Diario de ikovalev

🗨️ This greeting is from a jackdaw that got into the camera frame while preening its feathers. Jackdaws are mostly monogamous, so if you see one, the other is somewhere nearby. If one takes off, the other follows. The hero of this photo is a member of a family that is nesting in a ventilation shaft, the same one where it was photographed. They bring twigs here and throw out various rubbish. Photos of this amusing family are still awaiting you, dear readers.

It turns out that not only the Homo sapiens of Brest are woken up at night by noisy motorcyclists. The Falco tinnunculus of Brest are also forced to open their eyes.

The photo was taken in the ventilation shaft of a multi-story building, where the “plucking place” is located. This is where the female usually eats the prey brought to her by the male. The female has just managed to eat a rodent, which the male brought her ten minutes earlier. While she was eating, the male was sitting in the nesting niche and cleaning his feathers.

The photo captures the moment when the male kestrel flies into the “plucking place” and mating is about to begin. The duration of one act of mating in these Common kestrels is about 10 seconds. After that, the male will fly away, make a few rounds, and sit down nearby. The female will remain in this niche and will clean her feathers.

Analyzing bird behavior is for professionals. I am not an ornithologist at all, but yesterday, on April 3rd, the female's behavior changed and she no longer spends hours on the edge of the niche, observing the surroundings.

She was in the depth of the niche all day - this suggests that eggs have appeared in the nest. Of course, it was raining yesterday. However, the day before yesterday the rain was even heavier. And it didn't stop her from being in her usual places - on the edge of the niche, at the highest point of the roof, or flying about her business.

Judging by the video broadcast from birdwatch.by - which is in the same city - there are already three eggs in the nest. And the first one appeared on March 30, 2024. On March 30th, our heroes had an active fight for the female by three male competitors - photos will appear someday.

In the meantime, a photo of the couple together - the female (left) and the male (right) in their nesting niche.

Best regards, Ivan

The incubation goes on. Typically, kestrel parents share the responsibility of caring for their young, and our family is no exception. The female spends most of her time in the nest, but when she flies out to stretch her wings, the male is also willing to take over the incubation duties. However, his main concern is searching for and bringing food. Sometimes, neighboring males might approach the nest, which causes our male to become anxious and defensive. The photo captures a moment right after lunch. The female is deep inside the nest sitting on the eggs - she's not visible from this angle. The male is perched on the edge of the wall, near the exit. Look how handsome he is! He's perfectly posing as the dad, the protector of the nest, and the provider.

We have an intruder alert!

The male kestrel flies (or runs, if you prefer) out of the nest because a few jackdaws landed thoughtlessly just five meters away. Not only did they land, but they also started an unplanned squawk that echoed throughout the area. With the female nearby, it's time to demonstrate vigilance, strength, and quick response!