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.
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.
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!
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.
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?
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.
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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
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.
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.
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
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.
