Kestrel Fledglings

[Tilly2]

Out for our walk this morning we walked under a bypass bridge and heard this terriffic sqeaking sound. Looking up into the girders, we saw two young kestrels making a racket. Then the parent bird flew under the bridge to join them. What a sight that was!

We have just been out again for another look. They are still there. Tomorrow we will take the camera.

[ladybirder]

Lucky You.
So jealous.

[Tilly2]

They are so beautiful, LB. I know that I'm privileged to see them. We have seen the parent birds almost every day since early Spring. Now, we've seen the offspring.

[Tilly2]

I hope Melv sees this post.

[melv16]

I'm jealous, tilly. In the meantime I'll make do with watching this nest. http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/raptorcam.html

[Tilly2]

Thanks for that one, Melv. All safely tucked up for the night.

[Davemano]

Was the parent Andy Murray calling for the 'racket' they were making, oh, oops that's the wrong racquet.

[Tilly2]

Davemano, what are you on about?

[gingejbee]

For every soft and fluffy story, there is a not-so-pleasant one. Yesterday afternoon, I watched for 10 minutes as a kestrel or sparrowhawk (not sure which) plucked all the feathers off it's prey on my lawn! It then flew off carrying it's dinner, leaving me with a mound of feathers!

[Tilly2]

That's a Sparrowhawk, Ginge.
We have a resident one. It caught a white dove in the garden on Tuesday. The garden looks as if it's been snowing. However, they all have to eat and when they kill, they do so for food. Not like the stinking cats that just kill for fun!

[gingejbee]

Tilly...yes, thought it must have been the sparrowhawk - looked like a sparrow being plucked! Quite surprised as I'd never seen this before in the garden. I'm glad it wasn't one of our resident doves - there was more than enough feathers from the sparrow! Ah well, Nature I suppose.

[Tilly2]

Ginge, at least the Sparrowhawks leave a ring of feathers, unlike the cats that haul the poor bird all over the garden. I hate cats!

[melv16]

You're skating on thin ice, tilly. I'm not keen on cats also.