When I spotted Jenny the kestrel with a new male I was excited to find out his identity. The truth is a little more complicated than I expected.
Jenny the kestrel
Jenny's first partner, Jeff, sadly died and so when I spotted her with a new male this spring I was full of hope. But when I scrutinised the footage from the live cameras, I discovered a whole new angle to the story. Kestrels have unique markings that can distinguish one bird from another and this male kestrel had a dark spot on his central tail feather - similar to the markings on the tail feathers of Apollo, the male kestrel at Ash Wood. I found a freeze frame taken from video of Apollo at Ash Wood and held it up next to images of the kestrel spotted with Jenny. The evidence was unmistakable: Jenny's new mate is Apollo.
Apollo & Athena
Apollo is already paired up with a female, Athena, with whom he has raised three broods at Ash Wood. He's also been spotted courting her again this year in preparation for the breeding season. And yet here he is apparently flying over to Fotherdale to also court Jenny, a single female kestrel. Of course he could just be prospecting new nest sites here, but I have known a male kestrel with two females in one season so it is possible. Apollo and Athena's relations are famously strained and for years my cameras have captured the tension as Athena regularly berates Apollo and frequently traps him in the nest. But these are kestrels and I doubt their behaviour is quite as clear cut. Still it’s going to be interesting to see what happens with Jenny & Apollo and if there are chicks, will Apollo be able to feed two broods?
