Toby and I have watered the garden, planted an area of wildflowers for bees, swept, cleaned the bird baths, and finished all of our evening chores. Now we return to the Bald Eagle nest at Traverse City, MI, where Snow, the 6-week-old plus a few days eaglet, is in a nest that has lost its support limb. It appears that the limb has somehow caught itself on a neighbouring tree, and that, along with calm winds and good weather, might bring some luck to this tense situation.
The adults have been on the nest and fed Snow.
When I checked Snow had a crop. Single adult returned to the nest and tried to lure Snow up to the top rim to have some fish that was buried there.
The adult made its way a little lower being very cautious and Snow did get some more bites of prey.
Then the adult carefully made its way to the branch that extends at the bottom right in the image.
Snow will go to beed with a nice crop.
Snow is resting at the bottom of the nest as sunset begins.
Send this family your very best wishes. This is a situation that happens in the wild, far more often than we probably imagine. I was hoping someone would fabricate a false nest and somehow get it below this one so that if the nest slid down, it would land on the artificial nest rather than plunge 100 feet. (There appears to be some difference in opinion on whether the nest is 100 ‘ or 200’ off the ground.)
Kudos to the mods on the live chat and to those who are leaving the camera running. You are the best!
FOBBV is doing a magnificient job in collecting donations to purchase the land where Jackie and Shadow’s nest resides – along with many other species. (This is only part of their post).
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 26th May 2026
Another peaceful day, although Louis spent a few minutes alarm chipping at an unseen intruder while he was on incubation duty, but nothing came of it and he didn’t leave the nest. He brought two fish for Dorcha, taking his tally to eighty six and the Nest Two tally to eighty eight. Nest One was untroubled by intruders, unseen or otherwise, but Garry LV0 only brought one fish for Aurora 536, taking his and the nest’s tally to eighty two, keeping in mind that Cam One is offline for a few hours each morning. The weather forecast is dry overnight and for the next two days, with a low of 9°C and a high of 22°C tomorrow. The days are getting longer as the countdown to hatching ticks away and at the time of filing this report, midnight, Cam Two is still on day mode, with a very light sky and the loch clearly visible.
The Condor Chat is live on Thursday the 28th. They also have a fantastic on line auction if you wish to help out these incredible people who work hard to protect this very endangered species.
The Least Flycatchers are flitting about all over the garden. I can see several grey squirrels coming for peanuts along with Mr Crow. They are especially enjoying the nice, clean, cool water that Toby and I put out. Meanwhile, Little Red is inside the small covered feeding helping himself to Black Oil Seed. I will try and get some photos this week but for now it is good night.
Take care everyone.
Thank you to Geemeff for their daily post about all things Loch Arkaig. There are many more videos, but sadly, this system will not post them! Makes me growl. Thank you to all the people who are posting on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our bird families in the good, the bad, and the unknown times.
‘PB’ just sent these great images of Iris leaving with a huge headless fish – the third or fourth NG2 has brought today!
It remains damp and cold on the Canadian Prairies. Poor Toby has to have his feet washed every time he comes inside from running about. We have a small pond in progress, and he is drawn to the mud there!!!!!!!!! Spaniels love water. I am thinking of getting him a kiddie pool for the summer. He might not like it because he can’t swim but we will see. There are enough neighbourhood children that would enjoy the pool if Toby rejects it!
Like so many of you, I have lived a long life, one that allowed me to enjoy a time when nature was not under threat every second. Of course, we did not know then what we do now about how our behaviour was impacting the environment. What would we have done differently had we known?
There are things that I miss. We had the most magnificent Magnolia tree in our back garden and several Mimosa trees in our front garden. At the very back was a wall of bamboo at one time, later replaced by my father’s rose garden. He learned how to grow roses from his grandmother and mother – she had a huge stroll garden lined with hundreds and hundreds of rose bushes. There were Cardinals and Bluebirds that lived in those trees. I also miss the duck pond at the University of Oklahoma. I cannot tell you how many hours I spent there, joined later by my children. Whether or not it was our garden or the ponds and parks near to where I lived, there were always some kind of birds. Some were in drawers with old yellowed cardboard labels in the Sutton collection at the University. They fascinated me! It is nice when everything seems to be falling apart to sit back and recall the magic of our childhoods and how the opportunities we had impacted our lives today.
Like all of you, I have been distressed by the level of Avian Flu spreading across North America. I do not want to add to this, which means disinfecting the bird feeders and tables every 2-3 days. My plan, when the last half-bag of birdseed is finished, is to put out peanuts and those solid seed cylinders to try to avoid contamination. The bird baths and bowls of water have to be cleaned and disinfected, too. The rule is 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.
How to Clean and Disinfect
Empty & Rinse: Dump out the old water and thoroughly rinse the basin.
Scrub First: If there is stubborn grime or algae, scrub the bowl with hot water and a stiff brush before applying bleach.
Disinfect: Pour in your 10% bleach solution. Let it sit in the basin for 10 to 15 minutes to fully kill any germs.
Rinse Thoroughly: Dump out the bleach and rinse the entire bird bath completely with clean water until there are no traces of a bleach odor.
Air Dry: Allow the bird bath to completely dry in the sun before refilling it with fresh water. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
Important Tips
Frequency: Disinfect the bath once a week to keep it safe for your backyard birds.
Alternative: If you prefer not to use harsh chemicals, you can achieve the same cleaning power by using a mixture of 1 part white vinegar to 9 parts water.
Daily Maintenance: Change the water every day or two to prevent mosquitoes and bacteria from building up between deeper cleans.
NOTE: Do not use the brush used to clean the bird bath and water sources for any other purpose. Put it somewhere safe where no one can get to it and use it. I have been known to put these brushes in the dishwasher when I am running a cycle without any dishes to clean the machine.
I was so happy to see that Irv is serving up fish at the US Steel nest – a nest that shares the same river as the Glen-Hayes nest.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 18th May 2026
Another quiet day, a bit damp as rain fell in spells throughout the day, but otherwise peaceful with no alarms or intruders. Garry LV0 brought one fish for Aurora 536, taking his tally to sixty eight. Aurora stashed the remains of that fish on the nest and at the time of this report, near midnight, she is cuddled up beside it. Louis brought three fish for Dorcha and his tally is now level with Garry’s at sixty eight, with the Nest Two tally at seventy due to the two fish brought by Dorcha before his return. Louis loves spending time on incubation duty, and was moaned at by Dorcha for a good few minutes before reluctantly handing over when she returned after polishing off her second fish. Light rain is forecast all through tonight and tomorrow, with a low of 8°C and a high of 15°C.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/b07a-dMixso N2 Louis brings a whole tiddler trout 10.02.10https://youtu.be/tQL5oriH2dQ N2 Dorcha’s second fish is a decent size 14.45.58https://youtu.be/aJ9dTcnY-nI N2 Dorcha chirrups at Louis but he won’t move 15.59.30https://youtu.be/2Vul7RV667I N1 Aurora calls and Garry brings fish 16.19.14https://youtu.be/GPQqVzFJ2bI N2 Louis happily exchanges fish for time on the eggs 18.36.52
I really respect Ruth, the author of Raptor Persecution UK. Gamekeepers can be rather threatening/frightening people. She is a very brave woman.
