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!
Thank you TBOL, it's the captures I have problems with - apols to Mims too who offered to help. I have had a year to learn this so am hanging my head in shame and lately other things have prevented me spending so much time on the computer at the moment :-(
not yet methinks - haven't got new camera yet - see we have night time visitor to the box - can't keep away can they?? No sightings of my kestrels at all today - sad!!
Pudweena love the shots of the youngsters! Hoping to get down there again soon to see them the feather! Where can you see the box from? Still on one crutch at the mo, recovery not as quick as I'd like. Still managing to get my chick fix from the Dorset Wildlife Trust webcam, and the odd visit from 'our' chicks!
Jo T Always on the side of the feathered guy!
and then there were two!
a bit dark but then it is 21.30 hrs!!
all I have to learn now is how to crop pics!
getting dark now - night night!
Not kestrel I know but look how light it is in Edinburgh at 21.50 hrs!!
Poor you Jot, long time still to need crutch, hope you are back to full recovery very soon. We were a fair way away, the photo is brought in as much as poss. hence became blurred, so lucky to be right time right place as saw one on a post in the distance then watched it fly over to the box. Sure the VC team will point you in good direction to hopefully see them. Last year we saw them a couple of times around the fields. Also saw a M&F mating earlier this year on the Osprey platform on Coombe Heath so think we may have seen them not only prior to them hatching but prior to becoming eggs!
oh dear - nearly 9.30 at night and no chicks in the box - have we seen last of them???