KESTRELS 73 



We took a clutch of five eggs from the deserted nest of 

 a Secretary-Bird ; these varied considerably both in ground 

 colour and in markings, but in the main resemble those of 

 rwpicola, being, however, a little more elongated in shape, 

 with a narrower diameter. 



The Lesser Kestrel {C. naumanni) is a migrant from 

 Southern Europe, Northern Africa and Asia, where it breeds, 

 arriving in South Africa about October. 



It is smaller than rupicola ; the male has the head, neck, 

 rump region, tail and wings bluish-grey ; the back of a 

 cinnamon colour without spots ; below paler than the back 

 with a few scattered spots. The female resembles that of 

 rupicola, but is without the blue head. Length, 12 to 13 

 inches. 



At Irene the Lesser Kestrel is very common during the 

 summer months, but strange to say it is only an occasional 

 visitor to Modderfontein (some 20 miles to the south). In 

 Albany these birds are usually very scarce, but on one 

 occasion the Division was visited by a large flock (probably 

 a hundred of them) which took up its residence for a week in 

 Belmont Valley, near Grahamstown. They were in the 

 habit of flying round in circles during the day and roosting 

 in some high Gum trees at night. 



We had the camera focussed on a small dead tree which 

 seemed a favourite perching place, with about 20 feet of 

 tubing attached to the shutter. There were about thirty 

 birds on the tree when a passing herd-boy cracked his whip, 

 disturbing them before an exposure could be made. We 

 were ultimately only able to obtain the accompanying picture 

 of a pair. The male is in the foreground, and the female is 

 sitting with her back to the camera. 



The Eastern Eed-legged Kestrel (C amurensis) is readily 



