Tag Archives: NE Florida

A baby for Gabby and Beau! And 33 is pipping!!!!!!!

31 December 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

It’s New Year’s Eve – or Old Year’s Eve – depending on where you live and celebrate (or not). One of the traditions for New Year’s Day in my family was to eat black-eyed peas. It was believed that if you did not consumme them on the 1st of January your year would be full of tragedy. Believe me, I have two large tins of them and everyone I know is going to eat some!

Let’s start with some sad news and move on to the good…the final necroscropy results for SE36 indicate that lovely sea eaglet was healthy when it died and it was a little boy.

Everything appears to be going well with NE 32 at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau. And guess what? NE33 has a pip. Gabby and Beau did great delayed incubation – let’s get these kiddos to have a good, even start instead of being hatched days and days apart. Fingers crossed.

When you watch the streaming cam notice the tender looks that Beau and Gabby give to their little baby. It is ever so sweet.

Yes, NE32, you are very, very cute.

This image is courtesy of the American Eagle Foundation showing the pip in N33.

One of the oldest eagle couples in the Channel Islands (if not the oldest) is Chase and Cholyn. They are preparing their nest for this breeding season. SK Hideaways has the news and the video.

Cholyn flies in in his tight black jeans! Have a look: https://youtu.be/GOApBZhGIb8?

One thing that’s easy to forget is how quickly these little ones grow. From hatch to fledge for a peregrine falcon is 40-43 days! Bald Eagles can be longer, averaging from 10-14 weeks with most taking their first flight around 12 weeks. What does this mean for us watching? We can’t blink!

SE26 is going to be an only child with two of the most incredible parents to teach it everything it knows to become a thriving eagle living in the wild.

Looks like CE14 at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive is also going to be an only. No worries about food. Clive keeps that nest stocked.

R9 and R10 at the Dade County nest of Ron and Rose appear to have settled down a bit. This is the nest I would like to see a pantry full and waiting – it is the only nest with two eaglets save for Superbeaks that had three and lost Froto.

Thank you so much for being with me today for this quick check. Please get one thing that gave you joy from the nests to me so that I can post it with the others on the 2nd of January. Nothing is too small. You only have to write a single sentence but join in the fun! Take care everyone.

Happy New Year to each and every one of you.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video, to the AEF for their image, and to the owners of the streaming cams and individuals who posted news on FB groups. My blog would not be the same without your contributions.

Latest Pip Views at NE Florida!

Hello Everyone,

Today Don is being moved from one room to another and will eventually have his own private room with a window – I hope – later today. The constant change is difficult for many people. He prefers everything to be the same and for no bright lights or noise! I can relate to that! Toby and The Girls are fine and Nellie is going home in a couple of hours so I can begin to process all of this.

I am looking out the window, and there are the usual 33-35 European Starlings and one nice fluffed-up Blue Jay looking for food. It is there! It is actually a lovely day with no wind and temperatures of -8 °C.

Here are two screen captures of Gabby and Beau’s pip:

I just wanted to pop in and encourage you to check on the NE Florida nests while you are watching the eaglets at SW Florida, Dade County, and Captiva – and, of course, Girri, flying around the tower.

Be sure to send me the moments you enjoyed on the nests in 2025 so I can get them on the blog for the 2nd of January.

All the best!

Thank you to the American Eagle Foundation for their streaming cam so we can watch the lives of Beau and Gabby at NE Florida.

Pip for Beau and Gabby!

30 December 2025

Hello Everyone,

Great news from the American Eagle Foundation. It is official. Beau and Gabby have a pip. This is what I have been waiting for – and what joy this little one will bring.

This image is from the AEF:

First, please do send me some of your favourite memories from our bird nests so that I can post them on 2 January! I really want to hear from you!

SK Hideaways Videos, week of 12/21/25

Channel Island Eagles

Fraser Point Eagles: Elusive Cruz Visits Nest with Andor ~ A Few Sticks are Shuffled (2025 Dec 27)

It was a real treat to see Cruz and Andor together after Cruz’s nearly 2-week absence from the cameras. For those who haven’t met this pair, we provided a little history as they did a bit of stick shuffling and hanging out. 

The female, Cruz, hatched at the Pelican Harbor nest on Santa Cruz Island in 2006 and was the first known chick to naturally hatch on the islands since 1950. Andor hatched at the Baby’s Harbor nest, also on Santa Cruz Island, in 2017.
Video: https://youtu.be/ijOvAohCxeA
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Fraser Point Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s

Two Harbors Eagles Cholyn & Chase ~ 22 Years of Devotion & Territory Rule (2025 Dec 21)
Cholyn and Chase briefly greeted the morning together at the nest before Chase departed to do eagle things. Cam ops then gifted us with close-ups of Cholyn and we took the opportunity to share some history of these 27-year-olds marvels, who have been together for 22 years. Their story is part of the eagle restoration program in the Channel Islands that began in 1980. Through trial, error, and extraordinary work by scientists at the Institute for Wildlife Studies, the program has been wildly successful. Cholyn and Chase, now the elders of the Channel Island eagles, are just one piece of that story.

