The pair showed up on 13th March & were checking out the nest - here's hoping..............
Have posted all I've taken today, unedited, as I'm so excited!!! They both flew off & now Mr Kestrel has returned to nest & sitting, waiting like a spider in the middle of a web! Just going to video him
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Hi Wendy sorry just caught up on all the updates there, that's brilliant news! I can't wait for your next post. Here's hoping the weather gets better for you :-)
I was wondering how the weather was for the kestrels as here it has been hurricane force I'm sure. Nearly blown off my feet whilst out walking the dogs, I don't know how the birds manage to fly, but they are little marvels. Our blackbirds have definitley got young and I keep failing miserably to get a photo of them carrying the worms, so thinking of you and yours and hoping it happens soon.
Lot to learn
Certainly very strong winds G but not as bad as you have been getting, thank goodness! Doesn't seem to affect Kestrels too much - was watching one hunt over the airport yesterday with no problems. You will see how the wind got up today again in the vid I am about to post!
Well it all kicked off early today - 7 o'clock (aaarrgh! then realised cam still on GMT) with Mrs K in the nest looking out & bleating but she nicked off before I could get decent shot!! Mr K came in allmost immediately & took up residence, alternately looking out, preening & going indoors to tidy up a bit!! Then we had a bit of excitement - another male came to the nest while Mr K was in there - no fighting but they both flew to cliff face to the left and sat a few feet apart - stil no aggression! I could not get any pics as I had set up the video focused on the nest so I just observed them. Mr K came back to nest & the other male flew away after a few minutes. I do have quite a lot of vid footage to work through but I have extracted this clip to show Mrs K coming to nest afte rMr K returned - not sure if greeting was all that friendly......
The next pics are a series of still captures from vids where Mr K looks quite comical...
He seemed to be quite pre-occupied with his foot today - maybe he'd landed in something nasty!!!
Much coming & going from both of them today - it seems that neither is incubating eggs!
Hi again Wendy, that is a top quality video. That's really interesting to hear about the two males not acting aggressively. Hope you're well, thanks for posting :-)
I am pleased to report that, after two whole days of not seeing any Kestrel activity, when I looked out this morning I saw Mrs K in the nest & managed a couple of shots in the murk & Mist (just for the record) .....
She flew off quite soon after & Mr K took over - sitting there picking & preening as usual...
Taken at a ridiculously early time of the morning again - 7.30 ish & was dank and chilly here!
Had to go out most of the day and didn't have any more sighting until 8.15 this evening - newly dark & I heard the familiar call - ?whoever flew to one of the rungs on the telegraph pole & sat there bleating pitifully - no other action & nothing in nest hole!!!
Love these updates and photos Wendy; it's been awful weather here and now blowing an absolute gale with rain and more to come :(
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Regards, Hazel
Nice to see them again Wendy, your video was good stuff by the way. Do you think there are any eggs yet?as they appear to be taking it in turn. Did I read that you have done all this before other years? so you should be quite the expert now! Not to put you under pressure of course!
Stop going out during the day,Wendy.No pressure.
WendyB thank you so much for the updates and pics :)