Tag Archives: Lake Murray

A miracle happens amidst the tragedies…late Monday in Bird World

8 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

UPDATE: Clark has returned to the nest. He must have had great difficulty fishing. He came in with a nice one for his beloved Iris who had to be absolutely at her wits end and starving. Time 1106.

An osprey standing on a nest made of sticks and branches, with another young osprey nearby. The background shows a parking lot and greenery.
A close-up view of an osprey on its nest made of sticks, overlooking a parking lot and a train passing in the background.

I am hardly controlling my tears of joy. After the past week, it just felt like something terrible was going to happen. I could hardly bring myself to hope. But here is the miracle that I was waiting for! Clark is home. Iris is fed. Now, to get those rivers to calm down so Clark can feed their babies. We are on pip watch.

My inbox and FB Messenger are full of comments about how we – humans – have failed our planet and our wildlife. Right now, that focus is more on the disaster that has occurred in and around the Chesapeake Bay. That ecosystem has been destroyed by one company, Omega Protein out of Reedsville, Virginia. It isn’t just ospreys that are going extinct – yes, I am using that word – but also Striped Bass, terrapins and anything in the food chain that depended on Menhaden. ‘The Bay’ is dying. Why isn’t someone doing something? That is the question you are asking.

Those ships are out -.

Map showing the location of fishing ships and flight paths, with 5 Omega ships highlighted in yellow and 2 independent purse seine ships in red.

Last week I received a little book from a friend in the post, Song of the Seasons. a Meditation on Cycles, Story, and Humility by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, a Sufi writer and spiritual ecologist. Vaughan-Lee maintains that the problem is that humans do not believe that our planet is a living entity and that they have dominion over it. “The story of forgetfulness that has distanced us, that has put us to sleep…is about the denial of the spiritual nature of this living, breathing Earth.” (32) “Our senses can again become attuned to the spirit that flows through all things, so that when we hear the birds at dusk, we let their song penetrate our being. Why would we not want that? The song that we hear, in this moment, is of this place, and of this season. And this song wants to be heard….it wants to be heard not just with the outer senses, but with the…ear of the heart, so that that birdson becomes part of us and links us to this moment, to this cycle, to this place. Vaughan-Lee is asking us to be present in this moment – to literally, as Ram Dass asked us to ‘Be Here Now’. At the same time is the underlying thread that every living thing including our Earth is sacred, a belief held by many cultures and religions. So special is the soul that my Jain friends in Udaipur will not even step on an ant or kill a fly. One of my best friends taught me that all things have souls and I will always be grateful to Ikuhiko for teaching me about Shinto.

I feel that the Earth has become nothing more than a commodity – AI centres using up all the water, dredging ocean floors and ruining marine life, and then there is the focus of my anger at the moment, the commercial overfishing of Menhaden in the NE US and in the Gulf region of the US by Omega Protein. It is not just this company – don’t kid yourself. But all is not despair, although I might feel that way today. There are good people doing amazing things around the world, including fighting against the establishment of AI Centres, lobbying for no drilling on lands where wildlife thrive, purchasing electric vehicles and beginning to use alternative energy, growing gardens and teaching others; the list is long. We cannot give up because if we do, we give all the beauty that we love over to what I want to simply call the dark side – those that would destroy all our planet and its wildlife deliberately for their own gain.

I hope this is for real.

Announcement about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge remaining untouched after the latest oil and gas lease sale drew no interest from major oil companies.

As I write this, the rivers in Oregon and Colorado are drying up due to drought and the fish are dying.

A group of dead fish stranded in muddy, dry reservoir beds, highlighting the impact of drought conditions.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts/horizons-with-pbs-news/as-the-colorado-river-dries-up-how-western-states-are-confronting-the-water-crisis

I really hope to get to some good news by the end of this blog. And it happened, it is at the top.

Clark has not returned to the nest he shares with Iris at Hellgate Canyon in Missoula. The rivers were raging, and fishing was difficult. He was last seen on the 6th, and that was, as far as I know, the last time Iris ate. Their eggs are ready to hatch. Clark is also known for being overprotective of Iris and their nest, and he lost at least five tail feathers in what is assumed to have been an altercation with a Bald Eagle. Clark was very attentive, and my concern is that he has met with a battle he could not win. I want to be wrong.

An adult osprey sitting on a nest made of sticks, with a parking lot and trees in the background.

At Lake Murray, the GHO took the last two of the three osplets last night.

I wonder what we would find if we put up a big map and put a red pin on places where osprey parents fledged their full clutch. Which ones can you think of? Venice Beach. Achieva (that is a huge surprise). Any others? We will do this again at the end of the season.

Big and Little continue to be well cared for by Mum Jill. Such stability at that nest. Big and Little came together to the nest about the same time that Jill goes fishing every day. She is an amazing mother. I wonder how the female is doing in Minnesota who is raising three osplets alone – from incubation to now. This could be Iris if the Crows wouldn’t take the babies and if Iris would go fishing for them.

Fishing at Loch of the Lowes: https://youtu.be/c9UP6e5tChQ?

Telyn appears to be fine, although some are wondering if she swallowed a braided line and a different hook, one used by poachers. I am just glad she is doing well as are her three chicks.

An osprey sits on its nest made of twigs, with three chicks visible. The background features a green field and distant hills under a clear sky.

Latest updates on situation from Dyfi Osprey Project:

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/telyn-swallows-fishing-hook-and-line

I am going to stop because I am so delighted that Clark is home I don’t want to ruin the day by finding out something else has happened on another nest. Yes, I am going to stick my head in the proverbial sand for a bit.

Take care everyone. Delight in this miracle and pray for the river to calm so Clark can feed their babies quickly.

Thank you to everyone mentioned in this post and the owners of the streaming cams, authors of newsletters and FB page information. Always grateful.

Telyn swallows fishing hook and line at Dyfi…Friday in Bird World

5 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

Well, I am going to start with heartbreaking news and hopefully, by the end of this posting, we will have some good news! – No, that isn’t going to happen. I just received word about an event at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn from Geemeff.

Oh, we need to breathe!

One of the osplets of Lucy and Newman at the Lake Murray Osprey platform was taken by the GHO after 0200 this morning. We know the GHO is there. For several years, the owner tried mannequins, music, but it was the strobe lights that helped the one year. So where are they? Am I missing seeing them? This is heartbreaking. As Heidi says, Lucy and Newmann spent all this time fattening up their chicks for an owl’s dinner. It’s terrible. Yes, I know owls have to eat, but there are certainly enough rodents around to keep them fat!

All those beautiful babies together and happy. It is believed to be the second hatch that was taken.

A nest containing several young osprey chicks surrounded by twigs and pine cones, set against a backdrop of greenery.

I really do not like owls.

There has been an amendment to the Eagle and Golden Eagle petition. Here is the new wording. Please read and then go to change.org and support the efforts.

Petition update · We have a more detailed petition for Scout 🦅 please sign. https:c.org:dZQD58ZTFDownload

The four osplets at Steelscape are surviving well, and Mum is doing a great job at feeding each of those little mouths. Thanks, ‘PB’ for the image!

An adult osprey feeding several fluffy chicks in a nest made of twigs, with green grass and flowers in the background.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 4th June 2026

Today was a much calmer day after the excitement of yesterday’s second chick hatching. Louis kept the family well supplied with fish and Dorcha made sure both chicks were fed and kept warm and dry despite the constant rain. Louis brought three fish including a very large trout which he came back for and flew off with after Dorcha and the chicks had had a meal. The Nest Two fish tally now stands at one hundred and nine, and the Nest One tally at ninety nine following Garry LV0’s two deliveries for Aurora 536, including the season’s first flatfish. More rain’s due overnight with a low of 9°C changing to thundery showers and a high of 14°C.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/AjR6T7ZFNew N2 Both chicks get a good breakfast 05.32.23https://youtu.be/ifehi3cM4qo N1 Aurora’s having breakfast when the cam comes online 07.16.01https://youtu.be/wn2_3INajsY N2 Louis brings a fish so fresh it’s still flapping 13.51.24https://youtu.be/XW7wxV_LTrA N1 Season’s first flatfish arrives 15.16.30https://youtu.be/GJWB3BKpVOg N2 Louis brings a substantial fish supper 20.30.01

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

So far, so good at Dewey Beach. Keep sending that energy. The chick last year died at 50 days. We want Baby Dewey to fledge! He has won all of our hearts.

A collage of images showing a nest with two baby ospreys and an adult osprey, along with a large bluefish nearby. The babies are resting or napping while the adult appears watchful.

I am getting word that there is another issue, this time at Dyfi- Telyn has swallowed a fishing line with a hook attached. They cannot use barbs in the UK (a blessing). Let’s hope this comes out naturally and doesn’t cause any internal damage. What can I say? People love to go recreational fishing. They leave their garbage around, BUT also, lines break when fish get caught, and the raptors pay for it.

That was 5 hours ago. Telyn has been eating and let us hope that this hook and line go through her system or come out without any harm. Telyn is an incredible mother and Idris – well, what can I say? He is an amazing Dad.

Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/rOe9a_xI6MY?

A woman in a rain jacket holding an American bald eagle while looking up, standing on a roadside with a blurred view of cars and trees in the background.

I want to close and get this news out to you. Kelly Sorensen has published a paper on an alternative to lead ammunitions. Please read and advocate for all our raptors.

Stop the leadDownload

Smile. ‘PB’ sent a sceen capture of Little at Achieva this morning adding s/he looks like a Butterball Turkey. These kids are healthy thanks to Mum Jill.

Two ospreys standing on a nest made of twigs, with one osprey visible closer to the camera. The nest has remnants of prey on the ground.

I also want to close with another great image. Dylan brought in a whale of a fish – it looked like it was almost as big as the nest – at 0800 today – for his mate, Seren. They are eating with one another and holding on to their strong bond after the loss of their three chicks.

Two ospreys perched in a nest made of twigs, with a fish and moss nearby, set against a backdrop of green hills.

Gosh, we need a break. It has been a rough year. Sending each and everyone of you a virtual hug.

Thank you to everyone who alerted me about Lake Murray. These adults are much loved, and the sadness extends around the world. The red strobe lights need to be moved up to the nest so they hit the owl’s eyes as it approaches. They should not be on the ground. Someone, please, tell the owner to put them on poles now. Thank you. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams, writers of FB posts and articles.

P3 hatches at Cornell…late Saturday in Bird World

9 May 2026

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for your lovely comments and notes. I am so glad you enjoyed the post about those amazing female raptors! They are truly incredible.

Jill was up early Saturday morning catching a breakfast fish for her and the kids. It is hard for her – Big and Little are growing leaps and bounds and eating more and more and she still must maintain her own strength in order to go and fish for all of them. The nest cannot count on Jack who has an odd pattern of fish deliveries.

‘PB’ caught this great screen capture of Jill coming in with that early fish. She really is quite amazing.

An osprey in flight carrying a fish with its talons, surrounded by trees and a glimpse of a road below.

I don’t recall worrying so much about a hatch at Big Red’s nest. It must surely be because we lost the first one and the nest has been so soggy this year with all the rain. The little one did make it! Thank goodness. There is so much prey. No one ever goes hungry on Big Red’s nest and never will unless there is a physical reason they cannot eat!

A Red-tailed Hawk sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, with visible chicks in the nest.
Two young red-tailed hawk chicks resting in their nest, surrounded by twigs and feathers.
A red-tailed hawk tending to its nest with several hatchlings visible among twigs and branches.
A red-tailed hawk feeding its chicks in a nest made of twigs and branches, with urban scenery visible in the background.

Saturday was always Ferris Akel Day. We watched and often chatted every Saturday during or was it after? the pandemic. I miss being able to sit and go on a bird tour with Ferris who is incredibly knowledgable. Today, I stepped in for a few moments. He was at the Blue Heron rookery and they had babies!

A close-up shot of two birds near their nests in a tree, surrounded by branches and foliage.
A bird perched on a branch near its nest, which contains chicks, surrounded by tree branches in a natural setting.

Ferris is a great distance away, which makes these images just that more special. Check him out on YouTube.

A work of art ‘Ghost Sky Dance’ that documents the illegal killing of the Hen Harriers in the Yorkshire Moors.

‘Ghost sky dance’ – powerful new artwork documents the illegal killing of Hen Harriers on UK grouseDownload

Some good news and some bad from Knepp Wilding about Turtle Doves.

Turtle doves are back!
This year our most longed-for winter migrants have been bang on time. Our first turtle dove was recorded at Knepp on 24 April. Already we’re hearing several male ‘turtle’s doing their territorial ‘turr-offs’ from dead trees in the Southern Block. 
Once common in the 1960s, the UK now has fewer than 3,000 turtle doves, thanks mostly to the loss of protective habitat and the wildflowers which provide them with tiny, protein-rich seeds to eat. Numbers at Knepp remain around 20 singing males every year – that’s a quarter of the population in Sussex. 
Last year, however, just as their numbers were beginning to recover, the European Commission overturned a ban on hunting turtle doves in parts of Western Europe. Every turtle dove arriving in the UK is a tiny miracle.

The parents have returned to the nest and brought fish to the Dale Hollow Eaglets. One had fishing line and the AEF team was able to remove it.

Three young birds nestled in a nest among tree branches, with green leaves in the background.
Three young bird nestlings resting in a nest among green leaves and trees.
A live stream image capturing a nest of young bald eagles resting on a tree branch, surrounded by green leaves.
Two young eagles resting in their nest, surrounded by green leaves and tree bark.

The Sandy Steers Celebration of Life will be on 13 June 2026. It will be live streamed. Check their FB page for details.

Banner for Sandy Steers' Celebration of Life event, featuring a scenic background of Big Bear Valley and an image of a smiling woman.

Forestry England has another nest that has a streaming cam.

A close-up image of an osprey sitting on its nest, surrounded by twigs and foliage, overlooking a lush green forest and lakes in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Olivia was not getting fish deliveries at the Severna Park Osprey platform in Maryland. She, like so many others last year, has abandoned her eggs, which have been eaten by crows. This is the first nest on a streaming cam in 2026 that the adults have had to abandon due to a lack of food. Please if you live in Virginia, please help those rally to stop the commercial fishing of Menhaden which is vital to the ecosystem for that entire area – including Maryland!

I want to give a shout-out to all those folks who are designing ingenious ways to feed the ospreys that live near or on their property. I won’t ever tell who you are, but I hope that what you try works and that those adults and babies thrive. You are my heroes.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 9th May 2026

Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday, a calm routine of fish deliveries and incubation changeovers. Exactly what’s needed as life develops inside those beautiful speckled eggshells, moving slowly towards hatching day sometime in the first half of June. Louis delivered three fish for Dorcha taking the Nest Two tally to fifty, and Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536 taking the Nest One tally to fifty three. Ospreys are migratory birds and this weekend celebrates International Migratory Bird Day, therefore tonight’s bonus item is a programme on bird migration. 

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/W5LTMlv0XbA N2 Dorcha’s dulcet tones ring out as she summons fish one 05.27.59

https://youtu.be/8A0rloqPT3U N1 Aurora refuses a fish, did she have one during cam down time? 09.11.42

https://youtu.be/cedJn2Xd8tU N2 Louis gets to egg-sit when Dorcha leaves with fish two 12.38.38

https://youtu.be/zsNnPyCm_Zc  N1 Aurora doesn’t pass up fish number two  17.26.03   

https://youtu.be/HJ6GBAbxGKI  N2 Dorcha transfers fish three to her talons in mid-air 18.44.11

Bonus listen on International Migratory Bird Day – an ‘In our Time’ episode on Bird Migration (thanks MTL)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08wmk5j

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/NqE_YC8NTWQ  N1 Graceful Aila does a fishy flypast 2020 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/AlayYBTfRbw  N1 Louis leaves the eggs to chase an Intruder Osprey 2020 (slo-mo) 

https://youtu.be/gTF4db9pYiQ  N1 Hurricane force gust nearly blows Aila off the nest 2020

https://youtu.be/Tt0NmWwPiAw  N1 Male & female Siskin pay an early morning visit 2021 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/Z_f1lAL9g68  N2 Undignified upside down Dorcha 2022 (slo-mo)

https://youtu.be/Q4KTtgMN_mI  N2 Ouch! Dorcha crashes into the nest 2023

https://youtu.be/fju0tKjGYbg  N1 On again, off again male visitor LV0 visits 2023

https://youtu.be/261d7botW24  N1 Garry pays a 20-second flying visit 2024 (zoom)  

https://youtu.be/SjXAu0qtxe4 N2 Fish number two does a fast flypast before landing 2024

https://youtu.be/3ersPiqRQ9I N2 A cuckoo calls as Louis brings breakfast 2025

https://youtu.be/5tHDrDx6lpw N1 Aurora leaves her perch to grab Garry’s second fish 2025

https://youtu.be/RPVpjzsMhKA N1 Handsome Garry bathed in the light of the setting sun 2025

Come and join the friendly folk at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – everyone’s welcome!

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

The osplets at Lake Murray are doing great according to Heidi – and the little one has just the cutest bottom. Nice, round, and fat. This is all thanks to the new male at the nest!

An osprey family in their nest, with two adult ospreys feeding their three chicks. The nest is made of sticks and branches, surrounded by leaves.

The American Bird Conservancy (ABC)’s bird of the week, The Yellow-breasted Chat. Have a good read – see how much you can learn about this special feathered friend.

Yellow-breasted Chat – American Bird ConservancyDownload

One of the things that I love about my tiny urban plot is that it is home to so many species of wildlife. Every year, we try to plant more shrubs and flowers to attract more bees and butterflies while making certain there are always decaying logs scattered about the property, providing a home for insects and a feast for so many of the birds. I can’t fight the big commercial enterprises that are destroying our planet, but I can make a difference right where I live – and so can you! It only takes one plant, specifically designed for your region and the bees or butterflies that live there, to make a difference. Why don’t you find a spot to plant something this year so that you can sit and watch the visitors come? And remember – please leave out water. It is the gift of life.

In London, the Queen Elizabeth II garden is attracting all manner of creatures! Enjoy the images.

A new haven for wildlife: London’s Queen Elizabeth II garden opens to the public – in pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/apr/28/new-haven-wildlife-london-queen-elizabeth-ii-garden-opens-public-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

It has been a week of ups and downs at our house. The weather is not helping. I find that warm days when we can be outside, even if it’s just sitting on a chair on the deck, are so beneficial to one’s mental health. As I have mentioned many times in recent years, Don is now in his fifth year of being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. For those that are unfamiliar, it is different than Alzheimer’s. This AI overview is rather good:

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and Alzheimer’s differ primarily in their initial symptoms and progression: LBD features early hallucinations, significant cognitive fluctuations, and Parkinson-like movement issues, whereas Alzheimer’s typically begins with memory loss. LBD often progresses faster and includes REM sleep disorders, whereas Alzheimer’s is generally slower and affects memory first.

Key Differences at a Glance

  • Initial Symptoms: LBD often starts with attention, executive function, and visual-spatial issues, while Alzheimer’s starts with short-term memory loss.
  • Fluctuations: LBD patients experience drastic, daily, or hourly changes in alertness and attention; Alzheimer’s symptoms are usually more consistent.
  • Movement: Parkinsonism (rigid muscles, slow movement, tremors) appears early in LBD, often within one year of cognitive decline. Movement issues appear in late-stage Alzheimer’s.
  • Hallucinations: Early, detailed visual hallucinations are common in LBD, while they typically occur in later stages of Alzheimer’s.
  • Sleep: REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams) is a common early indicator of LBD, not Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Association +4

Brain Pathology and Progression

  • LBD: Caused by abnormal deposits of alpha-synuclein proteins (Lewy bodies) that deplete brain chemical messengers.
  • Alzheimer’s: Caused by Amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
  • Progression: LBD tends to progress faster than Alzheimer’s, with a survival rate often averaging 5 to 7 years.

Why Diagnosis Matters
An accurate diagnosis is critical because LBD patients may have severe adverse reactions to certain antipsychotic medications commonly used to treat behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer’s.

Many of you have written to me about a family member or partner that is suffering from memory loss. Please, please get them to a doctor for a diagnosis. The earlier, the better. It is incredible what treatments and medications they have now that they didn’t have five years ago!

Don’s disease is beginning to progress rapidly now. We enjoy every good moment as his apathy and hallucinations grow. I always remind everyone to also enjoy life as much as you can. Don’t sit and cry over what happened a year or ten years ago or more or worry about next year. Enjoy your life right now. You never know what is coming around the corner.

I will end there. Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. I am going to take tomorrow off. See you Monday evening.

Thank you to all of the contributors today – those great people with their daily summaries, videos, articles, and investigative reporting. Thank you to ‘PB’ and Heidi for keeping track of the US ospreys and to the owners of the streaming cams and UK Osprey Information FB.

Mrs O lands at Tweed Valley Nest 2

20 March 2026

My goodness. The females are returning. First Blue 25 (10) at Rutland, then Blue NCO, and now Mrs O landed at 1813 on the Tweed Valley nest 2.

Lyn Brenig’s Blue 372 was spotted in Madrid on her way home. Last year she arrived on 9 April. Will she be early this year?

Glaslyn posted the official video of Elen’s return to the Glaslyn Valley osprey nest: https://youtu.be/7txltQQtzVk?

Heidi reports that Venice Beach and Golf Course ospreys have their first hatch.

At Lake Murray, Lucy and Newmann have their third egg.

Thank you to ‘VV’ for her keen observations on the Achieva nest and sharing them with us: “First, to answer your Achieva query from blog — I do watch them — I rewound yesterday (3/19) and Jack was feeding Jill fine — 2 deliveries of fish in morning and then an afternoon of sharing a big fish back and forth — Jack brings into nest,Jill takes; Jill returns after eating some, Jack takes; Jack returns with some, Jill takes, etc. Her third time w/ fish on this occasion she finished it off.

However, she seems to be alone in chasing an intruder that I caught a glimpse of yesterday on their nest perch, and the day before (?or day before that?) the intruder was trying to land in nest when she shot off the eggs and chased it.”

Thank you for being with us today on this first day of spring. Toby spent most of the day outside with me. Ann took Don to the zoo. The temperature was 4 C.

We cleaned up some of the winter dirt and mushy snow and rejoiced in the bright sunshine.

Take care.

Thank you so much to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to see the lives of our favourite birds and to those who post information and videos so that we can learn and enjoy. I am very grateful. Also, thank you to ‘VV’ for the information on Achieva.