UPDATE: Clark has returned to the nest. He must have had great difficulty fishing. He came in with a nice one for his beloved Iris who had to be absolutely at her wits end and starving. Time 1106.
I am hardly controlling my tears of joy. After the past week, it just felt like something terrible was going to happen. I could hardly bring myself to hope. But here is the miracle that I was waiting for! Clark is home. Iris is fed. Now, to get those rivers to calm down so Clark can feed their babies. We are on pip watch.
My inbox and FB Messenger are full of comments about how we – humans – have failed our planet and our wildlife. Right now, that focus is more on the disaster that has occurred in and around the Chesapeake Bay. That ecosystem has been destroyed by one company, Omega Protein out of Reedsville, Virginia. It isn’t just ospreys that are going extinct – yes, I am using that word – but also Striped Bass, terrapins and anything in the food chain that depended on Menhaden. ‘The Bay’ is dying. Why isn’t someone doing something? That is the question you are asking.
Those ships are out -.
Last week I received a little book from a friend in the post, Song of the Seasons. a Meditation on Cycles, Story, and Humility by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, a Sufi writer and spiritual ecologist. Vaughan-Lee maintains that the problem is that humans do not believe that our planet is a living entity and that they have dominion over it. “The story of forgetfulness that has distanced us, that has put us to sleep…is about the denial of the spiritual nature of this living, breathing Earth.” (32) “Our senses can again become attuned to the spirit that flows through all things, so that when we hear the birds at dusk, we let their song penetrate our being. Why would we not want that? The song that we hear, in this moment, is of this place, and of this season. And this song wants to be heard….it wants to be heard not just with the outer senses, but with the…ear of the heart, so that that birdson becomes part of us and links us to this moment, to this cycle, to this place. Vaughan-Lee is asking us to be present in this moment – to literally, as Ram Dass asked us to ‘Be Here Now’. At the same time is the underlying thread that every living thing including our Earth is sacred, a belief held by many cultures and religions. So special is the soul that my Jain friends in Udaipur will not even step on an ant or kill a fly. One of my best friends taught me that all things have souls and I will always be grateful to Ikuhiko for teaching me about Shinto.
I feel that the Earth has become nothing more than a commodity – AI centres using up all the water, dredging ocean floors and ruining marine life, and then there is the focus of my anger at the moment, the commercial overfishing of Menhaden in the NE US and in the Gulf region of the US by Omega Protein. It is not just this company – don’t kid yourself. But all is not despair, although I might feel that way today. There are good people doing amazing things around the world, including fighting against the establishment of AI Centres, lobbying for no drilling on lands where wildlife thrive, purchasing electric vehicles and beginning to use alternative energy, growing gardens and teaching others; the list is long. We cannot give up because if we do, we give all the beauty that we love over to what I want to simply call the dark side – those that would destroy all our planet and its wildlife deliberately for their own gain.
I hope this is for real.
As I write this, the rivers in Oregon and Colorado are drying up due to drought and the fish are dying.
I really hope to get to some good news by the end of this blog. And it happened, it is at the top.
Clark has not returned to the nest he shares with Iris at Hellgate Canyon in Missoula. The rivers were raging, and fishing was difficult. He was last seen on the 6th, and that was, as far as I know, the last time Iris ate. Their eggs are ready to hatch. Clark is also known for being overprotective of Iris and their nest, and he lost at least five tail feathers in what is assumed to have been an altercation with a Bald Eagle. Clark was very attentive, and my concern is that he has met with a battle he could not win. I want to be wrong.
At Lake Murray, the GHO took the last two of the three osplets last night.
I wonder what we would find if we put up a big map and put a red pin on places where osprey parents fledged their full clutch. Which ones can you think of? Venice Beach. Achieva (that is a huge surprise). Any others? We will do this again at the end of the season.
Big and Little continue to be well cared for by Mum Jill. Such stability at that nest. Big and Little came together to the nest about the same time that Jill goes fishing every day. She is an amazing mother. I wonder how the female is doing in Minnesota who is raising three osplets alone – from incubation to now. This could be Iris if the Crows wouldn’t take the babies and if Iris would go fishing for them.
Telyn appears to be fine, although some are wondering if she swallowed a braided line and a different hook, one used by poachers. I am just glad she is doing well as are her three chicks.
Latest updates on situation from Dyfi Osprey Project:
I am going to stop because I am so delighted that Clark is home I don’t want to ruin the day by finding out something else has happened on another nest. Yes, I am going to stick my head in the proverbial sand for a bit.
Take care everyone. Delight in this miracle and pray for the river to calm so Clark can feed their babies quickly.
Thank you to everyone mentioned in this post and the owners of the streaming cams, authors of newsletters and FB page information. Always grateful.
It is the end of the weekend as I write this, and now the beginning of the week. We hope that you have a wonderful one.
Look at these two sweethearts. I melted when I saw them together.
Missey and Hugo Yugo.
Whether it is sitting outside listening to the birdsong or just looking at the four cats and Toby that share my life inside, they make me a better person. They also make me so happy. It is something that I cannot fully explain but I also know that most of you know what I am trying to say!
What bothers me is that there are individuals who care nothing for animals, believing humans to be far superior. My son said once that ‘humans are a failed experiment’ compared to animals. My late mentor, Laura Culley, would agree. How do we get people to care? Could it be that we need to get them to understand the benefits of birdwatching?
I worry about the raptors that lose their children or their mate. In this case, Seren has been on my mind so much.
Beautiful Seren was on her nest on a wet Sunday evening in Wales. I wonder where she thinks her babies are?
Dorcha and her three babies are waiting for Louis and a fish. That fish came, and Dorcha gave a huge piece to three who appeared to be choking on it. Dorcha began to brood, and we do not know the status of little three as I write.
It’s pitching down. We may not know what happened to little 3 til tomorrow.
Aeron Z2 and Blue 014 on their Pont Cresor nest.
Little 4 at Poole Harbour has a much better change with the great parenting and all the fish than some of the US nests that are struggling.
If you would like to guess the gender of Maya and Blue 33’s trio, please go to the chat associated with the streaming cam and put your guess in the comments.
What a relief. Big and Little showed up at the Achieva nest in the afternoon together.
Jill brought in a huge freshwter fish and Big took it. Later she went out and caught another one, both waiting. I wonder if Little got some?
PB: Jill did it again!!! 18:30 huge speckled trout. Big got it but Little was hungry and as PB said, got bold and took it from Big.
At the US Steel nest, Sid has branched. SPO wrote, “On June 5, 2026, Sid the eaglet hopped onto its first branch at the U.S. Steel eagle nest in Pennsylvania, turning a quick, wobbly move into a milestone moment as Hutch, Sid, and Maz move closer to fledging.
At 65 days old, Sid made a short but meaningful first trip onto a branch.
It was not a dramatic long perch or a polished eagle pose yet. It was better than that. It was honest, wobbly, determined, and full of young-eagle energy.
This was not just a few seconds on a branch. It was Sid’s first real step beyond the nest bowl, a small move that showed just how quickly the U.S. Steel eaglets are growing.”
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 7th June 2026
Today was wet and mainly uneventful – no pip yet in Aurora and Garry’s single egg yet although at one stage Aurora looked like she was listening to the egg. It’s Day 38 and eggs can hatch right up to Day 42 so the wait goes on. Over on Nest Two, Dorcha has been stuffing the three chicks full of fish, perhaps too much so as the almost-two day old youngest chick appeared to get a large morsel stuck in its throat. Dorcha then covered the chicks – subsequent glimpses appear to show movement but it will be a relief to get a proper look. However, Louis may have something to say about that as he’s brought a stick with lichen pom poms, and plopped it down right where it obscures our view! He brought three fish today and the Nest Two tally rises to one hundred and seventeen, while Garry’s single fish takes the Nest One tally to one hundred and four. The wet weather continues with more light rain overnight and a low of 9°C, and light rain showers with a high of 14°C tomorrow.
Thank you for being with us as we sit and wait to see how the baby is at Loch Arkaig and for one of Iris’s eggs to pip.
Take care.
Thank you to Geemeff for their daily summary, to PB and Heidi for information on nests and fish ID, and to all others who post information on FB and elsewhere or own streaming cams that allow us to see the lives of our birds.
This continues to be the most important story coming out of the US when it concerns ospreys.
Ben Wurst writes today:
Last week, I flew along the entire 130 mile coastline of New Jersey.
What I saw was alarming.
The goal was to locate schools of Atlantic menhaden, a historically abundant forage fish found in New Jersey’s nearshore waters. Menhaden have long been a primary prey species for coastal nesting ospreys, as well as many predatory fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. They also support the largest fishery by volume on the East Coast and are harvested for bait and industrial reduction products (oil + meal).
I teamed up with my friend and pilot, Adam Sherer, for the survey. It was my first time flying in a Cessna and conducting an aerial survey along the coast. Spotter planes are commonly used by large-scale bait and reduction fisheries to locate schools of menhaden. Some aircraft fly weekly from Reedville, Virginia, to Sandy Hook to assess the presence and abundance of fish.
After what we observed with osprey reproduction last year, I felt it was crucial to gather independent observations on menhaden presence, or absence, off New Jersey. As far as I am aware, there are no dedicated public surveys conducted along New Jersey’s coast to assess nearshore menhaden abundance.
Conditions for our flight were ideal: light north winds, excellent visibility, and calm seas. We flew from Barnegat Inlet south to Cape May, then north to Sandy Hook, surveying waters approximately 1–3 miles offshore at elevations between 1,500 and 2,500 feet above ground level.
Throughout the entire flight, we did not observe a single school of menhaden.
