majo d
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Good evening.
This is most probably my very last post to this thread. It's because no kestrel was here in last two days and there's nothing what else I may do for them (I wish so much there would be...).
Today, we've cleaned whole balcony, removed the pots, etc... I was afraid of that, but it was my father's decision, so... 
Well I think, that it needs some big closure, some kind of epilogue. So I will start with telling my story:
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I remember days in beginning, whey they started to come here, suddenly street was full of kestrels, each pair found its place for nesting and our balcony was one of them. At first, we (my family) were bit surprised, that kesterl mother was not afraid to nest on balcony...actually, she was.
Everytime I just looked at her, she flew away...but day after day, she got used to us. Especially me, because my parents weren't happy to have bird nesting on balcony(well, in that time we didn't know that our balcony will be the nest), but I was very happy, it was so exciting, very interesting - it was REAL BIRD OF PREY HALF A METER FROM ME! In first week I took so many photos. Again and again, because in that time, as I mentioned - I didn't know, it will be nest. And hey!! then other kestrel came, but it was bit different - the male. It was just awesome. It's not like have pigeon nesting there...I hate pigeons, it's dirty, ugly. It was wonderful...and after few days, very suspicious, that they are all day there.
And then - who would expect it - the EGGS. I was really shocked and much more because there were eggs and no bird...eggs were alone around 3 days. After then, probably female realized, that she's the mother, so she started to sit on them. She was in the pot all the day, all the night and day after that and day after that day and few days without leaving the nest. I was so sad, I bet she was starving and she couldn't leave the nest. It was strange, because I quickly spotted other nests on our street and saw birds switching on sitting on eggs. Everyday they switched - male with female. But our female was alone all the time. Of course, she flew away when I tried to come to balcony, because she was very afraid, but it wasn't right. She was angry on me, scretchd on me, so only way I could help her was giving some food to her.
At first I left on balcony piece of meat and when she came, she tried to eat it, but it fell her, down to street. I will never forget her face  She looked bit surprised that it happened, so I gave her food again. After few weeks, she wasn't so afraid of me, I could walk on balcony without scaring her. And male didn't show up...
After a month, I knew, that it's the time: for chicks. First chick had delay 4 days, after 30 days and without any chick, I was afraid,that there will not be any. But once, when I looked on balcony and female wasn't there, I checked the eggs...and noticed, that one egg is bit opened and I HEARD LITTLE CHICK INSIDE !! I was SOO excited and very very very happy, it was like you know you will get the job you always wanted. So I waited one day, went to school and after I came back, looked at balcony and WOW!!! REAL KESTREL CHICK!!! It was awesome, wonderful, exciting, very little, white, blind, tired and sleeping
I enjoyd it a lot, then I saw first feeding - excellent. Really wonderful experience. And still I was waiting for other eggs...3 days after - second chick has born. Woow, it was awesome, wonderful, exciting, very little, white, blind, tired and sleeping .
So I had two hungry awesome, wonderful, very little, white, not anymore blind, tired, very HUNGRY chicks. I was very interested, what will be about other two eggs...but after two weeks, they didn't hatch, so I pick them out of the nest.
Chicks were groving really very quickly, I was very happy but upset about their father, which didn't care of them! So there were only me and the mother. I helped them a lot, but - what's the most important: I helped the chicks. I'm almost sure, that without me, mother couldn't handle it by herself alone and chicks would die, I couldn't accept that, at least because they were adorable, so I started to giving her much more food so she could feed the chicks. She was #1 of all kestrel mothers, I bet! She was with her babies all the time, all day, all night, hot, cold, raining - she was there and they knew, that they can hide under her wing everytime they wanted to.
And what about me; I was afraid to be a "kestrel father", because I didn't know how to do it. It's like someone gives you little baby to your arms and says "take care of it, it's yours and it counts on you, so don't mess it up!". It was difficult at the beginning, you know, I came to balcony, there was #1 of kestrel mothers, two little chicks and they were screaming "WE'RE HUNGRY", especially younger one. And then they look at you with their big black eyes, beep twice and you want to kiss them, feed them and put them to bed. It was very big responsibility. It's not like you're responsible for a car, or camera or expensive lens, I was responsible for lifes.
So I needed help, I asked many people including FMers, Zoos, protectors, falconers, everyone who might be helpful. And they were - a lot. Without them, I'm not sure how would I handle it.
So chicks were growing up really really really fast, suddenly first feathers, it was magical. One could stay there and feel, how fast they were growing up. Once I left home for 3 days and when I came back - OMG! Those little white, tired, hungry, blind chicks became teenagers! I couldn't believe it, they finally fledget! We had a great time together, we playd a lot, of course, I fed them, I was with them almost all day and watching them. I tought older chick to sit on my hand, after while, it could not only jump, but fly! It started to fly all over the balcony, I was very glad for it.
One day, when I woke up, looked at balcony - yonger chick was alone. I was shocked, there was no sign from older chick, that it will leave. It didn't even leave a message!
I was staying there around half an hour, confused, chick was staring at me, I couldn't move. I was looking everywhere, hoping I will found it, but...I couldn't.
So this is it, now I know how parents have to feel, when their children leave a home. I couldn't do anything, so I had to wake up, because there left younger chick. It had very different character. It was very afraid, loud, etc...It didn't want to play with me a lot. I just fed him, it took meat, ate and that was it. Then it started to fly too! I watched it all the time, it was great. Than the accident, while I was trying to help it...it flew away.
I was staring on flying chick, I was very scared "what if it falls !!!!", but it made it across the street and sat on the roof.
So I realized: no chicks. Balcony was abandoned, yes, mother stopped by twice, but after then not anymore. Chicks hadn't too... Only thing I have now is hope. I hope, they are fine, they found each other and they are happy.
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It was wonderful experience in my life and I will never forget that. Wildlife in touch, amazing. Also I will never forget happy chicks after their first flight from pot to pot. And courious chicks, after they left the nest-pot for the first time and started to walk around the balcony.
I will never forget, that I helped to survive those little birds. I will never forget, that I tried to be a father and also to be a daddy.
At the end, very important thing: I want to thank to everyone, who helped me, gave me advices and was interested in my story. Without other, I would never make it by myself. Thank you again very much for support of all of you. I felt much better, when I saw some comments, PM or e-mail about it - I knew, that someone is interested in my story and that was great.
Once one FM-er told me: "Person's character is in how they treat animals and babies."
I want to tell all of you and mainly our lost kestrel male: "Everyone can be a father. But it's something very different to be a daddy."
I tried it by myself and I'm proud, that I made it - even when I'm very young...well, not so young, but younger than most of FMers
the most amazing kestrel family
I wish those kestrels good luck. The BEST ONE! Again, thank you all for your support, comments and that you read my story.
Edited by majo d on Jul 02, 2008 at 09:53 PM GMT
Edited on Jul 02, 2008 at 03:53 PM
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