Tag Archives: Glaslyn Ospreys

Friday in Bird World

24 June 2022

Stormy weather with hail and strong winds in the south of our province meant that I am home earlier than planned. How nice! I get to check on some of our favourite birds and that is always a wonderful thing (unless something awful is happening).

This was a super cell caught at noon posted by Manitoba Storm Chasers.

Remember that I said that Blue NC0 was a good fisher? I have watched her go out fishing for three years. She left this morning and came back quickly with a meal for her and the chicks – they are older now and there is less of a threat of predation.

Now why did Blue NC0 go fishing? Her mate, Laddie LM12, spent the morning keeping 5 different intruders away form the nest. There is that word that is becoming haunting – ‘intruders’.

This morning both Lindsay and Grinnell Jr returned to The Campanile. It is a rare event and one that is to be celebrated – all chicks being together at the same time. Cal Falcons posted a lovely video of that visit. Those babies are doing so well ——- rabbit_moon_rising and others have posted fantastic photographs of aerial prey drops between Alden and the kids. Check out the Cal Falcons FB and Twitter pages.

The adults at the ND-LEEF nest continue to do great in feeding Little Bit 17 and 15. I have seen no word on 16. Sadly, the nest is continuing to break away. Will it hold out until Little Bit can fledge safely – not a forced fledge but on his own? He is 80 days old today. We really need about another 7-8 days. Positive wishes, please!

More of the left side breaking and on the right where the rim was it is all ready to collapse at any moment. Will the weight take the rest of it tumbling? Oh, I hope people are close by to help!

Little Bit and 15 are such good mates. Eating the fish together.

The remains of a very large sucker.

Several hours later, and Little Bit 17 is up on a very safe branch! 17 has officially branched already but this is so good because of that nest moving away. If you look at the image above, it will not take much for the right side to fall away completely. I hope that Little Bit is imprinting his exit route if that nest collapses. After spending time on this branch, he jumps back to the nest. So if he hears the nest giving way surely he will jump up to the branch. Oh, surely.

Oh, Little Bit. Stay safe!!!!!!!!

I seem to have not mentioned the Kakapo lately. Every time I put on their cute t-shirt and go out in the garden, I think of them and how much is done to try and protect their numbers and the cost of it. Helping wildlife is a good thing to do, whenever and however you can.

Kakapo are parrots that do not fly – sort of. They live on only a couple of islands and wear transmitters that need changed each year. I believe there are now 194. Last year it was 208. Staff change their transmitters annually and do wellness checks year round. Those who need care are flown to Dunedin, near Taiaroa Head, for help.

They are cute! Here is a link that was posted to help raise awareness of these flightless birds and their funding needs.

https://www.google.com/search?gbv=2&hl=en&q=kakapo&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18&tbm=isch

Gosh. I blinked. They were wee babies and I was worried about their feedings and now Big Bob at the Llyn Brenig Osprey nest is standing up on its feet!!!!!!! Not yet steady but wow. So happy. They lost one chick and the weather was not grand but wow. Nice.

Oh, the weather can turn so nasty so quickly. I don’t think I would ever visit Wales in June because of all the rain and cold blowing winds. (Oh, that also sounds like Manitoba!). Poor Mum!

The winds are up at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn. Telyn is out on the perch with the chicks in the nest. I wonder if she will join them? That perch is really bouncing around.

Oh, my goodness. The wind is tearing through the Glaslyn Valley with great force. Mrs G is really hunkered down with the trio tonight. Just look at her determined face. Poor Mum. Those babies are too big to be brooded. Send positive thoughts to all these nests.

The weather is not that bad at the Rutland Water’s Manton Bay nest of Maya and Blue 33. The wind is up a little bit. You can see it from the windblown look of Maya’s nape of her neck.

It’s 22:12 at the Loch Arkaig nest of Louis and Dorcha and all is well. They are just that further north that the day camera is still on.

It looks like it was an alright day on the Mispillion Osprey Nest on Delaware Bay. The chicks are flapping their wings and getting those muscles strong. Hard to see if Mum has done any more decorating. I don’t think so today.

Oh, and what a beautiful sight – three little Bobs enjoying their fish at the Boathouse Osprey nest on Hog Island, Maine. It looks like Dory has figured out the feeding!

I just love this phase of Osprey development. Being good, eating well for Mum, no beaking. Adorable. Just look at Little Bob…precious.

Only Bob at the Patuxent River Park nest 1 has a charmed life. He doesn’t have to share any of the fish with anyone but Mum and Dad.

I have a love-hate relationship with Goshawks. They have been known to lure Osprey parents off the nest into the forest where they kill them. (They do the same to other birds as well, mainly Corvids). Then they return for the chicks. In fact, Llyn Clywedog was just bothered today by a Goshawk intruder.

The trio of little hawklets at the RSPB nest in Abernathy, Scotland are certainly growing and getting stronger on their legs.

Liberty and Freedom have growing eaglets up in Alaska. Lots of food brought to the nest – no one is hungry!

It has been a couple of days since the Summer Solstice but, I don’t know about you but I am having some ‘Spirit Withdrawal’. Sure miss seeing this beauty on the nest all the time. Cali Condor caught her visit!

If you are having Red-tail Hawk withdrawal – and it is easy to do – Ferris Akel posted the highlights of his tour the other evening when he got all of them on camera. Much appreciated, Ferris!

It was nice to catch up with our feathered friends. Thank you so much for joining me. Take care. Stay safe. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages and videos: Ferris Akel Tours, Cal Falcons, ND-LEEF, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Wildlife Trust, MB Storm Chasers, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bwywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, LRWT, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, Mispillion Ospreys, Explore.org and Audubon, RSPB, Glacier Gardens, and Friends of Big Bear Valley.

Eagles tumble, tug-o-fish, and rehab…a busy day in Bird World

23 June 2022

It is 96 degrees F on top of the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest. Big and Middle are feeling the heat. ‘R’ tells me that a cooling down rain is on the way. Wish for rain!

I am extremely grateful to ‘R’ for the time stamp for the tug-o-fish between Big and Middle at the UFlorida nest. No rain but you can clearly see why the adults get out of the way once they drop a fish!

Wildlife suffer in the heat. As temperatures rise, scientists are noticing that birds are adapting somewhat by being smaller in size and by moving north to cooler climates. That said, it was 100.4 degrees F in Winnipeg two days ago and it was scorching hot yesterday and today. Will there even be a cool spot?

As you may be aware, the ND-LEEF nest – home to Little Bit 17 partially collapsed a couple of days ago. The adults tested the remainder of the nest and have been bringing in prey and feeding the three eaglets. Both 15 and 16 have fledged. Little Bit is not ready yet. Last evening both 15 and 16 were perched on a dead branch. It broke. Both flew off. 15 has been located but not 16.

