Tag Archives: hatch in Estonian forest for WTE

Friday Happenings in Bird World

Congratulations to Eve and Eerik on the hatch of White-tailed Eaglet #2 at the Matsalu National Park in Estonia. It looks like this little one joined its older sib around 10:47 am on 30 April (but I stand to be corrected). At that time, there is the most gentle look into the nest cup. The eggshell is clearly visible inside the cup.

This last image (below) was taken at 16:44 during a feeding. You will notice that the eggshell has been moved over to the edge of the nest now. What a beautiful image – the gentleness of these large eagles with their enormous beaks feeding their little ones. Two little bobble heads. How sweet.

You can watch this nest here:

Just as Eve and Eerik are welcoming their little ones, Samson and Gabby continue to call out and search the skies for Legacy. The last ‘for sure’ sighting of Legacy was at 9:53:51 on the 28th. Gabby was on the nest calling loudly for Legacy this morning at dawn, the 30th, along with Samson.

There is an individual, Gretchen Butler (apologies if this is spelled incorrectly), who monitors this nest and has done so for many years. It is my understanding that there are now ‘boots on the ground’ looking for Legacy. We all hope she is found and there is nothing seriously the matter. Hearts go out to Gabby and Samson today. They must be really missing their beautiful Legacy.

At 2:04 EDT, Gabby is still there on the branch scanning the horizon hoping that her Legacy will appear. It is heart wrenching.

30 April 2021. Gabby stares off over the tree tops hoping to see her beautiful Legacy.

There were two fish deliveries at the Achieva Osprey nest this morning. The first one came at 7:48.

The second fish arrived at 10:18. Look who has a crop left from the first fish and who is right up at the dinner table ready for more – it’s ‘Biggie’ Tot. And I am not surprised. S/he is growing leaps and bounds – just look at the size of those wings now. ‘Biggie’ Tot is catching up!

It is calm on the nest and my mind and heart are finally at ease. This little one is going to make it and fledge! And because s/he learned to be a scavenger to live, I am certain s/he has more than a best chance to survive out in the wild.

Some do not even recognize #3 or Biggie Tot but there s/he is standing looking out from the nest with sibling #2 who has the most copper at the back of their head just now.

Big Red and Arthur are not giving any secrets away. The weather has switched and it is windy in Ithaca, New York and this beautiful couple are dried out from the soggy weather on Thursday.

The eggs were laid on 26 and 29 March and 1 April. Big Red averages 38-41 days between the date the egg was laid and hatch. If she were to stay consistent, the first egg would hatch in 3-6 days. However, if we took 35 days which appears to be a general average for all hawks, then today would be the day. Oh, Big Red I wish you would give us some hints! You were talking to those Ks the other day!!!

At eighteen, Big Red is in incredible shape. She is simply an amazing mother and raising hawks is so different to watching the eagles especially when the clutch fledges. Big Red will make sure they learn to hunt while they are building up flight muscles.

Arthur is five years old. He is an amazing mate for Big Red. You will be shocked when you see the amount of prey he brings to her and the eyasses. What a hunter!

You can join the fun and watch this nest here:

The solar camera has just come on the California Condor nest at Big Sur. Eyes remain on that egg of Redwood Queen and Phoenix.

It is 1 degree C in Estonia on the White-tail Eagle nest but it is 31 degrees C on the Skidaway Island Osprey nest and the two little ones are hot. They are under Mom hoping to stay cool! Can you see them?

For those of you that watched the Loch Arkaig Osprey Nest last year along with the 400,000 others, sadness now surrounds that empty nest. Last year Louis and Aila raised three osplets to fledge. Their daily lives brought hope and joy to everyone. This year Louis fixed up the nest and waited for Aila’s arrival from Africa. She has yet to return. No one knows if she is injured and being cared for in a rehab clinic or if she perished during her migration. Poems and tributes are starting to come in and this one by Sue Wallbanks appeared on The Friends of Loch Arkaig FB today. I hope that Sue does not mind my sharing it with you.

Thank you to everyone for joining me today in Bird World. Congratulations to the people of Estonia on the hatch of the second White-tailed Eaglet. I will continue to monitor and post any news of Legacy and we will watch for hatch at both Big Red and Arthur’s nest and Redwood Queen and Phoenix’s nest.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I get my screen shots: Ventana Wildlife Society and explore.org, Cornell Bird Lab RTH Cam, Cornell Bird Lab and Skidaway Audubon, Achieva Credit Union, NE Florida Bald Eagle Nest and the AEF, and the Eagle Club of Estonia. Thank you also to the Friends of Loch Arkaig FB group and Sue Wallbank for the tribute to Alia.

Oh, pretty baby

The three eaglets at the Pittsburg Hays Bald Eagle Nest are doing fantastic. They are well fed, no one gets left out and, at times, they are so full they look like those blown up Michelin men that fly above some of the tire stores.

Annie and Grinnell decided that the fourth egg was a dud and moved it out of the way yesterday. The three little ones are growing like crazy and you can easily see they are getting their pin feathers. Like Pittsburg Hays eaglets, these three peregrine falcons are well looked after.

Annie and Grinnell have a great source of pigeon for the little eyasses.

This morning the oldest is exercising its wings!

Dennis Becht takes amazing photos of the Trio and their three eaglets on the Mississippi River nest near Fulton, Illinois. He shared the image below on the FB page of The Love Trio group and I hope it is alright to show it to you. Dennis takes wonderful photographs of the eagles on the river and of the trio and their life and sells them on his website. If you are interested, please Google his name and have a look.

The image below is Valor II on the left and Starr, the mum, on the right. Valor I is not in the photo. Both of the males help Starr with the kids – incubating which seems to be a favourite pastime and, of course, hunting. Babies are too big to brood! Just look at how happy they are. Everyone is smiling and playing.

Early in the morning the first egg of Eerik and Eve hatched. The first egg was laid on 20 March at 18:58. The second was laid on 24 March. Oh, that little one is so tiny. The parents will move the empty egg out of the nest. It is a very cold morning in Estonia, 1 degree C, and it was the father, Eerik who was on the nest when the little one hatched.

Oh, precious little baby. It was much warmer later in the day and the old egg is now gone. The nest of this pair of White Tail Eagles is in Matsalu National Park. It is recognized as the oldest breeding territory for the eagles in Estonia dating from 1870. This nest was established in the forest in 1996. Between 1996-2020, 29 eaglets have fledged. Let’s hope that number changes to 31 for 2021!

Congratulations Eerik and Eve!

The last time I checked there was no obvious pip on Big Red and Arthur’s eggs. I stared and stared at that middle egg almost thinking I was seeing a bit of a crack. Wishful thinking on my part it seems.

Arthur is on incubation duty on the Fernow light tower nest on the Cornell Campus in Ithaca, New York.

Yesterday Big Red was listening to the eyasses cheeping inside the eggs. Hatch is getting close when she can hear them. You might remember if you watched Annie and Grinnell’s falcon nest that both Annie and Grinnell listened to and talked to their babies so they will recognize the parents when they hatch. The Royal Albatross were actively listening this year to their egg as hatch approached also.

While I keep one eye on all nests, the other one is looking straight at the Achieva Osprey nest. #1 hatch fledged this morning at 7:38:34. It was a perfect take off.

The first fish of the morning came in at 8:55:51. #2 got the fish but Diane took it away at 9:23:13 and Tiny Tot pulled it away from her and did a magnificent job self feeding.

Tiny Tot is getting more confident and is less afraid of #2 now. Of course, there has been regular fish deliveries and this really helps to give the little ones a sense of security.

The fish changes hands a few times. By 10:45, in the image below, the fish is consumed and Tiny Tot has a bit of a crop. Both Tiny and #2 are busy watching something. Is it #1 flying?

A second fish was brought in by Diane at 11:48. #2 took charge and Tiny is staring at the fish letting mum and #2 know that it expects to get some of that yummy catch.

There are no worries. Diane is very good to make sure that Tiny Tot gets fed. He is enjoying his fish in the image below.

And then….something happens to disrupt that! At 12:13:09 #1 returns from her maiden flight. Is she right in time for a bit of fish?

Oh, dear. It is a bit of a tangle.

When everything calms down, Diane makes sure that #1 gets some fish along with Tiny Tot.

Well done #1. You deserve a whole fish to yourself! That was a brilliant fledge.

And last, but not least, there has been some concern about the food deliveries on the GHOW nest on the farm near Newton, Kansas. I do not know what Tiger and Lily had to eat during the night but, a bunny was delivered to the nest for them at 5:33am this morning, the 28th.

Check out the size of the owlet in the nest and the parent on the branch. You can clearly see the bunny that Clyde left just before dawn now. That bunny will not last long!

It is a great day in Bird World. Looking for more hatches in the next few days. Right now, all is well.

Thank you for joining me!

Thank you to the following streaming cams where I grab my screen shots: Farmer Derek, Cornell Bird Lab and RTH at Ithaca, Achieva Credit Union, UC Falcon Cam, Pittsburg Hays Bald Eagle Cam, the provider for the Merikotkas: Haliaeetus albicilla solar cam, the Eagle Club of Estonia. Thank you also to The Trio FB page and Dennis Becht for the still image of Valor II, Starr, and the three eaglets.