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 Dom - thanks I will take you up on that offer - we have some footage we have recorded too but it is a bit sporadic.
And yes, you can hear the kestrels occasionally. They are still hanging around the box and I saw two in there this morining so they are occasionally using it.
I have just set up a new forum called 'Barn Owls - Life in the box 2' if people would like to use that for posting comments and observations.
Oh, it's not over until ... I have the last say (typical femail!) Thank you so much for finding the time to post your message to us all Michael and thank you for letting me win but I say you win! (Did I say what the prize was? .... cleaning the nest box out! LOL) Thank you also to every single one of you at Arne and all those involved in making it possible for us to view the fascinating lives of (our) Kestrels. It was a privilege to be able to do so and I've learnt so much about their fascinating lives.
Well, to end the story, Friday night there was almost certainly one who hadn't fledged (but two others came back to roost that night). At lights out on Friday I observed and counted three in the nest box (got the clear captures if you want them but because I'm so late in getting back here to report I won't post them now). By Saturday morning Dom observed two and then one. By just about midday - empty nest box for the first time (?) That night (Saturday) I was sure some would come back to roost .... one came back at 2040 for some shut-eye, this was taken at 2049:
The last capture I have is at 2050 and then s/he was off ....! I watched an empty box, feeling sure one or two would come back for the night ... but I never saw one more ... sigh. By Sunday morning, gosh, those Barn Owls don't mess about! They'd hyjacked the camera and installed it in their own nest box!!
So, my parting capture (capture crazy Hazel) will be the capture at lights out (seems quite apt) on Friday night:
So, for the Kestrels, same time, same place next year?!
As for the Barn Owls ... gosh, they are fascinating but I took the Kestrels into my heart especially because I saw them hatch ...
Thanks again guys 'n' gals, it's been a real pleasure.
Well I couldn't let Hazel have the final word obviously, so how's this as a parting shot?
Possibly all 4 fledglings or maybe 3 plus one parent. Taken yesterday evening.
They may be gone, but they ain't gone far! :-)
Lovely to see.
Dom, I've got to hand the 'final word' over to you for posting that photo! Such a perfect end for me (as a webcam viewer) to see 'our' youngsters fledged, outside the box, all in one shot (OK, let's imagine it IS all four youngsters but even if it is three fledglings and an adult :) ). Perfect, just perfect. Thank you most sincerely.