Kestrel Chicks All Alone After Mum Disappears | Mr & Mrs Kes | Robert E Fuller
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Published 2022-09-08
Watch Mr Kes live on my nest cam: • Live From Fotherdale | Robert E Fuller and follow the story of Mr & Mrs Kes in this playlist: • Kestrels 🦅 Mr & Mrs Kes | Wild Lives ... …
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ABOUT THIS FILM
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Female kestrel protecting six chicks
Mrs Kes's six chicks are just a couple of days old and she has her work cut out. Already she has had to fight off barn owls, jackdaws, tawny owls, and even a red kite, to keep them safe.
Feeding the chicks
Meanwhile she must feed her chicks. Kestrel chicks cannot manage big pieces of food so she tears them into small morsels and feeds each chick in turn.
The male provides
While the female kestrel feeds the chicks, the male’s main role is to provide for the family.
But Mrs Kes isn't well
But over the next few days, Mrs Kes doesn’t seem herself. She’s an experienced mother, but now, she’s restless. She is leaving the nest more often than she should and is struggling to sleep.
Night threat
As night falls, Mrs Kes is particularly jumpy. She can hear the tawny owls outside. When one tries to enter the nest, Mrs Kes leaps to defend her chicks.
Unsteady flight
Kestrels can't see in the dark, so after heading out to investigate a sound in the night, Mrs Kes falls on her return. And when the tawny owl living next door, Luna, flies too close to the kestrel nest, she loses her footing again. She clearly isn't as strong or nimble as usual.
Mrs Kes disappears
Ten minutes later, just after midnight, this female kestrel heads out of the nest.
Leaving chicks alone
By morning, Mrs Kes hasn’t returned and the chicks are calling desperately. Mr Kes returns with food and drops a vole on to the nest floor, but has no idea how to feed them. If they don’t eat soon, they’ll die. One of the chicks tries to eat the prey he returns with, but it doesn't know how to break up the food.
Time to intervene
The chicks have been alone for 10 hours and are getting cold. I climb the ladder and carefully open up the nest. It is full of mice, which normally the mother would’ve fed them by now.
Health check
Some of the chicks are really struggling now. Three are too weak to go back into the nest and I place a heat mat in the nest to keep the other three warm. It’s really important, if the female does return, there are chicks in here, otherwise she might abandon this nest.
Hand feeding the chicks
The chicks I brought in are doing well. They've warmed up and are eating hungrily.
Mr Kes tries to brood
When Mr Kes returns he tries to brood the chicks.This is very unusual for a male kestrel.
Next time...
In the next film… watch how Mr Kes steps up to the challenge.
ABOUT ME
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I am a British wildlife artist and filmmaker on a mission to share my love for wildlife with the world. As well as creating detailed animal film and art portraits, I promote wildlife tours around the world and do all I can to help conserve and protect wildlife here at my home in Yorkshire. I hope that by putting nature in the frame I can foster a deep love for wildlife amongst my followers.
You may like to purchase my artwork which you can find on my website: www.robertefuller.com/. Many of my paintings are portraits of the wonderful characters you watch here!
You can also follow me on these platforms:
Website: www.robertefuller.com/
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CHAPTERS
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00:00 Female Kestrel has Six Chicks
00:19 She Must Defend her Nest
00:46 And Feed the Chicks
01:00 Meanwhile the Kestrel Male Provides Food
01:24 Mrs Kes Isn't Herself
02:44 Night Threat
03:52 Mrs Kes Almost Falls
04:53 Mrs Kes Leaves
05:05 Kestrel Chicks Alone
05:38 Male Delivers Food
06:10 One Chick Tries To Eat
06:27 Time to Intervene
07:00 Hand Feeding Kestrel Chicks
07:15 Taking Kestrel Chicks Out of Nest
07:50 Kestrel Chick Health Check
09:23 Hand Feeding Kestrel Chicks
10:12 Mr Kes Returns
10:27 Kestrel Male Tries to Brood
11:00 Next Time: Mr Kes Steps Up To Challenge
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© Robert E Fuller
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#robertefuller #kestrel #falcon #birdsofprey
All Comments (21)
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I hope you've enjoyed the video! Watch more Mr & Mrs Kes films: bit.ly/43x2rxL See them 24/7 on my livestream: bit.ly/44ScRZT Support my work with wildlife: www.robertefuller.com/support_and_donate/ Shop my kestrel artwork: www.robertefuller.com/product-tag/birds-of-prey/ Follow me: Facebook - bit.ly/43LiisV | Twitter - bit.ly/43yuiO9 | Instagram- bit.ly/3XV7rLA | TikTok - bit.ly/3XUnEAJ
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Mr. Kes is just the best Dad. What he did for his brood, learning how to feed and care for them is nothing short of amazing.
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We miss you Mrs. Kes!!! Don’t worry, Mr. Kes took care of all the kids. Now they’re all grown up ❤️
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Hate that this happened but love that Mr. Kes was able, with your assistance, to raise the chicks. Happy ending❣️
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So heartbreaking to see Mrs. Kes in a distressed state and uncharacteristically disoriented; like something was attacking her from the inside out. Hallmarks of a festering infection taking hold. I don't think she had the strength to fly back to the nest after her final attempt at relief, probably to get water. She was an absolutely fantastic, devoted mum. Thank you REF for helping her legacy live on, both in video and with her babies. ❤
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I’m so glad you intervene when necessary. Breaks my heart for this family but it’s amazing how Mr. Kess changes his behavior and adapts to his new role to keep his chicks alive.
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i almost got teary eyed watching the last moments we get to see mrs. Kes. It is unfortunate and sad that she has not returned again to see her brood survive to adulthood. I guess several factors had come to play that caused for her to disappear, such as trauma or injuries. But she has proven that she is a formidable little falcon at the very end.
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Seriously, you could make an award winning animated children's film out of Mr. Kestrel's ordeal as a single father
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Poor Mrs Kes. She did such a valiant job protecting her chicks. Sad that she wasn't able to continue. However, we get a fantastic view at how the papa bird steps in and finished the job of rearing the keslets. Yay Mr Kes! Thanks to some help from you, Mr. Fuller.
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So proud Mr. Kes stepped up and learned how to care for them with your assistance.
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💜 Mrs Kes behaved as if badly internally injured ... there are birds that leave their nest after severe injury and wait out their last days (or minutes) elsewhere ..... very sad ......... 💜 .... i will always remember the bravery and beauty of Mrs Kes ..
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My heart breaks for poor Mrs Kes , such worries she had with all threats she had to deal with before she disappeared. She was such a lovin mum caring for her chicks ! Bless you @Robert E Fuller and Mr Kes too for saving these precious chicks ! 🥰🤗
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Wherever you fly, the best to you Mrs Kes, you were a good mother as long as you could. Mr Kes and Robert made sure your kesslets made it.
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A father is trying so hard to keep his childs alive
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I live quite close to Robert Fuller's gallery in Thixendale. He's an amazing artist as well as a phenomenal advocate for wildlife in his area. Every time I visit his gallery, I leave with a lot less money than when I arrived. But driving round the area around the gallery, what strikes you is the sheer wealth of wildlife: one night I saw 4 different Barn Owls within 3 miles of his home and that is almost certainly due to his custodianship. The man deserves an award for his work.
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Dad of the year
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Dad MR KES *stepped up and made VIDEO History!! 😁👍👍💯🎉🎉 ALL of their Chicks SURVIVED & Fledged!! * with a bit of help from REF!💖
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This guy is a national treasure.
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This is the point (late March to early April 2022 when Mrs Kes disappeared and three chicks were taken in to be hand fed) that I started watching update clips regularly.
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I am not usually a bird person, but my heart almost dropped and broke when you had to step in. I was so worried for them. Theyre so small and precious. I am so happy you saved them.
