Tag Archives: Big Red and Arthur

Iris gets lots of fish…Late Monday in Bird World

19 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

‘PB’ just sent these great images of Iris leaving with a huge headless fish – the third or fourth NG2 has brought today!

A hawk flying over a parking lot, holding a fish in its talons, with another hawk perched nearby.
Two ospreys are in a nest made of branches, with one osprey appearing to take off. In the background, there is a parking lot with several cars and trees.

It remains damp and cold on the Canadian Prairies. Poor Toby has to have his feet washed every time he comes inside from running about. We have a small pond in progress, and he is drawn to the mud there!!!!!!!!! Spaniels love water. I am thinking of getting him a kiddie pool for the summer. He might not like it because he can’t swim but we will see. There are enough neighbourhood children that would enjoy the pool if Toby rejects it!

Like so many of you, I have lived a long life, one that allowed me to enjoy a time when nature was not under threat every second. Of course, we did not know then what we do now about how our behaviour was impacting the environment. What would we have done differently had we known?

There are things that I miss. We had the most magnificent Magnolia tree in our back garden and several Mimosa trees in our front garden. At the very back was a wall of bamboo at one time, later replaced by my father’s rose garden. He learned how to grow roses from his grandmother and mother – she had a huge stroll garden lined with hundreds and hundreds of rose bushes. There were Cardinals and Bluebirds that lived in those trees. I also miss the duck pond at the University of Oklahoma. I cannot tell you how many hours I spent there, joined later by my children. Whether or not it was our garden or the ponds and parks near to where I lived, there were always some kind of birds. Some were in drawers with old yellowed cardboard labels in the Sutton collection at the University. They fascinated me! It is nice when everything seems to be falling apart to sit back and recall the magic of our childhoods and how the opportunities we had impacted our lives today.

Like all of you, I have been distressed by the level of Avian Flu spreading across North America. I do not want to add to this, which means disinfecting the bird feeders and tables every 2-3 days. My plan, when the last half-bag of birdseed is finished, is to put out peanuts and those solid seed cylinders to try to avoid contamination. The bird baths and bowls of water have to be cleaned and disinfected, too. The rule is 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.

How to Clean and Disinfect

  1. Empty & Rinse: Dump out the old water and thoroughly rinse the basin.
  2. Scrub First: If there is stubborn grime or algae, scrub the bowl with hot water and a stiff brush before applying bleach.
  3. Disinfect: Pour in your 10% bleach solution. Let it sit in the basin for 10 to 15 minutes to fully kill any germs.
  4. Rinse Thoroughly: Dump out the bleach and rinse the entire bird bath completely with clean water until there are no traces of a bleach odor.
  5. Air Dry: Allow the bird bath to completely dry in the sun before refilling it with fresh water. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Important Tips

  • Frequency: Disinfect the bath once a week to keep it safe for your backyard birds.
  • Alternative: If you prefer not to use harsh chemicals, you can achieve the same cleaning power by using a mixture of 1 part white vinegar to 9 parts water.
  • Daily Maintenance: Change the water every day or two to prevent mosquitoes and bacteria from building up between deeper cleans.

NOTE: Do not use the brush used to clean the bird bath and water sources for any other purpose. Put it somewhere safe where no one can get to it and use it. I have been known to put these brushes in the dishwasher when I am running a cycle without any dishes to clean the machine.

I was so happy to see that Irv is serving up fish at the US Steel nest – a nest that shares the same river as the Glen-Hayes nest.

https://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/2026/05/18/maz-takes-over-stellas-fish-us-steel-nest

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 18th May 2026

Another quiet day, a bit damp as rain fell in spells throughout the day, but otherwise peaceful with no alarms or intruders. Garry LV0 brought one fish for Aurora 536, taking his tally to sixty eight. Aurora stashed the remains of that fish on the nest and at the time of this report, near midnight, she is cuddled up beside it. Louis brought three fish for Dorcha and his tally is now level with Garry’s at sixty eight, with the Nest Two tally at seventy due to the two fish brought by Dorcha before his return. Louis loves spending time on incubation duty, and was moaned at by Dorcha for a good few minutes before reluctantly handing over when she returned after polishing off her second fish. Light rain is forecast all through tonight and tomorrow, with a low of 8°C and a high of 15°C.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/b07a-dMixso N2 Louis brings a whole tiddler trout 10.02.10https://youtu.be/tQL5oriH2dQ N2 Dorcha’s second fish is a decent size 14.45.58https://youtu.be/aJ9dTcnY-nI N2 Dorcha chirrups at Louis but he won’t move 15.59.30https://youtu.be/2Vul7RV667I N1 Aurora calls and Garry brings fish 16.19.14https://youtu.be/GPQqVzFJ2bI N2 Louis happily exchanges fish for time on the eggs 18.36.52

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/at5go-cg9A8  N1 Louis’ turn to dump a stick on Aila 2019

https://youtu.be/9_X4DMti3Gk  N1 I’ve got your back: Louis, Aila, and a stick 2020

https://youtu.be/W04J7cJyYss  N1 Aila screams until Louis brings fish 2020

https://youtu.be/Z6UfoL5Hb7c  N1 Time to go – Aila head-butts Louis 2020

https://youtu.be/0vfmJaN8vG4  N2 Little bird perches next to Dorcha 2023

https://youtu.be/Epa8-yc2CKU  N1 Louis warns away a distant intruder on his old nest 2023

https://youtu.be/M2Fz6H4TedA  N2 Unringed intruder on the nest! 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/vHH0SsHb-Ls  N2 Dorcha practises her ballet moves 2024

https://youtu.be/oG-WC3EAf5E N2 Air on a Sunset: glorious sunset in quicktime 2024 (Classic Ospreys: JS Bach)

https://youtu.be/3hMF9N6hYbs N1 The second fish arrives and departs in 13 seconds as Aurora watches! 2025 

https://youtu.be/EXW79QoaRtU N2 Having declined the first, Dorcha grabs the second fish 2025

I really respect Ruth, the author of Raptor Persecution UK. Gamekeepers can be rather threatening/frightening people. She is a very brave woman.

For those who love the James Herriot series set in the Yorkshire Dales, they are not all nice and cheerful just like some of the big estates in Scotland do the most horrific things to our raptors.

“Vindictive evil woman” and “Poisoned witch” to deliver free webinar on illegal raptor persecution fDownload

The loon cams are live!

2026 Loon Cams are LiveDownload

Donations are down to every wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre – including all of the dog and cat rescues. The Ventana Wildlife Society is having their major on line auction which might net you a tour of the Big Sur Condor area!

I want to add something. We praise those groups that are proactive and the Ventana Wildlife Society is no exception. 20 Condors died in Arizona from Avian Flu. The VWS set about getting permissions to vaccinate their condo. (Yes, a group of condors is called a condo!). The Ventana Wildlife Society, in partnership with the Oakland Zoo and Pinnacles National Park, vaccinated 98 wild condors (not those in zoos) from the Central California flock. 81 condors received at least the first dose, while 45 received the full two-dose series to protect against HPAI.

It was no easy feat with container cages needing to be built in a rather remote area! The determination of this small but dedicated group of individuals is admirable. It made me wonder why those who have access to chicks on streaming cams do not set about to not only band the birds but also to vaccinate them. A single dose vaccine has worked on mice and monkeys and would be ideal as it would be difficult to give the two-dose vaccine as eaglets and eyases are on the nest such a short time.

vaccines-13-00074Download

This e-mail contains all kinds of news related to what the Ventana Wildlife Society is doing.

The FULL Crop Flight of the CondorDownload

We are approaching fledge for Big at the Achieva Osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida.

Juvenile osprey practicing hovering and wing exercises in their nest during rain.

I love Big Red and Arthur. It is so exciting to see Big Red let Arthur fully participate in family life – he has certainly earned the right. Arthur is so devoted to Big Red and their babies – the pantry is rarely empty – unless it is on purpose near fledge. I am sad that they lost one of their babies but we don’t seem to need to worry about P3 who is small but mighty.

A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest, with another hawk nearby. The scene captures the family dynamic during dinner time.

New Guy 2 has now brought Iris three fish (so far) today! I am so glad that the rushing river calmed itself in time. Cornell Bird Lab caught one of those deliveries on video: https://youtu.be/RkGQmYEkZro?

My goodness Iris is loud when she sees NG2 arriving with a fish!

An osprey chick standing on its nest, surrounded by sticks and twigs, with a parking lot and trees in the background.
Two ospreys are seen on their nest made of sticks, with visible eggs in the nest, on a sunny day. A parking lot and trees are in the background.
An osprey delivering a fish to its nest at the Hellgate Osprey Cam, with a parking lot and greenery in the background.

I am so glad that fish did not break those precious eggs.

There are three osplets at Patuxent. Oh, my goodness. I worry about those nests.

A collage of photos showing an osprey nest with three chicks being fed. One adult osprey is seen feeding the chicks while another adult watches nearby. The nest is made of sticks and is surrounded by greenery.

The latest statement that I have found about the Glen-Hayes eaglets and whether or not the eaglet bodies will be retrieved:

“May 18, 2026 – GLEN HAZEL NEST STATUS

Status Update: Carol Holmgren, Executive Director, Tamarack Wildlife Center

Our hearts go out to all who love these eagles and are grieving. We have been blessed with 100% survivorship of eaglets from the Hays/Glen Hazel eagle nests over the past 14 years, while it is typical for 30% of eaglets to not survive until fledging age.

Kudos to the Glen Hazel moderator team for promptly noticing signs of illness in the chicks and notifying Tamarack Wildlife Center’s Executive Director and Licensed Rehabilitator Carol Holmgren on Friday morning, May 15. Carol immediately reached out to Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) colleagues, to loop them in that day, and has been in conversation since then. A few updates:

  • It is FWS policy to let nature take its course at eagle’s nests and only approve intervention when there is a threat to the eagles that has a clear human cause such as fishing line entanglement or swallowing a fish hook. In this instance, the eaglets were ill, but not with a clear human cause where FWS and PGC would approve intervention. Much as that is difficult for us to witness, it is part of the natural history that eagles live with daily.
  • The eaglets likely passed from Avian Influenza. Their symptoms and the progression of the illness is consistent with Avian Influenza, and they could have contracted it from ingesting goslings and geese that had been brought to the nest as food. We cannot know for certain without testing, but this is the most likely cause based on the evidence.
  • The adults may also have been exposed to the virus. They typically have a stronger immune system than the young birds, and may be able to fight off the virus. Time will tell. We will be monitoring them. There is no treatment that can be given while they are free-flying. If one is on the ground due to illness, it may be able to be treated by a rehabilitator.
  • Our hope is that their immune systems are strong and they can remain healthy.
  • Our highest concerns at this point are 1. supporting the health of the remaining adult eagles and 2. caring for the moderators and community who love these eagles.
  • Now that the two eaglets have passed, PGC has had extensive discussions about the risks vs benefits of accessing the nest to retrieve the now two deceased eaglets. They have decided not to pursue retrieval, in part to not stress the adult eagles through human presence at the nest.
  • There is no practical benefit to confirming that the eaglets succumbed to Avian Influenza, beyond the human desire to know. The disease is known to be endemic in Pennsylvania now and there are no management actions that would be taken with that information.
  • Due to the regulations and Acts protecting eagles and their nests, any access to the nest would also require both PGC and FWS support.
  • PGC will be continuing to monitor the situation. If an eaglet should fall to the ground, they may pursue retrieval and testing since stress on the adult birds would be less, and FWS approval would not be needed.

Below is the full statement shared by our colleagues in PGC today. We appreciate the thoughtfulness with which they have considered this situation, and their continued collaboration.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) appreciates the concerns of the public regarding the eagles in the Glen Hazel Eagle Nest Cam, located in Allegheny County.

Wildlife watching opportunities, especially ones that can occur from anywhere thanks to wildlife cameras and digital technology, are a popular way for the public to learn and love wildlife.

Unfortunately, nature can be hard to watch at times. When situations occur on live wildlife webcams, including this eagle’s nest, human intervention is not always recommended or possible.

PGC evaluated the situation carefully and considered many factors including human safety and exposure to potential pathogens. Additionally, human intervention could further stress the adult eagles. Any actions must also comply with federal regulations related to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. At this time, we have chosen to not intervene. If a safer opportunity presents itself in the future, we may pursue disease testing to hopefully determine what caused the death of these eaglets.”

I ‘love’ Blue 33 and Maya and I am so glad that the three little bobbleheads are doing so well. Those blue eyes and that light soft taupe down with their lovely back stripe and that black eye-liner. They are so precious….all babies are so cute but I do love the tiny little osplets before they hit the reptile stage!

An osprey nest with three chicks and two adult ospreys, one feeding the chicks. The nest is made of twigs and contains some greenery. The background features water.
Close-up of an osprey nest with four chicks and two eggs, surrounded by twigs and overlooking water.
A close-up of two adult ospreys attending to three chicks in their nest, with a body of water in the background.
An osprey stands near its nest, looking at two fluffy, gray chicks nestled on a bed of twigs and leaves. The background features water, hinting at the location's natural habitat.

The Girls got their favourite crunchy treats while Toby needed a new Little Lamb. These little squeaky toys were his first and to this day, some 15 months later, they remain favourites. This one is getting ready to celebrate Canada Day on 1 July.

A dog playing with a plush sheep toy, featuring red-checked mittens, on a soft blanket.

Thank you so much for being with us. We wish you peace and calm.

A close-up view of a decorative statue of a seated figure adorned with colorful beads and necklaces, featuring a small bird figurine beside it. The statue has intricate details, and there is a ceramic vase in the foreground.

Thank you to Geemeff for her extensive report on all things Loch Arkaig, to ‘PB’ for her great images and notes, to all those who posted information and videos on FB or YouTube keeping us informed of the latest happenings at the nests, and to the owners of the streaming cams, we are so very grateful to be able to share the lives of these amazing Avian families.

Bonus and Remembering Karl II…Monday in Bird World

18 May 2026

Ah, good morning!

It is cold and rainy in the Canadian prairies. The leaves are trying to burst open. Not very many little birds out at the feeders today.

Oh, the most amazing news. Bonus, the black stork, foster/step-son of the famous Karl II was at the nest in Estonia on 1 May. Bonus hatched in 2022.

Bonus was brought by wildlife conservationists (led by Urmas Sellis of the Eagle Club Estonia) from another nest and placed into the Karula National Park nest to be raised by the resident adult black storks, Karl II and Kaia. Despite not being his biological offspring, Karl II raised and fed Bonus as his own

A bird visiting a nest in a tree, showing interaction and activity around the #JogevaNest.

Karl II was the most amazing Black Stork dad. Karl II, the world-famous black stork from Estonia’s Karula National Park, was electrocuted in Turkey between the night of 1-2 October 2023. His tracking data showed he landed on an unshielded electric pylon to roost near the Yazıbelen solar power plant in the Konya province of central Turkey, where he tragically perished. We were all shaken. He had been flying with a flock southward including his mate.

URMAS (birdmap)
Karl II breeds successfully in season 2023. There grow up three chicks of four eggs. 
Last is Karl II to leave for autumn migration. He doesn’t know that it will be his last one. 
Between 1st and 2nd October Karl II lands on electric pylon for night, but got electrocuted. 
Turkish colleagues searched and found dead body, took away the transmitter.

Map showing the tracking data of a Black Stork named Karl II, highlighting its migration path and the location where it was possibly electrocuted, with additional details on distance and last data recorded.

Remembering Karl II: https://youtu.be/8IPQrTg_FXU?

A black stork standing on a nest in a forest, holding a bundle of moss in its beak.

After more than 82 hours without fish, Myrtle, the female at Loch Garten RSPB, left her nest but it did not appear to me that she went fishing. There did not seem to be enough time. We wonder if she is even strong enough to catch a fish. She has been incubating the last two of five eggs. The first three were kicked out of the nest by KL5, who has not been seen for over 86 hours.

A panoramic view of an osprey nest situated in a natural landscape, with dense trees and a cloudy sky in the background. An osprey is resting in the nest, surrounded by twigs and branches.
A bird's nest made of twigs and sticks, containing a single egg, surrounded by a forested landscape under a cloudy sky.

GH3 has died at the Glen-Hayes Bald Eagle nest in PA. The female is not looking well. I recall that when the two eaglets died in Estonia, those who retrieved the bodies of the babies spent much time cleaning the nest of any old prey including bones so as to try and remediate harm to the adults. Will this happen at Glen Hayes?

A bald eagle caring for its chick in a nest made of straw and twigs, with another unhatched egg visible nearby.
A young eagle with brown feathers is resting in its nest, surrounded by twigs and green foliage.
Social media post expressing condolences and updates about the health of eagle chicks GH3 and GH4, including actions taken for their care and monitoring.

More on this story: https://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/2026/05/18/glen-hazel-eagle-nest-gh4-passes-gh3-ill/

If this is HPAI, the source and the cause is ‘human’. Does this not qualify then for intervention?

A peaceful outdoor scene showing four animals—a bear, a fox, a raccoon, and a deer—sitting together in front of a wooden sign that reads a message about living in peace and respecting the Earth, surrounded by green trees and colorful flowers.

The individuals raising funds for MoonCamp, the area of land around Jackie and Shadow’s nest, have reached 3 million. School children are now taking part in parts of the Valley – wouldn’t it be wonderful as a way to learn how to protect nature if every elementary school took part in the fundraiser? Wonder how quick they could reach the 10 million?

Big Red and Arthur’s trio are doing well.

A red-tailed hawk tending to its fluffy gray chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.
A red-tailed hawk feeding its fluffy, gray chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.
A hawk perched on its nest with chicks in the Cornell Hawks Fernow Nest, surrounded by a green landscape and buildings in the background.

Iris is like Myrtle. She has not eaten in awhile. NG2 is not bringing fish and this could be because the river remains rapid.

Mara Grose

According to the daily readout on X under Hellgate Osprey, NG2 gave Iris a break at 8:03am but she returned quickly.

I saw him return around 9:10 am and he pestered Iris to take a break and let him incubate but that time she wouldn’t budge, and used some colorful language towards him. She must know the fishing isn’t good yet, and no further visits the rest of today.

An osprey examining her eggs in a nest made of twigs and straw, with three speckled eggs visible.
An osprey rests in its nest made of twigs, located at the edge of a parking lot with trees and a road in the background.

Beau was seen at the NE Florida nest yesterday. Gabby has already left on migration and will return in September.

Dewey Beach had a hatch. This is where that 50-day-old chick starved to death. Wish them only one and some fish!

Oh it’s cold here!

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.

Thank you to Looduskalender and Maria Marika for keeping us informed about Bonus, to ‘PB’ for adding in my conversation with them that Bonus was seen, to all those who post on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these incredible birds. Please send your good thoughts to all nests. Some are struggling.

Deaths and Arrivals…Late Sunday in Bird World

17 May 2026

Greetings Everyone,

It is simply freezing here. We have our first Baltimore Orioles arriving in the garden, and we could even have snow. We went to pick up a few plants (they are horrifically expensive this year) and hoped to plant them, but no…they are in the house. Calico even took some bites out of one of them!

It decided to rain instead. We could use that to clean up the dust storm from the other day.

A male Baltimore Oriole taken with an iPhone – 19 metres away so pixilated.

A vibrant orange and black bird perched on a branch with green foliage in the background.

We are in the middle of this mess. Everyone is getting grumpy oping that spring will please come.

Radar image showing a storm system with rain and snow over the Prairies, highlighting a potential tornado outbreak in northern Nebraska. The danger zone is outlined along the borders of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

HY and Toby horsing around.

A dog and a cat interacting playfully, with the dog's snout touching the cat's tail on a scratching post.

We will start with the sad and end with the wonderful.

Glen Hays eaglet, GH4, hatched on 4 April, was 43 days old when it died this morning. The other eaglet might not survive either. Please note that I am not saying this is Avian Flu. The cause of death can only be determined by a necropsy. I also do not want to start rumours rumming amuk but we should educate ourselves as to the cause of HPAI.

H5N1/Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu. Please listen to the massive impact that this virus has had on wildlife worldwide. Thijs Kuiken, the world expert on H5N1, speaks on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ImFD8sLFfvo?

I am including this because one of my readers and a great lover of wildlife wondered after the passing of the little eagle at Glen Hayes this morning might be stopped. If you listen you will understand how difficult this is. Avian Influenza began several decades ago. Thijs has written extensively on this – some non-scientific articles. I was introduced to him after posting that the two White-tail Eaglets at the Estonian nest had died within minutes with bodies taken for necroscopy and discovered to have Avian Influenza. This was the first known instance of spring nest deaths – til this time it was in the fall. What this means is that the avian influenze was now being spread through migration.

It appears that not enough fish have been delivered to the Old Town Home osprey nest, and at least one of the osplets has perished. This is not a surprise with the lack of fish in the region for ospreys. Many adults have abandoned their nests rather than let the eggs hatch and the chicks starve. Two known nests on streaming cams to have already failed are the Severna Park and VIMS, along with the nests mentioned in an earlier blog, not on camera, by a Virginia monitor.

A Facebook post discussing the feeding issues of two hatchlings in a nest due to a lack of menhaden fish brought to them, with details about their age, feeding history, and observations from a live cam.
An osprey feeding its chicks inside a nest, with one chick visible and two unhatched eggs nearby.

The weather may take a toll on Iris and New Guy 2’s hope for chicks. In addition to the rushing river causing fishing to be difficult, it is now raining!

An osprey resting on its nest made of twigs and other materials, overlooking a parking area in the background.
Close-up view of an osprey nest made of sticks, with an osprey sitting inside. The background shows a rainy parking lot and trees, with a train in the distance.

Kansas City Bald Eagles are ready to fledge:

Social media post about Osage the eagle's first flight and hovering experience, featuring exciting descriptions of its flight and the watchful presence of another young eagle, Kaw.
A close-up view of a bird nest situated on a tree branch, with two young birds, one spreading its wings, set against a green backdrop of trees.

It is just such a different story in the UK:

Two years ago, the little one in the clutch of four of CJ7 and Blue 022, was just the cutest little thing. So tiny amongst its big siblings and yet, today, it might have made history as the only 4th hatch ever to return from migration in the UK (or anywhere else for that matter). Known as ‘The Mighty Titch’ by Birds o Poole Harbour.

Post from Birds of Poole Harbour announcing the return of bird 5H6, referred to as the mighty titch.
Close-up of an osprey's foot with a band on its leg, standing on a nest made of sticks.

As Tiger Mozone points out, not all nests with four fledge four. I have not been able to check the returns for Manton Bay but it could be that this is a historial moment when for the first time in the history of UK ospreys, the fourth hatch has returned in year two!

We have the third hatch for Blue 33 and Maya at Rutland’s Manton Bay nest. That baby is quite strong, just like the first hatch.

A close-up of an osprey feeding its chicks in a nest, with a fish visible in the foreground and several young chicks peeking out.

P3 sleeping on Big Red’s talons.

A red-tailed hawk stands over its nest, which contains several fluffy, light gray chicks. The nest is made of twigs and is located on a ledge.
Four baby red-tailed hawks in a nest, surrounded by twigs and feathers.
A red-tailed hawk mother is seen tending to her four fluffy chicks in a nest made of twigs and grass. The chicks are huddled together on the nest floor, while remnants of prey are visible nearby.
A Red-tailed Hawk stands near its nest, which contains several fluffy, gray chicks among twigs and nest materials.

Achieva Osprey Platform is still doing well. Jack has stepped up in his fishing meaning Jill has only gone out once a day for the past couple of days. Chicks growing and Big could fledge the end of this coming week.

A nest on a pole featuring two birds, one chick and one adult, surrounded by trees and a view of a street in the background.

First Fledge at Venice Beach Golf and Country Club osprey nest!

A view of a nest with two young osprey chicks perched inside, with a scenic golf course and waterway in the background.

Two new hatchlings at Moraine Park. Let’s hope they have fish.

Two newly hatched osprey chicks in a nest with a fish nearby, captured on a live cam.

Do you love the Port Lincoln Ospreys? the idea that individuals are working hard to put up platforms to encourage the population growth of ospreys? It costs $20 AUSTRALIAN a year to join Friends of Osprey Sth Australia. They love donations, too – and look what someone just did: “Thank you to Mr Nev Dowling at Coolangatta for the donation of Electronic WIFI equipment for the upgrading of the WIFI link system for the Camera streaming system on the barge where the Osprey nest is located.”

That is wonderful!

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 17th May 2026

Both nests enjoyed a peaceful day today, no alarms or intruders. Garry LV0 brought only one fish for Aurora 536, while Dorcha received three from Louis. The tally for both nests now stands at sixty seven, except Garry is still ahead by two as two of Nest Two’s fish were brought by Dorcha, and possibly more as only fish seen on camera count towards the total and Nest One cam still remains down for a few hours each morning. The forecasted rain didn’t last as long as expected today and it should be dry tonight with a low of 3°C, and remain dry tomorrow until after lunch, with a high of 15°C.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/BLGGKD34qIA N2 Better late than never – first fish for Dorcha 12.15.15
https://youtu.be/U7-A1r7oD3Y   N1 Aurora’s one and only fish today 14.13.53https://youtu.be/KzuLFblS-Zk N2 Fish & chirps! Second fish from Louis 15.10.40https://youtu.be/Cgf1kMyQWnQ N2 Late evening fish for Dorcha 22.00.34Bonus advice – what to do if you find a chick out of the nest:https://www.popsci.com/environment/what-to-do-if-you-find-a-baby-bird/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/2xr0kHFi4BE  N1 Aila brings a new Louis-removal device 2019

https://youtu.be/2SeN0J1rxOg  N1 Close encounters of the bird kind 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/Rh1aeXJkWng  N1 Co-ordinated stick work by Louis & Aila 2020

https://youtu.be/IW7bBXUG7QM  N1 Woohoo! Successful mating by the Newsome Twosome 2021

https://youtu.be/aip-ZV4vZ4g  N1 First fish delivered to Blue 152 by The Stranger 2021

https://youtu.be/akMXEPJOQIo  N2 Dorcha sees off intruder Osprey Blue PU0 2023

https://youtu.be/miF-Q3_MxDg  N2 Intruder Blue PU0 returns and very nearly lands on Dorcha 2023

https://youtu.be/9aC3rufAdio  N2 Dorcha uses her ‘scare crow’ voice 2023

https://youtu.be/5cCaq5kTqkI N2 First fish is number 100 and also season’s earliest! 2024

https://youtu.be/ebw5Gj3hh4A N2 Louis arrives with an unsuitable stick 2024https://youtu.be/ErDsAnWi3-E N1 A Buzzard pokes about inquisitively 2025https://youtu.be/JvJOyJzMabg N1 The Buzzard returns and does some preening 2025 (zoom) https://youtu.be/prod5jXGvEU  N2 Worth waiting for – nearly 24 hours after the last, a huge fish arrives! 2025

Wild Bird Scoop posted this. Have you read The Serviceberry? By Robin Wall Kimmerer? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it.

A split panel comic depicting an elderly woman planting a serviceberry tree for birds. The first panel shows her smiling while planting, the second panel features the matured tree with a bird perched on it. The third panel reveals the tree's first fruits with birds gathered around, and the final panel shows the woman reflecting on her actions while enjoying a drink on her porch.

Thank you so much for being with us today. We had a slow, calm Sunday! I loved every second of it. Tomorrow, Melissa comes to clean – what a blessing she is. Along with Ann, they make my life much easier. Take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to every contributor who added information on FB and to ‘PB’, who has helped post information for herself and Heidi. I am grateful to Geemeff, who has now posted more than 5000 videos for the Woodland Trust! That is a great accomplishment. To the owners of the streaming cams, we are grateful for allowing us to witness the lives of these amazing birds.

Toby and Don sharing some of the love.

An older man smiling and interacting with a small dog that is licking his face while he gently holds it, sitting on a couch.

P3 is tiny but eating well…late Saturday in Bird World

16 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

My goodness gracious. We had hoped to plant but it is freezing outside. With the wind it is – 2 C. They are even saying we could have snow as it is now snowing in places three hours north of us! I can’t believe it. Even Toby didn’t want to be out in the cold wind today. We did not go to the greenhouse. We could have but it would have meant having all the plants inside and some of the cats would have destroyed them before I could get them planted. So it has been a rather lazy day and instead of a barbecue it was a pot of warming soup.

P3 is tiny compared to P1. P3 often stays away from the two older hawks, preferring to sleep on the opposite side of the nest bowl. Laura Culley told me once, aeons ago, that this might indicate a change in gender. So let’s consider that the two older ones are females, and this little one is a male.

A Red-tailed Hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and leaves, with three fluffy gray chicks visible.

To the shock of everyone, Arthur got to do a tandem feeding with Big Red on Saturday.

P3 and two different feedings. Dryed off in the second.

A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest, surrounded by twigs and remnants of prey.

Nice crop for P3.

A Red-tailed Hawk standing near its nest with several fluffy chicks, surrounded by twigs and natural materials.

How many remember the lovely and quite successful osprey family on the PSEG nest at Patchogue, New York? There is currently no cam but ‘L’ sent me a note that Isaac had posted that the osprey family is on the nest.

A tall wooden pole with an osprey nest at the top against a clear blue sky.


SK Hideaways Videos, Week of 10 May 2026

FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA  ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna
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

Sandy & Luna Share Goodnight Beaky Kisses 💕 Shadow Tucks Family In💤(2026 May 11)
Sandy and Luna cuddled up at dusk to share some beaky kisses (and perhaps leftover feesh) and cuddle up for the night. Shadow checked in to make sure all was well, wished Jackie sweet eagle dreams, and headed off to his nighttime roost.
Video: https://youtu.be/8p8GKklfutw


Fraser Point Eagles~ Santa Cruz Island, CA  ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

On a 9-fish day, the eaglets sported bowling ball-sized crops and Cruz was on an allopreening mission (2026 May 15)
It was a 9-fish day for Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder at Fraser Point. Cruz brought 4 to the nest; Andor 5. The eaglets enthusiastically accepted all 9 and ended the day with ginormous crops. Throughout the afternoon, Cruz was intent on allopreening Zuma ~ there was no escape.  The eaglets are 7 weeks old.
Video: https://youtu.be/U3vjDarjWDQ


San Jose City Hall Falcons ~ San Jose, CA ~ Hartley, Monty, and 4 chicks
Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam
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

Banding: Hartley & Monty Mounted a Harrowing Defense ~ Banders Were Unflinching
San Jose City Hall Falcons ~ San Jose, CA (2026 May 13)
Once again, banding day at the San Jose City Hall peregrine falcon nest was an epic event beginning with Hartley and Monty’s aerial defense that didn’t cease for the entire 2-1/2 hours. The remarkable banding team of Zeka Glucs, director Predatory Bird Research Group; Gavin Emmons, wildlife biologist; and Kaitlin Lopez, condor crew lead at Pinnacles National Park were unflinching as they completed their mission quickly and efficiently.

The video covers the preamble to the “featherless monsters’” arrival, a step-by-step view of the banding, lots of Hartley and Monty’s aerial defense, and the happy aftermath.
Video: https://youtu.be/xAj20H9x1OI

Dr. Zeka Glucs gave us a trip report afterwards: 
“You’ve all heard by now that we found out all four chicks in this clutch are male. Four boys! That is a first for this nest site and will make Fledgewatch very exciting, I’m sure, as males can fledge early and fly fast. These nestlings now have one band on each leg to help us track them throughout their lifetimes: a silver USGS Bird Banding Lab band that may temporarily be sporting some colored electrical tape for easy identification, and black visual ID band with a 4-digit alphanumeric code. The bands for each bird are as follows:
 
1. Male, left leg 70/BH, right leg blue tape
2. Male, left leg red tape, right leg 67/BH
3. Male, left leg yellow tape, right leg 53/BH
4. Male, left leg 71/BH, right leg no tape (silver)
 
“You may also notice the new radio transmitters mounted to the black VID bands. They are slipped onto an existing flange on the band with a drop of superglue. You can learn a little more about these hip new transmitters here: https://celltracktech.com/pages/blumorpho?srsltid=AfmBOor3VcKJblv-5sA6yBQaTUwFyRuVVJjCXXrVhLFtYvxThd9cRgEv. Currently all of them are transmitting and it will be very interesting to see how they work when the chicks leave the nest and are on the move!”

Chicks Venture Outside Nest Box for First Time! Utter Chaos Begins 🤭(2026 May 12)
An exciting new phase began for Hartley and Monty’s chicks as all four ventured out of the nest box for dinner. Hartley and Monty both fed the chicks before they returned to the safety of the only home they’ve known for their whole 3-week lives. They’re blissfully unaware of the even bigger adventure that awaits them tomorrow, when they’ll be banded, checked, and sexed.
Video: https://youtu.be/lpnLXUv1DfY

Chicks Still Line-up for Meals ~ Exit Angels, Enter Raptors (2026 May 10)
Seemingly overnight, the 20-day-old chicks went from angel eaters to mini raptors, earning their designation as such. This extended feeding footage shows that change, as well as their progress in learning to self-feed. Monty delivered prey #7 while #6 was in progress. The chicks’ eating gusto remained high.
Video: https://youtu.be/fmXQomZJoKc


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 & Chase Spend Mother’s Day Together ~ Their Bond Stronger than Ever (2026 May 10)
Cholyn and Chase have been devoted partners for 23 years. Today they bonded all around their special Two Harbors territory ~ chortling, beaky kissing, and gazing into each other’s beautiful eyes. A romance for the ages, if you’re a romantic. Or a remarkable bond, if you prefer a more ornithological view.
Video: https://youtu.be/L_Xp_wOeyQw

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 16th May 2026

Another uneventful day, just a momentary alarm for Dorcha as she was startled by a little Willow Warbler, who was probably the more startled of the two given Dorcha’s huge size especially when those massive wings are unfurled. Light rain is falling at the time of this report (midnight) and forecast to continue through the night with a low of 6°C, changing to thundery showers tomorrow with a high of 12°C. Both Dorcha and Aurora 536 received two fish each from their respective mates Louis and Garry LV0. The Nest Two tally rises to sixty four, and the Nest One to sixty six fish. Steve Quinn has had a good look at the fish stats to date, the hyvor comment system won’t allow the links to be posted so just pop fish counting summary into the search box (on the right above the featured comment) and you’ll be able to read his excellent current and previous analyses.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/4b6m2pX98g4 N2 Early breakfast for Dorcha 05.15.19

https://youtu.be/AtFrR7HTSG4 N2 Dorcha is startled by a Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) 14.00.04

https://youtu.be/znlAl59Dfrk  N1 First fish finally arrives for Aurora 14.50.26

https://youtu.be/GiN-WuaXpTE N1 Aurora seizes fish two as soon as Garry lands 18.33.22

https://youtu.be/_lLonMc5KwI N2 Dorcha gets a second fish 15 hours after the first  20.48.53 (zoom)

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/YND-HJeeMPk  N1 Leverage: Aila upsets Louis’ dignity 2020

https://youtu.be/xRyEpGVbcwA  N1 Two pronged approach: nest-building the Louis way 2020

https://youtu.be/YTMiWlJQses  N1 Louis is determined to stay, Aila has other ideas 2020

https://youtu.be/vJfJ3Y6Tmfg  N1 Time to go, Louis! 2020

https://youtu.be/nRt2SB2Bc58 N2 Tricky stick causes problems for Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/CncGyiCy2Wg  N2 Cheeky Hooded Crow eyes up the eggs 2022

https://youtu.be/bKujmLG-IuQ  N2 Breakfast arrives in a gust of wind but Dorcha holds on 2023

https://youtu.be/EBah_zuuOXY N2 Size matters! A little Tree Pipit visits Dorcha 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/psX-lwLzRlo N2 Stickgate! Sticks come and go 2024

https://youtu.be/-w4qO57K1uk N1 A redpoll pays a flying visit 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/zFr74qbPxN4 N2 Louis is gular fluttering to cool down in 26°C (78.8°F) heat 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/3ainCb_9inA N2 First fish arrives to the sound of birdsong 2025

https://youtu.be/FmbBKyiOcBI N1 Successful mating for Garry & Aurora 2025

You’re invited! 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

‘L’ sent me a great little article on the banding of the three eaglets at the MN-DNR Bald Eagle nest:

EagleCam chicks bandedDownload

UK Osprey population is growing!

Close-up of three speckled eggs resting in a bed of straw and vegetation.

It is being reported that M15 has a new female friend at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest after losing Harriet and then his second mate, F23, this season.

Surviving eaglet at the White-tailed Eagle nest in the Hebrides is doing well.

A bird sitting on a nest made of twigs and grass, with a small chick visible beside it.

Take care, everyone. Thank you so much for being with us for this quick check in on a few of the nests!

Thank you to ‘L’ for some great updates, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their wonderful video links and reports on so many nests, to the owners of the streaming cams and those that report on FB. We are always grateful!

2nd hatch at Manton Bay…Late Thursday in Bird World

15 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

It is Thursday evening, and Toby and I are having our ‘quiet’ time. Thursday was a busy day working in the garden. We are so excited about planting the flowers and veggies this weekend! Our neighbour has finished the longest railing for the deck, and we will be looking for over-the-rail planters for shade flowers. The colour will be ‘red’ this year!

Unless something dramatic happens, I will take at least a day off to plant and enjoy being outside instead of checking the screens. I urge you to do the same!

Not wanting to start any rumours, but where are the fish for our Iris? There is some concern about the whereabouts of New Guy2 at Hellgate Canyon. Is he around? Is he bringing fish? A piece of a fish was brought in by a male, but was it NG2? All I will say is that if these males are going to fail Iris, then do it before the eggs hatch. Crap. I desperately want to be wrong about this – just like I thought P3 was sick. It isn’t, thank goodness. Maybe just sleepy and in a food coma????

The second egg has hatched for Maya and Blue 33 at Rutland’s Manton Bay nest! Congratulations.

A close-up view of a bird's nest containing several eggs and newly hatched chicks, surrounded by twigs and grass.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 14th May 2026The forecasted rain held off, just the occasional shower, and nest life went on uneventfully today, no intruders or alarms. Louis delivered two fish to Dorcha, taking the Nest Two tally to sixty one, and Garry LV0 brought one fish taking the Nest One tally to sixty three. Aurora 536 made that one fish last a very long time, and it travelled a fair bit too. There was much discussion around eggs, chick hierarchy, fostering and survival rates. WTS George reposted his comment 

around expectations and the challenges of nest cam watching, link in the bonus section. Tonight’s forecast is partly cloudy and light winds with a low of 3°C, continuing tomorrow with light cloud, gentle breezes and a high of 12°C.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/cUs6bSMpe4g N2 Dorcha calls enthusiastically as Louis lands with the first fish 11.17.48 

https://youtu.be/0F29q35-vd0 N1 Garry LV0 finally brings a fish late in the day 15.10.35 

https://youtu.be/BFJs2_2Iqog N2 Louis lands with fish number two, a headless trout 20.09.42 

Bonus read – the highs and lows of nest cam watching:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=33998383

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/FlMmlJjYav0  N1 Aila’s attacked again by an owl 2019

https://youtu.be/a82-7I-dU0A  N1 Musical nests: Aila & Louis hop on and off the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/d-HM-pAELtE  N1 Sleepy Aila manages an afternoon nap 2020

https://youtu.be/UQsvtAT9sAI  N1 Blue 152 pays a dawn visit to the nest 2021

https://youtu.be/V1vbOK3ewwc  N1 The Newsome Twosome are getting better at it! 2021

https://youtu.be/zsPVChFoZ88  N2 Dorcha and the big stick 2023

https://youtu.be/j4RTRS0Yni8  N2 Intruder Blue PU0 invades Nest Two 2023

https://youtu.be/bSxkqptK4Eg  N1 Louis mantles at an unseen intruder 2023

https://youtu.be/B_R0BHuZaZg  N1 Is it a Tree Pipit dashing across the cam view 2024

https://youtu.be/WPtsG8MRD6k  N2 Does an egg move by itself? 2024 

https://youtu.be/o_ES4CRH3LM N1 A male Tawny Owl visits 2025

https://youtu.be/xZrjpYMESsU N2 A Jay (Garrulus Glandarius) pays a visit to Dorcha 2025 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/lzo2elmyrE8 N1 A Great Spotted Woodpecker pays a flying visit 2025 (zoom)

Why not come and 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

Big Red and Arthur’s chicks are fine. https://youtu.be/C5XbJkZD5Zw?

A red-tailed hawk parent watches over two fluffy chicks in a nest made of twigs and grass.

You don’t see it very often, but Arthur got to feed his babies. Arthur would love to care more for his children, but Big Red can be very bossy in that regard! He’s rather good at this! https://youtu.be/KEBghI2Yml0?

A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest filled with twigs and feathers. Several fluffy chicks are visible, eagerly interacting with the parent bird.

SK Hideaways has the video of Monty and Hartley’s foursome being banded. Have a look. https://youtu.be/xAj20H9x1OI?

Smile. An osprey saved.

Text post from NorthWestern Energy discussing the successful rescue of an osprey tangled in baling twine with the help of local wildlife organizations.
A person holding an Osprey, showing the bird's features and its foot for banding.

Fish continue to come to Achieva. Jack is doing well! Keep it going.

A close-up view of a bird's nest containing two young hawks perched on a pile of twigs and branches. The nest is situated on a platform high above a neighborhood with trees and a street visible in the background.
A nest with young birds perched on a large nest made of twigs, overlooking a suburban area with houses and trees, under a clear blue sky.

Thank you so much for being with us for this quick check-in. It is very windy outside, and we are in a ‘yellow’ warning – it is a huge dust storm! The temperatures are still warm – 23 C.

Take care of yourself. Go outside for a walk. Listen for the soothing sound of a bird singing.

Thank you to Geemeff for their always outstanding Loch Arkaig summary, to SK Hideaways for the great videos, to all those who post on FB with recent news and videos, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives of our favourite raptor families.

P3 is fine…

14 May 2026

Good Morning.

Updates:

Pip – a really good effort going on – in the second egg go blue 33 and Maya at Rutland Water.

P3 gave us quite the fright yesterday. Must have really been in a food coma – or tired. Up and getting bites this morning at the Cornell nest of Big Red and Arthur.

A red-tailed hawk tending to three chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches. The nest is situated on a rooftop or elevated structure.

White-tailed Eagles to be released in Exmoor National Park in the UK next year.

White-tailed Eagles to be released in Exmoor National Park this year – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 13th May 2026

Today was back to routine, quiet and calm with no intruders to shatter the tranquility. Louis and Garry LV0 brought two fish each for their respective partners Dorcha and Aurora 536, the Nest Two tally now stands at fifty nine, and the Nest One at sixty two.The weather was mainly settled, just a little light rain occasionally during the day, but more is forecast for tonight with drizzle and light winds and an overnight low of 5°C, continuing through tomorrow with light rain showers, a gentle breeze and a high of 12°C. The weather shouldn’t affect the males’ fishing abilities, and if you missed Steve Quinn’s fish count update posted on Monday, just pop Nest 2 fish count update to week 3 (8th May): into the search bar (click on the tiny magnifying glass symbol on the right above the pinned comment) for some interesting facts and comparison with previous years. We learned a little more about intruder Blue 2B8, she is female, eldest of a clutch of three female 2023 Kielder chicks with an English mother and very likely a Scottish father as although his Darvic ring has been lost, his BTO ring is on his right leg. No further sightings of local lad JJ4, there was some light hearted speculation that it would be nice if he and 2B6 paired up together somewhere not close enough to be a threat to either of the Arkaig pairs.   

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/DR6xA_XoPcI N2 Dorcha’s fresh breakfast nearly flaps off the nest 05.27.15

https://youtu.be/Cm3EZRB5R38 N1 Garry feaks his beak after Aurora leaves with the first fish of the day 12.46.31

https://youtu.be/tsLF7_dy0I4 N1 Garry LV0 watches Aurora 536 fly past with her fish 17.19.36

https://youtu.be/kHzyTg5L4mM N2 Louis is already settling down to egg duty before Dorcha departs 19.12.47

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/YlOAPDKh6W8  N1 Aila’s seen silhouetted in the distance 2020

https://youtu.be/pMiyJCRoAEQ  N1 Sleepy Aila nods off 2020

https://youtu.be/PuDXOSzgDgg  N1 Aila employs the kitchen sink approach to remove Louis 2020 

https://youtu.be/qC_j3fiHG6o  N1 Aila practises her head-bashing technique on Louis 2020 

https://youtu.be/FSF6fiwMDvs  N1 Slightly better mating attempt by the newsome twosome 2021

https://youtu.be/xcAoRU34zcg  N2 Duh! Dorcha drops her breakfast 2022

https://youtu.be/b_Zd5jXoyQA  N2 Louis makes an unorthodox exit 2022

https://youtu.be/LjPue1ITRe4  N2 

Dorcha’s subtle nudge for Louis 2023https://youtu.be/03Te8ZCOfEY N2 Dorcha shows off her huge wings 2024 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/ULnmZa5llbQ N2 Dorcha’s almost invisible unlike the swarm of insects 2024https://youtu.be/2me6yQ_9Z3U N2 Dorcha appears to be enveloped in a spider’s web 2025https://youtu.be/KK6Os6NapSU N2 Louis’ second delivery is such a whopper Dorcha can hardly lift it 2025

https://youtu.be/p5BSaJvk1L0 N1 Flying sticks! A windy afternoon for Garry & Aurora 2025

You’re invited to join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – all levels of knowledge welcome!

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

News from Kielder Forest:

Intruder news

Thanks everyone. Have a great day. I just wanted you to know that P3 is doing well. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to all of the owners of the streaming cams, for those that post announcements about their nests, for those that post on FB, and to Geemeff for their daily summary of all things Loch Arkaig.

Is P3 sick and dying…Wednesday in Bird World

13 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

Most recent news. There is concern about P3 at Cornell who appears lethargic. Send positive wishes, please. I fear we are losing P3.

The four chicks of Monty and Hartley were ringed this morning and determined to all be males. This is going to be fun!!!!!!!!!

It was 14 C on Tuesday. What a glorious day! Ann took Don and Toby for a long walk along the river path near us. Toby was super tired after! We went for another walk after dinner. It was so nice. The first Rose-breasted Grosbeak was in our garden today. I could only see a single male. It arrived around 1230 and was still here at 2030 foraging on the ground under the lilacs.

All about Birds says:

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks breed in moist deciduous forests, deciduous-coniferous forests, thickets, and semiopen habitats across the northeastern United States, ranging into southeastern and central Canada. They gravitate toward second-growth woods, suburban areas, parks, gardens, and orchards, as well as shrubby forest edges next to streams, ponds, marshes, roads, or pastures. During migration, grosbeaks stop in a wide variety of habitats including primary and secondary forest, wet and dry forest, shrub thickets, pine woods, shrubby dune ridges, scrub, urban areas, and wetlands. They spend the winter in forests and semiopen habitats in Central and South America, often in middle elevations and highlands (up to about 11,000 feet in Colombia).

During the breeding season Rose-breasted Grosbeaks eat a lot of insects, as well as wild fruit and seeds. They mostly feed on berries during fall migration, and on their wintering grounds they have a varied diet of invertebrates and plant material. Grosbeaks usually glean their food from dense foliage and branches. They also snag food while hovering, and sometimes fly out to hawk for insects in midair. The animal portion of their diet includes beetles, bees, ants, sawflies, bugs, butterflies, and moths. Their vegetarian fare includes elderberries, blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, juneberries, and seeds of smartweed, pigweed, foxtail, milkweed, plus sunflower seeds, garden peas, oats, wheat, tree flowers, tree buds, and cultivated fruit.

The male may help the female choose a nest site, which is usually in a vertical fork or crotch of a sapling. Nesting plants include maple, red-berried elder, balsam fir, eastern hemlock, and spruce, and may be in wet or dry areas. They are usually in forest openings, overgrown field edges, old pastures, shrubby roads, railroad rights-of-way, gardens, parks, or residential areas. The male and female each may test the nest site’s suitability by settling into it and turning around several times.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are common forest birds, but their populations experienced a slow decline from 1966 to 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 4.7 million and rates them 11 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a species of relatively low conservation concern. These birds nest in saplings, so numbers could be dropping as forests mature over the eastern United States. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are commonly trapped for sale as cage birds in their wintering range because they look and sound pretty, and this has had an unknown impact on their population.

A colorful bird with a black head, white wings, and a red chest, perched on a branch.

Image credit: “Rose-breasted grosbeak male” by Doug Greenberg is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

As always, I thank you for your lovely notes and for sharing your personal stories with me. I love hearing about your walks and the encounters with birds living near you! Please don’t stop. I never get tired of reading about wildlife – never. All the creatures of my garden – and our planet – bring me great delight as I know they do you.

We have had a very calm few days. There is nothing nicer. Don seemed to be building up to ‘something’, and Friday morning, his anxiety got the best of him. (I am fine). Individuals with dementia do not lose memories like those with Alzheimer’s, but they have a slower processing time, which shows up as difficulty in communicating. His psychiatrist increased his anti-anxiety medication by 50%, and it was as if a miracle had happened. On Saturday, he said to me, ‘Don’t let the bad break us.’ I certainly won’t. My neighbour, who is finishing up some rails on the deck, said today he would have given up long ago, adding that I was ‘one tough cookie’. It made me smile.

If you are dealing with someone with dementia, make sure that routines are simple and followed every day and that there is ‘calm’. I cannot emphasise the latter enough. Quiet music in the background, walks outside – it doesn’t have to be anywhere exotic, and positive support.

Typically, in our part of Canada, gardens are now started on or after the May Long Weekend, which is also Victoria Day, in celebration of Queen Victoria’s birthday. That is this weekend. Each year, we choose a colour, making certain that we have something ‘red’ for the hummingbirds. Don decided that red would be a good overall colour after I came home with some red Gerber Daisies today to put in an old French jardiniere.

Our weather is very hot and there could be issues with wild fires starting. This is quite bad for the wildlife. We are waiting for the ducklings and goslings to hatch.

Map showing weather conditions in Southwestern Manitoba, indicating crossover weather with temperatures exceeding 20°C and low relative humidity, highlighting fire risks.

So what is going on in Bird World?

The first hatch for Maya and Blue 33 at Manton Bay is VERY strong! Head held high demanding food!

A baby bird with its mouth open is being fed by an adult bird, with eggs in a nest made of straw and twigs.

This does not look good. Well, as I said, there is concern about P3 at the nest of Big Red and Arthur. This is very sad. I do not believe she has ever had a chick die as a nestling before this year, and I honestly do not think P3 is going to make it. We lost another chick during hatching this year. P1 and P2 look great.

A red-tailed hawk chick sitting in a nest surrounded by twigs and grass, with an adult hawk nearby, feeding or caring for the chick.

Glaslyn females visiting other nests when they take breaks.

Facebook post from Glaslyn Wildlife about a visitor at the Ospreys Pont Croesor nest, mentioning Aran's new mate Blue 7C1.
A pair of ospreys standing on a nest made of sticks, with one osprey preparing to take off while the other is looking around. The background features green hills and a blue sky.

Another US osprey nest failure at Sun Coast with the death of the osplet.

It is absolutely insance to poison wildlife.

A social media post from Women for Wolves urging action against the use of M-44 cyanide bombs on public lands, highlighting their dangers to wildlife, pets, and humans.
A close-up of a gray wolf with a serious expression, surrounded by blurred images of other wolves in the background. Overlaid text advocates to block cyanide bombs on BLM lands, with a smaller inset showing a cyanide bomb.

Another great video from SK Hideaways of Sandy and Luna doing beaky kisses: https://youtu.be/8p8GKklfutw?

And Monty and Hartley’s kids out of the box! Chaos reigns. https://youtu.be/lpnLXUv1DfY?

That’s it for today. The weather is too good not to be outside. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to ‘PB’ for keeping me posted on nests including P3. Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos and for those who post on FB about recent nest happenings. I am grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to view the good, the bad, and the sad.

Late Tuesday in Bird World

12 May 2026

Greetings Everyone,

The sky is a gorgeous blue with a few little tiny cottonball clouds floating about. It was grey and cold earlier and to end the day with beautiful sunshine is a real blessing.

We have the first hatch at Rutland Manton’s Bay:

An osprey nest with an egg visible, amidst straw and grass. The nest appears to be active, suggesting potential hatching.

I am also happy to say that thanks to Kathryn we continue to know the goings on of one of my favourite Welsh ospreys, Aran, and his new mate.

A Facebook post discussing the bonding behaviors and nesting activities of two birds, Aran and 7C1, with insights into their relationship and nesting progress.
A blurry image of a bird sitting in tall grass, possibly an osprey, with out-of-focus background elements.

Cornell Bird Lab is doing a great job of producing short videos of Big Red and her chicks.

A red-tailed hawk is feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs, perched on a ledge with a view of a street and blooming flowers in the background.
Close-up of fluffy red-tailed hawk chicks in a nest during feeding, surrounded by nest material and remnants of prey.

Those sweet babies are poking their heads out from under Mum: https://youtu.be/BUq6_AoCHcM?

A red-tailed hawk sitting in a nest with its chicks, surrounded by twigs and remnants of prey.
A hawk caring for its chicks in a nest filled with feathers, twigs, and remnants of prey.

We are a few days away from fledge at the Venice Golf and Country Club osprey platform. Chicks hatched on 20, 21, and 23 March.

An osprey delivering a fish to its nest, where three young ospreys are waiting. The background features a serene river and grassy area with a golf course.

I don’t know what has gotten into Jack at Achieva but he is being much more helpful to Jill in bringing in fish as of late.

It has been almost like a tag team, with Jill bringing in a fish and Jack coming in a few minutes later with another. It sure helps. Jill can feed herself, and Little and Big can work on the self-feeding she is getting so good at.

A hawk standing in a nest with two chicks, surrounded by greenery and a neighborhood street in the background.
A close-up view of an osprey nest containing two chicks and an adult osprey, situated on a platform surrounded by trees with a street and houses visible in the background.
Two young ospreys resting in their nest, surrounded by twigs and branches, with a view of a residential area and street in the background.
Two hawks sitting in a nest made of twigs, surrounded by green trees and a view of a suburban street in the background.
A hawk standing in its nest, surrounded by sticks and twigs, with a view of trees and houses in the background.

It rained at Achieva and it looks like Jack came in with a late fish. Maybe Diane will not need to go fishing tonight.

An osprey nest with three chicks sitting on it, surrounded by greenery and a view of a street in the background.

I have waited to send this so that I could include Geemeff’s summary from Loch Arkaig and here it is:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 12th May 2026Today was mostly peaceful on both nests, barring an intruder alert near Nest One, and an intruder Osprey actually landing on Nest Two. While Louis and Dorcha were most unhappy and furiously chased the intruder away, the watchers were pleased to solve a mystery as this intruder had visited twice before but his Darvic ring could not be read. Today however he positioned himself just long enough to see that he is Blue 2B6, hatched 2023 in Kielder, and not Blue 286 hatched 2019 in Cumbria. There’s still a slight mystery about this bird as it was initially thought to be female, but now tending towards the possibility of being male. Whichever is correct, we wish Blue 2B6 success at finding a nest and a mate but preferably away from the two Arkaig nests as hatching day comes closer. Louis brought one fish for Dorcha taking the Nest Two tally to fifty seven, and Garry LV0 brought two fish for Aurora 536 taking the Nest One tally to sixty.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/LMm-Ym7k-9o N2 Louis brings a late breakfast for Dorcha 09.13.56    

https://youtu.be/8rgRxYfzIPw  N1 Elevenses for Aurora as the first fish arrives 11.30.54

https://youtu.be/1gEJDnZZ0J0 N2 Kielder Blue 2B6 intrudes on Louis & Dorcha 12.03.21 (long version)

https://youtu.be/QCKUhrpKiDE N2  Kielder Blue 2B6 intrudes on Louis & Dorcha 12.04.44 (short version with zoom)

https://youtu.be/PgLpYD-3Voo N1 Fish supper for Aurora when Garry delivers a second fish 21.34.15

Bonus read: It’s Plant Health Week and Woodland Trust are celebrating their UK and Ireland Sourced and Grown scheme:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/plant-health-week-2026-ugcPost-7459905242101477377-V-Hk

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/BFfBZitcjv0    N1 Haven’t you forgotten something? 2020

https://youtu.be/_rGpAZaTjmQ N1 Oops! Where’s it gone? Aila loses her fish! 2020

https://youtu.be/7fjub6AqXts  N1 Stickgate! Louis lands a stick on top of Aila then perches on it! 2020

https://youtu.be/x9ltb4rsX-w   N1 The Stranger nestorises while Blue 152 calls for fish 2021

https://youtu.be/Kdo-dxeZv3Y  N1 That technique needs work! Amusing mating incident 2021

https://youtu.be/Avbi8BbEvC4  N2 Intruder Osprey flyover 2023

https://youtu.be/bLMSoIgb1Yc   N2 Another year, another stickgate!! 2023

https://youtu.be/IR7bJxY7AsE  N2 Louis brings a fine flapping trout 2024

https://youtu.be/0bNLIxCelsw N1 Female Chaffinch visits 2024 (zoom)https://youtu.be/AImTtGwHR64 N1 Aurora gets Garry’s fish the second time he brings it 2025https://youtu.be/PwjwvCqeWYg N2 Louis & Dorcha join forces to see off an intruder overhead 2025

Why not come and 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

Heidi is reporting that it is pip watch starting tomorrow at Dewey Beach.

An osprey perched on its nest by the water, with another osprey in flight nearby, showcasing a natural habitat scene.

Saving Monarchs reminds us:

A graphic highlighting the annual death of 67 million birds due to pesticide poisoning. The top section states the statistic, while the bottom features images of a Northern Flicker, Eastern Towhee, and Brown Thrasher, alongside messages about the dangers of spraying pesticides in neighborhoods and promoting pollinator-friendly practices.

White-tail Eagle couple Loki and Caitir in Scotland lose chick – adults mourn. Thanks, Terry Carr: https://youtu.be/7hXAxFI30U0?

‘J’ sent the nature chat.org’s banner:

1 of the 5 eggs hatched in the wee hours of last night at Peregrine Falcon Cam in New Jersey, with a possible pip on another egg.

3rd egg of buzzards hatched today at Lesser Spotted Eagle Cam in Latvia 1.

Pip watch for 1st egg begins today at Osprey Cam in Pennsylvania.

Thank you for being with us today. It is time to take Toby for a last walk before bed. Tomorrow he has his first annual check up. Wish us luck! Take care all. We will see you soon.

Nitey-nite from Toby wearing his new halter. He loves orange!

I will try and get some good images of The Girls this weekend for you. I feel like I have neglected them.

A sleeping dog wearing an orange harness, resting on a patterned blanket.

Thank you to Geemeff, Heidi, and PB for their notes and news, to the owners of the streaming cams, the authors of the FB posts – we are so ever grateful for the time and dedication you take in providing us with news and views of our favourite raptor families.

Pip at Manton Bay for Blue 33 and Maya…late Monday in Bird World

11 May 2026

Greetings Everyone,

It was a very sad day in the garden today.

We wake up, and over our morning cuppa, we count the animals at the feeders. There are always four grey squirrels, one red squirrel, two Blue Jays, and two Crows. The number of Starlings, Sparrows, Juncos, and others varies during the day. But, for two days, there have only been three grey squirrels. Thankfully, the elderly Dyson, the matriarch of all the grey squirrels, is one of those. But where is the other one?

On our walk with Toby, we passed by the house that had burned down at the corner some time ago. There on the boulevard was the grey squirrel. It had no visible signs of being hit by a car, and there were no wires for it to fall from its position. A friend of Don’s was here for lunch, and we determined with some minor science that it had probably been poisoned. Its body was brought back to the garden where it had played in the lilacs and filled its belly for several years with peanuts. I buried it between two trees. Will find a beautiful stone to sit on top – incense lifted its spirit into the wind.

My concern now turns to who is using rodenticide and why. Yes, there are mice. Most of us feed the birds, and where there is seed, there are mice. I have been told that using only Black Oil Seed and peanuts will not attract the mice as the grains do. The Crows and the Hawks catch mice; we don’t have to do anything. Owls, of course, are another great way to rid an area of rats and mice. But with rodenticide use, nothing is safe. What if the Crows had eaten the carcass? Or a pet dog? Toby? One of the feral cats? Brock? It makes my mind go crazy thinking about poisoning our world.

Luckily, our lovely company kept my mind off of rodenticide and I needed to check the ospreys while Don was busy with his friend.

I had a look, and, surprise, surprise, there is the first UK pip at Maya and Blue 33’s nest at Rutland’s Manton Bay!

It is such a deep nest. We need an overhead cam!!!!!!!!!

A close-up of a large bird's nest made of twigs and branches, set against a river landscape with trees and a cloudy sky above.

All is well with the trio at Big Red and Arthur’s Red-tail Hawk nest on the Cornell Campus. Yes, P3 is being fed!!!!!!!!!!!! No one is left out. We are too conditioned by the osprey and eagle nests!!!!!!!! Hawks and Falcons are notorious for making sure everyone is fed. There is no shortage of prey.

A red-tailed hawk perched on a nest with several fluffy chicks. The nest is made of twigs and is situated on a balcony or ledge, with greenery and a street visible in the background.

Cornell Bird Lab has one of Monday’s feedings on video! https://youtu.be/tveeiZRM8r4?

The first failed osprey nest in Maryland was in Severna Park. Was it before those failing in Virginia? It is not clear. I am receiving notes today that several other nests where Omega Protein fishes a mile off the coast of Nassawadox Creek are seeing the adults abandon their eggs. Nassawadox Creek is a tidal waterway in Northampton County, Virginia, on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. There will be more, and we must prepare ourselves. If you have not figured it out, the decline in osprey numbers is worse than the DDT crisis of the 1970s. Someone needs to do something about this!

Sad news coming out of Scotland over the use of an illegal trap.

Sparrowhawk euthanised in Scottish Highlands after illegal trap caused ‘catastrophic’ leg injury – RDownload

Border Ospreys is live and you can watch Samson and Augusta!

WE ARE LIVEDownload

There is really great news coming out of Glaslyn. Aran and Elen’s two year old chick has touched down for all to see! What a wonderful migration and so happy that one of their babies has been seen in Wales.

Facebook post from Dyfi Osprey Project discussing the Osprey 6M9, the youngest member of the 2024 Glaslyn brood, and its recent behavior.
Close-up of a bird perched on a green pipe, with another bird in the background on a wooden branch.

This is a reason to ring every osplet on every osprey nest – which is attempted in the UK but not in North America.

Everything is going well at Achieva Osprey Platform.

Social media post discussing fishing experiences by Pam Breci, detailing the catches by Jack and Jill, including ladyfish and catfish.
A collage of images showing an osprey nest with two chicks and an adult bird. One adult is seen flying near the nest, while the chicks are perched inside, surrounded by twigs and foliage.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 11th May 2026

Another routine day, it started and ended with a little rain, and in between were lots of fish deliveries – both males brought three fish each, although one of Louis’ was so tiny, it needed a close up to see it was actually a whole fish and not just a scrap, and Garry LV0 also brought a tiny fish – his was still flapping. The Nest Two tally rises to fifty six, and Garry’s rises to fifty eight. It’s great to see both males supplying a steady stream of fish as hatching day starts getting nearer when it will be paramount. As the day ends, Dorcha and Aurora 536 are tucked up sitting on eggs on their respective nests, protecting them from the sporadic light rain which is set to continue through the night and most of tomorrow, with an overnight low of 6°c and a high of 13°c tomorrow afternoon.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/OZXF99LjQ3Y N2 Breakfast arrives, headless trout 07.11.55

https://youtu.be/IzUaE12sGWA N1 Fresh flapping fish for Aurora 13.53.35

https://youtu.be/WVa1ZepkIzE N2 Dorcha’s very happy to see a second fish arriving 14.51.02

https://youtu.be/Ddut0wN0hRQ N1 Aurora demolishes fish two and returns to egg-sit 16.23.02

https://youtu.be/9aExCQ6TCjc N1 Aurora tugs the third fish away from Garry 18.41.13

https://youtu.be/rE6rVOwW4XU N2 Dorcha nibbles the tiny third fish before leaving with it 21.00.33

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/IhjvqpMq1S4   N1 Intruder Osprey flies right over the nest 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/WW7IBGOOjLU  N1 Preparing the nest ready for the first hatch 2020

https://youtu.be/-v6-w-_3oDM   N1 Aila does a mid air transfer 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/BsF44kBqGG0  N1 A close shave for Louis – Aila nearly takes his head off! 2020

https://youtu.be/wqUvCjMwwio  N1 Mumbrella: Aila protects her eggs during snow flurries 2020

https://youtu.be/yZkcVaa9o-A   N1 Affric (Blue 152) and The Stranger return 2021

https://youtu.be/UiJihpt7uEs  N2 Dorcha ignores the second fish and leaves without it 2023

https://youtu.be/fwGRG7NNI4o  N1 A Jay visits 2024

https://youtu.be/_xdZMQaEYA4  N2 Very late breakfast – fish number one 2024

https://youtu.be/L7wUZ2nkFqk  N1 Dawn tryst – successful mating for Garry and Aurora 2025

https://youtu.be/XEuoQfpCuVM N2 Dorcha leaves with fish number two in a beak-hold 2025

Everyone’s welcome at the Woodland Trust Osprey forum, whatever your level of Osprey knowledge – come and join our lively community:

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

Virus-free.www.avast.com

There is so much going on. Iris’s new mate kept her company at the nest. This lad really does like to incubate, but I wish he would fish a bit more!

Two ospreys perched on a large nest made of sticks, overlooking a parking lot and landscaped area in the background.
An osprey sitting in its nest made of twigs, overlooking a parking lot with trees and a train passing in the background.

I love Iris and New Guy 2 watching their trains!

Thank you so much for being with me this evening. Take care! See you soon.

The two besties – Toby and Hugo Yugo – wish you a great week.

A sleeping orange tabby cat curled up on a cat tree, next to a black and white Cavalier King Charles Spaniel wearing an orange harness, both resting indoors.

Thank you to Geemeff for all things Loch Arkaig, to ‘PB’ and Heidi for counting and identifying fish, to everyone who posts on FB with images and news updates, to Raptor Persecution for always reporting what is truly going on without any prejudice, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these amazing families.

Remembering Dory…late Sunday in Bird World

10 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

It was one year ago today that dear Dory, the mother at the Audubon Boathouse Osprey nest, was dragged off the nest and killed by a GHO. The owl’s presence was known and many have wondered why measures were never taken to protect the ospreys and their chicks from the owl. I continue to wonder because it is a boathouse. If you can rig up a camera you can set up red strobe lights that have been effective in keeping owls away from osprey and eagle nests protecting them and ensuring that neither the adults or the chicks die from those silent deadly attacks. Heidi included a remembrance for Dory today on FB. It is so sad.

It is a reminder for us to advocate for the protection of our beloved raptors (all wildlife).

An osprey named Dory sitting in her nest at the Audubon Boathouse, with a focus on her third egg laid on May 10, 2025.

Thanksk ‘SD’ for posting this as I might have missed it.

A Facebook post discussing the challenges faced by ospreys nesting near a highway in Wayzata, detailing the removal of their nest, attempts to deter them, and the legal protections for their eggs.
A close-up view of a bird's nest made of sticks, perched on a metal structure, with a bird on a nearby pole decorated with flags. The background features greenery and a cloudy sky.

Ospreys delay construction! Thanks, ‘P’ and ‘Geemeff’, for bringing this to my attention!

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/ospreys-delay-mndot-construction-highway-12-reclaiming-nest-site/89-18f53bef-2e19-4f3b-beb7-9f8ec8544d80

SK Hideaways brings us all the news – and there is certainly drama – in their weekly videos! Thank you, SK.

SK Hideaways Videos, Week of 3 May 2026

FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna
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

Sandy Practices Bird Calls with Luna on Standby (2026 May 7)
Sandy continues to engage with other birds, watching and responding to their calls. Perhaps Sandy is practicing to be the habitat hospitality manager. Seems quite fitting.
Video: https://youtu.be/U-hHp0IQR4o

On 1-Month Hatch Birthday, Sandy & Luna Turn In Early🧸Sleeping Beauties (2026 May 4)
Happy 1-month hatch day Sandy, closely followed by Luna! After a 6-feesh birthday celebration, the eaglets snuggled up to sleep early. Sure looked like they were having some sweet eaglet dreams.
Video: https://youtu.be/iua1Uf9HgOM


Sauces Canyon Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Audacity & Jak
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Sauces Canyon Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnTsOesC6hE

Jak & Audacity Play Fish Keep-Away & Tinker On Both Nests (2026 May 8)
Jak (21 years old) and Audacity (20) are as devoted and bonded as a couple of newlyweds. Jak teased Audacity with fish keep-away, they preened and chortled together on the dead snag, and, as always, tinkered on both their main nest and treehouse nest. What an endearing couple they are.
Video: https://youtu.be/0D26L3qqKmg


Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

Cruz & Andor hook 7 fish  in under  2 Hours = 3 stuffed eaglets! (2026 May 5)
Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder had already enjoyed 6 fish from Cruz and Andor earlier in the day. As evening approached, these super parents seemed to have a made a little wager about who would end the day as best angler. In under two hours, Andor won the prize, hooking 5 fish to Cruz’s 2. We’re absolutely certain the Princess let her Prince win, but let’s not tell him. Needless to say, the eaglets were dragging ginormous crops across the nest as they settled down for the night.
Video: https://youtu.be/mg1jz5Kv7V0


San Jose City Hall Falcons ~San Jose, CA ~ Hartley, Monty, and 4 chicks
Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam 
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

Chicks Go From Fluffy Angels to Disgruntled Diners (2026 May 7)Early this morning, the chicks lined up for mealtime as usual, behaving like perfect angels. However, meals #1 and #2 seemed unsatisfactory to the little ones. They had much to say about the matter. Fortunately, meal #3 hit the mark. By the way, these 3 meals were delivered in under an hour. Hartley and Monty are super parents. Many thanks to the excellent cam ops team for capturing some priceless expressions (and thus allowing me to get super silly!).
Video: https://youtu.be/reg9uBNq8Dg

Size Matters !  At 13 Days, Can You Tell If We Have 1 Male Again? (2026 May 3)
At 13 days old, the chicks are beginning to show some personality and slight size differences. One chick in particular seems a bit smaller, so we could have a mini Monty again this year. We’ll find out for sure at banding time (exact date to be announced). 
Video: https://youtu.be/3tmjhIRtKz0

Wakefield Falcons ~ W. Yorkshire, England ~ Mr. P, Mrs. P, and 4 chicks
Courtesy Wakefield Peregrine Project at Wakefield Cathedral
Nest box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TicU6Kvv52c
Internal nest camera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VLXJIceuec

Mr. P Feeds Everyone ~ Brooded Chicks Pop Heads Out for Bites (2026 May 6)
Mr. P and Mrs. P are extraordinary parents. Mr. P is a very keen dad, always wanting to feed someone ~ anyone. When the chicks aren’t interested, he feeds Mrs. P.  If the chicks pop their heads out from beneath mum, he feeds them, too. This family has taken “cuteness overload” to new heights.
Video: https://youtu.be/G9En47Jdiy4

3 & 4 Day-Old-Chicks Await Meal as Dad Feeds Mum & Wind/Rain Squalls (2026 May 2-3)
Mrs. P enjoyed an evening meal fed to her by Mr. P. We didn’t know that a storm was brewing nor what laid beneath Mrs. P. The wind and rain whipped through the nest all night, but Mrs. P kept her treasure well-covered. When the storm calmed, we finally learned that there were four 3- and 4-day old chicks with beaks ready and waiting for breakfast. Congrats Mr. & Mrs. P! 
Video: https://youtu.be/e5MAJD0M6QE

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 10th May 2026

Apart from a change in the weather to cooler and wetter, today was much like yesterday – calm and routine, with fish deliveries and incubation changeovers. Louis brought three fish for Dorcha taking the Nest Two tally to fifty three and is on the verge of overtaking Garry LV0. Garry brought two fish for Aurora 536, taking his tally to fifty five, but did she drop the first one? And is what we call the first one actually a second one, is Garry bringing a fish during the nest cam down time, based on Aurora not seeming frantic when the first fish we see is delivered? That’s all speculation as only fish deliveries seen on camera are counted toward Steve Quinn’s fabulous fishy facts. The overnight forecast for the nest area is a low of 1°c

 and the rain tapering off to partly cloudy, changing to light cloud and a gentle breeze tomorrow with a high of 11°c.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/LIM2h3FtYVI N2 Breakfast for Dorcha, a whole trout  09.53.39

https://youtu.be/fevm5-7XjyA N1 Garry & Aurora keep tabs on a passing Hoodie 09.06.09

https://youtu.be/QjHdnX2Nlls N1 Has Aurora dropped fish number one? 13.40.10

https://youtu.be/o1u-5paXvZk N2 Louis settles down happily as Dorcha leaves with fish two 14.29.11

https://youtu.be/U466e2fbsVA N1 Aurora sensibly has a nibble of fish two on the nest 19.13.23

https://youtu.be/SjIrhR5Qb18 N2 Louis brings a fish supper, third fish today 20.37.16

Bonus read – with the two Arkaig males providing a steady supply of fish, this article has some interesting facts on how Ospreys fish: 

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/facts-about-osprey-fishing

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/WRJVln57L5w  N1 Cheeky Tawny Owl perches next to Aila 2019 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/1IEDIyo9rCQ  N1 Louis adds to the chaos on a windy day 2020

https://youtu.be/zcl511TMr_0  N1 Louis resists Aila’s blandishments 2020

https://youtu.be/e_xzfE0KTlk  N1 Louis chases a pesky Hoodie 2020

https://youtu.be/iStLjLcvl2I  N1 Eurasian Wren pays a visit 2021

https://youtu.be/VPfvH9XEqzU  N2 Unringed female intruder steals Dorcha’s fish 2022 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/AM_UsK1riDg  N1 Juvenile Tawny Owl plays on the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/0Mbyxj-Wr90  N1 A handsome Jay visits 2023

https://youtu.be/Pe8lgQ2Pdbs  N2 Season’s earliest breakfast for Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/lz68zyEX6Uw  N1 A Tawny Owl perches, calls but no response 2025 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/NKSslCjZ2AY  N1 Garry’s dramatic encounter with an unringed Osprey 2025

https://youtu.be/yr5AUEabxDk   N1 Unringed intruder returns but is startled by a Jay 2025

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

There was a lot of worry about the third hatch at Big Red and Arthur’s nest and many questions as to whether or not Big Red had fed it. She certainly has! Big Red loves to feed her chicks. She even had them sunning themselves and knew to let the breeze and nature dry out that nest and her chicks. She is an incredibly experienced mother who will often fill up the big one and then offer more and more, a practice that stops a lot of competition for food.

A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs, with a view of the surrounding urban landscape.

H72 fledged/fledged at Duke Farms today and was located nearby in a tree.

A fledgling bird with wings spread is preparing to take flight from a nest perched on a tree branch, surrounded by greenery.
A hawk perched on a branch surrounded by foliage at night.

It was a good Mother’s Day for Jill at Achieva as Jack came in with three fish today to add to her own catches for the nest.

Ater the successful rescue at the Dale Hollow Nest, the AEF has decided to name the adult eagles. Here is their announcement:

Facebook post by American Eagle Foundation introducing Dale and Willow, the adult pair at the Dale Hollow Eagle Cam.
Two bald eagles, Dale and Willow, are shown caring for their nest, with text overlay announcing their introduction.

Thank you so much for being with me today – a day where we remember those females, whoever they are and whatever species, that care for others. I hope your day was lovely. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to everyone who sent me notes, to those who posted information on FB, to Heidi for remembering Dory, to SK and Geemeff for their great videos and news, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our favourite birds.