After being so excited about the young couple at the West End, the ravens have taken the egg when it was left alone. This is youth. They will learn. Both of them possibly wondered what to do with that egg – intuition doesn’t always come easy.
On top of this, Chase and Cholyn’s egg at Two Harbours has been pierced and broken.
On top of all of this saddness in the Channel Islands, Audacity isn’t giving up and has laid another egg.
My goodness, Audacity must be worn out. It takes a lot out of an eagle to produce this many eggs.
I want to thank Penny Albright for keeping us informed about some incredible osprey nests while she has been on vacation. It has been a real treat to see these families through her eyes!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I am not hopeful for the West End, Two Harbours, or Sauces this year. I want to be wrong!
Take care. See you soon. Ospreys landing in the UK and flying home. Lots to become excited about soon.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Penny Albright and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to witness the lives, good and bad, of our beloved raptors.
Just one of those quick postings. My inbox was filled with surprise, saddness, and shock when the very young female at the West End nest laid her very first egg on Sunday.
Everyone misses Thunder and Akecheta, whether it was at the old nest with Dr Sharpe rescuing eaglets or at the new one. I have not added them to the Memorial Wall and won’t because I believe they are out there somewhere. Akecheta was smart to just give up the territory, but we also lost Haku. Where is she? It is a challenging location with many intruders. Let’s wish this very young couple a long, happy, and successful breeding life.
White-Tail Eagle Milda laid her second egg on Sunday. Congratulations Milda and Zorro.
Rosie has not returned to Richmond as of today. His nest on the Whirley Crane would be an envy to any osprey! He has been working heard preparing for Rosie to return but she is very late and I am concerned.
My eyes are on Manton Bay and Loch of the Lowes today.
If you missed it, Quinn has fledged from the Captiva nest. So R9 and R10 along with E26 have taken to the skies.
The owl returned to the Winter Park nest, but Wink was sleeping by Peanut and raised up. As far as I am aware, nothing happened. Smart Mum. She knows about owls.
Thank you for being with us for this quick look at the egg laying in the Channell Islands West End nest. Take care. We will be back on Friday.
Thank you to SK Hideaways and the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to check on our favourite bird families.
If you are worried about Brutus, the eldest eaglet from the Winter Park Bald Eagle nest in Florida, don’t. Brutus is in good hands with the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey! Our friend, Lisa, is part of that rehabilitation community and if Lisa has anything to do with Brutus – he will learn how to be an eaglet and get back into the wild. She is awsome.
I want to give a shout-out to the viewers who spotted the Owl knocking Brutus out of the nest, and to the quick reactions by Windows to Wildlife and the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey. Brutus was ‘lightly injured’. Updates promised, but Brutus will not be going back to the nest, as it could force Peanut to fledge way too early. Besides, Peanut deserves some time on that nest alone, building up their body and wings for flying. That nest isn’t as crowded anymore, but everyone is alright.
The real story right now is that the young couple that have taken to Thunder and Akecheta’s West End nest in the Channel Islands have their first egg. I almost dropped by drawers! I think she is a first time Mum. I hope they have a long and successful life without intruders – we need some peace at this nest.
Geemeff did her second video of the year, and it was the arrival of Blue 25 (10) at the Manton Bay nest. Oh, let’s hope Maya arrives before Blue 33 because Blue 25 always has her eyes set on Blue 33. If Maya were not to return, would Blue 33 accept Blue 25 as a mate? If he arrives, everything is up in the air right now! Perhaps literally. https://youtu.be/oLvBrnZaEzA?
Thank you so much for being with me. Oh, things are happening so quickly. Quinn fledged! Peanut is missing Brutus while Wink is keeping her youngest close at hand. Ospreys are flying over water and land to get home. I wonder who will arrive Monday.
Take care!
Thank you to Geemeff for their video, to Window to Wildlife for their quick response and caring, and to the owners of the streaming cams so that we can watch these amazing birds and their lives.
We hope that you had a lovely weekend. We certainly did. Toby had his Valentine Day grooming session. He smells so nice – for about two days! We had many slushy walks and even went to get some paint to cover a chest that is going to be a bench for Don to sit on to put on boots and shoes. Inside will be Toby’s wardrobe!
The Girls are fine and really enjoying the conservatory as it is getting warmer and warmer out there. We have finished our books except for the Friendship book and tomorrow we will be starting a new one. Will keep you posted.
It was warm and slushy on the Canadian Prairies. 2 degrees C. The first Canada Geese have arrived – three weeks early! ‘PB’ writes from Nebraska to tell me that the Sandhill Cranes are early, too.
While we had quite a bit of snow, it came late and I sure hope we get more because, if not, it will be very dry here. Concerns for drought exist in Nebraska, too. It continues to rain cats and dogs in London, UK.
