Kestrel Update

 

I again visited both Kestrel nest sites on June 11th, of the 2 it looks like the Quarry site is slightly ahead of the Beckton Works site, both have 4 juveniles apiece.

Prey on both sites has been mainly mice/voles and the occasional lizard, I hope to visit both sites again on Sunday, fledging is not that far away.

Having watched both sites extensively over the last few years, fledging at the Quarry sites seems to go smoothly, the Beckton Kessies, despite a larger exercise/wing strengthening area do ground more, as per last year. Luckily the staff at Beckton got to them before the Crows/Magpies did and a couple were placed up on the high roof.

                                                              Quarry site - more advanced

                                                                  Beckton - younger

                                                         Cached prey being retrieved

Staff are again looking out for them at Thames Water and hopefully it will go without a hitch, watch this space……

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.