Don't you just want to hug the pants off that little guy?! I cannot think of an eyas that was quite so amusing... s/he is gonna have a HUGE personality!

Following Patti's Latin names info, how about this name - Upupa epops - for that gorgeous bird, the Hoopoe. A few have turned up here. Excellent tick!

Sounds like the little one in the nest-----epops too! 

Excellent! VERY!!

Following Patti's Latin names info, how about this name - Upupa epops - for that gorgeous bird, the Hoopoe. A few have turned up here. Excellent tick!

Bill from chat caught this! A yellow orb!  Angel egg!!

I saw that too... but was not clever enough to know I was seeing an angel... good!

[Have a great holiday, everyone!!!]

Have a great holiday, everyone!!!

 

Thanks for the US Cuckoo info, Dot. "Our" cuckoo is (should you care to check) Cuculus canorus. Yellow-billed Cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus) have been recorded in Ireland but as you might guess, they are rare... no idea of stats re their occurrence. And FYI - the American "Robin" is not a robin at all, but a member of the Thrush family... tho I am sure you know that. I have read that when early settlers saw the American Robin, the red breast reminded them of the European Robin, and thus gave it its name. Who knows if this is true, but it might as well be.

(And do not even THINK that I knew those Latin names... of course I looked them up! OK - back to Wimbledon...)

Must check that Roadrunner link... Beep-beep!! Had not heard that before...

Baby Heuy, Shaky! The very thing!!! (Poor parent, tho...)

Thanks for the prey info, Ei. If you can't ID, no one can. Had forgotten that Dot is a big lad...

Oh my word!! That's one big baby to foster! Amazing, thanks!

Ain't it just! Do "we" have cuckoos in the NE United States? I know nothing about them. OH! Must find that BTO link re their tracked cuckoos... fascinating.

This is so amazing! The photo was taken in the garden of an Irish B&B. It shows the foster-parent - a Robin - feeding its Cuckoo chick. That great big gape must be irresistible. Robins are unusual foster-parents, apparently, which is why this image is doubly fascinating.

And here's another thing... I am seeing rather large prey items... or is this just my imagination? Anyone know the species we are seeing? I sure don't.

Slainte!!

I am sooooooooo bummed I missed the banding action! Been watching every day but this event got past me.

Thanks for the Egg Info,Ei. I guess they do not have (?) a strong sense of smell, as they just ignore them. Interesting.

I've been wondering... haven't we seen the adults get rid of the non-viable eggs in the past? So I am curious about why the two eggs are still sitting there, seemingly being ignored. Anyone?

Slainte!

I just realised that the Loch of Lowes chick - a boy! - was ringed and satellite tagged yesterday! (One of the dates says 2 June, but it is actually 2 July.) Good info here re ringing (banding) and tagging.

http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey/