Eagle-eyed journalists spotted a family of kestrels setting up nest in the unlikely surroundings of an industrial estate where the Medway Messenger is based.

The birds have since been entertaining their neighbours on the Medway City Estate in Strood after mum and dad pitched up to nurture their offspring on the banks of the Medway.

Reporter Lynn Cox was first to spy one of the four fledglings sitting on an old wooden post, as she gazed out of the window for inspiration.

She said: “It is not every day you come to work and such a beautiful bird is right there on your doorstep.

“I sat on the bench we have down by the river in our car park to watch it and I was surprised to see another appear and perch next to the first.”

She realised her find called for expert guidance so she called up Medway Messenger “Codger” and keen twitcher Alan Watkins who was immediately on the scene with his long-range camera lens.

Miss Cox added: “Then before our very eyes, a fourth fledgling appeared and joined his brothers and sisters on the wooden poles.

“Myself and Alan just looked at each other with our mouths wide open as couldn’t believe it. We were both grinning like Cheshire cats then.

“And then the icing on the cake for both of us was they started squawking loudly and mum and dad dropped by with some food for them and all six family members were back together.”

Bird expert Matt Stevens, at the Hawk Conservancy, said: “They all look as though they’ve been fledged for a while now, perhaps up to three or four weeks out of the nest.
“Four is a really good number this year. We have about 150 boxes we monitor and so far this year most pairs are raising just one or two.

“Last year was a really good year for kestrels and pairs were producing five or six fledglings.
“They fledge at about five weeks and stay close to the parents as they need food, it is a difficult time for them.

“As they leave the nest they lose weight and have to be built up so the male feeds them mostly, but both parents hunt for them for a few weeks.

“They hunt voles, mice, starlings, grasshoppers, beetles and even lizards.”