Kestrels

I am lucky enough to be able to monitor 2 nesting Kestrels sites, one is in a nest box and the other is a natural hole in the side of a quarry.

The Beckton Sewage works pair, have been in the box for 4 years to date if my memory serves me correctly, they are resident all year round and roost in/near the box outside of the breeding season also.

They do not face any challenges to the nest site, other than from Feral Pigeons, a couple of times I have seen one of the Kestrels, turf them out after the Ferals showed too much interest.

Crows/Magpies are a problem, especially on fledging if juveniles ground, thankfully there are a lot of Thameswater staff keeping an eye out for them.

                                                                      Beckton female

                                                                      Male with prey

                                                            Female clashing with a Crow

                                          Female fluffing herself up to make herself look bigger

In contrast, the Quarry Kestrels have their hands full when it comes to approaching breeding; this is in the shape of Jackdaws.

The Beckton birds hold to the nest box all year round, in contrast the Quarry birds turn up when the breeding season starts, although I suspect they do roost there.

Jackdaws are feisty and can hold their own against the Kestrels, over the last 3 years I have seen some right scraps between them; a nest hole is worth fighting for.

I would turn up sometimes and find Jackdaws in the nest hole and then at other times Kestrels.

There are other Jackdaw pairs along the cliff face and bickering often occurs, if they get too close, especially from the male Kestrel.

                                                                    Defending the nest hole

                                                                 Jackdaw in nest hole

                                                                          Incubating

However on both sites they have again succeeded and have young with fledging not too far in the future, hopefully it will go smoothly.

 

Cooling Marshes

 

Myself and Paul finished the Marshes surveys last winter 2020/2021, so I hadn’t been over the site for a good whiles but I got the opportunity to revisit on Saturday morning.

Usually tied up with peregrine visits early a.m at weekends, when the most activity happens, it was great to undertake some birding on the North Kent Marshes again and at a site, where I know I’m likely to see some ‘good’ birds and so it proved.

I had a great morning, caught up with some goodies and also found a Wood Sandpiper, over a 5 hour period I also recorded 75 species.

On the Wader front, other than the Wood Sandpiper, there was also a flock of 42 Bar Tailed Godwits on the shoreline, 2 Knot were in with them as well and at least 11 Whimbrel were seen over the course of the morning including a flock of 7.

A kettle of 7 Common Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier thermalling reflected the warm weather and sunshine, also good to see 50 odd Swallows going through.

4 singing Corn Buntings, 15+ Yellow Wagtails, 2 Whinchat, Stonechat and 2 Wheatear were the pick of the small stuff and good to see a summer plumed Cattle Egret going over.

The most amusing sight was seeing 2 Stoats, seemingly one chasing the other, come round the corner towards me with both stopping dead in front of me, sizing me up as a threat or not. Not sure on Stoat behaviour but would presume it was a male chasing a female.

After both looking me over and approaching quite close, they veered off into the grass and went around me, great to see these spectacular little animals, exceptionally fast I had a job getting some shots of them but luckily a few came out.

A superb morning and great to be back.

Another Barn Owl box

I recently got another opportunity to make and place another Barnie box at a different site, it’s a fantastic area of habitat with lots of natural grassland that is not cut, great to see in these days of cutting everything within an inch of its life for neatness, it already abounds with Skylark and Meadow Pipit.

Every time visited, I have had Red Kite/multiple Common Buzzards overhead along with large numbers of House Sparrows and also Yellowhammer calling.

I have set a cam up on the box, which we installed on Tuesday, I know they are in the area so will be checking on Friday to take the struts off and also see if anything is on the cams and if one has found it.

It’s a bit late going in but given how long their breeding period is and also 2nd brooding, you never know.........

As ever, a big thanks to all those involved - Doc, Owen and Rob, also Russ and his colleague for getting me the ply to recycle into a Barnie box.

                                                                     P51 Mustang

                                                             Worn adult Common Buzzard