Tag Archives: osprey cams

Alden missing, Samson missing, Rita injured…Monday in Bird World

28 November 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

I am earlier than I thought I would be today because there is more breaking news. We will start off with the kittens because they, so far, are a good thing to wake up to – no injuries, just boundless energy and cuddles.

Missy and Lewis hope that everyone has had a good day so far. They have discovered something! The in-floor heating comes up through the tiles, through the basket, and into their blanket. Talk about cosy.

These two will not be separated. Missy is the leader, the alpha cat and Lewis follows along dutifully. Same basket. Same food dish. Same water dish. Same tent for sleeping. Together. In all my years with cats – and that is a lot!-I have never seen or enjoyed anything so much.

We are still waiting word on Samson at the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest. As I noted it is not unusual for eagles to take a couple of days off before the incubation period starts or even during. However, at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest, if memory holds, it is always Gabby who is away and Samson dealing with incubating eggs or eaglets. Oh, let us all hope he is just a bit out of sorts and gets home soon.

For those of you that do not know him, Samson is the eaglet of Romeo and Juliet. The NEFlorida nest that Samson now shares with Gabby was Samson’s natal nest. Samson hatched on 23 December 2013. That means that he is 9 years old. Simon left the area on the 22nd of April 2014 and returned in 2018. Him and Gabby have had 3 seasons of eaglets. In 2019, they fledged Jules and Romey, named after Samson’s parents. In 2020, it was the ever cute Legacy and in 2021, Jasper and Rocket fledged. Samson is an absolutely devoted mate to Gabby and a super dad to his kids.

Samson with Legacy. 2020

Samson remains missing this morning.

The intruder has literally jumped into the nest at NEFL. Gabby was there and was keeping him at a distance.

At the WRDC Bald Eagle nest in the Miami Zoo, the home of Ron and Rita, I have received word from ‘H’ that Rita has been found injured. An announcement just released states that the injury is not as bad as they thought at first. Rita has a broken wing. She is in surgery. Updates will be issued as more is known.

One would think it would be enough with Samson missing and feared that he will not return, Rita’s broken wing and the fact that she could likely miss the 2022 season but, Alden has not been seen for 5 days (not since 23 November) and a male intruder has been at Cal Falcons. Annie has not chased him away. Does this mean we have lost Alden in a territorial dispute, too?

Darling Alden who gave us the loaf, moth chasing, and who saved the 2021 season after Grinnell was killed. Are you really gone?

Cal Falcons has not, it seems, issued any official word other than releasing the videos and the statement of Alden missing for 5 days.

The observation board at Port Lincoln has Mum delivering 2 fish and Dad none but Dad did deliver a fish tail – literally the tail – to Zoe at 18:26. I am not sure she was impressed.

The anticipation of another fish got Zoe quite excited.

It was nice to see Dad with a crop and when the fish tail landed, Zoe has still had a crop from the earlier fish provided by Mum. Zoe is not suffering from a lack of food!

I checked for updates on SE30 and SE29 and could not find any. The last was a couple of weeks ago. I will let you know if there is any news at all.

Need a new Osprey cam to watch? Cottesloe has long wanted one and now it is a reality. Cottesloe is in Western Australia. It will be fantastic to have another cam to go along with Port Lincoln next year.

In New Zealand, the Royal Cam couple for the year has been decided and the camera at Taiaroa Head has been moved. Thanks Ranger Sharyn!

I will be monitoring the situations to see if there is any change with Alden, Samson, or Rita, I will let you know. Please send out your warmest and most positive wishes to Samson and Gabby, Annie and to Alden, and Rita and Ron.

Thank you for joining me this morning. I wish that the news I was bringing was much better. Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to ‘H’ for alerting me to the situation at Orange and Dade County and for their streaming cams and videos that make up my screen captures: Cal Falcons, NEFL-AEF, WRDC, Cottesloe Streaming Cam, Port Lincoln Ospreys, and NZ DOC.

Tuesday in Bird World

5 July 2022

It is a gorgeous hot day in Manitoba- ‘sultry’ my mother would have called it. The walk at the nature centre felt like running a marathon inside a steam bath.

Chipmunk waiting to see if anyone had a peanut.

The only birds that were out were the American Goldfinches, the Redwing Blackbirds, the Black-capped Chickadees, and the Yellow Warblers.

American Goldfinch (m) and Black-capped Chickadee at the Nyger Seed Cylinder.
Yellow Warbler. Male. Adult.

As I was leaving I spotted the goslings. Oh, they are getting their long necks. The adults had them on a grassy knoll eating. Four adults caring for 4 goslings – it looks like two of the goslings are missing. You can one gosling near the centre with its long neck.

Crows. I learned something today that I want to pass on. If you see a Crow on the ground and it cannot fly, before you rush it off to the wildlife rehab centre, look at its eyes. What colour are they? If they are blue, the one on the ground is a fledgling. The adults have dark black eyes and they will be around watching their little one working its way on the grass. In a couple of weeks it will fly again. Of course, there are predators lurking about, too — feral cats, dogs, etc. Normally the parents will be in a place where they can dive bomb attempts at predation.

Fledgling Crow with Blue Eyes @Liz Henry

I want to give a big shout out to the NZ DOC. Once again they have come to the aid of Royal Cam chick QT with a supplementary feeding to bring her weight up. They are also feeding another chick 6 days a week – its parents have failed to return. Without the supplementary feedings, QT chick would not survive. A single parent simply cannot bring in enough food for these growing offspring. NZ takes really good care of its wildlife. Oh, for other birds to be so lucky. There are serious threats to the Albatross – the most significant are the long line fishing boats. The birds are literally decapitated. Yes, it is horrible. They go after the food on the fishing lines.

Of course, the solutions are very simple and do not cost much, if anything. 1. Instead of baiting the hooks during the day, do it at night! 2. Put sparkly streamer lines on the hook and bait. 3. Put the lines over the side of the vessel instead of at the rear. 4. Put weights on the lines to hold them down so the fish bait and the hooks do not dance on the surface of water. 5. Dye the bait blue and the albatross will never want it.

It is seriously that simple and we would not have to worry. As it stands, one Wandering Albatross is decapitated every five minutes. That species is now vulnerable to extinction.

How can you help? By insisting that the fish you purchase is ethically produced.

How to Tell If You’re Buying Sustainable, Ethically Produced Seafood

Much better images of this adorable chick getting a feeding from her lovely Mum, YRK yesterday.

If you are a fan of the Royal Albatross they will be ringing QT chick on the 29th of July. Remember – that is Australia, a day ahead of North America. She will be ready to fledge in September. I do not have a time for the ringing. When I find out I will let you know.

Llyn Brenig are looking for the names for the two osplets. The local school children have come up with ideas for 2 names for the female and 2 ideas for names for the male. Now it is time to vote. You can only vote by going to the Brenig Osprey Project FB page. You do not have to be a member. Here is the information and just look at those chicks. The camera does not do them justice – not at all. Just look at those white chins and beards and all that peach. Seriously, I wish the adults were this beautiful!

My friend ‘T’ sent me this video link for an event that took place 2 days ago. Thanks ‘T’. I cracked up and couldn’t help but share it with you. It is #3 nest at Saaksilvie in Finland. The back story is that the Mum loves her fish and sometimes eats first before she feeds the chicks and sometimes eats it all and doesn’t bring fish to the chicks (or that was her behaviour last year). You can create your own story about what is going on but be sure to watch the expression on Mum’s face!

Thank you so much for joining me today. Have a lovely evening. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for the streaming cams where I took my screen captures: NZ DOC and Cornell Bird Lab and Brenig Osprey Project.