The chicks have taken flight, the nest is now empty, and we are slowly bringing to a close the eighth year of broadcasting the life of a kestrel family via our webcam.

This year, the pair settled into their nest on the tenth floor of an apartament building in Târgu Mureș in March, and on 9th April, the first egg appeared — brown in colour with red speckles. Then came the second, the third, and so on. The kestrel family was remarkably diligent. While the female incubated the six eggs, the male took on the task of providing food: rodents, reptiles, and insects.

13th May was a memorable day not only for the kestrel pair but also for all those following the livestream, as the first three chicks hatched, covered in white down. Over the following days, the remaining three siblings joined them.

The chicks grew visibly day by day. Their down was gradually replaced by reddish-brown feathers, and they began to resemble their parents more and more. As the female joined the male in foraging, the chicks started to explore the nest and practise flapping their wings. The bolder ones stood confidently at the edge of the nest, beating their wings in preparation for flight.

Just a few days ago came the big day: one of the chicks took off for the first time, soon followed by its siblings.

We would like to thank Mr Deák Attila and the Netsoft team for this unique experience of observing the life of a kestrel family. Our thanks also go to all of you who followed us throughout this season.