You can tell the ‘air’ is different. The beautiful emerald colour at the top of the trees is quickly fading into gold, red, and copper. Summer is ending, and fall is here despite the fact that the temperature is 24 C.
Thank you again for all your amazing letters and your support. I can tell you that I really need all that positive energy. Each of you has asked for an update, so this is a snapshot of the past two days. Don was moved into a private room with a window. The doctors felt that he was not progressing because of the overstimulation of the brain in the emergency room. I fed him his lunch yesterday – he was ravenous. Today Jaine and Carter (daughter and oldest grandson) went at lunch to feed him and give him some homemade cookies. His appetite is good. Unfortunately, after they left, he fell. (He was not in his bed but in a wheelchair in the hall – a nice change from staring at the walls. I was told I could not get him a telly because it clamps to the rails on the bed and he could injure himself). Then he got agitated and was up again. This time it took five people to get him back, and they had to sedate him. All the nurse kept saying when she called was ‘he is big and strong’. He has a security guard with him now! I keep wondering what else in the world is going to happen? Something is certainly wrong, and as far as I can tell, it is one of the percolating infections he is trying to fight.
There are so many things, but if you have loved ones who are dehydrated, it can appear they have memory issues when they don’t. Infections cause sudden changes in behaviour and great agitation, sometimes violence. Please remember these two things because not everything is as it seems.
Bird World is pretty quiet.
The Royal Cam chick is 222 days old today. In about two weeks, Awoheh will be at the average for flight. The albatrosses return to Tairora Head when they are approximately five or six years old after foraging off the coast of Chile.
Blue 33 was still at Rutland but everyone else appears to be gone.
Beautiful fish for Wensi at Hellgate Canyon.
Idris is delivering some big ones to the Dyfi nest in Wales!
Teifi remains busy at Glaslyn.
Blue 8P7 is screaming for fish and Louis does not disappoint at Loch Arkaig.
No activity at Blackbush that I could see.
Fish still coming into the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum nest for the two juveniles that have not left.
No prey for 37 and 38 at the Olympic Park WBSE nest so far today. Adults have arrived twice empty taloned.
Incubation continues at 367 Collins Street. Four beautiful peregrine falcon eggs!
Gorgeous Mum at Port Lincoln Osprey barge hoping for a breakfast fish from Dad soon!
More osprey nest news from South Australia:
Maria Marika gives us news of the black storks.
Lin Lawson brings us news from Charlo, Montana.
Remember to get your purple out to honour Jackie on the 4th! That is this Friday.
Thank you for being with us today. I hope to be back with you tomorrow but it could be Friday or Saturday depending on what is happening at the hospital. In the meantime, please take care of yourself. See you soon!
Thank you to all the owners of the streaming cams who let us watch these amazing birds, and to those who posted information and images on FB. I am terribly grateful.
The end for the second hatch at Cowlitz PUD came Friday afternoon. The poor thing had suffered from lack of food all its life. I have to admit that this is not a nest that I enjoy watching – never have. I even phoned the Cowlitz PUD and spoke to them about fish availability one year. I was told there were a lot of eagles in the area. We learned this later when an eagle took three healthy chicks off the nest, one after another. The company put up an ingenious mechanism made out of fish grates to keep the eagles away from the nest. I do not know why those that have osprey nests with known GHO or Eagle strikes do not get in touch for the plans. According to the receptionist, they are easy – just weld fish grates to the sides of the nest opposite at an angle. Ospreys can come and go but eagles and owls cannot get the correct angle to fly in, grab the chick, and get out! Look at the nest and how these grills are attached on the live feed.
The only surviving chick at Loch of the Lowes was ringed and deemed to be a male.
Two chicks died at the Clinton, CT osprey nest, leaving one. Storms in the CT area contributed to additional deaths due to a lack of fish deliveries. These two died of starvation.
In the vast arguments over Menhaden, some have said that Bald Eagles take all the fish that the osprey need. Some people didn’t have a count on what fish and how many were being delivered. Heidi has been meticulous in the fish counts for the nests she is monitoring (and others!). She has learned to identify species so fast my head spins. What a great asset she is to all of us.
Loch Arkaig has put out Louis’s breaking record fish count and compared it to other years. An Osprey taking 36-44 fish per week for a family of four will not break The Bay! Do not let the arguments confuse you. The problem is industrial overfishing! The second problem is weather.
This fish count comes from Mary Cheadle and the Friends of Loch Arkaig FB group:
Following on from the information I shared yesterday re the fish counts, Steve reported today on the Woodland Trust chat that Louis smashed his week 12 record
Here Steve gives a more comprehensive season update.
Thanks Steve
Nest 2 fish summary to week 12 (where does one start!)
Firstly a huge thank you to all the fish counting team and our ever faithful forum contributors, you miss nothing, citizen science at its absolute best
Nature never ceases to amaze, just a few months ago this old osprey of ours had us all convinced he had been taken by the osprey gods, now in this week 12 he has rewritten the records for weekly fish deliveries, not to mention raising yet another 2 healthy young that will hopefully fledge.
Friday (10/7/26) brought week 12 to a close since the first fish was delivered by Louis.
Louis delivered a record 44 fish to the nest taking his total to 262 (excl 2 from Dorcha).
