Tag Archives: California

Help coming to Captiva nest and What does Rodenticide have to do with Dyson’s kits?

13 February 2026

Good Late Afternoon Everyone,

It is stunningly beautiful here today. Toby and I had a 45 minute walk while Ann and Don went to the nature centre. Our walk was filled with flitting chickadees…we left a trail o Black-Oil seed for them while Brock lounged on my neighbour’s chair after filling up at her feeder! Glorious and Happy. Two good words.

‘J’ sent me a posting from ‘Annette’. This could not have come at a more appropriate time. Let me explain after you read it:

“https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1334445735376985&set=pb.100064347147336.-2207520000

My can of worms:

A follower asked me to talk about the use of rodenticide increasing mange in wildlife. Sure! Good topic, but the subject of toxins in our environment opens a very personal can of worms for me. 

Toxins in our environment weaken immunity. I realize the particular study on the increase of mange in the wild is focused on the use of rodenticides suppressing and damaging immune systems in wildlife causing mange to be on the rise which is absolutely possible and even probable, but the bigger picture here is all toxins in all our environments weaken all our immune systems. When the body is constantly battling a toxin, the immune system can overload if something else is introduced, or in the case of demodectic mange which is naturally present in canids, (just kept in check by the immune system), it can overgrow and take over. 
Long term exposure to toxins can permanently damage the immune system causing chronic inflammation and shrinking of the thymus resulting in reduction of T cells. At that point the immune system is impaired.
Toxins can also lead to confusion of the immune system, causing auto-immune disorders. The body attacks itself rather than the problem, often without a problem. Now the immune system is misfiring and can even become dangerous. 

Exposure to microorganisms in safe doses has the opposite effect. Like our muscle mass, we have to use our immune system for it to be strengthened. You can’t focus on avoiding microorganisms and ignore toxins. It’s a trap. Get my logic here?

I have one young mom in my “friends that are my family” circle that has figured it out. She doesn’t freak out when her kids ‘eat dirt’ (that’s a euphemism) but she doesn’t store or microwave food in plastic, reads every label and researches every ingredient or chemical she doesn’t know. I tease her constantly but she is protecting her children at the very core of their biology. She’s my hero. What happened to me and my siblings won’t happen to her babies. 

I grew up In Blackwell Oklahoma from 1969 to 1981-ish. Our house was the closest house to the zinc smelter and my bedroom window faced the stacks. With no central air conditioning in our home, windows were always open in mild and hot weather and the smoke from the foundry (Sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid mist, and zinc fumes) blew freely into my room day and night for most of the year until the smelter closed in 1974, but the closing did not eliminate the danger. 

Our streets were paved with red brick on a bed of the tailings that the smelter “donated” to the town for it’s use. We played in those tailings, and when it rained, we were barefoot in the toxic puddles for hours. (Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, Manganese, Chromium, and Zinc). We swam and played in the Chikaskia River, just down from the plant. (chromium, zinc oxides, and zinc sulfate) The mountains of tailings at the plant property were our jungle gyms. (Yes, we trespassed, but their fence was lame and we were unsupervised Gen X kids) The list of exposures goes on and on. 

My oldest brother died of two cancers 4 years ago at age 59, my younger sister barely survived two cancers and we both have polycystic liver and kidney disease though my sister’s is way advanced (we speculate due to her previous chemo). Our youngest brother is healthy but the smelter closed before he was born and we moved before he was old enough to play outside on his own. Believe it or not, I am pretty healthy other than I have hormonal imbalances that keep me fat no matter what I eat or how active I am, and I have severe and bizarre reactions to antibiotics and battle full body chronic inflammation for no apparent reason. I manage the pain and inflammation with Chaga and Noni juice (I shouldn’t take NSAIDs or acetaminophen -liver and kidneys) and keep my immune system strong by doing what I do every day, exposing myself to plenty of microorganisms. (POOP BONUS!) 🙂 Stress is my enemy, but I can’t get away from it and still do what I love to do, so I try (often futilely) to manage it. 

We were forever damaged from early exposure to toxins, but it didn’t show up until later in life. We were not included in the later lawsuits. We missed the deadlines as all our health issues surfaced afterward, and none of this can be fixed by money anyway. I need health not wealth. 

The warnings were out there as we lived and played in danger, but getting people to heed them and companies to bend takes time. People believe what they choose to believe and that is fine. There are far more knowledgeable people out there than I am, and I am sharing what I know and believe from personal experience, research, trial and error, worry and tragedy. I am, like everyone else reading this, some more than others, fighting to survive and have a quality life while I do. 

The wildlife are the “canaries in the mine” for Nature. If we are doing anything that creates damage to them, know without a doubt, it will likely hurt the rest of us eventually, and the practices we ignore and accept now can harm generations to come. 

Do your own research, make better choices for you and yours and don’t count on someone else to protect you. Most toxin using companies don’t care about you if there is money to be made, and because of liability, they certainly won’t admit they were ever doing anything harmful, even if they are busted. That is why we have lawyers. 

It’s supply and demand people! If we stop using the weapons, they will stop making the ammo. (another euphemism)

And STOP using lead in the wild and shooting it into your food. It’s so stupid. 

Annette”

About a week ago, an individual living in my neighbourhood had to take their dog to the vet. The dog almost died of pancreatitis due to rodenticide poisoning. It is believed that the dog ate the faeces of a rabbit that had eaten the poison. Imagine how little it took for this tragedy.

Well, two days ago I noticed that one of Dyson’s kits ‘looked strange’. I took out the longer lens camera and yesterday got images. Dyson’s kit also has mange. It is believed, after talking to the DOC officer, that the kit’s issue is also linked to individuals using rodenticide in my neighbourhood.

I am furious. Annette is correct. There are many useless things in our world, and two of them are lead – that we see impacting our raptors each day – and rodenticide, which also has impacted raptors. I continue to speak of Joe and Connie’s Peace and Love on Captiva. The perfect example of how a toxin can destroy a family.

Please, please spread the word. Let the owls do their job. The feral cats. The hawks. They love nice ‘healthy NOT poisoned’ rats and mice and they do a far better job of killing them than a toxin.

