Tag Archives: John Bunker Sands

JC26 is a cutie pie…Sunday in Bird World

1 March 2026

Toby and I were woken up by the phone pinging and pinging around 2330 Saturday night. It wouldn’t stop. What was going on? Turns out the two-story woodframe house at the corner, home to our neighbour Jim Russell for 27 years, was on fire. It went up in flames so quickly that the fire and police personnel could not get into the structure. We still do not know if our neighbour was in the house at the time. Jim was a brilliant eccentric. He had studied math at Cornell and came to Canada in the late 1960s, as I recall. Paramedics and fire crew are still there as little blazes continue to flare up. I am tired. Toby is tired. We were up til 0300 worrying if Jim was in the house and remembering, with great sadness, our neighbours, Bert and Joanne, who died in a house fire across the street in 2011. They were our dear friends. We bought our house form them and Don helped Bert when Joanne was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Memories came in like a tsunami.

I know you will understand when I say that this posting will be short.

There have been a lot of rumours about the Bald Eagle nests this season, with the latest one being that Shadow had disappeared. Shadow is fine. It was confirmed that he was on the eggs last evening, even though the posting said he was MIA. Please check the cameras and exercise caution – there are too many ‘alternative facts’ floating around that cause worry and anxiety.

Thank you SK Hideaways for sending me your videos!

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 22 February 2026

Channel Island California Eagles
Livestreamed nests:
~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor
~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak
~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase
~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Residents in flux


Fraser Point ~ Cruz & Andor
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

Cruz Lays 3rd Egg ~ No Muss, No Fuss Once Again (2026 Feb 26)
Cruz rose at 00:42 and laid her third egg at 00:43:28 ~ she wanted to get back to sleep. And sleep she did until she gave us a split-second peek of all three eggs at 06:58. Wishing Princess Cruz and Andor success with this full clutch. 
Video: https://youtu.be/t4C95kIBhbs

Princess Cruz Lays 2nd Egg ~ Quick & Easy (2026 Feb 22)
A very easy labor for Cruz as she laid her second egg. Congratulations, Cruz & Andor!
Video: https://youtu.be/AurPv3UFB1M

Two Harbors ~ Cholyn & Chase
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn Does Bedtime Egg Roll ~ Chortles Wispy Lullaby (2026 Feb 27)
After a day of textbook nest changeovers, Chase retired to his night perch and Cholyn settled in for overnight incubation. After she carefully rolled the two precious eggs, she called out in her unique wispy chortle. Because we’re hopelessly sentimental, we like to think that lovely music was a bedtime lullaby. Whatever it was, it was glorious. 
Cholyn Lays Egg #2 Early and Quickly
Cholyn was a few hours earlier than expected and laid egg #2 quickly and easily.  Congratulations Cholyn & Chase! (2026 Feb 26)
Video: https://youtu.be/5Qnqo5nnXcg

28-Year-Old Cholyn and Chase Welcome 1st Egg of the Season🎉(2026 Feb 24)
In their 23rd season together, 28-year-old Cholyn and Chase welcomed their first egg. Cholyn fooled fans for a few nights before laying this first egg, but, of course, she had her own schedule. Congratulations! 
Video: https://youtu.be/q3g9NCeN04E


FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie & Shadow
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/3Md8TSz

Shadow Snortles to Jackie’s Mating Call ~ Obliges Then Brings Fish (2026 Feb 28)
When Jackie called Shadow to the Cactus Snag, he was quick to respond. Turns out it was a mating call. Having taken care of business, Jackie returned to the nest to await her feesh brunch, which Shadow also provided. Together they are a power couple ~ super partners, providers, and parents. 
Video: https://youtu.be/aoE-OV3sUeE

Jackie Delivers Egg #2 of Second Clutch ~ Congrats Jackie & Shadow! (2026 Feb 27)Jackie laid egg #2 of her and Shadow’s second clutch in the early evening. The 4-minute labor brought Jackie’s signature tea kettle sounds and another perfect egg. All good wishes to Jackie and Shadow for success with this second clutch.   
Video: https://youtu.be/FKRbz02gZG0

Jackie Lays Egg #1 of Second Clutch ~ Shadow Checks on Jackie, Meets Egg 🥰(2026 Feb 24)
Jackie and Shadow welcomed the first egg of their second clutch. Wishing them a successful outcome. 
Video: https://youtu.be/2xmOylatUyg


John Bunker Sands Eagles ~ Combine TX ~ Mom, Dad, and JBS24
Courtesy John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Eagle Cam
Eagle Tower Camera 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdo7BzUU_g
Eagle Tower Camera 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEDb2KqvvyQ

