Where The Food Goes

As you saw in my previous post, our resident Kestrel pair are busy catching food for their young. I wanted to try to get a shot of the food being delivered.

I thought I had missed the adult slipping in to feed their young until I zoomed in on the shot.

And then I saw the undertail inside the cavity, maybe I didn't quite miss the shot afetr all!

Dinner Is Served - Again

I am beginning to wonder if we will have any lizards left at all with the prodigious rate that our resident Kestrel pair are catching them to feed their  young. It seems that every time I turn around one or other of them is on top of a saguaro with their latest catch.

It's Leg of Lizard For Dinner.

Our resident Kestrels romance seems to be going from strength to strength. The male dutifully brings regular gifts to his lady love. Often she takes the whole thing and leaves him looking rather deflated but sometimes he gets to share the feast. In this instance, leg of lizard.

I am linking this post to Eileens Saturday's Critters.

Dinner Time

Looks like Zebra-tailed Lizard is on the menu for the Kestrel today.

Togetherness

 

After a rather lengthly courtship during which she played (very) hard to get, our resident Kestrels are now inseparable. Even sharing, somewhat precariously, the same perch atop of a Saguaro.

Love Is In The Air

We have had a beautiful male Kestrel around for a couple of months and then a couple of weeks ago he started courting a lovely female. She gave him quite the run around for several days but then it appeared that cupid struck. She is now spending a lot of time checking out nest holes in the Saguaros and he is standing guard and, dare I say, looking rather proud.

Partners on High

This beautiful pair of Kestrels are regular inhabitants of our yard. They are fiercely territorial of all other raptors that enter their air space irrespective of how much bigger than them they are.


I love the markings on the back of the head that makes a potential predator think that the kestrel is looking at them, even when it is actually looking the other way. Spoils any potential thoughts of ambush!


Despite their diminutive size I never tire of watching them soaring and wheeling in the clear blue sky.


Before they swoop in to land atop a power pole or saguaro to keep an eye out over their domain.

The Watcher

This beautiful Kestrel seems to have taken up residence, her mate is much less willing to be photographed.

Small but Fierce

I saw this feisty little Kestrel chasing off a Red-tailed Hawk which was three or four times her size. I wonder if she has a nest nearby?