Tag Archives: Nancy and Harry

Friday Morning in Bird World

6 May 2022

The five peregrine falcon eyases at the Manchester, New Hampshire scrape have been fed four times before 0930. Meal times were 0531, 0627, 0712, 0917. Mum doesn’t get finished quick. She will wait til there are no beaks open wanting food. Just look at the youngest right up there!

There are five eyases in the scrape at the Walburga Tower in Oudenaarde, Belgium, too.

Here is the link to the camera in Belgium:

There is still one eyas at the scrape box on The Campanile on the grounds of UCalifornia-Berkeley. The wee one hatched on 5 May. There are two more eggs. One appeared to have some cracking of the egg but that could have been light or debris.

Bingo!

A really nice fish arrived for the two soggy eaglets at the Dale Hollow Nest at 0813.

It is not clear to me which of the eaglets claimed the fish. Note: the cam is flickering (or was) in and out of IR mode).

There was some headway made on the self-feeding and later both decided to sit it out on the rim of the nest.

Lessons are still being taught at the WRDC Bald Eagle nest in the Miami Zoo. Rita arrived with a nice fish at 0926.

She waited eating morsels. It was not until 1024 that a fledgling arrived on the nest.

Mum left them empty taloned. Wonder what lesson she was giving out today????

Both R1 and R2 seem to be hanging around the nest. Hi there.

The three eyases at the Weissenburg scrape in Bayern are really growing. Look at the change in their plumage. The soft dow gives way to a rather matty looking cotton that reveals feathers!!!!!! Pink beaks begin to change colour.

Louis is an amazing partner. I adored him with Alia and so sorry she did not return last year. He has settled in with Dorcha and despite the pelting rain in Scotland landed a nice fish for her. Well done, Louis.

Dorcha is so dark. She reminds me of Mrs G at the Glaslyn nest.

We might be checking in on the Osprey nests scattered about the UK but all eyes are on one nest – that nest belongs to Blue 33 (11) and Maya at Manton Bay. They should be having a pip and a hatch today or tomorrow.

Maya is not giving anything away! Gosh she is beautiful.

If you are looking for a solid Osprey nest to watch, one that fledges all their hatches then this is the nest to watch. Here is the link to the streaming cam.

It is raining a lot of places in the US and much of that rain is really welcome especially up in the Pacific Northwest. You will notice that I do not list any of the Osprey nests in that region. The ones I know have suffered from the extreme heat.

It is also raining on Long Island at the PSEG Oyster Bay Osprey platform. Did you know that there are over 2000 Osprey nests on Long Island? Most are located on the eastern end. PSEG has two platforms. The one at Oyster Bay in Nassau County and the other at Patchogue. The Ospreys return each year with the arrival of the Menhaden. It is a species of fish in the herring family. They travel south in the fall and winter and north in the spring in slow moving tight schools. Sadly they have been over fished.

“Brevoortia patronus Goode, 1878 – Gulf Menhaden” by Crabby Taxonomist is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

There are two falcons and two eggs at the Indiana and Michigan Power Company scrape. You can help them name the chicks. Information below.

Here is the link to this camera.

The Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne, Indiana provided a list of ten names for a Survey Monkey. You can vote here once before May 16.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LN776TF

We are waiting for hatch at the new scrape box mounted on the top of the Spartan Stadium at the University of Michigan. It is raining there today, too.

Dad has come to relieve Mum but she isn’t budging. Will we have a hatch today? Maybe. Here is the link to this new streaming cam and scrape.

These falcons made the news!

Some images from this morning at the nest of Big Red and Arthur on the grounds of Cornell University in Ithaca.

Nancy has fed E1 and a cherry picker has gone up to the nest. It is banding day!

E1 properly defended the nest he shares with Mum. Sadly, Dad Harry has not returned to the nest. He disappeared on the evening of 26 April. Once Nancy realized what was happening, she started bringing food to the nest. As we know, it was too late for E2.

Despite early worries by some watchers when there were four eggs, Big Red has shown that this is not a problem. Indeed while it might be one extra to her norm, you can see by some of the peregrine falcon nests that it is possible for five to do well. Life is so different on the hawk and falcon nests than it is for the eagles and the ospreys.

It is going to be a gorgeous 21 degree C day in Manitoba. It is a good day to get outside – before the next rains come – and go and see some of the new arrivals in the City while I wait for the second hatch at Cal Falcons and for their Q & A at 5pm Pacific Time.

The Dark-eyed Juncos that arrived in mass during the horrible storm a few weeks ago seem to have departed. The numbers of birds at the feeders are returning to the norm. Even Mr Blue Jay dropped by this morning.

Take care everyone. Thank you for joining me. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures: Cal Falcons, WRDC, Woodland Trust and People’s Post Code Lottery, LRWT, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, Spartan Stadium Falcon Cam, I & M Falcon Cam, PSEG Oyster Bay, Weissenburg Falcons, DHEC, Oudenaarde Falcons, MN-DNR, and Peregrine Falcon Networks.

It’s a Pip at Cal Falcons, a Young Shadow, and other news in Bird World

5 May 2022

It is 8 degrees C and will be 18 Celsius today in Winnipeg. Our City is a bit of an island with areas north and south flooded and communities being evacuated. It is also the height of bird migration. So we truly did go from winter to summer. Crazy.

News of the morning. We have a pip at Cal Falcons for Annie, Alden, and Grinnell!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, fantastic.

Baby Steps! USS4 took its first baby steps. How sweet. Just look at those strong legs!

If you missed it, Spirit branched! Jackie and Shadow have done a fantastic job raising this super ‘spirited’ eaglet. What a joy it has been to watch her grow from that first pip to now.

Many of you watched the satellite/GPS tracking of Karl II as he returned from his winter home in the Chad and Sudan areas of African. Karl II arrived at his nest n the Karula National Forest in Estonia on 8 April 8. His mate, Kaia, arrived on April 12th. This couple – who fledged three last year – have four eggs this year. They were laid on 24, 26, and 29 April and on 1 May.

The image below is of Kaia aerating around the eggs. You can distinguish Kaia from Karl II not only because Karl is bigger but also he is banded and also has his satellite tracker on his leg.

Nancy was in the nest with E1 last evening. She is doing a great job at being an only parent.

We all love Shadow and Jackie. Here is an interesting story from yesterday but more interesting is the image of a young Shadow on the bottom right!

It was a foggy morning at the nest of Big Red and Arthur. Gosh I love that dark morph of Big Red’s plumage. She is so gorgeous.

L4 continues to delight. Here he is climbing over the gang from the back to get some breakfast. L4 was also seen having two crop drops by Cornell staff this morning. Way to go little buddie. No worries ever about Big Red and Arthur being able to handle four!!!!!!!!

It is not entirely clear what has gone on at the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest this morning. Mom was on the nest and there was a fish delivery. Was it Dad returning? or was it the intruder and the Middle wanted to be fed?

The chicks are standing and walking better. They are also growing with all the good fish that has come in. Just look at the size of that wing!

It is really a beautiful morning with the sun rising over the nest. This is Mum with the chicks.

There is what appears to be a remnant of prey but that is not Mum and that bird is not feeding the little ones. Note the design on the back of its head.

Is this Dad? I admit to not having looked at his plumage as carefully as I should have. The kids would like some fish. It is going to get hot on that nest this morning.

There you can see that design better. I wonder who this is? And where is Mum? Has she gone fishing? I will check back later to see how these two are.

I wanted to let everyone know about the pip at Cal Falcons. This is so exciting. Annie and Alden can hear the cheep-cheep of Grinnell’s chick and the egg tooth pecking away. Tears.

Bird World needs some good news and it is happening. Here is the link to their camera:

Thank you for joining me this morning. I will be back tonight with check ins on your favourite nests! Until then, I will be watching this pip while I ready the garden for summer today. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Cal Falcons, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Big Bear Bald Eagles, Pix Cams, MN-DNR, USSteel Eagles, and The Estonian Eagle Club.

Wonderful News in Bird World

27 April 2022

Yesterday Dr Sharpe rescued Chase and Cholyn’s only eaglet from the side of the cliff face.

Today, Lori Covert, the owner of the property which is home to the Captiva Osprey and Bald Eagles nests saw the entire family flying in the mangroves. Yes! The entire family: Andy, Lena, Middle (or LittleO) and Little (or MiniO). What a relief to know that Little MiniO is fine and well and being cared for and with the parents!

Middle of LittleO flew up to the nest for some fish and this finding means that Andy is finding fish for Little or MiniO and feeding her off nest. Fantastic news.

More good news comes from Wales. Last year someone with a chain saw cut down the platform that LJ2 and LM6 were using for their nest. It was traumatic that they did not have chicks last year. A new platform has been erected and the pair have laid their first egg this morning at 08:24. And, yes, there is heightened security at the site this year.

https://north.wales/news/osprey-lays-first-egg-of-season-after-return-to-llyn-brenig-following-chainsaw-attack-on-nest-37175.html?fbclid=IwAR3FXtR4ewJQ17EOAB6sgOhXoIQ4AoMIQWl0Nvp2vtAc_-PuNrrXk4Burp0

‘B’ sent me a video that is a recap of the season so far at the Cal Falcon nest. You might want to have a look. Even though it is hard, it is wonderful to be able to see and remember Grinnell.

The two eyases at the Anacapa Peregrine cliff scrape are doing fantastic, too.

Here is a link to that cam:

There are at least four goslings, perhaps five, now at the Decorah Mother Goose nest. Everyone is anxious for Mum to fly down and the goslings to join her. There is at least one more egg to hatch and she may wait to see if it will hatch. There are also wind gusts at the site.

She is very patient with that little one.

Each one of the triplets is accounted for on the West End nest. They have been wingersizing in the afternoon and I just checked and they are all home. Relief.

There was a shift change at the Cornell Red tail hawk nest of Big Red and Arthur.

That gave us a chance to see the three Ls and to check on the hatch of L4. You can clearly see the egg tooth working away. And it was moving so the chick is alive. I understand that part of the shell as fallen in on itself. Big Red may do her famous rolling trick to help it once it gets closer to hatch.

The pantry is well stocked. Arthur has been very busy.

Everyone go awwwwwwah. Arthur is so cute and he does just fine brooding the babies. He loves to look after them!

The eaglets at the MN-DNR are alive and the leaves and tree are swaying in the wind. The camera had frozen this morning.

The two eagles at the Dale Hollow nest are also doing just fine. They are sure interested in the world beyond the nest!

That is a quick rap of the good news on the nests today. Thank you so much for joining me. Remember to head over to the Decorah Eagle nest to see the fun with the Canada Goose and her goslings! Take care. See you soon.

Thanks to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Explore.org, Captiva Ospreys and Window for Wildlife, Cornell RTH, DHEC, and MN-DNR.

Saturday in Bird World

23 April 2022

UPDATE: All of the Denton Homes nestlings are now deceased. Sending positive energy that the parents do not also die from Avian Flu as well as the other nests in the area. Condolences to all at Denton Homes on the loss of these three precious eaglets.

Thoughts go out to all of the nests in the area including Mother Goose on the abandoned eagle nest and Mr and Mrs North at Decorah North and their two eaglets.

The three eaglets of Thunder and Akecheta still cause us to hold our breath when they go near the edge of the nest. In their discussions yesterday, Sean Peterson and Lynn Scofield of Cal Falcons said that there is no Avian Flu present on the West coast (yet).

Thunder and Akecheta brought in 9 small fish for the trio yesterday. They have all learned how to ‘hork’ – eating the prey whole almost choking it down! I hope they continue to bring in fish to the nest – no more Coots!

Baby has a full crop and is getting shade from the adult on the nest of Chase and Cholyn at Two Harbours. Blink and the wee fuzzy one turned into an eaglet!!!!!!!! with thermal down. Gosh.

Middle (Little) had a fish tail and a pin fish this morning. He is on the nest being extremely vocal about wanting more food.

Little or MiniO fledged on the 22nd of April at 06:46:14. It is not clear if this was intentional or the wind gust took her off the nest. She has not been seen since fledging. The moderator of the chat said that Lori Covert intends to look for Little MiniO when she returns (I do not know when that is).

The hatch of L2 at the nest of Big Red and Arthur is proceeding nicely. This image is now about 3 hours old. That little one is almost out then. A good shove to the shell might do it. Earlier it appeared that a third egg might have a pip.

Arthur is keeping the pantry stocked.

The arrival of a Robin prompted Big Red to get up and eat a bit. You can see the crop on L1. Both L2 and L3 are now hatching. You can see the progress in the front two eggs. This nest is going to get super busy – and exciting – as these chicks hatch. Notice the bright yellow cere on L1. How gorgeous. The cere is the fleshy covering at the base of the upper beak.

L1 can hear its sibling and is mesmerized by that beak chipping away at the shell. If you look lower L2 has cracked its way around the egg. It will not be long.

There is some exciting news (for me anyway) coming out of the UK. Mrs G and Aran’s 2017 third hatch, Z8, was spotted at Loch Gruinart.

Z8 hatched just before midnight at the Glaslyn nest on the 29th of May 2017. He fledged at the age of 54 days on the 22nd of July 2017. This is the first official sighting of him! Excellent. I hope that we hear more about Z8 now that he has been spotted in Islay. He was a third hatch osprey!

Here is the FB announcement:

Other good news is that chick 3 who had remained in the crumbling eagle nest and nicknamed ‘Velcro’ has been reunited with chick 2 in the temporary nest in Illinois. These folks worked long and hard for these amazing eaglets who have not fledged but are the size of a Canada Goose. Congratulations to everyone at the Illinois Raptor Centre for this incredible effort.

To read about this journey, please go to the FB page of the Illinois Raptor Centre and scroll down – read from the bottom up – from when the nest collapsed.

The two Dale Hollow Eaglets have done so well. The sibling rivalry or food competition is all over between Big and Middle. They are now 55 days old and one of them is standing on the rim of the nest today.

They may have had some lean days but today was feast day and both have eaten so well and have such filled crops that they are ignoring a fish on the nest! Does it get more wonderful than that?

Everything seems to be fine other than being damp and getting potentially more rain later at the MN-DNR nest of Harry and Nancy.

It is 15:04 on the UFlorida Osprey nest. Little Bit continues to cry for food. The older siblings have no crops. It is very hot on the nest and all are food crying now. Wish for a miracle! That is what it is going to take – a miracle. The pattern has been for only one more fish to come in before bed and the two big ones are already ravenous.

As I wrap this up we are still waiting for fish to drop from the sky on the UFlorida Osprey nest, a hatch at Cornell (or two), and Little or MiniO to return to the Captiva Osprey Nest. Some believe they might have heard her calling. Send positive wishes to all the wildlife struggling on the Canadian Prairies with the torrential downpours and the flooding.

Thank you for joining me. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages: Loch Garden and Other Ospreys FB, Illinois Raptor Centre, Captiva Ospreys and Window for Wildlife, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, UFlorida-Gainesvlle Ospreys, MN-DNR, DHEC, and Explore.org.

Late Friday in Bird World

22 April 2022

There is so much news in Bird World. I simply cannot keep up. At the same time, most of it is all wonderful! That is a good thing. My report will be short. Many things to do after listening to the wonder session with Cal Falcons.

Jackie and Shadow are amazing. While we have rain warnings here on the Canadian Prairies, our beautiful Eagle family in the Big Bear Valley had a horrific snow/ice storm.

Here is a video clip of Jackie and Spirit. What a great Mum Jackie is!!!!!!

This image was taken at 13:45 and things are much improved.

Cal Falcons. Mark May 5-6 as hatch days. Gosh, the Q & A with Sean Peterson and Lynn Schofield was really and truly informative. I learned so much! And I am posting it for you so you can listen if you wish. There were a couple of takeaways from this session that I found quite interesting. The first was that Alden was known to both Annie and Grinnell and was accepted by Annie and Grinnell. He had been seen for 1 or 2 months. Neither of them ever tried to chase Alden off the Campanile. On at least one occasion, Alden brought a prey delivery to Annie while Grinnell was alive. Again, no action by Grinnell. There is speculation that Alden was going to be a ‘nest helper’ for Annie and Grinnell and that is why neither of them were antagonistic or aggressive to him. The second was that a falcon has super eye sight for about a mile. They can spot a prey item. Grinnell was killed within a mile of The Campanile. Annie might have seen Grinnell being killed and that would contribute to her bonding with Alden so quickly.

Here is the link to this session.

Another fish came to the UFlorida-Gainesville at 16:11:37. The feeding finished at 16:47:55. Little Bit got nothing. The problem is that the two big siblings are now requiring more and more food and both are intimidating the wee babe. If another extremely large fish comes on board before night, finger’s crossed. I am not hopeful, however.

In part, one of the biggest issues is how the female stands to feed the chicks. If she would point her head at the rim so that Little Bit could get between her legs or on the opposite side, he might have a chance of some food.

Lena has been calling for a fish delivery. I wonder if she is hoping she can get Little (MiniO) who fledged this morning back up to the nest for some food.

There is absolutely nothing more beautiful than Big Red looking down at her new baby and it looking up to its wonderful Mum.

Iris has been spending time today at the nest just like she seems to do every afternoon.

The winds are roaring around the Channel Islands Bald Eagle nests. Everyone at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta are holding on!

It is not nearly as breezy but the wind is blowing and it is wet and dreary at the MN-DNR nest of Nancy and Harry and their two eaglets.

Big and Middle shared a fish at 09:38. These two are looking really good and there is absolutely no rivalry. It is truly wonderful – even when there are not a lot of prey items.

It is Earth Day and this is a very good reminder from Rosie and Richmond!

Wishing Everyone a Very Happy Earth Day. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams or FB pages where I grabbed my screen captures: SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, DHEC, Friends of Big Bear Valley, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, MN-DNR, Cornell Bird Lab and Montana Ospreys, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, Captiva Ospreys and Window for Wldlife, Explore.org, and Cal Falcons.