Schools of menhaden are highly visible from the air, often appearing as large dark patches near the water’s surface. They are frequently accompanied by predators such as bluefish, striped bass, tuna, dolphins, whales, and seabirds like northern gannets, all of which feed on these important forage fish as they move along the Atlantic coast.
Adam is an experienced pilot who knows how to read the water. Given the conditions, I am confident that if substantial schools of fish had been present, we would have seen them. The coast was so calm and quiet that it felt eerie. Aside from several small pods of dolphins, we observed very little marine life. There was also surprisingly little fishing activity.
Meanwhile, many osprey nests in New Jersey remain empty because females never laid eggs this spring. Without adequate food resources, females are not able to reach breeding condition. Many nests that do contain eggs were initiated later than normal and often have smaller clutches, both potential signs of food stress.
As chicks hatch and adults shift to feeding young, abundant prey becomes even more critical. If food remains scarce, we may see increased food stress, brood reduction, and nest failures, similar to what we documented last year when menhaden appeared scarce along portions of the coast and what many osprey pairs are experiencing on the Chesapeake Bay, which has always been considered the most important nursery grounds for menhaden on the Atlantic coast.
Another concerning observation is the condition of nesting females. While photographing a female leaving her nest, I was struck by how pronounced her breastbone appeared through the viewfinder. Her mate was absent, likely out searching for prey. Similar reports and observations are coming from throughout the coast. This is not what we typically expect to see during the nesting season.
Perhaps most concerning is that fisheries managers continue to rely heavily on fishery-dependent data to estimate menhaden abundance, while warning signs from dependent predators like ospreys receive far less attention. What we are seeing at nests all along the coast is that something is out of balance.
In addition, reports indicate that the reduction fleet in Virginia has remained at the dock for much of the spring while spotter aircraft search vast stretches of coastline from North Carolina to New England looking for fish.
Taken together, these observations raise serious concerns about the condition of the marine ecosystem and the forage base that supports whales, dolphins, ospreys, game fish, commercial fisheries, and coastal economies.
If you care about our coast and the wildlife that depends on it, now is the time to pay attention. We need better monitoring, greater transparency, and a stronger commitment to understanding and protecting the forage fish that serve as the foundation of our marine ecosystem. Follow groups like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Menhaden Defenders, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Forage Fish Campaign to get involved and stay informed.
Very grateful for this opportunity to help better understand what is happening along our coast. Thank you, Adam.
Heidi and I have been warning about this collapse for three years, along with others from William & Mary College, including Michael Academia. This is VERY serious. It is not only the osprey that are starving, but also the other fish that depend on Menhaden and even tarrapins. The entire ecosystem is dead or dying. Some might point to multiple conditions, but for me, there is a single major cause: Omega Protein, a Canadian company that turns millions of tonnes of Menhaden into chicken and salmon feed, based in Reedsville, Virginia. They are also gutting the schools in the Gulf. This has to stop. I urge each of my readers to write in support of a three-year moratorium on commercial-industrial fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and all the waters from Long Island, around New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Please note that mile limits have caused Omega Protein to use helicopters in at least one instance to get the schools to flee back to deeper water where they can net them!
You can use the wording from Ben Wurst’s letter. He is the Conservation Officer for New Jersey. You might also want to educate yourself before writing by examining the posts on the FB group – Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal.
I am very concerned about Little Dewey at Dewey Beach in Delaware. And I want to make clear that if any of the birds on streaming cams are starving, the cause can be argued to be human-caused, a reason for intervention! Remember I have said that we might have to have a test case to prove that this is human caused.
This image, from Heidi and PB, shows the tiny Menhaden that Baby Dewey had for breakfast. This precious family might need help, and the USFWS should permit fish to be placed on the nest for them, since the absolute decline in the Menhaden population has caused issues and endangered ospreys to the point that they might not exist in this region as they did during the time of DDT. The Ospreys are the ‘Canaries in the Mine’ warning us of disaster.
In other news, ‘PB’ reports that both Jack and Jill have been at the Achieva Credit Union Osprey nest with fish but no Big and no Little to eat. Please return you two. You are still a little young to be out on your own, Little.
SK Hideaways Videos, week of 31 May 2026
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4 Live Recap & Observations https://bit.ly/3Md8TSz Sandy & Luna Play Tug of Fish🦈🪢 Jackie & Shadow Steal Away (2026 Jun 3)When Shadow brought a whopper to the nest, Sandy and Luna got to work consuming their fair share. While the eaglets pulled the fish from each other time and again, the 90-minute meal was more a tug-of-peace than a tug-of-war, as they both got plenty to eat. Abundance makes for peaceful mealtimes. Once the eaglets were in food comas, Jackie met Shadow on the Simba Tree for a most picturesque rendezvous. Hatch dates: Sandy, 4 April; Luna 5 April Video: https://youtu.be/ki-gZ6sEY6M Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s Sasha Branches Cruz Approves ✅ Sasha Returns (2026 Jun 5) Congratulations to Sasha on an easy branching to and from the left branch at 69 days Video: https://youtu.be/jFYnyJCpC_E
Eaglets Show Big Wingers🪽and Jumps🦘➕Nonstop Eating (2026 Jun 4)At nearly 10 weeks old, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder will be branching and fledging any time now. We wondered how they’d all fit on the nest once fully grown, but they’re managing just fine and even allow Cruz and Andor to visit ~ as if they have a choice. We checked on their progress as they displayed their beautiful wings, made some impressive jumps, and ate… incessantly. What a joy to watch these triplets thrive. Video: https://youtu.be/0-PBOvkuCX0
Party in the A.M.🎉Party in the P.M. 🍾 Things Get Raptoresque(2026 Jun 5) The boys met on the roof for the first fete of the day, which left them loafing in the afternoon. Come 5 p.m., they were right on time for happy hour on the nest ledge. They even let Monty stay… for a while. Then the rave kicked into full gear and things got raptoresque. Video: https://youtu.be/EiemTOD-YGI
Chicks Vie for Cutest Raptor Fledgling Championship🏆 You Decide (2026 Jun 4) This day-in-the-life video includes an opportunity for you to cast a completely unofficial vote for the Cutest Raptor Fledgling amongst a selection of raptor types in Northern California, where this falcon family lives. The rest of the video is a collection of the day’s poses and shenanigans, which all contribute to my own personal vote. Enjoy the fun and your own personal contest. Video: https://youtu.be/-aE-lEcDHSE
Chicks Present, Accounted For,📋and Even Cuter (If Possible) (2026 June 3) Despite the fact that fledge watch has completed, we are all compelled to check on the boys. Happily, all four are present and accounted for as end of day today. They seem to get more adorable by the minute. Video: https://youtu.be/ZtjQtjaK9L0
Chicks Take Over Fledge Watch 👀 Hartley & Monty Bond in Nest (2026 Jun 2)Jet and Walton took up their post on the roof to observe early morning aerial activity. I don’t know if they knew the featherless giants (with occasional long black eye protrusions) were gone, but they did seem to take responsibility for the skies above city hall. Meanwhile, Hartley and Monty took a moment to bond in the nest box; perhaps reveling in another wildly successful breeding season. Video: https://youtu.be/tce7draJcbg
All 4 chicks returned to the nest 🎉 Monty hung out with his boys (2026 May 31) The four boys gave fans a real treat ~ thanks to a steamy San Jose day ~ and spent nearly the entire day and overnight in and around the nest area. They found shade in the nest box and along the sides of the runway to keep cooler. Along the way were visits from Hartley and Monty, giving us the bonus of seeing the entire family together. It was fascinating to watch Monty spend a good amount of time with the boys, despite their occasional protestations; a very different response than when his offspring have been larger females. Because this is a rare and unique event, I captured a substantial part of the day, allowing us to savor the waning moments of seeing this special family together. Video: https://youtu.be/-j4K_dqhkgM
Fledge Watch 2026 👀 Day 3 Highlights (2026 May 30) A collection of images from the San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon cam, my phone camera, and my phone camera through one of the scopes atop fledge watch HQ chronicling the highlights of fledge watch 2026 day 3. It was a thrilling couple of days for this avid fan, who continues to be humbled by the magnificence of our falcon family. I am equally humbled by the wisdom, dedication, and compassion of the fledge watch team and photographers, who show up day after day, year after year in support of these special birds. Video: https://youtu.be/slTtVRA98TI
‘AK’ was watching nest 5 in Finland when this lynx went up to the nest. No chicks yet, just eggs. ‘AK’ notes that the adults were able to frighten it away. I have never seen a lynx climb a nest!
‘AK’ adds: This happened at 02:51:50 Finnish time.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 6th June 2026
Today’s big event was the overnight arrival of Louis and Dorcha’s third chick. The exact time was difficult to determine as Dorcha was blocking the view, doing a good job of keeping the chicks warm and dry despite the constant rain, but eventually the time of 00.49.09 seemed the most logical based on glimpses of empty eggshells (thanks LizB). Dawn gave us and Louis a good look at the little hatchling, although Louis seemed more interested in snaffling a bit of left over fish, until Dorcha returned and made him give it up for the chicks. He delivered only one new fish to day but it was massive, and the Nest Two tally now stands at one hundred and fourteen. Nest Cam One has been zoomed in ready for those magic moments when the egg pips and the little hatchling emerges, but there’s no news yet – the egg shows no sign of pipping. However it’s only day 37 and hatching is possible right up to day 42, especially as Aurora 536 delayed incubation for the first couple of days. Garry LV0 brought her two fish and his tally now stands at one hundred and three. It was another damp day and set to continue with light rain overnight and a low of 10°C, changing to thundery showers and a high of 15°C tomorrow.
Telyn looks well. May she live a long and healthy life – and may we, humans – clean up after ourselves so that wildlife do not have to suffer.
It’s raining in Missoula (again). Is Clark having trouble fishing? Is there a pip in an egg?
Posted on Montana Osprey Project FB:
I mentioned that Lola had returned to her nest that she shared with Charlie raising chicks. When she arrived (after a month of healing), Charlie was incubating the eggs of his current mate.
The premier, Wab Kinew, of our province has turned down a request to build an AI Centre next door to our now only Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre, Wildlife Haven.
There are many places fighting the building of AI centres including the Nashville Zoo.
Thank you for being with us today. It is very hot, and we continue to have a yellow heat warning. It is the temperature and humidity that are causing this. My sidekick, Toby, is right here with me. Don is doing better today. He had a bad fall yesterday and had been unwell for several days. He is so much better that I am feeling a little bit like a human being today. We are staying in, hoping it will be cool enough for Toby to go outside with his cooling vest and boots. Remember, if you have a dog, the pads of their feet can burn and crack from the heat of the sidewalk. If you need shoes, so do they!
Take care. We will see you soon.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos, to Geemeff for their daily summary and videos, to Heidi and PB for their news, to AK for the image of the lynx and alerting me to this new danger to our ospreys, and to everyone who posted news on FB or elsewhere. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch the lives of these incredible bird families.
We hope that you had a wonderful weekend – and please tell me that you had some time to go outside. It was a tad cooler here today but we sat in the warm sun on the deck and listened to birdsong coming from the feeders. Oh, it made my heart skip happy beats! It was another quiet day – a most welcome one. We did some spring cleaning and celebrated by making strawberry shortcakes. Tomorrow, Toby goes for a much-needed grooming (Monday). I’m hoping for a trip to Fort Whyte for a walk in the forest and a check on the geese that should be laying eggs.
Shadow continues to bring in big fish for Jackie and the kids. The snow is melting.
Isn’t he handsome? Teifi is one of Idris and Telyn’s fledglings – he is Maya’s grandson. How cool is that? I am so glad that the Glaslyn nest has settled down or him and Elen. As you know, I adore Aran and it seems that he has also found a platform and a mate. Smiling. Calm is good.
The Dyfi family tree now has its fledglings at Glaslyn:
Here’s Teifi. It was the first year, 2020, that Idris was bonded with Telyn after Monty:
News from Loch of the Lowes:
SK Hideaways videos for the week – always grateful!
Jackie & Shadow got everything in order as a storm approached ~ The chicks enjoyed meals 7 and 8 ~ They’re tucked and warm under Jackie (2026 Apr 25) Video: https://youtu.be/ZHZwUvD7SEw One Chick Escapes Egg Bowl ~ Jackie has a Word with Shadow About It (2026 Apr 19) Video: https://youtu.be/Af1ZfwYL1bk
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
I’m not going to swear but…how many ospreys die because of hooks and fishing line? This one was rescued.
So happy. This time it was a happy ending.
It was a booming year (no pun intended). Kakapo breed every four years. Records broken this year on this critically endangered species, but the species remains in decline from four years ago.
Osprey baby in Italy!
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 26th April 2026
Today’s momentous news is the arrival of the first egg – around 06.50 Dorcha started making little squeaking sounds and at 06.56.29 she laid the first egg of Season Ten. The nest cup is too deep and there are branches obscuring the view, but it was clear from her behaviour that she is now brooding an egg. Louis came along about an hour later with her breakfast, and we were able to watch his reaction before he happily took over egg duty, allowing her to depart to eat her fish. No sign of eggs yet for Aurora 536 and Garry LV0 but things will take longer with them as they aren’t a long-established pair like Louis & Dorcha. Garry delivered two fish taking his tally to thirty, and Louis delivered three fish, taking the nest tally to twenty five. At the time of this report (23.30), Dorcha is still away after departing with her third fish, and Louis is looking very settled on the nest.
It was a good day at Achieva thanks to Jill who is really stepping up to take care of her babies. Jack was late today – last time I checked Jill had delivered a fish and then went out later, at her usual time, to bring in another catfish.
In the image below, you can see the significant size difference between the two chicks. Big is almost fully feathered. Little is just getting its tail. We still see the white stripe on Little.
Alaska and Australia teaming up to help protect the Shearwater!
‘The birds are a global citizen’: Indigenous groups in Australia and Alaska team up to track a feathered adventurer’s epic journey.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself and have a great end of the weekend and the beginning of the week. See you soon!
Toby loving his Bully Stick.
Thank you so much to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their great contributions – their work takes so much time. I am very grateful to those who post current information on FB and other platforms, to The Guardian for its reporting on wildlife concerns, and to Dyfi Osprey Project for keeping such wonderful historical information. To the owners of the streaming cams, thank you seems too small. We would know about these amazing birds and their environmental challenges if it were not for you.
This is just a glorious fall afternoon and with 27 and 28 degrees C, I have spent much of my time today outside.
Underneath all of these beautiful Creepers is a very ugly chain link fence.
‘Something’ decided to break the large cylinder suet holder. All the normal suspects eat without doing any damage. Little Woodpecker loved to hold on to the bars. So what was it? The obvious is the raccoon. But do raccoons eat bug and nut suet with fruit? Or maybe one of the well-fed domestic cats have reached up and pulled it down trying to get to the birds. The nuts and bolts were scattered and a piece broken. It is definitely a mystery. These incidents continually remind me that a feeder cam might come in handy.
Idris brings Telyn a fish after her commanding performance during Storm Hannah.
I have been meaning to share a video with you and until someone else mentioned it today on the PLO chat, I had forgotten. It is about Telyn. Telyn is the mate of Idris at the Dyfi Osprey Nest in Montgomeryshire, Wales. I think you will have a genuine appreciation of how protective and fierce these Osprey mothers can be!
This is the backstory. This is a weather warming that the BBC Weather Service issued on the 25th of April 2019 as the storm ravages.
And here is the video of Telyn incubating her three eggs in 2019 during that monster of a storm:
Wasn’t that incredible?! She just hunkered down deep into that nest. Wow.
What a gorgeous sight – the sun coming up over the horizon full of energy, joy, and hope at Port Lincoln.
It is 16 degrees C with 84% humidit. The weather network mentions the potential for rain and a thunderstorm. The wind is blowing at 13 km/h.
Mum and the babies are all sleeping with the gentle rock of the barge. Oh, just look at them! Old enough to regulate their own temperatures and too big to fit under mom. I bet if it rains she will quickly become the Mombrella! or she will stuff them under her. What do you think?
Sometimes breakfast is early but it seems the average is around often around 9:30 lately.
Mom is standing up looking for a fish delivery. Meanwhile, just look at those chicks and how dark they are today. Will we be able to tell who is Little Bob anymore?
Those feathers must be really itchy.
At 8:57:45 Dad brought in a whopper for Mum and the kids.
Everyone is going to be full. Great fish, Dad!
Little Bob is eating first (of course).
Oh, my gosh. I see food comas coming on quickly. Every chick ate. Every chick has an enormous tight crop. They were completely civilized. Mom and Dad PLO you are doing good!
That is Little Bob closest to the fish. So far I can identify him by his cere. Look at his crop. Do you think Ospreys ever get indigestion? And look at how much of that nice fish is left. Mom eat it up! There will be some left for Dad, too.
Oh, my. Itchy feathers and colossal crops. Time to snooze in the warm Australian sun while Mom has some nice fish for breakfast.
Every once in awhile I get little tears. They start and they must won’t stop. Not because I am sad. It is because I am so joyful and full of hope for this nest this year. Let’s keep up the momentum. Each chick will be rewarded with their very own sat-pak! We can follow them like we do Solly.
Speaking of Solly, she is a year old. Her tracker was out of sorts for a few days and had people worried but she was fine. Boots on the ground spotted her on her favourite tree at Eba Anchorage. Solly, you have done well! We are all so very pleased for you. Happy Birthday!
Just a peek at ‘not an Osprey’. Everyone seems to be fine eating in the beautiful warm sun at Port Lincoln, but in Melbourne, all eyes are on the Mum at 367 Collins Street. Will those four eggs start hatching at once? and how soon will that be?
Gosh, she’s beautiful!
That is it. I waited to make sure that everyone was fed and full at the PLO and they certainly are.
Thanks for joining me. Take care everyone. See you soon!!!!
Thank you to the Port Lincoln Osprey Project and FB page and the 367 Collins Street Falcons by Mirvac for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots.
Oh, my goodness. The male at the Collins Street Peregrine Falcon nest is nothing short of adorable. I spent all last year wanting to scoop up this stealth fighter in my arms and cuddle with him. Or dreaming of a Peregrine Falcon onsie. Wouldn’t that be cute on a toddler?
The first egg of the 2021 season has been laid on 21 August. Wow. It is eggciting.
You might be asking why the female is not incubating that egg. The female will not start incubating the eggs until the last one is laid. This is because the adults want the nestlings to be about the same size for the first fortnight so that there is no rivalry over food. Last year, the three big girls all hatched within a 24 hour period. There was never any sibling rivalry – that is what I love about falcons and kestrels. Once the last egg is hatched, they will be incubated for 32-40 days.
Mom looks so proud of herself!
These are some images from last year:
Mom brooding the triplets.
Dad feeding the girls when they are a little older – before they lose all that fluffy white down.
This year Mirvac, the property owners, are in charge of the streaming cams of the Victorian Falcon Project. You can watch these falcons from the very beginning.
Telyn at the Dyfi Nest, Wales. 20 August 2021
Some more great news. The Season of the Osprey will premier on PBS October 27 at 8pm! Please check your local stations for the exact time in your area. This is what they are saying about this documentary:
“Birds of prey exist in myriad shapes and sizes. Scores of eagles, hundreds of hawks and countless kites and falcons have all adapted form and behavior to fit diverse habitats. But in all the world, there is only one osprey. Following a single evolutionary path, it has conquered every continent save Antarctica. One bird, one design, unchanged. It is the only truly aquatic raptor, the sole member of its own taxonomic family. This one-hour, blue-chip special brings viewers into the life to this incredible raptor with a depth and intimacy never before attempted. Shot in and around Great Island Marsh, where the Connecticut River meets the Long Island Sound, cameraman Jacob Steinberg has achieved unlimited access to an osprey nest and captured the struggles, failures and triumphs of a single osprey family.”
Oh, I can’t wait!
I am afraid that I am having Malin withdrawal. A week or more ago I took a few video clips of Malin being fed by Marsha. I would like to share one of those with you now.
And another one of Malin exercising his wings.
It is so much easier when you know that the little one fledged, returned to the nest for food for 36 days or so, and then flew off to find their life. There is a level of anxiety when it doesn’t happen that way. I sure miss that little one. I have not, as yet, received any images of the two Osprey chicks found or any other news. I am hoping for tomorrow or Monday. It is a busy time of year for the wildlife rehabbers.
Two of the storklings have fledged at the nest of Grafs and Grafiene near Siguldas – the youngest was first and then the oldest yesterday. Only the middle remains. All have returned to the nest safely. The one that had its wing up against the far branch seems to be alright as well. That is good news. I have heard of no feedings since Grafs came in with some very small fish for the trio on 19 August. That means that if the storklings did not find the feeder – the two that fledged – they have had little food but nothing for two days. This is critical. There is concern that Grafs has left for his migration — it was the very initial concern. I want to remain hopeful.
Jan has fed his storklings but the meal was only tiny fish or worms. Urmas has not brought any more fish to the nest. Since he has fed them once and they accepted the fish, I hope that Urmas will do this again (he also left fish when he banded them and put on the trackers). It is not clear whether the anxiety of starvation is worse than having a human bring food to the nest.
These are very difficult times for everyone but they are especially difficult circumstances for these six starving Black Storks – rare Black Storks!
At the Black Stork Nest in the Karula Forest in Estonia, Karl II was still in the nest area. His transmitter told us. The two early fledges, Tuul and Udu, headed the wrong direction due to weather concerns and then turned south. Pikne travelled south from the beginning. New tracker information should be coming in soon. Safe travels all of you!
Oh, this youngster can really scream for food on the Loch of the Lowes nest. What a beauty. This is another good example of a ‘normal’ fledge. The chicks return to the nest to be fed and fattened up for migration.
I really want to put a plug in for the administration of the lochs in Scotland. No one is allowed on those lakes from April to the end of September so that humans do not disturb the birds. It means that motor boats with their leaking fuel are not chasing the Ospreys and making the water toxic. Gosh, I hope that only human powered boats are allowed. What a great idea – leave the lakes to the birds during breeding season. Three cheers for Scotland! This could well be the case throughout England and Wales also. I will try and find out.
And look what is on the Foulshaw Moss Nest. It is a flounder for the lucky chick that makes it to the nest first. Tiny Little!!!!!!!!! Where are you Tiny Little?
It’s a few minutes later and I missed that lucky fledgling that snagged that flounder! It’s gone. That leads me to believe that it was probably Blue 464, the male, the first to fledge. He likes to take the fish and eat it on the branch of the parent tree.
Thank you so much for joining me. I hope that you are looking forward to those falcons hatching as much as I am. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots and video clips: Scottish Wildlife Trust and Friends of Loch of the Lowes, Mirvac Corporation and the Collins Street Falcon Cam, The Cumbrian Wildlife Trust and the Foulshaw Moss Osprey Nest, The Eagle Club of Estonia, The Latvian Club for Nature, Collins Marsh Nature Centre, and The Dyfi Osprey Project.
I don’t know a person watching a nest on a streaming cam that doesn’t get anxious if food is not brought to the nestlings and fledglings on a regular basis. Most of us start doing a bit of nail biting. Today, for example, Malin had 4 feedings. It isn’t as good as five but it is better than nothing! And last Sunday Malin had nothing. We are all hopeful for tomorrow. The weather is cooling off – Malin we are wishing for six fish tomorrow!
Malin 13 August 2021Malin 13 August 2021 after a feeding
Jake Koebernik of the Wisconsin DNR did a great job answering a lot of questions that some of us have had about Malin’s nest. One was ‘why are the fish that are delivered are so small?’ and the other was ‘why do fish deliveries drop at the weekend?’ This is his answer, “As for the nest at the Collins Marsh NC, the streams and marshes around that territory probably only offer smaller species such as bullhead, bluegills, small bass and northern pike. There aren’t large lakes or real productive rivers in that part of the state, so they are going after what is abundant and available.” Jake’s answers cleared up a lot of the mysteries. —— And tomorrow, when Malin wakes up, Malin will have its official name! Fingers and toes crossed for it to be Malin!!!!!!!
My friend ‘S’ sent a screen shot of a delivery that Telyn made to the Dyfi nest this afternoon. We both agreed that Malin’s eyes would pop out if he saw a fish this big land on the nest at Collins Marsh. That fish is bigger than Blue 491! Wow.
And if you did not hear, Idris had been missing since Wednesday and he was on the nest today, albeit with a completely sunken crop. He brought a nice fish to one of the chicks. Hoping he gets his own fill of fish. Where in the world could he have been? It is worrisome.
Telyn delivered a whopper for 491, Ystwyth who is 82 days old on 14 August
Oh, if only places that have ponds could stock them for the birds. The Pritchett Family in Fort Myers has a stocked pond for Bald Eagles Harriet and M15 and their kids and the water also allows them to cool off and clean their feathers.
We are told by the IPCC that we can expect the droughts and extreme heat to be with us. Since these changes to our climate are known to be directly caused by human activity, maybe it is time to figure out ways to help the wildlife. Providing water and food is a start.
These two little sea eaglets are just adorable and a little spunky, too. They are growing like the sunflowers in my garden that the birds planted.
Both had nice crops after this feeding.
Judy Harrington, the researcher observing the WBSE Nest in the Sydney Olympic Park forest, just released her report on what these two have been eating during the last fortnight (14 days). In fact, it is the first two weeks of their life. Harrington also records the amount of time spent feeding by both the male and the female has been recorded. Lady took on 109 feedings for a total of 21 hours and 20 minutes. Dad did 8 feedings for a total of 42 minutes. Dad has been providing most of the food – he brought in 25 items and Lady brought in 5. These consisted of the following in total: 16 Bream, 4 catfish, 2 fish, 1 Mullet, 2 Whiting, 1 Yellowtail, 1 Ibis chick, 1 nestling, 1 pigeon, and 1 bird. They have now morphed into sea eagles, the second largest bird in Australia.
Sadly, it appears that Lady was hit during the night by Boo, the BooBook Owl that lives nearby in the forest. Despite its very small size the BooBook Owl has caused injuries to the large sea eagles in the past.
It is thought that Boo, as the little owl is so fondly called, has a nest near to the Sea Eagles. To my knowledge, the WBSE have never bothered their nest but, – hey. Every parent is afraid of a larger predator and wants them to leave the area.
Legacy on the Fortis Red Deer Nest has fledged. She has been on and off the nest a few times today. One was to get some fish! Here she is with Mum. After all the nestling deaths during the heat wave, this is just one of the happiest moments from that nest. Look how big Legacy is next to mom. Congratulations.
It is almost impossible to see what is happening on the Fortis Alberta Exshaw nest up at Canmore. Both chicks appear to be on the nest and calling for food. It is unclear to me if one or both have fledged.
The love story of the two Canada Geese has gone viral. It warms our hearts to see these two devoted birds – Amelia finding and waiting for Arnold during his surgery and recovery and now their reuniting. My friend, ‘R’ found two more stories on them and I want to share with you what she sent to me. You could read about these two all day – and you will always walk away with a smile.
The story of Arnold and Amelia has taught us all something. If you find an injured Canada Goose and are taking it into care, please take the time to find its mate! The outcome might be much more positive. If you live in an area where there are Canada Geese – let your local wildlife rehabber know about the story of Arnold and Amelia. They will understand why it is important to keep bonded mates together (and their goslings if necessary).
And news about Kona. It is nearing 100 F or 38 C on the nest in Montana. The foster mother, Scout, has been shading Kona. Everything is going well with this foster. How grand.
@ Montana Osprey Porject
Leaving you with a gorgeous image of Loch of the Lowes. It just looks so still and peaceful in the early morning hours of 14 August.
And a last peaceful image of Diamond on the ledge of her scrape box on the water tower at Charles Sturt University in Orange, Australia. We will be looking for eggs before the end of the month. Izzi was last in the scrape box of Xavier and Diamond 6 August. He was photographed on 10 August and someone thought they heard him this morning.
Thanks for joining me today. I am off to try and find some hawks tomorrow so this is coming out early. I will bring you some late Saturday news in the evening. Take care. Stay safe! If you hear of interesting bird stories – and in particular, raptors – let me know.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: Collins Marsh Nature Centre, Sea Eagle Cam, Birdlife Australia andthe Sydney Discovery Centre, Dyfi Osprey Project, Scottish Wildlife Trust and Friends of Loch of the Lowes, Falcon Cam Project at C Sturt University, Fortis Alberta Exshaw and Fortis Alberta Red Deer. Thank you to ‘R’ for sending methe links on the coverage of Arnold and Amelia and to ‘S’ for the information on Telyn and her whopper of a fish delivery. It is much appreciated!Thank you to the Montana Osprey Project FB page for the image of Scout and Kona.
