Category: Online from our balcony

“Our” kestrels online

Camera 1
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A virtual window into our balcony…
Click the camera image or its number to open the  camera page…
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.

Currently, the kestrel couple appear on our balcony to spend here the night or to find shelter in case of bad weather. From mid-February we can see them much more often even during the day. As they stayed together throughout the winter, we observed courtship behaviour very early. The courtship involves the male passing food to the female to prove he’s a great provider and that this territory is a suitable rodent-packed place to nest. She gradually stopped hunting and is fully dependent on the supply from the male. She also invited him more and more often to mate. This year, the first egg appeared early on April 8. She successively laid 6 eggs, the last one on April 19. Incubation began on the evening of April 18.

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. Hopefully they will be back in early May.
On April 15, a group of starlings appeared and decided to nest in the swift nestboxes.

 

Kestrel seasons
Season 2024 (in Czech only).

 

Updated 20/04/2024 11:37

Our webcams

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  1. Part of the balcony near the door with the new nest – AXIS M1135 (1)
  2. New nest ¦ Perches above the new nest ¦ Swift nest boxes – AXIS M2014-E
  3. Perches above the new nest – AXIS M1125 (1)
  4. Perches above the old nest ¦ Swift nest boxes – AXIS M1125 (2)
  5. Part of the balcony with the perches above the old nest – AXIS M1135 Mk II i-CS
  6. Lower part of the balcony –  AXIS 216MFD
  7. Lower part of the balcony ¦ Upper part of the balcony – AXIS M1114
  8. Old nest – AXIS 207MW
  9. Upper part of the balcony – AXIS P1435-LE
  10. Swift nest boxes ¦ Lower part of the balcony ¦ Upper part of the balcony – AXIS P1214
  11. Swift nest boxes – AXIS M1014
  12. New kestrel nest – detail – AXIS P1265
  13. Basket in front of the new nest – general view of the balcony – AXIS P1224-E (1)
  14. Balcony railing – AXIS M1135 (2)
  15. New kestrel nest and basket – AXIS P1224-E (2)
  16. Balcony – test – AXIS P1264
  17. Perches above the old nest – AXIS P1245

Click the image or camera number at the top of this page to open the  page of the camera. You can enlarge live video by clicking on it.

Until 2023 it was possible to watch „our“ kestrels in full resolution from spring to autumn with AXIS live view (http://sy-sy.cz:1060) and select a video source to view from the drop-down Source list:

Basic preview of the main camera with news can still be found here. 

During the swifts breeding season camera 9, 2 or 4 may be focused on their nestboxes.

All cameras may not always be available. All year round there are only 12 exterior cameras (1—5, 7. 9—10 and 12—17) in operation. You may also encounter a limit on the number of users at the same time observing cameras.

We are also testing a live stream on our Falco tinnunculus brunensis  YouTube channel. See also YouTube live.

Updated: 20/04/2024 10:55