At the NCTC nest of Scout and Bella, the first egg arrived on the 15th. Congratulations. We have to wish – super wish – this couple a great year. They lost almost fully feathered babies when their nest collapsed last year. It was beyond tragic. Deb Stecyk has it on video: https://youtu.be/5OA5GWZ6-94?s
What is up with the PA Farm Country Bald Eagles? They continue to lay four eggs annually! Do they love the challenge? My goodness, to raise four eaglets to fledge is rare.
How rare?
Bald eagle nests that fledge four chicks are extraordinarily rare. While bald eagles typically lay one to three eggs—with two being the most common—four-egg clutches and successful four-chick fledglings have been documented, but they are considered exceptional events.
Key details regarding four-chick broods:
Rarity: In a 2011 report, a 4-chick brood was considered only the third ever documented for the species.
Successful Instances: Despite their rarity, some nests have successfully fledged four chicks, such as a nest in the 1000 Islands (Wisconsin) in 2021 and another at Grey Cloud Island in Minnesota in 2024.
Survival Factors: Four-egg clutches have a high, sometimes 100%, success rate in hatching and fledging when they occur, but they require abundant food and strong parents to succeed.
Challenges: In cases of four chicks, the smallest often struggles, and the nest can become very cramped, making survival to fledge difficult.
Four-chick nests are so rare that one report noted that in over 8,000 monitored breeding attempts in Virginia, only one 4-chick brood was documented.
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors (2 cameras) ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End (3 cameras) ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux Fraser Point Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
Cruz vs. Manzanita ~ Adventures in Slapstick (2026 Feb 12) When Andor went out for a break, Cruz decided to rearrange the furniture. The massive manzanita branch proved more difficult to move than she thought. The result was the eagle equivalent of slapstick comedy. Enjoy. Video: https://youtu.be/zhDZeyBXIq4
Cholyn Downs Mackerel in 1 Gulp ~ Chase’s Jaw Drops (2026 Feb 13) When Chase goes fishing, Cholyn is right behind him. But before he can even land in the nest with his catch, Cholyn grabs it. She then proceeds to scarf it down in one gulp. Chase can’t believe it, but we can’t tell if he’s impressed or dismayed. These two are pure joy to watch. Video: https://youtu.be/PmKzy9FtO1s
JBS24 is Thriving with Mom and Dad as Model Parents (2026 Feb 11) I captured the whole day with JBS24, who is doing very well, by all appearances. The 2-1/2 week old eaglet is eating well, exploring the nest a bit, and showing us how well those little wings can flap. Dual feedings are still quite common and JBS 24 seems to enjoy every morsel. While I wish JBS25 was here to enjoy those meals as well, I am grateful that JBS24 is thriving. Video: https://youtu.be/HJ_0lL959VU JBS24 & JBS25 at 2 weeks ~ Family Mealtime ~ Dad Cuddles (2026 Feb 8) At 2 weeks old, JBS 24 and JBS 25 are getting their thermal down to better help them thermoregulate. Mom and Dad continue to keep them well fed, resulting in almost no aggression. When Mom takes one of her short breaks, Dad is eager to cuddle up with his growing eaglets. They seem to love it! The history of this nest is fascinating, so I’ve included some of that history in this video. Video: https://youtu.be/TbdMIiN8zE4
The Chichester Peregrine Falcon latest newsletter:
‘A’ has ‘Royal Albatross on their Mind: “I do love how social the albatrosses are though. I was watching the Midway Atoll livestream the other night and the closeness of the neighbouring nests is quite astonishing. Perhaps the birds feel less bored and lonely that way. Or perhaps there is some form of protection afforded by the arrangement. There must be a reason apart from sheer overcrowding, surely.
I do adore the changeovers (and the gorgeous skycalls): www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWJ5U7JylG0. Once we’re into the post-guard phase, the parents are lucky to overlap much at all, but at this point, they are not yet leaving our little fluffball on its own. It is 24 days old, but still, it won’t be long before it’s on its own – sigh….
I never really get used to the baby suddenly being abandoned as it were. And so young. Maybe this is when the proximity of the neighbouring nests becomes advantageous.
Meanwhile, our wee one is adorable. They have taken blood to determine gender. Moana, who visited the RoyalCam nest yesterday evening (14 February – Happy Valentine’s Day), was very curious about the chick in the nest, which in turn seemed very nervous about the whole encounter. Dad WYL, of course, is extremely protective of his precious baby. www.youtube.com/watch?v=84VY9HihPtc&list=TLPQMTUwMjIwMjZE9oa0TwYOEA&index=6
BOK was unable to stay away from her chick for long, returning to the nest at about 9.40 this morning (15 February) after only 16 hours of foraging. As I type, she has just finished feeding her rapidly growing offspring. “
The biggest concern is that bloody fishing line that is over Roux at the Kistachie National Forest nest of Anna and Louis E1. They may have to find a way to get up there…certainly they found a way at Dale Hollow Years ago when no one thought it could be done.
Brock caught on local camera heading to Jane’s for a meal!
Thank you so much for being with us today. We will see you again the end of the week! (I am going to try and stick with late Sunday and late Thursday night posts unless something needs immediate attention!). Take care everyone. Get outside. Smell the spring air that is coming. Listen for the birdsong.
Thank you so much to ‘PB and A’ for their notes, to SK Hideaways for always supplying me with their list of weekly videos, to D Stecyk for monitoring the NCTC nest, to everyone who posted information on FB and wrote articles that help us understand the life of our raptors, including Elfruler. Thank you so much to all! I am so grateful to you. My blog would not be the same without your talents, and without the streaming cams and their owners, we would never have the opportunity to look into the lives of our feathered friends.
It’s Sunday, not Monday. I have the week’s videos from SK Hideaways, and it is a wrap of a review of what is happening in Bird World.
We have been under an extreme cold warning for more than a week now. It is currently -35 (Saturday night). The vets have said that if it is too cold for humans then it is decidedly too cold for dogs to be outside. Their paws can freeze and crack! There is no evidence that frigid cold causes arthritis but dogs with arthritis suffer pain because of constrictions if they are out in this cold. Toby, hopefully, will never have arthritis, but his little incident the other day means he needs to stay inside. We have played a lot of fetch – he loves it – but he discovered that he also likes to play ‘fish’ with the Girls! We were decluttering the pantry as part of an overall downsizing of all our stuff and we found a fishing pole toy with feathered ends. Oh, all of them had such a good time. It was wonderful!
I have not spent as much time on the computer watching the nests as I did a year ago. This has not been a bad thing! In a recent blog, the lovely, talented cookbook author Mimi Thorisson said, “Over the years, living on this planet has taught me something important. It is imperative, from time to time, to detach slightly from the social world and enter a phase of semi-hibernation. It is healing. It is comforting. It brings you back to yourself.” I hope that each of us is taking time to watch the birds and animals outside – I often add that they are such an important part of my life that I have felt paralysed to move to a different house. Our day begins, as it always does, with breakfast in the conservatory and a ‘count’ of the visitors to the nest. Another count occurs around 1530, along with continuous checks on Brock’s dish. These birds and animals bring such joy to my life, along with The Girls and Toby, who have proven to be loyal companions. So, please, embrace the wildlife that is around you. Do what you can to improve their lives – a dish of water, some food. It all helps.
The second eaglet on the Winter Park nest in Florida has been receiving both food and attacks from its older sibling. The size and age difference along with food availability are key here.
Send good positive energy for lots of prey – the parents have to eat, too!
Research indicates that siblicide on Bald Eagle nests is 5% or less – meaning that it is rare. (The osprey mortality rate is often higher than 17% in the nests we have monitored.)
Here is a good article on various Avian Siblicide to help you understand which raptors are more likely to have one nestling kill another. It is very informative.
SK Hideaways sent their videos for the week of the 18th for your enjoyment.
Channel Island California Eagles Livestreamed nests: ~ Fraser Point ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Cruz & Andor ~ Sauces Canyon ~ Santa Cruz Island ~ Audacity & Jak ~ Two Harbors ~ Catalina Island ~ Cholyn & Chase ~ West End ~ Catalina Island ~Resident in flux
Two Harbors 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 & Chase Do Nesting Season with Class ~ Mating & Fish Gift (2026 Jan 23) Chase has embraced nesting season with much enthusiasm as he continues to woo Cholyn with fish between mating activities. 22 years of “wedded” bliss and romance is still very much alive for this royal couple of Catalina Island. (2026 Jan 23) Video: https://youtu.be/2OEWiuQ9ZxM
Chase Wants Eggs ~ Tests Nest Bowl as Cholyn Watches + Mating (2026 Jan 20) Despite the fact that Chase “knows” that Cholyn almost always lays eggs at the end of February or early March, he’s trying to hurry her along by showing her how comfy the nest bowl is and frequent mating. Here, Chase lays in the nest bowl 3 times to Cholyn’s zero times. Cholyn seems to give him a “what’re you doing?” look, but in her typical Cholyn way, just goes with the flow. Always in sync even when it means humoring the other. Video: https://youtu.be/SZZAkQ0D9z8
