raptors – Mary Ann Steggles

Remembering the Feathered Friends We Lost

19 June 2022

I started this listing on the 19th of June and here it is the 28th. I expect that the second Pitkin osprey will be added to the list but I have not heard anything. It is disappointing that the wildlife rehabber from Valpo, Indiana was not at St Patrick’s County Park in South Bend, Indiana to do a full assessment of Little Bit 17. None of us are experts and the park staff have done the best they can do – but 17 needs an assessment to determine if there could be any slight fractures, or anything. He needs flight training. He is grounded on a branch. Can he fly? Geez, I hope so but I do not think so – not without some help and encouragement. Perhaps food might do it. We live in hope because it seems that help is not coming. I cannot possibly tell you how upsetting this is after all he has been through.

US Steel Eaglets 4 and 5 went off the tree also. USS5 is fine. USS4 has been taken into care form the fall from the nest. Boots on the ground to retrieve immediately. Feather damage to tail and left wing. Is happily in rehab. Did I say this is where Little Bit should be unless someone takes a photo of flying and eating. The latest osprey death occurred at Mare Island Osprey Nest when a beautiful bird almost ready to fledge fell over the edge. I am grateful to ‘N’ for letting me know of this very tragic event.

I had hoped to add images to each of the entries below and I will continue to work on and update this list. I welcome any images you have of the birds or any additions that need remembering. In the past year there have been others lost that were in care and that will come in a separate posting about the wonderful work the rehab clinics do! Please send them via e-mail to maryannsteggles@icloud.com Thank you!

I don’t know when it happened – that moment when you realize how many birds we have lost either on the nest, after fledging, from an intruder, or from Avian Flu. All of a sudden one day it simply felt overwhelming this year. A list was started and sadly, I continue to add names to it. Yesterday, three osplets drown when nest 2 at Patuxent River Park collapsed. As you read the names, you may think of others. This list does not include all of the birds that have died of Avian Flu. The World Health Organization “estimates that more than 383,000 wild bird deaths can be attribute to the virus since October 2021.” ( “A Gull Flaps Its Wings and a Deadly Virus Explodes” in The New York Times, 17 June 2022).

I will not have images for all of them and the list is only as comprehensive as my memory allows. You will know of other birds that we have lost between 15 June 2021 to today. Please let me know. I tried to find photos of all of them and well, it was not always possible. They are all worth remembering – and shedding a tear over. For as short or as long as their lives were – they had some impact on us.

I can hear my PhD supervisor, Alison Yarrington, telling me the importance of order – is it alphabetical? is it chronological? These are not in any kind of order. No one bird’s death is less or more important than the next. Some have more details than another. It is only because I know those. Each one is a loss.

If there is no specific name or number for the bird, I will use Big Bob, Middle Bob, or Little Bob as a designation for the nestling.

So here goes:

Grinnell, Cal Falcons. Peregrine Falcon. Killed on the 31 March 2022 while warding off a juvenile female intruder that came to The Campanile. Grinnell was banded as a nestling in 2013 near Martinez, California. He is at The Campanile with Annie in 2016 as a three year old. 15 eyases to fledge (counting Lindsay and Grinnell Jr). (California) 2022

2. DH16, Dale Hollow. Bald Eagle. Siblicide. Killed by Big Bob after DH16 being starved. (Tennessee) 2022

3. 3rd Hatch, UFlorida-Gainesville. Osprey. Siblicide. Killed by Big Bob after being starved. (Florida) 2022

4. Big Bob, Captiva Ospreys. Osprey. Died suddenly. Ironically Big had spent the last 72 hours denying food to the other two siblings and Mum. Went up to eat breakfish and died at Mum’s feet. Sent for necroscopy. Inconclusive. (Florida) 2022

5. Little Bob, Loch Arkaig. Osprey. Got its foot caught in cot rails. Could not get under Dorcha. Died hypothermia in gale force winds and rain. (Scotland) 2022

6. 4th Hatch, PA Farms. Bald Eagle. Hypothermia. (Pennsylvania) 2022

7. Nestling (not sure which hatch), Llyn Brenig. Osprey. Could not get out of nest cup to feed. Siblicide? Weather? (Wales) 2022

8-11. 3 osplets and adult male, Cape Henlopen State Farm. Ospreys. Adult male was 20. Found dead on trail near platform nest. Intruders took over nest. Injured the Mum? It is possible. Mum is fighting the intruder in the image. She could be injured or deceased also. Her fate is unknown. Three chicks died of starvation. (Delaware) 2022

12-13. Harry and E2, MN-DNR. Bald Eagles. Harry was only 5 years old. Believed to have died chasing intruders from territory of nest. E2 was a victim of siblicide. He was pushed off the nest by E1. (Minnesota) 2022

14-17. 3 eaglets and male adult, The Majestics. Denton Homes. Bald Eagles. Avian Flu. (Iowa) 2022

18. Eaglet, Fort St. Vrain. Predated by a raccoon. (Colorado) 2022

19. Solly, Eyre Peninsula. Eastern Osprey. 2021 hatch at Port Lincoln. Eldest. Electrocuted on power line. (Australia)

20. Hatch 4, CBD, 367 Collins Street. Peregrine Falcon. Ready to fledge. Died of an infection/illness. (Australia) 2021

21-22. 2 Eaglets, Hilton Head. Avian Flu. (South Carolina) 2022

23. Adult male, LGB parent of Royal cam chick. Royal Southern Albatross. Tracker contact lost. Believed dead. (New Zealand) 2021

24. Yurruga, Charles Sturt University Scrape. Peregrine Falcon. Only 2021 hatch of Xavier and Diamond. Violent storm after fledging. Died in storm. (Australia) 2021

25. Malin, Collins Marsh. Osprey. Only hatch in 2021. Intruder. Forced Fledge. Found dead at the base of the old fire tower. (Wisconsin) 2021

26-28. 3 nestlings, Cowlitz PUD. Osprey. Pacific Northwest Heat Wave. 1 died of siblicide. 2nd probably died of starvation plus heat stroke along with third. (Washington) 2021

29-31. 3 nestlings, Cowlitz PUD. Osprey. Predated by a Bald Eagle. (Washington) 2022

https://tdn.com/news/local/osprey-chicks-on-cowlitz-pud-livestream-killed-off-by-bald-eagle/article_6ecb00c2-edc2-11ec-aa5b-f7de04d7ad0f.html?fbclid=IwAR3RfWmQeglKLxybz97RdtPtrjwwIp0OLpP-oGj_jmqP3SnVlirlWTKSGGI

32-34. 3 nestlings, Glaslyn. Osprey. Starvation. Aran was injured by an intruder and could not fish. There was also a violent storm and it was cold and wet. (Wales) 2021

35-37. 3 nestlings, Osoyoos. Osprey. Sun stroke and starvation in the Pacific Northwest heat wave. (British Columbia) 2021

38. Jan, Jogdeva Black Stork Nest. Black Stork. Believed to be killed by an intruder. Did not return to feed storklings. (Estonia) 2022

39-40. Black Storklings, Jogdeva Black Stork Nest. Black Stork. Janika could not feed, tried to be both parents, left storklets in nest. Rained. Of the original five storklets, 2 died and 3 were taken to the Vet Clinic by Urmas Sellier and Dr Madis Lievits. (Estonia) 2022

41. Osplet 2, Kieldner Forest. Osprey. Nest 4. Unknown cause. (Scotland) 2022

41. Osplet, Kieldner Forest. Osprey. Nest 6. Unknown cause (Scotland) 2022

45. Little Bob, Loch of the Lowes. Osprey. Siblicide on 14 June 2022. (Scotland) 2022

46. Eaglet 2, GROWLS. Bald Eagle. 15 May. Unknown Cause. (British Columbia 2022

47. #5 storklet, Mlade Buky. White Stork. Brood Elimination by Betty. 15 June 2022. (The Czech Republic) 2022

48. Biological osplet, Pink Shell. Osprey. Siblicide. Killed by foster osplet placed in nest. (Florida) 2022

49. Eaglet, Fort St. Vrain. Bald Eagle. Predated by a Raccoon. (Colorado) 2022

50-51. Little and Middle Bob (?), Dahlgren. Osprey. Youngest could not get up to eat. Siblicide? (Virginia) 2022

52. Nestling, Lake Murray. Osprey. Predated by Great Horned Owl. (South Carolina) 2022

53-54. Eaglets, White Rock. Bald Eagles. Avian Flu. (British Columbia) 2022

55. Little Bob, WRDC. Bald Eagle. Siblicide. (Florida) 2022

56. K2, Cornell Campus. Red-tail Hawk. Beak and jaw issues. Euthanized. This is the only hatch of Big Red’s that has failed to fledge in all the years she has raised chicks. (New York) 2021

57-59. Three nestlings, Patuxent River Park. Ospreys. 18 June 2022. The nest collapsed into the River. Drowning. (Maryland)

60. Kestrel Mum, Robert Fuller’s. Kestrel. Attacked by an owl and died. Left 6 chicks on the nest. Dad Kestrel learned to be both Mum and Dad. (Yorkshire UK). 2022

61-62. Two Osprey chicks, Kielder Forest Nest 5A. Osprey. One caught, possibly hypothermia; the other unwell. (Scotland). 2022

63. Osprey Chick, Pitkin Country Osprey Nest, Roaring Fork Valley. Osprey. Female knocked the pair from the nest and one died and the other is in guarded condition. (Colorado). 2022

64-65. Two chicks, Snow’s Lane Newfoundland, Canada. Osprey. A day old and just hatched perhaps. One egg left. Known as the ‘Hopeless’ nest. (Canada) 2022

66. Osplet, Mare Island, Vallenjo, California. Osprey. Older chick fell off nest. (California) 2022

Both osplets on nest with parents, 27 June 2022. Right before the one fell off the nest.

Late Monday and early Tuesday in Bird World

27 June 2022

Latest news on Little Bit 17: This was posted by park staff:

10:54am 17 has been spotted on a low branch in the vicinity of the nest tree. Appears vigorous and healthy. As soon as searchers spotted him, he raised his wings & hissed. Searchers immediately left. 5:38 PMLJ We are celebrating!

I am going to toss my 25 cents worth in here. Eagles hiss and go into a protective posture when they are banded. They hiss to keep humans and other animals away. We can definitely celebrate that 17 survived the night. That is fantastic. Still, it remains that Little Bit 17 needs to be observed and/or taken into care by a qualified rehabber. Eagles never show fear or pain. Everyone is right to leave him be. Chasing him would could cause a fatality. In comparison to the RTH chick that was force fledged off the Eagle nest in Gabriola, it was able to climb back up to the nest. This morning 15 and 16 are on the nest, there is no room for Little Bit and there is no indication that he is able to ‘climb’ or scratch his way up to the nest. Someone needs to be at a distance observing closely his movements and if the parents feed him. And, yes, did I say it ten times? A wildlife rehabber needs to come in and do a thorough check. They are the only individuals that can expertly assess his needs.

I don’t know about anyone else but it sure is hard waiting until tomorrow morning to find out if Little Bit 17 survived the night. If you are coming in late or catching up reading the blogs, Little Bit fell off the ND-LEEF nest at 15:45:12. The circumstances are confusing. Suffice it to say that ND16 had returned to the nest today and it was crowded with all three birds. 16 had pecked Little Bit and, perhaps in reaction to that, Little Bit wanted away from 16 and well, he fell. Whether or not 16 helped with that fall off the nest will be debated for eons. What matters most is that staff from St Patrick’s County Park in South Bend, Indiana were there immediately giving updates. One wildlife rehabber has Covid (from Elkart) and the second was out of office on Monday. I understand they have been notified and will help tomorrow, if necessary. Since Little Bit 17 is on the ground under the nest tree there is some concern about predators such as coyotes. Many of us hope that there are volunteers watching through the night so no harm comes. It is unclear if Little Bit 17 has any injuries. Will the parents entice Little Bit with prey and get it to fly? Can Little Bit fly or are there wing issues? We simply have to wait and waiting is hard! Because of the deterioration of the nest, it would simply be unwise to place him back on the nest. It could completely collapse at any time. Thankfully both 15 and 16 are both flying reasonably well. So….until tomorrow!

There is another fledgling eagle being closely watched by Dr Sharpe of the Institute for Wildlife Studies. This is Sky at the West End nest of Thunder and Akecheta. Dr Sharpe said, ” I’m aware that Sky seems to have an issue breathing, but it is not feasible to capture a free-flying eagle in the terrain around the nest. The stress to the bird in association with chasing it around for hours could also be fatal.”

Do you know much about the history of falconry? My friend Wicky sent me this article that showed up in The New York Times. It is quite an interesting read.

The two chicks of Laddie LM12 and Blue NC0 were ringed on the evening of 27 June. This was the announcement from LOTL:

Loch of the Lowes reports that the Blue Darvic rings are LP8 (oldest) and LR0 (youngest) on the lower left leg identifying them as being Scottish birds. They could not determine gender – said it was too close to call or either small females or large males.

Everyone had a large trout compliments of Laddie at 0530 Tuesday morning.

The three at the Foulshaw Moss nest in the Lake District (Cumbria) in the UK were ringed yesterday. The streaming cam was off for most of the day. Here is a photo of the trio with one of the three showing their bling. No other information. Mary says that they will release information at the end of the week. Blue Darvic Rings on the lower right hand to indicate an English bird. Scotland puts them on the lower left. Numbers are 479, 480, and 481.

The close of the day at the Mispillion Harbour Osprey nest was really soggy. Kids are sleeping adult style instead of duckling!

They are having a lovely Tuesday at the Mispillion Harbour nest – thank goodness. Gosh they were so soggy on Monday. Nice.

It looks like wind is hitting the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn during Tuesday afternoon. The weather radar indicates that more rain is coming but it might just clip the area of the nest. No word that any ringing was done today for the chicks here at Dyfi.

It is extremely windy at Glaslyn and from the drops on the camera it has either been raining or is continuing to be wet. How miserable for Mrs G and the kids. The strong winds and rain were supposed to be gone by 1500 by they certainly are not!

It is wet at Llyn Clywedog as well. Poor Seren and the triplets. Soaked to the bone.

It is blowing and roaring and wet at Llyn Brenig also. Both adults on the nest helping with the two osplets.

Poole Harbour seems to be the place for beautiful skies, calm winds and no rain. Both CJ7 and Blue 022 were on the nest with their two osplets this afternoon. That is certainly a deep nest. We have only been able to see the tops of their heads but look how big now. Wow. There is a lot of change between those wee little babes and a 27 and 25 day old osplet. These hatched on 1 and 3 June. the other egg was non-viable. Just lovely.

Yesterday I mentioned the idea of an intervention. The head of the Estonian Medical University’s Vet Clinic, Dr Madis V and Urmas, the main Ornithologist in Estonia, believed that there was a chance to save the lives of the three surviving storklets of Jan and Janika. They removed the three off the nest and took them to the veterinary clinic where they devised as best they could with the resources they had an environment where they would not imprint on humans. They would also hear the sounds of the forest and be fed in a way as if they were on the nest. The three storklets of Jan and Janika continue to do well in care.

Skipping across the pond to North America, the three osplets at the Hog Island nest of Dory and Skiff are doing fantastic. First time Mum has figured out feeding and the three had a great breakfast. Skiff had the fish on the perch and was eating the head – the portion eaten by the males before giving it to the females. This ensures that the male gets fed too! He has to be in good shape to fish. You will also see whole fish brought to the nest and sometimes they are still alive and cause mischief or serious mishaps.

The Boathouse kids did do some beaking this morning. This should go away. There is plenty of food! When small they are struggling keeping their heads up and their eyes focused. Of course, we all know that this seemingly innocent playing is also part of a dominance strategy and can, in extreme cases, lead to serious issues on the nest. We should keep an eye on this behaviour.

The two fledglings at Cal Falcons are incredible. They are doing the cutest things and often appear to be together. From chasing moths like Alden showed them to playing tag, they are learning what it is like off the nest. ‘B’ noted that the moth catching was a great way to improve eye-talon co-ordination and he is absolutely spot on! Who would have thought? Alden turns out to be an amazing role model including his loafing on the ledge.

And here is the loafing by Lindsay!

Thank you so much for joining me this morning. We will wait to see the status of Little Bit 17 and Sky. Waiting is very difficult – maybe weeding my garden will help! But there is also a garden announcement. We were happy to discover and observe Little Red in his new home and to see the two baby squirrels. Last evening Junior (you will remember that Junior came to the garden with his parents for several years but the parents did not return this spring) brought 3 fledgling little Blue Jays to the garden to feed. They were so well behaved waiting on the cable line til they were told to move.

I could not believe how well behaved they were.

You get whiffs of the peonies all over the garden. They are so lovely and were planted in 1902 when the old house on this property was here – along with the climbing roses. They have survived nicely, thankfully.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I am elated that Little Bit 17 survived the night. He has no nest to go to. Did parents feed him? That would need to be directly observed. How are his movements? going from one spot to another? Needs an expert to really assess. I hope that he is 100%. We all do. It is so much better if the birds are raised by their parents when possible. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Arlene Beech, Explore.org and Audubon, Cal Falcons, Liz M and the EMU, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, CarnyXWild, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Dyfi Osprey Project, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys, Cumbrian Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Little Bit ND 17 – we wait to see what happens next

27 June 2022

There is always a lot of disinformation when an event occurs and I am guilty for spreading some today. My sincerest apologies! Little Bit ND17 fell off the Bald Eagle nest in St Patrick’s County Park in South Bend Indiana at 15:45:12. Whether it was an accident or precipitated by Little Bit wanting to move after 16 (who returned to the nest today) pecked its neck is not known – and never will be.

Little Bit was found near the base of the tree. Park staff state that 17 is standing and appears alert. Earlier reports of him eating the fish appear to be false. Lindsay Grossman said she looked for that fish because she was going to give it to him but could not find it. A wild life rehabber in Elkhart, Indiana who works with raptors has been notified. The DNR staff were not present, just park staff. Park staff said that they would check Little Bit 17 in about an hour giving him some space.

It is about a 35 minute drive from the rehabbers in Elkhart to St. Patrick’s Park.

According to a chatter the FB page for the nest states, “Rehabber and DNR have been contacted but cannot say at this time what if anything that will happen going forward. “

The wildlife rehabber in Elkhart has COVID. There is another Raptor specialist in Valpo but they are off today. Valpo is a little further away but the park staff say that should become an option tomorrow.

Send all good wishes to Little Bit 17. He is a fighter – always has been! Do you remember when? It is April 24. There is Little Bit 17 right up in front.

At 10:03 this morning.

So what is Little Bit’s challenge if he is on the ground? Lindsay Grossman says, “Yes, coyote is the biggest concern at this time. He does have some weapons at his disposal to fight back with though….” I have seen eaglets this age attacked – roughly 12 weeks – and they did not use their talons to fight. They were surprised and became dinner. Little Bit 17 is also quite small. No one wants him to become dinner.

I am a great believer in intervention when it is warranted and when it can be done with a reasonable hope for success. That would seem to be the state we are in with Little Bit 17. It is unclear whether or not he can fly – he could be bruised and sore, he could have a small fracture in a shoulder—— we do not know and won’t until he is in the care of a wildlife rehabilitation facility. My hope is that either Little Bit is taken into care before dark or that people are there with him (at a safe distance for all) so that he is protected over night. Little Bit is certainly loved.

I do wish someone would bring Little Bit a fish. He has not eaten today. Will the parents? We will find out.

In one incident with a grounded forced fledged Osprey, the bird was discovered by someone that knew a little bit about raptors. The Osprey was placed on his arm and encouraged to fly off. After awhile and much up and down motion of the arm, the bird took off. It is possible that if picked up Little Bit 17 would, indeed, fly. Still, there is the issue of the nest that is not capable of having 3 eaglets on it and sometimes 3 eaglets and a parent. It is a very tricky situation.

Someone asked if Little Bit can catch his own meal? Fledgling eagles learn how to fly. The parents provide them with food on the nest or at an off nest location until their flying is strong. It is then that they teach them how to hunt. The parents provide for them. A good example is the Southwest Florida nest where M16 and Harriet provide prey on the nest and gradually, when the fledglings flying is better, the fledglings begin to get their own prey often in the pond adjacent to the nest. This is usually close to when they leave to find their own territory.

These parents are good at keeping their fledglings fed and enticing them with food to return to the nest. That is how we got in this pickle. It is entirely possible that the parents will get prey and entice Little Bit to fly to another spot. He needs to get off the ground. We wait.

Pictures posted of Little Bit 17 in the brush by Lindsay Grossman on Notre Dame Eagles FB page. Thank you, Lindsay! So nice to see you Little Bit. You are quite beautiful or should we say handsome?

He is a lovely bird.

The one good thing for Little Bit is that the people at St Patrick’s County Park love their eagles and they will do everything that they possibly can to keep Little Bit 17 safe and sound!

Our little sweetheart. Stay safe Little 17!

Thank you for bearing with me today. This nest has been a focus for a long, long time – almost from the moment Little Bit hatched. He is so loved and so many people are wishing hard for his success. Certainly of all the eaglets I have watched he certainly deserves a life. Take care everyone. I hope to have updates tomorrow morning.

Thanks again to ‘H’ for alerting me to the fall the second it happened, to Lindsay Grossman for allowing us to post the images of 17 and to the ND-LEED streaming and chat.

Little Bit ND17 located!

UPDATE: Some information contained in my original blog was not accurate and I want to correct it. Little Bit 17 was located by park staff at the base of the tree. He is standing, eating the catfish, and appears alert. DNR staff have been notified. There is a wildlife rehabber at Elkhart, Indiana that specializes in raptors. They might come out this evening or tomorrow morning. Park Staff are giving Little Bit 17 some room to see what will happen next.

That is the latest accurate information.

27 June 2022

Little Bit 17 fell off the ND-LEEF a short while ago. The nest was too crowded and he went over backwards. There was nothing for him to cling to and he had no where to go. No one knows how hard he fell. It appears he never opened his wings. It would have been a quick frightening fall.

Little Bit 17 has been located. He is on the ground below the 60 ‘ high nest and is eating the catfish that fell off the nest this morning. Thank you to Lindsay Grossman for reporting to the chat.

DNR staff are on location. They have 17 and are assessing him for any injuries. Perhaps, because of the situation with the tree, they will take 17 to a wildlife rehabilitation centre where he will get his flying down and learn how to hunt. Returning him to the deteriorating nest for this just to happen again does not seem reasonable at all. They can’t leave him on the ground so rehab seems the best place. Why not leave him on the ground? Predators. He will get regularly fed and they can watch to make sure he has no internal injuries while treating any that might not be noticeable from just a physical look or check.

Little Bit 17 is breathing and he is alert. He is standing upright. That is good news.

Any further news will be reported either this evening or tomorrow morning – in my next blog. Send positive wishes to Little Bit 17. He has worked so hard to live – let us hope that he gets to spend some time in rehab – eating, learning to fly and hunt!

Photo from 11:00:25 27 June 2022.

Was Little Bit ND17 forced off the nest by ND 16?

27 June 2022

ND16 fledged. Today was her first return to the nest. It was way too crowded with three of them there vying for prey this morning and afternoon. Thank you to ‘H’ who alerted me to this incident.

At 15:45:12, Little Bit 17 went out of the nest backwards. That is ND16 closest to him. You can make up your own mind if 16 forced Little Bit off the nest.

The remaining bit of the nest could just not handle having 3 eaglets.

Little Bit 17 was believed to be seen flying on the wide angle cam at 15:45:35.

Meanwhile 15 and 16 are on the nest and one of them, I believe 15, is eating.

Send the most positive wishes you can for our Little Bit. I sure hope he is found if he is down. There should be a team looking right now.

Thanks to the ND-LEEF for their streaming cam where I took my screen shot and video clip.

Late Sunday-early Morning in Bird World

26-27 June 2022

There are people all around the world sending good wishes, saying prayers, lighting candles – wherever their beliefs take them – for Little Bit 17 and his nest. Each of us wants the same thing – for the nest to hold out long enough for ND17 Little Bit to fledge. If it lasts longer and he gets prey drops there from the adults – well, that is the whipped cream and the cherry on top of what has been a very difficult season for this third hatch. It was not very often Little Bit caught a break but he learned skills that ND16 might not still know – and it is those skills that will help Little Bit out in the big world.

I made 3 video clips because watching it happen is so much easier than my narration. An adult lands on the nest with a really nice sized fish at 20:11:38. Little Bit immediately mantles it and then 15 flies down to the nest. It is difficult to imagine having enough room on that nest for all three never mind the dust ups. I thought both might go off the nest wings tangled.

There is a dust up over that fish between 15 and Little Bit 17. In fact, there are a couple. Here is a 30 second clip of one of those.

Little Bit 17 gets his fish! ND15 will fly off the nest. Watch carefully and you will see that 17 gets a nice size portion of fish. He will have sweet eagle dreams tonight.

Nothing was ever easy for Little Bit 17. He continues to be a great inspiration to so many of us. He never gives up, never. If you go to the streaming cam it is at 20:28 that Little Bit gets the fish. At 20:30:54 ND15 leaves the nest.

If you are interested in the growing population of Ospreys in the San Francisco Bay area, Tony Brake gave a Zoom presentation on this very topic this morning. Here is the link to the archived Zoom presentation.

https://fb.watch/dUWIGxeq32/

This is the latest tracking of our favourite Eastern Osprey, Ervie. PLO notes that he still flies by the barge but it appears he understands he is no longer welcome. How sad for Ervie!!!!! Believe me when I say that I hope Ervie stays right in that area and that when Dad and Mum no longer need that barge that he moves right in – just like Samson did at the NEFlorida nest of his parents Romeo and Juliet.

Karl II has been to the nest he shares with his mate, Kaia, in the Karula National Forest in Estonia. He has brought breakfast. Just look at these cubby little storklets – OK, not so little. They have certainly began to do that amazing ritual to get the adults to let go of their fish. Incredibly beautiful.

And a feeding from the step-dad Toru for the three storklets of Jan and Janika who are in care at the Vet Clinic. There was a plan to move them outdoors but it seems that the complicated care that the trio require is difficult to find a place for them. It is the busiest time for the ornithologists as they are not only caring for wildlife but also ringing the birds. It is not clear but perhaps a temporary outdoor area for them can be built at EMU.

It is another wet cool morning in Wales at the Dyfi Nest of Idris and Telyn. Telyn his huddled with her three osplets who would love to be small again so they would fit under Mum and be toasty warm.

Just look at those beautiful amber/orange eyes. Penetrating. When they are adults they will be yellow. (Exceptions apply like Monty who kept his amber eyes).

Mrs G looks like she is not as drippy wet at her Glaslyn Valley nest as Telyn is at Dyfi.

It might be utterly miserable outside but it appears that Dylan is the first of the Welsh males to get a fish on the nest. Seren is busy feeding those big Bobs.

Oh, Dorcha looks a lot drier at her Loch Arkaig nest in Scotland than poor Seren. It is nice to see Dorcha and the nest drying out. She has had a rough time of it this breeding season with the weather – snow, pelting rain, wind – gale force winds – and then losing Little Bob.

Louis brought in lots of fish on Monday for Dorcha and the chicks. Just look at Big Bob’s crop!

Blue NC0 flew in with a fish for the two ever growing and big Bobs. She does not appear to be wet – although she could have dried off before arriving at the nest with the fish. Or she got a hand off from Laddie. At any rate, there is fish on the nest early and that is a great way to start the day at Loch of the Lowes.

Laddie brought in a decent fish early in the morning but has been contending with intruders all day. This is a popular place for Ospreys and sadly NC0 and the chicks are sometimes hungry because of his territorial duties.

The Foulshaw Moss nest is having the chicks ringed today so the camera is off line.

Check on the ND-LEEF nest. The first prey delivery for Little Bit 17 falls off the nest. At 08:17:34 Dad arrives with a possum.

That arrival prompts 15 to fly in and take it away from Little Bit.

All three are on the nest including ND16 who was seen but not on the nest that I know of since fledging. That is good! I have no idea how this nest is holding up with all this activity.

Little Bit 17 gets to spend some time with his buddy 15. Sweet.

Another prey drop just now. It looks like 15 got it but 17 is snuggling up to get some. I don’t think Little Bit 17 got any of that meal unless it was some scraps. He is going to be very hungry today after loosing that first prey item overboard.

ND16 is on the nest at 13:00 with Little Bit. Must be very tired from all that flying and happy to be home.

Cilla Kinross – whose name you might know from Xavier and Diamond’s scrape in Orange, Australia posted a very cute video clip of the three falcons of Eve and Milo at the University of Montreal this morning. The eyases have names – Red ring is Vega, Yellow is Mira, and the Black band is Sirius.

Two weeks away from fledging. Here is the link to their streaming cam:

For Kestrel lovers, there are three chicks at the scrape in the Dordogne in France:

Cal Falcons has just posted a very cute video of Lindsay hunting moths at night. My goodness Alden has had such a huge influence in this moth hunting!

Lindsay did this on the 21st and in the video below the top one she returned today – the 27th of June to hunt moths, too.

Thank you so much for joining me this morning. It is much appreciated. Please take care. See you soon!!!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams for the screen captures and/of videos used in this blog: Cal Falcons, Cilla Kinross, Faucons UdeM, ND-LEEF, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, CarnyXWild, PLO, Emu and LizM and Faucons Crecerelles Dordogne.

Late Sunday in Bird World

26 June 2022

There is not a lot of news in Bird World today. The rainy cold weather continues for our osprey families in the UK.

Normally ringing in the UK occurs between 35 and 42 days, not after. Fledge watch for these chicks will begin on day 52.

Blue NC0 desperately wanted to keep her chicks dry and they wished to be under Mum but…alas, the pair are just too big. They are 38 and 36 days old.

Thankfully the weather did let up towards the end of the day.

The wet cold windy weather continues at Loch Arkaig. Dorcha is desperately holding on and trying to brood her big chicks too.

Mrs G looks miserable at the Glaslyn nest.

Interesting that the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn seems to have escaped some of it. They will be ringed this week.

Everyone was preening their wet feathers at the Llyn Clywedog Nest of Dylan and Seren. The chicks are 35 days old. Ready for ringing.

The worst place in Wales had to be at the nest at Llyn Brenig. Mom LM6 is trying to keep them dry and there is dad LJ2 who has arrived with a fish.

It was blue sky for CJ7 and Blue 022 at Poole Harbour. Just look at him – he is three years old and is a first time dad. What a great family these two are to kick off the dynasty that will grow in the area!

Maya is a proud Mama. Just look at her and those three big healthy girls! My goodness. We wondered if they would survive the flapping fish but they did and wow. They are 48 days old. Can you believe it but in four days we will be on fledge watch for these big gals.

The two osplets at the Boathouse on Hog Island are growing! Looks like Dory has been better at the feeding and Skiff is getting the fish on the nest. Cute. They are so tiny. They have a long ways to go to be ready for migration.

Just look at the size of the fish that landed on the Mispillion Harbour Osprey platform! That should fill up those two and keep them from fighting! Thanks to Eagle Eyes ‘H’ it appears that bottle in the plastic bag turned out to be a vodka bottle. ‘H’ has watched the chicks use it for a pillow – she says, ‘Who knew a Vodka Bottle could be a pillow?!’ I am just glad that it is not a mesh bag or wire!

I received a nice letter from ‘C’. If I ever implied that an Osprey should go to battle with an eagle of any kind – I did not mean to. I have wondered what would have happened at the Cowlitz PUD nest if the egg cup had been deeper and if Mum could have pancaked along with the three chicks. But, no – not to fight with it. The talons of Ospreys are for carrying fish – not fighting. Because of this their nests with those lovely chicks become prey. I could not find anyone who had seen an Eagle attack an osprey nest and the adult stayed but I did wonder. As ‘C’ says, ‘Ospreys are peaceful in relation to an eagle or an owl.’ Indeed! Ospreys do not attack other raptor’s nests either. They are very gentle birds except with one another! Thanks, ‘C’!

At the UFlorida-Gainesville Nest, Big and Middle are pretty much matched. Middle gets the fish and in the end Big takes it away. They are both healthy! I caught Big with ‘snake eyes’ this morning.

My last nest is that of Little Bit 17. I went to count goslings and ducklings today and kept my fingers crossed that there would be no bad weather and the nest would be in tact. It is – and there should not be any rain or anything else until Friday. Little Bit was resting in the sun when I got home.

I am sad to announce that there were fewer goslings and ducklings north of where I live. The locals told me that the geese and ducks were there and had their nests and the two Colorado Lows came through and they all abandoned the nests and flew further north. Wow. I don’t blame them.

Thank you for being with me today. Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: ND, LEEF, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Mispillion Harbour Ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, Poole Harbour Ospreys, LRWT, Dyfi Osprey Project, CarnyXWild, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, LOTL and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Explore.org and Audubon.

Sunday Morning in Bird World

26 June 2022

There was a lot of excitement in Bird World with the fledge (forced) of the Red-tail Hawklet at 06:17:44 from the Bald Eagle nest in British Columbia on 25 June. All day long the team at GROWLS, Christian Sasse, and David Hancock waited and watched. Twelve hours later, they were all extremely worried. Flying takes a lot of energy and every fledgling should return to the home nest before the sun sets. That way they can rest and be fed. We have had some worries in the past – Sentry at the Redding nest was gone for 4 days, I believe. Some fledglings never return like Kisatchie at the KNF nest near Alexandria, Louisiana. It isn’t always bad but…Eagles are taught how to hunt by their parents. They get their flying skills down by working on those wings and flying about returning to the nest for food. But 12 hours later, almost to the second, Malala returned to the Bald Eagles nest. It was nothing short of fantastic.

A forced fledge is when a nestling flies from the nest but did not intend to do so. Malala was frightened by the arrival of the adult with the prey and bolted. She/he is home and safe now.

At the ND-LEEF nest we are all holding our breath. Every day that the nest holds together is good for ND-17. He is old enough but it would be far better if his tail grew in a bit more and well 7 to 8 days longer on the nest would be beneficial. But, Little Bit 17 might have a forced fledge if that nest gives way. Then where does he return to rest? On a branch? to be fed? This is a very tricky situation.

Adult feeds Little Bit and then will eat the remaining squirrel pelt much to Little Bit’s surprise.

Little Bit 17 has a nice big crop. This is very good. If something should happen to this nest tomorrow, he had a really good feed that will hold him til everyone figures out how to handle the situation.

If it were my nest, I would be on the phone to Ron Magill at the Miami Zoo and the WRDC nest – and that other nest that fell with the eaglets in it – and find out how to get a large basket nest up there asap. Fill it with nest material and maybe, just maybe the adults would use it to feed Little Bit.

Little Bit on the crumbling nest alone. The rim is really falling off on the right, more and more causing the nest to appear to be tilting. Is it? I don’t know.

Keep this nest in your thoughts and send all the positive energy you can this way. We know the nest is going to completely collapse and the adults will rebuilt but, please just let it wait another week – or until 17 fledges on its own.

Each extra day we get is truly a blessing for Little Bit.

As of Sunday morning the nest is holding. At least one fish, a Blue Gill, has been delivered by Mum. Little Bit got the fish. 15 jumped down but the nest is so narrow that he cannot get passed 17 if he is mantling. This could get really dicey. There is not much room and they could both go tumbling over.

The two long-since-fledged Ospreys at the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest are still having quite the dust ups over fish. Middle initially gets the fish but Big will take it at the rim of the nest. What a pair!

Ferris Akel usually ends his Saturday tour at the Cornell Campus. He will go through Montezuma, Wildlife Drive, and then to Sapsucker Woods (and sometimes other areas) before reaching Ithaca. Tonight he found a lovely Barred Owl and Great Blue Heron before reaching the hawks.

What a beauty. Great Blue Herons fascinate me by the way they quietly walk through the shallow water of wetlands or little streams and rivers and silently catch their fish. Beautiful birds that build their nests in the tops of trees. In the summer, many migrate to Manitoba and last year there was even a visit from a rare to us Green Heron.

I am used to looking at the feet and talons of raptors that I found it fascinating when Ferris focused on those of the Great Blue Heron.

Ferris was able to find both Big Red and Arthur and the three chicks. The fourth, L3 is in care for a fractured shoulder. She is expected to have a full recovery in 6-8 weeks and will be trained in flying and hunting skills before letting her into the wild.

At one time both Big Red and Arthur were on the light stands keeping their hawk eyes on the Ls.

L4 is quite the character. He is watching Arthur and when he sees him move he immediately takes off and flies to the nest. Ferris caught a glimpse of Arthur doing a prey drop but he thought it was on top of the Emerson Building not the nest.

L4 watching.

Positioning himself to take off.

Up and away. According to those on the ground, L4 is quite the little flier. That is always good news.

A strange Black Stork flew past the nest of Karl II and Kaia. The storklets watched it go past and were frightened. I wonder who it was?

The four storklets of Bukacek and Betty at Mlade Buky are growing and growing and growing. The nest also has to deal with intruders. In one instance, Betty and Bukacek are on the nest and the storklets are pancaked.

Everything is fine on the nest. Just look at the size of the eldest compared to Dad! These storklets are very healthy.

Betty and Dad are both on the nest making sure nothing happens to the storklets. When I see this I think of the Cowlitz PUD Osprey nest and wonder if both adults were on the nest protecting the chicks would the outcome have been different?

Eating some fish later.

Louis says “If Idris can do it, so can I!” And with that he landed a monstrous fish on the Loch Arkaig nest for Dorcha and the chicks. Just look at those legs – my goodness these Osprey leg muscles must be strong.

Louis removed the remainder of this fish – the last for the day and brought it in a little after 0400 for breakfast. How do you tell a fresh fish from one stored in the pantry? The fresh fish is flexible and bends; the stored one is stiff.

Today we got a good look at CJ7’s and Blue 022’s chicks. They are large enough that their heads are now higher than the nest!

Windy with some wet on the Loch of the Lowes nest of Laddie and Blue NC0. Chicks hunkered down.

It’s windy in Wales, too. The babies are tucked into the side of Telyn keeping their heads warm. I understand that the two days for ringing that are preferred are Tuesday or Thursday for the Dyfi chicks. The key in the UK is to try and get all of the chicks – every one of them – ringed. What a huge effort this is. Lovely.

It looks like Blue 33 and Maya are trying to see if any of their girls can break into that Mullet! Lessons in self-feeding.

All the rain in Wales makes it really beautiful – like here! Dylan and Seren have had to contend with intruders again today!

Mrs G and the trio are in utter misery with the cold and rain in the Glaslyn Valley today. It has been two days of damp for them – last year this type of weather happened when Aran was injured. The combination of the injury and weather and no food killed the three wee ones. So glad these three are older.

I want to share with you a wonderful story that happened precisely a decade ago when the highest waters and a huge storm hit Wales. It is from the Dyfi nest and the adults at the time were Monty and Nora. It is a tale of a rescue and a chick – of why interventions help and why ringing is important.

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/perfect-storm?fbclid=IwAR04gEdOvzC-8DHSssMzNJd7-Q0EXpyvWa-ivXxTUpw_xCTR3_uh6eYhL6c

Ceulan was such a remarkable bird that I would also like to post the last two blogs about him.

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/ceulan-back-dead

And this one:

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/ceulan-life-remember

Please continue to send positive wishes for Little Bit 17 that the nest will continue to hold. We take it a day at a time. Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, FB pages, and/or blogs where I took my screen captures or shared their stories: Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, CarnyXWild, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Wildlife Trust, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Post Code Lottery, and the Woodland Trust, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, LRWT, Poole Harbour Ospreys, ND-LEEF, Mlade Buky White Storks, and the EMU.

RTH fledgling Malala Returns to the Eagle Nest!

25 June 2022

After worrying that Malala would never be seen again and would perish, the fledgling Red-tail Hawk returns to the Bald Eagle nest on Gabriola Island. They are at the base of the nest on the bottom left after being out 12 hours. The hawklet works hard to get back up to the nest with Mum and its sibling, Eagle. Watch the front centre of that big nest at 18:15. Parent and sibling watching it make its way up. Mum feeds it! 18:16 is the moment it gets uip and takes over the food. How wonderful.

Notice that Christian mentions a forced fledge where the hawklet was frighted off the nest into fledging.

Some good information from Christian Sasse on this video. Enjoy.

Late Saturday in Bird World

25 June

Hi Everyone. Just a quick check on some of our favourite birds for this late lazy Saturday in June.

Wow. Lindsay is one gorgeous peregrine falcon! Have a read:

https://www.berkeleyside.org/2022/06/22/uc-berkeley-falcons-fly?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_Berkeleyside&fbclid=IwAR135T5s_P5RpSCzOtAtDjst7vZ1bTgP6JaM9yD7kPMhOYEoOZN8deWtINw

There are some beautiful birds coming out of San Francisco and Rosie and Richmond have two of them. Brooks and Molate.

Oh, stunning. They remind me of Idris and Telyn’s chicks of 2021 – Dysynni and Ystwyth.

I once asked Tiger Mozone about the qualities of a good Osprey. He asked me if I knew about racing horses. Of course! So the answer to the question is that it isn’t ‘looks’ – it is performance. How many of their osprey chicks survive? fledge? return? breed? That is the measure of a good Osprey parent. So see if you can find a history of your favourite Osprey and look at their ‘track record’.

Here is the one for the Dyfi Osprey nest in Wales.

One of the reasons that Monty is such a ‘Kingpin’ in the Welsh Osprey history – if you look at the family tree above – is that he had three different mates and in 8 years he fathered 8 returnees. Many of those have made Monty a grandfather. My favourite is Tegid Z1. You won’t see him on a streaming cam – on private land in Wales but his brother Z2 Aeron causes all that mischief with Mrs G. Z2 is at the Pont Cresor and this is his second year to raised chicks. As a female, Telyn who is now mated with Idris after Monty died has had 4 of her chicks return. You can only find out this kind of information if you ring the ospreys! They will be at the Dyfi Nest this week! We will find out the gender and names at the same time. Fantastic.

You can increase the size of the graph by going under View on your computer and zooming ‘in’.

I have to look up Blue 33 and Maya. They have done better than Monty, I think. There are gaps in the information. For example, there are no returnees listed for 2021 on the family tree. Perhaps there were none.

Malala fledged this morning, the little Red-tail Hawk brought in for dinner and raised by Bald Eagles on Gabriola Island, British Columbia. The time was 06:17:30. She flew by at 06:17:44. The video is quick. I hope they raised enough funds for a much better camera!!!!!

The adult arrives on the nest with breakfast and Malala takes that opportunity to fly off the nest. Perfect! Congratulations everyone!

My focus today has been on the ND-LEEF nest. It deteriorates by the minute – little pieces fall off here and there. It was therefore quite shocking to see an adult land with a squirrel and then have 15 fly in and Little Bit there trying to eat. Little Bit began to slide. Oh, I hope this nest survives a few more days.

Little Bit is eating it. The parent did not stay on the nest very long.

Hang on Little Bit 17!!!!!!!!!

Here is a video from today on that nest when breakfast arrives.

It is a warm steamy night on the Canadian Prairies. More rain. It is absolutely impossible to keep up with any weeding. The vines that grow and shelter the birds in the heat have doubled in size this month. It is crazy.

I do have some news to share with you. It appears that Little Red is father to a couple of new little ones. We have located his ‘new digs’ and have been entertained by the two babies. So cute. My goodness can they balance. I have not seen them anywhere but the tree nest and the wires.

It is hard to understand their size but they are very, very tiny. These images are blown up quite a bit. They chase one another back and forth on the wires! Their colouring is so beautiful. Little Red’s bright red colouring has faded a bit over the years. We sure hope they stay safe up there.

Thank you so much for joining me for this quick peek at a couple of the nests. I know that some of you watch Lady and Dad at the WBSE nest. It takes 42 days for the eggs to hatch (normally) and they were laid on June 8 and 12. So egg 1 is now 17 days and egg 2 is 13 days. There is a ways to go yet.

Take care everyone. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or websites where I took my screen captures: Dyfi Osprey Project, the ND-LEEF, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, GROWLS, and Cal Falcons.