Had a Kestral for a year, when I was a kid, they were logging for a new home next door and they cut down a tree with a nest in it. Great set of photos, when I had the bird I never wore glove while handling her, she just never dug in whith her talons. One amazing occurance was when I took her to a friends house, he also had a kestral, we gave his male a chicken heart, he picked it up with one talon and hopped over to where my female was and dropped it in front of her, true love. The next summer I was trying to train her to fly off and come back, one day she never did.

Tom

tomm101 wrote:
Had a Kestral for a year, when I was a kid, they were logging for a new home next door and they cut down a tree with a nest in it. Great set of photos, when I had the bird I never wore glove while handling her, she just never dug in whith her talons. One amazing occurance was when I took her to a friends house, he also had a kestral, we gave his male a chicken heart, he picked it up with one talon and hopped over to where my female was and dropped it in front of her, true love. The next summer I was trying to train her to fly off and come back, one day she never did.

Tom

That's one of the most bittersweet things I've read in a long time. Its wonderful that she lived free, but its always sad to have to say good-bye to a pet.

I always wanted any type of bird of prey growing up, but, unfortunately (and fortunately I suppose), it isn't like taking a walk to the store to buy a loaf of bread. At least not in California with all the regulations and restrictions and whatnot ...

tomm101
it's a nice story thank's for sharing. Maybe next time you will be more succesfull with training.

I'm going to a trip for next 3 days, I'll come back on Saturday, so here are last photos before I travell. Mother comes back, she's around more often then before, she was standing on my hand again, but sometimes she's more scared. I'm glad she's around the nest, today chicks ate some mouse, it's good because now they need to eat whole prey. Because of their developing digestion, now they will eat whole preys including hair, bones,...
I think I'm going to change food I feed them with. Perhaps I'll buy som mice (I hope they're cheap and I will give it to mother so she will kill it, or I will kill it and give it to chicks.

32 - older chick, now it looks pretty fat, doesn't it? And I think, that it's female because of colour and pattern of feathers


33 - younger chick was hiding behind the older one so I wasn't able to make a better photo...also it is probably female too...so theyre two sisters

Hello again,

after few days I'm back from my trip (photos here http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/659357 ).

So chicks are great, helthy and tired from those extremely high temperatures, they just walk around on balcony and searching for shade. While I wasn't at home, they pretty growed up, now they look almost like adult kestrel.

34 - here are their current status


and "thanks" for "keeping" my thread alive

Fabulous series! Watching for the next installment.

Amazing how much they've grown in a few days. Thanks for the update. I was worried something might happen while you were gone.

Now I understand why this thread is still on the first page. What a heart ache to deal with. I applaud you Majo for all your work on this. You are having a very special experience here. One you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

I hope the chicks are doing OK still. You've been fighting for their lives as well as for their mother's - - -

Congratulations on this amazing experience. I watched your video & will share it with my husband & daughter in the morning.

Amazing - - I'm sure this female kestrel will remain near you for a long time to come.

What an amazing experience.

Lil

Oh thanks, I still think that everyone would do this. Noone would want those little chicks to die.
I take care of them as much as I can, but last week, it seems that they don't want my help, even they are starving. Mother is still not capable to give them as much food as they need, and even when she brings them some prey, older chick eats it all and younger is hungry. And when I want to feed them, they are very scared, they are running from me, screetching and I don't know how to feed them, because I don't want just put the meat somewhere on balcony, so I have to wait a long time until they calm down.

35 - So today some surprise again - photo of chicks from other nest:


Aren't they cute? They realize, that they are small and they can't defend theirselfs, so every time I go to look at them, they come together and at first they are curious and watch me, but when I want to go closer, they start to screetch and call for their mom. I'm not taking care of those chicks, they have both parents and definitely enough food.

Majo,
Where the heck is this other nest? When you mentioned other nests, I thought you meant visible but not accessible. You must be the Kestrel Man of Slovakia! Thanks again for these great photos.

Are there 4 or 5 chicks in this photo? It looks like there's one behind the chick on the left.

Lee

Oh my God that is spectacular. Superb shots to start with but now knowing they let you get so close it's amazing. Kestrels are truly amazing birds and certainly one of the most beautiful and majestic we have in England. but none of them are that tame. Incredible. I envy you a great deal!

What a great expereince this must be for you! Thanks agin for sharing.

J

It's upsetting to hear the littlest one is having a hard time. I hope it makes it....

Lil

Hello.

I woke up today at 8:00, because it's very hot today so I couldn't sleep. I went to look chicks at first, wheter they're ok.

I came to balcony, saw younger chick.... and that's all. I searched whole balcony, under the cabinat, inside pots, everywhere...
older chick is gone. I hope it's okay and flying over some nice place.

Now I will take care of younger chick.
Thank you for support.

Interesting. be sure to show us some shots of the little guy progressing.

Majo,

I will be thinking of you & the chick. I've been having a hard time myself. I have three generations of squirrels I care for. Last year I started befriending a little female I started calling "Little One". Much time & care invested in her. This year she's become a mother for the first time & now takes a peanut from my hand. Two weeks ago we had well over 45 degrees C & suddenly I could not find her nor would she come when I called her & told her "peanuts". Two weeks and no sighting of her - - I was most upset. Today I finally saw her again. She's again pregnant & I guess is having her second set of pups for the year. I was so relieved.

I hope you'll see the older chick. How's the mother doing? Is she still coming to the younger chick?

Good luck & keep us updated.

Lil

Ah boy, truly a wonderful story. Thank you for keeping us posted and sharing your experiences as everything unfolds.

Wow oh Wow. I know that sounds corny but Wow oh Wow. Great series and photos. Looking forward to more.

Hello,

thank you for your comments, I appreciate it also I'm glad you like the photos.

LeeOts
I mentioned before, other nest is also situated in block where I live in column of balconies, which are accessable from emergency stairway inside of block. Sometimes I check them wheter they're ok too.

-
Well it's time for some update. At first: yesterday was younger chick's flight day! It was flying all over my balcony, unfortunately hit the railing and fell down, but it flied back to pot. Clever but chick looks bit frustrated, always watching other kestrels flying around. Chick's often waving with wings, flying around balcony and still it's very hungry . And it's very nervous, older chick was fine, we playd a lot, trained flying (I took it furhter from nest so it could fly back) and keeping balance on my hand But younger chick is always nervous and very very scared of me, it's always running to corner and when I give it something to eat, it takes it and run to the corner, where it eats. So I think, in next 3 days younger chick will leave the nest...
Since older chick is gone, I have not seen it yet. I hope it's okay.
Mother is often here on balcony, close to younger chick. Yesterday gave him prey 4 times, good catch.

Now some new photos:
36 - chick


37 - watching other flying kestrels


38 - exercising


39 - dinner


Thank you again for watching and comments.

edit: oh and I forgot,
40 - last photo of older chick I took

Majo,

you're doing such a wonderful job & you've been so caring for these kestrels. They may have been nervous - - but I bet you they know you've kept them alive & I'm sure you will have them visit you over & over again. They know where they have been safe.

They are now beautiful kestrels & I'm sure they'll come & go to visit you for a long long time.

Lil

As always, an outstanding series and great commentary. I love the look in their eyes. Your photos always bring a smile to my face. It makes me recognize that photography is so much more than just aperture, shutter speed, ISO and L lenses. You and the kestrels have touched many people.

Lee

Well, hello again.

Second chick flew away. It was "accident", my mom called me, that chick is stuck on laundry line. I came there, and I saw...


so I went to get my glove, came back to balcony, then chick started to:


and as I was trying to get it down, suddenly....it flew away....sat on roof of other block, walked around and stayed there. Now it's not there, it's not here, it's 20:14, soon it will be dark outside so I hope, it will survive its first night alone well and find its mother soon. Maybe it will be back soon

beautiful story and pictures. I am loving this!

Majo,

if it didn't find it's mother I'm sure mom found it.

Let us know....

Lil

This has been a wonderful experience albeit lived vicariously. I certainly hope the chick makes it safely through the night but, regardless of the outcome, you have done everything possible to help these kestrels. I applaud your compassion and humanity.

Lee

What an amazing series of photos and story - thanks for sharing, majo, and for caring for these birds.