It’s raining – again. We had 114 mm of rain, and some large commercial and apartment buildings near where I live had more than 60 cm of water in their basement. My daughter still does not have power after the storm hit last night. I was lucky. I have power and no water or sewer in my basement (I finally checked). Toby and I went out for a last walk. Toby just amazes me. He is smarter than many humans that I know.
He wanted to be in bed with his ‘daddy’ today. Don is doing well, but he will have to do a lot of physiotherapy to get him strong enough to walk again. Please take a page out of the phrase, ‘If you don’t use it, you will lose it’. Besides nature being good for our mental health, walking is essential to keep us moving!
Thank you for all your good wishes. They keep me going.
There is concern growing for the male mate of the female incubating four eggs at 367 Collins Street in Melbourne. This is the message from Victor Hurley:
C22 is still at Charlo! Then Charlie must still be home, too.
Iris is still home, too! One of the individuals saw her and posted it on the website so we would know she was still around.
Idris continues to deliver to the girls at the nest. I was only able to catch Elsi on the nest today for two fish (flat – flounder?).
Fish are still being delivered to 0U0 by Dad at the Usk Valley nest in Wales.
Frankie and Angel are on migration and a pine marten visits the nest.
Viki sends news on Junior. “After calling and calling last Friday and watching Dad retrieve a fish (two times in the course of the day) to eat himself, but NOT retrieving any fish I threw for him to take to his chick, Junior finally left the nest, and no one has been in it since.
Dad tried with every unretrieved fish I threw to show Junior how to fly over the fish – but Junior wouldn’t get off that nest. Until finally we all gave up and left. Then he did too.
Junior never tried to retrieve a fish that I threw for himself, so I’m not so sure that the live fish I saw him with a couple times didn’t actually come from Mom or Dad. I don’t know.
Dad was still flying about this morning – Monday – and also the male of the nest next door (Mr. Perfect) is still guarding his territory which is being completely disrupted on shore by new home construction – but no Junior or food calling since Friday.
So, I am assuming the best !!!”
I think this is good news from Tweed. I worried about Christopher, but both juveniles (his sister is Kirsti) seem to be doing well and fighting like siblings! Both have protected the nest from intruders who want their fish.
Thank you so much for being with us. Toby and I are going to watch a movie and relax. Take care.
Thank you to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams that let us glimpse into the challenging lives of our raptors. I also want to thank Viki for her great reporting and for keeping an osprey family alive so that their one surviving chick could live and migrate. She is my hero.I am always grateful to SK Hideaways for their great videos.
Thank you so much for your prayers, your notes, e-mails, and comments. I really appreciate them. Don is very, very ill. At the moment, he has multiple infections, and he is not responding. He remains in a state of delirium, the same as he was Thursday morning when he went into the hospital. He has the best of care and there is someone with him 24/7 and the doctor has asked me to take a day off and take care of myself. I have done everything I possibly can and now we wait. Ann is going to be with him today and she will let me know if he is improving or if I need to grab Toby and get to the hospital fast. Otherwise, I am going to try and recharge my depleted batteries a bit.
The good news (and then the bad) is that Don responded to the antibiotics and had a good visit with Ann. He was ‘bright eyed and bushy tailed’ as my mother would have said. He also had a good visit with his brother. And then – he fell. They are supposed to have someone with him 24/7. That did not happen. He injured his upper right arm, his right ribs, and hit his head on a concrete floor. He knew me and he knew Toby when we got to the hospital but it is clear he is not the same as he had been a few hours earlier. I don’t get ‘worked up’ easily but when I do – watch out. All I can say is that he is monitored at home and has never fallen. When he wandered, he only made it to the neighbour’s house and then we had that fixed so he could be in the garden but not beyond it and sometimes only in the house. So when someone tells me that they are concerned for his safety at home and he needs 24/7 care, is this the best they can do?—–Thank you for letting me vent!
Before the fall, Ann took it. I even talked to him on the phone and it was all good:
The big news for the day in Bird World is that Gabby has returned safely to the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest she shares with Beau (who has already arrived).
I want to thank Geemeff for their wonderful summaries and videos from Loch Arkaig all season. You will see that they are off on their own adventure – migrating away from the UK to enjoy some other climates. Bon Voyage, Geemeff! Likes the ospreys – travel safe, eat well, and come back safely!!!!!
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 29th August 2026
A peaceful calm day with just a little harassment by the Hoodies, but Juniper managed to keep both of Louis’ two deliveries safe from them. The second fish was the season’s first mackerel, polished off by Juniper in under twenty minutes, which took the Nest Two tally to four hundred and seventy three. Will Juniper stick around long enough for the tally to reach five hundred? As always, it’s wait and see but the days are drawing in and warmer climes will start beckoning. The weather was mild and settled but that’s set to change to persistent cloud cover and periodic spells of rain overnight with a low of 12°C, and cool and wet tomorrow with a high of just 16°C.
I’m off on an adventure of my own tomorrow, so I’ll take this opportunity to give my best wishes to everyone until we meet again for Season Eleven, and wish our feathered family fair winds and plenty of fish on their journey south.
Maya and Blue 33 were still enjoying one another’s company at Rutland’s Manton Bay nest after the kids had flown the coop yesterday. I love how they enjoy spending time together. I have only seen Blue 33 today.
Latest report from Usk Valley in Wales – ospreys still hitting the nest.
Some gorgeous images of Wensi – thank you cam operator, again.
Thank you for being with us today. It is a gorgeous evening and Toby and I are off for a walk. He was fantastic at the hospital and proved how good he is at being a therapy dog to everyone who wanted to sit and pat him for awhile.
Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to Geemeff, to the AEF, to everyone who created videos, to Jeff Kear and UK Osprey Information, to those who write newsletters, and to the owners of the streaming cams that let us see these amazing birds. We are grateful.
With all the ospreys migrating and eggs being laid in the Southern Hemisphere – along with those little white balls of goodness at the WBSE nest in the Olympic Park in Sydney, there isn’t a lot of news.
That said, it is easy to forget that there are eaglets still in the nest, and Patience – Glacier Gardens 10 (GG10) branched this morning! She is 86 days old, and her sibling, Compassion, is 84 days old. Dad Prosperity brought in a fish to celebrate the milestone in his eldest eaglet’s life. [Note: The average age for Bald Eagles to fledge in the far north is longer than it is in the southern parts of the US].
It is a beautiful morning. The birds have been fed, and we are awaiting our monthly subscription, which I presume will arrive on Monday. They have eaten more than anticipated, which is going to make me reexamine what type of seed to use and how much to put out! It is one thing to get peanuts, and it is another to have the squirrels cache them despite having food year-round!!!! We had lots of peanut plants in the garden this year.
The Ojai Raptor Centre posted on FB that they are still waiting for test results and will combine them with necropsy results, etc., and issue a final statement once all the dots can be connected. That way we will have a clear indication (we hope) of what caused Jackie to be so ill during those days, weeks, or months.
At the Peregrine Falcon scrape at Great Spirit Bluff, Elaine and Newmann are pair bonding. Don’t forget to watch that fabulous couple at 367 Collins Street – how many eggs will be laid this year? four? And then there is Diamond and Gimbir – but, as always, I miss Annie. Thankfully, we have Monty and Hartley who seem to have the most characterful little eyases at San Jose City Hall!
News from The Osprey House Environment Centre – where one seemingly healthy chick with a nice ‘ps’ remains for George and Hope:
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 27th August 2026 Today was all about fish! While Steve Quinn and WTS George were presenting the very interesting webinar on fishy stats and forest restoration this evening, super fisherbird Louis was still delivering fish and equalling his all-time record by bringing nine fish in one day. That record had stood since 18th June 2020, the year when there were three chicks and an adult female to feed. This time there’s only one chick, Juniper 8P7, to feed, plus a couple of cheeky Hoodies who sneak in and steal fish whenever they can. Louis’ hard work means the Nest Two tally takes a massive jump to four hundred and seventy. The day ended with a visit from a Barn Owl to Nest One. The weather was settled today and should remain so overnight with a low of 13°C but changing to drizzle by morning then generally cloudy and cool for the rest of the day with a high of 18°C. Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/PDk0fe7j1WA N2 Two fish in under ten minutes but Juniper nips Louis! 06.03.10; 06.12.56https://youtu.be/9G213H8liYI N2 Another fish, another nip when Louis brings number three 06.44.11https://youtu.be/naLGFy9qp2s N2 Hoodies steal fish as Juniper departs with fish three 07.07.42https://youtu.be/f5F_6aGoCOY N2 Louis brings fish four and doesn’t get nipped! 07.44.49https://youtu.be/IrKzeQrhQew N2 Juniper flies with a fish in each foot 08.15.18 (zoom)https://youtu.be/5d9SiX1s90A N2 Dedicated dad brings a fifth fish for his chick 11.23.14https://youtu.be/GxH_iG_oD5w N2 Juniper uses fish six as a pillow 12.36.23https://youtu.be/4EJeTjlPNs8 N2 Fish seven arrives before Juniper has finished fish six 17.38.27https://youtu.be/2fdYDARzjcE N2 Juniper returns with fish seven to get fish eight from Louis 20.27.28https://youtu.be/-_UzPpLHMx4 N2 Super fisherbird Louis brings record-equalling fish nine! 20.43.54 https://youtu.be/BFXxBb_S1F0 N1 A Barn Owl (Strix aluco) pays a visit 22.51.44
Louis is incredible. Amber hasn’t been seen in a while, and we hope she and Dorcha are well. Juniper is certainly reaping the benefits of being the only osplet at home.
It is nearing the end of the season at Loch Arkaig and I want to thank Geemeff for always sharing her report with us. She is off on an adventure for a bit.
In Manitoba we still have ospreys at the nest and eagles and reports are coming in from Nova Scotia about successful nests. That is wonderful. Once I get some compilation of that I will share it with you.
Wensi fish calling this morning:
I’ll also be away for a few days. Don had a rapid decline yesterday and has gone into the hospital. I am going to use this time to recharge my batteries. I will be back with you next week. In the meantime, please do take care of yourself. Remember to put out water for migrating birds and turn off your lights. If you can, put out food. The birds need it! We’ve destroyed much of their habitat.
Thank you to Geemeff, all the owners of streaming cams, and the individuals who post information and images on FB. Otherwise, we might not always know what is happening to our dear raptor families.
Wednesday was a lovely day. Don and Ann spent time around our duck pond, full of ducks, geese, and people having a good time. It was all topped off with an ice cream dipped in chocolate sauce. We ended the day sitting outside and taking a late walk with Toby. The leaves are definitely changing – the golden touch of the setting sun really highlights the changes every evening. The temperatures are still those of summer – 25 C. The farmer’s markets are full of fresh corn, local honey, blueberries, cherries, and peaches. It is one of my favourite times of the year! Tomorrow I am going to try and make charred corn and black bean nachos. There is a wonderful recipe in The Guardian this evening. Looks easy and delicious.
Thank you to the staff of The Guardian~!
Tomorrow, Miyoung arrives to cut our hair. Toby is in dire need, too, but I think I am going to leave him with his great feathering and his grinch feet. He loves his baths, and we cut out any mats that he gets, especially the burrs that he gets tangled in when he goes to the back of the property. He is so good at sitting and letting me clean the fur off the bottom of his pads and any mats—and he loves the massage with shampoo!!!!!!!!! What a joy he is to care for, especially since he doesn’t like going to the groomers so much. (We get his nails trimmed and his bottom tidied at the vet surgery).
I might just make this, take the laptop outside, and watch Wensi. The camera operators gave us some amazing images on Wednesday as Wensi got a fish delivery. Don’t ask me if it was Clarke or Iris – it was quick. No one wants their leg taken off by a ravished fledgling!
Iris and Clarke continue to provide fish for Wensi. This is surely one of the healthiest ospreys in the US this season. I would give anything if Wensi had a Darvic ring so we could hear about her in the future.
‘PB’ sent me a note saying M15 had returned to the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest in Fort Myers, ending his summer vacation. Will the female that he has been seen with join him?
At Big Bear, Shadow was caught on camera calling out to Kaydee, who responded. SK Hideaways has them and their morning duet – have a listen! https://youtu.be/YULMHzwlwJk?
Lizmn catches up with Milda, the White-tailed Eagle of Durbe County, Latvia, delivering fish but no fledglings there to grab it! https://youtu.be/p3omLB2V54M?
Beau is working on those restorations before Gabby gets home!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Wednesday 26th August 2026 It’s clear Season Ten is winding down – the Hoodies are very bold, there’s only one chick and Louis still around, and night cam is switching over earlier each night. Louis brought one fish today, a flatfish, and Juniper managed to finish it despite harassment by a Hoodie. The Nest Two tally now stands at four hundred and sixty one, including five brought by Dorcha. The weather was settled today, cloudy and achieving a high of about 20°C, and should continue cloudy overnight with a low of 13°C, and sunny intervals tomorrow with a high of 22°C.
I will be listening to the webinar tomorrow (1300 Winnipeg time).
Its almost Open House at our local wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre, Wildlife Haven. They have now taken in twice as many patients in the first half of the year than they did all of last year!
Check out your local rescues and see if they have an Open House – and remember, save those clean, well-used towels and sheets. They can use them! Clearing out a house of a loved one? Don’t just chuck everything in the bin. Rescue centres need storage bins, woodworking tools, stainless steel dishes, laundry detergent, bleach – you name it – including toys for enrichment.
We are hoping to attend. We haven’t missed an Open House in years.
Get the tissues out. ‘PB’ sent me a link to a tribute to Jackie that I think you will enjoy: https://youtu.be/S7KAIlAcHLk?
There are still ospreys at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
SE38 is sometimes shy about eating. We are all cheering that little one on – and Lady is helping. SK Hideaways captures Lady’s tender encouragement on video: https://youtu.be/ugAnJczXunw?
Now how many eggs do we have at Port Lincoln? Are there two? We are waiting. Bart says between 72-78 hours. As I am watching it is now 76.6 hours since egg 1 so any time!
For those worried that Mum isn’t incubating the eggs all day, this is delayed incubation. It helps get the chicks to hatch closer together. Some of the UK osprey females have made an ‘art’ of delayed incubation, hatching three chicks on the same day – sometimes within a few hours. It really does help with all of the bonking, and oh, do our ospreys love to bonk one another for dominance and fish.
She laid her second egg this morning.
Good news from the Ventana Wildlife:
Christopher has fledged at Tweed Valley this morning.
Some more good news coming out of Wales:
Thank you so much! We love having you with us. It is a gorgeous day for haircuts and then a trip to the country. Toby says it is a great day for ice cream cones! Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to all the contributors – SK Hideaways, Geemeff, all those who post on FB, including the UK Osprey Information group! Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams for letting us see the lives of these amazing birds, and to ‘PB ‘, who is very busy but always sends me news. Thank you. Also a big shout out to the Guardian food contributors for that great recipe – try it! And check out their page on the newspaper site along with their environmental news.
Did Iris deliver the fish to Wensi? And was it Clarke who did the stop-and-go? I thought it was the other way around but I can easily be wrong. It happened very quickly!——-Regardless, all three were at the nest within seconds of one another. Iris is still here. Wensi is still getting fish deliveries. Clarke is home, too. All is good.
We have the first egg of the season for Mum and Dad at the Port Lincoln barge in South Australia. At 07:15:50 but Mum has danced around because of the rain and there was only a split second glimpse to confirm that she had laid that first egg.
Fish fairies: Start gathering the fish funds!
Clyde with a partially eaten trout at the Alyth SS Substation osprey nest that once belonged to Harry and Flora. No sign of Blue NC0 today. Has she departed? or is she fishing for herself? Both at the nest yesterday.
Blue 9L2 enjoying a nice fish delivery while sibling is fish calling at Lyn Brenig.
Massive fish at the Gilestone nest in the Usk Valley in Wales. These juveniles are filling up across the UK.
Wishing for fish at Dunrovin.
Ospreys around the Sandpoint nest. Where is Phoenix?
At OBX, Bandit (chick 2) caught a fish the other day. She is thinking about fishing today but hoping for a delivery.
Dylan and Seren were on the nest together at Llyn Clywedog today.
Geemeff’s latest Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 23rd August 2026 A very quiet day today, just a little Hoodie action with Juniper seeing off a persistent crow, and Louis bringing her a single fish, giving her something to scream about as it wasn’t very big and he didn’t answer her fish calls after that. The Nest Two tally now stands at four hundred and fifty four. Aurora 536 is still in Dorset and photographer Mark Wright took more photos, link in the bonus section. The weather was cloudy and cool which will continue overnight with a low of 8°C, changing to partly sunny and warming up in the afternoon with a high of 19°C. Today’s videos:
More photos from Mark Wright of Aurora taken today at Lytchett Bay in Poole Harbour, Dorset:
Osprey (536 – Aurora)Much more distant todayStill present in Lytchett Bay, Dorset this morning@harbourbirds.bsky.social @ukoi.bsky.social @wtscotsocial.bsky.social
It is a gorgeous Sunday afternoon on the Canadian prairies. The sky is a clear blue and there is a breeze making the 25 C temperatures seem slightly cooler. It was a lovely day for walks with Toby and, because Don slept last night, I woke up feeling like a new person. It is amazing how a good night’s sleep makes all the difference to our lives!!!!!!! Don has been waking up every hour and a half. Normally he is ‘very quiet ‘, but for the past week, he has come to my room and turned on the light, waking up Hugo Yugo, Toby, and me. Of course, he was simply confused about where his room is, but he had also been making a bit of a mess in the kitchen. Last night, I decided to try and tire him out, so he was given the job of sweeping the deck and helping me break up the old cedar feeders. We put them in the thick forest area of the back garden where they will decompose and provide places for insects that the birds enjoy so much. I love that area of the garden. It is completely ‘wild’ – not touched by a human hand except for us placing this wood there. It is full of birds and squirrels enjoying life in the middle of a big Canadian city. It just makes me so happy to provide them with a safe place to rest and eat. In addition to helping with the deck, we gave Toby an ‘extra’ walk and I made certain that Don did not fall asleep until 2100. he woke up once at 2300 and then slept until 0715. (I have cameras watching his every move). He got dressed, got a drink and quietly dosed on and off on the sofa until Toby and I got up at 0900. Magnificent.
As a result, we have rearranged the living room and cleaned it a bit, cleaned out the fridge, and had a couple of walks with Toby, but the real treat was having fresh blueberries in pancakes for breakfast with our local maple syrup. It was delicious and something I rarely get to, since I am usually too tired to be bothered. Don loves pancakes, and he ate them, smiling with every bite. I was so happy.
It is fairly quiet with all of the birds. Fish are (or not) being delivered in preparation for migration which has started. Many of the UK females left at the beginning of August. Blue 35 from Foulshaw Moss left on the 9th of August followed by Blue 717 from another Foulshaw Moss nest on the 14th. Aurora departed and has been photographed fishing at Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour. Geemeff sent me a great photograph of her. – and credits are given in Geemeff’s summary below but this is about Darvic rings.
How would we know that this is Aurora? Well, only by her underwing pattern or the pattern on top of her head. Of course, the Darvic ring on her left leg tells us its distinct number. I am a strong proponent for ringing the osplets in the nest. I am so very grateful that this is common practice in the UK. Some states research osprey, but every day I hope someone has ringed Wensi or the Ps to learn about their dispersal. Of course, I really want every surviving osprey and eaglet to be ringed around age 35 days (or at the appropriate time per species).
We held our breath as it was reported that a fishing line was attached to the back of little SE37 at the Sydney Olympic Park WBSE nest. It was horrible to see – just like the little fluffy ball had been caught by someone fishing, but through the back. Thankfully, a miracle happened, and the hook fell off into the nesting material. Of course, it is still an issue because it’s still there, but let us hope the adults’ experience means they will make sure it is worked into the nest or removed.
All I could think when I heard about the hook was my goodness what else can happen this year?
Locals have an eye on Beau at the NE Florida nest where he has been seen perched a short distance from the nest. Gabby will be arriving soon!
Everyone is still home at Hellgate Canyon. Wensi on the nest fish calling. Clarke arrives with a huge headless fish and then, to our surprise, Iris photobombs!
Sleepy Wensi on the nest hoping for a breakfast fish.
Clarke does a quick drop trying to protect his talons and flies off.
Here comes Mum Iris to check on things.
Iris reminded me of the pilots learning to take off and land – she literally touched the nest and took off again. I hope she found a big fish. Like you, I worry about Iris – she is so loved, and I want to see her often before she departs. We do not know what the next migration will bring, but I hope the winds of late March and April return our beloved Iris to us as well as Clarke.
Wensi had trouble eating the head of the fish and he flew off with it. Did he go to the Owl Pole? Does he need Mum to help? Will he lose his big fish to an intruder?
Not on the Owl Pole.
It is raining at Blackbush Beach Resort in PEI, Canada. No one seen at the nest.
The two fledglings at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum are doing so well – fish are being delivered to the nest and they look to be in good condition.
There have been a few updates about Sol, the osplet from the Fru Rauer nest, which was taken in for care and then placed in a foster nest. According to the chat, Sol was seen on the ground and then flew off over the treetops when she noticed humans. It is unknown whether the foster male is feeding her off the nest.
White 63L was on the Fru Rauer nest today.
Another angle. Beautiful osplet.
And then two waiting for fish.
Maya and Blue 33 at Rutland Water today. What a gorgeous couple. They finally get to spend some time together before Maya departs on her migration.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 22nd August 2026
Today’s big news is the sighting of Aurora 536 at Lytchett Bay in Poole Harbour a week after her last appearance on nest cam on the 14th. This is the second year running she’s been sighted there by the photographer Mark Wright, she was seen last year on 18-19th August so this is obviously a familiar route for her and a known place to stock up on food before making the crossing over to Europe and then across to Africa. Link to Mark’s photos in the bonus section. Louis and Juniper are the only family members still around, he brought her three fish today, taking the Nest Two tally to four hundred and fifty three. Steve Quinn published his usual thorough analysis of the fishing stats today, a search for Nest 2 fish summary to week 18 will bring up his post. There was an interesting discussion aroundLizB ‘s theory that Amber’s early departure at a very young age might mean she could be male, and could be Chick One rather than Chick Two. Both are possible but as always, we can only speculate and hope to see or hear of Amber as an adult and perhaps answer one of those questions. The weather was settled, cloudy and cool today, and should continue overnight with a low of 11°C, a chance of light rain showers tomorrow morning then cloudy and dry with a high of 15°C.
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/r4tOzShipbY N2 Juniper takes her breakfast fish with a lot of noise 06.15.55https://youtu.be/6g-Kz9WCG9Y N2 Coal Tits and Blue Tits flit around the nest 12.08.52https://youtu.be/1f_iytCua-I N2 Louis brings a flatfish for Juniper 19.07.25https://youtu.be/3ARP09vhi0g N2 Fish number three is gone in three minutes 19.42.34 Bonus photos – Aurora 536 spotted in Poole Harbour by Mark Wright – she was seen there 18-19 August last year, so she’s taking a familiar route south:
Osprey 536 aka Aurora from Nest 1 at Loch Arkaig, ScotlandSeen today in Lytchett Bay, Dorset, England@harbourbirds.bsky.social @ukoi.bsky.social
Thank you so much for being with us today. It is mid-afternoon. Time for tea and some shortbread and then to discover what I can find to keep Don tired tonight! Wish me luck.
Have a good end to your week, everyone. Take care of yourselves. If you feel overwhelmed, please just stop and take a deep breath. If you can, go for a walk or sit quietly, even for a few minutes, and listen to songbirds. It is easy to reach burnout. It is easy to become so anxious. I suggest stopping watching the news altogether. We do, and while a little filters through with e-mail, most of the time I am oblivious to what is happening outside my little world. It gives me peace. Sometimes that is what we really need. Peace and quiet.
Thank you to Geemeff for those wonderful images, videos, and the summary; to everyone who posts on FB and includes images; and to the owners of the streaming cams who let us share in the good and the bad that happens at the nests!
It is ‘the golden’ time in the garden. The sun is setting and there is a peachy-apricot- with a touch of lilac glow that kisses all of the western branches of the trees and the shrubs in the garden. Mr Crow is cawing. There are gulls, hundreds of them, flying overhead. They have found insects! The feeders are now quiet. Toby is beside me on the bench and like ant toddler, he wants my attention. No more computer!
I cannot wait to take him to the beach next Saturday. I think a lifejacket needs to be purchased, just in case he is not the great swimmer I think he is. Don is going to sit and watch his grandson, Carter, fishing. It is set to be the perfect end of the summer – ospreys included. The family and their chicks are still at their nest! So excited.
Today I am baking a peach kuchen. Every summer I make at least one, usually a plum one, in memory of one of my dearest friends, Rosemarie. We lived in Southern Manitoba, and our children were friends in the 1970s. She was remarkable. Her parents had sent her over the Berlin Wall to freedom – and that is how she came to be in Canada. I treasure all the recipes she taught me and the time we spent together. They moved to BC, where her husband had a position with the CBC. I left for the UK, and we lost touch. Thank goodness for memories!
Prayers for the people and wildlife in the zone of the hurricane.
The Guardian shows how rewilding can help against drought – and that is something many need to consider.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 21st August 2026 No sight of Amber 8P6 again today so it looks like she might have headed south, very young, but then she always was very determined and ahead of her older sister. Juniper 8P7 is very much still here, on and off the nest throughout the day and always announcing her arrival, occupation, and departure. She’s had to contend with several Hoodie invasions today and shows no hesitation lunging at them to drive them off, defending her fish and using a crow voice just like her mum Dorcha did. At one stage she flew off the nest clutching a fish, circled round, landed with it then took off again, possibly to find a place to eat without attendant Hoodies. Louis brought her two new fish, taking the Nest Two tally to four hundred and fifty, and his personal tally to four hundred and forty five, however there was also plenty of leftover fish from yesterday, and the Hoodies managed to get some while Juniper was away. No activity at Nest One bar a couple of songbirds. The weather was settled today and will continue dry but
chilly overnight with a low of 7°C, continuing dry and bright tomorrow with sunny intervals and a high of 15°C. Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/t5D_e4cLKwI N2 Louis brings fish one but several of yesterday’s are still there 06.07.15https://youtu.be/ZawjOTbmSDA N2 Juniper tries to protect her fish from a marauding Hoodie 11.09.48https://youtu.be/HDLYdQM9HkM N2 Fish number two arrives and so does a Hoodie 11.53.37https://youtu.be/tX2bGpkf4FkN2 Juniper flies with fish and aHoodie enjoys the leftovers 16.40.47
Bonus webinar – next Thursday 27th, with analysis by @SteveQuinn of Louis’ fishing performance and other nest activity this season, and an update from @WTScotland on the restoration of Arkaig Community Forest, with a Q&A afterwards:
The birds are on the move. What can you do to help? Turn out your lights! Ask your town and City to turn off their lights. Leave out water and if you can, put out food!
We now have at least 300 birds eating in the evening. My daughter gave me two triple-tube feeders…we are going through seed as the songbirds make their way south to their winter homes. I am so glad I can help them, along with the ones who live here all winter.
An article about a Snowy Owl – and just to note, the first Snowy Owl, has been photographed in Manitoba this season. Some interesting research – have a short read!
A satellite-tracked female snowy owl in the eastern Canadian Arctic spent 186 days on sea ice, hunting ducks at open water cracks in the pack ice hundreds of miles from land in total winter darkness. The biologists who tagged her expected her to fly south for the winter. She flew north onto the frozen ocean. The finding flabbergasted them. Inuit seal hunters had known about it for centuries.
Jean-François Therrien, a doctoral student at Université Laval working with professor Gilles Gauthier, tagged 12 adult female snowy owls on Bylot Island in Nunavut as part of an International Polar Year research project studying key indicator species of northern ecosystems. When winter came, the tracking data showed something nobody in the academic world had documented with technology. Eight of the 12 owls spent more than 95 percent of their winter locations over sea ice or along the coast. Six adult females spent most of the winter far out on the Arctic sea ice. One stayed there for 186 consecutive days. She was not lost. She was not drifting. She was hunting.
The ocean freezes across the Canadian Arctic every winter but it does not freeze solid. Leads and polynyas, cracks and pools of open water, persist throughout the ice sheet. Sea ducks, particularly eiders, and seabirds concentrate at these openings because the open water is where the food is. The owls found the ducks by finding the water. Gauthier described the hypothesis directly: bird researchers at coastal field sites have observed snowy owls attacking eiders in winter. If the satellite positions of the owls matched the locations of open water leads recorded by other satellite systems, the connection would be confirmed.
The owls were not behaving like the animal most people picture when they hear the words snowy owl. Most people imagine a white bird sitting on a fence post in a farm field somewhere in Minnesota or upstate New York, hunting mice in the snow. That version of the snowy owl is real. It is the owl that shows up on Christmas Bird Counts and birding websites and nature documentaries filmed in places where camera crews can reach. The other version, the one the Inuit have always known, is an owl that flies north when winter starts, lands on sea ice in the Arctic dark, finds a crack in the frozen ocean, and sits beside it killing ducks at temperatures that drop below minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
The isotope data confirmed the diet shift. Stable isotope analysis of feathers showed that marine prey made up a substantial portion of the winter diet for owls that chose the sea ice. A snowy owl that breeds on lemmings in the summer and switches to sea ducks in the winter is not a rodent specialist. It is a predator that changes its entire hunting strategy, its prey base, and its habitat seasonally, moving from tundra grassland to frozen ocean the way a seasonal worker changes job sites.
Project SNOWstorm, a US-based tracking initiative that has followed more than 115 snowy owls with GPS transmitters since 2013, found the same behavior at a smaller scale on the Great Lakes. Snowy owls wintering in the northern United States moved out onto frozen Lake Michigan and Lake Erie for weeks at a time, hunting ducks at the cracks that opened and closed between wind-driven ice sheets. The researchers described the Great Lakes behavior as practice for the full Arctic version: owls learning or maintaining the ice-hunting skills that adult females use on the Arctic Ocean in the years when they stay north.
Source: Therrien et al., Université Laval / Gauthier, Université Laval / ScienceDaily / Project SNOWstorm / Birds of the World, Cornell / Old Farmer’s Almanac / COSEWIC (2025).
Bonding sessions are taking place at the Peregrine Falcon scrape of Gimbir and Diamond on Charles Sturt University in Orange, Australia.
Great news. Aurora from Loch Arkaig nest 1 has been photographed in Poole Harbour fishing! Fantastic.
Viki sends us her latest:
“I am pretty certain Junior brought a live fish back to the north copse overlooking his nest – I haven’t seen either parent all morning!!!!
I AM AS PROUD AS A PARENT !!!!! He’s gonna make it !!!”
“Well, he clearly still needs plenty of fish as do his parents, apparently. And that little snit will NOT dive for a frozen bait fish I throw – but Dad (and I think Mom) will …. But they took 2 or 3 fish before Dad carried one out to Junior – who, btw, whether he stole that live fish out of another’s nest or not, dropped at least half of it —- TEENAGERS !!!
But aside from all that, I am so proud of that crazy, crafty #2 chick and his dad!!!!
Back out to throw some more fish. Dad is hanging around so maybe Junior will get some and SHUT UP!!! LOL”
“Junior had been practicing dragging his feet in the water. When he saw me coming down the deck with the fish bag he returned to nest but flew off his nest when I tossed the fish and must have been thinking about going for it, but flew off the wrong direction and Dad got it and brought it to their other “veranda” -nest. So I threw another. Junior just looked and kept calling. Dad brought the fish he’d had to Junior and then did four or five more dives for the other fish TO SHOW JUNIOR HOW TO DO IT RIGHT BEFORE MY VERY EYES !!!
Amazing. And now that I’ve picked my second tick off for that effort I’ll hit the shower. Sheesh.”
Viki is my heroine. She has kept this single osprey family alive on Indian Creek, Maryland, where there should have been 5- 60 chicks; one survived because of her. My heart beats softer and happier because good people like Viki exist in the world.
I love this family and I am so afraid that Iris will not return next spring. We want them to live forever, don’t we?
Clark has a fish. No one comes. In flies Wensi…Clark returns with the fish!
Ospreys at Charlo at night but during the day it seems they are over at Roger’s Place.
No one is home at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Mum continues to provide fish at Santiam. I am not clear what is happening at Blackbush.
One of my favourites, Blue 33, checking the nest at Rutland. The gulls are moving in – known as the clean-up crews – when they think a nest is just about at the end of the season. Blue 33 will be the last to leave after all the youngsters and Maya.
At Tweed Valley:
Kielder’s Kirknewton was the intruder at Dylan and Seren’s nest at Llyn Clywedog. How grand.
Teifi and Elen fledged their entire clutch of three. Beautiful osplets!
It is a wonderful day. Viki added a note that I will put here: “Your stamina as a caregiver is extraordinary. I can’t imagine how you get anything else done. Your husband is very fortunate for having been so unfortunate.
Thinking of you – and so you’ll smile –” . And, yes, I did smile at the incredible feat she undertook to keep that osprey family alive. Bravo. In a world when too many ‘count’ the dead, it is a relief that someone dares to feed.
It is exhausting being a caregiver. I am not sure I have any stamina at all. I am busy reading several books, including one that our reader and friend, ‘R ‘, recommended. My goal is to enrich Don’s life as much as possible, try to understand when he has trouble communicating, and recognise that he is also frustrated living in a body where he is not the person he was. Still, we try to make every day a little special. It could be a friend’s visit, a trip to the park, a walk with Toby – it doesn’t need to be much. The trips to the farm are excellent, and we are definitely looking forward to going to the beach next week!
Take care everyone. We will see you soon.
Thank you to all the contributors today – to Geemeff, to the owners of the streaming cams, to those that post information and images on FB – we thank you so very much!
We hope that the beginning of the week has been good to each and every one of you. The weather has certainly cooled off on the Canadian prairies, and it’s wonderful! We seem to have a bit of a spring in our step – at least in the morning before we get too tired!!!!!!!
Ann took Don to Fort Whyte today, and they walked the Buffalo Trail and saw pelicans and Cormorants. Don said, ‘It was a good day!’ That is wonderful. Toby and I are still doing the Swedish death cleaning. We had things from the attic that needed sorting, and we got that done today while Don and Ann were gone. It felt good. Tomorrow is my ‘running around’ day, but for now we are going to enjoy a fresh peach crisp with ice cream and a quick dinner of salad and chicken. Oh, I love these easy end-of-summer meals.
We are all concerned about the environment and the changes that we are seeing. I am profoundly concerned about the impact on wildlife, especially the raptors. Roy Dennis’ the founder of the Roy Dennis Foundation and the individual who reintroduced ospreys to Scotland amongst other places has written an blog that should be of interest to us all.
Past news from Geemeff about the goings on at Loch Arkaig:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 17th August 2026
Garry LV0 is still here, he visited Nest One today, bringing a stick and staying for a minute before flying off, perching on Pole Tree then flying eastward out of sight. A few small feathered visitors investigated the nest but there was no sign of Aurora 536, last seen on the 14th, and Garry didn’t bring any fish so his tally remains at two hundred and one. The Nest Two cam is still out until probably Wednesday, therefore using Steve Quinn’s formula, the adjusted fish total for Nest Two is now four hundred and thirty four. Thanks to LizB and her spotting scope, we know a chick was seen at 15.10 eating on the nest, with attendant Hoodie on the cam post. A chick was also seen at other times in the morning, whether both sisters or the same one, can’t be determined. There was heavy rain in the afternoon and evening and at the time of filing this report (22.30) it’s still raining. Heavy rain is forecast throughout the night with a low of 13°C, changing to light rain showers, a gentle breeze and occasional sunny spells with a high of 16°C tomorrow.
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 16th August 2026 Nest Two cam is still down, Nest One cam is up for two thirds of the day but no one came to the nest today, and no one was observed in the area. Have Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 left? Garry was last seen on nest cam at
17.28.25 on Thursday 13th, and Aurora at 08.55.46 on Friday 14th, however, an Osprey was observed near the nest yesterday 15th, and recorded via long lens from across the loch by LizB, but too far away to identify. She also recorded one of the chicks chasing a Hoodie today, both clips are in the today’s videos section, and observed a fascinating sequence where a chick and a Kestrel chased a White-tailed Eagle! Hyvor no longer allows active links to comments, so scroll to LizB N2 17.08, and you’ll be able to read about the whole episode. Steve Quinn posted his weekly analysis of the fishing stats for Louis, currently being estimated daily until the cam is back on line, and still showing clear differences between years with males and years with females – search for Nest 2 fish summary to week 17 to read the full post. After overnight rain, the weather was mainly settled today and forecast to be cloudy and dry overnight with a low of 12°C, changing to heavy rain with a high of 19°C tomorrow
If you missed it, Jackie made The Guardian. Thanks, ‘B’.
Just announced by Tim Mackrill, here are this season’s Osprey chick ringing details. There are 24 chicks across 12 nests, comprising 14 males and 10 females. All have now fledged successfully.
Ringing date: 19/06/2026
Nest: Site C
Female parent: 25(10)
Male parent: 11(10)
8R4 (F)
Ringing date: 23/06/2026
Nest: Manton Bay
Female parent: Maya
Male parent: 33(11)
8R5 (M)
8R6 (F)
8R7 (M)
Ringing date:25/06/2026
Nest: Site K
Female parent: 00(09)
Male parent: 06(09)
8R8 (F)
Ringing date: 26/06/2026
Nest: Site B
Female parent: HJ8
Male parent: 359(21)
8R9 (F)
9R0 (F)
Ringing date: 29/06/2026
Nest: Site N
Female parent: Metal-ringed
Male parent: 6K(14)
9R1 (M)
9R2 (M)
9R3 (F)
Ringing date: 30/06/2026
Nest: Site L
Female parent: Unringed
Male parent: 3AH(17)
9R4 (M)
Ringing date: 30/06/2026
Nest: Site J
Female parent: 2AF(16)
Male parent: 1K(13)
9R5 (M)
9R6 (M)
Ringing date: 03/07/2026
Nest: Site Z
Female parent: 5H1(22)
Male parent: 3AY(19)
9R7 (M)
9R8 (M)
9R9 (F)
Ringing date: 05/07/2026
Nest: Site O
Female parent: Unringed
Male parent: 093(20)
9S0 (M)
9S1 (F)
9S2 (M)
Ringing date: 06/07/2026
Nest: Site Y
Female parent: Unringed
Male parent: 355(21)
9S3 (F)
9S4 (F)
Ringing date: 06/07/2026
Nest: Site S
Female parent: 30(05)
Male parent: T3(16)
3R9 (M)
Ringing date: 17/07/2026
Nest: Site W
Female parent: 3H9(23)
Male parent: 1H7(22)
9S5 (M)
9S6 (M)
I am happy to report that locals have been to the Osoyoos Osprey Platform and say the chick is big, healthy, and getting fish. Bravo!
Blue NC0 is still with Clyde at Alyth SS.
How to be an osprey? Some tips from Rutland!!!!!!!! Smile.
Looks like an adult at the Coeur d’ Alene nest in Idaho.
Like Clark, Gimbir has turned out to be a great provider!
We can see the rescue of the two condors in the release cages! Oh, my. You have to love the dedication of the folks from the Ventana Wildlife Society. https://youtu.be/WSb3GKTESh0?
Thank you for being with us today. It is a breezy evening, and it is about 22 C. Gorgeous. We are heading out for our next-to-last walk of the day. Take care of yourself. Take a breath. Send best wishes to all those fledgling ospreys struggling to find fish in the NE US.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Geemeff, Roy Dennis, Rutland Water, and to all those who contributed on FB, including Jeff Kear and the UK Osprey Info FB Group. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and the news groups that are covering the life of our raptors.
What a beautiful day on the Canadian Prairies. We are going on an adventure today to see whether any hawks are migrating over the Pembina Hills. It has been several years since we went to the Crossing to see them. Wish us luck!
I want to start with some fantastic fishing news in the osprey world. Saturday at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn, five very large fish were delivered in under an hour. Yes, you read that right.
At the OBX osprey nest in the US, a kind landowner tossed a fish that had been delivered but fell off the platform back to the awaiting juvie. Well done, whoever you are!
Always looking for returnees. It can be hard even with a Darvic ring. A 2014 male fledgling from Loch Doon, Shalloch, was signing at the Penwhapple Reservoir in Girvan. He was first seen as a returnee in Wales in 2016. Well done Loch Doon.
There is news that Sol has flown from the adoptive nest but has not returned in nearly two days. The adoptive father has been seen with fish but no juvenile. We hope Sol is eating elsewhere. It is always worrying when they do not return to the nest!
Cutie pie Gimbir is delivering lots of prey to Diamond in the scrape.
Sadly, the third hatch of George and Hope at the Osprey Environmental Centre in Griffin, Australia has died of siblicide.
SK Hideaways Videos, Week of 8 August 2026 Today’s update is dedicated to Jackie and Shadow. While we continue to follow other nests, our hearts and minds are with our beloved Big Bear couple. Jackie was the rock solid foundation of Big Bear ~ we naively believed we had many more years to witness her strength, beauty, bravery, and wisdom. Such a loss shakes us to our core. It brings to light realities we’d rather not acknowledge and breaks our hearts. But rather than crumble, we take a page from Jackie’s book. We stand back up, brush ourselves off, and carry on ~ albeit in baby steps. This week has been and combination of profound grief, heartwarming remembrances, and occasional denials. We each have our own grieving process, but one thing we share is that we are, indeed, grieving a most beloved and inspirational eagles, whose life we have had the privilege of watching. Fly high, dear Jackie, and rest in peace. ~ SK Hideaways
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Shadow, Jackie (dec. 9 August 2026), Sandy, and Luna (last seen on camera 23 July 2023) Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4 Live Recap & Observations: https://bit.ly/4wGjwVg KD1 & Shadow Visit Nest Together (2026 Aug 13) Shadow & KD1 met on the nest in the afternoon, after KD1’s dawn visit. They both seemed comfortable, but we cannot know what impulses they have or whether they will become a pair when mating season comes toward the end of the year. For now, we observe and learn, as we will our hearts to heal from the hole Jackie left in them Video: https://youtu.be/MkgTQBBC_SI
Morning Serenadesand Afternoon Meet-Up with Friend (2026 August 9) After morning serenades by Shadow and a sub-adult (likely KD1), the eagles left the roost tree and perched separately. Shadow surveyed the habitat from the Lookout Snag before departing for his morning eagle activities. KD1 returned to Twin Pines a few hours later, where Shadow soon joined the sub-adult ~ each on their own branch. They both departed early afternoon. Video: https://youtu.be/XyNnd3p6nLU
San Jose City Hall Falcons ~ Monty & Hartley Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam | Predatory Bird Research Group Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBSxPjy5sow Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU Roof Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQLhmV6bP6o Monty Lures Hartley to Nest for Bonding ~ Tries 3 More Times Unsuccessfully (2026 Aug 14) Hartley and Monty spent time in the nest area this morning. Monty has a certain technique for luring Hartley into the nest box for bonding. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And sometimes, he surprises us. Video: https://youtu.be/_I1zjNkPeaA
SE38 Hatches ~ SE37 Puts Head in Shell ~ Lady & Dad’s Family is Complete (2026 Aug 14) Like SE37, SE38 hatched in the wee hours. SE37 seemed to want to hatch again, sticking their head in SE38’s half shell. Ultimately, they both mugged for the camera, leaving fans weak in the knees with cuteness overload. Video: https://youtu.be/QfxN_k_qH24 Welcome to the World SE37!!! (2026 Aug 13) SE37 toiled for 20+ hours to make a perfect zipper around the middle of its egg to hatch at about 4:08 A.M. Sydney time. While Lady rocked the eggs ~ looking as though she might be trying to help SE37 out ~ Dad “paced” around the nest waiting for the seaglet to arrive. Hoping SE38 joins the party soon! Video: https://youtu.be/iswZi-9VZMU
SE37 HAS PIPPED ~ Beak Seen ~ SE38 Possible Pip (2026 Aug 12)SE37 is working on its grand entrance as it pecks away, showing its beak and making great progress. There is a mark atop SE38, which might also be the beginning of a pip. Good luck SE37 and SE38, hope to see you both soon. Video: https://youtu.be/1gUHaF2o7nc
Beautiful Sub-Adult Brings Breakfast to Nest + Some Channel Islands Eagle History (2026 Aug 9) There have been several sub-adults in the West End territory over the past few months. This day, a real beauty brought a whole fish to the nest for breakfast and returned in the afternoon to finish it. The eagle restoration project on the Channel Islands began in 1980 ~ going from zero eagles on the islands to 14 breeding pairs that hatched at least 16 chicks in 2026. A remarkable success. While enjoying the 4 nests for which the Institute for Wildlife Studies and explore.org sponsor livestreams, we can thank these organization and their partners for their tireless work in bringing such a wealth of eagle life back to these beautiful islands. Video: https://youtu.be/VewZm2uvOkY
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 15th August 2026 The Nest Two cam is still out and a site visit has determined that replacement parts are needed which with luck will arrive in the next few days. Off-cam observations by local resident LizB show chicks were seen on or near the nest and on some occasions were eating fish. Nest One cam is still functioning, barring the usual daily 6+ hour morning outage, but no Ospreys came to the nest when the cam was on line. However, reports from LizB showed an Osprey perched nearby for several hours, at a guess Aurora, but no fish was seen. The Nest One tally remains at two hundred and one, and using Steve Quinn’s formula for estimating Louis’ catch, the Nest Two total moves up to four hundred and twenty four. Nest One did have some feathered visitors, not the big ones we’re hoping for, but some little Coal Tits and Bullfinches. Huge thanks to LizB for her off-cam reports, and to the folk at Woodland Trust and
Wildlife Windows who are doing all they can to get Nest Cam Two up and running again. A reminder of the difficulties of maintaining a livestream in a remote area is in the bonus section. The weather was mainly settled today but at the time of filing this report (midnight) it’s raining and heavy rain is forecast overnight, with a low of 12°C, changing to light rain throughout tomorrow with a high of 17°C.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/A-jPXC-j5X8 N1 Little visitors arrive – a family of Bullfinches 15.55.06 (zoom)https://youtu.be/ZaS8yA0TFyM N1 More little visitors – Coal Tits this time 16.56.09 Bonus watch – just what it takes to bring us the window into the private lives of our Osprey family:https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/behind-the-scenes/
You’re invited to join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:
Flowers from all over the world are being sent to the entrance of Fawnskin Park in California for Jackie.
All is well with the little sea eaglets 37 and 38 at the Olympic Park WBSE nest in Sydney.
‘B’ sent me a great e-mail with lots of links to videos and information you will enjoy. I am including it in its entirety – thanks so much, B.
“Hi Mary Ann — I thought you might be interested in this 3-minute YouTube video from the local Bay Area ABC station, which covers the story of the rescue/release of the two condors that were trapped in the Ventana Wildlife Society’s condor sanctuary as it was threatened by the Big Sur fire: https://youtu.be/WSb3GKTESh0?
It took a smoky 3-hour drive on dirt roads with scattered fires alongside to rescue the birds. Important work, nicely done.
I’ve still got the Jackie blues. We have lost a number of the birds we watch. (Don’t forget Aila!) It goes with watching birds in the wild, where nature is full of threats. But Jackie was special, and this one hits especially hard.
This video tries to explain why Jackie’s death hurt so many people: She tries to explain why Jackie’s death hurt so many people: https://youtu.be/SKee7r6ZtmA?
What she says is true, but I would still say it all can be summarized by saying Jackie was very, very special for very, very many people for very, very many different reasons.
I’m so thankful for all of the rescuers and all of the caregivers and that Jackie is now out of pain. And hopeful for a positive future for Jackie’s faithful mate Shadow.
Thankful, too, that Moon Camp was saved, which helps that positive future for Shadow and all future Big Bear eagles. I don’t think Moon Camp could have been saved if it weren’t for the community of fans that built around Jackie and Shadow and for all the donations that came from those fans. And very thankful that included in those fans were the Brockmans, whose huge donation took the fund-raising drive over the top.”
One last check in – can’t forget Iris, Wensi, and Clarke.
Wensi fish calling right before the Saturday ends with Iris sleeping on the perch.
Take care, everyone. Did not intend to post today but did – I am promising myself a day off so maybe it will be tomorrow. See you soon.
Thank you to B, SK Hideaways, Geemeff, all the FB contributors with their stories and images. Thank you also to those who write investigative reports and the owners of the streaming cams for without them we would not know what is happening on the nests.
We had a fabulous day at the English Gardens – ice creams and a pup cup, too! The weather cooperated fully – blue skies, nice temperatures, and a sweet breeze. Everyone was hoping to catch a glimpse of hummingbirds.
Geemeff kindly sent me yesterday’s summary and videos from Loch Arkaig that went MIA on my computer. Thank you, Geemeff.
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch ArkaigSaturday 8th August 2026 Both of yesterday’s missing key characters turned up today, and both brought fish – Garry LV0 delivered one fish for Aurora 536 on Nest One, taking his tally to one hundred and ninety five, and Dorcha delivered a fish to Nest Two where both of her chicks were waiting, taking her season’s tally to five. Louis also brought fish, he delivered three fish to the nest, getting his toes bitten in the process and taking his season’s tally to three hundred and eighty eight. The Nest Two total now stands at three hundred and ninety three. It was wet and windy today, with strong gusts of wind that caused Louis on one occasion to have to come around again to land with his fish, but that didn’t stop a pair of Hooded Crows from invading the nest in the chicks’ absence, rooting around looking for fish scraps. They didn’t find much, those hungry chicks don’t leave a lot. The rain is forecast to continue, heavy overnight with a gentle breeze and a low of 12°C, changing to light rain tomorrow and a high of 17°C, with more ‘gentle breezes’ which tend to roar through the branches and shake the nests.
The Stellar’s Eagle, who is a long distance from its home in Siberia, has been hanging around Newfoundland and Maine for a few years.
Screenshot
We must take every day at a time. Jackie’s red blood count has now risen from 6% to 9%. This is not the 30% it should be so she remains critical. Please keep sending her the best energy you have and the best wishes for her team to find the underlying cause of her anemia.
The baby at Blackbush Beach Osprey Platform in Prince Edward Island has fledged – congratulations to Mum and Dad who have done the impossible in a year of tragedy. They fledged four!!!!!!!!!
Now the siblings are not being friends (were they ever?) – as competition for fish arrivals result in some scrappy fights. It is all good. They will need these skills – the taking of the fish from another – in the world beyond the nest.
All four are really healthy – or so it appears.
Fish continue to arrive for Wensi at the Hellgate Canyon nest of Iris and Clarke.
Blackbush and Hellgate Canyon thrived. Clarke was able to overcome some adverse fishing conditions – thankfully- to provide for Iris and Wensi and himself. Other areas have human-caused issues that are killing all the osprey – namely the industrial vacuuming up of Menhaden.
There is the first egg for the Redcliffe Peregrine Falcons.
We will be looking for a hatch with the White-bellied Sea Eagles and in the coming weeks eggs at Port Lincoln and at Orange. And don’t forget – 367 Collins Street! We already have three little osplets at the Osprey Environmental Centre. The focus is shifting to the Southern Hemisphere.
Take care everyone.
Thank you to Geemeff for resending her report from yesterday at Loch Arkaig, to all those who posted information and images on FB, and the owners of the cameras where we view the lives of these birds.