Cholyn & Chase Nesting Season Kickoff ~ 2x Mating & Fish Gift (2026 Jan 18) Cholyn and Chase had their official nesting season kickoff ~ at least from where we could see them. They mated in the morning, then Chase brought Cholyn a nice fish for lunch. They had long conversations off camera and then returned to the nest in the late afternoon to mate again. Here’s hoping for a fruitful season for this beloved couple and royalty of the Channel Islands. Video: https://youtu.be/bNEHHlGDCQ4
Couple ID Markers & More Mating ~ Need Nestorations to Seal Deal (2026 Jan 22) The new West End couple (aka masked and unmasked; and VE1 (male visitor) and VE2 (female visitor)) continue to take steps towards being a bonded pair. While they have accomplished mating quite well (!), they have not embraced the nest repairs that would indicate their intentions to start a family this season. It’s early, though, and things can change (as they always do). (2026 Jan 22) Video: https://youtu.be/acrvEOup90E
Masked Female & Unmasked Male Mate for 1st & 2nd Time on Camera (2026 Jan 21) The visiting eagles have been at the West End for about 2 weeks and seen together most days. While mating sounds have been heard off camera, this was the first (and second) observed mating. So the bond is there, but will they remain here to lay eggs and raise chicks? Stay tuned for the next episode of As the West End Turns. Video: https://youtu.be/Z1z28PuQFTs
FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear, California ~ Jackie & Shadow Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Morning Chortle-Snortles & Shadow’s First Incubation Stint (2026 Jan 24) Jackie laid her and Shadow’s first egg late the previous day, so this morning was Shadow’s first opportunity for some incubation time. From what we have observed, he really, really seems to enjoy this part of nesting. So much so that he took his time heeding Jackie’s fish calls. Video: https://youtu.be/jcIPh9l19aQ
Shadow delivers FEEESH ~ Jackie Stumbles on Nest Rails Trying to Collect (2026 Jan 24) When Jackie saw Shadow deliver a whole, big fish (aka feeesh) from her perch on the Cactus Snag, she squealed with glee and made a beeline for the nest. As it turns out, she and Shadow have constructed such a robust fortress, that Jackie stumbled trying to get in the front door. She, of course, did prevail and enjoyed her meal with gusto. Video: https://youtu.be/nTcUFmY6Dxw
JACKIE & SHADOW WELCOME FIRST EGG OF SEASON! (2026 Jan 23) A quick labor for Jackie as she laid the first egg of the season. Shadow quickly came to meet his egg and seemed pretty smitten already.
The Bald Eagle nest on Farmer Derek’s property in Kansas has its first egg.
Rose and Ron have two gorgeous eaglets with so much juvenile plumage!
Quinn is the cutest little eaglet over at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive.
Girri is flying strong with Diamond and Gimbir. This is just incredible. How many years have we followed this nest, hoping for such an amazing outcome? This is wonderful – a strong, big female.
Duke Farms’ female looking at the trio of eggs she has laid.
SK Hideaways caught Shadow delivering a fish to Jackie as she has been incubating their first egg of the season. https://youtu.be/nTcUFmY6Dxw?
There are no concerns at the nest of Gabby and Beau. NE32 and 33 are growing strong with their thermal down and pin feathers. Lots of food and great parenting make a difference – Beau and Gabby are well-bonded, experienced, and work together like a nicely oiled machine. (Watch them using cam 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/hQrJv_Dt4tY?
At the SW Florida nest of M15 and F23, E26 is getting those gorgeous deep black juvenile feathers. Doing so well!
Anna II is a valiant mom in the cold and rain of Louisiana. Not much nourishment for everyone – let’s wish for a sunny day tomorrow.
Jack and Jill have been seen at the Achieva Credit Union osprey platform in St Petersburg, Florida.
Gimbir, that cute Dad that fathered the dynamic Girri, is getting his adult plumage!!!!!!!
My lad and lass – besties forever.
It’s 2:46 minutes long. There is a bit of a pause in the middle but stay to the end. I hope these two make you smile.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Thank you for your e-mails and your comments. It is so nice to know there are others out there who love our feathered friends and who will do anything to make their lives better! I am sorry if I am not able to answer the comments or your e-mails as quickly as I did in the past, but I do appreciate each and every one of them and will, I promise, get around to responding!
We will be back on Friday, if not before – depending on action in the nests.
Please take care of yourself. We look forward to having you with us again soon.
We all owe a great debt to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to monitor the lives of our raptor families. I am indebted to all those who create videos (which takes a lot of time), such as SK Hideaways, and to the authors of the FB posts and the articles that I have included in my blog. We learn from one another, and I hope we share what we know with others. Thank you all. My blog would not be the same without your contributions.
