kestrel colour-ringing

A kestrel colour-ringing project was started last year to help understand survival and settling patterns of welsh fledged birds. Kestrels seem to be declining substantially and this information is vital to understanding the reasons why, before any effective conservation initiatives can be implemented. In Pembs most nests are either difficult or impossible to reach because they nest on cliffs, preferring a hole in a loose pile of shale as a nest site. about four pairs use nest boxes making life a little easier.

The first chicks of the season were ringed yesterday at St Justinian, from a nest that has been watched almost daily by local birders John and Marion Best. Although the abseil down is straightforward, the network of recesses within the nest hole makes it difficult to reach all the chicks, but three out of the brood of five were safely extracted, ringed and returned to the nest.

One of the 2012 brood

One of the 2011 brood seen and photographed by Janet Baxter at Ynyslas in April 2012