Tag Archives: Boathouse Ospreys

Late Monday and early Tuesday in Bird World

27 June 2022

Latest news on Little Bit 17: This was posted by park staff:

10:54am 17 has been spotted on a low branch in the vicinity of the nest tree. Appears vigorous and healthy. As soon as searchers spotted him, he raised his wings & hissed. Searchers immediately left. 5:38 PMLJ ​We are celebrating!🥳🥳🥳

I am going to toss my 25 cents worth in here. Eagles hiss and go into a protective posture when they are banded. They hiss to keep humans and other animals away. We can definitely celebrate that 17 survived the night. That is fantastic. Still, it remains that Little Bit 17 needs to be observed and/or taken into care by a qualified rehabber. Eagles never show fear or pain. Everyone is right to leave him be. Chasing him would could cause a fatality. In comparison to the RTH chick that was force fledged off the Eagle nest in Gabriola, it was able to climb back up to the nest. This morning 15 and 16 are on the nest, there is no room for Little Bit and there is no indication that he is able to ‘climb’ or scratch his way up to the nest. Someone needs to be at a distance observing closely his movements and if the parents feed him. And, yes, did I say it ten times? A wildlife rehabber needs to come in and do a thorough check. They are the only individuals that can expertly assess his needs.

I don’t know about anyone else but it sure is hard waiting until tomorrow morning to find out if Little Bit 17 survived the night. If you are coming in late or catching up reading the blogs, Little Bit fell off the ND-LEEF nest at 15:45:12. The circumstances are confusing. Suffice it to say that ND16 had returned to the nest today and it was crowded with all three birds. 16 had pecked Little Bit and, perhaps in reaction to that, Little Bit wanted away from 16 and well, he fell. Whether or not 16 helped with that fall off the nest will be debated for eons. What matters most is that staff from St Patrick’s County Park in South Bend, Indiana were there immediately giving updates. One wildlife rehabber has Covid (from Elkart) and the second was out of office on Monday. I understand they have been notified and will help tomorrow, if necessary. Since Little Bit 17 is on the ground under the nest tree there is some concern about predators such as coyotes. Many of us hope that there are volunteers watching through the night so no harm comes. It is unclear if Little Bit 17 has any injuries. Will the parents entice Little Bit with prey and get it to fly? Can Little Bit fly or are there wing issues? We simply have to wait and waiting is hard! Because of the deterioration of the nest, it would simply be unwise to place him back on the nest. It could completely collapse at any time. Thankfully both 15 and 16 are both flying reasonably well. So….until tomorrow!

There is another fledgling eagle being closely watched by Dr Sharpe of the Institute for Wildlife Studies. This is Sky at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta. Dr Sharpe said, ” I’m aware that Sky seems to have an issue breathing, but it is not feasible to capture a free-flying eagle in the terrain around the nest. The stress to the bird in association with chasing it around for hours could also be fatal.” 

Do you know much about the history of falconry? My friend Wicky sent me this article that showed up in The New York Times. It is quite an interesting read.

The two chicks of Laddie LM12 and Blue NC0 were ringed on the evening of 27 June. This was the announcement from LOTL:

Loch of the Lowes reports that the Blue Darvic rings are LP8 (oldest) and LR0 (youngest) on the lower left leg identifying them as being Scottish birds. They could not determine gender – said it was too close to call or either small females or large males.

Everyone had a large trout compliments of Laddie at 0530 Tuesday morning.

The three at the Foulshaw Moss nest in the Lake District (Cumbria) in the UK were ringed yesterday. The streaming cam was off for most of the day. Here is a photo of the trio with one of the three showing their bling. No other information. Mary says that they will release information at the end of the week. Blue Darvic Rings on the lower right hand to indicate an English bird. Scotland puts them on the lower left. Numbers are 479, 480, and 481.

The close of the day at the Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest was really soggy. Kids are sleeping adult style instead of duckling!

They are having a lovely Tuesday at the Mispillion Harbour nest – thank goodness. Gosh they were so soggy on Monday. Nice.

It looks like wind is hitting the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn during Tuesday afternoon. The weather radar indicates that more rain is coming but it might just clip the area of the nest. No word that any ringing was done today for the chicks here at Dyfi.

