Kestrel

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 A regular visitor to our rather scruffy fields are kestrels hunting for voles. I managed to get a photograph of one on the phone line two days ago.



Unlike the sparrowhawk that feeds on small birds, the kestrel largely feeds mostly on voles. The bird in the photograph is a male (grey head and reddish tinge to the breast) females are browner. Kestrels have a characteristic hovering flight whilst they search for prey. The old name for a kestrel was a "windhover" which accurately describes how they can hold their position against the wind until they are ready to pounce. Kestrels can detect Ultraviolet light which allows them to see the urine trails left by rodents on the ground allowing them to better detect their prey.






Diary Notes.
An unproductive night on the camera traps. Long tailed tits on the feeders again. Good views of a passing male bullfinch. Milder today at 5 degrees but the ground still frozen.

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