It is hard to imagine but Toby and I are sitting on the deck in our shirt sleeves, so to speak. It is nearing 24 C. Of course, this troubles me, because we continue to get clues that our climate is rapidly changing around the world. Geese are plentiful on the sports fields at the schools as the green grass continues to grow. In my lifetime, I wonder, will the geese stop migrating? Certainly some eagles continue to winter here as they can get fish from those doing ice fishing on the lakes, but maybe that water won’t freeze?
I’m still so grateful for all the warm wishes and support you have given Don and me during this very challenging time. ‘The meeting’ was held yesterday (Wednesday – I am writing this Thursday night). Ann and I were well prepared with nine pages of questions and, as it turns out, Don’s oldest friend, Andrew, was visiting, and I asked him to sit in. The ‘bottom line’ is that the Haldol injection has caused the Parkinson’s aspect of Lewy Body Dementia to raise its ugly head. Don can walk 10-20 steps and becomes wobbly. He will spend his life in a wheelchair with no hope of ever walking again. That is an adjustment for both of us.
It seems that no one prepared for the Baby Boomers. Home Care has more demand than staff. They offered me little, and with Don requiring two people to lift him and be present, I can’t care for him at home. It is simply not safe for him or me. No beds are available in long-term care facilities. So, Don and his new friends on the ward will spend their time in the hospital waiting for a space to open. Today, another patient’s daughter played her keyboard, and we sang along, and I told stories about a very young city girl moving to the Canadian prairies and raising animals on a small holding. With Toby there, everyone smiled and sang, and there were even some laughs. I have decided that Ann and I will enrich Don’s life in different ways, and we will also be keen observers so he is safe and well cared for. If the ward nurse allows, the plan is for some planned enrichment activities weekly, which I will organise. Fingers crossed – but first I have to get that wheelchair.
Not much is going on in Bird World. Dr Sharpe – yes, dear Dr Sharpe- is climbing cliffs and working on cameras at the eagle nests in the Channel Islands. He cleaned and repaired Chase & Cholyn’s at Two Harbours and was set to work on the camera at the West End today. They always clean the nests and check them!
‘J’ has sent some news stories from Berlin that you might be interested in:
Tim Mackrill has installed an osprey platform at Knepp Farm as part of their rewilding project. Here is the latest newsletter from Knepp Farm. Please listen to the podcast about the osprey platform!
What constitutes a perfect place for an osprey nest? If you don’t know or need a reminder, please have a listen.
One chick, out of two hatched, is surviving at Thistle Island in South Australia. No one knows what happened to the second hatch.
Weather is on the mind of Victor Hurley and the 367 Collins Street falcons. Why? Because the gutters could flood – we don’t want those babies to drownd.
Speaking of weather and its impact human life as well as wildlife – this typhoon is the worst ever.
It continues to be hot on that ledge in downtown Melbourne.
SE38 branched the other day at the Olympic Park WBSE nest in Sydney. Keep watching. Fledging at any moment.
That’s it for today. I am pretty burnt out – mentally and physically – about the decisions that had to be made regarding Don’s long term care this past week. Because it is pretty quiet in Bird World, I am going to take a break. I will be back in a week. During that time, I urge you to get outside away from the screen, listen to birds, go for a walk or just sit! But get outside.
Take care everyone.
Thank you so much to ‘J’ and to all those who posted information and images on FB, to Isabella Tree and Tim Mackrill for a great podcast on ospreys, to BBC Earth for that little but informative video about Albatross and to all the owners of the streaming cams that let us monitor our avian families.
Wow. It was sunny and 24 C yesterday. People were out in shorts and T-shirts, working in their gardens, playing with their children at the park, or walking their pups. It was incredible for mid-October. Today, we woke up to 5 C, icy grey skies, a cool wind, and drizzle. Cold-to-the-bone weather. Toby and I bundled up and did our loop to the park, around the park, and home again. It was so nice to be out of the cold wind.
In the garden, the Crows and Blue Jays were the first to arrive for their morning peanuts and seed.
This is an ‘odd-looking’ image of Junior. He is flicking out the peanuts from the feeder that don’t meet his specifications! Amazing how many failed, but the squirrels picked up. The Jays and Crows weigh the peanuts and will only take the heavy ones (meaning good).
Now there are only two grey squirrels. I have, sadly, not seen Dyson since the middle of the summer, and I know that two of her kits were hit by cars on the street. Oh, it makes me so mad that people have to drive like they are in a Formula 1 race down a street where children play, and squirrels run across the road because the City cut down their trees. (They could have vaccinated the trees – after much consultation, I know my neighbours would have joined together to make certain the more than 100-year-old trees survived!). There are still two Red Squirrels. So the count is: 7 Blue Jays, 3 Crows, 2 Red and 2 Grey Squirrels, 1 raccoon, and several hundred songbirds. Not bad. I wonder when the deer will start visiting the feeders?
One of Dyson’s kits. Their mother was precious, and she was at least nine years old. That is ‘super elderly’ for a grey squirrel living in an urban environment. We adored her, and I miss her just like everyone on my street misses dear Brock.
Tomorrow is SK Hideaway’s birthday – give a big shout-out. I don’t often know birthdays, but besides tomorrow being their special day, it is also Thanksgiving in Canada – and I can tell you that I am more than grateful for their thoughtful videos and the list I receive to post for you.
SK Hideaways Videos Week of 4 October 2026
367 Collins Street Falcons ~ Melbourne, Australia ~ F24 & M24, eggs laid 23, 25, 28, 30 August
Chicks Scatter in the Heat ~ Sadly One Sweet Chick Succumbs (2026 Oct 10)
The four chicks are 8, 7, and 5 days old today. Peregrine falcon chicks begin regulating their own temperature at 10 to 14 days, so even in today’s moderate temperature ~ around 20°C (66°F) in Melbourne ~ the little ones felt the heat. First one chick escaped to the gutter (a first at this age) and before long, the other 3 were scattered around the nest. A frantic F24 was racing to and fro in her attempt to shade all of them. Happily, the entire nest was in the building’s shade by just after 13:00, but tragically not before one of the little angels succumbed to the sun exposure. As we wish that little one peace, we embrace the three healthy chicks that remain. F24 and M24 are excellent parents, and I wish them continued success raising their offspring with the skill and proficiency we’ve seen from them in past years.
CHICK RIDES MUM’S FOOT TO LEDGE ~ A 150-Second Adventure (2026 Oct 7)
When dad M24 brought the second pigeon in two hours time, mum F24 immediately took it to the pantry. But with four floofs under her, one got caught up in her foot and was inadvertently pulled out towards the ledge. The little one pined for its warm, cozy floof pile till mum returned and quickly pulled him/her back into the fold. She’s amazing.
Chick #4 Joins the Party! Congrats On a Full House, F24 & M24 (2026 Oct 5)
F24 and M24 have this breeding thing down to an art. Four successful hatches over 4 days. Looking forward to seeing the abundance of fabulous falcon fluff transform into beautiful juveniles over the nest 6 weeks or so.
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Shadow (12 years), Jackie (dec. 10 August 2026), KD-1 (Kaydee 4, years), Sandy, and Luna (last seen on camera 23 July 2023)
Shadow & Kaydee’s Flirty Nesting Hour as Her Black Spots Get Smudgy (2026 Oct 9)
When Kaydee arrived at the nest this evening, she had zero interest in shuffling sticks or aerating mulch. That is until the moment she saw Shadow approaching. Then she became very animated and interested in sprucing up the nest. There was a fair amount of beaking and bumping before the flirt fest culminated in Kaydee giving Shadow’s tail a little nibble. Also interesting to watch Kaydee’s dark markings changing over time. Feeling very lucky to have a ringside seat to this fascinating story.
Eaglets Join Lady & Dad’s Morning Duet ~ Perplexed by Piggyback Ride Finale (2026 Oct 6)
Lady and Dad perform a duet most mornings and occasionally later in the day as well. SE38 decided to sing along this morning with SE37 on harmony. The parents sometimes get a little frisky at the end of their duets, which left the eaglets wondering. A little later, cam ops gifted us with some lovely close-ups of the eaglets.
Chillin’ with Cholyn ~ 28 Years Young & More Beautiful than Ever (2026 Oct 4)
A dazzling Two Harbors sunrise prefaces this stunning view of Cholyn taking in her habitat. She chortles at something that catches her eye, then departs to take care of eagle business. At day’s end, Cholyn and Chase serenade us as a glorious sunset ends their day. Breathtaking.
I know that there are Bald Eagle nests that get much attention, but surely at 28 years old, we should be paying more attention to Cholyn and Chase!!!!!
Will today be hatch day at Orange?
Lots of food coming to the ledge at 367 Collins Street! Send them your best wishes…they tried so hard and those poor babies scattered due to the heat.
A lot of people are wondering what will happen to the dead chick. There are two possible scenarios. A parent will remove it from the nest, or they will feed it to the siblings.
At the Olympic Park WBSE nest, Mum flew in with an eel and more prey later in the day. SE38 had first chance at the eel. Things are fine on the nest as the number of visitors to the area decreases as the weekend ends.
It looks like it will be an ‘Only’ osplet at Thistle Island in South Australia and that is fine – better one healthy chick than three hungry babies!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to have you with us again soon – which will probably be Tuesday as tomorrow is Thanksgiving and Toby and I will be spending it at the hospital.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great video playlist, to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams or those who take photos of our bird families; we are eternally grateful.
It is a ‘grey’ day, heavily overcast, in Winnipeg. There were a few drops of rain on our walk. The birds, especially the Dark-eyed Juncos, are busy foraging. Mr Crow and family are enjoying pizza leftovers after finishing their peanuts in record time.
The final comments on the Canadian company Omega Protein’s menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay are due by midnight today. It’s easy to add your voice to help save the ospreys. I will include that information below. The New York Times ran an article today on the dirty truths about farmed fish. As you might be aware, the Menhaden that the ospreys depend on to live is gill-netted, ground up and sold as – yes, get this – fish food! Please do not eat farmed fish. There are many reasons, including but not limited to the use of antibiotics. In fact, with fish populations declining, warming seas, and our fish-eating birds dependent on what remains, we should stop eating fish and eat more legumes. Eating beans is much healthier for the planet!
Here is the link to the article: The Dirty Secret Behind the Farmed Fish You Eat
Forced labour, rancid waste, harmful chemicals. What to know about the seafood that could end up on your plate.
This is all you need to send your submission to demand at least a 50% reduction in the Menhaden quota. Be sure to include the subject-line wording and the opening statement, then add your personal observations. This does not need to be long – just to the point about the osprey deaths and the need for a reduction or a moratorium and no more studies – enough studies have been done to know. That is just putting off the inevitable. Thank you!
Subject Line: Addendum 1 Comment for the Public Record”
Dear Sir:
“I support Addendum II and the most restrictive options.”
Put your name and address at the bottom.
Here is another group working on the same issue. Their deadline is 19 October.
Oh, another way to kill birds is to trap them in Halloween webbing. Please don’t use it and kindly advise others against!
M15’s new female friend has finally joined him in the old nest tree. Androcat got it on video: https://youtu.be/sQcH0KFZrRY?
Here is a great comparison for the size of the male and female at 367 Collins Street. And there is a lot of food – those little floofs should be growing like crazy. Just think in less than 30 days they will be ready to fly. Yes, seriously.
We are on pip watch at Orange.
It is a warm fuzzy feeling when you see a tiny osplet eating fish. Congratulations, South Australia, on your first hatch of the season.
Such good camouflage but so adorable…SE 37 and 38 with their juvenile feathering.
Migration count at Hawk Mountain:
Knepp Farm reports that one of its White Storks has broken a migration record. Have a read!
Our Record-Breaking Stork: Sussex to Senegal!
One of this year’s juveniles has just set a new migration record. Hatched at Knepp on 12 May this year, this young male fledged in late June and set off on his very first migration soon after. By late September, he had reached southern Senegal, the furthest south any of our birds has ever travelled, to our knowledge at least. Until now, our record was Morocco. This stork has flown thousands of kilometres further, crossing the Sahara and continuing on into the Sahel. We’ve been able to follow every stage of the journey thanks to the tracker fitted before the bird fledged, tracing the exact route from Sussex to West Africa. This is part of a bigger step forward for the White Stork Project. This year we’ve started using new tracking technology that is much cheaper than the satellite tags we’ve used in the past. Because those tags were so expensive, we could only fit them to a small number of birds, but the lower cost of the new devices means we can now follow far more of our storks than ever before. In total, 44 have been fitted with e-rings, which use nearby mobile phone signals to send us their location. It’s quite possible that some of our untagged storks have flown this far, or even further, in previous years without us knowing. Now, with so many more birds tracked, we’re finally able to see it. It’s hugely exciting that this new technology is already proving so useful, and we can’t wait to see what else it reveals about our storks’ remarkable journeys.
Oh, thank you for being with us! Please do send in a comment to everyone trying to save the osprey. Those in power need to know the world cares!
Thank you to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams. Thank you to Hawk Mountain and to Knepp Farm for keeping us informed on all migration news. We are absolutely grateful for your help in letting us view these amazing avian families.
It is 16:38. The sun is far over in the west, casting a magical glow over the garden. The wind is just beginning to pick up as the birds arrive for a late meal before settling in for the night. I know where the Crows nest, the squirrels’ dreys are in the park, and the Blue Jays stay in the tree across the back lane, but where do the sparrows and Starlings go? It is an eternal question.
One starling is looking for ‘dog food’ kibble that Ann gave to me for the Crow family.
Toby and I had some amazing walks today. Perfect weather – 16 degrees C. The leaves were dancing around on the sidewalk. Toby loves chasing them! He sometimes looks grouchy, but he is anything but. What a sweet little lad he is and what comfort.
I am so sorry that I made so many people cry. It was not my intention. Yes, our situation feels rather dire, and it certainly wasn’t what anyone would expect. No matter what I do, I cannot change the impact that it had on Don’s life. His doctor, Dr Classen, believes there is a possibility that he might be able to come home if he can get near to the mobility that he had when he went into hospital. Life right now is so uncertain, and all I can do is wait and take things one day at a time.
So for now, we will begin decorating our spaces for Thanksgiving and Don’s all-time favourite holiday, Halloween. He made mechanical figures and put them on the porch of our Victoria house ‘back in the day’. Those sculptures often made the local newspaper. And there was nothing more wonderful than dressing up and handing out treats – it was always magical.
Tomorrow’s treat will be pumpkin pie – it is the season!!!!!!!!!
In Melbourne, it is hot. Mum at 367 Collins Street is panting and trying to keep her babies cool.
Mum and Dad are sleeping on the nest tree in the Olympic Forest, all the while protecting SE 37 and 38.
Gimbir takes over incubation from Diamond. Gimbir is the great provider! Cilla Kinross identified the prepared morning’s prey as an Eastern Rosella.
There is some really good news coming from Nikki Redman and Fran Solly in South Australia:
Black Stork migration news from Maria Marika:
‘The Rookies’. California Condors are preparing to be released into the wilderness after hatching at several zoos in California. Here is the link to their live-streaming cam: https://www.youtube.com/live/1u6rKUrUot8?
Here is the Condor Roost for those living in the wild. They can feed on the lead-free carcasses provided by Ventana Wildlife Society. Here is the link to this camera: https://www.youtube.com/live/QQdF-8CVSC0?
There are a number of other cams, including nest cams, that are currently offering Highlights.
There will be a lot of fundraising going on – it is that time of year. There are calendars galore including the one from Idris and Telyn’s nest at Dyfi.
There is also the book about Aran and Mrs G from Glaslyn that is written by Kathryn Keir and illustrated by Penny Albright. Funds will be used for the streaming cam for Aran’s new nest. Will provide information as it becomes available but I am so looking forward to this offering!!!!!!
An osprey still in the UK.
UK Osprey Information FB is looking for a new banner:
That’s it for today. Please take care everyone. Keep checking on Diamond and Gimbir’s scrape in the water tower at Charles Sturt University in Orange, Australia. Hatch is coming.
Thank you to everyone who contributed information and images on FB, to those who created videos and wrote content, and to the owners of the streaming cams – we are eternally grateful.
I’m reading Alan Stewart’s Prelude to Murder. If I hadn’t been so tired, it might have been a book I’d consumed in one long binge read. The combination of a murder and wildlife atrocities – and the people who commit these – boggles my mind. Aberfeldy is the setting, and it is very close to where I would go and fly hawks when I stayed in Scotland at Hospitalfield on an artist’s residency. Stewart also wrote other books on raptor persecution, including The Peregrine Thief, which is excellent.
A handful of ospreys were still hanging about. Cowlitz’s dad is still feeding a chick. Many are concerned or curious about why these two are so late leaving for their migration. It is good to remember that ospreys migrate because their food source is diminished. With climate change and habitat loss, ospreys may begin to stay longer in specific northern regions where fish are plentiful, and the weather is changing. We continue to have ospreys in Manitoba, for example. The geese are now beginning to fly low in the mornings to find grassy areas and fields to forage. In the evenings, I can hear the honking, and they look for a safe place on the water for the night. (They can sleep in the water and not worry about predators!)
Here are some articles on osprey migration that might be of an interest to you:
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourselves and happy autumn!
Thank you to everyone who wrote about osprey migration, for those who posted on FB with information, we are always grateful, and to the owners of the streaming cams, we are so thankful to you for allowing us to watch these families. I am always grateful to Hawk Mountain for their great counters!
It is very late- 22:00 on Monday evening. It’s been a beautiful, albeit very busy, day, so I hope this post is interesting but brief. It is all about fish!
This is the latest post (from Bart M) about the events that have unfolded at the Port Lincoln barge where the osprey nest of Mum and Dad – the place where our dear Ervie and Giliath hatched and who, thankfully, have thrived. Let’s hope that continues.
” 21 September 2026
What is happening at Port Lincoln?
Just like last year the parents have left the nest, with the eggs unhatched.
We are not 100% sure why, but we can offer plausible causes.
The main cause is that there is not enough fish brought to the nest by Dad. We’ve seen Mum fishing herself a couple of times the past weeks (since 8 September), which in itself is a sign that she’s is not getting enough fish.
On 19 September she leaves the barge, with the eggs being 26 and 23 days old.
So why is Dad not bringing enough fish?
Is it age related?
There is no evidence of that. Just a few weeks ago, when Mum was having her ‘affair’ with Ervie, he was able to bring lots of fish per day, convincing Mum he could do his job.
There is evidence of there not being enough fish in the bay: Fishermen in Port Lincoln are saying the fishing is so poor, they are leaving their boats out of the water. Also other nests are suffering, like the white tailed eagles nest. And we see Ervie and Giliath fishing further away on the GPS trackers.
The cause?
The past years the temperature of the water has been rising, and this leads to two things:
1) In 2025 there was a big bloom of algae, and a toxic one, killing thousands of fish and other marine wildlife and also this year there is a lot of algae blooming again.
2) Fish will head into colder, deeper, water, making it harder for osprey to catch them.
And when there is not enough fish, the instincts kick in.. stress levels rise and Mum abandons the eggs. Note she only laid two eggs in the first place, which is already an indicator.
She (and Dad) will probably incubate the eggs for a while.. also instinct: Eggs! Incubate!
But the eggs won’t be viable anymore.
Last year showed the embryos died just prior to Mum leaving them for a day. So even a couple of hours without incubation was enough.
Could the fish fairies help is a question in chat?
Of course, but that would take a lot of resource, both money to buy the fish, and people bringing the fish to the barge. And PLO would have to do that for a whole season, until even late in December. That is just too much to ask and not sustainable. Note that in 2024 only on 29 days fish were actually supplemented.
So is there nothing we can do?
Not for this season, and not for Mum and Dad on the barge.
But we can shout to the world and everyone around you that we as a people must take better care of our world. This is a sign we cannot ignore, and it’s not only here that it is happening. In a lot of places, all over the globe, Osprey and wildlife is suffering because of climate change.
And we can only hope nature in the Port Lincoln area will adept and recover, so next year there will be more fish.. and we can enjoy the sight of new little osprey on the nest.”
I was shocked this evening to find that the topic of Menhaden, the primary fish for many ospreys in the NE United States, was central to a post by a leading chef based in Paris!!!!!!! I have cut and paste what was said in Spilled Milk #499 by Andrew Zimmerman in :
The Choices We Make Are Killing Us
I am off to NYC today to attend UNGA81 for Climate Week, to learn, listen, share my experience and try to make a difference with all my United Nations, nonprofit and NGO partners. And I can’t shake this brilliant op-ed by Mark Robichaux in The Washington Post.
Robichaux is a former Wall Street Journal reporter, fisherman and author, which is an unusually useful combination for this subject. He understands both how to follow an institution and how to read the water. His piece is about Atlantic menhaden, an oily little fish most Americans have never heard of and almost none of us eat. Which is precisely why this matters so much.
Atlantic Menhaden: The Small Fish Holding Up the Ecosystem
Menhaden are forage fish. Striped bass eat them. Bluefish eat them. Tuna eat them. Whales eat them. Ospreys eat them. They are one of those unglamorous species upon which glamorous species depend.
Robichaux points out that researchers studying Chesapeake Bay ospreys found reproductive collapse in high-salinity areas where menhaden are an important food source. The researchers carefully stopped short of proving that commercial menhaden harvest caused the decline but made a superb case that reduced menhaden availability is a primary driver of poor reproductive performance.
Meanwhile, we keep removing staggering quantities of them. Ocean Harvesters, whose catch supplies Omega Protein’s Virginia reduction plant, harvested nearly 300 million pounds of menhaden in 2024. That’s about 70 percent of the Atlantic coast harvest. Much of this extraordinary biological resource is turned into fish meal and fish oil for aquaculture, livestock feed and supplements.
Think about the absurdity. We are removing one of the foundational foods of the Atlantic ecosystem so that we can grind it up and feed it to other animals. And increasingly, we learn that we don’t have to. We are literally devouring our own planet. Gobbling it up until nothing will be left.
Microalgae and the Alternatives We Already Have
Microalgae naturally produce the same long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, for which we prize fish oil. Algal oils are already commercially viable ingredients in aquaculture and research shows they can replace substantial amounts, sometimes all, of the fish oil in certain feeds without sacrificing growth or fish quality.
The remaining problems are principally economics, formulation and scale. Those are solvable human problems. We are really good at it.
That distinction matters because this isn’t really a story about menhaden. It’s about us. We have developed an astonishing habit of identifying damaging practices, developing alternatives and then continuing the damaging practices anyway.
That is an ideal definition of insanity.
I am so pleased that the plight of the ospreys and the need to protect our oceans, rivers, and lakes/lochs has been brought to the attention of such a diverse group of individuals. Hearings continue. Politicians need to be ‘buried’ by your letters and e-mails. Now is the time to speak up. Do not be shy. Write a heartfelt letter about your observations, nests that you loved that failed due to a lack of fish. Make it personal because this is personal – we all love our fish hawks. Just imagine how you would feel if Iris sat on her nest starving to death before you and you had done nothing? Again, now is the time to write to your politicians. Read Andrew Zimmerman’s blog closely – maybe you will want to sign up for his free blogs?? – it might give you some ideas for writing your own letter.
People who want to protect menhaden from industrial fishing by Omega Protein can write to environmental conservation groups, state legislators, and fisheries management commissions, campaigning for stricter catch limits.
Where to Write and Contact
Save Menhaden Campaign: Visit Save Menhaden to sign petitions and contact local representatives.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF): Write to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to support conservation studies and tighter restrictions in Virginia waters. This is the article above that is ‘Save the Bay’.
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC): Submit comments directly to the commission responsible for managing Atlantic menhaden quotas.
Virginia General Assembly: Write to local Virginia state delegates and lawmakers to urge legislative action on industrial reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.
Thank you so much for being with us today. I will be back later in the week with our good news stories!
Take care everyone.
Thank you to everyone for their posts, their articles, and the will to save the fish for the Ospreys – Menhaden do not need to be chicken feed!!!!!!!!! Thank you also to Open Verse where I found the image of Menhaden!
My days are the type of routine that underline there is a change but that life goes on, just day by day, not knowing what will happen. Toby and I get up and feed the birds. By the time Toby and Hugo Yugo settle on the old sofa and the cat tree in the conservatory, the Blue Jays are flying in, little squirrels are running along the power lines to then jump into the lilacs and find nuts, while the songbirds begin landing on the leafless limbs of some of the trees. This is the scene we watch every morning while I sip my coffee.
It has always been this way, with the exception that Don was sitting at the table drinking his tea and trying to count the Blue Jays and squirrels or me. His seat is now empty, and I do not know if he will ever join us again.
It is difficult. But more about that another day.
This blog was meant to be about ‘good things’, but ospreys in South Australia are abandoning their eggs, as they have in the NE United States and Eastern Canada (NS, in particular). Today, Mum finally stopped incubating the eggs on the barge at Port Lincoln because of a lack of fish. We also saw the issues related to the lack of food at the Osprey Environmental Centre. This is, sadly, widespread. Fran Solly tells us that Ervie and Giliath are having to travel farther and farther to find fish.
We are witnessing what warming waters, droughts, and overfishing are doing to our feathered friends that depend on the fish. Red Algae blooms are in the area of Port Lincoln, causing havoc.
367 Collins St. Falcons ~ F24 (female) and M24 (male)
F24 and M24 have incubation changeovers down to an art. She is doing the bulk of the incubation and he is doing the bulk of the hunting. After a short incubation stint this morning, we saw M24 doing laps around the building, presumably hunting. Did someone say the fastest animal on earth? Whoosh! Video: https://youtu.be/jwJhbaxKMa4 FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley | California
Shadow & Kaydee’s Eventful Morning ~ Fish Sharing Not Happening ~2026 Sep 16 Shadow and Kaydee spent another night together on the roost tree ~ Kaydee cozying up a bit at dawn before departing. They went their own ways for a couple hours, then Shadow brought a fish to the nest with Kaydee in hot pursuit. She didn’t have a chance to try to share as Shadow made it crystal clear that this was *his* fish and *his* fish alone. Kaydee remained on the front perch till Shadow gulped down the fish tail. She then cautiously entered the nest, where she and Shadow spent a short time together. Kaydee nipped Shadow’s tail and there was some beaking, but Shadow seemed to want to be on his own today. He departed, while Kaydee remained on the nest for another two hours. Another day, another adventure. Video: https://youtu.be/bvJyHjfo0VA
KAYDEE’S FIRST STICK!She Showers Shadow in Beakies & Nibbles ~ 2026 Sep 12
Kaydee brought the first stick of the season to the nest. When Shadow arrived she seemed excited about her accomplishment and nibbled his beak, then his feathers, which he accepted. It was quite a change in dynamics from the previous day. Video: https://youtu.be/ZA4JA6tfchQ
Lady is Perfect Sun MUMBRELLAfor SE37 & SE38 ~ 2026 Sep 14
Lady deemed it necessary to shade her seaglets, spreading her gorgeous wings over them to do so. SE37 and SE38 were of two minds about it: while the shade was nice, it was pretty toasty under all those beautiful feathers. Also included is some close-up footage of SE38’s glorious crop.