It is extremely windy at Glaslyn and from the drops on the camera it has either been raining or is continuing to be wet. How miserable for Mrs G and the kids. The strong winds and rain were supposed to be gone by 1500 by they certainly are not!

It is wet at Llyn Clywedog as well. Poor Seren and the triplets. Soaked to the bone.

It is blowing and roaring and wet at Llyn Brenig also. Both adults on the nest helping with the two osplets.

Poole Harbour seems to be the place for beautiful skies, calm winds and no rain. Both CJ7 and Blue 022 were on the nest with their two osplets this afternoon. That is certainly a deep nest. We have only been able to see the tops of their heads but look how big now. Wow. There is a lot of change between those wee little babes and a 27 and 25 day old osplet. These hatched on 1 and 3 June. the other egg was non-viable. Just lovely.

Yesterday I mentioned the idea of an intervention. The head of the Estonian Medical University’s Vet Clinic, Dr Madis V and Urmas, the main Ornithologist in Estonia, believed that there was a chance to save the lives of the three surviving storklets of Jan and Janika. They removed the three off the nest and took them to the veterinary clinic where they devised as best they could with the resources they had an environment where they would not imprint on humans. They would also hear the sounds of the forest and be fed in a way as if they were on the nest. The three storklets of Jan and Janika continue to do well in care.

Skipping across the pond to North America, the three osplets at the Hog Island nest of Dory and Skiff are doing fantastic. First time Mum has figured out feeding and the three had a great breakfast. Skiff had the fish on the perch and was eating the head – the portion eaten by the males before giving it to the females. This ensures that the male gets fed too! He has to be in good shape to fish. You will also see whole fish brought to the nest and sometimes they are still alive and cause mischief or serious mishaps.

The Boathouse kids did do some beaking this morning. This should go away. There is plenty of food! When small they are struggling keeping their heads up and their eyes focused. Of course, we all know that this seemingly innocent playing is also part of a dominance strategy and can, in extreme cases, lead to serious issues on the nest. We should keep an eye on this behaviour.

The two fledglings at Cal Falcons are incredible. They are doing the cutest things and often appear to be together. From chasing moths like Alden showed them to playing tag, they are learning what it is like off the nest. ‘B’ noted that the moth catching was a great way to improve eye-talon co-ordination and he is absolutely spot on! Who would have thought? Alden turns out to be an amazing role model including his loafing on the ledge.

And here is the loafing by Lindsay!

Thank you so much for joining me this morning. We will wait to see the status of Little Bit 17 and Sky. Waiting is very difficult – maybe weeding my garden will help! But there is also a garden announcement. We were happy to discover and observe Little Red in his new home and to see the two baby squirrels. Last evening Junior (you will remember that Junior came to the garden with his parents for several years but the parents did not return this spring) brought 3 fledgling little Blue Jays to the garden to feed. They were so well behaved waiting on the cable line til they were told to move.

I could not believe how well behaved they were.

You get whiffs of the peonies all over the garden. They are so lovely and were planted in 1902 when the old house on this property was here – along with the climbing roses. They have survived nicely, thankfully.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I am elated that Little Bit 17 survived the night. He has no nest to go to. Did parents feed him? That would need to be directly observed. How are his movements? going from one spot to another? Needs an expert to really assess. I hope that he is 100%. We all do. It is so much better if the birds are raised by their parents when possible. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Arlene Beech, Explore.org and Audubon, Cal Falcons, Liz M and the EMU, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, CarnyXWild, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Dyfi Osprey Project, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys, Cumbrian Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Saturday Morning in Bird World

25 June 2022

You will almost always hear that ‘the parents know where the fledgling is’. Certainly the eye sight of the raptors is acute. I remember someone saying at one of the Cal Falcons Q & A sessions that Annie might have actually ‘seen’ Grinnell get hit by the car. Tonight, the question on everyone’s mind is: do the Bald Eagle adults at the ND-LEEF nest know where ND16 is?

It is good to remember just why the term ‘eagle eyed’ came about and how the adults might be able to see 16 at a distance.

https://www.allaboutvision.com/resources/eagle-vision/

Mum landed on the nest tonight with a really nice sized fish. Little Bit was ready to chow down and then ND15 arrived. Mum hesitated. When 15 took the fish, she flew over Little Bit almost knocking it off the nest to land on the other side. ND15 really enjoyed the fish. Little Bit tried to steal and got a bite or two but appeared to understand fully the limitations of the space and did not push it. Of course, Little Bit 17 is hoping that 15 will leave something!!!!!!! Mum returned to the nest. They are really trying to lure 16 back to the nest with fish. That branch breaking would have been traumatic and extremely frightening. Is ND16 really close by?

Mum lands with that nice fish. Little Bit is right there at its head. Then 15 jumps down from the branch it is perching on. Rats!

Little Bit continues to smell and pick a bit at the fish but Mum is waiting. She wants 16 to show up at the nest. Surely fish would do that!

ND15 comes closer and thinks that it wants that fish – s/he didn’t eat that much in the morning.

Mum practically rips Little Bit off the nest when she flies to the other side. 15 is mantling the fish and Little Bit is right on the spot where the nest is breaking off some more. Lump in throat. Holding my breath. I think it had to be when the Mispillion Osprey Nest mum pulled her two chicks off the nest unknowingly when she flew off after an intruder that caused me to really worry for Little Bit at that moment.

That is really a nice fish. 15 is enjoying it and Little Bit is watching.

The problem with the nest is that it is so narrow that Little Bit can’t do any fancy ‘snatch and grab’ manoeuvres or he might fall off.

Oh, but Little Bit wants some of that fish. Just look. He is trying to go under 15.

Ah, look. Little Bit got himself a small bite and pulled back.

Mum is looking. I really do hope that the parents know where 16 is. If you watched the Redding Eagle nest this season, you will know that Sentry fledged first and wasn’t seen for four days (I think that is correct) and then he was back at the nest with everyone.

Is 15 finished eating the fish? Little Bit is keeping a close eye.

Little Bit moves in.

Little Bit is mantling at 19:49:56. If you are unfamiliar with the term, it is when a raptor spreads its wings out full dipping slightly downward to hide what prey item they have. It helps them protect their food from snatch and grabs. They are also saying, “This is mine! Stay away!” Of course, it doesn’t always work. I am sure glad Little Bit got some fish even if it was the tail.

Little Bit is all finished!

I wonder if there will be more prey deliveries tonight? Will the parents have a fish and fly around the area trying to get 16 to fly out and follow them? Is 16 a wee bit lost? Unfortunately, we do not know the answers to those questions. Fingers crossed 16 is back tomorrow! But, I really do not want to see Mum and the three kids at once. Just imagine.

Dad delivered ‘something’ to the ND-LEEF nest at 09:28. Little Bit was hungry and immediately went to grab it.

There are reports that 16 was seen doing a fly by. Watchers report that twigs from higher up have fallen on the nest breaking off small parts. The nest is certainly very precarious. I know that Lindsay Grossman and others are alert to this fact. The nice thing is that Little Bit’s tail feathers are growing longer! You can see from the image above.

It is beautiful at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta and Kana’kini, Sky, and Ahote but no one is home. :(((((

Everything you might want to know and some things you didn’t know you wanted to know in Rutland’s newsletter about the ringing of Blue 33 and Maya’s three chicks at the Manton Bay nest.

https://www.lrwt.org.uk/blog/guest-blog/ringing-manton-bay-chicks?fbclid=IwAR1yFS88wQov1sVZicXFG2fwFOXyVagOpmcxLlf2_DwmZf4PNOAdOAQS7aI

Takoda knows where the nest is and where the food comes in. He is perched up on a branch ready to leap down during the day and is sleeping nearly in the same spot during the night. Wish I could put this lovely strong nest at the National Arboretum under Little Bit for awhile – or fly in one of Ron Magill’s chair nests until Little Bit fledges.

Dorcha and the chicks are waking up. It is 04:28 am on the Loch Arkaig nest and the sun has been up for a bit. Louis will soon be bringing in breakfast.

You can now see that the two chicks are too big for Dorcha to brood.

Then it started raining. No breakfast fish yet. Dorcha has everyone under cover.

Rain does not deter Louis from fishing or flying for his family. He delivers a nice sized fish even though big drops are falling. Dorcha is delighted.

Everyone dried off in a couple of hours. Louis arrives at the nest at 07:15 to check on things. He will return with another big fish at 11:32:24.

Just look at the size of those two Bobs! Incredible!

It started off as a rainy day at Loch of the Lowes, too. Laddie had a fish on the nest and Blue NC0 has been doing some supplemental fishing when intruders are in the area. Today Laddie has delivered four fish – not all whoppers but 4 in total.

No wonder Telyn is sleeping on the Dyfi Osprey nest’s perch! The three Bobs are taking up the entire nest! Ringing this week – and names. Can’t wait. No problems at this nest – not one other than room. 🙂

No problems with Aran’s deliveries at the Glaslyn nest for Mrs G and the triplets. For those of you that are just starting to watch this nest in Wales, Mrs G is the oldest Osprey in the UK at approximately 22-23 this year. Iris in the US is 29 this year.

It’s now 19:41 and Dylan has brought in what is most likely the last fish for the day to the Llyn Clywedog nest in Wales. Everyone home. No problem with the Goshawk that I am aware of late in the day.

Wing flapping is the order of the day at the Manton Bay nest with its three big healthy girls.

Three little Bobs under Dory at the Boathouse Osprey nest on Hog Island, Maine.

Yesterday, ‘H’ reports that there were 9 fish delivered to the Mispillion nest – a combination of both Dad and Mum fishing with some small ones. That seems to be quite a bit of fish but perhaps not if they were so small.

This morning the two were sharing a lovely fish – being fed by Mum.

All three become distracted by an intruder. The bird on the left the largest was still eating and the one on the right had finished.

All of a sudden the osplet on the left attacks the one on the right. It appears that the one on the right looked it ‘directly in the eye’.

It is the osplet on the right that is going to finish this fight. How dare the other one attack it?! Dominance issues for sure. They are pretty equal.

‘H’ sent me the image below. Thanks H! It is pretty frightening when you see two osplets on top of a very high nest fighting.

It’s 11:08 and both have settled down. It looks really hot on the nest today. That could have set off the beaking. If you are wondering, — yes, one or both could go over the edge of the nest in this type of tumble. At the Port Lincoln Osprey nest, one chick was thrown off at the nest by the eldest at 66 days several years ago.

One of the intruders that attacked the Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey nest in Lewes, Delaware several weeks ago was back on the platform nest ironically watching for intruders this morning. I wonder if it is Mum that is coming around? She lost her mate, her three chicks, and her nest to this bird.

Electra was working on her nest at the Cowlitz PUD this morning. That just rips at your heart. Three beautiful babies this year all carried off by an eagle. Can’t imagine it.

I have not seen any updates for the Pitkin County osplet that was in guarded condition yesterday after being pulled off the nest when the female got her talon caught in fishing line. One of the chicks perished in the fall.

This is a brief look at what is going on in Bird World. I am keeping a close eye on the ND-LEEF nest. Little Bit 17 needs at least another week before fledging. Is that nest going to hold?

Thank you so much for joining me this morning. Take care everyone!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Pitkin County Ospreys, Cowlitz PUD, Cape Henlopen State Park Ospreys, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys, Explore.org and Audubon, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bwywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code and the Woodland Trust, CarnyXWild, ND-LEEF, LRWT, Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, and the NADC-AEF.

Late Thursday and early Friday in Bird World

23-24 June 2022

With all of the troubles in the Osprey nests, I missed that Chase & Cholyn’s only eaglet of 2022, Lancer, fledged on the 22nd. Here is a video of that first flight!

This is the very latest information from the Pitkin Osprey Nest.

This was one of the original postings if you are not familiar with what happened at this nest.

These poor Mums who have lost their chicks. Just like Mum at Pitkin, Electra at Cowlitz PUD continues to return to her empty nest after the Bald Eagle took all three of her very healthy osplets. Heart wrenching.

