Tag Archives: US Ospreys

Iris is still here…Late Saturday in Bird World

12 September 2026

Hello Everyone,

Get the tissues out. I have a story from the hospital today. Ann and I always try to be there for at least one meal. She likes to go at noon, and I prefer arriving at 1630. It takes Toby and me about thirty-five minutes to get across town, and added up, the later time means Don will be ‘full’ (he eats well for me, and I always take a green salad and fresh fruit to wind up the hospital meal) till morning. There is no cookie cupboard at the hospital, although there is a box of homemade ginger cookies that Jaine made on his chest of drawers there – he doesn’t remember, so that is good, as he won’t try to get out of bed and fall trying to get one. (Visitors give him one). Toby and I left this evening. I reached over, kissed him goodbye, and told him, ‘I miss you’. He said back immediately, ‘I am always here’. I whispered, ‘I missyou at home’. Don squeezed my hand, raised it to his lips and kissed it. I held it together until Toby and I got home, broke down, and just cried. This has to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life…We still don’t know the future. It is simply one day at a time, but underneath all of this is a strong foundation of love.

If you have a loved one who has dementia (not talking about Alzheimer’s – they are so different), remember that they ‘know’ things. They might look like they are snoozing, but they are listening… they feel, and they know. The proteins in their brain are changing, but that brain is intact, not dying.

Tomorrow is my youngest grandson’s birthday party, and Toby and I will stop in at the hospital on the way home. I will not be posting tomorrow, but will be back on Monday or Tuesday. I am including the video listing from SK Hideaways. Please take a look at the wonderful work they do! Also, news from Geemeff.

SK Hideaways Videos Week of 6 September 2026

367 Collins Street Falcons ~ Melbourne ~ F24 & M24
Courtesy Victorian Peregrine Project
South Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibsohQ14cY
North Facing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNKk0ivuWe4

M24 Arrived Too Early F24 Sent Him Off to Fetch Breakfast ~ 2026 Sep 10
M24 arrived empty-taloned before sunrise. F24 was rather unimpressed and sent him off. When he returned 2-1/2 hours later with large prey, mum was delighted to see him. We then got to enjoy his egg lullaby as he situated himself for his morning incubation stint. 
Video: https://youtu.be/jnpk9Y1gLz8

FalconCam Project ~ Diamond (~13 years) & Gimbir (~2 years)
Courtesy FalconCam Project, Charles Sturt University NSW (http://www.csu.edu.au/special/falconcam/) ~ Australia
Box Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv2RtoIMNzA
Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZaWzhXSAI
Tower Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQxrTGgNu4M

Egg #3 for Diamond & Gimbir ~ Pro Parents Make it Look Easy ~ 2026 Sep 10
Relieving Gimbir of egg duty, Diamond arrived with a full crop and had a quick delivery of egg #3. Gimbir returned with prey and dashed (not shown), then returned for his first 3-egg incubation stint. Well done, you two!
Video: https://youtu.be/51MYA5NH1jg

Diamond Lays Egg #2 After Chat with Gimbir ~2026 Sep 7
In my story, Gimbir stopped by the nest box with a huge crop. After some brief bonding, Diamond informed him she felt egg #2 coming soon. She mentioned that it might be nice to have a snack beforehand. Gimbir didn’t quite get the message, found a scrap for himself, and departed. Diamond already had a sufficient crop herself, so was ready to go. She delivered egg #2 at 23:24:32 with minimal fuss. Wishing Diamond and Gimbir successful hatches.
Video: https://youtu.be/r1UjuD3pQ2s

FOBBVCAM Eagles  ~  Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Shadow (12 years), Jackie (dec. 10 August 2026), Sandy, and Luna (last seen on camera 23 July 2023)
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/4wGjwVg

Shadow & Kaydee Nest Dance He Bows Out First ~  2026 Sep 11
Shadow and Kaydee spent about 8 minutes in the nest together. The changing interactions are fascinating. It is early days. We watch, learn, and trust the eagles. 
Video: https://youtu.be/I3wJZ_a33NM

Shadow & Kaydee Evening and Morning Rendezvous ~ 2026 Sep 9-10
Remembering Jackie on 1 Month Mark of Her Passing❤️‍🩹
After spending the entire day as a perch potato on Twin Pines, Shadow retired to the Roost Tree. Kaydee came along a bit later and did a nest check before joining him. In the morning, they exchanged greetings and perched on the Lookout Snag for a short time.

In addition to continuing to observe the dynamics between Shadow and Kaydee, I took a moment in this video to honor Jackie on the one-month mark since her passing. Jackie will always be the heart and soul of the Big Bear Valley eagle community, setting the foundation for the resurgence in eagle life that has developed since her birth in 2012. Jackie remains in our hearts today and always.
Video: https://youtu.be/QiFZ5UeWe6c

Shadow & Kaydee Meet at Dawn ~ Ravens Wake the Neighborhood ~ 2026 Sep 9
While they roosted separately overnight, Shadow and Kaydee met up at dawn. They watched each other across the habitat before coming together on the Lookout Snag for a half hour. They then resumed their off-season adventures.
Video: https://youtu.be/TzJPFak8rnM

Shadow’s Day ~ Stunning Horaltic Poses ~ Rain Shower ~ 2026 Sep 7
After few sightings of Shadow the day before, we were grateful to see him for a good, long time today. He started the morning on the Lookout Snag, then perched on Twin Pines for over 3-1/2 hours. While there, he displayed not one, but two spectacular horaltic poses. Lucky us.
Video: https://youtu.be/rbCoC-8tp5s


Two Harbors Eagles ~  Catalina Island, CA ~ Cholyn & Chase (28 years old; mated pair for 23 years)
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn’s Day of Bliss ~ Chase Hillside Haven ~ 2026 Sep 10
Cholyn spent the morning on a favorite oceanfront perch taking in the brilliant, sparkling Pacific. She enjoyed it so much that she returned in the afternoon before visiting the nest. Chase settled on the cactus perch in the afternoon. The lovebirds watched each other across their habitat before departing on their evening escapades. Any view of Cholyn and Chase is a gift. Forever grateful to Two Harbors cam ops.
Video: https://youtu.be/Onz4H40gONQ

Iris was still eating fish at the Owl Pole today – this is the latest she has ever stayed. Let us all send our Queen of Ospreys much love and good wishes. May she eat loads of fish, get healthy, migrate, and return to us next April along with Clark.

Isn’t she amazing. Look at that size of fish! Go, girl!

An osprey perched on a tall wooden pole near a river, surrounded by trees and rocky riverbank.
An osprey standing on a wooden post, feeding on a fish in a natural setting with greenery in the background.

Geemeff writes: “Woodland Trust forum member CraigB made this tribute to Louis via chatGBP, and is happy for it to be shared:”

An illustration of an eagle soaring above Loch Arkaig, with mountains and forest in the background. The eagle is depicted landing near the water, capturing a fish with its talons, while the serene landscape reflects the highland environment.

Geemeff says: Greetings from Komodo! Interrupting my Dragon watching to tell you Loch Arkaig’s 2024’s lone survivor 1JW has returned to his translocated home in Valencia and has been seen nesting! 

WTS George posted: I received a message from Itziar on the Spanish team regarding 1JW, our 2024 chick who was translocated to Valencia:  “He has been seen on many occasions at Pego Oliva Marsh, interacting with this year’s birds and spending time on one of the artificial nests that we have built. Unfortunately, the nest that he has been using is far away from any areas of public access so is impossible to get any photos. We haven’t seen him for a few days so maybe he has begun his migration, in which case we await his return next year, and hopefully he’ll find a mate! As it’s still early September, we’re all still watching out in case he’s still around.”

Geemeff says: That is such great news after the disastrous year of 2024 that was Season Eight – the weather was foul, chick3 didn’t last long and the other two nearly died of starvation and hypothermia as Louis wasn’t able to fish in the unrelenting cold and rain plus got ill as well, and the chicks were too big for Dorcha to cover properly. Then Woodland Trust sought and received permission from Nature Scot first to try hand feeding at the nest, and when that wasn’t enough, for the remaining two to be given to Roy Dennis to join that year’s cohort of Scottish translocatees to go to Spain as part of the reintroduction programme that’s been running successfully for some years. The chicks were ringed in Spain, Yellow 1JR and 1JW, but 1JR succumbed to a heart condition leaving only 1JW. Who went on to fledge and it seems, go roaring on to return from migration as a two year old and claim a nest! What a survivor he is. Another example of the benefits of ringing, or banding as it’s called across the pond – we would never have known of his success without his Darvic ring giving an incontestable identification.

Geemeff has had a great adventure, and maybe they will allow me to share a couple of images – life is for living; always remember that. I wish I could have gone on this trip with them.

Take care, everyone. I will be back in a few days.

Thank you to SK Hideaways, Geemeff, and The Woodland Trust for the great news. I am always grateful, as you are, to the owners of the streaming cams for letting us see our birds and their lives.

Idris is on migration…Saturday in Bird World

12 September 2026

Hello Everyone!

The weather is much cooler. 15 C. It really feels like fall. The first Starling to return! Toby and I are cleaning up the garden. Ann and I now take turns, alternate days, going to the hospital. Don fell again yesterday. The nurses could not get there in time when the bed alert sounded and found him sitting cross-legged on the floor. It has now been 17 days. He is improving in some ways but his body is giving out. I am preparing myself for the fact that he might not return home. At the moment he needs constant care and watching and it takes 2-3 people to lift him. I am only one! We will do whatever is best for him.

Tobby’s grooming had been neglected. That is all fixed. He is so soft. Don kept rubbing and rubbing him yesterday at the hospital. No more neglecting. Paws and the behind are so important to keep clean. Our vet suggests washing their paws and drying the well (so as not to get anything nasty growing down deep) every time they go out for a walk.

Close-up of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with a shiny coat, sitting calmly, showcasing its expressive eyes and distinct fur pattern.

On everyone’s advice, I have returned to a hobby that I love – photography. I love the new R7 camera with the 100-400 mm lens. Just the perfect weight. Let’s see what some of those first images look like!

One of the Blue Jays shot through the conservatory window. I am going to build a hide in the garden. I can only imagine how this might look if it wasn’t shot through glass.

A blue jay perched on a decorative metal hook, displaying its vibrant blue and white feathers against a blurred green background.

Mushrooms are growing all over the neighbourhood. It has been so wet!

A close-up of layered brown and white mushroom growth on a decaying tree stump, surrounded by green leaves.

The Starlings have returned – more and more to fill up on cat and dog kibble!

A blurry image caught with my iphone.

A spotted bird perched on the edge of a birdbath surrounded by green foliage.

Toby and I spend a lot of time sitting on the bench on the deck. I hope the birds and squirrels will get used to us sitting here so I can photograph them.

Iris is still home. If she is still at Hellgate Canyon on Sunday, she has broken her historical record of 11 September being the latest she stayed in Montana.

An osprey perched on a wooden pole near water, holding a fish, with lush greenery in the background.

Images from Iris’s Cafe!

Interior view of Iris Cafe with a barista smiling behind the counter, showcasing various beverages and a menu board.

Aran was still at Glaslyn, but Idris has left on his migration!

A blurred photo capturing a bird perched on a branch, surrounded by trees and foliage.

Daisy from the Loch Doon nest in the UK is still in France:

A soaring osprey with a brown and white plumage flying against a clear blue sky.

It feels like only yesterday that we were waiting for all to arrive. Now they are gone on their long journey along the flyway, through France and the Iberian Peninsula, across the Strait of Gibraltar, and down to Senegal and The Gambia.

Sightings are already being reported.

A Facebook post expressing gratitude to individuals for their work on Fishing Ospreys, highlighting a specific observation of an Osprey migration in Vendée, France, on September 8, 2026.
A hawk in mid-flight with outstretched wings against a cloudy sky.

Looking good at the WBSE nest in the Olympic Park Forest in Sydney.

Two white-bellied sea eagle chicks in their nest, with one parent nearby. The scene captures the natural habitat of these birds, featuring leaves and branches in the background.

Osprey House Environmental Centre posted some incredible images of George and Hope’s only surviving chick. Look at those feathers.

Close-up of a young osprey with its beak open, displaying bright yellow eyes and intricate feather patterns in the background.

The Ps are catching their own dinner!

A hawk perched on a tree branch surrounded by lush green leaves.

Seasonal news from Dunrovin posted by Sheila Staley on Osprey Friends FB:

9/22/16 Dunrovin

“It looks like the 2026 season is over, although Swoop may still be in the area fueling up, he hasn’t been seen on the cams. This has been a fun year, with very little drama, there was some sibling aggression but it didn’t last long. A couple of highlights was when Swoop feed the chicks and when he caught a fish so heavy he had to swim to the river bank. Winnie was still nervous with some of the ranch activities but seems to have been more comfortable/calmer than in the past. Before her last visit on the nest, Winnie was out of site for a few days, then she made a few appearances a couple of days before she was last seen. Spangle left after Star kept keeping him from the nest. Star owned the nest for the remainder of the season. Swoop provided his girl with plenty of fish. Star was last seen flying toward the river. Hoping for safe travels for all the Dunrovin Ospreys and look forward to seeing Swoop & Winnie in the Spring of 2027.

Stats:

Return Dates:

Swoop – 4/10/26

Winnie – 4/13/26

Eggs laid Hatched Fledged Notes

5/2/26 6/9/26 8/4/26 Star (OE4), female

5/5/26 6/10/26 8/2/26 Spangle (OE5), male

5/8/26 not viable

The chicks were banded on 7/22/26, named on 8/2/26, the gender was determined by the bander.

Last Seen:

Winnie – 8/21/26

Spangle – 8/23/26

Swoop – 9/8/26 *likely around 9/9

Star – 9/9/26 10:05am

Videos of some highlights:

Swoop feeds chicks

Spangle fledges

Star fledges

Video of Swoop’s big catch and swimming to riverbank”

Two ospreys perched on a wooden post in a green field.

Oh, how I wish every nest would post this information and keep it in an archives.

Raptor Monitoring Scheme in Scotland, Annual Report. Osprey nests are up!

https://raptormonitoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Scottish_Raptor_Monitoring_Scheme_Annual_Report_2024.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawUSU45wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4K1RbpD-Jrzjtyj9Ty3y25cFQlQeBPF7hSe-OZLhji1we1rOBW4dXyzlBYFg_aem_ptCbu9YcLYC7Hbzdl14p9Q

Will Bradley get a mate before Ervie?!

Two ospreys on a nest in South Australia, one adult osprey perched on a stand nearby as the sun sets over the ocean.

I’m an environmental activist and osprey lover. I am also a Canadian and as everyone knows – I want this Canadian company out of The Bay. Save the ospreys!

Facebook post outlining a lawsuit by the Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization against the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to halt industrial harvesting of Atlantic menhaden in Virginia waters.
A map displaying flight paths around the Chesapeake Bay area, with several planes marked and timestamps indicated. One area is highlighted in a red circle, showing grouped flight activity.

More ways to have your voice heard on this matter:

Social media post encouraging public comments about Atlantic menhaden and fisheries management, emphasizing the importance of community voices in environmental decisions.
Illustration of an Atlantic Menhaden fish in water, featured on a document about the Menhaden Draft Addendum II from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Screenshot

Please do not use rodenticide! This happened in an area close to where I live.

A close-up view of a hawk lying on the ground among fallen leaves, with its head resting on the ground.

On a happier note, Hope is doing a great job despite George in Australia.

Two ospreys and a chick in a nest, with one osprey feeding a fish to the chick. Background shows greenery and a body of water.

SE38 continues to get nice crops from the feedings by Lady while incubation continues at 367 Collins Street and at Orange with the falcon families and at Port Lincoln with the ospreys.

Two white-bellied sea eagle chicks in a nest, with one parent eagle standing nearby. The nest is surrounded by greenery.

The latest on Shadow and Kaydee by SK Hideaways: https://youtu.be/I3wJZ_a33NM?

There is a lot more news, but that is it for us today. Take care, everyone. Wish that Ervie finds a mate this season for next year – and that Dad continues to get some fish to Mum at Port Lincoln. Do you ever wonder if the raptors just want to retire from raising families?

A big shout out to SK Hideaways for their Big Bear video! Thank you to everyone for their posts on FB today and for the owners of the streaming cams – we will be forever grateful to you for allowing us the opportunity to witness the lives of our beloved birds.

Late Sunday in Bird World

23 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

It is a gorgeous Sunday afternoon on the Canadian prairies. The sky is a clear blue and there is a breeze making the 25 C temperatures seem slightly cooler. It was a lovely day for walks with Toby and, because Don slept last night, I woke up feeling like a new person. It is amazing how a good night’s sleep makes all the difference to our lives!!!!!!! Don has been waking up every hour and a half. Normally he is ‘very quiet ‘, but for the past week, he has come to my room and turned on the light, waking up Hugo Yugo, Toby, and me. Of course, he was simply confused about where his room is, but he had also been making a bit of a mess in the kitchen. Last night, I decided to try and tire him out, so he was given the job of sweeping the deck and helping me break up the old cedar feeders. We put them in the thick forest area of the back garden where they will decompose and provide places for insects that the birds enjoy so much. I love that area of the garden. It is completely ‘wild’ – not touched by a human hand except for us placing this wood there. It is full of birds and squirrels enjoying life in the middle of a big Canadian city. It just makes me so happy to provide them with a safe place to rest and eat. In addition to helping with the deck, we gave Toby an ‘extra’ walk and I made certain that Don did not fall asleep until 2100. he woke up once at 2300 and then slept until 0715. (I have cameras watching his every move). He got dressed, got a drink and quietly dosed on and off on the sofa until Toby and I got up at 0900. Magnificent.

As a result, we have rearranged the living room and cleaned it a bit, cleaned out the fridge, and had a couple of walks with Toby, but the real treat was having fresh blueberries in pancakes for breakfast with our local maple syrup. It was delicious and something I rarely get to, since I am usually too tired to be bothered. Don loves pancakes, and he ate them, smiling with every bite. I was so happy.

It is fairly quiet with all of the birds. Fish are (or not) being delivered in preparation for migration which has started. Many of the UK females left at the beginning of August. Blue 35 from Foulshaw Moss left on the 9th of August followed by Blue 717 from another Foulshaw Moss nest on the 14th. Aurora departed and has been photographed fishing at Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour. Geemeff sent me a great photograph of her. – and credits are given in Geemeff’s summary below but this is about Darvic rings.

How would we know that this is Aurora? Well, only by her underwing pattern or the pattern on top of her head. Of course, the Darvic ring on her left leg tells us its distinct number. I am a strong proponent for ringing the osplets in the nest. I am so very grateful that this is common practice in the UK. Some states research osprey, but every day I hope someone has ringed Wensi or the Ps to learn about their dispersal. Of course, I really want every surviving osprey and eaglet to be ringed around age 35 days (or at the appropriate time per species).

We held our breath as it was reported that a fishing line was attached to the back of little SE37 at the Sydney Olympic Park WBSE nest. It was horrible to see – just like the little fluffy ball had been caught by someone fishing, but through the back. Thankfully, a miracle happened, and the hook fell off into the nesting material. Of course, it is still an issue because it’s still there, but let us hope the adults’ experience means they will make sure it is worked into the nest or removed.

All I could think when I heard about the hook was my goodness what else can happen this year?

Locals have an eye on Beau at the NE Florida nest where he has been seen perched a short distance from the nest. Gabby will be arriving soon!

Everyone is still home at Hellgate Canyon. Wensi on the nest fish calling. Clarke arrives with a huge headless fish and then, to our surprise, Iris photobombs!

Sleepy Wensi on the nest hoping for a breakfast fish.

Clarke does a quick drop trying to protect his talons and flies off.

Here comes Mum Iris to check on things.

Iris reminded me of the pilots learning to take off and land – she literally touched the nest and took off again. I hope she found a big fish. Like you, I worry about Iris – she is so loved, and I want to see her often before she departs. We do not know what the next migration will bring, but I hope the winds of late March and April return our beloved Iris to us as well as Clarke.

Wensi had trouble eating the head of the fish and he flew off with it. Did he go to the Owl Pole? Does he need Mum to help? Will he lose his big fish to an intruder?

Not on the Owl Pole.

It is raining at Blackbush Beach Resort in PEI, Canada. No one seen at the nest.

The two fledglings at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum are doing so well – fish are being delivered to the nest and they look to be in good condition.

There have been a few updates about Sol, the osplet from the Fru Rauer nest, which was taken in for care and then placed in a foster nest. According to the chat, Sol was seen on the ground and then flew off over the treetops when she noticed humans. It is unknown whether the foster male is feeding her off the nest.

White 63L was on the Fru Rauer nest today.

Another angle. Beautiful osplet.

And then two waiting for fish.

Maya and Blue 33 at Rutland Water today. What a gorgeous couple. They finally get to spend some time together before Maya departs on her migration.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 22nd August 2026

Today’s big news is the sighting of Aurora 536 at Lytchett Bay in Poole Harbour a week after her last appearance on nest cam on the 14th. This is the second year running she’s been sighted there by the photographer Mark Wright, she was seen last year on 18-19th August so this is obviously a familiar route for her and a known place to stock up on food before making the crossing over to Europe and then across to Africa. Link to Mark’s photos in the bonus section. Louis and Juniper are the only family members still around, he brought her three fish today, taking the Nest Two tally to four hundred and fifty three. Steve Quinn published his usual thorough analysis of the fishing stats today, a search for Nest 2 fish summary to week 18 will bring up his post. There was an interesting discussion aroundLizB ‘s theory that Amber’s early departure at a very young age might mean she could be male, and could be Chick One rather than Chick Two. Both are possible but as always, we can only speculate and hope to see or hear of Amber as an adult and perhaps answer one of those questions. The weather was settled, cloudy and cool today, and should continue overnight with a low of 11°C, a chance of light rain showers tomorrow morning then cloudy and dry with a high of 15°C.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/r4tOzShipbY N2 Juniper takes her breakfast fish with a lot of noise 06.15.55https://youtu.be/6g-Kz9WCG9Y N2 Coal Tits and Blue Tits flit around the nest 12.08.52https://youtu.be/1f_iytCua-I N2 Louis brings a flatfish for Juniper 19.07.25https://youtu.be/3ARP09vhi0g N2 Fish number three is gone in three minutes 19.42.34
Bonus photos – Aurora 536 spotted in Poole Harbour by Mark Wright  – she was seen there 18-19 August last year, so she’s taking a familiar route south:

Osprey 536 aka Aurora from Nest 1 at Loch Arkaig, ScotlandSeen today in Lytchett Bay, Dorset, England@harbourbirds.bsky.social @ukoi.bsky.social

— (@markwright12002.bsky.social) 2026-08-22T14:37:02.052Z

Everyone’s invited to join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and you’re all welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

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Thank you so much for being with us today. It is mid-afternoon. Time for tea and some shortbread and then to discover what I can find to keep Don tired tonight! Wish me luck.

Have a good end to your week, everyone. Take care of yourselves. If you feel overwhelmed, please just stop and take a deep breath. If you can, go for a walk or sit quietly, even for a few minutes, and listen to songbirds. It is easy to reach burnout. It is easy to become so anxious. I suggest stopping watching the news altogether. We do, and while a little filters through with e-mail, most of the time I am oblivious to what is happening outside my little world. It gives me peace. Sometimes that is what we really need. Peace and quiet.

Thank you to Geemeff for those wonderful images, videos, and the summary; to everyone who posts on FB and includes images; and to the owners of the streaming cams who let us share in the good and the bad that happens at the nests!

Super year in Seattle, Sol gets a new home… Monday in Bird World

3 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

Update: After the heat from yesterday, we woke up to cloudy skies and 18 C. What a blessing! We got to have a little longer walk with Toby. Don is not able to walk a great distance anymore but he made it for four blocks. We were delighted. Rain is to start at 1600. Bravo!

Oh, my goodness. The winds blew hot in Winnipeg on Sunday, with the temperature reaching 31 C around 1700. This is certainly not as hot and horrific as it is in other regions of the world. Still, I have seen a change in the garden wildlife. First, they appear to be needing and enjoying the water – we now have seven little sources for them – before wanting food. We are concerned about the Blue Jays as they do not seem to be around in the numbers they were a week and a half ago; there is one Red Squirrel, and I am only seeing two grey squirrels. The other sadness is, of course, Brock. The last positive sighting of him – along with a photo – was the 24th of June. Since then, all of my neighbours, including Jane, who helped feed him, have been searching to no avail. He disappeared on the same day as another friendly neighbourhood cat, Charlie. It is concerning. Jane and I miss him terribly – perhaps a weird thing to hear, but after feeding him for five years, he had a huge place in my heart. We worry that there is someone who is poisoning animals in our area, and that could be my City! But all of that is another discussion. For now, I just hope Brock shows up and surprises us all. He is certainly loved.

Wildfires in the UK have impacted some of the rarest wildlife in the country.

Wildfire near Sizewell nuclear plant causes ‘total devastation’ to Suffolk landscapehttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/31/suffolk-wildfire-sizewell-nuclear-plant-dunwich-heath?CMP=share_btn_url

The wildfires are, of course, impacting wildlife around the globe. It is devastating if you look at a map where there are fires. I understand that one of the reasons there are so many fires is that with all the early rain, vegetation grew. Then there is the drought, with places not having rain in a month or more. Then the fires.

I can say that the ospreys that live along the shore of Lake Winnipeg are being photographed and are doing well. We do not have lots of ospreys – we have some in our City – so they are not battling for fish as they are in some other places. It makes me happy.

Sol was not renested at Fru Rauer but was placed in another nest. Here is the video of him being taken in a box to the tree and placed in his new home. https://youtu.be/3B5cm7a0gl8?

In the UK, if the mothers are not on their way to their winter homes. Instead, many are fishing and helping the males with the fledglings.

Such a beautiful sight, big fish coming in steadily to fatten up the fledglings so that their first migration is a success. It is a contrast to what is happening in the US, where many of the males have disappeared. It is frightening that the females are struggling to find fish for their chicks and they need to be finding them for themselves.

At Santiam Canyon, the male has been missing for ten days. There are now great fish fights at the nest amongst the fledglings and concern that chick 2 is dominating the feedings so that the others might actually suffer or starve. The oldest and the youngest are decidedly thin-looking, and this will certainly impact their migration.

We are so near to fledge for Wensi at Hellgate Canyon, home to Iris and Clark, that you might not want to take your eyes off that nest! Look at Wensi hover!!!!!!!!!!

Cornell Bird Lab has Wensi’s hovering on video: https://youtu.be/cHvC1zwc4mc?

Look at what good condition Wensi is in. If it should happen that beloved Iris does not return next year, I will always remember what an amazing mother she is. She shielded Wensi from the extreme heat and made sure that s/he ate well every time a fish came to the nest. I will remember Clark being an amazing partner to Iris, more than I could have dreamed of when he first arrived. Iris deserves a good mate like Clark (or Finnegan), and I just wish she could have had mates like them all her life. It was a magical year for this family, and I know that every day our hearts warmed to watch them thrive.

Fledgling enjoying fish on the Clark PUD nest – and then another one arrives.

Healthy fledglings – all on the nest – fish calling at Finland’s #1 nest.

Waiting for dinner at the Dyfi nest of Idris and Telyn in Wales.

It is the same everywhere in the UK – those fledglings fish calling loudly. Parents can’t get the fish on the nest fast enough as these ‘babies’ fatten up for their first big migration. They will head to Spain and Portugal or West Africa.

At the Birds of Poole Harbour, Carey Secret Garden nest of CJ7 and Blue 022:

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 2nd Aug 2026


The chicks and Dorcha were on and off the nest throughout the day, calling for fish and pouncing on Louis when he arrived. The noise when only one is on the nest and calling is quite considerable and it ramps up by several orders of magnitude when two or more are calling – that and getting his toes chewed by eager beaks means Louis isn’t spending very much time on the nest, he drops his fish and departs as soon as possible. There were some alarms today but nothing serious and no intruders seen on nest cam, nothing to interrupt fish delivery and Louis brought four to the nest, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and sixty five. Dorcha contented herself with an old tail end allowing the chicks to take the fresh fish from her. 

Steve Quinn posted his usual thorough weekly analysis of Louis’ fishing stats, with interesting info on fish numbers in years with female chicks and years with male chicks and documenting Louis’ remarkable consistency. Details for his post in the bonus section. Aurora waited on Nest One but got no fish today, Garry turned up but only to do some nest tidying. His tally remains at one hundred and eighty nine. The weather was settled today but is forecast to change to light rain and light winds overnight and tomorrow, with a low of 11°C and a high of 17°C.


Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/p2sheGainoM N2

 Instead of fish one,Amber grabs Louis by the foot – again! 05.38.50https://youtu.be/Qlf9ZCp3ue0 N2 Juniper grabs fish two and lets Dorcha have the F1 tail end 06.21.45https://youtu.be/VafesrHDAzk N2 Dorcha again gives way to her chicks and lets Amber have fish three 13.35.59https://youtu.be/KJzg1f6mayc N1 Garry flies in quietly with a stick and does some nest tidying 15.33.14 https://youtu.be/VM54yBlwoWM N1 Aurora flies from Pole Tree and waits in vain on the nest 19.28.00https://youtu.be/AH7xKoaQwcg

N2 Dorcha follows Louis with fish four but lets Amber take it 22.10.19

Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

Our fish-tossing heroine, Viki, saved the chick and two adults – the chick fledged! Imagine a small place, St George’s Island, where up to 60 osprey chicks would have hatched five years ago, and now only one survived to fledge thanks to our brave human!

“Junior fledged a week ago. He practiced dragging his feet through the creek today, buzzed a couple of gulls who were simply minding their own business. His landings are spot-on and he hangs in the NCopse as do his parents. But he has not ventured out of sight of the nest.

After Junior fledged the female began making more appearances at the nest and surrounds. She has twice swooped down to grab one of the frozen menhaden I throw but did not feed any to Junior and otherwise ignores the frozen fish, even if Junior is fish calling for someone to bring it to him. She will bring and share live fish with Junior, as does the male. These fish are tiny and infrequent.

The male avoids directly providing the female with fish. A couple times she joined Junior on the nest and shared with him the frozen fish the male brought. But if she’s already on the nest he won’t bring a frozen fish to Junior.

The male and female  seem to avoid sharing either of their two nests simultaneously and keep a greater distance between one another in the NCopse.  But both seem committed to prepping Junior for migration.

I’m still tossing out 8 – 10 fish a day, sometimes fewer, and the male continues to fish, more so with the return of the female. But no matter how long he’s out fishing, there aren’t even medium-sized fish around.

No other chicks on St. George Island have survived.”

What is happening at St George Island, Maryland, is reminiscent of events where both Omega’s gill nets and industrial fishing, along with heat and storms, have wiped out the osprey population. This isn’t fiction. It is happening right before our eyes, and it is human-caused. Thank you, Viki, for saving these three!!!!!!! I only wish that those individuals who ‘observe’ the deaths on the platforms would step up for the wildlife they are hired to protect!

Things are very good for Sally and Harry and their three osplets in Seattle. Thanks, Ping Shen, for doing these observations and sending us images.

“Here in Seattle Harry and Sally and the 3 young continue to do really well! My visit today saw 3 fish deliveries in 45 minutes (2 from dad, 1 from mom), and I left with all the kids contentedly eating (2 on their own with their own fish, and 1 being fed by mom). Also saw some almost-flying, short trips across the nest, vertical flight up to a few feet above the nest, etc – I’m sure fledging will begin within the next day or so! They continue to look really good and mom and dad have clearly kicked fishing into high gear, with obvious success…can’t wait to see the little ones flying from the nest!

This is so wonderful – the adults will be healthy and fattened up for migration along with three fledglings. It has been a great year. I am delighted after the horrors of the NE.

There has been a fledge at Finland’s Loumais nest this morning.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We will see you again for a late post tomorrow. Ann and I hope to take Don and Toby to Oak Knoll Farm to pick up eggs and veggies along with some flowers tomorrow.

Thank you so much to Ping Shen, Viki Volks, SK Hideaways, and Geemeff for their wonderful monitoring, images, and videos. I am so grateful to them. Thank you to all who posted on FB and the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch these incredible birds striving to survive.

Late Sunday in Bird World

2 August 2026

Hello Everyone,

What a week it has been! My fear is that we are still seeing the perils our dear osprey will have to deal with as wildfires, drought, and extreme rain are impacting all parts of our planet. That weather is impacting us as well – the heat and what will be food shortages, particularly items made of wheat or cereal crops, that have been impacted. It truly is a difficult time for all.

Thank you to everyone who posted good wishes to Heidi. The loss of CH1 is truly devastating, as there were so few ospreys left in that region and, of course, it is the nest she loved.

There is some good news.

0E5, the first hatched male, at Dunrovin Ranch fledged this morning and returned to the nest!

The chick that was removed from the Fru Rauer nest in Norway has been rehomed in a nest with adults that had one chick about the same size. Sol is being fed and monitored by a team as there is no camera. Here is the YouTube announcement: https://youtu.be/zcYWlWscCMc?

The second hatch at Tweed Valley was removed with the hope that it will thrive away from a nest where there was a very aggressive older chick that would not allow it to eat.

The younger chick at Oyster Bay is staying near the nest and getting the fish being delivered.

Fish is being provided to all four fledglings at Poole Harbour. Blue 022 and CJ7 are exceptional parents. The fledglings seem to be always eating.

I love this image of Blue 33 almost getting his talons pulled off as he delivers two fish at once to the Rutland Manton Bay nest in the UK. Plenty of fish for the ospreys! Amazing Dad.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 1st August 2026

Today was a repeat of yesterday, the chicks slept elsewhere overnight and are really unlikely to sleep on the nest again, preferring to perch in trees which better suits the shape of their feet. They hopped on and off the nest, called very noisily for fish, competed with their mum to get fish from Louis and mantled over their prize, loudly warning the others away. Dorcha might have to go fishing for herself soon as she’s not getting much of Louis’ deliveries but she doesn’t try too hard to get the fish ahead of the chicks. There were a few alarms today, Ravens were heard cronking in the distance but nothing came near enough to be caught on camera. Louis delivered four fish, taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and sixty one, and nearly lost a toe to Amber in her eagerness to get to the fish. Garry brought one fish for Aurora and stayed to do a little nest tidying – the Nest One tally now stands at one hundred and eight nine. It should be mainly dry overnight and tomorrow with a low of 11°C and a high of 19°C.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/2YFqbqkQ4P0 N2 Dorcha allows Amber to take fish one 06.48.53 

https://youtu.be/L192Lk1U3cM N2 Tug of trout over fish two, Dorcha lets Juniper win 08.31.34

https://youtu.be/I-7iN2YBxg4 N1 Garry does a little nest tidying after Aurora leaves with fish one 10.24.57

https://youtu.be/vo6MJKwZhX0 N2 Dorcha’s on alert with fish three, Ravens heard cronking 15.45.50

https://youtu.be/0lQHDONgA4I N2 Amber grabs poor Louis instead of fish four 18.04.55

You’re invited to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

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This is the last article that University of Florida-Gainsville Intern at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre has written before returning to classes. ‘R’ sent it to me to share with you, and it gives us some hope for a species and maybe for all species. I keep thinking we need young people like Wes taking care of the environment!

Shorelines » Blog Archive American Icons: Reviving the River Herring – ShorelinesDownload

SK Hideaways Videos for Week of 26 July 2026

FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA
Resident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014
Resident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012
Sandy hatched 4 April 2026, Luna hatched 5 April 2026
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

Shadow Checks In Morning and Night  ~  Sub-Adult Stays Close ~ Critters Clean Up (2026 Jul 30)
Shadow continues to spend the night in his usual roost tree, stopping briefly on a favorite perch in the morning. The sub-adult (I think the same one) seems to be in the area whenever Shadow is there. The sub-adult has taken the hint to perch a respectable distance from Shadow, as he’s shown no interest in interacting directly. While the eagles are away during the day, a whole host of critters visit the nest ~ I call them the cleaning crew. Sandy and Luna have not been seen on camera since July 23rd. Enjoy this day in Jackie and Shadow’s habitat.  
Video: https://youtu.be/wzV_Uf40fP4
Shadow’s Comings and Goings While Awaiting Jackie’s Return (2026 Jul 24)
Shadow’s routine has changed since Jackie was taken into care. Sometimes we see him morning and night, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes with a sub-adult bald eagle, sometimes alone. Here’s a day when we saw him both morning and night. This was also the last day faint squees were heard from juvenile eagles, which we hope were Sandy and Luna. It’s a time of wonder, discovery, and hope as we observe this habitat in a different light. 
Video: https://youtu.be/qfP_F-PEN9k

Jackie is on everyone’s mind! She is improving and was feeding herself. She is in the best care, and this is a reminder not to be sucked into those who keep spreading horrible rumours. No wildlife facility, let alone Ojai Raptor Centre, would keep a raptor in care longer than is needed for donations! Unbelievable.

Arthur has been spotted on campus with the Ps who continue to thrive with him and Big Red providing prey.

This is another tragedy. Every White-tail Eagle that has died in Dorset, England has died of rodenticide poisoning.

Natural England forced to admit ‘Every White-tailed Eagle death in Dorset linked to rat poison’ – RaDownload

The two osplets at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum are thriving despite the heat that is covering our region. [Please note this nest never had three chicks – the third did not die, and any information related to that on the Memorial Page has been removed. There was confusion about the name of the nest when an individual sent me information for the Memorial Page].

Mum and Dad on the barge nest at Port Lincoln as they prepare for the 2026 breeding season – mating is certainly on the agenda!

Friends of Osprey Sth Australia have been checking the other platforms in the area as they work to reintroduce the species to the region. They are hopeful for a good year! I will keep you posted.

All four juveniles, including the fledglings, home for fish at Blackbush.

