American Kestrel, Mountain Bluebird, Brown Thrasher

On Christmas Day, we headed out to see if we could snag some shots of some birds. It's been a while since we went out for that reason, so we were about due. On the way to Palo Duro Canyon, we stopped off at a couple of places to see what we could see.

Adjacent to a park at the edge of civilization, there is a field. This field seems to be a popular hunting ground for American Kestrels - the most colorful member of the falcon family. As we went along the perimeter, on an aerial TV cable we saw one patiently watching for an entree. We managed to get some decent shots before his comfort level went off scale and he left.

(American Kestrel)

(American Kestrel)

These little falcons are about the size of a blue jay. Click on the label below to find out more about them.

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The Mountain Bluebird is a first for me. I've only had peripheral glimpses of them before this outing. On the ridge of Palo Duro Canyon, in the evergreen bushes, were 5 or 6 of these gorgeous birds. The panhandle appears to be in the Winter range of these little fellas. They do not nest here. They eat ants, beetles, and an assortment of other insects. They swoop down from their perches to grab whatever dish presents itself.

(Mountain Bluebird)

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The Brown Thrasher is a fairly timid little guy, and will dart in and out of the brush - much like the Spotted Towhee. Like most other thrashers, the Brown prefers running or hopping to flying.

The Brown Thrasher eats insects (loves beetles), worms, grains, nuts, berries, and fruit. Its numbers are said to be declining - possibly due to the fragmentation of large, wooded habitat that it needs.

(Brown Thrasher)

-Dale

American Kestrel

This was an unexpected sighting. It's the 28th of December in the Texas panhandle. The temps have been staying near or below freezing long enough for park lakes to be frozen over. While out looking for some bird shots so I could post here again (about time!), I happened to notice two American Kestrels hunting a field about 200 yards from each other - one at each corner. I had to do a double-take. Kestrels in the panhandle this time of year? I expected that they would all be well south of here this time of year. After re-checking my range maps in the books I use as references, I see that their winter range can extend far north into Canada. So, surprise was a bit unwarranted. Kestrels are definitely a pleasure to see and watch.

This one was the first of two and perched on this wire for a long time, letting me take all the shots I wanted. I didn't pressure this Kestrel to the point it would leave. It was such a great opportunity, I didn't want to throw it away.

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This was the second one I photographed. I inched as close as I could, but unfortunately nervousness gave way to flight.

(See more Kestrel photos and info HERE.)

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American Kestrel

This is something you don't see every day, and something that doesn't get photographed every day: Two American Kestrels mating.

American Kestrel

This is likely the most colorful falcon in the world. Her handler told us that she dines on large insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and small birds like female grackles (not males). Her name is "Hanna Banana", and for a very interesting reason. When she kills a grackle, she preludes dining on her by grabbing the back of its neck and peeling her back - like a banana.

Although kestrels are known to live in open or semi-wooded country, they are not intimidated by human activity. As a result, they are very adaptable to other environments. The panhandle is considered to be in its breeding and summer grounds.

A half block down the road, this kestrel picked a high perch to scope the area out for a meal. This one is not Hanna Banana. The following two photos are of the first American Kestrel I've photographed in the "wild". They were taken in a residential section of Amarillo.

I don't know if this one was going after a meal, or just moving on to other "restaurants", but I was able to catch it in flight as it left the antenna.