Hello everyone,
On the 17th Dec 2014, on a fairly overcast late morning while working in Bura Irrigation plantation (an area known as village 8), a hovering form caught my attention. That it was overcast, there was no precise telling of the colour of the form. My immediate thought was a kestrel then viewing through my binoculars, I noticed the pale face & nearly deceptive ‘black helmet ‘and in just a glimpse, given a quick twisting of the head by the falcon, I thought I picked a white cheek and throat. But the bird’s size (& I believe the hovering) was just wrong for a Peregrine as I shifted the identity in my mind. Then opportunity presented itself again as she turned in my direction & aaah! No extensive black moustache and the crissum region was definitely darker (certainly chestnut from the photo).
Meanwhile, a second, then a third up to the 19th showed up from roughly north easterly direction hovering and plunging into the fallow farmland to pick on insects/rodents. Meanwhile, 2 probably already satiated (or just breaking) birds perched on nearby power lines. Following these observations, I had the opportunity for this photo shoot- cloudy conditions notwithstanding. Amur Falcons they were!
Humble regards