It’s a bit chilly at -7 C this morning but there is a beautiful blue sky and bright sunshine to make us feel warm. The birds are all over the garden looking for seed through the fresh snow that we woke up to. Spring will come. There will be lots of moisture in the ground. That will be a blessing. I see Mr Blue Jay has arrived along with the Starlings, Dark-eyed Juncos, and various types of sparrows. Those Blue Jays are so gorgeous against the white snow.
We had a lovely visit with our daughter and grandson yesterday. Jaine came with a homemade Opera cake that could win any Bake Off prize in the world.
This little red squirrel is keeping everyone curious. It darts in and out of the woodbox and under the deck, caching nuts. Hugo Yugo is completely intrigued and sits at the window watching for hours. Isn’t it cute?
Oh, I love this Red-tailed Hawk. For many, Big Red was one of the first raptors they watched on a streaming cam. There is a great Facebook group, along with a live chat from hatch to fledge. This chat will blow you away for one specific reason – each of the moderators is so knowledgeable. Laura Culley used to be one of them. There are set times when chat is open, and historical data and new science are always being added. You could not find a better place if you want to learn about hawks! I will let you know when chat is open and how to find it.
At the nest of Beau and Gabby, the oldest eaglet, Eve, fledged! She really manted to join Kai who earned his wings the day prior.
Lisa Russo posted Gretchen’s post on FB. Thank you, Lisa.
Screenshot
Heidi reports a pip at Brevard County Osprey platform and she was right – there is a chick at Brevard this morning.
Four eggs for Elaine and Newmann at Spirit Bluff scrape.
I was delighted to hear from Lisa, one of our great Bird World members and a daily reader, who also is key at the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey. An article has been published about her work there. Have a read! Lisa is a real inspiration. I am so proud of her – and her award as Volunteer of the Year in 2024.
Maybe someone reading this article about Lisa might be motivated to volunteer locally.
One of the eagles at the Audubon Centre that is benefiting from the devotion of many like Lisa is River.
At the Winter Park Bald Eagle nest Peanut has branched. That is wonderful. Peanut’s older sibling, Brutus, is also at the Audubon Centre after being knocked off the nest by a GHO.
So where is Quinn? Diane Lambertson posted a FB message that might hold that answer.
The IWS has given a beautiful name to the female at the West End Bald Eagle nest in the Channel Islands.
Angel has returned to her nest at Loch Doon and they say Frankie is coming in behind her.
A great presentation by Dr Tim McKrill on osprey migration for us and the Osprey Leadership Foundation: https://youtu.be/wlJoNyKapfc?
Watching for Idris and Telyn to arrive at Dyfi.
SK Hideaways is on a mission to a faraway place. They sent one video this morning. Thank you! Safe and wonderful travels.
West End Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA F & Lee Inseparable on Flirty Pre-Naming Day ~ Must Be Love😍 (2026 Mar 23) F’s name should be announced tomorrow! She and Lee were celebrating together all morning as they repeatedly soared from nest to tor to secret hideout. They were inseparable and had much to chortle-snortle about. There was no interest in mating, but there sure were a lot of goo-goo eyes between them plus one of the sweetest beaky kisses I’ve ever seen. Video: https://youtu.be/PYNBCu8Tw0o Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | West End Eagles Cam Ops Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14 Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg
This female is now Isla.
Two ospreys at Pitkin County this morning.
There is a hatch underway for Bella and Scout at the NCTC Bald Eagle nest. Let’s send this family our best wishes. They lost their beautiful eaglets last year in a nest collapse. It was so sad for everyone.
Despite some deaths, it appears that the Kakapo breeding season is going to be a success.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. Have a marvellous weekend. We will be back soon – too much happening. We are on pip watch for Andor and Cruz at Fraser Point.
Thank you to Lisa Ferguson for sending me that great article. Congratulations! I am grateful to everyone who supplied videos, to those who posted on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch our bird families.