So far the nest is holding and Little Bit is alright. Continue to send all that positive energy!

Parents are delivering prey to the nest and 15 has come in to eat. It looks like there is a raccoon on the nest as well. Little Bit 17 is fine. Eagles are solitary raptors for the most part. I suspect he is enjoying getting more of the prey and having his crop full.

The third hatch of Big Red and Arthur, L3, was found injured last evening. Here is the full announcement from Cornell.

Isn’t she gorgeous? Wishing her a speedy recovery.

At Loch Arkaig, Louis brought in two nice sized fish in less than 12 minutes. In the end, he decided to tandem feed with Dorcha – so everyone was really full! Fantastic. It looks like the weather is much better there. Thankfully.

Oh, its soggy at Llyn Clywedog, home to Dylan and Seren and the three Bobs.

It was soggy earlier in the Glaslyn valley home to Mrs G and Aran.

Below the Glaslyn nest there are sheep and cattle. You can usually hear them.

The nest started drying out later in the afternoon. There is Mrs G with those 3 big Bobs. Is it possible they are all Bobettes?

It is rather idyllic at the Loch of the Lowes. Blue NC0 looks out over the loch with her two big Bobs that should be getting ringed any day now.

Oh, it was hot on the Canadian Prairies and the heat made it very difficult to count ducklings and goslings.

I did not see any ducklings, only goslings today. I wonder if the rain and flooding ruined all their eggs?

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

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, ND-LEEF, Cornell University, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Woodland Trust, and CarnyXWild, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn.

More sadness in Osprey Land and is L3 injured?

22-23 June 2022

As you know, I have been working on a list of all the feathered friends we have lost so far. I had hoped to have it tidied up last week but, the continuing loss of nestlings has, as I mentioned one day, gutted me. The one word that continues to haunt me is INTRUDERS. At the Cowlitz PUD, we lost 3 healthy osplets to a Bald Eagle predation. At the Cape Henlopen Nest, we lost 3 osplets to starvation because intruders had (most likely) killed the male and injured the female. Two Osplets drowned when their nest platform collapsed at the Patuxent River Park. Two died at Kielder 5A – one caught in the nest and the other from being unwell. One was starved and killed at Loch of the Lowes because Louis had to keep intruders away and could not fish. One died at Llyn Brenig from not being able to get to the fish while another got its leg caught in the nest and die at Loch Arkaig. That was within 7-10 days and those are just the ones I can remember in that period – all Ospreys. (My list includes other species but this count is just ospreys). Thirteen wee osplets lost.

Now there are another two. A freakish accident. It was very hot in the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado today. The female had covered her two healthy osplets who were really getting their juvenile feathers. There was an intruder. The nesting material got caught in the mother’s talons when she flew after the intruder. As a result she knocked her two babies off the nest. They were more than half way to fledging. A search party has gone out to see if they survived. I am not hopeful. It is a long fall. If they do not survive, then there are now 15 osplets lost in just about a week.

The female at the Pitkin County Osprey nest protects her two osplets from the hot sun while also protecting them and keeping her eyes on the intruder.

Just look at how beautiful and big those two are. They are quite healthy and their juvenile feathers are coming in all over.

Mum is panting and is very hot. She keeps an eye out for the intruder that is flying about the nest.

Mum flies off the nest taking the nesting material and her two chicks with her. They fall to the ground.

Mum returns and is looking. Where are my chicks?

This is the announcement re Pitkin County. The fishing line was not visible—how sad. We could have lost Mama, too. This is perhaps a reason that all Osprey platforms should be carefully cleaned and inspected during non-breeding time. I do not know if it would have saved the one chick – and we will see the status of the injured one later – but fishing line and any human debris in a nest should be removed!

Three of Big Red and Arthur’s fledglings are on top of the Rice Building waiting for a prey drop from Mum and Dad. Meanwhile, one of their siblings – believed to be L3 – is in the rehab clinic. There was a report of a downed Red-tail and Suzanne Horning and Woody responded immediately. — Big shout out to this couple that love the hawks and work at Cornell for their help. No blood and the wings folded nicely so nothing broken. No sign of a collision. I will include any updates this evening. Send positive wishes.

Richmond and Rosie’s osplets are about the same age as the two at the Pitkin County nest. This is a look at week 5 of their lives. These videos captured and edited by SF Ospreys are a super introduction or a reminder of the various stages of the osplets lives.

Early morning at the Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest and everyone at Delaware Bay seems to be alright. This is a nest that needs to be cleaned after the season – and monitored re harmful items like monofilament line. It is a good thing that Mum realized that the pretty yellow metal grid could be dangerous and she removed it before it could harm her chicks. There should be an understanding that all human items are removed by qualified wildlife rehabbers from the nests until a certain age of chicks when it might harm them more if they bolted from the nest. I don’t know if it would have saved those babies at the Pitkin Nest. Did anyone know there was fishing line there?

At the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest, Little Bit is really enjoying having a lot of the deliveries to himself now that both 15 and 16 have fledged. At 18:20 Mum flew in with a really nice fish. She goes about feeding Little Bit 17.

Mum has landed and Little Bit – the only eaglet on the nest – is mantling it.

Little Bit ate every bite of that fish!

Dad brought a second fish on the nest at 19:13:57. It was a big sucker. The parents were trying to lure 15 into the nest to eat – and it worked like a charm.

ND15, Little Bit’s buddy on the nest, has been eating and eating. He was really hungry. Flying does use up a lot of energy! Little Bit is just taking it all in.

15 could not eat all of its fish. Little Bit 17 must be full to the bald patches on his head because he is not interested in that lovely fish tail at all. Maybe he will want a snack later?

That fish tail is still there – not quite two hours later. My goodness Little Bit. It looks like Little Bit will sleep alone on the nest. 15 has already gone to his perch on the high branches and while we don’t know where 16 is – the parents surely do and have probably taken a prey drop to her.

It looks like ND17 Little Bit finished up the remaining fish and its tail from last evening show above. He came out of the porch in the early morning, around 06:08 with a very nice crop. I cannot see that any further prey items have been brought yet – it is 09:50 nest time now.

The earlier issues with intruders and lack of prey delivery to the Loch of the Lowes nest seem to have dissolved – thankfully. All is well there today.

A quick check on the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn. Idris brought in another huge fish today along with all the others. I am thinking he has entered some Welsh Osprey Fishing Derby! Three chicks will be ringed next week. If you haven’t gone to the Dyfi streaming cam and put in a guess for the gender of the chicks, please do. Have some fun and give Ken Gregory that is running the contest a shock with so many entries! You simply chose B for boy and G for girl. There are three of them from the oldest to youngest.

It is expected that the chicks of Mrs G and Aran at the Glaslyn nest in Wales will be ringed at the end of next week. Everything is fine on that nest – how grand.

