The American Kestrel is a 'slightly smaller than a Mourning Dove' sized bird in the Falcon family. Their colorful markings make them stand out in a crowd and they are typically seen in Maine in the summer - not necessarily in the winter months though.
The day I saw the Snowy Owl near the Portland Jetport, I also saw this handsome critter sitting on top of a pole next to the Planespotting area. The sky was dark and he wasn't the largest of targets and that pole is really pretty high - so those pictures didn't come out so hot. You could tell what it was though.
A week or so later, I was cruising around with my sidekick son and I was trying to find the owl for him. Well - we didn't see the owl but he pointed out the Kestrel sitting on the fence - his brilliant plumage shimmering in the sunshine. I'm not sure why he's here, or what he's been eating but it certainly is a rare sighting. We figured he was too lazy to fly on his own when it was warm, now he's having a hard time booking a flight south. If you're in the area, it's worth taking a look for the Kestrel as well as the Snowy Owl. I hope you see them both!
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