[(cont)]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8199000/8199726.stm

Blue tits use medicinal plants to disinfect their nests, scientists have discovered.

The birds line their nests with aromatic plants such as mint or lavender, which kill bacteria.

That creates a more sterile environment for chicks, which in turn grow faster and have a better chance of survival.

However, individual blue tits are quite picky about which plants they use, and it is not clear how they pass their knowledge on to other birds.

A number of European bird species add aromatic plants to their nests....(cont)

The Eagle was tagged by RSPB Scotland 22 years ago

The oldest known wild golden eagle in Britain has been found dead on the isle of Jura, it has been confirmed.

The bird, ringed on Mull in 1987 when it was still a chick and too young to be sexed, was 22 years old.

Its body was found on North Jura earlier this year by a member of the public who reported it to the RSPB.

The RSPB Scotland said it believed the bird had died of natural causes having lived its life in "relative peace". The previous oldest wild eagle was 16.

In captivity golden eagles have been known to live for more than 40 years.

RSPB Scotland's Roger Broad, who ringed the eagle, said: "It's actually very nice to hear about a bird that's had such a long life, and to be told about it in a situation like this when there are absolutely no suspicious circumstances whatsoever.
   
It's great to think that this bird lived out its days in relative peace, and still almost in sight of the nest it hatched out of on Mull all those years ago
Dave Sexton
RSPB Scotland

"By the time we got to the eagle, it was too far gone to do a post-mortem, but there are no records of bird of prey persecution on Jura, and there were no signs of this being anything other than a natural death from old age."

The eagle is thought to have been part of a breeding pair on Jura.

It is hoped the bird's partner will now pair up with another single golden eagle passing through its territory.

RSPB Scotland Mull Officer, Dave Sexton, said: "It's amazing to think how long eagles can survive if left to get on with things in the wild.

"Their longevity is balanced by the fact that they only have one or two chicks each year, and don't start breeding until they're five years old.

Manx shearwater

"That's why the population of any eagle can suffer so dramatically when the adult birds are taken out by poisoning or other unnatural means.

"But it's great to think that this bird lived out its days in relative peace, and still almost in sight of the nest it hatched out of on Mull all those years ago."

The find comes in a year when the UK's oldest white-tailed eagles, both nearly 30, successful hatched and raised two chicks on Mull.

The oldest wild bird in Britain was a Manx shearwater, which in 2007 was recorded as 50 years old.

It was a really hot, humid day today, so Dan and I planned on getting out to Kodak Park early this morning to hopefully see Mariah or the unbanded Juvie.

Dan and I were sitting on the street on the gorge side (east) of KP. At 7:15 am,
Mariah flew in from the south, low over us and then up to the Research Lab Bldg.
where she circled the building and landed on the antenna.

For 45 minutes we were able to get really close looks at her through the scope.
Her left leg was bandless, but I was unable to see the right leg to verify the blue/yellow band.

I am 99.9% sure this was Mariah. It looked like Mariah.

Thank you twice Carol!! 

can you imagine being the next one to use the water fountain gag 

EWWWWW but I'd love to see it!

Donna

[Private Residential Falcons]

Private Residential Falcons

Aug 13, 2009 - At least one juvie

Yesterday Fred reporting seeing both the adult female and at least one juvenile. Today a juvenile was again spotted in the morning near the nest ledge.[/b]

[I'm LOVIN all the pets here.....thanks all.]

I'm LOVIN all the pets here.....thanks all.

Donna (gotta love these smileys)

   

They obviously have a better class of pigeon Down Under.

Instead of pecking around on the filthy pavements among cigarette butts and chewing gum, they prefer to sip filtered water and go to great lengths for a bath.

The trio pictured here, in Brisbane, Queensland, appear to have worked out a clever system of adapting the water fountain built by humans for their own pigeon purposes.
Three pigeons quench their thirst at a water fountain

Coo-l: drink: As one pigeon sucks up water (left), another stands on the lever (right) and the third keeps watch

After waiting for the fountain to be free, one bird jumped on the lever and pushed it down to fill up the bowl, while another kept watch and the third splashed in.

When it had drunk its fill and cleaned its feathers, the third pigeon hopped up to the handle and let his friends have a go.

The three birds continued their bathing ritual for ten minutes, entertaining passers-by in Post Office Square, in Brisbane's bustling business district.

Unlike other birds, who take a sip of water and throw back their heads to swallow, pigeons suck up water using their beaks like straws.

Though they aren't very popular in this part of the world and are referred to as rats of the sky,
Pigeons - even the English ones - are considered among the most intelligent of all the bird species.

One sits on the handle while the other drink or bathe.....very smart!

   



FRUITPORT -- While cleaning up broken limbs and downed trees fromSunday's storm, a Fruitport family made a surprising discovery.

"I looked down and there was a baby hummingbird," says Circle Drive resident Zac Draeger.

The baby hummingbird was clinging to a broken twig in a pile of limbs knocked down by the storm's powerful winds.

"I didn't think the bird had a chance the way it was shivering," says Zac.

TheDraeger family carried the shivering chick inside and let it sip somesugar water. After it survived the night, they put the chick outside ona patio table, still clinging to his twig. Within minutes, they say themother found her baby and has been flying in for regular feedings.

The Draeger's lost power for a few days and many of their trees are gone ordamaged. But they say helping save and care for the baby hummingbirdhas helped put their own problems into perspective.

"With bad there is always good, if you look in the right spot," says Brian Draeger.

"We had no idea it would even live and now it looks like it will fly away," says Terri Draeger.

"It's a miracle I guess," says Zac.

The Draegers named the bird Spatula Peep Hernandez. Brian says the moniker just popped into his head.

[The number 9 or nine in total? I'm not even going to try]

The number 9 or nine in total?  I'm not even going to try 


NO, I got 9 wrong but it was a fun quiz and I learned a lot.  ???

Donna

I got 9 wrong!! 

[Now that sounds like fun!!! Good luck.]

Now that sounds like fun!!! Good luck.

Donna

[I took a video but Ed's mom was talking too loud to post it. Donna]

Very good Donna!!!
Have you more pictures?
greetings Aafke

I took a video but Ed's mom was talking too loud to post it. 

Donna

Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Fledging

Our three young falcons have grown quickly. Only a few scattered tufts of down remain and their juvenile plumage is almost fully grown in. Peregrine falcons typically fledge between 40-45 days after hatching.

The door-opener apparatus will be installed on the pen door on Tuesday morning, August 18th. This will mark 47 to 48 days since hatching for these falcons. The extra time ensures full feather development, and allows these birds to strengthen their flight muscles before attempting their first flights.

The “apparatus� is comprised of a weight, bungee cords, and a plastic bottle of ice attached to the pen door. As the ice melts it releases the weight and the door is slowly pulled open by the bungee cords. Depending on the temperature on the release date, the door should open about 2-4 hours after the trigger is attached. We have used this method successfully for three years. Though the adults become aggressive when we attach the device, they quickly calm down after we leave. Past releases have gone very smoothly, with the chicks typically walking from the pen or flying to the ledge, surveying their surroundings for a few minutes or hours, and then taking successful first flights.

DGIF personnel and skilled volunteers will be stationed in the area surrounding the nest building. This will allow us to track the young birds’ first efforts and ensure that they are capable of sustained, controlled flight. This monitoring effort will continue until we are confident in the flight abilities of the fledglings. Should one of the fledglings encounter difficulty and end up on the ground, DGIF staff will recover the fledgling and either return it to the ledge or ensure prompt treatment and transportation to a licensed rehabilitation facility if necessary.

[BLESS HIM!]

I can't wait for them to be released!  They look so anxious to take off!     They won't be hanging around that ledge long!     I look in often and if I could be over there I would sign up for some watch times for sure!  My Sailor Son lives in Virginia Beach in the Navy and now in Iraq      But I am super proud of that guy!  So he won't be of any help either!!  Will hope from here all is GREAT with the remaining 3!

BLESS HIM! 

Me too!!! Took a while but I did it. Thanks Lou, that was fun.

Donna