American Kestrel

March.31st 2010



The weather has been great the last few days and watching the raptor count sites in Michigan and Manitoba I went to Petrofka to setup the Raptor Station. I found this male American Kestrel hover hunting along the highway. I caught him on the wing which is a first for me. The wind was blasting at 40 km\hr so he didn't have much trouble hovering. This is the earliest I have ever caught or seen a Kestrel in Saskatchewan, usually they arrive around April 7th.Hundreds of Red-tailed and Sharp-shinned hawks are coming through southern Manitoba so we should see them here sometime next week. I'll be sitting patiently with my eyes on the skies...

Mike Blom
Petrofka Raptor Station

Petrofka Raptor Station

March.26th 2010

After work I headed to my sister's acreage and tried to setup my hawk blind complete with nets. Well with the colder temps the ground refroze and the poles wouldn't go into the ground. I went to feed the pigeons in the hawk trap and noticed the trap was closed. I couldn't see a bird bouncing around but once I got closer this SY NOGO was in the trap.



This is the 3rd bird this year. All have been young from last summer. I have been watching the raptor reports at Whitefish Point in Michigan and there are alot of goshawks going through so it would make sense that these guys are on their way back north.



I finally convinced my oldest neice Magdalena to hold it so I could get some photos of her before she released it. She has been up close and personal with more birds of prey than most avid bird watchers.

Prairie Falcon

March 4th 2010




After work I headed south to try my luck for a Snowy Owl or Gyrfalcon. I've only come across a few Prairie Falcons and this was only the 2nd to react to my pigeon. It was sitting out nicely on a power line and the fog had finally lifted. It weighed in at 555 grms which from what the birds of North America says is light for a male PRFA. I could feel it's keel but it didn't feel under nourished. I'm still on the quest to band a Gyr and there have been a few recently sighted around Saskatoon, probably on their way back north. The temperature has been rising and the snow has been melting, before you know it the Kestrels and RTHA's will be back.