Hello, Kestrels!

American Kestrel is a fairly common breeder here in southeast Arizona, with amorous pairs occupying old woodpecker holes in saguaros in most Tucson neighborhoods.

But this time of year we start to see larger numbers of this stunning little falcon, perched on wires and fenceposts in places that have been kestrel-free all summer long.

This sweet male was perched above our garage yesterday afternoon, earnestly scanning the ground and ignoring the Mourning Doves and Gila Woodpeckers gathering, mob-like, around him.

After several intense minutes he seems to have found something, and dropped from his perch like a lead weight, landing out of sight on the other side of the hedge.

The dense hackberries in my way, I never saw him take off again, but suppose that some young whiptail or spiny lizard is no more.