For those who love the James Herriot series set in the Yorkshire Dales, they are not all nice and cheerful just like some of the big estates in Scotland do the most horrific things to our raptors.
Donations are down to every wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre – including all of the dog and cat rescues. The Ventana Wildlife Society is having their major on line auction which might net you a tour of the Big Sur Condor area!
I want to add something. We praise those groups that are proactive and the Ventana Wildlife Society is no exception. 20 Condors died in Arizona from Avian Flu. The VWS set about getting permissions to vaccinate their condo. (Yes, a group of condors is called a condo!). The Ventana Wildlife Society, in partnership with the Oakland Zoo and Pinnacles National Park, vaccinated 98 wild condors (not those in zoos) from the Central California flock. 81 condors received at least the first dose, while 45 received the full two-dose series to protect against HPAI.
It was no easy feat with container cages needing to be built in a rather remote area! The determination of this small but dedicated group of individuals is admirable. It made me wonder why those who have access to chicks on streaming cams do not set about to not only band the birds but also to vaccinate them. A single dose vaccine has worked on mice and monkeys and would be ideal as it would be difficult to give the two-dose vaccine as eaglets and eyases are on the nest such a short time.
We are approaching fledge for Big at the Achieva Osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida.
I love Big Red and Arthur. It is so exciting to see Big Red let Arthur fully participate in family life – he has certainly earned the right. Arthur is so devoted to Big Red and their babies – the pantry is rarely empty – unless it is on purpose near fledge. I am sad that they lost one of their babies but we don’t seem to need to worry about P3 who is small but mighty.
New Guy 2 has now brought Iris three fish (so far) today! I am so glad that the rushing river calmed itself in time. Cornell Bird Lab caught one of those deliveries on video: https://youtu.be/RkGQmYEkZro?
My goodness Iris is loud when she sees NG2 arriving with a fish!
I am so glad that fish did not break those precious eggs.
There are three osplets at Patuxent. Oh, my goodness. I worry about those nests.
The latest statement that I have found about the Glen-Hayes eaglets and whether or not the eaglet bodies will be retrieved:
“May 18, 2026 – GLEN HAZEL NEST STATUS
Status Update: Carol Holmgren, Executive Director, Tamarack Wildlife Center
Our hearts go out to all who love these eagles and are grieving. We have been blessed with 100% survivorship of eaglets from the Hays/Glen Hazel eagle nests over the past 14 years, while it is typical for 30% of eaglets to not survive until fledging age.
Kudos to the Glen Hazel moderator team for promptly noticing signs of illness in the chicks and notifying Tamarack Wildlife Center’s Executive Director and Licensed Rehabilitator Carol Holmgren on Friday morning, May 15. Carol immediately reached out to Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) colleagues, to loop them in that day, and has been in conversation since then. A few updates:
It is FWS policy to let nature take its course at eagle’s nests and only approve intervention when there is a threat to the eagles that has a clear human cause such as fishing line entanglement or swallowing a fish hook. In this instance, the eaglets were ill, but not with a clear human cause where FWS and PGC would approve intervention. Much as that is difficult for us to witness, it is part of the natural history that eagles live with daily.
The eaglets likely passed from Avian Influenza. Their symptoms and the progression of the illness is consistent with Avian Influenza, and they could have contracted it from ingesting goslings and geese that had been brought to the nest as food. We cannot know for certain without testing, but this is the most likely cause based on the evidence.
The adults may also have been exposed to the virus. They typically have a stronger immune system than the young birds, and may be able to fight off the virus. Time will tell. We will be monitoring them. There is no treatment that can be given while they are free-flying. If one is on the ground due to illness, it may be able to be treated by a rehabilitator.
Our hope is that their immune systems are strong and they can remain healthy.
Our highest concerns at this point are 1. supporting the health of the remaining adult eagles and 2. caring for the moderators and community who love these eagles.
Now that the two eaglets have passed, PGC has had extensive discussions about the risks vs benefits of accessing the nest to retrieve the now two deceased eaglets. They have decided not to pursue retrieval, in part to not stress the adult eagles through human presence at the nest.
There is no practical benefit to confirming that the eaglets succumbed to Avian Influenza, beyond the human desire to know. The disease is known to be endemic in Pennsylvania now and there are no management actions that would be taken with that information.
Due to the regulations and Acts protecting eagles and their nests, any access to the nest would also require both PGC and FWS support.
PGC will be continuing to monitor the situation. If an eaglet should fall to the ground, they may pursue retrieval and testing since stress on the adult birds would be less, and FWS approval would not be needed.
Below is the full statement shared by our colleagues in PGC today. We appreciate the thoughtfulness with which they have considered this situation, and their continued collaboration.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) appreciates the concerns of the public regarding the eagles in the Glen Hazel Eagle Nest Cam, located in Allegheny County.
Wildlife watching opportunities, especially ones that can occur from anywhere thanks to wildlife cameras and digital technology, are a popular way for the public to learn and love wildlife.
Unfortunately, nature can be hard to watch at times. When situations occur on live wildlife webcams, including this eagle’s nest, human intervention is not always recommended or possible.
PGC evaluated the situation carefully and considered many factors including human safety and exposure to potential pathogens. Additionally, human intervention could further stress the adult eagles. Any actions must also comply with federal regulations related to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. At this time, we have chosen to not intervene. If a safer opportunity presents itself in the future, we may pursue disease testing to hopefully determine what caused the death of these eaglets.”
I ‘love’ Blue 33 and Maya and I am so glad that the three little bobbleheads are doing so well. Those blue eyes and that light soft taupe down with their lovely back stripe and that black eye-liner. They are so precious….all babies are so cute but I do love the tiny little osplets before they hit the reptile stage!
The Girls got their favourite crunchy treats while Toby needed a new Little Lamb. These little squeaky toys were his first and to this day, some 15 months later, they remain favourites. This one is getting ready to celebrate Canada Day on 1 July.
Thank you so much for being with us. We wish you peace and calm.
Thank you to Geemeff for her extensive report on all things Loch Arkaig, to ‘PB’ for her great images and notes, to all those who posted information and videos on FB or YouTube keeping us informed of the latest happenings at the nests, and to the owners of the streaming cams, we are so very grateful to be able to share the lives of these amazing Avian families.
I will just start with the sadness and move on to some gladness and some ‘bloody plain anger’. The third hatch at the Brevard County Osprey platform has died. Food was not always plentiful, the weather turned miserable, and the entire family was hungry. Thankfully, the wee babe did not suffer long.
There continues to be concern about food at that nest and the second hatch at Achieva needs more food, too. Thanks, ‘PB’ for being eyes and ears at these nests for me.
