robster
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Kestrel in the yard - 2006/12/01 06:13
The other day we had quite a treat; an American Kestrel spent an evening in our yard. Supposedly a common bird, but I had never seen one before.
It looked like a female, specifically a young female, based on its behavior.
This bird put on quite a show, perching on the utility pole, then the patio umbrella, then the kids' swingset. Occasionally it would swoop down to the ground to munch on some little insect. This behavior went on for several hours; needless to say, dinner was a bust but there was no way I was going to take my eyes off this beautiful falcon in front of my window!
In terms of IDing it, it was much larger than I expected a kestrel to be. Big wingspan. It did not look sleek and slim like the pictures of kestrels I'd seen but rather puffy and stocky. But its double moustache was very pronounced, as was its reddish color and even the fake eyes on the nape of its neck.
I love these rare opportunities where one gets to study an unusual bird up close. My raptor ID skills are not great, but now I feel like I ''know'' kestrels and could probably ID a merlin or peregrine much more easily if I came across one.
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