Sometimes there are very special birds that elevate our spirits higher than we thought could be imagined. This was the case with WBSE 26.
I received so much mail from individuals with terminal illnesses – some in hospital – and from others with physical challenges. Each spoke to the inspiration they received from this single little Sea Eaglet.
Today I was telling one of our readers about WBSE 26 and I wondered how many others do not know the story of 26. So, I decided to post an old blog in the anticipation that it will bring joy. Like Bowland Beth, those of us who know the story, know the ending and it still brings tears. 26 was a very, very special eaglet.
It has been a gorgeous 17 degree C afternoon in Manitoba. The dreary morning left around noonish, and it was lovely to be outside without a jacket. I cleared up some plants and have not gone to work on the images of Little Red eating up the suet cylinder, but I will try to get to that sooner than later. He has just about finished it today! The Crows have had lots of their sandwiches and dry corn, the squirrels are still about but, there have been fewer and fewer songbirds.
I thought we would just check in on the Australian nests as their day is beginning.
The breakfast feeding at Port Lincoln was terrific. Mum rose around 06:29:19 and found an old piece of fish on the nest sufficient to fill up the three youngsters and she could get a couple of bites herself. Hopefully another nice fresh fish will land on the nest shortly.
Little Bob was sleepy. It took him a few seconds to figure out what was happening and get himself turned around the right way.
Ervie learned really quickly that you need to be up front if you are the short one. Let’s see how long it takes Little Bob to figure that out.
It wasn’t a huge piece of fish that Mum found and Big and Middle sure put down a lot of huge pieces. I thought they would eat it all.
Little Bob got 4 bites while Big Bob had about 17. Then…Little Bob got a couple more.
Then for a second, Big Bob had a food coma. Middle Bob is still standing and it sure put down the fish early too – and some big pieces. But Little Bob is right up in the sweet spot. Let’s hope he remembers where it is.
Mum filled Little Bob up and ate some of the skin herself. All of the kids were full and out in food comas. Now she can brood them until Dad comes in with the fresh fish. He has been having some trouble getting there early. I wonder if it is windy seas or gulls??
What a gorgeous morning in Melbourne. Mum is waking up.
This is the old dad. He has come to tell her where her breakfast is stashed.
He looks over the eggs for a bit – from a distance – and then flies off. I am noting that the second male has not made an attempt to rid the nest of the eggs and this is a good thing.
Mum is back safely on the eggs. We are two days from hatch watch! The 27th. OK. Technically that is less than 2 days. Oh, goodness.
It was a misty morning in the Sydney Olympic Forest. SE29 and SE30 spent a lot of time looking over the rim of the nest. At the point in the first image below, it looked like the pair were having a great conversation. Perhaps they are wondering if Mum will bring in a fish and eat it all herself again?? Or almost eat it all.
Look at that adorable face.
Some wing flapping going on. The wings of the eaglets are almost as wide as the nest. Amazing.
As the sun comes up in Orange, Australia, Xavier is on the ledge of the scrape box hoping that Diamond will give him some time with those eggies. Did I say that hatch watch is now only 5 days away!
Thank you for joining me at this quick peek of what is going on in Australia. Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Port Lincoln Ospreys, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park, and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam at Orange.
There is a White-bellied Sea Eaglet pecking away with its egg tooth on its shell in the old Ironbark Tree in the Sydney Olympic Forest in Australia. This is WBSE29 making its way into the world.
Lady was restless. She got up to have a break and the camera zoomed in to seeing a beak and chick moving about in a large hole.
White-belled Sea Eagles are the second largest bird of prey in Australia. The largest is the Wedge-tail Eagle. While the Wedge-tail Eagle is found across every area of Australia, the Sea Eagles can be found along the coast and in particular the eastern coast where they are more plentiful.
Sea Eagles eat fish, of course. But the Sydney Sea Eagles will also bring Silver Gulls to the nest and other birds as well as some amphibians. Like all other eagles their plumage will change. They have lovely white down when they hatch and by the time they are ready to fledge their plumage is the most gorgeous creams, rusts, espresso browns and variations in between.
There is a new camera with excellent sound. You can hear that little chick working away. I am putting in a link to the nest of Lady and Dad – experienced parents. They will be troubled by the smallest owl in Australia, BooBook, by the Pied Currawong and Magpies. The Rainbow Lorikeets will come to the nest out of curiosity but not to harm the chicks. At dawn, Lady and Dad sing a bonding duet that starts the day. By the time the chicks are 3 weeks old, they will be joining in.
So have a watch…we need ‘life’ and joy in the midst of all the sorrow.
Around 05:40 on the 15th of January, Daisy the Pacific Black Duck flew alone to the big Ironbark Nest in the Sydney Olympic Forest. It has been precisely two weeks since her previous visit. The nest is no stranger to Daisy who has laid two clutches of eggs here only to have them taken and eaten by Ravens.
There is her head behind the branch. She has just landed.
Daisy will spend a total of 9 minutes on the nest listening and looking.
She checks out all directions.
She listens again. I adore Daisy and I want her to be safe and have her ducklings in a nest where there is some possibility of success. This nest is doomed.
It is unfortunate that neither the Ravens nor the White-bellied Sea Eagles were present. That might have stopped Daisy from considering this site for her next clutch.
It is good to see you are alive and well, Daisy, but please find another spot for your precious eggs!
Under normal circumstances the WBSE would be checking on the nest frequently during this time of the year. Their attendance has been mired by the Pied Currawong and I have hoped that someone insightful might put up an artificial nest for the WBSE down by the Parramatta River Roost similar to the one built for Ron and Rita by the WRDC in Miami.
We wait.
Thank you for joining me on this quick posting about our favourite duck, Daisy!
Thank you to the Sea Eagle@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots.
