I am thinking about all of you living in Europe sweltering in this heat and the wildlife. Or those in Japan and elsewhere who have had earthquakes and now, my son tells me two storms coming to Japan as he is set to fly out for Canada. Please take care of yourself.
I had a lovely Saturday. A friend was here for tea. At the same time, Don needs to go to the hospital, and his brother is taking him tomorrow. It is a prostrate issue again. So today’s report is going to be shorter than normal.
One thing I want to mention is that our dear Ervie has been spotted fishing where he did when he first fledged with dad at Delamere Wetlands.
My goodness – our favourite third hatch. Ervie hatched on the Port Lincoln barge on 16 September 2021 at 00:51:50. He will be five years old this year. Mark your calendars. Let’s all eat some birthday cake in celebration.
‘PB’ has sent me some good reports from the nests.
“Blackbush Little tiny 4 has an open head wound, this bravest of all souls, like Cape Henlopen #3, just keeps getting back up to eat. If it didn’t get food, it would be the end. But this nest has lots of fish, and #4 is fighting to survive.”
“Now tiny 4 moved by Dad, dad feeding 4 privately, rhen mom walks up and gets food from dad to give to 4. I hope the food gives this brave one some good nutrients to grow.”
4 has been injured by 3 and there are certainly concerns since its head now ppears to be bleeding.
“Oyster Bay mom can’t wait for dad she goes fishing 2:25 but #1 eats most of it. I fear we may lose one here. Not enough to keep oldest full.”
“Sandy Hook may be only nest along NJ with 3. All look good still.”
Little Dewey hit the jackpot today. Mum has been bringing in the fish.
Dewey mom found 4 more Menhaden, Heidi told me: 13.22.00, 13.36.12, 13.52.54, 14.15.34, 5:29:44 Dewey mom another menhaden. She had brought in some in the morning.
SK Hideaways brings us up to date with Sandy and Luna, who are now ready to fledge – something we all feared as 4th of July celebrations in the US approach with their useless fireworks. https://youtu.be/glMMMrK8mmI?
Cornell Bird Lab captures the visit of P2 to the nest as P3 gets some inspiration for an impending fledge! https://youtu.be/fqaMN3W40UI?
Super couple CJ7 and Blue 022. The fish brought in today, according to the chat: 05:09, 09:01, 13:24, 16:41, 17:44, 18:33, 20:07, 21:04. Just think about that. Four chicks are thriving. I believe they will break Maya and Blue 33’s record of fledging four this year. Poole Harbour has fledged four chicks in 2024, 2025, and appears to be ready to do it again in 2026, breaking the record.
Manton Bay: 2020 and 2019 were the two years that they fledged four chicks. They had four chicks in clutches other years but at least one died each year.
CJ7 with her four feathered babes of 2026.
A happy story. House Martins return to a UK street.
Young country diary: The house martins are back – I can hear the chicks from my bedroom
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig 27th June 2026
Another calm and routine day, no intruders or alarms, the only negative is the wet weather as it rained steadily with only a few breaks throughout the day. However that didn’t prevent the males from fishing – Garry LV0 brought two on-cam fish for Aurora 536, taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and forty one, and Louis brought four fish for Dorcha and the chicks, taking the Nest Two tally to one hundred and ninety seven. As Steve Quinn showed in his weekly stats published today, Louis is setting records and performing very well. Links cant be posted unfortunately, but just pop Nest 2 fish summary to week 10 into the search field and it’ll come up. It’s raining as this report is posted (midnight), and set to continue overnight with a low of 14°C throughout tomorrow with a high of 17°C and the possibility of sunny intervals.
Thank you for being with me today. Please take care of yourselves. I hope to be back with you either tomorrow or Monday.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Cornell Bird Lab, and Geemeff for their videos and/or daily summaries. I am also grateful to ‘PB’ for keeping a keen eye on some of those hard-to-watch nests. Thank you to the others who post on FB, the owners of the streaming cams, The Guardian for reporting, and Raptor Persecution UK for keeping us apprised of the good, the bad, and the very ugly in the world of raptor persecution in the UK.
A heat wave has hit the UK, and in Wales, they are expecting temperatures above 30 C and will be closing the hides at the nature centres. Rain and now heat.
We continue to have rain but right now there is a wee bit o sunshine with a huge black cloud moving in over the conservatory from the West. Did I say I was sick of rain? I must run out and feed the birds so they manage something before the deluge hits.
One that is thriving and my first little Roma tomato!
Oh, the tomatoes need some heat. The leaves are turning yellow because of too much rain!
A run through some nests:
Charlo: C22, the only surviving osplet on the nest of Charlie and his new mate, appears to be doing fine.
Dewey Beach: Little Dewey is feathered and is OK. I use the term ‘OK’ because the fish coming in are on the small side. Nothing wrong with small, but they will need a lot of them.
Osoyoos: The youngest died a few days ago (on the 20th I believe). This nest could be in trouble – lots of fish needed.
Rutland’s Manton Bay: The trio got their bling on Tuesday. There are two males and a female.
Loch Doon: Expecting the two chicks of Frankie and Angel to be ringed today.
Salmon River, Idaho: Baling twine continues to plague this nest with its two ospreys.
OBX: Two fish and four feedings at this nest -. I say they need more fish. These chicks are growing.
Moraine: Three gorgeous feathered osplets.
Smallwood: Three feathered osplets and a goldfish for dinner?
Upper Newport Bay: Two flapping osplets thinking of fledging.
Oyster Bay: Another nest with three feathered osplets that appears to be doing alright.
Santiam Canyon: Another nest with three osplets. Some large fish came on Tuesday and stopped some of the anxiety that had been happening at the nest.
South Cape May Meadows: The nest of Hera and Zeus that has brought such sadness to the adults in past years. There is now only one surviving osplet. Hoping this baby makes it.
Hellgate Canyon: Many of the other nests could use the size of fish that Clark is bringing onto the nest for Iris and Baby.
Cape Henlopen: Miles and Hennie are both fishing for their three. Wish this nest well. These adults are trying – like all the others to find food.
NCTC nest of Bella and Scout: Susie has fledged and we are on fledge watch for RJ.
Border Ospreys: Trying to keep the heat off the chicks and find fish!
UK Hen Harrier Report: 149 missing from grouse-hunting estates over the past 8 years. Incredibly horrible. I love Hen Harriers – but what about the chicks that get stomped at the nest? Grouse hunting needs to be made illegal. I do not care if it is a medieval tradition of the aristocracy and royals.
If you want a good little book, Bowland Beth, will break your heart and make you understand.
Thank you so much for being with us early today. Please take care. I will see you again tomorrow for a brief look at what is happening! We send everyone out there a big hug. I wish I could send our friends in the South some of our rain, and I wish for cooling temperatures for those in the UK who are under an Extreme Red Warming – 38 C possible. An unprecedented heat wave.
Another one of Missey from yesterday.
Thank you to absolutely everyone who wrote a newsletter, to Ruth T at Raptor Persecution UK, to those that post on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams where I took my information and screen captures, I am forever grateful.
It is hazy and will be a little warm today, but not up in the high 30s. Melissa is to arrive in a few minutes, and my house can’t wait to get cleaned!!!!!! You might recall that I was sick for 5 or 6 days and well, there are a few more fingerprints on my espresso black cabinets than I would like but, as Melissa says, ‘If I didn’t have some places to clean, she wouldn’t have a job!’ True.
My son is on his way to Asia for a conference in Singapore. He will first land in Tokyo, and he tells me that there is a typhoon. I am sending positive thoughts to all our Bird World friends in Japan impacted by this big storm.
The big news is that the first hatch has taken place at the Loch Arkaig 2 nest of Louis and Dorcha. You could hear this strong chick before it even hatched!!!!!!!! Listen as it uses its egg tooth to pick through the shell.https://youtu.be/oNu1t9PXQlI?
Louis was on hand for the hatch. He is an exceptional dad, and I hope that his health holds out this season.
Geemeff was so excited. They could hardly sleep! Here is their video of this wonderful event: https://youtu.be/5Xt0TjsAeZA?
Look at their faces as they see their little one all curled up.
Still an Only Bob at Ranworth.
I do love this. Three generations all have chicks on live-streamed nests in the UK. Maya is a grandmother!!!!!!!!!! (more than once). There is really good DNA coming out of that Rutland nest. Ah, but now Maya is a great grandmother – Teifi has chicks.
Tiger Mozone always says it is DNA plus luck that gives them longevity and endurance.
In the US Bridge Club has their first hatch reported on FB by Heidi.
Virginia Osprey Foundation has its first chick.
Eaglets die in Minnesota. Why?
The cause of death for the baby birds in the post isn’t definitively known yet. However, considering they were panting hard to cool down before passing away, it’s possible that heat stress or heatstroke contributed to their deaths, especially during a stretch of high temperatures. Other potential causes of bird deaths in general include ¹:
Common Causes of Bird Deaths:
Habitat Loss: Destruction or fragmentation of natural landscapes, which can lead to food scarcity and increased predation.
Collisions: Impacts with buildings, windows, vehicles, and power lines.
Predation: Hunting by domestic and feral cats, as well as natural predators.
Poisoning: Exposure to pesticides, lead, and other toxins.
Climate Change: Shifting habitats, extreme weather, and disrupted timing.
Disease: Infections and parasitic infestations.
It’s worth noting that Avian Flu was mentioned in one of the comments, but without further information, it’s impossible to say if this was the cause. The Department of Natural Resources visited the scene, so they may have more information on the cause of death once their investigation is complete
Hatching is underway in two of the eggs at Loch of the Lowes.
DH23 (Dale Hollow) eaglet, which fell off the nest on Sunday during a prey delivery, has now fledged from the branch where it landed. Congratulations and relief.
A feel good moment.
Screenshot
So how is New Guy2 getting fish for Iris? Here is your answer.
At the Achieva nest, Big caught its own fish and brought it back to the nest! Wow. 15:48:15. Thanks, ‘PB’.
Heavy rains in the Glaslyn Valley have meant tricky fishing and mums needing to keep youngsters dry.
At the Dyfi nest, Telyn is struggling to keep the chicks dry during the heavy rain.
It is the same story for Seren at llyn Clywedog.
So how is it in the Usk Valley? Heavy rain.
Chucking down rain at Llyn Brenig.
Poole Harbour with its four chicks under CJ7 is also getting a large amount of rain!
Maya is drenched too – but the rains began to let up at Rutland later in the night.
I wonder what Geemeff will report about Loch Arkaig? The weather is certainly better!
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 1st June 2026
No surprise about today’s main event – the first chick has hatched! After pipping last night and chupping ever more strongly, the little scrap of life made its way out of the eggshell at 12.40.39 and despite falling over backwards and taking a while to right itself, is looking in great shape. Surprisingly, it was Louis on duty at the moment of hatching – he shot upright when he must have felt the chick suddenly emerge from the shell, one of many endearing moments today which included Dorcha trying to feed Louis. All the action was on Nest Two today, except for Garry LV0 delivering one fish for Aurora 536 which takes his tally to ninety one. Louis delivered three fish to Dorcha and the Nest Two tally now stands at one hundred. It was a damp day which will continue with light rain showers, light winds and an overnight low of 12°C and more light rain, light winds and a high of 17°C tomorrow.
Sad news from the UK. Another White-tailed Eagle disappears from a shooting estate! When will this stop? Only when the penalties are such that the extremely wealthy consider the fine and/or jail time ‘too much’.
Calico wishes everyone a great beginning to the week.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Wish all of the nests, no matter where they are, better weather and lots of fish tomorrow! Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to everyone. ‘PB’ that is a great image of Big at Achieva! Fantastic news. To all who posted on FB and to Jeff Kear and the UK Osprey Info FB page – I am always grateful. Thank you to Geemeff and to all the owners of the streaming cams and individuals who post information – we appreciate your extraordinary efforts.
I did say I was going to take a break, didn’t I? Well, reports will be short, but Iris laying her first egg and Big Red’s nestlings are keeping me on the edge of the sofa. Besides, the nice warm weather we had disappeared. Melissa kept looking out the conservatory windows as she was cleaning them, asking, ‘Is that a snowflake?’ And yes, of ourselves, her eyes were not deceiving her. It is freezing. Tomorrow will be 0 C. Not much fun. Toby and I worked on the bookcases. We now need a 154 cm long piece of moulding and some finishing nails. The whole needs to be painted in the same shade as the walls only glossy so it is slightly different (thanks, Geemeff, for the idea). I had battled between just matching the walls which are the same colour as the rice straw tea huts in Japan, going for something bold like the Bloomsbury Group would have done, or painting them in Tar (a deep grey/black). My mind needs calm. So, some time in the future, David will return to paint them and the French doors all the same. It is a picky job, not for someone like me who wouldn’t have the patience.
As of Monday evening, this is the state of the third chick releasing itself from the shell at Big Red and Arthur’s nest. Arthur is already lining the nest cup with chippies and squirrels.
I am so glad this little one didn’t get exhausted trying to get out.
At the Achieva Osprey Platform, Jill went out late and caught another catfish for her and the kids. That is three today. I do not believe she has ever left the nest to fish after 2000. She did tonight. As the kids get older they need more food and she needs to keep herself healthy for them! Jack is simply not delivering enough – two today. Jill had three and one was a whopper.
Thanks ‘PB’ for the screen capture of Jill and her whale.
For those wanting to keep a file to recognise Jill, here you have the perfect underwing patterns to go with the top of the head! These two locations are the only patterns that do not ever change from the time the ospreys fledge.
Iris and NewGuy2 (I do agree with everyone that he needs a name – I am certain that Dr Green is working on this) are settling in to incubation. I just hope he knows that he has to provide fish for Iris and the babies…
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Monday 4th May 2026
Another peaceful and uneventful day, although one event was missing – Aurora 536 has not laid a second egg, it is overdue by more than 24 hours so chances are she will only have the single egg laid on 30th April at 19.18.37. There is concern that she is leaving the egg unprotected for several hours at a time, and as she and Garry LV0 have not been seen mating on a sufficiently regular basis, perhaps this egg will not hatch. As always, it’s wait and see – Osprey eggs are quite hardy. Although Garry only brought one fish to the nest for Aurora, it’s possible fish are being delivered early during the nest cam down time. His on-cam tally now stands at forty five. Over on Nest Two, normal service was resumed and Louis delivered three fish to Dorcha, taking the nest total to forty. Dorcha was very pleased to see the first fish arriving after a gap of thirty five hours and demolished it in no time. The weather was mainly settled with a little light rain around 11pm.
The four chicks of Monty and Hartley will be ringed at 0800 Wednesday nest time! Tune in on YouTube!
Thank you so much for being with us! Take care, everyone. Keep watching Iris for that next egg…See you soon.
Thank you to Geemeff for the Woodland Trust summary, to ‘PB’ for the great image of Jill and her monster fish, and to all those who post information on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch this amazing wildlife. I am very grateful for the investigative reporting of Raptor Persecution UK.
We are in the midst of an unexpected blizzard, while thousands of miles to our southeast, it is green, and geese are enjoying the grass on a golf course. Thank you, ‘L’, for letting me share this lovely image of spring! We love our geese, but there is no place for them here, and yet, many arrived several weeks ago! The ponds have frozen, but there remains some open water in the two rivers that wind their way through our City. It is supposed to warm up beginning tomorrow, but I will believe it when I see it. We were not expecting this much snow today!
It doesn’t look like much, but the snow is blowing and accumulating so quickly! The lad who shovels or us thought snow was finished – he is going to get a real surprise! It is more than 30 cm deep on the walkway he cleared a few days ago, and is within 45 cm of covering the large bird table feeder. Unbelievable.
Toby loves it. He bounces through the snow if there is even a whiff of a ‘cat’ in the garden. My plan is to have a tall wooden fence built to match the one constructed a few years ago. I had not planned to put a fence on that part of the property, but the theft of dogs in our City has become quite troubling. Of course, ‘the cats’ – distinguished from ‘The Girls’ – come in from that back corner, so it is important to close it in. Toby loves his sisters, ‘The Girls’. He plays with them, but those that make their way into his outdoor territory will be ousted unless they are Brock (who now still spends 99% of his time at the neighbour down the street)!!!!!!!!!
I hope, after all these years, that each of you knows that I love all animals, but there is a special place in my heart for Big Red and Arthur, the late Annie at The Campanile, and ospreys. I have posted this song before, but I want you to get in the mood. Osprey season is starting in the UK – and has already begun in the US. Here are those wonderful school children with the Osprey Song (2011): https://youtu.be/KoOQK6ejuXY?
At the Lake Murray Osprey platform, Lucy has laid her second egg with a new mate. Please, please put up the owl defences for this family Lake Murray!
Company for Brutus. Storms are tearing down eagle and osprey nests around the US including an osprey nest that Penny Albright monitored near Sanibel that lost two chicks when the nest collapsed. These eaglets made it through…
Blue 25 has made another visit to Blue 33 and Maya’s nest at Manton Bay – Blue 33 normally arrives a few days prior to Maya, and Blue 25 enjoys his company! Geemeff caught her time on the nest: https://youtu.be/HU_XGU3NTro?
We have an osprey at the MNSA Osprey nest in Oceanside’s Jay Cool platform.
“WYL greets his chick upon returning to the nest in New Zealand. The adult male arrives from a foraging trip over the Pacific to feed his growing chick at the Plateau nest site. As the chick gets bigger, the parents will take longer foraging trips to collect enough food for both themselves and their chick.” (Cornell Bird Lab)
Peanut defended the Winter Park Florida nest against a RTH! Nestflix Memories (Gracie Shepherd) caught it on video: https://youtu.be/cQksMDubVEc?
Tonight, Wink is taking now chances. She is right in the nest with Peanut if that GHO returns – and, of course, it will – they never give up! Wink is an incredible mother – I am truly amazed and thankful for her diligence.
Gabby with her babies, Kai and Eve, at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest in Florida. Best keep a close eye on these two – they could fledge before you blink.
At the Johnson City nest of Boone and Jolene in Tennessee, snow arrived. Jolene kept those two babies warm and tried to feed them at the same time. Like Wink, she is an experiened and an exceptional Mum.
Huge crop on JBS 24. Mum and Dad are delivering food and leaving it for self-feeding on occasion.
Harry and Sally are up there in my list of osprey parents. Three babies, three little fat bottoms. Large fish coming in and Harry on guard as it appeared there could have been an intruder around today during a fish delivery. If you haven’t been watching Moorings Park, then check out this osprey family. It is a success story – and believe me when I tell you that there will be few such stories in the NE USA this season unless a miracle happens.
Rutlands Lagoon 4 nest is trying to keep the Egyptian Geese from laying eggs while everyone waits for the ospreys to arrive. This is a second nest with a camera amongst several nests at Rutland Water. AI says: “Based on 2025/2026 sightings, the Lagoon 4 nest at Rutland Water is often occupied by male 359 (a 2021 Rutland-born osprey) and female 3H9 (a 2023 Rutland-born osprey). They have been observed investigating the nest and strengthening bonds. Note: 359 and 3H9 are a distinct pair from the main Manton Bay pair, Maya and 33(11).”
I am getting impatient – and it is a tad early – for Maya and Blue 33 to arrive at Manton Bay.
At the Whitley Crane nest known as the Golden Gate Audubon Osprey nest, Richmond has worked and worked. There is a new female at the nest with him. I do not believe Rosie will make an appearance. Why do I say this? Well, when Aila did not return, Louis moved his nest to another location when he bonded with Dorcha. We often think animals and birds are not intelligent. If I have said it once, I will say it again million times, my teacher about raptor behaviour, the late Laura Culley, taught me that they are smarter and use higher levels of intelligence and communication that humans have lost.
I noticed in one of the chats – it was the Winter Park Florida chat – that someone noted that ‘animals have feelings’. Dr Mark Beckoff and Dr Jane Goodall taught us this. There are several good books out there. I urge you or anyone who is interested in the behaviour of non-humans to read any or all of the following.
Saddness at the Two Harbours as Chase & Cholyn lose their last egg. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/8vmMpnkNsh4?
Big Red and Arthur have snow on their nest at Cornell University.
Suzanne Arnold Horning caught Big Red relaxing on the lights!
Cameras are now live at the Poole Harbour nest of CJ7 and Blue 022.
We have an osprey at Threave. Is it Black 80?
At Achieva the third egg was laid on the 25th of January. Can someone who is watching this nest tell me if Jack is delivering enough fish to his mate? I did not see deliveries today, but I might have missed something.
In fact, start checking out all your favourite UK and European nests as the cameras are being turned on faster than I can keep a list.
The Pitkin County Osprey nest in Colorado is live.
I have such a soft spot for this White-tail eagle in Durbe County Latvia. Milda. Her current mate is Zorro. There was sorrow and now Zorro has proved to be a good mate and provider.
April 7. Hellgate Canyon. Iris’s favourite day to return to her nest in Missoula, Montana. Count the days – 20. Less than three weeks! The snow has melted.
There is evil in the world. I cannot imagine how anyone could harm an animal and yet, every day I find myself telling people not to give their kittens away to anyone. Russell Mason beat a Goshawk to death – how in the world can someone do this?
Large estates, with no eyes around in Scotland (and elsewhere), allow many horrific things to happen to our beautiful feathered friends. What can be done to stop this?
The Cornell Bird Lab gives us hope that people around the world are increasingly engaging with nature and birds. Yes, there are incredibly vicious people anywhere in the world that will harm birds and other animals, but there are more, I hope, that love and help them.
Thank you so much for being with me today and for your patience, as my posting is often irregular. I had hoped to keep to Fridays and Mondays til the UK osprey season began, but every day there is something new and exciting! I will continue to post at the oddest of times, sometimes two or three times a day as news comes in. As you can imagine, my life is anything but routine. We do have a schedule, but it all depends on my husband’s mood, which can vary. I am impatiently waiting for spring to arrive. What I miss most is reading. Yes, we have story time, but it isn’t the same as sitting quietly on a park bench with squirrels dashing around, the wind gently blowing, with a good book in my hand, reading in silence. So, no promises other than there will always be a Monday blog, often coming out late Sunday, until we have osprey chicks on the nests in the UK and Europe.
Thank you to everyone who created videos, wrote informative FB posts, to Raptor Persecution UK for keeping us informed, and to the Cornell Bird Lab for continuing to support education. I remain forever grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to venture into the challenging lives of our feathered friends. To all my readers who are now long-time friends, I appreciate your support. Your letters and comments mean the world to me.
First, Brock has returned. He showed up on the front video camera at 11:35 this morning. He had been to my neighbour, Jane’s, earlier to eat, but she did not see him. Now we had proof of life! Happy tears.
We have a hatch at the Kistachie National Forest nest of Louis II and Anna II at the E1 nest. Time 14:01.
The Royal Cam chick continues to make hatch progress in New Zealand.
A second eaglet at the Texas nest has died. The cause is highly suspected to be HPAI.
Another Hen Harrier in the UK has been illegally killed and dumped. Why do some humans believe they have a right to take the life of another living being?
There are many books on Hen Harriers. Bowland Beth: The Life of an English Hen Harrier moved me the most. Bowland Beth’s story became a focal point in the debate over hen harrier conservation, a totemic species facing decline due to human persecution, often linked to grouse shooting interests.
Bowland Beth was a real female Hen Harrier tagged in the Bowland Forest in Lancashire. She was shot before she was able to breed. Because of her sat tag, the story chronicles her movements in great detail. David Cobham chronicles the bird’s tragic life and illegal shooting, highlighting persecution issues in UK conservation. Beth’s story symbolises the species’ struggle for survival against human threats, particularly in the Bowland Forest.
SK Hideaways didn’t think that dementia and a clean house were oxymorons. Well, the other day it was the carpets and hardwood floors that were cleaned. You should see my utility room today! Have someone you are caring for who has dementia? Seriously, try getting them involved in cleaning. It could change your life.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us later this week!
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to see the miracles and the sadness in the lives of our raptor friends. I am very grateful to those who create videos, post information and images on FB, and to Raptor Persecution UK, who alerts us to the atrocities our feathered friends face at the hands of humans.
We hope that you had a good weekend! It was ——– cold here. You can use whatever word you like. The wind blew so that even in the City there were whiteouts. I cleared off the two tables beside Brock’s feeding station to see how much snow actually fell. Have a look!
The young lad clearing the snow has certainly been busy. We are now under an extreme cold warning and some forecasts say that we will have between -38 and -42 C temperatures this coming weekend. I cannot even imagine it.
Toby was finally able to get the mats off his tummy after his stay at the vet, but the groomer had to shave him. Now Toby likes to go outside to do his ‘business’. Potty pads are for little baby training – you can almost hear him say that. Poor fella. He flew outside, did the job, and got right back in. I had a warm towel waiting for that bare stomach of his. Can dogs get frostbite?
Neighbour came up with a solution – we are going to try doggie long johns on Toby tomorrow for his walk with Ellen.
The big worry at the moment is Brock. He has not been seen since late Thursday. This is unlike him. One of the neighbours and I are keeping a close eye on our feeding stations and others have joined in to check for prints – but with the blowing snow prints are not always present. I fear he has gotten snowed in his bolt hole and cannot get out even by clawing. Oh, please let him be alright.
Bird World? What is happening.
The egg has been switched and the hatch for the Royal Cam chick is underway in New Zealand! Liznm has the switch on video: https://youtu.be/Ab_hrAB1jp8?
There is also a hatch underway in the Kistachie National Forest in the first egg at E1 nest in Louisiana.
At the E3 nest, the eggs are 28 and 25 days old today.
SK Hideaways has a great line up of videos for the week.
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux
Two Harbors: 22 Years Wed ~ Cholyn & Chase Still Bump, Beak, and Cuddle (2026 Jan 13) Cholyn and Chase filled their morning nestorations with lots of bonding bumps and beaking. Though some might call “anthropomorphism” on us, the frequent direct physical contact made by these 28-year-old wonders could only be described as cuddles (by us). Nearly 23 years as a mated pair and the romance lingers on. Video: https://youtu.be/njM08jBvYNU 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 West End: Possible Haku Return Followed by 3-Way Chase Around the Tors (2026 Jan 15) A third eagle appeared at the West End, who looks a lot like Haku. A positive ID awaits her visiting the nest, where field marks are clearer. The pair that has been around for a while sat together away from this third eagle.
As sunset approached, there was a remarkable chase scene that seemed to involve minimal physical contact. All three eagles were seen flying after that, so all is well. Who knows what will transpire tomorrow. Video: https://youtu.be/XiDDW4QvFpA FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, California ~ Jackie & Shadow Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
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 Brings Another Tree to the Fortress ~ Shadow Shakes His Head (2026 Jan 13) Jackie is very focused on creating a fortress to protect the eaglets we hope will come along in this nesting season. To that end, she brought an even bigger “tree” to the nest than before. Shadow wasn’t too sure about all the big new furniture, but in his easygoing way, just helped “fix” the placement once Jackie stepped aside. They also both pancaked in the nest bowl to test the comfort level. Video: https://youtu.be/rmGaHA-YRtM Jackie Adds Large Furniture ~ Alters as Needed ~ Shadow Steers Clear (2026 Jan 12) Shadow thought evening nestorations would be minimal, but Jackie arrived with a massive, complex branch. Shadow mostly stayed out of the way as Jackie tinkered away ~ whittling and snapping branches. Final placement of the big, new furniture is pending. Video: https://youtu.be/EMnEs2oLQ74
Redding Bald Eagles ~ Redding, California ~ Liberty & Guardian Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, California URL changes frequently, so here’s main page to livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams Liberty & Guardian Tweak Nest Bowl ~ Bump Bonding All the Way (2026 Jan 16) Liberty and Guardian made two morning visits to the nest, tweaking sticks, aerating nesting material, and all the while bump bonding. There was a minor disagreement about furniture placement, but the ensuing beaking was brief and flirty. Video: https://youtu.be/gP7Yj1vtEH8 Liberty and Guardian Defend Nest Against Mystery Midnight Intruder (2026 Jan 15) Guardian flew in to the nest just after midnight and began alert calling. Liberty joined him shortly after and the two of them sounded the alert for quite a while. While we didn’t see the intruder on camera, it could have been a Great Horned Owl or the female sub-adult bald eagle who has been hanging around the nest in the past few days or both! At 6:02-6:06 in the video, there is rustling and the sound of a sub-adult right before Guardian issues a few wing slaps.
Our dynamic duo defended together until they deemed the threat over. Liberty pancaked in the nest and dozed with her head against Guardian as he continued to keep watch. We think he grabbed a few winks as well. Eventually Guardian flew off, but Liberty stayed till dawn. This middle-of-the-night nest defense surely signals that nesting season is in full swing (not to mention the mating observed!). (2026 Jan 15) Video: https://youtu.be/hM36iXT_qfc
Want to learn more about the illegal killing of raptors in the Dales? There are three free webinars to inform you.
Fish gifts arriving at the US Steel nest! Indeed, across the eagle nests, the others are getting ready to breed. https://youtu.be/kVmf5ljfXaM?s
One of my favourite books is H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. Indeed, I like all of MacDonald’s books. Now H is for Hawk is an audio book! And it is a movie. Yes! Part of the article reads, “It is coming up to 12 years since the publication of H Is for Hawk, about the historian, writer and naturalist Helen Macdonald’s time spent training a Eurasian goshawk after an intense period of grief. Showered with awards, the book was a runaway hit and sparked a literary trend for shared transformative encounters with animals including cats, dogs, magpies and hares.
This month, H Is for Hawk comes to the big screen in a new adaptation starring Claire Foy. But there is still time to get to know the source material, which tells of the sudden death of the author’s father and how Macdonald, an experienced falconer who had previously trained kestrels and peregrines, took delivery of a temperamental young goshawk named Mabel with the aim of taming her and teaching her to hunt. Macdonald, who is non-binary, is the audiobook’s narrator. Their reading is characterised by introspection, curiosity and flashes of humour as they observe this “spooky, pale-eyed psychopath” who, as well as feeding and flying, likes to play ball with scrunched-up bits of paper.”
More eagles dying of lead toxicity. (There is great information on amounts that kill in this posting from Wild Heart Ranch in Oklahoma. When will humans get fed up with using lead and its impact on wildlife and stop the lead? ‘J’ sends us news:
·”It takes 1 ppm lead (parts per million) to kill an eagle, but less can easily be fatal.
This is the last photo of this beautiful eagle standing, taken Saturday. He crashed last night and we gently ended his struggle.
His initial lead test was above .65 ppm, which is as high as our machine reads, but he was responding to treatment and gaining strength, though he never did keep solid food down. All his calories were gavage fed (tube) and even though we deal with lots of birds that initially cannot deal with solids, we usually have them eating within 3-4 days. He wanted the fish so badly. He just couldn’t tolerate it, indicating the severity of his condition.
We did 5 days of lead chelation (binding lead in the blood with CAEDTA) and we were getting there, but it was too little too late.
His last blood test showed 27.3 on the machine (.27ppm). We had brought his levels way down, but the damage was already done. His blood tests on Friday showed his liver was struggling, so we knew then not to get our hopes up.
A “lead eagle” is an every day, all day-late into the night high alert here. We give them privacy and rest, but in between, we are on a medical battlefield, in constant contact with the veterinarians from the Tulsa Zoo, (eagle experts) adjusting, evaluating, changing treatment… following directions to the letter, recording every move we make and every result, so that if things go south, we KNOW we did everything we could, and if we pull off a “miracle”, we have our map for next time.
There is no confidence when lead levels are this high, but if they are fighting and stabilizing, we will continue to support them, even when we know their odds are low. When they crash, it isn’t a small symptom. They go down, close their eyes and they give up. That’s what he did last night.
For some of our crew, this was their first “lead eagle”. They gained experience and understanding of treatment and symptoms and the delicate and intense work of battling this toxin. His life made an impact here as he helped new hands learn how to care and reminded us of the reality of lead in the wild and why it is so important that we educate and ask, again and again. However long it takes.
ONE is too many. Lets keep lead out of the wild. For our eagles, a FLAKE, smaller than a grain of rice, is likely fatal.
Annette
I’ll be on Fox News Tulsa this morning talking about him.
His last test was a .27
Here is AI overview of blood test guidelines:
„A lead level of 0.27 ppm (27 µg/dL) in an eagle is a significant finding, indicating subclinical lead exposure, meaning the bird has ingested lead and is likely suffering chronic effects, even without obvious symptoms, but isn’t in immediate acute crisis like levels over 60 µg/dL; it’s well above background levels (below 0.2 ppm) and a major concern for eagle health, with many birds in this range experiencing subtle issues like poor body condition or anemia, and it’s a common level found in wild eagles, highlighting ammunition as a primary source.”
Beyond sad.
The first mortality of 2026 has been added to the new memorial wall. If you know of others, please let me know! Adding these names just makes me weep. I know that I am missing some from 2025 – if you notice one that isn’t there, don’t hesitate to contact me.
I am working hard to review how my care of Don is doing – and how I can engage him in helping me rather than me having to do all of the housework, all the care of the animals, and ‘entertaining’ and caring for Don. I have learned that those with dementia do not need to be entertained. Some people with dementia need to be busy – and Don is one of those. But it doesn’t need to exhaust me at the same time. So, for as long as he can, he and Toby will vacuum the carpets and apply Bono to the hardwood floors. Don can fold towels or clean out drawers (under supervision), and Toby can drag them out just as he puts them in. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Dishwashers can be unloaded – we have done all of this before, but I will engage him in helping with earnestness until the weather warms up and we can be outside. I know how much my life has changed because it was this time last year that we were in Guadeloupe. Shortly after, a sea change occured and Don’s dementia has progressed. That progression has changed our lives – and clearly it has impacted how often I can send out a newsletter about our favourite birds. But, I am not giving up! So, wish me luck. If you have any ideas, send me a note. I appreciate any and all ideas.
Thank you so very much for being with us today. We hope that you have a really good week. We are looking forward to having you with us in a couple of days, when we have some cute little hatchlings.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos. Thank you to the creators of the other videos, the owners of the streaming cams that let us view the lives of our favourite bird families, authors of FB posts, and authors of articles and posts that help us understand the lives of our raptors. My blog would never be the same without your talents.
It is at least +1 °C on the Canadian Prairies today, if not warmer. Everything is melting. Ellen reported that the walkways were very icy this morning – not so good for a late evening walk, perhaps.
Toby and I woke up near midnight to find a blizzard occurring. Everything was so beautiful and white this morning! We had worked hard to get the ice off the paths – so much for that! Anthony will be here later to clear up.
We are looking at the calendar. It is Robbie Burns Day on the 25th. Many of you might have Scottish ancestors. My father was named after the Clyde River, and the family was distant, originating in Angus and Perthshire. The name originates from the Dalriadan Celtic Scotii (Scots) from Ireland, who colonised the south-west of Scotland from about the 4th century AD. Dunchad (Duncan) mac Conaing co-ruled Dalriada with Conall II (c.650 – 654).” Many contemporary DNA labs indicate that some of my father’s family is from Donegal, Ireland. It is all very interesting.
So who is Robbie Burns you ask? AI Overview says, “AI Overview
Robert Burns (Robbie Burns) is celebrated as Scotland’s national poet for his enduring poems and songs that captured Scottish life, love, and the human condition, making him a cultural icon and pioneer of the Romantic movement, with his birthday, Burns Night(Jan 25th), becoming a global tradition honoring Scottish heritage through suppers, poetry, and toasts, notes Wikipedia and Scotland.org. His work, often in Scots dialect, remains relevant, with his lyrics influencing literature and his song “Auld Lang Syne” sung worldwide at New Year, says Wikipedia and BBC.
Cultural Icon: His humble farmer’s background and poignant, witty words resonated deeply, making him a beloved figure and inspiration for liberalism and socialism, according to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns and BBC.
Burns Night: Held annually on January 25th, it involves formal dinners (“Burns Suppers”) featuring Scottish traditions like haggis, bagpipes, and recitations, say Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns and BBC.
Toast to the Immortal Memory: A key part of the supper involves speeches honoring Burns’ life and work, with toasts to women (Toast to the Lassies) and witty replies, note BBC and Scotch Whisky Association.
Haven’t quite decided what we will do this year for Burns night but will keep you posted!
There is a second hatch at Winter Park, Florida’s Bald Eagle nest. It might be five days younger but our experienced Mum keeps both of her little ones well fed.
The Glen Hazel (Hays) Bald Eagle Cam Is Live Again The Glen Hazel (formerly Hays) Bald Eagle Cam is officially back online. After the original Hays nest fell last year, the same iconic eagle pair rebuilt nearby, and the live camera returned yesterday with a clear new view of their Glen Hazel nest along the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh. Viewers can once again watch these local bald eagles in real time as a new chapter begins at their updated nesting site.Check it out:https://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/bald-eagle-cams/hays-bald-eagle-camera/
I can’t even write what I think about this fine – and the act that this person beat a Buzzard to death. Isn’t there something about how a person treasts animals that indicates how they might treat people? Raptor Persecution UK adds commentary:
Liberty and Guardian are checking out their nest and the egg cup. Thanks, SK Hideaways. https://youtu.be/gP7Yj1vtEH8?
Winter Park babies re nothing short of adorable. Mum has this all under control.
Gabby is such a gifted Mum just like the Winter Park female. To stop the bonking, feed them to the brim as equally as possible and sit on them if necessary.
Smile. Girri continues to fly and be seen on the tower cam at Orange Australia. Fantastic.
Canadian Penny Albright is down in Captiva and she is going to be reporting on several osprey nests near to where she is staying. Thanks, Penny!
The snow has stopped bu the wind hasn’t. It is blowing cold. Ann took the lads out for a walk. Tomorrow Toby goes for a thorough grooming. He has not been able to be trimmed since he was so ill. While at the vet, his tummy got matted so the little darling is going to have a bit of a shave. His long curls on top of his head and his ears are going to be cut. He should look like a new boy tomorrow.
Have a good weekend. Take care of yourselves. We will see you on Monday.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos, to the owners of the streaming cams for allowing us into the lives of our raptors, to the authors of the FB posts, The Guardian for their avian reporting, and Openverse for their images. Cheers to Raptor Persecution UK for bringing the atrocities that happen to our feathered friends to life for us.
It is late Tuesday night. It was a warm day. Ann was here, and she took Toby and Don for a nice walk. Ellen had been here earlier, so Toby had two good walks! I did not get to making SK Hideaway’s Cranberry Orange scones, but that is on the list for this week. I have moved on from my disappointment with the health services and have pulled up the ‘boot straps’ and gotten on with life. Ann will be here more afternoons and Ellen will help with some dog walking. I spent a lovely afternoon with my bestie. It is Irish Women’s Christmas. Do you know this tradition?
January 6 was known as Nollaig na mBan – “women’s Christmas” when womenfolk across the country took a day off from their traditional domestic chores as a reward for all their efforts, and visited friends and family. The temperature rose dramatically by mid-afternoon before rain started around 3pm.”
We had lovely tea and conversation, and I forgot about the woes of the past weeks – like the eagles.
Speaking of eagles. Could we have ordered a more cute group of babies this year?
E26 seems to have a constant huge crop and is getting its mohawk along with that woolly deep charcoal—a prize for M15 and F23 whose love for this baby oozes out of that nest.
Beau continues to win the hearts and minds of everyone who watches the NE Florida nest. Could you think back to when Beau was V3? How did you feel when Gabby seemed to favour this young one who didn’t, at the time, seem to know which end was which?
Clown feet, mohawk, thermal down, and pin feathers at Captiva. All of the eaglets are growing quickly!
R9 and R10 have the same pin feathers, the same clown feet, the little Mohawks, and they are doing the cutest wingers. Ron and Rose are fantastic parents.
All appears to be well at the Superbeaks nest, too.
Huge winter storms are barrelling through North America raising havoc with our eagle nests – and their trees, many old, many with dead branches. Another suffered damage.
Good news coming from Redding and those following Liberty and Guardian.
An unbanded male eagle has been seen with Haku at the West End—no sighting of Akecheta.
Those caring for the Laysan Albatross on the Midway Atoll report that Wisdom, the oldest banded Laysan Albatross in the world at 74 years, returns frequently to the atoll. She did not, however, lay an egg this year.
Raptor Persecution UK continues to follow the illegal killings, charges, and court hearings in the UK for us.
I was delighted to hear from my friend whose son has been working too hard. He sat down by a lake, and there were ducks, and all the woes of the world slipped off his shoulders. I highly recommend that we all do this in the days and weeks ahead. The holidays are challenging for almost everyone for many varied reasons, but winter can be especially daunting. Try to get outside!
Now I imagine that in about 50 days we might see Iris land on her nest in Missoula. Just imagine. And then, sit back and consider that a fortnight earlier, the UK ospreys will start arriving home as well for their breeding seasons. I cannot wait.
Thank you so much for being with us tonight. I might not post again til the end of the week. No worries. All is good.
Thank you to Raptor Persecution UK, to the owners of the streaming cams where I took my screen captures and the authors of the FB posts. Without your keen eyes and sharing information, my blog would not be the same!
Dear Dyson.
Mr Crow waiting for Dyson to finish with the peanuts so he can have some!
Tuesday was a wonderful day to go to the zoo. While Don was walking and soaking in the fresh air, Toby and I were walking in the neighbourhood. Toby got soaked. The 4 °C temperatures melted the snow, creating lots of fun puddles. When we got home, I quickly warmed a couple of towels in the dryer and rubbed and rubbed, hoping Toby wouldn’t catch a cold. Almost as soon as we got in, it began to rain, and snow, and the wind picked up. Now they are saying a significant winter storm will hit us on Thursday. This year, the forecasts have been pretty accurate – a considerable change from past years. It lets us plan so we don’t have to go out for provisions at the last minute.
And here it is, Wednesday afternoon, with freezing rain, and, of course, a massive blizzard coming within the hour. We might get 20 cm of snow with up to 90 kph winds. It isn’t going to be much fun.
So many of you have asked what we are doing for Christmas. This year is a considerable change. First, I am NOT cooking. Our son is coming from the West Indies next summer and we will see our daughter and family after the holidays.
Over the holidays, we are babysitting my best friend’s huge dog, Nellie. I often say that Nellie is the size of a small Shetland pony. Toby adores her. They have been best friends since Toby came to us at 8 weeks old. It is hard to believe he was so tiny, and today, he is long and tall and is nearing the average weight of Miles & Mia’s puppies – 25 lbs! That is big for a Cavalier.
This is Toby wrapped in his favourite blanket after our long walk.
Toby’s friend, Nellie, who will be staying with us for Christmas.
Ellen will walk Toby and Nellie twice every day except for the 24th, the 25th, and the 26th. I have a very secure back garden and the two of them will be able to romp and play.
I have not decorated the house except for the Eucalyptus garlands over the French doors and the front door. Oh, there is a wreath on the exterior doors, front and back. Why? Toby eats anything in sight. The Girls won’t leave the ornaments on the tree and many have polyester stuffing – that would send a ravenous dog to the vet for surgery! We will have our usual roast chicken and, of course, one chicken will be roasted plain and shared with all the animals. The birds and squirrels as well as Brock will get special treats – and believe me, that will make my heart festive. I hope they enjoy the baskets we prepare for them.
‘L’ has reminded me of something that I have seen briefly. (I do not watch the news. I find it just too overwhelming.) This is the Barred Owl cull.
I asked Google and this was the response, “The barred owl cull is a controversial U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plan to lethally remove hundreds of thousands of invasive barred owls in the Pacific Northwest to protect the endangered spotted owl, which they outcompete for food and territory.This strategy, approved for implementation starting in 2025, involves sharpshooters removing barred owls in designated zones to allow spotted owl populations to stabilize, though it faces ethical and practical opposition.”
Some of the story in The Guardian reads: “The US Senate rejected an effort on Wednesday to halt a contentious US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plan to kill nearly half a million barred owls in order to save their cousin, the northern spotted owl.
John Kennedy, the Republican senator from Louisiana, had hoped to block the proposal by bringing the matter to a vote with a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act. The effort failed with 25 votes to 72 votes.
“The barred owls are not hurting anybody. They’re just doing what nature teaches them to do. We’re going to change nature?” Kennedy said in a speech before the Senate. “We’re going to control our environment to this extent? We’re going to pass DEI for owls?”
Barred owls have been expanding their habitat west, increasing competition for the spotted owl. The more aggressive barred owls come from eastern North America and are slightly larger and better able to adapt than the spotted owl. The spotted owl has been imperiled over the years, facing major habitat loss as logging and development destroyed old growth forests in the Pacific north-west.
The USFWS introduced the controversial plan to cull as many as 450,000 of the raptors in designated areas in the Pacific north-west during Joe Biden’s administration, arguing that barred owls pose a “significant threat” to the survival of the spotted owl. Under that management strategy, two trained individuals must positively identify barred owls and “removal specialists” will shoot the animals.”
Please learn more about these measures, and if you feel inclined, write to your political representatives, even if you think there is no hope. While I support intervention when our raptors need help, I do not support human intervention in managing species numbers. I find all of this quite disgusting, and it just underscores so many issues that are being mismanaged.
Raptor Persecution UK is reporting that three White-tail Eagles with satellite tags on them have disappeared in very suspicious circumstances in the UK.
The news of the day is that M15 and F23 have a pip in one of their eggs. I am over the moon eggcited.
It is day 35 for Ron and Rose’s first egg at Dade County. It looks like SW Florida might be the Winner.
Girri is still with us. Just. It feels like she is going to go today. She is a big strong falcon looking at the world that she will own. What a great joy to see a strong female chick hatch at this scrape.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you tomorrow!
Thank you to the authors of the FB posts, the owners of the streaming cams, and The Guardian. I am extremely grateful for the investigative work of Raptor Persecution UK. Bird World would not be the same without you!
