American Kestrel: Best of Show

Another "Kestrel" watch is almost over for this year.

I am seeing only one lone male perched on top of the
antenna these days. The rest have disappeared...to where?
I may never know.

These have been my observations:
I first saw the Kestrel pair in the tree the beginning
of April... About 20 days earlier than last year.

The behavior though similar had it's differences: As in the picture
below.. the fledglings were observed resting on the limbs of the tree.

Last year's babies were not observed doing that.

Let's play peek a boo.

Mom from one of her favorite perches which leads
me to believe this is the same pair from last year.

A baby boy preening

Four fledglings in the same picture. A rare catch for me.
Click for a better view.
(2 males 2 females)

entertaining antics

Out of the nest two weeks early

a ball of feathers

Dad keeping a vigil

You can ID the boys by the blue gray on the wings

and the dark dots on the chest

The female has brown streaking on her chest

Mom enjoying a 'birdie' treat

Calling all Kestrels!

one of my favorite pictures ... the colors so
rich on his wing and back feathers.. trying his best
to stay up right while turning

This little cutie seemed to be curious as he watched

but lost interest soon

nightie night...

I noticed here and in NYC how these Kestrels pick
buildings that they can blend with. The colors being
similar or the same as their feathers
To see Kestrel & building photos taken
by Deborah Allen in NYC go here

I will miss this little girl yapping to be fed

And the curious looks from the sunlit tree

little boys

little girls.........

little pin feather heads.....

brother and sister meeting on the ledge...

saying to me... why are you always looking at us?

perhaps discussing where they will 'fly' when they
leave this place and find a home of their own!

Another 'Kestrel' watch comes to an end. I sincerely
hope you have enjoyed the peek inside the activities
of the smallest falcon in N. America.
The American Kestrel
(Falco sparverius)


To God be the Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done

Kestrels playing on Antenna

On top of the roof of the building where the nest

was there is an antenna... and as the Kestrels
learn to fly they play on it.

A young male sitting quietly... from his lofty perch

A female is having a hard time getting a foot hold
and the male on the left is talking to her

"Hey calm down before you fall off!"

She finds her balance and sits still
On another day two Males are there... the one on the
bottom is calm and has a secure hold

The male on the top just can't get it right

As he flaps and tries to hold on

his brother starts to take an interest .. looking his way

Click and look at the brother with his head
turned upside down watching the antics of his sibling

The power of the wings is lifting him up but
that isn't helping his situation

After a long time he settles down and finds his
foot hold

and relaxes...

Away they go to find a new perch to sit upon

Fun to watch

Soon they will be gone!

To God be the Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done

What Happens during a storm to the Kestrel Babies?

Did you ever wonder where these young birds go
or what they do when a sudden storm, which they
have never experienced comes up? I got to
document two of the young birds who were in
the 'tree' during just such an event.
The wind was blowing pretty strong and the
rain was coming down sideways. If you click you
can actually see the sideways rain.
(sorry about the low light)

There was a lot of flapping of wings....

trying to stay upright as the wind blew and the rain fell

I watched for about 7 minutes getting lots of pictures just
like this one.

I felt helpless looking out the window all dry and
safe, while they struggled

They remained vigilant and strong and weather the
storm as well as they could.

After awhile they hugged the tree trunk and stopped
flapping and struggling and settled in until the rain
stopped.

I call this 'right out of the shower' pose.. all puffed up
and waiting to dry off

As soon as they start to dry .. they preen. About 40% of
a Kestrel's life is spent preening..after all wing maintenance
is essential to flying.

Are you saying: Is she done yet?
I have to say I have so many
pictures but am winding
down to the end.

These days I see only glimpses
of the babies who are looking
more like adults and
acting grown too.

Last year they were all gone by
mid July and I predict they
will be gone sooner this year.

They fledged early and are skilled and strong..

Next post I'll share a play session on the
roof antennae above.

AND then... I'll do a post on the
Best Of Show!!
Pictures I got at random in
good light and after work when
I could get up close and personal

Then, it will be bye bye Kestrels for
another year and on to
something different.

To God Be The Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath done

Back to the Kestrels....

Last year there were 6 Fledglings.. 1 female and 5 males. The first ones out
of the nest were on June 19th. This years Kestrels were about 2 weeks early.
There were 2 females and 2 males. I believe the parents are the same from
last year by their behavior and their favorite perches. This years babies were more independent and learned to fly immediately. They seemed healthier and stronger than the fledglings from last year.

Now that the 4 baby Kestrels are out of the nest
I am watching them in the tree. This is what I
see when I look out the window. If you look
closely you will see the four Fledglings.

The light is often bad...and the leaves prove to
be more of a hindrance than a help

Sometimes I can get a decent shot of one of the Females

Or one of the handsome males

They are very curious and are always waiting on
the next food delivery.

Mom comes flying in and both baby Kestrels
get excited

But only one gets the catch... The female watches
as the male meets mom in the crook of the tree

Wings are flapping and voices are sounding...

