When kestrel Jeff disappears, leaving his accomplice Jenny to look after the chicks alone, if appears like historical past is repeating itself.
Jeff the kestrel
Jeff is a kestrel I helped increase after his mom sadly disappeared. I used to be so delighted when he made it by means of to maturity and started to boost a household of his personal, however then destiny took a flip and it felt like historical past was repeating itself.
Kestrel mother and father Jeff & Jenny
Jeff and Jenny are first time mother and father and completely devoted. It’s male kestrel Jeff’s job to usher in meals for the chicks, whereas feminine Jenny truly feeds them, tearing the meals into bitesize items and sharing it out equally. She can be liable for brooding the chicks, since they received’t have the ability to regulate their very own temperature till they’re no less than per week outdated.
Risk from above
While Jeff is out amassing meals for his household, a pink kite swoops down. These birds of prey are a lot bigger than kestrels and pose a critical menace. However Jeff places up a courageous battle and a fierce aerial fight ensues. Fortunately Jeff seems unscathed.
Like father, like son
At 5 days outdated, the chicks are sufficiently old to be left alone for brief intervals and Jenny takes the occasional break. While she is out, Jeff does one thing extraordinary – he feeds the chicks! Feeding chicks isn’t normally a male’s job and I’ve solely seen one male kestrel do that earlier than, Jeff’s personal dad, Mr Kes. Nonetheless Jeff is inconsistent and generally has no concept what measurement of meals they will handle!
Jeff disappears
Sooner or later, when the chicks are 11 days outdated, Jeff doesn’t return to the nest and Jenny appears unsettled. I examine the cameras to see if I can spot him, however there’s no signal and I start to suspect the pink kite that attacked him the week earlier than. Purple kites will kill kestrels to eradicate competitors for meals.
Unhappy loss
Having adopted this kestrel’s story since he hatched final yr, I really feel his loss keenly. Jeff is a favorite of mine, since I helped increase him after his mom sadly disappeared.
Serving to Jenny
However now Jenny wants my assist. She will’t enterprise too removed from the nest to hunt herself… however she is aware of to get meals from the feeding publish and so I depart further mice for her, to duplicate these birds weight loss plan of untamed prey.