Tag Archives: Estonia

Concern grows as fish deliveries dry up in the US NE…Friday in Bird World

19 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

Oh, my goodness. It is pouring down rain again and Toby has his thunder shirt on! Thanks to ‘P’ I have discovered they also make these calming jackets for cats. Missey is the other one that was soooooo anxious during the recent storms so that I have now ordered one for her. The running joke amongst us is that the animals have more outfits than we do! It’s true. They are the glue that holds our mental health in place along with the garden and its wildlife.

Our neighbourhood is very concerned. Neither Brock nor Charlie, the cat with the frozen folded ear, have been seen and they disappeared at the same time. I do not believe in coincidences. Neighbours have adjusted their cameras and put out bowls o food in an attempt to see if we can spot them on camera. Don, Toby, and I have called and banged on every shed and garage and one house that is vacant with work being done for fear they are locked in. Brock would not easily go into a trap. I tried him many times but, he might be lured into a house or a space to go to sleep and then someone close the door and not come back. Jane and I are beside ourselves with worry.

P1 fledged at the nest of Big Red and Arthur on the Cornell Campus on Thursday. Congratulations. P2 is ready, but P3 isn’t. How can you tell? To properly fly, we should be able to clearly see five or six dark bands on their tail.

Cornell Bird Lab has that fledge on video: https://youtu.be/BF6JfvkSy8E?

Can you tell who is the youngest by the number of bands? Laura Culley taught me this.

Two young hawks sitting in their nest made of twigs, with green leaves visible around them.

Clark came to say hello, then delivered a stick for the cot rails, and then within a few minutes returned with a breakfast fish for Iris and baby.

Two ospreys on their nest, surrounded by a parking lot and greenery in the background.
An osprey feeding a chick in a nest, with another chick visible nearby. The scene shows the details of the nest constructed with sticks and other materials.
Two ospreys in a nest feeding a chick, with visible twigs and nesting materials.
Screenshot of a social media post from Montana Osprey Cams discussing the hatching status of ospreys' eggs and feeding details for the chicks.
A young osprey chick is peeking out from a nest surrounded by grass and three eggs.

Now that industrial fishing has begun in the NE, it appears there are fewer and fewer fish for males to find and deliver to their nests. There have been deaths in the last few days, including Forsythe. I was inherently sad before this osprey season began, and I feel as if someone just punched me in the gut really hard at the start of each day. Heidi and I predicted this more than three years ago. The decline is happening swiftly. The adults who hatched babies cannot find enough fish to feed themselves and their chicks. They also know that even if a few live, they won’t find fish when they fledge. I had hoped that the ospreys would choose not to breed at all, as Duke and Daisy did a couple of years ago at Barnegat Light. What you are watching is the slow extinction of a species in a region of the US that should not be happening. While some might wish to point to all manner of causes – Bald Eagles eating millions of tonnes of fish so the osprey don’t have any – the real culprit is the industrial trawling using spotter planes of the fish that is the basis of the ecosystem in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas. Menhaden. You are witnessing this. It is not going to get any better. What we must do is celebrate the chicks that survive, find a fairy or two to help Little Dewey, and make it rain fish for those that are still alive. In other words, a miracle.

We have another female who is going out fishing to try and keep her babies alive – Hennie at Henlopen State Park. Thanks, Heidi.

An osprey named Hennie stands in its nest made of twigs and branches, feeding its chicks. The nest is elevated and surrounded by grass.

Miles helped, too.

An osprey, named Hennie, feeding her young chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a medium-sized fish nearby.

This is very concerning.

Social media post discussing the hatching of two eaglets named Sandy and Luna, and their potential impact on July 4 celebrations.
Two juvenile eagles perched in a nest overlooking a lake and forested landscape, with text about their flight window and the fireworks debate in Big Bear.

Please go and sign the petition.

https://www.change.org/p/protect-big-bear-s-bald-eagles-eaglets-from-july-4th-fireworks-disturbance?source_location=search

The weather at Dewey Beach has been very bad and Little Dewey has had no fish in at least 24 hours.

Has Mum gone fishing, too? I hope so!

A pair of ospreys in their nest, with one adult bird perched beside a chick, overlooking a body of water and nearby buildings.
A bird's nest with two young osprey chicks and an adult osprey in a coastal setting, overlooking a marina with buildings and outdoor seating.
A young osprey chick sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a waterfront view and buildings in the background.

At 1600 Mum returned with literally a minnow for Little Dewey. He has had only this snack in more than 24 hours. I really wish someone would drop fish on this nest. If this chick starves to death in front of us like the one last year, it is going to be hard to deal with. The cause of the lack of fish is manmade – industrial fishing – cannot someone do something?

A live view of an osprey nest showing an adult osprey and a chick, with a restaurant and beach area in the background.

