Heartland

I'VE BEEN LANDED ON BY A KESTREL. NO JOKE.

I've just come in from a walk over the fields.

I took my usual route, and turned into the trees for a breather by an oak I usually stop at. I'd been standing there about 5 mins when I heard a rustle/flap and a bird of prey landed on a branch right over my head! Anyway it went from branch to branch and kept getting closer, and I figured it must be a lost pet as a wild bird surely wouldn't come that close.

So I put my arm up and it flew to me and landed on my arm after a minute or two, and then tried to eat my ring! It also allowed me to gently stroke it's back a little. It flew off onto a branch after a few minutes and came to my arm a few more times when I put it up, but when it realised I hadn't got any food it stopped coming and flew up onto a pylon nearby.

The bird had no ring on it's leg, wasn't wearing any of those leather leg things ( Jesse's or Jessies or something yes? ) and was missing a claw ( healed ) I've been on google images and I'm 99% certain it was a Female Kestrel. She seemed in good health, flew perfectly well and was very alert. Her tameness suggests to me that she was someone's pet that has either escaped or been let loose to fend for herself


I didn't try to actually catch her, as I have no idea how to go about such a thing with a bird of prey, and didn't want to hurt her or stress her. I have a cockatiel and a budgie who I can handle bodily, but I know a bird of prey, even a tame one wouldn't tolerate such a thing lightly. And I like having fingers !!!

I feel horrible for leaving her there, but I have no experience with catching birds of prey and I'm not sure what to do about it. She's a beautiful bird and it wrings my heart to think she might not survive too long. If she has never had to feed herself or hunt of her own accord, she might die

I've joined a UK bird forum a moment ago and posted in their bird of prey section asking if there's anyone in my area who's lost a kestrel or thinks they can catch it and give it to a falconry expert or centre.

in the meantime, perhaps you could go back to the area with a little food? I've no idea what they eat but a little beef may work. the hawks around my home seem fond of it.

Good lord!

Yes I was thinking of going back tomorrow with some meat of some sort to see if she'll come to me again. I've had a couple of replies on the bird forum, and they said that she must have been very hungry to come to me like that. She did try to eat my ring and nibbled my fingers a little. If she's hungry enough she may come to me when she sees I have proper meat .

I would have caught her today but I had nothing on me to throw over her. I'll take a towel or jacket tomorrow.

The people on the forum said that because she was unringed, she may have been an illegally obtained pet It makes my blood boil to think that some bastard might have released her thinking she'd be able to look after herself. I know they have instincts and all, but the fact that she came to a complete stranger looking for food suggests that she more than likely doesn't know how to hunt properly

Honeythorn wrote:...She did try to eat my ring...

I give it 30 seconds before the innuendo starts.

Oh! You're terrible!

WOW

Now, can't it be one living in the wild?

His 'tame' behaviour is not always an indication of his being wild or tame, as far as I can remember (could be extreme curiosity), and again, if I'm correct, kestrels are not unusual in England living in the wild.

PlantPress Wildlife wrote:Britain's most common bird of prey with about 50, 000 pairs, the kestrel is often seen hovering over motorway verges. It is fairly frequently encountered in towns and even in the heart of large cities.

Friend of mine used to train these birds (it is a 'torenvalk' in Dutch, by the way) for medieval fairs and enactments.

Or I could be completely wrong of course. We had a wildlife expert here on the boards, no?

IZ.

Amazing! It must have been tamed at one point, one of the relatives keeps a tonne of birds-of-prey in his back garden, and they're skittish enough after years of training...

Keep us posted, thorn!

Actually a wild animal is usually more likely to do something like this as a animal that has been handled by people at some point.
Remember we are supposed to be at the same level in the food chain, so he has nothing to fear of us people nor has he any interest in us. an animal that know people will not be that keen to come across one after that……

Dear Honeythorn, you probably either looked harmless or tasty to it. Or maybe both. I guess you failed the test for tastyness.



Seriously, don't worry too much. Checking the situation tomorrow seems a wise idea, but I guess you can trust an animal's instincts.

@Honeythorn ... I think maybe she knew you were a chosen one and wanted to say hello?!
Thanks for showing respect to one of our feathered friends ... I'd have seen this as an 'omen' myself, being a superstitious type ...
A good one for you I hope?!

There was a thunderstorm soon after this where I live in Horrorfordshire:~



Also, Nicholas' 10th Birthday on Monday! Here's him enjoying the sun earlier in the afternoon:~

I went back today as the Kestrel, her tameness and apparant hunger were really preying on my mind.I didn't sleep much last night because I was thinking about it.

So I took a bit of steak (cut into little bits ) and went back to the area where I found her. Nothing there but then I heard her call so I knew she was in the trees around the field somewhere. I went across to the other side and whistled a few times ( a long whistle as I've heard some falconers do ) and to my absolute amazement she came flying across to me, hovered for a second, then landed on a branch. I held up my wrist again , this time with steak, and she came to me immediately and scarfed it down like there was no tomorrow!

So I kept feeding her little bits, and she flapped to the ground and had some there as well. I got her back on my wrist, and brought my arm right next to my body. Then I put my other hand over her wings and just held her to me ( between the boobs and close to the heart ) . She didn't struggle AT ALL, just stayed there nice and quiet, so this confirmed to me that she has been very well tamed or hand reared. I walked home with her held firmly like that and she never moved nor bit me or anything , just looked around and kept perfectly quiet. I've never known a bird so tame, even my cockatiel is more vicious!

Anyway I called the Hagley falconry centre, and they said they couldn't take her until she'd been seen by a vet due to a legislation. The guy said to take her to Hagley vet as they know the centre, and they'd check her over and advise me. So I've done just that, and they've taken her. The vet said they'd take her to the centre tomorrow. So I'll call them tomorrow and see how they've got on with her.

Speaking of Omens Dodges, on the way home I saw a cloud shaped just like a bird of prey . Pretty significant in my own mind , although not in many others I guess :p

That's amazing

oh it looks cute - and well camouflaged

It's a little beauty indeed!

Feathered friends (see my sig, the immortal words of Planet Dave, referring to me ).

Honeythorn wrote:
Speaking of Omens Dodges, on the way home I saw a cloud shaped just like a bird of prey . Pretty significant in my own mind , although not in many others I guess :p

and to you again @Honeythorn! Great respect to you for your patience and care for this lovely raptor ...

Please keep us updated, eh?

p.s. what have you called her?

happy you went back and were able to find her again! I hate to hear of any critter in trouble. hats off to you, honeythorn!

Definitely looks like a kestrel, brilliant work thorn. Let us know how you get on today!

Dodges Unlimited Inc. wrote:

Honeythorn wrote:
Speaking of Omens Dodges, on the way home I saw a cloud shaped just like a bird of prey . Pretty significant in my own mind , although not in many others I guess :p

and to you again @Honeythorn! Great respect to you for your patience and care for this lovely raptor ...

Please keep us updated, eh?

p.s. what have you called her?

I didn't name her. It didn't occur to me. But when I was talking to her quietly I just called her gorgeous. Because she is !