Tag Archives: Cornell Hawks

Late Sunday in Bird World

7 August 2022

It was a lovely trip to a small town on the Canadian Prairies to check out waterfowl – which turned out not to be Greater Yellow Legs – but, a small variety of ducks. What is so nice and relaxing is a single area around Crescent Lake and Island Park. There are walking and biking paths as well as benches to look out over the water and watch the ducks. It was beautiful and quiet, something someone living in a big city does not realize they need until they are sitting surrounded by the sound of hardly anything.

As it was nearing dusk, the water glistened with silver striations. The ducks were quite camouflaged. You could only spot them when they were moving. All of the bird ID technology available to me identifies this as a pair of Common Goldeneye. They were about 100 m or 328 ft away.

The duck in front with its wings raised preparing to fly is a female. She has a chocolate brown head, lighter grey breast. You can sometimes see a thin white collar.

This Eared Grebe was finding food and feeding this little one. It had two with it and this is a male.

This cute little female Wood Duck with her tear-shaped eye-ring did not seem to mind having her picture taken.

The Duck at the back of the group is a Northern Pintail. She almost fooled me but her bill is grey while that of the Mallard in the front right is orange. The Pintail does not have the eye line of the Mallard either.

Another American Pintail on the rock.

The American Coot came along and stood on one of two large stones at the edge of the marshy area. If you look carefully you can see the black ring at tip of the white bill. Coots have red eyes, long green-yellow legs and a charcoal grey plumage all over their body.

Mallards.

What surprised me the most was the fact that there were recently hatched ducklings! I started counting the months til they would migrate and began wondering what on earth. It is possible that they will not fly away for winter. There is a river called the Assiniboine that is south of Crescent Lake. There are several dozen ducks that remain on that river near to where my daughter lives in Winnipeg.

The way that the ducks camouflage themselves in the reeds was simply remarkable – just like the striations on the river in the evening when you cannot see them.

It was a lovely day away and it was nice to get home having the Crows complain that all the peanuts and cheesy sausages were gone!

It was nice to come home to have an update about the Poole Harbour Ospreys. Here is the official announcement if you have not seen it.

CJ7 and H51 along with Blue 022 have now been on the nest. These images are from the 6th.

H51 eating a fish.

CJ7 came in with a fish for H51. They will be careful of the nest now that they know there is a Goshawk in the area. Just like Ospreys are being introduced so are Goshawks. These Ospreys then will always need to take great care.

The family is not sleeping on the nest at night.

Annie and Alden certain are enjoying their quiet time when Lindsay and Grinnell Jr don’t pop out of a corner chasing them. This is a four-minute bonding ritual complete with many kisses! If this doesn’t put a smile on your face, I do not know what would. They start off with what appears to be a conversation or a long permission to enter the scrape and amp it up from there.

The Sea Eaglet chicks have crossed over that stage of beaking and bopping and are now teasing one another.

This is just too funny!

Then a beak kiss. Lady just takes it all in stride. Notice that their crops are rather full and squishy providing the perfect cropillow.

The pin feathers can be seen much easier on the eaglets today.

There were six feedings on the Black Stork nest in the Karula National Forest of Karl II and Kaia. The storklets have been jumping and hovering and preening as well as eating. In fact they ate really well today.

The storklings can tell that an adult is approaching with food. They begin their begging dance which helps to stimulate the parent to bring up the food.

Karl II delivers a lot of fish. The basket must have been replenished.

Bonus is 77 days old today. Under normal conditions, Bonus would have fledged. Urmas believes that maybe it is delayed development due to a lack of food. The longest recorded time to first flight for Black Storks comes from China at 76 days. Bonus broke a record! The record for earliest fledge is 56 days (Saxony). Generally the chicks fledge before the female leaves for migration. But will this happen this year? Kaia left on 11 August last year. When they leave we must send them positive thoughts – it is a long, long journey through an area of war. I wonder what the nature refuge at Odessa looks like? was it shelled? or just the port area?

Titi at the Janakkalan nest has been really eating and growing – he seems to have caught up with Boris in size in a couple of days. He has not fledged and both osplets hatched on the same day. I wonder if the difference in feeding – like that with Little Bit 17 and Bonus – has really impacted his development too? All of us were aware that Boris was getting much more but how much we could not easily measure.

Titi hovering.

I understand that Titi is now sleeping alone on the nest while Boris is perched in the trees – near Dad?

The Osoyoos Osplets of Soo and Olsen are still on the nest! Whenever you go away you hope that chicks do not fledge but — that can’t be controlled! You also hope to come home and have all safely in the nest just as it was when you left. The family continues to deal with the heat domes they have experienced. This is the second one. It is currently 36 F and will climb to 38 tomorrow. It seems Olsen is still able to find fish.

Love and Peace remain on the nest at Glacier Gardens. They should be branching soon. Love and Peace will not migrate. They will remain in Alaska where they will feed off the local Salmon just like their sibling, Kindness, from 2021.

If we want everyone to respect nature and wildlife we have to make an effort to educate them, to get them to ‘love’ and ‘respect’ the birds like we do, to get them to understand their challenges — and to get them involved. Port Lincoln Osprey just posted an event that is intent on doing just that!

It looks like Mum and Dad at Port Lincoln Osprey Barge could become grandparents this year. This is Calypso on the left watching her mate eat a fish…I presume he knows that he is supposed to feed her, right? Calypso was the 2020 hatch with Star. Star has not been seen. —— She is Ervie’s sister. Gosh, I wish there was word about Bazza and Falky.

It is a very foggy morning on the grounds of Charles Sturt University in Orange, Australia. You can just see the trees below the water tower where the scrape of Xavier and Diamond is located.

The fog goes away quickly. Diamond looks out over her territory. We should be having eggs in what? 3 weeks?

