Bird of month - Kestrel

At this time of year many birds tend to disappear and lurk in deep cover where food is plentiful and safety is greater. One bird you can rely on to show well is the Kestrel, probably the most familiar bird of prey in Britain and in the Blackwater Valley. Despite their familiarity, the Kestrel is declining and is Amber listed having declined by between 25-50% in the last 25 years. Fortunately, the trend since 2000 seems to have been more positive so a gradual recovery may be underway.

Kestrels used to be known as ‘windhovers’ as a result of their methods of catching prey, hanging in the air, hovering as they wait for a vole to show itself in the grass below. While voles are their favourite prey they will take young birds and earthworms as well when available. Most people are familiar with Kestrels as they see them hovering along motorway or road edges where the updraughts and rough grass fit their hunting styles.

Nesting sites can range from old crows’ nests, tree cavities, holes in buildings and nest boxes. This year an attempt was made to nest in the upper section of a Barn Owl box at Moor Green Lakes although it failed for reasons unknown. The young usually fledge in August so more should be on the wing during this month, before they disperse leaving their parents on their home territory. Later in the year numbers may be swollen by birds from western and northern uplands which choose to winter in the south-east of England where the climate and food sources suit them.

I find the most reliable spot in the Blackwater Valley to see Kestrels is Nutbean Lane near Swallowfield. I have seen them in trees and on telegraph poles along the lane and I suspect they may breed in the farm buildings nearby or in suitable trees in the fields. This photograph of a male Kestrel was taken there in March this year just after a Sparrowhawk had crossed the farmland while I could also hear Buzzards ‘mewing’ overhead. With Red Kites now seen regularly in the area this is a good place to go to have a quiet walk on the Blackwater Valley path and find some birds of prey this summer.

Identifying Kestrels should be quite easy as the only common species of similar size is the Sparrowhawk; Buzzards and Red Kites are considerably larger. The Kestrel (about 36cm long with a 70cm wingspan) is the only one that hovers and it appears slimmer and more angular with chestnut being the prominent colour on the back - the male has a grey head and prominent tail with a black terminal band. The Sparrowhawk female (roughly Kestrel size) is darker brown on the back with a darker barred breast, the male which is smaller, is slate grey on the back with a rusty red barred breast and they both fly fast and low in a ‘flap, flap then glide’ motion often seen just skimming over a field and then just gliding up over a hedge before continuing onto the next field. Not a clincher, but the wings of the Kestrel often appear more pointed and the Sparrowhawk’s more rounded.

Good luck in finding these species in the Valley this month and please make sure you put your sightings into the Blackwater Valley website to help track all our local birds.

Colin Wilson

Berkshire Ornithological Club
www.berksoc.org.uk                                    

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