One by one Apollo & Athena's kestrels fledge the nest, but they don't stray far from Athena's watchful eye.
Cautious first flights
Kestrels Apollo & Athena's four chicks fledged at just over a month old. But the youngest was a little cautious and spend two days flapping its wings in preparation for final lift off.
In the first few days these fledglings don't venture far, staying in the branches nearby so their parents can feed them and returning most evenings to spend the night huddled together. Nights back in Ash Hollow mean mum Athena can keep a watchful eye over the brood.
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Shocked to find a fledgeling kestrel drowned in a cattle drinking trough, quite close to the Barn Owl box they have used this year. This raises the question of hawks drinking water and that they need shallow provision – not deeper tanks. There are water sources on the farm, including ponds, but freshly fledged birds will not know of them. We now put out shallow trays (upturned dustbin lids) of water for the birds, and cannot rely on natural provision for freshly fledged hawks. Water troughs will now have a plank of wood floated in them for birds to land on and access safely the water.