Hello! Welcome to the 2017 KestrelCam season!
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-Delora Hilleary
Comments:
Banding is usually pretty
Banding is usually pretty quick - about twenty minutes to do all the measurements and get the bands on all of the nestlings is pretty normal. The banding for our kestrels was a little longer, as we invited some folks to come watch the process and we answered questions.
How the adult birds react is fairly similar to how they react to me going up to clean the lens, and it varies from pair to pair. Last year, the female was quite aggressive and dive-bombed those who approached the nest box. This year, the female flees the premesis entirely. Things settle down once the nestlings are placed back in the nest box, and the female returned with food not long after.
When banding our nesltings, the adults could not see the process because we took the nestlings inside to show our guests. Oftentimes, however, the banding is done right there in the field, so presumably the adult birds could see it. Again, adult reactions vary from pair to pair.
Banding adult birds is easiest when they are sitting on eggs. The way it's often done is to approach the nest box quietly, then plug the hole - then one can snag the adult sitting inside, do the banding, put them back inside, and then open up the hole again. There is also techniques to mist-net raptors using live mice bait or other such traps, utilized when the adults are not incubating.
All very fascinating, thanks
All very fascinating, thanks for the quick answers!
The kids in my class were so
The kids in my class were so excited to see the cameras offline today because I had told them what was happening! They all rused over when they came back online to see if they could spot the bands!
Don't worry about being
Don't worry about being curious, Shauna! We're here to answer questions :)
The chicks are preening,
The chicks are preening, flapping their little wings, getting color on top of their heads... and the unhatched egg is still in the box, unbroken. It's quite an indicator of what can happen in just a few weeks, though it is sad.
More signs to look for - baby
More signs to look for - baby fluff gone completely, color on their heads, eating deliveries with no help, peeking over the ledge, hopping onto the ledge, looking out, sticking head out of the cavity....
Wow they seem to change
Wow they seem to change overnight!
Sometimes I feel like if I
Sometimes I feel like if I watch long enough, I can see their feathers growing....haha!
Lots of wing flapping going
Lots of wing flapping going on!
Mama Kestrel keeps coming
Mama Kestrel keeps coming back to the box and at least peeking into the hole. I don't honestly know that she is dropping things off... About 6:30-6:40 Boise time.
First egg hatched
May 26/2017 first egg hatched approximatly 11:30am link to live stream.
http://www.nu-sun.com/html/2017_report.html
I think our kestrels are in
I think our kestrels are in sync! Our first egg hatched 5/25 and the second one yesterday (5/26)! We are so excited, as this is our first one ever! (after 3 years with the box...). We have 2 more eggs that I'm hoping are viable and hatch soon, too. Best to you!
Thank you for the link. Very
(Addressed to Nu-Sun Cinema) Thank you for the link. Very nice quality live image! After a quick scan, I couldn't really find the location of your nestbox...somewhere in Canada?
Thanks you very much. We have
Thanks you very much. We have been working with Kestrels for about 7 years and with the Partnership for 4.
We are located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Our 2 nest boxes are just on the edge of the city on our 1 acre lot.
You have a nice day, and let others know about our link. We are all about sharing.
Here is the link http://www.nu-sun.com/html/2017_report.html
Nu-Sun Cinema
Dang! They grew more feathers
Dang! They grew more feathers overnight!
They are all looking out the
They are all looking out the side window!
I saw that, too. I thought
I saw that, too. I thought they might be trying to toast up on the sunny side of the box! :)
Little Miss Happy Flight has
Little Miss Happy Flight has been flapping her wings at about 12:09-12:12 Boise time.
she almost looked like she
she almost looked like she was going to hop on the ledge a while ago.
Just now! Toe on the ledge!
Just now! Toe on the ledge!!!!
Jumping up and flapping!!!!
Jumping up and flapping!!!!
Chick on the ledge!!!!!
Chick on the ledge!!!!!
2 chicks on the ledge!!!!!
2 chicks on the ledge!!!!!
Two Kestrel Kids on the ledge
Two Kestrel Kids on the ledge looking out of the cavity for a moment!!!!!! Still too young for flight, but they all are flapping wings and looking eager. 5:45-5:50 Boise time. I am just thrilled.
No sound again?
No sound again?
Yeah, unfortunately, our mic
Yeah, unfortunately, our mic went kaput. We fiddled with it while the nestlings were banded, but it seems internal corrossion happened. We'll have to get a new one for next season. Sorry about that! Our wet year took a toll on it, it seems.
Darn! I liked how it alerted
Darn! I liked how it alerted me to quickly go back and see what all the noise was about if I was on a different page!!!
what kind do you use?
what kind do you use? Make, model etc. Maybe someone wants to donate one? :)
How do they get water? Don't
How do they get water? Don't they need water?
I read that kestrels get
I read that kestrels get water from their food - fresh prey.
Indeed, just like Jill said -
Indeed, just like Jill said - young kestrels get all their moisture from fresh prey and insects! That holds true for most raptors.
They just looked so hot
They just looked so hot yesterday! I felt bad for them.
Little Kestrel Girl looked
Big Little Kestrel Girl looked out of the cavity for several minutes as her nestmates preened. At least two big birds flew by that may not have been kestrels. A lot for a little bird to take in. Wow.
perch in the cavity is the
perch in the cavity is the bird is actually sitting in the hole.
looking out the cavity is different.
Just so we all know!
To be fair and clear: since
To be fair and clear: since there is not always a choice in the selections, I sometimes just choose "a kestrel chick" when several of them may be concerned.
I also have fuzzy images and cannot always decipher whether the adult is the male or the female (I know, sounds dumb but the colours all melt together and the imprecision of the markings makes it hard). So...I tend to say it's the female when in truth I don't have a clue.
I know there are limits to the choices that can be programmed, but how about "2 kestrel chicks...squabbling over food" or "a kestrel chick...fighting with a wood chip" or "the female kestrel...getting knocked out of the cavity" or "a kestrel chick...following the flight of an insect"? (I'm sure other observers could think of better options!)
I was just saying there's a
I was just saying there's a difference between perching and looking out because perching is a whole big step, just like looking out from the ledge was a huge step!
No offense was intended :)
Oh heavens, I wasn't reacting
Oh heavens, I wasn't reacting to your very valid comment! I was just explaining how I "skew" my own observations. I totally agree, that perching thing is a big step, and I love watching how chicks catch their balance on the ledge with their wings, and have absolutely zero concept of sharing the view from the cavity with a sibling. No offense taken!
:) Happy watching!!!
:)
Happy watching!!!
No worries! :) And you are
No worries! :) And you are so right that the chicks don't share their vantage point yet. Perhaps when they feel more secure they will do just that.
The Kestrel Kids tend to group into pairs - a more lively pair and a more laid back one - don't you think?
Hi, Terri - your options are
Hi, Terri - your options are very good - I'd like to see options for multiple kestrel chicks myself! Squabbling over food sounds good, maybe one could use 'rearrange the bedding' with a Kestrel Kid, too.
Hi, Terri - your options are
duplicate comment
whole lot of flapping going
whole lot of flapping going on!
3 chicks on the ledge!!!
3 chicks on the ledge!!!
One kestrel chick looking out
One kestrel chick looking out of the cavity is now actually three of them and one feeling left out. I actually saw the one in the box displace the one on the left and take her place. I don't think it's going to be long now!
No food yet today.
No food yet today.
What??? there's only three???
What??? there's only three??? I only left for a minute!!!!
Oh there he is under the
Oh there he is under the ledge!!!
No food yet. No parents
No food yet. No parents either.
Delora go buy some mice......
Finally! food!
Finally! food!
Hi again - are those poplar
Hi again - are those poplar seeds floating around in the nest box or is that the very last of the baby fluff? We have a lot of them here. Boy, our birdies are growing up....