For those of you that follow our nest box cameras, you will be pleased to know that they are back up and running.
Each winter we take down the owl and kestrel boxes to give them a check over. The first to go back up was the owl box. Our tawny owl kept us waiting several weeks before turning up, but we can confirm she laid 3 eggs.
She is being very coy as usual but we are pretty sure the eggs have started to hatch as we have seen her tearing at food as if to feed a chick.
The kestrels did not keep us waiting at all. In fact as their box was being fixed into the tree, they swooped in with a very close fly-by to see what we were doing with ‘their’ tree. Two hours later they were inside
There has been none of the last year’s drama over rights for this ‘desirable residence’… although an enterprising blue tit did seem to have ideas above its station!
To date the kestrel has laid four eggs. Typically, they lay an egg every other day with a total of between 3 and 5 eggs, depending on food abundance. In years when vole numbers are particularly low, kestrels may fail to breed at all. She will settle down to incubate when the last one is laid.
Meanwhile, we already have two blue tits incubating clutches.
One of these females obviously feels the cold – she snuggles herself down so far in her nest of moss and fur, that almost disappears from view completely.
You can follow all the drama as it unfolds by popping into our visitor centre and watching them live.