There are three tiny osplets on the Boathouse on Hog Island, Maine. Dory is a first time Mum and Skiff is the male. The three chicks are Schooner, Slipjack, and Sloop.

Please be advised that the three chicks are so wee and Dory is figuring out how to feed them. We have to be patient and we will see if the third hatch survives. Fingers crossed. It looks like a fantastic spot for a nest! Here is the link to their camera:

Thank you so much for joining me this morning. I will be out of pocket for most of the day today – and again tomorrow – but I will send a late report on the nests we are watching. Take care everyone. Stay safe out there!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages, videos, etc where I got my screen captures: Pitkin County Ospreys, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, SF Ospreys, Mispillion Ospreys and the DDNR, ND-LEEF, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Woodland Trust, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Hog Island Ospreys with Audubon and Explore.org

Sky fledges at West End and other brief news in Bird World

22 June 2022

Oh, it is simply a gloriously beautiful day – blue skies and bright sun. No rain forecast! A first for several days.

Sky did some amazing hovering yesterday at the West End Eagle Nest.

All that practice paid off. At 06:09 Sky flew off the nest just like he had been flying for years. He was 104 days old.

Congratulations Sky, West End Eagles, Thunder and Akecheta and to Dr Sharpe and the staff at the Institute for Wildlife Studies. It has been an awesome year. We look forward to more visits for all three – Kana’kini, Ahote, and Sky for awhile.

Keeping a close eye on the ND-LEEF nest, home to Little Bit, that partially collapsed yesterday at 15:43:30. last night, Mum landed on the ND-LEEF at 21:16:53 wanting to finish up that Raccoon. ND16 had been nest to Little Bit 17 up at the front of the nest. 16 moved to eat. Little Bit went over for a short time – but he had a large crop and wasn’t that hungry. Looks like Mum and 16 cleaned it up. An adult was up in the branches of the tree looking for ND15 I think. They will want it back on the nest to feed, if they can get it there. The collapsing of the nest would have been quite frightening.

Looks like Little Bit is going to stay close to those two branches if there is any more movement of that nest. Good job Little Bit. You can see his crop in the image below.

ND15 has been caught on camera flying very strong. That is excellent news since the forced fledge yesterday. This morning Mum arrived early on the nest with prey. ND15 is hungry and came crash landing into ND16 and Little Bit 17 at 08:23:30. It was a bit crowded but so far the other part of the nest supported by 3 branches is holding. Fingers crossed it stays intact until all have fledged and spent time returning to the nest for food.

All of the excitement is now over – it will probably happen again and again as prey is delivered. In the image below, this is ND16 cuddled up with ND17. I would like to think that 16 is taking comfort from 17 and they are both being very still so that nest does not break any further.

I have missed checking on Iris. Here she is – so beautiful – on her nest on the 21st of June, Summer Solstice. The little sparrows in the nest below hers have hatched. I wonder if Iris even noticed them??

I am so glad that ‘H’ introduced me to the Mispillion Osprey Nest. It is always fun to see a different family and this mum with her passion for all things a certain shade of yellow is just fascinating. Mum has been aerating the nest after lights out tonight.

The daylight cam switched over at the Dyfi Nest of Idris and Telyn at 04:15. I wonder if they are still eating that huge fish that Idris brought in earlier?

Blue NC0 and the kids are waiting for their breakfast at the Loch of the Lowes where the sun was up even earlier. Laddie is not on his perch so he is out chasing off intruders and protecting his family or getting the breakfish.

Dorcha is also waiting for Louis to bring in a fish at the Loch Arkaig nest.

It wasn’t a rooster or the bleating sheep but cows mooing at the crack of dawn in the Glaslyn Valley.

As far as I can tell, these Osprey nests are doing good.

There is, however, sadness at Nest 5A in the Kielder Forest, the home of Mr and Mrs UV. Both of the chicks have perished. One by accident getting caught in the nest and the other has appeared unwell. That makes my list of losses now up to 62.

They were both doing alright on the 20th, two days ago.

I love the Utica Falcon blog. Today there are some wonderful images of Astrid making some in-air food exchanges yesterday with Percy!

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – Percy and Astrid Complete Mid-air Food Transfer & Fledglings do More Sparring

That is just a brief look at the news this morning. I hope that everyone is doing well. There will be a long check on the nests later this evening. Take care. Thank you so much for being with me this morning.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or blogs used for my screen captures: Kieldner Forest, Utica Peregrine Falcons, ND-LEEF, Mispillion Osprey Cam and DDNR, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Byrwyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dfyi Osprey Project, West End Eagles and the Institute for Wildlife Studies.

Summer Solstice in Bird World!

21 June 2022

In the northern hemisphere, this is the day when the earth is tilted at its maximum to the sun – the longest sunny day. It has been pitching down rain and now….the sun is shining bright and the temperatures have dropped from the blistering 38 to a mere 20 C. The birds are active and the air conditioning is turned off. Nice. Today I will be sorting through all the things that were in Little Red’s penthouse looking for tomato cages. With the heat and the rain, the tomato plants are almost as tall as I am – seriously. But, let’s see what is happening with our birds, first.—–Oh, and now it is clouding over again and the torrential rain is back. Goodness. I sure hope our City imported a lot of Dragon flies this year to eat those mosquitoes.

The Canadian celebrities continue to be the little hawklet who is living with the Bald Eagles on Gabriola Island in British Columbia. Malala is very cute – and one lucky Red-tail hawklet. Of course, he thinks he is an Eagle! Doing well. Branched the other day. Can you imagine? This wildlife rehab group just put up the camera a few months prior to the eagles arriving and now they are the talk of Bird World? This is a good interview by CBC radio.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-the-monday-edition-1.6495076/an-eagle-snatched-a-baby-hawk-for-dinner-then-ended-up-adopting-it-1.6495246?fbclid=IwAR2T_4Mhw4tgXNvli_SHd6xDPlr1aMWUOx1q-QsoBwDbH3Ef8p9nb7KN0rw

The fledglings at the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey platform continue to return to the nest for food and sometimes just to have a quick rest. Gosh, these two are doing really well after a very rocky start on this nest. They are waiting for the tea time fish drop!

What gorgeous birds these two have turned out to be. They know where home is. I wonder if they have been trying to fish on their own yet?

I was able to get some more information about the history of the Mispillion Harbour Ospreys. The woman at the DuPont Centre is not certain that this is the same couple that were on the nest when the camera was installed. Lynn Pussey said, “We’ve generally had good success with our nest, with 2-3 successful fledgelings each year. The only exception to that was 2017 when we lost one chick early on to siblicide and the other two to illness. This year was odd because we had 4 eggs but only 2 hatch. But those two are healthy and growing. Other than that, we usually see all eggs hatch and all chicks successfully fledge.”

