Kestrel Take Off

Swooping over the top of the  grass in the field here just outside the chicken area my young kestrel was hunting in the sun this afternoon.
It was late on so the light was fairly low in the sky but the shadows were strong.

 I was sitting in my tent hide which was leaning drastically over to one side with the result that I had to too. One of the guy ropes had snapped  -- they aren't fit for purpose as they never last for any length of time and need to be replaced with nylon  or at least something stronger regularly. A job to do.

Hugely exciting tonight in the garden:

I've just been outside on the terrace with the thermal bins. Not only were my roe deer pair grazing, there were two rabbits (we had lost all of them due to myxomatosis last year) and best of all two tawny owls which I only identified as such because they hooted. One was on the post in front of the house and the other was flying round. Utterly magical to watch them quietly in the dark. We have a good few vole holes and I think/know this is why we are seeing so much activity.