Last evening I was on the deck cooking out, and as I stepped in the back door (about 7 PM) to get something in the house, I heard a chi-chi-chi-chi sound from somewhere out back. Not really thinking, I registered it as a Chipping Sparrow, but as I got in the back door I glanced out and saw the flash of a kestrel sort of on the grass in the backyard, by the vegetable garden. I went and grabbed my binoculars (which were close by) and by then the kestrel had flown into the trees at the end of the yard, where I lost sight of it. I went back on the deck and by moving back and forth was finally able to see it (a N. Mockingbird was harassing it so it wasn't hard). I went back in and grabbed the scope, setting it up along the way.
I got obscured (by branches/leaves) views as the bird sat perched in the tree plucking a bird, still being put-upon by the mockingbird. After watching a bit (being sure not to let the hamburgers get scorched!) the kestrel flew off with the rest of its prey, heading out over the neighbors farm house, to finish eating in peace. It was an adult male bird. I've had kestrels sitting in trees around the yard, had them flyover plenty of times, but never had one actually in the yard (to my knowledge). I always thought I would see one hovering over or catching something from one of my small meadows, but not in the grass in the backyard. P.S. I think it was a Chipping Sparrow that it got, as they are frequently either in the grass or sitting in the remains of last yeard veggie garden.
Cool way to end the day,
Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD
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