A year of birdwatching
At the end of each breeding season, I send details of bird species I have recorded here in Yorkshire to the British Trust for Ornithology and Natural England. The data helps to create a detailed picture of avian populations in the region and are vital for targeted conservation work. But for me, they are also a great opportunity to look back at the year and remember the individual avian lives I watched and helped along the way.
Watching swans hatch
Last year was exceptional. Not only did I watch 10 ‘royal’ swans cygnets hatch out, so called not only because all UK swans belong to the reign but also because these ones arrived at the time of the King’s coronation, but I also followed sparrowhawk and little owl chicks from the moment they hatched to their first flights.
Spotting two tawny owl chicks
The breeding season kicked off in March when the first tawny egg was laid in a nest box just near my garden in Thixendale. This was the first of four eggs belonging to tawny owls’ Luna and Bomber. Although only two chicks hatched from the clutch, they were particularly precious because in previous years this pair’s eggs had failed.Followers on my social media channel, where I share films of these owls’ lives, named the new tawny owl chicks Rocket and Nova and it was a joy to watch them grow from fluffy chicks to confident young owls. When Jean Thorpe of Ryedale Rehabilitation brought in two rescued tawny owl chicks, one after the other, I decided to see if Bomber & Luna would adopt them.
This pair had already proved excellent foster parents when in 2022 I introduced six orphaned tawny chicks to their nest and so I was confident they would accept these latest two alongside their own brood. And they did, without a moment’s hesitation. I named the foundling owls Solar and Pluto, keeping the stellar theme going for this family of tawnys, and it was amazing to watch all four of owlets eventually hop out of the nest to start their lives as adults. Although one chick did slip on its first landing and end up hanging upside down from a branch!!
Watching kestrel chicks grow
By April the breeding season was in full swing and at Ash Wood, a small woodland I helped restore and populate with nest boxes, kestrels Apollo and Athena had five eggs. This kestrel pair are now well-established and this year was their third breeding season together. Sadly, although all five eggs hatched, one failed to thrive. I attempted a rescue, but the chick was already too weak and died overnight. Thankfully Apollo and Athena are a stalwart pair and they continued to parent the remaining four chicks with an efficiency born of several years of practice. When all four made it to fledging day it was a real joy to watch them find their wings.
But possibly the most heartening story of the year was that of a second pair of kestrels nesting back at my garden in Fotherdale. Jeff and Jenny had four eggs and although one failed to hatch the three chicks were doted on by both parents. Jeff was a particular favourite of mine and I really enjoyed watching him become a father. He had almost died as a chick when his own mother suddenly disappeared in 2022. But with a little help from me and an amazing adaptation by his remaining parent, the single kestrel dad Mr Kes, he had pulled through.
Sadly one kestrel family must go it alone
But then in a tragic twist of fate that echoed his own first days, Jeff also disappeared. This left poor Jenny to raise their brood alone. I provided some food for Jenny when the kestrel chicks were very young to help her out. Soon, she took on the role of single kestrel mum with gusto; hunting, protecting and serving up regular meals to her three healthy chicks until they fledged the nest, as happy and confident young kestrels.
Seeing seven kingfisher chicks grow and fledge
In April I watched from a secret hide as, one by one, seven kingfisher chicks hatched. This was an incredible experience since kingfishers nest deep in dark underground tunnels where they are hard to film. But hidden cameras and an artificial nest meant I was able to follow the process, gaining insights into their secret lives.
I discovered that as the chicks grow, it is the male that is usually the most active parent and even got to watch the incredible moment he encouraged all seven chicks to fly. Later I learned that one of the chicks was caught by a sparrowhawk, but the same pair went on to have a second brood of six in June, so this kingfisher pair were doing very well.
Watching barn owls
My resident barn owl Gylfie and her new mate, Dryer, were also raising chicks in May. Named Thunder, Storm and Cloud, this trio of owlets were great fun to watch as they started flapping and hopping about the nest, curious about everything. Gylfie is an experienced mum, having raised six broods previously, but Dryer was relatively clueless. It was funny watching her show him the ropes. Over a number of weeks, he seemed reluctant to mate and so took on his role and actually mounted him, perhaps by way of encouragement.
Little owls and sparrowhawks complete the birdwatching year
But when the chicks eventually hatched, this first-time owl dad stepped up to his responsibilities and became a reliable hunter and provider for his family. June also saw the arrival of three tiny little owl chicks in a nest in a separate Yorkshire Wolds valley. I was able to watch the chicks hatch via remote cameras and record their first remarkable days.
And in July I watched four sparrowhawk chicks in their nest. Again, with the help of my remote cameras I was able to follow their progress from bedraggled-looking chicks into beautiful birds of prey.With the help of a licensed bird ringer, I ensured that much of this new avian life was recorded and BTO ID rings clipped onto their legs so that we can continue to follow their movements and record their remarkable lives.
And as I hand in these valuable records, I’m looking forward to the year ahead and wondering what new stories will unfold. Already I’ve noticed two pairs of tawny owls looking for a new nest – fingers-crossed they kick off the 2024 season with a clutch of shiny white eggs each!
