Bird Cam update

[annekat]

It is really astounding how much the hatchlings have grown in all four nests we've been watching. If you've missed the barn owls, eagles, red-tailed hawks, and great blue herons, you can find the info under Barn Owl or other related threads.

[Al]

They do grow up, Anne. Fun to watch!

Al

[drz]

Here is news about what we have watched:

A few months ago, millions of people turned their attention to a pair of bald eagles who were preparing to hatch three eggs in Decorah, Iowa.
Bob Anderson, director of the Raptor Resource Project (http://www.raptorresource.org/), set up a webcam to capture footage and it went viral, captivating viewers around the world and providing them with the opportunity to watch a live stream of the raptors 24/7.
“It has turned into what is probably the world’s most logged-on wildlife education tool on earth. Hundreds of thousands of people have been able to see the wonder of nature, the cruelty of nature and the awe of nature. It has been an incredibly popular wildlife education tool. I think it’s unparalleled,” said (http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/27808/iowas+world-famous+bald+eagle+chicks+begin+to+fledge/) Anderson.
Unbeknownst to them, they’ve become stars. Now people who’ve been following them are getting ready to watch them leave the nest. They three hatchlings have been stretching, or “branching” and moving around the tree preparing to fly this week. On Saturday, one actually took its first flight.
Anderson has plans to capture one of the eaglets and fit it with a tracking device in hopes that they will be able to follow it for a few years.
“Everybody asks what happened to the babies from last year, and I can’t answer that. I don’t know,” Anderson told Wired (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/06/eaglets-branching/). This time, he plans to set up a “Where is the Decorah Eagle today?” website to track the raptor’s movements. “I’m really excited about that. We’ll finally be able to find out where these babies go.”
He also plans to return to this family of eagles next November and is also considering adding cameras to watch red-tail hawks and peregrine falcons.
In an interview with Iowa Outdoors (http://www.iptv.org/iowaoutdoors/story.cfm/story/3109/iao_20110609_104_eagle_nest/video), he added that the eagles aren’t just providing an educational opportunity, but changing people’s lives.
“I get calls sometimes from people in nursing homes that can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning to go to the community room so the can log on to their eagles. I got an email from a woman that said my husband and I quit talking for ten years. We don’t talk at all. But whenever we boot up the computer to look at the eagle cam, we talk like newlyweds. The eagle cam touches many people in many different ways, he said.
Catch a brief glimpse as one of the fledglings returns from its second flight and watch them live on Ustream (http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles#utm_campaigne=synclickback&source=http://www.raptorresource.org/falcon_cams/decorah_eagle_xcel.html&medium=3064708).


Read more: Famous Decorah Eagles Ready for Flight | Care2 Causes (http://www.care2.com/causes/famous-decorah-eagles-ready-for-flight.html#ixzz1wPR7z7XU)

[drz]

The link above has links to a You tube video of last year when they took first flight in mid June. I live in a a nursing home complex but don't know anyone else here following or watching the eagles. In the nursing home part they enjoy watching the baby dove in the aviary in the community room and many people in the assisted living part watched the duck sitting on her nest outside one window well.

Any bets on when the eaglets will fly this year?

[Fran]

Hi Drz - I keep thinking 'here we go' every time the eaglets dash across the nest with wings flapping, but think it's just practice, so it will be a surprise one of these days soon, when one takes off. I take a look a couple of times a day, but never seem to catch the eaglets being fed much. Yesterday both parents each brought a fish back at the same time and proceeded to scoff the lot, except for a couple of small beakfuls for two of the eaglets - one going without !
Are the humming birds around the feeders ? I remember you saying previously you had them where you are. I am very jealous - such pretty things. I don't think it's consistently warm enough here in England for them.

Fran

[drz]

I bet they will fly a little earlier this year due to warmer season but their first flight will only be a short hop to nearest branch. It is unusual for three eaglets to survive and hope all make the transition to flying birds safely. Many are injured falling out the nest or during first flight attempts. If any of these eaglets get injured they should be pick up quickly by bird rehab people and get good care.

The hummers are now here. It took awhile but after putting out several plants to attract them there are some hummers coming around to the plants and feeders. A big male (for a hummingbird anyway) was here yesterday with the bright red front. Then a real young small one came. There are also a couple baby finches that often come to the seed feeder since they just learned to fly and forage for feed. The ponds have baby geese and ducks from a few days to a several weeks old. Haven't seen any baby egrets yet but there are many nesting in the trees around the lake so some should appear soon. We went to a nearby zoo today and saw the big black swans still courting as were the Peacocks. I like watching the males all fanned out and calling for a mate to join them. They look beautiful and sound weird. Great day weather wise to enjoy the outdoors. The otters were very also playful and showing off with their aquabatics. The eagle nest had a mother duck sitting in it on her eggs since the eagles were in different cages. All the birds of prey are injured birds from rehab facilities who have been fixed up but unable to fly or hunt well enough to survive in the wild. They are still beautiful and magnificent to see close up.

I got a notice that in England they are killing off their vultures due to some misguided belief it will increase the number of pheasant for rich hunters on their game farms. It is sad to me that people don't do a better job protecting the wild animals that we are so fortunate to have to share out planet. Our states are now starting to hunt wolves this years after they have been protected for years to keep them from extinction.


Hi Drz - I keep thinking 'here we go' every time the eaglets dash across the nest with wings flapping, but think it's just practice, so it will be a surprise one of these days soon, when one takes off. I take a look a couple of times a day, but never seem to catch the eaglets being fed much. Yesterday both parents each brought a fish back at the same time and proceeded to scoff the lot, except for a couple of small beakfuls for two of the eaglets - one going without !
Are the humming birds around the feeders ? I remember you saying previously you had them where you are. I am very jealous - such pretty things. I don't think it's consistently warm enough here in England for them.

Fran

[Al]

....Are the humming birds around the feeders ? I remember you saying previously you had them where you are. I am very jealous - such pretty things. I don't think it's consistently warm enough here in England for them.

FranWhere I live, Fran, which has similar weather to much of England, we have a lot of hummingbirds (Ana's hummingbirds, to name a species), and will from now through October or so. They are supposed to be migratory, and are--usually--though my wife's brother has some that stay through the winter. They not-so-sweetly insist on being kept in nectar. We are often buzzed to alert us when the feeder is running low.

Al

[Fran]

Drz - It is true that some landowners and their gamekeepers are intent on destroying birds of prey who they say kill their gamebirds but it seems that the tide is turning against them. The plan to destroy buzzards nests has been abandoned because public opinion has caused the governments Wildlife minister to 'rethink' this move.! Not too long ago a very high up landowner near where I live and his gamekeeper were in court and heavily fined for killing kestrels by poisoning, so hopefully it doesn't all go their way these days.

The farm at the back of us has peacocks and I agree their cry is unearthly - but spookily wonderful!:mellow:

Al and Drz - Just wish we had some of your little hummers !

Fran

[drz]

Glad to hear that public opinion can sometimes help correct some of these horrid moves made for silly reasons. I love our kestrels but admit being bothered when they take a chickadee or small finch from my feeders, but they have to eat too and it is natures way of weeding out the slower ones. I had Kestrels at my house since it was near lots of woods but not any at my apartment where I now live. I think we have hummers of some kind in every state in USA and most of Canada too.

A link on hummers: The Hummingbird Facts and Information (http://howtoenjoyhummingbirds.com/)

They are only found in North and South America. Wonder if they are in Hawaii?

drz


Drz - It is true that some landowners and their gamekeepers are intent on destroying birds of prey who they say kill their gamebirds but it seems that the tide is turning against them. The plan to destroy buzzards nests has been abandoned because public opinion has caused the governments Wildlife minister to 'rethink' this move.! Not too long ago a very high up landowner near where I live and his gamekeeper were in court and heavily fined for killing kestrels by poisoning, so hopefully it doesn't all go their way these days.

The farm at the back of us has peacocks and I agree their cry is unearthly - but spookily wonderful!:mellow:

Al and Drz - Just wish we had some of your little hummers !

Fran

[Sangye]

Just been checking in on the bird cams again. Dang it, I missed so much of their little lives. I feel like an absentee parent. The red-tailed hawks went from fuzzy little white fluffs to looking like adults already. And the eaglets look like crows. No one in the barn owl next this morning! Nature is always moving.

[annekat]

Just been checking in on the bird cams again. Dang it, I missed so much of their little lives. I feel like an absentee parent. The red-tailed hawks went from fuzzy little white fluffs to looking like adults already. And the eaglets look like crows. No one in the barn owl next this morning! Nature is always moving. Every time I look in the barn owl nest, there is one very large owlet that almost looks like an adult. The caption says they should leave the nest at the end of June, but looks like they already have! Or maybe the people in charge have moved them?

[Sangye]

The eldest red-tailed hawk baby fledged yesterday and the 2nd eldest fledged today! Only one left in the nest, about to go at any time. Here's a link to some videos captured of their flights. I missed them. MrWildcritter1 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/MrWildcritter1/videos)

Barn owl nest has been empty yesterday and today.

[annekat]

I just checked the owl nest and it is now confirmed by the people there that all four owlets have left the nest but are probably still hanging out with Mom and Dad, sharing meals, etc. For anyone who still yearns to see them, there are several short videos, including one of the last owlet leaving the nest.

[Sangye]

Here's a video of them cleaning the barn owl nest camera. 5-12-2012 11-46-52 AM.avi - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czR4s-bEIYM&feature=plcp) Man, those owl babies were creepy. *shudder*

[Sangye]

And a video of the youngest one who nabbed a full gopher from mom as she flew in, and ate the thing whole. Little Guy Wins The Prize.avi - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKn86cFpphA&feature=plcp)

The look on his siblings' faces was priceless. "Dude, pace yourself." "Yeah, if you keep gulping gopher like that you're gonna be up all night farting. You ever smell gopher farts?" "You gonna eat that back leg?"

[annekat]

Here's a video of them cleaning the barn owl nest camera. 5-12-2012 11-46-52 AM.avi - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czR4s-bEIYM&feature=plcp) Man, those owl babies were creepy. *shudder* That's a clearer shot of them than usual from this camera.... maybe because they cleaned it.... anyway, a really good look at them for anyone who had trouble seeing them.

[Sangye]

That's a clearer shot of them than usual from this camera.... maybe because they cleaned it.... anyway, a really good look at them for anyone who had trouble seeing them.
Because everyone deserves a good look at the ghastly. :ohmy:

[drz]

it looks like they were busy calling for mom--"there is an intruder in here"

When the little one ate the mouse half it size it reminded me of a snake eating something half its size. I wonder how long before it gets hungry again. Bet it could use a rolaid or tums after that meal.


Here's a video of them cleaning the barn owl nest camera. 5-12-2012 11-46-52 AM.avi - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czR4s-bEIYM&feature=plcp) Man, those owl babies were creepy. *shudder*

[Sangye]

In the red-tailed hawks nest, both the older siblings have fledged but the youngest gal hasn't. She teased everyone the entire day, all the way to sundown. She even had a number of full-blown tantrums where she went banging around the metal nest stomping her feet and throwing out her wings. The Cornell moderators are good at quelling any attempts to anthropomorphise behaviors but even they called it a tantrum. LOL

There was one point where she just stared right into the camera on a close-up for an extended amount of time. Her head was cocked to the side and the look on her face was the sweetest thing. Everyone on the chat was getting teary-eyed and nostalgic. It was just one of those rare and special moments.

That's been my favorite nest to watch, even though I missed several weeks. The barn owls creeped me out, the bald eagles were cool but didn't hold my attention for long periods, and I never got into the herons at all. I love red-tailed hawks. It's been amazing to watch them go through these stages and learn more about them from the moderators. And they were definitely the cutest of all the babies.

[Al]

And a video of the youngest one who nabbed a full gopher from mom as she flew in, and ate the thing whole. Little Guy Wins The Prize.avi - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKn86cFpphA&feature=plcp)

The look on his siblings' faces was priceless. "Dude, pace yourself." "Yeah, if you keep gulping gopher like that you're gonna be up all night farting. You ever smell gopher farts?" "You gonna eat that back leg?""Mom! If you're not going to cut up dinner...."

Al

[Sangye]

As of right now the 3rd (last) red-tailed hawk baby hasn't fledged. She's sitting out on the "fledge ledge," which is the ledge beside the nest where the other two fledged from.

[Sangye]

Personally I think they should have waited until the last red-tailed hawk baby fledged, but this is still a sweet and beautiful video:
Hawk Season Highlights - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP9gUvMQWJA&amp)

[annekat]

Oh, the hawklets are SO much prettier than the owlets..... I like seeing them in that middle stage with their fluffy white leggings and interesting dark markings. Nice video.

[drz]

Personally I think they should have waited until the last red-tailed hawk baby fledged, but this is still a sweet and beautiful video:
Hawk Season Highlights - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP9gUvMQWJA&amp)

I like the edited comments they inserted into the video. It is amazing to me how patient and persistent the parents are in hatching the eggs and working to get food for the babies. I think they exemplify the best of what a good parent should be during their brood rearing season. Good thing they get some breaks between broods.

[Al]

I like the edited comments they inserted into the video. It is amazing to me how patient and persistent the parents are in hatching the eggs and working to get food for the babies. I think they exemplify the best of what a good parent should be during their brood rearing season. Good thing they get some breaks between broods.The Hawks are very beautiful birds (which I, as a non-prey, can say), and he video is superb. (I will be seeing the Cornell people next week, in case anyone wants me to pass on their regards.)

Al

[drz]

The Hawks are very beautiful birds (which I, as a non-prey, can say), and he video is superb. (I will be seeing the Cornell people next week, in case anyone wants me to pass on their regards.)

Al


You can tell them that many us enjoyed their fine work. I know they would prefer a financial donation and have a link on their video for viewers to do just that.

[annekat]

The Hawks are very beautiful birds (which I, as a non-prey, can say), and he video is superb. (I will be seeing the Cornell people next week, in case anyone wants me to pass on their regards.)

Al Oh, THAT bird camp! So I guess that is after the concert in Olympia. I'll hear more about it then.

[Al]

Oh, THAT bird camp! So I guess that is after the concert in Olympia. I'll hear more about it then.Anne, the concert is Monday. On Tuesday, I have my one-week cataract check (20-20 in the new eye as of today!), then off to the camp.

Eagles, too, face uncertainty in life, and often must face a future that has shifted on them. Check the following link to read about the legacy of Eddie the Eagle, and how Eve has coped (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018409955_eagle12m.html).

Al

[Sangye]

Still waiting on last red-tailed hawk baby to fledge. Meanwhile, here's an awesome screen capture someone got of her practicing prey stomping.
Cornell Red Tailed Hawk cam 122 capture#8 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gkphotos79/7170350973/)

[Sangye]

The last red-tailed hawk baby just fledged!!! I was watching all day, taking some breaks to get some stuff done (can't do much because I just had 2nd rtx infusion yesterday). I sat back down and saw them cheering on the chat stream. Thank goodness I knew the chat ran a few seconds faster than my video stream so I saw it. Wow, it was beautiful. I have tears in my eyes. I've never seen a baby bird fledge.

They just posted a video of her fledge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spEbBPLA2XA&feature=youtu.be

[annekat]

Woo hoo! That was awesome! I'm glad you got to see it while you were watching. :thumbup:

[Sangye]

It was incredible. I didn't see the first two fledge but saw video of one of them. They fledged a week ago and it sure looked accidental, like they lost their footing. Now the Cornell moderators on the chat say they were probably accidental. This one was definitely not accidental. She took off and soared. So beautiful.

[Sangye]

This is from the other night, when the last baby was looking into the camera for awhile and making the sweetest faces. I wish I had video of the whole thing. Everyone on the chat was crying, it was so beautiful.
#3 6-10 evening | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcympc/7359832000/in/pool-1876758@N25/)

[drz]

Another interesting bird camera link:

Puffin Burrow - Audubon Live Cams - explore (http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/puffin-burrow-cam)


http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/live-osprey-cam

[Fran]

Thanks for the links - will enjoy these Drz !

Fran

[annekat]

Cool! I just caught a puffin waddling into the burrow, and the baby ospreys are cute! Good quality filming, and no ads! And other cams available at bottom of page.:thumbup:

[Sangye]

Oh man, I was just getting my life back after obsessing over the red-tailed hawk babies. Now it's Puffins. Okay. What's another 6 weeks without groceries.... :rolleyes1:

[Fran]

Yes, it's getting to be really hard work watching the birdcams and the tennis at Wimbledon !!:w00t:

Fran

[drz]

I like reading the blogs about what others have seen while watching. I like the way, Rachel, the mother, shields the baby ospreys from the sun and feeds them the fish they catch. The puffins are cute too.

[annekat]

I hadn't realized there was a baby puffin but just saw it, a brown puffball. It should be interesting to see it develop into a rather bizarre looking bird. The mama osprey was shielding her babies from our view just now, but I saw them yesterday, looking quite like miniature ospreys.

[drz]

Our aviary in the nursing home section recently hatched two more baby diamond back doves. They sit in nest and have no feathers. I saw mother? or one of parents fed them yesterday. The babies can't fly or eat seeds yet so mother flies in and pecks at their head and beak or bill until they insert their beaks into hers and then she regurgitates food for them. The babies are real aggressive and demanding about the food and it seems like a bit of work for feeding parent but the babies eventually grow up and fly around the cage and seem to learn to eat on their own. Their are two older siblings in cage, one from several months ago is now fully feathered, another one a couple months old is partly feathered and can fly around the cage and maybe feeds itself. The finches seem to pick at it though and it looks like they are pulling feathers off it or eating something off its skin. I don't think it is the helpful preening that birds often do for each other but when it reaches adult size this should end as they leave older sibling alone.

It is interesting to see how the babies grow into adults so quickly and the work the parents put into raising them.

I saw Rachel doing some spring cleaning on the osprey nest the other day. She moved and rearranged several sticks and Steve mostly watched with a stick in his beak as if he was asking where do you want this one dear?

[Sangye]

I've learned so much watching the nest cams, though I haven't gotten around to the puffin nest yet. The parents truly dote on the little ones, even when they get really big.

[Al]

I promise to give my "bird camp" report soon. Recovering (both physically and organizationally) from the vacation has been tough, but I'll get there!

A

[Sangye]

Another interesting bird camera link:

Puffin Burrow - Audubon Live Cams - explore (http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/puffin-burrow-cam)


Tai Shan - Pandas - explore (http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/live-osprey-cam)
Just looked in on the puffin cam for the first time. Omigosh, that baby is cute!

[annekat]

Just looked in on the puffin cam for the first time. Omigosh, that baby is cute! I just got a good look at the baby for the first time..... yes, very cute! It just swallowed a small fish its mama brought in.

[annekat]

I promise to give my "bird camp" report soon. Recovering (both physically and organizationally) from the vacation has been tough, but I'll get there!

A That's OK, Al! Whenever you are ready. We understand. You have done a lot in the last few weeks, and being away from home requires recovery, even for non-Weggies.

[drz]

What puffins look like outside their burrow: It really goes to a camera for puffins:

Osprey - Audubon Live Cams - explore (http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/puffin-loafing-ledge-cam)

They sort of remind me of the South African penguin in their size and behavior. The link is for camera of puffins outside despite erroneously title.

The eagle site was showing clips of Videos from empty nest to birds flying around their nest area. It began with an empty nest and and mouse scurring away as adult landed on nest. The it looked like snow covered empty nest and slowly the snow pile moves and moma eagle stands up and shakes snow off and the then rearranges the eggs, next one showe them hatched in nest and then flying around.

[Al]

What puffins look like outside their burrow: It really goes a camera for puffins:

Osprey - Audubon Live Cams - explore (http://explore.org/#%21/live-cams/player/puffin-loafing-ledge-cam)

They sort of remind me of the South African penguin in their size and behavior. The link is for camera of puffins outside despite erroneously title.

The eagle site was showing clips of Videos from empty nest to birds flying around their nest area. It began with an empty nest and and mouse scurring away as adult landed on nest. The it looked like snow covered empty nest and slowly the snow pile moves and moma eagle stands up and shakes snow off and the then rearranges the eggs, next one showe them hatched in nest and then flying around.I really like these guys....

Al

[Sangye]

The other day the big puffin baby backed into the camera. I'm pretty sure s/he was saying, "Does this fluff make my butt look big?"

[drz]

Just looked in on the puffin cam for the first time. Omigosh, that baby is cute!

Sad news from site: We are sad to inform you that "Petey" the baby puffin passed away on Friday, July 20th likely due to a shift in the area.s fish populations. We are all thankful for the opportunity to learn from him and encourage you to stay tuned to the Puffin Loafing Ledge and Osprey Cams. To see a full statement from Audubon and learn more, go to the bird blog (http://birds.explore.org/). Watch for the parents returning to the burrow and protecting it from intruders. For instructions on how to help us observe the parents see the Citizen Science tab below.

[annekat]

Yes, I saw that too and meant to share it... probably got sidetracked by the sad news of Al. Then I went to the osprey cam and saw that they are doing well, tuned in just in time to see Mama arrive with a fish for the offspring.

[drz]

This osprey camera is active now again. I see one egg hatched so far. We spent a lot of time on these cameras three years ago. Anyone watching this year.

Audubon Osprey Nest - Bird Cams - explore (http://explore.org/live-cams/player/osprey-nest?utm_source=engagement&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2015-06-04_bird_alerts_1)

I think the puffins are cute although they are in a dark burrow so the pix is not as good:

Audubon Puffin Burrow - Bird Cams - explore (http://explore.org/live-cams/player/puffin-burrow-cam)


These falcons are hatched and almost ready to fly but there are clips on there from a month ago with parents feeding the newly hatched chicks:
http://www.bgsu.edu/falconcam.html


So are these and they may need help too:

http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/

Redtail hawks:

http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/16/Red-tailed_Hawks/

[annekat]

Great, drz! Been a long time since we've had bird cams on here. I'm not looking at all of them right now, but Mama Red-tailed Hawk seems to be cleaning or otherwise attending to her babies, and blocking our view of them, at the moment. These remind me of Al, and I'm sorry he isn't here to see them.

[Jaha]

Thanks, I so enjoyed watching the Eagles. It was a great distraction for all of us during those days and can be again.:biggrin1: