Anyone visiting Royden Park’s Café and Coach House at the moment will undoubtedly encounter the Kestrel camera. This was kindly installed by Ron Thomas (local photographer) last year and has provided a Springwatch insight to their nest since then. The camera shows live pictures of the nest located close to the Coach House from the Walled Garden.
This site has been used, by the same pair we think, over the last seven years. This year the adult pair of Kestrels returned again and a total of 5 eggs was laid between 23rd April and 5th May. The camera has provided good sights of the female bird sitting tight on the eggs with occasionally the male taking over these duties with a lot of commotion during this exchange.
The first egg hatched on the 26th May followed closely by the second, third and fourth. The fifth hatched on the 30th May. All five chicks are now being well fed by both parents and growing fast. There are clips on YouTube showing the parents bringing voles, mice and other prey such as a mole and even, we think, a small bird (although this is generally unusual for a Kestrel) to the nest and then plucking the kill and feeding it to their young. Normally they feed the young for about four weeks before they fledge the nest. Go to Ron Thomas’ You Tube page to watch the videos.
If you visit Royden Park in the next few weeks you should pop into the Coach House and take a look at the camera and hopefully see for yourself the chicks either with the adult or, as is often happening now, on their own while both parents are out feeding. You must be quick as once they are fledged they are gone until the adults return….. hopefully…. next year.
Paul Greenslade
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