Tag Archives: Cal Falcons

Tuesday in Bird World

6 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

The humidex in Winnipeg, Manitoba was 38 degrees C. The temperature on the deck was 39 C at one time in the afternoon – not sure what that does to the figures the weather station is releasing. It is simply hot. There is little movement in the garden – some sparrows flitting in and out to get in the shade and eat some seed. No squirrels. No Blue Jays. No Crows. Not even a single feral cat. It is clearly not the time of day – afternoon – to be going out to check on ducklings and goslings. Someone sent me this photo. Sadly I do not know who took it but it is supposed to be goslings in our City crossing the asphalt. My gosh…those poor feet. Asphalt gets super hot in this heat.

Around 1900 a much anticipated five-minute downpour will make everything more humid, but it was so heavy the plants will appreciate the moisture!

The garden has been virtually empty. A few House Sparrows, a couple of squirrels came out around 1700 and a single Blue Jay. The heat impacts all of us even if there is fresh water and food waiting.

I am finishing off the newsletter for Tuesday late Monday but will check through my mail for any news and on a few of the nests…it is convocation for the granddaughter tomorrow morning. A nice day to celebrate and take the gang for a lunch before our lives return to normal.

On the radar! I am astounded when anyone takes a saw to a tree during breeding season. Every country should regulate the cutting down of trees and that means small ones, too that have nests of song birds. Mr Woodpecker no longer comes to the feeder because my neighbour cut down the ‘dead tree’. Gracious. It could have waited. Woodpeckers love dead trees – and this person even feeds the birds.

Oh, don’t we love those times when the Eagles take the little RTHs for lunch and wind up raising them as their own. I am sure you have all seen the nest that is now raising two RT hawklets. Precious. Look at its big sibling! Bald Eagle parents are doing well with these two…so interesting.

I have been watching the Patchogue nest closely as well as Loch of the Lowes. Laddie LM12 has not been seen since he brought in a small goldfish Sunday evening. The chicks are hungry and I am wondering if Blue NC0 will go and fish. She is a good fisher but her hormones are still in the brooding stage. Something has been going sideways at this nest and it could be intruders. No fish all day on Monday. Send your warm wishes.

Here is the weekly report from The Scottish Wildlife Trust on LOTL. Gives some good insight into how well the nest was doing and now another hiccup.

Osprey-Diary-at-Loch-of-the-Lowes-Week-11-Scottish-Wildlife-TrustDownload

At the Glacier Gardens nest of Liberty and Freedom, little Hope is growing.

There is growing concern that the male, A59, at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest is missing and presumed injured or deceased. He was banded in NJ in 2000 making him 23 years old.

That sweet little eaglet at the Decorah Hatchery nest in Iowa is grown into a beautiful eaglet waiting for its turn to fly.

The Patchogue Osprey platform sponsored by PSEG on Long Island continues to astound me. That said, I want to say that this nest could turn. Mini was shut out of the last two feedings on Monday evening – at 1801 and 2022 because Big attacked.

Mini was eating at 0900, eating again at 1106 and had an enormous crop from a fish delivered around noon – which he was fed for approximately 30 minutes! When you have a male that delivers fish almost every 2 hours that are a good size with no visible intruders – wow…even a tiny fourth hatch has hope. And so should we even if Big, on occasion, rears its head.

1230. Most of the fish remains – Mini has a huge -huge -crop and Mum will get some nice fish, too.

Siesta time.

Right now Mini is doing just fine. The Dad is a Daddy Door Dash with those fish. Mini had several private feedings once the big ones were full. Around 1426 one of the Big ones ‘looked’ at Mini and I wondered but Mini stayed fixed by the fish. It was mostly gone when it was his turn but he did get some and then at 15:17ish Dad hauls in another big one. Mini is eating at 1542 and has a crop, still fish…what a nest!

Mini is going to look ‘thin’ – he is eating. It is the stage of development the little one is in. He is growing like a bad weed, thankfully. Those wings are more than twice the size they were a week ago. Still tiny compared to the big siblings but if these parents can keep this up – well, Mini…you just might helicopter and fly!

1425:

1428:

1542

Big intimidating Mini. He has to walk over…this is not good. The rule is: Never look the older sibling directly in the eyes. It sets them off. You can see that Mini has a crop from the earlier feedings. Right now, all is good. He has eaten, and crop dropped and eaten some more—one day on this nest, one day at a time.

Middle was having a rough time of it at the Severna Osprey nest on Monday. Big reminds me of Zoe because she can just consume fish like she is Dyson the squirrel sucking it up and never getting full. Middle finally did get some morsels around 1504. If another fish would come on quickly, a big one, he could get some more food…this nest is like night and day to Patchogue where the osplets top eating when they re full and the others can get some fish.

‘H’ notes that Middle got a few bites at another feeding. Middle will be very hungry today. let us hope that the fish start returning to this nest.

Things are just fine at the Outerbanks 24/7 nest. Everyone gets fed.

Still looking alright at Cowlitz PUD.

It is hard to say what is happening at Oyster Bay PSEG because Mum loves to block the view when a fish is delivered. Babies are tiny and she gets back to brooding them right away. Temperature at the nest is 65 F.

The two tiny osplets at Seaside appear to be doing alright. Lots of heat shimmer coming on that camera.

All appears well with Duke and Daisy at Barnegat Light in NJ.

‘R’ sent me the forecast for Florida and there is no rain predicted for the St Petersburg and the Achieva Nest. It has to be dire there with the drought. Big and Middle waiting on the nest for a delivery…waiting and waiting. Will the osprey have to migrate north if the droughts in Florida continue along the SW coast?

Blue 022 watches his chicks as CJ7 feeds them.

Lots of fish and fat little Bobs at the Dyfi Osprey nest in Wales of Idris and Telyn.

Aran is an excellent provider. The two little Bobs are doing well for his first season with new mate, Elen.

Louis has been breaking all manner of breakfast fish arrival records for Dorcha and their Only Bob at Loch Arkaig.

As the sun sets in western Scotland, Louis has another fish on the nest just in case anyone is famished.

Dorcha was hit by the Tawny owl last night. The osplet is alright! Thanks Geemeff.

We always need a giggle…this time it is thanks to Richmond at the SF Whirley crane nest he shares with Rosie.

Blinked and the Llyn Clywedog Bobs grew up! What a beautiful place to hatch and a reservoir that gets stocked with 40,000 fish every year.

Lou and Annie tried to have some private time but…they got interrupted.

Both Hartley and Monty delivered prey to a very loud eyas! What a crop. Now smile. This scrape has had a complete turnaround. That is Monty’s shadow with Hartley feeding the chick.

If someone tells me that they are absolutely 100% certain that the third hatch at the Evergy Topeka Falcon Cam is ‘healthy’, I will scream.

The feather development is entirely delayed. Will the feathers coming in caught in the sheaths ever break loose? Will the eyas get help if they don’t.

Lots of chatter about who is feeding Dale Hollow 17. It does look like a male that showed up after Obey disappeared has been providing fish. At the end of the day, it is just good that this eaglet is eating well. Hopefully River will have another mate. Maybe she will rebuild this nest, maybe not. DH17 looks good.

Black storks growing big and strong.

The Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest of Martin and Rosa has completely collapsed. It fell down completely during a food delivery to Flora who slipped and fell and took it down with her. She could be heard. Parents are calling her. She has fledged. Send good wishes.

The Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey continues to take in raptors caught in glue traps. This post explains what must be done to release the poor birds caught in these traps – the behind-the-scenes work that the rehabbers do—thinking of a donation? How about a case of Dawn?

Ospreys like nests with a clear view – on top of dead trees, on power poles, on light stands. They have adapted to humans taking over their territory. Sunnie Day posted a great article on a solution to the issue of nests on lighting platforms. Have a look! I think a lot of places and, in particular, ball parks and university athletic fields, could learn from this story.

Supporting-the-Citys-Osprey-Nests-ParkwaysDownload

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all – continue to send your best wishes off to all the birds. Nests are like being on a carnival ride this year – joy, fear, up and down and sideways. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my newsletter today: ‘H’,Geemeff, ‘R’, ‘SP’, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles 101, Nick Beres NC5, LOTL, The Scottish Wildlife Trust, Glacier Gardens, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, PSEG, Severna Ospreys, Outerbanks 24/7, Cowlitz PUD, Seaside ospreys, Barnegat Light and Conservancy Wildlife of NJ, Tampa Bay 168 Hour Forecast, Achieva Credit Union, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Geemeff and Friends of Lock Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, SF Bay Ospreys, CarnyXWild, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and San Jose City Hall Falcons, DHEC, Maria Marika and Black Stork Ciconia Nigra FB, Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle Nest, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, and Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Thursday in Bird World

25 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that you have had a fabulous first half of the week. It is the end of May. The lilacs are blooming and the garden is so fragrant. The Baltimore and Orchard Orioles ‘flew the coop’. I have not seen one in the garden since late Monday evening. The Cowbirds are gone and the Grackles have arrived. Mr Crow was here for peanuts along with his mates and Mr Blue Jay, Dyson and family but, other than those, it was rather quiet. And cooler. Down to 11 C tonight – Melbourne weather. It feels cold.

I wish I could send a big bouquet to everyone. The lilacs were planted 24 years ago. They were just sticks that autumn. Now they are so tall – of course, the big bunches of blossoms are at the top. These are lovely, and a tiny little sprig in the conservatory makes the entire space smell grand.

