Sandy and Luna competed quite
fiercely for 3 of the fish, as Shadow looked on with an expression we dare
not attempt to interpret. It could have been anything from pride to concern
to mild interest ~ we’ll never know. The other 3 fish were grabbed so
quickly that the “losing” eaglet had no chance of competing for it. Suffice
it to say, both Sandy and Luna both went to sleep with very full crops
tonight. 
Video: https://youtu.be/rTgvrWi6hWQ

Shadow’s Fish Fest ~ 2 for Sandy, 2 for Luna  ~ Food Comas Ensue (2026 Jul
15)
Shadow was on a mission this afternoon bringing FOUR FISH in just over an
hour. Sandy and Luna were in fish heaven ~ they got two each. Shadow left
them to their food comas, which they duly embraced, each on their favorite
perch.
Video: https://youtu.be/nh_hKzhHc1g

Sandy & Luna Get Their Own Fish ~ Preen Each Other and Nap (2026 Jul 13)
Master angler Shadow made sure both Sandy and Luna got their own fish this
morning. It was a flurry of feathers with each fish delivery after the
eaglets raced across the valley to claim their prize. Once they’d enjoyed
their snacks, they settled down together for some beaky kisses, tail biting,
and ~ as the food coma set in ~ naps. Cuteness overload ensued. 
Video: https://youtu.be/VTjElRgpchQ

FOBBVCAM Eagles JACKIE’S HOME! Whole Family Meets on Nest for Fish! (2026
Jul 12)
As we’ve learned since this video was released, Jackie is spending time
further out in the territory keeping an eye on sub-adult eagles who are
passing through the area. She and Shadow are making sure that Sandy and
Luna’s efforts to hone their skills in preparation to become independent are
not hampered. But she did make an appearance on the 12th. 

After Jackie and Shadow perched on Twin Pines together, Shadow departed to
get Jackie a welcome home fish. She was very grateful and enjoyed it mostly
to herself, even when Sandy and Luna came home expecting to get some. Life
lessons were taught. But ever the doting father, Shadow brought a second
fish, which Luna happily scarfed down. With this fish, Shadow had fed the
entire family today. Well, of course he had. What a gift to see the entire
family on the nest together. It was a good day in Big Bear Valley. 
Video: https://youtu.be/_Ilx0Vwopd0

Sandy & Luna End/Begin Days with Beaky Kisses ~ Stunning Sunset/Sunrise
(2026 Jul 11-12)
Sandy and Luna ended the day together on the nest, sharing beaky kisses and
allopreening with a lovely sunset as their backdrop. When Shadow delivered
supper, Sandy swooped in, mantling with her magnificent wings, but left Luna
a few bites in the end. The eaglets then shuffled some branches before Luna
departed for his overnight roost on the Simba Tree. 

As dawn broke, the eaglets remained on their respective night roosts. Then
Big Bear came aglow with a most stunning and long-lasting sunrise during
which Sandy traversed across the valley to join Luna on the Simba Tree.
Ultimately, they relocated to the Lookout Snag, where they finished watching
the sunrise together. It was a magical time and one which we won’t soon
forget. (2026 Jul 11-12)
Video: https://youtu.be/Ua-mAhCld3Q

San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcons ~ San Jose, CA ~ Hartley, Monty;
chicks Jet, Scout, Stewart, and Walton (hatched 21 April 2026)
Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam | Predatory Bird Research
Group
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBSxPjy5sow
Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU
Roof Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQLhmV6bP6o

Walton Learns Territory Defense from Monty ~ Dive-bombing, Talons Up (2026
Jul 14)
As Hartley relaxed on the ledge, Walton zoomed in and bumped her off. But
in a twist of Walton’s prior experiences, Monty was right behind him. Monty
flew over, circled back, and swooped on Walton, causing Walton to go talons
up and tumble to the runway. Monty circled back around and flew over once
for good measure (secretly we think he was checking Walton was OK). Poor
Walton got a tough lesson in territorial defense, which he pondered for a
minute before departing. 

As devoted fans, we wonder if we’ll ever see the boys here again, but some
of the trackers seem to be working. Walton’s tracker pinged in San Francisco
and Oakland (~35-45 miles away as the crow flies). Scout’s has pinged
further away at Hellyer Park in south San Jose (~6 miles).  Jet’s has pinged
in the Fremont Hills (~18-19 miles). And, unfortunately, Stewart’s tracker
has stopped working. 75% is not bad, though. While we’ll miss them, we’re
grateful to know they are dispersing healthy and hearty. 
Video: https://youtu.be/RZ71UkrSYZU

Two Harbors Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Cholyn & Chase
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles
Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn Chills While a BIG Rattler, Lucy Franco, and Rowboater Visit (2026
Jul 16)
While Chase was off doing eagle things, Cholyn sat on their couch as a host
of visitors slithered and floated by. A VERY large Southern Pacific
rattlesnake visited the overlook nest in the pre-dawn hours, the Lucy Franco
tugged by a bit later with goods for a local port, and an intrepid rower
bobbed by. All the while, Cholyn remained on her couch watching the world
and visitors go by. How cool to see what was happening all around Cholyn and
Chase’s habitat. 
Video: https://youtu.be/9PVJot6LfqI

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 19th July 2026

Another day featuring intruders, this time Ospreys who divebombed and overflew Nest Two, including a ringed Osprey. The ringed Osprey didn’t fully appear in the camera view so the ring couldn’t be read, and Dorcha flew off the nest to get rid of it when it perched in the Scots Pine. When the chicks weren’t pancaked because of intruder alarms, they practised wingercising with enthusiasm, getting ready for the day when they find their wings and fly off into the world – not too long now. Louis stayed for minutes at a time after delivering his fish, despite Dorcha’s urging, and even did a little nest scraping, but he didn’t desert his duties, and delivered five fish today, the last of which was his three hundredth for the season – quite a milestone achievement! The Nest Two tally, including Dorcha’s two, now stands at three hundred and two. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 delivered two fish for Aurora 536 taking the nest and his personal tally to one hundred and seventy four. The weather was settled and mild, and set to continue with light cloud and light winds overnight with a low of 12°C, and sunny intervals with a high of 21°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/H6r948rg6Zo N2 Neither chick seems interested in an early trout breakfast 04.39.33https://youtu.be/VSsTf6-iBNA N2 Fish two arrives and departs due to a divebombing intruder Osprey 05.02.07https://youtu.be/uNVCqaojMyM N2 Louis returns fish two and does a bit of housekeeping 05.19.57https://youtu.be/egFLzENxHnQ N2 Dorcha’s not there so Louis waits with fish three 06.14.10https://youtu.be/zDW0KXA0JqM N1 The nest’s empty when Garry brings the first fish 09.19.08

https://youtu.be/UMx3zPi7Bcg N2 Dorcha’s unusually quiet when Louis brings fish four 13.50.15https://youtu.be/bandf1qHQ1Y N1 This time Aurora’s waiting for Garry when he returns fish two, a whole flatfish

16.02.18

https://youtu.be/EBX6A_18VmM N2 Louis shows no sign of leaving after delivering fish five 17.37.32https://youtu.be/iX0_19-Se8I N2 Dorcha sees off a ringed intruder who overflies the nest 18.10.08

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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Today there were a record number of fledges in the UK – they are calling it Super Sunday. Ten chicks from streaming cams fledged, including – hang on to your seat – Aeron Z2 and Blue 014’s trio, all within a few hours from start to finish, with each returning to the nest. Remarkable. I do not recall that ever happening. Dads and Mums are busy delivering fish at all the nests with some fledges still to come.

Deaths continue in the US osprey world. Too many that need to be added to the Memorial Wall now.

My hero of the day is Viki who is desperately trying to keep the only two chicks on Indian Creek alive. Imagine watching twenty osprey nests for more than two decades to see a nest, now without its female who left a few days ago, struggling. Viki is providing frozen fish. The male is eating and has delivered to the nest and the eldest chick can self-feed but the younger one can only peck at the fish. Let’s hope it gets the hang of this quickly! But if one chick can be saved, it is a miracle considering that all other nests failed.

Females are leaving the nests. They must fatten up before migration, and it is clear they understand how difficult it is. They are leaving to find fish elsewhere. We see this behaviour later – the normal is that the females help supply fish after the chicks have fledged and then leave much earlier than the males, who continue to bring fish to the nest til the last chick has departed on its first migration. I remember that Aran at the Glaslyn nest had to wait until late September one year to leave. But in the US, these chicks have not fledged! Many have no parents to feed them. It is my fruitless hope that those individuals who have the authority (or not) will declare what Norway did and that the heat domes, the warming lakes, oceans, rivers, and ponds due to that heat, and the lack of fish are all human-caused. Help would then be provided – no bloody excuses!

When Viki wrote me today she said: “Also, I heard a very interesting thing from a local man who takes folks out fishing. He’s discovered that the little fish swimming on top of the water, always indicative of larger fish beneath them, have no larger fish beneath them. Weird.” ——- I guess those larger fish have all been scooped up by the nets of the industrial/commerical trawlers.

I never thought I would live to see an ecosystem as beautiful and alive as The Chesapeake Bay die, but it is dying. And our beautiful fish hawks are dying with it – ‘the canary in the mine’. The warning signal of the total collapse to come. It breaks my heart.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian osplet at Fru Rauer’s nest that was rescued because it was getting bashed and being held from getting sufficient food, is doing splendidly in care. Here is the update: https://youtu.be/2XeVWs9zgkU?

Thank you for being with us. Please do take care. Send good wishes to all the nests.

Thank you to Pam Breci for sending me all the latest on Jackie, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos and daily summary. To Viki – my hero who is desperately trying to keep two babies alive and to the camera owners who allow us to watch these families as they struggle to survive in a changing world.

Name the chicks! Late Thursday in Bird World

9 July 2026

Hello,

We hope that each of you had a good Thursday and that the end of the week will be kind

Please make sure that you suggest names for Dorcha and Louis’s two daughters! See below. The deadline is noon Monday – Loch Arkaig time.

First, I wanted to tell you who had been visiting the feeder for the homeless cats. It is a fantastic camera that has been running for more than two days and still has 97% of its power left. The image is fantastic, and it will take video clips if movement is detected. In this instance, we set it to ‘pets’. The first visit was Mr Crow who loves to dump the cat kibble out of the stainless steel bowl. Then Mr and Mrs Blue Jay along with all the other Jays. A red Squirrel and some grey squirrels, an orange cat named Samson, a tabby cat named Kiwi (no Brock), and, hold on, a skunk. I will keep the camera running except when I know it is going to rain which might happen tonight.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 9th July 2026

