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.