It is 1700 on the Canadian Prairies (Saturday), and it is 14 degrees C. Toby and I have just returned from a marvellous, slow-sniffing walk. No rushing. People running or walking their dogs, children jumping on trampolines, or neighbours barbecuing. It feels a wee bit like summer and not the beginning of the second week in November!
Thank you to everyone for your supportive notes. They really do mean a lot and lift me when the days seem nothing but icy cold and grey. Caregiving is hard, but navigating whether or not to bring your loved one home from the hospital when they cannot walk or place them in a long-term care facility is even more difficult. There are too many variables like staffing – here, the turnover can be huge. Then there is not enough staff at night to help with a two-person lift. I could go on, but I suspect many of you have had experiences with LTC facilities, and I don’t need to say anything more. We were fortunate to find my mother a wonderful facility in Edmond, Oklahoma, when she needed it, and I wasn’t allowed to bring her to Canada. Here, the best facilities have 1-2 year wait lists.
If you find yourself or a friend beginning to care for someone with any type of dementia, I urge you to pick up a copy of The Days Memory Leaves Behind. A Compassionate Guide to Understanding Dementia, Navigating Its Challenges, and Finding Meaning in Everyday Life by Sylvan Everleigh. This is not a medical book – it is one of the most practical guides by a caregiver I have seen! I wish I had read it earlier.
The ‘bird book’ I have been waiting for since I saw a note that it was being written and illustrated is now for sale. Kathryn Keir (author) and Penny Albright (illustrator) have finished their book about Aran, the Glaslyn osprey that was mate to Mrs G and Elen. All proceeds go toward the camera and maintenance at Aran’s new nest (he lost his mate, Elen, and Glaslyn’s nest to Teifi in 2025), and he had a new mate and chick in 2026. Kathryn Keir kindly kept us informed through photographs, but now, in 2027, we can watch this much-loved male again with his new mate.
Here is the information so you can order your copy- and please do support this great effort. The price is right and all funds go directly to streaming next years events!
But further…there are many streaming cams that solicit donations that are owned by millionaires or the Dept of Natural Resources in the US who get funds from selling hunting licenses to operate their cameras. Support those small ones that actually need the money to operate!
Kathryn will be away for a few days so if you don’t hear from her, don’t fret.
The really good news is that SE37 and SE38 fledged from the Olympic Park WBSE nest in Sydney and RETURNED! They have been fed on the nest and all is well. Relief.
Long time viewers of this nest and readers of my blog will recall the concern over the Currawongs driving the newly fledged eaglets out of the forest. However, for the past two years, this has not happened and the eaglets have gotten stronger and wiser by being fed at the nest and then, following the parents, down to the river. Yes, we might find them in care (or worse), but they survived the fledge and returned to the nest!
Parents at 367 are slowing food deliveries as the two surviving chicks of four reveal their juvenile feathers and begin flap, flapping.
Fans of Pepe and Mulhady will be celebrating a second egg. Gracie Shepherd caught the first on video: https://youtu.be/MBt4K2ZzSR4?
We are on egg watch for Gabby and Beau at the NE Florida nest near Palm Court.
New patients and some releases from our local wildlife rehabiliation centre, Wildlife Haven:
nside the Hospital: This Week’s Patient Stories
Migration is underway, and that means we’re seeing a lot of birds come through our doors in need of care along their journey south. Here’s a look at the patients, progress and happy endings your support helped make possible this week.
A New Arrival: Rough-Legged Hawk This Rough-legged Hawk arrived at Wildlife Haven a few days ago after being spotted along the roadside near Petersfield, Manitoba. The finder had driven past him twice before deciding to stop and bring him back to his farm. He noticed the bird could only manage short jumps and was unable to get enough lift to fly properly. The Rough-legged Hawk was found on the roadside struggling to fly.
On examination, we found a fracture in his wing, as well as a blood blister, which was removed, cleaned and sutured. Dr. Celena applied a wing wrap to help stabilize the injured bone, and we’ll be rechecking him in a few days to see how he’s progressing.
Dr. Celena applies a wing wrap to help stabilize the fracture and support healing.
A Little Saw-whet Owl Returns to the Wild This little Northern Saw-whet Owl was found in a Steinbach backyard unable to fly and suffering from significant head trauma. We’re not sure what happened, but it may have been the result of a collision.
Northern Saw-whet Owls are one of the smallest owl species in North America, standing just 18 cm tall and weighing about as much as a robin.
When he first arrived, he was barely responsive, so we got him started on pain medication and anti-inflammatories, gave him a quiet space to recover, and hand-fed him throughout the week while he regained his strength. It took several days, but slowly he started becoming more responsive (and even hissing at us again!). Before long, we spotted him flying around his enclosure!The little Saw-whet needed to be hand-fed for several days to regain his strength. Our Assistant Rehabilitation Manager wipes his mouth after being fed.
He was successfully released back into the Steinbach area this week and can now continue his migration south.
A Virginia Rail with a Dislocated Toe A Virginia Rail arrived from Winnipeg this week with shoulder bruising and a badly dislocated left toe. Our veterinary team repositioned the toe and splinted it, but after another assessment, discovered healing would take several weeks, if not longer.
Virginia Rails are very secretive and spend most of their time hidden in thick marsh vegetation. They are a migratory species and travel to southern parts of the United States and Mexico for the winter.
She couldn’t afford that delay, as she should already be migrating south for the winter. To give her the best chance back in the wild, the team decided to amputate the toe for a faster recovery. Dr. Celena performed the surgery on Thursday. The Virginia Rail is now on the mend, and we hope to get her back out to the wild, healed and feeling better, to make the trip south before it gets too cold.
Dr. Celena performing surgery the Virginia Rail to remove its dislocated toe.
Some of you might be worried about Shadow and Kaydee but both eagles have returned to the Big Bear nest after being away for quite a few days (nearing a week, I believe). They are both fine.
New osprey chicks have been spotted at nests throughout South Australia and the sole remaining chick on Thistle Island appears to be thriving.
It was 14 C yesterday but cooler today and damp again. Toby is not a fan! He would rather curl up in a warm chair.
Calico reminds us that reading is good!
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We will be back with you soon!
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Kathryn Keir and Penny Albright, Raptor Persecution UK, Sydney Eagle Cam and all those who posted on FB or created videos as well as the owners of the streaming cams. We are always grateful.
I hope each of us has found time to relax and enjoy the weekend. These past weeks I have made some ‘resolutions’. The last time that Don was in the hospital at the end of December, I wore myself out going every day because the nurse said that I was the only ‘thing’ that calmed him down. He was quite mobile at the time and would walk up and down the hall with his little bag wanting to come home. It broke my heart so I was there twice a day. This time, things are different. And this is something I want to explore. He is not mobile. So what happened? I learned that wearing yourself out is not helpful either to you or the person you are caring for. Remember to always following the airline directions: put on your oxygen mask first! So, this episode, I have tried to make certain that there is someone to visit and help every other day – I am there on the other days. His visit went well with his friend today and everyone is taking fruit and Ginger Ale – hydration and soething familiar. He drank so much liquids at home and was never dehydrated so this is to help combat that at the hospital!
Toby needed a new stroller. He grew out of the little one. I really do hope he is finished growing. He turned 17 months old yesterday. I think we can even go to the market!
Hope has discovered it is a ‘safe’ place. Hugo Yugo (darn that orange cat) woke everyone up, attacking her around 0300. Toby took great exception to what was going on and probably woke all the neighbours up with his barking. (Toby rarely barks, but when he hears a cat howling in pain or someone is at the door – or always he will bark at the door when we are leaving for a walk).
There are so many tributes to Jackie – some are good, and some aren’t. I am really looking forward to SK Hideaways video highlighting Jackie’s life. I am encouraging a tribute to the Channel Islands eagles, especially Chase & Cholyn. These eagles often get overlooked and we have to remember they have been together for more than two decades!
SK Hideaways Videos, Week of August 30, 2026 367 Collins Street Falcons ~ Melbourne ~ F24 & M24 Courtesy Victorian Peregrine Project South Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibsohQ14cY North Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNKk0ivuWe4 Mum Gives Camera “The Look” as She Lays 4th Egg PLUS Dad’s 1st Peek ~ 2026 Aug 30 Mum welcomed egg #4 with occasional glances at the camera. We apologized for the intrusion, but extended heartfelt congratulations. Dad arrived in the pre-dawn hour to give mum a break. This should complete their clutch and begin the countdown to hatch, which is typically 30-35 days. Video: https://youtu.be/3lP6i-JjETw
Shadow & Kaydee’s Evening Nest Meet-Up & Tug-o-Stick Before Roost Time ~ 2026 Sep 3 Shadow and Kaydee met up for some stick shuffling, a little bumping and beaking, plus tug-o-stick shenanigans. They once again retired to the Roost Tree for the night. Video: https://youtu.be/QYcg4SWqlBM
Kaydee Returns to Nest for 2nd Night, Shadow Follows ~ Flirty Antics Ensue ~ 2026 Sep 1 Kaydee returned to the nest for the second night in row, but unlike last night, tonight she had company. Shadow joined Kaydee on the nest, where they shuffled sticks, bumped beaks, and chortled. Kaydee was more flirty than Shadow, but he wasn’t too resistant to her attention. We cannot know what will happen when nesting season begins toward the end of the year, but watching Shadow and Kaydee during this transitional time in both their lives is a gift and fascinating. Video: https://youtu.be/zrLbwsGKqDs
Kaydee Shuffles Nest SticksMeets Shadow on Roost Tree ~ 2026 Aug31 Kaydee spent some time exploring the nest tree canopy and bowl before meeting up with Shadow on the Roost Tree. They shared a perch briefly, before Kaydee retired to a lower perch overnight.
Sydney WB Sea Eagles ~ Australia ~ Lady, Dad, SE37 (hatched 13 August), and SE38 (hatched 14 August) Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park (https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html) Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw4pdgy3-U0 SE38’s MASSIVE Crop3 Days in a Row PLUS A Dual Feeding by Lady & Dad ~2026 Sep 4-6 Over the course of 3 days and an increase in food brought to the nest, SE37 grew less aggressive and SE38 grew more confident. There was a marked difference in SE38’s appearance and behavior in this time, not to mention a bulging crop. Cautiously optimistic SE38 has turned the corner. Video: https://youtu.be/j4u9wW6l8og
Lady’s Persistence Gets SE38 a BIG Meal ~ Finally ~ 2026 Aug 31 It has been a rough few days for sea eaglet SE38. At 17 days old, the subordinate eaglet has struggled to get food due to sibling SE37’s dominance. But on this evening, SE37 was very full and mum Lady was very persistent. The result was that SE38 got a very good feeding and went to bed with a full crop. Here’s to more days like this one. Video: https://youtu.be/gjJ01khy2fA
Two Harbors Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Cholyn & Chase (28 years old; mated pair for 23 years) Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI Cholyn & Chase Chortle& Chillby the Seaside ~ 2026 Sep 3 While Cholyn and Chase have been on summer vacation, we’ve missed seeing them regularly, so today’s sightings were a special treat. In the morning Chase met up with Cholyn on her seaside perch. Later cam ops found her on the cactus perch. Every sighting a gift. Video: https://youtu.be/pIqjY1b2vDk
I am so pleased that there are videos of the Australian raptor families. SE 38 has had huge crops for the last three days! No worries there.
The last of the chicks at Glaslyn migrated. Teifi got to eat a fish – finally – in peace and quiet.
Beau and Gabby are really finishing off their nest, and it is only the beginning of September! I wonder when the first egg will be laid. Will it be November or earlier, with this being a year of high heat on the planet? Bald Eagle Live Nest Cams has them working hard on video: https://youtu.be/2FM-2ZToL3E?
Idris is still delivering fish at Dyfi. The girls are now 101 days old – the first time that two fledglings have remained at the nest past 100 days before migrating.
At Poole Harbour, Blue 6T8 had really kept her dad, Blue 022 busy with fish. She was last seen early this morning and then poof – gone?
Alan Stewart’s book on a killing of a man walking his dog:
I’m going to say good bye. It is nearly 1700 and we are expecting rain and storms this evening. Toby and I have recycling duty to get finished.
Take care everyone. Have a good start to the week. See you soon.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for those great videos, to the owners of the streaming cams we are always grateful as you allow us to get upset stomachs, buy too many tissues, and jump for joy at the events in the lives of our bird families. Thank you to Raptor Persecution UK for their meticulous reporting on raptor persecution in the UK. I just wrote to Alan Stewart and ordered his book, Prelude to Murder. While it involves a murder of a human, the individual in prison is possibly responsible for the poisoning of raptors on that estate in Scotland.
The sea eaglets are doing well after the scare with the fish hook at the Olympic Park WBSE nest in Sydney.
We are waiting for Gimbir and Diamond.
Beautiful Diamond.
Opreys are trying to fatten up in the Northern Hemisphere to make their migration to their winter homes. Storks are on the move as well as all the other raptors and songbirds.
Shadow and Kaydee are becoming more familiar. It’s stick-moving time, captured by SK Hideaways. https://youtu.be/6BVc4os6MOU?
That is just a morning glimpse of what is happening in Bird World. SW Florida should be seeing its first egg and hatch by Christmas! Wonder what will happen at Big Bear? And when will Gabby arrive? And then we have the Channel Islands!
Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to all the owners of the streaming cams and to SK Hideaways for their videos. Check out the others by SK Hideaways – there are some beautiful chortels between Shadow and Kaydee.
We hope that the beginning of the week has been good to each and every one of you. The weather has certainly cooled off on the Canadian prairies, and it’s wonderful! We seem to have a bit of a spring in our step – at least in the morning before we get too tired!!!!!!!
Ann took Don to Fort Whyte today, and they walked the Buffalo Trail and saw pelicans and Cormorants. Don said, ‘It was a good day!’ That is wonderful. Toby and I are still doing the Swedish death cleaning. We had things from the attic that needed sorting, and we got that done today while Don and Ann were gone. It felt good. Tomorrow is my ‘running around’ day, but for now we are going to enjoy a fresh peach crisp with ice cream and a quick dinner of salad and chicken. Oh, I love these easy end-of-summer meals.
We are all concerned about the environment and the changes that we are seeing. I am profoundly concerned about the impact on wildlife, especially the raptors. Roy Dennis’ the founder of the Roy Dennis Foundation and the individual who reintroduced ospreys to Scotland amongst other places has written an blog that should be of interest to us all.
Past news from Geemeff about the goings on at Loch Arkaig:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 17th August 2026
Garry LV0 is still here, he visited Nest One today, bringing a stick and staying for a minute before flying off, perching on Pole Tree then flying eastward out of sight. A few small feathered visitors investigated the nest but there was no sign of Aurora 536, last seen on the 14th, and Garry didn’t bring any fish so his tally remains at two hundred and one. The Nest Two cam is still out until probably Wednesday, therefore using Steve Quinn’s formula, the adjusted fish total for Nest Two is now four hundred and thirty four. Thanks to LizB and her spotting scope, we know a chick was seen at 15.10 eating on the nest, with attendant Hoodie on the cam post. A chick was also seen at other times in the morning, whether both sisters or the same one, can’t be determined. There was heavy rain in the afternoon and evening and at the time of filing this report (22.30) it’s still raining. Heavy rain is forecast throughout the night with a low of 13°C, changing to light rain showers, a gentle breeze and occasional sunny spells with a high of 16°C tomorrow.
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 16th August 2026 Nest Two cam is still down, Nest One cam is up for two thirds of the day but no one came to the nest today, and no one was observed in the area. Have Garry LV0 and Aurora 536 left? Garry was last seen on nest cam at
17.28.25 on Thursday 13th, and Aurora at 08.55.46 on Friday 14th, however, an Osprey was observed near the nest yesterday 15th, and recorded via long lens from across the loch by LizB, but too far away to identify. She also recorded one of the chicks chasing a Hoodie today, both clips are in the today’s videos section, and observed a fascinating sequence where a chick and a Kestrel chased a White-tailed Eagle! Hyvor no longer allows active links to comments, so scroll to LizB N2 17.08, and you’ll be able to read about the whole episode. Steve Quinn posted his weekly analysis of the fishing stats for Louis, currently being estimated daily until the cam is back on line, and still showing clear differences between years with males and years with females – search for Nest 2 fish summary to week 17 to read the full post. After overnight rain, the weather was mainly settled today and forecast to be cloudy and dry overnight with a low of 12°C, changing to heavy rain with a high of 19°C tomorrow
If you missed it, Jackie made The Guardian. Thanks, ‘B’.
Just announced by Tim Mackrill, here are this season’s Osprey chick ringing details. There are 24 chicks across 12 nests, comprising 14 males and 10 females. All have now fledged successfully.
Ringing date: 19/06/2026
Nest: Site C
Female parent: 25(10)
Male parent: 11(10)
8R4 (F)
Ringing date: 23/06/2026
Nest: Manton Bay
Female parent: Maya
Male parent: 33(11)
8R5 (M)
8R6 (F)
8R7 (M)
Ringing date:25/06/2026
Nest: Site K
Female parent: 00(09)
Male parent: 06(09)
8R8 (F)
Ringing date: 26/06/2026
Nest: Site B
Female parent: HJ8
Male parent: 359(21)
8R9 (F)
9R0 (F)
Ringing date: 29/06/2026
Nest: Site N
Female parent: Metal-ringed
Male parent: 6K(14)
9R1 (M)
9R2 (M)
9R3 (F)
Ringing date: 30/06/2026
Nest: Site L
Female parent: Unringed
Male parent: 3AH(17)
9R4 (M)
Ringing date: 30/06/2026
Nest: Site J
Female parent: 2AF(16)
Male parent: 1K(13)
9R5 (M)
9R6 (M)
Ringing date: 03/07/2026
Nest: Site Z
Female parent: 5H1(22)
Male parent: 3AY(19)
9R7 (M)
9R8 (M)
9R9 (F)
Ringing date: 05/07/2026
Nest: Site O
Female parent: Unringed
Male parent: 093(20)
9S0 (M)
9S1 (F)
9S2 (M)
Ringing date: 06/07/2026
Nest: Site Y
Female parent: Unringed
Male parent: 355(21)
9S3 (F)
9S4 (F)
Ringing date: 06/07/2026
Nest: Site S
Female parent: 30(05)
Male parent: T3(16)
3R9 (M)
Ringing date: 17/07/2026
Nest: Site W
Female parent: 3H9(23)
Male parent: 1H7(22)
9S5 (M)
9S6 (M)
I am happy to report that locals have been to the Osoyoos Osprey Platform and say the chick is big, healthy, and getting fish. Bravo!
Blue NC0 is still with Clyde at Alyth SS.
How to be an osprey? Some tips from Rutland!!!!!!!! Smile.
Looks like an adult at the Coeur d’ Alene nest in Idaho.
Like Clark, Gimbir has turned out to be a great provider!
We can see the rescue of the two condors in the release cages! Oh, my. You have to love the dedication of the folks from the Ventana Wildlife Society. https://youtu.be/WSb3GKTESh0?
Thank you for being with us today. It is a breezy evening, and it is about 22 C. Gorgeous. We are heading out for our next-to-last walk of the day. Take care of yourself. Take a breath. Send best wishes to all those fledgling ospreys struggling to find fish in the NE US.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Geemeff, Roy Dennis, Rutland Water, and to all those who contributed on FB, including Jeff Kear and the UK Osprey Info FB Group. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams and the news groups that are covering the life of our raptors.
There are a couple of good news events that everyone should be aware of. The first one is that WBSE 36 has fledged! They flew to a nearby branch known as Dad’s perch. Later, Lady arrives at an empty nest. Congratulations Olympic Park Sea Eagles!
A tired fledgling.
WBSE also returned to the nest. What an incredible season. Let us all wish both 35 and 36 the very best and lots of prey and Lady and Dad teaching them the ways of the WBSE on the Parramatta River.
So far, there is only one hatch at the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape in Orange, Australia. That little one is a very strong cutie pie.
Dare I say that it would be nice for Gimbir to be broken in slowly and to have only one little one to provide for and Diamond this year?
Once upon a time, the trio at the 367 Collins Street scrape in Melbourne looked like that little bobblehead of Gimbir and Diamond. In fact, less than a month ago, they were pink-toed and beaked and now they have their juvenile plumage and will, sadly for all of us, fledge soon.
The great news is that Kielder Forest’s Blue 714 has been seen and photographed by Jean-marie Depart in Senegal! Blue 714 is the only chick from the 2024 nest 7.
Thank you so much for being with me for this quick update. Please have a lovely weekend. I will have another quick update on Monday.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold who give us the great privilege of monitoring the lives of these amazing raptors and to those who track and photograph them and keep us up to date after they leave the nest like Jean-marie Dupart.
‘A’ is keeping me on tenterhooks as we waited to see how long it would take that little sea eaglet to get out of what appeared to be a crushed egg!
“No time to chat now but the hatch was well underway this morning when Lady got up from the eggs. The little one can be seen working away (see 09:58 this morning, 13 August) but the shell is very crushed and it is looking like it could be a long hatch. By 10.20 the top half of the egg looks to be crushed almost entirely. At 11:11 not much progress appears to have been made. A glimpse at 13:06 and still no hatch. Another glimpse at 13:23 and the little one has still not made an appearance though nearly half the shell has been crushed.
At 13:46 the eaglet appears to be breaking out through the crushed shell. It is now 2.30pm and I am hoping to see a hatch very soon. The wee one has been working for quite a while now and it appears to be getting very tired, though I hope I am wrong. Mum has remained on the nest during the day so far, though Dad has been nearby a lot of the time, ‘singing’ his half of a duet, though Mum is preoccupied and has not joined in.
I will let you know when we have a hatch – as I said, I’m hoping it will be free within the hour or even sooner. It is so close to breaking out.
14:50 and we can see a large hole in one side of the egg. But I can’t see the chick working inside the egg and it can’t have broken out of that hole yet. I do hope the little one is alright. I suppose it has plenty of oxygen and mum is keeping the egg and chick warm, so there is no reason why it can’t take a bit of a rest without it being a disaster. But I didn’t like the look of that eggshell. There has been so much rain during the incubation of these eggs, and they have got wet on several occasions though they haven’t really been soaked. The chick was working hard from inside the shell this morning, so we know it was fine at hatching time. There should be no reason for concern here, so why am I feeling so worried? I suppose it’s the first hatch on the Australian cameras for this season so it’s all a bit nerve-wracking. I will keep you posted.
15:27 and still no hatch. The shell is completely crushed on one side and the shell is ‘breathing’ so we know the chick is alive inside. But still it hasn’t managed to get out of the shell. The crushing has not pushed inwards onto the chick, so it has plenty of room. It is just tired, I think. But it’s been working for a long while now. Theoretically, it should be fine. Enough oxygen. Enough warmth. Still absorbing the last of the nutrients from the yolk sac. So all should be good if it just has a bit of a rest and then completes the hatch. Of course the nights have been very cold and it would have been better if the wee one had been able to dry and warm up and perhaps even have a snack before dark but there’s plenty of time for all of that. I just want to see the eaglet safely out of that shell. It’s nearly 4pm here (and in Olympic Park) so it’s been a long day for mum and chick. There has been a close-up of the second egg that suggests the beginnings of a pip. In this nest, it’s always hard to tell because of the thinnish long dark damp leaves which can look like a crack or pip (and which can also stain the egg), but there was some delayed incubation practised so it’s possible that the second egg is no more than a day behind the first. Fingers crossed for two safe hatches close together. “
Thank you to ‘A’ and to the Sea Eagle Cam for the screen captures above.
Thank you for checking in. Head over to the cam and watch the action in the Olympic Park. Let’s hope Dad catches those fish and other prey on that nest. These are going to be close hatches, we hope.
If you are a Royal Albatross fan, who isn’t???? RLK came in to feed the Royal Cam chick! Cornell Bird Lab shares that moment with us: https://youtu.be/Bpv85jcHWf4?
It is a gorgeous, albeit windy, fall day on the Canadian Prairies. I noticed about thirty-five Canada Geese feeding on the soccer field at one of our nearby high schools while five flew overhead. At last count, thirty European Starlings were feeding on the suet at the big table feeder. Mr Crow was also getting peanuts, sometimes, he would take six at a time, swallowing them (seemingly) while the Blue Jays retrieved theirs. The squirrels were eating the ones left on the deck. It was a bit of a feeding frenzy. The temperatures dropped to 0 C last night, and the birds, being more attuned to weather than most humans unless you have arthritis, must feel the end of fall is coming soon.
Notice how, in the space of a few minutes, the suet cylinder is reduced. The Starlings really peck away at it. Their beaks can only eat certain seeds so no Black Oil Seed or peanuts for them. We get this suet especially to give them energy. Tomorrow I plan to put out apples and oatmeal. We will see who is happy!
The days for our nice walks without heavier clothing are swiftly coming to an end. Tomorrow we hope to get out to the park for a goose count!
Nox. When he went back into rehabilitation three days after being released, he was emaciated and required a blood transfusion. Was he not able to hunt? I hope they keep him in and give him more training at hunting! He has had a complete blood transfusion and his condition is now stable.
The triplets at Collins Street are healthy and becoming quite independent. Not sure what the Mum F23 thinks about all of that, but they are growing and we can look forward to a lot of running back and forth and gutter-stomping it seems. It is wonderful they are so healthy! Dad slipped in and even got to feed his little ones. They look like snow people but that cotton ball coat is going to shed itself just as we are beginning to see a change in the plumage around their eyes. https://youtu.be/rucHRHj2VQ4?
There was a nice breakfast feeding with the triplets quickly falling into food comas.
As it got hotter in Melbourne, the kiddos stopped their gutter stomping and she protected them from the hot rains of the Melbourne sun. It is 16 C but hotter up on those top floors of the concrete buildings with the sun beating down.
There were three feedings at Orange before 0800 on Thursday!
More feedings at Orange and the kiddos explore the scrape checking out the Cilla Stones!
Seriously cute with its little bloody beak. Just look at those sparkling black eyes. Adorable.
‘A’ comments: “Meanwhile, the falcon chicks at both scrapes are eating machines. All five appear very healthy and active. The parents are barely able to cope with their demands and are working tirelessly to do so. At Collins Street, the littles are into the gutter and the stomping season has begun. So far, there have been no problems and no-one has got themselves trapped down there. Mum is now leaving the kiddos to get up and down by themselves, as they are capable of doing.
Darling Diamond and Xavier are feeding their pair about eight or nine meals on an average day and the chicks seem to be growing before our very eyes. At every feeding, they seem larger than at the last. Similarly, the trio at Collins Street appear to have permanently bloated crops. “
More osprey nests with eggs in South Australia.
Many will have noticed the netting that Mum brought in to the Port Lincoln nest. So many were concerned that the osplets could get caught in it and be pulled off the nest. We have seen this many times before. Pitkin County comes first to my mind where one chick died and the other spent a year in rehabilitation before being released. The fish fairies came quickly removing the netting and leaving some nice fish.
This happened on the 21st – the removal of the netting so a few days ago.
Wilko had breakfast with Mum at 0611 on Thursday. Kasse slept through all of it. It looks like a rather small fish or partial fish arrived at 1340 and had not been clocked on the obs board when I checked. Both osplets fed. They do need more fish!
Geemeff sent us an article about the Coobwie Osprey nest with the four chicks. I have yet to confirm that the fourth has made it. It was not eating when I left for Nova Scotia and I have not seen any information. If you have, please let me know.
Judy Harrington gives us a good report on what SE33 and SE34 were up to. Notice that they are way up on the branches and could fly any moment save for the fact that currawongs send them back to the nest. Personally I think this is a good thing. They need to get used to and ignore those pesky birds. Hopefully spending more time on the nest watching Lady and Dad deal with them will help.
The two could easily fly Thursday morning. They certainly have me sitting on the edge of my chair and it looks like several hundred more! They were way up in the branches. They came down to the nest several times, went higher, and then down lower. They are very aware of the Currawong. This is a good thing – the longer they stay on the nest the more they should develop skills to either fly out when the Currawong aren’t around or ignore them and follow the path Lady and Dad take to the river. Once at the River, they will be fine. They will be trained to hunt and fish by Lady and Dad. They just have to get down there, not somewhere else!
They are still in the nest at the Olympic Park in Sydney, being harassed by the Curras. That might keep them home so that they can mature more…
‘A’ sends us the latest report from the nest at Sydney: “October 24: An early quartet to welcome the day [don’t you just love the eaglets joining in the morning squawking?], then Lady was off chasing a currawong. Both eaglets moved out on the limb together, side by side. The eaglets were resting – waiting – and Lady brought in a gull just before 10am, along with swoopers. SE33 self-fed well and both were fed a little by Lady. After a quiet late morning, Lady flew in at 12:15. She must have seen Dad coming with a fish. This was grabbed by SE34, who took a long time to break into the flesh. Lady tried to join in, SE33 ate a little, until finally they left it at 2:30pm. A long feed. Dad finished off a few scraps. Both eaglets were then resting on the nest and venturing up the perch branch – flapping and exploring a little. Both eagles were seen down on the river at 16:40. At dusk, the eaglets were standing on the rim of the nest, with a magpie swooping.”
‘A’ continues with her own thoughts which parallel mine – the sea eagles do not eat the chicks of the Curra so why bother one another? “October 24: An early quartet to welcome the day [don’t you just love the eaglets joining in the morning squawking?], then Lady was off chasing a currawong. Both eaglets moved out on the limb together, side by side. The eaglets were resting – waiting – and Lady brought in a gull just before 10am, along with swoopers. SE33 self-fed well and both were fed a little by Lady. After a quiet late morning, Lady flew in at 12:15. She must have seen Dad coming with a fish. This was grabbed by SE34, who took a long time to break into the flesh. Lady tried to join in, SE33 ate a little, until finally they left it at 2:30pm. A long feed. Dad finished off a few scraps. Both eaglets were then resting on the nest and venturing up the perch branch – flapping and exploring a little. Both eagles were seen down on the river at 16:40. At dusk, the eaglets were standing on the rim of the nest, with a magpie swooping.
…
I continue to gain confidence in the eaglets gaining confidence from repeated successes in dealing with the swooping birds. It simply HAS to help, doesn’t it? This has not happened in any season I have seen previously. This is the first time they have had a substantial pre-fledge period where they have self-fed and been fed on the nest while seeing off the swoopers and using the nest as their ‘safe spot’.
You can see the difference between the magpies and the currawongs – the currawongs have totally black heads and a white band across the end of their tails. They are also noticeably larger than the magpies. From my knowledge of these birds, neither attacks in pairs or groups like the smaller birds (such as the noisy mynahs, who attack in twos and threes, repeatedly swooping at the target bird, either simultaneously or in rapid succession, from different directions). These larger birds swoop individually at the target bird, as the magpie is doing in this photo. (The white on the back of the neck in this pic shows the swooper to be a magpie not a currawong, who has no white on its head or neck.) The magpies also have white (or light grey for females and juveniles) on their backs, unlike currawongs, whose backs are black. The magpies have longer, slightly thinner beaks. Apparently, both magpies and currawongs will often steal both eggs and chicks as prey, though I personally have not seen it. They also attack fledglings of smaller birds as prey but presumably not fledglings of the size of the sea eaglets.
They continually say in the literature that the currawongs are merely protecting their young, but if this is the case, why is it that we never see the sea eagles bring in currawongs or magpies as prey? In all the years we have watched the WBSE nest, how many have you seen being eaten? No, me neither. Not a single one.”
At NE Florida, Beau and Gabby slept on the nest tree and then did some great nestorations. This is becoming a beautiful spot for eggs.
Across the state of Florida from Gabby and Beau, M15 and F23 are working diligently on getting their nest ready, too! They have been working on the crib rails and bringing in moss to make everything soft and nice for F23 and her eggs.
It was a scary moment. M15 working on sticks and F23 nearly hit by a car! This is when we are more than grateful for boots on the ground with their cameras like The Real Saunders Photography. Their images are incredible. I urge you to follow their FB feed to see all the action you miss because it is not on the cams. https://youtu.be/5AVTQD7d3Z8?
I have been helping Brian Collins get fish count figures for all the osprey nests that I can. Geemeff sent me the count for Loch Arkaig for this past year and a few earlier. Poole Harbour raised four to fledge. Blue 022 and CJ7 were really busy fishing. I was sent their count today by Jenny Moore. Thank you to Geemeff and Jenny. The individuals overseeing the regulations for commercial fishing of Menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay have no idea how many Menhaden exist in the Bay nor do they have any notion of how many fish osprey take for various size nests. We hope to educate them. If you or if you know someone who did fish counts at a nest for 2024 or earlier, please have them get in touch with me with that data. It will really help our approach.
Here is the count for Poole Harbour. This is amazing information. Notice they even include the time of day and which parent was most active in deliveries.
The fish count from Loch Arkaig:
These are the actual figures with a brief explanation of chick and egg numbers. The vast majority of fish deliveries are Brown Trout, with Mackerel and Flatfish coming in next but in low numbers, and a couple of other species in insignificant numbers eg one eel.
G Fish stats for Loch Arkaig:
2024 Male delivered 255 and female delivered 1 fish: three eggs, three chicks hatched, C3 starved to death at 23 days old due to weather making fishing difficult, C2 died before fledging at 62 days old as a result of weakness due to semi-starvation due to weather, and C1 survived to fledge after being placed on a translocation programme.
2023 Male delivered 396 and female delivered 1 fish: three eggs – one lost in owl attack, one unviable, C3 hatched and fledged
2022 Male delivered 546 and female delivered 0 fish: three eggs – C1 and C2 hatched and fledged, C3 died at 7 days old,
2021 unknown fish: female failed to return and male moved to a non-cam nest with new partner therefore number of eggs and hatches unknown, two chicks hatched and fledged
2020 Male delivered 553 and female delivered 26 fish: three eggs – all hatched and fledged
2019 Male delivered 407 and female delivered 7 fish: three eggs – C2 dead in shell, C1 and C3 hatched and fledged
Calico and Baby Hope always make sure that we take good care of ‘The Boyfriend’ by providing him with food and water, special treats, and several choices of outdoor accommodation. It is not his fault that his owners ‘dumped’ his mother and/or him to live on the streets. He is too frightened to come and live in the house so we do the best we can for him, giving him options which he can choose or not knowing that one day, we will put the food out and not see him again. Life is short for the urban feral cats. Many asked me if I think he will go in the little container home. I don’t think he will. I believe he lives under the deck where Calico had Hope (and maybe some other kittens who did not survive that litter). Calico and The Boyfriend were together before she moved into the house. They were always in the garden and at the feeding station. Although the vet felt that Baby Hope was a kitten from Calico’s first litter, I am unsure. It is possible that he is actually a surviving kitten from Calico’s very first litter (if Hope wasn’t in that litter). It is just my gut feeling. When we lived in the UK, we rescued a small Calico cat and her kitten, a tuxedo. Because he stays where Hope was born, I wonder even more. The neighbours look out by giving food and any time anyone makes a remark about trapping him, we all go crazy so that talk has stopped. He is not adoptable. But he is a gentle soul nevertheless. We do the best we can for him knowing that under that deck he is dry and away from the weather. He has now survived at least two winters there.
Baby Hope always watches The Boyfriend when he eats and, in return, he sits and looks longingly at her for several minutes before leaving. He now comes if I call ‘Kitty, Kitty’ really loud. I try to manage that he gets all the food put out at the beginning and if he wants seconds he can have it. I pick up the deworming medication this week! He is a lovely tuxedo and is now part of our family although not inside with us.
He was intently watching Little Red from a perch on the barbecue table.
Calico’s Tip for the Day concerns feeding the birds outdoors. Look over the list. There are some items that you might not have considered. That said, I disagree with ever feeding birds bread despite even the leader of our bird house building workshop saying that everyone does it after admitting it is unhealthy. So please, no bread. I always give the Crows and Jays cat kibble but I do not soak it.
Calico also found a poster about feeding ducks. The majority of the ducks resident in Manitoba during the spring and summer are now gone. Many will be showing up in ponds near the southern US (if not further). Please keep in mind what to feed them.
Calico would love it if we had hedgehogs in Canada. She reminds everyone in the UK to please leave the leaves. The hedgehogs might need them!
Cockatoo finally rescued after being trapped in shopping mall!
‘J’ has been monitoring the situation at the US Steel Plant where there is the nest of Claire and Irvin. It appears there is a new female there. We do not know the status of Claire. We will continue to monitor. Thanks, ‘J’.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, Jenny Moore, L’, UC Berkeley News, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, SK Hideaways, Heidi McGrue, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Australian Rural & Regional News, Judy Harrington and Sea Eagle Cam, Olympic Park Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, The Real Saunders Photography, Jenny Moore and Poole Harbour Fish Count, Geemeff and Loch Arkaig Fish Count, Backyard Bird Lovers, For Fox Sake Animal Rescue, Hope for Hedgehogs Woodside, The Guardian.
Thank you to those who sent me screen captures of the ads they received when they read my blog. Hopefully, everything is fixed so that they do not appear again.
Oh, what a day it was. The goal was to finish a few small and manageable tasks since it was so hot outside. Well, nothing was easy. The lights that Wirecutter had given their top rating (for both inside and outside) would only work with a W two-prong outdoor extension cord. Think you could find one in Winnipeg? No. The desire to have lights around the conservatory did not leave my head or Hugo Yugo’s. She loves fairy lights. Consequently, we came home with three boxes to go around the perimeter. Now, attaching the cords to the conservatory was another matter. It turns out those picture frame thingamabobs that you nail into the wall (the brass ones) will slip over a part of the conservatory. Bingo. We have lights. The next was to pick a paint to colour block a section of the wall behind my desk to match the feathers in the oak frames. Done. There was a light switch that needed a cover plate. Done. This weekend was the time to put out unwanted but good-quality items for others to rummage through on the boulevard. Partly through. We did not get the painting done, but we did pick up a delicious pumpkin pie!!!!!!!! Oh, it helped with all the annoyance from the lights. Missey loves the whipped cream.
I would to start with a very sad story coming out of Baltimore. It has to do with starving fledgling ospreys and the decline of Menhaden. It is impacting these birds to such an extent that they get wiped out in the area completely if the industrial fishing of Menhaden is not stopped. If you have not written to your Senator and your Congressperson, then do so. Even if you live elsewhere. Here is the latest article. Imagine 80 starving osplets at one wildlife rehab center. Imagine.
Many years ago I told the story of how a very large female Sharp-shinned Hawk changed my life. All of a sudden the frantic pace of the work world I lived in didn’t matter. Only her. Today, I read an article in The Guardian of another woman working in a high-powered position whose life was changed by a baby Hare. It is moving and the images are gorgeous. Have a read.
In another article, I felt gutted to learn that any elephant has to be killed because there is no food. Wars, famine, habitat loss, drought caused by climate change – what will be the eventual impact on all our wildlife unless we find ways to protect it?
So, what is happening in Bird World? Very little. All nests in Australia except for the Olympic Park Eagles are incubating eggs. The Royal Cam chick is set to take to the skies and oceans any moment. Will Partney and Marrum be able to save any other eggs from the Ravens? That is anyone’s guess, but I would put my dime on ‘no’. Diamond and Xavier continue to entertain us as does M22 and F23 in Melbourne. Dad is doing a pretty good job delivering fish to Mum at Port Lincoln. I would like to hear more news and see more images of our dear Ervie.
What is happening at Hellgate Canyon? Finnegan is just a master angler. He would win every fishing award for the season. It is hard to check on the Hellgate streaming cam without seeing Antali with either a huge crop or a fish delivery or both. Finnegan is working over time to make sure that his second hatch is well prepared. These kids are not starving like those in the area of Chesapeake Bay! The Ospreys inland have done well this season save for the heat and some bizarre nest accidents.
The latest news first: Iris and Sum-eh are still home with Finnegan and Antali. Thanks, ‘PB’ for that message!
At Charlo, it appears that C16 is trying his own luck at fishing. He is often on the nest or perch shaking off the water. There are fish deliveries, but they are certainly not as frequent as those of Finnegan for Antali.
Both juveniles are still at the Newfoundland Snow Lane nest where it was windy with some rain on Saturday. There are still fish deliveries. It was impossible for me to tell if Hope is still in the area.
River has a bulging crop at Sandpoint.
Junebug is home at Dunrovin.
No one is home at Foulshaw Moss.
There is good news coming from Big Bear. The evacuation order has been lifted. Jackie and Shadow should be safe but the area around their nest is full of heavy smoke at times.
The cams at SW Florida are getting their maintenance, so they are ready for the start of Bald Eagle season on 1 October. https://youtu.be/aeeH7EzNV5E?
I love geese. How many times have you heard that? Sometimes Calico thinks that I like geese more than cats. It seems that I am always reading books about things with feathers and never cats. Maybe she has a point. :)))))) Decorah Goose Cam is playing season highlights!!!!!!!!! Oh, you can see the goslings jump again! https://www.youtube.com/live/4FB6bLI39lo?
The NCTC nest of Bella and Scout is live. Bella and Scout were in the nest earlier in the morning.
Thunder and Akecheta were caught on camera during large parts of Saturday.
Wondering what is happening at NE Florida with Gabby and Beau? Looks like we have to wait until the 18th!
Didn’t see E1-M2 at the Kistachie National Forest nest, but his turtle shells are all there! Wonder if the kiddos will have turtle meals this year instead of fish?
One of the highlights of Ferris Akel’s Saturday Tour was a Gallinago or a Snipe. Just look at the plumage.
Ferris was also at the Open House of the Cornell Raptor Centre. It is not clear if the Red-tail Hawk Ambassador was E3, Big Red’s kiddo.
The Peregrine Falcon was very loud and caused Calico some anxiety.
Open Houses are excellent opportunities to learn about the raptors, their needs, and challenges and to just get up close with them. Check out your local wildlife rehabilitation centre. It is normal for the Open Houses to take place in the fall so, you just might be in luck! If not, save the date for 2025.
The RSPB describes the Gallinago or Wilson’s Snipe, “Snipe are medium sized, skulking wading birds with short legs and long, straight bills. Both sexes are mottled brown above, with paler buff stripes on the back, dark streaks on the chest and pale under parts. They are widespread as a breeding species in the UK, with particularly high densities on northern uplands but lower numbers in southern lowlands (especially south west England). In winter, birds from northern Europe join resident birds. The UK population of Snipe has undergone moderate declines overall in the past twenty-five years, with particularly steep declines in lowland wet grassland, making it an Amber List species.”
All About Birds has some Cool Facts about the Wilson’s Snipe:
Wilson’s Snipe look so stocky thanks in part to the extra-large pectoral (breast) muscles that make up nearly a quarter of the bird’s weight—the highest percent of all shorebirds. Thanks to their massive flight muscles this chunky sandpiper can reach speeds estimated at 60 miles an hour.
Wilson’s Snipe feed by burying their bills deep into soft, wet soil to probe for insect larvae, worms, and other invertebrate prey. The bill’s flexible tip can open to grasp food while the base of the bill stays closed. Snipe can slurp small prey from the mud without having to remove their bill from the soil.
Because a Wilson’s Snipe’s eyes are set far back on its head, it can see almost as well behind as in front and to the sides. This arrangement makes it difficult for a potential predator to sneak up on a feeding snipe—it almost literally has “eyes in the back of its head.”
The word “sniper” originated in the 1770s among British soldiers in India who hunted snipe as game. The birds are still hunted in many countries, including the U.S., though their fast, erratic flight style means they are difficult targets.
Although only the female tends the eggs and nestlings, Wilson’s Snipe parents split up the siblings once they’re ready to fledge. The male takes the two oldest; the female takes the younger two with her. After they leave the nest the mates have no further contact.
Researchers have done wind tunnel tests with Wilson’s Snipe feathers to try and duplicate the “winnowing” sound that’s made as birds fly with their tail feathers fanned. They found that it’s the outermost tail feathers, or rectrices, that generate the sound, which apparently happens at airspeeds of about 25 miles per hour.
The oldest known Wilson’s Snipe was at least 9 years, 3 months old, based on a band recovered from a bird that was shot in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in 1973.
‘A’ brings us up to date with the Olympic Park eagles: “Dad brought breakfast (feathered) at WBSE at 06:18 this morning. Of course Lady was there immediately to take charge of the food, and the littles roused themselves from their cuddle puddle for the occasion. They both stand up on their feet to stretch, leaning forward and spreading their wings. Such pretty plumage, changing from one day to the next, and from one striking design to another. SE34 has no hesitation about joining SE33 at the table, moving up beside his older sibling. SE33 is not bothered.
Lady begins by feeding SE33, as per pecking order, but initially it is distracted by Dad on the perch branch so Lady has to offer the bite a second time. Meanwhile, SE34 backs up for a PS anyway. I don’t think SE33 accepted the bite because SE34 was no longer beside him (implying that SE33 was intimidated by the proximity of SE34) but simply because his attention had been diverted when Lady first offered it. I certainly don’t believe SE33 has suddenly become nervous of his younger brother.
By 06:20, SE34 is back in his position at the table, beside SE33. and he shuffles even further forward, taking prime position closest to Lady’s beak. He is soon rewarded with a couple of consecutive bites of red meat. Lady then begins feeding the eaglets alternate bites. I do love the way she does this. Occasionally, one nestling or the other will get a couple of consecutive bites, but she maintains an even-handed approach until one eaglet or the other starts to slow in its eating and indicates it is getting overly full. She is a very attentive mum, and I continue to believe that her experience in feeding and managing her chicks is the reason this nest fledges two every season despite being an obligate siblicide species. In the end, I keep coming back to the wisdom and dedication of these parents. They are a closely bonded pair and when it comes to raising their family, they work as a tight-knit team to provide for and protect their eaglets. I believe they are both in their mid-20s, which is not quite elderly but it’s certainly extremely experienced, and that experience really counts when it comes to keeping the eaglets safe and warm and dry, and ensuring that both eaglets get enough food. Lady has always looked out for her younger hatch when it comes to food. Every season, she ensures it gets food, whether she has to give private feedings early in the morning or late at night, or put her own body between the eaglets, or even to feed the younger chick through her legs or under a wing. And of course Dad is particularly hard-working when it comes to ensuring there is nearly always food on the nest. If Dad is not bringing in food. there is a good reason for it. . “
Calico’s Tip for the Day: No one can be accused of causing cats to run through the house like a Formula 1 circuit. They will do it and defy you. But if you have a new puppy, Calico has found a suggestion for you to make certain you have a ‘calm’ dog.
The dog trainer: playing too much with your puppy
The important thing many owners fail to do with their dog is encourage it to calm down. There is so much emphasis on playing and running. People think they have to play with their puppy because it wants to, but this encourages the dog to be constantly active. It then doesn’t settle well and its behaviour can quickly become problematic. Spending time teaching dogs to walk calmly on a lead and rest at home should be a priority. To learn how, go to a class or follow online advice. Ben Marsh of Balanced Dog
Thank you for being with us today. We are always so happy to have you with us. Take care!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, announcements, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post this morning: ‘A, PB’, The Baltimore Post, The Guardian, Montana Osprey Cam FB, Montana Osprey Project, Dyfi Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Dunrovin Ranch, Sandpoint Ospreys, Newfoundland Power, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Debbie Shores, Raptor Resource Project/Explore.org, NCTC Eagle Nest, AEF, KNF-E1, Ferris Akel Tours, The Guardian and the Balanced Dog, Olympic Park Eagles.
Tuesday was cooler—21 C. Visiting the nature centre required a windbreaker and it was just so much more excellent walking. There were lots of Canada geese, wood ducks, and mallards at the pond, as well as a single Solitary Sandpiper – the first time I had seen one at the park!
All About Birds describes them: “The natty Solitary Sandpiper, with its olive-gray wings, black-and-white tail, and bold eyering, is a distinctive exception among the many lookalike sandpipers. Its helpful habit of bobbing the back half of its body or trembling its tail (and often feet) while foraging make it instantly recognizable. In flight, look for blackish underwings against a white belly, a pattern unique among North American shorebirds. As the name suggests, this species is normally seen singly. On migration, it turns up very widely, even in very small or temporary wetlands.”
From the map below you will see that this little bird is on its migration. What a distance it will go!
There is a small flower garden, and every blossom seemed delighted that the heat had passed. It feels like fall and even some of the leaves are changing colour.
It was a great walk!
News of fledglings from the UK in the Iberian Peninsula on their migration are reaching us. Threave’s 4B9 was seen and photographed on a stork nest in Portugal! These youngsters are making good progress. This is the first confirmed sighting of a fledgling from a public nest this year.
Geemeff sends us her daily summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Tuesday 27th August 2024
A lot of rain, a bit of sun, and no visitors to the nests – the season appears well and truly over. However, LizB reports: “One osprey spotted flying west to east along Loch Arkaig yesterday afternoon. Possibly the Bunarkaig male heading back to the nest but no way of knowing.” Perhaps we may yet have a final Osprey visitor before this comments page closes to end this eventful season.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.22.18 (05.34.50); Nest Two 21.20.17 (05.44.14)
Today’s videos: None
Bonus opinion: State-sponsored environmental vandalism or a good idea? What does WTS think?
At Dunrovin, Junebug was knocked off the nest by a GHO. This caused great fear amongst avid watchers. Junebug did safely return to the nest and Mum Winnie rewarded the bravery of her little one with a nice fish!
Antali had an early breakfast fish on the nest and then Iris is fish calling. Finnegan flies around the nest once and returns with her dinner! Iris flies off. Iris is now taking care of herself – as is Finnegan – so she can prepare for her migration.
Iris and her family have suffered through the most extreme heat for long periods of time, hurricane force winds, and now some are saying the earliest snows are on their ways. We wait to see.
Some concern that the juveniles had not been seen on the Newfoundland Power nest at Snow Lane. Here they are. One had a nice fish! And then Beaumont came in at another time with fish for both! Things are going so well this year.
In Wales, everyone has departed the Dyfi Osprey nest, but Idris, the male, who is keeping his oldest daughter Gwenlais, Blue 6B1, full of fish.
All three fledglings were seen on Tuesday the 27th at the Glaslyn nest. Not sure Elen is still here but Aran is still delivering fish. Will try and find out!
All three fledglings at Fortis-Exshaw along with Dad.
The fight against Omega’s industrial fishing in Virginia waters. Write your Senator to stop this. Our Osprey depend on these little fish to live.
Look at the amount. 112 million pounds. An Osprey family of five needs, on average, 500 fish a season – let’s be generous 750 pounds. Come on!
The antics of Xavier and Diamond are endless. If you are not familiar with Diamond, she does NOT like European Starlings for her dinner! or breakfast. or lunch. or for a snack. Nope. Not a Starling.
‘A’ writes, “The first egg at Orange was laid around lunchtime today (timestamp 12:08:07. TOO exciting. Now we all get to watch Xavier bargaining for egg time (I don’t think starlings are going to cut it, Xavier) and talking to his egg. (He is the CUTEST falcon dad of them all – he has even been known to try and feed the egg!!!) I do LOVE these two. I hope Diamond only lays one more egg. She is not getting any younger and I don’t want her to be overly stressed, though unlike our precious Iris, she doesn’t have to suffer the stresses of migration. She gets to live here in her scrape with Xavier all year round, which is a huge bonus for them and for us! I am SO excited. “
Watching at Poole Harbour to see who is home. Three of the four juveniles along with Blue 022 and CJ7 were seen on the nest on Monday.
Collins Street Falcons are waiting for their second egg at which time hard incubation could start. They might lay one or two more eggs. It has happened at this nest. Until hard incubation begins, the egg will be left unattended now and again.
We have rejoiced at four hatchlings and cried last year when the female was injured and the eggs were not incubated. There are high hopes for this year as this article in The Guardian discusses.
Holly Parsons is a wonder of information. She has included a video with David Attenborough on how eggs are made. I think you might be interested. https://youtu.be/PcI72ldPvx8?
Great photographs of Mum and Dad’s Calypso and her mate, Bradley, on the Tulka platform in South Australia. They have survived quite a wind storm.
Fledglings are still at Llyn Brenig!
‘AR’ sends us some news items…when will the shooting stop? Don’t people realise that eagles (all living souls) have emotions, feel pain, have families, partners and deserve respect?
‘AR’ also brings us up to date on the stunning project to try and eradicate the mice that are eating albatross alive – young and adult. This is the plan:
“It is a joint endeavor between the South African Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and the environmental NGO BirdLife South Africa—is to deploy helicopters to drop 600 tons of pesticide-laced pellets across the island.”
I am still seeing SE34 being submissive and sometimes not eating because of SE33. The pin feathers are coming in, and surely SE33 will settle shortly. Dad and Lady are great parents.
The first egg for Mum and Dad at the Port Lincoln Osprey barge was 26 August. Today is the 29th in Port Lincoln. You know what that means – egg #2 is expected!!!!!!!
Dad has been making enquiries as to when this might happen!
And both juveniles are still at Osoyoos being fed!
‘The Girls’ and I have started a new book. It is a bit of a how to, but since they enjoy watching the birds and we want to make their lives in the garden as good as we can, there are some interesting ideas. These include making suet, plantings, upcycling items as bird houses and feeders, etc. Calico did listen to the beginning. She tends to like longer narratives so we will see, but for anyone interested in creating a wonderful spot for birds in their gardens, it is a good read. I plan to work on the various birdbaths and ponds next year! When I start you can follow my progress – or lack thereof.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, observations, videos, articles, books, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, AR, Geemeff, J, PB’, All About Birds, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, Montana Osprey Project, Dunrovin Ranch, Newfoundland Power, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Heidi McGrue and Fortis Exshaw, Brian Collins and Menhaden-Little Fish, Big Deal, Holly Parsons, Birds of Poole Harbour, The Guardian, 367 Collins Street Falcons, Bazz Hockaday and Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, Brenig Osprey Project, Newsweek, Olympic Sea Eagles, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Dan Rouse, komu.com, thehill.com.
There was no report of a storm coming to our area, but the garden animals behaved differently all day. The temperature was cooler, 22 C. Tomorrow it will be 28 C. There are storms to the south of us near Minneapolis. Still, the animals are exerting a rivalry for peanuts that I have not seen in quite some time. The Red Squirrels are harassing the Greys, the Greys are bothering the Blue Jays, and all are disturbing the Crows!
Dyson has been here and I finally was able to get a photo of her. She is so healthy! And so quick. Less than a blink and she is off the feeder with peanuts.
It is not a great shot – the iPhone and the Feather Friedly dots on the double glazing of the conservatory do not make for a good combination when trying to photography moving animals.
Dyson can sometimes get three peanuts in at once and away she goes. Just look at that beautiful tail.
Three of the juvenile crows keeping watch as two eat cheesy dogs. Oh, they are a noisy bunch. Our former neighbours stopped by for a visit today and it was so nice to hear that they missed the birds. There are some geese in the river near where they live, but no birds!
Meanwhile one Crow insists on walking all across the conservatory’s roof and then flying off to get a drink in the bird bath. It drives Calico crazy!
The images are a little too dark of Calico with the Crow on the ceiling but you can get the idea. My goodness Calico wanted that Crow.
They have the most gorgeous iridescent plumage. This one has a tattered tail. I am sure they have been in many skirmishes since they fledged the nest this summer.
Little Red ‘looks sweet’. The operative word is ‘looks’. I have discovered that animals with ginger fur cause the most chaos. Hugo Yugo is included! Have you noticed that, too?
Junior still looks ratty but that crest is coming in and soon he will look like his handsome self. Someone said this takes a week. I would say a good fortnight.
Even with the cooler temperatures, all the birds enjoy the birdbath, which is filled five times a day. The Blue Jay on the right was ill and had a twisted tail. The tail is still not straight, but s/he is flying and doing well.
One of the new babies waiting for its parents to tell it that it can fly back to the nest.
Sad. An Osprey, not a type of bird of prey that kills grouse, was shot to death at Angus Glens on the opening of the ‘Inglorious 12th’ of August. Oh, please find a way to end this medieval practice of shooting grouse!
‘PB’ caught Dad and the juvenile home at Cowlitz PUD! Yeah. Electra might have left on migration. We wait to see.
SK Hideaways has a video clip of our Collins Street falcons and their first egg of the season. Many are upset that the female laid the egg on the south end without the shade protection. Some of you will recall the small little falcons practically roasting one year on the ledge.
Deliveries at Hellgate Canyon! Iris is still home…
Finnegan brought Antali a whopper!!!!!! He was still eating two hours later.
C16 enjoys an early morning breakfast fish at Charlo.
Heidi McGrue caught Fen at Fenwick Island diving for his first fish. He might have even caught it.
The necroscopy from Elyse the falcon at the University of Montreal has been turned in.
‘A’ writes about Monday afternoon and the little sea eaglets. “Monday afternoon at 3.45pm and those sea eaglets have the most massive crops. They are sleeping in the warm spring sunshine, snuggled up in a giant fluffball. Dad was in with breakfast (a live medium-sized fish) at around 06:34, which Lady immediately commandeered. SE33 still had a crop! SE34 was closer to the table and facing the right way, so got the first of the food. He did not hesitate to take the bites he was offered and SE33, facing the other way, did not object. 06:37 and SE34 is spooked by SE33 moving behind him, making him nervous to eat. He does take a bite from mum but then turns his head away, obviously worried about SE33. Mum leans right over to offer him the next bite but he pulls away from her, his head still turned. Lady, watching SE34 and aware he is too scared to eat, does not feed SE33 but instead eats herself while she waits for SE34 to gain confidence.
Early Tuesday morning and both sea eaglets have crops.”
The sea eaglets appeared to be living a bit more harmoniously. They should grow out of this stage soon as their pin feathers are beginning to come through.
Speaking of large crops, Diamond and Xavier are both looking exceptionally well fed this afternoon. We just had the privilege (4.09pm) of watching one of their famous bonding sessions. Xavier likes to visit Diamond very early in the morning, while it’s still dark (she usually sleeps on the ledge of her scrape), and it’s not uncommon for one or both of them to fall asleep during a prolonged early morning bonding session. Just TOO funny. These two are adorable. Xavier is the cutest little peregrine. I just love him. He is the best mate and father, and we all know the story of how he came into Diamond’s life. What a guy. Eggs are less than a week away, judging by the bonding behaviours (though that rejected starling propped up in the front corner is really starting to get pretty rancid, I suspect – it’s been there for two and a half days, maybe more) and the frequency of matings (this pair generally get it right too – they know what they’re doing). I think Cilla said yesterday or the day before that there would be eggs within the week and she’s usually pretty accurate in her predictions here. So we wait. I would be surprised if there were more than two eggs. Diamond is not a young bird, though she does look healthy (Xavier looks after her well). “
They have been mating and mating at Orange. Xavier wants eggies. He loves being a day. Well, is he trying out to be Murphy?! Well, all of Xavier’s wishful thinking has paid off – Diamond laid the first egg of the season after he incubated the stone.
Do you ever look for stamps that are specific to our bird family?
Those two juveniles of Hope and Beaumont are gorgeous. They are stunners of the ‘dark’ side. Just look how wide those eye bands are, just like Mum. Beautiful thick necklaces. These two are lovely.
‘J’ did a tour of the eagle information and confirms the following sightings for us:
“18 august Harvey & Ellie visit nest Farmer Derek; 20 august Ron & Rose on nest Dade County; Aug Mr & Mrs Trempealeau on nest Trempealeau; August 1 adult on nest, fledglings still in the area Avon Lake ; Baker pops in Little Miami; 24 august Beau is back NEFL; 24 august M15 & F23 at the nest SWFL; 26 august Clive is back according to MAS Captiva; 26 august DNF has been seen by RRP, not visited new nest yet Decorah North / Raptor Resource Project; HD & HM seen around N1 Decorah / Raptor Resource Project”.
An update from Raptor Resource Project that runs the Decorah North, Spirit Bluff, and Mississippi Flyway cams:
These would make perfect bird baths!
Geemeff’s summary for Loch Arkaig and The Woodland Trust:
Daily summary Monday 26th August 2024
No activity at all again today on either nest, but from Police Scotland comes the disturbing account of an Osprey having been shot on the Inglorious Twelfth ie the traditional start date on 12th August of the grouse-shooting industry. The unfortunate Osprey had to be euthanised. All the big news outlets have taken up the story, and the link to the police appeal is in the bonus section. Weatherwise today had more dry patches than forecast, but heavy rain is expected tonight.
Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 21.21.13 (05.28.48); Nest Two 21.13.27 (05.37.43)
Today’s videos: none!
Bonus read – police appeal for info after the tragic death of an Osprey, shot on the Inglorious Twelfth:
Thank you so very much for being with us today. Please take care. Have a wonderful week. We hope to see you again soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, comments, videos, images, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, Geemeff, H, J, PB’, Raptor Persecution UK, Pam Breci, SK Hideaways, Montana Osprey Project, Charlo Montana, Heidi McGrue, UdeMFalcons FB, Olympic Park Eagles, Falcon Project at Charles Sturt University, Holly Parsons, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, BirdGuides, Newfoundland Power, Raptor Resource Project, The Waterfowl Sanctuary, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, The Real Saunders Photography, and The Guardian.
The Rough-legged Hawk was found on the roadside struggling to fly.
Dr. Celena applies a wing wrap to help stabilize the fracture and support healing.
The little Saw-whet needed to be hand-fed for several days to regain his strength. Our Assistant Rehabilitation Manager wipes his mouth after being fed.
Dr. Celena performing surgery the Virginia Rail to remove its dislocated toe.