It’s a girl! Two of them, to be precise – Louis & Dorcha have produced two female chicks this year, continuing their tradition of same-sex clutches. The exception being 2023 which had a solo male chick – would the egg lost overboard also have hatched out male? We’ll never know. However, in not very good news, ringer Lewis Pate found the nest to be festooned with fishing twine, and one of the chicks entangled. He was able to remove it all, thank goodness, otherwise the chick probably would not have been able to fledge. George WTS has opened the name game – suggestions must be in by noon on Monday, don’t forget to use hashtag #2026NAME otherwise your suggestion might not be included. A panel will short list the suggestions and make their decision on Monday evening, which George will announce on Tuesday. In regular business, Garry LV0 brought two fish for Aurora, taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and fifty eight, and Louis brought five fish for Dorcha and the chicks, taking the Nest Two tally to two hundred and fifty seven. No disturbances today, the chicks were settled, the weather was settled but is due to change to overnight drizzle and a low of 15°C, and thundery showers, sunny intervals and a high of 23°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/-pm7UfxK_n4 N2 Name those chicks! Name Game open now until noon Monday 13th https://youtu.be/dzeVEwfADQQ N2 Are the chicks still full from last night? Neither’s interested in fish one 04.28.03https://youtu.be/Btb8Cm0MpR0 N2 Fish two gets hidden then the chicks try self feeding 05.03.07https://youtu.be/zy5OhBs5nk4 N2 Dorcha’s causing havoc with sticks 12.18.56https://youtu.be/OIHui3ptAqk N1 Aurora takes the fish and departs, Garry settles on the egg 14.12.37https://youtu.be/-0eCsSKqnDE N2 Fish three gets a 20-second handover 17.17.59https://youtu.be/QM-dPgIy0es N2 Tiny tiddler fish four is gone in 2 minutes 20.39.59https://youtu.be/UoIr0cwnAZk N1 Garry delivers fish two then both depart – empty nest 22.05.00https://youtu.be/4RzQT_DMpS4 N2 Dorcha almost barges Louis off the nest to get to fish five 22.51.17

You’re invited to join the friendly and knowledgeable community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – it’s fun and free, everybody’s welcome:

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

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Kelly Sorenson has sent out the following e-mail regarding the search for Iniko:

Some good news coming out of Wales.

SK Hideaways has a new video of Sandy and Luna protecting their territory. https://youtu.be/voxNZ7CTeDM?

For those of you intending to donate again to Save Moon Camp, please do so before the end of the month. SaveMoonCamp.org

Little Dewey is not so little and she is standing on the rails looking out at the world beyond. Good fish count today – thanks Pam and Heidi: Dewey fish count 7/9…8 Total…Mom 6 Menhaden, Dad 2 (1 bluefish, 1 Menhaden)

Osprey are dying all over the US and in Canada. What is the precise reason for those that are not part of the industrial trawling of Omega Protein? Is it heat stress on the fish? Those that depend on trout as their primary food are having trouble in Long Island Sound and other adjacent areas where the temperature in the water where the trout live exceeded 65 F. We saw this a couple of years ago in Montana.

Still, Menhaden are a huge issue in the NE or rather, the lack of them.

For those of you who might have missed it, I encourage you to read Viki Volk’s diary over her two decades of watching ospreys from her front porch on St. George’s Island, Indian Creek, Maryland. The ospreys thrived, and now, there is one little one struggling to survive. This is a tragedy unfolding before Viki’s eyes and all those who are watching the ospreys closely in this region. That diary is here: IslandCreekOspreys.com. It is free. You will learn something from an individual who loved/s our fish hawks.

I found entry 2020-3 interesting. There is a mention of supplementary fishing in that entry.

Something that is troubling me is that we are now finding more fishing equipment in the nests of the UK Ospreys – something unheard of in years past. This happened on the nest of Louis and Dorcha when the ringer found one of the chicks tangled in line. We know that Telyn swallowed a line and lure – and I am certain there was mention of at least one other nest with issues. What is going on? why now?

I wish that the female at Blackbush would feed the big siblings slower and then when she feeds Tiny she is focused and feeds fast. She drives me crazy.

The little one at Cowlitz PUD is moving about but I still have serious concerns about its survival. Let me be wrong!

I continue to have concerns about the only surviving chick at Osoyoos also. One day at a time.

Things look good for the pair at Coeur d’Alene Idaho.

The video of the ringing of the chicks at Fru Rauer in Norway is now available: https://youtu.be/xeMiYYPGVg8?

We continue to put wildlife in harm’s way with our activities including the mining of the ocean floor.

Species’ ingenious survival strategies no match for human destruction, red list revealshttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/09/species-ingenious-survival-strategies-no-match-human-destruction-red-list?CMP=share_btn_url

If you have travelled to Spain and Portugal recently you will, no doubt, have seen the multitude of storks that live there. Where do they eat? The dump. In fact, Bald Eagles in my City frequent the dump for food because road kill and small mammals are ot plentiful. They used to be but expanding housing developments and rodenticides to kill mice and rats have caused their food sources to dwindle. Now, we endanger their lives with all our junk food loaded with chemicals in those landfills!

Health risk fears for storks in Europe over ‘junk food’ from landfillhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/08/health-risk-fears-for-storks-in-europe-over-junk-food-from-landfill?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you so much for being with us. It has been a bit of a long day, but a very productive one. I have been decluttering, and there is an energy in setting a simple goal, such as a single drawer, and seeing it only holding what is essential. Like a rental property on holiday! We wound up cleaning three drawers and taking a good look at the basement, which is going to get cleared. Tomorrow it will be Toby’s clothes. He has certainly grown from that little puppy that arrived 15 months ago. Someone is going to love those cute sweaters – hopefully some of them will go to Ann’s sweet little Australian Shepherd, Lucy.

Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to Geemeff for her daily summary and videos, SK Hideaways for their videos of Luna and Sandy, to PB for keeping me informed, to those who posted information and images on FB, to Kelly Sorenson and his team for their dedication to the California Condors, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness these amazing creatures. Thank you to the Guardian for their continuing reporting on wildlife and the environment.

