From my kitchen window I kept seeing a bird of prey over the road in the graveyard. It would jump down off the top of a grave stone then hop back up again. I thought it was probably a Kestrel (although I was hoping for something more exotic!), but they usually perch much higher on a wire or a telegraph pole before swooping down from a great height. Or they hover.
I’ve been trying to get a photo for weeks but it was too far from indoors……………
and too wet for outside. Eventually a sunny day and I opened the front door very carefully and crept down the front path.
And At Last two decent photos and yes it is a Kestrel. I’m pleased with the photos because Kestrels are usually up on a wire making them difficult to photograph.
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| (And what a lovely sentiment on the gravestone) |
Below is the illustration of Kestrel from my book “A Sparrow’s Life as Sweet as Ours” by Carrie Akroyd. It’s in the Autumn section of the book but Kestrels are around all year and very common. Seen more often now than even 20 years ago when we would get quite excited to see one hovering. In some parts of the country they are known as “windhovers”. Now they can be spotted on almost any walk or drive. In the book it says their skill at hovering was tested and it was found they could hold their position within a centimetre for 28 seconds. They spot their prey – mainly mice and voles – because of being able to see the wavelength of ultraviolet and trace their urine trails.
The Windhover
