FOR ME, THIS WAS A MAGIC MOMENT.. I HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO GET A GOOD COLLECTION
OF KESTRELS THIS SUMMER.. I HAVE SEEN KESTRELS CATCH LARGE INSECTS BUT THIS IS THE
FIRST MAMMAL CAPTURE THAT I HAVE WITNESSED... THE KESTREL DIVED OFF HIS PERCH LIKE
A ROCKET, WINGS FOLDED, AND FLARED ITS WINGS JUST BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND.. iT
LANDED IN THE GRASS PRECISELY ON TOP OF THE MOUSE, AND IMMEDIATELY LAUNCHED
INTO THE AIR TO TAKE IT TO A SAFE PLACE... I ASSUME THE FIELD MOUSE WAS STILL
ALIVE DURING THIS FLIGHT.. THE MOST INTERESTING ASPECT IS THE SPEED AND PRECISION
OF FLIGHT THAT THE KESTREL IS CAPABLE OF DOING WITH SEEMINGLY LITTLE EFFORT. THE
MOUSE IS A RELATIVELY HEAVY LOAD COMPARED TO THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE KESTREL.
HOWEVER, THE SPEED OF FLIGHT WITH THE MOUSE SEEMED TO BE EXTREMELY FAST, AS IF
THE KESTREL WERE NOT CARRYING A LOAD... AMAZING CAPABLITIY OF NATURE..