It’s Sweet Eaglet Dreams at Dale Hollow and…other news in Bird World

24 March 2022

The image below pretty much says how the day has gone for Little Middle (notice my new nickname for DH15) at the Dale Hollow Bald Eagle nest. I do not have the time stamp but it was mid-afternoon. River had fed the kiddos all of the food on the nest. You can almost hear the two siblings comparing their crops – Little Middle insisting that his is ultimately larger because he is so much smaller than Big!

It has not been a day without its troubles, without Middle Little striking the submission pose to protect its head when Big would get up to eat. But, so far, it has been nothing like yesterday at all.

At 16:56 Obey? arrives with a fish. Big and Middle Little are too full to even think about having any bites of that fish.

Obey takes the time to aerate more of the nest.

Obey? begins calling and flies off. River? returns with a small Sucker.

At 17:11:46 s/he tries to feed Big.

Nope. Too full. Little Middle turns to face parent for a feeding but, ultimately, he is too full. Big does not even acknowledge that Little Middle is moving by the fish. Talk about a 360 degree turn.

Parent begins to bury the fish in the nest. By 17:24:25 Little Middle is ‘thinking’ about fish and drops its crop a bit. But Little Middle is just thinking and not eating. At 17:43:52 Little Middle moves over by the fish and does a couple of pecks at it.

It is now 18:09. The nest is calm.

There are two fish (Suckers) on the nest and whatever else River has hidden. Neither of the two eaglets are interested in eating. So, how to have a happy nest? how to stop intimidation? Keep the fish coming in for several days in a row. Are we beginning to turn the corner at the Dale Hollow nest? Gosh, I sure hope so!

River is looking at them and she knows bedtime is coming. Will she try to feed the pair again?

Yes. At 18:36:51, River unzips the large Sucker at the top right of the nest.

At 18:37:07 River offers the first bite to Little Middle. Is this a mistake?

Little Middle wants to move around to the other side of River. Good move. River feeds Big.

Smart. If Big gets mad, Little Middle is protected by being on the other side of Mum.

At 18:48:25 Little Middle takes a chance and moves up between Mum and Big. What is he thinking???!!!!!!

Goodness. Little Middle gets some bites and also reaches down and eats some of the flakes of fish off the nest. Talk about brave! Whoooooaaaa.

Wow. That worked out. Little Middle is totally stuffed and walks away from the feeding area at 18:53.

You could set an alarm by Obey’s regular 19:00 visit to check on the nest. He must be happy with what he sees – two full healthy eaglets.

The feeding is over. There is one fish hidden and half of the large sucker remaining for tomorrow morning. Sweet eaglet dreams everyone. It has been a good day at Dale Hollow.

Other Nests: There is a pip in the first egg at Decorah North for Mr North and Mrs DNF. That pip started at 12:46. Just after I was thinking that the Cal Falcon scrape of Annie and Grinnell was secure, Annie flies off to hunt or something and Grinnell entertains one of the five juvenile females that are trying to entice him. Grinnell, behave yourself! BTW. This is not normal behaviour and ‘B’ suggested today that Grinnell has not been the same since his injury 29 October. I agree. This scrape is certainly better than the old soap operas that used to be on the telly that my Grandmother watched!!!!!! There is also a pip in the second egg at the MN DNR nest of Harry and Nancy.

Parents at Pittsburgh Hayes are doing great with their two wee ones. Dad hauled in a massive fish after the following video was posted.

Jasper and Rocket at the NEFlorida nest of Samson and Gabby are still home, still self-feeding, and still adorable.

The two little ones of Liberty and Guardian on the Redding Bald Eagle nest need a bath! It is not clear if it was a coot or a duck but they are now being fed one of the organs. They have not injured one another – it is just the feeding!

Thunder brought in a really nice fish to the West End Bald eagle nest. The trio lined up nice and straight and very polite for their feeding.

At the Captiva Osprey Nest Lena is using her peripheral vision and is really hoping that Middle doesn’t hit her with a PS.

Lena has moved over because she knows that Andy is incoming with dinner. The kids are excited to see a fish on the nest.

Martin has at least 5, perhaps more, super large fish on his nest with Rosa at Dulles-Greenaway. Wish he could courier a couple of those over to Dale Harbour.

And if you want to imagine a spread in hatch days, these are the dates for Big Red’s eggs: March 14, 17, 20, and 23. Yes, the difference from egg 1 to 4 is 9 days.

Arthur would really like Big Red to move so he could have a turn incubating those precious eggs.

It has been a good day! Thank you so much for being here with me. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Cornell Bird Lab and RTH, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, West End Bald Eagles and the Institute of Wildlife, MN DNR, Pix Cams, Dulles-Greenaway Eagles, Redding Eagle Cam, Captiva Ospreys, and NE Florida Bald Eagles.