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!
Got to go off now; box remains empty at 15.10....so hopefully all fledglings are out and about enjoying themselves, and our youngest has found something tasty he can 'manage' :-)
Still empty at 5.30pm but recognise the squeals and racket a moment ago, sounded as though maybe food being eaten on top of the box?! Be interesting to see if any pop back in again before dark.
One chick just back in the box but then flew off again.
19:00 a baby is in the box. It's been funny not to see them in the box... but it has been very..entertaining and we have followed this family with passion, that was great!
arf there is a visit with a group and someone is commenting just below the box! I did not know groups were organised to go see them, I'm jealous! ;-)
Me neither. Michael?
Just in and missed large family group capture....here's what I did get...
There could well be three chicks in the box now..while waiting for the best capture of three, I got nothing :-(
Blimey there are three chicks back in the box - must be the rain!
Olivier - The group you heard was our evening nightjar walk. As with last year the fledged chicks stayed around that area so we sometimes go up with the groups as part of our normal walks to see if we can see them!
I can hear the rain and some chicks are back sheltering...
Don't think it was raining earlier when I got this snap of the fledglings ~09.45...