JBS24 is in full Clown Feet and thriving (2026 Feb 26)
At 4-1/2 weeks, JBS24 is shedding some of that natal down, sprouting pin feathers, and sporting some rather impressive clown feet. Great to see this little one doing well and progressing as expected. 
Video: https://youtu.be/wDCEsLT-XTU


San Jose CH Falcons ~ San Jose, CA ~ Hartley and Monty
Hartley & Monty Display Every Courtship Behavior Known to Falcons (2026 Feb 22)
Hartley and Monty are very focused on their upcoming nesting season. They had conversations, mated (twice), and pair bonded in the nest box. Monty provided the piece de resistance when he delivered a food gift, which Hartley happily tugged away from him and flew off. We’ll be looking for eggs in the very near future! 
Video: https://youtu.be/LwwsKn4-vS4
Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam
Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU

At the Winter Park Florida Bald Eagle nest, Peanut (aka Tiny Tim) is anything but tiny. Looks like a ravenous female to me that second hatch that survived some pretty challenging bonking early on. Peanut really took lessons and was doing a grand job of self-feeding on Saturday.

At the Johnson City nest, Baiba caught Boone feeding his little one JC26 for the first time. https://youtu.be/BYRwO0l-qfE?

From all of us – we wish you a great end to the weekend and a wonderful week. I will be back with you on Friday.

Thank you so much to SK Hideaways for sharing their video list, to the owners of the streaming cams where I took my screen captures – thank you for allowing us into the lives of these amazing birds.

Blizzard at Duke Farms, Rare King Eider in Toronto…

23 February 2026

Good Morning Everyone,

It is actually Sunday evening when I am sending this out. Ellen is coming early to take Toby for his walk on Monday morning, and we are busy with projects. Hopefully, nothing will happen in the next 12 hours!

I am delighted to tell you that we had a really wonderful week. Despite the temperatures plummeting, the early part of the week was marvellous, and we had some of the best walks of the entire winter. The garden is full of chickadees at dusk, with the European Starlings arriving several times a day to feed on cat or dog kibble. Brock is doing well. He was here Sunday evening and then found his way to my neighbour Jane’s, where he ate a feast and rested again. The pizza delivery driver came and, instead of bolting, he went to the other end of the porch and waited til the all clear. I hope he stays at Jane’s. It would make all of us have better blood pressure readings!

The Girls and Toby are also marvellous. Toby’s fur is as soft as a cloud. It is because of the dehydrated sardines. They helped us clean out the bookcases of all books and move the cases to the conservatory. They will be primed, painted, and reloaded. The plan is to move my desk and desktop computer out into the library area right in the middle of all the action within the house. Then I can keep an eye on everyone. At the same time, the books are out in the conservatory, ready for us to grab a new one at any time for story time.

So, wish us luck with all this painting! Missey’s tail seems to be the only problem – she always gets into mischief when it comes to paint, and we would think it would be Hugo Yugo.

Always nipping at one another!

These are the moments that get birders excited – a very rare bird in the Tommy Thompson Park in Toronto – a King Eider. Here is the news report with some really good information on Eider migration and ‘why’ it might have stopped over in Toronto: https://youtu.be/l4VPXXuXaOM?

I couldn’t stand it and had to check on Mum and the hatchling at Duke Farms. It is always a worry when a new hatch opens, and a storm hits. Sleet is starting to accumulate in New Jersey, around 1500. You can hear it hitting the camera lens. Send good wishes!

SK Hideaways outdid themselves on videos this week. Please check them out – this is a lot of hard work and incredible effort!

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 15 February 2026

Channel Island California Eagles
Livestreamed nests:
~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor
~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak
~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase
~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux


Fraser Point ~ Cruz & Andor
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

Cruz Welcomes 1st Egg ~ Andor Snoozes in Waiting Room (2026 Feb 19)
Cruz laid her first egg of the season after a day spent mostly in or near the nest bowl. Andor was perched nearby and will be ready to meet their egg first thing in the morning. 
Video: https://youtu.be/UlT9pQ_J9c8

Sauces Canyon ~ Audacity & Jak
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Sauces Canyon Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnTsOesC6hE

Kestrel Brings Mouse to Snag ~ Dining Balance Act 
No eagles today, but Mr. Kestrel was quite entertaining. The neighborhood kestrel enjoyed his mouse breakfast while balancing on the tip of a snag. Feaking (cleaning beak) was a slippery proposition. (2026 Feb 21)
Video: https://youtu.be/gkMOPrtpRz0

Two Harbors ~ Cholyn & Chase
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Chase Catches Fish 1 that Ate Fish 2 that Ate Fish 3 (2026 Feb 20)
Chase brought Cholyn a massive fish gift that turned out to be a three-for-one deal. According to our resident fish expert, Chase caught a big Kelp Fish that had eaten the Topsmelt (whole, mind you), that had eaten a Sardine (also whole).  Needless to say, both Cholyn and (finally) Chase filled their crops.  Chase once again showed his excellence as a great provider and mate. 
Video: https://youtu.be/O7Spi_nane4

Chase Calls Cholyn for Fish 2x ~ Stunning Close-Ups (2026 Feb 15)
At the height of nesting season, Chase is collecting lots of brownie points by delivering many fish gifts to Cholyn. Oh, Cholyn does love her fish! We were then gifted with some stunning close-ups of beautiful Cholyn, thanks to the stellar Two Harbors cam ops team. 
Video: https://youtu.be/PBj80qZsZdg


FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie & Shadow
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Resident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014
Resident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc
LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz

Jackie Nibbles Shadow’s Neck on Frisky Friday Date Night  (2026 Feb 20)
After evening nestorations, Jackie was quite demonstrative about being ready for romance, which included her loud declarations and neck nibbles. Shadow was not quite ready and continued with his branch management. They made up for it later behind closed branches.
Video: https://youtu.be/hwiTHNebbx0

Juvenile Eagle Interrupts Shadow’s Lunch ~ Jackie Comes Home to Mate (2026 Feb 18)
As with Jackie’s fish a few days before, a juvenile bald eagle followed Shadow back to the nest hoping to share some of his lunch. Shadow, of course, wouldn’t hear of it, complaining until the youngster flew off. A bit later, Jackie arrived for nestorations and mating, the latter fairly rare on the nest. They departed together and were seen together later on the Lookout Snag for more mating. Fingers still crossed for a second clutch. 
Video: https://youtu.be/ctSrnTXP7wY

Jackie & Shadow Enjoy Snow Day Feesh & Sticks (2026 Feb 17)
A snow-covered valley and nest did not keep Shadow from delivering a fish gift to Jackie nor did it keep her from happily collecting it. Shadow also delivered a stick, which required some placement negotiations. As a bonus, there were snowy beaky kisses. A brief but eventful visit. 
Video: https://youtu.be/2PqA-NX63FY

Juvie Spoils Jackie’s Peaceful Feesh ~ In Warmest Memory of Sandy Steers 💙(2026 Feb 15)
As we remember Sandy Steers, the heart and soul of Big Bear Valley wildlife conservation, we are grateful for the opportunity to watch the lives of Jackie and Shadow. We think Sandy would have enjoyed today’s happenings. 

Shadow brought one fish to the nest, which he peacefully enjoyed all to himself. But when Jackie brought her fish, a wily juvenile followed her in hopes of getting a few bites.  Well, of course, Jackie was not about to share her fish and let the juvenile know in no uncertain terms. Jackie managed to finish her feesh with, the juvie keeping close watch, and then shooed it off. Much to our delight, the juvenile soared around the valley, gifting us a wonderful airshow. Even Jackie may have enjoyed the show, now that her belly was full. 
Video: https://youtu.be/WZqLPjTDxyU


John Bunker Sands Eagles ~ Combine, TX ~ Mom, Dad, and JBS24
JBS24’s Bottomless Buffet (and Belly) (2026 Feb 16)
JBS24 is 3 weeks and 1 day old. The eaglet is spoiled for choice at mealtimes with Mom and Dad both often in the nest offering a variety of prey. JBS24 is growing up fast, now sporting grey thermal down and almost always a full crop. 
Video: https://youtu.be/h_Nks375XLg
Courtesy John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Eagle Cam
Eagle Tower Camera 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdo7BzUU_g
Eagle Tower Camera 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEDb2KqvvyQ

When I checked, both Jazz and Nola were in food comas in the Kisatchie National Forest E3 Bald Eagle nest of Alex and Andria II? III?

Gracie Shepherd catches E26 at the SW Florida Eagle nest of M15 and F23 trying out their wings in the wind. That eagle can really hover! Are we ready for this beauty to fledge? https://youtu.be/vEAmBdxHWlQ?

Suzanne Kay reveals the banding results from Dade County:

Quinn late Sunday nightwas hunkered down in the nest as a storm was rocking the nest at Captiva.

Beau and Gabby sure make beautiful babies – Kai and Eve, fully feathered and gorgeous. (I am a little soft on this nest!)

There is some amazing news coming out of Rutland’s Osprey Project.

Monty and Hartley are sure feeling ‘spring like’! SK Hideaways catches their moves: https://youtu.be/LwwsKn4-vS4?

Calico has a special video for everyone today. They have wings but are not raptors. Dani Connor Wild is in Mexico, and she went up to the top of the mountain on horseback and found thousands of Monarch butterflies.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/hOO0UncoyIE?

It is so wonderful to have you with us. I always welcome your comments and your e-mails. I think I am almost caught up in answering – please accept my apologies for any delay. Take care. It is going to be a busy week, and I really hope that it is completely uneventful, no drama, nothing! We will see you again on Friday.

I am so grateful to SK Hideaways who so generously arranges their weekly videos for us – for all the others who contribute videos on YouTube, post information on FaceBook, and write articles that eduate each and every one of us. There is always something to learn! To the owners of the streaming cams, everyone is grateful to you. We would not know about the lives of our most wonderful raptor families without those cameras. I want to thank you, my readers, for caring for our wildlife, for writing those letters, and for being there and trying to help when it is needed. You are amazing and I am so grateful to have you as part of the Bird World family.

Bella and Scout have their first egg…Late Sunday in Bird World

15 February 2026

Hello Everyone,

We hope that you had a lovely weekend. We certainly did. Toby had his Valentine Day grooming session. He smells so nice – for about two days! We had many slushy walks and even went to get some paint to cover a chest that is going to be a bench for Don to sit on to put on boots and shoes. Inside will be Toby’s wardrobe!

The Girls are fine and really enjoying the conservatory as it is getting warmer and warmer out there. We have finished our books except for the Friendship book and tomorrow we will be starting a new one. Will keep you posted.

It was warm and slushy on the Canadian Prairies. 2 degrees C. The first Canada Geese have arrived – three weeks early! ‘PB’ writes from Nebraska to tell me that the Sandhill Cranes are early, too.

While we had quite a bit of snow, it came late and I sure hope we get more because, if not, it will be very dry here. Concerns for drought exist in Nebraska, too. It continues to rain cats and dogs in London, UK.

At the NCTC nest of Scout and Bella, the first egg arrived on the 15th. Congratulations. We have to wish – super wish – this couple a great year. They lost almost fully feathered babies when their nest collapsed last year. It was beyond tragic. Deb Stecyk has it on video: https://youtu.be/5OA5GWZ6-94?s

What is up with the PA Farm Country Bald Eagles? They continue to lay four eggs annually! Do they love the challenge? My goodness, to raise four eaglets to fledge is rare.

How rare?

Bald eagle nests that fledge four chicks are extraordinarily rare. While bald eagles typically lay one to three eggs—with two being the most common—four-egg clutches and successful four-chick fledglings have been documented, but they are considered exceptional events. 

Key details regarding four-chick broods:

  • Rarity: In a 2011 report, a 4-chick brood was considered only the third ever documented for the species.
  • Successful Instances: Despite their rarity, some nests have successfully fledged four chicks, such as a nest in the 1000 Islands (Wisconsin) in 2021 and another at Grey Cloud Island in Minnesota in 2024.
  • Survival Factors: Four-egg clutches have a high, sometimes 100%, success rate in hatching and fledging when they occur, but they require abundant food and strong parents to succeed.
  • Challenges: In cases of four chicks, the smallest often struggles, and the nest can become very cramped, making survival to fledge difficult. 

Four-chick nests are so rare that one report noted that in over 8,000 monitored breeding attempts in Virginia, only one 4-chick brood was documented. 

Elfruler has a document and chart:

SUCCESS RATES OF CLUTCHES AND BROODS | Bald EaglesDownload

We wish them all the luck in the world.


SK Hideaways Videos Week of 8 February 2026

Channel Island California Eagles
Livestreamed nests:
~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor
~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak
~ Two Harbors (2 cameras) ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase
~ West End (3 cameras) ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux

Fraser Point
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

Cruz vs. Manzanita ~ Adventures in Slapstick (2026 Feb 12)
When Andor went out for a break, Cruz decided to rearrange the furniture. The massive manzanita branch proved more difficult to move than she thought. The result was the eagle equivalent of slapstick comedy. Enjoy. 
Video: https://youtu.be/zhDZeyBXIq4


Two Harbors
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn Downs Mackerel in 1 Gulp ~ Chase’s Jaw Drops (2026 Feb 13)
When Chase goes fishing, Cholyn is right behind him. But before he can even land in the nest with his catch, Cholyn grabs it. She then proceeds to scarf it down in one gulp. Chase can’t believe it, but we can’t tell if he’s impressed or dismayed. These two are pure joy to watch. 
Video: https://youtu.be/PmKzy9FtO1s


John Bunker Sands Eagles, Combine, TX
Courtesy John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Eagle Cam 
Eagle Tower Camera 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdo7BzUU_g
Eagle Tower Camera 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEDb2KqvvyQ

