Sunday 18 June 2017

Green Woodpecker and Common Kestrel, Aberaeron

A Green Woodpecker in my garden 6 and 7 June. Rare/irregular this far down the valley.

A Common Kestrel hovering over field next to the school hockey field in Aberaeron and then over my garden, late afternoon 15 June. Presumably the same bird (a male) seen perching in my Silver Birches 16  June and then swooping to catch woodmouse/vole/possibly shrew but prey seemed larger. Then flew with its prey towards Social Services building (as was) and then disappeared, presumably to feed its young. Seen again in birch tree this evening. Only my second garden sighting - first 7/1997, a recently fledged bird. 

Ian Harrison

I was passing through Aberaeron last Tuesday, 13th June, and had a brief view of a falcon which I'm pretty sure was a Kestrel.  I thought at the time that it was a very unusual sighting.