As I am writing this, Bobby Horvath of WINORR who cared for Pale Male in his last hours, told me he would happily go and clean up the Patchogue nest if a bucket truck can be obtained. People are willing to help. Let us hope that permits come through. Bobby said, “It’s a matter of resources. A bucket truck capable of reaching the site and if there’s live electric involved or not. Then permission is a whole other issue. If a truck can be secured I offer my assistance removing any material I can.” I am so grateful, and there are others..it is getting all of this in place that is the issue. Fingers crossed. Thanks, Bobby!——— The power company is telling callers that they ‘will take care of it’…..let’s hope that someone does. I have to say that I worry about that little osplet but so far so good. Look at them lined up like so nicely having fish…is it possible that they are all males like Bazza, Falkey, and Ervie and this Mini will survive? One day at a time. One day at a time. I live with hope. Bib Bob is at least six times the size of Mini and the older two are just entering the Reptilian Phase. It makes monsters out of them for a short time…not sure why. Would love to see the hormone levels in their blood – the aggressive ones.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to get help to this nest. You are fantastic.

Mini-Bob looks unwell this morning and may be dying/dead. It is difficult to tell – deep sleep. Mum has been looking curiously at the poor little thing while she was also trying to remove some rubbish earlier.

This should put a big smile on your face! Wonderful, generous people really made a difference to this wildlife rehab sanctuary.

What does it mean when people donate even the tiniest things? This! Thank you to everyone who reached out for Murphy and his eaglet…this is amazing news. Windfalls like this do not happen all the time. Murphy got a lot of publicity. Just remember that every wildlife sanctuary requires items from clean used towels and sheets to those unused power tools in your garage. Go out and look. See what you have. Offer it locally!

Read all of the lines…your help for a year and more. See what is there that is needed – and then keep your eyes open for anything on this list. Is someone moving and clearing out their space? Are they leaving laundry supplies? See if they will donate them!

Gosh. I almost need ear plugs – Rosa, Zephyr, and Luna are sooooo very loud. Lewis goes running when he hears them…he is frightened.

Gorgeous Mum Annie leaves the kids to the prey – good idea, self-preservation.

In case you are missing little fluff balls starting to get rather loud, check out this feeding at Cromer Peregrine Falcons.

WRDC has announced that both of Ron and Rita’s eaglets this year are males. No surprise there! They were a delight all year, very civil…Thanks, ‘H’.

Oh, it is so nice when a fish delivery comes in and your big sibling is out flying around seeing the world. That is what happened to Middle at the Achieva Osprey nest on Wednesday morning at 0745.

Little Bob at Severna Park can be seen to get right in there when there is fish despite the huge size difference. Another nest of three that we are keeping tabs on…with hope.

Lucy flew to her nest at Lake Murray and was making the tiniest little cheeping sounds. To go to sleep and wake up and find that your only surviving chick is gone…where did it go? who took it? what happened? My heart aches for her. She lost her entire family.

Bridgette has confirmed what ‘H’ reported to me that the third chick was dead when it hatched or shortly after and Harriet consumed it. “Unfortunately #3 was not alive and was eaten up by Harriet at 5:30 a.m. Yes, that’s how it is in nature. Let’s hope for a healthy development for #1 and #2.

All is well at the RTH nest of Big Red and Arthur in Ithaca, New York. No one is hungry, no one is injured, no one has fallen out of the nest and there are no predators around those babies.

Arthur bringing in another delivery! The deliveries keep flowing. Big Red is now leaving the chicks for longer on the nest and taking breaks at a nearby light stand where she can ‘sun’ herself. She is within a quick distance if there are any problems at the nest.

Come on, have another bite! I know you are hungry! LOL. No one is ever hungry on Big Red’s nest.

Everything is good with Angel and Tom and RTH5. Tom continues to deliver, Angel picks up and feeds RTH5 who is growing fast just like Big Red and Arthur’s chicks. Remember those Blue Jays dive-bombing Angel, Tom and the nest? Well, RTH5 had a Jay nestling today. That is why they were so upset!

Both chicks at the Dahlgren Osprey platform of Jack and Diane in Virginia seem to be doing fine. There is such a difference in size. We wait and hope…

There was a second hatch at the Carthage TN Osprey platform in the early morning Wednesday the 24th.

Will there be only two little osplets for Idris and Telyn this year. We wait to see. This is what Dyfi thinks..as you look at that image I want you to remember that in four months or less, this baby will be flying alone to West Africa where we hope that H5N1 has been contained and eliminated as much as possible.

No shortage of fish for only Bob at Dyfi! Will there be another hatch tomorrow?

The first hatch for Mr and Mrs 69 at Kielder Forest hatched on the 23rd and was alert on the 24th ready for a fish feed!

Everything is going well at the Rutland Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya. The little ones can get into mischief but they are thriving. Late Wednesday Blue brought in another of his whoppers and Little Bob got its head stuck under it. He made it right…thankfully. While these big fish really do feed a lot of chicks, they are incredibly dangerous.

The baby took a whack. Let us hope it is alright. The others are up eating what would typically be either the last or penultimate meal of the day. Oh, yes, it is moving up to the food line. Lots of fish there. Mum will eat and all three will be stuffed.

It has been a rough year for many nests. Laddie and Blue NCO didn’t lose their first hatch but there have been so many intruders and it is having an impact on fish delivery. Blue NC0 had to fight off an intruder for over an hour. Imagine with two little babies under her. Brave Mum.

https://youtu.be/TkVbmAJNMfI

At Llyn Clywedog there was an intruder trying to land on its Mum, Seren Blue 5F. It was Blue 469! The big male from 2021. I don’t think Mum is too excited to see her big boy with two little ones under her!!!!!!!!!

A video has been posted of River taking the fish off the nest at Dale Hollow and presumably providing it to DH17 who you can hear squeeing in the background.

https://youtu.be/KzIt0Rl-nKg

There are no breeding pairs of Ospreys in Ireland. There are ospreys that stop for a bit or others flying by but now the plans to reintroduce to our favourite raptor are in place.

https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2023/0523/1385185-ospreys-ireland/

Dr Sharpe and Amber continue to band all of the 2023 eaglets they can on the Channel Islands. You might recall the rescue of the largest one at Bald Canyon. All ringed today.

The three at PA Farm Country have done very well, indeed. I have not checked on them in so long. Just look.

Beloved E22 is still at the nest with M15. This is the longest that any fledgling has remained…aren’t we fortunate?

The latest news on the situation at Dale Hollow that I have seen.

The Raven came and took the third egg of Iris at her nest on the grounds of the Riverview Clinic in Missoula, Montana. Fingers crossed that she can now relax and enjoy her summer.

The Sydney Sea Eagles are getting busy on their nest.

A Place Called Hope is one of the wildlife rehabbers on my list to be cared for if I were found. They are telling a story and appealing to everyone in Connecticut to get back to the politicians on these much-designed rodenticides. Most of you do not live in Connecticut, but I want you to read this narrative anyway. Then, when you have the time, get on to your politicians (a sad lot to be handling something so dangerous – I hate when things become ‘political’) and find out what is happening where you are! Help..secondary poisoning is very real. You will know if you have a pet that dies from this in great agony. I did. Her name was Duncan, after my Dad. Thank you! We have to educate ourselves.

Recycled Plastic. More harmful than the original? The key is to not use plastic – ban it from your life, whenever you can, just like you would rodenticide!

“But … the toxicity of plastic actually increases with recycling. Plastics have no place in a circular economy and it’s clear that the only real solution to ending plastic pollution is to massively reduce plastic production.”

“Recycled plastics, the report says, often contain higher levels of chemicals such as toxic flame retardants, benzene and other carcinogens, environmental pollutants including brominated and chlorinated dioxins, and numerous endocrine disruptors that can cause changes to the body’s natural hormone levels.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/24/recycled-plastic-more-toxic-no-fix-pollution-greenpeace-warns?CMP=share_btn_link

And now for some good news…don’t plant! Just leave nature to take over and do what is necessary!

“Forestry doesn’t get everything right,” he says. “But with huge areas to work with we can experiment – a bit of local disruption can supercharge an ecosystem. Scrape back here, block a watercourse there, or we can suspend planting and just step back. It might take decades to see the benefits, but fine. Foresters are used to long cycles.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/23/country-diary-a-boggy-untouched-paradise-for-wildlife?CMP=share_btn_link

Congratulations Chris Packham!

Geemeff reports that the Crowdfunder to assist in the clean up in The Gambia of the HPAI birds met is goal. Congratulations Conservation without Borders!

Thank you so very much for being with me today. I am off and running this morning so the blog is finishing up at midnight. There will, no doubt, be lots of osprey news happening in the UK while I am sleeping! It will not make it in for tomorrow…so please check to see if there are any more hatches! Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, Geemeff, ‘H’, Patchogue Ospreys, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, World Bird Sanctuary, Cromer Peregrine Falcon Cam, WRDC, Achieva Credit Union, Severna Park Ospreys, LMO, Dahlgren Ospreys, Cornell RTH, Window to Wildlife, Dalhgren Ospreys, DTC Osprey Cam, Dyfi Osprey Project, Kielder Forest, LRWT, LOTL, CarnyXWild, RTE.ie, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Sara MacDonald and PA Country Farm Eagle Cam, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Celia Aliengirl and Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, A Place Called Hope, The Guardian, Conservation without Borders and Crowdfunder, and @RSPCAChris.

Hatch at LOTL…Saturday in Bird World

13 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It is a busy day today for all the people that love birds. It is World Migratory Day and it is the Big Bird Count in North America.

Today is World Migratory Bird Day for the Americas. Isn’t this a gorgeous poster linking the birds with that most crucial element, Water?

The organisers of this year’s event state:

World Migratory Bird Day 2023 will focus on the topic of water and its importance for migratory birds. 

Water is fundamental to life on our planet. The vast majority of migratory birds rely on aquatic ecosystems during their life cycles. Inland and coastal wetlands, rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, and ponds are all vital for feeding, drinking, or nesting, and also as places to rest and refuel during their long journeys.

Unfortunately, aquatic ecosystems are becoming increasingly threatened around the world and so are the migratory birds that depend on them. The increasing human demand for water, as well as pollution and climate change, are having a direct impact on the availability of clean water and the conservation status of many migratory birds.

World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise global awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.

UN Environmental Programmes

The Big Bird Count around the world has already begun in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, with counts already coming in through Cornell’s eBird and iNaturalist sites. I urge all of you to participate – even if you have seen only one bird today! These counts are so important to understanding which species are growing and which are diminishing. eBird is free and there are lots of informative articles and activities there on the Cornell site.

Shout out to PG&E for helping this Osprey family instead of ruining their breeding season! Thank you.

Well, I am just smiling. For the second day in a row, Middle Bob at the Achieva Osprey nest has stolen a fish from Big and had a nice meal for a change. Look at Diane’s eyes. She does not miss a thing and she knows that her second hatch is getting its Mojo.

Middle got it on the second try! Way to go, Middle! This kid is really getting its confidence – something reinforced with a nice fish meal. But this nest needs fish. As ‘H’ says, these osplets are ‘so skinny’.

Tom and Angel continue to bring in prey items. A squirrel was on the menu Friday morning. Little baby is eating well and Tom was there with a nice vole for Saturday breakfast! Oh, he has this figured out and is doing such a good job taking care of Angel and their baby.

Those Blue Jays sure are bothersome.

Tom brought in another squirrel and at least one lizard. I will have to check and see what the total count was for Friday.

Thanks ‘A’ for that time stamp. Looking at the nest from the other camera really show those pesky Blue Jays flitting about.

I have always talked about how calm Big Red and Arthur’s nest is..well, this year, M1 is a cracker and she has decided that everyone will know she is the ‘boss’. It is too funny.

Big Red used to sit on them if they got too cantankerous. I have no worries. Big Red is an exceptional Mum, and Arthur has a nest of dead animals.

Gerome is in feeding his storklets in Hochstadt, Germany. Ever since ‘T’ introduced me to storks I have a fondness for these amazing creatures and their dancing when food is brought to the nest. The fact that they are all over Europe and people love and care for them as harbingers of good luck warms my heart.

Lucy has fed the two osplets at Lake Murray. Ricky is now missing for 3 days and I have entered his name on the Memorial Wall. If he returns, which I seriously doubt, I will retract that entry. Kathryn sent the commentators report as well as a link to the video below. Let us all send positive wishes that Lucy can get enough fish to feed them all now that Ricky is not here.

Kathryn writes : “No sign of Ricky today. 💔 and only one fish. This has gone from bad to worse. Here is the Facebook’s page top commenter summary (there is no other summary, she also posts on the website) of the day: 5-12-2023 No sign of Ricky today even though throughout the day Lucy seemed to be fish begging. At 8:06pm Lucy is seen diving catching a fish bringing it to nest. When she landed the fish landed right on top of C2. C1 started dominating C2 but the fish sort of blocked it until Lucy moved it. C1 made sure to eat first as C2 smartly waited. Slowly after C1 had been eating C2 worked his way to the fish and got some good bites. Both C’s as well as Lucy ended up with a good meal finishing off the fish at 9:15pm This was the only fish of the day for the C’s and considering that the domination by C1 was light as C2 again played it smartly waiting his turn.”

Polo7422 posted a video of the feed. That is a really nice fish that Lucy caught. Let us hope that she is able to get two of those a day. That would make all the difference in the world to this nest.

This was the posting and summary for Thursday at Lake Murray. Let us all hope that Lucy can keep this up!

E22 almost poses for photos on the camera at SW Florida in Fort Myers. What a beautiful fledgling.

B16 continues to be fed by her parents, Pa and Missy Berry, at the eagle nest at Berry College in Georgia. B16 is 113 days old today.

I want to call her Red Rosa..she is such a big girl and such a delight. This is little Lou feeding his first hatch with Annie.

SK Hideaways caught Red Rosa doing all kinds of things…including being a Mum to the little ones.

People, so often, do not understand the importance of banding the chicks. there is so much information that we can glean from those bands. For me, it is when the fledglings return after their two year absence. I am looking for one particular osprey, Blue 464. There are other two year olds appearing and one of those today was ‘Only Bob’ at Llyn Clywedog two years ago – he was incredible. Everyone believed this osplet to be a female he was so large! Well, today, Blue 496 returned to his natal nest at Llyn Clywedog and his band was photographed…his mother, Seren, was on the nest incubating her eggs for this year. I hope he finds a female and a nest. Congratulations Blue 496, you survived your migration to Africa in your first year and your return as a two year old!

Abby went off for another flight today. Victor is not yet interested. Nice to be on the nest having some more fish – as if either one could hold another bite.

Abby returns. She has got her landing just right.

An attentive Osprey Dad – yes, that is Blue 33 and he has been on and off the nest at Manton Bay at Rutland checking on Maya and the chick.

The baby and its Mum had a couple of feeds. We need to tell Maya to stand on the other side so we can see!

Maya feeds the chick for the first time – and we can see it! Thanks, Rutland.

It is still awhile to go at Dahlgren for the Osprey eggs to pip and Jack continues to bring in the stuffies. Poor Harriet. She’s got them over at the side making baby rails.

There was a pip, however, at Loch of the Lowes, when Maya’s baby was hatching. We should have a little one for Laddie LM12 and Blue NCO at LOTL on Saturday and we did – that hatch came at 12:30. Oh, Laddie. I hope that you are not injured and that is why you are having trouble with fish.

Geemeff caught the sounds of the chick at LOTL!

It will be a while longer for Louis and Dorcha at Loch Arkaig. You might recall that we were all worried that Dorcha might not return. So glad she did and happy to wait for the bairns (Scottish and Northern English for children).

I love how the UK males are almost always punctual with their evening fish for the Mums who have been incubating. It gives them a meal and a chance to stretch their legs and wings before the long night incubation. Idris is very good to take over so Telyn can enjoy her dinner at Dyfi in Wales.

The eyases have hatched at the Spartan Stadium scrape box maintained by the students at the University of Michigan!

The official report on the amount of restorations that Lady and Dad are doing at their nest in the Sydney Olympic Forest has been posted. You might recall that the possums had dug a hole in the centre of the nest and there was much concern over those precious eggs falling into it.

There are now three baby osplets at the Severn Park, Maryland Osprey Platform…they are hatching everywhere!!!!!!

For all the goshawk lovers out there, Arlene Beech caught a delivery of a squirrel to Mum and the chick. Just look at that little one…it knows what prey is! I love Goshawks…just not around Osprey nests.

Karl II tending to the four eggs of his and Kaia’s at the Karula National Forest Black Stork nest in Estonia.

Bety and Bukacheck have five eggs at Mlady Buky, The Czech Republic, that are being incubated.

This is the view of the nest of White-tail Eagle, Milda, in Durbe County, Latvia. Urmas is unsure whether to go and clear the camera as there has been no rain. He might normally do this at banding but he is concerned that the adults might be frightened. It is also unclear the fate of the youngest eaglet. We wait to hear and hope for the best as the eldest was getting aggressive by 5 May. That was a week ago.

Oh, it is duckling and gosling season and this is a reminder to please not feed the wildlife anything that would harm them. Bread is a real ‘no no’ as it can cause Angel Wing. They love it – it is full of sugar and salt – like cookies for humans. Other things to avoid include the following:

Please have the number of your local wildlife rehabber in your phone contacts. If you see a bird or mammal in distress, please do not hesitate to call them!

When I wake up, there could be another bobblehead or two! It is exciting. Please send your positive wishes to Lucy at Lake Murray so that she can catch enough fish so that she will not lose another osplet. There are so many nests to cover…today’s blog just touched on a few. Any not mentioned are doing well.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to everyone for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, Geemeff, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘S’, UN Environment, Cornell eBird, Ed Oswald Ospreys Only, Achieva Credit Union, Friends of LOTL and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, Hochstadt Storks, Lake Murray ospreys, Laurie Spencer and Osprey Friends, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Berry College Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, John Williams and Llyn Clywedog, Moorings Park Ospreys, LRWT, Dahlgren Ospreys, Geemeff and LOTL, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Postcode Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Dyfi Osprey Project, Sonja Ann and Orange Australia PF, Eagle Cam, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Arlene Beech and Taiwanese Research Group for goshawks, Estonian Eagle Club, and Lady Buky.

First UK hatch at Manton Bay, Cal Falcons named…Friday in Bird World

12 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I took Tuesday afternoon off to go to Assiniboine Park. It runs along the Assiniboine River, is home to the Zoo, the English Gardens, the Leo Mol Sculpture Gardens, and now The Leaf. The sky was clear and it was hot. People were chatting and having their lunch on benches and laughing. here were Chipping Sparrows, Greylag Geese, Wood Ducks, Canada Geese, Franklin Gulls, Nuthatches, Tree Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos along with the very friendly Black-capped Chickadees. It was a lovely day to be outside. I did not spend as much time watching the screens – my eye doctor will thank me. But I have a reasonable run down on some of the nests we are watching.

We need to start with something special and this appeared in the Fort Myers weekly newspaper and is making the rounds of the FB groups. M15 is a hard act to follow – human or otherwise!

Just look at this fledgling that M15 raised. You are incredible E22!

At Cal Falcons, Red caught a moth! Oh, goodness. The first thing that came to mind was Alden and when he taught the eyases of 2022 to catch moths. Red is soooooo big – a first hatch female. So different from all the males…she is right out there doing everything!

‘H’ reports the names are Red is Rosa, Blue is Luna, and Yellow is Zephyr. So happy to see the names of the children used this year!

Is there a hatch in progress at Manton Bay Rutland for Blue 33 and Maya? Why do we think this? Maya is not hungry! Just look at that nice fresh fish Blue 33 just delivered! Maya is always hungry so something is up!

This is at 2215:

Yes, absolutely! Geemeff confirms that 0818 the first hatch for Blue and Maya and perhaps a second on the way! Remember. They have four eggs. If they raise them successfully it will be their fourth clutch of four eggs to fledge! Super Family.

Blue NC0 and Laddie LM12 laid their egg first before Blue 33 and Maya but, it will be a close horse race with these two nests.

We have a little while to go for Idris and Telyn’s eggs to hatch at Dyfi.

I am really excited to see how the season unfolds for new couple Aran and Elen at Glaslyn. This couple made the BBC news…see below. Their eggs will be hatching a little later.

OK. I will make you feel guilty — if you love those fluffy sweet Royal Cam chicks like Pippa and SP and you eat tuna. Yes, tuna, unless you catch it yourself in the ocean. Maybe it is time to pass on that sandwich or salad, as the tuna industry is responsible for the death of the albatross, according to new research by BirdLife International.

New-study-underlines-risk-longline-vessels-pose-to-threatened-albatrosses-BirdLife-InternationalDownload

Good news at Achieva. Middle is getting confident. This is a big deal. If the second hatch is not confident but, rather, is shy and meek, on this nest, they could starve. Middle at the Achieva Osprey nest got its change at 1007 on Thursday morning to take a fish from Big, mantle it, and have a nice feed. Way to go Middle! Still, as ‘R’ notes, this nest is so difficult to watch when you see all the fish at Moorings Park!

There is positively no shortage of fish for Sally and Harry and their kids at Moorings Park. The fledglings will be so healthy. Let us hope that they thrive…and if you ever get the chance, please advocate for the stocking of the ponds and rivers with native fish for the ospreys.

Fish everywhere…always eating…Moorings Park. That is what I will remember about this season!

Aran and Elen made the BBC news! Everyone is so glad that Aran found a new mate and Eden looks like she is going to be a fantastic Mum. A new era for Glaslyn and one lucky female who found this incredible male.

Glaslyn-osprey-finds-new-lovebird-and-set-to-become-dad-again-BBC-NewsDownload

Big Red and Arthur’s three Ms are doing fantastic. They just seem to be growing faster than I remember in past years.

It is difficult to be certain if any prey has come on the nest for Angel and her baby on Thursday. Three lizards were mentioned but the moderator of the chat says no prey delivered…you can see my confusion. Yesterday was a virtual buffet! This chick does no appear ‘on the surface’ to have been harmed by not eating for over 30 hours when it was even younger but, the reality is that it should be eating every couple of hours.

‘A’ reports: “Tom is getting the idea that the baby needs frequent feeding. Today, he has brought in three lizards and he just flew in with something that is larger – cannot even see if it’s feathered or furred because Angel is obscuring it. Again, Angel and Tom fly in together, landing literally side by side, exactly like yesterday. So close together they appear to be a single bird. It’s hard to see which of the two brings the prey and which takes it, but I suspect it is Tom giving the prey to Angel. He did intervene and re-grab one of the lizards, but the chat suggests that was to kill it not steal it. The chick ate all three of the lizards and mum is feeding it from the fourth prey item even as I type. We are SO proud of Tom. He has come a long way.”

Murphy’s baby is not a baby and we now know that Rockababy is a Male. Just look at that eaglet! That crop and those legs and that fat little bottom. This is one healthy eaglet. World Bird Sanctuary did a fantastic job pairing these two.

The Denton Homes trio hatched on April 1 and 4. They are 41 and 38 days old today. It was a soggy day on the nest but they did some self-feeding and worked on standing and walking.

It was hot over at the Decorah Hatchery nest.

The triplets at Dulles-Greenway don’t seem to care about the plastic Martin brings in or the pieces that Mum Rosa weaves into the nest, just look at them. Their sights are set on that big world beyond.

It looks like it was hot in Pittsburgh at the US Steel nest of US6. Once they get their thermal down, the eaglets can help regulate their temperature by panting with their mouth open.

Congratulations to Patogue, New York on their first osplet hatch of the 2023 season.

Baby Season or Orphan Season? It is all the same. This is the time of year when there are nests and where little ones are getting blown out, dropped, nests are toppling, parents are lost. How to identify a nestling and what do you do if you find one. NOTE: The number below in the poster might well not apply to you! – check for your local wildlife rehab clinic.

One of my favourites – one of Monty’s boys, Tegid Z1 caught eating a fish. He has a nest but there is no camera and it is on private property so we seldom see him unless he lands on the Glaslyn nest (visiting his brother Aaron Z2 at Pont Cresor?). Nice to see you Tegid!

If you are watching the Loch Garten nest, things are still not settled. Poor Asha.

I am always interested in how groups funded their projects – or not. Friends of Ospreys Su Australia – the Port Lincoln group that identifies sites, erects platforms, and puts on trackers – charges $20. They have over 900 members and are hoping that everyone pays on time. That is 18,000+ AUS dollars. We associate them with Port Lincoln and the trackers and the barge. Is this the way to go to support your projects?

In other instances, it is difficult for groups to earn money. We immediately think that students at a university have ample funding but sometimes the funds go to athletics and not the study of birds or cameras to observe Ospreys. We watched the pair at University of Florida-Gainesville on the light stand above the practice field in previous years. The bulbs were changed to LEDs and then the camera was hit by lighting. The cost to replace the camera is 10k. The students and their department, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, have obtained a pledge for 5k. They are looking for everything from small donations – and I do mean small – to large to match this donor in order to replace their camera. If you are an alumni or a friend or someone who enjoyed this camera, I know that they would appreciate any funds and they are tax deductible if you live in the US. Google uff.ufl.edu and you will see the following tab:

And just a note! I do not know nor do I seek to find out who donates to any of the causes that I mention!

So glad Rose is home. ‘H’ says Rose looked tried and haggard, dirty when she got home..she does still a bit. Wonder what happened to her? We did not want another missing mate. It is too difficult and yet, we might have one at Lake Murray. Sadly, Lucy’s osplets are not as old as R4 and R5.

Heading back to our problem nest. The situation at Lake Murray is not good. Kathryn reports, “I haven’t seen Ricky today again, Lucy is bringing in fish but they are little. She is trying hard. Middle got maybe 3 bites and Big was furious about that. You can actually see the look on her face that she can’t believe middle is eating at all. She is pulling feathers out of middle’s back. Luckily middle is protecting its head so far. Middle knows to lay down and pretend to be knocked out.  Right now, big is laying on middle, waiting for movement again. She doesn’t even like middle asking for food. Horrible.”

Ricky has not been seen for two days. If he has not appeared by tomorrow, we can safely believe that he is no longer with us. It will be tough going for Lucy who is, no doubt, quite hungry and well, will Middle survive?

Geemeff confirms that there is a hatch at Threave Castle, possible Black 80s but we will clarify later. Thanks so much for being with me today…it is starting in the UK and I could not be more delighted. Stocked ponds and less intruders…Take care. See you soon!

I want to thank everyone for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog this morning: ‘A’, Geemeff, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘R’, Ft Myers Weekly, SWFlorida Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, LRWT, LOTL, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Birdlife International, Achieva Credit Union, Moorings Park Ospreys, BBC News, Cornell RTH, Window to Wildlife, World Bird Sanctuary, Denton Homes, Raptor Resource/Explore, Dulles-Greenway, PIX Cams, Mary Anne Miller and Osprey Friends, BCSPC, Elfyn Lewis and Glaslyn Osprey Group, Liz Bracken and RSPB, and Lake Murray Ospreys.

Osprey eggs, DH18 update…Tuesday in Bird World

2 May 2023

Good Morning!

The sky is blue, and the sun is bright this Tuesday morning on the Canadian Prairies. By tea time it will be 15 degrees C. This should really bring on the budding of the leaves and hopefully, we will be seeing some green shortly. Everyone in the City is preparing for the arrival of the Baltimore Orioles – stocking up on grape jelly (they like any flavour, actually) and oranges to help them after their long journey. They fly what is known as an ‘ancestral route’ through the Central Plains of the US down to Florida, the Antilles, and then to their final destination in the marshes of Southern Brazil returning to us in May. It is a long journey, 8-11,000 km (5-6800 miles). They are meeting many challenges due to the changing patterns in agricultural production and irrigation, loss of habitat, and climate changes. These guests will be a welcome addition to the garden family. They stay for about 8 or 9 days and fly north to their breeding grounds for the summer.

