Tag Archives: Dale Hollow

Ervie, Iris, and more in Bird World for Tuesday

18 April 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Murphy Cartoons:

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

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

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

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

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

Full crops at Moorings Park Ospreys.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Pittsburgh-Hayes Eagle nest:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some other news we are following this morning:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday morning in Bird World

16 April 2022

The sun is shining bright and there is a possibility that some of the snow will melt. The garden remains full of Juncos! They are all over our City trying to find food at feeders. People have been posting images of Robins eating suet. Poor things. Their migration should have been a good one without the snow storm! This morning, however, there have been about 30 Crows on my street. It is believed that the Great Horned Owl could be in the neighbourhood. They will escort it out!

At the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest of Samson and Gabby, Jasper fledged this morning at 11:12:49!

Rocket watches as Jasper opens up her wings.

And she’s off! Congratulations.

The UFlorida Osprey nest reminds me of Port Lincoln when you had Bazza, Falky, and Ervie lined up eating.

Dad arrives with a nice fish for breakfast.

Mum cheeps at him to leave moving the fish to the other side. Little Bit is right up front and is getting some of the first bites.

Little Bit just gets itself up to the front. Oh, he reminds me of Ervie!

I took a short video clip of one feeding. This nest – so far – really makes me happy.

Dr Sharpe is going up to fix the West End camera today so that we can continue to observe Thunder and Akecheta’s triplets. One of the eaglets has slipped off the left side. Thunder knows where it is and it is hoped that Dr Sharpe can put the baby back in the nest. Send best wishes their way!

Telyn laid the first egg of the season for her and Idris at the Dyfi nest about an hour ago!

There it is!

Little Middle has been over nibbling on one of the pieces of fish on the nest.

For those of you worried about the absence of the female eagle at the Duke Farms nest, she was in the nest this morning feeding the only eaglet. All is good!

Teo visited the only Osprey nest in Latvia!

Teo has been bringing fish to the nest. Two females have been seen at the nest and there was a mating attempt with one of them but there is no confirmation that either were Teo’s mate, Vita. We wait for her to return from her migration.

Here is the link to the Latvian Osprey cam near Kurzeme:

Wow. They are sure beautiful. Is it possible that we are looking at the difference in size now between the male and female juvenile Ospreys? Little Mini in the back with his long legs and Middle the larger female at the front?

Little Mini took off at 07:40:38 for a trip around the nest. He will take his 2, 3rd, and 4th flights today after fledging yesterday. So far Little Mini flies at 07:40;39, 08:06:57, and 08:07:59. you can go back and rewind to see this magnificent bird get the air under its wings.

Middle is watching Little Mini. Look above the palm tree on the right. You can see him.

It is going to be a perfect landing!

There is a theory about males flying first. Since the females are bigger 1/3, it takes longer for all their feathers to grow in compared to the males. Therefore, the males tend to fledge earlier.

Little Mini wants to fly again and again. Both chicks would like a big fish delivery, too!

Here is the link to their camera:

Karl II and Kaia are happy to be reunited in their nest in the Karula Forest in Estonia. They are so beautiful. Last year Karl II and Kaia raised three storklets to fledge from the three eggs that hatched.

Here is the link to their nest:

Suitable trees for nesting are becoming a real issue for all manner of bird species including Eagles, Ospreys, and Black Storks. Here is an article about this issue in Estonia. This is one of the reasons that many, including David Hancock at Hancock Wildlife and Ron Magill, Miami Zoo, are looking at alternative artificial nests.

Click to access 40_1-4_84.pdf

Do you watch the Osprey nest of Alma and Ossi in Finland? Nesting materials are arriving.

Alma and Ossi have raised eight osplets to fledge since 2017. Here is a link to their streaming cam:

There is absolutely so much happening that it is impossible to keep up with all of the changes. While I am watching one fledge, another could be fledging on a different nest! It is a crazy time – but a good one.

Thank you for joining me this morning. All of the nests look good. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures and video clips: UFlorida at Gainesville Ospreys, NEFlorida and the AEF, DHEC, Captiva Ospreys and Window on Wildlife, Eagle Club of Estonia, Duke Farms, Dyfi, Latvian Fund for Nature, and Saaksilive.

Thursday Morning in Bird World

14 April 2022

Dyson sends his love to everyone and he wants you to know that he is doing what he does best – getting seeds off the hard seed cylinders!

Thank you so much for your kind notes. The snow storm did precisely what had been predicted. There was a lull yesterday in the late afternoon and then the snow began with earnest around midnight. The forecast is now at the higher end of the snow accumulation at 80 cm or 2.62 feet. We continue to clear periodically and put down a line of seed that extends across 9 metres or 30 feet of decking and keep the feeders full and check on the hard seed cylinders as they need replacing. It has been a challenge. The sheer number of birds in the garden speaks to the recent arrival of thousands of birds during spring migration. Rain is set to start shortly turning to snow in the afternoon. Could it get worse for our feathered friends? The winds continue to bring some white out conditions. Hopefully the storm will taper off, as predicted, late Friday. Sadly, it brings out the worst in the birds who are hungry and fearful that they will starve to death. It is not unlike the beaking in the streaming cam nests when a weather event or diminished prey delivery sets off the ‘survival’ instinct in the biggest bird. Difficult to watch.

When you think you have absolutely ‘had it’ – you ‘are done’ with the birds and their beaking and bonking, stop and watch this piece of archival film that Charles Puleston shot in one of his Osprey nests on Long Island in the 1950s. It is called ‘My Turn’.

I can promise you that there is nothing more joyful, more tearful, and more satisfying than having a third hatch almost die in front of your eyes and then to have them turn around and become the most clever and dominant bird on the nest! It happens! Those are the nests you never forget.

A few of you have written to me in the last week about your need to pull back from the streaming cams and the chats that go along with some of the nests. The last note came this morning from a reader and I thought it would be a good time to discuss this. Watching the streaming cams can often bring about a sense of utter helplessness and frustration instead of the joy you anticipated. Instead of shutting the birds out of your life, I would like to make a couple of recommendations. The first is to educate yourself about the species you are watching. You do not have to purchase the books, go to your local library and if they do not have a copy see if they can order one in for you to borrow. The second is to arm yourself with emergency call numbers. Last year when a fostered Osprey chick fell off the nest at Patuxent River’s nests, the nature centre was closed. No one was answering the phone. People watched in horror hearing the chick splashing in the water. A number of us began to call leaving messages. One of the staff heard these and took their canoe back out to the park and found the chick – just in time – and literally tossed it back on the nest. This was a perfect outcome. That said frantic phone calls came from Hawaii, Canada, and the US to anyone who would listen. Every streaming cam needs the number of the local wildlife rehabber. Sadly, they do not post them. So it is up to you to find those numbers and have them ready if something happens. You also need to understand that most times help does not come. That is why Patuxent was simply so fantastic.

OK. Back to educating yourself. If you want to understand how the use of DDT caused the large Apex predators such as Eagles and Osprey to become almost extinct, get a copy of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Here is an article that speaks to the importance of this book.

Find out who Dennis Puleston was to the environmental movement and how he signalled the decline in Ospreys. Who was Charles Broley to the Bald Eagle community? These are people who fought the good fight to protect and restore the populations of Ospreys and Bald Eagles. You should know who they are. For a specific UK approach, any of the books by Mark Avery who headed the RSBP for 25 years are excellent.

The current threat is often from climate change and for eagles it is heat. Many eagles went into care last summer as did Ospreys particularly in the Pacific Northwest. One of the newest additions that David Hancock (Hancock Wildlife) is adding to the artificial nests for the Eagles in British Columbia, Canada is a shade screen. Ground breaking. How fantastic! Indeed, you might have noted the artificial nest in the Miami Zoo for the WRDC nest. These human-made nests will become more common as trees fail just as artificial platforms are now common for Ospreys.

How many times have you seen individuals belittled and having to apologize for putting human emotions on birds? This especially happens in some chats. I suggest that you read Marc Bekoff, The Emotional Lives of Animals. Good solid research. You won’t apologize again! Jennifer Akerman’s The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way are also very good.

My library is mostly full of books on Ospreys and the smaller raptors, Peregrine Falcons and Red-tail Hawks.

Falcons: The Peregrine by J.A. Baker, Falcon by Helen Macdonald, and H is for Hawk are some good starters. Winter’s Hawk speaks to the persecution of the Red-tail Hawk where I grew up, in Oklahoma. The Kings and their Hawks gives a particular historical perspective. These are a few to get you started.

Ospreys: Alan Poole’s Ospreys is a good solid introduction to the birds. I am particularly fond of David Gessner’s Soaring with Fidel: An Osprey Odyssey from Cape Cod to Cuba and Beyond for a good look at the issue of migration, particularly the New England ospreys. It is a good read. Gessner’s other books speak to various environmental issues impacting birds. There are others: Scottish Ospreys by Philip Brown, Lady of the Loch by Helen Armitage amongst others. I will try and bring one up now and then.

If you want to understand migration, A World on the Wing. The Global Odyssey of Migrating Birds is a great start!

If you want a good laugh, Zarankin’s Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder is excellent!!!!

I did a quick check on some of the nests. The third hatch is hanging in there at the UFlorida Gainsville Osprey nest! Good for it. Spunky little thing.

Here is the link to the UF Osprey cam. It is not on YouTube.

https://wec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/ospreycam/

The sun is coming out on Little Middle and Big at the Dale Hollow nest. They will be anxious for some fish to arrive on their nest.

Deb Stecyk did a short video of Big and Little Middle in the storm.

I found a new Peregrine Falcon nest this morning! It is in the UK at the Chichester Cathedral. There are four eggs.

When people get burnt out of watching Bald Eagles and Ospreys – where there is often a lot of beaking – I highly recommend both falcon and hawk nests. They are often overlooked because they are smaller raptors but the way that they take care of their young is reassuring that life is good.

There is also a Kestrel nest in Yorkshire. Eggs soon!

I highly recommend the streaming cam of Big Red and Arthur at the Cornell Campus in Ithaca, New York. Good solid nest. Big Red is 19 and Arthur is 6. Big Red has been raising little hawklets for 17 years – for ten on camera. Only one did not fledge and that was K2 in 2021 due to a beak injury and infection. There is also a good respectful moderated chat for a couple of hours in the morning.

The Queen of the RTHs, Big Red incubating four eggs on the Fernow Light Tower. This is the first time she has laid 4 eggs since the camera was set up in 2012.

Indeed, you will notice a lot of nests of falcons and hawks with four eggs this year. It could be nature’s way of adjusting for the quickly spreading Avian Flu.

Half way around the world, Lesser Spotted Eagles will be nesting in Latvia. The nest of Anna and Andris is now happy as Andris returned from his migration yesterday. Anna came home on the 12th.

And because incubation can be so boring to watch, Cal Falcons has done a really fast day in the life of Annie and the New Guy incubating! So funny and a good way to end this blog.

All of the nests seem to be doing fine. The first egg at Llyn Clywedog was laid at 10:27 this morning UK time. That is the nest of Dylan and Seren. I will be checking on those UK Osprey nests later today.

Thank you so much for joining me and for all of your good wishes, prayers, and warm thoughts for us and the garden birds and animals in the storm. It is much appreciated. Take care everyone. See you soon!

Under the Feeders. 14 April 2022

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: DHEC, UFlorida Osprey Nest, and Cornell Bird Lab and RTH.

Late Tuesday and Wednesday in Bird World

12-13 April 2022

We continue to shovel the walkways so that we can put down seed. Then it snows lots more and we do it again!

It is nearing 23:00 on the 12th of April. The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) are closing all of the major highways in the province where I live. This is unprecedented and will actually be quite helpful in keeping people safe. For at least two days we have known about the historic storm that is due to arrive in a few hours and have been told to stock up on medicines, batteries, candles, food, etc. All of the schools are closed. As for me I am sitting back and waiting and watching the MN-DNR Bald Eagle nest south of me in Minnesota to see how this system plays out with those eagles.

The nest is in a severe thunderstorm watch area. The winds were gusting earlier. I caught a few minutes of the nest as it creaked and swayed.

It is currently raining and the nest is still blowing about but not nearly as bad.

This is the nest Wednesday morning. They have gotten rain but not the snow that we are experiencing that is confusing many of the smaller birds such as the Juncos.

There have been two recent visits of Ervie’s to the Port Lincoln Osprey nest. One was 17:42 on the evening of the 12th (last night). The other was this morning, the 13th in Australia. Ervie arrived and then left and returned with a puffer.

In the image above, you can see the missing talon. Ospreys only have four talons. The image below has caused a lot of confusion. Does the nail on the right top belong to a different foot? or the one with the missing talon?

Is Ervie missing one or two talons? or is one curled under? Everyone is looking very closely at Ervie’s feet.

I wanted to do a quick check of many nests this morning so we can see how they are doing.

The rain from yesterday seems to have stopped. Both Big and Middle Little at the Dale Hollow nest are dry and there are large pieces of fish on the nest. Little Middle had a nice feed earlier, too. So all is well with those two!

This nest has settled down.

This is the Llyn Clywedog Nest of Dylan and Seren. It is gorgeous. Dylan is notorious for bringing back trout to the nest! Sadly, yesterday, a goshawk came and sat on this nest. Goshawks tend to like to lure the Ospreys into the forest where they attack. Fingers crossed that it will not return!

Aran and Mrs G together on the perch first thing on the morning of 13 April. Aran at the back and Mrs G with her really dark face at the front.

Handsome Aran with his fish on the perch at Glaslyn later in the day. Did he bring it for Mrs G? where is she?

Idris and Telyn on the perches at the Dyfi Nest. All is well.

Blue NC0 laid her first egg on April 12 at 18:35. What a beautiful nest at the Loch of the Lowes – so soft and comfy – and personally, one of the most gorgeous sites in all of the Osprey breeding areas.

Laddie LM15 comes to take his turn helping his mate Blue NC0.

CJ7 has been bringing nesting materials into the alternate nest at Poole Harbour. Blue 022 has been seen sky dancing all over the place. I hope he stays at Poole Harbour!

All is well at Rutland Water. Maya is incubating three eggs. Fantastic.

If you are following the UK arrivals, here is a good chart for you.

Thank you to Friends of Loch Arkaig FB Page for posting his chart.

Moving back to North America, the three osplets at the U of Florida at Gainesville continue to do well. Little Bob is still with us! And that is a good day.

Strong winds took out the camera at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta on the 12th.

Calmer winds are forecast for the Channel Islands today. That is fantastic. Looks like the view is pretty good from Two Harbours already. That wee one of Chase and Cholyn’s looks so tiny in that huge nest!

Andy has delivered fish. Little (or Mini) is calling for fish in the image below while Big flaps its wings.

Gosh, those chicks of Andy and Lena’s are sure beautiful. They will surely pop the corks when these two fledge! It has been a good year for Captiva Ospreys.

Mr President and Lotus’s chick has a nice big crop this morning. That little fuzzy teddy bear of a shape has sure changed over the past week! No signs of bad weather at the National Arboretum Nest in DC.

It is a little wet and windy in Iowa at the Decorah North nest. I wonder if they are going to get any of the system that is impacting us?

This is an image of Majestic, the Ambassador Bald Eagle for Wildlife Haven, our local rehabber. She has been part of a fund raising campaign because of the Avian Flu. She has been moved indoors where she will be safe. Everyone loves Majestic!

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation is sponsoring a virtual talk/discussion on what is being done about Avian Flu in our province on 19 April at 7pm. Here is the link to sign up. It is free. Since it is virtual and if you are wanting to learn more about Avian Flu, why not sign up?!

Avian Flu Seminar

Hancock Wildlife in British Columbia is having a GoFundMe drive for nests for Bald Eagles. David Hancock is ‘the eagle man’ in Canada. Most of you probably know him. He reminded me today that when he was sixteen years old and living at Blaine Harbour, you would see white buckets on the fishing boats with eagle legs. Yes, the legs cut off. They would be shipped to Alaska for $2 a pair. That was 1954. Sadly, David says that the same attitude of neglect towards the Bald Eagles continues.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-new-home-for-our-delta2-eagles-nest?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

Thank you for joining me today. We are busy trying to take care of the birds that come to our garden as best we can. The squirrels are tucked up warm and no where in sight. Take care everyone!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Port Lincoln Osprey Project, MN-DNR, DHEC, CarnyxWild, Brywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi, Scottish Wildlife, Poole Harbour, Rutland Water, UFL Ospreys, Explore.org, Captiva Ospreys and Window on Wildlife, NADC-AEF, and Wildlife Haven.

Tuesday in Bird World

12 April 2022

The ‘historic’ storm is set to hit us sometime during the late evening or night. It will snow and blow then calm and start up again on Thursday. Apparently people are hoarding food and turkeys are said to now cost $80 each. Of course, they will be useless if the electricity has an outage. It is the reason that we have a back up wood stove in the City. Eons ago and I do mean eons, I remember a storm that hit leaving several feet on the roads and downing the power lines. The cables had thick ice – first sagging and then snapping under the weight. The house in the country had a hand pump to the cistern if the power was lost and a large wood stove. We ate, had hot baths and meals – one day it was so warm the children were wearing their summer clothes. The snow was so deep. It took 13 days before we were a priority with the municipality – being the only house on a road for several miles. We were fine. Sometimes old school is best. All of the garden critters have been fed so much especially Dyson and Scraggles as well as Little Red. They can hoard it all away and munch and stay warm inside their nests and the penthouse til the storm is over. No worries for them!

Dyson really does enjoy those nice nuts. He even seems to be putting on some weight since he discovered he prefers the ‘luxury’ bird seed. Too funny. He feels his cheeks and runs away returning quickly!

The soap opera in the Glaslyn Valley is officially over for the 2022 season. Mrs G is back with Aran on the Glaslyn nest and Blue 014 has Aeron Z2 all to herself at Pont Cresor. Aran has delivered half a fish to Mrs G. He might be waiting to deliver a whole one until he is sure she is staying!

Mrs G, the oldest Osprey in the UK, is as gorgeous as ever with her dark plumage.

Aran on his perch and Mrs G in the nest.

Mrs G enjoying the fish that Aran provided.

As the sun begins to set, Aran is in the nest working on the walls that were installed by the Glaslyn staff in an effort to ease the nesting season for Mrs G and her mate.

It is raining at the Dale Hollow nest. Little Middle and Big are soaked.