There are three beautiful osplets in a nest in the Ramuka Forest in Poland. They are a little older than the ones at the Pitkin Nest. Napi has just brought in a fish for Lotewka and the two chicks. The oldest hatched on 24 May and the youngest on the 26th of May. The oldest is 30 days old today (Thursday) and the youngest is 28 days. They are doing so well. Napi looks tiny next to those big chicks.

I was able to catch a late feeding at the Mispillion Osprey Nest in Delaware. You might recall that Mum removed her pretty yellow mesh and has replaced it now with a bright green-blue ‘something’. I want to say rope but it doesn’t look like rope. Anyone have any ideas? I hope that Mum removes this before any member of the family gets tangled!

When I did my last check on Little Bit 17 and the ND-LEEF nest, Little Bit was fine. Prey had been delivered and so far – fingers crossed – the nest is holding. ND15 had found another branch on which to perch but, to my knowledge there had been no sighting of ND16. When the branch broke that both 15 and 16 were on, both flew away. It had to be quite shocking and traumatic. As many times as I got furious at 16, I really do not wish for that lovely bird to come to any harm.

ND15 has found a strong branch on which to perch.

Little Bit is going to sleep duckling style. I just wish he would move away from that edge. I don’t know if it is lens distortion but it certainly appears to be leaning down as if it could give way. Optical illusion – let’s hope.

The ND-LEEF nest is looking more precarious where 17 was resting yesterday. Oh, I wish Little Bit would find a place to perch on a branch. Little Bit has beautiful wings and in days he is ‘old enough’ to fly but, his tail still seems not long enough.

Dawn is just breaking at the Dyfi Osprey nest in Wales of Idris and Telyn. The three chicks are old enough to sleep in the nest without Mum who is up on the perch with dad. they will be ringed next week!

The wee one – Bobby Bach is what he is called at this nest – will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. Big Bob will be 31 days and Middle Bob is 29 days. Ringing next week – the norm is 35-38 days but not later than the 43rd as they could bolt then. Telyn is giving all of them their lunch. Nice big healthy chicks.

It is a bit of a misty morning at the Loch of the Lowes. I can see the remnants of a fish left over from last night on the nest.

At one point, Blue NC0 was on the nest sleeping. It takes a lot out of the females during breeding season. Cornell Bird Labs estimate that by the times the chicks fledge the females will have lost 30% of their body weight. They also need to replace all that calcium. It is not as easy as it might look even in such a beautiful place. I have mentioned it before but I like to in case someone missed it – no one is allowed around the loch during breeding season, from 1 April to the end of September. That is so there is no disruption to the birds other than other intruder birds!

The two surviving chicks at the Llyn Brenig nest are quite small in comparison to the two at the Loch of the Lowes. Mr AX6 has delivered a morning fish much to the delight of Mum and the two chicks who seem to have really grown over the past couple of days. It isn’t a huge fish and it is alive! Oh, dear. Dad did not take any for himself – maybe because it was so small.

There are three little osplets at the Fortis Exshaw Nest in Canmore, Alberta. The wind is ripping through tonight. Thank goodness it is not as hot there as it is here. Rain is forecast over the next two days. I really hope that Dad can get fish on the nest with the wind and rain – so far he is doing well. The little ones are doing some beaking but this is pretty natural at this stage. We want to see it stop, however!

This is the link to this streaming cam.

Oh, those babies are so tiny at the Hog Island osprey nest in Maine. It is the home of Dory and Skiff. I mentioned the little one’s names yesterday but just a reminder that they are Schooner, Slipjack, and Sloop. Dory is a first time Mum. Fingers crossed especially when there are three!

Oh, they are just soooooooo tiny.

Skiff has brought in a fish for everyone – you can just see the peach and pink from the sun setting over the water. Cross your fingers and send good wishes to this family!

There are three little Bobs at the Osoyoos Osprey nest in British Columbia. Osoyoos is located close to the US border in an area that is known to be one of the warmest spots in our country. Last year the chicks died during the Pacific Northwest heat wave. Fingers crossed for this year.

Aran is such a great fisher. Him and Mrs G have one of the best locations – except for the intruders. Kids were sure happy to see that whopper today…and so was Mrs G – ever anxious to get at it! There will be some for her, too.

Someone asked if the males feed the osplets. Many do! Some of the males really do enjoy feeding their chicks. Some females will also fly out and fish once the chicks are big enough they will not be predated. Blue NC0 at Loch of the Lowes is a great fisher.

Here is Louis at Loch Arkaig feeding the chicks while Dorcha looks on.

The storklets of Jan and Janika are to be moved to a forest enclosure soon. They are still being fed by the remote ‘Dad’ and look at how well they are doing.

The four Windsbach kestrels are still with us. Europe is going through a real heat wave and they are huddled in the corner out of the sun.

They perk up when Mum comes in with their tea time snack!

Ahote arrives at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta early hoping to get in line for breakfast before anyone else!

Lancer is at Two Harbours waiting for breakfast too!!!!!!!

Checking on Ervie. His latest tracking shows no visits to the barge. PLO think he has gotten the message that he is not welcome! Did I miss another visit to the nest? Would love to see Ervie! Looks like he is fishing close to the shore. Puffers???

I would like to say that things have slowed down and are uneventful after the past couple of weeks of troubles. The tree at ND-LEEF is very worrying. The staff are excellent and they have been out looking for ND16. I have heard nothing about 16 being seen. 15 has been perched on another branch. It is 17 of course that is the worry. That eaglet fought so hard to live that it would be a real tragedy if the rest of that nest collapses before it can fly. I wish it would get up on one of the branches! Send real positive energy that way! In other news Lindsay has been up on the Campanile and that is a good thing. If you are wondering how long L3 will be in rehab, probably 3-6 weeks plus flight training. They should teach her how to hunt at the same time so that she is insured of success once she leaves the Centre. And they will probably band L3 and we will find out if she is a she or a he.

Take care everyone. I hope that you have a wonderful day. Thank you so much for being with me. It is pretty quiet in Bird World. I will be back tomorrow. See you then!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Cowlitz PUD, Explore.Org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, Ospreys Online-Ramucka Forest, Mispillion Ospreys and DDNR, Pitkin County Open Spaces and Trails, ND-Leef, Dyfi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Fortis Exshaw, Explore.org and Audubon, Osoyoos Ospreys, Bywyt Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, EMU, Windsbach Kestrels and PLO.

More sadness in Osprey Land and is L3 injured?

22-23 June 2022

As you know, I have been working on a list of all the feathered friends we have lost so far. I had hoped to have it tidied up last week but, the continuing loss of nestlings has, as I mentioned one day, gutted me. The one word that continues to haunt me is INTRUDERS. At the Cowlitz PUD, we lost 3 healthy osplets to a Bald Eagle predation. At the Cape Henlopen Nest, we lost 3 osplets to starvation because intruders had (most likely) killed the male and injured the female. Two Osplets drowned when their nest platform collapsed at the Patuxent River Park. Two died at Kielder 5A – one caught in the nest and the other from being unwell. One was starved and killed at Loch of the Lowes because Louis had to keep intruders away and could not fish. One died at Llyn Brenig from not being able to get to the fish while another got its leg caught in the nest and die at Loch Arkaig. That was within 7-10 days and those are just the ones I can remember in that period – all Ospreys. (My list includes other species but this count is just ospreys). Thirteen wee osplets lost.

Now there are another two. A freakish accident. It was very hot in the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado today. The female had covered her two healthy osplets who were really getting their juvenile feathers. There was an intruder. The nesting material got caught in the mother’s talons when she flew after the intruder. As a result she knocked her two babies off the nest. They were more than half way to fledging. A search party has gone out to see if they survived. I am not hopeful. It is a long fall. If they do not survive, then there are now 15 osplets lost in just about a week.

The female at the Pitkin County Osprey nest protects her two osplets from the hot sun while also protecting them and keeping her eyes on the intruder.

Just look at how beautiful and big those two are. They are quite healthy and their juvenile feathers are coming in all over.

Mum is panting and is very hot. She keeps an eye out for the intruder that is flying about the nest.

Mum flies off the nest taking the nesting material and her two chicks with her. They fall to the ground.

Mum returns and is looking. Where are my chicks?

This is the announcement re Pitkin County. The fishing line was not visible—how sad. We could have lost Mama, too. This is perhaps a reason that all Osprey platforms should be carefully cleaned and inspected during non-breeding time. I do not know if it would have saved the one chick – and we will see the status of the injured one later – but fishing line and any human debris in a nest should be removed!

Three of Big Red and Arthur’s fledglings are on top of the Rice Building waiting for a prey drop from Mum and Dad. Meanwhile, one of their siblings – believed to be L3 – is in the rehab clinic. There was a report of a downed Red-tail and Suzanne Horning and Woody responded immediately. — Big shout out to this couple that love the hawks and work at Cornell for their help. No blood and the wings folded nicely so nothing broken. No sign of a collision. I will include any updates this evening. Send positive wishes.

Richmond and Rosie’s osplets are about the same age as the two at the Pitkin County nest. This is a look at week 5 of their lives. These videos captured and edited by SF Ospreys are a super introduction or a reminder of the various stages of the osplets lives.

Early morning at the Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest and everyone at Delaware Bay seems to be alright. This is a nest that needs to be cleaned after the season – and monitored re harmful items like monofilament line. It is a good thing that Mum realized that the pretty yellow metal grid could be dangerous and she removed it before it could harm her chicks. There should be an understanding that all human items are removed by qualified wildlife rehabbers from the nests until a certain age of chicks when it might harm them more if they bolted from the nest. I don’t know if it would have saved those babies at the Pitkin Nest. Did anyone know there was fishing line there?

At the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest, Little Bit is really enjoying having a lot of the deliveries to himself now that both 15 and 16 have fledged. At 18:20 Mum flew in with a really nice fish. She goes about feeding Little Bit 17.

Mum has landed and Little Bit – the only eaglet on the nest – is mantling it.

Little Bit ate every bite of that fish!

Dad brought a second fish on the nest at 19:13:57. It was a big sucker. The parents were trying to lure 15 into the nest to eat – and it worked like a charm.

ND15, Little Bit’s buddy on the nest, has been eating and eating. He was really hungry. Flying does use up a lot of energy! Little Bit is just taking it all in.

15 could not eat all of its fish. Little Bit 17 must be full to the bald patches on his head because he is not interested in that lovely fish tail at all. Maybe he will want a snack later?

That fish tail is still there – not quite two hours later. My goodness Little Bit. It looks like Little Bit will sleep alone on the nest. 15 has already gone to his perch on the high branches and while we don’t know where 16 is – the parents surely do and have probably taken a prey drop to her.

It looks like ND17 Little Bit finished up the remaining fish and its tail from last evening show above. He came out of the porch in the early morning, around 06:08 with a very nice crop. I cannot see that any further prey items have been brought yet – it is 09:50 nest time now.

The earlier issues with intruders and lack of prey delivery to the Loch of the Lowes nest seem to have dissolved – thankfully. All is well there today.

A quick check on the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn. Idris brought in another huge fish today along with all the others. I am thinking he has entered some Welsh Osprey Fishing Derby! Three chicks will be ringed next week. If you haven’t gone to the Dyfi streaming cam and put in a guess for the gender of the chicks, please do. Have some fun and give Ken Gregory that is running the contest a shock with so many entries! You simply chose B for boy and G for girl. There are three of them from the oldest to youngest.

It is expected that the chicks of Mrs G and Aran at the Glaslyn nest in Wales will be ringed at the end of next week. Everything is fine on that nest – how grand.

There are three tiny osplets on the Boathouse on Hog Island, Maine. Dory is a first time Mum and Skiff is the male. The three chicks are Schooner, Slipjack, and Sloop.

Please be advised that the three chicks are so wee and Dory is figuring out how to feed them. We have to be patient and we will see if the third hatch survives. Fingers crossed. It looks like a fantastic spot for a nest! Here is the link to their camera:

Thank you so much for joining me this morning. I will be out of pocket for most of the day today – and again tomorrow – but I will send a late report on the nests we are watching. Take care everyone. Stay safe out there!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages, videos, etc where I got my screen captures: Pitkin County Ospreys, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, SF Ospreys, Mispillion Ospreys and the DDNR, ND-LEEF, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Woodland Trust, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Hog Island Ospreys with Audubon and Explore.org