SE38’s Happy Eel Meal Deal ~ Leaves Wee One with HUGE Crop ~ 2026 Sep 12
When SE38 steps up for a good meal, there’s a collective cheer throughout the fan base. This was one of those days. Lady and Dad have brought a few eels to the nest, providing great nutrition for the seaglets. SE37 eats first, then SE38 sometimes, but not always, steps up to eat. This was one of those days in which SE38 ate very well. It was a joy to behold. Video: https://youtu.be/qMUP6PbcjO
Updates from Window to Wildlife updates including Connie and Clive:
And all the way from Berlin, our happy moment for today – a story about Black Robins. Thanks, ‘J’.
Thank you for being with us today. It appears that our dear Iris has now left the Hellgate Canyon are on her migration. This is one of the last, if not the last, image of her on the baseball lights. We will wait anxiously til April for her and Clarke to return.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos covering so many nests this week. Please check them out! And to everyone who posted on FB, to ‘J’ for the story of the Black Robin, and to Windows to Wildlife for their update – and all streaming cam owners – we thank you, too.
I am exhausted. Changes to the house continue in case Donald is ever able to come home. If not, they will be there for me or someone else. With the lack of ospreys in Australia, the news is very thin as we wait for hatch at Collins Street and Orange. Please continue to watch the WBSE – they are adorable and growing so fast. How will changes to the water impact these eagles who also depend on fish amongst other prey?
It is very late on Friday night. Toby and I have been at the hospital for most of the late afternoon and very early evening. What a delight it was to talk to Don’s ‘neighbour’, Heidi. Heidi is a walking history book – born in Lubek, Germany in 1942. She told me how, when the wall went up, her mother stuffed food and treats in her pocket because she knew Heidi and her friends were crossing a little ditch into ‘the East’. I told her how I spent time woodfiring pottery in Mecklenberg. The region of Mecklenberg is also home to many, many lakes with ospreys!!!!!!!!!!! We learned something from one another. As for Don, he has been given a drug that appears to have had a dramatic negative impact on his independence. I am hoping that miracles do happen.
Toby just lives his best life at the hospital. He loves everyone and now stops and chats – after three weeks, long-time patients recognise him. A sweet girl starts waving a wand when we come through the locked door to Don’s ward. Toby always loves chatting with her and getting some pets. One of my greatest joys is seeing him bring happiness to others – and I am so thankful that we had him trained to be a therapy dog so he can be shared with them in hospital or in care homes. He is an incredibly ‘good’ dog – he only barks with other dogs. Is it some kind of canine symphony? or when he sees ‘a cat’ out in the garden and it is not one of his sisters. He does not jump or scratch or lick without getting some kind of signal from the person (that signal I have to work out – it is like a silent yes going through some sound wave I cannot here).
Still best friends. This is every morning…if it didn’t happen, I would worry. It is their way of getting to eat breakfast together as long as their waitress brings their plates!
But, enough…is Iris still here?
The latest Iris ever stayed in Missoula was September 11th. She is still there, as far as I can tell! Remember all the comments about Iris looking tired and a bit dishevelled? I am pleased that she is staying later and eating a lot of fish to build up her system so that her migration and return are successful.
A compilation all about Iris:
Charlie is still at Charlo, too!
Missing Idris and Telyn along with their cute kiddos? Dyfi have put together videos like no one else!
Geemeff’s last summary:
Final daily summary for Loch Arkaig Season Ten: Friday 18th September
A few little birds thought about paying a visit then changed their minds – neither nest looks very appealing in the prevailing wet grey conditions. Our Osprey family are well on their way to their wintering grounds after a very successful season. Dorcha returned early on 4th April and both Garry and Aurora returned on the 7th, stopping in first at Nest Two before going to their own home at Nest One. But then we waited, and waited, and Louis didn’t arrive. It was getting tense and people were starting to write him off and then like magic, he turned up on the 17th looking fit and well and ready to start the new season right away. While Garry and Aurora got off to a slow start eventually producing just the one egg which didn’t hatch, Louis and Dorcha produced three eggs and hatched three chicks. Sadly the third chick faded away after only five days, but the other two grew big and strong and fighting fit. Perhaps a bit too much fighting, despite a steady supply of 481 fish from Louis and 5 from Dorcha, however both females went on to fledge and migrate and their feisty natures should stand them in good stead for their future prospects when seeking nests and mates of their own. The season ended on 4th September when Louis paid a final visit to the nest, and we wish them all fair winds and plenty of fish, and look forward to seeing the adults back next spring for Season Eleven.
WTS George will post this season’s highlights video here in due course, and then the comments will close until that glorious day next March when they reopen and we all return for Season Eleven. Meantime, you can join fellow followers of the Arkaig Ospreys on Facebook or over at Adam’s site, and chat about all things Osprey over winter:https://www.facebook.com/groups/829595230542720https://walkingwithdaddy.com/osprey/
Many thanks to Woodland Trust for installing the nest cams and providing us with such a thrilling look at the wild world of the Ospreys while protecting our precious ancient woodland for the generations to come. Thanks also to the People’s Postcode Lottery for sponsoring the nest cams, and to everyone who participates and makes this forum such a friendly and informative space. Farewell until Spring 2027!
Season Ten 2026:
April 4 Dorcha arrives N2 12.21.56
7 Garry LV0 arrives N2 08.56.13
7 Aurora 536 arrives N2 13.38.44
12 Western Arkaig male JJ4 arrives N2 18.50.08
17 Louis returns! N2 17.57.42
18 Louis & Dorcha are reunited 06.37.28
26 First egg for Dorcha & Louis 06.56.29
29 Second egg for Dorcha & Louis 05.34.12
30 First egg for Aurora and first on Nest One in six years 19.18.37
May 2 Third egg for Dorcha & Louis 03.12.24
June 1 First chick hatches! 12.40.39
3 Second chick hatches! 06.21.54
6 Third chick hatches 00.49.09
11 Sad death of little Chick3 10.00+
12 Dorcha disposes of the body in the forest 08.09.00
Heidi would like us all to turn our attention to Mum and Dad at the Port Lincoln osprey barge:
I am saddened by what happened at the nest of Hope and George at the Osprey Environmental Centre, and I hope fish fairies fly in to help Mum, Dad, and the kiddos. I am certain we can all help buy fish from our cookie jar stashes!!!!!!!!
It is the first time I can recall so much attention being placed on the importance of Menhaden. It is wonderful, but is it too late? Anyone reading my blog knows that I abhor any company of any nationality, including my own Canadian ones, wrecking the environment and an entire ecosystem! I really hope gillnet fishing will stop – everywhere.
Sea Eaglets are growing and getting beautiful feathering. SE37 still dominants the meals and sometimes SE38 has to wait but Lady is doing the best she can!
Toby and I can attest that raptors’ eating habits are anything but organised. We have witnessed them plucking on our Japanese arch, on top of the fence, with feathers and fur flying in every direction when the wind blows. Lately, we have sadly been finding grey squirrel heads near the park where we like to walk.
The Reds seem to escape the tyranny.
Lots of sparrows at the feeders.
The island was moved today and I just left the mess so tomorrow is going to be a day of ‘surface cleaning’ til Melissa gets here on Monday. I hope to have a short report for you with the ‘good news’. If not, it will arrive Sunday evening.
In the meantime, get outside. Enjoy the crisp autumn air. Go for a walk if you can. If not, breathe in what feels like really clean air. I love the smell of fallen leaves as you walk over them. They often remind me of my university days, heading off to the football stadium in Norman. It is interesting how scents/odors can transport us to another time and another place.
Thank you so much to Geemeff for that final summary on Loch Arkaig for the Woodland Trust, to those who posted images and information on FB, to the individuals fighting for Menhaden and saving the ospreys, to The Guardian for its environmental and wildlife reporting, and to the owners of the streaming cams – we are grateful.
We’ll all have empty nest syndrome soon. Most of the ospreys have flown to their winter homes and left us to watch the peregrine falcons, the WBSE, and the Bald Eagles! I don’t know about you but watching Mum at Port Lincoln incubate eggs isn’t all that exciting but I do love seeing Dad bring her a fish in the morning.
2026 osprey breeding performance was the worst ever recorded for the Chesapeake Bay is published:
More and more organizations and people are supporting the reduction of the amount or the entire stopping of industrial fishing of Menhaden.
I am so pleased.
The takeaway from the report: “The 2026 breeding season was the worst productivity year ever recorded for osprey in the Chesapeake Bay. Average productivity in waters above 5 parts per thousand (ppt) salinity (N = 769) was 0.25 young/pair. On a global scale, the annual breeding performance required to maintain a stable population ranges from 0.8 to 1.3 young/pair. Only pairs nesting within tidal fresh waters (N = 168 nests producing 1.04 young/pair) exceeded the breeding performance threshold required for population maintenance. Eighty-one percent of all pairs nesting in waters above 5 ppt failed to fledge any young. Of pairs that did produce young, 70% were single-chick broods. The 2026 results extend the ongoing trend of productivity decline throughout saltier regions of the Bay.”
Unless something is done, ospreys will go extinct in the region.
A few of the nests that still have ospreys:
C22 and Charlie are still at Charlo with Charlie delivering fish. Mostly at Roger’s Place.
I really haven’t reported on the nest of Bruce and Naha at Seaside much this season. Bruce is still there bringing fish to one of the fledglings.
Wensi has not been seen since 6 September at the Hellgate Canyon nest or owl Pole. Iris still appears to be in the area.
Photo of fledgling Elsi starting her migration from the Dyfi osprey nest. Thanks so much! She is gorgeous.
Aran may still be at Glaslyn today. He was there yesterday. It was raining, not a good day to fly!
Dad was still at Boulder County Fairgrounds.
In Australia, SE38 is still doing well! Look at that crop. SK Hideaways has the feeding on video. It was an eel! https://youtu.be/qMUP6PbcjOg?
We woke up to a rainy, cold 8°C day. We needed to turn on the heating last evening. Toby certainly doesn’t mind going out to do all that ‘business ‘, but I found bundling up to go for a walk a little daunting after such hot weather only a few days ago.
We spent part of our afternoon at the hospital. Don moves so fast in the wheelchair that they are considering putting a seatbelt on him so he doesn’t hit something and fall out. The team at the hospital (his doctor, nurse, physiotherapist and social worker) are starting to formulate a plan for Donald. They are good and quite considerate of everything, including safety, which is paramount. For us, he now requires two strong people to lift him. If that continues, he would not be able to come home and would have to go into long-term care. If, however, he were to need only one person to lift him, they would provide me with a care worker for a 12-hour period, including getting Don to bed and getting him up in the morning, giving medications and giving him a nightly shower. I can sleep and not worry about him! We would also get one of those fancy hospital beds with a warning system that lowers and rises and goes up and down every which way. A nurse would come weekly to check on his bladder issues. This would be ideal. I am prepared for either scenario.
Thank you so much for being with us. Take care. I will be back in a couple of days.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, everyone who posted information and images on FB, and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch our bird families. I am, as are my readers, forever grateful.
The weather is much cooler. 15 C. It really feels like fall. The first Starling to return! Toby and I are cleaning up the garden. Ann and I now take turns, alternate days, going to the hospital. Don fell again yesterday. The nurses could not get there in time when the bed alert sounded and found him sitting cross-legged on the floor. It has now been 17 days. He is improving in some ways but his body is giving out. I am preparing myself for the fact that he might not return home. At the moment he needs constant care and watching and it takes 2-3 people to lift him. I am only one! We will do whatever is best for him.
Tobby’s grooming had been neglected. That is all fixed. He is so soft. Don kept rubbing and rubbing him yesterday at the hospital. No more neglecting. Paws and the behind are so important to keep clean. Our vet suggests washing their paws and drying the well (so as not to get anything nasty growing down deep) every time they go out for a walk.
On everyone’s advice, I have returned to a hobby that I love – photography. I love the new R7 camera with the 100-400 mm lens. Just the perfect weight. Let’s see what some of those first images look like!
One of the Blue Jays shot through the conservatory window. I am going to build a hide in the garden. I can only imagine how this might look if it wasn’t shot through glass.
Mushrooms are growing all over the neighbourhood. It has been so wet!
The Starlings have returned – more and more to fill up on cat and dog kibble!
A blurry image caught with my iphone.
Toby and I spend a lot of time sitting on the bench on the deck. I hope the birds and squirrels will get used to us sitting here so I can photograph them.
Iris is still home. If she is still at Hellgate Canyon on Sunday, she has broken her historical record of 11 September being the latest she stayed in Montana.
Images from Iris’s Cafe!
Aran was still at Glaslyn, but Idris has left on his migration!
Daisy from the Loch Doon nest in the UK is still in France:
It feels like only yesterday that we were waiting for all to arrive. Now they are gone on their long journey along the flyway, through France and the Iberian Peninsula, across the Strait of Gibraltar, and down to Senegal and The Gambia.
Sightings are already being reported.
Looking good at the WBSE nest in the Olympic Park Forest in Sydney.
Osprey House Environmental Centre posted some incredible images of George and Hope’s only surviving chick. Look at those feathers.
The Ps are catching their own dinner!
Seasonal news from Dunrovin posted by Sheila Staley on Osprey Friends FB:
9/22/16 Dunrovin
“It looks like the 2026 season is over, although Swoop may still be in the area fueling up, he hasn’t been seen on the cams. This has been a fun year, with very little drama, there was some sibling aggression but it didn’t last long. A couple of highlights was when Swoop feed the chicks and when he caught a fish so heavy he had to swim to the river bank. Winnie was still nervous with some of the ranch activities but seems to have been more comfortable/calmer than in the past. Before her last visit on the nest, Winnie was out of site for a few days, then she made a few appearances a couple of days before she was last seen. Spangle left after Star kept keeping him from the nest. Star owned the nest for the remainder of the season. Swoop provided his girl with plenty of fish. Star was last seen flying toward the river. Hoping for safe travels for all the Dunrovin Ospreys and look forward to seeing Swoop & Winnie in the Spring of 2027.
Stats:
Return Dates:
Swoop – 4/10/26
Winnie – 4/13/26
Eggs laid Hatched Fledged Notes
5/2/26 6/9/26 8/4/26 Star (OE4), female
5/5/26 6/10/26 8/2/26 Spangle (OE5), male
5/8/26 not viable
The chicks were banded on 7/22/26, named on 8/2/26, the gender was determined by the bander.
Last Seen:
Winnie – 8/21/26
Spangle – 8/23/26
Swoop – 9/8/26 *likely around 9/9
Star – 9/9/26 10:05am
Videos of some highlights:
Swoop feeds chicks
Spangle fledges
Star fledges
Video of Swoop’s big catch and swimming to riverbank”
Oh, how I wish every nest would post this information and keep it in an archives.
Raptor Monitoring Scheme in Scotland, Annual Report. Osprey nests are up!
I’m an environmental activist and osprey lover. I am also a Canadian and as everyone knows – I want this Canadian company out of The Bay. Save the ospreys!
More ways to have your voice heard on this matter:
Screenshot
Please do not use rodenticide! This happened in an area close to where I live.
On a happier note, Hope is doing a great job despite George in Australia.
SE38 continues to get nice crops from the feedings by Lady while incubation continues at 367 Collins Street and at Orange with the falcon families and at Port Lincoln with the ospreys.
There is a lot more news, but that is it for us today. Take care, everyone. Wish that Ervie finds a mate this season for next year – and that Dad continues to get some fish to Mum at Port Lincoln. Do you ever wonder if the raptors just want to retire from raising families?
A big shout out to SK Hideaways for their Big Bear video! Thank you to everyone for their posts on FB today and for the owners of the streaming cams – we will be forever grateful to you for allowing us the opportunity to witness the lives of our beloved birds.