Brood reduction is a real thing by females experiencing hunger and understanding there is not enough food for everyone. Alan Poole wrote an article in 1982 on this subject. Here is the abstract:
In an effort to understand patterns and causes of nestling loss in Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), I studied brood reduction in three eastern U.S. Osprey colonies during 1978 and 1979. The colonies, located in Florida Bay (1) and on coastal Long Island, N.Y. (2), differed in the average daily amount of food delivered to nestlings; Florida nests received 43% and 11% less fish per day than nests in the two N.Y. colonies, largely because latitude and season restricted day length and thus foraging time for the winter-breeding Florida Ospreys. Increased distance from stable food sources accounted for the lower rate of feeding at one of the N.Y. colonies. Variation in clutch size in the three colonies reflected differences in latitude more than in food availability; average clutch sizes in Long Island were larger than Florida clutches by 0.5 of an egg, but were similar to each other and to those in other northeastern U.S. Osprey populations.Increased nestling loss coincided with reduced food delivery rates and, in food stressed colonies, this loss was 2-3 times greater than any recorded for Ospreys. Starvation was the primary cause of nestling death, with mortality concentrated on third chicks, which hatched on average 3.9 d later and from eggs 5.6% smaller than chicks hatching first. Sibling aggression accounted for the preferential feeding of older nestmates,but only in colonies or nests where food was limited. Aggressive chicks nearly always stopped fighting after being fed. This behavior provided a reversible mechanism for controling brood reduction that was based on nutrition. Growth rates of young measured during the first half of the growth period were more variable between colonies than within nests. This is interpreted as reflecting both the differences in colony food delivery rates as well as the evolutionary pressures of sibling competition to equalize the growth of nestmates.
Title of full article: Poole A. Brood reduction in temperate and sub-tropical ospreys. Oecologia. 1982 Apr;53(1):111-119. doi: 10.1007/BF00377144. PMID: 28310611.
I don’t know about you, but I need some cheering up. Winter feels like it is never going to end. We woke up to snow everywhere Wednesday morning and then rain. The sun did come out and the skies turned blue and it was brilliant. It seems that I am not the only person in the world that needs birds to feel the joy. Jackie and Shadow’s babies made The Guardian (along with at least fifty other news outlets). The author says, “Over Easter weekend, thousands of people tuned in to celebrate something spectacular unfolding 145 feet up a pine tree in southern California’s San Bernardino national forest – the hatchings of two bald eagle chicks.”
It just seems to continue on those big estates in the UK and, particularly, in Scotland. Why makes gamekeepers and other humans think that they can shoot or poison beautiful raptors that are protected? Sometimes I would like the penalty to match the deed! That is how sick I am of reading about these offenses.
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 8th April 2026
Another exciting day full of action and nest-swapping! Aurora 536 and Garry LV0 invaded Nest Two and Garry even attempted mating there, until a furious Dorcha swept in and chased them away, with the aerial battle visible on nest cam in the distance. Aurora was given two fish by Garry on Nest One, took the first and ate it, and rejected the second – along with Garry’s advances – until it had been on and off the nest a few times. They did however appear to have at least one successful mating attempt but many more are needed if we’re going to get chicks on Nest One this season. Another intruder female, not yesterday’s, tried to hang out with Garry until he chased her off, and the day ended with an endearingly clumsy juvenile Barn Owl putting in an appearance on Nest One. No Louis yet but there’s still time, and the weather is good.
Nests are not settled. Mispillion Harbour is one of those and resident female, Della, is fighting or her nest with her life on the line. Aran appears to have abandoned Glaslyn and is over near a grove of trees so that one of the monitors can keep an eye on him. If he doesn’t have a mate, like he did last year, it will be a shame. His last chick with Mrs G has been seen in the area and his first two chicks with Elen are also in the area. Good DNA there! Elen you are missing out. Elen has also not been seen at the nest since last Sunday (I believe that to be correct) with Teifi arriving to make matters worse if Elen and Aran did show up together.
Louis has not returned to Loch Arkaig but his favourite date to return is 11 April so I am holding on to hope.
Dyfi wants you to join the fun and guess the first egg!
Some more Nestflix – the birds are so much more interesting than what is on the streaming cams!!!!!! Seriously.
And more…
Heidi is watching so many nests this breeding season and sadly some of them are in areas where getting fish to the nest is a challenge. ‘PB’ has been watching the Florida nests and we have some serious issues at Brevard County. The weather is not letting up and Dad cannot fish with those waves. Mum is really hungry and the two surviving of three babies are starving. Mum fed them their dead sibling this morning.
Heidi reports we have egg 2 at Moraine Beach.
Ospreys are now on the Barnegat Light platform – the camera is up and running. I am not entirely certain on the identity of these birds.
Lola has returned to Charlo Montana.
And, of course, we still have Bald Eagles. Dearest little Peanut keeps getting ravaged by that bloody owl at the Winter Park nest.
I do support them and their campaign and this is not a commercial site so I hope I don’t get into too much trouble by putting up images of Jackie and Shadow and their babies. This nest brings nearly 40,000 viewers at the moment great joy. That is what nature does for us – not the news! I know that many are without jobs, have been recently laid off, are living on a fixed low income, and cannot support the Moon Camp campaign. But, you can do other things. Why not send -emails to various businesses to try and get them to sponsor the saving of Moon Camp? Put out water for your local birds. They really need it more than food. Think about what you can do without spending a cent!
Mum and Baby at Duke Farms are doing very well.
There are now three eaglets at the Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest.
The Ventana Wildlife Society cares for the California Condors. You should care about this amazing bird that cleans up our environment and protects us. Watch – find out how many still exist in the wild, what is happening this breeding season, and how people are helping. https://www.youtube.com/live/th4-OBjWAxw?
It is going to be a very difficult year for many nests. Seas and waterways, as well as our planet, are warming, and this has enormous implications for our wildlife (and us).
This really is a wake-up call for all of us. Please take care of yourself. Send our nests good positive wishes. If you have a wand that can drop fish on nests – please send some to Achieva and Brevard.
See you soon!
Thank you to ‘PB, Heidi, and Geemeff’, to those who create videos and post information on FB, to The Guardian that continues to monitor the environmental news and post it for us to educate ourselves, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to see these remarkable families – thank you. Thank you to the authors of very informative articles including Alan Poole.
To those who celebrate the achievements of women – Happy International Women’s Day!
It has been quite the day. But first up, something good. The threesome at the Moorings Park Osprey platform of Harry and Sally. Seriously, well fed, healthy, happy little tikes.
I wish all good things came in threes!
We have had quite the weekend. It began with the car needing new brakes and a routine oil change, etc., and with two tyres repaired because they had picked up debris from a nearby house fire. Then Toby got sick. Last, my twenty-year old washing machine – which does not owe me a penny – decided it was time to call it a day. I am really hoping that it stops here!
I cannot tell you if Toby is better. Thank you to everyone for your notes and well wishes – they literally came from around the world. It warmed my heart. I hope to find out more about what is going on in the next couple of days. I can tell you that he has been very hungry and has eaten, is drinking water, and ran outside to chase a squirrel, barking his head off in the afternoon.
Toby is watching the Crufts 2026 Dog Show from Birmingham hoping that the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that won the ‘toy’ group will win overall.
Toby would never make the ‘toy’ group. Just look at those paws. He clocks in at a mighty 25 lbs. just like the breeder said he would. So much for the 2XL little sweatshirt. It barely makes it to his waist!!!!!!!!
While I am dealing with one thing, my neighbour, who has two Cavaliers – a tri-colour like Toby and a Blenheim (rust and white), is having a very difficult time. The little Blenheim (both girls are tiny beside Toby) has a heart condition. My heart breaks when I see my friend walking her adorable girls in their cute outfits knowing she is frightened about what is happening.