Isn’t this sad? If I could get to the squirrel, I could put coconut oil on her skin to help her, but alas, she is wild! She is eating, and I want to be hopeful that she will survive.

Before I leave just a couple of nest notes:

The human debris on the Captiva Bald Eagle nest is being removed today. They will turn the cameras off at 1700 local time after determining that the danger to the eagles and Quinn was enough to warrant getting up there and getting that mess off. Thank you to everyone who helped.

Quinn is about the age of the Dale Hollow eagles that were tangled in fishing line. Things should go smoothly at this nest. CROW is right there on Sanibel and they are incredible (I am making an assumption that it will be CROW that facilitates this removal).

Hatch watch is the 15th for the first Kakapo egg. Now you must go and watch this little one – these flightless parrots are so rare and this is such an opportunity. Egg count for today also sent by ‘J’.

Winter Park Bald Eagle nest: Name the eaglets: Here is the info from the chat: “​Hello, if you’d like to submit names for the eaglets, please see this link: https://forms.gle/7vYPwneMakwbaw3T7 The landowners will be selecting a pair of names that has been submitted. Ending Feb 17″

They must not like that Gar! Tiny Tim has a nice big crop after a feeding. No worries here.

SK Hideaways gives us a giggle at the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Cruz: https://youtu.be/zhDZeyBXIq4?

There are eggs being laid and all is well but for me the best thing that happened today was that for the first time (to my knowledge) Big Red and Arthur were both on the Cornell Campus Fernow nest together preparing for a new breeding season. Our Red-tail Hawk Queen will be 23 this year and she’s still going strong.

The Big Bird Count began today – please go to the Cornell Bird Lab and participate!

Junior filling up on peanuts.

Mrs Junior

Dyson is healthy.

The new Hedwig:

Baby Hope wishes everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Thank you so much for being with us for this quick tirade on rodentcides and a check in on a few nests. Take care everyone!

Thank you to ‘J’ and ‘Annette’ for the rodenticide news, SK Hideaways for their video, and the owners of the video cameras that allow us into the lives of our dear birds.

Eaglets have been named…Late Sunday in Bird World

8 February 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

Oh, we hope that you had a lovely weekend – and were able to get outside and hear some birdsong! It is much warmer here. That is fantastic but it has meant that the walkways are icy, something that is difficult to deal with when Toby is so enthusiastic about being outside. He wears his boots with a skid pad on the bottom and they help him not to slip and slide. We have our boots with the big grips. Still, one worries a bit about falling so the walks have not been that long.

The skies are a cold, light grey. The leafless trees set against the sky like those Victorian shadow images we used to cut out of paper remind us, however, that it is still winter even if the European Starlings are getting their breeding plumage. I will be glad this year when the cold is all over. There is something that brings the spirit up when you can open the windows and walk down the street, not dressed like you are going on a Polar Bear expedition! But, I am not really complaining. The furnace is no longer churning out heat and there is the huge promise that the UK ospreys will be home in 5 weeks and on top of that Big Red will be thinking about laying her first egg. The days will speed by.

The Girls and Toby are fine, and so far, all of the regulars have made it through the winter that comes to the garden. We had thought that perhaps one of the Blue Jays was missing, but no, it appeared. What joy we had that morning. Brock makes his rounds and he was here at 0900. No doubt he will head down the street to have some food at Jane’s and sleep on her cushion. He showed up at her door when she got home from the symphony last night. I think he was watching and waiting for her to get home! You must be able to feel my excitement that he has another place to go for food and safety.

There are still 33 or more European Starlings coming to eat cat and dog kibble. As I noted earlier, their plumage is changing and some are now in breeding plumage. I hope that their nest in our lilacs and the back trees are successful this year. I adore them. Many people reject the Starlings and the Sparrows…I cannot imagine a day without their different songs. It is time to be equal in our treatment of the birds as most species, including these two, are in decline in various locations. Guardians of Nature just posted this image on FB as a reminder to us:

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 1 February 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 ~Resident in flux

Sauces Canyon
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Sauces Canyon Eagles Cam Ops 
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnTsOesC6hE

Audacity Lays Egg #3 ~ Back to 2 Eggs After One Broke ~ Then Back to 1 Again (2026 Feb 6)
Pretty much on schedule, Audacity laid her third egg with little fanfare or labor. After accidentally breaking one two days before, she and Jak once again had two precious eggs to tend. Best wishes for a fruitful outcome. Sadly, that egg broke just two hours after it was laid.

Video: https://youtu.be/Qm66NocEA74


Audacity Accidentally Pierces Egg ~ Cleans Up Before Jak Arrives (2026 Feb 3)
Audacity accidentally pierced one egg in the middle of the night. She simply stayed present, cleaned up the egg ~ taking in vital nutrients in the process ~ and appeared to revert to delayed incubation of the remaining egg. Keeping good thoughts for a replacement egg in a couple days. 
Video: https://youtu.be/b2cBALaGn08


Two Harbors
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn & Chase Share Sunset Rendezvous (2026 Feb 5)
Cholyn and Chase are getting a lot of egg-making practice lately. Will she late earlier than her typical late February-early March timeframe? Only Cholyn knows for sure. 
Video: https://youtu.be/uZ9JOIGjHxQ

Cholyn & Chase Have a Frisky Morning ~ Twice (2026 Feb 2)
With nesting season in full swing, Cholyn and Chase have frequent early morning rendezvous. Despite their 28 years of age and 23 years of “marriage”, they remain quite frisky at this time of year. So much so that they mated twice on the nest in less than 40 minutes. Will Cholyn surprise us with early eggs? 
Video: https://youtu.be/wMs45lc_3XA


West End
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | West End Eagles Cam Ops 
Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14
Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg
Aerial Food Fight ~ Aerobatics ~ Nest Misses ~ SEDs Together 🤗
The current West End couple had an active day, starting with a spectacular aerial food fight (shown here at regular speed and slo-mo). The wind made for some fancy flying, including swooping nest approaches. At day’s end, the couple met on the night perch.
Video: https://youtu.be/7b1wjDO5EWYFOBBVCAM Eagles  ~ Big Bear, CA
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear ValleyNest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc
LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