Mum might determine that there is no fish for her baby as he gets older and abandons the nest. This is an acute possibility. We have to be prepared.

Every nest I have checked needs fish in the US – it would be good to see 5-7 fish on these nests where the chicks are in the Reptile phase or later. Dewey is getting feathers. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum babies seem tiny.

An osprey standing on a nest filled with sticks and grass, with three chicks visible in the nest. The background features grassy fields and a gravel path.
An osprey stands on its nest, which is made of twigs and grass, with two chicks visible in the nest below. The surrounding landscape features grassy areas and a gravel path.

The nest is so full of human debris and it appears only one egg that Bety is incubating – it just doesn’t feel right this year at Mlade Buky. Maybe it is just me.

A stork standing in its nest on a rooftop, with houses and hills in the background, during sunset.

Finnish nest 4. Two chicks in reptile phase doing well.

An osprey is feeding its chick in a nest made of branches, with a blurred natural background.

Beautiful juvenile feathers on the trio at Finnish nest 1.

An osprey feeding its chicks in a nest made of branches and moss.

Two tiny tiny little osplets at Ilomansti Finnish 2 nest.

A bird sitting in a nest made of branches near a body of water, with two chicks visible in the nest.

Three at Oyster Bay getting their juvenile feathers.

An osprey perched on a nest overlooking a harbor with boats and a beach in view, under a partly sunny sky.

Three covered with feathers at Clark PUD in Washington.

A close-up view of a bird's nest featuring a parent bird and several chicks. The nest is made of twigs and moss, situated on a ledge with greenery and a road visible in the background.

Chick 2 is calling for prey, and Mum fed at the Lesser Spotted Eagle nest in Estonia. We can only take this nest one day at a time as Lesser Spotted Eagles practice obligate siblicide (the oldest chick kills the younger).

A Lesser Spotted Eagle stands on a nest with a chick, surrounded by greenery and tree branches in the background.
A bird of prey feeding its chicks in a nest surrounded by trees.

This black stork nest is doing so well in Estonia that a foster storklet has been added.

Four fluffy young birds in a nest with a tree in the background, as a person holds a green bag above them.
A nest with four fluffy stork chicks, surrounded by greenery and trees. The chicks are looking towards the viewer, while one appears to be pecking at something on the nest.

Trine has it on video: https://youtu.be/ARD6I0hvmmM?

Cleaning a stork’s nest in Germany! https://youtu.be/4bOH5sE9Nwk?

Two people in a platform above a large bird's nest, working on the nest with tools, with green grass in the background.

Storklets being ringed. https://youtu.be/rfTyPio17Cc?

A stork stands next to its chicks in a large nest made of twigs, set against a scenic backdrop of trees and houses under a partly cloudy sky.
A person holding a black identification band for a bird while surrounded by young birds in a nest made of twigs and straw.
A person is attaching identification tags to baby birds resting on the ground, surrounded by grass and straw.

Bobby Bach (third Bob) is doing find according to the folks at Glaslyn. There was some concern after the recent removal of fishing line but they have been monitoring the situation with their own special cameras closely and conclude he is alright. The weather has been terrible, but Teifi has been delivering fish, regardless. Here is Bobby Bach right up front and using its crop as a pillow.

A bird of prey stands in a nest with two chicks, feeding them a fish while surrounded by twigs and greenery.
A bird, likely a hawk, stands by a nest containing several chicks. The nest is made of twigs and is located in a green landscape.

​​Syfadden has been bringing in the fish to the Usk Valley while Clogwyn has made certain – despite their size that they are kept warm and dry in the bad weather of Wales.

A hawk is seen in its nest with several chicks, surrounded by twigs and branches, set against a backdrop of green fields and hills under a cloudy sky.
A bird's nest made of twigs and branches is situated high in a tree, with a scenic view of a green landscape in the background under a cloudy sky.

At Rutland Manton Bay’s nest of Maya and Blue 33, the osplets, fully feathered, enter their fledge window in less than a fortnight from 28th Jun – 11 Jul. I wish every osplet in the US had the chance for fish that this nest has!

Close-up of ospreys and their chicks in a nest by a body of water, captured from a live webcam.
A nest by the water containing several young ospreys resting among sticks and twigs.

That is a nest full of osplets – four of them – at Poole Harbour – doing just fine. CJ7 and Blue 022. Amazing. They will probably break Maya and Blue 33s record of fledging four (I must check – it could be this clutch!).

An adult osprey stands watch over its three chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by greenery in the background.

I feel like I am the bearer of bad news. Despite the understanding, several years ago, that Heidi and I had that this would happen if the industrial fishing of Menhaden was not curtailed, it is still more than difficult. It doesn’t have to happen. Every person reading my blog, their friends, anyone who loves ospreys should be calling Audubon, anyone in the State of Virginia including the Governor, and every TV, radio, and newspaper channel.

Thank you for being with us. I keep saying that I am going to take a break and it might just be this weekend that I do. It is a little overwhelming seeing so many babies and parents starving. Take care. There are fledges to come on the Channel Islands and P2 at Cornell.

Thank you to everyone who posted information on FB and images, the owners of the streaming cams, and to each of you for your comments and information sent to me by other means.

Hawklet falls out of nest onto platform, Peace fledges…late Sunday in Bird World

14 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

It is a beautiful coolish summer day on the Canadian Prairies. We had a lovely walk and visited with our neighbour and her two Cavaliers and watched as everyone put the final touches on their front flower beds. I admire ‘our block’. Everyone helps one another, comes together for a cause, and takes care of their property. People with big dogs cross the street so as not to confound the little ones. Nice.

We have been spending so much time on the new lounge sofa and chairs. It was the best thing I could do for Don. It is not soft like the sofa, and he can lift himself up and out much more easily. Toby gives it a thumbs-up, since he can stay in the shade or run around in the sun. From the top deck, we can listen and watch the birds without frightening them. The Starling fledglings are still here. Too soon, they will leave with their parents and return later in the fall. What I like is that the garden, with all the rain we have had, is now so private. The trees are tall, and all the shrubs are doing well. It is like living in a forest full of birds.

Birds are falling for all kinds of reasons – weather and storms making old nests heavy and weak and they are falling or accidents especially when prey is delivered.

Everyone held their breath. Big Red is not at the nest so much now that the chicks are self-feeding and nearing fledge, and when she is there, all eyes are on that nest. Well, today we held our breath as P1 fell out of the nest cup. At first, everyone worried that it was all the way to the ground, but thankfully, it was only to a lower platform. Big Red was feeding P3.

A nest of Red-tailed Hawks with several young birds visible, perched and interacting on a rooftop ledge, surrounded by greenery and a city street below.

Siblings look down.

Two juvenile red-tailed hawks perched in a nest on a rooftop, surrounded by foliage.

My goodness. They are cute. Look at the eyes of P2.

A close-up view of a Red-tailed Hawk nest with three chicks resting inside, surrounded by greenery and a cityscape in the background.

The camera went to the construction site and then we see P1 stunned back on the nest. P1 flew back into the nest from the platform. It did not fall all the way to the ground.

Aerial view of a red-tailed hawk nest with two hawk chicks perched among twigs and leaves, surrounded by an urban environment.

Everything is OK.

A young red-tailed hawk sitting on a nest made of twigs and leaves, with a metal structure in the foreground and greenery visible below.
Three young red-tailed hawks sitting in their nest made of twigs, perched on a structure with a view of greenery and a street below.

What a relief.

At the Royal Oak nest, Peace successfully fledged. Two local individuals went to the tree to try to help if Peace was grounded. It is on a branch. Everyone is hoping that the adults will feed their chick.

Black storklet hatches in Estonia.

A black stork stands over its nest in a tree, with a recently hatched chick visible on the ground of the nest. The surrounding area is lush with greenery, indicating a natural habitat.

There is a fourth osplet that has hatched at the Prince Edward Island Osprey nest at Blackbush.

Osprey nest made of sticks on a platform, with some chicks visible in the center. The photo is taken from above at Blackbush Beach Resort.

The Stellar’s Eagle ‘Stella’ that has been living in North River, Newfoundland, Canada, displaced a fledgling Bald Eagle. Here it is on video by Bald Eagle Lives Nests and News. There is also ome other good information on both species and their interactions: https://youtu.be/5DS5PJ71c7M?

A large eagle perched on a tree branch, with green foliage in the background and text overlay discussing the rarity of encounters with such birds.

We have news from Ping Shen in Seattle. “Good news to share – a bit behind last year, but Osplet #1 has hatched for Harry & Sally! Visited today and noticed an egg shell on the side of the nest, and sure enough…there was a little one! Perhaps a day or two old, is my guess. Saw a quick feed, and noticed (at least) one other egg still in the nest, so likely more to come…Harry and Sally both seem to be doing well – still very sweet to observe them watching over their precious Osplet.”

A pair of ospreys perched on a nest, one feeding a chick while the other watches attentively among twigs and branches.
Two ospreys in a nest made of sticks, with one bird standing and the other crouched, possibly feeding on a fish.

There is at least one osplet at Threave Osprey Nest 3.

Clark continues to keep the big fish coming to the nest. Will this little cutie pie be an only? Someone mentioned a possible pip in egg 2.

