Watchers out right now are as follows: jeanne, Brian, Kathy, Carol, Joyce, Dan, Larry, (Cleo), Dana, Lou, Marcia and MAK....and maybe a few falcons.  (phew)! From Frontier Parking Lot. Beauty on Xerox.

Carols falcon watch report said 3 falcons. Does that mean Callidora is number three? anybody know?

Not sure yet BC, they are "scoping" it out. Hard to tell when they are up so high.

!!! Home Alone
August 16, 2010 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:

It’s been very quiet around the Sunlife Centre the past few days.   I haven’t seen more than one juvenile in the past two weeks and none since last Monday.   It’s been such a humid, hot summer that we didn’t really get to enjoy as much of the juveniles activity as in summers past.  Like us, they aren’t crazy about this weather either!  No doubt they have moved out and are exploring the world - hopefully somewhere cooler!

Mom spent the day on her webcam almost all day by herself enjoying the cool breezes instead of sweltering in the heat for a change.  I saw her hunting for breakfast this morning as well and she looks really good and no doubt is enjoying her time alone after months of parenting.  I did see Jack a few times last week and heard him and Angel chatting to each other a few times.

Great news about our little Mackenzie being spotted with a potential mate in Burlington!  After everything he endured last summer, it was bittersweet to hear he’s not only survived but is thriving!  I hope to pay a visit to Burlington in the coming weeks to see if I can spot him.

 McKenzie is Hanging In
August 17, 2010 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Sue McCreadie Reports:

Just thought I would let you know that McKenzie is still hanging in there  He and his mate are sitting on the Hydro Tower as we speak.  They are vocalizing back and forth to one another.  I hadn’t heard them for a few days but they are very vocal this morning.

 All’s Well at Ossler
August 14, 2010 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Bruce Massey Reports:

Spot checked Ossler both in AM & PM for about 6 Hrs Total.  In the AM I got there around Dawn and even at that time the Juveniles were very vocal.  About an hour later they both went for a 10-15 minute flight and what was so amazing was the Female that was about a week behind her brother kept up so well and not being overwhelmed by him.  When I left at 0930 Hrs, Both the Parents had showed up.

In the PM, the parents weren’t visible, but both Juveniles were present.  They spent most of their time in the Hydro Tower.  They also did another 10-15 min Flight together in the vicinity of  the Hospital.

Archer in nest box around 11:45
and 11:23am

This is the same Raccoon that has been coming here for a few years, I believe. I have never seen such a big one. He comes, he eats, (if there's any food left) and goes. I have never seen any more than one. If he or she has a family, they aren't bringing them around yet. I try not to keep the cat food over night, just for this reason but sometimes I forget to empty the bowl and well, he gets the rest. Just curious, are females larger than the males? This was a biggie and very cute. Didn't seem to mind the cat looking at him but my Sam wasn't impressed with him.

What MAK said was right about having a sick or injured cat. It's not sick like a cold but she has something wrong with her mouth, it looks weird and she is not eating. I tried to get her but she went under my porch 2 days ago and I haven't seen her since. She tried to drink some water but it just dribbled out. I feel bad for her, as she was the one who had all those kittens for years but is now on Birth Control.  No one can get under the porch to retrieve her, so I'm afraid she isn't doing too well or worse. Yes, it keeps me awake at night thinking about her. I love all my cats, indoors and outdoors but she is getting up in age and maybe her time is up. Still hurts.

The Raccoon only comes out at night, which is a good sign....no rabies. Remember the Opossum who was sleeping in the cat box with the cat last Winter? Now that was weird.

Oh so sad but they both lived a long life...14 yrs. It's still sad. Thanks jeanne.

Shaky, that's strange, I have Firefox and had no problem viewing the video.  ???

Sam, my cat was not too thrilled seeing him. His tail looked like a raccoon.

Is your cat a main coon?

No Annette, his tail was all puffed out because he saw the raccoon. Sam is just Sam.

MAK: Pefa on SW corner, top Ibeam, OCSR Not sure who yet.

 A RARE bird from North America was spotted for the first time in Weymouth at the RSPB Lodmoor reserve.

The Semipalmated Sand-piper caught the eye of many bird watchers when it dropped into the reserve.

This is the first time the bird has been spotted in Weymouth and the fourth time one of its kind has been spotted in Dorset – the last recorded sighting being in Ferrybridge in 2002.

Luke Phillips, information officer at the reserve, said: “It’s not very often that a completely new bird species is recorded at Weymouth Wetlands so this was very exciting, but it did cause a few headaches trying to identify it.

“At first, it was thought to be a similar looking wader called a Little Stint, which is an occasional visitor to Lodmoor during the autumn. But it was later re-identified as the much rarer Semipalmated Sandpiper.�

The bird is a native of North America and Canada and the world semipalmated refers to the bird’s toes – in this case it means half-webbed or slightly lobed which helps the bird to walk across mud when feeding.

The Semipalmated Sandpiper migrate vast distances and spend the winters in South America but occasionally they get lost and end up in the UK.

Mr Phillips said: “It may still be the height of summer to us but many birds are gearing up for their autumn migration and as the sandpiper shows, some of them have already started their journeys.�

Dorset has welcomed some unusual visitors over the past few years. This is the second year running that marsh harriers – which are rarer than golden eagles – have bred in the centre of Weymouth.

An albino starling was spotted flying over Weymouth’s rooftops in July, which according to bird experts is very unusual and a rare hooded merganser duck arrived on Radipole Lake two years ago.

A franklin’s gull, a native of North America, also showed up at Radipole in April 2004. The bird was blown across the Atlantic and attracted twitchers from as far afield as Leeds.

An adorable baby snowy owl can now be found nesting at Mary Arden’s Farm, once home to Shakespeare’s mother.

Named “Sooty�, the fluffy baby owl is just 7 weeks old but is already starting to fly! She has to be fed regularly and spends her time either sleeping flat on her face or wandering around the falconers. Sooty will be making an appearance at the Farm at weekends.

Snowy owls are originally from the cold climates of the Arctic Tundra. They have a very efficient feather system that will keep them warm down to -30 degrees. In the early 1970’s they flew south to breed in the Scottish Isles so are now native to Great Britain and protected by law.

Known as the “Ghostly Hunter�, they hunt in the snow and can locate a mouse under the snow just by sound. They are a ground bird and their nests are built in the rocks. When they are born they are dark grey and black to give them camouflage and then turn white as they mature. Male snowy owls are completely white whereas females are white with black markings. Their feathers are soft and their tails short and square. They are classed as a diurnal bird of prey as they have colour in their eyes; in this case Sooty has yellow eyes. Their eyes are 35 to 100 times more powerful than human's eyes and take up more room than their brains which are only thimble-sized!

Mary Arden’s Farm is a working farm with a difference and promises to be a real treat this summer for all the family. Visitors can experience “Tudor Housework� every Monday when they can see how the Tudors kept their houses and clothes sparkling clean. Every Tuesday, on “Churning Tuesday�, visitors can discover what a Tudor dairymaid got up to and help her churn butter and make cheese ready for market. Every Wednesday on “Woolly Wednesday�, experts will teach about the importance of wool in Tudor times whilst visitors can have a go at tozing, carding, spinning and weaving.


Sooty

7:09: M/D: Archer flew over by Xerox and we lost him.

Update: Archer on SE corner of Xerox. 7:22am

Loch of the Lowes Osprey Wildlife Diary
The Wonders of Osprey Migration
August 20th, 2010 by E Rawling, Perthshire Ranger SWT

The wonders of migration.

We have been getting a lot of questions about how our ospreys will make their way to Africa this autumn, so I thought I’d share with you what we know, but bear in mind this is still something of a mystery and an area with lots left to research!

We know most UK ospreys travel south via a route that takes them over England, (though some go west over Ireland) and then usually over western France, then Spain or Portugal. They often cross near Gibraltar, then hug the African coast to their eventual destination, as too far inland means crossing desert.

We know most ospreys take between 4-6weeks to make the journey in autumn, but are considerably faster on the way up in spring (the breeding instinct is strong and they must get to the nest first!).

Young birds make more stops and wander more before settling down to habitual yearly pattern.

Most birds go to the same over-wintering area each year routinely- creatures of habit!

 They stop many times on route and can spend up to a week or more on a particularly good estuary or river, especially if weather is unfavourable.

They can fly at considerable heights, at up to 100km a day and can even fly up to 48hrs non stop!

 Most miraculously of all, we still do not know exactly how they navigate- probably some combination of visual clues (we know they fly more on good clear weather) and certainly genetic instinct, and probable some form of geomagnetic perception we do not yet understand.

I often ask our younger visitors if they could walk to Africa at age 10, with no parents to follow, no map and catch all their dinner with their feet on the way! It does put our young ospreys achievement in perspective- migration is truly miraculous!

6:48 MAK is BAK/Dan: Broad St Bridge- A on top Ibeam OCSR.

It was around 11 and I heard a noise at my front door. I looked out and this is what I saw!! I have never seen such a huge raccoon. He was standing on his hind legs looking in my storm door. He never ran or seemed afraid of us looking at him. Lucky I had my cell in my hand and snapped this pic. He ate the few morsels leftover from the cats. It was cute watching him pick up the food in his, (I call them hands) and eating Then he dragged the water bowl closer to him and dipped his (hand) in in and put it in his mouth, the whole time watching me. When he was done, he left. Very cute Raccoon.

Sam, my cat was not too thrilled seeing him. His tail looked like a raccoon.