Fish arrived at Cowlitz.

I have no idea what has happened at Osoyoos but the heat has been incredible.

Fish at Sandpoint for only osplet.

Fledglings return to the Salmon, Idaho nest for fish. On occasion you can see the wildfire smoke on the streaming cam that is near.

Lucky osplet at the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho nest just got a huge whole fish from Dad!

These two osprey nests are right in the middle of humans – just look at Sandy Hook!

We hope that each of you are doing well. Please do check the Memorial Page and help me fill in the gaps and send good wishes to all those osplets on nests for a successful fledge and migration – and to the adults who are trying to fatten up for their journey to their winter homes. I can tell you that Seren Blue 5F has made it to her winter home in The Gambia. She has been photographed. I hope that next year is a better season for her and Dylan at Llyn Clywedog.

Hugo Yugo clowning around on the chair. You can see the poor dear has no teeth in front to hold her tongue. She is a real character.

Hope loving Missey.

Toby had his flea and tick treatment and wears his little jacket so none of the liquid will get on the cats.

It has been busy at the bird baths. The raccoon comes at night and even took a bath and a good old drink. Please remember to leave out life-saving water for the birds and other wildlife. It does make a difference.

See you soon!

Thank you to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their dedication, their videos, and nest summaries. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me this week. I am grateful to everyone wo posted on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to view these families. A big shout out to those who rescued osplets in need and who have tried to make their lives better – Fru Rauer and Tweed Valley this week.

Jackie is critically ill…Late, late Tuesday in Bird World

21 July 2026

Greetings Everyone,

We had a wonderful birthday party for my daughter. Toby was so good… ours is a family of cat lovers, and being the first dog there has been some scepticism amongst the others. Of course, anyone reading this knows how I feel about my little man. He found some mulch, which he knew he was not supposed to have, and look at this silly character!

The weather cooperated – it was cool and sunny without any mosquitoes and no rain! It was so nice to have all the family (almost) together.

There has been some news about Jackie and I want to pass it along to you if you have not already seen it. Jackie is critically ill. She is in the best place she can be to receive care. It appears that she has some kind of toxicity. You might recall that Victor had zinc toxicity. He was a young eaglet, not yet fledged, and he survived to be released. What a glorious day that was.

I believe the date on the posting below is a typo and should read 21 July. So this is the latest information. Thanks, Sharon Pollock.

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 21st July 2026

More intruders today but nothing like the dramatic scenes of yesterday when 2024 Loch Fleet chick Blue 9A6 actually locked talons with Dorcha. None of today’s appeared on nest cam but Dorcha certainly saw them and reacted to them, and her day ended with her using her crow voice to warn off a Tawny Owl calling very near by. The RAF also intruded with several aircraft disturbing the peace including a trio of Typhoon jets caught on both nest cams. Louis brought three fish taking the Nest Two tally to three hundred and nine, and causing the two chicks to tussle over a flatfish which was eventually won by Amber 8P6 but not before Juniper 8P7 had had a good go at it. In between fish deliveries and intruder alarms they practised wingercising and both chicks managed a little lift off, only a few inches off the ground but helicoptering and then fledging is on the horizon. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 brought two fish for Aurora 536, taking his tally to one hundred and seventy seven. He made another mating attempt then did some housekeeping, they’re both now ignoring the rotten but still intact egg, and it’s good to see them reaffirming their pair bond. The weather was settled and sunny but not too hot, and will remain so tomorrow with an overnight low of 12°C and a high tomorrow of 19°C.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/IFCDPvjn3lA N1 Garry waits on the empty nest until Aurora arrives to take his fish 10.56.46https://youtu.be/iwcojlOyXLo N2 The chicks get high! Well, a couple of inches anyway 11.52.30https://youtu.be/aW60h3-afIA N2 The first fish arrives late – the chicks tussle for it 12.36.18https://youtu.be/RMeOGHrtk_Q N2 Dorcha defends against an intruder after fish two is delivered 13.08.38https://youtu.be/hX1MSyyQRI4 N1 Romeo makes his move! 14.08.12https://youtu.be/W4Z4D-rO4uQ N2 Louis tries and fails to take fish two back again 14.53.42https://youtu.be/jfZ2uity4eM  N1 Aurora’s waiting when Garry brings fish two 16.01.50https://youtu.be/SJ_dF_Ljkxo N1 & N2 A trio of Typhoons caught on both cams 16.15.34https://youtu.be/lXfjmjhJ5rc N2 Dorcha uses her crow voice as a Tawny Owl calls very near by 23.41.31

Bonus update – Following the return of 2024 Loch Arkaig chick 1JW to Spain, here’s news of this year’s cohort of  Scottish translocatees just arrived in Valencia: 

https://euroweeklynews.com/2026/07/20/twelve-osprey-chicks-arrive-after-2700km-journey-to-help-restore-spains-wild-population

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

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There is excellent news – David Gessner is getting involved and giving a real voice to fight over the industrial/commercial fishing of Menhaden that has caused a collapse of the ecosystem and the deaths of the ospreys.

https://www.uncw.edu/news/academic-affairs/chssa/2026/07/seahawks-in-peril-gessner-revisits-osprey-in-audubon-feature

One of the ‘groups’ that I support that work hard and punch beyond their numbers is Ventana Wildlife and the California Condors. Here is some great news from Kelly Sorenson, the Director of VWS:

July 21, 2026
Dear Mary,After the heartbreak we shared recently, we are overjoyed to bring you some wonderful news. Condor (340) and Condor (868) have made full recoveries from lead poisoning and are back in central California!
 
Thanks to the incredible, life-saving care of our partners at the Oakland Zoo and Los Angeles Zoo, both birds are now resting and recharging in our Big Sur pen. Over the next few weeks they’ll build up strength and reintegrate into the flock before their return to the wild in mid-August. And thanks to explore.organd the Live Cams, you can help us keep watch. Once Condor (340) and Condor (868) arrive later today, they should be the center of attention, both for the rest of the flock and for the hundreds of viewers like you tuning in!
 
(These Pinnacles-released condors would normally return to the Pinnacles pen, but with that pen closed for its annual maintenance, Big Sur welcomed them home. It is a wonderful example of our close partnership with Pinnacles National Park.)
 
Condor (340), “Kun-Wac-Shun”
This 22-year-old male, named by Chief Nelson Wallulutum of the Wasco Tribe, is a true legend. He is the most dominant male in the Pinnacles flock and famously raised the first wild condor chick to fledge at Pinnacles in over 100 years. After showing severe signs of lead poisoning on April 2, the Oakland Zoo’s around-the-clock care pulled him through a critical situation.
 
Condor (868)
A resilient 9-year-old male and proud father of two, Condor (868) was captured on April 30 with clinical signs of lead poisoning and rushed to the Los Angeles Zoo, where the veterinary team brought him back to full health.

A reminder of why this matters: lead poisoning remains the number one threat to wild condors. It is also preventable. By choosing non-lead ammunition, hunters and ranchers become vital partners in keeping these birds safe.Watch Condor (340) and Condor (868) on the Live Cam →Learn about our free Non-Lead Ammunition Program →Read Condor (340) and Condor 868’s full bios →Recoveries like these are only possible because of you. Thank you for standing with this flock through the hard days and celebrating with us on the good ones.
 
 
With gratitude,


Kelly Sorenson
Executive Director

…and the Condor Crew
Ventana Wildlife Society

While we might not think that there is any silver lining to Jackie being rescued after a fight with a large sub-adult, she is getting treatment for an illness that she had that had nothing to do with that other eagle. My grandmother always told me to believe hard that everything happens for a reason. I am glad that Jackie is in care. Thrilled that she was able to have two chicks this season with Shadow to fledge – Sandy and Luna. Imagine if she had young chicks in the nest and got ill without treatment. So, I want to go to bed tonight sending all the positive energy that I can to Jackie for healing. I hope you will do the same.

At our local wildlife rehab, there are two orphan hawks that are in care.

Fledge at Ranworth in the UK:

Beautiful chick at Charlo Montana!

Beautiful chick at Hellgate Canyon:

Two gorgeous osplets at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho! There was a third beautiful healthy chick that tragically died during a very horrific storm that hit the area in late June.

The new couple at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum are terrific. Just look at those two healthy fully feathered osplets.

Mum sheltering her baby in the heat at Osoyoos.

CJ7 and three of her four babies at the Poole Harbour nest in the UK.

Two fledglings wishing for fish at Poole Harbour.

Elen and Teifi’s trio at Glslyn.

Thank you so much for being with us. I really needed you to know how Jackie is doing if you didn’t know. Take care.

Thank you also to everyone who has written to me. My son returns to the Caribbean on Saturday and I hope to have time to answer those letters by late Sunday.

Thank you to Geemeff for her summary and videos and the link to the information about Gessner, to Kelly Sorenson for the great news, to the Ojai Raptor Centre who are trying so hard to heal Jackie, to Pam Breci for keeping me posted, and to everyone else who posted information on FB along with images and the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to follow the lives of these bird families.

Is it Jackie?…Late, late Sunday in Bird World

19 July 2026

Good Evening Everyone,

This will be an incredibly short posting with what I hope is some really great information.

I have avoided mentioning dear Jackie, our beloved Mum and mate of Shadow at Big Bear Valley, until I saw and heard some information that felt ‘transparent’. A message recording has been put out and here is the link:

https://recorder.google.com/c0a3385a-d53f-40fc-b01b-f66df7f392d6

Thank you, Pam Breci, for sending this to me. We are waiting for any confirmation. This is why Darvic Rings are important, but it would have been nearly impossible to have ringed Jackie, as she hatched in that gorgeous, very tall tree in 2012. She shared with Mr B, then with Shadow and their chicks.

SK Hideaways has sent their video listing for the week:

SK Hideaways Videos for the Week of 12 July 2026
While we may have seen the last sightings of the four siblings at the San
Jose peregrine falcon nest, we continue to enjoy Sandy and Luna at Big Bear,
as well as any and all happenings with the Channel Island eagles. My
Southern Hemisphere coverage will ramp up over next few weeks. That’s just
my little world of coverage for now.  Mary Ann covers much, much more and
we’re eternally grateful.

FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow; eaglets Sandy &
Luna (hatched 4-5 April 2026)
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

Sub-Adult Breaches Nest ~ Shadow Attacks and Chases as Luna & Sandy Fly In
(2026 Jul 19)
One of the persistent sub-adult bald eagles followed Shadow to the nest.
Shadow made his displeasure known vocally, but when Luna arrived, Shadow
leapt over him and flushed the sub-adult from the nest, chasing them to the
lake and possibly beyond. Sandy arrived at the nest as the chase was
unfolding, and she and Luna looked on, squee-less. Not a minute later,
Shadow was perched on Twin Pines and 9 minutes later, Sandy and Luna perched
on the Cactus Snag. Shadow remains on Twin Pines, on guard as we publish. We
wish all Big Bear eagles well and continue to wait for definitive news of
Jackie’s whereabouts. 
Video: https://youtu.be/3OnNjmhclpo

Dramatic Tug-o-Fish Episode ~ Sandy & Luna Split the Difference (2026 Jul
18)
A dramatic nest entrance and tug-o-fish session ends with both Sandy and
Luna getting some fish. Then they perch together like nothing ever happened.
Video: https://youtu.be/Y1ibuAnekiI

Cross-Valley Eaglet Chortles ~ A.M. Tug-o-Fish ~ Three on Cactus Snag (2026
Jul 18)
Dawn at Big Bear brought another symphony of chatter with Sandy and Luna
squee’ing across the valley. Sunrise was magnificent as they continued their
conversation. When they left their night perches, Sandy and Luna met on the
Cactus Snag till Shadow flew past with the first fish of the day. They raced
to the nest to collect their snack ~ Luna beating Sandy to the grab. About
1/2 way through the fish, Sandy snuck in for the steal; at 3/4 gone, Luna
took it back. They digested on the front perch before returning to the
Cactus Snag, where Shadow ultimately joined them,  chortling to Jackie, who
remained off camera. In a spectacular finale, Shadow struck an horaltic pose
that mesmerized even Sandy and Luna. A glorious morning was had by all lucky
enough to see it. 
Video: https://youtu.be/ah5ksEbUODY

Shadow’s 7-Fish Day ~ Sandy & Luna Compete Fiercely ~ Score Evenly (2026
Jul 17)
Once again Shadow outdid himself in the fish delivery department. He
brought one fish early, which no one came to the nest to claim. But then
delivered 6 more in a 4-hour timespan.  Sandy and Luna competed quite
fiercely for 3 of the fish, as Shadow looked on with an expression we dare
not attempt to interpret. It could have been anything from pride to concern
to mild interest ~ we’ll never know. The other 3 fish were grabbed so
quickly that the “losing” eaglet had no chance of competing for it. Suffice
it to say, both Sandy and Luna both went to sleep with very full crops
tonight. 
Video: https://youtu.be/rTgvrWi6hWQ

Shadow’s Fish Fest ~ 2 for Sandy, 2 for Luna  ~ Food Comas Ensue (2026 Jul
15)
Shadow was on a mission this afternoon bringing FOUR FISH in just over an
hour. Sandy and Luna were in fish heaven ~ they got two each. Shadow left
them to their food comas, which they duly embraced, each on their favorite
perch.
Video: https://youtu.be/nh_hKzhHc1g

Sandy & Luna Get Their Own Fish ~ Preen Each Other and Nap (2026 Jul 13)
Master angler Shadow made sure both Sandy and Luna got their own fish this
morning. It was a flurry of feathers with each fish delivery after the
eaglets raced across the valley to claim their prize. Once they’d enjoyed
their snacks, they settled down together for some beaky kisses, tail biting,
and ~ as the food coma set in ~ naps. Cuteness overload ensued. 
Video: https://youtu.be/VTjElRgpchQ

FOBBVCAM Eagles JACKIE’S HOME! Whole Family Meets on Nest for Fish! (2026
Jul 12)
As we’ve learned since this video was released, Jackie is spending time
further out in the territory keeping an eye on sub-adult eagles who are
passing through the area. She and Shadow are making sure that Sandy and
Luna’s efforts to hone their skills in preparation to become independent are
not hampered. But she did make an appearance on the 12th. 

After Jackie and Shadow perched on Twin Pines together, Shadow departed to
get Jackie a welcome home fish. She was very grateful and enjoyed it mostly
to herself, even when Sandy and Luna came home expecting to get some. Life
lessons were taught. But ever the doting father, Shadow brought a second
fish, which Luna happily scarfed down. With this fish, Shadow had fed the
entire family today. Well, of course he had. What a gift to see the entire
family on the nest together. It was a good day in Big Bear Valley. 
Video: https://youtu.be/_Ilx0Vwopd0

Sandy & Luna End/Begin Days with Beaky Kisses ~ Stunning Sunset/Sunrise
(2026 Jul 11-12)
Sandy and Luna ended the day together on the nest, sharing beaky kisses and
allopreening with a lovely sunset as their backdrop. When Shadow delivered
supper, Sandy swooped in, mantling with her magnificent wings, but left Luna
a few bites in the end. The eaglets then shuffled some branches before Luna
departed for his overnight roost on the Simba Tree. 

As dawn broke, the eaglets remained on their respective night roosts. Then
Big Bear came aglow with a most stunning and long-lasting sunrise during
which Sandy traversed across the valley to join Luna on the Simba Tree.
Ultimately, they relocated to the Lookout Snag, where they finished watching
the sunrise together. It was a magical time and one which we won’t soon
forget. (2026 Jul 11-12)
Video: https://youtu.be/Ua-mAhCld3Q

San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcons ~ San Jose, CA ~ Hartley, Monty;
chicks Jet, Scout, Stewart, and Walton (hatched 21 April 2026)
Courtesy San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcon Cam | Predatory Bird Research
Group
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBSxPjy5sow
Ledge Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pp9TisLmLU
Roof Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQLhmV6bP6o

Walton Learns Territory Defense from Monty ~ Dive-bombing, Talons Up (2026
Jul 14)
As Hartley relaxed on the ledge, Walton zoomed in and bumped her off. But
in a twist of Walton’s prior experiences, Monty was right behind him. Monty
flew over, circled back, and swooped on Walton, causing Walton to go talons
up and tumble to the runway. Monty circled back around and flew over once
for good measure (secretly we think he was checking Walton was OK). Poor
Walton got a tough lesson in territorial defense, which he pondered for a
minute before departing. 

As devoted fans, we wonder if we’ll ever see the boys here again, but some
of the trackers seem to be working. Walton’s tracker pinged in San Francisco
and Oakland (~35-45 miles away as the crow flies). Scout’s has pinged
further away at Hellyer Park in south San Jose (~6 miles).  Jet’s has pinged
in the Fremont Hills (~18-19 miles). And, unfortunately, Stewart’s tracker
has stopped working. 75% is not bad, though. While we’ll miss them, we’re
grateful to know they are dispersing healthy and hearty. 
Video: https://youtu.be/RZ71UkrSYZU

Two Harbors Eagles ~ Catalina Island, CA ~ Cholyn & Chase
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Two Harbors Eagles
Cam Ops
Overlook Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx7RKxpyzQ
Eagle Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5T2eHM8tcI

Cholyn Chills While a BIG Rattler, Lucy Franco, and Rowboater Visit (2026
Jul 16)
While Chase was off doing eagle things, Cholyn sat on their couch as a host
of visitors slithered and floated by. A VERY large Southern Pacific
rattlesnake visited the overlook nest in the pre-dawn hours, the Lucy Franco
tugged by a bit later with goods for a local port, and an intrepid rower
bobbed by. All the while, Cholyn remained on her couch watching the world
and visitors go by. How cool to see what was happening all around Cholyn and
Chase’s habitat. 
Video: https://youtu.be/9PVJot6LfqI

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Sunday 19th July 2026

Another day featuring intruders, this time Ospreys who divebombed and overflew Nest Two, including a ringed Osprey. The ringed Osprey didn’t fully appear in the camera view so the ring couldn’t be read, and Dorcha flew off the nest to get rid of it when it perched in the Scots Pine. When the chicks weren’t pancaked because of intruder alarms, they practised wingercising with enthusiasm, getting ready for the day when they find their wings and fly off into the world – not too long now. Louis stayed for minutes at a time after delivering his fish, despite Dorcha’s urging, and even did a little nest scraping, but he didn’t desert his duties, and delivered five fish today, the last of which was his three hundredth for the season – quite a milestone achievement! The Nest Two tally, including Dorcha’s two, now stands at three hundred and two. Over on Nest One, Garry LV0 delivered two fish for Aurora 536 taking the nest and his personal tally to one hundred and seventy four. The weather was settled and mild, and set to continue with light cloud and light winds overnight with a low of 12°C, and sunny intervals with a high of 21°C tomorrow.

Today’s videos:

https://youtu.be/H6r948rg6Zo N2 Neither chick seems interested in an early trout breakfast 04.39.33https://youtu.be/VSsTf6-iBNA N2 Fish two arrives and departs due to a divebombing intruder Osprey 05.02.07https://youtu.be/uNVCqaojMyM N2 Louis returns fish two and does a bit of housekeeping 05.19.57https://youtu.be/egFLzENxHnQ N2 Dorcha’s not there so Louis waits with fish three 06.14.10https://youtu.be/zDW0KXA0JqM N1 The nest’s empty when Garry brings the first fish 09.19.08

https://youtu.be/UMx3zPi7Bcg N2 Dorcha’s unusually quiet when Louis brings fish four 13.50.15https://youtu.be/bandf1qHQ1Y N1 This time Aurora’s waiting for Garry when he returns fish two, a whole flatfish

16.02.18

https://youtu.be/EBX6A_18VmM N2 Louis shows no sign of leaving after delivering fish five 17.37.32https://youtu.be/iX0_19-Se8I N2 Dorcha sees off a ringed intruder who overflies the nest 18.10.08

Everyone’s invited to join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and you’re all welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

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Today there were a record number of fledges in the UK – they are calling it Super Sunday. Ten chicks from streaming cams fledged, including – hang on to your seat – Aeron Z2 and Blue 014’s trio, all within a few hours from start to finish, with each returning to the nest. Remarkable. I do not recall that ever happening. Dads and Mums are busy delivering fish at all the nests with some fledges still to come.

Deaths continue in the US osprey world. Too many that need to be added to the Memorial Wall now.

My hero of the day is Viki who is desperately trying to keep the only two chicks on Indian Creek alive. Imagine watching twenty osprey nests for more than two decades to see a nest, now without its female who left a few days ago, struggling. Viki is providing frozen fish. The male is eating and has delivered to the nest and the eldest chick can self-feed but the younger one can only peck at the fish. Let’s hope it gets the hang of this quickly! But if one chick can be saved, it is a miracle considering that all other nests failed.

Females are leaving the nests. They must fatten up before migration, and it is clear they understand how difficult it is. They are leaving to find fish elsewhere. We see this behaviour later – the normal is that the females help supply fish after the chicks have fledged and then leave much earlier than the males, who continue to bring fish to the nest til the last chick has departed on its first migration. I remember that Aran at the Glaslyn nest had to wait until late September one year to leave. But in the US, these chicks have not fledged! Many have no parents to feed them. It is my fruitless hope that those individuals who have the authority (or not) will declare what Norway did and that the heat domes, the warming lakes, oceans, rivers, and ponds due to that heat, and the lack of fish are all human-caused. Help would then be provided – no bloody excuses!

When Viki wrote me today she said: “Also, I heard a very interesting thing from a local man who takes folks out fishing. He’s discovered that the little fish swimming on top of the water, always indicative of larger fish beneath them, have no larger fish beneath them. Weird.” ——- I guess those larger fish have all been scooped up by the nets of the industrial/commerical trawlers.

I never thought I would live to see an ecosystem as beautiful and alive as The Chesapeake Bay die, but it is dying. And our beautiful fish hawks are dying with it – ‘the canary in the mine’. The warning signal of the total collapse to come. It breaks my heart.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian osplet at Fru Rauer’s nest that was rescued because it was getting bashed and being held from getting sufficient food, is doing splendidly in care. Here is the update: https://youtu.be/2XeVWs9zgkU?

Thank you for being with us. Please do take care. Send good wishes to all the nests.

Thank you to Pam Breci for sending me all the latest on Jackie, to SK Hideaways and Geemeff for their videos and daily summary. To Viki – my hero who is desperately trying to keep two babies alive and to the camera owners who allow us to watch these families as they struggle to survive in a changing world.

Name the chicks…Thursday in Bird World

9 July 2026

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I don’t want to bore you to death, but it is hot. We continue under a special advisory for temperatures in the 30s, climbing to the mid 30s C, with a humidex reading of 45 C.

The heat is changing all of our lives. That, along with intense and multiple storms and heavy rains, is causing catastrophic events around the world. For me, my focus is on the wildlife who are particularly suffering – no shade, not much fish (for many reasons when it is a heat related event), and no one willing to step up and help. Dave Hancock put up shades for the Bald Eagles in British Columbia. Will we need to do this for the ospreys that live in vulnerable areas? or will there be any ospreys to shade. Viki reports from Indian Creek, Maryland. She writes, “The worst news, it’s possible only one of the two chicks in Lily’s nest got fed yesterday. There were at least two fish deliveries, but the third Lily was squeeing for it as LB prepped it in his perch tree — and that fish was tiny. I’m not even sure if it was big enough for LB to share. I do not see a happy outcome for Island Creek. Year number 3 of no fledglings.” If you have not checked out her blog documenting years of observing the ospreys on Indian Creek – when they were plentiful – please do. It’s free and you can learn a lot about osprey behaviour. Here is the place to go: IslandCreekOspreyes.com

It is time to name the chicks at Loch Arkaig nest 2, home to Louis and Dorcha. The deadline is Monday, and the selection will be made Monday night, so put your thinking caps on. There are two. To give name suggestions, you must either go to the forum or any Woodland Trust social media platform and use this #2026NAME. Then put in two names, one for each chick.

Here is the place to vo5te – go all the way down to the chat: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/

You will note that George indicates both chicks are female. I was going to leave this to Geemeff to surprise everyone, but it seems everyone knows!!!!!!

Dorcha feeding the two chicks:

After waiting patiently in the line, little four did get some fish around noon at the Blackbush nest in Prince Edward Island. It was not a lot – a few bites and the skin at the end before Mum cleaned her beak. I am not clear if the little one had food earlier.

At 1259 Little Four is hoping for a private feeding. It certainly got a few bites before it was joined by another bigger sib who, in the end, frightened the little one to the rail (the little chick is very nervous).

The little one at Osoyoos has a leaf-lined nest and had some fish at 0614.

I believe we are losing at least one of the two osplets on the nest at Cowlitz or both. This nest desperately needs a huge influx of fish.

Clark PUD is doing well.

Two chicks at Port of Ridgefield are doing well.

The only hatch of Keke and Kam at Sandpoint looks alright. Small fish coming in – like all nests, they could use lots more fish to build up fat and strength. Little one is growing fast.

Trio at Santiam doing well.

Dixie Rother posted good news about the Glacier Gardens eaglets.

Pam Breci catches the fledge at Salt Point, Lansing, NY. Yeah.

Celebrations at Seilli Island, Finland. The famous Seili Island (Seilli) Osprey nest in Finland’s Archipelago Sea features adult ospreys Hildur and Stefu. In a highly celebrated milestone for 2026, the pair successfully welcomed three chicks that hatched on June 1, 3, and 5—a major event as three chicks had not successfully hatched on this specific nest in ten years.

Clark was out early. What an amazing family.

Iris keeps baby cool.

Charlie has been bringing in big trout for Mum and baby C22 at Charlo Montana.

McEuen Park osplets look alright but it also looks hot. I wish every cam had a temperature gauge.

The nest of Telyn and Idris at Dyfi is sure getting full!!!!

CJ7 and Blue 022 have a fuller nest at Poole Harbour Carey’s Secret Garden osprey nest! Four female chicks doing fantastic.

Elen and Teifi have three gorgeous ospreys at Glaslyn.

Two at Usk Valley doing well.

Llyn Brenig chicks behaving themselves at their Welsh nest. Fish came on. No great interest by chicks so off the adult went.

Toby and Hugo Yugo wish you a great day.

Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. Stay cool. Please remember the animals and leave out water. It is life saving.

Thank you to all of the individuals who posted information on FB and images, to Viki Volks for her observations at Island Creek, to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to observe these families, thank you, thank you.

Late, late Tuesday in Bird World

7 July 2026

Hello Everyone,

There is always good news although sometimes we have to look hard for it. Today I want to begin with a note that our beloved osprey, Ervie, from the Port Lincoln Osprey barge, has a girlfriend and has been seen carrying sticks to a nest. It made my heart beat lighter.

Today’s blog is not full of hope and happiness. There are a lot of deaths in the US, and as I continue to remind everyone, we must celebrate those nests that manage to fledge even a single chick. I am wondering how many will fledge their entire clutch? When fledge begins, please send me names, as I want to create a map of those nests. I continue to need your help with the memorial wall. Have a look, please, and let me know who I am missing. (Not limited to ospreys!)

I want to begin with a tragedy unfolding at the PSEG Oyster Bay osprey platform. What begin as a hopeful season is ending up with tragedy after tragedy due to human debris. The youngest chick cannot eat because it has a blue rope stuck in its beak and throat. There is also a fishing line (hook unknown if present) wrapping itself in the centre of the nest at last check. No one is going to check this nest. Some of you might recall that there were issues at the PSEG Patchogue nest several years ago and the electric company did nothing. This is human caused – please call or write and ask for help!

Their e-mail is: CustomerServiceLI@pseg.com

At the Achieva Osprey platform, Jack had been MIA. He showed up today with a Spadefish for Little. Nice. This is good.

Bart Molenaar reports: “Empty nest at Manton Bay. Both 8R7 at 8:24 and his sister 8R6 at 10:46 fledged this morning.”

Llyn Brenig chicks were ringed.

Beautiul babies at this nest. So nice and healthy – those Welsh chicks are just darlings. The chicks of Aeron Z2 and Blue 014 at The Friends of Osprey platform at Pont Cresor, Glaslyn, were ringed. Here is the video: https://youtu.be/TbX6mM1t8XU?

Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 7th July 2026

Like yesterday, today wasn’t nearly as wet as expected and the forecast shows light rain overnight with a low of 14°C, improving tomorrow to mainly dry with some drizzle, gentle breezes and a high of 19°C. Garry LV0 brought one fish for Aurora 536 taking the Nest One tally to one hundred and fifty four, but the nest cam was down for its longest period to date, well over nine hours, allowing the possibility of several unseen deliveries. The pair are spending long periods off the nest but Aurora is still staying overnight, begging the question: for how much longer? Sad news came from Bunarkaig via Chaddie and LizB that only one chick seems to have survived, and fish deliveries are not as regular as required. Fingers crossed for the remaining chick of Affric 152 & Prince. No such problems for Louis & Dorcha, ignoring the big RAF transporter which flew unusually close to the nest, Louis delivered eight fish, taking the Nest Two tally to two hundred and forty five and sending the chicks to bed with bulging crops. The chicks are maturing rapidly, they join Dorcha in fish-calling and are developing little sneaky ways which will aid their survival as juveniles – one stole a fish tail right out of the beak of the other, then later made a call at feeding time which caused the other chick to pancake, leaving the sneaky chick to an exclusive feed. Forum members are still buzzing about the happy news of the return of 2024 translocated chick 1JW to his place of fledging in Spain, and the media have taken an interest too, link to a news article in the bonus section.

Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/6P1aZzzdL7A N2 Louis leaves with Dorcha’s encouragement after delivering fish one 07.04.52https://youtu.be/AJVyNz3Qajk N2 Dorcha warns off two intruder Ospreys near the nest 08.45.09 https://youtu.be/0d8FH8p4HZI N2 Dorcha watches an RAF Atlas Airbus fly near the nest 10.26.05 (zoom)https://youtu.be/GE_Lyu858xY N2 Tiny fish two lasts just 2.5 mins 11.27.23https://youtu.be/DfD9sZdoniM N2 Both chicks join Dorcha in calling for fish three 16.21.24https://youtu.be/cxtvO4-3jCY N1 Aurora departs with fish one, Garry leaves too – nest is empty 17.04.44https://youtu.be/aJrabFkkhow N2 Louis does a ten second handover of number four, a flatfish 17.37.49 https://youtu.be/m-ZNudRviJI N2 Another trout for the family, number five 19.39.52https://youtu.be/-Dq2Xu65LoY N2 One chick steals the tail of fish six right out of the other’s beak! 20.53.30https://youtu.be/pf-AiRRwgHI N2 Yet another trout arrives, number seven 21.02.17https://youtu.be/mQ91FHWBcYs N2 Lean mean fishing machine Louis bring number eight 22.31.17


Come and join the friendly community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s fun, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

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The third hatch at Cape Cod Mashpee Osprey Nest has died today. COD is thought to be a lack of food but heat could have been a mitigating factor.

Things were looking better for the little fourth hatch at Blackbush Osprey platform in Prince Edward Island. In the comments: “Blackbush .. 3 x good-sized fish and mum remained at the nest most of the day and sheltered her chick at times… 7:25, 10:44, 17:13” ‘PB’ supplied a screen capture of ‘Tiny’ getting fed.

This screen capture shows the immense size difference between Tiny and its three feathered big sibs.

Concerns for the Wetlands Osprey platform:

No worries for Little Dewey. This Mum is incredible.

Members of the Ventana Wildlife Society will try and find Iniko on Wednesday. The mortality signal went off on 18 June 2026. Let’s please hope this is a glitch.

Iniko 1031 A Mortality Signal and a Community Holding Its BreathDownload

Viki Volk is our monitor on Indian Creek, Maryland. She has given me permission to include her full name and location. She has been monitoring the ospreys living in front of her house for over twenty years. This is our correspondence today. Viki was originally a reporter, and she has written a diary of her experiences with the ospreys. I urge you to check it out and enjoy a real-life experience through the years – a place where there were ospreys breeding successfully and seen everywhere, to today – where there is a single nest that could be struggling.

“IslandCreekOspreyes.com

What a delight your notes always are, despite the news. We also lost the only chick remaining on the nest next door – although out front Lily and LB are keeping their two alive.

The one next door bothers me. The food was not as plentiful as it should have been and the slast chick alive appeared to have failed to thrive. There was a bully in that nest, but the surviving chick looks like you’d expect the bully’s victim to look like. There was food on the nest the evening before the chick died. An adult was eating but for some reason not feeding the chick. The chick did not present itself for feeding, although moved toward the adult. The adult made no effort to feed the chick. This is a more difficult nest for me to see into than the one straight out front. But it seemed more complicated than lack of fish. The chick rallied the next day, but didn’t survive the next night. It has been very hot week, adding to its problems. The temperatures have been in the 90s. That’s 32 to you, right?

My story – Island Creek Ospreys – 2020 – What I Knew Then, What I Know Now – 2026 –  currently stops a day short of that death. But I will be adding at least through the 2026 season.

I would be thrilled if you mentioned it!!  Please use it freely. I believe what I write about ospreys is correct and would be very glad if you do read it and let me know of any errors or misunderstandings I might have. 

In 2019 ospreys were so prolific in the Chesapeake I had to assure the Maryland Range I could distinguish, and it WAS an eagle in my yard. The osprey population was so large in Maryland that the state no longer rescued osprey.

Today food looked short out front. “

There is a documentary, The Last Osprey, that will be show in August in Colonial Beach, Va. Just recently an adult osprey has been found deceased there.

Thank you so much for being with me tonight. This is just a quick glimpse at some of the nests. I had a brilliant day with my son and daughter in law as we set up my outside camera to discover that it is the Crows and the Blue Jays that are eating the cat kibble left out for Brock! Let’s hope that Brock will arrive tonight. I have not seen him sliding under the gate in a week.

Take care everyone! See you soon.

Thank you to absolutely everyone who posted information and images on FB, to Geemeff, thank you for your summary and videos, and to the owners of the streaming cams we are always grateful even if the news is grim that we are able to see the good, the bad, and the horrific.

Hen Harriers disappear…Early Wednesday

24 June 2026

A heat wave has hit the UK, and in Wales, they are expecting temperatures above 30 C and will be closing the hides at the nature centres. Rain and now heat.

We continue to have rain but right now there is a wee bit o sunshine with a huge black cloud moving in over the conservatory from the West. Did I say I was sick of rain? I must run out and feed the birds so they manage something before the deluge hits.

One that is thriving and my first little Roma tomato!

Oh, the tomatoes need some heat. The leaves are turning yellow because of too much rain!

A run through some nests:

Charlo: C22, the only surviving osplet on the nest of Charlie and his new mate, appears to be doing fine.

Dewey Beach: Little Dewey is feathered and is OK. I use the term ‘OK’ because the fish coming in are on the small side. Nothing wrong with small, but they will need a lot of them.

Osoyoos: The youngest died a few days ago (on the 20th I believe). This nest could be in trouble – lots of fish needed.

Rutland’s Manton Bay: The trio got their bling on Tuesday. There are two males and a female.

Loch Doon: Expecting the two chicks of Frankie and Angel to be ringed today.

Salmon River, Idaho: Baling twine continues to plague this nest with its two ospreys.

OBX: Two fish and four feedings at this nest -. I say they need more fish. These chicks are growing.

Moraine: Three gorgeous feathered osplets.

Smallwood: Three feathered osplets and a goldfish for dinner?

Upper Newport Bay: Two flapping osplets thinking of fledging.

Oyster Bay: Another nest with three feathered osplets that appears to be doing alright.

Santiam Canyon: Another nest with three osplets. Some large fish came on Tuesday and stopped some of the anxiety that had been happening at the nest.

South Cape May Meadows: The nest of Hera and Zeus that has brought such sadness to the adults in past years. There is now only one surviving osplet. Hoping this baby makes it.

Hellgate Canyon: Many of the other nests could use the size of fish that Clark is bringing onto the nest for Iris and Baby.

Cape Henlopen: Miles and Hennie are both fishing for their three. Wish this nest well. These adults are trying – like all the others to find food.

NCTC nest of Bella and Scout: Susie has fledged and we are on fledge watch for RJ.

Border Ospreys: Trying to keep the heat off the chicks and find fish!

https://borderospreys.co.uk/2026/06/24/fish-and-hot-chicks/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSozT9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeUHRwGyZE4KYQjA8pQ8OOIyZlDgt17sQ7ZUmZjJt1u6ufEHX6wrBQXlOTXa4_aem_AW3cWa0ZfC8b2i5kyrTGLw

Tweed Valley Nest 2: Eggs due to hatch next week. Oh, my they are so late.

Boulder County: Three nicely feathered osplets.

Minneapolis Landscape Arboretum: We still have two growing chicks.

Kielder Nests:

A brief round up

UK Hen Harrier Report: 149 missing from grouse-hunting estates over the past 8 years. Incredibly horrible. I love Hen Harriers – but what about the chicks that get stomped at the nest? Grouse hunting needs to be made illegal. I do not care if it is a medieval tradition of the aristocracy and royals.

If you want a good little book, Bowland Beth, will break your heart and make you understand.

149 Hen Harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or closeDownload

Now another one in Wales. What is wrong with people?

Yet another Hen Harrier ‘disappears’ from Ruabon grouse moor in North Wales – her satellite tag hadDownload

Thank you so much for being with us early today. Please take care. I will see you again tomorrow for a brief look at what is happening! We send everyone out there a big hug. I wish I could send our friends in the South some of our rain, and I wish for cooling temperatures for those in the UK who are under an Extreme Red Warming – 38 C possible. An unprecedented heat wave.

Another one of Missey from yesterday.

Thank you to absolutely everyone who wrote a newsletter, to Ruth T at Raptor Persecution UK, to those that post on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams where I took my information and screen captures, I am forever grateful.