I don’t know how you feel but having Wensi fledge and then return to the nest just made my Wednesday. Today, Wensi has been fed on the nest, spent time on the pole in the river, and is perfecting her flying skills.
If you missed the hour-long talk about this year at Hellgate Canyon, Dr Ericke Green stated that he believed that Wensi is a female. That made me so happy. Iris’s DNA – strong survival DNA along with luck – has kept her alive for more than thirty years. Indeed, counting from the time Iris first bred on the hydro pole at Missoula before the nest where she is currently, meant that thirty is the youngest she could be. It is more likely she is thirty-three or thirty-four. My goodness. Dr Green also assured people that the fish that Clarke had brought to the nest were sufficient for Iris to remain healthy during the incubation and hatch periods. You might have noticed those huge fish recently. As the waters get warmer, Clarke is bringing in suckers that weigh 3-4 lbs, much more than he weighs. Everyone agreed that Clarke is an incredible fishing partner for Iris. He has also brought in Mountain Trout.
At any rate, I hope you enjoy these screen captures from today:
Clark brought in a very early fish for breakfast before the day gets hot.
Still eating nearly 40 minutes after they began feasting on the fish.
Amazing Clarke. He bonded with Iris last year but it was too late to breed. He also brought Iris fish last year. So glad he returned successfully this year. He is an incredible Dad.
Wensi continues to practice her flying to and from the pole on the river.
I wonder what Wensi is saying to Mama Iris.
What a magical year it has been. I really suggest you watch this amazing osprey family and smile. We never know what will happen next. We know that Iris’s favourite return date is 7 April, so I know that all eyes will be on this nest in 2027. I pray both she and Clarke return safely.
Sadly, the second chick from Colonial Beach that was electrocuted did not make it through its surgery. This is the chick that was electrocuted on the pole.
‘PB’ reports: Blackbush 8/1/26 FLEDGE 8:27:17 for one of oldest chicks. “6:39:50 the amazing fisher dad delivers headless flounder for breakfish. Mom feeds all 4 chicks together. 7:32:16 the chicks watch mom tidying up the nest. lots of hovering going on….8:26:40 The chick that is about to fledge looks back at all its siblings to say “watch this”.”
Jackie has now undergone surgery, including a bone marrow biopsy. Ojai Raptor Centre is trying desperately to find what is making our girl sick. She came out of the surgery fine.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch ArkaigThursday 6th August 2026
It was a very slow fish day today – no fish arrived on camera on Nest One, although Aurora had a nicely rounded crop, so Garry’s tally remains at one hundred and ninety four. Louis only brought two fish, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and eighty one, Juniper got the first and Amber the second, and Dorcha had to fend for herself. There were one or two intruder alarms but no one caught on nest cam, apart from an intruder so small Aurora didn’t notice it – a Willow Warbler paid a brief visit to Nest One, and the only other item of note was Amber flying around with a chunk of wood caught in her talons until she landed on the nest and managed to free herself. After some overnight rain, the weather was settled today but it’s raining heavily at the time of filing this report (half past midnight) and heavy rain with light winds is forecast to continue through the night and tomorrow, with a low of 12°C and a high of 16°C.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/iHiyC7yBkWM N2 Nest’s empty when Louis arrives with the first fish so he waits patiently 08.16.15https://youtu.be/sBTb1u_A2vU N2 Amber flies with a chunk of wood stuck in her talons 08.41.25https://youtu.be/bqwpslScm7w N2 Dorcha’s calls aren’t answered so she departs leaving Amber still calling 11.16.49https://youtu.be/e4uGZcg5Dfo N1 Aurora doesn’t notice a little Willow Warbler paying a visit 17.21.18 (zoom)https://youtu.be/AN4rUYXz-aU N2 Finally! A second fish arrives, and Amber steals it off Juniper 18.59.01https://youtu.be/wEFctw2jz1g N1 Aurora gets fed up calling in vain and departs 19.31.09 Bonus watch – An
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourselves. See you soon.
Thank you to Pam Breci and Geemeff, to the owners of the streaming cam at Hellgate Canyon (The Montana Osprey Project along with Cornell Bird Lab) and everyone who posted information on FB. I am very grateful.
Update: After the heat from yesterday, we woke up to cloudy skies and 18 C. What a blessing! We got to have a little longer walk with Toby. Don is not able to walk a great distance anymore but he made it for four blocks. We were delighted. Rain is to start at 1600. Bravo!
Oh, my goodness. The winds blew hot in Winnipeg on Sunday, with the temperature reaching 31 C around 1700. This is certainly not as hot and horrific as it is in other regions of the world. Still, I have seen a change in the garden wildlife. First, they appear to be needing and enjoying the water – we now have seven little sources for them – before wanting food. We are concerned about the Blue Jays as they do not seem to be around in the numbers they were a week and a half ago; there is one Red Squirrel, and I am only seeing two grey squirrels. The other sadness is, of course, Brock. The last positive sighting of him – along with a photo – was the 24th of June. Since then, all of my neighbours, including Jane, who helped feed him, have been searching to no avail. He disappeared on the same day as another friendly neighbourhood cat, Charlie. It is concerning. Jane and I miss him terribly – perhaps a weird thing to hear, but after feeding him for five years, he had a huge place in my heart. We worry that there is someone who is poisoning animals in our area, and that could be my City! But all of that is another discussion. For now, I just hope Brock shows up and surprises us all. He is certainly loved.
Wildfires in the UK have impacted some of the rarest wildlife in the country.
The wildfires are, of course, impacting wildlife around the globe. It is devastating if you look at a map where there are fires. I understand that one of the reasons there are so many fires is that with all the early rain, vegetation grew. Then there is the drought, with places not having rain in a month or more. Then the fires.
I can say that the ospreys that live along the shore of Lake Winnipeg are being photographed and are doing well. We do not have lots of ospreys – we have some in our City – so they are not battling for fish as they are in some other places. It makes me happy.
Sol was not renested at Fru Rauer but was placed in another nest. Here is the video of him being taken in a box to the tree and placed in his new home. https://youtu.be/3B5cm7a0gl8?
In the UK, if the mothers are not on their way to their winter homes. Instead, many are fishing and helping the males with the fledglings.
Such a beautiful sight, big fish coming in steadily to fatten up the fledglings so that their first migration is a success. It is a contrast to what is happening in the US, where many of the males have disappeared. It is frightening that the females are struggling to find fish for their chicks and they need to be finding them for themselves.
At Santiam Canyon, the male has been missing for ten days. There are now great fish fights at the nest amongst the fledglings and concern that chick 2 is dominating the feedings so that the others might actually suffer or starve. The oldest and the youngest are decidedly thin-looking, and this will certainly impact their migration.
We are so near to fledge for Wensi at Hellgate Canyon, home to Iris and Clark, that you might not want to take your eyes off that nest! Look at Wensi hover!!!!!!!!!!
Look at what good condition Wensi is in. If it should happen that beloved Iris does not return next year, I will always remember what an amazing mother she is. She shielded Wensi from the extreme heat and made sure that s/he ate well every time a fish came to the nest. I will remember Clark being an amazing partner to Iris, more than I could have dreamed of when he first arrived. Iris deserves a good mate like Clark (or Finnegan), and I just wish she could have had mates like them all her life. It was a magical year for this family, and I know that every day our hearts warmed to watch them thrive.
Fledgling enjoying fish on the Clark PUD nest – and then another one arrives.
Healthy fledglings – all on the nest – fish calling at Finland’s #1 nest.
Waiting for dinner at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn in Wales.
It is the same everywhere in the UK – those fledglings fish calling loudly. Parents can’t get the fish on the nest fast enough as these ‘babies’ fatten up for their first big migration. They will head to Spain and Portugal or West Africa.
At the Birds of Poole Harbour, Carey Secret Garden nest of CJ7 and Blue 022:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 2nd Aug 2026
The chicks and Dorcha were on and off the nest throughout the day, calling for fish and pouncing on Louis when he arrived. The noise when only one is on the nest and calling is quite considerable and it ramps up by several orders of magnitude when two or more are calling – that and getting his toes chewed by eager beaks means Louis isn’t spending very much time on the nest, he drops his fish and departs as soon as possible. There were some alarms today but nothing serious and no intruders seen on nest cam, nothing to interrupt fish delivery and Louis brought four to the nest, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and sixty five. Dorcha contented herself with an old tail end allowing the chicks to take the fresh fish from her.
Steve Quinn posted his usual thorough weekly analysis of Louis’ fishing stats, with interesting info on fish numbers in years with female chicks and years with male chicks and documenting Louis’ remarkable consistency. Details for his post in the bonus section. Aurora waited on Nest One but got no fish today, Garry turned up but only to do some nest tidying. His tally remains at one hundred and eighty nine. The weather was settled today but is forecast to change to light rain and light winds overnight and tomorrow, with a low of 11°C and a high of 17°C.
Our fish-tossing heroine, Viki, saved the chick and two adults – the chick fledged! Imagine a small place, St George’s Island, where up to 60 osprey chicks would have hatched five years ago, and now only one survived to fledge thanks to our brave human!
“Junior fledged a week ago. He practiced dragging his feet through the creek today, buzzed a couple of gulls who were simply minding their own business. His landings are spot-on and he hangs in the NCopse as do his parents. But he has not ventured out of sight of the nest.
After Junior fledged the female began making more appearances at the nest and surrounds. She has twice swooped down to grab one of the frozen menhaden I throw but did not feed any to Junior and otherwise ignores the frozen fish, even if Junior is fish calling for someone to bring it to him. She will bring and share live fish with Junior, as does the male. These fish are tiny and infrequent.
The male avoids directly providing the female with fish. A couple times she joined Junior on the nest and shared with him the frozen fish the male brought. But if she’s already on the nest he won’t bring a frozen fish to Junior.
The male and female seem to avoid sharing either of their two nests simultaneously and keep a greater distance between one another in the NCopse. But both seem committed to prepping Junior for migration.
I’m still tossing out 8 – 10 fish a day, sometimes fewer, and the male continues to fish, more so with the return of the female. But no matter how long he’s out fishing, there aren’t even medium-sized fish around.
No other chicks on St. George Island have survived.”
What is happening at St George Island, Maryland, is reminiscent of events where both Omega’s gill nets and industrial fishing, along with heat and storms, have wiped out the osprey population. This isn’t fiction. It is happening right before our eyes, and it is human-caused. Thank you, Viki, for saving these three!!!!!!! I only wish that those individuals who ‘observe’ the deaths on the platforms would step up for the wildlife they are hired to protect!
Things are very good for Sally and Harry and their three osplets in Seattle. Thanks, Ping Shen, for doing these observations and sending us images.
“Here in Seattle Harry and Sally and the 3 young continue to do really well! My visit today saw 3 fish deliveries in 45 minutes (2 from dad, 1 from mom), and I left with all the kids contentedly eating (2 on their own with their own fish, and 1 being fed by mom). Also saw some almost-flying, short trips across the nest, vertical flight up to a few feet above the nest, etc – I’m sure fledging will begin within the next day or so! They continue to look really good and mom and dad have clearly kicked fishing into high gear, with obvious success…can’t wait to see the little ones flying from the nest!
This is so wonderful – the adults will be healthy and fattened up for migration along with three fledglings. It has been a great year. I am delighted after the horrors of the NE.
There has been a fledge at Finland’s Loumais nest this morning.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We will see you again for a late post tomorrow. Ann and I hope to take Don and Toby to Oak Knoll Farm to pick up eggs and veggies along with some flowers tomorrow.
Thank you so much to Ping Shen, Viki Volks, SK Hideaways, and Geemeff for their wonderful monitoring, images, and videos. I am so grateful to them. Thank you to all who posted on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch these incredible birds striving to survive.
What a week it has been! My fear is that we are still seeing the perils our dear osprey will have to deal with as wildfires, drought, and extreme rain are impacting all parts of our planet. That weather is impacting us as well – the heat and what will be food shortages, particularly items made of wheat or cereal crops, that have been impacted. It truly is a difficult time for all.
Thank you to everyone who posted good wishes to Heidi. The loss of CH1 is truly devastating, as there were so few ospreys left in that region and, of course, it is the nest she loved.
There is some good news.
0E5, the first hatched male, at Dunrovin Ranch fledged this morning and returned to the nest!
The chick that was removed from the Fru Rauer nest in Norway has been rehomed in a nest with adults that had one chick about the same size. Sol is being fed and monitored by a team as there is no camera. Here is the YouTube announcement: https://youtu.be/zcYWlWscCMc?
The second hatch at Tweed Valley was removed with the hope that it will thrive away from a nest where there was a very aggressive older chick that would not allow it to eat.
The younger chick at Oyster Bay is staying near the nest and getting the fish being delivered.
Fish is being provided to all four fledglings at Poole Harbour. Blue 022 and CJ7 are exceptional parents. The fledglings seem to be always eating.
I love this image of Blue 33 almost getting his talons pulled off as he delivers two fish at once to the Rutland Manton Bay nest in the UK. Plenty of fish for the ospreys! Amazing Dad.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 1st August 2026
Today was a repeat of yesterday, the chicks slept elsewhere overnight and are really unlikely to sleep on the nest again, preferring to perch in trees which better suits the shape of their feet. They hopped on and off the nest, called very noisily for fish, competed with their mum to get fish from Louis and mantled over their prize, loudly warning the others away. Dorcha might have to go fishing for herself soon as she’s not getting much of Louis’ deliveries but she doesn’t try too hard to get the fish ahead of the chicks. There were a few alarms today, Ravens were heard cronking in the distance but nothing came near enough to be caught on camera. Louis delivered four fish, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and sixty one, and nearly lost a toe to Amber in her eagerness to get to the fish. Garry brought one fish for Aurora and stayed to do a little nest tidying – the Nest One tally now stands at one hundred and eight nine. It should be mainly dry overnight and tomorrow with a low of 11°C and a high of 19°C.
This is the last article that University of Florida-Gainsville Intern at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre has written before returning to classes. ‘R’ sent it to me to share with you, and it gives us some hope for a species and maybe for all species. I keep thinking we need young people like Wes taking care of the environment!
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA Resident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014 Resident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012 Sandy hatched 4 April 2026, Luna hatched 5 April 2026 Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4
Shadow Checks In Morning and Night ~ Sub-Adult Stays Close~Critters Clean Up (2026 Jul 30) Shadow continues to spend the night in his usual roost tree, stopping briefly on a favorite perch in the morning. The sub-adult (I think the same one) seems to be in the area whenever Shadow is there. The sub-adult has taken the hint to perch a respectable distance from Shadow, as he’s shown no interest in interacting directly. While the eagles are away during the day, a whole host of critters visit the nest ~ I call them the cleaning crew. Sandy and Luna have not been seen on camera since July 23rd. Enjoy this day in Jackie and Shadow’s habitat. Video: https://youtu.be/wzV_Uf40fP4 Shadow’s Comings and GoingsWhile Awaiting Jackie’s Return (2026 Jul 24) Shadow’s routine has changed since Jackie was taken into care. Sometimes we see him morning and night, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes with a sub-adult bald eagle, sometimes alone. Here’s a day when we saw him both morning and night. This was also the last day faint squees were heard from juvenile eagles, which we hope were Sandy and Luna. It’s a time of wonder, discovery, and hope as we observe this habitat in a different light. Video: https://youtu.be/qfP_F-PEN9k
Jackie is on everyone’s mind! She is improving and was feeding herself. She is in the best care, and this is a reminder not to be sucked into those who keep spreading horrible rumours. No wildlife facility, let alone Ojai Raptor Centre, would keep a raptor in care longer than is needed for donations! Unbelievable.
Arthur has been spotted on campus with the Ps who continue to thrive with him and Big Red providing prey.
This is another tragedy. Every White-tail Eagle that has died in Dorset, England has died of rodenticide poisoning.
The two osplets at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum are thriving despite the heat that is covering our region. [Please note this nest never had three chicks – the third did not die, and any information related to that on the Memorial Page has been removed. There was confusion about the name of the nest when an individual sent me information for the Memorial Page].
Mum and Dad on the barge nest at Port Lincoln as they prepare for the 2026 breeding season – mating is certainly on the agenda!
Friends of Osprey Sth Australia have been checking the other platforms in the area as they work to reintroduce the species to the region. They are hopeful for a good year! I will keep you posted.
All four juveniles, including the fledglings, home for fish at Blackbush.
Fish arrived at Cowlitz.
I have no idea what has happened at Osoyoos but the heat has been incredible.
Fish at Sandpoint for only osplet.
Fledglings return to the Salmon, Idaho nest for fish. On occasion you can see the wildfire smoke on the streaming cam that is near.
Lucky osplet at the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho nest just got a huge whole fish from Dad!
These two osprey nests are right in the middle of humans – just look at Sandy Hook!
We hope that each of you are doing well. Please do check the Memorial Page and help me fill in the gaps and send good wishes to all those osplets on nests for a successful fledge and migration – and to the adults who are trying to fatten up for their journey to their winter homes. I can tell you that Seren Blue 5F has made it to her winter home in The Gambia. She has been photographed. I hope that next year is a better season for her and Dylan at Llyn Clywedog.
Hugo Yugo clowning around on the chair. You can see the poor dear has no teeth in front to hold her tongue. She is a real character.
Hope loving Missey.
Toby had his flea and tick treatment and wears his little jacket so none of the liquid will get on the cats.
It has been busy at the bird baths. The raccoon comes at night and even took a bath and a good old drink. Please remember to leave out life-saving water for the birds and other wildlife. It does make a difference.
See you soon!
Thank you to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their dedication, their videos, and nest summaries. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me this week. I am grateful to everyone wo posted on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to view these families. A big shout out to those who rescued osplets in need and who have tried to make their lives better – Fru Rauer and Tweed Valley this week.
It was not my intention to post any information today, so this will posting will include only one big announcement.
It is with the deepest sadness that I write this evening. At 1956, a Bald Eagle predated Miles and Hennies’ precious first hatch of 2026, CH1, at the Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey platform in Lewes, Delaware. This nest is the heartbeat of our dear Heidi, who set up a FB group and loved this family so much. She even gave them their names, as she did to the osprey pair, Della and Warren. I know that she is struggling tonight. She worried about the Bald Eagles there as well as at other sites that she monitors. Please send Heidi positive energy. This has been a very difficult year, but this predation will make a hole in Heidi’s heart.
CH1 was fully feathered and hatched on 9 June and was really ready to fledge had it not missed days without food.
Precious CH1 minutes before resting on the nest after having had fish brought by mum today.
The other two osplets at this nest perished on 2 July from a weather event (CH2) and CH3 from siblicide on 25 June.
Thank you to Pam Breci and to the Parks Department of Delaware for their streaming cam.
We were all excited when we learned that Uno would be provided with fish so that he could survive to fledge. Without parents and no food, he would have perished.
Sadly, after eating three fish yesterday, Uno was found dangling by a talon from the nesting material, dead this morning. I am so very sad to bring this devastating news to you. It seems like all I have done is cry this year. I wish each one of those tears had been a fish to feed a little one.
My heart – and I know yours, too – is very heavy right now.
Thank you to the New Jersey Wildlife Conservation and Nature Conservancy for trying. The South Cape May Nest had its adults disappear, leaving this only surviving osplet on its own with no food and no hope for any – and then the fairies came.
I will not speculate if the fish came too late. I am glad that they reached out with fish and tried to save this little innocent.
Thank you to Pam Breci – for the note and for loving this baby so much.
Yesterday it was 45 C with the humidex. It was so hot and humid in the garden you could barely breathe. Even the birds had little interest in food. Toby and I kept filling up the bird baths so that they could wash and get drinks. Tolu noticed right away that there was only one Blue Jay, and I am concerned about them. I did just see one Blue Jay come to the table feeder from inside the lilac tunnel. Perhaps that’s where they are. There were three crows just here, so that is good.
As many of you know, there are fires burning everywhere, driven by the heat and an ongoing drought. This will have a serious impact on our ospreys, as they rely solely on water and fish for food and hydration.
Please send your good wishes to all of them, and thank you again to Wildlife Conserve of NJ for feeding Uno and setting a precedent. Now please go and feed all the others because all of this heat and lack of fish is a human-driven issue – it is not ‘nature’.
Also read the following carefully and respond appropriately, thank you:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ASMFC is meeting August 5 to consider the possible reduction of the menhaden fishing quota – hopefully by 50%. Last year ASMFC lost their nerve and only reduced the take by 20% or less.
Write to the commissioners from YOUR STATE of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission now. ASMFC is responsible for setting quotas along the U.S. East Coast and balancing commercial fishing with the ecosystem’s forage needs.
This is the most important actions you can do right now. Don’t let the industrial fishing harvesters deplete our osprey’s food source.
Urge your state commissioners to protect the osprey and menhaden populations by adopting substantially stronger, ecosystem-based management of menhaden. by adopting a 50% reduction in the industrial harvest, or by totally ending industrial menhaden reduction fishing along the East Coast or by closing the Chesapeake Bay to industrial harvesting until independent science demonstrates that the fishery is not harming the ecosystem.
Your six CT ASMFC commissioners are:
Shanna Madsen Assistant Director, CT DEEP Fisheries Division, Shanna.Madsen@ct.gov
Proxy: Matthew Gates, DEEP Fisheries Matthew.Gates@ct.gov (860)434-6043
William Hyatt CT DEEP hyattwilliam01@gmail.com (860)402-6947
Proxy: Robert Lafrance, Policy Director Audubon’s CT, Robert.Lafrance@Quinnipiac.Edu, (203)668-6685
CT Representative Joseph P. Gresko, joseph.gresko@cga.ct.gov 860.240.0363
Proxy: Craig Miner former state senator craigminer230@gmail.com (860)309-0485
See the comments section for more information on the problem to help you write your comments to the commissioners.
Great news from Ping Shen in Seattle:
Quick visit today, found the three siblings looking good, mostly resting when I arrived, though one started some fairly vigorous warmups for life’s next stage, even managing a few jumps and momentary liftoffs in the process. Good to see them still doing well! Figure they are about ~6.5 weeks old give or take, so fledging may be around the corner…! Fingers crossed.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 29th July 2026
Another amazing day – Juniper 8P7 achieved the ultimate milestone and fledged! Mind you, her maiden flight only lasted 31 seconds before she circled back and crash landed on the cam post, but she took off elegantly and confidently only an hour after doing her first proper off-the-screen helicopter, and made better landings on subsequent flights. Her helicopter and Dorcha’s stick antics were captured from a different perspective by LizB and her marvellous long lens a mile and a half away across the loch, links in the bonus section. Louis delivered four fish taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and forty six, and Amber made sure she got her share, returning to the nest after spending time perched on the branches underneath the nest with just an occasional wingtip betraying her presence. Over on Nest One, Garry made up for the lack of fish over the last couple of days and brought two fish for Aurora, taking his tally to one hundred and eighty six. Aurora was so excited to see the first one that she managed to fly off without it and did a smart about turn to grab it properly the second time. After a soggy night, the weather was reasonably settled today and the pattern repeats with light rain, light winds and a low of 11°C overnight, continuing tomorrow with light rain showers, a moderate breeze, some sunny intervals and a high of 15°C.
The plumbers continue to work. We were fortunate to get Toby out for a walk before the heat set in today. There was a huge thunderstorm at 11 pm last evening with winds of 100 km passing through our City. Lots of big trees down. The plumbers had put a heavy piece of granite on Toby’s clothes box, so he did not have his thunder jacket. I could not lift that 2-inch granite! I wrapped him up tight in a baby blanket, held him in bed, and sang to him until it passed. Poor guy.
The Girls were alright. Missey and Hugo Yugo were in bed with me and Toby. Calico and Hope were in with Don.
If you haven’t seen this documentary, I recommend it.
This link should take you there: edcoraluniverse.com/en/play/69e8c6d262897193d5221799?id=69e8c6d262897193d5221799&advs=true&fbclid=IwY2xjawTYcbJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE3SVhhS0M1NEhxOTh1NTA0c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHu2Ztmvw5jamfEB0iM6JAst2nVOORV2832Qm1z9VCHuTUSzJ71K2LuxBegQ4_aem_Ke9a929zbw8MzUF-9JTMSg
Thank you so much for being with us today. Thank you to Ping Shen for the amazing photos of Sally and Harry and their trio, to those who posted information on FB with images, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to follow the lives of our birds. Thank you, Geemeff, for your videos and daily updates on all things Loch Arkaig.
My life has always been made richer by the people who are part of it, and that includes all of you. I appreciate your notes, your quiet recommendations on the best stain cleaner, thunder jacket, vaccinations – what a caring community. You let me know about any news I might have missed and your wishes for me when I am sick and very tired are so appreciated. I am blessed. I am also fortunate to have readers/followers/Bird World friends who either volunteer or work at many of the rehabilitation centres where our raptors wind up staying and getting help.
I know that everyone is anxiously watching for updates on Jackie. I have also been annoyed by those who are impatient and rude. I am sure you have seen their comments. I know that our local wildlife rehabilitation centre is now taking in twice as many patients as it did before the other facility in our province closed. So what I am asking you to do is simply sit back and wait. Imagine a few people trying to create miracles with new patients coming in and the world watching them. Can you imagine if that patient was our dear Jackie, the most famous bald eagle female in the world, perhaps?
Most wildlife rehabilitation centres work on a shoe string. They do incredible things with very little, to the astonishment of everyone. I still recall E17 and the flight area at Humane Indiana. They didn’t need a fancy enclosure to get that eaglet back into shape – they just needed dedicated staff and volunteers who refused to give up. E17 was returned near the nest in South Bend. It was remarkable.
Jackie is in the best place she can be. I know that the Ojai Raptor Centre has received numerous donations to help with her care. But let us not forget that every test for an exotic toxin, every IV bag, every transfusion – it all comes at a great cost. Just the testing for lead is so expensive, never mind everything else. So if you are still considering donating, please do and label it for Jackie’s care.
The Ojai Raptor Center has very humble beginnings. The Founder, Kim Stroud, who retired in January, started taking care of sick/hurt birds in her backyard and in a wood shop behind her place of business in 2000. In 2010, Kim was able to move her operations to the Ojai Honor Farm; four acres on a former minimum security honor farm facility. With the help of generous donations, they were able to transform some buildings into a medical hospital and added a number of flight cages.
In 2023, ORC brought on board Dr Kat (as she is called), who brought her own specialised training to the centre, including infectious disease management. With a small full-time staff and a host of volunteers, they focus on the care and treatment of all winged birds.
Like all non-profits, ORC struggles with the costs of running a full-scale wildlife hospital and depends on local support to maintain operations. In 2024, ORC was in deficit because they needed to replace flight netting and repair water lines. And today, more and more patients are coming into care as rivers and lakes dry up, habitats are lost, or accidents occur.
So please help, if you can. [I know that everyone and every organisation is struggling, but I mention this because Ojai is an exceptional centre. It is where Dr Sharpe took Victor!
But please wait for updates. Limited staff and volunteers are needed to help clients/patients and are not answering phones. We know that Jackie had a blood transfusion and that she improved and then had a setback. They are working tirelessly to determine the cause of her anaemia, but she is beginning to eat independently, which is a big plus. Send Jackie all the best wishes that you can.
Louis and Dorcha’s second hatch, Amber, Blue 8P6, fledged today. It was a magnificent flight. Amber stood on the edge of the nest looking towards the loch and began flapping her wings. She flew like a pro to a nearby pine tree – seen in the distance in the video. The landing appeared to be perfect as well.
Amber returned to the nest just like a pro – what a strong chick! Geemeff has that landing: https://youtu.be/9BQRF4ykYeI?
At the Pont Cresor nest, Aeron Z2 is proving that he is quite the fisher. He once again brought in two fish at a time! There is clearly not a problem with food in Wales for the ospreys.
It is quite a different story in the US, where females abandon their chicks in the nest before fledging to find food to build up their bodies for migration, before they starve. At South Cape Meadows, Hera was last seen more than two weeks ago. Zeus was delivering fish to the single surviving osplet, Uno, but has not been seen in two days. The situation is dire, as the organs of the osplet are already beginning to shut down. If the food isn’t delivered today, this chick will starve in place. I cannot tell you how much that breaks my heart.
I am afraid that if I lived there, I would load a backpack with ice and fish and deliver it to the nest. Then I would argue in court that the human cause of this great disaster besetting this region of the US and its ospreys.
They have turned the camera off on Uno at the nest of Zeus and Hera. The chick will starve without any help. Why not feed it? They know the cause. The fault lies with the State of Virginia, which takes political donations and a handful of jobs over the entire region’s ecosystem and its other employment – ospreys die. The whales and dolphins have left. This is simply more than tragic.
Despite the high temperatures, the two osplets at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum are doing well because the amount of fish is keeping them hydrated.
A fish for the only surviving osplet at Cowlitz PUD.
All of the osplets have fledged at Clark PUD in Washington State.
An adult arrives to help with the fish and another fledgling shows up at Clark.
The surviving two have fledged at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, also. Well done!
Mum came and took the leftover fish.
All is well at Blackbush and I believe that is Tiny 4 flapping its wings.
At Oyster Bay, there is a lot of fish calling while one fledgling enjoys a fish.
I wonder if the fishing is hard near Charlo. Charlie really needs to get a fish on the nest for Winnie and C22.
There was a bit of a fish fight over a small one at the Poole Harbour nest of CJ7 and Blue 022.
I love the look of Dad in the background. It looks like 6T7 has it for sure but…wait..
6T9 ultimately keeps the fish.
At Upper Newport Bay, Ripple arrives and Dad delivers a breakfast fish.
At Salmon, Idaho, Dad delivered a nice fish and everyone was able to get a share.
At the Usk Valley in Wales, the second chick that had often been aggressively treated by its older sibling took flight today at 53 days! Congratulations 0U1. The older sibling, 0U0, fledged on the 19th of July at 53 days.
I want to close with some more happiness. At the Osprey House Environmental Centre in Griffin, Australia, two little osplets hatched to George and Hope. I understand that big sister, Maria, who helped last year, has dispersed.
And, last, Geemeff brings us the exciting news from Loch Arkaig today!
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 28th July 2026
Amber did it – she fledged today! With a quick check of her wings, Loch Arkaig Osprey chick 8P6, AKA Amber, opened her wings fully and launched off into the big wide world. She made a perfect landing on the Scots Pine tree, stayed there for a few minutes, then took off again and didn’t return for five hours. Her return was as elegant as her departure, she landed smoothly from a hover over the nest and then walked forward and cuddled up to her sister Juniper 8P7. Louis brought three fish today, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and forty two, and Dorcha and Juniper shared two of those while Amber was away enjoying her new found freedom but she’d had a good meal from the first fish. Aurora 536 on the other hand got no fish at all from Garry LV0 despite calling loud and long, but each time he turned up, his talons were empty and she eventually departed. A year ago today was her last appearance on nest cam in Season Nine – it will be interesting to see if she turns up tomorrow. Garry’s total remains at one hundred and eighty four. It started raining this evening before night cam came on, and the forecast is for heavy rain and a gentle breeze with a low of 13°C overnight, changing to light rain with a high of 17°C tomorrow.
Thank you for being with us today! Take care – and remember, please put out water for wildlife. See our little visitor looking for food who had a drink from the birdbath last night!
Thank you to Geemeff, the wonderful folks at Ojai Raptor Centre, everyone who posted on FB with information and images, and the owners of the streaming cams.
I just wish everyone was as brave as Viki and a few others who are out there providing fish because they understand that the lack of food is human-caused.
Today is a short posting because this one story is so remarkable you do not need to hear or read anything else! Would you believe it if someone told you that two little eaglets on top of a hydro pole, one just hatched and another hatching, could be rescued and saved? Well, believe it and watch this video to see what happened! https://youtu.be/-UaKaFwGz58?
Meanwhile chicks everywhere, if they haven’t died or fledged, are flapping away getting ready.
Jay Koolpix nest:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 26th July 2026
No fledge as yet but both Juniper 8P7 and Amber 8P6 were hop, skip and jumping over the nest today, balancing precariously on the edge, peering down into the depths, and doing helicopters. Juniper hasn’t yet gone off the screen as Amber has but she’s getting closer all the time. So it’ll be eyes peeled tomorrow watching for that magic moment when they find their wings and go off into the big wide world that’s waiting beyond the nest. There were more intruders about – perhaps newly fledged from nearby, or more likely unattached older birds looking for their own nests and mates – but no one came near enough to bother the chicks. Louis brought five fish, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and thirty four, and causing a tug of trout between Dorcha and a determined Juniper. But it was all fairly low key with none of the aggressive assertiveness we’ll see once the chicks go into hyperphagia, when Louis can expect to get his leg pulled or even bitten as the chicks fight to get to the fish first. Actually, it’s not just the chicks – Dorcha accidentally got his foot instead of the fish today but soon let go with no harm done. Over on Nest One, Aurora was calling for fish but Garry arrived and mounted her instead, choosing to reaffirm their bond with a mating attempt. His total remains at one hundred and eighty two. It didn’t rain as much as forecast and should remain dry overnight with a low of 10°C, changing to light rain and a gentle breeze tomorrow with a high of 17°C.
Thanks everyone for being with us today. Take care! See you soon!
Thank you to Pam Breci, to the people who care enough to really try and save our osprey babies, and to Geemeff for their videos and summary. To all those who posted on FB or are owners of streaming cams, we thank you immensely.
Before I begin with some news from the nests, I want to thank everyone who donated to Save Moon Camp. It is very special to me that half of the funds came from ordinary individuals like you and me. I am grateful that others came with the remaining amount so that the habitat could be saved.
It is important to save these special places – more so now that there are development companies quick to want to build housing estates and condos in the most beautiful natural places on our planet. We need to ensure that they don’t. One of the great Canadian writers, Margaret Atwood, helped champion the conservation and ecological protection of Pelee Island in Lake Erie, Ontario. Rather than saving an entire island from physical destruction, she and her late partner Graeme Gibson focused on preserving its vital natural ecosystem by co-founding the Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO) and advocating for its migratory bird habitats.
You don’t have to be a famous writer or a millionaire to save land. You simply have to understand that humans can do wonderful, marvellous miracles ‘together’. I continue to advocate for ‘one garden at a time’ – we don’t need huge goals like 100 acres or 35,000 acres. Imagine if every home, beginning with yours, had Butterfly bushes, trees for shade for the birds and animals, places for water for them, and, if you can, food. Then add the next house, and the next, and the next….then close your eyes and imagine the forest sanctuary you have created. Please, if you can, start a movement. The wildlife need habitat.
We are in the beginning stages of planning to dig up the area behind our conservatory to cover it with trees that grow quickly. We may take the other area where wood is stacked as well. I will document the change in photos once we begin. For now, the animals and birds are enjoying the shade and the three bird baths. Water has been the key during the heat that we had and the new heat dome that is arriving tomorrow. Today it is so humid and hot it is hard to stay outside very long.
I have not posted much this week because the children have been helping me finish up my decluttering! They did the attic in no time. What an amazing team they are. I miss them today. The house is quiet, and we are left to go through one large box of photos. Toby has a mild case of conjunctivitis that is slowly getting better, and I do mean slowly. The Girls are fine, and well… we will enjoy the quiet today and tomorrow. Tuesday is the day the plumbers will be here tearing things apart.
Do you know how to tell if your toilet is leaking? Pour soy sauce in the tank and see if it runs down the sides of the bowl! My water bill doubled in a month, and we knew something was amiss. So not only are they putting in a new loo, but they are finally installing the gorgeous German vanity that I purchased before the pandemic! It will be dusty and dirty.
So what has been going on with the ospreys? Well, in the UK, they have been fledging. Not having the problems that the US ospreys have had with food, the chicks are healthy. Aran’s only baby with his new mate fledged and sat on the perch, wondering what to do. This is its second flight:
The only one at the Loch of the Lowes, Blue 2JB, at 53 days, has fledged, and the little boy of Elen and Teifi’s finally took to the sky. Others that fledged have returned to their nests. US ospreys are fledging too – Santiam Canyon had one this morning. It is hard to keep up with them now! All fledglings need to return to the nest to be fed by the parents for several weeks or even a month. Instinctively, ospreys know how to fish – 61.5 million years of developing- but they still need help from the adults.
The latest news from Big Bear: ·
Habitat Update
We do not have an update on Jackie currently. Ojai Raptor Center said they would not be giving any additional information on Jackie until Monday at the earliest.
We have had many questions about the sub adult that likely battled with Jackie and has been very present in the habitat for several days.
We spoke with Dr. Peter Sharpe, Bald Eagle expert and Conservationist regarding the sub adult. He aged this eagle at 3 ½ years old. Bald eagles generally reach full maturity at the age of 5 years old, though they can be ready to mate and lay eggs at the age of 4, however that is not as common.
Dr. Sharpe feels that it is a bit early for this sub adult to be looking for nesting territory and/or a mate. Shadow did show defensive behavior against the sub adult for several days while Sandy and Luna were at the nest and seen in the area on both cameras.
Though we have been hearing vocals that may be Sandy or Luna in the habitat, the last time we saw them on our cameras was on 7/23. With several other young eagles in the area, these vocals may or may not be Sandy or Luna.
If Sandy and Luna have indeed left on their life’s journey, their timing is completely normal. At the Big Bear nest, previous eaglets have generally dispersed at around 4 weeks. It is not confirmed Sandy and Luna have left the area, we can only observe and time will tell. If Sandy and Luna are not in the habitat, Shadow would not feel the need to protect the territory.
When the eagles are not in nesting season, they are much more tolerant of other eagles. Sandy Steers and I spent over an hour watching Jackie and a sub adult back in 2023 (pictures attached). Jackie was not concerned at all about the subadult perching with her. In fact, she continued to preen and seemed very relaxed, though glancing over at the other eagle occasionally to keep an eye on it.
A soft reminder, please be kind to the FOBBV team and each other. We are all going through this together.
Stay tuned for future updates, we will continue to post information here.
GW”
A good message for all of us:
SK Hideaways Videos for Week of 19 July 2026
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA Resident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014 Resident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012 Sandy hatched 4 April 2026, Luna hatched 5 April 2026 Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4 Live Recap & Observations: https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz Shadow and Sub-Adult Share Nighttime Roost Tree (2026 Jul 25)
Shadow’s vocal were heard in the early morning, but not again until the evening just after he flew by. A sub-adult was flying behind him but stopped to perch on Twin Pines and then the Simba Tree before flying off to join Shadow on his and Jackie’s roost tree. Missed seeing Sandy and Luna again today and wish them a safe night along with all Big Bear eagles. Sending positive thoughts for Jackie’s speedy and complete recovery. Video: https://youtu.be/uRxUyUgKTpo
Sandy & LunaPossible Last Sightings ~ But Not Last Squees~ 2026 Jul 23 I held this video for a couple days in hopes of seeing Sandy and Luna back on camera. So far we haven’t seen them, but believe we have heard them ~ quite a lot. Whether we see them again or not, this video brings some sweet and poignant moments of their typical mornings together ~ good morning squees, flying from favorite perch to favorite perch, and even some beakie kisses. A nice collection for the memory book. Video: https://youtu.be/O32HJ6mozQI Shadow Calls for Jackie Morning & Evening ~ Send Positivity Their Way(2026 Jul 23) Shadow calls for Jackie probably more often than we see on camera. In my opinion, he misses her. Also in my opinion, while he is dealing with the presence of visiting sub-adult bald eagles, he has no interest in taking another mate. His focus is on Jackie’s whereabouts and taking care of Sandy and Luna. Sending oodles of positive thoughts to Jackie and Shadow for a happy reunion one day soon. Video: https://youtu.be/IaJECLI95kk
Shadow & Sub-Adult Perch Peacefullyas Eaglets Watch ~ Fiona & Fast Finale(2026 Jul 22) Shadow and a sub-adult seem to have reached a truce to some extent. This sub-adult followed Shadow all over today. Each time it landed near him, he immediately flew off, except for a 25-minute period in the afternoon. He had much to say to the youngster but there was no physical aggression. Perhaps the truce included the condition that the sub-adult not breach the nest again.
At day’s end, Shadow perched behind the pine boughs next to the Cactus Snag for about 90 minutes. Was he trying to ditch the sub before roost time? We’ll never know, but he retired to his and Jackie’s roost tree. Luna roosted back on the Simba Tree and Sandy stayed on the high Y branch of the nest tree. Fiona and Fast Freddie took advantage of the empty nest and had quite a party. Video: https://youtu.be/qc4eJpY9-EY Shadow Stays Strong ~ Sub-Adult Remains ~ Another Day Without Jackie~ 2026 Jul 21 I chronicled this whole day as a testament to the strength and keen survival instincts of these bald eagles. It seems Shadow kept the persistent sub-adult from returning to the nest with great support from Sandy and Luna. He also managed to deliver 3 fish in the span of a half-hour in the morning and another 3 in the evening.
Luna and Sandy are venturing farther away as evidenced by Luna’s 9-hour absence from camera view and Sandy’s 3-hour absence. Shadow returning to an empty nest in the afternoon was difficult to see, but fans were soon treated when Luna and then Sandy returned to the nest in the evening.
I sprinkled the video with photos of Jackie ~ remembering happier times and sending oodles of positive thoughts for her speedy and complete recovery. Video: https://youtu.be/lFjfSoF_-7o
Sub-Adult Returns to Nest Tree🌲Shadow Divebombs, Locks Talons on Descent The sub-adult that Shadow had flushed out earlier in the day returned in the evening. This was not a good idea. Shadow first gave the visitor a stern verbal warning before diving on them. They both descended and their talons locked briefly before Shadow chased the sub-adult across the valley. Shadow then returned and perched on the Simba Tree during which time Luna and Sandy briefly checked on him there.
At nightfall, Sandy and Luna perched on the nest tree basement while Shadow retired to his and Jackie’s night roost tree. Sending positive thoughts for Jackie’s complete and speedy recovery while she is at the wildlife rehabilitation center being well cared for. And we wish all Big Bear eagles well as they all navigate life in the wild. (2026 Jul 19) Video: https://youtu.be/u-Wjj6i0cZU
Sub-Adult Breaches Nest ~ Shadow Attacks and Chases as Luna & Sandy Fly In(2026 Jul 19) One of the persistent sub-adult bald eagles followed Shadow to the nest. Shadow made his displeasure known vocally, but when Luna arrived, Shadow leapt over him and flushed the sub-adult from the nest, chasing them to the lake and possibly beyond. Sandy arrived at the nest as the chase was unfolding, and she and Luna looked on, squee-less. Not a minute later, Shadow was perched on Twin Pines and 9 minutes later, Sandy and Luna perched on the Cactus Snag. Shadow remains on Twin Pines, on guard as we publish. We wish all Big Bear eagles well and continue to wait for definitive news of Jackie’s whereabouts. Video: https://youtu.be/3OnNjmhclpo
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha (hatched 3/28), Zuma (hatched 3/30), Ryder (hatched 4/1) Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s Two Eaglets Rouse Cruz from Her Night Roost ~ Hang Out Awhile(2026 Jul 23) Fans were treated to Princess Cruz on her overnight roost followed by not one but two eaglets rousing her in the wee hours. She exited stage left pretty quickly. The eaglets stayed long enough to show us some of their signature shenanigans and progress they’ve made in eagle school in the weeks since we last saw them. Video: https://youtu.be/-wNvLxUawZI
San Jose City Hall Falcons ~ San Jose, CA ~ Hartley, Monty, and chicks Jet, Scout, Stewart, Walton (hatched 4/21/26) Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam | Predatory Bird Research Group Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBSxPjy5sow Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU Roof Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQLhmV6bP6o Walton and Scout Make Surprise Visit to Nest Area ~ Adult Skedaddles(2026 July 18) Walton arrived, screaming, of course, while an adult was on the runway. With no drama, the adult flew, at which point Scout arrived. What a treat to see them both for this short visit. They look to be healthy and spunky. Video: https://youtu.be/NhsJmukFq2w
Cholyn & Chase Defend TerritoryAgainst Peregrine Falcons (2026 Jul 18) The Two Harbors peregrines must be in the midst of their nesting season, as they’ve been very territorial lately. They seem to have forgotten who rules the territory, though, as they persist in stooping on Cholyn and Chase. Our royal couple, despite their 28 years, are more than capable of defending their territory and displayed a most impressive series of evasive actions to keep the speedy peregrines at bay. Video: https://youtu.be/v2CFlmN1tpc
And then our other great contributor, Geemeff brings us the news from Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 25th July 2026
Today’s big news is that we are officially on fledge watch! The chicks have been wingercising and taking little hops but today Amber 8P6 did a proper helicopter, disappearing out of the cam view at the top of the screen while Juniper 8P7 looked on in amazement. Juniper also got airborne, but only a few inches above the ground so it looks like Amber may well beat her older sister to first fledge. All eyes will be concentrating more than usual on the nest tomorrow! Meanwhile Dorcha is still fending off intruders, an unringed probably male Osprey flew very close, and there were one or two other alarms but no one else caught on nest cam. Intruders didn’t seem to take up Louis’ time as he delivered three fine looking trout including a gold coloured one, and he was sporting a very well-filled crop. The Nest Two tally now stands at three hundred and twenty nine. Aurora 536 spent a fair bit of time on Nest One, Garry LV0 delivered one fish taking his tally to one hundred and eighty two, and stayed to do a bit of nest tidying. It rained overnight but despite the forecast was mainly dry during the day, and there’ll be more rain overnight with a low of 12°C, continuing throughout tomorrow with a high of 17°C. There should be an early evening break in the rain tomorrow which would be ideal conditions for a fledge. However, the chicks will decide when they’re ready.Today’s videos: https://youtu.be/EJgW5nIVUuQ N2 Louis brings a huge lively trout 08.59.22 https://youtu.be/jf8-s_O-qUM N2 Dorcha warns away an intruder Osprey flying too near the nest 10.16.23https://youtu.be/f4RRAzdVszw N2 Juniper’s keen when fish two arrives, Amber joins in later 11.18.18 https://youtu.be/wSUiOyv4KMo N1 Aurora grabs the flatfish, has a nibble, and leaves with it 18.06.26https://youtu.be/J6Ki2ZIxvoI N2 Amber does a proper off-the-screen helicopter! 18.57.16https://youtu.be/wMGEFDUt_EoN2 Louis brings a very colourful third trout 19.53.04 (zoom)
Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:
Zeus has been making fish deliveries to Cape May to the chick who we hope will fledge soon! Another miracle. One little survivor.
There are still four osplets at Blackbush in Prince Edward Island. Against the odds, little four is going to make it unless something very strange happens.
Despite heating rivers and dying fish, Clark works hard for his family and delivers a nice fish for Iris and Wensi early this morning.
Wensi is working on building muscles to fly.
Two osplets at Oyster Bay – at least one has fledged and returned. Fish are coming to the nest, but the one who might not have fledged (apologies, I have not kept up with this nest as much as I should) is constantly fish-calling.
Looking to the upcoming season in the Southern Hemisphere:
Mum and Dad are on the barge nest and mating constantly! Meanwhile we hope Ervie and his female mate have chicks this year, too.
Lady and Dad in the Olympic Forest nest where Lady is incubating her two precious eggs.
Beautiful Diamond at the Falcon Scrape on the campus of Charles Sturt University in Orange, Australia. Gimbir is safe and sound and often in the scrape. He is quite the character. Looking forward to more healthy chicks this season.
The streaming cam at 367 Collins Street – home to the Melbourne Falcon family – will be turned on once there are eggs.
Thank you so much for your notes. I am so glad that you appreciated the photos of Toby and The Girls! They are so very special to my life.
Toby keeping us company as we sort through photos.
Have a lovely week. We will be back with you on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Thank you to Geemeff, SK Hideaways, Pam Breci, to all the contributors on FB, and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our bird friends.
It was a wonderful time with out son and daughter-in law as well as our daughter and her partner. A busy week. They took my list of things to do and just go on with it. The Peletron bike now longer haunts me sitting by the dining room table. The box room is cleared up and it has a new home. The attic is 95% cleared out. All the good stuff was kept, lots donated, and some sadly made it to the landfill. They were so organised! My contribution was to ‘stay out of the way’. The kids leave to return to their home in the Caribbean in a couple of hours. Gosh, I miss them already!
I apologise for I have not caught up with answering your e-mails. My inbox has exploded since the funds came through for Moon Camp.
A lot has happened in Bird World.
First of all, everyone knows that the funds needed to purchase the land and put it into a trust – Moon Camp – to preserve the foraging area of Jackie and Shadow and whoever comes after them is secure. They did it with a week to spare. Bravo!
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this happen. Now we just need Jackie home —- and she is in the best facility possible to help her, Ojai Raptor Centre!
Sadly, as it happens every year, a White-tail waited til the osprey fledglings get nice and fat for fledge and then struck. AK wrote: “ Sadly, UMU, the #4 nestling in Finland, was taken by a White-tailed Eagle.”
If you follow the images below you will see that the osprey cme to try and get its chick to no avail. The WTE slipped into the forest.
You can see the sequence here, and the osprey flies up to the forest and then turns to the right. So sad. They wait, those eagles and hawks, til the osplets are fat and ready to fledge.
It is fledge watch and Geemeff just sent me the cutest video of Amber flapping her wings and then helicoptering out of view of the camera. Soon! It comes too quickly! We sit and wait for eggs to hatch – that seems to take endless time – and then before we know it they are losing their baby look and turning into ferocious reptiles and then beautiful juveniles. For all those who survived this most tragic year, we salute you and anyone and all who helped.
Ping Shen reports from Seattle: “Hope you are well and the heat and smoke are not too bad. We are getting a bit of both here in Seattle, though nothing like what the midwest and northeast had last week.
Some good news mid-week – a very short visit today and all 3 young continue to look good. Mom delivered a Starry Flounder not five minutes after I arrived and lunch was served. The pecking order is very clearly established – you can see #3 sitting back while the first 2 surround mom, the little one not even trying to get in there and seemingly content to wait. However, since it seems to still be doing well, I guess there has been enough fish for this complacency to work! Fingers crossed they continue to well but so far so good. They are now well past the stage where they lost #3 last season, so an improvement already…”
News from Viki and Indian Creek: “LB seems to have split now that Lily has returned. Lily had no problem getting the first AND the second fish I threw this morning, ate them both, not even stopping by the chick’s nest, and since she was full she let the third one I threw sink and the chick has not been fed. It’s like one step forward, two steps back.
Full blown construction surrounds me in the neighborhood today. I sit out on the porch (second day in a row of lovely weather) with noise canceling headphones on. Waiting for LB to show up so I can throw a fish to him to bring to the chick.
LMAO – you are right! An osprey from the other side of the creek just now got that fish. Glad to know they float for a long while.
Heading out to give Lily one more chance – I cover up with a Dr. Seuss XL pajama pant and a long sleeve shirt from one of my husband’s political campaigns. Hoping it was LB who took #4 fish. Sheesh. This is becoming stressful!? [Note: Viki is the mother of the chicks.}
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 24th July 2026
More intruder action today but Dorcha made sure they didn’t come near the nest, allowing the chicks to get on with wingercising and stuffing themselves with fish. There was a lot of fish to get through as Louis delivered seven fish taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and twenty six, and the chicks are in great shape. Both Amber 8P6 and Juniper 8P7 have been exercising their wings, strengthening them ready for fledging, doing little hops, and Amber in particular did some quite high mini-helicopters, when she wasn’t tangling her talons or wings in a stick, as she did on one occasion. Over on Nest One, Aurora and Garry have stopped paying attention to the rotten but still intact egg and Aurora sleeps elsewhere now, but they are still attending the nest, bringing fish and bedding and adjusting the furnishings. This bodes well for next year when with luck they will produce a viable clutch. Garry brought two fish for Aurora, taking his tally to one hundred and eighty one. The ‘gentle breezes’ forecast for today seemed much stronger than that, but of course, exposed nests at the top of tall trees will feel the effects more. Those ‘gentle breezes’ are set to continue tonight and through tomorrow, with heavy rain, a low of 13°C and a high of 17°C. At the time of filing this report (half past midnight) the rain has begun and Dorcha is on the nest next to her chicks.
I will have more news on Monday. I am still trying to rest up from that wonderful visit! This morning we went to the English Gardens with Toby. Don is doing well after I adjusted his medication four days ago. The change has been rather phenomenal and I am delighted.
Toby checks out all the flowers.
My gorgeous granddaughter, Elysha, who long time readers will know – on her wedding day in Australia.
My family wishes you a good weekend.
See you on Monday!
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Ping Shen, and Geemeff for their great contributions, to those who posted on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams and YouTube stations.
