Re: Miscellaneous raptors

[kittenface]

Creston BC family

[patis]

That is a great pic..I have been looking around and hopefully I have aa  pic of Spain eagles...we'll see
I guess I have to work on this some more

[kittenface]

You are doing just fine patis any picture is better than no picture
AM I RIGHT?
And you have the off season to play around and
THEN you can do like I did and get videos going

[patis]

every day I am trying something.If I get it right,I will have to try to figure out how

[patis]

Look, I am hoping that I got a screen cap of Sooner Lake eagle for my birthday,today..all the way to 79,so it should be here,right??

[kittenface]

Look, I am hoping that I got a screen cap of Sooner Lake eagle for my birthday,today..all the way to 79,so it should be here,right??

Nice picture patis also

[AlisonL]

Canada

A very sad story about an eaglet from British Columbia:

Wing malformation ‘grounds’ bald eagle nestling

The 2010 breeding season has not been kind to Campbell River’s young Bald Eagle population.

Fledglings were late leaving their nests this year, and many remained flightless after falling to the ground.

A situation playing out near Campbell River’s estuary has been particularly wrenching. Two aging eagle parents closely guard their weakened, struggling chick which remains in the nest day after day, unable to summon the strength to make its first flight. As if sensing an easy meal, predators – including one Peregrine Falcon – are often nearby.

The scene becomes more heartbreaking after viewing photographs of the nestling’s under-developed wings showing ‘tassels’ where feathers should be. Over the past few weeks, local wildlife photographer and WiTS (Wildlife Tree) volunteer Jim Dubois has maintained a daily vigil near the tree, and filmed a chronology of this young eagle’s unsuccessful (at press time) attempts to fly with weakened wings.

One eagle expert suggests poor wing development may result from toxins in the bird’s food at a critical stage in its growth. It’s estimated that the male parent (that Dubois has named Beethoven), is likely 25-plus years old, and an accumulation of toxins within a parent may be also result in a nestling’s frailty.

Dubois is prepared for the eventuality of the bird falling, and ready to transport it to Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) near Courtenay. His do-it-yourself eagle rescue kit consists of a large cardboard box, a pair of welder’s gloves, safety glasses and a blanket.

Guides from Painter’s Lodge supplied food in the form of fish heads to sustain the ailing young raptor. At best, and only if successfully captured, it will likely imprint and thus become unreleasable, then live out its days as an educational bird, visiting schools.

MARS spokesperson Maj Birch advises that once they’re able to fly out of the nest, young eagles still need to strengthen their wings and build muscle mass. During this time, they will fly back and forth from the nest to the ground.

Currently MARS has in their care four eagle fledglings: three fell from a Hornby Island nest and one fell from a nest at Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island. All four fledglings were ‘second’ eggs and runts of the litter, so the most likely explanation for their weakness is that they weren’t fed sufficient food to build the energy to fly.

Earlier this week, MARS received reports of four additional eagle fledglings on the ground. Birdwatchers must now watch to determine if there’s a broken wing or if the bird is not moving.

I hope it will be possible to take this little eaglet into care and see what can be done to help him.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/lifestyles/101582388.html

[AlisonL]

Two irresistible owlets:

BROTHERLY love is not only a human concept, as these two owlets proved to a surprised photographer.

With talons outstretched, a cheeky six-week-old burrowing owl swooped in and landed on the back of his distracted sibling.

In an uncharacteristic display of manly affection, the owl then tenderly nuzzled into his brother's cheek.

Wildlife photographer Rob Palmer, 57, captured the almost human display of affection while on the lookout for burrowing owl dens in Colorado.

Mr Palmer said there were six owlets in this brood and they would play together in the early morning.

Usually found in the dry, open areas of North and South America, these small, long-legged birds hunt for insects and small rodents during the day.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/heres-looking-at-you-sideways-kid-brother-owl-nuzzles-in-to-brother-owls-cheek/story-e6freuy9-1225911565299

[maple]

I love those pictures. Thanks.

[Dot]

What a sad story posted by AlisonL on the British Columbia eaglet.

[AlisonL]

Calgary, Alberta

A family of hawks put a stop to mail delivery in the small, affluent area of Bayview in late August. The residents and the hawks had no problems with each other, but the hawks took a strong dislike to the mail carrier (who happened to be female). She took to wearing a bicycle helmet, which the hawks damaged. The hawks also disliked temporary mail carriers, but not as much.

The hawks are no longer around the nest, and mail delivery resumed a couple of days ago, with no reaction from the hawks.

I like the fact that in this case no-one became aggressive with the hawks. The Fish and Wildlife people simply commented that the hawks would be leaving soon.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/09/03/determined-hawk-halts-flow-of-mail-in-calgary/

Supposedly these are Swainson's Hawks, but looking at the pic with the article, I wonder . . .

[AlisonL]

An osprey with a fish at Balsam Lake.

Photo by Michael Irwin, from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation site.



http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2010/09/sightings/excellent-osprey-action-photo-with-fish-out-of-water-by-michael-irwin/

[Diane]

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2061711&id=1221507071&l=566589fa9e

I went to the U of Minnesota Raptor Center's raptor release on Saturday.  Hopefully this link will take non Facebook members to the album.   

[kittenface]

OMG Diane such lovely pictures
Thank You for sharing them

[Diane]

I'm glad the link worked.  Thanks Kittenface!