Kestrel vs Vole, Downsview

[Napper]

Hey!

At 3:05 pm today one of our resident American Kestrels appeared. It was heavily laden with a catch, barely able to fly it settled on a Shipping fixture low near the ground at our facility. I was watching from 50 feet away, it kept glancing in my direction and then back at its catch.

Finally after regaining composure it took flight and flew between myself and a group of guys standing behind me at eye level. Still struggling it landed again this time on the tarmac under a set of cement stairs and started dining..

I believe it had a large Vole  that  probably weighed more than the Kestrel.. I swear the the bird gave me a glance as it flew by at eye level no more than 4 feet away.. It barely missed one of the guys behind me.. The look on their faces was priceless.  "Was that a mouse?"

Napper  :shock:

[norman]

Did you watch a a lot of Joan Crawford novies (especially the axe thing) early on?

[Napper]

Hey Norman!!

I was thinking about you today when I thought I heard a Mockingbird down the street singing..

It was imitating a Cardinal, as well as others.

Napper:))

Oh, and regarding the  prey It may have actually been a Starling. Something didn't look right.. (headless)

[Leslie Kinrys]

Hi Napper,

A few years back, my hubby and I were birding in G. Ross Lord Dam (Finch/Dufferin). It was late on a winter's day. We saw a male Kestrel drop out of a tree and pounce on a small rodent. We were quite far from it, but the bird kept staring at us. Then, it flew to the top of the tree, still staring at us. We could see how heavy that rodent was for the little falcon to carry. Finally, it took off into the woods with its final meal of the day. Birds of prey are always watching for anyhing else that will steal their catch. Too bad, it didn't know that we don't like mouse.