Subject: [Tweeters] Kestrel stories
Date: Jan 30 22:10:02 2006
From: Dianna Moore - dlmoor2 at coastaccess.com


Hi Tweets...I have two stories about kestrels:

I am one of those "do-gooders" who can't resist meddling in the natural
order of things if it appears very one-sided so while driving out the gates
of Ocean Shores, preparing to turn right and seeing a merlin standing over a
kestrel (on his back, wings spread and beak wide open) I turned left instead
and drove right at the pair, flushing them. They flew off in opposite
directions, both loudly protesting.

While participating in the Chelan HawkWatch a few years back my HawkWatch
partner and I caught a kestrel in the mist net. He told me he would handle
this bird because, despite their diminutive size, kestrels can do some
serious damage to one's hands...a fact I got to see close-up. That tiny beak
took a few chunks out of his hands...they bite down then twist back and
forth. It looked very painful, and I was glad to stand by and watch! My mom
always told me "dynamite comes in a small package".

Dianna Moore
Ocean Shores, Wa.
dlmoor2 at coastaccess.com