We hope you are well! It has been a cracker of a day, and it all started in the garden at the feeder…
A morning video of the garden and yes! Two Blue Jays. I am so relieved. Junior and Mrs J are alive!
Birds and Squirrels at the table feeder – and look two Blue Jays!
Today we have a news story about Cornell University and its attempts to protect Big Red’s nest during a construction project! Lovely. Now if we could get them to make sure every window on that campus had bird strike preventative measures.
Suzanne Arnold Horning, the admin for the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters FB group is posting daily images of events from the nest. Today it was a flap fest. Oh, goodness, these end of the year summaries and montages are really quite wonderful while we wait for all the action to start. Let’s see – third week in March for eggs for Big Red and Arthur? What do you think?
Suzanne picked the top five viewing moments. Aren’t they cute?
Speaking of protecting birds from window strike, I am ‘horrified’ that my city, under its mayor, Scott Gillingham, has altogether scrapped a programme to protect birds that came into effect only a year ago. Unbelievable. We will just have to try and fight this decision.
‘J’ in Berlin sent me a great announcement. It has to do with a young man that I mentioned several times in past years – Oliver Hellowell who lives in the UK. I love his wildlife and landscape photographs.
Oliver Hellowell loves raptors and he has photographed many. He is quite the talent. Keep your eyes open for his work.
It might have been ‘only’- 10 °C, but it was cold on the Canadian Prairies. The snow keeps on giving, and today was the photo shoot in the park. Instead of spending half an hour, we stopped at fifteen minutes. It was that wet, cold to the bone. Of course, Toby loved it! We didn’t get a chance to take off our Dyfi toques – so the whole shoot is now dedicated to a great osprey pair, Idris and Telyn. If the pictures turn out, I will post some. I, who do not like to have my photo taken, promise.
We now having a warning for -40 C (with wind chill) coming for Saturday. The frigid cold is to begin tonight!
Heidi gave me the best holiday present. She made a montage of the indoor and outdoor animals set to holiday music for us – and she included dear Lewis. I broke down when I saw him. Oh, how I loved that boy. Since so many of you have been readers for years, you might enjoy seeing HY when she was little and dear Lewis along with everyone else. Thanks, Heidi – that is what it is all about. Giving of your time and love. I so enjoyed this montage. https://youtu.be/yKOeSsFwJcE
You forget how little they once were!
Hope with her first Christmas tree.
No plant was ever safe with Lewis or Missey! He was my darling.
Heidi’s video really hits the holiday spirit even if many, who knew Lewis and saw it, have wept. Please enjoy! There is even a baby HY in there.
Bella and Scout at the NCTC nest are working hard. Last year their three beautifully feathered eaglets perished when their nest collapsed. We wish them a great season this year.
While we wait for eggs at NCTC, we do not have to wait long for little eaglets at SW Florida. My calculations indicate that we should see an eaglet around Tuesday of next week. M15 and F23 are excellent parents. This is exciting.
Gabby and Beau will have to wait a little longer. Egg dates: 23 and 26 November. End of December eaglets!
Superbeaks (Central Florida) has two hatchlings. The third egg was laid four days after the second (Froto). We wait to see if it is viable. Mira and Froto are doing well.
We have eaglets at the Duke Farms nest! No eggs. Just nest prep.
Ron and Rose continue incubating at the WRDC nest. Egg dates: 12 and 15 November. I will be looking for a pip around the 18th of December or that first egg. That would be 35 days.
Clive and Connie at Captiva on Sanibel Island are also resting and waiting while incubating. Egg dates: 16 and 19 November. I do love that camera that Window to Wildlife have installed.
There are no eggs at Eagle Country. The river cam caught the eagles bathing.
Girri is 36 days old today. Female falcons, on average, fledge at 40-44 days, slightly longer than males, because they need to fill out that larger body mass and cover it with more feathers. Girri is quickly losing her baby to all that flapping! Could you take a look at that crop? Diamond and Gimbir keep their only baby full to the brim! I recommend watching because Girri is going to fledge soon, and whether she returns to the scrape afterwards is anyone’s guess.
That’s a wrap for today. Thank you so much for your comments and your letters. We are glad that you are enjoying this daily mix of pets and birds!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. We will be back tomorrow!
Thank you to Heidi for that amazing holiday present. I am so very grateful – and for the spirit of love, care, and the time it took. These really are the best presents of all! To ‘J’ for sending me the news about Oliver Hellowell and to the owners of the streaming cams and authors of the FB posts, you have my thanks.
I cannot thank you enough for your letters. Please keep them coming! I love hearing from you, and it was so nice to know that you are enjoying the photos of The Girls, Toby, and the garden animals and birds. I have included more today, as well as another video. – More and more of you are in the hospital or have a partner who is. I hope Toby and HY’s antics bring some smiles to what could be very challenging situations.
We went to sleep with snow falling, and it was still coming down when we woke up Thursday morning. It is snowing as I write. Indeed, it has been snowing on and off for several days now.
Temperatures warmed up to a balmy -5 °C. Toby had a marvellous walk in the snow -he loves winter, frolicking through the snow while kicking up his heels in his new snowsuit. This one has one of those ‘silver astronaut blanket’ thermal linings. I was shocked at how toasty warm he was!
He does have boots and a hat – no scarf yet. The boots are so challenging to put on. He doesn’t seem to care – snow brings joy to his step. We clean his feet when he gets in and lotion is applied to keep the pads from cracking. Did I say that dogs are a lot more work than cats?!
Speaking of cats and dogs. Toby and Hugo Yugo had one of their little love fests. Enjoy.
Our Australian commentator, ‘A’, found some interesting news. I think you might be terribly interested in this:
“Watching an episode of one of my favourite shows this morning – Who’s Who in the Zoo (the episode is called Baby Boom). Apart from the babies, the episode covers a female WBSE that was rescued near the Olympic Park forest. From the dialogue, it sounds as though this was definitely one of our girls. Here is the WIRES post about the rescue:
The show includes them checking her injured/broken wing – initially they thought she would have to be euthanised but they keep trying with her and she is eventually released.
This was definitely one of our girls. Thought you might be interested. But it’s good to know that people like these are there for them.”
Reports are circulating of a sighting in the mangroves near the Parramatta River of a juvenile sea eaglet. Could that one be SE35? I sure hope so! Without a Darvic band or DNA, we can never ever be certain but it is so nice that there are people who love these eagles and look out for them!
There were 31 European Starlings at the feeders on Thursday morning.
The Starlings are going after cat and dog kibble. They even ate the kibble out of Brock’s dish.
Notice the beautiful, iridescent green back feathers. Do you know what those white tipped feathers indicate?
Rosemary’s blog has some excellent images and drawings explaining the Starling plumage.
Lots of sparrows were on the ground and in the little covered feeder searching for seed.
Mr and Mrs Crow were feeding along with three grey squirrels, one red squirrel, and at least one Blue Jay came to visit today.
The Blue Jay images above were taken with the iPhone and are very cropped – hence their softness. The ones below were taken in late August with the new lighter P1100. Certainly better images! (I am still getting used to this camera). Oh, I miss the green leaves and grass!
Hello Junior.
Oh, it seems like those warm days were aeons ago. I am already sick of the browns and greys of winter.
One of Dyson’s kits.
Beautiful Hope.
A last bit of news. The White-bellied sea eaglet that hatched on that crane in Port Lincoln has taken its first flight.
We hope you have enjoyed the videos, images, and today’s news tidbits. Thank you so much for being with us! Just imagine. It is approximately 108 days til the ospreys begin arriving back in the UK. I can’t wait. The failure of Port Lincoln to have nestlings this year has sure left a hole.
Take care. We hope to see you again tomorrow.
I thought that was the end of today’s offering…BUT. Around 2230, Toby began barking his curly ears off in the conservatory. Much to our surprise, there was a very large deer at the bird feeding table. Not a great shot through the glass in the dark, but this is what has caused all the commotion. What an extraordinary evening.
Thank you to ‘A’ for the news on the sea eaglet in care and to the BOGS near the Olympic Forest who keep an eye out for SE35. Let’s hope they saw it!
It is so nice to have you with us today. Everyone sends you a big hello and a wish for a good start to the week.
Part of the week was spent packing away the summer linens for the fall and winter wool. It has rained – and then it rained some more. This is fantastic for the trees and shrubs and will help them during the dry cold of the upcoming months. The Girls continue to enjoy the conservatory, where, when the sun does shine, it is hot. Toby will soon give up his raincoat for winter boots held up by suspenders, along with a padded puffer jacket, hat, and jacket! He is quite the fashion aficionado! The neighbours must be chattering away behind their curtains about this very spoiled little pooch. They must think we have gone daft!
Brock continues to amaze me. Toby sends him scattering under the deck where he waits for me to get Toby inside and call ‘kitty kitty’. He then scampers out to eat his meal returning at least twice more during the day. I caught him sitting down a bit on the fence. Brock is looking pretty good these days.
The Girls are good. I will get some good images of them this week for you. We are all doing well. There are long walks with Toby around the neighbourhood and to several of our favourite parks. We are starting our third year with Anne and our fifth year of living with dementia. Either I am so used to the situation or things really are better than they were a year ago – I am not sure, but I am thankful for our days, which aren’t full of the kind of excitement some dream of, but they really are nice and comforting.
We woke up to yet another day of rain. Toby and I bundled up and cleaned out the bird feeders. The tray feeders now only hold corn kernels or peanuts as the moisture does not cause them to go off so quickly. All other seed is now in either covered feeders or in those cylindrical tube feeders. New suet out for the woodpeckers! Oh, I wish there were places to walk dogs inside when it is pitching down rain!!!!!!!!!!
A sadness fell over Bird World this week as it was acknowledged that there would be no little osplets on the Port Lincoln barge for Mum and Dad this year. The eggs were removed by Bazz Hockaday and sent to Adelaide for inspection to determine the cause of the nest failure. The eggs were fertile. There were little osplets, but for some reason, Mum determined that their lives were not viable and stopped incubation. In a post, Tiger Mozone, thought it was odd that incubation was stopped as some stay on eggs, hoping for 70 days!
The barge nest looks lonely.
This is the latest post from Port Lincoln Osprey:
What was curious to me was that later Ervie chose to visit the barge for one of the first times in ever so long. Will Ervie take over the nest one day?
Everything you ever wanted to know about osprey eggs and more:
There are many myths and scientific explanations when events don’t work out as anticipated. In this case, ‘everyone knew’ that rain would cause eggs to fail. But, does it? Not for this clutch in Maryland:
SK Hideaways Videos for the week of 12 October 2025
Introduction: I first fell in love with raptors in 2019 ~ Annie & Grinnell, the CalFalcons, at the UC Berkeley Campanile. All the videos I’ve created since that time stem from that love and my desire to learn all I can about these and other raptors. My mission is to inform, educate, and entertain viewers. I have never and will never monetize my videos. They are purely a labor of love that give me great joy to share with anyone kind enough to view them.
Two Harbors Eagles: Cholyn & Chase Perch on Favorite “Thrones” ~ Spend Day on Cam (2025 Oct 19)
Chase was spotted just after sunrise on the cactus perch. Later, Cholyn was on her low ocean view perch, where Chase joined her ~ a special treat for fans ~ as they chortled and spent time together. In the afternoon, a visitor, possibly a juvenile bald eagle, was chased around the territory, but soon all was calm. The late afternoon found Cholyn on another ocean view perch, where she watched the world go by till dusk and beyond. Catalina Island, California.
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
West End Eagles ~ Akecheta & Haku VERY Cozy on Tor in AM🌅Back Together at Dusk🏜️(2025 Oct 18)
Akecheta and Haku met on the far tor in the morning, sitting close as they observed their habitat. They spent the day (on camera) apart, both visiting the nest at separate times. Then, as dusk approached, they came back together on the night perch. While they didn’t remain there ~ owing to human disturbances off shore ~ it is likely they either reunited elsewhere for the night or will come back together in the morning.
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org
West End ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Akecheta & Haku (2025 Oct 17)
Akecheta and Haku roosted together on the same perch overnight for the first time. They greeted the dawn with long, glorious chortles and then settled atop the far TOR (top of rock) on a sparkling blue sky, blue sea morning.
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org
FalconCam Project ~ Diamond & Gimbir (2025 Oct 17)
Gimbir made an early wake-up visit. When Diamond’s initial breakfast order went unheeded, she went out and gave him a few minutes of egg time. He came through later with breakfast, only he dashed out with Diamond, so she stashed the gift and returned. Finally, Gimbir gave her a longer break and she was able to get her breakfast.
Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW Australia
367 Collins St. Falcons🪽Wee Chick Gets Private Feeding 🍽️ Big Chicks Want Their Share🐥🐥(2025 Oct 20, 6:14-10:36)
The smallest chick ~ presumed male ~ has been unable to scale the nest since entering the gutter a few days back. This “limitation” has gotten him private attention from Mum F24 ~ including brooding and feeding. The two bigger chicks ~ presumed female ~ decided they’d had enough and barged in on a feeding. The little one was unfazed, remaining steadfast at Mum’s beak. In the end, everyone got their fill.
367 Collins Street Falcons: F24, M24, 3 eyases (15 Oct 2025, 11:26+)
As is true every year, the chicks get fed up with the morning sun and venture towards the shade. Mum F24 is never ready for this transition, doing her best to corral the chicks and keep them in the nest. This hasn’t worked in the past and didn’t work today. There was a frantic hour or so with Mum trying to brood the chicks still in the nest and those who’d escaped. Eventually she accepted the inevitable and relaxed. We were also treated to a camera adjustment, which allowed us to see the three toddler chicks sleeping peacefully in the shaded gutter. (15 Oct 2025, 11:26+)
367 Collins Street Falcons: F24, M24, 3 eyases (14 Oct/17:39+)
When Mum F24 brought yet another large meal, the chicks’ crops were already bulging. But F24 was determined to feed them, regardless of how many times they fell into food comas.
Sydney WB Sea Eagles: Lady, Dad, Eaglets SE35 & SE36 (2025 Oct 15)
Yesterday was a day of special moments for the memory treasure chest. SE35 and SE36 are quite inseparable these days. They perched on the nest rim and SE36 “hugged” SE35 while they cuddled in the nest. SE36 also performed a spectacular horaltic pose. The family came together in the evening for a meal and just to hang out.
It is a concern that should be on all our minds: what will the world be like for our grandchildren? One photographer “Margot Raggett has spent the past decade raising money for conservation efforts around the world but now she feels nervous about the future. “It does feel like we’ve taken a backward step,” she said.
The wildlife photographer has raised £1.2m for the cause in the past 10 years through her Remembering Wildlife series, an annual, not-for-profit picture book featuring images of animals from the world’s top nature photographers. The first edition was published in 2015, when the Paris climate agreement was being drafted but, in the years since, efforts to tackle the climate crisis have been rolled back.”…..”“Compared to a few years ago, there was a desire for renewables instead of drilling for oil across the world. I think the importance of nature is something for us all to cling on to,” said Raggett.
Despite this, she has some hope. “I’m nervous but equally I’m encouraged by the fact that there are so many people that do seem to still care. I’ll do everything I can to keep my end of the bargain and keep fighting. And I know there’s lots of other people who feel the same, so time will tell, but we certainly can’t be complacent.”
In a timely reminder of how fraught the outlook is for wildlife at the moment, this year’s release, titled Ten Years of Remembering Wildlife, is being published alongside original and altered images of animals including polar bears, cheetahs and pangolins living in, and then scrubbed out of, their natural habitats.”
The images are intentionally meant to provoke us into thinking what life would be like if there were no animals, no birds. Can you imagine it? The book is a massive picture book which will be released on 11 November in North America at a cost of $100 CDN.
In another article, The Guardian looks at the peregrine falcons that have taken over an industrial site in the UK. I love these 350 word Country diary stories! And, of course, we all love the falcons.
Good news is that one of my favourite books by David Gessner is out in a 25th anniversary edition, Return of the Osprey. A Season of Flight and Wonder. Helen MacDonald, author of H is for Hawk(amongst others), has written a powerful foreword to the release that you will enjoy. If you have read this book years ago, it may be time for a reread! And when you finish, I suggest returning to Soaring with Fidel, too. MacDonald describes Gessner’s odyssey with the ospreys, “Perhaps all this makes Gessner’s quest sound dry. it is not. It is a gloriously gonzo, whole-souled pursuit. He wrenches at raw fish with pliers to see what it might feel like to feed like an osprey, leaps into water to try and catch herring in a manner as much like an osprey a human can manage. There is a transporting lyricism in this book’s pages, along with passages of raw horror and moments of glorious weirdness, as when Gessner imagines the female osprey delicately feeding torn pages of his writing notebook to her young” (xi).
The release gave me the nudge to write to David Gessner to alert him about the situation in the Chesapeake Bay region and osprey starvation. This was his response:
“Mary Ann,
Thank you. I’m on it! Three weeks or so I got back from a trip up the East Coast where I saw some of the usual osprey suspects including Bryan Watts, P. Spitzer, Joannie in Colonial beach, Ben Wurst and of course Alan. Like you, I’ve got menhaden on the mind. I’ve been swallowed up by school but am heading up to Cape Cod the last week of this month and plan on finishing a longform piece then. The folks at the Atlantic said they would take a look so that’s my first stop for the essay.
All Best, David”
I am really hoping that someone like Gessner can get the kind of attention needed to stop Omega from killing off the entire ecosystem – if it is not too late already for our ospreys. I need the hope of ten Jane Goodalls. Politics should not be a part of protecting our environment. Humans must recognise the damage we are doing and work mightily hard to correct it.
How much do you know about Chimney Swifts? Charles Brown has just finished a 45-year study and has done a video presentation on YouTube on that very subject: https://youtu.be/VnnPOaf1Dpc?
Things appear to be going very well for Gimbir and Diamond at the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape in Orange, Australia. Incubation continues without issue.
Gimbir is adorable and rather brave not bringing in the entire Eastern Rosella. Diamond and all of us – while clearly missing and never forgetting dear Xavier – are appreciating this young falcon and his food gifts for Diamond. Cilla Kinross gives us the latest…notice that nice crop of our little man.
F23 takes extraordinary care of her trio at the Melbourne CBD falcon scrape! I am more and more impressed with her. The chicks have now moved themselves to the opposite end from where they hatched, keeping out of the sun and the deadly heat of Melbourne.
‘A’ comments: “Oh they are the sweetest family. Little dad is adorable – he works so hard at bringing plenty of food for those ravenous babies. And mum is very efficient at keeping the littles warm and dry and fed and generally safe. My goodness, they gave her a run for her money once they discovered the gutter, didn’t they? Poor mum. She couldn’t work out what to do. And I loved dad’s solution. He just took one look at the chaos and got the hell out of Dodge. It was hysterically funny. Which of course is why I sent it to you. Those moments are just too precious – the way the birds think is on display, and it is truly fascinating. They DO think, and you can see them logically eliminating alternatives and coming up with new ones, then being forced to prioritise, which is always absorbing. For people like us, trying to understand the thoughts and emotions of their world is absolutely fascinating. While we may run the risk of anthropomorphising a little too much, at the same time it is obvious that birds definitely do have emotions.”
At the Olympic Park WBSE nest, we have branching! The currawongs have been relentless this season in their attack on the nest. There are days that I wish the WBSE would eat all of them!!!!!!
Lots of wingersizing!
These eaglets are so gorgeous. It is difficult to tell them apart, and it is getting to be that ‘sad time’ when they will make their way out into the world. We can only hope that they survive the Currawong attacks and make their way to the river roost of their parents, where they can be fed and learn to hunt.
Screen capture of the eaglets by SK Hideaways in their video.
It has not only been the currawongs that are causing mischief but also owls.
At the West End nest, Haku and Akecheta are getting accustomed to one another.
Akecheta watching Haku soar above the nest.
Oh, I have such a fondness for Akecheta. The year that he took such gallant care of the triplets just warmed my heart beyond belief.
There are, of course, so many others – M15 raising his two eaglets alone after Harriet disappeared, every one of Annie’s mates, dear little Xavier…I could go on and on. They really are special – our raptors. It breaks my heart that our environment is changing so quickly that many of them might not be able to adapt (of course, along with humans, too).
Chase and Cholyn are at home at Two Harbours in the Channel Islands.
Big Red has been spotted at some of her favourite spots on the Cornell Campus. Suzanne Arnold Horning knows our Queen of the Red-tail Hawks very well! Thank you, Suzanne, for always keeping us informed.
There is a tragedy underway in the area of the Panama Canal. The first-ever failure of the 2025 seasonal upwelling has occurred. This is critical for fisheries and coral reefs; widespread plastic pollution; and the ecological disruption of the Panama Canal, which is allowing marine species to invade freshwater ecosystems. These problems are impacting coastal communities and local livelihoods– and will ultimately impact seabirds.
Failure of seasonal upwelling
What it is: The seasonal upwelling is a natural process where trade winds push warm surface water away from the coast, allowing cool, nutrient-rich deep water to rise. This is vital for the marine food web in the Gulf of Panama.
The issue: For the first time in at least 40 years, the upwelling did not occur in 2025. Scientists suspect this is due to weakened trade winds linked to climate disruption.
Consequences: The lack of nutrient-rich water is stressing fisheries and could harm coral reefs. This event highlights how climate change can disrupt long-standing ocean systems.
Plastic pollution
The scale: Panama faces a major plastic pollution crisis, generating over 380,000 tons of municipal plastic waste in 2022.
Waste management: More than 88% of this plastic is not properly managed, with large amounts ending up in landfills, being burned, or polluting the environment.
Consequences: This pollution threatens marine ecosystems, wildlife, public health, and the local economy.
Panama Canal ecological disruption
The issue: The 2016 expansion of the Panama Canal has allowed saltwater to enter the freshwater Lake Gatun and facilitated the movement of marine species inland.
Consequences: Ocean species like snooks and lionfish are entering freshwater ecosystems, displacing native species and disrupting the food web. This also introduces new challenges for local fishermen who rely on the freshwater ecosystem for their livelihoods.
Other impacts: The expansion has also contributed to saltwater intrusion into the canal’s freshwater supply, which is a source of drinking water for a large portion of the population.
It is time to think of the birds that visit our gardens as winter approaches. Lesley the Bird Nerd tells us how to care for them properly in her video: https://youtu.be/Zi6iIGUGxpo?
Oh, I do love the Blue Jays in our garden. Junior and the Mrs and three of their fledglings are here all day long, and if the peanut tray is empty, you can hear them easily. Two Crows visit daily along with all the squirrels, red and grey, and an army of sparrows, a few black-capped chickadees, and some woodpeckers. The Starlings continue to visit around 1530 for puppy chow!
There are osprey nests that we can begin watching in the US that will have eggs after the new year. They include Achieva in St Petersburg, Florida, where Jill has been captured sitting on the perch, along with Captiva on Sanibel Island, Florida, Moorings Park, and Frenchman’s Creek – notice, all are in Florida, where the ospreys do not necessarily migrate and where there is the warmth and fish for them earlier than in the north.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. There is a very nasty cold going around that is making people extremely tired. We will look forward to having you with us again next Monday!
I want to extend special thanks to SK Hideaways for their videos and for caring so much about our raptors and to ‘A’ for her commentary on the Australian raptor nests. Thank you to the individuals and owners of streaming cams, as well as those posting for various FB groups listed in Bold. The Guardian continues to publish informed articles on wildlife and the environment, as well as several others listed in bold. There is no way that a single individual can monitor all of the nests and keep up to the minute. I am grateful to all those who post in the various FB groups. These individuals so generously send me precious notes about their favourite birds to the authors of books that educate and inspire us, like David Gessner.
There is some good news about pips and eggs in Bird World today. Sadly, there will be no further hatches at WRDC and none at Berry College.
There are lots of visitors in the garden this morning. To my huge delight, three Crows were flying down to get peanuts when Dyson wasn’t in the way! Dyson’s kits were all here, along with Little Red and the two Blue Jays. I did not see a single European Starling. I wonder where they are.
Hugo Yugo seems to have grown overnight. Seriously. She is busy watching everyone in the garden from the table in the conservatory. She hasn’t moved for more than an hour.
Baby Hope wanted some quiet time. It didn’t last long.
Hugo Yugo is tired after all that play fighting. But, look, she fills up part o the top of the cat tree. She is growing!
A new all Black cat showed up at the feeder today. Its image has been posted in all the local missing cat FB pages in case it is lost.
Earlier, ‘The Boyfriend’ had had his traditional Friday roast chicken dinner. Maybe the visitor got some leftovers.
Congratulations to Jolene and Boone at the ETSU nest in Tennessee on their first egg of the season on 18 Jan. This new Mum raised two eaglets to fledge last year.
The biggest news is that we have a pip in the egg of the Royal Albatross couple in NZ.
Jackie spent some time at the nest she has with Shadow at Big Bear Lake on Friday. Gosh, she’s gorgeous.
C11 has a huge crop, stands, and does some wing exercises, while C10 stretches underneath the dry palm frond blanket. Everything is going well at Captiva.
New bedding material and more fish brought to the nest as the winds pick up in the area.
E23 has eaten, slept, and grown. This eaglet is changing so quickly. E23 has a Mohawk now. Pin feathers are coming in. Clown feet and today, many thought that E23 was going to start chewing on that possum tail. Just look at that fat little bottom. Privileged only eaglet.
This little one really likes to sleep with its head propped on the rails! Thank goodness M15 and F23 are filling in the holes.
E23 is too big to fit under Mamma F23 anymore.
Ron and Rose certainly have that nest cup deep. You can just get a glimpse of R6 if it stretches its head way up high. What a little cutie. Looks like R6 is going to be an only eaglet – nothing wrong with that!
R6 is five days old today.
At the NE Florida Eagle nest, Gabby and Beau took turns incubating the egg.
Event Log for Gabby and Beau for Friday:
All that snow that fell across the US and Canada has meant the Eagles are working hard to get their nests in order. This is Beau and Bella at the NCTC nest on Friday doing just that.
Wow. There were five fish brought to Gil and Brad on the 20th – 3 from Mum and 2 from Dad. How lucky these two are! And we now see clearly that the help the fish fairies brought to ensure both survived was a huge success without any harm done to the actual fishing of the adults. Keep it up Port Lincoln!!!!!!
Age (chicks): Giliath : 95 days, Bradley : 93 days Fish count: Mum: 3, Dad: 2 Fish times: 09:00, 09:31, 15:19, 16:34, 16:49
Bradley was doing some hovering and flying in the late afternoon.
Video of SE31 at the Parramatta River. Just look at the size of SE31 whose is playing with garbage down at the River Roost.
‘A’ brings us the latest for January 20 at Sydney: Early, at 6am, both parents were at River Roost, with SE31 whining for food. At 6:40am, one of the parents caught a fish for her, in front of River Roost. She is so hard to see at times in the mangroves. Later, in the early afternoon, SE31 was out of sight, but Dad was seen taking off, circling over the wetlands, returning, then heading off again towards Wentworth Point. He returned at 2:23pm with a small fish – Lady was still there. By 2:40, our juvenile was eating on a low branch, Dad was in the air and Lady was still in the same place. The picture below is of Dad – with some feather gaps in his wings.
‘A’ sent in today’s antics with Marri at Orange! Oh, she’s loud. Xavier and Diamond must be delighted their daughter is alright and still home. (Parent at end of video is Diamond, not Xavier as amended by SKHideaways).
In St Petersburg, Jack is bringing Diane fish gifts as we begin to dream of eggs in a couple of weeks at the Achieva Osprey platform.
Red Listed Birds found shot and dumped in Cheshire. Despicable.
The BTO brings us a paper tracking the behaviour of 47 Short-eared Owls. t is a totally interesting study that found that one female raised two broods of chicks to fledge in two different countries in a single year!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, J’, Trudi Kron, NZ DOC, Sharon Dunne, Lady Hawk, SK Hideaways, FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, WRDC, NEFL-AEF, Deb Stecyk, PLO, WBSE 2024, Diana Lambertson, Raptor Persecution UK, BTO, and The Woodland Trust Scotland.
Can you believe it? It is New Year’s Eve in Australia and Asia while in North and South America and in Europe it is the 30th. 2023 is almost here and for many, it feels like we were just welcoming the birds back to Canada in the very late spring and early summer. What will the New Year have in store for all of us and our feathered friends?
It has warmed up on the Canadian Prairies but it isn’t that nice. We are having sleet which makes driving or walking rather hazardous. Still, I got out and the birds and the house fur balls have food for another month. The birds don’t like it especially since I decided to break up a large cylinder of suet and scatter it around. The sleet has managed to make certain that the pieces are difficult to unlodge. Still, I cannot complain and won’t…although Canadians really are known for complaining about the cold and then when the heat arrives, equally complaining about it! But, right about now, I wouldn’t mind sitting outside listening to the birds or heading for a coconut ice cream and watching the Magnificent Frigatebirds dive for fish in Grenada.
Mr Blue Jay taking flight with a peanut – taken with iPhone.
A video with really good images of Blue Jays and 10 Fun Facts about one of my favourite garden birds.
We have all been waiting for an update on WBSE30 with nothing appearing and many fearing the worst. Well, our sleuth ‘H’ found an update with a video on FB showing WBSE 30 flying in its aviary. Fantastic news. Thanks, ‘H’. The key is to go to the Raptor Recovery Australia FB page it seems.
I cannot think of a better way to end the year than to know that that both 29 and 30 will have a chance at a full life in the wild like WBSE27. This news and knowing that it is the same team that gave 27 such a commanding start to her life in the wild is so reassuring.
What everyone down in the Sydney Olympic Park needs to consider – based on 27, 29, and 30 – is that the minute the sea eagles can be picked up after fledge and taken into care, the better. I know. It sounds ridiculous but, the Pied Currawongs and Magpies will not allow them to thrive. If they are found at all, they are emaciated and sometimes injured. They have had no time to perfect their flying skills or to be taught how to hunt by their parents. Indeed, when did you last hear of Lady and Dad training a fledgling to fish down by the Parramatta River? have they ever? No, the nuisances drive them out of the forest to their death OR they are picked up and taken into rehabilitation. So instead of pondering it, just do it! Pick them up the minute they are seen on the sidewalk or in someone’s yard and give them to the rehabbers for 27 and 30 to train.
Now how is 29 with that break?
Climate change and the extreme weather conditions that are striking some areas of the Earth are the subject of an article in The Guardian. It is really a good read and we must, we absolutely must, realise that climate not only impacts humans but everything on the planet – especially our feathered friends. How long will we ignore it? and what can we do to help? If everyone in the world woke up on the 1st of January resolving to not buy a single new thing in 2023 unless it was essential (and I really do mean absolutely essential), turned down their heating 3 or 4 degrees, did not waste any food thus cutting down their purchases by 30-40%, resolved to feed the birds (purchase of birdseed can come from food not purchased that would be wasted), cut down on car travel and thus reliance on fossil fuels ——–would it make a difference? Surely during the pandemic we saw the most noxious skies in places like New Delhi and Beijing clear as well as animals coming to life. We need curious, determined, and ‘efficient’ people to help us get motivated to really get on with what needs to be done. And we need ‘paid’ influencers – I don’t need to tell you who is on my list not to ever be persuaded by but their names end with a ‘K – banned from the air waves. I really do not want my kind and empathetic granddaughter to ever think that being beautiful requires altering every aspect of her body! Enough of a rant. I am going to read Bill McGuire’s Hothouse Earth. An Inhabitant’s Guide again this week.
And now that we have completely lost our train of thought, a good look at a woman who ties the knots of weather disasters together to give us the whole view.
So in the world of hungry raptors and other feeders of carrion, who will win? The Red Kite, the Crow, or the Magpie? There is a pheasant lunch waiting for one of them!
You might remember that I wrote about Beauty and the Beak, a book chronicling the Bald Eagle who lost her beak and could not feed herself. Deborah Rose and Jane Veltkamp worked to give her a new life with a 3D printed bank. And now, there is an update from ‘J’ on Beauty who is part of the Birds of Prey Northwest in Idaho:
“Beauty is doing very well. Her upper beak has slowly regenerated some growth, which pushed the specially-fitted prosthetic beak off. The GREAT news in this is that the beak growth now allows Beauty to feed herself. We cut strips of salmon (one of her favorites) and lay them out, and she is able to scoop them up to eat on her own. We are in a wait and see pattern before determining any kind of new prosthetic beak, which is dependent upon any continued regrowth. Beauty continues to live in her own large aviary where she moves about, spreads her wings during short flights, perches on large tree limbs, and looks out over forested mountains and a lake. She remains a stunning, very special bald eagle, and a reminder that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.”
Port Lincoln has published a video on the life of Zoe, the only surviving Osprey chick at the barge near the marina in Port Lincoln. It was really bittersweet watching it – there was Little Bob and Middle. So, I suggest having a tissue handy.
This morning Zoe was screaming for Mum to bring her a fish. ‘R’ and I could not help laughing. Poor Mum and Dad. I wonder if Zoe is going to sit on that nest for the next couple of months screaming for fish! Go get a Puffer, Zoe! Let Ervie show you how. Give Mum a break.
If I was hoping that E3 – 01 would be nice to E3 -02, it was just wishful thinking. The oldest sibling at the E3 nest on Kincaid Lake in Louisiana took great exception to its younger sibling being in front when the food was being dispensed! The little one wasn’t even 12 hours old.
It’s blurry but he is dispensing the beaking at the back of the little one’s head. Hopefully this dominance issue will be settled quickly. My problem is I know how it can end and we have seen too much siblicide during 2022. I would just as soon start out 2023 on a positive note).
