Kestrels…Coastal raptors of Devon….Torquays birds of prey.
A Kestrel on the wing…I’m almost lost for words by my admiration for them. The wind on the downs Monday was vigorous, shaking bushes, bending trees, churning the sea…yet the kestrel hung in the air without movement.
The waves below him turned and tumbled and he hovered above them completely still for seconds, then with a slight movement he moved a few feet forward. I noticed that the kestrel seemed to use its tail as a rudder in the turbulent wind. He moved slightly in the air then he dived, shooting through the air like a rocket.
Ready…steady…GO !!
Over the cliffs and rocks he hung motionless before diving out of sight beneath the coastal path.
The wind was so strong that the magpies and crows who usually bother him were safely tucked away in their trees, so he was free to hunt undisturbed and it was a pleasure to watch his flying skills uninterrupted.
devon2mother 