At 11:10:31 Obey brings a fish to the nest for Big and Little Middle.

Everyone is soaking. Little Middle was first up at the feeding once River decided it was a good time to start – around 12:13.

Even when Big moves up, Little Middle stays in place and continues to eat. It is all good.

Little Middle is happy River came to the nest. He loves cuddling with Mum.

The little eaglet at the National Arboretum nest of Mr President and Lotus is thriving.

While this wee one begins to get its thermal down, there is branching happening at the NEFlorida Bald eagle nest of Samson and Gabby. Yesterday Jasper branched at 10:10:53 as Rocket looked on.

No worries, beautiful Rocket. You will be up there soon enough! Too soon for us!!!!!

Just look above and have a quick peek at this short video – a reminder of how quickly the eagles grow! I recall the days that we were all worried that Rocket would survive but, he did. He was self-feeding first and became ever so clever.

The bonking has started at the UFL Osprey nest. I am cautiously hopeful that the beaking will subside but let’s see if Dad can get more fish on this nest pronto.

Richmond and Rosie at the SF Bay Osprey nest have their third egg. You have heard me say it many times. They are good and solid and capable of dealing with three! Eggs were laid on April 5, 8, and 11. Just perfect.

Everything is fine at the Black Stork nest of Karl II in the Karula Forest in Estonia. Kaia has returned!!!!!!!

I am so happy to report that the male is back on the Black Stork nest in Latvia! This nest is in the Sigulda region of Latvia.

Oh, and I am so excited. I love Black Kites and Grey and Golda are working on their nest in Latvia. This is exciting. Some of you might remember the Black Kite nest in a cemetery in Taipei. I continue to look for that streaming cam to start operating. But now we can watch in Latvia!

Black kites are medium sized raptors. They generally live in the forests where they generally occupy the lower canopy. This is where they hunt small mammals, frogs, salamanders, and even grasshoppers as well as other insects. They will lay between 2 and 5 eggs.

Last year there were three hatchlings. They were seriously cute.

The second White-tailed eaglet hatched at the Danish nest yesterday. Both hatches are doing well. Just watching for the third to arrive tomorrow.

White YW and Blue 35 have been working on their nest at Foulshaw Moss in Cumbria. The camera does not have a rewind capacity so you have to watch often and long to catch the ospreys on the nest. This is the nest of Tiny Little’s parents. S/he was ringed Blue 463 and as the third hatch, with the help of Mum and Dad, s/he thrived. I am very much looking forward to this season with these fabulous parents. Where do the parents roost? On the tree in the distance.

Here is the link to the streaming cam. There are two views when you click on the page.

https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/cams/osprey-cam

Everything is fine at the Dyfi Osprey nest of Idris and Telyn! They are a super couple. Again, great nest to watch. Link to camera is below. You can count on Idris bringing in some whoppers!

This is a new couple. CJ7 who has hoped for a mate for so long and the more than eager to oblige dashingly handsome Blue 022. They are at Poole Harbour and as I always mention – any chicks that hatch on this nest will be the first in over 200 years. You can well imagine that the local community is pretty excited.

Here is the link to their camera as you begin to get your UK Osprey nests to watch consolidated.

There is a soft rain at the Loch of the Lowes. You can hear the songbirds in the distance. Laddie and Blue NC0 have a beautiful nest and it is impossible to see if there is an egg yet. I don’t think so.

Blue NC0 has been on and off the nest. Did I tell you she is a fantastic fisher? It is not clear whether or not Laddie caught this fish and handed it off to her after he had eaten the head but, that is probably what happened. Blue NC0 would be pleased. She turned out to be a fantastic Mum last year to the surprise of some. Once the chicks were old enough she was out fishing. She really kept the fish flowing on the nest for the two healthy chicks last year.

Here is the link to the camera at the Loch of the Lowes.

Tomorrow, Cal Falcons is due to post the list of names so that the community can vote. It will be so nice for the New Guy to get a proper name. Everything is going fine for this new couple as we continue to mourn the loss of Grinnell.

All of the Peregrine Falcon nests are doing just fine as is Big Red and Arthur’s Red-tail Hawk nest at Cornell. The action will be starting in a few weeks!

Thank you so much for joining me today as we skipped around some of the nests. The weather that is approaching Manitoba will also impact the MN-DNR nest I am pretty sure. I will try and keep an eye on Harry and Nancy and the two eaglets. Take care all. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Brywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, DHEC, Birdlife Denmark, NADC-AEF, NEFlorida-AEF, UFL Osprey, CFN, SF Ospreys and Goldden Gate Audubon, Latvian Fund for Nature, Cumbrian Wildlife Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust and Friends of Loch of the Lowes, Dyfi, and Cal Falcons.

Monday in Bird World

11 April 2022

The tributes continue to come in for Grinnell! It is more than heart-warming to know that this little falcon touched the hearts and lives of so many in such a positive way.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/11/peregrine-falcons-grinnell-annie-captivated-audience

I have not seen the list of names chosen by Cal Falcons in the naming contest. Will keep you posted.

A soap opera saga is playing out in the Glaslyn Valley in Wales. The four players are Mrs G, the oldest UK Osprey; her mate, Aran, Monty’s son Aeron Z2 at Pont Cresor, and Blue 014. With the late arrival of Aran and Blue 014, Aeron Z2 and Mrs G got a little too comfortable over at Aeron’s Pont Cresor nest. When both Aran and Blue 014 returned yesterday things got a little sticky. It looks like the guys are going to leave the girls to fight it out. I am just not clear which Aran or Aeron Mrs G wants!!!!!!!!

Aran is really handsome and looks in tip top shape. It is interesting, in terms of bird behaviour, what happens to a couple after there has been a loss of chicks on a nest and, to add to that, an injury to the male. That is precisely what happened at Glaslyn last year. We will wait to see how this sorts itself out.

Handsome Aran. 10 April 2022

Aran is enjoying his fish and keeping watch over his nest while the ladies fight it out.

While the drama continues to unfold in Glaslyn, the folks down in Poole Harbour are rejoicing at the reuniting of CJ7 and Blue 022. These two are totally committed to one another. What is at stake? The first Osprey to hatch in Poole Harbour in over 200 years! It is really exciting. CJ7 waited a couple of years for a mate and Blue 022, a youngster, showed up last year very keen – very keen, indeed.

The list of Ospreys left to return to the UK is growing shorter by the hour. Both Louis and Dorcha returned to the Loch Arkaig Nest safe and sound. So happy!

Some of you will remember the 2020 Osprey season at Loch Arkaig with Louis and his mate, Aila. They raised three amazing fledglings. Sadly, Aila did not return last year. Louis moved to a different nest and bonded with the female that is now called Dorcha.

I adore Louis. He is a great provider and a fabulous father. Here he is bringing Dorcha a fish. Louis knows how to take good care of his family.

It is very windy at Loch Arkaig today. It is hard to get a good image of Louis and Dorcha. Louis is on the left and Dorcha is on the right. Notice Louis’s beautiful necklace. I saw someone on one of the chats the other day comment that they thought only females have necklaces. That is not correct; there are quite a few male Ospreys with exquisite necklaces – the envy of many females!

Here is a link to camera 2 at Loch Arkaig:

I started the other day, with my friend ‘S’s list of favourite Osprey nests. So I want to go back to that list because Chesapeake Bay is on that list of great Osprey nests to live stream. The nest is on Kent Island just off the coast of Maryland. It is on the property of ‘The Crazy Osprey Family’. This family has been sponsoring a streaming cam for the Ospreys since 2012.

The Chesapeake Conservancy Osprey nest is the home to Tom and Audrey. Last year, after a couple of eggs broke in the nest, the couple fledged one chick, CJ.

Some viewers have been concerned about what appears to be a cut on Audrey’s chest. I say ‘cut’ because it does not appear to be blood from bringing in a fish. It is amazing how quickly wildlife heal and the water around the nest is 50% salt which is excellent to help cuts heal (Thanks ‘L’ for checking on that amount of salt here). Audrey should be fine.

The couple who returned to the nest from their winter migration to South America – Audrey on the 18th of March and Tom on the 25th – have been caught on camera mating today. If mating is successful, it takes three days to produce an egg. Keep watching!

Here is the link to Tom and Audrey’s camera:

Osprey

The Osprey family on the light stand at the University of Florida at Gainesville survived the ball game yesterday. All three chicks were wide awake and ready for fish this morning! It is too early to tell how this nest is going to turn out. Middle and Little Bob still do not control their head as well as Big Bob who is right up front for food.

Here is a link to this cam:

https://wec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/ospreycam/

Richmond and Rosie, the bonded pair of Ospreys whose nest is on a World War II crane at the Richmond Shipping Yards in SF Bay are hilarious. I highly recommend this nest – yes, absolutely. Solid Ospreys.

However, Richmond got a little carried away and decided to bring a small tree to the nest. In the process, he almost broke all the eggs! Richmond!!!!!

Then later Richmond decided he wanted to incubate the two eggs and was tired of waiting so he sat on Rosie! Richmond, maybe Rosie is thinking of laying a third egg??? What do you think?

Doing a quick check on Middle Little at Dale Hollow shows both eaglets ate well, both parents on the nest and a couple of nice hunks of fish. No sign of any monofilament line. All is well.

Middle Little is growing really well and eating good! Look at that big hunk of fish.

Sitting on the Canadian Prairies you would not know that a super storm is set to hit the area tomorrow. Most people are being extremely cautious. Our rivers are full to overflowing and they are predicting ‘the storm of the century’. Is it weatherman hype? In this case I hope they are entirely wrong! Thousands of Dark-eyed Juncos have just descended on our City, the Geese are nesting, the Snowy Owls are migrating north, and more song birds are moving in by the day.

This was Sunday in a rural area. The water is now up over the banks there.

There are tens of thousands of Canada Geese in Manitoba and more arriving daily.

Normally the geese leave you alone unless you get too close to their nest. Then watch out!

This little red squirrel had a stash of corn kernels at the base of the tree in the park.

He was such a cutie.

Oh, he looks like my Dyson with part of the fur on his tail missing. Poor thing.

Speaking of Dyson, I need to go and make sure that there are plenty of solid seed cylinders placed in various locations so that the squirrels can get to them during the storm. It should not be arriving until tomorrow evening – plenty of time to restock wood for the Jotul stove in case the electricity goes out, find candles, and generally get ready to sit back and read for several days. Can’t wait!

I hope that all of you are well. Thank you so much for joining me today. It is a pleasure to have you with us.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Cal Falcons, Woodland Trust and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Explore.org, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, UFL Ospreys at Gainesville, DHEC, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife, and Poole Harbour Ospreys.

Some support for Middle Little

4 April 2022

UPDATE: I have just heard from Jessica Halls at the American Eagle Foundation. They are on standby to do the rescue once the thumbs up from TN is given. They are awaiting permission from the Army to enter the site.

This morning I received two positive e-mails from individuals who are going into action for the little eaglet at Dale Hollow. I want to thank Ron Magill of the Miami Zoo who rescued R2 just ten days ago, the eaglet of Ron and Rita’s who had monofilament line wrapped around its legs. Ron sent the information about the eaglet to the Reese Collins, the Eagle Permit Holder for the USFWS. She has alerted the proper individuals in Tennessee. One of you made a video of the line and I thank you. I have sent it to Reese to confirm the continuing presence of the line. I am also attaching the letter received from Ron Magill and from Reese Collins because each of you cared and in your own way have worked hard to get help for Little Middle. I continue to say, we just have to find the right person. Ron Magill’s love of eagles and his recent rescue bring the urgent understanding to this issue.

This is the letter from Ron Magill:

“I apologize for not getting back to you sooner but I was away for the weekend and just saw your email.  With that said, I am so sorry to hear of the eaglet at Dale Hollow that is entangled in monofilament line.

Though I don’t know of anyone in the Tennessee/Kentucky area who may be able to assist with that issue, I have copied Resee Collins from the USFWS who is the best eagle expert I know and who first introduced me to bald eagles decades ago.  She is the Eagle Permit Coordinator for the USFWS and I reach out to her whenever I have an eagle question or concern.  Though I am not sure if there is anything that can be done for this bird, she would be my best bet for any guidance.

No matter what the outcome of this situation at the Dale Hollow nest, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to you for caring enough to try to help.  It is the passionate concern of individuals like yourself that helps inspire people to care and it is appreciated very much by all of us who know how special these majestic raptors are.  I don’t want you ever to think that your efforts are not making a difference.

I hope and pray that the situation at Dale Hollow has a positive resolution.”

This is the immediate response from Reese Collins:

“Mary— Thank you for your concern for this eaglet and for helping to promote wildlife education through this online eagle nest cam experience at Dale Hollow. It certainly is distressing when humans directly or indirectly cause impacts to bald eagle nests, such as this instance with discarded fishing line attached to a fish that was brought to the nest by the adult birds and subsequently the younger eaglet became entangled in. You rightly expressed concern for the eaglet’s survival in this condition, since the fishing line has the potential to impair circulation and cause neurological damage and/or prevent the eaglet from being able to fledge successfully.

Have you observed additional video of the younger eaglet in this nest and if so, is it still entangled and the line cutting the skin of the eaglet as stated below? I’ve been to the website several times this morning, but both eaglets have been inactive and lounging in the nest, so was unable to confirm if this situation is still ongoing or if the eaglet was able to get itself untangled over the weekend. 

By virtue of this email, I am bringing this situation to the attention of Jessica Hall, Executive Director of the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge TN and Rusty Boles, the Captive Wildlife/ADC Coordinator for Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in Nashville, TN.  The American Eagle Foundation is the state’s leading eagle expert (although they are over 2 hours away; perhaps they would know of a contact closer to this location) and any granted access to an active eagle nest would have to be coordinated through TWRA’s Rusty Boles. 

The Service would support a rescue of the eaglet if it is still entangled in the fishing line and it appears to be causing a medical issue as long as the state wildlife agency supports the rescue (Rusty Boles with TWRA) and a federally permitted wildlife rehabilitator such as American Eagle Foundation is on site for the rescue. In similar cases of fishing line entanglement, we have recommended that while the rescuer was retrieving the eaglet, that any other litter that’s accessible in the nest posing a potential risk to the adult or nestling eagles be removed as well. Fortunately, these eaglets are at a young enough age that typically they would just flatten down defensively in the nest and not jump out. This certainly is a teachable moment for your viewers about the perils that discarded litter can cause wildlife.”

You just need to find the right person who understands and is willing to help. I am so grateful to Ron Magill and to Reese this morning. Reese is on standby to go into action once Rusty Bowles gets the go ahead. I wish you could see the tears and the smile on my face!!!!!!!! As you may be aware the individuals that run the camera do not own the land nor do they own the eagles who are protected and as you can see from the attitudes of those highest in the USFWS they want DH15 saved from the line. I am more hopeful than I have been.

You will note that the head of permits does require the state of Tennessee to agree. I want you also to please see that the experts state as we have that the eaglets will flatten down and not jump. They call this a teachable moment. It is and will give joy to us if this happens.

Thank you again to all of the readers of my blog. You care and together we can work to make things happen! I hope that those individuals who contacted me are able to make the intervention!

Sunday morning in Bird World

2 April 2022

Good Morning everyone. It is a ‘grey’ day on the Canadian Prairies. It is -1 Cband should get up to +2 C. Yesterday it was positively summery at +5 C and at that temperature we begin to don our lighter coats and start to believe that spring will be coming. There is something going on in the garden with the birds and the surrounding area. Yesterday two large groups of Crows gathered along with the neighbourhood three. There were approximately 30 in total. They do this when the Great Horned Owl from the nearby golf course descends into their territory. The only garden friend that I can see scurrying about is Little Red. He has just come out of his penthouse and is heading for the seed cylinders. Is everyone else sleeping in?

The researchers at Cal Falcons say that it is very rare for a male to bond with a female who has eggs and help her. I have mentioned Xavier in Orange who has now been Diamond’s mate for eons. There is now wonderful footage of the new male in Annie’s life bringing her what looks to be a nice healthy pigeon. This is very promising and I start off with this event because it is simply so unexpected and joyful. I hope that it continues.

There continue to be two eggs. Annie is in the scrape this morning incubating them.

I have been to watch the goings on at Dale Hollow in an attempt to see how that monofilament line is behaving or not on Little Middle’s leg. I could not see the top of the feet well enough but there appears to still be line on the talons but not pulled tight.

At the first feeding of the morning, Big violently attacked Little Middle. That was at 08:31. I know that many of us had hoped that Big would eventually stop this behaviour as Little Middle grew or literally be unable physically to mount a full on attack. This appears to not have happened. Big is capable of completely covering Little Middle. (Please read because this turns out brilliant).

The arrival of the fish prompts Big to tell Little Middle that it is all his!

It is hard to believe that these eaglets are precisely the same age – 34 days old if you count hatch date, 28 February.

Needless to say Little Middle did not get any of that fish. Little Middle stays in submission at the end of nest.

And then something interesting happens once the adult has left. We have been seeing this for several days – self feeding. Despite the fishing line, Little Middle is understanding to hold down the prey item with a foot.

Big is full to the brim. Little Middle is eyeing the fish. He doesn’t need a parent to feed him- Little Middle is so clever. It is 09:04.

Little Middle is ahead of Big in terms of self feeding. Again, it is not clear precisely where the fishing line is in its entirety but Little Middle is eating and feeding itself.

River returns to the nest and feeds Little Middle the rest of the fish. This time Little Middle got to the side where it is safe from Big to eat!

At 09:37 you can see Little Middle’s crop and you can also see the fishing line on the right talons. It is not taut like it was yesterday.

At 11:09 River brings in a large headless fish to the nest. The fish deliveries are looking good today in terms of their size. That is a good thing.

I was waiting for Big to do something and then River moved up and fed Little Middle – who, from the image, has a nice crop already. Little Middle is eating well. This is good.

River or is it Obey turned the other direction and kept the two apart.

River did not feed a lot of fish. Big was full and so was Little Middle. But look, Little Middle is nibbling on the fish! This is such a sweet eaglet.

At 11:28 you can clearly see Little Middle’s crop – and it is wonderfully big!!!!!

At 11:30 Middle Little is across the nest showing off its crop alongside Big. This prompts me to say that Little Middle is mobile, moving around. Yesterday the fishing line was causing some issues. I continue to be hopeful that this issue will take care of itself. My last check is at 11:37 and Little Middle is once again eyeing the leftover fish in the nest.

This was posted on the Berry College Eagles FB this morning. As you will recall, the only eaglet B15 fledged the other day. Missy and Pa Berry have done everything to lure him back to the nest.

Maya and Blue 33 (11) did not waste anytime. Maya laid her first egg at Rutland Water’s Manton Bay Osprey nest yesterday!

Maya was covered in frost when she woke up this morning.

Speaking of laying eggs, Mother Goose at the old Decorah, Iowa Bald Eagle nest laid her 6th egg yesterday. Will we have 7 today? She fooled everyone!

In the UK, two of Monty’s boys have returned Z1 Tegid and Z2 Aeron whose nest is at Pont Cresor near Glaslyn. The note was in my message box from my friend ‘T’. We joked before if we were Ospreys which male would we want for a mate. ‘T’ always wants Monty. I am a Blue 33 (11) girl.

Aeron Z2 appeared on Mrs G and Aran’s nest. Despite having his own partner at the PC nest, both of Monty’s lads were interested in Mrs G and her nest last year.

There are three Osprey males on monitored nests that have not returned yet. They are Aran at Glaslyn, Dylan at Llyn Clywedog, and Idris at the Dyfi Nest.

It has been a tough week for all of us watching Little Middle and the fishing line. It would seem that everyone from Florida to Tennessee and beyond knows about the eaglet’s issue with the monofilament line. Today, I am going out into the forest. The Japanese have this wonderful word, Shinrinyoku. It is going out into nature, into the quiet of the woods and letting the outdoors soak into me through my pores. While it was originally meant to get individuals to increase their contact with nature, I have found walking in the woods a good way to get all of the negativity of the week out of my head. As important is another ‘S’ word – Shoganai. That word reminds me that often we have to accept things as they are especially a situation that is beyond our control. We can let go of that huge feeling of frustration and disappointment. We have done the best we can. The founder of The American Eagle Foundation is aware as is Scott Somershoe of the TN Audubon Society. Thank you for those links to these individuals or for contacting them yourself. This morning Little Middle ate well, fed itself, and was mobile. That is good.

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

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Cal Falcons, Dale Hollow Eagles, LRWT, Explore.org, and Bywyd Gwyllt Glasyn.

Late Wednesday – Early Thursday in Bird World

30-31 March 2022

Wednesday was a day with super highs and lowest lows in the animal world. A group of hunters in the UK chased a Buck for 7 hours straight until it collapsed and died. Seriously horrific. River brought in a beautiful fish for the kids at the nest she shares with her mate, Obey, at Dale Hollow Lake. This is in northern Tennessee bordering Kentucky. It had a hook and fishing line. River broke the line and tossed the hook over the edge of the nest but some line remains and some – not sure how much – is on Middle Little’s foot. I hope it works itself off naturally without cutting into the talons and leg. Poor thing. Little Middle has been through so much. I could not – and still can’t – believe this happened. One of our readers has the e-mail of Al Cerere that started the American Eagle Foundation with its headquarters in Tennessee. Perhaps he can help Little Middle in some way. Thank you, ‘L’ for reaching out to him. Fires are raging the Pigeon Forge Tennessee home to Dollywood and the AEF Ambassador Eagles – and Al will also be busy with this. The wildfire is being monitored and there are plans for evacuation. In the positive column, White YW arrived today to join his mate, Blue 35, on the Foulshaw Moss Osprey Nest in Cumbria. Last year they almost arrived at the same time. So excited. These are Tiny Little’s parents!! It is a great nest but an aggravation as there is no rewind!

Akecheta feeding his triplets always puts a smile on my face! Just looking at them gives me hope.

All is well with the West End triplets this morning, Thursday the 31st.

The triplets at Pittsburgh-Hayes are also doing well. A dry morning has turned, however, into a miserable one and the three will need to stay dry and snug until it passes.

The storm that hit points to the west that is hitting Pittsburgh is starting to blow in Washington, DC where Mr President and Lotus have their only nestling to keep dry, warm, and fed.

There is lots of food but it is difficult to feed a new hatch in torrential rains!

There are storms moving through large swaths of US. The storm and heavy rain at Berry College where B15 has his nest with parents Pa Berry and Missy is just starting.

This morning at 09:17:55 Pa Berry and Missy’s eaglet B15 fledged!!!!!!! Here is B15 at 09:00.

I cropped the image so you can find B15 easier. It is the black silhouette at the top centre flying out of the frame.

Parent is on the nest trying to lure B15 back with a fish for breakfast – nice reward! Send positive wishes that B15 stays for the 4-5 weeks to learn its flying and continue to get prey from parents!

Gold stars go out to Rosie and Richmond. My goodness they have been working hard to get their Osprey nest on the Whirley Crane in the Richmond Shipping Yards fit for eggs. Well done!

Middle and Little (or Little and Mini) at the Captiva Osprey nest are ‘itchy’. Unless they are eating it is extremely difficult to get a good image of both of them standing together!

There is still no news on the cause of Big’s death. That was 15 March. Only 16 days ago. It could be another week or more.

A lesson learned that many wildlife rehabbers know is that if there is a nest where an eaglet needs to be removed so the others thrive, remove the oldest. Not the youngest. Both Middle and Little have done well, getting along perfectly well since the death of Big. I don’t want this to sound callous but it is the thing to remember. Often we think the one that needs food needs to be removed but it is actually the oldest who will do well in care while the young does best on the nest.

A sub-adult or juvenile White-bellied sea eagle has return to the nest in the Sydney Olympic Park. Is this 25, 26, or 27 or 28? They are attempting to identify the bird. This is done, ironically, through the talons I believe.

Sea Eaglet is quite hungry but lovely to see. I wonder if this is not WBSE 27 that went into care twice? Will confirm when anything is posted.

The Black Stork Karl II flew into the Ukraine and instead of heading north headed back south to where it was on the 29th. Did something scare it? Individuals are hopeful that Karl II will go a different route to the west. Fingers crossed.

There is a fish pool at Mindic where Karl II can get food.

I have no information on the situation with regard to Little Middle at the Dale Hollow Nest. Yesterday River brought in a fish that had a hook and line stuck in its side. River removed the hook breaking the line. She threw the hook over the nest. Monofilament line remained and it got on D15 Little Middle’s left foot. This morning at 08:28:09 there is a clear view of the issue. The line, at that time, had wrapped around the 4th toe the hallux needed to carry fish and the third and over the first toe. Last night it was only around the top of the foot. It is tighter. Little Middle ate well last night. I did not see it eat this morning. Here is an image of that line:

I posted the image and the issue on Bald Eagles 101 this morning and send a message to the USFWS at Cookeville, TN.

If you feel so inclined, here are some phone numbers of appropriate authorities to call in Tennessee. Remember that Carol Moore called The Raptor Centre who was to call the USFWS yesterday. I believe this was done. It is unclear if there is any way to access the nest. Some trees are just not safe for someone to climb. It is imperative to remember that this is a human caused issue and, as such, warrants an intervention if, indeed, it is at all possible to do so. What we do not know is if there is any way to access the tree. That said, here are some phone numbers in the area if you feel you would like to add your voice. The Mid-South Raptor Center at Celina TN. 901-685-8827. The Army Corp of Engineers that own the property is 931-243-3135. The Cookeville USFWS is 931-528-6481.

There is no guarantee that anyone will do anything. I was hopeful that this morning Little Middle would be relieved. It is possible that there is absolutely no access to the nest. As one of my falconer friends reminded me yesterday, ‘Nature kicks you right in the gut just when you think everything is going well’. And it couldn’t be truer. Little Middle was clever and eating and Big didn’t bother it yesterday like the days before. Both of them are 31 days old today, 32 if you count hatch. Being gutted is pretty much what it feels like this morning but I live with hope.

Speaking of hope, Cal Falcons has estimated that Annie will lay her 3rd egg tonight around 21:10!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait!!!!!!! Something positive to look forward to.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I wish beyond wishes that I had good news for you about Little Middle. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: West End Eagles and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, Pix Cakm, NADC-AEF, Berry College, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, Captiva Ospreys and Window on Wildlife, Sydney Sea Eagles at BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Anne7 at Looduskalender Forum, and Dale Hollow Eagles.

Dale Hollow – still some beaking amidst the good

21 March 2020

It was a grey morning when Big and Middle wake up. Both immediately begin preening. Big is getting its blood feathers along the wing.

At 06:43:46 River flies in with what looks like to be a medium sized fish. Both babies are sleepy heads.

River offers Middle the first bite at 06:45:13. He moves to take it. Despite Big not seeming to be interested, this is a mistake.

Big is the dominant bird on the nest. Middle needs to be careful not to wake up Big’s bad side. Big gets angry and lashes out. Poor Middle is terrified and immediately moves to try and get away. Big could fatally injure the wee one.

Big will eat and Middle will keep a very submissive and self-protective pose until 06:47 when it moves to the rim of the nest closer to Mum River. River offers bites to Big who doesn’t seem to be interested. Middle notices and moves close to Mum’s beak eating quickly at 06:48:50.

River drops a piece of fish she is trying to give Big. Middle looks at it but is extremely aware that Big is moving. This clearly frightens Middle.

Big is moving so it can do a poop shot. Look at that PS. Gracious.

Big then moves up to River to eat.

Middle might look calm but it isn’t. It is frightened by the actions of Big, a reminder of what happened to it less than 48 hours ago when Big took its wrath out on Middle til late in the day on the 19th. Many of us thought Middle would not survive.

Middle is getting smart but it needs to continue to be extremely cautious. Middle moves between River’s legs to snatch some bites where it is protected from Big. The time was 06:54:43.

By 06:57:54 River has reached the fish tail. Little would like some. Big will eat most of the tail at 06:58:44 but then it drops a large piece. River gives Middle some of the tail at 06:59:13.

River moves to get another piece of fish that is on the nest at 06:59:35. Middle continues to eat. It is interesting that Big is less interested in food. Does it need to cast a pellet?

Obey arrives on the nest at 08:15:58. The eaglets have finished eating and River is shading them when he arrives. You can see that there is another piece of fish on the nest and behind River there is another. Fish magically appear from inside all that straw!

Obey does a quick check, an alert call, and he is off. By this time Big is hungry so River gets to the fish tail and begins to feed Big at 08:20. You can see the other piece of fish, a large portion, to the left of River. Middle stays in submission in the middle of the nest while Big eats.

At 08:26:22 Middle moves around to position itself for food. Middle is watching Big careful to not make Big angry.

Middle gets its first bite at 08:26:40. Middle has really perfected its move up to the beak and the snatch and grab. Both will eat until 08:34:30 when Middle is the only one left eating. The feeding is finished around 08:36:42. Middle had dropped its crop earlier and is now getting another one. Yeah!

At 10:20:17, Middle is crying for fish. Big is over at the rim and River, hearing Middle, moves up to the piece of fish near the feeding area.

River reaches down to feed Middle and Big immediately moves!

Another mistake! Middle cannot eat before Big. It is 10:20:33 and Big attacks Middle. Remember that Big is so much larger that it can still kill the smaller Middle relatively easy. Not good to wake up Big’s bad side.

Big moves up to eat for a few minutes. Middle stays in submission.

Then Big moves to the rim of the nest. Will Middle get any food?

Yes!

Middle moves very carefully over to the right of the nest.

Middle eats for awhile and then River offers a bite to Big at the rim.

At 10:24:54 something wonderful happens. Middle does a poop shot. This is so good. The plumbing is working fine.

Afterwards, Middle moves up and continues to eat. Big is quiet. Thank goodness.

By 10:26:48 Middle appears to be full and moves over to look at what is going on in the woods.

Big and Middle eventually wind up beside one another at the rim. Everything is amicable. Both are hot. Why is River not up here shading her chicks?

The two of them move around the nest trying to get cool. It is now 11:05 and the nest is quiet. No more feedings.

This nest is hardly settled. Middle is learning tricks to survive but has to remain very careful at the beginning of each feeding. Let Big go first and hope that lots of fish land on the nest. We have to take this nest at almost a feeding at a time for now. Send positive wishes!

Also a correction to an earlier post: Abby and Blazer’s two eaglets hatched on the 11th and 14th of February not March. Thanks ‘S’. LOL. They would not be ready for branching if it was March!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for joining me. Take care! See you soon.

Thank you to Dale Hollow Eagle streaming cam where I took my screen captures.