Tag Archives: SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett

Is it an egg for Cholyn! Sad news from San Jose, 2nd hatch at Duke Farms…Wednesday in Bird World

1 March 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

It is so lovely to have you with us today! It is the middle of the week, the first day of March. Spring is officially three weeks away. Can’t you hear the geese honking and the songbirds in the trees? or see the birds pulling worms from the soft, moist earth?

It is -18 Tuesday morning on the Canadian Prairies. The sun is shining, and the wind is brisk at 11 kph, but only at times. It promises to be a beautiful bright day.

Looking out at the duck pond, now frozen, there is a promise of their return in a few months. Oh, what joy!

Remember. Being outside in nature, even for a few minutes, benefits our physical and mental health. Even sitting by the pond, anticipating the arrival of geese and ducks, was uplifting, no matter how cold it was this morning. So, please, think about it, put your coat on and get moving if possible.

Everyone is looking forward to the arrival of the waterfowl. It is a mark that spring is arriving.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/27/country-diary-grebes-in-the-harbour-a-curlew-in-the-rushes?CMP=share_btn_link

As I get ready to turn the computer off, it looks like Cholyn might be ready to lay the first egg of the 2023 breeding season on the nest she shares with Chase, Two Harbours, in the Channel Islands. It is 18:32 nest time in California.

And, yes, it is egg one for Chase and Cholyn! Chase gets a look. Remember that Cholyn is Thunder’s Mum. (Thunder and Akecheta on West End)

There is sad news from San Jose, California. You might recall that Annie and Grinnell’s 2019 hatch Sequoia had bonded with mate Shasta at the San Jose City Hall scrape. We were so looking forward to their eggs this spring. Shasta has sadly died from injuries obtained from a collision. Here is the last image of Shasta and the announcement.

At the scrape of Sequoia’s Mum, Annie, at The Campanile, Mum was scraping in the box and waiting to see if Lou would deliver prey there today.

The falcon cams are starting to come on line around the world. So much is happening!

There is always a worry when a big strong eaglet comes bursting out of the shell, and that was what happened when the first hatch entered the world at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey. Well, swift on the heels of that hatch came number two! This should be a good year. Dad has loaded up the nest with fish. I have already counted at least four large ones ready to be eaten! Of course, they are gifts for Mum, too!

0719 Tuesday morning. Hatch 1 is ready for breakfish.

1418. The second hatch is completely out of the shell.

1421. Dad has come to see the new baby.

Mum wants to keep the pair warm and dry.

Wednesday breakfast and both little cuddles are up and eating at Duke Farms.

M15 brought in a squirrel and what appeared to be two fish to the SW Florida eagle nest. Both ate. How much is difficult to tell but 22 was doing his best snatch and grab!

At 17:53:09, a small fish was dropped into the nest by M15. E22 got it and it was gone in a flash! Way to go 22.

Vija catches 22 doing a great snatch and grab!

M15 and R23-3 had spa time at the pond.

And, last night, the GHO knocked the female off the branch of the nest tree.

Audacity laid a 7th egg at the Santa Cruz Sauces Canyon Bald Eagle nest. Fingers crossed! Will seven be their lucky number? At the same time, one cannot help but wonder what toll all this egg-laying is taking on Audacity’s body.

US Steel has its first egg. It was laid at 18:56:50. The reveal was at 1901. Congratulations, Claire and Irvin.

Pittsburgh-Hayes has two eggs. The first was laid on 17 February, with the second arriving on the 20th.

Meanwhile, The Majestics Mom and new mate, Beau, at the Denton Home Bald Eagle nest in Iowa are incubating three eggs.

Take a look at Connick. Did anyone say female lately?

Another gorgeous only eaglet, KNF-E1-03 (Trey) looks like it could also be a female.

At the Decorah Eagle nest in Iowa, a squirrel climbed into the nest cup and started chewing on the egg while the eagles were away. Observers believe the egg is in tact, thankfully.

Gabby and V3 might not have eggs this year, but they are spending a lot of time together at the nest tree. Yesterday there was a beautiful visitor to the nest. Have a look! What a gorgeous bird; believed to be about 2.5 years old from the plumage development. They do some looking for scraps and even lay down in the nest. You can hear Gabby warning them from the Wallenda branch.

It is still winter in Minnesota – just like here, 8 hours north. Nancy and Beau have two eggs that they are incubating. It is their first year as a couple. Fingers crossed.

In Poland, the White-tailed eagles are in the nest in the Tucholskie Forest today. She is the female named Tule, and the male is Borek.

One week ago the couple came and began working on nestorations.

The information below one of the streaming videos of the nest gives the following information. Additional information at another site indicates that the couple are now incubating at least one egg.

The nest of white-tailed eagles in the Woziwoda Forest District has grown significantly this year and is over 2 meters high and in diameter. It is a powerful structure that weighs probably around 200-300 kg. Eagles appear at the nest in the afternoons and from mid-January on warmer days they report new material. Both male Borek and female Tula participate in all works. Soon the first egg will appear in the nest, because both birds are kneading the nest hole with their bodies and legs. The female is still not sleeping in the nest yet. Only when she stays in it for the first time for the night will it be a sign that she has laid an egg.

Changing incubation duties.

For those watching the Osprey nests in Florida, the first pip should come at Moorings Park in Naples this Thursday or Friday, the 2nd or 3rd of March. The next nest would be the Venice Golf and Country Club on the 13th and 14th of March. Achieva would follow them.

The adults at Moorings Park are Sally and Harry.

Florence and Angus are still bonding at the Captiva Osprey nest. Still no eggs. Hopeful.

Two more Kakapo named!

In England, there have been calls to end or substantially shorten the Woodcock hunting season. Congratulations Nature England for getting a review! That is positive news.

Flaco is still doing well in New York City’s Central Park. There are no current plans to try and bait the little Eurasian Owl and return it to its cage at the Zoo. If you want to keep up with what is happening with Flaco, the best news comes out of urbanhawks.com You can also find the latest news there on Pale Male and other raptors and concerns who live in the Central Park area.

I wanted to check on Karl II and his family – to see if any had started moving north. No. Waba is still in Sudan, and to the surprise of everyone, Udu has spent the winter in Turkey. No signal transmissions from Bonus, Karl II, or Kaia yet.

There is so much beginning to happen. You can feel the energy; before long, eaglets will be fledging at SW Florida, Ospreys hatching, and more eggs in the Channel Islands. We will not be able to keep up! Oh, and the UK Ospreys will return to their spring and summer breeding grounds.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!

If you want to join our Bird World family, please subscribe. It is always free. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Thank you to the following for their notes, their streaming cams, their videos, and posts that help make up my newsletter today: The Guardian, IWS, Sharon Pollock and Raptors of the World, Cal Falcons, Duke Farms, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Vija and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Sherry Morris and CIEL, Pix Cams, Denton Homes, Window to Wildlife, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Bird Cam Network, Tucholskie Eagle Cam, Kakapo Recovery, @Jeff Knott, Urban Hawks, and Looduskalender English Forum, Following Karl II’s Family.

Hatch at Duke Farms, GHO owlet with family, E22 is the fastest prey grabber…Tuesday in Bird World

28 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Lewis and Missy hope you have had a wonderful start to the week. They are enjoying a new ‘dog bed’. It is so soft, and with their own blankets, they both decided that it was ‘OK’. They are way too big to share the small basket, and neither one will be alone!

They had to do everything together from the moment they came to their forever home. It is like synchronised living. Sleep, eat, drink water, poop, look out the window, play – it is always in tandem.

My goodness. Most of the time we think of a pip and then a wait to see how long it will be until hatch. Well, the first eaglet of the year has blasted out of the egg at Duke Farms. This is one strong eaglet. Want to bet she is a fierce formidable female?

