We have kestrels locally both across the fields by Rake Lane & down by the Priory in Tynemouth. Recognisable by its habit of continuous hovering & often seen over verges, this ‘motorway hawk’ is in fact a falcon. Considered in the past no more than a good mouser, in falconry it was the lowest ranking hence the bird of servants giving rise to the phrase A Kestrel for a Knave the title Barry Hines borrowed for his book describing a young boy’s efforts to rear & train a foundling kestrel, the basis for Ken Loach’s 1969 film Kes.

I often see one sitting in a hedgerow, masquerading as a feral pigeon, its identity given away not only by the lack of companions but also by the distinctive appearance once startle out into the open. The tail is long given the typical cruciform appearance

For me the ability to just hang in the air & then swoop down on its prey is just amazing to watch & it is often this that attracts my attention, that & the scattering of birds from its path