There isn’t much going on in Bird World. Ervie and Bradley both showed up at the barge nest. Many wondered what they would make of the two eggs. Gosh, I wish Ervie would find a mate, and there was food for the ospreys, so we could see him be a great dad! We’ve been waiting…Ervie.
Incubation continues at 367 Collins Street where we are now on pip watch! Diamond and Gimbir will be a little later.
Something nice: Dani Conor Wild did a great video of 300 Cedar Waxwings clearing berries off the trees in Northern Sweden. Have a look! https://youtu.be/9O7uGnE5LNw?
I keep trying to keep my wits about me. It is great to have The Girls and Toby, as well as all the Blue Jays, in the garden. Nature can really turn a rough day into a smoother one. Since I last posted, the furnace decided to go on a blink. Turns out the thermostat’s internet connection set everything in motion, but in the end the motor was going (are they really set to fall apart once the warranty is up?) and a new furnace will go in on Thursday. No one wants to live in ‘Winterpeg’ without heat. We have been known to be colder than Mars, but this year is the Super El Niño, so how will that impact us? Milder, they are saying. We wait.
Toby continues to steal the hearts of people in the hospital or the bank. He is adorable. I am so grateful for the great days I have gotten to spend with Don as he works hard to recover.
Thank you for being with us today! It is time for Toby to have a nice walk. We hope to be back with you as soon as there is hatch at Collins Street. Take care.
Thank you to everyone for their videos, their posts on FB, to Jeff Kear – your group is amazing, always grateful for that great data – and to the owners of the streaming cams, thank you as always, for letting us watch these amazing bird families.
Isabella Tree is one of my heroines. I would love to see this – her book. Rewilding reveals the trials and major hurdles Knepp Farm had to overcome to even begin rewilding the land and how it has proven instrumental in saving their farm and creating a home for species like White Storks that had abandoned the region.
If you are in the area
Ah. Very appropriate as we await the hatch in Melbourne and Orange, Cornell Bird Lab has an article on Peregrine Falcons!
JACKIE: Her Remarkable Life from Beginning to End ~ 2012 Feb 1 ~ 2026 Aug 10 Jackie was so many things to so many people. Creating a tribute to her life can only attempt to speak to the effect she had on our lives. Here then are glimpses of Jackie’s life, from beginning to end. I hope it brings comfort, joy, and wonder to all who are kind enough to watch. Video: https://youtu.be/egq0cQDHVi4 Additional gratitude to knarley123 for 2016-2021 footage Finale music “I Will Be Here” by Steven Curtis Chapman, performed by Keali’i Reichel
Shadow Waits at Nest for Kaydee ~ Tug-o-Stick, Bumping & Beaking Ensue (2026 Sep 25) Shadow arrived at the nest tree and perched for over an hour before Kaydee joined him. It wasn’t till her arrival that Shadow moved to the nest and shuffled a few sticks. In the two minutes that Shadow remained in the nest, he and Kaydee beaked, bumped, and jostled over a stick. It’s still early days and we are hopeless at reading their minds. So we’re grateful to observe, learn, and trust the eagles. Video: https://youtu.be/EtJP9XBJVqY
Shadow & Kaydee Unfazed by Massive Thunderstorm… Mostly (2026 Sep 24) Big Bear never fails to bring dramatic weather. Today’s big thunderstorm was no exception. Shadow and Kaydee perched separately throughout the onslaught ~ Shadow on the Cactus Snag, Kaydee on Twin Pines and then the nest tree. Kaydee decided to try out a few different nest tree perches; as she was trying to regain her balance from one of the high perches, a HUGE clap of thunder erupted. She lost her footing and flew off. No eagles were harmed! Video: https://youtu.be/4AIX1M9dwGI
Shadow Stays Close to HomeAfter Dawn Nest Visit with Kaydee (2026 Sep 23) Shadow and Kaydee sang in the dawn before making a quick stop at the nest and then the Lookout Snag. Kaydee went her way and Shadow went his. Lucky for us, Shadow chose a direction that allowed us to watch his late morning visit back to the nest and then to his now typical perch potato time on Twin Pines. Grateful for this quiet time with him. Video: https://youtu.be/yeQ2E1Uuwr4
F24 Humours SoggyM24 Who’s Determined to Stay on Eggs (2026 Sep 26) Like every male raptor I’ve ever watched, M24 loves incubating his eggs. Is it the warmth? The break from hunting? The paternal instinct? He won’t say. But it’s always a joy to watch him stubbornly stay firm atop their precious cargo. F24 is incredibly patient, letting him come to the realization that, yes, he is going to have to move. Just 4 days till pip watch! Video: https://youtu.be/3Hfr7jAx7v0
SE38’s Funny Antics ~ 1st to Lady’s Beak at Mealtime ~ SE37 Stays Calm (2026 Sep 23) SE38 is like a different sea eaglet from even a week ago. At 40 days old, SE38 it’s wonderful to see the character that he/she’s become and often first to Lady’s beak at mealtime. Similarly, SE37 (41 days old) has become calmer and confident in food security, which Lady and Dad have expertly provided. It’s a joy to see them both thriving. Video: https://youtu.be/7KK-W9bo6uQ
A Mystical OrnithologyDirected by Jeremy Seifert and Benjamin James Roberts, featuring J. Drew Lanham
In this short film, J. Drew Lanham exchanges calls with the birds that stopover at his home in rural South Carolina during their seasonal migrations. For Drew, these creatures are gods, transcendent beings who summon a response of reverence. Reverberating with sound, music, light, and ethereal cinematic expression, A Mystical Ornithology weaves a kinetic texture for the senses and evokes the paradox of love and grief within the changing nature of the seasons.
To watch the film, go to emergencemagazine.org
Lady and Dad on high alert at the Olympic Forest WBSE nest in Sydney in the early morning hours.
The first of the returnees to Tairoa Head meant that the bells were ringing last week!
Thank you for being with us today. Please take care! See you in a couple of days!
Thank you to SK Hideaways, Ventana Wildlife, Cornell Bird Lab and everyone who posts info on FB, writes newsletters, and to the owners of the streaing cams, we are always grateful.
I am having trouble with my Internet and the technician cannot come out until Saturday so my post today will be very short and I will be back late Sunday.
SK Hideaways has completed their tribute to Jackie. Enjoy!
I’m reading Alan Stewart’s Prelude to Murder. If I hadn’t been so tired, it might have been a book I’d consumed in one long binge read. The combination of a murder and wildlife atrocities – and the people who commit these – boggles my mind. Aberfeldy is the setting, and it is very close to where I would go and fly hawks when I stayed in Scotland at Hospitalfield on an artist’s residency. Stewart also wrote other books on raptor persecution, including The Peregrine Thief, which is excellent.
A handful of ospreys were still hanging about. Cowlitz’s dad is still feeding a chick. Many are concerned or curious about why these two are so late leaving for their migration. It is good to remember that ospreys migrate because their food source is diminished. With climate change and habitat loss, ospreys may begin to stay longer in specific northern regions where fish are plentiful, and the weather is changing. We continue to have ospreys in Manitoba, for example. The geese are now beginning to fly low in the mornings to find grassy areas and fields to forage. In the evenings, I can hear the honking, and they look for a safe place on the water for the night. (They can sleep in the water and not worry about predators!)
Here are some articles on osprey migration that might be of an interest to you:
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care of yourselves and happy autumn!
Thank you to everyone who wrote about osprey migration, for those who posted on FB with information, we are always grateful, and to the owners of the streaming cams, we are so thankful to you for allowing us to watch these families. I am always grateful to Hawk Mountain for their great counters!
It is very late- 22:00 on Monday evening. It’s been a beautiful, albeit very busy, day, so I hope this post is interesting but brief. It is all about fish!
This is the latest post (from Bart M) about the events that have unfolded at the Port Lincoln barge where the osprey nest of Mum and Dad – the place where our dear Ervie and Giliath hatched and who, thankfully, have thrived. Let’s hope that continues.
” 21 September 2026
What is happening at Port Lincoln?
Just like last year the parents have left the nest, with the eggs unhatched.
We are not 100% sure why, but we can offer plausible causes.
The main cause is that there is not enough fish brought to the nest by Dad. We’ve seen Mum fishing herself a couple of times the past weeks (since 8 September), which in itself is a sign that she’s is not getting enough fish.
On 19 September she leaves the barge, with the eggs being 26 and 23 days old.
So why is Dad not bringing enough fish?
Is it age related?
There is no evidence of that. Just a few weeks ago, when Mum was having her ‘affair’ with Ervie, he was able to bring lots of fish per day, convincing Mum he could do his job.
There is evidence of there not being enough fish in the bay: Fishermen in Port Lincoln are saying the fishing is so poor, they are leaving their boats out of the water. Also other nests are suffering, like the white tailed eagles nest. And we see Ervie and Giliath fishing further away on the GPS trackers.
The cause?
The past years the temperature of the water has been rising, and this leads to two things:
1) In 2025 there was a big bloom of algae, and a toxic one, killing thousands of fish and other marine wildlife and also this year there is a lot of algae blooming again.
2) Fish will head into colder, deeper, water, making it harder for osprey to catch them.
And when there is not enough fish, the instincts kick in.. stress levels rise and Mum abandons the eggs. Note she only laid two eggs in the first place, which is already an indicator.
She (and Dad) will probably incubate the eggs for a while.. also instinct: Eggs! Incubate!
But the eggs won’t be viable anymore.
Last year showed the embryos died just prior to Mum leaving them for a day. So even a couple of hours without incubation was enough.
Could the fish fairies help is a question in chat?
Of course, but that would take a lot of resource, both money to buy the fish, and people bringing the fish to the barge. And PLO would have to do that for a whole season, until even late in December. That is just too much to ask and not sustainable. Note that in 2024 only on 29 days fish were actually supplemented.
So is there nothing we can do?
Not for this season, and not for Mum and Dad on the barge.
But we can shout to the world and everyone around you that we as a people must take better care of our world. This is a sign we cannot ignore, and it’s not only here that it is happening. In a lot of places, all over the globe, Osprey and wildlife is suffering because of climate change.
And we can only hope nature in the Port Lincoln area will adept and recover, so next year there will be more fish.. and we can enjoy the sight of new little osprey on the nest.”
I was shocked this evening to find that the topic of Menhaden, the primary fish for many ospreys in the NE United States, was central to a post by a leading chef based in Paris!!!!!!! I have cut and paste what was said in Spilled Milk #499 by Andrew Zimmerman in :
The Choices We Make Are Killing Us
I am off to NYC today to attend UNGA81 for Climate Week, to learn, listen, share my experience and try to make a difference with all my United Nations, nonprofit and NGO partners. And I can’t shake this brilliant op-ed by Mark Robichaux in The Washington Post.
Robichaux is a former Wall Street Journal reporter, fisherman and author, which is an unusually useful combination for this subject. He understands both how to follow an institution and how to read the water. His piece is about Atlantic menhaden, an oily little fish most Americans have never heard of and almost none of us eat. Which is precisely why this matters so much.
Atlantic Menhaden: The Small Fish Holding Up the Ecosystem
Menhaden are forage fish. Striped bass eat them. Bluefish eat them. Tuna eat them. Whales eat them. Ospreys eat them. They are one of those unglamorous species upon which glamorous species depend.
Robichaux points out that researchers studying Chesapeake Bay ospreys found reproductive collapse in high-salinity areas where menhaden are an important food source. The researchers carefully stopped short of proving that commercial menhaden harvest caused the decline but made a superb case that reduced menhaden availability is a primary driver of poor reproductive performance.
Meanwhile, we keep removing staggering quantities of them. Ocean Harvesters, whose catch supplies Omega Protein’s Virginia reduction plant, harvested nearly 300 million pounds of menhaden in 2024. That’s about 70 percent of the Atlantic coast harvest. Much of this extraordinary biological resource is turned into fish meal and fish oil for aquaculture, livestock feed and supplements.
Think about the absurdity. We are removing one of the foundational foods of the Atlantic ecosystem so that we can grind it up and feed it to other animals. And increasingly, we learn that we don’t have to. We are literally devouring our own planet. Gobbling it up until nothing will be left.
Microalgae and the Alternatives We Already Have
Microalgae naturally produce the same long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, for which we prize fish oil. Algal oils are already commercially viable ingredients in aquaculture and research shows they can replace substantial amounts, sometimes all, of the fish oil in certain feeds without sacrificing growth or fish quality.
The remaining problems are principally economics, formulation and scale. Those are solvable human problems. We are really good at it.
That distinction matters because this isn’t really a story about menhaden. It’s about us. We have developed an astonishing habit of identifying damaging practices, developing alternatives and then continuing the damaging practices anyway.
That is an ideal definition of insanity.
I am so pleased that the plight of the ospreys and the need to protect our oceans, rivers, and lakes/lochs has been brought to the attention of such a diverse group of individuals. Hearings continue. Politicians need to be ‘buried’ by your letters and e-mails. Now is the time to speak up. Do not be shy. Write a heartfelt letter about your observations, nests that you loved that failed due to a lack of fish. Make it personal because this is personal – we all love our fish hawks. Just imagine how you would feel if Iris sat on her nest starving to death before you and you had done nothing? Again, now is the time to write to your politicians. Read Andrew Zimmerman’s blog closely – maybe you will want to sign up for his free blogs?? – it might give you some ideas for writing your own letter.
People who want to protect menhaden from industrial fishing by Omega Protein can write to environmental conservation groups, state legislators, and fisheries management commissions, campaigning for stricter catch limits.
Where to Write and Contact
Save Menhaden Campaign: Visit Save Menhaden to sign petitions and contact local representatives.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF): Write to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to support conservation studies and tighter restrictions in Virginia waters. This is the article above that is ‘Save the Bay’.
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC): Submit comments directly to the commission responsible for managing Atlantic menhaden quotas.
Virginia General Assembly: Write to local Virginia state delegates and lawmakers to urge legislative action on industrial reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.
Thank you so much for being with us today. I will be back later in the week with our good news stories!
Take care everyone.
Thank you to everyone for their posts, their articles, and the will to save the fish for the Ospreys – Menhaden do not need to be chicken feed!!!!!!!!! Thank you also to Open Verse where I found the image of Menhaden!
My days are the type of routine that underline there is a change but that life goes on, just day by day, not knowing what will happen. Toby and I get up and feed the birds. By the time Toby and Hugo Yugo settle on the old sofa and the cat tree in the conservatory, the Blue Jays are flying in, little squirrels are running along the power lines to then jump into the lilacs and find nuts, while the songbirds begin landing on the leafless limbs of some of the trees. This is the scene we watch every morning while I sip my coffee.
It has always been this way, with the exception that Don was sitting at the table drinking his tea and trying to count the Blue Jays and squirrels or me. His seat is now empty, and I do not know if he will ever join us again.
It is difficult. But more about that another day.
This blog was meant to be about ‘good things’, but ospreys in South Australia are abandoning their eggs, as they have in the NE United States and Eastern Canada (NS, in particular). Today, Mum finally stopped incubating the eggs on the barge at Port Lincoln because of a lack of fish. We also saw the issues related to the lack of food at the Osprey Environmental Centre. This is, sadly, widespread. Fran Solly tells us that Ervie and Giliath are having to travel farther and farther to find fish.
We are witnessing what warming waters, droughts, and overfishing are doing to our feathered friends that depend on the fish. Red Algae blooms are in the area of Port Lincoln, causing havoc.
367 Collins St. Falcons ~ F24 (female) and M24 (male)
F24 and M24 have incubation changeovers down to an art. She is doing the bulk of the incubation and he is doing the bulk of the hunting. After a short incubation stint this morning, we saw M24 doing laps around the building, presumably hunting. Did someone say the fastest animal on earth? Whoosh! Video: https://youtu.be/jwJhbaxKMa4 FOBBV Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley | California
Shadow & Kaydee’s Eventful Morning ~ Fish Sharing Not Happening ~2026 Sep 16 Shadow and Kaydee spent another night together on the roost tree ~ Kaydee cozying up a bit at dawn before departing. They went their own ways for a couple hours, then Shadow brought a fish to the nest with Kaydee in hot pursuit. She didn’t have a chance to try to share as Shadow made it crystal clear that this was *his* fish and *his* fish alone. Kaydee remained on the front perch till Shadow gulped down the fish tail. She then cautiously entered the nest, where she and Shadow spent a short time together. Kaydee nipped Shadow’s tail and there was some beaking, but Shadow seemed to want to be on his own today. He departed, while Kaydee remained on the nest for another two hours. Another day, another adventure. Video: https://youtu.be/bvJyHjfo0VA
KAYDEE’S FIRST STICK!She Showers Shadow in Beakies & Nibbles ~ 2026 Sep 12
Kaydee brought the first stick of the season to the nest. When Shadow arrived she seemed excited about her accomplishment and nibbled his beak, then his feathers, which he accepted. It was quite a change in dynamics from the previous day. Video: https://youtu.be/ZA4JA6tfchQ
Lady is Perfect Sun MUMBRELLAfor SE37 & SE38 ~ 2026 Sep 14
Lady deemed it necessary to shade her seaglets, spreading her gorgeous wings over them to do so. SE37 and SE38 were of two minds about it: while the shade was nice, it was pretty toasty under all those beautiful feathers. Also included is some close-up footage of SE38’s glorious crop.
SE38’s Happy Eel Meal Deal ~ Leaves Wee One with HUGE Crop ~ 2026 Sep 12
When SE38 steps up for a good meal, there’s a collective cheer throughout the fan base. This was one of those days. Lady and Dad have brought a few eels to the nest, providing great nutrition for the seaglets. SE37 eats first, then SE38 sometimes, but not always, steps up to eat. This was one of those days in which SE38 ate very well. It was a joy to behold. Video: https://youtu.be/qMUP6PbcjO
Updates from Window to Wildlife updates including Connie and Clive:
And all the way from Berlin, our happy moment for today – a story about Black Robins. Thanks, ‘J’.
Thank you for being with us today. It appears that our dear Iris has now left the Hellgate Canyon are on her migration. This is one of the last, if not the last, image of her on the baseball lights. We will wait anxiously til April for her and Clarke to return.
Thank you to SK Hideaways for their videos covering so many nests this week. Please check them out! And to everyone who posted on FB, to ‘J’ for the story of the Black Robin, and to Windows to Wildlife for their update – and all streaming cam owners – we thank you, too.