There is lots of food and everyone will be well fed. Still, the beaking can continue regardless. ‘A’ wrote that she hopes that the first hatch is a male and the second a female – that would certainly level out the field!
Andria will brood the eaglets because the natal down they are born with does not allow them to regulate their own temperature. By about the 9th or 10th day, the two eaglets will have a grey thermal down. Andria will not have to brood the eaglets after this period but, she will. That is her instinct to keep them warm and dry. She can be off for longer periods. By 21 days, the eaglets will be entirely covered with a grey thermal down that looks like an old carpet! We will start to see the juvenile feathers emerge from the wing tips, the back, and the tail. The growth of the thermal down should be fully complete by 30 days when the juvenile feathers will begin to grow on the breast of the birds and their head. Believe it or not, in 6 or 7 winks – yes, if you blink too much near Valentine’s Day you will be shocked. These two will be covered entirely with juvenile feathers. Unbelievable growth. Right now they will be fed often, usually every hour, a little food. As they begin to eat more and hold food in their crop, they will be fed less. I do not know about Andria but Anna at the E-1 nest had so much fish on the nest that she just stuffed her last two eaglets!!!!!!! I think this might happen here at the E3 nest, too.
A later feeding by Alex and both eaglets got bites. E3-01 has a ‘huge’ crop for such a little gaffer and so does its smaller sibling. Now this was Dad, Alex, feeding. Well done, Alex.
It sure looked like the eagles had been visiting the MN-DNR nest the last few days. Last year Harry and Nancy hatched two eaglets before Harry was injured/killed at this nest. Later you will remember that food was scarce- Nancy had to hunt, protect, and keep away intruders, impossible – and E1 pushed E2 off the side of the nest not long before fledge. E2’s injuries were such that it was euthanised. So is Nancy with a new mate? or is this a new couple? I am not completely sure. We do know that Nancy did have a new mate in the early fall. I await confirmation from the MN-DNR or Pat Burke who knows Nancy well and will be able to ID her.
Caught Thunder out on Tor Thursday morning. Oh, what a beautiful view! I would not mind being in warm Southern California right now sitting there on top of that rock looking out at the water. I wonder how many would like to join me?
Staying with the Channel Islands eagles, Andor and Cruz were both at the Fraser Point nest today.
Ron has been bringing gifts to Rose including part of a squirrel. Both have been working on the nest but whether or not there will be eggs is unknown. Maybe next year?? Bald Eagle season in Florida can go into May so it isn’t too late for both Rose and Gabby.
There is definitely a defined egg cup at the NEFlorida nest of Gabby and the new mate, V3, today. Does this mean anything? We will have to wait and see.
New grasses have been added for softness and Gabby has tried out the bowl.
Gabby and V3 were working on the nest again late Thursday evening. Well they are a beautiful couple and if my math is correct, this is the 5th night that V3 has spent with Gabby at the nest. I would say the deal is being sealed…and no other intruders appear to be about either. Fingers crossed for a long productive union. They really do make a handsome couple.
The snow had disappeared (but it will return today) at the Big Bear Valley nest of Shadow and Jackie. Both of them were at the nest moving sticks before the new snow started falling. Here they are around 0715.
Eagles have been at the nest in Decorah, Iowa near the trout hatchery working on the nest cup today, too. I couldn’t help myself. The close ups of the eagle were incredible. What a wonderful place to have a nest and so different from that of Jackie and Shadow high up in the mountains east of Los Angeles.
You should begin to look at the different materials that the eagles use for their nests. The Decorah eagles love corn stalks!
It was really a treat to move over to the Decorah North nest and find not only a juvenile but also Mr North and Mrs DNF! At last. Everyone has been worried about them and here they are just fine.
There was a visitor to Decorah with a backpack. You can see the sat pak if you squint hard). I hope that I did not confuse any of my identifications up with this eagle. I will write Raptor Resource and check!
Here is the announcement. The visit was on the 28th.
Oh, it is frustrating trying to see those two eaglets at the Superbeaks nest in Central Florida. A ‘ps’ has really clouded the camera and until they get a good rain, the view will stay this way. The little ones are really growing. Here you can see the beak of one being fed.
In this video from a couple of days ago, Lady Deeagle shows us the pair exercising their little wings and cheeping away. ‘H’ tells me that if you click on the YouTube symbol at the bottom left it will take you to the YouTube channel where you can read the description.
And a feeding where you can see them:
We have a few more days before the eggs at SWFlorida and KNF E1 or Captiva hatch. Gosh, there is Pa Berry and Missy, too. Too many Bald Eagles nest to keep track of…soon, it will be time to check on those Florida Ospreys.
Thank you so much for joining me today. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, their videos and announcements, and their letters: ‘H’, ‘A’, ‘J’ and ‘R’, Lesley the Bird Nerd, Superbeaks, Lady Deeagle and Superbeaks, Raptor Resource Project FB, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, FOBBV, NEFL-AEF, IWS and Explore.org, MN-DNR, Port Lincoln Ospreys, KNF-E3, The Guardian, and Raptor Resource Australia.
I hope that everyone has had a wonderful start to their Saturday. It is -8 degrees in Winnipeg, heavily overcast with some flakes of snow drifting down. The Blue Jays have been scurrying back and forth for peanuts since dawn.
The following quote is from an article that ‘K’ sent me and I wanted to share it with you. I do so treasure these feathered friends of ours. They have brought me so much love and joy. I cannot imagine – for a single instant – life without them. When I park my car on the street and walk to my house, I can hear them. Singing. What happiness that brings!
“All is an Ocean. All flows and connects so powerfully that if, in this life, you manage to become more gracious by even a drop, it is better for every bird, child, and animal your life touches than you will ever know.” (Dostoyevsky’s, The Brothers Karamazov)
The pictures are from the day before the snow. Mr Crow is here, Junior and one of the three siblings, a White-breasted Nuthatch came to visit, too.
This is Junior. He is the Dad of the three fledglings this year. Junior normally stays all winter. How do I know it is Junior? His feathers are a little duller but it is the thin eye line that extends further back. You can compare them. Junior is sitting on the edge of the bird bath while one of the fledglings is down getting a peanut.
Black isn’t just Black but depending on the light it is a green black or an iridescent purple blue with green as in the second image. Mr Crow is beautiful. My heart warms every day that he comes as it does for all the others.
It was the first time ever I have seen a White-breasted Nuthatch at the feeders in a long time. The last was on the 13th of October in 2019. A little over three years. According to the recent bird surveys, the Nuthatch population is on the rise in Canada and the rest of North America. We normally recognise the Nuthatch because it moves along the tree branches with its head facing downwards.
The squirrels have all been here, too. They have not cooperated for photos! Most of the time they are trying to get as many nuts off the solid seed cylinders as they can!
Making News:
Oh, we all love those shy flightless parrots who are more than vulnerable. There is new research that might help in caring for these marvellous characters. Adorable. Simply adorable.
Halfway around the world, a much anticipated California Condor release took place a week ago. The Condor is as vulnerable as the Kakapo is. These releases are always great moments, full of emotion and excitement. I missed this event and am so grateful that the release of these four birds back into the wild has been archived so that we can see it at our leisure.
In the Mailbox:
‘N’ writes: Today this was posted by one of the moderators at one of the streaming cams: “We’ve been trying to discourage anthropomorphic stuff for years, I’m afraid. It’s a losing battle. people project human emotions on the birds all the time.” You have mentioned this subject several times. Is it possible for you to repeat what you have said?
I would be happy to, ‘N’. First I would like to introduce Dr Marc Bekoff who is the international authority on animal emotions. He is Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I am extremely impressed with the work that Dr Bekoff and other Cognitive Ethologists are conducting. Cognitive Ethology is the comparative, evolutionary, and ecological study of animal minds. This includes their emotions, their beliefs, their reasoning and processing, their consciousness, and self-expression. The keen interest, ‘N’ in animal cognition is not new and it is extremely important for animal welfare and protection. Bekoff sees the field as all encompassing in terms of understanding the subjective, emotional, empathic, and moral lives of animals.
In his research, Dr Bekoff has consistently said that as humans the only language we have is our own and it is the only thing we have to describe animal emotions. If we do not look at them and use the words joyful, grieving, then what words would we use to describe what we are seeing? We have nothing more than what we have. Dr Bekoff continues in his book, The Emotional Lives of Animals, by saying that he knows no researcher who, when working with their animals, “DOES NOT FREELY ANTHROPOMORPHIZE. THIS ANTHROPOMORPHIZING IS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF, BY THE WAY; AS ALEXANDRA HOROWITZ AND I HAVE ARGUED…THESE SCIENTISTS ARE SIMPLY DOING WHAT COMES NATURALLY. ANTHROPOMORPHIZING IS AN EVOLVED PERCEPTUAL STRATEGY…IT IS NOW LARGELY ACCEPTED AS FACT, THAT ANIMALS, SHARE THE PRIMARY EMOTIONS, THOSE INSTINCTUAL REACATIONS TO THE WORLD WE CALL FEAR, SURPRISE, SADNESS, DISGUST, AND JOY.” (10). The capital bold letters are mine.
I could continue on for pages ‘N’ but, it is upsetting when someone makes the statement that you have written. I am sorry but they are not informed by the current science. There are many who believe that animals do not feel pain or fear. It makes it easier to kill them! We know animals feel pain. I have seen eagles and other raptors grieving along with the Corvids in my own neighbourhood. I have seen Grackles celebrate the fledge of one of the chicks in my garden (they invite the extended family) and we have all heard and some have been blessed to witness the rituals associated with Crows when one of their group dies. I hope this answers your question and provides you with a beginning from someone expert in the field, Dr Bekoff, to rebuff those statements. I also urge everyone who is interested in this topic to get a copy of this amazing book. It is paperback and can be ordered through library loan as well. It will provide you with a clear foundation on this subject backed up by clear examples, not anecdotes.
In other mail, ‘K’ sent me a wonderful letter and an article, “Cherish This Ecstasy” by David James Duncan from The Sun written in July 2008. I want to share the topic of that article with you – bringing back the Peregrine Falcons from extinction. It seems so appropriate as we just watched Indigo and 2 or is it now 3 of the Melbourne Four fly and await Rubus’s triumphal departure.
Now do you know what the invention was that brought the Peregrine Falcons back from sure extinction? It was the Peregrine Mating Hat invented by one of Cornell’s Ornithologists. The ornithologist would put on the hat. He would sing Chee-up! while, at the same time, bowing Buddhist style. You have seen our falcons do this in their bonding rituals. The male falcon copulates with the hat. The scientists remove the sperm and inject it in the few females they had at the time. The hatchlings were raised in a DDT free environment – and that is how we now have Peregrine Falcons living almost everywhere.
Here is an example of the hat and the process. Turn your sound down a wee bit.
While we are talking and thinking about everything falcon, it is a good time to mention some of the really good books that are out there. They are in no particular order but each is loved and well worn and I pull them off the bookshelf often.
Falcon by Helen MacDonald. I love MacDonald’s books. That is not a secret. This little paperback volume is the social history of falcons from the gods of the Ancient Near East and Egypt to the hunting falcons of Europe and the Middle East. Everything you wanted to know about falcons and more including their use in the military. It really is a good read particularly if you want to known more about falcons than just scientific data – their entire cultural history of falcons in a wonderful narrative. My first pick always for a book on the subject of falcons (not just peregrines) other than a guidebook.
On the Wing. To the Edge of the Earth with the Peregrine Falcon by Alan Tennant. Ever wanted to fly? to understand how falcons migrate? This is the view from Tennant’s flying and tracking of the falcons as they migrate. Tennant narrates the voyages tracking the birds with the tiny little transmitters on their tails. I like it because the science is woven in with the narrative.
Queen of the Sky by Jackie Morris is a beautiful little book. It not only includes the stunning watercolours of Morris and gorgeous photographs of Hiss and her friend, Ffion Rees, who rescued this dying falcon from the sea and nurtured it back to health. This is a profoundly personal and moving book. There is a deep connection between Ffion Rees and Hiss that develops over time but which began the minute Rees looked into the eyes of that raptor. They looked into the souls of one another. Highly recommended for the art work alone but the story will certainly move you.
The Peregrine by JA Baker. Baker tracks a pair of peregrine falcons during their daily lives. He is transfixed by them. You get to know their habits – everything about them – through the eyes of Baker. Many consider this a ‘must have book’ for the shelf.
There are more but these would get you started – but, as I said, out of all the MacDonald is first. Since I love the paintings of Morris and the positive story of a falcon rescue and release the Morris is second.
And one last falcon bit. Dr Cilla Kinross (the researcher at Orange) went out looking for Indigo today. Xavier and Diamond saw her. I imagine they did not want her to get too close to their beautiful fledgling. The video will not win any awards but it does give you a fantastic idea of the sounds the adults can make if they are anxious about someone being near their offspring.
Before we check on any of the other nests, let’s see how Rubus is doing in the scrape alone. It would appear that some of those dandelions are shedding but there are lots to go. Rubus also appears to be only interested in the visits by parents if they have prey! My goodness Rubus is ferocious when there is prey about. Diamond has been flying up and checking on Rubus quite a bit this morning.
The beautiful golden glow of dawn falls over our dear little one, Rubus, who now looks out to the wide world of Indigo and the parents. Rubus, you will fly too but…it is going to be awhile. You need to get rid of most of that fluffy down. Flap those wings and shake, shake, shake.
Dare I say that Rubus is missing Indigo?
Rubus would love another prey delivery.
Diamond goes over to check on Rubus.
At 367 Collins Street, it is anyone’s guess as to how many of the eases are now fledglings. We know from a video clip from ‘Bathroom Guy’ that at least one has fledged. It is now believed that there are two. This morning very early there were three erases on the ledge waiting for a prey delivery – or at least hoping for a prey delivery! Did one return for breakfast? We know that the eyases can easily reach this height.
Here is a group of photos of the erases on camera this morning. Looking, listening, eating, and loafing.
Loafing has spread around the world…starting with Alden at UC-Berkeley. What an influencer he is!
It seems as if two have fledged and two remain to fledge – but, in truth, we have no idea! That is the nice thing about the scrape at Orange. You can be absolutely certain when the eyas flies for the first time!
The streaming cam remains off at Port Lincoln. This morning when it was back on there was a note that Big had two fish meals both of them brought in by Mum. Thank goodness Big is older and Mum is a good fisher. It is difficult to determine what is going on with Dad but, whatever it is could be linked to his two seizures seen on camera during the early incubation stage.
5 Red Listed Bird: The Mistle Thrush
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) captured at Borit, Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan with Canon EOS 7D Mark II
I first saw an image of this lovely bird after the ospreys had started their migration to Africa. For the life of me I cannot remember if it was the Glaslyn or the Dyfi nest in Wales but, on one of them was this stunning little bird, the Missile Thrush. The scientific name Turdus viscivorus means ‘devourer of Mistletoe’. It is a large songbird with a grey-brown head, back, and wings. Its breast is spotted with the same grey-brown on ivory. Piercing deep espresso eyes with an ever so slight eye ring. The pop of colour comes in the pinky-peach legs. One can only imagine that this combination in haute couture would land it on the Paris runways. In its behaviour, this Thrush is powerful and aggressive. It eats insects, invertebrates, and loves berries. They do love mistletoe but will also eat hawthorn or holly berries. The largest of the warblers in the UK, their son is loud and is carried for a distance from their perch high in trees. Actually, it isn’t a song but a rattle.
These lovely birds are globally threatened. Their numbers have declined dramatically, as much or more than 50%. The cause is a lack of habitat. Hedgerows where the find food and wet ditches because of the drainage of farmland has led to a lack of earthworms and other invertebrate that the Missile Thrush relies on for its food. Cow pastures and woodland have also been lost or degraded.
Research conducted by the RSPB suggests that ‘Farming measures likely to help song thrushes include sympathetic hedgerow management (with tall, thick hedges), planting new woodlands on farmland, and planting wild bird seed mixtures including leafy cover.’ In addition, the RSPB found that preventing the soil from drying out during the summer would be of great benefit to the thrushes. Hotter summers have brought more rain so perhaps, there is some hope here.
Migration News:
Bonus remains in close proximity to the area he has been in Turkey for the last little while. Waba is still in the Sudan feeding at the Nile but has moved slightly south.
It is so wonderful to have you with us. Thank you so much for being part of this marvellous international family of bird lovers. Take care of yourselves. See you soon!
Special thanks go to the following for their posts, videos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures: Kakapo Recovery, Ventana Wildlife Society, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, and 367 Collins Street by Mirvac.
Oh, it feels like another scorcher. Clear beautiful blue skies, not a cloud in sight, no rain, and 27 degrees C. It is a cooker. There are no birds flitting about – they are all being still in the shade.
I want to thank ‘B’ for alerting me to Little Bit’s release. I failed to do so in that posting and I am very grateful. Thank you ‘B’.
There is hardly anything left of the old Notre Dame nest in the park. It is going to be 33 in the area today. Let us all hope that Little Bit 17 – who was released back into the area yesterday – finds his family and is learning how to locate prey and eating well. Anything short of that would just be tragic.
Everyone at our local wildlife rehabilitation Centre was thrilled when a Bald Eagle that came into care was ready to be released today. This was an adult eagle and did not need to be taught to hunt prey but they did have to master the Flyway!
There he goes! Congratulations.
Sadly, a Merlin came into care after being shot in its shoulder yesterday. The vet at Wildlife Haven and the team worked tirelessly to try and give that little raptor a second chance.
I received word this morning that the Merlin is doing very well and the surgery to save its life was a success. It will now begin the long process of recovery thanks to all the volunteers, the donors who immediately chipped in for the costs of the antibiotics, etc. that will help this raptor recover. The wildlife rehabbers, vets, students, and volunteers as well as donors continue to be real ‘angels’ for all the injured birds. They do amazing things each and every day out of love – not our of any financial gain – because there isn’t any! I had a chat with one wildlife rehabilitation officer and she said that if everyone would take the funds they would spend for one coffee or one treat and put it in a jar and at the end of the month donate that money – every clinic would be able to do wonders towards helping centres across North America be able to help all the patients that come into their care even better.
Just when we thought that Avian Flu was waning, news from the UK and now from the province of Newfoundland in Canada says otherwise. Seabirds are dying by the thousands in eastern Canada. No doubt we will see a rise elsewhere. So very, very tragic.
Mr Crow is training the three fledglings on what foods to eat – in our garden! We put out the makings of the sandwich and one took a leaf and dipped it in the water which got a frightful cry from Dad. They are making quite the ruckus. They are also ‘playing’ flying from chimney to chimney and back again. They look big and they are but their minds are ‘little fledglings’. Yesterday they were on top of the glass roof of the sunroom pecking away trying to get in. —–Of course my point is this. The male is actively teaching the three what to eat and where to find food!
This guy decided to dip his peanut in the bird bath. So cute.
Looking at me.
All three flew up to the neighbour’s chimney. (She puts out cat kibble for the feral cats but doesn’t realize it is the Crows that are eating it!) One stood on the metal top til its feet got hot. Mr Crow told them to stay put and they did – for about 10 minutes in the heat. I think they are now having a good old rest.
I wonder if the parents of Little Bit 17 will undertake this level of training? They have had all this time to work with ND15 and 16. Big Red and Arthur certainly spent weeks impressing on the hawklets where to catch voles and how to catch the squirrels. Oh, gosh, let us hope so and – let’s pray for good food sources for them.
At the Osoyoos Osprey nest where temperatures have been in the mid 30 degree C at ground level, Olsen has brought in one fish this morning. Mum Soo fed both chicks equally and had some herself. It is a good start to the day but it has to be difficult fishing for it is now 0936 at the nest. That first fish and feeding were 0816. It will be another extreme heat day at the nest. Keep your positive wishes going out to them.
The osplets are standing and look at the nice juvenile feathers coming in.
The fish has arrived.
Soo made sure that each got equal so no one is left out. Good for Mum. Her crop is sunken in – everyone really needs one good fish to land on this nest today along with a few small ones. Or could I wish for 2 big fish?
We are only 27 degrees C but, in the shade of the lilacs, the temperature is 18. There are dozens and dozens of small songbirds in there, sitting quiet, saving their resources and staying cool. Thinking of planting? Think of the birds. Plant native trees that will provide shade and maybe even some seeds for the birds and squirrels.
Poor Alden! Will Grinnell Jr find him hiding in the shade of the scrape?
Dad has two nice fish on the Sydney Sea Eagles nest for when Lady and SE29 and 30 wake up and want their breakfast fish.
The news out of Balgavies Ospreys is that the chick that was on the nest that collapsed, Blue 640, was placed on a new high platform and has fledged. How grand. No injuries from the nest collapsing — and immediately taken into care to see if all was alright. Parents are around. All is good.
At the Glaslyn nest of Aran and Mrs G, the last of the 2022 chicks, Blue 499, has fledged! Congratulations everyone. He flew back to the perch and slowly made his way down to the nest.
Dory keeping her three osplets cool today. It is currently 24 degrees C – not bad! Osoyoos would certainly take those cooler temperatures.
Fish continue to land on the nest at Jannakkalan Osprey nest in Finland. No shortage! Both chicks self-feeding – one continues to be better than the other but it will soon catch up. They need to get their technique down and hold the fish and pull up…it will come! The possible step-mum began to peck at the chicks again and has not been seen today. Both chicks are 46 days old today so close to fledging. A statement will be released about the Mum, Yellow ring band NTF after a search around the nest for her shortly.
Iris hasn’t been on her nest for some time. This morning at 0721 she paid a visit! Good Morning, Iris. Iris appeared to be looking around at someone or for someone while she was on the nest. She eventually goes to the perch and looks and then preens.
The one thing I did notice was that it was early in the morning. Iris normally fishes well before 0700. Why doesn’t she have a nice big crop? How is the fishing in the river lately? They are having the same heat as everyone else. 34 C for Iris today. Is she able to get fish?
Junior and Malala together on the nest. The female Bald Eagle has brought fish to the nest today and waited for her kids to show up. We know what has happened to Junior but where is Malala?
A letter has gone out to BC Hydro about the electrocution of Junior on one of their power poles. If you want to help, I urge you to write a letter in support. I could not find an e-mail contact on their site. If you stumble across it, please let me know. This is a great letter – have a read. Thank you, Anna Brooks!
I went to check on Soo and the chicks at Osyoos. She is desperate to try and shade them from the heat. She lost all of her chicks last year because of the heat wave. Send her your most positive wishes.
Thank you so much for joining me. People are working hard to try and help our raptors and all of the other species of birds and wildlife. Remember to leave water outside for them. It could save their lives. Please take care of yourselves. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their FB posts or their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: GROWLS, ND-LEEF, Audubon Explore, Osoyoos Ospreys, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Montana Ospreys, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney, Bwywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, and Cal Falcons.
We are in the middle of a snowstorm here on the Canadian Prairies. The European Starling are using those really long and sharp beaks of theirs to try and forage food under the feeders. The sparrows are flitting around from branch to branch as the wind blows the snow in tiny little tornado-like gusts. For a long time we have wondered what to do for the birds when the weather is like this. A carport for birds and feeders????
The camera does not catch the snow blowing – and I don’t have a slow enough shutter speed on my phone. You can see the snow on the domes of the feeders and the little pine tree is almost completely covered.
All those white dots are snow blowing around. So hard to capture it so that you can really see the amounts. The depth is about 34 cm or over a foot. I do so feel for the birds – and other animals living in the wild – on days like this.
The eaglets, E19 and E20, in the eggs under Harriet are still working their way out. You can see what appears to be a large crack in one of them below. Or is this a piece of grass stuck to the egg?
The view of the eggs changes each time Harriet rolls them. Last evening a large piece of the moss stuck to one of the eggs making it appar that there was a crack going all the way around.
It is currently 24 degrees C in Fort Myers. It will rise to 27 degrees mid afternoon for Harriet and M15 today.
Poor Harriet. She is already panting to regulate her temperature.
Harriet is certainly restless this morning. I don’t blame her. Those pips came about 14 hours ago. She has been so careful moving around the eggs.
The camera has been down at Port Lincoln for a couple of days. I can see what I believe are the three lads. If they are in their usual spots it is Bazza on the nest, Ervie on the perch, and Falky on the ropes in his favourite diving spot. It is 03:00 on the barge.
The temperatures in Jacksonville, Florida are currently 18 degrees C rising to 23 during the middle of the afternoon for Gabby and Samson.
I found a new bird feeder cam that I really like for the variety of birds that arrive to eat. This feeder will not allow me to embed the link for you so go to youTube and search for LIVE Feeder Cam Gettysburg PA. They aren’t raptors but they sure are fun to watch when waiting for eagles to hatch!
The Starlings can be bullies but I still love them!
And for those looking for a new board game, look no further than ‘Wingspan’. Don’t be fooled – there are two parts. First is the book, Celebrating Birds and then there is the actual board and playing disks. I wish they were sold together. The book and game were developed with the Cornell Lab, Natalie Hargrave, and a couple of creative women, Natalie Rojas and Ana Maria Martinez. The images are beautiful – each is a watercolour. It is a great way to learn about the birds of the world but, you need to do your homework and check prices. I found that they can vary by as much as 40% for the actual board game and pieces. The book is quite reasonable and there are various extensions including the birds of Oceania.
I hope all of you are well. Thank you so much for joining me this morning as we anxiously await for the arrival of E19 and 20. Take care and stay safe. I hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, NEFlorida Eagle Cam and the AEF, Port Lincoln Osprey Project, and the Live Bird Feeder Cam Gettysburg PA.
Yesterday I revealed how we had finally figured out who was stealing Mr Blue Jay’s corn cobs. After several days of the cobs disappearing, we were able to catch the small Grey Squirrel in the act yesterday! We just had to look all over the garden to find the little thief!
To take the cob of corn, Dyson had to drag it for about 2 metres, pull it down steps and then 2 flower boxes. Once on the ground, he had moved it about 3 metres out of sight of the Blue Jays – and us.
I had no idea that these little squirrels were so strong. Persistent, yes, when it comes to food but, strong? The corn cobs are heavy when they have almost all the kernels on them. And this cob had only a few bites taken out of it before Dyson started moving it.
The Blue Jay family could not figure out what happened to their corn.
The real question was how to stop this activity. Dyson has lots of food – year round. Him and the other two grey squirrels have been coming to our garden for many years – 2016 for one of them. We have learned to identify them through different markings on their fur and we do keep a log. I have no idea how long urban Grey Squirrels normally live but having a penthouse (our shed) and readily available food, the vet told me she bet these three could live to be ten years old. They have no real predators other than the neighbourhood well-fed cats. The hawk that visits the garden is a Sharpie and him and his mate only take a small bird or nestling. So to cut to the chase, Dyson does not need to take Mr Blue Jay’s corn!!!!!!!!! There is never any chance that he would starve – he is just being a squirrel.
As all of you know, Blue Jays are part of the Corvid family, like Crows. These oscine passerine birds include crows, Mr Blue Jay and Company, Ravens, Magpies, Rooks, Jackdaws, Choughs, and nutcrackers. Most just say Crow Family.
Corvids are super intelligent, problem-solving birds. It seems that Mr Blue Jay was figuring out how to stop the squirrel, too, and he devised a very good method! I believe this is how it worked as I watched with camera in hand today for nearly three hours.
One of the three Blue Jays would land and watch the corn from the lilac bushes, about two metres away.
In this instance, Dad is watching from the lilac branches. He is ready to fly at Dyson if he comes near the deck where the other two are eating the corn.
Two of the Blue Jays would go down to the corn. This is Mum and their ‘baby’. Mum is nearer the corn cob.
When Mum finished eating, she flew away.
Junior went over to eat the corn under the watchful surveillance of Dad who remained in the lilacs.
While Junior ate, Mum was watching to make sure that Dyson did not come up on the deck, too.
When Junior finished, he flew off with Mum.
Would Dyson try and get the corn cob?
No way! Dad flew down to eat off a second cob of corn that I had put out. He was hungry too!
Junior flew back down to work on the other cob at the same time. Mum watched from the lilacs.
Sometimes Mum would fly down to be beside Junior and eat some corn, too.
They shared the one cob while Dad claimed the other.
There was no way that they were letting Dyson get their corn if Mum had to stand on it all day!
All of a sudden the pair become alert! They stop eating. Do they hear Dyson coming?
They look around.
Mum goes back to eating but Junior seems to think that Dyson might be coming up the other side of the deck. He seems to be listening and looking.
Junior turns all the way around.
Then all of a sudden Junior flies off.
It happened so fast I could not get a picture. Dyson had crept up to the other corn cob after Dad had left and had grabbed a kernel. Junior flew at him and sent him through the flower box over the edge of the deck.
Dyson did not come back all afternoon!
The Blue Jays were able to finish their corn cobs in peace. They figured out a wonderful way to get to eat their corn working together – way before this human came up with a plan. It was quite amazing to watch over several hours. I was truly impressed.
Wonder what will happen in the garden tomorrow?
Thank you for joining me this Friday. I hope that you are all well. Be happy. See you soon!
It started out as a grey, damp, raining on and off again day in my neighbourhood and then…the sun came out, the sky turned blue, and the garden was a flurry of activity. As it happened, it also helped us solve a mystery: Who was stealing Mr Blue Jay’s corn cob?
Mr Blue Jay has been suspicious, too. Today he more or less stood guard while his partner ate her fill.
They had no more than begun their morning breakfast and the corn cob disappeared! So who is taking it? The largest of the grey squirrels was not around and even if Little Red’s ego would make him think he could shift that cob, he couldn’t. So who is it? For several days now we have not been able to catch the culprit but, today we did!
Look who has the corn! It is the smallest of the Grey Squirrels. It worked really hard to get that big cob full of kernels off the lower deck and around to the other side of the garden.
The cob has fallen in a little hole and the squirrel is able to dig its nails in and lift it.
Oops. It is falling down again.
He stopped to eat some of those prize kernels and then he began nibbling them off and burying them in the grass.
We left him to it and went and checked on the ducks at the local pond. When we returned the corn cob was gone and he was madly filling his cheeks with the nuts from the deck.
Just watching him I laughed and said that he was like a vacuum cleaner – and there you have it. That is how the smallest Grey Squirrel came to be re-named Dyson on 28 October 2021.
The duck pond was relatively quiet. Normally you cannot hear yourself think for the honking of the geese. The parks department has turned off the fountains and there were people raking leaves from the edge of the pond into a truck.
There were a few Mallards remaining along with 10 Wood Ducks. Apparently, 10 is a high number for Wood Ducks to still be at this location. Thankfully, I could prove to Cornell’s eBird Submit that there were 10 just through the photos!
It was cold walking around the pond and hopefully these remaining waterfowl will decide to move on to more warmer climates shortly.
Besides about 40 Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, there were a few Mallards. There was, however, one special little duck swimming around with all the regulars – a visitor. She was a female Ring-necked Duck. They are sometimes called a Ringbill.
Ring-necked Ducks breed across Canada during the summer and in a few northern US states. They live in freshwater marshes or near shallow ponds and lakes. You can apparently see thousand upon thousand of these ducks near Rice Lake in Minnesota during the fall migration.
They are dapper divers. This means they are quickly in and out, diving in shallow water to feed on aquatic plants, tubers, and invertebrates. They also eat worms, leeches, midges, and flies, etc.
There is a very distinctive grey head. The forehead slopes down and in a few of the images you can see the peaked rear crown. Because she has been diving, it is not as prominent as it might be when dry. The female has a white ring around its eye. The back is a gorgeous dark brown with a paler brown underpart. You can see the distinctive ring on the bill. That is not, however, what gives the duck its name. The males have a light chestnut coloured ring around their necks….something that is very hard to see I am told.
The colouring on this duck is simply gorgeous.
She really stood out
Sadly, there is another injured duck. This time it is a male Mallard in eclipse plumage. We will try to retrieve it tomorrow to take it to the rehabilitation clinic and that, for me, is always problematic. These two were inseparable all the time I was at the pond. Ducks do not form life long bonds but the bonding is seasonal. Still, it ‘feels’ bad to break the pair-bond but still necessary if this duck is to survive. It appears that it has a broken wing just like the female Mallard a couple of weeks ago.
Hopefully some food will lure this young man out of the centre of the pond tomorrow. Wish us luck!
Before I leave, I also want to introduce you to another streaming cam. Last year there was a lot of excitement when the two Great Horned Owls named Bonnie and Clyde stole the Bald Eagle’s nest on the grounds of Farmer Derek. We all watched in awe has Clyde hunted and Bonnie fed the two owlets. Well, I have another owl box for you to watch. This one is in Joburg, South Africa. It is the home of a Spotted Eagle Owl. On 13 October two eggs hatched. Today they are 15 days old. What makes this nest box interesting is that there was an orphan owlet placed in the box on the 22nd of October. It is 5 days older than the resident pair. No one knew if the female would accept the orphan – but she did. She is raising it as her own!
Just look at how adorable they are waiting for Mum to return with a meal.
There she is feeding all of them.
I think you might really enjoy seeing these three owlets grow up.
It turned out to be a great day for the birds. It is a relief to finally find out who is taking Mr Blue Jay’s corn cob. We are going to have to figure out a way to thwart Dyson. And then there is the injured Mallard to deal with – tomorrow.
Thank you so much for joining me today. I hope everyone is well and enjoying the birds. Next week they will be ringing the three osplets at Port Lincoln and in two weeks the Collins Four will be fledging. After that it will only be a week until Yarruga is ready to fly. Take care!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: EcoSolutions Joburg Owl Cam.
