It is an unbelievable 19 degrees C in Winnipeg! I joked with one of the nurses today at the hospital that we might never have winter. Geese eat beautiful green grass along the rivers that cross our City, and geese and gulls gather on the soccer fields and cricket pitches. It feels very late for them and, in the garden, the little Juncos dance around the deck in search of the tiny millet seeds. The bonus is getting to see these lovely creatures for longer — and I don’t have a heating bill yet.
Jean-Marie Dupart had a motorcycle accident and has recovered enough to check on the places where UK and European ospreys overwinter. This man will not be kept in bed recovering!!!!!! Here are his latest reports.
Tracking information reveals where some Polish ospreys stay for the winter:
This is the latest migration count from Hawk Mountain in PA, USA. Clearly higher numbers thanks to those Broad-winged Hawks:
The Raptor Resource Project (RRP) is keeping an eye on the streaming cams that they share with Explore.org:
Remembrance posts are going up on the Orange, Australia Peregrine Falcons FB about the eggs not hatching this season. Check out what is happening. Everyone is contributing, it seems!
The season recap for the Carey Garden, Birds of Poole Harbour Ospreys CJ7 and Blue 022 is now on YouTube. You can access it here: https://youtu.be/XnhGUXc2c1M?
The four fledged successfully for another great year for this incredible osprey couple.
At the WBSE nest in Olympic Park, Sydney, Australia, SE37 and 38 could fledge at any time. We wish them luck keeping the Currawongs at bay so Dad and Lady can feed them and they can learn to fly strong and care for themselves.
The poor chicks in Melbourne are really struggling with the heat. SK Hideaways catches the first one racing down the gutter to get to the shade! https://youtu.be/Ye-lNAK02uc?
The current view of the north end with no chicks at the south – one has hopped up so you can’t see them.
Thank you so much for your e-mails. I really appreciate the kindness and support that you have shown to me. Tomorrow, at 1300, I will meet with Don’s medical team at the hospital to discuss next steps. Those who have gone through caring for someone with Lewy Body Dementia will recognise that it is not an easy task. You have the hallucinations of LBD plus the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s. The latter was triggered by an incorrect antipsychotic being given in the emergency room. His physical symptoms change; he will have a wonderfully alert day, and then he will be agitated, unable to sleep, and will be given a sedative. He cannot walk. This is, of course, not the individual who entered the hospital on 27 August, but our new reality.
Please take care of yourself and your loved ones. If anyone is showing signs of Alzheimer’s or Dementia, I implore you to get them professionally assessed. There are treatments to help mitigate the worst for them and for their caregivers. It is wrong to assume that someone who is forgetful has either of these diseases, but it would also be wrong not to have those symptoms checked.
I will be back with you at the end of the week. Keep your eyes on the WBSE – we could have a fledge or two before then!
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video, Hawk Mountain, UKOsprey Information, Jean-Marie Dupurt, and all those tracking the migrating ospreys. I am grateful to everyone creating year-end reports for the 2026 season and to those beginning to report and track the Bald Eagles. To the owners of the streaming cams, we are grateful to watch the victories and struggles of our bird families.
I hope this finds you well and that you had a few minutes or longer to get out at the weekend and enjoy the outdoors! It was simply glorious fall weather here. Our temperature was around 16 C. Occasionally, brisk winds tossed the golden and rust leaves about. Toby loved it and wanted to chase each one! He spent Sunday afternoon with Ann so that I could visit Don at the hospital on my own. I got to push him in his wheelchair, and along with several other patients, we had a parade around the ward. It was brilliant. His legs were not stiff, and his mind was alert and often clear. Ann’s birthday is on the 28th, and we decided on a chocolate cake and ice cream in his room that day.
Toby stops at every house on the street with dogs and cats. He often just ‘sniff’ the air, but at one house he goes right up because he knows it is where Brock used to go to eat and sleep. Today, another cat visits, and two cats live there.
Speaking of not-so-good days, it appears that none of Gimbir and Diamond’s eggs is viable this season. This is hugely disappointing. Dr Cilla Kinross posted an explanation noting that she will candle the eggs to see if they were fertile, if they survive the season.
Holly Parsons is posting videos of the 2019 season if you are interested.
Sweet little Gimbir incubating the eggs this morning. So sad – he has turned out to be a good provider. They will eventually give up on the eggs, and hopefully Cilla Kinross can collect them to determine what happened. Life will go on, with or without chicks to raise for the pair.
There has been an intruder, and I wonder if it is a female checking out the territory. Wonder how that might play out?
There is good news coming out of Berry College in Georgia. There is a Bald Eagle couple interested in the nest with the streaming cam that was abandoned by Dad Berry and Missey.
There are some good news stories from ‘J’ in Berlin:
This is wonderful news, but alternatives have to be on the shelf, and hunters and the military have to buy them for this scheme to work. The Ventana Wildlife Society has tried for years – despite California’s ban on lead ammo – to stop the practice. They even provide free ammunition, and still the number one killer of Condors is lead poisoning.
“One of the stories was about a woman creating a sanctuary for monarch butterflies, so I looked up more stories. This is the official website:
There is also fantastic news coming out of Tairoa Head in New Zealand, the home of the Royal Albatross colony:
We have lots of cranes migrating to the south this year – in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. There are Whooping Cranes (info below posted today on B) and amazing Sandhill Cranes that will be passing through Nebraska (or already have). Have a read about Whooping Cranes – I certainly learned something.