This gives a 2026 YTD weekly average of 22 fish (c28 post hatch)
Previous week 12 totals (average to 2025 is 30 fish):
2020 – 36
2022 – 34
2023 – 26
2024 – 30
2025 – 25
2026 – 44
As we go into week 13 the average is 28 fish.
Previous YTD week 12 totals (average to 2025 is 238 fish):
2020 (2 male, 1 female) – 256
2022 (2 female) – 261
2023 (1 male) – 218
2024 (1 male) – 231
2025 (2 male) – 226
2026 (2 female) – 262
The range of daily deliveries was 4 to 8 fish per day
The most popular delivery hour is:
5 to 5.59 am – 25 Fish
Louis has had such a successful week I am not going to dwell on this seasons records, but that of all time records:
Most deliveries in a week solo – 44 Fish, Louis previous best was 39 fish in week 13 of 2020! The highest ever joint weekly total was 41 (6 by Aila) fish in week 18 of 2020. He surpasses that total also, solo.
Fastest time between same day fish deliveries (2026 season), 9 mins 21 secs on 10/7/26 between fish 2 and 3, on the same day he brought 4 fish in 44 minutes, not a stat I measure, but worthy of a mention.
As this season is looking good for 2 fledglings, it allows us to compare to 2022 and 2025 when there was also 2 fledglings.
From this data we are seeing accurate data showing the difference between males and females, we know most female raptors are are around 20% larger than males, so they need more food to get to fledging (as an average).
2022 (2 female) – 261
2025 (2 male) – 226
2026 (2 female) – 262
Quite an extraordinary week, last weeks report stated week 12 was as on average the highest yielding week across our 5 previous fish counting seasons, but this I did not expect.
Remarkable consistency that the week 12 totals for 2022 and 2026 are now just 1 fish apart, these 2 years having 2 females, it will be interesting to see how these totals compare come season end.
We know fish weight is more important than quantity, but I believe the weight roughly balances out over the season.
Just amazing to watch this master of the skies and water continue to provide for his family.
Well done Louis
Jill was at the Achieva nest looking for any sign of her babies! She and Jack continue to bring in fish once in a while, but no one is showing up. Congratulations on a great year, Jill. Wishing Big and Little long lives and big crops.
At the Ferguson Museum Mum is bringing in the fish and today the only remaining osplet had a nice meal.
There are three, seemingly healthy osplets – fully feathered – at the Blackwater Osprey platform in Maryland. These are a few relevant dates.
June 20, 2026: The 3 chicks are still visible in the nest, so glad to report all 3 are doing well.
June 1, 2026: We see three little chick heads bobbing in the nest cup. You can see a video clip on our YouTube channel.
May 27, 2026: The female has been feeding at least one chick in the nest.
April 17, 2026: The female is sitting down in the nest and appears to be incubating at least one egg. We hope to see hatching around the week of May 20.
The heat that we are having is going to hit all of the osprey nests in the region of the Prairies of Canada and the upper Mid-West of the US (I hope I said that correctly). I am thinking of the family at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum where likely they will have 45 C with the humidex as well.
There was an early fish and wingers and a beautiful apple bough that Mum brought to the nest.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 10th July 2026
Both fish and name suggestions flooded in today – Louis brought seven fish for his family, delivering the first four in under forty five minutes! The Nest Two total now stands at two hundred and sixty four. Since George WTS opened the Name Game yesterday, dozens if not hundreds of names have been proposed and there’s still plenty of time for more suggestions before it closes at noon on Monday. Submit your suggestions via Woodland Trust social media Facebook and Bluesky, or here in the comments section, and remember to use the hashtag #2026NAME if you want your names to be included for the judging panel’s review. The chicks are looking very strong, vocalising loudly, rearranging the nest furnishings, and exercising their suddenly big full-size wings – we will be on fledge-watch soon. Garry LV0 brought one fish to Aurora 536, taking the on-cam nest tally to one hundred and fifty.nine which figure holds little meaning as many fish will have been delivered during the daily cam downtime, and the pair are spending more and more time away from the nest. In fact, neither of the pair returned to the nest after Garry delivered that fish around 6pm, and at the time of filing this report, half past midnight, the nest is still empty and it appears Aurora might be spending her first night away from the nest since laying her single, and unviable, egg on 30th April. The weather was settled and dry, the forecasted drizzle and light rain didn’t materialise, and tonight’s forecast for Inver Mallie is light rain, light winds and a low of 15°C overnight, changing to light rain showers with sunny spells and a high of 21°C tomorrow.
Osoyoos: Both parents at nest. Chick has crop and looks alert.
Cowlitz PUD: So hungry they are eating some of the body of the chick that just died. Electra is going to have to go fishing.
Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho: No rewind but the three osplets look great.
There have been some good feedings. This screen capture provided by Carol.
If you missed it, ringing at Seilli Island and a big celebration. First chicks hatched on this platform in ten years!
RINGING 9 July Seili: male, red KJA, Wing 329mm, Weight 1,500g Nauvo: female, yellow R5S, Wing 326mm, Weight 1,690g Utu: female, red KHX, Wing 283 mm, Weight 1,660g
Hildur arrived on 14 April and Stefu (TFS) on 15 April Eggs were laid on 25 April, 28 April and 1 May Chicks hatched 1 June, 3 June and 5 June
Beautiful feathered golden eaglet at Estonia 2. Parents have brought in prey, and it is set-feeding, but it needed some help when they came in with a Raccoon Dog. A raccoon dog (or tanuki) is not a raccoon; it is a wild canid native to East Asia, most closely related to true foxes. Named for its mask-like facial markings, it is an opportunistic omnivore and is the only dog-like animal known to hibernate
Loki and Caitir have been seen at the White-tail eagle nest in the Outer Hebrides restoring their bond after the loss of their second hatch, Loki.
Blackbush: Little 4 is still alive and up at the beak for what will be a very good feeding. As each day passes I become more hopeful that this little one will survive if we can keep the fish coming.
Dewey Beach: There is sure a lot of wing flapping going on.
Do Ospreys in Nova Scotia eat Menhaden? Yes, they do. They also find some trout in the small lakes. Did Ethel and Oscar not breed this year at Russell Lake? Was it because Ethel was very late? Or is there another reason? Osprey deaths in Connecticut (where there have been storm- and weather-related deaths due to adults being unable to fish) are prompting questions in other areas where there appears to be no impact from industrial fishing in the Bay in the US. Those chasing the big ships out of Reedsville will say they are taking all of the menhaden, including the small babies that could fuel the future (and then they get dumped, dead) and moving up along the coast. The Menhaden in Maine are said to be going out to deep water. Thoughts?
It is raining in Estonia. Will this provide the much needed little frogs and fish that this Black Stork nest requires? Is there a fish basket for them as well from Urmas?
From Looduskalendar: This beautiful black stork nest is located in Jõgeva County in Estonia. It is a neighbouring nest to the former Jan & Janika Black Stork nest. The nest was found in 2024 by Renno Nellis and he installed a trail camera.
Feeding by the male today:
Later the male brings food:
The ps from the storklets are small indicating much more food and hydration is needed.
It seems that wildlife is suffering everywhere, whether it is from storms that cause the rivers to rush and flood, becoming muddy so they cannot be fished, or drought, or human-caused overfishing by industry. Habitat loss – toxic spills…they have seen it all this year!
It appears that the egg on the nest of Bety and Bukacek at Mlade Buky is not going to hatch.
Calico’s Tip for the Day: What might be simple fun for humans can be deadly for birds and other wildlife. Let’s clean up after ourselves and please put away sports equipment.
Death trap: what to do about the everyday items catching and killing Australian wildlife
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care if you are in an area of special heat concern, like we are. Keep hydrated and stay inside. Close the blinds to conserve energy. Do not be a hero! But please provide water sources for the animals outside and food if you can. Thank you.
Thank you to everyone who I have quoted in my blog today – to Geeemeff for their daily summary for Loch Arkaig, to all who posted on FB, to the owners of the streaming cams, to Lookduskalender and their great team who keep up with the Eastern European wildlife.
Oh, my goodness. It is pouring down rain again and Toby has his thunder shirt on! Thanks to ‘P’ I have discovered they also make these calming jackets for cats. Missey is the other one that was soooooo anxious during the recent storms so that I have now ordered one for her. The running joke amongst us is that the animals have more outfits than we do! It’s true. They are the glue that holds our mental health in place along with the garden and its wildlife.
Our neighbourhood is very concerned. Neither Brock nor Charlie, the cat with the frozen folded ear, have been seen and they disappeared at the same time. I do not believe in coincidences. Neighbours have adjusted their cameras and put out bowls o food in an attempt to see if we can spot them on camera. Don, Toby, and I have called and banged on every shed and garage and one house that is vacant with work being done for fear they are locked in. Brock would not easily go into a trap. I tried him many times but, he might be lured into a house or a space to go to sleep and then someone close the door and not come back. Jane and I are beside ourselves with worry.
P1 fledged at the nest of Big Red and Arthur on the Cornell Campus on Thursday. Congratulations. P2 is ready, but P3 isn’t. How can you tell? To properly fly, we should be able to clearly see five or six dark bands on their tail.
Can you tell who is the youngest by the number of bands? Laura Culley taught me this.
Clark came to say hello, then delivered a stick for the cot rails, and then within a few minutes returned with a breakfast fish for Iris and baby.
Now that industrial fishing has begun in the NE, it appears there are fewer and fewer fish for males to find and deliver to their nests. There have been deaths in the last few days, including Forsythe. I was inherently sad before this osprey season began, and I feel as if someone just punched me in the gut really hard at the start of each day. Heidi and I predicted this more than three years ago. The decline is happening swiftly. The adults who hatched babies cannot find enough fish to feed themselves and their chicks. They also know that even if a few live, they won’t find fish when they fledge. I had hoped that the ospreys would choose not to breed at all, as Duke and Daisy did a couple of years ago at Barnegat Light. What you are watching is the slow extinction of a species in a region of the US that should not be happening. While some might wish to point to all manner of causes – Bald Eagles eating millions of tonnes of fish so the osprey don’t have any – the real culprit is the industrial trawling using spotter planes of the fish that is the basis of the ecosystem in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas. Menhaden. You are witnessing this. It is not going to get any better. What we must do is celebrate the chicks that survive, find a fairy or two to help Little Dewey, and make it rain fish for those that are still alive. In other words, a miracle.
We have another female who is going out fishing to try and keep her babies alive – Hennie at Henlopen State Park. Thanks, Heidi.
The weather at Dewey Beach has been very bad and Little Dewey has had no fish in at least 24 hours.
Has Mum gone fishing, too? I hope so!
At 1600 Mum returned with literally a minnow for Little Dewey. He has had only this snack in more than 24 hours. I really wish someone would drop fish on this nest. If this chick starves to death in front of us like the one last year, it is going to be hard to deal with. The cause of the lack of fish is manmade – industrial fishing – cannot someone do something?
Mum might determine that there is no fish for her baby as he gets older and abandons the nest. This is an acute possibility. We have to be prepared.
Every nest I have checked needs fish in the US – it would be good to see 5-7 fish on these nests where the chicks are in the Reptile phase or later. Dewey is getting feathers. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum babies seem tiny.
The nest is so full of human debris and it appears only one egg that Bety is incubating – it just doesn’t feel right this year at Mlade Buky. Maybe it is just me.
Finnish nest 4. Two chicks in reptile phase doing well.
Beautiful juvenile feathers on the trio at Finnish nest 1.
Two tiny tiny little osplets at Ilomansti Finnish 2 nest.
Three at Oyster Bay getting their juvenile feathers.
Three covered with feathers at Clark PUD in Washington.
Chick 2 is calling for prey, and Mum fed at the Lesser Spotted Eagle nest in Estonia. We can only take this nest one day at a time as Lesser Spotted Eagles practice obligate siblicide (the oldest chick kills the younger).
This black stork nest is doing so well in Estonia that a foster storklet has been added.
Bobby Bach (third Bob) is doing find according to the folks at Glaslyn. There was some concern after the recent removal of fishing line but they have been monitoring the situation with their own special cameras closely and conclude he is alright. The weather has been terrible, but Teifi has been delivering fish, regardless. Here is Bobby Bach right up front and using its crop as a pillow.
Syfadden has been bringing in the fish to the Usk Valley while Clogwyn has made certain – despite their size that they are kept warm and dry in the bad weather of Wales.
At Rutland Manton Bay’s nest of Maya and Blue 33, the osplets, fully feathered, enter their fledge window in less than a fortnight from 28th Jun – 11 Jul. I wish every osplet in the US had the chance for fish that this nest has!
That is a nest full of osplets – four of them – at Poole Harbour – doing just fine. CJ7 and Blue 022. Amazing. They will probably break Maya and Blue 33s record of fledging four (I must check – it could be this clutch!).
I feel like I am the bearer of bad news. Despite the understanding, several years ago, that Heidi and I had that this would happen if the industrial fishing of Menhaden was not curtailed, it is still more than difficult. It doesn’t have to happen. Every person reading my blog, their friends, anyone who loves ospreys should be calling Audubon, anyone in the State of Virginia including the Governor, and every TV, radio, and newspaper channel.
Thank you for being with us. I keep saying that I am going to take a break and it might just be this weekend that I do. It is a little overwhelming seeing so many babies and parents starving. Take care. There are fledges to come on the Channel Islands and P2 at Cornell.
Thank you to everyone who posted information on FB and images, the owners of the streaming cams, and to each of you for your comments and information sent to me by other means.
It was a fantastic day to be outside. The garden is really ‘loud’ with birdsong – you can hear them more than half a block away! And the rain and heat have done the plants wonders.
Some images that we are enjoying.
A memory and a treasure. A Paolo Soleri bell. He died during the month when I met my friend Lynne in Phoenix for a mini-break, too many years ago now.
The peonies will be blooming, but are off limits to Toby just like the hydrangeas as they are toxic to dogs.
We are sitting outside, and Mr Crow has come for a visit. I thought he was going to have a bath, but he jumped down onto the ground. I wonder what caught his eye.
The sparrows had a lot of fun in the bird bath today, but it meant that we had to clean it about four times! Oh, they make a mess.
You never have your camera when you truly need it. Mr Crow is balancing on one of the flower poles, waiting for the squirrel to finish at the table feeder. Oh, he is back at the bird bath and now off he goes. Lots of activity between 1900-2100.
Oh, how sad. It appears the eldest chick (they both hatched on 11 June) crawled out from under New Female at Charlo, Montana during the night when it was in the 50s and succumbed to hypothermia. The NF tried several times to get the chick back under her for warmth to no avail. What a tragic nest accident!
Mum trying to get her baby back.
The Eagle Dock Osprey Nest is located in Cold Spring Harbour, New York. It sits out in the distance across the mudflats, visible from the shoreline near the Eagle Dock Community Beach (on Shore Road) and the adjacent Shore Road Sanctuary. Their osprey cam has gone live and the two adults are present.
I think each of you had your eyes on that beautiful eaglet Snow at Traverse City, Michigan, when its nest slid, and it fell. All the while, we noted that the adults were the most incredible parents. Snow had no parasites or infections and was well fed and feathered on the initial examination. Snow was strong, and her two fractures are healing nicely, and she is receiving the best of care at Northern Sky Raptor Sanctuary. Today, they announced that Snow is a female! I will note that the parents continue to go to the nest. Yes, raptors have feelings and they are missing their Snow. What a lucky eaglet to have such good care. Many do not.
