Tag Archives: nature

Has Iris landed?

6 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

Let’s get on with the great news. No confirmation yet but first thing I checked was Iris’s nest and look what I found.

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

There was sad news coming out of Florida late Sunday. The little third hatch, Nod, that had captured so many hearts died from starvation caused by siblicide.

Earlier in the day.

An adult osprey stands watch over three young chicks in a nest, with a serene lake and greenery in the background.
Three young ospreys sitting in their nest, surrounded by sticks and greenery, with a calm water body in the background.

It is difficult raising three – it is extraordinary to fledge four but there have been osprey families that have done it repeatedly. Maya and Blue 33 and, as of late, CJ7 and Blue 022 seem to be setting some kind of record.

When a little one dies, I always think of two nests where the tiny one did not die. The first that comes to mind is Tiny Tot Tumbles (2021) at Achieva. We held our breath—79 hours without food. That little babe searched the nest and ate bones. It learned to ride the rails to sneak a bite and attacked the older sibling because it had nothing to lose. Diane noticed this chick wanted to live. When the older ones were asleep, and it was dark, she flew in with one of her catfish. Tiny Tot Tumbles, who was on the verge of death in March and April, survived and thrived. She defended the nest with Jack against an intruder during the third week of June after Diane had left the area. Tiny Tot was still on the nest later in the summer. She was extraordinary. I have always wondered what happened to her, and that is the problem with the US lack of ringing. The chicks on the streaming cam nests need to be ringed – and, yes, that goes for Big Red’s hawklets on the Cornell campus. Surely the folks at Cornell Bird Lab understand that knowing the dispersal area of Big Red’s babies could be important!

The second nest was Foulshaw Moss. White YW is an extraordinary male, and Blue 35 is a great Mum. The two older siblings in 2021 were much, much larger compared to the tiny third hatch. Blue 35 was clever! She managed to fill up the older ones, and once she flew off with the fish, they fell asleep. She returned with the fish and fed the tiny, tiny one. It was a brilliant strategy. I wish I could find my notes. I believe that, once ringed, the osplet was Blue 465. I really hope that Blue 35 returns this year. I am watching and waiting and so is her mate, White YW, who has been home for some days.

At the Glaslyn nest, Aran had a visitor, Blue 019. She is from the Fron nest. Elen was no where to be seen.

A young osprey chick sitting in a nest alongside an adult osprey, with a lush green landscape visible in the background.

Geemeff reports that Dorcha spent an hour on the Loch Arkaig nest 1, an unusual event. She has stopped in over the previous years, but never stayed this long. Geemeff believes that Dorcha flew in right before Storm Dave hit, while the other migrating ospreys are going to wait til the storm leaves. We are all looking forward to Louis’s arrival.

Geemeff sends us the daily summary:

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 5th April 2026

The weather continued to be poor with snow and ice, and Louis hasn’t yet returned. Dorcha however turned up not only on her own nest, but paid a visit of over an hour to Nest One. She has visited Nest One before but only a couple of fleeting visits. Looking forward to the return of Louis and the Nest One residents, probably when Storm Dave passes and the weather settles – in previous years, Louis has arrived as late as 11th April.

Today’s video:

https://youtu.be/jwSZFrPoQRM  N1 Dorcha visits and perches for an hour 10.28.32

Blast from the past – this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/000ExVIHdTk N1 He’s back! Louis returns 2020

https://youtu.be/s45fByu5-ZE N2 Louis swoops around before landing with a fish 2023

https://youtu.be/_tcny1NvSfs N2 Louis is heard sky dancing at dawn 2024

https://youtu.be/onRZQMzzFec N2 Did Dorcha catch a fish or did Louis give it to her off-nest? 2024

https://youtu.be/15LM_bVIrGk N2 Comedy with a sticky situation (Classic Ospreys – Mozart) 2025

https://youtu.be/HPXA4EJ5uQc N2 The dulcet tones of a hungry female! 2025

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

At Loch of the Lowes, there are ospreys but not Blue NC0. It is rumoured that she has been seen at another nest. Wherever she winds up, I hope she has a good mate and raises some healthy osplets. We all loved Laddie LM12, her late mate, and feel sorry for these ‘singles’ that are left and have to leave their former homes.

Take care…chek those cutie pie eaglets out at Big Bear and the babies at Achieva.

See you soon!

Thank you to ‘PB’ for her messages and to the streaming cams that let us see these wonderful birds in all their glory and saddness.

First egg at UK Osprey platform

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.

Close-up view of an osprey in its nest made of twigs and branches, with a water backdrop.

Blue 33 flies in to have a good look.

A bird, possibly an osprey, is seen in a nest made of twigs and branches, near a body of water. The setting is peaceful and natural.

There are two cameras. The rails are so high on the nest this year we might only see little heads for some time.

Wide-angle view of Manton Bay with an osprey nest made of twigs in the foreground, surrounded by water and a blue sky with clouds.

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.

A bald eagle tending to its nest, with a chick visible, surrounded by sticks and straw.

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!

Both eaglets have hatched at Big Bear

5 April 2026

Wow. Isn’t this a great morning?! We had marvelled at Jackie and Shadow’s first hatch keeping a keen eye on that second egg that was pipping knowing full well there would be two eaglets today – and there are!

We missed the second hatch. Thanks to ‘PB’ for sending me some great images while we were out walking Toby.

It has been a while since I watched the news. In fact, I have made a conscious decision to live in the moment, to rejoice in what is happening in our garden as the seasons change, and to monitor how our on-screen bird families are faring. The world is too dark and from past experience checking on streaming cam videos that show ‘death’, it would seem that more people prefer to see a ‘snuff’ video of an eaglet than one where a much loved and wanted chick is hatching. To me that is simply ‘sick’. So, I don’t post them and I don’t watch them.

Today was also a glorious day in the garden. At 0900 three Blue Jays appeared! Three. One of Junior’s and the Mrs fledglings from previous years has returned. They make their nest in the tree across the lane now that their big elm has been cut down. Mr and Mrs Crow have arrived. We have started putting out leftover chicken and their cheesy dogs as they begin to build up after the winter and prepare for their nesting. The Starlings are here, the sparrows are down in number, and the chickadees arrive at dusk and dawn. The Red squirrels are busy caching peanuts – I do not know why and to date, we still have dear Dyson coming with her kits. She is VERY old. We know it is her because of markings that we have compared over the years. With lots of good food and a safe environment, Dyson can possibly live for several more years. That makes me happy.

The Starlings yesterday:

I could never catch the three together in the same frame.

Two blue jays perched near a feeder, one holding a peanut, with a background of twigs and branches.
Two blue jays at a bird feeder filled with peanuts, one in flight with a peanut in its beak and another perched on the feeder.

I record the seasonal changes in the garden including the arrival of more species in this book:

Cover of 'The Naturalist's Notebook' featuring illustrations of birds, plants, and natural elements, with titles and authors' names.
An open book page featuring illustrations of a large beetle with wings and a black bird perched on a tree branch.

Just like many of the large nature centres keep track of the arrival and departure of their ospreys and eagles, I do the same with all of the garden animals over the years. It is a wonderful way to keep yourself in ‘the present’. Nature heals us – it does not destroy us. We need to embrace the life around us.

Each of us should turn off the outside world to keep our hope and kindness. Most of you will recognise that we are all interrelated and that what is good for wildlife and the planet is also good for humans. Then why do we allow people to destroy our precious home? Clearly, Jackie and Shadow do nothing to destroy Big Bear, and yet their habitat is constantly under threat, as it is now from proposed construction at Moon Camp. I want ‘the people’ to triumph for Jackie and Shadow – not just for them but as a signal that we care about wildlife, their habitat, and the sheer joy that their existence gives to us. If there has ever been a time to step up and be heard on this matter, it is now. Being silent is no longer an option. Whether you do it at the ballot box, by donations or volunteering, writing letters or op ed pieces, do something. That something could be as simple as a dish of life-saving water put out daily and refreshed for the birds and animals.

Baiba has the first feeding attempt at Big Bear for hatch 1. (Gosh, I hope they name this one Sandy!), and they could name the second Speers. That would be a wonderful tribute to a woman who worked so hard for these eagles. https://youtu.be/Lyo3kpR280M?

Baiba has the arrival of the second eaglet: https://youtu.be/CB0Jfj3dVoQ?

My gosh they are cute.

A fluffy gray chick sits in a nest surrounded by sticks and two unhatched eggs, with some straw and twigs scattered around.

There continue to be ospreys arriving. We are keeping a close eye out for Louis and I would love to see Blue 35 return to Foulshaw Moss although I have to say that hope is dwindling by the day. Blue 717 has really taken a liking to White YW and why wouldn’t she? He is an amazing provider.

Fish deliveries at ​​the Pont Cresor nest of Z1 Aeron and Blue 14 are at 07:03 – 11:29 – 16:23 according to chat. This is the new streaming cam at Glaslyn owned by Friends of Osprey.

Z1 Aeron is an excellent provider – one of Monty’s boys. Making his dad proud.

A bird with outstretched wings is perched on a nest made of branches, set against a cloudy sky at dawn. The image is slightly blurred due to water droplets on the camera lens.
A close-up view of an eagle perched on a branch near its nest made of twigs, with a scenic landscape of hills and greenery in the background.

At the nest of Aran and Elen, close to the Pont Cresor platform, Aran is delivering fish in terrible conditions, but no Elen to eat them. It is not clear to me that Aran and Elen have seen one another at all since Aran’s return. Please correct me if I am wrong.

A bird perched on a branch amidst bare trees, with greenery in the background.

Storm Dave has brought rain and wind, with some snow, to Wales. It was particularly bad last evening in Sotlad at the Loch Arkaig nest. Will Louis return today or tomorrow?

Dorcha had a sunken crop. She is waiting for Louis to bring her a fish but she doesn’t know he has not arrived. Oh, please, Louis come home.

A bird sitting in a nest made of twigs and branches, overlooking a mountainous landscape with patches of snow in the background.

Asha has arrived home at RSPB Loch Garten.

A female osprey is seen in a nest made of twigs at Loch Garten, surrounded by a forested landscape with hills in the background.

Keep your eyes on those screens for arrivals and if you haven’t seen the second baby at Achieva, check it out. Dad is doing an amazing job bringing in the fish! What a relief.

An osprey chick stands in a nest made of twigs on a platform, with an adult osprey perched above it. In the background, trees and a street are visible.

To those celebrating, Happy Easter or Happy Passover. May you find peace and joy and have good times with friends and family.

Take care everyone. That is it for today. Toby is getting a nail trim in the house tomorrow. Another one of the convenient services I have discovered and it is now time for me to think of what we might have for lunch. We hope to see you soon!

Remember – if you are feeling the least bit down, put on a jacket and head outside. Sit and listen. Feel the breeze on your cheek. I promise you will feel a thousand times better. If you are up to it, go for a walk. Check out the birds around your home. Let me know what you are seeing. Bye for now!

Thank you to Baiba for the videos of the Big Bear Valley family of Jackie and Shadow. Thank you ‘PB’ for alerting me to the full second hatch at BBV and to all the owners and people who post news including Jeff Kear and the UK Osprey Info FB, I am so grateful. Thanks a billion!

Looks like two eaglets so far for Jackie and Shadow

4 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

It is a windy, seemingly chilly day in the Big Bear Valley. The lake is a beautiful blue as Jackie and Shadow are in their nest waiting for the arrival of the second eaglet, who is working its way out of the shell. Shadow really wants a turn, but Jackie, being Jackie, has put her talons down firmly.

We are watching the action on the big screen.

Two bald eagles sitting in their nest on a tree branch, overlooking a scenic lake and forested landscape in the background.

I hope you are, too. Over 38,000 people are waiting for a glimpse of our Super Star’s little ones.

The link to their camera is here: https://www.youtube.com/live/B4-L2nfGcuE?

As for us, we had a good day. We took a break from checking on birds and hatches to take Toby to the park for a nice walk. Then to the pet store to pick up duck hearts and a good pair of scissors. I met a lovely woman there with a Cavalier. We exchanged notes on feeding strategies, each of us knowing that there are serious health concerns with this breed. So far, Toby is clear, and I know my breeder! That means a lot, but that still does not mean that he might not have heart or joint issues, so we are doing everything we can to help ensure that does not happen. The woman and I also agreed that, even though we would never pick another breed, they are too lovable and devoted. That is precisely what I need in my life right now as the husband I had for so long ebbs away.

I am delighted that Aran and Dorcha are home. I am waiting for Louis and for Blue 35 at Foulshaw Moss to return. Fingers crossed.

I also want to recommend a video by Robert Fuller if you are interested in Red Kites, and I hope you are. He erected a large tower to film them on his Yorkshire property. Here are some snaps off the telly:

A person wearing a beanie and gloves is inspecting a large nest in a tree, surrounded by branches and greenery.
Two eagles are standing near their nest, which contains a white chick and remnants of food.
A close-up of a bird of prey in flight, showcasing its wings and distinctive plumage, with a background of trees and a nest.

Here is the link to The Hidden Life of Red Kites: https://youtu.be/snwsIUqzxYM?

Send best wishes to Jackie and Shadow and to all those birds who are migrating to their breeding grounds now. They need it!

See you soon!

Dorcha and Aran are home in the UK

4 April 2026

Oh, what a day it is going to be. Dorcha, the mate of Louis at the Loch Arkaig nest, arrived home earlier than usual this morning. Aran, who also arrived late in 2025 only to lose his nest to Teifi, has arrived home early and as far as I know, Teifi is no where to be seen. Elen is home waiting for ‘someone’ as hormones leading up to osprey breeding season increase.

Aran arrives at 1005 and leaves returning with a fish around noon.

A bird taking off from its nest, with a green landscape and a tree line in the background.
An osprey perched in its nest with a fish, set against a lush green landscape.

Aran was always one of my favourites and I hope that Elen gets home and this year there are chicks on the Glaslyn nest once again!

Elen returned and the couple reunited at 1522.

Two ospreys perched on a nest made of sticks, with a scenic background of hills and greenery under a cloudy sky.
Two ospreys perched in their nest made of twigs, with green fields and distant hills in the background under a cloudy sky.

Geemeff caught Dorcha’s arrival at the Loch Arkaig 2 nest on video: https://youtu.be/Hv209zQDnHY?

An osprey is taking off from its nest, surrounded by a scenic view of mountains and a river in the background.

Other arrivals are Blue 647 at Kielder Forest, mate to UV. The terrible weather is bringing in the ospreys to their nests quickly this Easter weekend. (They tell me this bad weather is from Canada – sorry folks).

https://kielderospreys.wpcomstaging.com/…/an-easter…/

The latest news from the Usk Valley in Wales.

https://www.uskvalleyospreys.org/news/rest-refresh-refuel-amp-rebuild?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ9_fJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeRPvstfzu6OHuxgaaViMlP-68jraglgHBYShVf0ks0V3MVD19PSl55emjqWk_aem_B6oq0evbpksQq14CC8crqA

Blue 372 is at Lyn Brenig fighting off Crows.

A bird's nest sitting on a wooden pole above a body of water, with a bird standing at the edge of the nest.

There is other wonderful news – news that we have waited for and seriously get the tissues. Happiness has arrived for Jackie and Shadow. It sounds cold and windy at Big Bear!

