|
|
Post by Debbie on Apr 9, 2015 15:45:50 GMT -1
 that's such a shame about your kestrels. I was so looking forward to hearing and seeing them. Thank you for posting the photo of the nestbox! My own kestrel was a long ways up the big oak tree too, so I can see why yours would have tried to set up nest there. Such a pity the crows had to come through and spoil it for everybody 
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 9, 2015 21:18:16 GMT -1
Good news again - the kestrels are still there! I reckon the female is sitting tight and the male is only visiting a couple of times a day when she flies out for a few minutes and presumably is fed by him, although I have not spotted the food transfer. When they were first in the box there was a lot of noise and activity so they were obvious. Now, they are in more of a routine so unless I am close by around when he comes back there is no sign of them at all.
Am keeping my fingers crossed the eggs are viable and will hatch OK, and the parents manage to keep the youngsters fed and safe from other predators. It is such a deep nest box will be interesting to see the young birds coming out when they are ready to fledge. I bet I am not around on that day.
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Apr 10, 2015 0:48:49 GMT -1
Wonderful!!!!  after you mentioned it, I do seem to remember Miss Kestrel was 'missing' for almost a month or so, or at least I didn't hear her like I had before she set on her eggs and her beaus seemed to go into stealth mode for feeding her. I still think something happened to her first beau because I remember seeing her but not hearing her as she came and went from the nest hole up the big oak. Fingers crossed your pair continue to set the eggs and raising strapping babies  I love watching them, especially when they used to put on aerial shows for me. Gave me kittens half the time watching them dash to the ground only to 'save' themselves at about 3feet up, but still, their acrobatic displays are something I'll never forget. They're such show offs. To this day I miss mine sorely .... |
|
|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Apr 10, 2015 8:22:40 GMT -1
Glad your kestrels are still there, we have owl boxes on tall trees along the meadow at the back of the village, the local farmers all seem to encourage wildlife around here, but they are a different design to yours, they are triangular with the hole at the top of the triangle.
I shall never forget a magical moment in 2007 when I was riding my Arab along the meadow early one autumn morning before work, the mist was still hovering over the meadow and the sun just coming up and as we cantered along a barn owl swooped down and silently flew along the meadow right beside us. One of those memories that will always stay with me.
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 10, 2015 9:50:12 GMT -1
Wonderful memory Andrea. I also had a barn owl beside me years ago but not that close but still had a great view.
A few years ago Short-eared Owls wintered on a big set-aside field about 3 miles away and I had several really good views of them from my old mare who just plodded along the other side of the hedge and they ignored her. Horses make great bird-watching platforms, don't they?
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Apr 11, 2015 0:31:56 GMT -1
That would have been a lovely memory with the owl flying so close!  Today we had something bittersweet happen. While we were getting ready to head out for grocery shopping, Eldon found a dead kestrel in the backyard  I'm positive from the colouring it was a male, and mature, and honestly we're not sure what happened. I thought it might have struck our windows, as I did hear something hit just the other day. Eldon felt it might have been dead even longer though, so it's possible it may have simply died of old age, or perhaps a downdraft of some form killed it? It wasn't harmed, not a feather out of place, simply dead. The only upside to the sadness is that we now know the calls and glimpses I've had means we really do have kestrels here. I'd be very surprised if we don't have a female somewhere. I just hope she's not waiting for a mate that won't be returning  |
|
|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Apr 11, 2015 5:49:07 GMT -1
Oh that's sad, I hope he's not got a mate and perhaps babies waiting for him too
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Apr 15, 2015 15:02:50 GMT -1
Joyful news!!! Last night as I was setting the garbage out, I saw the female kestrel  she went in a long, low swoop in front of me so I could finally get a decent look. I'm so glad she's decided to stay, and I have noted our starlings are fewer than they were even a couple of months ago. I'd say that's the preferred menu item, though she's probably catching the voles as well. |
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Apr 15, 2015 19:08:43 GMT -1
Great. Hopefully she can attract another mate to your lovely place which obviously has a lot of suitable food items for them. Interesting if American Kestrels catch birds - ours don't as far as I am aware. Certainly the little birds are not scared by a kestrel hovering or flying nearby which makes me think they are never preyed upon.
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Apr 16, 2015 0:52:34 GMT -1
The real oddity of the kestrels here and back in Missouri, is that neither of them preyed on any other bird than the starlings. I had doves, Am. robins, cardinals, and every other songbird species you like that happily co existed with my kestrel for nigh on 6 years back in Missouri. I think our local kestrels have only happened in the last possibly 6-8 months, but the local songbirds/small birds pattern has remained the same, with the addition of doves (here, I'd think they would be such easy targets for such a talent as a kestrel, let alone our full sized red tailed hawks). I think our current kestrel girlie is targeting the starlings, and I say "Go girl!!!!". For us, starlings (the commons are the only ones we see) they are not native, and the nasty things come in by the millions and drive off any of our native birds, oftentimes kicking the locals out of nesting spots and sometimes doing the whole cuckoo thing by having someone else raise their babies  I'm thrilled to have a resident kestrel that's keen to clean them out, but I've also noted that just my imitation of their call (it is lame, but the one I know from Miss Kestrel ) is enough to set the bulk of the nasty things flying away in search of easier nesting spots. Good riddance! We are thronged by barn swallows, several different finches, a plethora of our American robins, and a dibble of our hummingbirds. Clearly the kestrel's not targeting these and I feel secure that we have enough alternative foods for her to raise her babies without endangering our songbirds. |
|
that's such a shame about your kestrels. I was so looking forward to hearing and seeing them. 
I love watching them, especially when they used to put on aerial shows for me. Gave me kittens half the time watching them dash to the ground only to 'save' themselves at about 3feet up, but still, their acrobatic displays are something I'll never forget. They're such show offs. To this day I miss mine sorely ....
I'm positive from the colouring it was a male, and mature, and honestly we're not sure what happened. I thought it might have struck our windows, as I did hear something hit just the other day. Eldon felt it might have been dead even longer though, so it's possible it may have simply died of old age, or perhaps a downdraft of some form killed it? It wasn't harmed, not a feather out of place, simply dead. 