Two ospreys in their nest, with eggs visible among twigs and branches, in a clear outdoor setting.
Close-up of a young osprey chick nestled among eggs and twigs in a nest.
Close-up of a young osprey chick sitting on a nest with its parent nearby, surrounded by nesting materials.
An osprey standing on its nest filled with sticks and grass, with a view of a parking lot in the background.

The two eaglets at the Big Bear Valley nest, Luna and Sandy, are getting very close to fledge.

Are there intruders around Loch Arkaig 2? https://youtu.be/BecPV01-e_E?

Two birds of prey standing guard in their nest with green landscape in the background, and three chicks visible in the nest.
A bird of prey stands near its nest where three baby birds are visible among twigs and moss, set against a green landscape in the background.

Little Dewey has won all of our hearts and minds. Please continue to send good wishes to this nest.

An adult osprey standing over a chick in a nest made of sticks, with a view of a waterfront area in the background.

At Pitkin County, Emma and Charlie are being incredible parents.

An osprey perched on a nest with two chicks, surrounded by greenery in the background. The scene captures a caring moment between the parent bird and its young.
An osprey sits on a nest made of twigs and branches, with two chicks visible in the nest. The background features a green landscape with shrubs and trees.

It looks like Charlie and the New Female at the Charlo Montana nest could have three soon – is that a crack in that third egg?

A fluffy owl chick resting on a nest surrounded by straw and a cracked egg.
An osprey perched on a pole overlooking a grassy landscape, with another osprey resting in a nest below.

I keep checking on Bety and Bukachek to see if we have a hatch at Mlade Buky. I am not seeing anything else.

A pair of storks in a nest atop a rural setting, one standing and the other resting, with houses and hills in the background.

After fearing the worst, the Mum returned to the Kaljukotkas 2 Golden Eagle nest in Estonia – a fact that saved the life of that healthy little eaglet.

A young bird with fluffy white and black feathers stands next to an adult bird with mottled brown feathers in a nest surrounded by trees.

Life+ posted:

A man in a suit stands on a rocky shore, gazing upwards as a California condor flies overhead, while a sea otter rests nearby on the rocks. The image conveys a message about a new law in California aimed at protecting endangered animals.

We have another hatch today in Finland and it is at the Ilomantsi nest.

A view of an eagle's nest on a branch, with one eagle standing on the nest and another lying down, overlooking a calm lake surrounded by trees under a cloudy sky.
An osprey perched on its nest made of twigs and branches overlooking a calm lake surrounded by trees, with a cloudy sky above.

Take care, everyone. We hope the start to the week is a good one for each and every one of you.

Thank you to Ping Shen for the excellent images of the Seattle ospreys. It is so great to hear from you and see that Sally and Harry are doing well. Thank you to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams from which I took my screen captures today. I am eternally grateful to witness our birds’ lives.

Bonus and Remembering Karl II…Monday in Bird World

18 May 2026

Ah, good morning!

It is cold and rainy in the Canadian prairies. The leaves are trying to burst open. Not very many little birds out at the feeders today.

Oh, the most amazing news. Bonus, the black stork, foster/step-son of the famous Karl II was at the nest in Estonia on 1 May. Bonus hatched in 2022.

Bonus was brought by wildlife conservationists (led by Urmas Sellis of the Eagle Club Estonia) from another nest and placed into the Karula National Park nest to be raised by the resident adult black storks, Karl II and Kaia. Despite not being his biological offspring, Karl II raised and fed Bonus as his own

A bird visiting a nest in a tree, showing interaction and activity around the #JogevaNest.

Karl II was the most amazing Black Stork dad. Karl II, the world-famous black stork from Estonia’s Karula National Park, was electrocuted in Turkey between the night of 1-2 October 2023. His tracking data showed he landed on an unshielded electric pylon to roost near the Yazıbelen solar power plant in the Konya province of central Turkey, where he tragically perished. We were all shaken. He had been flying with a flock southward including his mate.

URMAS (birdmap)
Karl II breeds successfully in season 2023. There grow up three chicks of four eggs. 
Last is Karl II to leave for autumn migration. He doesn’t know that it will be his last one. 
Between 1st and 2nd October Karl II lands on electric pylon for night, but got electrocuted. 
Turkish colleagues searched and found dead body, took away the transmitter.

Map showing the tracking data of a Black Stork named Karl II, highlighting its migration path and the location where it was possibly electrocuted, with additional details on distance and last data recorded.

Remembering Karl II: https://youtu.be/8IPQrTg_FXU?

A black stork standing on a nest in a forest, holding a bundle of moss in its beak.

After more than 82 hours without fish, Myrtle, the female at Loch Garten RSPB, left her nest but it did not appear to me that she went fishing. There did not seem to be enough time. We wonder if she is even strong enough to catch a fish. She has been incubating the last two of five eggs. The first three were kicked out of the nest by KL5, who has not been seen for over 86 hours.

A panoramic view of an osprey nest situated in a natural landscape, with dense trees and a cloudy sky in the background. An osprey is resting in the nest, surrounded by twigs and branches.
A bird's nest made of twigs and sticks, containing a single egg, surrounded by a forested landscape under a cloudy sky.

GH3 has died at the Glen-Hayes Bald Eagle nest in PA. The female is not looking well. I recall that when the two eaglets died in Estonia, those who retrieved the bodies of the babies spent much time cleaning the nest of any old prey including bones so as to try and remediate harm to the adults. Will this happen at Glen Hayes?

A bald eagle caring for its chick in a nest made of straw and twigs, with another unhatched egg visible nearby.
A young eagle with brown feathers is resting in its nest, surrounded by twigs and green foliage.
Social media post expressing condolences and updates about the health of eagle chicks GH3 and GH4, including actions taken for their care and monitoring.

More on this story: https://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/2026/05/18/glen-hazel-eagle-nest-gh4-passes-gh3-ill/

If this is HPAI, the source and the cause is ‘human’. Does this not qualify then for intervention?

A peaceful outdoor scene showing four animals—a bear, a fox, a raccoon, and a deer—sitting together in front of a wooden sign that reads a message about living in peace and respecting the Earth, surrounded by green trees and colorful flowers.

The individuals raising funds for MoonCamp, the area of land around Jackie and Shadow’s nest, have reached 3 million. School children are now taking part in parts of the Valley – wouldn’t it be wonderful as a way to learn how to protect nature if every elementary school took part in the fundraiser? Wonder how quick they could reach the 10 million?

Big Red and Arthur’s trio are doing well.

A red-tailed hawk tending to its fluffy gray chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.
A red-tailed hawk feeding its fluffy, gray chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches.
A hawk perched on its nest with chicks in the Cornell Hawks Fernow Nest, surrounded by a green landscape and buildings in the background.

Iris is like Myrtle. She has not eaten in awhile. NG2 is not bringing fish and this could be because the river remains rapid.

Mara Grose

According to the daily readout on X under Hellgate Osprey, NG2 gave Iris a break at 8:03am but she returned quickly.

I saw him return around 9:10 am and he pestered Iris to take a break and let him incubate but that time she wouldn’t budge, and used some colorful language towards him. She must know the fishing isn’t good yet, and no further visits the rest of today.

An osprey examining her eggs in a nest made of twigs and straw, with three speckled eggs visible.
An osprey rests in its nest made of twigs, located at the edge of a parking lot with trees and a road in the background.

Beau was seen at the NE Florida nest yesterday. Gabby has already left on migration and will return in September.

Dewey Beach had a hatch. This is where that 50-day-old chick starved to death. Wish them only one and some fish!

Oh it’s cold here!

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.

Thank you to Looduskalender and Maria Marika for keeping us informed about Bonus, to ‘PB’ for adding in my conversation with them that Bonus was seen, to all those who post on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these incredible birds. Please send your good thoughts to all nests. Some are struggling.

Jak and Audacity have their second egg…Tuesday in Bird World

3 February 2026

Good Morning Everyone,

This has to go first as I missed it so a belated happy birthday to Jackie and Shadow!

And before anything else, a ‘fiver’ will give you the opportunity to vote for the names for Gabby and Beau’s eaglets. But you must hurry!

Great capture of a tandem feeding by Gabby and Beau!

I wish you could have been at story time this afternoon. It was so warm in the conservatory. I started reading – Don and Toby were already there. Calico ran in when she heard my voice and then Baby Hope. The two Calicos stayed for over an hour and then left – and that is when I stopped reading. There was just something about their presence, the sun shining in the glass, and the blue sky. It really was so nice and warm and cosy. The light streaming in demanded that we have story time early, and it was beautiful. We shall switch the time to the early afternoon on these bright sunny days.

SK Hideaways has good news: “Quick news flash: Jackie & Shadow were observed mating on the Lookout Snag at 14:30:55!”

Jak and Audacity’s egg is holding! Send them your continued best wishes.

Bird Flu continues to take lives and now it is the Thames Valley Swans that are under threat.

Race to contain suspected bird flu outbreak among Thames Valley swans https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/02/race-contain-suspected-bird-flu-outbreak-swans?CMP=share_btn_url

It is so wonderful that people like Penny Albright who is vacationing is also sending us news about the local ospreys on Sanibel! Thank you.

Lucille Powell reminds us that Rosie could be arriving at the platform she shares with Richmond in a fortnight!

Storks seem to be returning to certain areas of Europe. In some areas of France, people are beginning to feel the transition from winter to spring. Some are seeing a few daffodils and quince blossoms.

I am so pleased that many are learning about the flightless parrot, the Kakapo, and checking in on the streaming cam. There are so few of these birds left and great care is taken with them just as the NZ DOC does with the Royal Albatross.

Jak and Audacity now have their second egg.

Thank you so much for being with us for this quick check on our friendly raptors. We will be back with you at the end of the week! Please take care of yourself.

Thank you to the creators of the videos that I have linked here today, the authors of the FB posts, and The Guardian for its coverage of the raptors and the environment. I am so grateful. My blog would not be the same without your talents!

Fish and more fish…Ernie sighting and Middle could pop his crop!

24 October 2022

It is just past 2300 on the Canadian Prairies on Sunday evening the 23rd of October. Within the hour we are supposed to have the beginning of thunderstorms that are forecast to last through all of Monday. We could use the moisture. It is always good when the trees and shrubs get a really good soaking before the ground freezes.

And we did. The thunder boomed throughout the nite and everything is soaked this morning. The wind is gusting and there are few birds at the feeders. The only ones that appear to be nonplussed by it are the Blue Jays. What a change from yesterday when the sparrows and finches were splashing about in the bird bath. Today they are hiding at their roost.

It is always great to get a picture of Ernie, everyone’s favourite Port Lincoln Osprey. This image was taken by Pam Hewstone and posted on Fiends of Osprey FB page. His tracking indicates that Ernie continues to hang around the Main Wharf and the ‘silos’. This image was taken at Delamare Beach where Ernie and Dad like to fish together. Oh, he looks so good. Can’t see how that talon is growing back in but, it looks like Ernie is having no problem catching good sized fish. He already has a nice-sized crop.

Friends of Ospreys have been erecting Osprey platforms. You might recall they put in place one on Turnby Island for the bonded couple whose eggs were always predated when they laid them on the ground. Sadly, the two eggs the couple laid this year are now 45 and 46 days old and deemed unviable.

Monday was a really good day at Port Lincoln. What a joy to watch Middle be able to enjoy a meal without once being beaked by Big. Ironically, if you just started to watch this Osprey nest and knew nothing of the background and what happened a little over a week ago, you will talk about how calming it is to watch the ospreys fed by Mum. Big is 36 days old and Middle is now 35 days old.

So far there have been three feedings on Monday at Port Lincoln. There will be more at all of the nests as Canada slips into evening and darkness.

They came at 06:57:57. That was a flat striped fish. The second fish was at 0908. Middle Bob got the lion’s share of that fish and waddled away with a big crop. The third fish landed on the nest at 13:07:52. It was a huge fish. Mum and the two ospreys are going to eat well. So far Middle is doing well and the last I checked he was already getting a nice crop. Just brilliant.

Middle is the chick closest to the viewer. Notice that nice crop. Just look at how much of that fish is left. Everyone is going to have a good feed — including Mum! Thank goodness.

Seriously. Did you think you would ever see Middle with a crop like the one he has on display?? And just look at Mum. The two ospreys full and she is finally getting to enjoy a fish lunch, too.

For two days now this nest has been calm. It took Big 33 days, not 28-30 to settle but, in the end, she did. Grateful.

Middle and Big are at the age that Mum can now roost over on the ropes if she wishes.

Middle and Big do a lot of preening all day long keeping those feathers that are coming in good shape. Oh, didn’t you love it when they left that Reptilian stage and got this gorgeous plumage that is coming in. ‘R’ and I decided awhile ago that the juvenile Osprey plumage is much prettier than the adults.

Rubus and Indigo have had their second feeding. Xavier flew in with what looked like a Rainbow Lorikeet to me – and I will happily change that. It is the closest I could come to identifying that multi-coloured prey item that Xavier brought to the scrape at 092921. Oh, Rubus was ravenous. I have no idea where this eyas puts all of this prey but this wee one sure has an appetite! Xavier does a great job feeding his babies. Diamond doesn’t arrive for 12 minutes- the feeding is almost over. Xavier fed both Rubus and Indigo nice big bites.

A nice big pigeon arrived at 11:40 – all part of a crash landing by Dad (?) into the scrape box. Everyone had their fill and immediately starting working on those leg and wing muscles. ‘H’ notes that Dad fed them for 12 minutes while eating himself for about 25% of the time.

There was once again 5 feedings at the 367 Collins Street scrape yesterday. They came at 0634. That feeding lasted 18 minutes. A second feeding was at 1120 for 16 minutes then the 3rd hot on the heels of the second at 1140. Then there was a break with the 4th feeding at 1707. The Melbourne Four ate well. Then Mum came in with a pigeon at 1859 and looked around and only fed for about 1.5 minutes. ‘H’ thank you for the times and the notes. Mum and Dad need to coordinate their delivery times!!!!!!!!

It is now past midnight. The day is halfway over at our Australian nests. Everyone is doing fantastic. The Melbourne Four are growing faster than any good weed in your garden! Rubus continues to bug Indigo by following her everywhere. Such a sweet character. Most of all Middle is a confident Osprey. That nest is just so satisfying to watch now. I do hope that it continues. The banding of Big and Middle will take place in about 3 weeks.

In migration news, there are no new transmissions from Karl II and Kaia. Last time we heard from them Karl II was near Aswan in Egypt and Kaia was in Chad. I can also not find any new information on Bonus who has spent much time in Romania. The real news has come from little Waba who was in Turkey, flew near to Beirut and is now in Israel and has been feeding at some fishponds there.

While it is expected that there will be little transmissions coming from certain areas in Africa, I really do hope that we hear from Bonus soon.

The Bald Eagles are continuing to do their nest building. For those who watched Little Bit ND17 at the Bald Eagle nest in St Joseph’s Park in South Bend, Indiana, both Mum and Dad have been working on that nest. They are making slow progress. Harriet and M15 are doing a terrific job. Both couples lost their nests – Harriet and M15 in Hurricane Ian and the nest at Norte-Dame just fell apart. It is amazing what eagles can do in a short period of time. An adult has been on the perch at the Achieva Osprey nest in St Petersburg. I could not see its head to determine any markings. That nest is going to need a lot of work. In Redding, California, Liberty and Guardian are also working on their nest. Liberty has been using this nest for 18 breeding seasons. She has fledged 26 eaglets and has had 3 mates. Liberty is 24 years old and Guardian is 9 years old. Bald Eagle season is not far away!

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

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Friends of Osprey and Pam Hewstone, Port Lincoln Osprey, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Looduskalender, and Charles Stuart Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross.

Things are happening in Bird World

Oh, just look who showed up on the NorthEast Florida Eagle’s nest in Jacksonville today – none other than the resident male, Samson! It was 7:23. So very nice to see you, Samson.

Samson is the son of Romeo and Juliet. Samson hatched on this very nest on 23 December 2013. Samson fledged and left the area on 22 April 2014. He was 120 days old.

At the end of the summer in 2019, in August, Samson arrived at the very nest he hatched from and began bringing in sticks. His mate, Gabrielle arrived on the nest on 12 September. In May of 2020, their two chicks, Jules and Romey, named after Samson’s parents, Romeo and Juliett, fledged. In 2021, they fledged their only hatch, Legacy.

The picture below is of Mama Gabby and baby Legacy in February 2021.

Samson has been seen at the nest earlier this month when the technicians came to do the maintenance on the streaming cam. Samson remains in the area of the nest year round while Gabby migrates to a cooler place – although, as I have often said, I don’t know where that would be this year! She will return about the middle of third week in September. It will be wonderful to see her back. Can’t wait.

Samson may be working on a nest but the Peregrine Falcon couple, Diamond and Xavier, are expecting eggs in the nest week or a week and a little bit. Their scrape box is high on a water tower, 170 steps up, on the campus of Charles Sturt University in Orange Australia.

This is Diamond on the ledge of the scrape box today.

Diamond and Xavier’s 2021 fledgling, Izzi, was the joy of everyone. As the only little falcon he was loved and spoiled by his parents. There was some concern he would not leave the scrape box before this year’s eggs are laid. This is the latest message from Cilla Kinross, the head researcher on the Falconcam Project:

“Izzi has not been in the box now for 12 days, but we think he is still around from calls. Parental behaviour continues as normal, with up to three prey a day being delivered to Diamond and preparation of the scrape. Eggs are expected soon (within a week or two). Generally, Diamond starts to spend more and more time in the scrape and her backside looks large and fluffy.”

You can watch Diamond and Xavier here:

Peregrine falcons are nothing short of amazing. Bald Eagles are big but Peregrine falcons are fast.

“Peregrine Falcon” by Jon David Nelson is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The cere is the yellow part above the beak. Now look at the nostrils in the cere. There are small keratinous tubercules – they look like small little bumps inside the nostril. Can you see the one on the right nostril of the falcon above? Those are what help the Peregrine Falcon fly so fast. They serve as a baffle against the wind driven in so forcefully into the lungs of the falcon as they do their high speed dives. Otherwise, their lungs would burst.

“Faucon pèlerin / Peregrine Falcon / Falco peregrinus” by FRITSCHI PHOTOGRAPHY is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Most Peregrine Falcons that you will see on a streaming cam lay their eggs in a scrape box like the one of Diamond’s, above. Some make their nests on the side of cliffs like this one in Japan on the island of Hokkaido.

“Peregrine Falcon Nest” by Ken-ichi is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Peregrine Falcons do not make their nest out of twigs. It is believed that this helps to stop the spread of disease from twig nests pests like flies and parasites.

