Still 4 and looking good so far. Thanks Janet

new spot for Beauty 

The cam situation there has been most frustrating & aggravating this year.  I keep wondering if our old main cam is still functional enough to donate to the cause.

I agree, the cam closest to the eggs is bad...too bright, can't see anything. What did they do?

Oh how sad Annette. At least the babies have a chance. Thanks

Both cams not working at Sheraton...Rhea Mae cam frozen since 10:24 am yesterday.

Osprey are "different" - think the Loch Garten Nest/Soap Opera.  I also think that Osprey get a bit cranky when mate changes happen (Little O's nest is still in transent 2 seasons later).  We'll keep watching.

I'll say "crankier" to hit her with a fish? Now they use weapons?

[Hi MG-The new gal has been at thenest a good amount of time.]

A comment on the new female @ the nest


Hi MG-The new gal has been at the
nest a good amount of time.

Answer from Mod:

It seems as though she and Benecio should form a couple, but he appeared to be attacking her just now. I thought he was bringing her a peace offering, the fish he was carrying, but he only seems to hit her with it. 

Beauty's back already
Nah, she was just checking in on Archer

19 April 2010
Benecio and the new female have been battling each other this morning in the air, on the platform, and slamming each other into our camera. At first we saw him flying in with a fish, which we thought was nice of him to offer the new resident, but then he quickly attacked her. Bella could be in a nearby nest, though we haven't seen anything to indicate that.

April 13 200

Benecio was on the nest a while this morning. It was a delight to see him after a week's absence. The new female is still alone at this point in time and we are not sure if Benecio is with Bella at a different nest or if Bella has taken up with a new male.

  This is the male

No updates after the 19. Wonder what's going on there?

Cam looks kinda reddish, what's that all about?

7:13
Almost 2 hours late but he made it. Guess all that egg-sitting tires a guy out.
Gathering
Looking dapper

It's 5:30 and Archer is sleeping in today.
6:30..no Archer
7:00..not yet

[Found this on the blog at Cathedral!]

For several weeks we’ve learned about body parts that are the same on birds and humans.  Today’s lesson is very different.

The cloaca is a bird anatomy part most people never see.  It’s under the bird and usually covered by feathers.

Cloaca (pronounced klo-A-ca) is a Latin word that means “to cleanseâ€� and is aptly used to name the bird’s single opening for its urinary, intestinal and reproductive tracts.  Here it is on a great egret, circled in pink.

This multi-purpose “ventâ€� may seem odd but male mammals have a single opening for urine and semen.  Birds economize further.  Everything happens at one location for them.

When birds mate, they touch their cloacas for a few seconds.  This brief “cloacal kissâ€� is just enough time to transfer semen to the female.

If you don’t like the sound of “cloaca� you can use the word “vent,� a prettier, alternative name.

Found this on the blog at Cathedral!

Ok, so call me dumb    but all they do when they mate is rub Cloaca's?? No wonder it's so quick! Dang!  I swear, I never knew that. 

[What’s worse is that male house sparrows will kill adult bluebirds inside the nest box and peck the chicks to death as part of this territorial behavior.]

Also, this was on the site of Gulf and Cathedral

For those who love bluebirds, the sight of a house sparrow eyeing a bluebird box is both maddening and frightening.

House sparrows are cavity nesters, just like bluebirds, but they are far more aggressive.  They are so territorial that they’ll claim multiple boxes and exclude all others from nesting even though they can’t possibly use them all. What’s worse is that male house sparrows will kill adult bluebirds inside the nest box and peck the chicks to death as part of this territorial behavior. 

Many are the sad stories of house sparrow attacks and dead baby bluebirds.  Beakless Bluebirds and Featherless Penguins by Sister Barbara Ann tells of the success she had in raising two beakless bluebirds who survived an attack thanks to her care.  Not everyone has the time or skill to do this.

As bluebird monitors will tell you, there is no real way to exclude house sparrows because they are nearly the same size as bluebirds.  The only effective method is to trap every house sparrow and remove it. It is illegal to trap native birds without a permit, but house sparrows are non-native and invasive.  They can be trapped and removed.

There are many Internet resources that explain how to do this.  Try the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania and Sialis.org for starters.

Right now is bluebird nesting season.  It’s time to trap this house sparrow.

Hey you, House Sparrow!  Get away from that box!  Don’t you even think of it!

I didn't know this...wow, Sparrows are bad and there's so many of them.

Beauty's mom has 5 kids now!!   

Archer on the way
and she's outta there
a little adjustments
he's a natural brooder