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!
Thanks doggie - at least you got a reply, better than birdsong yesterday! Well if they do switch to swallow nest (which will be interesting of course) I shall have to take even more pics of my kestrels to post!!!!!!!!!!!! (not on Auto though eh??)
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
What are you trying to do to me doggie - can't get away from PC much as it is - LOL!!!
Looks like the end for Arne Kestrels 'til next year?
Just been to barnowls - they look pretty big - are they near to fledging?
Michael at Arne is on hols at the moment but sure someone will let us know when the webcam will be turned off from the kestrel box for good.
I captured this pic off a video I made but couldn't post because I forgot to turn
sound off and I said a very rude word 'cos I was trying to get birdie pics and cook
dinner at same time - wish they would come at a more convenient
time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is a little fuzzy 'cos am only a learner but I liked the pose!
Hi all - really hoped cam would be back on - so here's another of mine...............
Is that another blackbird????
Sorry for the delayed response but I am off at the moment but have just logged in to see whats been happening on the forum. There have been a couple of technical issues with camera and we have made the decision not to turn the kestrels back on. They were visiting sporadically so there was a lot of footage of an empty box so I don't think much has been happening.
Apologies for any dissapointment caused but I think everyone will agree that we got some amazing footage of the chicks hatching and growing up and it is brilliant that for the second year in the row we had 4 successfully fledge despite the pretty awful weather.
So a really big thank you to everyone who followed them through thick and thin and I hope you all enjoyed watching as much as we did in the visitor centre. We have had a mega 645 posts this year on the forum compared to 345 last year so another big thanks to those who contributed to this as well!
Wendy - thanks for the pictures of your kestrels that you have been posting recently - To be honest I think these are much better than what we have been seeing in the last couple of weeks from ours! Let us know how they get on.
We are looking at putting something else up on the webcam and I will keep you posted if this happens!
Best wishes
Michael
Many thanks from edgebander to all who kept me up to date.
Thankyou Michael for letting us know the current situation and for the pleasure of watching the kestrels at Arne - I sincerely hope that you can switch the webcam to another focus of interest. I will certainly be keeping close watch on my kestrels here and will keep everyone updated
Kind Regards
Wendy
Hi edgebander and all - will be posting more pics of my kestrels - weather permitting - it's tipping it down here at mo!
Excellent news.
Been dry here today and fine tomorrow-How good is that!