All of this kept me from the bird cams today. I clean when I worry so the laundry room is properly ready for the arrival of the new machines. They should live longer than I will.
But, let’s check a few. Moorings Park is doing fantastic. Cholyn and Chase have a second egg and that is good news.
Most osprey cams are streaming, including those in Germany. Cranes and storks are arriving early. It saddens me to think that many who are migrating from Africa will have to pass through war zones to get to their nests in the north.
Besides flying through Lebanon, we also have those birds flying through Ukraine.
The wind was so strong at Big Bear on Saturday that Jackie was tossed about like she was a feather on the nest. Very scary.
Stella and Ira have three eggs at the US Steel nest! Wings of Whimsy recorded the event: https://youtu.be/xdcEOajcANI?
Nest preparations continue to go well for Red-tail Hawks Big Red and Arthur on the Cornell Campus.
SK Hideaways Videos Week of 1 March 2026
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Residents in flux
Cholyn & Chase Chortle About Nest Changes, Meet-ups & Alerts (2026 Mar 4) From dawn till dusk and even through the night, Cholyn and Chase chortle, snortle, and murmur to each other about whatever is happening in the moment. Their bond is remarkable to behold. Video: https://youtu.be/LoHana6raBc
Long Labor for Cholyn’s 3rd Egg ~ First Peek Shows Breakage (2026 Mar 2) In 23 nesting seasons, this is the first time that Cholyn has laid three eggs. Her labor was atypical and difficult, so it wasn’t completely surprising to see that the third egg was cracked when first revealed. The good news is that Cholyn and Chase are healthy, and that they have two strong eggs. Wishing them success and hoping to see these eggs turn into bundles of fluff. Video: https://youtu.be/i60SnPkL8io
Female & Lee All-Day Courtship ~ Sleepover, Beakies, Mating Attempt (2026 Mar 3) The female, F, and Lee, the 4-year-old sub-adult eagle from the Seal Rocks nest exhibited courtship behaviors throughout the day. We can only guess what they were up to while the cameras were down, but today looked promising. Video: https://youtu.be/zjFbfJxk3w8 Lee/D29 & Female Seem to Like Each Other ~ As the West End Turns (2026 Mar 2) When the West End cameras came on after being down for 2 weeks, we were met with a new male. Seems the female remains the same ~ this is the one that arrived after Haku and Akecheta left. The male is Lee/D29, a 2022 hatch from the Seal Rocks nest, also on Catalina Island. The couple soared and perched together for much of the morning. What will happen next? Only the eagles know for sure. Video: https://youtu.be/mlBQgJTi19E
Dad Brings *Very* Fresh Fish ~ JBS24 Gets Fed and Self Feeds (2026 Mar 5) JBS24 is 5-1/2 weeks old and is progressing right on schedule. Here’s what occurs in the fifth week, courtesy of Loudon Wildlife Conservancy: ~ Begins playing with sticks ~ Is capable of fully standing ~ Is aware of its surroundings, in and outside the nest ~ Begins tracking objects and birds outside the nest ~ The tarsi (the feet or lowest part of the legs) are full size, and the foot pad is nearly full size ~ Imprinting is nearly complete
JBS24 is doing a little self-feeding in addition to the above milestones. Mom and Dad spend quite a lot of time with their only eaglet. This family is a joy to observe. Video: https://youtu.be/zI5sDnFeuHo
Thank you, SK Hideaways!!!!!!!!! You bring the nests to life for us.
Ellie and Harvey at Farmer Derek’s Bald Eagle nest should have their second hatch by tomorrow.
I wonder what is going to happen at the Glaslyn nest this season. Will Aran return and prevail as the male? Will Teifi return and take over the nest? Will Elen return? We wait.
The female at Duke Farms continues, at times, to incubate the remaining unviable egg. The little one is a cutie.
Winter Park eaglets had some prey today. There has been some concern about the lack of prey coming to the nest as of late.
Oh, remember how we worried about ‘Tiny Tim’? – not so tiny anymore! Can you tell Wink from Atlas now?
At Dade County, R9, the oldest, still has to fledge. Females often take longer than males.
Eve and Kai perch along the rim of the NE Florida nest of their parents, Beau and Gabby. Eve is 68 days old today and Kai is 67. Fledge in a week?
Quinn (Captiva nest of Connie and Clive) is gorgeous and if you look carefully, all of these eaglets are so close in age. They spend their days looking out to the world they will soon conquer through flight.
There is at least one tiny osplet at the Pink Shell nest in Florida. Let’s hope that this nest is successful this year.
You will learn something you never thought you needed to know!
The funds to save the land near Jackie and Shadow’s nest were nearly 1 million dollars when I last checked. Others are seeking donations: the Severna Ospreys need batteries for their camera so they can stream.
Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope that your weekend was much better than ours. That said, we are looking forward to an ‘uneventful’ week. We have started doing nothing on Thursdays. Toby gets to go for his walk with Ellen, and I stay in my PJs. A writer of all things Parisian recommended some lovely Pima cotton pyjamas made in South Carolina, and I do love them. The phone is ignored for most of the day. No one is invited over or invited in if they show up. We watch movies, read books to Toby and The Girls and generally use Thursday as a day to recharge our so-called batteries. If you are feeling overwhelmed, however slight the feeling, I highly recommend a ‘day off’. And I do mean a day off!!!!!
We look forward to seeing you again soon – Friday, if not sooner.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their wonderful videos that add much to my post. I would also like to thank the owners of the streaming cams where I took my screen captures and who allow us to watch the lives of our favourite birds.
With the warm weather, the garden has been a busy place. The European Starlings do not like the butter bark suet cylinders when they are frozen. They sure don’t know Canadian winter weather! Today, with the warm weather they softened up and the Starlings, the Crows, the Blue Jays, and the squirrels were out in full force filling up in case it gets really cold again soon. The weather says it is going to be a mild -8 or -9 as a high with -10 to -21 as lows for the next five or six days. Splendid.
I did manage to get some images of the garden animals to share while Lewis was on the table watching. Now, Lewis read the manual: when your mother makes that certain sound, turn and look cute! Missy is still reading the chapter in the Maine Coon manual about ‘affectionate and loving’. She certainly doesn’t like to pose for me today!
Lewis wants you to know that his nose is not dirty. His big sister likes to scratch the sides of his nose and the lines are from her nails. Ouch.
Mr Blue Jay was all puffed up today and so happy to have peanuts in the shell.
Little Red found a stash of peanuts in the snow and was enjoying them. Look how healthy he is and that beautiful red chestnut colour on his tail lined with the black. He is coming and going from the insulated boxes that we fitted in with the wood in the big wood storage unit. I think it is possible he has moved in. That would be brilliant. I have felt exceptionally guilty since his penthouse in the garden shed was torn down to make way for the conservatory this summer. But..he looks good. Beautiful ear tuffs. He is here every day foraging as well.
Elain’s wonderful video summaries of the adventures of Indigo! Be sure to have the sound loud so you can hear Indigo’s prey calling.
The AEF seems to feel that it is V3 that has been in and around the nest today and for the last 3 or 4 days and nights. He flew in with a big fish (after bringing in other prey items including a squirrel one day). Of course, how frustrating is it when you make the effort and despite calls, Gabby doesn’t show up? I hope he doesn’t give up on our girl (whichever V you are).
It is a big fish and it still has its head!
The male calls and calls. Eventually he gives up and eats the fish.
Gabby on the left. The male V on the right.
They flew in together – landing on the nest seconds apart – Wednesday evening at 1744. They did some restorations and went off to their own branches. Looking more like a couple – Gabby and V3 (who has an injury according to the AEF but it will heal).
There is any question down in Miami. Rose seems to have used all her feminine powers and won Ron over. She will be a good mate for him. I am assuming she is young with a few of the feathers in her head needing to turn white. Please yell at me if this is wrong!
It does seem to me that they need to get a little more nesting material in this nest if there will be eggs this breeding season. Maybe there won’t be – perhaps next year. We wait to see.
It is absolutely silly. Ron has a duck in his talon for breakfast. If you watch, he flies in from the bottom left corner to the back and around to land on the nest with Rose chasing him.
They need a good rain on the camera at Superbeaks! That would help with the view. The eaglets are now large enough that we could easily see them during feeding times when they are stretching their necks.
They are sure cute and there is still some soft dandelion fluff on their heads.
Pepe has just flown in and is getting a good look at the two eaglets. They have just finished a nice fish dinner.
Jackie and Shadow were working on their nest right before 1100 Wednesday morning.
Here is a video of their efforts even as the winds are increasing and a storm is approaching.
Alex continues to bring in the fish to the E3 nest. You can see them and many are buried underneath the nesting material. It looks like it is causing a lot of flies. Poor little E3-1.
The second egg at the E3 nest has hatched! Let us hope that the first hatch is a little darling to this one! 02:07:03.
The morning feeding at the Kisatchie E3 Bald Eagle nest on Lake Kincaid. Strong eaglets.
There was a posting that there was a pip at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest but that cannot be right. If you go to the Captiva Eagle cam, they have a clock counting the days from the egg is laid. Egg 1 is only 25 days old as I write this blog meaning that there is at least 10 days remaining if not more. Bald Eagle eggs take 35-40 days to hatch with many coming in on the 37-38th day.
Let’s all give a shout out to all these great Bald Eagle Mums. Here is Liberty – of Liberty and Guardian at the Redding Eagle nest in California – flying high. She is 24 years old. How many other female eagles can you think of that are in their late 20s? Harriet at SWFlorida for one. Cholyn at Two Harbours for another. Any more?
Meanwhile, the ospreys continue to visit the new platform nest on Lori Covert’s property on Captiva, one of the barrier islands just off the coast of southwest Florida.
If you are wondering, the Port Lincoln camera on the barge is offline. I do not know if it has been turned off intentionally, if there is maintenance, or if it is a technical or weather issue.
More and more eagles are being taken into rehabilitation for lead poisoning. It is simply outrageous that this is still an issue – one that can be easily solved by the simple outlawing of the manufacturing and sale of lead for any hunting and fishing equipment. There are alternatives.
Most of us are familiar with the Bald Eagle nest of Mr President and Lotus at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. The staff have discovered another nest. Is it another couple? or have Mr President and Lotus built a second nest? We wait to see.
It looks like L4 has a squirrel this morning at Cornell. Did Arthur deliver it? or did L4 catch it? My money is on L4 catching it since this was the first fledgling at Cornell to catch prey after fledging.
It is a shout out to the NZ DOC who take excellent care of the Royal Albatross at Taiaroa Head in New Zealand. It has been scorching hot in the south of Australia and in NZ and the rangers have set up misters for the nesting birds. Wow. How many of us wold like to see this type of ‘intervention’ on those scorcher days at the Osprey nests in the PNW and western Canada???
If you have been wondering about Annie and the ‘new guy’, he has been bringing prey into the scrape area. Is it for Annie? It is anyone’s guess but if he wants to win our Annie’s heart, he best be able to be a good provider!
Thank you so much for being with us this morning, Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their videos, their posts, their tweets, and their streaming cam where I took my screen captures: Elain and the Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, NEFL-AEF, WRDC, Superbeaks, FOBBV, KNF-E3, Window to Wildlife, Redding Eagles, Ventura Wildlife Society, @CornellHawks, Sharon Dunne and the Royal Cam Albatross Group NZ, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons.
The temperature in Winnipeg rose to 32 degrees C Wednesday evening. It was unbelievably hot and the birds were making full use of the layers and layers of vines and the thick lilac bushes to keep cool. They would occasionally come out for a drink and a bath.
I saw a photograph of a converted wading pool. It was covered with a coated mesh pulled taut – small enough so that the birds could not get their feet caught and they could not drown in the water. A pump with a sprinkler system was positioned in the centre…it was full of little birds having a party. What a great idea. I have just the place for one of those for next summer so the garden visitors can cool down even more. I wonder if the Crows will try it out? or Dyson?
Making News:
Vet team in Canada performs rare spinal surgery on Bald Eagle, Buddy.
BirdCast has all the information on migration. You can go and find out how many birds flew over your region at any time in the United States. I checked on Minnesota because it is close to Manitoba – gosh I wish this map worked for the entire planet! They also tell you the birds that are migrating.
For your own information, go to birdcast.info
The Stellar’s Sea Eagle was first seen in Newfoundland/Labrador Canada some time ago. It made its way down the eastern coast of the US causing a stir in Maine. It is back up in Canada now! Some images were posted by Wade Jones. It will surely be making the news here again. Everyone was excited — and yet, there are more and more birds ‘far from home’. I often wonder if they are scouts for the species testing out new locations for living.
James Lovelock died on the 26th of July. Trained as a scientist and known as an early environmentalist and futurist, Lovelock suggested in 2007 that “we might actually choose to contaminate land to keep people out and make it safe for wild animals and birds” (quoted in Marren 274). Marren notes that there has been no mass movement to take up Lovelocks suggestion but that areas around Chernobyl and Fukishima Exclusion Zones are showing promise in this regard.
Jean-Marie duPart counted 54 ospreys fishing at the Langue de Barbarie Park. He will travel to the other areas in Senegal shortly. He says the 54 is the same count as he had in June. Thank you Jean-Marie!
Nest News:
So thrilled that the intruding male did not bring any harm to this beautiful Peregrine Falcon family. Annie and Alden continue to bond…and their little delicate kisses are just lovely.
Llyn Brenig says goodbye for the season. It is an empty nest!
The entire Glaslyn clan is still at home! Mrs G, Aran, and the three kids.
Aran hasn’t lost any talons yet.
Mrs G had her own fish over at the Oak Tree perch. Eating in quiet is important. Mrs G is the oldest osprey in the UK and she has had a busy year with those three fledglings. She needs her strength for her own migration.
Louis is still feeding Sarafina at the Loch Arkaig Nest.
Is Iris still with us? These are the departure dates for past years at the Hellgate Canyon nest in Missoula, Montana. Based on her past history, even thought she has not been seen, it is believed she is still around. Keep checking the nest!
Xavier and Diamond are so cute. Xavier cannot wait for the eggs to turn into chicks. He even brought prey to try and feed them this morning! What a darling. Then he stashed it for Diamond in the corner and she enjoyed it after a full mating ritual on top of the water tower.
Golden sun over the scrape as morning breaks in Orange, Australia.
Diamond flies off for a break.
Xavier arrives with some prey.
Would you like some pigeon?
Decides the eggs aren’t hungry so he will enjoy a few bites before stashing the snack in the corner for Diamond.
Diamond finds Xavier’s treasure.
Xavier loves to incubate the eggies and often, you will have noticed, Diamond does not give him a lot of time. Was it on purpose then that he brought the unprepared Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike in for Diamond’s tea? Imagine the time it will take her to prepare the bird and consume it? Meanwhile Xavier is in Daddyland Bliss.
So what is a Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike? These large grey birds with their distinctive black masks are a protected species in Australia. They belong to the passerine family, eat mostly insects, and are found just about everywhere in Australia.
It is after 1200 noon and I still have not seen any prey items brought to the nest. An adult has landed twice with nothing in the talons? Are there intruders? are the prey deliveries arriving later in the day? what particular reason?
Only one fish was delivered yesterday. Dad brought it in at 1508. Both eaglets were fed, according to my source, but 29 got more than 30. It was thought that Lady might start fishing but she didn’t and the spotters on the ground saw Dad at the River Roost. He flew to the nest and the kids started telling him they needed food. It has happened in the past – “feast or famine” ‘P’ calls it. They had eaten lots but 30 had cast a pellet and its crop was completely empty so the little one was really hungry. It is like their life in the wild but sometimes, worrisome to us watching.
The Sea Eagle chicks are now in week 6 and entering week 7. They continue to develop quite well despite my worries about prey deliveries. I hope this worry is for naught. I have written to my contact. One of the adults is in the tree looking out and I think it is Lady. I hope to find out if there are worries also in Sydney. If you do see a prey delivery from Dad, please do let me know.
During this time you might still see a few of the fluffy feathers. The eagles are doing a lot of preening, wing flapping and sitting and spreading themselves. They are standing slightly more steady and they continue to move the twigs in the nest about. By the end of week 8 – coming soon- they should have all of their juvenile feathers even covering their head, chest, and tail. They will be mantling and attempts at self-feeding will continue.
Dad is on the nest on the Port Lincoln barge while Mum has a much needed break and some fish. We can start counting down now…18 more days!
Ervie is out and about doing what Ervie does! Just look at his travels. Oh, just imagine. You will be one year old soon, Ervie. No balloons but we will make you a fish cake.
Hi there handsome, Ervie.
Your talon is slowly, ever so slowly growing back in but look at that green band. Soon you might be two silvers!
Little Dad watched over his new mate and the four precious eggs at the 367 Collins Street scrape in Melbourne.
In California, the Condor chick in Tom’s Canyon is doing fantastic! I don’t often write about the condors and that is a ‘shame on me’. Just look at how big and healthy this chick is.
Karl II remains in Estonia at the nest getting his strength and having some rest from feeding the four fledglings. Bonus remains at the Priyapat River in Belarus. Here is his tracker and an image of the area.
I am worried beyond belief for Kaia who entered The Ukraine near Chernobyl on the 30th. No updated tracking information for the past two days. Data due at 19:45. Will see if anything comes in. as of September 1, then no word on Kaia after landing, for the second time, in The Ukraine. Waba has sent in no data tracking. Karl II remains in the Karula National Forest in Estonia. Bonus was last in Belarus. Send them your warm wishes on their travels.
Thank you so much for joining me this morning. It is going to be another 32 C day here in Winnipeg which means it could go a little higher. The tropical plants on the deck are doing marvellous. So strange. Take care of yourselves. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, videos, and posts where I took my screen captures: CBC, BirdCast, Wade Jones, Cal Falcons, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Montana Ospreys, Charles Sturt Orange Falcon Cam, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park, Port Lincoln Ospreys, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Ventana Wildlife, and Looduskalender.
I hope this finds each of you well. We are just enjoying especially beautiful days lately with clear skies and ‘green’. It is the thing we miss most during the winter – the colour ‘green’. The juvenile Crows and Blue Jays are still coming for peanuts and water and for some nice swims in the bird bath. Of course they have to beat Dyson to those peanuts. The men have not closed up the bottom of the sunroom and I believe, if they went under, they might find about 30 peanuts Dyson has been putting there! I am waiting to see if these Crows and Blue Jays migrate. They do not always. Soon the migrating birds from up north will begin to make their way south. The Dark-eyed Juncos will be here demanding millet – on the red carpet!
There is not a lot of news in Bird World but what there is is fantastic.
The Fortis Exshaw Osprey Nest (put up by the power company of the same name) is celebrating today and so is ‘H’ who spent the day staring at the screen. She had a feeling that all three would fly today and — well, she was almost snookered when Dad came in with a fish but – yes, all three osplets at the Canmore Alberta site are now fledglings. This is fantastic. Thanks ‘H’ for your tenacity and belief. Mom had been on the distant pole urging them on. You can see her cheering her three babies.
This is the footage of the first fledge. (There is some buffering).
Fledge 2. The fledgling flew about for 2 or 3 minutes before returning to the nest.
Fledge 3.
Guess who is home? He doesn’t migrate but his mate does. The couple fledged two eaglets at their nest near Jacksonville. The nest this male Bald Eagle is using is the actual nest where he hatched on 23 December 2013. His father’s name was Romeo. His mother’s name was Juliette. Any ideas?
Gosh he looks good! If you said Samson you are correct. He has fledged 5 eaglets from this nest: Jules and Romey (2019), Legacy (2020), Jasper and Rocket (2021). Welcome home, Samson!
Gosh, things are just steaming up in Australia and Samson is home. Goodness.
More images of the Notre Dame eagles have been taken and posted. The three of them together a few hours ago. Lovely to see them. It is curious that our Little Bit 17 seems to always stay away from where 16 is…long memories.
The two sea eaglets at the nest in the Sydney Olympic forest are getting two big for that egg cup. They should be stretching those legs and skooting around the nest on their wrists. They are adorable. Pin feathers and all.
For all the California Condor lovers, the chick at Tom’s Canyon is really growing beautifully. Very hopeful.
Thank you so much for being with me. Cheer the Fortis Exshaw osplets. It was quite the day for their parents – all three fledging at once. So happy. They are going to have good time to create those flight muscles. Take care everyone. I will be back on Friday.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, videos and or posts that became my screen captures: ‘H’ for the Fortis Exshaw videos, Fortis Exshaw, American Eagle Foundation- NEF Bald Eagles, Sydney Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park, Notre Dame Eagles FB, and Ventana Wildlife.
Good Morning everyone. I hope that you are all well. Bird World appears to be quiet although it might not be…there continue to be intruders at nests. ‘N’ expressed some concern about nest #4 in Finland. I will keep an eye and see if there is an intruder there. The visitor is still with Rosie and Richmond and Brooks is living on a nest about a mile away. In my lifetime my home has been the place where the children of my friends or my children’s felt they could come for a ‘break’. Some stayed a night, others a month, and some 18 months. It helps me to understand what is going on with the ospreys in SF Bay. It is fantastic that they take good care of one another’s little ones. Enlightened. So many academic journals speak to the notion of cooperation instead of competition and that in the end, cooperation is better for all of the raptors. We are certainly seeing it played out on the nest of Richmond and Rosie.
Serious romance is happening in the Cal Falcons scrape…Bird World might be relatively quiet but….wow…there are fireworks between Annie and Alden!
Despite areas around Osoyoos being 44 C today, Olsen managed to deliver fish and quite honestly that is all that matters. The chicks are looking food and it is Friday! There is – oh, let’s for once have a correct forest – cooler weather coming after Sunday. Soo has done the best she can do and Olsen is working as best he can…good work everyone. Just look at those two beautiful chicks.
The heat warning for Osoyoos and this beautiful family has now been extended to run through Monday. Oh, goodness.
Olsen has already been out fishing and that is fantastic.
So far the two osplets – one has fledged -on the Janakkalan nest in Finland are doing so well. The second has yet to fledge. We hope that the goshawk that visited the nest two days ago does not return. These two need to eat and build up their strength for migrating south – what a dangerous journey for them it will be.
Only one on the nest at Loch Arkaig as the light begins to cast such a beautiful glow on the valley and loch below. Yesterday this chick was flapping and hopping and today could be fledge day. Hoping you get some wind, Sarafina.
Dawn finds one fledgling on the Manton Bay nest at Rutland of Blue 33 and Maya. Waiting for a delivery of fish by Dad no doubt! But look at the crop..was there something already on the nest??? I wonder.
At the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn, there appear to be three fledglings on Dad’s perch – not on the nest!
Kielder Forest is celebrating the fledge of the 100th chick from its osprey platforms since they started in 2009. That lucky chick was Fourlaws, a female from nest 6. Of those 100, Mr YA from Nest 1A was responsible for 26 of those. Sadly, he is not longer with us but Mrs YA gets several gold stars. She brought in 3 large trout today! I do not know if you knew but Nest 1A originally had four beautiful osplets. 440 Farne fledged but he has not been seen since and is believed perished like his father, YA.
The four fledged. that is a tremendous undertaking. Mrs YA is really amazing taking on all parenting roles now.
Victor is at the end of this short video clip about the sound Bald Eagles make. No new news but we all hope that he is doing splendidly in the great care of the Ojai Raptor Centre.
Oh, I haven’t mentioned the California Condors for some time. Shame on me! The chick in Tom’s Canyon (parents are 462 male and 846 female) is doing fabulous. Huge hopes for this one.
This is the link to the camera:
The storklets of Bukacek and Betty are doing fantastic. They are so white now compared to when they were younger and it was raining. They looked like they had rolled in soil rich in Red Iron Oxide.
Betty is calling to Bukacek who is in the ‘adults only’ nest in the background.
Look at how beautiful the four storklets are. Oh, my goodness.
Karl II has brought in lots of fish for the first meal for the four Black Storklets on the Estonian nest.
‘H’ caught the two fledglings at the Mispillion Harbour platform doing a great tug o war over a fish. Super shot. The oldest won but no fear. Dad or Mum will arrive on the nest or out on some of the perches with something for the youngest. What a great nest this one turned out to be and few people watch it. Definitely one to put on your list for next breeding season.
Notice the already nice crop on the one in front and the long legs of the fledgling behind. Beautiful birds. They are, of course, doing what they need to do to flourish on their own — fight over food and win!
I had a note from ‘N’ yesterday with a question about an osprey platform in Idaho. It is not a nest that I knew about and I have written to the parks manager to find out more because it seems this nest had four fledglings! Four. It is rare as we know. All survived. There is no rewind and there were only two on the platform this morning. Yesterday when I was watching there were three birds on the platform.
There are three cameras,, not all of them are on at the same time and there is no rewind but the clarity is excellent.
Here is a map of the location. The area looks like it would be great Osprey territory with all of the lakes. It is also in the region of the heat wave that has been hitting the area. Osoyoos is actually directly north and just a wee bit west.
This will give you an idea of the area.
Sure enough…this area is going to be even hotter than in Osoyoos. Keep all of these ospreys in your thoughts until we can get the end of Monday finished then there is hope for cooler temperatures.
Here is a link to McEwan Park Ospreys, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
There are few Bald Eagle fledglings that we can catch coming to the nest. Thankfully Lilibet is one of those – I wonder if she is still missing Victor? Hopefully we will get an update on his improving condition this week. For now, Andor and Mama Cruz are providing really well for their girl.
Lisa Yen caught this great capture after Lilibet had consumed several fish and a bird about a week ago. Goodness…that is a crop.
Just a couple of images of the Sea Eagles nest in Sydney. One of my readers ‘C’ says it is a hard nest to watch. It is! Yesterday SE30 had a really good feeding when 29 was asleep. These are going to help it. It seems a long way away but this nest really should be settling down in another week. My suggestion is to simply watch another nest…check on this one in a day or two or even three. As long as the food continues to come on the nest and there are feedings every hour or so, I am not thinking there is going to be a problem. But, as always, we know that nests turn on a dime and anything can happen.
The ‘official’ word coming out of Sydney is that the nest is doing fine. No worries.
Thank you so much for being with me this morning. Unless there is a major incident or announcement about a bird in care, I will begin what I normally do during the month of August and write only one blog a day until we have some more nests with eggs in Australia. Almost every osplet has fledged in the UK. Sarafina at Loch Arkaig should fly today. I will continue to monitor the nests that are suffering from these extreme heats caused by climate change. Please keep them in your thoughts. It is so very tough for them. Take care everyone. Stay safe. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their posts and/of streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Osoyoos Ospreys, SF Bay Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, Cal Falcons, Mlade Buky Storks, Eagle Club of Estonia and Looduskalender, Explore.org and IWS, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys and ‘H’, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park, McEwan Park Ospreys, Cornell Bird Lab, Dyfi Osprey Project, Kieldner Forest, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Google Maps, and LRWT.
It was really fantastic to hear from ‘B’ that there are super donations going into Ojai Raptor Centre for Victor from the Fraser Point Nest on Catalina Island and for Little Bit ND17 who is in care at Humane Indiana Wildlife. They are much loved not-so-little eagles. Forever grateful to those that work in the wildlife rehabilitation clinics donating their time and volunteering so that the wildlife get the very best care they can have. They do it with love, not for money.
Victor made the newspapers today! California loves its raptors and it is always encouraging to see stories about the Big Bear Valley Eagles – the antics of Spirit and her parents, Jackie and Shadow and those ever adorable Cal Falcons – Annie, Alden, Grinnell Jr and Lindsay.
Again, some of those amazing eagles and ospreys get forgotten when there is a crisis. Takoda is one gorgeous fledgling. Mr President continues to supply him with wonderful fish. Looks like an early morning catfish.
Wonder if Dad will bring in a dinner fish?
Lancer is on the rocks by the Two Harbours nest late this afternoon.
It doesn’t look like there is anyone home at the West End Bald Eagle nest of Thunder and Akecheta.
If you love California Condors, the Condor Cam is up and running and there are Condors in the trees around the site. They are often there feeding on carcasses provided for them by the Ventana Wildlife Society.
Here is the link to the camera in Big Sur:
This is a very quick look at a few nests this afternoon. I have spent the day creating a flight path for the garden birds – and there is a huge mess to clear up. I hope that everyone is well. Check in on your favourite birds. Many are about and still coming to the nests for food. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, Ventana Wildlife Society, and the NADC-AEF.
The walk in the forest and seeing some beautiful songbirds and several woodpeckers yesterday afternoon was lovely. “Forest Bathing” or shinrin-yoku. I have mentioned this word and the concept many times before but I highly recommend going for a walk outside with the trees if you are able. You can just sit, too. It is highly relaxing and really does remove stress. To my delight, there were a few – three- goslings. There should be some slightly older goslings about somewhere but I could not find them. There are lots and lots of fish in the water even in areas with lots of algae cover. I hope the Bald Eagle couple are taking the fish and not the goslings!
This little gosling was skipping along between its parents. Only one for them it appears.This Canada Goose couple have two goslings. In former years I would have seen hundreds of goslings. The little red squirrel was enjoying the seeds being dropped on the ground at the feeding station. Little female Downy woodpecker was working really hard to get the peanuts. There were lots of American Goldfinches at the feeding station today. This very dominant male did not want to share!
Still, the worry for Little Bit 17 and the disappointment that nothing has been done to secure an assessment on his condition is becoming more bewildering.
This is the status of the nest Wednesday morning. There is no possible way that the three birds – 15, 16, and 17 could last on this fast deteriorating nest very long.
This is precisely the situation that little Yurruga was in at the Orange Australian scrape. His feathers were not fully developed but he did fledge and fly only to have torrential rain and die. Little Bit now requires food. Is he catching mice and things? Maybe. But does anyone know that for sure? and has he moved a significant amount to show that he is actually mobile? And why not call in the experts to assess him?
I needed a laugh and ‘R’ sent me the shortest video from the NADC-AEF nest that did just that. Perhaps you need a giggle, too.
I wonder how many times a hawklet is taken to a Bald Eagle nest as a prey item and winds up being raised by the Bald Eagles? It happened in 2017 in Sydney, BC with Spunky and currently Malala is part of an eagle family on Gabriola Island. There is another nest in Ohio with a Red tail Hawklet being raised by the eagles!
Malala is still doing so well at the Bald Eagle nest. Lady Hawk just released a video showing her mantling two prey deliveries on Tuesday. How grand! When she was forced fledged and found her way up to the nest, everyone was so happy. Hopefully she will continue to thrive on the nest until she is really ready to do a lot of flying about.
So how many trout did Aran bring for Mrs G and the three Bobs before the rains began? On two consecutive days, he brought in 8 trout and the following day it was 13. Wow. Mrs G was more than delighted – .
Richmond has been busy bring in the fish to Rosie and the Two Bobs, too.
The two fledglings at the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest wish that their Dad would bring in a lot of fish for them, too! Dad might be thinking they need to go to the local lakes and give fishing a try! I understand that the camera will be turned off at the end of the month so check out these two. They are beauties.
The little Lesser Spotted Eaglet at the Zemgale, Latvian nest of Uldis and Laila is called Hugo. Uldis has been bringing in rats, mice, and small birds to the nest. Hugo is doing well and growing so fast.
It is another wet day in Wales at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn. Perhaps today is ringing day. Last year there were two chicks. Dysynni was the heaviest male chick in history. Many still think that perhaps Dysynni is a female. Measurements can be taken but to know 100% DNA tests need to be done. They are expensive for the nature centres and most often not undertaken.
It dried out for the Dyfi nest and the three chicks were ringed. The Darvic numbers are Bob 1 = 7B0 Bob 2 = 7B1 and Bob 3 = 7B2. None of them are Bobs – they are three girls! Telyn’s mother, Maya, also had three girls at the Manton Bay nest at Rutland this year. The Manton Bay chicks are getting ready to fledge.
There is currently a vote going on at the Dyfi Osprey project chat with the streaming cam. Question. Should the names of the three girls start with the same letter? or not?
It looks like it is another miserable wet day for Mrs G and Aran and the kids at Glaslyn. I wonder if Ospreys get sick of the rain like human animals do?
The Glaslyn nest dried off in the afternoon, too. Thankfully! Aran has been out chasing an intruder. Not good.
Blue NC0 is waiting for the morning breakfast fish to be brought to the Loch of the Lowes nest. As I was looking at her nest it occurred to me that it is a rare thing to see human garbage on these UK nests. Yes, the occasional carrier bag but even that is rare compared to nests in North America.
The females on the Manton Bay nest at Rutland of Maya and Blue 33 are wet on Wednesday morning – and they are waiting for Dad to bring in the breakfast fish!
By the afternoon, everyone is dry and the three girls have been doing some hovering. Aren’t they gorgeous?
I love California Condors. There is a little chick in the cliff nest at Tom’s Canyon. Cornell has set up a camera in collaboration with the USFWS. They posted a really nice video showing a feeding caught on the camera. Notice how the little one flaps its wings in anticipation of the arrival of the adult and some much wanted food.
When I went to check on Richmond and Rosie again, I was tired, too, and felt just like Rosie. If you look for an osprey nest to add to your list for next year, Richmond and Rosie are highly recommended! SF Ospreys.
The Dad at the Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest brought in a really super fish before dawn this morning. In the process Mum’s foot hit that vodka bottle and it went flying off the nest. ‘H’ caught the action and sent me a clip saying ‘Mispillion cannot be considered the party nest any longer!’. Absolutely. Thank you, ‘H’.
Lindsay made an early appearance on The Campanile ledge this morning. Gosh, those two fledgling falcons are looking so good and so strong in their flying. Yeah for Annie and Alden teaching them to survive in the wild!
Have you ever noticed that it is when one osprey looks directly into the eye of another that they often have a bit o a dust up?
The two Bobs at the Loch Arkaig nest of Louis and Dorcha did just that. Dorcha has been having to deal with an intruder thought to be a non-breeding female.
The two eaglets of Liberty and Freedom at the Glacier Gardens nest are getting their thermal down. Oh, goodness have they grown. Mum still, sadly, likes to bring in plastic bags!
Suzanne Arnold Horning posted some fantastic images of Big Red and Arthur’s fledglings of 2022, the Ls. Thank you Suzanne for allowing me to share! Gosh those Ls are cute – and doing so well. The three like to spend time together, too! How interesting. Just like Lindsay and Grinnell Jr do – playing and enjoying life.
Big Red and Arthur are delivering prey. Prey drops are often on top of buildings where it is safe for the Ls to eat. They are also expanding the area on campus where the fledglings go to hunt. This also strengthens their flying. Fantastic family. Highly recommended for your list of nests to watch next year.
There is no update on ND17 or on the Pitkin osplet that is in care. That chick might have passed – no one likes to give bad news. Fingers crossedd for Little Bit getting some assistance if he is not more mobile and has not been seen eating. There is no way that he can make it up to a crumbling nest 60 feet high – if he does, I will make a big donation to our local wildlife rehabber! Which reminds me. Tomorrow I will be spending the day at the wildlife clinic with the raptors if the weather is good. Hope to get some good images for all of you of our local ambassadors.
Thank you so much for joining me. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures, their images or their videos: ND-LEEF, NADC-AEF, GROWLS and Lady Hawk, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Latvian Fund for Nature, Dyfi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, LRWT, Cornell Condor Cam, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys, the DDNR, and ‘H’, Cal Falcons, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, Glacier Gardens, and Suzanne Arnold Horning.
