A big shout out to Heidi who alerted me to the arrival of the first osprey eggs in Florida!
Harry and Sally are great parents, and they have a good location for their babies’ fish. I would call this a very successful nest in the past, so if you are having osprey withdrawal, watch this couple when hatch arrives.
Frenchman’s Creek has had its problems in the past. GHO has taken an egg and a check last season and we have had a nest full of fish but no parent to feed the three chicks who did manage, amidst all our anxiety, to fledge!
Here is the link to the Frenchman’s Creek YouTube streaming cam link:
Well, this is a great beginning. I am very partial to the Moorings Park nest and highly recommend it to you especially if you are a first time osprey nest watcher.
Thank you, Heidi! We have our first entries for the 2026 year in the data forms. Thank you for being with us today for these announcements – and to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to watch our fish hawks.
For years, I had the time to advocate for our raptor nests. In the past year, Don’s dementia has deteriorated, and with the arrival of Toby, my free time is minuscule. That said, my ‘inbox’ is full of the tragedy that is or could be brewing at the Texas Bald Eagle nest, along with the GHO having visited the Frenchman’s Osprey nest with its first egg of the season! In the past that GHO has taken an egg and a chick. So let me get on my bandwagon, albeit it a shorter one than in the past.
‘It is Just Nature!’ IF I hear that phrase one more time I am liable to blow up like a balloon. Nature. Ask my friend, ‘R’, what it was like in Florida in the 1950s when they would take their kayak out into the wilderness. Ask the deer in my neighbourhood or the ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay. Humans have destroyed nature. So don’t tell me you can’t help the little eaglet in the Texas nest, or remove the trash from the Brevard nest, or put up lights for the osprey at Frenchman’s Creek. That is just a start at my list – add Achieva to that, too.
Humans have drastically altered nature, leading to accelerated wildlife extinction through habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation. The primary driver is land-use change—specifically deforestation for agriculture, urbanisation, and resource extraction—which eliminates habitat and food sources for species. Key, consistent impacts include habitat fragmentation, illegal poaching, and the introduction of invasive species.
I think Heidi and I had over 40 ways that humans had destroyed the homes of our wildlife, but let’s take a look at those broad categories.
Habitat loss has to be one of the leading causes – urbanisation, farming, cows (yes, cows), industry, mining, etc continue to reduce the area and break up the spaces for the animals so they can survive.
Toxic Air and Water – we have destroyed good water and air with chemicals from industry, pesticides used in agriculture, and contaminated entire food chains. Then there are the plastics in the ocean – more plastic than plankton now and if you want to know how horrible that is think of the albatross.
Climate Change – We have accelerated this through our continued use of fossil fuels. We have disrupted the breeding cycles and the caused many animals not to have the time to adapt to change.
Illegal Wildlife trade, Overfishing and over hunting. Poaching birds in Australia and mammals in Africa for luxury pet items or use in traditional medicines.
Introduction of Invasive species that prey upon and destroy native wildlife.
Deforestation. Cutting down trees around the world damages everything. It is more expensive but coffee grown in shade saves habitat for our beloved birds while providing a good income for the farmers and workers. Branded as ‘Birds and Beans’ it is accredited by the Smithsonian. So think about it. How much do you spend buying coffee at one of the local coffee shops? Then check out their pricing. Reduce your coffee consumption or do what Jane Goodall did and use the grinds twice – help wildlife.
So nature? Don’t tell me it is nature when our raptors are starving. It is us and it is time for humans to step up and take responsibility.
So here is some information to help you understand more fully so you can argue on behalf of our wildlife:
Window to Wildlife said they will continue to monitor the nest at Winter Park Florida and do “what they legally can”.
With great respect to Window to Wildlife, who have done incredible work and acted quickly within the legal limits when a ‘CLEARLY caused human issue’ threatened the eaglets, such as fishing line.
It is now time for agencies and groups and individuals to advocate for the wildlife – step in and put more fish on that nest in Florida. It has happened in South Australia and it happens all the time in Eastern Europe. Two good examples are Mlady Buky and the community feeding the storklets and parents when one adult was electrocuted. The other was the removal of the storklets, hand rearing them at a medical facility, and then fostering them in Estonia. There are many instances where humans reached out to help.
The Migratory Bird Laws of the 1940s are archaic. That was 85 years ago. If they can be changed with the snap of a finger to allow the killing of the raptors during migration, then equally, we need to step up and protect the birds in their nests!!!!!!!! It is time.
This is an AI Generated response when I ask how humans have destroyed nature:
Human activities have severely degraded the natural world, resulting in a sixth mass extinction event, with roughly 1 million species at risk. Key drivers include the destruction of over 80% of wild mammal populations, clearing of 70% of land for agriculture, and significant pollution of oceans. These actions have altered 75% of ice-free land, leading to widespread biodiversity loss, climate change, and ecosystem collapse.
Key Areas of Destruction:
Biodiversity Loss & Extinction: Human activity has caused a 20% decline in biodiversity on average in land animal communities. Roughly 83% of all wild mammals and half of all plants have been lost.
Land Use & Deforestation: Roughly 70% to 75% of the Earth’s ice-free land surface has been altered, with 40% of land degraded, largely for agriculture, mining, and logging. Between 2000 and 2013, 1.9 million square kilometers of undisturbed ecosystems were lost.
Ocean & Marine Life: Nearly 90% of marine fish stocks are fully exploited, overexploited, or depleted. Around 66% of the ocean area is impacted by human activities like pollution and overfishing.
Overexploitation:Royal Society notes that overfishing and overhunting constitute 20% of biodiversity decline.
Pollution: Plastic pollution and fertilizer runoff are significantly damaging marine environments.
Economic Expansion: The demand for resources has led to the rapid destruction of ecosystems, with only 3% of the earth’s terrestrial surface remaining ecologically and faunally intact.
Please think about these matters and speak up. The osprey cannot do this for themselves nor can the little eaglet who is injured (is it superficial? or is it hot and the chick is becoming rapidly dehydrated?).
Thank you for listening. See you soon.
Thank you to those who took the time to write to me about issues at the nests and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us into the lives of the raptors we love so much.
As predicted, we woke to -34 C Thursday morning. It was SO COLD that when Toby set his paw on the deck, he cried and ran into the house. The general rule is: if it is too cold for humans, it is too cold for pets to be outside. No walk with Ellen today – we will find something else to do inside to work those muscles! Maybe it is a good day to vacuum – Don pushes and Toby chases. Great for both.
Today is a very special day. For 21 years, my son has the first class he teaches at the SGU medical school say ‘Hello Mom’. It happens in a few minutes and always brings tears. It is difficult living so far away from your children. I am glad that Jaine and her family are close. For years, I travelled with my son (since he was 18 and our first trip to India) and later him, his wife, and Don. Unbelievable times in Asia – great memories.
Again, thank you so much for your kind wishes for Brock. He is much loved and has been coming regularly to the heated feeder. He has already arrived on Thursday morning. Brock has to have a warm place to hunker down, or he’ll freeze. Gosh, I am glad, but I wish I knew where it was!
Before we move on, let us consider some numbers. Fifty-one (51) days til the middle of March, when we should begin to look for Big Red and Arthur to think about eggs, UK Ospreys will be arriving, and if we add another fortnight to that, Iris might be back, but for sure, by 8 April – her day of choice. I miss the ospreys. The lack of chicks at Port Lincoln left a big hole.
Hard to believe but an osprey has already been spotted in Scotland this past week and a visiting falcon to the scrape at University of Montreal in the snow!
The Royal Cam chick has been returned to the nest and Dad is there to greet the little one. https://youtu.be/pPuUIdzt8ss?
Locally, Wildlife Haven has been busy. Lumi, the lynx, has been flown to Guelph, Ontario for an MRI. Lumi is improving and will return to the Assiniboine Park Zoo, a partner with Wildlife Haven, soon. There is also a new raptor ambassador.
Introducing Our Newest Ambassador
We’re thrilled to introduce the newest member of the Wildlife Haven family—a young Swainson’s Hawk named Harriet.
Harriet arrived at Wildlife Haven as an orphaned nestling in August of 2025. She was very young, and it was unusual for a Swainson’s Hawk to be at this stage so late in the year, as she would normally need to prepare for fall migration. In addition to being orphaned, Harriet needed medical care for a serious eye injury; a retinal detachment. She responded wonderfully to treatment and thrived under the care of our hospital team. With the expertise of the Wildlife Haven hospital staff and Dr. Sherri, Harriet’s retinal detachment fully healed. Although her physical recovery was excellent, Harriet was too young to complete migration. Swainson’s Hawks must successfully complete their first migration to properly imprint, as this initial journey provides a foundational map for all future migrations. Without this experience, Harriet’s chances of survival in the wild would have been unlikely. After careful consideration, it was determined that she would be an excellent candidate for our ambassador team. In September, Harriet moved to our ambassador wing, where she started training and learning important skills, including stepping up onto the glove. She continues her training in preparation for active participation in our Education Program, where she will have the opportunity to visit schools, attend community events, and help inspire people of all ages to care about and protect wildlife.
Harriet when she arrived at Wildlife Haven in August.Amy, our Education Program Manager, training Harriet to step up on the glove.
Ambassador animals play a vital role in conservation by connecting the public with nature and encouraging action to protect wild animals. Thanks to the incredible care Harriet has received, and the ongoing support of our community, she now has the chance to live a long, enriching, and meaningful life while educating Manitobans about wildlife. Welcome to the team, Harriet!
Some good news is coming from the Winnipeg City Council. You might recall that there was a move to revoke the requirement for bird-friendly windows – well, that motion lost! Birds and wildlife lovers won against the bureaucracy. Remember. The movement to stop the City Councillors from changing this bylaw began with only a few people and grew and grew until the Council had to back down. Anything is possible when people join together for the greater good.
A great review of the 2025 osprey breeding season in Iowa! “Young osprey numbers hit a record high in Iowa, while peregrine falcons hold steady
According to new DNR reports, raptor surveyors and volunteers documented 58 osprey fledglings and 28 peregrine falcon fledglings in 2025. The positive numbers stem from years-long restoration efforts in Iowa.”
SK Hideaways caught the new couple mating for the first time in the West End nest area of the Channel Islands. https://youtu.be/Z1z28PuQFTs?
For the first time, Friends of Osprey South Australia have produced a very detailed report for the 2025 breeding season.
Heading to Poole Harbour? I sure hope I might make it and it is good to know what events are in store for the summer —- mine will be seeing CJ7 and/or Blue 022!
At Kisatchie E1, there are now two eaglets, E04 and E05.
There has been quite a bit of rivalry at the Winter Park Florida Bald Eagle nest amongst the chicks due to a lack of food.
Wow. Look at that NE Florida Bald Eagle cam! Can you find the eaglets?
Thank you so much for being with us today. We are going to try to stay warm. Please take care. We will see you again on Monday.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams for letting us keep an eye on our favourite raptor families. I am very grateful to the authors of the FB posts included above, who give us great information and images. Thank you to Fran Solly and the Friends of Osprey Sth Aus for undertaking that great 2025 survey!
Thank you so much for your notes about Brock. We were delighted to see him on the front video camera, and our entire block became very animated on our private Messenger chat group. Brock is the only feral cat remaining in our area. As most of you know, he is four or five years old and has survived horrible winter conditions – and some rather hot, nasty summers, too. What has happened is that neighbours have come together to watch and protect him; slowly but surely, they have. I am no longer the only one who leaves food for him and waits for him to come. This is wonderful! The more who love and care for him, the better his chances of surviving or not falling into the dreaded hands of those who would euthanise him.
Our cold weather continues. Toby went for a short walk with Ellen. Toby is normally so excited and wants to keep going beyond the half hour, but today Ellen said that when they reached the corner, he wanted to come home. I don’t blame him. It was windy, and the chill factor was -26 C at noon. We continue to expect temperatures in the range of -33 to -35 by the end of the week and over the weekend. A break comes a week from today. In the meantime, it is inside activities! Today, Ann will take Don for several hours of walking at IKEA. Oh, how I wish someone would invest money in a very large indoor dog park with a coffee shop! There are a few places where dogs, including therapy dogs like Toby, are allowed, even though they are not classified the same as ‘service’ dogs. We will survive, and if I once complain about the heat of summer, you remind me about these cold, dark days of January.
Louis II and Anna II’s little fluff ball is nothing short of cute. Check out the Kistchie National Forest E1 nest!
The eagles at Duke Farms in New Jersey surprised everyone when a third egg arrived just after 1700 on Monday, the 19th of January! If all three hatch, this is going to be one busy family. (This Mum does tend to lay three eggs).
There is snow at the nest. This Mum – well, not this one, but an earlier one, spent her entire incubation period buried in snow one season (or so it felt).
The two little eaglets at Winter Park Florida BE nest are just great. Look at the fish hiding under the moss on that nest!
Work continues at nests around the world and their streaming cams getting them ready for spring.
Most of us know some of the ways that human behaviour has changed the lives of our beloved birds. Heidi and I made list after list one year. The Guardian published a good read on this very topic, along with some remedies we can undertake to improve the chances of raptor survival. Here is part of what the author says, “Many people look up to admire the silhouette of raptors, some of the planet’s largest birds, soaring through seemingly empty skies. But increasingly, research shows us that this fascination runs both ways. From high above, these birds are watching us too.
Thanks to the development of tiny GPS tracking devices attached to their bodies, researchers are getting millions of data points on the day-to-day lives of these apex predators of the skies, giving us greater insight into where they hunt and rest, and how they die.
The data shows human activity has hidden consequences across entire landscapes, and is more significant than previously thought.
One phenomenon the data has revealed is the “weekend and holiday effect” on days where more people tend to go to wilderness areas – such as the beach, or forest for hiking. Researchers found eagles expand their range on public holidays, an indication that they travel further to find food.”
News Monday (on Tuesday) from Rita the Eagle, Ron’s former partner at Dade:
‘J’ sends us a Kakapo update:
Update on Pearl | He whakahou mō Pearl
Pearl kicked off the breeding season as the first female to mate. She went on to lay a clutch of four, but we confirmed this morning that all her eggs are infertile.
Pearl hatched in 2002 (she will turn 24 years old in March). Her mother is Alice – one of the oldest kākāpō alive – and her father Waynebo died in 2011. Pearl was named for the successful kākāpō breeding season of 1999 on Pearl Island (which is near Rakiura/Stewart Island).
Pearl has living offspring and could become a first-time grandma this season or next. They are:
• Attenborough and Faulkner from 2016 (with Felix)
• Tuarua from her second clutch in 2019 (with Boss)
• Mātāmua, Moana and Mokonui from 2022 (also with Boss)
Fun fact: Mātāmua was the first chick to hatch in the 2022 season. His name means ‘first born’ or ‘oldest child’ in te reo Māori.
There is every reason to remain hopeful for Pearl to have offspring this season too. As an ‚early bird’, she still has plenty of time to mate and nest again.
Girri continues to fly strong around the tower at Orange. Magnificent.
Calico’s Tip for the Week – when it is cold cold, the birds need fat. Think suet! Poster comes from Home and Garden Tips FB.
Can you imagine -27?
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We will see you on Friday.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to follow our raptor families, to the authors of the FB posts, to Rita the Eagle, who fills us in on her history on Rita’s History Monday, and to ‘J’, who sent us news of the Kakapo Recovery.
First, Brock has returned. He showed up on the front video camera at 11:35 this morning. He had been to my neighbour, Jane’s, earlier to eat, but she did not see him. Now we had proof of life! Happy tears.
We have a hatch at the Kistachie National Forest nest of Louis II and Anna II at the E1 nest. Time 14:01.
The Royal Cam chick continues to make hatch progress in New Zealand.
A second eaglet at the Texas nest has died. The cause is highly suspected to be HPAI.
Another Hen Harrier in the UK has been illegally killed and dumped. Why do some humans believe they have a right to take the life of another living being?
There are many books on Hen Harriers. Bowland Beth: The Life of an English Hen Harrier moved me the most. Bowland Beth’s story became a focal point in the debate over hen harrier conservation, a totemic species facing decline due to human persecution, often linked to grouse shooting interests.
Bowland Beth was a real female Hen Harrier tagged in the Bowland Forest in Lancashire. She was shot before she was able to breed. Because of her sat tag, the story chronicles her movements in great detail. David Cobham chronicles the bird’s tragic life and illegal shooting, highlighting persecution issues in UK conservation. Beth’s story symbolises the species’ struggle for survival against human threats, particularly in the Bowland Forest.
SK Hideaways didn’t think that dementia and a clean house were oxymorons. Well, the other day it was the carpets and hardwood floors that were cleaned. You should see my utility room today! Have someone you are caring for who has dementia? Seriously, try getting them involved in cleaning. It could change your life.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us later this week!
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to see the miracles and the sadness in the lives of our raptor friends. I am very grateful to those who create videos, post information and images on FB, and to Raptor Persecution UK, who alerts us to the atrocities our feathered friends face at the hands of humans.
We hope that you had a good weekend! It was ——– cold here. You can use whatever word you like. The wind blew so that even in the City there were whiteouts. I cleared off the two tables beside Brock’s feeding station to see how much snow actually fell. Have a look!
The young lad clearing the snow has certainly been busy. We are now under an extreme cold warning and some forecasts say that we will have between -38 and -42 C temperatures this coming weekend. I cannot even imagine it.
Toby was finally able to get the mats off his tummy after his stay at the vet, but the groomer had to shave him. Now Toby likes to go outside to do his ‘business’. Potty pads are for little baby training – you can almost hear him say that. Poor fella. He flew outside, did the job, and got right back in. I had a warm towel waiting for that bare stomach of his. Can dogs get frostbite?
Neighbour came up with a solution – we are going to try doggie long johns on Toby tomorrow for his walk with Ellen.
The big worry at the moment is Brock. He has not been seen since late Thursday. This is unlike him. One of the neighbours and I are keeping a close eye on our feeding stations and others have joined in to check for prints – but with the blowing snow prints are not always present. I fear he has gotten snowed in his bolt hole and cannot get out even by clawing. Oh, please let him be alright.
Bird World? What is happening.
The egg has been switched and the hatch for the Royal Cam chick is underway in New Zealand! Liznm has the switch on video: https://youtu.be/Ab_hrAB1jp8?
There is also a hatch underway in the Kistachie National Forest in the first egg at E1 nest in Louisiana.
At the E3 nest, the eggs are 28 and 25 days old today.
SK Hideaways has a great line up of videos for the week.
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux
Two Harbors: 22 Years Wed ~ Cholyn & Chase Still Bump, Beak, and Cuddle (2026 Jan 13) Cholyn and Chase filled their morning nestorations with lots of bonding bumps and beaking. Though some might call “anthropomorphism” on us, the frequent direct physical contact made by these 28-year-old wonders could only be described as cuddles (by us). Nearly 23 years as a mated pair and the romance lingers on. Video: https://youtu.be/njM08jBvYNU Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ West End: Possible Haku Return Followed by 3-Way Chase Around the Tors (2026 Jan 15) A third eagle appeared at the West End, who looks a lot like Haku. A positive ID awaits her visiting the nest, where field marks are clearer. The pair that has been around for a while sat together away from this third eagle.
As sunset approached, there was a remarkable chase scene that seemed to involve minimal physical contact. All three eagles were seen flying after that, so all is well. Who knows what will transpire tomorrow. Video: https://youtu.be/XiDDW4QvFpA FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, California ~ Jackie & Shadow Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://youtube.com/live/LCGYWfbyBWc LIVE Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz Jackie Brings Another Tree to the Fortress ~ Shadow Shakes His Head (2026 Jan 13) Jackie is very focused on creating a fortress to protect the eaglets we hope will come along in this nesting season. To that end, she brought an even bigger “tree” to the nest than before. Shadow wasn’t too sure about all the big new furniture, but in his easygoing way, just helped “fix” the placement once Jackie stepped aside. They also both pancaked in the nest bowl to test the comfort level. Video: https://youtu.be/rmGaHA-YRtM Jackie Adds Large Furniture ~ Alters as Needed ~ Shadow Steers Clear (2026 Jan 12) Shadow thought evening nestorations would be minimal, but Jackie arrived with a massive, complex branch. Shadow mostly stayed out of the way as Jackie tinkered away ~ whittling and snapping branches. Final placement of the big, new furniture is pending. Video: https://youtu.be/EMnEs2oLQ74
Redding Bald Eagles ~ Redding, California ~ Liberty & Guardian Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California URL changes frequently, so here’s main page to livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams Liberty & Guardian Tweak Nest Bowl ~ Bump Bonding All the Way (2026 Jan 16) Liberty and Guardian made two morning visits to the nest, tweaking sticks, aerating nesting material, and all the while bump bonding. There was a minor disagreement about furniture placement, but the ensuing beaking was brief and flirty. Video: https://youtu.be/gP7Yj1vtEH8 Liberty and Guardian Defend Nest Against Mystery Midnight Intruder (2026 Jan 15) Guardian flew in to the nest just after midnight and began alert calling. Liberty joined him shortly after and the two of them sounded the alert for quite a while. While we didn’t see the intruder on camera, it could have been a Great Horned Owl or the female sub-adult bald eagle who has been hanging around the nest in the past few days or both! At 6:02-6:06 in the video, there is rustling and the sound of a sub-adult right before Guardian issues a few wing slaps.
Our dynamic duo defended together until they deemed the threat over. Liberty pancaked in the nest and dozed with her head against Guardian as he continued to keep watch. We think he grabbed a few winks as well. Eventually Guardian flew off, but Liberty stayed till dawn. This middle-of-the-night nest defense surely signals that nesting season is in full swing (not to mention the mating observed!). (2026 Jan 15) Video: https://youtu.be/hM36iXT_qfc
Want to learn more about the illegal killing of raptors in the Dales? There are three free webinars to inform you.
Fish gifts arriving at the US Steel nest! Indeed, across the eagle nests, the others are getting ready to breed. https://youtu.be/kVmf5ljfXaM?s
One of my favourite books is H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. Indeed, I like all of MacDonald’s books. Now H is for Hawk is an audio book! And it is a movie. Yes! Part of the article reads, “It is coming up to 12 years since the publication of H Is for Hawk, about the historian, writer and naturalist Helen Macdonald’s time spent training a Eurasian goshawk after an intense period of grief. Showered with awards, the book was a runaway hit and sparked a literary trend for shared transformative encounters with animals including cats, dogs, magpies and hares.
This month, H Is for Hawk comes to the big screen in a new adaptation starring Claire Foy. But there is still time to get to know the source material, which tells of the sudden death of the author’s father and how Macdonald, an experienced falconer who had previously trained kestrels and peregrines, took delivery of a temperamental young goshawk named Mabel with the aim of taming her and teaching her to hunt. Macdonald, who is non-binary, is the audiobook’s narrator. Their reading is characterised by introspection, curiosity and flashes of humour as they observe this “spooky, pale-eyed psychopath” who, as well as feeding and flying, likes to play ball with scrunched-up bits of paper.”
More eagles dying of lead toxicity. (There is great information on amounts that kill in this posting from Wild Heart Ranch in Oklahoma. When will humans get fed up with using lead and its impact on wildlife and stop the lead? ‘J’ sends us news:
·”It takes 1 ppm lead (parts per million) to kill an eagle, but less can easily be fatal.
This is the last photo of this beautiful eagle standing, taken Saturday. He crashed last night and we gently ended his struggle.
His initial lead test was above .65 ppm, which is as high as our machine reads, but he was responding to treatment and gaining strength, though he never did keep solid food down. All his calories were gavage fed (tube) and even though we deal with lots of birds that initially cannot deal with solids, we usually have them eating within 3-4 days. He wanted the fish so badly. He just couldn’t tolerate it, indicating the severity of his condition.
We did 5 days of lead chelation (binding lead in the blood with CAEDTA) and we were getting there, but it was too little too late.
His last blood test showed 27.3 on the machine (.27ppm). We had brought his levels way down, but the damage was already done. His blood tests on Friday showed his liver was struggling, so we knew then not to get our hopes up.
A “lead eagle” is an every day, all day-late into the night high alert here. We give them privacy and rest, but in between, we are on a medical battlefield, in constant contact with the veterinarians from the Tulsa Zoo, (eagle experts) adjusting, evaluating, changing treatment… following directions to the letter, recording every move we make and every result, so that if things go south, we KNOW we did everything we could, and if we pull off a “miracle”, we have our map for next time.
There is no confidence when lead levels are this high, but if they are fighting and stabilizing, we will continue to support them, even when we know their odds are low. When they crash, it isn’t a small symptom. They go down, close their eyes and they give up. That’s what he did last night.
For some of our crew, this was their first “lead eagle”. They gained experience and understanding of treatment and symptoms and the delicate and intense work of battling this toxin. His life made an impact here as he helped new hands learn how to care and reminded us of the reality of lead in the wild and why it is so important that we educate and ask, again and again. However long it takes.
ONE is too many. Lets keep lead out of the wild. For our eagles, a FLAKE, smaller than a grain of rice, is likely fatal.
Annette
I’ll be on Fox News Tulsa this morning talking about him.
His last test was a .27
Here is AI overview of blood test guidelines:
„A lead level of 0.27 ppm (27 µg/dL) in an eagle is a significant finding, indicating subclinical lead exposure, meaning the bird has ingested lead and is likely suffering chronic effects, even without obvious symptoms, but isn’t in immediate acute crisis like levels over 60 µg/dL; it’s well above background levels (below 0.2 ppm) and a major concern for eagle health, with many birds in this range experiencing subtle issues like poor body condition or anemia, and it’s a common level found in wild eagles, highlighting ammunition as a primary source.”
Beyond sad.
The first mortality of 2026 has been added to the new memorial wall. If you know of others, please let me know! Adding these names just makes me weep. I know that I am missing some from 2025 – if you notice one that isn’t there, don’t hesitate to contact me.
I am working hard to review how my care of Don is doing – and how I can engage him in helping me rather than me having to do all of the housework, all the care of the animals, and ‘entertaining’ and caring for Don. I have learned that those with dementia do not need to be entertained. Some people with dementia need to be busy – and Don is one of those. But it doesn’t need to exhaust me at the same time. So, for as long as he can, he and Toby will vacuum the carpets and apply Bono to the hardwood floors. Don can fold towels or clean out drawers (under supervision), and Toby can drag them out just as he puts them in. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Dishwashers can be unloaded – we have done all of this before, but I will engage him in helping with earnestness until the weather warms up and we can be outside. I know how much my life has changed because it was this time last year that we were in Guadeloupe. Shortly after, a sea change occured and Don’s dementia has progressed. That progression has changed our lives – and clearly it has impacted how often I can send out a newsletter about our favourite birds. But, I am not giving up! So, wish me luck. If you have any ideas, send me a note. I appreciate any and all ideas.
Thank you so very much for being with us today. We hope that you have a really good week. We are looking forward to having you with us in a couple of days, when we have some cute little hatchlings.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos. Thank you to the creators of the other videos, the owners of the streaming cams that let us view the lives of our favourite bird families, authors of FB posts, and authors of articles and posts that help us understand the lives of our raptors. My blog would never be the same without your talents.
I hope that you are all warm and well. It has been remarkably cold here on the Canadian Prairies following a huge snow storm on Friday. But if -22 C seems cold, then imagine -42 C which is what is forecast for next Saturday.
I am sending you some news, and I want you to smile. Louis and Dorcha, Loch Arkaig’s ospreys, are ‘Parents of the Year’ in The Guardian.
It is at least +1 °C on the Canadian Prairies today, if not warmer. Everything is melting. Ellen reported that the walkways were very icy this morning – not so good for a late evening walk, perhaps.
Toby and I woke up near midnight to find a blizzard occurring. Everything was so beautiful and white this morning! We had worked hard to get the ice off the paths – so much for that! Anthony will be here later to clear up.
We are looking at the calendar. It is Robbie Burns Day on the 25th. Many of you might have Scottish ancestors. My father was named after the Clyde River, and the family was distant, originating in Angus and Perthshire. The name originates from the Dalriadan Celtic Scotii (Scots) from Ireland, who colonised the south-west of Scotland from about the 4th century AD. Dunchad (Duncan) mac Conaing co-ruled Dalriada with Conall II (c.650 – 654).” Many contemporary DNA labs indicate that some of my father’s family is from Donegal, Ireland. It is all very interesting.
So who is Robbie Burns you ask? AI Overview says, “AI Overview
Robert Burns (Robbie Burns) is celebrated as Scotland’s national poet for his enduring poems and songs that captured Scottish life, love, and the human condition, making him a cultural icon and pioneer of the Romantic movement, with his birthday, Burns Night(Jan 25th), becoming a global tradition honoring Scottish heritage through suppers, poetry, and toasts, notes Wikipedia and Scotland.org. His work, often in Scots dialect, remains relevant, with his lyrics influencing literature and his song “Auld Lang Syne” sung worldwide at New Year, says Wikipedia and BBC.
Cultural Icon: His humble farmer’s background and poignant, witty words resonated deeply, making him a beloved figure and inspiration for liberalism and socialism, according to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns and BBC.
Burns Night: Held annually on January 25th, it involves formal dinners (“Burns Suppers”) featuring Scottish traditions like haggis, bagpipes, and recitations, say Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns and BBC.
Toast to the Immortal Memory: A key part of the supper involves speeches honoring Burns’ life and work, with toasts to women (Toast to the Lassies) and witty replies, note BBC and Scotch Whisky Association.
Haven’t quite decided what we will do this year for Burns night but will keep you posted!
There is a second hatch at Winter Park, Florida’s Bald Eagle nest. It might be five days younger but our experienced Mum keeps both of her little ones well fed.
The Glen Hazel (Hays) Bald Eagle Cam Is Live Again The Glen Hazel (formerly Hays) Bald Eagle Cam is officially back online. After the original Hays nest fell last year, the same iconic eagle pair rebuilt nearby, and the live camera returned yesterday with a clear new view of their Glen Hazel nest along the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh. Viewers can once again watch these local bald eagles in real time as a new chapter begins at their updated nesting site.Check it out:https://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/bald-eagle-cams/hays-bald-eagle-camera/
I can’t even write what I think about this fine – and the act that this person beat a Buzzard to death. Isn’t there something about how a person treasts animals that indicates how they might treat people? Raptor Persecution UK adds commentary:
Liberty and Guardian are checking out their nest and the egg cup. Thanks, SK Hideaways. https://youtu.be/gP7Yj1vtEH8?
Winter Park babies re nothing short of adorable. Mum has this all under control.
Gabby is such a gifted Mum just like the Winter Park female. To stop the bonking, feed them to the brim as equally as possible and sit on them if necessary.
Smile. Girri continues to fly and be seen on the tower cam at Orange Australia. Fantastic.
Canadian Penny Albright is down in Captiva and she is going to be reporting on several osprey nests near to where she is staying. Thanks, Penny!
The snow has stopped bu the wind hasn’t. It is blowing cold. Ann took the lads out for a walk. Tomorrow Toby goes for a thorough grooming. He has not been able to be trimmed since he was so ill. While at the vet, his tummy got matted so the little darling is going to have a bit of a shave. His long curls on top of his head and his ears are going to be cut. He should look like a new boy tomorrow.
Have a good weekend. Take care of yourselves. We will see you on Monday.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos, to the owners of the streaming cams for allowing us into the lives of our raptors, to the authors of the FB posts, The Guardian for their avian reporting, and Openverse for their images. Cheers to Raptor Persecution UK for bringing the atrocities that happen to our feathered friends to life for us.
I happened upon an article in The Guardian about the ‘new’ analogue bag. New? Well, you think about that after reading this article. It is focused on what I have been asking us to do – spend less time staring at screens and get outside – even if this blog is about raptors that we watch virtually! Or read a book, learn to crochet, paint – get involved with nature. Anything but the darn phones. Staring at a screen is not living.
The author says, “There’s a new “it” bag – but this time it is not about a designer label or splashy logo. Instead, it’s what is inside that counts.
So-called analogue bags, filled with activities such as crosswords, knitting, novels and journals, have become the unexpected accessory of the season.
They are being championed by millennials and gen Z as a way to reduce screen time. Similar to a prep bag, the idea is that the bag or basket should
Play a game and see how many people you know can tell you what an ‘analogue’ bag is! I would love to hear what responses you received.
There was a time when I got up in the middle of the night to worry about Big Red encased in ice, to check on a chick I was concerned about, or to see if we had a hatch. My life no longer allows that—sleep is precious! And it should be precious for each of us. There are other things too – drinking lots of water, walking or moving about as much as one can, good food, listening to birds, etc. My grandmother was such an interesting woman. She grew up when everything you had you grew or raised, and then she lived a long life and saw the rise of ‘fast food’. She did like a fifteen-cent McDonald’s hamburger as a treat, but her real motto was to eat only ‘what is real’. There was always butter on the table, and she had a huge garden that she tended well into her late 80s. I recall, as a child, being fascinated by her chickens and loving to gather the eggs. She would definitely join the analogue group!!!!!!! A cake out of a box! I can hear her squealing and laughing now.
The weather has been grand and at 0 degrees C., I am getting Don and Toby out for some nice long walks and visits with neighbours and other dog walkers. It is essential to a good night’s sleep – fresh air is amazing.
I am going to just check in on a couple of nests.
Check out the video Heidi made showing those three-week-old cuties of Ron and Rose in Dade County. The wingers are priceless. https://youtu.be/Hm1SLp3ZzAM?
The second egg was pipping at Winter Park, Florida, on Monday. My ‘inbox’ comments suggest that this cutie pie gets the award for being the most precious little eaglet this season – it and its single-visioned Mum have won hearts and minds.
No second hatch as of Tuesday morning. Pip is progressing.
E26 is doing nicely – just look at those pin feathers coming in. Eggbert continues to get covered and brooded, covered and brooded. I love it when E26 uses that egg as a pillow.
Toby wishes everyone a great day!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. Check out the Winter Park nest for a hatch later today or tomorrow. Dade County’s cam was down for a possible fishing line removal (it was suggested) and the NCTC cam of Scout and Bella is now up and running.
See you soon!
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams where I took my scream captures, to the authors of all the informative articles, and a generous thank you to those who post on FB and keep us informed of the latest nest news. Thanks Heidi for that cute video of Ron and Rose’s little ones.
I did not intend to post a blog today. The warm weather has energied all of us. We did a 4.3 km walk and then came home and dismantled the conservatory, scrubbed the floors, and rearranged the furniture. I wish Toby could do heavy lifting. He gets bored when Hugo Yugo wants to sleep and not play and now Toby is into tearing leaves off the tropical plants! What a mess they make.
We have our first egg at Duke Farms.
It is the time of year when some institutions offer honorary adoptions to support the essential work they do for our raptors. One of those is Ventana Wildlife, which manages the California Condors at Big Sur and Pinnacles. You could adopt – Redwood Queen, mother of Iniko (1031), who survived the Dolan Fire. Redwood Queen was the mate of Kingpin, who died, but she is now the lead condor in the flock.
Eagles at Decorah North.
Milda, the White-tail Eagle, was on her nest in Durbe County, Latvia on Monday.
I do love the eaglets – they are the cutest little things but my heart throbs at the sight of a tiny osprey or eyas.
I really ‘need’ Jackie and Shadow and Jak and Audacity to have at least one healthy eaglet this year. It would make 2026 so much better. Both couples are working on their nests.
Jean-marie Dupart counts ospreys in Western African along the coast of Senegal. We are so grateful for his diligence, dedication, and the sightings of banded birds. Thank you for your report. Gosh KA9 sounds like a familiar osplet…let me see if I can find out where it is from.
Of course, KA9 is a male that hatched at Llyn Brenig in 2022. Ringed 4 July 2022. Parents are LJ2 and LM6.
Screenshot
We did lots of walking and cleaned up the conservatory, moving furniture, etc. Then we made SK Hideaways’ scone recipe #2. Delicious.
Oh, I wish I were a little younger. I would open a facility for people with dementia where they had free access to gardens, animals, baking -. Most talk about the time for some things, but it doesn’t seem to happen in the free way that it should. Keeping minds and bodies busy is paramount.
I will share one of these with each of you virtually!
Thank you so much for being with us for this very brief blog. I cannot promise that there will be another til the end of the week or next Monday. In the meantime, please do take care of yourself.
Thank you to everyone who posted information on FB. We appreciate your generous sharing of information and videos. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our beloved raptor families.
Harriet arrived at Wildlife Haven as an orphaned nestling in August of 2025. She was very young, and it was unusual for a Swainson’s Hawk to be at this stage so late in the year, as she would normally need to prepare for fall migration.
Harriet when she arrived at Wildlife Haven in August.
Amy, our Education Program Manager, training Harriet to step up on the glove.
Update on Pearl | He whakahou mō Pearl
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Pearl hatched in 2002 (she will turn 24 years old in March). Her mother is Alice – one of the oldest kākāpō alive – and her father Waynebo died in 2011. Pearl was named for the successful kākāpō breeding season of 1999 on Pearl Island (which is near Rakiura/Stewart Island).
living offspring and could become a first-time grandma this season or next. They are:
There is every reason to remain hopeful for Pearl to have offspring this season too. As an ‚early bird’, she still has plenty of time to mate and nest again.
