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!
am new to Arne video - found it on May 22nd - absolutely fascinating especially as there is kestrel nest in cliffs of quarry where I live - been here 6 years and 4 chicks each year as there has been for 4 years previously. Waiting for ours to fledge - weather as awful as yours and unfortunately no video feed. should also say that nest is a hole in the cliff face about as high as standard telegraph pole next to it - which is used as a perch - and is directly opposite double doors of my house - good view!!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
The Arne kestrels webcam is one of my favourites - I've been popping in to look at them for a few years. They can make me laugh out loud when the chicks are lined up watching something and their heads rotate in unison! I always feel sad when I pop in and see an empty box and think they've all gone now.
However, when they are newly fledged it's always worth checking if it's raining - and hey presto, here they are today - sheltering!!!
Tiger and Chloe's Osprey Info
Always makes me laugh too! Also when they watch flies in their nest box buzzing around, not that there are many of those around today!
Jo T Always on the side of the feathered guy!
I thought it was the end too when I logged on to an empty nest yesterday - good to get more views of them today. Also just had my first sighting of my kestrels today moving to the front of their nest - looking out at the pouring rain - no doubt will change their minds about leaving today!!
see that two have decamped again - must be hungry! The last one left looks sad & lonely huddled up at the back
WendyBartter said:and is directly opposite double doors of my house - good view!!
That is great Wendy, sounds a fabulous location :-)
I am truly lucky - always peering out with binos - usually am sitting in garden chair in sun doing my monitoring!! Worse thing about this weather is that the parents are inclined to go nest raiding and take many baby blackbirds. This time last year one came to my garden bird feeder and took an adult starling and I could do nothing to save it - although I was only a foot away it was on the other side of the kitchen window - sad!
Chicks jumped out of their skins then..a loud crash noise almost like a shot...
Some stills from just before...
40 winks ;-)
80 winks ;-p
still a great deal of crashing noises - wonder what it is??
Whatever the crash bangs are, the chicks are getting used to it..not reacting as before.
I hoped to grab a preening shot but chick was shy, hiding head under wing :-)