That is what I was thinking - maybe grasshoppers or even rodents! The
numbers are staggering considering that there seems to be a general
decrease in kestrel numbers. It would also indicate a good breeding success
this year with abundant food elsewhere.

Hans

*Hans Feddern*
Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA
thefedderns at gmail.com


On Tue, Aug 12, 2025 at 10:16 AM Steve Loitz via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:


> Kim, did you see signs of a large grasshopper hatch? I have seen a couple

> AMKE gatherings of a couple dozen near Vantage and on the Columbian Plateau

> in late summer when there was a large grasshopper hatch.

>

> Steve Loitz

> Ellensburg WA

>

> On Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 9:32 PM Kim Thorburn via Tweeters <

> tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:

>

>> Hi Tweets,

>>

>> I'm wondering if anyone has insight about what seemed a very unusual

>> event on July 22, 2025.

>>

>> I was working a field project on July 28, 2025 with another volunteer for

>> WDFW at the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in Lincoln County. In the process

>> we drove an approximately 28-mile transect, mostly through public lands

>> (Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area and BLM Telford Management Area) that

>> comprises decent scablands shrub-steppe habitat. We began noticing American

>> kestrel everywhere. We stopped counting at about 100 birds and probably saw

>> twice that many. I have spent lots of time in this area and don't ever

>> recall such a phenomenon.

>>

>> Many of the birds seemed to be hatch-year but there were clearly also

>> adults. They were very active-perching, spatting, foraging. Some birds in

>> this area over-winter. My anecdotal observation is that many over-wintering

>> AMKE are adult males. I believe those that migrate only fly short

>> distances. However, it seems early migratory activity, which, according to

>> the literature occurs predominantly in September and tends to be solitary.

>>

>> Does anyone know if this is a known phenomenon and if so, what is means?

>>

>> Thanks,

>>

>> Kim

>>

>>

>>

>> Kim Marie Thorburn, MD, MPH

>>

>> Spokane, WA

>>

>> (509) 465-3025 home

>>

>> (509) 599-6721 cell

>>

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