Nest claims continue

More arrivals at Sääksilive Osprey cams for the new season.

Tuulos, the male who has been nesting at nest #3 for the past three years returned today. Osprey pairs don't migrate together, so we'll wait and see when his mate might show up.

So far we've had two established pairs have both birds return on the same day, though. At nest #4, Nuppu flew in today.

And so did her mate Nemo.

They're not the only ones who have their eye on #4, so scuffles ensue. Here's one of the other Ospreys spotted at the nest, a female banded as SRV in 2021. She nested at a different (non-camera) nest in the area last year, so maybe she'll settle in there again, but she might also be waiting for her mate to return, and checking out others in the neighborhood in case he doesn't.

Happy to see the familiar faces, and hoping things work out for all. So far no one seems very interested in nest #2 for I've lost count how many years in a row.

Osprey arrivals

Sääksilive Osprey cams update: Eve and Eura have returned from migration to nest #1.

Eura arranging and bringing more sticks.

And digging the nest bowl. TXP also showed up yesterday and gave that a try, though his technique might still need some work. Maybe this year he'll find a mate and a nest of his own, too.

Raptor guest stars

Visitors at nest #3 of Sääksilive Osprey cams. Nesting hasn't really started yet, though some Ospreys have been spotted, but here are other birds: a White-tailed Eagle, and a Kestrel (with mouse prey partially visible in the last screenshot).

Kisui

Bird science

Long time no post. I did finish AM2R, I've just been really depressed and haven't felt much like talking about anything, but I do still have things to say (and screenshots to show) about this game, so I might as well write them down.

Spoilers for AM2R, and the other two versions of Metroid 2. Also spoilers for Metroid Dread that are warned for again when relevant.

Sammaleisia

Sky shards

The ground is glitter

A human side of the story (human sidestory)

(Spoilers for AM2R, and also the original Metroid 2 and Samus Returns)

I skipped over posting about running into some more Galactic Federation soldiers, but I did find and visit the landing site of their ship(s - there's two teams, and you get to explore the research team's ship) before going to the Distribution Center and getting my swimsuit.

Things haven't been going much better for the ones who didn't go caving, huh?

Anyone home?

Well, nothing about this area is soothing, but that's perfect, and the music here is one of my favorites from the game. Entering the Metroid nest...

Sights and a snek

Pretty lava caves are pretty.

And the music was so nice and soothing for a while I almost forgot you're in this game.

Rainy branch

My new swimsuit!

Am enjoying how much of the user interface in Chozo technology is ball-based. Rolling around in Morph Ball form even when I don't need to is just so much fun.

Also, GRAVITYYYYY SUUUUIT!

Balls

What a perfect spot to be a ball in!

Technological marvels

(AM2R spoilers.)

 An elevator? In my Metroid 2?

Caving experiences in space

(Some spoilers for all three versions of Metroid 2.)

Pretty cordite crystals are pretty.

Look at this graph

Puuteroidut puut

Still awake, less early but still very cold.

Pilarit

Awake very early on a very cold morning night.

Calls back and forth

More bad birds.

Booms

The most successful one of my photos of the new year's eve fireworks:

And the most accidentally artsy-fartsy one because I couldn't choose which explosion to point the camera at: