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An Artist's Research: After not being totally sure whether or not the kestrel pair were going to finally take up Sycamore Stump or not. I am so excited to report that the first two eggs have now been laid on camera! Watch the video of the female as she lays two eggs. It is fascinating to see how she pushes the egg out, flicking her tail up and down and pumping her wings for assistance! Kestrels usually lay an egg every two days. A typical clutch is between 3-7 reddish brown speckled eggs, So it will be interesting to see how many she goes on to lay this year. It was sweet to watch how the male rushed into the nest to see the eggs, before sitting down on them as if practicing incubating. Although, unlike the barn owl and tawny owl, kestrels don't start to fully incubate the eggs until the full clutch is laid. It is largely reported that it is only the female that incubates the eggs, but last year I found that although the female incubates for most of the time, the male does come in and incubate for up to 3 hours a day, seemingly to give the female a chance to stretch her wings, hunt and take a break. So I will look forward to see if this happens again this year.

The difference between when the adult female returned to find a new kestrel in the nest to when the male returns is stark. Look how calm the new kestrel chick this time. Instead of snatching the food from the adult male, it quietly accepts morsels. Is this a result of the calming influence of this elder, statesman dad? Or perhaps the new kestrel is a little more relaxed - and a little less hungry! If you aren't already following the story, this kestrel was found abandoned and I have introduced it to the nest in the hope that these wild birds will raise it.

I recently built a hide right next to a favourite perching post in my garden and I've been getting some stunning footage of kestrels just with my iPhone! It's been so exciting to see what I can get with an iPhone, with the kestrels so close by.

Howard the rescue owl appears to have inadvertently started a war. It is barely a month since this barn owl chick was successfully released into my garden and already he's learning some hard lessons.

An Artist's Research: It has been a busy week for the Kestrels. At the start of the week there were just two eggs in the nest. Since then the female has laid two more. She is now sitting on clutch of 5. The eggs have been laid 2 days apart, although sometimes it is tricky to see when the next one is laid as they are brooding the eggs most of the time. It's only when the lift off to have a stretch that you get a brief glimpse. It is often reported that only the female kestrel broods they eggs, but I haven't found this to be the case with my pair. The male and female swap incubating duties frequently, allowing their partners to go off to stretch their wings multiple times a day. The kestrels seem very focused when swapping brooding duty. They are very matter of fact and barely give each other a second glance. This is very different from my barn owl nest camera and my tawny owl nest camera - the owls seem much more loved up and are often preening each other and mating.

Windy weather creates perfect conditions for filming kestrels. I took the opportunity on a very blustery day to film a kestrel coming in to land on my #GoProHERO7!

The bond between the kestrels living in my garden is still very strong. Look at how tenderly the male is feeding the female in this clip. You can tell which is which. the male has a grey head and tail, whereas the female is mottled with black specks.

The kestrel mum has just one chick left to feed now. Watch as she flies into the box, pushing past her chick and then has to call the chick in for its dinner -see it call over its shoulder then the chick hops in to be fed.

This clip is taken from the first two hours after a foundling kestrel chick is introduced to a wild kestrel nest. The two resident chicks are still a little shocked at the new arrival, but they begin to settle down whilst the newcomer continues to look very alarmed for at least half an hour. The eldest of the two resident chicks is the first to calm down and just to show how relaxed he is about having this new boy in the nest he goes up to stand right next to it and tries to stretch out on one leg - it goes a little wrong however because this kestrel falls over and accidently steps on the newcomer's tail!

An Artist's Research: Watch this amazing footage of a pair of kestrels as they take turns to incubate their clutch of five eggs. My nest cams filmed this pair over the course of a morning. The pair only actually swap roles twice during this time, but the female often gets up off the eggs and pops out to the entrance of the nest box to preen. In fact she is a very fidgety bird. Notice how she is constantly shifting about on the eggs and frequently distracted by shadows and insects in the box as she sits. In contrast the male sits very still as he incubates. He is an older male, perhaps a little calmer in temperament!

Watch as the kestrel in my nest box lays her second egg of the season! See how her back rises and falls heavily shortly beforehand, then watch her casually stand up to reveal a second egg!

Watch this kestrel as she lays her first egg of the year! She huffs and puffs and then stands up to reveal the egg!

This lovely sequence of a male kestrel will win your heart! The kestrel flies down to perch on a post I put out to feed him from. There is nothing on the post, but he struts and poses for me beautifully! You can see all the beautiful colours in his feathers as they flutter in the wind.His sharp talons clearly visible, a perfect weopan in his armoury for dealing with his prey!

There are two kestrel couples here, each sitting on eggs. But the differences in the way they share care of their eggs is stark.

There are two kestrel pairs here sitting on clutches of six eggs each. Watch them take turns and shuffle down to business.

All six of kestrels Mr & Mrs Kes' chicks hatched out in less than three days - four of them cracking out of their shells on the first day! Watch them get their first ever meals.

Athena the kestrel's first two chicks hatch within four hours of each other and her mate Apollo can't resist venturing into the nest to see his new babies. To support my channel and the wildlife rehabilitation and conservation work I do, please donate here:

The last of single kestrel dad Mr Kes' chicks has now fledged, following a final nutritious boost from me.

When kestrel dad, Mr Kes, calls for a new mate, his youngsters come instead! Part of kestrel courtship involves the male calling to show a prospective partner a new 'home'. But when he calls his youngsters come running and are scuppering his chances!

Mr Kes, the kestrel who tragically lost his partner this year, has a new mate and the two are busy nest-hunting. To support my channel and the wildlife rehabilitation and conservation work I do, please donate here: