 Chicks have hatched in a Weymouth kestrel nest that is being watched live across the country. The birds, named Kate and Chris after the BBC Springwatch presenters Kate Humble and Chris Packham, now have 5 fluffy white chicks.
Kestrels are falcons, relatively small but fast birds of prey, which can often be seen hovering as they hunt. The nest is in a home-made box in a tree near the Wildlife Centre at Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, near Weymouth. Kestrels have been nesting at the reserve for at least seven years. They first built a nest in a pine tree but moved straight into the nest box as soon as it was put up on a poplar. They seemed unbothered and continued nest when their box was moved last year to its present site after the poplar became unsafe. They normally lay between 4 and 6 eggs, which take around 30 days to incubate. The first egg was laid this year on 10th May.
On being told about the birds, Chris Packham said: 'What an honour ! Kestrels were my first birding love and are long term favourites. He is so much better looking than me, what a dapper chap . . . and she's not bad either!'
Nicky Hoar, Communications Officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: "We know from the comments on the website that people are watching all the time, not just in Dorset but as far away as South Africa! It's addictive, especially now that we can see the chicks. There will be lots of drama over the next weeks as the chicks fight it out for survival."
Click here to watch the kestrels live.
For more information about Lorton Meadows, ring the Wildlife Centre on 01305 816546.
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