 

I wonder if these chicks will be prone to bringing bright coloured material to their nests in a few years?

Little Bit 17 at the ND-LEEF nest just proves that being small is not a hindrance when you are confident. Mum landed with something – I could not see it – and Little Bit mantled right away. One of the big siblings came and took a little piece but Little Bit held on and ate ‘it’! So impressed. 17 is so quick – just like the hawklet in the Bald Eagle nest at Gabriola Island.

Here is Little Bit 17 mantling and hanging on to its food. Take that 16!

Bukachek and Betty’s four White Storklets at Mlade Buky were ringed this morning.

Whatever was happening at the Loch of the Lowes dissipated yesterday when Laddie delivered 7 fish. He has already gotten a good start to this morning and Blue NC0 and the chicks are very happy. They should be ringing these two osplets soon.

The Welsh sunrise is really beautiful. There is always a soft pink glow over the Glaslyn Valley and the nest of Aran and Mrs G.

Aran has been letting out intruder calls in the afternoon around 15:50 but it didn’t stop him from getting Mrs G and the kids a nice fish.

101 votes have been cast guessing the gender of the three osplets at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn. It is a record. GGB is still out ahead with 40 of those votes! We will find out next week when they are ringed. So happy for the interest in this great Osprey family in Wales.

As KG and I said on the chat – the guessing of the genders adds a bit of fun to ringing day — it does. We can all use a smile these days.

It was a beautiful morning at Loch Garten. Mrs AX6 is looking good. She is a great mum.

Later in the day you can see the unviable egg and the two little Osplets.

Just look at those three big females with their bling at the Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya. I would sure welcome some of that sunshine!!!!!!! It is interesting. At Manton Bay there was no aggression this year — three females. At Port Lincoln Osprey barge last year, no aggression — all males. It is often when you have a female chick with males where you see all the beaking. Females require more food because they have to grow 1/3 larger and they are often very aggressive. Think ND16 at the LD-LEEF Bald Eagle nest.

June 20 was Bald Eagle Day in the US. I forgot. For all who celebrated, belated Happy Eagle Day!

Mr President has brought in two fish already to DC9 Takoda this morning! This is the second delivery. Everything is going as it should. Takoda fledged and is returning to the nest to be fed while getting those flying muscles strong — and take off and landings improved.

As the sun comes up on the Channel Islands, Sky is home alone at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta.

It isn’t long until Sky is joined by his younger brother, Ahote. Everyone is waiting for Akecheta to bring in some fish for breakfast. And never fear, Kana’kini is somewhere around the island and will no doubt fly in hoping to get some fish, too.

Chase and Cholyn’s Lancer has been getting some good air and doing some high hovering in the past few days. She is sure a beautiful eagle!

I am really glad that Kaia was not successful in eliminating one of the three healthy chicks on the Karula Forest Black Stork nest. They are all doing well and Karl II just brought in a heaping load of fish for them. What is interesting is watching them now as they stimulate the feeding by doing a special wing flap and lowering and raising their heads. So cute! And they are so nice and fat. These are doing super well and food does not seem to be an issue!

Jan and Janika’s Black Storklets in the care of the Vet Clinic were ringed. They should be moved to the forest enclosure soon – they are thinking 24 June. Today they are 30 days old. How lovely – so grateful to those folks who made it possible for these three to survive.

This morning Lindsay returned to The Campanile and she is chasing a moth! Look at the influence of Alden – both Lindsay and Grinnell Jr love chasing moths. So cute. It is also nice to know that both are safe and doing well. They certainly are loud!!!!!!!!

It continues to pour – just like the monsoon rains in SE Asia. Incredible. I am going to turn the AC off and get a sweater. The thunder is rolling and the temperature has really dropped.

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

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures and their videos: Cal Falcons, Liz M and the EMU, Eagle Club of Estonia, Mlade Buky Storks, Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, NADC-AEF, LRWT, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, RSPB Loch Garten, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Mispillion Harbour Osprey Cam and DDNR, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, and the ND-LEEF.

L4 fledges and other news in Bird World

18-19 June 2022

The record breaking rains coupled with our current heat warning mean that it feels like a rainforest on the Canadian Prairies. The songbirds are happy. The lilacs and vines have grown enough that they are providing cooling shade for the birds. The temperature drops tremendously – just like walking into the Bamboo Forest at Arashiyama outside of Kyoto – when you enter their area of the garden.

“Bamboo Forest of Arashiyama, Kyoto 京都嵐山の竹林” by CLF is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

37 degrees C or 98.6 F today. Heat warning. Winter went to summer with tonnes of rain and flooding. The new normal?

Yesterday L4 was jumping all over the rails just as he had done the day before. The question on everyone’s mind was when is L4 going to fledge? Well, he flew this morning! 07:03:36. L4 landed in the trees across the street taking off from the rail where he loved to dance and jump. Congratulations! Big Red and Arthur have successfully fledged 4 hawks.

Ready…set…

Go!!!!!!!!! And L4 is off to the trees over by the Fernow Building across the street.

Rosie and Richmond’s two osplets were banded yesterday and the banders believe that they are two little boys by the leg measurements. Sweet. Today is the last day to vote on the name pairings! Here is the SF Bay Ospreys announcement:

The little Red-tail hawklet- Malala- that arrived for lunch and stayed to be adopted at the Bald Eagle nest on Gabriola Island (just off Vancouver Island) – has branched and is really growing. Consider its size compared to the eaglets and how fast it is at getting prey. Now think of Little Bit 17. ND15 and ND16 might be big but ND 17 is quick, like the hawklet, as lightning.

Yesterday Thunder and Akecheta’s triplets were on the nest together for awhile. So nice to see the Three Amigos. Beautiful, beautiful juvenile eagles.

Thunder’s sister at the Two Harbours nest of Chase & Cholyn is big and beautiful. Parents are bringing in the fish – there were three yesterday!

Spirit is a regular visitor to her Big Bear Valley natal nest. Her ‘eagle’ eyes see Jackie and Shadow coming in with fish and she is on that nest! Fabulous.

In the first image, Spirit has spotted a fish delivery. She rushes to the nest.

Those parents really have to be careful with those talons. Shadow’s beak is extremely sharp.

Whew.

It did not take long for Spirit to polish that fish off!

Remember when?

Saturday evening Mum arrived on the ND-LEEF nest and fed the three eaglets the rest of the raccoon. ND17 had a nice little crop after – he did appreciate the raccoon! 15 and 16 had some bites and left.

Sunday morning a really large fish was brought to the nest at 08:52. Little Bit 17 stole some of that fish at 09:01.

At 09:14:24 Little Bit 17 grabs more of that fish and rushes over to the rim to eat it while a big sibling stands behind him. I sure hope he got that nice tail portion!

Takoda is still branching – have not heard of a fledge at the National Arboretum nest in Washington, DC yet.

The nest of Aran and Mrs G is really getting to look like part of the field down below. All three of the chicks are doing grand.

Aran flew in with a really nice fish at 13:43! It was a lively one.

Not to be undone by Aran. Idris is on a roll and this morning he brought in a very rare Shad to the nest to the envy of all watching. Telyn was quite happy to take that whole fish and feed it to the Bobs!

CJ7 might be a first time mother but she is a really smart one. She had a nice piece of fish tucked under some nesting materials to feed the Bobs first thing this morning – they were hungry very early.

Blue 022 has proven himself to be a young but reliable Dad – several fish deliveries including this one at 15:47. Blue 022 is flying off and CJ7 is up and ready to feed the babies.

The three Bobs on the Manton Bay nest of Blue 33 and Maya are as big as Mum when she is feeding them. All bets are on for tomorrow (Monday the 20th) being banding day provided a boat and a bander are available.

Everyone is tired after a big meal.

The latest tracking for Ervie shows him staying around Port Lincoln and his unusual haunts. This comes from the 18th. Did he visit the barge?

Other quick news. News is coming from Patuxent River Park. An osplet fell through the platform because a Beaver chewed a large hole. A new platform is going up. Will follow up on this. There was a hatch at the MN Landscape Arboretum Ospreys on June 17 at 08:26:34. A pair of Ospreys landed on the Collins Marsh nest above the old fire viewing tower. I hope they do not stay. This nest needs to be removed and a new platform built with a ladder and a perch! And the pond needs to be stocked with fish for them. The fishing has been hard for Laddie and Loch of the Lowes with no fish delivery so far on Sunday. I sure hope Blue NC0 goes out fishing – the Bobs are too big to let starve!!!!!!! Has something happened to Laddie? If you watched the Decorah North nest, DN16 has fledged. The three Black Storklets of Jan and Janika have yet to be moved to their ‘forest room’. I am told it will be soon. This is the latest feeding video from Liz. They are getting their itchy feathers!

Happy Father’s Day to all those bird fathers out there caring for their mates and their chicks and/or eggs! Here is a lovely tribute from Cal Falcons – grab a tissue! Lindsay and Grinnell Jr are one of the positive things to come out of Bird World this year!

Take care everyone. It is a busy day on the nests with lots of things happening. Thank you so much for joining me today. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: SF Ospreys, GROWLS, Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies, FOBBV, NADC-AEF, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Poole Harbour Ospreys, LRWT, Cornell RTH Cam, EMU and Liz, ND-LEEF, and Cal Falcons.

Lindsay fledges, Little Bit 17 gets a whole fish, and other news in Bird World

17-18 June 2022

I really wish that I could send Louis and Dorcha some of our fine weather. This nest gas endured treacherous weather – horrific weather. Weather that you would never wish on your worst enemy. The only thing they haven’t had is _ _ _ _. Starts with an ‘S’ and ends with a ‘W’. I am not going to say it in case it happens. (I think they had that early on but not recently). Poor thing. Dorcha can hardly hold on and she is trying so hard to protect those precious babies.

You can’t see it in the image but the rain is pelting down and the wind is gale force. Not just blowing hard. Gale force.

The pounding rain has stopped for now at Loch Arkaig. I can hardly believe it – Louis has brought in a fish just after 0500. I hope the wind does not blow Dorcha off the nest like it has done on another occasion. She is trying hard to feed the Bobs and have some fish herself. Gracious.

Someone said they need to move to the other nest where it is more protected. Maybe they will after this year at this one!

Laddie LM12 brought in a super nice fish for Blue NC0 and the two osplets. It is early, early in the morning and this is brilliant. The day is starting off just great at the Loch of the Lowes.

Oh, it is such a nasty Saturday morning at the Dfyi nest. Idris hasn’t even left to go fishing yet. Everyone is wet – Telyn and the chicks are hoping the promised rain will not happen! It sure is beautiful and green but I would not want to visit western Scotland and Wales in June – all that rain and cold down to the bone.

Aran is away fishing. Mrs G is flying off for a break and the trio are sort of waking up. There is a fish already on the nest.

Dylan has brought Seren a fish for the family’s breakfast. It looks like it is a really rainy cold day at Llyn Clywedog. Sun please!!!!

Maya and the three Bobs at Rutland are waiting for Blue 33 to deliver breakfast! The question on everyone’s mind is: when will they ring the Bobs? Oldest Bob is 40 days old today. Ringing needs to take place before 45 days if it is just the Darvic Ring. If it is a satellite pack too, then from 40-45 days. Will they ring them on Monday?

There is good parenting DNA running through CJ7 and Blue 022. First time parents. Blue 022 shows up at 04:22 to give CJ7 a break and then he is off to get the breakfast fish. What a beautiful couple. I should note that it is incredibly foggy at Poole Harbour this morning.

The fog is lifting. Let us hope that Dad gets a fish soon.

It is a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Port Lincoln, Australia. Both Mum and Dad are on the barge. Does anyone think that they might actually lay their eggs earlier than last year? We will wait to see.

So why do you think that Lindsay doesn’t want Grinnell Jr looking out the stone work?!!!

You see Lindsay wanted to fledge first —— and that is precisely what she did! Lindsay landed on top of the library!!!!!

There was a lot of activity on the ND-LEEF nest this morning and one incident, right at the start of the morning, made all of us just drop for a few minutes. A prey delivery came in at 08:09:22. The adult flies into Little
Bit in the middle of the nest and then ND16? lands on Little Bit. All of that caused me to hold my breath for a moment ——along with anyone else watching closely at that time.

Little Bit was just minding his own business on the nest with 16 over at the rim and 15 up higher in the branches.

Adult arrives. You can see Little Bit behind and under the left wing and chest of the adult.

That is 16 on top of Little Bit. That little yellow foot on the right under 16 belongs to Little Bit.

Just look. Little Bit’s entire wing has been pulled over. Oh, gosh. My heart is sinking by now.

Gosh. Little Bit seems to have had everything that could happen – happen – to him. Here he is out sniffing around wanting to make that steal!

Little Bit gets that prey item and is still working on it when at 10:06:50 a fish is delivered. 16 gets it but walks away. 15 doesn’t even come down to eat and 17 takes that fish!

16 left the fish to moved up to the parent like it wanted the adult to feed it. Can you imagine when Little Bit looked over and saw that whole fish!!!!!!!! It is at the bottom right of the ‘1 Foot’ indicator.

Little Bit ate almost the entire fish. He walked away with a little left that 16 took.

I would say that Little Bit deserved that fish after what happened with the first delivery. He also deserved it because he has worked so bloody hard eating all the scraps off the nest and dried fish and Raccoon. What an amazing eaglet he is –so glad that he was not injured earlier.

At the Cornell Red-tail Hawk nest, L4 is on the fledge ledge. It is windy.

L4 is really getting some air.

Ospreys have been arriving and one has been moving sticks around the Cape Henlopen State Park nest that say the adults dead or disappear and the three chicks starve last weekend.

Everything looks good at the Glacier Gardens nest of Liberty and Freedom. the wee ones had their breakfast and are napping with Mum.

There was some excitement at the Redding nest of Liberty and Guardian. It ‘appeared’ that Star had fledged but later it was confirmed that it was Sentry flying off and then he returns chasing Liberty who arrives with a fish.

At the National Arboretum nest of Mr President and Lotus, one of the adults is keeping a close eye on Takoda who is running up and down the branch on the right hand side. It is windy. Will today be the day for Takoda to fly?

Ahote and Sky are on the natal nest this morning at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta. The adults will know where Kana’kini is and they will often now deliver prey off the nest to the fledglings if they are elsewhere.

Sky has been doing some great hovering but has yet to take that first flight.

If you haven’t voted for Richmond and Rosie’s two 2022 hatches, here is the announcement. You have 2 days to do so and it is free. Join in!

The little hawklet living with the Bald Eagles on Gabriola Island has branched! Well done!

There are so many nests to cover but that is it for this morning. We could see some more fledges Saturday afternoon. Congratulations to everyone at Cal Falcons – to Annie, Alden, an Grinnell – and to Lindsay for her first flight. It is OK to fly now Junior!!!!!

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: GROWLS, Cornell RTH, Cal Falcons, LD-NEEF, Cape Henlopen State Park Ospreys, Explore.org, SF Ospreys, NADC-AEF, Glacier Gardens, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Friends of Redding Eagles, Poole Harbour, LRWT, CarnyXWild, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dfyi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, and Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Postcode Lottery, and the Woodland Trust.

Friday morning in Bird World

17 June 2022

The Cowlitz PUD nest losing all of its chicks just like the Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey nest is ‘catastrophic’. A reader ‘C’ wrote to me and said ‘not tragic but catastrophic’. I agree totally.

One reader wrote and thanked me for covering these events. You are all welcome. But, like you, I feel gutted and especially so with so many birds from this generation being lost in just a few weeks. It is numbing,.

We are left with adults grieving. Electra has a fish on her nest wanting to feed her babies and appearing in shock – not knowing what happened to them and where they are.

A discussion with Alan Poole and Poole Harbour about ospreys – New England population, mid-Atlantic Chesapeake Bay, and Florida Ospreys. I know that all of you will be interested when he compares the US birds with the UK Ospreys. It will be available for one month archived on YouTube.

There are some great images and if you want to learn about Ospreys – or be reminded about all things that are magnificent about our beautiful birds – you should watch this even if you have to do it in shifts. Very informative.

Just a note: Both males and females bring twigs to build the nest! I am thinking of Rosie at the SF Osprey Bay nest. She worked tirelessly helping Richmond rebuilt that destroyed nest – to human surprise they did it quickly!

Did you know that 20% of the world’s population of Ospreys live in Chesapeake Bay? There are 10,000 pairs on the channel markers in the water. Indeed, nests above water are quite safe for Ospreys (except for Bald Eagles and GHOW, if around). Did you know that fresh water fish is more nutritious than the salt fish? Do have a listen to Poole’s talk!

The Bald Eagle raising the hawklet in its nest on Gabriola Island has caught the interest of the world. Christian Sasse and David Hancock are at the nest site and are just giddy. It is considered a rare event and now twice in 5 years they have been able to witness an eagle family raising a hawklet. The first was Sydney in 2017. So here is the archived talk from yesterday and they will be live today, also. What a lucky little hawklet.

Things look better at the Loch of the Lowes. Both of the Osplets have big crops and it looks like Blue NC0 has had some fish, too. I sure hope so. Whatever was the issue at this nest with Laddie delivering food – weather, intruders, or an old eye problem or injury to the male – appears today, at least, to not be a problem. Fabulous.

The nest that is continuing to have weather difficulties is Loch Arkaig. If you check the local weather you will think that the nest should be fine but Loch Arkaig is its own microclimate and it can be terribly different from other areas close by. My heart goes out to Dorcha and Louis who have already lost their Little Bob. Louis – despite it all – gets the fish on the nest regardless. It is evening at Loch Arkaig. There are strong winds but no rain. Thankfully. Louis has brought the tea time meal for the kids. They are in the Reptilian Phase with those oily heads and beautiful coppery feathers at the back along the neck down to the shoulders. Send positive thoughts that we have two nestlings that are going to fledge here! Chase that bad weather away.

Aran brought in a lovely Sea Bass for Mrs G and the kids. He had the head for his tea – Sea Bass always welcome at the nests! Along with trout. All three Bobs at Glaslyn are fine. That is Little Bob coming up at the end getting a private feeding. Well done, Mrs G.

It looks like Idris might have brought in a trout to Telyn to feed their three Bobs at Dyfi. Again, another very happy nest.

Did you know that Telyn is the daughter of Rutland’s Maya and Green 5R (Maya’s partner before Blue 33 ousted him)? Both are fantastic females who really care for those chicks and have bonded with males that are inspirational providers.

I am becoming ever more interested in the way in which genetics plays out in the behaviour of Ospreys. The link between these two Super Moms, thus, becomes more compelling.

Dr Madis Levitis are moving the three Black Storklets to a forest nest and out of the clinic. They are doing exceptional and we have a huge thanks to this team who are working so hard to raise these three.

The smallest storklet is now standing like the older two. Great progress in its development.

The storklets hatched on the 22nd of May. They will be four weeks old on the 19th of June. You will no longer be able to see them in this clinic setting as they have been moved to an artificial nest in the forest where they will continue to be fed and can begin to climatize to the world where they will fledge in August and then make that very long trip to Africa on their first migration. This is a wonderful ending now – and we will check to see if a camera is installed in the forest so that we can watch their continued progress. Thank you Dr Leivits and staff!

Eyes are watching several nests today. One of those is Big Red and Arthur’s Redtail Hawk nest at Cornell where L4, the youngest, is ready to fledge.

Three are on the nest at 1300. It is L1 in the nest bowl, then L3, and L4. L1 is really prey calling! So loud. No fledge from L4 and I understand that there could be bad weather again so maybe they will stay on the nest.

L4 wants to go! It is windy and he is really feisty.

Star sits in the Redding Bald Eagle nest tree thinking about fledging.

Star sure is a beautiful eaglet.

L4 really wants to fly and I am going to watch him with my lunch. ND-LEEF Little Bit 17 waiting for food along with the others. He ate well yesterday so not worried.

You can watch, too!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/red-tailed-hawks/

Take care everyone. Thank you for joining me this morning. See you soon!

Thank you to: Cornell RTH Cam, Friends of Redding Eagles, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Eagle Club of Estonia, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dfyi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, and Cowlitz PUD.

Another siblicide at Loch of the Lowes and other news in Bird World

14 June 2022

I want to start this blog off today with one of the cutest videos called ‘My Turn’. It is from one of the first – if not the first – osprey cams on Dennis Puleston’s property on Long Island. I would like to quietly show this to every third hatch osprey!!!!!!!! It always lifts my spirits when it has been a rough day in Bird World.

Dennis Puleston was a remarkable man who spotted the decline of the Osprey populations in the US due to DDT.

Sadly, the Little Bob at the Loch of the Lowes fell victim to a brutal Big sibling that refused to let him eat and who finally killed him this morning shortly after 0530. Little Bob was alive in the image below, barely, from not having eaten in at least three days.

Laddie LM12 arrives on the nest but flies away. No fish.

Big Bob brutally attacks Little Bob and kills him.

Blue NC0 stares at the body of her Little one. It has not been a good year for this wee one who, like the others, just wanted some fish. It is unclear why there is so few fish coming to this nest. It has been a discussion about the other nests and people are conflicted. Is it intruders? has the loch not got the fish? is something going on with Laddie? All of the other nests are not having difficulties. Fly high Little one, fly high.

Sadly my list of siblicide victims this year is getting longer.

Blue NC0 looks worn out and hungry. She is hardwired, like all other Osprey Mums not to interfere. She looks down at her wee little babe. So sad. I do hope that whatever is troubling this nest that it goes away so that this family can heal.

There is another nest that remains worrisome.

To the relief of everyone cheering Little Bit 17 on at the ND-LEEF nest, that camera is back working. It is unclear if 17 got any food since the camera went down but he was seen doing wingersizing according to many of the chatters who watch the camera. He is not acting like the third hatch at Loch of the Lowes. 17 seems fine. I will not presume anything but let us all hope that if it is cooler tomorrow – which they say it will be – that the fish will be flying onto this nest. — I want to be optimistic. Many third hatches benefit from the older ones fledging. It seems both 15 and 16 are branching —- and not wanting to sound nasty but it would be nice if they would take a 2 day trip to see the beautiful area where their nest is! Little Bit could eat it all!

The eaglets on this nest are the following ages. ND 15 is 76 days old, ND16 75 days old, and ND17 is 71 days old. Little Bit is not ready to fledge. His tail needs to grow more. The feathers on his head are growing longer and covering up the bald spots caused by 16’s scalpings. This Little one has worked so hard to live. I want to believe I am seeing something of a crop under his beak and that he did get some nourishment today. Hang in there Little Buddy!

The streaming cam is also back up at the Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey Platform. It was a very interesting Tuesday morning. The female intruder with the torn feathers was in the nest. Another osprey landed on the nest and she got rid of them quickly. A third bird or was it this one that landed ?? could be seen flying by the nest on several occasions to the left of the platform.

The bird that almost looks like I cute and pasted it on was quickly shooed away by the female intruder on the nest. From that behaviour we might assume that this was not a bird associated with her.

She removes the body of the oldest and largest of those beautiful chicks from the nest.

As the sun was setting on Lewes, Delaware, the female intruder has now cleared the nest of any remnants of its former occupants. It is just gut wrenching what has happened here. I do wonder if the Mum is alive and if it is her flying to the nest? No one was at the nest overnight.

I have been praising Betty on the Mlade Buky White Stork next in The Czech Republic for not eliminating the smallest, the fifth storklet. Well, she has now done so. Let us hope that all four remaining chicks thrive! (The storklet did not survive the 9 metre/30 ft drop but it was quick, not like starving to death on the nest).

There is wonderful news coming out of Cal Falcons. Laurentium is one of Annie and Grinnell’s fledglings. She has a nest on Alcatraz. She has successfully fledged chicks in years before but not it is confirmed that she has two healthy grand chicks for Annie and Grinnell again. How wonderful!

I have neglected the Foulshaw Moss nest this year despite the fact that it is one of my favourites. Last year White YW and Blue 35 successfully fledged 3 osplets including Tiny Little Bob, Blue 463. The chicks below are around the 3 week period. They are healthy and doing well! Excellent parents. I cannot say enough good things about them.

I do not like the cam. You cannot rewind so if you don’t see it, the event is gone. Or if you do see it and don’t get a screen shot it is gone, too. That style of camera is very annoying if you are trying to document events on a nest.

Congratulations to everyone at the Ithaca Peregrine Falcon scrape. They had their first fledge today. It was Percy! One more eyases to go. How exciting. Falcon Watch Utica posted this gorgeous picture of Percy taking off. Look – those legs are held tight against the body and the feathers are in perfect shape. What a wonderfully healthy fledgling!

Even before the three Bobs had their breakfast Wednesday morning, Telyn was chasing after an intruder with feather wear – perhaps a moulting bird. Emyr Evans wants him to come back so they can get a ring number and ID the bird. He is evading all of the cameras. Emyr believes it is Teifi and if so, it is Telyn and Idris’s 2020 hatch come home to the natal nest. After, Idris brings in a lovely sea bass for Telyn and the kids.

Emyr Evans posted this on the 23rd of May. I think he will be updating his number after the intruder this morning to 8. Tegid – of the white egg – is one of my favourite hatches. Lovely to see his son back!

There was an intruder at the Llyn Brenig osprey nest. LM6 just about tore the nest up when Blue 416 from the Lake District arrived. Gracious. I thought she was going to toss the two wee chicks out, too. Lots of two years old successfully returning this year (like this one) causing mischief.

Aran was up early fishing for Mrs G and the gang.

Everything seems fine on the Glaslyn nest.

Sentry returned to the Redding Bald Eagle nest on 14 June after fledging on the 11th. He was tired and spent the night with Star in the nest sleeping duckling style. Star has yet to fledge.

It is getting to be time to check in with some of the Australian nests. Dad brought Mum a very nice fish on the nest. Oh, she looks so good. Last year she took raised the Port Lincoln three – Bazza, Falky, and our dear Ervie.

Beautiful Diamond with a full crop after a prey gift from Xavier at the Charles Sturt University falcon cam in Orange, Australia.

Lady incubating the two eggs of hers and Dad’s on the WBSE nest in the Sydney Olympic Forest. If you look close, you will see Dad sleeping and protecting the nest on the parent branch.

The CBD 367 Collins Street Falcon cam will not be back on line until September. It is usually started once eggs are laid.

Fledge watch started yesterday for the Cal Falcons. Here is Grinnell Jr with his super crop last evening! Looks like he is going to fly anywhere! So cute.

Thank you for joining me. This is a very early Wednesday morning check in. I will have a later report Wednesday evening. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cam and/or FB announcements where I took my screen captures: Sea Eagles@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Charles Sturt University Falcon Cam, Port Lincoln Osprey, Friends of Redding Eagles, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dfyi Osprey Project, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, ND-LEEF, Cape Henlopen State Park Ospreys, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Emyr Evans, Falcon Watch Utica, Mlade Buky, Cumbrian Wildlife Trust, and Cal Falcons.

Late Tuesday in Bird World

14 June 2022

I want to start this newsletter off with something wonderful! At the Redding California Bald Eagle nest, Sentry and Star are both on a high branch of the tree. Sentry has found his way home to Liberty, Guardian and Star who has yet to fledge. This is fabulous news!!!!!!!!

The weather in California is beautiful.

The bad weather returned to the Canadian Prairies and thus, also, to the MN-DNR nest of Nancy and E1. The tree is twisting around in the heavy winds at the moment and rain is pouring down.

There are floods in Montana and, we should check on Iris and her nest at Missoula. Iris did not spend the night on the perch or the nest that I could see. There is a wee bird that has made its home and nest under Iris’s big one. Can you see it?

The waters in the Clark Fork River are said to be rising. There are floods in various parts of Montana which means that it is difficult for the Osprey to catch fish. No wonder Iris did not want to share her fabulous catch yesterday with an intruder. Iris is simply amazing. There she is holding that precious fish and fighting off the intruder at the same time! Bless her heart.

The weather is quite bad at the Charlo Montana platform. (For Ospreys but occupied in March by geese…and not aware of current occupants, if any).

There are birds singing at Dunrovin!

Harriet continues to sit on her eggs even though they are well past the day to hatch. Swoop is supporting her. We wonder as do the folks at Dunrovin when they will quit hoping for their miracle.

Why do eggs not hatch? Dunrovin in their newsletter listed the following causes: cold weather, high humidity, lack of food, lack of egg fertilization. They noted that like many places it has been a very cold and wet spring in Montana.

The camera is still down at the ND-LEEF nest. It is 96 degrees at the nest – perhaps more higher up. Thoughts go to Little Bit 17 who desperately needs food (as do the other two but less so than 17).

The tea time feeding at the Loch of the Lowes left Middle and Big with gigantic crops. There was clearly enough fish for three. But we need fish for four – Mum has to eat, too.

Before Little Bob at the Loch of the Lowes was fish begging to Blue NC0 before she tucked them all in for the night. He first looked to see if Big Bob was in a food coma. He was. Little Bob is smart.

It would have been the perfect time for a fish to arrive. Little Bit would have had his fill along with Blue NC0! Sadly it was not to be.

Blue NC0 stood waiting and waiting for a delivery. Finally, everyone is in bed.

They are a beautiful couple – CJ7 and Blue 022 at the Poole Harbour Osprey Platform. Blue 022 brought in a nice big fish for CJ7 and the three Bobs at 21:08. These are first time parents making history in Poole Harbour. There have been no ospreys hatched in Poole Harbour for 200 years.

Know what? They are doing a fantastic job!!!!!!!!!

All is well at the nest of Idris and Telyn in Wales near the River Dyfi. Bobs are well fed and sound asleep. Another great Osprey couple. This is good news…we need all the good news we can muster. Good night Telyn. Good night Bobs. Good night wherever you are, Idris.

Gracious. Look at the crop on Mrs G!

Louis delivered a real whopper to Dorcha and the two surviving chicks at Loch Arkaig. What a monster. Everyone is going to eat well – a good time for it to come on the nest. Hopefully the weather will start giving this nest a break.

Middle Bob looks sassy!

The sheep are bleating. Aran is on his perch and the kids are asleep. It looks like Mrs G is going to go into food coma, too!

Notice the grass growing in the nest. In Finland they have noticed that grass growing in the Osprey nests actually helps hide the chicks from predators. Quite interesting.

At Rutland, the three osplets are fast asleep and Maya is going to take some time to enjoy some fish before lights out, too. Looking forward seeing these three ringed any day now.

The Bobs are still quite small compared to those at the Loch of the Lowes but everything at RSPB Loch Garten with Mr and Mrs AX6 and chicks seems fine.

It is 21:30 at the Llyn Clywedog nest in Wales – the nest of Dylan and Seren and the three Bobs. Seren is giving Dylan grief and telling him to go and get some more fish. Meanwhile the Bobs have eaten very well today. It takes a lot more fish to feed these fast growing large Bobs – and Mum.

Did you know that there are less than 1500 ospreys in the whole of the UK? That includes juveniles, too. There are a little less than 100,000 in the US. I hope to find out the distribution in the US. There are many in the US and the Cape area in the NE area of the US.

At the Manchester NH Peregrine falcon scrape, Clem was returned this morning. It looked like she wasn’t going anywhere for some time and then – she fludged again.

Colum, one of the males, is at the nest now. Little Colby fludged too but photos of him doing well have been posted on the groups FB page.

Lindsay and Grinnell Jr were ‘loafing’ earlier this morning and now I can only find one of them playing hide and seek. Fledge watch is on.

Alden is doing some ‘loafing’ too. Once those two chicks fledge he is going to be even more busy! So glad he signed up for all of this. You are fantastic, Alden.

Gosh. Do you remember when Alden had no idea how to feed a chick? maybe he had never seen one! – most likely.

Both fledgling ospreys from the UFlorida-Gainesville nest were having a fish dinner at 18:00! Lovely. These two have figured it out perfectly. Fly and get your wings strong. Learn about landings and take offs. Fly to the nest and be fed by Mum and Dad. When you are ready, 60 million years of knowledge will have you catching fish without realizing it….if there are fish to be caught.

They are gorgeous!

Oh, those three Black storklets of Jan and Janika are doing fabulous in rehab care at the Vet Clinic. The plastic decoy mother fell into the nest and the chicks were delighted!

Notice also that a couple of times they work to stand on their feet not walk on the ankles. It will not be long til they are standing and walking. Lovely crops. So healthy!

Today has had some really good news. We will continue to watch the Loch of the Lowes nest as well as wait for word of the ND-LEEF nest and Little Bit 17. Did I saw it was 96 degrees on the ground at the nest – hotter above! I hope 17 got some food.

Thank you so much for being with me. Lots of fledge watches – Star at Redding, Star at West End, the Cal Falcons, L4 at Cornell, National Arboretum, etc. The list is long! Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I grabbed my screen captures, for their FB postings and for the videos uploaded: Liz M and EMU, Peregrine Networks, Cal Falcons, Friends of Redding Eagles, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Friends of Redding Eagles, MN-DNR, Montana Osprey Project, Owl Research Project Explore.org, Dunrovin, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Dyfi Ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, LRWT, RSPB Loch Garten, Scottish Woodland Trust, Friends of Loch Arkaig and People’s Post Code Lottery, and CarnyXWild.