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Sunday April 19th - Late News
The female Kestrel laid her first egg at around 23:29. It wasn't spotted until the following evening as it was laid off camera, but once spotted egg laying time was able to be calculated.
Monday April 20th
We got our first views of the first Kestrel egg this afternoon. 2 food passes recorded today.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Cow's View of the Flooded Meadow |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Mallard Family |
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| (c) Annette DW Taylor - Woodland Path |
Tuesday April 21st
Dina Burford:
Oystercatcher.
The 2nd Kestrel egg was laid at around 8pm this evening. They are right
on the edge of the camera’s field of view so keep disappearing. Only 1
prey item brought back to the box today - the male tried to feed a
common lizard to his egg!
Not to be out-shone by our Kestrels, our Barn Owls have laid their first egg!
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| (c) M4rk444 - Common Lizard |
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| (c) Julie Cook - Long-tailed Tits |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Common Tern |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Oystercatcher |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Perch |
Wednesday April 22nd
Dina Burford: 2
White Stork (presumed reintroductions - 4th record in past month).
No sign of a 3rd Kestrel egg (yet). The female spent most of the day in the box, with the male bringing her 4 meals.
We were delighted to hear from the Corbishley family that they have eggs in their nest box - one of the batch we donated to pupils of Badshot Lea Village Infants School.
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| (c) Corbishley Family - Nest |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Flooded Meadow & Workings |
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| (c) Michael Snow - Jay |
Thursday April 23rd
Richard Seargent: 9
Mediterranean Gull.
Leonard Winchcombe:
Ringed Plover & 2
Garganey (m & f).
8th record of Garganey on site, last recorded 15/08/19. 108th bird species recorded in 2020.
Ringed Plover is the 109th bird species recorded in 2020.
At circa 18:14 this afternoon the third Kestrel egg was laid. The Male brought back 3 meals today, and he seemed to be encouraging the female to eat them on the perch or box roof.At least 3 times this afternoon, the female Kestrel was spooked by a low flying buzzard (heard calling on camera). The Male also had a go at sitting on the eggs for a bit.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Great Crested Grebes |
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| (c) Dina Burford - View from the Obs |
Friday April 24th
Richard Horton:
Curlew.
Five meals brought back to the nest box today by the Male Kestrel. The female spent most of the day sitting on the 3 eggs.
The Barn Owls now have 2 eggs.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Finally we have Water Buffalo! |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Curlew |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Grass Snake |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Greylag Goose |
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| (c) Alan Brown - Grass Snake |
Saturday April 25th
Dave Baker: 2
Hobby.
Hobby is the 110th bird species recorded in 2020.
The 4th Kestrel egg was laid at c 16:51 this afternoon. 3 food passes today.
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| (c) Simon Monk - Grass Snake |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Blackcap |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Whitethroat |
Sunday April 26th
Dina Burford: 3 Little Egret.
The female Kestrel did a great job fighting of an unknown avian intruder this morning who disturbed her eating breakfast. 3 food passes from Male. Female spent over 23 hours on eggs.
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| (c) William Nicholls - Large Red Damselfly |
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| (c) William Nicholls - Large Red Damselfly |
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| (c) Simon Monk - Black-headed Gull |
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| (c) Simon Monk - Canada Goose |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Jay |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Moorhen Family |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Reed Bunting |
Monday April 27th
The 5th Kestrel egg was laid at c 18:00 today. 3 food passes from the Male. The female spent c23 hours incubating the eggs.
The Barn Owls now have 3 eggs.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Flooded Hide |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Red Admiral |
Tuesday April 28th
The male Kestrel is doing a great job. Despite the rain, he brought his
mate 4 meals, and sat on the eggs each time she ate, appearing reluctant
to hand over incubation duties back to her.
Wednesday April 29th
Dina Burford:
Redshank.
Redshank is the 111th bird species recorded in 2020.
Dina Burford added 4 new species to the pan-species list this week:
- Wild Strawberry (
Fragaria vesca).
- Wayfaring Tree (
Viburnum lantana).
- Dogwood (
Cornus sanguinea).
- Large Bitter-cress (
Cardamine amara).
The Kestrels are doing a fine job incubating their eggs. Covered for c23 hours today. Only left uncovered for the 4 food passes from the male. Still 5 eggs so unlikely to see a 6th now.
(c) Dina Burford - Redshank
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| (c) Dina Burford - Redshank |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Whitethroat |
Thursday April 30th
The Kestrels have been practising formula one style incubation hand-overs. Almost there!
5 food passes today despite the bad weather.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Flooded Hide Proves Popular |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Kestrel |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Whitethroat |
