Tag Archives: snow

A single person can make a difference and Pray for Telyn…

5 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you never get tired of me saying that a single person can make a difference. Well, today, Pam Breci helped out the osplets in the nest with the baling twine in Idaho. Their own website says they will intervene if the event is human-caused. PB did not take ‘no’ as an answer. Today, she made a difference. Tomorrow it could be you. Never give up hope. Always persist.

“Mary Ann! I have a win!!! Idaho Fish and Game listened to me and will remove the twice at Salmon nest!!! I feel so good I may have saved 3 little lives just by being proactive to find their phone number at Salmon Regional office and talked to person who answered the phone. I bet she passed it on to the biologist there and they have on their website they only intervene if man-made like twine. Here’s what’s on chat.

A live chat window discussing ospreys using baling twine for nesting materials, featuring messages about nesting behavior and safety concerns regarding chicks.

Do not ever underestimate your ability to make a difference! They have no personnel to undertake this over the weekend, sadly but you will note they will do it next week. So when you see something – don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and advocate on behalf of our wildlife. You can be another Pam Breci – who deserves a gold medal today!

This morning I reported that Telyn had swallowed a fishing hook and line. Here is the blog from the Dyfi Osprey Project. Please read it:

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/telyn-swallows-fishing-hook-and-line

Here is the video of the incident: https://youtu.be/rOe9a_xI6MY?

The image below is the family portrait. That is Idris, the amazing Dad, feeding his children. It is night now and Telyn is a little restless on the nest. We hope that her stomach enzymes will eat up all that human debris.

Two adult ospreys standing by a nest with three chicks visible, surrounded by sticks and grass.

I cannot tell you how angry I feel today. My father loved fishing. My sons loved fishing. My oldest son is in Asia at a conference and will be going fishing with friends. My grandson goes fishing. For my son the quiet in his little boat like thing in the mangroves is his sanctuary. But this puts me in a real quandry. Don quit fishing when he realised the mess that humans leave that wildlife have to deal with. I don’t even know how we could clean it up – baling twine in farming areas like Idaho and Montana. Dr Green and his team spend lots of time removing baling twine. But recently we have seen Jackie eat a hook and line. Now Telyn has. How many others that are not seen are hurting, bleeding inside from the barbs on those hooks. My only consolation – if I am right – is that the hook is smaller and barbless in the UK. I want to be hopeful.

Hugo Yugo will be going for dental surgery on Wednesday. Poor thing she had to go to let the vet have a look to make sure that she needed the surgery. Look at the two of them – Toby and Hugo Yugo are seriously joined at the hip so to speak.

A black pet carrier with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a small cat inside, resting on a wooden floor with a patterned rug nearby.

Toby weighs 29.3 lbs. Hugo Yugo weighs 12.2 lbs. This carrier is meant for a 16 lb pet!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugo Yugo is so traumatised from just being at the vet that she will not stop howling. Poor thing.

The garden is beautiful now. The rain turned everything emerald green but the wind and rain destroyed the blossoms on the lilacs. The cherry blossoms lasted about 40 hours. I just love the garden right now and when I looked there are some buds on the Prairie roses.

So I want to check on some good nests and I want you to look at the calendar. Iris and Clark will be on pip watch on Monday!

An osprey standing on its nest made of sticks, overlooking an empty parking lot in the background.
Two ospreys sitting on their nest made of twigs, with a parking lot and greenery in the background, and a train passing in the distance.

Big Red’s babies are beautiful and they are getting their juvenile feathers fully in and flapping like crazy.

Three young red-tailed hawks in a nest made of twigs, with greenery and a sidewalk visible in the background.

There is great news coming out of Dale Hollow. DH23 is back in the nest after being knocked off during a prey delivery.

A scenic view of a tree with a large nest among lush green foliage, showing a tranquil natural environment.
A view of a large tree with a prominent nest at its top, surrounded by lush green foliage and a backdrop of more trees. The scene is peaceful, showcasing nature in a bright daylight setting.

Right now Louis and Dorcha have two chicks, but Geemeff thinks that there is a pip in the third egg!

Two ospreys in their nest surrounded by twigs and branches, with a scenic background of trees and hills.

Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/rOe9a_xI6MY?

Blue 210 has fed part of the dead chick to the remaining chick on the nest. Dad has brought in 3 fish and a tail, which he ate early in the day, but this nest needs more big fish! Nothing late.

An osprey standing on its nest, surrounded by twigs and greenery, with a small chick visible in the nest.

I love Little Dewey.

A close-up of a baby bird sitting on a nest made of twigs and debris, with soft feathers and a curious expression.

Blue 33 feeds his babies while Maya takes a break at Rutland.

A male osprey feeding its chicks in a nest at Manton Bay, with another osprey observing nearby. The nest is made of twigs and is situated near a body of water.

Teifi and Elen hanging out on the perch while their babies nap.

Two ospreys perched together on a branch, with a green landscape in the background.

Kielder News. Hatch at nest 2 this morning!

Nest 2 and other news

Great news about Snow:

North Sky Raptor Sanctuary is  feeling grateful.

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GreatLakes Bald EagleCam “Snow” update, day 3:

We are happy to share that Snow has not presented the medical team with any new complications since his initial assessment, and he, so far, continues to respond well to his supportive care regimen consisting of stress management, medications for pain and inflammation, and a healthy supply of clean food (he’s a hungry boy!).

We have two ways that YOU can help Snow’s recovery efforts… read on for more!

Many of you have asked for a quick explanation of what the coaptive approach to treating breaks and fractures entails:

-In scenarios where bones are still developing, the goal is to take a path that provides the highest likelihood of ensuring proper long term function.

-In Snow’s case, the curved edge carpal splint (orange foam in the photos) will support the shape of the wrist in the right wing during healing, with the splint itself being removed, and alignment inspected (using a combination of x-ray imaging and manual palpation), twice each week.

-3 to 4 times a week, the body wrap holding the splinted wing up for support (orange vet wrap tape) can be released for range of motion exercises in the shoulder and elbow while still leaving the wrist supported by the splint.

-On Snow’s left side, the ulna fracture is supported with a wing to body wrap (the pink vet wrap tape).

-This wing will also receive full range of motion therapy 3 to 4 times per week aimed at preventing synostosis (the ulna accidentally attaching to the radius) and to keep developing muscles from tightening.

One of the key medical components for the effective treatment of breaks and fractures is X-RAY IMAGING, and for Snow’s treatment plan, he will require a fair number of them throughout the process. While we do have access to off-site radiographic imaging, managing the stress of travel for patients that are already compromised is a real concern.

Fortunately, over the past 2 days, thanks to the incredible compassion and generosity of so many of you who have followed Snow’s story from the beginning, we find ourselves well on our way (35%) to being able to purchase a PORTABLE X-RAY MACHINE that would be game changing in how we are able to serve not just Snow, but ALL of our patients for years to come!

***IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE for Snow’s recovery, this is a truly impactful way to do it! 🦅💚

Using this link (https://secure.qgiv.com/for/x-raymachine) you can follow, and contribute, to our campaign to acquire this life saving equipment!

In the meantime, we will continue to serve our organization’s mission by providing Snow, and all of our patients, with the highest quality of care available! As always, you can continue to support these efforts by donating at www.northskyraptor.org/donatenow.

We genuinely couldn’t be more appreciative of the support our community has shown, and we will endeavor to keep you informed as treatment continues!”

A close-up of a young raptor resting on a soft blanket, with a bandage on its wing. The bird has black feathers and a distinct curved beak.
A person wearing gloves holds a large bird of prey, likely an eagle, with its wings wrapped in colorful bands for stabilization.

I have nothing yet from Geemeff. It has been a busy day. I suspect the minute I hit publish she will post her daily summary. I will include it tomorrow. Take care everyone. We are enjoying a beautiful early summer evening. The birdsong is very loud in the garden but we can no longer see them for all the foliage that will keep them cool and maybe dry when it rains. We did spot a baby bunny this evening. Such a wonderful sight.

See you soon!

Thank you to ‘PB’ for persisting in getting a change at that Idaho nest. Thank you also to PB for the screen capture of Little Dewey and to everyone else who posted on FB or wrote articles, I am so grateful. To the owners of the streaming cams, thank you for letting us watch these incredible birds.

Latest update on Snow and …Meet Clark..Late Wednesday in Bird World

3 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

This is the latest update on Snow:

Update from North Sky Raptor Sanctuary on Snow the Bald Eagle's health following a fall, detailing diagnostic radiographs and confirmed fractures in his wings.
A detailed update on Snow's medical care emphasizing a cooperative approach for managing fractures and ensuring comfort during recovery.
Close-up of a juvenile eagle being held with a green towel, showcasing its face and beak.

The name competition is over and despite so many residents at the care facility nearby the nest rooting for Maverick, the name for NG2 is – Clark.

Two ospreys are in their nest, one is standing with wings outstretched while the other is sitting inside the nest. A parking lot and greenery are visible in the background.

He has a name! https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/male-from-hellgate-osprey-nest-named-clark-after-community-vote/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSNXcxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFaMkpRZHVhVzVmazdwMUJSc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHv19dtUipEBCRc2BHtd2q5X9ke7BoduKaXHw0lVMWyrVd8-7VVPqFxWYh4qY_aem_-ZtD6ZVCS8yLyNi863hFGQ

I want to first thank you for all of your messages on FB, comments, and e-mails. There are hundreds of them and I am going to share some of the thoughts that have come in regarding the change to the laws that impact raptors (Eagles and Golden Eagles) in the United States. I am, in particular, referring to the call that something be done after Scout was banded and returned to the natal nest. This single act has caused outrage and I hope activism that leads to a positive end and a law that might be named after Scout.

I have, as you noted, gotten really worked up about what happened to Scout. It isn’t just Scout – it is all the others over the years whose nests would have benefited from a rescue or a fish tank placed nearby. I want to see compassionate governance – people in positions to give permits that allow others to help when help is needed. We do not need government personnel threatening to revoke the licenses of wildlife rescue agencies and rehabilitation clinics if they help. This has certainly happened in at least one instance that I am personally aware.

So thank you to everyone – maybe we can start a movement for change. As I said I do not wish for us to fall into despair, sitting on our hands, and believing that nothing is possible. It is. We might not be able to save them all but each life saved is one life not lost! Remember that.

Just a few excerpts from various social media sources I have received. (I am not going to add names or where people or from- I hope no one minds. These are bona fide readers from around the world who care deeply.)

“I read your blog.
You had an awful day and I gave you even more bad news. I’m so sorry.
Praying for the eaglet, as you said, hoping beyond hope. We both know that miracles do happen. It depends on how much the eaglet wants to live, if he really wants to, the wish may be granted. Until then many people will send their healing spells to him, he is not alone!

My standpoint is very clear.
I believe helping is our sacred duty.
We are useless in nature: We don’t have sharp beaks, or claws, we are not fast, have bad eyes and ears etc etc. We are not predators.
What we have is brains. I honestly believe that our job is to be the caretakers of Nature.
Look what we have done instead. No wonder Nature is angry.

To those that say „many other (in this case) eaglets suffer too“. Yes, they are. But they are beyond our help because they aren’t being monitored. If someone would find one of those eaglets, they would be obliged to help in my opinion.

It’s the story of the woman throwing small sea animals stranded on the beach back into the water. In the big view it’s a useless thing to do since so many more are laying on the beach it hardly makes a dent. For each of those little animals, it means Life.”

“I’m so sad in tears. I would look at that poor little eaglet, before they shut the camera off and knew that what I was looking at wasn’t going to be around forever. It was just too too pitiful. The little one was just hungry!! I despise most people. Scout shouldn’t have been taken back to the nest after they banded him!”

“Where is the courage to do the right thing by our wildlife?”

“Hi, Mary Ann! I hope you’re doing fine. I just read your shoutout about Scout, and I fully support it. I also voted for the change of regulations. It’s beyond my belief how they could let this happen, because, even if his weight was within limits at the time of banding, they knew what was happening. I’m sorry for saying that but the “big guys” not granting the authorisation took part in killing him. That is what I firmly believe in.”

“Thank you, Mary Ann. I totally agree with you & MicPark. I understand there are protected species (though not so much protected as abandoned by our current administration) but I will never understand the “no human intervention” ideology. Scout was suffering & needed intervention. Snow’s nest needed to be propped up because we all knew what was going to happen before she/he fledged. If it is okay enough to intervene and put cameras in their nests for the world to see then it should be just as okay to intervene when these birds are in danger. Thank you for all you do & I’m so sorry for all that you’re not allowed to do ❤️”

“Maryann, thank you for all you say and do for the animals. You will not be forgotten by us or the animals. What you say is correct. I knew animals were part of our world or we are apart of theirs. Whatever way you look at it, we are all in this together. We owe them help when we see a problem. Whoever started this ‘nature knows what’s best’ thing should be shot. Nature is an idea, not an entity. Nature is a word made by man. No wonder the US has turned into an authoritarian nation. Just look at us. We won’t disintegrate if we feed a hungry animal, and neither will they. Thank you, Maryann.”

The thing is not to lose the momentum. A petition is going around to change the Eagle and Golden Eagle laws. It is on change.org. You do not have to pay anything, just repost. That helps reach a broad audience. Gayle Gordon is leading that campaign in the US to get that law changed.

It takes a long time to change laws. Let us not fool ourselves. What we need to do now is positive action. Quick responses. I applaud those individuals who have reached out to me and who have osprey platforms on their land and are near the Chesapeake Bay. I will never divulge their names or locations, but some who had cameras have turned them off. What they did instead was set up fish-farm containers full of koi on their property. I understand that several are having a positive impact on their nests. We have to try.

Images of Snow sent to me by ‘L’ while being rescued and in transport.

A bird resting on the ground among fallen leaves and branches in a natural setting.
A young bird of prey resting on a soft towel inside a carrier, showcasing dark feathers and a focused gaze.

Geemeff’s summary was missed by a few seconds last evening. There is now a second baby for Louis and Dorcha at Loch Arkaig nest 2.

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 2nd June 2026

Daily summary Tuesday 2nd June 2026

It was another damp day today, and the chick was kept warm and dry and well fed by Louis and Dorcha. Almost too well fed, as Dorcha fed a too large morsel which got stuck in the chick’s throat, but fortunately she eventually noticed and removed it with no harm done to the chick. Louis delivered three fish taking the Nest Two tally to one hundred and three, and Garry LV0 delivered two fish to Aurora 536, taking the Nest One tally to ninety three. At the time of filing this report (midnight) none of the remaining three eggs has pipped yet. Eggs 2 & 3 on Nest Two could start pipping tomorrow and Saturday respectively, and the single egg on Nest One around Thursday. More rain expected with an overnight low of 11°C and a high of 15°C with occasional sunny spells tomorrow.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/ADFiOORIOLk N2  Breakfast of  leftovers at dawn for the chick 04.01.52https://youtu.be/lkPvQowdSzU N2 Chick’s securely in the middle between the adults as Dorcha feeds it 06.06.15https://youtu.be/lhIeUK9Qc2A N1 Garry feaks his beak after delivering a fish 10.22.31https://youtu.be/RePIYK47r7o N2 The chick begs for food and Louis brings a fish 15.46.53 https://youtu.be/UKVIirFPCM4 N1  Aurora departs with fish two dangling from one foot 18.08.44https://youtu.be/zrixUJ4fo78 N2 Chick needs rescuing when a big bit of fish three gets stuck 20.57.34

Bonus guide to rapid growth in Osprey chicks:

https://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/rapid-growth-phase-young-osprey-chicks

You’re invited to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Geemeff also sent some other videos and two good news stories for us:

https://www.thedodo.com/daily-dodo/driver-spots-majestic-animal-sleeping-by-the-road-then-realizes-shes-in-trouble

https://www.thedodo.com/daily-dodo/rescuers-find-baby-eagle-out-of-her-nest-and-realize-she-cant-lift-her-head

And that special video of the second hatch(Edited compilation starts at 05.49 and goes through to 06.22 when hatching is completed, and a bit of footage at 09.36 showing the chick’s progress three hours later:+: https://youtu.be/FMnpIeDqGss

A close-up view of an eagle resting in its nest made of branches and twigs, surrounded by a natural landscape with trees and greenery in the background.

This is from today as I will not have Geemeff’s summary for today in this post. That first hatch of Louis and Dorcha is going to be a handful. It’s already out of the egg cup looking for fish!!!!!!!!!! Look at this video! https://youtu.be/FWh4AUGHiW0?

There is now a third hatch at Borders Osprey for Samson and Augusta!

LATECOMERDownload

Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Info FB included the information on the second hatch at LOTL:

An osprey stands near its nest with two eggs, surrounded by twigs and branches, overlooking a tranquil lake and trees in the background.

A good rescue story from the UK -imagine picking up an osprey and taking it into care. Bravo.

Post about a rescued Osprey by Berry House Vets, detailing its recovery and rehabilitation.
A wet osprey sitting on rocky ground, surrounded by green grass and plants, looking directly at the camera.
Screenshot

Beautiful baby for Liberty and Freedom at Glacier Gardens.

A bald eagle tending to its nest, with a focus on a chick, at Glacier Gardens in Juneau, Alaska. The scene is captured by a live camera.

Heidi reports on Dewey Beach for yesterday: “
Dewey is doing well.  I have no concerns so far. They had 3 good meals yesterday.  Huge headless shad at 13.53, 30 minute meal; leftover shad at 16.24, 12 minute meal; more leftover shad at 17.24, 10 minute meal.”

Baby Dewey has attitude!

An adult osprey stands beside a fuzzy chick in their nest, with water and a building in the background.

Thank you everyone for all your notes, comments, and mail. I continue to go through them and will post more each day. We need to keep up the momentum and help those that are getting official means started in the US.

Take care. See you soon and thank you for being part of a world that gives hope to our wildlife and our planet. I am so grateful to call each of you a friend.

Thank you to everyone who wrote in, to those who posted information on FB, left comments, and sent me images, to Geemeff for their daily summary, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch the lives of these amazing creatures. I also want to shout out to everyone associated with the Great Lakes Bald Eagle nest, and to those involved in Snow’s rescue and care, for their transparency and compassion.

Snow is is rescued…Late Tuesday

2 June 2026

Hello Everyone,

It has been an exhausting day for eagle lovers.

First, Scout died.

Second, Snow’s nest slid. It took rescuers only 11 minutes to get to the nest site and find Snow.

The timeline:

​​4:36:19 Harry w/fish -huge one, Harriet follows in and takes control of fish; 4:37:06 Harry to SB, Harriet hops down into nest with fish, feeding #3; 4:54:04 noise & both Harriet & Snow look.

A close-up view of a bald eagle and a chick in a nest made of twigs, with a tranquil water body in the background.
A dense thicket of green trees and foliage, showcasing various types of needles and leaves in a natural setting.

Here is the link to the rescue video clip: https://youtu.be/YGHBlWcYUbM?

Snow is decidedly injured. Precisely what is wrong is not clear but please send good positive wishes. Scout might not ever fly: broken wings can be repaired. I hope there are no internal injuries. That was a hard fall. Let’s hope beyond hope.

A person crouches in a wooded area with several animals surrounding them on the ground, partially obscured by branches and foliage.
Two people in a forested area, one wearing gloves and working with a blanket covering an object on the ground.

Snow is alive, and hope must prevail. Waiting for updates.

Donations for Snow can be sent to Northern Sky Rescue Centre. There is a donation button. www.northskyraptor.org

There is a growing movement to change the laws so that no other eagle has to suffer as Scout did. We want eaglets in danger who are banded and known to be having difficulties to be kept in care. More on this later, but I am going to say something that will be considered controversial by some. As all of you know, I believe in intervention. If historic buildings can be torn down without authorisation, if sacred lands can be drilled for oil and put wildlife in jeopardy, if….then we must find ways to do something positive. So my question is this: What would happen to someone who put fish in a nest? Didn’t return an eaglet but kept it in care so it survived? Might this not be a test case in the US that could go to court to change these archaic laws? I am a Canadian, but the wildlife – the eagles and birds – move back and forth across great swaths of North America – and belong to all of us. Their welfare is up to us. So think about this! I would love to see a test case to determine whether a starving osplet could be fed fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I plan to write a more scientific/academic response to this question, but not tonight. I am hoping that Geemeff’s summary will be in but if it isn’t, I am going to say goodnight. I will include it tomorrow.

It has just been a day of rocketing emotions. I am worn out.

Thank you for loving these amazing birds.

Thank you to everyone at the Great Lakes Bald Eagle Cam – the mods, the rescuers, the owners of the cam and everyone who worked so hard to make sure that Snow was helped.

Wednesday in Bird World

18 March 2026

Hello Everyone,

We are in the midst of an unexpected blizzard, while thousands of miles to our southeast, it is green, and geese are enjoying the grass on a golf course. Thank you, ‘L’, for letting me share this lovely image of spring! We love our geese, but there is no place for them here, and yet, many arrived several weeks ago! The ponds have frozen, but there remains some open water in the two rivers that wind their way through our City. It is supposed to warm up beginning tomorrow, but I will believe it when I see it. We were not expecting this much snow today!

It doesn’t look like much, but the snow is blowing and accumulating so quickly! The lad who shovels or us thought snow was finished – he is going to get a real surprise! It is more than 30 cm deep on the walkway he cleared a few days ago, and is within 45 cm of covering the large bird table feeder. Unbelievable.

Toby loves it. He bounces through the snow if there is even a whiff of a ‘cat’ in the garden. My plan is to have a tall wooden fence built to match the one constructed a few years ago. I had not planned to put a fence on that part of the property, but the theft of dogs in our City has become quite troubling. Of course, ‘the cats’ – distinguished from ‘The Girls’ – come in from that back corner, so it is important to close it in. Toby loves his sisters, ‘The Girls’. He plays with them, but those that make their way into his outdoor territory will be ousted unless they are Brock (who now still spends 99% of his time at the neighbour down the street)!!!!!!!!!

I hope, after all these years, that each of you knows that I love all animals, but there is a special place in my heart for Big Red and Arthur, the late Annie at The Campanile, and ospreys. I have posted this song before, but I want you to get in the mood. Osprey season is starting in the UK – and has already begun in the US. Here are those wonderful school children with the Osprey Song (2011): https://youtu.be/KoOQK6ejuXY?

At the Lake Murray Osprey platform, Lucy has laid her second egg with a new mate. Please, please put up the owl defences for this family Lake Murray!

Company for Brutus. Storms are tearing down eagle and osprey nests around the US including an osprey nest that Penny Albright monitored near Sanibel that lost two chicks when the nest collapsed. These eaglets made it through…

Blue 25 has made another visit to Blue 33 and Maya’s nest at Manton Bay – Blue 33 normally arrives a few days prior to Maya, and Blue 25 enjoys his company! Geemeff caught her time on the nest: https://youtu.be/HU_XGU3NTro?

We have an osprey at the MNSA Osprey nest in Oceanside’s Jay Cool platform.

“WYL greets his chick upon returning to the nest in New Zealand. The adult male arrives from a foraging trip over the Pacific to feed his growing chick at the Plateau nest site. As the chick gets bigger, the parents will take longer foraging trips to collect enough food for both themselves and their chick.” (Cornell Bird Lab)

Peanut defended the Winter Park Florida nest against a RTH! Nestflix Memories (Gracie Shepherd) caught it on video: https://youtu.be/cQksMDubVEc?

Tonight, Wink is taking now chances. She is right in the nest with Peanut if that GHO returns – and, of course, it will – they never give up! Wink is an incredible mother – I am truly amazed and thankful for her diligence.

Gabby with her babies, Kai and Eve, at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest in Florida. Best keep a close eye on these two – they could fledge before you blink.

At the Johnson City nest of Boone and Jolene in Tennessee, snow arrived. Jolene kept those two babies warm and tried to feed them at the same time. Like Wink, she is an experiened and an exceptional Mum.

Huge crop on JBS 24. Mum and Dad are delivering food and leaving it for self-feeding on occasion.

Harry and Sally are up there in my list of osprey parents. Three babies, three little fat bottoms. Large fish coming in and Harry on guard as it appeared there could have been an intruder around today during a fish delivery. If you haven’t been watching Moorings Park, then check out this osprey family. It is a success story – and believe me when I tell you that there will be few such stories in the NE USA this season unless a miracle happens.

Rutlands Lagoon 4 nest is trying to keep the Egyptian Geese from laying eggs while everyone waits for the ospreys to arrive. This is a second nest with a camera amongst several nests at Rutland Water. AI says: “Based on 2025/2026 sightings, the Lagoon 4 nest at Rutland Water is often occupied by male 359 (a 2021 Rutland-born osprey) and female 3H9 (a 2023 Rutland-born osprey). They have been observed investigating the nest and strengthening bonds. Note: 359 and 3H9 are a distinct pair from the main Manton Bay pair, Maya and 33(11).”

I am getting impatient – and it is a tad early – for Maya and Blue 33 to arrive at Manton Bay.

At the Whitley Crane nest known as the Golden Gate Audubon Osprey nest, Richmond has worked and worked. There is a new female at the nest with him. I do not believe Rosie will make an appearance. Why do I say this? Well, when Aila did not return, Louis moved his nest to another location when he bonded with Dorcha. We often think animals and birds are not intelligent. If I have said it once, I will say it again million times, my teacher about raptor behaviour, the late Laura Culley, taught me that they are smarter and use higher levels of intelligence and communication that humans have lost.

I noticed in one of the chats – it was the Winter Park Florida chat – that someone noted that ‘animals have feelings’. Dr Mark Beckoff and Dr Jane Goodall taught us this. There are several good books out there. I urge you or anyone who is interested in the behaviour of non-humans to read any or all of the following.

Saddness at the Two Harbours as Chase & Cholyn lose their last egg. SK Hideaways has it on video: https://youtu.be/8vmMpnkNsh4?

Big Red and Arthur have snow on their nest at Cornell University.

Suzanne Arnold Horning caught Big Red relaxing on the lights!

Cameras are now live at the Poole Harbour nest of CJ7 and Blue 022.

We have an osprey at Threave. Is it Black 80?

At Achieva the third egg was laid on the 25th of January. Can someone who is watching this nest tell me if Jack is delivering enough fish to his mate? I did not see deliveries today, but I might have missed something.

Dyfi is live! Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/tOS_34MKI5E?

In fact, start checking out all your favourite UK and European nests as the cameras are being turned on faster than I can keep a list.

The Pitkin County Osprey nest in Colorado is live.

I have such a soft spot for this White-tail eagle in Durbe County Latvia. Milda. Her current mate is Zorro. There was sorrow and now Zorro has proved to be a good mate and provider.

April 7. Hellgate Canyon. Iris’s favourite day to return to her nest in Missoula, Montana. Count the days – 20. Less than three weeks! The snow has melted.

There is evil in the world. I cannot imagine how anyone could harm an animal and yet, every day I find myself telling people not to give their kittens away to anyone. Russell Mason beat a Goshawk to death – how in the world can someone do this?

Large estates, with no eyes around in Scotland (and elsewhere), allow many horrific things to happen to our beautiful feathered friends. What can be done to stop this?

Scottish gamekeeper Russell Mason pleads guilty to battering a Goshawk to death on shooting estate iDownload

The Cornell Bird Lab gives us hope that people around the world are increasingly engaging with nature and birds. Yes, there are incredibly vicious people anywhere in the world that will harm birds and other animals, but there are more, I hope, that love and help them.

To put a smile on your face:

A total hoot! Beautiful birds – in pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2026/mar/17/a-total-hoot-beautiful-birds-in-pictures-claire-rosen?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you so much for being with me today and for your patience, as my posting is often irregular. I had hoped to keep to Fridays and Mondays til the UK osprey season began, but every day there is something new and exciting! I will continue to post at the oddest of times, sometimes two or three times a day as news comes in. As you can imagine, my life is anything but routine. We do have a schedule, but it all depends on my husband’s mood, which can vary. I am impatiently waiting for spring to arrive. What I miss most is reading. Yes, we have story time, but it isn’t the same as sitting quietly on a park bench with squirrels dashing around, the wind gently blowing, with a good book in my hand, reading in silence. So, no promises other than there will always be a Monday blog, often coming out late Sunday, until we have osprey chicks on the nests in the UK and Europe.

Thank you to everyone who created videos, wrote informative FB posts, to Raptor Persecution UK for keeping us informed, and to the Cornell Bird Lab for continuing to support education. I remain forever grateful to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to venture into the challenging lives of our feathered friends. To all my readers who are now long-time friends, I appreciate your support. Your letters and comments mean the world to me.

Day 8. Welcome to Winter

10 December 2025

Good Morning and a big hello to everyone,

I hope that the beginning of the week was a good one for all of you. As the holiday season draws closer, even if you do not celebrate anything at all, you will feel the rush and the stress without knowing it. There is more traffic, the crowds are bigger, and people are not always polite. Everyone has forgotten to slow down, breathe, and have fun. Cranky might be an apt word for many others, but I hope it doesn’t describe you.

Look for the good and the beautiful, and do not let the bad and the ugly get you down; do not let them ruin your life. And don’t let the drive to have the cleanest house, the most perfect meal, and the most ideal table decorations, along with stacks of presents, ruin the moment. None of that really matters. Time with friends and family sharing laughter – and maybe a sandwich instead of a meal that took hours and hours to prepare and made you dead tired on your feet – is really what the holidays should be about.

It continues to be warmer on the Canadian prairies with temperatures on Tuesday around -9 C. Snow continues to fall and the young man who shovels for us will, no doubt, be coming again tonight as he did last evening. It is quite beautiful, but the roads are ‘greasy’ and someone even wrote to say it was raining on one side of our city. It is near the middle of December. This season is strange.

I took a very short video in the small front garden where the conifers are planted. The small tree is in memory of Melvin, one of our cats (a tuxedo like Brock). Melvin was a sweetheart. We put solar lights on his tree this year. There is a Scotch pine planted in memory of Don’s mother, a large Blue Spruce we planted in 1998 in memory of our youngest son, William, and an apple tree that was relatively small when we purchased the property. A family of chickadees lives in the Blue Spruce. Missey often sits atop a small dresser, watching them. Gosh, it makes me so happy to have a garden in the middle of a city where wildlife feel safe.

I tried to capture the snow falling, but the iPhone camera didn’t quite do it justice. Squint. You can see a bit of snow falling. LOL. If you have suggestions on the settings that will help me improve, by all means, please tell me! Please.

Ann took the boys out for a long walk in the snow. We will go out again tonight. -9 °C is simply the perfect temperature. Toby loves to romp. As I always try to mention, ‘The Girls’ do not have any desire to go outside. They easily find the closest vent with the heat pouring out – or their heated beds that ‘EJ’ recommended a couple of years ago. They still love them, especially when the floor is cold.

Everyone in the garden has been accounted for, except for one Blue Jay, missing for over a week. That leaves a sad hole in my heart. I wonder what happened. I hope that one is just off visiting the kids and will return. Stay tuned. You will be the first to know. The Crows are here, but they are not coming as often; as a result, only about half of the peanuts are eaten. The small birds have increased in number so that we will increase the amount of wild bird seed and Black Oil seed for them. They are fluffed up to stay warm.

This year, I have not ordered many books, simply because few interested me. One did entice me, though, and that was Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Journal.

You will never know which birds are visiting your garden or their seasonal patterns unless you keep a journal. This book is an excellent gift for you or for inspiring someone to look more closely at the natural world around them. You need to be sure to add the date and the year and I also recommend adding the temperature and wind conditions. Later, you can go back and do an annual comparison.

The Backyard Bird Journal is more than a journal if you let it be. Tan discusses how nature ‘saved her’ and how being outside in the natural world can reduce stress. Her ‘Introduction’ is very personal – read it. Think about how wildlife, being in nature and actually ‘seeing it’, can change your life. Her other book, Backyard Bird Chronicles, is beautiful and tells her journey to find happiness after the stress she felt when she began. I highly recommend both – especially now when you might be feeling there is no hope for nature.

The second eaglet has hatched at the Central Florida nest of Pepe and Muhlady and its name is Froto.

I mentioned issues with disclaimers at Superbeaks. I am so grateful that Heidi spoke up with what happened to her. This is the reason that I am very weary of covering this nest.

This is in the comments section of my blog, but, because many people do not read the comments, I want to include it here.

Heidi wrote:

“About 18 months ago I made 3 videos to show the fledges of the eaglets (Mason and Dixie) and their return to the nest. The videos were complex with transitions, overlays, and graphics, and took a lot of time to make. I gave credit to Superbeaks, and their logo was on the videos. My YT channel is not, and has never been monetized. SB/CF took my videos, cropped off my watermark, and posted them on their own channel. When I protested, they replied that the videos I made were their property. I filed copyright strikes with YT, I won, and YT removed the videos from the SB/CF site. Then, SB/CF filed a counter-strike with YT and threatened to sue me. YT washed their hands of it at that point, and told me that I had 15 days to show proof that I was suing SB/CF. Of course, I was not going to spend the money and go that far. It was after their issue with my videos that SB/CF posted their current legal language below their live feed. Their copyright statement is not new, it has been posted for about 18 months. There was no such language posted before I made the fledge videos. By the way… I was not, nor have ever been a ‘professional scraper’. Beware.”

For those of you who are capturing images and making videos, like Heidi, I recommend being careful.

One nest I do love is the Charles Sturt Falcon cam. Girri is getting so big. She is waiting for breakfast to arrive and in it comes!

Dad was on the nest of the barge at Port Lincoln in South Australia. Hello, Dad! So nice to see you again.

Hawk Mountain has posted their migration chart for the week of December 9:

Look over those numbers. Some birds have really increased in numbers – like the Bald Eagle. Others have had a sharp decline (so far). We still have eagles in Manitoba. I continue to say that they know more about the changes in weather patterns than we do. It is going to be a very interesting winter.

A close encounter with a Buzzard. The following commentary, “Six feet away, the buzzard crouched, as though preparing to leave if I came any closer, and I wondered what kept her there. Was she weak with hunger? Or sick? Or reluctant to waste energy against the cold wind? What remains with me now is the intensity of her eye, glossy black in the light, how the buzzard’s gaze drilled into mine, as if the world were simply endless calculation.” reminds me of my encounter with a very large female Sharp-shinned/Cooper’s Hawk years ago in my garden. Looking deep into her eyes changed my life. I have not experienced anything so powerful since that cold winter’s morning in the garden. This is one of those lovely little Country diary articles of 350 words or fewer. Enjoy.

Country diary: A close encounter with a buzzard – but something’s not quite right | Ed Douglashttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/09/country-diary-a-close-encounter-with-a-buzzard-close-enough-to-make-me-wonder?CMP=share_btn_url

“Buzzard” by Andy Morffew is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The RSPB describes Buzzards: “Now the most common and widespread UK bird of prey, the Buzzard is quite large with broad, rounded wings, and a short neck and tail. When gliding and soaring, it will often hold its wings in a shallow ‘V’ and the tail is fanned. Buzzards vary in colour from all dark brown to much paler variations, but all have dark wingtips and a finely-striped tail. Their mournful mewing call could be mistaken for a cat.”

“Key features to look out for:

Not to be confused with the Honey Buzzard, which is a rare summer visitor to the UK. They glide with their wings held flat, tilting their tail like a kite. Their wings are not held raised in a ‘V’. They are neatly barred underneath, with a prominent small head.

Usually brown, with white undersides to the wings, but their plumage is quite variable

Adults have an obvious dark tail band and dark trailing edges to their wings

Long, broad wings with prominent ‘fingers’

Buzzards tend to hold their wings in a raised ‘V’ when soaring, whereas Red Kites hold their wings flat, or slightly downcurved

Short tail, often fanned in flight, which lacks the distinctive fork of a Red Kite’s

Yellow beak, with a black tip

Yellow legs

Often sits with a hunched posture”.

In the UK, Buzzards are on the UK Green List meaning they are doing well and have no conservation concerns. I love them. They remind me of Red-tail Hawks despite the difference in their plumage.

Calico sends everyone some love.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Thank you to Heidi for carefully explaining what happened to her when she posted a few of her videos. At the time, I was so taken aback by the way she was treated that I stopped covering this nest, and despite how much I admire Pepe and Muhlady as parents, other nests will get my attention and donations. Thank you to Hawk Mountain for providing their detailed charts and to Amy Tan for her new book. Thanks, Gracie Shepherd, for the FB post about the second hatch at Superbeaks. Thanks to everyone connected with the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape – Cilla Kinross and to Holly Parsons for being such a great FB group moderator. Once again, I want to thank The Guardian for its articles on wildlife and the environment and OpenVerse for images that can be used on various social media platforms if citations are included.

Day 7 Welcome to Winter as incubation continues for our eagles

9 December 2025

Hello Everyone,

Winter is truly here. Snow is falling regularly. The temperature has warmed from the frigid cold of a few days ago to a balmy -9. Our walk with Toby as the snow danced down was wonderful. -9 C is just perfect winter weather. Toby loves the snow. He jumps and plays sniffing every tree or bush along the path.

This is Ellen’s photo from Monday morning. Ellen comes on Mondays and Thursdays. All I have to do is say her name, and Toby’s eyes literally light up. When she arrives, he jumps up and down for joy. Our lad loves his walks. They usually go from 1.3 to 1.7 km in half an hour. Toby is truly tired when he gets home.

One of the things I often get asked is how we stay warm in such cold weather. First, our houses are super insulated, and ours has triple-pane windows with a gas-filled cavity between the mullions and special glass that holds the heat in winter and dissipates it in the summer. Doors fit super tight. Our heating bills can be high, especially in January and February. We dress to go outside. Our coats are rated to -40 C. Our coats are ‘800 fill down’. This means that one ounce of this down expands to fill 800 cubic inches. Our coats are fluffy, very lightweight, and super warm, as are our boots, which are also rated to -40 C. We wear natural materials such as wool. I find a cashmere turtle neck layered with another sweater works when it is truly around -30 C. Hats and gloves are lined, and we have scarves of every thickness and size. I find that when we are moving, we stay warm, but when we stop to chat with other dog walkers, we often start to feel cold, especially our toes.

Holidays are just around the corner, and during the days and weeks ahead, your lives will get busier. Hanukkah begins at sunset on the 14th, Christmas is on the 25th, and Kwanza, St Stephen’s Day, and Boxing Day are on the 26th. For my friends in Japan, the tradition of cleaning comes just ahead of the new year celebrations. Oh, how I would love to be in Kyoto munching on mochi!

Calico reminds all of us that it is the precious time we have together, not the money or the presents (the stuff we will happily discard later), that make us joyful or peaceful. So, please, take a breath. Please just put away the credit card if it is out of your wallet, and think of something that you can do for someone to help them. It could be an afternoon of babysitting. Or taking someone for a walk and giving a caregiver free time? Why not find some objects and greenery and make some small wreaths for friends? Or cook them a simple meal – it does not have to be elaborate. Remember it is the time together that is important. I cannot tell you how much Thursday afternoons with my daughter, Jaine, taking Don out for a long walk means to me. I cannot put it into words. Made some homemade jam? Put a ribbon on it! What a lovely gift. Be creative and smile after the holidays because you will not be agonising over how to pay for them. Then send Calico a ‘thank you’. She would love to hear what you did that didn’t cost ‘the bank’.

Calico found a great article in The Guardian, ‘Shop secondhand, shred your veg and try ‘furoshiki’ wrapping: 14 easy ways to cut Christmas waste’. Grab a ‘cuppa and have a good read. I do love the orange peel stars. We are going to work on that this week!

Shop secondhand, shred your veg and try ‘furoshiki’ wrapping: 14 easy ways to cut Christmas waste |Download

Snow is dancing down. It is really quite beautiful and festive. I will try and capture some of their beauty with the camera phone.

The early morning, but most especially the time right before the sun begins to set around 1600, is magical. There is a golden glow to the light. All of the garden animals are out eating – the Chickadees, the four grey squirrels, Little Red, the Starlings and Sparrows, Mr and Mrs Crow and, sadly, only a single Blue Jay today. This worries me, but we will see about tomorrow. Maybe there will be two.

As I mentioned at the beginning, the frigid temperatures disappeared on Monday, and it was wonderful to be outside in the snow. Toby loves the snow. He runs, jumps, and rolls in his snow suit, and he doesn’t even mind having his boots put on. Boots, you say? Boots for a dog? They have super grip on the bottom, and that keeps him from slipping on the ice while protecting his back legs. We don’t want any dislocations!

On Wednesday, we have hired a local photographer to take some very informal and fun photos of Don and me – and Toby, of course, at our local park. ‘The Girls’ would not sign the waiver!!!!!!! We have not had our picture taken together in any professional way for decades – and I do mean decades. I am so excited. We are just hoping that the warmer temperatures will hold. If they come out, I will be posting them here on the blog.

Pepe and Muhlady’s first hatch at North Central Florida (Superbeaks) Bald Eagle nest has been named Mira. I stopped covering this nest because the owners of the Superbeaks streaming cam took exception to Heidi posting videos of the nest. Over a year later, it appears that the owners have had a change of heart. Paul Kolnik on Bald Eagles 101 now states that they have said that it is alright to post videos and images from the nest on social media.

I have no idea what the term ‘professional scraper’ means, so I am including a FB post today by Maria Johnson so you can see that little grey fluff ball. Since I do not earn any income from my blog, I assume the term does not apply to me. That said, I will rarely post anything from this nest until there is a clear understanding of what is meant by the term. I do love Pepe and Mulady – they are incredible eagle parents.

Pepe has brought in prey, and both adults have fed Mira.

Egg number 2 has a hole and egg number 3 has a crack. Mira will have brothers and/or sisters soon.

The Laysan Albatross are incubating eggs on Kauai. Hob Osterlund keeps us up to date – check out the battle for incubation. Doesn’t this look familiar?

Big things are happening at Big Bear Valley for Jackie and Shadow, and they are really early this season. Has this pair figured out that laying their eggs earlier might lead to a higher hatching success? SPO gives us all the details!

Shadow Brings the First Fluff of the Season | Big Bear Eagles Nest Update 12.7.25 – SPODownload

Beau and Gabby continue to take turns incubating their eggs. Do you remember when Gabby had more suitors than days in the week? We wondered if V3 was worthy. There was blood and skirmishes and that first year everything went sideways after Samson disappeared. Then we wondered if Beau was up to the task of fathering after burying the egg. We learned that he is up to the task last year. Fingers crossed that this one is even better for one of our favourite Bald Eagle couples.

The camera operators at the Trempeauleau Bald Eagle nest in Wisconsin (Raptor Resource Project) are to be commended. We got a beautiful look at the nest and surrounding area. Mr T has been chortling with Mrs T. I wonder if he is also doing the same with the ‘other Mrs T’ on the other side of the lake?

Snow in Iowa at the nest of Mr and Mrs North at Decorah.

At the US Steel nest of Irvine (Irv) and Stella, Pix Cams caught the pair fishing and soaring. https://youtu.be/SSV1vj5o09o?

Snow covers the nest at ND-LEEF in South Bend, Indiana.

It’s a little warmer on Captiva where Connie and Clive are incubating their two eggs.

Warmer at Fraser Point, home of Cruz and Andor.

Jolene and Boone are at their nest in Johnson City, Texas.

Ron and Rose – oh, I do love Ron. What a character! Incubating eggs in the heat of a Florida winter.

Knepp Farm reintroduced White Storks to the south of England. Now London will be getting their own in a rewilding programme. Can you feel the smile on my face?

White storks to make historic return to London in 2026https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/08/white-storks-return-london-barking-and-dagenham-2026-rewilding?CMP=share_btn_url

Saving Monarchs posted this really informative image on FB. We have always had a lone rabbit coming to our garden in the winter. This year is no different – it appears that the large rabbit population of fifteen years ago has dwindled due to habitat destruction and road collisions.

Since it is the holiday season, Everything Gardening posted a very appropriate information poster on what can harm wildlife. Please look it over and make certain that you have not inadvertently put decorations outside that will harm our beloved friends.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We look forward to having you with us tomorrow as we continue our daily check in as we lead up to more eagle hatches.

Thank you to the owners of the FB groups and their posts, to The Guardian for covering wildlife stories and the environment, and to the owners of the streaming cams that give us a glimpse into the lives of these amazing raptor families.