topic Re: Bird Mama in Community Chat

Bird Mama

SeaGal — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:26:40 GMT

Hi Bird Mama, just wondering if you have been watching the NE Fla or the SW Fla eagle cams, if so you know they both have 2 chicklets, I am enjoying the NE Fla eagle cam as it is so clear and close up. Did you notice the Ft St Vrain cam is new, no fog on the lense, it is nice and clear but no babies to see yet, no eggs either.

I have to share, I was checking out my list of nests, making my rounds ha! At the Savannah eagle cam a Great Horned Owl took over the nest and is sitting on 2 eggs, the cam is soo clear and close up so it will be awesome to follow these chicks when they hatch. That is landingsbirdcam.com, you must check it out, they just went live stream today, previously there was just a couple vids to see but they are up and running now and Mom is beautiful! Check her out!!

Re: Bird Mama

possummink — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:41:08 GMT

SeaGal, I am sorry to intrude on your thread, but I did go to the link in Savannah and saw the Great Horned Owl. Beautiful. We have them at home in our yard and I heard them back in late Nov and early Dec booming away with their calls. I don't know where they nest in our area, North St. Louis County, MO. I am in FL now so I am grateful to you for putting the link on your post.

Last spring I watched a Barred Owl nest cam in Indiana, sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited. It was awesome to see the owlets hatch and feather out, then fledge. There were 3 of them. We had a barred owl in the yard for a bit last spring, my brother saw her several times. Again no clue as to where and if she had a nest. Sorry again for crashing your thread, but thanks.

Re: Bird Mama

mousiegirl — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:53:26 GMT

Hi SeaGal, I have had these owls in my yard, rescued two fallen babies a week apart one year and took them to Wildlife Rescue. One turned up at my Vet's office, small world, with a broken wing and other issues, but was on the mend. Amazing the wing span of small babies, these still had down on them and were light in color.

Re: Bird Mama

Bird mama — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 22:17:36 GMT

Sea Gal, thanks for thinking of me. I haven't set up my eagle came favorites yet. Kachina says the Berry College eagle is sitting on at least one egg.

Part of me wants to follow the eagles and the other part of me doesn't know if I can deal with the potential losses like we experienced last year.

I cried alot.

Re: Bird Mama

SeaGal — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 22:58:14 GMT

possummink, no way you crashed here, I am happy you posted and what a beautiful picture of the Great Horned, I am soo excited to follow this nest! It is a new cam this year located in Skidaway, I guess that is Savannah Ga?, I just happened across it on a nest cam list I follow. She is soo beautiful and I cant wait to see her babies (grow), I havent seen the Mr. yet. You sound like you have a lil experiance having them around you and the Barred Owl, that is very cool! I have had one here and there over the years in my yard so they must nest nearby but the sightings are few darn it.

Hi mousiegirl, oh these pictures are killin me, what a sweet baby. Can you even imagine how much fun it will be to watch these lil fellas as they grow, I am beside myself with excitement! One thing I have noticed is there seems to be alot of mishaps with owls, they dont seem to be the brightest bird as I have seen them in rescue rehab organizations alot along the years. I wonder where the saying 'wise as an owl' came from!

Bird mama, yeah yes there are 2 eggs laid at the Berry nest, first egg laid 1/6/15 second egg laid 1/9/15 so I think it will be a month approx? B3 is gonna be a big sis! I hope she is doing well, what a character she is. I know, it was a tough year last year at alot of the eagle and osprey nests so I am hoping that was just an weirded out year and there will be much success this year right! Alot of very aggressive bonking going on down at the SW Fla nest right now, there is a real bully on that nest so I am staying away for a few more days, that phase passes most of the time but in the meantime, ugh. But I am soo excited about this horned owl nest, I wanted to share with you and other bird lovers like us!

Oh and then 'How about them Seahawks' Go Hawks

Re: Bird Mama

possummink — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:57:01 GMT

SeaGal, I just wanted to let you know that I have been watching the Savannah Great Horned Owl mama on her nest since I found the site, thanks to your link. I have it on my other laptop, sitting next to this one(I got this one for Christmas from my DS and DDIL), so I just leave thenestcam on all day -full screen, Since I have been watching, mama owl has left the nest twice that I know of, once for 5 min, and the last time a few mins.ago, for 7 min. She is beautiful and I love to watch her when she returns to the nest as she's so careful and takes such good care to turn the eggs.. She does a lot more than the Barred Owl that I watched last year. That nest cam was inside an owl box and she didn't have to be as active or watchful as the Great Horned Owl.

I haven't seen the male yet, nor heard him, but I am hoping to. The Barred male brought food to the female and was nearby as I could hear him hooting.

Thanks again for the link. It's fun to watch such a beautiful birddoing"her" thing.

Re: Bird Mama

SeaGal — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:42:49 GMT

Hi possummink! Oh my goodness what beautiful photos, thank you so much for posting them! I would love to have them blown up and placed in my family room/man cave, even hubby would enjoy that, they are absolutely gorgeous.

I am so happy you are enjoying the nest, I keep trying to snap a good pic of her but EVERY time I have tried, her head spins away! I got lucky to see the sweet lil eggs once the other night. Strange the leave them alone at all because it is the owl that usually swoops down and takes an occasional eagle egg or chick. I wonder if she is jumping up on a branch to stretch, out of camera range or perhaps dad is there on a branch to protect. I wish we could see them both on the nest like switching out their shift! I dont know enough about owls to know whether they take turns, again like eagles do or if mom (only) bakes them. I think I will read up on them, got myself curious now!

Again possummink, I am so happy you are enjoying this nest, I cant even wait to meet the chicks but am enjoying mom so much even still, this will be awesome. I have seen a duck raise their brood in an eagles nest but never an owl. Should be soon...

Re: Bird Mama

cater — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:51:59 GMT

SeaGal did you see they lost a baby eagle down in the Fort Meyers eagles cam? It was very sad last night to watch the baby leave this world.

Re: Bird Mama

SeaGal — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:58:04 GMT

Bird Mama hi bird mama, probably good you are not following the SW Florida eagle nests, Ozzie and Harriet have lost one again for the second year in a row. The oldest E5 just suddenly stopped taking food on Sunday, yesterday (Monday) the same, he had food in his crop so he wasnt hungry but he couldnt seem to keep his head up for long. When I checked them yesterday afternoon s/he seemed to be doing better, held his head up and was counting the cars going by! well maybe maybe not, anyway I checked them later in the evening and he was lifeless. Gosh this is the second year in a row for this pair, another chicklet growing up an only child.

The NE Fla. and the SW Fla. nests are the only ones with chicks so far this year (because the weather is the warmest) on the entire list of eagle cams in North America and we already have a loss at 24 days old. Very sad.

Re: Bird Mama

SeaGal — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:06:19 GMT

On 1/21/2015 cater said:
SeaGal did you see they lost a baby eagle down in the Fort Meyers eagles cam? It was very sad last night to watch the baby leave this world.

Hi cater, I was typing to Bird mama and the cats wanted to eat so I got sidetracked, yes, I checked in about a half hour after s/h left this world, it was gut wrenching to see this happen again for O&H, second year in a row. Did you see little E6 resting his head on 5 for quite a long while? There are some good photos, one of E5 peekin over the nest on Saturday and other photos on their facebook page. I am actually surprised E6 survived E5s brutality, s/he was ruthless, I have never seen a chick be THAT brutal to his/her sib. Hopefully Momma Norfolk was waiting for him at the rainbow bridge.

I know cater, I am just sick.

Re: Bird Mama

Bird mama — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:58:59 GMT

Lord have mercy I am so glad that I wasn't watching that particular eagle cam - SeaGal and Cater. I am sorry that you had to witness it

Re: Bird Mama

cater — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:24:49 GMT

SeaGal , I have been watching since some one posted about the Florida site so I have been there since the eggs were laid. I was really upset how mean 5 was towards 6. I really didn't think that 6 would survive all the hits it had to take. Can't believe the parents don't step in and try to stop some of the blows. I was there when things really took a turn for the worse and the viewers were getting upset so they asked if everyone would just sit and watch what was happening. Then it was over and they posted they thought the baby was gone. I was up and watched the when 6 went over and laid his or her head on top of 5 that was really sad. Harriet didn't really do to much she was really on the alert waiting I think for the intruder to come back. I have to honest when I saw the parent start feeding part of 5 today I was out of there till that was done. But those mods said that last year one of the babies died and that was also a mean nest of fighting.

Re: Bird Mama

SeaGal — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:29:20 GMT

Bird mama thanks, I didnt witness his passing but was there shortly after, I have since seen the video. Harriet was with him, she stood right by his side, I think she knew she was losing another one.

Harriet has to be the most awesome eagle mom in the world, I have really grown to love her over the last couple years, she is amazing.

Re: Bird Mama

SeaGal — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:53:16 GMT

Hi Cater, yes, they have had an intruder, Ozzie has been right there on it hasnt he. I watched them hatch, poor Harriet was away both times, Ozzie was on them and the first one to welcome them. Did you see Ozzie help split E5s egg shell apart! Little E5 was brutal to 6 wasnt he. 5 had a beautiful perfect head from behind and poor 6 had scruffs missing, he was all beat up. It is hard to believe that was 21 days, 3 weeks of constant beatings that he didnt succumb to that and he may well have if 5 had stayed healthy. 6 even became afraid of Ozzie did you see him cowar when Oz brought food in. Even yesterday morning when 5 was so quiet, 6 coward at Ozzie.

Then to see 6 get his freedom while 5 was under the weather yesterday was both exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. I knew 5 was in trouble from the time I checked in in the morning but to see him sitting up late afternoon, I got so excited. I figured, good he will be fine, maybe needed to pass a pellet or something, 6 has eaten ALOT for 2 days, now he is on an even bonking field strength wise!! Not to be.

I saw them eating, yes uggg. How ironic that 6 never got to eat until 5 was fast asleep, then 6 ate 5 for dinner. 5 could run across that nest on those hocks so fast to bonk 6 even with his crop practically dragging on the ground. I have never seen anything like it. I have only ever seen that kind of rivalry/bonking on this one nest, really strange. NE Fla, one is a bonker but not even near to the degree 5 was.

So last year again E3 was the bully, got sick and passed at 41 days old and E4 ended up the survivor, she was a character. Is E4 the intruder? hmmmm

Re: Bird Mama

cater — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 03:05:59 GMT

SeaGal I see you have been there the whole time also. Yes I saw all of that even how Harriet missed the best parts of the hatching. I was watching now and 6 wants to be close to Harriet but she keeps pushing away. People are saying maybe the heat and bugs are bothering her. I really had a hard time with the brutal attacks 6 had to endure. My sister would stop in and I would be so upset and she would watch for a while and she always wondered why the parents didn't stop it. I would tell her they say that is wild life.

Re: Bird Mama

SeaGal — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 04:16:24 GMT

Yes cater, I think we humanize them too much and that is soo much not in their DNA. It is survival of the fittest in the raptor world.

I cant wait to see the baby owls, I am soo excited about this! Should be about the end of the month they say. How can you not be taken in by that sweet little thing in post #2 by mousiegirl, oh my goodness!

eta~ I wanted to add, when I checked in on them about 4:00 pm nest time it was 80 degrees, poor 6 was so hot. I dont think at this age they are fully able to thermoregulate themselves, I was surprised Harriet did give him the ol momberella. Something is bothering her, I wonder if she is still not right from whatever that imbalance issue she had recently. I hope no one is trying to harm these birds. I hate to think like that but with her issue and 5 suddenly getting sick, one might wonder.

6 moves alot of sticks like the males do so I think he is a boy!

Re: Bird Mama

possummink — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 06:42:05 GMT

It is really worrisome watching Mama Owl tonight as the wind is really blowing in Savannah and the tree that her nest is in is rocking back and forth. They have pulled back on the camera so that you can see more than the nest and that tree looks quite old and rickety to me. I hope it's reinforced somehow. I'd hate to see it blow down and for her to lose her two 'babies to be'. She's so good about sitting on them all the time and staying alert for anything that might threaten her and her nest. Not much she can do about the wind.

I even checked the Weather Channel for the conditions in Savannah and it said it would be quite windy,with gusts up to 40mph. She sat on the nest all though the rain earlier today and I felt so bad for her. I know it's nature and thatgenerationsof owls have gone through all of this and worse, but when you watch the same owl for days and days, it gets 'personal'. Like she's my owl.

Sorry to be a ninny. Have a great weekend, Everyone.

Re: Bird Mama

Bird mama — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 17:19:20 GMT

Possummink - you are not being a ninny. I spent many nights worrying and fretting about the Decorah eagles and Berry eagle when the weather was funky. Between snow storms and thunderstorms and winds (I don't like wind) I had some nights I could barely sleep.

Re: Bird Mama

LTT1 — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 19:25:27 GMT

Couldn't help myself and had to have a "look-see." Possum.. that picture of the horned owl and babies is just so beautiful, grand and awe-inspiring it makes me want to cry...

Re: Bird Mama

possummink — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 00:42:36 GMT

Loves, Good to see your post here. I was almost afraid to click on the Savannah Owl nest today, thinking that the wind gusts might have blown that old tree that the owl is nesting is, down. She's such a dedicated mama. Knowing how much eagle nests can weigh is kind of worrisome concerning the stability of that old tree. I wonder what happened to the eagles that built this nest.

Stop and post anytime. I am almost a chicken when it comes to watching the eagle nests, knowing that not all of the babies are raised to fledging. Survival of the fittest and all of that, with the older nestlings bullying the younger and weaker. It's as "if I don't see it, it doesn't happen," oh sure. Reality dodging. I am hoping Wild Birds Unlimited will sponsor another Barred Owlnestcam this spring.

The owl above is a Great Gray Owl. Boy would I love to add one of those to my Life List.