Tag Archives: Cornell

Snow’s nest is still holding by a miracle….late Wednesday in Bird World

27 May 2026

Hello everyone, from a very hot Canadian Prairie that is due to get hotter. Ann kept Don and Toby inside. Friday is to be 34. I think that sounds like a walk at the mall!!!!!!!!

Allow me to take a deep breath, and before we get into the lawsuit in Florida about Scrub Jays, I want to say that by some miracle, the branch that broke on the Traverse City Bald Eagle nest in Michigan, fell and caught itself on the tree adjacent, and is supporting that tilted nest. How long it will hold, we do not know. I hope it is long enough for Snow to fly. We need a good three weeks. The average is 10-14 weeks. So, right now, Snow is 6.5 weeks old.

A bald eagle and a younger eagle perched on a nest surrounded by pine trees, with the sky in the background. The timestamp shows 9:42 AM on May 27, 2026.
A close-up view of a large eagle's nest located on a tree branch, with an eagle standing inside the nest. The background features a calm body of water and partly cloudy skies.
An osprey sits on its nest, which is located high in a tree near a body of water. The nest contains young chicks, and the scene is set in a partly cloudy sky.
Two eagles, one adult and one juvenile, perched on a nest surrounded by trees near a body of water.
A large bird resting on a nest made of twigs and grass, surrounded by a natural setting. The scene captures a partly cloudy day, with a view of a blue sky in the background.
A young bird sitting in a nest made of twigs and grass, overlooking a body of water. The setting is partly cloudy with visible weather information displayed in the corner.

Now, back to the Endangered Florida Scrub Jays. We have a detective in our midst, and ‘R’ was able to find out the following information which should really bring a light to the threat to the birds!

“I searched for this, and got the following: 

Yes, it appears Colosi knew (or should have known) about the protected status before buying.
Key facts:
• Purchase date: March 2024. 
• Habitat plan: Charlotte County’s Scrub-Jay Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) was approved in 2014 — a full 10 years earlier. It’s been public policy since then, with clear rules and fees for building in designated areas. 
• Public records: The county’s property records for his specific parcel note that “Land value may be adjusted due to scrub jay habitat.” It’s also visible on the county’s GIS maps (a public online tool)

Did he actually know?
• Colosi and his lawyers (Pacific Legal Foundation) have not directly said whether he was aware of the restrictions when he bought it. When journalists asked, they avoided answering.
• Critics and local observers point out it’s hard to miss: the restrictions are on maps, in public records, and part of standard real estate due diligence in the area. Many people assume he bought it anyway, possibly betting on a legal challenge.
This is a classic “buyer beware” (caveat emptor) situation. The restrictions were already in place long before he purchased the 5 acres. He’s now challenging the fee system as unconstitutional rather than claiming he was blindsided.”

I love this type of deep digging and finding the true facts. Thank you, ‘R’. I hope that there are lawyers representing Scrub Jays. They have represented ‘trees’ why not birds and rivers? I must look into this. Gosh I wish I had the time I had before Don’s dementia entered my world.

A respected scientist recognized.

Email announcement from BirdLife International regarding Dr. Stuart Butchart's election as a Fellow of the Royal Society, highlighting his contributions to conservation science.

We are all pulling for Dewey Beach. Last year, the only surviving osplet died on day 50, five days from fledging, due to starvation. This year only one egg hatched and this little sweetheart has woven itself into our hearts. Dad is finding little fish, sometimes a nice sized Menhaden. Please keep sending positive wishes that this single osplet survives and flies. Now the question I have is this: When does Omega Protein start taking out all the fish?

Found out: Omega Protein’s menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay typically begins in May. For the 2026 season, operations are set to ramp up significantly in June. 

An osprey nest with a parent osprey feeding its chick, with an adult bird visible in the background. There are two eggs in the nest among twigs and grass.
An osprey is feeding its chick in a nest containing two eggs, with a waterfront restaurant in the background.

Chick 3 has arrived at Kielder 1A nest.

Full complement at Nest 1A

Fundraising at Poole Harbour. Looking for a beautiful osprey print?

Artwork featuring a detailed illustration of ospreys in their natural habitat, created by wildlife artist Bruce Pearson to celebrate the nesting of the Carey Ospreys.

Myrtle, the female whose five eggs were destroyed by two different males, has returned to Loch Garten and is being courted by a pale male.

An osprey nest with one bird perched and another flying above, showcasing a natural environment at Loch Garten.

‘PB’ reports that there are four osplets at Steelscape in WA. They note that the older two are already fighting! Send them positive wishes. Mum is trying her best to feed all including little 4.

Please be sure to go and vote for the name for NewGuy2 at Hellgate Canyon. Iris’s great mate needs a name!

​​Help name Iris’s mate! Vote on your favorite name by June 2, and you could win free enrollment in Bird Academy’s Hawk and Raptor ID course. Vote here 👉 https://hubs.la/Q04hFrKD0

A nest of hawklets for Big Red and Arthur!

A red-tailed hawk is perched in a nest with two fluffy chicks, surrounded by twigs and branches, against a backdrop of greenery and urban streets.
A nest with several fluffy red-tailed hawk chicks resting inside, perched on a metal railing, with a view of a tree-lined street below.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 27th May 2026

No rain, no intruders, just sunshine and plenty of fish today. Louis delivered two fish for Dorcha, taking the Nest Two tally to ninety, while over on Nest One, Garry LV0 delivered three fish to Aurora 536, taking that tally to eighty five. Aurora actually refused the second fish but took the third one eagerly, perhaps she’d worked up an appetite following her encounter with a Great Tit which startled her so much she fled the nest. Safe to say, the tiny passerine was also startled – the size difference is stupendous. Another dry night of clear skies and light winds is forecast with a low of 9°C overnight, continuing tomorrow with sunny intervals, a gentle breeze and a high of 25°C. At the time of filing this report (00.30), Cam Two is still on day mode. This time next week we could have our first hatch! Fingers crossed these calm conditions continue.

Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/kiZWFWC-Z1U N2 Louis delivers a very early breakfast 04.48.25https://youtu.be/q7tXL9-lePA N1 Garry LV0 brings elevenses 11.07.27 https://youtu.be/zqn2ekT6_a0 N1 Aurora’s not interested in the second fish 15.07.16https://youtu.be/_0Lt0-0fHzE N2 Louis arrives with a teatime trout 15.44.22https://youtu.be/hRAXavzJk9Q N1 Aurora is startled by a passing passerine and flees the nest 17.15.39 (slo-mo repeat)https://youtu.be/jnSHJWFcXRY N1 Aurora doesn’t ignore fish three – she seizes it immediately 19.35.13
Bonus read: For those interested in technical details, here’s the consultation on the management of Clunes and Arkaig Forest:

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/living-and-working/communities/land-management-plans/active-plans/clunes-and-loch-arkaig-forest-land-management-plan-consultation

Monty and Hartley certainly have their hands full with these four boys. Thanks, SK Hideaways for capturing some of the antics: https://youtu.be/gJPOZNVVLf4?

The trio at the nest of Maya and Blue 33 are now in the Reptilian Phase. Big ones in food coma and Maya feeding the third hatch. It looks like the final egg is a Dudley.

An osprey stands near its nest on the edge of a water body, with three fuzzy chicks nestled in the nest surrounded by sticks and twigs.

One of those short reads that is so informative – think White Storks and how people love them. They bring luck and my friends and readers in Poland and other parts of Europe treasure these beautiful birds and pray that they will make a nest on their home!

Country diary: A jaw-dropping bounty of wildlife – and a reminder of what Britain has lost | PolandDownload

‘PB’ sent me a note at a time when I really needed a renewal in trusting humans to help. A female White Stork whose eggs were hatching lost her mate. The community takes turn feeding her just like they did at Mlade Buky.

A stork standing on a nest made of twigs atop a pole, with clouds in the background.

Good night Bety and Bukachek.

A view from a stork nest overlooking a small village at dusk, featuring two storks, one standing and one sitting, with rooftops and mountains in the background.

Little Golden Eaglet safe under Mum in Estonia.

A golden eagle sitting on its nest with two white eggs, surrounded by trees and foliage.

Black Stork Nest 3 in Estonia has 3 eggs.

A stork standing in its nest with two eggs, surrounded by trees and foliage.

Toby says ‘enough is enough’. It is time to play fetch! How can I resist those eyes?

A black and white Cavalier King Charles Spaniel sitting on a brown mat with a toy in front of it. The background includes wooden decking and potted plants.

There is a second hatch at Pont Cresor! Yeah for Aeron Z2 and Blue 014.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. Stay cool and hydrated if you are in a region that is hot like it is here. See you soon!

Thank you to all my contributors – to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos and reports, to ‘PB’ for keeping me up to date on several nests, to the folks that are literally with their will power and that supporting branch miracle holding up Snow’s nest, and to the others who wrote reports and posted them on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams who let us view these incredible bird families. Thank you to all! We are so fortunate.

P3 is tiny but eating well…late Saturday in Bird World

16 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

My goodness gracious. We had hoped to plant but it is freezing outside. With the wind it is – 2 C. They are even saying we could have snow as it is now snowing in places three hours north of us! I can’t believe it. Even Toby didn’t want to be out in the cold wind today. We did not go to the greenhouse. We could have but it would have meant having all the plants inside and some of the cats would have destroyed them before I could get them planted. So it has been a rather lazy day and instead of a barbecue it was a pot of warming soup.

P3 is tiny compared to P1. P3 often stays away from the two older hawks, preferring to sleep on the opposite side of the nest bowl. Laura Culley told me once, aeons ago, that this might indicate a change in gender. So let’s consider that the two older ones are females, and this little one is a male.

A Red-tailed Hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and leaves, with three fluffy gray chicks visible.

To the shock of everyone, Arthur got to do a tandem feeding with Big Red on Saturday.

P3 and two different feedings. Dryed off in the second.

A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest, surrounded by twigs and remnants of prey.

Nice crop for P3.

A Red-tailed Hawk standing near its nest with several fluffy chicks, surrounded by twigs and natural materials.

How many remember the lovely and quite successful osprey family on the PSEG nest at Patchogue, New York? There is currently no cam but ‘L’ sent me a note that Isaac had posted that the osprey family is on the nest.

A tall wooden pole with an osprey nest at the top against a clear blue sky.


SK Hideaways Videos, Week of 10 May 2026

FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA  ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4
LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

Sandy & Luna Share Goodnight Beaky Kisses 💕 Shadow Tucks Family In💤(2026 May 11)
Sandy and Luna cuddled up at dusk to share some beaky kisses (and perhaps leftover feesh) and cuddle up for the night. Shadow checked in to make sure all was well, wished Jackie sweet eagle dreams, and headed off to his nighttime roost.
Video: https://youtu.be/8p8GKklfutw


Fraser Point Eagles~ Santa Cruz Island, CA  ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

On a 9-fish day, the eaglets sported bowling ball-sized crops and Cruz was on an allopreening mission (2026 May 15)
It was a 9-fish day for Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder at Fraser Point. Cruz brought 4 to the nest; Andor 5. The eaglets enthusiastically accepted all 9 and ended the day with ginormous crops. Throughout the afternoon, Cruz was intent on allopreening Zuma ~ there was no escape.  The eaglets are 7 weeks old.
Video: https://youtu.be/U3vjDarjWDQ


San Jose City Hall Falcons ~ San Jose, CA ~ Hartley, Monty, and 4 chicks
Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBSxPjy5sow
Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU
Roof Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQLhmV6bP6o

Banding: Hartley & Monty Mounted a Harrowing Defense ~ Banders Were Unflinching
San Jose City Hall Falcons ~ San Jose, CA (2026 May 13)
Once again, banding day at the San Jose City Hall peregrine falcon nest was an epic event beginning with Hartley and Monty’s aerial defense that didn’t cease for the entire 2-1/2 hours. The remarkable banding team of Zeka Glucs, director Predatory Bird Research Group; Gavin Emmons, wildlife biologist; and Kaitlin Lopez, condor crew lead at Pinnacles National Park were unflinching as they completed their mission quickly and efficiently.

The video covers the preamble to the “featherless monsters’” arrival, a step-by-step view of the banding, lots of Hartley and Monty’s aerial defense, and the happy aftermath.
Video: https://youtu.be/xAj20H9x1OI

Dr. Zeka Glucs gave us a trip report afterwards: 
“You’ve all heard by now that we found out all four chicks in this clutch are male. Four boys! That is a first for this nest site and will make Fledgewatch very exciting, I’m sure, as males can fledge early and fly fast. These nestlings now have one band on each leg to help us track them throughout their lifetimes: a silver USGS Bird Banding Lab band that may temporarily be sporting some colored electrical tape for easy identification, and black visual ID band with a 4-digit alphanumeric code. The bands for each bird are as follows:
 
1. Male, left leg 70/BH, right leg blue tape
2. Male, left leg red tape, right leg 67/BH
3. Male, left leg yellow tape, right leg 53/BH
4. Male, left leg 71/BH, right leg no tape (silver)
 
“You may also notice the new radio transmitters mounted to the black VID bands. They are slipped onto an existing flange on the band with a drop of superglue. You can learn a little more about these hip new transmitters here: https://celltracktech.com/pages/blumorpho?srsltid=AfmBOor3VcKJblv-5sA6yBQaTUwFyRuVVJjCXXrVhLFtYvxThd9cRgEv. Currently all of them are transmitting and it will be very interesting to see how they work when the chicks leave the nest and are on the move!”

Chicks Venture Outside Nest Box for First Time! Utter Chaos Begins 🤭(2026 May 12)
An exciting new phase began for Hartley and Monty’s chicks as all four ventured out of the nest box for dinner. Hartley and Monty both fed the chicks before they returned to the safety of the only home they’ve known for their whole 3-week lives. They’re blissfully unaware of the even bigger adventure that awaits them tomorrow, when they’ll be banded, checked, and sexed.
Video: https://youtu.be/lpnLXUv1DfY

Chicks Still Line-up for Meals ~ Exit Angels, Enter Raptors (2026 May 10)
Seemingly overnight, the 20-day-old chicks went from angel eaters to mini raptors, earning their designation as such. This extended feeding footage shows that change, as well as their progress in learning to self-feed. Monty delivered prey #7 while #6 was in progress. The chicks’ eating gusto remained high.
Video: https://youtu.be/fmXQomZJoKc


Two Harbors Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Cholyn & Chase
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 Spend Mother’s Day Together ~ Their Bond Stronger than Ever (2026 May 10)
Cholyn and Chase have been devoted partners for 23 years. Today they bonded all around their special Two Harbors territory ~ chortling, beaky kissing, and gazing into each other’s beautiful eyes. A romance for the ages, if you’re a romantic. Or a remarkable bond, if you prefer a more ornithological view.
Video: https://youtu.be/L_Xp_wOeyQw

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 16th May 2026

Another uneventful day, just a momentary alarm for Dorcha as she was startled by a little Willow Warbler, who was probably the more startled of the two given Dorcha’s huge size especially when those massive wings are unfurled. Light rain is falling at the time of this report (midnight) and forecast to continue through the night with a low of 6°C, changing to thundery showers tomorrow with a high of 12°C. Both Dorcha and Aurora 536 received two fish each from their respective mates Louis and Garry LV0. The Nest Two tally rises to sixty four, and the Nest One to sixty six fish. Steve Quinn has had a good look at the fish stats to date, the hyvor comment system won’t allow the links to be posted so just pop fish counting summary into the search box (on the right above the featured comment) and you’ll be able to read his excellent current and previous analyses.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/4b6m2pX98g4 N2 Early breakfast for Dorcha 05.15.19

https://youtu.be/AtFrR7HTSG4 N2 Dorcha is startled by a Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) 14.00.04

https://youtu.be/znlAl59Dfrk  N1 First fish finally arrives for Aurora 14.50.26

https://youtu.be/GiN-WuaXpTE N1 Aurora seizes fish two as soon as Garry lands 18.33.22

https://youtu.be/_lLonMc5KwI N2 Dorcha gets a second fish 15 hours after the first  20.48.53 (zoom)

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/YND-HJeeMPk  N1 Leverage: Aila upsets Louis’ dignity 2020

https://youtu.be/xRyEpGVbcwA  N1 Two pronged approach: nest-building the Louis way 2020

https://youtu.be/YTMiWlJQses  N1 Louis is determined to stay, Aila has other ideas 2020

https://youtu.be/vJfJ3Y6Tmfg  N1 Time to go, Louis! 2020

https://youtu.be/nRt2SB2Bc58 N2 Tricky stick causes problems for Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/CncGyiCy2Wg  N2 Cheeky Hooded Crow eyes up the eggs 2022

https://youtu.be/bKujmLG-IuQ  N2 Breakfast arrives in a gust of wind but Dorcha holds on 2023

https://youtu.be/EBah_zuuOXY N2 Size matters! A little Tree Pipit visits Dorcha 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/psX-lwLzRlo N2 Stickgate! Sticks come and go 2024

https://youtu.be/-w4qO57K1uk N1 A redpoll pays a flying visit 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/zFr74qbPxN4 N2 Louis is gular fluttering to cool down in 26°C (78.8°F) heat 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/3ainCb_9inA N2 First fish arrives to the sound of birdsong 2025

https://youtu.be/FmbBKyiOcBI N1 Successful mating for Garry & Aurora 2025

You’re invited! Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

‘L’ sent me a great little article on the banding of the three eaglets at the MN-DNR Bald Eagle nest:

EagleCam chicks bandedDownload

UK Osprey population is growing!

Close-up of three speckled eggs resting in a bed of straw and vegetation.

It is being reported that M15 has a new female friend at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest after losing Harriet and then his second mate, F23, this season.

Surviving eaglet at the White-tailed Eagle nest in the Hebrides is doing well.

A bird sitting on a nest made of twigs and grass, with a small chick visible beside it.

Take care, everyone. Thank you so much for being with us for this quick check in on a few of the nests!

Thank you to ‘L’ for some great updates, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their wonderful video links and reports on so many nests, to the owners of the streaming cams and those that report on FB. We are always grateful!

Is P3 sick and dying…Wednesday in Bird World

13 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

Most recent news. There is concern about P3 at Cornell who appears lethargic. Send positive wishes, please. I fear we are losing P3.

The four chicks of Monty and Hartley were ringed this morning and determined to all be males. This is going to be fun!!!!!!!!!

It was 14 C on Tuesday. What a glorious day! Ann took Don and Toby for a long walk along the river path near us. Toby was super tired after! We went for another walk after dinner. It was so nice. The first Rose-breasted Grosbeak was in our garden today. I could only see a single male. It arrived around 1230 and was still here at 2030 foraging on the ground under the lilacs.

All about Birds says:

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks breed in moist deciduous forests, deciduous-coniferous forests, thickets, and semiopen habitats across the northeastern United States, ranging into southeastern and central Canada. They gravitate toward second-growth woods, suburban areas, parks, gardens, and orchards, as well as shrubby forest edges next to streams, ponds, marshes, roads, or pastures. During migration, grosbeaks stop in a wide variety of habitats including primary and secondary forest, wet and dry forest, shrub thickets, pine woods, shrubby dune ridges, scrub, urban areas, and wetlands. They spend the winter in forests and semiopen habitats in Central and South America, often in middle elevations and highlands (up to about 11,000 feet in Colombia).

During the breeding season Rose-breasted Grosbeaks eat a lot of insects, as well as wild fruit and seeds. They mostly feed on berries during fall migration, and on their wintering grounds they have a varied diet of invertebrates and plant material. Grosbeaks usually glean their food from dense foliage and branches. They also snag food while hovering, and sometimes fly out to hawk for insects in midair. The animal portion of their diet includes beetles, bees, ants, sawflies, bugs, butterflies, and moths. Their vegetarian fare includes elderberries, blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, juneberries, and seeds of smartweed, pigweed, foxtail, milkweed, plus sunflower seeds, garden peas, oats, wheat, tree flowers, tree buds, and cultivated fruit.

The male may help the female choose a nest site, which is usually in a vertical fork or crotch of a sapling. Nesting plants include maple, red-berried elder, balsam fir, eastern hemlock, and spruce, and may be in wet or dry areas. They are usually in forest openings, overgrown field edges, old pastures, shrubby roads, railroad rights-of-way, gardens, parks, or residential areas. The male and female each may test the nest site’s suitability by settling into it and turning around several times.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are common forest birds, but their populations experienced a slow decline from 1966 to 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 4.7 million and rates them 11 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a species of relatively low conservation concern. These birds nest in saplings, so numbers could be dropping as forests mature over the eastern United States. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are commonly trapped for sale as cage birds in their wintering range because they look and sound pretty, and this has had an unknown impact on their population.

A colorful bird with a black head, white wings, and a red chest, perched on a branch.

Image credit: “Rose-breasted grosbeak male” by Doug Greenberg is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

As always, I thank you for your lovely notes and for sharing your personal stories with me. I love hearing about your walks and the encounters with birds living near you! Please don’t stop. I never get tired of reading about wildlife – never. All the creatures of my garden – and our planet – bring me great delight as I know they do you.

We have had a very calm few days. There is nothing nicer. Don seemed to be building up to ‘something’, and Friday morning, his anxiety got the best of him. (I am fine). Individuals with dementia do not lose memories like those with Alzheimer’s, but they have a slower processing time, which shows up as difficulty in communicating. His psychiatrist increased his anti-anxiety medication by 50%, and it was as if a miracle had happened. On Saturday, he said to me, ‘Don’t let the bad break us.’ I certainly won’t. My neighbour, who is finishing up some rails on the deck, said today he would have given up long ago, adding that I was ‘one tough cookie’. It made me smile.

If you are dealing with someone with dementia, make sure that routines are simple and followed every day and that there is ‘calm’. I cannot emphasise the latter enough. Quiet music in the background, walks outside – it doesn’t have to be anywhere exotic, and positive support.

Typically, in our part of Canada, gardens are now started on or after the May Long Weekend, which is also Victoria Day, in celebration of Queen Victoria’s birthday. That is this weekend. Each year, we choose a colour, making certain that we have something ‘red’ for the hummingbirds. Don decided that red would be a good overall colour after I came home with some red Gerber Daisies today to put in an old French jardiniere.

Our weather is very hot and there could be issues with wild fires starting. This is quite bad for the wildlife. We are waiting for the ducklings and goslings to hatch.

Map showing weather conditions in Southwestern Manitoba, indicating crossover weather with temperatures exceeding 20°C and low relative humidity, highlighting fire risks.

So what is going on in Bird World?

The first hatch for Maya and Blue 33 at Manton Bay is VERY strong! Head held high demanding food!

A baby bird with its mouth open is being fed by an adult bird, with eggs in a nest made of straw and twigs.

This does not look good. Well, as I said, there is concern about P3 at the nest of Big Red and Arthur. This is very sad. I do not believe she has ever had a chick die as a nestling before this year, and I honestly do not think P3 is going to make it. We lost another chick during hatching this year. P1 and P2 look great.

A red-tailed hawk chick sitting in a nest surrounded by twigs and grass, with an adult hawk nearby, feeding or caring for the chick.

Glaslyn females visiting other nests when they take breaks.

Facebook post from Glaslyn Wildlife about a visitor at the Ospreys Pont Croesor nest, mentioning Aran's new mate Blue 7C1.
A pair of ospreys standing on a nest made of sticks, with one osprey preparing to take off while the other is looking around. The background features green hills and a blue sky.

Another US osprey nest failure at Sun Coast with the death of the osplet.

It is absolutely insance to poison wildlife.

A social media post from Women for Wolves urging action against the use of M-44 cyanide bombs on public lands, highlighting their dangers to wildlife, pets, and humans.
A close-up of a gray wolf with a serious expression, surrounded by blurred images of other wolves in the background. Overlaid text advocates to block cyanide bombs on BLM lands, with a smaller inset showing a cyanide bomb.

Another great video from SK Hideaways of Sandy and Luna doing beaky kisses: https://youtu.be/8p8GKklfutw?

And Monty and Hartley’s kids out of the box! Chaos reigns. https://youtu.be/lpnLXUv1DfY?

That’s it for today. The weather is too good not to be outside. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to ‘PB’ for keeping me posted on nests including P3. Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos and for those who post on FB about recent nest happenings. I am grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to view the good, the bad, and the sad.

Pip at Manton Bay for Blue 33 and Maya…late Monday in Bird World

11 May 2026

Greetings Everyone,

It was a very sad day in the garden today.

We wake up, and over our morning cuppa, we count the animals at the feeders. There are always four grey squirrels, one red squirrel, two Blue Jays, and two Crows. The number of Starlings, Sparrows, Juncos, and others varies during the day. But, for two days, there have only been three grey squirrels. Thankfully, the elderly Dyson, the matriarch of all the grey squirrels, is one of those. But where is the other one?

On our walk with Toby, we passed by the house that had burned down at the corner some time ago. There on the boulevard was the grey squirrel. It had no visible signs of being hit by a car, and there were no wires for it to fall from its position. A friend of Don’s was here for lunch, and we determined with some minor science that it had probably been poisoned. Its body was brought back to the garden where it had played in the lilacs and filled its belly for several years with peanuts. I buried it between two trees. Will find a beautiful stone to sit on top – incense lifted its spirit into the wind.

My concern now turns to who is using rodenticide and why. Yes, there are mice. Most of us feed the birds, and where there is seed, there are mice. I have been told that using only Black Oil Seed and peanuts will not attract the mice as the grains do. The Crows and the Hawks catch mice; we don’t have to do anything. Owls, of course, are another great way to rid an area of rats and mice. But with rodenticide use, nothing is safe. What if the Crows had eaten the carcass? Or a pet dog? Toby? One of the feral cats? Brock? It makes my mind go crazy thinking about poisoning our world.

Luckily, our lovely company kept my mind off of rodenticide and I needed to check the ospreys while Don was busy with his friend.

I had a look, and, surprise, surprise, there is the first UK pip at Maya and Blue 33’s nest at Rutland’s Manton Bay!

It is such a deep nest. We need an overhead cam!!!!!!!!!

A close-up of a large bird's nest made of twigs and branches, set against a river landscape with trees and a cloudy sky above.

All is well with the trio at Big Red and Arthur’s Red-tail Hawk nest on the Cornell Campus. Yes, P3 is being fed!!!!!!!!!!!! No one is left out. We are too conditioned by the osprey and eagle nests!!!!!!!! Hawks and Falcons are notorious for making sure everyone is fed. There is no shortage of prey.

A red-tailed hawk perched on a nest with several fluffy chicks. The nest is made of twigs and is situated on a balcony or ledge, with greenery and a street visible in the background.

Cornell Bird Lab has one of Monday’s feedings on video! https://youtu.be/tveeiZRM8r4?

The first failed osprey nest in Maryland was in Severna Park. Was it before those failing in Virginia? It is not clear. I am receiving notes today that several other nests where Omega Protein fishes a mile off the coast of Nassawadox Creek are seeing the adults abandon their eggs. Nassawadox Creek is a tidal waterway in Northampton County, Virginia, on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. There will be more, and we must prepare ourselves. If you have not figured it out, the decline in osprey numbers is worse than the DDT crisis of the 1970s. Someone needs to do something about this!

Sad news coming out of Scotland over the use of an illegal trap.

Sparrowhawk euthanised in Scottish Highlands after illegal trap caused ‘catastrophic’ leg injury – RDownload

Border Ospreys is live and you can watch Samson and Augusta!

WE ARE LIVEDownload

There is really great news coming out of Glaslyn. Aran and Elen’s two year old chick has touched down for all to see! What a wonderful migration and so happy that one of their babies has been seen in Wales.

Facebook post from Dyfi Osprey Project discussing the Osprey 6M9, the youngest member of the 2024 Glaslyn brood, and its recent behavior.
Close-up of a bird perched on a green pipe, with another bird in the background on a wooden branch.

This is a reason to ring every osplet on every osprey nest – which is attempted in the UK but not in North America.

Everything is going well at Achieva Osprey Platform.

Social media post discussing fishing experiences by Pam Breci, detailing the catches by Jack and Jill, including ladyfish and catfish.
A collage of images showing an osprey nest with two chicks and an adult bird. One adult is seen flying near the nest, while the chicks are perched inside, surrounded by twigs and foliage.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 11th May 2026

Another routine day, it started and ended with a little rain, and in between were lots of fish deliveries – both males brought three fish each, although one of Louis’ was so tiny, it needed a close up to see it was actually a whole fish and not just a scrap, and Garry LV0 also brought a tiny fish – his was still flapping. The Nest Two tally rises to fifty six, and Garry’s rises to fifty eight. It’s great to see both males supplying a steady stream of fish as hatching day starts getting nearer when it will be paramount. As the day ends, Dorcha and Aurora 536 are tucked up sitting on eggs on their respective nests, protecting them from the sporadic light rain which is set to continue through the night and most of tomorrow, with an overnight low of 6°c and a high of 13°c tomorrow afternoon.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/OZXF99LjQ3Y N2 Breakfast arrives, headless trout 07.11.55

https://youtu.be/IzUaE12sGWA N1 Fresh flapping fish for Aurora 13.53.35

https://youtu.be/WVa1ZepkIzE N2 Dorcha’s very happy to see a second fish arriving 14.51.02

https://youtu.be/Ddut0wN0hRQ N1 Aurora demolishes fish two and returns to egg-sit 16.23.02

https://youtu.be/9aExCQ6TCjc N1 Aurora tugs the third fish away from Garry 18.41.13

https://youtu.be/rE6rVOwW4XU N2 Dorcha nibbles the tiny third fish before leaving with it 21.00.33

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/IhjvqpMq1S4   N1 Intruder Osprey flies right over the nest 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/WW7IBGOOjLU  N1 Preparing the nest ready for the first hatch 2020

https://youtu.be/-v6-w-_3oDM   N1 Aila does a mid air transfer 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/BsF44kBqGG0  N1 A close shave for Louis – Aila nearly takes his head off! 2020

https://youtu.be/wqUvCjMwwio  N1 Mumbrella: Aila protects her eggs during snow flurries 2020

https://youtu.be/yZkcVaa9o-A   N1 Affric (Blue 152) and The Stranger return 2021

https://youtu.be/UiJihpt7uEs  N2 Dorcha ignores the second fish and leaves without it 2023

https://youtu.be/fwGRG7NNI4o  N1 A Jay visits 2024

https://youtu.be/_xdZMQaEYA4  N2 Very late breakfast – fish number one 2024

https://youtu.be/L7wUZ2nkFqk  N1 Dawn tryst – successful mating for Garry and Aurora 2025

https://youtu.be/XEuoQfpCuVM N2 Dorcha leaves with fish number two in a beak-hold 2025

Everyone’s welcome at the Woodland Trust Osprey forum, whatever your level of Osprey knowledge – come and join our lively community:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Virus-free.www.avast.com

There is so much going on. Iris’s new mate kept her company at the nest. This lad really does like to incubate, but I wish he would fish a bit more!

Two ospreys perched on a large nest made of sticks, overlooking a parking lot and landscaped area in the background.
An osprey sitting in its nest made of twigs, overlooking a parking lot with trees and a train passing in the background.

I love Iris and New Guy 2 watching their trains!

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

The two besties – Toby and Hugo Yugo – wish you a great week.

A sleeping orange tabby cat curled up on a cat tree, next to a black and white Cavalier King Charles Spaniel wearing an orange harness, both resting indoors.

Thank you to Geemeff for all things Loch Arkaig, to ‘PB’ and Heidi for counting and identifying fish, to everyone who posts on FB with images and news updates, to Raptor Persecution for always reporting what is truly going on without any prejudice, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these amazing families.

P3 hatches at Cornell…late Saturday in Bird World

9 May 2026

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for your lovely comments and notes. I am so glad you enjoyed the post about those amazing female raptors! They are truly incredible.

Jill was up early Saturday morning catching a breakfast fish for her and the kids. It is hard for her – Big and Little are growing leaps and bounds and eating more and more and she still must maintain her own strength in order to go and fish for all of them. The nest cannot count on Jack who has an odd pattern of fish deliveries.

‘PB’ caught this great screen capture of Jill coming in with that early fish. She really is quite amazing.

An osprey in flight carrying a fish with its talons, surrounded by trees and a glimpse of a road below.

I don’t recall worrying so much about a hatch at Big Red’s nest. It must surely be because we lost the first one and the nest has been so soggy this year with all the rain. The little one did make it! Thank goodness. There is so much prey. No one ever goes hungry on Big Red’s nest and never will unless there is a physical reason they cannot eat!

A Red-tailed Hawk sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with visible chicks in the nest.
Two young red-tailed hawk chicks resting in their nest, surrounded by twigs and feathers.
A red-tailed hawk tending to its nest with several hatchlings visible among twigs and branches.
A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, with urban scenery visible in the background.

Saturday was always Ferris Akel Day. We watched and often chatted every Saturday during or was it after? the pandemic. I miss being able to sit and go on a bird tour with Ferris who is incredibly knowledgable. Today, I stepped in for a few moments. He was at the Blue Heron rookery and they had babies!

A close-up shot of two birds near their nests in a tree, surrounded by branches and foliage.
A bird perched on a branch near its nest, which contains chicks, surrounded by tree branches in a natural setting.

Ferris is a great distance away, which makes these images just that more special. Check him out on YouTube.

A work of art ‘Ghost Sky Dance’ that documents the illegal killing of the Hen Harriers in the Yorkshire Moors.

‘Ghost sky dance’ – powerful new artwork documents the illegal killing of Hen Harriers on UK grouseDownload

Some good news and some bad from Knepp Wilding about Turtle Doves.

Turtle doves are back!
This year our most longed-for winter migrants have been bang on time. Our first turtle dove was recorded at Knepp on 24 April. Already we’re hearing several male ‘turtle’s doing their territorial ‘turr-offs’ from dead trees in the Southern Block. 
Once common in the 1960s, the UK now has fewer than 3,000 turtle doves, thanks mostly to the loss of protective habitat and the wildflowers which provide them with tiny, protein-rich seeds to eat. Numbers at Knepp remain around 20 singing males every year – that’s a quarter of the population in Sussex. 
Last year, however, just as their numbers were beginning to recover, the European Commission overturned a ban on hunting turtle doves in parts of Western Europe. Every turtle dove arriving in the UK is a tiny miracle.

The parents have returned to the nest and brought fish to the Dale Hollow Eaglets. One had fishing line and the AEF team was able to remove it.

Three young birds nestled in a nest among tree branches, with green leaves in the background.
Three young bird nestlings resting in a nest among green leaves and trees.
A live stream image capturing a nest of young bald eagles resting on a tree branch, surrounded by green leaves.
Two young eagles resting in their nest, surrounded by green leaves and tree bark.

The Sandy Steers Celebration of Life will be on 13 June 2026. It will be live streamed. Check their FB page for details.

Banner for Sandy Steers' Celebration of Life event, featuring a scenic background of Big Bear Valley and an image of a smiling woman.

Forestry England has another nest that has a streaming cam.

A close-up image of an osprey sitting on its nest, surrounded by twigs and foliage, overlooking a lush green forest and lakes in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Olivia was not getting fish deliveries at the Severna Park Osprey platform in Maryland. She, like so many others last year, has abandoned her eggs, which have been eaten by crows. This is the first nest on a streaming cam in 2026 that the adults have had to abandon due to a lack of food. Please if you live in Virginia, please help those rally to stop the commercial fishing of Menhaden which is vital to the ecosystem for that entire area – including Maryland!

I want to give a shout-out to all those folks who are designing ingenious ways to feed the ospreys that live near or on their property. I won’t ever tell who you are, but I hope that what you try works and that those adults and babies thrive. You are my heroes.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 9th May 2026

Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday, a calm routine of fish deliveries and incubation changeovers. Exactly what’s needed as life develops inside those beautiful speckled eggshells, moving slowly towards hatching day sometime in the first half of June. Louis delivered three fish for Dorcha taking the Nest Two tally to fifty, and Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536 taking the Nest One tally to fifty three. Ospreys are migratory birds and this weekend celebrates International Migratory Bird Day, therefore tonight’s bonus item is a programme on bird migration. 

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/W5LTMlv0XbA N2 Dorcha’s dulcet tones ring out as she summons fish one 05.27.59

https://youtu.be/8A0rloqPT3U N1 Aurora refuses a fish, did she have one during cam down time? 09.11.42

https://youtu.be/cedJn2Xd8tU N2 Louis gets to egg-sit when Dorcha leaves with fish two 12.38.38

https://youtu.be/zsNnPyCm_Zc  N1 Aurora doesn’t pass up fish number two  17.26.03   

https://youtu.be/HJ6GBAbxGKI  N2 Dorcha transfers fish three to her talons in mid-air 18.44.11

Bonus listen on International Migratory Bird Day – an ‘In our Time’ episode on Bird Migration (thanks MTL)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08wmk5j

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/NqE_YC8NTWQ  N1 Graceful Aila does a fishy flypast 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/AlayYBTfRbw  N1 Louis leaves the eggs to chase an Intruder Osprey 2020 (slo-mo) 

https://youtu.be/gTF4db9pYiQ  N1 Hurricane force gust nearly blows Aila off the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/Tt0NmWwPiAw  N1 Male & female Siskin pay an early morning visit 2021 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/Z_f1lAL9g68  N2 Undignified upside down Dorcha 2022 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/Q4KTtgMN_mI  N2 Ouch! Dorcha crashes into the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/fju0tKjGYbg  N1 On again, off again male visitor LV0 visits 2023

https://youtu.be/261d7botW24  N1 Garry pays a 20-second flying visit 2024 (zoom)  

https://youtu.be/SjXAu0qtxe4 N2 Fish number two does a fast flypast before landing 2024

https://youtu.be/3ersPiqRQ9I N2 A cuckoo calls as Louis brings breakfast 2025

https://youtu.be/5tHDrDx6lpw N1 Aurora leaves her perch to grab Garry’s second fish 2025

https://youtu.be/RPVpjzsMhKA N1 Handsome Garry bathed in the light of the setting sun 2025

Come and join the friendly folk at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – everyone’s welcome!

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

The osplets at Lake Murray are doing great according to Heidi – and the little one has just the cutest bottom. Nice, round, and fat. This is all thanks to the new male at the nest!

An osprey family in their nest, with two adult ospreys feeding their three chicks. The nest is made of sticks and branches, surrounded by leaves.

The American Bird Conservancy (ABC)’s bird of the week, The Yellow-breasted Chat. Have a good read – see how much you can learn about this special feathered friend.

Yellow-breasted Chat – American Bird ConservancyDownload

One of the things that I love about my tiny urban plot is that it is home to so many species of wildlife. Every year, we try to plant more shrubs and flowers to attract more bees and butterflies while making certain there are always decaying logs scattered about the property, providing a home for insects and a feast for so many of the birds. I can’t fight the big commercial enterprises that are destroying our planet, but I can make a difference right where I live – and so can you! It only takes one plant, specifically designed for your region and the bees or butterflies that live there, to make a difference. Why don’t you find a spot to plant something this year so that you can sit and watch the visitors come? And remember – please leave out water. It is the gift of life.

In London, the Queen Elizabeth II garden is attracting all manner of creatures! Enjoy the images.

A new haven for wildlife: London’s Queen Elizabeth II garden opens to the public – in pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/apr/28/new-haven-wildlife-london-queen-elizabeth-ii-garden-opens-public-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

It has been a week of ups and downs at our house. The weather is not helping. I find that warm days when we can be outside, even if it’s just sitting on a chair on the deck, are so beneficial to one’s mental health. As I have mentioned many times in recent years, Don is now in his fifth year of being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. For those that are unfamiliar, it is different than Alzheimer’s. This AI overview is rather good:

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and Alzheimer’s differ primarily in their initial symptoms and progression: LBD features early hallucinations, significant cognitive fluctuations, and Parkinson-like movement issues, whereas Alzheimer’s typically begins with memory loss. LBD often progresses faster and includes REM sleep disorders, whereas Alzheimer’s is generally slower and affects memory first.

Key Differences at a Glance

  • Initial Symptoms: LBD often starts with attention, executive function, and visual-spatial issues, while Alzheimer’s starts with short-term memory loss.
  • Fluctuations: LBD patients experience drastic, daily, or hourly changes in alertness and attention; Alzheimer’s symptoms are usually more consistent.
  • Movement: Parkinsonism (rigid muscles, slow movement, tremors) appears early in LBD, often within one year of cognitive decline. Movement issues appear in late-stage Alzheimer’s.
  • Hallucinations: Early, detailed visual hallucinations are common in LBD, while they typically occur in later stages of Alzheimer’s.
  • Sleep: REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams) is a common early indicator of LBD, not Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Association +4

Brain Pathology and Progression

  • LBD: Caused by abnormal deposits of alpha-synuclein proteins (Lewy bodies) that deplete brain chemical messengers.
  • Alzheimer’s: Caused by Amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
  • Progression: LBD tends to progress faster than Alzheimer’s, with a survival rate often averaging 5 to 7 years.

Why Diagnosis Matters
An accurate diagnosis is critical because LBD patients may have severe adverse reactions to certain antipsychotic medications commonly used to treat behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer’s.

Many of you have written to me about a family member or partner that is suffering from memory loss. Please, please get them to a doctor for a diagnosis. The earlier, the better. It is incredible what treatments and medications they have now that they didn’t have five years ago!

Don’s disease is beginning to progress rapidly now. We enjoy every good moment as his apathy and hallucinations grow. I always remind everyone to also enjoy life as much as you can. Don’t sit and cry over what happened a year or ten years ago or more or worry about next year. Enjoy your life right now. You never know what is coming around the corner.

I will end there. Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. I am going to take tomorrow off. See you Monday evening.

Thank you to all of the contributors today – those great people with their daily summaries, videos, articles, and investigative reporting. Thank you to ‘PB’ and Heidi for keeping track of the US ospreys and to the owners of the streaming cams and UK Osprey Information FB.

Big Red is drenched…Wednesday in Bird World

6 May 2026

Oh, goodness. We woke up to a bit of snow yesterday and the temperatures have remained on the chilly side. In Ithaca, New York, it is really raining on Big Red and Arthur and their nestlings. Big Red is a very experienced Mum. She has been through season after season of rain, wind, snow, and being buried in ice. Still, I worry about the little ones getting cold and damp and having difficulties. Two have hatched, one died trying to hatch, and it appears to me that we have a beak sticking out of the last egg.

Arthur is providing food – and he will continue to line the nest – no matter the weather.

A red-tailed hawk sitting in a nest surrounded by twigs and branches, with several chicks nearby.
A close-up of a red-tailed hawk nest featuring two fluffy chicks, one egg, and remnants of feeding materials among sticks and nesting materials.

Please send them and all the nests your most positive wishes.

Jill at Achieva is going to be the Mother’s Day Mum of this season. She continues to defy everything we know and is out fishing, sometimes past 2000, to get fish to her growing babies. Little is now so strong that it is, as ‘PB’ notes, ‘wanting to rule the nest’.

A close-up view of an osprey nest situated on a platform, with several sticks and twigs forming the nest structure. Two ospreys are visible, one perched and the other moving within the nest. Lush green trees surround the area, and a street can be seen in the background.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 5th May 2026

Another reassuringly boring day where nothing out of the ordinary happened.  The odd stick or bit of bark was brought to a nest when fish was expected, but fish were delivered too. Garry LV0 delivered one trout to Aurora 536 on Nest One, taking his tally to forty six, and Louis delivered two to Dorcha, taking the Nest Two tally to forty two. No intruders, no drama, just two females incubating their eggs – Aurora with a few absences – and males delivering fish then taking their turn on egg duty. Fingers crossed tranquility reigns until hatching and beyond.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/zn5cJS4L4Wg N2 Dorcha departs with her breakfast leaving Louis on egg duty 05.14.58https://youtu.be/Gqv2rjFcyTE N2 Louis gets to egg-sit when Dorcha leaves with fish two 10.04.27https://youtu.be/RNMca79xnG0 N1 Garry settles down on egg duty as Aurora leaves with her fish 10.06.41

Bonus watch and read – how Woodland Trust is saving Scotland’s rainforests:https://youtu.be/NzoAxoG3AZghttps://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/scotland/saving-scotlands-rainforest/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/vi57aF6RvWs  N1 Aila suffers an owl strike 2019 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/50n9gpytiy4   N1 A typical night on the nest for Aila 2020

https://youtu.be/fCzbYErsSgA  N1 Persistent Hoodie won’t leave Aila alone 2020 (Slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/pBzJsBFIzek  N1 Strange Osprey lands on the empty nest 2023

https://youtu.be/Rg-hxBiPEPM  N2 Louis has an aerial encounter with an intruder 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/eX9kUX1m6QM N1 Aida wants fish, Garry wants to mate, gets rejected 2024

https://youtu.be/J0T2g4AjXv0 N2 Finally – Louis delivers the first fish to Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/VvL_ZaQsu7s N1 Woodland Trust have given Blue 536 a name – hello Aurora! 2025

https://youtu.be/PNRVXZc0NDU N2 Louis alarm calls as an intruder Osprey flies overhead 2025

https://youtu.be/SYZq9BrLbWs N2 Unringed Osprey intrudes on Louis: aerial battle ensues 2025

You’re invited to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Rosie Shields has the latest from the Border Osprey platform.

LIVE FEEDDownload

A startling Netflix documentary about the killing of cylicist and the persecution of raptors in Scotland.

‘Should I Marry a Murderer?’ New Netflix documentary provides sobering insight into brutal killing &Download

There is a job opportunity monitoring raptors in Scotland.

Job opportunity: Scottish Raptor Monitoring Coordinator – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Monty and Hartley’s babies hatched on the 21st of April – yes, all on the same day. They are now 15 days old. Rumours had them being ringed today at 0800, but they are not old enough yet. I suspect we will have another 10 days to go or thereabouts.

Five fluffy owl chicks huddle together in a nesting box with a dirty background.
Two fluffy white bird chicks sitting in a nesting box at San Jose City Hall, surrounded by feathers and debris.
A close-up view of a nesting area at San Jose City Hall, showing three fluffy chicks and scattered feathers on the ground.

Sally and Winken enjoying a Tilapia at Moorings Park.

A close-up of a bird's nest with two osprey adults and several chicks. In the background, a lake is visible alongside modern buildings and lush greenery.

That is it for today! Please take care. I am off to get Don to the doctor in a few hours. It should all go well. Toby gets to spend the afternoon with Ann and her Australian Shepherd, Lucy. He is going to have so much fun!

Keep your eye on Iris’s nest!!!!!!!

Thank you to Geemeff for the Woodland Trust summary, to ‘PB’ for cheering on Jill at Achieva, and to the writer Ruth of Raptor Persecution UK. We need investigative reporting in the world of raptors. Too much human harm gets covered up! To the others who have posted on FB and other platforms and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these incredible birds.

2nd little one at Cornell makes it out of shell…Tuesday in Bird World

5 May 2026

Hello Everyone,

I did say I was going to take a break, didn’t I? Well, reports will be short, but Iris laying her first egg and Big Red’s nestlings are keeping me on the edge of the sofa. Besides, the nice warm weather we had disappeared. Melissa kept looking out the conservatory windows as she was cleaning them, asking, ‘Is that a snowflake?’ And yes, of ourselves, her eyes were not deceiving her. It is freezing. Tomorrow will be 0 C. Not much fun. Toby and I worked on the bookcases. We now need a 154 cm long piece of moulding and some finishing nails. The whole needs to be painted in the same shade as the walls only glossy so it is slightly different (thanks, Geemeff, for the idea). I had battled between just matching the walls which are the same colour as the rice straw tea huts in Japan, going for something bold like the Bloomsbury Group would have done, or painting them in Tar (a deep grey/black). My mind needs calm. So, some time in the future, David will return to paint them and the French doors all the same. It is a picky job, not for someone like me who wouldn’t have the patience.

As of Monday evening, this is the state of the third chick releasing itself from the shell at Big Red and Arthur’s nest. Arthur is already lining the nest cup with chippies and squirrels.

I am so glad this little one didn’t get exhausted trying to get out.

A red-tailed hawk in a nest with eggs and chicks, captured in black and white from a live webcam feed.
A red-tailed hawk in a nest with two fluffy chicks and one unhatched egg among twigs and nest materials.
A Red-tailed Hawk tending to its nest with two fluffy chicks and an egg visible among the twigs and nesting material.
A young red-tailed hawk chick sitting in a nest beside an unhatched egg, surrounded by straw and leaves.
Close-up of a large, blue-green bird egg nestled among soft downy feathers and natural materials in a nest.

At the Achieva Osprey Platform, Jill went out late and caught another catfish for her and the kids. That is three today. I do not believe she has ever left the nest to fish after 2000. She did tonight. As the kids get older they need more food and she needs to keep herself healthy for them! Jack is simply not delivering enough – two today. Jill had three and one was a whopper.

Thanks ‘PB’ for the screen capture of Jill and her whale.

A close-up view of a bird with wings spread wide, perched on a tree. The background shows green foliage and a road.

For those wanting to keep a file to recognise Jill, here you have the perfect underwing patterns to go with the top of the head! These two locations are the only patterns that do not ever change from the time the ospreys fledge.

Iris and NewGuy2 (I do agree with everyone that he needs a name – I am certain that Dr Green is working on this) are settling in to incubation. I just hope he knows that he has to provide fish for Iris and the babies…

Two ospreys perched in their nest with a parking lot and trees in the background.
An osprey nest with two adult ospreys sitting among branches and twigs, overlooking a parking lot and landscaped area in the background.
Two ospreys sitting in a nest made of sticks, with a parking lot and greenery in the background.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 4th May 2026

Another peaceful and uneventful day, although one event was missing – Aurora 536 has not laid a second egg, it is overdue by more than 24 hours so chances are she will only have the single egg laid on 30th April at 19.18.37. There is concern that she is leaving the egg unprotected for several hours at a time, and as she and Garry LV0 have not been seen mating on a sufficiently regular basis, perhaps this egg will not hatch. As always, it’s wait and see – Osprey eggs are quite hardy. Although Garry only brought one fish to the nest for Aurora, it’s possible fish are being delivered early during the nest cam down time. His on-cam tally now stands at forty five. Over on Nest Two, normal service was resumed and Louis delivered three fish to Dorcha, taking the nest total to forty. Dorcha was very pleased to see the first fish arriving after a gap of thirty five hours and demolished it in no time. The weather was mainly settled with a little light rain around 11pm.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/BMjnfTZhaCM N2 First fish 35 hours after the last one! 08.25.51

https://youtu.be/uYMCcC97Qbw N2 Normal service resumes! Fish 2 arrives 2 hours after the first 10.35.21

https://youtu.be/X7NonFthu2Q N1 First fish for Aurora, a good size headless trout 14.31.26

https://youtu.be/M8d0uY6Yys8 N2 Louis brings a third trout for Dorcha 15.06.39

Bonus activity – how well do you know spring tree flowers? Take Woodland Trust’s quiz: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2026/05/spring-blossom-quiz/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/RZcdDsctW8s  N1 Stick-gate! Louis brings a silly stick 2019

https://youtu.be/MkeAZ4Rtyjw  N1 Arkaig Ospreys star with Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin & Holly Gillibrand 2020 

https://youtu.be/8937KrWsAvQ  N1 Aila stands on Louis’ tail 2020

https://youtu.be/E9pd_5HuvsU  N1 Hoodie chases Louis and his fish to the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/01RR3gk-KAo  WT season highlights 2021

https://youtu.be/MYwuD6jtpBA  WT season highlights 2022

https://youtu.be/CMPNawu15bo  N2 Louis is blown away! 2023 (slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/HIbtIkk_ELg  N2 Unringed intruder lands 2023 (slo-mo repeat)

https://youtu.be/UYHOuHSAjdo  N2 Dorcha’s turn to show off her underpinnings! 2023

https://youtu.be/wFCI5B_bVPQ  N1 Garry LV0 arrives with moss, calling softly, who’s he watching? 2024

https://youtu.be/5zmxN6jpNNU  N2 Dorcha brings a stick and lands it on Louis 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/AOxOLsyGJV0  N2 Dorcha gets hit by a Tawny Owl while tangled in moss 2025

https://youtu.be/A8PwVgBjiAc  N2 Three strikes: 00.33.37; 00.35.21; 00.40.51 in <8 mins 2025

https://youtu.be/T0XQrgwLjko  N1 Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) does a thorough investigation 2025 

https://youtu.be/6b_2Tq6RFQA  N1 Tawny Owl pays a second visit an hour after the first 2025

https://youtu.be/TXp42g5YDtM N2 Dorcha fights off an unringed Osprey 2025 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Geemeff sends a sad story but at least, they say, ‘humans tried to help’. https://wgme.com/news/local/very-sad-ospreys-found-dead-after-building-nest-on-power-lines-in-camden-maine-cmp-central-maine-power

Sadly, these falcons fell at the hand of humans and their guns in Cambridgeshire.

Post-mortem on Cambridgeshire Peregrine reveals shotgun pellets – Raptor Persecution UKDownload

Winken enjoying a meal while there remains a reminder of the saddness as Blinken’s body is near the nest rim at Moorings Park.

An osprey feeding its chick in a nest, with a tranquil river and greenery in the background. The image highlights the environment and the interaction between parent and young bird.

It looks like the dream of seeing osplets on the Loch Garten RSPB nest are gone as Blue KL5 kicks out the third egg!

A live camera feed capturing an osprey nest with branches. The scene shows the nest at dawn with a distant view of trees and sky, indicating it's early morning. The top image shows the osprey destroying egg number 3, while the bottom image shows the nest after the egg has been destroyed.

News from Kielder Forest:

Nest 12

The four chicks of Monty and Hartley will be ringed at 0800 Wednesday nest time! Tune in on YouTube!

A peregrine falcon is feeding three chicks in a nesting box atop San Jose City Hall, with a view of city buildings in the background.

Thank you so much for being with us! Take care, everyone. Keep watching Iris for that next egg…See you soon.

Thank you to Geemeff for the Woodland Trust summary, to ‘PB’ for the great image of Jill and her monster fish, and to all those who post information on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch this amazing wildlife. I am very grateful for the investigative reporting of Raptor Persecution UK.

Another pip or two for Big Red…Monday afternoon in Bird World

4 May 2026

Hi there,

Well, I couldn’t stay away from watching Big Red and Arthur.

P1 is a cutie. We will know by today if either of the two remaining eggs are viable. I don’t care. One healthy eyas to survive to fledge and then survive Cornell’s windows would please me greatly. Arthur is preparing for lots of meals as he gets the chippies and the snakes to the nest.

A red-tailed hawk in a nest caring for its hatchlings and eggs, surrounded by twigs and nest material.
A red-tailed hawk is tending to its nest, which contains one fluffy chick and several eggs and chicks. The nest is made of twigs and is situated in a natural setting.
A red-tailed hawk sitting on its nest, which contains several eggs, surrounded by twigs and grass.
A red-tailed hawk sitting in a nest, tending to three eggs.

Big Red always encourages the hiks to eat just a little more.

Cornell Bird Lab has a video of the live snake Arthur brings to the nest. https://youtu.be/LJjxLo-sG0I?

It looks to me as if we have a beak peeking out of one of the other eggs and a small crack in the last.

A young red-tailed hawk chick sits in a nest surrounded by twigs and two eggs, with an adult hawk nearby.

Big Red has been keeping P1 nicely fed.

A nest with two eggs and a fluffy chick peeking out, surrounded by twigs and natural materials.
A nest of red-tailed hawks featuring two eggs and two fluffy chicks amid twigs and natural nesting material.

It is just a little fluff ball.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 3rd May 2026

Another day of low activity and nothing out of the ordinary. Dorcha and Louis continue to take turns incubating the three eggs, Dorcha gets a break to eat, bathe, and stretch her wings when Louis brings fish or sticks and takes over egg-sitting, and Louis does whatever male Ospreys do when they’re not fishing, egg-sitting, or patrolling their territory. Which he must have been doing today as he brought no fish at all, so the nest tally remains at thirty seven. Over on Nest One, Garry brought one fish for Aurora, taking his tally to forty four. At the time of filing this report – midnight – she does not appear to have laid her second egg. Will Aurora lay her egg in the early hours before the camera goes off-line? Will Louis swoop in early with a dried up old fish he actually caught today but doesn’t deliver until tomorrow? Answers on a postcard please.*

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Rbzi5TkRc-4  N1 Garry’s lunchtime fish does a flyover before Aurora takes it 12.53.24

https://youtu.be/i-8M9QhFk4s  N2 Unhappy Dorcha sends Louis fishing 13.11.26

Bonus watch – stunning drone footage of the two nests, filmed in 2024, before the birds returned of course:

https://youtu.be/HKIxtz_ICXU N1

https://youtu.be/wiSNcrl7_mM N2

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/_ldayacEJVk  N1 Domestic abuse? Aila makes Louis move 2020

https://youtu.be/O66MzVbKdEk  N1 Louis chases a Hoodie wanting his fish 2020

https://youtu.be/EXKZvJIsSnU  N1 Poor old Louis! First a kick then a bit of fish stuck in his beak 2020

https://youtu.be/U-5w06vRVgc  N2 Dorcha wears a fake moustache 2022

https://youtu.be/475Qa4mMr_M  N2 Louis gets a bashing with a big stick 2022

https://youtu.be/aGybeh25I3I  N2 Size matters! Coal Tit is startled by Dorcha 2022

https://youtu.be/hr9oHiTH2EA  N2 Mute button needed as Dorcha sees Louis bringing dinner 2023

https://youtu.be/9NftDmPybXk  N1 Garry brings fish number one for hollow-cropped Aida 2024 

https://youtu.be/mmOwq1QEOTQ  N2 Louis misjudges landing with a big stick 2024

https://youtu.be/zp36YlZE3yA  N2 Two Lesser Redpolls arrive and one perches near Dorcha 2024

https://youtu.be/eAqcolh9_VQ  N1 Woodland visitors: Tree Pipit, Coal Tit, Wren 2024 2024

https://youtu.be/hmAqX1qE0FM N1 Yet again Garry LV0 makes Blue 536 wait for the fish 2025

https://youtu.be/QtzXJFp8qDc N2 Louis does a flyby before landing with a very late first fish 2025

https://youtu.be/vQ2GdD48Pqw N2 Tawny Owl strikes Dorcha! 2025 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)

* No, not really!

You’re invited to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Just a quick check in at Big Red and Loch Arkaig. Have a great day everyone.

Thank you to Geemeff for their Woodland Trust summary and to the Cornell Bird Lab for their streaming cam.

Pip/hatch for Big Red, Aran breeding at Glaslyn…late Friday in Bird World

1 May 2026

Happy May Day to everyone,

It is 6 C and what a wonderful sunny day it has been.

There is great news coming out of Glaslyn. Our dear Aran, once the mate of Mrs G and then Elen, ousted from his nest at Glaslyn in 2025 by Teifi, is now with a new mate and there are eggs!