There is news that L3 is doing well with her flight training. That is great news. L2 has been hanging out with Big Red and Arthur learning more hunting techniques. I do not have an update on L4 but I am assuming that the soft tissue injury will heal rather quickly. The Boathouse was back on ‘Highlights’ so if you go there to check on the three osplets just make sure you look down at the left corner….Highlights often shows an empty nest! Good way to get a heart attack. :))))

Thank you for joining me this evening for a quick check up on the birds. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, FB posts where I took my screen captures: Friends of Poole Harbour, Cal Falcons, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park, Port Lincoln Osprey Project, Eagle Club of Estonia and Looduskalender, Osoyoos Ospreys, Finnish Osprey Foundation, Charles Sturt University falcon cam, and Glacier Gardens.

Not our Spirit! and other late Saturday news

23 July 2022

A Correction. Ah, I got caught ‘off guard’. The Spirit at the Avon Lake School was not ‘our’ Spirit! Thank you, ‘B’. I hope that our Spirit is flying free and chasing Jackie and Shadow around Big Bear while the other Spirit, in Ohio, stays out of trouble!!!!! Sorry for the confusion…

Good news coming out of Osoyoos. Olsen has been working around the clock to bring fish to Soo and the two chicks on the Osoyoos Osprey platform. Even in the heat, he really broke through and found lots of fish — some twiddlers and some nice sized ones. There were no less than seven deliveries (according to the list on chat by ‘H’) with the first at 0502 and the last at 18:42. There could be another before night falls.

A short time ago I wrote about the male Osprey in Montana being shot. (I will not get started on how crazy this makes me!) The news is that the female has been able to carry on delivering fish to the nest where there is at least one chick. Send good wishes to her and to the female at Kielder 1A nest as well. Normally, the females leave the nest before the fledglings and the male. I wonder what we will learn from these two nests in that regard? Will the female feed the chicks til they depart the territory and start their migration to the southern parts of Texas, Mexico, or Central America? or will she wait til they have left and spend 2 weeks getting into condition so that she will have a successful flight to her winter home? We wait to find the answer.

Ferris Akel caught the four Red-tail Hawks on the grounds of Cornell University during his tour today. He had some incredible images of L2 and L4. Here is a number of them. It will also not be long until they depart to find their way in the world so, every minute is precious. They were both hunting. Such wonderful images – love the close ups. Thank you, Ferris!

L2 you are a beauty.

L4 decided that being in one of the pines after a squirrel was the most fun. Good luck!

Many of you watch the Southern Royal Albatross at Taiaroa Head in New Zealand. We have all marvelled at the care and attention the albatross chicks get especially if their parents cannot supply them with enough food. It has been an anxious year with a number of chicks requiring supplementary feeding including the Royal Cam Chick, QT. Her mother YRK has been doing the best job she can with the male, OGK, missing for over two months now.

YRK visits Taiaroa Head on 24 July and gives Quarry Track (QT) chick a feeding.

Additional chicks like the one in the posting below are missing both parents and have to be fed by the rangers. Without the supplementary feedings, the chicks would have perished —including QT. This is the first time that I have seen a request for donations to purchase fish for the chicks come from the Rangers.

Disappearing Gun Chick

‘H’ sent a really cute photo of the two fledglings at Mispillion Harbour Osprey platform. Remember this Mum loves yellow! She has kept this yellow mat on the nest. Once it flew off and Mum retrieved it and put it back. Then it got hidden under other nest material. Today, one of the fledglings pulled it up to the top when it got stuck on its talon. Thankfully, it came off. Mum will be so happy! Thank you ‘H’ for this great capture with the two fledglings on the nest at the same time!

Ah, this is just a quick check in to correct the issue of ‘Spirit’. Thank you so much for joining me. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen shots: Osoyoos Ospreys, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys and the DDNR, The Albatross Centre, Ferris Akel Tours, and Montana Ospreys at Hellgate.

Saturday Morning in Bird World

23 July 2022

Oh, good morning everyone. I hope that your Saturday is starting off nicely. It is a day that my mother would call ‘sultry’ – high humidity and it feels like it could rain. The sky is a light grey with whisps of blue. Already the small songbirds are in the bird bath – enjoying the deck while the Crows are away! The three juveniles seem to have claimed two houses – ours and the one next – as ‘their’ territory. I continue to be fascinated by the fact that they are large in size but are just ‘babies’ learning to not stand on the hot metal and what is food and what isn’t. Of course, our dear Little Bit 17 is – I so hope – learning the same way. The juvenile Blue Jays are also here collecting peanuts under the watchful eye of Junior and Mrs Junior. They are now mantling their peanuts and beginning to learn ‘competition’ in an interesting way directed by Junior. That is, of course, another thing that happens after fledging. We saw it clearly at Port Lincoln Osprey barge last year. The three lads were as good as gold in the nest. Everyone marvelled and wondered why? Well, it was three males. But, oh, once they fledged- after a couple of weeks passed – and the competition for prey items intensified. I learned what the Australian term ‘dust up’ meant – a nicer term for a big brawl. Do you remember? This is Ervie and Bazza having one of their battles.

The little Merlin taken into out wildlife rehab centre and who had a successful surgery has made the news. It is a big thing -our wildlife centre doesn’t always make the news with its patients. Hopefully people will spread the word about ‘not’ shooting the raptors (or other birds and waterfowl).

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/merlin-pellet-surgrical-removal-1.6529811?fbclid=IwAR136exwIos-dkNBrk_TnmX3cDMlC7hnRnfNgy0Y5Swt0PZg8XKboL_utKM

It is thankfully pretty quiet in Bird World today. Big Red and Arthur watch over L2 and L4 from the light stands – a rare moment caught on the streaming cam as it surveyed the area around the nest.

Big Red is on the left and Arthur is on the right

The first of the historic osplets to hatch at Poole Harbour has fledged. 5H1 took to the skies this morning. It happened at 11:54. 5H1 flew for 15 minutes before landing perfectly next to Dad, Blue 022, on the nest rim.

The oldest chick, 5H1, is on the perch to the right. You can barely make out a feather of her tail.

She lands! H51 has been on and off the nest ever since having a good old time being a bird! Oh, do you ever wish you could fly?

The story of Junior’s tragic death is hitting other newspapers. https://www.cheknews.ca/gabriola-island-eagle-that-shared-nest-with-hawk-found-electrocuted-1064590/

The story of the nest and the untimely killing of Junior needs to be kept alive. The e-mails to BC Hydro need to flood their inbox in order for this human caused tragedy to be fixed so that it does not happen again. It is the only way that change will happen.

Christian Sasse will be giving a special YouTube talk – in his capacity as an electric engineer -on avian electrocutions. He does not mention the time. If you go to YouTube and search for Christian Sasse you can subscribe to his channel. In theory, you should get a notification of the talk. This does not always work but Christian archives the discussions also and that is much appreciated. We should all educate ourselves on these dangers so that you speak and write to authorities with knowledge and facts.

The news of the rescue of the osplet from the Delaware River in Pennsylvania has been all over the social media platforms. It is one of those great stories. The PA Game Commission got a call of a juvenile osprey in trouble. It had fallen into the water. They immediately act to save its life! The ranger found it sitting on a wall and returned the chick to its nest That is a story that each of us would welcome every day — action! Thank you!

There have been several twiddler deliveries to the Osoyoos nest this morning (it is now 0900 there). Twiddlers at 05:53, 06:11, and 07:44. Two fish of reasonable size landed at 07:40 and 08:09. That is a good start to the day. The high will be 33 C. Hot.

I am always amazed at how quickly the little black beaks of the White-bellied sea eagles grow. The two chicks are doing fine. Dad continues to have lots of fish on the nest and both are eating well! You can certainly tell by the fish juice that has rained down on their little heads!

Lady checks on them just as the IR camera comes on.

Plenty of fish – big fish -continue to come on the Jannakkala Osprey nest in Finland. No sign of the intruder wanna-bee Mum that was around the nest a couple of days ago. Dad must be grateful – he doesn’t have to supply fish for her anymore, just his kids. I have not heard if the Mum’s body was found. I will check for us.

I did not find any more information but I could be looking in the wrong place. I will continue to search out any news. What I did find was a very informative paragraph about the banding and nests of the birds in Finland. I was particularly drawn to the fact that platforms were placed in good environments for the Ospreys. Indeed, the available fish for this nest is remarkable.

You will recall that the Balgravies Osprey nest – a natural one – collapsed with a chick. That chick was saved and placed onto an artificial platform. This is the latest ‘great’ news:

Things are quiet and that is a great way to start the weekend. Victor is working hard and standing on his own. Don’t forget to send him all your positive wishes. If you are able, a $5 donation helps – small amounts grow into big ones. That is the Ojai Raptor Centre. They also have some amazing tote bags and t-shirts which sadly do not ship to Canada! (I am going to write and ask them about this). Lots of people are watching the Notre Dame nest for any sign of Little Bit 17. Send him all your love — we want so much for this worthy eaglet to survive. The only nest needing our love is Osoyoos – we need this heat spell to break for Olsen, Soo and the kids.

Thank you so much for joining me today. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their FB posts, Twitter feeds, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Port Lincoln Osprey Project, Cornell Bird Lab, Poole Harbour Ospreys, GROWLS, PA Game Commission, Osoyoos Ospreys, Sea Eagles @Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park, James Silvie, and the Finnish Osprey Foundation.

Big Red and Arthur’s L1

14 July 2022

The following announcement was made by Cornell University:

Sad News, Young Hawk “L1” Found Dead

July 14, 2022

Fledgling L1 taking off from the ground.
Red-tailed Hawk fledgling “L1.” Photo by Cynthia Sedlacek

We are saddened to report to the hawk community that one of the fledglings from the 2022 Cornell Hawks cam has died. On the morning of July 14, a juvenile hawk was found dead on the roof of Cornell University’s Stocking Hall, where it was retrieved and delivered to the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital by a Cornell employee. Based on plumage characteristics and confirmed observations of fledglings L2 and L4 later that morning by local birders on the ground, the deceased hawk was identified as likely L1. Fledgling L3 is continuing treatment for an injury sustained on June 23.

Initial diagnostics suggest that L1 suffered a fatal collision near Stocking Hall. A necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, and we will share more information if it becomes available.

Fledgling birds must overcome many challenges as they navigate the world outside the nest, and most don’t survive their first year. The news of L1’s passing is also a sobering reminder of the risks that birds face while living in an urban environment like Cornell University’s campus. Window collisions are estimated to kill up to 1 billion birds per year in the United States alone.

Despite the efforts made by the Cornell Lab, campus staff, and members of the hawk cam community to keep the areas around the hawks’ territory as safe as possible, it remains a hazardous place for young birds. We will continue working with stakeholders on campus to identify and remediate areas of risk to make them safer for our local birds and wildlife.

During this difficult time, we’d like to thank the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital, our birders on the ground, and the Cornell Hawk cam community for their support.

The two remaining chicks in the wild are L2, the first to fledge, and L4. These two were the first to catch their own prey and officially become juveniles.

Condolences go out to Big Red and Arthur who do as much as they can to create beautiful free-flying Red-tail Hawks. The rest is up to us to try and protect them as best we can – with windows that have anti-strike coatings in public buildings, blocking off roads from cars during breeding season, putting anti-strike coatings on any enclosure that a bird could hit, etc. While we do not know what has happened to L1 for sure, we lost J1 to a window on the Cornell Campus. There are lovely people, boots on the ground, who work tirelessly to make sure that they do what they can to help the hawks at Cornell. Thank you to all of you!

Ervie fishes with Dad, Fledge at Mispillion, and more

12 July 2022

Ervie. Bazza Hockaday caught Ervie fishing with Dad! He posted images of the two of them together on the FB Page of the Port Lincoln Osprey Group. Now, how wonderful is that? I am so excited. Ervie can fish with dad and not feel so rejected..he just can’t go on the nest near Mum! Remember how Ervie and Dad used to sit in the ‘shed’ and chat? Seriously, tears of joy!

Dad above and Ervie below with the tracker.

@ Port Lincoln Ospreys and Bazza Hockaday. 10 July 2022

The newsletter that I get from the Cornell Bird Lab is carrying an article on neonics, a pesticide, that is having a deadly impact on our songbirds. Have a read. Also consider, however, the fact that the ‘Green’ herbicides and pesticides used on lawns are toxic. Take, for example, the neighbour who wants the weeds killed so that they can put down a matt and then put on wood mulch — the ‘Green’ spray was toxic — it killed the weeds. They did not know that they could simply use vinegar.

Neonic Nation: Is Widespread Pesticide Use Connected to Grassland Bird Declines?

The three Ls (L3 is in care) are flying as almost as good as Big Red and Arthur. They are learning more and more about catching their own prey and in 2-4 weeks they will leave the territory of Big Red and Arthur and find their own place in the world of hawks. So thankful for Suzanne Arnold Horning who takes her camera to the campus each day and allows me to share her images of Big Red and Arthur’s family with you.

One of the Ls hunting in the pine trees. Big Red and Arthur have been moving them around to various parts of the campus for prey drops and hunting. Everything they do are lessons for the kids -. Once the Ls leave the territory, Big Red and Arthur are going to enjoy a much needed rest. We will then see them back on the nest checking things in the late fall or early November. Time definitely passes too quickly!

L4 – we worried and worried and it turns out he loved to climb over his siblings to get to Big Red’s beak – totally unafraid – and was one of the first two to catch prey and become an official juvenile. Here he is on top of a small shed stalking something and stretching.

L4 – cutie pie.

Ferris Akel just uploaded his tour of the Red-tail hawks at Cornell from last weekend. Here you go!

The storklets on the Mlade Buky nest of Bukacek and Betty are big! No wonder Bukacek was working on a second nest. No room for him and Betty!

Urmas and Dr Madis V’s experiment to raise the storklets of Jan and Janika continues to go very smoothly. Karl II has brought food in. Bonus watches the others and begins the same ritual to cause Karl II to be able to regurgitate the fish. Everyone looks nice and healthy on this nest and we know from the postings that both Karl II and Kaia have found the fish basket left for them by Urmas.

The storklets are losing their white natal down and those lovely black feathers are coming in. Bonus is in the front with the two metal rings.

At 13:30 ‘H’ reports that one of the ospreys on the Mispillion Harbour nest fledged. It was a beautiful first flight returning in about a minute and a half. Congratulations to everyone and to you ‘H’ who has watched this nest like a wonderful auntie and kept us informed. Now…when will the next one fledge?

There he goes!

Louis and Dorcha’s two osplets are being ringed at Loch Arkaig at this very moment! There is the proud mama Dorcha with the two before the banders arrived. Dorcha flew around at the arrival of the humans and her and Louis are now perched on a tree waiting for everything to be finished so they can get their chicks back! Will there be one big girl??? and a boy?

The camera is turned off and will come back on line when the ringers are finished.

The chicks of Louis and Dorcha have been ringed but no word about gender, weight, etc. Will post tomorrow when I hear.

Fledgling 554 is enjoying her freedom as she stares at us from the perch at the Llyn Clywedog Osprey nest of Dylan and Seren. 554 was the first osprey to fledge in Wales for the 2022 season – yesterday.

554’s other siblings are flapping their wings now, too….will there be a rush on fledging?

Idris has brought in 3 fish in three hours. Those three big girls will each have their own fish at the Dyfi Nest this evening.

It was a gorgeous day in the Glaslyn Valley. Mrs G looking over her nest full of osplets no doubt so happy that this season went superbly.

Since last year many of us have wondered what the fate of CJ7 would be. Would Blue 022 return? would they bond? would they have chicks? They did bond, they did have chicks….the nest was so deep that we could only get a glimpse of them. Now, here they are staring at us. Just gorgeous osplets. Congratulations – you two are famous. Right, you don’t care. Just clean up the environment so that Ospreys can have lots of non-toxic delicious fish, clean air, safe migration, and wonderful nests. Oh, right..and stop the shooting of Ospreys. Gotcha. We are gonna work on that.

Dory watches over three sleeping little ones on the Boathouse Osprey nest on Hog Island. Just look at how well their plumage camouflages them and how much copper/orange they are getting on the nape of their necks. So lovely and content.

Meanwhile, in California, Rosie continues to supply Brooks and Molate with goldfish. This is number 8!

To the delight of everyone Annie and Alden continue to pair bond in the scrape at The Campanile every other day it seems. This was yesterday.

If you missed it, Mama Thunder made quick work of that juvenile intruder yesterday. Here is a 40 second clip of the action at the West End Bald Eagle nest:

Lillibet wondering where Victor is in the middle of the night at the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Mama Cruz.

It is going to take a few days for the blood work to come back on Victor and for all other tests to determine what is causing him to lose his balance and not be able to fly. Here is an edited post by Dr Sharpe.

Thank you so much for joining me today. Both Little Bit 17 and Victor are getting fantastic care and as someone joked – “There will be a run on Costco trout, I want to eat what Victor is having!” Cute. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cam and/or FB pages or blogs where I took my screen captures: Suzanne Arnold Horning, Ferris Akel Tours, Mlade Buky Storks, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, CarnyXWild, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Audubon Explore.org, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, Cal Falcons, Port Lincoln Osprey Project, Bazza Hockaday, Explore.org and The Institute for Wildlife Studies.

Friday in Bird World

8 July 2022

I hope that everyone had a lovely day today. It is relatively quiet in Bird World. That is a good thing!

It is so nice to get an update of WBSE 27. At her second stint in wildlife rehabilitation, WBSE 27 was kept and the staff did not release her until she was flying and hunting prey in a way that ensured she would survive in the wild. A real round of applause for Ranger Judy Harrington and Australian Raptor Care and Conservation. The most important thing is that the raptors are not released before they can manage completely on their own otherwise the stay in rehab has been futile.

The ‘problem’ with the WBSE nest in the Sydney Olympic Forest are the Pied Currawong. When the WBSE chicks fledge, the Currawong chase them out of the forest so they are not able to return to the nest to be fed. As a result they do not: 1) have the GPS coordinates imprinted in their mind for the nest; 2) do not have the time to allow their flight training to gradually progress; and 3) they do not get lessons on hunting from their parents; and 4) they generally starve as they cannot hunt. If located after flying off the nest, the birds are emaciated, like 27 was twice, and being beaked and attacked by all manner of smaller birds. It is a tragedy.

This is WBSE 27. Isn’t she gorgeous? She was ringed and fitted with a tracker the the rehabbers. What a good move. There is a very good report under the picture. What a blessing that the staff worked so diligently with her to ensure that we can be reading such a great progress report.

Lady and Dad have been busy incubating the eggs for WBSE 29 and 30. Here they are changing shifts. Pip watch should begin in about 4 or 5 days.

Here is the link to their camera:

The big news in US Osprey Land is that Tom and Audrey at the Chesapeake Conservatory Nest had a successful first hatch with their second clutch. Time was 0341. Oh, fingers crossed for all of them and that the chicks grow fast and healthy so that they are ready for that big migration south in the fall! Congratulations to everyone. Thanks ‘H’ for those two screen captures. Big Bob is adorable. So happy for Tom and Audrey.

Audrey looks down at her little upside down bundle.

Hi Dad, is that my fish?

What in the world is Bukacek doing? He started working on another nest the other day and now Betty is over there with him — and the kids are at the old nest!

Great timing. Just got there when Skiff brought Dory a fish for the three kids.

It looks like Little Sloop is in the middle. Which one is Schooner? and Slipjack? I have yet to be able to tell Big and Middle unless they are really looking at me.

Skiff has been on and off the nest all day. Is there an intruder about?

The kids have been pancaked on occasion. See how close big and Middle are…can you tell them apart? Any tips would be welcome.

For those watching the Osoyoos Osprey nest, Little Bob got himself on the other side of Mum today to get some fish. I wonder if that Big Bob is a female? She can be rather bossey.

We are definitely on fledge watch at the Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest. It is a good thing that the pair do not start wing flapping at the same time. Poor Mum. Either or both can take off anytime…they just don’t know yet that they can fly.

Idris has been filling the nest full of fish today. Pedran and Paith (Big and Little) both took turns feeding off of one fish. Telyn might be wondering when she can relax on the perch and they can feed themselves. It sure has been a busy season for her and Idris with these three whopping females.

Pedran is the one feeding herself. Paith is learning but she needs to figure out how to hold the squiggly fish down with her talons.

Louis has been busy today, too. I just feel for Dorcha. She has had so much bad weather this season in this nest. But today they are dried out. Big kids like those at Dyfi, almost ready to start thinking about learning to self-feed.

As the chicks get bigger they sure can eat a lot of fish. Laddie flew in with a really nice salmon for Blue NC0, Big, and Middle. The kids are also starting to think about what wings are for! I can’t help but think Blue NC0 is tired this year and she will need a time to get her strength up and her weight.

The wind was really blowing at Loch of the Lowes but it did not stop Laddie. Here he comes with that tea time whole fish!

What a scramble on the nest as he gets closer. Gosh, Laddie looks so tiny.

Blue NC0 got it. Best to let her take that fish and get off that nest. Talons could be in danger.

He’s off.

Karl II comes in with tonnes of fish for the four Black storklets. At the beginning, Bonus is in the back but he moves up the left side to come to the front. You can tell Bonus because his plumage is still whiter than the storklets of Karl II and Kaia. This intervention is doing great. So very happy.

Alden has been loafing. What a character. So happy to know that Annie has accepted him as a mate…we can prepare ourselves for more loafing and moth chasing next season.

As Suzanne Arnold Horning was leaving the Cornell campus, she spotted 2 Ls on top of the Riley Robb Building – a first ever she says. Big Red and Arthur are moving the chicks further around the campus as they get more hunting and flying skills.

I was able to pick up an ex-library copy of Alan Poole’s Ospreys. A Natural and Unnatural History. There are no big colour images like his other book, Ospreys. The Revival of a Global Raptor but this book is choked full of really interesting information on Ospreys. If you are an Osprey fan and want to learn more or are just beginning to appreciate these amazing books, see if you can find a used copy. Well worth it!

Thank you so much for joining me today. Take care of yourself. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, videos, and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Australia Raptor Care and Conservation Ltd, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, Chesapeake Conservatory, Capi Mlade Buky, Audubon and Explore.org, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys and DDNR, Dyfi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Wildlife Trust, Must-Tooneburg and Eagle Club of Estonia, Cal Falcons and Suzanne Arnold Horning.

Late Saturday in Bird World

2 July 2022

How many of you have tried to watch the streaming bird cams or Ferris Akel’s Tour (or both at the same time) and tried to cook dinner and bake a cake? Well, that is what I am trying to do without much success with any of them! OK. I shouldn’t say that. ‘The Cake’ is going to be delicious but it has to sit for 24 hours.

For those of you from Japan or living in Japan, it is a Yokohama Orange Cake. I am trying to replicate the one made by Hamasuzu in that city. They make some brandy cakes and cookies that are quite famous but their orange cake makes you remember it years later and well, your mouth starts to water. I will take a photo when I cut it and let you know if it is good – it took 20 oranges for the rind and the juice. Yum….I wish I could send everyone a piece.

Ferris Akel has the Ls on his streaming cam tour at the moment. He has found Big Red and Arthur and all three of the Ls. They are so cute.

The Ls continue to fly low across Tower Road. There are signs about the Osprey fledglings but I wish – as do many others I am sure – that Cornell would close tower road from fledging to the end of July.

L4 is a real cutie pie. He has a full crop and is going to sleep well tonight!

There is some very good information on Ospreys in this short article. I was looking for something else and found it.

Click to access ML080280488.pdf

It is fledge watch for the two Osplets at Mispillion Harbour Osprey platform next week. ‘H’ was able to locate a list of the hatch dates, sort of. The information by the Du Pont Centre is not detailed enough. There were originally five eggs. We are going to assume that the two chicks on the nest hatched on 19 May. That makes them 44 days old. Pandion Carolinis Ospreys fledge from 50-55 days normally.

Mom really loves anything that is a kind of yellow colour. The Vodka bottle flew out of the nest but the yellow mat is still there somewhere. Now there is another bag!

In his studies of the four different species of Osprey, Alan Poole notes that the North American Ospreys, the Carolinensis often like to bring items to the nest! As opposed to the other three species.

I sure hope this blows off the nest. There have been way too many accidents of chicks – even large ones close to fledging – being throw off the nests and dying when all this ‘junk’ ‘garbage’ is brought onto the nest.

According to Ervie’s tracking, he has been swinging by the barge but he has not been stopping by. It didn’t take long for Mum to get the message out? 2 or 3 times??

Oh, wouldn’t you just love to see Ervie??

Aran has really been piling the fish on the nest for Mrs G and the kids. She spent 2 entire hours feeding them a huge flounder. Just when she was done, Aran landed with a very large Sewin. Those kids are going to pop.

There is the flounder.

The Osprey nests in the UK have consistently seen large prey except up at the Loch of the Lowes when Laddie was bringing in some twiddlers.

I don’t know why but I am still a little concerned about the third hatch at the Boathouse on Hog Island. I hope I am just being a worrisome auntie. Fingers crossed for this young family.

There are still two on the Osoyoos Osprey Platform and they still make me nervous! Why do they all love to hang over the edge?!

Not an Osprey but the female at the Glacier Gardens Bald Eagle Nest, Liberty, really does like to bring plastic bags to the nest!

Look closely. Little feathers are starting to poke through on the wing tips.

There is lots of activity at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta. In the first image look carefully near the centre top. All three fledglings were chasing Akecheta for the fish.

Kana’kini might have it between her talons at 12:38 but…

KK sees one of her siblings coming.

She mantles.

Then she leaves the fish and goes behind the nest.

She goes back and really mantles the fish.

Here comes Sky entering from the left.

It was quite the dust up with Sky getting the prize fish at 12:41:11 – or so it appears. I cannot see the leg band to be sure and they were fighting around the end of the nest.

When the fledgling flies off the nest with the fish you still cannot see the leg band! Frustrating.

That is just a very quick look at the nests. I will continue to check on a few that could have problems although we seem to have had enough for a decade this season. I hope everyone had a really beautiful Saturday. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams or FB postings where I took my screen captures: Explore.org and The Institute for Wildlife Studies, Ferris Akel Tours, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys, Glacier Gardens, Osoyoos Ospreys, Explore.org and Audubon, and Port Lincoln Ospreys.

Late Wednesday in Bird World

29 June 2022

Everyone that watches the ND-LEEF nest loves Little Bit 17. They also like 15 and 16. Everyone associated with the park where the nest is located is trying to deal with the situation of ND17 as they can. It is best to keep in mind that no one yet – as far as I can determine from the public correspondence on the chat and FB – who has the expertise to determine if 17 is alright has examined him. The operative word is examined – not observed. If I fell 60 feet and pretty much stayed in the same spot and hadn’t moved for 3 days and had not had a good meal for at least 4 days – well, I would hope that they would get medical help not just observe me to be healthy and say it is best to leave me alone.

That is the issue at hand. 17 has not moved from where he was Monday morning and he has not eaten for at least 4 full days. If he was vigorous and lively he would be all over the place not sitting in the same place. He cannot fly. 16 and 15 returned to the nest where the parents wanted them to be to be fed. That nest is falling apart and 17 cannot get up there. Will someone just step back and get a wildlife rehabber – a licensed one – or a volunteer of the rehabbers to pick up 17 and take him to a clinic to be x-rayed and assessed? He can be brought back if he is well. The parents will not abandon him. I pick up wildlife for a clinic and transport the birds (mostly ducks where I have to muck in a pond but often songbirds) to their site as they are busy treating other animals. All clinics have volunteers that do this and we/they are trained in taking great care in picking up and transporting the patients.

Enough. I wish the world was full of individuals like Dr Sharpe and his team at the Institute for Wildlife Studies. Gosh…I bet he would even do a phone consult!!!!!!!!!

The nest continues to deteriorate. Those parents will have it back up and in fine shape for next season once these season’s three have left the territory. It is surprising how fast a nest can be built! I was amazed at how quickly Richmond and Rosie rebuild their nest on the Whirley Crane in the Richmond Shipping Yards even while the Crows kept taking the sticks that they would bring in. Eagles can do that too.

There are holes popping up on the nest everywhere! What is doing that?

I wonder what the ratio of female osprey chicks to male will be in the UK in 2022? They endeavour to get every osprey chick ringed. I am so impressed.

Foulshaw Moss released the information on the banding of the three chicks of White YW and Blue 35 in their blog this morning. One large female – 1.8 kg or 1800 grams (only 30 grams less than the largest ever female at Dyfi) and two males.

https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/news/over-100-osprey-chicks-have-been-tagged-cumbria-2001?fbclid=IwAR2iHrOucTYXV7P1O_1MTveU0uhQpmyn0nzMiWeXaAPINSSVGqJy0YRkC00

In the blog they mention the 100th chick ringed – that was Tiny Tot, Blue 463. So small that no one thought she would survive but with the great care by her Mum and the tricks she played to get Tiny fed (removing the fish on the nest, letting the big ones fall into food coma and returning it to feed Tiny Tot).

Blue 35 feeding Tiny Tot after the two big siblings are fed and going to sleep.

The three chicks on the Glaslyn nest of Aran and Mrs G were ringed today. Mrs G kept guard and she is still watching and waiting for every human to get far away from the nest. Here is the information from the individual that ringed the chicks:

Yesterday the three chicks of Idris and Telyn were ringed at the Dyfi Nest. There are three girls. Their names are after Welsh rivers and lakes. A vote was taken and it was agreed that the names should all use the same first letter. The letter ‘P’ was chosen to honour a long time Dyfi supporter, Posh Pete. The chicks are: Pedran (7B0), weight 1695g. Padarn (7B1), weight 1790g and. Paith (7B2), weight 1830g. Paith sets the record for weight at ringing on this nest but ironically she has the shortest wing span.

Chloe Baker put together this chart to compare.

It is really a good thing that Idris is a good fisher with three large girls to feed plus Telyn and himself!

‘H’ mentioned her frustration at trying to find information on the streaming cam sites. Many have nothing and the FB groups often do not have the history either. I have often addressed the need for an emergency phone number if something happens at the nest but few places will post phone numbers for fear of getting inundated with worrisome calls. Many of the nests are on sites where there is no continuity of staff. I have found, however, that the UK sites have excellent websites. Many – if not all of the nests – are associated with a nature centre that does have dedicated staff and volunteers who try to keep information up to date and accurate.

I want to take this opportunity to give a shout out to the Dyfi Osprey Project – they have all kinds of information under the streaming camera plus a very informative website with a family tree that I have placed on my blog in the past. Here is that information under the streaming cam image:

Out of all that information I am particularly pleased to see Intruder no 7, Blue KCB. This is why information and ringing is important. You can track and establish a history of the birds and their success. Tegid is one of my third hatches of 2020. It was not his sibling that beaked and harassed him but an adult female, Blue 024, an intruder. No one thought he would make it. Well, he did return and this is his third year to have chicks. The fact that he had a chick in his first clutch return as a juvenile at 2 years is fantastic. There is something about this fighting to survive that makes these birds fierce. There is also good DNA. Tegid is Monty’s son and KCB is Monty’s grandson. The dynasty continues.

Do you watch the Theave Osprey nest in the UK? Those chicks were ringed and there is one female, one male, and the other can’t be determined. Nice healthy osplets.

Today is the anniversary of the Osoyoos Osprey nest sadness of 2021 when all chicks died due to the heat wave in the Pacific Northwest. The three this year are doing so well and Olsen has been bringing in some nice big fish. Please send positive blessings to this family that this continues.

It is blowing like crazy in Canmore, Alberta. I wish those three chicks would pancake in that nest but it seems they like it! Mom returns and broods them so all is going to be well.

A reminder now that outdoor picnics are around, parties, weddings, anniversaries and celebrations of all kinds – make the confetti out of leaves (seriously awesome) and leave the balloons out. The raptors will thank you.

Ferris Akel had Arthur and the three Ls on camera tonight and he had seen Big Red but could not get to her. Arthur caught a bird or birds and one of them was delivered to an L. The other two really would have loved that bird delivered to the coop.

Mantling to protect its prey. Look at the tail. How many dark bands can you count? That is a tail that is long enough to help this hawk fly very well, indeed.

Two cutie pies. Big Red and Arthur have the most gorgeous chicks.

The chicks went over to the Fernow railing and they are hunting.

It was a breezy cool day here in Manitoba. Today it was nearly a 5k walk around all the trails and a discovery of a very quiet duck and some growing ducklings.

I took the longer path around the entire nature area and found this beautiful male Blue-winged Teal in a very quiet pond hidden by lots of reeds. These ducks arrive in Manitoba in April and will be migrating south in October. They are here to breed and sadly, it was a bad year because of the flooding for the eggs of the ducks and geese. They eat pondweeds and aquatic invertebrates as well as grass seeds on the top of the water.

American White Pelicans were flying overhead.

The Canada geese and goslings were preening after a nice swim.

It was a lovely day. When I got home Mr Crow was waiting for his tea time snack. Looks like Tandoori Chicken was a big hit.

I see no word on the Pitkin Osplet that fell off with its sibling and was in guarded condition.

Thank you to everyone who wrote in with additions to the memorial list. Please, if you know of birds that are on streaming cams and have perished this year please let me know.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or web pages or FB groups where I took my screen captures: ND-LEEF, Chloe Baker, Cumbrian Wildlife Trust, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Osoyoos Ospreys, Fortis ExShaw, and Ferris Akel Tours.

Oh, what a day!

21 June 2022

Within less than a week, we have seen two nest collapses – and I am thinking a third is coming at the Exshaw Osprey Nest in Alberta. The first was catastrophic with nest 2 at Patuxent River Park plummeting into the water. All three gorgeous older osplets were lost. Thankfully, the partial collapse at the ND-LEEF nest today at 15:43:25 did not cause that horrific sadness. ND15 had a forced fledge but he was ready to fly, thankfully, and landed in a neighbouring tree. ND16 went up the branch. ND17 stayed on the nest for some time looking down before officially branching. Both parents came with food – Mum with a raccoon (do they have a stash of these?) and Dad flew in with a salmon shortly after. Little Bit 17 claimed both but 16 took the fish and 17 polished off the entire raccoon. All is well. What was brilliant was the immediate response by staff to get to that nest. Hats off to Lindsay Grossman! and team. They are keeping a close watch on the nest.

Little Bit finished his racoon. He must be stuffed.

ND16 has come down to join Little Bit on the nest. Little Bit 17 flaps his wings. Maybe he will go up on the branch. His friend was ND15 – I hope he returns to the nest.

A couple of years ago when an on screen incident happened at a nest, it became readily apparent that there must be an emergency contact number under these streaming cams if there is NOT a 24/7 chat with a moderator that has that number. Things happen.

This morning the female at Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest brought in a matching decorating item for the nest. She obviously loves a particular shade of yellow and she must have read that monochromatic furnishings are in style! All kidding aside, the yellow mesh wire is dangerous for the two osplets – as well as the parents. They can get their feet caught. ‘H’ contacted the Centre with a number I provided and they know about the mesh but do not want to interfere. This, sadly, is the type of interference that is needed – it is like having fishing line in a nest. It is human caused. We need to hope that it all works out.

If you watch particular nests all the time, I urge you to find out the emergency number for the nest. USFWS offices will not help. If you cannot find a number below the information but there is a name of an organization, find their phone number. Also get out Google Maps and find the number of the nearest Wildlife Rehabber.

Last year when the chick went over the nest at Patuxent, people called the office of the park but they had closed. We left messages. We talked to Maryland’s USFWS – that is when I found out they will not necessarily do a thing. So find an alternative. Ask on line. Get clever. They don’t want all of us phoning them when a chick sneezes and this is why numbers aren’t posted. But the birds need immediate help -. Be a detective! And incidents most often happen after hours or on holidays. Seriously.

This nest should put a smile on everyone’s face. Telyn sees Idris – that fish is large enough to feed the family for a week. People in the centre saw Idris circling with it. What a guy. Great provider.

Been watching the nest but not put a guess on the chat about the gender of the three. You have a few more days. Dyfi is thrilled with the interest – it is a bit of fun. Here is the link to the nest!

Ferris Akel had a tour of the Cornell Campus this evening just to check on where the Ls were and see Big Red and Arthur. Ferris does a great job in finding the fledglings and I am terribly grateful that he is spending some of his evenings on the Cornell Campus so that we can see the babies. Here are some images for this evening’s tour. Enjoy. If you want to subscribe to Ferris’s tours, go to You Tube and search Ferris Akel’s tours and subscribe. If you have trouble, let me know.

Ferris found all of the fledglings and we got to say good night to Big Red and Arthur who are finished hunting and are going to rest for the night. Big Red was doing a lot of preening. She moults during the summer and in a week or so will be Big Blond – not Big Red! Enjoy the images.

Thank you for joining me this evening. Lots of nests did not get covered. So occupied with ND17 Little Bit. He is fine. He will get up on the branch if he needs to get off the nest. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: ND-LEEF, Dyfi Osprey Project, Mispillion Habour Osprey Cam and the DDNR, and Ferris Akel Tours.

Friday morning in Bird World

17 June 2022

The Cowlitz PUD nest losing all of its chicks just like the Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey nest is ‘catastrophic’. A reader ‘C’ wrote to me and said ‘not tragic but catastrophic’. I agree totally.

One reader wrote and thanked me for covering these events. You are all welcome. But, like you, I feel gutted and especially so with so many birds from this generation being lost in just a few weeks. It is numbing,.

We are left with adults grieving. Electra has a fish on her nest wanting to feed her babies and appearing in shock – not knowing what happened to them and where they are.

A discussion with Alan Poole and Poole Harbour about ospreys – New England population, mid-Atlantic Chesapeake Bay, and Florida Ospreys. I know that all of you will be interested when he compares the US birds with the UK Ospreys. It will be available for one month archived on YouTube.

There are some great images and if you want to learn about Ospreys – or be reminded about all things that are magnificent about our beautiful birds – you should watch this even if you have to do it in shifts. Very informative.

Just a note: Both males and females bring twigs to build the nest! I am thinking of Rosie at the SF Osprey Bay nest. She worked tirelessly helping Richmond rebuilt that destroyed nest – to human surprise they did it quickly!

Did you know that 20% of the world’s population of Ospreys live in Chesapeake Bay? There are 10,000 pairs on the channel markers in the water. Indeed, nests above water are quite safe for Ospreys (except for Bald Eagles and GHOW, if around). Did you know that fresh water fish is more nutritious than the salt fish? Do have a listen to Poole’s talk!

The Bald Eagle raising the hawklet in its nest on Gabriola Island has caught the interest of the world. Christian Sasse and David Hancock are at the nest site and are just giddy. It is considered a rare event and now twice in 5 years they have been able to witness an eagle family raising a hawklet. The first was Sydney in 2017. So here is the archived talk from yesterday and they will be live today, also. What a lucky little hawklet.

Things look better at the Loch of the Lowes. Both of the Osplets have big crops and it looks like Blue NC0 has had some fish, too. I sure hope so. Whatever was the issue at this nest with Laddie delivering food – weather, intruders, or an old eye problem or injury to the male – appears today, at least, to not be a problem. Fabulous.

The nest that is continuing to have weather difficulties is Loch Arkaig. If you check the local weather you will think that the nest should be fine but Loch Arkaig is its own microclimate and it can be terribly different from other areas close by. My heart goes out to Dorcha and Louis who have already lost their Little Bob. Louis – despite it all – gets the fish on the nest regardless. It is evening at Loch Arkaig. There are strong winds but no rain. Thankfully. Louis has brought the tea time meal for the kids. They are in the Reptilian Phase with those oily heads and beautiful coppery feathers at the back along the neck down to the shoulders. Send positive thoughts that we have two nestlings that are going to fledge here! Chase that bad weather away.

Aran brought in a lovely Sea Bass for Mrs G and the kids. He had the head for his tea – Sea Bass always welcome at the nests! Along with trout. All three Bobs at Glaslyn are fine. That is Little Bob coming up at the end getting a private feeding. Well done, Mrs G.

It looks like Idris might have brought in a trout to Telyn to feed their three Bobs at Dyfi. Again, another very happy nest.

Did you know that Telyn is the daughter of Rutland’s Maya and Green 5R (Maya’s partner before Blue 33 ousted him)? Both are fantastic females who really care for those chicks and have bonded with males that are inspirational providers.

I am becoming ever more interested in the way in which genetics plays out in the behaviour of Ospreys. The link between these two Super Moms, thus, becomes more compelling.

Dr Madis Levitis are moving the three Black Storklets to a forest nest and out of the clinic. They are doing exceptional and we have a huge thanks to this team who are working so hard to raise these three.

The smallest storklet is now standing like the older two. Great progress in its development.

The storklets hatched on the 22nd of May. They will be four weeks old on the 19th of June. You will no longer be able to see them in this clinic setting as they have been moved to an artificial nest in the forest where they will continue to be fed and can begin to climatize to the world where they will fledge in August and then make that very long trip to Africa on their first migration. This is a wonderful ending now – and we will check to see if a camera is installed in the forest so that we can watch their continued progress. Thank you Dr Leivits and staff!

Eyes are watching several nests today. One of those is Big Red and Arthur’s Redtail Hawk nest at Cornell where L4, the youngest, is ready to fledge.

Three are on the nest at 1300. It is L1 in the nest bowl, then L3, and L4. L1 is really prey calling! So loud. No fledge from L4 and I understand that there could be bad weather again so maybe they will stay on the nest.

L4 wants to go! It is windy and he is really feisty.

Star sits in the Redding Bald Eagle nest tree thinking about fledging.

Star sure is a beautiful eaglet.

L4 really wants to fly and I am going to watch him with my lunch. ND-LEEF Little Bit 17 waiting for food along with the others. He ate well yesterday so not worried.

You can watch, too!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/red-tailed-hawks/

Take care everyone. Thank you for joining me this morning. See you soon!

Thank you to: Cornell RTH Cam, Friends of Redding Eagles, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Eagle Club of Estonia, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dfyi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, and Cowlitz PUD.