There are always conflicting reports now about Jackie and Shadow. Jackie is really chatting with Shadow, who is on the nest, and you can hear the raven in the background. There is a rumour that egg 1 has almost hatched or has hatched. i cannot independently confirm this and there is nothing on chat or the events sheet other than pip began on the 3rd. At the moment Shadow has brought in a nice fish and is eating it next to Jackie. (new restrictions mean I cannot post images – which I personally think is a huge mistake on the part of the owners of the cam – they are wanting donations to save this nest!)

At 0738:12 you can see the egg is almost completely cracked all the way around! We are going to have a baby at Big Bear soon. Get the tissues, pop the champagne!

Thank you for being with me this morning. It is going to be a gorgeous Saturday on the Canadian prairies. It feels ‘warm’ , but I have not even checked the temperature. We hope to see you again soon with more exciting news from Bird World

Thank you to Geemeff for the video of Dorcha’s arrival, and the news of that arrival along with Aran. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams for letting us view these amazing birds, and to Jeff Kear and Mary Cheadle at UK Osprey Information for keeping us abreast of new arrivals. To Kielder and Usk Valley, your reports are so valuable – thank you.

Pip at Big Bear!!!!!

3 April 2026

The first pip for Jackie and Shadow has been confirmed.

@FOBBVCAM

​​!pip 10:03:03 Pip Pip Horray, we have seen a pip! Please look at our Facebook page for more information.

Close-up view of a bald eagle nest featuring two eggs surrounded by twigs and straw.

Congratulations. I know where everyone is watching…28,762 people right now waiting for this special eaglet including Jackie and Shadow.

Thank you to the owners of the cam and the chat who have confirmed pip.

Sally has returned to Seattle!

3 April 2026

Hello Everyone,

Thank you so much for your notes, your comments, your likes and well, your caring. I am so touched when there is a little note asking how I am doing, wishing me a good day. It means a lot! Despite having Ann and now another wonderful lady to help me, I feel like I am constantly exhausted. I am hoping it is just the end of the winter blahs because, being outside at Pineridge, really livened my spirits. I felt like a human being again. The key is ‘being outdoors’. Yes, we take Toby on walks but, this is ‘City air’. It is different in the woods. I can’t explain it but those of you that go on grand hikes but live in the city will understand precisely what I am trying to say. So, bring spring on!

A storm from Canada is hitting the UK, bringing with it rain and snow. Not a nice time to arrive home from the Iberian Peninsula or Western Africa. Still, the winds are favourable, and Idris arrived on Thursday. We are now watching for a few more – including Louis and Dorcha, who tend to be later in April. Aran was last year, with Teifi arriving much earlier, but where are they?

In Washington, Ping Shen writes that Sally has returned to her nest in Seattle!

Let’s hope that Harry gets home soon. Can’t wait for Ping’s stories of this amazing couple and their great photographs! It is always a delight to know what is happening on a non-streaming cam nest.

An osprey standing on a nest made of sticks, surrounded by grass and other debris.
A bird of prey soaring in the sky against a backdrop of clouds.
A post from Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre discussing the arrival of male osprey LM24 back to the nest, with insights on bird migration patterns and recent observations of different osprey individuals.
Weather map showing wind patterns over the UK with temperature readings for Edinburgh, Dublin, London, and Paris.

White YW is at Foulshaw Moss but his mate Blue 35 has not arrived. Another female is hanging around in the hope of getting a good nest and mate!

Two ospreys interacting in their nest, with one osprey feeding while the other displays its wings. The background shows a field and a cloudy sky.

‘PB’ posts that the second baby at Achieva is strong.

An osprey is seen feeding a young chick on a nest made of twigs and debris, with a large fish present.

‘J’ sends notes from nature chat:

4th egg laid today at Black Stork Cam in Poland 2.

3rd egg hatched this morning at U.S. Steel Eagle Cam.

Pip watch continues for 1st eggs at Big Bear Eagle Cam, Fort St. Vrain Station Eagle Cam and ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

Pip watch for 2nd egg begins today at Glen Hazel (Hays) Eagle Cam.

