8.27.23 Humboldt Park II, Chicago, IL

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There were so many Kestrels out today. There were at least 5 and they appeared to be working and playing together. They were all perched at the top of the same tree. And a few of them would fly back and forth around and at each other, like they were play fighting. And then we saw one of the most amazing things we've ever seen birding. The Kestrels started dive-bombing squirrels. The squirrels seemed mostly annoyed. After a while we realized that the squirrels were too large for the kestrels to actually pick up. We think the adults were using the squirrels to teach the youngsters how to hunt. It was wild. Just when we had to leave, we found a second pond where we think the Sora probably was. We only had time to walk around it once and didn't spot a Sora. But the entire time a Great Blue Heron sat on top of a dead tree about 15 feet above the ground.

--written by Ima and her family

Cooper's Hawks play-fighting

American Kestrel attacking a squirrel

American Kestrels fighting over a cicada that was still alive and buzzing. Top left Kestrel has the cicada in it's talons and the bottom right one was trying to steal it!