Kestrel

About 10 this morning, I noticed a male Kestrel eating some prey on our garden table outside the front door. I rushed to get my camera but the bird and prey appeared to have gone when I returned (Photo 1, the site

I then noticed the Kestrel on the low wall beside the table, hiding its prey under a geranium plant (Photos 2, 3 & 4).

The bird then flew onto a chair for some minutes where it preened and cleaned its feathers, (Photo 5).

When it had gone I examined the prey which appeared to be a fledgling Blackbird. About 12.00, I went to fill up the car and the prey was still under the geranium, but when I got back 30 minutes later it had gone leaving a few feathers on the wall. I can’t be certain that it was the Kestrel that had returned to remove the prey but it certainly seems very likely. I had not seen or heard of such behaviour before and the Sparrowhawks which also hunt in the garden certainly leave their Woodpigeon prey all over it in the open. I wondered whether others might have had similar experiences. Male Kestrel, Dry Drayton, 18th July 2012 © Ken Hook