Larry & Cleo have arrived, no falcons. MAK

At last... good news! Thanks, Donna!

What a great tribute to a great mom.

With egg thieves and maimed swans, is it any wonder that the site is secret?!

Exactly Bobbie! 

Nineteen white-tailed sea eagles have been released into the wild from a secret location in Fife.

The birds of prey, the UK's largest, arrived from Norway in June for the fourth year of the East Scotland Sea Eagle reintroduction project

It is a partnership scheme between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland.

Since their arrival, the birds have been reared in specially built aviaries.
Continue reading the main story


They will now join Scotland's growing white-tailed eagle population and help restore this species to their former range in the east of Scotland.

This project is also contributing to wider conservation efforts across Europe for sea eagles.

The birds were driven to extinction in the UK by game preservers and collectors in the Victorian era, with the last individual bird killed in 1916.

They only returned to the UK following a successful reintroduction to the West of Scotland, on the Island of Rum in 1975.
Impressive bird

Claire Smith, RSPB Scotland east coast sea eagle project officer, said: "A diet of pike, haddock and roe deer has helped make sure these birds are fit and ready for life in the wild. Each bird has been fitted with a radio and wing tags so both project staff and the public can follow their progress.

"Already we receive many calls from the public thrilled to have seen a sea eagle on the east coast."

Susan Davies, director of policy at Scottish National Heritage, added: "These new recruits will help ensure that this impressive bird's future, as an important part of Scotland's biodiversity, is secured."

The birds have been fed on a diet of pike, haddock and roe deer

LONDON: An aggressive swan known as ''hissing Sid'' has been evicted from its riverbank home and moved about 65 kilometres away after a series of attacks, including one that almost caused a teenage girl to drown.

The mute swan used its powerful wings to attack rowers and canoeists on the River Chelmer, in Chelmsford, Essex, its home for two decades.

Mute swans, especially the males, known as cobs, often can be aggressive in protecting their nests and their young.

More New York City skyscrapers are turning their lights off this fall in an effort to save the lives of migrating birds who might crash into them while on their way to warmer climes.

Glenn Phillips, the executive director of New York City Audubon, said a half-dozen landmark skyscrapers, including the Time Warner Center, Rockefeller Center and the Empire State Building, will sign on to a plan to turn off their lights at midnight. Audubon has sponsored the program since 2005, but this year has garnered the most interest, Mr. Phillips said.

Most migrating birds fly through the city between 2 and 4 a.m., and Audubon hopes that the dimmed lights will keep the birds from plowing into the buildings, a problem of each migratory season that leaves thousands of birds dead. The initiative runs from Sept. 1 to Nov. 1, the main fall migratory season.



The birds are drawn in by the glow of the city and are unable to see the miles of concrete and glass stretching into the sky, Mr. Phillips said.

“It’s not an everyday occurrence,� he said. “For the one night of the week when conditions are just right or just wrong, it can be quite deadly.�
Birders do a census of migrating birds from the observation deck of the Empire State Building.

Overcast skies and artificial lighting make for a deadly combination for the birds, who become blinded and confused. Some buildings are more lethal than others, Mr. Phillips said, counting the Time Warner Center’s mammoth glass structure among the deadliest.

Mr. Phillips said that collision with manmade structures is one of the chief reasons that most of the species that migrate through North America are declining. In two migratory seasons, Audubon counted 90,000 birds who were killed in collisions with buildings in New York City.

Other participants are the Bank of America building and The New York Times Building, one of the tallest glass structures in the city.

And no, the heightened response has nothing to do with the city’s geese problem.

“When I groan about the Canada geese,� Mr. Phillips said, “it’s because this is way more of an important story about conservation than the geese.�

  Birders do a census of migrating birds from the observation deck of the Empire State Building.

[(Ya think)]

Stoughton, Massachusetts residents are outraged by the gruesome decapitation of a swan and the maiming of her mate in the Pinewood Pond area of the city.

An agency spokesman for the MSPCA said they are investigating a report of possible animal cruelty in the matter.

The dead swan, named Autumn Grace by families in the neighborhood, was discovered Saturday by Brian MacNeil, Jr., whose home borders the pond.

MacNeil said someone spotted the male swan swimming with three offspring, called cygnets, but did not see the female. When MacNeil spotted her, he tried to lift her and was shocked to see her head and neck missing.

“When I got close her head was under water I pulled her to the side of the boat and her head was cut clear off,� he said.

MacNeil and neighbor said that while it is possible that an animal killed the female and injured the male, they believe a human is responsible.

Carol Neville, another resident near the pond who keeps a scrapbook of the swans in the area thinks it was no accident or snapping turtle that did it.

“I just think it’s a sicko,â€� she said.  (Ya think)

This is the second time in two years a swan has apparently come under attack in this area.

Authorities say the first swam was killed by car because it was found in street, but residents say they found a trail of blood leading to its nest where they found eggs missing.

Decapitated rabbits have also been found in the neighborhood.

[The story of Scotland's most famous Osprey is set to be captured in a book created and compiled by her followers.]

The story of Scotland's most famous Osprey is set to be captured in a book created and compiled by her followers.

Last month, a group of bloggers who have spent several months watching Lady made an appeal through The Courier for help with their project and were disappointed when they received only one response.

However, things soon began to look up for them after Peter Ferns, manager of the Loch of the Lowes visitor centre near Dunkeld, got in touch.

Group member Susan McVey explained how he contacted a fellow blogger who has been responsible for compiling poetry and photographs for the book.

"As far as I know, Peter had spoken to Shirley, wanting to know what was going on with our plan," she said. "He then spoke to her again recently, telling her that the Scottish Wildlife Trust was going to publish the book for us.

"This has just been fantastic news for us and is a huge weight off our shoulders.

"We were worrying about how we were going to cover the cost of publication but this has been such a big help and we are so grateful for it."

Having spent the last few months following 25-year-old Lady and her family, including witnessing her miraculous recovery from a mystery illness, the bloggers were inspired to create a lasting reminder of the hardy bird.

Following fears that this may be the osprey's last year at Loch of the Lowes, their project has attracted massive interest, with webcam viewers from across the world submitting their artistic tributes to the osprey in the form of poems, photographs and drawings.

Susan hopes the book will be released by the end of next month and it has been given the working title of Lady Of The Loch.

The book will be sold at Loch of the Lowes and the money will be used to buy satellite equipment to help track the birds.

The bloggers also plan to start an appeal to buy a new infrared camera for the nest as the current equipment is becoming outdated.

Although Lady has now flown the nest for the winter, you can follow the latest on the Scottish Wildlife Trust's webcam and osprey blog.

Peter Ferns and volunteer ranger Anna Cheshier monitoring live images from the nest.

6:48 am: M/D: Little birdie lands above Beauty on Mercury, Beauty looks  up, watches intently. Little Birdie, "what was I thinking?" Beauty, "breakfast!" Little birdie "now what will I do?" Beauty "Fly off so I can chase you" Little birdie takes off looking for safe zone, Beauty in tow. Beauty misses, little birdie give her the raspberries and leaves. Beauty, "I'll get you next time my pretty!" (KaK-l-ing)

Osprey Diary August 21, 2010
August 21st, 2010 by rboardman

How do they know?

I have been able to answer many queries from past experience in handling, monitoring, gathering data, writing, working with “experts�, and learning. One of the questions that continues to baffle me is “how do young ospreys know when they have arrived on their winter grounds�? If they have not experienced migration before, why do they either keep on flying or reckon that they have arrived? Fortunately for me, most visitors do not ask this question. It is easy for me to talk about many migrants, whether they be cariboo, monarchs, warblers, many raptors, terns, etc. for they mostly gather in groups and have past experience as a collective mass. Ospreys seem not to flock on migration, they fly as individuals. By stating that they have done this for “eons� is not correct, in that only 6 or 7 thousand years ago glaciers were receding in most parts of the northern hemisphere. The few years that osprey have been occupying this part of Europe surely is not sufficient time to allow for “eons� of imprinting.

I do not know.

The important aspect of us knowing is that we do have a profound impact on all migrants by being responsible for protecting waterways, breeding habitat, safe stopover/rest areas, food supply, air and land space.

This we know. Rinchen

MAK/Dan: Beauty on Mercury rail 6:42am

A & B at nest
Archer
getting closer
Beauty not bowing?
Well excuuuse me!

Peregrine falcon chicks saved from smuggler are released into the wild in Scotland

Aug 20 2010 By John Ferguson

SEVEN peregrine falcons have been released into the wild in Scotland, just months after being saved from a smuggler.

Jeffrey Lendrum, 48, was caught with 14 stolen eggs worth £70,000, at Birmingham International airport in May.

Yesterday, as he was jailed for 30 months at Warwick Crown Court, officials hailed the success of a rescue operation involving the Scottish Wildlife Trust, RSPB and the National Wildlife Crime Unit.

A total of 11 chicks were hatched, with seven rehomed in Scotland. Four were placed at two undisclosed sites.

The other three were fostered by a pair of breeding peregrines at the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Falls of Clyde wildlife reserve and visitor centre in Lanarkshire.

Rspb Scotland's Ian Thomson said: "We're delighted that this serious case had such a happy ending."

My Twinkies cache will last me forever.

in a million years from now. When all known life is gone from this planet. Aliens will be able to come here and still be able to eat the Twinkies. Because of all the preservatives in them. 

They last 4-ever. Suppose to be good fried.

I don't know if you have ever heard them during mating season. But they are scary  Boy do they sound nasty. Cute but don't trust them. Every couple of years around here they say they catch one with rabies. Not good not good at all. 

Oh I know all about Raccoons and Rabies. Don't worry BC, I'll be very very careful. A few towns over had a case of rabies too. I just took the food away, (cuz I remembered).  Thanks.