It might be the shortest day, but it also harks back to the days when they were not longer. It is a welcome day in our house because it has been getting dark by 1630.
So what is Winter Solstice? This is what Google said: “Winter solstice rituals focus on welcoming the return of light after the longest night, often involving candle lighting, feasting, creating altars with natural elements (evergreens, stones, candles in white/gold/green), and intention setting like writing and burning wishes or fears to release them, reflecting ancient traditions of Yule, Saturnalia, and Dongzhi that celebrate rebirth, renewal, and hope.”
There are so many ways to celebrate the solstice. The Nordic countries do a fantastic job of lighting up their community spaces and their homes, creating a warm glow using candles. I would love to do that with real beeswax candles, but the last time I tried, Missey almost caught her beautiful, fluffy tail on fire. So I decided to do some research, and here are some other ways to celebrate. I particularly like number 6: “6. Connect with nature:
Spend some time outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Take in the beauty of the winter landscape and appreciate the natural world around you. In these darkest days, seeking sunlight on your face becomes even more important. A brief moment in the sun can lift your mood, boost your energy, and remind you of the light slowly returning with each passing day. If you’re near water and feel called to it, cold water swimming can be an invigorating way to connect with nature and your body. Immersing yourself in cold water sharpens your senses, grounds you in the present moment, and leaves you feeling refreshed and alive. Whether it’s standing under the sun, walking through frosty fields, or dipping into icy waters, connecting with nature during the Winter Solstice invites us to align with the Earth’s rhythms and find peace in its beauty.” Oh, I don’t think I am brave enough to take a plunge in our icy rivers but a nice walk with Toby in the park will be perfect.
Toby’s friend, Nellie, is already to make some holiday memories with him and The Girls.
This is just the best news about Girri. We knew she was a strong girl! And thankfully the weather has been brilliant after her fledge. Please read and smile. (There is older news below).
Jak and Audacity have been together for eleven years. We have witnessed their triumphs and their struggles. Cried and leapt for joy. SK Hideaways gives us their history. Enjoy. https://youtu.be/jCVVKQNIbfw?
News on Girri on the Falcon Cam chat: “21 DEC BOX 04.38.50 distant call heard; 04.41.52 D out; Gimbir in box 05.51.33, 06.12.22, 06.22.01, 06.31.00, 10.03 44; Girri update: seen by Cilla in roost trees this morning!”
Gimbir is in the scrape. What an amazing first-time dad he was!
There could be a pip in the second egg at the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23. I sure hope this second hatch is strong and feisty.
E26 is doing great!
Protecting Mum and the nest. M15 is one of those great Bald Eagle dads!
NestFlix Memories gives us some insight into little R9 and Mummy Rose moving the fish to give it some room! https://youtu.be/dyxhLia-f6c?
There is a pip. R10 is wanting to hatch!
Feeding at Dade this morning:
Missing Big Red and Arthur and those cute little Red-tailed hawklets? Well, here is a video of the season’s highlights for you to enjoy. https://youtu.be/0PY02IzVD48?
Have a glorious day everyone! We will see you tomorrow after all the drama of Nellie’s arrival has settled. It is -28 C. Whew. So cold you don’t feel it. Bye.
Thank you so much to Cilla Kinross for her report on Girri and those lovely photos, the owners of the streaming cams, Gracie Shepherd for her FB posts, and SK Hideaways, always, for their videos!
We are one week away from the autumn solstice. It is a beautiful Saturday on the Canadian prairies. It is 24 C. The sky is a hazy light blue with the sun beating down on the garden. The cranberry bushes are turning flame red, the leaves have been turning for some time, and early in the morning, sitting on the deck with Toby and a coffee, we can hear the geese far above us honking.
Time passes too quickly. Not two blinks ago, the children were getting out of school for the summer holidays, and now they are back. We are even having our annual street party tomorrow. It felt as if the last one was just months ago. Do you ever feel this way? Like time is melting between your fingers? Still, it will feel like aeons until Gabby and Beau have their first egg. Time will drag til the ospreys return, and then it will fly again!
I am happy to report – thank you to all the good energy you sent – that Baby Hope is completely healed and new fur is growing over her injury! I cannot tell you what a relief this is. We worried that she would continue to scratch at the injury so that it wouldn’t heal. Toby is also fine. He is a little ‘stiff’ going down the stairs but he is back to wrestling some with Hugo Yugo. They continue to sleep together in the big dog bed. It is so sweet. Missey and Calico are well, too. I cannot ask for more.
So what is happening in Bird World? For the most part, the ospreys are gone. Tiger Mozone reminds us it is approximately 178 days til they return in the UK. What will we do without them? — Watch Port Lincoln! And the Bald Eagles, right?
We will start with two video offerings by SK Hideaways to get us excited! None other than Monty and Hartley and, of course, our favourite Big Bear Valley Eagles – Jackie and Shadow.
San Jose City Hall Falcons Hartley & Monty (2025 Sep 14)
Monty arrived to tidy up the nest prior to Hartley’s arrival. Their meeting was a veritable beaky kiss fest. Guess three successful broods is the key to a successful relationship.
Heidi reports that the male is still at Field Farm feeding his two juveniles who fledged mid-August.
It has gone quiet at Rutland Manton’s Bay Osprey platform.
Making the departure of Blue 33 and Maya complete, Colin, the Cormorant has moved into the nest!
As I shift the blog to Mondays until the first hatch at Port Lincoln, I hope to fill you in on some of the books that Calico and I have been reading. Yes, it has been more than two years, and we are still having story time – four cats and a dog! Here are our first offerings. Some will make great holiday gifts.
The Naturalist’s Notebook for Tracking Changes in The Natural World around You by Nathaniel T Wheelwright and Bernd Heinrich (2017).
It is a beautifully illustrated book with gilt edges and just the right size to hold and read comfortably. The authors discuss their ancestors and how they learned to observe the changes in the natural world, day by day and month by month. In the back is a five-year calendar divided by the seasons, reminding us to be present in our lives. I am particularly fond of the extensive calendar, which allows me to easily compare the arrival of the Starlings, the fledge of the Blue Jay babies, and the first honks of the geese flying overhead to their winter homes. It would make a lovely gift for someone just beginning to learn about the world around them, or for someone like me who wants to keep track of what is happening in my garden. $24.95 CDN.
The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin.
This is a review on Goodreads – and it is spot on! Atkin, like Wheelwright and Heinrich in The Naturalist’s Notebook for Tracking Changes in the Natural World around You, observes owls that live near her. She doesn’t travel far and wide, and like so many, she is not a professionally trained expert in the behaviour of owls. She is a person, just like all of us, who loves animals and birds and is a keen observer of their lives. That review reads: “Polly Atkin does not profess to be an expert on owls or anything else. This refreshing book brings the love of birds, especially owls, right from her heart to yours. It also brings the sights, sounds, and weather (oh, the weather!) of England’s Lake District right into your sitting room.
In The Company of Owls, we are treated to the author’s observations of the owls that choose to live near her. This nips off to other places she’s lived and visited, which adds richness to her descriptions, but it is her ‘home’ birds, and particularly one year in their lives, that is the primary focus.
The author has wonderful descriptive powers, and it is no surprise to glean her interest in poetry from her tale. Her description of the bog habitat where she went looking for short-eared owls is superb, although given the daily walks that provide the basis for her writing about her local owl family as they grow, it is amazing that there is no hint of repetitiveness.
Atkins supports her story with solid research, comparing owl numbers now with the records since Victorian times. These details tend to slip in as anecdotes, and more narrative quotes combine to give a really good picture of how owls have fared over the last century or so.
It’s a very personal record, and she isn’t afraid to reveal her own mistakes, which brought me back after a slight dip in attention in the middle of the book. On the whole, I think this is a really good book for the cosy bird lover, and people who like to know all the birds on their patch, rather than the twitching variety. I’m a patcher, of course.”
Both of these books take a very personal look at the natural world that is around them. They are inspirational to each of us to look just outside our back door – we don’t have to travel the world checking off lists – great things are happening beside us – now.
The power couples of Florida’s Bald Eagle streaming cams are returning to their nests and restoring them for the new season.
M15 and F23 have been home at SW Florida working on their nest.
Beau was absolutely delighted when Gabby arrived home to their nest in NE Florida early.
Ron and Rose are at the WRDC nest near Miami.
Now what is going on with Connie and Clive at Captiva?
In California, Andor and Cruz are at Fraser Point.
‘A’ is keeping a close eye on the Royal Cam chick for us as well as the others in Australia.
“Dad came in a couple of hours ago and fed his big girl breakfast. She was very excited to see him, and watched him closely as he took off after the feeding. It is hard to think this may be the last time they see each other. We (the viewers) hope not because Miss SS Trig still has what the viewers are calling a belly mohawk, with quite a bit of tummy fluff we would like to see gone before she leaves. Her feather development when compared with dad’s this morning was obviously still a week or so away from being ready, so we do hope she doesn’t get overexcited (or caught in a storm Lillibet style). Miss SS Trig is 229 days old today (Lillibet fledged at 219 days, the second youngest ever, the youngest being 218 days old a few years ago). And that number I was trying to read the other day wasn’t 555 at all – her number is YE55 (so the E looked like a five and the Y was further around her leg and not readily visible). This may become important later on, as she will lose the GPS device with her first moult, I presume. I did read something about this being a better GPS device but can’t remember what it was.”
Wow. Doesn’t SE35’s feather development over the last few days astonishing? So much more advanced than SE36, who is still a fluffball with few discernible black lines along its wings. This afternoon, the pair have been left alone on the nest in the dappled sunshine, working as hard as they can at converting fish into eaglet feathers. The effort is obvious, as they are flat out like a lizard drinking (sorry – old Australian saying). SE36 has a huge crop so has obviously eaten well today. SE35 is never hungry so there’s no need to update you there! Oh they are exquisite at this age, are they not? Every bit as gorgeous as they were last week and probably just as beautiful as they will be next week when their plumage will be completely different to what we see today. (In other words, they are absolutely lovely every single day of their growth, from the moment they hatch to the day they fledge, and even then, their plumage has many stages to go through before (hopefully) they finish up looking like Lady and Dad.
I did mention to you that the juvenile red wattlebird in my garden has breast plumage that reminds me of the young falcons but from doing a bit of reading, I think those vertical striations (in either greys or caramels with cream) must be common to many (perhaps most) young birds – the red-tailed hawks have a similar pattern. Obviously, it is an excellent camouflage because it is very similar to the way objects appear when struck by the rays of the sun glinting through leaves.
But I digress. I came here to Olympic Park to say that the littles are doing fabulously well, as usual. Lady is such a devoted mum, and Dad, despite or perhaps because of his advancing years, is an incredibly reliable provider, even in difficult conditions. I have to believe that is the result of his experience – he must know exactly where he can fish when the winds are coming from a particular direction or when there is prolonged rain or whatever the prevailing conditions are. These are the advantages of old age I suppose. And Lady is no slouch herself – she often brings in a late afternoon fish when she has the chance to stretch her wings. It’s easy to forget how old these two actually are. Their fertility appears stable – two fertile eggs per year.”
Incubation continues at Port Lincoln Osprey barge.
It has been a wonderful year at the Osprey House Environment Centre. If you didn’t follow the nest, the fledgling from 2024, helped the parents to care for the little ones in 2025. It turned out marvellous. The babies thrived and now the first one has fledged.
Incubation is still going well for the falcons in the CBD of Melbourne at 367 Collins Street.
Little Gimbir is winning hearts and minds as he has proven to be an exceptional hunter and provider for Diamond at the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape in Orange.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is the largest in Australia. This is a short film, 18 minutes by Filming Wildlife, of this large raptor hunting! https://youtu.be/TEJ7gSYUOek?
Meldrs, the Golden Eagle fledgling of Spilve and Grislis, no longer comes to the nest in Latvia but is out following the adults, learning to hunt.
‘L’ from South Carolina sends me the most gorgeous images of a Cooper’s Hawk that visits their garden often, drinking at the bird bath. It is a reminder that we should all put out water for the birds that stay and those, so thirsty, that are passing through on migration. (The hawk is enjoying a Shrike lunch).
Emergence Magazine is launching its next volume, Seasons. I am attaching a link to a film, Crying Glacier by Lutz Stautner. The author says, “In the trickling, creaking, and gurgling heard through hydrophones and contact microphones, sound artist and composer Ludwig Berger listens for the voice of Switzerland’s dying Morteratsch Glacier. Directed by Lutz Stautner, this short film follows Ludwig on one of his many visits to the glacier, where he gathers its hidden sounds, the pop of centuries-old air bubbles and the groan of ice, inviting us into the intimacy of listening to more-than-human voices. One hundred years from now, we may only be able to hear the sounds of glaciers through recordings like these.”
Dedicated individuals continue to fight to end the industrial fishing of Menhaden if the osprey and other species are to survive in the Chesapeake Bay and region.
It’s migration. Please encourage everyone to turn off their lights!
One lucky little gosling.
Your smile for the week comes from Toby who is busy excavating peanuts in the flower pots where the squirrels have hidden them!
Very pleased with himself.
Toby had his operation on Tuesday. He can’t have a bath for another week and a half! He is so dirty and stinky!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope that you had a lovely weekend and were able to get outside and enjoy lots of fresh air and bird song. Take care. We will be back with you again on Monday the 22 of September. Fall will have officially begun!
I want to thank our notable contributor, ‘SK Hideaways’ for their videos highlighting the nests we are following, the owners of the streaming cams listed in bold, the individuals who take the time to create videos and the authors of posts such as Jeff Kear at UK Osprey Information, and all others, often too many to name but whom I have tried to cite in bold. I am very grateful to you and to the newspapers and journals that still cover environmental issues as they relate to our precious feathered friends. My blog would not be what it is without your input into the world of birding.
We spent the day being ultra-busy securing a month’s worth of cat food for the indoor and outdoor felines and fresh fruit and veg for us. The birdseed arrived on Friday. After checking and seeing six deer in the forest, we got home in the deep cold and started moving furniture. Yes, cleaning the house is great exercise, but warmer weather and a walk in the forest is much more enjoyable! So the point of moving all the furniture – which delighted the cats as they discovered old toys again – is to make way for a stationary bicycle. We can peddle through the Highlands, go through Bali’s rice fields, or enjoy the golden fields of southern France. We will get those 4-10k walks in one way or another. It arrives on Wednesday.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because they have never worked for me. However, our goal is to make 2025 an even better year than 2024. Wish us luck! We plan to plant more trees and shrubs, modify the wood boxes with chicken coop lamps, and launch Calico’s Corner to help feral cats and wildlife—that should keep us busy for a while. What are you hoping to do?
As someone commented in the Achieva chat, it is difficult to watch Jack sitting on the perch, calling for Diane. We have no evidence of what happened or any ring numbers to provide clarity. The one thing we do know is that the platform is currently unsafe for eggs and chicks and requires restoration. There are many ospreys in the area that could utilize the platform if it were fixed, but if I were a female osprey, I certainly wouldn’t lay my eggs on that nest!
Osprey platforms are very expensive to build and install. Just ask the folks at Friends of Osprey South Australia! The Achieva nest has withstood several hurricanes, including Hurricane Milton. I am surprised that no one has volunteered a cherry picker to fix the holes and replace the nesting material to encourage occupation. We learned from Newfoundland Power that helping ospreys by adding nesting material and making the nest comfortable can change the behaviour of the female. For the first time in many years, Beaumont and Hope successfully fledged two osplets in 2024. It felt like a miracle happened at that nest.
Raccoons can get almost anywhere. One was on the Whirly Crane, the old nest of Richmond and Rosie in SF Bay, early Saturday morning. I wonder if they moved their nest last year because of the predators? https://youtu.be/vnp2jx-bzlU?
Need a smile? Wisdom is back from foraging and has relieved her mate to incubate their egg on the Midway Atoll.
Many people are finding comfort in watching the Bald Eagle nests in Captiva and Southwest Florida. The adult eagles are demonstrating experienced parenting, and there is plenty of prey available on the nests. We have the joy of observing four adorable eaglets as they develop into fledglings before we know it!
It looks like it if fish dinners with an egret side course at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Clive and Connie and C12 and C13.
M15 brings in some interesting meals. It looks like fish and the two SW Florida eaglets are just cute little itchy pin feathered buttons.
Already stuffed to the top of their little Mohawks and they are getting more food at SW Florida! It was one of those beautiful tandem feedings.
Gabby took her typical spa day before the eaglets hatch. She used to do this when she was on the nest with her much loved Samson.
Many people in the UK are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first ospreys. We hope to see Blue NC0 at Loch of the Lowes and Maya at Rutland in early March.
Some of the Peregrine scrapes are getting busy.
A nice thought.
Idaho is working for wildlife. I would love to have a few of these in Winnipeg!
If you have been following the saga of the Florida Manatees, there is good news and bad coming out of the state.
You can’t find a happier osprey FB group – I seriously mean this – than the Ospreys of Nova Scotia. Healthy, happy nests (31 nests lost only 2 chicks last year post-fledge), a responsive utility company that amends nests if there is an electrocution, lots of friendly chatters who check on their sites and post daily, and then there are the frantic laughs provided by the members.
Geemeff sends us news about walking our dogs!
These little birds fly up to 10,000 km, only to be disturbed by humans walking their dogs, who probably don’t even notice these gallant little migrants.
What are the threats to the European Turtle Dove? The European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) faces many threats, including:
Habitat loss: Intensive farming practices, such as the use of pesticides and herbicides, reduce the number of seeds available for the doves to eat.
Illegal hunting: Turtle doves are often illegally hunted or trapped, especially in the Mediterranean. Hunting is prohibited during breeding season by EU law, but the problem persists.
Disease: Disease can contribute to the decline of the turtle dove population.
Unsustainable hunting: Unsustainable levels of hunting can threaten the turtle dove population
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for your notes, posts, articles, images, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, J’, Achieva Credit Union, SF Bay Ospreys by Golden Gate Audubon, Jeff Kear and Colins Cornflake Capers, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, Tewkesbury Peregrine Falcons, Alt National Park Service, Idaho Transportation Department, The Weather Channel, Ospreys of Nova Scotia, National Wildlife Federation, The Guardian, OpenVerse, Operation Turtle Dove, Countrypress, Hilton Head Wildlife Reserve
It is summer – just joking – but Tuesday was an amazing day to stand outside and sniff the fresh air. The snow is melting in areas where the sun shines, and the streets are full of puddles. Sadly, some people are not aware that if they drive like Ayrton Senna, they will splash everyone in sight! One of our local nature centres is having a contest to guess the arrival of the first Canada Goose, and we are getting ready for one of the major festivals in our city, Festival du Voyageur. I wonder if there will be any snow or if it will be too warm for the international ice sculpture contest? I love the Maple Candy – pouring hot Maple Syrup over clean snow. It is delicious and stiffens up like the best taffy.
I had tea with my best mate today and outside her window was a doe and fawn. Got the doe right before she was going to crunch a munch one of the plants. There are 8 deer that live in the park. In the spring, my friend has a pond and there is at least one pair of ducks that make it their home. It is lovely to visit and get to see them.
I am glad that this deer is not being hunted. For several years we have been taking about the disastrous effects of lead poisoning in our raptors. Hunting, fishing, military weapons all contribute to the high death rates. Hunters kill the deer and clean out their innards, leaving those in the field full of lead shot. The raptors or carrion eaters feast on this and they can die.
The wildlife rehab that took care of our little sweetie ND17, Humane Indiana Wildlife, has a sad story for us – with lots of information. Please spread the word to anyone you know that hunts and fishes that they should not be using lead in any form. Educate them nicely as to why. Be your best persuasive self.
Oh, gosh, golly. We have the first egg of the 2024 season in the Channel Islands. Thunder laid it today and that precious egg was seen at 1539. Congratulations!
And a big shout out to Dr Peter Sharpe, who retired, took the transportation – the car, the boat, climbed up the cliffs – and installed a fanatic camera!
I wonder how long it will be until Thunder’s parents, Chase and Cholyn, lay their first egg at Two Harbours.
At Sauces, Jak and Audacity are hopeful and working away. They should be an inspiration to all of us to never give up!
There is chirping at Eagle Country for Abby and Blazer. We will have a hatch soon! You can clearly hear that gentle cheeping…how exciting. This one may have hatched by Wednesday morning.
There is not a lot of bird news. A huge male eagle, quite a handsome fellow, landed on Gabby and Beau’s tree today. Thanks ‘J’ for the image captures.
Gabby just kept on incubating that egg. Today is day 39.
E23 is working on standing steady, using its wings for balance. There were several hiccups on Tuesday, but the little one is determined. E23 is also working its wings and looking over the rails to what lies beyond the nest and the Pritchett property. A huge fish came into the nest, but E23 was not hungry, having a large crop that had lasted most of the day.
Cal and Lusa had big crops, too! It isn’t easy to see them in the shade of the nest tree now. Those gorgeous and shiny espresso juvenile feathers blend in well with the dark shade. But check out those feet – look at that deep, bright chrome yellow. Clive and Connie’s eaglets are extremely healthy. This is the colour you want to see on the feet of all your raptors. Look and remember.
My goodness. After the ‘fish drought’ at the WRDC nest, you would think fish were falling from the sky. The nest had no less than two large whole fish today along with a bird. R6 appears to be doing just fine. Hopefully he got rid of any human garbage (aka the nappy) when he cast that very large pellet.
The WRDC issued the following statement on Tuesday, the 30th. A very thorough and reassuring post on the happenings at the nest.
You can now see both eaglets at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands nest. The first hatch is doing quite well and is much larger than the second one. I sat and yelled at Mum to feed it mid-afternoon after it woke up and wanted food. She kept feeding the big one and herself. If you are watching this nest really close, please let me know how the wee one is faring. BTW. The sound at this nest is first-rate. You can hear the little squees quite clearly. They are so cute.
If you haven’t marked your calendars, pip watch for Jackie and Shadow begins on the 29th of February. That is 35 days. In the past, Jackie’s eggs have hatched between 38-39 days. Hold your breath. Let’s all send the most positive wishes we can to our Big Bear couple.
I missed posting the news so thanks, Geemeff. Bluff City had its first egg on the 28th.
If you are looking for Owlvira, it appears that she has made her nest this year in a nearby hawk nest and not the nest she used in 2022-23.
If you are having ‘Owl Withdrawal’, I suggest you keep an eye on Bonnie and Clyde at Farmer Derek’s nest. These two kicked out a young pair of Bald Eagles several years ago to raise their first two owlets – Tiger and Lily. Today, they have been heard hooting and mating and Clyde brought Bonnie a food gift at 18:28 on the nest.
Clyde is in the nest cup. Look at that great camouflage!
In Latvia, the White-tail Eagles are returning. What a joyous occasion. The YouTube video for the 30th of January is from the Kemeri National Park. It is the third largest park in the country with numerous water features and lakes. 57% of the area is covered by forests – these are two perfect considerations for the White-tail Eagles when looking for food or nesting sites.
Did you know that there are five different types of eagles that live in Latvia? They are the Golden Eagle which is the most common. Then there. is the Short-toed that breed in Latvia. Sadly, many are shot when migrating to Africa over Malta. The Lesser-Spotted, and the Greater Spotted along with the White-tailed. The White-tailed Eagles are the largest and are easily identified by their entirely white tail. They eat fish and water fowl – the latter of which – caused the HPAI outbreak in 2022. Some charts also identify the Osprey as an eagle in Latvia so you will see titles like ‘Six types of eagles live in Latvia’. I do not include Ospreys with eagles but some do!
My favourite Latvia White-tailed Eagle is Milda. I watched her nest when she was with her late mate, Ramis. She is now bonded with Voldis and they fledged two eaglets in 2023. Milda arrived at her nest in Durbe County on the 30th of January, too!
Sally is beginning to look a little ‘eggy’ at Moorings Park but, as of 1900 Tuesday the 30th there was no egg. Sally and Harry spent time at the nest on Tuesday.
The Royal Cam chick is really growing! We can clearly see it during feedings.
Checking on Annie at The Campanile. She was calling from the scrape. You could see her on the ledge cam and then from inside the scrape. I am waiting to see if this new mate shows up. No. Annie left the scrape at 1701.
More Hen Harriers were illegally killed in 2023 than at any other time. Outrageous.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care! We hope to see you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’Geemeff, J’, Humane Indiana Wildlife, IWS/Explore, Eagle Country, NEFL-AEF, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, WRDC, John Bunker Sands Wetlands Eagle Cam, FOBBV, ETSU Eagles, Owl Cam, Farmer Derek, Cal Falcons, LDF, Trine, Moorings Park, Lady Hawk, Cal Falcons, and Raptor Persecution UK.
It is warming up on the Prairies for a couple of days. We hit a summery -16 C on Monday!!!!! There was some snow falling. It looks like snow was falling down in Texas too…there is some seen on the John Bunker Bald Eagle nest near Dallas.
It was raining in Fort Myers and little E23 wanted under Mamma. The thermal down is not all in. There are pin feathers coming.
SK Hideaways catches F23 as the great Mumbrella for us.
F23 is still protecting her precious chick, E23, into the night.
R6 has been fed at the WRDC nest – I am not hearing any news about a pip in that second egg. Remember they were laid four days apart.
Oh, I wish Rose would be more cooperative when she is feeding R6! This little one is a real sweetheart.
It is pitching down rain at the Captiva Eagle nest of Connie and Clive. C10 and C11 are tucked under Connie as best she can!
The very heavy rain stopped at Captiva around 1715.
‘A’ writes: ”Connie flew off the nest about 06:53 this morning and immediately headed off for food. When she returned, it was with the head of a fish – she too must have been ravenously hungry. The little ones both got something to eat, CE10 more than CE11 of course (he largely had to pick up dropped scraps), and the eaglets are now hunkered down under mumbrella as the rain pours down. It’s as bad as it was yesterday and poor stoic Connie has been in this position for all but two of the past 12 hours or so. She is amazing. The garage door technique is her only option at this stage, with the eaglets growing so large, and today, CE11 has managed the prime position right under mum, happily, as he got the raw end of the deal quite a bit yesterday afternoon. “ Where is Clive?
No rain for Muhlady yet at Superbeaks where she is partially incubating the first egg of the second clutch for her and Pepe.
It is dry, so far, for Gabby and V3.
Beau is protecting Gabby and the nest.
It is wet for Abby and Blazer at Eagle Country.
The snow appears to have stopped in Iowa and one of the eagles, looks like DNF, at Decorah North is plucking their dinner on the snowy nest.
Chandler was in and out quick checking the snowy Port Tobacco nest.
There was some quick work on the rails at Duke Farms by both Mum and the new Dad. Mum has been laying in the nest for some time Monday afternoon late and evening. Might there be an egg coming?
There was no noticeable pip on either egg at Berry College Monday night. Egg 1 is 39 days old today.
The first fish of the day came at 0732. Both Brad and Gil were on the nest and could see the arrival. It was tense. Gil got it. These are incredibly handsome lads.
Brad gets a nice late afternoon fish!
The most recent posting for SE31 at the Sydney Olympic Park and the Parramatta River. So grateful for the images that the BOGs are sending.
“January 16: all 3 Eagles were reported at the river early at 7:30, with a duet and SE31 calling too. I have noted that she was seen with prey yesterday, probably a fish, though no catch details. At 8:30, juvenile was at Juvie Roost and one adult nearby at River Roost when an osprey flew past, calling. The adult flew to SE31, as the osprey, possibly the young one, continued upriver. The river is still very muddy, with floating rubbish. Then at 10:10am, SE31 was spotted on the island with prey, possibly a bird. She was eating, then distracted by the parents’ duet, and when changing branches, she appeared to drop it, though was seen pecking at scraps on the initial branch. She probably did not catch this herself, though delivery was not seen. She was heard whining again later, and at 11:05am, all members of the family were still around on their riverside roosts. Later, at 1:30pm, SE31 was on the island, but her parents were not seen until mid afternoon, at around 3:30pm, when they were both seen near Goat Island.”
‘M’ sent a note about an intruder at the Achieva Osprey Nest of Jack and Diane. A female. Jack didn’t mind. Was it, ‘M’ asks – one of their chicks visiting? I have old images of the heads of the fledglings. You will remember that the pattern on the head of the osprey is the ONLY part of their plumage that does not change. I wonder if it is Tiny Tot Tumbles? She has returned on a couple of occasions. ’M’ says, “…09:25:08 when an intruder came into and landed in nest with Jack. He allowed her to land in nest with no push back and I’m wondering if she might be a chick from previous years. She is certainly a beauty and I think Jack is really impressed by her.”
For all you Red-tail Hawk lovers, World Bird Sanctuary (Home of Murphy the BE that incubated the rock and raised a fledgling) has sent some news of two of their RTH releases that have trackers!
“Both of our former rehab patients that had radio transmitters put on them are doing well. Lynyrd, the juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, is covering quite a bit of ground as he moves around the city. He spent the first few nights near the release site before heading east, further into the city. Since then he has moved southward and is now moving back west while still remaining in St. Louis City. As a juvenile bird, Lynyrd doesn’t yet have an established territory. He will mostly likely not breed until his 3rd year (2025) and it will be interesting to see if he finds a territory before then or remains more nomadic. Check in tomorrow to see how the adult is doing! Forest Park Living Lab is a collaboration between the Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis University, the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Washington University in St. Louis, World Bird Sanctuary, and Forest Park Forever.”
It is always good to see birds safely released and living in the wild after receiving rehabilitation.
Humans brought mice to the islands of the Southern Ocean. It took more than a million dollars to make Marion Island mouse-free. Can you imagine mice eating adult albatross and petrels? Well, that is what they did!
I tried to take a good photograph of the article about the Million Dollar Mouse that appeared in the Winter 2023 BTO News. It isn’t great.
The drawings are great and there is additional reading on the bottom right which is pretty clear.
More details about the father and son team that stole wild Peregrine Falcons and their eggs in Scotland and sold them on to the Middle East are coming to light.
It is winter everywhere. What is cold to me might not be the same temperature as it is in Iowa or Texas, but when the temperatures drop – we all get cold. Birds and animals. I grew up in Oklahoma, and they have posted a recipe to help the birds out in the winter. This could be a fun project! It is a great recipe and is much more cost-efficient than purchasing ready-made. This could be a great project to create interest in children – yours, at school and in youth groups. Bring in the science of how birds stay warm. What kind of food do they need – get them involved in making the suet!
Because it is cold, the suet does not melt. It can be cut with cookie cutters or pressed into other forms such as paper cups that can be removed. A hole can be made, and they can be hung from branches.
Use only unsalted peanut butter, please. No bacon grease, etc.
Thanks so very much for being with me today. Stay warm. Stay safe wherever you are. We hope to have you back with us again soon.
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Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: ’A, H, J, MP’, John bunker Tower Cam, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, WRDC Eagle Nest, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, NEFL-AEF, Eagle Country , Raptor Resource Project, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Duke Farms, Berry College, PLO, Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, World Bird Sanctuary, NZ DOC, BTO Winter News, Raptor Persecution UK, and the Oklahoma Ornithological Society.
We are still experiencing life threatening extreme temperatures with the wind chill. Without the wind, it is -25 C now as I am writing – fifty degrees difference between Winnipeg and Melbourne!
Hugo Yugo has been watching television ‘again’. Isn’t she adorable?
The others are fine, and so is ‘The Boyfriend’, who is snug as a bug in his super-insulated home.
The Starlings had been in the garden, nearly 30 of them in November and December. Today, there were eleven that returned. They were eating snow and the solid suet cylinder on the big table feeder (it had fallen off its holden and broken).
I have a heater for the bird bath, but there was a problem with the closest plug, and the instructions say not to attach the cord to an extension cord. So I wait…I feel bad because studies repeatedly show that the birds need water more than seed, and if you feed seed in the winter, water should be provided.
The Pritchetts reported that it was a fish hook in E23’s mouth that M15 worked and got out. Was it that or a fishbone? Whatever it was, it was a miracle that M15 got it out. CROW was monitoring the situation. Thankfully, it was resolved by the hard work of M15 and F23.
Here is the video of that removal!
E23 is OK. What a relief. E23 is eating well later. As so many of you must be thinking – the best parents, lots of food, still do not protect these babies 100%. This precious little one, the only child to the new bonded pairing of M15 and F23, must thrive! That is all there is to it. I am so grateful that the Pritchetts and CROW monitor these events and will respond immediately if help is required.
It is 13:29 Sunday and the pip has turned into a pea size hole at the WRDC nest of Ron and Rita. Everyone is waiting for R6 to arrive safely.
Missing fish. Ron took it. Rita not impressed. Hopefully he will bring some back!
Pat Burke aka gr8lakes and all those staring at the screen waiting for the hatch are celebrating Sunday night. R6 is here!
HeidiMc made the best hatch video of the bunch and my system is not letting me post it directly. Please click on the link below and have a look at a nicely edited concise video from pip to hatch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSgwj-F6AwY
Rose talking to R6 as she appears to remove the last part of the shell.
So where is the food, Dad?
Good Morning Gabby.
Beau came and gave Gabby a much needed break in the afternoon.
Bella and Scout keeping a close watch over their nest and territory.
We so want Sauces Canyon to have an eaglet this year…8 eggs last year Audacity laid with no luck due to the lingering impact of the DDT sprayed and remaining in the area after fifty plus years. Send this couple positive wishes.
Both eagles were at the Dulles-Greenway nest today…Rosa and her new mate.
C10 and C11 are changing from little eaglets to getting their full thermal down and losing all those dandelions. Before we know it, they will have their juvenile feathers.
How many of you are checking out the Bald Eagle nest at Seagoville, Texas? You might just want to put this one on your watch list. It is in the John Bunker Sands Wetland Centre which is 25 SE of Dallas, Texas. The nest is 26 metres (85 feet) off the ground on the tower shown in the image below. The Eagles returned on the 10th of September. They are called Mum and Dad and both are believed to be approximately 19 years old.
The female is believed to be the one that was here in 2014 but there is a divided opinion on whether the male is the original or not.
Here is the link:
It is so nice to get some news of dear Ervie!
Meanwhile, it was very rough at Port Lincoln today. Mum, Dad, and Gil were spotted on the old barge while Brad stayed at the nest.
Brad got the first two fish deliveries with Gil getting the mid-afternoon one at 1529.
The two oldest eggs at the Royal Albatross colony in NZ are hatching!
News coming from The Gambia of Rutland fledglings. 2H2 from 2022 seen!
Also caught on camera was Arthur, mate to Big Red, on the Cornell Campus. You could be fooled into thinking this is Big Red until you see the apron across the breast. Not Big Red but our darling Dad.
Some interesting nest building happening on Kauai this year. Will there be torrential rains to impact the eggs? Let’s wait and see if these Laysan Albatross are better predictors of the weather than the meteorologists!
The climate crisis is killing some of Scotland’s wildlife including the smallest raptors, the kestrels.
Remember, the news at the bottom is not the least important. Often it is what comes to me right before I hit ‘publish’. A gamekeeper and his son pleaded guilty to selling wild peregrine falcons on the market in the UK. What is going on with their sentencing?
She is a special person and that is why I am including this today. You should remember Sacha Dench for her efforts in finding the answers to conserving the Ospreys and the flyway from the UK and Western Europe to West Africa. Some of her interviews with local people were linked to my blog – the goal was to get the people of West Africa on board with conservation efforts, and to do that, they needed education about the ospreys. 4K was the bird being followed at the time – the subject of Simon Curtis’s new book. That journey was undertaken after a horrific accident in the Scottish highlands. She is known as ‘The Human Swan’ because of her earlier 7000 km trip tracking the Bewick Swan and their migration from Russia’s Arctic region to the UK in 2016. A crowd funder to get prosthetic legs for Sacha Dench has been opened. Here is the information.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. Stay safe. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, H, J, M’, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, WRDC, Heidi Mc, Pat Burke, Gracie Shepherd, NEFL-AEF, NCTC, Deb Stecyk, Dulles-Greenway, John Bunker Sands Wetland Centre, PLO, @TimMacKrill, @CornellHawks, Sharon Dunne, Holly Parsons, Raptor Persecution UK, and Conservation without Borders.
Thank you so much for being here with us today. We hope that the week is starting out well for each and every one of you!
Mr Crow and a friend have returned. He has been yelling at me all day. It is unclear whether he wants his cheesy dogs or his cat kibble but he is making quite a ruckus right above my head as I write this. The first Common Grackle of the year has appeared in the garden along with the normal array of Dark-eyed Juncos, Sparrows, European Starlings and woodpeckers. I can see Little Red running through the lilacs to get to the suet while Dyson and the gang are hovering around on the ground. They much prefer the Black Oil seed when they have finished all the peanuts.
Hatchery Mum and Dad and DH2 give us another cute moment with their family portrait from Sunday. Isn’t it beautiful? That adorable little eaglet. So precious after the tragedies of last year with HPAI.
The award for the most diligent mother of the week has to go to Sally at Moorings Park who is always feeding her osplets, Abby and Victor, even at 11pm!!!!!!!
On Monday morning, the new unringed female, nicknamed ‘Dot’ at the Glaslyn Osprey platform, will be given an official name! She has now been with Aran for more than a week. It has been a joy watching the two get acquainted and bond; this is terrific news. Wonder what the name will be?
New nesting material is in and Aran has perfected handing over the fish to his new mate. All we need are some lovely eggs in that nest now!
The new female is named Elen. “Our new Glaslyn female now has a name! She will be called Elen, named after Yr Elen a mountain in the Carneddau range in Eryri (Snowdonia). As you will be aware, Aran is named after Yr Aran another mountain in Eryri.”
Their story unfolded quickly as Elen laid her first egg this morning at 10:37! What a brilliant start with a new name, too.
Dorcha has laid her second egg at Loch Arkaig with her mate Louis.
Sasha Dench is in Guinea. She has discovered why water and climate change are important to the Ospreys that migrate between the UK and West Africa. Have a listen. You will learn a lot about how our changing world impacts everything! We are all interconnected.
Flo left the Captiva Osprey nest around noon on Sunday. She looked down at the only egg that – well, it would take a miracle if it was viable – and flew off. Angus has returned to the nest. He is on the perch in the last image. The couple was seen together in the nearby trees. Their bond is essential. They can begin again next year. It was a rough season for everyone at Captiva this year.
The situation at Dale Hollow continues to weigh heavily on people’s minds and our hearts. The American Eagle Foundation and the Tampa Raptor Centre offered expert climbers to go to the site and remediate the issue. The nest is on public land, US Army land, accessed by a road through private property.
There is more news coverage of what is happening to the eaglets and letters are now going out to everyone who wrote advocating for the eaglets. I want to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart to the tip of my tiny toe for taking the time – for your love and your caring for our wildlife. You could just as easily close your eyes and ignore everything. You didn’t. We may not win this one, but we cannot give up. In an ideal situation, that monofilament line comes off. River breaks it and removes the mess from the nest. That is the perfect solution. If that does not happen, and it hasn’t yet, we must seek help for those who cannot ask for it themselves. I am so proud to be in such excellent company as all of you.
I have just opened my evening’s e-mail to find a host of similar letters and notices of television news coverage in Tennessee. We owe it to the eaglets not to give up. I have said that twice. It is crucial. Everything takes longer than we want. Bureaucracy takes time – and nothing happens on the weekend. Not even for Dr Sharpe!
Here is the letter going out to those who contacted Tennessee Wildlife Resources. Thank you to everyone who sent me their copy. It takes an army! Last year when I posted letters on my blog, DH labelled them as ‘fake news’. The letter below is not fake – many of you will have received the same one from the official.
Thank you for sharing your concerns. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) was notified of an eaglet tangled in fishing line by viewers of a Dale Hollow live eagle camera on Friday, April 22. TWRA staff who received the notification immediately contacted Agency staff responsible for wildlife conservation. The Agency also notified our partners at the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Eagle Foundation about the eaglet.
TWRA is actively monitoring the situation and is in communication with federal wildlife authorities. Although no longer listed on the federal list of endangered or threatened species, both bald eagles and golden eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Due to their federally regulated status, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is the agency with oversite and authority in cases of eagles in distress.
Federal laws prohibit the disturbance of eagles and their nests, which includes any substantial interference with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior. Any rescue attempt would be considered a disturbance of natural behavior, and therefore requires federal permitting to take place. Additionally, only individuals who have been properly certified are allowed to climb to eagle nests for the safety of the individual and the eagles.
Disturbing the nest, even for a rescue attempt, comes with significant risks. Nestlings may be startled by human activity near the nest and prematurely jump from the nest before they are able to fly or care for themselves. This could result in the death of both nestlings. Adult eagles can also become territorial or defensive of the nest, and attack humans who attempt to approach the nest.
Live wildlife cameras serve as an important education tool for members of the public to safely view nature. However, from time to time, the public may see the disturbing footage of sick, injured, orphaned, or otherwise distressed wildlife as part of the natural course of events. Unfortunately, the eaglet in this situation was tangled in a piece of litter. TWRA always encourages individuals enjoying the outdoors to properly dispose of any trash to prevent injury to wildlife. Littering on public property carries varied offenses ranging from misdemeanor to felony charges.
This is a developing situation, requests for additional information should be directed to the agency with jurisdiction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal officials are aware of the situation and any additional decisions or action on the issue will be made by the US Fish and Wildlife Service with the full cooperation of TWRA.
Respectfully,
Emily Buck Director of Communications and Outreach Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 5107 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, TN 37211
Because of you more news agencies are picking up the story. Why not be the heroes and help the eaglets?
More news this morning:
As of this morning, DH18 is still in the same position on the nest it has been for days with the entanglement materials underneath it – in other words, DH18 continues to be tethered to the nest. River dropped the fish and was dealing with intruders.
I would love to be posting all those amazing images of the Es but they belong to the photographers that took them. Please head over to the SW Florida Eagle Cam FB page to see what the Es and M15 are doing off camera. They are amazing!
Vijay caught the breakfast delivery on Sunday! Listen to those eaglets as they know M15 is on his way!
It is Sunday afternoon in Iowa and all eyes are on every twitch that Mother Goose is making.
Mother Goose was up for her evening break but was not gone very long at all.
It is 0715 and there is a big pip and a crack in one of the Goose eggs at Decorah! Yippeeee. Thanks ‘A’ for the head’s up.
‘H’ reports that R4 had a good feed yesterday. Continuing good news for this eaglet at Miami.
Nesting is also beginning at the Osoyoos Osprey Platform in British Columbia.
You have to love the Cal Falcon feedings. Two for you and then two for you and wait, yes, two for you. As ‘H’ reminds me I have always said if you want a peaceful nest watch the falcons and the hawks! And just imagine – it is not long until we have pip watch for Big Red and Arthur!
Great video by SK Hideaways of this little number three – feisty!
Wondering which egg is which of Big Red and Arthur’s? Cornell tweeted their ID.
Sunday was happy hatch day for two California Condors. One is one of my all-time favourites, Phoenix 477. He is the mate of Redwood Queen, the mother of Iniko (with Kingpin, who died in the Dolan Fire). Phoenix got his name because he also survived a tragic wildfire. He and Redwood Queen raised #1174 in Pinnacles (a new nest for them) in 2022.
Karl II and Kaia continue their bonding and getting their strength back after their long migration from their winter homes in central Africa.
The Pitkin County Osprey Platform had its second egg today. The nest is located on a platform in Roaring Park Valley, Colorado. Last year both osplets were pulled off the nest when nesting material attached to them was attached also to the female. One died and the other survived to be released this spring.
One of those heart warming stories that we would like to see happen everywhere! The leg of the eaglet was lodged in the nest material. The AEF came to the rescue.
There is lots of wing flapping going on at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest. Not branching yet. Soon.
The plumage is not nearly that of Duke Farms but the Dulles-Greenway Eaglets are standing very well on that nest. Just look at those healthy eaglets. Three of them!
Haven’t checked on Cassidy and Sundance at Farmer Derek’s GHO nest for awhile. Gosh, they are looking out to the world beyond that nest today.
A visitor came to the Achieva Osprey nest Sunday. The distinctive heart-shaped head looks like the head of Tiny Tot Tumbles hatched in 2021. She was the third hatch many believed had died of starvation on the nest at least three times. She did not and became not only the dominant chick but also the defender of this nest against adult birds during the summer of 2021. It sure looks like her head with the narrow white stripes and the dark heart!
The osplets at Achieva had one fish on Saturday, and Jack delivered a fish at 2009 on Sunday. The eldest continues its aggression due to a shortage of fish in the nest. We must remember that Mum, who feeds the chicks, is also hungry. This nest remains very precarious.
There is good news coming out of the KNF E1 nest of Anna and Louis. Trey has been on the nest jumping about. Way to go, Trey!
Kathryn has reported that Lake Murray had its third osplet hatch Sunday afternoon!
Jackie and Shadow continue to visit their nest in Big Bear Valley. We will all look forward to the late fall and the next breeding season for them. Regardless of eggs, chicks or not, it is always good to see Jackie and Shadow!
Congratulations to Llyn Brenig on the second egg of the 2023 season laid Sunday afternoon.
Continue sending your best wishes to the nests with issues – Achieva and Dale Hollow. Tomorrow keep Bald Canyon in your thoughts as an attempt will be made to rescue the eaglet that fell from the nest. We hope that it is still alive.
Thank you so very much for being with me today as we flitted about the nests that we have been watching. There are positively some many things happening internationally in Bird World that it is hard to keep up. I hope at the beginning of the week to check on all those UK Osprey nests closer and also the ones in Finland. Take care all. See you soon!
I want to thank everyone for their notes, their tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog today: Kathryn, A, H, B, L, S, T, J, W, WRDC, Osoyoos Osprey Cam, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Moorings Park Ospreys, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Mary Kerr and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Conservation without Borders, Windows to Wildlife, Sylvia Jarzomkowske and Bale Eagles Live Nests and Cams, Nicole Norment Whittemore and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Vijay and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Decorah Goose Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, @CornellHawks, Ventana Wildlife Society, Eagle Club of Estonia, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles Live Nests and Cams, Carol Craig and Osprey Friends, Albert Li and Big Bear, Duke Farms, Dulles-Greenway Eagles, Farmer Derek Owl Cam, Achieva Credit Union, KNF-Ei, Llyn Brenig Ospreys, and FOBBV.
On Saturday, a grey day in Manitoba started drizzly and cold. The birds were at the garden feeders an hour early. It was pretty interesting. There were more Black-capped chickadees and woodpeckers today than in previous days. The conservatory has genuinely been a blessing. It is like sitting with them in the middle of the garden but separate, not bothering them. They seem unaware of my presence, looking out the windows, often with my camera. Thankfully, the sun is up, and it is a bright day in Manitoba this morning.
Missy has taken to enjoying looking out the window from inside a large ceramic platter that has become a new sleeping spot!
Lewis is such an ‘angel’ when he is sleeping.
Our continuing good news story comes from the World Bird Sanctuary. Murphy and his Eaglet are doing well. The folks at World Bird Sanctuary are working hard to get some images out. These are screen captures from a short FB video they posted. Things look good. Just look at Murphy, 31 years old, wanting to be a Dad, sitting by his eaglet. Does it get any better?
In the images below, Murphy is teaching the eaglet what to do.
Murphy and his eaglet made the news – well, they are making the news around the world. We are so in need of joyful happenings and this is certainly one of those.
Other happiness comes from the Achieva Osprey nest and San Jose City Hall. I received word from ‘H’ of the two big celebratory occasions. First up, there was fear for Middle Bob at Achieva. He has not eaten much for at least two days. On Saturday at 16:44, a big fish landed on the nest, and Middle Bob was fed for 25 minutes. Today, Middle managed to get to a place where he could get fed and be protected from the aggressive older sibling. It was a relief to all watching. It is one day at a time on this nest. It is an extremely difficult Osprey platform to watch – and it isn’t any easier this year than it was in 2021.
At Dale Hollow, DH18 stole the fish and had a good feed. Again, River is doing her best with all the intruders in dire circumstances. She has been feeding them every day. Perhaps not nearly as much as she would like or they need but, they are being fed. We have to remember that River also needs to eat. It is extremely difficult for single-parent raptor nests. We send her and DH17 and DH18 our most positive wishes.
Do you recall the year-old falcon, the San Jose City Hall male who tried to feed his first egg? Well, as of Saturday, he has four eggs that he will have to feed in a little over a month! They will need a full pantry!
‘H’ also sent me a link to a tribute to Connie-Clive-Connick. Nice one! Connick is healing. His blood is coagulating and CROW is attempting to find out what impacted his primaries.
Anna and Louis are taking very good care of Trey as her leg injury heals. Mum Raptors love to fill those babies up to the top of their crop to keep them on the nest. Trey, you need to rest your leg not be flying all over the tree!
In Latvia, Milda and Voldis now have two little White-tail eaglets. It is so hard to see them in that deep nest bowl.
Saturday is the day for Ferris Akel’s tour and there was plenty of waterfowl today including a Wilson’s Snipe. Oh, I love shore birds and am so looking forward to seeing some ‘live’ here in Manitoba this summer. I did not know that the female Wilson Snipe tends the eggs and nestlings. Once the chicks are ready to fledge, the adults split them up. The male takes the two oldest and the female takes the two youngest.” Separate training!
Ferris checked on one of the Bald Eagle nests and to everyone’s surprise there were eaglets – at least two – their heads poking above the rim. Adorable.
The highlight of the tour today was the Great Blue Heron Rookery at Montezuma.
Sunset at Montezuma.
Iris brought in a whopper to the owl pole and had a really good feed. Then she spent time sitting in her nest watching the activities in the parking lot. I have not noticed Louis being over yet and my friend, ‘T’ says he will wait until Star has eggs under her and she can’t check on him! Too funny. Ospreys have such interesting behaviours.
Iris is great at catching whoppers.
Just look at the size of that fish. She could easily take first prize in the local fishing contests.
There are now three eggs at the Patuxent River Park Osprey platform #1.
The Glaslyn Valley is waiting for a new Queen. It looks like Aran might have one!
The unringed female is a natural beauty. Those intense eyes remind me of Mrs G.
Aran preparing a fish for his beautiful female.
She is waiting in the nest when Aran brings it to the rim.
She accepts!
Good night, Aran. You might have a formidable new mate who will protect your chicks against anything!
There is no rewind on the Foulshaw Moss camera in Cumbria. Polly Turner caught Blue 35 laying the season’s first egg for her and White YW. I am incredibly fond of this female and how she was able to ‘trick’ her two much larger by a long shot osplets so that she could feed the tiny third, Blue 464 two years ago.
The first egg was laid at the Dahlgren Osprey Platform in Virginia on 11 April. Jack has been filing the nest with plastic objects, not toys, but, junk. There was concern for the egg. ‘H’ notes that it is now four days since the first egg and no second one. We wait.
‘H’ reports this morning that 4 days and 16 hours after the first egg, Harriet at Dahlgren laid her second egg.
M15 continues to be rather amazing, as are his two fledglings. The female intruder wanted a fish M had brought to 21 and 22. She landed in the nest, trying to take in. E21 flew in to help dad – he was fearless. Then 22 came in to assist. What a team they made. The female still made off with the fish, but seeing those three work together cooperatively was remarkable.
A must watch. M15 defends the nest from the female intruder! Fish goes over board.
It is just so much calmer within the scrape at Cal Falcons. Lou really wants to feed his trio.
More of Lou – and Annie – and the trio from SK Hideaways.
It seems that each of us has, at one time or another, yelled – loudly or silently – at the GHOs on the Pritchett property that continually hit and harassed M15 and the Es. At the same time, we look at Bonnie and Clyde’s two owlets and want to ‘cuddle’ with them. They really are quite adorable.
The three eaglets at Dulles-Greenway had big crops throughout the day. The plastic bags on the nest have multiplied. There are now two. Hopefully, the wind will blow them from the nest before any eaglet gets tangled. You might remember that nests have been cleaned when too much human debris could endanger the nestlings.
‘A’ notes that it was Rosa that brought in the squirrel that has been feeding the little ones. Martin arrived in the nest empty taloned yesterday to Rosa’s dismay. So far this nest has done well with the three. We do not need any intermittent lags in prey delivery right at this stage!
Wet little munchkins.
I have lost track of when the goslings are due to hatch in Decorah. Do you know? It will be grand to see them all take that leap of faith again this year.
Just down the road is the Decorah Hatchery nest with its cute little eaglet. It started raining late in the day and HM is keeping baby warm and dry.
Abby and Victor are 44 days old today. Stunning. Their juvenile plumage is nothing short of gorgeous.
A portion of England’s wetlands seek UNESCO heritage status. Wetlands. How often do you think about them? They are critical during migration, and they are essential for the ducks and waterfowl or the raptors that hunt them. We need more wetlands across the globe. Many regions are working to increase theirs. What is happening where you live?
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care everyone. Hope to see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, observations, videos, posts, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Australia Raptor Care and Conservation, World Bird Sanctuary, Achieva Credit Union, Heidi McGru and Achieva Ospreys with Jack and Diane, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, San Jose City Hall, Onabebe and Captiva Eagle Cam, Tonya Irwin and KNF Eagle Cam Fans, Looduskalender Forum and Latvian Fund for Nature, Ferris Akel, Montana Osprey Project, Ashley Wilson and Patuxent River Park Osprey Nest, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Polly Turner and Friends of Loch Arkaig Ospreys, Dahlgren Ospreys, Sw Florida Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, SK Hideways and Cal Falcons, Farmer Derek, Dulles Greenaway, Decorah Goose Cam, Moorings Park Ospreys, and The Guardian.
Oh, this report was very long and I have cut it down. There is simply too many things happening and I decided not to make your eyes sore. LOL. If there is sadness or worry at some of the nests, the first story should make up for all of that!
There simply are no words to describe the feeling when we see an image like the one below. It is remarkable. What a magnificent day that began with M15 coaxing 22 so he could eat and they wind up in the pond together having their evening bath. Remarkable isn’t even the right word. After all the devastation from the supercells, this melts my heart.
D Morningstar shows us 22’s first bath. Wait to see M15 turn around and look at his fledgling. Priceless. Jumping for joy at 5:28. Gulping water. Learning.
Are you exhausted from all the drama and trauma at the nests? This morning (Monday), I just wanted to pick up squeeing E22 and tell him it is alright. ‘You are a bird. You can do this!’ M15 is one super dad. We have seen just how hard adult eagles work to get their fledglings where they want them so they can feed them if those little Butcher Birds would take a holiday.
There was a lot of debate about whether it would be Maya or Blue NC0 that laid the first Osprey egg in the UK to kick off the season. Congratulations Laddie and Blue NC0! You get the honour in 2023!
The folks at Glaslyn are cheering. One of their couple is home safely. Oh, it is so nice to see you, Aran. Now we wait for Mrs G, the oldest osprey in the UK.
My goodness, Aran, you are handsome!
It did not take Aran long to get a fish on the nest branch!
Geemeff caught his arrival for us! Sure is a nice fish. Was he looking for Mrs G to come and grab it? Let us hope she is home soon.
More on SW Florida. It was quite the morning at the Pritchett Property with M15 doing everything he could possibly think of to get 22 to either get to the nest to eat a fish, eat it at the snag tree, or down by the pond. What a Dad. He never gave up. Victory!
‘A’ sent us the video link for yet another GHO strike caught by Lady Hawk on 22 during the night. Those owls are persistent. E22 do not let that owl daunt your staying home with Dad at the pasture, the pond, and in the trees!
At 0926, Little Bitty 22 (s/he is not so little) continued to enjoy being at the pond and having a bath. What a beautiful sight. There is no word on 21 so far.
Valentine are both back at the KNF-E3 nest in the Kistachie National Forest. Thanks Rhonda A for the video!
It is Monday morning, and it looks like there is a pip at Decorah!
Jackie and Shadow have been mating and Shadow has made sure Jackie is eating well. They were at the nest very early this morning.
The pair spent a lot of time at the nest until the ice pellets and wind picked up in the afternoon on Monday.
I really wish that Shadow could lay those eggs.
After their evening meal on Monday, Duke Farm Dad settled down with the family for a bit. Beautiful
They are soooooooo cute. Just love H19 and H20 at Pittsburgh-Hays.
Second hatch for Bald Canyon Eagles. That first one is just a little fluff ball darling.
Waiting for a pip – while hoping the egg is viable at Sauces Canyon. You send all. your good vibes to Jak and Audacity. This is egg 7 and it is intact. They sure deserve a healthy hatch.
Two eggs have hatched at the Bartlesville Oklahoma Bald Eagle nest. Congratulations. One more to go, maybe.
Dulles-Greenway. Martin and Rosa are doing great with their three eaglets. Oh, please just send some good love to them. It is hard with three and I really do not want anything to happen to either parent!
Oh, my goodness. Ron and Rose’s two eaglets have beautiful white Mohawks and gorgeous thermal down. They had excellent crops when Ron came in with another big fish after 1600 on Monday. Rose did a great job feeding the pair.
Every female adult eagle has ‘that look’. There is no way I would want to mess with Rose!
Just pause and look at those Mohawks. It looks like they have just returned from a luxury salon! I have never seen anything like it. Have you? Normally there are a few dandelions. This is incredible.
Quite the egg cup that Laddie and Blue NC0 have going at Loch of the Lowes. Will they beat Maya at Manton Bay with the first egg to officially kick off the UK Osprey season?
Beautiful CJ7 at her nest at Poole Harbour.
So you have found a baby bird. What do you do? Audubon tells us how we should behave:
Harriet is home at Dunrovin and Star is at the Baseball Park. Come on Iris!
Moorings Park. Abby and Victor might like an earlier breakfast, but Dad seems to like to bring in a late fish. They are both well-nourished. No perceivable problems at this nest.
I do wish they would not get so close to the edge!
Victor still protects his head in case Abby wants to take a peck.
Angus and Florence continue to incubate their three eggs at Captiva. Gosh, these chicks are going to hatch late. Wonder what the heat and humidity will be like? Sure hope the fishing is good for Angus if they have three lively osplets to feed.
There were storms in Iowa. Mother Goose seems to be fine in her nest at Decorah.
Arthur and Big Red have quite a ways to go before hatch. I am so very grateful that there nest is up on that light stand!
Do you watch the Great Spirit Bluff Peregrine Falcons? If you do, Savannah just laid her third egg of the season!———— We are one week away from pip watch at Annie and Lou’s at Cal Falcons. Are you getting excited?
As I close the blog for today, I am reminded that there is a concern for the three eaglets at Dale Hollow and the three osplets at Achieva. The fish deliveries dropped off at Dale Hollow over the weekend, possibly due to the fishing tournament held at the lake. River has brought in a nice fish, and the three will go to bed with very full crops. River, you are doing great. It is not easy while you grieve your missing Obey.
DH19 had a good feed but, throughout the feeding, River was distracted with the intruder. It was a lot of work for the little one to get that crop. Please, go away intruder and let River get on with what she needs to do. It would be grand if the same success came to this nest as SW Florida.
Fish deliveries have dropped off at Achieva as noticed by chatters. ‘H’ tells me that the little one has little to nothing to eat. In fact, I believe that all three of the osplets are quite hungry especially in the heat. They need their hydration. Send your best wishes to these two nests, please.
All chicks at Achieva are so ravenous. The third hatch is very tiny. The problem is that Diane simply will not stay the course and feed the little one and often sends fish back when Jack arrives. I am not hopeful this morning.
What might impact Jack’s hunting abilities besides his fish being stolen by other birds? Avian Report says, “Osprey hunting times vary with locality and are influenced by weather conditions, particularly wind speed and tide schedules, where tides occur. A study of foraging Ospreys found that birds tend to hunt more often at dawn and dusk. However, Ospreys concentrated their hunting efforts and were more successful during mid-tide regardless of the direction to low or high tide. An Osprey’s hunting schedule and success are affected by wind speed. According to field observations, ospreys were more successful in catching fish during calm wind hours. As the wind speed increases, the water becomes choppier, and Ospreys have less success catching fish. Consequently, Ospreys tend to avoid hunting during high winds. The hunting success rate of Ospreys is not affected by overcast or bright days or even rain.” We do not know all the obstacles Jack faces getting fish to the nest.
It feels like a roller coaster for all of us. So many things are happening – many are joyful, and others are tragic. When it gets too much, go outside and listen to the birds in your neighbourhood (I hope there are some), take a short walk and breathe in the spring air. Look at the flowers. Then breathe again. Call a friend and step back from a nest. One of the difficulties is feeling helpless. Then pause…and find the joy because it is there. The glass is more than half full.
Cherry blossoms are such a joy. They remind us that spring has arrived while at the same time, they bud, bloom, and fall to the ground symbolising that life is fleeting. ‘A’ sent me some beautiful images from Tokyo yesterday. With some sadness, we must continue to remind ourselves that nature brings us joy. I know she will not mind if I share one of those with you. How gorgeous. Thank you, ‘A’.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for the notes, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that helped make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘A’, ‘Geemeff’, Betty Weeks and SW Florida Eagle Cam, D Morningstar and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam, Geemeff and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Geemeff and Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, SW Florida Eagle Cam, Eagle Goddess, Rhonda A and KNF-E3, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, FOBBV, Duke Farms, PIX Cams, IWS and Explore.org, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Paul Kolnik and Bald Eagles 101, Dulles Greenway, WRDC, Friends of Loch of the Lowes and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke, Audubon.org, Lin Lawson and Osprey Friends, Moorings Park Ospreys, Window to Wildlife, Decorah Goose Cam, Cornell RTH, Dale Hollow Eagles, Achieva Credit Union, and Avian Report.
It is my last day in Toronto, and as the old saying goes, ‘There is no place like home.’ Toronto is a fantastic city with so many things for everyone. It has been particularly busy because of the Harry Potter show, and March break for the students. Exciting to see young people at all the museums, going to the theatre, and looking at dinosaurs! A short break can recharge the batteries. It has been a fun time. I am, however, looking forward to being home with Missy and Lewis and everything familiar!
A few hours after the little one of Ron and Rose hatched at the WRDC Bald Eagle nest in Miami, DG3 hatched at Dulles-Greenway in Virginia, but that wasn’t the only other. My goodness. It would take a tiny army to keep up with all the nests, the pips, the hatches, and now the returns of the UK Ospreys. It will be crazy when they fledge on the same day.
Rose and Ron’s first hatch and this morning R5 is wanting to get out and join its older sibling.
Oh, R4 has been ‘goggly’ eyes.
Ron and Rose’s baby a couple of hours later. This eaglet has ‘strong’ and ‘trouble’ written all over it.
Gosh, Rose loves her fish! The little one is getting some bites at a later feeding, but Mum is making sure she gets plenty. Too funny. Just wait til that eaglet is the size of the Es!!!!!!
This eaglet covered with fish juice reminds me of Connick when Connie was figuring out feeding, and Connick was trying to focus and grab the fish from the beak.
HeidiMc taped the action for us. If someone could please move that piece of nesting material!!!!!!!!!!! All kidding aside – the feedings are improving from one to another. Well done, first-time Mum, Rose.
Rose is going to be a very busy Mum. R5 is pipping. ‘H’ says it was called at 0705 on the 15th of March.
Rosa telling Martin their first eaglet has hatched at Dulles-Greenway.
At least two nests are experiencing bad winter weather. One of those is Duke Farms. The parents got busy once the snow and wind came and fed both of the eaglets quickly so they did not get wet and sick.
That miserable weather got itself sorted. The nest at Duke Farms was drying out, and the eaglets were having a meal at 1827.
Big Red and Arthur were not at the nest today. So glad she doesn’t have eggs yet. Even though we know Big Red can be encased in ice and snow and keep her eggs warm, it would be much nicer for those watching if the weather were better!
It was still snowing at midnight at Cornell.
Two raptors who were at their nest working yesterday and today were Jackie and Shadow. What do you think? a replacement clutch? It is certainly starting to feel like a possibility.
Thanks ‘A’ for the link!
As I write this, it is 1700 at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of E21 and E22. The pair have spent the day standing on the rails and wing flapping. One small fish was delivered at 10:39. They had a lot of fish yesterday and are fine with this. Dad needs a break and he could be off fighting an ever-growing number of intruders in the territory. M15 has managed what many believed would be impossible. 6 weeks he has cared for these two alone. They are now 10 weeks old and within fledge range. We will start watching for branching soon. The average age of fledge in Florida for Bald Eagles is 11 weeks. Can you believe it?
I cannot see her talons, but this appears to be the female that landed in the nest the other day. Most of us got attached to R23-3, who has not been seen for many days. Let’s see how long this one lasts! Poor M. I am sure he would appreciate a companion that kept everyone else away while he finishes up raising the Es as a single parent.
The Bald Eagles are still going strong with the late hatch of Ron and Rose at Miami, all the new hatches in Virginia at Dulles-Greenway, a new baby at Tobacco Creek and so on.
Chandler and Hope’s new little one at Tobacco Creek, Maryland. Chandler has a lot of fish in that nest for Hope and the baby.
At Bluff City, Tennessee, Eugene and Frances have a little one at the ETSU (Eastern Tennessee State University) Bald Eagle nest. Goodness! On top of having a new baby to care for, Chandler has had to fight off intruders while trying to feed the new hatch!
At Johnson City, Tennessee, Jolene and Boone had a hatch, too!
Now the first osprey has landed at a streaming cam in the UK. It isn’t Maya on her nest but B25 from another nest
Everyone has their eyes set on the trackers watching as the ospreys and other birds enter UK territory after their winter break. On Tuesday, 6250 Black Kites crossed Gibraltar along with three ospreys.
Loch of the Lowes is so beautiful. Looking forward to your arrival Laddie, LM12, and Blue NC0.
Loch Arkaig is waiting for Louis and Dorcha.
At Moorings Park, Sally waited at 0830 for a fish delivery to feed the two osplets. It hadn’t arrived, and she sat back down on the pair! Their heads are now pretty bald and getting dark.
I am behind on reporting on the Venice Golf and Country Club ospreys but, it appears there has been a hatch there (perhaps on the 13th). The remnants of the egg can be seen at the rim of the nest.
Lou came to Annie’s aid in warding off an intruder. Thanks for catching this SK Hideaways! All I can say is ‘wow’.
‘A’ sent me a note. Lots of bonding – four minutes of it – by Diamond and Xavier in the scrape at Orange. Indigo might have been heard but, for now, the parents are enjoying time together.
There is snow in the East and rain coming down on the Channel Islands eagle nests. Audacity looks completely miserable at Sauces Canyon. One precious egg to keep warm, dry, and whole!
Cholyn at Two Harbours is wet, too.
Making news is this huge mess that is heading to Florida. How will this impact our beloved birds?
Thank you so much for being with me today! The Thursday blog will go out just a few hours later than usual. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams that help make up my blog today: ‘A’, ‘H’, WRDC, HeidiMc and the WRDC, Sassa Bird, Dulles-Greenway, Duke Farms, Cornell RTH, FOBBV, SW Florida Eagles and D Pritchett, ETSU, Mary Kerr and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Osprey Sky Call, @Tommy Finlayson, Scottish Wildlife Trust and Friends of LOTL, Woodland Trust, People’s Post Code Lottery and Friends of Loch Arkaig, Moorings Park, VGCCO, Cal Falcons, Cali Condor, Charles Sturt Flacon Cam, IWS and Explore.org, and The New York Times.
