Our Kestrels are now live on the Arne website! The female has been sitting on the eggs for 32 days so the first should hatch any time. She seems particularly restless today and sometimes you can even hear the chicks calling from the eggs. Who will be the first to see a hatched chick? It would be great to see everyones observations on this forum so we can keep updated with all the excitement! To see the webcam follow: http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/a/arne/webcam.aspx
Hi Bopeep
Yes, unfortunately, there is one unhatched egg. Not much hope for that one now I'm afraid. (See discussions on page 10 of this thread).
The concern yesterday was whether Mrs K is distributing the food evenly, as one did appear to be weaker. Today all 4 seem pretty active! Which is top news. Had the last egg hatched then it would have to be a real fighter to compete with it's 4 older siblings.
Just tuned in in time to see a food past, a vole probably. The female disapeared with it for a few minutes and then returned to feed the chick. She had her back to the camera and hid the chicks so it was difficult to see who was getting fed. They did finnish the whole vole though.
The male was busy all day bringing in lots of food, and you can see why - the chicks are getting bigger and hungrier!
Yes, I would be very supprised if that egg hatches now.
Looked at about 7am and there was a breakfast feed happening not too much more activity so far but the chyicks are expanding every day - thats a high protein diet for you!
Caught a couple of glimpses today from the office, each time Mrs K was brooding her young. I do hope they are all ok???? You probably won't believe it but haven't been in that long (no dinner yet) and just needed to catch up with the daily happenings. Thanks Michael for your update this morning.
Hi Hazel, yes all appears to be well, have just checked and the usual breakfast feed was happening. Definately 3 healthy chicks but mum wasn't in the best posistion so was probably hiding the fourth! Didnt seem as much food going in yesterday but I think I missed a couple of food passes. As we have seen one of the favorite prey is lizards and on cooler windy days these will be more difficult to find and over the last couple of days more rodents including voles and shrews were being brought in!
The chick front right is a greedy little thing and clearly mum's favourite! It bit off far more than it could chew that time. Thought I saw feathers fly so a small bird perhaps?
How long before they grow too large for mum to sit on??
Vole brought in mid morning and soon polished off and then another baby bluetit at 12:30. Just a small snack really - actually looked quiet gory this time! Think all four chicks got a bit of a feed although the biggest two got a bigger share of it. The size difference of the chicks isnt as much as I had expected but the first two that hatched are definately the bigger ones. It is certainly looking a bit uncomfortable for the female as she sits on 4 restless chicks. As I am posting another baby blue tit - this one for the female, she has been gone a few minutes, probably getting a well earned rest!
Shes back!
After a quick lens wipe everything has settled down and is looking a lot sharper again!
The male has just come back with a more substantial mid afternoon meal - a vole. The female got to work on it straight away and each chick got a feed!
Can my eyes get a lens wipe too please? :-)