The Foxhill Kestrels have been showing well of late with up to 4 birds around the Harp Lane area and hunting over the Grimston field.
This coincides with December of last year being their most active month when I took the above photos above with at least 1 bird hunting at most times of the day.
This, in my mind , must be down to the days being shorter and colder making the Kestrels need more food.
Around the breeding season the Kestrels disappear for a time to a regular breeding ground of which there are at least 4 known successful sites spread around the area.
Queensbury has always been a good area for Kestrel watching due to the elevation allowing them to hang on the thermals whilst hunting.
One of the best places to see this is driving past Crow Point on the main road between Queensbury and Halifax below Ringby where you can pass a hovering Kestrel at eye level.
Other good vantage spots are, Oats Royd above the Gulf, Roper Lane, Ned Hill watch point , Green Lane / Shibden Valley top, all places with a cliff edge or deep slope to pick up the thermals.
Kestrel numbers have dropped slightly in the last few years and Sparrowhawk sightings has risen but Queensbury will always hang on to its Kestrel population.
BS