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!
Well just for 5 mins then! Don't know what that just was, 2.44pm, but feeding time seemed to go on for ages - they don't stop eating do they?
By the way Jot, yes I even find myself getting nearer the screen to get a closer look at the food :-)
Hope you enjoy your break too Michael though I know you will miss us all really! :-)
Love her outstretched wing to try and keep them all covered, still not quite though :-)
jot - That egg will probably remain there now she will brood it with the rest of the chicks but I feel it is far too late for it to hatch (I said that for the 4th chick but if the 5th one was going to hatch I would have expected it to happen on Sunday. As I have said before this is the ussual number for this female and following the normal pattern the 5th one never hatches!
Dom - you are right I think a 5th chick would really struggle - they have their hands full with 4!
Thanks pudweena - Of course I will miss you all! I am looking forward to my break though and I have vowed to leave my lap top at home so I won't be tempted to sneak any blogs in whilst I'm away. Hope you have a good time away too!
tonight 6:35 the male brought a serpent and the female delicately cut slices for the kids, lovely family :P
Will miss their progress for a couple of weeks and with the amount they are eating they are going to look huge when I get back! Sure will have a lot of 'posts' to catch up with everything but nice to go away knowing they are being so well looked after :-)
A big serpent Olivier or a little ickle baby one?
Morning all, just logged on. All is looking well, sorry to have missed the serpent though, seen the voles and little birds coming in
Did anyone else notice one of the chicks trying to preen itself yesterday eve, just shows how grown up they are after such a short time! Also it's quite amusing watching Mum trying to stuff all the the chicks under her!
Jo T Always on the side of the feathered guy!
Hi Jot, didn't see the preening but did laugh when she gave up trying to get the chicks all underneath and just sat on them:)
Parent I think the female has just left the nest 09.57