Jackie and Shadow Defend Nest and Territory from Multiple Intruders 2026 Feb 7
The past few days have brought a number of unwelcome visitors to Jackie and Shadow’s habitat, which is not unusual at this time of year. They fiercely defended their nest and surrounding area from both adult eagles and ravens. Wishing them all peace and safety as they sort themselves out.
Video: https://youtu.be/HMSdUZnPKM8


John Bunker Sands Bald Eagles
Courtesy John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Eagle Cam
Eagle Tower Camera 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdo7BzUU_g
Eagle Tower Camera 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEDb2KqvvyQ

Tandem Feeding for Fluffballs JBS24 & JBS25 (2026 Feb 4)
10-day-old JBS24 and 9-day-old JBS25 are lucky little fluffballs. Mom and Dad have been filling them to the brim all day every day. Tandem feedings are common here and a joy to watch. Here, Mom and Dad feed both eaglets and even each other a little.
Video: https://youtu.be/ge017VDe7mo

Thank you so much, SK Hideaways.

The eaglets at the Kistachie National Forest Bald Eagle nests have been named. Tonya Irwin posted the results:

Gabby and Beau’s babies have been named!

While these two are exploring what is outside the rails, E26 at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of M15 and F23 is now standing on the rails!!!!!!

In Wales, there is an osprey platform near the one at Glaslyn. It is known as Pont Cresor. The male is Z2, Aeron, one of Monty’s sons. His mate is Blue 014. They have successfully raised chicks. Friends of Osprey installs osprey platforms on private property within Wales. They often will not reveal the location for good reason. They are now adding a camera to the Pont Cresor nest. This is fantastic.

Mary Cheadle announces this:

Here’s the other notice with more information.

Z2 Aeron’s brother, Z1 Tegid of the White Egg, is also breeding in Wales. Monty’s legacy lives long and strong in others as well.

Oh, I am getting itchy osprey talons. How lucky it is that Penny Albright gets to spend her winter watching osprey! She is posting some great images on FB, too. Thanks, Penny!

Jack and Jill have been at Achieva in St Petersburg, Florida. No eggs yet.

It won’t hatch – the single egg at Frenchman’s Creek. Mum continues to come to incubte during the day but stays away at night so as not to be killed by the GHO. In fact, she was pulled off the nest the other evening and survived. Poor thing. I wish that egg would break.

Heidi reported on that owl strike:

So far all is well with Sally and Harry at Mooring’s Park. There are three eggs. Hatch watch begins on March 1.

Beth Lorenzo posted that the Pink Shell osprey nest in Florida has three eggs: Congratulations on three eggs! This is the first time I’ve seen three (2/5): does anyone happen to know when the third was laid? No big deal; I just want to write a date in my records.

Eggs are normally laid at 3 day intervals but we have seen some at 2 days and some at 4 or 5.

There is no shortage of food in the nest of Owlvira and Hoots!

The eaglets on the John Bunker Sands Wetlands nest are doing very well. The chat says: “Mom and Dad’s eggs were laid on Dec. 18 and 21. JBS 24 hatched on Jan. 25, while JBS 25 hatched on Jan. 26.”

Positive wishes for Jak and Audacity who still have a single egg to incubate. Two of the three eggs laid have broken accidentially. And hum that tune ‘All We Need is Love’ but say ‘All We Need is One!’. That got us Betty Lou. One egg is manageable. One egg is easier to cope with when there could be issues of a thinner shell. Keep sending this couple love.

Thank you so much for being with us today! Please take care of yourself. Go outside. Smell the fresh air (I hope it’s fresh), pause. Listen to the birds and read a good book. Bake some scones. We did today – SK Hideaways recipe. They were delicious. Draw, write an old friend. Think of something lovely. We will be back by the end of the week and we hope you are able to join us.

Delicious. If you would like the recipe, let me know.

A tired Toby.

Thank you to all those individuals who voted on the names for the eaglets at the Kistachie National Forest and the NE Bald Eagle nest of Gabby and Beau. Thank you to SK Hideaways for being so kind to send me their weekly list of videos, and to all those who posted information on FB and the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to watch the lives of these amazing birds.

Name some eaglets…Late Friday in Bird World

6 February 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

It has warmed up considerably on the Canadian Prairies. Dog walkers are out like there is a costume parade for the best-dressed pooch! It is wonderful for morale – and by February, spirits on the Canadian prairires an be running rather dry.

It has certainly been a week but the one underlying theme, on many occasions, has been that of ‘friendship’ and ‘cooperation’.

‘MP’ sent me the most remarkable story about Honey Eaters and how they cooperate with humans in Africa. Have a read. It is a heart warmer that has been occuring for eons.

‘MP’ writes: “I saw this article about birds and humans, and it blew me away. Here’s the link:

https://www.livescience.com/animals/birds/in-the-search-for-bees-mozambique-honey-hunters-and-birds-share-a-language-with-distinct-regional-dialects?utm_term=EACFAD43-2015-4ED5-BB24-0F91F8AC994E&lrh=ad9593b53bdc7d1701328fe35b20b4bcfcaf820d4b7c74c2aa18868201b08d9d&utm_campaign=368B3745-DDE0-4A69-A2E8-62503D85375D&utm_medium=email&utm_content=A591553B-3117-4C32-A5C3-1170888A88D3&utm_source=SmartBrief

Thank you so much!

And then there is the ongoing saga of worry over Brock, the only feral cat in our neighbourhood, much loved by many who is now 4 or 5 years old. He was MIA from 12:01 Friday morning (or Thursday night, however you want to look at it) when I last saw him on my video camera until yesterday. The other neighbour who feeds him began to understand why Brock drives me to eating Gaviscon! Then he appeared around 2000 at our feeders. Today, he chowed down at Jane’s and was here once and then….one of my friends who we often walk dogs alongside sent me a photograph.

It is on the same block, just on the other side. Another kind lady is feeding our darling! Kindness.

