23 May 2026
Hello Everyone,
I continue to fight a horrific beginning of spring cold! Thank you for all the various remedies – I am trying them! Lots of honey, lemon, and ginger! Don and Toby have embraced the day since it is raining outside as just another ‘pajama day’. That has been grand.
There continues to be sadness at Western Maryland Shore Old Town Home. The second hatch died six days ago of starvation, and today, the first hatch, a tiny little thing that was not only starving but could not get sufficiently under Mum to keep warm, died of hypothermia in the rain. For whatever reason, Mum decided to incubate the unviable egg instead of her brooding her chick. Perhaps it is a blessing. That sounds horrible, I know. But I cannot stand to see these wee things starve, get a little fish, starve some more, eventually dying a few days before fledge – emaciated.
This image is from Heidi and ‘PB’ – the little osplet had 17 bites of food at that meal, its last.
Big Red took care of her three chicks brilliantly in what has been a soaking wet day on the Cornell Campus. Fed and warm.
In the UK, there was almost a tragedy when Seren accidentally kicked one of her three chicks out of the egg cup. This is an amazing osplet – I cannot wait to see what they do in their lifetime if they manage this. Geemeff has it on video: https://youtu.be/ByCRVMITshM?
Scout on the Falconshire Bald Eagle nest is alive. There was much concern over this eaglet’s welfare. Let’s hope lots of prey come so that Scout might thrive.
Speaking of prey. Let’s think about this. Agricultural practices have changed around the world. The fields and woods are not full of rodents and gophers because humans don’t like them around. The Raptors would thrive. The rivers are full of toxins like phosphates, are warming, and have fewer and fewer fish. So when someone says it is just ‘nature’, think again. Maybe it is something linked to humans, but less obvious than a fishing line.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Saturday 23rd May 2026
Another uneventful day with spells of rain, fish deliveries, and incubation duty changeovers. Louis delivered three fish for Dorcha taking the Nest Two tally to eighty two, and Garry LV0 delivered two fish for Aurora 536, although the second one was really just the tail-end of his dinner.
Garry’s tally now stands at seventy eight. More rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow, along with what’s referred to as a gentle breeze. However, one of last night’s ‘gentle breezes’ completely upended Dorcha, so here’s wishing her an uneventful night on the exposed nest. Temperature spread is a low of 11°C tonight and a high of 16°C tomorrow.
Today’s videos: https://youtu.be/PUaIXtmTRpQ N2 Dorcha’s breakfast is later than usual 10.28.08https://youtu.be/nnSc4j1Ka2s N1 Aurora has a quick nibble of her first fish before departing with it 14.46.13https://youtu.be/FvjE6Ml9ZDg N2 Dorcha’s second fish arrives facing backwards 19.40.43https://youtu.be/VgT8zFbcdns N1 Aurora’s second fish is just the tail end of a trout! 20.07.40https://youtu.be/8NcP6PwM2_Q N2 Second supper for Dorcha when Louis brings a third fish 21.40.11
Bonus read – where’s Woodland Trust’s gold medal winning garden going when the Chelsea Flower Show ends?
Blast from the past, this day in various years:
There are two little bobbleheads for CJ7 and Blue 022 – and there are a lot of fish on that nest!
There is a wee baby for Idris and Telyn at the Dyfi nest in Wales along with a pip in the second egg.
Good news story of the day: The eagle nest collapsed. One eaglet went into care. Everyone wondered if the adults would feed the other but then a human-made nest went up and yes, the eagles are caring for their chick!!!!!!!! Humans can do good things. This is wonderful. Thank you!
Everything you wanted to know (or not) about Iris’s eggs.
Look for the NG2 name choices to be posted on the 26th of May.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care everyone. Stay safe and I hope, beyond hope, you do not get this summer cold or flu whatever it is.
Thank you to Geemeff for her report on all things Loch Arkaig, to Heidi and ‘PB’ for drawing my attention to what has happened at WMSOTH, and to all those who created videos or posted on FB; we are grateful. Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our lovely families.