“Our” kestrels online

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A virtual window into our balcony…
Click the camera number to open the  camera page; you can also select it from a list of our cameras.
We are also testing a live stream on our Falco tinnunculus brunensis  YouTube channel. See also YouTube live.

The story so far: Kestrels have been nesting on our balcony regularly since 2007. The male of the kestrel pair has been living with us since November 2019. With the previous female (she lived with us from July 2018 to January 2022), they brought out 6 young in 2020 and 4 young in 2021. With the current Mrs Kestrel, who  appeared here on February 12, 2022, then 4 young ones in 2022, 6 ones last year.

They both spent this winter 2023—24.. Courtship began in early February. The first egg was laid on April 8. She successively laid 6 eggs, the last one on April 19. Incubation began on the evening of April 18. on May 14, hours, the fifth on May 15, in the morning, the last sixth, May 17, in the morning. The nestlings were ringed on June 1.

Currently, the young kestrels are already flying somewhere nearby. They flew from the balcony to the street for the first time between June 14 and 17. Approximately one month from this date, they are still fully dependent on the food supply provided by their parents.
The chicks are 74 days71 days old.

When the kestrels are not present, you can see also other birds: tits, nuthatches (regular winter visitors in small mixed troops), sparrows…  and also pigeons, whose presence is a permanent source of conflicts with kestrels.

The swift nestboxes next to the kestrel’s balcony had been empty since July 25 of last year. They came back to our street in the first days of May, but their home seemed already to be occupied. Since May 29, however, we have observed at least two swift pairs nesting in the swift nestboxes.
On April 15, a group of starlings appeared and decided to nest in the swift nestboxes.

 

Kestrel seasons
Season 2024
(in Czech only).

 

Updated 23/07/2024 17:01

Of Mice and Kestrels

Kestrels (common or european kestrels) stay with us in our flat in a housing estate in the suburb of Brno for a long time. Initially they used our balcony only as a shelter and dormitory, but since the fire in 2006, the situation changed. Starting with the 2007 season kestrels are nesting here. History of nesting can be found here. Photo and video archive here. Continue reading “Of Mice and Kestrels”