We have all waited patiently with fingers crossed to see if our pair of buzzards would settle down and raise a family on our webcam nest but after a lot of early activity they seem to gone to somewhere else. So not to worry here at Arne we have always got something else up our sleaves and I am sure a lot of you will remember our kestrel family from last year. They had a brilliant 2011 by succesfully raising four healthy chicks including the smallest one that worried a few people early on.
We have decided to put this nest back online now and you can also come and watch it in the visitor centre. The female is sitting on 5 eggs at the moment and this is the same as last year although one failed to hatch. We are not sure when she laid her eggs as she was already sitting on the 5 when we turned the camera back on a week ago. However we think she is at least 2 weeks earlier than last year and the first chick actually hatched on the 21st May 2011. It is a bit difficult to predict when they will hatch but the female will incubate for about 28. So given this information please feel free to have guesses on dates!
To Watch this webcam online follow the link on our main web page or click here http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/a/arne/webcam.aspx
Don't be confused by the buzzard information still on the page it will be updated in the next couple of days!
LOL! I noticed the whitewashed walls too! Although I do find it quite interesting that they always to it up the walls.
Jo T Always on the side of the feathered guy!
Got to go for a bit, dreaded housework:(
Just logged back on to see chicks alone, great to see them stretching and wobbling about
14.20 parent drops off a 'rodent? though i can't see any legs, leaves immediately and the chick at the front makes a 'start' on it, must be instinct kicking in, but then gives up and holds it under his/her feet for a while. Mum back at 14.24, looks like she drops something else off but again leaves straight away. Chicks look puzzled. A little training in independence, perhaps :) 'For goodness sake, you're old enough to at least try to feed yourselves once in a while'.......
14.27 yes, both look like rodents - and one of the chicks is really having a good go at feeding itself now
14.36 and the chicks, having given up on feeding themselves, snuggle down with the dead rodents.
14.45 appx, mum back and, suddenly, all chicks ravenous as she dishes the dinner out.
14.54 mum sits at the entrance, adorned with dandelion clock which, despite the preening and cleaning of nails, refuses to be shaken off. 14.58 time for a snuggle in with chicks. She barely manages to fit alongside them - gosh how they've grown in 24hrs!
appx 15.33 mum at entrance again. I love it when these birds are so close to the cam; what a lovely face she has, you wouldn't imagine they can be vicious!!
I'm fascinated by the 'yawning' movement of her beak and the snap as it shuts; is there a reason for that? She's done it several times so far as she sits in the entrance. Perhaps that last meal is repeating :)
Edit: Here is a pic of the beautiful yawn, if it works that is.
Edit: 'What's that farmer doing?'