·Good Morning from Saskatchewan and the Whooping Cranes!
Each Thursday I volunteer in a kindergarten room. This week, since I’m gone, I sent a video and a list of facts about Whooping Cranes to the class. I’m sharing both with this post.
Long live cranes!
• Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America. They stand almost five feet tall. They have a wingspan of 7-8 feet.
• Whooping Cranes nest in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada.
• Whooping Crane babies are called colts.
• Whooping Crane colts are a cinnamon color when they are born. They are dependent on their parents for food and safety.
• Whooping Cranes turn mostly white as they grow older.
• Whooping Crane parents teach their colt how to find food. They eat insects, small water creatures, crabs, vegetation, and when really hungry fish and snakes.
• Whooping Cranes stand on one leg when they are cold. They fold up one leg to keep it warm and then switch legs.
• Whooping Cranes tend to stay in family groups or small adult groups during the day. In the evening they will gather in fields and eat a final meal. Sometimes they are joined by Sandhill Cranes, a smaller, gray crane.
• Whooping Cranes sleep in marshes and wetlands. They stand in the water while they sleep. The water provides safety for the cranes.
• Whooping Cranes winter around Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in the United States.
• Whooping Cranes migrate from Canada to the US in the Fall. They fly about 2,500 miles! Have you ever ridden in a car from Oskaloosa to Des Moines?
That can feel like a long ride, and it is only 60 miles.
• Whooping Cranes are an endangered species. That means there are not very many of them left. Many people work hard to protect the Whooping Crane.
Once there were only 19 Whooping Cranes left in the world. Today there are at least 550 Whooping Cranes in the wild flock!
• At one time Whooping Cranes had nests in lowa! Perhaps one day we will see Whooping Cranes nesting in lowa again.”
It continues to be hot on the ledge at 367 Collins Street, and the chicks are fed up and on the move! SK Hideaways has it on video – and boy, is that male a good hunter. There are too many feedings to keep track. Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/f80C00l1vG8?si
The Sydney SeaEaglets are approaching fledge.
Valkyria has a crazy video of the sea eagle nest complete with those horrid Currawongs swooping down and a possum meal with fur flying everywhere! https://youtu.be/rF1OYsa1vH0?
Thank you so much for being with us today. Toby and I are having fun being outside – sweeping leaves and listening to the birds, reading and sipping tea. I am so grateful for his company. Take care of yourselves. Be careful out there. We hope to be back with you in a couple of days.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who posted videos for us to watch, contributed screen captures and information on FB, and own the streaming cams that let us share the joy and sorrow of the nests. We are so very grateful to each and every one of you.
You are so kind! I am so sorry I made many of you worry when I didn’t post my newsletter for a couple of days. I have actually been unwell. The damp cold that arrived impacted the arthritis in my left knee – that, coupled with a kidney infection, left me feeling not too energetic. I was so grateful that Don’s cousin stepped up to help with hospital visits and, of course, Ann. What would I do without her? Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in and by Monday I should be feeling good again.
The last time I checked we were waiting for pip at Orange. Will there be any little falcons for Gimbir and Diamond this year? I am beginning to wonder about that.
A nice article appeared on the chat and I will share it with you. It is about eggs not hatching and the reasons.
The dates of the eggs – at this point, we are hoping that egg 3 is viable. Diamond has always had one of her three eggs hatch, but this could be the first year that this doesn’t happen.
Egg no. 3 was laid at 1251 on, 10th Sept. after a gap of 61.5 hours Egg no. 2 was laid at 2324 h on 7th September (gap 64 hours) Egg no. 1 was laid at 0725 h on 5th September.
The trio at 367 Collins Street are doing well, but they are struggling with the intense heat. Feedings and prey deliveries are good. The tiny one is very good at getting in front and jumping – even grabbing prey out of the female’s beak. What a strong character! Always a good sign for survival in that urban environment.
It is especially hot. You can see the female trying to cool the eyases. They are big enough to move into the shade as it spreads, thank goodness.
SK Hideaways caught the kids getting too hot and leaving the sunny spot for the shade! Smart kids. https://youtu.be/B44NDD_DWmY?
Many are keeping a close eye on M15 and his new mate. It appears that they will build their nest on a cell tower about a mile away from the old nest tree. Personally, the ‘eagles know best,’ and many old trees are succumbing to the winds and storms that hit that area of Florida. There are boots on the ground, and they will most certainly be posting pictures for all of us, for which we must be very grateful.
The camera is sometimes aimed at the cell tower.
The sea eaglets have their juvenile plumage, and it is only a matter of time before they fledge. It always makes me anxious, and many of you, as we hope they survive the onslaught of the Pied Currawong. Lady likes to feed her fledglings in the nest tree, so we can only hope for a good result this year.
Fish dinner at the NE Florida nest of Gabby and Beau.
A little sparrow sits on the railing of Big Red and Arthur’s nest on the Cornell Campus.
On the Cornell Campus, Karel and Bogetta posted a video on YouTube of P1 hunting! For years, Big Red and Arthur’s fledglings dispersed in August, but P1 is still in the territory hunting and showing her good genetics. Take a look: https://youtu.be/w8RymHd0GqU?
We are a week away from the release date for the Condors at Big Sur! Here is the information:
From the DirectorOctober 15, 2026
Dear Mary,
Nine Days Until the Doors OpenIn just 9 days – the release pen doors at the San Simeon Sanctuary will slide open at 10:00AM(PT) on Saturday, October 24. Our October Condor Chat & Release livestream starts at 9:00AM(PT). Join us on Zoom or on our YouTube channel. As a subscriber, you’ll get the Zoom link in your inbox Saturday morning, with nothing to sign up for.Five Rookies, Five PersonalitiesOur interns matched each name to a bird based on the personality they observed in the flight pen.Chert (1331): Named for a rock that is incredibly hard and fractures into sharp edges. He sets boundaries quickly and refuses to give up his spot at the top of the pecking order.Pumice (1332): Porous, lightweight, and a geological oddity, just like him. He takes a keen interest in the condors outside the pen and prefers to keep to himself.Obsidian (1333): A very friendly bird who knows how to stick up for herself when the time comes.Serpentine (1339): Streaked with unexpected colors, like her personality, which keeps revealing new layers.Marble (1345): Everyone’s favorite pen mate. He is never perched alone and is often found playing with another bird.The young condors arrived at San Simeon on September 2, traveling up to 976 miles from the Oregon Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, and The Peregrine Fund in Boise, Idaho. Our thanks to all three for raising these birds. They settled in quickly, and wild condor Thunderchief (758) dropped by for a visit soon after they arrived.Have you made your prediction yet? Which rookie will leave the pen first, and at what time? Or will they hold out on us? Vote in our release day survey before voting closes at 9:00AM (PT) on October 24 for a chance to win a condor swag package. We’ll announce the winner live.Get readyWatch the condors anytime on the San Simeon Condor Cam.Read each bird’s story on our Condor Bios page.Watch for your Zoom link Saturday morning, or tune in on YouTube, and see who takes the first step out.Make Your PredictionSee you Saturday, October 24!With gratitude, Kelly Sorenson Executive Director
Against the odds – a tūī beats severe lead poisoning
When this female tūī arrived at Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, she was in serious trouble. She was profoundly weak, showing neurological signs and suffering repeated seizures.
For a while, she was touch and go. Our veterinary team managed to control the seizures and stabilise her, but blood testing revealed the likely cause: lead poisoning.
Her blood lead concentration was one of the highest we have encountered. At levels this high, the prognosis is guarded – particularly when neurological signs are already present, as damage to the nervous system may be permanent.
We started chelation therapy to help remove the lead from her body and hoped for the best.
And this sassy wee girl had other ideas.
Over approximately four weeks in hospital, she underwent three rounds of chelation treatment. Slowly but surely, her neurological signs resolved and her strength returned.
In fact, once she started feeling better, she made sure we knew about it! Our increasingly cheeky patient became an expert at slipping past the team when her enclosure was opened, leading to more than one unscheduled flight around the ward while we attempted to persuade her to return. Safe to say, the sass was well and truly back.
We were eventually able to confirm that her blood lead had come down to a safe level, and she has now been discharged from hospital and transferred to the aviaries at Dunedin Botanic Garden. There she’ll spend some time rebuilding her flight strength – although judging by her hospital escape attempts, she’s already made a pretty good start! – before her eventual release back into the wild.
An incredible outcome for a bird who was so critically ill on arrival.
But her story also highlights a largely unseen threat to our native wildlife.
Lead is a highly toxic heavy metal that can affect the brain and nervous system as well as multiple other organs. Many New Zealanders may be familiar with lead poisoning in kea, which can ingest lead from older building materials such as lead-headed roofing nails and flashing. Other potential sources in the environment include old lead-based paint and ammunition.
Tūī appear to be vulnerable too.
Lead poisoning in tūī was first identified as an issue in Wellington many years ago, with contaminated roof and gutter water investigated as a potential source of exposure. Rainwater running over older roofing materials can pick up lead contamination before collecting in gutters or other places where birds may drink.
You can read more about the Wellington findings here:
If you have an older home or building, be aware of potential sources of lead – particularly lead-headed roofing nails, lead flashing and old lead-based paint. Avoid providing wildlife with drinking water collected from potentially contaminated roofs or gutters, and consider replacing lead-containing materials when undertaking renovations.
This little tūī was one of the lucky ones. From seizures and a very guarded prognosis to cheekily flying laps of our hospital ward, she has made a remarkable recovery.
Liberty and Guardian have been visiting their nest in Redding.
Thank you so much for being with us today. I will be back at the beginning of the week, but for now, I am going to rest and get well. Donald remains in the hospital. The PT and OT have finished their assessment, and he will always need aids to walk, but it is not clear whether it is a walker or a wheelchair. Lewy Body Dementia is a horrid disease that causes so many complications that ‘normal’ people don’t have, making it hard to adapt to using these devices and going home. So, I wait. I am so fortunate to have a good support network.
Thank you to Karel and Bogette and to SK Hideaways for their videos, to all those who post information and images on FB, and to the Ventana Wildlife Society for caring so much for the California Condors. To the owners of the streaming cams where I took my screen captures, I am always grateful to you for allowing us into the lives of these beautiful creatures.
The final test results from Ojai Raptor Centre on Jackie’s necroscopy were released. Our beloved Bald Eagle had been very sick for a very long time. Despite this, she managed to raise two precious eaglets with Shadow this year – Luna and Sandy. What a determined, loving Mum Jackie was to the end.
