Tag Archives: birds

Rescue at Dale Hollow successful…late, late Friday in Bird World

8 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

First up – Happy Birthday to David Attenborough who is 100 today. What an incredible individual.

Second, remember that Saturday is Migratory Bird Day. Please take part in one of the counts, including the Cornell Bird Labs count. Check out their website.

It was 15 C with a gentle, albeit sometimes coolish breeze in Winnipeg today. The sky was blue with a few of those big cottonball clouds. Ring-billed Gulls were heard overhead flying between the two rivers in our City. In the garden, a host of White-crowned Sparrows were foraging and bathing. We have three bird baths up now, with notes to clean them every other day if not daily. Half a dozen Starlings were here along with the single Robin that visited the other day, a few Dark-eyed Juncos, flocks of sparrows, the Blue Jays and Crows. I am not good at identifying individual species of sparrows, so we just say ‘House Sparrows’!

Toby had his walk with us, and Ann arrived determined to make Don very tired with a solid two-and-a-half-hour walk at the zoo today. It worked!

One of the most troubling local news items is that the City and the Parks Department are culling goose eggs. There are ‘too many’ geese! I have criticised New Zealand for doing this, and now it is here, right at my favourite park. Didn’t someone tell them that Avian Flu took the lives of no fewer than 100,000 Canada Geese last fall in Manitoba’s north? We actually don’t know the full number of geese and other waterfowl that died, as many lakes in the north are quite remote. I was seething. I am not quite sure what the priority is for our City. New houses are going up on agricultural land. They are close together, identical, built quickly with few, if any, trees. The City is closing local wading pools in areas where the children need a free summer pastime. Crime rates are up, property theft is rampant, and drugs and weapons are always in the news. Winnipeg used to be relatively ‘sleepy’. Population growth, poverty, a lack of parenting for many reasons, including economic ones, where both parents have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to barely pay the bills, are contributors. I want to emphasise that I am referring to the ‘City’ government. In general, I am pretty happy with our provincial government. But enough…I do not have a television, and any news that I watch comes from YouTube live events. Watching birds and just sitting with my eyes closed, even for ten minutes, on the deck, listening to birdsong, is so nice. The violence that does make the news is hard to take and yet, I am reminded every day of the goodness of people.

The Lily Society is naming a Day Lily after our neighbour who died in a house fire. He was, as I understand it, one of the founding members and experimented with hybridising lilies. He had a lovely garden full of them. Today, they were removed and will become part of a memorial garden. Very thoughtful. Kindness also comes in the form of my neighbours working on my deck to make it safer and, of course, Jane feeding Brock and loving him. I am so grateful for this single block of individuals who could brighten anyone’s day.

Before we shift to Bird World news, I wanted to send a photo of our little herb and salad garden. It is doing very well. In a couple of weeks, we will be planting outside, but we will keep this one going constantly. From left to right, there is basil, dill, and then two different types of lettuce. I had to exchange the short dowels for the longer 45 cm ones yesterday. The dill is intense and very delicious.

A small indoor garden featuring various young herbs and leafy greens under LED grow lights.

I have had so much information backed up that I want to share with you. So there are a lot of files today – I hope that there is something of value for you.

Please mark Saturday in your calendars. It is World Migratory Bird Day.

Celebrating the World Migratory Bird Day in the East Asian Flyway. – K. Lisa Yang Center for ConservDownload

So what is World Migratory Bird Day?

AI answers: World Migratory Bird Day 2026 focuses on the theme “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!”, highlighting community science and citizen observations for bird conservation. The main peak days are Saturday, May 9, 2026 (Northern Hemisphere) and Saturday, October 10, 2026 (Southern Hemisphere), featuring global events and bird counting efforts like on eBird.

Key Aspects of 2026 Campaign:

  • Theme: The theme highlights the importance of individual contributions through citizen science to track and protect migratory birds.
  • Key Dates: May 9 and October 10, 2026, align with peak bird migration periods.
  • Activities: Participation includes monitoring, bird counting, and educational events.
  • Featured Events: A special 2026 event will take place on May 9th at Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada, including the “Wings of Survival” talk.
  • Global Participation: Coordinated by groups like Environment for the Americas, the campaign encourages recording sightings on eBird. World Migratory Bird Day +6

World Migratory Bird Day is a global effort to raise awareness about the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.

If you live in or near NYC, here are some events on Saturday but do check out your local birding groups.

This Saturday is World Migratory Bird Day, a global migration celebration. Each spring and fall, birds travel anywhere from a few hundred miles to tens of thousands! You can see these amazing journeys on display right now as birds stop in our parks and green spaces to rest and refuel. 

Join our FREE outings throughout the boroughs to spot stunning spring migrants:

  • Manhattan: Drop-in Ecology Session at Jefferson Market Garden
  • Staten Island: Spring Birding at Conference House Park 
  • The Bronx: Birding at Soundview Park with The Bronx is Blooming 
  • Brooklyn: Spanish-English Birding at Sunset Park 
  • Queens: Exploring the QueensWay

It isn’t just the birds that need our help. Geemeff sent me the following to share with all of you.

This poor 46 year old Orangutan is alone in a concrete enclosure and has been that way most of her life. Opal has been offered a more suitable home but her owners have refused. It’s a truly dreadful situation for a sentient being, and completely unnecessary. 

https://www.change.org/p/free-opal-the-orangutan-from-natal-zoological-gardens-and-relocate-her-to-a-sanctuary

https://www.goodthingsguy.com/opal-is-trending-again-but-this-time-theres-hope

Thank you

With all that was happening on Thursday, there are so many other nests that simply didn’t get checked.

SK Hideaways captured the most incredible images of Monty and Hartley’s foursome! Take a peek. You will not be sorry. https://youtu.be/reg9uBNq8Dg?

We are so missing Annie and her families.

So not only check out Monty and Hartley’s amazing family but also the Wakefield Falcons in the UK. https://youtu.be/G9En47Jdiy4?

One of our independent environmental zines has staff that love birds. ‘Birds Just Wanna Have Fun’.

Birds just wanna have funDownload

What should you do if you find a baby bird?

What to do if you find a young bird in NYC | NYC Bird AllianceDownload

If you live near Hawk Mountain in PA, they have a fun day for meeting their raptors. Here is the information:

Memorial Day Raptors Up Close!

Mon, May 25 Programs at 10 AM & 2 PM

FREE

Hawk Mountain’s signature live raptor program, Raptors Up Close! offers the chance to see live hawks and owls, and to learn what puts these winged predators at the top of nature’s food chain. This program guarantees that you will see a live raptor during your visit and is appropriate for visitors of all ages.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 8th May 2026Another calm day on both nests today, with fish delivered, eaten, and in one case lost! Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536 but unhappily she dropped the biggest one and sensibly ate most of the small second one on the nest before departing, leaving Garry to incubate their single egg. His tally now stands at fifty one fish. Louis delivered three fish to Dorcha, taking the nest total to forty seven and his own tally to forty five. Due to some stick 

manoeuvring, the three eggs on Nest Two are now visible but given the birds’ quest to make the perfect nest, future adjustments might well block the view again. Today’s bonus item is in honour of 

Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday: a documentary about Ospreys narrated by him and featuring Roy Dennis.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/FE_fGP965Uo  N2 Louis doesn’t notice a tiny visitor after Dorcha left with fish one 08.01.09https://youtu.be/Ogyo5DjA4sM N2 A second fish arrives for Dorcha 16.14.44 

https://youtu.be/D59CzIY-hZU N1 Oh no! Aurora drops her fish then begs for more 16.24.25

https://youtu.be/M2I-QvKHSxE N1 Garry brings a second fish and Aurora holds on to it 18.32.31https://youtu.be/oNfoYP5BO1M N2 The three eggs are clearly visible as Dorcha gets fish three 20.59.01 

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/fv2-S7IAT7g  N1 Aila employs a tried and tested Louis-removal technique 2020

https://youtu.be/RydYvBR0m5I  N1 Aila invents a new Louis-removal technique 2020

https://youtu.be/Ys65Fgfu9sM  N1 Unusual visitor – a Twite (Linaria flavirostris) visits 2021

https://youtu.be/oMCTfmauWKA N2 First Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/meJb_ovW0V8  N2 Second Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/ea0yqDp1ups  N2 Third Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/uecjKN_3VQI  N2 Late night fish supper arrives for Dorcha 2023 

https://youtu.be/WD9vJ3lVeMk N1 Garry LV0 & Aida pay a flying visit 2024  

https://youtu.be/ZrKyT_jo5DI  N2 Dorcha headbutts Louis to get him off the eggs 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)https://youtu.be/Rq6jzQKsGi0 N2 Louis settles down to egg duty after delivering the first fish 2025 (zoom)https://youtu.be/tS6l2Py6V74 N1 Yet again Garry makes Aurora wait to get the fish 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 is some concern at the Dale Hollow Nest that the adults have not returned to feed the three eaglets since the AEF removed the fishing line yesterday. I have not been able to watch that nest closely today to see whether any deliveries have been made. Maybe you know?

But for now a big thank you to the AEF who took over the Dale Hollow Nest after the two fiasco years of 2022 and 2023.

Facebook post announcing the successful removal of a fishing line from a bald eagle nest by the American Eagle Foundation and partners, highlighting teamwork and no injuries to the eagles.
Informational graphic about the dangers of discarded fishing line to wildlife, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of various organizations to protect birds and the importance of proper disposal.
Four young eagles in a nest among green leaves in a tree.

At the nest of Big Red and Arthur, there are two hatches that have survived a very soggy nest with damp. Big Red loves to give them ‘big’ bites. The first chick died trying to hatch, and I fear that this might well be the case with the last. We have to wait and see. There are, however, two fine little bobbleheads at present and a nest full of every kind of soggy prey.

A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs, with several small, fluffy hawklets visible among remnants of prey.

If you missed it, we do have two eggs at Iris’s nest!

Close-up of an osprey nest with two eggs, showcasing the unique coloration of the second egg.

Last, but never least, SK Hideaways gives us a smile from the nest of Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna: https://youtu.be/U-hHp0IQR4o?

Good night, everyone! Take care of yourselves. Remember the bird count on Saturday, but most importantly, go outside, look, listen, and smell the spring air. See you soon.

My guardian angel waiting for me to finish this so we can have a game of fetch before bed.

A black and white dog sleeping on a light gray couch with a textured blue pillow.

Thank you to all the contributors tonight – Geemeff, SK Hideaways, those who post on FB, the authors of all the amazing articles, and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us into the lives of our beloved birds.

An egg, a fledge, a hatch in progress, and a rescue…late Thursday in Bird World

7 May 2026

Just a quick spin around a few nests. It seems we cannot take our eyes off the screens for a second!

Iris has laid her second egg just minutes ago at the Hellgate Canyon nest in Missoula, Montana.

An osprey standing on its nest, surrounded by twigs and branches, with green foliage and parking lot visible in the background.
A close-up view of an osprey sitting in its nest, surrounded by twigs and natural debris, with its distinctive brown and white plumage visible.
Close-up of a young osprey sitting in a nest made of twigs and pine needles, with its head turned slightly towards the camera.

At 65 days of age, Winken at the Moorings Park nest has fledged and returned to the nest. The take off was graceful but the landing will require more practice!

A close-up view of an osprey chick named Winken on a nest at Moorings Park, showcasing the surrounding landscape, including a pond and residential area, with a clear sky in the background.

It appears that the AEF’s Dale Hollow rescue was a success. Cameras were off, and by my count, all three eaglets are in the nest, and there is no fishing line. Thanks, AEF, and all involved.

Two young eagles sitting in a nest among trees, with one resting while the other stands alert.

We have a hatch underway at the nest of Big Red and Arthur. Thankfully that nest is starting to dry out after torrential rains the other day.

A red-tailed hawk is feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.
A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 7th May 2026

Another routine day for both nests – just the odd alarm call but no intruders seen, reasonable weather, and both Louis and Garry LV0 brought one fish each for their respective partners Dorcha and Aurora 536. The Nest One tally rises to forty nine, and the Nest Two tally to forty four. Dorcha had to wait until tea time before her fish arrived, and gave Louis a telling off. Later when he didn’t give up the eggs on her return to the nest, he got a thorough dusting from her tail feathers! Light rain started falling around 9pm and is set to continue through the night and well into tomorrow, with occasional sunny spells.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/xTXSVuaZZek N1 Aurora 536 flies around with her fish 10.02.05

https://youtu.be/bKsKsVdVfyU N2 Louis arrives fishless and gets told off 11.02.41

https://youtu.be/dHk4UaDuKi8 N2 Louis finally arrives with a fish for Dorcha 15.25.35

https://youtu.be/FdIhdtOhZHU N2 Louis gets a going over with a feather duster! 16.32.24

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/8OaqnwQiaBI  N1 Aila does a bit of Louis-bashing before he takes the hint 2020

https://youtu.be/2qFBiVop8DQ N1 Clumsy Louis clatters the camera! 2020

https://youtu.be/T8wmG4NbfIo  N1 Late night bat visits Aila 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/VA8CwMT9qyA  N1 Eurasian Siskin and Crossbill visit 2021

https://youtu.be/0FlIlYJMsGQ  N2 Cheeky Tawny Owl perches on the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/LcPUWA3mWDo  N2 Tawny Owl strikes Dorcha then returns to perch on the nest 2022

https://youtu.be/kJIFH0RyeSk  N1 Louis pays a visit to his old nest 2023

https://youtu.be/6z_D0r_72h4  N1 A little songbird flits around for a while, then nudges a stick over the side 2024

https://youtu.be/1MzoKTgPm4w  N1 Aida lands on the perch, welcome back, we missed you! 2024 

https://youtu.be/iZCtZxSvdtQ N1 A male Tawny Owl visits, calls but gets no reply 2025

https://youtu.be/9AUcpQbxfI4 N1 Lunch arrives for Aurora 2025

https://youtu.be/AFxIoXOi7hU N2 Dorcha’s fish supper arrives against a colourful sunset sky 2025 (quick time)

Everyone is welcome to join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – it;s friendly, informative, and free:

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

It was a beautiful day today, and we got out for a walk. It was so nice. Toby and I even managed to sit out in the garden and listen to the birds. We were surprised by the list that Merlin could hear that we could not see! Don’s medication has changed. He is less and less engaged in daily life and that is so sad. He did join us for the walk and I anticipate that Ann will take him to the nature centre tomorrow. Being outside is good for everyone – including those with dementia.

A black and white dog wearing an orange harness stands on the grass, looking back over its shoulder while being held on a leash.
Two cats, one orange and one tabby, sleeping together on a cat tree near a window.

Thanks so much for being with us. Take care!

Thank you to ‘PB’ for alerting me to Iris’s egg as I was checking on Dale Hollow! Thank you to Geemeff for her Loch Arkaig summary, Heidi for her post about Winken, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow all of this to happen. We are so very grateful.

Happy Mother’s Day to all our Raptor females

7 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

Latest Update from Cornell: “The final Red-tailed Hawk egg began to show signs of hatching early on the morning on May 7 on day 36 of incubation. Watching closely, movement can be seen from the “pip,” or small hole in the egg, throughout the video. The hatching process can take 12–24 hours to complete, or longer in some cases.”

There is a rescue underway at Dale Hollow Eagle nest (see below).

I have to say that I have never been a ‘Hallmark Person’ – someone who sends cards and celebrates special days just because some company came up with an idea for making more and more money from us. This especially goes to Mother’s and Father’s Days because so many were raised by their Grandmothers who really were their Mums (like me, so mine could work), others had parents who died or abandoned them…sometimes when a day is happy for someone, it is a total sadness day for someone else.

That said, this year we are really going to give a shout out to the most incredible raptor Mum that I have seen in years. If I could send her a bouquet of fish and a card with fish that popped up, I would. They are all heroes who have overcome more challenges than we witness, but this year, a few stand out, and one, in particular.

The top Raptor Mum Award has to go to Jill at the Achieva Osprey Platform. I would love to know if anyone has witnessed a female leave their babies at such a young age when she realised that the little one was doing to die if more fish didn’t get on the nest.

So, let’s look back for a minute. Big hatched on 27 March, with Little following five days later, on 2 April. Yes, look at that spread. There were three eggs – Heidi and I have decided that Big was egg 1 and Little was egg 3.

The first time that Jill left the nest to catch a catfish was on the 15th of April. At the beginning, she only left the chicks around 1700-1800. She would leave and return in 25-30 minutes with a large catfish. As Jack’s deliveries diminished and the chicks’ need for more fish grew, Jill began going out twice a day. She would often wait to see if Jack would bring a morning fish, and if he hadn’t by 1030 or 1100, she would go fishing. Those trips to bring fish to the nest have now increased to three as she often now goes out after 1900.

Jill took a real risk leaving her tiny babies vulnerable. Jack was not there protecting them. He was not bringing food. Jill was starving. What choice did she have? Stay on the nest and watch her babies die? Abandon the chicks? She did neither. With bold determination, both babies appear to be growing and healthy. I wonder how many other osplets would have survived if their Mums would leave the nest and go and fish for them?

‘MP’ took this screen capture commenting what a beautiful wing pattern that it is —- and it is precisely perfect. Not a feather out of place!

An eagle stands in a nest made of twigs and branches, with its wings partially spread, surrounded by green trees in the background.

‘PB’ keeps a good eye on what Jill is doing – and how Little is growing bigger and bolder.

Two young owls sitting on a nest made of sticks and debris, with a view of the surrounding habitat.
A parent osprey with three chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by greenery.
A bird resting in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by greenery and visible rooftops in the background.

My runner-up is Mrs T at the Trempealeau Bald Eagle nest, who, seeing her mate feed his chicks and another mate across the lake, was able to keep one of her eaglets alive by going out hunting and fishing.

A bald eagle, referred to as Mrs. T, is tucking a chick into a nest made of twigs and feathers while surrounded by greenery.

There are two notable senior females that we could not miss on this Mother’s Day – Iris and Big Red.

Iris is at least thirty years old.

An osprey perched on its nest made of twigs and branches, with a view of a parking lot and trees in the background during dawn.
A close-up view of an osprey sitting in its nest made of sticks, with a parking lot and trees in the background.

AI overview:

“Iris, the renowned 28-plus-year-old osprey at Hellgate Canyon, is estimated to have successfully fledged over 30 to 40 chicks in her lifetime. As of the 2024 season, she was still actively breeding, and she returned for the 2026 season to her nest at Missoula.

  • Total Lifetime Estimated Chicks: 30–40+
  • Recent Activity: In 2024, she successfully raised two chicks with her mate, Finnegan: Sum-eh and Antali.
  • Status: She is considered one of the oldest known living ospreys, nesting at the Hellgate Canyon site since at least the early 2000s. 

Iris has had several mates over her long residency in Montana, including Stanley, Louis, and her more recent mates, consistently returning to the same area to nest”.

There is a published book that I have that show the move from the utility pole to Iris’s current nest that had a good history and images. (I need to find it!)

The other is Big Red, the Red-tailed Hawk whose nest is on the Cornell Campus at Ithaca, New York. She hatched in 2003 and was banded in October of that same year at Brooktondale, New York. Her natal nest is 7 miles from her breeding nest. Her first mate is believed to be Ezra (he was on camera when it began in 2012) but, no one knows for sure. Big Red probably started breeding by 2006.

A red-tailed hawk sitting in its nest surrounded by twigs and remnants of food.
A red-tailed hawk is seen in a nest with three fluffy chicks and remains of prey.
A Red-tailed Hawk tending to its chicks in a nest, surrounded by twigs and remnants of prey.

Two separate AI entries, the first for Ezra and then Arthur:

AI:

“Big Red and her mate Ezra successfully raised 15 chicks together over the five years (2012–2016) they were followed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Cams. 

Key Details on Big Red and Ezra’s Offspring:

  • Timeframe: They nested together on the Cornell campus from 2012 until Ezra’s death in March 2017.
  • Consistency: The pair typically raised 3 chicks per year, with successful breeding seasons recorded on camera each year from 2012–2016.
  • Legacy: Ezra was known for his dedication to his family, often feeding the chicks and protecting them during harsh weather. 

After Ezra’s passing in 2017, Big Red paired with a new mate, Arthur, in 2018.”

“As of the end of the 2024 season, Big Red and her mate, Arthur, have successfully raised 20 chicks to fledging at Cornell University since pairing up in 2018. Known for regularly laying 3 eggs in many seasons, she has produced a high volume of chicks, often laying 4 eggs in 2022 and 2024. 

Key Details on Big Red’s Broods:

  • Total Fledged (approx. 2018–2024): 20 chicks.
  • Recent Seasons (2025–2026): In 2025, she laid 3 eggs. As of early May 2026, she is actively raising a new brood.
  • High-Volume Years: Big Red laid 4 eggs in 2022 and 2024.

Big Red is a highly successful Red-tailed Hawk monitored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Cams, and her nesting, egg-laying, and chick-rearing are tracked yearly. 

We know that Big Red also laid a clutch of 4 eggs in 2026 as we are watching that nest now. The first hatch died during hatch. It is unclear as of 7 May if the remaining egg is viable. There are two chicks on the nest, cute little bobble heads.

In my memory, only one chick failed to fledge til this year, and that was K3, who had an issue with their jaw. K3 was rescued but did not survive. E3 is an ambassador for Cornell. Several died from window collisions on campus and one from West Nile Virus, last year. They are not ringed so we do not know the dispersal area.

Other brief news:

Johnson City’s eaglets are almost ready to fledge.

Two young birds in a nest surrounded by greenery, taken from a camera at Johnson City.

Ruth and Oren’s little hawklets at Syracuse University are doing fine.

A mother hawk watches over her two fluffy chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.

Rescue Underway!

Announcement of a planned intervention operation by the American Eagle Foundation to assist a bald eaglet entangled in fishing line at a nest in the Dale Hollow area.
Information about the American Eagle Foundation's efforts in wildlife rescue and the dangers posed to eagles by discarded fishing line.
A close-up image of a young bird with fluffy feathers resting in a nest made of twigs and leaves, surrounded by greenery.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 6th May 2026

Another calm routine day where not a lot happened, just fish deliveries and changeovers of egg-sitters. Garry LV0 brought Aurora 536 two fish, taking his tally to forty eight, and Louis brought one fish for Dorcha, taking the nest total to forty three. The weather was settled but is forecast to change to light rain showers with light winds overnight and through to tomorrow afternoon. Both nests fall under the Inver Mallie weather forecast area:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2646094.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/QO1-pGX75Lg N2 Dorcha’s fish does a flyby before Louis lands with it 13.41.35

https://youtu.be/XOC7oeyszfI N1 Garry finally brings the first fish 15.11.57

https://youtu.be/0WArpnJT-sM N1 Aurora gets an evening snack 20.39.17

Bonus action – local elections take place tomorrow in England, Scotland and Wales. When the results are in, please consider emailing the successful candidates to remind them of their campaign promises around trees and wildlife:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-trees-and-woods/campaign-with-us/elections/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/rDDH4Z8zHEc  N1 Health and safety first, says Louis 2020

https://youtu.be/2ULJmAe1b5E  N1 Louis bashes Aila with a big stick 2020

https://youtu.be/hOnID1xMcys  N2 Coronation Day –  breakfast fit for a queen arrives 2023

https://youtu.be/usB2iBz2BQM  N2 Ringed Osprey visits 2023 (super slo-mo, zoom)

https://youtu.be/Dfmo_U46rCY  N2 Dorcha has a stretch and a squirt  2024

https://youtu.be/oI3R7TrjVHA  N1 A little Passerine visits 2024

https://youtu.be/sa-_Txps92s  N2 Throwing shapes – Louis and Dorcha are winging it 2024 

https://youtu.be/xG3Lh8YLrE8 N1 breakfast for Aurora and a bark surprise for Garry 2025

https://youtu.be/oLDAq_ILX7Y N2 Dorcha’s calls finally quieten as fish number two arrives 2025

https://youtu.be/gvIrP6Pu5Q4 N1 Garry brings a second fish and watches a jet go by 2025

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

Wish everyone well, that is going to help the near-to-fledge eaglet at Dale Hollow and send positive energy to Big Red’s nest for a successful last hatch! There is lots of food for three!!!!!! Arthur is keeping that nest well stocked, no matter the weather.

Take care everyone…remember to think of those who cared and raised you no matter their gender this coming weekend. See you soon.

Thank you to ‘MP and PB’ for allowing me to use their screen captures of Jill at Achieva and for keeping me in touch with her remarkable journey of motherhood. I am grateful to all the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives of these birds and to the AEF for their determination to help eagles when possible. I am always grateful to Geemeff for their summaries and videos of the day’s happening at the two Loch Arkaig nests!

Oh, silly me…banding day is 13 May for San Jose chicks

6 May 2026

Oh, silly me…thank you SK Hideaways. I am so sorry I missed the finer details of your YouTube posting.

SK Hideaways has a post for the banding day of the San Jose chicks. So mark your calendars. One week away.


SK Hideaways1 day ago

San Jose City Hall Falcons Banding Day News (4 May 2026) From Zeka Glucs Director of the Predatory Bird Research Group at UC Santa Cruz https://predatorybirdresearch.sites.u… We have scheduled this season’s nest entry for the morning of Wednesday, May 13th! All the chicks will be 22 days old since they hatched within the same 24 hrs of each other. We enter nests for nestling banding and sample collection when the young are all 21-28 days old. During this phase of development they are still shuffling around on their forelegs rather than upright on their feet so they are less mobile and we can safely enter the nest without flushing them off the ledge. At the same time, their legs are fully grown so they can receive the identification bands that will help us follow them throughout their lives. Through body measurements we can determine the sex of each chick. We will also be collecting feather samples for genetics and contaminants. For the first time EVER, we will be placing ultralight radio transmitters on one of each chick’s leg bands that will allow us to remotely track their movements through their first winter and hopefully beyond. I’ll follow-up with more information on this transmitters after they are deployed. All the above research is part of our decades-long peregrine monitoring program in the Greater San Francisco Bay region. On Wednesday, we will assemble our team at City Hall at 8 am and then make our way to the roof and then down to the nest ledge. Many have been asking about how we are preparing for Hartley’s nest defense this year since she was so full-contact last year. I’ll be wearing a new helmet with a face shield and no gopro attachment. Hopefully that along with some different seating arrangements should set us up for a more protected chick banding effort this time around. My sincere thanks for following this peregrine family and our work, Zeka Glucs

Thank you SK Hideaways.

Big Red is drenched…Wednesday in Bird World

6 May 2026

Oh, goodness. We woke up to a bit of snow yesterday and the temperatures have remained on the chilly side. In Ithaca, New York, it is really raining on Big Red and Arthur and their nestlings. Big Red is a very experienced Mum. She has been through season after season of rain, wind, snow, and being buried in ice. Still, I worry about the little ones getting cold and damp and having difficulties. Two have hatched, one died trying to hatch, and it appears to me that we have a beak sticking out of the last egg.

Arthur is providing food – and he will continue to line the nest – no matter the weather.

A red-tailed hawk sitting in a nest surrounded by twigs and branches, with several chicks nearby.
A close-up of a red-tailed hawk nest featuring two fluffy chicks, one egg, and remnants of feeding materials among sticks and nesting materials.

Please send them and all the nests your most positive wishes.

Jill at Achieva is going to be the Mother’s Day Mum of this season. She continues to defy everything we know and is out fishing, sometimes past 2000, to get fish to her growing babies. Little is now so strong that it is, as ‘PB’ notes, ‘wanting to rule the nest’.

A close-up view of an osprey nest situated on a platform, with several sticks and twigs forming the nest structure. Two ospreys are visible, one perched and the other moving within the nest. Lush green trees surround the area, and a street can be seen in the background.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 5th May 2026

Another reassuringly boring day where nothing out of the ordinary happened.  The odd stick or bit of bark was brought to a nest when fish was expected, but fish were delivered too. Garry LV0 delivered one trout to Aurora 536 on Nest One, taking his tally to forty six, and Louis delivered two to Dorcha, taking the Nest Two tally to forty two. No intruders, no drama, just two females incubating their eggs – Aurora with a few absences – and males delivering fish then taking their turn on egg duty. Fingers crossed tranquility reigns until hatching and beyond.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/zn5cJS4L4Wg N2 Dorcha departs with her breakfast leaving Louis on egg duty 05.14.58https://youtu.be/Gqv2rjFcyTE N2 Louis gets to egg-sit when Dorcha leaves with fish two 10.04.27https://youtu.be/RNMca79xnG0 N1 Garry settles down on egg duty as Aurora leaves with her fish 10.06.41

Bonus watch and read – how Woodland Trust is saving Scotland’s rainforests:https://youtu.be/NzoAxoG3AZghttps://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/scotland/saving-scotlands-rainforest/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/vi57aF6RvWs  N1 Aila suffers an owl strike 2019 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/50n9gpytiy4   N1 A typical night on the nest for Aila 2020

https://youtu.be/fCzbYErsSgA  N1 Persistent Hoodie won’t leave Aila alone 2020 (Slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/pBzJsBFIzek  N1 Strange Osprey lands on the empty nest 2023

https://youtu.be/Rg-hxBiPEPM  N2 Louis has an aerial encounter with an intruder 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/eX9kUX1m6QM N1 Aida wants fish, Garry wants to mate, gets rejected 2024

https://youtu.be/J0T2g4AjXv0 N2 Finally – Louis delivers the first fish to Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/VvL_ZaQsu7s N1 Woodland Trust have given Blue 536 a name – hello Aurora! 2025

https://youtu.be/PNRVXZc0NDU N2 Louis alarm calls as an intruder Osprey flies overhead 2025

https://youtu.be/SYZq9BrLbWs N2 Unringed Osprey intrudes on Louis: aerial battle ensues 2025

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

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

Rosie Shields has the latest from the Border Osprey platform.

LIVE FEEDDownload

A startling Netflix documentary about the killing of cylicist and the persecution of raptors in Scotland.

‘Should I Marry a Murderer?’ New Netflix documentary provides sobering insight into brutal killing &Download

There is a job opportunity monitoring raptors in Scotland.

Job opportunity: Scottish Raptor Monitoring Coordinator – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Monty and Hartley’s babies hatched on the 21st of April – yes, all on the same day. They are now 15 days old. Rumours had them being ringed today at 0800, but they are not old enough yet. I suspect we will have another 10 days to go or thereabouts.

Five fluffy owl chicks huddle together in a nesting box with a dirty background.
Two fluffy white bird chicks sitting in a nesting box at San Jose City Hall, surrounded by feathers and debris.
A close-up view of a nesting area at San Jose City Hall, showing three fluffy chicks and scattered feathers on the ground.

Sally and Winken enjoying a Tilapia at Moorings Park.

A close-up of a bird's nest with two osprey adults and several chicks. In the background, a lake is visible alongside modern buildings and lush greenery.

That is it for today! Please take care. I am off to get Don to the doctor in a few hours. It should all go well. Toby gets to spend the afternoon with Ann and her Australian Shepherd, Lucy. He is going to have so much fun!

Keep your eye on Iris’s nest!!!!!!!

Thank you to Geemeff for the Woodland Trust summary, to ‘PB’ for cheering on Jill at Achieva, and to the writer Ruth of Raptor Persecution UK. We need investigative reporting in the world of raptors. Too much human harm gets covered up! To the others who have posted on FB and other platforms and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these incredible birds.

2nd little one at Cornell makes it out of shell…Tuesday in Bird World

5 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

I did say I was going to take a break, didn’t I? Well, reports will be short, but Iris laying her first egg and Big Red’s nestlings are keeping me on the edge of the sofa. Besides, the nice warm weather we had disappeared. Melissa kept looking out the conservatory windows as she was cleaning them, asking, ‘Is that a snowflake?’ And yes, of ourselves, her eyes were not deceiving her. It is freezing. Tomorrow will be 0 C. Not much fun. Toby and I worked on the bookcases. We now need a 154 cm long piece of moulding and some finishing nails. The whole needs to be painted in the same shade as the walls only glossy so it is slightly different (thanks, Geemeff, for the idea). I had battled between just matching the walls which are the same colour as the rice straw tea huts in Japan, going for something bold like the Bloomsbury Group would have done, or painting them in Tar (a deep grey/black). My mind needs calm. So, some time in the future, David will return to paint them and the French doors all the same. It is a picky job, not for someone like me who wouldn’t have the patience.

As of Monday evening, this is the state of the third chick releasing itself from the shell at Big Red and Arthur’s nest. Arthur is already lining the nest cup with chippies and squirrels.

I am so glad this little one didn’t get exhausted trying to get out.

A red-tailed hawk in a nest with eggs and chicks, captured in black and white from a live webcam feed.
A red-tailed hawk in a nest with two fluffy chicks and one unhatched egg among twigs and nest materials.
A Red-tailed Hawk tending to its nest with two fluffy chicks and an egg visible among the twigs and nesting material.
A young red-tailed hawk chick sitting in a nest beside an unhatched egg, surrounded by straw and leaves.
Close-up of a large, blue-green bird egg nestled among soft downy feathers and natural materials in a nest.

At the Achieva Osprey Platform, Jill went out late and caught another catfish for her and the kids. That is three today. I do not believe she has ever left the nest to fish after 2000. She did tonight. As the kids get older they need more food and she needs to keep herself healthy for them! Jack is simply not delivering enough – two today. Jill had three and one was a whopper.

Thanks ‘PB’ for the screen capture of Jill and her whale.

A close-up view of a bird with wings spread wide, perched on a tree. The background shows green foliage and a road.

For those wanting to keep a file to recognise Jill, here you have the perfect underwing patterns to go with the top of the head! These two locations are the only patterns that do not ever change from the time the ospreys fledge.

Iris and NewGuy2 (I do agree with everyone that he needs a name – I am certain that Dr Green is working on this) are settling in to incubation. I just hope he knows that he has to provide fish for Iris and the babies…

Two ospreys perched in their nest with a parking lot and trees in the background.
An osprey nest with two adult ospreys sitting among branches and twigs, overlooking a parking lot and landscaped area in the background.
Two ospreys sitting in a nest made of sticks, with a parking lot and greenery in the background.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 4th May 2026

Another peaceful and uneventful day, although one event was missing – Aurora 536 has not laid a second egg, it is overdue by more than 24 hours so chances are she will only have the single egg laid on 30th April at 19.18.37. There is concern that she is leaving the egg unprotected for several hours at a time, and as she and Garry LV0 have not been seen mating on a sufficiently regular basis, perhaps this egg will not hatch. As always, it’s wait and see – Osprey eggs are quite hardy. Although Garry only brought one fish to the nest for Aurora, it’s possible fish are being delivered early during the nest cam down time. His on-cam tally now stands at forty five. Over on Nest Two, normal service was resumed and Louis delivered three fish to Dorcha, taking the nest total to forty. Dorcha was very pleased to see the first fish arriving after a gap of thirty five hours and demolished it in no time. The weather was mainly settled with a little light rain around 11pm.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/BMjnfTZhaCM N2 First fish 35 hours after the last one! 08.25.51

https://youtu.be/uYMCcC97Qbw N2 Normal service resumes! Fish 2 arrives 2 hours after the first 10.35.21

https://youtu.be/X7NonFthu2Q N1 First fish for Aurora, a good size headless trout 14.31.26

https://youtu.be/M8d0uY6Yys8 N2 Louis brings a third trout for Dorcha 15.06.39

Bonus activity – how well do you know spring tree flowers? Take Woodland Trust’s quiz: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2026/05/spring-blossom-quiz/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/RZcdDsctW8s  N1 Stick-gate! Louis brings a silly stick 2019

https://youtu.be/MkeAZ4Rtyjw  N1 Arkaig Ospreys star with Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin & Holly Gillibrand 2020 

https://youtu.be/8937KrWsAvQ  N1 Aila stands on Louis’ tail 2020

https://youtu.be/E9pd_5HuvsU  N1 Hoodie chases Louis and his fish to the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/01RR3gk-KAo  WT season highlights 2021

https://youtu.be/MYwuD6jtpBA  WT season highlights 2022

https://youtu.be/CMPNawu15bo  N2 Louis is blown away! 2023 (slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/HIbtIkk_ELg  N2 Unringed intruder lands 2023 (slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/UYHOuHSAjdo  N2 Dorcha’s turn to show off her underpinnings! 2023

https://youtu.be/wFCI5B_bVPQ  N1 Garry LV0 arrives with moss, calling softly, who’s he watching? 2024

https://youtu.be/5zmxN6jpNNU  N2 Dorcha brings a stick and lands it on Louis 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/AOxOLsyGJV0  N2 Dorcha gets hit by a Tawny Owl while tangled in moss 2025

https://youtu.be/A8PwVgBjiAc  N2 Three strikes: 00.33.37; 00.35.21; 00.40.51 in <8 mins 2025

https://youtu.be/T0XQrgwLjko  N1 Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) does a thorough investigation 2025 

https://youtu.be/6b_2Tq6RFQA  N1 Tawny Owl pays a second visit an hour after the first 2025

https://youtu.be/TXp42g5YDtM N2 Dorcha fights off an unringed Osprey 2025 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

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

Geemeff sends a sad story but at least, they say, ‘humans tried to help’. https://wgme.com/news/local/very-sad-ospreys-found-dead-after-building-nest-on-power-lines-in-camden-maine-cmp-central-maine-power

Sadly, these falcons fell at the hand of humans and their guns in Cambridgeshire.

Post-mortem on Cambridgeshire Peregrine reveals shotgun pellets – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Winken enjoying a meal while there remains a reminder of the saddness as Blinken’s body is near the nest rim at Moorings Park.

An osprey feeding its chick in a nest, with a tranquil river and greenery in the background. The image highlights the environment and the interaction between parent and young bird.

It looks like the dream of seeing osplets on the Loch Garten RSPB nest are gone as Blue KL5 kicks out the third egg!

A live camera feed capturing an osprey nest with branches. The scene shows the nest at dawn with a distant view of trees and sky, indicating it's early morning. The top image shows the osprey destroying egg number 3, while the bottom image shows the nest after the egg has been destroyed.

News from Kielder Forest:

Nest 12

The four chicks of Monty and Hartley will be ringed at 0800 Wednesday nest time! Tune in on YouTube!

A peregrine falcon is feeding three chicks in a nesting box atop San Jose City Hall, with a view of city buildings in the background.

Thank you so much for being with us! Take care, everyone. Keep watching Iris for that next egg…See you soon.

Thank you to Geemeff for the Woodland Trust summary, to ‘PB’ for the great image of Jill and her monster fish, and to all those who post information on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch this amazing wildlife. I am very grateful for the investigative reporting of Raptor Persecution UK.

Iris lays her first egg of the 2026 season!!!!!!!

4 May 2026

The news is too good. Queen Iris has laid her first egg with her new mate. Oh, start counting the days til hatch!!!!!!

Oh, geez. I am over the moon.

A pair of ospreys perched on their nest, with a parking lot and greenery visible in the background.
Two ospreys perched on a nest made of twigs, with a parking lot and trees in the background.
An osprey resting in its nest, surrounded by twigs and pine needles.
An osprey is seen interacting with its egg in a nest, surrounded by twigs and greenery.
Close-up view of an osprey nest with a large, speckled egg and the legs of an osprey parent nearby.

Thank you to the Cornell Bird Lab and Montana Osprey Project for their streaming cam allowing us to witness this historic event.

Another pip or two for Big Red…Monday afternoon in Bird World

4 May 2026

Hi there,

Well, I couldn’t stay away from watching Big Red and Arthur.

P1 is a cutie. We will know by today if either of the two remaining eggs are viable. I don’t care. One healthy eyas to survive to fledge and then survive Cornell’s windows would please me greatly. Arthur is preparing for lots of meals as he gets the chippies and the snakes to the nest.

A red-tailed hawk in a nest caring for its hatchlings and eggs, surrounded by twigs and nest material.
A red-tailed hawk is tending to its nest, which contains one fluffy chick and several eggs and chicks. The nest is made of twigs and is situated in a natural setting.
A red-tailed hawk sitting on its nest, which contains several eggs, surrounded by twigs and grass.
A red-tailed hawk sitting in a nest, tending to three eggs.

Big Red always encourages the hiks to eat just a little more.

Cornell Bird Lab has a video of the live snake Arthur brings to the nest. https://youtu.be/LJjxLo-sG0I?

It looks to me as if we have a beak peeking out of one of the other eggs and a small crack in the last.

A young red-tailed hawk chick sits in a nest surrounded by twigs and two eggs, with an adult hawk nearby.

Big Red has been keeping P1 nicely fed.

A nest with two eggs and a fluffy chick peeking out, surrounded by twigs and natural materials.
A nest of red-tailed hawks featuring two eggs and two fluffy chicks amid twigs and natural nesting material.

It is just a little fluff ball.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 3rd May 2026

Another day of low activity and nothing out of the ordinary. Dorcha and Louis continue to take turns incubating the three eggs, Dorcha gets a break to eat, bathe, and stretch her wings when Louis brings fish or sticks and takes over egg-sitting, and Louis does whatever male Ospreys do when they’re not fishing, egg-sitting, or patrolling their territory. Which he must have been doing today as he brought no fish at all, so the nest tally remains at thirty seven. Over on Nest One, Garry brought one fish for Aurora, taking his tally to forty four. At the time of filing this report – midnight – she does not appear to have laid her second egg. Will Aurora lay her egg in the early hours before the camera goes off-line? Will Louis swoop in early with a dried up old fish he actually caught today but doesn’t deliver until tomorrow? Answers on a postcard please.*

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Rbzi5TkRc-4  N1 Garry’s lunchtime fish does a flyover before Aurora takes it 12.53.24

https://youtu.be/i-8M9QhFk4s  N2 Unhappy Dorcha sends Louis fishing 13.11.26

Bonus watch – stunning drone footage of the two nests, filmed in 2024, before the birds returned of course:

https://youtu.be/HKIxtz_ICXU N1

https://youtu.be/wiSNcrl7_mM N2

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/_ldayacEJVk  N1 Domestic abuse? Aila makes Louis move 2020

https://youtu.be/O66MzVbKdEk  N1 Louis chases a Hoodie wanting his fish 2020

https://youtu.be/EXKZvJIsSnU  N1 Poor old Louis! First a kick then a bit of fish stuck in his beak 2020

https://youtu.be/U-5w06vRVgc  N2 Dorcha wears a fake moustache 2022

https://youtu.be/475Qa4mMr_M  N2 Louis gets a bashing with a big stick 2022

https://youtu.be/aGybeh25I3I  N2 Size matters! Coal Tit is startled by Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/hr9oHiTH2EA  N2 Mute button needed as Dorcha sees Louis bringing dinner 2023

https://youtu.be/9NftDmPybXk  N1 Garry brings fish number one for hollow-cropped Aida 2024 

https://youtu.be/mmOwq1QEOTQ  N2 Louis misjudges landing with a big stick 2024

https://youtu.be/zp36YlZE3yA  N2 Two Lesser Redpolls arrive and one perches near Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/eAqcolh9_VQ  N1 Woodland visitors: Tree Pipit, Coal Tit, Wren 2024 2024

https://youtu.be/hmAqX1qE0FM N1 Yet again Garry LV0 makes Blue 536 wait for the fish 2025

https://youtu.be/QtzXJFp8qDc N2 Louis does a flyby before landing with a very late first fish 2025

https://youtu.be/vQ2GdD48Pqw N2 Tawny Owl strikes Dorcha! 2025 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

* No, not really!

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

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

Just a quick check in at Big Red and Loch Arkaig. Have a great day everyone.

Thank you to Geemeff for their Woodland Trust summary and to the Cornell Bird Lab for their streaming cam.

P1 hatches at Cornell…Saturday in Bird World

3 May 2026

Good Morning Everyone,

Sadly one of the four chicks of Big Red and Arthur’s did not survive hatching. I am going to presume that it was, as it appears, the crushed egg. The other one appears to be fine. Two more eggs to go.

Close-up view of a red-tailed hawk nest with three eggs, one partially hatched, surrounded by nesting materials.

Big Red tried several times to feed P1. There was even a live snake on offer! Eventually the little one was ready.

A Red-tailed Hawk tending to its nest containing two hatchlings and one unhatched egg, surrounded by twigs and natural nesting materials.
A red-tailed hawk stands near its chick in a nest, with two eggs visible in the foreground, surrounded by twigs and nest material.
A red-tailed hawk sitting on a nest containing eggs, surrounded by twigs and small branches.

P1 is getting stronger.

A red-tailed hawk sitting near its nest containing a chick and two eggs, surrounded by twigs and branches.

‘SP’ sent the link to the Cornell video of the hatch: https://youtu.be/2cMuMRxZBAQ?

SK Hideaways Videos, Week of 26 April 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

Meet Socialite Sandy & Laid-Back Luna ~ Figuring Out Who’s Who (2026 May 1)The votes are in and the 3rd graders selected the names Sandy and Luna for Jackie and Shadow’s chicks. I’ve  pointed out some of the differences in the video to help you discern which is which. 

Here’s the FOBBV announcement: 
****** 
Chick 1’s name is Sandy with 30 student votes. 
Chick 2’s name is Luna with 25 student votes. 

The remaining top 5 votes are as follows: Star with 22 votes. Chip with 22 votes. Phoenix with 18 votes. 

Sandy was the most popular name entered with 3706 of the 63,915 names submitted. Please know that although Sandy would not have wanted us to outright name one of the eaglets Sandy, she would have been honored that you and the students went through the process and named one of the 2026 eaglets after her. Thank you for your participation and your generous support of Friends of Big Bear Valley from the entire team. You are much appreciated! 
***** 
Video: https://youtu.be/lTEiU33HYgo

One chick gets chatty with neighbors ~ Birdwatcher in training (2026 Apr 29)
Video: https://youtu.be/k1noEq1qAoE

Jackie & Shadow protected the eaglets through storm ~ Daylight brought sunshine (2026 Apr 26)
Video: https://youtu.be/ckmcHQL6WFw

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

Sasha, Zuma & Ryder ~ Giant Crops, Clown Feet & Independence (2026 Apr 28)
Video: https://youtu.be/dbhIIQsTVN0


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
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SanJoseCityHallFalcons/
Wiki https://sanjoseperegrines.editme.com/

8-Day Old Chicks Place Rush Order for Lunch ~ Plus One Leg Down the Hatch (2026 Apr 28)
There was an eating milestone during lunch ~ one chick downed a leg. (If you want to skip that celebration, it happens from 2:44-3:44 in the video.) 
Video: https://youtu.be/YQmkKceqN3k
Redding Eagles ~ Redding, CA ~ Liberty and Guardian
Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California
Livestream page: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams

Guardian romanced Liberty with a fish dinner and a bath in the river (2026 Apr 26)
Video: https://youtu.be/K7ZhwXpLRq4

Check out Ruth and Oren’s two hawklets, too! And, of course, check out Monty and Hartley’s kids in SK Hideaways video.

A Red-tailed Hawk tending to its nest with two chick hatchlings visible among the twigs and foliage.

Dual feeding with Milda and Zorro and the two White-tail Eaglets at the Durbe County nest in Latvia. They are getting pin feathers!

Ohk they are so cute.

Two sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) are attending to their chicks in a nest, surrounded by twigs and greenery, with a forest background.

Thank you for being with us today. It is a lovely 20 degrees and we are going to spend it outside. It is supposed to rain and get cooler. Tomorrow the cleaning lady comes and I am working on the moulding for the door. I will be watching some of the nests on my big screen but I might not be publishing a post until mid-week. So take care of yourselves. Enjoy the week, get outside, listen to birdsong. Be happy.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video links and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch the lives of our birds (the good and the not so good).

Jill steps up the fishing, Loch Arkaig Summary…late late Saturday in Bird World

2 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 2nd May 2026

In the early hours of this morning, Dorcha produced egg number three, most probably her final egg as she’s not one of those rare Ospreys who produce four eggs. Nest Two was calm today, no intruders and two fish deliveries, although Louis did take his time with the second, bringing it more than fourteen hours after the first. Louis’ tally rises to thirty five, and the nest total to thirty seven. Over on Nest One, Aurora 536 spent most of the day on the nest, although she did spend a block of more than three hours off the nest, leaving the egg unattended. She might have been perched nearby, it was in the early hours so we don’t know. Garry LV0 brought two fish, taking his tally to forty three, and he’ll need to keep up a steady supply as Aurora’s second egg is due tomorrow. At the time of filing this report (23.30), Louis is still on Nest Two incubating the eggs, looking unlikely to move any time soon although Dorcha is standing right behind him.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/XVLCnN4L_3A N2 Egg number three, with squeaking 03.12.24https://youtu.be/hTbtvizGGYE N2 Dorcha departs with her breakfast leaving Louis on egg duty 06.45.44https://youtu.be/bu4-o68r8fo N1 Aurora departs with her fish, Garry remains on egg duty 10.17.57https://youtu.be/bdwfME2osds N1 Aurora refuses Garry’s second fish 15.40.38

https://youtu.be/4MxkQbfIcns N2 Louis gives fish number two a tour before landing it 21.17.31

Bonus guide – Woodland Trust’s advice on visiting bluebell woods:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqjpl597rjko

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/0Rw_H0C8-SE  N1 Owl strike on unsuspecting Aila 2020 (Slo-Mo)

https://youtu.be/JJRPS8QYvpY  N1 Lockdown Ospreys star on BBC Breakfast 2020

https://youtu.be/rwa2_9rR24Q  N1 WT’s Dr Jessica Maxwell discusses the nest on BBC Breakfast 2020

https://youtu.be/1syQj_jjjxw  N2 Golden variation: Dorcha is bathed in the setting sun 2022 (Classic Ospreys Bach)

https://youtu.be/efwVjBqAYpA  N2 Gerroff and go fishing! 2023

https://youtu.be/bdcOT9JEGB8 N1: Garry LV0 brings moss, flies to Pole Tree then away 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/GioCl06202I N2: Fish number one and only for Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/EKAjiNbY3A0 N2 Shadows seen near the nest at the time of the Eagle encounter 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/WLLCALZOinI N1 Blue 536 gets the first fish from Garry LV0 the second times 2025

https://youtu.be/Cp3WkBSAZ_I N2 Intruder Osprey buzzes Louis & Dorcha 2025 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/vF0HagQMSb8  N1 fish number two but it’s B536 who brings it! 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

‘PB’ continues to admire the fortitude of Jill, the female at the Achieva Osprey Platform, in St Petersburg, Florida. I don’t blame them. Jill is stepping up on the number of catfish she is bringing to the nest. As the two chicks get older, they require more food. She has to eat. Jack is not contributing nearly enough. We think of healthy osprey chicks. I look at nests like the Dyfi nest of Idris, Blue 33 at Manton Bay, Dylan at Lyn Clywedog, Louis at Loch Arkaig, or Blue 022 at Poole Harbour. Let’s think 7-8 fish a day. Nice big fish – not little twiddlers. Of course, there are others, White YW – I could go on and on. So the gold standard would be those 7-8 big fish, like Mullets, to make healthy fat osplets to fledge. I fear that like many of the eagle nests we have seen where the eaglets looked healthy but when taken into care were noted to be infested and ‘thin’ (Eagle Country a couple of years ago). So bravo to Jill. I wish we could drop some nice fish for her.

Others are abandoning their eggs. Severna Park in Maryland is one of the first on streaming cam. I want you to prepare yourself. There has not been an influx of fish falling into the waters. Better the eggs do not hatch than wee babes or fully feathered near-to-fledge chicks starve on camera. I warn you to brace yourself for what could be the most tragic year yet. I want to be wrong. If it is, It is sad and entirely unnecessary.

The Chesapeake Bay ecosystem is in a very dire situation. In its case, there are no Menhaden for the ospreys, the Striped Bass, the Tarrapins or others that fed on them to eat. I cannot comment on the neighbouring states, but we do know from images taken that Omega has been industrial fishing along the shores (within legal limits, but sometimes seen to use helicopters to push the fish out) of other states. Virginia is the problem. Want to change this? People have to care. So you have to elect people who really care about all living things, the balance of life on the planet, and are action, not all talk.

Look at how much Little has grown since it has had fish!

A nest with two young hawks and one adult hawk surrounded by twigs and leaves, set against a backdrop of trees and a residential street.

Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to Geemeff, to ‘PB’, to you the readers who care dearly about all the wildlife and to the owners of the streaming cams that let us witness the lives of these beautiful creatures.