Video: https://youtu.be/y_ZPyUTo92E

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

FOBBVCAM Eagles🦅
Original live video courtesy of  @FOBBVCAM   https://www.friendsofbigbearvalley.org/

The opinions presented on this channel do not necessarily reflect the opinions of FOBBV.

ℹResident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014

ℹResident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012

🔗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 With and Without Fishing Line 🎣 With Shadow and Wonky Stick (2025 Dec 26-27)
Jackie arrived on December 26th with a long bit of fishing stuck to her beak. She stayed at the nest a short time, flying off with the line still attached.  We were relieved to see her arrive the next morning without the fishing fine, but with a beautiful, big wonky stick. Shadow joined later to celebrate and we all breathed a sigh of relief. 
Video: https://youtu.be/qscEDVaWNwM

Jackie & Shadow Bicker, Beaky Kiss & Bump During Big Nestorations (2025 Dec 26)

Jackie and Shadow spent just over an hour bringing a wide variety of branches to build up rails and begin forming an egg cup in anticipation of nesting season. Along the way, they entertained us with bickering, beaky kissing, and bumping each other to and fro.
Video: https://youtu.be/cn4LWsO8YQU

San Jose CH Falcons: Hartley & Monty Stop By to Deliver Holiday Greetings ❄️ (2025 Dec 25)

Hartley and Monty stopped by for some pair-bonding after opening and devouring their Christmas gifts.

Video: https://youtu.be/pXDnrxiFGQE

Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam

AEF-NEFL Eagles: Gabby and Beau Have Long Conversation Before Changeover (2025 Dec 23)

Gabby and Beau may have been discussing the fact that pip watch for NE32 and NE33 is just 2-3 days away. They talked for quite some time before Gabby relieved Beau of incubation duty. The chortling and chirping was music to our ears. 
Video: https://youtu.be/2UAbkrjUyp8
Courtesy American Eagle Foundation/NEFL Eagle CamOps


FalconCam Project GIRRI RETURNS TO TOWER! 2025 Dec 23
Girri shows off her strength and flying skills as she returns to the top of the tower to meet up with her parents. She fledged just 5 days ago. Great job, Girri! (2025 Dec 23)
Video: https://youtu.be/2Yvnm67rL2A
Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW (http://www.csu.edu.au/special/falconcam/)

Box Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv2RtoIMNzA

Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZaWzhXSAI

Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KCFRoO6URs

Tower Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQxrTGgNu4M

We’re on HATCH WATCH at NE Florida for Beau and Gabby and it is raining Monday night. The AEF confirmed a pip in the afternoon around 3pm.

Gabby is restless.

There will be a little one tomorrow.

We have a hatch at Hilton Head.

Everyone else is doing fine.

My news is that my husband is in the ICU waiting for a bed in the hospital so that he can be fully treated. I do not know what the future holds but he is calm and knows me, and there is nothing nicer than lying next to him cuddling. Thank you for all your positive wishes – that beautiful energy sent from around the world is precious and is helping us I am certain.

Please take care of yourselves. I will check in tomorrow briefly.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos, to the owners of the streaming cams, and to those who post news on FB. My blog would be nothing without your input.

Day 23 Welcome to Winter…Eggs at John Bunker Sands, Hatch at Captiva

23 December 2025

Hello Everyone!

Good Morning.

-17 C and overcast. No sun in sight.

It was a great night. Our visiting canine, Nellie, settled in and slept through the night – and so did the rest of us! We woke up refreshed. Toby and Nellie headed out with Ellen at 0930 while ‘The Girls’ had their breakfast in peace. When the dogs got home, Don and I looked at the four sad bananas on the counter and set about to make banana bread. It was a great start to the morning.

Hugo Yugo and Toby were holding hands last evening. I can’t get enough of this puppy and sweet kitty. They have to either be touching or near to one another.

Oh, these animals just lift my spirits.

There are two eggs at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands Bald Eagle nest in Texas! That one flew right by me I was so intent on finding out about Girri. Congratulations.

That egg cup is deep!

SK Hideaway’s video of Girri’s return: https://youtu.be/2Yvnm67rL2A?

More videos of Girri reaching the tower. This one from Falcon Cam Project. https://youtu.be/0IIRQz6eImM?