JBS24 is Thriving with Mom and Dad as Model Parents (2026 Feb 11)
I captured the whole day with JBS24, who is doing very well, by all appearances. The 2-1/2 week old eaglet is eating well, exploring the nest a bit, and showing us how well those little wings can flap. Dual feedings are still quite common and JBS 24 seems to enjoy every morsel. While I wish JBS25 was here to enjoy those meals as well, I am grateful that JBS24 is thriving. 
Video: https://youtu.be/HJ_0lL959VU
JBS24 & JBS25 at 2 weeks ~ Family Mealtime ~ Dad Cuddles (2026 Feb 8)
At 2 weeks old, JBS 24 and JBS 25 are getting their thermal down to better help them thermoregulate. Mom and Dad continue to keep them well fed, resulting in almost no aggression. When Mom takes one of her short breaks, Dad is eager to cuddle up with his growing eaglets. They seem to love it! The history of this nest is fascinating, so I’ve included some of that history in this video.
Video: https://youtu.be/TbdMIiN8zE4

The Chichester Peregrine Falcon latest newsletter:

Chichester Peregrines newsletter No 2 15:02:26.Download

‘A’ has ‘Royal Albatross on their Mind: “I do love how social the albatrosses are though. I was watching the Midway Atoll livestream the other night and the closeness of the neighbouring nests is quite astonishing. Perhaps the birds feel less bored and lonely that way. Or perhaps there is some form of protection afforded by the arrangement. There must be a reason apart from sheer overcrowding, surely. 

I do adore the changeovers (and the gorgeous skycalls): www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWJ5U7JylG0. Once we’re into the post-guard phase, the parents are lucky to overlap much at all, but at this point, they are not yet leaving our little fluffball on its own. It is 24 days old, but still, it won’t be long before it’s on its own – sigh….  

I never really get used to the baby suddenly being abandoned as it were. And so young. Maybe this is when the proximity of the neighbouring nests becomes advantageous. 

Meanwhile, our wee one is adorable. They have taken blood to determine gender. Moana, who visited the RoyalCam nest yesterday evening (14 February – Happy Valentine’s Day), was very curious about the chick in the nest, which in turn seemed very nervous about the whole encounter. Dad WYL, of course, is extremely protective of his precious baby. www.youtube.com/watch?v=84VY9HihPtc&list=TLPQMTUwMjIwMjZE9oa0TwYOEA&index=6

BOK was unable to stay away from her chick for long, returning to the nest at about 9.40 this morning (15 February) after only 16 hours of foraging. As I type, she has just finished feeding her rapidly growing offspring. “

The biggest concern is that bloody fishing line that is over Roux at the Kistachie National Forest nest of Anna and Louis E1. They may have to find a way to get up there…certainly they found a way at Dale Hollow Years ago when no one thought it could be done.

Brock caught on local camera heading to Jane’s for a meal!

Thank you so much for being with us today. We will see you again the end of the week! (I am going to try and stick with late Sunday and late Thursday night posts unless something needs immediate attention!). Take care everyone. Get outside. Smell the spring air that is coming. Listen for the birdsong.

Thank you so much to ‘PB and A’ for their notes, to SK Hideaways for always supplying me with their list of weekly videos, to D Stecyk for monitoring the NCTC nest, to everyone who posted information on FB and wrote articles that help us understand the life of our raptors, including Elfruler. Thank you so much to all! I am so grateful to you. My blog would not be the same without your talents, and without the streaming cams and their owners, we would never have the opportunity to look into the lives of our feathered friends.

Sad news out of Big Bear Valley…late Thursday in Bird World

12 February 2026

Hello Everyone,

There is very sad news coming out of the Big Bear Valley. Sandy Steers, the woman behind all of us being able to enjoy watching Jackie and Shadow, has died from a battle with cancer.

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/big-bear-wildlife-eagle-activist-sandy-steers-dies

Voice behind beloved Jackie and Shadow eagle cam diesDownload

KGET covered the story along with dozens of other outlets in the region. https://youtu.be/7eZ6_pnIJ7w?

I will always remember Sandi as being one of the biggest and most devoted advocates for wildlife and, especially, our beloved Jackie and Shadow. Condolences to all those who knew and loved Sandi.

There has been speculation at the Decorah North nest that Mr North was MIA. Well, he isn’t. Buddy’s Mum posted a video today of Mr North letting everyone know is well and present! https://youtu.be/7eZ6_pnIJ7w?

There is relief at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands nest as JBS24 is thriving. The average time for this eaglet to succumb to HPAI, if that was what killed its sibling – which is doubtful now – has passed.

Tiny Tim at the Winter Park, Florida nest is thriving. That little second hatch, five days younger than its older sibling, has struggled and triumphed.

They are looking for name submissions – please give these two babys super names! Note the deadline!

Window To Wildlife​: #1​Hello, if you’d like to submit names for the eaglets, please see this link: https://forms.gle/7vYPwneMakwbaw3T7 The landowners will be selecting a pair of names that has been submitted. Ending Feb 17

Thank you for being with us for this short announcement about Sandy Steers. Everyone is very sad. I also wanted to catch up with two nests we have been monitoring closely. Take care! See you soon.

Thank you to all the news outlets for their coverage of Sandy Steers contributions to the welfare of wildlife, to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to look into the lives of the raptors, to Buddy’s Mum for her video of Mr North, and to Window to Wildlife who is asking for our participation in naming those two cute eaglets at Winter Park.

JBS24 seems well…late Wednesday in Bird World

11 February 2026

Good Evening,

I hope that you are well and have had a wonderful week so far.

It is a bright blue sky with brilliant sun and a temperature of about -5 C. Ann and Don are at The Zoo! Toby, The Girls, and I are doing some spring cleaning. We cleared out a pantry yesterday that went to Ann’s son, and now I have a place for a chair so Don can safely put on his shoes and boots by the garden door.

Toby and I are both well. I feel like a new person after a round of antibiotics – especially when I didn’t really know that I was unwell, just exhausted. Seems the tiredness was attributed to the infection, so get checked out if you live in a place where this is affordable. I am so fortunate. I worked hard, paid my taxes (still do), and never see a bill from my doctor, who is the head of our university clinic. Maybe you are not really tired either!!!!!!!! Toby and I are going to finish patching some nail holes, change the bedding, and go for a nice walk.

That walk turned into a wonderfully long walk. We did change all the bedding – oh, to sleep on clean sheets and under duvet covers! We did not patch the nail and screw holes. We baked some Spelt buns so Ann can take some home along with a nice jar of jam and we walked. We walked and walked. 3.2 km according to the routing on the phone. We could have gone on for much longer but there remains enough ice on the walkways in places to make me nervous.

Toby is continuing to grow. He is long, with nice, long legs. His fur grows fast, as do his nails. Except for the HGE (due to the stress of what happened over the holidays), he is very healthy and will not have the issues that many of the Cavaliers do – breeders who sought out large heads and googly eyes over health. His ‘dog parents’, Mia and Myles, and 4 generations of their family have not had the trouble I read about in many FB groups, so, like the world news, I am going to take a long break from reading about them. Life is beautiful – it looks ugly at times when we see the disregard for life of any kind. So look for the good!

I wake up and am so grateful for so much. I have a home – a small home, the size that families raised three children in during the 1950s and 60s. We have good food and I can afford to have pets and take care of animals outside. I am grateful for my health at my age. I am tremendously happy that Brock is doing well. He spends much time inside the porch of the dear lady down the street. He loves sleeping on her chair and he will wait, as he did with us, for more food to be brought out if you tap on the door a couple of times. Brock is safe and eating well. Don has come around and I have adjusted his medications so that there are no acute flare ups at any time of the day. Every day I appreciate those researchers who developed these medications for dementia and other psychoses – they are helping me keep Don at home and our family together. I am hoping, however, to have a holiday – two of them, in fact. One to British Columbia to visit an old and dear friend. We will walk through the Old Cedar forests and cleanse our souls and the other to the UK to see the ospreys and meet up with a few lovely people. Of course, those are mere wishes now. Perhaps reality in the future.

Ah, so we hope that you can breathe the fresh air, listen for the birds—–remember this is the Big Bird Count this weekend! Please take part.

So what is happening in Bird World?

JBS 24 is still alive. As ‘MP’ reminded me, the little one is really now out of the woods as per HPAI for a period of 72 hours after the death of the first eagle. So we have almost another day. The eaglets that I have seen die in the same nest – well, it happened normally within 24-26 hours if not hours.

24 had a good feed early today. Keep sending good wishes.

We are looking for eggs for Bella and Scout at the NCTC Bald Eagle nest and also for Irv and Stella at the US Steel nest in PA.

At the Golden Eagle nest in Romania, the very first egg for 2025 was laid in early March – the 9th to be precise. So, we could be looking at eagle eggs in less than a month.

Francis and Franklin laid their first egg on the 26th of January in Tennessee. So, let’s count the days til pip watch – looks like we are on day 16. Two and a half weeks, at least, to go.

Ellie and Harvey laid their first egg on the 28th in Kansas. So three weeks away.

We leave branches and rotting wood scattered around the garden. Those old tree trunks and pieces of broken cedar planters have lots of insects for the garden birds.

These dead trees are also homes to my local Blue Jays as well as these little owls. Please protect them if you can!

Thank you so much for being with us. I had not expected to do a posting until at least the end of the week but the happiness that JBS24 is still alive just spreads over me. We are not out of the woods yet but after Thursday morning I am going to relax! And you should, too. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me notes and news, and to the owners of the streaming cams, so that we can watch their daily lives. Thanks, J, for the news of the owl and the reminder of the dead wood, and to Christine’s Critters for their post.

Bird Flu…Tuesday in Bird World

10 February 2026

Hello Everyone,

Current Status as John Bunker Sands: The second eaglet is still alive.

