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
Nice photo the other day Dom of 'chick' tentatively peering out. Thank you for posting it :) Here's some captures from the last few days:
16th June at 1952:
17th June at 1157:
18th June at 1841:
Today at 1028 - even closer to the edge:
They are all far too quick to capture now, when food is brought it! I've tuned in a few times and mistook them for one of the parents - they are growing up too quickly now!
Thanks for updates and piccies everybody.Do we know if theyre "pink" or "blue" ? They seem very well behaved today so they must be all boys!
Well now, edgebander, that IS the question (trying to totally ignore your comment about them being all boys because they seem so well behaved LOL ;) . I asked myself the same question a couple of days ago and meant to look it up so thank you for prompting me! I have just read that "Juveniles cannot be sexed using plumage characters till moult of rump & underparts." (Moult being 1st year winter and 2nd year Spring). However, the "moult of rump & underparts" has confused me in that Male Kestrels have the obvious grey head feathers, so why can they only be sexed when they moult rump & underpart feathers?! If you know what I mean?!
One for the wonderful guys at Arne to answer maybe and I'm sure they will just as soon as they can. I tried ...
Meanwhile, for the family album, here's a capture taken just now:
I thought they were as big as their parents but, on reflection, here's Mum on 31st May:
!!!!!!!!!!
Have they all gone bar the little'un?! Or are they all hunkered down at the back in a dark corner - certainly looked very lonely a while ago?
Sorry, hope no-one else had a sleepless night!
Thankfully, pudweena, I didn't see your comment until this morning! But it's going to happen any time now :(( I'm getting quite tearful just thinking about it. Hats off to Mum & Dad - they have done a marvelous job in getting all four this far!! It's when the younsters fledge that they will face so many challenges. It's been great to watch and observe them and to load the cam and see them all safe and well. Now I'm getting really upset - I don't want to lose them. It goes without saying that I so hope they continue to flourish and hope they all have the best long lives. Now, back to enjoy watching them, whilst I still can ...
Yes they will being going any time now, I still think they will fledge on Friday, but Rob recokons Sunday and he says they won't have fledged until the last one goes so I think he is hedging his bets a bit!!.
In answer to Hazel question - I'll be honest and say I'm not entirely sure, but as with a lot of birds when they reach maturity they will develop their adult plumage and as they shed their old feathers the new plumage will come through! It would be interesting to know what we have got in the nest, 2 of each perhaps?
Hi just joined the forum. Can anyone tell me if the little ones are still being fed? I was on and off the webcam yesterday and didn't see any feeding.... :-(
Serious wing stretch and one just flew off!!! Hub watched it go! I missed as having breakfast, just listening to them!!!