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!
Thanks for the fab pics Dom, I'm in my hospital bed and they cheered me up no end! And as for the chicken costume comment LOL! Can't believe how quickly their feathers are coming through. More pics please!
Jo T Always on the side of the feathered guy!
Hi everyone, just logged on to see another growth spurt has occurred....DOM those pics are so funny, hard to imagine these are the same chicks of 2 days ago. JOT I'm sorry to hear you're in hospital, do hope they treat you well and that you're home again soon
Unknown said: Hi everyone, just logged on to see another growth spurt has occurred....DOM those pics are so funny, hard to imagine these are the same chicks of 2 days ago. JOT I'm sorry to hear you're in hospital, do hope they treat you well and that you're home again soon
13.30 the sounds of summer at last....and all chicks flat out in the box
I think this camera is cracking up with the heat!
I was a little concerned last night when I recieve in my mail box a message from a member saying he had the kestrel chicks and showed a photo of them in a cardboard box. Did anyone else see this ?
lucy4359 said: I was a little concerned last night when I recieve in my mail box a message from a member saying he had the kestrel chicks and showed a photo of them in a cardboard box. Did anyone else see this ?
Hi Lucy, yes I had that come to my mobile, and I also was concerned; didn't see the photo but will scroll back now on the forum. What concerned me most was when he said he had 'taken them from the mother'. Couldn't get online as was at work but glad someone (you) picked up on this.
I have taken the matter further.
Hi, I saw that too and was somewhat concerned, the post has been removed, the spelling was very bad and whoever it was calls Kestrels, Bazz. Hopefully it's a captive kestrel not a wild one.
Well done Lucy! :-)