With the sudden death of JBS25, we are all feeling great anxiety. We will never know for certain what killed the little eaglet without a necroscopy – those take time and resources. The parents have now begun covering the little one. I noticed that someone on the chat wondered if the parents knew of the little one’s passing. The late Laura Culley – a friend and a great falconer – would have said very loudly: “And why wouldn’t they know that their child had died!” Laura trained and flew many raptors for at least three decades. She believed that they had higher powers – powers that we have lost including the ability to communicate without what humans know as ‘talking’. I miss her wisdom and yes, the raptors know. I have even observed their mourning over the death of their children and others leaving the nest having felt what we might call guilt for bringing in the prey that killed their children. The most vivid memory of that was Joe at the Captiva nest when Peace and Love died after he brought a rat to the nest that had died from rodenticide poisoning. He not only visibly mourned but left – and did not return.

It is 2230 as I am writing this, and if JBS 24 is to perish from HPAI, we will see this within the next 36 hours. I hope not. JBS 24 ate well Monday afternoon, even playing for a moment with dad’s tailfeathers. The little eaglet even had a late feed – unfortunately it was from the Coot on the nest that could have been the cause of the other’s death if it had HPAI.

HPAI happens suddenly. Several years ago, I reported on two White-tailed eaglets in Estonia that had died on a nest after being fed a crane. The two tiny eaglets died on the screen within half an hour of one another. In this instance, it was a crane that had come to the nest as prey. It turned out that these deaths were the first known instance of HPAI deaths in ‘spring’, sending alarm bells throughout the field of avian virology. Normally, HPAI happens in the fall, but this meant that migratory birds were affected. Thijs Kuiken is a prominent Professor of Comparative Pathology at the Department of Viroscience at Erasmus University Medical Centre (Erasmus MC) in Rotterdam, Netherlands. His research focuses on emerging infectious diseases, zoonoses, and influenza, with a specialisation in the pathology and pathogenesis of viruses in wildlife. Dr Kuiken contacted me after I reported the deaths on my blog and followed up with veterinarians in the area. He has written extensively on HPAI and its links to factory farming. The birds are the victims of this deadly disease that continues to kill around the world.

Here are some more recent articles showing the impact of this terrible disease.

Avian flu behind mass skua die-off in Antarctica, scientists say | CIDRAPDownload
Researchers stunned after documenting first-of-its-kind mass animal die-off: ‘We let [it] slip out tDownload

An abstract of a recent article by Dr Kulken:

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article-abstract/280/1763/20130990/74728/Is-low-pathogenic-avian-influenza-virus-virulent

Mark Avery looked at Bird Flu and its impact on the UK from 2016-2025 in this blog:

Bird flu in wild birds in UK 2016-2025 – Mark AveryDownload

Thank you so much for stopping in with us today. Keep sending your good wishes to the John Bunker eaglet.

Thank you to Mark Avery and the authors of the articles on HPAI as well as to the John Bunker Sands Wetlands for their streaming cam that allows us to look into the lives of these eagles. Our condolenes on the loss of the first little fluff ball.

Wednesday in Bird World

22 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

We have had more snow and high winds, making it impossible to see more than a few meters on Tuesday afternoon and evening. I spent the time when Anne was with Don doing some errands, sitting blissfully having tea with my bestie and looking out her bay window. It was like being in the middle of a wintry holiday card. The snow was gently falling; people were walking their dogs while birds visited the feeders. These short breaks remind me that being with friends, watching wildlife, or going for a walk in the snow is something money cannot buy. It is rejuvenating.

Margaret Renkl has written several books that many of us have enjoyed, especially “The Company of Crows.” She recently wrote a thoughtful opinion piece for The New York Times. Here is an excerpt:

“A heavy snow 10 days ago brought birds out in huge numbers, often in whole flocks — bluebirds, robins, cedar waxwings, house finches, dark-eyed juncos and Carolina wrens, plus the usual mockingbirds and blue jays, tufted titmice and Carolina chickadees, every kind of sparrow and every kind of woodpecker. I kept the feeders filled. My husband spread a sheet on top of the snow and set out a mix of seeds and nuts and mealworms for the ground foragers.

This bounty also brought the mixed flock of black birds I always look for in snow — starlings and grackles and red-winged blackbirds — that compete for resources during the breeding seasons but band together in the cold. In such weather, they waste little energy in squabbling.”

Opinion | On a Cold, Dark Inauguration Day, a Message From the Birds – The New York TimesDownload

As we enjoyed our tea, deer came to graze on the shrubs in my friend’s garden. I wondered if they followed the river path that connects our neighbourhoods. Is it possible that the buck staring at me with a single antler is the same one that visits my garden? There he was with a group of six females of various ages. One was a small fawn. Was this also the same little fawn that had slept under my bird feeder a few days ago? I couldn’t be sure, but it felt like they were the same ones and it felt good to see them safe.