Here is a short 8 minute video to introduce you to the speed and hunting methods of the Peregrine Falcon:

It’s a great day for Malin! We do not know Malin’s exact hatch date. There were three chicks and the youngest hatched on 18 June. Two chicks perished in the heat. So Malin is either celebrating his two month hatch today or his two month hatch and a couple of days, more or less. His first delivery came around 9am and the second was at around 10:14. Malin is really growing.

Here is Malin next to mum, Marsha, this morning. You can see that Malin’s feathers are growing in nicely. Look at the crossing of those wing feathers. Yippeeeeeee. This chick has really grown with the increase in feedings.

And look at all of the bands on those tail feathers – looks like a clean 7 – while, at the same time, there are no spaces in the wing feathers.

Oh, Malin, aren’t you beautiful?

Malin has gotten very good at self-feeding.

Malin is off to a great start on Wednesday. Terrific.

It is raining heavy in Latvia at the nest of Grafs and Grafiene. There are some concerns on the amount of energy used to keep warm by the nestlings.

This is the nearby ditch. It is 200 m long. A portion of the ditch has been closed off and fish have been placed in there along with the decoy of Grafiene. The decoy of Grafiene was painted by an active chat participant and installed by Janis Kuze, the ornithologist.

I hope you don’t mind if I correct just minor details. The beautiful decoy was painted by the active chat participant B.K. and installed by the ornithologist Jānis Ķuze.

These are the size of fish being put into the feeder for Grafs. So much effort. Now we need Grafs to find this spot for his three storklings. It is a very, very difficult time for everyone especially with the rain. If you would like to check on the Latvian Forum for progress, please go to this link:

https://www.looduskalender.ee/forum/viewtopic.php?f=96&t=1015&start=2260

The situation of the Black Storklings in the nest in Jegova County, Estonia appears to be better than in Latvia. Jan has come to the nest to feed the storklings 3 times today. The storklings have not almost completely depleted the fish that was brought on the 13th when they received their transmitters and bands. They appear to be healthy and doing well. It is not raining on this nest today.

The three storklings are 63 and 64 days old today. The average for fledging appears to be 71 days but then the young storklings are dependent on their parents for another two to three weeks before leaving the nest area. That only puts us at the end of the first week of September for these three to be totally independent of Jan — but, of course, those numbers are only averages. It appears there is time! We all must hope for these birds. They are very rare and very special and there has not been a lot of studies done on them.

The Forum with ongoing information on the Estonian Black Stork nest is here:

https://www.looduskalender.ee/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1044&start=4140

Karl II has been in to feed the one fledgling on the Black Stork Nest in the Karula National Park in Estonia. Oh, that fledgling was so happy. That was at 18:33. It is Urmas, the only chick still being fed by a parent. Kaia has left for her migration and the other two siblings appear to have left the nest area and might be travelling as well.

I know that there is much sadness and anxiety in the region for the two Black Stork nests that had late hatches. But, we must also celebrate the happiness of this nest in Estonia, that of Karl II and Kaia. Three fledglings, all healthy! We need to send the most positive wishes for Kaia and the other two siblings as they make their way through Europe trying to get to Africa. And, then, of course, for Karl II and this storklet when they begin.

I have tried to catch the number to confirm this storkling but it is nearly impossible.

The smudge is right in the way!

For those of you watching the North American migration, it kicked off Sunday, the 15th of August at Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania. The first over the ridge that day was a Broad-winged hawk. There was a strong wind that day and the count was 4 Bald Eagles, 2 Cooper’s Haws, 25 Broad-winged Hawks, and 3 American Kestrel. If you would like to check on the migration in North American on the route over the mountains with all their thermals, here is the place to go for a day to day check in:

https://www.hawkmountain.org/conservation-science/hawk-count

It’s 17:16 in Cumbria in the UK and our second great Osprey chick survivor this year – Tiny Little Bob on the Foulshaw Moss nest – is waiting for dad, White YW, to bring her the teatime fish! Every day is a blessing to see you on the nest, Tiny Little (Blue 463).

Thank you so much for joining me today. Please send all your positive energy to our friends in Latvia and to Grafs for him to find the feeder and for the safe migration of all of the birds. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following streaming cams and forums where I grabbed my screen shots: The Forum for the Latvian Fund for Nature and the Sigulda Black Stork Nest, The Eagle Club of Estonia and the Black Stork Nest at Jergova County, The Eagle Club of Estonia and the Black Stork nest in the Karula National Park, Collins Marsh Nature Centre, Northeast Florida Bald Eagle Cam and the AEF, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Foulshaw Moss Osprey Nest, and Cilla Kinross and the Falconcam Project at Charles Sturt University in Australia.