38 HILLSIDE, ROCK, AND DALE 



and are carried like a bullet down wind, that one 

 realises what a marvellous power this is which will 

 cause even large birds to travel straight and sure 

 against a tempest. 



Another wonderful power the kestrel has is the 

 power of hovering. Many other birds are able to 

 hover. Titmice, finches, some of the warblers, and the 

 kingfisher all hover at times to procure their food ; 

 but their movements are heavy and clumsy when 

 compared with the hovering of the inimitable kestrel. 

 Some observers have thought that kestrels can only 

 hover in a wind, but this is a mistake. On the 

 calmest autumn days the kestrel will keep motionless 

 high up over its prey. When there is any wind 

 at all, however slight, the kestrel must face it if 

 he wishes to hover. How often one sees the bird 

 lose its balance when watching its prey. How r ever 

 slightly it turns when facing the wind while hovering, 

 it seems to fall, as it were, and has to circle round 

 to again face the breeze. The force of the wind 

 has little effect on a kestrel's powers. He can hover 

 almost as well in a gale as in a perfect calm. 



I mentioned before that a great abundance of 

 small bird life was to be found in this suburban 

 estate. The blackcap and garden - warbler were 

 found breeding in proximity, almost underneath the 

 tawny owl's nest. The garden -warbler seemed to 

 prefer the boundary hedges, while the blackcap 