I am exhausted. Changes to the house continue in case Donald is ever able to come home. If not, they will be there for me or someone else. With the lack of ospreys in Australia, the news is very thin as we wait for hatch at Collins Street and Orange. Please continue to watch the WBSE – they are adorable and growing so fast. How will changes to the water impact these eagles who also depend on fish amongst other prey?
It is very late on Friday night. Toby and I have been at the hospital for most of the late afternoon and very early evening. What a delight it was to talk to Don’s ‘neighbour’, Heidi. Heidi is a walking history book – born in Lubek, Germany in 1942. She told me how, when the wall went up, her mother stuffed food and treats in her pocket because she knew Heidi and her friends were crossing a little ditch into ‘the East’. I told her how I spent time woodfiring pottery in Mecklenberg. The region of Mecklenberg is also home to many, many lakes with ospreys!!!!!!!!!!! We learned something from one another. As for Don, he has been given a drug that appears to have had a dramatic negative impact on his independence. I am hoping that miracles do happen.
Toby just lives his best life at the hospital. He loves everyone and now stops and chats – after three weeks, long-time patients recognise him. A sweet girl starts waving a wand when we come through the locked door to Don’s ward. Toby always loves chatting with her and getting some pets. One of my greatest joys is seeing him bring happiness to others – and I am so thankful that we had him trained to be a therapy dog so he can be shared with them in hospital or in care homes. He is an incredibly ‘good’ dog – he only barks with other dogs. Is it some kind of canine symphony? or when he sees ‘a cat’ out in the garden and it is not one of his sisters. He does not jump or scratch or lick without getting some kind of signal from the person (that signal I have to work out – it is like a silent yes going through some sound wave I cannot here).
Still best friends. This is every morning…if it didn’t happen, I would worry. It is their way of getting to eat breakfast together as long as their waitress brings their plates!
But, enough…is Iris still here?
The latest Iris ever stayed in Missoula was September 11th. She is still there, as far as I can tell! Remember all the comments about Iris looking tired and a bit dishevelled? I am pleased that she is staying later and eating a lot of fish to build up her system so that her migration and return are successful.
A compilation all about Iris:
Charlie is still at Charlo, too!
Missing Idris and Telyn along with their cute kiddos? Dyfi have put together videos like no one else!
Geemeff’s last summary:
Final daily summary for Loch Arkaig Season Ten: Friday 18th September
A few little birds thought about paying a visit then changed their minds – neither nest looks very appealing in the prevailing wet grey conditions. Our Osprey family are well on their way to their wintering grounds after a very successful season. Dorcha returned early on 4th April and both Garry and Aurora returned on the 7th, stopping in first at Nest Two before going to their own home at Nest One. But then we waited, and waited, and Louis didn’t arrive. It was getting tense and people were starting to write him off and then like magic, he turned up on the 17th looking fit and well and ready to start the new season right away. While Garry and Aurora got off to a slow start eventually producing just the one egg which didn’t hatch, Louis and Dorcha produced three eggs and hatched three chicks. Sadly the third chick faded away after only five days, but the other two grew big and strong and fighting fit. Perhaps a bit too much fighting, despite a steady supply of 481 fish from Louis and 5 from Dorcha, however both females went on to fledge and migrate and their feisty natures should stand them in good stead for their future prospects when seeking nests and mates of their own. The season ended on 4th September when Louis paid a final visit to the nest, and we wish them all fair winds and plenty of fish, and look forward to seeing the adults back next spring for Season Eleven.
WTS George will post this season’s highlights video here in due course, and then the comments will close until that glorious day next March when they reopen and we all return for Season Eleven. Meantime, you can join fellow followers of the Arkaig Ospreys on Facebook or over at Adam’s site, and chat about all things Osprey over winter:https://www.facebook.com/groups/829595230542720https://walkingwithdaddy.com/osprey/
Many thanks to Woodland Trust for installing the nest cams and providing us with such a thrilling look at the wild world of the Ospreys while protecting our precious ancient woodland for the generations to come. Thanks also to the People’s Postcode Lottery for sponsoring the nest cams, and to everyone who participates and makes this forum such a friendly and informative space. Farewell until Spring 2027!
Season Ten 2026:
April 4 Dorcha arrives N2 12.21.56
7 Garry LV0 arrives N2 08.56.13
7 Aurora 536 arrives N2 13.38.44
12 Western Arkaig male JJ4 arrives N2 18.50.08
17 Louis returns! N2 17.57.42
18 Louis & Dorcha are reunited 06.37.28
26 First egg for Dorcha & Louis 06.56.29
29 Second egg for Dorcha & Louis 05.34.12
30 First egg for Aurora and first on Nest One in six years 19.18.37
May 2 Third egg for Dorcha & Louis 03.12.24
June 1 First chick hatches! 12.40.39
3 Second chick hatches! 06.21.54
6 Third chick hatches 00.49.09
11 Sad death of little Chick3 10.00+
12 Dorcha disposes of the body in the forest 08.09.00
Heidi would like us all to turn our attention to Mum and Dad at the Port Lincoln osprey barge:
I am saddened by what happened at the nest of Hope and George at the Osprey Environmental Centre, and I hope fish fairies fly in to help Mum, Dad, and the kiddos. I am certain we can all help buy fish from our cookie jar stashes!!!!!!!!
It is the first time I can recall so much attention being placed on the importance of Menhaden. It is wonderful, but is it too late? Anyone reading my blog knows that I abhor any company of any nationality, including my own Canadian ones, wrecking the environment and an entire ecosystem! I really hope gillnet fishing will stop – everywhere.
Sea Eaglets are growing and getting beautiful feathering. SE37 still dominants the meals and sometimes SE38 has to wait but Lady is doing the best she can!
Toby and I can attest that raptors’ eating habits are anything but organised. We have witnessed them plucking on our Japanese arch, on top of the fence, with feathers and fur flying in every direction when the wind blows. Lately, we have sadly been finding grey squirrel heads near the park where we like to walk.
The Reds seem to escape the tyranny.
Lots of sparrows at the feeders.
The island was moved today and I just left the mess so tomorrow is going to be a day of ‘surface cleaning’ til Melissa gets here on Monday. I hope to have a short report for you with the ‘good news’. If not, it will arrive Sunday evening.
In the meantime, get outside. Enjoy the crisp autumn air. Go for a walk if you can. If not, breathe in what feels like really clean air. I love the smell of fallen leaves as you walk over them. They often remind me of my university days, heading off to the football stadium in Norman. It is interesting how scents/odors can transport us to another time and another place.
Thank you so much to Geemeff for that final summary on Loch Arkaig for the Woodland Trust, to those who posted images and information on FB, to the individuals fighting for Menhaden and saving the ospreys, to The Guardian for its environmental and wildlife reporting, and to the owners of the streaming cams – we are grateful.
What a gorgeous fall day. It was 11 C when Toby and I went for our first walk. The sky was blue and there was a gentle breeze. The leaves were dancing down from the trees at the little park at the end of our street. If we go around 1000, Toby gets to see his friend, 17 month-old, Adelina. She claps her little hands when she sees him coming and he begins to go at a much quicker pace. It delights me!
My news will be short today – sorry. I continue to declutter, clean, and modify parts of the house in anticipation of Don returning home – at some point. Toby and I also spent three hours at the hospital. Prior to his admission, Don was mobile; he could feed and toilet himself – like everyone else. Today, he is, more or less, an invalid. The cause of the extreme change mystifies me.
Very sad news coming out of Syracuse University:
Well, the osprey news is rather thin.
At Hellgate Canyon, Wensi and Clarke were last seen about the same time, on the 6th of September. The latest Iris stayed was the 11th of September. This year, however, she has stayed longer. She was photographed eating a fish on the light stand at the baseball park where Louis and Starr have their nest. I understand this is south of Iris’s nest and could indicate the beginning of her migration.
Lin Lawson posted that image. I find it one of the most striking images of Iris – just her profile, eating a fish.
Well, she was still around on the 17th eating another fish on the light stand!!!!!!!!!!
The 18th will be exactly one week after our Queen has stayed. Each of us noticed Iris looking a little ‘worn out’ after raising Wensi. I am glad she is taking her time, getting fit, and putting some fat on. Female ospreys are known to lose at least 30% of their body weight laying eggs, incubating, and raising their chicks. They have to put that back on, plus some, to be truly ready for their long journeys to their winter homes.
It appears that C22 has finally left Montana and headed south. Charlie was seen enjoying eating his own fish without a screaming young one!
Cowlitz seems to be the only Pacific NW nest with an adult and chick still there.
Please note that this is included in the newsletter: “Public comments are being accepted through October 9, 2026. We strongly encourage everyone who cares about Ospreys, the Chesapeake Bay, and the health of our entire Bay ecosystem to participate. Please see the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Public Comment schedule here. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has provided a link so that you can sign onto their document which will be submitted to ASMFC.” Go to https://cbf.quorum.us/campaign/addendum2/?utm_source=action-alert&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=menhaden&utm_content=microsite
You do not have to live in the region. Please, please go to the document and sign it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More on the issue of Menhaden and the rapid decline of the osprey population.
“At some point, the menhaden debate has to become about more than how many fish we can legally remove.
It has to become about whether we should.
Menhaden are not just another commodity. They are forage. They move energy through the ecosystem, feeding redfish, striped bass, birds, sharks, dolphins, and countless other predators.
A school of menhaden entering an estuary isn’t an empty resource waiting to be extracted. It’s already doing something.
It’s feeding the ecosystem.
That’s what gets lost when we talk only about harvest limits.
And here’s the question I keep coming back to:
If we can develop alternatives to wild-caught forage fish, why wouldn’t we use them?
Algae, alternative feed ingredients, invasive species, and other technologies are already being investigated as substitutes for some of the products traditionally made from wild fish.
So why continue putting additional pressure on a foundational forage species when other options are becoming available?
This isn’t anti-fishing.
It isn’t anti-commercial fishing.
It’s a question of priorities.
In the Chesapeake, managers are even considering significant reductions to the menhaden reduction fishery cap. That alone should tell us this conversation deserves more than a simple argument over whether the coast-wide stock is technically “overfished.”
A coast-wide assessment doesn’t automatically tell us what is happening in every bay, marsh, and estuary.
Growing up around the Gulf Coast teaches you something quickly.
Nothing in the water exists by itself.
Take away enough pieces, and eventually you change the system.
We don’t have to wait until something is broken before deciding it’s worth protecting.
You’re allowed to want abundant marshes.
You’re allowed to want healthy redfish and trout populations.
You’re allowed to want osprey over the Chesapeake and bait moving through Gulf marshes.
And you’re allowed to ask whether turning a foundational forage fish into an industrial product is really the highest and best use of that resource.
Maybe the real question isn’t how much menhaden can we take?
Maybe it’s:
How much should we leave in the water?
Because sometimes the most valuable fish is the one that never reaches the processing plant.”
Do people need fish to survive? No, we do not. Do ospreys rely on fish as their only food? Yes. What about the others, like albatross?? Climate change, global oceans warming, rivers drying up – all of this spells disaster, and it is impacting wildlife that depend on fish. I am too tired tonight, but this is a very serious issue. Humans can do without supplements and give up eating chicken or salmon (Menhaden are used to make feed for chicken and salmon farms as well as supplements). We would not die. Indeed, eating a more plant-based diet benefits us and the planet. As one Michelin-star chef remarked the other day, eating beans is very healthy, a good choice for the planet, and, in times of escalating food costs, a great way to lower food costs!!
Aran has departed from the Friends’ nest in Anglesey.
Geemeff’s Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 17th September 2026
Another wet and windy day, with night cam switching over shortly after 8pm. The only activity was a Raven perching on Nest One and kronking loudly at others flying nearby
‘R’ sent me a recent article, How to Stop a Murdering Cat, about felines and their devastating impact on songbirds. The number of birds killed by well-fed, or ‘fat cats, ‘ is astonishing. Please spread the word for people to keep their pets inside. We might have 1 billion more birds singing in the trees – or more.
‘J’ sent me some good news articles; I will start a section on my blog tomorrow and include them. You can join in, too. Please do send me amazing stories and their links to share with others.
Thank you, everyone, for being with us today. I hope to post some good news stories later tomorrow, so please send me more than I have so we have a diverse mix. If I do not post my blog tomorrow, they will appear late Saturday. Now take care everyone and get outside and enjoy the autumn nip in the air.
Thank you, as always, to Geemeff and SK Hideaways. Thank you to everyone who posted information on FB – I am so grateful. These days, I don’t always have time to go back and rewind all the videos when I get home from the hospital. To everyone fighting to stop the industrial fishing of Menhaden to save the osprey and an ecosystem- bravo. The people who want this to cease are growing each day. We have a real chance of winning, and winning we must do.
I know that you love each and every species – many are die-hard followers of osprey, eagle, stork, falcon, and albatross streaming cams.
However, it is time to step up and defend the Ospreys. They are, as many of you know, the ‘canaries in the coal mine, and they are starving to death because of a lack of fish. Please read the following carefully and check out David Sikorski’s first post, which explains how to participate if you cannot be present at the hearings.
David Sikorski serves on the ASMFC as an MD rep but not on the Menhaden board. I work for the Coastal Conservation Association and oversee our work in MD and VA. He said to me today, along with the link below: “Hello! This is the direct link to all things addendum II. It does not have preferred options for conservation as it is the ASMFC portal but is the best place to send people to find out how to participate in the process.”
Barbara Slatcher writes on FB today: “Here is a good graphic showing how low osprey reproduction is in salty water. Almost 0 chicks in the black research areas. Amazingly all the way up the York River red and black up the Rappahannock. There are 10,000 nesting pairs in the Bay watershed. The research only includes 1,000 pairs. Imagine what the total losses of chicks actually are.”
The American Bird Conservancy posted:
In Osprey Land, Iris is still in Missoula, Wawa is still at Seaside, and C22 was still at Charlo.
Geemeff sends us a daily update:
Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Tuesday 15th September 2026
A mostly dreich day where the only action was a multi-species visit from a mini flock of songbirds – in order: Coal tit, Wrens, Chaffinches, Blue Tits, Robin and Great Tits (thanks Steve for the ID). More wet weather expected tomorrow with some dry spells.
Special blast from the past: on this day in 2023, Roy Dennis, the UK’s foremost raptor expert, appeared on BBC Morning Live presented by Gaby Roslin and Gethin Jones to discuss the reintroduction of White-tailed Eagles (AKA Sea Eagles):
News from Ventana Wildlife about the wildfires impacting the condor community:
From the Director
September 15, 2026
Dear Mary,
Timber Fire Update The Timber Fire remains in limbo, and our biologists still can’t get to the sanctuary to place lead-free food at the feeding site. The wild flock is steering clear of the area too for now, so we’re keeping a close eye on conditions and will let you know as soon as it’s safe to get back in. Watch Joe Burnett‘s firsthand footage from when he went up to release the condors early because of the fire, they would have otherwise stayed in captivity a few more weeks: Watch VideoSave the Date: October 24 Release Join us live at our early October Condor Chat & Release to watch it happen. This special event replaces our regular last-Thursday Condor Chat for the month. A huge thank you to Oregon Zoo, San Diego Zoo, and The Peregrine Fund for these incredible birds.
Before that, tune into our September 24 Condor Chat, where you’ll help name this year’s Rookies! The crew is going with a rock and mineral theme this time, think Jasper, Obsidian, Marble, and more. Viewers vote on their top five favorites from the biologists’ list, then our interns match each name to a bird based on the personality they see over the following weeks.Thank you, as always, for following along and for standing with us and the condors.
With gratitude, Kelly Sorenson Executive Director
…and the Condor Crew Ventana Wildlife Society
Hawk Mountain’s Migration News:
Do you love storks? ‘J’ sends us a link to a great video about the Stork Capital of the World
I have very good news today. Don is being transferred to a specialised physical and occupational therapy unit at another hospital as soon as a bed becomes available. Today, he walked and was very lucid. A plan is in place for him so we wait to see how he will do.
Take care everyone! Please find time to be outside – it heals all manner of ills.
Thank you to Geemeff and ‘J’, to all the individuals who posted on FB or sent links and notes such as Ventana Wildlife, and to the owners of the streaming cams that allow us to watch our favourite bird families. I am very grateful to David Sikorski for sending me the information I need to stay informed and take a stand on menhaden gillnet fishing, which is destroying the food ospreys need to survive! Thank you, David, and to everyone else fighting hard for the ecosystem the ospreys depend on.
It is with profound saddness that I report that the last surviving osplet, of three, died of starvation at the Osprey House Environment Centre in Australia today.
Hope had been bringing in fish for her only surviving chick but her mate, George, would fight her for the fish and take most of them. On occasion one would slip by and she could feed herself and the baby. It was not enough. The little one perished of starvation.
It is not clear to the precise reason for George’s behaviour but I suspect he has injured one or both eyes or has an eye disease and cannot fish for himself.
Here is the announcement from 22 minutes ago:
t is with great sadness that we share that our last remaining chick has passed away.
We know many members of our community have been following this nest closely and will be upset and disappointed by this news.
We understand that events like this can be difficult to witness and often raise questions about whether intervention is possible. While we appreciate the concern and care people have for these birds, wildlife management agencies and nest monitoring programs generally follow a non-intervention approach with wild osprey nests. This means that, except in very specific circumstances involving human-caused threats or immediate risks to public safety, natural processes are allowed to occur without interference.
Ospreys face many challenges throughout the breeding season, and not all chicks survive to fledging. While this can be confronting to observe, chick mortality is a natural part of the life cycle of wild birds and contributes to the balance of healthy wild populations.
Our role is to monitor and share information about the nest while minimising disturbance to the birds. Intervening in natural nesting events can cause additional stress to the adult birds, disrupt nesting behaviour, and may not improve outcomes for the remaining chicks.
We have also received many comments about one of the adult ospreys, with some community members concerned that George may be unwell. While we understand these concerns, there is currently no clear evidence that capturing him would improve outcomes. Capturing and handling wild raptors can cause significant stress. For this reason, intervention is only considered in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear need and a reasonable likelihood of a positive outcome.
We thank our community for the care and interest shown in this osprey family throughout the season. We will continue to monitor the nest and provide updates on Hope and George.
Thank you for helping us appreciate and respect wildlife by allowing nature to take its course.
Thank you for helping us appreciate and respect wildlife by allowing nature to take its course.