American Kestrels on the Tuolumne River Trail

The American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) have been out in force the last couple of weeks on the Tuolumne River Trail in Waterford. I've seen as many as three of them along a one mile stretch of the river, and as you can see, a couple of times they remained still enough for some reasonable pictures. It may be winter, but we finally got some rain and the green grass sprouting, which is bringing out some of the other members of the food chain, and the hunt for grasshoppers or lizards seems to be going well.

It's always a pleasure to observe them.