INTERNATIONAL KESTRELS ~ 2013

Bosuil · **Joined:** Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:27 am **Posts:** 235

Elyakim Lesser Kestrels - 4 of the 5 tiny chicks visible here begging for food (which in any case is provided in abundance by the male):

This morning at 11 AM local time

However, the male also swiftly takes over the role of the female if need be (not usual in Common Kestrels), as can be seen here (time compressed as recording is motion triggered, see descr. in clip). He doesn't only take care of them, but also knows how to feed them, complete with encouraging sounds as the female does!
They had sheer luck though that the Maina's didnot try to enter during that half hour interval ...

Friday morning 8:30 AM

Catbird · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:50 am

Ah, that was a darling picture of the four Elyakim chicks all lined up for food. And I loved seeing the video of the male at Elyakim feeding the chicks! Thanks, Bosuil.

P.S. Thanks too for the animated pictures from the Rehovot feeding yesterday. We were watching at the same time!

Catbird · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:56 am

More Kestrel News . . .

First egg for Poland (MPEC) yesterday:

One of the kestrels actually visited the Berlin nest yesterday:

Kestrel at the San Clemente nest early this morning:

My first sighting of the Denmark kestrel early this morning. Not a great picture, but at least I found one of the kestrels at home.

Esslingen kestrel this morning:

Catbird · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 7:46 am

Worcester kestrel

Beth · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 9:34 am

Thanks Bosuil and Catbird and SgB :eggthumbup:

Catbird · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:08 am

Second egg for Poland Castle kestrels.

Catbird · **Posted:** Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:08 am

Saw lots of kestrels (and eggs) this morning!

From very early this morning . . .

And within the past hour . . .

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

thanks so much for the pics!!!

I need to try to catch up here tomorrow...columbus has had me busy!!!

Bosuil · **Joined:** Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:27 am **Posts:** 235

What a beautiful male Ics is!

Sad news from the Elyakim nest - here,

the smallest chick was still competing for food as best as it could (being the last of the five to hatch and probably 2.5 days lagging behind), but it just couldnot keep up. It surprisingly came back from "almost dead" time and again, moved around all over the place, but always ended up in the back row and finally this morning had spent all the energy it had left. After some hours, the female laid it aside and later in the day, she decided to feed it to the other chicks (like e.g. most Owls do).

A Spanish paper from 1997: “Costs and Benefits of Surplus Offspring in the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)”

Catbird · **Posted:** Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:20 pm

Yes, that was very sad news about the smallest chick at the Elyakim nest.

Thanks, Bosuil, for letting us know and for posting the link to that article about Lesser Kestrels. It really helped make sense of what happened in the Elyakim nest.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

kittenface · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 12:28 am

Little Trooper

Terka · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:23 am

Poland - Wloclawek (falcon nest)
http://webcam.peregrinus.pl/pl/wloclawe ... -wloclawka

viewtopic.php?f=362&t=1402&start=60

Kwidzyn. 3 eggs http://www.ekokwidzyn.pl/index.php?opti ... e&Itemid=1

Beth · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 7:29 am

Switzerland - Muttenz has a egg this am :eggface:

BRB with photo

Beth · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:25 am

Muttenz egg :)

News from Switzerland - Rhine cams...

Nistkasten 2 - 4/27 photo (one egg) ...She might have two-three eggs now, I have been watching her this am-she hasn't moved for a egg count :)

Nistkasten 6 - 4/27 photo 3 eggs

4/30 photo 4 eggs

Catbird · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:42 am

Beth - Thanks for all the news and the pictures. I never would have thought that a kestrel would lay her egg next to a falcon egg!

At the Lisbon nest, both Margarida and Zuzu have been taking turns in the nest box. I haven't been able to see if there's a hatch yet, but it's expected at any time now.

Beth · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:47 am

Update on Switzerland - Rhine (Kamera #2)
She got up Catbird :))

Catbird · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:03 am

Thanks for the new updates, Beth. Kestrel season has certainly arrived what with all the nesting activity going on now!

Catbird · **Posted:** Wed May 01, 2013 7:55 am

Portugal (Lisbon): First two hatches today!

More Kestrel News

Catbird · **Posted:** Wed May 01, 2013 8:34 am

Finally got a picture of the 4 eggs at Aston . . .

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INTERNATIONAL KESTRELS ~ 2013

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