Tag Archives: Scottish Wildlife Trust

Mini fledges! Cowlitz fledge? …Sunday in Bird World

23 June 2023

Hello Everyone!

Oh, tears….The big event begins on Saturday when ‘M’ alerts me to Mini’s amazing hover and ends with all of us rejoicing. Mini flew!

On Saturday, Mini did a great hover…a great hover…has been on the nest and has observed her siblings. She is going to do so great!

The tail on the ascent.

Landing after about 5 seconds of good hovering.

And PB wrote, “Mini at Patchogue branched on the perch 7:23am and fledged 8:26am….sooo happy and crying at same time. She did the impossible from being the runt and getting bullied and made it to fledge. So wish she was banded so when she ever returns we know it’s mini!” –Those banding sentiments are with so many of us…We want to know how she does. One way to tell one osprey from another is their head markings and Mini’s are distinctive. Take screen shots of her head from all angles, keep them. It is the only part of her that will not change!

Mini got her fish at 0856. What a fantastic reward – although it is unclear that Dad knows his little girl flew! Congratulations Mini. Stay safe out there. I think we all must have cried. Bittersweet moment.

The news is sad but the eagle that is being honoured was one of the first to be banded during the re-introduction of Bald Eagles into the US after the terrible decimation of our raptors from DDT.

An-Elegy-for-Americas-Oldest-Bald-Eagle-AudubonDownload

There has been a rare bird sighting – a Switchable Black Kite – in Norfolk.

Speaking of kites and all other raptors in the UK – the Hen Harriers, the eagles…one utility company has said that it will not renew the licenses for grouse hunting on its land. As a colleague and friend pointed out, what is not known is how long those licenses can be used. When is the deadline? I hope that it is soon and that other utilities will follow suit. If the legal system cannot stop the grouse hunters from killing off all the raptors then preventing them from using the land is a brilliant alternative. Of course, the 21st century thing to do would be to stop this medieval tradition in its entirety!

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There is sad news coming from OWL in British Columbia about Tyr, the eaglet on the Hancock Wildlife nest. Early concerns showed a possible issue with its leg.

If you are fans of Thunder and Akecheta at the West End Channel Islands nest, the 2023 fledglings often show up at the old nest site along with one or more of the parents.

Anthony is often on the Two Harbours nest along with parents Chase and Cholyn.

Now for some nest news:

MN Landscape Arboretum: Gosh, that little chick is getting its feathers and Mum is attentive. A real change from a month ago!

Boulder County: What a loving family. The five of them just make my heart beat. It is so interesting this year that the Ospreys living on nests in places other than in Florida and in the NE US are doing so very well. It is good to have their population growing and sadly, as hard as it is to say, to have some of the pressure off of the over saturated areas (like Florida and Chesapeake Bay).

These three at Boulder are real beauties. Mum does everything she can for them including being a huge umbrella when it is hot even if they are as big as her!

Charlo Montana: ‘L’ alerted me to the streaming cam being back on at Charlo Montana. The two chicks hatched in mid-June. They are 5 weeks old and doing well. And then the cam went down again! It is extremely hot in Montana. Mum is doing a fantastic job keeping the two cool. Bless her heart.

Loch of the Lowes: The Woodland Trust is more positive than I am that Blue NC0 will return. Laddie has his hands full and the chicks are hungry like those at Forsythe. Blue NC0 has been MIA for a week and this is really more than a spa break. She is a devoted mother and it has been a difficult year with little fish ——–how about stocking that loch like they do at Clywedog in Wales? That would solve this issue! Come on Woodland Trust – not just trees, fish! Here is the most recent report.

At the same time, I would like to call for a few more platform nests to be built for the growing population of ospreys.

Osprey-Diary-at-Loch-of-the-Lowes-Weeks-17-18-Scottish-Wildlife-TrustDownload

Steelscape, Inc.: This Washington in Kalama had fallen off my radar until ‘PB’ wrote to me this evening about a real problem with fish deliveries for the three osplets. It is entirely possible that the third hatchling could be lost. Let us hope not. They have the same problem as Cowlitz it would appear – Eagles taking the fish from the Osprey, the heat, etc. But unlike Cowlitz, which has only one osplet to feed, this nest has three. Thank goodness the fourth egg did not hatch. Oh, goodness. Send it your very best wishes….and look. It is baking hot there, and these babies are feathered. We don’t want to lose another one – so many are starving this year.

Cowlitz: We now know that the wire mesh grids that Cowlitz PUD constructed to protect the osprey nest from Eagle predation have not hindered the ospreys. The only osplet has flapped and jumped and today, that sweet baby fledged (?) or did it branch to the top of the mesh? I think it is on top of the mesh but, if it did not fly – this one soon will!

Seaside: The two osplets, Kawok, the first hatch, and Naika, the second, are beautiful juveniles who are starting to feel their independence. They remind me a bit of Ervie and his brothers once they had fledged. Everyone was civil until then and then it was everyone lad for itself. There is a bit of an aggression showing up just like it is at other nests towards the adults especially if they do not show up with fish! No one is hungry, as far as I can tell, on this nest!

Alyth: The fledglings return to the nest for fish and rest. Flying is hard work. They did not sleep on the nest last night.

Poole Harbour: Oh, it was wet in Pool Harbour on Saturday! Miserable. Windy. The trio were busy preening and trying to dry off Sunday morning.

Glaslyn: OH2 has walked to the perch to with OH1 and Mum, Elen. Will he fly today? He sure is flapping those wings and looks strong and ready.

Dyfi: A bit of a lonely nest at times. One of the fledglings showed up Sunday morning. It looks a bit dreary and damp. Idris and Telyn will be doing a great job feeding their fledglings. Cennen has been flying for a week!

Time for ‘H’s reports:

Fortis Exshaw – Louise had some minor intruder issues, and she flushed an intruder off the tall perch and out of the area twice.  She also delivered five fish to feed her chicks.  The two 35-day-old osplets are thriving.  Mr. O was not seen on camera Saturday.

Forsythe – There were four fish delivered to the nest, including one by Opal.  The fledglings each had two fish.  Even though the food had increased slightly on Saturday, there was still significant aggression, and the siblings were literally at each other’s throats.  After a few days of very little food, the youngest sibling, Ollie, was the primary aggressor.  The battle at 1438 was quite serious.  I’m hoping the fish deliveries continue to increase so that these two juvies can relax.

Osoyoos – Dad continues to be a great provider for his family.  The 26 and 27-day-old chicks are progressing normally.

Severna Park – Olivia and Oscar continue to deliver fish to the nest for their two fledglings.  I have not seen anyone sleeping at the nest for the last two nights.

Barnegat Light – Oh my goodness, at 53 days of age, ‘Dorsett’ looks so grown up!   Dorsett has been wingercising and practicing self feeding. 

Patuxent Nest 1 – Foster and Sib-B are still hanging out and eating fish at the nest, but are sleeping elsewhere.

Patuxent Nest 2 – The livestream was down for 28 days, and finally returned full time on 7/20.  By that time, all three of the chicks had already fledged.  On 7/22 two of the fledglings were seen in the nest at the same time.  

Thank you so much, ‘H’.

The FB posts in Manitoba are full of individuals finding baby birds in their yards. This is happening everywhere, not just near me. So what do you do? Review the chart below and make certain that you have your nearest wildlife rehab clinics on speed dial on the contact list of your cell phone, please.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Continue to send all that positive energy of yours to the nests including those that are struggling with starvation and nest aggression this season. Take care of yourself. I hope to see you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, their comments, postings, tweets, websites, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog this morning: ‘Geemeff, H, L, M, PB, PSEG, Audubon, Birdguides.com, Raptor Persecution UK, Deb Stecyk and Bald Eagles 101, IWS, MN Landscape Arboretum, Boulder County Fair Grounds Ospreys, Forsythe Ospreys, Charlo Montana and Owl Research Project, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Steelscape Inc, Cowlitz PUD, Seaside Ospreys, Alyth, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Fortis Exshaw, Forsythe, Osoyoos, Severna Park, Wildlife Conserve Foundation of NJ, Patuxent River Park, and Chirp Nature Centre.

Tuesday in Bird World

6 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

The humidex in Winnipeg, Manitoba was 38 degrees C. The temperature on the deck was 39 C at one time in the afternoon – not sure what that does to the figures the weather station is releasing. It is simply hot. There is little movement in the garden – some sparrows flitting in and out to get in the shade and eat some seed. No squirrels. No Blue Jays. No Crows. Not even a single feral cat. It is clearly not the time of day – afternoon – to be going out to check on ducklings and goslings. Someone sent me this photo. Sadly I do not know who took it but it is supposed to be goslings in our City crossing the asphalt. My gosh…those poor feet. Asphalt gets super hot in this heat.

Around 1900 a much anticipated five-minute downpour will make everything more humid, but it was so heavy the plants will appreciate the moisture!

The garden has been virtually empty. A few House Sparrows, a couple of squirrels came out around 1700 and a single Blue Jay. The heat impacts all of us even if there is fresh water and food waiting.

I am finishing off the newsletter for Tuesday late Monday but will check through my mail for any news and on a few of the nests…it is convocation for the granddaughter tomorrow morning. A nice day to celebrate and take the gang for a lunch before our lives return to normal.

On the radar! I am astounded when anyone takes a saw to a tree during breeding season. Every country should regulate the cutting down of trees and that means small ones, too that have nests of song birds. Mr Woodpecker no longer comes to the feeder because my neighbour cut down the ‘dead tree’. Gracious. It could have waited. Woodpeckers love dead trees – and this person even feeds the birds.

Oh, don’t we love those times when the Eagles take the little RTHs for lunch and wind up raising them as their own. I am sure you have all seen the nest that is now raising two RT hawklets. Precious. Look at its big sibling! Bald Eagle parents are doing well with these two…so interesting.

I have been watching the Patchogue nest closely as well as Loch of the Lowes. Laddie LM12 has not been seen since he brought in a small goldfish Sunday evening. The chicks are hungry and I am wondering if Blue NC0 will go and fish. She is a good fisher but her hormones are still in the brooding stage. Something has been going sideways at this nest and it could be intruders. No fish all day on Monday. Send your warm wishes.

Here is the weekly report from The Scottish Wildlife Trust on LOTL. Gives some good insight into how well the nest was doing and now another hiccup.

Osprey-Diary-at-Loch-of-the-Lowes-Week-11-Scottish-Wildlife-TrustDownload

At the Glacier Gardens nest of Liberty and Freedom, little Hope is growing.

There is growing concern that the male, A59, at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest is missing and presumed injured or deceased. He was banded in NJ in 2000 making him 23 years old.

That sweet little eaglet at the Decorah Hatchery nest in Iowa is grown into a beautiful eaglet waiting for its turn to fly.

The Patchogue Osprey platform sponsored by PSEG on Long Island continues to astound me. That said, I want to say that this nest could turn. Mini was shut out of the last two feedings on Monday evening – at 1801 and 2022 because Big attacked.

Mini was eating at 0900, eating again at 1106 and had an enormous crop from a fish delivered around noon – which he was fed for approximately 30 minutes! When you have a male that delivers fish almost every 2 hours that are a good size with no visible intruders – wow…even a tiny fourth hatch has hope. And so should we even if Big, on occasion, rears its head.

1230. Most of the fish remains – Mini has a huge -huge -crop and Mum will get some nice fish, too.

Siesta time.

Right now Mini is doing just fine. The Dad is a Daddy Door Dash with those fish. Mini had several private feedings once the big ones were full. Around 1426 one of the Big ones ‘looked’ at Mini and I wondered but Mini stayed fixed by the fish. It was mostly gone when it was his turn but he did get some and then at 15:17ish Dad hauls in another big one. Mini is eating at 1542 and has a crop, still fish…what a nest!

Mini is going to look ‘thin’ – he is eating. It is the stage of development the little one is in. He is growing like a bad weed, thankfully. Those wings are more than twice the size they were a week ago. Still tiny compared to the big siblings but if these parents can keep this up – well, Mini…you just might helicopter and fly!

1425:

1428:

1542

Big intimidating Mini. He has to walk over…this is not good. The rule is: Never look the older sibling directly in the eyes. It sets them off. You can see that Mini has a crop from the earlier feedings. Right now, all is good. He has eaten, and crop dropped and eaten some more—one day on this nest, one day at a time.

Middle was having a rough time of it at the Severna Osprey nest on Monday. Big reminds me of Zoe because she can just consume fish like she is Dyson the squirrel sucking it up and never getting full. Middle finally did get some morsels around 1504. If another fish would come on quickly, a big one, he could get some more food…this nest is like night and day to Patchogue where the osplets top eating when they re full and the others can get some fish.

‘H’ notes that Middle got a few bites at another feeding. Middle will be very hungry today. let us hope that the fish start returning to this nest.

Things are just fine at the Outerbanks 24/7 nest. Everyone gets fed.

Still looking alright at Cowlitz PUD.

It is hard to say what is happening at Oyster Bay PSEG because Mum loves to block the view when a fish is delivered. Babies are tiny and she gets back to brooding them right away. Temperature at the nest is 65 F.

The two tiny osplets at Seaside appear to be doing alright. Lots of heat shimmer coming on that camera.

All appears well with Duke and Daisy at Barnegat Light in NJ.

‘R’ sent me the forecast for Florida and there is no rain predicted for the St Petersburg and the Achieva Nest. It has to be dire there with the drought. Big and Middle waiting on the nest for a delivery…waiting and waiting. Will the osprey have to migrate north if the droughts in Florida continue along the SW coast?

Blue 022 watches his chicks as CJ7 feeds them.

Lots of fish and fat little Bobs at the Dyfi Osprey nest in Wales of Idris and Telyn.

Aran is an excellent provider. The two little Bobs are doing well for his first season with new mate, Elen.

Louis has been breaking all manner of breakfast fish arrival records for Dorcha and their Only Bob at Loch Arkaig.

As the sun sets in western Scotland, Louis has another fish on the nest just in case anyone is famished.

Dorcha was hit by the Tawny owl last night. The osplet is alright! Thanks Geemeff.

We always need a giggle…this time it is thanks to Richmond at the SF Whirley crane nest he shares with Rosie.

Blinked and the Llyn Clywedog Bobs grew up! What a beautiful place to hatch and a reservoir that gets stocked with 40,000 fish every year.

Lou and Annie tried to have some private time but…they got interrupted.

Both Hartley and Monty delivered prey to a very loud eyas! What a crop. Now smile. This scrape has had a complete turnaround. That is Monty’s shadow with Hartley feeding the chick.

If someone tells me that they are absolutely 100% certain that the third hatch at the Evergy Topeka Falcon Cam is ‘healthy’, I will scream.

The feather development is entirely delayed. Will the feathers coming in caught in the sheaths ever break loose? Will the eyas get help if they don’t.

Lots of chatter about who is feeding Dale Hollow 17. It does look like a male that showed up after Obey disappeared has been providing fish. At the end of the day, it is just good that this eaglet is eating well. Hopefully River will have another mate. Maybe she will rebuild this nest, maybe not. DH17 looks good.

Black storks growing big and strong.

The Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest of Martin and Rosa has completely collapsed. It fell down completely during a food delivery to Flora who slipped and fell and took it down with her. She could be heard. Parents are calling her. She has fledged. Send good wishes.

The Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey continues to take in raptors caught in glue traps. This post explains what must be done to release the poor birds caught in these traps – the behind-the-scenes work that the rehabbers do—thinking of a donation? How about a case of Dawn?

Ospreys like nests with a clear view – on top of dead trees, on power poles, on light stands. They have adapted to humans taking over their territory. Sunnie Day posted a great article on a solution to the issue of nests on lighting platforms. Have a look! I think a lot of places and, in particular, ball parks and university athletic fields, could learn from this story.

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Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care all – continue to send your best wishes off to all the birds. Nests are like being on a carnival ride this year – joy, fear, up and down and sideways. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped to make up my newsletter today: ‘H’,Geemeff, ‘R’, ‘SP’, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles 101, Nick Beres NC5, LOTL, The Scottish Wildlife Trust, Glacier Gardens, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, PSEG, Severna Ospreys, Outerbanks 24/7, Cowlitz PUD, Seaside ospreys, Barnegat Light and Conservancy Wildlife of NJ, Tampa Bay 168 Hour Forecast, Achieva Credit Union, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Geemeff and Friends of Lock Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, SF Bay Ospreys, CarnyXWild, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and San Jose City Hall Falcons, DHEC, Maria Marika and Black Stork Ciconia Nigra FB, Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle Nest, Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey, and Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Hatch at LOTL…Saturday in Bird World

13 May 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

It is a busy day today for all the people that love birds. It is World Migratory Day and it is the Big Bird Count in North America.

Today is World Migratory Bird Day for the Americas. Isn’t this a gorgeous poster linking the birds with that most crucial element, Water?

The organisers of this year’s event state:

World Migratory Bird Day 2023 will focus on the topic of water and its importance for migratory birds. 

Water is fundamental to life on our planet. The vast majority of migratory birds rely on aquatic ecosystems during their life cycles. Inland and coastal wetlands, rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, and ponds are all vital for feeding, drinking, or nesting, and also as places to rest and refuel during their long journeys.

Unfortunately, aquatic ecosystems are becoming increasingly threatened around the world and so are the migratory birds that depend on them. The increasing human demand for water, as well as pollution and climate change, are having a direct impact on the availability of clean water and the conservation status of many migratory birds.

World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise global awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.

UN Environmental Programmes

The Big Bird Count around the world has already begun in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, with counts already coming in through Cornell’s eBird and iNaturalist sites. I urge all of you to participate – even if you have seen only one bird today! These counts are so important to understanding which species are growing and which are diminishing. eBird is free and there are lots of informative articles and activities there on the Cornell site.

Shout out to PG&E for helping this Osprey family instead of ruining their breeding season! Thank you.

Well, I am just smiling. For the second day in a row, Middle Bob at the Achieva Osprey nest has stolen a fish from Big and had a nice meal for a change. Look at Diane’s eyes. She does not miss a thing and she knows that her second hatch is getting its Mojo.

Middle got it on the second try! Way to go, Middle! This kid is really getting its confidence – something reinforced with a nice fish meal. But this nest needs fish. As ‘H’ says, these osplets are ‘so skinny’.

Tom and Angel continue to bring in prey items. A squirrel was on the menu Friday morning. Little baby is eating well and Tom was there with a nice vole for Saturday breakfast! Oh, he has this figured out and is doing such a good job taking care of Angel and their baby.

Those Blue Jays sure are bothersome.

Tom brought in another squirrel and at least one lizard. I will have to check and see what the total count was for Friday.

Thanks ‘A’ for that time stamp. Looking at the nest from the other camera really show those pesky Blue Jays flitting about.

I have always talked about how calm Big Red and Arthur’s nest is..well, this year, M1 is a cracker and she has decided that everyone will know she is the ‘boss’. It is too funny.

Big Red used to sit on them if they got too cantankerous. I have no worries. Big Red is an exceptional Mum, and Arthur has a nest of dead animals.

Gerome is in feeding his storklets in Hochstadt, Germany. Ever since ‘T’ introduced me to storks I have a fondness for these amazing creatures and their dancing when food is brought to the nest. The fact that they are all over Europe and people love and care for them as harbingers of good luck warms my heart.

Lucy has fed the two osplets at Lake Murray. Ricky is now missing for 3 days and I have entered his name on the Memorial Wall. If he returns, which I seriously doubt, I will retract that entry. Kathryn sent the commentators report as well as a link to the video below. Let us all send positive wishes that Lucy can get enough fish to feed them all now that Ricky is not here.

Kathryn writes : “No sign of Ricky today. 💔 and only one fish. This has gone from bad to worse. Here is the Facebook’s page top commenter summary (there is no other summary, she also posts on the website) of the day: 5-12-2023 No sign of Ricky today even though throughout the day Lucy seemed to be fish begging. At 8:06pm Lucy is seen diving catching a fish bringing it to nest. When she landed the fish landed right on top of C2. C1 started dominating C2 but the fish sort of blocked it until Lucy moved it. C1 made sure to eat first as C2 smartly waited. Slowly after C1 had been eating C2 worked his way to the fish and got some good bites. Both C’s as well as Lucy ended up with a good meal finishing off the fish at 9:15pm This was the only fish of the day for the C’s and considering that the domination by C1 was light as C2 again played it smartly waiting his turn.”

Polo7422 posted a video of the feed. That is a really nice fish that Lucy caught. Let us hope that she is able to get two of those a day. That would make all the difference in the world to this nest.

This was the posting and summary for Thursday at Lake Murray. Let us all hope that Lucy can keep this up!

E22 almost poses for photos on the camera at SW Florida in Fort Myers. What a beautiful fledgling.

B16 continues to be fed by her parents, Pa and Missy Berry, at the eagle nest at Berry College in Georgia. B16 is 113 days old today.

I want to call her Red Rosa..she is such a big girl and such a delight. This is little Lou feeding his first hatch with Annie.

SK Hideaways caught Red Rosa doing all kinds of things…including being a Mum to the little ones.

People, so often, do not understand the importance of banding the chicks. there is so much information that we can glean from those bands. For me, it is when the fledglings return after their two year absence. I am looking for one particular osprey, Blue 464. There are other two year olds appearing and one of those today was ‘Only Bob’ at Llyn Clywedog two years ago – he was incredible. Everyone believed this osplet to be a female he was so large! Well, today, Blue 496 returned to his natal nest at Llyn Clywedog and his band was photographed…his mother, Seren, was on the nest incubating her eggs for this year. I hope he finds a female and a nest. Congratulations Blue 496, you survived your migration to Africa in your first year and your return as a two year old!

Abby went off for another flight today. Victor is not yet interested. Nice to be on the nest having some more fish – as if either one could hold another bite.

Abby returns. She has got her landing just right.

An attentive Osprey Dad – yes, that is Blue 33 and he has been on and off the nest at Manton Bay at Rutland checking on Maya and the chick.

The baby and its Mum had a couple of feeds. We need to tell Maya to stand on the other side so we can see!

Maya feeds the chick for the first time – and we can see it! Thanks, Rutland.

It is still awhile to go at Dahlgren for the Osprey eggs to pip and Jack continues to bring in the stuffies. Poor Harriet. She’s got them over at the side making baby rails.

There was a pip, however, at Loch of the Lowes, when Maya’s baby was hatching. We should have a little one for Laddie LM12 and Blue NCO at LOTL on Saturday and we did – that hatch came at 12:30. Oh, Laddie. I hope that you are not injured and that is why you are having trouble with fish.

Geemeff caught the sounds of the chick at LOTL!

It will be a while longer for Louis and Dorcha at Loch Arkaig. You might recall that we were all worried that Dorcha might not return. So glad she did and happy to wait for the bairns (Scottish and Northern English for children).

I love how the UK males are almost always punctual with their evening fish for the Mums who have been incubating. It gives them a meal and a chance to stretch their legs and wings before the long night incubation. Idris is very good to take over so Telyn can enjoy her dinner at Dyfi in Wales.

The eyases have hatched at the Spartan Stadium scrape box maintained by the students at the University of Michigan!

The official report on the amount of restorations that Lady and Dad are doing at their nest in the Sydney Olympic Forest has been posted. You might recall that the possums had dug a hole in the centre of the nest and there was much concern over those precious eggs falling into it.

There are now three baby osplets at the Severn Park, Maryland Osprey Platform…they are hatching everywhere!!!!!!

For all the goshawk lovers out there, Arlene Beech caught a delivery of a squirrel to Mum and the chick. Just look at that little one…it knows what prey is! I love Goshawks…just not around Osprey nests.

Karl II tending to the four eggs of his and Kaia’s at the Karula National Forest Black Stork nest in Estonia.

Bety and Bukacheck have five eggs at Mlady Buky, The Czech Republic, that are being incubated.

This is the view of the nest of White-tail Eagle, Milda, in Durbe County, Latvia. Urmas is unsure whether to go and clear the camera as there has been no rain. He might normally do this at banding but he is concerned that the adults might be frightened. It is also unclear the fate of the youngest eaglet. We wait to hear and hope for the best as the eldest was getting aggressive by 5 May. That was a week ago.

Oh, it is duckling and gosling season and this is a reminder to please not feed the wildlife anything that would harm them. Bread is a real ‘no no’ as it can cause Angel Wing. They love it – it is full of sugar and salt – like cookies for humans. Other things to avoid include the following:

Please have the number of your local wildlife rehabber in your phone contacts. If you see a bird or mammal in distress, please do not hesitate to call them!

When I wake up, there could be another bobblehead or two! It is exciting. Please send your positive wishes to Lucy at Lake Murray so that she can catch enough fish so that she will not lose another osplet. There are so many nests to cover…today’s blog just touched on a few. Any not mentioned are doing well.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to everyone for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: ‘A’, Geemeff, ‘H’, Kathryn, ‘S’, UN Environment, Cornell eBird, Ed Oswald Ospreys Only, Achieva Credit Union, Friends of LOTL and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Window to Wildlife, Cornell RTH, Hochstadt Storks, Lake Murray ospreys, Laurie Spencer and Osprey Friends, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Berry College Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, John Williams and Llyn Clywedog, Moorings Park Ospreys, LRWT, Dahlgren Ospreys, Geemeff and LOTL, Friends of Loch Arkaig, People’s Postcode Lottery and the Woodland Trust, Dyfi Osprey Project, Sonja Ann and Orange Australia PF, Eagle Cam, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Arlene Beech and Taiwanese Research Group for goshawks, Estonian Eagle Club, and Lady Buky.

L3 fledges at Cornell and other news in Bird World

13 June 2022

The third hatch of Big Red and Arthur fledged at 11:29:32. One of the older siblings had just taken off after eating some lunch and L3 followed right after them.

What a great flight! Look at that take off.

Cornell put out a video of the fledge! Oh, look – get your legs up! Just beautiful.

One of the FB chatters SAH got a photo of L3 in the trees where she landed. Thank you!

Ahote and Kana’kini had been venturing out to check out their surroundings. They returned home a little while ago thinking that Thunder had brought in some lunch!!!!!

The head of Scottish Wildlife sent this out to subscribers today. Thank you to ‘S’ for forwarding this to me. It seems that they are worrying about the state of the small chick, too. These chicks are getting their juvenile feathers. All of the nonsense should have stopped. It is noted that Laddie has cut down on his fish deliveries which is causing the issue. I remember last year Blue NC0 went out and fished – she is a good fisher and really did great supplementing the male’s deliveries. Those chicks were a little older. Fingers crossed and toes for the wee one.

There is no problem with fish deliveries at the Glaslyn nest of Aran and Mrs G. It seems that Mrs G no more than gets the kids fed and Aran is taking the head off another fish! The osplets are 16, 15, and 12 days old and are right in the Reptilian Phase. They are getting the dark wooly down that will help them thermoregulate their temperatures. there is Little Bob right in the middle. Oh, how they have grown.

The two bigger ones are really exploring around the nest. Little Bob looks like he is going to climb out of that nest cup soon.

It is late and Aran has another fish that he will be bringing to the nest either for the bedtime meal or for first thing in the morning. Way to go Aran.

Life is good at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn. All three Bobs were packed with good fish before bed today. They are 19, 18, and 16 days old today.

The three Bobs at Llyn Clywedog are in their third week after hatching. They love looking out beyond the nest and thankfully the early angst over Little Bob is gone. Dylan is delivering fish regularly and life is good with Seren and the kids. They are now at the stage where predation is decreasing. Yippeee. The early signs of a Goshawk in the area were worrisome.

There are now two chicks at RSBP Loch Garten! The second arrived about 04:11 Monday morning and they were being fed at 19:38. Congratulations AX6 and Mrs AX6! It is lovely to have Ospreys at Loch Garten. Hoping for a very successful summer for all of you.

This is the link to this camera:

The Bobs at Manton Bay are now past the 35 day mark and they can be ringed anytime. It will be fabulous to find out who is a male or a female -. They have been a cuddle bundle to watch this year. Blue 33 kept them full and Maya fed them – and except for two flapping fish incidents early on – the three have survived those huge fish deliveries!

At the ND-LEEF the food has been very scarce. Little Bit had that bit of fish this morning for about a minute. Every one of the eaglets is hungry. All of them! The news this late afternoon is that ND15 has branched. Branching is when the ‘bird’ gets fully out of the nest and onto a branch. Branching normally takes place before fledging which is the first flight.

There has been more activity late in the day at the Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey Nest. The bird that I believe is a large female intruder who has taken over the nest has been poking around the chick to the left as you view the nest. She finally lifted it and because of the size, the poor dead little one fell on the side of the nest box.

She is doing the quiet peeps that she has done all weekend. Ospreys normally do not move the chicks from the nest once they are this large.

I continue to find this just super sad. ‘EJ’ informed me that on one of the FB postings a dead osprey had been found on a trail near the nest about the time the male went missing.

It is not often we get such an upfront view of a tragedy on an Osprey nest – the loss perhaps of an entire family and the intruder trying to figure out what to do with ‘what’ is on the nest. She does not appear to recognize the dead chicks like the Mum would or us – as the once vibrant babies on the nest. She is also not strong enough to carry them off the nest. I think that she is also very hungry.

In another nest twist, Lady Hawk posted a video of the hawklet being raised by the Bald Eagle family on Gabriola Island. This was 17 hours ago.

The worry over Little Bob at the Loch of the Lowes and the happenings at the Cape Henlopen nest wear on one after a bit. Then there is the worry over Little Bit 17 getting something more to eat today. It seems that this year has been anything but smooth for many of our nests. Some of you might remember the Collins Marsh nest in WI last year. Little Malin was force fledged and was found later dead on the ground. Either the adults from last year did not return from migration or they took up another nest, perhaps closer to more fish. At any rate, there are no ospreys nesting on the top of that tower this year, thankfully.

When I need a smile I think of a few of the birds that we have met this year. Ervie is one that always gives me tears of joy. What a special third hatch he has turned out to be. He has been flying around Port Lincoln staying around the hotel and the silos. PLO posted his lastest tracking and it is for the 13th of June. Always good to see that tracker moving! Mum and Dad have been on and off the barge. Oh, how I wish they would let Ervie make an appearance!

Lots will happy between now and tomorrow. Let us hope it is all good! Thank you for joining me. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for the screen cams, FB postings, and videos: Lady Hawk, Cornell Red Tail Hawks, Explore.org and Institute for Wildlife Studies, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Suzanne Arnold Horning, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, CarnyXwild, RSPB Loch Garten, LRWT, LD-NEEF, Cape Henlopen State Park Osprey Cam, and Port Lincoln Ospreys FB.

Early Friday in Bird World

27 May 2022

As the sun goes down, we say soon say goodbye to the Captiva Ospreys – Lena, Andy, Middle Little, and Little Mini O. What a delight this Osprey season has been. We were sad for Big to die so quickly and mysteriously but, we all rejoiced when it was not Avian Flu and the rest of the family members were healthy. The chicks grew and grew. Middle Little’s legs are like Aran Daddy Longlegs and he had quite the loud call when he wanted Andy to deliver. Little Mini O turns out to be a big sister. Both flew and fished with the parents and we wish them a long successful life.

We will look forward to the 2023 season with you, Lena and, of course, with Daddy Door Dash, Andy. What a great parents you are! Thanks to Lori Covert for sharing her raptors with all of us.

Little Bit 17 went to sleep with a full tummy. Mum brought in a nice fish at 21:18. By 21:20:40 Little Bit 17 was up there being fed on one side while a big sibling was on the other. In fact, Mum move the fish and it helped 17. The fish was finished at 21:30. Little Bit 17 had a crop and was ready for the day to end.

Mum has brought the fish in and one of the older siblings is pecking at it. Little Bit is at 9 o’clock. Mum will take the fish and move it up to the opposite side of the nest.

It takes Little Bit 17 about 10 seconds to get himself situated in a nice spot so that he will get fed but not pecked (the older siblings have been quite good lately, generally).

Little Bit ate for a good 10 minutes. Would I have liked it to be 20? Of course! You can see he has a nice crop and he will sleep good tonight. There is forecast for a lot of rain tomorrow. Let us hope a couple of good sized fish get on the nest.

At 09:12:48 Little Bit takes his turn at the prey item on the nest this morning.

A little earlier he was sharing that unidentified object with another sibling. It is so nice this nest has turned around.

It looks like there are now four storklets on the White Stork nest of Bukachek and Betty in Mlade Buky, The Czech Republic. They are so cute!

Kana’kini has been really getting some air under her wings as the two brothers look on.

Cody at the Kistachie National Forest Bald Eagle nest put together a great video showing Kincaid at various ages throughout the 2022 season. So many memories – we forget them. Thanks, Cody. This is awesome.

Are you a fan of Xavier and Diamond, the Peregrine Falcons at Charles Sturt in Orange? The three cameras are now being integrated with the CSU web site. The first one to be integrated is the nest box. Here is the new URL: https://youtu.be/su_eumVDeBs

The two osplets of Richmond and Rosie have been eating well. Richmond has been bringing in some nice striped bass and Rosie has been catching some huge fish, too, and bringing them to the nest. Rosie is one of the few females that – at this stage – goes out to fish when the male is doing brooding. It could be the secret to the success of their nest.

The four Ls are really getting their juvenile plumage! There is little L4 who is a month old today! Big Red and Arthur have also done an amazing job. Do you remember when people thought they could not handle four eyases? Arthur is also Daddy Door Dash and he sure kept the prey on the nest even in those torrential rains.

One of the things I love about Mrs G is her long experience raising chicks. Aran is a fantastic fisher (when he is not injured) and here they are together, proud of their first healthy hatch for 2022.

Idris and Telyn are doing fantastic at the Dyfi Osprey nest. There are two chicks! It looks like the males are busy catching flounder. There was a running joke at the Glaslyn nest – Mrs G hates flounder. She will only feed it to the chicks if there is absolutely nothing else. Aran brought in a flounder and Mrs G left it. Aran finally took it away! Reminds of Diamond in the CSU falcon scrape – Diamond hates Starling! Interesting.

Dorcha and Louis have been experiencing horrific weather at the Loch Arkaig nest. Louis brought in a big fish for Dorcha regardless. Oh, I hope this weather settles down before those babies hatch!

Louis is an incredible provider. Dorcha seems like she will be a formidable Mum. Last year the camera was set on the other nest and we could not watch Louis with his new mate. They did fledge two chicks. Can’t wait for this year!

The weather is so bad – high wind gusts and rain – that Dorcha has taken to eating her fish on the nest.

Laddie has just brought a big live fish to the nest at the Loch of the Lowes. I hope that Blue NC0 feeds all of the chicks including Little Bob. He missed out on an earlier feed. I am not staying to watch. The ringing at the Cal Falcon scrape at The Campanile is taking place in a few minutes. I do not want to miss it and the Q & A. I will being news of that later today.

I am a little nervous about this nest. Fingers crossed.

Thank you so much for being with me this morning. Take care everyone. Have a lovely end of the week.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Dyfi Osprey Project, Brywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Cornell Red Tail Haws, Friends of Loch Arkaig and People’s Post Code Lottery, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon, ND-LEEF, Captiva Osprey Project, Mlade Buky, Explore.org for the video on Kana’kini’s hovering, and to Cody for that great video on Kincaid from footage at the KNF Bald Eagle Nest.

Late Tuesday in Bird World

24 May 2022

Oh, it was around 23 degrees C and just a gorgeous sunny day for a walk around one of our nature centres. Earlier, when we had snow, there was a Canada Goose on one of the artificial nests. She was not there but evidence of the downy lining remained. I wonder if the eggs hatched? No sign of the adults. In other areas, geese were incubating eggs – some on the ground and some in the artificial nests. I wonder if these are second clutches? or first? There was no one to ask. The American Goldfinches, Yellow Warblers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow Rumped Warblers were everywhere along with lots and lots of Purple Martins. The whole forest was a symphony of bird vocalizations!

Mr Goose was being for security guard for his mate in the basket nest.
Mother Goose incubating her eggs.
Mother Goose out on the island incubating her eggs.
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-Rumped Warbler

It has been such a sad day for some of the nests and if it is happening on the streaming cams, I wonder how often these occurrences happen in the wild. A raccoon scaled the pole to the XCel Energy Bald Eagle Nest in Colorado and took one of the juveniles. This is the latest report on that incident:

‘A’ was watching the Fort Murray Osprey nest when an owl flew on to the nest. It killed and ate one of the osplets right there! There is the owl landing on the nest at Lake Murray.

These are incredibly sad incidents and in both cases, it appears that there was not an adult at the site.

Raccoons are known to eat all manner of things including rabbits but I have personally never heard of them pulling an eaglet off a nest and eating it. Are we seeing the beginning of a huge problem with the depletion of available prey?

The two larger siblings on the ND-LEEF nest really like to be fed by Mum. Little Bit 17 is very happy to have a fish that has been unzipped to eat. A fish came on the nest around 17:00. Mum fed the two big siblings. Little Bit is very good at watching and reading its environment. The older siblings have been cranky due to the heat. He got a few pieces of fish at the beginning and then moved way around the side and was getting fed when Mum moved. In one instance, an older sibling grabbed a piece of fish and Mum grabbed it back and Little Bit got it. Very interesting. Little Bit had a nice crop at the end – that is perfect.

Little Bit is making its way cautiously along the rim of the nest. Watching. He will snatch and grab some bites of fish.

Can you find Little Bit 17?

So everything seems pretty good at the ND-LEEF nest! Wonderful.

Laddie, LM12’s eye, is much better. He has been delivering fish to the Loch of the Lowes nest where him and Blue NC0 have three nestlings. It is not clear to me but it has been mentioned that in at least one feeding the third chick did not get fed. Just a warning about this nest. That is what happened last year and the wee one perished. Mind you, Blue NC0 is a relatively new mother. She is fantastic at fishing so fingers crossed.

That eye of Laddie’s looks as good as new.

At the Dyfi Nest in Wales, Idris is not only know for his great fishing skills but he loves to incubate and take care of the chicks. Today, when the first was hatching, Idris was insisting on incubating! He has a lot of tactics to try and get Telyn up off those eggs.

And Telyn has her tricks to try and get him up!!!!! These two are way too funny.

Mum has been on the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest this afternoon. I could not find a big fish on rewind but both chicks appeared to have eaten recently. No worries about them.

Rosie and Richmond’s two osplets are 8 days old now. Most of the time they behave themselves but there has been some bopping between them that seems to have started yesterday, on day 7. I am not concerned. Richmond is a good provider and this behaviour will stop. Notice that they are losing the fluffy baby down and will be moving into the Reptilian phase soon, too soon.

They look so adorable when they are being nice!

The two little eyases at Cal Falcons scrape of Annie and Alden are loving flapping their wings.

They are also getting curious about what is outside that open door!

The Manchester NH eyases are also flapping their wings. Sometimes there is downy fluff flying everywhere adding to the feather fed they already sleep on.

Here is a lovely video of the three Peregrine Falcon chicks at the Great Spirit Bluff scrape having dinner. So cute.

Nancy and E1, Harriet, have eaten today. Thank goodness the intruders that have been around allowed Nancy time to go out and get some prey. It is hard being a single parent to a growing eaglet with sometimes dangerous intruders.

Beautiful Lena from the Captiva Osprey Platform. It was a good year despite the mysterious death of the eldest osplet, Big. Middle Little and Little Mini fledged and are doing well. Mum desires a good rest and a day at the spa!

Big Red and Arthur’s four eyases at the Red-tail Hawk nest are really getting their juvenile feathers. Several are wing flapping and all are eating very well!

Unlike Blue NC0 at Loch of the Lowes, Big Red will stretch to get to a hungry chick!

Rita and Ron are still providing fish for R2 on the nest in the Miami Zoo. How wonderful. You can pop in there early or re-wind and see them.

R2 will eventually arrive and another big fish will come to the nest at 1330.

Thank you so much for joining me for a spin around some of the nests. still more to check on! I hope everyone has had a lovely day. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Lake Murray Ospreys, ND-LEEF, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Captiva Ospreys, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, Explore.Org, MN-DNR, Wildlife Rescue of Dade County, Cal Falcons, Bald Eagles 101, Dyfi Osprey Project, Peregrine Networks, SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon.

Early Tuesday in Bird World

24 May 2022

Good Afternoon everyone. I hope each of you had a very lovely start to the week yesterday. This has really been quite the year for the birds on the streaming cams around the world. I haven’t ever seen a year like it. At the end of the season we will touch on every nest and see if there was an incident. You can help me! Start making your lists.

First up. Let’s check on the condition of Laddie LM12″s eye is in this morning if the camera can catch him looking the right way. Was he able to bring in more fish for Blue NC0 and the three nestlings?

Yes! Was so happy to see this great improvement over night. It reminded me of when Bella returned to her nest with Smitty after an altercation with another intruder. The wee chicks are also eating well – all three of them. Such a relief, Laddie!

They are all fish crying. Just look at the Bobs. Blue NC0 is extremely loud. You could hear her to Glasgow!!!!!!! Laddie did deliver another fish. For some reason NC0 flew off the nest with it and did not bring it back. Ugh.

Horrific news is coming in from Colorado’s Fort St Vrain Bald Eagle nest. One of the eaglets was pulled off the nest by a raccoon! Search parties have gone out to look for the wee one.

These are the images from the incident. The eaglet was very brave. The question is: where are the adults when this is happening?!

There has been so many incidents with intruders. We have Laddie with the eye, the eaglet taken off its nest by a raccoon (I will now add raccoons to the list of ways eaglets and other raptors can be killed), and as we celebrate DC 9 being 8 weeks old, Lotus is missing. Mr President celebrated the day by bringing in food and by guarding the nest.

One of the nests that I have watched and – well, the Venice Golf and Country Club Ospreys – fell through the crack. It seems I reported the happenings on the nest only a couple of times. We were, at one time, worried about the third hatch on that nest. There was a lot of food competition. I am happy to report that the first osplet fledged on 30 April and the others following within days. This was a nest to celebrate that event for sure.

The osplet on the left, not flapping its wings, actually flaps its wings and flies off the nest to the surprise of the other two.

The parents continue to provide food on the nest for their babies. As far as I know all three were on the nest today.

It just couldn’t be any better for ND17, Little Bit. A fish came on the nest and the adult is feeding 17. Despite the other siblings not being interested, Little Bit is very aggressive in his snatch and grab movements especially around 18:19. These actions will help him later on when eagles are fighting for prey items in the wild. It is clear that he is still very nervous around the big siblings. At 18:35 he has a very large crop! 17 has now had at least four big meals today – four! (There could have been five).

The adult feeds almost all the prey item to Little Bit before one of the older siblings comes over to get some bites.

Little Bit has a very large crop at 18:32 but he is still up by mom in case there is more food! Too funny.

Little Bit is using a turtle shell for a pillow – but even more important,, he is sleeping on his ‘prey stash’. Smart Little Bit 17.

I want everyone to really give Little Bit 17 a big cheer. This morning a parent delivered a really large fish for self-feeding. One of the older siblings pecked at it. At 10:18:34 Little Bit takes the fish away from the big sibling!!!!!!!!!! (The big siblings do not do as well at self-feeding as 17).

At 10:26:55 Little Bit is eating the fish and the bigger sibling – I think it is 15 – joins him.

Two fish deliveries that I have seen. Little Bit 17 eats from 10:18-10:27 when he foregoes the one fish to the elder sibling (very peaceful). Another fish arrives from Mum and Little Bit feeds on it from 10:46-11:15. Typically Mum will come in and feed them later but, for now, they need to be learning these skills. Little Bit is doing great. He just needs to remember to hold down the fish with his talons! This nest has had a miraculous change in the past 5 days.

At 12:09 Little Bit finds some fish scraps – perfect size in the nest!

The streaming cam for the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest is up and running again since the lightning storm. If you go on rewind, you get all manner of days. I tried to catch the lightning and rain from Sunday night but to no avail in the image below.

They both survived nicely and it is getting more and more difficult to tell who is who unless you watch their behaviour (Middle still grabs the food) and look closely at the bands growing on their tails.

It is good to see them!

Friends of Big Bear Valley – the home of Jackie and Shadow and Spirit – have put a call for your help. Here is the appeal:

One of Dyson’s favourite friends ‘A’ has sent us news of Peregrine Falcon scrape on top of a government building in Japan. There are many falcons and beautiful hawks scattered over the islands of Japan and it would be wonderful if some had streaming cams. ‘A’ tells me the demands are growing so we are hoping that one of the companies will start a trend!

There are five little falcons!!!!!

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170427/p2a/00m/0na/004000c

Everyone at Manton Bay is itchy! So far no fighting amongst the chicks! There is, of course, with Blue 33 fishing lots of food on the nest for Maya and the wee ones.

Everyone is watching the nest of Idris and Telyn at Dyfi Osprey platform in Wales today. The first pip of the three eggs came at 16:24.

That is a lot to take in on one morning. Great relief that Laddie’s eye is healing. He has three screaming osplets in the nest – who by the sounds of them – will be as loud as NC0 when they want fish. Too funny. The chicks at Gainesville did great during the storm and Little Middle is just the bravest little eaglet I have seen. The people searching for the eaglet at Fort St Vrain have found feathers, nothing more. So very, very sad. It seems to me that there are raccoon baffles that can be put on a platform. Am I dreaming that? And please read the open appeal from FOBBV and support them if you feel so inclined.

The garden has been very, very busy with migrating visitors. Yesterday there were American Goldfinch and Rose-breasted Gosbeaks. Little Red’s new penthouse will be moved around to see if I can entice him to move in. It is Dyson that is causing all the mischief – of course, it is Dyson! I found a very old birdfeeder that my neighbour made decades ago in the shed. Filled it with White Millet and guess who found it first thing? Dyson! Now, he almost got stuck in Little Red’s new house – how did he get out? He chewed the entrance hole bigger! He almost got stuck in this new feeder, too. I had filled it up and realized I should cut the wire and get a brush for the top – left for two minutes! Dyson gets inside.

Dyson is so cheeky. he knows that I will not get mad at him so he sits in the feeder watching me.

Thank you so much for joining me. Dyson and I hope that you have a really wonderful day. We will see you soon!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and FB pages where I took my screen captures: Scottish Wildlife Trust, Xcel Energy, NADC-AEF, VGCCO, ND-LEEF, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, LRWT, and Dyfi.

Another great day in Bird World

22 May 2022

It is all good news.

Warrior has been sitting up in the nest tree since he flew up there yesterday. At 0530, Warrior flew/fell out of the top of the nest. DHEC cut it on camera and posted a video.

A fish was left on the nest by the parents and then an adult came with another fish this morning at 10:04. They are trying to see if the fledglings will return to the nest to eat. Hopefully they can lure them back to the nest to eat! Or will they feed them elsewhere? Lots to learn before they are ready to be their own independent selves.

Things continue to go well for Middle at the UFlorida-Gainesville nest. Dad made a delivery at 08:56. ‘R’ sent me a note about the intruder on the nest at the same time. I had missed it and the fact that there were a few swipes between Big and Middle over the fish. Thanks so much, ‘R’. (I really do hate the rewind on this camera).

Notice the adult on the far left – this appears to be an intruder who wants that fish!

Middle wanted that fish, too. In the end, Big got it but not without the two locking talons. Middle continues to ‘sniff around’ knowing that Big should get tired of working on that fish but will she? Middle wants some fish and he is getting much more confident despite Big’s little pecks!

At 0859 Middle is looking and wanting that fish intently.

Have you noticed how loud Middle’s fish calling is? She is really screaming at Big wanting that fish and staring.

At 0902, Middle gets the fish. Big is finished. It is a nice sized piece of fish with that beautiful tail. Middle will make quick work of this!

Middle cleans his beak at 1042. The fish is all gone. He joins Big Sis on the side of the nest.

Will the luck hold for little ND17 today? So tiny this one. At the ND-LEEF nest Big hatched on 31 March, Middle on 1 April eighteen hours after Big, and Little 17 hatched on the 5 April — a full six days younger than Big. As it turns out, the older siblings are hungry but they are also more interested in flapping their wings.

A parent is on the nest opening up one of the turtles at 0719. One of the big siblings has a fish. I could not see Little Bit 17.

By 0740 Little Bit 17 has that big hunk of fish. The older siblings cannot be bothered doing the work to eat it. This is going to be the lucky break we have been looking for at this nest. The older ones are peaking in terms of growth and Middle, being hungry, has the drive to get in there and find the food. The tail extends out 17’s right side so it is a nice piece of fish.

At 0757 Little Bit 17 has the fish on the other side of the nest. The two older siblings are watching but doing nothing. They are ‘not bothered’ with 17 eating. Isn’t that wonderful?

At 0812, Little Bit 17 has eaten that entire piece of fish and has another enormous crop!!!!!!!!! So happy. Three days in a row now 17 has had food. I hope there is another fish or two later but, for now, all is well.

Alden is continuing to surprise people with the variety of prey he provides to Annie and the chicks. This morning it was a Tern for breakfast. We have Common Terns here during breeding season. They do not scavenge for its meals like gulls do but, rather, catches fish.

The chicks are so cute….

The osplets are starting to hatch in the UK. We already have the three at Manton Bay’s platform of Blue 33 and Maya (much older now) and the two hatches at Loch of the Lowes with Laddie and Blue NC0.

Laddie and NC0’s two Bobs. 22 May 2022

There are now two at the Foulshaw Moss nest of White YW and Blue 35. Today, Dylan and Seren at the Llyn Clywedog nest welcomed their first hatch at 0612. Ten hours later they welcomed their second hatch!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations.

Beautiful Seren looking a little damp. I sure how this spring warms up for all of the birds and isn’t wet and cold like last year.

Wee one had a bit of a feed!

Seren feeding her first hatch of 2022.

We will be looking for hatch watches for the following nests on – Dfyi nest of Idris and Telyn on 23 May (tomorrow), Glaslyn nest of Aran and Mrs G on the 26th of May, and Louis and Dorcha at Loch Arkaig on 31 April.

Yesterday marked the anniversary of Aran’s injury in the Glaslyn Valley. He returned to the nest without a fish for the first time. Here is Aran a year later – healthy and strong – taking good care of Mrs G and himself. This would not have been possible without the intervention of the people of Brywd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife. Do you know the story?

Handsone Aran. 21 May 2022

It was one of the worst springs – wet, cold, and windy. There had been big storms. Aran got into a ‘battle of sorts’ with another bird. Many of us believe that it was Aeron Z2 as they were later seen fighting over the river. Aran had a wing injury that did not allow him to fish for his family. The chicks hatched during the storm. No food. Meanwhile the people of Glaslyn are working hard to find a way to construct a fish table for the family so that they will survive. People are catching fish for them. It took a couple of days – too late for the wee babes but it saved Aran and Mrs G. A year later we are still thanking those lovely people for saving these two amazing Ospreys. What did we learn? Fish tables work. The Ospreys will eat recently dead fish. (They will not eat frozen fish). Bravo to everyone! This is the positive type of intervention that needs to happen at other platforms and nests. We may – with warming waters and higher temperatures – need to construct fish tanks for the fish eating raptors. We may need to stock ponds for them. After all, we took their habitat, heated the planet — shouldn’t we help?

Urmas and Gunnar have ringed the Golden Eagle chick in the Estonian nest. The chick weighed 2.3 kg and was 17 cm tall. They found the younger chick’s body in the moss in the underside of the nest. Golden Eagle nests are notorious for having only one chick survive. Urmas said that this eaglet is nice and fat. There is no food waste in the nest – everything is eaten (but not the younger chick – it was buried in the nest). They are hopeful this lovely little one will fledge!

It is the first day in some time that I have seen a blue sky and trees with green leaves on them. We were told the flood waters are receding but, in fact, they are now. We are now being told parts of our City could flood despite having a flood way. I am not worried where I live but it continues to be worrisome for the wildlife. A few goslings are being seen but there will not be many this year with nests full of eggs being flooded. The Baltimore Orioles are out and I am hoping to go for a long walk today to see if I can catch a few migrants passing through.

A reminder today to please cut any plastic drinks rings – and the small plastic tabs that seal bread. Birds can get in terrible trouble because of these things – and our masks – that seem to be just tossed anywhere. Gosh, the planet is not a garbage can! This incident comes from our most western province but it is an issue everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The nests are doing well. I haven’t seen any postings of footage from the banding at Two Harbours yet.

Take care everyone. Thank you so much for being with me. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: DHEC, ND-LEEF, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Eagle Club of Estonia, Cal Falcons, CarnyX Wild, Brywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Wildlife Rescue Association of BC, Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Early Friday in Bird World

20 May 2022

Oh, the torrential rain has finally stopped and the temperature is dropping. The Baltimore Orioles – who are arriving in droves and have arrived for the past week – are still with us eating jellies of all sorts and oranges by the dozen. What I have learned is that they will eat any kind of jelly including a lovely Danish Orange as well as the cranberry sauce jelly in a tin. They will also eat out of any type of dish! From tiny little sauce ones to cereal bowls. It doesn’t matter as long as it has jelly in it!!!!!!!!!! A neighbour told me they would eat applesauce as well. They certainly are beautiful birds but gosh they aggravate me. The males will bully the females from getting any jelly. I tried spacing the little bowls but, no. They are like all the Bigs – they see a whiff of a movement and they dart to make sure the smaller not so bright coloured female stays in the Lilac bushes! Can you hear me growling?

The Orioles will also eat anywhere. You do not need a fancy feeder for them although they sure make an impressive line including ones with a roof. I bought a small hanging one to test. The placement of the nails to hold the oranges is such that the birds have to duck under the large navel oranges to get to the jelly. I would not purchase one of these again despite Mr O’s approval. He finished off one orange half and then moved to the other side to finish off this half and finally most of the jelly.

Oh, look who finally got some jelly!

I was hesitant to check on the ND-LEEF nest this morning. 17 would have been without food for approximately 60 hours. The fishing had been bad because of the high muddy waters but also the Mum just seemed less inclined to feed the small eaglet. Seeing nests like this makes us all anxious and sad. To survive the third hatch – especially if they are small on a nest with two much larger siblings – really have to become super clever. They need enough energy to be tenacious when food does come on the nest ——– and sometimes they have to feed themselves when Mum won’t do it! This morning a miracle happened on the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest. No, the mother didn’t go out of her way to feed the small one. That said a fish was left on the nest. The two older siblings did not bother but little 17, without food for at least 60 hours, self-fed the entire fish. Yes, he ate the entire fish and passed out in a food coma. This is the moment when the heartbreak turns into a glorious celebration!!!!!!!!

Little 17 moved around hoping that Mum might feed him but she did not.

A fish was left in the middle of the nest. One of the big siblings did peck at it but nothing more. Take a good look at the size of that fish.

19 minutes later. Little 17 pulled the fish to the other side of the nest and started eating. The siblings did not bother him. He ate and ate and ate some more. Fast.

That is all that is left of the fish – that little bit. Little 17 is sleeping on a huge beach ball crop. Smile. He has lived another day. While we would like for him to have food at every meal it does not appear that it is going to happen on this nest with this Mum. Will she change her ways if he grows big? We will see. But for now let us wish for large chunks of fish to be left on the nest with the other two having eaten. Little 17 can easily feed himself. He is a pro! This is what is going to keep him alive. So wish for fish – extra fish!

Why do I saw fish? Unless it is a catfish where the eaglet has to fight with that bony head, it is easier for this wee one to eat the fish than fight with fur, etc on a squirrel and, I would rather because of Avian Flu that the birds eat anything but birds!

Happy Eagle Dreams Little 17. You have the attributes of a survivor.

As we also know, the female at the UFloria-Gainesville nest favours the largest, Big. There is a fish on the nest. Big has intimidated Middle for a second but Middle is doing snatch and grab and Mum even fed him a couple of pieces. The level of intimidation and harm is so much less now that Middle is bigger. Hopefully Middle will persist and get a good portion of that fish!

Yesterday Dr Sharpe and team banded the two chicks at the Anacapa Peregrine nest on the cliffs in the Channel Islands. Dr Sharpe is so kind to move the backpack so everyone can see. Notice how gentle the person is holding the chick and how relaxed the chick seems to be. The other one appears frozen – . There is a boy and a girl in the scrape. Tremendous!

The five eyases at the Manchester NH Peregrine Falcon scrape are being banded today!

No one wants to show their bling and I have not seen any posting on the genders, etc. yet.

A nice lunch has arrived for the five after their ordeal!

Laddie LM12 and Blue NC0 had their first hatch yesterday. There is now a pip in the second egg. How exciting. I hope that they all hatch one after another! Here is a short video clip of Blue NC0 feeding the first Bob.

Robert Fuller posted an update on the Kestrel chicks. For those that do not know, Mother Kestrel was in an altercation. She had six chicks in the nest. She returned once and then has not been seen. Robert Fuller removed 3 of the smallest chicks to feed leaving Father Kestrel the 3 largest. Father Kestrel learned to feed his babies. The plan was to return the 3 small ones to the nest box when they were strong enough and hope all would go well. It has! Father Kestrel has proven he is up to the task of caring for all 6 of his babies – and Fuller’s intervention meant that those 3 little ones get a second chance at life.

Here is the announcement on Robert Fuller’s FB page today:

Three perfect little osplets in a row! Blue 33 has been on and off the nest bringing food and enjoying a chance to feed the chicks. Maya takes every opportunity she can to get fish into them and look how they are changing. Can you identify the hatch order from the back of their heads, from the plumage development? Look close.

If you said – from left to right – 3, 1, and 2 you are correct. The oldest, in the middle, is losing the soft grey down and getting that oily head of the Reptilian period. So is osplet 2 but not as much. 3 still has its soft down.

The only eaglet on the nest at Dale Hollow is Middle or DH15.

At the National Arboretum nest of Mr President, Lotus, and DC9 hints are being given about ‘branching’.

Middle Little O has been on and off the Captiva Osprey nest this morning hoping that Dad Andy will deliver a fish to the platform! Oh, how nice it would be if Little Mini O flew up so we could see her.

There is no word yet when Dr Sharpe will be going to ring Two Harbours 1. It should be soon.

If you checked on the West End amigos and saw only 2, you are experiencing Highlights on one of the cameras. They are all still on the cliff nest!

Go to this streaming cam:

So many nests, not ever enough time! Today though it was enough to see Little Bob at the ND-LEEF fed itself to the point of crop explosion. Feeling joyful and relieved.

Thank you for joining me today. It is Victoria Long Weekend aka May Long Weekend in Canada and there are probably Bank Holidays in the UK and elsewhere. Have fun, stay safe. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Explore.org, ND-LEEF, DHEC, Captiva Ospreys, NADC-AEF, LRWT, Peregrine Network, Robert Fuller, Scottish Wildlife Trust, University of Florida at Gainesville Ospreys, Anacapa Peregrines and the Institute for Wildlife Studies.

Late Wednesday in Bird World

18 May 2022

It is nothing short of rainy and freezing on the Canadian Prairies. The furnace is on. Outside people have a heavy coat on and hat. I am beginning to believe that we really could have snow in a couple of days.

Little Red. 15 February 2022

The garden/shed is no longer. It was built in 1902 on the property next door. In the 1940s it was moved to my property. Since I dream of living up on the Cape in the dunes with the Ospreys and the sand, everything was covered with cedar shakes. A cottage in an urban environment. I think I miss the shed as much as Little Red does already. 🙁

The Dutch designed and built Red Squirrel House arrived today – thank you DHL. Now to put it up and see if Little Red will accept the new accommodation. He has been stressed out and upset and he might well just go elsewhere. I just hope not in anyone’s attic!!!!

Prairie people dream of sand and water!

“Beach Scene 7277” by Joanna Lee Osborn is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

One of my favourite beaches is Lunan Bay. It is just north of Arbroath, Scotland. Idyllic. Ospreys near by but not here at the beach.

If you want to read something other than factual books about Osprey development, I recommend both of David Gessner’s books. They evoke that beautiful New England coast. The first is Soaring with Fidel written when putting satellite trackers on Ospreys was novel. Gessner follows a bird – at first in an attempt to beat a BBC crew doing a documentary – and then was his own journey all the way to the mountains of Cuba where Ospreys fly in huge groups overhead as they fly to Venezula and Brazil. You will want to travel the same route – Gessner has a way of sucking you in to everything he does delightfully. The second is Return of the Osprey. A Season of Flight and Wonder. I do have a date with an Osprey and I will either be in Cuba on those mountains this September or next! Hidden within the pages of Gessner’s text is all kinds of information on Ospreys, too.

17 at the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest has not had any food and unless something comes in late, it will go hungry. 17 had a full crop last night but to grow this wee one needs food and lots of it. The other two are levelling off. Surely something will happen and turn this nest around! I just ache for this hungry little one. If falcons and hawks can manage five nestlings, what happened with the eagles. Why can’t they get enough food for all of them?

Mid-afternoon saw more fish arrive at the UFlorida-Gainesville Osprey nest. Both Big and Middle are sporting nice big crops. Talk about a nest that has turned around. I really wonder what is going on there??? If Dad does have two nests does he alternate weeks – one week one gets little while the other gets a lot and vice versa? [I am not saying he has two nests but it is certainly a theory]. It has been a good week and I will take it. Middle is doing fine. Both are fine.

Middle has big droopy wings now. He was so hot today. Good thing there was fish!

Say hello to RR16, Richmond and Rosie’s wee little one hardly a day old. Cute.

Did DH14 fledge? or is Big just up higher on the nest tree? Three or four fish have been delivered to the nest today! Middle seems to be giving away the hide-and-seek secret hiding spot. Fantastic.

More fish. Middle has an enormous crop after River feeding. I do wonder about Big. She always likes her fish.

There was some concern about the weather plowing through northern Minnesota. I just checked and the MN-DNR Bald Eagle nest is alright as is the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Osprey nest where Mum is incubating two eggs.

Top is E1, Harriet, on the MN-DNR nest waiting for Mum Nancy to bring some more dinner!

Right by a field! There are two eggs being incubated at the Osprey nest below.

Aren’t they adorable? Can you see their ears? Those black mole-like dots behind the eye and a little down? Those will be covered with feathers soon. When you look at this group and want to place them in order of hatch, look at feather development, not size. Then you will always get it right.

From left to right, L1, L4 (always in front near the beak), L3, and then L2. It could be the camera angle but it might not. L3 looks larger than L2. I guess we will continue to watch and guess – boys or girls. L4 is definitely a little tiercel. And L1 is too much of a big Mama not be another Big Red. The world could use lots of good hawk mothers like BR.

The two chicks of Annie, Grinnell, and Alden are losing that ‘cute’ little newly hatched look. Feathers are coming in. They are getting taller and thinner. Annie spent time today trying to keep the two shaded. It must be hot in San Francisco. Oh, they are adorable. We could be only a week away from ringing them! And names…yes, names. Of course, one has to be Grinnell, right? I mean how could it not be Grinnell?

I would say they are hot!!!!!! I wonder if there is a bit of a breeze coming in from outside? It looks like they have been doing some egg painting.

Cal Falcons posted some information and two images of Alden taken by Moon Rabbit Rising. Check out her Instagram page for more images.

It is happening. Blue 33 and Maya were the first to arrive and lay eggs in the UK. Now we are getting into the next group of Ospreys. I know that there are quite a number together with Mrs G and Aran bringing up the end of hatch.

Right now there is a really nice pip at the nest of Laddie LM12 and Blue NC0 at the Loch of the Lowes!

Everything is fine at the Rutland nest of Maya and Blue 33. The kids eat, sleep, grow, eat some more. Maya is like Big Red. No one goes hungry at her house!

Thanks to ‘B’ who wrote and said Ervie is on the nest. I went and had a good look. Ervie arrived in the wee hours of the morning and slept on the perch flying down to the nest. He flew off and got a puffer. And it appears his talon is starting to grow in.

You can still see Ervie on re-wind on the PLO streaming cam. What a treat. Two days in a row. Thanks so much B from all of us!

You can see the talon just starting to grow.

Every nest seems to be doing fine except for ND-LEEF which has risen to the level of worrisome. If I say this and if everyone sends really positive energy over their way, maybe things will change for the good. As I look at Maya feeding the three Bobs, I sit in wonder. Big Bob survived the fish but I surely thought that Middle Bob was a goner – exposed to rain and the cool weather for 5 or 6 hours til Maya got the fish off and him under her. All three of them are alive and thriving. It is just such a happy positive sight. I wish all of the nests were like this one. We need a miracle for ND-LEEF. Let us all hope for it!

It has been a super long day. I have a few last images for you. I put out a new seed cylinder – they do really well for the garden birds when it is raining. Guess who found it in seconds? Dyson!!!!!!!!

The Baltimore Orioles are still visiting. In the chaos today I did manage to get to the birdseed store to get some White Millet. The place was packed with people purchasing special feeders for Baltimore Orioles. Yes, they are cute. Do you need them? No. A dish of any kind of jelly (not just grape) and orange slices set on something are absolutely fine.

This fellow has been eating oranges and Danish orange marmalade.

Thank you so much for joining me this evening. When I get Little Red’s house fixed, I will show you. Take care everyone. Stay safe.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams and/or FB pages where I took my screen captures: DHEC, Cornell Bird Lab RTH, UFlorida-Gainesville Ospreys, Cal Falcons, ND-LEEF, MN-DNR, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Ospreys, LRWT, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Port Lincoln Osprey Project, and SF Ospreys and Golden Gate Audubon.