David in NC
Well-known member
As some of you know I am a lieutenant for the local sheriff's office and a firearms instructor. We were on our range today and during a short break I and three other instructors were still "downrange" near the targets and I noticed a dove-sized bird drop off the hill behind our range and fly almost over our target backstops. I noticed it's flight pattern and a long tail as it went by.
American Kestrel! Although we are in their "year round range" I have NEVER seen one before here. The only ones I've seen (and known I was looking at an American Kestrel) were about an hour or more from here on some State Game Lands where they have a pretty active nestbox program for them.
I called it but my buddy (not a birder but lifelong hunter and outdoorsman) also confirmed it when it entered the trees on the other side and we heard the call.
So how cool is it that in the last couple months I've found Ospreys and Kestrels here that I've never seen before (yeah I know one school of thought might say that I just wasn't looking before but at this point I don't care!)
American Kestrel! Although we are in their "year round range" I have NEVER seen one before here. The only ones I've seen (and known I was looking at an American Kestrel) were about an hour or more from here on some State Game Lands where they have a pretty active nestbox program for them.
I called it but my buddy (not a birder but lifelong hunter and outdoorsman) also confirmed it when it entered the trees on the other side and we heard the call.
So how cool is it that in the last couple months I've found Ospreys and Kestrels here that I've never seen before (yeah I know one school of thought might say that I just wasn't looking before but at this point I don't care!)