Dad was on the nest checking on the progress.

The reveal came around 14:06.

Well, hello! Aren’t you amazing? Such a strong eaglet! Dad sees his chick for the very first time.

One strong eaglet! A nice fresh fish on the nest for Tuesday morning breakfast!

The first breakfast for Monday came in at 10:28:45 at the SW Florida nest of M15 and the Es. It was very difficult to see what that prey item was, actually. E22 mantled it and got a huge chunk. M15 found some small bits and kept 21 busy feeding him.

Another delivery came at 13:47:05. This time it was a small fish, not tiny but not huge. E21 was up at Dad’s beak first but 22 did his usual work around and got up to the beak to get some of that fish. E22 exhibited no fear as he touched beaks with 21 trying to get some fish. Meanwhile, the female is down in one of the trees not bothering what is going on at the nest. It appears that 21 and 22 play around trying to eat the skin and some bits and bobs.

E22 is the fastest eaglet on this nest and the best at self-feeding. He learned those traits early on when we all thought he might not survive. What a great eagle you will be 22.

M15 came in with another prey item at 14:54:14. It was difficult to tell which eaglet was which, but both got something to eat. I think it was 22 at the end who also had the bone and was chewing on it. Perhaps you held your breath seeing the adult above the nest, but thankfully, it was M15 just getting off the nest at 15:01:36.

I believe it is 21 on the left and 22 on the right by the tail feathers but, I could be so wrong.

M15 came in with another fish for the eaglets at 16:23:21. E21 got some first bites but E22 was quick to get itself into a position to snatch and grab from the right to the left!

E21 is on the left and E22 is on the right.

He just grabbed a big piece of fish!

22 pushes 21 back while keeping his beak up to get the fish.

The fish went back and forth, but E22 got it and finished it off quickly. Dad was back up to the branch at 16:28:38.

That might be the last feeding of the day. It has gone well. Thank you, M15.

They both look a little tattered. Harriet was M15’s first mate. She was a fierce eagle as we know and no one would mess with her chicks, her nest, or her territory. We wait to see how this goes.

I am warming up to her. Injuries, stress, hunger. They all trigger behaviours that might not otherwise take place. Yes, she has pecked and winged but, she has not injured E21 or E22. As we know she did, voluntarily or feeling forced, feed 21. She has protected the territory. M15 will need a ferocious mate to take on this popular territory together.

M15 brought a squirrel into the nest at 093215 for 21 and 22. He did some feeding but, in the end, it seems that 21 took some of it to self-feed. That is 22 getting fed by Dad below.

There appears to be, sadly, a territorial dispute going on at the Redding Bald Eagle nest of Liberty and Guardian. Guardian returned to the nest where Liberty is incubating their single egg for the season injured on Sunday. Injuries appear to be the left eye, the top of the head, and some frayed tail feathers.

A short time in Ron and Rose’s nest, a shift change. I love the chortling.

Everyone is counting down the time to eggs and I am thinking that it is two weeks. Around 13 March for Big Red and Arthur. So happy they are back at the nest on the Fernow Light Stand so that we can watch them raise their eyases.

Meanwhile, L4 is still with the young hawk and still on Mum and Dad’s territory as far as I am aware.

The heavy snowfall promised to hit the northeastern US is now falling on Big Red and Arthur’s nest in Ithaca, New York.

Indigo is still home! And he is loud. Missy and Lewis always want the volume off. For some reason, Indigos’ screeching scares them.

If you want to glimpse the four owlets at the Corona Owl Nest, you need to watch during the night or do a good rewind. There are four of them, and voting will begin on naming the four on March 6. Check out the chat with the live stream: Corona Owls on YouTube.

At Taiaroa Head, home to the Royal Albatross Colony, Sweet Pea does her very first sky call. Lady Hawk caught it for us!

Jackie and Shadow made the news in Greece. I keep saying if love could fill that nest with little eaglets, that nest would be spilling over. Fingers crossed for a successful second clutch and hatch in the future. If you are wondering, yes, it is possible. When Harriet and M15 lost Sassy Pants, M15 wanted another clutch of eggs. Those two eaglets hatched and were named Miracle and Grace.

Making News:

I brought you the news from CROW about a GHO owlet that had fallen out of a tree and was placed in a laundry basket hoping the parents would feet it. The story gets quite amazing. A wellness check was done, the original nest located, a sibling and lots of food in the nest – and even more special, the adults welcomed the ‘lost’ baby back into the family! Thank you, CROW.

They stopped the fireworks in the UK not to disturb this amazing walrus named Thor. Today, he was discovered in Iceland!

Please don’t tell any gamekeepers on those moors!

‘EJ’ sent an article to me explaining it isn’t the type they usually send. It is hard to believe that some individuals take shotguns and are called ‘removers’. They are culling one owl species for another. Honestly, I think humans should leave nature to nature. Do we actually understand what we are doing to wildlife and the planet? — Sorry, I am ‘getting started’. Nothing has convinced me that we are proper conservators of our home and theirs or that we have insights that make us superior. I wish it were different.

https://www.salon.com/2023/02/26/professional-owl-terrorists-scare-off-barred-owls-with-shotguns-in-the-name-of-conservation/

The author says: “Remover” was an accurate term for what Hunt did. But it was a euphemism. Hunt is one of the best in the business at shooting barred owls out of trees with a shotgun. The twenty-eight-year-old, slightly-built wildlife management specialist from Belmont, New York, had spent five winters tracking barred owls and systematically blasting them from the canopy with a twelve-gauge. The goal was to reduce the barred owl population enough to relieve the pressure on spotted owls. It was a divisive study generating high emotions on all sides. But Hunt loved the work. “I’m kinda sad the removal part is over,” she said.”

This is wonderful news. I am certain that when Rita was injured, we wished this might have been the outcome. It was not to be but, for this couple, it was the perfect ending. Congratulations to all!

Here is the whole story:

Incredible-Reunion-Of-Rescued-Bald-Eagle-With-Lifelong-PartnerDownload

Some bird humour compliments of the Webster Texas Eagles FB page.

The season’s first egg is at one of the Peregrine Falcon’s nests in Japan. Congratulations! For those who would like to watch this scrape, I have messaged the site to get a link. The scrape fledged four little eyases in 2022.

A former student ‘CD’, now teaching her university-level science classes, posted this today. Do you know about these women who saved the birds?

Thank you so much for being with us today! Take care, everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their tweets, notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that help make up my blog: ‘CD’, ‘EJ’, Duke Farms, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Gary and FORE, @Cornell Hawks, Valerie Valicento and Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Corona Owls, Lady Hawk and NZ DOC, Maria Grigoriadou and FOBBV, Heidi Mc and WRDC, CROW, BBC, Google Maps, Yorkshire Post, Salon.com, Sydney Wells and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cam and Nests, Webster Texas Eagle Watchers, Ashai Falcon Kirara, Women Who Saved Birds.

New camera at Superbeaks, Daddy Door Dash does great…Monday in Bird World

27 February 2022

Oh, good morning, everyone! Lewis hopes that you had an extraordinary wonderful weekend full of treats! He has been enjoying some strawberry-filled Japanese crepes lately – just little bites – and he loves them! I must go into a room and lock the door to keep him away! He does not understand, ‘Sweets are not good for a cat’s teeth!’

Sunday was a rather fantastic day in the garden! Mr Woodpecker was in ‘Abigale’s tree’. Mr Crow came here. Oh, it is so nice to see you! And then, there was the rabbit. I don’t want the rabbits here, but, it was such a delight to see one alive. The feline pets that frequent the feeders kill the rabbits for fun. It isn’t their fault. Their owners let them outside when it is clearly against city by-laws.

So what is Abigale’s tree? We started ‘re-foresting’ our city lot by planting trees for family members and cats when they died. Now the garden is getting full. It is a nice escape for the birds in the City, cool in the summer and lots of food in the winter. Abigale was the big ‘Blue’ Abyssinian cat. She was huge, adorable, and ever so gentle.

Mr Crow reminds me of E22, who is always ‘sqeeing’ for food even if he has a fish tail in his mouth!

There is wonderment when seeing wildlife in a big city. It makes me so happy and tells me that, hopefully, when we are gone, they will take over and have the run of the place again.

The best news around is that Superbeaks initalized a brand new camera today and what a view!

You can see the eaglets branching on the tree and eating and the image is so clear. Congratulations Superbeaks…and thank you. We love Muhlady, PePe, Pearl, and Tiko! It is not clear about fledging. It appears that one of the eaglets has fledged and another has branched but, both might have fledged. It could not be determined watching with the old camera.

The new camera has great colour and also a nice zoom.

Both of the eaglets were at the nest today.

M15 delivered one earlier prey item on the SW Florida nest on Sunday before dropping a nice fish off at 13:09:30. (The female took the possum tail from an early delivery). E21 got that breakfast and the 13:09 prey item, too. 22 has been calling to Dad, who has been on the tree branch ever since. M15 is ignoring 22. I don’t believe 22 got any of the earlier breakfast, and he is hungry. This is the problem with Dad needing to play the double role of Mum and Dad. He is making drops, and the eaglets are dealing with food as they would if they were in the real world. In other words, the eaglets mostly have to fend for themselves in terms of eating. It is good. These are great lessons. Sometimes it would be nice to see Dad feeding the babies, but it could also draw the female to the nest. On Saturday, M15 delivered 5 fish and 2 prey items to the nest!

E21 is being cautious. It knows that 22 is hungry and could grab that fish. I hope 21 leaves something because 22 mantled the early fish and then lost it to 21 and hasn’t eaten. It looks like there is a lot left. Hurry up 21 so 22 can have some before ‘she’ comes.

I need to continue reminding myself that E22 got a super duper feeding from Dad Saturday afternoon! Yes, M15 does still feed them. E22 did eat a lot on Saturday. Must not panic if he doesn’t get fish today. That is the mantra.

The fact of the matter is that E21 is not as good at self-feeding as 22 who had to figure all of this out to survive. E22 is now ‘under’ 21’s tail and will steal that fish! The time is 13:30.

Thank you, big sibling! There is enough for 22 to have a meal. E22 eating at 133953.

At 135223, E22 eats the fish tail.

There was another delivery at 14:19:06. Both eaglets ate off this fish. It went back and forth, and each wound up with a good-sized crop. Then Daddy Door Dash M15 flew in with another fish at 16:36:59.

Notice that 21 has a piece of leftover fish from 22 and is reaching over to Dad’s beak to be fed! Too funny. E22 is absolutely stuffed.

E22 with his big crop. I wonder if he will also want some of the last fish of the day?

No. That was the quickest feed. E21 got it all, and 22 didn’t care; he was too full to care. That is a brilliant way to end the day! It was another excellent day at the SW Florida nest of M15 and the Es. Harriet would be proud.

Too funny. By 1652, 22 is digging around an old fish head for flakes of prey.

The Es had a great day in terms of food.

A very good radio interview. You might have to cut and paste the title into the news organization.

M15, you are magnificent. Sweet Eagle Dreams.

The Es had breakfast around 10:28:45. 21 was more or less fed by Dad, while 22 snatched and grabbed some nice pieces of the prey. Thank you, M15!

It is a much nicer day at the Big Bear Valley nest of Jackie and Shadow. Still, snow on the nest, but the storm that raged for several days has passed. Sadly, the two eggs in the nest are now well beyond the viable dates. Egg 1 was laid on the 11th of January, making it 46 days old and egg 2 was laid on the 14th, 43 days old. There is time for a second clutch.

Yes, it is Connick! Blink, and they do grow up. Those ebony-coloured feathers are now making this little one look immensely grown up. Connick is on the rails. In the second image, you can see that thermal down that will help Connick regulate its temperature and keep him dry.

Louis has flown into the KNF-E1 nest in the Kisatchie National Forest. I want you to look at the size of E1-03. Sure looks like they have a female this year at this nest after two previous male fledges.

Not much longer til branching!

Do you need to see baby eaglets? Well, get ready! The first egg at Duke Farms was pipped at 21:31:13 Saturday night, the 26th!

The eaglet at Duke Farms is making progress Monday morning. Dad has been on the nest checking how things are going.

Just a few hours before the pip at Duke Farms in New Jersey, Denton Homes in Iowa had their third egg!

SK Hideaways shows us that Lou is growing up. Annie gets a whole prey item all to herself. Brilliant!

Making News:

Going for a walk on flooded lanes and being the only one there with a Golden Plover. Rather idyllic, right?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/23/country-diary-for-a-moment-its-just-me-and-a-golden-plover?CMP=share_btn_link

CROW has had an intake with Red Tide poisoning in Florida.

Yesterday I posted an image of the Stellar’s Eagle that flies back and forth from Canada to Maine. This eagle is far from home. Here is an image from Hokkaido, Japan where the eagle should be!

Remember this if you should spot a new hatch GHO on the ground. Call your local wildlife rehabilitation centre and wait. And then suggest the laundry basket for the nest if they don’t know this trick of CROW.

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

Thank you to the following for their notes, tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams that make up my blog today: Superbeaks, SW Florida Eagles and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagles and D Pritchett, Tonya Irwin and Raptors of the World, FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E1, Duke Farms, Sherri van Syckel and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, SK Hideaways and Cal Falcons, The Guardian, CROW, and Jonathan Wadsworth Photography and Birds of Prey.

Daddy Door Dash…Sunday in Bird World

26 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone!

Saturday was a huge surprise with the revolving door deliveries at the SWFlorida nest. Just when we worried because of the female’s presence, M15 brought in lots of prey. And once, ‘she’ fed E21 and only once did she get in the nest.

The day started well for the eaglets, E21 and 22. M15 has delivered two fish to the nest. The first was an Armoured Catfish, but the second appeared to be a normal catfish. E21 had a crop, and E22 is working hard on that second fish!

The second fish arrives at 1100. I thought that Dad might feed the eaglets, but he keeps the female away from the nest by doing food drops.

After 21 eats their portion, 22 takes the fish. The time is 1142.

22 kept working on that piece of fish until it was all gone. He is our little survivor!

Meanwhile, while 22 was working on that fish, Dad brought in more mysterious animal organs. E21 grabbed them and ate quickly. 22 didn’t even seem to notice! Time is 12:04.

We must celebrate these two eaglets. They are doing so well under the circumstances and Dad is just doing the absolute best he can for them.

At 13:10:49, M15 brings another nice fish to the nest for the eaglets. This time he is followed by R23-3 (Black Talon). Dad leaves her. Interestingly, while this female was hungry and ate most of that fish, she did feed 21 and didn’t seem to be mean about it. This is disheartening as the morning and yesterday had gone well without her.

By 1317, 22 decides he might get up there and get a few bites. I do not think 22 got any, but he had eaten much of the earlier fish. Still, you can see him moving his beak up. The lunch was finished at 13:19:40, and the female flew up to a branch above the nest.

Lady Hawk caught it in a video showing that the female was not all nice but, she did feed E21 some bites. Perhaps M15 was watching?

The prey items keep on coming. M15 brings in another fish to the eaglets at 15:38:09. 22 is right up there snatching and grabbing. He is very hungry and intends to get this fish!