But the first one there gets the food

Mom and Dad are seen daily sitting and watching
on top of the building on their respective perches

Notice how this baby is a boy.... blue on the wing
feathers and darker rufous on his back
In both sexes, the head is white with a bluish-grey top.
Both have two narrow, vertical black
facial markings on each side of the head

Often they seem to be conversing with each other

And this pose you have to recognize.... here comes the
food pose!

Mom delivers and the Female baby snatches it from her

The Male on the right has his mouth open, but I bet he
isn't going to get any of this mouse

As the Female turns to run with the food, notice
how she knocks the Male off his feet

She turns her back on him and covers the mouse
with her wings

And even though he tries to look at her, she pays no
attention and continues to eat

She scampers out of the picture and he turns
and looks so sad... or is that a pout?

Only a few seconds later he kicks it off and decides to
preen

Stretching out the wing...

I should call this tree.... "The Feeding Tree" as there is
a lot of that going on all day long.

Can you imagine how tired you would be hunting for

and providing all the food for 4 hungry babies?
While also teaching them to hunt for themselves

They do an excellent job.

To God be the Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done

Some Four Legged Friends.....

This time of year the deer aren't threatened

by hunters and come out in the fields where you
can see them. I happened on to these youngsters
playing around ...

Caught the jump, the slap..

and the springing into the air...

It was all in good fun.

I've been dying to see a new fawn...and I did
well. ... sort of. Far away and in low light...

Look close.. the baby is there beside mom

One of my old friends... The Piebald deer

This deer appears to have been hurt or has some kind
of boil on it's shoulder.

Her sister was trying to hide from me.

Kestrels will be back .. They're all out of the nest
now and flying everywhere.

To God be The Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done

Feeding Hungry Kestrels in the Nest......

What does this pose of a baby Kestrel signify?
Well the story goes like this:

Hi! I'm one of the girl Kestrels in the nest and we
get hungry quite often and this is the story of
what we do to get fed.

One way would be open our mouth and make a lot of noise

"dad! dad! mom! get some food over here!"

Soon I can hear dad or mom coming and I look up to see who

This time it's dad and he has a juicy mouse for me

He drops it in the hole for me to get..

This pose is usually when I can see food coming and
get very excited and anxious.
Hannibal ,you were right!

Again! It's dad that shows up' He comes in fast and furious

Right on his heels is mom bringing a baby bird

Hokey Geez between the two of them they knock me for a loop

I didn't think they would both show up.. can you help
me out here?

My legs are straight and my feet are down

Oh My Gosh! What a couple of dingy parents, a kid could
get killed by a speeding delivery

Just wait! When I grow up I'm gonna knock them right
off their perch

I'll just take off like a jet plane... you just wait.

In the meantime I'm hungry again... so I have to start
crying

That was quick.... Hi Mom. What do you have this time?

Oh Goody! Another birdie nugget.. mmmmmm

What do you mean it's for my sister? She's napping

Give it to me I'll pass it on to her when she wakes up

Come on Mom I told you I would share..

Hey! Bring that back here.. See! She's up now.

Don't worry Sis, I'll keep calling her

Mom! Get back here!

Sis and I are waiting................

Up on the telephone pole, mom grabs some food for herself.

Feeding hungry babies makes her hungry

Look at the size of that wing... That's some large prey

Next post all four babies are out of the nest and in
the tree.. One male and one female discuss
flying free and what happens next.


To God be The Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done

Kestrel Humor....

When you have 1000 Kestrel pictures that all

seem to look alike you have to get creative...so!
Let's have some Kestrel Humor....

Hi! I'm the first female Kestrel out on the ledge.
See what big eyes I have? I can see everything from
up here. What? you say I look cross-eyed. That wasn't
nice!

Can you lick your feet? I can... click to see a close up

I like to pick my toes with my beak too.

My backside is just as pretty as my front...

don't ya think?

Let's get serious for just a moment

Listen up!

Shhhh I have a secret to tell you

Look over here to my left.... see that little head?

I'm excited and happy to tell you that's my
little sister...

Let's see if we can get her to come out here on the
ledge with me.

Look Sis I can flap and jump... it's safe out here. You say you
don't like the sun.. well soon it will be gone and then you
have to come out.

Careful... watch your step

Dah! not that way. Turn around. That lady down there
won't hurt us.. She likes to point that thing up here
for some reason.

There you go... hold on tight and dig those little
feet in. I'll just sit quiet until you get your center
of gravity ....

Take it easy....sis, calm down.

Don't ya think we look like twins?

What! no! you can't jump...

Look at me! I'm telling you one last time. ..don't jump!

I can't watch this I'm going back in the nest

Hey! this is really cool... I can stretch my wings

Clean up a little for mom when she brings us lunch

Just because I turned around doesn't mean I
can't see you

This is way too much fun!

What's up there in the sky? Is that you dad?

What do you think this pose means?
You will find out in the very next Kestrel post.
Coming to my Blog very soon.

To God be The Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done