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!
A lovely luminous green male sand lizard:
A tough meal to tackle by the looks of it.
Quickly followed by a russet-coloured rodent of an especially cute disposition:
More food for Titch please mum and dad!
Box full of fluff/down at the moment.Good piccies Dom.Might wear my shorts and paint my legs yellow today.
have you notice how delicate they are those cheeky chicks? when they want to poo they turn towards the camera! :D
It looks like the big one is going to fly quite soon, when are they due to leave the nest? (they better be sure of what they are doing because the box is quite high ;-))
Ah - it's the black & white kestrel show again! :-)
Did the cows just stampede!!! What on earth is going on?! All the kestrels are hiding at the back of the box!
Jo T Always on the side of the feathered guy!
Don't know what disturbed them but one of them looks like a fully mature adult suddenly!
Dom - Colours seem to go off when it gets particularly hot.
Jot - Yes they were moving the cows into a truck from the sheds - Adults will return when everything settles down!
I can't believe it - where have all the chicks gone?!!! My first 'live' viewing in nearly 3 weeks and they've been replaced by big grown up Kestrels with proper feathers and everything!!! They look beautiful. Came back at the weekend to computer problems, back on line last night and have 337 e-mail, mainly from this thread and other RSPB things - so LOTS to catch up on later, can't wait to read it all - hope you enjoyed the peace and quiet Michael, all over now!