I have had the most marvellous time with my friend Geemeff who has now returned to the UK. We talked ospreys and, of course, anyone who has read my blog for the past osprey seasons will know that I am rather fond of Blue 33, who is my favourite male. At the same time, during the pandemic, Louis and Aila broke the hearts of nearly half a million people with their trio at Loch Arkaig in 2020. Those chicks were Doddie (JJ6), Vera (JJ8), and Captain (JJ7).
Geemeff filmed the first video from a hide at Rutland Water. There was no editing other than the use of slo-mo so that you could actually see what Blue 33 is doing. Now, it is not unusual for an opsrey male to sky dance while trying to woo the female, but look – Blue 33 hovers like a helicopter over Maya. What strength that took! Amazing. I have never seen this behaviour, and neither had Geemeff when she filmed it while on tour at Rutland. Have you? I would love to hear from you if you have.
Louis and Aila won our hearts, and so did the 2021 trio, including my favourite JJ7, Captain! I’d like you to please watch this bizarre behaviour of Mum. The chicks are unsure what to think! But please, you must watch to the very end.
The only one of the trio to be identified and photographed as returning as a two year old of the trio was Doddie who was seen on the Shetland Islands.
Isn’t this chick of Gimbir and Diamond at the Charles Sturt University Falcon Scrape just the cutest only chick? Please vote to give it a good name!
The Currawongs continue to be thwarted by the Olympic Park sea eagles 35 and 36. So far those pesky little birds have not been able to oust the two from the Olympic Forest! Bravo. Prey is being delivered.
Remnants of prey line the gutter at 367 Collins Street in the CBD of Melbourne. So far no fledges from any of the three peregrine falcons.
Your favourite osprey streaming cams and nature centres are fundraising. Here is the latest from Dyfi:
More trials for those who kill our beautiful raptors – will Scotland finally have penalties that will make people stop this horrible practice? Raptor Persecution UK provides us with the latest information.
Thank you for being with us today. Take care. We will be back with you next Monday unless there is something that happens – such as a fledge in Melbourne. Be sure to vote for a name for Gimbir and Diamond’s chick. Check out my blog for November 10th for the details including the choice of names. See you soon!
Thank you to Gemeff and SK Hideaways for their videos and to the owners of the streaming cams, those that post information on the various FB groups, Raptor Persecution UK, and Birdlife Malta for their informative posts.
Oh, it has been relatively quiet in the garden. In fact, eerily quiet. There has been no sign of the feral cats that visit this end of the neighbourhood, the birds have seemingly disappeared, and only Dyson and Co. have been coming for peanuts, along with a few Sparrows and Wrens. Is it the heat? I wonder. Lewis and Missey ‘decided’ that they would no longer allow me to trim their nails without putting up a big fuss. Well, guess what? Both carriers out; they went in out of curiosity and zipped up and off to the nail trimmer! They were both in such shock. Lewis howled as if I was pulling those toenails out, and Missey was a darling then, on the way home, they were both angels. No more nails for scratching one another – well, til they grow out.
We will start with some sad news that Alo, 45D, from the Bald Canyon Eagle nest has died. This eaglet swallowed a fish hook and line and underwent surgery under the care of the IWS. Completely unnecessary.
I thought that would be the only death but, no…sadly I woke up to news from ‘H’ and ‘SP’ that Rosie and Richmond have lost their only osplet this season to unknown causes. Our hearts go out to this devoted couple.
And then there are balloons…seriously. This one has a happy ending, thankfully.
As all of you are aware, Osprey nests can be a feast or famine. One day there will be six or seven fish deliveries and the next day, it might be only one. Weather and intruders contribute to these fluctuations. We remain grateful to the wildlife rehabbers that rescue and give the little ones a second chance (sometimes third and fourth).
One nest that is flourishing with four Osplets on it is PSEG’s Patchogue platform on Long Island. It is remarkable because of the difference in size between the first two hatches and the fourth, little Mini. Somehow I doubt if anyone seeing this nest for the first time believed there was any hope for little Mini and yet, here we are on the 7th of June and little Mini is growing and growing. What is the secret?
As we have seen, osplets get brooded and ‘normally’ have their last fish delivery about an hour before the sun sets. Yes, there are exceptions – the midnight feedings at Moorings Park in Naples, Florida, taught us that this year. But imagine, four osplets full or partially full at bedtime waiting for another 8 or 9 hours before another meal. They are hungry!
On the Patchogue platform on the morning of 7 June 2023, the male delivered four fish before 0850. Those deliveries were at 0545, 0642, 0711, and again at 0850. I do not know how much fish little Mini got at 0545 feeding but at the 0642 feeding, Mini was right up there and there was fish left for Mum. At 0711, Mini is eating alone, a private feeding from Mum. By 0725, Mini has a huge crop and Mum moves the fish over to the other side of the nest to feed the others if they want to eat. Mini is first up at the table at 0850 and is still eating at 0934. Then the others eat some.
0725 and little Mini has a big crop.
Private feeding. Fish 4. Mum has fed chicks for more than three hours with all these deliveries.
At 1004 others eat.
1043. Little Mini is preening.
1114: Little Mini and the bulging crop.
1204. Little Mini in food coma. What a lovely sight.
There has never been an attempt not to feed little Mini despite its small size in relation to the others. Everyone gets fed and Mum makes an extraordinary effort to check and see and moves the fish around the nest to assist in feeding all.
‘M’ sent me two really cute screen shots of Little Mini standing up to one of the big Bobs. My goodness, this fourth hatch has got nerve!
1549. Mini is right up there eating!
1856 and Little Mini is up there with a huge crop! Oh, the haze from the fires burning in Canada. Dreadful for all.
There is another fish at 1936. Little Mini gets itself right up under Mum’s beak and intercepts a piece of fish meant for Big. Now Little Mini already has a big crop – Big took exception and beaked Mini who went into submission. Mini did not need to eat and did not need to create the aggravation. All big ones and Mum enjoyed that nice big trout. Nite Mini!
One thing that is happening is that little Mini is in a period of rapid growth that requires much more food while the older chicks are beginning to taper off. They eat more but less often. This might help little Mini. What does appear to be working is that fish are getting on the nest in plenty early in the morning – perhaps the fishing is easier? – and this appears to have a calming effect on the older siblings causing them to be food secure and less aggressive (not that they have ever been very very aggressive on this nest with all the fish Dad brings in and the equitable feeds by Mum).
A nest that has a problem with differentiation in feeding is Achieva (and Severna). As of Wednesday afternoon Middle has been rescued by Birds in Helping Hands. He was underweight and well…I can only imagine how good that fish is going to taste to him.
Big eating the fish on the nest..Big was very aggressive – the nest lost one chick to siblicide/starvation and Middle was on the verge. So thankful to those people who helped — you know who you are.
Want to thank Birds with Helping Hands? Send them a donation. That is how they manage to stay afloat.
Middle grounded.
Middle in the carrier on the way to rehab and a second chance at life. What a shame it would have been for this beautiful bird to starve to death. It was noted that Middle was not critically endangered of starving to death as so many are and he should be back and fit – having enjoyed meals without having to fight big.
Shelley Vickery contacted me Wednesday evening. Penny, the rehabber, says that Middle “should be just fine”. Isn’t that fantastic news?!
Please consider a donation – every dollar helps, no matter how small. We must support those that get out there and answer our calls for help.
Go to: birdsinhelpinghands.org
‘H’ sends me word from a view nests that we have been monitoring. At Severna, Big got all of the early fish. Then “The next fish was brought at 1330, and feeding commenced 1333. Middle was on the other side of Olivia, and Olivia maintained her position for once. It was a 16 minute feeding and Olivia distributed bites evenly.” Thank heavens! Middle had another good meal at 1438. Oh, keep it up Mum!
At the Patuxent II nest, H reports, “This is the nest of three osplets where there had been some aggression, although no bird has been kept from eating at the feeds I have observed. Feeding from 1316 to 1434. I observed no aggression at all. All were very well fed. #2 had to wait his turn simply because of the strange configuration of that nest bowl. Mom just couldn’t reach #2. But at 1341, #2 started to get fed as others dropped out.”
‘H’ sent a good report on some of the changes at Forsythe Osprey nest and the new aggression towards the small osplet during meals – something that has not happened previously. “Fish 0912, feeding 0913 to 0927. Mini in front row beside Little. All got bites, no one touched Mini. Mini ended up in a food coma. 1011 fish, feeding from 1013-1052. Prior to the start of the feeding, Little beaked Mini and Middle, Mini tucked, Middle beaked back. Little beaked Big, and Big beaked back. At the start of the feeding Little beaked Middle again, Mini was still in submission. Mini had a hard time getting up to the food line through the wall of the three older siblings, went around the other side away from Little and waited. By 103842 Mini got its first bite, Big and Little dropped out, soon followed by Middle. So Mini had a private feeding until 1047 when the others started to come back. By 1048 Mini was in a food coma. 1222 fish, feeding from 1223 to 1232. When the fish arrived, before the feeding started, Little beaked at Mini pretty roughly. After the feeding started, Mini stayed back, nevertheless, Little turned around and beaked Mini on 4 different occasions. Mini never made it to the food line. After that feeding was over, Little beaked Mini at 1350, 1355, 1358 and 1403. I don’t know why Mini stayed close to Little and didn’t seek a safe spot beside Big or Middle.”
The feedings really depend on Mini being able to stay away from Little who appears to be a very aggressive third-hatch female. ‘H’ notes that Mini got ’52’ bites on the Thursday morning feed because it was buffered by Big and Middle away form Little.
The latest report from ‘H’ on the Forsythe platform is really interesting. “All lined up [3,2,4,1], so I thought, good, Mini stay away from Little. But due to the sheer size of Middle and Big reaching for bites with Mini in between, Mini got squeezed out to the back row (nothing intentional). When Little saw Mini, Little went on a mission to punish Mini. Little went to the back row, and beaked Mini intermittently from 1449 to 1454. Finally Big saw what was going on and reached back and beaked Little, so Little moved away! Finally at 1500 Mini was up between Big and Middle again and was able to eat. At 1503, Little tried to get back into the feeding and Big beaked Little, keeping it away, seeming to protect Mini, I kid you not. So, Mini got fed, and probably ended up with more bites than Little. If Little had just stayed in the original feeding line and not focused on beaking Mini, she would have been better off.”
Laddie LM12 delivered a whopper of a fish to the Loch of the Lowes Nest – late. Finally Middle gets to eat. Both osplets had full crops at the end of the feeding and even Blue NC0 got some fish.
Only osplet at Cowlitz PUD is still looking good. I sure hope some big fish come to this nest…that water area needs to be stocked!
Needed to check in on Victor and Abby. I think this is Victor screaming for a fish and then chowing down on one…talk about fantastic parents!
Oyster Bay osplets look like they are doing OK.
The trio at Outerbanks also look healthy with clear shiny eyes. I have not been able to ascertain about the equity in feeding but right now, each looks healthy.
Two babies at Seaside are looking good, too.
How much food the third hatch is getting at Barnegat Light is unclear. The two big ones did not allow it near to a nice big fish at the late feeding and I have not watched this nest closely but it did eat well at an earlier one.
Oh, just look at that Bob stand up for its fish at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn!
At Glaslyn, Elen is feeding the chicks and Aran is on the branch with another fish!
Two years ago, CJ7 of Poole Harbour only dreamed of having a mate and osplets. Then a very young Blue 022 stopped by the nest. It was too late in the season and everyone hoped he would return. This is their second year for raising chicks and they have three adorable little osplets.
Tucked in tight for the night.
Big Red and Arthur are starting to get the Ms to be interested in self-feeding. M1 took on a chippie today and did well. The others will not go hungry during this period. Big Red will continue to feed them. Very different than an osprey nest!
All done.
San Jose City Halls little falcon sure is loud. Had a nice meal in the morning and – well, I don’t blame it – I didn’t see later prey. Screaming for food at noon! Hopefully a later meal.
Still screaming at 1525.
Locations of Waba and Bonus on 6 June.
Dmitri’s Storklet is growing and doing well…gosh, there is good news out there in Bird World.
Pi, one of the trio at the Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest, was doing so well, she was released back into the wetlands to be fed and trained by her parents, Martin and Rosa. The metal you see around the tree is a raccoon protector.
Angel and Tom’s surviving hawklet now has a name – Deyani (Great and strong). Beautiful. ‘A’ writes: “Great name for RTH5. It was lovely to see Tom feeding Deyani yesterday – as I mentioned, it was more a matter of Tom pulling bits off that squirrel and Deyani grabbing them. Tom looked a little shocked the first time the hawklet grabbed dad’s bite from him, but then Tom continued with his work on the squirrel and eventually actually deliberately gave the hawklet some bites. I felt like a proud auntie.”
Fires are raging. No Arctic ice. Temperatures are rising and the situation at nests such at Achieva who are suffering from a severe drought are set to see this pattern continue. Nests burned, raptors dead…
Thank you to everyone who has sent e-mails worried about me and the wildfires. That was so sweet and so very kind. We have haze but it is not nearly as bad as other parts of Canada and the US. So far the recent rains have helped.
Thank you for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. Send your good wishes to our nests. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to create my blog today: ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘H’, ‘L’, ‘SP’, IWS, SF Bay Ospreys, Holly Parsons and The New Zealand Herald, PSEG, Achieva Credit Union, Birds in Helping Hands, Severna Ospreys, Forsythe Ospreys, LOTL, Cowlitz PUD, Moorings Park, Outerbans 24/7, Seaside Ospreys, Conservancy Conservation of NJ, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Cornell RTH, SJCH Falcons, Bird Map, Dmitri’s Storklet Cam, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, The Guardian, and The New York Times.
Featured Image: Chicks being fed by Daisy at Barnegat Light.
The morning started off terrible in Bird World. Dylan was believed to be missing at Llyn Clywedog with three hungry chicks on the nest and Seren calling and calling — and another floppy fish covered the oldest Bob at the Dyfi Nest. Things turned out well and I thought it was a good idea to tell everyone immediately!
The weather is very bed at the site of the Llyn Clywedog Nest. The wind is blowing strong and it is raining. Dylan did manage to get a fish on the nest for Seren and the chicks. Fantastic. The babies were so hungry. You can see one of them at the left.
John Williams says the weather and fishing are set to improve tomorrow. Thank goodness. Most of you will recall the horrific storms, the damp and cold last season.
Telyn got up to eat the Flounder and there was Big Bob. There was also Middle Bob!!!!!!
What a relief.
Just look. Big Bob was so strong when it hatched and so is Middle Bob. Middle Bob is still a little wet from hatching. These two are going to be a handful and we have egg 3 to go.
A look at Aran and Mrs G’s first Bob at the Glaslyn Osprey nest. Cutie Pie. This is chick # 50 for Mrs G.
It seems that the Racoon event at the Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest is not a one off revenge attack. EJ searched and found a 2019 incident at a nest in Washington DC involving a Raccoon and an Eagle.
It doesn’t look like there has been a fish delivery at the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest before 1430. These are such gorgeous chicks. That is Middle flapping his wings this afternoon.
Things are still going well at the Loch of the Lowes!
Here is a good look at that eye. Looks perfect to me.
There continue to be six storklets on the nest of Jan and Janika in Lativa. No elimination so far.
At the nest of Bukachek and Betty, there are three storklets and two eggs. So far everyone is doing well.
The eyases at the Manchester NH scrape are going in and out of the scrape to the ledge. If you go to the streaming camera and only see one or two chicks, do not panic!
Oh, Annie, Grinnell, and Alden’s chicks are getting their beautiful feathers too. Look at the eyes beginning to reveal those steel blue-grey feathers. Gorgeous. There is a reminder at the bottom that the banding is at 0800 tomorrow – Friday the 27th. Set your clocks!
Cal Falcons posted a great growth chart of these two chicks on their Twitter and FB feeds. I am certain that they do not mind if I share this with all of you. Everyone is here to learn!
Mum and chicks doing well at the Great Spirit Bluff Peregrine Falcon scrape.
If you do not have it, here is the link to the Spirit Bluff streaming cam:
Life on the Red-tail Hawk nest of Big Red and Arthur at Cornell is changing rapidly. Juvenile feathers are coming in. Indeed, with the sticks in the nest you can see how well camouflaged the eyases are compared to a couple of weeks ago.
Self-feeding is happening! Lots of little chippies on the nest for the Ls.
Gorgeous peach feathering coming in along with the belly bands!
Every time I go to the Big Bear nest, I fear that Spirit will have taken the leap. She spends a lot of time on the balcony and is now able to go back and forth from the front porch to the back. For viewers this means that she could be on the nest tree and just out of view of the camera.
Today is the last day for the Captiva Osprey cam and chat to be operational. If you would like to be notified of any videos posted by Windows for Wildlife be sure to go and subscribe – it is the bell under the streaming cam image on the right.
The streaming cam at the West End Bald Eagle nest of Thunder and Akecheta is running again! Fantastic. Many of us were afraid we would miss the trio – Kana’kini, Sky, and Ahota – fledging. Oh, how grand.
We are also able to watch Lancer on the Two Harbours Alternative Nest of Chase & Cholyn.
It feels like we can all go whew but the weather at Loch Arkaig is not good. Poor Dorcha. It is great to have the cameras running at West End and Two Harbours. Remember that the banding for the Cal Falcons is at 8am Pacific Time tomorrow morning. Thank you so much for joining me. Take care everyone!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: CarnyXWild, Dyfi Osprey Project, Brywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, ND-LEEF, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, FOBBV, Cornell RTH, Mlade Buky, Peregrine Networks, Cal Falcons, and Explore.org
I thought I would check on the Foulshaw Moss Osprey Nest in Cumbria. That streaming cam does not have a rewind and so it is hit or miss as to what the chicks are doing. All three were on the nest and Blue 35 was feeding them. And bless his heart, Tiny Little was right there getting many bites – lots. It was magnificent. He was pecking for bites at Blue 35’s beak before she was ready!
Blue 35 is finished feeding in the image below. Honestly, if you can’t see the bands it is getting difficult to tell which chick is chick. Can you believe it? Tiny Little looked like a mere babe two days ago!
Blue 35 gave 464, who waited patiently without being a nuisance, the skin and the fish tail. Tiny is not taking his eyes off of that tail! 462 has moved up to the front where she is moving a branch. All Tiny Little wants is that fish tail!
Then 462 gets rather exciting and starts doing wing exercises. Tiny Little is still staring at the fish tail.
Tiny Little ducks when 462 starts flapping but his eyes are locked in on that fish tail, still. 464 seems to be having trouble eating. Tiny Little is probably saying, “Let me have a try!”
462 got some good lift. I thought she was going to fledge but she didn’t. I don’t think Tiny is next. To me his tail is not long enough! Tiny Little isn’t so Tiny anymore – almost overnight this third hatch changes. He is going to bed with a nice crop. Well done, Tiny ‘Not so’ Little.
Fledgling 464 left the nest and Blue 35 returned. She moved over and found the fish tail and some fish and just guess who was right there beak to beak wanting some more dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is why Tiny Little is not so Tiny anymore.
It is very interesting. There were individuals who thought that Tiny Tot on the Achieva Nest would to be doomed once the older siblings started self feeding. You know – we need to give these Osprey mothers some credit. They try and make sure everyone is fed. Tiny Tot blossomed before our eyes at Achieva once the other sibling 1 and then sibling 2 were flying – and it looks like having one off the nest (sometimes) at Foulshaw is helping as well.
I reported that one of Monty and Glesni’s chicks, Merin, was breeding in the Lake District. Emry Evans posted some images of Merin and his beautiful daughters in his blog. You can have a read and see the lovely images, too. If the link does not open automatically, do the old cut and paste method. You should also be able to sign up for Emyr’s blogs at the bottom if you wish to do so. Emyr includes a very helpful family tree on his blog today.
Janet Sampson is working on a very nice chart of the Rutland relatives in Wales. She has not polished it off completely but she said we can share as long as we give her credit. So thank you Janet Sampson! This is really brilliant.
Someone sent me a note and asked me if I had a favourite Osprey. Oh, my goodness. That is a difficult question to answer. So let me tell you a story first and then I will try and answer this for you.
I have always wondered what makes a ‘great’ Osprey. I have, in fact, praised the two nestlings daughters of Merin’s as being the most beautiful osprey chicks I have ever seen. Their picture is in Emry’s blog. That led me to wonder if it is performance or appearance or both. So, in that wonderful chat the other evening with Tiger Mozone, I asked him what makes a ‘great osprey’. {Tiger has an encyclopedic mind on Osprey history and Ospreys}Tiger answered with a question: “What do you know about horses?” “Well, some”. At one time I lived on an acreage and there were five horses. Had I heard of Northern Dancer was Tiger’s second question. I ask you, is there anyone who hasn’t heard of Northern Dancer? So there was my answer. Performance. Then one day my friend ‘T’ and I were chatting. If we came back in another life as an Osprey female who would we want our mate to be? Now there is the heart of the answer to my original question. I knew that ‘T’ would say Monty. I am actually quite fond of Blue 33 (11). Today I realized for me it would be a toss up between Blue 33 (11) and Idris if I were ever to return as a female Osprey….of the choices currently available. They perform for their families. These are the guys – Monty, Blue 33, and yes, Idris will prove himself – that get the fish out of the water and on the nest. There are lots of fish. Someone said today they thought that Idris could feed a four chick nest. I think he could, too and I think Blue and Monty could as well. Take good care of the females and the chicks, fledge those babies, and then have them return to breed successfully. That is a ‘great’ Osprey. I think Tiger might agree. Of course, every great male needs an equally great female. Nora, Glesni, Telyn, and Maya are doing fantastic. So think about your favourite Osprey.
There is Telyn feeding Dysynnis and Ystwyth late today. But this appears to be a first —— Telyn caught the flounder and brought it to the nest for the chicks! Yippeeeee.
Ferris had a great tour today. These are a few shots from the beginning to end.
There were two Green Herons along the drive.
When Ferris got to the Cornell Campus, he spotted K3 right away on top of the Rice Building.
Looking for K1, there was a lovely Mourning Dove family in the trees around the Fernow Building.
Big Red was up on Bradfield. Word came to the group that she had delivered prey to both K1 and K3 just a little earlier so they are both full and not food begging.
Isn’t she beautiful? She is already beginning to moult. In a week or so we will call her Big Blonde!
There she is again, same place.
Ferris looked in the pines. He could hear Robins vocalizing and thought K1 might be around. What he found was a lovely very young Robin. Oh, I wish this little one would hide! Those hawks would like you for breakfast – maybe. Robin is not their favourite treat for sure.
K1 was discovered on one of the light towers.
And then something happened and K3 came to join K1. K1 is on the top left and you can just see the little duckling, K3 laying flat out.
Arthur has joined Big Red. All four hawks are accounted for and they are fine. Good night Big Red, Arthur, K1 and K3. Have lovely hawk dreams.
That is it for a late Saturday evening. It is once again in the 33-34 C range on the Canadian prairies. The birds are draining the water bowls every couple of hours.
Thank you so much for joining me. Take care everyone and oh, tomorrow my blog will appear in the late afternoon or early evening. I have promised myself to clean out my office for several months —— it is now time! Stay safe.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I get my screen shots: Ferris Akel Live, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Foulshaw Moss Osprey Nest, and Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn.
