kestel question

Question

I live in Valencia, Spain and where I walk my dog there is what appears a young kestrel. I've seen s/he hover but mainly perch and glide hunting. This sounds daft but I think this kestrel recognises me. I usually make a repeat whistle when I see them and speak to them softly. Some days of course, they are nowhere to be found. 
 The first time I started to think this bird is habituating to me was when it glidedpast me iinto a tree (the one in photos) I was standing close to...but perhaps coindence... 
 Anyway, I have been in the UK for a few days and today when I walked the dog...no kestrel...not unusual. Bit disappointed I headed home. I am then in a completely different piece of wild land (campo - 5 minutes walk away) much closer to home/town and out of nowhere the kestrel appears. Flies right towards me and perches on a pylon beside me. I get to get my field glasses out to check, whistle and speak to her/him. They were clearly checking me out, before flying onto another pylon heading back in the direction of their normal fields on edge of village. 
 So questions: 
 1. am I delusional or can wild falcons build a 'relationship' with humans? I would swear this bird is acting socially towards me - at a distance of course - but that's twice it's flown directly into my space. 
 2. when do young kestrels show the change in plummage brown or grey head? This one is brown but is very confident and I'm not sure if there is a gender bias for 'boldness' or if this trait tends to be familial. 
 3. what is the average hunting range for a kestrel? Do they tend to stay in one area or move? 
 4. Do kestrels share hunting ground? There is another bird but I think it may be a buzzard in the same area...is this possible? This other bird, seems much more 'grumpy' and less interested in me. 
 5. I know with birds of prey in captivity they are put in seclusion for a big moult, how does this work for wild birds? Does it happen over time? I found a lot of primary and secondary feathers. At first I thought it was a predator had caught a falcon/hawk - now I wonder if it was a moult? Can you pass on some links about this? 
 6. I've attached some photos of the feathers, some of the bird sitting on a tree anda couple of them in flight. Is this a kestrel? Sorry the photos aren't great - only on camera phone at a distance. 
 Many thanks for any info for a total novice 
 Smiles 
 A

Bob S · Accepted Answer

I've been watching a pair nest in a tree for 4 years although this year they either didn't bother or found a new nest. The ones in my local valley are accustomed to walkers so generally you can be relatively close, especially if they are nesting on farmland. I think they tend to hunt over maybe two to three fields and I have seen them, like you, with buzzards close by. On the other hand the kestrels up on the moors have a far wider hunting ground and are a lot less used to people so really do keep their distance. They are amazing birds, my favourite animal. Watching how they nest and bring up the chicks is fascinating. Very clever in how they drop out of the tree vertically to just above ground height to fly off unnoticed and not bring undue attention to the chicks. I've seen squirrels try their luck but from nowhere a parent will be there in a flash to see them off. 
 The chicks last year when they successfully fledged four.

annedy · Answer

Further to my above post, today it appears that they are two kestrels. As I walked out I was greeted by the more social of the two as it eyed me from a tree on the path. I then spotted the other on the top of a pylon - appears to be preferred look-out. As I watched the second, she took off and glided on the thermals doing massive loops. Then she was joined by the other and then 'danced' for awhile - with one going into a hover to hunt and the other plummeting like a stone - was truly awe inspiring. Walking past the tree, the social bird had once again taken up position and quite happily preened herself as I watched her, having a bit of a tail wag and fluffing feathers. Great start to day

annedy · Answer

these are amazing! What type of lense do you use? The prices I've seen are a bitty large but I might save up if you can get this beautiful detail. They are stunning birds! 
 Today Alicia and Freddy had a bit of a domestic in front of me - oh for more phtotography skill! Even so, see below

annedy · Answer

Ok further to my posts today went really weird ....

I live in a flat. 3rd floor. Tiny vernadah with a metal fence. I'm about 1km from where I watched her hunting. So this morning, I'm in bed and I hear a kestrel calling really close. So I jump out of bed, imagining it is on a nearby building. Before I fully realise what is happening, I open the verandah door, only to realise the kestrel is sitting right there. On the fence outside the bedroom. It takes off. I moved too fast and I think both of us were equally shocked. 
 I think the kestrel followed me home. 
 Now my partner said, 'oh maybe it was another kestrel'. 
 To which I replied 'have you ever had a kestrel land on your tiny verandah before?' 
 'No.' 
 'And you think it's only coincedence that I'm watching kestrels and there's a kestrel outside the bedroom calling?' 
 So is this normal kestrel behaviour? How the hell would it find me anyway? I know they can see UV light, does human sweat 'glow'? Would it see my dog's trails? Even if it watched me going in the building, how the heck did it know I was on the 3rd floor? Can kestrels identify humans? Do wild kestrels bond with humans or at very least take an interest in us? What exactly is the visual acuity of a kestrel - could it tell it was me in the room lying on the bed? 
 Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful. It was somewhat miraculous and a complete honour, but I've been left with so many questions....

annedy · Answer

maybe should move this to a blog. Today both Alicia (fmale) and Freddie (confirmed male - grey head) were on the thermals. They were half-hunting. Both seem to prefer sitting on a pylon or wire to hunt for small game and occassionally do big circles to go over wider ground from height. 
 I found my old binoculars which did wonders for being able to confirm Freddie was male - although he was AWOL for a few days and I was impatient. But yes, little guy, grey head. 
 I then got my old camera out and had to try and work out how to use it again. The lense isn't powerful enough - looking at some of the photos on here I feel quite downcast. But hey ho. Alicia was posing for me and actually seemed very interested in what I was up to. She was literally righ tabove me for 15 minutes, so with a better lense the shots will be amazing. anyway for what they are worth, see attached.

annedy · Answer

so further to yesterday's photots. Today Alicia did her pre-emptive strike and having met me at the far away field, getting hassled by a magpie, she flew off over the houses. She met me at the edge of the town near where I live. managed to get another shot of her watching my progress from a pylon. Also caught some cranes - by accident - didn't know what they were till I zoomed into the shot at home. I usually see them flying over head in ones or twos but this was a tribe...

TeeJay · Answer

I can't comment on the behaviour of your Kestrels because I simply have no knowledge on the subject. However I did want to comment on this. 
 annedy said: Also caught some cranes - by accident - didn't know what they were till I zoomed into the shot at home. I usually see them flying over head in ones or twos but this was a tribe... 
 Your "cranes" look to me like herons. Note how the neck is cranked. Cranes fly with their necks extended straight out in front like this. 
 
 Unusual to see herons flying in formation like that. Grey Herons are sedentary in the UK and I'm assuming it's similar in Spain. I'm wondering if they might be Purple Herons which although they breed in the Valencia area are migratory. I believe that some may overwinter but most migrate to Africa. Just a thought.

Cris · Answer

The herons could be Purple Herons, which are indeed migratory, so more likely to be seen in groups.

annedy · Answer

I am currently saving up as the pair are really interested in me and I could get some great shots if my camera was better

annedy · Answer

annedy · Answer

So been ill in bed with some nasty viral thing and only just managed to get out and about. Yesterday saw Alicia looking pretty fed up. Air was damp and she didn't like too impressed. Didn't have camera as in my just mobile state the extra weight didn't appeal - so you'll just have to take my word for it that she was unamused. 
 Today no kestrels but did take a couple of photos of some others. Got some really nice shot of a very curious wee black redstart who seemed to be most curious about what I was up to

and one having a wee wander about... 
 
 now this isn't the greatest quality ... but can anyone confirm are these goldfinches??? There has been rather a gang of them passing through I assume

As I was scrolling hthrough previous shot I also came across this...it's a sparrow I think??? But by some happy/lucky happenstance I got it as it was taking off... 
 
 For a bit of variety enjoy some other flora and fauna

And of course last word to my beautiful kestrel friends

saffybrod · Answer

yes feral pigeons come in every colour from pure white, to rusty red, to brown, to almost black as they are the descendants of domesticated rock doves. your photos are lovely by the way, I particularly love the one of the black redstart. it would be lovely to have hoopoes as "common birds", I saw them in zimbabwe and I never got tired of their calls. the shrike looks to me like an iberian grey shrike. and I have to add that the scenery in the background of that hoopoe flying is gorgeous

saffybrod · Answer

your "buzzard" looks very much like a booted eagle, although its hard to tell from the photo - it immediately sprang to mind from the shape and colour when I saw it if that counts for anything! the little brown bird looks like a female/immature stonechat, at the very least I think its some kind of chat/flycatcher but im not too sure. and yes I agree the grey bird is a pied/white wagtail (immature I think). I love hearing about the names of birds in other places - that is incredibly fitting for a magpie

saffybrod · Answer

I get what you mean about associating eagles with mountains, certainly the large eagles like golden eagles seem to prefer higher altitudes but then again you also have the fish eagles that live in relatively low areas with water so I suppose they can be found pretty much anywhere. booted eagles are quite small for an eagle, about the size of a buzzard so perhaps they have a similar lifestyle (this is just a guess though!!). 
 As for what made me think booted eagle, it was firstly the shape - the flight feathers form very long "fingers" which is a typical eagle trait. The colour pattern was the second thing, with what looks like a pale cap and nape, a darker "mask" on the face and pale underwings with dark, contrasting flight feathers. Overall it just looks like a very pale bird, and although pale buzzards do occur they typically dont have that sharp contrast on the underwing. Also the tail is unusually long for a large raptor - buzzards and even most other eagles have relatively short tails, whereas it looks to me that booted eagles are a bit of an oddity with a rather long tail. I was initially a bit confused as booted eagles migrate to africa and asia in the winter, but apparently some of them winter on the coast in spain so that would make sense! It was basically just looking at photos of birds of prey and comparing them to yours to rule them out. 
 I have heard about DANA - I hope your area is not hit too badly and that you're able to stay safe. Wow I can't even imagine having wild boar in the garden, interesting but quite scary as you say