Adult Visitor 🫣 Akecheta & Haku Keep Watch 👀Never a Dull Moment (2025 Dec 13) While Akecheta and Haku took in the ocean view on the far tor, an adult visitor settled in atop the overlook. Everyone stayed put for about 30 minutes, then everyone flew. Soon after, both Akecheta and Haku returned to the far tor, chortling in solidarity. Let’s hope this visitor passes through and that peace is maintained in the territory. Video: https://youtu.be/yvfx-rOfqvI
West End🦅Akecheta & Haku Meet on Nest 3x🪹 Beakies Ensue❣️They Retire to Night Perch(2025 Dec 7) The courtship continues as Akecheta and Haku have more frequent rendezvous at the nest ~ tinkering with nest materials, body bumping, and beaky kissing. On this day they also retired to the night perch, where fans remember Akecheta and Thunder spending many hours together. While Thunder remains in our hearts, we wish Akecheta well with this new, larger than life young female. Video: https://youtu.be/xppqPinDYpY
Girri Gets Soaked in First Rainstorm ~ Does Falcon Puddle Jumps (2025 Dec 11) Girri showed her bravery and energy as she faced the wind, rain, and hail from the edge of the nest. She embraced the blustery weather as she flapped and jumped around the nest, getting quite soaked in the process. A good sign for her ability to survive outside the comforts of home. Video: https://youtu.be/L2x4w5fqW3I
Diamond Feeds BOTH chick Girri AND mate Gimbir Full Meals (2025 Dec 11) When Diamond arrived with large prey, Girri’s eyes widened at the prospect of a long-awaited big meal. She did get that meal, but then Gimbir arrived and sidled up nearer the food action. Diamond gave him one bite and then another and then another. While Girri had a full crop, she was not enamored of her dad getting in on action. But Diamond continued to feed Gimbir and only Gimbir until he, too, sported a crop. While we have seen mates feed each other a bite or two, we have never seen one mate feed another an entire meal. Girri was perplexed, Gimbir was likely perplexed, and we were certainly perplexed! Only Diamond can answer for her actions… and she’s not talking. (2025 Dec 11) Video: https://youtu.be/IZwejtugRF0
Redding Bald Eagles: Liberty & Guardian Beak & Bicker Over Branch Management (2025 Dec 8) An afternoon nestoration session found Liberty and Guardian at cross purposes in placing some troublesome branches. Amongst the disagreements came sweet bonding, chortles, and a fair amount of hilarity. As expected, Liberty had the final word as she and Guardian took their leave for the night. Video: https://youtu.be/a_YZBv6zTZo Courtesy of Friends of the Redding Eagles, Redding, CA Livestream page: https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsoftheReddingEagles/streams
‘B’ writes that Haku and Akecheta were on the nest today. We all hope there are eaglets and no drama. No more drama.
Here’s our beautiful couple.
We are on pip/hatch watch for SW Florida and for the WRDC nest (Dade County). First eggs are at 33 days. Have a read on what to expect thanks to SPO:
The following article, “Jackie & Shadow vs Juvenile Bald Eagle – Was It Sunny or Gizmo? Dramatic Nest Defense Explained” also in SPO, might be of interest to Jackie and Shadow fans – and who isn’t I ask!
I wanted to get those videos off to you. We hope that you are enjoying the beginning of the week. See you tomorrow.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great videos, to SPO for their informative short articles good for everyone, and the owners of the streaming cams highlighted in today’s blog.
It’s cold! I tried to make the forecast bigger so that you could read it easier. We are under an extreme cold warning. Still, the birds and squirrels were at the feeders, and dear Brock came for food several times. I noticed that he spent a lot of time eating the dry kibble that Calico enjoys.
Shockingly it is supposed to be a lot warmer, perhaps up to + 4 C, on Tuesday. Ann is taking Don to the zoo!!!! Unbelievable.
Today’s blog is going to be shorter than usual, even for these quick holiday posts. I have a head cold – my head feels like it is the size of a 45-gallon drum. It was supposed to be a fun day – a dog walk to try out our new faux-fur lined bomber hats from Sweden, an afternoon at our grandson’s high school where he is Bill in Mamma Mia, and a phone call with the granddaughter in Australia. So instead, I am in bed, sipping ginger and lemon tea, cuddled with Toby under several warm blankets.
We woke up to -30 C. The good thing is that the snow is dry. That wet snow from a week ago made you cold to the bone. The new bomber cap with ear flaps is amazing and I can’t wait to try it out along with some Merino wool leggings. Will keep you posted.
Thank you so much for your letters and comments. I am glad that you enjoyed Heidi’s montage as much as I did. I will treasure it forever. I am also glad you enjoyed our photos and those with Santa. Sometimes it is nice to put a face with a name.
In Bird World news, the third egg at the Central Florida nest of Pepe and Muhlady hatched! Here are the hatch dates and names:
The hatching dates and names for their 2025 clutch at the Central Florida SuperBeaks nest are:
Mira: The first eaglet, which hatched around December 7 or 8, 2025.
Froto: The second eaglet, which hatched on December 9, 2025.
Zeagle: The third eaglet, which hatched early in the morning on December 13, 2025
There was a harrowing moment at the West End nest of Akecheta and Haku. Another adult showed up. I did not know and am very grateful to ‘B’ for sending me a note. ‘B’ explains: “What happened is that both Akecheta and Haku were there from about 3:00 to 3:35, and then both took off very close to each other at 3:37, just as the visitor left the overlook cam. After a few minutes, Akecheta returned to the tor, followed a bit later by Haku. Then I believe what you saw the chatters refer to is that the second time Haku left at 4:20, and Akecheta stayed maybe another 15 minutes.”
The chat established the locations: “Haku and Akecheta were sitting on the far tor and a 3rd was sitting in front of the WEO cam.”
‘B’ and I agree that we do not need any drama at the West End this year! Just baby eaglets.
If you get confused over the names of the branches at some of the nests, Gracie Shepherd has done a great post on FB showing the names and locations of those at SW Florida:
We did get to talk to the Granddaughter and her fiancé in Australia. It wasn’t as ‘exciting’ as it might have been were I feeling better but it was good that we had that video chat. Don was really looking forward to ‘seeing’ them. They will have an Australian Christmas dinner on the 24th and a traditional Canadian one on the 25th. I wondered what a ‘traditional Australian’ Christmas dinner is – it’s a barbecue and they are planning to go to the beach, followed by pavlova for dessert! Oh, I miss Elysha, and I really do like Josh.
I am thumbing through a new book that has arrived, Wings Across the Atlantic by Colin Rees and Mark Avery. Each author spends a year looking at the natural world around them. My interest at the moment is that Rees has several entries on the deaths of ospreys in the Cape Henlopen area, which Heidi covered in our project. I will keep you informed of my final verdict on this volume in the new year.
So sorry this is so short. I am going to take a day or two off to recover from this cold. Keep your eye on SW Florida – we are due for a pip soon.
Thank you to ‘B’ for alerting me to the potential issues at the West End and for SK Hideaways who caught it all on video. I am grateful for the FB posts and the streaming cams that allow us to view the lives of our raptors.
I am extremely grateful to you – members of the Bird World community who care so much for the natural world.
It is a beautiful Saturday on the Canadian Prairies. On Friday, many towns in and around Winnipeg reached a high of 16.7 degrees C, the highest temperature recorded in Canada that day. It was truly uncharacteristically warm, and thus worrisome.
I am actually sending this post out Sunday evening instead of Monday morning. I hope this is not too confusing! Monday morning is going to be very hectic. Toby has an organized dog walk with Ellen and then we are going to fetch our friend Ruth who is coming for lunch with a pop in visit by our daughter. Enjoy!
Oh, how nice it is to have you with us today. I hope that everyone has been watching that cute little fluff ball of Gimbir and Diamond. He or she now has a name – Girri – and thankfully it is one of two syllables that is easy to pronounce!
Cilla Kinross broke down the votes – but look at the number of votes. That is a fantastic response!
I have the listing from SK Hideaways of her weekly videos but this one is particularly cute. Can we truly take our eyes off little Gimbir, first-time dad, and his little baby!?? https://youtu.be/SyatpPaTnJU?
Is it my imagination, or is Gimbir getting much more time with his chick than Diamond allowed Xavier? Gimbir even tries to brood the baby! Or is Diamond just away a little longer and doesn’t see the interactions?
There was lots of activity and SK Hideaways has caught it on video:
We love that little fluffball of Gimbir and Diamond. Can you imagine someone stealing it to sell for profit? Well, Raptor Persecution UK is following a court case for someone who does just that!
Some of the cute stills of Gimbir feeding the little one for the first time. This is precious.
Look how big Diamond is compared to Gimbir in the image right above.
Just imagine Gimbir and Diamond arriving at the scrape with that precious baby gone?
Raptor Persecution UK continues to follow the plight of the Hen Harriers especially those found dead in and around the large hunting estates. You might recall that I reported on five little Hen Harrier chicks stomped to death several years ago. Their mother has now been found dead, and once again we are made starkly aware of how dangerous the lives of these amazing birds are!
Snow on the nest of Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear Valley on Sunday.
Both eagles at US Steel.
Both eagles at Cardinal Land Conservancy. Will there be an egg soon?
On a sad note, Blaze has not been seen at the Eagle Country nest for eleven days now.
I am enchanted with what is happening at the Sydney Sea Eagle nest this year. Lady and Dad arrive at the nest in the early morning with prey and no sea eaglets. They begin to defeather, looking around, and then both eaglets fly to the nest! In all the years I have watched this nest, this has never happened (at least to my memory). Does anyone else remember a year where the fledglings could fly freely around the forest returning to be fed? Please let me know!
This just brings tears to my eyes and I hope yours, too. These two eaglets from the Olympic Forest in Sydney will surely survive. They will get strong, learn how to hunt and beat those darn Currawong!
Just over the moon – almost beyond giddy. How long have the supporters of this nest have waited for a season like this one?
‘A’ has sent in a lot of commentary, and I need to post it, as I have been sending out little blurbs when an event has happened without a comprehensive narrative. I know how many of you enjoy their ‘take’ on what is happening in and around Australia, so here we go – albeit some out of order. Enjoy.
“It is nearly 8pm in eastern Australia and starting to get darker (it won’t be dark for a while yet with daylight savings) and both our eaglets are settling for the night on the branches above the nest. Lady is also perched nearby, in the nest tree. As I said, this is a family unit, working together. It is wonderful to watch, and the eaglets are gaining in confidence by the day. I have not seen this before. I hardly dare to hope that this really is the season they will succeed but I have felt that all along, as you know, and it is beyond thrilling to see the eaglets flying with confidence, returning to the nest for food and rest, and refusing to be cowed by those damned currawongs. “
“The upshot is that all three chicks have fledged and that one of those three has successfully returned to the ledge. Mum brought a snack too, which is encouraging – I am hoping we see all three return to the ledge. As I said, I’m hoping no news will be good news in terms of their welfare and whereabouts.
I will keep an eye on the cameras to see if we get any returnees but you would be best keeping an eye on the Facebook group – I am not a member of Facebook and refuse to become one at this late stage, but it might be worth it at this stage of events for the Collins Street group. It is exciting news that all three have fledged successfully and each one of the three appeared to fledge strongly and confidently. It terrifies me to even think about how difficult it is for young falcons to learn the intensely dangerous skills involved in their hunting technique, but I suppose this is where the parents play yet another critical role. I have been tremendously impressed by these parents, and the moment the crash landing back into the gutter occurred, a parent (probably mum) was immediately in the frame, doing a fly down (probably following the chick) to check that the chick was okay, indicating that the parent in question had been very close by during that fledge and obviously supervising everything that was going on. I do hope that indicates that these parents are going to be good teachers of their chicks. So many times during this season, I have been astounded at the size of the prey items brought to the ledge. These parents are very good hunters – let’s hope they’re great teachers as well. I suspect they might be. How wonderful would that be? There must be room for at least one more pair of peregrines in the CBD area. I’m still wondering where there are suitable nesting areas near Melbourne Airport. I must ask my sister that question again.
It will be raining in Melbourne over the next couple of days – not good flying weather for new fledglings. I do hope they return to the ledge for shelter, rest and food. There is plenty of time to learn all the skills they will need to survive alone out there.”
“Superdad M15. My favourite bald eagle male of all time. He is amazing. We will never forget his efforts the season he reared two eaglets alone. I think Mrs T might be in front in the female version of that award. And I noted from your blog that Mr T is up to his old tricks yet again. Leave the woman alone, you cad! What’s the betting he leaves her incubating a fertile egg and then takes off for the girlfriend’s island nest? I have no trust in him, I’m afraid. Once a cheat, always a cheat.
Oh, the joy of watching WBSE post-fledge. I never thought I’d type that! What a happy mutually supportive family they are this year. That nest makes me so happy at the moment.
Meanwhile, at Collins Street, two fledglings are on the ledge. The little male who returned after fledging yesterday spent the night on the ledge and in the scrape, and one of his sisters joined him around lunchtime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYQ2f7XnC8I&list=TLPQMTMxMTIwMjUIejz-QtbpwA&index=6. Wonderful! The returnee’s first priority is a little self-feeding in the gutter. Excellent. Let’s imprint that return to the ledge for food behaviour. The control she showed flying onto the ledge was impressive, don’t you think? Strong and balanced.
All three of the Collins Street fledglings returned to the ledge yesterday – the little male was still there from his fledge and immediate return the day before, but both his sisters joined him there during the day (how cute were the beakie kisses when the first sister returned and they lay side by side on the ledge? Just too adorable. I hope they can help and support each other just as the sea eaglets are doing. I’m sure it helps. Meanwhile, at Orange, our darling dad in training is progressing with determination. “
The Friends of Osprey South Australia and Port Lincoln have announced that, due to the failure of the trackers that have been placed on the osplets, they will now only be banding the little raptors.
Our local wildlife rehabilitation clinic, Wildlife Haven, is helping a Red-tail Hawk!
