Bird of the week - Kestrel

I had the good fortune of seeing this kestrel earlier in the week.  It was hovering over grassland at the top of a cliff and I was at the base of the cliff with the wind behind me.  The bird was directly above and facing me so I was able to take a few photos.

I think this bird is a juvenile because of the heavy markings on its breast feathers but it might be an adult female.

The kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is the most numerous bird of prey in the UK but is amber listed because of population decline.  This BTO graph shows a 40% decline in the past 20 years.

I can remember 30 or so years ago when kestrels would be seen hovering every few miles along the motorways.  Now they are an uncommon sight, and we are more likely to see buzzards and red kites when driving.  Kestrels are fairly widely distributed but less common in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and south west England.

Thomas Bewick was so struck by the different plumage of male and female kestrels that he illustrated them both in his A History of British Birds (1797), something he rarely if ever did for other birds.

Archibald Thorburn painted male and female kestrels and a comparison with other small falcons.

You can listen to Steve Backshall's BBC Radio 4 Tweet of the Day here.  And read Gerard Manley Hopkins' poem Windhover here.

Restart

I was near Tynemouth again earlier in the week so it seemed rude not to call in to see the black redstart again. Although it was last week's Bird of the Week I thought it wouldn't hurt to post a few more photos.  It really is a pretty bird, behaving a bit like a cross between a robin and a flycatcher.

Bird of the week - black redstart

The black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is about the same size and shape as a (European) robin.  This one is either a female or a first winter male and has been in Tynemouth for several days.

Black redstarts are rare breeders in this country, often using urban or industrial sites.

Numbers are swelled by winter visitors.

Although black redstart is red listed in the UK numbers are increasing in the North East.

Thomas Bewick didn't include the black redstart in A History of British Birds (1797) although it was first described in 1774 in Germany.  Perhaps it was a very rare bird in Bewick's day.  It was included in William Yarrell's 1843 book of the same name with this engraving by John Thompson - not a great likeness as the head is too small, making it look more like a blackbird.  Perhaps Bewick would have done better.

Archibald Thorburn did paint several pictures of black redstarts, all adult males.

Many thanks to Dave J for the tip-off.  You can listen to Bill Oddie's BBC Radio 4 Tweet of the Day here.  And watch a super BTO video on redstart identification here.