Two New Year Wishes ... firstly that Mr K visits tomorrow to start our year off right!
... secondly that a beautiful female appears to sweep Mr K off his feet & into that nest hole!
Thanks for all your support & encouragement during this past year ... 2018 thread here ... https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/196252/kestrels-in-the-quarry-201
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Yehhh, hello Mr K, and happy new year to you too, please remember to come back to our Wendy, lots and lots of times, so that we can all follow you too!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
First sighting of Mr K today was at 10.57 with him perched on cliff ledge in sunshine having a good preen ...
After moving off he ferreted about in the scrub possibly for stashed prey & was mostly out of cam range!
Half an hour later Mr K was back on cliff for more preening ..
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Came across Mr K with prey on telegraph pole just before 13.00 only eating very slowly & he left with unfinished rat after a very short time ... he disappeared again into the scrub where it appeared he stashed his leftovers!
Bit of a marathon session but soooo great to see the handsome Mr K!
He's certainly found a good supply of food, long may it last. We're getting a fair bit of sun too & the birds (& me) are loving it, even if it's cold.
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
Thanks H & D ... He was here again today, so often & for so long that the SD card filled up as yesterday's hadn't been cleared!
May take me a while to sort today's actions ... in fact I left one out yesterday in the struggle to upload in this new site ...I have now inserted the short time Mr K was on telegraph pole before stashing his rat!
Time for a catch up with Mr K's visits ... he came at least twice on each of the past three days ... eyes down looking as I attempt to post pics/vids in chronological order to keep records up to date
On 3rd Jan he chose to perch in this crevice
Next he appeared on telegraph pole with a huge rat which he then took to nest hole to devour
Next appearance is in a tree which he leaves to fly to cliff ledge
This 'whizzy' vid of his long sojourn on cliff ledge is just to keep continuity but he does his usual at the end before leaving!!!
Mr K's visits on 4th Jan start with him bringing breakfast rat to Tower Restaurant
Then flying to cliff ledge to rest & recuperate in the sun
Today saw Mr K visiting in the gloom & cold but quite happily preening on cliff, surveying his territory & maybe listening to all the wonderful birdsong which is on vid soundtrack for you to share ... get quite blase about all the pretty sound around me every day!
Second visit is with yet another rat meal ... I do hope he has found a nest away from the quarry where no-one lays poison bait, it worries me!
Phew ... caught up at last ... enough rats & whoopsies to either fill some quiet moments &/or bore the pants off you!! Lol
He is a beauty, Wendy.
Kind regards, Ann
Thanks Ann, am very lucky to have him visiting so often!
Eating my porridge whilst watching Mr K eat his delicious meal and whoopsie LOL looks like he's surviving very nicely due to his expert hunting skills and giving great views for you each day. I think 2019 will be a very promising year so have the camera on standby ! Thanks for your efforts to post Wendy, he is such a fabulous bird to have on your doorstep.
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Regards, Hazel