Kestrel oddity

[IanF]

Odd looking and odd behaviour.

Seen yesterday morning. This Kestrel was along the fence line behind the sand dunes between Zinc Works Road and Noth Gare.

Dark brown above almost black looking and with dark blotchy streaking below. Likewise the face is almost black. It's been suggested that it is melanistic.

The photos was taken when I first saw it. It was sat on behind a tuft of grass on the top step of a stile. I thought it was a rabbit at first from what little I could see. It took off and flew 100yds landing on the grassy path where it seemed to be feeding on caterpillars or maybe beetles. 20 minutes later it took flight  moving along the fence line hovering as it hunted.

[lee. taxi]

 yeah nice unusual bird. must have some melanism in it .

[Ian Foster]

The resident kestrel's and Peregrine at South Gare look a bit like this for very different reasons...

[StewH]

Melanism is reasonably common in Kestrels I believe.  Some of the older forum members among us will remember twitching a "Red-footed Falcon" in West Yorkshire..............