Kestrel – Dragon goes Wild

Dive Bombing Kestrel

Dragon — Sat, 16 Jun 2018 17:10:15 +0000

Admittedly not the clearest of photos, but it’s not every day you can spot a Kestrel diving down to the ground from here!

#staywild

Kestrel Spotting

Dragon — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 14:00:49 +0000

It’s unusual to spot a Kestrel from the window – previously the only ones I’ve spotted were as I was walking through a field, so when I spotted this bird, I originally thought it must have been one of the local Buzzards.

But then the bird started frantically flapping, and hovered in one place for a little while…. and as far as I know, the only bird of prey around here that behaves in that way, is the Kestrel!

#30dayswild

Sparrowhawk or Kestrel?

Dragon — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 09:00:45 +0000

Spotting this bird circling reasonably high, I took a few photos thinking it was the local Buzzard…. but when I got the photos onto the computer, it was quite clear that the tail is considerably longer than a Buzzard’s. So just what is this bird?

I asked on the RSPB community “identify this” forum, and was given a couple of possibles: a Sparrowhawk, or a female Kestrel.

Personally I’m inclined to think it’s a Sparrowhawk – the way this bird was circling, was a totally different flight pattern to the Kestrel I spotted hovering over a field recently. Hopefully it’ll return and fly a little lower next time, so I can get a clearer photo!

#30dayswild

Another Bird of Prey

Dragon — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 09:00:33 +0000

Taking a walk towards the nearest National Trust owned area, I’d wondered if I would be able to see any buzzards. Walking through a field, I spotted a Kestrel that seemed focused on something in the long grass.

It landed in the field, before taking off again – I have no idea what it was looking for, and the grass was so long I had no chance of spotting it from the ground!

#30dayswild