Tag Archives: Black Storklets

Late Sunday-early Morning in Bird World

26-27 June 2022

There are people all around the world sending good wishes, saying prayers, lighting candles – wherever their beliefs take them – for Little Bit 17 and his nest. Each of us wants the same thing – for the nest to hold out long enough for ND17 Little Bit to fledge. If it lasts longer and he gets prey drops there from the adults – well, that is the whipped cream and the cherry on top of what has been a very difficult season for this third hatch. It was not very often Little Bit caught a break but he learned skills that ND16 might not still know – and it is those skills that will help Little Bit out in the big world.

I made 3 video clips because watching it happen is so much easier than my narration. An adult lands on the nest with a really nice sized fish at 20:11:38. Little Bit immediately mantles it and then 15 flies down to the nest. It is difficult to imagine having enough room on that nest for all three never mind the dust ups. I thought both might go off the nest wings tangled.

There is a dust up over that fish between 15 and Little Bit 17. In fact, there are a couple. Here is a 30 second clip of one of those.

Little Bit 17 gets his fish! ND15 will fly off the nest. Watch carefully and you will see that 17 gets a nice size portion of fish. He will have sweet eagle dreams tonight.

Nothing was ever easy for Little Bit 17. He continues to be a great inspiration to so many of us. He never gives up, never. If you go to the streaming cam it is at 20:28 that Little Bit gets the fish. At 20:30:54 ND15 leaves the nest.

If you are interested in the growing population of Ospreys in the San Francisco Bay area, Tony Brake gave a Zoom presentation on this very topic this morning. Here is the link to the archived Zoom presentation.

https://fb.watch/dUWIGxeq32/

This is the latest tracking of our favourite Eastern Osprey, Ervie. PLO notes that he still flies by the barge but it appears he understands he is no longer welcome. How sad for Ervie!!!!! Believe me when I say that I hope Ervie stays right in that area and that when Dad and Mum no longer need that barge that he moves right in – just like Samson did at the NEFlorida nest of his parents Romeo and Juliet.

Karl II has been to the nest he shares with his mate, Kaia, in the Karula National Forest in Estonia. He has brought breakfast. Just look at these cubby little storklets – OK, not so little. They have certainly began to do that amazing ritual to get the adults to let go of their fish. Incredibly beautiful.

And a feeding from the step-dad Toru for the three storklets of Jan and Janika who are in care at the Vet Clinic. There was a plan to move them outdoors but it seems that the complicated care that the trio require is difficult to find a place for them. It is the busiest time for the ornithologists as they are not only caring for wildlife but also ringing the birds. It is not clear but perhaps a temporary outdoor area for them can be built at EMU.

It is another wet cool morning in Wales at the Dyfi Nest of Idris and Telyn. Telyn his huddled with her three osplets who would love to be small again so they would fit under Mum and be toasty warm.

Just look at those beautiful amber/orange eyes. Penetrating. When they are adults they will be yellow. (Exceptions apply like Monty who kept his amber eyes).

Mrs G looks like she is not as drippy wet at her Glaslyn Valley nest as Telyn is at Dyfi.

It might be utterly miserable outside but it appears that Dylan is the first of the Welsh males to get a fish on the nest. Seren is busy feeding those big Bobs.

Oh, Dorcha looks a lot drier at her Loch Arkaig nest in Scotland than poor Seren. It is nice to see Dorcha and the nest drying out. She has had a rough time of it this breeding season with the weather – snow, pelting rain, wind – gale force winds – and then losing Little Bob.

Louis brought in lots of fish on Monday for Dorcha and the chicks. Just look at Big Bob’s crop!

Blue NC0 flew in with a fish for the two ever growing and big Bobs. She does not appear to be wet – although she could have dried off before arriving at the nest with the fish. Or she got a hand off from Laddie. At any rate, there is fish on the nest early and that is a great way to start the day at Loch of the Lowes.

Laddie brought in a decent fish early in the morning but has been contending with intruders all day. This is a popular place for Ospreys and sadly NC0 and the chicks are sometimes hungry because of his territorial duties.

The Foulshaw Moss nest is having the chicks ringed today so the camera is off line.

Check on the ND-LEEF nest. The first prey delivery for Little Bit 17 falls off the nest. At 08:17:34 Dad arrives with a possum.

That arrival prompts 15 to fly in and take it away from Little Bit.

All three are on the nest including ND16 who was seen but not on the nest that I know of since fledging. That is good! I have no idea how this nest is holding up with all this activity.

