Chirps and Cheeps

It's been awhile since I made a post and I miss recording my sightings.  I vow to be more regular again!

Today, I was gifted with a life list addition, an American Kestrel.  I was driving home from my daughter's church in North Collins, and as I was passing through some open fields and farm areas, I saw an unfamiliar bird swoop overhead and land on a phone line. I argued with myself about whether to pull over and try to get a picture of it - and the photographer in me won! And I just happened to have my camera because I was taking pics of my grandkids in their church Christmas pageant. Yes, I take pictures of subjects other than birds!

Anyway, I turned around and found the interesting bird perched high on the phone line.  I managed to creep up a bit, still in my car, and grab a few photos.  They're rather poor as I didn't have my tripod and he was pretty high up.  I wasn't even sure what he was until I got home and looked him up in my field guide.  I've heard of kestrels but never saw one.  He's very cool looking with two distinct bars on his face - one seems to run right up to his eye.  This one appears to be a male because there's a bluish coloring on his wing coverts. He was a treat, indeed!