Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus.
Once a familiar sight, numbers of kestrels have declined and are now rarely seen. This is probably due to the loss of open grassland areas and woodland edge habitats as the woodlands have been allowed to develop unchecked. Hunting birds such as the kestrel hover over open ground to find their prey. Creating more open patches of ground would give more opportunities for small mammals to flourish and this would likely lead to a return of the kestrel.
Photo: © Neil Cheesman