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!
Managed the photo without the chat :-) Wonderful to see 'our' Kestrel chicks out in the flesh yesterday - sorry, not the best quality photos.
Sorry for quality but so exciting when 3 turned up and watched one fly right overhead to join the others.
What a day at Arne yesterday and today at Radipole, another tick today, saw and spoke to Simon King there! - will post on Weymouth Wetlands later :-)
I've been wanting to see outside of nestbox - thanks pudweena (you lucky thing) - was watching countryfile also and they went to the farm for reptiles and I'm sure I saw the barn over Ellie's shoulder - was jumping up & down and telling my other half I was sure it was where nestbox was (thought I was mad, of course) - was I right??? So now that's me and you technical wizards - eat your heart out dom/doggie/BoL - ha ha ha
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
all that excitement and Simon King too - are you still reeling??
But I did have the consolation here of seeing my mummy kestrel feeding her chick on the cliff face - it is still overnighting in the nest hole - lovely sights! I keep popping in on Arne nestbox hoping for some bonus pics
Just got in, yes, Wendy, a brilliant day all in all and great that you are watching your very own Kestrel family in the flesh too.
WendyBartter said:So now that's me and you technical wizards - eat your heart out dom/doggie/BoL - ha ha ha
Hee hee, I can take a rest now Wendy ;-) :-D
PUDWEENA, thanks for those shots of the kestrels outside the nestbox. I always wondered what the outside looked like. And well done in remembering your picture posting abilities :-)