In Lyme, this big-boned kestrel was feasting on a vole. I saw him on the way into Lyme stooping on a creature on the ground. On my way back to Thetford, I saw him again stoop, and this time watched him bring the vole up to the top of the pole where he started to eat.
I’d stopped my car two and a half telephone poles away and had the windows down to acclimate the lens to the outside temperature. At that distance, he didn’t pay me much attention. But when he stooped and came back up with the prey, he landed on a short pole near me, and that’s where this picture came from. I was stuck for a couple minutes, not wanting to move and disturb him. I think the camera click alerted him, and he flew off a minute later.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/e86uswy0h2197wx/Kestrel%20eating%20vole.jpg?dl=0
This is the third day in a row I’ve seen him, but the first time I was able to stop, as I didn’t have kids in the car. (They tend to get grouchy if you roll down all the windows in the freezing rain. Spouses too, but some less so.) This might be my imagination, but I think he’s getting fatter each time.
-Tig
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