The reading for today out of The Friendship Book is: “When the author, J. M. Barrie talked about being kinder than necessary in “The Little White Bird”, he didn’t have a character speak the words. He didn’t state it like ancient words of wisdom, demanding due respect. He framed it as a question, from himself to us. “Shall we make a new rule o life from tonight: always to try to be a little kinder than necessary.”

Honey Hunters and feral cats…and then there were those that helped my daughter yesterday. She was travelling down a street mid-afternoon, going 60 kph, when a car pulled right in front of her. Shocked, scared, car totalled – two women stayed with her til the paramedics and fire trucks arrived. Then the firemen put her into the truck so she could stay warm. She is alright – astonishingly so. But I am so grateful for the kindness of those strangers as she struggled with what had just happened and how bad that accident could have been.

Now on to some of the news happening in Bird World.

At the nest of Anna and Louis II, E-1, in the Kistachie National Forest, the parents have been busy bringing in moss and other natural materials to bury the bobber and fishing line in the nest. They have moved that bobber several times and are obviously extremely aware of the danger this foreign object could have – hence, their actions. The tree is 105 feet off the forest floor. There are trained rangers monitoring the situation but, at the present, it appears the adult eagles have this under control.

Elvira and Hoots have been bringing in lots of prey for the little owlets. One time it was a bunny. All of the owlets appear to me to be doing fine including the tiny 3.

Chase and Cholyn are being romantic – and what a view for eagle romance! It was noted in the video that the mating attempts were too many to count! Let’s hope these two have a fertile egg and an eaglet this year! And for those of you unaware, Cholyn is Thunder’s mother. (Thunder and Akecheta were the resident pair at the West End nest. Their current status remains unclear).

SK Hideaways has it on video -. https://youtu.be/uZ9JOIGjHxQ?

Jak and Audacity’s first egg continues to remain intact.

The adults at the Winter Park Florida Bald Eagle nest have names!

We need some more food for those two eaglets at Winter Park!

At the Window to Wildlife, the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Connie and Clive, and a piece of wire mesh – we call it chicken wire in Canada – has come to the nest! Gracious. Another human-made potential for harm.

All is well at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau where voting to name the eaglets ends on Sunday!

To vote for the names for the eaglets of Anna and Louis II at the E1 nest in the Kistachie National Forest, go here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdbYwuoI7RYv2tbIcKYjMhInEx0CMvGPvIX_Olfgv2oBikXQw/viewform

This has been a quick in. It has been a busy day today, and I am tired. I hope this finds you well, with some time set aside to be outside this weekend. Thank you so muh for being with us. We look forward to being with you again on Monday.

Thank you to ‘MP’ for the story on the Honey Eaters, to SK Hideaways or their videos, and to the authors of the FB posts and the owners of the streaming cams who allow us into the lives of our favourite raptors.

Jak and Audacity have their second egg…Tuesday in Bird World

3 February 2026

Good Morning Everyone,

This has to go first as I missed it so a belated happy birthday to Jackie and Shadow!

And before anything else, a ‘fiver’ will give you the opportunity to vote for the names for Gabby and Beau’s eaglets. But you must hurry!

Great capture of a tandem feeding by Gabby and Beau!

I wish you could have been at story time this afternoon. It was so warm in the conservatory. I started reading – Don and Toby were already there. Calico ran in when she heard my voice and then Baby Hope. The two Calicos stayed for over an hour and then left – and that is when I stopped reading. There was just something about their presence, the sun shining in the glass, and the blue sky. It really was so nice and warm and cosy. The light streaming in demanded that we have story time early, and it was beautiful. We shall switch the time to the early afternoon on these bright sunny days.

SK Hideaways has good news: “Quick news flash: Jackie & Shadow were observed mating on the Lookout Snag at 14:30:55!”

Jak and Audacity’s egg is holding! Send them your continued best wishes.

Bird Flu continues to take lives and now it is the Thames Valley Swans that are under threat.

Race to contain suspected bird flu outbreak among Thames Valley swans https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/02/race-contain-suspected-bird-flu-outbreak-swans?CMP=share_btn_url

It is so wonderful that people like Penny Albright who is vacationing is also sending us news about the local ospreys on Sanibel! Thank you.

Lucille Powell reminds us that Rosie could be arriving at the platform she shares with Richmond in a fortnight!

Storks seem to be returning to certain areas of Europe. In some areas of France, people are beginning to feel the transition from winter to spring. Some are seeing a few daffodils and quince blossoms.

I am so pleased that many are learning about the flightless parrot, the Kakapo, and checking in on the streaming cam. There are so few of these birds left and great care is taken with them just as the NZ DOC does with the Royal Albatross.

Jak and Audacity now have their second egg.

Thank you so much for being with us for this quick check on our friendly raptors. We will be back with you at the end of the week! Please take care of yourself.

Thank you to the creators of the videos that I have linked here today, the authors of the FB posts, and The Guardian for its coverage of the raptors and the environment. I am so grateful. My blog would not be the same without your talents!

Celebrate….

31 January 2026

Hello Again!

This will be the last little post of the day. I will be back on Monday or Tuesday, depending on what is going on in Bird World.

Just after I sent out the Jak and Audacity post, ‘N’ sent me a note to tell me that Ellie at the Kansas City Bald Eagle nest had laid her second egg. I don’t want to ever play favourites when it comes to our birds but goodness they are laying eggs and hatching quicker than I can find out what is happening!

We need to celebrate not only Jak and Audacity’s egg but also the second egg of Ellie and Harvey! Congratulations to all!

Also, part of tonight’s story time had a quote from John Muir, the founder of the National Park system in the US. I think it is worthwhile to read it over and over again!

“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into the trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will fall off like autumn leaves.” (John Muir, 1901)

Thank you to ‘N’ or sending me the notice about Ellie and Harvey’s second egg arrival and to Farmer Derek for allowing us into the lives of the wildlife that share his family’s property.

Eggs and hatches…Late Monday in Bird World

26 January 2026

Hello Everyone,

Oh, it was a grand day today. -15 at noon. Toby went for a walk with Ellen and I got to attend to some much needed recycling. The decluttering/downsizing continues at a rampant pace which makes me feel rather happy. Less really is more! It will get colder but by next Monday, we are going to be looking at -5. One of our favourite places, Pineridge Hollow, has been closed for renovations and I plan to make it a day for Ann, Don, Toby, and me. Monday is our wedding anniversary and an outing on Tuesday to feed the chickadees and be out in the country without freezing to death is in order. Oh, I can already smell the conifer trees and hear the chickadees sing!

A few quick announcements. I had not expected to be back with you til the end of the week but…

Gosh, those eagles just keeping laying eggs and hatching and doing well!

Good news, really, at the Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest. E2 seems to be figuring out how to survive, and the parents are doing well. There have been some good feedings without any rivalry. If the food keeps coming – and there is a huge hunk of fish on the right side of the nest, all should be well. (I am being positive because siblicide is RARE on Bald Eagle nests compared to other species).

Jackie and Shadow now have their second egg. So egg 1 on the 23rd and egg 2 Monday, the 26th. Whoooooooo yeah! I am really hopeful as these eggs are ‘early’ like last year. Last year, the first egg of 2025 was laid on Jan. 22. The second and third eggs came a few days later on Jan. 25 and Jan. 28. Their first successful chick to hatch was Spirit in 2022.

SK Hideaways has that great moment on video! https://youtu.be/TTBhA0nK7NU?

CBS LA announces the moment! (As well as so many other news agencies – Jackie and Shadow are truly loved!). https://youtu.be/fMlh1KuSPvA?

News of Royal Albatross:

Life at the E1 nest of Anna and Louis II is going along nicely.

Sally and Harry have their second egg at Moorings Park on Monday the 26th. Thanks, Heidi!

The Abu Dhabi Cams on four nests:

The second chick has hatched at John Bunker Sands Wetlands Centre!

I want to remind you that there is now a streaming cam at the Kakapo nest. This is a first, and it is a real treat. Please check out these amazing flightless parrots that are nearly extinct. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/BfGL7A2YgUY?

Thank you so much for being with us. Please take care of yourself. So many people are in storm areas. Stay warm, stay safe. We hope to have you with us again soon.

Thank you to Heidi for sending me the note about Moorings Park, to the owners of the streaming cams where we watch our favourite raptor families and use screen captures to tell their stories, to SK Hideaways and others for their videos to bring those lives to life, and to those who post announcements on FB. I am very grateful to each of you. My blog would not have all the news it does without your input.

Hatch and pip at John Bunker Sands

25 January 2026

Hello Everyone,

The eaglets are hatching! John Bunker Sands Wetlands has its first hatch of the season!

JBS 24 hatched and JBS 25 is right behind! Great delayed incubation Mum.

Snow continues to fall on the nest which is about 25 miles from Dallas.

Monty and Hartley are back at the San Jose City Hall scrape ready for another feisty season. SK Hideaways caught them in the mood for a lot of bonding. https://youtu.be/RjN3HDNp_Wo?

And the second eaglet at the Winter Park Bald Eagle nest has been fed well after the eldest ate and ate and went into food coma. There is a lot of food on that nest – this should certainly alleviate some of the tensions.

Take care, everyone. Stay warm and inside if you are in a storm zone. We will have extreme cold for another 5 days or more. It will be so wonderful to be outside again!

Thank you to the cam owners at JBSW and SJCH for allowing us into the lives of our feathered friends. I am always grateful to SK Hideaways and their videos! Thank you.

Sunday in Bird World

25 January 2026

Good Morning Everyone,

It’s Sunday, not Monday. I have the week’s videos from SK Hideaways, and it is a wrap of a review of what is happening in Bird World.

We have been under an extreme cold warning for more than a week now. It is currently -35 (Saturday night). The vets have said that if it is too cold for humans then it is decidedly too cold for dogs to be outside. Their paws can freeze and crack! There is no evidence that frigid cold causes arthritis but dogs with arthritis suffer pain because of constrictions if they are out in this cold. Toby, hopefully, will never have arthritis, but his little incident the other day means he needs to stay inside. We have played a lot of fetch – he loves it – but he discovered that he also likes to play ‘fish’ with the Girls! We were decluttering the pantry as part of an overall downsizing of all our stuff and we found a fishing pole toy with feathered ends. Oh, all of them had such a good time. It was wonderful!

I have not spent as much time on the computer watching the nests as I did a year ago. This has not been a bad thing! In a recent blog, the lovely, talented cookbook author Mimi Thorisson said, “Over the years, living on this planet has taught me something important. It is imperative, from time to time, to detach slightly from the social world and enter a phase of semi-hibernation. It is healing. It is comforting. It brings you back to yourself.” I hope that each of us is taking time to watch the birds and animals outside – I often add that they are such an important part of my life that I have felt paralysed to move to a different house. Our day begins, as it always does, with breakfast in the conservatory and a ‘count’ of the visitors to the nest. Another count occurs around 1530, along with continuous checks on Brock’s dish. These birds and animals bring such joy to my life, along with The Girls and Toby, who have proven to be loyal companions. So, please, embrace the wildlife that is around you. Do what you can to improve their lives – a dish of water, some food. It all helps.

The second eaglet on the Winter Park nest in Florida has been receiving both food and attacks from its older sibling. The size and age difference along with food availability are key here.

Ondabebe caught the second eaglet with a full crop on Saturday. https://youtu.be/PUXtegsGAy0?

Send good positive energy for lots of prey – the parents have to eat, too!

Research indicates that siblicide on Bald Eagle nests is 5% or less – meaning that it is rare. (The osprey mortality rate is often higher than 17% in the nests we have monitored.)

Here is a good article on various Avian Siblicide to help you understand which raptors are more likely to have one nestling kill another. It is very informative.

Avian_SiblicideDownload

SK Hideaways sent their videos for the week of the 18th for your enjoyment.

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 ~Resident in flux

Two Harbors
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn & Chase Do Nesting Season with Class ~ Mating & Fish Gift (2026 Jan 23)
Chase has embraced nesting season with much enthusiasm as he continues to woo Cholyn with fish between mating activities. 22 years of “wedded” bliss and romance is still very much alive for this royal couple of Catalina Island. (2026 Jan 23)
Video: https://youtu.be/2OEWiuQ9ZxM

Chase Wants Eggs ~ Tests Nest Bowl as Cholyn Watches + Mating (2026 Jan 20)
Despite the fact that Chase “knows” that Cholyn almost always lays eggs at the end of February or early March, he’s trying to hurry her along by showing her how comfy the nest bowl is and frequent mating. Here, Chase lays in the nest bowl 3 times to Cholyn’s zero times. Cholyn seems to give him a “what’re you doing?” look, but in her typical Cholyn way, just goes with the flow. Always in sync even when it means humoring the other. 
Video: https://youtu.be/SZZAkQ0D9z8

Cholyn & Chase Nesting Season Kickoff ~ 2x Mating & Fish Gift (2026 Jan 18)
Cholyn and Chase had their official nesting season kickoff ~ at least from where we could see them. They mated in the morning, then Chase brought Cholyn a nice fish for lunch. They had long conversations off camera and then returned to the nest in the late afternoon to mate again. Here’s hoping for a fruitful season for this beloved couple and royalty of the Channel Islands.
Video: https://youtu.be/bNEHHlGDCQ4

West End
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | West End Eagles Cam Ops 
Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14
Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg

Couple ID Markers & More Mating ~ Need Nestorations to Seal Deal (2026 Jan 22)
The new West End couple (aka masked and unmasked; and VE1 (male visitor) and VE2 (female visitor)) continue to take steps towards being a bonded pair. While they have accomplished mating quite well (!), they have not embraced the nest repairs that would indicate their intentions to start a family this season. It’s early, though, and things can change (as they always do). (2026 Jan 22)
Video: https://youtu.be/acrvEOup90E

Masked Female & Unmasked Male Mate for 1st & 2nd Time on Camera (2026 Jan 21)
The visiting eagles have been at the West End for about 2 weeks and seen together most days. While mating sounds have been heard off camera, this was the first (and second) observed mating. So the bond is there, but will they remain here to lay eggs and raise chicks? Stay tuned for the next episode of As the West End Turns. 
Video: https://youtu.be/Z1z28PuQFTs

FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear, California ~ Jackie & Shadow
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley

ℹResident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014
ℹResident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012
🔗Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
🔗Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc
🔴LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

Morning Chortle-Snortles & Shadow’s First Incubation Stint (2026 Jan 24)
Jackie laid her and Shadow’s first egg late the previous day, so this morning was Shadow’s first opportunity for some incubation time. From what we have observed, he really, really seems to enjoy this part of nesting. So much so that he took his time heeding Jackie’s fish calls.
Video: https://youtu.be/jcIPh9l19aQ

Shadow delivers FEEESH ~ Jackie Stumbles on Nest Rails Trying to Collect (2026 Jan 24)
When Jackie saw Shadow deliver a whole, big fish (aka feeesh) from her perch on the Cactus Snag, she squealed with glee and made a beeline for the nest. As it turns out, she and Shadow have constructed such a robust fortress, that Jackie stumbled trying to get in the front door. She, of course, did prevail and enjoyed her meal with gusto.
Video: https://youtu.be/nTcUFmY6Dxw

JACKIE & SHADOW WELCOME FIRST EGG OF SEASON! (2026 Jan 23)
A quick labor for Jackie as she laid the first egg of the season. Shadow quickly came to meet his egg and seemed pretty smitten already.

Video: https://youtu.be/n0-5Ko2AWYY

The Bald Eagle nest on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas has its first egg.

Rose and Ron have two gorgeous eaglets with so much juvenile plumage!

Quinn is the cutest little eaglet over at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive.

Girri is flying strong with Diamond and Gimbir. This is just incredible. How many years have we followed this nest, hoping for such an amazing outcome? This is wonderful – a strong, big female.

Duke Farms’ female looking at the trio of eggs she has laid.

SK Hideaways caught Shadow delivering a fish to Jackie as she has been incubating their first egg of the season. https://youtu.be/nTcUFmY6Dxw?

There are no concerns at the nest of Gabby and Beau. NE32 and 33 are growing strong with their thermal down and pin feathers. Lots of food and great parenting make a difference – Beau and Gabby are well-bonded, experienced, and work together like a nicely oiled machine. (Watch them using cam 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/hQrJv_Dt4tY?

At the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23, E26 is getting those gorgeous deep black juvenile feathers. Doing so well!

Anna II is a valiant mom in the cold and rain of Louisiana. Not much nourishment for everyone – let’s wish for a sunny day tomorrow.

Jack and Jill have been seen at the Achieva Credit Union osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida.

Gimbir, that cute Dad that fathered the dynamic Girri, is getting his adult plumage!!!!!!!

My lad and lass – besties forever.

It’s 2:46 minutes long. There is a bit of a pause in the middle but stay to the end. I hope these two make you smile.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Thank you for your e-mails and your comments. It is so nice to know there are others out there who love our feathered friends and who will do anything to make their lives better! I am sorry if I am not able to answer the comments or your e-mails as quickly as I did in the past, but I do appreciate each and every one of them and will, I promise, get around to responding!

We will be back on Friday, if not before – depending on action in the nests.

Please take care of yourself. We look forward to having you with us again soon.

We all owe a great debt to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to monitor the lives of our raptor families. I am indebted to all those who create videos (which takes a lot of time), such as SK Hideaways, and to the authors of the FB posts and the articles that I have included in my blog. We learn from one another, and I hope we share what we know with others. Thank you all. My blog would not be the same without your contributions.

Jackie and Shadow have an egg!!!!!!!

23 January 2026

Oh, I love these two. We have an early egg (compared to some years past) for our Big Bear romantic couple, Jackie and Shadow.

Smile. While there might be sadness elsewhere, we have to celebrate what could be an amazing year for these two Bald Eagles in Big Bear Valley that we love so much.

Time to get another mini-bottle of champagne! I finally go to open the last one in 2025 – let’s make it another year for this couple. Send them all your love and good energy.

SK Hideaways has it on video. https://youtu.be/n0-5Ko2AWYY?

Thank you to SK Hideaways and to the owners of the streaming cam that allow us this amazing look into the lives of our raptors.

Hatch underway at Royal Albatross Colony…Monday in Bird World

19 January 2026

Good Morning,

We hope that you had a good weekend! It was ——– cold here. You can use whatever word you like. The wind blew so that even in the City there were whiteouts. I cleared off the two tables beside Brock’s feeding station to see how much snow actually fell. Have a look!

The young lad clearing the snow has certainly been busy. We are now under an extreme cold warning and some forecasts say that we will have between -38 and -42 C temperatures this coming weekend. I cannot even imagine it.

Toby was finally able to get the mats off his tummy after his stay at the vet, but the groomer had to shave him. Now Toby likes to go outside to do his ‘business’. Potty pads are for little baby training – you can almost hear him say that. Poor fella. He flew outside, did the job, and got right back in. I had a warm towel waiting for that bare stomach of his. Can dogs get frostbite?

Neighbour came up with a solution – we are going to try doggie long johns on Toby tomorrow for his walk with Ellen.

The big worry at the moment is Brock. He has not been seen since late Thursday. This is unlike him. One of the neighbours and I are keeping a close eye on our feeding stations and others have joined in to check for prints – but with the blowing snow prints are not always present. I fear he has gotten snowed in his bolt hole and cannot get out even by clawing. Oh, please let him be alright.

Bird World? What is happening.

The egg has been switched and the hatch for the Royal Cam chick is underway in New Zealand! Liznm has the switch on video: https://youtu.be/Ab_hrAB1jp8?

There is also a hatch underway in the Kistachie National Forest in the first egg at E1 nest in Louisiana.

At the E3 nest, the eggs are ​​28 and 25 days old today.

SK Hideaways has a great line up of videos for the week.

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 11 January 2026

AEF-NEFL Eagles ~ Northeast Florida ~ Gabby, Beau, NE32 & NE33
Courtesy American Eagle Foundation/NEFL Eagle CamOps https://nefleaglecam.org/
Nest Cam 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouWBQoVFegI
Nest Cam 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQrJv_Dt4tY
Cam 3 (Approach view) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImHK7o8UHXE
Nest Cam 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkln9bA4CwE

NE33 Comes to Terms with New Clown Feed & Flappable Arms (2026 Jan 17)
As 18-day-old NE32 napped, 17-day-old NE33 looked down only to discover very large appendages at the end of its legs that seemingly sprouted overnight. Yes, the clown feet phase has arrived along with more exuberant baby wingers. This is going to be fun. 
Video: https://youtu.be/ydq-njzJr7I


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 ~Resident in flux

Two Harbors: 22 Years Wed ~ Cholyn & Chase Still Bump, Beak, and Cuddle (2026 Jan 13)
Cholyn and Chase filled their morning nestorations with lots of bonding bumps and beaking. Though some might call “anthropomorphism” on us, the frequent direct physical contact made by these 28-year-old wonders could only be described as cuddles (by us). Nearly 23 years as a mated pair and the romance lingers on. 
Video: https://youtu.be/njM08jBvYNU
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ

West End:  Possible Haku Return Followed by 3-Way Chase Around the Tors (2026 Jan 15)
A third eagle appeared at the West End, who looks a lot like Haku. A positive ID awaits her visiting the nest, where field marks are clearer. The pair that has been around for a while sat together away from this third eagle. 

As sunset approached, there was a remarkable chase scene that seemed to involve minimal physical contact. All three eagles were seen flying after that, so all is well. Who knows what will transpire tomorrow. 
Video: https://youtu.be/XiDDW4QvFpA

FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, California ~ Jackie & Shadow
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley

Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc
LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

Jackie Brings Another Tree to the Fortress ~ Shadow Shakes His Head (2026 Jan 13)
Jackie is very focused on creating a fortress to protect the eaglets we hope will come along in this nesting season. To that end, she brought an even bigger “tree” to the nest than before. Shadow wasn’t too sure about all the big new furniture, but in his easygoing way, just helped “fix” the placement once Jackie stepped aside. They also both pancaked in the nest bowl to test the comfort level. 
Video: https://youtu.be/rmGaHA-YRtM

Jackie Adds Large Furniture ~ Alters as Needed ~ Shadow Steers Clear (2026 Jan 12)
Shadow thought evening nestorations would be minimal, but Jackie arrived with a massive, complex branch. Shadow mostly stayed out of the way as Jackie tinkered away ~ whittling and snapping branches. Final placement of the big, new furniture is pending. 
Video: https://youtu.be/EMnEs2oLQ74

Redding Bald Eagles ~ Redding, California ~ Liberty & Guardian
Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California 
URL changes frequently, so here’s main page to livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams

Liberty & Guardian Tweak Nest Bowl ~ Bump Bonding All the Way (2026 Jan 16)
Liberty and Guardian made two morning visits to the nest, tweaking sticks, aerating nesting material, and all the while bump bonding. There was a minor disagreement about furniture placement, but the ensuing beaking was brief and flirty. 
Video:  https://youtu.be/gP7Yj1vtEH8

Liberty and Guardian Defend Nest Against Mystery Midnight Intruder (2026 Jan 15)
Guardian flew in to the nest just after midnight and began alert calling. Liberty joined him shortly after and the two of them sounded the alert for quite a while. While we didn’t see the intruder on camera, it could have been a Great Horned Owl or the female sub-adult bald eagle who has been hanging around the nest in the past few days or both!  At 6:02-6:06 in the video, there is rustling and the sound of a sub-adult right before Guardian issues a few wing slaps. 

Our dynamic duo defended together until they deemed the threat over. Liberty pancaked in the nest and dozed with her head against Guardian as he continued to keep watch. We think he grabbed a few winks as well. Eventually Guardian flew off, but Liberty stayed till dawn. This middle-of-the-night nest defense surely signals that nesting season is in full swing (not to mention the mating observed!). (2026 Jan 15)
Video: https://youtu.be/hM36iXT_qfc

Want to learn more about the illegal killing of raptors in the Dales? There are three free webinars to inform you.

Three free webinars about illegal raptor persecution hosted by Friends of the Dales ‘Eyes on the SkiDownload

Fish gifts arriving at the US Steel nest! Indeed, across the eagle nests, the others are getting ready to breed. https://youtu.be/kVmf5ljfXaM?s

One of my favourite books is H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. Indeed, I like all of MacDonald’s books. Now H is for Hawk is an audio book! And it is a movie. Yes! Part of the article reads, “It is coming up to 12 years since the publication of H Is for Hawk, about the historian, writer and naturalist Helen Macdonald’s time spent training a Eurasian goshawk after an intense period of grief. Showered with awards, the book was a runaway hit and sparked a literary trend for shared transformative encounters with animals including cats, dogs, magpies and hares.

This month, H Is for Hawk comes to the big screen in a new adaptation starring Claire Foy. But there is still time to get to know the source material, which tells of the sudden death of the author’s father and how Macdonald, an experienced falconer who had previously trained kestrels and peregrines, took delivery of a temperamental young goshawk named Mabel with the aim of taming her and teaching her to hunt. Macdonald, who is non-binary, is the audiobook’s narrator. Their reading is characterised by introspection, curiosity and flashes of humour as they observe this “spooky, pale-eyed psychopath” who, as well as feeding and flying, likes to play ball with scrunched-up bits of paper.”

H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald audiobook review – a soaring journey through griefhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jan/15/h-is-for-hawk-by-helen-macdonald-audiobook-review-a-soaring-journey-through-grief?CMP=share_btn_url

Updates on the Northern Ireland Peregrine Falcon shooting:

Update on the shot Peregrine in Strabane, Northern Ireland – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Update on what is happening at Knepp with its rewilding and Burns night celebrations. Oh, I wish I could be there!

Regenuary Burns Night Celebrations at KneppDownload

More eagles dying of lead toxicity. (There is great information on amounts that kill in this posting from Wild Heart Ranch in Oklahoma. When will humans get fed up with using lead and its impact on wildlife and stop the lead? ‘J’ sends us news:

·”It takes 1 ppm lead (parts per million) to kill an eagle, but less can easily be fatal. 

This is the last photo of this beautiful eagle standing, taken Saturday. He crashed last night and we gently ended his struggle. 

His initial lead test was above .65 ppm, which is as high as our machine reads, but he was responding to treatment and gaining strength, though he never did keep solid food down. All his calories were gavage fed (tube) and even though we deal with lots of birds that initially cannot deal with solids, we usually have them eating within 3-4 days. He wanted the fish so badly. He just couldn’t tolerate it, indicating the severity of his condition. 

We did 5 days of lead chelation (binding lead in the blood with CAEDTA) and we were getting there, but it was too little too late.

His last blood test showed 27.3 on the machine (.27ppm). We had brought his levels way down, but the damage was already done. His blood tests on Friday showed his liver was struggling, so we knew then not to get our hopes up. 

A “lead eagle” is an every day, all day-late into the night high alert here. We give them privacy and rest, but in between, we are on a medical battlefield, in constant contact with the veterinarians from the Tulsa Zoo, (eagle experts) adjusting, evaluating, changing treatment… following directions to the letter, recording every move we make and every result, so that if things go south, we KNOW we did everything we could, and if we pull off a “miracle”, we have our map for next time. 

There is no confidence when lead levels are this high, but if they are fighting and stabilizing, we will continue to support them, even when we know their odds are low. When they crash, it isn’t a small symptom. They go down, close their eyes and they give up. That’s what he did last night. 

For some of our crew, this was their first “lead eagle”. They gained experience and understanding of treatment and symptoms and the delicate and intense work of battling this toxin. His life made an impact here as he helped new hands learn how to care and reminded us of the reality of lead in the wild and why it is so important that we educate and ask, again and again. However long it takes. 

ONE is too many. Lets keep lead out of the wild. For our eagles, a FLAKE, smaller than a grain of rice, is likely fatal. 

Annette 

I’ll be on Fox News Tulsa this morning talking about him. 

His last test was a .27

Here is AI overview of blood test guidelines:

„A lead level of 0.27 ppm (27 µg/dL) in an eagle is a significant finding, indicating subclinical lead exposure, meaning the bird has ingested lead and is likely suffering chronic effects, even without obvious symptoms, but isn’t in immediate acute crisis like levels over 60 µg/dL; it’s well above background levels (below 0.2 ppm) and a major concern for eagle health, with many birds in this range experiencing subtle issues like poor body condition or anemia, and it’s a common level found in wild eagles, highlighting ammunition as a primary source.”

Beyond sad.

The first mortality of 2026 has been added to the new memorial wall. If you know of others, please let me know! Adding these names just makes me weep. I know that I am missing some from 2025 – if you notice one that isn’t there, don’t hesitate to contact me.

I am working hard to review how my care of Don is doing – and how I can engage him in helping me rather than me having to do all of the housework, all the care of the animals, and ‘entertaining’ and caring for Don. I have learned that those with dementia do not need to be entertained. Some people with dementia need to be busy – and Don is one of those. But it doesn’t need to exhaust me at the same time. So, for as long as he can, he and Toby will vacuum the carpets and apply Bono to the hardwood floors. Don can fold towels or clean out drawers (under supervision), and Toby can drag them out just as he puts them in. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Dishwashers can be unloaded – we have done all of this before, but I will engage him in helping with earnestness until the weather warms up and we can be outside. I know how much my life has changed because it was this time last year that we were in Guadeloupe. Shortly after, a sea change occured and Don’s dementia has progressed. That progression has changed our lives – and clearly it has impacted how often I can send out a newsletter about our favourite birds. But, I am not giving up! So, wish me luck. If you have any ideas, send me a note. I appreciate any and all ideas.

Thank you so very much for being with us today. We hope that you have a really good week. We are looking forward to having you with us in a couple of days, when we have some cute little hatchlings.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos. Thank you to the creators of the other videos, the owners of the streaming cams that let us view the lives of our favourite bird families, authors of FB posts, and authors of articles and posts that help us understand the lives of our raptors. My blog would never be the same without your talents.