You don’t have to go outside. Sitting quietly can wash away all the ills of the day! For many of us, one of those questions has been what happened to Akecheta. For several days, there were intruder eagles and territorial skirmishes. All of us have seen the state that Akecheta was in, along with his opponent, in stills and videos. Our hearts wept. We adore him. Unfortunately, we will not have any news about Akecheta for a while—or, sadly, never. Explore has a serious issue with the transmission from the Channel Islands, and I understand that Dr. Sharpe is not available to check until next week. I hope he survived the intruder’s injuries and has his rightful place next to Thunder on their nest when we next have the live stream.

Update: A hatch is in progress at John Bunker Sands! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1331165321340972

Thankfully, we have a diversion in the form of a tiny little eaglet, NE31. Most of you have already seen Beau trying to feed his baby. It was more than magical. Dad wanted a snack. Tiny NE31 kept poking up its head out of that deep bowl. ‘Feed me fish. I want fish’ was what that little one said with every bob. SK Hideaways caught this tender moment between this first-time day and his day old chick. Even if you have already seen it, watch again and marvel at how much Beau has grown in a few years. Gabby knew he would make a great dad! I laughed at how hard Beau worked with that one piece of fish. Thanks, SK for a great smile. https://youtu.be/G4zea3983tw?

Many of you have pondered what it is with the eaglets that have hatched this year. They are strong, holding their heads and necks up high in such a short time after hatch. NE31 is no exception – there s/he is commanding attention.

Rain came and Gabby made certain that 31 was warm and dry while Beau keeps a vigilant guard over his family.

The rain is also at SW Florida with the Es.

F23 made sure they were fed, but the kiddos with their juvenile tails growing in nicely (look at how those feathers are bursting out of the quills) are far too big to be under Mum. Their plumage insulates them. and they can now thermoregulate their temperature.

On Tuesday, the entire South will experience either snow or rain. ‘L’ writes that snow is falling in southern Alabama. They have topped up their feeders, like Renkl, with good seeds to help the birds through weather they are not accustomed to in that location.

In Tennessee, Boone and Jolene are busy, and I wonder how soon we will see an egg. It looks like it could be soon!

Thousands hope that this will be the year for Jackie and Shadow. You keep telling me that if it can happen for Gabby and Beau this season, then it can happen for this much-loved couple in Big Bear. I agree! We all want to see an eaglet in this nest.

Others are working hard to get their nests ready.

Liberty and Guardian are frantically working on their nest: https://youtu.be/I6zJOkgoJLQ?

What in the world is going on at the Kisatchie E-3 nest? https://youtu.be/Iln1CAkn1VU?

Incubation continues at John Bunker Sands. It is a beautiful day in Texas.

‘MP’ asked me if I had ever seen Jack build a nest like this one. I answered ‘no’, but you know what – he did a great job with that despicable mess. It doesn’t even look like the same platform. Jack had to have worked really hard. He is certainly trying to impress a new female.

I cannot tell 100% if this is Jack. That is the problem with not ringing birds. Ultimately, we want this family’s eggs and chicks to be safe from predators and those dreaded drain holes. Because it is now an active nest, the USFWS would not issue a permit for any alterations to the platform. So please send lots of good energy.

In Port Lincoln, Wilko and Kasse fight for every fish that lands on the nest if both are present. These skills will certainly help them when they leave the nest and find themselves competing with their older siblings, but it is hard to watch sometimes.

This was the tally for the pair for Wednesday.

In San Jose, Hartley and Monty are bonding. https://youtu.be/lVrvCUxM42A?

Find food? Ibises have special skills. “Hadedas are iridescent grey-brown ibises – jack russell-sized birds with long, curved bills and very small heads – found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

They have a special skill called “remote touch”, which they use to find their worm, grub and snail prey. At the tip of their bills is an organ that, when they stick it into the soil, can sense the vibrations of their food nearby.”

A hadada: nothing can quite capture the sound of these birds, because it’s mainly just rude noise | Helen Sullivanhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2025/jan/21/a-hadeda-nothing-can-quite-capture-the-sound-of-these-birds-because-its-mainly-just-rude-noise?CMP=share_btn_url

Next Tuesday, Don and I are going to try another holiday. This time we are heading south to find some warmth. We will stay on Basse Terre, one of the two main islands that make up Guadeloupe. We have rented a cottage adjacent to the National Park and hope to see some of the 290 species of birds that call this part of the Lesser Antilles home. I can’t wait! We will certainly take you with us. More on that later.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care everyone! See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, streaming cams, and articles that helped me to write my post today: ‘SK’, The New York Times, NEFlorida-AEF, SWFlorida, ETSU-Johnson City, FOBBV, Gary’s Eagle Videos, Tonya in NO, John Bunker Sands Wetlands, The Guardian, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO