White-bellied Sea Eagles, Sydney, NSW

I've been posting these in the off-season Loch Garten thread but it's time to stop, so here they are until the ospreys prevent me from sparing time & resources for the beautiful couple and their beautiful (mostly ;) ) co-habitants.

Last season 2 youngsters safely fledged (but only just, it was hairy for a while, with one on the ground defending vs a persistent fox).

It was a relief to see the 2 adults return after the worst of the fires had passed.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

TWITCH CHANNEL

Some birdie porn brought forward to save you risking the dark web ;)

The Rainbow Lorikeets are delightful and often invade in numbers, but the cams need to be manned to get decent close-ups of them.

The resident pair (I can't quickly find a nice colour pic of the two):

11/12 March:

 One visited mid-afternoon, had a brief spell on the nest, left:

Back in the evening:

Was sleeping peacefully on a far-out bough when (probably) a Boobook Owl made mischief for about 40 minutes, on 'n off - hence she(?) stayed on where you see her for the rest of the night, until she left at about 06:40:

The frequent visitor top-right is a Noisy Miner, it wasn't one of those who caused so much disruption while the youngsters were on the nest, they were a Magpie (main culprit) and a Currawong.

  

  • Unknown said:
    webinars from the International Crane Foundation

    I don't think I'd take to webinars - I've had a look for a live cam but not found one.

    I did love the "guided crane migration" a few years ago Sparkling heart 

  • Scylla, The International Crane Foundation is involved in Crane conservation all over the world, wherever there are Cranes, most species of which are seriously endangered. They have all of the Crane species at their main site in Wisconsin, USA, and they are breeding some there and re-introducing them back into the wild. The USA has two Cranes--the most endangered Crane, the Whooping Crane, and the least endangered Crane, the Sandhill Cranes, and there are both the Greater and the Lesser Sandhill Cranes. The ICF was doing a major renovation over about a year and a half and they were just about to have their grand re-opening in April last year when the virus turned up and everything had to shut down. They have hopes of re-opening next year. We did visit the place many years ago with a friend and it was wonderful then. We have only had time to watch a few of the webinars so far, but the past talks are still available to see. It is just like watching a lecture, although there was the facility on the day for people to type their questions in a chat box. The one we particularly enjoyed was the talk given by one of the co-founders of the International Crane Foundation and if you'd like to try one, I would suggest that one. We met the man at Birdfair several years ago and have chatted with him at subsequent Birdfairs since. This year they had talks online and he gave a version of this talk there as well. He discusses his time with a female Crane many years ago. It is a charming tale and he is a lovely person. Here's the link:  Decades of Discovery:  Dancing with Whooping Cranes -  www.youtube.com/watch

  • 09 November - SE-26 pays a visit!

    Courtesy of Lady Hawk, who has obviously recorded from rollback - I'm too late to do it myself and get the arrival.

    Long, unedited.

    I've taken these off rollback:

    10 November @ Midnight:

    Breakfast, but I think it must have been a nestover:

    Protesting at the Currawong:

    Had a snooze shortly after this shot and is still there as I now check, that's 14:00 Oz time:

  • Thanks for sharing scylla. The right foot seems to be able to grasp a little bit but not really bear any weight.
  • Many thanks, Scylla. I wonder how long Mum and Dad will carry on feeding SE26. And if SE26 will ever be able to catch its own food.
  • I'm catching up from the footage I have between 10th and 13th - but not all of it is present, due to the streams having dropped out and me not being in attendance to notice and find a new URL - so I don't have the final departure.

    10 November

    Afternoon - self-feeding and gripping with right foot, but it doesn't look strong:

    Late evening, and SE-26 does not seem to be a happy eaglet - but, reassuringly, a parent is on watch:

    Late evening, SE-26 suddenly spread ~vs~ unseen threat, held position, later a parent flew in to protect, it stayed watching over SE-26 all night:

    11 November

    "A good food day for SE-26" - s/he had both fish and fowl.

    12 November ~ the last day I have:

    A Joyous Announcement!

    14th November, 2020 - NEWS on SE26 -
    I have received a call that SE26 was seen on a 22 floor balcony of units over past Homebush Bay. Initially a WIRES helper caught it and relocated to an interim holding facility. SE26 is safe and cared for, and has now been transported to our approved assessment facility.
    Perhaps SE26 just unwise leaving the safety of home area. Please do not call or hassle us with questions. Please do not make wild guesses or assumptions.
    Rest assured, we will pass on information when we receive it.
    Thanks
    (Excuse the somewhat hostile tone - the Sea-eagle Team seem to be that way inclined Thinking )
  • Many thanks, Scylla, That is such a relief. I've been worried that SE26 was most likely not able to catch any food or to keep hold of it if that ever happened. But now, I imagine that they will keep SE26 in some wildlife care centre and will take good care of him/her for the rest of his/her life.
  • Unknown said:
    I imagine that they will keep SE26 in some wildlife care centre and will take good care of him/her for the rest of his/her life.

    Let's hope so, or perhaps try to fix the wonky foot/leg if they can and release him/her

  • Yes, Korky, it will be interesting to see if they attempt fixing the wonky foot/leg. Even if it is possible, will they have the time and the funds to try it?
  • That "wonky foot/leg" looks quite a complex problem...

    On a semi-flippant note (and I do realise how serious and sad it really is) I think they'll need to find an Australian Noel Fitzpatrick to replace the lower leg entirely with a prosthesis, that's the only pain-free solution I can see. Then, SE-26 can fly and perch on its good foot and potter about on two "feet" - in luxury accommodation.