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!
I'm sure there are 5 eggs this year though.
Or rather there WERE 5 eggs, not there are 5 eggs. Blimey, going webcamcrazy now!
Lol! I know the feeling! Hubby has pinched the mac now, left with iPad which I can't watch webcams on as there is no flash player for iPads! Very annoying, I'm still researching as I'm sure there must be some way around it, but not had it long so still learning. If anyone does know the answer please let me know!
I'm on egg/chick counting mission tomorrow!
Jo T Always on the side of the feathered guy!
Well if you read the first blog and the beginning of this thread, when the camera was switched from the Buzzard nest it states that Mum was sitting on 5 eggs.
My apologies
A good tutorial on screengrabs for Windows here:
www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Screenshot-in-Microsoft-Windows
Thanks Dom, will try again later - I tried so hard not to put the computer on this morning, thank goodness I have to go to the dentist this morning!
No apols Jot, my fault for confusing everyone. I think sometimes the movements of a tiny wing makes you think it's another chick behind but agree that saw 3 mouths yesterday :-)
All 3 heads visible at feeding time just now:
I can only see one unhatched egg though.
Couldn't tell whether breakfast had downy feathers or fur.
Great pics Dom! I was just about to try uploading mine, but yours look better! There are two eggs, my son also spotted the other one, it's being kept extra warm in the middle of the 3 chicks! Only got a brief glimpse. Is it just me, or do you find yourself moving your head around to try to get a better look?! I think breakfast was furry, looked like all 3 chicks got a share, which is good.
Hope this works!
I've had a little fiddle with this, just contrast and brightness, you can just about see part of the second egg to the left of the one in full view. just missing capture image when it was more visible, I will keep trying tho!