It is that time of year when people start thinking about the upcoming holidays. No matter what religious persuasion you are (or maybe not any), gifts find their way into the celebrations. Why not do something to help wildlife? One year, our family adopted the hawks, the Crow, and some of the other raptors at Wildlife Haven instead of buying ‘stuff’. Indeed, I do not need anything, having spent the last year trying to rid myself of the many things accumulated over a lifetime. Instead, we now gift small, locally made consumables. We will also reach out to local clinics in various ways. We have two large, used once dog carriers that are way too big for Toby. They will be donated along with a pet crate and various items on the wish list. I hope our family approves! Over the holidays, we will have a four-legged visitor to join our gang – Nellie, a very large British White Retriever. She is Toby’s bestie. The plan is to invite another four-legged friend and provide treats for the cats and dogs, along with some delicious shortbread for the adults.
There continue to be an enormous number of Canada Geese in and around Winnipeg along with Bald Eagles at every turn. Many of the geese have turned into lunch or those eagles. Great image by Kevin Eisler.
We still have osprey in Manitoba, too – the water is still open and fish and prey are readily available for the raptors. Migration times are extended!
Hawk Mountain’s latest migration chart for the week of 12 November. Those osprey numbers are not good.
Please continue to spread the word: Good Wolf reminds us that balloons have no place in celebrations in 2025. We know that they harm wildlife – it isn’t speculation. There are many other ways to decorate that are safe for our raptors and other wildlife.
Thank you so much for being with us. Please take care of yourself. We look forward to having you back with us for our next Bird World post which should be on Monday 24 November. See you soon!
Thank you so much to SK Hideaways, Heidi, and ‘A’ for their videos, notices, and commentary and to the owners of the streaming cams and FB groups who keep us informed, and The Guardian -I am in your debt. I am grateful to everyone behind Raptor Persecution UK who are working hard to bring justice for our raptors and to all who work hard to protect our precious feathered friends.
It was -32 with wind chills making it feel like -44 C on Monday. As I write this Monday night, it is now -29C. I worry about the outdoor animals. How their little bodies manage in this type of extreme cold is beyond me when humans would quickly die. Last night a deer slept in our garden. I wondered all day what the fawn had eaten and then I saw it – or, rather, I didn’t see it. The new seed cylinder with mealworms. It’s gone from the big table feeder. Mystery is solved. Tonight there is Alfalfa Hay and lots of fruits and veg along with peanuts for anyone who shows up. It is too cold to be hungry. Food helps fuel their warmth. The garden is protected from the wind, thankfully.
The little fawn coming to find some food without her mother. This is a problem. I have not seen Mum with the baby for a month. Has she been killed by coyotes? or hit by a car? The two deer that come to the garden regularly are the buck with one antler and this little one.
Will see if she likes the Alfalfa.
All eyes were on the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau on Monday. Beau is going to be an excellent dad. Good for Gabby keeping the faith. They finally have a family and this was one of the most anticipated hatches. Let us all hope that Jackie and Shadow have good luck this year, too.
Gabby flew in with a fish at 1157. Beau had arrived with one shortly after hatch, and then another appeared on the nest. This little one will be spoiled by love and protection.
I am so happy for Gabby. She is a Mum again!
Gabby is all fluffy.
Cute. That neck is pretty strong and you can clearly see the egg tooth that acted as a pick axe to get out of that shell.
No feeding yet, but at least three fish on the nest. Beau brought in a partial one when he flew in.
Bright eyed with his/her egg tooth and that hair style. We are all in love with NE31.
Baby’s first bite!
He or she is strong!!!!!!!!! That head is held up high waiting for some fish dinner.
Nearly a thousand people watched Gabby, Beau, and their baby. It is a miracle and goodness we need these amazing miracles. Guarding the nest and incubating baby.
While we celebrate the magic that has happened at the NE Florida Bald Eagle nest of Gabby and Beau, the tragedy that unfolded when an intruder (there appeared to be more than one) returned for several days in what appears to be a nest take over at the West End. We know both males were injured; Akecheta seemed to be more so than the intruder.
They are still showing Highlights on the IWS/Explore cams for Akecheta and Thunder’s nest and Tor. I do not think this is a coincidence. There is no news, and there is a chat if individuals are interested. You have to go to iws.org Then click on Live Cams and then you will find the link to the Live Chat.
I did not watch many other nests – NE Florida was enough. What a glorious day. There is news of incubation at Duke Farms. Hoping that camera will be back on line soon.
There is news about the Menhaden issue which is vital to our ospreys.
Thank you for being with us today. Take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the NE Florida Bald Eagle Cam and the AEF for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures and to SK Hideaways for their video, IWS/Explore and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