I am confounded. We are used to seeing fishing line and baling twine on US osprey and eagle nests. It was not until this year that it seemed to be a common occurrence at UK osprey nests. Yesterday, the great folks at Glaslyn successfully removed the fishing line and hook that were wrapped around the youngest chick from the nest of Elen and Teifi. Thank you to everyone who notified them and those who helped quickly!
We love Luna and Sandy – Jackie and Shadow’s soon-to-fledge eaglets – at Big Bear. They are getting closer and closer. SK Hideaways caught Luna getting higher! https://youtu.be/If_H8omr7nk?
This is what our ospreys are up against. The industrial fishing (not the commercial fishing of the locals) needs to stop. Omega needs to be mothballed.
One of Canada’s leading authors, Margaret Atwood, is saving Pelee Island (along with her family) for migratory birds)
Oh, there are chicks dying in Finland. The latest is at LS #5.
I had many questions about Steelscape’s camera. It is not streaming. Our ‘sleuth’, PB, had a contact and has discovered that the individual who wanted the streaming cam and who was in IT has been made redundant. These things happen. I continue to be thankful for the Achieva Osprey cam – especially this year, as it has been a stunner, but the individual who led the effort might no longer be with that branch. There was once an active FB group just for the nest.
There is one osplet at The Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbour, New Jersey (south). Baby appears to waiting for fish. This is the first time I have checked on this nest. Does anyone have details?
Beautiful family portrait of White Stork family in Lubla Parish, Poland. Storklets are Eliasz & Gabriel.
Big Red doesn’t like her babies to fledge when it is raining. Of course, she is so smart – their feathers would be heavy and it is also windy. To keep them home, she often feeds them constantly!
So where are the other two? Are they at the end or down on the ledge? It appears that the first fledge might have been at 1825. I await official confirmation.
All is well at Hellgate Canyon with Iris, Clark, and Baby.
The oldest chick that died of hypothermia at Charlo, Montana overnight has not been removed from the nest. This is so sad. Let us hope that nothing happens to Only Bob.
Three little ones at Osoyoos. Pray for this nest and the others that are struggling – perhaps, in reality, that is almost all of them in one way or another.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 18th June 2026
It was wet and windy today, and there was a moment which could have been nasty but fortunately wasn’t – a gust of wind caught Dorcha and flipped her over, taking a chick as well. But Dorcha righted herself and the chick quickly crawled back under her with no harm done. On the 6th anniversary of Legendary Louis and the Day of Nine Fish, it was a slow fish day, Louis only brought two fish and the second was such a tiddler it was gone in four minutes. Chick1 achieved a milestone by swallowing the small tail, while earlier Dorcha had struggled to swallow the much larger tail of the first fish. The Nest Two tally now rises to one hundred and fifty three, and Garry LV0’s single fish takes the Nest One tally to one hundred and twenty two. Aurora 536 spent most of the day incubating the unviable egg, how long she’ll keep doing that is a matter of speculation. Heavy rain and light winds with a low of 15°C is the overnight forecast, changing to light rain showers, a gentle breeze and a high of 17°C tomorrow.
Thank you so much for being with us. It is time to do a wee bit of weeding in the garden before getting the lads inside. We hope that you had a wonderful Thursday. Take care of yourself. Please get outside if you can. Nature is regenerating!
Thank you to ‘MP’ and ‘PB’ re the Steelscape streaming cam, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos and for that incredible daily summary of happenings at Loch Arkaig. I am grateful to everyone who owns a streaming cam that stays on and lets us watch these incredible birds. Streaming cams cost money and human power – so thank you! And to everyone who posted information, put images and events on FB – we are so grateful.
It is a beautiful coolish summer day on the Canadian Prairies. We had a lovely walk and visited with our neighbour and her two Cavaliers and watched as everyone put the final touches on their front flower beds. I admire ‘our block’. Everyone helps one another, comes together for a cause, and takes care of their property. People with big dogs cross the street so as not to confound the little ones. Nice.
We have been spending so much time on the new lounge sofa and chairs. It was the best thing I could do for Don. It is not soft like the sofa, and he can lift himself up and out much more easily. Toby gives it a thumbs-up, since he can stay in the shade or run around in the sun. From the top deck, we can listen and watch the birds without frightening them. The Starling fledglings are still here. Too soon, they will leave with their parents and return later in the fall. What I like is that the garden, with all the rain we have had, is now so private. The trees are tall, and all the shrubs are doing well. It is like living in a forest full of birds.
Birds are falling for all kinds of reasons – weather and storms making old nests heavy and weak and they are falling or accidents especially when prey is delivered.
Everyone held their breath. Big Red is not at the nest so much now that the chicks are self-feeding and nearing fledge, and when she is there, all eyes are on that nest. Well, today we held our breath as P1 fell out of the nest cup. At first, everyone worried that it was all the way to the ground, but thankfully, it was only to a lower platform. Big Red was feeding P3.
Siblings look down.
My goodness. They are cute. Look at the eyes of P2.
The camera went to the construction site and then we see P1 stunned back on the nest. P1 flew back into the nest from the platform. It did not fall all the way to the ground.
Everything is OK.
What a relief.
At the Royal Oak nest, Peace successfully fledged. Two local individuals went to the tree to try to help if Peace was grounded. It is on a branch. Everyone is hoping that the adults will feed their chick.
Black storklet hatches in Estonia.
There is a fourth osplet that has hatched at the Prince Edward Island Osprey nest at Blackbush.
The Stellar’s Eagle ‘Stella’ that has been living in North River, Newfoundland, Canada, displaced a fledgling Bald Eagle. Here it is on video by Bald Eagle Lives Nests and News. There is also ome other good information on both species and their interactions: https://youtu.be/5DS5PJ71c7M?
We have news from Ping Shen in Seattle. “Good news to share – a bit behind last year, but Osplet #1 has hatched for Harry & Sally! Visited today and noticed an egg shell on the side of the nest, and sure enough…there was a little one! Perhaps a day or two old, is my guess. Saw a quick feed, and noticed (at least) one other egg still in the nest, so likely more to come…Harry and Sally both seem to be doing well – still very sweet to observe them watching over their precious Osplet.”
There is at least one osplet at Threave Osprey Nest 3.
Clark continues to keep the big fish coming to the nest. Will this little cutie pie be an only? Someone mentioned a possible pip in egg 2.
The two eaglets at the Big Bear Valley nest, Luna and Sandy, are getting very close to fledge.
Little Dewey has won all of our hearts and minds. Please continue to send good wishes to this nest.
At Pitkin County, Emma and Charlie are being incredible parents.
It looks like Charlie and the New Female at the Charlo Montana nest could have three soon – is that a crack in that third egg?
I keep checking on Bety and Bukachek to see if we have a hatch at Mlade Buky. I am not seeing anything else.
After fearing the worst, the Mum returned to the Kaljukotkas 2 Golden Eagle nest in Estonia – a fact that saved the life of that healthy little eaglet.
Life+ posted:
We have another hatch today in Finland and it is at the Ilomantsi nest.
Take care, everyone. We hope the start to the week is a good one for each and every one of you.
Thank you to Ping Shen for the excellent images of the Seattle ospreys. It is so great to hear from you and see that Sally and Harry are doing well. Thank you to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams from which I took my screen captures today. I am eternally grateful to witness our birds’ lives.
Hello everyone, from a very hot Canadian Prairie that is due to get hotter. Ann kept Don and Toby inside. Friday is to be 34. I think that sounds like a walk at the mall!!!!!!!!
Allow me to take a deep breath, and before we get into the lawsuit in Florida about Scrub Jays, I want to say that by some miracle, the branch that broke on the Traverse City Bald Eagle nest in Michigan, fell and caught itself on the tree adjacent, and is supporting that tilted nest. How long it will hold, we do not know. I hope it is long enough for Snow to fly. We need a good three weeks. The average is 10-14 weeks. So, right now, Snow is 6.5 weeks old.
Now, back to the Endangered Florida Scrub Jays. We have a detective in our midst, and ‘R’ was able to find out the following information which should really bring a light to the threat to the birds!
“I searched for this, and got the following:
Yes, it appears Colosi knew (or should have known) about the protected status before buying. Key facts: • Purchase date: March 2024.  • Habitat plan: Charlotte County’s Scrub-Jay Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) was approved in 2014 — a full 10 years earlier. It’s been public policy since then, with clear rules and fees for building in designated areas.  • Public records: The county’s property records for his specific parcel note that “Land value may be adjusted due to scrub jay habitat.” It’s also visible on the county’s GIS maps (a public online tool)
Did he actually know? • Colosi and his lawyers (Pacific Legal Foundation) have not directly said whether he was aware of the restrictions when he bought it. When journalists asked, they avoided answering. • Critics and local observers point out it’s hard to miss: the restrictions are on maps, in public records, and part of standard real estate due diligence in the area. Many people assume he bought it anyway, possibly betting on a legal challenge. This is a classic “buyer beware” (caveat emptor) situation. The restrictions were already in place long before he purchased the 5 acres. He’s now challenging the fee system as unconstitutional rather than claiming he was blindsided.”
I love this type of deep digging and finding the true facts. Thank you, ‘R’. I hope that there are lawyers representing Scrub Jays. They have represented ‘trees’ why not birds and rivers? I must look into this. Gosh I wish I had the time I had before Don’s dementia entered my world.
A respected scientist recognized.
We are all pulling for Dewey Beach. Last year, the only surviving osplet died on day 50, five days from fledging, due to starvation. This year only one egg hatched and this little sweetheart has woven itself into our hearts. Dad is finding little fish, sometimes a nice sized Menhaden. Please keep sending positive wishes that this single osplet survives and flies. Now the question I have is this: When does Omega Protein start taking out all the fish?
Found out: Omega Protein’s menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay typically begins in May. For the 2026 season, operations are set to ramp up significantly in June.
Fundraising at Poole Harbour. Looking for a beautiful osprey print?
Myrtle, the female whose five eggs were destroyed by two different males, has returned to Loch Garten and is being courted by a pale male.
‘PB’ reports that there are four osplets at Steelscape in WA. They note that the older two are already fighting! Send them positive wishes. Mum is trying her best to feed all including little 4.
Please be sure to go and vote for the name for NewGuy2 at Hellgate Canyon. Iris’s great mate needs a name!
Help name Iris’s mate! Vote on your favorite name by June 2, and you could win free enrollment in Bird Academy’s Hawk and Raptor ID course. Vote here https://hubs.la/Q04hFrKD0
A nest of hawklets for Big Red and Arthur!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 27th May 2026
No rain, no intruders, just sunshine and plenty of fish today. Louis delivered two fish for Dorcha, taking the Nest Two tally to ninety, while over on Nest One, Garry LV0 delivered three fish to Aurora 536, taking that tally to eighty five. Aurora actually refused the second fish but took the third one eagerly, perhaps she’d worked up an appetite following her encounter with a Great Tit which startled her so much she fled the nest. Safe to say, the tiny passerine was also startled – the size difference is stupendous. Another dry night of clear skies and light winds is forecast with a low of 9°C overnight, continuing tomorrow with sunny intervals, a gentle breeze and a high of 25°C. At the time of filing this report (00.30), Cam Two is still on day mode. This time next week we could have our first hatch! Fingers crossed these calm conditions continue.
Monty and Hartley certainly have their hands full with these four boys. Thanks, SK Hideaways for capturing some of the antics: https://youtu.be/gJPOZNVVLf4?
The trio at the nest of Maya and Blue 33 are now in the Reptilian Phase. Big ones in food coma and Maya feeding the third hatch. It looks like the final egg is a Dudley.
One of those short reads that is so informative – think White Storks and how people love them. They bring luck and my friends and readers in Poland and other parts of Europe treasure these beautiful birds and pray that they will make a nest on their home!
‘PB’ sent me a note at a time when I really needed a renewal in trusting humans to help. A female White Stork whose eggs were hatching lost her mate. The community takes turn feeding her just like they did at Mlade Buky.
Good night Bety and Bukachek.
Little Golden Eaglet safe under Mum in Estonia.
Black Stork Nest 3 in Estonia has 3 eggs.
Toby says ‘enough is enough’. It is time to play fetch! How can I resist those eyes?
There is a second hatch at Pont Cresor! Yeah for Aeron Z2 and Blue 014.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. Stay cool and hydrated if you are in a region that is hot like it is here. See you soon!
Thank you to all my contributors – to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos and reports, to ‘PB’ for keeping me up to date on several nests, to the folks that are literally with their will power and that supporting branch miracle holding up Snow’s nest, and to the others who wrote reports and posted them on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams who let us view these incredible bird families. Thank you to all! We are so fortunate.
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
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.
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.
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?
If this is HPAI, the source and the cause is ‘human’. Does this not qualify then for intervention?
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.
Iris is like Myrtle. She has not eaten in awhile. NG2 is not bringing fish and this could be because the river remains rapid.
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.
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.
This has to go first as I missed it so a belated happy birthday to Jackie and Shadow!
And before anything else, a ‘fiver’ will give you the opportunity to vote for the names for Gabby and Beau’s eaglets. But you must hurry!
Great capture of a tandem feeding by Gabby and Beau!
I wish you could have been at story time this afternoon. It was so warm in the conservatory. I started reading – Don and Toby were already there. Calico ran in when she heard my voice and then Baby Hope. The two Calicos stayed for over an hour and then left – and that is when I stopped reading. There was just something about their presence, the sun shining in the glass, and the blue sky. It really was so nice and warm and cosy. The light streaming in demanded that we have story time early, and it was beautiful. We shall switch the time to the early afternoon on these bright sunny days.
SK Hideaways has good news: “Quick news flash: Jackie & Shadow were observed mating on the Lookout Snag at 14:30:55!”
Jak and Audacity’s egg is holding! Send them your continued best wishes.
Bird Flu continues to take lives and now it is the Thames Valley Swans that are under threat.
It is so wonderful that people like Penny Albright who is vacationing is also sending us news about the local ospreys on Sanibel! Thank you.
Lucille Powell reminds us that Rosie could be arriving at the platform she shares with Richmond in a fortnight!
Storks seem to be returning to certain areas of Europe. In some areas of France, people are beginning to feel the transition from winter to spring. Some are seeing a few daffodils and quince blossoms.
I am so pleased that many are learning about the flightless parrot, the Kakapo, and checking in on the streaming cam. There are so few of these birds left and great care is taken with them just as the NZ DOC does with the Royal Albatross.
Jak and Audacity now have their second egg.
Thank you so much for being with us for this quick check on our friendly raptors. We will be back with you at the end of the week! Please take care of yourself.
Thank you to the creators of the videos that I have linked here today, the authors of the FB posts, and The Guardian for its coverage of the raptors and the environment. I am so grateful. My blog would not be the same without your talents!
Is it Thanksgiving in the US? I think so. So for all of you celebrating, have a wonderful, wonderful day.
We had snow on Tuesday night that started at midnight. Hugo Yugo and I were up watching the delicate flakes fall, but then the rain came. On Wednesday morning, the sky was icy gray and gloomy. Three girls were watching the squirrels scurry about outside waiting for me to dispense the peanuts.
Over coffee, I re-arranged my list of things to do citing the most important at the top going down to the least. There was another section of things to do for fun when life gets overwhelming.
On Wednesday, we set about getting Don a new ID (he can no longer drive so has no license) and passport pictures, as his passport needs to be renewed. Those were the two most critical items on the list. Then, it was time for some fun, so we went to find some things to decorate the window by my grandmother’s dining room table.
My grandmother was the most special person in my life next to my father. I don’t need her table or her quilts or her needlework to remind me of her. She is always present. Her family was from Switzerland where her grandfather was the Regierungsratspräsident or local government council president of Chur, a canton in the northeast. His job was to preside over meetings – not nearly as glamorous as it might sound! We have travelled to see the family home – a traditional house with an attached barn with the vineyards behind the house going up the mountain. It was incredibly beautiful. I am often asked why my great-grandfather left. It was very simple. Simeon was not the first son; Johannes was. All of the other boys would need to find their way as the oldest would inherit everything. So, at the age of fifteen, Simeon crossed the Atlantic alone, first settling in Virginia and then taking a wagon train to West Texas before finally settling in Oklahoma. He had intended to set himself up as a watchmaker, but all of his tools were stolen on that fateful journey to Texas. Instead, he became a cattle rancher.
The table originally belonged to Simeon and my great-grandmother, Caroline. It is unclear when and where they acquired the quarter-cut oak table with its heavy pedestal. At one point, it had several leaves that could be added or removed depending on the number of people dining. I found it buried in a blackberry patch, where it had been for who knows how long, and it only had two leaves left. For more than half a century, this table has accompanied my family, adding to its rich history. If only tables could talk!
We are creating a little woodland scene on that table. Right now, the focus is on placing little felt birds around the pine cones and candle. No telling what it will look like at the end of the week.
Our fun today was attaching little lights that hung down all across the window along with glittery paper snowflakes. Hopefully, Hugo Yugo will not chew on the little lights of the felt birds.
Missy moved in to watch from the sitting area.
Later, Hugo Yugo plunked herself down in front of the wood stove where she refused to move. (It is 0 C outside, but inside the register is reading 25 C – toasty!)
We now have story time before the fire, and everyone agrees that Olivia Laing’s book, In Search of a Common Paradise. The Garden Against Time is not too bad. I’ll let you know more about those later.
Bazz Hockaday has confirmed that the light installed on the barge has allowed Mum to see and catch the fish in the water just below the nest. She did not fish in past years and this is the reason for the change this year. Wilko, Kasse, and Mum enjoying a very early morning snack.
Just a beautiful osprey family. Chicks self-feeding.
So far…
Precious Mum having a nap. She has brought in all three fish on Thursday at the barge and it is now 1330 nest time. Help us out Dad or fairies…Mum is more than pulling her weight. Gosh, golly. She is gold.
When asked about Yira, Cilla Kinross replied on the chat: “I have seen her once in the field (no photos) and several probable sightings via ledge and tower cam. Some videos available on the Youtube channel FalconCam Project.”
The photograph of this bird has been making the rounds. I am unclear now who took it, but it was taken in Puerto Rico. A dark green band could be an osprey ringed in either France (Corsica) or Portugal. Enquiries have been sent out. It reminds me of Blue KW0 discovered in Barbados two years ago. I will let you know what I discover. spotted in Barbados who was a UK osprey. They do sometimes get ‘carried away’ by the winds.
I love owls, but not when they bother osprey chicks (or any other chicks for that matter). Please eat the mice! There are plenty of them. Barn owls are particularly gorgeous.
All About Birds says: “Ghostly pale and normally strictly nocturnal, American Barn Owls are silent predators of the night world. Lanky, with a whitish face, chest, and belly, and buffy upperparts, this owl roosts in hidden, quiet places during the day. By night, they hunt on buoyant wing beats in open fields and meadows. You can find them by listening for their eerie, raspy calls, quite unlike the hoots of other owls.”
Their call sounds like they have a sore throat and need a lozenge. I mostly see GHOs and Snowy Owls. The Snowys are starting to arrive for the winter in Manitoba and can be seen sitting on poles or hay bales in the empty fields.
Checking in on the Black Stork migration. This was the last news. Gosh, I hope Waba kept on going!
Ducks Unlimited Canada is partnering with an Adjunct Professor and others to determine what is happening to the Eider population. One discovery is that their traditional breeding grounds, the Gulf of Maine, is warming and warming. It is one of the fastest warming places on the planet. Where are they going? What is happening?
A beautiful person sent me this. If you can, please feed the birds this winter.
Thank you so very much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: Bazz Hockaday, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and PLO Obs Board, Ospreys FB, Little Miami Conservancy, NEFL-AEF, Window to Wildlife, IWS/Explore.org, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Denton Homes, Toronto Wildlife Centre, The Guardian, Live Owl Cam, All About Birds, Openverse, Looduskalender
This is a moment I have been waiting for like so many of you. Please – if anyone ever tells you that our feathered friends do not have feelings – show them this video that LizM made of the moment when Karl II and Kaia are reunited.
Bliss!
Thank you to Liz and the Eagle Club of Estonia. You can watch Karl II and Kaia at Must-toonekurg on YouTube.