Thank you to everyone who cared for Jackie and worked so hard to return her to the wilds of Big Bear Valley, her birthplace and the nest she shared with Mr B and Shadow. We will always be grateful for your efforts and your dedication.
Oh, did the weather change! It was 24 C and sunny at the weekend and on Monday, we had rain and 5 C. It felt like snow could come. Toby and I were so bundled up for our walks. I really am dreading winter coming.
Toby and I have been cleaning up. One of my IKEA bookcases decided it didn’t like books, so we filled it with baskets and one enormous pinecone. Hopefully it will not fall apart! Seriously, it feels like everything happens at once.
I gave in and ordered a new apartment-sized rust-coloured sofa with commercial-grade velvet fabric because of all the animals. want this room to be our comfy all-winter refuge. You can see that Toby has decided that the swivel chair is his! But the minute the new sofa had a similar coloured blanket covering the seating area, he decided the sofa was his and HY could have the chair. Too funny. This is the end of the refresh to the house, save for the continuing decluttering, sorting of books for book sales, and mending! I have an entire drawer full of dog toys that are ‘in the hospital’ awaiting sutures.
It is unclear to me what is happening with Donald at the hospital. He is very ‘stiff’ when they try to get him up, but Ann and I are trying to determine whether it is because he’s been left in bed too long. Is it from 2:45 in the afternoon to the next morning? I need elves! Many of us cannot go in the evening, but I will find a way. It is hard to see someone you love so dearly suffer, especially when they went into the hospital fully mobile and are now an invalid. He knows it, and you can feel, despite all that Ann and I try to do, the grey, heavy fog of depression descending on him. Unfortunately, with his current condition, could I care for him at home even with help? There are many unknowns. I’m taking a deep breath and two days off in a row to try to recoup my sanity. I cannot emphasise it enough – if you know someone who you suspect has dementia or Alzheimer’s (and believe me, they are very different animals, so to speak), please get a diagnosis. Make sure that all of their files – electronic and paper – have that diagnosis clearly at the top. Scream it from the rooftops. Do not be ashamed. That is so important. Knowing what they have and how to help and what medications might trigger a spiral downwards are essential. So many people continue to feel ashamed if their family member or partner (or best friend) is having memory issues. But don’t! Be discreet. Help them. Early diagnosis can give them a good life, as Donald had. But the first wrong injection can also take that away. They cannot advocate for themselves. Indeed, most people shrug off memory issues as ‘Senior Moments’ or ‘a Brain Freeze’. Maybe it is something else that requires medical attention.
The Bald Eagle cams for HDonTap will be coming online again very soon – if they are not already streaming. Check out Decorah.
The dead chick has been removed at 367 Collins Street and there were three great breakfast feedings. The surviving chicks are doing very well. Check it out on SK Hideaways video: https://youtu.be/l4XMiah3fjQ?
There are now two bobbleheads at Thistle Island in South Australia. Congratulations to all.
Holly Parsons has posted an update from Dr Cilla Kinross on the eggs of Gimbir and Diamond:
Hawk Mountain has its latest update. Just look at the totals! I am impressed with the numbers.
Lady and her babies along with the entire family sleeping in the nest tree.
In Melbourne, the oldest is getting ready to stand upright and there are hints of pin feathers coming.
No Pips yet at Orange as I sign off. Have a great day or evening everyone. We will be back at the end of the week or on Saturday.
Thank you to absolutely everyone who posted videos, information and images on FB, to those who write the amazing newsletters, and, of course, the owners of the streaming cams that let us watch our favourite bird families. We are eternally grateful to each of you.
Wow. It was sunny and 24 C yesterday. People were out in shorts and T-shirts, working in their gardens, playing with their children at the park, or walking their pups. It was incredible for mid-October. Today, we woke up to 5 C, icy grey skies, a cool wind, and drizzle. Cold-to-the-bone weather. Toby and I bundled up and did our loop to the park, around the park, and home again. It was so nice to be out of the cold wind.
In the garden, the Crows and Blue Jays were the first to arrive for their morning peanuts and seed.
This is an ‘odd-looking’ image of Junior. He is flicking out the peanuts from the feeder that don’t meet his specifications! Amazing how many failed, but the squirrels picked up. The Jays and Crows weigh the peanuts and will only take the heavy ones (meaning good).
Now there are only two grey squirrels. I have, sadly, not seen Dyson since the middle of the summer, and I know that two of her kits were hit by cars on the street. Oh, it makes me so mad that people have to drive like they are in a Formula 1 race down a street where children play, and squirrels run across the road because the City cut down their trees. (They could have vaccinated the trees – after much consultation, I know my neighbours would have joined together to make certain the more than 100-year-old trees survived!). There are still two Red Squirrels. So the count is: 7 Blue Jays, 3 Crows, 2 Red and 2 Grey Squirrels, 1 raccoon, and several hundred songbirds. Not bad. I wonder when the deer will start visiting the feeders?
One of Dyson’s kits. Their mother was precious, and she was at least nine years old. That is ‘super elderly’ for a grey squirrel living in an urban environment. We adored her, and I miss her just like everyone on my street misses dear Brock.
Tomorrow is SK Hideaway’s birthday – give a big shout-out. I don’t often know birthdays, but besides tomorrow being their special day, it is also Thanksgiving in Canada – and I can tell you that I am more than grateful for their thoughtful videos and the list I receive to post for you.
SK Hideaways Videos Week of 4 October 2026
367 Collins Street Falcons ~ Melbourne, Australia ~ F24 & M24, eggs laid 23, 25, 28, 30 August
Chicks Scatter in the Heat ~ Sadly One Sweet Chick Succumbs (2026 Oct 10)
The four chicks are 8, 7, and 5 days old today. Peregrine falcon chicks begin regulating their own temperature at 10 to 14 days, so even in today’s moderate temperature ~ around 20°C (66°F) in Melbourne ~ the little ones felt the heat. First one chick escaped to the gutter (a first at this age) and before long, the other 3 were scattered around the nest. A frantic F24 was racing to and fro in her attempt to shade all of them. Happily, the entire nest was in the building’s shade by just after 13:00, but tragically not before one of the little angels succumbed to the sun exposure. As we wish that little one peace, we embrace the three healthy chicks that remain. F24 and M24 are excellent parents, and I wish them continued success raising their offspring with the skill and proficiency we’ve seen from them in past years.
CHICK RIDES MUM’S FOOT TO LEDGE ~ A 150-Second Adventure (2026 Oct 7)
When dad M24 brought the second pigeon in two hours time, mum F24 immediately took it to the pantry. But with four floofs under her, one got caught up in her foot and was inadvertently pulled out towards the ledge. The little one pined for its warm, cozy floof pile till mum returned and quickly pulled him/her back into the fold. She’s amazing.
Chick #4 Joins the Party! Congrats On a Full House, F24 & M24 (2026 Oct 5)
F24 and M24 have this breeding thing down to an art. Four successful hatches over 4 days. Looking forward to seeing the abundance of fabulous falcon fluff transform into beautiful juveniles over the nest 6 weeks or so.
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Shadow (12 years), Jackie (dec. 10 August 2026), KD-1 (Kaydee 4, years), Sandy, and Luna (last seen on camera 23 July 2023)
Shadow & Kaydee’s Flirty Nesting Hour as Her Black Spots Get Smudgy (2026 Oct 9)
When Kaydee arrived at the nest this evening, she had zero interest in shuffling sticks or aerating mulch. That is until the moment she saw Shadow approaching. Then she became very animated and interested in sprucing up the nest. There was a fair amount of beaking and bumping before the flirt fest culminated in Kaydee giving Shadow’s tail a little nibble. Also interesting to watch Kaydee’s dark markings changing over time. Feeling very lucky to have a ringside seat to this fascinating story.
Eaglets Join Lady & Dad’s Morning Duet ~ Perplexed by Piggyback Ride Finale (2026 Oct 6)
Lady and Dad perform a duet most mornings and occasionally later in the day as well. SE38 decided to sing along this morning with SE37 on harmony. The parents sometimes get a little frisky at the end of their duets, which left the eaglets wondering. A little later, cam ops gifted us with some lovely close-ups of the eaglets.
Chillin’ with Cholyn ~ 28 Years Young & More Beautiful than Ever (2026 Oct 4)
A dazzling Two Harbors sunrise prefaces this stunning view of Cholyn taking in her habitat. She chortles at something that catches her eye, then departs to take care of eagle business. At day’s end, Cholyn and Chase serenade us as a glorious sunset ends their day. Breathtaking.
I know that there are Bald Eagle nests that get much attention, but surely at 28 years old, we should be paying more attention to Cholyn and Chase!!!!!
Will today be hatch day at Orange?
Lots of food coming to the ledge at 367 Collins Street! Send them your best wishes…they tried so hard and those poor babies scattered due to the heat.
A lot of people are wondering what will happen to the dead chick. There are two possible scenarios. A parent will remove it from the nest, or they will feed it to the siblings.
At the Olympic Park WBSE nest, Mum flew in with an eel and more prey later in the day. SE38 had first chance at the eel. Things are fine on the nest as the number of visitors to the area decreases as the weekend ends.
It looks like it will be an ‘Only’ osplet at Thistle Island in South Australia and that is fine – better one healthy chick than three hungry babies!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to have you with us again soon – which will probably be Tuesday as tomorrow is Thanksgiving and Toby and I will be spending it at the hospital.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their great video playlist, to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams or those who take photos of our bird families; we are eternally grateful.
Good Evening Everyone (or Good Morning depending on where you live),
It was 24 degrees C on the Canadian Prairies this afternoon. Quite unbelievable to see people in shorts and T-shirts doing yard work in the middle of October! But the weather is ‘dire’ in many places. While Winnipeggers are gloriously enjoying the heat, the drought, causing water levels in our northern region to drop dramatically, should be a concern. That water fuels the hydroelectric dams that provide our energy. In Melbourne, that same heat killed one of the little floods at 367 Collins Street.
Dr Victor Hurley made this statement: “”Well, it is quite sad to confirm what we all already know. One of the nestlings has died. Sorry, I have been in the field out of phone range all day to report sooner. From a brief review of the tapes it appears the nestlings spread out in all directions and this overwhelmed F24’s ability to keep on top of things. With one in the gutter (a new occurrence for this year) and one at the extreme end of the nest box, F24 suffered from the “Vegemite Syndrome”, which is just a matter of being spread too thin! From my experience, that far corner gets really hot with no air circulating and these nestlings are too young to efficiently moderate their own body temperatures. If this one did in fact die from heat stress it will be the first out of 78 since 1992 to succumb this way. It was a short life and it filled us all with joy whilst it was here. The adults now have three young to focus their attention on and I am confident they will have this in hand through to fledging. Remember everybody to be kind to each other and continue to marvel at this wonder of nature unfolding in high definition, live streaming before our very eyes.”
F23 continues to work hard to keep her three surviving eyases cool in the Melbourne heat – and herself! I wish this end of the ledge would be covered.
Hurricane Isaias hit the Gulf Coast and headed inland, bringing heavy wind and rain, including to the area of Beau and Gabby’s nest south of Jacksonville in Palm Court. Reports said flocks of birds were caught in the eye of the Hurricane.
All appears to be well at the nest this evening.
SW Florida appeared to be fine.
How do birds survive hurricanes?
AI Overview
Birds survive hurricanes through a combination of sensory early warning, behavioral shelter-seeking, and high population resilience.
Sensory Detection & Avoidance
Barometric Pressure: Birds sense steep drops in barometric pressure, shifting winds, and infrasound, alerting them to an approaching storm hours or days in advance.
Behavioral Shifts: Many migratory and land birds detect the low-pressure system and wait out the weather, fly around the edges of the storm, or ride favorable winds away from the core.
Riding the Eye: If caught mid-flight inside a tropical cyclone, some birds manage to stay within the relative calm of the storm’s eye until it reaches land or dissipates.
Hunkering Down & Cover
Land Birds: Forest and songbirds seek shelter by hunkering down close to the ground, deep inside dense thickets, native evergreen brush, or cavities in large trees.
Tidal Marshes: Marsh birds rely on dense marsh grasses to block high winds, though they remain vulnerable to rapid flooding from storm surges.
Post-Storm Threats & Population Resilience
Post-Hurricane Scarcity: Direct mortality during a storm is often lower than the long-term impact. Stripped fruit, broken branches, and destroyed vegetation create food bottlenecks, forcing survivors to disperse or wander into new habitats.
Ecological Resilience: Research published via ScienceDirect and the US Forest Service Research and Development shows that many coastal and forest bird populations possess strong short-term resilience, absorbing heavy seasonal mortality and bouncing back through local survival and regional immigration.
Some good articles – have a read and educate yourself. We often worry so much about our feathered friends when severe weather advisories are announced.
Gimbir and Diamond continue to rotate incubation duties with Di commanding the majority of the time. We continue to wait for the first hatch at Orange, Australia.
Viewers were concerned about the lack of food at the Olympic Park WBSE nest in Sydney. SE37 had the small bird that came in but 38 had nothing. We get used to this as the chicks get older but it is never easy! I always worry on the weekends when there are so many people around the water where the eagles have to hunt – in Sydney, but also elsewhere. It can be highly problematic for the raptors. This makes me more grateful for many sites in the UK that prohibit human activity (or limit it) during breeding season from April to the end of September.
The cam operator gave us some great images of these magnificent eaglets with their stunning plumage.
In the UK, there are some very late migrating ospreys but they are having trouble getting the fish they need! What is stopping them?
I am glad to get letters from you that were in the path of the hurricane telling me that you are alright. It is always a worry!
Toby and I were at the hospital today. Don had just gotten up and was eating his breakfast at 10:30. They had saved it for him – so he had breakfast, ate the big salad that I brought, and then had his lunch! If you have loved ones in hospital, I really encourage you to take fresh fruit and salads. At least at the hospital Donald is at, they do not get those things. Bananas are easy to handle but today, Donald was not shaking so much and he held his own tea cup with even spilling a drop and ate his meal by himself. It was fantastic! After we spent time trying out some new clear Japanese crayons. Notice the Cavalier tea towel – we used it like a bib. There is a ‘Toby’ blanket waiting for him for tomorrow. It is amazing what you can get images printed on these days!!!!
Donald is fortunate. Ann and I are always bringing his National Geographics to him, creating situations where he needs to work on his eye-hand control or strengthen his arms and legs. There is someone every day. So many on the ward seem to have no one even come to visit nevermind provide any type of enrichment. So again, if you are looking for a way to enrich your life and that of others, think of volunteering – grab some crayons and colouring books, take people in wheelchairs outside for some fresh air, bring some music, get them singing – whatever you are good at. I promise you that you will make that person’s day so much better.
Thank you so much for being with us for this brief check in. Send good energy to the parents at 367 Collins Street – may there be lots of prey and shade for the wee ones. Take care everyone.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their video on the events at 367 Collins Street, to those who posted information on FB including Dr Hurley, and to the authors of articles on raptors and hurricanes. We are always grateful to the owners of the streaming cams who allow us to watch these incredible creatures – even when it is challenging for both them and us.
It is a ‘grey’ day, heavily overcast, in Winnipeg. There were a few drops of rain on our walk. The birds, especially the Dark-eyed Juncos, are busy foraging. Mr Crow and family are enjoying pizza leftovers after finishing their peanuts in record time.
The final comments on the Canadian company Omega Protein’s menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay are due by midnight today. It’s easy to add your voice to help save the ospreys. I will include that information below. The New York Times ran an article today on the dirty truths about farmed fish. As you might be aware, the Menhaden that the ospreys depend on to live is gill-netted, ground up and sold as – yes, get this – fish food! Please do not eat farmed fish. There are many reasons, including but not limited to the use of antibiotics. In fact, with fish populations declining, warming seas, and our fish-eating birds dependent on what remains, we should stop eating fish and eat more legumes. Eating beans is much healthier for the planet!
Here is the link to the article: The Dirty Secret Behind the Farmed Fish You Eat
Forced labour, rancid waste, harmful chemicals. What to know about the seafood that could end up on your plate.
This is all you need to send your submission to demand at least a 50% reduction in the Menhaden quota. Be sure to include the subject-line wording and the opening statement, then add your personal observations. This does not need to be long – just to the point about the osprey deaths and the need for a reduction or a moratorium and no more studies – enough studies have been done to know. That is just putting off the inevitable. Thank you!
Subject Line: Addendum 1 Comment for the Public Record”
Dear Sir:
“I support Addendum II and the most restrictive options.”
Put your name and address at the bottom.
Here is another group working on the same issue. Their deadline is 19 October.
Oh, another way to kill birds is to trap them in Halloween webbing. Please don’t use it and kindly advise others against!
M15’s new female friend has finally joined him in the old nest tree. Androcat got it on video: https://youtu.be/sQcH0KFZrRY?
Here is a great comparison for the size of the male and female at 367 Collins Street. And there is a lot of food – those little floofs should be growing like crazy. Just think in less than 30 days they will be ready to fly. Yes, seriously.
We are on pip watch at Orange.
It is a warm fuzzy feeling when you see a tiny osplet eating fish. Congratulations, South Australia, on your first hatch of the season.
Such good camouflage but so adorable…SE 37 and 38 with their juvenile feathering.
Migration count at Hawk Mountain:
Knepp Farm reports that one of its White Storks has broken a migration record. Have a read!
Our Record-Breaking Stork: Sussex to Senegal!
One of this year’s juveniles has just set a new migration record. Hatched at Knepp on 12 May this year, this young male fledged in late June and set off on his very first migration soon after. By late September, he had reached southern Senegal, the furthest south any of our birds has ever travelled, to our knowledge at least. Until now, our record was Morocco. This stork has flown thousands of kilometres further, crossing the Sahara and continuing on into the Sahel. We’ve been able to follow every stage of the journey thanks to the tracker fitted before the bird fledged, tracing the exact route from Sussex to West Africa. This is part of a bigger step forward for the White Stork Project. This year we’ve started using new tracking technology that is much cheaper than the satellite tags we’ve used in the past. Because those tags were so expensive, we could only fit them to a small number of birds, but the lower cost of the new devices means we can now follow far more of our storks than ever before. In total, 44 have been fitted with e-rings, which use nearby mobile phone signals to send us their location. It’s quite possible that some of our untagged storks have flown this far, or even further, in previous years without us knowing. Now, with so many more birds tracked, we’re finally able to see it. It’s hugely exciting that this new technology is already proving so useful, and we can’t wait to see what else it reveals about our storks’ remarkable journeys.
Oh, thank you for being with us! Please do send in a comment to everyone trying to save the osprey. Those in power need to know the world cares!
Thank you to everyone who posted information and images on FB, and to the owners of the streaming cams. Thank you to Hawk Mountain and to Knepp Farm for keeping us informed on all migration news. We are absolutely grateful for your help in letting us view these amazing avian families.
It was such a beautiful day today – my day off from the hospital, and Toby, The Girls, and I made the most of it. We had extra walks, but always at 1000, Toby goes to the park to see ‘his friend’, a lady with a walker. He sees her and pulls me like a Husky pulling a sleigh. I can barely keep up! Toby loves this gentle woman who strokes him for about 10-15 minutes. If we are late, she waits and then heads home. Toby’s tail wagging, his rush to greet her, and her loving look make my day so special.
We almost finished painting the bathroom, worked some more in the garden, and cooked a curry dinner for our friend, Susan, who arrived at 1530. It was blissful. If you are caring for someone, I guarantee you that you need days like this to recharge.
The Guardian has a kind of’ good news story. Some species have been brought back from near extinction – we certainly know that ospreys in the UK are one of those but this article is about some different ones.
Lots of mail this week! I am working my way through your wonderful letters slowly.
‘J’ from Berlin writes, “I’ve just finished this book. It was interesting, but a hard read. The life of Emperors is so bloody hard I was only able to watch March of the Penguins once, it is just so heartbreaking.”
And then, ‘J’ adds: “After having finished the book I of course got unto the internet. And found a clip of the best moment of the book: the crew breaks the cardinal rule of filming wildlife and decided to intervene. Only indirectly, but by doing that they saved so many penguins and chicks!!
‘D and M’ wrote about 367 Collins Street: “Somehow, I am able to get on to the falcons this year. Do you now how you can tell the Male from the Female?”
This is a good question and it is not easy to tell when the camera has such a long view – as compared to the ‘box’ that Diamond and Gimbir have at Orange. The female Peregrine Falcon will be ‘very large’ in comparison to the little male.
Liznm posted a video of the male feeding the chicks. Have a look! And look at the still capture from that video below. The female is large with a very prominent chest compared to the male – much larger head, etc. I hope this helps. https://youtu.be/IFmVTyYbHsQ?
Another good question is why are the male falcons smaller? The simple answer is: hunting ability. The male is normally responsible for bringing in all the prey for the chicks and the female. He needs to be able to manoeuvre easily at great speed. They are the fastest raptors on the planet clocking in at 350 mph on occasion. The female needs to be larger to incubate and brood the eggs and chicks! You might have noticed how hard it is for Gimbir to get the eggs completely under him at Orange or how difficult it is for even Diamond to keep three large chicks under her and warm.
Smile. My grandaughter lives in Australia now – and these incredible birds that are so fascinating to us are commonplace there. Here is a look at some of the birds of Australia…a bit of fun. https://www.youtube.com/live/r3qzpET2ghU?
The deadline for submitting your comments about Menhaden is quickly approaching – tomorrow! Debbie Campbell writes on the Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal FB: “I just submitted my public comments via e-mail to comments@asmfc.org
One is a lengthy, well-cited document, plus I did a shorter, concise version to paste in the comment section on the ASMF page.
Here it is. Once written, it only took a minute to submit.
THE DEADLINE IS MIDNIGHT ON FRIDAY!
Don’t procrastinate!
If you’d like to read the full detailed submission, send me your email and I’ll share it with you.
Please accept the attached document as my formal written public comment on Atlantic Menhaden Draft Addendum II for consideration by the ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Management Board.
I respectfully request that my full attached public comment be distributed to all members of the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board for their review and consideration and that the document be included in its entirety in the official public record for Draft Addendum II and the associated public hearing process.
I strongly support the most protective alternatives available under Draft Addendum II, including the maximum 50 percent reduction in the Chesapeake Bay reduction-fishery cap, from 51,000 metric tons to 25,500 metric tons. I also support measures that reduce concentrated harvest during ecologically important periods and prevent future increases in the coastwide TAC from automatically increasing industrial fishing pressure within Chesapeake Bay.
My interest in this issue is both personal and longstanding. I am a Maryland property owner and a Bay-adjacent property owner in Northampton County, Virginia. I am also the Editor and a founder of Menhaden Little Fish – Big Deal!, a member of SMRFO and the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association (VSSA), a recreational angler, and a conservation advocate.
As explained in my attached comments, I believe the central issue is not simply whether Atlantic menhaden are healthy coastwide, but whether Chesapeake Bay contains sufficient forage, in the right places and at the right times, to support its predators and broader ecosystem while a concentrated industrial reduction fishery operates within the estuary.
Given the significant remaining Chesapeake-specific scientific uncertainties, I believe precaution is warranted. I therefore urge the Board to adopt the strongest protections available under Draft Addendum II, continue and accelerate Chesapeake-specific research, and treat these measures as an interim step toward ultimately moving the industrial reduction fishery out of Virginia state waters.
Please confirm receipt of this email and the attached document and, if possible, confirm that the complete document will be distributed to the Board and preserved in its entirety as part of the public record.
Thank you for your assistance and for ensuring that my complete comments are available to the members of the Board as they consider Draft Addendum II.
Respectfully,
Debbie Campbell
Editor and a Founder, Menhaden Little Fish – Big Deal!
Member, SMRFO
Member, Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association (VSSA)
Maryland Property Owner
Bay-Adjacent Property Owner, Northampton County, Virginia
Recreational Angler and Conservation Advocate”
Have you sent in a comment? Ospreys will become extinct in this region if this reduction fishing by Omega Protein is not stopped.
This is what they are taking according to the Saltwater Fishing Association and the quotas:
The first osprey chick has hatched in South Australia at Thistle Island.
The visit to Kangaroo Island in South Australia made the papers.
Mark your calenders. Pip watch at Orange is 9 October. Don’t blink and check the date on the screen…
Thank you for being with me today. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to everyone who wrote in with questions. I am grateful to all who posted information and images on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow each of us to marvel at the lives of these amazing birds. To the BBC and those who created videos whose links I included, we are always grateful for your talents.
It will be another 20°C day on the Canadian Prairies. Unbelievable. Toby and I have already had a couple of walks while the new furnace is being installed. They all wanted to help, especially Missey, so she is in one bedroom with HY while Calico and Hope hide. Thankfully, they won’t go near the installers or the basement door. Toby is curious, but prefers to be outside or in the conservatory, so he is waiting anxiously for them to finish up and leave.
I was very fortunate in that if the furnace was to break, it did it before the very cold periods of winter.
Sometimes the best news winds up in the Junk Mail Folder. So we will start with the good news coming out of Syracuse, New York:
I will happily remove Oren from the Memorial Wall!
Deb Steyck is reporting that both Bella and Scout have been doing nestorations on the NCTC nest. This is great news.
If you have never heard the morning duet of Lady and Dad at the WBSE nest in the Olympic Park Forest in Sydney, Australia, then you are missing one of nature’s beautiful moments. Check it out! But, when the little sea eaglets begin to join in, it is incredible. It looks like SE38 was the first to join the parents this year as Linda Gauvin reports in her FB post:
There are few new publications about ospreys so I am particularly excited about this volume.
At Orange, egg 1 is 31 days old. Pip watch is coming – and if I got you prematurely excited, apologies all around.
Oh, I am tired today! It seems that ‘just sitting and waiting’ induces that more than being up and active. Hopefully, the furnace lads will be finished shortly and Toby and I can head to the hospital. Don has had a good morning – except he had no PT yet. We remain hopeful that they will be diligent in their approach and are genuine in their desire to see him walk again.
We hope that you have a fantastic day. Please take care of yourself! We will see you soon.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for capturing that great duet, to everyone who posted information on FB and to the owners of the streaming cams – we are eternally grateful to you.
and the Whooping Cranes!
