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
Thanks for enjoying the photos :) I will try and get you a 'gang' photo of the hoopoes. It's odd, some days seem to be certain types of bird days - today was kestrels both Alicia and Freddie were stalking me lol, yesterday was the black redstarts, last week I had a hoopoe day.
The iberian shrike above has a favourite wire and tree - I'm assuming its the same one because it's perched there a lot, but who knows - its surprisingly big up close and it took me awhile to accept it was actually that type of bird - in my head I kept thinking it should be smaller.
FYI - we also have hedgehogs (erizos), foxes (zorros - yep that's how Zorro got his name...), dragonflies, butterflies, snakes (haven't seen any recently but where I lived before came across some huge boas), spiders (wolf spiders type of tarantula), hares (beautiful, powerful beasts-I usually just see them from behind, their ears), rabbits (once a full grown, wild rabbit ran full tilt, straight at me, launched itself and used me as a wall to make a 45 degree turn - very surreal), wild boar (jabili - stumbled into a piglet once and promptly ran, fast, in case mum appeared) and once got 'buzzed' by an owl in the wood near my house. No idea what type it was, daytime, wood, impressive wing span. Oh and bats, lots and lots of bats! it's the sympbol of Valencia
No kestrels today - I suspect because of the big guy flying overhead in lazy circles (see below)....If anyone can confirm that this is a common buzzard I'd be grateful - wings feathers like fingers
Nice one of Snr Urraca-ca-ca (in Spanish he's called the sound he makes...) carrying something
Then if anyone can confirm what the other two are??? I think one is a pied wagtail on a fence??? and an unknown
Thanks
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