|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 1, 2015 19:06:36 GMT -1
We put up a big tawny owl box on a big hybrid Poplar tree a few years ago, but never attracted an owl. A pair of kestrels had a good look at it two years ago, but changed their minds. However, this year - success. I think the female is sitting now as the male visits her a few times a day - calling loudly as he appears. She comes out for a few minutes and presumably is fed by him - though I have never seen this happening. I believe it is only the female who incubates the eggs, so I am glad he managed to keep her fed over the past few days in the gales we have been having.
I wish I had put a camera inside the box before they settled in - obviously much too late now. I wonder how many eggs she has. According to the books she can lay 3 - 6 eggs.
|
|
|
|
Post by yanny on Apr 1, 2015 20:40:17 GMT -1
Oh wow ! I bet it's a lovely feeling to have given a home to a bird and her babies  |
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Apr 1, 2015 20:42:25 GMT -1
 How exciting!!!! Hubby asks if you have any photos of the owl box you put up? I think he'd be keen to put one up for us. When we lived in Missouri, I had a kestrel that lived in our huge oak tree  I had my hands on two of her babies to keep them safe (storms blew one out of the nest prematurely, and the other followed her silly older sibling from the tree too soon while Miss Kestrel was hunting). If I could have, I would have boxed up Miss Kestrel and brought her with us as we relocated to the Oregon coast, but we had to leave her behind  I miss her calls, and most of all, I miss how ace she was at driving away the starlings. They were one of her main food sources, and just me calling her was enough to set the nasty things aflight and away. Miss Kestrel and her beau were also insanely curious because their huge oak tree was parked outside my teddy bear making room. Many was the day that I'd look up from needle and thread to see them staring in at my progress *cough they weren't shy about hiding their courtship either. I got a ringside seat as it were. From what I remember, Miss Kestrel's beaus did keep her fed while she sat on the eggs. I remember him hunting constantly and bringing her food and her staying on the eggs, but oddly enough, I don't remember either beau sticking around once the eggs hatched and the nestlings were maybe 2 weeks to a month old. It might have been rotten luck that Miss Kestrel's beaus took off (deadbeat dads) or she may have chased them off, or something may have happened to them. Actually, I thought something did happen to the first one, but the same pattern happened with the second and third clutches, so maybe Miss Kestrel chased them off at that point?  I didn't know a thing about them until she decided the big oak tree was an awesome place to call home. I'm so excited about your pair, though  you'll have to give us progress reports ...editing to add a pic of Miss Kestrel's firstborne, knocked from the nest after vicious storms June, 2008. I had to get ahold of it before Mister the Mighty Hunter got ahold of him/her. Miss Kestrel was delighted to find her youngster alive and continued to raise it to adulthood. 
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 1, 2015 21:25:02 GMT -1
That is a great story. What species are the American kestrels? The British ones are Falco tinnunculus.
I will take some photos of the nestbox and post on here for you. A friend made this one as a present for me, but it is similar to others I have seen.
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Apr 2, 2015 0:19:50 GMT -1
|
|
|
|
Post by mikea on Apr 2, 2015 5:11:37 GMT -1
Although I live in a small town (Stamford) Lincs, it appears that we too are keen to attract some Kestrel visitors. Several of our 11 churches have Kestrel nesting boxes - I suspect it's part of a wider strategy to help control our resident pigeon population. I'll make a note to check them out now - to see if we have any urban Kestrels.
|
|
|
|
Post by harveydales on Apr 2, 2015 5:15:22 GMT -1
Wow, how exciting! We've been meaning to put up an owl box for years but still haven't got round to it. It would be wonderful to have kestrels too - there are several pairs in our area. I'd be interested in seeing what your owl box looks like too.
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 2, 2015 9:19:19 GMT -1
Good to hear from you again Mike!
I do not think Kestrels are big or powerful enough to ever take pigeons - they are the hovering birds you see over motorways, etc hunting small rodents. The birds that regularly take pigeons are peregrine falcons that are definitely making a great come-back from near extinction following the DDT poisoning decades ago. There are quite a few pairs nesting on cathedrals and other tall buildings in cities and big towns, so your local churches are probably trying to attract them.
The female sparrowhawks sometimes manage to kill a pigeon but not regularly.
Any luck in finding a suitable pony yet, Mike?
|
|
|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Apr 2, 2015 11:28:39 GMT -1
That's brilliant Kate, several years ago we were sitting in the garden watching the tits feeding on a nearby plum tree when a kestrel swooped down right past us and plucked a tit off the feeder and was gone again with the poor tit firmly in its claws, it happened so fast we were left wondering if we had imagined it.
|
|
|
|
Post by zeldalithgow on Apr 2, 2015 13:46:02 GMT -1
How wonderful, we used to have Barn owls breeding her but haven't for the last 5 or so years tho this winter we have a Barn owl bach here again. We put up a owl box in our cattle court but as far as I know it was never used the owl use a tower on the end of our house that used to be used for storing our water but the wooden top to it has rotted so it's not in great condition, plus we have had trouble keeping the grass/weeds down around us so I think that may be the reason the owls went - hope your Kestrels are successful
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 2, 2015 16:35:17 GMT -1
Andrea - think it was probably a sparrowhawk that came and took your blue tit. That is how they catch their prey - incredibly quick and agile hunters. Kestrels do not (normally) catch birds.
|
|
|
|
Post by nedales on Apr 3, 2015 0:31:56 GMT -1
Our kestrels eat our chickens' hatchlings. They also eat voles, moles, ticks and mice. I wish they ate rats.
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 6, 2015 18:25:31 GMT -1
After a busy but lovely Easter full of family, I managed to take some photos of the owl box which I have posted here. Unfortunately, I do not think the kestrels are still here as not seen or heard any sign of the male visiting for a couple of days - can only think our resident carrion crows have cleared out the eggs. Was lovely while they were here, so am keeping my fingers crossed the female is still in there sitting quietly, and I missed the visits from her mate. As you can see, the box is much too high to check.
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 6, 2015 18:28:29 GMT -1
|
|
|
|
Post by harveydales on Apr 7, 2015 4:46:36 GMT -1
What a shame about the kestrels. Thanks for posting the pic. |
|
I miss her calls, and most of all, I miss how ace she was at driving away the starlings. They were one of her main food sources, and just me calling her was enough to set the nasty things aflight and away. 
