Tag Archives: Fort St Vrain

Sadness at Lock Arkaig 2…Sunday in Bird World

12 April 2026

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I am writing today’s blog with a very heavy heart. Louis has not returned to Lock Arkaig 2. There was rain late on Saturday. Still, a part of me hopes that he will land on the nest and shock us all. The reality that he is not returning lingers, and it is a difficult pill to swallow. Jean-Marie Dupart has monitored the youngsters staying over in Senegal til they return to their birth homes at two years. He also notes this week that there remain some older ospreys, either setting off on migration late or deciding to stay in their winter homes. I would like to think that Louis has decided to retire, living his life out catching fish in the sun and sand of West Africa.

I am counting on Geemeff to put together a terrific memorial video to Louis if he does not turn up in the next few days. It will not be easy as Louis was such a big part of so many learning to love ospreys.

A nighttime camera view of a bird's nest made of twigs and branches, situated on a tree, with a dark water surface visible in the background.

Windy and not so nice at Lach Arkaig 2 Sunday. Dorcha has not been seen at the nest on Sunday. Has she left to check out other possibilities?

A bird's nest made of branches and twigs, situated in a tree overlooking a hilly landscape with trees and a body of water in the background.

Geemeff asked me if I remembered life before Toby. I do, but it is a life that will never return. We had a vacation in Guadaloupe – the last big holiday that Don and I will ever take, the February before adopting Toby in April. Don’s health began to deteriorate about a month after Toby arrived. What I didn’t say in my response is that I am very happy. I can’t turn back the clock. Don’s health is such that I can actually begin monitoring the ospreys more closely this year, since there are no long trips to see birds. We walk Toby and go to the park, watch the animals in the garden, and Ann is so helpful in getting him to The Leaf and The Zoo, places that Toby can’t go. I have good support. Toby also means I will be spending much time in the garden, as he loves company and patrols the perimeter in case any of those ‘cats’ come inside. Today, we worked on spreading birdseed and peanut shells and painted a lidded bench that Ann gave me for his clothes. Don was content to sit in front of the telly (yes, that is where we are). I am not complaining – life is just changing, and Toby and the Girls and I are adjusting ourselves to this changing reality.

We are also putting out all the signals that spring is arriving. The forecast says it will be 18-20 C on Wednesday. You have to be kidding me. Or is it another year of roller coaster rides, with up-and-down temperatures from extreme heat to cold? Toby says a barbecue might be good!

What are the things you do that signal a change from winter to spring in your mind?

The RSPB is advising individuals to remove their birdseed tables and feeders and use suet and solid seed cylinders instead. We are going to do this when my last batch of seed bags runs out this year. The aim is to prevent avian flu. Have a read to see how you can help. Avian Flu is not restricted to the UK; it is a global phenomena that probably killed our much beloved Annie, the peregrine falcon from The Campanile, in San Francisco and the thousands of geese here in Manitoba.

Take down bird feeders this summer to cut spread of avian disease, says RSPBhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/10/rspb-bird-feeders-nuts-seeds-summer-parasitic-avian-disease?CMP=share_btn_url

At Rutland’s Manton Bay osprey platform, Maya laid her third egg on Saturday. Blue 33 would like to have four again!

An osprey sitting in its nest made of twigs, with a body of water in the background.

We can’t forget about the wonderful Bald Eagles, and SK Hideaways has put together some memories of Eve and Kai at the nest of Gabby and Beau before these two beautiful eaglets depart. It has been a magical year at this nest. https://youtu.be/yLkrhOSwPmQ?

Two juvenile eagles resting together in their nest, surrounded by twigs and branches.

Bety and Bukacheck have returned to the Mlady Buky White Stork nest.

Two storks in their nest on a rooftop, with a scenic view of a village and mountains in the background.

At Fort St Vrain, the two eaglets are already scooting out of the nest bowl. The youngest did so at five days old! I am impressed. I also hope that those remaining eggs do not hatch despite Mum continuing to incubate them and brood these characters! It is pip watch for the last one.

A top view of an eagle's nest containing three eggs and two fuzzy eaglets, with an adult eagle nearby, surrounded by a natural landscape.
A bald eagle sitting in its nest with two chicks in a natural setting.

You can clearly see the ‘ears’ on the triplets at the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Cruz in California.

