Tag Archives: environmental activism

We need action! Not more studies. Saturday in Bird World

18 July 2026

Hello Everyone,

When your neighbours call late at night and don’t know what to do with a little one who doesn’t seem able to fly…He pecked me when I picked him up to check him over. Nothing appeared broken. He is young and his tail is not as developed as it should be, but he can fly, knows to get away into the lilacs, and to be quiet. I hope that his parents find him early in the morning. His call is rather quiet, but the hearing of the Blue Jays must be better than mine!

Isn’t he sweet?

I asked what happened to Duke at Barnegat Light. Heidi answered: “Duke and Daisy did not have eggs in 2024, but they spent a wonderful summer together.  We would see them together almost all the time.  

In 2025, Daisy did not return from migration.  Several females vied for Duke and his nest. Duke chose a female that was named Dixie.  Dixie laid 3 eggs.  Then there was a storm that lasted for a couple of days.  Duke could not provide fish for Dixie, so Dixie started to leave the eggs to try to fish for herself.  On one such occasion, gulls took two of the eggs.  Dixie returned, but did not adequately incubate the last egg, and it eventually broke.

Fast forward to this season: Duke’s mate from last year, Dixie, was around a bit in early spring, but she didn’t stick around. There were two or three other female hopefuls, but none of them stayed. Ben thinks lack of food availability caused the females to move on. Duke is seen every day, usually eating a fluke on the marsh perch.”

If you look at the pole in the marsh, there is Duke~

The weather took another bad turn with high winds in Missoula but that didn’t stop Clark from bringing in a whopper for Iris and their baby.

Clark needs to eat – he had the head, thank goodness. What a guy.

Good night Iris and baby.

Remember, overall development and, in particular, feather development, depend on good food and lots of it. I wonder if we put Iris’s baby next to another one (a survivor of three at one of the other NE nests) what you would see.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust summary disappeared. I think I hit delete tonight. Apologies all around. Geemeff is so kind – she sent it again so we don’t miss anything. Thank you!


Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 17th July 2026

It was a slow fish day today, both males brought two fish to their respective nests, taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and seventy, and the Nest Two tally to two hundred and ninety four. The weather was settled and the temperature more comfortable today, so perhaps it was intruders that kept Louis busy. The first intrusion was early morning around 4am, Dorcha was on high alert with Louis heard in the distance, and again around 10.30am. That’s just what the nest cam captured, there’s a lot of prime Osprey territory out there for Louis to defend, and Amber and Juniper are healthy and well fed and two big fish made decent meals for them today so no worries on that score although more fish would be preferable. Dorcha filled in some of the waiting time by bringing unsuitable sticks and creating havoc causing the chicks to move out of her way or join in to help get better placement. She made herself a new perch from one particular stick and hopped up onto it looking pleased with herself while later Louis used it to feak his beak. The settled weather continues with the forecast of partly cloudy, light winds and a low of 10°C overnight, changing to sunny intervals, a gentle breeze and a high of 21°C tomorrow. At the time of filing this report, quarter past midnight, only Cam One is on night mode, and the sky seen on Cam Two is still very light with traces of pink sunset glow.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/6xjzVHg1ofE N2 Dorcha reacts to an intruder while Louis alarm calls in the distance 04.08.05https://youtu.be/UXPDExiiq1A N2 Dorcha causes havoc creating a new perch for herself 06.12.56 (quicktime)https://youtu.be/fge5Aw-3jjM N2 Louis stays after bringing fish one, feaking his beak on the new porch 09.07.56https://youtu.be/02U__l-_sAE N2  Louis alarm chips and Dorcha goes on intruder alert 10.24.06https://youtu.be/GMYH33WXqrI N1 Garry settles on the egg when Aurora leaves with fish one 11.58.35https://youtu.be/B-91gD2xEiw N2 Fish two arrives eleven hours after the last one 20.17.24https://youtu.be/HIh-zzQlN9k N1 Garry leaves seconds after Aurora leaves with fish two 20.35.50

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

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

More osprey chicks are dying as their parents abandon them due to a lack of food. The latest appears to be the little chick at The Wetlands Institute. I know that many of you felt this was a peculiar situation. From the outset, the chick was hungry, and living things react differently to starvation. The chick reacted to its parents. After three and a half days, it took its wings to the sky – no more hunger.

I want to state something categorically. All of this starvation is ‘human-caused ‘. I don’t care if it is heat domes, lack of fish, habitat loss, warming rivers and lakes that take the fish deep so the osprey cannot fish – it is our fault. We do not need another study about what is happening at the Chesapeake Bay. How few ospreys survived? With this in mind, I have included the team’s explanation of the rescue of Sol at the Norwegian osprey nest of Fru Rauer. I believe we should write to everyone and use Norway as a moral compass for how we address these losses.

The postal address of The Wetlands Institute is below along with their phone number if you have free phone coverage across the US:

The Wetlands Institute ® | 1075 Stone Harbor Blvd, Stone Harbor, NJ, 08247 | 609.368.1211

Their e-mail is: info@wetlandsinstitute.org

A great explanation from the rescue team that removed Sol from the Fru Rauer nest.

“Many people have asked why we decided to remove Sol, the youngest chick, from the nest instead of letting nature take its course.

Under normal circumstances, we would never interfere. Wild osprey have successfully raised their young for thousands of years without human intervention. However, we believe these are no longer normal circumstances.

The challenges facing this nest were largely created by human activity. Climate change has led to prolonged periods of extreme heat, causing fish to remain in deeper, cooler water where they are much harder for the adult ospreys to catch. At the same time, pollution and the long-term decline of fish populations in the fjord have reduced the amount of food available.

As food became scarce, competition between the chicks increased. Sibling aggression is a natural behavior in ospreys during times of food shortage, and Sol, being the youngest and smallest chick, had very little chance of survival.

From the very beginning of this project, we made a promise: if the chicks were threatened because of conditions caused by human impacts—not by natural processes alone—we would consider intervention. We believe this situation met that commitment.

By rescuing Sol, we are not trying to change nature. Instead, we are trying to reduce the consequences of environmental changes that humans have contributed to creating. Our goal is to give one young osprey the opportunity to survive, be rehabilitated if necessary, and eventually return to the wild, where it can contribute to future generations.
Every osprey matters. Protecting individual birds today also helps strengthen the future population of this remarkable species.

We understand that not everyone will agree with our decision, and we respect those different opinions. However, after careful consideration, we believe rescuing Sol was the most responsible choice under these exceptional circumstances.”

I wish that everyone in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas where the osprey nests have been challenged, like little Sol, would have come to the same conclusions and stepped up to help the raptors. It breaks my heart that no one wants to take a stand and say that industrial/commercial fishing of Menhaden has caused a catastrophic collapse of an entire ecosystem.

News from Kielder Forest:

Nests 7 and 1A nearing fledging

Ringing news from Wales:

https://llangorseringing.blogspot.com/2026/07/osprey-ringing-2026.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawTIj4dleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVU1djNWlOeHZPNzBqTlVSc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHk2yuvqVktTTaLRmb09MMdKwWPVvZdfwtMNr_wO2AoV8ZqUA0J0uCppf_hBr_aem_bDFr3rdU0OymYEEEQ07D2w

Congratulations to the eldest chick, a female, ringed on 30 June, Blue 2T5, who became the 50th osplet to fledge from the Glaslyn nest in Wales.

We have a first fledge at Border Ospreys – congratulations Samson and Augusta.

FIRST FLEDGEDownload

Translocation project between Scotland and Spain continues this year.

SK Hideaways Videos for the Week of 12 July 2026
While we may have seen the last sightings of the four siblings at the San Jose peregrine falcon nest, we continue to enjoy Sandy and Luna at Big Bear, as well as any and all happenings with the Channel Island eagles. My Southern Hemisphere coverage will ramp up over next few weeks. That’s just my little world of coverage for now.  Mary Ann covers much, much more and we’re eternally grateful.

FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow; eaglets Sandy & Luna (hatched 4-5 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
Cross-Valley Eaglet Chortles ~ A.M. Tug-o-Fish ~ Three on Cactus Snag (2026 Jul 18)
Dawn at Big Bear brought another symphony of chatter with Sandy and Luna squee’ing across the valley. Sunrise was magnificent as they continued their conversation. When they left their night perches, Sandy and Luna met on the Cactus Snag till Shadow flew past with the first fish of the day. They raced to the nest to collect their snack ~ Luna beating Sandy to the grab. About 1/2 way through the fish, Sandy snuck in for the steal; at 3/4 gone, Luna took it back. They digested on the front perch before returning to the Cactus Snag, where Shadow ultimately joined them,  chortling to Jackie, who remained off camera. In a spectacular finale, Shadow struck an horaltic pose that mesmerized even Sandy and Luna. A glorious morning was had by all lucky enough to see it. 
Video: https://youtu.be/ah5ksEbUODY

Shadow’s 7-Fish Day ~ Sandy & Luna Compete Fiercely ~ Score Evenly (2026 Jul 17)
Once again Shadow outdid himself in the fish delivery department. He brought one fish early, which no one came to the nest to claim. But then delivered 6 more in a 4-hour timespan.  Sandy and Luna competed quite fiercely for 3 of the fish, as Shadow looked on with an expression we dare not attempt to interpret. It could have been anything from pride to concern to mild interest ~ we’ll never know. The other 3 fish were grabbed so quickly that the “losing” eaglet had no chance of competing for it. Suffice it to say, both Sandy and Luna both went to sleep with very full crops tonight. 
Video: https://youtu.be/rTgvrWi6hWQ

Shadow’s Fish Fest ~ 2 for Sandy, 2 for Luna  ~ Food Comas Ensue (2026 Jul 15)Shadow was on a mission this afternoon bringing FOUR FISH in just over an hour. Sandy and Luna were in fish heaven ~ they got two each. Shadow left them to their food comas, which they duly embraced, each on their favorite perch.
Video: https://youtu.be/nh_hKzhHc1g

Sandy & Luna Get Their Own Fish ~ Preen Each Other and Nap (2026 Jul 13)
Master angler Shadow made sure both Sandy and Luna got their own fish this morning. It was a flurry of feathers with each fish delivery after the eaglets raced across the valley to claim their prize. Once they’d enjoyed their snacks, they settled down together for some beaky kisses, tail biting, and ~ as the food coma set in ~ naps. Cuteness overload ensued. 
Video: https://youtu.be/VTjElRgpchQ

FOBBVCAM Eagles JACKIE’S HOME! Whole Family Meets on Nest for Fish! (2026 Jul 12)
As we’ve learned since this video was released, Jackie is spending time further out in the territory keeping an eye on sub-adult eagles who are passing through the area. She and Shadow are making sure that Sandy and Luna’s efforts to hone their skills in preparation to become independent are not hampered. But she did make an appearance on the 12th. 

After Jackie and Shadow perched on Twin Pines together, Shadow departed to get Jackie a welcome home fish. She was very grateful and enjoyed it mostly to herself, even when Sandy and Luna came home expecting to get some. Life lessons were taught. But ever the doting father, Shadow brought a second fish, which Luna happily scarfed down. With this fish, Shadow had fed the entire family today. Well, of course he had. What a gift to see the entire family on the nest together. It was a good day in Big Bear Valley. 
Video: https://youtu.be/_Ilx0Vwopd0

Sandy & Luna End/Begin Days with Beaky Kisses ~ Stunning Sunset/Sunrise (2026 Jul 11-12)
Sandy and Luna ended the day together on the nest, sharing beaky kisses and allopreening with a lovely sunset as their backdrop. When Shadow delivered supper, Sandy swooped in, mantling with her magnificent wings, but left Luna a few bites in the end. The eaglets then shuffled some branches before Luna departed for his overnight roost on the Simba Tree. 

As dawn broke, the eaglets remained on their respective night roosts. Then Big Bear came aglow with a most stunning and long-lasting sunrise during which Sandy traversed across the valley to join Luna on the Simba Tree. Ultimately, they relocated to the Lookout Snag, where they finished watching the sunrise together. It was a magical time and one which we won’t soon forget. (2026 Jul 11-12)
Video: https://youtu.be/Ua-mAhCld3Q


San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcons ~ San Jose, CA ~ Hartley, Monty; chicks Jet, Scout, Stewart, and Walton (hatched 21 April 2026)
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 Learns Territory Defense from Monty ~ Dive-bombing, Talons Up (2026 Jul 14)
As Hartley relaxed on the ledge, Walton zoomed in and bumped her off. But in a twist of Walton’s prior experiences, Monty was right behind him. Monty flew over, circled back, and swooped on Walton, causing Walton to go talons up and tumble to the runway. Monty circled back around and flew over once for good measure (secretly we think he was checking Walton was OK). Poor Walton got a tough lesson in territorial defense, which he pondered for a minute before departing. 

As devoted fans, we wonder if we’ll ever see the boys here again, but some of the trackers seem to be working. Walton’s tracker pinged in San Francisco and Oakland (~35-45 miles away as the crow flies). Scout’s has pinged further away at Hellyer Park in south San Jose (~6 miles).  Jet’s has pinged in the Fremont Hills (~18-19 miles). And, unfortunately, Stewart’s tracker has stopped working. 75% is not bad, though. While we’ll miss them, we’re grateful to know they are dispersing healthy and hearty. 
Video: https://youtu.be/RZ71UkrSYZU


Two Harbors Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Cholyn & Chase
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn Chills While a BIG Rattler, Lucy Franco, and Rowboater Visit (2026 Jul 16)
While Chase was off doing eagle things, Cholyn sat on their couch as a host of visitors slithered and floated by. A VERY large Southern Pacific rattlesnake visited the overlook nest in the pre-dawn hours, the Lucy Franco tugged by a bit later with goods for a local port, and an intrepid rower bobbed by. All the while, Cholyn remained on her couch watching the world and visitors go by. How cool to see what was happening all around Cholyn and Chase’s habitat. 
Video: https://youtu.be/9PVJot6LfqI

Concerns grow for Loch Doon fledgling Blue 5B4, who flew out of the nest strong on Friday afternoon. Frankie has brought in five fish, but she has not returned to the nest.

Second chick not ready to fly at Loch Doon.

Little Dewey or Sassy has had lots of fish at the Dewey Beach nest since its fledgling. Thanks, Heidi and Pam, for keeping track!

There is only one nest that appears to be doing well in Connecticut.

Yesterday was a good day for Oyster Bay. Today they are fighting some – hungry.

It is the second flight for Aava at the Janakkalan nest in Finland. Look at the face of the siblings! Aava hatched on the 28th of May.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 18th July 2026

There was a lot of intruder action today affecting both nests, and Dorcha’s reaction to one event seemed to indicate the intruder was an eagle, as she flattened herself and the chicks onto the nest, instead of rearing up and warning them away. Both species of UK eagles nest in the Loch Arkaig area – White-tailed Eagles and Golden Eagles – and both Louis and Dorcha have encountered them before, details in the bonus section. Despite the alarms, Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536, taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and seventy two, and Louis delivered three fish to Dorcha and the chicks, taking the Nest Two tally to two hundred and ninety seven. Juniper 8P7 and Amber 8P6 had a tug of fish which came perilously close to the nest edge but went no further, and 

Steve Quinn gave us his usual thorough weekly analysis of Louis’ fishing statistics: hyvor doesn’t allow comment links so pop Nest 2 fish summary to week 13 into the search field. The weather was settled and not too hot, tonight’s forecast is partly cloudy, light winds and an overnight low of 8

°C, changing to sunny intervals with light winds and a high of 21°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/8ZZfXzV3P8I N2 Dorcha remains watchful during the feeding of fish one 05.14.32https://youtu.be/Jx5hvklNEsM N1 Aurora departs swiftly after taking fish one from Garry 11.40.51https://youtu.be/zmccWPm9C9c N1 Aurora’s not there – Garry alarm chips and leaves with fish two in a hurry 14.17.06 (zoom)https://youtu.be/jp7tLhOkgak N2 Louis waits with a flatfish as Dorcha’s not there 14.43.59https://youtu.be/4zI26FVQ590 N2 Stramash! Tug of fish as both chicks want it 15.07.54https://youtu.be/84eKf68VNNU N1 Garry arrives bringing

fish two back to give to Aurora 15.21.31https://youtu.be/Bbw59cJ5NPA N2 Amber 8P6 seems to get most of fish three 18.08.50
Bonus watch – previous encounters with eagles caught on nest cam:https://youtu.be/iVpqJIxEVCE N2 Golden Eagle touches down 22 Apr 2023 (zoom)https://youtu.be/BCOPgYVTB5s N2 Distant fracas with an Eagle 19 Apr 2024 (slo-mo zoom) https://youtu.be/nHPwQ5xDs5U N2 Dorcha’s injured by the Eagle fight 19 Apr 2024 (zoom)  

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

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

Thank you so much for being with us today. Also, thank you for your letters and your commitment to helping rectify the terrible situation in the US. It is too late for our little ones this year, but commercial fishing has to be stopped. Menhaden stocks need to be placed in the Bay to reproduce, etc., etc. And Industrial fishing needs to stop. As humans, we need to evaluate what our actions have on wildlife, including the waters that hold the fish needed by the fish-eating birds.

I am taking Sunday off. We will be back with you on Monday. Take care all.

Thank you to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos, to Heidi, who has such a great historical file on all these ospreys as well as a fabulous analytical mind, to all those who posted on FB with information and images, and to the owners of the streaming cams – thank you for allowing us to watch these avian families.

Remembering Iniko…Late Friday in Bird World

10 July 2026

Hello Everyone,

It is hot, but it is beautiful. We ate our breakfast in the conservatory instead of outside because the Starling family was having a good old bath. Now, according to Cornell, I should not have European Starlings in my garden this time of year. As a result, I made sure to take at least one image to post as proof! This year, we had two clutches. One family raised their young in the lilacs; they fledged (all six of them) and spent time in the garden before dispersing. Two days ago we thought we heard the ‘sound’ of Starling babies but couldn’t see them for the foliage. They came out today – there are three more. You have no idea how delighted I am to have had nine European Starlings fledge from my lilac bushes. Yes, I know that some people do not like them. They see them as invasive, but, according to Into the Red, they are globally threatened. So I am feeling good about providing them with a safe home to breed their young, a place to eat, and shelter and bathing. Into the Red says, “What monsters must we be, that we have reduced it to sit on the Red List.” (118)

I know individuals who dislike sparrows, Starlings, and any bird that is not ‘cute’. They refuse to feed or provide water for them. I wonder how they would feel if the birds were in charge and looked at them?

So it was a record year, promoted by plenty of food during the winter and spring, lots of water, and shelter – the three things that are required. Six baby Blue Jays as well with the one family. It is not clear to me how many baby crows there are, but there are at least three. They have trouble figuring out how to land on the lilac branches, often falling through the leaves till they decide something hard is safer. One had decided to hop and hop over the hot asphalt roof! Silly little one. Parents have them learn by doing! Dozens and dozens of sparrows!!!!!!

Despite the heat warning, Ann has taken Don to the park in the hope of finding some cool shade for them to have a walk. They won’t be gone long. Toby and I have made a Swedish sponge cake with whipped cream icing and fresh strawberries for their return.

More ringing in Finland and a joke!

Osprey Friends

Dirk Brichzi ·Soportsdenauift341hcha1i3h3i62t6ag86llu7ific101l209106glt3ac ·

Janakkala Nest, Finland

Oh my God! An old man has climbed up to an Osprey nest just to take photos of the chicks!!

Don’t worry, I’m only joking! 😉

The “old man” is Professor Pertti Saurola, one of the world’s leading ornithologists in the field of Tawny and Ural owls, but he seems to like Ospreys, too. He is now 87 years old, but he still insists on ringing Ospreys himself — even high up in the air.

This is the Janakkala nest. The male since 2025 is Aake, while the female is new and is called Ulpu. Together, they have raised three beautiful young Ospreys, which have already started practising their wings and will hopefully take their first flights very soon.

Aake likes to bring large bream to the nest — a very common fish species in Europe — which is probably why the chicks look so healthy and well-fed.

People in the chat are already discussing whether one of the chicks should be named “Pertti” in honour of the professor. Let’s see whether he will climb up to the nest again next year, at the age of 88, to ring the young ospreys…

I adore this ma – Professor Pertti. I have watched him ring these ospreys for years. Let’s hope that these three thrive!

Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe167Gv-1Nw—  feeling happy in Janakkala, Finland.

Please watch this video “Save Menhaden – Save the Bay” by Robert Kellam about the osprey crisis and Menhaden: https://youtu.be/SVLjuIp20PA?s

I want to thank Pam Breci and everyone else who telephoned PSEG about the fishing line choking one or more of the ospreys on the PSEG Oyster Park platform.

You may not think your calls and writing help, but they do. My City was destined to have voted to ditch the 1.2 million-tree budget for our City. Were they in denial as to the type of heat and how well trees help reduce heat in urban environments? A writing-and-phoning campaign ensued, and the mayor overturned the decision. You can make a difference.

In Memorial for Iniko – a most special bird in all the world. Orange 1031.

Ventana Wildlife Society

1h · 

In loving memory of Iniko (1031)

Iniko hatched in a Big Sur redwood nest on April 25, 2020, the daughter of two of the most storied condors in our program: Redwood Queen (190), matriarch of the central California flock, and Kingpin (167), the flock’s dominant male. She immediately captivated the hearts of viewers. Watching the endearing chick with her parents on our live Condor Nest Cam provided joy and hope for so many during the isolation and challenges we all faced that year.

Iniko’s name means “born during troubled times”, after all that she went through. At 4 months old, the Dolan Fire swept through Big Sur on the night of August 21, 2020, taking the life of her father and nine other free-flying condors. The flames surrounded Iniko’s cavernous nest, but she miraculously survived. As her mother rose to the task of being a single parent, a new challenge emerged. An unmated male condor, Ninja (729), entered the nest, possibly seeing an opportunity to claim a vacant territory left open by the passing of Kingpin. Redwood Queen rushed in to defend her chick, and Iniko was force-fledged, falling to the ground during the scuffle. Redwood Queen chased off the intruder, but Iniko’s prospects seemed dim huddled on the ground with only one parent. Our concern grew as time passed and the chick remained vulnerable and showed a limp. Our biologists came to the rescue and hiked her carefully out of the canyon and transported her to Los Angeles Zoo for treatment. She luckily recovered, was re-released back to the wild with two other condors in 2021, and thrived in the years following.

This year, at 6 years old, Iniko reached breeding age and found a mate in 9 year old male Tyrion (840). The two had a nest in a remote canyon in Big Sur and we were excited to watch her journey in this new stage of life. Sadly, the nest failed. Then we recently got the mortality signal from her transmitter. Losing Iniko is especially painful, so soon after the passing of her sister, Kodama (646). Her early life story—surviving fire, injury, and rescue, is a reminder of what California condors are capable of overcoming and the passion and determination of the people who work tirelessly to save them.

Iniko was a wonderful ambassador for her species and we are grateful for what she has meant to us. Thank you all for caring so deeply about her. Iniko’s legacy will live on in all of our hearts.

Photos 1-3: Tim Huntington

Watch Iniko’s incredible story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TDawpr5KPE

She survived so much to die of lead poisoning. Unbelievable the damage we have done as humans to our planet and thus to the wildlife that try and survive.

Tiny at Blackbush has a huge crop today – thanks, PB.

Two chicks dead at the Clinton Osprey nest in CT.

At Kielder Forest nest 2, chick three has died. Two larger siblings were ringed today. Chick 1 is 1K4 and weighed 1270 grams. He is Keenly. Chick 2 was 1K5 and weighed 1370 grams. Both are believed to be male.

The State of the Eagle from Wings of Whimsy:

The State of the Eagle 2026Download

Iris feeding her very lucky chick.

Her chicks are ringed. Fru Rauer is now helping dad feed the hungry mob as they fatten up for migration. https://youtu.be/MSf8Vx7Nmy8?

Fireworks cause death. Please work to eliminate them from celebrations.

I am going to sign off today and wish you a lovely end of the week. Take care. I will be back – at least on Monday. We are due to have extreme heat for the next few days. Will make all the efforts to keep the garden animals and my family cool and hydrated during this time. Hoping that the wildlife in the field will be alright.

Thank you to everyone for your posts on FB and images, for the comments you posted to me, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these magnificent creatures.

Late Wednesday in Bird World

1 July 2026

Happy Canada Day to all of us who celebrate. We had a wonderful time with our son and daughter-in-law visiting our local Farmer’s Market today. They are off for more celebrations this evening and tomorrow; my daughter and Tammy, DIL, are coming to take Don out for a few hours so I can have some time to myself. I feel blessed. How kind of them!

For the next few days, I want to focus on a couple of topics in each blog instead of running through all of the nests. I will, of course, try to bring you up to date on what is happening every 4 blogs. Today, I want to focus on this Menhaden issue and the ospreys dying, and I want everyone to write to the Governor of Virginia, the Honourable Abigal Spanberger. Her e-mail is: Abigail.Spanberger@governor.virginia.gov.

Tomorrow, I have a wonderful article by Wes Melkner in Smithsonian Magazine. Wes is an intern, and his research and first two articles have taught me a great deal. I do hope you enjoy the one I will be posting.

Friday, I will be giving you the link for a very special documentary to view over the weekend and a look at the current status of one of my favourite friends with feathers, the Condor.

Oh, I am really on a rant. Every day I check to see if Little Dewey is alive. Little Dewey is the poster child for this battle against industrial fishing and the murder of ospreys in this region of the US.

Little Dewey is gorgeous. I want her to thrive. Her parents have worked hard to find fish for her and their survival. We are not out of the woods yet but please, please let this nest be successful this year.

The first fish today did not arrive until 1311. I am unclear of any follow up deliveries. Please let me know.

This is staggeringly sad and reflects what is happening all over the region of the NE US:

“Survey my friend and I did in CT today of a small island with 30 osprey platforms. Raw data in image. XXX indicates the platform was abandoned and we did not go pro it. Fishermen are reporting no bunker again in the CT sound.
Synopsis: 30 total platforms. 13 platforms abandoned. Only 7 young on island. Only 3 appear to be strong and healthy. 8 dead young found in nests. Almost no bunker gill plates by perch posts. Many platforms have been abandoned in the surrounding towns as well but not part of our study group.”

In the comments: “Same story here on the Severn River in Annapolis. Similar results in my area, South Jersey.” “Eco-Ed Endeavours: Chesapeake Field Journal liked David Gessner‘s post: “Here is my contribution to the cause. I realize it is quite osprey-centric, but then so am I. https://www.audubon.org/magazine/ospreys-chesapeake-bay-are-starving-death-disastrous-rates-what-will-it-take-save-them?fbclid=IwY2xjawSqXqlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDbHpVQnN1Q2ZQQjNCSjhCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHo-ByAGTxxfErznZo4bjKqCSTTQkUIk7-cWHlzltrO0xlr-KNgcNQivZNJpC_aem_Xg3C8ZucsRPfmyXThAIlZQ”

If you missed Gessner’s article, please read it.

I realize that Heidi and I have been making comments on the demise of the osprey in this region for three years. I am glad that there is more attention coming to this topic, but I fear that we are late- perhaps too late. I never want to give up hope, so I have to look at what the UK did to reintroduce ospreys that had been wiped out. For example, CJ7 and Blue 022 had the first chicks in the south of England for 250 years. The first chick to hatch in the Usk Valley in Wales for a similar period was last year. Now, I want you to think about what I am saying. It is not decades; it is perhaps centuries before this biodiverse region is balanced again. People can blame whales and Bald Eagles if they want to hide their heads in the sand, but the truth is, it will show that it was industrial fishing unchecked by any oversight that caused the damage for years and years by a single company (not the net fishermen) but a Canadian company, Omega Protein. If I could sue the company and all the officials on behalf of the ospreys, I would. Someone who lives in the US should work with Animal Justice to do just that.

Today, Omega Protein went fishing and didn’t find much. Perhaps they have taken all of the adult Menhaden. Maybe they will be forced to shut down their operations. However, if you live in other NE States, including Maine, beware. Keep your eyes open. Many in Maine say that the Menhaden have left the shores and gone deep into cooler water. I just hope they are hiding from the nets!

Others checking elsewhere.

I believe on survived but has not been fed so the story will be much the same, sadly.

The one surviving chick at Great Bay looks to be alright. This one pushed another off the nest about a week ago – they were all starving. It is a sad fact.

Santiam Canyon is doing alright.

The smallest of the two on the Osoyoos osprey platform died today of starvation.

While today is about the impact that humans can have – in a negative way by overfishing and knowing it – and killing off an entire eco-system, it is also about the fact that humans must come to grips with the damage that we have caused our planet and help when help can be of benefit.

I was asked by a reader to post a rather long statement by a rehabilitation/rescue group. After reading it twice, I think that it is very appropriate to put it in this blog about the deaths from siblicide/starvation that have been caused by a lack of food due to human activity.

This comes from Annette at Wild Heart Ranch in Oklahoma and was sent to me from ‘J’ in Berlin:

I have never given parents advice on how to raise their “human” children, and I probably never will again, so please read this and pass it along. It needs to be said. (Rehabbers, if you agree, just applaud in the comments.) 😉
The photo is an oldie of “January,” a calf brought to me years ago with spina bifida and navel ill, crawling on her knees because her legs were useless. It took months, but I got her up, cured, walking, running, and eventually she grew into a full-grown heifer without any obvious problems. She found the perfect forever home.
January WANTED to recover, and there was nothing I could see that would prevent it. She just needed an unbelievable amount of splint work, braces, physical therapy, and support to get there. She wasn’t going to one day be released into the wild. She was going to be somebody’s pampered pasture pet for the rest of her life if I could save her… and she is. She’s still watched over daily for complications her condition could cause as she ages or gains weight.
I didn’t have to know she’d be 100% at the end of treatment. I just needed her to become pain-free and mobile on legs that would eventually support 1,400 pounds.
But that isn’t the case for wildlife.

I absolutely love when you bring your kids with you to Wild Heart to drop off animals. If we’re going to raise the next generation to support wildlife rescue, they need to see the process. They need to witness compassionate people willing to drop everything for an animal they’ve never met. That matters to me because the future of wildlife rescue is in the hands of today’s children, and the way you handle that handoff matters more than you may realize. It matters because every year there are more roads, more windows, more fishing line, more cats, more cars, more toxins, and more hazards that WE bring into their world.
And because, despite my best intentions, I may not actually live forever. I know… shocking.
So there is one thing I ask, beg, and plead…

Please don’t promise your children that we are going to save an injured, hypothermic, maggot-infested animal, then ask us if that animal can be saved in front of them UNLESS you have prepared them for the TRUTH. I am not going to lie to your children before you do. I am going to follow your lead, and if you set me up to crush a child, I may have to step away for a minute to compose myself before I can provide that animal the peaceful, gentle ending it deserves.
If you care about the animals, please be kind to the rehabber.
DO YOU HEAR THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH? (My best friend uses that sentence. It is VERY effective!)
Wild animals are masters at hiding pain. In the wild, looking sick or injured is basically putting up a billboard that says, “Eat me.” So they keep moving until they physically can’t anymore.
That’s why you see a squirrel that’s “just sitting there all calm and content,” and I see a spinal injury or a pelvis that’s been crushed.
You see the bunny your cat brought home that “doesn’t look that bad,” and I know it has a fifty-fifty chance of surviving the two tiny puncture wounds where your cat injected a potent bacteria cocktail into its back.
Looks are deceiving.

The parents who want to protect their children from the hard realities—and I completely support that—usually hand me the animal, smile, and say, “We know you’ll do what’s best.” The kids thank me for helping, they climb back in the car, and I get to begin triage… treatment… or sometimes mercy.
But this is how it sometimes goes for me:
A six-year-old has rescued, temporarily cared for, and named a squirrel Kevin. Kevin has big plans. He’s going to leave our care, climb trees, raise a family, pay squirrel taxes, and peacefully die at the ripe old age of 97 surrounded by his squirrel grandchildren.
AWESOME.
I am all about happy endings.

Meanwhile…
Kevin has dislocated hips, at least one spinal fracture, a pelvis that’s in four pieces, and internal injuries that make me wonder how he even made it to my door. The back half of him has been run over by a car, and any minute now the front half is probably going to stop working too.
Then everyone turns and looks at me and an adult asks, with complete sincerity…
“So… is he going to be okay?”
Wonderful. (Just shoot me.)
While I’m trying to rush this intake so I can put poor Kevin out of his misery, I now get to decide whether I lie to your child or explain euthanasia to someone who still sells their teeth to a fairy.
That is WAY above my pay grade.
And I don’t WANT to lie to anybody.
So please… either have that hard conversation before you come, or avoid putting us in that position.
My instinct is to protect your child’s enthusiasm for helping wildlife. I don’t want to be the lady who unintentionally convinces them that “future Kevin” should be hidden in their bedroom because “that rescue lady will just kill him.”
Tell them Kevin is hurt. Tell them he is probably in a lot of pain. Tell them you’re taking him somewhere that people will do whatever is best for him.
Leave it there…
Or have the harder conversation before you arrive.

People sometimes think euthanasia means we gave up. It’s actually the opposite.
It would be emotionally easier on us, in that moment, to keep trying. To turn a rescue into what I call “an experiment in heroics” which is by no measure okay unless there is FAR more hope than hurt.
It’s much harder to look at an animal we desperately want to save and admit that the kindest thing we can offer is peace. I will NEVER be okay providing treatment only to find an animal dead in a cage later, knowing I could have spared it that experience. That is not acceptable when I KNEW the chances were slim. That is not rescue. That is denial. Sometimes we don’t know, but when we do know, we had better beat death to the punch or we have avoided the only act of care that was reasonable, responsible, and KIND.

A quick, painless, chemically induced death is kind when life without suffering isn’t in the prognosis. There are far worse things than death, and I see them daily.
A responsible wildlife rehabilitator chooses what is best for the animal no matter how disappointed we are, YOU are, how many people are following the story on Facebook, or how much public backlash we might receive. NONE of that comes into play when I am evaluating or treating an animal. The ONLY factors that matter are the animal’s current physical suffering, past case experience, advice from my veterinarians, the animal’s probable ability to live independently after recovery and release, and my conscience. If my conscience EVER starts sounding the ego alarm, I am DONE. I know this about me.
I will NEVER keep an animal alive because it’s popular or because it brings in donations. I was accused of that almost daily while working with January. I received hate mail from veterinarians all over the country. It was hell because I ALWAYS listen to the advice of veterinarians, but in this case they weren’t here seeing what I was seeing: a strong will to live and a calf that wasn’t going to give up. So I helped her fight. Not to prove anyone wrong. (ego) That never entered my mind during treatment. (But I gloated like hell when that calf charged me across my yard and knocked me flat on my ass!)

But I can promise you my motive is always the same.
I believe in an animal’s ability to recover—or I don’t.
I believe in my ability to support that recovery—or I don’t.
The minute I lose hope that an animal can have an acceptable quality of life, I stop. No matter how much it hurts. No matter what people think of me afterward or what they say about me. (With two million followers, I see the comments. There is always someone who can’t WAIT to screenshot the nasty ones and send them to me, which by the way, it just hurts me and changes nothing else so keep them to yourselves friends) Fortunately for my motivation to keep going, I have almost as much compassion for ignorant people as I do suffering animals. 🙂

Here’s something else to keep in mind.
The more experienced the rehabber, the more likely they are to make a judgment call immediately.
Why?
Because when we were new, we tried to save everybody. Experience teaches you where hope exists… and where it doesn’t. Trust that we have seen these injuries hundreds of times. We’ve learned from our mistakes, our veterinarians, our mentors, and the animals themselves.
That being said…
Many of my volunteers have zero medical training. They may be the smiling face that accepts your animal before it reaches someone doing triage.
They see what you see.
If you ask them what they think, they’ll honestly tell you, “I think he’ll be okay.” Then you call later and find out the animal was euthanized immediately.
Please don’t assume we lied, didn’t try, or didn’t care. Just ask to speak with the person who actually performed the triage. I promise you, if that decision was made here, it was made because it was the most merciful option available.

Every intake gets our best.
Every single person here hates euthanasia, but we are grateful that mercy exists.
We remember those animals. We especially remember your child’s face looking at us like we’re monsters without a heart. It’s bad enough when we’re powerless to save a life, but when we’re judged for showing mercy?
That destroys us.
It destroys me.
Last week it happened over and over and over again. It was so bad that I finally stopped going to the front door to do quick intake triage and personally thank the finders because I simply couldn’t do it anymore.
Most people are absolutely wonderful.
And then…
There’s little Kevin’s family.
Mom tells me to build Kevin a wheelchair so he can live here forever and “the kids can come visit.”
All lies, little dude.
All lies.
And I just can’t be part of that story.

Those moments don’t stay here when we lock the doors at night. We take them home. They haunt us. They keep me from the sleep I need so badly that I end up writing lengthy educational Facebook posts trying to work through the frustration.
So please… help us tell the whole story.
Teach your children that rescue doesn’t always mean recovery.
Teach them that there are worse things than death, and suffering without hope is one of them.
Teach them that love and care are two very different things. Love is an emotion. Care is an action. Sometimes the most loving action is letting an animal go instead of asking it to suffer because WE aren’t ready to say goodbye.
Because if I have to tell your child Kevin isn’t going to make it, I’d much rather be reinforcing a lesson you’ve already started than accidentally becoming the stranger who convinced them that bringing injured wildlife to professionals was somehow the wrong thing to do.

If your child cries, that sadness is empathy. Empathy is exactly why they picked Kevin up in the first place, so maybe I don’t have to live forever after all. Maybe there are little humans growing up right now who understand what wildlife rehabilitation is truly about and will support it one day. With time, with funding or even put on their poop shoes and get to work!
There are thousands of wildlife rehabilitators scattered across this country making impossible decisions every single day and doing what is best, struggling to stay afloat so the animals have a place to go. I am working on a way to help keep them going with funding. It will take about a year, but in the meantime, let’s all be aware of the things people may never consider that slowly erode their motivation. I promise you I am not the only rehabber whose day is destroyed by someone bringing in an animal that should not be saved and then confronting us over our honest opinion-especially in front of children.
The goal isn’t to teach our children that every rescue story has a happy ending.
The goal is to teach them that every wild animal deserves compassion.
“And we all suffer the same”
Maybe that’s something worth thinking about.
Thanks for reading.”

I think Annette said many things that I also needed to hear.

Geemeff has posted her summary from Loch Arkaig and I will include it here.

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 1st July 2026

The weather was wet and windy as forecast but that didn’t stop Louis who delivered five fish, taking the Nest Two tally to two hundred and fourteen. However, the first fish was quite small and the delay of over five hours before the next one saw the hangry chicks having a pop at each other. The aggression didn’t last long and a steady supply of fish, including a large late supper at 10pm, saw the chicks off to bed with full crops and Dorcha struggling to fit them underneath her. Garry brought a single fish for Aurora, a small one which she chose to eat on the nest, which took the Nest One tally to one hundred and forty five. Nest Two cam has been zoomed out ready for fledging which is probably at least two weeks away, and before that the ringers will visit, meantime we get to enjoy the panoramic views again. More wet weather is forecast with light rain, gentle breezes and an overnight low of 12°C, continuing tomorrow with light rain showers, a moderate breeze, a high of 17°C and occasional sunny spells.

Today’s videos

https://youtu.be/0t0bbnRSsoQ N2 Early breakfast doesn’t last long 03.50.30

https://youtu.be/klpNm5FrsHg N2 Hangry chicks have a pop at each other 09.23.36

https://youtu.be/vlvRsKxxCQs N2 Fish number two, so fresh it’s flapping 10.47.04

https://youtu.be/5sXeHSSYwmM N2 Nest cam zooms out ready for fledging! 14.14

https://youtu.be/cO7QXPSSt3E N2 Louis has a very full crop when he brings the third fish 14.56.29

https://youtu.be/uGn0rfW0eqk N2 The chicks call with Dorcha as Louis brings fish four 16.11.14

https://youtu.be/jADtSSy59mc N1 Aurora stays on the nest to eat the little trout 17.33.45

https://youtu.be/dnsLqkDzkZw N2 Wind and rain doesn’t stop Louis – big fish five arrives! 22.19.06

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

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

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care all. See you tomorrow!

Also, if you are enjoying the blog, please hit the like button. It moves us up in the algorithm, so maybe more people will learn about what is happening to our raptors and want to get involved in helping make their lives less challenging. Thank you.

Thank you to ‘J’ for sending me the text from Annette, to Geemeff for their daily summary of activities at Loch Arkaig, for those that posted information and images on FB, and the owners of the streaming cams mentioned that allowed us to follow the lives – the good and the sad – of our feathered friends.

Supplementary feeding in Europe…late Monday in Bird World

29 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

A brief check-in. Toby has his thunder jacket on as we have storms coming from the SW and moving north from North Dakota. We are saturated with rain. Would love to send it to places that need it!

We will have monarchs! Feeding on the dill.

Thinking of all of you as Europe has 50 C temperatures. At least one nest is receiving supplementary fish. This reminds me of Frenchman’s Creek a few years ago.

Way to go Poland!

Pesticides are harmful. They go through the food chain – the birds eat the insects. If you live in the USA, it is possible that your State has some protections, but it appears that the federal government might undermine that with the new farm bill. Have a read and please contact your representatives if you care about birds!

Keep Harmful Pesticide Language Out of the Farm BillDownload

Just look at Snow. Her parents at the Traverse City Bald Eagle nest would be so proud of their little girl. She was already doing brilliantly – can you imagine a well fed eaglet with no infestations, a clean nest?! That is what Harriet and mate provided this beauty before that nest slid down. I think that is rather rare. Many eaglets have insect infestations and are ’emaciated’.

This is the latest news on Snow:

Snow begins the next phase of her journey! Snow’s healing has continued to progress without setbacks, and she has now been positioned for the next step in her rehabilitation journey.Early last week, the medical team cleared Snow for transition into a slightly larger habitat aimed at accommodating more freedom of movement, while still allowing for reasonably stress free administration of her breathing treatments and anti-fungal medications. Those treatments concluded at the end of last week while observation continues for any indications that symptoms are re-emerging. 
It was then the determination of the team that Snow was ready to move into a full-sized flight enclosure to begin skills training. During Snow’s recovery, we were made aware that one of our collaborating organization’s was hosting an adult Bald eagle on it’s own rehabilitation journey, that could, potentially, serve as an ideal foster for Snow while she develops the skills and strength necessary for the team to evaluate her viability of surviving in the wild. 
After carefully considering the specifics of her case, our avian care team (in collaboration with the veterinarian and A.R.K.) selected this route as providing Snow with the highest likelihood for a successful conclusion to her rehabilitation process💚 
She was officially transferred from our facility into the excellent care of Wildside Rehabilitation and Education Center over the past weekend, where their own highly-trained staff assessed the two eagles compatibility, and took lead on her remaining path to recovery. This option also allowed her to retain the same primary veterinarian who has overseen her treatment from the start, which is preferable.
While we will not be personally leading Snow’s recovery through to it’s conclusion with this path, the fortuitous availability of a viable adult foster provided the highest likelihood of successful recovery, and we couldn’t be more thankful to Wildside for offering this opportunity to her, as their reputation for providing excellent care, and decades of service to our regions wildlife, speaks volumes. 
We can only ask that the passionate community following along on Snow’s journey offers their staff the same grace and support that you have shown, and continue to show, to us
We will endeavor to update the community as Snow’s story continues.

In the meantime, our rehabilitation efforts continue for the many other patients currently in our care!
To support the high quality care provided by our avian care team, you can: -Donate directly at www.northskyraptor.org/donatenow-Empower our rehabilitation efforts year-round with a small monthly recurring donation at: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/snow-recurringdonorcampaign1-Learn about, and support, our work to build Northern Michigan’s first public raptor center by clicking here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/prcfcaThank you so much for your continued support of our mission! 🦉🦅💚
Sincerely,
The North Sky Raptor Sanctuary Board of Directors and Staff 🦅🦉💚

 


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The chicks have been measured and named at Dyfi – and they have new bling!

Tweed Valley almost broke a record by having the latest osplets to hatch in the UK.

There was also ringing at Kielder Forest – every chick will be ringed in the UK that possibly can! What a concept, eh? So glad they do this.

Nest 1A ringing

Several US streaming cams are down. Some are nests that had chicks in jeopardy due to lack of food.

Chicks are still alive (how alive is unclear) at Osoyoos, BC.

One beautiful feathered chick at Great Bay.

At least one fish at Field Farm for one surviving chick at Field Farm.

Looks good at Minnesota Landscape.

Those boys at San Jose are still causing lots of fun and chaos. Thanks, SK Hideaways. https://youtu.be/V-ihIWce5MA?

Sandy has been caught on camera at Big Bear. https://youtu.be/n1efsuJc44A?

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 29th June 2026

It was a peaceful day with no chick fights or intruders, one fish was delivered to Nest One, first seen in Aurora’s talons, but it was almost certainly caught by Garry and delivered to her during the nest cam down time. The Nest One tally now stands at one hundred and forty three. Over on Nest Two, Louis delivered three fish, the first one, a flatfish, was his two hundredth for the season, and the nest tally rises to two hundred and four. The weather was reasonably settled today, not nearly as wet as forecast, but heavy rain is expected overnight, changing to thundery showers tomorrow, with light winds, a low of 12°C and a high of 17°C. The two chicks are now so big it’s hard for Dorcha to keep them covered, but she does her best until the chicks’ juvenile feathers come through which will keep them waterproofed. At the time of filing this report (midnight), the heavy rain has started and both females are hunkered down pearled with raindrops with Dorcha hunched over the chicks to keep them dry, and Aurora still protecting her unviable egg.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/MLxzqGBBmP0 N2 A flatfish arrives – Louis’ 200th for the season 06.12.49

https://youtu.be/R53mUYZnOoc N2 Chicks are ready and waiting when fish two arrives 09.05.11

https://youtu.be/hvTzMvhyp3o N1 Aurora returns with half a trout 11.57.46

https://youtu.be/MfCQZnQZgrE N2 Dorcha encourages Louis to leave after bringing fish three 13.50.23 

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

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

I am signing off. We are expecting heavy rain and thunderstorms. The sky is getting dark. Take care everyone. Please, please leave out water and if you can, food, for the wildlife.

Thank you to SK Hideways and Geemeff, the owners of the streaming cams, those reporting on FB, and PB for alerting me to Beth’s post about the supplementary fish in Poland.

Gessner’s article on Menhaden and Ospreys – let’s hope it hits home and stops industrial fishing of Menhaden!

26 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

The Loch Arkaig streaming cam is up and running and everyone is fine.

At least a year ago, David Gessner had been made aware of the situation in The Chesapeake Bay and the ospreys dying off – ospreys, the canary in the coal mine for the environment.

That article has come out and Heidi had sent me the link before I even woke up this morning. She said, “Gessner did a great job, comprehensive and concise.”

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/ospreys-chesapeake-bay-are-starving-death-disastrous-rates-what-will-it-take-save-them?fbclid=IwY2xjawSquPtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE4elpxb09zTHRTMnp5WndQc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHsQ_L0KC83_QFg4JvXcBzK9KvBjH1D1w_7x-ZaWHkrsOSoDHhSwxVsd7kmcQ_aem_YO5iJONj9zJUwoHxAWXbvA

This is my only posting for today. It is that important. Please send this to everyone you know that is concerned and also send it to every politician you know including the Governor of Virginia! I don’t care if they get 100,000 copies. It will do them good to know people care!

Thank you to David Gessner, who has always loved Ospreys and whose books – Return of the Osprey and Soaring with Fidel – are amongst my favourites. Gessner must be shattered after writing his first book, The Return of the Osprey, twenty-five years ago.

Fledge at Cornell?…Thursday in Bird World

18 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

It was a fantastic day to be outside. The garden is really ‘loud’ with birdsong – you can hear them more than half a block away! And the rain and heat have done the plants wonders.

Some images that we are enjoying.

Close-up of vibrant pink flowers with yellow centers, set against a rustic wooden background.
A colorful birdhouse surrounded by lush green foliage, with two small birds perched on top of the house. In the background, there is a wooden structure partially obscured by the plants.

A memory and a treasure. A Paolo Soleri bell. He died during the month when I met my friend Lynne in Phoenix for a mini-break, too many years ago now.

A vintage, weathered bell hung from a hook with green and rust colors, surrounded by lush green leaves against a background of wooden shingles.

The peonies will be blooming, but are off limits to Toby just like the hydrangeas as they are toxic to dogs.

A cluster of peony buds with green leaves, featuring some buds showing hints of pink coloration, set against a backdrop of light gray wooden siding.

We are sitting outside, and Mr Crow has come for a visit. I thought he was going to have a bath, but he jumped down onto the ground. I wonder what caught his eye.

The sparrows had a lot of fun in the bird bath today, but it meant that we had to clean it about four times! Oh, they make a mess.

A group of small sparrows bathing in a blue birdbath surrounded by lush green leaves.

You never have your camera when you truly need it. Mr Crow is balancing on one of the flower poles, waiting for the squirrel to finish at the table feeder. Oh, he is back at the bird bath and now off he goes. Lots of activity between 1900-2100.

Oh, how sad. It appears the eldest chick (they both hatched on 11 June) crawled out from under New Female at Charlo, Montana during the night when it was in the 50s and succumbed to hypothermia. The NF tried several times to get the chick back under her for warmth to no avail. What a tragic nest accident!

Mum trying to get her baby back.

A hawk sitting in its nest, with two eggs visible, while another bird is perched on a nearby post in low-light conditions.

The Eagle Dock Osprey Nest is located in Cold Spring Harbour, New York. It sits out in the distance across the mudflats, visible from the shoreline near the Eagle Dock Community Beach (on Shore Road) and the adjacent Shore Road Sanctuary. Their osprey cam has gone live and the two adults are present.

Here is the link to their camera – it is blowing a positive gale right now so things are really moving about. https://www.youtube.com/live/z17UbNy075o?

An osprey nest made of sticks with two ospreys perched on top, situated near a riverbank. In the background, a boat is seen on the water.

I think each of you had your eyes on that beautiful eaglet Snow at Traverse City, Michigan, when its nest slid, and it fell. All the while, we noted that the adults were the most incredible parents. Snow had no parasites or infections and was well fed and feathered on the initial examination. Snow was strong, and her two fractures are healing nicely, and she is receiving the best of care at Northern Sky Raptor Sanctuary. Today, they announced that Snow is a female! I will note that the parents continue to go to the nest. Yes, raptors have feelings and they are missing their Snow. What a lucky eaglet to have such good care. Many do not.

A Facebook post from North Sky Raptor Sanctuary detailing the progress of an injured bald eagle named Snow, mentioning physical therapy, medical treatments, and blood test results.
Announcement celebrating that Snow is a female eagle, with details on donations for her care and raptor rehabilitation efforts.
A close-up of a young eagle wrapped in a towel, looking directly at the camera with its beak slightly open. The eagle has a dark plumage and bright eyes.

I am confounded. We are used to seeing fishing line and baling twine on US osprey and eagle nests. It was not until this year that it seemed to be a common occurrence at UK osprey nests. Yesterday, the great folks at Glaslyn successfully removed the fishing line and hook that were wrapped around the youngest chick from the nest of Elen and Teifi. Thank you to everyone who notified them and those who helped quickly!

Update on an osprey nest regarding a Brown Trout with fishing line that entangled a chick, detailing the intervention to remove it and the monitoring of the chicks' health.
An osprey is feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by green grass and trees.

We love Luna and Sandy – Jackie and Shadow’s soon-to-fledge eaglets – at Big Bear. They are getting closer and closer. SK Hideaways caught Luna getting higher! https://youtu.be/If_H8omr7nk?

This is what our ospreys are up against. The industrial fishing (not the commercial fishing of the locals) needs to stop. Omega needs to be mothballed.

A message detailing the observations of spotter planes tracking fish schools in the Chesapeake Bay, noting the coverage area from a previous day and mentioning several ships and planes involved in the search.
A map showing flight paths from yesterday, marked in orange with highlighted circles, compared to today's flight paths in a different area, indicating a change in flight routes.

One of Canada’s leading authors, Margaret Atwood, is saving Pelee Island (along with her family) for migratory birds)

How Margaret Atwood and her family helped turn Pelee Island into a migratory bird research hub – TheDownload

Oh, there are chicks dying in Finland. The latest is at LS #5.

I had many questions about Steelscape’s camera. It is not streaming. Our ‘sleuth’, PB, had a contact and has discovered that the individual who wanted the streaming cam and who was in IT has been made redundant. These things happen. I continue to be thankful for the Achieva Osprey cam – especially this year, as it has been a stunner, but the individual who led the effort might no longer be with that branch. There was once an active FB group just for the nest.

There is one osplet at The Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbour, New Jersey (south). Baby appears to waiting for fish. This is the first time I have checked on this nest. Does anyone have details?

A close-up view of a bird nest made of twigs and grass, with two hatchling birds visible, set against a backdrop of wetland greenery and a cloudy sky.
An osprey perched on its nest made of sticks and grass, with a green marshy landscape and water visible in the background.
An osprey stands on its nest made of sticks, with a chick partially visible in the nest, set against a backdrop of grassy marshland and blue sky.

Beautiful family portrait of White Stork family in Lubla Parish, Poland. Storklets are Eliasz & Gabriel.

Two adult storks standing beside three young storks in a nest, with houses and trees in the background.

Big Red doesn’t like her babies to fledge when it is raining. Of course, she is so smart – their feathers would be heavy and it is also windy. To keep them home, she often feeds them constantly!

A close-up view of a red-tailed hawk nest on a balcony, featuring several young hawks resting among twigs and branches, with a green landscape and street visible in the background.
View of a red-tailed hawk nest on a rainy day, with vegetation and blurred visibility due to raindrops on the camera lens.
A live cam view of a red-tailed hawk nest on a balcony, with one hawk in the nest and another flying nearby. The background shows trees and a street.
Two young red-tailed hawks perched in a nest made of twigs and leaves, overlooking a street with greenery and buildings in the background.
A red-tailed hawk perched on a railing near its nest, with another hawk visible in the foreground. The background shows a green landscape and a street.

So where are the other two? Are they at the end or down on the ledge? It appears that the first fledge might have been at 1825. I await official confirmation.

All is well at Hellgate Canyon with Iris, Clark, and Baby.

Two ospreys are perched on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a parking lot and greenery visible in the background.
An osprey is sitting in its nest, surrounded by twigs, leaves, and grass.

The oldest chick that died of hypothermia at Charlo, Montana overnight has not been removed from the nest. This is so sad. Let us hope that nothing happens to Only Bob.

An osprey perched on a nest with chicks and an egg, while another osprey stands on a nearby pole, surrounded by a green landscape and mountains in the background.

Three little ones at Osoyoos. Pray for this nest and the others that are struggling – perhaps, in reality, that is almost all of them in one way or another.

A pair of ospreys on their nest, with two chicks visible among the sticks and twigs. The scene is taken from above, showing the nest structure against a green background.

Dewey Beach is still good.

An osprey nest with two chicks and an adult osprey, set against a backdrop of a waterfront view featuring buildings and a dock.

SK Hideaways has news of Zuma! https://youtu.be/3YbwXv9AAQY?

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 18th June 2026

It was wet and windy today, and there was a moment which could have been nasty but fortunately wasn’t – a gust of wind caught Dorcha and flipped her over, taking a chick as well. But Dorcha righted herself and the chick quickly crawled back under her with no harm done. On the 6th anniversary of Legendary Louis and the Day of Nine Fish, it was a slow fish day, Louis only brought two fish and the second was such a tiddler it was gone in four minutes. Chick1 achieved a milestone by swallowing the small tail, while earlier Dorcha had struggled to swallow the much larger tail of the first fish. The Nest Two tally now rises to one hundred and fifty three, and Garry LV0’s single fish takes the Nest One tally to one hundred and twenty two. Aurora 536 spent most of the day incubating the unviable egg, how long she’ll keep doing that is a matter of speculation. Heavy rain and light winds with a low of 15°C is the overnight forecast, changing to light rain showers, a gentle breeze and a high of 17°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/ReJNNcKbvSI N2 Louis brings the first fish and stays while Dorcha feeds the chicks 13.38.11

https://youtu.be/MVfn-uLCvRk N2 Oh no! Wind flips Dorcha and nearly takes a chick 14.48.18

https://youtu.be/OQL2iuo5Poc N1 Garry gives Aurora a fish and they both depart 17.25.52

Osplet growth in the early stages (our chicks are 17 and 15 days old respectively):

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/karis-mwt/feathers

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

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

Thank you so much for being with us. It is time to do a wee bit of weeding in the garden before getting the lads inside. We hope that you had a wonderful Thursday. Take care of yourself. Please get outside if you can. Nature is regenerating!

Thank you to ‘MP’ and ‘PB’ re the Steelscape streaming cam, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos and for that incredible daily summary of happenings at Loch Arkaig. I am grateful to everyone who owns a streaming cam that stays on and lets us watch these incredible birds. Streaming cams cost money and human power – so thank you! And to everyone who posted information, put images and events on FB – we are so grateful.

Hatches and deaths…Late Monday in Bird World

14 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

Oh, what a day. We are chilly and it has rained heavily with hail! There was even thunder and Toby got to wear his thunder jacket. He did not react to the weather events – not once. He was calm and sleeping. So, thunder or anxiety jackets work for him.

I took videos. WP won’t let me attach them. Says they are private. Really? Missey was scared and her eyes got really big. The hail was not large but it continued to cover the deck and garden.

A fluffy cat sitting on a black table with a window in the background showing a rainy view.
A wooden patio table and chairs covered with hailstones on a rainy day, with a deck and greenery in the background.

Of course, no one believes me when I say this might be the new normal. Geez.

Sadly, the only remaining eaglet out of two has died at the White-tailed eagle nest in Scotland. Its body is being retrieved, and the camera will be down. They want to determine the COD. This is so sad. Each adult and chick is precious. They are being reintroduced to Scotland.

The White-tailed Eagle (also known as the sea eagle) was driven to extinction in the UK by 1918 due to human persecution and habitat loss. Thanks to landmark, multi-phase reintroduction programs that began in 1975, this apex predator has made a remarkable recovery and is now an established breeding species in Scotland.

The successful return of the White-tailed Eagle to Scotland occurred in three distinct phases involving the translocation of young eagles from Norway: 

  • Phase 1 (1975–1985): A partnership between the RSPB and Nature Conservancy Council began translocating Norwegian eaglets to the Isle of Rùm in the Inner Hebrides. This resulted in the first successful wild breeding pair on the Isle of Mull in 1983. 
  • Phase 2 (1993–1998): A second phase of releases took place in Wester Ross to expand the eagle’s geographic distribution across the west coast.
  • Phase 3 (2007–2012): A final set of birds was released on the east coast of Scotland in Fife, successfully establishing a population there. 

Current Status and Ecology

  • Population: There are currently around 150 to 300 breeding pairs established in Scotland. 
  • Habitat: They primarily inhabit coastal areas, sea lochs, and large inland bodies of water, which provide ample fish, waterbirds, and nesting cliffs/tall trees. 
  • Source for England: The Scottish population has been so successful that conservationists have utilized Scottish chicks to help repopulate the species in England (such as on the Isle of Wight).

Ongoing Challenges and Conflicts

While celebrated as a major conservation success, the reintroduction has caused friction with local communities. 

  • Livestock Predation: Farmers and crofters, particularly in Argyll and the West Highlands, have reported significant losses of vulnerable lambs to the eagles.
  • Management Plans: NatureScot has implemented Sea Eagle Management Schemes to help mitigate these impacts, including financial support and scaring tactics for farmers in designated areas. 

The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation became actively involved in the reintroduction of the White-tail eagle. The following is taken from the RDWF Website:

PROJECT START: 2019
EAGLES RELEASED: 45
PAIRS BREEDING IN ENGLAND: 2
CHICKS FLEDGED FROM BREEDING PAIRS IN ENGLAND IN 2025: 3

White-tailed Eagles were once widespread along the whole of the South Coast of England, from Cornwall to Kent, before being driven to extinction by relentless persecution that began in the Middle Ages. The last pair bred on Culver Cliff on the Isle of Wight in 1780. Many parts of southern England remain highly suitable for the species, and following the reintroduction of White-tailed Eagles to Scotland – where there are now approximately 180 breeding pairs – we were granted licences by Natural England and Nature Scot to begin an English reintroduction in partnership with Forestry England, based on the Isle of Wight. A feasibility report was submitted to both Natural England and Nature Scot as part of the licence applications. The initial licence permitted the release of up to 60 young eagles on the Isle of Wight over a five year period, beginning in 2019. It is hoped that a small population of 6-8 breeding pairs will become established within 60km of the Isle of Wight, with birds spreading east and west along the South Coast. In 2026, Natural England issued a further license to release up to 20 White-tailed Eagles over 3 years from Exmoor National Park, to support the expanding population in Southern England.”

Every chick is precious. I hope to have news of the necroscopy for you when it is released. This could take weeks.

More great images from Seattle by Ping Shen of Harry, Sally, and their ‘Only Bob’. Thanks so much, Ping, for sharing these with us. Ping notes, “from the looks of things, an only child. Quite adorable, peeking at mom, and then sleeping at the foot of dad’s talon…”

An osprey perched on a nest made of sticks, looking down at a chick in the nest while surrounded by greenery.
Two ospreys sitting on their nest, with one looking directly at the camera while the other is feeding on a fish.

A beautiful sunset with Clark, Iris, and what might be another ‘Only Bob’. We are on pip/hatch watch for that second egg. We will see if Only has a sibling. I sure hope it is strong as Big Bob is a smart survivor – it has sure been beaten around by fish and nest materials.

Two ospreys are perched on a nest made of twigs and branches, with one parent bird standing close to a chick in the nest. The background shows a parking lot with trees and streetlights.

Make sure to check out the summary – what was it that frightened Louis?

Geemeff Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 14th June 2026

Daily summary Sunday 14th June 2026

Today was mainly about fish – there were many deliveries and both females rejected a fish at the first time of offering then accepted gladly when the male returned with it a bit later. Garry LV0 brought two fish on cam for Aurora 536 and his tally now stands at one hundred and seventeen, while Louis excelled with five deliveries, including his first flatfish this season, taking the Nest Two tally to one hundred and thirty nine. The chicks did a bit of fighting but nothing serious, and both decided mum was taking too long dishing up so tried a nibble at the fish she was holding – they’re healthy and developing as expected. There were some intruder alerts, no intruders seen on nest cam apart from a pair of Wood Pigeons who perched on Nest Two for a few moments, but local resident LizB saw two Golden Eagles flying near an Osprey around the time Dorcha was on high alert and shortly before Louis arrived with the flatfish. Later Garry and Aurora were also on alert, perhaps the pair of eagles were still in the area. Only one Eagle has ever been seen on a nest – a juvenile Golden Eagle who touched down for a nano second on Nest Two in April 2023 – but distant eagles have been caught on nest cam on a couple of occasions and Dorcha returned once with a blood injury from an eagle encounter. Both White-tailed Eagles and Golden Eagles share the forest with the Ospreys so perhaps it’s fortunate we haven’t seen them close up too often. The weather was much more settled today and the promised sunshine did materialise. It should continue dry overnight and partly cloudy with a low of 9°C, continuing with a high of 20°C tomorrow and no rain before midnight.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/w7zZRXu3pZ0 N2 Louis’ first fish is small and doesn’t last long 05.29.41

https://youtu.be/XYllXMRX7vA N2 A pair of Wood Pigeons pay a visit in Dorcha’s absence 08.27.59

https://youtu.be/BecPV01-e_E N2 Both chicks don’t wait for Dorcha and have a nibble at fish two 11.22.47 

https://youtu.be/MoOhTnm6YZo N2 Louis’ third fish is his first flatfish 14.39.15

https://youtu.be/grrb8lfBmMs N1 Aurora takes fish one from Garry and they both leave 14.14.51

https://youtu.be/Gmec-mfvgPI N2 Chick2 gets impatient and tries to take bits of fish four from C1’s beak 16.05.00

https://youtu.be/IK7rPRrh6-w N1 Aurora takes fish two the second time Garry brings it 19.13.05

https://youtu.be/VpjzqTKFTYc N2 Dorcha takes fish five the second time Louis brings it 20.36.58

Bonus guide to rapid growth of young Osprey chicks – our two are 13 and 11 days old today (thanks Dyfi)

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/rapid-growth-phase-young-osprey-chicks


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

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

Buddy’s Mum catches D4 at Decorah fledging. https://youtu.be/pFLwncKkHH0?

‘L’ sent me the link to remind us that the Port Lincoln Osprey barge is now back online for the season !!!!!!!!!! https://www.youtube.com/live/47K1i7qCzaI?

‘L’ also sent me another link. A video of Wisdom’s grand chick getting banded. Oh, have a look!!!!!!!!! Isn’t it adorable?!!!!!! https://youtu.be/ZW8gHzCVBwU?

A young bird standing on sandy ground, surrounded by sparse vegetation and dried branches.
Close-up of a grand-chick with a red identification band on its leg, standing on sandy ground with some grass and strands of dried vegetation around.

I learned something. Maybe you will, too. ‘R’ sent an article on Aquaculture and shorelines. https://sercblog.si.edu/imani-black-sustainable-aquaculture-and-misconceptions/#more-13282

How big a fish can Ospreys bring in? And why can females catch bigger fish?

An osprey perched on a branch holds a mullet fish in its talons, with a lush green landscape in the background.

Is there an Osprey fishing contest going on right now? Louis brought in a whopper to Dorcha and the two surviving chicks.

A mature bird of prey stands over its nest, where several chicks are visible. The adult is holding a fish, preparing to feed the chicks in a natural setting surrounded by greenery.

Two osprey chicks have been observed at Loch Inish.

We wait to see how many chicks Aran fathered this year with his new mate. At least one! Next year, Friends of the Osprey will put a streaming camera on Aran’s nest. This is fabulous news.

It looks like donations to SaveMoonCamp, the land near Jackie and Shadow’s nest, have reached the 1/3 mark. They will need lots more funding by the deadline of 31 July 2026. It is unclear to me the precise amount of funds the group needs to get a loan to continue their fundraising. If you intend to help, please do it now! Go to SaveMoonCamp.org

The baby at Poole Harbour is just starting to get its feathers while the others are really being camouflaged now. CJ7 and Blue 022 making raising four osplets look effortless — and we know, for certain, that it isn’t.

An adult osprey stands near its nest, which contains three young chicks, surrounded by trees and foliage.
An adult osprey feeding its chicks in a nest made of branches, surrounded by a natural forest environment.

Syfadden and Clogwyn are doing fantastic with their two chicks in the Usk Valley in Wales.

A bird sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a scenic landscape of fields and hills in the background.

Little Bob is trying to get under Elen at the Glaslyn Osprey nest she shares with her mate, Teifi. The two Big Bobs are napping.

An osprey standing over three fluffy chicks in a nest made of sticks, surrounded by a green landscape.

Closeby at the Friends of the Osprey Nest of Aeron Z2 and Blue 014, there are another three. They have been enjoying some trout today!

An osprey chick sitting in a nest made of sticks, overlooking a scenic landscape with hills and trees in the background.
A bird's nest made of twigs with two chicks and an adult bird on a hillside, overlooking a landscape with mountains and greenery in the background.

The single surviving osplet at Loch of the Lowes seems to be doing alright.

An osprey sitting on a nest made of twigs and branches, with greenery in the background.

This is incredibly compassionate. One of the major killers of chicks/storklets/hawklets/osplets etc in the nest is damp. These two good samaritans are blow drying the storklets so that they will hopefully survive the storms that have come to Europe.

Two people care for four stork chicks in a large nest on a rooftop, using a hairdryer to warm them.

Much better!

A stork stands on a large nest made of sticks and hay, with several baby storks resting inside. The background features a residential area with rooftops and solar panels.

What I wouldn’t give to see this at our osprey nests in North America. The kindness to stork families across Europe warms my heart every year and brings tears to my eyes.

No hatch as yet at Mlade Buky White Stork nest.

A stork standing in its nest, surrounded by sticks and grass, with a scenic view of houses and hills in the background.
Two storks nesting in a large bird's nest on a rooftop, overlooking a residential area with green hills in the background.

UK Parliament has recognized the persecution of raptors – should I add the word ‘finally’.

Parliamentary motion recognises ongoing illegal killing of raptors in Scotland – Raptor PersecutionDownload

Second hatch at The Lesser Spotted Eagle nest in Estonia. While this might be cause for celebration, Lesser Spotted Eagles practice obligate siblicide whereby the eldest chick always kills the second. There are rare exceptions.

The following comes from Animal Diversity Web:

A majestic eagle perched on a tree branch, showcasing its brown feathers and sharp beak against a clear blue sky.

Lesser spotted eagles live primarily in patchy woodland areas, meadows, fields, and natural grasslands, often in moist environments. Although forests are not used as primary habitat, they often build nests near forest edges. Lesser spotted eagles have been found in African dry mountain and grassland savanna habitats during their winter migration. Within these dry mountain habitats, their range typically extends to a maximum elevation of 2,200 meters.

Lesser spotted eagles generally hunt by walking along the ground. However, they typically nest and perch in the branches of forest trees. When nesting and perching, lesser spotted eagles often use branches closer to the ground rather than higher in the trees.

Adult lesser spotted eagles also are distinguished by their yellow eyes, whereas adult steppe eagles and greater spotted eagles have brown eyes. Juveniles of all three species have brown eyes. The head and wings of lesser spotted eagles are a lighter shade of brown compared to the rest of its body; in steppe eagles and greater spotted eagles, the entire body is a dark shade of brown. Lesser spotted eagles also have a small head and beak for an eagle. Like other eagles in the genus Aquila , lesser spotted eagles have a white V mark on their rump. Finally, differences in the shape of the wings cause lesser spotted eagles to appear to have a longer tail (96.6 to 123.75 cm) than other closely related species. Lesser spotted eagles have narrower wingspans (145 to 165 cm), whereas greater spotted eagles have broader wingspans.

Lesser spotted eagles are considered monogamous birds. Currently there is no clear evidence of partner fidelity, however most birds return to the same nest every year.

Lesser spotted eagles breed once per year. The pair builds a platform nest, generally in a tall tree. Egg laying begins after the nest is complete in late April to early May. It is believed that males are responsible for defending the immediate vicinity around the nest. Lesser spotted eagles lay one to two eggs, but typically only one survives. The older or stronger sibling usually attacks the weaker one. Eggs are laid in the second half of April and between May 23 and 27. The egg incubation period ranges from 36 to 41 days. Fledglings have been observed in the middle of July, with a fledging period up to eight weeks. Juvenile lesser spotted eagles do not reach reproductive age until they are 3 to 4 years old.

The new babies. In rare cases, when prey is very plentiful, both have survived, but if you are watching this nest, please be advised that when I say rare, I do mean rare. Adults will often withhold prey to get the stronger eaglet to attack the other weaker one. When the kill is done, the prey returns.

A golden eagle parent standing over two fluffy chicks in a nest, surrounded by greenery and tree branches.

Two beauties at nest #5 in Finland.

A pair of ospreys tending to their nest, which contains several fluffy chicks. The nest is built from twigs and branches, with a natural landscape in the background.

At the NCTC nest, Susie fledged this afternoon. Congratulations to Bella and Scout.

I hope that Little Dewey’s crop continues to be filled.

Some fish came to the Santiam Canyon Osprey nest for Mum and the trio. They don’t get much fish. It was nice to see their crops filling.

An osprey stands next to its chicks in a nest made of twigs and moss, with a backdrop of trees and a road.
A mother bird feeding her chicks in a nest made of twigs and moss, with a residential area visible in the background.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care and wish for fish at all nests!

Thank you to ‘R’ for that article on aquaculture. Thank you to ‘L’ for the links to Wisdom’s grandchick and a shout-out to Ping Shen for those great images of Harry and Sally and their baby. To Geemeff, we are always grateful for your daily summaries of all news at Loch Arkaig and your videos. To everyone who posted information on FB and images, to Raptor Persecution UK for telling it the way it is, and to the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and the owners of the streaming cams – we are always thankful to you.

Chick at Hellgate doing well, RJ does the shake shake and gets that fish hook out of its talon…late Saturday in Bird World

13 June 2026

Greetings Everyone,

My goodness.

First up. Some good news. At the NCTC nest of Bella and Scout, RJ got a fishhook attached to a stick stuck in its talon. That chick did the ‘shake, shake, shake’ and got rid of that nuisance. Well, it is more than a nuisance. Could have caused permanent harm or death. Here is the video: https://youtu.be/Kx5Fw2LwQT8?

Sad news coming from the Salmon River Bald Eagle nest. ‘PB’ writes, “1:41 Salmon nest baby 2 gone confirmed with Idaho Fish and Game. Parents brought more twine in, and Sweet #2 was by mom’s foot when she left, took the twine and the baby with her. He managed to hang on to the far left side before falling, and they had someone check, and he was confirmed dead.”

More information from the Missoula team:

Post about the hatching process of a baby Osprey, detailing the egg's structure and development.

Cutie Pie waiting for some more fish.

An osprey standing on its nest made of twigs and branches, with an empty parking lot and trees in the background.

Clark brought several fish and then a mid-afternoon whopper!!!!!!!

An osprey standing on a nest made of sticks and branches, with a fish partially visible in the background. The scene is set in a parking lot area, indicating the nest's location.
Two ospreys in their nest, with a view of an empty parking lot in the background.

Oh, my heart.

A close-up view of a young osprey chick sitting in a nest, surrounded by dried leaves and grass.
Close-up of a young osprey chick resting in a nest made of twigs and grasses, with some greenery in the foreground.

Wide open. Iris seems to be getting more fish around its beak than in its mouth.

An adult osprey feeding a chick in a nest, with the chick visibly begging for food.
A close-up view of a young osprey chick being fed by an adult osprey, with remnants of fish visible on the nest.
An Osprey chick is being fed by an adult Osprey in a nest, surrounded by nesting materials and greenery.

I hope that baby got some fish – it is definitely hungry.

More fish for Iris! Clark, I want to hug you. This time Clark ate the head but the fish is big and it is getting late.

Two ospreys in their nest with eggs, perched on a structure made of sticks and twigs, with an empty parking lot in the background.

Baby gets feed while Clark keeps watch over it and Iris.

An osprey stands on its nest surrounded by twigs and branches, with two chicks visible in the nest. The background shows a parking lot and trees.
Close-up view of a young osprey chick in a nest, with a glimpse of its parent's wing in the foreground and other chicks visible nearby.

Two precious babies and baling twine on the Charlo Montana nest. Please make some calls if you are in the area. Try the biologist for the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Audubon Society. This is human-caused!

A newly hatched bird chick is resting beside an unhatched egg on a bed of pine needles and small debris.
An adult osprey is seen close to its two newly hatched chicks, which are pecking at an eggshell in a nest made of twigs and other natural materials.
An osprey is sitting in a nest, gently inspecting a single speckled egg surrounded by green vegetation and twigs.

I dislike the camera at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. No rewind. There are babies. You can see movement but that is all I know.

A bird of prey sitting in a large nest made of twigs and branches, with a park and playground visible in the background.

Just look at the temperature on the nest at Dewey Beach today and our precious Little Dewey.

An osprey standing beside two chicks in a nest made of sticks, with a scenic backdrop of water and buildings.
An osprey standing in a nest with a chick, surrounded by sticks and branches, overlooking a waterway and buildings in the background.

Menhaden are a big deal for the ospreys that live in the NE.

Map displaying fishing fleet locations near Reedville with annotations for schools of menhaden fish and probable set locations marked in red circles.

D3 and D4 nearer and nearer to fledging at Decorah.

Decorah Eagles: DH3 and DH4 Climb Higher Before First FlightsDownload

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch ArkaigFriday 12th June 2026

Today was much calmer after the upset of losing little Chick3 yesterday. Early this morning Dorcha removed the body and disposed of it in the forest, leaving the two remaining chicks more room and a cleaner environment. There were some minor intruder alarms but none came close enough to be caught on nest cam, and both males had ample time to fish, and in Garry LV0’s case, to take over egg-sitting duties and release Aurora 536 to eat and stretch her wings. Sadly it does look like their hard work might be in vain because today is Day 43 and Osprey eggs usually hatch between 37-42 days. However, there is still a very slim chance that their egg might hatch, many eyes are watching Nest One hoping for a chick for them this year. Aurora returned to the nest with fish shortly after the cam came online, almost certainly caught by Garry and with his other delivery, the Nest One tally now stands at one hundred and fourteen. Louis brought three fish today and the Nest Two tally now stands at one hundred and thirty two. The thunder didn’t materialise but the showers did, with frequent dry spells throughout the day. However more rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow, with an overnight low of 10°C and a high of 14°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/BZs0k59dgeQ N1 Unfortunately there’s no sign of a pip 02.11.42 (zoom)https://youtu.be/lppct_pvTHc N2 Early breakfast, fish one is still flapping 05.41.39https://youtu.be/_tczuzhplOk N2 Dorcha removes the remains of tragic little Chick3 08.09.00https://youtu.be/34AODPhClto N1 Aurora appears with a fish when the cam comes online 08.25.02https://youtu.be/gjkV9TBdV1A N2 A second whole trout arrives 14.55.39https://youtu.be/HWDQIKWiWac N2 Fish supper for the family, fish three today 19.18.57https://youtu.be/PvnULhnXmC8 N1 Fish supper for Aurora, second fish today 20.20.03

Bonus Osprey longevity info – for those who feared Louis was too old to return when he was late back this year, at thirteen or fourteen years old he’s not even half as old as the world’s oldest known Osprey – Iris of Hellgate Montana. She’s been nesting there since 1999, and yesterday, at the grand old age of thirty or thirty one, she hatched another chick! First hatch of her clutch of three eggs. Congratulations Iris and new mate Clark!

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

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

You need to be vocal. Not only is the price of timber causing habitat loss at a time when we need trees more than ever, but tourism and luxury hotels are now threatening wildlife and our precious birds. In Manitoba, our Premier and everyone I know have been protesting AI data centres. I am glad our leader is Indigenous. I am proud that he is protecting wildlife habitat in the north. But I still need to be vigilant because my City seems to be doing the opposite! Please have your say when you hear about new developments – with strong united voices, we can invoke change. We just have to be patient sometimes. We cannot give up!

‘The birds will fly away’: can Albania’s flamingo revolution keep its wetlands free from Trumps and tourists?https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/12/albania-flamingos-wetlands-trump-tourists?CMP=share_btn_url

Quiet Eagle brings us an update on little eaglet Snow that was in the nest that slid at Traverse City and survived! https://youtu.be/j756uY1hbZE?

I want to close with an image of one of our local ospreys. My grandson, Jeremy, sent it to me. It is a short video and this osprey has a fish.

We have a growing number of osprey in our City. People are putting fish into the retention ponds for them. That might be an idea for some of you in the US, where there is a fish shortage. :))). I can’t seem to post the video so here are some screen captures. Look at the size of that fish. Wow.

A bird, possibly an osprey, perched on a pebbly beach with water in the background.
An osprey takes off from a pebbly beach, carrying a fish in its talons, with water in the background.
A bird flying low over calm water, reflecting its image on the surface.

We have rain or storm clouds brewing overhead. So much rain! There should not be any wildfires, and the trees and shrubs are doing incredibly. It is a green paradise with a touch of pink or red! There are now four fledgling Starlings – I probably said. They fascinate me. Tonight they are eating a New Zealand dog nugget that is a whole meal – Toby said he didn’t mind since we ran out of minnows and hot dogs! The weather is cooler – 14 C. I wonder if that makes them need more food to stay warm?

It’s too grainy. I so wish I had my long lens camera!

They are so cute and have entertained us all day.

Two small birds perched on a feeding tray filled with grain, surrounded by greenery.

I want to thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us again soon.

Thank you to everyone who posted information on FB, with or without images, and to Geemeff for her daily summary of the activities of the two nests at Loch Arkaig, Scotland. I want to thank the authors of newsletters and articles that provide us with a wealth of information. To the owners of the streaming cams, we are grateful to be able to watch the lives of our feathered friends and their growing families. I also want to thank the Guardian for their continued reports on the environment and wildlife and last, but not least, Jeremy, for remembering me and sending me that great osprey video to share with you.

Important post from Ben Wurst…Sunday in Bird World

7 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

This continues to be the most important story coming out of the US when it concerns ospreys.

Ben Wurst writes today:

Last week, I flew along the entire 130 mile coastline of New Jersey.

What I saw was alarming.

The goal was to locate schools of Atlantic menhaden, a historically abundant forage fish found in New Jersey’s nearshore waters. Menhaden have long been a primary prey species for coastal nesting ospreys, as well as many predatory fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. They also support the largest fishery by volume on the East Coast and are harvested for bait and industrial reduction products (oil + meal).

I teamed up with my friend and pilot, Adam Sherer, for the survey. It was my first time flying in a Cessna and conducting an aerial survey along the coast. Spotter planes are commonly used by large-scale bait and reduction fisheries to locate schools of menhaden. Some aircraft fly weekly from Reedville, Virginia, to Sandy Hook to assess the presence and abundance of fish.

After what we observed with osprey reproduction last year, I felt it was crucial to gather independent observations on menhaden presence, or absence, off New Jersey. As far as I am aware, there are no dedicated public surveys conducted along New Jersey’s coast to assess nearshore menhaden abundance.

Conditions for our flight were ideal: light north winds, excellent visibility, and calm seas. We flew from Barnegat Inlet south to Cape May, then north to Sandy Hook, surveying waters approximately 1–3 miles offshore at elevations between 1,500 and 2,500 feet above ground level.

Throughout the entire flight, we did not observe a single school of menhaden.

Schools of menhaden are highly visible from the air, often appearing as large dark patches near the water’s surface. They are frequently accompanied by predators such as bluefish, striped bass, tuna, dolphins, whales, and seabirds like northern gannets, all of which feed on these important forage fish as they move along the Atlantic coast.

Adam is an experienced pilot who knows how to read the water. Given the conditions, I am confident that if substantial schools of fish had been present, we would have seen them. The coast was so calm and quiet that it felt eerie. Aside from several small pods of dolphins, we observed very little marine life. There was also surprisingly little fishing activity.

Meanwhile, many osprey nests in New Jersey remain empty because females never laid eggs this spring. Without adequate food resources, females are not able to reach breeding condition. Many nests that do contain eggs were initiated later than normal and often have smaller clutches, both potential signs of food stress.

As chicks hatch and adults shift to feeding young, abundant prey becomes even more critical. If food remains scarce, we may see increased food stress, brood reduction, and nest failures, similar to what we documented last year when menhaden appeared scarce along portions of the coast and what many osprey pairs are experiencing on the Chesapeake Bay, which has always been considered the most important nursery grounds for menhaden on the Atlantic coast.

Another concerning observation is the condition of nesting females. While photographing a female leaving her nest, I was struck by how pronounced her breastbone appeared through the viewfinder. Her mate was absent, likely out searching for prey. Similar reports and observations are coming from throughout the coast. This is not what we typically expect to see during the nesting season.

Perhaps most concerning is that fisheries managers continue to rely heavily on fishery-dependent data to estimate menhaden abundance, while warning signs from dependent predators like ospreys receive far less attention. What we are seeing at nests all along the coast is that something is out of balance.

In addition, reports indicate that the reduction fleet in Virginia has remained at the dock for much of the spring while spotter aircraft search vast stretches of coastline from North Carolina to New England looking for fish.

Taken together, these observations raise serious concerns about the condition of the marine ecosystem and the forage base that supports whales, dolphins, ospreys, game fish, commercial fisheries, and coastal economies.

If you care about our coast and the wildlife that depends on it, now is the time to pay attention. We need better monitoring, greater transparency, and a stronger commitment to understanding and protecting the forage fish that serve as the foundation of our marine ecosystem. Follow groups like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Menhaden Defenders, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Forage Fish Campaign to get involved and stay informed.

Very grateful for this opportunity to help better understand what is happening along our coast. Thank you, Adam.

Heidi and I have been warning about this collapse for three years, along with others from William & Mary College, including Michael Academia. This is VERY serious. It is not only the osprey that are starving, but also the other fish that depend on Menhaden and even tarrapins. The entire ecosystem is dead or dying. Some might point to multiple conditions, but for me, there is a single major cause: Omega Protein, a Canadian company that turns millions of tonnes of Menhaden into chicken and salmon feed, based in Reedsville, Virginia. They are also gutting the schools in the Gulf. This has to stop. I urge each of my readers to write in support of a three-year moratorium on commercial-industrial fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and all the waters from Long Island, around New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Please note that mile limits have caused Omega Protein to use helicopters in at least one instance to get the schools to flee back to deeper water where they can net them!

E-mail address of the Governor of Virginia: abigail.spanberger@governor.virginia.gov

You can use the wording from Ben Wurst’s letter. He is the Conservation Officer for New Jersey. You might also want to educate yourself before writing by examining the posts on the FB group – Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal.

I am very concerned about Little Dewey at Dewey Beach in Delaware. And I want to make clear that if any of the birds on streaming cams are starving, the cause can be argued to be human-caused, a reason for intervention! Remember I have said that we might have to have a test case to prove that this is human caused.

This image, from Heidi and PB, shows the tiny Menhaden that Baby Dewey had for breakfast. This precious family might need help, and the USFWS should permit fish to be placed on the nest for them, since the absolute decline in the Menhaden population has caused issues and endangered ospreys to the point that they might not exist in this region as they did during the time of DDT. The Ospreys are the ‘Canaries in the Mine’ warning us of disaster.

An osprey stands over its chick in a nest made of twigs, holding a fish in its beak. The background shows a blue building in the distance.

In other news, ‘PB’ reports that both Jack and Jill have been at the Achieva Credit Union Osprey nest with fish but no Big and no Little to eat. Please return you two. You are still a little young to be out on your own, Little.


SK Hideaways Videos, week of 31 May 2026

FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna
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

Sandy & Luna Play Tug of Fish🦈🪢 Jackie & Shadow Steal Away (2026 Jun 3)When Shadow brought a whopper to the nest, Sandy and Luna got to work consuming their fair share. While the eaglets pulled the fish from each other time and again, the 90-minute meal was more a tug-of-peace than a tug-of-war, as they both got plenty to eat. Abundance makes for peaceful mealtimes. Once  the eaglets were in food comas, Jackie met Shadow on the Simba Tree for a most picturesque rendezvous. Hatch dates: Sandy, 4 April; Luna 5 April
Video:  https://youtu.be/ki-gZ6sEY6M
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

Sasha Branches 🪾 Cruz Approves ✅ Sasha Returns (2026 Jun 5)
Congratulations to Sasha on an easy branching to and from the left branch at 69 days
Video: https://youtu.be/jFYnyJCpC_E

Eaglets Show Big Wingers🪽and Jumps🦘➕Nonstop Eating (2026 Jun 4)At nearly 10 weeks old, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder will be branching and fledging any time now. We wondered how they’d all fit on the nest once fully grown, but they’re managing just fine and even allow Cruz and Andor to visit ~ as if they have a choice. We checked on their progress as they displayed their beautiful wings, made some impressive jumps, and ate… incessantly. What a joy to watch these triplets thrive.
Video: https://youtu.be/0-PBOvkuCX0


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

Party in the A.M.🎉Party in the P.M. 🍾 Things Get Raptoresque (2026 Jun 5)
The boys met on the roof for the first fete of the day, which left them loafing in the afternoon. Come 5 p.m., they were right on time for happy hour on the nest ledge. They even let Monty stay… for a while. Then the rave kicked into full gear and things got raptoresque.
Video: https://youtu.be/EiemTOD-YGI

Chicks Vie for Cutest Raptor Fledgling Championship🏆 You Decide (2026 Jun 4)
This day-in-the-life video includes an opportunity for you to cast a completely unofficial vote for the Cutest Raptor Fledgling amongst a selection of raptor types in Northern California, where this falcon family lives. The rest of the video is a collection of the day’s poses and shenanigans, which all contribute to my own personal vote. Enjoy the fun and your own personal contest.
Video: https://youtu.be/-aE-lEcDHSE

Chicks Present, Accounted For,📋and Even Cuter (If Possible) (2026 June 3)
Despite the fact that fledge watch has completed, we are all compelled to check on the boys. Happily, all four are present and accounted for as end of day today. They seem to get more adorable by the minute.
Video: https://youtu.be/ZtjQtjaK9L0

Chicks Take Over Fledge Watch 👀 Hartley & Monty Bond in Nest  (2026 Jun 2)Jet and Walton took up their post on the roof to observe early morning aerial activity. I don’t know if they knew the featherless giants (with occasional long black eye protrusions) were gone, but they did seem to take responsibility for the skies above city hall. Meanwhile, Hartley and Monty took a moment to bond in the nest box; perhaps reveling in another wildly successful breeding season.
Video: https://youtu.be/tce7draJcbg

All 4 chicks returned to the nest 🎉 Monty hung out with his boys (2026 May 31)
The four boys gave fans a real treat ~ thanks to a steamy San Jose day ~ and spent nearly the entire day and overnight in and around the nest area. They found shade in the nest box and along the sides of the runway to keep cooler. Along the way were visits from Hartley and Monty, giving us the bonus of seeing the entire family together. 
It was fascinating to watch Monty spend a good amount of time with the boys, despite their occasional protestations; a very different response than when his offspring have been larger females. Because this is a rare and unique event, I captured a substantial part of the day, allowing us to savor the waning moments of seeing this special family together. 
Video:  https://youtu.be/-j4K_dqhkgM

Fledge Watch 2026 👀 Day 3 Highlights (2026 May 30)
A collection of images from the San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon cam, my phone camera, and my phone camera through one of the scopes atop fledge watch HQ chronicling the highlights of fledge watch 2026 day 3. It was a thrilling couple of days for this avid fan, who continues to be humbled by the magnificence of our falcon family. I am equally humbled by the wisdom, dedication, and compassion of the fledge watch team and photographers, who show up day after day, year after year in support of these special birds.
Video: https://youtu.be/slTtVRA98TI

‘AK’ was watching nest 5 in Finland when this lynx went up to the nest. No chicks yet, just eggs. ‘AK’ notes that the adults were able to frighten it away. I have never seen a lynx climb a nest!

‘AK’ adds: This happened at 02:51:50 Finnish time.

A lynx cub standing on a nest made of sticks and moss, with two eggs visible in the foreground. The background is dark and natural, indicating the setting is outdoors.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 6th June 2026

Today’s big event was the overnight arrival of Louis and Dorcha’s third chick. The exact time was difficult to determine as Dorcha was blocking the view, doing a good job of keeping the chicks warm and dry despite the constant rain, but eventually the time of 00.49.09 seemed the most logical based on glimpses of empty eggshells (thanks LizB). Dawn gave us and Louis a good look at the little hatchling, although Louis seemed more interested in snaffling a bit of left over fish, until Dorcha returned and made him give it up for the chicks. He delivered only one new fish to day but it was massive, and the Nest Two tally now stands at one hundred and fourteen. Nest Cam One has been zoomed in ready for those magic moments when the egg pips and the little hatchling emerges, but there’s no news yet – the egg shows no sign of pipping. However it’s only day 37 and hatching is possible right up to day 42, especially as Aurora 536 delayed incubation for the first couple of days. Garry LV0 brought her two fish and his tally now stands at one hundred and three. It was another damp day and set to continue with light rain overnight and a low of 10°C, changing to thundery showers and a high of 15°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/CCyxjTOFDDU N2 Third chick is fully hatched 02.15.10

https://youtu.be/t5z8rFsT28Q N2 Louis’ first look at his new chick 05.14.49

https://youtu.be/GDKqiFdvzr4 N1 The cam’s zoomed in ready for hatching 08.39.58

https://youtu.be/d8VGs8JTvS4 N1 Another flatfish for Aurora 09.44.27

https://youtu.be/-O_WQ33FChQ N2 A huge fish arrives and Dorcha feeds all three chicks 15.23.12

https://youtu.be/5161efEC9vU N1 It’s a trout this time for Aurora 15.59.56

Bonus advice from George WTS – Osprey chick inequality and potential effects on nest cam watchers:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ht-comment-id=34713635

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

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

Telyn looks well. May she live a long and healthy life – and may we, humans – clean up after ourselves so that wildlife do not have to suffer.

An osprey stands over its nest, feeding three chicks with a piece of fish. The nest is made of twigs and located on a grassy area.
An adult osprey stands protectively over its two chicks in a nest made of sticks and grass, with remnants of fish visible nearby.

It’s raining in Missoula (again). Is Clark having trouble fishing? Is there a pip in an egg?

Posted on Montana Osprey Project FB:

Scatter plot showing the incubation duration of Iris' eggs over various years from 2011 to 2025, with data points representing the first, second, third, and fourth eggs.

I mentioned that Lola had returned to her nest that she shared with Charlie raising chicks. When she arrived (after a month of healing), Charlie was incubating the eggs of his current mate.

Screenshot of a social media post discussing a video of an osprey named Lola returning and interacting with another osprey.
An adult osprey standing next to a chick in a nest made of sticks and greenery, with a grassy field in the background.

The premier, Wab Kinew, of our province has turned down a request to build an AI Centre next door to our now only Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre, Wildlife Haven.

There are many places fighting the building of AI centres including the Nashville Zoo.

You can help by signing the petition.

https://www.change.org/p/nashville-zoo-says-no-to-proposed-data-center?recruiter=41216441&recruited_by_id=d8263160-56f4-0130-cb1f-3c764e049c4f&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_medium=mobileNativeShare

Thank you for being with us today. It is very hot, and we continue to have a yellow heat warning. It is the temperature and humidity that are causing this. My sidekick, Toby, is right here with me. Don is doing better today. He had a bad fall yesterday and had been unwell for several days. He is so much better that I am feeling a little bit like a human being today. We are staying in, hoping it will be cool enough for Toby to go outside with his cooling vest and boots. Remember, if you have a dog, the pads of their feet can burn and crack from the heat of the sidewalk. If you need shoes, so do they!

Take care. We will see you soon.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos, to Geemeff for their daily summary and videos, to Heidi and PB for their news, to AK for the image of the lynx and alerting me to this new danger to our ospreys, and to everyone who posted news on FB or elsewhere. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch the lives of these incredible bird families.

A single person can make a difference and Pray for Telyn…

5 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you never get tired of me saying that a single person can make a difference. Well, today, Pam Breci helped out the osplets in the nest with the baling twine in Idaho. Their own website says they will intervene if the event is human-caused. PB did not take ‘no’ as an answer. Today, she made a difference. Tomorrow it could be you. Never give up hope. Always persist.

“Mary Ann! I have a win!!! Idaho Fish and Game listened to me and will remove the twice at Salmon nest!!! I feel so good I may have saved 3 little lives just by being proactive to find their phone number at Salmon Regional office and talked to person who answered the phone. I bet she passed it on to the biologist there and they have on their website they only intervene if man-made like twine. Here’s what’s on chat.

A live chat window discussing ospreys using baling twine for nesting materials, featuring messages about nesting behavior and safety concerns regarding chicks.

Do not ever underestimate your ability to make a difference! They have no personnel to undertake this over the weekend, sadly but you will note they will do it next week. So when you see something – don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and advocate on behalf of our wildlife. You can be another Pam Breci – who deserves a gold medal today!

This morning I reported that Telyn had swallowed a fishing hook and line. Here is the blog from the Dyfi Osprey Project. Please read it:

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/telyn-swallows-fishing-hook-and-line

Here is the video of the incident: https://youtu.be/rOe9a_xI6MY?

The image below is the family portrait. That is Idris, the amazing Dad, feeding his children. It is night now and Telyn is a little restless on the nest. We hope that her stomach enzymes will eat up all that human debris.

Two adult ospreys standing by a nest with three chicks visible, surrounded by sticks and grass.

I cannot tell you how angry I feel today. My father loved fishing. My sons loved fishing. My oldest son is in Asia at a conference and will be going fishing with friends. My grandson goes fishing. For my son the quiet in his little boat like thing in the mangroves is his sanctuary. But this puts me in a real quandry. Don quit fishing when he realised the mess that humans leave that wildlife have to deal with. I don’t even know how we could clean it up – baling twine in farming areas like Idaho and Montana. Dr Green and his team spend lots of time removing baling twine. But recently we have seen Jackie eat a hook and line. Now Telyn has. How many others that are not seen are hurting, bleeding inside from the barbs on those hooks. My only consolation – if I am right – is that the hook is smaller and barbless in the UK. I want to be hopeful.

Hugo Yugo will be going for dental surgery on Wednesday. Poor thing she had to go to let the vet have a look to make sure that she needed the surgery. Look at the two of them – Toby and Hugo Yugo are seriously joined at the hip so to speak.

A black pet carrier with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a small cat inside, resting on a wooden floor with a patterned rug nearby.

Toby weighs 29.3 lbs. Hugo Yugo weighs 12.2 lbs. This carrier is meant for a 16 lb pet!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugo Yugo is so traumatised from just being at the vet that she will not stop howling. Poor thing.

The garden is beautiful now. The rain turned everything emerald green but the wind and rain destroyed the blossoms on the lilacs. The cherry blossoms lasted about 40 hours. I just love the garden right now and when I looked there are some buds on the Prairie roses.

So I want to check on some good nests and I want you to look at the calendar. Iris and Clark will be on pip watch on Monday!

An osprey standing on its nest made of sticks, overlooking an empty parking lot in the background.
Two ospreys sitting on their nest made of twigs, with a parking lot and greenery in the background, and a train passing in the distance.

Big Red’s babies are beautiful and they are getting their juvenile feathers fully in and flapping like crazy.

Three young red-tailed hawks in a nest made of twigs, with greenery and a sidewalk visible in the background.

There is great news coming out of Dale Hollow. DH23 is back in the nest after being knocked off during a prey delivery.

A scenic view of a tree with a large nest among lush green foliage, showing a tranquil natural environment.
A view of a large tree with a prominent nest at its top, surrounded by lush green foliage and a backdrop of more trees. The scene is peaceful, showcasing nature in a bright daylight setting.

Right now Louis and Dorcha have two chicks, but Geemeff thinks that there is a pip in the third egg!

Two ospreys in their nest surrounded by twigs and branches, with a scenic background of trees and hills.

Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/rOe9a_xI6MY?

Blue 210 has fed part of the dead chick to the remaining chick on the nest. Dad has brought in 3 fish and a tail, which he ate early in the day, but this nest needs more big fish! Nothing late.

An osprey standing on its nest, surrounded by twigs and greenery, with a small chick visible in the nest.

I love Little Dewey.

A close-up of a baby bird sitting on a nest made of twigs and debris, with soft feathers and a curious expression.

Blue 33 feeds his babies while Maya takes a break at Rutland.

A male osprey feeding its chicks in a nest at Manton Bay, with another osprey observing nearby. The nest is made of twigs and is situated near a body of water.

Teifi and Elen hanging out on the perch while their babies nap.

Two ospreys perched together on a branch, with a green landscape in the background.

Kielder News. Hatch at nest 2 this morning!

Nest 2 and other news

Great news about Snow:

North Sky Raptor Sanctuary is  feeling grateful.

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GreatLakes Bald EagleCam “Snow” update, day 3:

We are happy to share that Snow has not presented the medical team with any new complications since his initial assessment, and he, so far, continues to respond well to his supportive care regimen consisting of stress management, medications for pain and inflammation, and a healthy supply of clean food (he’s a hungry boy!).

We have two ways that YOU can help Snow’s recovery efforts… read on for more!

Many of you have asked for a quick explanation of what the coaptive approach to treating breaks and fractures entails:

-In scenarios where bones are still developing, the goal is to take a path that provides the highest likelihood of ensuring proper long term function.

-In Snow’s case, the curved edge carpal splint (orange foam in the photos) will support the shape of the wrist in the right wing during healing, with the splint itself being removed, and alignment inspected (using a combination of x-ray imaging and manual palpation), twice each week.

-3 to 4 times a week, the body wrap holding the splinted wing up for support (orange vet wrap tape) can be released for range of motion exercises in the shoulder and elbow while still leaving the wrist supported by the splint.

-On Snow’s left side, the ulna fracture is supported with a wing to body wrap (the pink vet wrap tape).

-This wing will also receive full range of motion therapy 3 to 4 times per week aimed at preventing synostosis (the ulna accidentally attaching to the radius) and to keep developing muscles from tightening.

One of the key medical components for the effective treatment of breaks and fractures is X-RAY IMAGING, and for Snow’s treatment plan, he will require a fair number of them throughout the process. While we do have access to off-site radiographic imaging, managing the stress of travel for patients that are already compromised is a real concern.

Fortunately, over the past 2 days, thanks to the incredible compassion and generosity of so many of you who have followed Snow’s story from the beginning, we find ourselves well on our way (35%) to being able to purchase a PORTABLE X-RAY MACHINE that would be game changing in how we are able to serve not just Snow, but ALL of our patients for years to come!

***IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE for Snow’s recovery, this is a truly impactful way to do it! 🦅💚

Using this link (https://secure.qgiv.com/for/x-raymachine) you can follow, and contribute, to our campaign to acquire this life saving equipment!

In the meantime, we will continue to serve our organization’s mission by providing Snow, and all of our patients, with the highest quality of care available! As always, you can continue to support these efforts by donating at www.northskyraptor.org/donatenow.

We genuinely couldn’t be more appreciative of the support our community has shown, and we will endeavor to keep you informed as treatment continues!”

A close-up of a young raptor resting on a soft blanket, with a bandage on its wing. The bird has black feathers and a distinct curved beak.
A person wearing gloves holds a large bird of prey, likely an eagle, with its wings wrapped in colorful bands for stabilization.

I have nothing yet from Geemeff. It has been a busy day. I suspect the minute I hit publish she will post her daily summary. I will include it tomorrow. Take care everyone. We are enjoying a beautiful early summer evening. The birdsong is very loud in the garden but we can no longer see them for all the foliage that will keep them cool and maybe dry when it rains. We did spot a baby bunny this evening. Such a wonderful sight.

See you soon!

Thank you to ‘PB’ for persisting in getting a change at that Idaho nest. Thank you also to PB for the screen capture of Little Dewey and to everyone else who posted on FB or wrote articles, I am so grateful. To the owners of the streaming cams, thank you for letting us watch these incredible birds.