Oudenaarde, Belgium Peregrines

[AlisonL]

There is a new webcam this year in Oudenaarde, Belgium.

The nest box, with attached lawn, is located on a church.

Early this morning, when I checked the site, hatching had begun.







http://www.natuurpuntvlaamseardennenplus.be/p_slechtvalk.html

[Donna]

Oh gee, who will mow the lawn???  Very nice set up, thanks Alison!!

[Shaky]

Oh gee, who will mow the lawn???  Very nice set up, thanks Alison!!

I'm sure she'll make him mow it.

[Donna]

Oh gee, who will mow the lawn???  Very nice set up, thanks Alison!!

I'm sure she'll make him mow it.   

I mow the grass here, I love it!!

[AlisonL]

Oh gee, who will mow the lawn???  Very nice set up, thanks Alison!!

I'm sure she'll make him mow it.   

I mow the grass here, I love it!!

I like mowing the lawn, too!

[AlisonL]

The parents seem to work very well together to care for the chicks.

[AlisonL]

The first egg for the Oudenaarde pair arrived during the night:

[Carol P.]

 

[MAK]

Doesn't look like much of a scrape. 

[Donna]

To each his own, I guess! Hope the grass grows this year on the outside tray!!

[AlisonL]

Doesn't look like much of a scrape. 

I see what you mean about the scrape, MAK. Before the season began, the nest was cleaned and the gravel replaced with lots of new gravel. The outside soil was tilled or replaced. When the birds started excavating, they kicked some of the gravel outside onto the soil, but I think they still have plenty in the nest.

Very early this morning, the second egg:

[AlisonL]

Oudenaarde 2018

The European season has begun, with the first egg in Europe being laid by Eva at the Oudenaarde nest in Belgium on February 24. In 2016 and 2017, she laid her first egg on March 1.



Today Eva laid her second egg:



Photos from the site.

http://www.natuurpuntvlaamseardennenplus.be/p_slechtvalk.html

[AlisonL]

The first peregrine chick in Europe hatched very early this morning at the Oudenaarde nest. Congratulations to Eva and Han!

Incubation has not been easy this year; the birds had to deal with extremely cold, freezing conditions and high winds. Eva was also challenged on two separate occasions by a 2017 juvie coming right into the nest and driving Eva out both times. Luckily, it appeared that the eggs were not damaged. The intruder juvie is banded D/E, and comes from a nest in Turnhout, 107 km away, which had four chicks last year.

First visit by the intruder on March 25, 2018. She returned once more on March 31.

http://youtu.be/W-yMWrvy2HA

[AlisonL]

First there were signs that one chick had hatched:



Then a second chick hatched:







There was also good news this year that one of the chicks from 2015 has been identified as having a nest and a mate of her own at Sint-Maartenstoren in Kortrijk. She is banded S2, a band number which brings back memories from elsewhere. So now Eva and Han will be grandparents. 

[Kris G.]

First there were signs that one chick had hatched:



Then a second chick hatched:







There was also good news this year that one of the chicks from 2015 has been identified as having a nest and a mate of her own at Sint-Maartenstoren in Kortrijk. She is banded S2, a band number which brings back memories from elsewhere. So now Eva and Han will be grandparents. 

Pa & S2 ❤️ 😢  Good news for this pair though!