28 May 2019
The kestrel eggs have hatched!
Last month we were happy to report that the kestrels had returned to campus to breed and they had laid five eggs.
Over the bank holiday weekend, four of these eggs hatched.
The chicks have been keeping their parents busy as the male flies back and forth to the nest with food. Their diet will mainly consist of voles although they have been seen bringing in small birds too.
The mother will still be brooding for two weeks as the chicks are not able to control their own body heat at this age. As they mature the mother will start to hunt but will remain close by.
In a month’s time, the chicks will be ready to fledge and their parents will spend another four weeks teaching them to hunt for their own food.
There is still one egg left to hatch but Gardens Manager, Kaz Setchell, has said that the last may not survive.
To keep an eye on our fluffy little friends, watch the live stream on the Sustainability team’s YouTube channel.