RenoVous

  Those eggs we last checked in on are now little eaglets! They hatched in the beginning of April, so they're expected to fledge sometime around mid-June. The names were chosen by the 3rd grade students at Big Bear Elementary. There's a nesting pair with their own eaglets nearby here in Washoe Valley.  No live cam, but some people have shared photos.  Responsibly. Apparently there is also an owl nest out there. FLOOFS!

You may have heard that Jackie and Shadow lost their first clutch of eggs. But it was early enough in the season that there was a chance for a second. On the 24th, Jackie laid an egg. The Friends of Big Bear Valley are looking to purchase an area of land that is being proposed for luxury residential housing.  It is less than a mile from the nest, and would have a "significant detrimental impact" to the eagles as well as endangered plant life. Save Moon Camp

 Jackie and Shadow have returned to Big Bear Valley, and as of Monday, we have two eggs. I follow a Nevada Photographers page, and someone shared an undisclosed location here in Washoe County.

  Some of the largest brown bears on Earth make their home in Katmai National Park, and they're looking to get even bigger for their winter hibernation. Voting!

  Meet the Denali Sled Dog Pups! They were born on May 3 of this year through the National Park Service.  They provide the most effective means of patrol for the vast areas of wilderness during the winter season. Mushing is a cultural tradition across Alaska, and the Denali kennels date back to 1922. There is a  Puppy Cam  live through the site, and feeding time is at 11:45 AKST.

 The two eaglets have been named! Sunny is the eldest, by four days.  He has been engaging in wing-flapping and standing exercises. Some play was witnessed with a baby pine cone. And here they are!

  If you remember from earlier this month, Jackie and Shadow had three eggs, and all three hatched. However, after a serious storm this weekend, one of the eaglets did not survive. The log reports that they both treated the chick with care in their process of releasing and letting go.  First being moved from the nest bowl to the side before mom flew it off. Nature is beautiful, and painful.

Jackie and Shadow have returned to Big Bear Valley and have three eggs in their nest. As of last night, one is hatching and a second is showing some cracks.  The third is still early. This is their first eaglet since 2022.

The Katmai bears have gone into hibernation after fattening up on salmon, which we missed this year, my apologies. But I found a tundra cam with a polar bear chillin'.

  I have some friends visiting Knoxville and some family on vacation in Florida, so I saw some posts about thunderstorms.  And it's tornado time of year. In the news, I saw there was storm damage across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, with severe warnings down to the Gulf. There was a show on Discovery called "Storm Chasers" and I didn't always like the teams they focused on, but I liked the footage, and I liked the science. Meteorologist Reed Timmer designed vehicles with anchoring systems to get as close as possible.  Later modifications included compressed-air launchers to send wireless parachute probes to gather and transmit data on tornadoes. Down in Florida, we can see the eaglets dealing with the wind. Apparently one got gusted out, but is on a branch below. I'm seeing tornado watches being issued in North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida. Be safe!

  In Eagle Country, Florida we have two eaglets.  They're over a month old now, but they won't fledge until around 12 weeks. In Big Bear, California they're sitting on three eggs.  Pip watch began at the end of February, but a recent article indicates they are unlikely to hatch.  Mom Jackie hasn't had much success in her six years, only two have survived. NBC

 Checking back in with our eagle couples, in Florida, we have two eaglets. One hatched 7 days ago, and the other 5 days ago. In Big Bear, California the snow has fallen and three eggs are in the nest. Expecting these ones to hatch around the beginning of March.

 Still waiting on eggs here. Here we have two eggs. The first was laid on December 25 and the second on December 28.  They take about 35 days to hatch so we should be seeing some eaglets soon!

  Jackie and Shadow of Big Bear Valley. They were spotted mating earlier this month and they've been prepping the nest. The female stores the sperm until she is fertile and ready to lay eggs. Jackie is about 11 years old and Shadow is 9.  They have been together since 2018. They engage in bonding behavior as they reconnect, with love nips and chortles. For now, they just seem to be enjoying each other's company. The Friends of Big Bear Valley focus on "educating not only our members and the public about our valley's special environment, but also on educating the governmental agencies whose job it is to enforce the local, state, and federal environmental laws. We save the eagles by knowing them and protecting them, cheering for their eggs to hatch and their eaglets to survive. Site

 It's that time of year again for the salmon and thus the bears. I'm also getting antsy about our trip, so to Alaska we go! Not that we'll be traveling this far south. We're flying into Anchorage and spending some time in Soldotna. Hubby wants to fish, of course, but we won't be fighting any bears over it.  :-P

 Yesterday I came across a Great Horned Owl nest with three healthy owlets. Unfortunately, the Barn Owl lost some babies.  There was not enough food being brought in. But this Barn Owl nest is packed full! I went to check on the raccoons as well but apparently mama ripped the camera out of the box last night, so it's just Texas Backyard Wildlife.

 In a backyard in Austin, TX a raccoon mama has given birth to two. Backyard Wildlife The homeowners had an owl box up their oak tree, and last month the raccoon kicked a squirrel out. The first kit was born on May 3rd.  At around 2-3 months, they will be considered weaned but they may stay together for close to a year.

  Studies have found that barn owls with white plumage hunt better when the moon is full, which confused researchers because that would mean the bird is more visible to prey. But that may be their secret weapon.  A team of biologists in Lausanne, Switzerland believe that the sight of such a phantom actually stuns animals such as rodents, who have a natural aversion to bright light. Using non-invasive GPS systems, they found that not only did brown owls have less success in the moonlight, but the white owls seemed to prefer facing the moon, so the light shines directly on them. Reproduced in a laboratory, the researchers found that voles would freeze in the presence of any predator, but the time of inaction varied.  They remain in shock much longer when the moon is full and the owl is white. While we're on the subject, I've been meaning to check in with some nests. From what I gather, there are 3 owlets about 50 days old, and one is clearly youngest. IFL Science

  The American Bald Eagle In 1864, Charles Almanzo Babcock declared the first holiday to celebrate birds.  He was passionate about advancing bird conservation and raising awareness about birds kept in captivity.  Now the project is part of the Avian Welfare Coalition. Nevada: Mountain Bluebird California Quail The mockingbird represents Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, as well as Florida, although the latter is considering a change to the American flamingo. AWC

  Farm Sanctuary rescues animals from unethical and abusive factory farm industry practices, advocating for laws and policies to improve these conditions. Founded in 1986, they hope to change the way we view and treat farm animals.  On their website, you can adopt a turkey. This is Elsa. And this is Roberto, the Adventurer. The funds help them care for the rescued turkeys as well protect others still being exploited in animal agriculture.  We should all be more aware where our food comes from and how those businesses treat their animals. Thank that turkey before you cover them in gravy. Farm Sanctuary