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
Lovely screengrabs Hazel - well caught!
Yes - the video feed is still down at 10am.
I think it depends on the lighting conditions how much colour the camera picks up but the image in the visitor centre does seem a lot richer. May have something to do with the way the image information is compressed to make it smaller for the web.
Well... while we wait for normal service to be resumed, here's a video still of the happy couple atop the nestbox from 29/05:
Dad had returned alone and without food. Took a quick break on the roof well out of chick range. Mum returned and squawked at him loudly for a minute or so before he got the message and went back into battle.
Nice pic of the proud parents, thank you Dom. Was beginning to get withdrawal symptoms!
Michael, can you put the plug back in please?! That circular timer thingy is sending me googly-eyed! Or, at least, can you let us know that the parents and chicks are all well today? Thanks in advance.
... and we're back! Thanks Michael (I knew it would be something simple like the plug ;) LOL)
So, nothing really happening at the moment - chicks taking a siesta.
Mum returns with sustenance for her chicks (didn't see what it was but it did last a long time so whatever it was, it was BIG):
Chick in front - "What me? Have the last bit?"
That is a screen shot by the way - don't know why the arrow appeared!
Must be like a sauna in there today - not pleasant.
Developing tail feathers now evident.
Plenty of food coming in - vole and lots of lizards. The male brought in a sand lizard then a common lizard and then another sand lizard and finally a common lizard all in about 10 minutes. It looks like one chick at the front is getting the bulk of the food. Rob says that it looks like the male feeds at the front of the box and female takes the food to the back so it depends where the chicks are positioned as who gets fed. as I am writing a 5th lizard - a female sand! the lizards are all going down whole and there is a lot of sqwauking and fighting for position from the chicks. The size differences between some of the chick is becoming more noticable with one looking much smaller than the rest. Now that they can eat food whole the youngest appears to be missing out more.
The First to chicks are exactly two weeks old today - time flys!
Female returned with what looked like a young robin, it was ripped apart and quickly eaten. One chick got the bottom half and had the legs dangling out of its mouth for a while. The female does take the food to the back so the chicks have to move about and compete a bit more rather than just one getting the lions share all of the time..
Not sure what the problem was yesterday when we went off air for the morning - I was off but Rob got IT to sort it! Also more nice pictures Dom and thanks for the freeze frames Hazel.
We have done a bit of recording so will try and find some highlights to put on next week!