Little Bit 17 gets to spend some time with his buddy 15. Sweet.

Another prey drop just now. It looks like 15 got it but 17 is snuggling up to get some. I don’t think Little Bit 17 got any of that meal unless it was some scraps. He is going to be very hungry today after loosing that first prey item overboard.

ND16 is on the nest at 13:00 with Little Bit. Must be very tired from all that flying and happy to be home.

Cilla Kinross – whose name you might know from Xavier and Diamond’s scrape in Orange, Australia posted a very cute video clip of the three falcons of Eve and Milo at the University of Montreal this morning. The eyases have names – Red ring is Vega, Yellow is Mira, and the Black band is Sirius.

Two weeks away from fledging. Here is the link to their streaming cam:

For Kestrel lovers, there are three chicks at the scrape in the Dordogne in France:

Cal Falcons has just posted a very cute video of Lindsay hunting moths at night. My goodness Alden has had such a huge influence in this moth hunting!

Lindsay did this on the 21st and in the video below the top one she returned today – the 27th of June to hunt moths, too.

Thank you so much for joining me this morning. It is much appreciated. Please take care. See you soon!!!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams for the screen captures and/of videos used in this blog: Cal Falcons, Cilla Kinross, Faucons UdeM, ND-LEEF, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, CarnyXWild, PLO, Emu and LizM and Faucons Crecerelles Dordogne.

L4 fledges and other news in Bird World

18-19 June 2022

The record breaking rains coupled with our current heat warning mean that it feels like a rainforest on the Canadian Prairies. The songbirds are happy. The lilacs and vines have grown enough that they are providing cooling shade for the birds. The temperature drops tremendously – just like walking into the Bamboo Forest at Arashiyama outside of Kyoto – when you enter their area of the garden.

“Bamboo Forest of Arashiyama, Kyoto 京都嵐山の竹林” by CLF is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

37 degrees C or 98.6 F today. Heat warning. Winter went to summer with tonnes of rain and flooding. The new normal?

Yesterday L4 was jumping all over the rails just as he had done the day before. The question on everyone’s mind was when is L4 going to fledge? Well, he flew this morning! 07:03:36. L4 landed in the trees across the street taking off from the rail where he loved to dance and jump. Congratulations! Big Red and Arthur have successfully fledged 4 hawks.

Ready…set…

Go!!!!!!!!! And L4 is off to the trees over by the Fernow Building across the street.

Rosie and Richmond’s two osplets were banded yesterday and the banders believe that they are two little boys by the leg measurements. Sweet. Today is the last day to vote on the name pairings! Here is the SF Bay Ospreys announcement:

The little Red-tail hawklet- Malala- that arrived for lunch and stayed to be adopted at the Bald Eagle nest on Gabriola Island (just off Vancouver Island) – has branched and is really growing. Consider its size compared to the eaglets and how fast it is at getting prey. Now think of Little Bit 17. ND15 and ND16 might be big but ND 17 is quick, like the hawklet, as lightning.

Yesterday Thunder and Akecheta’s triplets were on the nest together for awhile. So nice to see the Three Amigos. Beautiful, beautiful juvenile eagles.

Thunder’s sister at the Two Harbours nest of Chase & Cholyn is big and beautiful. Parents are bringing in the fish – there were three yesterday!

Spirit is a regular visitor to her Big Bear Valley natal nest. Her ‘eagle’ eyes see Jackie and Shadow coming in with fish and she is on that nest! Fabulous.

In the first image, Spirit has spotted a fish delivery. She rushes to the nest.

Those parents really have to be careful with those talons. Shadow’s beak is extremely sharp.

Whew.

It did not take long for Spirit to polish that fish off!

Remember when?

Saturday evening Mum arrived on the ND-LEEF nest and fed the three eaglets the rest of the raccoon. ND17 had a nice little crop after – he did appreciate the raccoon! 15 and 16 had some bites and left.

Sunday morning a really large fish was brought to the nest at 08:52. Little Bit 17 stole some of that fish at 09:01.

At 09:14:24 Little Bit 17 grabs more of that fish and rushes over to the rim to eat it while a big sibling stands behind him. I sure hope he got that nice tail portion!

Takoda is still branching – have not heard of a fledge at the National Arboretum nest in Washington, DC yet.

The nest of Aran and Mrs G is really getting to look like part of the field down below. All three of the chicks are doing grand.

Aran flew in with a really nice fish at 13:43! It was a lively one.

Not to be undone by Aran. Idris is on a roll and this morning he brought in a very rare Shad to the nest to the envy of all watching. Telyn was quite happy to take that whole fish and feed it to the Bobs!

CJ7 might be a first time mother but she is a really smart one. She had a nice piece of fish tucked under some nesting materials to feed the Bobs first thing this morning – they were hungry very early.

Blue 022 has proven himself to be a young but reliable Dad – several fish deliveries including this one at 15:47. Blue 022 is flying off and CJ7 is up and ready to feed the babies.

The three Bobs on the Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya are as big as Mum when she is feeding them. All bets are on for tomorrow (Monday the 20th) being banding day provided a boat and a bander are available.

Everyone is tired after a big meal.

The latest tracking for Ervie shows him staying around Port Lincoln and his unusual haunts. This comes from the 18th. Did he visit the barge?

Other quick news. News is coming from Patuxent River Park. An osplet fell through the platform because a Beaver chewed a large hole. A new platform is going up. Will follow up on this. There was a hatch at the MN Landscape Arboretum Ospreys on June 17 at 08:26:34. A pair of Ospreys landed on the Collins Marsh nest above the old fire viewing tower. I hope they do not stay. This nest needs to be removed and a new platform built with a ladder and a perch! And the pond needs to be stocked with fish for them. The fishing has been hard for Laddie and Loch of the Lowes with no fish delivery so far on Sunday. I sure hope Blue NC0 goes out fishing – the Bobs are too big to let starve!!!!!!! Has something happened to Laddie? If you watched the Decorah North nest, DN16 has fledged. The three Black Storklets of Jan and Janika have yet to be moved to their ‘forest room’. I am told it will be soon. This is the latest feeding video from Liz. They are getting their itchy feathers!

Happy Father’s Day to all those bird fathers out there caring for their mates and their chicks and/or eggs! Here is a lovely tribute from Cal Falcons – grab a tissue! Lindsay and Grinnell Jr are one of the positive things to come out of Bird World this year!

Take care everyone. It is a busy day on the nests with lots of things happening. Thank you so much for joining me today. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: SF Ospreys, GROWLS, Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, FOBBV, NADC-AEF, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Poole Harbour Ospreys, LRWT, Cornell RTH Cam, EMU and Liz, ND-LEEF, and Cal Falcons.

More tragic news in Bird World

12 June 2022

UPDATE: BOTH PARENTS AT THE CAPE HENLOPEN STATE PARK OSPREY NEST ARE MISSING. THE ADULT ON THE NEST IS AN INTRUDER. INTRUDERS WERE AROUND FIGHTING WITH MUM ON FRIDAY. THEY HAVE TAKEN OVER THE NEST AND REFUSED TO FEED THE CHICKS. THE THREE CHICKS, THUS, DIED OF STARVATION.

I did not expect to be writing another post today but there has been another tragedy today.

The youngest chick, Little Bob, of Louis and Dorcha at the Loch Arkaig nest has died of hypothermia (best guess). After a really good feeding Little Bob went over to the rim of the nest and it appears he got his foot caught. Dorcha called. Little Bob did not – could not – get free to get under her in the very cold wet weather. He died several hours later. So very sad. Little Bob was healthy and had really eaten his fill at that 11:44 feeding. Condolences to all at Loch Arkaig and to Louis and Dorcha.

Dorcha had taken the opportunity in a break in the weather to feed the wee chicks. There is Little Bob with his light grey head on the far right.

It turned rain and miserable right after the feeding and remains so. Send all your positive wishes to this family. Let us hope the other two osplets stay safe and thrive.

At the Redding Eagle nest of Liberty and Guardian, Sentry fledged yesterday, Saturday, at 19:42. Sentry has not been seen since the fledge. He was 84 days old. Ground crews are searching for him. Not seeing him does not imply in any way that there is anything wrong. With all of the foliage it is difficult to see birds – even ones a metre tall!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, Star continues to branch and has been eating a fish brought into the nest.

Another nest to send your positive wishes for so that they find Sentry and he is OK or he flies right back into the nest!

Gosh, Star is such a gorgeous eaglet. Is it my imagination or the colour settings on the camera that Star and Sentry both appear to have the most beautiful ebony plumage especially on their heads? Star will be fledging soon. She will be 84 days old next Wednesday, the 15th of June.

Takoda has now branched as high as his dad, Mr President! All of these nearly ready to fledge eaglets are so beautiful. You can imagine that the adult is keeping a close eye on Takoda!

There is good news in Estonia at the Veterinary School at the University of Life Sciences. The three Black Storklets are eating and acting the same way that they would in the wild – grabbing fish from one another and being very lively! Very grateful to Urmas and Dr. Leivitis for their care of these young vulnerable storklets.

If you wish to send Dr Madis Leivitis a thank you note for what they are doing, this is his e-mail. I am certain he would appreciate hearing from you and for the moral support of the international community. Here it is: mleivits@gmail.com

The three of the West End nest of Thunder and Aketcheta. The fledglings Ahote and Kana’kini – and soon to be fledgling Sky – on the nest wanting fish!!!!

The latest image of fledgling Kana’kini below the transmitter. Look hard. She really blends into the landscape. Ahote has been on the nest and I believe he had an entire fish to himself! Way to go Ahote!

The Mum at the Cape Helopen State Park Osprey nest appears to be in shock. She comes and goes, always with little quiet cries. I wonder if she will bring in some material to cover the osplets like Dad did at the Captiva Osprey nest when Big died? Will continue to monitor but please if you see anything, let me know. I just feel so bad for her – and I wish that attitudes would change so that help would be forthcoming. No one in Estonia has ever taken Black Storklets into care but Dr Madis Leivitis did and is hoping that he can show that they can thrive in care and fledge to live a normal life in the wild. And dear Smedley lived at the Audubon Centre in Florida for 28 years and he was an Osprey. I am afraid I am long passed the statement that ‘Ospreys do not do well in care’. Who first said that? When did they say it? Is it a statement that has been passed down as fact for decades? Maybe it is time to try it again. We have an opportunity to help and we should be trying. Sorry for the rant. — Osplets could have been taken into care or fish could have been provided. — Even if the osplets died in care at least we could walk away and say we tried.

It is late in the day and the sun is just starting to go down. It looks like Mum with that beautiful necklace has tried fishing. Her head is still wet and slick. I do hope she was successful. Keep her in your most positive thoughts. We know her mate was 20 years old and was at this nest since 2006. We do not know how old Mum is or how long they were together (I can’t find it but if you know, please tell me). It is difficult to know what grief looks like. Unlike the other Osprey Mums this year who had other chicks to care for when tragedy hit, this Mum has lost her entire family.

A study in Scientific American printed in 2013 discussed grief in birds. Ducks have drowned themselves after the loss of a mate, a swan did the same thing, Crows and other Covids have roadside funerals. Magpies cover their departed with grass. Of course, there are other examples. You have seen many yourself. Shock would be the best way that I could describe this Mum’s behaviour. It is so sad and as one reader pointed out – “so entirely unnecessary!”

At the ND-LEEF nest, Little Bit 17 has eaten well today. Dad has delivered what appears to be another raccoon and Little Bit is keeping back but waiting to see if pecking sibling 16 leaves anything. Fingers crossed.

Little Bit moves up closer giving the hint that he would like some of that Raccoon. Little Bit has become quite the raccoon specialist these days.

Little Bit 17 hurried over to the porch area around 18:16. Did he find something?

Little Bit is around and back and up and at 18:56 he is at the top of the nest eating ‘something’.

Good luck, Little Bit 17!!!!!!!!! You are our inspiration.

Thank you for joining me for this update. It has been a tough year but let’s look to the survivors – and the ones like Little Bit 17 who have struggled to live – and be thankful they are still with us.

Take care everyone.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: EMS, ND-LEEF, Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey Cam, Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and Woodland Trust, NADC-AEF, and Friends of Redding Eagles.

Late Tuesday in Bird World

31 May 2022

I wish I could tell you that ND 17 our very own Little Bit was stuffing its face with fish right now but, that is not what is happening. So far as I can tell only a small fish has come on the nest today. Hoping for more fish later!

They are not raptors but I adore the Black Storks (and White ones) and I like to mention them now and again. The Black Storks are extremely rare in Estonia and Latvia making their nests mostly in the southern areas of the countries. These countries are the northernmost areas for Black Storks to breed. They are, thus, very special. Jan and Janika started out with six storklets in their nest in Estonia – five have survived. All five are doing well. The fifth one is small but it is right up there with the others eating well so I am hopeful — if food is plentiful that all will fledge. That nest is going to get awfully small when they start jumping around and flapping those wings. Janika brought in a large meal for all five!

The weather around the MN-DNR is gusty and wet like it is here. They are getting this same system that has moved north and east from Colorado. Nancy is on the nest feeding E1, Harriet. There appears to be a sub-adult on the perch. Nancy appears to be ignoring it at the moment.

Nancy leaves after feeding E1. The visiting sub-adult remains on the perch.

Later, Nancy is gone and so is the visitor.

It was hard to see Spirit take her first flight this morning. Spirit loves her food and I am pretty certain that Jackie and Shadow will lure her with prey. We will see if it is to the nest or off nest – time will tell. Spirit is 88 days 12 hours and 35 minutes old when she flies off the nest.

Remember when? What a beautiful couple with their miracle baby, Spirit.

Deb S caught Spirit’s fledge in a really short video clip. Oh, what a fabulous first flight. Soar high Spirit, stay safe, wishing you lots of fish and a long, long life.

The first sighting of Spirit caught after her fledge:

The three eyases at the Spartan Stadium scrape at the University of Michigan are losing their baby feathers just like the ones at Cal Falcons scrape.

The five eyases at the Manchester New Hampshire are watching as Mum is flying in with lunch!

Are you a fan of Tom and Audrey at the Chesapeake Conservancy Osprey Nest? If so, there is reason to celebrate. Audrey laid her fist egg of her second clutch today!

The Ls are getting bigger and restless. L1 ventured out to the fledge ledge today and anyone watching probably needed a double handful of worry beads. The chicks will run up and down the grate, stand and look out at the field and the trees from the fledge ledge days before actually flying. Big Red has been going and sitting there showing them where to take off so this is a good thing. L1 has been trying to climb the light box – a bad idea. J2 did fledge from there in 2020 but it is much easier to take off from the grate! at the ends! or in the middle between the bars in front. Fledge watch opens for L1 on Friday!

Gosh, I know it is nice to have the freshest fish but goodness it is scary when a live flappy one comes on the nest. That just happened to Telyn when Idris brought in a Flounder. You can hear her little cheeps when she is looking at the fish breathing.

Louis and Dorcha at their Loch Arkaig nest.

The newest addition to the Louis and Dorcha family! What a sweet little bundle.

Every chick got fed – again – at the Loch of the Lowes. Little Bob is doing good, holding its own there in the middle of its two big siblings who, if you look at the back of their heads, are changing plumage.

Aran has been getting the fish to Mrs G who is busy feeding the little ones.

It is hard to see the babies at Glacier Gardens but you sure can see the cars driving by!!!!!!! Would love to get in the head space of the Bald Eagles when they pick the site for a new nest.

They are beautiful and they are the Pittsburgh-Hayes trio! All have branched and they are flapping those wings just like the Three Amigos at the West End. Fledge is approaching!

Need to keep an eye on the US Steel Eaglets too. They have just received a prey drop and one of the adults is out on the branch giving some hints.

Fledge watch is officially on for Liberty and Guardian’s Star and Sentry at the Redding California Bald Eagle nest. Fledge should be from 29 May – 15 June. I love the wide window. That is about the same for the Pennsylvania eaglets at Pittsburg-Hayes and US Steel, too. They are all beautiful birds and we can knock on wood – none had the Avian Flu. What a relief.

The chicks at Cal Falcons are almost out of the scrape following the shade. They are hot and panting in the California heat. Look at the bottom and please go and vote so they have two great names!!!!!!

And last, but never least – the two Osplets on the UFlorida-Gainesville nest. At one time I thought we might wind up with only one chick on this nest. Big Bob was quite the terror. Middle persisted and we now have two beautiful birds getting ready to fledge. I counted six plus dark bands on Big Bob today but it is Middle Bob that looked like he would take off if a gust came!

Gosh these are beautiful raptors! Just stunning.

That is it for today. I just checked. It is nearing evening at the Notre-Dame nest. I wish beyond anything that two big fish come on that nest tonight. If not, Little Bit is still OK. Tomorrow evening if no fish have come in – or other prey – I will start to fret.

Thank you so much for joining me today. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or their FB pages: The Eagle Club of Estonia, ND-LEEF, Brywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Pix Cams, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Woodland Trust, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Postcode Lottery, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Cal Falcons, Friends of Big Bear Valley, Friends of Redding Eagles, MN-DNR, Glacier Gardens, Explore.org, Peregrine Networks, and Spartan Stadium Peregrine Cam.