Your first smile for the day is brought to you by the students of the Hurst Lodge School in Montana – we missed Osprey Week but we can still enjoy their performance!

Monday evening a moth has gotten into the house. This gobsmacks Missy and Lewis. Lewis got so tired of jumping up and down chasing it that he had to nap…all stretched out. Earlier in the day, Missy and Lewis had also been napping in their Big Dog Bed..always together except in the ‘cat tree’ house. There is no longer room for both of them inside!

First, the latest update on DH18. I am so saddened to hear that an infection has been found but, glad it was and is being treated. We wait to see how our warrior is doing in a couple of days. I know that none of us will give up on DH18. His young life was full of tragedy that none of us would want to go through – lost his dad, lost his sibling, was beaked and starving at times, and then trapped with monofilament line cutting through its legs and causing tremendous pain.

If you see wildlife whose lives are endangered by monofilament lines or baling twine, you must contact the proper authorities immediately. Do not hesitate. We will never know why those watching at DH denied that the fishing line injured the eaglets. All we know is that through dedicated hard work and the efforts of hundreds of people, these two eaglets have a chance – one on the nest with River and the other with the AEF. We hope that DH18 will be released and live in the wild…along with its sibling DH17.

We all know the captivating story of Murphy and the Eaglet. ‘B’ sent me an article out of The New York Times today and it is a good one about Murphy. It isn’t long and I urge you to read it til the end. I can gift articles so please copy and paste the link. The author says, “We fail to understand the creatures who share our ecosystems because we assume they are nothing but bundles of instincts.” I wish more humans understood that all living things are sentient beings. The world would be very different, indeed.

tps://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/opinion/murphy-eagle-rock-baby.html?unlocked_article_code=C0NC7KXrItFJ3nP31LqrjicRndEnDVp9sfIua3biiLRQ155Rauw3gBdy1rU7V-QZkhEcamsCx3ZwdP6fAzngaXNAqQcdoRgVQw-hS306a1NHlys2x1G0uDsqatuHWANg2d4qxWknvedOg8DX3sE26d1_z4FvKEZr2pxrFPwmlvhMk9AEauVyVVxlwUBIH4zXJTmn93T3r-STgABY8WCnRb2PlXZi1HWWiEqepcHNNR-Jjijq12d4eMXSHMbEo1vMGm7KlarRk39uWdanOOPk8bcrtI2GB4P1YeIUZBl97r29_4hKZ-brILDoG4nxglajP7u9fvF8UdCyoR0_8KkIeQ&giftCopy=0_NoCopy&smid=em-share

Thanks to those great BOGs we still get to see what E22 is up to around the Fort Myers Bald Eagle nest on the Pritchett Property. The departure of E22 will be so bittersweet.

Bella and Smitty’s only eaglet is doing fine. Smitty brought in four big fish for them on Monday.

‘H’ reports that Kent Island has its first Osprey egg of the season!

‘H’ also reports that Dory up at the Boathouse might be sitting on her first egg. This is exciting! And there is that egg.

Over in the UK, the third egg has arrived at Loch Garten.

Aran continues to deliver his huge fish to Elen at Glaslyn. Oh, you are so handsome, Aran – but, what is important is that you can catch big fish!

Sasha Dench and her team from Flight of the Osprey have been in The Gambia and are driving through Morocco trying to find Blue 4K. He was located earlier and should now be in the UK breeding but where is he?

‘A’ remarks about Tom and the new baby…”Tom returns to the nest around 2.06 pm this afternoon (1 May) – check out the darling little baby from 2:04:12 onwards. Again, Angel is forced to leave the baby on its own. Tom later brought a small opossum to the nest and Angel made it very clear to him that he was not to touch the baby at this point, just bring it food! So Tom has done well today. He has managed not to kill or injure the hawklet and he has brought food. Now that’s what I call progress”. Let us all hope that this progress continues.

‘A’ continues: “Based on his actions this afternoon, I think Tom has got the message. He is delivering prey, and he has watched Angel feeding the baby. I think he is learning fast. And yes, it is a precious darling little thing (and so was its sibling). Angel is being super protective of her baby. When Tom brings the second opossum, she vocalises constantly until he leaves the nest. She remains firmly on top of the chick. She is teaching him. Gee that second opossum is huge. No wonder it provided four feedings and still there are nestovers. “

Excellent news. I am so glad there is food and that Angel is being super protective Mum although the possum family might not be happy about losing its babies. This single surviving hawk let deserves the best of care by Mum and Tom needs to keep that pantry filled – to try and ensure this one survives regardless of its DNA.

There were several fish brought to the nest at the Achieva Credit Union today. The one around 1800, which Diane brought in, was a blessing. Big Bob self-fed off another fish while Diane fed Middle. Oh, this is grand! Today was a good day on the Achieva Nest. With the drought, we can be grateful.

Harry is such a great provider and he also has the advantage of a stocked pond at his doorstep – compared to Achieva. Abby and Victor have been well cared for…is it possible they might never ever want to leave home?! It seriously feels that they are always eating fish! That pond is going to need a good restocking.

Talk about beautiful osplets. I wish the plumage would stay the same when they are adults.

Remember Friday, 5 May. The banding of the Cal Falcons. They are so cute and are getting pin feathers…flapping cotton balls. Thanks SK Hideaways.

At San Jose City Hall, Hartley found the leftover egg from last season and thinks maybe it should be incubated too – in addition to the four he is already incubating! Our giggle of the day. Thanks, Hartley and SK Hideaways.

Missy Berry flew to the nest with a fish for B16. She wasn’t there…they must have found one another because B16 returned to the nest with the fish. Well done! Lots of training going on out there for these fledgling Bald Eagles. Thanks Bel-A-Dona.

The DNA testing has returned for Ron and Rita’s eaglets at the WRDC. R4 is a male and the testing was inconclusive on R5 and will be re-done. Thanks, ‘H’.

Did anyone else notice Big Red looking down, listening, and moving slightly differently at 1838 Monday evening? Pip watch is coming!

Big Red got up and left the eggs around 2000. No pip yet.

This morning at the change over…I am getting excited.

And a bit of a giggle – Big Red getting that egg cup just right.

In Latvia, the two White-tail Eaglets of Milda and Voldis continue to thrive. Wonderful!

‘L’ sent me a photo of the Canada Goose family that lives hear her in the Carolinas. Look how protective they are. Geese are amazing parents. Thank you, L.

The two books I am currently reading are about geese, particularly Pink-footed Geese, Barnacle Geese, Greylags, Brants, and Bean Geese. They are The Meaning of Geese. A thousand miles in search of Home by Nick Acheson and Wintering. A Season with Geese by Stephen Rutt. I must admit that I find Wintering quite a delight to read. Rutt’s writing style sucks you into his burgeoning love for these large flying creatures. It is his discovery and fascination that keeps you turning the pages. Acheson’s book is excellent, too. It is a diary of his year spent with the geese weaving in their history, the science, the challenges of climate change for our feathered friends. Both, however, deal with the migration from the Siberian Tundra or Iceland and Greenland of these beautiful creatures who land in Scotland or Norfolk beginning in September to spend their winters in the UK. Highly recommended.

“grey lag and pink footed geese” by Nick Goodrum Photography is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, pictures, videos, posts, tweets, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog this morning: ‘B’, ‘L’, ‘H’, ‘A’, ‘S’, Geemeff, Hurst Lodge School, AEF, The New York Times, SW Florida Eagle Cam, NCTC, Explore.org, RSPB Loch Garten, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Conservation without Borders, Geemeff and Conservation without Borders, Window to Wildlife, Achieva Credit Union, Moorings Park Ospreys, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and San Jose City Hall, Bel-A-Dona and Berry College Eagle Cam, WRDC, Cornell RTH, Latvian Fund for Nature, and Openverse.

3rd egg for Dahlgren, Lou feeds chicks…Wednesday in Bird World

19 April 2023

Good Morning to Everyone (or evening depending on where you live!),

It is Tuesday evening, as I write this, and the temperature is dropping on the Canadian Prairies. There was to be a drizzle, and the forecast is for three-day snow. I hope they are wrong! As a result, I did not stay inside. My motto is: do not put things off! If you feel good today, get up and go out if it works! There were two surprises at the nature centre. One was a fast-running Muskrat, and the other was a Wild Turkey. I do not have pictures of either. There were geese, ducks, and the usual feathered friends – the Goldfinches, the charming Chickadees, the Dark-eyed Juncos, and myriads of squirrels running everywhere. Even the frogs and garter snakes are waking up. It is, after all, supposed to be spring.

Jack and Harriet have their third egg at Dahlgren. ‘H’ clocked it at 02:00:43. Does it look like some of the garbage is off the nest? Oh, let’s hope! Thanks, ‘H’.

Just look at those beautiful eyes, wide open and round, of Annie and Lou’s little eyases. Precious. Everyone is eating!

Lou finally gets a chance to feed the chicks. ‘A’ notes, “By the time Annie comes in and takes over, the youngest (as usual, front and centre) has a crop! I just knew Lou would find the baby. What a sweetie. Annie, you can relax – he knows what he is doing and even removes the feathers properly instead of stuffing them into the chicks’ beaks. Good on you, dad. And he is certainly keeping the prey deliveries coming. Things will obviously get harder for him as these three grow but so far, he is keeping the pantry well stocked with fresh and well-prepared prey. Annie may have stumbled on a real keeper here. 

Annie and Lou made the Berkeley News.

Berkeleys-falcon-family-of-five-Annie-Lou-and-three-fluffy-chicks-Berkeley-NewsDownload

Sweet little Eaglet at Decorah survived that snowstorm. It was a gorgeous Tuesday morning in Iowa for the hatchery family to awaken to.

Laundry baskets are becoming a must want item for many wildlife rehabbers. Have any good extra ones? Call and see if your local clinic could use them!

World Bird Sanctuary just posted a time line for Murphy, the Rock Baby, and the Eaglet.

Gabby and V3 were at The Hamlet working on the nest and just hanging out together today. They are a gorgeous couple. I sure hope M15 gets himself a ‘Gabby’!

Confirmation of the second egg at Foulshaw Moss comes on Tuesday from Polly Turner for White YW and Blue 35.

About once a year I remind all my readers about a conversation that I had with Tiger Mozone a number of years ago. I wanted to know what made a ‘good’ Osprey. I kid you not that was my question. How do you determine if the Osprey parents are what it takes to raise really good, healthy chicks. Our conversation ended with Tiger telling me to think about race horses, their breeding, and the winners they sired. It is the genetics not ‘the physical’ look of the bird. One of those incredible male birds was Monty at the Dyfi Nest in Wales. His return rate for children and grandchildren is huge…he is a winning breeder. Monty bred with Glesni from 2013-2017. In the chart below, you can see that of the 12 chicks Monty and Gleans had that fledged, five of them have been positively sighted and have returned. Of those, all but one are male (according to Emyr Evans’ records). Monty bred with Telyn (she is currently the mate of Idris and one of my favourite couples) from 2018-2019. Of their six chicks, three have returned. Sadly Hesgyn was found dead last year but he did return! That is a 50% return rate. Fantastic. Of all those returnees, all are males but 2 – hence the reason that you will often see the term, ‘Monty’s Boys’.

I am particularly fond of 2016 hatch Tegid Z1 that was the chick of Monty and Gleans. One of Z1’s chicks, Z5 is back. She is Monty’s granddaughter. She needs a great mate and a nest. Tegid’s brother, Z2 Aeron, has just had his first egg laid with mate Blue 014 at Port Cresor.

You might recall that it was Z1 Tegid on Aran’s nest at Glaslyn the other day telling his mate to get home! LOL.

Karl II continues to wait for Kaia. Oh, this makes me so sad. She was so close behind when she entered Ukraine. Has something happened?

In Webster, Texas, Ringo is still returning to the nest for food and rest.

Sure do miss Thunder and Akecheta! Glad they had two eaglets hatch this year. So wish we could watch them!

Both on the West End cam on Tuesday.

Gorgeous Thunder.

15 and the Es are still going strong in Fort Myers. The female intruder has visited the nest to steal prey from the babies and the Es continue to enjoy one another’s company and to make milestones. Thanks EJ for this link.

Beautiful Bety incubating the four eggs at Mlade Buky nest of Bukacek. You might recall that two years ago Bukachek’s mate was electrocuted on a hydro pole and he took care of the nestling storks with the help of the community. They fledged! Great Dad.

Gosh, Harry continues to deliver a lot of fish. It seems like every time I check Abby and Victor are being fed. That is, of course, fantastic. These two are busy flapping their wings and getting those legs strong.

Iris had another one of her whopper trout on the owl pole but it was really windy and then the raining snow came. Iris stayed for a few minutes and off she went to find a better place to enjoy her lunch. Oh, if you are wondering…Louis and Iris have connected, literally, several times. There will be eggs, no one to look after them, the Crows will get them, and then Iris will spend her summers being a lady of leisure eating lovely Montana trout and getting healthy. Love you, Iris.

Only on really slow speed could I begin to capture the pounding rain-snow pelting our Iris.

Mother Goose was eating snow. It has all melted and hopefully she got time to go and find some food for herself. The male geese will guard the area but do not bring food. She needs to go and forage in and around the water.

Both chicks ate well at the Achieva Osprey nest on Tuesday. They are flapping their wings and attempting to walk on those sticks.

River brought in three fish for DH17 and 18 on Tuesday. They are 47 and 48 days old today. It is looking good.

River looking out over the Obey River – hence the names of her and her mate, Obey, who has now been missing for far too long to be classified as missing.

This memory came up on FB. This year we watched M15 raise E21 and 22 while grieving for his mate Harriet, contending with intruders – both human and raptor. Several years ago, Decorah Mum cried for her mate until she could not vocalise anymore she was so hoarse. She raised her three eaglets in Iowa by herself. She was amazing. Three of them!

Charlie arrived at Charlo Montana Osprey Platform Tuesday at 1825. Both are home!

‘H’ reports that both Rs have been eating at the WRDC nest. “At the Dade county nest –  R4 ate well for a total of about 35 minutes in two feedings yesterday.  Prey was reduced at the nest, not as many feedings.  R4 was not interested in eating when offered fish at 1855, but wouldn’t let R5 eat either, so Rose ate.”

Two great big eaglets at Duke Farms hopping and flapping those huge wings.

Those little bobbleheads melt your heart. The single eaglet at US Steel, USS6 is no exception!

‘A’ has reminded me to tell everyone that pip watch for Angel and Tom at the Leucistic Red-tail Hawk nest begins on Thursday!

Good Night, Big Red. It won’t be long til we are announcing your pip watch!

Another article on the importance of wetlands in the east of England but…it is not just there. The world needs a wetland system for our wildlife and our feathered friends. Wetlands need official protection. It ensures that they will survive despite changes in the mood of local politicians.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/18/the-guardian-view-on-englands-east-wetlands-wild-beautiful-and-vital?CMP=share_btn_link

You might recall that Missy was reviewing a book, Water Babies. She loved the pictures but suggested that I would get upset by some of the text, including the part about Canada Geese. She asked me to pass on it! Too funny.

I have on the desk a couple of books – one that is a study of the use of birds during World War I and the other is about geese, The Meaning of Geese. Since spring has arrived, it might take me longer but I will get a good review out for you of the two.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. There are lots and lots of stories happening around the world. We are waiting for Ella to lay her second falcon egg in Winnipeg—poor thing. Hopefully, the winter weather will be gone when those babies hatch! Take care. We hope to have you with us soon!

Thank you so much to the following for their notes, observations, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘EJ’, Cal Falcons, Berkeley News, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, The Raptor Rescue Society, World Bird Sanctuary, NEFL-AEF, Polly Turner and Friends of Loch Arkaig Ospreys, Dyfi Osprey Project, Welsh osprey and Loch Garden and Other Ospreys, Eagle Club of Estonia, Paul White and Webster TX Eagle Cam, IWS and Explore.org, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Mlade Buky, Moorings Park Ospreys, Decorah Goose Cam, Achieva Credit Union, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagle Live Nest and Cams, Owl Research Institute, WRDC, Duke Farms, Cornell RTH, and The Guardian.

Ervie, Iris, and more in Bird World for Tuesday

18 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope that the beginning of the week was good for all of you. There is just a lot of great news out there in Bird World and I am really excited to share it with you.

Ella, the mate of Pip, laid the first Peregrine Falcon egg of the 2023 season in Manitoba at the Radisson Hotel scrape in downtown Winnipeg on the 17th of April! What a great kick-off to the season after Tracy’s outstanding presentation at Oak Hammock on the work of our local Peregrine Recovery Group Sunday.

It is always good when a two year old osprey has been spotted and this one is from the 2021 hatch at Loch of the Lowes. Laddie and Blue NC0’s LR2 was photographed in Spain! Alive and well. Just beautiful like her Mum.

‘B’ sent me a link to an excellent opinion piece in The Guardian about the swift decline in bird species. We know that there are also declines in North America. The Big Bird Day is coming – I will remind you closer to the time – and we should participate to get a detailed look at how and where the birds are doing. Some species in a significant decline in the UK are doing well in North America and vice versa.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/17/birds-vanishing-crisis-40m-birds?CMP=share_btn_link

Murphy and his eaglet made The New York Times! Yahoo. My wish is that everyone who has enjoyed the story of Murphy sends World Bird Sanctuary $10. If everyone did that, this wildlife rehabber in Missouri could do amazing things, including caring for Murphy and the eaglet.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/us/murphy-bald-eagle-rock.html?unlocked_article_code=kR-e7nYc4rZ-i5bM5D-ozD6L92h2iJLZ8K8p9bQSWs7urb6LQtWwS-5NQpDZC9JwLpIwcTfcZA7zDedbZq-5pWsw1forBDI0A-VRWerKUDcFUCET2RZ4i9eYaqlclCdIdaaJ1a3nB9r9SHnmAn9ET2WdxnnenP5v6r2OhSiumHakX_VxOFASGTVUgPc9VUR4OinBTtooGd9RcjcTJg2JrPww7NlAtSAZtbP2OWG-2fR5A8-fsp9molBFKD6cs2QoTqG_845bH2yqCZUoSEN9AjqVvfXY6KdIKXSQPHc2NqRl1hJkwoZvnaCxHdAtVK20ppQZicC8QXwcU5o&giftCopy=4_Disclaimer&smid=em-share

More Murphy Cartoons:

The latest update on Murphy and the eaglet after the tornado and big storms went through Missouri.

The third hatch of Annie and Lou has its beak wide open for prey – even when Mum feeds, and Dad brings in extra. That little one is up front and centre, as ‘A’ observes, and she said she felt like today had been a turning point on this scrape with the baby being fed well. Just look at that bite Annie is giving this little one.

The little one getting ‘stuffed’ crop before bedtime. We do not need to worry about this one! Lou is keeping all of the different places for stashing prey full. Great Dad!

There was a good feed at Dale Hollow! If those intruders are leaving River alone maybe her and DH17 and 18 will get to eat well and the eaglets will fledge. Wouldn’t that be nice?

River fed the eaglets so much that when they wanted to hop around the nest they had a hard time because of those crops.

Full crops at Moorings Park Ospreys.

Abby and Victor are now as loud as Sally when Harry arrives with the fish. Here comes Dad!

Hatchery Mum fed and kept that little eaglet dry and warm throughout the blizzard. Now the sun is out!

White-tail Eagle Milda feeding her two little eaglets in Latvia. Oh, I so want to see these two well fed and fledge this year. Milda deserves it.

Kaia has not arrived in Estonia at the Black Stork nest she shares with Karl II. There has, however, been another female with a distinctive pattern on her right leg. We do not know if Kaia will arrive at the nest. She was last in Ukraine. We can only wait to see.

The female is unringed but has this distinctive pattern on her leg.

At the nest of Betynka and Bukadek in The Czech Republic, Bety is incubating four precious eggs.

Iris continues to bring in her whoppers – a magnificent trout – that she eats on the owl pole.

Oh, and this is what an amazing ‘ps’ looks like Iris-style.

Mother Goose and her eggs appear to be fine after the blizzard in Iowa. We have no geese with eggs yet in Manitoba but, there is a snow storm brewing for Wednesday and Thursday that is predicted to dump 30 cm (1 ft) of snow.

Every time I look at an old tree with a nest in it, I think of Nancy and Beau losing their nest and their sweet little eaglet. I wonder how many other trees need some support?

The Pittsburgh-Hayes Eagle nest:

Thank you ‘B’ for sending me this link so that we can all see Andor and Cruz’s two eaglets from this season at the new Two Harbours nest!

Speaking of Channel Islands, here is an older video of our hero Dr Sharpe fostering chicks into nests. Oh, so many would love if a foster chick could get into Jak and Audacity’s nest this year. They have tried so hard! Thank you to everyone who sent me this link…we would love to see him do this one more time for Sauces!

A Kestrel was spotted in Winnipeg Monday morning, the first for the season. At Robert Fullers in the UK, Mrs Kestrel has laid her first egg.

Oh, geez. I get nervous when an Osprey nest has three eggs but here is another one with four this season in Missouri. The other is Maya and Blue 33 at Manton Bay, Rutland Water in the UK.

Charlotte is back at Charlo Montana! My goodness she is a beauty.

Buzz Hockaday posted some images of Calypso and Ervie on the Friends of S Australia Osprey site. I pulled out two of Ervie for you. He is looking good. Ervie, it is so nice to see you!

Some other news we are following this morning:

  • All is well at Achieva. Diane fed the two a huge catfish yesterday and Dad brought in another fish. They ate for at least three hours.
  • Z2 Aeron and his mate, Blue 014, have laid their first egg at Port Cresor.
  • At Kielder Nest 4, Mr and Mrs 69 laid their first egg on Sunday morning
  • There is some concern that the male at the Osoyoos nest this year is not Olsen.
  • There is some concern that R4 at the WRDC nest in Miami of Ron and Rose has some issues. He is being monitored as it appears he has difficulty eating. Hopefully, this is not Trichomonosis. We have seen this in a Finnish Osprey nest (Boris and Titi) and also the 4th hatch at CBD in Melbourne in 2021. It causes severe damage to the tissues of the mouth, throat, crop and esophagus and affected birds may drool saliva, regurgitate food, have difficulty in swallowing food and water, demonstrate laboured breathing and/or have a swollen neck or throat.
  • I am trying to get a good feed on the Venice Golf and Country Club Osprey platform to see if there are still three osplets on the platform.

Some people rescue our feathered friends and who, in the process, understand just how much our birds do for us. Here is a lovely article of a Welsh writer and illustrator and the owls she has rescued and what they give to her life. Oh, it is a good read!

Writing about George (the subject of her forthcoming book), Hughes says, “He and his magpie presence had a very powerful effect on me. He left me with a love of birds that I just hadn’t expected. If you had told me, a few years before, you’re going to fall in love with a magpie and be completely crackers about it, I would have laughed at you. If you’d told me I was going to end up with 13 owls in an aviary, I wouldn’t have believed you.” I imagine that so many of you could say that about the feathered friends from the streaming cams that have become so much a part of our lives. They give us so much. In return, I hope that we can help make the changes that will ensure that their lives are more secure.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/apr/16/frieda-hughes-crow-death-sylvia-plath-ted-hughes?CMP=share_btn_link

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: As many of you know, I am researching osprey behaviour. The main project is on siblicide. At the same time, Claudio Eduardo has set up a programme to get an accurate number of how many eggs are laid, how many hatches, and how many fledge. In addition, we can monitor if any of the osplets perish. This will give us a better idea of the survival rate in the nests of the streaming cams.

I am looking for volunteers. In particular, I seek observers for the following nests: Charlo Montana, City of Independence, Dunrovin, Lake Murray, McEwan Park, Minnesota Landscape, Newfoundland Power, Nova Scotia Power, Oyster Bay, Patchogue, Seaside, Wolf Bay, Salem Electric. There is no compensation, just my eternal gratitude, and you will always be mentioned in any material in print for your assistance.

This does not involve watching nests intently or taking pages of notes. I require the dates that eggs are laid, the dates that the eggs hatch, and the dates that the chicks fledge. If you observe a nest that appears to be in trouble and where siblicide might occur, I would like to be alerted so that the nest can be closely monitored. If you can help, please send me a note with your name and contact information and which nest you can observe: maryannsteggles@icloud.com Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for being with us this morning. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘H’, ‘A’, ‘L’, ‘B’, Manitoba Peregrine Recovery Project, Valerie Webber Loch Garten and other Ospreys, The Guardian, the NY Times, World Bird Sanctuary, Cal Falcons, Dale Hollow Eagles, Keisha Howell and Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Moorings Park Osprey, Raptor Resource Project, Latvian Fund for Nature, Eagle Club of Estonia, Looduskalender Forum, Mlade Bury, Montana Osprey Project, Decorah Goose Cam, PIX Cams, IWS, Robert E Fuller, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Mary Anne Miller and Osprey Friends, and Bass Hockaday and Friends of Osprey S Australia.

Sunday in Bird World

16 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

On Saturday, a grey day in Manitoba started drizzly and cold. The birds were at the garden feeders an hour early. It was pretty interesting. There were more Black-capped chickadees and woodpeckers today than in previous days. The conservatory has genuinely been a blessing. It is like sitting with them in the middle of the garden but separate, not bothering them. They seem unaware of my presence, looking out the windows, often with my camera. Thankfully, the sun is up, and it is a bright day in Manitoba this morning.

Missy has taken to enjoying looking out the window from inside a large ceramic platter that has become a new sleeping spot!

Lewis is such an ‘angel’ when he is sleeping.

Our continuing good news story comes from the World Bird Sanctuary. Murphy and his Eaglet are doing well. The folks at World Bird Sanctuary are working hard to get some images out. These are screen captures from a short FB video they posted. Things look good. Just look at Murphy, 31 years old, wanting to be a Dad, sitting by his eaglet. Does it get any better?

In the images below, Murphy is teaching the eaglet what to do.

Murphy and his eaglet made the news – well, they are making the news around the world. We are so in need of joyful happenings and this is certainly one of those.

Other happiness comes from the Achieva Osprey nest and San Jose City Hall. I received word from ‘H’ of the two big celebratory occasions. First up, there was fear for Middle Bob at Achieva. He has not eaten much for at least two days. On Saturday at 16:44, a big fish landed on the nest, and Middle Bob was fed for 25 minutes. Today, Middle managed to get to a place where he could get fed and be protected from the aggressive older sibling. It was a relief to all watching. It is one day at a time on this nest. It is an extremely difficult Osprey platform to watch – and it isn’t any easier this year than it was in 2021.

At Dale Hollow, DH18 stole the fish and had a good feed. Again, River is doing her best with all the intruders in dire circumstances. She has been feeding them every day. Perhaps not nearly as much as she would like or they need but, they are being fed. We have to remember that River also needs to eat. It is extremely difficult for single-parent raptor nests. We send her and DH17 and DH18 our most positive wishes.

Do you recall the year-old falcon, the San Jose City Hall male who tried to feed his first egg? Well, as of Saturday, he has four eggs that he will have to feed in a little over a month! They will need a full pantry!

‘H’ also sent me a link to a tribute to Connie-Clive-Connick. Nice one! Connick is healing. His blood is coagulating and CROW is attempting to find out what impacted his primaries.

Anna and Louis are taking very good care of Trey as her leg injury heals. Mum Raptors love to fill those babies up to the top of their crop to keep them on the nest. Trey, you need to rest your leg not be flying all over the tree!

In Latvia, Milda and Voldis now have two little White-tail eaglets. It is so hard to see them in that deep nest bowl.

Saturday is the day for Ferris Akel’s tour and there was plenty of waterfowl today including a Wilson’s Snipe. Oh, I love shore birds and am so looking forward to seeing some ‘live’ here in Manitoba this summer. I did not know that the female Wilson Snipe tends the eggs and nestlings. Once the chicks are ready to fledge, the adults split them up. The male takes the two oldest and the female takes the two youngest.” Separate training!

Ferris checked on one of the Bald Eagle nests and to everyone’s surprise there were eaglets – at least two – their heads poking above the rim. Adorable.

The highlight of the tour today was the Great Blue Heron Rookery at Montezuma.

Sunset at Montezuma.

Iris brought in a whopper to the owl pole and had a really good feed. Then she spent time sitting in her nest watching the activities in the parking lot. I have not noticed Louis being over yet and my friend, ‘T’ says he will wait until Star has eggs under her and she can’t check on him! Too funny. Ospreys have such interesting behaviours.

Iris is great at catching whoppers.

Just look at the size of that fish. She could easily take first prize in the local fishing contests.

There are now three eggs at the Patuxent River Park Osprey platform #1.

The Glaslyn Valley is waiting for a new Queen. It looks like Aran might have one!

The unringed female is a natural beauty. Those intense eyes remind me of Mrs G.

Aran preparing a fish for his beautiful female.

She is waiting in the nest when Aran brings it to the rim.

She accepts!

Good night, Aran. You might have a formidable new mate who will protect your chicks against anything!

There is no rewind on the Foulshaw Moss camera in Cumbria. Polly Turner caught Blue 35 laying the season’s first egg for her and White YW. I am incredibly fond of this female and how she was able to ‘trick’ her two much larger by a long shot osplets so that she could feed the tiny third, Blue 464 two years ago.

The first egg was laid at the Dahlgren Osprey Platform in Virginia on 11 April. Jack has been filing the nest with plastic objects, not toys, but, junk. There was concern for the egg. ‘H’ notes that it is now four days since the first egg and no second one. We wait.

‘H’ reports this morning that 4 days and 16 hours after the first egg, Harriet at Dahlgren laid her second egg.

M15 continues to be rather amazing, as are his two fledglings. The female intruder wanted a fish M had brought to 21 and 22. She landed in the nest, trying to take in. E21 flew in to help dad – he was fearless. Then 22 came in to assist. What a team they made. The female still made off with the fish, but seeing those three work together cooperatively was remarkable.

A must watch. M15 defends the nest from the female intruder! Fish goes over board.

It is just so much calmer within the scrape at Cal Falcons. Lou really wants to feed his trio.

More of Lou – and Annie – and the trio from SK Hideaways.

It seems that each of us has, at one time or another, yelled – loudly or silently – at the GHOs on the Pritchett property that continually hit and harassed M15 and the Es. At the same time, we look at Bonnie and Clyde’s two owlets and want to ‘cuddle’ with them. They really are quite adorable.

The three eaglets at Dulles-Greenway had big crops throughout the day. The plastic bags on the nest have multiplied. There are now two. Hopefully, the wind will blow them from the nest before any eaglet gets tangled. You might remember that nests have been cleaned when too much human debris could endanger the nestlings.

‘A’ notes that it was Rosa that brought in the squirrel that has been feeding the little ones. Martin arrived in the nest empty taloned yesterday to Rosa’s dismay. So far this nest has done well with the three. We do not need any intermittent lags in prey delivery right at this stage!

Wet little munchkins.

I have lost track of when the goslings are due to hatch in Decorah. Do you know? It will be grand to see them all take that leap of faith again this year.

Just down the road is the Decorah Hatchery nest with its cute little eaglet. It started raining late in the day and HM is keeping baby warm and dry.

Abby and Victor are 44 days old today. Stunning. Their juvenile plumage is nothing short of gorgeous.

A portion of England’s wetlands seek UNESCO heritage status. Wetlands. How often do you think about them? They are critical during migration, and they are essential for the ducks and waterfowl or the raptors that hunt them. We need more wetlands across the globe. Many regions are working to increase theirs. What is happening where you live?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/15/avian-super-highway-uks-pitstop-for-migrating-birds-seeks-unesco-status-aoe?CMP=share_btn_link

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care everyone. Hope to see you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Australia Raptor Care and Conservation, World Bird Sanctuary, Achieva Credit Union, Heidi McGru and Achieva Ospreys with Jack and Diane, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, San Jose City Hall, Onabebe and Captiva Eagle Cam, Tonya Irwin and KNF Eagle Cam Fans, Looduskalender Forum and Latvian Fund for Nature, Ferris Akel, Montana Osprey Project, Ashley Wilson and Patuxent River Park Osprey Nest, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Polly Turner and Friends of Loch Arkaig Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, Sw Florida Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideways and Cal Falcons, Farmer Derek, Dulles Greenaway, Decorah Goose Cam, Moorings Park Ospreys, and The Guardian.

Lou and Annie’s fluff balls, hatch for Milda and Voldis, Osprey soap opera…Saturday in Bird World

15 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Some excellent news has come to me via Karel and Bogette’s Livestream from Cornell this morning. Last year, Big Red’s beautiful girl, L1, was killed when she struck the breezeway that connects the old Stocking Building and the new Stocking Hall on the Cornell Campus. It is also the building where L3 was injured. Two years ago, a Bird Strike Committee was established at Cornell to remediate issues related to glass structures. The Acopians are now installed on the breezeway at Stocking so that Big Red and Arthur’s Ms and all other raptors on campus are protected.

This is Stocking Hall. The breezeway is in the middle.

The Acopians being installed.

The article about Bird Strike. Thank you, Cornell, for rising to the challenge since you are – Cornell Bird Lab! Now every building everywhere with glass should have these simple devices installed to protect our birds.

Red-tailed-Hawk-Fledglings-Face-Invisible-Challenges-Cornell-Lab-Bird-Cams-Cornell-Lab-Bird-CamsDownload

Oh, it was cold to the bone on Friday in the Canadian Prairies. The skies were heavy with clouds and only reached 4 degrees C. There was rain but that did not stop the Dark-eyed Juncos from seeking out the millet or the Starlings and Woodpeckers coming for the suet, thankfully. We will have some cloud and sun and then, believe it or not, snow is forecast for next week. Poor migrants!

The mate was waiting for its term on the Crabapple Tree.

The squirrels were out enjoying the peanuts! This is one of Dyson’s sweet babies from last year. Watching them chase one another through the lilacs, sending the birds fluttering away for a few minutes is such a pleasure. They all survived the winter.

Meanwhile, in the house, Lewis and Missy decided that rainy days were good for napping in the ‘Big Dog Bed’. They certainly fill it up! Despite their antics, the two of them are inseparable. Constantly having to touch one another, doing the same thing, grooming one another. It is pretty precious.

The early morning grin for the day continues to come from World Bird Sanctuary!

An intriguing interview and the ‘excellent news of the day’ comes from Conservation without Borders. This is one of the best – can wildlife thrive at a garbage dump? Listen to what Sasha Dench found out in Dakar, Senegal.

Annie and Grinnell’s Laurencium (Larry) has been breeding on Alcatraz and her and her her mate have four little eyases. Wow! That amazing pairing of Annie and Grinnell live on in their grandchicks.

Meanwhile, Annie and her new mate, Lou, have three eyases with constantly open beaks ready for prey!

‘A’ observes, “We’ve been wondering what sort of dad little Lou would be – I think this video answers the question. Isn’t he just the cutest little falcon? He looks so guilty when Annie catches him too, quickly offering her the food he had just carefully prepared for the little ones (he seemed more careful too about removing the feathers Annie is so fond of feeding the chicks). Love the little conversation between them.And those dear little eyases – all they know how to do at this point is open their tiny pink beaks as wide as possible. Unbelievably cute. I agree that it is now unlikely the fourth egg will hatch, which is probably a good thing, although I am quite sure this pair could manage to raise four. Lou is proving to be a very good provider, and like most males, he really wants some chick time.” 

The very young male falcon at San Jose City Hall is figuring it all out!

Iris was back at her nest Friday morning much to the relief of everyone after she was not seen for a couple of days. We all know that Iris is older than Mrs G and when we cannot see her, we do worry that she is no longer with us. Thank you for coming back to the nest, Iris. I have not seen any news of Louis visiting Iris since she returned from her migration. I find that rather interesting…or maybe he has been there and I have missed it.

In Wales, it appears that the quick visit by Monty’s 2016 hatch Z1 Tegid scared off one of the females vying for Aran’s attention to replacing Mrs G. Everyone loved that sweet female. Turns out she was Z1’s mate and he was wanting her to go home!!!!!! Tegid certainly has a beautiful mate and they have raised many chicks together. Let us hope that all is well.

The female on the nest on Friday was very assertive – a quality that many thinks bodes well for the nest sighting that ‘Aran likes to be bossed around’. Aran has been providing fish and the female is sleeping on the perch Friday night.

The new more aggressive female is still on the nest at Glaslyn with Aran on Saturday. He has brought her two fish and they have mated. Oh, I do hope she stays. She is a beauty! But also, Aran is an incredible male that deserves a super female. She has that look