23 February 2024
Hello Everyone,
It was +4 C. The nature centre was full of people. There were two bus loads of young students and at least three groups having meetings. Oh, but they missed being outside – those at the meetings. It is February. It smells like spring and this should not be happening. The open water in Devonian Lake is bigger; I swear there was a duck there when I drove in. Not a migrant duck, but one that stays here all winter. I wonder when the time will come when the eagles and all the songbirds, the shorebirds, and the ducks never leave us to go south. Will this happen in my lifetime?
Turns out it was the Bald Eagle. you can barely see the white head on the edge off the open water to the lower right of the blue area, top image (under the word area).
This is highly cropped and so it is pixellated but now you can see the eagle with its white head.
The birds were not out so much. Squirrels were running around and I did not see any deer. It appears that they don’t humans. LOL. I don’t blame them.
The Girls are doing great. The light is different – the days are longer and they spend so much time in the conservatory. It is nice and warm in there. Hugo Yugo is over whatever ailed her to the point that Calico might wish she was sick again! Hugo Yugo loves to jump on Calico. The newest thing is that Calico will actually play with her. Calico is losing weight – but she is embarrassed because I showed everyone her curvy physique. So today, she would not get up!
Hugo Yugo can be an angel – when she is sleeping. Her battery is otherwise always charged, and she is in sixth gear. There is no low speed on Hugo Yugo. It is a manufacturer’s defect! She is the most curious cat and is fearless. Can you imagine? A kitten 1/6 the size of Calico – well, maybe 1/8, running straight at her? That’s HY.
She fits in a shoe box…and the girls have fun playing with the paper.
They enjoy boxes and paper more than any toy ever purchased! If you have cats that love paper bags with handles, Hugo Yugo says to remember to cut the handles so they don’t slip over the necks of your pets and choke them!
I wrote about the impact that tree cutting has had on my neighbourhood and the concern for the canopy loss. It has, until now, allowed the squirrels to cross the road – above the road – jumping from branch to branch. I fear that many of the garden friends who, for whatever reason, feel it necessary to cross the road will be killed by the fast drivers that come down the lane trying to find a shortcut to avoid the traffic jams on the main road. Sometimes, it helps not to feel alone. I am a great fan of Dani Connor Wild and her photographs, and I care for the squirrels in Sweden, where she lives. One of those was a little one whose mother was killed crossing the road near her house. She rescued, cared for, and released Roo. This is the story’s last episode (so far), with a dramatic turn about the trees and the road near her. Get some tissues for the end -.
I was away for most of the day. I am so grateful for your notes and those posting information on the various FB groups. It helps when I can’t keep my eyes on those nests! Much appreciated. There are many nests missing today, but I will get caught up in the next couple of days.
Hartley and Monty certainly feel spring-like! Does anyone recall when the first egg was laid last year?
Ah, and spring at Anacapa….
Best check in on what is happening with Newmann at Great Spirit Bluff. He is in need of mate!
Newman in the early morning.
Lisa was at the nest this morning also.
There is no doubt that Julie has her eyes and talons set on Newmann. I wonder what will happen…we wait.
At The Campanile, Archie shows up with a prey gift for Annie. She comes out of the scrape, flys off, returns and grabs. Archie sure looks like a ‘keeper’.
Arthur checked out the nest bowl and Big Red flew in for a quick glance Thursday morning. Big Red flies off and Arthur continues to check on what is needed.
It was a good day at Eagle Country. Meadow had a private feeding by Blaze right at bedtime. (They are behind Abby on the other side of the nest). Meadow is stuffed! (A few other images during the day – kids out of the egg bowl).
Jak and Audacity’s egg is still holding! Let’s hope it is viable.
R6 is walking! He crossed the entire near 2 m of the nest!
Ron and Rose with their gorgeous son.
‘H’ has identified that ‘gold’ fish that was brought to the WRDC nest the other day as a Midas cichlid. Thank you! I could not find it on the normal Florida ID listings. Apparently it is an evasive species prevalent in SE Florida.
Pepe and Muhlady have both of the two eggs of their second clutch hatched. Dixie and Mason. They appear to be healthy and robust. So happy.
We are six days away – six – from pip/hatch watch at Big Bear. Jackie and Shadow have been ever so careful around the three eggs this year. It is incredible to watch them as they strive to have one – at least one – of those eggs hatch this season. Will we have another Spirit? or will there be siblings?
They should catch some sleep now…they are going to be super busy if more than one hatches. Can you imagine? Three?? I hope Shadow has a special fishing spot!
Jackie was ever so happy when Shadow delivered her a nice fish meal. They say turn the sound down, but turn it up and listen to this amazing couple talk to one another.
‘J’ captured the eggs.
Too cute not to post. The way to Jackie’s heart? or to get her off the eggs? Shadow knows the answer: fish!
Wings of Whimsy has the video of Baker and Bette’s second egg at the Little Miami Conservancy Bald Eagle nest in Ohio. This happened on Thursday after 1600.
Want to know who is currently incubating? Wings of Whimsy has that too -.
They also did a tribute to Lusa.
Wings of Whimsy – do you know this YouTube site? If not, check it out. You might find it works well for you. Here is the link to the channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@WingsOfWhimsy/videos
There are a couple of great folks in South Bend that keep us informed of what is going on at the ND-LEEF nest. Thanks SB for your images today.
There have been no fish deliveries on the Port Lincoln Osprey nest since the 17th when Mum brought one fish in that Bradley got. Later that day Bradley brought his own Puffer to the ropes. Giliath made a quick fly to the nest and then the cleaners arrived. It seems that nest deliveries are now stopped and I am going to assume that Mum and Dad are in ‘retirement’ from this season with Gil and Brad providing their own meals.
Thanks to the Fish Fairies ‘ foresight, it was a great season. Thanks again, Janet, Fran, and Bazz, for your persistence and care.
The Government of India appears to working towards conservation for migratory birds. BirdLife International reports, “Today at the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS COP14), governments along the Central Asian Flyway have committed to secure the passage of migratory birds in 30 countries from Siberia all the way to the Maldives. https://www.birdlife.org/news/2024/02/17/the-government-of-india-leads-a-new-era-for-bird-conservation-in-central-asia/
It is nearing migration. As spring comes, birds wintering in warmer climates will return to their breeding grounds in the north. Migration does connect and should concern all of us – and we need to do everything we can to help them. From feeding, to making sure that our windows are bird strike free, to slowing down when geese are crossing the road. If you missed this article, here is a little reminder of how we are connected.
The devastation caused by H5N1 has been huge and continues to decimate our Bird community.
Please keep your eyes on the JB Sands Wetlands Bald Eagle nest. It appears that one of the adults might be missing. I have just been alerted to this situation by ‘M’. Normally you will see both adults at the nest several times during the day. This is quite worrisome as there has been no sign of both of them together for at least 1.5 days. We know form experience that a single adult can raise a chick if it is a month old. M15 is a good example of this. We now need the adult at the nest to realise that something is happening and go hunting for JBS20.
At SW Florida, E23 is getting a little nippy!
Love and devotion…
Many of you would have provided the same answers and we watched the devastation last year. Will it change this year or be worse?
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We look forward to seeing you soon! Oh, apologies. There is a pop-up that asks you to subscribe. I have no idea how it got there, but I am trying to remove it. I hate these things!
Thank you to the following for your notes, posts, screen captures, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘H, J, M, SP’, Dani Connor Wild, SK Hideaways, Ashley Wilson, Cal Falcons, Cornell RTH, Gracie Shepherd, WRDC, Superbeaks, FOBBV, Lady Hawk, Eagle Country, Michelle Hillman, Wings of Whimsy, Stephen Basly, PLO, BirdLife International, Ben Wurst, and JBS Wetlands.