Writer, Conservationist, Activist, Bird Lover
18 December 2025
The wait is now over. E26 is officially named and hatched. What a marvellous, strong little eaglet! This one is going to keep M15 and F23 busy.
M15 brought a fish for 23 and they shared it.
Thank you to the Pritchett family for their streaming cam so that we can join in the fun and love of this fantastic eagle family.
17 December 2025
Hello Everyone. Good Morning!
Tuesday was a wonderful day to go to the zoo. While Don was walking and soaking in the fresh air, Toby and I were walking in the neighbourhood. Toby got soaked. The 4 °C temperatures melted the snow, creating lots of fun puddles. When we got home, I quickly warmed a couple of towels in the dryer and rubbed and rubbed, hoping Toby wouldn’t catch a cold. Almost as soon as we got in, it began to rain, and snow, and the wind picked up. Now they are saying a significant winter storm will hit us on Thursday. This year, the forecasts have been pretty accurate – a considerable change from past years. It lets us plan so we don’t have to go out for provisions at the last minute.
And here it is, Wednesday afternoon, with freezing rain, and, of course, a massive blizzard coming within the hour. We might get 20 cm of snow with up to 90 kph winds. It isn’t going to be much fun.
So many of you have asked what we are doing for Christmas. This year is a considerable change. First, I am NOT cooking. Our son is coming from the West Indies next summer and we will see our daughter and family after the holidays.
Over the holidays, we are babysitting my best friend’s huge dog, Nellie. I often say that Nellie is the size of a small Shetland pony. Toby adores her. They have been best friends since Toby came to us at 8 weeks old. It is hard to believe he was so tiny, and today, he is long and tall and is nearing the average weight of Miles & Mia’s puppies – 25 lbs! That is big for a Cavalier.
This is Toby wrapped in his favourite blanket after our long walk.
Toby’s friend, Nellie, who will be staying with us for Christmas.
Ellen will walk Toby and Nellie twice every day except for the 24th, the 25th, and the 26th. I have a very secure back garden and the two of them will be able to romp and play.
I have not decorated the house except for the Eucalyptus garlands over the French doors and the front door. Oh, there is a wreath on the exterior doors, front and back. Why? Toby eats anything in sight. The Girls won’t leave the ornaments on the tree and many have polyester stuffing – that would send a ravenous dog to the vet for surgery! We will have our usual roast chicken and, of course, one chicken will be roasted plain and shared with all the animals. The birds and squirrels as well as Brock will get special treats – and believe me, that will make my heart festive. I hope they enjoy the baskets we prepare for them.
‘L’ has reminded me of something that I have seen briefly. (I do not watch the news. I find it just too overwhelming.) This is the Barred Owl cull.
I asked Google and this was the response, “The barred owl cull is a controversial U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plan to lethally remove hundreds of thousands of invasive barred owls in the Pacific Northwest to protect the endangered spotted owl, which they outcompete for food and territory.This strategy, approved for implementation starting in 2025, involves sharpshooters removing barred owls in designated zones to allow spotted owl populations to stabilize, though it faces ethical and practical opposition.”
This is from The Guardian:
Some of the story in The Guardian reads: “The US Senate rejected an effort on Wednesday to halt a contentious US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plan to kill nearly half a million barred owls in order to save their cousin, the northern spotted owl.
John Kennedy, the Republican senator from Louisiana, had hoped to block the proposal by bringing the matter to a vote with a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act. The effort failed with 25 votes to 72 votes.
“The barred owls are not hurting anybody. They’re just doing what nature teaches them to do. We’re going to change nature?” Kennedy said in a speech before the Senate. “We’re going to control our environment to this extent? We’re going to pass DEI for owls?”
Barred owls have been expanding their habitat west, increasing competition for the spotted owl. The more aggressive barred owls come from eastern North America and are slightly larger and better able to adapt than the spotted owl. The spotted owl has been imperiled over the years, facing major habitat loss as logging and development destroyed old growth forests in the Pacific north-west.
The USFWS introduced the controversial plan to cull as many as 450,000 of the raptors in designated areas in the Pacific north-west during Joe Biden’s administration, arguing that barred owls pose a “significant threat” to the survival of the spotted owl. Under that management strategy, two trained individuals must positively identify barred owls and “removal specialists” will shoot the animals.”
Please learn more about these measures, and if you feel inclined, write to your political representatives, even if you think there is no hope. While I support intervention when our raptors need help, I do not support human intervention in managing species numbers. I find all of this quite disgusting, and it just underscores so many issues that are being mismanaged.
Raptor Persecution UK is reporting that three White-tail Eagles with satellite tags on them have disappeared in very suspicious circumstances in the UK.
The news of the day is that M15 and F23 have a pip in one of their eggs. I am over the moon eggcited.
It is day 35 for Ron and Rose’s first egg at Dade County. It looks like SW Florida might be the Winner.
Girri is still with us. Just. It feels like she is going to go today. She is a big strong falcon looking at the world that she will own. What a great joy to see a strong female chick hatch at this scrape.
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. See you tomorrow!
Thank you to the authors of the FB posts, the owners of the streaming cams, and The Guardian. I am extremely grateful for the investigative work of Raptor Persecution UK. Bird World would not be the same without you!
15 December 2025
Hello – again!
Girri is a mini-Diamond! Girri is beautiful and she is ready to fly.
SK Hideaways videos for the week of 7 December. Enjoy!
West End Territory ~ Catalina Island, CA
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies, explore.org
Nest Low Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfuqjSNXZ14
Other Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmAzrAkKqI
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kad6O4nF6bg
Adult Visitor 🫣 Akecheta & Haku Keep Watch 👀Never a Dull Moment (2025 Dec 13)
While Akecheta and Haku took in the ocean view on the far tor, an adult visitor settled in atop the overlook. Everyone stayed put for about 30 minutes, then everyone flew. Soon after, both Akecheta and Haku returned to the far tor, chortling in solidarity. Let’s hope this visitor passes through and that peace is maintained in the territory.
Video: https://youtu.be/yvfx-rOfqvI
West End🦅Akecheta & Haku Meet on Nest 3x🪹 Beakies Ensue❣️They Retire to Night Perch(2025 Dec 7)
The courtship continues as Akecheta and Haku have more frequent rendezvous at the nest ~ tinkering with nest materials, body bumping, and beaky kissing. On this day they also retired to the night perch, where fans remember Akecheta and Thunder spending many hours together. While Thunder remains in our hearts, we wish Akecheta well with this new, larger than life young female.
Video: https://youtu.be/xppqPinDYpY
FalconCam Project
Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University
Box Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv2RtoIMNzA
Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZaWzhXSAI
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KCFRoO6URs
Tower Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFAsJvGPd007
Girri Gets Soaked in First Rainstorm ~ Does Falcon Puddle Jumps (2025 Dec 11)
Girri showed her bravery and energy as she faced the wind, rain, and hail from the edge of the nest. She embraced the blustery weather as she flapped and jumped around the nest, getting quite soaked in the process. A good sign for her ability to survive outside the comforts of home.
Video: https://youtu.be/L2x4w5fqW3I
Diamond Feeds BOTH chick Girri AND mate Gimbir Full Meals (2025 Dec 11)
When Diamond arrived with large prey, Girri’s eyes widened at the prospect of a long-awaited big meal. She did get that meal, but then Gimbir arrived and sidled up nearer the food action. Diamond gave him one bite and then another and then another. While Girri had a full crop, she was not enamored of her dad getting in on action. But Diamond continued to feed Gimbir and only Gimbir until he, too, sported a crop. While we have seen mates feed each other a bite or two, we have never seen one mate feed another an entire meal. Girri was perplexed, Gimbir was likely perplexed, and we were certainly perplexed! Only Diamond can answer for her actions… and she’s not talking. (2025 Dec 11)
Video: https://youtu.be/IZwejtugRF0
Redding Bald Eagles: Liberty & Guardian Beak & Bicker Over Branch Management (2025 Dec 8)
An afternoon nestoration session found Liberty and Guardian at cross purposes in placing some troublesome branches. Amongst the disagreements came sweet bonding, chortles, and a fair amount of hilarity. As expected, Liberty had the final word as she and Guardian took their leave for the night.
Video: https://youtu.be/a_YZBv6zTZo
Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, CA
Livestream page: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams
‘B’ writes that Haku and Akecheta were on the nest today. We all hope there are eaglets and no drama. No more drama.
Here’s our beautiful couple.
We are on pip/hatch watch for SW Florida and for the WRDC nest (Dade County). First eggs are at 33 days. Have a read on what to expect thanks to SPO:
The following article, “Jackie & Shadow vs Juvenile Bald Eagle – Was It Sunny or Gizmo? Dramatic Nest Defense Explained” also in SPO, might be of interest to Jackie and Shadow fans – and who isn’t I ask!
I wanted to get those videos off to you. We hope that you are enjoying the beginning of the week. See you tomorrow.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos, to SPO for their informative short articles good for everyone, and the owners of the streaming cams highlighted in today’s blog.
15 December 2025
Good Morning Everyone,
Thank you so much for your get-well wishes. I am better. Not great but definitely better.
The forecast promised warmer weather at the beginning of the week, following the Extreme Cold Days. It is currently -12 C, but it will warm to -6. Tomorrow, as promised, Ann and Don are going to the Zoo. I know – the zoo in Winnipeg in the middle of December.
If you are craving something other than winter like I am, the Dyfi Osprey Project has its holiday streaming cam on, and sometimes you can catch a beaver! https://www.youtube.com/live/muGI8NZcvAk?
Reports of Ospreys in The Gambia and Senegal are beginning to trickle in. I wondered about Clywedog’s Seren, Blue 5F, who is always seen on the same tree. Had she been seen? Yes! Seren is Dylan’s mate and a fantastic mum.
Diamond slept on the ledge. Girri was pancaked on the floor of the scrape with her head on the Cilla Stones. Girri is ready to fledge.
Some of you might be squeamish watching the next video. Diamond unzips that huge Galah for Girri and the whole family. I am glad that SK Hideaways caught this moment on video. This is a life lesson for Girri. Galahs are plentiful in this area of Australia and no doubt Girri will catch them and she will need to know how to get through all those feathers to the meat. https://youtu.be/rgCWPyT11No?
We have an egg at the Kistachie E1 nest. As noted on the chat, “2nd male to claim the nest since Louis left, 3rd female to claim the nest since Anna became ill.”
Here is the egg revealed.
There was activity at John Bunker Sands Wetlands Monday morning.
There has been a lot of rolling of eggs this morning at the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest. We are preparing for pip for M15 and F23’s eggs. It is Day 33 for egg 1.
It is also Day 33 for Ron and Rose’s first egg at the WRDC nest. It was windy there Monday morning.
It is Day 29 for Clive and Connie’s first egg at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest.
Gabby is hunkered down at NE Florida. Their first egg is 23 days old now.
Toby is heading out with Ellen for his morning walk while I try and get my head around making some Acadian bread. This head cold makes everything ‘tasteless’. I’m hoping that rich molasses/brown sugar aroma will fill the house and along with some soup chase this cold away!
I had a question this morning about cold-weather gear. I have learned that if you can, you get the best and warmest kit you can. If you take care of it, it will last for years, and you will not be sorry. I wear Icebreaker thermal leggings and their thermal long-sleeve tops often under ski pants. I went through several coat companies before settling on Aritzia’s Super Puff (Rainproof long coat). I am so short that I go down to my ankles, and I am marvellous. To add to this, there are the Super Puff Mitts and a Falljraven faux-fur-lined bomber cap. I am toasty warm! It doesn’t matter if it is long walks in the forest or around the neighbourhood walking Toby – this set up works well for me.
Take care everyone. Thank you for being with us. I will try and get some more holiday fun from Toby and HY for you as soon as I can.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video and for all the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to look into the lives of our favourite birds!
12 November 2025
Hello Everyone,
What a day! It is beautiful weather on the Canadian Prairies, unseasonably warm while it is also unseasonably hot in Big Bear Valley and everyone is wondering if Jackie and Shadow will delay eggs for a bit. The big news is coming to us from Fort Myers Florida, where M15 and his second mate, F23, now have their first egg kicking off the 2025 Bald Eagle season in Southwest Florida. Congratulations to the Pritchett Family and all who love these eagles.
There it is!
Thank you to the Pritchett Family for their streaming cam allowing us to celebrate this wonderful moment with these two loved eagles.
Hi Everyone,
Getting ready for a holiday is exhausting. We are all ready to head out the door.
I checked on the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23. As most of you already know, CROW came with the help of Joshua Tree and retrieved the body of little E24 for a necroscopy. Everyone was quick to act!
E25 ate a little fish prior to the removal.
Then this evening I checked and there was M15 feeding his surviving baby. What a relief. Let us hope that everyone remains safe and sound for eons and eons.
Thank you to everyone involved and to SW Florida and the Pritchett Family for their streaming cams that allow us to take part in this amazing family’s triumphs and challenges!
12 January 2024
Good Morning,
Morning Update: R8 still hatching at Dade. R7 is a day old. Thanks for the great capture Heidi!
We woke up to the softest white snow Saturday morning. It was -14 C, which is lovely—cool but not freezing. The sun was out, the sky was a pearl grey-white.
We had an ‘interesting’ drive through the park Saturday afternoon. We love seeing the deer, but today was anxiety-provoking. A man with a dog on lead was provoking the deer. We drove slowly, parked behind the incident and didn’t leave. I always wonder why humans feel that they can threaten or hurt wild animals.
The garden is honoured by the continuing presence of a rabbit, one of a long line of rabbits to visit us. The video camera at the front of the house also recorded three deer visits, none of them the buck with the single antler from the other evening. My heart burns a little warmer.
Closer to home The Girl’s got two new toys. A tunnel with a mesh where they can see their sibling and a tiny rocking dome with some wiggly toys. Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope checked it out.
It is day 34 for egg 1 at NE Florida. If we think of the ‘average’ hatch between 36-38.5 days, we have two to four days to go until this little one hatches. It is getting excited.
What I can tell you is that the eggs at NE Florida are getting rolled and Gabby is being extremely vigilant in her duties. No pip as of Saturday afternoon that I am aware.
Those eaglets of Ron and Rose are really strong! This one hatched at 1016 Saturday. There is a tiny bit of shell stuck to its wing. Oh, my. What a little sweetheart. OK. Maybe to us. I bet its sibling might think otherwise!!!!!
Heidi sends word that there is indeed a pip for R8. Wow. These two will hatch close together and from the looks of it, this is a good thing. R7 is a really strong eaglet. So happy. We need good DNA, great parenting, lots of prey, and blessings as Avian Flu roars its ugly head around the world for the winter (again).
Chase brought Cholyn a fish Saturday morning and got his foot caught on the nest. He managed OK! Thank goodness. Chase and Cholyn are one of the oldest bonded couples in the Bald Eagle community. https://youtu.be/6b4Nsskhzzk?
Liberty and Guardian are at the nest! https://youtu.be/PMWeawllmXs?
F23 feeds the kids a Snook and their crops bulge. https://youtu.be/HpYz2mlVj-4?
At Captiva, it was raining earlier. Connie kept the Cs dry and warm as best she could. They are big now!
Kasse might be checking out what Wilko is doing!
Kasse is doing very well at getting fish on the nest, too, compared to Wilko.
It was such a relief, a joyous one, to see both Big Red and Arthur on the campus of Cornell University in the snow.
Wildlife are suffering irreparable deaths and damage to habitat due to the wildfires in Southern California. Where do they go? What do they eat?
Concerns continue about the illegal release of lynx in the Scottish Highlands.
One of the lynx has died.
Here is a very thoughtful video on the illegal release of the lynx. What we need to understand about the illegal releases, why a balanced landscape is important, and the history of the animals that used to live in the area. Why did the lynx go extinct? https://youtu.be/teu8i5vlUWo?
Bird flu – HPAI and H5N1 – are spreading around the world during the winter. I worry for each of our families and, of course, all species. They have enough challenges already.
An osprey, rescued in Belize City, has died.
Calico’s Tip for the Day: Make Time for Story Time even if you are a teenager, an adult, or someone living alone (read to a friend). Reading to Calico with the soft sounds of the words got her to trust me and, as we now know, that trust grew into her joining us in our home. An article in The New York Times speaks to how reading aloud to someone can create intimacy. Calico adds that it is also ‘together time’ ‘analog time’ – and it can be very meaningful and supportive. Why not join us in story time? Make it a part of your life’s routine.
There are Beautiful Trumpeter Swans in Yellowstone. We have a pair that live in Manitoba—remember, we can be colder than Mars—at an Artesian spring north of our City.
Calico ordered three new books from me that she thinks might be good for our family story time. Here they are, and I will keep you posted once we have read them.
Polly Atkin loves owls. They are neighbours to the 17th century property she lives in at Grasmere in the Lake District. Her early observations led her to research the owls. Ms Atkin has a chronic illness and these owls are now her intimate friends and companions. Many of us can relate to these relationships.
This is another book about how a Robin became an intimate friend year after year. A description on the Internet lead me to believe that this book is one that we would enjoy.
A description in New River Books intrigued me. “Each month in The Blackbird’s Song, Miles Richardson delves into the science and mythology behind our relationship with nature, exploring everything from our kinship with plants to the way in which nature influences our moods. Along the way, he offers a range of activities to help us access the benefits of the natural world. Whether it be ‘joy-watching’ birds, rediscovering wonder, foraging for Christmas crafts or going on an urban safari, this book contains all the tools and inspiration you need to unlock the transformative power of nature and find real meaning in your life.”
This reminds me slightly of the new book by Margaret Renkl which is the journal included in my listing of books from 2024.
Pets being rescued in southern California. Thinking about the wildlife…
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please check on all those eagle nests as the chicks have hatched at various dates and are at different developmental stages. At Superbeaks, Barron is eating and finding ways around Keke to get his food. At Captiva and SW Florida there is so much food there has not been an issue around the amount of prey one chick gets over the other. Behaviour can be observed and watching these eaglets is a good way to learn about how they change as they grow – wings, feet, plumage, bills, etc. The only osprey nests have fledglings. There is some interest in bonding and mating at some of the Florida osprey nests, but as far as I know there are no eggs yet. Take care of yourself. We will see you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, comments, questions, posts, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, Heidi, J, MP’, NEFL-AEF, WRDC, BVSgirl, FORE, Androcat, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Bart M and the PLO, Ferris Akel Tour, The New York Times, Raptor Persecution UK, Leave Curious, Channel 5 Belize, Yellowstone National Park, New River Books, Amazon, Chief Miller, International Bird Rescue, UKOsprey Information
3 February 2024
Good Morning and Good Gracious.
It was a marvellous Friday. The temperature rose to +5 C in some areas while at others it stayed around +3. The two degrees didn’t matter. The sky was blue and the sun was shining bright. People were happy!
Missey and Baby Hope looking out the window.
Missey and Hope had finished their lunch. If you are wondering ‘why’ Hugo Yugo grew so much in a month, well, ….She finished her dish and then decided to go around and eat anything left in her sisters’ bowls while they are busy watching birds!
It was not clear what would happen when Baby Hope discovered Hugo Yugo eating her food….Nothing. The older ones seem to tolerate anything that Hugo Yugo does. It is astonishing.
Then Hugo Yugo showed that she is capable of problem solving. There was one piece of food on the opposite side of the dish. She could not get at it very well. She tried her paw. That didn’t work.
So, what did she do? She went around to the other side of the dish. Ate every last nibble. Well done, Hugo Yugo!
2 February was not just Ground Hog Day or the day that Flaco escaped from the Central Park Zoo, but it was also the day we said goodbye to Harriet, the matriarch of the SW Florida Bald Eagle Nest on the Pritchett property in Fort Myers. Today, marks the beginning of M15 doing the amazing – he raised two one-month old eaglets to fledge all by himself while fending off numerous unsuitable female eagles!
It was a scary time for everyone and no one knew how this story would end, but M15 showed himself to be worth of the top spot of Top Dad for 2023 easily. E21 and E22 thrived.
M15 had multiple options, and he chose well. F23 has turned out to be a wonderful mate, and E23 is a healthy, happy eaglet. Look closely and see the colour around the mandible changing to yellow.
Too cute.
I am in tears. The other eagle family that we are so desperate to have chicks this year is at Sauces, and Audacity laid her first egg on Friday. That nest is lined with soft materials (compared to Big Bear). Oh, please, let them have a chick this year! Parachute one in if you have to, Dr Sharpe! Surely there is an orphan eaglet somewhere.
The snow at Big Bear appears to have stopped, but it isn’t melting. Shadow took a turn incubating and then flew around the nest getting a nice stick for the railing. He must be calculating how many new sticks he has to bring in if there could be three eaglets!
It took a bit to get Shadow to get up off the nest!
Both eagles of Abby and Blaze look fantastic – soft dandelion heads and that deep nest bowl keeps us wanting to see more of them!
Swampy hatched on the 31st of January and Meadow hatched today. There was some bonking and Swampy is getting the majority of the food. Fingers crossed that Meadow will be resilient!
The surviving eaglet at JB Sands Wetlands appears to be doing fine. Being fed well, but goodness, I wish that support was transparent!
At the Captiva nest, Lusa is now self-feeding!
| 11:42:08 AM | Lusa | ANOTHER MILESTONE! | Can now SELF FEED. |
The clean up crew is working hard on the Port Lincoln Osprey barge. The lads were off early in search of fish.
‘A’ reports on the Royal Albatross: ”At Taiaroa Head, the wee one at BOK and WYL’s nest needed to eat this morning, and so far, new mum BOK has not managed to do this. So the rangers swapped little TFT (Top Flat Track) chick with TF chick, putting TF under BOK and bringing TFT chick to mum LGL. Immediately, foster mum LGL fed the chick, which will presumably now be switched back to its own nest. A close eye will be kept on the weights of both chicks, with twice-daily weighing for TFT chick and daily checks for rapidly growing TF chick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKbM5HBesZ0. “
And she also brings us the news from yesterday at the Parramatta River: “February 2: Last evening (1 February) at 7:39pm an eagle flew from the island area and across the wetlands. With poor light, it was impossible to identify. Shortly after, an osprey was seen with a fish, heading back to Concord. Early this morning, our team reported SE31 at the river, first at Juvie Roost then closer to River Roost. She was seen later attempting a catch from the river, but it seemed nothing edible. The juvenile was confirmed as SE31, as she was using her favourite roosts and flight paths. During the day, the adults were seen at Goat Island, then flying west together at 4:30pm. Ospreys were active on the river in the late afternoon. Then, the adults were seen back at Goat Island again.”
They are watching for the first egg at Dulles-Greenway with Rosa and her new mate.
Everyone at the WRDC nest is alright. They survived the drought of prey items and the nappy and R6 looks to be in fine health.
Enjoying some shade!
We are about 3 weeks from the first egg at Denton Homes with Mum and Beau. (Yes, another Beau).
Some activity over at Decorah North, too – and a fish gift!
The Hatchery Eagles were at the nest, too.
Your eyes are not fooling you if you look at the amount of water around the nest of Liberty and Guardian in Redding, California. ”Sacramento River’s water flow triples…” – this is due to the latest heavy rainfall in the area.
More bad weather is expected with mudslides…
SE 31 has not gone anywhere!
Everyone should be serious about plastic and demand alternatives just like the lead in fishing, hunting, and military use. This is for the UK, but maybe it should be international.
I want to give a big shout-out to Mary Cheadle. Mary handles all the fundraising projects for The Friends of Loch Arkaig. When Jean-marie Dupart was asked what he needed, he answered he needed a new pair of binoculars to count the UK and European Ospreys in West Africa. We are so grateful for Dupart’s sightings and photographs. Mary undertook the challenge of raising funds, and today, she announced that she had “raised £1085 for Jean-marie’s binos.” That is amazing. Thank you, Mary! And thank you, Jean-Marie, for always informing us of the Osprey counts and the sightings of ringed birds.
Cranes were made extinct in the UK in the 16th century. This past year they bred in record numbers.
Wetlands are positively essential to our feathered friends. Did you know that 1/4 of North America’s wetlands are in Canada?
The following article has a map showing the Boreal Forest and more information about its importance to our planet, not just our feathered friends.
You know Flaco, the escapee Eurasian Owl in Central Park. He is celebrating a year of freedom. It is highly unlikely Flaco will ever have a mate. Today I found this – a bonded pair of Eurasian Owls in Estonia. Have a peek.
They are Hugo and Hanna. She is on the nest platform and he is on the tree branch.
The Peregrine Fund reminds us of some facts about Eurasian Owls:
“Eurasian Eagle-owl, Bubo bubo, Uhu” by Sonja & Roland is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
They also state, “Eurasian Eagle-owls are found throughout much of Europe and Asia and in parts of northern Africa. They live in a variety of wooded habitats. They are more commonly found in areas with rocky outcrops and cliffs, but they also live in open habitats that have some trees and rocky areas like taiga, farmlands, steppes, semi-arid areas, and grasslands.
Eurasian Eagle-owls seem to do well in most types of habitat if there are available nesting spots and adequate prey. These large, beautiful owls have even been documented living in city parks. One owl showed up at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. This potential fan spent time hanging out on the goal post, causing the game to be delayed for several minutes!”
Eurasian Owls are under threat. ”During the first half of the 1900s, Eurasian Eagle-owl populations declined drastically. Humans hunted and poisoned them and they had a hard time surviving. Happily, local governments have begun to increase their protection of these owls, and some reintroduction programs have taken place. Thanks to these efforts, the Eurasian Eagle-owl is recovering in Europe although their numbers still haven’t returned to what they were before the mid-1900s. Electrocution and collisions with cars continue to be a problem for this extraordinary raptor.”
The latest announcement about the West End camera in the Channel Islands:
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, photographs, videos, posts, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’A, J, MC’, Nancy Babineau, SW Florida Eagle Cam, info visual.info, Lady Hawk, IWS/Explore, FOBBV, Eagle Country, JBS Wetlands, Window to Wildlife, PLO, Dulles-Greenway, WRDC, Denton Homes, Raptor Resource Project/Explore, FORE, The Guardian, Bozena Isia, The Mercury News, Sea Eagle Cam, @ChrisPackham, Audubon, The Government of Canada, The Peregrine Fund, Open Verse, and the IWS.
14 March 2022
Good Morning!
I hope that each of you had an excellent start to your week.
The temperature was around +2 C in Toronto, with light snow this morning. It was a marvellous day for a walk and a trek to try and locate some ducks. There was no need for anything exotic – any duck would do when I set out. One of the advantages of being in a large City is your transportation options. I love the Toronto subway system (any subway system for that matter) and often dream of living where there is no need to own a car! Toronto has an extensive subway system that took me right to High Park on West Bloor Street rather swiftly.
There are 400 acres of parkland, a small zoo and Grenadier Pond, several restaurants, and playgrounds. The terrain is mostly rugged as opposed to manicured and everywhere you can hear birds singing and see squirrels scampering about.
Every where you looked there were magnificent old trees. Stunning.
The view from the top trail down to the path along Grenadier Pond.
It was a jaunt – from High Park Station at the top to the bottom and back up again along a path by the pond. The dials on my iPhone for ‘activity’ were undoubtedly spinning. The terrain is undulating and incredibly beautiful. The cherry blossoms in the spring rival many other destinations.
One difference is in the species of squirrels. Toronto has these rather amazing Black Squirrels! (They also have the Red Squirrels, the Eastern Greys, and rare white squirrels in Bellwood’s Park).
The Black Squirrels are Eastern Grey Squirrels. They are black because of a genetic anomaly that will not allow their fur to turn grey! Toronto is full of them! If you come to Toronto, the largest population of Black Squirrels seems to be in Queen’s Park.
Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Red-wing Blackbirds, Starlings, and House Sparrows were in the park. Trying to get them to stay still long enough for a photo was another matter! The quest was, however, to find ducks! If you find yourself in High Park, the place to see the ducks is Grenadier Pond. It was quite iced over today, so there was not the normal variety paddling, but there was some!
There were American Black Ducks, Mallards, and two insistent Canada Geese. They wanted food – NOW!
Posted in clear sight was this sign. Every place where humans are allowed to fish should have signs like this.
It was a wonderful time despite the wintery weather. I highly recommend it if you visit Toronto and are looking for a beautiful park to relax. You can also rent bikes, enjoy a meal, see some animals in a small zoo, and check out the waterfowl.
Monday morning M15 landed on the SWFlorida eagle nest with a rabbit for the Es. It was a flurry of pulling and tearing and it appears that each eaglet got some food. The time was 10:05.
Our ‘Dad of the Year’ has had to contend with more intruders including a juvenile/immature and a rather aggressive female with injured talons (could be the one that has been at the pond and at the top of the tree). She jumped into the nest wanting the fish M15 was feeding E22 but, today, he got rid of her! Well done, Dad. There was another owl strike and even a car accident at the nest. What a guy!
[The eaglets shared a rabbit, 21 got a rat, and 22 is being fed this fish on Monday].
It is E22 that is getting fed.
The female wasn’t happy but she went up to the branch.
Oh, the Es are so wet.
M15 paid a late visit to the nest. At first, he found pieces of fish and ate without offering anything to the eaglets. E22 was, of course, squeeing. The Es got some bites, and the nest is cleaned up. I wonder if Dad had much to eat today.
Abby and Victor are doing great. They are eating well and giving each other grief! Lots of grief. Sally just lets them go at it.
Abby climbed out of the egg cup—well fed osplet with that fat little bottom.
Their little tails are starting to develop as they move from the light grey down nestlings to looking like dinosaurs with their oily heads.
Sweet little babies when they are asleep.
Please take a look at the osplets below. The soft grey down on their heads is giving way to the black of that dark charcoal thermal down. Abby is on the right and Victor is on the left.
Harry brought a nice fish to the nest and didn’t count on the osplets fish begging. He turned around and fed Abby several bites while Victor called for bites, too. Sally took over and fed both of her hungry osplets.
At the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose, Rose has stayed on the nest all day as her very first eaglet is hatching. Proud Papa-to-be, Ron, brought Rose a fish for breakfast and then another one. He is teaching her – stay in the nest; your first baby is coming. What an exciting time and a privilege to witness this first-time eagle mom as her little one pecks away at that shell.
At 17:26, Rose is off the eggs and eating some fish. You can see the eaglet spreading the shell apart. Hatch is coming along quite nicely. No longer a single hole with a beak but now a crack around the egg that is getting wider and wider. So happy for Ron, who lost his mate Rose and was won over by this very young female who did not give up courting him! Many wondered if there would be eaglets at this nest so late. Send them all your good wishes, everyone. That little one will be fully hatched before most of those in Florida turn in for the evening.
HeidiMc has a video for us…much more interesting to see that beak moving that shell!
23:10. That shell is all crushed around the eaglet but it sure looks like it is mostly out!
Looks like it was completely out of the crushed shell around 07:44 Tuesday 14 March at WRDC. (The shell crushed just like the shells in Louisiana where the humidity is also high. Wee one had to work a little harder).
Oh, sweetness. Now to see how our first time Mum’s instincts kick in.
Ron is really happy!!!!!!
Take your calendars and mark them for 11 April. Pip/hatch watch for Annie and Lou at Cal Falcons scrape on The Campanile.
Now that Annie has finished laying eggs, Cal Falcon is looking for memes.
Oh, have a giggle!!!!!!!! 3x speed – wiggling and giggling to get those eggs under!
Fledglings are still returning to the Superbeaks’ nest. Sometimes they are fed by an adult, and at other times, they find fish left on the nest to eat. Everything seems to be going well with both eaglets flying in and out of the nest.
On Monday, Arthur delivered a nice squirrel treat to Big Red as she worked on their nest on the grounds of the Cornell campus. Big Red is my hero, and this year this Red-tailed Hawk turns 20. Eggs can be expected anytime.
The osprey platform of Maya and Blue, 33 at Rutland Water, has been busy today! Geemeff sent news of a peregrine falcon bringing prey to the nest, visits by Egyptian Geese, and finally, a Cormorant. Maya could arrive as early as tomorrow, and she will clear them off!
When Shasta died, Sequoia left the San Jose City Hall scrape. A new couple is bonding now. Everyone will have to keep an eye out for Sequoia, Annie and Grinnell’s son, and where he lands next.
The three surviving GHO owlets at the nest in Corona, California, are really filling up that basket! Look at those eyes looking up at Mum.
Owlvira pauses on the branch above the nest. This is where she will want the owlets to go when they branch. Voting for the names of the eaglets (including little Peanut) ends on Monday evening. So, today, the winning four names should be announced. I thought it was really nice that in respect of Peanut, they kept the fourth name in the listings.
At the nest of GHOs Bonnie and Clyde in Kansas, Bonnie has been nibbling on prey while giving her only owlet some air on Monday. Gosh you forget that those little ones were once soft and white!
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams that help make up my blog today: ‘H’, ‘Geemeff’, Google Maps, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Moorings Park Ospreys, WRDC, Heidi Mc and the WRDC, Cal Falcons, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, Superbeaks, Cornell RTH, LRWT, Sharon Pollock and Raptors of the World, Corona California Owl Cam, and Farmer Derek.