From the Glaslyn Osprey Group FB:

Update on Ospreys breeding activities: Aran is nesting with Blue 7C1, and Blue 499 is bonding with Blue 3C2. A pair of Ospreys is also residing at the Ty'n Llwyn nest.

Big Red and Arthur will have a lovely little chick soon.

Look at the front egg!!!!!!!

A red-tailed hawk is shown on its nest with several eggs, surrounded by straw and twigs.

There is now some concern for Winken at Moorings Park who was seen with a fishing line hanging from its beak.

Fish continue to be delivered by Jill at the Achieva nest with a fish arriving from Jack around 11:18 this morning.

Ping Shen reports on the Seattle couple, Harry and Sally: “Making up for lost time – Harry has been busy delivering both fish and nesting material, and also spent some time today excavating the “bowl” of the nest (you can see things flying out behind his talon, almost like a dog), sitting in it, etc. Hopefully Sally is pleased, despite his late arrival! Great to see them both back…no eggs yet, but perhaps soon…”

An osprey standing on a nest with twigs, looking down at another osprey lying on its back.
An osprey standing over its nest, looking down at its offspring, surrounded by twigs and nesting materials.

Viki writes with good news from Maryland: “I discovered a 22nd nest on the island, and it had 2 osprey – looked a very bare platform so  perhaps they’re new. And another of my original 21 has 2 osprey now (maybe with eggs) so that’s 15 of 21 with a pair

And as for LB (the M4 young father who is fiddling around with Ethel on the side), Lily, F4, has figured it out. What LB wants to do is brood those eggs – if he brings a fish, she lets him incubate; if he shows up on N4 antsy, she lets him incubate. She no longer takes her fish to N3, which is on the way to Ethel’s N2, but takes it the other direction to N4’s traditional perch in the North Copse of pine trees. Lily also let LB mate with her-once after I’d seen him copulating with Ethel. (I think she must have a nest full of eggs given how long ago she started seriously incubating and the continued flurry of mating afterwards.  Do you think the new father is satisfying himself with brooding?  Possibly similar urges ?????”

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 30th April 2026

What a glorious day – Aurora 536 produced her first egg, which clearly took a lot of effort but gave us our first egg on Nest One since Aila had her lockdown trio there in 2020. Six years is a long time to wait and hope for chicks on the original Loch Arkaig camera nest but today that wish is coming true. Garry LV0 was surprised and did a comical double take when he first saw the egg – shortly before it was laid, he came steaming in for a mating attempt and was roundly told off by Aurora, who pecked him and winged him away, and although he offered fish later, she wasn’t interested – had a bit of a hard day! Garry brought her four fish in total, taking his tally to thirty nine, and over on Nest Two, all was calm with Louis bringing one fish for Dorcha, taking the nest tally to thirty three.
Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/Sz6L4ZP7T48 N1 Fish number one – Aurora digs out a fresh fish tail from the nest cup 08.35.53https://youtu.be/89V2Fz4ZCZM N1 Garry brings fish number two, a huge headless trout 15.12.48https://youtu.be/NIAf0M7jHRA N2 Dorcha flies off with a colourful trout 16.45.56

https://youtu.be/qpAE26laGGw N1 Aurora attacks Garry when he tries to mate – is an egg imminent? 18.53.13https://youtu.be/3FEsX0EqE1k N1 First egg on Nest One in six years! 19.18.37 (zoom)https://youtu.be/gDogiAUcptE N1 Garry brings a third fish but Aurora’s busy with the egg 19.58.38 https://youtu.be/YCUepaMGHv8 N1 Garry does a double take 20.04.42https://youtu.be/aVg4jZpwsGE N1 Garry brings a fourth fish but Aurora’s still not interested 21.38.54

Bonus read – while we have eggs on our mind, discover Woodland Trust’s partnership with Sainsburys:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/partnerships/our-partners/sainsburys

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/ZIC6oJaL_EM  N1 Cheeky Hoodie annoys Louis 2017

https://youtu.be/tg86hWM2aIA   N1 Is it the Tawny Owl disturbing Aila? 2020

https://youtu.be/PoQ1BlwQBTE  N1 Little plucker! Aila’s drastic action to make Louis move 2020

https://youtu.be/dDUQS2FK7Yw  N2 Shouldn’t laugh but.. poor Dorcha! 2022

https://youtu.be/PhoMl4grLhI  N2 Louis removal aids! 2023

https://youtu.be/Rwc5CsbBa3w  N1 She’s back and she’s got a name – meet Aida! 2024  

https://youtu.be/3rZnQ5f8Qn4  N1 Aida’s willing, Garry makes several attempts but no success 2024

https://youtu.be/k5rxoSg2D44  N2 Intruder Osprey touches down next to Dorcha 2024 (slo-mo repeat)https://youtu.be/SsW5LJKZSBk N1 Garry LV0 brings Blue 536 the first fish of the day 2025

https://youtu.be/s52rukepjLI N2 DeliverLouis: A nice fish supper arrives for Dorcha 2025

You’re invited to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam


That’s it for me today. Don will be returning with Ann for some dessert after a full afternoon at the nature centre. Thank you for being with us. Take care everyone. Keep an eye on Big Red and Arthur’s nest – we will have some of the cutest babies filling that nest at Cornell shortly.

Thank you to Ping Shen, Geemeff, PB, and Viki for keeping me up to date on their nests. I am terribly grateful to them and those who post on FB and who own the streaming cams that allow us into the lives of these magnificent birds.

Big Red isn’t fooling around….Wednesday in Bird World

1 April 2026

It might be April Fool’s Day but Big Red isn’t fooling around. She laid her fourth egg today! Cornell Bird Lab has it on video: https://youtu.be/JlHxc-bpsQg?

A red-tailed hawk sitting on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a focus on its back and tail feathers.

Aeron Z2 has arrived at the Friends of Osprey Pont Cresor nest in Glaslyn. Of course, this could get interesting as Elen is home alone at the other Glaslyn nest and Blue 014 has yet to arrive at Pont Cresor.

Aeron Z2 is handsome, and he did cause a lot of mischief last season. His brother Tegid Z1 (on a private nest) is also equally adorable. Monty’s boys.

A close-up of an osprey standing on a nest made of sticks, with a scenic background of hills and sparse trees. The sky is overcast.

Lots happening at Loch of the Lowes but not a couple confirmed as yet. And where is Blue NCO? Does she have another nest and mate? I wonder.

Text post about recent osprey sightings at Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve, discussing their behaviors and conditions.

In the garden, lots of action as a Sharp-shinned Hawk (a male) had a Starling lunch right in front of us.

A hawk standing on the snow, next to its prey, a fallen bird, surrounded by scattered leaves and twigs.

Missing Blue 35 – and females chasing after White YW. I don’t blame them – he’s a great dad at Foulshaw Moss.

An osprey nest with two ospreys in a dramatic pose, surrounded by a landscape of open fields and distant hills, showcasing daytime activity in the nest.

USS9 and USS10 are cute.

Two fluffy bald eagle chicks in a nest, with an unhatched egg between them, resting on straw.

More fish are needed at Moorings Park. Everyone is fighting with little three, and 2 seems to be the dominant osplet right now. 3 got some fish – finally.

An adult osprey standing in a nest with three chicks, surrounded by branches and vegetation, near a body of water.
An osprey stands beside three chicks in their nest, with a view of a calm body of water and greenery in the background.
An osprey standing near three chick ospreys in a nest, surrounded by greenery and water in the background.
An osprey standing on a nest with three young ospreys in a natural setting by a river, surrounded by trees.

I am always concerned about the Achieva nest, always. For many reasons.

An osprey stands in a nest made of twigs with another chick visible inside, surrounded by green trees and a suburban street in the background.

‘J’ sent Naturechat’s points:

Pip in progress for 3rd egg at U.S. Steel Eagle Cam.

3rd egg laid today at Black Stork Cam in Poland 2.

Pip watch continues for 1st eggs at Big Bear Eagle Cam, Fort St. Vrain Station Eagle Cam, Glen Hazel (Hays) Eagle Cam and ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

When will Frannie lay her 1st egg at Eastern Bluebird Cam in VA?

It was quite the day here. Our entire routine went upside down and sideways. The new care helper came at 0830. She is fantastic. Then the delivery man came with two months of birdseed – bags everywhere. Then the installer arrived to wire the house for the alarm, the doorbell, and the fire alarm. Ann arrived and then there were several other deliveries. I don’t need to tell you that Don, The Girls, and Toby are all snoring! It is going to be an early night.

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon – remember. We are waiting for the hatch at Big Bear along with hundreds of thousands of other people.

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and those who have posted information and images on FB that I have used in today’s blog.