That’s it for today. For those celebrating Easter or Passover, happy holidays.

Thank you to Ping Shen for the news and great images of Sally, ‘J’ for her nature chat list, ‘PB’ for that great image of the second hatch at Achieva, and to the FB authors or owners of streaming cams that allow us to watch our great raptor families.

Idris is home at Dyfi!

2 April 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

We had a beautiful day. Instead of living in pajamas, we put on our lighter jackets and gum boots and headed to the country – to Pineridge.

A man wearing sunglasses and a brown leather jacket sits on a wooden deck, holding a coffee cup, next to a fire pit, with a cozy outdoor seating area in the background.
A small dog wearing a bright blue coat stands on a wooden deck, looking toward the camera. There is snow on the ground and a few dried plants in the background.

We sat by the fire and drank hot chocolate. It was glorious.

While we were away…Idris arrived home at the Dyfi Osprey platform in Wales to his mate Telyn, Blue 5F.

Telyn knew he was arriving. She watched as Idris flew in and landed. The sky dancing began shortly after – this devoted pair, so delighted to see one another! Idris arrived almost a fortnight later than he did in 2025.

And he hardly got home and the snow has started falling…

A young osprey stands on a nest made of branches in a natural setting with grassy fields and distant hills in the background, displaying data about weather and time at the bottom.
An osprey takes flight near a nesting site, with another osprey visible on the nest. The background features a grassy landscape and distant hills.
An osprey is flying toward its nest, while another osprey is perched on the nest. The background features open fields and a distant house under a cloudy sky.
A view of an osprey nest with two adult ospreys resting on it, surrounded by a grassy landscape and a distant forested area. A pole with a weather sensor is visible in the background.

I wonder what other ospreys came in on those strong winds????

Blue 014, the mate of Aeron Z2, has returned home to the Glaslyn Valley and the Pont Cresor nest.

Only Jackie and Shadow know. Pip watch is on.

A pair of bald eagles are tending to their nest, which is located on a tree branch overlooking a scenic view of water and forested landscape.

Baby Hope is excited about the possibility of an eaglet at Big Bear.

A calico cat sitting on a wooden surface, gazing at a television screen displaying a nature scene with a bird perched on a nest.

Andor and Cruz now have three eaglets at the Fraser Point nest in the Channel Islands. Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder. No wonder Andor was loading up this nest with prey. A Coot has been added to a whole lot of fish!

A bald eagle tending to its nest with chicks, surrounded by sticks and leaves.
A bald eagle feeding its chicks in a nest, with some fish visible in the nest and greenery in the background.

There has been a second hatch at the Achieva osprey platform of Jack and Jill. This one is nearly six days younger than the first hatch. I am not a happy camper over this turn of events…There is a problem with fish deliveries at this nest – historically. Is it intruders taking the fish? Who knows?

A young bird sitting in a nest made of twigs, with trees and a street visible in the background.

Thank you for being with us for this very quick check in! There are lots of other hatches and arrivals in the US – it is going to be a very busy weekend. Here is the list from nature chaat:

Kama laid 1st egg today at White-tailed Eagle Cam in Russia.

Lizzie laid 5th egg this morning at Peregrine Falcon Cam in New Jersey.

3rd egg hatched before midnight last night at Fraser Point Eagle Cam.

1st egg hatched this morning at Glen Hazel (Hays) Eagle Cam.

Hatch in progress for 3rd egg at U.S. Steel Eagle Cam.

Pip watch continues for 1st eggs at Big Bear Eagle Cam, Fort St. Vrain Station Eagle Cam and ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

See you soon!

Thank you to those who are posting information on FB, to the owners and posters on nature chat and to ‘J’ for sending me the latest list, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow me to rewind and see Daddy Longlegs Idris arrive home to his great love, Telyn! Thank you.

Big Red isn’t fooling around….Wednesday in Bird World

1 April 2026

It might be April Fool’s Day but Big Red isn’t fooling around. She laid her fourth egg today! Cornell Bird Lab has it on video: https://youtu.be/JlHxc-bpsQg?

A red-tailed hawk sitting on a nest made of twigs and branches, with a focus on its back and tail feathers.

Aeron Z2 has arrived at the Friends of Osprey Pont Cresor nest in Glaslyn. Of course, this could get interesting as Elen is home alone at the other Glaslyn nest and Blue 014 has yet to arrive at Pont Cresor.

Aeron Z2 is handsome, and he did cause a lot of mischief last season. His brother Tegid Z1 (on a private nest) is also equally adorable. Monty’s boys.

A close-up of an osprey standing on a nest made of sticks, with a scenic background of hills and sparse trees. The sky is overcast.

Lots happening at Loch of the Lowes but not a couple confirmed as yet. And where is Blue NCO? Does she have another nest and mate? I wonder.

Text post about recent osprey sightings at Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve, discussing their behaviors and conditions.

In the garden, lots of action as a Sharp-shinned Hawk (a male) had a Starling lunch right in front of us.

A hawk standing on the snow, next to its prey, a fallen bird, surrounded by scattered leaves and twigs.

Missing Blue 35 – and females chasing after White YW. I don’t blame them – he’s a great dad at Foulshaw Moss.

An osprey nest with two ospreys in a dramatic pose, surrounded by a landscape of open fields and distant hills, showcasing daytime activity in the nest.

USS9 and USS10 are cute.

Two fluffy bald eagle chicks in a nest, with an unhatched egg between them, resting on straw.

More fish are needed at Moorings Park. Everyone is fighting with little three, and 2 seems to be the dominant osplet right now. 3 got some fish – finally.

An adult osprey standing in a nest with three chicks, surrounded by branches and vegetation, near a body of water.
An osprey stands beside three chicks in their nest, with a view of a calm body of water and greenery in the background.
An osprey standing near three chick ospreys in a nest, surrounded by greenery and water in the background.
An osprey standing on a nest with three young ospreys in a natural setting by a river, surrounded by trees.

I am always concerned about the Achieva nest, always. For many reasons.

An osprey stands in a nest made of twigs with another chick visible inside, surrounded by green trees and a suburban street in the background.

‘J’ sent Naturechat’s points:

Pip in progress for 3rd egg at U.S. Steel Eagle Cam.

3rd egg laid today at Black Stork Cam in Poland 2.

Pip watch continues for 1st eggs at Big Bear Eagle Cam, Fort St. Vrain Station Eagle Cam, Glen Hazel (Hays) Eagle Cam and ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

When will Frannie lay her 1st egg at Eastern Bluebird Cam in VA?

It was quite the day here. Our entire routine went upside down and sideways. The new care helper came at 0830. She is fantastic. Then the delivery man came with two months of birdseed – bags everywhere. Then the installer arrived to wire the house for the alarm, the doorbell, and the fire alarm. Ann arrived and then there were several other deliveries. I don’t need to tell you that Don, The Girls, and Toby are all snoring! It is going to be an early night.

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon – remember. We are waiting for the hatch at Big Bear along with hundreds of thousands of other people.

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and those who have posted information and images on FB that I have used in today’s blog.

Andor is a master angler, Pip Watch for Jackie and Shadow…Late Tuesday in Bird World

31 March 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

It was a lovely day on the Canadian prairies. After all the snow, everything began to melt. The sky was a beautiful Azure blue with soft cotton clouds. The garden was full of birds, squirrels, and a Ginger cat that came to visit. Brock was down the street napping after a full dinner at Jane’s and the world seemed right. The Girls and Toby are fine. Ann took Don and Ann for a long walk while I finalised the details of the door alarms and the new doorbell video camera. Hopefully installation will be soon. Those security measures will ease some anxiety.

On the Cornell campus, the rain came down in a fury late in the day. Big Red will do anything to protect those precious eggs!

A red-tailed hawk sitting in its nest made of twigs on a balcony railing, with a view of a street and a blue bus passing below.
A red-tailed hawk sitting in its nest on a ledge, with a view of a street and parked cars below. The scene is partially rainy, and there are trees and buildings in the background.

Shaking off all the rain like Toby does!

A red-tailed hawk perched on a nest made of twigs and greenery, with a view of a rainy urban landscape and street below.
View from a live cam showing a red-tailed hawk nestled in its nest on a balcony, surrounded by branches, overlooking a street scene with wet pavement and trees.

It felt pretty quiet in terms of UK osprey arrivals.

‘J’ sent the following notes from naturechat.org:

Hatch occurred today for 2nd egg at U.S. Steel Eagle Cam.

Alla laid 3rd egg this morning at at Northern Goshawk in Estonia.

Pip watch begins for 1st eggs at Big Bear Eagle Cam, Fort St. Vrain Station Eagle Cam, Glen Hazel (Hays) Eagle Cam and ND-LEEF Eagle Cam.

When will Frannie lay her 1st egg at Eastern Bluebird Cam in VA?

If you have not checked out this site, you will find live cams, information on dates of eggs, arrivals, hatches, etc. for many streaming cams around the world.

A young woman using ‘Raptor Stories’ as a handle created a lively little video on YouTube announcing the beginning of pip watch for Jackie and Shadow’s eggs. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/QVZM43Ys00U?

I am truly excited. Those eggs are intact. The Ravens have been kept at bay. Hope reigns in our house for one healthy eaglet in this nest! Send all your positive wishes.

Baiba has Shadow bringing in a nice fish for Jackie as pip approaches. They should be hearing those eaglets. https://youtu.be/F0N83Ivj98o?

KTLA, along with other news outlets, are getting excited for Jackie and Shadow, too. https://youtu.be/-nZBWJcBYCw?

Telyn is home at Dyfi, but no Idris. Look closely. She is on Monty’s perch eating a fish.

A wide view of a grassy field with a large osprey nest made of branches in the foreground, and a tall wooden pole with a perch above it in the background.

No one at home for Elen at Glaslyn either. At Loch of the Lowes, Dark Knight shows up, but where is Blue NCO?

Thank goodness CJ7 has her mate Blue 022 home!

A close-up of an osprey resting in its nest, surrounded by twigs and branches, with a scenic view of trees in the background under a clear blue sky.

Can you see all the fish Andor is bringing in to Cruz and the kids? You’d think there were a dozen little bobble heads being brooded under Cruz’s feathers!!!!!!! Looks like it is big sis, Sasha, and second hatch, Zuma.

A bald eagle sitting in its nest, with remnants of fish nearby and a wooded background.
A bald eagle standing over its nest with two fluffy eaglets visible in the nest below.

In PA, Irvine is going to need lots of prey – US Steel 9 hatched, US Steel 10 has hatched and there is another to go.

A close-up view of a newly hatched bald eagle chick resting beside two eggs in a nest, surrounded by straw and twigs.

Pix Cams has Stella on video feeding the two! https://youtu.be/QO0GawHAjdo?

Two fluffy bald eagle chicks resting in straw next to an unhatched egg in their nest.

Ellie and Harvey at the Kansas City Bald Eagle nest have two lovely eaglets who are getting their feathers.

A bald eagle standing guard over its nest with two gray chicks, surrounded by branches and grass in the background.

Just a quick check in. We are doing great and the air even smells like spring. This is a real boost to my spirits. Take care everyone! See you soon.

Thank you to everyone who created videos! Thank you to those that posted on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams that let us see the highs and lows of these amazing raptor families.

Close-up of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel resting its head on a soft blanket, with its eyes looking directly at the camera.

Dyson was here today. Bless her.

A gray squirrel sitting in the snow, holding food in its paws, with a bushy tail and a snowy background.