A bald eagle sitting in its nest with several fluffy chicks nearby, surrounded by twigs and vegetation.

‘J’ keeps me up on the latest kakapo news:

“Andrew Digby‬ made a comparison with 2019:

This year’s #kakapo breeding season has been the biggest on record:
– 256 eggs (252 in 2019)
– 148 fertile eggs (116 in 2019)
– 105 eggs hatched (86 in 2019).
It’ll be 2+ months until we know how many chicks will fledge (73 in 2019). There are currently 95 alive.”

Thanks, ‘J’.

SK Hideaways also sent me a link to share with everyone – the return of the Golden Eagle!

Golden eagles could be reintroduced to England after more than 150 years
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/12/golden-eagles-reintroduced-england-150-years?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

We have our first egg for Dylan and Seren Blue 5F at Clywedog! 13:27 was the time.

A bird resting on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a green hilly landscape in the background.

If you are wondering why I am not reporting on many of the North American nests, I’m so glad that Heidi is keeping up with them – I don’t know how she manages it. I track a small number, a very small number. Heidi will begin her reporting when there are chicks hatching.

Heidi reports: “4/12 – The Venice kids are doing great. They are 23, 22, and 20 days old.

A bird sitting in a large nest made of twigs and branches, located on a wooden structure above a body of water. The surrounding area features green grass and trees.

Live cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_XWSAR-ltE

I love this post!

An osprey standing near its nest, which contains three eggs, with a body of water in the background. The image captures a moment during a live stream of the nesting site.

Eggs are coming at Heidi’s nests!

An osprey named Opal sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with a clear view of a grassy field in the background.

The chicks at Brevard have had lots of fish as the wind in the region has diminished. Achieva chicks are doing OK, too much to my surprise. I would still like to see a pile of fish on that nest, but Jack doesn’t leave them there, as that could easily attract predators.

A bird sitting in a nest made of twigs, with a natural landscape and a body of water in the background.
An osprey nest made of twigs, with a young osprey standing inside, set against a backdrop of trees and a residential street.

It continues to rain and with all the snow melting, all manner of wildlife are coming into our neighbourhood including frolicking deer! Posted on our FB community page:

Two deer wading in a small puddle in a park, surrounded by grass and remnants of snow, with houses visible in the background.
Screenshot

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We will see you soon!

Thank you to SK Hideaways for continuing to create videos even while on holiday, to all the individuals, including Heidi, who post recent nest information and images on FB, and the owners of the streaming cams, so that we can watch these wonderful avian families. Thanks, ‘J’, for not letting us forget about the kakapo!

First egg at UK Osprey platform

5 April 2026

Good Afternoon Everyone,

First. A reminder if you haven’t already marked it on your calendar. Iris’s favourite day to return to Missoula is 7 April. We are less than 48 hours away.

They are returning from migration but the osprey season officially kicked off today (IMHO) with the arrival of the first egg.

It was Maya (unringed) and Blue 33’s first egg of 2026 and it happened around 1805.

Close-up view of an osprey in its nest made of twigs and branches, with a water backdrop.

Blue 33 flies in to have a good look.

A bird, possibly an osprey, is seen in a nest made of twigs and branches, near a body of water. The setting is peaceful and natural.

There are two cameras. The rails are so high on the nest this year we might only see little heads for some time.

Wide-angle view of Manton Bay with an osprey nest made of twigs in the foreground, surrounded by water and a blue sky with clouds.

On the Canadian prairies, it was raining and then it started snowing a bit and everything is brown and grey. No beautiful sunshine. Toby was so filthy from our walk that he had another bath – he is so good in the tub. Tomorrow he will have a mobile nail trimmer arrive to shorten those claws. In the meantime, it is damp to the bone weather here in Winnipeg. I hope it is much nicer where you are.

Check out the darling bobble heads at Big Bear and Achieva. Wink has brought in a huge fish to share with Peanut, who has repeatedly defended itself and the nest against that persistent owl. Storks are returning to Europe. One was on the nest at Mlady Buky the last time I checked. Remember, Milda is on eggs, and by the end of the month, I hope to see the cutest little white-tailed eaglets on that nest in Latvia. Fort St Vrain has a second hatch happening with pip watch on the third and only egg remaining (first two broke) going on for the ND-LEEF eagles in South Bend, Indiana.

FSV56 looking at Mum. What a beautiful sight.

A bald eagle tending to its nest, with a chick visible, surrounded by sticks and straw.

Take care everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams – without them we would not be able to look into the lives of these birds and witness these little bobblehead miracles!

3 little ones at Moorings Park….late, late Saturday in Bird World

7 March 2022

Hello Everyone,

It is late. I have been worried about Toby all day. As you are aware, he has HGE, and he had some blood in his stool this morning. I am not panicking, just monitoring and worrying, aka wringing my hands. It is entirely possible that it is the raw tenderloin from his birthday dinner; this is what the vet is thinking. I am overly sensitive since he had to spend four nights in the emergency vet clinic in late December, and I almost lost him! The Girls and Toby are often the glue that holds my life together when my husband’s dementia gets the best of me.

Toby had a wonderful birthday. New slush suit, sweaters, and hopefully a few indestructible toys! Please send him your good wishes. I hope everything is alright tomorrow, or it will be a rush to the emergency vet.

There is so much news in Bird World that I cannot keep up with all the happenings.

There are now three of the cutest little osplets at the nest of Harry and Sally at Moorings Park. Harry is one super dad and fish are plentiful.

Sally had some fish for herself when the babies were sleeping.

I am partial. I am so glad that osprey season is here – with all the bonking, the siblicide – the works. Those cute little bottoms with that light down, the dark line by the eye to protect them from the glare so they can see to do those amazing dives, even that ugly oily phase with the copper coloured feathers! Bring it on!!!!!!!!

After a 21-hour absence, Jackie (who scared the life out of many of us) has returned safely to the nest. Then she left again, leaving Shadow to incubate the eggs. Is there a female intruder in the area? I hope not. I hope she is just taking a much-needed break.

That cute Only eaglet at Duke Farms is getting its thermal down. Are there even a few pin feathers coming in??? There is enough food for several eaglets – there are no worries at this nest.

Mr North is not with us but we have the first egg for Mrs DNF and the New Male at the Decorah North Nest today.

Bluff City now has two little eaglets for Frances and Franklin at the ETSU nest. OK. Baby eaglets are also adorable!

One eaglet has hatched at the Kansas City nest of Ellie and Harvey and the second one is on pip watch. The first hatch has been named Osage.

There are now 52 new baby Kakapo. ‘J’ writes: “There are now just as many chicks, as there were adults 30 years ago when the recovery project started!!”

‘J’ also sent an article about everything you should know about Kakapo (thank you!): https://earth.org/?endangered-species=endangered-species-spotlight-kakapo

Another osprey nest with a couple arriving. The PKS nest – a new one to me but it is all over FB. It is the Pine Knolls Osprey Nest in North Carolina. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/7-wS9I-fj1w?

We all miss Annie and her mates at The Campanile. It seems unthinkable that no falcons are breeding at that magnificent site. ‘B’ has sent me the following note with links to articles. I urge you to read them to understand only one of the dangers that all of our avian friends face. “I thought you might be interested in this article on the impact of avian flu on Peregrine Falcons in the SF Bay Area, which appeared on the SFGATE website::

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/bird-flu-peregrine-falcons-21959370.php

(SFGATE is a digital news site owned by Hearst.  Hearst also owns the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, but SFGATE operates independently of the Chronicle.)  

The article discusses results of a study conducted by a team of scientists from several institutions, where among other things they monitored occupancy of 47 known Peregrine Falcon nesting sites in the greater Bay Area.  The decline of Peregrine population since the avian flu arrived in wild birds in the state in 2022 is reflected by the observation that nearly all of the 47 nest sites were occupied each year between 2000 and 2022, but in 2023 only 65% of the sites were occupied, and only 36% were occupied in 2025.

Here also is the abstract of the scientific study that the SFGATE article is based on:

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.11.705416v1

Thank you, B.

Heidi reports that Marilyn has returned to the Old Town Home Osprey nest in Maryland.

‘PB’ sent me a note that there are now four eggs at the Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest.

Thank you so much for being with us for this quick post. We will be back on Monday. In the meantime, take care of yourselves.

Thank you to ‘B, H, J, PB’ for their letters and all the great information and articles they sent. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and to the authors of FB posts for generously spreading the information of happenings on the nest!