Writer, Conservationist, Activist, Bird Lover
I was so worried about P3 that this one slipped right by me. Iris and the New Guy now have their third egg, which arrived Wednesday night at 2237.
We keep all manner of information on our forms while studying osprey mortality. This shows the date and time of each of Iris’s eggs laid this season.
Thank you to the Cornell Bird Lab and Montana Osprey Project for their strreaming cam where I took my screen captures.
11 May 2026
Greetings Everyone,
It was a very sad day in the garden today.
We wake up, and over our morning cuppa, we count the animals at the feeders. There are always four grey squirrels, one red squirrel, two Blue Jays, and two Crows. The number of Starlings, Sparrows, Juncos, and others varies during the day. But, for two days, there have only been three grey squirrels. Thankfully, the elderly Dyson, the matriarch of all the grey squirrels, is one of those. But where is the other one?
On our walk with Toby, we passed by the house that had burned down at the corner some time ago. There on the boulevard was the grey squirrel. It had no visible signs of being hit by a car, and there were no wires for it to fall from its position. A friend of Don’s was here for lunch, and we determined with some minor science that it had probably been poisoned. Its body was brought back to the garden where it had played in the lilacs and filled its belly for several years with peanuts. I buried it between two trees. Will find a beautiful stone to sit on top – incense lifted its spirit into the wind.
My concern now turns to who is using rodenticide and why. Yes, there are mice. Most of us feed the birds, and where there is seed, there are mice. I have been told that using only Black Oil Seed and peanuts will not attract the mice as the grains do. The Crows and the Hawks catch mice; we don’t have to do anything. Owls, of course, are another great way to rid an area of rats and mice. But with rodenticide use, nothing is safe. What if the Crows had eaten the carcass? Or a pet dog? Toby? One of the feral cats? Brock? It makes my mind go crazy thinking about poisoning our world.
Luckily, our lovely company kept my mind off of rodenticide and I needed to check the ospreys while Don was busy with his friend.
I had a look, and, surprise, surprise, there is the first UK pip at Maya and Blue 33’s nest at Rutland’s Manton Bay!
It is such a deep nest. We need an overhead cam!!!!!!!!!
All is well with the trio at Big Red and Arthur’s Red-tail Hawk nest on the Cornell Campus. Yes, P3 is being fed!!!!!!!!!!!! No one is left out. We are too conditioned by the osprey and eagle nests!!!!!!!! Hawks and Falcons are notorious for making sure everyone is fed. There is no shortage of prey.
Cornell Bird Lab has one of Monday’s feedings on video! https://youtu.be/tveeiZRM8r4?
The first failed osprey nest in Maryland was in Severna Park. Was it before those failing in Virginia? It is not clear. I am receiving notes today that several other nests where Omega Protein fishes a mile off the coast of Nassawadox Creek are seeing the adults abandon their eggs. Nassawadox Creek is a tidal waterway in Northampton County, Virginia, on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. There will be more, and we must prepare ourselves. If you have not figured it out, the decline in osprey numbers is worse than the DDT crisis of the 1970s. Someone needs to do something about this!
Sad news coming out of Scotland over the use of an illegal trap.
Border Ospreys is live and you can watch Samson and Augusta!
There is really great news coming out of Glaslyn. Aran and Elen’s two year old chick has touched down for all to see! What a wonderful migration and so happy that one of their babies has been seen in Wales.
This is a reason to ring every osplet on every osprey nest – which is attempted in the UK but not in North America.
Everything is going well at Achieva Osprey Platform.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 11th May 2026
Another routine day, it started and ended with a little rain, and in between were lots of fish deliveries – both males brought three fish each, although one of Louis’ was so tiny, it needed a close up to see it was actually a whole fish and not just a scrap, and Garry LV0 also brought a tiny fish – his was still flapping. The Nest Two tally rises to fifty six, and Garry’s rises to fifty eight. It’s great to see both males supplying a steady stream of fish as hatching day starts getting nearer when it will be paramount. As the day ends, Dorcha and Aurora 536 are tucked up sitting on eggs on their respective nests, protecting them from the sporadic light rain which is set to continue through the night and most of tomorrow, with an overnight low of 6°c and a high of 13°c tomorrow afternoon.
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/OZXF99LjQ3Y N2 Breakfast arrives, headless trout 07.11.55
https://youtu.be/IzUaE12sGWA N1 Fresh flapping fish for Aurora 13.53.35
https://youtu.be/WVa1ZepkIzE N2 Dorcha’s very happy to see a second fish arriving 14.51.02
https://youtu.be/Ddut0wN0hRQ N1 Aurora demolishes fish two and returns to egg-sit 16.23.02
https://youtu.be/9aExCQ6TCjc N1 Aurora tugs the third fish away from Garry 18.41.13
https://youtu.be/rE6rVOwW4XU N2 Dorcha nibbles the tiny third fish before leaving with it 21.00.33
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/IhjvqpMq1S4 N1 Intruder Osprey flies right over the nest 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/WW7IBGOOjLU N1 Preparing the nest ready for the first hatch 2020
https://youtu.be/-v6-w-_3oDM N1 Aila does a mid air transfer 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/BsF44kBqGG0 N1 A close shave for Louis – Aila nearly takes his head off! 2020
https://youtu.be/wqUvCjMwwio N1 Mumbrella: Aila protects her eggs during snow flurries 2020
https://youtu.be/yZkcVaa9o-A N1 Affric (Blue 152) and The Stranger return 2021
https://youtu.be/UiJihpt7uEs N2 Dorcha ignores the second fish and leaves without it 2023
https://youtu.be/fwGRG7NNI4o N1 A Jay visits 2024
https://youtu.be/_xdZMQaEYA4 N2 Very late breakfast – fish number one 2024
https://youtu.be/L7wUZ2nkFqk N1 Dawn tryst – successful mating for Garry and Aurora 2025
https://youtu.be/XEuoQfpCuVM N2 Dorcha leaves with fish number two in a beak-hold 2025
Everyone’s welcome at the Woodland Trust Osprey forum, whatever your level of Osprey knowledge – come and join our lively community:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam
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There is so much going on. Iris’s new mate kept her company at the nest. This lad really does like to incubate, but I wish he would fish a bit more!
I love Iris and New Guy 2 watching their trains!
Thank you so much for being with me this evening. Take care! See you soon.
The two besties – Toby and Hugo Yugo – wish you a great week.
Thank you to Geemeff for all things Loch Arkaig, to ‘PB’ and Heidi for counting and identifying fish, to everyone who posts on FB with images and news updates, to Raptor Persecution for always reporting what is truly going on without any prejudice, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch these amazing families.
8 May 2026
Hello Everyone,
First up – Happy Birthday to David Attenborough who is 100 today. What an incredible individual.
Second, remember that Saturday is Migratory Bird Day. Please take part in one of the counts, including the Cornell Bird Labs count. Check out their website.
It was 15 C with a gentle, albeit sometimes coolish breeze in Winnipeg today. The sky was blue with a few of those big cottonball clouds. Ring-billed Gulls were heard overhead flying between the two rivers in our City. In the garden, a host of White-crowned Sparrows were foraging and bathing. We have three bird baths up now, with notes to clean them every other day if not daily. Half a dozen Starlings were here along with the single Robin that visited the other day, a few Dark-eyed Juncos, flocks of sparrows, the Blue Jays and Crows. I am not good at identifying individual species of sparrows, so we just say ‘House Sparrows’!
Toby had his walk with us, and Ann arrived determined to make Don very tired with a solid two-and-a-half-hour walk at the zoo today. It worked!
One of the most troubling local news items is that the City and the Parks Department are culling goose eggs. There are ‘too many’ geese! I have criticised New Zealand for doing this, and now it is here, right at my favourite park. Didn’t someone tell them that Avian Flu took the lives of no fewer than 100,000 Canada Geese last fall in Manitoba’s north? We actually don’t know the full number of geese and other waterfowl that died, as many lakes in the north are quite remote. I was seething. I am not quite sure what the priority is for our City. New houses are going up on agricultural land. They are close together, identical, built quickly with few, if any, trees. The City is closing local wading pools in areas where the children need a free summer pastime. Crime rates are up, property theft is rampant, and drugs and weapons are always in the news. Winnipeg used to be relatively ‘sleepy’. Population growth, poverty, a lack of parenting for many reasons, including economic ones, where both parents have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to barely pay the bills, are contributors. I want to emphasise that I am referring to the ‘City’ government. In general, I am pretty happy with our provincial government. But enough…I do not have a television, and any news that I watch comes from YouTube live events. Watching birds and just sitting with my eyes closed, even for ten minutes, on the deck, listening to birdsong, is so nice. The violence that does make the news is hard to take and yet, I am reminded every day of the goodness of people.
The Lily Society is naming a Day Lily after our neighbour who died in a house fire. He was, as I understand it, one of the founding members and experimented with hybridising lilies. He had a lovely garden full of them. Today, they were removed and will become part of a memorial garden. Very thoughtful. Kindness also comes in the form of my neighbours working on my deck to make it safer and, of course, Jane feeding Brock and loving him. I am so grateful for this single block of individuals who could brighten anyone’s day.
Before we shift to Bird World news, I wanted to send a photo of our little herb and salad garden. It is doing very well. In a couple of weeks, we will be planting outside, but we will keep this one going constantly. From left to right, there is basil, dill, and then two different types of lettuce. I had to exchange the short dowels for the longer 45 cm ones yesterday. The dill is intense and very delicious.
I have had so much information backed up that I want to share with you. So there are a lot of files today – I hope that there is something of value for you.
Please mark Saturday in your calendars. It is World Migratory Bird Day.
So what is World Migratory Bird Day?
AI answers: World Migratory Bird Day 2026 focuses on the theme “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!”, highlighting community science and citizen observations for bird conservation. The main peak days are Saturday, May 9, 2026 (Northern Hemisphere) and Saturday, October 10, 2026 (Southern Hemisphere), featuring global events and bird counting efforts like on eBird.
Key Aspects of 2026 Campaign:
World Migratory Bird Day is a global effort to raise awareness about the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.
If you live in or near NYC, here are some events on Saturday but do check out your local birding groups.
This Saturday is World Migratory Bird Day, a global migration celebration. Each spring and fall, birds travel anywhere from a few hundred miles to tens of thousands! You can see these amazing journeys on display right now as birds stop in our parks and green spaces to rest and refuel.
Join our FREE outings throughout the boroughs to spot stunning spring migrants:
It isn’t just the birds that need our help. Geemeff sent me the following to share with all of you.
This poor 46 year old Orangutan is alone in a concrete enclosure and has been that way most of her life. Opal has been offered a more suitable home but her owners have refused. It’s a truly dreadful situation for a sentient being, and completely unnecessary.
https://www.goodthingsguy.com/opal-is-trending-again-but-this-time-theres-hope
Thank you
With all that was happening on Thursday, there are so many other nests that simply didn’t get checked.
SK Hideaways captured the most incredible images of Monty and Hartley’s foursome! Take a peek. You will not be sorry. https://youtu.be/reg9uBNq8Dg?
We are so missing Annie and her families.
So not only check out Monty and Hartley’s amazing family but also the Wakefield Falcons in the UK. https://youtu.be/G9En47Jdiy4?
One of our independent environmental zines has staff that love birds. ‘Birds Just Wanna Have Fun’.
What should you do if you find a baby bird?
If you live near Hawk Mountain in PA, they have a fun day for meeting their raptors. Here is the information:
Memorial Day Raptors Up Close!
Mon, May 25 Programs at 10 AM & 2 PM
FREE
Hawk Mountain’s signature live raptor program, Raptors Up Close! offers the chance to see live hawks and owls, and to learn what puts these winged predators at the top of nature’s food chain. This program guarantees that you will see a live raptor during your visit and is appropriate for visitors of all ages.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Friday 8th May 2026Another calm day on both nests today, with fish delivered, eaten, and in one case lost! Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536 but unhappily she dropped the biggest one and sensibly ate most of the small second one on the nest before departing, leaving Garry to incubate their single egg. His tally now stands at fifty one fish. Louis delivered three fish to Dorcha, taking the nest total to forty seven and his own tally to forty five. Due to some stick
manoeuvring, the three eggs on Nest Two are now visible but given the birds’ quest to make the perfect nest, future adjustments might well block the view again. Today’s bonus item is in honour of
Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday: a documentary about Ospreys narrated by him and featuring Roy Dennis.Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/FE_fGP965Uo N2 Louis doesn’t notice a tiny visitor after Dorcha left with fish one 08.01.09https://youtu.be/Ogyo5DjA4sM N2 A second fish arrives for Dorcha 16.14.44
https://youtu.be/D59CzIY-hZU N1 Oh no! Aurora drops her fish then begs for more 16.24.25
https://youtu.be/M2I-QvKHSxE N1 Garry brings a second fish and Aurora holds on to it 18.32.31https://youtu.be/oNfoYP5BO1M N2 The three eggs are clearly visible as Dorcha gets fish three 20.59.01
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/fv2-S7IAT7g N1 Aila employs a tried and tested Louis-removal technique 2020
https://youtu.be/RydYvBR0m5I N1 Aila invents a new Louis-removal technique 2020
https://youtu.be/Ys65Fgfu9sM N1 Unusual visitor – a Twite (Linaria flavirostris) visits 2021
https://youtu.be/oMCTfmauWKA N2 First Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022
https://youtu.be/meJb_ovW0V8 N2 Second Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022
https://youtu.be/ea0yqDp1ups N2 Third Owl-strike on Dorcha 2022
https://youtu.be/uecjKN_3VQI N2 Late night fish supper arrives for Dorcha 2023
https://youtu.be/WD9vJ3lVeMk N1 Garry LV0 & Aida pay a flying visit 2024
https://youtu.be/ZrKyT_jo5DI N2 Dorcha headbutts Louis to get him off the eggs 2024 (slo-mo repeat with zoom)https://youtu.be/Rq6jzQKsGi0 N2 Louis settles down to egg duty after delivering the first fish 2025 (zoom)https://youtu.be/tS6l2Py6V74 N1 Yet again Garry makes Aurora wait to get the fish 2025
Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam
There is some concern at the Dale Hollow Nest that the adults have not returned to feed the three eaglets since the AEF removed the fishing line yesterday. I have not been able to watch that nest closely today to see whether any deliveries have been made. Maybe you know?
But for now a big thank you to the AEF who took over the Dale Hollow Nest after the two fiasco years of 2022 and 2023.
At the nest of Big Red and Arthur, there are two hatches that have survived a very soggy nest with damp. Big Red loves to give them ‘big’ bites. The first chick died trying to hatch, and I fear that this might well be the case with the last. We have to wait and see. There are, however, two fine little bobbleheads at present and a nest full of every kind of soggy prey.
If you missed it, we do have two eggs at Iris’s nest!
Last, but never least, SK Hideaways gives us a smile from the nest of Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna: https://youtu.be/U-hHp0IQR4o?
Good night, everyone! Take care of yourselves. Remember the bird count on Saturday, but most importantly, go outside, look, listen, and smell the spring air. See you soon.
My guardian angel waiting for me to finish this so we can have a game of fetch before bed.
Thank you to all the contributors tonight – Geemeff, SK Hideaways, those who post on FB, the authors of all the amazing articles, and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us into the lives of our beloved birds.
7 May 2026
Just a quick spin around a few nests. It seems we cannot take our eyes off the screens for a second!
Iris has laid her second egg just minutes ago at the Hellgate Canyon nest in Missoula, Montana.
At 65 days of age, Winken at the Moorings Park nest has fledged and returned to the nest. The take off was graceful but the landing will require more practice!
It appears that the AEF’s Dale Hollow rescue was a success. Cameras were off, and by my count, all three eaglets are in the nest, and there is no fishing line. Thanks, AEF, and all involved.
We have a hatch underway at the nest of Big Red and Arthur. Thankfully that nest is starting to dry out after torrential rains the other day.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 7th May 2026
Another routine day for both nests – just the odd alarm call but no intruders seen, reasonable weather, and both Louis and Garry LV0 brought one fish each for their respective partners Dorcha and Aurora 536. The Nest One tally rises to forty nine, and the Nest Two tally to forty four. Dorcha had to wait until tea time before her fish arrived, and gave Louis a telling off. Later when he didn’t give up the eggs on her return to the nest, he got a thorough dusting from her tail feathers! Light rain started falling around 9pm and is set to continue through the night and well into tomorrow, with occasional sunny spells.
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/xTXSVuaZZek N1 Aurora 536 flies around with her fish 10.02.05
https://youtu.be/bKsKsVdVfyU N2 Louis arrives fishless and gets told off 11.02.41
https://youtu.be/dHk4UaDuKi8 N2 Louis finally arrives with a fish for Dorcha 15.25.35
https://youtu.be/FdIhdtOhZHU N2 Louis gets a going over with a feather duster! 16.32.24
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/8OaqnwQiaBI N1 Aila does a bit of Louis-bashing before he takes the hint 2020
https://youtu.be/2qFBiVop8DQ N1 Clumsy Louis clatters the camera! 2020
https://youtu.be/T8wmG4NbfIo N1 Late night bat visits Aila 2020 (slo-mo)
https://youtu.be/VA8CwMT9qyA N1 Eurasian Siskin and Crossbill visit 2021
https://youtu.be/0FlIlYJMsGQ N2 Cheeky Tawny Owl perches on the nest 2022
https://youtu.be/LcPUWA3mWDo N2 Tawny Owl strikes Dorcha then returns to perch on the nest 2022
https://youtu.be/kJIFH0RyeSk N1 Louis pays a visit to his old nest 2023
https://youtu.be/6z_D0r_72h4 N1 A little songbird flits around for a while, then nudges a stick over the side 2024
https://youtu.be/1MzoKTgPm4w N1 Aida lands on the perch, welcome back, we missed you! 2024
https://youtu.be/iZCtZxSvdtQ N1 A male Tawny Owl visits, calls but gets no reply 2025
https://youtu.be/9AUcpQbxfI4 N1 Lunch arrives for Aurora 2025
https://youtu.be/AFxIoXOi7hU N2 Dorcha’s fish supper arrives against a colourful sunset sky 2025 (quick time)
Everyone is welcome to join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum – it;s friendly, informative, and free:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam
It was a beautiful day today, and we got out for a walk. It was so nice. Toby and I even managed to sit out in the garden and listen to the birds. We were surprised by the list that Merlin could hear that we could not see! Don’s medication has changed. He is less and less engaged in daily life and that is so sad. He did join us for the walk and I anticipate that Ann will take him to the nature centre tomorrow. Being outside is good for everyone – including those with dementia.
Thanks so much for being with us. Take care!
Thank you to ‘PB’ for alerting me to Iris’s egg as I was checking on Dale Hollow! Thank you to Geemeff for her Loch Arkaig summary, Heidi for her post about Winken, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow all of this to happen. We are so very grateful.
4 May 2026
The news is too good. Queen Iris has laid her first egg with her new mate. Oh, start counting the days til hatch!!!!!!
Oh, geez. I am over the moon.
Thank you to the Cornell Bird Lab and Montana Osprey Project for their streaming cam allowing us to witness this historic event.
10 April 2026
Hello Everyone,
I hope that the week has been good to you and that you are planning to be outside this weekend so that you can hear some birdsong. With migration well underway throughout the middle US, we are expecting more and more species to be arriving in Manitoba. Many ospreys are making their way home especially to the nests in Nova Scotia. We wait for the last of the streaming cam stars to arrive in the UK and northern Europe.
Thank you so much for your lovely notes. I really appreciate them, and this week they warmed my heart so much. I have been unwell, passing kidney stones the old-fashioned way. Life with Don did not permit me to be in the hospital taking advantage of modern methods of blasting these excruciatingly painful little blobs!!!!!!! I am, however, feeling much better as I write this. Don has been going to bed early for the past few nights, and this has given me a wee bit of time to sit and sip tea in the silence. Ironically, both Toby and Don ‘understood’ that I was ‘sick’ and each helped in their own way. I wish you could see my smile. It is also warming up and tomorrow Don and Ann will be out exploring and over the weekend, we should see temperatures around 10 C.
In terms of ‘escape proofing’ the house and property, the hardware is ready for installation next Thursday. The goal was to find a convenient time for them to come. The other day, I might have said that the locksmiths, the bathing lady, and her supervisor hit the front porch at precisely the same time. I don’t like ‘chaos’ anymore. One event per day is what Don’s doctor recommends, and I agree – it keeps my mind calm. The last things to do are to install a tall gate that can be locked at the front and a proper lock on the rear gate. So, I am getting there.
With spring arriving, all of us are starting to think about the garden. A young man has been hired to come and deal with all the birdseed remnants! It looks like there is about a ton of shells! I am serious. Some of it will be used to level off the back area – it would be grand if it all could be raked over. It does make the best compost. The plan is to toss in a lot of wildflower seeds. There will be a few plants specifically for the birds and the bees, including Don’s beloved hummingbirds. I have four trellis pyramids (not sure of their proper name) that will be devoted to climbing beans and tomatoes. Peony supports have been ordered – enough for the six plants put in last year. There are other plans – staining the old deck and building a bit of solid fence to meet up with the fence that was built a few years ago. That is to keep Toby’s eyes in the garden and passersby eyes on what they are doing.
Today, ‘pyjama day’ was very quiet, just as I planned for Thursdays (except or next week when PJ day becomes Monday). Few e-mails exchanged, no housework, etc. What we did do was put together a small indoor garden box with lights to grow salad fixings and herbs. At the current price in the shops, it will not take long to pay for it, and I don’t have to worry about running out of cilantro. So far, only Hugo Yugo has taken an interest. I hope she stays out of it! That little ginger cat can cause more trouble than a dozen other cats.
Now to the birds…
I am happy to say that the fortunes at both Brevard County and Achieva changed somewhat on Thursday with the arrival of several fish. I was afraid that if the poor weather at Brevard continued, all the chicks would be lost. As it was, Mum was just as starving. The little second hath at Achieva finally had a crop! I was happy to receive the following note from ‘MP’ who watches this nest with ‘eagle eyes’. “I’ve watched the Achieva nest continually, and I can say everyone needs more food in the raptor world. Jack has started to show the female how to feed the chicks as he has started feeding them with smaller bites than she gives. The female watched him intently. Jack did try to get her to letting him feed her, but she wouldn’t go for it. She just walked over and grabbed the fish he had. The younger osplet appears to be aggressive toward the older one. Just sayin.
I believe the female is a new mom. She appears to be more interested in her hunger pains. With Jack being a bird who likes stashing fish around whether he does it for safety or a penchant, he does bring in fish. It may be old and decomposing fish, but it does fill their stomachs. I would prefer fresh, since it has more moisture giving the osplets fluids.
I think Jack could do better, but maybe he can’t. I only hope the chicks aren’t knocked down through the drain holes. You know better than I how quickly a nest can turn around. “
The other good news is that there is a male that has landed on Iris’s nest.
A series of images. At once when I saw the ‘snake eyes’ I really thought this male was Louis but I am told it is not. So we will see.
More hopeful signs early this morning. Now please bring Iris a nice big fish and treat her like the Queen she is!
There is a young male at the Charlo Montana nest. Lola is calling for fish and he is just leisurely munching away on the pole. I don’t think this behaviour is going to win any hearts and minds.
The first egg has been laid at the Bassenthwaite nest.
Herr Rauer returned to his nest in Norway on Thursday. Fru Rauer is on her way home, according to her satellite tracking.
Both ospreys are home at the Emma Osprey platform in the Pitkin County Trails, Colorado. They have been back for a little more than a fortnight. Wonder if we will have eggs soon?
There are reports that we also have a first egg at Port of Ridgefield yesterday! The first egg in 2025 was laid on the 26th of April – gosh, seventeen days early. I wonder if these ospreys are trying to beat the heat that might be coming.
Teifi is the male in charge of the Glaslyn nest. Aran appears to have retired to his patch that he enjoyed last summer after relinquishing his nest to Teifi and Elen (no chicks – it was chaotic). Elen has not been seen and her fate is unknown. It has been six days since she flew off the nest. I hope she found another one! She was a good Mum.
Geemeff reminds me that Louis lands in the evening. I sure hope to see him tonight or tomorrow.
Everyone has Louis on their mind. That is because he is much loved.
Latest news from Knepp Farm and its rewilding project. Will they finally be bringing bison back to the UK?
Birdlife Malta keeps us up to date on illegal trappings and declines in bird populations.
The latest from Geemeff and the Woodland Trust:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 9th April 2026
Things were more settled on the nests today as the three key players, Dorcha, Garry LV0 and Aurora 536, stayed on their own nests, although Dorcha did mantle at an intruder Osprey who flew too close to her nest, but not close enough to see who it was. Dorcha caught her own fish and attempted to eat it on Nest Two while the intruder was nearby, and Garry brought two fish to Nest One for Aurora which clearly convinced her he is mate material as she not only allowed him to mount her on several occasions, but also lifted her tail. Although early stages, it’s looking good for chicks on Nest One this season, which is ironic as Dorcha is still waiting for Louis, spending time on the nest looking around constantly, even arriving in darkness this morning and perching quietly for hours – will we have chicks on Nest Two this year? There is still time for Louis to return, he is 13 or 14 this year, having first turned up ten years ago in 2017 as a 3- or 4-year old, which makes him a mature but not an old Osprey.
Today’s videos:
https://youtu.be/PGgwLnbf0iw N2 Dorcha arrives in darkness to wait for Louis 05.38.20
https://youtu.be/VgiPgyyZuTw N1 Aurora grabs her early lunch and flies off with it 11.51.18
https://youtu.be/lB3VOQO7NXE N2 Dorcha brings a fish but an intruder interrupts her 14.07.15
https://youtu.be/YPJLLjcjL90 N1 Is this a successful mating for Garry & Aurora? 17.18.36 (zoom)
Bonus read: Garry the bachelor finally pulls a bird in his love nest (West Coast Today article*):
Blast from the past, this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/urAbbtSOcC8 N1 Fishy frolics and fumbles 2020
https://youtu.be/v-D7efdAnrQ N1 The Stranger aka Young Pretender returns 2021
https://youtu.be/42CrOP5m8UE N2 Night storm 2022 (Artistic Ospreys)
https://youtu.be/6R0DNlZfH9 N1 Chaffinch visits Nest One 2023
https://youtu.be/0kFa_ghXf7k N2 Welcome home Dorcha! 2023
https://youtu.be/0iCP59ypmps N2 Intruder Osprey does a flyby watched by Louis & Dorcha 2024 (slo-mo zoom)
https://youtu.be/D02DTNcDNdM N1 Welcome home Garry! LV0 arrives on Nest One 2024 (zoom)
https://youtu.be/0WR_9m9lGZY N2 Arkaig Ospreys: a sticky situation (quick-time Classic Ospreys: Saint-Saëns) 2024
https://youtu.be/sq0iW1T36zg N1 Welcome home Garry LV0! 2025
https://youtu.be/c7sOtUoE2Kc N2 Ringed male intrudes on Dorcha – who is it? 2025
https://youtu.be/lfaawh1jB7c N1 A Buzzard visits 2025
https://youtu.be/r6g_6__zaxs N1 Affric gets a fish from Garry LV0 2025
* Please note, this article is behind a paywall. However, you can register for free which gives you one free article per week.
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
Thank you so much for being with us. I will, of course, send out a note if Louis arrives! Take care. Get outside. That is where I am headed with Toby. Don is at the zoo with Ann. It is a beautiful +5 C day on the Canadian prairies – blue sky, sunshine and all.
Thank you to absolutely everyone for their articles, their posts, and their letters. I am grateful to ‘MP’ for their comment on Achieva. Heidi is monitoring that nest, and I peek in once in a while, but not as often as I should. Thank you to Geemeff and everyone else for their summaries, and to the owners of the streaming cams, we are always ever so grateful. Without you, we would have little idea of what is happening in Bird World.
6/7 April 2026
Hello Everyone,
I wasn’t going to post but…
SK Hideaways compiled the week’s videos and I could not send them. They are on holiday!!!!!
SK Hideaways Videos, 29 March – 6 April 2026
FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA
Courtesy of FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Shadow Declares Mealtime Over ~ Swoops in to Brood Eaglets, Excuses Jackie (2026 Apr 6)
Video: https://youtu.be/3AQVsHm1hW4
Eaglets #1 & #2 Arrive! Jackie & Shadow’s 2nd Clutch a Success (2026 Apr 4-5)
Video: https://youtu.be/Sg7No7esiAg
PIP Confirmed ~ Shadow Wants to Incubate till Both Eggs Hatch (2026 Apr 3)
Video: https://youtu.be/lo9QFUdRK_A
West End ~ Catalina Island, CA
Isla & Lee’s Wee Hour Beaky Kiss Fest & Shenanigans (2026 April 1)
Video: https://youtu.be/ZA5crZd75fACourtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | West End Eagles Cam Ops
Two Harbors Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA
Cholyn & Chase in All Their Romantic Glory ~ An Oceanside Sunrise (2026 Mar 30)
Video: https://youtu.be/UDihd44HTxM
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
FP2 ~ Zuma Arrives to Join Sasha,Cruz & Andor (2026 Mar 30)
Video: https://youtu.be/xhwv8IWAHas
Cruz & Andor Welcome FP1 ~ Sasha (2026 Mar 28-29)
Video: https://youtu.be/HTrZlwpDO0I
Geemeff sends us the daily summary from The Woodland Trust:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 6th April 2026
The weather was much more settled today and forecast to remain so for the next couple of days and with luck, Louis will make his way home during that weather window. The most interesting thing that happened today was that Dorcha visited Nest One again, just a fleeting visit unlike yesterday’s hour-long one, and also a repeat of her quick visit to Nest One on this day last year.
Today’s video:
https://youtu.be/Pjr_WwqjNG8 N1&2 Dorcha does some housekeeping then visits Nest One 13.15.32
Blast from the past – this day in previous years:
https://youtu.be/OvVG5MBBjd4 N1 Welcome home Aila! 2020
https://youtu.be/j_2zRRZeJQY N1 Sealed with a fish: the reunion of Aila & Louis 2020
https://youtu.be/7Q3BC32Ukgw N1 Fleeting glimpse of an Osprey (slo-mo) 2021
https://youtu.be/WlIs0DTECK0 N2 Louis is heard skydancing before arriving 2023
https://youtu.be/Uz2YCaJzWLo N2 Disaster! A howling gale blows Dorcha off the nest (zoom) 2024
https://youtu.be/y8Jxs3sbhS4 N1 A Barn Owl (Tyto alba) visits briefly (zoom) 2024
https://youtu.be/pVw-5InEmdM N2 Comings & goings before Dorcha finally gets the fish 2025
https://youtu.be/2TrKItSxR3o N1 An unringed Osprey visits – it’s Dorcha! (zoom) 2025
https://youtu.be/gypEolHWuXg N2 The Sabre Dance performed by Louis & Dorcha (quick time Classic Ospreys – Khachaturian) 2025
Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam
Ospreys continue to arrive:
Oscar has returned to his nest at Russell Lake in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. We anxiously await the arrival of Ethel, his outstanding mate.
Harry has arrived at SS Alyth.
There was a male osprey on the nest with Iris, but my markings chart shows it was Louis, not New Guy 2. Gosh, I would love to be wrong!
UV has returned to Keilder Forest’s nest 5A.
At the Golden Gate Audubon nest of Richmond, his new mate, Wendy, has begun helping with that incredible nest on the World War II whirley crane. Here is the video: https://youtu.be/sPmvv6r4KZs?
Lots of tandem feedings going on today with the Bald Eagles. One of those was at Little Miami Conservancy. When there are three, mum and dad need to kick in and feed them so everyone gets their crop full.
That little baby is getting lots of bites!
If you missed it, Cornell Bird Lab has the video of Iris returning to her nest in Missoula’s Hellgate Canyon: https://youtu.be/xM_3aiCH4hM?
My goodness, she looks good.
There have been at least three fish deliveries at the Achieva Osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida on Monday. Hoorah.
LJ2 has arrived home at Lyn Brennig.
Syfaddan has returned to her nest in the Usk Valley.
They are getting home. Now what is happening at Loch Arkaig?! Well, it’s a mess according to Geemeff. “Garry LVO on nest 2; Dorcha on nest 1 getting Garry’s fish and a half-hearted mating attempt; Unringed dark female on nest 2; Aurora 536 on nest 2!” All I can say is ‘gracious me’. Louis, you had best get home.
Iris slept on her perch waiting for new guy 2 to return.
Toby waiting to play fetch!
Thank you for being with us. Take care, everyone. See you later in the week – it is going to be busy here. Good busy. And we are expecting more snow, which means pet food, human food, and wood (along with paper to light it) brought inside.
Thank you to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos and reports, to the owners of the streaming cams for allowing us to take screen captures and watch these amazing bird families, and to the individuals who post information on FB – always grateful to you!
5 April 2026
Good Afternoon Everyone,
First. A reminder if you haven’t already marked it on your calendar. Iris’s favourite day to return to Missoula is 7 April. We are less than 48 hours away.
They are returning from migration but the osprey season officially kicked off today (IMHO) with the arrival of the first egg.
It was Maya (unringed) and Blue 33’s first egg of 2026 and it happened around 1805.
Blue 33 flies in to have a good look.
There are two cameras. The rails are so high on the nest this year we might only see little heads for some time.
On the Canadian prairies, it was raining and then it started snowing a bit and everything is brown and grey. No beautiful sunshine. Toby was so filthy from our walk that he had another bath – he is so good in the tub. Tomorrow he will have a mobile nail trimmer arrive to shorten those claws. In the meantime, it is damp to the bone weather here in Winnipeg. I hope it is much nicer where you are.
Check out the darling bobble heads at Big Bear and Achieva. Wink has brought in a huge fish to share with Peanut, who has repeatedly defended itself and the nest against that persistent owl. Storks are returning to Europe. One was on the nest at Mlady Buky the last time I checked. Remember, Milda is on eggs, and by the end of the month, I hope to see the cutest little white-tailed eaglets on that nest in Latvia. Fort St Vrain has a second hatch happening with pip watch on the third and only egg remaining (first two broke) going on for the ND-LEEF eagles in South Bend, Indiana.
FSV56 looking at Mum. What a beautiful sight.
Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams – without them we would not be able to look into the lives of these birds and witness these little bobblehead miracles!
26 March 2026
Good Morning,
Well, CJ7 must be over the moon. Her great mate Blue 022 arrived back at Poole today – just one day behind her.
Here is Geemeff’s video of the delivery of a huge bass to CJ7 first thing: https://youtu.be/S1aPMGrQFa8?
Heidi reports that a GHO is taking interest in the Farm Field nest. This is not good.
Beau and Gabby’s second hatch, Kai, fledged yesterday and returned to the nest. Remember males often fledge earlier than females!
If I failed to mention it, Louis’s mate, Starr, returned to the Baseball Park osprey platform in Missoula, Montana. She is a good Mum – and well, we know about Louis.
Our daughter and grandson are coming today so I will not be checking in on the birds again until either late or Friday morning. Some of our regular contributors are travelling to see birds – enjoy those of you that are! And for the rest of us, take care. I will see you soon.
Thank you to Geemeff for the video of Blue 022 and CJ7, to Heidi for her report as well as Erick Greene. Always grateful for osprey news!
14 March 2026
Good Morning Everyone,
We hope you had a lovely week. It is still cold, with it feeling like -20 C this morning, even though it is actually -16. Toby didn’t want to go outside. The Girls are busy watching the starlings as they land and search for kibble (I haven’t been out yet to feed them). Brock was here in the middle of the night – that is when he comes, so I get to see him on camera! He has a route. He spends most of his time at Jane’s. Brock loves her soft chair and wet, warm food. Then he goes to a lady a block away (again caught on camera) and comes here when he is assured Toby is sleeping. I do miss him.
Dr Green and team are preparing for Iris’s arrival. The fence has been placed on the parking lot of the Rivberview Health Centre to block any intruders that might want to get to close to her abode.
Typical of Iris, she left the nest in a pretty good state. Oh, please, send out good energy for our Osprey Queen to return – the oldest known osprey in the world should be 30 this year. I also really want her young mate from last year to return, too. We were all saddened when Finnegan, who bred successful to raise two beautiful osplets in 2024, did not return last year as we anticipated he would.
At the Wolf Bay nest in Alabama, Bert and Josie have their second egg of the season. The time was approximtely 0631 today – gosh…I hope there aren’t any Crows around!
Indeed, a thief was caught by the new camera at the Rutland #4 nest. Geemeff caught it.https://youtu.be/BXD-4KKeH3A
At the Moorings Park nest, the osplets are changing. Their heads are getting that oily look (pinfeathers) of the reptilian phase that 1 and 2 are entering. It is a delightful nest! Well behaved, so far.
The fundraiser for the new batteries at Severna Park was a success, and the camera is now live-streaming. There is a number of sparrows taking advantage of the nest while the ospreys are still migrating. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/SHGPhGPtDWI?
Ospreys are arriving in the UK. Sightings were in Perth & Kinross this morning, heading north. One was sightee flying over Waterford in Ireland.
I am keeping an eye on Manton Bay. Blue 33 (11) is fifteen years old this year. Maya is older, thought to be nineteen this year.
Heidi is on the case of the Dewey Beach cam and its angle! If anyone can get them to fix this, it is her.
Brutus and Peanut are being shown where to branch as they continue to self-feed and flap those wings.
Eve and Kai will be thinking of fledging but not for a week…
The pine lining to Big Red’s nest bowl on the Cornell Campus has been added. This is not only pretty but it is also a well known remedy to keeping insects away from the hatchlings.
Only eaglet at Duke Farms is doing well.
Stella and Irvin have three eggs at the US Steel nest. Stella has had a sub-adult trying to bother her but she is pretty calm and didn’t react.
Only surviving eaglet JBS24 has grown into a beautiful, fully feathered, wanting to fly bird. JBS24 will be 79 days old on April 14, around the average time of flight at this nest. That would make it 21 eaglets fledged from here since 2012.
That is just a little catch-up. No doubt many things will happen at the nests today. Keep an eye! Take care of yourself. Enjoy your weekend. We will see you again on Monday (unless Iris or any of the UK ospreys land on their nests). Thank you so much for being with us today.
A few of the gang say ‘hi’.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to view the lives of these amazing birds!