Our Snatch and Grab King is not giving up on any of this fish even if Dad moves it around to also feed 21.

22 is getting so much fish. He will sleep well tonight and be good if nothing else comes to the nest today. Bravo, M15!

Dad also has a nice crop so he is also eating well today. Simply relief. I don’t know if there are medals for eagles figuring out complicated life circumstances, but M15 would surely be at the top of the list this year to receive one.

At 0800 on Sunday, M15 drops a live fish on the nest. E22 mantles and grabs it first but submits to 21 who eats it all!

It is not clear what happened next on the SW Florida nest Sunday morning.

At 09:15:57, the female with the injured talon, no longer black as the scab had come off, was on the nest with the eaglets. At 09:15:15, M15 had flown down into the nest. Did he want her to leave? Did he have fish? I could see he did not leave a meal, and the female remained in the nest. I suspect she thought there was some fish, and 21 had cleaned everything up. 21 finished eating that live fish at 0857.

Dad at the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest has been contending with a rather aggressive female since Mum disappeared earlier this month. It now seems that Dad and her are a couple. She’s a big girl!!!!!!!

People are fascinated by Bald Eagles buried in snow. This is Nancy at the MN-DNR nest.

This is what it was like at the eagle nest of Jackie and Shadow in Big Bear where the winter storm continues to rage.

Jackie and Shadow made The Los Angeles Times. Oh, they are so loved both in California and around the world. Again, if our love could help them, they would have a nest full of eaglets!

Big-Bear-bald-eagles-sit-on-eggs-in-snow-as-fans-watch-for-hatchling-Los-Angeles-TimesDownload

The weather is much different in Jacksonville, and V3 managed to get a fish on the nest, eat a few bites, and then Gabby came and claimed it. No talons were injured this time, and well done, V3. What a guy you are keeping security watch while Gabby eats. V3, you are fantastic.

No eggs at The Hamlet but HD and HM (Hatchery Dad and Mum) at Decorah welcomed their first egg on Saturday. Congratulations Iowa! Talk about a handsome eagle couple!

For those of you following the love triangle saga at Centreport, New York, ‘H’ tells me that Mum has been mating with D4 and that Mum also mounted D-5. Yes, you read that right. Will we have a lover’s triangle on Long Island?

‘H’ confirms also that Angus and Florence mated ten times on Saturday! Angust brought four fish gifts. One is the Talipia in the image below. Now..when will we have eggs on that nest?

B16 is 35 days old today. Wow. Those eaglets (B16, Connick, Ringo, the ones at KNF) are getting so big and grown up.

Ringo, the lone surviving eaglet, is strengthening her legs and wings! Doing well in Webster, Texas.

More and more postings are showing raptors in rehab because of rodenticide poisoning. When will these designer poisons be banned? Let the raptors do their job and have food without the fear of death!

Did Jack come too close to the eggs with his fish delivery for Diane? Heidi Mc caught it on video!

Sweet Pea is in the post-guard phase for those who follow the Royal Cam Albatross. I do not recall a little Albie wandering from the nest so early, but there he goes (yes, I believe it is a ‘him’ this time). What a brave and independent baby this year!

And last, but absolutely never least, Big Red and Arthur have been on the Fernow Light stand building a nest! Aren’t they beautiful? Arthur will deliver and you can count on Big Red doing the supervising! (She also delivers sticks).

Big Red and Arthur’s 2023 hatch L4 – who no one believed would survive – is still living on the parental territory without any issues from Mum and Dad.

Here is the link to Big Red and Arthur’s camera on the Cornell Campus in Ithaca, New York. This is one of less than a handful of streaming cams focusing on the lives of Red-tail Hawks. Big Red is 20 this year.

https://www.youtube.com/live/ndnr3bwdRzE?feature=share

Thank you so much for being with me this Sunday morning. Take care, everyone. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, their videos, tweets, posts, and streaming cams that make up my blog this morning: ‘H’, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Stephen Basly and the Notre Dame Eagles, The Sacramento Bee, FOBBV, The Los Angeles Times, NEFL-AEF, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, Window to Wildlife, Berry College Eagles, Paul White and the Webster Texas Eagles, Boston.com, Heidi Mc and Achieva Credit Union, NZ DOC, Cornell Bird Lab, and @Cornell Hawks.

Will the Es be fed, balloons banned, Avian Flu in Japan…Friday in Bird World

24 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

There is some good news, and there is worrisome news this morning. This 2023 breeding season has really started off like a wild roller-coaster ride.

First…a big shout-out to Laguna Beach, California. They have banned balloons to save the ocean and wildlife. Let’s see who will stand up for the planet and its living inhabitants next.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/23/california-laguna-beach-bans-balloons-ocean?CMP=share_btn_link

Spring is coming to the UK. I wait for the Ospreys to tell me but, some are watching the Blue Tits starting their nesting.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/21/country-diary-its-started-the-blue-tits-are-house-hunting?CMP=share_btn_link

Thursday has been a very tense day in Bird World. The female with the black talon attacked M15 when he brought a fish to the eaglets for breakfast on Thursday morning. She chased him around the pasture and then flapped him off the nest. It is mid-afternoon, and M15 has not fed the eaglets. The female with the black talon is on the branch below M15, above the nest.

M15 at the very end of the tree doing security. Or is he waiting for her to leave? We should never underestimate this female. She is larger and heavier than M15, and she is determined. Her talons demonstrate that she is not afraid to engage, and we know from footage around the nest site that she has protected the area. It is extremely difficult to anticipate what she will do next but, it seems that any food M15 brings could be grabbed by her and not get to the mouths of the eaglets.

Females injured feet and talons.

SW Florida video of the interaction.

Getting older.

Beautiful hot, and hungry babies. They are 7 weeks old.

It is 17:15 on the SW Florida Nest. No food has arrived. It is now after 1800, and M15 is not at the nest tree. The Es are searching for any old scraps that they can find. We wait.

I worried M15 might not return, but he did. He is on the branch of the nest tree with the black-talon female. We wait in the hope that the eaglets will be fed on Friday. M15 is caught in a terrible dilemma. If he brings food to the eaglets, the female will swoop and eat it. Then he has to quickly get more for the eaglets, ensuring the female does not injure him. He did this successfully the other day. Will he be able to do it again?

M15 has walked a fine line since Harriet disappeared, trying to do everything single-handedly. This female may not allow him to continue to feed the eaglets as he did so valiantly. If that is the case, I hope that CROW has the permit to remove them so that they can eat, learn to fly, and fledge safely. If that should happen, I do not think anyone will forget the good fight that M15 undertook to raise his eaglets under the most difficult of circumstances.

SW Florida Eagle Cam reminds us:

It is Friday morning 11:00, and the eaglets are yet to be fed. Did I say that I am extremely worried about them? Another person has been caught leaving food! Did I say that the eaglets’ ps are getting thin? If M15 doesn’t feed them because of injury to himself, them, or both, will CROW remove the eaglets and care for them til they fly free?

Maybe if I send this quick he will fly in with a big meal for them but, alas, I fear that the fight in the nest and the fact she took two meals in a row and chased him might have changed this. Stay strong babies!

So where does someone go if they want to see stability and tranquillity? Well, there are many choices. The first up for me would be Gabby and V3. No eaglets to worry about. No intruders at the nest. Just nice and quiet. Both have eaten well and have crops. They are in good physical shape, and V3 has ensured that the revolving door of suitors is closed. Gabby saw his great potential and accepted him. While we may have gone after looks, it seems she went after a good security guard that also was quite handsome. Hopefully, they will have eaglets next year. Like everything else in Bird World, we wait.

Of the nests that have eaglets, Captiva is a good choice, but there are intruders sometimes. The KNF-E1 and E-3 nests of Anna and Louis or Alex and Andria have plenty of food and are doing well. It is difficult to tell precisely what is happening at Superbeaks, but at least one of the eaglets has fledged, and both have branched. This has been a great nest to observe. The Royal Cam nest is always sedate and beautiful until the parents begin leaving the chick. This has just started happening, and now there is anxiety because of the number of juveniles or non-bonded individuals cavorting around SP.

Meanwhile, winter storms are troubling some nests. Jackie is going to begin to get very hungry. Do her and Shadow have a food stash? They must!

Jackie and Shadow are valiantly dealing with a big winter storm in the Big Bear Valley area. This is Shadow in the nest Thursday. More than 14,000 people are watching and wishing. If our love could give them a viable egg, they would have a full nest!

Shadow brought in a ‘black’ bird for dinner at 15:53. The couple switched incubation duties while it was plucked and eaten. All I can think of is — if it is hard to hunt prey today, is it now the pesky Ravens that are being served up?

Nancy and Beau are dealing with a winter storm at their nest in Minnesota, too.

Nancy’s new mate, Beau, is good at bringing in fish for Mum and taking over incubation duties.

There is snow in Iowa at both the Decorah North nest (top three images) and Decorah (bottom). We tend to worry more about the eagles when they are buried under snow than when it is hot. We look at them and think that they will freeze. In reality, the snow and cold are better than the heat. Eagles are also so intelligent – as we all know. According to my grandmother, they are much better weather predictors than any meteorologist. If you had watched, they would have prepared the nest with more materials. We saw this in Iowa and Minnesota recently. They might also stash prey items. The eggs will be nestled cosy, deep in the nest, safe and warm.

At the nest of KNF-E1 Anna and Louis, Trey was doing some winging when Dudley blew up! That is one way to get rid of an egg on a nest. It was obviously non-viable!

The Mum at ND-LEEF, Little Bit ND17’s mother, has been missing now for 19 days. There is a new younger female at the nest but the relationship between Dad and her is anything but cordial. The South Bend news carries the story of our beloved missing mother from the nest in St Joseph’s Park in South Bend, Indiana.

Bald-eagle-female-missing-in-St.-Patricks-park-nest-on-Notre-Dame-camDownload

‘H’ sent me a lovely note and images about the Captiva Osprey this morning. Angus and Florence mated four times (looks successful) and had a lovely spa bath together during the day. Things are looking up for a change—some nice news on a Friday morning.

Last year we were entranced with Thunder and Akecheta raising three eaglets. This year they have moved their nest. Oh, how we will miss this amazing family! It is nice to see them even at a distance, though.

Happy Hatch day for two more Kakapo. What a brilliant year 2022 was for the Kakapo Recovery. 55 chicks. 55!

Sweet Pea or South Plateau Chick is now in the post-guard stage. It spent the day panning the horizon for intruders and worked on gardening around the nest.

Bird Flu impacts almost every country in the world. I want to thank one of our readers from Japan for alerting me to this situation. Thank you ‘A’.

Over 10 million birds have been culled in Japan because of Avian Influenza. On the northernmost island of Hokkaido, the first Tanbaku Crane was discovered to have the flu when it died in late October. Since then, there have been—–

Oriental White Storks are Special National Treasures in Japan.

They are smaller than the most famous of the Cranes, the Red-Crowned. They average 110-150 cm in height, or 43 inches to 59 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 6-13 lbs or 2.8-5.9 kg. Their wingspan is quite large at 7.3 feet or 2.2 metres. They have a black beak, red around the eyes and bright white irises. This is the best way to tell them from the Red-Crowned cranes.

The storks live on insects, small fish and reptiles, as well as small mammals. They are a top Apex wetland predator and like Ospreys and Bald Eagles in North America, their presence is a good indicator of a healthy environment. These beautiful wading birds originally lived and searched for their prey in the ride paddies. The industrialisation of agriculture, which included the use of pesticides and chemicals, killed off their natural food sources. The change from having natural waterways connected to rivers to concrete drainage and irrigation was also detrimental. Humans could flood the rice paddies quickly, which meant that many amphibians, such as tadpoles, that the storks relied on for food did not mature. So we now have also a loss of habitat with the logging of pine forests. Many succumbed to mercury poisoning from these pesticides and chemicals and could not breed. This is, of course, very similar to the issues of DDT use in North America. The very last wild storks were seen in 1971, again, a similar time table to the decline of the Apex raptors in the US.

These gorgeous birds are featured in many works of art and on buildings throughout Japan. The risk of extinction caused them to be designed as a special national treasure in 1956 when there were 20 wild storks left. Plans to breed the storks in captivity began to be discussed. It was not until 1985, when Russia translocated six young storks to Japan, that there was hope. Four years later, one pair raised their first chick in the wild! Meanwhile, 300 storks have been bred in captivity and released. Their new threat is Avian Flu.

The female stork hatched in April 2022 and was banded. Her name was Niji, and she was discovered dead at a pond in Muragame on 15 November. Tests indicated that it was the highly pathogenic H5 strain of avian flu. This will have a devastating impact on all the water birds of Japan.

“東方白鸛 Oriental White Stork” by Hiyashi Haka is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

“Hyogo prefectural homeland for the Oriental white stork, Japan” by pelican is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

The image above is Storks by Ohara Boson.

When you think it is too much at some of the nests, just read this. The raptors do not mess around when it comes to territory. They protect it – often to the death.

I can assure you that all of the eaglets on the nests – save for 21 and 22 – are being well-fed. Eggs are being incubated. There are intruders and sub-adults, even following Jackie at Big Bear today. Mating occurs in the hope of eggs and spring at other nests.

Thank you so much for being with me. Please take care! See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, announcements, and streaming cams, where I took my screen, captures for the newsletter today: ‘A’, ‘B’, The Guardian, SW Florida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, SW Florida Eagle Cam, NEFL-AEF, FOBBV, MN-DNR, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, KNF-E1, South Bend Tribune, ‘H’ and Window to Wildlife, Gracie Shepherd and Raptors of the World, Kakapo Recovery, Cornell Bird Lab and NZ DOC, OpenVerse, and Ciryon Hoop and Raptors of the World FB.

Scary Situation at SWFlorida

23 February 2022

Hello Everyone,

There was a frightening situation at the nest of E21 and E22 this morning. I felt that it deserved its own post.

M15 flies in with the breakfast fish for the two eaglets at 08:26:52. The female withail feathers the black talon is hot on his t. It is easier for me to correctly identify her using that term instead of a number. She enters the nest. A tug-o-war ensues. The adults chase one another over the property. The female returns to the nest. She chases M15 off and proceeds to eat the fish. E21 is hungry and grabs some bites. At one point, the female appears to give the eaglet a couple of bites but do not mistake this for a caring Mum. She quickly pecks at 21 also. E22 stays out of the way.

Everyone appears to be fine, although the eaglets have had no further breakfast (or at least not until now). This female is large and determined, and the fight goes from the nest with the eaglets present to the air. I felt that M15 was in some danger, rightly or wrongly. He cannot afford to get injured; his responsibility continues to keep himself healthy and fed so that he can care for the eaglets til they fledge and leave the territory.

Thank you to SW Florida Eagle Cam and the Pritchett family for their streaming cam, where I took my screen captures and video clip.

Cal Falcon Male is named Lou; 22 horks a huge piece of fish; Did M15 mate with one of the females?…Thursday in Bird World

23 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone!

As I write this, it is 1900 on the Canadian Prairies, and the temperature has risen to -20 C from -29 C this morning. Frigid temperatures such as this will prevail into late Sunday. With the strong winds, this Arctic front is bringing us wind chill temperatures of -45 C. Did I mention that humans should hibernate? Or that I am thrilled to have central heating? And fluffy warm socks?

First up, the name of the new male falcon at Cal Falcons is Lou! It makes perfect sense!!!!!!!!! A woman and a scientist, and Annie’s partner in life. Let’s hope that Lou will be around for some time so that Annie can stop having to break in a new partner. She has had 3 in a year. Berkeley Edu explains the connection!!!!!!!!!

“Lou is the current mate of Annie, Berkeley’s longtime female falcon, who lost her previous mates — Grinnell and Alden — in 2022. The name is a nod to Louise Kellogg (1879-1967), a Berkeley alumna who was the partner of Annie’s namesake, Annie Alexander (1867-1950). Alexander was an explorer and naturalist who founded the UC Museum of Paleontology and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology.”

Good Morning Everyone from the Es…. look at them. How adorable and healthy. ‘A’ mentioned to me the sharp beaks and that these sweet innocents could take my arm off if they wanted. True. The Es should be the size of nice turkeys by now thanks to the persistence of M15.

Still, couldn’t you just stare at those sweet faces all day? Now we have to watch carefully as it will get much more difficult to know who is who.

M15, you are incredible. Working hard to prepare these babies to fly free.

Watching Dad fly over?

There were several food deliveries at the SW Florida eagle nest by M15 on Wednesday up to mid-afternoon at 14:06. There was the first one at 08:27 when 22 figured to walk around to the left side of Dad so he could eat some fish. Good strategy. Then at 11:13:28. It looks like another around 12:54 when 22 grabs half a fish and spends the next ten minutes horking it. Then there was the 14:06. All in all, both have eaten well, and we should applaud 22 for figuring out some good strategies to go along with his very proficient snatch-and-grab technique.

At 12:57, 22 gets the last of the tail down.

At the same time, it must be pointed out that E22 wing flapping ON THE RAILS at 11:44. Yes, seriously. Can we use the word ‘dare devil’?

22 eating at the end of the 14:06 delivery. He gets a lot of fish during this meal. M15 obliged by moving the fish about as well, which always tends to help 22. At the same time, M15 is trying to get 22 to step up and eat. He will need to be brave, really brave, out in that world of eagles.

M15 knows what goes on at the nest. He watches and he must be proud of 22 today.

Prey item 6 came in around 17:03:19, and the ‘black-taloned’ female was above watching. She had already eaten an entire fish that M15 brought in around 16:12. She landed in the nest, gave M15 a flap to leave, and ate the entire fish. It took about half an hour. The Es stayed submissive but kept on about their business. She ate and ate and had a huge crop after. She did not harm the eaglets.
Meanwhile, Dad went to get another meal for them. M15 and R-23-3 may be forming a partnership. We will wait and see. I hope, if this is the case that she is strong and formidable.

16:39. Finishing up.

At 16:42, after eating, look at her crop! She is an opportunist.

This time she only hovered over M15 while he fed the eaglets. Both 21 and 22 got food. She did not get in the nest, and M15 seems to have dismissed her. She flew away.

17:03

She returned. There is a lot of confusion over the identity of this female and whether or not it is the ‘black talon’ one or the one without an inury. The angle makes it difficult to see the top of the toe but, there does appear to be damage to a toe if you look carefully…the black park looks like the flesh part not the black talon.

And is this an attempted mating? M15 is no stranger to mating. Remember Harriet kicking him all the time? This female does not move her tail over, and M15 is near the head. There appears to be no connection. It looks like he just jumped on her back for a second. Perhaps to get her moving? I wonder.

Guarding the territory together.

Humans are still dropping off food at the nest or hiring courier services to pick up fillets of salmon and leave them at the base of the nest tree!!!!!! Can you believe this? No wonder the additional raptors – that could put the family in harm – are hanging around the nest tree!!!!!!!! Salmon. Gracious. This food has also drawn carrion eaters to an area they did not know existed. Now they do. Donate the money to CROW but do not put the SW Florida Eagle family in long-term danger. Killing with Kindness.

Delivery-services-reportedly-being-used-to-bring-food-to-Harriet-and-M15s-North-Fort-Myers-nest-WDownload

Everyone knows I love cats and I am a day late because of the time difference. My apologies to our friends in Japan. Yesterday was ‘National Cat Day’ in Japan. I have seen these cats at the stations. They are marvellous. So today, I am slipping in a little ‘cat’ to the newsletter in celebration.

In Brittany, they are topping off trees to encourage Osprey nesting! What a concept – helping our raptors instead of tearing their nests down. Love it.

 https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/environnement/un-premier-nid-de-balbuzard-pecheur-en-foret-de-rennes-des-arbres-etetes-pour-favoriser-le-retour-du-rapace-8446484. Plus d’informations sur https://www.francebleu.fr.

A new phase has arrived at the Royal Cam nest on Taiaroa Head. SP chick has been left alone in the nest, with no parent, today. It is the post-guard phase. It is also raining. I found that this always made my heart sink, and yet they do so well. I wonder how much gardening SP will do? And let us all hope that no visitors torment the wee one.

SP will now wait for the parents to return with food. If there are issues, it is comforting to know that Ranger Sharyn and her team do supplemental feedings!

The little one did not have to wait long until Mum was home with a meal. Easing Sweet Pea into the post-guard stage. Brilliant. L fed her chick, stayed with her, left, returned, and left again. She is easing her baby into being alone. Letting SP know she will return.

The weather at Big Bear continues to be cold and windy. Jackie is rolling and keeping the eggs warm—no indication of an official pip call. My heart is beginning to ache for these two, and wanting to be wrong. Wanting a pip.

Such commitment. Everyone is hoping for a miracle.

Happy Hatch Day to two Kakapo!

Decoys can also be used to lure waterfowl to safe enclosures!

Angus and Florence could give us some funny moments during the 2023 breeding season. So far, Angus has shoved Florence off the nest, making her dangle from one talon. Then he worried about what he had done and tried to help, or so it appeared. Then there are eight fish…I wonder what else is coming our way?

Gary gives us an update on why there might be only one egg for Liberty and Guardian this year at the Redding Eagle nest.

Sunnie Day posted one of those good news stories, and I wanted to share it with you. They saw they got help when they couldn’t untangle the eagle, and then 50 lbs of fish came in to help feed the raptor. The generosity of kind people. It exists.

Do you live within driving distance of the Kistachie National Forest in Louisiana? Would you like a guided tour of the area and a chance to see the nests with a scope? Check it out!

The voting has closed for the name of Annie’s ‘new guy’. Annie has even voted. Which name did she choose? Well, of course, it had to be Lou.

Thank you so very much for joining me today. Take care! See you soon.

If you want to join our Bird World family, please subscribe. I try to only fill your inbox with one newsletter a day. You can unsubscribe at any time!

Thank you so much to the following for their notes, observations, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that make up my newsletter today: ‘A’, ‘H’, Cal Falcons Cam, Berkeley.edu, SWFL Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, WGCU, Japan: The Government of Japan, Francebleau.fr, NZ DOC, FOBBV, Kakapo Recovery, Archipelago Research and Conservation, WRDC, Gary and FORE, Sunnie Day FB, Blackland Prairie Raptor Centre, and US Forestry Service.

Angus brings Flo 8 fish… in Bird World

22 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope today’s newsletter finds all of you well – and warm. It is -30 C on the Canadian Prairies. Consequently, it is a good day to catch up on my reading and drink nice hot tea all day! As I write late Tuesday evening, the wind will be fierce, just like it is for Jackie and Shadow. It seems that winter has come with a vengeance. Payback for some of those lovely days in January, I suppose.

There continues to be a lot going on at the nests. It is often difficult to hold back and not include every one of them. As far as I am aware, everything is fine at the nests. Things are settling down at the Captiva Osprey platform. All of the eaglets are eating well. The Es did have crops, but their pickings today were slimmer than normal. Perhaps a lesson in what it is like for real eagles in the wild from Dad. The lingering question: Is there a pip at Big Bear? Certainly, many of us have thought so, but no official word has come. So we wait. Waiting can be rather painful. Then there is the question of Annie’s new man’s name. We will know soon. The Ospreys should be thinking about packing up and heading north shortly from their winter homes in Africa. Oh, goodness. Then our heads will be spinning!

In the Nests:

There are eggs on three Osprey nests with streaming cams in Florida currently. Everyone has been waiting to see what will happen at Captiva. It has certainly been a tumultuous year beginning with Hurricane Ian practically destroying everything standing on the island. The brand-new platform and camera were lost within weeks of them being finished. The original couple, Lena and Andy, are no longer in the nest. Andy disappeared during Hurricane Ian, and Lena left after seeing her nest destroyed and no Andy. Then came Mabel and Angus, the new couple. Mabel is now gone, and there is Florence, ‘Flo’ for short. These two are finally sealing a deal that will make them both bonded mates. Angus brought Flo 8 fish on Tuesday! He wants to have her as his mate. Did he have time to eat anything himself? Thanks ‘HMc’ for putting together this excellent compilation and confirming that on the morning of Wednesday, 22 February, Angus and Flo successfully mated twice. There could be eggs at Captiva. Just think. All it took was a basket of fish!

PA Farm County Bald Eagle Nest has done it again – a clutch of four eggs. While it is rare for eagles to lay clutches of 1 or 3 eggs, having a clutch of four is extremely rare. So why is this happening at this nest twice in a row? The factors determining the number of eggs laid depend on the age and health of the mother, the amount of food available in the area, and the population of other birds needing that food in the territory.

Tuesday morning saw E22 mantling a piece of leftover prey on the nest and horking that old food scrap. E22 is getting so good at cleaning the nest and finding food. It was 07:43:55.

M15 is looking better. He flew in with a piece of a rather large fish at 09:47:01. E22 was right there, and then 21 exerted its dominance. But never mind. 22 is figuring out ways to avoid 21. In this case, Dad is in the middle with one eaglet on each side. Brilliant. 22 is up to its old snatch-and-grab. And what does 22 snatch? A nice big piece of fish at the end to eat by himself while 21 merely looks on. Dad flies off at 10:17:37. That was a half-hour feeding!

The eaglets are six weeks old. We have worried about 22 for most of its life because of 21’s aggression. 22 is a survivor, giving each of us hope that he will do well in a world where the competition among eagles and other species is rampant. He steals fish and parts of fish and is unafraid to eat old prey pieces. So, when you get sad about another nest, remember how much SW Florida has changed and for good! Celebrate 22’s victories.

21 shows off its wings.

22 says he can do that, too!

There was a nice breakfast at 0952. At the end of it, at 10:19:22, E22 is self-feeding on a large chunk that he took right out from under Dad and 21’s nose. Will he pay for this later?

22 working away at that big piece of fish he snagged.

At 10:40, 22 is finished tearing at that fish. He goes over to the rim.

21 is going to eat off that piece of fish on and off until it finishes all of it around 12:58. Down goes the tail!

21 did the clean up.

M15 came in with the head on a well-eaten Armoured Catfish carcass for the eaglets at 14:59:42. E22 was up first, then 21 pushed it out of the way. 22 tried to snatch and grab, but 21 winded up with most of this fish. At 15:17:46, E22 is up and wants some fish, but it is gone. Dad leaves the nest.

22 on the left spent a bit of time ‘watching, waiting, and being careful’ when he was not in a good position to snatch-and-grab.

Two smaller pieces of ‘something’ came in at 16:24:48 and again at 18:36. E21 got the lion’s share, meaning 99%. For some reason, 22 was shy, and 21 did peck at it to stay away. We need a couple of big fish in the nest. Tomorrow – by the time you are reading this – 22 should be hungry enough to risk going for it. Fingers crossed.

18:45 and E22 is getting some bites.

Hello there!

Both Es had crops at one time during the day or another. M15 had a couple of dips in the pond. He sure needed it! Good night, Super Dad.

Breakfast arrived on Wednesday the 22nd at 08:24:42. E22 got it right this morning, and he slipped right up to the left side of Dad. It appears that both ate and had something to nibble on after. M15 you get my vote for ‘Super Dad’ of the Year.

There is an interview that sheds some light on which female has been on the branch with M15 the last couple of nights and they say it isn’t the one with the black talon!

Has-missing-SWFL-eagles-Harriet-mate-moved-on-Heres-what-we-knowDownload

Here is also some information for everyone:

I have just, by accident, found this book about Harriet and M15. This 483-page story chronicles the unexplained death of Sassy Pants and a second clutch from which two eaglets fledged. It looks interesting, and a copy has been ordered. I will keep you posted! (Note: Harriet and M15 have never lost an eaglet to siblicide that I am aware)

Just as M15, Anna, Louis, Alex, and Andria are doing, Connie and Clive also leave chunks of prey on the nest for the eaglets to perfect their self-feeding skills. The nest at Captiva is so dark. Peer hard. Connick has a big crop!

Elain’s highlights from a very thundery and rainy day at the Orange scrape of Diamond, Xavier, and Indigo.

The falcons in Manchester, New Hampshire feel spring arriving!

Jackie and Shadow continue incubation and the rolling of the eggs. If it is egg 2, will it pip on day 40? They can go to day 43. Did you also know that this beautiful nest is 7100 ft in elevation, making it one of the highest Bald Eagle nests in the US? It certainly explains the weather, which can go like calm and clear in the image below to blowing ice pellets in the afternoon!

Egg 1 is 42 days old today, and egg 2 is only 39 days. For Jackie and Shadow, I just want to hope that a pip is in that second egg! They deserve it but, it could take a second clutch.

No official pip confirmation yet on the FOBBV recap but…image was taken around 0742 Tuesday nest time (really blown-up image).

Is Jackie listening and rolling?

The weather turned quite windy with the sound of ice pellets (?) flying about. Jackie is tucked in tight over her precious eggs. Jackie’s beautiful white feathers are blowing about on the crown of her head. Jackie and Shadow roll the eggs and shimmy over them to get the brood patch in the right spot to transfer the warmth from the adult body to the egg.

There is an extreme weather warning for the area of the nest. Tuesday night the winds were fierce at the nest.

The wind whipped and blew and even flipped Jackie off the eggs as snow came down during the night. She has rolled the eggs and kept them warm and dry. It is day 39 today for egg 2 and day 42 for egg 1.

Pearl and Tico are learning to fly. They are also returning to the nest for food. There is now an image-within-an-image so that you can follow them as they fly on and off the natal nest in Central Florida.

It seems that Big Red is still making up her mind where to have her nest this year. Time is coming soon for eggs!

Arthur and Big Red are still working on the Fernow Light stand this morning. I hope our darling RTH has changed her mind and will raise her eyases here in 2023.

The pace of killing of raptors in the UK has not decreased. Indeed, it is now making the popular news. Recently, the sentencing of the gamekeeper, Paul Davis, in Dorset who pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, many articulated in earlier blogs this year, was laughable and will do nothing to stop these heinous crimes against raptors.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/protected-birds-shot-trapped-poisoned-29277149

That is a short summary of the nests that I have been watching a little closer than others.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams where my screen captures originated today: ‘H’, Window to Wildlife, HMc and Window to Wildlife, PA Farm Country Bald Eagles, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, News-Press, SWFlorida Eagle Cam FB, Amazon, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Manchester NH Falcon Fans, FOBBV, Superbeaks, @Cornell Hawks, The Mirror.

Ervie, SWFlorida, more eggs…Tuesday in Bird World

21 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, it is nippy cold on the Canadian Prairies. The weather people got everything turned upside down, leaving us thinking that the holiday weekend was to be warm and delightful. We also received a good bit of snow that is causing havoc over the snow that melted and turned to ice. It is currently -19 with brisk 15 kph winds. I am beginning to wonder why humans don’t hibernate! It is to be -29 C tomorrow morning. We are more than back in the deep freeze.

Today I will hop around a lot of nests. They have been neglected because my almost full attention has been on M15 and his eaglets. I will say again that he is doing a tremendous job. There have been enormous hurdles for him, including losing Harriet. I hope she doesn’t mind. My friend ‘A; says that the eaglets gave M15 something to live for after Harriet. It took him a few days for it all to sink in, but he has come about and, quite honestly, is one of the most democratic adults feeding eaglets I have ever seen. ‘A’ reminded me of what I already knew but had lost in the density of it all – that M15 always took care of the underdog on the nest even when Harriet did not. Looking at the history of the SW Florida nest, it was fascinating how many eaglets those two had fledged since 2015 when M15 became the man of the hour. What also interested me was that these eaglets survived…the prior history with Ozzie is not nearly as good. There was good DNA, with Harriet and M15 producing strong, independent, healthy eaglets. What M15 looks for in his next mate, his second by all accounts would be a fierce female like Harriet. As much as we waffle on our feelings about the female with the black talon, she may be precisely what he is looking for in a future mate.

Making News:

Ervie. Our dear Ervie. It is so nice for someone to take and post photos of you living the good life in Port Lincoln. There is no word from your sister, Zoe. Indeed, they are having problems with many of the satellite trackers. Let us hope that is all that is wrong…Glad you are safe!

When you think of Ospreys, do you think of Bahrain?

We all watched and held our breaths, hoping that Karl II and his Black Stork family – mate Kaia, offspring Waba and foster, Bonus – would not travel through Ukraine on their way to Africa. Many asked what the cost to wildlife is. An article in The Guardian examines the cost to nature.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/20/ukraine-war-cost-for-nature-russia?CMP=share_btn_link

Did you know that Ostrich feathers are still considered a luxury item and there is high demand for them?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/20/ostrich-feathers-farming-south-africa-fashion-luxury-a-photo-essay?CMP=share_btn_link

Broken wing and extensive lacerations for this eagle caught in a fence. Help came in time, and today, that raptor is flying again. Thanks, Everyone.

Severely-injured-bald-eagle-flying-again-in-West-Virginia-News-timeswv.com_Download

Two of the 55 Kakapo chicks hatched in 2022 are celebrating one-year-old hatch day. They get their names today. Well done, everyone.

Did you know that the USFWS believes there are now 316,000 Bald Eagles in the US? Many in Florida are making their nests on the old NASA site during the winter.

https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/american-bald-eagles-florida-kennedy-space-center

In the Nests:

Richmond is looking for Rosie to arrive any day! He has arrived at the nest as he will do from now until she returns from her migration.

Staying in San Francisco. There might still be time to vote on Annie’s mate.

All of the eaglets are growing up fast. E22 is so good at stealing fish from Dad and then feeding himself. Nugget was doing the same thing…but, what did Nugget eat?

Connie and Clive are also beginning to teach Connick to self-feed. They dropped a fish into the nest that was unzipped and watched from the upper branches til Connick was interested and pecking and getting some fish. After he gave it a good try, Mum flew down and fed the entire fish to her baby!

At the KNF-E1 nest of Anna and Louis, that eaglet – this has to be a beautiful female – is now self-feeding, too. They are all progressing just as they should.

Meanwhile, B16 is being filled up to the brim by Pa at the Berry College Eagle nest.

Well, I missed it watching M15 and the Es but, it seems that Pearl and Tico have fledged!!!!!!

Gary seems to think things at the Redding nest of Liberty and Guardian are returning to normal. Guardian brings a Coot to Liberty. Liberty loved that meal. The first egg collapsed and the couple have incubated the second egg nearly fully time.

Some great highlights of the 20th in Orange Australia. Indigo is still with us!

At noon on 20 February, 8868 people were watching to see if Jackie and Shadow will have a pip in their eggs today.

Still waiting and hoping.

‘H’ sends word that Angus has brought two fish to Florence today at Captiva. She has also caught one of her own. August has also only kicked her out of the nest once! Courtship after losing a mate is interesting, complex, and often confusing.

E21 and E22 are turning six weeks old. M15 has to be given many awards for his dedication to raising these two. He is quite amazing.

The eaglets at SWFlorida had a nice big fish on Monday morning at 10:50:18.

Both ate, but 22 is getting so darn good at snatching and grabbing. He got some of the fish – a nice big piece and then the tail – and put them down with one gulp. 22 is so far ahead in this area of learning. It is grand. This nest is preparing them for anything and everything that could meet in the outside world.

E21’s large wings!

Two fish came in the late afternoon. One was around 15:55, and the other was at 16:54. E22 got the best of those meals. 21 did a bit of nipping at 16:11:45 so that he could eat! Meanwhile, E22 did his famous snatch-and-grab and wound up with a rather great ending to the day regarding food.

22 appears to ‘hork’ another tail. 22 might move away from 21 at times but, he is determined and is really able to deal quickly if a piece of food presents itself. Well done, 22.

At one point, the camera had M15 on the nest tree.

The female with what appears to be a large crop is down by the pond.

At another time, both were at the pond. I will imagine that M15 caught that last nice fish here. It is 14:16. M15 is on the right. He looks like he has eaten and has a nice crop.

Here is a video by Eagle Goddess of the pair at the pond.

Who’s guarding? Who’s sleeping?

The day went without incident on the nest, which is all that matters. And then came the GHO strike at 21:24:40. M15 cannot get a break. Sara McDavid caught the auction for us.

https://www.youtube.com/live/5aL2OA1jOq0?feature=share

Minnesota had some of the snow that swept through this area. Nancy woke up with no snow, and then it came on Monday, and then it was gone again. If there is to be a third egg, it should arrive today for Nancy and Beau.

The eagles at Pittsburgh-Hayes welcomed their second egg on Monday. Congratulations, everyone. The time was just after 17:17. Mum seed to have about a three-minute labour.

The Majestic’s Mum at the Denton Homes nest in Iowa laid her first egg with a new mate, Beau, on the 20th. Dad and the three eaglets died of Avian Flu last year. It was so sad.

There is also the first egg at Decorah North for Mr North and DNF. Happened around 2000.

It appears that Big Red has not decided where the 2023 nest will be but she has definitely rejected the Fernow Tower Light stand potentially because of the construction work across Tower Road. Today Suzanne Arnold Horning found the couple delivering sticks to the smoke stacks.

There is just too much happening all at once in Bird World, which is what we thought when the other Bald Eagle nests came into play. All in all, it was a good day.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you so much to the following for their notes, news, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that make up my newsletter today: ‘H’, ‘A’, Sandra Wallace and Friends of Osprey, Howard King @BirdsofBahrain, The Guardian, Golden Gate Audubon, Cal Falcons, Tonya Irwin and KNF-E3, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E1, Berry College Eagles, Superbeaks, Gary and FORE, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, FOBBV, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, MN-DNR, Pix Cam, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, and Suzanne Arnold Horning and the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters.