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!
Yes, did you notice? Two Mondays in Bird World. Alas, it has been a tiring week!
Don is home from the hospital, missing his brand new SuperPuff long coat, glasses, and runners. What does one say and do? You file a form and hope that they turn up! In the meantime, you carry on and try to find replacements! Don was safe, but no tests were conducted in eleven days, just assumptions made. Please don’t hesitate to ask me if I am happy. I am decidedly not. I need an ultrasound to determine if this is a prostate issue or something else. If it is a prostate problem, then what is it? Thankfully, they won’t be sending me a bill!!!!!!! And I won’t have to mortgage my house to pay for his care.
Toby was relieved that Don was home.
I will be calmer when the issue at hand is resolved as you can imagine.
Beau Meets Super Bobblehead NE33 and Feeds Super Snacker NE32 (2026 Jan 1) Gabby made Beau wait a while before letting him meet NE33, but when she finally did, it was a sight to behold. Beau was immediately smitten with his third offspring (his first being Bodie in 2025) and settled in to brood both NE32 and NE33. A short while later, NE32 let Beau know it was snack time and dad was happy to oblige. While NE33 was still tuckered out from hatching, the smell of fish did cause the little one to stir. The stirring too the form of much wobbling and falling from side-to-side ~ seeing as that big head isn’t quite yet cooperating. We’re sure they’ll both be super snackers by tomorrow. Video: https://youtu.be/DZBMVvi5tp8 NE32 HATCHES!12-Hour Lead-Up ~ Congrats Gabby & Beau! (2025 Dec 31) NE32 arrived after working to escape its shell for about 36 hours. We summarized the 12 hours that led up to NE32’s arrival. Congratulations to Gabby and Beau, and welcome to the world NE32! Video: https://youtu.be/i4lIg-u3yIc
TWO HARBORS EAGLES: Nest of Cholyn & Chase Cholyn & Chase at 27-years ~ Morning Check-in, Brunch on Nest (2025 Dec 30) At 27 ~ almost 28 ~ years old, Cholyn and Chase are still the lovebirds they were when they first paired up 22 years ago. They checked on their nest this morning, which is already in good shape for eggs, should they grace us with them next year. Later, Cholyn returned with a nice fish, which she took her time to enjoy. Every moment with this special pair is a precious gift. Video: https://youtu.be/GOApBZhGIb8 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
There is sad news coming out of FOLFAN. The ten-year-old nest tree collapsed during a storm. Oh, if only there were the resources to help support these old nests!
Incubation continues at the new Window to Wildlife Winter Park, Florida Bald Eagle nest and cam. The female is blind in one eye. Link in post.
The two surviving eaglets at Superbeaks are doing very well indeed and now have their fluffy white down Mohawks.
Gabby and Beau continue to do a magnificent job at NE Florida.
I wanted to get those videos of SK Hideaways off to you before the end of Monday. Please take care. My posts will be short – I have to be caregiver and nurse and we are still monitoring Toby for any issues. Send us good energy as we move forward.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, those who post on FB, particularly Bald Eagles 101, and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to participate virtually in the lives of our beloved eagles.
As one of you recently told me, it has been one heck of a week. Ten days, actually. It seems like forever. Thank you for all your letters of support, the virtual tea and scones, and just being there.
Little Toby is really on the mend. He got to go out for a nice walk today to do his ‘business’ and then get a treat! Here is he is in his little red jumpsuit! On Monday, Toby is going to grace the 5th floor Ward North of the Victoria Hospital. I hope he brings a lot of joy to everyone including his ‘Daddy’.
Toby is just so much better. The hospital is ‘working’ on Donald.
This morning, someone posted an image of a tuxedo cat being hit by a car just a block away. Was it Brock? Toby and I looked and called on our walk. Then, Brock showed up at the feeder. He has a slight limp in his front left leg, but being so very independent and strong, he would not allow me to hold him or get him help. So send him good wishes.
I constantly worry about our eagle families, especially when a bird or waterfowl is brought to the nest as prey for the babies. ‘AR’ sent some news about Avian Flu: “I found some new research on bird flu and I am sending the link :
Here in Florida, we are still losing birds. In Lakeland Florida, the resident swans are dying, we have lost 12 so far 🙁 Lakeland is closer to NEFL than it is to SWFL, so I have been checking in daily that the babies are alright. “
There is good news out of the Redding nest of Liberty and Guardian. Oh, don’t we love good news?!
Arthur was spotted Saturday on Ferris Akel’s tour and today Suzanne Arnold Horning got a photo of Big Red – so all is well at the Cornell Campus.
Oh, I am so tired. Ann and I decided that visiting at the hospital makes you more tired than running a marathon. I hope all of you are well and that 2026 will straighten itself out if it is wrecking havoc with you as well.
My reports will continue to be short for awhile til things settle down. Please take care. See you tomorrow.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our favourite raptor families, to SK Hideaways for their videos, to ‘AR’ for sending me the article on Avian Flu and reporting on what is happening near the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau, to Suzanne Arnold Horning and Woody for chasing down our favourite Red-tail Hawks.
Thank you again for your wonderful letters and voice notes of support. It has, indeed, been – as the nurse at the VGH said to me today – a really ‘bad’ week for me. Yes, it has, but I am not going to dwell on that. It has been a devastating week for many others. A person whom I care about tremendously held her husband’s hand this morning as he died. She has had a challenging week and she is strong. My body aches for her.
Keeping that in mind, I am fortunate! Yes, I am tired, but right now Toby is playing with his favourite Little Lamb Chop toy next to me, and he is not bleeding anywhere! He is eating and taking his pills, and I am hopeful that he will make a full recovery. Don is safe in the hospital. He had a bit of a backward moment today, and they are working diligently to find out what is causing his urinary problems. But, once again, I am lucky. The high taxes I paid during my working life mean that I will never see a medical bill. Don has a nurse right outside his private room door. He actually likes the food, and he has a team of specialists working to solve his health problems. Will he come home? Well, I do not know the answer to that question. The environment must be safe for the animals and me. It also has to be a place where he receives the care he needs. Only time will answer those questions, but no matter how many spanners got thrown at us this week, we weathered them as best we could, and we are fine.
This morning, I woke up to the most beautiful, fluffy white snow that had fallen overnight. Everything was so clean, and the birds were so happy. I wish I had taken some photographs, but alas, I didn’t think about it until Anthony came to shovel, and then that lovely landscape was altered, and it wasn’t such a good picture!
There is an article in The Guardian today that I want to share with you but first, if you missed it, I really want to alert you to two problems – health ones.
Water: You really need to drink water every day. If you don’t like the taste put in a slice of lemon, lime, or orange or even cucumber as my friend Lily Liu always did. Keep a bottle with you. I was told that 3 litres (or think 3-4 quarts) is good. My mother had this ‘odd’ notion. She was prescribed diuretics to pull the water off her body. (Her mother and her both died of congestive heart failure). She believed she shouldn’t drink water since she was taking pills to take the water off! It is, of course, the opposite. You must drink lots of water to flush those toxins out! If you don’t, you can appear to have Alzheimer’s or dementia when you are dehydrated.
Toileting: If you or I know someone who has the least problem with urinating, get them to the doctor and make that doctor listen. As we know from Don’s sudden and bizarre change of behaviour, he has some blockage and that caused toxins to build up in the system, which made him behave and act like he was delirious.
While we are not things about birds, I always want to pass along anything I can that will help you and your families.
Do you have a friend or family member who makes lists? Who values themself only if they accomplish what is on that list? An individual who has trouble relaxing? Many people make resolutions for the new year on how they will better their lives. I found this article today in The Guardian and I hope that it might have a few threads of truth that will help each of us in the new year.
In Eagle World, a serious issue is brewing. Where is Akecheta?
For those who do not know, our beloved bald eagle, Akecheta (A-61), is from the Catalina Island West End nest in California. His name means ‘Warrior’, and he hatched in 2016. Akecheta is known for his dramatic return after injuries and for forming a bond with the female eagle Haku in 2025, becoming a local celebrity among eagle enthusiasts. His previous mate was Thunder. He’s part of the island’s eagle repopulation effort, often seen with his distinctive blue wing tag, and has captivated viewers with his territorial battles and interactions with mates and rivals.
Akecheta has not been seen at the West End nest since 30 December. That is now an entire four days. I am not worried because we did see Akecheta on the mainland after his last disappearance. However, there is a young male eagle at Tor and it is not clear if it is Haku with him or not.
Katrina Salyards posted this on the Channel Islands Eagle Lovers (CIEL) FaceBook group:
“West End: Eagles Present: A fiesty juvie, VE1 (full white headed eagle with a white feather making a wing tip), and a new visitor seen the other day – VE2 (could be Haku….could be a second visiting eagle).
Eagles not seen today: Haku (thought to be seen 1/1) and Akecheta (last seen 12/30)
Bonding of our eagles: Awkward: 12/17, Haku was nippy: 12/18
Camera Visits on 1/2:
VE2 soaring up the tors: 6:39 am
VE2 soaring: 6:40 am
VE2 rouse: 6:50 am
VE2 FA TOR: 6:40 – 8:53 am
VE1 FA TOR: 6:40 – 6:42 am
VE2 RouseL 6:50 am
Juvie soaring around TOR: 7:08 am
Juvie Historical Nest: 8:17 –
VE2 flaps as they turn around: 8:31 am
VE1 joins VE1: 8:42 – 8:53 am
VE2 chortles at the sight of the VE2: 8:42 (visual only. No mic on FA TOR)
VE1 moves to join VE2: 8:43 – 8:53 am
Excited eagle vocals: 8:53 am
VE1 Soaring: 8:54 am
Eagle soaring: 8:58 am
Juvie FA TOR: 9:16 – 9:20 am
VE2 Eagle FA TOR: 9:20 – 9:21 am
Contact on far tor: 9:20 am
Juvie leaves FA TOR: 9:21 am
VE2 chases Juvie: 9:22 – 9:23 am
Juvie FA TOR: 9:23 am
Contact again: 9:28 am (with VE1 seen white mark on left wing)
They tumble over the back of the tors: 9:28 am
Eagle vocals off cam: 9:37 am
Two Eagles soaring: 10:03 – 10:04 am
Eagle flies off from Antenna Rock (Wray’s rock)” 9:58 – 10:13 am (unsure who this is as two eagles were soaring)
VE1 Camera Rock(wing white spot showing): 11:03 am
VE1 Soars: 11:05 – 11:06 am
VE1 FA TOR: 11:06 – 11:15 am
Second eagle flies up FA TOR B Hillside: 11:15 am
VE2 follows the second eagle: 11:15 am
VE1 with another eagle soaring: 11:15 – 11:17 am
Eagle Hillside of FA TOR: 13:44 pm
Eagle soaring: 13:44 – 13:45 pm
Sea Lions:14:39 +
Juvie Antenna Rock: 14:47 – 14:59 pm
Beautiful soaring: 15:17 pm
Disclaimer: Right now I’m in nest telling mode. As much as I have fallen in love with the eagles at this nest of the past year, we might be looking at a new couple this season. So I’m telling the story of who is currently here. Even if it’s not our beloved Haku and Akecheta, I will continue to tell the story of West End until I cannot anymore.
Ok new facts:
Fact #1: the nest cam will no longer be used as anything but a nest cam. Dr. Sharpe has asked specifically that it never move. It is too noisy and will scare away any eagle on the nest so it will no longer be able to be used as anything other than a nest cam. So we will have to depend on the other cameras handling the area. I asked and was told with the wind, they keep zoomed out so that people do not complain of being sick to their stomach watching. Tim is right, they do do this. I’ve seen it. This camera also has the wiper unfortunately so we won’t have a wiper anymore to be used for now unless Dr. Sharpe purchases another camera with a wiper.
Fact #2: Well bad news is, Haku was not confirmed today and Akecheta were not seen today. I’m unsure what to make of that I just usually roll with who is here hoping it all works out for the nest. Eagle cams are apparently (unlike what I thought when I showed up here just as Akecheta as battling last year) are full of anything goes.
Fact #3: It’s tough when the camera isn’t zoomed to see who is out there so I’m doing the best I can.
Fact #4: There was a juvie in the area who VE1 does not tolerate.
Fact #5: No one is interested in the nest or nighttime area…so not sure what that means.
Fact #6: I’m not sure and who to add to things so I’m just letting things roll until we get a solid bonded pair and for now I’m going with Akecheta and Haku as the current eagles until we see otherwise IE two bonded eagles other than them, building in the nest. Until then I’m going with these are all visitors and passing by. I’m not really sure how else to handle this. I had no idea this even happens at nests lol.
None of our eagles were seen today or confirmed. Instead the current stars are a VE1 with the white feather tipped left wing and a new visiting eagle which appears to be male…I’ll go with VE2 for now. No idea. The chat isn’t nicknaming as they are burned out from the questioning and the visitors and the changes. So I’ll just go with VE1 and VE2 as if I touch the nickname MV which is tempting. I’ll run into the questions about TNG being back.
Nighttime Perch = lower perch below the nest, TOR = top of the rock. There are Three: Antenna Rock, Middle Rock and Far away Rock. Antenna Rock AKA Antenna TOR AKA Turtle Rock: is the closest. It has the antenna and sound from the overlook cam on. It is shown on Overlook cam. Near it is Wray’s Rock (Rock below the TOR towards the back) and Eagle Rock(rock below the Antenna Rock TOR). Middle Rock AKA MID TOR: is above the nest. It has a small shelf AKA MID TOR Shelf, on the side where the hawk and eagles sit. It is shown on the WELC and WEC cams Far away rock AKA FA TOR: is the furthest away rock top. Popular spot for eagles and ravens. WELC means the west end low cam. This is now the nest cam. WEW was WEC and stands for West End Wide view, Attic Perch – perch between the nest and nighttime perch, Historical Nest = HN, BMID = back middle (there’s a hillside since Akecheta has returned that Haku and Akecheta use that is on the middle TOR just out of sight), BFA = back far away (there’s a hillside since Akecheta has returned that the duo has been using behind the far away TOR just out of sight), Camera Rock AKA CAM Rock: is the rocks the Overlook cam sits on.
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Daily Log:
Before the IR Light went up, an eagle was soaring up the rocks. This eagle matches Haku’s visual and is the same one we saw yesterday that we were confident it was her. We really need a nest/nighttime visit or a camera rock visit. What I will say is this eagle has the same neckline. We couldn’t see the tail today or anything on the head. That far away rock is horrible for iding…I miss tags and bands. As much as I hate to do this, I’m going to call it for now VE2. If we get a confirmation again, I will change it to Haku’s name. (Now I’m pretty confident it’s Haku but I’m basing it on scientists including Dr. Sharpe who claims bonded eagles do not arrive on a nest and take it over. Instead eagles singly travel to nests and remove the existing eagle and take over the female or male there. But…these two eagles seem really into each other so the whole thing just seems off that it could happen that quickly. So I just don’t know…One thing for sure when they are together on the rock, one is bigger than the other but a good bit and it’s noticable).
So VE2 comes up the rock and soars around off cam. When they return, they bring back a second eagle with them and they soar happily through the air before landing on the far away rock together really close almost on top of each other. Together they stand close and VE1 soars off but VE2 (this is another reason I think it’s Haku as she loves her rocks). VE2 roused and got a close up. They showed their lack of a white feather when they turned around in a circle to face the other way. The head looked with no markings but when we could see it outside the light from the front, there were slight markings of a mask. VE1 returned and we could see the happy chortles even if we couldn’t hear it. VE2 moved closer to VE1 and after a bit, they flew off to take to the skies. They soared down the rock and we could hear excited chortles a minute later.
Just a few minutes later, we saw an eagle soaring through the air then it was quiet.
Next we see a juvie fly towards the far away rock and land there on the side on a rock. (same rock as yesterday that the VE1 used and that the juvie used. I guess eagles like rocks). VE1 soared in and made contact with the juvie who then flew off. The juvie soared around the top of the rocks and VE1 flew off to chase the juvie around off cam. Then the Juvie returned to the rock. Again VE1 flies in and makes contact showing off her white feather then landed. The juvie didn’t leave this time so another contact was made and with this it looked like a miss on the talon lock then a talon lock as they tumbled. The juvie was seen flying off to the right after a minute or so.
As VE1 fly off, we could hear chortles off cam unseen.
All was quiet for an hour then two eagles appeared and soared through the air beautifully for two minutes.
The weird thing is, an eagle not the ones soaring, flew off Wray’s rock and flew around twice. It was weird to see a third eagle. It was too far away to see anything on it.
Then it’s quiet for another hour as fog rolls in and out. Next we see VE1 land on the camera rock showing off her white feather. It doesn’t stay long and flies off within a few seconds and soars over to the far way rock. A second eagle (unsure who) flies up to join the first eagle and VE! Flies off following the other eagle.
Then we see both eagles soaring in the air happily for quite a while then it’s quiet for hours. Fog and rain roll in…
Two hours later and a bit ore, we see an eagle fly up the hillside of the far away rock then land for just a second before soaring off screen.
We got to see some lions then we saw an eagle on the antenna rock. It was not recognizable. Then we saw some beautiful soaring before the night ends.
Night Haku and Akecheta wherever you are. Stay safe…it’s crazy out there. Night current visiting eagle;/s. Feel free to go visit elsewhere just don’t dive bomb anyone. Sweet dreams! We miss you on the nighttime perch! Akecheta try to make an appearance on that nest please.
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West End Weather 59F H-64F Humidity 84% Wind 8+mph E H-King tide 07:29 L-tide 14:58 Seas S 2-3’@ 5seconds Sea temp 62F Sunset 16:57 happy/safe Friday
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CURRENT EAGLES:
Haku: Haku is the female who appeared in West End territory 2 days after Thunder left (minutes after Thunder and Makaio’s last egg was consumed by a raven on 3/2/2025). She made herself right at home on the nest refusing to leave. Makaio seemed to know her and greeted her loudly as she flew into the area. Dr. Sharpe thinks she is 4 years old so plenty old to be a laying eagle. She got her name from a donator (SweetEagleDreams) who adopted their nest. Her name is Haku. Haku Haku means ‘welcoming hello to you’ in Chumash. The donor said, “when she suddenly appeared she looked at Makaio and said hello and we are welcoming her into our family.” It fits her perfectly! She is now mated to Akecheta as of 12/172025.
Akecheta: Akecheta AKA A-61 was banded back on April 29, 2016 and also tagged with blue tags labeled A-61. He was laid on Los Pinos Nest in 2016. His parents were A-45 and A-51. After travelling, he arrived in 2019 replacing Superman who had been Thunder’s previous mate. His first greeting from Thunder was to be chased off her nest. Then in 2020, Thunder and Akecheta mated and had their first eggs which were taken by ravens. He was displaced by intruders on January 19, 2025 when the camera went down. When the camera returned, he had been replaced by Makaio. He was seen in May at Lake Casitas. He has now returned to West End and is attempting to reclaim his territory displacing the current eagles. He has bands on each talon and has bright blue tags on each wing that are labeled A-61. He was named during the adopt-a-nest challenge and his name was chosen because in Sioux language it means “fighter” which seems to fit his personality beautifully. He left the first time on 1/19 and returned 9/22 night only to disappear again 9/25 in the morning. Then he was seen on the morning of 10/3 soaring with Haku! Akecheta was returned and has taken over the West End area. Welcome back Akecheta.
Eagles Status Unknown: Makaio last seen 6/3, Thunder last seen 2/28, and Bob last seen 10/9
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Basic Nest History:
The historical nest (pile of sticks on the top of the rock where the nest is below) was the original nest here at the West End area. It was used by Wray and Shenandoah who were together between 1991 and 2005. Diana mixed in with them for two years to make it a three eagle nest. Then between 2006 to 2013, Wray was with Superman until Thunder arrived. Thunder and Superman were together between 2014 and 2019.
In 2020, Akecheta replaced Superman. Thunder and Akecheta had 4 eggs (2 clutches), all taken by ravens. In 2021, Thunder and Akecheta had 3 eggs. All were taken by ravens. In 2022, Akecheta and Thunder had three eggs. All hatched. One banded D-23 AKA Sky, D-24 AKA Ahote, and D-25 AKA Kana’kini. In 2023, Thunder and Akecheta had two eggs. All hatched. One banded D-39 Starlight and E-40 AKA Scout. In 2024, Thunder and Akecheta had three eggs. They were not banded but were named Koa, Treasure and Sterling. In January 2025, Akecheta and Thunder were in the middle of nestorations when Akecheta was involved with an allocation with an intruder. He was injured and left the area while the cameras were down. No eggs resulted. In February 2025, Thunder and Makaio had two eggs but both were taken by Ravens. Haku and Makaio mated but no eggs were laid.”
Gracie Shepherd posted this image of the new pair, neither tagged, today:
Highlights are running on the IWS web page. I will be watching for more news and will pass it along as I hear.
The good news is that NE32 and NE33 are doing very well. Gabby is a seasoned pro when it comes to mothering.
I am tired and I am taking Sunday off. I will be back with SK Hideaway’s videos on Monday and any new news on Akecheta or the eaglets in the nests.
Please take care of yourself. See you soon!
Thank you to The Guardian for their news and to the owners of the streaming cams that let us view the lives of our beautiful raptors. Thank you to ‘J’ who alerted me to Akecheta MIA and to the IWS, and those who posted information on FB about Akecheta, so that many who do not know his history can learn about his beautiful eagle. Please send Akecheta your best wishes.
It is a full moon night on the Canadian prairies with a temperature of -16 C. Tobby and Hugo Yugo are curled up beside me on the sofa along with a couple of ‘Little Lambs’, Toby’s favourite toy. Ann spent the morning with Toby while I went to the hospital to see how Don was doing.
I felt really ‘proud’ and happy when the nurse sat me down, hugged me, and told me how well I was taking care of Don. You don’t think it – or I didn’t – his clothes are always clean, and so he is. I feed him, for the most part, whole foods, giving in to a love of cookies that his mother created by her excellent (and constant) baking when he was younger. His bloodwork is good, and he is very healthy given his condition. I know that many have expressed concern about his discharge back into the home, but the root cause was not his dementia, but rather a serious problem with his bladder that the doctors have now repaired. He was very alert today, and after I had been there for about an hour, his oldest friend, Andrew, arrived, and you could hear them laughing several metres away. I slipped out quietly, knowing that his other friend from high school would be arriving shortly. Ann stayed home, monitoring Toby to make sure he didn’t start haemorrhaging again. Toby is getting stronger and more like himself. It was so nice having him snore in my ear last night – I will NEVER complain again about that! Sometimes he is so loud he could shake the roof off the rafters.
Thank you for all of your notes. I want to publicly pass on a big shout-out to Heidi and her video that was included on Day 11 – many of you have downloaded that blog so that you can watch her handiwork repeatedly. She is exceptionally talented, and I am so glad that our paths crossed in this lifetime.
The nurses have asked me to rest up for a few days, so my posts over the next 2-4 days will be shorter and less comprehensive. As most of you can tell, I have a real soft spot for Gabby and now for Beau after adoring Samson for so many years. Those two little scrappers in NE Florida are adorable. And like all of the other eaglets in the nests, they are adored by their parents. My goodness, I wish we could sprinkle this type of eagle love all over the planet.
Girri is one of those great events from 2025. Having sobbed our eyes out with the loss of Xavier, we thought Diamond would not have any chicks. Then along came Gimbir, and well, everyone thought he was too young and inexperienced to be a Dad. Well, were we wrong? Diamond and Gimbir gave us one heck of a strong female falcon, and here she is flying above the trees near the tower! https://youtu.be/ECUH1DwWGao? It just doesn’t get much better than this at the Charles Sturt University Falcon Cam project.
It’s not a raptor… but this is a story everyone should know about. China has footage of a Wild Siberian Tigress with five cubs in Hunchun. Northwest Tiger and Leopard Park. This is thrilling news! They normally have 2-3 cubs so five is rare and is a great conservation success. Here is the link to the video: https://youtu.be/JaSsbkfC5N4?
The BBC reports, “Five Siberian tiger cubs have one very proud mum – she’s the first ever tiger known to have given birth to quintuplets in the wild in China.
The family have been spotted in Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, which is one of China’s first five national parks and covers over 14,000 square kilometres – that’s around the same size as Northern Ireland!
It’s very rare for Siberian tigers to give birth to five healthy cubs, so it’s a big success story for the park, who say it’s likely that mum had the cubs back in June.” (27 December 2025)
It is all good for Beau and Gabby at NE Florida.
The AEF captured Gabby feeding Beau who then fed the eaglets with the food. How cute was that?
E26 is a massive eaglet. Want to bet we have a strong female here for M15 and F23 this year? Thermal down. Pin feathers. And quite enough food and more than enough love from Mum and Dad.
What a little cutie – the other only – at Captiva for Connie and Clive.
R9 and R10 are just adorable. Ron and Rose are doing a fantastic job at Dade County. Life is looking good!
One of my favourite all-time books about a human being changed by an encounter with wildlife was Raising Hare. Here is an incredible story about a Japanese island inhabited by Hares! Can I put it on my bucket list?
Time for Toby’s last medication. Oh, my dear darling little man. The sheer idea that I could have lost you is beyond my comprehension.
This week, I learned two significant things I would like to share with you, in the hope that one or both might help you in the future. If you know of anyone whose behaviour radically changes, from calm to agitated, please get them to the doctor to check for an infection. If you know or suspect they cannot pass urine, do not be shy about stating this. It is critical. Secondly, if you see any blood, watery or otherwise, in your pet’s vomit or diarrhoea, rush them to the vet. Do not sit around and twiddle your thumbs, I mean, rush. Toby’s life was saved because of quick action on my part and that of Dr Maryam.
Thank you so much for being with us today.
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that let us glimpse the breeding seasons of our wonderful raptors. Without them we would never see the joyful moments shared by these parents and their chicks! I would also like to thank The Guardian for their constant reporting on issues about wildlife. Thank you Holly Parsons or that great capture, to Cilla Kinross for her post and to the China Daily for its story on the Siberian Tiger.
I have been asked to share this urgent request immediately because of the timely nature of the legislative bill: I apologize for the size – maybe you can go to the Wild Heart Ranch FB for the details if you cannot blow this up.
What a great community of people we have in Bird World. When I look at the map of people who read my blog and treasure our birds, there are very few places on the planet where there isn’t someone who is not a member of our family. It warms my heart.
There was a deep underlying purpose in asking you to contribute the joyful moments you remember from Bird World in 2025. Too often, we focus on the negative, even if that terrible event was only one of a dozen wonderful, glorious ones in a day. It is time for us to shift the way that we think – and believe me, I need to do this as much as anyone. Life has thrown a lot of extraordinarily difficult challenges at me this year – and I know that it has done the same to so very, very many of you. Sometimes I want to slide under the duvet and stay there for several days, hoping that whatever it is will go away. It doesn’t happen, of course. It is like some big furry monster just waiting for you to stick your head out. So now is the time to deal with it and bring the sunshine back into our lives.
I am going to start with a few instances to get the ball rolling, so to speak. Akecheta. The day when I saw Akecheta’s bloody head on Tor and Thunder sitting next to that other male, I was devastated. Maybe it was just the icing on top of the cake, the cherry on top of the sundae to different events that day, but it hit me so very, very hard. Then, when Akecheta was photographed on the Californian Mainland, I wept with joy. He was alive! But the real triumph was when Akecheta returned, healed and confident, to take his rightful place at the West End, sitting proudly with Haku looking out at the sea. The second instance that made me so very happy was seeing CJ7 and Blue 022 raise another clutch of four osplets at Poole Harbour. To raise two can be hard – three is difficult – but it takes extraordinary parenting to fledge four (and a source of good quality fish). https://youtu.be/mzG-D8kmI-s?
It has been a long time since we have witnessed the sea eaglets at the WBSE nest in the Olympic Forest survive. Most of the time, we cheer their growth, admiring their intelligence and beauty, only to worry that the Currawongs will drive them out of the territory or find them near the Discovery Centre, in need of care. This year, the Currawongs were outwitted! Yes, we lost the male 36, but there is no reason to believe that anything untoward happened to 35. She was a strong flyer. But seeing them fly in and out, getting food without falling into the Currawongs’ harm’s way, gives me hope for future clutches as well. Oh, there are so many. Iris returning to her nest.
Diamond mating with a very young male and producing a strong female who appears to be doing splendidly.
“There is something to appreciate in every moment of every day. Strive to
find it as often as you can. Living with gratitude will change your life.” (Goodreads)
There are so many quotes. Find one that suits you and print it and look at it each morning when you open the fridge.
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” — Oprah Winfrey
There were a lot of wonderful memories in Bird World for 2025. Thank you for sharing some of your magical moments with the rest of us!
‘BF’: “Perhaps not the same as a highlight — in fact, this had the potential to be a “lowlight” — but an unusual situation that captured my attention was when an uninvited (and not related) juvenile bald eagle showed up on Gabby and Beau’s NE Florida nest looking for food. It was rocky at first, but after a few days — and a few tussles — “Juvie” almost seemed to be an accepted member of the nest family (perhaps grudgingly?), along with Gabby and Beau’s own not-yet-fledged juvenile, Bodie. All seemed to get along, it was surprisingly peaceful, and perhaps it was even a positive for Bodie to have the slightly older juvenile nest mate. Eventually Juvie moved on and Bodie fledged and dispersed and both are successfully off on their own.
‘PB’: Most memorable nest for me is Dunrovin and all that drama! Losing Mo due to a throat problem and then found by the river passed. Relieved Eenie fledged. That nest was so stressful when we almost lost the little ones falling off the side of the nest. I hope Dunrovin will fix the nest for next season so we don’t have to go through all that again.
“B’: “There are so many highlights for 2025 — for sure, every single hatch and fledge is a highlight to be remembered. But I was especially pleased to see the successful hatch and fledge of eaglet Betty Lou for Audacity and Jak at the Sauces Canyon nest on Santa Cruz Island, since for Audacity and Jak it had been three seasons and four long years — with many broken eggs — since their most recent previous eaglet, Dina in 2021.
Similarly, celebrity eagles Jackie and Shadow had spent many, many days the past two seasons at Big Bear Valley — through snow and winter storms — incubating eggs that turned out to be nonviable; it was wonderful to see the 2025 hatch of lively eaglets Sunny and Gizmo at Big Bear, the first for Jackie and Shadow since Spirit in 2022.
The return of Akecheta to West End has been a surprise highlight. We last saw Akecheta early in the year, lying on the ground, injured in an apparent territorial fight. Then the cameras went out, and when they returned Akecheta was nowhere to be seen, and we were concerned for his survival. It has been a real blessing that Akecheta has returned now to West End; we hope for mating and new eaglets in 2026. As great as Akecheta’s return has been, the real highlight for me was the day in May when we heard the report that Akecheta and his distinctive blue wing tags had been spotted at Lake Casitas, many miles away on the mainland near Ojai, for that was when we learned that Akecheta had survived and was off in the world being an eagle.
oh, and how could I forget another whole class of highlights: the watching and waiting for the return of the migrating birds and the highlight it is when you see Iris or Louis and Dorcha arrive. Or seeing Beau arriving weeks early and waiting for Gabby. These sorts of things are simple and repeatable, but they are something to celebrate each time.
‘R’: “My favorite ‘Bird’ story this year was following Iris. 🪺 And Jackie and Shadow’s success ❤️
My favorite non-bird item was definitely Heidi’s Christmas video to you ❤️💕and the pictures of Don and you! I saved “Day 11 Welcome to Winter”, so I could look at the pictures again.Ever since I’ve known you, before WordPress, I heard of Don, knew he was ill, and not as bad, back before COVID, but I never had a face to go with the name.”
‘N’: “I have many favs but this recent one comes to mind…caught this recently at Dade (speaking of our Florida nests). Made me giggle, which I can use often!
Sibling pooping on sibling!
SP’: Oh, Mary Ann, with so much human tragedy in 2025, I was so invigorated to go back through the events of 2025 in Bird World only to discover an avalanche of happy, heartwarming, beautiful events throughout the year. Here are way too many (in alpha order)!
367 Collins Street Falcons: F23, M23, and 4 chicks F23 and M23 had their talons full with 4 rambunctious chicks, but they raised and fledged them beautifully. Dad Tries to Feed 5- and 2-Day Old Chicks Whole Prey (2025 Oct 5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02vbdny7Bo0 Pre-Fledge Chicks Perform Acrobatics ~ Teetering on Ledge (2025 Nov 10) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_GfSbdrs68
AEF-NEFL Eagles: Gabby, Beau, NE31, and Juvie The arrival of Bodie (NE31) and Beau’s first foray into fatherhood were so special, as was the development of Gabby and Beau’s relationship. The “adoption” of Juvie by Gabby and Beau, and the ultimate bonding between Bodie and Juvie were simply beautiful. Beau Tries to Feed NE31 for the First Time (2025 Jan 21) https://youtu.be/G4zea3983tw?si=RA0InJ2bNJkm5wYo Bodie Branches Out ~ Juvie Shares Flying Tips (2025 Apr 5) https://youtu.be/cYTuJVPT8K4?si=tNR4bQZCq6EQRa7o
FalconCam Project: Diamond, Gimbir, and Girri (RIP dear Xavier) Girri lifted our spirits as we mourned for Xavier. Gimbir stepped up to take on parental duties as he learned from pro mum Diamond. Gimbir Brings 3 Starlings in 9 Minutes ~ Chick Gets First Meal (2025 Nov 6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mynzf-kkOQQ GIRRI FLEDGES at 43 Days Old ( 2025 Dec 18) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96yPLdvaixU
FOBBV Eagles: Jackie, Shadow, Sunny, and Gizmo (RIP Misty) Jackie and Shadow mourned the loss of one chick as they raised Sunny and Gizmo to be strong, independent fledglings. It was such a gift after two years of failed clutches. SC Stands Tall on New Clown Feet ~ BC Delivers Single Bonk (2025 Mar 23) https://youtu.be/sWFD087ffRg?si=ATZrG4B9dD3xnpqm Golden Hour Moments with Sunny & Gizmo ~ Special Times to Remember Always (2025 May 15) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WraMnX8mFy0
San Jose City Hall Falcons: Hartley, Monty, Emma, Willow, Octavia, and Chico For the second year, Hartley and Monty raised four chicks. There were so many delightful moments with all of them. FIRST 2 CHICKS HATCH: One Gets Wild Ride Across Nest (2025 Apr 19) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9jZtIHqat4 Raucous Rooftop Food Fight ~ All 4 Chicks Win (2025 Jun 7) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9rt2B1BZ8A Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles: Lady, Dad, SE35, and SE36 Despite a sad ending for SE36, the saga of SE35 and SE36 was a joy to watch. Family time was always a special treat. SE35, SE36, Lady & Dad Spend the Afternoon Together Next Door (2025 Nov 10) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcaObXf4qpA
Two Harbors Eagles: Cholyn and Chase Every moment with these two is a gift. Cholyn & Chase on 22 Years of Mated Perfection (2025 Oct 21) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTbMUL24oMs
I could go on (Betty Lou, Blue and Kaimana, TE3!), but I’ll stop here. Thank you for pulling this good news together to go on lifting spirits as you do all year long.
‘L’: 1. Beau at the NEFL nest brooding the eggs and the look on his face when “Bodie” hatched. In addition to Bodie being a single, a rogue juvenile showed up and stuck around for a few weeks providing additional entertainment.
2. Audacity and Jak, Santa Cruz Island. Audacity laid 3 eggs, 2 broke and the third hatched. It was a miracle after several years of broken eggs for this longtime pair. It was pure joy watching “Betty Lou” grow up.
3. Jackie & Shadow with 3 hatchlings! Unfortunately losing one but the other two survived given the names “Sonny” & “Gizmo.”
4. The trio of Scout & Bella lined up on the rails at the NCTC nest(unfortunately the nest collapsed)
5. The Trempealeau nest with TE3. Mrs. T deserved an award after practically raising TE3 alone.
6. Gimbir taking over the nest after the male Xavier disappeared from the Charles Sturt University FalconCam nest. Diamond laying 3 eggs and little Girri hatching!
‘J’: I obviously do not have a lot of memories this year, but one stands out above everything: WELCOME HOME AKECHETA!
‘SA’: Iris arrives home. Jackie and Shadow have two – Sunny and Gizmo. Cheta comes home to the West End.
‘TN’: It was a cracker of a year for Poole Harbour raising another clutch of four to fledge. Simply brilliant.
‘C’: Akecheta returns to the West End.
‘BA’: “As for favorite nest event of 2025, mine is probably the same as most everyone else’s — the successful hatching of Jackie and Shadow’s three eaglets, and the subsequent successful fledging of two of them. (The death of one was probably the saddest event for me, though I know it was probably best that they only had to raise two.)
Second favorite event was Gabby and Beau’s first successful year together raising an eaglet. (That too is probably a favorite of most others.) I know there were many other joyful moments in bird world. It’s good to have them balance out the sad moments.
(Really sad about CalFalcons last year…. haven’t yet gotten over the loss of both — and that nest that still sits empty.)”
‘J’: “Has to be Sunny and Gizmo hands down. Jackie and Shadow being parents gave me a new reason to want to live through my cancer treatments.’
‘K’: ‘There was worry that Louis might not return to Loch Arkaig. Seeing him land on the nest was the best moment for me all year. Louis survived what ailed him and came home to Dorcha.’
‘WL’: There are too many wonderful things that happened but two stand out for me amidst a lot of dismal nests. The first is little T3 in that nest in Wisconsin, raised only by its mother, no thanks to that two-timing dad. That chick was determined to live. The other was Iris returning to her nest. It was sad Finnegan didn’t make it. Maybe the new one will.’
‘A’: ‘The death of Xavier rocked my world to its core. Then an almost too-young Gimbir turns up. Diamond likes him. Diamond really likes him. Out of the sadness came a superb female falcon named Girri. Many of the latest fledglings out of that scrape did not make it. Girri is doing extremely well. Seeing Girri fly over the tower, learning to be a falcon from Diamond and Gimbir, makes me smile every day. It was the best thing to come out of the worst.’ ‘We cannot forget the falcon fledges from the CBD in Melbourne!’
Thank you ‘AK’ for this incredible card!
Thank you to everyone who participated.
The day my baby got sick.
Home from the vet and bright-eyed but sad because he cannot find his daddy.
Woolly and Mysterious Missey, who has a ‘mat’ that I must cut out. Don typically brushes her many times a day.
Precious Calico.
The little trouble maker, HUGO YUGO!
Sweet Hope.
Toby is sleeping upside down next to me. He is feeling better because he wanted to romp around the house with Hugo Yugo a few minutes ago. It is so very nice to have him home from the veterinary hospital. While I might have complained that there isn’t enough room in the bed with him on the pillow and HY in my arm, Calico at one side, and Missey near my feet – I sure would not want it any other way. The only one that doesn’t join in is Hope and maybe she will one day.
We wish you a wonderful 2026.
Thank you to everyone who participated and to the owners of the streaming cams so that we can watch these amazing birds and their families. I also want to thank SK Hideaways for their amazing videos that add depth to the stories. You are all so wonderful and my blog would never have the spice of life that it does without you!
We have a New Year’s eaglet. NE33 made its appearance in the wee hours of the morning.
Beau is one proud dad. He has the pantry stocked nicely.
What a wonderful way to start the new year! Remember – get those happy memories in to me, however short or long, by 0800 Friday 2 January so I can get them into the blog.
I am happy to say that Don is doing very well, indeed. His deterioration/behaviour issue was due to a medical condition and not his dementia. The team at the Victoria Hospital are working to resolve those issues.
Little Toby is sleeping by me. I wasn’t going to mention it, but we had quite a scare. Tuesday evening, I had to rush Toby to the emergency veterinary clinic. He was haemorrhaging out of his mouth and anus. There was blood everywhere. He came home to me this morning. I am very grateful to the vets who worked so hard to save his life. He has acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome, or AHDS, formerly called HGE and tested negative for Parvo as a cause. Will be tested for food sensitivity next week. It can return without warning, but right now, he is home and safe with me. I cannot tell you how much I missed him. I did not want to alarm anyone, so just smile. One of my fellas is home.
Thank you for being with me today. See you tomorrow for the good memories of 2025 – get yours in.
Thank you to the American Eagle Foundation for their streaming cam that allows us to ‘spy’ on Beau and Gabby, NE 32 and NE 33.
And one last thing: Rare bird in Vancouver. Tiny little Taiga Flycatcher that should be in Asia has set everyone stirring.
It’s New Year’s Eve – or Old Year’s Eve – depending on where you live and celebrate (or not). One of the traditions for New Year’s Day in my family was to eat black-eyed peas. It was believed that if you did not consumme them on the 1st of January your year would be full of tragedy. Believe me, I have two large tins of them and everyone I know is going to eat some!
Let’s start with some sad news and move on to the good…the final necroscropy results for SE36 indicate that lovely sea eaglet was healthy when it died and it was a little boy.
Everything appears to be going well with NE 32 at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau. And guess what? NE33 has a pip. Gabby and Beau did great delayed incubation – let’s get these kiddos to have a good, even start instead of being hatched days and days apart. Fingers crossed.
When you watch the streaming cam notice the tender looks that Beau and Gabby give to their little baby. It is ever so sweet.
Yes, NE32, you are very, very cute.
This image is courtesy of the American Eagle Foundation showing the pip in N33.
One of the oldest eagle couples in the Channel Islands (if not the oldest) is Chase and Cholyn. They are preparing their nest for this breeding season. SK Hideaways has the news and the video.
One thing that’s easy to forget is how quickly these little ones grow. From hatch to fledge for a peregrine falcon is 40-43 days! Bald Eagles can be longer, averaging from 10-14 weeks with most taking their first flight around 12 weeks. What does this mean for us watching? We can’t blink!
SE26 is going to be an only child with two of the most incredible parents to teach it everything it knows to become a thriving eagle living in the wild.
Looks like CE14 at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive is also going to be an only. No worries about food. Clive keeps that nest stocked.
R9 and R10 at the Dade County nest of Ron and Rose appear to have settled down a bit. This is the nest I would like to see a pantry full and waiting – it is the only nest with two eaglets save for Superbeaks that had three and lost Froto.
Thank you so much for being with me today for this quick check. Please get one thing that gave you joy from the nests to me so that I can post it with the others on the 2nd of January. Nothing is too small. You only have to write a single sentence but join in the fun! Take care everyone.
Happy New Year to each and every one of you.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video, to the AEF for their image, and to the owners of the streaming cams and individuals who posted news on FB groups. My blog would not be the same without your contributions.
Today Don is being moved from one room to another and will eventually have his own private room with a window – I hope – later today. The constant change is difficult for many people. He prefers everything to be the same and for no bright lights or noise! I can relate to that! Toby and The Girls are fine and Nellie is going home in a couple of hours so I can begin to process all of this.
I am looking out the window, and there are the usual 33-35 European Starlings and one nice fluffed-up Blue Jay looking for food. It is there! It is actually a lovely day with no wind and temperatures of -8 °C.
Here are two screen captures of Gabby and Beau’s pip:
I just wanted to pop in and encourage you to check on the NE Florida nests while you are watching the eaglets at SW Florida, Dade County, and Captiva – and, of course, Girri, flying around the tower.
Be sure to send me the moments you enjoyed on the nests in 2025 so I can get them on the blog for the 2nd of January.
All the best!
Thank you to the American Eagle Foundation for their streaming cam so we can watch the lives of Beau and Gabby at NE Florida.
Great news from the American Eagle Foundation. It is official. Beau and Gabby have a pip. This is what I have been waiting for – and what joy this little one will bring.
This image is from the AEF:
First, please do send me some of your favourite memories from our bird nests so that I can post them on 2 January! I really want to hear from you!
SK Hideaways Videos, week of 12/21/25
Channel Island Eagles
Fraser Point Eagles: Elusive Cruz Visits Nest with Andor ~ A Few Sticks are Shuffled (2025 Dec 27)
It was a real treat to see Cruz and Andor together after Cruz’s nearly 2-week absence from the cameras. For those who haven’t met this pair, we provided a little history as they did a bit of stick shuffling and hanging out.
The female, Cruz, hatched at the Pelican Harbor nest on Santa Cruz Island in 2006 and was the first known chick to naturally hatch on the islands since 1950. Andor hatched at the Baby’s Harbor nest, also on Santa Cruz Island, in 2017. Video: https://youtu.be/ijOvAohCxeA Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org, Fraser Point Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
Two Harbors Eagles Cholyn & Chase ~ 22 Years of Devotion & Territory Rule (2025 Dec 21) Cholyn and Chase briefly greeted the morning together at the nest before Chase departed to do eagle things. Cam ops then gifted us with close-ups of Cholyn and we took the opportunity to share some history of these 27-year-olds marvels, who have been together for 22 years. Their story is part of the eagle restoration program in the Channel Islands that began in 1980. Through trial, error, and extraordinary work by scientists at the Institute for Wildlife Studies, the program has been wildly successful. Cholyn and Chase, now the elders of the Channel Island eagles, are just one piece of that story.
Jackie With and Without Fishing Line 🎣 With Shadow and Wonky Stick (2025 Dec 26-27) Jackie arrived on December 26th with a long bit of fishing stuck to her beak. She stayed at the nest a short time, flying off with the line still attached. We were relieved to see her arrive the next morning without the fishing fine, but with a beautiful, big wonky stick. Shadow joined later to celebrate and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Video: https://youtu.be/qscEDVaWNwM
Jackie & Shadow Bicker, Beaky Kiss & Bump During Big Nestorations (2025 Dec 26)
Jackie and Shadow spent just over an hour bringing a wide variety of branches to build up rails and begin forming an egg cup in anticipation of nesting season. Along the way, they entertained us with bickering, beaky kissing, and bumping each other to and fro. Video: https://youtu.be/cn4LWsO8YQU
San Jose CH Falcons: Hartley & Monty Stop By to Deliver Holiday Greetings ❄️ (2025 Dec 25)
Hartley and Monty stopped by for some pair-bonding after opening and devouring their Christmas gifts.
AEF-NEFL Eagles: Gabby and Beau Have Long Conversation Before Changeover (2025 Dec 23)
Gabby and Beau may have been discussing the fact that pip watch for NE32 and NE33 is just 2-3 days away. They talked for quite some time before Gabby relieved Beau of incubation duty. The chortling and chirping was music to our ears. Video: https://youtu.be/2UAbkrjUyp8 Courtesy American Eagle Foundation/NEFL Eagle CamOps
FalconCam Project GIRRI RETURNS TO TOWER! 2025 Dec 23 Girri shows off her strength and flying skills as she returns to the top of the tower to meet up with her parents. She fledged just 5 days ago. Great job, Girri! (2025 Dec 23) Video: https://youtu.be/2Yvnm67rL2A Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW (http://www.csu.edu.au/special/falconcam/)
We’re on HATCH WATCH at NE Florida for Beau and Gabby and it is raining Monday night. The AEF confirmed a pip in the afternoon around 3pm.
Gabby is restless.
There will be a little one tomorrow.
We have a hatch at Hilton Head.
Everyone else is doing fine.
My news is that my husband is in the ICU waiting for a bed in the hospital so that he can be fully treated. I do not know what the future holds but he is calm and knows me, and there is nothing nicer than lying next to him cuddling. Thank you for all your positive wishes – that beautiful energy sent from around the world is precious and is helping us I am certain.
Please take care of yourselves. I will check in tomorrow briefly.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos, to the owners of the streaming cams, and to those who post news on FB. My blog would be nothing without your input.
