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I had the opportunity to watch the Hartlen's Point Eurasian Kestrel in act=
ion for a couple of hours around mid day today from a vantage point along t=
he road not far from the golf course gate. To be honest, there was more ina=
ction than action, but that is true of many larger birds, and this one was =
no exception.
The kestrel arrived and perched in the spruces just NW of the enclosure aro=
und the Hartlen's Point golf course club house. It was hard to spot at firs=
t, but was evident without binoculars as a light spot against the spruce br=
anches. I suspect that it had been making sallies from that area all mornin=
g. It was soon joined by a crow that seemed to be more curious than aggress=
ive, although occasionally it made a small movement toward the kestrel, whi=
ch shifted position once or twice in response. Mainly however, the two rema=
ined about a meter apart, bill toward bill, for about an hour. Then the cro=
w seemed to tire of the watch over the kestrel and flew off. Within a few m=
inutes of this, the kestrel began to preen actively and then began watching=
the ground below, which was rough grass and scrub. Once it flew down, but =
returned to its perch with nothing. A few more minutes of inactivity and th=
e kestrel took off, did a lap eastward toward the back greens and then retu=
rned westward to hover over the green closest to the road, getting closer a=
nd closer, before catching a vole from the gully below me on its second att=
empt. It then high-tailed it back to a perch in the spruces and began to te=
ar into the vole, fur and entrails flying in all directions. Just before I =
left, it made another half-hearted pass over the nearest green, and then se=
ttled back into the sunlight on the sheltered side of the spruces.
I was a bit surprised that the kestrel was hunting on the windward side of =
the golf course (-15C while I was there, with a strong NW wind), but the tw=
o isolated spruces seem to provide good shelter and clearly there is food t=
o be had in the bit of rough terrain that still exists on the southwestern =
part of the course. And the wind was perfect for a hovering raptor.
This is a very engaging bird.
Eric
Eric L. Mills
Lower Rose Bay
Lunenburg Co., NS
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<p>I had the opportunity to watch the Hartlen's Point Eurasian Kestrel &nbs=
p;in action for a couple of hours around mid day today from a van=
tage point along the road not far from the golf course gate. To be honest, =
there was more inaction than action, but that is
true of many larger birds, and this one was no exception. <br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>The kestrel arrived and perched in the spruces just NW of the enclo=
sure around the Hartlen's Point golf course club house. It was ha=
rd to spot at first, but was evident without binoculars as a ligh=
t spot against the spruce branches. I suspect that it had
been making sallies from that area all morning. It was soon joined by a cr=
ow that seemed to be more curious than aggressive, although occasionally it=
made a small movement toward the kestrel, which shifted position once or t=
wice in response. Mainly however,
the two remained about a meter apart, bill toward bill, for about an hour.=
Then the crow seemed to tire of the watch over the kestrel and flew off. W=
ithin a few minutes of this, the kestrel began to preen actively and then b=
egan watching the ground below,
which was rough grass and scrub. Once it flew down, but returned to its pe=
rch with nothing. A few more minutes of inactivity and the kestrel took off=
, did a lap eastward toward the back greens and then returned westward to h=
over over the green closest to the
road, getting closer and closer, before catching a vole from the gully bel=
ow me on its second attempt. It then high-tailed it back to a perch in=
the spruces and began to tear into the vole, fur and entrails fl=
ying in all directions. Just before I left, it mad=
e
another half-hearted pass over the nearest green, and then settl=
ed back into the sunlight on the sheltered side of the =
spruces. </p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>I was a bit surprised that the kestrel was hunting on the windward side =
of the golf course (-15C while I was there, with a strong NW wind), but the=
two isolated spruces seem to provide good shelter and clearly there is foo=
d to be had in the bit of rough
terrain that still exists on the southwestern part of the course. And the =
wind was perfect for a hovering raptor.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>This is a very engaging bird.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Eric<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Eric L. Mills</p>
<p>Lower Rose Bay</p>
<p>Lunenburg Co., NS<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
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