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
Yeah lots of sneezing and coughing up pellets.
Did my eyes just deceive me? Was that a chick hatching?
We have a chick! About 8.30am I heard cheeping.
Chicks ahoy! Is that just one or two? I remember last year they hatched in pairs...
Yes chicks are hatching can't see if there is 1 or 2 though. Looking forward to showing people in the VC today!
If only she would let us have a little look! Didn't realise they actually eat the shell?
She'll crunch up the shell both to get rid of the evidence (in case a larger bird of prey or carrion birds take an interest) and as a source of calcium. They are such pretty eggs too...
Yes - she gobbled the whole thing. Lots of useful minerals I guess. I recorded the first chick emerging but really need a timestamp on the video to tell what happened when.
Now where's daddy with breakfast?
Thank you for the info on the shell Robert & Dom. It all makes sense now!
I think little one can't wait to make his first proper appearance but Mum is having none of it for now! Still can't see if there's one or two chicks.
Wow Dom, how did you record it? Sounds a bit technical for me, lol!
Thank you, everyone at Arne for all you do and for setting this webcam up. It's a privilege to be able to watch their fascinating world.