Let’s hope we see more of Girri’s strong flying. It gives me hope that this fledgling of Diamond’s will survive!!!!!!!! She is one heck of a flyer.

Our friend ‘A’ is checking on Angel, the Leucistic Hawk, and her mate Tom and found an update from Connor at Window to Wildlife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHDDXUkIKio

Connie and Clive have a hatch at the Captiva Eagle cam. CE14 looks strong and alert.

E26 appears to be lucky (in some ways). No indication of a pip in E27’s egg. This is day 38 for that egg. Yes, it is still within the time frame for hatching. Would I want it to? Well, I wouldn’t. Many will. E26 is strong, healthy, and eating well. A lack of a sibling means no bonking – that has already started at Dade County in force with the Rs.

Gabby and Beau continue incubation at NE Florida. I am getting excited for their first pip next week.

Jackie and Shadow are visiting the Big Bear Valley Bald Eagle nest! They were there Tuesday!

Ron and Rose have a nest full of food for C10 and C11. There are still a few bites of Coot and a whole lot of fish ready and waiting.

If you missed Ventana Wildlife’s December chat, here is the link to find out what is going on with the California condors: https://www.youtube.com/live/_FO6WuxmL08?

The post today is quick and sweet. We hope you are not caught up in the rat race of the build-up to the final days of the holidays. Take care. We will see you tomorrow.

Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams where I took my screen captures, to SK Hideaways for their video, to ‘A’ for alerting me to Connor’s Window to Wildlife update! This blog would not be the same without you and without all those amazing members of Bird World!

Day 14 Welcome to Winter. First egg at KNF E-1

15 December 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you so much for your get-well wishes. I am better. Not great but definitely better.

The forecast promised warmer weather at the beginning of the week, following the Extreme Cold Days. It is currently -12 C, but it will warm to -6. Tomorrow, as promised, Ann and Don are going to the Zoo. I know – the zoo in Winnipeg in the middle of December.

If you are craving something other than winter like I am, the Dyfi Osprey Project has its holiday streaming cam on, and sometimes you can catch a beaver! https://www.youtube.com/live/muGI8NZcvAk?

Reports of Ospreys in The Gambia and Senegal are beginning to trickle in. I wondered about Clywedog’s Seren, Blue 5F, who is always seen on the same tree. Had she been seen? Yes! Seren is Dylan’s mate and a fantastic mum.

Diamond slept on the ledge. Girri was pancaked on the floor of the scrape with her head on the Cilla Stones. Girri is ready to fledge.

Some of you might be squeamish watching the next video. Diamond unzips that huge Galah for Girri and the whole family. I am glad that SK Hideaways caught this moment on video. This is a life lesson for Girri. Galahs are plentiful in this area of Australia and no doubt Girri will catch them and she will need to know how to get through all those feathers to the meat. https://youtu.be/rgCWPyT11No?

We have an egg at the Kistachie E1 nest. As noted on the chat, “​​2nd male to claim the nest since Louis left, 3rd female to claim the nest since Anna became ill.”

Here is the egg revealed.

There was activity at John Bunker Sands Wetlands Monday morning.

There has been a lot of rolling of eggs this morning at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest. We are preparing for pip for M15 and F23’s eggs. It is Day 33 for egg 1.

It is also Day 33 for Ron and Rose’s first egg at the WRDC nest. It was windy there Monday morning.

It is Day 29 for Clive and Connie’s first egg at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest.

Gabby is hunkered down at NE Florida. Their first egg is 23 days old now.

Toby is heading out with Ellen for his morning walk while I try and get my head around making some Acadian bread. This head cold makes everything ‘tasteless’. I’m hoping that rich molasses/brown sugar aroma will fill the house and along with some soup chase this cold away!

I had a question this morning about cold-weather gear. I have learned that if you can, you get the best and warmest kit you can. If you take care of it, it will last for years, and you will not be sorry. I wear Icebreaker thermal leggings and their thermal long-sleeve tops often under ski pants. I went through several coat companies before settling on Aritzia’s Super Puff (Rainproof long coat). I am so short that I go down to my ankles, and I am marvellous. To add to this, there are the Super Puff Mitts and a Falljraven faux-fur-lined bomber cap. I am toasty warm! It doesn’t matter if it is long walks in the forest or around the neighbourhood walking Toby – this set up works well for me.

Take care everyone. Thank you for being with us. I will try and get some more holiday fun from Toby and HY for you as soon as I can.

Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video and for all the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to look into the lives of our favourite birds!

Day 9 Welcome to Winter

11 December 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

We hope you are well! It has been a cracker of a day, and it all started in the garden at the feeder…

A morning video of the garden and yes! Two Blue Jays. I am so relieved. Junior and Mrs J are alive!

Birds and Squirrels at the table feeder – and look two Blue Jays!

Today we have a news story about Cornell University and its attempts to protect Big Red’s nest during a construction project! Lovely. Now if we could get them to make sure every window on that campus had bird strike preventative measures.

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2025/12/meinig-fieldhouse-built-protect-iconic-red-tailed-hawks

Suzanne Arnold Horning, the admin for the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters FB group is posting daily images of events from the nest. Today it was a flap fest. Oh, goodness, these end of the year summaries and montages are really quite wonderful while we wait for all the action to start. Let’s see – third week in March for eggs for Big Red and Arthur? What do you think?

Suzanne picked the top five viewing moments. Aren’t they cute?

Speaking of protecting birds from window strike, I am ‘horrified’ that my city, under its mayor, Scott Gillingham, has altogether scrapped a programme to protect birds that came into effect only a year ago. Unbelievable. We will just have to try and fight this decision.

‘J’ in Berlin sent me a great announcement. It has to do with a young man that I mentioned several times in past years – Oliver Hellowell who lives in the UK. I love his wildlife and landscape photographs.

The Kat Awards 2025
I was born with Down syndrome and doctors feared I might never speak. Now I’m a filmmaker

Oliver Hellowell loves raptors and he has photographed many. He is quite the talent. Keep your eyes open for his work.

It might have been ‘only’- 10 °C, but it was cold on the Canadian Prairies. The snow keeps on giving, and today was the photo shoot in the park. Instead of spending half an hour, we stopped at fifteen minutes. It was that wet, cold to the bone. Of course, Toby loved it! We didn’t get a chance to take off our Dyfi toques – so the whole shoot is now dedicated to a great osprey pair, Idris and Telyn. If the pictures turn out, I will post some. I, who do not like to have my photo taken, promise.

We now having a warning for -40 C (with wind chill) coming for Saturday. The frigid cold is to begin tonight!

Heidi gave me the best holiday present. She made a montage of the indoor and outdoor animals set to holiday music for us – and she included dear Lewis. I broke down when I saw him. Oh, how I loved that boy. Since so many of you have been readers for years, you might enjoy seeing HY when she was little and dear Lewis along with everyone else. Thanks, Heidi – that is what it is all about. Giving of your time and love. I so enjoyed this montage. https://youtu.be/yKOeSsFwJcE

You forget how little they once were!

Hope with her first Christmas tree.

No plant was ever safe with Lewis or Missey! He was my darling.

Heidi’s video really hits the holiday spirit even if many, who knew Lewis and saw it, have wept. Please enjoy! There is even a baby HY in there.

Bella and Scout at the NCTC nest are working hard. Last year their three beautifully feathered eaglets perished when their nest collapsed. We wish them a great season this year.

While we wait for eggs at NCTC, we do not have to wait long for little eaglets at SW Florida. My calculations indicate that we should see an eaglet around Tuesday of next week. M15 and F23 are excellent parents. This is exciting.

Gabby and Beau will have to wait a little longer. Egg dates: 23 and 26 November. End of December eaglets!

Superbeaks (Central Florida) has two hatchlings. The third egg was laid four days after the second (Froto). We wait to see if it is viable. Mira and Froto are doing well.

We have eaglets at the Duke Farms nest! No eggs. Just nest prep.

Ron and Rose continue incubating at the WRDC nest. Egg dates: 12 and 15 November. I will be looking for a pip around the 18th of December or that first egg. That would be 35 days.

Clive and Connie at Captiva on Sanibel Island are also resting and waiting while incubating. Egg dates: 16 and 19 November. I do love that camera that Window to Wildlife have installed.

There are no eggs at Eagle Country. The river cam caught the eagles bathing.

Girri is 36 days old today. Female falcons, on average, fledge at 40-44 days, slightly longer than males, because they need to fill out that larger body mass and cover it with more feathers. Girri is quickly losing her baby to all that flapping! Could you take a look at that crop? Diamond and Gimbir keep their only baby full to the brim! I recommend watching because Girri is going to fledge soon, and whether she returns to the scrape afterwards is anyone’s guess.

That’s a wrap for today. Thank you so much for your comments and your letters. We are glad that you are enjoying this daily mix of pets and birds!

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourself. We will be back tomorrow!

Thank you to Heidi for that amazing holiday present. I am so very grateful – and for the spirit of love, care, and the time it took. These really are the best presents of all! To ‘J’ for sending me the news about Oliver Hellowell and to the owners of the streaming cams and authors of the FB posts, you have my thanks.