Bird Cams Around the World

Well she did (lay the 2nd egg), Catbird, but then early this morning (6 AM) decided to eat the old egg, video:

Maybe birds sense an egg won't be viable and is better used up as nutrition?

Anyway, tonight (though the weather is still autumn-like here, and mice harder to catch), it could be the time for a new 2nd egg - so far, she laid the eggs late in the evening (see prev. post).

Lesser Kestrels at Matera:


all 5 eggs visible during "change of the guard"

Lesser Kestrels at Alta Murgia:


Ginger eating from a prey (lizzard), Fred in the background

(I was too late to see if he just dropped of a prey or if she arrived with it and intended to change, but he left)

Elyakim "D-day" - 2 have fledged, or rather stumbled their way down. A bit early?


2nd fledgling on his way out of the nest, around 11 AM

Animations to follow, here is a clip from all the activities near the nestboxes this morning, before fledging:



Many kestrels around - note a.o. a young subadult male (half of his tail still looks like female's tails) who is very interested.

Beautiful snapshots of the Luxemburg nest, Catbird, esp. that last one!

In other news, yesterday at the "Beleef de Lente" nest, the Common Kestrel female also ate her 2nd egg:


Clip courtesy of Genietvandelente forummember Dikkie

The promised animation of (the 2nd of) the Elyakim "fledgings":

About the Beleef de Lente nest: it is assumed that the male kestrel didnot supply the female with enough food (a.o. mice) that are harder to come by right now given the autumn like weather of the past week. Today is suddenly nice and warmer and who knows what will still happen (though it's late by now).

Elyakim - "Fledge" of the first:



Despite their premature fledging, the young Lesser Kestrels are certainly doing well (they were only 2 days earlier than average), in fact, one of them has just returned home!

Real fledging day at Elyakim, Israel!

Early morning, two left the nest, one soon returned (!) and 1.5 hours later, the nest was empty and Dad arrived in vain:


Since then, it is a come-and-go. Just a while ago, 3 were seen again in the nestbox!

Beautiful snapshots and good news about the new hatches there, Catbird - I should have some time now to watch the other nests ;-) .

In Elyakim, this night again 3 young kestrels are home, like last night, with the difference that now all of them are very tired from the adventurous day (were seen sleeping flat) and even Mom is still there! We have no report about hatchling # 4 yet - but one was seen attempting in vain to re-enter after the other 3 turned in for the night, possibly one of the 4 of this nest.