Concern grows as fish deliveries dry up in the US NE…Friday in Bird World

19 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

Oh, my goodness. It is pouring down rain again and Toby has his thunder shirt on! Thanks to ‘P’ I have discovered they also make these calming jackets for cats. Missey is the other one that was soooooo anxious during the recent storms so that I have now ordered one for her. The running joke amongst us is that the animals have more outfits than we do! It’s true. They are the glue that holds our mental health in place along with the garden and its wildlife.

Our neighbourhood is very concerned. Neither Brock nor Charlie, the cat with the frozen folded ear, have been seen and they disappeared at the same time. I do not believe in coincidences. Neighbours have adjusted their cameras and put out bowls o food in an attempt to see if we can spot them on camera. Don, Toby, and I have called and banged on every shed and garage and one house that is vacant with work being done for fear they are locked in. Brock would not easily go into a trap. I tried him many times but, he might be lured into a house or a space to go to sleep and then someone close the door and not come back. Jane and I are beside ourselves with worry.

P1 fledged at the nest of Big Red and Arthur on the Cornell Campus on Thursday. Congratulations. P2 is ready, but P3 isn’t. How can you tell? To properly fly, we should be able to clearly see five or six dark bands on their tail.

Cornell Bird Lab has that fledge on video: https://youtu.be/BF6JfvkSy8E?

Can you tell who is the youngest by the number of bands? Laura Culley taught me this.

Two young hawks sitting in their nest made of twigs, with green leaves visible around them.

Clark came to say hello, then delivered a stick for the cot rails, and then within a few minutes returned with a breakfast fish for Iris and baby.

Two ospreys on their nest, surrounded by a parking lot and greenery in the background.
An osprey feeding a chick in a nest, with another chick visible nearby. The scene shows the details of the nest constructed with sticks and other materials.
Two ospreys in a nest feeding a chick, with visible twigs and nesting materials.
Screenshot of a social media post from Montana Osprey Cams discussing the hatching status of ospreys' eggs and feeding details for the chicks.
A young osprey chick is peeking out from a nest surrounded by grass and three eggs.

Now that industrial fishing has begun in the NE, it appears there are fewer and fewer fish for males to find and deliver to their nests. There have been deaths in the last few days, including Forsythe. I was inherently sad before this osprey season began, and I feel as if someone just punched me in the gut really hard at the start of each day. Heidi and I predicted this more than three years ago. The decline is happening swiftly. The adults who hatched babies cannot find enough fish to feed themselves and their chicks. They also know that even if a few live, they won’t find fish when they fledge. I had hoped that the ospreys would choose not to breed at all, as Duke and Daisy did a couple of years ago at Barnegat Light. What you are watching is the slow extinction of a species in a region of the US that should not be happening. While some might wish to point to all manner of causes – Bald Eagles eating millions of tonnes of fish so the osprey don’t have any – the real culprit is the industrial trawling using spotter planes of the fish that is the basis of the ecosystem in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas. Menhaden. You are witnessing this. It is not going to get any better. What we must do is celebrate the chicks that survive, find a fairy or two to help Little Dewey, and make it rain fish for those that are still alive. In other words, a miracle.

We have another female who is going out fishing to try and keep her babies alive – Hennie at Henlopen State Park. Thanks, Heidi.

An osprey named Hennie stands in its nest made of twigs and branches, feeding its chicks. The nest is elevated and surrounded by grass.

Miles helped, too.

An osprey, named Hennie, feeding her young chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a medium-sized fish nearby.

This is very concerning.

Social media post discussing the hatching of two eaglets named Sandy and Luna, and their potential impact on July 4 celebrations.
Two juvenile eagles perched in a nest overlooking a lake and forested landscape, with text about their flight window and the fireworks debate in Big Bear.

Please go and sign the petition.

https://www.change.org/p/protect-big-bear-s-bald-eagles-eaglets-from-july-4th-fireworks-disturbance?source_location=search

The weather at Dewey Beach has been very bad and Little Dewey has had no fish in at least 24 hours.

Has Mum gone fishing, too? I hope so!

A pair of ospreys in their nest, with one adult bird perched beside a chick, overlooking a body of water and nearby buildings.
A bird's nest with two young osprey chicks and an adult osprey in a coastal setting, overlooking a marina with buildings and outdoor seating.
A young osprey chick sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a waterfront view and buildings in the background.

At 1600 Mum returned with literally a minnow for Little Dewey. He has had only this snack in more than 24 hours. I really wish someone would drop fish on this nest. If this chick starves to death in front of us like the one last year, it is going to be hard to deal with. The cause of the lack of fish is manmade – industrial fishing – cannot someone do something?

A live view of an osprey nest showing an adult osprey and a chick, with a restaurant and beach area in the background.

Mum might determine that there is no fish for her baby as he gets older and abandons the nest. This is an acute possibility. We have to be prepared.

Every nest I have checked needs fish in the US – it would be good to see 5-7 fish on these nests where the chicks are in the Reptile phase or later. Dewey is getting feathers. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum babies seem tiny.

An osprey standing on a nest filled with sticks and grass, with three chicks visible in the nest. The background features grassy fields and a gravel path.
An osprey stands on its nest, which is made of twigs and grass, with two chicks visible in the nest below. The surrounding landscape features grassy areas and a gravel path.

The nest is so full of human debris and it appears only one egg that Bety is incubating – it just doesn’t feel right this year at Mlade Buky. Maybe it is just me.

A stork standing in its nest on a rooftop, with houses and hills in the background, during sunset.

Finnish nest 4. Two chicks in reptile phase doing well.

An osprey is feeding its chick in a nest made of branches, with a blurred natural background.

Beautiful juvenile feathers on the trio at Finnish nest 1.

An osprey feeding its chicks in a nest made of branches and moss.

Two tiny tiny little osplets at Ilomansti Finnish 2 nest.

A bird sitting in a nest made of branches near a body of water, with two chicks visible in the nest.

Three at Oyster Bay getting their juvenile feathers.

An osprey perched on a nest overlooking a harbor with boats and a beach in view, under a partly sunny sky.

Three covered with feathers at Clark PUD in Washington.

A close-up view of a bird's nest featuring a parent bird and several chicks. The nest is made of twigs and moss, situated on a ledge with greenery and a road visible in the background.

Chick 2 is calling for prey, and Mum fed at the Lesser Spotted Eagle nest in Estonia. We can only take this nest one day at a time as Lesser Spotted Eagles practice obligate siblicide (the oldest chick kills the younger).

A Lesser Spotted Eagle stands on a nest with a chick, surrounded by greenery and tree branches in the background.
A bird of prey feeding its chicks in a nest surrounded by trees.

This black stork nest is doing so well in Estonia that a foster storklet has been added.

Four fluffy young birds in a nest with a tree in the background, as a person holds a green bag above them.
A nest with four fluffy stork chicks, surrounded by greenery and trees. The chicks are looking towards the viewer, while one appears to be pecking at something on the nest.

Trine has it on video: https://youtu.be/ARD6I0hvmmM?

Cleaning a stork’s nest in Germany! https://youtu.be/4bOH5sE9Nwk?

Two people in a platform above a large bird's nest, working on the nest with tools, with green grass in the background.

Storklets being ringed. https://youtu.be/rfTyPio17Cc?

A stork stands next to its chicks in a large nest made of twigs, set against a scenic backdrop of trees and houses under a partly cloudy sky.
A person holding a black identification band for a bird while surrounded by young birds in a nest made of twigs and straw.
A person is attaching identification tags to baby birds resting on the ground, surrounded by grass and straw.

Bobby Bach (third Bob) is doing find according to the folks at Glaslyn. There was some concern after the recent removal of fishing line but they have been monitoring the situation with their own special cameras closely and conclude he is alright. The weather has been terrible, but Teifi has been delivering fish, regardless. Here is Bobby Bach right up front and using its crop as a pillow.

A bird of prey stands in a nest with two chicks, feeding them a fish while surrounded by twigs and greenery.
A bird, likely a hawk, stands by a nest containing several chicks. The nest is made of twigs and is located in a green landscape.

​​Syfadden has been bringing in the fish to the Usk Valley while Clogwyn has made certain – despite their size that they are kept warm and dry in the bad weather of Wales.

A hawk is seen in its nest with several chicks, surrounded by twigs and branches, set against a backdrop of green fields and hills under a cloudy sky.
A bird's nest made of twigs and branches is situated high in a tree, with a scenic view of a green landscape in the background under a cloudy sky.

At Rutland Manton Bay’s nest of Maya and Blue 33, the osplets, fully feathered, enter their fledge window in less than a fortnight from 28th Jun – 11 Jul. I wish every osplet in the US had the chance for fish that this nest has!

Close-up of ospreys and their chicks in a nest by a body of water, captured from a live webcam.
A nest by the water containing several young ospreys resting among sticks and twigs.

That is a nest full of osplets – four of them – at Poole Harbour – doing just fine. CJ7 and Blue 022. Amazing. They will probably break Maya and Blue 33s record of fledging four (I must check – it could be this clutch!).

An adult osprey stands watch over its three chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by greenery in the background.

I feel like I am the bearer of bad news. Despite the understanding, several years ago, that Heidi and I had that this would happen if the industrial fishing of Menhaden was not curtailed, it is still more than difficult. It doesn’t have to happen. Every person reading my blog, their friends, anyone who loves ospreys should be calling Audubon, anyone in the State of Virginia including the Governor, and every TV, radio, and newspaper channel.

Thank you for being with us. I keep saying that I am going to take a break and it might just be this weekend that I do. It is a little overwhelming seeing so many babies and parents starving. Take care. There are fledges to come on the Channel Islands and P2 at Cornell.

Thank you to everyone who posted information on FB and images, the owners of the streaming cams, and to each of you for your comments and information sent to me by other means.

Golden Eagle female missing and chick cannot self-feed…late Friday in Bird World

12 June 2026

The female at the Golden Eagle 2 nest in Estonia has been missing since the 11 June. Dad continues to supply food to the eaglet but as his role is hunting and protecting, he is not feeding. The chick has tried to eat but just can’t. This could quickly turn into a very sad situation where we lose both a healthy bouncy eaglet and its Mum.

A nest in a tree with a chick resting among twigs and greenery, surrounded by lush foliage.

“The Bald Eagle 2 nest camera is located in the extended danger area near the Estonian Defence Forces Central Training Area in Northern Estonia. Defence Forces training involves quite noisy activities or a large number of equipment and people moving around the training area. In order to clarify the impact of these activities on eagles nesting in the vicinity of the training areas, the State Defence Investment Centre has commissioned a study, which is being carried out by the Eagle Club. During the study, we installed a nest camera on a bald eagle nest, among other activities.

Kaljukotkas 2 is a native territory of golden eagles – one of those located south of Lahemaa National Park in Põhja-Kõrvemaa. The nests have been located in this territory over time on different bog islands or on the edge of the bog; the generations of golden eagles have changed there, but the territory has remained the same. The eagles have been nesting in this nest at the end of a large stump since 2016. In recent years, the chick here has become capable of flying, although at a later time than average. This indicates that the laying of eggs is later than average. The chick of 2023 also got a companion with the help of our German colleague Oliver Krone. It flew from the breeding territory to Latvia in early November, returned to Estonia in early December and spent the winter here. We have not added the monitored golden eagles to the migration map, because they tend to be quite sedentary. However, some of the young birds hatched in Estonia move as far as Poland and Ukraine for the winter.

Both adult birds are here without rings, so we do not know their age or origin. The first egg appeared in the nest this year on March 26 at 2:46 p.m. We can expect the chick to hatch at the end of April.”

Clark brought the first fish right after 0900 but immediately an intruder was in the area. He flew off with the fish and returned it to Iris at 0931 so that her and the baby could eat.

Two ospreys are standing on their nest made of sticks and branches, with one chick visible among the nesting material. In the background, a green space and a parking lot can be seen.
Two ospreys are nesting on a large nest made of sticks and greenery, with a parking lot and trees visible in the background.
A pair of ospreys in their nest, with one chick visible among twigs and greenery, set against a background of an empty parking lot and trees.

Baby has had at least one other feeding before noon! Things look good for Iris and Clark who has been bringing in nesting materials, too.

Heidi reports that Miles and Hennie now have three babies. Wish them well.

An osprey nest containing three chicks, with one chick being fed by the parent osprey. The nest is made of twigs and is located in a grassy area.

There is a baby at nest 12 at Kielder Forest!

Dani Connor saved a plantation forest in Sweden near her home in the north through a GoFundMe. She was determined that the red squirrels and other wildlife would not lose their home. Just look at what is happening in Norway. Our wildlife need trees and it isn’t just the birds. Our planet needs trees. I know the plantation trees were planted to be cut down but perhaps with the climate heating up so much, it is time to find a way to purchase these lands.

A view of a logging site in Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, showing cleared land with fallen trees and stumps, reflecting deforestation efforts. The background features a green landscape and cloudy sky.

This reminds me. It appears to me that the fundraising for Moon Camp to protect the land around Jackie and Shadow’s nest has stalled at about 3.3 million. That is a huge amount of funds donated by fundraising by viewers and local school children. They are posting that they need 6 million by the end of the month. If you are intending to donate but haven’t yet, please check in and do so. Help them save this land where other wildlife also live. Go to SaveMoonCamp.org

A plea for donations to save Jackie and Shadow's home, mentioning a fundraising goal of over 6 million by July 31.

It looks like SK Hideaways has caught Jackie and Shadow’s Luna getting lift, and believe me, everyone is concerned about fireworks with Luna and Sandy. They are in a fledge window. https://youtu.be/W1TSYPxDU_I?

I love this family tree from Big Bear that was posted on FB.

Infographic detailing the Eagle family tree associated with Big Bear, featuring images of eagles and their names, from the founders Ricky and Lucy to current generation Sandy and Luna with 2026 eaglets.

SW Florida’s Bald Eagle nest in Fort Myers on the Pritchett Property M15 has a new female to replace F23 who was killed during the 2026 season. Check out Photos by Donna Lee on FB to see all of the images of M15 with his new mate.

A Facebook post dated June 10, 2026, describing the author's encounter with a bird named Mighty M15 and his new companion, the Lady Eagle, including a narrative of their behaviors and a photo opportunity.
A collage of several images featuring a Bald Eagle perched on a metal structure, showcasing its feathers and silhouette against a cloudy sky.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch ArkaigThursday 11th June 2026

Sadly, there’s only one talking point today and that’s the loss of little Chick3. Hatched on 6th June shortly after midnight, the little chick was five days old today and didn’t really have a chance against its two big siblings. Despite Louis delivering plenty of food, Dorcha keeping the chicks warm and dry, and the older pair mainly taking out their aggression on each other, the youngest chick was too weak to survive on a reduced diet. Comfort can be found in that Chick3’s death was as peaceful as is possible on a lively Osprey nest. In other news, Dorcha furiously saw off an intruding Osprey who first perched on the camera pole and then on the nearby Scots Pine – she kept it so well away that it was impossible to see if it was yesterday’s intruder JJ4 returning, or a stranger. Louis delivered four fish taking the Nest Two tally to one hundred and twenty nine, and Garry LV0 delivered three fish to Aurora 536, taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and twelve. Aurora’s egg is now forty two days old and the possibility of hatching is improbable but not yet impossible. The weather was a repeat of yesterday’s, wet and windy, and tonight’s overnight forecast is light rain and light winds with a low of 11°C overnight, continuing with thundery showers, a moderate breeze and a high of 15°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/000FxooDYzw N2 All three chicks are up and begging when fish one arrives 04.21.29https://youtu.be/yMsFcwb3ydo N1 Dorcha furiously sees off an intruder Osprey 08.34.16 (zoom)https://youtu.be/I8khzUqtd8I N2 Mum blocks the view when fish two is dished up 09.06.53https://youtu.be/XhHOcGuOSM0 N2 A little life has ended: RIP Chick3 10.00+https://youtu.be/i7VWDUd6J0k N1 Is Garry’s first fish a Silver Tourist? 10.53.39https://youtu.be/gRTAjaxD40k N2 Fish three is huge but there are only two chicks 14.15.26https://youtu.be/fVKuNTE9nDo N1 Aurora’s very quiet but does take fish two 18.45.22https://youtu.be/fn1jj9Oh-4w N1 Aurora takes fish three and stumbles on a loose bit of bark 21.36.09https://youtu.be/u3rJzYfaS1M N2 Fish number four is tiny and is quickly demolished 21.51.01

Bonus read: Toby Carvery apologise for cutting down one of the important trees on Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Register and will plant 1,000 new trees (Ed: as if that could replace the 500 year old oak!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c05yz89jrleo

You’re invited to join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, fun, and free!

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

I am happy to say that our garden animals are thriving. We now have four European Starling fledglings! And I have discovered that Crows like large raw minnows – the ones that were in the freezer that Toby decided were not ‘dehydrated’. So there you go – have large minnows in your freezer, and you don’t go fishing, well, feed the crows. Their babies need mushy protein.

Thank you so much for being with us today. I am signing off. Toby and I are going to relax a little while Don is out with Ann. We wish you a lovely weekend with a lot of ice cream. And watch Iris and Clark with their new baby – . Might there be others? I promise you that unless there is another weather event there, this nest is going to be one to watch and I was a huge skeptic.

Toby loves strawberry ice cream.

A close-up of a bowl of pink ice cream on a colorful patterned tablecloth, with a small dog resting its paws on the owner's leg, eagerly looking at the ice cream.

Thank you to everyone who contributed information and images to FB, to SK Hideaways for their video, Geemeff for their daily summary, and Donna Lee for those great images of M15 and his new lady. Always great to have news from Heidi and Keilder Forest. hank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these amazing bird families.

P3 hatches at Cornell…late Saturday in Bird World

9 May 2026

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for your lovely comments and notes. I am so glad you enjoyed the post about those amazing female raptors! They are truly incredible.

Jill was up early Saturday morning catching a breakfast fish for her and the kids. It is hard for her – Big and Little are growing leaps and bounds and eating more and more and she still must maintain her own strength in order to go and fish for all of them. The nest cannot count on Jack who has an odd pattern of fish deliveries.

‘PB’ caught this great screen capture of Jill coming in with that early fish. She really is quite amazing.

An osprey in flight carrying a fish with its talons, surrounded by trees and a glimpse of a road below.

I don’t recall worrying so much about a hatch at Big Red’s nest. It must surely be because we lost the first one and the nest has been so soggy this year with all the rain. The little one did make it! Thank goodness. There is so much prey. No one ever goes hungry on Big Red’s nest and never will unless there is a physical reason they cannot eat!

A Red-tailed Hawk sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with visible chicks in the nest.
Two young red-tailed hawk chicks resting in their nest, surrounded by twigs and feathers.
A red-tailed hawk tending to its nest with several hatchlings visible among twigs and branches.
A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, with urban scenery visible in the background.

Saturday was always Ferris Akel Day. We watched and often chatted every Saturday during or was it after? the pandemic. I miss being able to sit and go on a bird tour with Ferris who is incredibly knowledgable. Today, I stepped in for a few moments. He was at the Blue Heron rookery and they had babies!

A close-up shot of two birds near their nests in a tree, surrounded by branches and foliage.
A bird perched on a branch near its nest, which contains chicks, surrounded by tree branches in a natural setting.

Ferris is a great distance away, which makes these images just that more special. Check him out on YouTube.

A work of art ‘Ghost Sky Dance’ that documents the illegal killing of the Hen Harriers in the Yorkshire Moors.

Some good news and some bad from Knepp Wilding about Turtle Doves.

Turtle doves are back!
This year our most longed-for winter migrants have been bang on time. Our first turtle dove was recorded at Knepp on 24 April. Already we’re hearing several male ‘turtle’s doing their territorial ‘turr-offs’ from dead trees in the Southern Block. 
Once common in the 1960s, the UK now has fewer than 3,000 turtle doves, thanks mostly to the loss of protective habitat and the wildflowers which provide them with tiny, protein-rich seeds to eat. Numbers at Knepp remain around 20 singing males every year – that’s a quarter of the population in Sussex. 
Last year, however, just as their numbers were beginning to recover, the European Commission overturned a ban on hunting turtle doves in parts of Western Europe. Every turtle dove arriving in the UK is a tiny miracle.

The parents have returned to the nest and brought fish to the Dale Hollow Eaglets. One had fishing line and the AEF team was able to remove it.

Three young birds nestled in a nest among tree branches, with green leaves in the background.
Three young bird nestlings resting in a nest among green leaves and trees.
A live stream image capturing a nest of young bald eagles resting on a tree branch, surrounded by green leaves.
Two young eagles resting in their nest, surrounded by green leaves and tree bark.

The Sandy Steers Celebration of Life will be on 13 June 2026. It will be live streamed. Check their FB page for details.

Banner for Sandy Steers' Celebration of Life event, featuring a scenic background of Big Bear Valley and an image of a smiling woman.

Forestry England has another nest that has a streaming cam.

A close-up image of an osprey sitting on its nest, surrounded by twigs and foliage, overlooking a lush green forest and lakes in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Olivia was not getting fish deliveries at the Severna Park Osprey platform in Maryland. She, like so many others last year, has abandoned her eggs, which have been eaten by crows. This is the first nest on a streaming cam in 2026 that the adults have had to abandon due to a lack of food. Please if you live in Virginia, please help those rally to stop the commercial fishing of Menhaden which is vital to the ecosystem for that entire area – including Maryland!

I want to give a shout-out to all those folks who are designing ingenious ways to feed the ospreys that live near or on their property. I won’t ever tell who you are, but I hope that what you try works and that those adults and babies thrive. You are my heroes.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 9th May 2026

Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday, a calm routine of fish deliveries and incubation changeovers. Exactly what’s needed as life develops inside those beautiful speckled eggshells, moving slowly towards hatching day sometime in the first half of June. Louis delivered three fish for Dorcha taking the Nest Two tally to fifty, and Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536 taking the Nest One tally to fifty three. Ospreys are migratory birds and this weekend celebrates International Migratory Bird Day, therefore tonight’s bonus item is a programme on bird migration. 

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/W5LTMlv0XbA N2 Dorcha’s dulcet tones ring out as she summons fish one 05.27.59

https://youtu.be/8A0rloqPT3U N1 Aurora refuses a fish, did she have one during cam down time? 09.11.42

https://youtu.be/cedJn2Xd8tU N2 Louis gets to egg-sit when Dorcha leaves with fish two 12.38.38

https://youtu.be/zsNnPyCm_Zc  N1 Aurora doesn’t pass up fish number two  17.26.03   

https://youtu.be/HJ6GBAbxGKI  N2 Dorcha transfers fish three to her talons in mid-air 18.44.11

Bonus listen on International Migratory Bird Day – an ‘In our Time’ episode on Bird Migration (thanks MTL)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08wmk5j

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/NqE_YC8NTWQ  N1 Graceful Aila does a fishy flypast 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/AlayYBTfRbw  N1 Louis leaves the eggs to chase an Intruder Osprey 2020 (slo-mo) 

https://youtu.be/gTF4db9pYiQ  N1 Hurricane force gust nearly blows Aila off the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/Tt0NmWwPiAw  N1 Male & female Siskin pay an early morning visit 2021 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/Z_f1lAL9g68  N2 Undignified upside down Dorcha 2022 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/Q4KTtgMN_mI  N2 Ouch! Dorcha crashes into the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/fju0tKjGYbg  N1 On again, off again male visitor LV0 visits 2023

https://youtu.be/261d7botW24  N1 Garry pays a 20-second flying visit 2024 (zoom)  

https://youtu.be/SjXAu0qtxe4 N2 Fish number two does a fast flypast before landing 2024

https://youtu.be/3ersPiqRQ9I N2 A cuckoo calls as Louis brings breakfast 2025

https://youtu.be/5tHDrDx6lpw N1 Aurora leaves her perch to grab Garry’s second fish 2025

https://youtu.be/RPVpjzsMhKA N1 Handsome Garry bathed in the light of the setting sun 2025

Come and join the friendly folk at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – everyone’s welcome!

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

The osplets at Lake Murray are doing great according to Heidi – and the little one has just the cutest bottom. Nice, round, and fat. This is all thanks to the new male at the nest!

An osprey family in their nest, with two adult ospreys feeding their three chicks. The nest is made of sticks and branches, surrounded by leaves.

The American Bird Conservancy (ABC)’s bird of the week, The Yellow-breasted Chat. Have a good read – see how much you can learn about this special feathered friend.

One of the things that I love about my tiny urban plot is that it is home to so many species of wildlife. Every year, we try to plant more shrubs and flowers to attract more bees and butterflies while making certain there are always decaying logs scattered about the property, providing a home for insects and a feast for so many of the birds. I can’t fight the big commercial enterprises that are destroying our planet, but I can make a difference right where I live – and so can you! It only takes one plant, specifically designed for your region and the bees or butterflies that live there, to make a difference. Why don’t you find a spot to plant something this year so that you can sit and watch the visitors come? And remember – please leave out water. It is the gift of life.

In London, the Queen Elizabeth II garden is attracting all manner of creatures! Enjoy the images.

A new haven for wildlife: London’s Queen Elizabeth II garden opens to the public – in pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/apr/28/new-haven-wildlife-london-queen-elizabeth-ii-garden-opens-public-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

It has been a week of ups and downs at our house. The weather is not helping. I find that warm days when we can be outside, even if it’s just sitting on a chair on the deck, are so beneficial to one’s mental health. As I have mentioned many times in recent years, Don is now in his fifth year of being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. For those that are unfamiliar, it is different than Alzheimer’s. This AI overview is rather good:

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and Alzheimer’s differ primarily in their initial symptoms and progression: LBD features early hallucinations, significant cognitive fluctuations, and Parkinson-like movement issues, whereas Alzheimer’s typically begins with memory loss. LBD often progresses faster and includes REM sleep disorders, whereas Alzheimer’s is generally slower and affects memory first.

Key Differences at a Glance

  • Initial Symptoms: LBD often starts with attention, executive function, and visual-spatial issues, while Alzheimer’s starts with short-term memory loss.
  • Fluctuations: LBD patients experience drastic, daily, or hourly changes in alertness and attention; Alzheimer’s symptoms are usually more consistent.
  • Movement: Parkinsonism (rigid muscles, slow movement, tremors) appears early in LBD, often within one year of cognitive decline. Movement issues appear in late-stage Alzheimer’s.
  • Hallucinations: Early, detailed visual hallucinations are common in LBD, while they typically occur in later stages of Alzheimer’s.
  • Sleep: REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams) is a common early indicator of LBD, not Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Association +4

Brain Pathology and Progression

  • LBD: Caused by abnormal deposits of alpha-synuclein proteins (Lewy bodies) that deplete brain chemical messengers.
  • Alzheimer’s: Caused by Amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
  • Progression: LBD tends to progress faster than Alzheimer’s, with a survival rate often averaging 5 to 7 years.

Why Diagnosis Matters
An accurate diagnosis is critical because LBD patients may have severe adverse reactions to certain antipsychotic medications commonly used to treat behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer’s.

Many of you have written to me about a family member or partner that is suffering from memory loss. Please, please get them to a doctor for a diagnosis. The earlier, the better. It is incredible what treatments and medications they have now that they didn’t have five years ago!

Don’s disease is beginning to progress rapidly now. We enjoy every good moment as his apathy and hallucinations grow. I always remind everyone to also enjoy life as much as you can. Don’t sit and cry over what happened a year or ten years ago or more or worry about next year. Enjoy your life right now. You never know what is coming around the corner.

I will end there. Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. I am going to take tomorrow off. See you Monday evening.

Thank you to all of the contributors today – those great people with their daily summaries, videos, articles, and investigative reporting. Thank you to ‘PB’ and Heidi for keeping track of the US ospreys and to the owners of the streaming cams and UK Osprey Information FB.